63. Return

The next morning Gorsen awoke the three of them to a splendid breakfast as well as the equipment they had asked for the day before. They were now fully outfitted in a lightweight leather armor set. It persevered their mobility and the more malleable material would allow them to repair it themselves and add changes as they needed it. They thought ahead, remembering that they were still children and would need to make changes to the armor as they grew. 

Gorsen led them to a waiting room after breakfast. In the room was the manager and four people decked out in various gear. Their auras were intimidating to say the least. Each one glowed with confidence and certainty in themselves. Their entry tipped off the manager who looked over with a smile. "Good, these children were the ones to discover the monster. They will lead you to it. I implore you four to dispatch it in its entirety. We cannot afford any mishaps right now." He spoke and his eyes seemed to converse with one of the four off to the side. 

The trio strode forward and finally came face to face with the four. "Manager, you can't be serious these are kids." The man in the front spoke. 

The manager sighed. "Yes but getting good labor to clean out the sewers these days can be excruciating. I take whatever I can get. They proved themselves capable though. They made it in, eliminated a number of toxic rats and returned alive. They also encountered the fungal brood mind and survived without issue." 

The woman to the mans right scoffed at the managers remark. "Drake, who cares if they are kids. The payout is enough and he never said we needed to protect them." The woman looked at the three of them with arrogance. 

They took stock of the room while the manager continued to soothe the four of them. The man in front, Drake, stood tall in thick armor and carried no weapons. His eyes were completely black with no iris. Besides that he appeared completely human. Auburn hair and a pale complexion made up his face. The woman that stood at his side was a rather short girl with a flat chest and wore armor with the same makeup as Drake. She also carried no weapons. Just behind the duo was two others. They had refrained from talking so far.

The one that the manager had stared out for a large amount of time was cloaked. Just peeking out though the trio could make out some dark red skin and they could faintly see glowing from under the hood. The other was a well-dressed wizard. A complete outfit, complete with a staff, wide brimmed hat, and cloak. It was an older man with a long nose, a white beard and dark sullen eyes that made it difficult to stare at him long. It was clear the duo in the front was a pair and the other two were people who normally worked solo, but they had all been brought together to take down this fungal brood mind. 

The manager finished soothing the concerns of Drake finally and he turned to Gorsen. "Can you please lead them to the sewer entrance and get that god forsaken thing killed already." Gorsen nodded quietly and began leading the rag tag bunch to the closest sewer entrance. Drake and the woman stood closely behind Gorsen and the other two fell in with the trio. The old wizard struck up a conversation.

"Odd to see children as young as you take up the mercenary business. What drove you to such desperation?" His words were smooth and accompanied by a smile. 

"We just really needed the money. We are trying to leave the continent." Alyssa happily spoke up, relieved that someone in the party seemed to not be too biased to their age. 

The wizard nodded. "A just cause for the danger you put yourself in. I know of many desperate to leave, but unwilling to take the risks needed to accomplish their goals. I applaud you." He gave shake of his head in approval. 

The previously cloaked man undid the hood, revealing red skin lined with glowing orange lines that crisscrossed his face. "You three are trying to leave the continent too? Best of luck to you both. This job will pay for my passage and then I'm off to the magic schools to learn better fire magic." He spoke for the first time. Jumping into the conversation. He then produced a small flame in the palm of his hand. 

The wizard was shocked by this though. "What a pure magic flame! You have a gift young man!" The red man snickered. "This ain't nothing yet old man. I'll show you real fire magic in the sewers!" His words caused the red of his eyes to glow in excitement. 

The wizard looked in awe. "I look forward to your performance." The trio looked at the flame and then back to the wizard. 

"Sir, how do you know it's a good magic flame?" Cerone asked. 

The wizard looked at her in shock. "I can sense the mana around you, I assumed you could cast magic. Were you self taught?" He asked.

Cerone nodded her head. The wizard stroked his chin for a second. "While magic can be utilized to many things, the better one is at utilizing it the more efficiently they can will the mana to perform the desired outcome. This one is exceptionally gifted at creating fire. The flames he created burn with the least amount of mana I have ever seen." He patiently explained. 

A noise from the front caused the five of them to stop. Drake spun around. "Let's get going you three. Faster we killed this thing the sooner I get paid." 

The three of them looked to each other and nodded. Rys took the front and moved forward letting his sense push out to find the trail they had left. It took nearly twenty minutes before they found the initial trail. Rys took stock of the area they were in and pushed onward towards the direction that went down, deeper into the sewers. 

Unlike the first time they had gone into the sewers they ran into no obstacles. All the monsters that they had encountered the first time were already slain. They moved forward, but after a few hours they slowed down and started to take the trail slowly. They were getting close to where it had been spotted. 

The drop in speed seriously displeased Drake and the woman who were now shouting at the trio to move faster. "Come on go quicker, this place stinks!" The woman shouted. 

Alyssa frowned. All the ruckus of their heavy armor made listening for enemies difficult, and the constant shouting was breaking Rys' concentration. 

"I bet they lied about seeing anything down here. I think they're lost." Drake snickered. Cerone had finally had enough though. She spun around. Her emotions flaring up.

"Do you think we would really lie about something as serious as a fungal brood mind. That thing has enough power to demolish most of this city and then some. So would you both shut the fuck up and let us find it." She huffed after finishing that and turned back around. 

The woman wouldn't let her though. "You little cunt! Do you think you can say that to me and I'll let it go!" She pushed past Drake and reached a hand out to grab Cerone. Cerone took a step back but a sudden gravity like force sucked her towards the outstretched hand. 

With her neck in her hand the woman slammed Cerone into the side wall of the sewer. Drake stepped up. "Baloth, calm down. We still need them to find the fungal brood mind." 

"Shut up Drake. We only need the one legged one. I'm gonna kill this one though!" She pushed down on Cerone and she saw stars in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and reached for the dagger on her waist. 

The woman saw this and slapped her hand away, definitely breaking something in Cerone's arm. She gasped in pain. The woman reached back and a purple glow enveloped her fist. Cerone looked at it with fear. Then a voice played in Cerone's head. 'We will aid you, but at a price. Do you accept?'

Cerone looked around, but found no source. The fist crashed down on her stomach and she felt something crack. She couldn't draw breath. The woman reared back again. Drake said nothing and looked at her with pity. The old wizard and red man only stood to the side. They both did nothing either. Alyssa ran up to the wizard. 

"Please sir, can you do something! Please save Cerone!" She begged. He looked at her sadely. 

"I cannot. Baloth, is the strongest out of the four of us, and by a large margin. Even with all three of us ganging up on her at the same time she would win easily. I'm sorry little one." He put a hand on Alyssa's shoulder. Alyssa brushed it off though in a rage. 

Cerone's vision was turning dark and she could feel parts of her starting to shut down. The voice returned. 'Do you accept?' Cerone closed her eyes. What else could she do. One word sliped out of her mouth as her consciousness faded. "Yes." 

Baloth's fist rushed down once more, but a crashing halted her attack. A rolling sphere rushed towards Baloth. It smashed into her. She was sent flying into the wall and in her place an amalgamated mass of flesh and fungus remained.