EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The pair stood at the top of the stairs just outside the city gates. The elevated position provided a good view of the expanse of Blackreach: obviously a familiar sight by this point, but one that Ahnasha still cherished after the battle they had been through. There had not been assurances that any of them would see it again. “No matter where in the world they’re from, there’s some things a warrior can’t deny, especially when they see them with their own eyes. Someone with true, genuine strength can recognize the same when they see it. Even if he wanted to try to lie to himself about it, he knows who I am, what I can do. I am a true master of Conjuration, and I don’t think he’ll be able to deny me that respect.”

Ahnasha tilted her head, laughing as she glanced over to Fendros. “And you, well, you killed a god with your own hands. If he can’t respect that, he can’t respect anything.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Despite being a much shorter distance overall, almost half of the time they were going to be spending on this journey was in the mountains on the way to Ertiseda. It was difficult terrain on land, and once they got to the river, their pace would improve exponentially. Still, Kareets estimates of how much time they would require did end up being inaccurate. Based on their size, weight, and body structure, Kareet did not expect that they would be particularly adept at mountaineering. Certainly, they could not keep up with a Tekeri’s pace, but what she had not planned on was exactly how much endurance they seemed to have. Even those who did not have too much physical conditioning were able to keep marching on for much longer than Kareet would have thought. They were able to get by with fewer breaks than they had planned on.

---

Upon reaching Ertiseda, Kareet and J’eon would find it seemingly a much different place from when they had last seen it. The small, peaceful village was now host to a sizable force of soldiers from Lenkik. Their camp was outside the bounds of the village, but the number of tents they had collected there was almost enough to match the size of the village itself. In any case, none of them would be staying in the village for long. In fact, they made a point to take a wide path around the village. The arrival of the Humans would be announced in time, but until then, Kvarr had requested that they try to avoid letting rumors spread unabated.

The barge the group was guided to was one of the many that had been used to ferry the soldiers from Lenkik. It was a simple vessel that emphasized having ample space for cargo and passengers. It was largely wooden with some metal reinforcements.There was a canvas canopy that could be raised over it in case of inclement weather, but otherwise it was open to the elements. It had more than enough space for all of its passengers and all of the supplies they would need, but it was hard to say that it was going to be “comfortable” for any of them to spend the next few days confined to a riverboat. Hopefully, no one on board was uncomfortable with crowded spaces.

The barge had plenty of oars and seats along the sides for rowing, but those were meant as a backup to the primary means of propulsion. At the stern was a sizable paddlewheel powered by a mechanism operated by a pair of Lightning mages. There were a set of gears that translated motion from a single, large spiral spring at its center, connected to a large gear. A Lightning mage could easily apply tension to the spring, which would steadily release its energy into the mechanism.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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Once gathered, the group Nellara was leading to Arcaeda was quick to depart. Provided there were no major delays, they could expect to arrive in the capital in just a handful of days. For the sake of speed, they would be taking a smaller barge that could handle just over a dozen passengers, so six of Nellara’s soldiers accompanied them as an escort. They carried with them ample supplies for a journey over double the length of what they were expecting. Once they could reach Ertiseda, near which most of Kvarr’s forces were still stationed, they would be able to take the river the rest of the way. Until then, though, they would be hiking through the mountains to the town.

Kareet was no stranger to the road, as was often the life of a Seeker. Their role often had them traveling the world in search of answers, or at the very least, interesting questions. Indeed, some of the more interesting individuals she had met so far were joining in on this journey. Both Vigdis and the Humans’ leader, Zey, were excellent subjects to interview, as long as they were willing to answer her questions. Particularly once they were on the boat, it would be difficult for them to avoid her questions. When they were not available, Kolvar could perhaps be persuaded to answer questions about his people. J’eon had accepted her offer to come to Arcaeda, though part of her wished Shirik had as well. She did not know why they had even wanted to go to Mythadia, but perhaps their continued association with the Humans would lead them to meet again in the future.

They had only just started out on the trek to Ertiseda, having crossed to the other side of the mountain on which the Jotunheim rested. Even high up in the mountains, the air would be energizing to any Human who breathed it, which could be helpful to those not accustomed to long hikes. The Tekeri in particular traversed even rocky, uneven terrain with hardly any effort. It was painfully obvious that the Tekeri were moving at what was, to them, a painfully slow pace just to allow the others to keep up. Kareet, though, seemed more occupied with simply observing the Humans, the gear they chose to bring with them, and especially the weapons they carried.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

There was silence from Kaleeth for a time. She took a deep breath, her hand gently grasping his. After what seemed like an eternity, there was, for a brief moment, a grin. “I guess we’ll just have to swim on, then. Come on, we…don’t want to be late.”

---

The pack’s outing was being held not too far outside the Silent City, along one of the rivers. It was a quiet spot nestled between two groves of glowing mushroom trees, out of the way of where most of the city’s residents tended to gather, especially now. Fendros’ pack, as well as some of their friends and family would be joining them. All three of the children would of course be with them, and Sabine’s sister, Ariel, had not yet left for home, so she was able to join them.

Ahnasha and Fendros were in the city square, just about to leave to join the others. They would likely be the last to arrive, as Fendros had just finished up with a short meeting with the council that he had no option to get out of. Fortunately, there was nothing to keep them for the rest of the day. “So…” Ahnasha started, glancing away with slight hesitation. “Did you want to ask your father to come along? He’ll probably be heading back home soon enough.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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Unlike in the mountains proper, the early morning air was not nearly as chilly as it would have been deeper in the Ascendancy. The insulating feathers of the Tekeri were perfectly suited to their homeland to the point that they could be comfortable even on the coldest of nights. If anything, the warm, humid air near to the swamps was a minor nuisance to the small group of Tekeri soldiers gathered before General Kvarr. Castigator Nellara was at the lead of the group, as he had requested her presence personally.

“I have sent word to my forces in Ertiseda to have a barge prepared for you to return to Arcaeda. They should be ready for you by the time you arrive. I will also take care of contacting Lenkik to have another take temporary charge of your responsibilities as Castigator there. This business is likely going to take quite some time, and I think we can both agree that it is far more important than your day-to-day keeping the peace. You should try to get moving as soon as you can. I’ve been seeing no shortage of activity from the Humans outside their ship. I would suggest you go let them know that you are ready to leave when they are. The Seeker will also be accompanying you as well, so be sure to collect her and any of the..others she has decided to bring with her.”

The General gestured for the Castigator to step aside with him so they could speak more privately. “You will be bringing them to the Archmagister herself. Depending on the time of day you arrive, it may be more appropriate for you to take a night’s rest before meeting with her, but that meeting should be your first order of business, besides. I have sent a message ahead, so they should be ready for you when you arrive. With it, I have also given my own recommendations for your role in all of this, Castigator. Should she agree with me, which, if I know her, she shall, then she will also have words for you, personally.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

The camp was being packed up as J’eon approached Kareet. Most of Nellara’s soldiers were going to join up with the reinforcements Kvarr had brought at their camp nearby, somewhat farther from the Jotunheim. They were going to be taking a single boat back to Arcaeda which could only hold so many people, though it was not as if they needed a large escort. The Ascendancy’s riverways were safe and frequently patrolled, as they were the lifeblood of trade that connected nearly every one of their major settlements. The General, meanwhile, intended to remain in the area, at least until they had negotiated a more comprehensive deal with the Warden.

“I just want to invite you to give your account to the Sages. Despite everything else that has happened, that event has not left my mind. The creature was strange…like something that shouldn’t exist. It may not be as important, but it is still worth making records of.” Kareet answered J’eon, giving a quick glance towards the Jotunheim. “Besides, if you really want to fulfill orders for the Humans, you will be able to access actual, proper tools in Arcaeda.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

“I just…” Kaleeth began, though there was a rather long pause from her. “I realize that things will never be the same. I’ll never be myself again. I’ll always be broken like this. We’ll never have Meesei, and so many others who didn’t come back.”

She shook her head, sighing softly at the thoughts that were pouring through her own mind. “We won, but Vile still took all of that from us. From me. We deserved to be able to be happy. We didn’t provoke him, didn’t do anything, he just…took from us. I’m never going to be able to go run, or hunt, or…well I guess I can still swim, but I won’t be able to live like I want to anymore.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

---

The moment Zey had returned, the General’s focus had shifted solely back to her. He hardly had to guess to know what to expect from Esedel; the Humans were more of his concern. Still, their requests were not unexpected considering what he already knew. He did quietly question why it was that they apparently made clothing that was particularly prone to being inflamed, but it was an easy enough request to fulfill. They would have to be made custom for the shape of the Humans, given that there were no other people on Kanth-Aremek of similar size who also wore them, but it seemed that Silbermine already had a head-start in that regard. Lightning mages, though, were something that he may have already been equipped to handle.

“Depending upon your needs, the forces accompanying me may be sufficient to supply lightning. Lightning mages are a part of our mage regiments.” Kvarr proposed. It was undeniable that the Ascendancy was a smaller nation than Mythadia. Their neighbor to the northwest could field greater forces in every respect, but the Ascendancy was centralized, and much more organized. Mythadia had to rely on the cooperation of local lords, most of whom organized themselves differently from one another. The Ascendancy’s military organization was standardized across their territory, so Kvarr had only to identify himself in Lenkik to take command of their local forces.

“As for land…I do not think it necessary to seek it out anywhere else. I think it is quite obvious that you would not wish to leave this ship of yours behind, under any circumstance. I think it is fair to say that your home in this world is wherever the…Jotunheim happens to be. I understand this, and I think it is fair to grant you a slice of this land where you have crashed, until such a time as you wish to cede it. The Archmagister would be honored to invite you to Arcaeda to discuss and formalize this agreement with her in person.” Kvarr added.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

---

Kvarr hummed, glancing aside slightly in the direction of Shirik. “If I am being honest, I’ve had little time to familiarize myself with the civilians who have accompanied the Castigator in her camp. Obviously, the Iriad is an outsider to the Ascendancy. I…cannot help but to feel that there is something familiar about them, though. I may have read a tale or two about a being that would fit their description. Unfortunately, I haven’t spent too much time reading stories these last few decades, so I can’t say I remember them. They are certainly unique; I am curious how they can live imbued with flame.”

There was not too much time for Kvarr nor Esedel to speculate. Those who had gone off after the Life mage soon returned, accompanied by the mage himself. Evidently, his malaise had been dealt with, and the Humans’ leader made it clear that she was ready to get to the meat of these negotiations.

“Of course.” Kvarr answered Zey. “I am quite familiar with my counterpart here, and those she represents, but I am most curious to hear what your people would want.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

Provided the most direct explanation was the correct one, and there was no further deception afoot, the notion of one or more Kriliterans still being alive was a significant discovery that would make for a notable report back to the Order of Sages.

And it was only the fourth one this week.

Still, there was something to be learned here. Some of Kerchack’s, or rather “Kolvar’s”, general awkwardness made more sense now. The arrival of the Humans was still a far more valuable subject for her to investigate, and even had the potential for her to produce an entire encyclopedia. Any substantial, detailed investigation into the Kriliterans would have to wait until she had learned what she needed from the Humans. Which, of course, made his apparent intention to kill himself all the more inconvenient. His corpse would tell her much less than he could.

“Hmm, what purpose would this death serve, Kolvar?” Kareet asked. “Thusfar, you have not encountered any representative nor servant of a S’toric state. The Warden, this Thought mage, General Kvarr, all are in service of Mythadia or the Ascendancy, respectively. Slavery is a forbidden practice in both nations.”