"O-oi Misty."
"Calling me by name Gil, the heat took a toll on you haha."
"I'll show you the toll when we get out but that's besides the point tell me why.."
"Why?."
"Y-youre not burning like me."
"Easy, aquaine a water spirit keeps me cool."
"Water element? Oi, don't tell me you're depleting your mana to keep yourself cool."
"Yes, that is what I'm doing. What ? Are you jealous , do you wish you had some water element."
"I wish you'd shut up, let's continue walking before I snap at you."
The Sandlands a desert ruins type dungeon so open one would think it was a country based on its expanse. Monsters of all variety inhabit this wasteland
Spiked snakes, The wastelands trolls , The sandmen and the widowed harpies.
Of which the two participants met neither Misty and Gil tattered through the wasteland forcing themselves through sheer force , exhaustion eating at their stamina.
"Y-you sure we ... huff huff 're in the right direction." Gil wheezes as he speaks
"I saw a bird I'm sure it would lead us to the other monsters and where there are monsters!."
"T-theres treasure but by the looks of it our lots to die here , and I don't want *wheezes* that."
"We'd have gone further if it weren't for you besides aren't you from the South Gil, I was led to believe you Southerners adapt well to heat."
"Oi, just because I've tanned skin doesn't make mean heat resistant. . The South is coastal not a damned desert."
"*sigh* all you do is complain, you're making me wish Eric were here instead."
"Eric this and Eric that, he's not here you'll have to deal with me and I never asked to be paired with you."
"The mere mention of his name gets you riled up eh."
"I.. shut up , again I wish I was paired with anyone but you except Aida."
"Why not , she's the most popular girl and I'm the 2nd most popular girl at school most would kill to have a chance to speak let alone pair with us."
"Until they know you for the conniving fox you are."
"Keep your infatuation with that commoner to yourself."
"Are you sure it's me, way I see it you're interested in him too. Remember how he saved you in that incident in the Ballroom."
"I remember that's when I've ceased thinking of him as a pest, I respect that commoner and let's leave it at lest you test my ire some more."
"You're honest for once?, how .. quaint."
As the two banter the earth tremors as figures of sand emerge from underneath, these monsters are...
"Sandmen!." Gil yells at the top of his lungs
Gil instantaneous reflex proved useful as he brings up his axe Slashing through the sandmen staving off the ambush forces.
"Gil, I'll support you (with whats left of my mana)."
Misty takes out her orb and begins casting water spells
"Aqua whip"
"Stone hands."
Hands of stone take shape formed from rubble and debris , wrecking havoc upon the sandmen
"Take that!."
Gil savagely swings his axe in an arc and guides his earth hands to smash through a line.
"Leave some for me."
Misty joins up lashing her Aqua whip her orbs constantly providing the water.
"There's no end to them." Says Gil frustrated
"You know
Misty's magic and Gil's combat prowess the two make quick work of the monsters on the ground neglecting the enemies from above.
"Misty!." It was too late to come up with a countermeasure as Misty was occupied with the remaining sandmen. Gil bites his lip in frustration as he calls her by name as well as pushed her out of the way.
The Harpy talons finds purchase deep into Gil's shoulder
"Gil...."
Misty looks horrified as colour fades from Gil , the short tempered boy had crossed the line of fire to protect her
"Tch, it got me."
He says casually as he brandished his axe Slashing away at the Harpy.
"It's poisonous you idiot don't move."
"I'm no Eric I don't have the nonsense power he possess, my combat power falls short to reach Russel and I'm not a genius mage like that bastard Leon, if I tuck my tail and hide I'd never reach their level and Joshua who is catching up to them."
"If you're aiming for these lofty heights then don't get in harms way you idiot."
"I'd get in harms way if it means my friend safety"
"For an old grump you have a heart three times bigger than your head."
"Tch, shut it, I'd be damned if I let harm befall anyone I know."
Misty smiles at Gil, she'd never would have guessed that Eric weighs on his mind.
She sighs and resignation and offers her best attempt at healing
"I'm not Alice but my healing isn't half bad either, I guess it helps to have a royal bloodline."
The Harpys and Sandmen begin their collective assault bearing at the pair from the ground and the skies
-stone dome-
Stones , pebbles , rocks and minerals gather above the harpys forming a giant cage
As it free falls the stone bars encased the harpys landing on the ground.
With a grin Gil he looks at his partner as he requests a follow up.
" give us a big wave."
"I've thought this ahead of you."
-tidal waves-
A strong body of water emerges from the spell circles drowning their localised area drowning and defeating the monsters.
"Tch, we missed one."
"Ah, its running off somewhere."
"Quick let's follow it."
"Oi, Misty come back here I can't sprint damn you!."
-a few moments later-
The pair chase after the harpys with Misty sprinting and Gil limping behind.
"Say Gil, I just remembered something."
"What did you remember if it's one of your silly ramblings,by God I'll perform a sand burial right here and there."
"You were such a cute whittle baby when we were younger, you admired me and called me big sis. I just miss that Gil."
"Alot can change in a decade , my father changed, my estate changed and above all else the way I see people changed."
"You mean the riots?"
"It was never about that, I trusted someone who I should've kept at arms length."
"You mean your attempted murder during the riots?"
"Yes, the man whom I trusted among the rabble a simple farmer he gave me samples of his produce and I got along well with his son. But all of that changed when the riots kicked at our door."
"Frienzied commoners, flocked at our doorsteps armed with rusted swords, spears , pitchforks, hoes and shovels.
They chanted death to De Caderroa our name. I saw my uncle hacked to death by a commoner , I saw our guards choose between the people and their duty some even turned against us while the ones who remained loyal fought to keep them at bay, and I saw the man who I thought would save me, he beckoned me to come over to his side his reassuring smile and calm demeanor let my guard down.
And when I went close enough to him, his smile became deviant and he deliriously claimed we ripped him off his yield and that I'm the reason for his child starving. He then attempted to hack me with his axe, I fought him off and it was for a moment that slight moment I caught a tattoo on his neck one of a bird a crow, it was all I remember from that day the guards had come to save me and that's when that man fled.
I can never trust a commoner not with my life or any of my noble peers. They are savages waiting for the day they'd bear their fangs against us."
"What about Eric and Alice do you despiss them? Do you trust them?."
"Alice is a kind girl, and he shows promise in magic likely due to her heritage. Eric on the other hand....
He's a commoner, he wields no magic and worst of all he's risen up in ranks among our circles.... I should despise him , I should after all he might have killed the man I've been after. He was one of the crows apparently the ones that attacked the engagement party 3 years ago. Eric not only staved off the worst of the attack's damages he also decimated the organisation behind it a year later.
I envy his strength, and it frustrates me that I'll never reach those heights. Being weak and helpless is never a state I want to be in."
"Gil..."
"Stop looking me with this pitiful expression... that's it a sand burial for you!."
"Haha, my bad I apologize please don't fume or you'll explode from the heat."
-meanwhile-
"Misty and Gil a very interesting pair , strikingly the most fun to watch don't you agree Master... oh I forgot you're not here at the moment." Micah says to himself
"I look forward to seeing them progress."
To be continued