Fictober: Abbey
Prompt26: “How about you trust me for once?” Fandom: Runes of Magic Title: Abbey Pair: Rixa (OC) /Maur (friends OC) Rating: T I wrote this in the universe of Runes of Magic, an mmo available via steam etc. It was my friend’s bday this last week and I wanted to give her a gift. So here is an odd fandom and I don’t know if it has an equivalent on Ao3 but I will post it there as part of my series.
Rixa had begun her existence as a thief and pirate, her family rich off the misfortune of others she had come to the city looking for both redemption and challenge. For what does a thief do to rebel against the family but try and do good instead. Maur had started the other way around, coming from a good family, and wanting to stretch his wings. So they met in the middle and found each other in the midst of all that was going on in the city of Veranas.
it was a rainy day when they set out for the confines of the Abbey, tasked with retrieving several items and bringing an end to the demon spirit deep within. Neither had been there before, the dark and foreboding graveyard did not allow for people to exactly visit regularly. Inside the building, they came across two specialist priests who are keen on cleansing the place of its problems neither wanted to do this of their own accord but we're seeking adventurers such as Rixa and Maur, they gave limited instructions although they were not exactly clear on how to enter into the chambers below, but warned against certain magical doors which lead to places which were not of the present world. “Beware of the nightmare world, you want to avoid that at all costs.” “It is necessary to cleanse this place in the waking world” Agreed the other with all the learned wisdom of a sage, he placed his hands together in front of him. “Now off with you.”
Fighting their way downstairs past spiders and bats who both seemed to have taken up residence in the Abbey, they found themselves at a dead end.
"How about you trust me for once?" Rixa regarded Maur " this is not the time to be using random doors."
“Huh but it looks cool?” Maur pointed to a door covered with tentacle-like features. “Where do you think it goes?” “It screams nightmare don’t you think?” Rixa replied
“But I don't see any other door” Rixa mused “It must be hidden.” She turned her back to Maur and looked towards the altar in the center of the room she ran her fingers along the base of the altar looking for a secret door lock Maur hummed to himself a moment, then he turned to her asking “Why don't you try liking the brazier, sometimes those things open secret doors.” Rixa frowned annoyed that she hadn't thought of that herself she lit the brazier with gusto, and the secret door slid open leading them to the entrance of the cavernous below of the Abbey.
“You sure about this?” Rixa asked adjusting straps and daggers on her outfit - her clothes were covered in dust, she wrinkled her nose as she brushed it off the black wondering if there was a color which didn’t attract it. “For a rogue you sure are fussy.” Maur laughed watching her closely. He hefted his shield and sword, testing the weight and smiling when he found it to his liking. Running a hand through his hair, he made the same actions as Rixa and smoothed his outfit - although mail and plate hardly require much smoothing, and Rixa was certain it was an act of imitation and thus teasing. “Yes I am certain, this needs to be done, I have been asked to retrieve several items from in here already.” Maur paused before adding, “I can keep you safe though.”
The abbey on the surface was dark enough, down here you had ghosts and ghouls, but also the bats and spiders which seem to be common all over. The ghouls posed the biggest risk. As another zombie fell to her blades Rixa looked to see Maur watching her. “You look good when you are fighting.” He stated shrugging before turning and using his knight’s ability to smite another zombie that had ambled up. They fought side by side scrambling through the lower areas, fighting the necromancers who were masking the presence of what the priests upstairs referred to as the duke. The duke was a fierce lumbering and very large ghoul. If he had a life before this it was not evident in his presence or his clothing. “This place is crazy.” Maru offered as they watched the duke and prepared for their attack. “I am guessing he isn’t going to just let us walk past and into those doors?” “No, and I think it is going to be a good test.” “Well, don’t die on me,” Maur said with a laugh “I have gotten attached to having you around.” “Oh really?” Rixa sighed she liked Maur a lot more than she let on. “Ready to fight this … thing..?” “He’s a ghoul and like most ghoul’s he is probably going to use fear…” Rixa said analyzing the situation “I suggest we go about this with ca….” Maur had already run into the fight. It was not a short flight, the count was far from nimble but for one so big he moved at lightning speed. Twice Rixa intercepted a blow meant for Maur and regretted it as she cloaked herself in the shadows and ruefully dressed the wounds with healing herbs as fast as she could. “Well.” Maur said as his sword shattered the skull of the ‘duke’ “That was fun.” “Interesting idea of fun…” Rixa muttered sheathing her daggers and looking around “Look the door opened.” “Bricks and mortar, maybe we have made it to the Abbey proper?” “Looks that way, oh…” Rixa stopped short and Maur ran into her with a grunt of surprise. Inside the room, an apparition was pacing, as if waiting for them it turned. The ghost was that of one of the ‘Eye of Wisdom’ people, the ones who had their finger on the pulse of the magic here, and the dangers. “Did I miss something?” Rixa asked, “I feel like they should have told us that there were Eye of Wisdom people here.” “True.” Maur frowned but moved forward past Rixa to talk with the ghost who set them to collect a book from further in. “Heh, the ghost can’t get their book ok.” Rixa muttered, “I guess that is why there are piles of bones everywhere.” They made quick work of the room, the zombies there were harder to fight but the two of them were capable and in sync with each other’s fighting style by now. “Over here!” Maur called from a corner “Pile of books…” He kicked it as he said that and a person rose from behind them, his hands were still bound but he was able to use magic. “What are you doing? You will ruin it!” he screeched as they tried unsuccessfully to just free him from his bindings, the man or being said as he died “Don’t tell anyone I was here…” “Just once I wish people would be happy to be rescued or saved.” Rixa shook her head, it was always something “I mean unless he wanted to be bound up in here…” “Maybe that is his kink?” Maur muttered under his breath waiting for a reaction from Rixa who just stared at him a moment. “Perhaps it is, can’t blame him for that then.” The two of them move through dealing with a large slime, or a ghoul slime? Rixa was not sure which it was except it was large and green. Then across the hall, they fought a ghoul who summoned more small ghouls to the fight. Luckily for both of them, Maur had enough defensive abilities in his repertoire. “Shall we open the large foreboding door at the end of the room?” He asked as he cleaned his sword ready for the next fight. “Of course,” Rixa nodded “What harm could come of it.” “Heh, knew I liked you,” Maur replied pushing the door open they moved to the last battle in the Abbey with enthusiasm. To finally be done here was a definite goal, though Rixa could not help but feel it was just the beginning of the story. Through the door, two masked figures could be seen negotiating with a witch-like demon. Maur and Rixa looked at each other and surged on to defeat their enemy. “Thank you…” That was not the expected response from a ghoul having been defeated, but a ghost, not a ghoul stood in front of them. She told them she had sacrificed herself so that others could escape. Suddenly it made sense, the entire fight had been about controlling the woman’s spirit, who in life had been a powerful mage, in death had been taken over by a demon who turned that power to their ends. They returned the book to the ghost who requested it and carried on until they were outside. “So I guess we part ways?” Rixa asked “Do we have to?” “Maybe for a time.” she paused “But if you need me all you need to do is ask; and I will be around.” “Thanks. I… yes the same to you.” Maur had an honest blush on his face which made Rixa stop a second. “Never far Maur, just keep that in mind!” She mounted her horse and swinging a dark cloak around her shoulders and over her hair she rode off.