Chapter Text
Chilled led them through the open lands as they headed towards a forest a bit away. It had been a four day walk so far, but they would reach the town by nightfall.
He hoped.
“Ugh, Kara you've got to learn a teleportation spell!” Larry said after another hour. The sorceress shot him a glare and stuck her tongue out.
“Not until you ask nicely,” she snapped and Larry stuck out his tongue. They kept walking, and soon they reached the forest edge.
“Hello?” a male voice called and they all looked up, a half elf was sitting in the tree. He had curly blonde hair, leather armor, and two daggers strapped to his belt. He dropped from the tree and landed in front of them. “What are you guys doing in the Forest of Major?” he asked.
“Uh, looking for some…friends?” Chilled tried to say it normally but it came out as more of a question. The half elf didn’t look convinced.
“Shelby sent us, said to find Tay and Kruz,” Kara spoke up. The half elves' eyes filled with recognition at the name.
“I know them. The name’s Cheesy. Follow me,” he said and walked into the forest. He ducked off trail and they followed him, entering a town where the trees seemed to be warped into houses. Chilled found it really cool to be fair.
“So where are you taking us?” Larry asked and Cheesy glanced at him briefly.
“To Tay’s house, duh,” he said like it was a common fact. Chilled shared a glance with Jeremy and Larry hummed a tune under his breath.
‘So this guy is strange,’ Larry’s voice came through Chilleds head.
‘Yay, now all of you are in my head,’ Kara seemed to mutter sarcastically.
‘Don’t complain, Kara. It could be a lot worse,’ Chilled patted her shoulder and the sorceress glared at him. Chilled only shrugged when she responded.
‘Says you,’
Cheesy led them up a staircase and into a house, he didn’t even bother knocking. Inside sat two girls, and they both gave him curious looks when Chilled and the others came in.
“Cheesy, what's this about?” the first elf asked. She had a bow just within reach and leather armor strapped on. And she didn’t look happy.
“Tay. these guys were looking for you and Kruz,”
“Do we know them?” the other elf-Kruz- asked. She wore long robes and had a wand resting on her lap, a wizard if Chilled had to take a guess at what magic group she was a part of. Definitely a wizard.
“Said they know Shubs,” Cheesy explained and Tay broke into a grin.
“Well you should've led with that. The name’s Tay, that’s Kruz. How's Shelby been?”
“She’s good. Actually, she sent us here on a quest,” Jeremy explained and Kruz shook her head.
“Shelby and her quests. What’d she send you here for? Some plants? Some herbs? Oh I know,” Kruz said and started rummaging through her bag. “She wants her old component bag back,”
“Actually, she sent us here for some…daggers,” Larry said and twirled the flute in his hand. “Said you two could help,”
“Well if you're looking for daggers, Cheesy’s who want to talk to,” Tay said and signaled to the half elf behind them.
“I’m a rogue. I tend to have some daggers. What are we looking for?”
“Magic daggers?” Chilled asked, unsure how to even phrase it.
A beat of silence passed.
“Right,” Cheesy said. “I don’t really do magic daggers but I do have these,” Cheesy laid out an assortment of daggers on the table. “See any that catch your eye?”
“Um…” Larry glanced at Cheesy then down to his belt. “What daggers do you use?”
“Mine aren’t for sale,” Cheesy said, suddenly changing up so quickly. He grabbed his daggers from the table and put them back up. “Tay, Kruz, I’ll see you both later,” Cheesy then gave Larry an unsettling look and walked out the door.
‘Something tells me that he has the daggers we’re looking for,’ Kara said in their heads.
“Daggers? Never seemed like Shelbys style. Why does she want daggers?” Tay asked and they all gave her brief looks, unsure if they should just chase down Cheesy.
“Uuh, sidebar?” Chilled asked and tugged his group over to the corner. ‘We need to catch that kid,’
‘Yeah, but how?’ Jeremy asked. ‘I mean I could slip out and follow him-’
‘No, those two would notice. Maybe they’ll help us if we explain,” Larry pointed out and Kara nodded. Kara stepped towards the girls and held out her wand, which caught Kruz’s attention.
“Oh I see why Shelby wants those daggers. You guys are trying to take down the king!” Kruz said
“Would you be quiet? We don't need the whole world knowing,” Kara hissed.
“Yeah, you want the daggers? Good luck finding them. Cheesy is long hidden, and unless you can convince him that you’re actually going to take down the king then he isn’t turning them over for nothing,” Tay said and crossed her arms. Kruz gave her a look and Tya sighed. “Fine, I’ll help find him,”
“More than likely he took off into the woods. Cheesy comes in and out of town, but he doesn’t live here. Nobody knows where he lives exactly,” Kruz explains and the group looked hopelessly at each other.
“There’s a river not far from the town though. He likes to hang out there, it’s where we usually meet him when we need him,” Tay explained and started heading that way, as they walked the sound of water got louder.
“How do you guys contact him?” Chilled asked and Tay shrugged.
“He has a dog that wanders around town. You give it a message and it will bring it to him. That’s it,” Kruz said and they reached the river not long afterwards. It was pretty but there was no bridge, and it was far too fast and wide to swim or jump across.
“Now what is this?” Jeremy asked and they all turned to face him.