HoloJourneys

by vanderblast

A fateful encounter with a fluffy sheep inside a castle dungeon, begins a journey that will change the world. In a world of magic, swords, magical spirits and endless possibilities, Anon, sets forth on a journey with his friend Watame to see everything this world has to offer and to find their origins. The journey won't always be easy, but together, they can always make it through.

8. A new land, an old man, and a bear

The gnawing feeling of someone watching you stirs you from sleep and makes you aware of the slight pounding in your head. The early morning sunlight trickles into Lena's living room where you had slept. Blinking your eyes into focus, you look around to see Undine silently watching you from a seat at the dining table.

"Good morning summoner." She says softly. "Did you sleep well?"

Morning Undine." you manage to get out from your still dry mouth. "Well enough I suppose."

Sliding your legs off the couch, you touch your feet down to the floor to stand and stretch. Healing magic sure did its job to remove some of the sharp pains you would have been feeling this morning, but your muscles were still as sore as ever.

"What about you Undine?" you ask as you notice no one else was around.

"I slept quite soundly. It had been a very long time since I needed physical sleep like that. It was nice to experience again."

Now seems like a good opportunity to ask Undine about some of the questions you've had about spirits in general.

"That kinda reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask. Can you like…" you struggle with how to word this delicately, but you could think of nothing else but to get straight to the point. "Die?"

Undine studies you for a moment, as if trying to find the exact question you are trying to ask her.

"If you are asking if a mortal wound would cease my existence, then no, I cannot die by the same methods you might. If that were to occur however, it would take some time before you could summon me back, similar to what happened after the spirit possession."

"I see. Well that's kinda a relief in one way. It's nice to know you'll be sticking around for a while no matter what."

"Another piece of information about my physical state you might find interesting is that I can control being physical and intangible at will now." Undine says as she gives a brief demonstration of her hand passing in and out of the wooden table in front of her.

"The more of my body I make intangible, the more mana it will cost me." she continues. "So it is not something I can do indefinitely, but while I am summoned here physically, I can always revert to my full spiritual state when the situation calls for it."

"Can everyone see you when you're in your spirit form? I couldn't help but notice when we left the tower, no one was really paying you any attention. Which of course all changed when Polka pulled me into one of her acts."

"With you as my anchor to this world, I will be visible to those close to you, or whoever we both might deem appropriate to see me. It will be a conscious decision from the two of us when it comes to those unfamiliar with me."

Also good to know, being able to keep others from seeing the blue water woman floating beside you will definitely go a long way in not drawing too much attention to yourselves. Despite every time you specifically try not to draw attention backfiring in some way, by usually no fault of your own, but it doesn't hurt to dream right?

"While I do enjoy being here physically in this world again, I forgot how exhausting it can be on my feet. So there may be times I will choose to stay in my spirit form if that is acceptable to you."

"Hey if I could get some places without walking sometimes I definitely would, so that's fine by me. Speaking of, would you like to come with me for a little walk through the city? I get the feeling everyone else will be asleep for a little bit."

"That sounds nice. I will take you up on your offer now to go along with you while in my spirit form."

As you strap your sword and book to your sides, you watch Undine shift her being as she now floats ever so slightly above the floor. You kind of expected to be able to see right through her, but to you, she is practically as solid as she was a moment ago. Opening the front door, you feel the warming morning air hit your face as you walk down into the city with Undine floating by your side.

You don't have a real destination in mind, so you just walk wherever the roads take you. Seeing Undine take in the peaceful sights with you was something you didn't know you could find such satisfaction in. A lot has happened in just a day for you. You suddenly have an entire separate being living alongside you, it was a strange, but also comforting feeling.

Passing by some of the familiar shops from yesterday you take a longer look through the windows at the wares, and it was still mostly books and a bunch of magical ingredients and the like you couldn't understand. The shops are still closed for the most part, which explains why there aren't a lot of people walking about just yet.

You and Undine continue to walk in comfortable silence until a voice calls out your name.

Captain Aldren spots you and is looking considerably more agreeable than he did last night.

"Didn't expect you find out and about so early Anon." He greets. He nods to Undine as well, which already answered the first question you had for yourself.

"I could say the same for you, captain. You made it sound like you were going to be chained to your desk for the next few years. All that paperwork, remember?" you say, hoping to dish back some wit as payback for last night.

"If you must know. The morning air does wonders for a weary mind. It helps me collect myself and helps me be my sharpest for the day ahead."

And he completely ignores your comment. Who are you kidding though? You can't actually stay mad at the guy. The stuffy elf has kinda grown on you already. There is something to be said for a guy who will admit he was wrong and put in the effort to make things right again.

"Yeah I can agree with that." you saw awkwardly. "And uhh captan, I don't think I properly thanked you...for everything you did. The emblems, believing Lena, helping us. I do appreciate it, just so you know."

"I just brought in the clean up crew." He scoffs. "I should be thanking you for uncovering another conspiracy."

"Even if it means nothing but paperwork for you?"

"Oh I loathe the paperwork, make no mistake of that, but if doing paperwork for the rest of my life means my people are safe and happy. That is a price I am willing to pay."

"Well since you're offering. My friends and I could make a few more stops before we leave the elven kingdom. Any other cities you've had your eye on?"

"None come to mind at the moment." Aldren answers you flatly. He was just not taking any of your bait.

"Well another thing I want to say, I'm sorry I didn't take your warning more seriously. Maybe if I did…if I was more careful, this whole thing might have worked out differently. Maybe without all the close calls." you say half-heartedly. While you did wish things didn't get as dicey as they did, you are half thankful for what came out of the whole ordeal as you look to Undine beside you.

"You got a good heart Anon. Especially for a human if you don't mind me saying. I can only imagine how hard it was for you to comprehend that someone would try to do such terrible things to another living person. Unfortunately, for all our world's beauty, there is that much ugliness lurking beneath it."

"Which is why it's up to people like us to protect the good people from it all." you say resolute, remembering the words you said to Undine to further your pact.

"Indeed. I admit, I used to think it was a fool's errand to try and take on some of the bigger evils of this world, but you have me questioning that very belief. If someone as young as you can put action and results behind that belief, then surely I can too. Nothing should ever stop us from doing the right thing."

"Well we can only do so much alone that's for sure. I have plenty of help to back me up." you say looking to Undine again. "And I hope to find a lot more help too if I'm gonna really be that ray of hope for people."

"Speaking of, where are your companions?" Aldren asks as he makes another scan around the area in case he had missed them somehow.

"Still sleeping I bet. We kinda had a late night." you say with your best poker face, there was no reason to give the captain any reason to try and pull any of the details out of you.

"So I've heard. Hard to not hear people buzzing about a trio of outsiders serenading the crowds with song and dance. Not to mention a certain someone making a spectacle out of summoning an elemental spirit from thin air?" Aldren responds with a bit of warning in his voice.

"Look, that one was all Polka's idea. It's also not like I'm some secret anymore anyway. The whole city now knows there's a human with the magic to summon an elemental spirit. I'm sorry but all the bets were off when those jerks took Flare."

"I mean no disrespect to the great spirit, or yourself for that matter." Aldren sighs. "But you really have to be mindful of where and to whom you show off your 'gifts'. This time it was your half-elf friend Flare, next it could be you."

There was really no chill for this guy sometimes. He really can't help himself it seems, but he did raise a good point, as terrifying to think about as it was. What if someone tries to capture you at some point and your friends risk their lives saving you? Maybe you really should take the captain's warnings more seriously.

"I get it captain, I really do. I don't want to put my friends in harm's way. I'll really try to put less of a target on my back okay?"

"I suppose that's all I can ask for. That and for the gracious spirit of water to keep a watchful eye on you."

"You have my word that I will always protect my summoner." Undine answers.

"Well, with that business out of the way. What is next for you Anon? I gathered already you were able to find answers to the half-elf's questions of her birth, but what about you and the sheep girl? Any clues to your own birthplaces?"

"Nothing for me I'm afraid, we found a possible lead for Watame, some secret country that's home to people like her. So now we just gotta scour the world until we stumble upon its doorway."

"And you're just fine with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I decided I want to see the world. It has so many different kinds of places and people in it, I want to see them all. I also want to help anyone with jerks like Rahndel and the mage masters. That life sounds more perfect every time I say it."

"The optimism of humans is endless isn't it?" Aldren says half in jest.

"It seems that way for this one at least." you say giving him a truthful answer.

"To see the whole world you'll need a ship. Unless your newest friend can help you walk across water." Aldren says as a joke before catching himself on the potential disrespect he had just shown. "C-Can she?"

"I am not sure if I can recall such a spell." Undine says thoughtfully. "I would not think it would be practical to use such a spell to cross the ocean however. While I can command it, the ocean still has a life of its own. I cannot just halt it to a calm for us to walk on."

"I guess that means we'll have to find a ship." you say with a twinge of excitement. "I've always wanted to see what it's like to sail across the ocean."

"Indeed, and although I shudder to think what may come of it…" Aldren starts, clearly trying to imagine what sort of unraveling of society you might have a hand in next. "I suggest going to the port town of Glendine to the east. Last I heard there was still a trade ship that sails to the kingdom of Shallah. Unfortunately that seems to be the last place to the east we send ships to anymore."

"Shallah huh? There used to be humans from there that would come to the trading posts I would make deliveries to with my dad. I think my dad talked about how it was a kingdom built on sand."

"Correct, and who knows? You might find better leads to the answers you seek across the sea."

"It sounds like a promising idea to me. I'll have to see what everyone else thinks first. Thanks a lot captain."

"You're very welcome Anon. Now I should be off now. Mountains of paperwork to get to after all, so I'll be heading back to my office. Give your companions my regards, and please try to stay out of trouble Anon. I'll even take not hearing about you for two days as a sign you are trying."

"Hey I don't go looking for trouble you know." you groan.

"But it certainly has little trouble finding you now doesn't it?" Aldren says with what might actually be a playful smile.

"Fair point I guess." you reply, it was hard to argue with the facts so far.

"Safe travels Anon. I do hope we get to meet again someday. Preferably when you aren't a person of interest. Great spirit Undine, it has been an honor."

With that Captain Aldren leaves you and Undine to head back to his work. It was certainly interesting how your first friend in this kingdom was someone who put you under arrest. Then again you did have an interesting way of finding friends so far.

"He is rather nice, in his own way." Undine says to you. "I can tell he cares about your safety."

"He has a weird way of showing it. He's a good guy though. We should probably head back and see if the others are awake."

Undine nods to you and you begin your walk back to Lena's house. More and more people were starting to walk around for whatever their day required of them. You got a few stares from a couple of conversing elves, but it wasn't the bad kind for a change. From what you could tell it was more from curiosity than anything else. You might have underestimated the reputation you have already earned for yourself in this city.

"I must say summoner, this has been rather nice." Undine says to break you out of your own head once again.

"It has. Until now it was one crazy thing after another. It's nice to just get to walk around and do nothing."

Walking back up to the front door of Lena's house you open the door as Undine rematerialized behind you. Lena can be seen poking her head out of the kitchen at your arrival.

"Good morning Anon." she calls to you cheerfully.

Watame, Polka, and Flare are all slumped in chairs at the dining table, all looking to be nursing particularly bad hangovers.

"Hey everyone." you say as you take one of the empty seats at the table as Undine pulls up one of the extra lounging chairs for herself next to you.

"Anonnnnn…where did you goooo?" Polka whines next to you.

"We were worried." Watame grumbles.

"Don't just leave like that…" Flare manages to say next.

"I just went for a morning walk. Besides, Undine was with me, we were fine."

Your response was met with dissatisfied groans. Apparently this was not an acceptable answer. Aside from being in separate rooms at the last inn you stayed at, and Flare's home back in the human kingdom, you had not really been separated from your friends for very long. While it is a little annoying that you can't even be trusted to go for a short walk on your own, it was also heartwarming that these three actually cared about you so deeply already.

As if to mediate things before they could go further, Lena comes in with a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast.

"Let's just be thankful Anon and Undine are back safe and sound." she says. "Now eat. This kind of breakfast was what helped Naname and I after a lot of late night study sessions."

"So what is it like out there today Anon?" Lena asks you while you dig into your food.

"The city is abuzz with talks of what happened last night as you can expect. It'll probably be the talk of the town for a bit. I also ran into the captain. He sends his regards."

"I see, well the city itself will need some time to recover to be sure. Not to mention the entire organizational repair to the mages guilds that will need to happen."

"Now that you mention it, do you think anyone in the guilds will be mad that we trashed their leaders?" you ask, the idea of retaliation had not really crossed your mind until now.

"Oh most likely." Lena starts. "But not mad enough to do anything about it. Most of the mages that heard my story were appalled. Even if there are a few diehard supporters of the old masters, I doubt they would try anything. I would imagine you earned yourself quite a scary reputation to some."

The rest of the day you happily spent indoors with your friends who were pretty much in disrepair until the late afternoon. Not like you could have done much else anyway. The exhaustion of yesterday's ordeal more than called for a couple days of keeping a low profile and doing not much of anything, so that's what you happily did. Although that did not stop a certain trio of girls from wanting to go back to the same tavern each night. You would be trying to tell a bold face lie if you tried to say you weren't looking forward to it though.

While Flare and Lena spent more time together, you would take a couple trips back up to the falls where you reunited with Undine. There was a lot to learn about being a summoner and it was a nice quiet spot to focus and try to make sense of it all. Each time though you were required an escort at the request of your friends, Watame would join you every time. Sometimes Polka would come too, Flare as well. The more people that joined you however, the less it was about learning what it meant to be a summoner for the spirit of water, and more about just talking with one another.

Before you knew it five days had gone by and Lena asked the question that had been on everyone's mind. "What is next for you all now?"

You all look at each other in Lena's cozy study, not sure who should try to speak for everyone. You open your mouth but Flare beats you to the punch.

"We are going to continue our journey." She says with confidence. "We still need to find Anon's and Watame's homes. And Polka still has a lot more smiles to give. Not to mention there's a lot more for me to experience out there and grow from."

"Well I knew that part, Flare." Lena said matter of factly. "But what is your next destination?"

"There's a port town on the eastern coast of the kingdom right?" you ask. The captain told me about a boat that regularly makes trips across the ocean to the kingdom of Shallah. We might be able to find some answers across the sea. Plus it would be fun."

"It's true there's much about the other continents that aren't openly shared amongst all the kingdoms, they might very well have the answers you're looking for." Lena agrees. "I think that's a fine idea. It shouldn't take you more than a few day's travel to get to the coast."

"That sound good to everyone?" you ask.

"Sure does!" Polka chirps.

"Mhmm! Mhmm!" Watame nods.

"It's decided then. Our next goal is to cross the sea to the kingdom of Shallah." Flare says as she turns back to the desk she sits in front of and begins writing something.

"Are you finishing that letter to your dad?" Polka asks.

"Yup! I want to let him know everything that's happened so far. He would probably like to know where we plan to head next too."

"E-Everything?" you gulp. You still had a hopefully irrational fear of what Noel will try to do to you once she learns of all the danger Flare has been in.

"Yes everything Anon. Why would I leave any of the awesome things we've done or seen, out?" Flare says surprised at your nervousness. "Don't you want your dad to hear about all the things you've done since you left too?"

"She's right Anon." Watame chimes in. "Plus your dad might be worried if he doesn't hear from you."

Oh great. You were sure your dad is going to be in stitches over all the jokes he thinks up once he hears of the company you're traveling with. You could tell he was holding himself back from really poking fun at you when it was just Watame, but now with Flare and Polka in the mix, you don't want to be anywhere near that man until you actually are married. The faster you could get on a boat and off this continent, the better.

"And…Done!" Flare says triumphantly. "Aunt Lena, can you make sure this gets to my dad?"

"Of course Flare." Lena says smiling as she takes the sealed envelope from Flare. "If you really hope to catch that boat you will need to leave soon. I believe trade ships usually set sail at this time of the month."

"But Aunt Lena." Flare says a little disappointed. "It seems sudden to just up and leave you like this. Wait! Why don't you come with us? That would be okay, right everyone?"

"Flare, Flare." Lena tries to calm her. "While I would love to travel the world with you, see all the wondrous things you'll find, my place is here. Just today I've been asked by the magical council to lead a guild of my own."

"That's amazing Lena!" Watame says impressed. "I think you will make a great leader!"

"Thank you Watame. The actions of the other masters got the council to reconsider what we as a people should focus our efforts on for the future. Instead of trying to obtain absolute power, they agreed that there is much to gain from looking at the past. I think the actions of a certain water spirit might have sparked some interest in that."

"Hear that Undine? You're already making waves!" Polka says with a grin.

"They asked me to be the leader of the first magical archeology guild. Many mages have already expressed an interest in it. So that's where I'll be. Helping our people learn from the past to work towards a better future. And I'll do all I can to share that knowledge with the other kingdoms as well."

"That sounds just right for you Lena." you say. "It will be great if our two kingdoms can get more friendly again."

"I think so too Anon. It will take a lot of work. The odds of true success are low too, but someone taught me recently that the long shot just might be worth taking."

"That's great Aunt Lena!" Flare holds back tears and hugs her. "Will you come with us to one last place before we leave though?"

After packing all of your things to leave, you all follow Flare to the forest in the center of the city. Again you stand before the graves of her parents, although the air felt lighter this time. You watch Lena and Flare kneel in front of the headstones together, both have somber expressions on their faces. Did everything that happened really lessen the hurt? Justice had been done for both of her parents after all, by her hand as well. It could never bring them back or make up for the years they never got to know one another, but it was something at least.

You could hear Flare say her final goodbyes as she stands up and wipes her tears. Watame and Polka both took a turn next to pay their respects in front of the graves, and then it was your turn. How did you want to say so much to two people you never knew and will never know? The heart of the matter was, these two people had given you a great friend, despite the tragic circumstances that surrounded it. They cared about Flare like you do, you want them to know that you'll keep looking out for her. That they can happily look down sometimes and can count on seeing their daughter's smile.

With that, you all leave and head to the city's edge that would lead you east. Just one more goodbye to do. Flare is fighting back tears again as she stands in front of Lena.

"Thank you for everything Aunt Lena." she starts.

"I'm the one who needs to be thanking you Flare. You brought a light back into my life I thought was long gone. Know that you'll always have family here. And my thanks to all of you as well. I will not worry for a second knowing that Flare has you all to watch out for each other."

With one last tight hug, Flare says goodbye and you continue forth on your journey. The sea and a whole new continent awaits. It takes a fair bit of restraint to keep your pace as slow as the others while you all wave goodbye to Lena. You can't help but wonder what kinds of things you will see across the ocean.

Safe travels all of you. Lena waved goodbye to the group as they made their way down the road, eventually going out of sight. You were right after all, Naname. You said from the second you saw Flare that you knew she was going to change the world.

After a few days of city life, it feels good to be back on the open road. Nothing but the sun, the air, and nature around you. It looks to you that the others feel the same way, Watame is practically skipping along in front of you while Flare and Polka wear big bright smiles as they walk side by side. Undine has chosen to float alongside you in her spirit form again.

Polka brought up the question of where Undine goes if she's not here physically or floating alongside me. Undine then explained how she can either take refuge alongside your own soul, wherever exactly that is or what that entails, or she can go to her own realm where she and you first met. This made you realize you never mentioned that detail to anyone before. To be honest, you weren't sure if it was just some illusion Undine created to make talking to you easier, or if it was actually a real place.

You ask Undine if that place she called her own has changed at all since you summoned her back. She is unsure since she had not been back since the first time you two spoke to one another. Undine makes a point to go back and check for a while when you reach the port, she was definitely curious if any of the past splendor she talked about had returned to it.

A day of walking went by like that as the moon and stars now hang above you. Polka saves you all a lot of time by pulling out a small tent out of her hat. You know you shouldn't be surprised anymore, but that seems to be Polka's speciality. You sit in front of the dwindling fire as the girls all get ready for sleep in the tent.

"You coming in Anon?" Polka's head poking out of the tent door says to you.

"What do you mean? There's no way there's enough room for all of us in there. Even if Undine stays in her spirit form too."

"Aww what's wrong? I thought we were all close enough to get a little snugly." Polka says in fake melancholy.

While the idea is very inviting, you doubt you will be able to get a good night's sleep that way.

"Just come in Anon." Polka pouts. "We don't want you sleeping out here all alone."

"Is Anon coming in yet?" Watame's head comes out from above Polka's.

"He's being shy." Polka answers.

"What's the big deal Anon?" Flare's head comes out next, her ponytail completely undone.

You could try to argue that Undine would be with you, that you were never really alone, but that has not worked so far. What was the big deal though? Are you really so afraid to be closer to these three? Maybe years of teasing from your dad about girls caused this. Think of all the other things you've accomplished so far. Fighting monsters, knights, and mages. Sharing a tent with your close friends should be easy…but why did it also seem like a greater challenge than any of those things?

"It's nothing." you say giving up. "Don't complain though when things get cramped though okay?"

The girls all beam as they recede back inside the tent. You get up and walk over and pull back the door flap. Your eyes go wide as you look at a space that was easily five times the size of the exterior of the tent itself.

"Why am I even surprised?" you say, almost embarrassed about how worked up you were getting. There was more than enough for everyone to have their own little king sized section to sleep in, even for Undine.

"What were you thinking Anon?" Polka pokes you playfully. "You honestly didn't think I would make a small tent we could all barely fit in did you? Give me a little more credit than that."

"That's exactly what you implied earlier and you know it." you say bitterly.

"I admit I was a little surprised too." Flare chimes in. "I had no idea magic could create something that was bigger on the inside than on the outside."

"Here Anon!" Watame calls to you from the opposite side of the tent, patting a large blue sleeping bag. "I made you a place right next to mine! And Undine's is also next to mine!"

"Polka spares no expense for her friends' comfort!" Polka says proudly. "I made sure there was more than enough room for all of us."

You admit to yourself it was really nice to be in the same room as your friends through the night. The extra space to ensure you were all comfortable was a very nice bonus too.

"What do you think the land across the ocean is like?" Watame asks as you all lay down to sleep.

"Well the kingdom we are heading to is said to be built entirely on sand. So it will probably be pretty warm there." you say, trying to recollect what some of the traders from Shallah have said about their homeland.

"A kingdom of sand huh?" Flare says. "Sounds like it might be the complete opposite of here."

"That's what makes it so exciting." you say. "I just gotta see what it's like. There's probably all kinds of different animals too that live there."

"You get so giddy when we talk about seeing new places." Polka says to you. "Were you always like this?"

"From the first time I met Anon, I saw that glint in his eyes when he talked about seeing the world." Watame says.

"This is just something I never realized I wanted to do so badly." you start. "It's probably like how you all feel when you get to sing and dance together. The thought of it just makes me so excited."

"All of a sudden I think for you it's more than just finding out where you come from huh?" Polka asks.

"I guess so." you answer truthfully. "I do wanna know where I come from, but I also want to see everything this world has to offer. I also have a few other reasons for finding everything there is to find."

"We should get to sleep then." Flare says yawning. "We don't want to be late to the port and have to wait for another boat do we?"

"Yeah that would be a bummer." Polka agrees.

You all say goodnight to one another and the lights within the tent magically dim and go out. It was honestly the most comfortable night's sleep you had gotten in a while. The couch at Lena's house wasn't that uncomfortable, but being in a safe place surrounded by your friends gives you a sense of content calm.

The next morning you clean up the camp outside while the girls all get themselves ready for the day. After they are ready, Polka taps the tent with her cane and the entire thing just flies back into her hat.

Another day and a half passes before you reach the port town and the ocean stretches ahead of its docks. The ocean air was so refreshing, you stop a moment and take it all in. Soon you would get to sail on those waters, feeling the tide from under the boat. The group walks through the small town of wooden buildings to look for whatever might pass for somewhere that can tell you when the next ship would be leaving, and if you could possibly hitch a ride.

Eventually finding the dockmaster's office, you introduce yourselves and ask if you could secure passage to the kingdom of Shallah on the next trade ship. The news the dockmaster gives you is surprising to say the least.

"Pirates?" you ask almost in disbelief.

"That's what I said." the gruff elf replies. "Shallah has always been a haven of sorts for that type, but recently they have been turning a blind eye to what happens along their shores. All trade is halted with that country until things get under control. IF they ever get under control."

Disappointed, you all sit along the docks, trying to figure out what your next move should be.

"Well this stinks." Polka states the obvious.

"This is the first I'm hearing about Shallah being a hot spot for pirates." you say as you look down on the water go back and forth.

"It's more surprising that no one outside of this town knows about that." Flare says frustrated.

"Word seems to travel slowly between all the towns." Watame muses.

What could you do? You certainly don't have the money to buy your own boat. Maybe take your dad up on that offer to finally build one?

"A human, a half-elf, a sheep, and a fox." a voice says behind you which stops your brainstorming. "I certainly wasn't expecting the group that flipped the city of mages on its head to be sitting at my port so soon."

Behind you stands a tall elf woman with long thick crimson red hair which covers half her face and small rectangular framed glasses. She wears a white button up sailors shirt with an overlaying brown and orange tunic open at the middle that reaches just above her knees. Black leggings, leather boots and gloves complete her attire that reminds you a lot of what some of the elf traders used to wear when they would come to the trading posts a while back.

"I hear you are looking to get across the sea." she says before you can say anything. "I have a proposal for you that would help us both get something we want. Would you mind hearing me out?"

With no other good ideas at the moment, you nod to her and she motions for you all to follow her. A few steps is all it takes to get to one of the small buildings that sits just before the docks. You walk inside not sure what to expect from all this, as the crimson haired elf takes a seat behind a large desk that sits inside the room you are all now in.

"Now if I may introduce myself." she starts. "My name is Rosal Glendine. My family some time ago founded this port town and I am the leader of the merchants guild here."

You open your mouth to introduce yourself but Rosal keeps going.

"No need to introduce yourselves. I am well aware of the troupe of outsiders that uncovered the corruption of Ex-Lord Rahndel and four of the magister guild leaders."

"That saves some time I guess." you say before she can continue. "But how is it you already know about us when it would be news to Captain Aldren that Shallah is run by pirates now?"

"As the leader of a merchant guild, it is my business to know the business of what happens in my kingdom that would influence trade. Some people would say the state of Shallah is just a temporary annoyance. While it is annoying, I do not think it's temporary like some of my peers. Which is why I brought you here."

"So you want us to go beat up some pirates?" Polka asks, clearly hoping she was right.

"While tempting. I would prefer that the situation with Shallah be solved without violence. It's hard enough to get other kingdoms to agree to trade nowadays. I have a different location and task in mind for you all."

"Well we really do want to cross the sea, so we're listening." you say, interested to hear what kind of proposal Rosal had for you.

"While I can't risk any ships to go to or near Shallah, there is someplace further north of it I can arrange a ship to take you all to." Rosal says as she takes a pause to study your expressions, she definitely had your attention now. "There is a group of humans who reside in a settlement named Bjornholm. They are a rather reclusive people. I only just discovered their existence recently when Shallah was becoming less of a promising prospect and I have crates of goods I need to unload."

"Are they unfriendly or something?" you ask, still not really sure how you play into all this.

"They are actually quite pleasant in the correspondance I have shared with them so far. The problem is that they are still wary of trading with elves. Which is where you come in Anon. A human representative might go a long way in promoting a true trade relationship."

So there it is. As much as it wasn't your area of expertise, the fact you spent most of your life helping your dad trade with different people made you possibly the best human in the entire elven kingdom for the job. A group of humans from across the sea you hadn't heard of before did peak your interest though. Maybe they had a potential lead on where you came from.

"I'm not exactly an ambassador." you say truthfully. "What if I make things worse?"

"You may correct me if I'm wrong." Rosal starts. "But from what I have gathered on you so far, you are not the type of needlessly start trouble. If I am also speaking frankly, you're the best chance I have right now. So here is the deal. I put you on a boat to get you to the shores of Bjornholm. You do what you can to encourage the people there to consider trade with us more, and with any luck, they take the endorsement of a fellow human as a sign to move forward with us."

"And if they still don't want to?" you follow up.

"Then I would have tried all I could think of." Rosal says with a shrug. "If things don't change soon though, things will get pretty dull from a market perspective around the world. More dull than they are already that is."

"Why not give it a try Anon?" Flare says to you. "It's not like we have anything to lose right? We will already be on the next continent."

"Your friend makes a good point." Rosal chimes in. "No matter the outcome, you are not required to come back. All I'm asking for is your word that you will at least try to make the people there see that we can benefit from, and help each other."

Although the uncertainty of the situation gives you pause, they both had good points. You wanted to cross the sea and Rosal was offering you a free way to do so. All you would have to do is try to convince some people that trading with the elves is a good idea. It couldn't be that hard to just try right?

"Alright. I guess I can give it a shot." you finally say.

"Wonderful." Rosal says with a smile as she offers her hand for you to shake. "I think this will be the start of a very beneficial partnership."

"I'll try not to let you down." you say shaking her hand. "When can we leave?"

"How does right now sound? The winds are favorable and the ocean is calm."

With a hopeful smile, Rosal leads you all back to the docks where a modestly sized ship sits on the waters.

"This is one of my smaller ships." she explains. "It will get you there quickly and has just a small taste of the goods we can provide to our hopefully new friends in Bjornholm."

She gives the side of the ship a knock to alert its crew. She then updates its crew on the plans and they all quickly begin to make preparations to set sail.

"Are you really sure you want someone like me being your last hope to make trade with this place?" you ask Rosal before you board the ship.

"Honestly Anon, after you were so kind as to help get that weasel Rahndel out of my hair, I would have given you a ride for free. You have no idea how much you helped me out by stopping his twisted little operation. I'm betting that you'll pull an unexpected win for me yet again."

"Well that makes one of us at least." you sigh. "I have some questions of my own for the people who live in Bjornholm, so I'll do my best to get on their good side."

Rosal waits until you are all safely boarded on the ship as it begins to pull up anchor to give you one last bit of information.

"I almost forgot to mention Anon." she calls from the dock. "The people there are very spiritual. Perhaps you can make that work out in your favor?" she says with a sly smile.

No wonder she was so confident in you. You look at Undine in her spirit form beside you. You are not thrilled about the idea of using yours and Undine's relationship as a method to sway the opinions of others. On the other hand, if the people of Bjornholm were very spiritual, maybe they have a connection with one of the other elemental spirits. This trip could potentially be more fruitful than Shallah after all.

The sails unfurl and the ship's captain makes the call to sail for the coast of Bjornholm. The wind picks up and you are finally out to sea. The thrill of watching the water pass below you completely takes your mind off the task of diplomacy ahead of you.

"It's so pretty!" Watame says beside you, he golden hair was being carried behind her by the sea breeze.

"Yeah this feels amazing!" you shout happily as the ocean air combs through your hair.

"I had no idea what kind of rush you could feel from sailing." Flare adds. "And we know the girl who helped make it all possible."

"This is top notch work Undine!" Polka says to the spirit floating at your side. "This is my first time even getting to see the ocean this close, it's so clear and blue!"

"I'm glad it brings you all such joy." Undine says gratefully. "It feels good to be so close to it again."

"That goes double for me." you say. "I hope I can get my own ship someday. That way we can set sail whenever we want."

"That would be great!" Watame cheers. "We should sail all over the world Anon. If we have our own boat, we could get anywhere."

"Would that mean we would have to start calling you captain?" Flare teases.

"Oh please." you groan. "Who says I would have to be captain anyway? It could easily be any of you."

"What? Make one of us do all the hard work while you just get to laze around and enjoy the ride?" Polka jests. "No sir, if you're gonna be on that ship you gotta work."

"Maybe I could be the guy who fixes the ship sometimes?" you propose. "I was never very good at making stuff from scratch like my dad, but if anything was broken I could fix it most of the time."

"I could be the musician then!" Watame adds. "I can keep you all working hard with some upbeat songs."

"It still sounds like you both are pawning off the harder jobs to us." Flare jokes.

"We'll just make Anon work overtime then." Polka suggests. "He is already a swordsman, magic book wielder and a summoner. What's a few more hats to him right?"

"Make one of those hats yours and we got a deal." you snicker back.

"Sorry, this hat is Polka only. It wouldn't look as good on you anyway."

"Fair enough. It wouldn't fit me anyway." you chuckle.

Looking ahead at the wading sea, you are filled with excitement. A brand new continent would be under your feet soon, a new group of people, and maybe even some answers. You could not wait to get there, but the company of the sea was enough to make you not mind however long it might take.

Once the ship was more or less free to sail on its own, some of the crew came around to introduce themselves and answer any questions you all might have. For elves, they carried themselves a little differently than the others you have seen and met so far. They were more casual and more carefree. The freedom that comes with the ocean is probably to blame for that. Each cabin below deck could sleep two people in them, you and Watame agree to share one while Flare and Polka will take another. When you asked Undine if she would be fine staying in her spirit form for the trip, she smiled and told you she would prefer it until they are back on land. She explained how in her spiritual state she can feel the waters at a much longer range than she can physically at the moment.

Once the sun goes down you practically rush to get back on deck. Like you hoped for, the stars and moon were in their full glory in the clear night sky. You have no idea how much time passes before Watame sits next to you.

"Hey Watame, did the sailors teach you one of those sea shanties like you wanted?"

"Mhmm! I'm going to try one of them tomorrow. They sound very fun to sing."

"It's been a while since it was just the two of us hasn't it?" she suddenly says as you both stargaze.

"Yeah, a lot has happened since we left on this journey. It's still almost unreal to me sometimes."

"Where did Undine go anyway? I don't see her."

"She said she wanted to spend the night in that special realm of hers. She wants to see if it's changed at all since I was able to summon her again, but if I need her, all I have to do is call."

"Do you think we will be able to see it someday?"

"I'm not sure. I honestly still have no idea how I got there myself the first time. I suppose anything is possible though."

"We're good at making the impossible happen." Watame says to you proudly.

"You can say that again. I can feel like I can do anything with you around, Watame. I just wanna say thanks for that."

"I always got your back Anon, you don't need to thank me. You were the one who saved me. All this, all the experiences I've had so far and the friends I've made. It's all because of you."

"Likewise Watame. I may have never been able to start on this journey without you. I want us to see all there is to see, make even more friends, and help more people."

"You're starting to sound like one of those heroes from the books Noel would tell me about." Watame giggles. "I think it kinda suits you though."

"I never imagined myself to be a hero to anyone, but I do kinda like the sound of it." you shyly admit. "I used to never look forward to the next day, but after meeting you, Flare, Polka, everyone else. Now I look forward to each new day, each new experience with you and our friends. I've never felt so happy before." you say before catching yourself on how much emotion you just unloaded.

"Sorry." you say embarrassed. "I did not mean to get that mushy."

Watame responds by nudging the side of your head gently with one of her horns, they were really rock solid weren't they?

"You don't have to stop yourself from expressing those feelings with me okay?" she says. "I'm glad that we all make you feel that way Anon. You're very important to me, so don't ever feel like you have to hide your feelings. That goes for Flare and Polka too. We all want to help you, as much as you want to help us."

Here goes this fluffy sheep, breaking you more out of your shell. You probably couldn't ask for a better friend.

"Alright Watame you win." you say with a smile. "If a mushier Anon is what you all want. That might be what you get."

"Good! The only time I get to see that part of you normally is when you give a big speech to some opponent of yours."

"Y-Yeah. I guess I shouldn't save speaking from the heart just for people I'm trying to beat up huh?"

"But don't stop that either, okay?" Watame asks. "I think you look really cool when you do that, and it always makes me want to fight harder too."

Thankfully the cold air from the ocean water keeps your cheeks from flaring up.

"I did say I don't really make a conscious choice when that happens. It just kinda happens, so you don't have to worry about that going away I guess."

"Yup! It's just one of the things that makes you, you! So don't go changing the good things about you okay?"

You nod to your friend and turn your eyes back to the night sky. Stars lined the heavens that you didn't even recognize. You wanted to stay out here all night, but a yawn from the sheep next to you told you that it was time to turn in. You may have been ready to stay out here till sunrise, but Watame was definitely tired and was not going to leave your side, so you both headed down to your cabin for sleep.

It was another day of smooth sailing as the ship carried you toward Bjornholm. Watame sang the new sea shanty she had learned for the pleasure of the entire crew. Polka even joined in at one point. You decided to spend the day practicing magic with Flare. With a better control of water magic thanks to Undine, you could actually follow along with Flare's training exercises. You wanted to know how you could also make your magical attacks into a crazy shape like she did back when she fought Gildmoore. The fifth spell also did that for you, but it also put you into such a weird state of mind that you couldn't even enjoy it.

Despite being able to properly create the element of water from your mana, you struggle to give it any sort of shape. The most you are still able to manage is just punching a blast of water at whatever direction you were facing. Flare coaches you through forming it into a sphere between your two hands and just holding it there. After a while you are able to make a sphere similar to the light spell, though it's a little less stable than anything Flare can make.

"So what do you think of that helps you make water?" Flare suddenly asks as you focus on keeping the water sphere intact in front of you.

"A lot of different things actually. I think about what I like about it. Like how it was always so beautiful for me to look at, and how it made me feel less alone when I was growing up. I also think about how it's alive, and what that means. It all just kinda comes from the heart when you get down to it. Why do you ask?"

"I've been wondering, if I try to do that too, if I could get better with magic." Flare answers you. "I mean, you went from barely being able to make a dribble of water to a full on blast just by changing your thought process. Watame also told me about how you held off dragon fire too with it. If your emotion and connection to the elements can give you that kind of strength, I want to learn how to do that too."

"Your magic is already crazy strong with how you do it Flare." you argue. "Polka said that magic can be done differently by everyone."

"It's not just about making my magic stronger. I want to properly learn about the elements in the magic I can create. Meeting and talking with Undine showed how much everything in this world is alive, especially magic. I would be disrespecting her if I didn't try to properly understand the very thing she created. So please Anon, will you teach me how?"

"You want me to teach you about…water?" you ask, slightly taken aback.

"There is no one else I would rather learn about it from." Flare says seriously.

"Well for you Flare…I'll certainly try. You've done so much to help teach me after all. If I can return that favor that would be awesome."

"Let's start now then!" Flare says, the excitement flashing in her eyes. Was this what you were like when you first asked her to teach you?

"I guess there is no better place to start learning than on the open sea." you start.

You spend the rest of the afternoon trying to put into proper words what water can mean to a person. Telling Flare to just feel the same things you do wouldn't work, she would need to find her own meaning, her own definition of what water is. There were a couple things you could assume might be universal though, such as the duality of water. One second it can be calm, the next it can be raging.

Flare seemed to catch on quickly. As she dug deeper for what water might mean to her, her magic started to show it. The waters she would create were getting even more pure, stronger, and more responsive to her will.

After your lessons with each other for the day Flare thanked you warmly as she left to go see what Polka, Watame, and Undine were up to on the other end of the ship. You told her you would catch up soon, as you wanted to take a few moments to rest first.

Your mind is brought back to the task you would soon undertake at your destination. There are so many unknowns about the situation. Rosal was certainly being truthful with you, but the lack of details still made things a little anxiety inducing. What kind of humans would you find in Bjornholm? Could they possibly be connected to your origins? Just what did Rosal mean when she said they were a spiritual people? Why were they opposed to trade with the elves in the first place?

These were all questions you would need to find answers to. While you did not owe Rosal successful results, you did give your word you would try your best. Deep down you also did want to succeed, you want countries and people to be more connected like they used to be. Everyone has different stories and views to share with one another. More importantly, they can all help each other too.

Around noon the next day the captain informs you that you will finally be reaching the shores of Bjornholm within the hour. While the ride has been smooth the past couple days, you admit that you are ready for a change of scenery.

Land was finally starting to come into view ahead, a shore that you might expect to be like any other back where you grew up. When you finally reach a safe anchor distance from the beach, you are able to see that the sand was a much darker shade than what you are used to seeing. A short row boat ride later, and you are able to more closely inspect what was easily equal parts sand and gravel.

Ahead of you sits a thick mighty forest. You were actually walking on another continent. This was truly amazing! You crossed the sea and are in a land you never even heard of until a few days ago. Before you could get too ahead of yourself, one of the elven sailors gets your attention to let you know how Rosal expects to hear of your results. If the people of Bjornholm send a trade ship of their own, or come back here to take the goods they brought before one week's time is up, she will take that as a success. Otherwise, a slow old fashioned letter would do. With that, the elves rowed back to their ship to do whatever it is they would do to keep themselves busy for a while.

"A whole week huh?" Polka says, clearly a little happy to be back on dry land. "It probably shouldn't take that long right? I mean, Anon just needs to talk to a couple people and let them know the elves got some good stuff. We could probably knock that out in an afternoon."

"It's going to be just a little more complicated than that Polka." Flare begins. "Getting other countries to start trade with each other is a really big deal right now. I think we got our work cut out for us. We should head to Bjornholm first and find out what kind of people they are before we flat out say they should trade with the elven kingdom."

"Speaking of." Watame starts. "Does anyone know where that is? All I can see from here are tall trees, and more trees even taller than those trees."

"According to the ship's captain, if we take the path off the beach and through the woods, we should find Bjornholm in no time at all. He said it's probably for what passes for a city here. Not as big as some in the elven or human kingdoms, but still big enough that we shouldn't miss it." Flare answers, you are glad she always seems to have a good handle on this type of thing.

"Alright let's not waste any time then guys." you say as you begin to step through the rocky sand. "This is just our first stop on a brand new continent. I can't wait to see what's out there."

The open path up to the forest is like a doorway to another world. The feeling of gravel and sand beneath your boots is replaced by hard earth. Trees made of some of the darkest wood you have ever seen are scattered as far as you can see. It was less dense than the forests of the elven kingdom, allowing you to see much farther in any direction. The bark of the trees felt so defined and strong against your fingertips, your dad would love to see what he could make from wood like this. You kneel down and take a clump of dirt in your hands to really examine its texture. It was more dense and had a lot more minerals in it than what you remember from back home.

"Is dirt really that interesting?" Polka says to you after you suddenly stop.

"This is new dirt to me though." you say, thinking this should obviously answer the question.

"There will plenty more dirt to look at later, Anon." Flare scolds you as she picks you up by your arm. "We have a job we need to do first, remember?"

"Right right…sorry." you say, pocketing your precious dirt for later. "No more distractions then."

"I think it's rather endearing how much nature fascinates you." Undine says as she floats beside you.

"I think that's a lot of what fuels your magic Anon." Watame adds. "The way you look when you are really taking it all in is so cute."

"I'm not trying to be cute…" you mumble. "Let's just keep going…and stay close Watame. We don't know what kind of stuff might live here."

Flare and Polka share a giggle while Watame happily nods and walks a little closer to your side. The break from your focus on the trees and dirt is for the best. The trees are definitely spaced out enough so that predators would have an easy time running to wherever, or whatever they were trying to get to. You keep a hand on your sword just in case something wants to try and make a snack out of Watame.

The walking path continues to be obvious as you all trudge through the forest. Thankfully the only animals you spot so far are birds, squirrels, and deer. The path soon curves and starts to take you uphill ever so slightly. Before long you can see a break in the trees ahead of you. The shape of roofs and buildings begin to poke through in between the trees. This must be Bjornholm!

As you get closer to the forest's edge you can see and hear rain ahead. It was bound to happen eventually, there was no way you could travel the world without at least some bad weather. Before leaving the forest Polka pulls out an umbrella from her hat that easily covers all of you from the rain.

"Is there anything in that hat you don't have?" you remark.

"Hopefully we never get unlucky enough where we find out." Polka jokes.

The rain is heavy and relentless. The sounds of the raindrops on the wooden rooftops is almost deafening. You can also barely see more than a few feet in front of you because of how fast the downpour is coming. You wanted to ask Undine if there was anything she could do about all this rain, but it feels wrong to force nature to work how you want it to. Polka leads you to what is hopefully an inn as she points to what you can barely make out to be lights. Kitsune eyes are really something else huh?

All of you practically jump up the stairs leading to the lit building as you offer to take the umbrella handle as everyone else gets in first. Once everyone else is inside you pull the umbrella closed as you almost instantly get soaked before you dart inside.

You are a little surprised to find that your clothes are now dripping wet. You guess that enchantment Lena put on your clothes wasn't permanent after all. Polka takes her umbrella back thankfully and stuffs it back into her hat, as if the arrival of a group like yours wasn't drawing enough attention. Before you have time to contemplate what to do about your soaking self, a large towel hits your face.

"Dry yourself off stranger!" an older but friendly voice calls to you from the bar.

As you dry yourself off as best you can, you nod your thanks to the man who threw you some aid. An older man with a full head of gray hair that falls halfway down his face with a small ponytail tied near the top of his head, sits facing you from the bar. A full beard and mustache also gray from age do little to hide his welcoming smile toward you all. Donned in a black cloak with a white tunic and black pants, it was the first person you had met so far in your travels that well, might have been like you, a traveler. A large sack of what you assumed were his belongings sat on the ground next to the bar stool he sat in, as you also notice a book strapped to his belt in a manner not so dissimilar as your own.

Without even consulting anyone else, you make your way to the bar after you have dried yourself enough that you weren't going to leave a trail of water behind you.

"Hey thanks a lot." you say handing the towel back to him, while you try to get a closer glimpse at the book attached to his waist.

"Don't mention it friend." he replies happily. "Can't say I've ever seen you or your companions here before. Sit. Tell me about yourself."

You are practically hoisted off your feet and into the chair next to the old man before you can utter another word. You couldn't tell if his book was anything like yours, but he seems nice enough though that you might be able to just ask.

"The rest of you don't have to just stand there you know." he calls out to your friends. "Come! Tell me the tales of the adventures you young ones have been on so far! Barkeep! Five more drinks please!"

"You haven't finished your first yet." the largely built innkeeper remarks to your apparent newest friend.

"Oh?" he says to him confused as he looks back to your friends coming over. He looks back at his own mug and grins even wider than he was already. "That's right that's right!" he bellows. "Just four then if you don't mind."

Was he just getting ahead of himself, or was he counting Undine too? There was no way, not while she was in her spirit form anyway, you might just be imagining things. The innkeeper hands you each your own mug, the ones here were easily twice the size as the ones in the elven kingdom; this could be trouble.

"So kid." the old man says as he gives one of your shoulders a firm grasp. "Don't leave me in suspense. Where are you from? What's your story? I'm dying to know how such an interesting group got together."

The old man listens to you tell the tale of your beginnings and your adventure so far with great interest. He barely batted an eye when you talked about Undine as well, that was certainly a first. Watame, Flare and Polka would also chime in with their own specific recollections and details, but you all together managed to cover everything. From you wandering in a castle of black stone, to all you toppling some of the most prominent mage guilds in the elven kingdom while exposing a corrupt business lord to boot.

"You didn't tell me you fed off him again that day." Flare said to Polka after hearing about the little pep talk she needed before the rescue at the master's tower.

"He was so insistent. I wasn't gonna say no after he was practically begging me to do it." Polka said, trying to downplay her involvement entirely.

"Hey that is not how that went down and you know it." you retort. "You're gonna make me sound like I get some weird pleasure from it."

The old man pounds the bar to try and contain his laughter.

"You kids are too much." he chuckles. "You sound like you're the real deal too. Those four elves were a force to be reckoned with back in the day. I'm glad they finally got what was coming to 'em."

"You can say that again." you take another big gulp of your drink.

"So were you eying my book earlier because you think it might be like yours?" he says next, taking you off guard.

Embarrassed by the fact that you apparently made it so obvious, you nod meekly.

"Afraid you'll have to be disappointed then. From what you told me, and how yours looks, they're nothing alike. Sorry kid."

"Oh. Well that's alright. It was a long shot anyway."

"Don't be sad!" he says, hooking an arm around your neck and tilting you closer to him from your stool. "You're already thinking about the problem the right way. If you find something, anything that has the same markings, you should be real close to what you're looking for then."

"That is a pretty good point." you agree, the disappointment you felt beginning to fade.

"We'll find out just where that book is from Anon." Watame encourages you. "We will just keep having fun searching in the meantime right?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." you say to Watame while trying to look at her from your awkward position under the old man's arm.

"And that's all it takes sometimes, kid." the old man follows up. "All you need to help you find what you are searching for in this world is a stout heart, and good friends. Take it from an old man who's had his share of adventures. Stick together and there's no challenge you can't face."

"Are you also traveling the world now, old man?" you ask as he finally lets you go and you straight out your stool.

"Call me Harold." he starts. "And nah, those days are behind me. I'm happily retired now from the adventuring life."

"So do you live here? What's with the big sack?" you ask next, curious what Harold's deal really was.

"Oh this? I went out about a week ago for some special supplies. I got a big project I'm working on, you see. I needed some things you can't quite get in Bjornholm. I got back earlier today and the weather was just dreadful, which I'm sure you noticed. So I just came in here to wait it out, then I'll head back home."

"Does it rain like this often? It's really intense. I felt like I was getting pelted out there."

"Every once in a while." Harold says thoughtfully. "Not more than anywhere else with the occasional big rain though."

"This rain ain't gonna stop anytime soon." the innkeeper grunts at you both before getting back to his work.

Harold must have noticed the concerned look you had on your face and slapped you hard on the back.

"Don't let that stick in the mud get ya down, Anon!" Harold chuckles. "Like all water there is a cycle to it. It can't stay the same way all the time."

The old man was a little too touchy feely for you, but he did have a good point. Still, you can't shake the gut feeling that something about this rain isn't quite right. It might help to find out a little more first, and since Harold is not particularly concerned, you might need to ask someone else.

Flare seems to share the same sentiments as you watch her scan the room. While you were telling the old man your story, you failed to notice just how crowded the inn had gotten since you arrived. Almost all the tables were full of wet, but somehow still cheery humans. Polka must be itching to start performing, but the fox was strangely deflated. You recall when you first met how the weather or her environment can affect her. The heavy rain and clouds might be getting to her.

"Nene dear!" Harold calls to the bouncy barmaid who was in the middle of bringing other patrons some food. "Could you bring my new friends and I something to eat when you can? We're all fading away here from our long journeys today."

"You got it Harold!" she calls back with a bright smile.

"Just one of the perks of being an old man." Harold says to you. "Although Nene is the type of girl who would want to make sure you're taken care of regardless if you're old or not. I'll just continue to think she treats me a little special because of my age though."

"Everyone here does seem to get in a better mood after they talk to her." you say as you observe the smiles of the patrons this Nene girl stops to talk to. It wasn't all too dissimilar to how people would look while watching your friends sing and dance.

"So you told me all about your adventures so far, kid. What brings you here though? It's a long way across the sea just to get to some village in the woods. Couldn't be for just a longshot chance at finding where you come from right?" Harold says to bring you back into conversation.

"Well it's kinda a favor I said I would do for an elf named Rosal. She wants to spark up some trade with Bjornholm and figured maybe if the idea comes from a fellow human, it would sound better."

"That's pretty out of the box thinking for an elf." Harold muses as he rubs his chin. "They always came off as too prideful for that type of tactic. I'm glad to be wrong about that though."

"I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to convince whoever is in charge of that kind of thing here that it's a good idea." you open up to Harold. "I know I've been pretty much winging things since I started, but powering through and beating up bad guys is something I understand. What's involved with trading between countries? Not so much."

"Try not to worry about it so much, kid." Harold says warmly. "You were good company to an old man like me, so you might have what it takes to schmooze things over with the big brass around here when the time comes. Or you know, you can always take the adventurer's method of doing things."

"Which is?" you say curiously.

"They give you something only we types can do, and once you've done a good job, you get what you want. It's surprisingly simple." Harold says matter of factly as Nene comes back and lays a warm plate of food in front of each of you. "You're a doll Nene dear."

"No problem Harold." Nene answers warmly. "Oh! Now that you're back, Papa wants to see you, so make sure you see him soon okay?"

"Yes yes. I'll see him after I'm done here. I just got back after all." Harold says, dodging the slight urgency in the girl's request.

Before you can offer your own thanks, Nene zooms off to help other patrons, her energy seems endless. Thanks to the food, you are finally freed from the constant conversation with your newest acquaintance. It gives you time to think more about the rain here and how something about it just seems odd to you. Since your connection with Undine has been growing stronger, you have been developing almost another sense in regards to water. You look over to your spiritual companion and see that she is in deep thought as well, possibly over the same thing you are.

The two of you share a look and Undine floats off to leave the inn. You knew she wanted to try and get a better look at what could be happening, and who better to check than the ruler of the waters herself?

You turn your head to your friends who watch Undine leave with concern and give them a quick smile to ease the tension. Thankfully Watame gets the message and relays it to Flare and Polka. For not being literally connected at the soul, Watame sure seems to understand Undine as a person.

"So Harold." you start to get the old man's attention back to you. "I couldn't help but notice you didn't even question that I met the water spirit Undine. Are spirits more remembered over here?"

"Well…I can't speak for everywhere, but of course I know of water spirits. Hard to ignore the fact that some things in this world can only be explained by such things."

"Do the people here know of Undine?" you ask hopefully, even though you did not want to use it as leverage, the fact that you could get a further understanding of water here was enticing.

"Nah. The people here are more into another spirituality." Harold says as he motions for you to take a closer look around the inn.

You did not pay it much heed before, but now you couldn't ignore how many of the decorations and motifs in the inn had the shape and symbols of bears. There was even a proud bear chiseled from wood that sat in the middle of the inn, you just wrote it off as someone's passion project.

"So that's what Rosal was actually going for." you mumble to yourself. "Talk about longshots…How did she even find out about what the fifth spell does?"

"The people here find guidance and strength from a pair of supposed bear gods, Ursoc and Ursol." Harold continues. "I can't say I am as faithful as most of the people here, but there is something to be said and respected for their teachings. It bred a good group of people after all, so who am I to argue?"

"You got a point there." you say as you finish your food, feeling much better and warmer now. The people here are certainly more friendly than you were expecting, even with the foul weather. None of them seemed the least bit concerned over how different your group looked. It was mind blowing.

"Well!" Harold stretches after finishing his meal. "I think this old man has taken enough of your time. I know you got big things to take care of so I'll be off."

"But it's still raining really hard out there." Watame mentions. "Are you sure you don't want to wait to see if it stops?"

"I've been away from home for long enough. There's someone waiting for me there after all. I may be old, but not even a storm ten times as strong as this one will keep me from them. Plus I bet Nene's pop will blow his stack if I keep him waiting any longer. I hope I get to see you all again before you leave Bjornholm. Barkeep! Put it all on my tab like usual, that goes for my new friends here as well."

"Harold, we've known each other for over ten years. Can you please use my name more often?" The innkeeper sighs.

"You know the rules." Harold says as he gets up out of his stool and hoists his sack over his shoulder. "You're barkeep when you're here. That's all there is to it."

With a wide smile Harold turns and leaves you. You watch him go out into the unrelenting rain as Undine comes in and comes to your side. The look on her face tells you both your suspicions might be confirmed, something was not right here.

"Somethings off about the rain here." you whisper loud enough for Flare to hear you. "Did any of you guys happen to overhear anything yet?"

"Only that the rain has been nonstop for a little while." Flare answers. "Did you find anything out, Undine?"

"Nothing I can be sure of." Undine answers. "There have been a few feelings I have not been able to make sense since we arrived. Something about this place feels familiar to me, but not like the lake back in Lu'shaldor."

"Can you stop the rain for a little Undine?" Polka asks next.

"I'm afraid not. I can't seem to establish any sort of connection or command over the rain here. Another feeling that troubles me."

You hate to see Undine worried like this, maybe you should try getting to the bottom of this rain first.

"Don't worry Undine, we'll figure out what's going on." you say trying to reassure your friend.

"Hey hey!" the bright girl Harold called Nene says as she taps you on your shoulder. "Was some of that stuff you were telling Harold true? That you can do magic and fight bad guys?"

Turning around you are almost nose to nose with this girl. Her emerald eyes look directly into yours with a childlike wonder and excitement. You could barely catch any details about this girl earlier, but she seems like you caught her attention enough for her to actually stop moving. A sleeveless orange dress runs from her neck down just past her waist, you can't help but notice the small golden bear heads that decorate the side of her brown corset. An elaborate ribbon of brown, orange, and hold is tied around her neckline which also does a pretty good job at keeping your eyes from wandering to the massive opening below that her dress provides. The frills of her skirt and dress straps are white to compliment the pair of white stockings that cover her legs at different lengths, one was tied at the top with one orange and one red bow, and the other that only goes up past her calf is tied with a gold ribbon. Sturdy brown boots made to give their wearer a little extra height cover her feet. That bouncy wavy blond hair cascades just to the small of her back and is topped off with a bun on each side of her head.

"We sure do!" Polka says getting up from her seat to come to your rescue. Personal space was obviously becoming an issue for you today wasn't it? "If you got any problems, magical or otherwise. We can solve them for you!"

While you don't want Polka making promises for you that you might not be able to keep, you are grateful that she is able to distract this girl enough so you can back your seat up slightly without seeming rude.

"What Polka means is" you start, hoping to correct things before she blows them too out of proportion. "We just try to help people out where we can. Sometimes that meant having to fight a few people, but that's not what we set out to do! We're just a group of people all looking for something important to us."

"Ohhhh. Nene understands." the barmaid says as she claps her hands happily. "We don't need any bad guys beat up. Nene would have beaten them up already."

"So…Nene?" Flare says. "Exactly how long has this rain been going on for? Is it normal for it to rain like this for a while here?"

"Four days now. We get good rain here sometimes, but not for this long. It will stop soon though."

"Are you sure?" you ask skeptical.

"Mhmm! Papa says if it doesn't we will be in real trouble. So it will stop before that happens right?"

"I guess it will have to then right?" you humor her, knowing full well that this will not be that simple.

"Say Nene?" Polka starts. "Do you know anyone we could talk to more about this? My friend Anon here might be able to do something about this rain if he knows a little more about it."

At least Polka seems to be trying to be subtle this time. It was surprising she didn't blurt out that you have the elemental spirit of water with you.

"Are you a rain shaman then?" Nene asks you hopefully.

"Well no." you respond, trying to find the best way to describe what you are right now, if there was even a definition for whatever that was. You weigh your options as you look at Polka, she's practically telling you to flex your own status for a change. The barmaid seems nice enough to trust. Everyone she talks to seems to get a little more upbeat. She also seems like someone who might exaggerate to a point where most people who know her take what she says with a grain of salt.

"I'm actually a summoner." you say trying to sound confident in that fact. Nene looks at you expecting more before she tries to find what you actually mean on her own.

"Summon what?" she asks flatley.

"I can summon the elemental spirit of water, Undine." you reply, it still feels weird to say that.

"Who's that?" Nene asks next. "What does this water spirit look like? Are they nice? Can I see?"

Maybe seeing would be the best way to drive the point home. You ask Nene if she promises to not cause a scene or anything you will show her Undine. She nods vigorously, excited to see whatever it could be that you are promising.

You look at Undine beside you and give her a nod. This was the first time you are consciously trying to let someone new see her, and pretty much like everything else so far; you had no idea how it was supposed to work. Undine nods back to you and seemingly nothing happens, but you watch Nene's emerald eyes grow even wider as an even bigger smile grows on her face.

Before she can start to squeal Polka puts a finger to her mouth and shushes her. "No scenes, remember?"

Nene nods again and takes in what she has just witnessed, a being of magic appearing out of thin air before her eyes and just floating there.

"This is my friend Undine." you say as soon as you feel sure this girl can keep herself under control. "Together we have a little more feeling about what goes on with water than most, so maybe we can try to help see what the cause of this rain is."

"You should talk to the chief then!" Nene bursts. "He will definitely want to see you if you really can help. Nene will take you."

Like a whirlwind, the bubbly girl takes all of the plates and mugs you had been using in the back for cleaning, and comes back with an orange umbrella in her hands. She apparently meant she was going to take you right now. Time was something you had to be mindful of afterall, if this rain does keep going that would likely be very bad for this village.

Nene tells the innkeeper she has to bring her newest friends to the chief. Any response he might have had did not seem to matter, as Nene was already at the front door as she motions for you all to follow her. Before Polka can reach into her hat to get the umbrella from earlier, Undine stops her.

"I think our guide would benefit from seeing an example of my magic." she says to the two of you. "I may not be able to control the rain here itself, but I can certainly keep us protected from it."

Without waiting for an answer she floats through the wooden wall of the inn. Nene opens the door immediately to find a now tangible, solid Undine. A veil of water over her head shields her from the downpour.

"Everyone stay close and you will be dry." she says.

The group stays close under Undine's overhead cover from the rain. Nene looks absolutely enthralled by the simple display of water magic Undine is displaying. As you walk through the torrential rain, you are able to make out even more decorations honoring the bear. You had to wonder what kind of teachings these bear gods offered their people. Since the spell book was not like anything around here by Harold's account, that just made the mystery of the fifth spell even more ominous. Why was it a bear? Why did you feel almost out of your own body after it was cast? If magic really takes shape from what we make of it, how did it become something like that?

"We're here!" Nene's voice comes to break you out of your own thoughts.

Stairs leading to an elaborate wooden home come through the non stop rain. A stone statue of a bear stands at both sides, one who looks straight ahead, and the other toward the sky. It was certainly a building fit for a chief, you think as you ascend its steps. Once at the top Nene opens the door in front of you, and you all walk inside as Undine let's her magic fade.

Braizers light the building to show a long walkway leading to a throne of sorts. Even more decorations and honorings for the supposed bear gods can be seen. The air of this place is welcoming, but also intimidating when you don't know the type of person who makes this place their home.

"Papa! Nene is back with people who want to help with the rain!" Nene yells out as she skips across the room.

"Nene?" a hearty voice calls back. "You say you brought someone!?"

From one of the side rooms steps a man who could even make your uncle Gunther look small. An absolute mountain of a man clad in a brown sleeveless tunic and trousers steps toward you all. A full head of blond hair combined with a beard that reaches past his chest works well with the full bear skin that drapes over his shoulders to create a truly intimidating figure.

Right behind him came a familiar face, it was Harold.

"Well look who it is?" Harold says. "I know I said I wanted to see you before you left Bjornholm, but I didn't mean you had to follow me you know."

Harold's eyes fix on Undine who stands beside you and he offers a friendly smile. "And this must be the Undine you told me about, right? We must have just missed each other earlier."

The man you have to assume is the chieftain and apparently Nene's father, ignores Harold's jokes while he looks at Nene warmly, and then turns his gaze to you and your friends.

"You both know these strangers? " the chieftain says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"These are adventurers like Harold used to be!" Nene says excitedly.

"What do you mean used to be?" Harold says feigning hurt.

"She probably means how you insist on being retired every time a problem arises." the chieftain sighs. "So. What brings such an interesting looking group to Bjornholm?"

As you look to all your companions it seems like it falls to you to explain things. Rosal did explain how a human representative would be best after all, and you were the only one who could fit the bill.

"A few things actually." you start as you explain how you and Watame are searching the world for your homelands, how you are searching for further connections to the elements, and how you were asked by Rosal to speak on her behalf regarding trade. The chieftain stood and listened intently. Only when you finished speaking did his expression change to process all that you told him.

"Like I told the elves before. The People of Bjornholm are doing just fine on their own." he says, choosing to address your last goal first.

Alright time to see if you have any chops for diplomacy, try not to think too hard and just speak from the heart. It hasn't let you down so far has it?

"I can see that much. Or what I can see through the rain indicates that anyway." you say. "But don't you wonder if you could be doing better? The kingdom where I am from benefited greatly from regular trade with the elven kingdom. I can also tell you right now that they would be very interested in the strong wood you have that you make your buildings out of."

"Even if we could do better with their help. I have much more important things to deal with at the moment. The safety of my village is my top priority right now."

"And what if I could help you with that?" you ask, taking a gamble. "We could try to figure out the cause of this rain for you. Maybe even put a stop to it. Would you be willing to consider trade with the elves then?"

"If you manage to figure out how to stop this blasted downpour, which I keep telling this old stubborn mud puddle that it is something that can be stopped. I will hold a feast in your honor" he says in annoyance.

"Take the feast Anon!" Watame says behind you.

"A feast with the promise to give some more serious thought to the trade offerings Rosal has?" you say trying to appease your fluffy sheep.

"Yes yes." the chieftain groans. "Did you teach this boy or something Harold?"

"Hey at least someone around here listens to the advice of an old man." Harold says winking at you.

"Good enough for me." you say back. "What have you done so far to look into this?"

"By Ursoc what haven't we done?" The chieftain groans. "I was hoping Harold would be able to tell right away what is going on, but…well why don't you tell them Harold."

"I just don't see what the big deal is with a little rain." Harold scoffs. "Bad streaks of rain can happen."

"For over four days!?" the chieftain snaps. "Harold, I know you are smart enough to see that something is wrong with this picture. I want you to use that know-how of yours to help these young adventurers find a solution to all this, got it?"

"Fine, fine." Harold submits. "But I need to stop home first. Someone is there that misses me you know?"

"We'll come with you then." you offer. "How far is it from here?"

"Just a hop and a skip across the lake." Harold says casually.

"How the heck are we gonna cross it in this rain?" Polka groans. "I've already had my fill of this weather. My tail doesn't exactly do well getting wet you know."

"We will just have to hoof it then." Harold answers. "If you don't mind, I'm in a bit of a hurry now. I apparently have to cut tonight's plans short to play rain shaman for the good chief here."

Walking all that way in this kind of rain did not sound great, even if Undine's magic could keep you dry for most of it. What else could you do though?

"Nuts to that." Polka scoffs. "I got a better idea. We're going to the lake and we're gonna cross it!"

You have no idea what Polka could be trying to plan, but at least you know when she puts her mind to something, she will definitely see it through. You say your goodbyes to the chieftain and to Nene and follow your friends to the door. You certainly did not expect that bouncy girl to be the chieftain's daughter, but you suppose it was good luck you met her when you did. The strange but friendly old man you befriended is also apparently along for the ride now. Just what kind of adventurer was he? Why would he specifically know about the rain?

Before Undine can step outdoors first to start her magic, Polka asks her to stop and gets the umbrella from her hat.

"We're gonna need some magic for what I got in mind." Polka smirks. "You, Anon, and Flare are all gonna have to pitch in for this one."

Just what was this clown fox planning now?