Linoa turned around surprised and let out a sigh. “Khatia, you get earlier with every visit! And even if it leaves in an hour, it will still be a few days to get here,” she smirked. “Autumn doesn’t seem to be feeling well. The night guard said she could hear her a little bit last night. I guess it’s safe to let her sleep. As Hera and Ska’ayla started to walk by, both visiting from Portea with Khatia, Linoa spotted a piece of paper with a minimal amount of writing on a clipboard that Hera had.
Hera sighed, “You could have just asked if you needed it,” she said dryly as she handed Linoa a pen.
“Yes, but where is the fun in that? Besides, only need some of it,” she said as she tore off the written section and handed it back to Hera who now had an thrilled eyebrow raised. Linoa wrote a letter to Autumn about them being in the meeting room for a bit and slid it under the door.
“Don’t you think you baby her a little too much?” Ska’ayla asked, her arms crossed. “This is more than important enough to have her wake up. No need to keep pampering her after all this time.”
“I don’t baby anyone, Ayla” Linoa said as she leaned in towards her. She casually traced Ayla’s opposite side jaw to her chin with one of her nails, turning Ayla’s head towards her. “Well, not unless they want me too.” The knowing face Linoa made and the reddened on Ayla made was all too telling.
“Sh-shut up, just get the others together…”
“Hmmhmm~,” Linoa hummed happily. It didn’t take long to get the others in the meeting room. Hera, Ayla, Milly, Yiris, and Linoa all waited to discuss Khatia’s next hit. “Where’s Maple? We are missing our little something sweet.”
“Maple stayed in Portea to act as an aid for the caravan for this raid,” Hera explained. “She will provide healing support for any unwanted casualties on either side of this raid, as well as be our little indicator on which caravan we are hitting. She’ll be in the middle cart, facing the strike team side, so she should be safe.”
“I don’t like it... ,” Ayla grumbled, “I don’t like her in harm’s way.”
“Aw, look who’s babying operatives now,” Linoa teased.
“Well come on, it’s not like she’s a fighter,” Ayla argued. She would have gone herself, but she was a bit too notorious to do so.
Meanwhile, despite the noise, Yiris was, as usual, asleep at the table.
Ren would find the three cargo carts, each with two drivers so that one can relieve the other and pulled by two horses, right where the job listing indicated. There were a few other bounty hunters that were milling about waiting to leave, and one person that seemed to be in charge making sure all was ready to go. It was a middle aged balding man in plain, well worn clothes and peppered hair, what was left of it anyway. He turned around and saw Ren approaching, revealing his hilariously long mustache and a cracked monocle.
“Well, it seems we have another helper for this trip. I’m glad we put the extra benches on the sides of the carts now,” he mentioned, jerking a thumb at the carts. On the sides, over the wheels, were small supported platforms locked into the wall and shaped to be mildly comfortable for a long ride. This was a design kicked off by merchants for mercenaries to ride and quickly dismount and deploy if attacked, as well as a method to keep eyes all around the carts. “I see you have your proof of acceptance?” he asked, holding out a hand for the paper. Once he had it, he felt for the impression in it to make sure it was official and then folded it away. “You get your down payment at the delivery point and the rest once we return here. Luckily, there are quite a number of amazing stores in Midrill to make the trip back interesting enough. Usually people are busy fiddling with new purchases, it helps the time pass on the way back.”
Among the group of mercenaries, there was one girl who was already in a seat in the middle cart, swinging her legs alternatively forward and back. She had brown hair with a loose short braid in the back and vibrant hazel eyes. She wore a simple green dress with a white apron and a leather satchel, quietly waiting for the start of the trip, she seemed to be taking notes in a small handbook.
Tsukihana looked from Akarui to an easel in his room, linen sheet still swaying from being freshly tossed on. She sighed a knowing sigh and looked back to him. It seemed he was still in his casual clothes and was about ready to throw his sandals on and run out. “He summoned us, yes, but I don’t believe it is so urgent that you couldn’t finish getting ready. The messenger didn’t seem to be in a hurry either, but I wouldn’t think letting him wait too long would be good. Is… everything alright?” she asked. Oddly enough, at the same time she asked this, getting a closer look at her, Akarui would see signs of combat. Some marks on her gear, and some cuts on her hands, including some bruising, on her chin in particular.
She didn’t seem to let any of it show. In fact she acted as if everything was normal, but most anyone who knows of Tsuki knows better. Tsuki, though at the top of her ranks, never remained unchallenged by reapers trying to prove themselves. Whether they thought her lack of natural abilities made her an easy target, or the fact that her rank was stagnant meant she wasn’t strong, many used her as a proving ground of sorts, and Tsukihana never refused a challenger, even if she thought she may lose. It was dishonorable to refuse, though it was also dishonorable to challenge people far beneath you in rank. For those punching up, however, it was widely encouraged, but not often employed due to the power difference in some ranks. With Tsuki, however, she often not only would be a popular target for those previously mentioned, but she was consistently a target of higher born reapers, which only seemed to solidify their hate if she had won against them.
Tsukihana hadn’t decided to talk about any challenges this morning, but it was so common for her that she hadn’t really cared to for a few years now, it’s just how things were. “If… you don’t mind, may I clean up a little before seeing the captain?” she asked with a small bow.
“That is
enough,” Suzune said sternly and just loud enough to be heard by all in the room. It was punctuated by a light wave of wind that washed across all more like a sonic boom than a breeze. “I will not have any fighting here. I would think that all of you may have had your fill,” She stated, looking around the room but particularly between Maeve and Kistal. “You are all welcome here, and we thank you for what all of you have done, but I will not allow anyone to make a mess of things here. You should be saving that energy for the road and eating up while you can,
before it gets cold.”
At that moment, sensing the tension in the room from Suzune, Allard came lumbering in from the back rooms, as if he had recently rolled out of bed. “Well now, ‘avin’ a bit of a scrap this early in tha mornin’ are we?” He rested his giant hand on Suzune’s shoulder and gave her a broad smile and nod, letting her know he would talk to them. Meanwhile, he noticed a plate of food out, proportioned for him, and took it eagerly. Bidzil, Nix, and even Hilde watched as he took an appreciative bite from the food, knowing that wasn’t all he’d have to say.
“Mmm, not often she gets ta make these,” Allard mentioned as he set down the steam bun. He then turned to the two who were arguing. “Alright… I dun know all tha details, but from tha other side of tha wall, I think I got tha jist. Critter in that vase took sumthin’, now it’s got people riled up. Ya know… I’ve lost a lot of things in life, still am it seems,” he started, Dorran still heavy on his heart. “But there is not a ‘thing’ I’ve lost that was worth someone else’s life. These objects, this house, hell, tha shirt on my back. I could lose it all, and aye, there would be fury. However, it’s when
people are hurt. That right there is where I draw my line. Kistal. In you there is a fire that burns, a will to help others from ones that would mean harm, even strangers like us. You have seen tha worst that people in this world have ta offer, and it has left a sensitive hatred in your heart. Maybe the wounds are still fresh, or too deep to forget. There is use in that hatred, but don’t let it cloud your judgement. People say things in anger that don’t always line up with their heart.” He nodded to Kistal, before moving on.
“Maeve. Aye, it can be frustration’ ta lose somethin’ of yur own, taken right out from under yur nose. Not only was your property tampered with but, yur privacy trespassed. However, there are some cultures, and especially most creatures, that have no such concept of things like ‘theft’ and ‘property’. Though I’d imagine some have an inklin’,” he mentioned, raising an eyebrow to the vase Nix carried, “but sometimes nature wins out. I know your heart better than I know Kistal’s. I know of his deeds at tha old temple that tha bandits made their home, yet I know your deeds first hand. Most our strongest warriors were off ta find our missing girls, you took it upon yourself ta help fight. Even when I fell, you were there ta get me to tha temple and even help treat patients when little Neev was run ragged.”
Allard reached over and grabbed a tankard, filling it up and taking a swig. After a couple gulps and half the tankard gone he continued. “Helps with tha soreness,” he chuckled. “What I’m tryin’ ta say is, you are both good people fightin’ on tha same side. Neither of ya should let somethin’ small as this get under ya skin. I watched tha little bugger run off with one of ma’tankards last night. Glass one at that. Found shards of it in tha bathroom sink ‘for the night was over. What I’m tryin’ ta say is, lives are what’s important, not things. So think clearly about both before ya take a step forward. An fur Krogan’s sake, yur all tha good sort, dun let some little tiff like this turn ya sour. Cuz if ya wreck the tavern, Suzune might drag ya ta tha arena ‘erself,” Allard finished with a laugh and another swig before continuing with his food.
Suzune looked over to Kallen when he asked about the peaches. “Actually, I do. There is a small peach that we can grow here, smaller than the ones in the scar, but they are quite sweet in comparison.” She went over to a small basket and pulled a towel covering to the side. She picked out the best one she could find and brought them to Kallen. “Don’t worry about paying,” she said with a smile. There were about ten plum sized peaches that she placed in a simple cloth sack and handed them to Kallen, interested in what he might try. Almost by instinct, if Kallen were to peer over to the vase, the top of the tinker’s head could be seen poking out
juuuust enough for the eyes to be locked onto whatever just went into that bag.
It was at this time that Lynn and Tyreal entered the inn as well, Lynn following just behind the larger ‘lady’. Lynn sniffed the air experimentally.
“Oh my, it smells wonderful in here,” she told Tyrael,
“What is that scent?” This drew a quizzical look from Bidzil as to him it seemed obvious. But cooked food was a bit of an oddity for Lynn, as it was a rare occurrence that she ran into it. Most of the food of the sea required little to no cooking for her people, especially those that mostly lived in the water.
Allard shifted in his seat after a couple bites and turned back to the rest of the crowd. “So, you two finally came around, find yurselves somewhere comfortable, Suzune’ll have ya somethin’ ta eat shortly,” Allard said, greeting the two that just came in. “Alright, fur tha rest of ya, I been curious. After here, where are ya gonna head off to?
Bidzil was quick to answer, not afraid to share anything like this as he didn’t feel it was anything important to hide.
“I want to try to find all the other treasures of the oracle. I know Krogan’s soul stone, which… admittedly I didn’t think it would house a fragment of his actual soul in it, but I know it is lost and there is a ring of sorts in Portea. Then there is the holy waters of Tundral, Sylph’s scythe, and the Crystal Sea’s trident,” he continued, pulling out a small worn book from a pouch, with a couple pages bookmarked with ribbon and dogeared in places. He opened it up to one of these bookmarks.
“Aaaand a tome of sorts from-,”“Did you say Crystal Sea trident!” Lynn called out, suddenly catching everyone’s attention. Lynn then looked a bit sheepish at the attention.
“O-oh, sorry, I-I didn’t mean to interrupt, it’s just… That’s why I came out all this way. It’s been... taken,” she explained, her ears drooping a bit.
“By who?” Hilde asked, smelling more adventure on the horizon and not noticing how interested she was getting. Allard raised an eyebrow, picking up on just exactly what was happening.
“We… aren’t sure. At first, these visitors had requested the trident peacefully, but they grew desperate," Lynn started to explain.
"We couldn't recognize the armor they wore, and they had these staves that were a blend of metal and wood that would cast such powerful spells before we knew what happened. Even the gruskans of legend couldn’t have casted magic so fast. It was easy for them to make their way into the temple, despite it being under water, and then they made off with the trident. They only attacked those that stood in their way, but that was still a large portion of our people, since most are trained in some way to defend ourselves.”Allard wiped his mouth and beard with a napkin and thought for a moment. “These are dangerous winds stirrin’. Should these treasures actually do what the old legends say, then if anyone were ta gather ‘em all, who knows what could happen.”
“That’s exactly why I want to gather them!” Bidzil said standing up.
“I admit it… at first, I wanted to use them for myself to restore my town, thinking that this would just be some old legend nobody believed in anymore and taking a chance… But look at this now! If there are this many people looking for it, I have to make sure they are found. I… I don’t know what I’ll do once I find them, but…,” he said, settling back down, plopping in his chair.
“Maybe if I could ask the oracle to do away with the ability to summon the Vanishing Kingdom so nobody can use it.”Allard watched the boy carefully, sizing him up and weighing his words. “Boy… If you were given the chance to have or do anything, would that really be your wish? Forsake the very reason you started all of this for everyone else?”
Bidzil looked up to meet Allard in the eyes, watching them intently before giving a strong nod,
“Yes… If it stops all of this… yes.”“Interesting,” Allard responded, scratching his beard.
“If you are going to gather them, I want to come with you,” Lynn declared.
“I need to make sure that the Trident goes back to it’s rightful resting place, and-”“Hold on, hold on,” Allard interrupted. “Before anyone starts getting riled up, there is one more part ta that ol tale. Ya need one more thing fur all of that ta work. You have a transcendent you know that's willing to sacrifice themselves to summon tha Oracle?”
The room went silent, as most didn’t know the tale of the Vanishing Kingdom and the Oracle. Nothing about Allard seemed jolly at the moment. He was putting Bidzil’s real character on the line, and for a moment, Allard was thinking that there may be something more sinister behind Bidzil than what he put on.
“A-a sacrifice!? Wait, what kind of ritual is this? We can’t ask or make someone to sacrifice themselves for something like that, it would be better to destroy the treasures-” Hilde started, but Bidzil quietly stood up and started taking off his jacket, letting it fall to hang from his waist at the belt.
“I do, actually…,” he said. You could hear a pin drop as they stared at Bidzil, some confused, but most likely none that went to the encampment and actually knew what transcendants were. Lynn backed away from him for a moment, not sure what to think. Bidzil closed his eyes and slowly summoned his wing, which if done slowly enough, didn’t rip from his back like it did before, though it was still fairly painful as he visibly gritted his teeth. If Allanon were behind him, he would notice that the wing emerged from the scar he saw on his back the other day.
“Me… If I need to, I will gladly do what is necessary.” Immediately, any mana boosting effect would fade and anyone being able to feel such things would feel it, and slowly as Bidzil switched from supplying mana to pulling mana from nature, he would slowly be bathed in a very dim glow.
“But from the looks of what has happened here, I don’t think I will be able to do it alone. I know it’s way more than what anyone should ever ask, but… I could use all the help I can get. I understand if some of you don’t want to help me with this, I get it, but I haven’t seen stronger people in all my life. I don’t have anywhere else to go back to. I was gone whem Trantis was attacked for a reason… this has to be it,” he ended confidently.
