Araxis wasn’t entirely sure what she would be getting herself into when she decided to allow two green and unexperienced younglings to tag along with her on her journey to the University, but it certainly wasn’t this. In the last few hours she had found herself joining Finn and Daphne to explore an abandoned temple, only to be beset by surges of wild magic and swarms of giant spiders. Neither of which troubled Araxis too much, besides the minor inconvenience that they caused for her, but somewhere along the way, Finn had gone and turned himself into a cactus!?! This was somewhat troubling to Araxis. She was sure it would set her back at least a day in her travel plans. And if she was being perfectly honest, there may have been a very small part of the sage elf that actually felt bad for the young paladin. Araxis sensed Daphne’s concern as well, as the young rogue had not let the cactus near any harm since leaving the temple—it was endearing.
No sooner had Araxis retired to her tent for the night, determined to spend some time in a trance and thinking about solutions to Finn’s problem, than she heard a terrible commotion coming from just outside of Daphne’s tent. Rousing herself to see what was the matter, she was shocked to find Daphne and the two young paladins they were travelling with engaged in combat against another swarm of spiders, this time accompanied by a giant spider. The situation looked as though it could become dire, and so Araxis was quick to step in and fight alongside her friends. Throughout the skirmish, she couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pride swell within her to notice the deftness with which Daphne attacked the spiders—would that she could say the same for the two paladins. Clearly, the combat training at their temple was not nearly as rigorous as the training Finn had received, as most of their attacks were useless and futile. Despite the paladins’ best efforts to hand the victory to the arachnids, Daphne and Araxis were able to prevail, with Daphne dealing mortal damage to the eight legged creatures, and Araxis dealing the fatal blows.
Now thoroughly depleted of Ki, and feeling a little worse for wear, Araxis was determined to rest, hoping that the prickly problem of Finn’s transformation might sort itself out with time. The next morning, Araxis was again roused from her tent by another commotion coming from Daphne’s tent. There was a brief thought that if she had to deal with anymore spiders, she might just leave the entire party behind, and strike out on her own. Thankfully, instead of a swarm of Solifugae, Araxis was greeted by a smashed clay pot, a dazed Finn, and an equally confused Daphne. Before long, Finn had pointedly been told about his time as a succulent, and the means by which Daphne had solved the problem. Again, Araxis was impressed with the young woman, she was proving to be full of surprises.
After breaking their fast and breaking camp, Araxis found herself at a crossroads. Finn had made it clear that for some inexplicable reason, he felt compelled to return to the temple and explore it at length, this time without the use of any mystical powers. He had said that he would understand Araxis’s desire to continue on her journey without him, but had also extended an invitation for her and Daphne to join him. There was a fighting about Araxis’s soul that she was not used to. Normally, she would have gone on to continue her work, without question. But the adventures that she had shared with these two younglings had endeared them to her, in way, and she too felt compelled to visit the temple one more time.
Goodbyes were exchanged with their escort, and before long the trio was heading back to the temple in the middle of Erron. Once again, Araxis wasn’t entirely sure what she would be getting herself into when she decided to follow two green and unexperienced younglings into the desert, but she was sure she was making the right decision.
