Rise of the Orphaned Hero

Chapter 7 Going back For Lillia/Helping a Party

Chapter Seven: Going back For Lillia/Helping a Party

Xander and Sophie made their way back to the town where Lillia was, hoping to reunite with her and continue their quest. Along the way, they encountered a group of adventurers who were struggling to fend off a group of powerful monsters.

The adventurers were a party of five, consisting of a warrior, a mage, a healer, a rogue, and a berserker. They were surrounded by a group of trolls, towering beasts with thick hides and massive clubs.

Xander and Sophie didn't hesitate. They rushed to the adventurers' aid, drawing their weapons and unleashing a flurry of attacks on the trolls. The berserker, impressed by their skills, joined in the fray, swinging his axe with deadly precision.

Together, they fought with all their might, their weapons glinting in the sunlight. The trolls were fierce opponents, but with their combined strength, they were no match for the determined group.

As the last troll fell to the ground, the adventurers cheered and thanked Xander and Sophie for their help.

"Who are you two?" asked the warrior, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What business do you have here?"

Xander stepped forward, his hand on Excalibur. "We are adventurers, like you," he said. "We're here to help."

The mage and healer looked at each other, nodding in agreement. "We could use all the help we can get," said the mage. "We're on a mission to retrieve a powerful artifact from the ruins of an ancient temple. But we've encountered more than our fair share of monsters along the way."

Xander and Sophie exchanged a glance, knowing that they could lend their aid. "We'll help you," said Sophie. "But we need to find our friend first."

The rogue, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "We know the town you're talking about," she said. "We passed through there on our way here. We could take you there, if you help us with our mission."

Xander and Sophie agreed, and together, they set off towards the ruins. The journey was long and treacherous, but with their combined strength, they overcame every obstacle in their way.

At last, they reached the temple, a towering structure of stone and moss. The entrance was guarded by a pair of massive golems, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly energy.

The adventurers hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. But Xander stepped forward, his sword at the ready.

"I'll take care of this," he said, his voice steady and sure. "Stay back and watch."

With a burst of energy, Xander charged towards the golems, his sword flashing in the air. The golems swung their massive arms, but Xander was too fast, dodging their attacks with ease.

With a mighty swing, he struck the golems, cleaving them in two. The other adventurers stared in awe, impressed by his strength and skill.

Together, they made their way into the temple, overcoming every obstacle in their path. At last, they reached the inner sanctum, where the artifact lay hidden.

But they were not alone. A group of dark wizards, sworn enemies of the kingdom, had arrived before them, intent on seizing the artifact for their own nefarious purposes.

Xander and the adventurers engaged the wizards in a fierce battle, their weapons clashing and spells flying through the air. It was a fight to the death, with the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance.

But Xander and his allies were not to be underestimated. With their combined strength and skill, they overpowered the dark wizards, sending them fleeing into the shadows.

At last, they stood before the artifact, a glowing orb of pure energy

The dark mages had fled into the depths of the forest with the artifact in tow, and Xander and his companions wasted no time in giving chase. They sprinted through the trees, dodging branches and leaping over obstacles, their hearts pounding with excitement and adrenaline.

As they drew closer to their quarry, they could hear the dark mages chanting ominous incantations, their voices echoing through the forest like the howls of wild beasts.

Xander drew Excalibur from its scabbard and charged forward, his companions close behind. They burst into a clearing, where they found the dark mages gathered around a glowing orb that pulsed with dark energy.

"Stop!" shouted Xander, his sword held high. "Hand over the artifact, and no harm will come to you."

The dark mages laughed, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent.

"Foolish mortal," spat one of them. "You know nothing of the power you seek. We will not give it up so easily."

With that, the dark mages began to channel their dark magic, hurling bolts of black energy at Xander and his companions. The adventurers dodged and weaved, their movements graceful and fluid as they fought back with all their might.

Xander slashed his sword through the air, sending waves of energy rippling through the dark mages' defenses. Sophie channeled her own magic, conjuring swirling gusts of wind that knocked the dark mages off their feet. And Lillia, their new companion, used her archery skills to strike the mages with deadly accuracy.

As they fought, Xander couldn't help but notice the jealousy in Lillia's eyes whenever Sophie was near. He filed that information away for later, focusing instead on the task at hand.

Finally, with a final burst of strength, Xander struck the orb with Excalibur, shattering it into a thousand shards. The dark mages screamed in agony, their powers dissipating into the air like smoke.

With the artifact secured, Xander and his companions made their way back to the village, their spirits high and their hearts full of triumph. As they walked, Xander couldn't help but wonder what new adventures awaited them on the road ahead.

The adventurers have to leave because they have to report what happened and also, they gave the artifact to Xander because they don't deserve it, he killed most of the mages so he deserve the artifact so they gave it to him.

Xander and Sophie walked back to the village, the artifact safely tucked away in Xander's bag. As they approached the town square, Xander spotted Lillia standing near the fountain, her blue hair cascading down her back in waves.

"Look, there's Lillia!" said Xander, pointing her out to Sophie. "She's the one who helped us on our last adventure."

Sophie's eyes widened with surprise. "Oh, I had no idea. It's good to see her again."

As they approached, Lillia turned and saw them. A smile spread across her face as she recognized Xander.

"Xander!" she exclaimed. "It's good to see you again."

Xander grinned back at her. "Likewise, Lillia. I see you're still wearing that necklace I gave you."

Lillia's cheeks turned pink as she fingered the delicate silver chain around her neck. "Yes, I wear it all the time. It's my lucky charm."

Sophie looked at the two of them curiously. "Oh, I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Sophie."

Lillia turned to her and smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Sophie. I'm Lillia."

Xander noticed the way Lillia's eyes lingered on Sophie, and a faint twinge of jealousy sparked in his chest. He quickly pushed it aside, not wanting to let it cloud his judgment.

"So, Lillia," he said, changing the subject. "We were just on a quest to retrieve an artifact from some dark mages. We managed to defeat them and get the artifact back."

Lillia's eyes widened with excitement. "That's incredible! What kind of artifact is it?"

Xander pulled the artifact from his bag and showed it to her. It was a small, intricately carved stone, with mysterious symbols etched into its surface.

"We're not sure what it does yet," he admitted. "But we're hoping to find out soon."

Lillia studied the stone intently, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Hmm, I might be able to help with that. I've studied a lot of ancient texts and symbols in my travels. Maybe we can decipher what it means together?"

Xander smiled at her enthusiasm. "That would be great. We could use all the help we can get."

Sophie looked at the two of them, sensing a spark of attraction between them. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy herself, but she pushed it aside, knowing that Xander was a loyal friend and companion.

"Well, it sounds like we have a new adventure on our hands," she said, grinning at them both. "Let's get started."

And with that, the three of them set off down the road, the artifact burning bright with possibility in Xander's bag.

See you at Chapter 8