A Tamer’s Adventure

“…”

Martyn laid back on a soft white mattress; he was in a medical ward from what he knew, and in the next bed was Amber.

He only woke up recently when the medic left, closing the doors. At first, he was worried they had captured him, but the comforting environment relaxed him.

For the short moments of peace, he recalled the events; it all happened so quickly that he never would’ve expected they’d come after him the next day.

There was a lot to reflect on and questions he wanted to be answered, mostly about what would happen now.

But they made it; they survived. Not everyone did when in the same situation, but they did. And that was good enough.

‘They knew about the talisman... If I had just waited or even put up a barrier, then I would’ve torn it in time. We wouldn't have endured as much hardship.’

He even lost the escape crystal; when it didn’t work after crushing it, he realised they had set up a ward, and with the talisman taken away, there was only one option left: to fight.

They couldn’t go back into the dungeon room as it was cleared; they could just follow. And even if they knew a trap was waiting for them, they’d have to leave eventually; they couldn’t escape in the boss room as its rules denied that, once you took the challenge, you either died or succeeded; there was no escape like life; there was only one attempt.

“We got lucky.” Martyn relaxed into the sheets.

Amber hummed, yawning; her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up quickly in panic before noticing Martyn and where they were.

“We’re safe.” She breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Yeah.” He answered flatly.

“What’s wrong?”

“We got lucky, Amber; we both came up with the same plan and got the right opportunity. If I had never bought the daggers, what would we have done?”

Amber answered in silence, What could they have done? If they weren’t prepared, then it would've been over; she too realised things could’ve gone a lot of ways, better or worse.

The doors opened, and the lion-kin knight commander in silver armour walked in.

“It’s good to know you’re awake, but don’t be too hard on yourself; you survived. I can tell you many cases where others fought back and didn't, and you should call yourself lucky and be proud of it. I like to think luck is when someone is prepared for an opportunity when it shows up. Just don’t think you can be prepared for an opportunity, and you’ll be fine.”

“I still feel like a lot of things could’ve gone better.”

"Probably, so take this as your first experience with people who want to kill you. I arrived at the scene of one dead assassin. I had to carry the two of you with me and the corpse; well, I stored that away since he was dead.”

“Two, it’s two dead assassins,” Amber said as Martyn released the leader’s corpse from the inventory.

The knight commander whistled, "Well, that makes this easier; we’re on the hunt for one of them now, the swordsman. I had them identified; they used to be an adventurer party who lost their rights after the guild found them not only fudging with their reports but also killing players in the dungeon.”

He went on to explain that they found nothing claiming who hired them, but that was on the dual assassin’s body. It was only after he left with the leader’s body and returned with a magical contract, which demanded they be kidnapped.

And the person who signed it off was none other than Derek. At the mention of him, Martyn balled his fists, and Amber hissed.

“Calm down, you two,” the knight commander chuckled. “This means it’s a court case, and because he used his friends first and then assassins, he’ll be charged with first-degree murder, and it’ll open the previous case as well; you’ll be the one to decide his fate, death by execution, eternal slavery, and more.”

“I want him dead,” Amber hissed.

Martyn nodded, the two already reaching an agreement. Who in their right mind in this situation would show mercy?

The knight commander smiled at the two of them and sighed, ‘Nothing like a near-death experience and shared rage to spice things up reminds me of when I proposed.’ He hummed in agreement.

“I’ll send out a squad to gather them and inform the healer to clear you. Once done, head to the courthouse as soon as possible. It’ll be a bit before the healer comes, though we had a recent emergency. Some idiot messed up with his magic.” He said he was leaving.

Amber thanked him, and once the door closed shut, she slipped out of her bed. She winced, looking down at her tail, which was joined back together and wrapped in bandages.

It pained Martyn to see that. “I’m fine,” Amber said as if reading his mind, and she climbed onto his bed.

Martyn sat up as Amber hugged him. “I just want to be close right now.” She held him tighter.

"Yeah, me too.” He smiled, gently brushing her back.

They stayed like this in silence, just enjoying this short moment before they had to move, not worried about anything. They basked in each other’s comfort for at least an hour, and soon enough, the doors opened and they sat up.

The healer was a fox-kin male; he was quick with his examinations, having already done most of the work when they first arrived unconscious.

“Sorry, I’m late. Well, for one, reattaching your tail was a challenge, but we got it done. You’ve been resting for twenty-four hours as a result of mental fatigue. Good thing you both drank potions. Healing you both was easy. Drink plenty of fluids for the next few days, and you’re good to go.”

He smiled, clearing them both to leave. They used a changing room, switching out their hospital gowns for spare clothes they kept in their inventory.

Thanking him, they left the building, drinking from their water skins. Together, they headed to the courthouse.

As they arrived, a knight walked up to them, guiding them to a courtroom.

Amber and Martyn scrutinised those present. Like a court case, there was a judge, and on the right were two people surrounded by guards, one of whom he knew, Derek and the other of whom he assumed was his father.

They sat down, their faces pale, and quickly they locked eyes with him, a faint light flashing in their eyes. Next to them stood two guards, as another man Martyn assumed was their lawyer or some representative. Some other people were sitting to watch the event.

Together, they went to the right side, where the knight commander stood with a smile. He handed them a sheet of paper, telling them to read and sit down when ready.

Once both took a seat, a knight standing in front of the judge spoke, “All rise for the beginning case in the presence of the Silver Scholar, Judge Acorn.”

Martyn and Amber rose, and so did Derek and his father.

The judge, an elderly woman, lowered her hands and said, “Please be seated; this will be a quick court session. After reading the files on first-degree murder, it has been decided that judgment is to be decided by the plaintiff, Space Mage Martyn, and Adventurer Amber. Have you decided on what punishment to bring down on the defendants?

It should be noted that both defendants will be given the same punishment as the baron is responsible for his child's actions, and with the evidence brought to this case, he will not be exempted from punishment.”

That comment took him by surprise. He didn’t know his father would also be punished, but he didn’t care. No hesitation came from Amber.

“Yes, we have your honour; as this situation is a private matter, he targeted our lives, so we’ve chosen death by execution.”

“W-wait! Please, I’m begging you. I didn’t know he hired assassins to kill you. Have mercy! A lighter sentence, please: eternal servitude! We’ll work for you as slaves!” Derek’s father begged, pushing past the knight.

Derek himself was not sure whether this was happening or not. His eyes stared off into space. Where did he go wrong?

“I don’t want to die.” He muttered, and everyone turned to him. He shook in place, and he teared up softly, crying. “please… I’m sorry.”

"Are you fucking serious?” Amber was the one to speak up.

She seethed at the hypocrisy, not caring for Derek’s father. She glared at Derek, her tail lashing against the floor.

“You’re one of the reasons Martyn’s last year in the academy was hell; you followed the man who purposely made it more challenging afterwards with your nose up his ass, ordered your friends to corner him and harm him, and hired assassins to have us captured alive to do whatever it was you were planning. And you want to live?”

Her words were cold, factual, and accurate. Derek shook in place, his eyes glued to the floor in shame.

“We aren’t changing our minds,” Martyn said to the judge.

She sighed, nodding her head. “Then it’s been decided.” She raised her gavel and brought it down, judgment set. The knights dragged them both out. Derek’s father went into a fit of delirium, cursing out his son and begging, but no one cared.

The court session was over, and just like that, Derek was gone, and the threat of his father trying a form of vengeance was over.

There was no defence for them; as all evidence was against them, nothing could be said or done. The case was quick—not one of the quickest, but still.

“This feels so surreal. It’s all over just like that.” Martyn said.

“Yep, no reason to keep them in bars; if they plan to break out, it only becomes a hassle. Execution is immediate, never taking longer than a week if the person has a high rank.” The commander said:

“So we don’t have to worry about anything anymore?” Amber asked.

“I wouldn’t say that you adventurers have to worry about the dungeon monsters you’ll encounter, and as for the assassin, now that we know his face, we’re hunting him down. So you’re all good.”

The threat of Derek was no more; as they stepped out of the courthouse, they smiled, shaking hands with the knight commander, and bid him farewell.

The day was still young, the sun above them signalling the afternoon. The duo went to the guild first, selling their loot and the boss’s corpse. Earning them a hundred silver coins.

For the rest of the day, they went to the inn’s tavern first.

“Where have you guys been!?” Lisa called out to them, “You’ve been gone for a whole day. I haven’t seen you since yesterday; I thought you were dead.”

Amber giggled. “We’re fine, though we did get into some trouble.”

Lisa looked Amber up and down, gasping, “You grew up!”

“Yep, I evolved!” Amber said proudly, standing taller than Lisa.

“Oh my god! Congratulations!” Lisa hugged her, jumping in place. “I’m guessing you’re going to eat?”

She asked, leading them to a table for two. Sitting down, they ordered their lunch, and with a cute yawn, Amber stretched her arms.

“Tired?”

“Mn, nope, we’ve just been in bed for too long; my arm feels like it's half asleep.” She said she was pinching it and then shrugging.

“Fair enough, so now that I am free from any worries, I want to plan what to do ahead, but right now.”

“You just want to enjoy the moment with me?” She smiled, leaning forward on the table with her hands, her bandage tail rising above her head and swaying slightly.

Martyn chuckled with a flushed face; he didn’t need to say anything more. Lisa came back with their orders.

“Get a room and enjoy.” She smirked, leaving them.

‘I forgot how great food tastes.’ He was pleased.

“Maybe it’s because we almost died, but this tastes better,” Amber said, earning a nod from her partner.

So they ate and went up to their rooms. They showered and soon left the place, just going around the city. Exploring sites. But soon they stopped as a massive shadow slowly covered the city, blocking the sun.

“What is that?” Amber asked.

No one seemed to be bothered by the figure blocking the sun. “That’s a floating island. quite common; they tend to be unexplored. Some are even hidden over a bed of clouds, making them harder to spot.”

“Wow, can we go there?” She met him with growing interest.

Martyn shrugged. “If you can fly, maybe there’s a guild mission to explore it for treasure or even a noble’s mission to clear it of monsters so they can claim it. But they’re usually guarded by monsters like harpies.”

“You can claim a floating island?”

"Well, yes, but I don’t know much about the subject.” He shrugged.

Amber followed behind her eyes, still darting towards the floating mass of land high in the sky.

Wanting a place to relax, they both darted to the library. Of course, there was another reason, and that was to check on her requirements for evolution. Since they chose the long way, it meant change.

So with the book of Kobold evolutions and a cosy couch, the two sat together. Martyn sat first, leaning well into the seat, and Amber sat across his lap with her legs locked.

They didn’t have to sit like this, but no one stopped them.

Together, they flipped through the pages, noting whatever they found of interest.

A welcomed surprise for them was that the evolution requirements didn’t change at all. This meant Amber was close to her next evolution; the only factor was for her to level up her magic just by one and consume a C-ranked monster core.

“This is great news,” she said, smiling at Martyn.

“It is, but it also means we’ve got to train; if we can get your attributes to thirty, then eat the dragon meat and evolve after. Your increase will be greater than what it could be if we just went to evolve right away.”

“Fair enough. This means soon I’ll be stronger than you~” she smirked, her tail brushing against his bulging pants beneath her.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” He rolled his eyes. “We still have two weeks before meeting up with Joseph; until then, we’ll keep training and work on our shortcomings. Speaking off…”

It was with a sigh that Martyn sat up, removing Amber from his lap and moving her next to him.

“Amber, we need experience fighting people; that's one of the things we could’ve done that would’ve helped us handle the situation better. There’s another building connected to the adventurer’s guild where we can fight others in sparring matches. I’m saying this because...”

“I know; you don’t have to explain,” she agreed. “We can fight monsters that we can be confident in; we haven’t fought people, well, not enough to be experienced in and it showed. I was going to ask if we could spar more in our training sessions, but this sounds better.”

With their minds set, the two planned their routine for the next two weeks before their check-up with Joseph.

 

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