Here is the second part of my playthrough of Adventurer Mode:
Chapter II: The Clockwork Castle
When morning came, Tea exited the shop and heated his mallard breakfast by an open fire. After eating, he decided to take a short stroll around his town and talk with his friends for a short while. Once his social activity was finished, Tea decided once more to delve into the western forests to see what beasts there were. Soon he found himself surrounded again by the beauteous colors of nature. He noticed a small pack of mallards on his way through the forest, though he ignored them. After all, he had already killed one of these creatures; it was time for other beasts to fall. Finally, he found himself in front of a great river.
Looking into it, he could see several river squid swimming about through the water. Tea took out his short bow and fired three arrows into the water, resulting in one of the creatures noticing his presence and leaping out of the river. Tea fired an arrow at this squid, which pierced its third arm. Tea dove into the water and swam to the other side of the river to chase after this creature, but one of the squid bit him in the shin on his way out of the water. Tea collapsed to the ground, his right leg no longer able to support his weight.
Tea was determined to kill at least one of these vile creatures. He crawled his way in the direction that the squid had fled, only to find that it had died from its lack of water.
This didn't bother Tea much, as the creature's death was satisfying enough for him. Taking his dirk, he carefully butchered the creature for its meat. Taking what he could carry, he crawled off in a random direction, hoping it would lead him to safety. He was fearful as he crawled around trees, over hills, and across plains that he would run into an unseen enemy, and that he would meet his end. Most cautiously he moved, carefully observing every movement around him.
Finally, he found himself at the base of a modest castle.
He became quite fearful; he knew that not all beings that created such structures were friendly. Still in hiding, he took a glance at one of the guard towers and was relieved to find it inhabited by a clockworker, a friend to his race. He came out of hiding and called up to it, making sure it saw him.
The guard allowed Tea entrance into the fortress. Tea soon felt safe behind the walls of the structure, and made his way into the main tower to rest. Inside, he found the castle's owner, the civilization's champion, standing against the wall.
Tea had heard of these clockworkers, the one's whose jobs were to patrol the lands and strike down enemies, yet he would not have expected such a creature as the one before him to hold such a position. A tan, redheaded young woman, she was quite average looking. Though if she held such a position, Tea realized, there must be more to her.
Tea decided to converse with the champion, who told him that her name was Hame Regimehame. She told him a bit of her history, of her civilization, and of her family. She also imparted to him small bits of her personal research on the gnomes that lived beneath the earth. She told him that, with a simple tarnish stalk as a base, one could replicate their firearm producing technique. Tea was amazed, for although he had heard of the long guns which were said to make bows such as his seem like children's toys, he had never imagined that they could be so easily made. He thanked her for the knowledge greatly, before proceeding to the top of the tower to sleep.
When he awoke, he found that he could once again walk on two feet. He decided to ask Hame if she had any work for him. She politely told him that she had no use of him. Slightly disappointed, he requested bodyguards from her to escort him back to his home. She told him that she was able to spare two for him. He then set off from the castle with his two female companions, a swordsman and a spearman, looking for a way back to his home village.
