Ch.2

Florida HQ

The last rumbles of thunder faded and the team cautiously rose to their feet, Ket helping the shaken Den up and brushing off his shoulders.

"Really sorry about that, mate." She apologized, knocking dirt from the young teen's sleeves. "I probably shoulda been a little more clear." The mirthful light had disappeared from her eyes, replaced with concern and anxiety.

"What on earth was that?" Sophie craned her head back, trying to see if a flying Titan had been the one responsible for the darkening of the sky.

Dante picked up his gear as Zhalia did the same, the latter not so subtly removing a sizable hunting knife from her bag and strapping it to her waist. "I'm sure Ket will be able to explain better when we get to the HQ. Right?" The guide nodded. "Before we move, though, we need to know the limits as to what we can do here. If you would be so kind as to enlighten us…?"

Ket took a deep breath and swiped back the stray brown tendrils that had escaped her ponytail and rested annoyingly in her eyes.

Then, in a single rushed sentence:

"No offensive or defensive spells like anything at all no shields or shooty thingies and oh speed enhancement spells are kinda okay if you stay away from ones that enhance strength too so none of that Nimble or Shadow stuff don't use nonverbal spells to use offensive or defense stuff either it'll trigger it either way but passive spells like Headcage and Camoforge are alright I know Zhalia's had Headcage on since you guys landed so it's okay for sure if you don't know if it'll do something just ask okay Jesus that was one breath I'm dying."

The team exchanged bewildered glances as Ket braced herself on her knees, getting beaned on the back of the head by her rifle tube as it slipped down her back.

Some of the information wasn't new for Dante or Zhalia, but the extensive list of limitations was a little daunting. The loadstone on the island had made things difficult but manageable, so they all knew survival and success was very much possible. But then again, the loadstone didn't try to kill them if they even uttered the name of a spell without activating its power.

And then there was the until-now unmentioned extra bits that the Florida Team came with.

"Wait." Sophie's eyes narrowed and she rounded on the grimy Seeker who was gingerly rubbing the back of her head. "How did you know Zhalia had Headcage equipped?"

Ket dropped her hand and shrugged. "I see things." She looked up at the roiling thunderheads above. "We have to get moving again. Sorry I can't explain more right now but you really don't want to be caught out in a storm here. It's not much further, I promise."

They grudgingly set off again.

The air was feeling distinctly cooler now, and the treetops were beginning to sway. Zhalia quietly checked over Den, refusing to call it 'fussing' as she brushed off his back and patted his shoulder in a reminder that she would kill anything that tried to get to him while Dante watched the group from the rear of the procession. Up ahead Lok and Sophie had their heads together with Cherit, whispering theories and sharing information on what could have caused the local world to suddenly turn against them.

And at the very front the detective observed Ket striding along, appearing dead to the fact that the incident had incited murmurings in the group. She had lost the carefree bounce to her step and was silent, and remained so until nearly an hour had passed.

"Alright, hold up here. Gather 'round, gather 'round." The young woman plastered a smile on her face, wiggling her fingers to draw the team in. "I've got good news for you lot. We've crossed the boundary into our sorta HQ zone thing. You can use spells now." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, down the path they had yet to walk. "HQ is about fifteen minutes that way. You're probably going to see some animals and some new Titans. They won't bother you, so don't worry about them."

"Why does it feel like there's more and more Seeker magic the closer we get to your HQ?" Sophie cut Den off from asking a sarcastic question that would probably have made his adopted sister both proud and annoyed.

"Sophie, just chill, alright?" Zhalia sighed at the sharp look the Casterwill threw her direction. "It's safe. Dante wouldn't have let us come here if he wasn't sure about that. We got to see the classified files. It's Ket's job to explain everything when we get to the HQ site."

Sophie scowled, but didn't answer. To her left, Lok raised his hand sheepishly.

"Awesome. I love questions. Lok, what's your question?" Ket dramatically pointed towards the blond haired teen. "Oh, wait, before your question, Cherit you can totally fly free around the zone, I'm sure the local Titans would love to see a new face."

Cherit's tiny head popped from Den's bag, followed by his wings as he shot out and happily flew circles above their heads. "Sounds like a party!"

"You knows it, my friend! Alright, Lok, shoot."

Lok coughed awkwardly. "Is there a bathroom there?"

"You're in luck, son. The only plumbing we got out here is a single toilet. Don't hog it."

Lok threw up his arms in relieved excitement. "Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go to HQ!" And took off down the trail.

The rest of the group stared after him.

"Huh." Ket cocked an eyebrow and followed, albeit much more slowly. "Kid really has to pee. Hey Lok! Don't startle the–"

A girlish shriek echoed through the woods.

"…Deer. Ah well."

The team rejoined Lok at the edge of what seemed to be a somewhat scattered group of oddly thatched, ramshackle and ivy covered skeletal buildings in the middle of the woods.

"Nice dance you have going there, Lok." Den commented. He seemed to be recovering from the scare earlier, obviously amused by his fellow Seeker's prancing.

"I couldn't find the freaking toilet, okay! Ket, please tell me this is HQ and I'm just crazy for not seeing it because I drank a lot of water on the way here and I don't think I'll be able to go much further." Lok sputtered, shifting foot to foot anxiously.

Ket chuckled. "Gee, mate. Never piss in a bush? Don't answer that. Yes, this is HQ, I just need to open it." She muttered a quick 'scuse me' as she slipped by Zhalia leaning against one of the buildings and brushed aside some ivy to press her hand on the bare wall. "Aho pile!"

And suddenly the ivy was gone.

"God-damn illusion magic!" Zhalia swore, lurching from the now whitewashed wall she was leaning on. "It's annoying when you're the one being tricked."

"Welcome to Florida HQ!" Ket bounded forward to stand in the middle of the rambling circle of buildings, throwing her arms out in a welcome that matched the crackling fire beside her. "Lok, latrine is that little shack, you can oh and he's already in there wow he's fast."

Most of the buildings were still old. The whitewash was faded and splotched with moss, but the doors and windows looked sound. The roofs were thick thatches of overlapping palm fronds, water tight and tanned gray. Some buildings had obvious additions, rough hewn poles made from oak half walls of fired clay brick giving the feeling that while the additions were manmade, the natural surroundings were still repossessing their land.

On the far side of the circle was an open building, only a rectangular thatched roof supported by oak poles. From the graying light that filtered through the now black clouds, Dante could make out the distinctly feline shape of a large cougar lounging and watching them.

He could also make out a dog-like form of the same size beside the attentive cat. But it was much too large and much too muscled to be any type of dog that he was familiar with.

A sudden bolt of lightning and an instantaneous crack of thunder gave him just enough light to confirm his suspicions. That wasn't a dog. But it wasn't any other animal he knew of either.

"I didn't do it!" Den yelled, promptly receiving a smack upside the head from Zhalia. "Ow! Wait, this is just a regular storm?"

"Yep! Lok! Hurry up!" Ket quickly pointed the team to one of the low buildings. "That's the guest cabin! I'll meet you guys in there once I make sure Lok doesn't get lost." Thick raindrops began to patter the leaves above and drive through the foliage; impacting the ground hard enough to bounce chips of bark and set the fire hissing.

The team hurried into the cabin, Lok sprinting after them soaking wet. Thunder boomed above once more, and through the window Dante could only just hear their guide yell out in the direction of the open building.

"Lyx! Tee! Go to Mama! I'll see you soon!"

Through the white sheet of rain, two dark shapes lumbered into the cabin opposite theirs, the door opening seemingly of its own accord. Not a moment later their guide appeared in the doorway, slinging her pack and rifle inside and slamming the door shut.

"Whoof! That's a nasty one." She grinned wildly and wrung out her thick ponytail onto the smooth concrete floor. "It's official. Welcome to Florida.

"Make yourselves comfortable. We're gonna be here at least an hour. And I've got some explaining to do."