After following along a path, down the hill from the mana tunnel, I found what seemed like the camp Castanea spoke of. There were many tents in a semi circle, surrounded by a wooden barricade.
Underneath my feet, the barren, dry, sandy ground was replaced with green lush, fertile grass. This all seemed vaguely familiar to me, for some odd reason. The air was cool and slightly humid, unlike the dry acrid air in Filia. Birds and insects chirped wildly in the many trees and plants here. It was a beautiful place, and somewhere probably not far off, I could hear the sound of the roaring ocean. The smell of salt invaded my nose, but it was a very pleasant smell.
I better hurry though. The boat might leave if I dilly dally.
I entered through the opened gate of the camp and saw the tents. In front of them stood people who were all human. There wasn't another of my species here, but that came as a sort of relief. After all the world wasn't about just elves right?
A tall, blonde good looking human stood in front of the closest tent to me. He wore a suit of light silver armor, but his head was free. He had deep blue eyes and a charming smile.
He must have noticed me, for soon he turned his head to look at me.
"Ah! Hello traveler! You need assistance?"
"Ah, yes. Uhm, where is the boat to the next continent?"
He smiles at me and points beyond the encampment to the other side, where another opening was.
"Just beyond there, walk for a quarter mile and there should be a small ocean port with a boat. There'll be a man there, Karis. He should be able to take you across!"
Gratefully I bow my head slightly before smiling at him, which caused him to flush bright red. I always knew I had that certain charm about me.
"Thank you! Someday I shall return for your assistance in another time!"
Nervously he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You're welcome! I am Nicca by the way. Glad I can help."
"Heheh. Well, I am Kouyou," I answer, being polite. "Goodbye Nicca. Until we meet again!"
I wave at him as I walk past the other tents and out of the other side. That guy... was obviously flirting with me. Well he was sort of cute...
No! I can't get distracted! Despite how cute he is, he's still a human. Castanea had always told me to be wary of them, even if they seemed nice. After all, they slaughtered many of my kind in years past, just because of our differences. It was either conform to them, or be destroyed. That's why I came to Iria, to escape discrimination in Tara, where that happened under the good people's noses. Maybe not out in the open, but in the castle where we worked like slaves for the king.
I was barely able to escape that horrible place, but at the expense of losing my friends.
Especially my best friend Akira... we were kids together, reborn into the soul stream as elves on the new continent. But ever since I re-birthed I have lost many of those memories. And in order to get them back, I have to find him and he'll let me remember everything.
Through all that has happened I am surprised I still remember him at all. Maybe our bond is stronger than I thought.
Well, no reason to dwell on unhappy memories! Time to get into gear!
And sure enough, up ahead after I have been walking for a while, I saw the ocean. And a small dock that was built over a tiny overhang to the ocean for boats. Speaking of which, there was a boat tied here now. It was nothing more than a small sailboat, with nothing impressive about it at all.
Standing on the dock was a tall dark skinned man. Judging from his looks, he wasn't exactly from around this area. What was his name again... Karis was it? Yeah, that's it.
I walk up to him and clear my throat. He acknowledges my presence with a smile.
"Hello. Do you wish to board the ship?"
I nod, pulling my backpack closer to my body.
"Yes, to the new continent please. Is there a fee of sorts?"
"No, sir," he responds, beginning to untether the boat. "Since It's a small business that I run, there is no need! Now come aboard, we mustn't delay!"
Quickly I get onto his boat, feeling wobbly as the ocean underneath us swayed the boat back and forth uneasily.
"I suggest taking a seat," he says as he too gets on. "The water can get a little rough upon push off."
Not wanting to risk falling overboard I quickly rush to a nearby box that was tied down to the railing of the boat and sit on it, letting my backpack drop beside me.
Soon we were sailing on the ocean, the water calm and placid, it's pearlescent aquamarine surface glittering with the reflection of Palala upon it's surface. I never knew the ocean was such a beautiful place... especially during midday.
"So. To whom do I have the pleasure of escorting?" The man spoke suddenly, controlling the boat smoothly. I shuffle my feet and turn so I am facing him.
"Kouyou, from Filia."
"Ah, an elf I see."
I nod, suddenly feeling conscious of my pointed ears and the many rings i had pierced into them. Sometimes, being this particular race wasn't easy. But strangely he seemed okay with it, for he only smiles again.
"Yes sir."
"Well I am Karis, younger twin brother of the great Captain Carasek at your service!"
He bows before me, but at the same time nearly trips over a stray mast line. The sight is so comical I just have to laugh.
"Ah well," He says, standing up and brushing invisible dust from himself. "I meant to do that."
I can tell very well that he did not, for he was blushing rather furiously. Perhaps I would have been interested if it weren't for the fact that he seemed so much older than myself, despite being the 'younger' brother.
"So, you have a brother? Is he as clumsy as you?" I ask jokingly.
"Heh, no... I have always been the clumsy one. He is far more mature and collected than I am, though we look exactly alike. Do not confuse me for him, it upsets him very much when people do."
"I'll keep that in mind."
We fall into an uncomfortable silence after that, so I turned away and stared at the ocean. After a while I couldn't take the silence any longer.
"How much further?"
He shrugs.
"Oh, another half hour I'd reckon. It's not far. Are you in any sort of rush? I can go faster..."
"No no, don't worry. I was only wondering is all."
"All right. Just relax until we get there. Sometimes it's not always about the destination, but the journey itself."
Hmm... He had a point. Perhaps I was taking this journey for granted a little. So I only shrugged and stared out onto the open ocean, watching as wave upon wave went past us. Underneath it was dark blue, telling me just how deep it really was. Occasionally I saw a fish or so go by, it's scales glittering in whatever it happened to be. From blue to red, even to rainbow.
I was glad that I had taken Karis' advice. This was a very relaxing trip for me, and perhaps for him too. I glanced at him and saw a look of pure joy on his face. It was this boat, I realized. Though it may not be the most impressive boat ever, it was his heart and soul. Every sailor loved his or her boat no matter what. Like a companion.
And it seemed as though Karis had a great passion for this particular boat. And this made me curious.
"Say, Karis... How did you come to aquire this boat?"
"Ah well, you see, my brother, Carasek. He trained me in the art of sailing. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I know. Then after deeming me worthy enough, he gave me this boat. Carasek told me that once I get good enough, I'll have an amazing ship like he has. I'll be able to sail around the world like he does, and we'll be equals."
"Wow... that's amazing," I murmur. "You must really have a bond with your brother
don't you?"
"Yes," he sighs as a wave of nostalgia seemed to come over him. "He was the only one I had left after our parents died. We were both very little, so it was very traumatizing. But... he was always there for me so our bond is stronger than most."
Before he could tell me any more than that, he became aware of something.
"Ah! There be our destination! Port Cobh is just up ahead!"
I look towards the front of the boat and towards the horizon, and sure enough I seen a land mass, a very large one at that. I have heard of this place. Port Cobh was a small town on the edge of Uladh, where there main source of money was fishing. And the trading of course.
"Finally! My back is starting to hurt from sitting still all this time."
The boat seems to go faster the closer we get. And before I know it we're already in the harbor. I see the dock, and the two directions it branched off in. We went to its left side and Karis tossed a rope to a man waiting on the dock. The man tied it down and waited for us patiently. Karis sighed and wiped a sheen of sweat from his forehead.
"Well, that's that. You best be on your way, I am on a tight schedule."
"Of course," I say and walk off the boat with my pack slung over my shoulder. "Goodbye Karis! Maybe we will meet again someday."
I wave at him and walk along the left dock before making the right turn onto the main dock that led to the small town. Many people were here, in front of shops and stalls selling things. A Giant man stood in front of one such shop, a striped marlin in his tight grip as he displayed it. A fisherman from the looks of it.
I walked past him and ignored the fact that he was by now pushing the fish into my line of vision, invading my space bubble.
"Traveler! Only 20,000 for this little beauty!"
20,000? That's far too much for a little fish!
"Sorry, I have to pass," I mumble awkwardly, trying to be polite. He only smiles and walks away without a . Is that how people are here? I suppose so...
Well at any rate, I wasn't going to dwell on it for long. I saw a traders tent up ahead, on a small hill. There was a small imp, a goblin, and an ogre with a horse on a lead. Maybe they can help me.
I tread up the grassy hill, gaining their attention.
"Excuse me. Is... there an inn anywhere near here by any chance?" I ask hopefully. The goblin hums as he acknowledges me.
"A young traveler? Yes, there is a town not far from here, Dunbarton. Just past us and past the small forest, you will see brick walls. That's the town you're looking for."
"Okay thanks," I say and walk past their tent into a forest. It is kind of dark in here as the sunlight struggles to push past the dense leaves on the trees. There are many birds chirping in this forest, making it very noisy.
Maybe this time I can use to figure out what exactly I am going to do once I settle in.
Gaining the trust of the locals is absolutely essential, if I am to succeed in my mission. Make them see just how 'lawful' their king really is. Expose him and finally tear him down and all who oppose me.
Though there is one little problem.
Of the many memories I have retained I remember one specific memory of long ago. When I was with Akira in the Castle at Tara, he told me of a legend that all traders are to know. In the forest connecting Tara and Tailteann together is a secret place. A place that no one except the bandits know of.
The Bandit hideout, people call it. Any bandit successful in raiding a trader's goods supposedly goes there to reap the reward for their heist. And supposedly, the one controlling all of this place is a dangerous person. They call him the 'Bandit King.' He supposedly shows his prisoners no mercy if he catches them, though it's rare he leaves the hideout. Or so I am told anyway.
Well I'll just have to avoid that forest won't I? I'm not much of a trader myself anyways.
My musings are interrupted as I see a break in the forest, light flooding through some trees to show the end of the glade.
Hopefully that imp was as reliable as my gut, and my gut was telling me something felt weird. Oh well, only one way to find out.
I walked through a grassy hay field for a little while, seeing the stone building not far ahead. It is pretty boring looking... Oh but there is a large bell tower, with bales of hay surrounding it and a field with a scarecrow. Maybe there was a reason for this particular scarecrow.
I walk along the edge of the stone wall, hoping to find a sort of opening. The corner comes into view and still no opening. But when I turn the corner I see another trader's tent, with the familiar three figures like last time. The imp, the goblin, the ogre. Then lo and behold I saw an opening just past it.
I walked up to the trader's tent and greeted them.
"Uh excuse me. But is there an inn in this place?"
The goblin coughs slightly and nods his head.
"Yes indeed. A woman named Glenis runs it. Go pay her a visit, she is in the town square running a restaurant."
"Thanks."
I walked into the stone opening and found myself in a large-ish town square. Many shops and stores were lining a large plaza, which many people now occupied. To my right stood a large statue of a horse with a rider on it's back. I didn't pay any heed to it as I walked through the plaza, searching for this 'Glenis' person.
Suddenly a wayward arrow whizzed past my head, narrowly avoiding hitting me square in the face.
"Whoa!"
I ducked and instantly turn my head to the source of the projectile's whereabouts.
A young elf male came running up to me, bowing his small brunette head repeatedly.
"Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry, that was my fault!"
"Clearly," I say in an annoyed tone. What was this guy's deal? "Can you not control your aim, young archer?" I ask as I glare at him. His ears fall flat and he dips his head repeatedly.
"Sorry! One of my friends bumped me and caused me to accidentally let it go! So so sorry!"
After I get over my initial near death experience, I growl in defeat and sigh.
"Whatever. Just... control your aim. We can't have any innocent souls like me returning so early to the soul stream can we?
"No!" he immediately chirps swinging his head back and forth. "I'll... I'll be more careful!"
"Good. Now, run along before more accidents happen," I say and rub my head.
"Y-yes!
He immediately turns and high-tails it out of my sight, faster than all hell. Jeez, it's still too early for this.
I luckily found the woman I was looking for and got my business done, paying for a week long stay, for now. I thanked her and walked into her inn, which was a tall 5 story building that had a restaurant being the first floor and lobby of the inn. My room was on the 5th floor, overlooking the entire town.
But the panoramic view wasn't what I was interested in, despite the advantages it posed. I was on a mission to regain my memories, and as a first step I needed to find someone who knew me around here. There was very little left of my memories of this place, but there is something there, I know that. Something about this town just... screamed to me that I should be here. And my gut was usually never wrong in situations like this.
And that first step would be sooner than not.
The sun was by now, nearing the middle of it's cycle in the sky, so about eleven or noon. It's still really early, but a little nap should not hurt. So I put all my belongings that I had brought with me nest to my night stand and took off my heavy robe, putting it on a nearby wooden chair and laying down on the bed to rest for a few hours.
When I woke up, there was a still silence in the usually boisterous air. Normally... one could hear the many sounds of the town square below, and the voices of the town's people all around me. The other guests could be heard through the inn's thin wooden walls. But.. it was silent, too deathly silent. The uneasiness I felt sent gooseflesh along my arms and I shuddered. The very pounding of my heart hammered loudly in my ears.
Immediately something in me sensed that everything was horribly wrong, or at least going to be. With that I quickly jumped up and rushed to my window, only to find the square completely empty of life.
There were no people, no animals, not even the chirping of birds. All the shops had their doors closed, all the stalls closed up and stored away. Not even the street lights were on. Then, I heard it. A single noise could be heard in the thick silence, a sound so small yet so finite, it could probably be heard a mile away.
Somewhere outside, a low growling noise could be heard, small at first, then it grew louder and louder, until it rose to a loud din that was so noisy I had to cover my ears. The silence was suddenly broken as a loud, ear splitting guttural roar shook the walls of the inn, making me grip the window for balance. Then, someone screamed, alerting me to the foreign presence.
"DRAGON!
That's when the screaming began, and I began to wish for the earlier silence.
Reference links :p
The GazettE
Mabinogi
Mana tunnel