Onward: Don't Hold Back

What Are You?

The Manticore raised her eyebrow with her smile. "Uh, pardon me...heh whatever you are..." she added, laughing. The Manticore was nervous. "Are you feeling okay?" She asked.

The red-headed woman was stressful. "Do I look like OKAY to ye?!" She added, exclaiming in her question. The redhead shrugged. "You're a...a winged bear lady..." she guesses.

The Manticore was peeved. She grunts. "No, winged lion lady with a tail of the scorpion." The Manticore corrects the red-headed woman.

Barley kept rubbing his right cheek. The blue burly elf was not amused.

The blue skinny elf took one step forth. Ian was shy. The blue skinny elf gestured the red-headed woman out. "Th-that's the Manticore..." Ian added, chuckling. The wizard points to his elder brother and himself. "H-he's my br-brother...Barley...a-and I'm Ian..." The blue skinny elf said. Ian smiled nervously.

The redhead woman tilted her head to her right. She was befuddled. "How come ye and your brother have pointy ears?" The red-headed woman wondered.

It was the blue burly elf who replied. Barley acted like the adventurous warrior. "WE, stranger, are THE ELVES. I am the warrior WITH the spirit of ADVENTURE. And my brother is the young SORCERER. We, LIGHTFOOTS, take risks on ANY quest-" the blue burly elf got interrupted by the redhead woman's chortling.

Barley was baffled. The blue burly elf blinked his eyes twice.

The Manticore was bemused. "I don't get you..." she added. The Manticore was edgy. "Oo! We haven't ask your name yet, did we?!" She inquired in exclamation.

The red-headed woman was surprised. "Aye!" She added, realizing. The redhead woman gestures herself. "I am Merida, and I'm...a human being..." she introduced.

The blue skinny elf was taken aback. "W-wait...You're a human being...?" Ian asked.

Merida considers herself a bit. She was awkward. "Umm...I am..." Merida answered. She left out the word 'princess' and 'kingdom' out of her mind.

Barley shook his head. The blue burly elf kept on touching his right cheek. Barley was exasperated. The blue burly elf sprints himself back and forth. "That don't make any sense. There wasn't any human in the United Realms. It's all nothing but mythical creatures. Like centaurs, sprites, unicorns, mermaids, satyrs-"

The blue skinny elf stopped his elder brother. "Barley, we get it!" Ian exclaimed.

The blue burly elf was sudden at his youngest brother.

The blue skinny elf faced the red-headed woman. Ian was concerned. "Merida, do you really know how you end up here?" The blue skinny elf added, inquiring. "You appeared out of nowhere in front of the tavern. Magically. It's like someone put a spell on you." Ian clarified.

The redhead woman gasped. "A spell?!" Merida added, recognizing. She was mad. "Oh, it's THAT crafty witch! The wisps lead me to her!" Merida exclaims in her explanation.

The Manticore was amazed. She facepalmed herself. "I AM getting her now. Merida was cursed away by the witch, not a human being." The Manticore uttered.

The wizard was bewildered. "W-wait a minute...What are 'the wisps'?" Ian wonders.

Barley stepped towards his youngest brother. The blue burly elf was definite yet resolute. "The wisps are the little spirits that will distract one's soul..." Barley added, replying. The blue skinny elf has no clue about them. The blue burly elf continues explaining. "As the legend says, their appearance comes to the one so curious, that they will lead him or her a way to alter one's destiny...In other words, somebody's fates can be changed..." Barley replied in clarification.

Ian was wide-eyed. "So you're saying...Merida's fate was changed...!" The wizard guessed.

The blue burly elf shrugs. "Ian, this is only reason why she's here." Barley mentioned.

The blue burly elf was astonished. Barley gasps. The blue burly elf was excited. Barley grins. "Aw man, this is insane yet we can do this." The blue burly elf said.

The blue skinny elf extended his arms. Ian was anxious. "Barley, do what exactly?" The blue skinny elf asks.

Merida was puzzling at the bluish elves.

The blue burly elf held his youngest brother's shoulders. "Ian, we got a better last quest than the Wind Gem...And we're taking the lost maiden with us..." Barley suggests.

The blue skinny elf was shocked. "Seriously?!" Ian screams in his inquiry.

Merida was aggravated. "What, lost maiden?!" She complains in her inquiry.

The Manticore tried to settle Merida down. "Just relax, miss." The Manticore added, sounded happy. "It's gonna be good. I can feel it." She said in her hushed tone.

The blue burly elf extends his arms wide. "Believe me for what I'm telling you, Merida's fate has changed. Well, we can change her fate again. But we cannot do that until we find the Teleportation Gem." Barley explained.

The blue skinny elf blinked his eyes twice. Ian was baffling about the new gem.

Merida raised her left arm. She was grumpy. "Um...elves..." Merida added. The Lightfoot brothers faces the redhead woman confusingly. Merida huffs. "Just in case ye are wondering about me...and what I do...I can shoot arrows in a distance..." she clarified.

The Lightfoot brothers are dumbfounded.

Barley and Ian glanced at each other.

Barley was enthusiastic. "Merida is not the lost maiden, how silly am I." The blue burly elf mentions.

The red-headed woman was glad.

Then, Barley smiles bigger. "Merida IS the lost ARCHER! How COOL is THAT now! Ha-ha!" The blue burly elf cries out loud hysterically.

The blue skinny elf was more astonished than ever. Ian have not met a redhead woman with archery before.

Merida perturbs and groans. She facepalmed herself with both hands.