EP 957 - The Boy

While the city council had enough trouble on their plate just trying to sort out the issues with the
curse, that was far from the only issue that they were going to face that day.

A pounding on the door, along with the sound of someone fighting the guards, turned into an irate
Dwarven woman storming into the tavern, dragging a younger Dwarven woman by the hair while a
young boy thumped at her back and shouted to let his mother go.

The City Lord went pale, and Rae brought out a bag full of the Guild kitchen's signature caramel
popcorn and peanut mix.

"What the hell is going on now?" One of the Councilmen asked.

Karl grabbed a handful of popcorn and pulled Dana into his lap, so she didn't have to look past him
to see the show. Then he slid his chair back so that Thor could get a good view as well.

"I will tell you what is happening. When that deadbeat went missing this morning during the chaos,
I went looking for him, and what did I find when the Guards tracked him down? His side piece is
sitting in a room full of priceless gifts that belong in the City Treasury.

The City Accountant is there now to do a full inventory of the house. But if you will excuse us, I need
to borrow my husband for a moment." The Dwarven woman explained between kicks to keep the
mistress silent.

"Madam, kindly let the young woman speak. It appears that her son is quite distraught." One of the
older councillors requested in a flat tone.

Nobody would mistake that as a request, and the City Lord's wife let go of the woman, who
immediately crawled to the Lord, while the boy threw himself at the City Lord to hug his leg.

"Daddy, that evil woman is bullying us!" The boy wailed.

The only sound in the room was Rae and Karl munching on popcorn, and then the boy burst into
tears as his father failed to respond.

"I believe that we should move this to a private venue." The Lord insisted quietly.

His wife placed her hands on her hips and gave him a challenging look. Despite the four Rank
difference in their power levels, Karl suspected that was not a fight he was going to win.

The youngest of the Council Members, a Dwarven Cleric with his blonde hair in small braids tied
back in a bunch, burst into laughter.
"Oh, I don't think that's necessary. We've all figured out what is going on. But your family drama can
wait until we get past the important issues. Like how the hell we're going to keep half the city from
dying when we remove the curse from the city."

The others sat silently while the City Lord's family stared each other down, and then the Cleric
cleared his throat.

"I suppose that we could have every Cleric in town cast a mass resurrection ritual over the whole
city. Most of the dead wouldn't even know that anything changed, but I'm not sure how many of
them can be saved. Resurrecting the Undead is tricky."

The others understood what he meant without any more detail. If they'd been dead too long, or they
had realized they weren't supposed to be alive anymore, using Resurrection would just free them
from their undead bodies.

"I don't suppose any of the bystanders have a suggestion?" The City Lord asked, trying to ignore the
drama going on in front of him.

Rae raised her hand. "I vote that we teach Supreme Lady Matilda the [Randomize] skill and see
what happens when she uses it in the city."

That was one hundred percent a Cara suggestion. But Rae was bored now that there was no more
fighting, and it sounded better than letting them argue for hours.

The City Lord frowned. "Do not speak that name aloud. It is against city ordinance."

The Council Cleric nodded. "You never know if she'll show up to see who's talking about her."

Cara perked up in her space. That was all it took? She could totally take advantage of that in the
future. They could have so much fun together. Cara recalled someone saying that she could make
new cities and dungeons appear, just for funsies.

How much better of a friend could a Badger ask for?

[Don't go causing troubles for an entire country just to see new things.] Karl warned.

[Just a little bit?]

[Don't bother the Ancient Dragon until we see her in person again.]

Cara smirked and hid her thoughts from Karl.

She had definitely seen something in that mirror which told her she would get to see that dragon
again.

There was a lot of quiet discussion at the table before the Councilmen sat upright again, and the City
Lord motioned for them to speak.
"We will support having the Clerics gather to cast a Mass Resurrection over the whole city, right
before the curse is broken. It will hide most of the deaths, and the rest can all be blamed on the
curse." The Eldest of the Councillors announced.

That was a bit diabolical, but it would work well enough. The Undead who weren't resurrected or
destroyed would continue to be the same Undead that they were right now, until they realized they
were dead and freaked out.

But with the curse gone, everyone would be able to see what was happening.

The one that was really going to pay for this was the City Lord, who would have to explain why the
city wasn't actually fixed. He had been thrown under the bus, and at this point, he couldn't even
argue against it.

Lotus rapped her mug on the table to get everyone's attention.

"If it suits the City Lord, we can offer you a portal out of town before the announcement is made.
They will shame your entire lineage as cowards, and turn your name into an epithet, but they're
likely going to do that anyhow. What I mean is, if you would like to run away, the Green Dragon
wouldn't be opposed to your survival instincts." She declared.

The look on the Mythic Rank Dwarf's face was priceless. The tiny cleric had basically just told him
that his life in the city was as good as over either way, so he could either face mob justice or be
decried as a coward.

But after a moment, his expression steeled.

"I will make the public announcement in one hour. Have the Clerics ready to cast the spells to
resurrect right before the mages work together to dispel the curse after I shatter the spell's core."
He decided.

Then he turned to Lotus. "Can you send my wife away? She doesn't deserve the fallout that will
come from this."