The hills down from the pass were rocky and filled with crevices and other places to hide things. If Marilyn were down here it was possible she rolled into one. The search party needed to be careful of the other things that called those crevices home, assuming they weren't scared off by the earlier explosion. "Keep an eye on the cracks below, some of them are several feet deep." Daelin warned. "Any one of these could have caught Marilyn. Let's keep our eyes tight and stay close to the druid." He nodded in Ell's direction.

Flin nodded at Daelin and glanced down at the ground as he mentioned cracks, and narrowly avoided his left foot from slipping in. "Heh, that was close.." Flin mumbled. He yawned once more, following closely behind Ellorei. He scanned his surroundings while remaining within the light she created, keeping his guard up. He smiled at Illorei. "Thanks for doing this." He spoke calmly. The light and safety that Ellorei provided in the darkness was a god-send, but it also made them easy to spot for anything or anyone that might be nearby. He kept an eye on Ellorei occasionally, in case she tried something funny. She seemed nice enough, but appearances could be deceiving. He felt more at ease with Noru and Daelin nearby. They could both be pretty crafty if the situation called for it.



Shane frowned a little when Lilith wasn't smiling. It wasn't as if he expected her to always smile. It was always a struggle to survive in this town, after all. But she usually never seemed sad. He scratched the back of his neck as he spoke. "Ehh...he's payed a bit. Enough to stay alive! I wish he payed more, though. I'm always really close to being completely broke." Shane said, giving a small smile. Perhaps he hid his misery as much as she did. But she certainly had more on her mind than he. "But hey, I ain't about to let that discourage me! If he doesn't pay much for just one criminal, it just means I need to bring in some more, right?" He said confidently. He always tried to stay positive as much as he could. "How about you? Have you been doing alright?" He asked, a tone of concern in his voice. Even if he couldn't help Lilith, simply talking about it could be relieving.

-- 9:32pm
- Mentions @Mataus

The climb proved a little difficult, Ayer slipping a few times and catching himself on a rope or nail. Out of a general clumsiness and fatigue mostly. He cursed under his breath at the sharp stings, but eventually he made it onto the boat.

Ayer almost forgot what it was like to sit in one spot, his body sore and burning alike from the excursion across the dock-town. He felt like a hot balloon underneath the ocean current, feeling bruises across his arms and legs. He breathed out a long sigh. His eyes fluttered for a moment in his leisurely thoughts, but they blinked back wide. They were not free yet. He scooted himself next to the stern and swung the handle of the Ars off the side, aiming it until it aligned with the boat. Quickly, he performed a series of adjustments to the main unit, similar what he did earlier when he prepared the shot-gun air blast against the unsuspecting guard. The core shimmered slightly, and his eyes glanced over in concern, the the spark of electricity faded quickly.

He had reduced the power input and funneled the mana to a decompression unit at his rear, where the excess mana would be cycled and await being siphoned forward. That way, the output would be steady. In reality, the machine still used the same amount of energy, just not all at once.

Ayer glanced over at the Eldi with a small smile, "Not much longer now, my friend. Rest your head. I'll steer the vessel."

With that, he pressed the trigger and a staggered gust of wind bellowed the boat forward. There was a slight hop and bump as the boat hopped a little off the water, where Ayer forced down a surprised yelp. But after this slight hiccup, they moved steadfast.

"Sorry, haha..." he muttered in embarrassment.
Ayer had the laid the compressor flat and had the panel flipped open, frequently glancing down at it as he steered them. There would be enough stability for maybe 20 minutes of propulsion before he would have to turn off Wax Jury to cool off.

He sighed in relief as the lights and the commotion of the harbor and city faded further and further away.

...

For a while they drifted forward, kept straight by careful outputs of the Ars and the occasional realigning with the oars. At this point, while staring out at the dark water at the distant forms, Ayer finally made a noise. For once, he didn't have to whisper or strain to listen to himself or the Eldi.

Realizing this fact of freedom, Ayer suddenly let out a loud laugh, trying to keep them steady as his shoulders shook and his lips curled up. The boat almost veered off coarse with how much he coupled. His emotions were tattered. In one place, he felt both victory and sheer joy from having escaped, but also of fear and frustration and regret from all of everything that happened. He didn't know why he laughed, in reality. Maybe it was just his way of repressing all the stress and boost moral.

But he took it in stride, looking down with a big smile.
"Ha... You know, we've been through all this and I still don't know your name. I keep hailing you as this 'Fire-bending Eldi Savior' in my mind, but I think it is more fitting that I associate a proper name to that idea now. Don't you think? Especially since you already know mine."

...

Riches were something that the Astorians generally had in abundance. Kanna was less wealthy than many of her peers such as her cousin Marvis but she had means available to her and enough sense to keep aloof of reckless affairs. Things were about to change though. Plans were coming into motion that would break the foundation of the government. Well, possibly. There was the chance it may have the opposite effect but either way it would eliminate a weakness from Kel's society.

Kanna's chambers weren't so prestigious looking as Marvis'. The most prominent fixtures were a fireplace, a large desk and a wall-sized landscape painting behind her seat. Various equipment and tools were lined along the walls as well as a few book cases. She was practical in her decorations. Knocking came at the door. Kanna cleared her throat and responded. "Come in." An eld with white hair walked in, one of Kanna's orphans before standing sideways at the door in attendance to the real guest. Following him was arguably the ugliest eld around, hood drawn over his head, red eyes bugging out and head bald. "Vetch. Retrieval went well I take it?" Kanna addressed.

Vetch pulled his hood back in respect and bowed deeply. "Of course, m'lady." He answered. Unfurling his jacket with one arm, he retrieved a sack of some of kind of dust from his inner pocket. "Courtesy of Finnick." Approaching Kanna's desk, Vetch placed the tightly bound sack carefully down on the surface.

Kanna beamed at him. "Ever the darling, Vetch. I knew I could count on you." She lifted the sack with a manicured hand to test its weight. Once she was satisfied she set to work on opening it. Pulling a drawer on the desk open she withdrew a small, purple pouch and scooped some of the contents of the sack out. Getting a good whiff of the powder she cringed and turned away. "As I'd only imagined this smells awful." She commented, sealing the little, purple pouch with a small leather cord. She placed it on the desk's edge and motioned Vetch to it. "I'm happy you acquired this for me, dear Vetch. Now I need you to test it."

The ugly eld bowed his head and smiled, only half of his face moving to smirk. It seemed he was happy to find himself even remotely useful. "What task would you have me do to test it?" He asked.

Kanna lifted her hand into the air and examined the top while she explained. "I need to find out if Finnick really delivered what I need. Black market incense isn't easy to get. Especially not Grimkin Bait." She smiled innocently at Vetch. "Take this in a ship south of Kell. You know how, ever so reliable Vetch." She complimented. "Once you're there I want you to test it by throwing the dust into a fire. The alchemists in Marrenfall made this concoction with a variety herbs. Fire causes that to become airborne and drives the Grim and their relatives into a frenzy to get to its source. If this works it will gather the Grim just south of Kell in a frenzied pack and prepare us for the next step." Her smile deepened into a sinister grin. "We'll be able to awaken the citizens to a danger they've nearly forgotten behind these walls."

Vetch graciously picked the pouched from the table corner and put it in his jacket. "At your will, m'lady, the world will better." He turned away and walked toward the door.

"Oh, and Vetch." Kanna asked. "Don't be on the shore when the Grim arrive." She snickered a little. "It would be a travesty to lose my dear Vetch."

Vetch nodded to her and walked out the door. The orphan attendant bowed and followed after, closing the door on the way out.

Leaning into the chair, Kanna tipped her head straight back to stare at the painting. "One step at a time."

______________________________________________________________



Vetch focused on his job, spelling the already gathered water and mist by turning it into a shroud to obscure the smuggler dingy that carried him out of Kel. The captain remained at the helm as well as several of his crew. It was a small operation but the pay to them was decent. They would be able to come ashore soon if all went well.

It had to be stone, of all the elements Ellorei called a friend, stone was by far the least willing to bend to the will of a druid. They needed coaxing and often times even then it came down to a battle of wills. Even so, she began to send her energy to the stone in attempts to get a head start on the process. While she was doing so she made her contact with the stone through her feet stronger. While she waited for the cantankerous stone spirit to make itself known Ellorei returned a brilliant smile to the group. "Its really no problem, I will take any chance to help when I can." It was at the moment her smile turned to a smirk, stone was just as she remembered. They were there and answered her request but not without a snide signal of their own. "I have good news. Maybe? The stone let me know your frined is around here. I can sense blood, so I don't know if it's her's or not. Hence the maybe. Also, Flin, the stone says you should wake up, but it's not sorry." She shrugged, "Don't worry though, stone is known to be fairly ornery, even to some druids." Ellorei made a point by showing that if she stepped closer to the edge the trail would give way too.
Ellorei paused wondering if she should say what was on her mind. In the end she decided that honesty was always the best route to take.
"My tribe, the Cha'mir, had stories about the military. This may sound a bit crass but, I have to ask. Curiosity is my weakness." Ellorei looked to Daelin, Flin, and Noru, "Is it true that the military can give people nightmares? You don't have to answer if you don't want to! I was just told these stories as a kid and I only left my tribe a year ago."

To his benefit, the climb went well despite his injury. Had Paric fallen, the gash would have opened up again and the bleeding would once again be at an all time worse. The makeshift bandage had already absorbed all the blood it could and was crimson now, though the blood was slowly browning as it dried.

Despite Ayer's previous uses of his arcane device, the most impressive to Paric was the device's ability to move their boat and the durability it was showing in doing so. Ayer's assistance to take a break was also extremely welcoming. His body was aching everywhere in places that he did not know could ache. There was also a dull pain running up his arm, which didn't help him relax any. All in all, he felt like he had been on the wrong end of a fist fight, fallen off a building, and rolled down a very long staircase. He could barely imagine what it would be like to swim if their boat capsized.

A loud laugh disturbed Paric's fitful nap. He raised his head in alarm, only to see that Ayer was laughing... at nothing? This poor guy needed a drink. He flashed Ayer a toothy grin. "Laughing off the night, friend?"

"My name is Paric. I hail from the Eldi city, Kel. I would think you know of it and about it." He said, realizing with a grin that he actually had yet to introduce himself. "I think we're even as far as the saving business goes. Where are you from?"

-- 9:33pm
- Mentions: @Mataus

Ayer was glad his odd behavior was well received, nodding as he listened, "Paric... hm, and from Kel? I heard a few things of Kel. You're not all the way out here trying to hide from the law, are you?" grinning, "Well, I suppose after today, I guess we're both wanted fugitives regardless of what our original backstory was."

Ayer glanced to the side at the mention of his home.
"I'm from Arcadia..."

He hasn't thought about it in a long time. Not of the city of Arcadia. Those so-called arcane academies for 'higher thought' were nothing more than over-bloated factories recycling old ideas. Whose deluded and complacent members spurned and mocked him for his genius. No, those, he curses every waking night. Rather, he doesn't usually think upon his birthplace. It was a farmstead out in the rural lands on the border. Where he came from, they spoke a different tongue. He left so long ago, the images were blurry and stale in his mind when he tried to recall them.

I wonder how my mother and father are doing...

His somber look then dispersed as he remembered he was in the presence of company. He then puffed his chest. His weary demeanor puddled away as he struck a pose with one arm, flicking his hand over his head. A wicked grin pierced his expression as he gazed off with a lofty sweep of his left arm.
"No, non, non." his fickle accent slipping out more and more as he broke into his more eccentric character.

"Do you understand what you've just received? Esteemed ally, Paric? To have earned the favor of the world's greatest Arcanist, Ayer Lecomte, that is a fortune found only one-in-a-lifetime! You have proven to possess a good heart. And for that, you must be rewarded! I am a man of miracles. Or, rather, one soon to be! Whatever you want, do not hesitate to ask. By my honored name, I will make it so. If you wish for the stars to be recolored, so you can sleep easier at night, so be it. If you have internal drama with your family that you cannot hope to be patched, I will be able to fix even that!" he then swept his arm back again, his fingers forming a circle that curved around his right eye, "With my Ars, I seek to reforge this devolved world. All under the grace of revolution and science! Those foolish mages in Arcadia do not see the potential right before their eyes! How could they? They've lived their entire life with their heads up thei-- Ahh!"

As he digressed into his diatribe, Ayer slowly forgot where he was. Striking an honestly embarrassing pose, he had stood up to revel in his shamelessness. And as his foot slammed on the side of the boat, he nearly slipped, barely catching himself.
"Whoa... Whoa...!"

But as Ayer wobbled in place, waving his arms and trying to keep from tipping himself over in the rowboat, the handle had dipped into the water, causing the boat to nearly flip over as the magic wind blew in direct resistance. In a panic, he flipped the switch, and hugged the bow of the boat as they slowly bobbed back into place, trying to slide from side to side, hoping to offset the imbalance to prevent them from being capsized.

When he felt they stopped moving, he slowly opened his eyes and laughed. Grateful that the night was dark to hide his shamed face. Ayer pulled the length of the cable, fishing out the now dripping handle from the water. He wiggled it off the side, allowing the water to flush out.

"Heheh... Well, let's get out of here first. That will be my first miracle..."

And with that, their ferry ride across the channel was briefly halted. Without the Ars, for the moment, Ayer would then resort to use the miracle of conventional physics. By applying leverage and friction, he would propel the boat once more.

And thus, they paddled forth towards their destiny.

...

Flin listened closely to Ellorei, and then glared at the ground. "Hey buddy, I only have 4 hours of sleep y'know!" He whined to it. That's when he realised. He was talking to a bunch of rock, which made him look crazy. He looked a little embarassed, but looked at Ellorei. "Um...anyways." He began. "I wouldn't be surprised that some soldiers in Arcadia would be the cause of nightmares. But most simply do what they're ordered, which doesn't involve doing horrible things. They do it either because they need the payment for the job, or because they want to see the world. In my case, it's a bit of both." Flin admitted, with a smirk.

"Curiosity can be a dangerous thing, but it can also be good." He added. "How do you survive in the wilderness as a Druid? Do you ever need to be afraid of any creatures at all?" He asked. He was clearly curious about Druids as well. He'd read about them in the past, but this was the first time that he'd actually ran into some.

Ellorei actually had to pause it was the first time she saw someone outside of her tribe talk to the elements. To be honest it made her accept Flin at that moment. She allowed a small laugh to leave her lips at Flin's answer to her question. It made sense that there were always two sides of a story, still, she didn't think she'd be completely okay with the military until she spent more time with its soldiers and she would be lying if Noru and Daelin didn't make her nervous. When a question was directed to her she decided that honesty need be repaid with honesty.
"Surviving, I don't think would call it that. Living in the wilds is a great honor, and honestly, I don't know anything different. My tribe, the Cha'mir, are nomadic and our elders in the tribe are all druids too." She paused listening to stone again for any changes before she continued, "You have to keep in mind that I completed my ritual not six months ago, so I am still learning but I suppose in a way I was born to be a druid. As for the creatures, Gaia gives each druid their strengths and weaknesses like anything else. Animals, while they won't attack me unless provoked, are not my strength. My gift lies with the elements." Ellorei began to hold the fire in her hands the way a mother would hold a child before she let the flame travel down her arms across her shoulder and to her other hand before putting her hands in a prayer position, making the single flame split into two.
"As far as I know, I am the only druid that not only controls the elements but can hear them as well. Fire, for example, sounds like a grandmother and stone sounds a bit like an ornery old man." At that moment a rock, the size of an acorn, flew from seemingly nowhere hitting Ellorei on the head causing her to laugh despite herself, "My case in point. Did that answer your question? Rem has more wisdom than I do, being more practiced."

Ellorei continued to absentmindedly play with the flames as they continued their path down before she got an idea, "Flin! Do you trust me?"

So, his arcane theorist was from Arcadia. That did explain Ayer's interest in arcane theory, and his interest in arcane machinery. Paric did not mind anyone from Arcadia. The place seemed like it had a decent moral direction, at least from what he had heard. He never had actually been to the city.

With one eyebrow lifted, Paric studied his friend. A man of miracles? Wonder if he could purge half the Eldi race. "Whoa, friend. If you can do all that, then maybe you could find me a battle of good aged liquor? After all, how can I be your drunk fire wielding friend without being drunk?"

Ayer finally confirmed everything Paric had imagined about the man. The man was, in fact, a little crazy - no, just overly excited - about changing their world through science. It seemed to Paric that Ayer also did not entirely like the people he grew up with, although his distaste was a different type compared to Paric's. Nonetheless, he started to like the man even more... even when Ayer stood up and almost flipped their boat in a dramatic moment.

He let out a nervous laugh, "Hey, hey, as much as I despise my own race I don't want to die." He shook his head as Ayer called their momentary luck a miracle. "Well, friend, call it what you will. As long as we're both alive I don't care if it is a miracle of divine intervention."

His features darkened. "More about myself. As you probably know, my race receives benefits from the consumption of humanoids. Which is... disturbing. They also find science to be... unwelcome. If you think Arcadia has their chins held high, go look at the Eldi scholars. However, I myself find the little bit of science I've seen to be interesting." He moved his gaze away from the rowing Ayer and to the sea. "Kel is a place of corruption. The despicable Eldi practice of consuming humanoid flesh takes place in the Kel underworld. The city officials appear to do nothing to stop it." He sighed, letting his head rest on the side of the boat.

"Leias seems a good place to go, wouldn't you say?"

Flin nodded at Ellorei as she spoke. He stared with great interest at the flames that she was controlling. It was remarkable, to say the least. Her story fascinated him as well. She saw living in the wilds more like a blessing than a burden. Flin would likely never be able to walk around safely if he were to venture without a caravan on his own. There were so many things to learn and to see in the world. As the rock hit Ellorei in the face, he chuckled. "Yep, sure seems like a cranky old guy, alright." He responded. Where the heck did that rock come from? He turned to Ellorei when she asked him if he trusted her. "Um, yea! Sure." He said calmly, somewhat excited that he could do something with a druid. Flin was usually more cautious when being near strangers, but his curiosity was having the better of him. Besides, Ellorei was helping them and she didn't seem hostile anyway.

Flin's confirmation made Ellorei's smile grow. He was the first person since her ritual that she educated about the wilds.
"Okay, so this is a trick the elder's and the chief used to do with all the kids. All you have to do is cup your hands as if you were trying to hold water, and I am going to place my hands under yours. The main thing is to make sure you don't leave my hands alright?" Ellorei turned now facing Flin fully with a look of a child wanting to show off a trick, "Alright Flin, do you want to hold fire?" She presented the flame to the soldier with a look of encouragement.

--9:35pm
- Mentions @Mataus

He chuckled at the simple request and wishes, "A bottle of finely aged alcohol? So be it. We shall find the finest in the world for you!"

Upon the matter of the physiology of the Eldi species, and the rampant corruption in Kel, Ayer tilted his head in thought. He heard of such rumors of corruption, but facing them like this was wholly different. Paric seemed like a sensible fellow despite coming from this background. If he grew up in such conditions, Ayer wondered what heinous experience drove him to abandon his old home.

"Hm. Speaking as a human, I find the thought of consuming the flesh of other sentient species to be a little... odd, to say the least. But I supposed this trait had it's benefits too. During my studies, I was surprised that some of the greatest mages in history were Eldi who had partaken in such practices. While I was initially disgusted, I realized there was some virtue in it. These Eldi would be beacons for the ancient world, in a time where raw power was needed to fend off monsters. But it did not come for free. Many of them would lose their minds, falling into madness, desperate exile, and self-isolation. In such a brutal age, it can be seen as a 'selfless sacrifice'. However, I agree with you. This practice has grown out-of-fashion, and unnecessary in our current world. I am glad to hear you are innocent of this crime."

Then Paric said something that struck him.
"Leias...? Hm..."

Ayer had been so worried about escaping alive in the first place, that he hadn't thought about where they were going to go after all this. He scratched his brow, a little timid after his blunder that nearly cost them their lives. He was glad to find such a kind individual.

"I haven't really pondered it, considering what happened today was more spontaneous and required my utmost attention. But yes, yes... Leias seems like a good place to go next. It will be the closest moral civilization, I expect. Hm, yes, I like this idea the more I think about it!" his eyes then sparked with excitement, "I heard there are countless ruins full of wonder and those yet to be discovered! It's a perfect place for scientific research. And who knows, we might even strike rich if we're lucky! I won't need to rely on shady deals to fund my research anymore! -- Oh, that's why I was here, by the way. But the Nilliums, they don't seem to be the reasonable sort. They wanted to use the Ars for war and fighting. And I could not allow that."

His eyes shifted towards the bloody rags covering Paric's arm. "Yet, it was you, my savior, who paid the price..."

Ayer sighed lowering his raised arms and beginning to paddle again with his oar again, coughing to calm himself. Even though he had fun talking freely once more, he needed to remind himself where he was. They were on a boat trying to outrun an outlaw fleet, out in the middle of the pitch-black ocean. He was reminded because of the faint sound that rumbled over the calm ocean.

The blonde glanced out towards the encroaching lights, the mana lanterns that adorned the looming island-fort, those that traveled between, and those that closed in on them right at this moment.

"Oh no... start paddling, friend Paric!" he said, just as it started headed their direction.

He quickly glanced over at Wax Jury, which he had, after the accident, since moved down into the safety of the hull. No good. The meter was 4 ticks full at this point, even slipping into the red. He closed the panel and disconnected the main unit to allow it to cool down faster. He wasn't going to risk trying to operate it again, not after getting a bit of salt water in the pipes either. Polluted mana flow will cause unforeseen variation with the formula and result.

He was already feeling winded, but he tried to keep calm as he formulated a plan. "If we slip to the side, we might avoid collision! But we've got to keep close, otherwise we'll be seen by the outlook."

...

Searching in darkness was generally inefficient unless you were desperate, used most often to find runaway children that parents wanted to find before something happened. Well, they were desperate. At least some of them were. A glint caught Daelin's eye in the dark. Just enough to warrant attention. It was likely some scrap from the front of the caravan but that would be enough of a lead. Daelin grumbled at Ell and Flin's escapades, interrupting their fun. "While I know you are newer to this kind of thing, druid, if my friend is still alive I want to find her before she dies." He glared at her seriously and pointed at the glinting metal a little further on. "We're close. Looks like we have the right tracks. Let's find her and get back before something happens. You might be protected but I know sure as the sky rains that the beasts out there find me tasty." Crossing his arms he turned back towards the glint in the night and kept walking.

Flin glanced over at Daelin as he walked off, and looked back at Ellorei with a frown. "Sorry, Ell. Guy's got a point." He admitted. He certainly wanted to learn more from the druid, but it wasn't the time to stand still and play around. They were trying to rescue Marilyn, after all. And he wasn't exactly keen on getting on Daelin's bad side, or getting nasty remarks from Noru. "But I'll listen to your magic advice later, after we find our friend. Alright?" He said in a friendly tone, and moved onwards to follow Daelin. Ellorei seemed like a nice person, but now wasn't the time to mess around. Despite how much Flin wanted to learn, his sense of duty was more important now. Especially when one of his crewmate's lives was at stake.

A sense of shame crossed over Ellorei's features, her excitement got the better of her as it had many times before. Still, she thought that the urgency was a bit unwarranted. If that explosion was as powerful as they were making it be there was no way there were any beast nearby. "No need to apologize, Flin, I tend to get sidetracked easily." She moved to be near Daelin, "I feel that I do need to apologize to you though." Ellorei took her staff from its resting place on her back and cracked on the side of the crag sending a clear message to stone that she wasn't playing around anymore and it was time for business. Her eyes followed in the direction of Daelin's and saw the metal as well. Ellorei transferred the flame to the top of the staff allowing for the light to be broadened. In doing so the pathway to the metal glint grew slightly wider and became visibly more sturdy. "I am truly sorry, I suppose I do take for granted my relationship with Gaia." Ellorei motioned in front of Daelin, "I made the path to the object more sturdy now and you can walk a bit more freely."

Her cheeks were red at the embarrassment, how had she let a children's trick take her from the purpose of aiding someone in need. Ellorei stopped and let everyone pass before her ensuring that the path stayed strong and the flame bright. If this was indeed their friend she wanted them to be the first people to see her, it was their right. All the while, she thought that her maturity was not anywhere it needed to be in order to prove herself to the tribe and fellow druids.

Men and woman were scattered across the large boat that overlooked Paric and Ayer, keeping a watchful eye on the seas below for any sign of nightly disturbances. Even if the channel was calm this late in the night, there was always risk writhing in the ocean depths, waiting for its chance to strike at any moment. Lily Milia rested her arms against the ship's railing while one of her companions operated a spotlight from a few steps above her. Myti didn't need those pitiful lights to spot anything out in the ocean with their natural night vision, but the Nilliums weren't exactly ready to burst with ranks of feline warriors. Lily was one of only a few that worked under the Don, albeit without a shred of the enthusiasm that initially lead her to join up with one of the gangs south of her homeland. She'd initially thought that joining a group of pirates would be exciting! She thought it was all about sea battles and docking enemy ships! Fighting against the other gangs and causing a ruckus! All that cool stuff! It wasn't. The three local feuding nations had been fighting a cold war for years now. Major conflicts were a thing of the past. None of them possessed the fire-power to wipe the other out, and the ocean was hardly a practical field of battle. Any sort of ruckus on the water's surface was sure enough to attract unwanted attention from some of the larger oceanic beasts. The engines of these freighters, especially the fang, already stirred up a little bit of chaos from time to time, but even that lacked the excitement that this young Myti warrior was looking for. The chance that something actually posing a threat to the larger Nillium ships was practically non-existent. No battles with sea monsters for that little kitty. Not tonight, not ever.

"What's that?" Iggy sputtered, "Lily, take a look." The spotlight creaked to keep aligned with what Iggy had spotted. Lily lazily scanned the water's surface with her eyes, still rested against her fuzzy forearms.

"A Nillium," He yawned, "Little bigger than usual. Maybe it's spawning."

"Yeah-hah! It's about that time of year. A little early though. Poor little guy's all alone." Iggy leaned around the spotlight to get a closer look at the sleek fish that skimmed the surface of Lum's waters. The black-and-white splotches scattered across its spiked spine confirmed it. It was a Nillium, a Male, marked by the waved dorsal fin near the front of its body. It was nearly ten feet in length, and two feet thick. "Chubby bastard. Maybe the ladies would be fixin' for a fuck if ya lost a little weight, tubbs!" Iggy shouted at the water. The Nillium stirred slightly, bending its body towards the boat before diving underwater. Lily sighed.

"You spooked it."

"Whatever."

Paric and Ayer were on the opposite side of the boat as it passed by. One of the spotlights swooped a few feet over their heads, putting them just outside of the ship's view. But the waves from its arcane propulsion system were starting to upset the water. When the ship made its full pass, it might have been a little difficult to keep their boat from tipping if they put too much weight opposite to the freighter's path.



"You know, sometimes I wonder about myself! Don't you think it's curious, curious that a man would look at his own reflection and forget why he'd sat down? I think it's strange! I forgot already! I forgot!"

The pale-skinned man laughed loudly as he spoke to a bloodied silhouette that hovered inches away from his face. There was an overwhelming stench of feces and torn flesh that flooded the tunnel he'd sat down in. He rose his left hand and licked his palm clean, brushing his tongue across a thick layer of coagulated blood.

"You taste like cinnamon, Reginald. Were you perhaps, I only assume in full earnest rest assured, a virgin soul? Did you habitually scratch your neck? When you were nervous? Did you?"

The bloody face didn't talk back.

"Of course you were! Oh, how quaint! I weep for you, dear Reginald. The touch of a woman, the rush of power that accompanies a courageous thrust towards action, I'm afraid men like you will never get a chance to, never a single chance with such cowardly overtones and vicious contempt lingering in your subconscious, experience such wondrous emotions!" The crazed man suddenly frowned. "Well, clearly. I don't see why I feel the need to point it out. Dead men cannot copulate, claim, crush, or capture captivating occasions." He lowered the face that hung near his own, brushed his left hand across the clean cut that ran straight through his neck to harvest another handful of blood. "You make a terrible conversation partner, Reginald." Without another word, he tossed the decapitated head across the sewer, and sloppily licked the length of his left palm once more. The body part bounced and cracked as it rolled across the cavalcade of mutilated corpses in his wake.

"You Nilliums are all so boring."



The Feral cove reached across most of the southern edge of Leias' surrounding forest. A sandy expanse, stopping only for the local encampments, with various rock formations, ruins, and crevices lining its unforgiving shoreline. From where Paric and Ayer floated, it wasn't too far off, sitting relatively calm across the gentle waters of Lum. But its namesake didn't only serve to mock the Myti that lived barbarically to the north and east. The coast was absolutely littered with monsters.

One such creature, the outrageously common Dustilk, hid itself beneath the sands in wait for smaller prey to walk overhead. They were incredibly easy to detect with a sharp eye, making them a non-threat to the educated traveler, but sometime these teeny tiny crab-like buggers would clamp on to the uneducated traveler's ankles and act as a very painful deterrent to wandering the beach.

Dannisus Rexiy was one such traveler. Half-way across the beach, likely in search of something inane, the foolish Myti adventurer had run through several Dustilk while enacting a panicked retreat from what he assumed to be something much more threatening. By the time he'd decided it was safe to stop, four of the inch-wide little beasts were clinging to his ankles with their singular pincers, and trying to work their way past his skin. Unfortunately for them, attacking something that large would only spell their doom. With a painful grunt, the Myti knelt down and crushed the crustaceans one by one with the hilt of his short sword. As one might have expected, they released their grips immediately upon dying.

"Brilliant," he muttered to himself, lightly touching the red cuts around his ankles with one finger. "Brilliant." They might have been relatively harmless little bastards, but Dannisus was not keen on running while there were sharp pains shooting through his feet. The slightest misstep could lead to the gravest of fates in the wild, even for the experienced. He was already practically insane to be traveling on his own through the woods, but if there was anyone capable of keeping themselves hidden from danger while out in the wild, it was a Myti, gender be damned. Dannisus reached into his side pouch and quickly prepped some bandages while keeping his fuzzy ears propped up. As he pressed the bandages against his skin, his tail flailed against the sand erratically. Myti might have been cautious, but they were not known for their pain tolerance. He looked around cautiously while waiting for the pain in his ankles to subside. The ocean caught his attention quicker than anything else though. There was a heavy glint in the distance as ships traversed from island to island as nothing more than unrecognizable blips on the horizon. Dannisus didn't know very much of the Nilliums or their practices, but could assume the origins of those boats pretty easily based on what he'd learned on his visit to one of the rivaling outposts. The Leman gang did not think kindly of them.

Suddenly a storm of possibilities forcibly rammed their way into his head once after another. What if a patrol got too close to shore? Were they perhaps looking for anyone who involved themselves with their opposition? Did he have to worry about anything? Could Nilliums walk on land? The absurdity of his panic spiraled for quite a while until he was able to reset his thoughts. None of that made sense. He'd be fine if he didn't interfere with anything going on out in the channel. That wouldn't be a problem though. Even if he wanted to, how could he? The man couldn't even swim.



Noru spotted the metal glint as Daelin made mention of a more adequate search almost immediately. He agreed that Ellorei's commentary was absolutely unnecessary. The woman had been irritating him this entire time. But he didn't expect much of her. The moment she'd declared herself a 'nomad' was the moment that Noru dismissed her as an untrained barbarian of the wilds. Even though Druids had some honor to their practices, they were chaotic factors that had a lot of potential to make a terrible situation even worse if not guided. Thankfully Daelin had proven himself to be more competent than the likes Captain Copp and Flin. When the stone had fallen on Ellorei's had, he couldn't hold back a smirk himself, though. The fact that he almost let himself chuckle bothered him. It was just a silly coincidence. Nothing more.

From far above where the group walked however, Marilyn hid herself behind a collection of bushes in a panic after knocking one of the pebbles off the edge of her hiding place. That was it, she had to have been spotted despite being so high up! Thankfully though, there was no immediate reaction.

It wouldn't matter to the Myti if they were nearby, but Sasha had retreated in the opposite direction. The only Myti that came towards the hills, was one of her companions that Zay had fought off earlier in the night. The footsteps below made the Pilot panic. She didn't want to get caught out here all alone with a twisted ankle. The girl was barely able to defend herself uninjured! But as long as she followed orders, everything should have gone smoothly.

From where the glint shined however, there was nothing but danger to be found. The Myti that escaped earlier held her dagger at a careful angle from the pitch-black darkness of a small cavern, keeping the rest of his body hidden with a bout of soul magic that prompted invisibility. The amount of focus required was absolutely crucial. One distraction, and she might have been revealed. But even in the darkness, she was confident that nobody would spot her figure until it was too late. When Daelin approached with three others behind him however, she grew the slightest bit anxious, especially when she didn't recognize Ellorei. Regardless, she stood her ground. Making a sudden move now would give her away. Although she could have escape with her superior agility with ease, her orders were clear, and she would never defy Sasha.



Daelin's search party had already been gone for half an hour. Zay was able to fall asleep only moments after they left, while Neal rested with his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling of the Caravan's interior. With Rem standing watch, it was surely safe. But Neal felt differently. There was no telling what could happen from there on out. What if they Myti came back? Were Druids really trustworthy? Were they even capable of taking a single assassin on? Surely, their powers, much like their morals, had limits.

Less than a kilometer down the path towards the southern trading route, something began to quake the earth. Rem would see it long before the beast reached Centaurus, but it wasn't what one might have expected.

A Single Venbu, much larger than your average specimen, charged down the path as an exceptional speed. Despite its larger size, dull hair coloration, and crooked jawline, the old beast was faster than anything that the Arcadian Caravans had ever had at their stead. But it wasn't pulling anything behind it except a small wooden cart full of men and varied supplies. This wasn't a Venbu assigned to any Caravan that Arcadia had control over. More curious than its cargo, speed, or rugged features however, was how it didn't seem to hold issue with having a saddle strapped to its back.

Atop the rogue Venbu sat a massive human male with a large hammer latched to his back. As he grew closer, Blake noticed Rem before they were able to position themselves for an ambush. He smiled regardless. This was going to be a lot more fun than their previous experiences.

"No tricks this time, fellas!" Blake shouted to his companions riding behind him, "Time for a good old-fashioned brawl!!!"



"I've been alright. Boys are better in the kitchen, gettin' better anyways. Shop's seen a lot of business. Guards stopped coming by ever since Myron-" Lilith cut herself off and leaned against the bar top. "Well, we've been doing good, all around." Lilith forced an exaggerated smile and started making her way down the counter top with her rag again, moving away from Shane. "Should only be a few minutes til' the boys are done."



The gap between Berganfont's low houses and high houses was like a dirty crevice in the earth. Bricks staggered as the roads ended, and water drained down here until it left the city through one of the two flood-paths. But it was wide enough for a few delinquents to seek refuge from the guard, even if it was a little smelly, and wet. The place acted as a drain for the sewer system, after all. Anyone hiding down here would be sacrificing their sanity. It wasn't like they were able to use the tunnels under Berganfont to make their way around, anyways. They were way to small for most people to fit through.

Kids like Matthew didn't have that problem at all.

He was acrobatic for a kid of 16, but maybe that was to be expected of an Eldi. Climbing off of the bridge and getting down into the Sewage Crevice was no big deal. This is where he'd usually relax after scoring a big haul, since no adults would even think about falling into the slippery pit to go after him. One wrong move spelled death, and the only way back to the surface world was through the tiny sewers, or out the Flush Gates. Taking their only viable exit would not only put adults in the wilds, but it would land them in a disgusting lake of sewage and mud. All kinds of nasty creatures liked to lurk around the sewage that nations produced, and although a few of them were friendly, there were plenty that wouldn't differentiate between humanoids and trash.

Matthew poked his hand into the pouch that he'd stolen from one of the town's priests with an eager expression on his face. He pulled out a handful of silver, gold, and... A single black gem. Part of him was immediately intrigued by it, but the other half of him was immediately curious with how much it might have sold for. Even without it, he would be able to eat for a few days with that money! Matthew sighed with a smile and put the contents of the pouch away while resting against the slanted wall of the crevice. A surge of sewage landed on his head from above from one of the many holes behind him moments later, though, sending him into a flurry of sputtering and coughs. Right, he'd almost forgotten where he was for a second there.

All alone in the gutters like a rat.

Shane smiled at Lilith. "I'm glad you guys are doing good! This is always a great place to come to." He said. He relaxed on his bar stool, patiently waiting for his meal despite the painful whining that his stomach was making every now and then. He tried to hide the noises as best he could, but he wasn't very succesful in doing so. "Myron? Oh, that priest, right?" He inquired. He could tell that something must have happened between him and Lilith. "I haven't seen him in a while. Is he doing okay?" He asked. He didn't trust the Priests or the Black Cathedral at all, but he was never bothered by Myron's presence in the pub.

The boy would hear a wild cackle from within the darkness. A rather grating and gravelly voice was soon to follow. "Ahahahaha. Oh man, kid! That's some funny shit." The disembodied voice echoed against the sewer walls. The young Eldi would be greeted by a grinning, green-skinned imp of a creature, still chuckling to himself. Vizz stepped out of the shadows slapped the back of his hand against the boy's knee. "Relax, kid. I'm hiding down here too." He reassured with a smile. Although in reality, Vizz really couldn't give a fuck. Or... rather he didn't, until the glint of shiny metal caught his eye. A specific shine in particular.

"Niiice haul, man." The Gibu Thief complimented with a smirk and a nod. "Us thieves gotta stick together, y'know?" He continued, carrying on his yammering and soon-to-be deception. Vizz REALLY wanted that diamond. Black gems were well sought after and highly requested on the contract board back at the Guild. An idea raced across Vizz's mind. He jabbed a fat, gnarled finger at the diamond. "That? That's worthless, kid. No one's gonna want that shit." The Gibu lied through his teeth. Hopefully this kid was as dumb as Vizz thought. He might actually buy it. Vizz gestured to himself as he continued to talk. "Me though? I'm a collector. Can't get enough!" He fabricated. "Yeah! Tell you what, let's make a deal. You give me that black gem, and I'll help you get outta here to wherever you're going!" Vizz offered. Easy trade for even easier work.

The Gibu extended his spinach-coloured hand. "Whaddya say?"

"Leias it is then, friend. I have no where to go and find myself with nothing to persue. I find my destiny entwined with yours... At least for awhile." It was quite certain to Paric that Ayer would lead him to a better life... If not a more exciting one.

He listened to Ayer's view on the Eldi practice of eating humanoids silently. While his friend made solid points, Paric did not find his hate swayed in any way. "Yes, friend, we live in a different time... Yet they persue power from the consumption of flesh anyway. The Eldi still practice it under Kel. I am... relieved to hear you think it a crime." His mind was so absorbed that he did not notice the oncoming ship.

Paric's face paled some as he, too, spotted the oncoming light, moments after Ayer called it out. His friend was urging him to paddle, but he knew he wouldn't he of much use. Despite that, he grabbed his oars and began to work them through the water. His lack of practice and injury evident in his sluggish pace and weak paddling. Then he heard someone shouting about... A Nillium? One of those damned sharks that roam these waters. Big enough to flip this boat. The shark was on them within moments, visible because the spotlight had flashed over it. "Uh, there's a shark beneath us and you have a habit of excessively rocking the boat." He gulped, "and we're also falling away from the ship..."