From Ashes To Scales

With Lydia gone to gather the Council of Ephiria's 12 members, we had a rare moment of peace in the village. Basically before we could embark on this quest, we had to get this council’s approval first. So until they gathered we decided to enjoy the peace and serenity of the village. Well, "peace" might be the wrong word.

Ephiria was vibrant and filled with energy, but there was one small... issue. The village was primarily composed of women, and not just any women—strong, independent, and, apparently, very interested women. It wasn’t long before things got out of hand.

We wandered through the village, taking in the sights and waiting for Lydia to return with word from the council. The air was thick with the smell of fresh food, herbs, and the distinct fragrance of the nearby potion shop. It was a refreshing change of pace—until I noticed something.

Everywhere we went, I was being stared at, like some sort of rare, exotic animal. At first, I thought it was because we were outsiders. But then...

"Hey there, handsome," purred a sultry voice from the shadows of a nearby hut. A tall, raven-haired woman stepped forward, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "You must be tired from your travels... maybe you could rest at my place? I've got a cozy bed just for you."

Before I could respond, Leona stepped between us, her hand on her sword. "Move along," she growled. "He’s not interested."

The woman pouted, throwing a wink in my direction before walking off. I sighed, grateful for Leona's intervention, but this wasn’t going to be the last time.

A few moments later a beautiful elf girl with long white hair and quite an ample chest.

“Oh, it's so rare to see outsiders. You must be from the mainland. And I’m sure you must be tired from your travels. I have a nice little treehouse over here. And I don't mean to brag, but I make one mean stew. And afterwards, we might get to know each other better, fufu!”

This time it was Rusalka who stepped in.

“He doesn't need any stew. Get lost.”

The elf woman giggled, however she was dejected.

“If you change your mind sweetie, you know where to find me.”

I don't know what's scarier at this point. I’ve never been popular with girls neither in this life or in my previous one. It's scary getting this much attention. And… my own companions are just as scary. I need to clear my head for now.

We decided to check out the potion shop next. The moment we entered, I noticed the shopkeeper: a towering minotaur woman with beautiful features and a pair of sharp horns that glinted in the light. Her broad shoulders and muscular frame made her look like she could snap me in half with one hand. She smiled warmly, though, making the room feel smaller just by standing in it.

"Welcome to Erika’s Potion Emporium!" the minotaur girl announced proudly. "Erika, at your service." She leaned over the counter and smiled down at me. "And what can I do for such a fine young man today?"

I glanced nervously at the shelves filled with bottles of various colors and sizes. "Uh... I’m just browsing for now."

Erika's smile turned wicked. "Well, if you can’t afford the potions, there are... other ways you could pay." She winked, flexing one of her massive arms. "I don’t bite. Not unless you want me to."

Saphira immediately stepped forward, pulling me back. "He’s fine," she said flatly, her icy blue eyes narrowing dangerously at Erika. "And we can pay with money."

Erika chuckled and gave a mock bow. "As you wish," she said, though her eyes lingered on me with an amused look. "If you ever change your mind, I don't mind giving you a special service."

I rubbed the back of my neck as we left the shop, feeling like I had narrowly escaped something... dangerous. Leona patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"Looks like you're quite popular around here, hubby." she teased.

"Yeah," I muttered. "Too popular."

“Don’t worry. We got your back!”

---

Meanwhile, Rose had been conspicuously absent. We found her near the village square, standing perfectly still—staring blankly at the pile of silver and gold coins that once made up our fortune in Eris. Her eyes were glazed over, and she looked... she looked like she's absent minded.

"Rose?" I asked cautiously. "Are you okay?"

She didn't respond. Leona waved a hand in front of her face. Nothing.

"Rose," Rusalka tried, this time a little louder. "Snap out of it."

Still nothing. Saphira bent down to examine her and sighed. She straightened her glasses and at the same time…

"She’s in a... money coma," she diagnosed grimly.

I blinked.

"A what?"

"Apparently," Saphira explained, "Ephiria doesn't recognize Eris as currency. From what intel I managed to gather while observing the daily lives of villagers, Eris isn’t used here. The coins are worth something, but only as the raw metals they’re made from—gold, silver... nothing more. The value she thought she had is basically gone."

At the sound of that, Rose suddenly twitched, her eyes darting around wildly. "W-worthless?!" she gasped. "Our 50 million Eris is worthless?! All of it... just... metal?!" Her face turned pale, and she promptly fainted on the spot.

Leona rolled her eyes and knelt to pick her up.

"Guess we'll have to carry her around until she snaps out of it," she muttered, hoisting Rose over her shoulder.

I can understand her stress. It's better if I put all this money Rose had on her back in my storage. Maybe if she doesn't see it, it will help.

As we continued walking through the village, I couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. Not only were we stuck waiting for the council to decide our fate, but I was constantly being hit on by half the village, Rose was in a money-induced coma, and we hadn’t even started fighting Volkos yet.

As we made our way back toward the village center, another woman approached, this time with flowing golden hair and a glimmer in her eye. She leaned in a little too close for comfort.

"Hey there, handsome," she purred. "Looking for a place to stay? My door’s always open."

"Not interested," I said quickly, stepping back.

Leona, Rusalka, and Saphira all closed in around me like a protective barrier. The woman pouted and slinked off, leaving me feeling a little safer... for now.

I sighed heavily. "Can we just... go somewhere less chaotic?"

Leona chuckled. "Welcome to Ephiria. It's all chaos here."

---

After navigating our way through the village’s streets, avoiding overly friendly villagers and trying not to attract any more attention, we finally settled at a quiet corner near the village walls.

The village itself was impressive. Wooden houses lined the ground, while treehouses nestled high in the branches of ancient trees. A thick wooden wall surrounded the entire settlement, and wooden spikes jutted out of the ground in strategic locations—protection from whatever threats lurked outside the village.

It was a beautiful place, despite the chaos, and I couldn’t help but admire the ingenuity of its design. The Ephirians clearly knew how to live in harmony with nature while keeping themselves safe.

But as we sat there, waiting for news from Lydia and her council, I couldn’t help but wonder... would we even get their approval? And if we did, would we be ready to face Volkos?

I sighed. Whatever happened, I knew one thing for sure: Ephiria was unlike any place I had ever been before.

And with that thought, another villager caught my eye, winking at me from a nearby stall. I groaned.

This was going to be a long wait.