16

He stepped over the corpse of the last ogre he had to fight before the boss. He wasn't worried about the solo or even the duo ogres. The boss was on an entire different difficulty compared to the rest of the layer. He rolled his shoulders and readied his shield, he sheathed his sword for the moment and grabbed one of the javelins he had bought. He was hoping to take one of the sidekicks down with a well placed throw, it would make the rest of the fight a lot easier. He held the javelin at the ready and stepped into the room, the boss spotted him immediately and roared, it pointed with its meaty finger and sent its two subordinates to kill him.

Jace took a step, a skip and another step and then whipped his shoulder forward, letting the javelin soar the through the air, separating the air with a sharp whistle it impacted the ogre on the rights face. Taking it down in an instant, he rushed the second one to get rid of it before the boss realised he should join in. Jace dipped underneath its telegraphed strike and cut through its heel, he spun back and cut through its throat. Another desperate swing which he ducked under and he thrust his blade through the back of its skull. Finishing it off. The boss slammed the ground in anger and charged toward him, lining his club up for a massive swing.

Jace sprinted towards the boss, he used every bit of power he had to pump his legs, he placed a manaforged barrier that blocked the inner arm of the creature pausing its blow long enough. He leaped and soared through the air, using his momentum to bury his blade in its face, he let go of his short sword, quickly unsheathed another and slit its throat for good measure. He hopped back and watched the giant ogre crash into the floor. He felt the tremor and waited a couple of minutes to make sure it truly was dead before he gathered his rewards.

That hadn't been to difficult, in all honesty he and Weira had been ready to solo the layer a month ago but had taken some extra time to get the rest of the group up to the task. The next layer wouldn't take them so long. Everyone had improved enough that two months should be sufficient. He glanced at the portal that appeared in the room and stepped through it, appearing back in front of the tower. He stepped back in front and waited for the rest to exit. Plip popped out a bare second after he did, the boy nodded his head in greeting and walked with him to find a spot to wait. They sat down at a nearby café and waited for the others to appear. A minute or two later and Weira appeared, relaxed as always, they waved to her and she joined them for the wait.

Jerard was next to appear, the gentle giant had a large smile on his face and was happy to see the others. He walked over with large steps and patted everyone on the shoulder with a barrel chested laugh. The teen was obviously relieved to see all of them alive and well. The group settled in to wait. Floris appeared next, with a calm face he walked over to them. But Jace spotted the small relieved smile when he saw them. They then waited nervously on the last member of the team. Another ten minutes of waiting and Qyra still had to appear, Jerard was getting increasingly nervous and even Floris was rubbing his knees. Floris opened his mouth to ask something but Jace beat him to it.

"Relax guys, Qyra isn't a warrior, she needs to take her time to set up her spells and trap the corridor, if she is here within twenty minutes I'd be pissed at her since it meant she rushed."

Jerard glanced at him before he realised that it made sense and relaxed a little. Jace saw some tension leave Floris's soldiers as well. He even saw Plip sit slightly less upright. He smiled at them, it made sense to be this nervous. But the one he was worried about the least, other than Weira, was Qyra. The girl was patient and took her time to do everything correctly, she wouldn't be in much danger if she took her time to set up the traps she needed and top of her mana after each engagement. Sure enough after another fourty minutes of waiting the purple haired mage appeared with a grin. The rest ran over and laughed in relief now that everyone had returned. They headed back to the inn in good spirits, they took an extra large celebratory dinner. The innkeep came out and congratulated them, Mili put extra effort into their dinner and showed up to put their filled to bursting plates on the table. After a happy exchange of ALL THE POWER! Which even Jerard joined in on, she went back into her kitchen.

Once they were finished with dinner the rest decided to stay and talk with each other a bit more, they would head over to get their gear checked. Jace said his goodbyes to the group and left the inn, deciding to take a stroll through the city. He ducked into alleyways with his eyes open, he made his way to the less prosperous side of town. Even if the kingdom did its best to make sure the citizens had everything they needed the poor remained, refugees from other countries who were tired of war poured in and would not always find a job in this new land. Even if they could make their attempts at the dungeons not all people were willing to risk it. Eventually he strolled through past an alleyway with rundown houses, he glanced at the people and their drab clothing and smirked.

A soft sultry voice called out to him, "Hey, warrior."

He turned around and saw a woman in a low quality dress that showed signs of wear, her eyes were dark, seductive. He hair was pulled into a long braid that dropped below the small of her back. It was even darker than her eyes, a warm brown so dark it was nearly black. She stepped towards him and looked past her sharp nose at him, "For a little money I could make sure you leave this area a little less stressed." She put a hand on his chest, and smiled slightly.

Jace stared at her for a second, "You know what, I think I'll take you up on that."

The woman's smile grew slightly as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into one of the houses. Jace glanced through the rooms and almost froze when he saw some small clothing laying on one of the chairs. A small girls dress, he did his best to suppress the flinch so the woman wouldn't notice, if she did she didn't show it and dragged him upstairs. He glanced from room to room and saw a few signs that turned his heart cold, a slight stain of blood there, an indentation of a fist there. His hands balled into fists as he controlled his breathing.

She opened the door and dragged him to her bed, she gently pushed him on it and started taking of his armour. He let her and dragged his finger gently over her olive coloured skin. He looked her in the eyes, despite the signs of dirt and malnourishment he could tell she was a beautiful woman. His heart clenched, he let her take his clothes off and gently did the same to her. He kissed her softly, gently and guided her beneath him.

A half an hour later and he lay next to her covered in a sheen of sweat with the woman curled against his chest. He stroked her hair and asked. "How much?" She sat up and looked at him through thick lashes and smiled. "Two silver." Jace flinched and the woman froze, she kept her smile and sat up slightly. "A silver and five coppers would be enough since you treated me so well."

Jace sat up and grabbed his pouch, he pushed a gold piece into her hands and her eyes widened. Jace stared into her dark eyes, "I am Jace, what is your name?"

The woman stared at the coin with wide eyes but hesitated a moment before answering. "I am Sarai." She stared at him before she sat up.

"And your daughter?" Jace asked gently, he held her hand, softly but firmly. The woman almost jerked her hand away but managed to control her self, she stared at him. Eyes hard, "Why do you ask."

Jace did his best to show he meant no harm, he held her hand and gently stroked it. "Curiosity, also to keep us talking so I can think."

"About what, are you here to capture me and sell me as a slave. I will not let you have my daughter and I will kill you before you get the chance." She hissed through gritted teeth.

"So your partner, or should I say former partner. Left the two of you?" Jace ignored her threat and released her hands, hands which quickly grabbed a knife. She stood up, still naked but ready to fight. The light in the room shone on her skin, giving it a soft shine. She glared at him and lowered her center of gravity, ready to pounce. "How did you know that and what is you want!"

"The signs were there, blood stains on the floor the fist indentation, the shattered chair. Signs of abuse, yet they seem older. This house hasn't changed that much over the last few weeks. Mostly it's guesswork and deduction." He sat up and folded his hands in his lap. "As for what I want…" He looked her in the eye. "How would you like a place to live, I can offer you steady pay. Safety and schooling for your daughter." She glanced at him with wide eyes, unbelieving. "To sum it up, I can get you out. Away from this place, a new start for both of you."

Saria shook but her hands remained steady on the knife, her body ready for action. "Why would you do this, you do not know me, nor do you know my daughter. Is this some strange way of telling me you wish to buy me."

Jace grinned and chuckled softly, the woman tightened her hold on the knife. "Well I do want you for myself, but not as a slave. Is it stupid to decide after a round in the sheets and a bare hour of getting to know you. Most definitely."

He stood up and approached her, putting a hand over hers, as gently as she could. She flinched but kept still. "Mostly, I'm just acting on instinct, it feels right to do. What's the worst that could happen to me. It turns out I do not feel about you as I thought I did and saved a woman and her daughter from a fate none should have to suffer. Seems fine to me, I was planning to build an orphanage anyways, might as well start with someone who might be willing to run it for me."

The woman lowered her hands and stared at him. "You are a strange man, but I can feel you are serious. However odd that may seem to me. Also my daughter? Her name is Aziva."

Jace smiled at her and the woman smiled back. Tired, nervous, but with a shimmer of hope beneath it all. Jace sat with her on the bed and waited for her daughter to return, she was at a friend's house. When she finally returned and Jace looked at her, a girl no more than eight years old. Dirty, malnourished, frightened of a stranger. He heart ached at the lack of childlike curiosity in her eyes. Aziva glanced at her mom and quickly rushed behind her, glaring suspiciously at the stranger.

"Hi there!" Jace suddenly said, startling the girl. "I am Jace and my job is to be a chair. I am sturdy yet soft, I even come with a massage function. Most importantly I am free of charge!"

The girl stared at him like he was an idiot. "You are not a chair." She stated confidently.

"Yes I am." Jace answered just as confidently.

"No you are not, chairs are made of wood and stuff, not made of people."

"I am a magic chair, I'm special."

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "That can't be true."

"Try me and find out."

Aziva stared at him for a while longer, torn between her disbelief and suspicion of strangers. But beneath that he saw it, a glimmer of curiosity. Next to her Saria stood staring at him incredulously, eyes widened with astonishment. Aziva shuffled forward before poking him and darting back. Jace just sat there quietly, back straight on the edge of bed. Trying as hard as he could to seem like a chair. Aziva stepped forward once more and then suddenly jumped into his lap. Where she froze for a moment. Jace started bouncing his legs one at a time. Aziva sat there bouncing on his lap and turned around to glare at him. "See you're not a chair, you're moving!"

"Can't help it, you turned on the massage setting!"

"Well turn it off!"

Jace stopped bouncing and Aziva sat there staring at him. "Massage on!" He started bouncing his legs again, she smiled slightly and started repeatedly turning the massage setting on and off. Eventually she got tired of it and hopped of staring at him. "So what now, are you stuck as a chair?"

"I am indeed, but your mother knows how to fix it, she knows some magic trick!"

Aziva stared at her mom in awe. Saria fidgeted under her daughters gaze, but stepped forward and started making smooth gestures with her hands, Jace added some wisps of mana to trail of her fingers for effect. Saria's eyes widened but when she saw his smile she just went with it and stepped towards him. Then in a sudden dash she gave him a kiss and popped back, a slight blush on her cheeks. Jace grinned pleased and made himself glow with light. "POOF! Jace the human has returned!"

Aziva giggled and Jace grinned down at her, now that he had won her trust a little it was time for the next step.

Introducing his newly adopted family to the rest, explaining this was gonna suck for sure.