Whistling a soft and jaunty tune, the appendages continued to try to worm their way back to where the vibrantly colored cloth laid. Seemingly numb to what any of them were saying, the voice kept up, small chunks of ceramics tumbling through the neighboring foliage as if tosses into the clearing from the left side of the scene relative to how the two exited the apparent ruins. The squawking died down to a choked sputtering, accompanied by the kicking up of leaves moments before a pop of vertebrae cut the struggle short.

Aside from the gentle breeze through the trees and distant alien birdsong, the clearing was rendered eerily quiet after this as foliage, high and low, rustled with the panicked retreat of a myriad woodland critters.

...save for a shifting weight some ways respectfully off. Walker, on edge, could note the shifting of boots in proximity of this silence, the tell before an ambush...that didn't come. For better or worse, if this sound was just a larger beast making its final steps away, or a surreptitious voyeur keenly noting the goings-on, the strange surroundings veiled the eyes that paranoia insisted were creeping in from all around. As, once one hears such a distinct sound, they acutely await the next click of a stick or shifting of leaves...accentuating the eeriness of the acclaimed hostile wilds.
Books and spook-stories told at a hearth would whisper of such moments, just before the antagonist would reveal itself in all of its horror.

Meanwhile, as Violet picked up the legs, they extended to rigidity, making it significantly easier to haul them. At this moment, the humming stopped, and the voice chirped, "Hoo hoo~" with a piping tone like wind through an instrument, coming across more direct in the tone. "My core frame is located in your approached proximity. Flagging, the tapestry should denote my primary mass. Once ambulatory, I will be sufficient in aiding my own reconstruction, and will be serviceable in moments soon after~" they cooed, a bit monotone in their direct addressal. Flecks of porcelain began to flick from the right, as well, as a scuttling in the bushes came from where the 'squawk' originated.

"As I am unfamiliar with your land, I urge you to remain calm during my recompilation..." they began, sounding hollow but in a reassuring tone, the flecks ceasing to come from the left side as the scuttling became more aggressive. The sound of leaves shifting under a light, spidery, weight accented their next playfully cooed words as one of the ankles in a boot twisted.
"...All involved parties~"
In the same moment, off in the direction the toe of the boot turned to, the voice of a man picked up in a bout of panic. "H-wh-A-AAHH!! GIT IT OFF!! GIT IT OFF!!!"

The playful voice resumed humming as a man tumbled out from behind a tree they must have been crouching behind...a pale porcelain hand scrambling over them, which they fought to slap at and shake off like one would a spider. Tripping into a bush, the hand shifted and perched on the base of the foliage while they rolled out, with a surprising level of dexterity, drawing a light crossbow in the same motion. Angling the weapon, the hand splayed out to balance on the ring and pinky-finger while the bolt sailed past with a small spark as the metal struck the palm of the presumably porcelain appendage, knocking it onto the back of its hand. While the fingers wriggled and turned, the man used this bought time to leap off into the woods, disappearing in an instant into the farther foliage.

A shallow series of piping chirps came from the body against the log, an expression at the pace with a laugh. A complete arm, doll-like in the joints of the shoulder, elbow and the complexities of a wrist then crawled out of the foliage to the right, the thumb and pinky clinging to a particularly large chunk of porcelain underneath it, wandering over to the tapestry.
The arm set the section down and then started wrestling with the fabric to feed itself, backwards, up what was apparently a sleeve until a click was heard and it began functioning as such. They picked up the chunk that had been brought close and fed it into the space under the tapestry with a hissing click before lifting with a splayed palm in a show of submissiveness, as one would try to convey that it was not a threat.
The other hand, on the other hand, scrambled over the mass to root around in the bushes where the voice had been coming from, presumably to collect the associated parts.

"For your aid in my reassembly, I will endeavor to be as forward with the collective 'you' as I am capable." The voice chirped from the motionless bottom half of a head that the hand dragged out of the bushes. A pleasant smile on painted lips, it held an open domed base, as if it would fit onto a ball...or another dome? It was something else from how anatomy would be expected to work, having no noles of any sort in spite of how it seemed capable of speech.

"Right, I guess we're just going to reassemble this golem. Can't believe I am wishing we had one of the mage quarter madmen here right now..." Of course, being on edge, Walker turned towards the direction he heard the sound from, easy to miss as it was, hands returning to rest on his concealed weapons as he scanned, dead still, even pausing his breath to strain his hearing just that slight much more. Letting out a slow exhale after he confirmed that nothing was about to jump them or come immediately barreling out of the woods, he glanced back over towards V as she was going about starting to help the golem. It seemed to register it's limbs were being handled, and started rattling off instructions before going into a loop again. That would have been all fine and well except for the sudden panicking man screaming about getting something off. Of course, Walker wasn't going to just wait and watch, both his hands filled with steel in the blink of an eye, dagger in the off hand and his arming sword in the right.

Panicking about being accosted by some...hand? Right, the golem's parts seemed to be scattered pretty far around the area, and the use of a rather compact handbow to send it reeling before the individual fled rather quickly. Resheathing his weapons as the man fled, Walker muttered out loud to no one in particular. "Handbows, useful until you have to reload the damn things. I'll keep watch for any more interlopers, sound off if you need any help with....whatever is going on under that tapestry." Walker wasn't keen on handling strange golem parts that seemed to be capable of self articulation and movement, leave that to someone who had a handle on the magic nonsense. It was an odd feeling being in deep woods like this, it reminded him of the early days of the invasion that felt like a lifetime ago at this point, when they were out at the edges of the city sprawl that was his former home. Even as his eyes warily scanned the surroundings and ears kept straining for the slightest indication of what might be approaching.

Normally one might be tempted to light up his pipe, something he sorely missed doing right now to be honest, but that wasn't a luxury Walker was willing to indulge right now. Tobacco smoke stood out in a place that wasn't terribly civilized, such as the woods, and would also leave a hand occupied and unable to draw weapons quickly while not providing any real benefit outside of soothing his nerves that, while frayed currently, would hold up still. He kept his back to the side of the cave entrance just in case a certain someone suddenly showed up again and stormed out, he would very much rather not be in the direct path of that one. Still, he figured that having someone on watch while V handled the golem was smarter than two people fiddling with sentient golem parts, doubly so with someone stumbling through the clearing long enough to demonstrate small, fast weapons were present before fleeing. Better to be ready for trouble, as best as he could be ready at least.

Violet would do as the voice said and followed to where this 'core frame' was. She'd set the feet down as close to the lower part of it as possible. Will this be sufficient? she asked curiously looking on to see what would happen next. She'd see the pieces or porcelain begin to flick about. Don't worry, I'll remain calm. Truth be told you're, so far, one of the more pleasant people I've met since I came here. If you find you need any assistance, please feel free to ask, I'd be happy to help. She knew this thing would probably decline her offer but it only seemed right to offer. After all, something, clearly bad, happened to it and yet it keeps it's chipper attitude and tone. She'd look at the main body and realize it's a lot more broken then missing a pair of feet. I wonder where the res-

That's when she heard the man panicking. She'd look up to see, Walker armed to the teeth and ready to fight, and a man trying to get away from a rampaging porcelain hand coming back to the main body. Violet wasn't sure what she was watching but it was... interesting to say the least. The man vanished back into the woods and once he did, Violet thought she probably should have questioned him as to why he was there, but it's too late for that now. She'd look back to the temporary contemporary to see an arm reforming itself piece by piece. She'd hear a voice getting closer and look to see... a hand dragging a head. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but this still wasn't it. At least this thing doesn't seem to be in pain, which is only more worrying. How many times has this thing reassembled itself to the point where this doesn't even register as anything to worry about. Maybe it's some kind of porcelain robot and doesn't feel pain or emotion. That would explain it but it'd still be kind of sad in it's own way

She'd look over to Walker and he seemed a bit on edge. Sure he said he'd watch for anyone else who'd storm in but this still seemed a bit much. She'd like to tell him to relax but after everything they've been through, even SHE couldn't fully relax. It was nice to meet someone friendly who didn't try to harm them but she couldn't completely let her guard down. Even so, she'd at least have to try something. She walked over to Walker and place her hand on his shoulder. Hey, you can relax a little bit. We're all here protecting each other. You don't have to be at 100% all the time. Feel free to dial it back a little bit. She knew that might not mean much to him but she wanted give him even an iota of piece of mind. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen much of Kite since they left. She'd look around for him to see what he was up to.

"Golem... Madmen..." The head somehow spoke in Walker's voice in the tone he used when he decided to use such terms. No other comment immediately came from this, as if they were...reflecting...the words back to the man. Instead, they were eerily silent, even as the reconnected arm slid down their side to guide the fragmented leg pieces back into place and then went about adjusting the stockings back up the fractures to cover the damage.
A sliding click of soft marble upon itself rose from how the eyes blinked. "Lady Liaison," They began, creaking as they lifted themselves, "and, Lord Protector...?"
The questioning was stated in a way as one would recall names. They shuddered as they rose to their full standing height of about 5'6. The other hand rolled out of the brush, eagerly scooping together shards and chunks to reconstruct another arm. "The player of this part will be known as...Jasper Lanes," They introduced, taking a moment with the actual name portion. "As I am mandated to uphold a representation of common reality that is objectively 'true', I am required to inform you that I am the 'Godot' model, and the first na- name th-that...the fi-..." They seemed to seize for a moment, catching themselves in their step and sliding their other boot to click against the other...then kick leaves away so they could properly assume balance. "Pardon...I...cease clearance to the locus at this time. As per the dictation of The Lord Madam, it is unwise of me to divulge my...true?...name. I expect no more from either you-" They nod to Violet, expression stony as they say, "Lady Liaison, or you-" they then nod to Walker, "Lord Protector."

Their gaze then turned to Kite who returned the gaze, taking a few mute steps forward. The golem, who had introduced themselves as 'Jasper' remained steady as a statue, their mouth unmoving the entire time, no expression betrayed even a grain of sand down a dune.
Kite glared, narrowing their eyes as an ear flicked. The bars of brows raised a solemn millimeter on Jasper's face before speaking, "Access...denied..."

Kite groaned and stumbled back a few steps, a blood vessel popping in their left eye, turning the white to a crimson red. Snorting and coughing a smattering of blood, against the leaves by the tree they clung to in order to brace, sinking down to their knees and snorting a few times in apparent distress.
Jasper's eyebrows lowered once more, though their eyes also narrowed, merely watching as the rabbit-like creature coughed another spattering of blood, their sinuses apparently having hemorrhaged from the exertion.

"Valkets. What is a 'Kite'...You are from another land. Please try not to be alarmed by the feedback. Thank you for continuing to live, your service is paramount. To this end, I require you to cease attempts to access my core." They explain, kneeling down for the other hand to drag the shambles of an arm into place, similar to the first. "What elaborations you..." They started, the voice of Kaath speaking up the way they previously mimic'd Walker continuing, "...Drops'n an'ocean...*(a sound like the crackling of fire in the background)*...Like...yeh, loik ifn a leaf fell tha roit way, ah? B'loik, in tha'oll forest...y'know?"

"...seek, Leaf in The Forest. Pardon, I was instructed not to show restraint to interlopers" Jasper concluded, turning their head back to the two and nodding, respectfully. "Lady Liaison, Lord Protector," before taking shambling steps towards Kite, reaching into an interior pocket. Kite, holding his forehead with a palm while blood slowly dribbled down a nostril, raised a hand to Jasper who merely replied, "You will want to be at strength by night. Please do not bring the clients into harm's way..." they spoke, offering Kite a hand in one palm, and a handkerchief with the other.

Without a word, Kite snatched the handkerchief from Jasper, who remained with their other arm outstretched.

"It does not have to be this way."

Kite, hesitantly, shakily, took the golem's hand, and they gently eased the rabbit to their feet.
The inner-ridge of Jasper's brows lifted a single millimeter as they hooked their other arm around the small of Kite's back and held him to themselves in order to help him walk, until they were able to do so, themselves.

Jasper, watching Kite, noted how their eyes went to Violet for the smallest glance, turning the cloth over to continue cleaning their sinuses.
Jasper, in turn, slowly looked up to Violet with the same, unmoving expression.
"Liaison, indeed~" they chirped.

Lady Liaison? Me? Is that supposed to be my role? Am I supposed to just be a translator for Kite or something? What does that even mean? Violet racked her brain a bit with several questions. There's a lot this... Jasper is saying that isn't making a lot of sense. But if anything made sense from what they're saying, she intends speak the truth to us as best as they can. And this mention of a 'true' name, Walker would be fine with his name since Jericho would be his 'true' name. But if it's to be assumed that true names are to be avoided, then it's best to avoid that as best as possible. Even so, this is an opportunity to ask all these questions and get an honest answer!

But now Kite and Jasper are just staring at each other. Maybe he's trying to communicate with them? Japser says something and then Kite looks to have gotten hurt again, but this time seems different. Violet rushes over to kite to check on them. She'd recognize this from when he first tried to access her mind. Did Kite's power get thrown back at him? There's so much happening that only raises more questions. Jasper starts talking to Kite saying he tried to access their core. Seems like she was right but Jasper mentioned a 'Valket'. This is the second time she's heard that, the first being from Kaath. Maybe that's the race Kite belongs to. While that answers THAT question, perhaps she should organize her thoughts to not overwhelm this Jasper with a million questions.

So Jasper, you say you'll try to uphold a representation of truth to us. If you don't mind, I have a couple questions. I'll try to not ramble to the best of my abilities. What do you mean when you call me 'Lady Liaison'? Also does the person you serve go by the name of 'Kaath'? If so, do you both share a hostility or at least a passive aggressiveness with Kite's race? Also, why should we avoid 'true' names? I suppose I'll start with those to not ask you too much. Violet tried to keep it as brief as possible. There were so many more questions she wanted to ask but these were the most pressing ones. She wanted to ask about Kaath, why she's here, how she blocked Kite, but this was everything she could think of which was important. She'd take a cloth out and begin cleaning up the blood on Kite as best as she could.

"Lord? Oh no, no no no. I am not any sort of nobility. If you need a title, Walker will suffice. Or Captain, if your unreasonably a stickler of formality," Walker as no fan of formalities, let alone nobility, even though the situation was different, Walker had no intention of allowing for being even mistaken for nobility. Still, hearing his own voice repeated back to him was disconcerting at best, outright unnerving at worst. Of course, he had V trying to console him about not needing to be 100% when in a team. Quite the opposite, he couldn't afford not to be completely on point whenever with a group, he can't avoid letting down his team, even if it was a tense one like this, and he mentioned as such. "You say that, but if you are working as a team, you can't afford to relax and not give your all for your team. Especially where I am from, you don't let anyone who trusts you on a team down.""

What concerned Walker was Jasper, even though that wasn't his name what so ever. He knew full well a 'I can't speak the truth' situation when he heard one, and given the words and struggles that their newfound guide had, it was patently clear they were under unusual restrictions. Something enforced beyond just words, probably some damned mage trickery. Given the repeated words in his own voice, that much was very well apparent. Doubly so when they started talking in Kaath's voice, that confirmed a link between the two. What that meant in the long run, well, he didn't have the luxury of being able to question right now. Odds were this one would end up being trouble in some degree or another, though Walker wouldn't openly admit it. Still, Kite seemed to begrudgingly accept the help from Jasper that would indicate they would be playing nice for now at any rate.

"Time and Place V, we don't have the luxury of twenty questions right now. They wouldn't offer to help if they intended to just slaughter them. We already had one goon leg it, who knows how much help he is dragging into this mess. J tries to leg it, we'll snag him and get answers as we need it." Walker was being pragmatic right now, and while the cave had plenty of cover for asking questions, out in the middle of the woods was not the place. Walker would continue scanning and straining for any signs of trouble, unwittingly true to his assigned title of Lord Protector. He was the muscle, quote unquote it seemed, it was his job to focus on the pragmatics. Pragmatic meant dragging answers out of Jasper later rather than now. That being said, odds were such a plan was not easy, not being able to betray whatever compulsion was in place would be difficult at best. Save that for down the line as it were, he could work on getting answers then. But with too many approaches? Need to keep alert for trouble ahead.

Jasper stepped away from the two to let Violet tend to Kite who winced and sputtered with mild annoyance from how she dabbed and wiped at him. Already pacing into the clearing and then turning once they reached the somewhat overgrown path, they patiently waited for the two to air their inquiries. With another clicking blink, they brought a hand to the top of their head and changed directions to search the bushes near where their head was retrieved.
"Short answers, first, as I insist we walk and talk," they commented, brushing debris from a hat they retrieved, planting it on their head and then slipping their left hand along their side. "Ah. I see..." they softly mused, the tone considerably less...mechanical. Looking over themselves as they returned to the path, they gestured with one in the direction of where it wound off into the woods.

"My attempts at a...metaphore...as I assume, by your care for...Kite...that you are, how The Lord Madam says, 'Holding. The. String'." Forgoing the mimicry and raising their hands of offer air quotes to accentuate each of the three words. Returning their hands behind their back and carefully walking backwards with measured steps, "A belief is that a message is intending to be sent, and it is not uncommon for Valket to first seek one they can rely on," Jasper's eyes shift to Walker, "-and second, one that can protect the first. As this is not The Spire, please do not be alarmed by the diminished efficacy of your Kite. This is not their world."

Jasper then lowered their head, slightly in consideration before simply speaking, "I serve Masters Jasper Lanes and Adelaide Harper. I am confident they are safe, and so I am choosing to use their names, freely...no...my name is not Jasper Lanes. I am using his-is..am using his name as...a -a..." their eyelids flutter sporadically for a moment before a pause. After a few seconds, they concluded, "I intend to fairly represent those whom I serve, and I understand this does not answer your question. As such, I will elaborate on the meaning of your question."
Their eyelids shifted down to don a seemingly apologetic expression, "The Lord Madam...Kaath...while she is well deserving of her accompanying titles and accolades, medals and what prestige she refuses to show..." Jasper then takes a moment to mimic the sound of an exasperated breath before sighing, "Nobless obliege," and then resuming, "...has had...uncommon...experiences many within our ranks do not understand. Unfortunately, she has chosen to be highly reclusive, and it would be unfair of me to assert unfounded theories. I would suggest asking Kaath, directly, were I not concerned her reactions would be less than cordial."
Lifting their hands to idly pick debris and loose strings from their heavy-looking fabric that covered a slim form-fitting armor of sorts, seemingly for dramatic effect as they soon commented, "No. I do not share in, nor condone Kaath's distain."

With the first block addressed, the crew had found themselves traversing a rather leisurely hike down the gentle slope the path snaked off through. The sounds of the forest had long since resumed, giving a serene backdrop to the walk.
Assorted wildlife flitted and mingled in the canopy and branches; long-legged short-tailed squirrels, things that looked like woodpeckers but somewhere around the size of a turkey would swoop down and scramble along the bark on bat-like fore-claws and talons as they pried and beat into the flesh of these twisting maple-leaved willows. Their vines, clad in the somewhat familiar leaves, gently lowered from between the boughs, some of their leaves crumpled like a fist. Other time, one could nearly watch the slow process of the vines rolling up on themselves and gently climbing up the branches to seek out the light from above. All the while, the sounds of a babbling brook some distance to the right rumbled on, a percussion to the alien birdsongs and chirping insects.

"You are wholly entitled to refer to yourselves however you wish," Jasper once more began after a few minutes of a pause, folding their fingers behind their back as they took a few leisurely paced steps, turning on their heels in somewhat dancing steps as they appeared to admire the surroundings. "The Lord Madam, my associate has offered me references to entities from her world who would draw power from the formal identities of their prey. While we are uncertain if such creatures have made it into this space, between, I do not share my associate's experiences. Therefore, I cannot accurately ascertain the immediate necessity of choosing to protect your name. As I do not have a capability to assert my will upon others, I cannot prevent you from choosing to go by your true name..." Jasper explained, mostly looking to Walker while speaking. If it weren't for how unmoving their features were, the slight turn and nodding of their head could be construed as a wry smirk of acknowledgement that glinted across their pleasant, solid smile as they coyly added, "...unless we are already playing the game, Captain Walker~"
Their tone once again gained the unhollow hue of a more 'human' personality behind its voice, teasing, knowing, and playing along, a click of a wink and all.
"The goon who had been watching us was likely one of Buncha's Crew. They were too small to be a part of Cart-Dragger's," he commented in a reassuring tone. "Kedvin Buncha, and his...'Buncha Boys'...are thought of as...poachers? Candied words offa'uman's boot-lickin lips, stealin 'oll ah feckin proper good men. Yeh? Ya getn 'em'oll drunk'n teach'n t'b'shoits!" Jasper continued to explain before launching into another echo of Kaath who sounded a bit intoxicated, herself, but no less passionate about her stance on this Kedvin fellow, "Y'can't jus'steal bread loik that, ah? Spook'n 'oll manner'a people doin honest-loik werk; fekkin noifs'n bows, loik- wh..why y'starin' at me loik that? Yer not recordin' are--!?" The voice cut off, Jasper chiming back in to add, "Malcontentious extortionist ne'er-do-wells, I've come to understand. Cart-Dragger and their beasts would seek to eat and kill whatever they find, they are simple detriments to business. Buncha, however, is more of a parasite, taking credit for others' work."
Finally the path came to the bank of the now widening river, cemented cobblestone and brick holding foundation poles for a sturdy wooden bridge seemingly designed to take carts laden with goods and the beasts to pull them. A solid six meters wide, it rode over another thirty meters of rocky cropping. Seemingly constructed towards the beginning of the mouth to whatever body of water the river flowed into, defiant trees rose from tiny land masses in the process of erosion. In a way, the location was built with long-broken and repaired aesthetics until simply left to wear away over what could have been hundreds of years. Still the quality of the bridge wasn't in question, seeming somewhat new, as if refurbished or completely rebuilt for a myriad reasons.

Walking and talking, that was something he could work with, and not just because the name he'd taken to using was Walker. Rather than interrupt the golem's manner of speaking, he focused on gathering information, both the openly given and that hidden between the lines, figuratively speaking. V was the puller of strings and the talker, while he was apparently the muscle and fighter. Well, given what he has seen so far, he couldn't argue that thinking too much. K was going to be in trouble apparently, being outside the...Spire? That was where they used to be he supposed, though whatever unnatural space that had been, given a certain bastarding abomination apparently living there and acting as a guardian of sorts that they had to promptly flee from. One could only stab so many heads and fend off so many hands, and it brought a brief, dark expression before returning to guarded neutrality.

Talk about the matter of Kaath, who was apparently the Lord Madame, had her own issues. To the surprise of no one, there wasn't a person here who didn't have their own issues was what he was seeing so far. Jasper Lanes was not his real name, but his assumed name and would be answering the spirit of the question as well. Kaath chose a life of recluse and walking her own path. He could respect that, though as they entered the next leg of the trip, he had to note the sheer difference of environment that had been going on. From strange prison space, to cave, to now rolling path through a forest that was full of vines and strange wildlife. Wildlife beyond rats, dogs, cats and other critters that made their homes in the cityscape of Istvargrad, not...whatever those things crawling along at times could be seen. Of course, well enough couldn't be left alone and Jasper spoke up again, more addressing Walker's original remarks.

Of course the reminder that whatever...Keepah was apparently drew power from true names, but that was another perk towards not using his proper name. As Jasper spoke, the focus on true names made him glance at the golem as it continued speaking, this time shifting into another voice completely, which was likely something he would never quite get used to anytime soon. Captain Walker it was then, apparently, though the mention of a game already being afoot got a snort from the man. Oh no, there would be no wild games just yet, not if he could help it at any rate. There was far too little known about the game and far too much at stake, that much was readily apparent. Desperation, bent rules already, and general mystery meant even if every question he had got a straight answer, he wouldn't be completely out of the woods. Literally or metaphorically. "Oh no, games now would be like playing a foreign game of cards, in the dark. And the dealer is always smiling. Far too little is known to be making those kind of gambles yet."

The explanation of the goon who had been spotted was part of a bunch of poachers. Ah, criminals, that was a predictable bunch. Dishonest types, you would know what they were doing, it was the honest ones you needed to keep a sharper eye on. Kaath was recorded going off about the 'dishonest work' of the lot. Knives and bows, dirty close in work when the ambush didn't work. Add some poison into the mix and you could nail some nasty marks with that kind of kit. Still, he could tell the local opinion on the bunch was negative, to say the least. Stealing credit, being general parasites, and otherwise being barely tolerated. Likely didn't have the manpower to run them off, or they did serve enough of a purpose to at least tolerate the overall presence of. Poachers meant supplies from animals and the like, or at least nailing the ones too big for solo work. Nevermind the trouble that this Cart-Dragger was outright trouble instead of subtle trouble. "Sounds like a wonderful bunch, plenty of people who will be able to get along swimmingly and with no trouble what so ever."

Walker's sarcasm was apparent, though eventually they came along to a bridge that was both well made and looked fairly recent, as far as architecture would reveal at any rate, and it was a welcome sign indeed. Civilization that wasn't the inside of a prison cell, although he couldn't say he was going to be completely pleased to see bridges anymore, given his last memories of Istvargrad were a certain bloody last stand on a bridge. Still, he could see the water from the bridge, so that was an improvement instead of just being a massive drop off into a night fueled abyss. Or, by that point, not so much night as it was whatever impending doom had been approaching. It wasn't worth remembering, not when there was still work to be done. Walker kept his senses sharp and focused as he could, looking around and expecting trouble to show up at any moment, even with how pleasant it looked at a glance. "Building on top of the old, good to see that's nothing new. Literally as well as figuratively."

'Holding the string.' I keep hearing that. And Kite thought he could 'rely on me'? It was a lot parse through, maybe not in content but it did open up a lot of doors. Maybe now she could finally get an answer as to what holding the string meant. Given how much it came up, it had to be important. Jasper continues to say how 'Jasper' is their master's name. Violet almost feels a bit foolish since she's the only one who led with her real name. She'd think about switching to one of her pseudonyms but it may be weird to her party members. Eh, they'll get it. Especially Walker, He's all about that mystery and vagueness and that... dark... brooding... stoic hero type of stuff. She was trying to rationalize it in her mind a way to do it casually to not make her stand out.

Jasper would continue on about Kaath but it was more things Violet could already pick up on. She'd take a look around and enjoy the scenery while Jasper would talk. After being in the dungeon-like cave for so long, it was nice to be out in the open, the fresh air, the sunshine, the trees, it was refreshing. But now she could see what Walker was getting at. Ignoring Keepa's presence, that cave was safer. Not too many places they could be ambushed from. Now, however, an attack could come from anywhere. She'd have to keep her guard up at least a little bit. Remembering how someone almost snuck up on them, maybe a bit more. Violet would catch herself off in her own mind to listen back in on Jasper talking about protecting their name. Although, it seems Jasper knows Walker's hiding his name, at least with how they concluded their thought. Walker would respond, but as usual, he talks in really weird phrases and idioms that sound extremely strange but, for the most part, makes sense.

Jasper would continue to bring up the person who was listening in on them. apparently he belonged to a group of poachers. Despite their ridiculous name, they could still pose a problem. Violet still wasn't suited for a full on battle. Looks like Jasper is a bit fragile for a battle too. The team isn't much better off and with Kaath gone, their main muscle, that they never even got to utilize, is gone. If they get ambushed, they are in serious trouble. Violet would tense up a bit and keep her eyes and ears open for anything to be out of the ordinary. Walker's strict approach might actually be of use here. This situation did bring up a question Violet didn't think she'd get an answer to, but something she did want to ask.

They'd reach their tentative destination. Looks like there was still a bit more to go but at least they saw the goal so to speak. There was a lot on Violet's mind so she needed to say something. Walker would start to comment on the scenery but Violet would speak up right after.

Hey Jasper... I'm not sure if you'll be able to answer these but I really want to ask them. First question is what does it mean to 'hold the string'? I've heard this so many times and I know it has something to do with Kite. I... can piece together it might have something to do with his apparent immortality. It's a guess but if that's the case I don't want to lose him. I need to know so I don't ever let go I guess. My second question I'm not expecting much for but I suppose it's wishful thinking that I'll get an answer from this. Why us? Only one of us is a fighter, I'm sure there's plenty of people in the multiverse who would be much more capable in a fight than I would. So what's so special about us that made us the destined heroes to save this world?"

They had made it not far onto the bridge before Jasper turned and rested their arms on the railing, seeming to be observing the downstream of the crossing. Disregarding Walker's first comment, since the response had minimal bearing on disposition and little other topical similarities to the proposed game of fake names. "I am sure they mean well. There are only infrequent reports of misconduct, and the work serves The Scab, well enough," they replied to the second, though, taking a few pacing steps further on the bridge, dragging porcelain fingertips along the grains of the railing before stopping at another spot a few meters in. "An excellent observation, Captain Walker!" they mechanically and happily chirped, having not immediately looked up, but then continuing in the smoother more 'intentional' tone, "...and a quaint metaphor, from the right perspective. Such idioms leave no credit to the means and men utilized for such endeavors, though."


Jasper crossed one leg over the back of the other, taking on a casual stance. "Good afternoon, Miss V," they automatically greeted when addressed, but leaned in to bridge their fingers and rest their chin on the folded digits while apparently listening in spite of their unmoving expression or gaze. There was a notable pause after Violet concluded her next line of questions before the construct spoke, about enough time it would take to sigh, illustrated by a slight tilting of his head, instead.
"These are difficult questions, but I will do my best to produce a satisfactory answer..." they hesitantly chirped before elaborating, "It is speculated that 'Kite' is...an avatar...of sorts, thought to be at least a small portion of whatever The Spire drew its power from to wage this war. It is a theory similar to the 'Leyline' practice of magic, where a...stream...of arcane catalyst is tapped into in order to shape reality by both temporarily upsetting the flow in an area, denaturing local reality, as well as redirecting this portion of arcane catalyst to assert a new will into the laws of physics. This process of cascading and manipulating 'leylines' to denature local reality for short periods of time is what many call 'magic'...but with how different worlds have shown to have their own definitions and processes of 'evocation', this constant from my world has become a matter of theory rather than a law of physics. The research to map out leylines in this space, between, has proven to be troublesome, as more 'otherwise' bleeds into this space, between. Not to discount the occasional troubles with local flora and fauna, Master Harper has frequently expressed her frustration in her endeavor to contain The Scab, itself, to best protect its citizens. Yes. This is where I intend to lead you."
They pause, blinking once, "Pardon the tangent I embarked on, but to properly answer your question, I needed to provide context, first," they explained, sidling another step, only lifting their elbows to shift the distance. Somewhere somewhat close by in the river, a few salmon-like fish mingled by the coastal rocks before flapping and jumping their way into the river, proper.
"This aforementioned speculation supposes that this...world...The Spire pulls its strength from, is one aside from commonplace 'time'. The process of The Spire pulling life from this 'world' introduced this otherwise isolated instance to a concept of entropy. As The Spire is suspected to be primarily intended to consume the...'essence'...of this titular world...and..an...and I understand that th-this next part may b-be-be-be uncomfortttttttable to hear...ear..." They started to explain, their head twitching from side to side and eyelids clicking as they fluttered, closed, and then opened once more, "Whatever it is that-at...The Spire is consuming, it is capable of knowing it is being...eaten...and it has chosen creatures more adapted to entropy to help...carry...it back. Through this pact of...want...it is assumed the entity assumes it has permission to 'share your time' in order to restore its preferred state. We are uncertain if this is harmful to the host, in the long run."

During the coming long pause, Kite sniffed, awkwardly, crossing their arms as they, too, wandered to the other side of the bridge to look upstream. They sighed and seemed like they were about to speak before Jasper started, once more. "The Lord Madam, Kaath, as you know her, taught me how to hunt for aquatic sub-lucids, here..." their smooth tones sounding somehow longing behind the mechanical fluting of a voice which wouldn't seem much different from how he'd been speaking, before. "F..th...sh..." Kite sounded out, and Jasper nodded, "Mmh, fish..." agreeing and then digressing, "Many people from the multiverse crossed the old bridge. It was thought to need to be made wider from its alleged humble beginnings. At first it was giants, titans, beasts of might that clashed where the elements met. This 'Battle Creek' was gouged deep from the sword of one of those entities, and another bridge was built of beautifully painted cobblestone."
Jasper's brows seemed to lift into an amused expression, "And when that one blew up when 'Cart-Dragger' and 'Cart-Pusher' had their war, this one was built. Cart-Dragger licks their wounds, and Kedvin's men string up meshed, underneath to climb up behind the people the group across the bridge will confront. They will probably join him, be 'associated' in a misconduct report..." Jasper then lifted their head to look down the rest of the bridge, "...or toss Kedvin's men into the river to let the sharks have at them."
There came no reply in spite of the suspicion being called out. After a short moment, Jasper returned his chin to the bridged, doll-like fingers. "To more directly answer your question, Miss V, you are who your Kite found on short notice, likely while being chased or while hiding. My apologies...there used to be more like The Lord Madam...at least, how she was before her moods...but..." another short pause, "...many are dead. Most died highly uncomfortable and in undignified ways. Most, these days, are elderly, pooling their minds to the library in a way of better speculating what is on the other side of the gate...they need men like Kedvin to be a heavy hand against exterior threats." Jasper then stood back with a step to face the two, "Kaath, a fighter..." a gesture to Walker, "...Kedvin, a leader," a gesture to Violet. "While it would be unkind of me to say there is nothing special about you two, as I understand humans prefer to rest moral stock in their...uniqueness...by your definition, more 'special' selections have already been selected, and you are simply 'next'."

Kite flicked an ear, the two folding back as his state of mind was speculated on with him still within earshot, but Jasper was quick to add, "If it is any consolation, there are many others less special that have come, before."

Violet was at first pretty excited she was about to get an answer to what 'holding the string' meant. This quickly faded she started to get a long lesson on how 'leyline' magic worked. As informative as it was it didn't do much other than confuse her. She's known people who were able to cast magic but it wasn't real magic, just something that acted similar to magic. Real mages were but a long-lost fairy tale in her world; one she'd seen with her own eyes but still a thousand-year-old story. Jasper would apologize for their tangent which made Violet feel a bit at ease to know she didn't need to memorize all of that. While that was reassuring, what followed was not. She'd hear talk about this 'Spire' again and how it's consuming this world. It sounds like we need to stop this and Kite is the one who can but... Kite is 'sharing my time?' What does that even mean? And what is this 'pact of want'? And this pact can end up hurting me in the long run? Does that mean Kite is using my life to bring himself back? He wouldn't do that... right? He's been protecting me this entire time. He's been making sure that I've been making it out of places alive while putting so much on himself. He's risked his life too many times for this to be true. But if he knew he'd come back, does it count as a sacrifice? It would make sense to keep that which makes you immortal alive. Violet would look to Kite and remember the nightmare Keepa showed her.

She'd grab her head, shaking it and shutting her eyes. It wasn't something she wanted to remember and something she wanted to put behind her. Violet takes a deep breath to try and calm herself. She wouldn't get anything from dreading about this now. Violet would come back at the end on Jasper's aside talking about Cart-Dragger and Cart-Pusher. Jasper would continue to directly answer her question. They'd say that Violet was just the first person that Kite found. This didn't make her feel any better knowing she could easily be replaced. Not only that but several people have already been called to this place, only to have already died. Jasper would conclude their thought with something that filled Violet with a bit of dread; we were simply next. Her group was no different than the people who came before her. She could meet the same fate as everyone else who came before her, and with her skillset, was very likely. Violet started to see that asking these questions could give her answers she didn't want to know. Even if that was the case, this was something she needed to do. Being informed was important to be prepared. The more she knew, the more she could remove and unknown factors from this already mysterious situation she'd in.

Well if what Jasper was implying about Violet being a 'leader' was to be believed, then it was time she started acting like one. Caring about her role and purpose aren't qualities of a leader. She should be thinking ahead and towards achieving victory, whatever that meant. Violet, after a long pause, would speak up. So how do we stop this Spire? If there are poachers here, are they in the same situation as us? Couldn't we amass an army to fight... whatever we're fighting? Violet tried to keep her questions as objective as possible, removing any personal questions from her mind. Before Jasper could answer, however, Violet would look to Kite, her voice shaky as she began to speak. Do you need me in particular or would anyone have done? And are you only keeping me alive so you don't die? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. Violet regretted asking that but she couldn't help herself. It was something she needed to ask. She'd take a more monotone voice as she continued. No matter how you answer, I know it doesn't change what I need to do. I just ask that you be a bit more forthcoming with me. If you are how we can escape from this place, then I will do everything I can to assist you.

"And it is often enough such men and methods do not get credit unless the powers that be have an agenda to fulfill." Of course was absolutely brimming full of questions and it seemed they would be idling here on the bridge for the time being. Leaning on one of the sturdier looking railings, Walker produced his pipe and self lighting match, lighting the tobacco in the pipe and puffing on it lightly, blowing the odd ring out away from those he was currently with. It was a common habit in Istvargrad, but that didn't mean it was appreciated among these two. Not that he was certain the golem even had the faculties to actually smell anything, which might be a boon depending on what came crawling out of Kaath's little bolt hole. He'd rationalized that they were far from the first, and stored that information for future use while listening to the chatter continued. Of which he was completely, thoroughly, and utterly lost on. It was Mage prattle, though the term Avatar wasn't lost on the man. Given the displays that Kite had made, being above pesky mortals like him was hardly surprising, though if he had an inkling of what the mage prattle was about he might understand a bit more. He never claimed to be a smart man, but he was feeling the pains of a rough and tumble life versus an academic one currently. Not that he didn't like to think he was well spoken and street smart, but this was the territory of book smarts and, well, those damned Mages.

The next part about the Pact of Want was, well, complete and utter nonsense. Just like everything else so far, so par for the course. Walker pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes as he processed, letting wisps of tobacco smoke waft from the pipe as he processed the information. Spire was eating this world, and this one being devoured was...borrowing their time to try and protect itself from this Spire. The whole talk on Entropy wasn't something he was going to keep track of, but burning off a parasite? That was something he could get behind. Even if he was doing so through no real say of his own in the matter. The talk of the bridges history didn't help much either, though his attention did perk up a bit at the mention of how they were selected. In a rush, in a panic, and in desperation, and that got a laugh out of the man. Always the last resort, a pick of desperation and spite in the face of impossible odds. Was that really his lot in life then, to be the one that no one wants to turn to and everyone has to? "I suspected desperation before, but to the point that a pair of humans would be next in line for this grand ol' endeavor after trying better odds with Kaath and her tier of warriors, wisemen, fools and cons? That's good. That's downright funny, even, after all. No one dies comfortable, and not many more get a dignified end either. That's just life, or whatever passes for it these days."

Whether Walker was genuinely amused or just coping, well, that wasn't something he was going to elaborate on. Rather, V seemed to take this leadership thing quite literally and start asking questions on how to, shall they say, Slay the Spire. The mention of an army got a snort from the man, he'd seen what armies could do against that oncoming nothingness, and it was a whole lot of nothing. A lot of bloody struggle, plenty of violence and honor in last stands, if you believed in that sort of thing, but this wasn't the work armies were meant for. No, if this Spire was going to be dealt with, it wasn't going to be by legions of soldiers and generals, fools and corpses alike. It was the damned few who played at being Heroes that would have to do this one, or, well, die trying. As everyone of them before had, or wish they had he would suspect. Her attention on Kite was curious, and she seemed hurt that she'd been just what Kite happened across, like a late night and the good company had already been bought up. "Doesn't rightly matter now, does it V? You're here, chosen whether by desperation or lack of options, in the footsteps of how many others before you, and you took the mantle of glorious leader. I'd focus on that, compartmentalizing works wonders. And, frankly, even if the answer would change your stance, not like there's much practical alternative. Could throw yourself into the drink down there, sure, but that wouldn't be much worth after walking over on here already. Besides, your not shouldering this alone, even if we don't see eye to eye. Don't need to either, we got work to do, we can brawl out those differences after its said and done. Or we die before then and its a moot point."

Jasper's eyes snapped over to Walker as he laughed, a soulless stare intended to grace the man with the attention he appeared to crave with his uncouth mirth. Unblinking, not even a twitch of the brow to denote a modicom of reaction beyond simply watching him. They remained statuesque even as he continued into his second irrelevant and wholly unhelpful spat of edgy defeatism. 'Shock' and 'disbelief' were too human of terms to explain the construct's fixation on Walker. Maybe it was a curiosity? Such an assumption was based on the thought that Jasper had never met anyone like Walker, before.

Frankly, Jasper was secure in his knowledge that there were, in fact, many like Walker, and all of them were disappointments, in the end. There were no words Jasper could offer that could satisfy Walker, the construct concluded. However...

Kite's ears perked up as Violet coldly addressed him as if this had just become business. They turned to look at Violet with a confused expression of alarm before Jasper finally said, "I think I may know a way to answer your question, Miss V, that may ease both of your dispositions." The smoother tone that the words came from held an almost condescending bite to it. Turning to the group, Jasper broke the lace of his fingers to offer an 'oh well' of a shrug with a playful tilt of their head as they simply said, "Give up," he casually chirped in a 'matter of fact' way before continuing, "Kedvin's people are not in the same position as you, No. They were either born here from those who gave up, or gave up, themselves. Given their unknown odds, they chose to die here...'safely'. They abandoned their strings or were associates of those who did, their Kites withered, and they were free to sell their lives to the library, to research, to the woods, or to Kedvin Buncha."
Jasper didn't articulate or gesture as he spoke, this was a raw addressal intended to focus the two out of their state...like a scolding, but with a smile. "I will elucidate you to their fates; that every last one of them will expire in this space between, trying to help whoever holds the string, next, on their way."

Kite's fluff stood up, eyes blinking from looking between Jasper and Violet.

"Their deaths will be slow, uncomfortable, and undignified. All you have to do is admit their efforts are in vain, and you can be free to join them. They will not hold it against you. There will be others to hold the string...there always is."

"Vh...vee..." Kite softly spoke, ears folding back as he hesitantly took a step closer, a desperate look of frustration behind how he seemed to be trying to sound out words to speak for himself.

Jasper's smile creaked into a subtle wry smirk, "I am confident the next ones will not be quite as disappointing as 'a pair of humans--next in line for this grand ol' endeavor', as you would put it, Captain Walker," they mused, shifting to a cut version of Walker's own words. They turned to address Violet, "Your associate can be replaced, many in town would be honored to take his place. I do, however, insist you consider these options, carefully."

There'd be an air of silence after Jasper's cold words. There was an honest truth behind his words however. Violet would respond in a monotone voice. Thanks for the words of wisdom Walker. A pragmatic and rational thinker as always, it is very welcomed given the situation we're in. Forgive me if my tone comes off as cold or sarcastic, I genuinely mean this. I realized that already though. She'd lift her ball and start cycling it through different colors. When you have powers like mine, emotions can be... dangerous. You learn to take in every chance you can get to 'feel' something. But when the time comes, you seal them away as they'll do nothing but get you in trouble. I let my emotions get the better of me when we fought Keepa, but I won't let that happen again, you have my word. Violet said that as a way to remind herself of her own failures. If she was to be a leader, she needed to be a calm thinker. Walker's already shown to be competent himself so she had quite a bit of catching up to do. Still, it stings a part of me to know there wasn't much of a connection. Not sure what I was expecting, he found me covered in bugs in a jail cell unconscious. At least I still hope it was 'covered'... Not exactly a 'fated meeting' but it doesn't change what's happened. Kite's given his all to protect me, that much is true and cannot be changed. Violet would sigh and regain her usual cheerful disposition. Even if I was the best of a bad situation, he's here with me now, and that's all that matters. She'd crouch down to Kite's level If you just need me to believe in you and some fairy magic brings you back... Violet would briefly touch her finger to Kite's nose, then I'll do just that whenever you need me to. She'd chuckle as she'd finish and stand back up.

She'd have a resolved look in her eyes as she'd turn to Jasper. To answer your proposal Jasper, I don't intend to give up. I won't speak for anyone else, but if I'm to die, I'll die fighting. Hell in my mind, I've already gotten eaten by Keepa, and I've died in my own world. Who knows, maybe my third death will come with a prize? She'd chuckle softly to herself. If an army is out of the question then Walker's plan will have to suffice. An army would be too loud, noticeable, and bring too many variables to this. A few people could sneak in and complete this better than an army trying to brute force their way through. However, you did say something interesting, Jasper. You said people would be honored to take his place. Does that mean we can find a few more people to add to our muscle? We seem to be lacking in that at the present moment. Currently, their only fighters are Walker and Kite, not much help if they're outnumbered.

Violet would place her ball under herself and take a seat. She'd sigh out a bit and give a guilty smile. Sorry if I made you worry Kite. Sometimes I can get pretty emotional, bottling it up can end up giving you a lot of extreme emotions. Consider it a bit of an outburst. She'd look back at Jasper. Mulling over Jasper's words, there was a lot said that was useful for the most part. Despite how cold it may have been, a lot of new information has been put on the table. You say that Kedvin's group is either people who gave up or born from people who gave up correct? How antagonistic will that make them towards us? It doesn't sound like they would get in our way, in fact, it sounds like they'd just let us go thinking us to be fools. Will they get in our way? If so, what do they stand to gain in doing so? Is it just a game to them? Violet would take her cold monotone voice again, If so, we can cull their ranks and take a few prisoners. They may not be useful for soldiers, but you don't need much loyalty to be a meat shield.

Walker continued puffing on the pipe in his hands, looking back at the golem and its soulless gaze. A more egotistical man might consider it curiosity, but he suspected it was a reckoning that was beyond him. He couldn't make assumptions about what went on in that soulless head of the golem, one that spoke with countless voices including his very own, something that was disconcerting at best and downright eerie at worst. Of course, the suggestion to simply give up was made to sound like the easy alternative. Sure, it was in theory, but that didn't mean a damn thing weeks, months, or even years down the line after the eternal gnaw of guilt set in. He'd seen guilt eat men and women from the inside out, drive them to early graves, all because of one misstep that they could never have predicted at the time. "Easy as you make it sound, doubt giving up is a luxury that'll exist forever. This Spire, no matter how slowly it goes, will eventually finish its meal, consumption, whatever you want to call it. Even if its long after anyone mortal is dead and ash, nothing's forever. I may be a pessimist at times, but I try not to be a fool, even if that's a rigged coin toss most of the time."

"And be careful looking to the gutter for wisdom V, after all, our newfound acquaintance here has no doubt sized me up already and made its decision, especially given its fondness of using my own words in response." Walker didn't move from his position currently, letting the tobacco smolder in the pipe as he spoke, eyes never leaving Jasper as he spoke. There was no hatred or even distaste, despite the words and implications, he couldn't bring himself to hate a machine, a cog in a greater game being played. He knew he was playing a game with nothing in hand, and it didn't sit right with him. None of it did, and that brought out the worst in him. It usually did, and it had been quite sometime since things had sat right with him. How long, well, that wasn't something to speculate on, especially given how he had came to in those cells. At the mention of him being perfectly replaceable he shrugged idly.

"The golem isn't wrong there, and can drop the mocking use of a title granted by a dead land and deader nobility. Was a mistake to bring it up it seems. And whether I stay or not relies on one thing, and that's V. She wants me gone, I go. She wants me to stay, I stay. She's the one holding the strings, so if she thinks I have my uses out of moody episodes and general out of my element responses, well, that's her decision now isn't it?" Walker didn't think he could rightly walk away from this endeavor lightly, not even if he wanted to, which he wasn't sure yet. Even if this settlement was just like home, that threat of gnawing guilt bringing about a slow, wasting death was an unwelcome one. But ordered was another matter completely, and that was a bridge to burn when they get to it. The talk on culled ranks and press ganged prisoners brought a shake of the man's head. "Even if they try to get in the way, the most unreliable of help is that press ganged into it. Better to avoid them if they aren't keen on being useful."

"Some people may have the mindset for it," Jasper replied to Violet's interest in the town's people. They began easing themselves down by one of the foundation posts, taking their hat off and setting it to the side, apparently getting into a position to hang off the side of the bridge to look underneath. Kite's face scrunched up for a moment as Violet booped his snoot. Blinking and looking nonplussed,
"Pardon the offence, Walker, try to think of it as how one would enjoy the sound of a voice," Jasper...apologized? They then continued with, "...you have a funny way of saying things. Especially with that accent."
With that, they bent their knees to hook onto one of the support rails under the main railing and practically hung off the side of the bridge. After a moment, they pulled themselves up and wordlessly went about finger-combing their hair back into place and setting the hat upon their head, looking around. As faint as the pleasant smile was, it now gave off a considerable lack of confidence that once shined off its fixed features. "This is certainly awkward. It appears Kedvin's men are not at their posts..." Jasper announced, looking between the three with folded fingers, appearing to be waiting for something.

Kite then paced out from the group, taking a number of purposeful steps to and then past Jasper, cautiously watching the edges and trying to make out any movement on the underside through the boards. The doll turned to watch Kite, then looked back to the other two. Whatever the plan was, Jasper had apparently been banking on the group having been approached by now. After Kite was apparently starting to make some distance, unhindered, the doll then stepped away to follow Kite. "I cannot completely speculate on their individual motives, though I had expected to allow them to escort us back to town,- An claim'oll tha ffffeckin glory. Prop'n them up loik 'eros n'shite'll upturn tha feckin' pub..." Jasper began again to address Violet's concerns about the alleged ruffians, defaulting to letting Kaath explain it in her own words. "...n'leave ya with tha mop," she hissed, a clicking sound from before under her tone as the syllables spat from clenched teeth. Their tone then swiftly changed in the next section, obviously taken from a different time...and with a strangely different accent though the voice was unmistakably the same, "Its currently just them and the Brass Bastards, ah reckon. Like ah mean, sure there's uthers an their squads. Frands an the like, lovely couples, all that gay sheeit," they chuckled, a light-hearted and genuine one to the quiet backdrop of common tavern ruckus, before continuing in the drawl, "And honey, that's cute an all, but its all just names for different sizes of the same tool."

Jasper surveyed the upstream side of the bridge's offered vistas, unsure what they were looking for, but doing so, anyway. "She winked, at that moment. I believe it was in an attempt to convey the expression that Kedvin is the...'biggest tool'. It may not be the best idea to open interactions with hostilities, all of this considered. The Lord Madam is entitled to maintain her foibles, but in her absence I must default to Kedvin's resources to ensure our return"

Violet would listen as Walker would try to make his inclusion based on her opinion. As she heard him talk, she remembered a term used in comics from her world, A "tsundere". Walker seemed like he was playing hard to get. It probably wasn't accurate but it was a fun idea to play around with. Violet would playfully lean towards Walker, Awwww Walker, is that your way of saying you want to join us? She'd let out a chuckle and continue. If you'll leave it up to me then I'd be happy to have you with us. She'd give a curtsy as a way to welcome her already accepted teammate. He's rough around the edges at times but he's still got plenty of worth to him. She'd raise her head to look at Walker, Your realism helps keep me grounded so to speak. As long as you can put up with my 'outbursts' then I think we can be a great pair!
She'd look over as Jasper spoke up. I did notice you seemed a bit distracted. We're you expecting them to lead us to town? Sure they could take the glory, no matter how undeserved it is, but a little extra security wouldn't hurt. She tried to think about how Jasper felt about this. Given how distracted he was, she couldn't tell if it was impatience or fear. Both seemed rather unlikely, given Jasper's character, but still, something that needed to be considered. So should we be ready for a fight when these people show up or will things go smoothly for the most part? Violet wasn't ready to fight now and if the enemy's size is to be taken at face value, they could easily end up surrounded. The better question would be what to do should they get captured. True she could 'say' that she and Walker give up on their quest should they force the topic, but what if they say to 'kill the rabbit and let go of the string'? Her hands would be tied then. The best she can hope for is to follow those two across the bridge and hope for the best.
Violet then had a thought. Hey these people we're waiting for, you don't think Kaath went after them, do you? From what you said, it sounds like she doesn't like them very much, and when she left the cave, she seemed to be in a pretty sour mood. You don't think she's... dealing with them, do you? She'd been thinking about everything since they left the cave. She'd let her guard down since they were in new scenery and felt like, without the presence of Keepa, she didn't have too much to be afraid of. Wondering about how much she missed or didn't think about, she quickly remembered something she let go of. That guy who ran off when your hand fell on him, was he one of Kedvan's... boys? If so, they could already know we're here and could set up an ambush. She'd look to the bridge but it looked sturdy enough to not give way under anything minor. Everyone, stay sharp, they could be lying in wait anywhere.

"My way of saying that, as before and as always, I keep acting in the interest of others and some damned greater good." Fat lot of good that had done him, robbed him of whatever passed for an afterlife in his home..city, he couldn't bring himself to say or call it anything else at the moment. She made her decision, and he snuffed out the pipe, but not before taking one last drag and blowing out a series of rings, letting them float through the air as he stared at them, intently, before putting out the pipe and pocketing it. The rings would drift on for sometime, far longer than they had any right to, but fade eventually they would. Seemed she was keen on having his type around, well there was no accounting for taste. Maybe dragging her out of that mess with Keepa was a smart idea after all, even if it had left his shoulder smarting something fierce for a fair bit. "That's a mutual expression, V. When it comes to all that...mage nonsense you'll be on point. I know just enough about it to know when to keep my hands to myself."

That was...mostly true at any rate. He knew a bit more than he would let on, Walker never dealt in complete honesty outside of the most dire of circumstances, but he could be known to tell mostly truths. Of course the cog golem would make some backhanded apology, and he snorted at the remark on both manner of speech and accent. Fine, let the field be calm for now, he wasn't going to get anywhere antagonizing what passed for their only escort through this place. Though before he could remark on that, the thing decided to finally speak up that the men who were supposed to be here were missing. Wonder if these bastards were lazy or got themselves into trouble, both, or neither even. Hard to say with dishonest crooks, never knew where you stood with their lot. He didn't like the idea of fighting a whole gang, not in the woods. Nor on this bridge for that matter, as he scanned the surroundings intently. Too many ways to come up the sides, too many places to ambush from. Like some damn alleyway only greener. "What did happen to her, anyways? Halfway reasonable and gets...vanished? Whatever words are appropriate for whatever mage trickery that was..."

"Odds of scrapping it out with an entire gang is tricky. If they're halfway smart, they would get the first hits in, and make them count. Keep alert for anything out of place, near as we can tell of course, and be ready to move. Really depends on who we run into first, and their temperament. Here's an old saying from back home some of the nicer folks kept by that might be useful for now: 'Offer one hand in friendship, but arm the other one just in case'." In such a situation, figuratively speaking, you'd have one of their hands preoccupied to slide a knife into between their ribs if they proved to be unfriendly. Still, if they needed this gang, well, there was far worse he could do for company. He ran his own gang for awhile before things went poorly, they come across this Kedvin, the biggest tool, and he might just be able to get a handle on what and how this fellow operated. Would speak volumes on their odds of getting anything more than a fight out of him.

"I have...concerns..." Jasper admitted in a strangely human lilt to their tone as if they were actively sharing a half-truth of sorts. "Yes. It was my intention to rely on Kedvin and his crew to safely lead you two back to Ispar. While they may be arrogant and occasionally uncouth, I had been levering most of what plan I can improvise on the information that they would be right here waiting for you."

There came a long pause after Walker's question, the alien mind of the golem burning through an unnecessary amount of time to produce an answer. "...or he has delivered a warning," Jasper replied to Violet's question about the man from before.
"The Lord Madam, Kaath is...unlike...the common swordsman, as I hear you may have witnessed," an uneasy pacing to their explanation, as if to do so was an awkward manner of betrayal, "A...mage...may spend their life memorizing words from books. What Madam Kaath is...not this sort. She once described to me how the words came to her in their sleep...words meant for forked tongues."
Hands on his hips, Jasper turned away from the railing to better follow the group. "I digress. 'Vanished' is an accurate way to describe one of her...words...and it is common knowledge that she is fluent in dozens more. Many of which unsettle the people of Ispar..."

No sooner had the words left their frame, than did the mist far upstream swirl from how a colossal quadrupedal form strode from the forest, coming from the direction the group was headed. A distant creaking of wood and steel emanated from the form that braced to pause in the middle of the stream. From the distance, it may have been difficult to make out, but stout forms of significantly smaller figures bustling about on the scaffolding built around the towering thing's somewhat obscured body. It appeared to twitch, the faintest nub of what could be expected to be its 'head' turned, casting a powerful ray of light into the edge of the forest. After a moment, it let out a haunting fog-horn of a roar, belching black smoke into the empty sky, above, and continuing its long strides into the woods, swiftly disappearing from view.

"I should not say The Lord Madam, Kaath, is a 'monster'.....she is, however...dangerous. She is from some time, past, and many worry there are few, remaining, who can do much to stem her...moods," Jasper remarked, watching the last of the silhouette vanish behind the distant foliage, "That Strider, just now, was 'Vandal Savant', a patrol craft of The Brass Bastards. They should not be out this far...but it is good that this one is."

Jasper slowly, disappointedly shook his head.

"If the warning reached Kedvin and his band, there is a very good chance they have abandoned us and are en route back to town. When Kaath catches them, they will likely be......murdered......to the last man, and their remains will be left to Cart-Dragger's monsters' whims." His expression flat, but the meagerest of frowns having replaced their previously pleasant demeanor. "I must offer my condolences. This is not how it usually is, though I am optimistic The Lord Madam has no intentions of attacking us...as she would have, by now, if she so chose."

With the end of the bridge a bit more visible, small details offered credence to Jasper's predictions. Off to a side, two of the boards appeared to have been pushed to more widely part by some large, flat object being forced between them. The edges around this strike were coated in a semi-recent sheen of blood. What altercation or reason for the damage was left to the imagination, as this appeared to be the only inconsistency. If it was a fight, it must have been quickly and eerily cleanly decided. Other details became apparent as they neared the end. Large patches of dead grass in splash-like patterns, a fallen tree with the stump so smoothly cut that it shimmered like marble, and...a groaning sound drifting from the direction the tree fell, having apparently flattened a small hidden camp.

If they were supposed to be here waiting for us to lead us back to Ispar, as you call it, then it sounds like as long as we play nice, then we'll be safe. It put her a bit at ease to hear that. Jasper sounds like they've done this a few times before so if he says they'll lead us then that should be good enough. Still, best to stay on guard, every group can have its radicals. If Kedvin is the type to not like us, there can be people in his group who think we shouldn't even get the chance to try. As she looked around she spotted... something. She couldn't tell what it was but it was big, to say the least. Then, without warning, it let out this bellowing roar, smoke coming out from it. The smoke could mean it's not an animal or beast but instead a construct of sorts. Is that a war horn? Are we about to be attacked? She'd continue to watch as that thing made its way back into the woods. It might be going to get the people that signal was meant for. This could be bad...

Jasper would continue and describe what she'd just saw. Apparently, that sound was 'good' so that's... 'good' to hear? But if Jasper's next words were to be taken at face value, Kaath sounds like she's in an uncontrollable state. If she wanted Violet's newly formed team to be dead, sounds like no one would be able to stop her. Kite's only stopped her attacks but he didn't try to attack her. In addition, Kite's been rather docile since leaving the cave. Kite seemed rather exhausted since the last time he... revived I guess. Hopefully, that doesn't have any lingering effects on him. He's our only 'ace' so to speak. Without him we're dead but with him... I can only hope he can, at the very least, hold her off. Slowly they got closer to the end of the bridge and Violet could make some things out. There appeared to be a fight of some kind. Blood and slash marks everywhere, there appeared to be some struggle but no sign of a winner or loser. Getting closer she saw... more...

What... the... hell happened here??? It looked like a tornado blew through here... a very violent and angry tornado. The state of the camp, however, was the least of her concerns. There was a... person. Sadly that statement was more apt than she wanted it to be. There WAS a person. What was before her now was.. something broken. Violet realized she couldn't have been more wrong, whatever happened here wasn't a battle, this was just fun for one person. Whoever did this, had time to make this one person's life miserable and not even kill them after. Violet was beyond horrified to see this scene. She could barely look but she'd promised she'd be better for her team, so she had to face this head-on. This person weakly called out for, what she could assume were his friends, but upon realizing they weren't who he was looking for, long any will they may have had left. She? Was this... Kaath's doing? Why? Is this what she does when she'd in a bad mood? Take it out on people who can't defend themselves from her? For what purpose? To feel better? To vent? What could possibly justify this???

She approached the defeated man and knelt down to him. I wish I could promise I could fix you but I can't do such a thing. I've never even seen this before. If you so choose, I can offer you a swift death should you find that to be a better alternative. Before you make your decision, I have only a few questions if you want to answer. If you want to skip them I'd completely understand. If you will answer, however, then what happened here, and where did she go? The promise of a mercy killing might be good for this person. Violet had no idea if whatever did this to him was permanent or not. If it was, then there was nothing left for him past this. Basic things became undoable from what Kaath had done. She'd have to take initiative to gather information and determine if this is Kaath's doing or someone else. It's easy to assume Kaath but she has no proof yet if she's even capable of this.