Quiet and still darkness overshadowed everyone. Their awareness of time was completely removed. For all they could perceive; mere minutes, days, or even
weeks could have passed. There was no way to tell. Even the perception of their fellow allies was affected. They were each alone with their thoughts for better or worse. Musings about family, life, death and trust. Then they heard something. The splashing of water in motion.
They didn't know how long it had been since they had last heard
anything at all. But sure enough, the splashing continued. Then they began to become aware of a hard surface below them. Finally, their eyes opened. Before them a vast expanse of sea..and much more.
The largest dog any of them had ever seen looked out toward the sea. At least ten times the size of the Wolfborn from before. Next to it stood a cloaked figure with a staff in hand. Off in the distance they could spot a tower with a beam of light shooting outward. Around themselves they noticed both Merlin and Martyrdom were nowhere to be seen. But Lorenzo, Marque, Col and Bastian all laid nearby one another.
Suddenly, both of them turned toward the group and ran. The dog made it within seconds. The rocks shook, its paws thundering against the hard ground with each step. When it was within a few feet of the group it skidded to a stop.
Just barely bumping into Lorenzo. Its tongue lapped out of its mouth in excitement. It was hard to tell whether it was happy to see fresh meat or to lay eyes on
them.
After half a minute, the hooded figure made it to the group. It was apparently a man as they perceived a deep, rasping coming from him. He brushed passed everyone. Then he made his way directly to Marque and gripped both his shoulders tightly. Everyone could see a ragged, bearded, but smiling man.
From Marque's perspective, Gardevoir looked beat. Like a man who had been on the run, obviously, but more than that. The last time he had seen the man he was clean shaven and well kept. Now he had a fully grown beard, scraggly hair and a walking staff. Even still, Marque could feel the warmth emanating from his master's eyes.
Gardevoir began to speak between breaths,
"Marque! Hah..I knew you had the gusto to find me!..hah..these your friends?" He gestured to them inquisitively and continued,
"Your animals are safe..hah..and this one has been waiting..hah.." He glanced at Lorenzo and the enormous dog, smiling,
"From the looks of it..hah..I think it's found what its been looking for.." Then he shook his head as if to snap out of a distraction and continued,
"Never mind that now..hah..we must traverse this cove toward that light tower..There is no time to waste!" Gardevoir turned in a flash, his cloak flipped behind him in a whirl as he swaggered toward the light tower.
During all this time, the dog simply stared at Lorenzo and panted. After Gardevoir's introduction, it licked Lorenzo's face with a giant, wet tongue. In any other circumstance Lorenzo would be terrified of a beast this size. But something was different about this one. Something..
familiar. The dog lowered itself and reached out with its paw for Lorenzo to grab onto. It continued to pant excitedly.
Upon a quick inspection of their inventories, the group would find everything that they had acquired where they had left it. Items that had been equipped at the time of their fall were laying nearby. Even Merlin's saddlebags were there.
The party would notice some of their items had underwent a slight change. The shield Col had picked up had a certain gleam about it that it didn't before. Colley's sword, which Bastian picked up, had a crimson red color that covered the entire blade excluding the hilt.
