Mara's Adventures Part 1

It was late afternoon. It still looked like mid-day though, since there was no hint of the sun setting at all. The trees seemed taller and thicker than ever, and as Bael sat on a branch just outside his girlfriend's house he saw some adventurers walking warily through the bushes, trying to avoid any nearby predators.

In Felarya it seems someone either has a difficult life, or taking it easy. The safe havens and the wilderness contrast so much there is hardly any middle ground. That doesn't mean people in Negav have it easy though. The elf looked up at the bright sky briefly, then down at the lush greenery beneath. The vines tangled through the trees, and the moss covered the rocks and tree trunks.

After a couple months of long hard work at the Mage's Academy and the Guild, there was finally a resting period that allowed him a reprieve. Even though he's risen pretty high in the ranks, being an Archmage is still a stressfull job.

Bael continued to watch them until they passed beyond his line of sight.

As for Mara, she was making her way home from a successful hunt, and had no idea Bael was at her home yet. Currently she had grown herself halfway, to about thirty-five feet tall. She figured in that height, she could quickly grow small or large depending on circumstances. It just so happened, that as she made her way to within a few hundred yards of her home, a small caravan was walking eastward. There was a large round-looking vehicle protrusions on the lower edges, and four wheels underneath. Usually Mara would ignore them, or go and catch a large meal, but this time she did different. Flying out into view of the caravan, she waved a friendly hello.

"Fairy!!" One of them yelled.

Everyone started backing up cautiously. Some of the ones weilding weapons pointed them at her, and stood their ground.

"Don't come any closer! We've k-killed fairies, b-before!!"

Mara just hovered there listening. It was obvious by how nervous they said that last part, that it was most likely untrue. Sighing, she decided to speak, interrupting anyone from the caravan who spoke.

"Hello guys" Mara spoke cheerfully. She tried to act as though she was a normal human buyer. If she were to use that necklace she got from the Sphynx, she'll need to learn how to deal with merchants.

"Who's the merchant? I wanted to...uh..." Mara reached into her pouch and pulled out some skevols that Bael had given her. When visiting their merchant-friend Nadiel, she had used some of the round, grooved coins before. As such, she had quite a few leftover from last visit.

At the sight of the coins though, quite a few of the people couldn't handle the moment, and broke out laughing. Apparently they thought the idea of a fairy buying things from a human caravan instead of eating them to be really funny.

"Y-you w-want to buy s-something?! Oh man, that's just t-too rich!" The merchant stood there laughing as he spoke.

"Well I guess I'll go along with it...what is it you wanted?" The merchant spoke triumphantly. He never wanted to pass up a chance for business and profit, and stood there like a soldier.

"I dunno, I'm looking for something for my boyfriend...maybe something a mage would like. A book maybe...I'm not sure..."

"well...we have a few books, but also action figures, jewlery, post cards, underwear...predator repellants..."

Both Mara and the merchant stared at each other for a few seconds. Mara wanted to know whether or not he actually had underwear, but also didn't care enough to ask.

"um...how about an action figure, and maybe a book on basic clothing enchantments...oh, and also a necklace!" Mara gave them a friendly smile as she spoke.

Surprised that the fairy he was talking actually wanted to buy something, he happily went to the back of his vehicle and retrieved the items she asked for. Meanwhile, the guards kept their weapons aimed at the Mara, who more or less ignored their pressence.

"What kind of action figure do you want?"

"A dridder one, please."

Retrieving the action figure, the merchant walked back out.

"Here ya go! eighty skevols! Will that be all?"

"Uh...yeah! Thanks a lot."

"alright, the original price is eighty, but I think i'll give you a discount by ten skevols."

Mara reached into her pouch and pulled out a few skevols on her fingers. Since she was quite tall, the skevols looked and felt tiny in comparison, but nothing that was too difficult. When she took out the skevols, she layed them on the ground.

"Um...is this right?"

The merchant got closer, and promptly asked the fairy to back up. Mara complied by shrinking and flying about fifty feet away.

"Well, these are two thirties, and this one's a hundred...I don't deal in hundreds...this one's a ten...Here you go."

"Thanks!!" Mara spoke as she grew to about thirty-five feet again. The merchant put all the skevols and the things she bought into one pile and backed off, along with the guards. The merchant closed up his vehicle as Mara tried putting her skevols back where they belonged, put the items she bought into her pouch, and stood up straight to watch the merchant walk off.

Mara turned to fly home. However, as sudden and unexpected as it was, there barely enough time for the fairy to react; a giant mantoid had lept from out of nowhere. Mara saw it out of the corner of her eye at the last second and stopped flight. She dropped to the ground, put her wings behind her back and rolled over as the mantoid tried to pin her to the ground.

"Bael!!!" Mara screamed desperately, but inside she knew it was all up to her.
"Trying to call for help? I've got you, fairy." The mantoid raised one of it's bladed feet slowly and grinned.