The Adventures Begin

by Dragon Shimmer

Another gate

Sunset wakes up at midnight and goes out to the camp. She stares at the night sky while still covering herself with the cloak and hat. Sunset remembers home right now but no way can get back, she doesn't know what to do.

"You still awake?" a voice is spoken behind Sunset makes her turn back. It's Eldaro, he sits beside her to talk " I thought you are stronger than that. "

"Strong in magic, not strong in mind, Eldaro." Sunset counters.

"Ah.. ah.. don't be like that. I am like that when I leave home and start military training," Eldaro drinks his wine and gives her the cup "want some?"

"I see, and sorry but I haven't drunk alcohol before," Sunset denies and she pushes the cup away.

"I see. But you should try one," Eldaro invites her but Sunset shakes her head "You really don't like alcohol right?"

"I'm fine. Just... I don't like alcohol though"

"Well .... " Eldaro put his cup down " I don't push you now." And he turns to Sunset " and you should reveal yourself now."

"And why do I have to do that?" Sunset asked.

"Because you are an alien right?" Eldaro said, make Sunset smirk. "Don't be like that, I already know you are an alien since you push the cup. You know, I suspect you since I shook hands with you," Eldaro explains

"Ah... But I still denied it, I am maybe an alien but I think I have the right to hide myself right?" Sunset makes a fireball and spin.

"Oh... Right" Eldaro drink another sip," you homesick right? Believe me, I already know that feeling when I am on my first trip to the army." He puts the cup down and is stargazing.

"Yeah, I am missing home but right now I have no way to come home now. So this feeling kind of annoys me," Sunset explains as she lies down on the ground.

"Then I ask you a question," Eldaro said, making Sunset turn to him "What will you do after slaying the demon? You know, you will be famous in our army, and maybe you will have your statues. "

" Honestly, I don't know," Sunset pulls out the wooden staff " Maybe I will continue to train magic in this identity," She swings the staff and hits Eldaro's arm "and don't try to pull out this hat. Pretty please."

"Geez, you so hard," Eldaro said as he rubs his hand.

"And I know you are nearly 40 years old and still single," Sunset smirks, making Eldaro hold his chest for hurt feelings.

"Could you please stop stabbing my pain? I can't handle it, you know? "

"Maybe not, now I must go to sleep. It's good to talk to you, see ya," Sunset stands up.

Sunset starts walking into the sleeping tent. When she is just in the midway, the wind goes up and blows her hat away. That hat has dropped into Eldaro's hand. He takes a chance to see what she looks like, as he looks up to see. Her face reveals under the moonlight, making him don't know what to talk about because, in his eyes, she is so beautiful. Eldaro stares at her at the moment until...

"Eh... Eldaro?" She waves her hoof at him. "Hello?"

"Yeah.. sorry, just a bit surprised to see your face," Eldaro is snapped out and he gives back Sunset's hat.

"Thanks," Sunset put her hat on. "I'll go to sleep now, see ya."

As Sunset is going back to the camp with the team. Eldaro holds his chest for the screen that he had seen, maybe his crush, he doesn't know. He sits down and stargazes for a while. After an hour, he goes back to his camp.

The next day, the team wakes up and has breakfast quickly. Sunset tells the other that she has been revealed by accident. When Lance asks about his reaction, she honestly doesn't know what is wrong with him. After breakfast, they head to the tactic camp to meet Eldaro.

"Good morning everyone, sleep well?" Eldaro greets them.

Lance greets his uncle back, "Good morning, uncle. Congrat for discovering Sunset's appearance,"

"Thank you, I take that'' Eldaro step closer to Lance "can I meet you later?" He whispers, Lance is pushing him away, much as Eldaro's disappointed.

"So... Where the map and how can we get to Arkon?" Sunset asked.

"Oh sorry, I will get the map " Eldaro opens the table to take out the small map. "Here," He gives Sunset the map "Be careful, the Volcano is surrounded by monsters that I have never seen before."

"Oh, thanks for--" Sunset gets cut off by the guard wearing grey, heavy armor rushes into the camp. She quickly hides herself before he can see him.

"Sir, we have a problem," The guard said. "A giant three-headed monster has flown in front of the portal that leads to Arkon and is guarding there."

"I see," Eldaro walks around the camp and thinks "How about I have an offer? You three slay that monster while I will call for resources."

"Why don't you send your troops there?" Matt asked for confusion

"Well, if I send troops there, who will guard this camp and others? " Eldaro waves a hand for reject " Besides, that portal does not allow our vehicles to get through, maybe it can shoot though."

"I see. We should prepare for our journey then," Lance suggests and the team nods.

After preparing, the team starts walking to the top of the mountain. While they are walking, they look around and see this place has many skeletons lying around. The team continues to walk and see a metal bridge on the lava river.

".... Well, this will be dangerous if we fight near this river" Sunset said, as she is cooking corn by lava.

"Yeah, we will. But I will suggest that we should... Get away from this lava." Lance point at the robot shape like a red ball with a propeller spinning on its top. It also has two drills on two sides.

"... I don't like to fight with robots so I think we should avoid it" Matt suggested.

"Good idea, Matt. I don't like to fight robots either," Sunset agreed. "And it looks like that robot hasn't noticed us yet. Let's go."

The team walks slowly behind the robot, hoping that it won't see them. As they walking out of the robot, they manage to get away from that robot sight but a sound " intruder Detected, Require The Reinforcement and Destroy" rings. They froze and turned their heads to the sound, it appears another red ball robot is ringing. A moment later, five more robots appeared and surround them.

"That's why I never use "Drill ball" for guarding" Lance complains as he pulls out his gun-blade to prepare to engage."

"Wait, you know that robot, why don't you tell us so soon?" Natalie asked.

"Because I hate it," Lance simply answered.

The robots are all charging something. Matt and Sunset see that and rush fast at the robots, while Lance finds a spot to aim and Natalie chanting a spell. The robot charge is done and releases a big laser at Matt and Sunset. Sunset teleports and Matt slides down to dodge the laser.

Sunset teleports to the back of the robot, uses "Wyvern Slash" and slices it into two. Matt throws his sword and its impact on the robot, destroying it. The robots rush at Matt as he doesn't have a weapon anymore. But one of them lost the propeller in the way, while the other two got electrocuted by "Thunderbolt" from Natalie and beeping like mad.

Lance took his big gun and shot at the robot. Unfortunately, that robot is near Sunset and it explodes into many bullets fly around, making Sunset get hit by it. The robots have been destroyed completely.

"You really like to shoot me right?" Sunset said in an angry tone.

"Come on, that just an accident. Is it just I "misfire" the "Bullet Hell" ok?" Lance tried to explain to calm Sunset down.

"Fine. Just don't do it again." Sunset continues to walk ahead and the other follows her.

The team continues to walk, hoping to encounter the Hydra. Lance see his map and lead the team but it has a metal gate block their way

"Ok, who built this thing?" Lance says as he knocks on the gate for annoying. A humanoid robot comes near him and pushes his hand away from the gate.

"Sorry this is the danger zone, anyone who is not under influence is not allowed to go in," the Robot warns and takes out the gun from his back and aims at them.

"Oh sorry, we didn't know. So... Why are you building this gate, is that from the three-headed monster?" Natalie asked.

"Yes, it is" the robot hold down the gun "This hydra is dangerous so we build the gate to prevent it coming out"

"I see....is there any way to come in?" Sunset asked.

"Well... You must be strong enough to come in. Only the strong adventurers can come into this gate." The robot explains.

"Oh... I see. So... Anything to prove that we are strong?" Matt asks and the robot thinks for a while.

"How about you take back my weapon and my CPU? When I come here with captain Eldaro, I drop it and the monster suddenly guards it like a treasure so I don't know what to do, I have to use a secondary CPU here." The robot rubbed the back of his head." If you can take back my CPU and my weapon, you can come in. Deal?"

Lance steps forward and handshake robot. "Deal, you gonna prepare your thing to open that gate right now," Lance laughs at that.

"Well, let's see about that. The CPU and weapon are in the chest. The chest is...." He points the way "that way, about 200m away, good luck"

The team starts to go the way that the robot points at. And who knows what monsters they have to deal with?