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Published at 21st of March 2019 12:23:25 AM


Chapter 71

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"Very good, you will have 15 minutes to resupply and refresh, while they get ready for the next round." Zy had watched the fight, the two surface dwellers had barely been challenged. The holo blinked off a moment later.

Two attendants came out carrying a crate, they sat it down and then scurried a way. Quinn peeked inside, "it's food and some water."

Quinn looked at the girl wrapped in a blanket. "You hungry?"

She looked at him but didn't answer.

"What's your name?" Quinn tried a different approach.

"That's fine, I'm actually good at guessing names." Quinn scratched his chin, "It's monkey-butt right?"

"Y-Your the monkey butt!" She had big brown eyes and a tanned impish face. She shrugged out of Leah's grasp and limped toward the food.

"How old are you monkey-butt?" Quinn noticed Leah frowning at him, 'she doesn't know how good I am with kids.'

"My name is isn't monkey-butt, it's Maia.!" She reached into the crate of food and took out a red fruit.

"Interesting, you look like a monkey-butt." Quinn kept a straight face when he said it.

She took a bite of the fruit while continuing to stare at him. "I'm twelve."

"Twelve? Why are you so small if you're twelve?" Quinn reached in and grabbed something purple, 'damn it, she ate the last red one.'

"Being small is a sign of high intelligence," she finished off the fruit, core and all.

Quinn tossed Leah the purple fruit, "is that right?"

Maia nodded while she licked her fingers. "Why are you so unnaturally tall?"

"...." Quinn.

Leah laughed, but then covered her mouth quickly.

'Did she just call me stupid?' Quinn frowned at her. "We have fight two more rounds monkey-butt, just do your best to stay with Leah."

"...." Maia.

Leah sampled the purple fruit and then wrinkled her nose at it. She exchanged the cartridge in her bracer and nodded to Quinn. "Ready to go."

Maia pulled a clay jar out of the crate and drank some before handing it to Quinn. "Thank you for helping me Mr. Quinn"

'Damn it... she's being nice.' "It's fine Maia." He took a drink and then handed it to Leah.

The holo popped back on, Zy's face greeted them. "The second round is going to be tougher then I imagined."

Quinn watched as two men came back out into the arena and reclaimed the crate of food. "Next time bring more red fruits!" He glanced back at Zy, "what is it?"

"Three elite Rhodians." Zy sighed when she said it.

"Only three, that's not too bad," he turned around and gave Leah a thumbs up. He lowered his voice a bit, "Hey... what's a Rhodian?"

Maia's face turned pale, "they are spiders, their poison is very toxic."

Leah gasped. "Spiders?" She stomped her feet in frustration.

Quinn watched her while trying to keep from smiling, 'that's super cute..' "Hey, hey.... it's fine isn't it? I can handle three spiders, no problem."


Leah nodded. "I'll support from up above, if it's all the same."

"Hey.. they don't call me the spider Nemesis because it's a cool nickname." Q took out his pistols and then set them back in the holster.

Maia walked over to Leah. "Is he taking this seriously?"

Q continued to talk to himself. "Although, it is a pretty cool nickname.. Nemesis!!"

Leah shook her head. "Can you ride on my back? It would make it a bit easier for me."

"Yep," she hopped on Leah's back, the apple princess grappled the pillar and scurried out of reach.

Quinn stared at her. "So soon? They aren't even here yet!!"

Zy watched him for a moment. 'Why does he seem unconcerned?' "Good luck."

The holo blinked out just as the sound of a metal grate opening carried across the arena. The crowd gasped and then started to stomp their feet.

Case Number 4271 Prepare to Fight!!

The Rhodian spiders were huge and blood red. They scurried toward Q until they were within 50 feet, one stopped to face him while the other two moved toward the pillar.

Quinn nodded,"That's very smart, this one will hold me off while the other two attack my companions." He spoke loudly, his voice carrying across the arena. "I only see one small problem."

*Blink*

*Backstab* Critical hit (x 3 x 5) 286,200 damage, Bonus 286,200 damage.

A Rhodian Elite Spider has been slain. Experience points have been deferred.

"You can't possibly hold me off..."

*Blink*

*Backstab* Critical hit (x 3 x 5) 347,300 damage, Bonus 347,300 damage.

A Rhodian Elite Spider has been slain. Experience points have been deferred.

The third spider hadn't even made it to the pillar yet.

*Sunburst*

*Blink*

*Backstab* Critical hit (x 3 x 5) 345,900 damage, Bonus 345,900 damage.

A Rhodian Elite Spider has been slain. Experience points have been deferred.

System Message: You have won the 2nd round in the arena, all experience points have been deferred.

The crowd roared to life after the third spider and been slain, Q could feel the arena shake from the stomping and screaming. "No need to stand, I'm here all day."

Maia stared at Q as Leah climbed back down the pillar. She whistled and shook her head, "that was some impressive shit."

"...." Q.

"...." Leah.

"What kind of language is that monkey-butt?" He frowned at her as he hugged Leah close.

"Thanks for handling the spiders Quinn." Leah shivered and thanked him with a kiss.

"Where the did all that damage come from?" Maia was still staring at him.

"I told you where. "

Arachni Nemesis

All damage to Arachnids

is multiplied by 5.

Additional Effect: Incoming damage

from arachnids is halved. All critical

damage is tripled.

"Oh and this little trinket." Quinn smiled at his favorite jeweler.

Lucky Strike Pendant

Unique Item: Created by a master jeweler.

Description: +20 Luck

Additional effect: All critical strike damage

is doubled. Effect cannot be

countered or avoided.

"You should have told us you could handle the spiders so easily." Maia scolded him.

"Um... yeah, I did, like five times." He knelt down and used the arena sand to clean off some of the ichor from the spiders.

"I didn't believe you." Maia sighed in frustration. "I totally closed my eyes for the first two.. damn it all. Now I'm pissed!"

"Are you sure your twelve?" Quinn shook the sand off his blades and put them away.

"Of course. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty." The holo came back on and Zy's face greeted them.

The barrister's face was pale with shock. "Are you sure you're a politician and not some kind of combat specialist? I've never seen anyone handle Rhodians like that."

Quinn turned toward Maia and mouthed the word 'Nemesis.'

"For real," Maia whispered.

"The third round is next. If you manage to win this round, your case will be dismissed and you will be set free." She had to say it according to her duties. Zy couldn't hide her sad expression.

Quinn smiled at her, " not to worry Barrister Zy. We have come to fight. "

"You have the option of continuing the trial or or delaying up to a day."

Leah reached out and took Quinn's hand, "She needs a healer." Although Maia wasn't

showing discomfort, she had been mistreated since the moment she was taken.

He held her hand for a moment and then turned back toward the Barrister. "We will delay until morning, we require the use of a healer. Is that possible?"

"I will bring a healer to my office." Zy couldn't help but wonder, could these surface dwellers possibly win? " You may also eat and take your rest here."

***********

Anna sipped her coffee then sat it down. "Damn Quinn, if you knew how many of these TAP emails were confessions, your ego wouldn't fit in this house.".. delete.. delete.. "What the heck? That isn't even possible!!" delete. "What is..."

Subject: Anna Li do not miss this mail!!"

"I hope you get this. Leah and I have unexpectedly been taken to the Ba'Avriel Capital. I cannot log-off without incurring a three day freeze penalty and loss of equipment. Even if I could, I'd never leave Leah here. Let everyone know. Back when I can.

Q.

"Oh Crap...I better forward this to Mojo and Tal.

She clicked a few buttons and then glanced at the clock. Two of her assistants were from Japan, she'd have to wake them. She activated her hud and called both of them. Typical teens, they didn't look tired at all.

"We have a emergency with Q. I need everything we can find on Ba'Avriel. Any information from any source. Thirty minutes please. " Anna closed the huds and took another sip of her coffee.

As soon as Quinn and Leah disappeared, Mojo recalled the Songbirds and called an all hands meeting at Fora HQ.

Onion had highlighted their search area on the 3-D map. "We have combed the entire grid where they were last seen. Maybe we should expand our search."

"We've found the balls that Leah dropped, there is no mistake with the area." Mojo stared at the map. 'Quinn and Leah, important people, both to her and Fora.' Mojo's mail icon blinked at her, she was going to ignore it but decided not to.

"Ba'Avriel?" Tal frowned when she saw the mail. It looked like Leah and Quinn were in a bit of trouble.

"I know that name..." Ren brought out the Lost Civilization book that Quinn had won in Ravenwood. She paged through it for a few minutes and then stopped and sat the book down on the conference table.

There were two very obscure sentences. "Avoid the city in the clouds. The wingless have no rights in Ba-Avriel."

Mojo frowned when she saw it. "They were above the clouds when they disappeared. How long would it take to build those flying platforms you mentioned earlier?"

Remmy scratched her head, " We have one platform nearly assembled, it took us a while to figure out the proper flight controls."

Mojo leaned back and exhaled slowly. "Ba'Avriel is a city in the clouds and we have to figure out how to find them."

Nightingale stood up from her seat. "The Songbirds are prepared to go to any lengths to get them back. Even if it means crashing Ba'Avriel into the sea."

"Someone like Quinn, he'll escape them." Crow's mailed hand slapped the table, causing the 3-D map to blink off for a moment. "The problem I see, is the pursuit."

Mojo nodded. "He's resourceful and smart, with all sorts of abilities at his disposal. We should prepare for conflict."

Tal stood up, she looked angry. "I'm going to need a few blacksmiths, an alchemist and two engineers. Remmy can use the rest to work on the platform."

"I really could use your help with the platform," The pink haired gnome was smart, but Tal had a complete understanding of thrust and lift.

The tall blonde shook her head. "I've got something else to build."

Remmy stared at Tal, she had never seen the brilliant out-world engineer angry before. "What are you going to build?"

Tal's pretty blue eyes were unreadable as she stared at the map. "A BMFG."

Two hours later the prototype flying platform had been built. It was roughly the size of a soccer field. Remmy blushed when Mojo commented on the size. "It's as small as I can make it, it's way overpowered by the propulsion devices. I had to use four of them to make the ratios work properly."

Mojo noticed the reinforcements at the center. "What goes there?"

Normally Remmy would be all smiles, but the gnome engineer had a frown etched on her face. "That's where Tal's cannon is going to be mounted. If they dare hurt him, we'll blast that place apart."

Nightingale was adjusting her flight pack, while giving Crow some handling tips. The Songbirds and Crow would make up a quick reactionary force (QRF). "We have to be ready to go in an instant."

Crow nodded, "taking my little brother.. that's just ballsy."

Ren was helping her fine tune the fit of her jetpack, "he probably doesn't need much help Em... by now he's most likely chasing them around with a stick."

Crow laughed, "maybe so."

"Sorry Ren, you'll have to sit this one out." Lara Sy laid a hand on her shoulder. "There are too many unknowns."

Ren nodded, "I figured so, I'll help out however I can. Let me know if you need anything." She walked off quietly without saying another word.

Robin stared at young girl as she left, "her feelings are hurt now."

Lara nodded, "I know, we'll make it up to her."

Mojo watched the team as they moved into formation and prepared to start maneuvers. "Damn it, we have to find him before we can do anything. Where are you Quinn'Ikah?"

"We were sparring earlier, so he has my executioner mark on him. I can pinpoint him when I get closer, even if they were to hide him."

Crow watched Nightingale brief her team. She had seen Lara Sy many times while she was working with Concert Hall. As a Vice-Leader, Crimson Rose had never suspected she had hidden herself so deep.

"Be ready then." Mojo agreed.

"This is the perfect place to set up Daiyu, I'll leave that part to you." A soft voice spoke from behind them.

The entire group turned as one. The new comer was dressed entirely in black. Her black lips and dark eyes gave her a sinister appearance. She had short black hair that stuck straight up, and knee high black leather boots. She sat quietly on a skeleton horse. "Pardon the interruption. You know I hate to miss a party."

Lara whistled. "Nanna..Wow... that's like the best look ever."

"What are you setting up?" Crow glanced at the rogue who accompanied her, a famous commentator in real life "Do you want a recording of the OP?"

Anna nodded once, "kinda, I want to stream it all live."

Back at Zy's office, the three prisoners were eating and chatting among themselves. Zy had left to find a cleric.

"Quinn, do you think Mojo and the others know where we are?"

"Only if the mail I sent was noticed by Anna."

"Maybe send an update just in case?" Leah felt confident about their chances tomorrow.

Quinn nodded, "Open Mail, Draft letter Q. Subject: Attention Anna!!"

We've been taken into custody and charged with crimes. As part of our

bargaining, we've been given the right to trial by combat. The trial is to be three

rounds in the arena. We've already fought and won the first two, tomorrow morning

is the deciding round. We are fine for now.

Q,

"Send Mail."

System Message: Mail successfully sent.




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