"Nokum… if you keep putting your hands in front of my eyes I'm going to end up walking into something! Can't you just walk next to me?"
"No!" came a high pitched firm reply from behind his head. "You aren'taru going anywhere withoutaru me again and my toey-woes hurtaru! I am keeping my eye on you from back here!"
Ever since Alain's return to the Highwind his companion had refused to leave him alone. At first the Tarutaru was content just following him around the airship, but had since realized there was much less effort involved in his cunning plan to keep an eye on him if he just sat on his shoulders.
His return had shocked everyone; not least Nokum-Akkum who had to declare that there was something in his eye after rushing to him. Catherine was concerned about how he looked (tired and unwashed he guessed) and immediately applied some white magic to make him feel better. Rost did not greet him, but watched silently from further down the hall.
That had been a few hours ago and now the Highwind had taken off back into the skies. For the approach into the secret port Samuel had sailed the ship in from a few malms out so they would not be seen by the walls around the president's office and the same was applied on their departure. It took a little longer, but it was the safest method to keep their presence a secret.
He had brought them all together just before they left to explain what had happened and to reiterate what was said in Zeid's letter. Pop was lost for words when he saw the bundle of papers from Cid and quickly removed them from his possession to study them back in the engine room.
Since then he had been to his room with his Tarutaru friend in hot pursuit. After that, he had gone down to the lower deck to find some food and then back to the room. It was then that he reminded himself to replace his smashed pearl and created another from the magical shell he kept in his bedroom.
Now he walked around the ship with no real purpose. It had been just to annoy Nokum-Akkum, who found it hard sometimes to keep up with the pace a Hume walked at, but that plan had since backfired.
A trip onto the deck for some fresh air was quashed when he saw that Rost was out there practising with the simple old relic weapon that he had found in Dynamis. He felt a rapid patting on the top of his head.
"Don'taru go talking to Rostaru," the Tarutaru whispered. "He wanted to leave you behind!"
"He told us to leave him behind, Tarutaru. It was the wisest course of action rather than risking all our safety just for him. Finding Hanaa Mocorho should have remained the priority," Rost said from across the deck.
Nokum-Akkum spoke louder, "I forgot you pointy ears heary-weary so well! And how dare you say thataru again! I should knock you outaru!"
The Elvaan did not stop his training, but did reply (somewhat under his breath) with a sly comment about it being near impossible for him to even reach his head in order to try and knock him unconscious. Alain felt Nokum-Akkum get ready to leap of his shoulders so he grabbed his short friend's legs, held tightly, and walked back below deck.
"Alain!" he moaned. "Why did you come back down here? He shouldn'taru say such nasty-wasty things! He's justaru as bad as during the war! High and mighty, pointy ears, bossy-wossy Samurai!"
He sighed.
"…Rost is right; I did tell you not to come after me. Endangering you three just for me when Hanaa could be in real trouble? Not to mention the others… He was right in what he told you."
His head was firmly smacked and the Tarutaru told him that he was crazy if he had started believing the things Rost said were correct. He could not help but smile and, as a peace offering to his fiery spirited friend, offered to carry him to his room.
The response was two small hands placed over his eyes followed by a squeal only Nokum-Akkum could manage and a declaration that his fiendish attempts to make him leave his side would not work.
"Onward ho…" he said with another sigh.
Their next stop was the front of the airship's main deck where Samuel was busy piloting the Highwind. Pop was still in the engine room (he guessed) studying the diagrams and notes Cid had provided to improve the ships mechanics. Their new flight plan was marked out by a few coloured tacks on the huge map above a row of consoles.
The first marker was the coastal village of Selbina, where they hoped to find Hanaa safe and sound. The second marker was across the sea at another coastal village, Mhaura, which was where Hanaa had possibly moved on to. The third marker, which was quite far south from Mhaura and somewhat east pinpointed the edge of the Elshimo Lowlands. That was where they would find Kazham, the location mentioned in Zeid's letter.
No boats went out that far to the Elshimo Island due to the rough seas and only one airship occasionally did passenger trips from Jeuno, so they did not have to worry so much about being seen when they reached that segment. They would not be able to land at the Kazham docks though as it would alert too many people and would need to find somewhere nearby to make landfall.
First, however, they had to find Hanaa and due to the time wasted by his short incarceration in Bastok Prison she could have moved on from both locations, meaning they would have to try and find out where she had gone from the inhabitants, which would waste even more time.
"How long until we reach Selbina, Samuel?" he asked.
The young pilot turned his head, "Oh, not that long I'd say…let's see, the winds are in our favour, but we need to land away from it and sail in…two or three hours, maybe."
The plan was to land on the water a short distance from Selbina, somewhere near the Siren Sands. Obviously they could not bring the Highwind right up on the beach or it would become stuck, but luckily a small wooden raft was included in the inventory of the ship so they would use that to get across to the beach. The plan was for Catherine to go across as she had recently visited Selbina and gained favour with its mayor after rescuing some inhabitants that had been kidnapped by Quadev.
Though he wanted to go across with her purely to make sure she would be safe, he was out voted with the reason that he needed to rest. He disputed it, but the others would not listen to him. Since Nokum-Akkum was currently clamped to the back of his head it also meant that the Tarutaru did not want to go (which was surprising as he usually leapt at any chance to spend time with Catherine) and that left only one other option.
Another smooth landing was added to the running tally Samuel was keeping as the Highwind bobbed gently upon touching the waters a short distance from Siren Sands.
Catherine brushed herself down and made sure her mace was attached to her belt. The weather outside was blisteringly hot, so she kept her white hood down. She would have liked to wear something more casual, but if there was the risk that they would run into more of the black cloaked puppets she had to be ready for a battle.
Leaving her room, she found Alain (with Nokum-Akkum still on his shoulders waiting for her). She smiled at the sight of the short Tarutaru clutching on like his life depended on it.
After they had all heard Alain had been caught they panicked and Nokum-Akkum had to be put under the power of a sleep spell to stop him charging off the airship to fight his way into Bastok to rescue him. As usual, their short friend had not thought through his plan, but the fact he was willing to fight against the Bastoken military to save Alain showed real determination and the depths of their friendship. Nokum-Akkum was loyal to the brink of obsession when it came to anything involving Alain or herself.
"Good afternoon, boys," she smiled. "Oh, perhaps I should just start calling you Alain-Akkum?"
Alain grumbled at her while Nokum-Akkum giggled uncontrollably. She started walking past them towards the stairs to the upper deck but she felt Alain's hand gently touch her wrist.
"Be careful, okay?" he said.
"I know," she replied.
He did not let go, "I'm serious. Don't make a stupid mistake like I did. If any of those black cloaked assassins are there then get out of Selbina and call us using the pearl, we'll swim to the beach to get you if we have to."
"Alain, I know."
She left her friends standing in the hall and walked up onto the top deck somewhat solemnly. While Nokum-Akkum was as cheery as ever (despite the emotions displayed on Alain's returned) Alain seemed disheartened about something and was not acting like his normal self.
She could not work it out. Surely he was not ashamed that he had been caught? It was not his fault that a passing musketeer recognised him, gave chase, and caught him after he left Gumbah's home. Perhaps it was because he had to knock a guard out in his escape, an innocent Hume just doing their job. Or was there something else?
Alain…are you hiding something from us? Did something else happen…?
Rost was waiting up on deck wearing a white and grey kote with tan coloured bottoms. He wore a headband of matching colour and tight fitting gloves that seemed more suited to a Monk. His Great Katana was connected to his belt. He seemed to have changed into clothes more fitting to the type worn in and around Selbina. Such wears were also popular with trainee mercenaries and adventurers that passed through Valkurm Dunes to hone their skills against the ever present Goblins.
Samuel was on the edge of the deck helping Pop lower a small raft down to the outer platform that usually retracted when the ship was in flight and only opened when the middle deck's entrance was opened.
"Eh," Samuel said under the strain of lowering the raft to his father, "You'll need to go out through the middle deck door or the drop will be too far…"
She saw Rost huff to himself with his hands on his hips before walking past her, back down below deck. She followed and found Pop struggling with his end of the wooden raft outside the deck entrance that hung open. Rost obliged to help the old Hume lower it down and then let it sit on the water (which was not a great distance below the outer platform). Rost then lowered himself down onto it.
"If this flimsy excuse for a raft holds together until we reach the beach then I will be very surprised," the Elvaan muttered.
"Oh come on, it isn't that bad!" Samuel called from the top deck.
Gently, she lowered herself down into it. There was very little room for the both of them because of Rost's size, but at least they had not sunk. Two paddles were passed down and with that Pop and Samuel said their goodbyes and returned to the bowels of the Highwind.
Rost began to move them towards the beach, taking the task of steering upon him out of good manners. She looked back at the Highwind as they pulled away and saw Alain and Nokum-Akkum looking on from the highest point of the top deck.
A few fishers and a small group training together were quite shocked by their arrival on the beaches of Siren Sands as it was entirely unheard of for smaller boats to be seen anywhere other than within Selbina's nets (which were used to keep larger and more dangerous aquatic creates from coming near the village). They did not stop to talk and headed straight across the beach, past a Bastoken outpost, and in through the wooden gates with a symbol overhead confirming their location.
Selbina was quite small even compared to other coastal villages. It was a laid back place with little military force (save for the nearby outpost and a small selection of hired mercenaries) that rarely saw anything eventful happening. Fishers from all over Vana'diel came to sample the variety of small fish that swarmed the seas around it and it was a holiday location for some travellers as well. It was a place to laze around enjoying the sun, which made it obvious to Catherine why Hanaa chose to pass through it.
Beyond the gates was a short sandy track through a tight passage that opened up into the village's entrance which was open and unguarded. Along the sides were a few people selling goods in bazaars such as magical oils and powders to see them safely across the dunes. It was not particularly dangerous out there, though at night it was not uncommon for restless spirits and undead to walk the sands in search of blood.
"Shall we stick together or split up?" she asked Rost.
"It's a small place, so we would do better to split up and get it over with. Question some of the locals if need be and then move on. I doubt she is still here after wasting so much time, but we shall see."
"I agree. Recently I helped the mayor of Selbina with a problem, so I think it would be best that I was the one to speak with him. His home is to the right, so I should take that half of the village. You could go up those stairs there. They lead to the Shepard's Muster, which is the only inn here. If Hanaa is or was here, then she would have had to have stayed there. Oh, and down those far steps is the Sea Travel Agency."
The Elvaan Samurai nodded in agreement to her suggestions and took off towards the staircase leading up to the large dark wood building visible from where they stood. She took the right path, which hugged against the white sanded hills of the dunes, past the Weaver's Guild and Fishermen's Guild to the mayor's office and residence.
Her conversation with the mayor was kept as brief as possible, not only because time was against them but because the old Hume had the awful habit of chatting away about this and that for literally hours. Despite her insistence that she was in a hurry it only took him five minutes to go off the subject of passing Mithran Red Mages onto the weather and how it affected the catches of the fishers.
Ten minutes later, she managed to leave (but not before being offered tea and squid sushi). She met up with Rost over looking the clear blue waters along the bottom run of the village across from some wooden stalls filled to the brim with a variety of fish, right at the sea edge.
"Any luck?" he asked on her arrival.
"No, the mayor had not seen any travellers matching Hanaa's description, but he does not spend much time outside his residence. He suggested asking his mercenary guard, but the Galka did not seem the helpful sort. How did your investigation go?"
"The owner of the Shepard's Muster confirmed that a Mithran Red Mage had stayed there for well over two weeks. She left a few days ago and although the owner could not be sure, he guessed that she took the ferry."
So she has moved on as we feared… she thought to herself. But wait… does that mean that she was here while I stopped by on my mission of mercy to rescue the kidnapped inhabitants? I did not see her…did she see me? How strange…
"You are sure that the owner spoke specifically about Hanaa? We cannot afford to go chasing after the wrong Mithra."
Rost almost smiled.
"The owner said that the Mithra was a loud mouthed woman with a fiery temper who liked a drink and to boss other patrons around. Does that sound like Hanaa to you?"
A sheepish smile was her response to that.
A lot of Mithra were hot blooded (which was the nice way of saying it), but Hanaa was a little more extreme in that sense. She was a terrific Red Mage, one of the best, but her temper and bad habits always stopped her being something more. Her rank during the war was a lowly one, not far above mercenary (or hired riff-raff as some of the Allied Forces offices used to call them). She proved herself a dozen times over on the battlefield though, fighting against the Kindred whole heartedly, yet when it came to following orders and acting with respect she just could not do it.
Catherine did not get to know Hanaa that well, no one seemed too really, but they had spoken sometimes late at night when all six of them were camped out on watch or during some mission. Alain and Nokum-Akkum made the most effort to befriend her and it did seem to get a reaction, though not one that she approved of.
Hanaa had spent her whole life just travelling aimlessly, occupying herself with mercenary work wherever she found it. Maybe that was the ideal life to a Red Mage, she could not be sure. It seemed like an empty unfulfilled existence to her, but she never had the heart to say such things to someone so carefree. She believed that life needed direction to be fulfilling and she had found her direction in life through the teachings of the church.
Regardless of what she thought on the matter, the fact remained that Hanaa was a powerful person and that she was one of the Six Champions and whether the free spirited Mithra liked it or not, that made her a target. If Jeuno had not found her yet then there was a good chance they would soon, even if she kept moving around. They had to hurry.
"Let's head back," Rost stated and turned to leave.
The group's destination had now changed to the second point marked on their map. Alain stood silently starring at it with Nokum-Akkum still clamped to his head. He was thankful that nothing had happened in Selbina, but at the same time was disappointed that Hanaa had not been there. He blamed himself for slowing them all down. If they had just gone on without him they might have caught her before she took the boat.
"Why the glumy-wumy face?" his friend inquired.
"How can you even see my facial expression from back there?"
"Magic!"
"You don't know any magic."
There was a moment of silence.
"I do so."
"No, you don't."
There was another moment of silence.
"I'm such a smarty-warty pantarus that I worked it outaru! I'm a genius!"
"Uh huh."
Samuel called them over, much to Nokum-Akkum's relief that he did not have to keep thinking up excuses behind the origin of his original question. Alain knew full well that it would be obvious to anyone watching him that he was not acting like normal. How could he? It was his fault Hanaa had moved on and it was his fault that Naji had been wounded.
The young pilot explained that they were fast approaching the seas surrounding Mhaura, so it was time to land the Highwind again and bring it in towards a beach along side the coastal village to avoid them being seen.
They would use the same flimsy raft to get over to the pale sands of Mighoya Dunes in the east of the Buburimu Peninsula, not far north of the Kibubu Lighthouse used to watch the Black Sea.
The region was not as popular a destination as Selbina and rarely would people be seen walking across the windy hills. Goblins were rampant in the area and often hunted the long necked dhamels in packs to harvest their skin and meat. Hunters of all professions sometimes did the same. At night wandering spirits and will-o-the-wisps drifted across the lonely paths seeking souls to feed on.
The others gathered in the control room to discuss their plan of action as the Highwind came to a gentle halt not far from the beach. Two anchors released via pulley switches on one of the dash boards kept them from drifting. Pop and Samuel left to begin lowering the raft down from the main deck once more.
"Shall we go again, Rost?" Catherine asked.
"I should go alone this time," he stated emotionlessly. "Mhaura's mercenary presence is small, but a contingent of soldiers from Jeuno also operates out of the village due to the number of ferries coming and going through Bibiki Bay and from the Near East. They travel a lot, but we should not presume it to be safe. The risk of running into those who would perhaps be looking for us is much greater."
The Samurai would get no objections from Alain about him going alone.
"Very well," Catherine replied.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh!" Nokum-Akkum exclaimed. "A chance to getaru payback on those puppetaru things! I'm going! I'm going!"
Surprised at the Tarutaru's sudden decision, Alain felt his friend scramble off from his shoulders and down his back. He then trotted off out of the control room and towards the mid section's exit. Rost starred blankly at the empty doorway the Tarutaru had ran out of and then looked back at them.
Though he said nothing before following after Nokum-Akkum, Alain was exceedingly pleased and how annoyed and uncomfortable Rost looked at the prospect of spending time with their noisy comrade. He could not hide the smile on his face from Catherine who gave a disapproving frown, before joining in with his subdued laughter.
There were times when Rost wished he was not blessed with the impressive hearing skills that his race had. It was something other races might have been jealous of. An Elvaan's ears came in handy when hunting, when taking part in discussions, when spying, and even when fighting. But there were times when increased hearing was not a blessing and it was, in fact, a nightmare. He now found himself in one of those rare situations.
As he slowly rowed with a paddle in each hand the high pitched eager squealing from Nokum-Akkum scrapped inside his ears like a dagger. The Tarutaru would not sit still and moved from one end of the tiny raft to the other and then back again for no good reason whatsoever while muttering rubbish about fighting and battle tactics.
"Whataru is with thataru look!"
He starred forward with a slight frown and did not answer.
"Heeeeeeeey, Rostaru!"
The Tarutaru hopped along the boat and stood right in front of him. His round head just about came level with the bottom of his long neck since he sat down to row the boat.
He could not stand the incessant calls and jeers so answered, "I was just thinking about what would happen if I was to kick you off this boat. I could say that a Sea Monk attacked us and dragged you under. They would never know any better. Maybe then I could get some peace and quiet and not have to listen to the gibberish that spews from your obnoxious mouth twenty four hours a day!"
The Tarutaru starred blankly at him for a moment.
"…You're funny, Rostaru!"
They made landfall sixteen hours later, at least, in his head it took that long. In reality, the Highwind was still visible from the beach and was not more than a five minute trip across a small section of murky water.
Two mercenaries guarded the gates to Mhaura. Before passing, he decided that he may as well inquire about Hanaa to them before started a search of the entire village. To his surprised, the Galkan mercenary seemed to recognise of whom he spoke almost instantly.
The guard weaved a story about being out on watch late one night and hearing about a brawl in the Sailor's Stay. On arrival they expected to find some drunks fighting, but instead they found a black cloaked figure trying to kill a Mithran Red Mage. The Mithra had managed to kill the attacker, eventually.
From the way the mercenary spoke, Rost could tell that he seemed unnerved by what had happened, so he inquired why. The Galka explained that when they fished the black cloaked person's body out from the waters it had become bloated with strange yellow oil. They had stored the body in a warehouse in the south of the village and asked the Mithra not to leave town until an investigation unit from Jeuno could look into it.
Hearing that Jeuno had already been informed, Rost's mind thought quickly about what was the best way to get Hanaa out of the village and the remains of the black cloaked figure so Catherine could examine it more closely.
"Ah, yes. We are part of the investigation unit sent by the duchy," Rost lied. "I am first lieutenant of the squad…this is my servant. The rest of the squad is only a short distance behind. I will call them in a moment. It would help the duchy greatly if you could show us straight to this Mithran that you spoke of. When the other members of my squad arrive your colleague can show them to where you have stored the body."
Rost felt a small foot kick into the back of his heel and casually ignored it, and kept a grin from appearing on his face.
"Ye…yes, sir!" the Galka said, and saluted. "I apologise, I was not aware that investigators wore civilian clothes."
"Don't be stupid," his Hume comrade butted in, "Of course they do, that way they fit in. They are like spies! We best just do what they say, we don't want to mess up an official investigation or the governor might fire us."
The Galkan mercenary showed them into the village while his Hume companion waited at the entrance. As they walked, Rost spoke into his communication pearl and (while in the character of an investigator) ordered the White Mage Support and Analysis member to come and conduct an official autopsy on a wounded sample. He concealed the pearl inside his kote before any answer could come through that could potentially spoil their ruse.
They were shown inside the Sailor's Stay, where the Galka mercenary explained to the owner what was going on. The Elvaan owner complained about how much of a mess the Mithra had made, but then added that she had paid him more than triple the bill to make up for it. The Galkan mercenary then left them at Rost's request and they ventured up to where the Mithra was apparently staying.
"And you have the cheek to say thataru I talk rubbish!" Nokum-Akkum muttered as they ascended the stairs.
On the second room on the right, Rost checked the room number and then knocked on the door. He heard a moan or muttering coming from inside. He knocked again and a more annoyed moan was the reply this time. Huffing to himself, he swung the door open and entered.
Inside on a bed with covers hanging over half of it onto the floor and pillows strewn about was a Mithra clad in warlock gear popular amongst Red Mages. She had one pillow over her face and a frizzy tail was sticking out from under her backside half concealed by the untidy sheets
"Whaaphh youph waphhhing?"
"…Hanaa Mocorho, is that you?" Rost asked.
"Yephhh! Nowpph, whaaaphh youphhh wanppph?"
"Do you remember me? I am Rostairmar d'Lecanti…we…will you take that pillow off your head?"
"No," was the less mumbled reply.
"Hanaaaaaaaa!" Nokum-Akkum cooed. "You remember me don'taru you!"
The Mithra suddenly sprung up and let the pillow drop to the floor. Her face was a mess and her eyes seemed dazed, the light of day was almost painful. She purred when she saw the Tarutaru and opened her arms expecting a big hug, to which he complied.
"My little cuddly podgy drinking buddy!" Hanaa exclaimed. "Why are you hanging around with a lightweight like Rostairmar?"
"We don't have time for this…" the Elvaan interrupted. "Get up and get your things together. We have to leave. Now."
