Quest for Justice by Sean Fay Wolfe Page B

with . . .” and the three older boys fell to the ground in fits of laughter.
    â€œYou three are so immature,” she said arrogantly. “Anyway, get off the crafting table, Archie. I’m crafting us some breakfast.” He complied, still snickering.
    â€œWhere’d you go this morning anyway, Sal?” Jayden asked inquisitively.
    â€œYeah, we had to pull the prank without ya,” added G.
    â€œPardon me, boys, but I think you’ll be happy when yousee what I have planned.” Sally reached into her inventory and pulled out three buckets of milk, an egg, some sugar, and some wheat.
    â€œOh boy, Sal, are you making what I think you’re making?” Archie boomed eagerly.
    â€œWell, when it’s my turn to make breakfast, I prefer to do it right,” she said as she started a complex series of crafts with the food items. “Especially when we have guests.” And Stan could have sworn that she caught his eye.
    â€œHere we go,” she said after a minute of waiting. She held up a square cake. From what Stan could see, it was strawberry shortcake, which he didn’t understand, as Sally had added neither strawberries nor frosting. “Dig in.”
    There were six equal pieces of cake. Everybody was given a slice except for Sally. Stan was about to eat his piece when he looked at Sally. She was glancing at him in an expectant way. Stan had a feeling he knew why.
    â€œUh, Sally? Do you, uh, wanna have some of my cake?”
    â€œWhy, thank you, Stan, I would like that very much.” She grabbed a knife from the table with the tools and cut Stan’s piece down the middle. She took half of it and ate it in one bite, giving a loud burp afterward. G and Archie snickered, but Stan wasn’t sure if it was because of Sally belching or him sharing his cake.
    After they were finished eating, Jayden stood up. “Alrightythen, thank you, Sally, for the excellent breakfast.” There were murmurs of consent. “If anyone is still hungry, we’ll stop by my brother’s farm on the way to the school for watermelons. New inductees, put all your things in the extra chest in the corner over there, and follow me.”
    After they had put their things away, the players left the building and went down the ladder, leaving Rex sitting in the room. As they walked down the main road of the village, they stopped just before the Town Hall and turned into the farm to the right of the Hall.
    â€œThis is where my brother lives,” explained Jayden, as they walked under the hedge that marked the entrance to the farm. “He’s the most productive farmer in this entire village, and the only one who is a higher level than Adoria. He’s level fifty-four, five higher than she is. The only problem is that he’s—”
    â€œHey, Jay!”
    A player with wild gray hair and farmer’s clothing was running up to them, holding what appeared to be an iron hoe.
    â€œHey, hey, you guys! Hey, you guys are new?” he asked Stan, Kat, and Charlie in a jittery fashion. “Ya look new, carryin’ around all dat stone crap, ya know, hey! Hey! Ya want some Lightnin’? Cause I know this great place where—”
    â€œSteve, again? Really!? I thought that we agreed that youwouldn’t be QPOed on duty!” Jayden cried in an exasperated voice.
    â€œI ain’t QPOed, whadevah’d give ya dat ideeeeee-ooooooooooooohhhh . . . ,” and then the crazed player—Steve, Jayden had called him—slunk down to the ground, clearly passed out.
    â€œOh, for the love of God,” moaned Jayden.
    â€œWhat the . . . what . . . what just happened?” asked Kat, looking repulsed at the still body on the ground.
    â€œIs he gonna be okay?” asked Charlie.
    â€œWell, Charlie, yes he is, but I’m getting awfully sick of healing him,” sighed Jayden as he pulled an apple out of his bag. This apple was shimmering golden in the