4th Gen Vitali's Warrior Vitali > Rosie > Gemma > Viva > Me! Seras was born into a long line of protectors, so it made sense when she joined a guild while working on her fighting skills. It didn't matter if she was smaller in stature compared to all the other members - she gained the reputation for being the Fae for any job. She loves eating leaf beetles and, if a non-perilous job is close to her home clan in the Viridian Labyrinth, she'll sneak away during downtime for a snack. Not fond of hatchlings, she likes telling them her tail was dyed with the blood of her enemies to scare them away.

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Seras looked at the shining gold and red imperial off in the distance. "You're seriously telling me I'm in a support role this time? Is this a size thing?" The imperial might have looked dignified if he hadn't bumped into a stack of crates sending the smaller ones crashing to the ground again. She then looked back at the Guild Master. "I don't think anyone can help that big lummox."

The guild master pulled her further away. "Keep it down! I thought our members had more manners than this." He bonked her on the head. "And let me finish going over the details. This is a job posted by the clan Lux Ancora. They need help scouting out underground tunnels in some sort of ruins and insisted on one of their own leading this expedition. They requested a smaller support..."

"It is a size thing." Her crest flared. Seras specifically said she didn't want to take on any jobs where size was a factor. She was tired of being hired just to carry a lantern or some other mundane task. She was a fighter!

The Guild Master sighed, immediately able to tell how irritated Seras was. "But in a good way! The tunnels are tight and there's a good chance there's some wildlife that needs clearing out. You've had experience fighting in small spaces. You're needed for the job."

"You mean there's no one else on our roster who is available." Support was so boring and following around that bumbling idiot was going to drive her batty. "Fine, but I expect a sack of leaf beetles when I get back."

"Deal."


Seras was to be escorted to the ruins' entrance by the imperial. When he approached he didn't introduce himself, so she didn't bother either. He nodded and took off without so much as asking if she was ready. With one last look at the Guild Master, her crest in a downward annoyed position he should recognize, Seras scrambled after her guide.




The flight was longer than she expected and her guide made it more aggravating. The sun glinted off of his scales and continuously blinded her. Seras tried paying attention to any notable landmarks so she could find her own way back after the mission, but was beginning to suspect they'd been going in circles. Wasn't that the same set of three smaller buildings clustered around the remnants of a well they passed minutes ago? What about that giant tipped over urn that was still intact? Did they really pass by four of those?

Finally the imperial landed in some crumbling ruins that looked no different from the other dilapidated structures around them. Seras landed in time to see him cast a spell on an intricate door with all the elements engraved on it. The door slid into the floor and the imperial walked inside.

They were in a large chamber with multiple tunnel entrances. The door shut shortly after they entered, but the tunnels weren't dark because the imperial's whole body gave off a soft glow. He turned to her and she got a good look at his face for the first time. There was just light where his eyes should have been, brighter and more condensed than the rest of him. "I can see better in here, but if you need to light a lantern then do so. Once we begin I won't be able to turn around until we reach a larger chamber. If anything gets past me it's up to you." His voice was gentler than she expected it to be. She just nodded in response.

The imperial walked to the narrower tunnel on the left. "FOR THE LIGHT!" He yelled. Immediately after the glow on his body became brighter as he squeezed his way out of sight. Seras blinked in surprise. Why in the world did he mention lanterns? He was brighter than most of them! She waited until he'd gone a ways before following after.




How many hours had it been? Seras was bored, cold, and getting hungry. The occasional moss eater moth's corpse would appear in the imperial's wake; they were starting to look tempting. She'd been in such a huff about the assignment that she failed to listen to the length of it, otherwise she'd have taken a moment and brought more adequate provisions. Mainly her pack contained a lantern and fuel.




Had another hour passed? Seras wished she'd brought her half an hour glass. Watching the sand would have been more interesting than doing nothing. The tunnel hadn't gotten any wider, so she really couldn't tell what was going on ahead. The pace was so slow that she'd long given up on flying. Trudging behind the imperial wasn't bad for the most part, but occasionally his tail would flick little pebbles at her. She picked up one of the pebbles and threw it at his tail in frustration. The imperial stopped immediately and she sheepishly wondered if he'd felt it. The imperial tensed and his tail moved, causing Seras to jump back. "Sorry! It was just a pebb-"

"Look out!" The imperial's yell was muffled.

Seras felt the ground under her move, so she flew up. Something erupted under her, stabbing through her body in multiple places simultaneously. She was pinned against the ceiling until the creature's momentum ran out and they fell back to the ground. Seras was stunned for a moment before screeching in rage. Her wings flapped furiously, splattering her face as she freed herself. Her momentum caused her to be flung into the imperial and fall onto his tail. As her blood began to stain his scales, she mumbled, "Red tails... we have something in common." At this angle she was able to see her attacker - a burrow bear.

It reared up on its hind legs and roared. Before it took a swing at Seras, the imperial moved his tail and she slid to the ground. She could hear the burrow bear's claws come down in the spot she use to be. Then the imperial took a couple steps backwards until Seras was under his belly.

"Don't step on me!" Maybe he thought she'd died and he was going to trample her corpse to get at the burrow bear. She tried to reach up and poke his stomach but the movement put too much strain on her injuries. She became paralyzed with the pain, curling up slightly. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. With only one thought in her mind, she whispered. "Make it stop..."




Seras opened her eyes. "Am I dead?" The Guild Master's face appeared above her. "Yes, this is what I'd expect hell to look like."

"I'd thump you if it weren't for your injuries." The Guild Master rubbed at his eyes and looked away. "Don't joke about it. When Zealot brought you back I thought you were dead."

"Zealot?" Seras felt muddled, but she was fairly certain she'd never heard that name before.

"You mean you don't even know the name of the guy you were working with? Seras! I'm definitely giving you a whack or two when you've recovered." The Guild Master sighed.

So he didn't end up trampling her after all. "I suppose I should thank him." She didn't really like anyone seeing her this beaten up, but if he carried her back then it was too late anyways. "Could you have him stop by before he leaves?"

"He's not here. After he dropped you off he said the job wasn't finished and left. Looked half-dead himself, but wouldn't even wait for us to send for a healer." He shook his head, "Another reckless one." He finally looked at Seras again. "There's something else we need to discuss..."

Seras still had problems identifying facial emotions, but she didn't like the look the Guild Master wore.

"Your injuries are very severe..."

"That means I get paid time off right?" Seras figured she'd be out for months. How embarrassing to have bungled a job this badly. If she'd just been on alert the whole time like she was suppose to, she would've been able to react quicker. So much for being a protector! The Guild Master hadn't responded and she couldn't see him from her position. Did he get exasperated and leave? "Fine, I'll take a pay cut..."

"You will need to retire. You can still stay in your quarters if you wish and the guild will pay for a caretaker as well as issue you a monthly allowance."

"What?" The Guild Master was speaking so quietly Seras was sure she heard him wrong.

"The injuries you sustained were too severe. The healers did their best, but you were in the tunnels for hours before you got treatment."

"What are you trying to say?" Seras began to sit up, but couldn't feel her legs. The Guild Master helped prop her up. She stared at her unresponsive appendages in disbelief.

"You had a couple crushed vertebrae."

She shoved him away and laid back down. Everything was over. She'd trained her whole life to carry on her ancestors' legacy and now she had nothing.

The Guild Master cleared his throat. "A... priestess from Lux Ancora says she has a solution. I don't know if we should trust them, but they claim to have a ritual that will give you back your movement. You will be changed though. They wouldn't elaborate further."

"I'll do anything. Tell them I'll do anything." She needed to be able to fight again just as much as she needed to pay that imperial back. Pay Zealot back.

"Are you sure? There are plenty of gadgets being invented that can serve as your legs. You can take a vacation to Goldensparc and see what there is. It'd be safer and..."

"And I'd still have to retire. Tell the priestess I will participate in this ritual."

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Changelog wrote: 01/04/22 AH to Zerik 15g 01/04/22 Leveled to 10 w/ Zealot 01/04/22 Fae to Guardian 01/25/22 Level 25 01/28/22 Seraph to Flair 02/03/22 Tapir to Flaunt (25 reward) 02/25/22 Regeneration to Aid Notes wrote: - Tentative Sponge unless I find better - Check back in with her lineage at 25 - Send to Lunartwist if no longer wanted - Her mother went Guardian to Fae - Mage for Saint Sponge Build

Original Appearance

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