[Prologue - Before The Fall]

-=Dread Desert, Lost Oasis=-

The Bloodrose Irregulars left the Silver Moon Citadel a little over a week ago venturing into the Dread Desert. Their mission to find a lost expedition team, or more so a Sir Frances Darkwing, under contract by the Noble's worried wife. Simple circumstances base pay for information, better pay for proof of death, best pay for returned alive. As well as a cut of the expeditions findings if it returned, or whatever the Irregulars could carry on their own in case of the Expedition's untimely demise. The journey thus far was simple enough found by a few orc raid parties who were quickly put to the sword and avoiding a roaming clan or two.

As of now the Irregulars had found a rare thing the Desert, water, and decided to take a bit of a rest and restock their water provisions. Their goal was only a day or so away but the sweltering heat was enough that Jing decided for the group to rest as some of his company wasn't used to these treks into the Desert just yet. With camp made up Shion and Gwendolyn had the first watch surveying the surrounding desert for anything that might come up on them. Stephan lay on a make shift hammock taking a bite form an apple "So I'll take bets will we find this noble alive or dead? My money is on dead 50 coins at that." He said trying to egg on one of the others to take his bet. Jing sat on the supply wagon thinking for a bit. "I would like to say alive, that is the best outcome for us. But I won't give you any more of my money, I pay you enough as is." Jing answered back before taking a swig from his wine sack. Alm ignored Stephan's comment, making a joke at the life or death of a client put a bad taste in his mouth. Instead he spent his time chopping vegetables doing the prep work for the nights dinner. So far things were quiet and nice but there was a bit of truth to Stephan's joke the expedition was more than a month late now, the chances of finding them dead was far greater then the expedition finding hitting a jackpot and still collecting valuables.

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Jenramo listened to the wager that Stephan raised, and as much as he wanted to take the bet, he felt the same as Jing, that boy had already taken too much of his coin. Jenramo set against a the wagon, he unsheathed the greatsword from his back and took out his kit to clean it, the desert was not the most hospitable location for the maintenance of weapons but seeing as he was a smith, having him there was nice when the toll was taken on the tools. "I hope the man lives, though I feel Stephan has made the safe bet." The cold edge of his blade leaving a dark mist as he moved it, "The best I hope for is the death of the beast that brought us to this waste, perhaps a stone for the box." Jenramo had taken to collecting interesting Soulstones for infusion, he didn't do it often but he wanted to have whatever rare material he could find.

Jenramo looked about the camp he was glad he didn't have to spend another watch with the witch Gwendolyn, they didn't get along well, but it was mostly Jenramo's fault, he wasn't particularly nice to those that practiced magic. Alm stood off to the side prepping for dinner it seemed, he wondered if he would like help, "Alm, do you need a hand there?" He called to him while sheathing his blade.

@Arthanus

---

Yui shook her head and grinned at Stephan’s comment. ”That’s a sucker’s bet and you know it.” She said. Sitting cross-legged with her back against a largish rock, she had the breech of her gun open and was in the process of cleaning the barrel and the various moving parts with a fine oil; the desert dust could be murder on intricate devices like this.

She knew her weapon well enough that she no longer needed to look at what she was doing as she cleaned. ”A more interesting bet would be on what killed them.” pointing the rifle into the air, she tensioned the trigger and dry fired the gun a few times to feel how the action was working. ”I’ve got 50 that says some desert beast got ‘em.” Satisfied by what she felt, she loaded a cartridge but left the trigger un-tensioned for the moment.

Packing up her cleaning kit, she stretched her legs and yawned, taking in her surroundings. What’s with that? She thought as she saw a dark flicker on Jenramo’s face. She realized he’d been looking towards their sentries, and more specifically Gwendolyn. She knew the two of them didn’t really get on, but Yui was still a newcomer and had yet to figure out all of the interplay between the rest of the Irregulars.

"Would you look at that. The sandstone here is acting as a natural filter. Thats good to know." A chipper voice pipped from deep with the blackened robes of the Apothecary, his lenses glistening green as he seemed to be crawling on the ground to observe the speckles of sand pour and pile. He wondered if there may be some project in the future, bringing life to this place. It certainly wasnt the bleakest of place he'd ever seen. "Oh well, enough about that. You can never have too many filters." Pox gathered a large flask of the crystal clear water and already had his numerous vials and tools ready to go to make the water perfect.

He approached with a large goard of his treated water which now had the slightest taste of lemon to it, strangely. He set the gourd down and plinked a tap on the rim for others to refill their water skins. He heard the conversation and his cheery voice chimed. "Ill take that bet. He's quite alive." He stated happily. He had no facts to back up that, just hopeless optimism. "And I hope it's soon, it's quite hot under this bloody thing." Pox sighed and crawled into a small little lean too of cloth for a bit of comfortable shade.

He set up his pack here and went through some of his bags until he found a particular pouch, filled with bulbous glowing blue liquid. He screwed on some strange syringe like attachment and set it to his arm, the needle going through a small brass port. A moment later, his mask seemed to steam as he breathed, almost as if he was in a cold climate. "Much better. Hey everyone, make sure to check for blisters. It's going to be a long walk. And walking through sand's like walking through snow."

The Dread Desert. Indeed Allant had been dreading his return to this place, that was an apt word for it. The desert was dirty, hot, and literally sickening, and beyond that he had spent far too much time here already; He felt his luck in the area was about run out. Still, he was glad he had went in a way. He knew this desert well, and if there was a man to be saved a Mirino would help with that. There were also new recruits that he had to acquaint himself with; It would be best to do so against enemies he knew by heart.

For now they had stopped though, an oasis was a rare thing in the desert (especially one without an entire tribe of savage orcs guarding it) so they'd to best to fill their waterskins up and rest. Especially as it seemed a few of the Irregulars weren't familiar with the intense heat of the dunes Gwendolyn and Shion took first watch just in case any orcs had actually set themselves up near the fountain, while everyone else relaxed and prepared for the journey ahead. With the others taking care of water and dinner, and without his art supplies, there wasn't much he could do but talk.

Stephan, ever cavalier about life, bet on the noble's. 50 coin that he was dead. It'd be foolish to bet against it, considering he was a month late for his little 'appointment.' But then that wasn't the question was it? That the expedition team was slaughtered was a certainty, but for at least one man to survive was good odds, and for that one man to be a well-trained noble? Even better. Only Pox seemed to realize this, so Allant pitched in as well.

"I'm with the Prince. With men like him walking around, nobles are a lot harder to kill. What do you say, Pox? 25 from the both of us on Stephan's 50?" Allant asked the doctor, gently tipping the filtered water he had gathered into his waterskin. Though Allant didn't have much experience with Apothecaries personally, his 'father' swore by them. He was a damn noble too, he deserved the aid of an apothecary as well, and he'd use it!

Sybille stood still against the rock, trying to squeeze the maximum possible of shade in the oppressing heat of the desert. Knowing Jing, chances are she wouldn't be called to do any kind of shift soon. That old human was fully aware of the advantadge of her heritage when seeing in the dark. Other miscellaneous members were preparing food, tools or just finding ways to kill time. She just batted an eyelid. Sand and more sand. It was getting on her nerves, she who had some kind of a predilection for shadows and forests.

Lots and lots and lots of sand. Meerkats frolicking, a couple of vultures eating some remains. Findings that were both beyond the sight of others and as boring as life itself, that was what she was seeing right now. She was getting parched. Maybe she could attempt to use some ice magic to cool the ambience? Gwendolyn would probably get a little miffed with her attitude but her mood was increasingly uncomfortable.

"Pff." She just said, as people were taking bets on whether the noble was alive or not. She waved her hand dismissively as she stretched a bit. "I won't take a bet, only fools would do so. But I think Lord Explorer unearthed something, became its lunch and we will be stuck to do a cleanup of something nasty for free. It's always like this." She harrumped, her glare showing the disgust she was starting to have with the place. "Damn nobles and their kinks of sticking their noses where they should not." She added, leaving little doubt that she had no particular love of nobility's antics.

Alm looked up to when Jenramo said his name, "Actually yeah, thanks for the offer" He said while starting to motion to a pile of vegetables he had pulled out earlier, "We gotta chop up the rest of that and add it to the meat I got in the pot. Once that's all done we can add water and start cooking" Alm explained a bit while going back to his chopping. After Yui's comment on what killed the expedition Alm chimed in. "Now that is a bit to vague there are a lot of creatures out there. I'll put my guess on a Giant Scorpion those things are nasty." He said with a bit of a shiver.

Stephan on the other hand did not care for Yui's bet, "Ehh to many ways to loose when getting picky. I'll stick to taking Pox's and Allant's money if they are so eager to take my bet" He said giving a grin before taking another bite of his apple. "But boys I don't take half bets its fifty each if I win and I'll pay you fifty each if you win deal?" He added seeing a chance to double his profits.

Jing listened to the sounds of camp and smiled it was always nice to see his "Children" getting along "I'm surprised Allant, You should know by now not to try and take Stephan up on a bet the little cheat only bets when the odds are in his favor, or so he thinks." Jing commented before reaching down and rubbing his hand on the top of Sybille's head. "Trust me this won't be for nothing even if we end up having to fight something that killed the expedition we get all the expedition's loot and whatever else we find. This trip will be worth it I feel it" He reassured her taking his hand off of her head.

@AtomicNut@Kafka Komedy@ShwiggityShwah@Athol@RoccanIronclad

The healer of this little group was taking stock and enjoying the shade, wishing he could smell the stew that was being prepared by Janramo and Alm. Atleast they made something liquid this time, he didn't have to eat with his back turned to the group to open up his beak. "Smells good my friends. Waters behind you." He told a bit of a white lie.

He then turned to Allant whom sparked his attention. His lenses glinting in the sunlight as he leaned forward from his crossed legged sitting position. "Aww you're no fun Madame Sybille. Some of us believe in the best case scenario. To our grand new fortunes Master Allant! Cheers!" His nomenclature for everyone seemed incredibly formal and polite, a strange quirk. He raises an empty pouch of black powder as if it were a flagon of mead. He laughed heartedly. "You know what I really need to buy? A horse. I swear I'm going to get back problems from this silly thing." He smacked his pack. "Or like a donkey, with a wagon." His voice went quieter as he stroked his beak thoughtfully. "I shall call her... mittens."

The talk continued, and Pox always happy to keep things exciting. "Do you have that much Master Stephan?" He tittered. "Would be in bad form to welsh on a debt. I for one can pay that, if I can post a bit of collateral." He reached into his pack and dug around for a bit before pulling out a large brimmed flask sloshing with a mercury gray inside. "Skin of the Mountain Oil. Lovely for dealing with hail storms of arrows and walls of swords for a few hours, and if you just want to know how you'd look if you're made out of rocks. 60 on the open market. Easy." He shoke it as if he was selling it right now.

@Arthanus@AtomicNut@Kafka Komedy

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Jenramo stood and cracked his back as he walked over to where Alm was prepping the food, he pulled out his belt knife and began to cut the vegetables to pieces before tossing them into the pot, "It's no problem, many days when I was a guard were spent over the fire, you learn to cook quickly when dry rations are all you have on a march." He grinned as he recalled his days in the guard, they had cooked quite a bit of wild game as they marched, practicing or escorting, whatever the reason. Jenramo looked to the healer now trying to pass one of his concoctions as currency and grimaced, another mage, how many in the Irregulars now were of their kind, Jing was so lenient about them, though as much as he distrust them, he trust Jing more, he will be there to protect them when things go awry.

Jenramo turned to Jing as he mentioned the loot they could obtain from this mission, "Material would be nice, the smithy is a bit bare at the moment, at worst selling off some for raw material will benefit us all in the long run." Jenramo grinned to his friend, the smithy wasn't really bare, but Jenramo did want new material for some experiments, namely to try and understand Yui's weapon, firearms are not his specialty, but he never backed away from a challenge, not in the field or the forge.

@Arthanus@Athol@ShwiggityShwah

[♪] Nanami had prepared for the journey into the sand storms, seeing had been here a few times now, though Jing had been disapproving of her first trip by herself. It paid off either way, allowing her father to stubbornly agree to her recruitment and now she was eagerly waiting a time where the group would find clues and puzzles to a lost world. Though she had her normal tailored armor, she had wrapped it in more layers to guard against whipping winds and to keep her body cooler, sporting a large brimmed hat and a scarf to cover most of her face. Was it fancy? For desert garb, yes, though far more practical in make. Nanami did have a habit of dressing nice, which in turn resulted in Stephan often and mockingly calling her 'princess'. Though she usually didn't let it bother her, she was miffed to some degree, especially since she actually enjoyed the nickname - if used properly.

Either way, she was more focused on a journal she had brought than the current bet over a man's life. While she didn't find it particularly offensive, neither was she the type to indulge in bets of any kind, let alone if someone was still breathing or not. Her eyes flickered over the camp for a moment, listening as she causally skimmed her notes. She had joined the company for six months now, though this was by far her longest assignment, but she still didn't know the others on a personal level. In a way, she felt like she could relate to Gwen, if only a tad bit. The two hadn't even really talked in depth, but she was aware that there was certainly something between Gwen and her father.

Regardless, she was a bit of a bookworm compared to many of the other mercenaries and spent her time researching or jotting down notes. Nanami did try from time to time to engage, but bets? She didn't have much to offer. Still, "I simply hope there are survivors of some sort..." With a pause followed by a sigh, "but on the more likely note there are none, I do hope there are some relics of the past." She slowly closed her journal by now and tucked it away in her belt and wandered over to the gourd and refilled her skin, nodding a thanks to Pox. "My thanks, Master Pox." She had enjoyed returning the man's over-polite nature, which of course, only gave Stephan more fuel to mock her but she didn't mind.

---

She let out a sharp bark of laughter as Sybille’s distain for nobility. ”She’s right you know…cost me a nice stack of soverns when a noble tried to stick his nose where it wasn’t wanted; he took offence when I ‘dissuaded’ his curiosity.” As with most other times Yui looked at Sybille, she once again shifted uncomfortably and tried to rub her back; a losing proposition while in armour. Gods above, how is her back not killing her? She thought, not for the first time.

Turning her attention to Alm, she blanched a bit at his mention of Giant Scorpions. "Hate those things. Got to get way too close to put a bullet through it shell, and the Emperor himself doesn’t have enough coin to convince me to try one at sword point." Fortunately she was able to switch to a more pleasant line of conversation as Stephan made his comment. Sticking her tongue out like a small child, she smiled once more. ”Spoil sport.”

Adjusting her hat slightly, she settled into the little bit of shade she’d found while the others conversed. Almost without realizing, she began to hum a song from her past life.

The desert stretched endlessly before their eyes. The cruel sun beat down on them mercilessly as they marched through the dreadful land. The desert sure lived up to its name. Each step seemed heavier than the last, and the scorched sand made the experience even more unpleasant. In the blinding light of the afternoon, the sight of the small oasis made her feel euphoric; Octavia could almost feel its coolness just by looking at it, and she wasted no time in filling her waterskin. Octavia gulped down the water to quench her thirst, and the cool liquid soothed her dry throat and chapped lips. It was the most stimulating thing to have happened to her in years.

To her relief, it wasn't long before the sun would set over the edge of this barren world. She could use a long break from the sun's cruel rays. Octavia was not used to this harsh climate, but the rest didn't seem to mind the heat as much as she did. Even the other new recruit, Pox, was able to remain chippy under this insufferable heat. Her brows unconsciously furrowed as she studied him. He was completely covered, and while that helped to avoid a sunburn, he must have been drenched in warm sweat underneath. Well, she sure was. She could almost feel steam coming out of her pores.

As the others conversed about the nobleman's vital status, she began to wonder if they had a lead or if they were just wandering about aimlessly. She, of course, hoped for the former. The sooner they found him--or his body--the better. "This heat is like the breath of hell," she muttered to herself silently as she removed her hat and began to fan herself with it. Her cheeks were flushed red, and the beads of sweat never stopped coming. Octavia started to miss the comforts of her home. Until this journey, she never realized how pampered she had been.

The others have already warmed up to each other, but she hasn't talked to them as much since she got recruited. Octavia realized she had no idea how to converse with people aside from her father's associates. If she had known how important conversational skills were, she would have tried to learn them, but it never came to mind as a necessary skill for an assassin. They only had to be quiet and secretive--or at least, that's what she was taught. After all, she had no first-hand experience, she was only taught in the arts. Octavia slumped back against a boulder and released a sigh of vexation. Everything about this desert was unpleasant, but at least she had dinner to look forward to. With that in mind, she dozed off.

Allant turned his head to Sybille as she harrumphed, grimacing a bit. He hated seeing the young woman (he couldn't refer to her as anything else due to the juxtaposition of her face and chest) frustrated, he knew how terrible being forced into a life like this was. Still, she didn't seem to have any other skills. Like him, she was stuck here for the reasonable future. He willfully switched gears as Stephan spoke to Yui and accepted Allant and Pox's bet, though he wanted to raise the stakes. As Allant thought it over, Jing expressed his surprise at the two's betting with a notorious cheat. Still, Stephan didn't know the desert like Allant did, he was confident enough he had the better odds.

"Sure, I'll double down. To our future fortunes indeed, Prince Pox." Allant responded, though he had no intention of lifting the nearest object for a cheer. he didn't actually have any gold on him though; He had spent the last of his pay on purple paint, and he'd be damned if the harsh winds here spilled the bloody expensive stuff out onto the sands. He did always keep with him mementos of his Orc-slaying adventures; Souls Stones were just as acceptable as gold in more remote places, and worth more for their weight. Digging through his pouch, Allant pulled out a few of the rocks of various colors, his collateral just like Pox had posted.

"I'll need you to accept some different payment as well, even if it is just Soul Stones. I assume that's alright with you, Stephan?"

Prince Pox.

Pox's beak seemed to perk up, twisting this way and that like a flamingo amongst it's flock. There was an almost robotic motion to it, a hyper awareness that he didn't respond to until he realized it was just a response, an endearing term. He went back to his normal procedure of day dreaming about having a pet for his needs.

@Lyla

It was Nanami's calling out to him, thanking him for the water that Pox made sure to respond to her. He lowered his mask, reaching up to his brimmed headpiece and giving a tasteful 'Tip o the hat' "You may not see it, but I'm smiling quite widely. Thank you for that Mistress Nanami." Of everyone, new recruits such as himself and those established in the company, she was perhaps most interesting to him. He saw a fellow intellectual with her constantly reading books and sophistication. The learned are quite rare these days. Surely she was this company's grand strategist or sage of knowledge. She also seemed to not mind his looks so much, always a rare treat. He had not remembered the last smile flashed his way. Before letting the moment pass, he spoke out to her on happier things. "I've documented quite a few strange things I've no knowledge of. Perhaps on this missions completion you could enlighten me?

This train of thought actually led him to remember a few things. There's quite a many in the company, and it was his sole purpose to be sure that they were minding their health. He knew many a tough soldier ignore their health only to be laid out for Pox to fan, repeating I told you so. He kept his blanket, pack, and shade there as he took his skins. Figured he just trade them out with the others and just refill the empty ones. Pox always drank from a tin cup he kept anyway, easier for the beak and the straw within to drink from. He scampered to his feet. Bet or not he had work to do, and Stephan could deny his potions away for solid coin. It'd be a fun little argument back out on the open rode he figured. He was in, he was in.

"Whelp. Time to see if I have to be a mother hen." He would have to start outwards and work in.

@HowlsOfWinter

Octavia, whom was quite quieter than the rest was not acclimating well. The redness of her face and paleness of her skin was a bit concerning. He actually crouched low to see. Thankfully her breath was normal and not shallow. She was just snoozing it seems. Good idea, considering the walk in store. He remembered back to his inventory, he didn't have much ice breath left. And he had to selfishly keep that for himself, lest he be the heat casualty sooner rather than later.

His opinion of her was pretty simplistic. He caught her glancing at him from time to time, but he didn't know if it was from open disdain like he could on occasion detect from Jenramo, or the messages proceeded him. He defaulted to the least accusatory opinion. She was probably shy. As shy as essentially a mercenary could probably be, but shes supposedly new too just like. She'll open up. The motion made his beak titter back and forth, but he dared not a word to disturb her. Maybe another conversation for the road and then she'd be with the rest of them arguing about stupid and morbid stuff. Pox didn't like how small her hat was and wished she had some kind of pitch tent like he did, but he also didn't want to disrupt her sleep her either. He could only just leave her a full water skin and hope she would get the hint before moving on with his self imposed chore.

@Athol

Approaching back towards the center of the camp, the whispers on the wind began to have a rather haunting melody to them, it made Pox stop, studying yet another of his new companions. Was that coming from her?

Pox had to admit that he felt a little intimidated by Yui. He had worked with soldiers before but she brings a whole new shine on the word overkill, or so he could imagine. Really pegs the confident, monster hunter aesthetic complete with one of those unique black powder rifles. The soft little 'twang' of a crossbow didn't compete against such a weapon. The stories she must have though. He always wanted to ask her if it was the same type he used to ignite his Garda Egg bombs but the situation never really came up.

He stood out and would easily be caught listening if she even bothered to look. He couldn't help it. It was one of those melodies you had to listen to because you try to place it to something you heard before but fail to get it just right. He just stood there, the water skins dangling in his arms. Again interrupting something that could be considered stress relief was just something he wasn't conditioned to do in the lighter circumstances.

He appreciated the cast of characters in moments like this, like colors of meadow or paints upon a canvas. It almost felt more real then the droves you'll find in the cities.

---

She hadn’t realized she’d even closed her eye’s until, something twigged and she realized there was another person beside her. Squinting at the bright desert, she pushed the brim of her hat up to see their resident apothecary standing there.

Yawning slightly, she shifted about a bit. ”Hey there Beaky.” She teased. ”Doing a water run, or was there something else you needed?” Unlike a lot of people, Yui didn’t mind the Apothecaries. Sure they could be a bit on settling from time to time, and quite a few were not so good with ‘people’, but anyone who was willing to patch her up after a fight was all right in her books; besides unlike a lot of them, Pox seemed like quite a nice fellow.

Still sitting, she began to untie the cords of her jack, followed by the ones underneath that did up her gambeson. She let out a soft sigh as the marginally cooler air found its way to her body. Should’ve done that as soon as we stopped.

@ShwiggityShwah

Alm gave a little sigh as Pox attempted to steal a taste of the stew. But Alm didn't mind much as there was enough to go around and he had a lot more work to do before the food would be ready. "The claws aren't to bad at least those are easy to keep in your field of view" Alm added to Yui's comment, "It's that tail you have to worry about, almost seems to come out of nowhere and has a lot of power behind it." He said projecting a bit of his own dislike for the creature out for the others to comment on. "But if you're fast enough their face is squishy and one good hit is all you need to take the beast down. That or a good heavy hammer to crush the carcass." He finished thinking back to a few of his "near misses" when it came to the Scorpions.

Stephan ignored Yui's comment and gesture for the most part especially when it seemed that Pox and Allant were up to take his bet. But his face quickly changed when Pox offered the Sword and Allant put up his gems. "Now you two are no fun. You want me to go find a vendor to pawn that stuff off myself? Sorry but I only deal in coin, if you can't cover the bet then I'll just have Jing take it from your pay." He said in a snobbish tone. "Or you can just call off the bet if you don't like their collateral. I won't dock their pay just because you say." Jing quickly called Stephan's bluff. With a huff Stephan turned away taking another bite of his apple walking off to another part of the camp. He soon came up to Nanami, "So how is the desert treating our little princess?" He asked strangely giving off a vibe that he actually cared under his smug delivery of the line.

With Jenramo's help the preparations for dinner were cut in half and it wasn't to much longer until food was served. Luckily enough the sun was starting to set and the Desert was starting to cool down. Alm started to poor the soup into bowls and with Jenramo's help handed out the food to the others. Alm brought a bowl to Octavia handing it to the girl. "Here eat up you'll get your strength back, this desert can be a killer, especially on your first few runs." He said with a smile, "I'm Alm by the way, I know Jing did his introductions but we really haven't gotten a chance to meet yet." He continued and ended up sitting down on a nearby rock. "So tell me about yourself, What brings you to our little family?" He asked her while starting to eat his own stew.

As the group sat and ate Jing looked over at Allant, "Hey Allant after you finish take Yui with you and go take over watch from Shion and Gwen. Sybille, Jenramo you two will have the watch after that." He said in a tone that seemed to be nicely asking, but it was clearly an order, "We haven't seen many Orcs around this trip and I have a bad feeling about it. Keep your eyes sharp everyone." He added before going back to eating. Soon enough Jing had broke into his wine sack again and could be found sitting around the camp fire telling tales of old well into the night.

@Athol@ShwiggityShwah@Kafka Komedy@HowlsOfWinter@Lyla@RoccanIronclad

[♪] 'Mistress?' She couldn't help but smile slightly, though she never truly considered herself in a position of the title, despite enjoying being called princess. "I would be glad to, Master Pox," she said cheerfully before nodding and letting the man dismiss himself, watching as he tended to the others in his own way. Taking a gentle swing of her water skin, she too quickly noticed the soft humming coming from Yui and nearly froze as her entire world seemed to focus on it. Ever since unlocking her magic, she had a heightened sense for music, even a simple hum and felt shivers travel down her spine. Not to mention it was a soothing and enjoyable tune, she had her doubts that the others 'felt' it in much the same way she did.

Her thoughts were cut off prematurely though as she heard a familiar voice and turned to see Stephan, apple in hand, with a smug gleam in his eyes. His tone was a bit unusual however, cutting off the edge of his usual mocking. "Well enough, Stephan, but you know I've been here once or twice before on my own journeys..." She paused, looking over as supper was being served and gave a soft smile to Stephan. Even if he mocked her, she was generally polite to the mercenary. "Though I'll admit, I much prefer the cold. Shall we?" She felt no need asking him how he was holding up, sure he was fine and instead gestured to the meal being handed out.

Before long, the heat turned into a surprising chill and a campfire was struck, giving her father a chance to retell old stories once more. Some of the newer members in particular probably had not heard them all, but Nanami was familiar with most of them, having grown up with him her whole life. Still, she choose not to isolate herself and stayed around the fire as she ate and eventually slide against the rock and simply listened. Though she did seem to be in a tad of a haze, almost as if listening to something other than words and looking into the night sky. Nanami never fully relaxed though, not when out with the group - the only time that happened was back home in comfortable surroundings.

Octavia jolted awake from her sleep. She scanned her surroundings with a sense of panic but relaxed as soon as she remembered where she was. Much to her displeasure, It had only been a few moments since she had fallen asleep but the pesky nightmares already came to haunt her. She hasn't gotten proper sleep since she left home, and that was beginning to take its toll on her health. Not only did she feel groggy, she felt weak. Octavia knew she had to get her strength back before her weakness got in the way of their mission. She did not want to be a burden to the group--the sand and climate was burden enough. Seeking to quench her thirst, Octavia was surprised and pleased to find that her waterskin had been refilled; she made a mental note to thank the kind fellow--and one sip of the water told her exactly who she needed to thank. Pox. Reluctant to approach him, she shot him a small smile instead; one he probably didn't see. It was hard to tell with the mask. As curious as she was about the mask he wore, she never dared to ask. She knew full well that people had secrets they wanted to keep to themselves.

As Alm approached her with a bowl of soup, she made sure to wipe the terror and exhaustion away from her face. She didn't want anyone to think she was unwell or unfit to be here. "Thank you very much. The Dread Desert definitely lives up to its name." She thanked him with a warm smile as she accepted the bowl and took a sip. "I'm Alm by the way, I know Jing did his introductions but we really haven't gotten a chance to meet yet." She nodded in agreement. After all, that was her fault. While she was too concerned trying to figure out how she should communicate, she ended up avoiding any interactions altogether. “So tell me about yourself. What brings you to our little family?” He asked her in goodwill. The word family made her feel warm and welcomed but it also made her miss her father. “I wanted to get away.. and gain real experience.” She pressed her lips together; a habit she did when she wasn’t completely being honest. "What about y-"

"We haven't seen many Orcs around this trip and I have a bad feeling about it. Keep your eyes sharp, everyone."

Jing's deep voice boomed, and his sudden warning almost made her drop her bowl. Everyone had been so relaxed that she almost forgot they could be attacked by beasts at any moment. Speaking of Orcs, Octavia has never seen one in her life, much less fight one. On top of that, her legs and feet were in more pain than she'd like to admit. She was not in the best condition to fight. Octavia took a deep breath as she tried to keep the frustration at bay. She hasn't felt like herself at all in the past week. She was exhausted, but too afraid to fall asleep. She hasn't gotten any rest mentally or physically, and the insomnia and paranoia was affecting her in more ways than one.

Octavia knew she had to set herself straight. It was unlike her to lose her calm and focus. She had to keep a clear mind and get a better sense of duty, and she was determined to get her mind back on the right track. "Jing, I don't mean to interrupt, but I can stay up tonight and watch over the camp," she proposed. "Since I'm done with dinner, I can make my rounds as well. I won't stray too far from camp." The night shift was a good way for her to avoid sleeping, and she could really use a walk to clear her mind.

@Athol

Pox was deep in thought trying to get the exact memory in his head. Did he hear it in Krois? Kamthahar? Whitewall? It was a moment when he realized his was being called. He visibly jumped. "Yop!" his water splashing a little bit on himself before he rejuggled the filled skins in his arms. "Ye-Yes-yes exactly." he said recovering and approaching her, thinking that was a good indication. "Think of it as saving myself some work for later. He passed her a water skin to trade. Hoping he didnt come across as being a valet.

His beak pointed to her gun and he tilted his head. "And I couldn't help but notice. Your weapon. Is the propellant mechanism charcoal based? Black Powder? It couldn't be Fire Dust could it? And as a way of kind of adding an example to his question. He withdrew an odd egg looking device with a plug and whick around it. He unplugged the device to show the gray black sand within. Not exactly black powder which was generally much finer and coal black than what he was offering to her. "I only ask cause I remember the recipe but never actually saw it put into practice. Thought it was just for like, fireworks and cannon batteries." It was a simple question, for no doubt an entire art of martial weaponry.

--------------------------------------

Regardless, any talk of chemistry and alchemy would only go so far before the dinner bell rang and the food was to be passed around, Pox made sure to continue while making his way over to the cooks, his tin cup ascting as his bowl now. "Not going to lie, this hardly feels like work with the happy faces and luxury meals. Thank you again." To Alm and Jenramo. The enchanted fire did not do well with the concoction going through his suit. The ice breath kept the chill inside, and now with a gust of wind, he noticeably put his arms together closer to him with a shiver. He parked himself back near his gear.

He waited patiently, quietly now as he dipped the end of his beak into the broth, supping up atleast the soup part of the stew. The solid parts would be a bit more complicated, and he'd need to turn away or go for a quick walk. He listened now, as it seemed there was actually official buisness to contend with. Setting up night shifts and going about the business of scouting out among the deserts. His name was not mentioned. The back lines for him. Setting up for triage in case of emergencies, but more than likely they would be just fine. It was rather Ironic, if Pox did his job properly, people would wonder why he was even needed in the first place. Honestly no one plans to get hurt, its just an accepted possibility.

---

Yu couldn’t help but be amused as Pox, who had apparently zoned out, jumped a bit when she replied. Thanking him for the water, she took a swig and sighed with pleasure. ”Oh that’s good.” She murmured, before answering his question. ”I use a black powder formula I learned a few years back; has more punch than what most alchemists make. I’ve never tried Fire Dust in it, and I don’t think I would. That stuff has some real kick to it and I don’t know if the breech would hold together, this is all iron after all. She added, patting the rifle. ”I’ve heard rumors that there is someone might be trying to make steel guns that can handle Fire Dust loads, but nothing certain.”

--

Shortly there, after dinner was ready and she tucked into the stew. Yui considered herself a fair cook, she’d gotten used to good food growing up and realized quickly upon leaving home that if she wanted to keep eating good food, she’d have to learn to make it herself. That said, judging from what she was tasting, she still had much to learn. When we get some down time I really need to bend Alm’s ear a bit.

As Jian gave out watch details for the night, Yui replied simply by waving her spoon in the air in acknowledgement; she was too busy with her lips on her bowl, pouring the last little morsels into her mouth, to use her voice. After finishing off her share of dinner she stood an stretched, shaking as much loose sand as she could out of her gear, before re-lacing her gambeson and jack. Slinging her rifle over a shoulder, she did a quick check to make sure her sword would draw smoothly, before she nodded to Allant. ”Guess we should get going while there’s still food for the other two to come back to”

@Kafka Komedy@ShwiggityShwah