Fourth Adventure 08: Beginning of the End

Turning to Zeiss, Ashakel said. "I was just thinking that those who deal with information and peace-keeping would want to know what we know. And maybe could explain to us something of that. But suit yourself."

"At this point, i'll bank on that contact. We're far too blind as we are now."

Zeiss answers to Tabran, again.

"Other facts you want to tell me?"

*while listening, Kezrin passes Kolson a few items to hand over to Fierneceal.*

Spoiler:

*she then pipes up.*

"It is true that the city would make it easier for us to blend in, but would that not also mean that our yellow mage friends would find it easier to blend in as well? I'll cast my vote with Z. Colier is hidden out of the way and not often traveled to. I believe our mage ... friends would not likely follow us there."

"just saying with that much power i dont think hideing on the moon would even do us any good so running away like a scared child wont ever"

Rory looked to be in thought, and his brow grew heavy. He averted his eyes from his allies, losing himself in the object of his pondering.

"Kezrin... if these mages are as powerful as I'm being led to believe (having little context to go by, mind you), would it not be easier for them to track you in a smaller and less traveled town?" Fierneceal worries her bottom lip anxiously; both frightened for her new comrades who have shown her so much kindness and for her brother and her circumstance.

"I don't think any amount of distance will help us here, after what we've seen these people do. And you shouldn't call them mages as if their capacity limits to that, as it clearly doesn't.

I think running for it's own sake will be as useless as it will be pathetic. If there's someone in Holtburg who might get us out of the dark even a little, that's where we should go."

"They ain't bein' scared 'er stupid and we ain't gotta be either. I ain't thinkin' ya losin' 'em so easy like ya sayin'. What ya gotta be plannin' is what ya doing' when ya runnin' into 'em again; set traps fer 'em."

Fierneceal again pipes in, quietly this time, almost meekly, "I could ask my contact if there's anything to help your situation... if you'd tell him."

"I ain't turnin' away no help, nah. Ask 'em if ya feel ya trustin' 'em."

"For me to do that, Snarg, we'd have to go to Holtburg. I suppose it's up to everyone else, as long as I get there eventually. I'd... I'd really like to find my brother."

*Something suddenly jolts the back of his mind. He turns to Fierneceal.*

"You said you've been here for only a few days?"

"I'm thinkin' we're headin' way it's shapin' up. Er, maybe ... ya wantin' to be tellin' what ya brother'd be lookin' like or maybe where he'd be goin' if he's bein' alone? Ya think he's lookin' fer ya?"

"Z, I see the logic in your suggestion of Colier. I say we head there. We'll be able to stay close to the area in case Glemlock needs us nearby and we could always look at hiring a ship if we need a 'fast getaway' from Colier."

Fierneceal blinks owlishly at Higaide. "Yes? Flux and I arrived in Holtburg, met our contact, were sent to do our... errand, and I ended up here, facing you all. I don't know where Flux is." She sighs deeply.

"Snarg, he looks (thusly) and honestly, I don't know where he'd be. Possibly back to Holtburg, since that's where we landed, that's where our ship was, and that's where our contact is. I just don't know."

*His eyes sharpen.*

"The ship docked at Holtburg 26 days ago, today."

"Twenty..... twenty six days? What? But I was only off the ship for a day and a half! Flux and I met our contact and were transported to Marae Lassel where we spent the night with some lovely local folks, and it was during our mission that I ended up here, on the sand, with you lot! I got off that ship 2 days ago!"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

Fierneceal looks close to tears at this point, her brow furrowed and hands clenched into fists so tightly that she was gouging crescents into her skin from her fingernails, blood beginning to drop slowly from her palms.

"The last thing I remember? Flux and I were trying to fix Vasayen Lassel! I think we did it! But that was... that was yesterday. That was the day after we stepped into Holtburg. I don't understand. ..... How?"

Zeiss observes Fiernaceal. He says nothing. Having finished his meal, he gets up and leaves the room. He finds a good place outside where he can sit and tries to play with the flute he just bought. It has dragons sculpted onto it.

The music he produces is simple and the rhythm is slow.

"Think your contact will know more once you meet him?"

Snarg looks at Fierneceal with a shocked expression, "Er, what? 'scuse me fer askin', but ya ain't able to be goin' wit'out feed an' water fer that long? I ain't familia' wit' ya race-" he stops abruptly as he notices her hands, "o' easy, don't be hurtin' ya self."

"I don't know," Rory said, finally paying attention, "but today is the 7th of February. Ask anyone in town."