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Rewards

By Felsune

Hours later, back at the Guild Hall, the guild was abuzz. Word had spread about the rookie who had not only survived the Party Wiper, but had beat it! Accounts grew with every new telling, and the story spread like wild fire. Because not only was she a level one, but she had been a class that was extraordinarily weak to slimes early level. And when she had told the story, ten times, five under truth spells of varying power, she had been given the payment for defeating a Party Wiper Slime of the fifteenth level. Enough money to survive on for a year, even split between herself and her sister.

But she could not bring herself to revel in her new found status, power, and fame. She could only remember the screams of those who had died in her party. Fourteen people, all levels between one and five, gone in a single battle. And not a quick one. A horrible death where they had been eaten alive, and given time to realize they would never see their loved ones again. She could barely keep any food down, and sleep was neigh on impossible. She felt heavy now, heavier than ever before, and tired. As if the weight of her adventure was crushing her into the ground.

But as time went on, she started to feel better, bit by bit, stronger than she had before as well. She assumed it was probably due to the leveling she had apparently done, despite not having gone to the guild to exchange her experience for power. She was not allowed to leave the Guild Hall as they were worried about her, no one had ever skipped so many levels in a row. Nor had her class ever existed before, so they wanted to study the effects it might have on her. As it was generally considered that she had somehow killed and eaten a part of the boss slime.

But they had allowed her to buy a very expensive healer to go take care of her sister until she arrived. It had taken half a year's pay, but she had been able to afford a medicine that would need to be administered over a week, and would cure her sister of the wasting disease that left her bedridden. But this knowledge did little to settle her nerves. She had never been away from her sister more than a few days at a time, and this extended period was wearing on her nerves. Finally, they had no reason to keep her in anymore, and she was let go, mostly because her recovery from the event seemed well enough, excluding the nightmares. She couldn't sleep a full night through without waking up screaming in a cold sweat

And she also had real trouble with soup. But none of it was enough to hold her any longer. Although they had to update her profile as she now weighed almost three times her normal weight. She had gone from being about a hundred and forty pounds at five foot four inches, to a whopping nearly three hundred and eighty pounds! But her height had not changed, just her density! They chalked it up to her new class, and had finally given her a paid carriage ride back to her home as an apology for keeping her for so long.

But when she arrived home, after a good six hour ride in the fanciest cart she'd ever been in, she did not even stay long enough to say thank you to the driver. Bolting inside to check on her sister. And she nearly sagged against the door frame, as she saw the doctor resting in a chair, spoon feeding her feeble sister. It seemed the doctor had been taking good care of her, and the medicine had worked. Her sister's skin color was returning to a normal tone rather than the bone white it had been when Iksa had left for her last job. Tears threatened to burst from her eyes as she ran over to the bed and fell to her knees, causing the wood to creak and groan.

Her sister however, had no such reservations, crying and throwing her arms around Iksa. She had been told the news by the neighbors, first of her sister's likely demise, and then of her miraculous recovery. It wasn't until the doctor politely coughed that she stood up again, embarrassed, but not ashamed. He merely smiled, a nice looking elf just going towards the grey haired years. His fair skin starting to wrinkle and the rich bronze shade of his hair fading. He motioned for her to follow him and quietly moved to the next room.

Upon her arrival, following him with hesitant footsteps, looking back only once. Shutting the door, she smiled politely to the doctor, noting the difference in their height. She was on the short side, for a human, and as an average Elf, he had nearly a foot on her at six two. He ran her through the last week, telling of her sister's progress, and the foods that had been fed to her. He then gave her a list of foods to prepare for the next few months to help her recover further, and get her started being able to take care of herself. When all was said and done a half hour later, the doctor put on his hat and left without much hubbub.

Finally, she was able to return to her sister's side, pushing open the door, only to find her sister shakily feeding herself! A huge smile split her face as she walked over and sat down on the now vacant, but still slightly warm chair. It was a nice and comfortable wooden chair, lightly covered in a leather cloth, to help hide the mixed wood frame. She took the bowl from her sister and shook her head.

"Let me little sis, I won't be doing it much longer, so just bare with me a little longer."

She looked down at the meaty stew and nearly gagged, the smell enticing her as much as the sight revolted her. But, for her sister, she stamped down on her gorge and fed her sister with only a slightly trembling set of fingers. Her sister looked at her hard for a moment, but didn't say anything as she allowed Iska to feed her. Once the bowl was empty, she stood up and put on a smile.

"Well, no reason to let daylight burn, I will wash up the bowl and get a bath drawn so that you can wash up as well!"

She knew that her sister would know the false cheerfulness in her voice, but hoped she would let her be for just a little longer. And sure enough, her sister didn't say anything until she was at the door. And in a voice like the paper of a book flipping, she spoke to Iska.

"I won't ask yet. But you will one day have to talk to me about it. I don't want you to have to bear this burden alone. But I'm sure you've been interrogated enough for now. So please...just know that I'm not going to be this weak always. Soon, I'll be strong enough to help you."

And the weight of it all nearly broke her right then and there, but she mustered it up, bracing a hand against the door frame. Not turning around, she replied, in a slightly husky voice.

"I will Temerra. I will...just...not today." And she stepped out into the main room and then out of the front door. It wasn't until she was at the well, that she broke down and sobbed quietly. Bracing against the wall and turning to slide down. Letting the cold stone keep her from falling to the ground. And as her sobs finally came to an end, she felt a pain in her left hand, and looked down. A pinprick had appeared in the center of her index finger, welling up with blood. But, something wasn't right. It wasn't a bright enough red, and it seemed way too thick.

It wasn't until the 'blood' stretched and slipped down into the bowl next to her, still attached to her finger, that the horror and realization set in. Muted horror making her heart pound as she stared at the emptying and cleaned bowl, then at the purple 'blood' that had come from her finger. Even as it pulled back into her body, sealing itself back in her flesh, she couldn't bring herself to scream. As if something was choking her. And with a certainty that left her numb, she knew what had happened in the dungeon. And what had happened to bring her level up so high and change her class. And like the damning bells of the infernal plane, she heard a voice in her ears. Like a chocked stream burbling.

"I have fully acclimatized now, so I think it is time to talk."