Faith in the Spirits Arc 1: To Align the Stars

[Nanami Touko]

Alvira didn't bother acknowledging Tio's correction. The dragon had no plans to ever speak with her unless she needed to stand up for someone again, and no matter the consequences, she wasn't giving this woman respect unless she deserved it. Only time would tell.

Ingverd sighed, holding his smile. It was going to be troubling to work with some of these folk... The dragon and the drunk, most of all. "Okay~ I'll be remaining with you all, then, per Tio's suggestion..." He withheld her full name for the moment, already realizing she was on edge thanks to Alvira. "Let's find us all a boat, yes? Natalya, if you don't mind, I'd like to be with you during vessel discussions once we've found someone willing... I've no issue flashing a little gold to smooth conversations." He smiled at her, wider, genuine, hoping she would start moving to get past this tension.

[MRDRHAWK]

Well, that sucked! Nyx was really hoping for a bit of advance pay to make the trip more worth it in the short term. Oh well, so it went; at the very least, the new folk didn’t seem to be too prickly, unlike some of the kids they had. Though, given some of the circumstances they might’ve come from, Nyx could hardly blame them - although maybe she was just projecting, and by that point she knew she wasn’t anywhere near drunk enough to be having an existential crisis at this point in the day.

”Well, I mean, s’been a few years since I’ve been in Hecatia… hopefully s’not a pro’lem when we get there. Unless one o’ those loonies I used’t work wit’ got a lil’ crazy wit’ power.”

Especially if it was her old running buddies. They’d probably get a little testy if their old boss suddenly showed up out of the blue with crown backing, while they were still in the muck. That… would be less than ideal. Probably. But there’s no way that would happen, right?

[TheRoon]

Well it was happening, and by this point Renais had no power to stop it. Her last clue lead her back to Glacies, but she wasn't done with her research here. If she left for Islexia and Liza happened to still be here then it would break her. On the other hand: She was asked for help by the Evokers themselves, which was a massive honor for someone like Renais. Turning them down would be terrible of course, but Renais wasn't sure she was ready to fight in such an important battle. On top of that leaving the mercenary squad without a healer would also be a blow.

"......"

The hooded girl looked aside, practically at war with herself. She wasn't sure what to do, and she didn't know who to talk to about this considering how reserved she kept herself from everyone. To accept would be a risk, to deny would be a risk. The pinkette was not in a good place. '...my sister's life...may be in danger. But...mm...' She rose a hand to her head and felt it a bit. '...maybe...I'll compose a letter of resignation...just in case...' 

Edited January 3, 2022 by TheRoon

[GoldsbroTSG]

Miria felt the chill in the air after Alvira called Tio something she didn't like. There was an amount of fear she felt, considering her learning that Tio was intensely strong. Don't call her Tiora... Got it. Miria made the mental note, with the mental stamp, and nail... This is an enemy she didn't want to make by accident.

It was then, Ingverd attempted to break the tension by announcing he was going to get them a boat. Good... 

"Well, uh... if it's okay, would I be able to accompany you, Sir Ingverd? Of course, also with permission from Miss Natalya. I've never had to negotiate a boat before... but, um, I still know some old tricks from trading. And uh-- you never know, could use some extra protection." She had a light smile as her face began to redden. She did honestly want to go. It seemed interesting, and she like this new person in the group. It's never too early to start learning. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Silver Gallade

[Nanami Touko]

"... Ahah. You sure you won't be the one getting extra protection~?" Ingverd smirked at Miria's request, glancing at Natalya. "So long as it's fine with your boss, why not? Just make sure you ask us before chiming in. No sailor will want to take us there as it stands, wouldn't want to accidentally ruin a good deal... Yes?"

[GoldsbroTSG]

Miria made a small grumble in response to his first sentence. Of course, he wouldn't really know... Her face solidified, "I'm way stronger than you think, y'know. I-I can prove it too!" It'd be some time before their first battle together, but she held herself firm. She was a kid, but she had that spark of confidence.

In regards to everything else however, "And I-I mean... of course. I don't wanna mess up for you and Miss Natalya." Her face remained stern. 

[Ursali]

Tio's stare had been met by one Alriana's own, the lizard beginning to tilt her head in a show of curiosity before Alvira stepped between her and the Evoker. She was no stranger to receiving odd looks, though Tio's had seemed to be one of curiosity more so than the judgmental and dismissive looks she usually got. There wasn't any reason for the dragon to involve herself, but the lizard appreciated the gesture all the same. At least her question had gotten answered after the staring contest was over and Alvira had scared Tio off. 

[mcd900]

Heavy Cat

Spoiler

Alvira walked into the training grounds early one morning, yawning hard... And there was that cat girl. Laniva. She wasn't much of a talkative one, but neither was Alvira, so that wasn't something that bothered her. No, something else did. Something she was better off leaving alone, but seeing her training with that... Overgrown slab of wood, for a training sword... And all her armor? It didn't make sense. Alvira sighed. While she wished to be alone, this wouldn't leave her mind, this early in the morning especially. "Laniva," she called out, flatly, "why do you wear all that armor and use such heavy weapons?" The mercenary company couldn't afford proper greatswords, but they could still manage to setup training weapons similar enough...

 

Create distance with the weapon... then as the foe parries the blade aside, step back with the leading foot and slash upwards, across the body... 

Laniva's blade made a satisfying impact against the improvised training dummy, and she reset her stance, before turning towards her unexpected visitor. Tossing the training blade roughly to the ground, she shrugged in response. "Why not? It comes easy to me. It'd be a waste of strength to not use it for fighting like this, don't you think?" A bit of a blunt answer, but she would've thought it might have been obvious looking at her frame. Mages probably had a way of finding each other out, anyways... not that she knew.

"...I never finished learning how to use blades this size properly, though. Still figuring it out - it's why I don't wield any. Yet."

"A waste of your... A-Aren't you a cat? A beastkin?" She'd seen a few fighting before, they were always relying on their speed to get many strikes in before the enemy could counter. Seeing one so weighed down, now... "Shouldn't, you be relying on your natural agility? You do have that, right? Maybe it was some other species of cat I saw before... S-Still! Wouldn't you be better off with less armor and a lighter sword? Am I crazy...?" Seeing Laniva so sure of herself, Alvira felt like she'd just clawed up the wrong tree...

 

"Yeah, I am, but... natural agility...? Don't really know what you're talking about." She thumped her breastplate emphatically. "I don't really think I look the agile sort... and the sword's not really heavy. I helped farm for a few years when I was young, it gets you strong, else you're exhausted after each day." She walked a bit closer to Alvira; surely she'd understand if she had half a good look at her.

"Not every cat's like that anyways, right? I think, at least. Be strange if not a one wasn't."

As Laniva got closer, Alvira was expecting her to be taller... But they were shockingly similar in height. Huh. "I guess, not... A farm, huh. Where are you from, originally?" She wasn't human, so there wouldn't be any harm in prying, just a little. "I can't imagine something like that not being heavy, though... And no, that wasn't a curiosity in trying to lift it. My books get too heavy sometimes, I can't possibly carry that."

 

"Kansei. Wasn't always a farmer, though. Knights from the castle nearby decided I'd be a squire when they saw me one day. Had to leave, though... people decided they'd had enough of a Clouded in their midst." She shrugged, not out of indifference, but inability to change her own situation. "That's just people for you, I guess - up and ready to change their tune when they feel like it." She drew near to Alvira, sensing that she didn't seem too skittish to hold a conversation. 

"Enough of that, though. If you find yourself with too many books, just tell me. I can manage a bunch of books, no problem... what about you? Where are you from?

"... I'm from, Lufiria." That was all she was willing to say, hopefully Laniva didn't ask further questions. "And... I'm surprised you managed to live there long enough to accomplish anything. Everything I've heard of their current leader is that he hates us all. True monsters especially... Guess you're lucky to still have your life." How troubling... Weren't they all, living, breathing beings? Then again, I'm not exactly kind to humans... But they started this, didn't they? We're just trying to live. Ugh...

"You, can carry my books if it pleases you, I guess. Less load is always nice."

"Lufiria, huh... I see." It was obvious enough, even to Laniva, that asking more was probably off-limits. She sighed softly. "It wasn't always like that. People didn't mind who you were, even for a few years after the decree. Then, everyone started having to fall in line, and that changed things... I hid myself for a while, but there's only so much you can do." She left out the details about how exactly she was found out; it was still rather something of a sore spot.

She patted her armor lightly, a little proud. "You're right that I was lucky, though. I had enough friends from... well, from before everything, really, that I managed to keep this. Would've missed it dearly..." 

 

"... Do you miss your life in Kansei?" Glacies had its issues, but at least you could walk around without getting harassed on... The main streets. Maybe Laniva had friends she used to talk to, but at least she could make new ones here without too much issue... Probably. "You at least seem proud of your armor and stuff. Mmm... I, I guess, it's nice that, we have someone more confident around here. Mm... You and Aegean, I feel like, are the only people I can really rely on in a fight. Other than Tasha, of course..."

Alvira sighed. "Nyxied is a drunk, Aly is a wild card, Renais..." She didn't finish her thoughts on Renais, looking away. "Miria, is... Ugh, no, I'm not talking about her either. Maybe I can rely on Syndra, but... We're both mages, I can't expect her to, protect me. So thank you for your armor, I guess... Maybe it really is better that you don't fight without it."

 

"...I do. I was just a kid in a village, and then a squire training with so many others, bright-eyed and all. Haven't got nearly as lofty a goal as I used to now, but at least the pay is steady here." At the compliment, she glanced away slightly, unused to such direct appreciation. "...ah, y, yeah. It would be bad if all of you together couldn't stop one idiot with a sword... so I guess you can stay behind me if things get bad."

She was unaware of it, but she'd started fidgeting. "I am pretty attached to the armor... after I left Kansei, I spent more time than I ought in it. Didn't have much else."

"I will be relying on you as my cat shaped meat shield, Laniva." Alvira nodded, looking back down at her books... "Mmm... Well, you've fulfilled my curiosity. I'm going to put you squarely into the 'people I don't hate being next to', camp, of all the misfits around here... And I hope you're okay with that. Sorry... That I can't be friendlier. I... Mmm. Yeah. That's all... If you... If you have any more questions-- That aren't about my past, I can answer them."

 

"S... sure. It's not like I can just leave you helpless in a fight. And... good. Wouldn't want anyone resenting me when I don't really know anyone here..." She trailed off, quietly, and for a moment Laniva was quiet.

"I, hmm, ah... I don't really know where to start. Used to being around a lot of people similar to me... Tell me about things you like, I guess." 

She huffed a little, unused to making friends in such a manner. "And... you can stick around when I train, if you want. ...If that's interesting to you."

 

"Mmm... I like reading. And practicing magic... Even, if I hate my magic." She sighed, letting a cube of ice twirl. "I haven't really had a lot of time for hobbies, but maybe I can find some more with this group. With some of you. And ignore the rest of you... Urgh. Sorry if I'm, so negative. I have my reasons... so if you can put up with it, I'll watch you train."

Edited January 4, 2022 by mcd900

[JakezuGD]

Elisa showed a pout in response to Alvira's intentional annoyance. She knew Tio was well able to stand up for herself, but disrespect like that was a quick way to end up on the relatively short list of people she didn't like. Ingverd she could forgive, what with his flamboyantly teasing tendencies, and knowing he didn't quite mean anything with it... but she did rather hope she wouldn't have to personally intervene with anyone messing with her wife. That might end with some collateral damage.

Though, it would soon be time for them to depart for the business they still had left in Glacies. Ingverd and the mercenaries could coordinate finding a ship well enough between each other. "Yes, indeed~ We'll see all of you again soon enough. Good luck with the travel negotiations!" The strawberry blonde was chipper once again, giving a small curtsy to the group, attaching herself to Tio's arm on the way out.

Once they were back on the street outside, she did have some thoughts to share with her wife, however. "...You know, this wasn't what I was expecting when Iseria mentioned that these mercenaries were unique. Maybe a few strong personalities, their Clouded commander... I think we've got more questions for Natalya when we have the time."

---

Natalya, for her part, just wanted to grab Alvira and tell her to cut that out right now, but that would've been an even worse look than was already put on them. The others were at least thankfully supportive of what they were getting into, even if Nyx had her specific concerns, and the general trepidation of taking on such a massive job. I'll have to talk to her after this. No matter what her problem there might be, it can't be worth jeopardizing the job for. Three hundred thousand is way too much to risk for anything.

Not that she'd get a chance right away. If they were leaving as soon as possible, she'd have to get things settled for that once again, organizing everything to make Almira's job as easy as possible... And only a single night in between this and their previous job to relax. That was just the way things were turning for Glacies, it seemed. "Sorry, Ingverd, but I'm also the armorer, so I've got a lot to do besides that. Gean, Miria, you two go with him to the port to get us a ship and crew. I'm gonna run a check on the armory and get everyone's gear in condition, so make sure your stuff is there before you leave. The rest of you pack supplies for yourselves and make sure you're as rested as you can be by the time we leave the country." With that said, the next thing would be to get their secretary up to speed on what's going on. Worst comes to worst, Almira would get the compound for herself; not that that was something she wanted to think about... you just had to be prepared for the possibility in this line of work.

[Nanami Touko]

Alvira, not realizing the danger she'd just put herself in, merely huffed and began to leave again, going to pack what she needed for such a trip. I'm going to make that money and come back, you two. Just a little bit longer...

Ingverd, meanwhile, shrugged and continued his smile, glancing towards Aegean. "Fancy acquiring a boat for your boss? Miria, Aegean, shall we?" How he knew their names was anyone's guess, as most of them hadn't been said aloud, but he continued to act like this was normal and turned to leave as well.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Tio turned and looked at Elisa, "A few questions may be an understatement..." But in all actuality, Tio figured that they would have plenty of time to speak with the Commander about things. For now, they needed to focus on getting the remainder of things sorted so they could be absent for as long as they were going to be. This likely wasn't going to be as cut-and-dry a mission as it sounded. Finding the envoy would be all well and good--should they have still been alive at this point--but the real issue was that they were now well behind schedule. It had been about a month since the envoy had left to rendezvous, and tensions had only seemed to escalate since then. The proof was all of the pirate sightings around Glacies as of late. Tio only hoped that they wouldn't be too late to stop another Islexian Collapse scenario... or perhaps something even worse.  All the more reason to make this all work.

---

Fortunately, things progressed swimmingly for the group; preparations were quick and simple for the majority of the group, Aegean, Ingverd and Miria managed to find a merchant ship that was traveling to the Hecatian port of Eibar and was more than willing to assist after realizing who the Iron Tigers were, acknowledgement of their charges, and Ingverd's gold-tinted words. The ship would be leaving in the evening after all of their stock was accounted for. A quick turn around, but one that worked for the nature of their mission. The sooner they could set off, the better. One by one, the group made their way to the ship as their personal things had been accounted for, Renais being the last to board. With the sun setting on the horizon, the ship began performing its final checks, and prepared to set sail. But quickly, what should have been a quiet casting off was interrupted by a panicked call. 

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaait! Please hold on! Waaaaait!" A woman with ice blue hair burst onto the docks with two bags over her shoulder. She peered over her should as she ran towards the ship, "Come on, come oooooooon! They're going to leave without us!" From around that same corner came an enormous, dark skinned man with dark red hair carrying another person with silver hair. Scales up and down his arms, and a tail; it was impossible to mistake him as anything but a Clouded. It may have been the early summer months but the man sported only a vest, which would have revealed his well build physique had he not been carrying a passenger. 

"The more time you spend shouting at us, is more time that you could have been asking them to wait, Maria!" The cradled passenger sighed, and annoyed flush on their face, "Sorry about her... she's a handful sometimes. Thanks again for this, we definitely wouldn't have come close otherwise..."

The group of three hurried along; the call gave the sailors enough reason to pause so that they could quickly make their way onto the boat. The ice-blue haired woman doubled over on deck for a moment, before standing up revealing her knee length, sky-blue and black dress, open in the front showing the tights underneath, and making it possible for her to move the way she had. She was a fetching beauty, and she appeared to know that with how the dress accentuated her. "Ha... Thank you... Thank you so much... for waiting... just a bit..." She reached into one of the bags, and flicked out a fan, just as the other two made it on deck. "Sorry... We would have been here sooner... but someone... had to go and twist an ankle." Her red eyes flashed a tinge of annoyance before she turned to face the large clouded man, and quickly curtsied, "Thank you... so, so much. We wouldn't have made it without you--I certainly couldn't carry Chris all the way here, and our things--I'll make it up to you, I promise, uh... what was your name, again?" 

The clouded's passenger put a hand to their head, and sighed. 

Edited January 4, 2022 by Mercenary on the Winds

[scorri]

It had been an otherwise pretty normal day up to that point. Cinaed had been in town for a day or two, looking for passage to Hecatia, intending to become a mercenary on the mainland. He had originally intended to stay in Glacies, but the more he'd thought about it, the more he'd come to think that there would be better opportunities to make his name on the continent. There was more happening there, after all. The fact that most of the merc groups he had tried to join had been uninterested in an untested eighteen year old had had absolutely nothing to do with the decision. Or at least that's what he had told his worried parents. 

It had been a complete coincidence that had set his path to the docks down the same one the two performers had been traveling, but they had been glad for the chance meeting. When Cinaed had seen their predicament, Maria struggling to support Chris as they slowly limped their way to the dock, he had immediately slowed to offer help. Originally they had requested that he simply run ahead and ask the ship to hold, but he had offered a different solution. Which had led him to the present, holding the slim body of Chris in his arms as they boarded the ship.

"Haha, no worries my lady. I was glad to help and since our destination was shared, it was anything but an inconvenience. My name is Cinaed Astuikami, a bit of a mouthful, I know." He flashed a smile at Maria and then looked down at his passenger. "Well then, we have reached the ship. Are you able to stand on your own or should I take you down below to a place you can better sit?"

[Mercenary on the Winds]

"I'll... be fine from here. If not, I can lean on Maria." Chris said, face still a tad red from embarrassment. "Cinead, huh? I'll keep that in mind. Because Maria won't." 

Maria glared at him, "So who are you going to lean on if you can't walk? Sorry, I've forgotten already." She huffed, "You know I keep my promises, and I promised to pay him back. So I'll remember." Maria looked around, most eyes were on them due to their sudden arrival. Maria's volume probably wasn't helping matters. She righted herself, and searched for the first person that she found interesting. There, out of the corner of her eye was another red haired dragon, though her hair was brighter and longer than Cinead's. Also in contrast to their rescuer, her scales were a beautiful purple; with the right care and preparation, Maria thought they could shine brilliantly in the moonlight. She sauntered over, "Excuse me... do you know where the captain is at this moment? I've got to speak with them." 

[Nanami Touko]

Their acquiring of a boat had gone swimmingly, Alvira stepping onto the vessel with a sigh. The last time she'd been on such a large ship was on her way to Glacies. Now she was leaving... And while part of her was happy to get away from the country that had pained her, part of her regretted it. Once she'd met Tasha, everything had begun to turn around. Sure, she didn't get along with half the group, but she liked most of them, and it was good paying work. Now...

Now, she was getting harassed by strangers that had been late to... Wasn't this their ride, anyway? Who was this lady and why was she here? Along with--

Alvira could tell he was a fire dragon immediately, bristling at the sight. No wings, so either had gotten into an accident, or he was half... Still. She'd met a few in her travels in Lufiria, and they'd either mocked her or pitied her, and she didn't want any of it.

Despite being able to see the captain from where she was standing, her annoyance combined with her Now quiet seething over another, probably functional fire dragon, left her staring blankly at this woman. "No. Piss off."

"What she means is!" Ingverd had caught this beauty running off to their cherry bomb and thankfully got there in time before more words could be exchanged. "What our lovely Alvira means, is, she's feeling a bit seasick-- bad on the water, you know how fire dragons are-- and that she hasn't been personally acquainted with the captain. I would be happy to show you to our delightful 'driver', so to speak, miss...?" Ingverd bowed a bit, righting himself and holding out a hand to shake.

Alvira gagged. Has to play the nice guy, does he? Wanting nothing to do with this exchange, Alvira passed Ingverd, conjuring a cube of ice to slip down his shirt.

The elf jumped, but managed to hold his smile. "Really, don't... worry about her. Just a bad day." Alvira, we won't always be here to cover for you. I hope you can handle yourself... 

[Bluemask 96]

Aegean was enjoying the view off the side of the ship. Maybe it was just Seafolk nature, but being at the water always calmed the girl. She had done everything she needed to. Help procure a ship, prep all the necessary items, and visit a certain someone before leaving...

The Dinner Before

Spoiler

 The house was still, the only sounds to be heard scribing of pen to paper, and the cackle of the fireplace. Aegean paused briefly to read over the letter she had been forming for the past half hour. With all luck, said letter would explain everything she needed to tell him.

 The creak of the door was the only thing to bring her out of her thoughts. With a deep breath she put her pen down and looked towards her father entering back with a crate in his arms.

 "You're back earlier than I expected you. Was this fishing trip good?"

Duncan had not expected his daughter to be there upon entering the home. Most days she chose to stay with the Mercenaries, even if they were not on contract. Setting the crate aside he picked himself up and tried to give her a smile. "Hello to you too dear. If I knew you were coming I'd have grabbed you a gift." 

Her next question had good intentions, but did bring his mood down. " Fish keep being stingy. Nothing worth visiting home that's for sure." Coming to the table, he pulled out the chair across from her to look at her properly. "So what brings you home this time. By the looks of that letter, I'm guessing it's work related."

Always the observant one huh dad. "You guessed it, but even you'll be shocked at who it's from. Seems the good Queen has need for us Iron Tigers." Aegean took a deep breath. If she was gonna do this, she needed to talk with him.

Duncan's only response to this new piece of news was to cross his arms, so she took that as a sign to continue. "Our job this time is an escort mission, for the Evokers no less. Well, them a this classy elf guy who I can't help but laugh at. However, it's gonna take us out of the country for a bit, so I'll be the one away from home this time." She began to look away from father, playing with the gray trim on her jacket.

Duncan knew this look. In fact he knew this look longer than the 19 years of age his daughter now boasted. Duncan gained two bits of information from this look alone. The first, was wherever this trip would take Aegean, he wouldn't like it. The second bit he learned from it, was that even if he protested, she would still go. "If that's the case, then give me a good reason why you decided to join."

Aegean could feel herself rambling as she spilled her mind to him. "Dad, I know about the trade closing. Glacies hasn't been in contact with Lufiria for a whole month at this point. They don't even know where their envoy they sent at first went. Now you and I both fear the idea about head back but maybe with this mission I can find some ans-"

“By going to Lufiria? Aegean I don’t have to remind you why we left in the first place.” Duncan stared his daughter in the eyes, hoping that she’d either see his logic, or have some better reason than to throw herself into the fire this way. “You still have time, I’m sure Natalya wouldn’t mind you sitting thi-”

 “But Dad I’m tired of it!” Aegean shot straight up, bursting with emotion that clearly had been submerged for years at this point. “I love Glacies, I love the Iron Tigers, and I’d never replace my time spent with them. But we left EVERYTHING behind. I want to see Auntie and Cathrine again. I-” This last one was gonna hurt, but even through the tears Aegean pressed on. “I wanna know what happened to Mom.”

 All Duncan could do was fall back in his chair. Another reminder of how his misfortune led them here. How it robbed the happiness of everyone he held near and dear to his heart away. "One last dinner." 

Aegean blinked twice. "Huh?"

 "There's way too many dangers on this trip, so many worries that I'd lose the little amount of sleep I do get on most nights. So just give me one more dinner tonight before you go." The fisherman had reached the end of his line. He knew that regardless of whether he wanted to or not, his daughter would be off. Off to face the consequences of his past, and the dangers that past and the world as it is now would inflict on her.

He pushed himself out of his seat and walked to the kitchen drawers. Upon opening the drawer to the right of his hand he rummaged through until he pulled out a necklace with a single gem, one of a deep blue shade with a striking red swirl going through. Returning to the table he came around to her side to place the necklace on her. "This was a gift from your mother to you. She made me promise her on the night we left, that I was to give this to you once you were ready to stand on your own."

The gem felt cool in Aegean's hands. Almost as if she were standing in the water itself. It was comforting. Whether it was the fact that it was her mother's gift, or the monster blood in her that brought this out, Aegean didn't know or care at the moment. She brought her dad in for a tight hug. Even if the danger was immense she promised herself that she'd be ready to have another dinner with her father after it all. 

Having exhausted all that needed to be said, the two left all noise for now to the fire, a quiet but close dinner awaited.

Aegean rolled the Gem in her hands, thinking about her own reasons for taking on this mission. Those thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of three newcomers to the vessel, the first to catch her eye was definitely the tallest of the bunch. The dragon Clouded's vibrantly red and gold scales were lovely, and he definitely wore them well. However, what truly caught her eyes, were the blue dressed duo that seemed to have an injury among them. Well, one that was injured and the other close to setting off a dragon shaped bomb. Ingverd makes himself more and more worthy of his boasting as this mission pans out. Aegean was curious about the pair considering their outfits, but that could wait. The least they could do is help a stranger right? "Hey Renais, think you could heal that man's leg? Being on a boat with a bad leg would do one no favors."

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Maria's eyes narrowed as the dragon girl opened her mouth; either she was just this unpleasant all the time, or she was ticked off about something. Which, to be truthful, neither of which Maria cared too much about at the moment. "...Right, sorry." Maria looked up at the sky, "I guess it is rather late, sorry for keeping you up past your bedtime, dear." 

Quickly an elf, and a rather pretty one at that, came up and tried to defuse the situation. Maria was bothered about the dragon still, but the young man's enthusiasm, and helpful demeanor was a good step to forgetting about her, "Well, we all have our bad nights I suppose, I'd imagine hers are rather frequent." A thought punctuated by the elf jumping a bit as the dragon walked away behind him. That petty, huh? Alright then, two can play at tha-- Maria turned to Chris who was now glaring at her, a stern gaze, and one that conveyed everything he wanted to say. She relaxed, returning her attention to Ingverd still in front of her, and took his hand, "...Marianne. My name is Marianne, but you can just call me Maria. I'd appreciate it if you would take me to the captain." 

Chris breathed a sigh of relief still being held by the dragon, he brushed the long, silver hair out of his eyes before looking up at the dragon, "So, uh... Are you going to let me down at some point? I won't go anywhere fast, but we're on the boat now, so I should be fine." Chris heard talk in the distance, about someone, healing 'that man's leg'. He was, hopefully, the only person who fit all of those qualifiers, and remained somewhat surprised that they'd guessed him right. It tended to be a 50/50 bet on whether people would guess right the first time.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Mercenary on the Winds

[TheRoon]

Renais was one of the last to board...or rather she thought she was, until a certain crowd slipped on at the last moment. But she paid them no mind and simply turned to the side, as she held her hood and cloak close. She stared out to the ocean deep in thought. '...soon...I'll be there soon.' She seemed more determined than before that's for sure. But before she could get deeper in her thoughts a voice called out. "?" She turned to Aegean a little and saw the injured man in question. Oh my, he was a looker. Renais, comfortable behind her hood, gave a small grin to herself. '...a clean ten I see. Very nice.' More to write about later.

She approached the two and noticed his dragon friend carrying him. She stared a little uncomfortably, again hidden by her hood. '...why was I born small? He looks like he could snap me in two...' But...considering Aegean was nearby and his arms were literally full Renais had no fear of the man doing anything for the moment. She cleared her voice and approached the two. "Please hold still, sir." She opened her cloak a bit to show her staff and rose it to the wound. The gemstone at the end of the staff let out a faint glow as a gentle energy flowed from the tip toward the man's leg. It softly wrapped around his ankle and in a few moments the injury had been mended. "That should do it, so long as you don't injure yourself again. While this staff has it's limits I'd imagine feeling the same pain again wouldn't do."

Innocuous Inquiry

Spoiler

It's been a long time since I've been here. A dark haired man walked through the streets of Halkeginia. His attire was mostly simple, a pair of worn, brown pants, and a white shirt. But he wore an emerald green jacket on his shoulders, not putting his arms through the sleeves, letting it billow behind him much like a cape. It was at odds with the rest of his attire, but he couldn't really care less. People had far too much to worry about than wonder about who he was or why he was around. Glacies was a wonderful place like that; he didn't really have to worry about keeping too much of a low profile. Though, the place seemed to be in a bit of an unusual fervor. Something big appeared to be happening, and he had no idea what. "I suppose I'll have to look into that later... Amongst other things." Perhaps he'd run into those two on that excursion as well, but that was neither here nor there. His destination was the headquarters of the Iron Tigers, a rising star of a mercenary troupe that was gaining prominence amidst the explosion in pirate activity. Information that he'd gotten recently told him that the group employed a cleric named Renais Silvavolke, conspicuously the same last name as someone he'd been searching for. He hadn't expected the name to become so troublesome, but Sera was incredibly good at picking her friends. What do you know, Sera? What did you find out? 

Finally he found it, as quaint a location as he expected it to be, he knocked on the door and peered inside, "Hello, is anyone here?" 

Almira seemed like she was jolted awake as she whirled towards the door. She hadn't heard anyone moving towards the door, and barely registered it opening. She quickly stood up from her chair, simultaneously slamming the book she was reading shut. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you coming. Um, did you need something, sir?" Almira looked the man over, he appeared middle-aged but there was clear definition to him. He was quite tall, and lean, and stood with a composed look about him. Undoubtedly a man of some standing, and attractive to boot. But she couldn't quite place what she saw in his green eyes, something told her to be a tad weary.

His face softened, "Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to spook you. I'm... looking for someone. Is there a Renais Silvavolke here? I've been looking for her sister for a little while now, and wondered if she knew anything. I'm an acquaintance of Liza, and I'm trying to make sure that she's alright." 

Almira thought a moment about all the people who had left to carry on preparations for their mission; Aegean, Miria and Ingverd were down at the docks trying to find a ship that would take them to Hecatia, and the rest should be performing their own preparations. "Mmm... Yeah, Renais should be here. I don't know if she's gonna want to talk though, she's a bit of a recluse. I can take you to her, if you want. I will say though, she's gonna be a part of an important job in a short while, so don't be trying to coax her away. She's the only cleric we've got." 

He waved a hand, "I assure you, I'm just here for some clarity. I wouldn't dream of taking someone from rising troupe such as this one, and I'd appreciate that, Almira." 

Almira stood up, "Alright, then follow me." Almira walked around the desk, and into the corridor where the member's quarters were gesturing for the dark haired man to follow. He spoke with such poise and calm that her weariness had almost completely melted away. She then stopped in front of a door, and knocked on it, "Renais? Are you in there? You've got a visitor, says he's an acquaintance of your sister's?" As Almira waited for Renais's response, she noticed something. In this whole conversation, she'd never once said her name. How... How did he know that? 

Once the meeting had ended and the group had parted to do their work Renais took the chance to get back to her room quickly. It appeared that she wasn't required for preparations at the moment, not that she knew the first thing about securing a ship. It gave her a chance to sit down and start writing a letter, which took up most of her time as she tried to make it as convincing and proper as possible. Her classes really made sure she didn't half bake such important tasks. '...it's for the best. I may not have a place here and...Liza needs me.' She was nearly done with the letter until...

Knock knock.

'...drat.' She sighed to herself. She had a feeling someone would come at a time like this, perhaps she was needed after all...or maybe it was Nyx again. But those thoughts were dashed as a certain voice was raised. Almira's voice, someone significantly less troublesome to be sure. "...yes, I am." She spoke up. "Give me a moment." She opened her desk drawer and put the unfinished letter inside with her pen. 'An acquaintance of my sister's? Is it one of the knights of Kansei? What would they be...oh!' She assumed it was information on Liza's whereabouts, that had to be it!

She quickly shut the drawer and rushed to the door. For once she left her cloak hanging to the side deciding that there was no need for it. So the pinkette opened the door in her white button blouse and skirt, nothing to hide her figure. "Is this about my...ah?" She took a look at the man, a little surprised at his appearance. "...I don't mean to be rude but...you don't look like a knight of Kansei." She was a little weary of the man, but she wasn't going to dismiss him outright. Not when her sister's whereabouts were on the line.

The door swung open, and he flinched for a second upon seeing the girl. It was almost like seeing a figment of his imagination, even though he could quite clearly tell that he wasn't either of those two. He smiled at the woman's inquiry; he definitely was not a knight of Kansei, but it wasn't necessary for him to be for this, "Ah... I can see the information I was given was entirely correct, for once. Yes, you're right, I'm not a knight of Kansei, however I have worked quite closely with your sister, Elizabeth, or Liza, as she constantly reminded me. Think of me as more of a..." The man rolled his hand as he looked suitable response, "Merchant that's worked with the knights of Kansei. Your sister saved me quite a few times. Which is why I was wondering... Have you seen your sister at all recently? It's high time I repaid all the favors she's done for me." 

He'd have to be a bit careful with this one, he could already tell that she was a bit guarded. But from how she opened the door, it seemed like talk of her sister galvanized her. He could use that. 

"...is that right?" She slightly narrowed her eyes. Renais didn't quite trust the man, even if he said he was a "merchant" that worked with her sister. He was a little good looking she had to admit, but a little too old for her liking. '...what are you doing, Renais? This is not the time for bird watching.' She beat those thoughts back and cleared her voice.

"No, I'm afraid I have not. As a matter of fact she's been missing, I've been doing my best to find her. That's more or less why I took this job." She folded her hands together in front of her. "If you don't mind my asking...I don't recall Liza having mentioned work with a merchant. I understand knightly duties can be classified but I'd like to think I'm close enough to my sister to earn some nuggets of info here and there. What sort of favors do you owe her?" Renais may be playing a dangerous game, but she was determined to get something.

Ah, she was clever. She wasn't taking his explanation at face value. Caution runs in the family, he guessed. "Well, as I said, she's saved my life... thrice now. To be honest, I'm not entirely surprised that your sister never mentioned anything like this to you. Those missions... ended rather poorly in most cases. Probably didn't want to burden you with further worry; you already seem to care about her a great deal." He paused a moment, thinking about where to go next. "As for the favors, most of what I can offer her is monetary, but after hearing of her injury, I'd also wanted to ask if she'd come and work alongside me. But as I tried to find her, the knights said that she'd up and gone, and that her sister had also disappeared. Finding anything about you was a stroke of luck, I must admit." His eyes drifted over to the left, Almira was also still standing out here listening in. He still needed to be wary of her, she seemed to pick up on something too. 

Renais still kept her guard up, though she had wished she had taken her cloak after all. She found it much easier to hold a poker face when the opponent had a harder time looking at her face. Plus it was sort of a comfort zone to her at this point. But alas, she simply stood aside and listened quietly. Dangerous missions was the name of the game when it came to Liza, she was always taking on some deadly duties if it meant she was able to traverse the world easier. This all checked out of course, and Renais was about to make her next move...until something came up that is.

"...wait, Liza is injured?" Her expression softened. That was something the knights didn't tell her surprisingly, perhaps they wished to avoid dealing with her emotional breakdown. Despite Liza taking on dangerous work she never had more than a few scratches here and there, and even if she did get injured it was easily treatable. She never saw her sister with any serious injuries. But now... "..." Renais looked to the side with concern in her eyes. "My sister is strong...but...is it that bad of an injury?"

"...You didn't know?" That caught him by surprise. Did she really know absolutely nothing about what had happened to her sister recently? There wasn't a tinge of any misdirection in her voice, nothing but genuine concern and bewilderment. He didn't particularly need to answer her correctly at that point but, "...it happened the third time your sister saved my life. She ended up taking a blow that was meant for her friend, tried to block it and it ended up seriously damaging her sword arm. To the point that she probably wouldn't be able to use a sword again." He ran his hand through his hair with a deep sigh. Why are you telling her anything? It would be better for her to stay in the dark.  Maybe it was seeing his daughter in the girl's visage; a cleric just like her, matching hair and similar temperament. 

"The reason I came to ask you today is that... not too long ago, some of my friends said that they'd seen her in Islexia. That was about a month ago, before she disappeared again with the friend that she protected before. I wondered if you know what she was up to, but it appears you're just as in the dark as I am." 

Renais was...at a loss. She didn't answer him back right away, in fact she was too busy questioning herself more than him. 'Her sword arm was seriously damaged...but...that means she might be demoted. Or worse...that means her dream...our dream...' The cleric stared out in space for a moment, mouth slightly agape. It seemed like she was processing things.

"...mm..." She rubbed her face a little with her hand and took a breath. She wasn't crying, not yet anyway. She kept her composure as best as she could. Hearing about her being in Islexia a month ago helped her focus. Liza was alive, at least for now. '...settle down. I need to look at her arm myself...maybe I can help somehow.' With her thoughts settled for the moment she turned back to the man with a serious expression, but not quite as guarded as before.

"...it would seem that way yes." She responded. "In fact it seems you know more than I do. Last I heard she was here in Glacies, but I've been here for some time and found nothing. Which means your information is more accurate than mine." The pinkette nodded. "So with that said, I hope you don't mind a few questions on my part...first off what is your name? And what is the name of this friend she disappeared with?"

That had gotten through. His assessment was spot on, even as much as he kind of regretted it a little. Enough to have told her about the most recent whereabouts of her sister, and mentioning that she wasn't alone. But as far as he was concerned, it wasn't a mistake to do. Renais was distraught over hearing the truth about the situation of her sister, even the serious look on her face couldn't hide that. What it did tell him is that she desired answers. As did he, if for entirely different reasons. So, he could at least give her that. 

"Not at all, this is a conversation after all. I can imagine that after being here, not finding anything, and then having this man appear before you out of nowhere with answers you couldn't find yourself... I'd have questions too. Her friend's name is "Alto" or that's what I've been told. She didn't seem to trust me very much, so she'd always given me her nickname. As for me... my name is Jeremiah Noire." He didn't sweat giving out his name, he doubted that the cleric would really keep it in mind. Even in the event that she kept it close, linking it to anything would be impossible. 

"...you have my thanks for giving me this information, Mr Noire." She made a mental note to jot down both names in her notebook as soon as possible. Even if she had never heard of a Jeremiah Noire, it was still good to keep tabs on a coworker of Liza's. She trusted him more, but otherwise it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out. But as for this Alto... "...Alto is it? A musical term..." She started to think. "I wonder if that means she's a musician or songstress... perhaps asking about it in local taverns wouldn't be the worst idea..." She spoke her thoughts aloud, and looked over to the man. "Ah...my apologies, I'm a little lost in thought." She nodded her head slightly.

Still, this was excellent news. She had a new lead, and ironically it was the same destination as the company's. Was this some form of fate? She wasn't quite a firm believer in that sort of thing, but for the moment it was something she kept in mind. "The Iron Tigers are actually headed to Islexia, quite fortuitous timing I must say. So I can at the very least ask about Liza and "Alto" when I arrive." She assumed this Alto was as pretty as her sister, so they may stand out quite nicely.

"It's not a problem, you've also helped me out quite a bit." That was one lead down. Renais hadn't a clue about anything that was going with her sister and Sera. Though, the information helped out in other ways... there was a good chance that Liza and Sera were still somewhere in Islexia, or if not, they'd probably moved into Lufiria at some point. Whatever they were searching for it wasn't taking them into Hecatia, and if they hadn't been back to Kansei, and Renais hadn't found them here, he could frankly narrow the search down. There was one thing that stuck out to him. 

"...Islexia? Why would a Glacian mercenary troupe be heading to Islexia? Especially one made up of Clouded?" That caught him genuinely by surprise; he knew of the tensions between Glacies and Islexia, and with everything happening it was about as bad as it had ever been. He hadn't been back in a while, so he admittedly was behind on affairs. 

"Ah well..." Renais was taken aback for a moment, it appeared she may have let her guard down too much around the slightly shady gentleman. "...my apologies, Mr Noire. But I believe I've said too much. My commander wouldn't like it if I gave away a mission briefing to someone I don't know very well. Even if you did work with my sister." She took a bow to him.

"That being said, I do owe you for this. If I find my sister before you do I'll tell her you've been looking for her. You know Liza always takes debts very seriously, she'd go to the ends of the earth to keep a promise." She rose back up and smiled (but only slightly mind you).

A pause. That didn't seem... good. In tandem with the unusually busied nature of Halkeginia... What's going on? Jeremiah shook the thought from his head for the moment; he'd swiftly change that inquiry to the top of his to-do list. For now, he needed to see the girl off, "That's... quite alright, Miss Silvavolke. My question was overstepping boundaries a bit; as a merchant, I should know that. And please do inform her, if you find her. I really do hope that she's alright, and manages to find whatever she'd looking for. And believe me, with what your sister has done for me, you don't owe me anything for this little." 

He looked at Almira, "Alright, I believe we've exhausted this line of conversation. I can only wish you luck finding your sister, and double that for your mission to Islexia. They are... difficult to deal with but I have a feeling if you're anything like your sister, you'll manage." He returned the bow, to Renais, and then to Almira. "With that, I have things that I need to check up on." Jeremiah turned, and strode away with the flick of his wrist. 

"And to you I wish the same, Mr Noire." She watched him leave with a slightly narrowed gaze. Despite the two having a common goal the cleric couldn't help but feel something was off about that man. It was a little frustrating however, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but...perhaps he knew more than he let on. Maybe she said too much, but for the moment it didn't seem like an issue.

As soon as he left Renais turned to Almira. "Thank you for directing him to me, miss Almira. That talk was enlightening...if slightly worrying." She looked to the side.

Almira was caught watching the older man leave, "Oh, uh, it's not a problem, Renais. I hope that it was illuminating to you." Jeremiah was the man's name, and he spoke with such a gentle tone. It was... just a little enchanting. "Oh right, you should probably get back to getting your things together, hadn't you?" Almira needed to get her mind on something else. At least it sounded like to her that Renais now had a reason for going forward. 

Renais rose a brow at Almira's response. 'Does...does she have a thing for him?' He was a bit out of her age range, but Almira...well now wasn't the time to ponder potential gossip. "Yes, I should. Can't keep everyone waiting." She took a nod and went inside her room. Once she closed the door she went to her desk and took out her resignation paper.

"...a hand of fate hm..." She mumbled as she took a look at the paper and slowly tore it to pieces. "Then for a while longer I will endure..." Now she had a new lead, and a new name to call for. But she had hoped it was enough. Either way Renais suspected she would be very busy very soon.

Jeremiah stepped outside, and sighed deeply. He wasn't sure of what to call that. He chuckled as he thought on it more. Renais's likeness to his daughter was a factor in it all, to be sure. But he understood why he'd given her more information than he really should have. He simply knew what it was like to have a missing family member; he'd been searching for his brother-in-law for about ten years now. A search that had brought him back to Glacies again. But that had to wait now. Jeremiah needed to find out what was going on, and quickly. He'd long since known about Lufiria closing the trade route that was a long expected result of things that were happening in Glacies. But, knowing Iseria, she had been entirely on top of things. But the Islexians had gotten more brazen as of late and the Glacian situation had worsened. Now there was this mercenary troupe that was heading into Islexia? How were these things connected? Did it have something do with the envoy? He needed to check in. Things were moving much too quickly; far faster than was planned, and now he was behind. Something was terribly wrong here. 

"What the hell is going on? What's responsible for this..."

His search for Duncan was once again put on hold, now that it seemed like Glacies was taking action. 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by TheRoon

[scorri]

"Oh, right, ha." He'd gotten distracted, almost forgetting he was still holding the man. The fire dragon that Maria had approached had drawn his attention, not for attitude, though that was off putting, but instead... That magic she used... Ice? She must be incredibly talented if she can manage to pull ice magic out... Interesting.... This might be a fun group. He'd been about to set the performer down on his feet when they were approached by a hooded cleric, promising to solve Chris's injury. "Well then, I'll set you down here in a second."

He watched the healer perform her magic, feeling calm at the gentle feeling of her magic, a peaceful touch on his senses. When she was done, he gently settled Chris down onto the deck of the ship and smiled down at the healer. "Well then, that solves that problem, no? Thank you miss. A pleasure to meet you, my name is Cinaed. Who might you be? It seems like you all are a mercenary group, yes? Perhaps I am the lucky one to have run into these performers after all..." A good deed might reward me more than I expected. Take it slow though, too eager and they'll turn you down again.

[TheRoon]

"!" Oh no. The big scary dragon man addressed her. Well the truth was his entire appearance literally overwhelmed the pinkette. He was tall, muscled and actually good looking. She wasn't sure how to feel, scared or attracted. Maybe both? Good thing her emotions were hidden by her hood. She took a moment to lift her head toward Cinaed, and nodded.

"...Renais." She simply said. "...but please, you needn't commit it to memory. I'm simply here to perform my duty as a cleric...patient policy and all that." Her voice was slightly shaky, she was a little bad at hiding her emotions. She turned her head toward Aegean and gave her a look that was more or less: 'Please answer that man's question for me'. Assuming the woman can read mixed expressions that is!

Edited January 5, 2022 by TheRoon

[Bluemask 96]

While it was amusing to see, Aegean didn't want their healer to burn up from embarrassment. If anyone could prove that possible, it'd be Renais. Stepping in at this point, she looked over to the dragon man.

A stark contrast to the shy wrapped up healer, this Cinead fellow had no qualms showing off his physique, with his vest being his sole upper garment. He also seemed to be looking for work. "Please excuse my friend here, she's not good with people, but she does mean well. We're both members of the Iron Tiger Mercenaries. If you're looking for work, I can take you over to our boss Natalya. Clouded are always welcome here. Oh, and my name is Aegean." Aegean couldn't think of a time they had a guy as a part of the outfit, so this was a surprise.

Seeing that the male performer was fine, she let the duo go forth with Ingverd to see the captain, and was ready to search for Tasha. Before leaving she turned to Renais one last time. "Thanks Ren I can take tall dark and scales here to Tasha. If you haven't set your stuff down in your room yet I suggest you should. Hopefully you have someone like Miria in your room."

[Nanami Touko]

Alvira flipped Marianne the bird and kept on walking.

Ingverd sighed. "Yes... I would be more than happy to take you to the captain." Ingverd gently took her hand, leading her along towards Davros, letting go as they approached, giving the man yet another shallow bow. "Davros, my good man, we appear to have taken on a few stragglers. Not a part of our group, but well meaning nonetheless... My apologies, Maria, you will have to pay your own way. Davros was kind enough to accept our request despite the troubles, for a rather handsome amount of gold... I'm sure you understand. Our coffers, they've already taken quite the beating." He smirked, chuckling just a little. "Though, if you were willing to give me a bit of your time and some of your tales, perhaps I could find enough coin for your travel." He cocked her an eyebrow, wondering if she was one to talk.

Alvira continued her angry huff towards Alriana, melting against the shark-- figuratively; she wouldn't actually lean on anyone. "Hey... Aly. How, uhm... Are you, good with ships? You've got jaws like a shark, but... Do you, swim like one too...?"

[scorri]

"Renais. A pleasure to meet you. And of course I'll remember your name." It seemed as though she was rather shy, as she quickly passed him off to another member of her group. A slight raise of the eyebrow was the only indication that he had even noticed something was amiss before he quickly pivoted to... Ah, Aegean. Good to know. "I mean, she is a healer, she has to mean at least somewhat well, no? Otherwise why do something that forces her to interact with people when, as you have said, that is not a strong point. As for work, well, in a way, yes. I had been planning on joining a company on the mainland, but if your crew is recruiting, I certainly wouldn't say no to talking to your captain. Nice to meet you Aegean."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, glancing over at Maria, who seemed to have found the captain she'd been looking for. Good, hopefully she would be able to sort things out and get their passage sorted. As for him, hopefully his would be sorted out through this captain... He was grateful for his dark skin though a few moments later as Aegean called him 'tall, dark, and scaled.' He quickly tried to cover it by commenting, "So, Natalya, also known as Tasha, she's your commander? It looks like your crew is mostly women, then. Just the one man, over there helping Maria?" He considered asking about the prickly fire dragon, but somehow this seemed like a safer topic.

[GoldsbroTSG]

At the front of the boat sat Miria, with her book as she gazed at the sky. It was a nice feeling, she enjoyed boats, even if the circumstances around both her boating trips were... dire. She decided to make the best of it. Even if they hadn't left port yet, the feeling of the wind, and the light, misty feeling of water... it was almost perfect. She gave a sigh, but she smiled. A chance to do good, make a buttload of money. Maybe be able to send some home...

Miria's thoughts were broken by some commotion from behind her. Turning around, she noticed some new people aboard the boat with the others, not Davros and his crew. Are they seeking passage, too? She hopped up, and made her way towards the group, taking a moment to let Alvira go past her. She didn't seem very happy. Shaking the thought off, Miria continued on.

There was an intended 'who are you', but she was stunned by the two gentlemen. Both of them were so... handsome. It caught her off guard. She wiped her face with her poncho, and turned to Ingverd and Aegean. Maybe one of them could explain. She was too sheepish to say anything.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Tio cocked an eyebrow watching everything unfold. She and Elisa were about to head to their quarters, when the late arrivals showed. One of them foolishly wandered over to Alvira, and they both appeared to not take well to one another, so that was something to watch out for. Alvira got seemingly fortunate, if her senses weren't already failing her, being on a boat. The ice blue haired woman was quite magically strong, but her partner quickly got her to simmer down. She wasn't keen on it, but either she or Elisa would have had to pop in should they both have gotten to spells. She couldn't hide her snicker at Ingverd getting an ice cube down his back for his trouble. If nothing else, Tio could not blame him for having an interest in the new arrival--even if a part of it was him trying to keep the peace--she certainly had no trouble catching people's gaze. 

But... something was definitely bothering Tio. It wasn't either the woman, Alvira, or even the gorgeous, tall dragon. Ever since the three of them arrived, Tio had been feeling a faint resonance. Resonance were particularly rare; it usually denoted an extremely powerful magical signature that hadn't been activated. It wasn't the dragon, nor the young woman. Which meant that it left only the young man who now being set down on the dock. She couldn't pinpoint it; that wasn't her forte and there were so many magical signatures that it was tough to focus on one so faint. But, at the very least, she could intuit that it was related to light magic in some manner. As it was affecting her. She'd need to keep an eye out. But there was another thing on her mind; the hooded cleric who lost it when they'd shown up at their base. Tio hadn't been able to really do much more than talk past it since it was in the middle of an explanation, but now, now they'd have time to speak. 

---

The hooded cleric approached timidly before asking him to hold still; Chris couldn't go anywhere if he tried, though he chose not to vocalize that. A moment passed with the warm light taking soothing the sharp pain, to the point that he didn't realize that he had been hurt not to long again. Being set down, Chris noticed that someone was staring at him. Black and green hair, and a crystalline staff; the staff along proved her to be a capable mage. But her stare appeared to have confusion etched into it. Did she know who he was? Or was it something else? Chris, didn't really know, nor want to find out. Something... worried him about those two women. But that was something he could deal with later if it really came to it, "You can rest assured. There's no stage for me to trip off of this time. But I'll be resting, promise." 

On closer glance, Chris's head tilted slightly as he looked at Aegean. He'd gone to thank her but, something caught him. She looked familiar, even though he was sure that he'd never met her before. The name "Aegean" also sounded familiar but he couldn't place why. That thought was interrupted by another young woman who was just... standing there. She looked like she had something to say, but wasn't in the frame of mind to articulate it. Chris just smiled; someone else would handle it. 

---

The elf, Ingverd as it appeared, took her hand and quickly lead her to Davros. Yet another tall, dark skinned man, except this one lacked the scales and tail. "It's not a problem, I expected as much. Chris and I were prepared for this, and our performing has kept our pockets decently full... Of course that doesn't mean I still can't share a few tales, if you'd like. We'll be on this boat for a bit, anyway."

Davros looked up from his map with an unamused face, "I was wondering what was causing all the noise. So, you're also looking for passage, huh?" He stuck out his hand, "You're late, and there's two of you. That's an extra five hundred gold, each. Don't really have the time to waste, or wait up if you can't show up on time. Be happy that my crew is nicer than I am. So you're looking at about... 5k gold, if you don't have that, you can walk back down the ramp. Not gonna make space." 

"Five thousand? That's about five times what we paid to get here!"

"Sailing to Hecatia under these circumstances is more expensive since the Islexians are out in force. My crew wants more than usual, and they're the only people I'm really accountable to. Not only that, you've already made what was a quiet night into anything but. I've got no problem sailing in to the jaws of danger; that's been my whole life, but my crew demands hazard pay, so if you can't pay, good bye."

Maria let out a sharp breath and reached into her bag, and quickly made with a bag of gold, "There's 6k. That'll do, right?"

Davros narrowed his eyes, "You complain about 5k, and then hand over 6k. I don't know what to make of that, but I won't turn the bonus down." He pointed to where Tio and Elisa were standing, "Your room's past the two Evokers over there. Don't cause anymore issues, I'll charge you more, and both you and the pretty boy over are sharing a room; can't spare another."

"Not a problem." Maria's was still simmering about the price a little, but turned back to Ingverd, "Hmm... I suppose those tales will have to wait a bit. I'm going to have to make sure of things... might have to make an impromptu performance to get some of that back... Oh, but, I did say I would, and I keep my promises." She quickly hugged the young elf, before starting to make her way back over to Chris.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mercenary on the Winds

[MRDRHAWK]

Nyx groaned at a frankly obnoxious level. It was bad enough that she was going back to Hecatia and probably getting locked up; but to keep her from bringing more of her stash to dull the pain? Now that was just uncalled for! Not to mention that her and boats never really mixed… The salty sea air made Nyx want to throw up over the side of the boat.

”’Geaaaaaaaaaaaan, this suuuuuuuucks.” Nyx said, very loudly, in the most eloquent way that she could have physically mustered. “S’not fair… n’I don’ even know who ‘m roomin’ with!” Honestly, she didn’t care too much, provided they could deal with Nyx flopping all over her bed. Wait, did they even get separate beds?

And, to top it all off, now they had company in the form of some fancy performer and her little dragon buddy, who somehow already pissed off ‘Vira. Greeeeeeeeeeeeat. There wasn’t anywhere near enough alcohol on this ship to get her through this goddamn mess she’d found herself in now.