Everwake (Tim)

[Bannanachair]

"If you're referring to the Tocthani, we got into a bit of a fight with it," I say. "It's probably best to make our way to the airship quickly, in case it healed fast enough to follow us."

[Tikobe]

"It's fine to say you defeated the creature after all. It was rather quite impressive," Mule states.

Duck gave a look of shock. It was probably the first expression you've ever saw out of him other than that same smile he always wears.

"You... defeated that tocthani? I'm at a loss for words. But yes, you're quite right. We shouldn't dally; we have our engineer, we should leave," Duck finally says. "Follow me, if you would all please."

Your group goes down into the tunnel, where you are treated to quite a sight:

Spider webs. Large ones. It feels less like a secret passage and more like nest for something quite terrifying.

"What in the hell?" Bayod asks.

"Yes, I was quite shocked too, when that second tocthani arrived. I believe I had already mentioned that it took to concealing itself before it had even arrived here at the Larchont Plantation. A thick web so thick that it looked like a mountain of snow. Even now, I know not of it's true appearance," Duck mentions.

"...Enoise, you said that the first tocthani, the one we defeated was there to kill me should I discover these tunnels. What was the purpose behind the second one?"

"No idea. At least, Duck never sold me that info."

"No point in asking to buy it as well," Duck replies. "I don't really know myself. Rather, even the Duke Larchont didn't know about why Marquis Aralours had given it to him."

"And is it still here?" Mule asks.

"No. We had arrived quite a while before you did, and checked out these caves to make sure that the airship path was still there. At the very least, if it's here it didn't wish to show itself. Would make for the quite the surprise; don't you agree, Therinean?" Duck teases.

[Bannanachair]

"Don't tempt fate," I say. "I've been in four fights already today and I would much rather not get into a fifth."

[Tikobe]

"Come now, if you've really the will to work on as a soldier, you must be prepared for more than this," Duck jests as he continues to guide the party. Soon, you all lay witness to an airship lit up by the moonlight.

"It's not much, just enough for Larchont to smuggle his goods in, but it's empty, and at least, it should fit all of us. I would say that it's time we leave this nightmarish place. At the very least, seeing a home turn into hell wasn't pleasant," Duck claims, a tinge of sorrow betraying the smile on his face.

[Bannanachair]

"Not to mention, we'll have some safety when we're in the sky," I say. "Unless we run into Gen Saeyi again."

[Tikobe]

"That would certainly be unfortunate, to be sure," Duck gives an awkward chuckle. "Well, should we go to Chasre?"

"Unfortunately, we can't quite yet. The Admiral is missing something rather quite important. Our destination is north, somewhere between here and the Shrine Town of Backwater, on the search for a woman named Listene. If we are to go and return to Chasre and make a report and all of that, the Admiral needs to get back what he gave to Listene," Enoise replies nonchalantly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, but I need to get this engine running. You all do as you wish."

It wasn't long before the airship started increasing in altitude, but as it did you began to hear voices from the dark of the caves.

"Aww, they're going."

"We didn't get enough of them!"

"And they're going in that boat that mother hated."

"If only mother had noticed that there was a boat that she missed."

"Please come back! We'll play a little bit nicer!"

"...Damn creepy kids," Bayod mutters, looking at at the airport, before turning to you. "Well, it looks like we survived a Wyldun, huh? We gotta grab your seal from that girl, but after this, what do you intend to do?"

[Bannanachair]

I think on it for a bit. "I'm going to need to rally my fleet," I say. "Figure out the situation, coordinate with the Auge Aralours fleet, figure out if it's possible to contain Gen Saeyi and, if necessary, the other four Wyldun. Maybe get someone with some strong fire spells in order to burn her fucking plants to a crisp."

[Tikobe]

"There's whole lotta plants, y'know? You're gonna need a lot of fire for that," Bayod says, watching the ever shrinking ground. "I'm not too sure where I'm going after this. Sadly, my position was the last stop short of a death sentence. I failed to protect a city and had a Wyldun be released right in front of my eyes. My posting from here on out is... yeah. Not the best."

He starts moving.

"Well, dunno about you, but I spent the day fighting enemy soldiers, nearly being killed by a god and surviving in a world turned upside down. I'm going to spend the rest of this damned night sleeping. I'd recommend you do the same."

[Bannanachair]

"I'll be having a bath first, if we have bathwater, but that's a good idea."

[Tikobe]

The ship didn't move too much in your sleep. Enoise had carried it a distance away from Saffur, hidden from sight should Gen Saeyi still be near, keeping it suspended in the air while she slept. She had claimed that it was wise to not let your only engineer be deprived of sleep and by consequence lacking the mental fortitude to do her work properly. By the morning, however, she managed to carry the ship forward once more, up towards the north.

"Ah, Admiral Therinean, it's a great morning, isn't it?" Duck says the moment he sees you. "Say, your timing is rather quite impeccable. I had a matter I wish to speak of with you in private, if you've the time."

[Bannanachair]

"I have plenty," I say. "What would you like to discus?"

[Tikobe]

"Ah, spectacular! If you don't following me for a moment, this truly is a matter best kept betwixt us two."

Duck leads you to a corner of the ship far away from the slaves and Bayod, as he gives you his normal smile.

"I had, by chance, heard talk among the slaves that you expressed wishes to free them from the Duke Larchont. Well, now of course this can't be naught but just a wild rumor, but I would like to make sure clarifications are in place to prevent this rumor from going more out of control," Duck says, continuing to smile. "These slaves are the property of Thibaud Larchont, and in the eyes of the Empire and it's esteemed Emperor, he was done nothing illegal towards these slaves. Yet you, on the hypothetical scenario that you choose not to return the property of the Duke Larchont to their owner, would be branded a criminal, a man who stole the slaves belonging to the ducal house of Larchont. Put it into words for me so that I may properly relay those words to the slaves and prevent any awkward situations: What are your intentions with the Duke Larchont's property?"

[Bannanachair]

"I'll try to find some loophole - a military acquisition of valuable resources in times of internal emergency or something of the sort. If necessary, I'd buy you lot outright from Larchont. After that, I'll set you free, but only after I can find some way to ensure that it's a permanent freedom, that Larchont or someone else like him won't come by immediately afterwards and claim you as his property again. But, yes, my plan is to free you."

[Tikobe]

For a brief moment, you see Duck's smile turn into something much, much more bitter.

"My, what a valiant ideal. Sadly, Admiral, I must say we're mixing ideals far too with reality," Duck says, his eyes glaring straight down into your soul. "It's funny that you should mention the powers of the Larchont family, for I would like to make the following claim."

Duck looks straight at you and proclaims, "Your family of Mantor stands no chance against the Larchont duchy. To be frank, I had never heard of the Mantor family until this very morning when I had asked Enoise for your family name. By contrast, the Larchonts are a member of the lower end of the upper nobility, and a family with the backing of not just any Marquis, but the one who bears claim to the title of the Emperor's younger brother. If you go against Thibaud Larchont and take his property away from him, he will use every resource he has available to get back at the Mantor family. And as a noble of his status, those resources are more than enough to make the Mantors disappear. The slaves would be consequently caught in the crossfire, and you wouldn't be enough to protect them. If you truly presume to play the part of the hero, Admiral, then you would be wise to do the right thing and return to the Duke Larchont his own property. Don't forget, the moment the slaves were freed they started being enslaved again. There isn't any such thing as a paradise for them. The best thing they can get is to keep their heads down, and not get involved in any suicidal stunts."

Duck almost immediately restores his composure and friendly expressions.

"Now, unless you wish to say anything more, I assume we should return to taking care of things on board?"

[Bannanachair]

"I could say you all died, that the Tocthani or the wisps got you," I suggest. "There's certainly enough Amarzi corpses throughout the manor and the estate that it would be believed. Then I would set you free - the difficulty would be maintaining that freedom, but I'm sure I can try to figure something out for that as well."

[Tikobe]

"And if the Duke Larchont doubted you? You flew out of the Larchont Plantation with his airship. How would you know where it was, who helped you? Even if you claim us all dead, these questions would be asked by the Duke, and an investigation, whether through formal or informal means, would be carried out," Duck says, taking a deep breath. "We do not need risk, Admiral. We are content with our lives as is, and you, as a human whose never known the whip in his life, don't have the right to decide otherwise. Trying to change things like you wish to will only cause us misery."

[Bannanachair]

"I understand your concerns, Duck, and I will think on them," I say. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

[Tikobe]

"Then that'll be all-"

"Duck! Duck!" You hear as an amarzi runs towards you two. "It's crazy out there!"

"My, but we've just escaped a Wyldun. How could things get any crazier?"

"Harpies, Duck. There's a whole squadron of harpies a small distance away, and they've set course for this ship."

"Harpies, of what color?"

"Most were just red, but there was one with orange and red feathers."

From what you could recall, a red feather harpy was just a solider, but harpies with orange mixed in with red were of General class or higher. Duck gives a knowing smile.

"Well, Admiral Therinean, as an amarzi I've hardly the experience to handle this myself. You may wish to step in to this matter."

[Bannanachair]

"Have they said what they want? Or why they're this far away from Scarlund?" I ask, as I head towards the bridge of the ship.

[Tikobe]

"They haven't hailed us yet. We don't know anything."

You make it to the bridge and are treated to quite a sight: 8 harpies in wooden armor with red wings holding ropes with the the talons of their feet. The ropes were connected to a wooden platform filled with various supplies, but more importantly, a ninth harpy who had a single wing, with orange and red colors like a sunset. As they got closer, you see that the harpy general had a small, featherless stump where her other wing would be. Already, this was getting irregular: Harpies generally kill off those with birth defects. As the platform reaches, the one winged harpy jumps off and lands on the bridge. Like her subordinates, she is donned in wooden armor, wearing a battle mask that covers her eyes and forhead. She has a simple sword, but perhaps more impressive is her bow, which contains a bladed edge for melee use.

She doesn't draw any of her weapons, and instead scans the crowd before asking, "Who is in charge of this vessel?"

[Bannanachair]

"I am," I say. "I am admiral Therinean Mantor, head of the Guimar Garnier fleet. How may I address you?"

[Tikobe]

"Kiele."

"Ah, and your title, miss Kiele?" Duck asks.

"No need. You see me, and you see my color. You now only need my name: Kiele," she says, before turning to you. "Admiral Therinean, with permission by your Marquis Aralours and your Marquis Berrours I have been authorized to carry out investigative duties within the territory of Old Everwrath. I have the proper documentation if you would like to see it, but otherwise I shall get straight to the point: Your vessel is moving away from Saffur; Did you enter the town at all?"

[Bannanachair]

"We were there two days ago," I say. "I would advise not going there yourself, however, if it could be avoided."

[Tikobe]

"So, you were there," Kiele mutters, going to still as if in thought.

"If you don't mind, why were you given authority to investigate Everwrath? A humble man like me may not know much, but I do know that other powers have limited perimeters for investigation in the Empire," Duck smiles.

"Can it, you snake. If you're going to smile, smile honestly and drop the games," Kiele snarls. "But yes, I have a specific thing we wish to investigate. My, oh how do you humans call them, liege? Yes, my liege and I were in council with Marquis Aralours just a few weeks ago when reports were passed to us about suspicious activity in Old Everwrath near the Wyldun shrines. My liege said that the Wylduns are an international threat, and that the harpies have the right to conduct a separate investigation into the matter, handled by her right hand, myself. We've been looking around ever since, and just a short while ago, we discovered news of a Wyldun's release. Admiral Therinean, I trust that you're at least clever enough to understand where this goes."

[Bannanachair]

"You want to investigate Saffur, to determine for yourself the veracity of these claims. Allow me to assure you that they are, in fact, true - Crestrisen spies broke into the Shrine in Saffur and set free Gen Saeyi, the Verdant Mother."