Wakfu: Aeri The Eliatrope

Chapter 13: The Dark Market

Aeri hesitated. She had never shown her wings outside the family. Not only that, but she knew the world had not seen someone like her and Shiro. She didn't fully trust Lightning Fist yet, but something about Lord really didn't sit right with her. Explaining herself would be complicated, but if it meant getting their Dofus, it would have to be done. She nervously shifted her gaze between Lord and Lightning, and finally to Shiro. Both children gulped. Aeri slowly revealed her Wakfu wings. Lord's eyes lit up upon seeing this. ;"Fascinating." He whispered. Lightning looked shocked. ;"Wings? Growing from your head? What are you??" He felt panic setting in. Aeri quickly put her hat back on after seeing how Lord was staring at her, she still felt uneasy. Shiro stood up, flames engulfing his form turning from a child into a dragon. ;"A dragon?!" Lord exclaimed. "No one has seen one in hundreds of years!" He continued. "Just who are you two?" He wondered. Aeri hesitated to say: "I am an Eliatrope. And yes my brother is a Dragon" The Lord pondered this for a bit before walking over to his desk, taking some sort of old text out. ;"An Eliatrope? How curious. Your kind hasn't been seen since the dawn of time." He said turning to the two smiling. ;"Yes well, we aren't exactly... New here..." Aeri said. Lord slapped his hands together. ;"For such a valuable info, I might just have to help you two find that Dofus. Who knows? Might be fun too." He mused. The two gave each other a look. "So it's settled. I'll help you get your egg, and you'll tell me more about yourselves. Deal?" Lord said extending his hand for her to shake. She did just that. ;"Alright. You have a deal."

The Ecalfip took some necessary equipment from around the shop with him to take to the Dark Market, as well as a map and some spare kamas. ;"Now that we're all ready. Let us go to the Dark Market. Stay close by now. Wouldn't want anyone to kidnap you guys." Lord snickered. The team made their way to the darkest most shadiest part of the city, long forgotten by the others. Even in a bountiful, sparkling city like Bonta, there laid a darkness unlike any other. The Dark Market, where no good citizen dared to set a foot, in fear of what waited on the other side. This place nearly rivalred the darkness of Bonta's most hated foe Brakmar. Although the were at peace now, back in the day they used to be most fiercest enemies. The Market was bustling with life, lowlife if you will. Murderers and crooks as far as the eye could see. Even the vendors were shady at best. Weapons,  Poisons,Curses, Stolen Treasure... They had it all. But nothing that seemed like a Dofus. Not at least where they could see.

Shiro stuck to Aeri like glue, and Aeri on the other hand was taking a hold of Lightnings black cape to make sure they wouldn't be separated in the bustle and hustle. The further they walked the darker it seemed to get. Even the friendly Bow-meows looked more crooked around here. Lord stopped in front of a "friendly" looking Feca who was just supplying his goods for a Xelor with a hooded face. ;"Hello good Sir. Would you be so kind as to tell me where I can find "The One and Only?" He asked the older man. He seemed to be taken aback by this question as his eyes widened for just a moment. ;"Who wants to know Ecaflip?" He asked grunting. ;"Oh you know, no one at all. Just.. The Lord." The Ecaflip answered nonchalantly, glancing at the Feca who immediately recognized the name. ;"I beg you pardon good sir. I did not recognize you without uh..." He tried to explain. ;"Oh don't worry. Last time I still had my full tail left." Lord joked. The Feca looked left and right before gesturing for the group to follow. He punched a tile on the wall, opening up a secret door just behind his little stall. The way went downwards underground. ;"Must be Enutrof made tunnels" Lightning said, looking around at the dimly lit, dark, twisted, seemingly endless tunnels. Finally they came to a halt at the very end. Few wild Drhellers were digging through the ground as an old and sneaky looking Enutrof sat on one of them. ;"Who has come to see me?" He asked without turning to face the group. The Ecaflip was the first to greet him. ;"Lanrac! How nice to see you after all this time my friend." He went in for a hug but was stopped by the Enutrof. ;"Lord, my old pal. Whenever you come here troubles seem to follow close behind." The man said. The Ecaflip sat opposite of the man. ;"I'll get straight to the point old chap, I need your information about a certain Dofus, and I KNOW for certain you have it. You've been dying to get your greedy hands on one for years." He said. Aeri wasn't sure if she truly trusted either one of them. ;"Oh you know me, once I set my sight on something I'll see it through." The Enutrof said. "Why do YOU need such information anyway? You never were interested in the Dofus in the first place." He inquired. ;"Oh the information is not for ME. But rather, for THEM." The Ecaflip pointed at the two. "C'mon children. Tell the nice man what you told me." He adviced. Shiro stepped forward. ;"The Dofus.. It belongs to our people. We need to find it, so we can guard it." He explained. The Enutrof looked skeptical. He looked at both of them from head to toe. Then back at Lord who nodded at him. ;"So I'm assuming you two aren't just any kids from the slums then?" He asked. Shiro nodded. Lord spoke for them: ;"Ohohoho. These two are something VERY special indeed." He told the man patting Aeri's head a bit. He seemed to understand what this meant, as his eyes gleamed with excitement. The Enutrof nodded In agreement. ;"Very well I'll tell you where you may find your Dofus." He told them. They all sat down to listen to his tale. 

"In a dark forest far from Bonta, there lies a swamp. Deep in there, stands a tall tree. Under it, guarded by the Spirit of the Swamp, is a brilliant red Dofus. I have seen it with my own eyes but never gotten close enough to actually touch it." He explained. "Oh what I wouldn't do to get it in my hands.." He continued. The man went on and on about the Dofus, but the children had already gotten most of what they had wanted. ;"And in which direction does the forest happen to be in?" Aeri asked curiously. The man stopped for a moment to take in the question: ;"Oh just South-East from here. Easy to see do not worry. But it's not like you have to think about it too much anyway." He told them. ;"How so?" Shiro asked him. His eyes gleamed again. ;"Because you won't be leaving here." He said clapping his hands together. The wild Drhellers stopped digging, surrounding them. ;"Hey! What the-?!" Aeri yelped. ;"Lord what is this?! This isn't what we agreed on!" She yelled. ;"No, but finding kids as rare as you is too much of a good opportunity to pass up." He smiled. The Enutrof tossing him a bag of kamas. "Was nice seeing you though!" Lord said before disappearing into the tunnels. Both children glared at Lightning Fist. ;"Hey- I didn't know He made a deal with this guy!" He said surprised. "I was not in on it!" He told them. The Drhellers growled at the three, as the old man snapped his fingers to give them a signal to attack, Aeri quickly made a portal in front of her throwing another one backwards jumping in to the one closest to her disappearing and re-appearing further away. Shiro quickly made a wall of smoke by exhaling deeply enough. Running after Aeri. Lightning Fist punched one of the Dhrellers in face before running after the children himself. ;"Get them!" The Enutrof yelled. More and more creatures appearing from the tunnels blocking their way out. Aeri zapped them with her Wakfu energy sending them flying haphazardly in all directions. The three made their way in the tunnels despite not knowing which one took them outside. All the tunnels looked the same. ;"Well kids you know what they say: if there is no door..." Smisse started. "MAKE ONE!" He yelled punching a wall, huge sparks emitting from his hand to it, successfully punching through it with ease. Shiro smelled the air, picking up scents from the Market. Aeri made row after row of portals moving the three quickly out the way Shiro instructed. They appeared at the center of the Marketplace, falling down on the ground with great speed. ;"Next time.. we don't trust your friends okay?" Aeri said. ;"Fair enough." Lightning answered.