Paralogue 2: The Secret Seller

*A woman wearing an impossibly large backpack enters a town and observes the citizens milling about.*

**???**: Looks like today will be another profitable day. Wait until my sisters hear about how much I'm gonna sell today!

*She finds an empty space and sets her pack down, preparing to set up shop. As a few people notice and start to ask what she's doing, she explains that she's a traveling merchant, here to sell them goods at a discounted price.*

*Hours later at about sundown, the woman packs up and prepares to leave town. As she nears the gates, she hears screaming in the distance. She looks back to see several townspeople being chased by humanoid creatures.*

**???**: Risen. Welp, I guess I should help take care of 'em before they wipe this town off the map. They were nice enough to buy things from me, so I guess I owe them that much.

*The woman brandishes a sword and jumps into battle.*

*Moments later, the Shepherds rush into town just in time to see the Risen strike down an innocent villager.*

**Joos**: Risen!

**Knifez**: Well, looks like we're taking a break to kick some ass.

**Bella**: Finally. I've been walking all day.

**Ewisko**: Er, don't you have a pegasus to ride on or somethin'?

**Bella**: I don't ride my pegasus everywhere. Poor thing would break her back!

**Ewisko**: Right. I knew that.

**Pika**: Joos, Sam. Look over there. Waaay off in the distance.

**Sam**: What is it?

**Pika**: It looks like someone's already fighting the Risen. See that girl over there?

**Joos**: Ah yes. I see her. Good eye, Pika.

**Sam**: Eyes of an archer, that's for sure.

**Pika**: We need to make sure she's okay.

**Joos**: Yeah. Listen up! I need a mounted soldier to go check on that girl in the distance. She seems to be fighting the Risen on her own. Volunteers?

**Kayla**: I'm not mounted, but I'll accompany whoever goes!

**Chloe**: I'll go. If she's hurt, I can heal her.

**Joos**: Great. Everyone else, spread out and take care of these things as fast as possible.

*The Shepherds split up and start taking out the Risen one-by-one. Chloe and Kayla quickly work their way to the woman fighting alone as Kayla strikes down Risen left and right. When they reach her, Kayla attempts to make contact.*

**Kayla**: Hey! Who're you and why are you fighting these guys alone?

**???**: What'sit look like? I'm trying to protect the town.

**Chloe**: All on your own? Aren't you hurt?

**???**: Nothing beyond a few scrapes. Nothing I can't handle.

**Chloe**: Well do you need help? We're here to do just that.

**???**: There are an awful lot of them...alright! You guys can help me.

**Kayla**: Alright! What's your name?

**???**: Call me Anna.

**Kayla**: Alright Anna! Let's do this!

*Anna is a Trickster class. A special class that can not only pick locks like thieves, but also wield swords and staves, so she alternates between striking down Risen and healing injured Shepherds. At one point, George gets injured badly by an enemy's sword and falls to his knees. Before Grace can rush to his side, Anna holds her staff high in the air and his wounds disappear almost entirely.*

**Grace**: What kind of staff is that?

**Anna**: It's a high-level one. It can heal most non-lethal injuries instantaneously.

**Grace**: Wow, I need to get me one of those.

**Anna**: I sell those in my store if you want one sometime!

**George**: Hey, less infomercials and more killing, yeah?

**Grace**: Right. Thanks for healing my friend, stranger.

**Anna**: No problem!

**Grace**: (Even though I could've done that...it's all Sam and Joos seem to think I'm good for.)

*Eddie, meanwhile, fights and struggles against some of the Risen.*

**Eddie**: Stupid zombies and their stupid not-wanting-to-die-ness. Why don't you go down?

**Anna**: Hey, need some help there?

**Eddie**: Psh, of course I don't need help! AH! That one almost got me. Heh, maybe I do need a little bit of help.

**Anna**: You're not very good for a Shepherd...

**Eddie**: Hey, how do you know we're Shepherds?

**Anna**: Oh look, someone got injured. I'll send them your way.

*It's not until Anna is long gone that Eddie realizes the insulting part of Anna's sentence.*

**Eddie**: ...HEY WAIT A MINUTE!

*Once the Risen are all cleared out, the Shepherds gather to interrogate the stranger.*

**Knifez**: So where have I seen you before?

**Anna**: No idea. You might have seen one of my sisters before, though. There's a lot of us, and we all look the same.

**Green**: So you've got a Nurse Joy thing going on?

**Anna**: I don't know what that means.

**Green**: Nevermind.

**Anna**: So anyway, we sure showed them Risen who's boss, didn't we?

**Knifez**: How do you know what they're called?

**Anna**: I'm a merchant and part of a family of Annas. We know a lot more than you'd expect. But what Iknow right now is that I want you guys to continue helping me.

**Knifez**: Us help you?

**Florence**: This seems like the opposite of what should be going on here, doesn't it?

**Anna**: So what's your mission?

**Knifez**: Uh...to stop Esh-Ban and save the world.

**Joos**: (Did she just completely ignore Florence?)

**Eddie**: (Wouldn't you?)

**Anna**: Great! Then you guys can help me stop Esh-Ban and save the world!!

**Knifez**: Uh, alright, I guess?

**Anna**: Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go!

**Knifez**: How about you leave the commanding to me?

**Anna**: Heh, sorry.

**Knifez**: This band of misfits is getting weirder and weirder...

==> CHAPTER 9: ESH-BAN'S GAMBIT

<== SUPPORTS

## Current Party

**The Shepherds**

* Knifez. Lord. Captain of the Shepherds and Prince of Waydrn. Treats his men firmly but fairly.
* George. Dark Mage. A harrowingly optimistic Waydrnite who loves bad jokes.
* Grace. Cleric. An affectionate and cheeky Shepherd with a possessive streak.
* Joos. Tactician. A traveler with no memory of the past, but a gift for tactics.
* Sam. Tactician. The Shepherds' original, no-nonsense Tactician.
* Florence . Lord. A Shepherd and Knifez's sister. Always ready to lend an ass-kicking.
* Jimmy. Cavalier. A quiet Shepherd who knows exactly when to get to work.
* Pika. Archer. A peppy Shepherd, always ready to follow her Tactician's command
* Josh. Mage. A meticulous, methodical Shepherd with just a bit of whimsy.
* Dakota. Thief. A formidable Waydrnite thief with a grim outlook on things.
* Eddie. Thief. A Waydrnite thief who thinks big and dreams bigger.
* DJ. Myrmidon. A noble from Frar who knows his way around a sword.
* Chloe. Troubadour. The downright kindest Noble Frar ever did see.
* Green. Wyvern Knight. A funloving Tostian dracoknight. Has a penchant for stabbing first and asking questions later.
* Bella. Pegasus Knight. A Tostian “noble” whose love of her country is rivaled only by her love of her horse.
* Chase. Mercenary. A Sellsword with a love of tall tales and romance.
* Kjeld. Fighter. An executioner who just wants justice to be served already.
* Signele. Taguel. Last surviving inhabitant of The Domain. Also a giant bunny sometimes.
* Ewisko. Villager. A Waydrnite commoner with unawakened potential.
* Julius. Dancer. A gifted dancer with a flair for philandering and caffeine.
* Maggie. Manakete. An innocent Manakete with a penchant for theatrics.
* Kate. Knight. A knight who's probably just as confused as anyone.
* Sarah. Wyvern Rider. A gifted Wyvern Rider who prefers the term "realistic."
* Kayla. Mage. A hyperactive mage who can't wait to prove herself as more than just a kid.
* Aloasa. Dark Mage. A dour Tostian with a knack for curses and hovering.
* Anna. Trickster. A world-traveling merchant who loves money and big spenders.

## Information

* This paralogue was originally posted to the Total Drama Writers' Forum here.

Paralogues: Paralogue 1: From Sickle to Sword - **Paralogue 2: The Secret Seller** - Paralogue 3: Taylor's Dilemma - Paralogue 4: Rides With Wyverns - Paralogue 5: Wings of Justice - Paralogue 6: Tournament of Kings - Paralogue 7: All Buns go to Heaven - Paralogue 8: The Lyin' King - Paralogue 9: Doing God's Work...Kinda - Paralogue 10: Nose in the Book, Head in the Clouds - Paralogue 11: Fast Fingers and Freedom - Paralogue 12: Witchcraft and Wizardry

DLC: The Conquest of The Domain [ Xenologue 1: Twenty-One Years Ago... - Xenologue 2: Fight of the Mapmakers - Xenologue 3: Capital City Onaw ] Days of Future Past [ Xenologue 4: The New Shepherds - Xenologue 5: A Glimmer of Hope - Xenologue 6: Beginning of the End ]

Non-Canon: A Very Forum Emblem Christmas! - Reawakened - Tales From the Barracks [ Second Seal Scramble ]