Forgotten Gears

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

((Closed for you know who.))

In a world full of mystical wonders and untold secrets, no one could argue that this land of elves was anything short of magical splendors. The Raiaeran Elves who dominated this country showed pride in their knowledge of magic in everything that they do, down to the humble passtime of gardening during the balmy afternoon. The Bladsingers of Anebrilith keep watch within the city streets, ensuring that their citizens are well and the law upheld at all times.

Even today, in this balmy autumn day at the waterfront of Anebrilith.

The Singing Blades rested peacefully near the docks, soaking in the salty ocean air through its weathered stone walls. The inn was seeing light traffic this time of day, most of its patrons out patrolling the streets and keeping peace among its populace.

And such, the perfect time to gather a treasure-hunting party. That is, of course, if everyone showed up on time.

"uWA~..."

A young human girl sat yawning at a table, carelessly leaning on the two back legs of her sturdy oak chair. She could have sworn her little time piece had at one point moved backwards, but she knew machines had no such ability. The lass could only sigh and casually glance out the window from time to time, watching the ferries dock and unload their cargo while the sun creeped over the dockhand's heads. Their shadows crawling along the wooden planks, crossing over each other as they slid closer to their masters' feet.

Reina hated waiting alone, especially when the majority of people she had met spoke little to no Tradespeak. Since the moment she had set foot upon the docks, the girl had dreaded that she would not understand a single thing these pointy-eared men would say. It was already a burden to clearly communicate with the Radasanthian dockmaster, her Akashiman accent a strange enough dialect to the city-dwellers of Corone, thus speaking to the elves should prove to be a task no less adventurous than the one her team was about to embark on.

"Boy... Sure is slow today..." Reina mumbled to no one in particular, casting her sight about the nearly-deserted tavern. The room was large enough to hold a banquet, is elegant woodwork already enough to enhance the mood for festivities. There was only a table or two occupied by dockhands resting for lunch while most were out hauling cargo - obviously sneaking in for a quick bite before going back to work. The quaint little place smelled of sea foam and sweat, but somehow not as overbearing like the sweaty Yanbo Harbour taverns back home. Must be an elven thing, this scent... Reina smiled, longing to be home again. But she knew this was something that needed to be done before she could go home. She needed something from this land, but acquiring them legally was probably out of the question.

The fair-skinned barkeeper, golden brown mop cascading down his long face as the man rubbed the glass mug clean, also kept a watchful eye on the Akashiman as well. He was always wary of outsiders, but this particular one looked more interesting than most. The garment she adorned was not that of any lady he had seen - be they elven or human. Not many young girls would brave the discomfort of wearing rough dark-green trousers in place of long, billowing skirts. Her greenish shirt and soiled white undershirt was not very much in fashion as well, especially in the Raiaeran fashion scene. Therefore, it was not hard for the light-skinned elf to figure out she was a treasure-hunter or a lone traveller than someone interested in browsing the fine elven art masterpieces. He would need to keep his eyes on this lady - people who did not fit in were most often trouble-makers in the end.

He could also sense the anticipation lying under her bored demeanor, as if she was waiting for someone to show up. Her eyes, glinting vividly under those thin spectacles, were filled with anticipation only she would know. He merely nodded when she glanced over to him and looked away, taking another order of lunch for the next group of weary workers heading in for lunch.

Reina paid no heed to the prying eyes of the barkeep and glanced back towards the brightly-lit docks outside. She had been waiting for nearly half an hour and the anticipation was just killing her. If the escorts did not show up soon, she would have to go on this journey alone. There was no way she would go home without getting that special something she needed first.

"A slow day, this is..." She muttered, letting the chair rock back on all four before propping her head down on the smooth brown table, watching the assortment of elves wandering about outside. "So~ boring..."

[IBB]

Dayas disembarked somewhat shakily from a passenger ship that had just docked in the Anebrilith port. He was starting to realize that he just simply didn't travel all that well, especially not when boats were involved. He took a few uncertain steps along the dock, trying to regain his "land legs" as soon as possible. Considering that he was here for a job concerning an expedition, he kind of wanted to be able to make a positive impression on the person he was supposed to see. He did not think showing up to the meeting place looking either drunk or seasick was going to be a positive bonus to his soon-to-be-employer's first impression of him.

He noticed the meeting place, an inn called The Singing Blades, not too far from the docks, but decided to wander around for a few moments before going in, in hopes of getting some of the lingering shakiness out of his legs. It was a nice day, though his clothing made it a little difficult to fully appreciate. A dark blue long-sleeved tunic, long brown pants, and beige cloak weren't exactly the best things to be wearing on a warm autumn day, and the fact that he insisted on keeping the hood of his cloak up to hide his yellow-and-black colored hair did not do him any favors. The occasional sea-breeze that blew his way was very refreshing, however.

After coming to terms with the fact that the only people he'd find out on the docks would be the native elves, he decided that he'd had enough of stretching his legs and meandered into The Singing Blades. He was a little surprised to find very few people hanging around inside, but he supposed it was either a slow day or just a slow time of day. The interior was certainly something he wasn't used to seeing in a tavern; the architecture was elegant and seemed to flow around the room, creating the impression that the room was a little larger than it actually was. It looked more like a banquet hall than the main room of a tavern. To Dayas, it seemed a little bit much for a simple tavern. He supposed it was probably a Raiaeran thing.

Dayas made the mistake of standing a little bit too close to the doorway as he both admired the craftsmanship and scanned the room for the person he was looking for. A dockhand suddenly pushed past the distracted human as he dashed in for a quick bite to eat. The rather small young man was shoved off-balance and grabbed for the nearest chair to catch his fall. While he did manage to catch the chair, it wasn't enough to stop his momentum, and so both man and chair went crashing loudly to the floor.

On the bright side, from his new vantage point Dayas was able to spot the person he presumed was the one he was looking for: a rather bored-looking young woman with glasses who clearly didn't fit in with the elves scattered about the tavern.

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

The day droned on with little of anything happening. Reina was seriously doubting that anyone would show up to help her in this risky endeavor and anyone gutsy enough was sure to charge her higher than she could afford afterwards. She had heard the dangers of the Red Forest - how trees magically transform into blood-thirsty wolves and vines that snap at intruders like vicious vipers. She was not sure how the group would handle the threats, if there was a strong enough party to tackle the deed to begin with. She may have to return to Akashima empty-handed and a heavy heart...

Then, the door creaked open with the arrival of a customer - who, exactly, she was unsure. His face was obviously not as fair as the local elves around these parts as well as not looking all that tall himself. Another quick glance at his attire sealed her judgment - he was definitely not a Raiaeran.

Bam! Reina did not even have time to react with her throat by the time the stranger struck wood. Almost immediately she was crouched at his side, helping the odd fellow up on his feet.

"Hey, you. Are you OK?" The gadgeteer blurted out in excitement, her Tradespeak sounding a bit off with some Akashiman accent. Reina was not sure if the stranger would understand her completely but she realized it after they were both standing up, the sturdy oak chair lying on its side by the table.

"Ahem." The elven barkeep cleared his throat and shot a stern glance at the two odd people, drawing some unwanted attention their way from the tables nearby.

"Uhh... Sorry?" The Akashiman cracked an apologetic smile and flipped the chair back onto its legs before turning to the stranger hiding under his cloak.

"Elves. They do have to be tidy about things, don't you say?" She smiled whilst offering a seat at her table for the time being. Even if he was just a passerby in these parts, she needed someone to talk to. The wait was just so boring, she needed someone to lighten her mood. Someone who could speak her language was good enough.

"I do hope you know Tradespeak. Raiaeran makes my head hurt." She joked and sat down with her back to the window. Outside, the sun fled behind a billow of clouds and shaded the dockhands from the searing heat. It would be a hot day, but things should cool down from now on. A nice, quiet talk should help her pass time.

[IBB]

The girl's accent made Dayas do a mental double-take; while he could understand it easily enough, it wasn't one that he could ever recall hearing before. Then again, it wasn't like he had lived in a very mixed part of the world to begin with. He managed an affirmative grunt in response to her question before the elven barkeep drew their attention to the upended chair. He apologetically helped her flip it back into its original position, trying to ignore the unwelcome stares they were getting all the while.

...Yeah, what stealth? Dayas thought to himself. Some thief I am.

She offered him a seat at her table as she made a quip about elven tidiness. Dayas chuckled, taking a seat in the chair to her right. He leaned back, making sure to keep all four chair legs on the ground for now. He was pretty sure the innkeeper would not take too kindly to him tipping over another of his chairs.

"Don't know a word of Raiaeran," Dayas answered, grinning. "Tradespeak's about the only language I can do."

A chirping in the back of his mind reminded him that there was another language he could speak, but he wasn't about to tell someone he had just met that he could talk to birds.

"So, what's your name?" Dayas asked, deciding to get the basic stuff out of the way first. "I'm Dayas."

The dockhands were very pleased to have some shade as they worked, but as midday approached, the stream of dockhands milling into the inn for a bite of lunch steadily increased. The innkeeper was becoming far too busy to pay any attention to the odd pair sitting near the window, not that he really cared too much at this point. They would most likely be left in peace until someone else decided to join them.

[Jared]

“Hey, whatever happened to forgive and forget? I thought you elves...”

Jared wasn’t given a chance to finish his rather flimsy defense as a pair of guards flung him through the door and out in the street. The cobbles of Anebrilith streets maybe were smooth and even, but they hurt upon impact just as much as cobbles in less meticulous realms. Jared learned that as he came tumbling down the short flight of marble stairs before winding up sprawled in the middle of the street. The two elven sentries, clad in enameled mythril armors that glistened with a faint aquamarine glow, looked down on him from the entrance with their emotionless faces. At that moment Jared could swear that all that talk about elven fairness was ballyhoo.

The building from which he was cast out so brusquely was Anebrilith’s Museum. And the reason? A triviality in the eyes of the young cleric. About a year ago, Brynhilde and he were on a mission, a crusade even, piecing a puzzle called Yarina’s Armor in order to save a man from the clutches of the Underworld. One of the pieces of the fabled armor – Yarina’s Circlet to be exact – just happened to be one of the most prized items in the Museum’s collection. Long story short, the Circlet was stolen, Bryn and Jared took it from the thief – who just happened to be Jared’s sister, Mareena – and after succeeding in their mission, time came now to return it. That was why the young cleric came to Anebrilith in the first place, to right the wrongs and return the precious piece of jewelry to their rightful owners; the people of Raiaera.

Unfortunately, the people of Raiaera were the elves, and if anybody could hold a grudge for a lengthy amount of time, it were the elves. The custodian accepted the Circlet coolly and once the item was safely tucked away, he ordered the guards to evict Jared from the Museum premises, adding that if it were up to him, he would kick him over the Mountains of Dawn and into that hell-pit of Alerar. The good-natured healer tried to explain that it was not he who did the mischievous deed a year ago, but to no avail. Instead of a thank you he got the chance to examine the cleanliness of Anebrilith streets... with his face.

Dusting himself off – and thanking the Creator that he was a cleric by vocation – Jared got up and collected his ulder staff, trying to preserve at least a shred of dignity. According to the eyes of the prissy pointy-eared folk that were on their way either in or out the museum, he was failing at it miserably. It was a small wonder though, given his audience and the fact that he was just pushed out like a common brigand. He put on his best defensive smile, the half-goofy, half-apologetic kind that gave his face almost elven fairness, and strode away from the lofty establishment.

Jared would surely consider his visit to Raiaera a complete waste of time if the return of the Circlet was the only reason he was here. However, during his travel north from the land of Fallien, the benevolent cleric picked up a flier on one of the countless job boards that most of the taverns in larger towns had. Usually, Jared would merely skim over the notes and offers – he was satisfied with his life in Fallien and he wasn’t prone to exhibitionism and adventuring. But one specific flier caught his eyes, not so much because of its contents, but because the time frame coincided with his estimated time of arrival in Anebrilith. Apparently, somebody was recruiting a party for an expedition that sought the ancient artifacts of the War of the Tap. Jared was no historian, but he wasn’t a simpleton either – if the War was mentioned, this endeavor was bound to net quite a nice pile of treasure. And while he was never money-hungry by nature, Jared certainly didn’t mind returning to Fallien with something fancy for Bryn.

So, instead of catching the first ship south, the handsome cleric made his way to the locale mentioned in the flier; The Singing Blades inn. As inconspicuous as he wanted to be as he walked through the carefully urbanized elven metropolis, his attire disabled him from passing unnoticed. The silver robes that covered most of his body shone eerily, their smooth surface covered in cryptic runes almost succeeding in reflecting the autumn sun. Luckily, the season was such that the sunny and cloudy weather changed at whim, so soon enough the lively vibrant colors were replaced by the more dour ones. With his staff clicking against the stone in sync with every other pace, Jared walked a bit more serenely now.

The Singing Blades inn was located in the docks, which meant that it wasn’t one of the most luxurious establishments in Anebrilith. However, given the fact that he was in Raiaera, that still meant that the place was probably neater and tidier then the vast majority of inns in other realms. The interior, though relatively barren when compared with the similar places uptown, was still touched with just enough of elven subtlety to make Jared feel like he didn’t have enough money to pay for a room. Luckily, he didn’t need a room. What he needed was probably gone already. The flier said a major expedition and there was naught but dock-wallopers and a pair of humans in the common room.

“Greetings.” Jared said to the innkeeper, an elf that looked almost fair enough to be a woman with his long velvety hair. The staff-wielding cleric never quite understood the vanity of men that maintained long hair. “Maybe you can help me. I’m looking for somebody who is allegedly forming an expedition to the Red Forest.”

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

Reina smiled sheepishly at her conversation partner, reminding herself that she needed to remember how to use Tradespeak correctly or else she would not get her thoughts across. It would be a shame to break a good conversation at the moment as well, considering this cute-looking guy could even understand what she was saying at all.

"I'm Reina, Mister Dayas." The gadgeteer smiled as she took a sip of water that had begun to collect cool droplets on its side. "I don't remember seeing many people who actually can't speak Elven around here, but then again I just got here as well. Are you here for something?"

In the back of hre mind, she had the idea that he came for the expedition to the Obsidian Spire. But the lass looked at him and thought he probably would be better off working in a temple or something. Not that she would care, anyway, considering how good it would be to have a nice-looking escort by her side.

It was also that time as well when a new arrival entered through the swinging doors, dressed like a cleric with a matching staff to complement his already mediocre outfit. Reina merely glanced out of the corner of her small spectacles, silently noting the less than Elven grace the stranger was showing. Obviously, another traveler to visit this graceful abode.

Her ears continued their jobs even as she let her eyes roam back to the hooded man across the table, sneakily picking up what the stranger said to the bartender that was only a few tables away.

The lass had a mouthful of water when she overheard the words "expedition" and "Red Forest" being said within the same sentence, a definite sign that he came for the expedition she had send fliers out to recruit escorts. The lass let out a surprised spray of water from her mouth, barely missing her table partner as she trained her eyes on the other hooded stranger with a walking stick in his hands. Agh, no! I hope the Bladesingers didn't hear that!

But speaking of such endeavor in the Bladesingers home turf was like setting yourself up for immedite booting back to the homeland. An adventure into the Red Forest was a sure sign of an adventure to the Obsidian Spire - or the Velice Arta in Raiaeran, as she found out a bit earlier in her travels - to which the Bladesingers kept a strong guard against anyone even venturing near that area.

The Akashiman gadgeteer wasted no time for apologies and darted off like a bullet, grabbing the monk by his arm and dragging him away from the counter.

"Oh, hahaha! Don't mind, us, Mister Elf!" She laughed hysterically, trying to mask the dread in her voice. "We're just going for a walk in the woods, that's all! No need to worry about us!"

Reina nearly wanted to faint in horror, but by the time they reached the small table she felt a lot better, seeing the pointy-eared guards nowhere in sight.

Heaving a reliefed sigh, she smiled apologetically at the two men who would have been wondering what on Althanas was wrong with this woman. She could not help it, but what was done had been done.

"Sorry about that, but we can't just say that kind of thing to these people." She spoke in hushed tones, afraid that they might be suspeced of breaking into their forbidden grounds. "I don't know about you, but I heard they don't welcome strangers around that area. We need to keep this as low-key as possible."

She could have gone to another pub in the area, one that was actually run by a human keeper, but she did not know it was just down the street from where they were. Asides from not having any good sense of direction already, her outdated intelligence on the locals did little to help with anything.

But she was a gadgeteer, after all. In her homeland, gadgeteers were always thought of as missing a few screws in their heads.

[Jared]

The girly elf on the other side of the counter never got a chance to respond to Jared’s inquiry. By the time the cleric finished his question and found himself in the corsairs of keen almond eyes of the barkeep, a hand snatched him by the elbow and started dragging him away. The owner of the hand – a black-haired maiden with a weird accent – did her best to apologize, sporting a forced laughter, but the reason for her apologies was beyond Jared. He followed, albeit with reluctance, her grasp on his arm not as tight as it was awkwardly placed, mysteriously finding the hole at the back of his elbow and pressing it, thus nearly stopping the circulation in his forearm. Luckily for the robed healer and his arm, the girl’s table was nearby, as were two pairs of chairs and the accompanying shady man that was more likely then not the girl’s companion.

Dropping his ulder staff on the smooth hardwood floor, Jared settled on one of the chairs, sparing a quick measuring glance on the darkly-attired part of the duo. To Jared, it seemed like the man was wearing a small black hat all the time, his hair golden save for the top of his head. It looked funny enough for an inner smirk, but not the outward one. Save for the queer hair color though, the man was rather unremarkable, another regular run-off-the-mill stranger that donned dark colors and a probable blade or two below that tawny cloak of his.

The female part of the pair was much more interesting to the cleric, not necessarily because she was a girl – though it definitely made it easier on the eyes – but because, unlike her companion, she was anything but usual. And that meant quite a lot given the fact that Jared was currently in a relationship with a warrior valkyrie woman that could probably sweep the floor with him in melee combat. The lass present was peculiar in a different way though. For one, her attire was something he’d expect to see on a lad, and one doing some physical work as well given the stains on her white undershirt. “A blacksmith’s apprentice mayhap,” he guessed, noticing the donned belt with tools around her waist. However, while the clothes might’ve been man’s, what was beneath them was most definitely a woman, and one with a rather cute face as well. The spectacles only added to that conclusion for some reason, a unique feature that made her even more interesting.

Her voice – more specifically, her idiom – was another unique feature, and one to which his ears had to adjust. She spoke Tradespeak and cleanly, only the accentuation of certain words was off from time to time. Still, not nearly off enough to prevent him from understanding that he nearly got himself in even more trouble then he was back in the Museum. “Oh. Right. I didn’t know that. So much for the courtesy of the elves, I guess?” he responded in a hushed tone, finishing with a half-jovial, half-sarcastic smirk.

“I reckon you two are in charge of this walk in the woods then?” he continued, casting a swift scanning glance over his shoulder and producing a neatly folded pamphlet from the interior of his silvery robes once he was satisfied with the stillness of the common room. He slid it over the smooth wooden surface and left it next to the glass of water. “I picked this up Corone when the ship I was traveling on stopped for supplies. I figured, since I’m here, might as well do some work.”

A trio of harbor workers walked in through the door, tall, lanky elves in simple leather jerkins and brownish breeches. Jared expected them to order some ale and start to produce the racket their kind usually does when they walk into the common room, but the three disappointed him when they calmly sat on the stools and ordered some wine. Even stevedores were decent in these parts. The cleric wondered if there were, in fact, elven drunkards and beggars, and if there were, did they look all chewed up and spat out like their human counterparts did. Somehow he doubted it.

The realization that he was conducting business without even introducing himself snapped him out of his deliberation on Raiaera and its inhabitants. “I’m Jared Namarealyen,” he said, returning his mind to the task at hand. He regarded the girl with a smirk, shifted his eyes to the shadowy man, then returned them to the maiden that yanked him away from the barkeep moments ago. “So where are the rest of your men? Are you still waiting for them or did they go on ahead?” The add spoke of this expedition as an endeavor of large proportions, so Jared expected nothing short of a convoy of people that would venture into the Red Forest. The looks that he was seeing on the faces of the two made him reevaluate that assumption.

[IBB]

Dayas played around with his chair, lifting the front two legs a little off the ground and then gently returning it to its original position.

"Actually, I'm here because of a flier I happened to pick up," Dayas replied. "Mentioned something about an expedition, and meeting up here." He was pretty sure Reina was the person he was supposed to meet, but just to make sure he was proceeding with a little bit of caution. He paid barely any attention to the cleric that had entered the room, so it barely registered when he mentioned the same things Reina picked up on. Therefore, he was caught completely off-guard when she did a spit-take. He yelped and leaned backwards in his seat, flailing in surprise and barely managing to keep his seat from tumbling backwards. He was too busy trying to keep his balance to notice her dart off to the other hooded stranger in the room and drag him back to the table.

In an effort to regain his composure, he readjusted his hood and made sure all four legs of his chair were firmly on the ground. It was a moment before he finally took notice of the flustered young woman and the cleric she had dragged back to the table. Being relatively used to women who often behaved strangely, her behavior did not bother him all that much, though he was still bewildered as to why on Althanas she was acting this way.

He watched the cleric sit down and examined him briefly, just as the cleric examined him. Dayas wasn't exactly much of a religious person, so frankly, all religious figures looked pretty much the same in his eyes. Light eyes, dark hair— at first glance, the guy did not seem all that remarkable to Dayas.

Dayas's attention returned to the flustered young woman as she pointed out why she had dragged the cleric over so suddenly, and suddenly Dayas was glad he had not said anything outright about the expedition. Dayas leaned over and examined the pamphlet that the cleric put on the table; sure enough, it looked exactly like the one he had found on his own travels. He leaned one elbow on the table and placed his chin on the palm of his hand as the cleric introduced himself.

"I was kind of starting to wonder about that, too," Dayas piped up, looking to the conductor of the expedition. He glanced at the other member of the three person party assembled at the table. "Please don't tell me it's just us."

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

Reina was not sure how to respond to the duo of questions flying her way. Even though they both worded it a bit differently, and with minor hints of expectation and doubt, it essentially boiled down to one thing.

Was this the entire Red Forest Expedition Force?

"Ay~ Yeah...?" She replied in a meek voice, shyly scratching an itch on her cheek. "I waited the entire day for people to show up, but apparently only you two did. I was hoping more would show up, but I guess those guys are all show and no go. Darn cowards! And they had such nice bodies, too." Reina ended with a small pout, finishing her little speech off with a drink of water.

Not giving a chance for any of them to bow out, she quickly continued and outlines her plans in short wary whispers.

"As of now, we are the only three. I suggest we head for Carnelost at the edge of the Red Forest and stock up. I heard the animals and plants in that place are afraid of fire, so we should get some fiery stuff there."

Turning to Jared briefly and sweeping her eyes around towards Dayas, she let out a roguish grin before her announcement.

"Of course, we'll have to split up for a while. I'll have some rooms ready for the night before we leave for the Forest. Make sure you have a torch and some other items for protection when we get there. Oh, yes. And do try avoid getting caught by the Bladesingers. I want to see both of you there when we leave for our little walk."

Keeping on her sly grin, she casually got up from the table and headed for the door, but not before flipping a shiny gold coin with her thumb at the bartender from across the room. The girlish elf skilfully snatched the coin in mid-flight, though not without a look of disdain silently crossing his otherwise apathetic visage.

"I'll see you boys there. Just look for an inn by the name of Daywalker's Respite and ask for the rooms under the name Mikami. The innkeeper will fill you in about the rest."

The geeky lass departed with an odd sideway wave, stepping out under the cloud-covered sky and headed towards the road leading to the fringe town of Carnelost. The thought of hitch-hiking the wandering merchants on their way there crossed her mind and she was elated to actually find one just as he was about to leave. The old man's weathered face was in a perpetual smile and his beaten old covered wagon filled to the brim with odd assortments of marionettes and stick puppets.

"Whee! Thank you for the ride, Mister Arkori!" Reina squealed in excitement and hopped on next to him, the wagon beginning its serene, idle roll a few moments later. "Anyways, where are you headed after leaving Carnelost?"

The gadgeteer lass conversed lively with the aged puppet master, marveling at his history on the road and live performances. Unbeknown to her, a shadow traced her every footsteps ever since she left the regal dockside tavern. And even still, more kept their eyes on the other two members of the expedition force while remaining neatly out of sight.

[IBB]

Dayas suddenly had a bad feeling form in the pit of his stomach when Reina confirmed that it was, indeed, just the three of them. He had kind of been hoping that it would be some sort of large expeditionary force, since he was relatively new to this whole "adventuring" thing. He grumbled quietly to himself as she continued, conveniently glossing over the "nice bodies" line. He paid more attention as she quickly outlined her plans, most likely in an effort to salvage this rapidly deteriorating mission.

Carnelost, Carnelost... Dayas thought to himself. ...It might help if I had an actual idea of the lay of the land, wouldn't it? And a sense of direction.

She mentioned the fact that the inhabitants of the Red Forest were afraid of fire, which seemed intuitive to Dayas. What sane animal wouldn't be? he thought, casting a mental glance at the goldfinch in his mind, Perchik. Perchik nodded and warbled in agreement. Hm... "items for protection?" If she means "prepare for a fight," then that's precisely what I'd rather avoid.

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't know how to avoid getting caught," he mumbled in response to her advice not to get caught by the Bladesingers, speaking largely to himself. He watched her leave with a wave, and then glanced at the other member of their three-person group. If all that this group had was a young woman who didn't seem to have any fighting experience, a young rogue who most certainly did not have much fighting experience, and a cleric who probably wasn't much better than either of the other two in the same department, this "expedition" was going to have a hell of a time making any headway through a dangerous forest.

Once she was out of sight, Dayas stood up from the table and started to leave. He paused as a thought occurred to him, and he made a cautious half-turn back to the cleric.

"Hey, uh, Jared?" he ventured. "You wanna... hang out or something? Since we are about to go traveling together, after all." Realizing he'd forgotten to introduce himself, he cleared his throat, faced Jared fully, and held his hand out for a handshake. "I'm Dayas, by the way."

[Jared]

It was crazy and neither of his potential companions realized it. Jared maybe wasn’t the most knowledgeable man when it came to Raiaera and its locales, but he knew enough about the mysterious Red Forest to deign this little endeavor a failure before it even properly began. There were vile things beneath those crimson trees, ancient things awoken from slumber and not too happy about it. The cleric never witnessed these manifestations himself, but the telltales were enough to ensure him that it wasn’t a sight worth risking his life for. The only reason he even considered joining this expedition was because the pamphlet gave out an impression that the exploring force would be significantly larger then what it currently was. Thirty would’ve been passable, three hundred was perhaps a bit too much, but three was... well, rather suicidal. Especially since the leader was a young lass that clearly didn’t know what she was getting into.

That, however, proved to be the reason why Jared didn’t storm out of the Singing Blades Inn and catch the first ship south the moment Reina departed. The girl was clearly in over her head, aiming too high and bound to get more then just a slap on the wrist for it, and the benevolent cleric couldn’t allow that to happen. It wasn’t his piety that made him do so though. Jared maybe had an outlook of a monk that strayed from the safety of some monastery, but he revered no gods and fought no battles for the general wellbeing of all things. It was rather his nature that intervened in this situation, the conscience that was a constant whisper at the edge of hearing that judged on the rightness and the wrongness of the actions. And it was wrong to turn back on Reina, even if he just got to know her minutes ago.

“She’s a good lass. Cute as hell too.” Jared couldn’t tell for which of the two thoughts Bryn would reprimand him more – his benevolence or his cuteness remark – but he reckoned the latter would get him a frown and a slap extra. Still, it was an undeniable fact and he was on the road and away from his family from a long time. And it’s not like he was doing anything wrong; there was a distinct difference between just walking through the garden and tasting its fruits.

Unfortunately, Reina didn’t find it fit to travel with her male companions during this part of the journey, so Jared was left with the less attractive part of the pair. The golden-haired man seemed amicable enough, introducing himself as Dayas and inquiring should they proceed to Carnelost together. It seemed like a viable course of action – there was some strength in numbers even if the number was two – but a pair of travelers were also more susceptible to getting noticed. Jared reckoned that was why the raven-haired tomboy went off on her own; if these bladesingers were really less then happy with this expedition, precaution was necessary.

Picking up his seemingly unremarkable staff, the cleric accepted the handshake, but not the partnership. “I don’t think it’s wise for us to... hang out,” he said in a hushed tone, leading the way out of the inn and into the streets of Anebrilith. “I’m not certain if the bladesingers are on our trail, but if they are, they’re going to have a harder time tracking three trails then two. I think that’s why she went on ahead on her own.”

Outside, it didn’t seem like the sun would be bursting through the clouds any time soon. The mild gloominess that colored the sky light gray when he entered the inn had a grimmer outlook now, the sky sending an envoy in the shape of a chilly wind that spoke of possible precipitation some time soon. It made the city look somewhat less glorious, the impeccable elven edifices robbed of a small portion of their magnificence as the grayness descended upon them. “I’m going to go and try to find myself a horse. I suggest you do the same. Hopefully, we’ll rendezvous in Carnelost.”

How Dayas would get a horse, Jared didn’t know, but the man looked a little bit like the kind that wouldn’t purchase it legally. There was no definite detail that could be pinpointed, but there was something about the shady man that made the cleric feel like he didn’t want to turn his back to him all too often. Perhaps that was why he opted for traveling on his own. Or perhaps it was just precaution. Either way, he parted ways with a nod and proceeded to the marketplace where there were bound to be some horses for sale.

***

“A thousand seems a bit steep,” Jared muttered, patting a chestnut steed on the neck and exchanging a studious glance with the stable master. The bulky human had plenty of horses alright, but the price tags he put on them had figures that could make a buyer faint. A genuine Fallien mare – of at least the man said it was genuine – went as high as two thousand gold pieces. This, much more mundane steed, was one of the home grown, a young, healthy looking beast, as graceful as the land it was raised in.

“Tell me about it. It wouldn’t be so steep if the elf breeders didn’t sell them for an arm and a leg,” the man replied, showing no intention to lower the price. “If you can’t afford it, I have a couple of Alerar beast. They’re less tame, less reliable, but a lot cheaper.” The proprietor of the stables led the way down the long row of pens, stopping in front of one containing a black mount that snorted restlessly. It was significantly larger and more muscled then the chestnut one, a war steed if Jared ever saw one. “Now, this one is a thorn in my behind for quite a while. Elves won’t buy him because he’s too uncouth and most of the other buyers think he’s too wild. If I don’t sell him soon as a mount, I’ll probably sell him to the local butcher.”

Jared wouldn’t have bought it either – the cleric used to the Fallien steeds that flowed like water beneath the rider – but the black horse awoken a memory in him. Back home, when he was still under the enthrallment of his own sister, they both pursued a mythical steed that was never tamed. This fabled mustang was as dark as the night and as wild as if it was rabid. And while this steed didn’t seem that extreme, to was similar enough for the healer to consider buying it. His hand reached for the snout of the black beast, and the horse recoiled at first. But since it had no where to run, soon Jared’s palm touched the steed’s face. It made the cleric smile.

“How much are you asking for it?”

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

Gluk glak... Gluk glak... Gluk glak...

Over and over again, the sound of wooden wheels treading against the bumpy dirt road echoed into Reina's ears as she napped in the comfort of the carriage's shadow. The drooping sun skimmed lightly across the leg of her trousers and threw shadows dancing across the grassy backdrop, enacting a strange tale of chasing winds and fleeting forms. The girl dozed off in the afternoon warmth, marionettes of various sizes ranging from those merely the size of her thumb to ones she could call her own baby sisters huddled around the canvas walls and oaken ribs, watching her with their beady eyes while some blinked with each rise and fall of the rhythmic gallops coming from the pair of horses in front.

Carnelost... Carnelost... Her mind drifted lazily from one thought to another, a voice playing itself inside her head like the time she received a returned letter from one of Uncle Hajime's friends from oversea.

If you are ever in around Carnelost, stop by at my humble little inn by the name of The Daywalker's Respite. It's just at the edge of town before you reach the Red Forest. The sign has a silhouette of a walking man with a cane and a hat - you can't miss it if you're walking down the main road.

I always have a room for friends and families of Hajime, especially for those from Akashima. I'll see you there someday, little Reina.

Signed, Kojima Kakashi

She sighed happily at the thought and smiled to herself, thanking the stars that her Uncle Hajime had so many friends in so many places - something she also wished to have as she traveled more and more. Stretching her arms lazily and sitting up at the edge of the covered wagon, the gadgeteer got on her knees and made her way through the plethora of dolls and puppets to where the kindly old puppeteer sat guiding the horses down the road.

"Hey, Mister Arkori. Can I ask you a question?" The lass spoke meekly and waited for the old gentleman to turn around, his hands gripping firmly on the reins like a true traveler of the open road. "How long will it take for us to reach Carnelost from here?"

The old man glanced up at the glowing red clouds for a few seconds, returning with a sage nod and a warm smile.

"Darkness is approaching fast and we shall need to make camp in a few hours when Light is still with us. After Night gives way to Day, we shall resume the road and reach our destination. Carnelost will rise up on the horizon when the sun is shining gently on our backs."

Reina giggled at the old man's poetic response, quickly deciphering the meaning to tomorrow morning even as he finished his words.

"Sounds good, Mister Arkori! I'll help you with whatever I can!" She replied with a big grin.

***

Chirp chirp chirp...

Night swept swiftly over the land, casting her gentle blanket across the blue sky and turning it to a solid black canvas dotted with tiny little fireflies ever flickering above. The gadgeteer stared up at those dots of light, wondering what they were and how they end up stuck there all night, seemingly always in the same place no matter where on Althanas she looked at them from.

Arkori the Puppet Master and the young gadgeteer made camp in a small outcrop of trees rising out from the ground on the side of the road. There had been some odd specks of soot here when they first arrived and Reina thought it may have belonged to some other travelers headed their way as well, though it turned out it was from Arkori's previous stop along this road. The old man got a fire going before long and they were ready for bed, Reina occupying the sturdy trunk of a hardy cedar while old Arkori sat with his back against the wagon's wheel. Curled comfortably under a light blanket, the young Akashiman felt her eyelids growing heavy and before long all she could tell about her surrounding was the gentle Autumn breeze sweeping over the campfire and the symphony of insects watching over their slumber.

Chirp chirp chi-

Reina shifted in her sleep, her eyes creaking open after a while and swept the area with her eyes half-opened.

Huh~? Why is it so quiet out there all of a sudden?

The remained dark and dreary, idle winds sweeping through the foliage from time to time. The twinkling fireflies stuck against the black canvas above kept their shine as silent as their eternal presence. The glowing white crescent shone her stream of light across the land, illuminating the empty road before her and casting the wagon's shadow across her weary form.

Yet the symphony had died down and not even as much as an annoying buzz could be heard.

I wonder- Reina slowly reached her gloved hand out from under the blanket for her glasses, the custom-made lenses sleeping peacefully in the grass next to her head.

Snap

She froze almost immediately when the noise reached her ears, a finger already touching the rim of the shiny pair of glasses.

...What was that?

Reina glanced about the area in vain, seeing merely blurry forms shifting through her vision, the formless shades of deep blue and black blending together as if they were one and the same. But the sound of crunching twigs was definitely not normal. Coupled in with the sudden silence of the six-legged musicians, it could only mean one thing.

Is someone there? Mister Arkori?

The lass eased her hand back and nervously slipped the lenses over her face, the crystal clear glasses restoring her vision to a near perfect condition. Her eyes trailed through the deep blue hue of the night across the smoldering campfire and came to rest on the sleeping form of the weary Puppet Master. A subtle rustling of leaves to her left announced the presence of another, yet her ears failed to detect them as the orchestra resumed as the last of the rustling died.

Reina warily glanced about the area once more and yawned, slowly drifting off to slumber again and awaited the call of dawn to wake her rested spirit.

***

"Carnelost greets us with a smile, young miss. And may you travel well until we meet again."

Reina bowed humbly as the Puppet Master resumed his journey towards the Mountains of Dusk, a mountain range separating the Aleran nation from the Home of the High Elves. Reina grinned happily as she stepped into the bustling town and casually walked through the morning throng on her way towards her destination. She would need to find some torches for the journey into the Red Forest and hopefully have enough money left over as payment to the two eager adventurers joining her in the "walk in the woods." The total payment would be a good one hundred pieces, which did not bode well for her already meager supply.

"I do hope I can gather some money from running errands for Mister Kojima." She sighed as she trudged through the cobblestone street. Children whooped and yelled as they raced each other about, their tiny leather shoes padding the smoothen stones noisily as they passed her by in a frenzy of feet and hands. The Akashiman smiled as they disappeared around the corner, finding their cheerful antics a bright way to start off the day.

A few more minutes of walking and she found the Daywalker's Respite standing not too far away, close to a small clearing with an impenetrable wall of red-colored trees stretching as far as her eyes could see. Not wanting to waste any time on the street where the Bladesingers might see her, Reina casually walked up the wooden steps of the inn and paused to look at the comical sign, wondering how could anyone miss such a strange icon.

Tap.

A sharp, frigid prick ran up her spine as she leaned forward to open the door. She was positive she had been walking up to the inn alone and there was no one else remotely close to the front of the establishment. Whipping her head around with a jerk, all she found was the empty porch dotted with a few potted petunias on the floor. There were not even a soul within twenty meters around the area, most have yet to even wake up with the rising sun.

Not wanting to stay outside much longer, Reina casted a wary glance over her shoulder once more and disappeared into the Daywalker's Respite, heading off to meet the owner and prepare herself for the arrival of her traveling companions.

I swore I heard an extra footstep just now...

[IBB]

They shook hands, though Dayas was somewhat relieved when the cleric turned down his offer. Given his lifestyle, he didn't exactly "do" groups very often, but he had figured that if they were going to be adventuring together, they should probably get to know each other a little. The traditional adventuring tale usually had the travelling part double as the "bonding" part, but given the circumstances of the mission they were about to undertake, that probably would not be such a practical idea.

He followed the cleric out into the street as he explained that it would be far less of a risk to travel separately rather than together. Dayas half-shrugged at his statement that the lass that hired them was probably thinking the same way when she went on her own.

"Probably," he agreed, self-consciously lowering his voice as well. He shivered slightly as the wind cut through him and cast a brief glance towards the ominous sky. Perchik chirped that there would probably be rain soon and could we please go back inside before it starts? He told the bird to "shove it" as the cleric suggested parting ways to find a means of transportation and rendezvousing in Carnelost. "If I don't manage to get hopelessly lost," he muttered darkly to himself. He returned the nod as they parted ways and went to find some means of getting to Carnelost.

***

The first thing Dayas proceeded to do was find some way of procuring a map of the area between Anebrilith and Carnelost. He felt somewhat ridiculous looking for a place that sold maps, and even he felt suspicious walking in and asking for one. Nevertheless, he managed to scrounge up the coin to pay for a decent map written in Tradespeak and was currently sitting on the bottom step of the stairs outside the shop, trying to puzzle out a route. Perchik wasn't helping matters, either; he kept chirping suggestions about where to go, despite the fact that he had absolutely no idea how to read anything— let alone a map.

Dayas was so wrapped up in his bickering with the goldfinch sharing his existence that he failed to notice someone exit the map store and stand over his shoulder. He persisted in failing to notice this person for several moments until he suddenly heard a polite cough practically right above him. Dayas jumped, contorting his body in an attempt to see the source of the sound, moved too fast and lost his balance, causing him to fall off the step and land in an undignified heap.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" cried the person who had done just that. He knelt down beside Dayas and helped him to his feet, offering him and apologetic look. "I noticed you buying a map to Carnelost. Would you, perchance, be on your way there?"

"Yeah, why?" Dayas answered, shrugging the man off and dusting himself off.

"Well, I happen to be passing through that area myself on some personal business," the man answered, stepping out of the way politely. Dayas cast him a sideways look as he readjusted his cloak. The man in question was an elf, not much taller than himself, with downy auburn hair down to his shoulders, a pair of spectacles perched in front of violet-blue eyes, and robes that were reminiscent of a scholar or mage— or both— rather than a well-travelled adventurer. Dayas bent over and retrieved his newly-bought map as the elf continued. "I happen to be rather familiar with a route from here to Carnelost, so perhaps I could show you the way."

"What were you doing in a cartographer's store?" Dayas wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"Purchasing maps for an area of Raiaera I am not very familiar with," he answered, shrugging sadly. "I'm afraid I've never really travelled my own home country very much, and as such there are many areas I have difficulty finding my way around in. However, my business requires that I pass through some unfamiliar territory on the way to my destination."

"Guess we're in the same boat, then," Dayas muttered.

"Either way, would you agree to accompany me to Carnelost?" the elf asked. Dayas looked him over one more time as he silently mulled his options over.

Hm. I don't know the way, I have a horrible sense of direction, I've got a chirpy little bastard sharing my head, Perchik let out an indignant chirp at this comment. I've probably got a much better chance of actually reaching my destination if I go along with this guy than if I go it alone. As long as I don't do something stupid like tell him what I'm really doing, I should be fine.

"All right," he finally answered, shrugging. "Couldn't hurt to travel with someone who knows where they're going."

"Good, then," the elf said, grinning. "Let's be on our way, then."

[Jared]

((Apologies for the delay.))

“Keep going south and you can’t miss it... What a load of horsedung.”

So far, this little Raiaera detour that he took was nothing but disappointment. It all started with the unwelcoming welcome at the Museum, proceeded to what initially sounded like a piece-of-cake mission and continued to follow him even now, as he proceeded to join this hazardous expedition. Because, even though his pride refused to admit it, clinging to the belief that he had a perfect sense of direction and path-finding, Jared Namarealyen was lost. The horse merchant ensured him that Carnelost was just down the south road, a day’s riding at most, impossible to miss. Given his current position, it seemed that the cleric succeeded in achieving the impossible. The sun was dipping below the horizon fast, offering him a good clue as to where the west side of the world was, but towards the south there was nothing but grassland and sporadic groves. No scarlet forest. No town at its edge.

Another disappointment was the beast the purchased for four hundred gold pieces. It seemed like a bargain; the horse was large, young, muscular, looking like a beast that could gallop for hours and fail to tire. The reality, however, significantly differed from the supposition. Baphomet – as Jared dubbed him – was undoubtedly a war horse, and as such, strong enough to plow through a battlefield packed with soldiers. He ran like a true mustang, powerful and untamed, making the healer cling to the reins almost desperately as the wind whooshed past his ears. The only problem was that, despite all his power, the black horse had very little stamina. He could probably outsprint many a horse, but once that sprint was done, he would revert to almost a walk speed. It took Jared almost half a day to find a slow trotting pace that Baphomet could handle without tiring too much.

It was probably during these probation times that the cleric wound up lost. And suddenly, the day was coming to an end, and he was in a middle of nowhere, facing the realization that he would spend a day in a small sapling grove. The lean young birch trees failed to provide much cover and concealment, but the woods were situated between a pair of hillocks that formed a natural barrier against unwanted looks. Jared hoped that it would be enough for his fire to go unnoticed. That is, if he managed to build one.

“Come on, come one. Burn already,” he muttered, snapping his fingers at the arranged sticks and branches. His mind was focused on the would-be fire, his thoughts bent on evoking the fire magic that he knew once upon a time, his body caught almost in a cramp from the intensity of his concentration. But even as the sun disappeared behind the west knoll and brought twilight in tow, his powers failed to give birth to fire.

“Ah, to hell with you!” Jared yawped, balling his fist tightly in anger. He wanted to crush the little pyramid he made of firewood with it, but once his fingers tightened, the lost healer never got a chance to do so. A violent tongue of flame sprouted from the ground, devouring the wood in a single orange flash that nearly burned off his facial hair and made him recoil so sharply that he fell on his back. The scattered remnants of his fire crackled all around the clearing, but Jared failed to see them. Instead, he stared at his hand, acknowledging another shred of magic that he managed to retrieve from dormancy. It felt as if a door opened somewhere within his mind, and suddenly warmth was surging from it, tickling his fingers and goading them into making magic again. And again. And again.

Suffice to say, it wasn’t a boring night for Jared.

***

He kept riding towards what he thought was south once he woke up in the morning, toying with his newfound power every time he had to slow down to walk speed for Baphomet to rest. It was during one of these walks, when his focus was on the flame that shimmered in his hand, that he strolled into a giant orchard of cherry trees. The trees weren’t in blossom, but they were still so neatly arranged and trimmed that they formed an amazing sight. Their owner, an ancient looking elf that almost shot Jared down with an arrow under suspicion that he was there to burn his trees, offered proper directions to Carnelost after some negotiating and reassuring. It appeared that the cleric wound up going too much east and had to change course towards southwest in order to reach his rendezvous point.

The day was evanescing into an evening by the time he actually reached Carenlost. The town wasn’t slumbering yet, but it wasn’t too far from it either as the sun kept descending. Most of the merchants already packed their wares and closed their shops, leaving the streets vacant enough for Jared to walk through them horseback. Despite this lull in activity of the town, however, the healer couldn’t fight a certain obscure sensation that there were more eyes on his back then there should’ve been. It was an eerily feeling, the skeptical kind that makes a person watch over his shoulder just to see nothing there to watch back. These invisible looks seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, from within the empty shadowed corners of the side streets, from beyond the closed windows. They could’ve been just the glares of the locals that eyed the stranger that just rode into their town. Or they could’ve been just a figment of his imagination. Either way, Jared was relieved when he finally saw the sign of a man with a cane that signified the Daywalker's Respite inn.

“Hopefully, others had better luck getting here,” he muttered, dismounting with a sigh. He wasn’t sore all over from the riding, but he didn’t get away unscathed either; his things were mildly chafed and his behind was a bit numb. Small wonder that, despite not liking the stuffy common rooms filled with a throng of people, Jared felt allayed once he stepped into the tavern, scanning it for his two companions.

[Gadgeteer Mikami]

((SUPER Sorry for the very long delay. ^_^; Master Raven was a bit busy...))

"Hello, sir~!"

A voice greeted Jared as he entered the common room of the tavern amidst the homely atmosphere of the Daywalker's Respite. A dozen round tables littered the lower area, more along the ring running high on the second floor of the inn with a flight of sturdy stairway leading to the resting quarters. The bar, standing snugly right next to the stairs, was manned by a gruff-looking old man with a neatly-trimmed goatee and an every-present smile. Right next to the counter, the owner of the voice.

Reina really was not expecting the kind of work she would have to do when she reached the inn, hoping that the owner would be kind enough to offer herself and her team a place to stay for free. Then again, it was not exactly news that many Akashiman, at home or abroad, uphold one motto in all their dealing.

Nothing is Free.

Reina had to learn that it was even true when the letter read there was "always have a room for friends and families of Hajime."

"I hope you didn't have much trouble getting here, sir. Anyways, something to drink for now?" She ended with a playful wink, ushering the robed monk towards a table.

The lass was dressed, from head to toe, in what the inn considered the regular outfit for waitresses bussing tables in the common room. Regular outfit being a clean white shirt under a form-fitting brown jacket with a short tubular neck, puffy long cotton pants dyed an earthly green tone and cutesy little cloth moccasins. She was not particularly fond of the clothing, but she had to comply and agree to work for Kakashi for their room at the inn. Apparently, bussing tables was the only thing she could do without breaking something too expensive.

"Anyways, I don't see Mister Dayas yet. I wonder where he is?" The Gadgeteer-turned-Waitress mused quietly to Jared as they reached an unoccupied table. Reina tried to scratch an itch just above the neckline, but found the coarse fabric of the tubed neckpiece instead. Muttering in discomfort, she decided to brave it out and get back to it after the day was done.

"Let's wait a while before we get to the room and settle down for the day. For now, what would you like to order for breakfast, sir?"

Then again, there was work to be done. Or else they would be sleeping in the commons room instead.

[IBB]

Together Dayas and the elf, who introduced himself as Naliso, only had enough money for one horse. They purchased a mare large enough for the both of them to ride on, barring the need for personal space. After checking that they had enough provisions to last a few days, they set out along a less-frequently travelled road that Naliso happened to be very familiar with.

They chatted about everything and nothing as they rode: tidbits of knowledge gleaned over the years, families, history, politics, life, love— when they strayed onto the latter topic Dayas immediately attempted to change it to something else.

"What? Haven't you ever been in love before?" Naliso prodded.

"...Let's just talk about something else, all right?" Dayas answered icily.

"Oh, come on—" Naliso began, grinning slyly.

"Hey, look, a cardinal!" Dayas exclaimed, pointing to the bird as it passed overhead. This tactic distracted the elf long enough for Dayas to change the topic to something a little bit less sensitive.

They continued to ride until sunset, when Naliso decided it was time to stop and set up camp. The campsite they chose looked to be frequently used, and for good reason— it was hidden from the road by the underbrush and the trees and brush ringing the little clearing made it hard for someone to quietly sneak up on them from the woods. There was a well-used fire pit in the center of the site; all they needed to do was gather some brush and start a fire.

They busied themselves with setting up camp and getting the fire and food going, but once that was all done and they had had their fill of tonight's rations, they sat around the fire and got to talking again.

"Out of curiosity," Naliso said, "what are you planning to do when you get to Carnelost?"

Dayas shrugged it off, though inside he was ferociously debating with Perchik over what to tell him. He quickly decided to go with telling him the barest truth without the details.

"I'm supposed to meet someone there on some business," he answered, trying to sound nonchalant but final.

"Your 'business' wouldn't happen to deal with a lady-friend, would it?" Naliso asked, an evil grin sneaking onto his face. Dayas jumped, his face turning red of its own volition.

"Wh-what?!" he exclaimed shrilly, only to be hurriedly shushed by his companion. Clearing his voice and lowering his tone, he continued, "Of course not. I mean, yeah, there's a girl involved, but not in that way. It's just business, y'know?"

"You make this way too easy," Naliso teased, stretching out on his sleeping bag. Dayas grunted, casting his companion a dark look. "Anyway, we should probably turn in for the night. I want to get going bright and early tomorrow morning so we can get there around noon."

"Any particular reason for the time limit?"

Naliso shrugged.

"None in particular," he answered. He rolled over onto his side, his back now to both Dayas and the fire. "'Night."

***

Sometime during the night, Dayas found himself awaking with a start. He thought at first that he just needed to relieve himself, but quickly realized that that wasn't the case. Something else simply did not feel right. He listened carefully, but all he could hear was the rustling of leaves as they blew in the occasional night breeze.

The fire had died down to barely burning embers, and so Dayas cast about for the stick they had been using to keep it going earlier. It was too dark for him to see clearly, and so he ended up finding it by inadvertently poking himself with it. He got his revenge by viciously stabbing the fire with it once, and once his urge for revenge was satisfied he poked the fire back to something resembling life.

As one spark caused the fire to surge and brighten the entire clearing for a brief moment, something moved. Dayas turned around rapidly but wasn't fast enough to catch what it was. All he got was a blur and some crunching and crashing through the brush as whatever it was got itself out of there as fast as possible. Naliso, awakened by the noise, asked what was going on.

"...Nothing," Dayas answered, after a little deliberation. "Probably just a forest animal that doesn't like fire."

***

The next day started off fine; they got up early, packed up and cleaned up the campsite, and then continued along the path they had been following earlier. That's when the problems arose.

Part of the path traveled across a wide stream, and apparently this stream had undergone some significant chances since the last time Naliso had been through this way.

"I'll bet there was a bridge here, wasn't there?" Dayas commented, looking at what appeared to be the half-submerged remains of a bridge.

"I don't remember it curving this much..." Naliso grumbled, then sighed. Dayas dismounted and began looking around. "What are you doing?"

"Seeing if anyone was kind enough to leave us an alternate means of crossing," Dayas answered, half-mumbling. Naliso raised a hand to block the sun and looked upriver while Dayas began wandering downriver a little ways.

"I think I see something!" Naliso exclaimed. Dayas turned and jogged after Naliso as he guided the mare upstream. Sure enough, there was a fallen log a little ways upriver that looked as if it was meant to be used as a makeshift bridge. Dayas scratched his head, looking from the mare to the log until his eyes met Naliso's.

"'You can lead a horse to water...'" Dayas commented, not looking very enthusiastic about the task that they both knew lay ahead.

Several hours and much splashing later, they had finally managed to get across in one (very soaked) piece. By now, however, it was past noon. They took advantage of the sun's relatively high position in the sky and attempted to dry themselves off a little before continuing on their way.

It was after nightfall when the two of them finally reached town. Dayas had discarded his cloak, opting instead to just store it in the pack they were sharing until they reached town. They were rather sore and exhausted from their half-successful attempts to lead a horse across a river using a log as a bridge, and the ride did not help matters much for either of them.

The streets were completely empty, making them seem eerily silent. The elf and the thief might have been a little scared of the emptiness had they had the energy for fear. Naliso guided the mare up to an inn and allowed Dayas to get off. He grabbed his cloak out of the pack and tiredly threw it around his shoulders as he and his former companion parted ways.

He trudged up the steps to the inn and entered, not really making much of an effort to find his companions. He was half expecting to find that they had already retired for the night, considering how late it was.