NOVEL NEXT 40. New quests and New Challenges
Bonny got up at sunrise and started rousing the others. “Get up. Up and at em. It’s time to make like a tree and leave.”
Willowbelle glared at Bonny for the last comment, but changed it to a smile after Bonny just grinned back.
Bonny packed her greaves, spaulders, vambraces, and helmet in her pack, but donned her leathers. The trip out of the forest should be relatively safe, since the goblins had chased or eaten almost all other dangerous animals in the local region then had been annihilated in turn.
“Hey! Listen!”
Bonny turned to see the little fairy flying over, the morning sun casting a glare across her hips and chest. “Hi, Adelina. You know you don’t have to say that every time you want attention.”
“Big people need to LISTEN!” The first part of the sentence was musical, like tiny bells tinkling in a mysterious melody, but it ended in a crash of discordant noise, the bells deeper and out of sync.
“Okay, okay. I’ll listen. What do you need?”
“I am coming with you.”
“What? Why?”
“Oakleigh said to watch and help you. I have wind.” As she said the word, a gust of wind struck Bonny, almost knocking her over.
Bonny laughed. “That’s fine. I don’t mind you coming along. Do you want us to bring anything? Like food or water?”
“Nope! I am fine.” She circled around and landed on Bonny’s head.
The rest of the party had turned to watch the conversation and laughed when the fairy settled down.
“Sshe likess you, but I don’t think sshe iss big enough to be part of your harem, Bonny.”
Bonny tilted her head back, trying to look up. Adelina leaned forward to look down, sticking her head just far enough forward that Bonny could see her face.
“Do fairies even have sex?”
“Yes!” Her voice was a harmonious symphony of ringing.
“With people? Uh, normal sized people?”
“We can work on it.” Adelina’s voice chimed with excitement and delight. She smiled and winked, then sat back, ending the conversation.
Bonny turned back to Eloisss and the rest of the party, shrugging and smiling. “I guess she wants to join.”
Willowbelle spoke up, “I would join your harem as well.”
“Um, ok. But why?” She motioned to the whole group. “We’re all attractive and, uh, openly sexual. Why is everyone fixated on me? Why not each other?”
“You are you, nya.” Miu winked.
“But Eloisss has been with us almost as long as we’ve been together. Why me?”
Willowbelle answered for them, “You are fatebound. We wish to be part of it.”
“Fatebound? Like things are predestined? Aren't we supposed to have free will and stuff?”
“We do, but there is a sense of purpose around you. Sex isn’t strictly necessary, but we all wish to be closer to you.”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Willowbelle’s statement, except Kanae, who yipped and wagged her tails instead.
“Hmmm, ok. But I’m not jealous. I would like it if you can satisfy each other too. I mean, sex is great and I want a lot of it. Part of that is because of Lust, but it might be a problem if everyone is dependent on me.”
“Will work out, nya.” Miu stepped close and ran her fingertips down Bonny’s arm. “Love you, nya.”
Bonny smiled and pulled the cat into a hug. She whispered, “I think I love you too.”
Miu purred and held on tightly for a moment, then they released each other to finish packing.
Bonny turned to her left shoulder, where the gods usually stood. “Fatebound? We do have free will, right?”
Courage turned and spoke up, “Yes, but it is nothing to worry about. You will draw others toward you, both friends and enemies. Face them directly and you will succeed.”
“But what do I need to do? What’s my fate?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Save the world.”
“Oh. Really? That's all?” Bonny sat down and sighed. “How?”
Recovery joined the conversation, “Follow the quest Oakleigh gave you. Claim the artifacts at the lake, then look for more. We are here to help.”
“But the world? That’s big.”
“I wouldn’t have told you that quite yet.” Recovery glared at Courage. “There is plenty of time. It’s just a series of steps.”
“Okay.” Bonny sighed and stood to finish packing. She looked around to see everyone watching her. “I’ll trust you. All of you.”
They set out shortly after. Bonny wearing just her leather and the shield strapped to her back. Eloisss, Miu, and Willowbelle carried the three backpacks. Miu led the way, Eloisss slithered alongside Bonny, Kanae trotted alongside in fox form, Willowbelle followed behind, and Adelina rode on Bonny’s head. The two goddesses, Courage and Recovery, stood on her left shoulder and the demoness, Lust, bounced on her right breast.
The primary route south was the path that led from the Lamia Rhumba. It was used by enterprising merchants looking for lamia produced goods and herbs only found in the forest. They then took them back to Beaverton to sell or ship to other territories.
The party chose to stay by the river, though, going back the way that Miu and Bonny came up. Miu’s pathfinding allowed them to move quickly and swiftly through the woods.
There were several rivers and streams in the forest that merged into one another, all flowing into Beaver Bayou. The trading path would eventually parallel one of the bigger rivers that their stream would feed into. They would join the path there and stay on it as they traveled.
They talked as they traveled, no longer as afraid as Miu and Bonny had been on the way north.
Bonny filled in the rest of the party as they walked. “Grandma Oak said there are two artifacts that we need to protect or claim near the town. Recovery says I need to claim them. Do any of you know anything about them? Or artifacts in general?”
Willowbelle answered, “Artifacts are items that have been imbued with spirits. They have some level of sentience. The more powerful ones may also be conscious or sapient.”
“Oh, like my dildo?”
The dryad nodded. “The goddesses should know more, though they may choose not to say.”
“I’ll ask them later, I’m happy to talk to you now.” Bonny smiled. “What about magic items that aren’t artifacts? Do they not have spirits?”
Eloisss spoke, “Yess. My falcata are enchanted ass iss both of our armor. Enchantmentss usse arcane magic, which drawss on ambient mana. They can be affected by changess in mana levelss.”
“Oh, are there places that have less mana? Or more? Are artifacts not affected?”
“The sspiritss in artifactss give them an internal power ssoursce. Magess and magic itemss may use mana fasster than it replenisshess, lowering the conscentration. Beaverton hass lower mana than the foresst.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Are there areas with higher magic? Or mana? Is that the same thing?”
“Yess. Higher magic areass have more dangerouss monssterss. Mana is influensced by sspiritss, so wildernesss areass have more than controlled or tame landss.”
“Monsters? Like dragons? Are there friendly dragons?”
Eloisss and Willowbelle both turned to look at Bonny. “There are no friendly dragons. They are apex predators. If you see one, hide and hope it hasn’t noticed you.”
“Really? My world has stories about dragons. Some are dangerous, but others are friendly.”
“There iss one in a cave in the mountainss, deep in the foresst. No one hass who hass gone, hass returned.”
“Well, that one probably isn’t friendly. I’m sure we’ll meet one eventually, though.”
Eloisss and Willowbelle glanced at each other in concern and shook their heads as the lamia replied. "Pleasse don't sseek one out."
They continued on, the conversation moving toward more mundane topics. They stopped as the sun started to get low. Eloisss and Miu left to hunt for dinner while the rest of the party set up. They didn’t have a fancy camp, since they didn’t need much in the way of shelter. They cleared an area and built a small fire beside the bank of the stream.
The trip north had taken a little over a day and a half to get to The Oak, but Miu and Bonny had been traveling quickly. The party was moving a little slower, but had walked longer and further. Miu estimated they would arrive at the waterfall in the late afternoon. Bonny wanted to visit it again, since it was where she had first come to terms with being in a different world.
Eloisss and Miu brought back venison, roots, and berries, enough to feed everyone without dipping into their travel supplies. After washing up, being careful of aggressive fish, and eating, everyone looked to Bonny.
“Uh, what?”
Eloisss slithered over and leaned against Bonny. “We asssumed you would have planss for tonight. Right?” She looked around.
Everyone nodded agreement.
Eloisss continued with a wink, “and lasst time, you ssaid you would take care of me firsst.”
“Oh, did I? Are you sure? I don’t seem to remember.”
Eloisss started unfastening and removing Bonny’s leather armor. “I am ssure.”
Bonny stood and kissed the lamia. “Well, you’re certainly aggressive tonight. Is everyone else just supposed to watch?”
“They can join in after you ssatissfy me.” She grinned. “Can you handle all of uss?”
Bonny looked around to see the rest of them watching, expectantly. Adelina had moved to sit on one of Willowbelle’s arms, the setting sun still casting a glare across her body.
She smiled, “I’ll try my best.”
