Author's Note:
We finally made it to Seri! This chapter we'll be meeting one of our favorite characters, so enjoy!
-Tangent
The City of Sand was aptly named, Ean thought as they strode through the wide stone streets. Sand seemed to be everywhere they looked, in piles on the corners and sides of roads. Evidently, the city was used to the gritty material.
There was also a staggering amount of people within the city. The houses, although small, were packed together in close fashion. Each was made out of a dark wood and pale sandstone that formed a cube. There were windows and doors carved into each one, and awnings to provide shade from the heat.
"I think the guard said that these are the poorer areas?" Gavin said. "Still, they don't seem too bad off." Children barely paid them a second glance as they walked by, obviously used to seeing foreigners in the city. After a few minutes, they passed under an archway into the largest market any of them had ever seen. Merchants of every kind shouted at customers and at each other, each offering lowered prices and specials. Just at a glance, Ean could see hundreds of different products being bought and sold.
"And I thought Thais was big." Rye said with wide eyes. "Where are we staying?"
"Uthar gave us a couple of options, but I'm not sure where they are." Ean said with a grimace. "Maybe one of the locals knows?" He stopped a kid running by and asked him a quick question. They boy looked at him in surprise, but soon pointed down the street and beckoned for them to follow him. He led them to a slightly quieter area off the main streets, where there were several inns that were open for business.
"Here, sir." He said. Ean handed him a coin, and the boy smiled widely and took off back through the market.
"Clever." Jack remarked. "I could make a racket doing that." Rye rolled his eyes at him as they entered the inn, which was quite cool on the inside.
"Oh, that's nice." Iya said with a sigh, wiping her brow. "How do they do it?"
"I'm not sure, but it's some sort of new technology." Gavin answered. "Fans in the ceilings, I think." They continued their discussion while Ean negotiated a price for several rooms. They appeared to be in luck, as the inn was mostly empty.
"You traveled during the summer?" The innkeeper asked, a newfound respect in his eyes. "That was brave of you."
"Not many travelers?" Ean asked, and the man shook his head.
"Not for years, but we get by."
"Why not?" Gavin asked, his brows furrowed.
"The desert has gotten hotter." The innkeeper replied. "And rumors of new and dangerous monsters in the mountains prevent travelers."
"I see. Thank you, sir. We shall return later." Ean said with a smile as they headed up the stairs to their rooms.
"Oh. I get my own?" Jack said as Ean pointed to his door.
"Of course." Ean said, looking puzzled. "You are one of us, aren't you?"
"I…" Luckily, Jack was saved by Iya calling Ean's name from her own room. He vanished, and Jack sat down on his bed with a sigh.
Next door, Rye and Gavin deposited their things in their room, keeping only their weapons and money on them for safekeeping. They rejoined the others in the hallways and headed downstairs.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Rye groaned. "Lunchtime?" The others agreed as they entered the bottom floor of the inn. Overhearing them, the innkeeper suggested a restaurant near the market which served excellent seafood.
"Sounds good to me. Thanks!" Ean called as they stepped back out into the busy city. Near the middle of the day, the market was even busier than before, and the group got separated several times. Finally, they reached the restaurant and found a table with a view of the ocean.
"Where are all the ships?" Jack asked suddenly. The others looked at him. "There should be hundreds of them, right? Where are they?"
"He's right." Rye said, standing up to look. "The docks are virtually empty, except for fishing boats. But why?" The party fell into a troubled silence.
"Can I take your order?" A waiter said suddenly, and Ean jumped.
"Oh, sorry." They placed an order for food, but as the waiter turned to leave, the elf grabbed his arm.
"Hey, where are all the ships?" At the mention of the issue, the waiter paled visibly.
"I… I do not know." His voice shook as he looked at the group, eyes wide. They looked at each other, but decided not to press the matter further.
"I see. Thank you." Ean said, and the waiter strode away at once. "That was quite odd." He said when the man was out of earshot.
"Sounds like something's going on." Gavin said, "Should we check it out?"
"Probably." Rye said. "We could go to the docks, but…"
"We should probably find Uthar's agent first." Iya finished for him. "She'd probably know."
"Yeah." Ean sighed. "But where do we check?"
"The taverns, obviously." Jack said without thinking. There was silence as everybody looked at him. "What?"
"How would you know?" Rye asked.
"That's always where people like that go for information. The shadier the better."
"Really?" Ean asked, his eyebrows raised.
"In my experience, yes." Jack said with a sad smile. "But that was a long time ago." The party looked at each other.
"I mean, we can try." Ean said. "And probably at night?"
"Normally that's when I did my 'deals'." Jack coughed. The food was served, and they did not speak for a few minutes as they ate. When they had paid for their meal, they exited the restaurant and headed back to the market.
"Hey, look at this." Rye said as they walked by a stand selling miscellaneous items. He picked up a grappling hook attached to a rope and swung it around slightly. "Bet this would be helpful."
"I guess so." Ean said with a laugh. "Buy it if you want." Rye did and stowed it in his backpack. They continued walking, trying to get a feel for the city and the layout of the streets. As they emerged into an open area, Ean saw a familiar sight in the middle of the square.
"Oh, hold on." He said as he walked over to the Goddess Statue. Depositing a coin, he said a silent "Thank you" for seeing them safely to Seri.
"Why do you do that?" Gavin asked curiously.
"For luck." Ean shrugged. "And maybe karma." Gavin looked puzzled, but Ean did not elaborate.
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, with the party exploring the city and familiarizing themselves with the streets. When the sun began to set, they returned to the inn for a quick meal, and Ean found himself alone in his room for a few minutes. Turning his attention inwards, he spoke into the space within his mind:
"Well, we made it."
"Oh, good." Vincent said. "Find anything useful?"
"Not yet, but maybe soon." Ean looked around the space, noting the absence of the chicken and cyclops. "Where are-"
"In a memory." Vincent muttered. "I've been through mine already, but I think they have more to go through."
"Anything new?" Ean asked kindly.
"Nothing in the old ones, but…" Vincent hesitated. "I've got a new memory now."
"That's excellent!" Ean said. "Was it-"
"I… I saw a woman and a child, in a house. My house, I think." Vincent said, and Ean fell silent. "The girl was the same one from before, but the woman is new. She smiled at me with such kindness, but I could not move. And then…" He stopped once again, and Ean could tell he was distressed.
"What happened?" He whispered, and Vincent's voice became raspy.
"The door blew open… and the figure was there. That's all I remember before red light filled everything. I think… I think they were my wife and child."
"I'm so sorry." Ean said, dread filling his stomach. "Perhaps it was-"
"No, it felt real." Vincent said. "If only I could remember anything else…" There was silence, and Ean did not know what to say.
"We'll find the truth, Vincent. I promise." He said quietly, and the wolf nodded sadly.
"I hope so." There was a sudden flash of light, and two more forms appeared in the space, and laughter rang out through Ean's mind.
"I can't believe you did that!" Amari said with a chuckle. Edward was there too, and a small smile was on his face.
"Not my choice." He rumbled. Amari hit him lightly with a wing.
"Oh, like it was-" She noticed Ean and Vincent standing there, and her laughter ceased. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." spat Vincent quietly. "Nothing at all." He vanished, and there was silence once more.
"Don't mind him." Ean spoke. "He got some memories back. They were… unpleasant." Amari's eyes seemed to lose their light.
"I'm sorry."
"There is no need to apologize." Ean said quietly. "Just… try to be kind, okay?"
"We will." Edward rumbled, and Ean severed the connection.
He sat up from where he was laying on the bed, rubbing his temple slightly.
"Ready to go?" Iya asked him, opening the door. She was wearing a thicker cloak to protect from the cold, and her staff was tucked neatly underneath it.
"Yes, sorry. Vincent's been having problems." Ean filled her in while he retrieved his own gear.
"That's sad." She said with pity in her voice. "I hope it didn't really end that way."
"Me too." Ean said quietly. "Now, we should probably go." They rose and exited his room, joining the others downstairs. As they prepared, Ean moved over to the innkeeper.
"Where is the tavern where people of questionable interests go? What bar would they frequent?" To his credit, the innkeeper seemed remarkable unsurprised by his question.
"One of those types? You might try the bar by the docks, called Murphy's Tavern. But be careful."
"We can handle ourselves." Ean said quietly. "Trust me." They left the inn quietly, stealing out into the night. The streets were much quieter, except for the occasional inebriated passersby. It took them five minutes to reach the docks, which were just as deserted as they had been before. The only difference was a large black ship moored nearby, just off the coast. It seemed deserted, but Ean knew not to be fooled.
"I wonder who that is." He spoke quietly. Rye saw it as well, and shrugged.
"I'm not sure. But this is the place." He gestured to a seedy, run-down building nearby that had a crooked sign out front. "Hardly a welcoming place, is it?"
"I've seen worse." Jack muttered.
"Okay, everyone stick together, and be prepared for a fight. This might not go well." Ean said. "Ready?" He pushed open the door to the bar.
The inside was relatively quiet. Shady men wearing hoods spoke quietly in a corner, exchanging various items, while others drank at tables or at the bar. What drew their attention, however, was the very large man in full battle armor in the corner. He was drinking as well, from a large pot of some potent alcohol. As they watched, he belched and called for another drink.
"Who is that?" Gavin muttered. "He's massive!"
"Ignore him." Ean said quietly. "Let's speak to the bartender." They made their way to the bar, aware of the eyes watching them.
"I don't recognize you." The man behind the counter spoke. "You best clear out, elf." At that, all the eyes in the room turned to them, and Ean dropped his hood.
"We're looking for Dragon Dung." One of the men at the bar turned around. He was a odorous man, with bloodshot eyes and a wide, leering grin.
"We don't know him." He said, looking at Iya. "But while you're here, woman, why not stay with me?"
"I'd rather not." She said quietly, and his smile changed to a frown. With a sudden motion, he stood and reached for her with his hand, only to be stopped by Ean's crushing grip on his wrist.
"You won't touch her." He said quietly, and the man's friends rose from their chairs angrily.
"You want to go?" The man said, reaching for a knife at his belt. "I'll-" What he would do was never discovered, for at that moment, one of the cloaked figures from the corner moved, hurling a bottle of alcohol straight into the back of his head with a crash. The drunkard dropped senseless upon the floor. Standing up, the cloaked person gestured to the man's friends.
"Get out." They snarled in a quiet voice, and the other men dragged the unconscious one out as fast as they possibly could. The figure turned to them, and Ean flicked his claws out.
"Who are you?" The figure gestured to a door.
"You want Dragon Dung? She's in there." The bartender nodded nervously, anxious to avoid any more fights. Ean lowered his hands hesitantly, then nodded. They moved to the door and opened it, revealing a staircase. They descended it and emerged into…
"A storage closet?" Rye said curiously. "That lying-" The door clicked behind them, and they whirled to see the same cloaked figure.
"Sorry for the scene upstairs." A female voice came from beneath the hood, and slender hand lowered it so they could see the person's face. "But secrecy has its price." The woman under the cloak had striking purple hair and exotic eyes that were slightly canted at the corners. Most noticeable, she had a black eyepatch over her right eye. Her skin was dark, and she smiled.
"Dragon Dung at your service. But you can call me Ava One-Eye, and I'm the best pirate in the business." The party stared at her, evidently surprised. Ean gathered himself quickly.
"I'm Ean Okho, and these are my friends Iya, Rye, Gavin, and Jack." He indicated each of them in turn. "Uthar sent us to find you." Ava frowned.
"He did, huh? What does that worthless prince want with me after all these years?" Her tone was light, but Ean could feel the hidden emotion in the statement.
"To help save the world." Rye said quietly, and she glanced at him.
"Alright, I'm all ears."
Ean gave a brief synopsis of his and Iya's journey upon arriving in the Land of Man, their travel to Thais, and their subsequent adventures. With each new revelation, Ava's brows rose further and further up her head.
"So, to get this straight… You need my help to find the lost nymphs and save the world?"
"In essence, yes." Ean said. "Can you?" The woman stroked her purple hair as she thought.
"I suppose so, yes. Where is it you need to go?"
"Eredar." Iya said. "But we've noticed the lack of ships." Ava frowned.
"Have you? I suppose I better hold up my end of the bargain and give you some answers. You saw the docks?" They all nodded. "All seaworthy vessels have been slowly disappearing for about a year now. Some sink, while others are… more forcibly destroyed. The only ones left are either the sultan's private ships, or a ship like mine."
"You have a ship?" Ean said.
"I'll get to that, kid. You see, the Snow Queen's soldiers, like every other town, were stationed nearby. I suspect they've been slowly destroying our ships, but I have no proof. Besides, I'm technically a criminal, so the sultan doesn't like me very much either. I sail a pirate ship, but we can't depart until the soldiers are taken care of."
"If we could help, would the sultan be grateful?" Rye asked, and Ava snorted.
"You kidding? He's as selfish as the day is long. So no, it wouldn't matter to him, but it would stop the city from slowly dying. If you really are heroes, are you willing to do this for my people?" The party looked at each other.
"We are." Ean said, and Ava smiled wickedly.
"That's why Uthar sent you, eh? Alright then, meet me outside the city gates at dawn tomorrow. I've got something to show you." Standing, she turned to leave, but Ean stopped her.
"How will we know it's you?"
"You'll know." She said cryptically before vanishing up the stairs. There was silence for a moment.
"Well, she's certainly… colorful." Rye said with a frown. "Can we trust her?"
"I think so." Ean said. "Uthar certainly knows her, so I think she's safe. But I'm worried about the soldiers? How many are there?"
"Who knows? Regardless, we should steer clear of the docks for now." Gavin pointed out.
"You're right. Come on, let's head back to the inn." Ean said, and they departed the bar without further discussion, unaware of the eyes on their backs. They had just turned down the alleyway to the inn when several men filed out of the shadows ahead of them. They were wearing light armor, and all had weapons.
"Hold up there. You hurt one of our friends back there in the bar."
"He attacked us." Jack pointed out, and Ean shot him a look, telling him to be silent.
"Look, you don't want to do this."
"We'll see." The leader said, and he drew a sword from his back. "I think I'll take the elf girl to sell, and the rest of you for slaves." Ean stepped forward, and his eyes suddenly glowed a light shade of red. The men stepped back slightly, but did not flee. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the elf turned to see Iya step forward, looking at the man.
"What do you want, wench?" He snarled, and she raised her staff.
"I apologize for this." The whole alley seemed to shudder, and the ground underneath the men rippled and bucked, sending them staggering into the walls.
"She's a witch! Get her!" The man bellowed from his place on the ground. Another, braver than the rest, charged forward, but Iya calmly flung a gust of wind into him that sent his body flying backwards to hit the street with a thud. Summoning her song orb into one hand, she stilled the ground with a single motion.
"Get out of here." She snarled, and the men fled in all directions, vanishing into the night. The light faded, and all was still. Iya turned to the others with a small smile on her face.
"That was easier than I thought." She said, and Rye grinned.
"You really showed them."
"Yeah, nice one." Gavin echoed.
"Thank you. Now, if there are no further interruptions, I believe I need to take a bath." The elf said, and the party followed her back to the inn. After bathing and taking care of other miscellaneous tasks, each of them turned in for the night. As Jack was going to sleep, Ean knocked on his door.
"Hey, everything okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine." Jack said. "Just a new experience, is all."
"Well, I'm glad you came with us tonight." Ean said quietly, looking at him. "You were right about the bar. It's helpful to have someone along who knows things like that."
"You mean… you're not mad?" Jack blurted out quite suddenly.
"Why would I? You're not a thief anymore, I hope." Ean said. "But that doesn't mean you can't use your skills for the benefit of others, does it?"
"I suppose not." Jack muttered. "Still…"
"You're doing okay, Jack. Just thought I'd let you know that." Ean said with a small smile. "I've got to check in on somebody else, but see you tomorrow."
"Have fun with Iya." Jack remarked sarcastically, and Ean paused for a moment.
"Perhaps you're too perceptive for your own good. And for your information, I was not going to speak to her, thank you very much." He grinned as he closed the door.
As it turned out, he was telling the truth. After Ean confirmed some of his suspicions with the innkeeper, he returned to his room for the night, sleeping better than he had in weeks.
The sunrise saw them outside the gates of Seri, where a cloaked figure stood talking to one of the guards. As the refreshed party approached, Ava turned to them and gestured to the road.
"Come on, we've got a little bit of a walk."
"And where are we going?" Ean asked her once they were out of earshot of the guards.
"My ship, obviously. I couldn't mention it in town. Too many ears."
"It's hidden?" Iya asked.
"Yup, in a cove a mile or two up the coast, there's some cliffs with a secret entrance from the desert side." They kept walking, and soon Ava took them off the road to the east, heading for a distant set of cliff. The sand soon turned into winding passages through rocky cliffs, and Ean caught a faint scent of something… different. The others noticed too, and Ava grinned.
"That's the smell of the sea. One of my favorite things in the world." She had removed her outer garment, revealing a striking figure wearing black and purple leather. At her side, she had a smooth saber made of steel. Gavin in particular had seemed very… attentive to the change, and Ean hid a smile. They turned a corner and saw it: a large cave leading into the rock.
"Right this way." Ava said, and she entered the cave. The party glanced at each other for a moment, hesitating.
"Well, I guess we go in." Ean said, and he stepped inside. His jaw dropped as he saw the inside of the cave that he was standing at the mouth of. It was a giant grotto, with a beach that stretched out until it met the ocean that surged and ebbed slightly with the tide. The water was a beautiful, clear shade of green that reflected off the rocks high above. Out in the small lake, a dock joined the land to the biggest boat Ean had ever seen. It towered almost to the ceiling of the cave, with multiple masts and sails that were tied back. The ship itself was made of a dark oak wood and furnished with purple here and there. On the deck, Ean could see several people moving around, and a dozen more at the other end of the beach.
"Captain!" One of the pirates called. "You bring back prisoners?" Several others on the beach stepped forward, knives in hand, but she waved them off.
"Friends of Uthar. They're here to get us out of here!"
"What do you mean?" Ean said, and Ava turned to them.
"We should probably sit down for this. Come on." She led them over to the camp on the beach, where tents were placed around a central fire pit. The fire was flickering, which was a slight relief in the much cooler cave. Jack spotted a treasure chest or two lying against a wall, and a familiar gleam emerged into his eyes. The boxes were made of a blue metal, studded with bronze. The party sat, as did Ava, unbuckling her sword.
"Okay, listen up. There's going to be some things we need before we can set sail. I know the ship looks good, but it's actually pretty damaged on the inside from our skirmish with the Shaenlir soldiers." At the mention of the battle, several of the pirated growled with anger.
"What happened?"
"They caught us on the sea and almost sunk us, but we managed to shake them off long enough to hide here. So, we're in no shape to sail. Since we're wanted criminals, we can't procure everything we need to fix the ship. That's where all of you come in."
"So, what do we need?" Gavin asked. "Just point us in the right direction." Ava glanced at him for a moment, a slight frown on her face.
"We need a couple things. Firstly, I think you can see that there is no exit for the ship, and that's because the soldiers blew up the passageway." True to her word, there was light shining through a bunch of stacked rocks at the end of the grotto. "We'll need some sort of explosive to get through." Ean glanced at Rye, who pulled a stick of dynamite from his bag.
"I have some, but not enough for all of that."
"Well, that's a start. One of my men has been looking into making a more powerful explosive. Blast, you got anything?"
"Aye, mistress." A scarred man spoke in a raspy voice. "I reckon with the proper stuff, I can make something to blow those rocks sky high. The kid's got gunpowder, but I'll need some other chemicals too. Can we procure them from Seri?"
"I'll get the list from you in a minute." Ava said. "Okay, that's one thing. Secondly, we need new sails. Ours are ripped and burned, but there should be plenty in Seri. After all, there's not really any ships to put them on. I've got contacts for that."
"And the last thing?" Ean asked, and the woman grimaced.
"We have no anchor. Without it, we can't sail on the ocean. Problem is, they're kind of hard to find. After all, they don't just grow on trees."
"Can we get one in Seri?" Ean asked.
"Probably not. The soldiers have also been stealing anchors from the ships they burn, and we need a specifically sized one that can hold the entire ship."
"Just steal one, then." Jack said from his position on a log.
"I like your thinking, kid, but where do we get one? I assure you, the sultan would not take kindly to taking one of his."
"No, I think I know." Ean said suddenly. "Do the soldiers ever come to Seri and dock at the port?" Ava glanced at one of her men, who spoke:
"I've been keeping on eye on them, and yes, they do come in on the first of every week."
"So, they'll be back in three days, then." Ean said. "What if we steal their anchor?"
"You kidding? There's something like fifty soldiers on that boat, and it's all locked up tight." Ava scoffed. "Unless you could sneak aboard and pick open the locks, you couldn't-" With a metallic clink, the lock to the treasure chest Jack had been fiddling with snapped open, falling to the sand. Everyone stared at him.
"Oops." He said, and Ava stood, moving over to him.
"How did you do that?" She snarled angrily. "We tried for months to open that chest." Jack scoffed.
"Clearly you didn't brush up, then. That wasn't even very hard." Ean grinned at the pirates.
"Well, there's your answer. I was trying to tell you, he's a master thief who's been picking locks for two hundred years." At the mention of the number, the pirates, who were evidently superstitious, gasped and stepped back. Ava didn't seem fooled, but there was a new glint of emotion in her eyes. Hope.
"Well then, I guess we've got ourselves a plan."
For the next hour or two, the party hashed out the details of the operation. While the soldiers were in town, Jack and Ava would sneak on board and steal the anchor of the ship. After that happened, they would rejoin the others and hopefully confront the soldiers on the docks.
"Are you sure you can handle them?" Ava has asked, eyebrows raised.
"Positive." Ean said. "We've got two master magicians, an archer, me, and you if you join in. From what I gather, you're quite skilled."
"Got that right." Ava muttered. "The sultan might not be pleased about a fight, though."
"Well, if we get rid of the soldiers, he'll have no choice but to let us go. I'm pretty sure the people wouldn't be happy if he arrested us. If they flee, well, they won't have an anchor…"
"You're right." The female pirate said. "In the meantime, we can get started on finding the other ingredients." She had constructed a list of shops to visit in Seri and given it to Ean, along with a pouch of gold.
"Oh, we have money." He said, waving her off, but she would not give up.
"Not as much as me, kid. Besides, it's my ship."
"Fair point." Ean conceded. "Will you be here?"
"I'll station two of my men just outside the city. Drop any materials off there, okay?" Ean nodded and rose from his seat.
"Thank you, One-Eye. We should probably get going now." He had heard the nickname from one of the crew, and had taken a liking to it.
"Oh, one more thing. You know those treasure chests that Jack opened? The blue ones?"
"Yes, why?"
"There's more of them, scattered through the desert. Don't know how or why, but I bet you could find more gear like that mail in there." She gestured at Ean's new armored coat, made of what Gavin called "wyrm scales", which were apparently much stronger than anything currently available. Being the melee fighter, the party had elected for him to wear it.
"We'll definitely keep an eye out. Do you know where they might be?" Ava nodded.
"Let me see the map I gave you." He pulled out the map of the desert and handed it to her, letting her mark two blue dots on the map. "They were somewhere around here, I believe. Good luck to you." They shook hands, and the party rose from their seats, giving their farewells. Gavin leaned in to shake Ava's hand, but she turned away from him at the exact moment he did, leaving him confused. He lowered his hand and joined the others as they exited the cave, blinking rapidly at the bright sun.
"Alright, we've got ourselves a plan. We better get moving on these supplies." Ean said as they walked back to Seri. "Jack, Gavin, and Iya, I'll have you go find these chemicals that Blast needs. Rye and I will procure the sails. Sound good?" The others chorused assent.
Gavin strolled through the market of Seri, taking in all of the sights and sounds around him. He had never seen such a large market, not even in his old home of New Witchwood. But that was all in the past, he supposed. Iya and Jack were behind him, talking about something or other. The warlock knew it wasn't Iya's fault that he still felt guilty whenever he spoke to her, but it was unavoidable.
"Where is the shop, Gavin?" The elf asked him, and he pointed up a busy street.
"The pirate said it was over here." Iya nodded, evidently musing about something.
"Have I offended you?" She asked suddenly. "Because if I have, I'd like to-"
"No, you haven't." Gavin said. "Why do you think that?"
"Whenever you look at me, a storm passes through your eyes and you turn away, as if angry." The warlock frowned, evidently unaware of that trait.
"Oh, I… I did not know. But it is not your fault." Despite his aversion of talking to her, the words fell easily. "I still feel guilty about what happened in Bogwood, with the love spell. I could have prevented it, but I didn't." Iya seemed stunned, and he knew she remembered the day as well. Only Jack seemed confused.
"It is… you are not to blame." She said quickly, hair stirring slightly. "I was just… confused. And a lot of other things happened, but I do not blame you. You are the only other magician here, and I hope we can be friends."
"I… haven't had many of those." Gavin admitted, and she seemed to understand.
"Then we shall be your first. Right, Jack?"
"Oh, um… Yes, that's right." Gavin felt touched by her words in a spot he had not felt for a long time. It made him feel… happy? Perhaps that wasn't the right word, but he did not know what else to think.
"I appreciate it, Iya." He said, and she smiled.
"Just know that you can trust us to help you out. Now, let's find those chemicals." Gavin looked up and saw the store that they were supposed to enter and gestured to it.
"This is our stop." He pushed open the door and entered the shop. It was empty, save for the man standing behind the counter. The shelves were covered with various jars containing liquids and crystals of all colors.
"Welcome in. What do you need, friend?" Gavin showed him the list of materials, and the man smiled. "I see. It's for our mutual friend, then? I've got just the things she needs." It took the shopkeeper a couple of minutes to secure the chemicals they needed, as well as place them into a bag.
"I think that's it, so thank you very much!" Iya said to the man, smiling at him.
"My pleasure. Tell One-Eye I said hello!" They nodded and exited the building, emerging back onto the busy street.
"That was fairly easy." Jack said. "What else is there?"
"Our list is done for now. Let's head back to the inn to meet up with Ean and Rye."
On the other side of town, Rye was engaged in a fierce negotiation with an elderly man. Evidently, he had decided to raise his prices by an immense amount, and Rye was not happy.
"Look, you won't be able to sell any of these to anybody else. Why raise the price?"
"I've got to make money." The man said stoutly. "Take it or leave it." Rye let out a frustrated sigh, and Ean chuckled.
"Let me step in here, Rye." He said, moving forward and addressing the merchant. "Look, sir, I know you need to make a profit, so I'll cut you a deal. You sell us your sails, and when this whole business with the soldiers dies down, I'll tell everyone where we got ours and send them to you. I might even put in a word with the sultan." He threw the last part in there, although he had no idea how he would go about doing it.
"Hmmm…" the man said, clearly torn. "I suppose you look honest enough, but…"
"I'm willing to give you compensation of sorts." Ean said, pulling a gem from his bag. It was a ruby that had dropped from the salamanders in the desert. "I'll give this to you as insurance that I'll hold up my end of the bargain. Deal?"
"Alright, kid. You've got a deal." Rye glanced at Ean before handing over the money for the sails. "Let me get those packed up for you."
A couple minutes later, the two were on their way back to the inn, content with their success. As they passed through the busy market, Ean heard a noise from a alleyway on the left. Turning, he saw that several men had gathered around a man on the ground, and were kicking and punching them.
"Hey!" He shouted, running forward. "Let him go!" The men looked up at the two people, human and elf, running towards them and saw the massive packages they held. They sprinted away down the alley and out of sight. The beaten man was still on the ground, shaking slightly.
"Hey, it's okay now." Ean said, grabbing his arm. "You okay?"
"I'll be fine." The man groaned, bruises covering his face and arms. "Those rat-faced…"
"Why'd they attack you?" Rye asked.
"I owe them money. Name's Rasmen, by the way. Thanks for the save."
"How much?" Ean asked, and Rasmen grimaced.
"Two hundred gold coins, but I'm not sure where I'd-" Ean dropped the money at his feet, and his mouth fell open.
"W-What? You're really giving this to me?"
"It's all yours." Ean said. "Go pay off your debts, and tell them that we'll be around if they keep harassing you." Rasmen leapt to his feet, dancing with glee.
"Oh, thank you, thank you! Here, please take these!" He tossed Ean a small pouch, which was opened to reveal…
"Beans?" Rye asked curiously. "Why beans?"
"They're magic, supposedly." Rasmen said quickly. "They grow really quick and strong!"
"O-Oh, okay then. Thanks, Rasmen."
"No problem. I won't forget this!" The man called as he sprinted down the alleyway and out of sight.
"What a strange man." Rye said. "Now, let's-" He was cut off by a shrill horn that sounded through the air, and several people cried out from the direction of the market. Ean heard the thump of feet, and he peeked out of the alleyway to see his worst fears. The soldiers of Shaenlir had come early. Rye let out a gasp of shock behind him as he saw the green-clad soldiers enter the marketplace.
"Attention, citizens! We are searching for two fugitives from the law. They have attacked our Snow Queen and declared war on our country. They are elves, one male and one female who entered the city recently. If you see them, report to us immediately. We will be here for a few days, searching for them as well. We are also authorized to provide compensation for your service." Having finished speaking, the commander stepped forward and began moving through the marketplace.
"Ean? Ean!" Rye hissed, grabbing his arm. "We've got to get back to the inn. Come on!"