Chapter 3: Departure

The feast itself lasted around half an hour, but everyone was chatting for well over three. Eventually, Ruth excused herself and guided Denning out of the room.

Denning followed her awkwardly, his mind swirling, almost overloaded with massive amounts of information. Etruria seemed to be a place that was very important to these people... But it seemed to almost reject them. But it didn't matter. Only the purpose mattered. But what was his purpose, if Lord Nergal was gone?

Denning could not hold onto hope, as he did not have the capacity to hope.

Nergal is the core of my purposes. He is my Lord. So I must seek out any trace of him. Thought Denning. He barely even registered the hand guiding him through the corridors, back to the infirmary.

Ruth swung the door open, and moved Denning to a bed. "Now, we're going to take you to Valor tomorrow. If that's what you want. You're quite lucky that Lord Hector gave you aid. You ought to sleep now, do you need anything?"

Denning carefully drew the chalkboard. His precious lifeline to finding Nergal. He etched a 'No' onto the board.

Ruth smiled. "I'll leave you be for now, but if something happens, or you feel any pain in your arm, there will be a guard outside. He'll fetch me. Goodnight, now... oh. What's your name? I never thought to ask."

Denning thought. His name? But names... names were for Lords. For people who could give purpose. But for a second, a flicker of stolen memories washed across his mind. The woman... who had been in the field. She was on the ground now, a cut across her chest. 'Denning... I...' she choked, as the memory ended. Denning. That must be his name. No other name presented itself. He wiped the slate, and wrote 'Denning'.

"Denning? That sounds... Biranese. Well, goodnight, Denning." Ruth left, closing the door.

Denning sat there. Was he expected to do something? But he had no instructions...


In the morning, Ruth came in to find Denning sitting exactly as she had left him. "Were you like that all night?" She asked.

Denning nodded.

"I... see that you don't need sleep, then. Come with me. Sir Heath has packed for our trip." She took Denning by the hand, and guided him through the corridors of the castle.

It was a good day. The skies were a little cloudy, but the sun shone through nonetheless. Servants bustled, as many of Hector's guests packed thier bags to leave. Ruth went through corridor after corridor, down several flights of stairs until eventually coming out in the stables. Denning looked around, feeling an odd spark. Something here gave him the oddest sense of Deja Vu. He focused on the unusual feeling. He had never been here before, he was sure? So why was it familiar?

Heath stepped out from one of the stalls. "I've packed you enough rations for two days on Valor. Farina has been hired to assist us, and will make the journey alongside us. Who would like to travel with her?"

Ruth looked at Denning "Well... He can't speak well, and he's..." She glaced around, seeing many other servants. "You know. He might scare a Pegasus, they're magically sensitive. N-not that I'm scared of Wyverns, I just-"

"It's alright. Come on, She'll be here in a moment, once she's finished getting her lance back from the smith. I'll get your charge saddled up." Said Heath.

Farina hopped down the stairs just as Heath was checking the straps were secure on Denning. "Whew! Sorry I'm late, I just had to go and buy some vulnerary." She held up two brown glass bottles. "Hey, miss Ruth. We'll go now, but are you a fighter? Need any tomes, or staves? We can stop in the village."

Ruth's hand dropped to her side, feeling a part of her dress. but then she took her cloth bag off her shoulders, and produced a healing stave. "I'm just a simple cleric, miss Farina. Perhaps if I do well, the church will see fit to train me more, but it's not often we hold the cermony to advance people to bishops."

Farina smiled "You could just get a Guiding ring."

"A... a what, miss?"

"A guiding ring. They're magical objects that allow those who weild magic to instantly gain a portion of knowledge, power and new armor, without any kind of ceremony. I think they were invented to give emergency promotions to soldiers if officers fell, since you can't hold cermonies in the middle of wars. There are many equivalents, too, that contain the magic to give new powers to most other kinds of people. Heath, you used one, right?" Explaned Farina.

Heath nodded to his wyvern. "I used a version called an Elysian whip. It gave me, and also my mount Hyperion better armour. Plus it taught me swords, or at least the basics. But those items are very rare, I think they're difficult to make."

"Oh, wow. You'll have to tell me more on the way..." Said Ruth.

"Yeah, let's go. Come on, Ruth! Ever flown before?" Cheered Farina.

Ruth walked up to Farina's pegasus. "N-no... but I want to try!"

"Just hold onto my waist, we're going to fly to Badon, and rest there for a few hours before we fly to Valor. Heath, are you prepared?"

Heath looked to Denning. In lieu of his arm, a lot of rope had been used to tie the morph to the saddle. "Yes. Now, Hyperion, forward!" His wyvern bounded out of the stables, kicking off into the air.

Denning felt his stomach drop as the ground was suddenly away from himself. This felt so much like... like... what was it? He noticed a few bits of dust fall from his empty sleeve. His head was just so... What was he thinking of? And why did he belive he was safe? I am not consciously deciding I am safe. Therefore, it must be subconscious. But what is the subconscious? Lord Nergal, I require more knowledge to solve my problem...


Ruth watched as the ground whisked past her, treetops that she'd never seen before finally visible, towns displayed from above. Flying was something she'd always wanted to do, to be completely free of any limits on her movement, and this made Ruth long for a pegasus of her own. She adored this feeling of the breeze against her cloak. She looked down to see a stream with a pair of boys fishing in the clear water, but in a moment she was past it, onto new sections of land.

The mounts flew for at least an hour before a large port town came into view. Heath gave a sharp whistle, and Farina veered her pegasus over to one side, to line it up with Heath's wyvern, as they came in for a landing outside the town's stables. Considering how fast the pegasus had been moving, the grace with which it slowed and cantered to the ground was shocking. Heath's wyvern slowed far less, landing with a solid thump. Farina jumped off her pegasus. Ruth tried to do the same, and discovered that her legs were sore. Really sore.

"Ooh! Farina, I need some help!" Said Ruth, awkwardly trying to move herself.

Farina reached up and lifted one of Ruth's legs off the pegasus. "First time riding, huh? You'd better sit down, because that was the warm-up for today's journey. Our schedule is to stop here for lunch and to rest our mounts, and then it's onto one of the most utterly crazy flight paths there is. A four hour journey, with absolutely no way to stop, so if anything goes wrong, then you're as good as dead. Poorly-bred mounts would die of exhaustion before completing it, so it's a good thing that our homelands take flying seriously. You'll get used to riding quickly enough Ruth, but tonight... well, I have vulnerary. I'll even give it for free."

Ruth swalllowed "Oh dear... thank you. Oh, where are we going to have our lunch? Port towns have so many pirates... what if we're robbed?"

Heath walked over, Denning in tow. "Do not worry. Lord Eliwood made a very good impression on one of this town's most influential men, and both I and Farina are known to him and his lot. If anyone tries anything, we'll have a small army to back us up."

Denning was staring at the town's buildings and streets. What was this place? It was not Valor, but seemed to be a step towards his goal. Yes, his goal... reaching... who, was it? Nergal. He had to reach Nergal.

Ruth took Denning's hand, and folllowed her escorts into the town. They walked along the street for a while, passing an arena, then a few shops, before arriving at a tavern.

Heath looked up at the stone walls of the building. "This is the one, I think."

They walked in, and were greeted by gentle music on an accordion. The tavern was about half full, mostly pirates with the odd traveller. A redhead behind the bar was serving drinks and relaying orders to the kitchen with a smile on her face, while groups of men laughed about things Ruth wouldn't approve of on most of the tables.

Ruth looked to Heath. "Th-these people are a-all pirates."

Farina shrugged. "Safe as pirates get. Sure, they'll rob you blind, but they won't just kill you for fun. Honestly, half of them are gentlemen compared to mercenary contractors. Besides, see him?" She pointed to a somewhat older man in a tattered jacket. "Captain Fargus, the most dangerous man in town. Also a great friend of ours, so if someone messes with us, they'll have the tavern on them."

Denning just looked around in bewilderment. This many people, all without a purpose relating to him at all... he felt what could best be described as a dull existential crisis, as his constructed mind started to realise how large the world could be.


They ordered some food, before taking a table. Ruth crammed her sandwich down and looked at the two fliers. "Can we please get of here?"

"Scared?" Said a voice behind her. Ruth turned to see a man with enough muscle to crush a skull in one hand, looming ominously.

Farina looked up. "Hi Dart!" she said brightly.

Dart smiled, and sat down next to Ruth. She made a tiny squeaking sound. "So, what're you doing in Badon again? More mercenary work already, or looking to join the Davros?"

Heath gave a tiny shake of his head. "No, it's a return trip to Valor. We'll be going on our mounts though, before you say it."

Dart just laughed "No, I think we've all seen enough of that isle for our lives. I think we'll ask the next person who tries to go for a million gold, and see what colour their face turns."

"Knowing your luck, they'll probably pay up front, and you'll be stuck going." Replied Heath.

"Yeah, but then I have a million gold. Win-win."

Farina looked at him cheerily "I thought I was the money-lover here!"

Ruth was completely silent. She stared at Denning, hoping for an excuse to leave. As she looked at Denning, she noticed some things she hadn't before. While his clothing generally matched that worn by the archers of this country, there was one thing missing. They bore absolutely no kind of crest, nothing that linked them back to a producer. It was to be expected, she supposed, but still strange to see.

Denning looked at the three warriors around the table. There was something about them... Something that made him feel like there was a reason for being here. But what? His vision unfocused for a second. His head just felt so foggy. He ought to clear it, to refocus on his task. He had to... find... someone?


Heath and Farina left in high spirits after a few minutes, and the second they were out of the building Ruth exhaled loudly.

"Please... never again. Don't make me go so close to pirates again." She said to no member of the group in particular.

Heath looked at her concernedly. "I didn't realise you were that terrified. Are you going to be all right to fly? I don't want to make you ill."

Ruth took a moment to take some deep breaths. "I'll be alright. If I want to be a proper healer, then I can't let myself get scared by people."

Farina looked over Denning. "So... Why are we actually taking a morph anywhere? It's not like they'll appreciate it."

Ruth looked to Farina. "If I were in his position, separated from everyone I know, and dying, I would want to receive this help. And if I can... I want to save him."

Denning regarded all this. If he were to be saved, that would be good, because it would allow him to serve Lord Nergal once again. But if Ruth were good, and his lord were good... why would so many of her friends fight against his lord? Was something wrong in the world? He stumbled for a moment, as his head clouded, ending that train of thought. And... wasn't Lord Nergal dead? No, that was wrong. Just fundamentally... but...

After that same short walk back to the stables, everyone mounted up quickly. It was just passing noon, the sun blazing overhead as a sea breeze blew through the streets of the town. Heath gave the order, and the four of them lifted off, gliding for the sea.


Ruth watched as the seemingly endless ocean passed underneath her, feeling the Pegasus's wingbeats as vertigo clutched her heart. She gripped Farina's waist even tighter. "Where is the island? What if our mounts tire before we reach it?" She called.

Farina's gaze was fixed ahead "It's about three, maybe four hours away. My pegasus can carry me and you for six before they need to rest. No idea about Heath's wyvern."

Denning was staring at the back of Heath's head. Something was so very confusing about it to him, but he couldn't quite place it. There was something about it that he just hadn't seen before... The hair. Why was his hair green? Hair was black. But... Denning internally had a drawn out moment of complete shock as he realised that in all the time he'd been away from his lord, he'd not seen anyone else with black hair. And then, he asked himself one critical question. Why didn't I realise that until now? Even in the depths of his barely functional mind, the gears of logic could still turn. This wasn't the only thing that had driven him to start this chain of though, as in a moment of clarity, a few things surfaced in Denning's mind.

I don't have a name, I am morph 17. Lord Nergal made me to carry out his will, and shall obey until my death. I am dying. And I do not know his will. But these people... they help me to discern his will. And yet... when I only focus upon the will of Nergal... I cannot seem to notice the obvious... can I better serve by looking at more?

The thought was lost to another wave of haziness, but the deduction remained, Denning clinging to his conclusion even as his failing magic threatened to let it break down to nothing more than meaningless letters.


As Valor came into view, Ruth felt immense relief, and apprehension. "I was expecting it would look more foreboding... yet it still scares me." She said.

Farina started to bring her Pegasus down to a lower altitude. "There's a saying among mercenaries: If you're scared of something and you don't know why, then try not to be. If you can't, stay away because it's worth being scared of."

"I don't understand... but we can't stay away from this place now."

"It means that even if you can't knowingly sense danger, your mind may still have picked up on something instinctually. If you try to consciously dispel fear, then what's left is worth being afraid of." Farina explained. "I'll tell you more of our sayings if you've got a little gold."

The mounts touched down upon the shores of Valor. Ruth had been desperate to get off the Pegasus previously, but as her shoe touched the sands she couldn't help but feel like she was in grave danger here.

Denning, on the other hand, stepped onto the ground with a previously unseen stability. His missing arm didn't unbalance him as greatly, and Ruth could have sworn that his complexion was just a little healthier. "Lord Nergal!" He said happily, to nobody in particular.

Heath started unpacking Hyperion's saddlebags. Rations, blankets, Rex hasta, a steel sword and an elixir. "Everyone, we should move deeper into the island. There are ruins we can rest at."

Farina looked at Ruth, staggering from her saddle-sores. "Ruth, listen. This island has a lot of dark magic around it, and as a cleric, you're probably the best at resisting it here. We're counting on you to warn us if there's a magical danger."

"I'll do my best. Where should we go?" Replied Ruth.

"Lord Nergal!" Chimed in Denning.

Heath raised an eyebrow "About fifteen minutes forward is a small abandoned fort. We'll rest there, or we're going to be exhausted in a fight. Once you're ready, let's go- Do not split up."

The four left for the fort.

Author's notes: Updates have been greatly slowed because I have exams, don't expect another one for like a month. I'm trying to work on my pacing, but I still worry I'm moving too fast. Feedback o that would be appreciated.

Many reviewers: Sorry about chapter 2, hopefully this is an improvement. I'll try and fix it as much as possible when exams end.