Pleasing the Näcken

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Spike: It's hopeless, we'll never find it.

He tossed pieces of paper and books into the air in frustration. Spike, Ava, Matt, Luna, and David were looking in the relic room's books and tomes, consulting their texts for an answer to where the Tide Jewel laid.

David: All the book "True Facts on The Tide Jewel" says is that it can control water and it's not been found yet.

Matt: I found something, in this book it said "The Tide Jewel has tried to be stolen by many, so to protect the jewel a guardian was put in place to protect it at all costs" if we find this guardian, we find the jewel.

Luna: Hey Draugr, do you know who the guardian is.

Everyone turned to Draugr, who was still tied up to the chair.

Draugr: Ek hearð sinn last guardian er nrinnäcken, en ek gereigir recommenð going til hana, hon hafar vándr temper ok hafar þorfutilr munu obnoxious ok self-centereð

Spike: Who's the guardian?

Draugr: Nrinnäcken

Everyone but Draugr: In English!

Draugr: The Näcken.

David: Isn't he's a water spirit whose violin playing would lure women into a watery grave.

Ava: So, it's Luna and my turn to babysit Draugr.

Draugr: Free mik ok þú gereigir þorfutilr babysit mik, jafnvel though technically since ek'm einn hundreð ok fifteen thousand, ek skulu munu babysitting þú

David: Luna can go, she's a spellcaster...

Luna: Alchemist

David: ...So, she's immune to his violin playing, and Luna an alchemist is a type of spellcaster.

Luna: Oh!

Ava: Then David you're staying behind, I don't want to be left alone with that.

She pointed at Draugr.

Draugr: Ek'm hannr, eigi þatr

Spike: I think he agrees.

Draugr: At's eigi jafn klose til hvat ek segðumk

2 hours later, Luna, Matt and Spike went to the last place the Näcken was seen, the river just outside town. An ominous song was played from the river, it was creepy, but also beautiful and entrancing. The music's source was a creature with long seaweed like hair, blue skin, white eyes with tiny pupils, and spider like fingers, legs, arms, and toes.

Spike: Excuse me, Mr. Näcken.

The Näcken stopped playing and looked up.

Näcken: What do you want? A fight, money, the perfect mousetrap, because I can give you these things.

Matt: No, we don't want any of those... Wait, you can literally make a better mousetrap.

Näcken: Yah? Why is that so strange?

Luna: It doesn't matter, we want the Tide Jewel.

Näcken: I can't just give it to you, it must be given to me, a trade, the Tide Jewel for something more valuable to add to my collection.

He slowly rose his hand in the air, revealing a surplus of grand treasures from around the world. Podiums covered in golden treasures, platinum artifacts, and millions of gems and jewels. At the center was an oval gemstone glowing in many shades of blue, floating in midair.

Näcken: This beautiful gem is the Tide Jewel, give me something special from each of you to add to my collection, and it's all yours.

Spike: Can we quickly get our gifts, then come back.

Näcken: You have until nightfall.

Spike, Matt, and Luna ran back to the Relics Room with great determination, all three of them ran around and started rummaging around the treasures, looking for their gifts.

Ava: What are you looking for?

Spike: Something to give the Näcken in exchange for the Tide Jewel.

Ava: I think I know what to give.

It was later that night, and the sun was going down and they just made it back in time.

Näcken: You came back, what do you bring?

Spike: I'll start, I bring this armor, made of my shed scales, it's indestructible and cannot be priced by anything.

Näcken: Very well crafted, with handmade stitches, I especially love how you used a lock stitch to keep it in place.

He took the armor.

Matt: I'm next, I bring Pandora's Box, it will be in much better hands if it's with you.

The Näcken carefully took the box and put it on a podium.

Näcken: Wise choice, I approve. And you young lady.

Luna: I give you this.

She held out a book.

Luna: This is my copy of "Alchemist's first book of extremely evil spells; decapitation to transfiguration edition" I hope you treat it well.

Matt: It's a bit suspicious that you have that book but whatever.

Näcken: A first edition, and it's in mint condition, very well done.

The Näcken carefully took the book out of her hands and put it on the driest podium.

Näcken: All these gifts are perfect, as a gift in return, I'll give you the Tide Jewel.

He picked up the Jewel and put it in Luna's hands.

Luna: Thank you.

They returned to the Relics Room with the Tide Jewel in tow.

David: You did it.

They looked at him and saw he was covered in carpet tacks.

Spike: What happened?

Ava: While you were gone, he sort of said that he could throw farther than Draugr, that's when Draugr threw him so far, he landed into the barrel of carpet tacks again.

Matt: Yeh we really need to move that barrel somewhere David won't fall in.

Spike: Like space? Or is that too close?

Everyone but David started laughing (including Draugr).

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