The sun had just risen, its light spreading over the Village of Tipa chasing away the shadows that had come with the night. The Crystal in the center of the town shimmering and reflecting beams of dancing blue light. It was morning, and it was a very special morning at that. It would be the day that the New Caravan was to replace the old, new adventurers to head out, and it would be the Mayor's duty to greet them by the bridge, give them snippets of his worldly wisdom, and send them off, as he had every year since becoming mayor. He would do his best to wake up before the eager youth and catch them before they run off, because, it had happened before.

He stretched, yawned, then stood, excited to let the brilliant young hope of Tipa on their course.

Rika Woke up to the sounds all to common in her house, the thwacking of a hammer against an anvil. Her father must of been up all night going at it...whatever it was, all Rika knew was that it cut into her sleep, and she wasn't too thrilled. Her last night in her own bed for a whole year, and her daddy ruins her rest with his obscene obsession with seeing sparks fly! Why couldn't she have just been born into a normal selkie family? the type that like the shine of gems and treasure, not the brief shimmer of bits flying off of scolding hot metal? She let out a sigh as she got herself ready, getting dressed and grabbing her rucksack which held all of her material items that she would be using during her travels.

"Oh Daddy?!" She spoke in a high playful tone, "Why is it that you robbed your baby girl of a good nights sleep before she leaves?" She clentched her fist behind her back, getting ready to deck her father in the face for such a high crime.

"AHAHA! So you heard me working then?" The Selkie, covered in a thick layer of soot from working throughout the night laughed as he brushed the black covering from his face, "I was a little behind schedule my girl," Stepping forward with his own hands behind his back, "But don't worry, it was all worth it."

Rika started to swing her right arm to hit her father in the face, her facial expression showing that she was forcing herself before not to give away her plan, only to stop before she hit him, a beautifully crafted dagger laying in the palms of her fathers hands.

"Don't be so daft my little girl, I wouldn't send you off without one last present. You are my precious baby girl after all" He placed the dagger in her hands, "Use it well and remember us in your travels. you got a good head on your body, don't forget to use it." He laughed at his own comment, then stepped off, a wobble in his walk showing how tired the man really was.

"Thank you daddy..." Rika started to cry as she grabbed her bag and rushed out the door. Not saying a word to the rest of her siblings, she wanted to leave without becoming a mess of tears. She was the first to arrive at the bridge where the Mayor was waiting to inevitably bore them one last time.

Lyle Dot could not sleep. At all. Not because of any particular complications, but simply because he was too excited. He had spent the entire night in his room, lit only by a dim candle, perfecting his potions and the use of his Urn. Not many were users of the Urn-Style Alchemy, but Lyle wasn't planning on ever stopping. To him, it's what gave him and edge over his enemies; despite all the abilities of Lility, who would expect someone like him to fight using a pot and a ladle? But they will be surprised when they see the sort of magic he can dish out, or the damage he can do with just his ladle.

Soon, the sun began to rise. He sneaked out of his house to breath in the fresh air of the morning. "Ah... I better savor this moment... For today, I WILL FACE THE MIASMA, FOR THE VILLAGE!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. Surprisingly, no one woke up, or perhaps they were too sluggish to immediately shoot him down. Either way, his family was still asleep by the time he returned to his room to get suited up. Aside from his Urn and Ladle, there was also his armor. Well, not his exactly; it was his great-grandmother's. She was a fairly manly woman, and she was the one who first had the family move into Tipa. Despite being worn by his great-grandmother, the armor has aged well, though it's not in top shape, it's still much better than your standard fair armor. It was decorated with various repair jobs and scars, but to Lyle that just meant that it had withstood many things, and still stays together. He was proud to be allowed to use it during his time in the Caravan.

After getting dressed and armored, his family soon awoken. He had two brothers, both younger, who came to gaze in awe as he stepped out in his armor. His elder sister was already in the kitchen, helping his other two sisters with making breakfast. As Lyle played with his brothers on the way to the table, he was greeted by a sight that he see's only rarely; his mother and father. They came a little while after he had volunteered himself to be part of the caravan. Initially both of them did not like the idea at all, knowing the dangers outside of Tipa, but Lyle did not quit, justifying that if he did not go, and that the caravan failed, Tipa would not be safe either. His father still didn't like the idea (Which Lyle understood, as Lyle's Grandfather, his father's father, died during a past caravan trip), his mother tearfully gave him her blessing. After a while his father made his peace, and also gave Lyle his blessing, as well as some money for the road. Today would be their last meal together for a long while, so the traditional breakfast of rice stew and fruit was exchanged for a much more extravagant meal of various roasted meats and deserts. Lyle ate well, leaving positive memories for his family.

"Don't worry, big brother won't let any monster stop him from saving Tipa!" He gave his words of encouragement to his little siblings before he turned to his older sister. "And sis, I know you've always been there for me. And now I'm going to help you, and the whole town! I know that I was never the best brother, but I'm going to give it my all anyways." And lastly, he turned to his parents. His mother was sobbing, and while his father tried to keep his composure, Lyle didn't even say a word before he broke down in tears too. "... Mom, Dad, I know I can't ask you to not cry. I know that you're worried, and that you're sorry for all the things that happened, and that you only wish the best for us. And I do to. That's why I'm going to help the caravan get Myrrh for the village. You guys raised me to be strong and to be able to take care of the family, and this is just another thing to do. So... So..." Lyle began to tear up himself, but there was no more need for words. His family, all in tears, got together for one more group hug, before they all stayed at the house as Lyle Dot left. Before he walked out of sight, he cleaned himself up and turned to his family. "This isn't good bye everyone! But I'll see you all later! You can count on it!"

Lyle ran across the village to get to the bridge. By now the town was starting to wake up, and he could already hear the clamoring going on today. He had eaten a good breakfast, and despite not getting a wink of sleep, he was still wide awake. His Urn was strapped to his back, and his ladle firmly in hand. He gave it a few test swings as he made his way to the bridge, imagining that he was whacking monsters with it. And while he trusted his ladle to get the job done, he did imagine that later in this quest, he should probably get a proper weapon. Despite waking up early, he wasn't the first to the bridge, but rather it was the selkie blacksmith's daughter, Rika. "HEYA RIKAAAA!"

I can't bring this many books. If I carry them all, I won't be able to walk.

Liaset sat on the floor of his room, surrounded by a small library. He had stacked them all by subject, then alphabetically, then by color, and then by author's last name. Then, he took them all down and rearranged them again. Still, he couldn't figure out which ones to take with him, and he had barely slept, trying to figure this all out.

If I take the monster encyclopedia, I'll be well-informed about what I might meet on the road. But if I don't take this other one, then what if I'm bored? Or what if I have a question that only this one can answer?

He needed to eat. He needed to change his clothes. Most of all, he needed rest. He wondered if any of the caravan members had managed to sleep that night. Probably not, unless they were that Selkie, Rika. She could sleep through anything, he'd bet.

Liaset rubbed his eyes. There were so many books, and so little time before he had to leave.

∞∞∞

"What?! No!"

Liaset woke with a start, his cheek pressed to one of his favorite books. No! That's terrible! He didn't have any more time to pick out his favorite books, and now he was late! Quickly, Liaset shoved his journal into his backpack, reshelved the rest of the books, and ran down the stairs to his kitchen.

"Bring something to eat on the road with you," his mother said to him, nodding. "It's good you could get some rest, but be careful out there." Liaset's mother handed him an ear of round corn, kissed him on the cheek, and gestured to his helmet. "Better be putting that on if you're going to meet your friends out there."

Liaset muttered his thanks, hugged his mother, and dashed out of the house.

∞∞∞

Liaset's family followed him to the bridge to give him a proper send-off. Liaset ran toward the others, his clothes flapping, adjusting his helmet. "So," he panted, stopping short of bumping into Lyle. "What's going on? Are we ready to go?"

Riku woke a few hours before dawn and then spent the next hour tossing and turning trying to get more sleep. It's no use. Best try and do something productive now that I'm awake. And so the young clavat scoured his room and possessions to ensure he had packed everything he needed. Riku sat on the floor, rifling through his pack and going through a mental checklist. Spellbook, check. Snacks, check. Change of clothes, check. Map, check. Journal, check. I think that's everything. He nodded to himself as his gaze drifted out the window where the morning light was just starting to drift in. I should probably get dressed then. *Sigh* I hope the others got more sleep then I did.

About a half hour later Riku was dressed and making the final adjustments on his armor. It wasn't a very ornate piece, actually it was entirely patchwork made up of various pieces of mail and leather he had collected over the past few years. But it was comfortable and easy to move around in, plus it protected all the important places. With that the young Clavat quietly made his way down the stairs, ever careful so as not to awaken any of his family. He wasn't thinking about leaving without saying goodbye, oh no. But he figured he could at least have breakfast ready by the time they woke up.

---

His plan went perfectly as by the time his parents came down stairs Riku had breakfast made and on the table, needless to say his father was surprised. A bit later his little sister, Elizabeth, came down too. She loved it when her brother cooked and happily ate just about everything he gave her. It was a little unnerving to say the least, like no matter how much she ate she'd just keep eating and would stay the exact same size.

Shortly after the family breakfast it was time for Riku to go, his sister, with tears in her eyes, gave him a hug. "Be careful big bro." Was all she said before their father chimed in. "Oh come on Elizabeth, you promised you wouldn't cry remember?" Alan Castillon laughed as he clapped his son on the shoulder. The little girl puffed out her cheeks and glared at her father. "Yeah but Big Bro's leaving! I can cry if I want!" Elizabeth turned back to her brother who knelt down next to his sister and mussed her hair. "Hey, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. And with a Chalice full of Myrrh too! Count on it!" She gave him a warm smile and a final hug, then drifting behind their father who had a pouch and something else in his hands. "Here son," Alan placed a small bag of money in his son's hands. "It's not much, but remember what I taught you."
"A little money goes a long way!" Riku immediately interjected, reciting his father's old saying by heart causing the man to laugh.

"Ahahaha, that's right. A little goes a long way. I have something else for you too, it's old, but dependable. It's the sword I used when I was your age. It'll serve you as well as it did me." He handed the sword to the young Clavat who drew the weapon without hesitation. It was a simple double edged sword made of steel, with a plain crossguard and nut-shaped pommel. Riku sheathed the blade and smiled at his father, trying desperately to hold back his tears. "C'mere boy." Alan pulled his son into a final hug before they parted, each with their final goodbyes.

And so Riku Castillon's journey with the Crystal Caravan began as he finished his goodbyes with his family and ran to the bridge where his companions would surely be awaiting him. There he found three of his comrades already there, two Selkies and a Lilty. "Morning' guys!" He called to them, a smile on his face.

Before she even knew it Rika was being greeted by the rest of the caravaners who would be going out in this group. The shy Yuke kid, The alchemist Lilty, and the caring Clavat. All together they made...one interesting team in Rika's mind.

"Heyyy!" Rika greeted her friends with a cheerful smile and a wave of her hand, "You all ready to go on an adventure?" She smiled, she was well rested, and ready to get going. Also she was ready to sprint onto the wagon so she wouldn't have to walk for most of the journey. She was currently the only lady that would be going, so it made sense to have the lady not have to walk right? In her mind she grinned at this thought, she will certainly use being the only one to her advantage.

As the group all got together, an old man hopped down from the drivers seat of the caravan, with his hand stroking his white beard he started to speak to the young adventurers, it was the mayor, and he was going to go off on one of his speeches and try to impart of his wisdom to the caravan, like he did with every caravan before.

"You may or may not know it, but you are going to be the heroes of Tipa when you return." He started to pace back in forth in a straight line in front of them on the bridge, effectively cutting hem off from progressing till after they had listened to him. "It will be a marvellous adventure and experience for you, but as you should be aware, it means the difference of life and death for the village, as you fill," pulling an awkward sized and old looking chalice from a pouch no his side, "this chalice up with myrrh, don't ever forget who you are, or what is most important to you." He walked forward and gave it to one of the caravaners. "Always keep it with you, for it is what allows you to be out in the deadly miasma without any issue. Also don't stray too far from it if you are not in a town, the last thing we want is for you to come back one member short." He gazed upwards at the passing clouds. "Remember that we love you and care for all of you, even if you can't manage to make it back with the chalice full, please just come back to your families one last time if it is to be the end..." He scratched his beard, going into deep thought, "I remember hearing stories about this one village far to the north, where there was a young man who dressed funny, or wait...that is the wrong story...No the young soldier who stole his masters name, he traveled far and wide to catch all the bugs in the known world, but when he got there, he forgot what his name was, so he went home, but he forgot where his home was, so he travelled forever and his home got swallowed by miasma." Confident that he was on the right track he nodded his head, "Yup. The moral of this sagely story, don't eat stripped apples with bugs in them." He proudly walked off in a manner that only a delusion old man with power ever could.

Rika continued to stare where the mayor once was standing, bewildered and almost at a loss for words she spoke, "It all made sense till he started to ramble..." Deciding that it would be easier to forget about the so called 'sagely' advice, she decide to continue with her plan, and hopped on the wagon. "Well, lets go before he realizes that he has another story to tell us!" grabbing the reigns firm in her soft selkie hands.

Aramine had risen early in the morning long before the sun came up but despite this had not yet left her home yet...

“You don’t have to go, no one will think any less of you,” her father said, his voice calm as always.

“It’s dangerous and you are unused to traveling, it will be difficult,” her mother chided in, a slight accent in her voice that Aramine had never noticed.

“But it’s your decision and we can’t stop you,” though the slight shift in his tone told Aramine that her father very much wished to.

Always hesitant; there wasn’t much time left, if the others were to leave there would be no way to catch up, unable to leave the safety of the village and the protection from Miasma that the crystal created. She would regret not going. Or would she? She was fine with her life in Tipa, she couldn’t be dissatisfied, just couldn’t be but…“I don’t want to but I want to,” she spoke softly and was somewhat disheartened how ineloquent she sounded when compared to her parents, “I-I mean, I have to…Though I don’t,” her parents were quiet, used to her awkward wording and the inability to convey herself, “I’d like to think they need me,” her voice had dropped several volumes, almost inaudible but her parents had heard her loud and clear. It was only for a moment that Aramine had started to feel like she was being selfish until her mother’s arms wrapped around her lithe form, “Be safe,” she said simply.

There were no tearful goodbyes, Aramine simply gathered her already packed things and left with both growing tension and relief. Even the first steps outside the door, parents watching her as leave, left her feeling both free and weighty.

She saw the caravan in the near distance and was relieved to see they had not left, her careful trot slowed down to a well-paced walk however, when she approached the Caravan and the others her mouth opened and all that came out was a strange but quiet whine, “…” she suddenly wanted to crawl under a rock, “H-hello…” her voice became very quiet, “m’ sorry…show…late…” Aramine was beginning to fidget, “I-I mean if you’re already leaving maybe I should just…” she leaned back slightly, looking half-ready to bolt back to the safety and socially-absent place she called home.

After Lyle, others began to show up. A yuke and a clavat. The yuke was Liaset; part of some weirdo yuke family in his neighborhood. He heard lots of gossip about their weirdness, and some of his siblings get the creeps around them, but they've yet to do anything to him or his family (As far as he knew), so Lyle didn't have much of an opinion on them. The clavat he only sort of knew; his name was Riku and he came form a family of merchants. That was about it. He did question his ability in a fight, but than again Lyle didn't really know him, so he didn't know if he was any good. They'd see soon enough; the mayor arrived to give them their farewell speech.

The mayor's speech started well enough, but about half-way through it started to loose everyone's interest. Lyle was given the chalice, immediately filled with a sense of both dread and resolve. "This is what's going to save the village... Myrrh in this little cup." As soon as the old coot left, Rika ran off towards the wagon, and Lyle followed shortly after. She got behind the reins while Lyle threw his pot into the back of the wagon, and than himself inside. He was still holding onto the chalice as he waited for the others to show up, including a late comer. It was another yuke, Aramine. She was a shy kid, but she was okay in his book; his siblings go to her family's shop a lot to get their clothes patched up and they're nice, so he liked her. "Hey Aramine! Welcome aboard! Almost missed the caravan. Well? What are you waiting for? Hop on!"

"And we are off! Hiyaa!" Rika, not looking back to make sure everyone was even on the caravan, whipped the reigns sending the beast of burden pulling the wagon in motion. "Anyone have a preference for where we go? I want to see the land of ice!" Smile from ear to ear, it didn't really seem like Rika was serious about the whole gathering myrrh as much as she was about exploration. "Lets go faster!" she spoke, and with a swift crack, it was done, they really were starting to take off, and before the group knew it, they where no longer within sight of their home. It was Rika's first time traveling this far, and her excitement was certainly getting the best of her, for she drove the poor to the point where it actually needed to stop fro a breather. She decided to jump off from the drivers seat and to address the rest of the group, "Well...I guess its time to eat? So who wants to peel me an apple?" She fluttered her eyes and tilted her head slightly to the left.