Page 3 of I Ran Away to Evil #3
Dragging Him Back By One Pointy Ear
Julian
Julian von Slyke took his sweet time riding up to the Coral Palace.
He was accompanied by his five trusted party members, all of whom had invites to the Summer Masquerade Ball.
He wasn’t actually needed here this early, but his mother had insisted. It would be three more days until his younger sister’s wedding, and honestly, he would’ve held off arriving until the day of if he’d thought he could get away with it.
His mother would never let him get away with it. Grand Duchess Calisto of North Sumbria was a legend. He shuddered to think of her storming off to the Northern Fortress and dragging him back by one pointy ear—just as she’d done to get him to Julia’s debutante at the Spring Ball earlier this year.
His sister had managed to escape her coming of age ceremony until she’d reached twenty-three by gallivanting off to become a famous adventurer and the Paladin of Light.
He’d been thinking about not going to the Spring Ball …
but then, his mother had stormed the Northern Fortress and dragged him back home without a by-your-leave.
At least he’d managed to dodge the afternoon tea party.
As her older brother, Julian had escorted Julia and their mother into the ballroom, danced the first dance, and then promptly escaped back to the North.
Where he belonged. Monster surges from the Northern Ice Fields’ hidden dungeon could happen at any time, and he was in charge of defending the border to prevent the monsters from escaping into the rest of Valaria.
Creatures spawned in dungeons were born with monster madness, and when left unchecked, they overcrowded the dungeon and spilled out into the real world.
If left unchecked too long, a dungeon could grow powerful enough to escape the confines of its pocket dimension and claim the land around it.
His goal was to find the dungeon and defeat it before the unthinkable happened.
“Your Grace!” his childhood friend, Jeffry, called out. He was the only other half elf besides himself in Julian’s regular raiding party.
Usually, if an elf and a human had a child, the system would choose one or the other to pass along to that child, and they would be born an elf or a human. But on the rare occasion, like with Julian’s own elf father and human mother, a half elf could be born.
Suddenly, the light of the Crystal Cast Network flashed just above the roofline. The crystals were installed in every populated locale across the continent and usually reserved for use by the local high nobility exclusively.
That had all changed five years ago, however, when an unsanctioned voice had echoed across every single Crystal Cast in the known world.
The same voice that spoke today.
Hello, everyone, it’s Madame Potts!
I know it’s only been a few days since my last Cast, but I couldn’t help myself.
I hope you enjoyed the fireworks in Peldeep last week because we’re about to see them again in North Sumbria! Hopefully, nothing lights on fire this time.
Visha, darling, don’t drink anything except your own waterskin until after the wedding. I’m sorry I can’t say more but just trust me on this one.
Anyone who wants to swing by the Depths of Despair Dungeon next week will be pleased to know the boss monster on level three isn’t spawning properly. Half of its abilities won’t come back from cooldown, and it’s easy experience points.
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. Anyone who offers a prayer to the goddess of Light at her altar will be granted a month-long +1 Fire Resistance buff. Highly recommend.
Congratulations are in order for Prince Lucial, who is now engaged to Prince Basil of Peldeep, the third son of Their Royal Highness Rowen of Peldeep.
Everyone will be happy to note that the molten ash vane poisoner has been caught. Some bottles are still floating around, and the Continental Council asks for any and all to turn in their illegal potions. Thank you.
See you all at the Summer Solstice Celebration,
Madame Potts.
Julian turned with the rest of his party to stare at General Visha Hemsworth, who looked shocked at having been personally addressed by the Madame Potts. The elf was usually the color of a redwood, but at this moment, she was pale as a birch tree.
“Visha.” Julian didn’t think twice and pulled a midgrade antidote from his storage ring, throwing it at her. His general already had one, but better safe than sorry.
Visha caught the potion and stuffed it into the satchel storage bag she used. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Stay cautious, even of your own waterskin,” he warned, “John, send a shadow with her.”
Lord Johnathon Thomas nodded and did as instructed. Unlike the other human in their party, John rarely spoke.
“You hear that, General?” Sir Tully Grey teased. “No celebratory wine means none of Colwood’s famous gladevine for you.”
Visha muttered a curse under her breath and turned on the paladin. “Is that you volunteering to train the knights every afternoon for a month, Sir Tully? I’ll adjust the schedule.”
“Wait—” The human blanched.
Julian pitied the man. Even in the North, the afternoon summer sun was unbearable. As soon as the solstice passed, it was three months of sweltering heat.
“But isn’t Pram a better fit? If we switch, who’s going to go out hunting?” Sir Tully pointed at the mage in their party, a pale-blue selkie with a braid of aquamarine hair hanging down to his left ear, the right side of his head clean-shaven.
“I can hunt just fine.” Sir Pram smiled, pointy teeth flashing. “Just make sure you have plenty of water on hand to stave off the heatstroke and it won’t be too bad.”
“Says the ice mage !” Tully dragged a hand through his short black hair, ruffling the inch-long, top-heavy frizz.
Jeffry smirked at the crestfallen human. “You did this to yourself.”
“I know.” Tully resumed his usual good-natured smile. He cupped a hand and leaned toward the half-elf Jeffry, knowing that everyone could hear him even as he whispered, “But it was worth it.”