Requiem for a Changing World

[Astros]

Among the outskirts of Aesyth, in her thick forested woodland and uncharted backyard. Teaming with the chatter and calls of blooded beasts and insects alike, but far away from the subtle buzz of human and magical activity. One could hear among the infrequent silence, the sound of vines forced to bear an uncomfortable weight. With the creak of a branch, an exhale of air, and a groan.

A man took a seat upon a thick limb overlooking the rolling green hills below him. Breathing heavy from the climb up, fresh sweat trickled down the sides of his face as it rested on the tops of his brow, and clung to the pointed edges of his light reddish beard. Parting a branch overhead in order to see further, his eyes scanned the horizon to reveal the white and green peaks of Aesyth in the distance.

Reflected brightly in the the suns rays, the man soon after repelled down the large oak with a crash. Shaking leaves, causing wildlife to flee in terror, and landing with a hard thud on the forest floor. His loose grip sent him tumbling backward where a rotten log was fortunate enough to break his fall. Collecting himself just a bit more dirtied than before, he quickly set off on foot in the direction of the city.

__________________________________________________________________________________​

At the front gates, he watched dazed as a water sprite darted inside ahead of him. Weary wanderer that he was, he soon attempted to follow suit as the guards spoke to his left.

"They're magicals. What do you expect?" "Hope the next ones aren't as weird." "Next!"

Being berated with yells to halt and escorted back to the line. The man was asked to allow a search of his person and belongings before gaining entry. Obliging the request with a weak nod, he removed his outer layer to show a mess of roots and herbs underneath. Emptying pockets in similar fashion, they revealed his collection of animal bones, crude crystals and oblong stones.

His knapsack having been forcibly taken and dumped upon the ground. Caused a weird face to occupy the guardsmen to empty it. Pouring out a mix of dirt, sand, and mangled fauna at his feet. Weighted to the bottom and last to pile out were rune stones and what appeared to be a stalagmite covered in black buds.

"What the hell is this?" ... "Sir." ...

"Name please." The second guard cut in.

With his gaze glued to the doorway of the city, where the smell of warm food emanated. It took several moments before the man turned to them and muttered. "Bryte..." ... "It's bat guano."

"G-uano?" ... "Huh? What's that?"

"Bat shit. ..."

"The hell you carrying that for?"

"It's... important ingredients."

"For? -" "Forget it. We don't have the time to be asking why he's carrying bloody shit. Next!"

__________________________________________________________________________________​

After collecting his things, Bryte once inside was too numbed by fatigue to take notice of the city, her crowds, or the chattering gossip that had seized them. His body sore from several days of hiking, climbing trees, and exploring ruins. Was now overwhelmed by the scent of fresh food permeating the city, to where his feet unconsciously dragged him onward in its direction. Suddenly finding himself standing beside a gentleman at an outside eatery. His face was hidden behind a book as he awaited his dinner, which was not too shortly brought out there after.

At the sight of the steaming bowl of brown broth, and its meaty aroma, Bryte's senses returned to him. For the past week he had only lived off scavenging. Sucking on tree bark to fight hunger pangs, lining his stomach with water, berries, and whatever else nature bore. It had allowed him to survive, but only just. Without something of flavor, of warmth and essential protein, he was desperately deprived the joy of meat.

The savory juices of fat and its saltine taste that coated your tongue. How the scent just made your tongue mad and cry in anticipation of its warmth to soon fill your mouth. All of it was practically within his reach. Before anyone could guess or contemplate why Bryte was standing as a stranger. He spit the dry piece of bark nestled within his jaw for the past day onto the pavement and grasped the bowl tight. Raising it to his lips with shaking hands, there wasn't a moments hesitation before it was tipped back.

Affording no time to breath nor to chew on the particles within the soup, the heavenly liquid ran down Bryte's neck as his throat made joyful guttural noise with each swallow. It's all encompassing warmth spreading throughout his body, it was almost as if he was tasting the fabled elixir of life. Revitalizing his body and mind in the instant, after a minute of uninterrupted fine dining Bryte stood there eyes closed in the afterglow of delight. Opening them only at the cleared throat next to him, he greeted the odd looks of the waitress and those seated with an unforgiving smile.

Seating himself across from the man who's dinner he just stole. Bryte looked out of place with his ruffled hair of leaves, cobwebs, and white stains, matched only by the grime of his muddy trousers. Calling over to the waitress and ordering for more of the same dish, a centipede crawled over his shoulder from the edge of his back to her horror.

 

[Yzmael]

6 days ago...​

Spoiler

Focus. "Don't take your eyes away from the target. Every single second is precious in combat, and one second of doubt and hesitation will only result in death. Your footwork is sloppy. Bend your knees correctly." Reminisced the young woman of the practice stands she would have with her mentor. She held the sword's hilt, still in it's sheath, with a tight grip, all the while staring at her target, a small tree piece standing atop a rock. The point was to keep her skills sharp, but this was proving harder than she thought.

As she stared the piece of wood, it shapeshifted, twisted and turned. Her breathing was ragged. Focus! She repeated in her mind. Every move felt like it weighed a thousand kilograms. Every single step felt like trudging through the mud. This terrifying fear... She had to defeat it. She took a step forward and her hands followed the movement in a sync. As the blade connected with the wooden piece, her vision went blurry...

The memory flooded her sights and she was once more in that scene, like an unrelenting nightmare. Bright blue hairs fluttering in the wind, wet with blood and tears. Red eyes staring at her with what could only be considered accusation. The scintillating sight of this combination caused terror in her. The victim's expression was one of confusion and surprise, forming a unique tone of fear that she would never forget. The blood splat against the ground and scattered, but the tears flew along the force of her swing. It almost seemed like a livid dream, and although right now it was just an illusion, she was certain it wasn't a lie.

The figure fell to it's knees with a loud thud and the hallucination broke apart. In truth the wooden piece had merely been cut in half, sap from it hit the ground the now two pieces of wood flew apart, one falling in front of her and the other flying along with the force that the sword exerted. Her breathing was ragged, agitated. Her stance was a mess, her legs weak and her arms shaking. "Still feel it? The thrill and hunger? Savor it..." The loud voice rang across her mind, reverberating like a migraine. She tried to walk but her legs gave in and all she could do was use a nearby tree to support herself before she slid down it's side. Her hands still gripping the blade tightly, it once more arrived, that sickening chuckle. "I know it's a hard time but... Don't worry... I'm here with you. We'll be together." The voice mocked and then chuckled happily. Gritting her teeth, Myara sheathed the sword and stayed her hands away from it as it laid on the ground beside her. She merely stood there before placing her sweaty palms on her face and trying to calm herself down.

There she stood for a long-winded minute. It felt like an hour, but after it her breathing was back to normal. The young woman aimed her blue eyes to the sky, and saw how it was now crystal blue, even if the trees stood in the way. All she could by now is wish that there was still hope for her redemption...

Now...​

Hopping off of the cart, the young lady, dressed in the uniform of the long disbanded mercenary band made her way to the gates. The line wasn't exactly long and the guards were taking care of each person quickly enough that they barely wasted time. A few of the caravan members made their way inside before she did, but eventually, her turn came.

"Forget it. We don't have the time to be asking why he's carrying bloody shit. Next!"

Walking to the table, she placed her leather bag upon it, accompanied by the long sword on her waist, producing a loud noise as it hit the wooden table. The guard opened her bag carefully and took the objects out. A few souvenirs from the nearby villages, some trinkets from Gualtierrez and a sack filled with deer antlers was all they found, aside from a few packs of rations. When the guard moved his hand to touch the hilt of the sword, however, she moved her own to keep him from it.

"Miss, we're gonna need to look at that sword… " Said the guard as he pointed to the sword in her hands now. Sighing, she pulled the hilt to reveal the blade. "There, is this enough?" As she asked that, the guard seemed somewhat bothered by her antic. Clicking his tongue, he wanted to get the job of the day over with and in the end, this was just a small bother. Nodding to her rather curtly, he then pushed her things aside and called for the next person.

"Ooh, I liked that! Aggressive. Want to stab him, too?" She quickly sheathed the blade as the voice rang in her head. She rarely had rest from it lately. "Think you can hide? This is just a piece of leather between you and me… We're not that far apart, my dear…" As she packed her things into the leather bag, the voice once more softly spoke. That's where you're wrong… We're worlds apart, beast. Fighting back was the least she could do. Even so, all it did was chuckle in response. "Lies soothe the mind, don't they?"

With that, she made her way to the caravans table, where the members conversed. Seeing the leader by the end of the table, she approached him. As soon as he noticed her, the man raised his hand to stop the conversation and rose up to speak with her. Waving for her to follow him into his tent, he spoke. "We thank you for your job, Ms. Loreis. It seems like choosing an ex-member of the Golden Blades wasn't a bad choice. Please, keep the contact. We may have more jobs for you later on." Myara simply bowed her head as the man pulled from one of his pockets a rather big and hefty gold bag. "Here, as compensation." He said as he extended it to her. The young swordswoman meekly took it as she responded to his praise. "I'm the one who should be thanking you, Sir. It was an honor to serve as bodyguard for your caravan." A smile was shown from both her and the man as she left the tent.

With that, it was another work well done. Although one would think that caravans often carried only the poor, they would be surprised to see that in Luzvimin, the work was more rewarding than it seemed, specially for those travelling through the side roads, where danger was more present.

Now that she had gold, and a bit more than normal, too, she could begin her exploration. Her first objective was to find her way to the Circle, but the day was still young. She thought that she could make use of these days on such a big capital as Aesyth and what better place to see herself to rather than the bazaar of the city?

"Certainly not today, Miss." Said the guard by the entrance of the bazaar when she questioned if it was still functioning. "There was an incident in the bazaar, both the stall owners and volunteers are still working on repairing it to it's fullest, but it shall take us some time, milady. Please bear with it." Sighing, the swordswoman batted an eye at the seeming destruction. The place was left in the rubbles and the fire had consumed a large portion of it. The outskirts, however, were gleaming with selling and buying, the bloom of trade from the leftovers seemed to still be at full throttle. Deciding that she might as well just take a look for any weapons that caught her eye, it was a granted bonus that she might just hear more about this peculiar incident as well, as she felt like there was a chance it was tied to what she was seeking.

 

[Warden]

Three days.

She didn't have a reason to be antsy, time-wise. This was a lovely sojourn, a short rest from the various troubles back home, and she had the means with which to extend her stay. Three days were inconsequential. No, what consumed Estefania's waking hours as of late were the memories of the creatures she had faced in the Circle. Aggressive, hardy, and driven. Professionally speaking, these were positive traits... But not quite when applied to a half-mad, magically-afflicted crowd of townspeople--which soured any and all of her attempts to be objective about the situation. Instead of admiring the enemy's skill, the fencer found herself detesting the ways the red-ridden victims could have learned their singular ferocity. Creatures as unnatural as these could only have been made by a process removed from any and all Godly favor, an aberration to nature and an affront to the heavens. They must be purged from Luhain.

Or should they? Some of them were a bit lucid--Estefania recalled one patient who stayed kneeling on the floor the entire fracas, passive otherwise mourning something lost. Does that mean they could be redeemed? Oh, what a pain.

Almost like yesterday, the Condesa--uninjured save for a handful of scratches that had gone unnoticed during the chaos--ruminated over the matter during her breakfast at one of Aesyth's more... sophisticated inns. When her head started to spin fron all the thinking, Estefania decided to go out for a bit of fresh air, maybe check on the Magic Circle. The past days were a slight inconvenience but the law enforcement has done its job efficiently, at least, and she had high hopes the tower would open today. She still had to buy that flower tincture and have her rapier enchanted.

Even on the way there and the keep's outline still in the distance, the great amount of people who made a queue in preparation of the Circle's reopening were a sore sight. Estefania decided to move her visit to another day--again, time wasn't an issue--and was about to return to her lodgings were it not for a small voice. The distracted noblewoman spun around, looking for the source of the call, but couldn't find any.

Until she looked up to perhaps one of the stranger sights she had ever seen.

"Please move down." Estefania levelled her eyes with the female (?) Otherfolk, but it was a hard task considering she was floating (?) a head higher. Hence the demand--er, request. "The Magic Circle? There, follow that horrendous line. It's that spacious tower in the distance. As the tallest building in Aesyth, you should not have any problems locating it from anywhere in the city." The miniature mermaid... rabbit... creature hovered, drawing attention to her other physical characteristics. Was she swimming? In the air? Was this an active spell, or simply the normal means of travel for her subrace?

Estefania narrowed her eyes. She had a lot of questions, and most were impudent. She had to settle for a lot less, more palatable inquiries that were vapid in form and expected content retention. Let's start with... "Excuse my ignorance, but what kind of Otherkin are you? We rarely see any of your race in Asturias. With good reason, I suppose... The Primordial Order isn't all that welcoming," the Condesa politely inquired, sidestepping to the sidewalk opposite of the growing queue to the Circle so as not to inconvenience other passersby.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Looking at the man, he was from most accounts on of the few who likely was involved in the situation the days before. A Lidaran judging by the looks of him... Well built, fairly handsome, but a very strong way of carrying himself.. If he was indeed the person the guards mentioned then he was easily some sort of Mercenary, either way his hair color was far more common to those lands than elsewhere. Curiously he was barefooted and covered in suit, if not for the fact the man was clearly being given food items and was
rather fit she would assume him to be a bandit or beggar.. Never mind that he smelled of the fires brought by destruction.

"Oh my, you wish to have tails? I doubt your Jam is worth so much, but I am guessing you are a Son of Lida. As it so happens, should I have guessed the temperament of man you are, I shall give unto you a Tale and it's song that you may like. Surely that is worth a jar of jam? I have been on the road many days now, so I think it's a worthy trade, provide it's to your liking. This comes from when the Empire was still growing and in it's infancy, spreading by naval ships. Hmm.. Let us see."

Glancing around too and fro, Yadira sighs softly, reaching into her bag before setting it down, pulling out some form of stringed instrument, a harp of some sort judging by appearance alone, but much smaller. Coughing slightly to clear her throat so her story would carry around to the immediate crowd, history was always a nice thing to share.

"In the age of Sail when the Empire was still feared, Jam came to be made by the Empire in times unknown, but it was the people of Sceisau who made an impactful use of it, improved and spread to others it's taken the form we now know, one rooted in history, the war of ebronand Sceisau.


Fruit spoils and rots quickly, as I am sure you are aware, but with an equal measure of sugar and a hot fire it can last months when mixed correctly. But until the Siege of Sceisau it was simply a curiosity, mostly one for sailors, Sceisau was a small peninsula based city state on the Imperial Continent, in principle an agricultural zone, sugarcane, fruits. Anyways it's neighbor Ebron was an upstart nation that attempted to conquer it's neighbors in a bid to beat Gualtierrez at it's own game. A massive power by it's own right and times.

Sceisau never stood a chance against Ebron, but they would not yield, cut off by the Ebronese Navy by sea, and the Army by land the Sceiseans survived purely by converting their food stores to Jam. In spite of initial victories and the safety of it's walls the Sceiseans never had a chance to hold off the Ebronese Legions. Word of the resistance reached far and wide, and the fact the Sceiseans held off thirty thousand men was commendable.

After a year long siege and faced with the prospect of slavery and the effects of starvation setting in and no hopes of victory, the Sceseans committed mass suicide, in a final act of defiance. Ironically this Victory proved to be more costly than assumed by the Ebronese, at the loss of thousands of men, huge expenditures, the Ebronese dreams of Empire vanished. All they were left with were poisoned jars of jam and a couple hundred slaves. With the Empire of Gualtirrez invading the following year they were utterly crushed.

It could be said ultimately Sceisau had the final laugh. At least within the Empire people remember they once existed. The ultimate irony is the Ebronese forces took heavy loses due to scurvy and limited food supply, having feasted on the fields rather than making preserves."

Strumming her miniature harp, Yadira's singing voice was a bit on the deeper refined side, for a woman at least, fitting her normal speech patterns very well.

"The Ebronese went to sea
And by land for all to see
Inescapable, the fate that would befall Sceisau
But alas before tyrants what to do??

By land and by sea trapped behind the wall
Making Jam did Sceisau give it's all
Soldiers of Sceisau surviving on preserves
Soldiers of Ebron forced to count on reserves.

One year long of defiance
starving in the face of orders of compliance,
Dead till the last Sceisau would hold the day
For soon the King of Ebron would lose his head in the bay."​

Finishing her chorus of the events that happened, it didn't really matter if she got the jam or not as she was sure some people on the street would be kind enough to offer something another, though maybe the song of the Dragon of Milar would have been better.. "A food that is seen rather lowly yet could have saved a broken army and was the final means to survive for a people who made a final stand.. Curious is it not? Needless to say the popularity of Jam and it's used aboard naval ships jumped greatly from the conflict."

Finishing her story and short song, the Minstrel keeps up her smiling face looking at the mysterious stranger that she gathered was from Lida, or just a well built hobo that matched the descriptions of what she could gather. "Oh, on that note, mayhap you have a story you would like told? I do not see any coal mines here, but there seemed to have been quite the fire."

 

[ERode]

A tragic siege and the final laugh of a vanquished castle. Looking at the jar of jam, Jagred laughed at the end of the song, charmed by the green-haired woman's wit and rhyme. One arm stretched out to hand over the preserved fruit, as he said, "Well, now I must confess that I feel a bit embarrassed, minstrel, for espousing the virtues of jam before a scholar of this preserved goodness. Indeed, that was quite the tale, and in exchange, allow me to regale you with a brighter tale, one of valor and virtue, a living legend that even now has not reached its conclusion."

Gesturing the bard to follow, the red-haired man brought her to a table, offering a slice of bread to accompany her newly-acquired jam, before his shoulders rolled, cricks and pops sounding in rapid succession. Groceries set aside, Jagred spoke up as well, his baritone voice pleasant and controlled.

"Three days ago, a carriage came into the bazaar of Aesyth, bearing the strangest of occupants: men and women plagued by a magical disease. Though horrifying to behold, this plague, one that caused pulsating red growths to emerge on their bodies, only served to grant them strength unbefitting of their size. Indeed, it was not the body that suffered under the plague, but their minds instead. Driven mad during their travels to the great city of Aesyth, they wailed and whaled, sending the carriage tumbling upon the ground. And whether it was out of pity or a fouler machination, a red-haired gunslinger interfered. 'If freedom is what they desire, then let them have it!'"

"A crack of gunpowder signalled the coming chaos, as men driven mad by the plague rushed out, spreading out all over Aesyth, hunting down fair citizens caught up in the conflict. Stalls were torn apart, valuable potions and poultices scattered onto the ground. None were spared the wrath of these berserk beings as they ran and struck with superhuman force, toppling humans and Others alike. Fires spread all across the city, the chaos providing plenty opportunity for unsavory individuals to indulge in their dark passions, from flagrant property destruction to bold child-napping!"

"But, in the darkest hour, the guards of Aesyth sprang into action, commandeered by the magnificent Magemother herself. Bending the elements to her command, a single wave of her hand was enough to cease the onslaught within the Great Hall, while her knights coordinated quick and efficient attacks that soon quelled the fury of the man-made monstrosities that swarmed the stone paths. And, in the aftermath, exhausted from their fight against the Scarlet-Tainted, they looked upon their city, blazing like the furnace of the God of Forges. Against the black night, it burned viciously, relentlessly. And against that rising inferno, the insurmountable odds, the hellish blaze, they stood, took from their deepest reserves of strength, and they fought."

"For three days and three nights, the men of Aesyth pitted their might against Nature's destroyer, wrestling with it while their families and friends watched at a distance. And when the final well was exhausted, the final shovel expended, it was not with merriment that they welcomed the end of their task, but solemnity."

"For what is the task of a guard, but to protect the town they love?"

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

There had to be more. Anais could only nod in response to Faora's words because when people were being transported in secret due to some magical plague no one had ever heard of before there just had to be a helluva lot more to things than meets the eye. Strange cults perhaps? Dark magic? The deadliest plague in their lifetime? Questions. There were so many questions, and the only way to get answers was to prowl the scene or to pester someone who had that kind of information. Considering their lack of connection to politics and their lack of noble heritage, prowling would most likely be easier than extracting info from some important figure - not like important figures would give people like them the time of day anyway.

"Hell yes, you betcha there's more! This whole thing screams something HUGE!" Anais threw out her arms out and grinned, curiosity evident in her excited gaze. However, the smile faltered when she saw her friend wince. "Hey, I know we're being super spies and all now, but don't push yourself. I can't carry you back to the ship!" With that warning said, she was back to her smiley, loud-mouthed self. "Okay, I gotcha! Forward march!" She took hold of Faora's hand and began marching off the Albatross.

The stroll down the boardwalk and to the Harbor's marketplace was uneventful. There was the occasional guard who'd stop people for a question or two, but compared to the chaos three days ago, everything was so much calmer. It was impressive how a handful of the vendors had set up shop once more. Life goes on and all that.

"Sooo, you see anything fishy, Faora?"

Nope, nope, anddddddd whoa. Speaking of fishy, talk about a coincidence! Buying fish from one of the stalls was a familiar face. Anais hadn't noticed the Solistian at first, but once her eyes caught sight of his red hair, she spent a moment staring. No doubt it was him. She still had to thank him for saving her from the big jerk and flower knight.

"He was with us when those people busted out of the cart," she told Faora. The pyromancer then returned her focus to the redheaded man a few stalls away. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey! Lawrence, right?" The yell was unnecessarily loud but Anais had always lacked an indoor voice. Once they'd caught Lawrence's attention, she began waving excitedly.

 

[Yzmael]

Going around the bazaar, Myara barely found anything she considered noteworthy. The remnants from the incident didn't attract her interest at all, and mostly she saw herself stopping from time to time to try and trade the deer antlers she had in her possession for any item that she found would have some use. Even then, though, not everyone seemed keen on taking it. In fact, of all the people she had asked, no one seemed interested in trading anything for the two pieces. The antlers were far too small to be used as a fit a house decoration, but weren't broken to be immediately used in alchemy. The white color had somewhat faded a little, and they seemed almost a light yellow. Not that Myara knew any of the uses of the thing. Someone once hinted that they had use as alchemy material, but she herself barely thought of it.

She went from farmers, to hunters, to blacksmiths and absolutely no one found a good use or price for the damned things. In fact, the alchemists told her that it wasn't even too rare for them to trade any form of potion in it and seeing she wouldn't have any use for other alchemy materials, there was nothing she could get from them.

Of course she reminded herself of the time she had received the bloody things. "Don't worry, Miss, I can assure you that these will sell easily if you go to an alchemy shop." Indeed, they sold so easily she couldn't even bargain them for anything, and the alchemists surely wouldn't want to pay for such an easy to acquire material. As she thought about that, she wondered if it wasn't her fault for being a bad seller. Shaking her head and sighing, she had to admit that, indeed, she wasn't exactly a good trader. Myara was much better at selling her own services rather than items. Her stiff nature would often get in the way, specially since she distrusted quick-witted vendors and their silver tongues. Still, she didn't give up yet. If she couldn't find anyone to buy it from the larger stalls, she'd try to find someone in the smaller stalls. Thus, she continued her walk through the bazaar's outskirts.

As she walked, she saw the work of the volunteers in repairing the destruction caused by the fires. It spread wide but she thought every once in a while, from the commentary made by the stall vendors she managed to listen into, that it was no simple fire. Perhaps it had been her previous experiences, but she just thought that this could be something related to Fiends in some way. It surely sounded like something they'd do. Even so, thus far, nothing from the hushed whispers that she managed to hear gave her anything to bite into. Not to mention that the presence of the Circle would surely scare the beings away, thus it was quite difficult that they would make such an open attack. Whenever she wasn't trying to sell the antlers for the stalls or trade them for something, she was thinking about this strange situation.

After a while she saw herself tired and bored of the adventure. Nothing she saw caught her eye to warrant her to buy it and no one wanted to buy the antlers from her, to her dismay. Deciding to give up on trading the damned things she just made her way around to the other side of the bazaar from where she came from.

Eventually finding herself by the entrance of the outskirts, she held the piece of antlers up and stared at them for a few minutes. I didn't expect these things to be so hard to sell. In the end, even alchemists told me this was barely worth anything for them. Sighing to herself she reached the conclusion that she'd have to find another use for this. Otherwise, there was not much she could do from it. Sighing on her own, she pocketed them in the leather bag once more and turned herself to head for the docks. If anything, at least from talking with the vendors, she had managed to get some information about the fire.

 

[Akashi]

The brunette could only smile towards Anais and her enthusiastic determination. Perhaps they were both thinking the same thing. Her concern for the pirate woman was well received. She only gave her a nod and was pulled along for the adventure ahead of them. Once they were off the Albatross, she could see the sight before her.

Even if the sick were able to damage the bazaar significantly in a short time, people were already re-building what was destroyed, and making an attempt to return to the days where Aesyth was basically normal and yes, fun. Despite the incident, there were still kids running around and playing with one another.

Faora was rather happy to see that. It warmed her heart, but that quickly changed when she noticed how cautious the guards around the area were. Questioning people they found suspicious. Asking them a few questions, both Anais and Faora stumbled upon a few of them as well.

It wasn't surprising. Something like this rarely happened in Aesyth, or Luzvimin in general. It was a peaceful place, but for how long? Eventually, Anais, the fiery mage, her companion brought her back to reality. Faora was deep in her own thoughts. "Hm?"

"Fish? I've had fish one too many times back in Albatross.. I want MEAT!" Licking her lips, her eyes widened ever so slightly at what Anais had stumbled upon. Another red head, and it was the one who was behind the entire incident, or most of it.

Once Anais approached him, Faora had little time and rather tugged Anais back. Leaning towards here ear, she spoke up. "By the way, don't tell anyone about the pirate ship. I know we're welcome here in Luzvimin but you never know right? And this guy, he's the one who helped the sick. Are you sure about this?"

Letting go of Anais, she quickly moved forward. "Did you do it on purpose?" Raising her eyebrow, she curiously looked at Lawrence, folding her arms before her chest.

 

[Astros]

Following a row with the restaurant's staff, which ended in Bryte picking up the gentleman's tab before being made to leave the premise empty handed, a few diners gracious enough to throw a few bread rolls his way. Once back to the streets of Aesyth, a new man. He traveled with legitimate purpose that wasn't blind hunger, and with refreshed sights upon visiting the Bazaar. Hopeful in his new quest to acquiring a suitable supply of alchemy goods. Most of what he needed were for his personal potions and dwindling nostrum supply. Though, from rumors he'd heard on his journey over, there were a few rare items that could be useful in his testing of a new alchemic formula.

Something he had been pondering for weeks during his long walks through the abandoned hiking trails, and that resulted in numerous scribbles and outlines in the form of breadcrumbs left along the way. Now required reactions before his eyes, and the telling signs of smell and taste to be more than useless abstraction. Turning the spiritual and metaphysical into the physical was what made his job fun after all. Witnessing the many resulting failures created by his hand, that in themselves often lead to new discoveries. Donning a smile at the thought, what the Bazarr could hold elevated his hopes.

Though soon after they were all but dashed by a culmination of gossipers and conversations among the busy inner streets. Overhearing several people say that the Bazaar had burned down it seemed as if his detour the day prior into a site of nestled ruins had only proved to undermine his research. All did seem indeed lost as the masses were a lot of talk about the fire, but nothing particular on its cause nor what remained of her goods. Many were all too preoccupied with how terrible an ordeal it was and where they were at when it went down or how terrifying it all was.

It was no simple feat exactly for Bryte to eavesdrop to find out more, as if they didn't immediately end their conversation at his presence, standing there like a lost puppy. Then after ten seconds they seemed to turn around with turned up noses n disgust before giving him arched brows. It was painfully apparent he needed a shower at the very least. But before that, after asking a few guardsmen about the events he learned the Bazarr had been relocated to the outskirts and still retained a mere half of its original surplus. Hurrying to get there before the stalls were picked clean, he did slow for anything else.

__________________________________________________________________________________​

"Anters... huh?"

Bryte's spoke with muffled words, due to his outstanding chipmunk cheeks. Packed to the brim with food and undeterred by his mention of words, they moved in tow with his chewing as he looked curiously over the small female Ronin's back. Having watched her carry them around oddly and attempt to get a reasonable price for what amounted to a handful of alchemy ingredients proved more interesting than what the rest of the city was busy with.

"Willin tah par fer a trade? If fresh I'll"

Taking the time to graciously swallow, a mound of tough jerky visibly forced its way slowly down his throat, to a series cough and grunts.

"I'll offer you more. But if old I only have an elixir and herbs. The nostrum is great for calming the nerves. The velviturn is good for cuts. You roll it and rub it on a clean wound to numb pain." Taking a rather dark matted fern from his underclothing, he displayed the necessary technique by mashing it and rubbed the oils across a cut in his forearm.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

"Please move down."

The 'average human height' was a fuzzy concept for Vi considering her limited dealings with them for the past 135 years. So naturally, she assumed Estefania would be much taller despite noticing how short the good lady appeared compared to the other people at the bazaar. It felt fitting too given the condesa's proud demeanor. "I'm sorry, Miss," the bunny apologized as she floated down. "You look so graceful and tall. I didn't want you to bend down. Do you know where is the Magic Circle?" Repeating her question seemed so silly in retrospect but, no matter how she wished it, Vi knew she can't retract her words once they've been said. Her regret only brought back her earlier jitters twofold and pretty soon her bunny ears started twitching again. First the left ear then the right then the left again.

"The Magic Circle? There, follow that horrendous line. It's that spacious tower in the distance. As the tallest building in Aesyth, you should not have any problems locating it from anywhere in the city."

"Ah, thank you kindly," the Magical added, trying her best not show how jumpy she was. "I didn't know why there was a line. I guess people came for advice too." She smiled a little too stiffly as she started tugging her left ear. "The mages must be very wise."

Should she say sorry again? Feeling unsure, the water sprite allowed a brief silence to lapse between them as she pretended to study the crowd. Although her eyes had shifted from Estefani's pale face, the half-fish remained aware of her companion's close scrutiny. Vi gave up the charade eventually and resumed eye contact while her hand clung to the same ear. The twitching had lessened but she couldn't stop feeling so awkward. Her earlier gaffe clung like a barnacle inside her mind.

"Excuse my ignorance, but what kind of Otherkin are you? We rarely see any of your race in Asturias. With good reason, I suppose... The Primordial Order isn't all that welcoming."

"Oh…" was the first response that bubbled out of Vi's mouth. Her ears flopped down and clung to the sides of her head as she twiddled her thumbs. The Order. The mere mention of it was enough to leave her with a sinking feeling in the depths of her stomach. Coupled with her unpleasant memories from her short visit to Calella, Vi was ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. She really didn't want to get involved with domestic politics abroad. That sampling she had back at the harbor town was more than enough.

"I am a carbuncle, Miss," she whispered softer than ever. "I live on beautiful Florencia Island. I don't know if carbuncles live on the mainland. The elders say we only live on the island. They do tell us stories about races who live on the mainland. Sorry I can't tell you more." Eyes wide and pleading latched to fencer's while the rabbit's frail shoulders folded towards each other defensively. "Oh um why are you far from home, Miss? Are you maybe um visiting the Circle too?" The question sounded unintentionally insincere considering that she blurted out the next bit immediately after. "Um yeah, I really should get in line... and ...."

Vi's voice ebbed away after she saw how the line had swelled during their short conversation. There was eager anticipation written on every face which was quite the opposite of what she felt. She fought to suppress a grimace knowing how easy it would be for her to be shunted aside. Actually, she'd consider herself very lucky not to be thought of as a fancy pet again. The last time that happened she was chucked inside the dingy cargo hold of a passenger ship bound for Luzvimin. She didn't want to live through such an indignation ever again. "... I hope they notice me," she finished lamely with a quaking laugh.

She tugged at her ear with renewed vigor while she waited for her conversation partner to say something. Anything. At least, she reasoned, it would keep her from going crazy. She hoped.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Listening to his story it seemed all of her assumptions were correct, he was indeed one of those named. But Yadira felt he had no connection to the strange creatures.. Though could the same be said of the rest of this chaos? Making use of it seemed awfully convenient. She rather doubted this all was a crime of opportunity.. And why had the guards not mentioned a Kidnapping, just who was kidnapped? With an unexpected suddenness the smile vanishes from her face, replaced with an rather blank if not angry scowl.

The fact the Magemother herself had to intervene said much, things like this were of the upmost importance to solve and a direct interest to herself, this information was of the upmost importance but they had nothing at all.. Bringing her smile back by force of will as dark thoughts swirled in her head on just how those plans should be disrupted, she listed to the rest of the man's tale. He was fairly good at this and her own thoughts and troubles could not yet be shared. The fact he seemed rather sober with his account bothered her.. She would need to make way towards the tower, and government center if only to meet up with her comrades and make some sense of this madness.

Either way his story was exceptionally useful to her.. Keeping her ever studying gaze, Yadira's hands clap, while eyes as red as her dress contrasted with the green hair around her face. "Well now, I think you are in the wrong line of work, but this was such a wondrous tale. You told it very well, I couldn't just accept the Jam from you after that. Here, call it compensation for a very useful story that I'll be committing to memory for the historic record."

Reaching into her bag for a satchel of coins, she holds out a number of the local currency, a mixture of silver and gold pieces, adding up to 200 GP. While not a stellar amount it was mostly enough to cover the cost of the jam. Keeping her typical smile this information was troubling, maybe it all was not connected, but it was worth looking into either way. Sighing a bit as she glances at the crowds, she holds both hand up to the side in a shrug, before finally reaching out with her hand right hand to pay him.

"While a wonderful story,I do doubt I'll get much business here for now, mayhap I should take my customs elsewhere while I rest for the night. Plus if rumors are true the massive spire over yonder should be opening soon, I could find many stories there maybe, may we meet again, well baring you have business at the tower. Mister..? Well, I guess names aren't important for a one off meeting, after all."

With her smiling face that seemed a little less than friendly, the Minstrel uses her left to go about setting her traveling pack in order what limited amount she could given the situation.

 

[Warden]

Estefania accepted the praise that was due her with a graceful, if not dismissive, nod. Listening in on the stranger's introduction and her explanation of her origins, the noblewoman spared a bit of sympathy for her fidgety behavior--she herself was hardly the picture of relaxation upon her arrival in this strange, vast continent.

Unsurprisingly, the Magical wilted at the mention of the Primordial Order. Even as a devotee, Estefania had to admit that some of the core tenets made no sense--take for example women and non-Gualtierrans, who were restricted from the clergy, when Bathala stated all were "welcome" in their divine embrace. Of course, she might rip her own arm off before admitting ownership of those blasphemous thoughts... Hm. The condesa turned her thoughts away from religion and scrutinized the "carbuncle," who had grown increasingly squeamish during the past minute--trading nods and hums now and then to show her attention, she idly wondered how long such an individual would last in the upper echelons of High Gualtierran society, within the infamous intrigues of the Glass Court.

"I understand your insinuation. Since we are heading towards the same site, it would be best if you followed my lead," Estefania crisply blurted out, adding, "You are clearly lost." Leaving the winded carbuncle but a few seconds to gather her wits and glide after the departing aristocrat, the Condesa wove her way through the growing crowd with ease. "My abuelo told me: hope is stagnant without action. Be direct always." She sounded firm and confident in her beliefs, and inserting an argument of some sort would likely merit a heated response.

When she was certain the Otherfolk had stayed on her tail, the noblewoman gestured at the passersby with her hand as they walked along, one or two of whom were wheeling residual rubble away. "Quite a strange violence happened three days ago; it's why the Circle is closed. Though I doubt their wise magi wouldn't be able to get to the botton of this issue." Estefania surveyed the line as they got past the Bazaar, her critical gaze narrowing even further when she noticed a familiar figure at the end of the line.

"Hmph." The Condesa huffed--loudly--as she was forced to take a spot behind Liberty. Contact was unavoidable at this point--unless the plaguebearers had rendered her blind--so she decided to cut to the chase. Hopefully with the timid carbuncle between them, the woman would divert her bothersome attention to something else. "I see that you are following proper queuing procedures now, stranger."

 

[Remmy Rose]

​

The Solistian gladly handed over the last few pieces of coin he had left in his hungry purse, looking all too pleased to be broke. The fishmonger gave the lad a concerned glance before he passed Lawrence the two bright colored Reefbacks he had requested. "Anything else I can get ya?" He asked, voice reluctant as if nervous. While most merchants would be glad to accept any amount of coin from a customer, he tended to be more aware having come from a similar background himself. To his great relief, Lawrence shook his head no, still smiling as if he won a grand prize.

"Thank you, sir, but these are all I need." Lawrence beamed, admiring the iridescent red and pink scales of the fish. "I've fished this back home, they make a great eating if you prep 'em just right, thanks!" The monger smiled, wiping his hands on his stained apron. "Glad I could be of service then. A good day ta ya lad!" The Solistian waved, turning just as his name was shouted out into the marketplace. His golden eyes blinked, turning to glance over his shoulder. His eyes caught sight of frantically waving woman with flaming red hair and a spark of instant recognition glimmered in his bright orbs.

"Hey, you're the lady from the marketplace!" Lawrence replied, turning to greet the pair approaching him with his signature smile. His eyes moved from the redhead to the blonde walking beside her, noticing how vibrant her green eyes were. In fact, they almost seemed intimidating with the way to look him over. He frowned looking confused for a moment.

"Do what on purpose?" Head cocked to the side as he mused over her words. As far as he knew, the Solistian couldn't recall seeing this woman before. He smiled again, holding out the fishless hand to the blonde lass. "I'm Lawrence by the way, Lawrence Norbert." He greeted, "I don't think I caught your name either, sorry about that." He added to Anais, blushing in mild embarrassment. Old Granny May would be so disappointed in his manners if she were here.

"Are you ladies browsing the market too? Find anything good?" He asked, genuinely curious. Judging from what he had seen so far, Lawrence had only managed to get through a fraction of it. He was eager to find some good stuff like magical enhancements for his gear and maybe check out some cool charms too. Then again, maybe it would be a good idea for Lawrence to find a job first and fill his purse. Can't buy enchantments with an empty purse. Especially since he used up quite a few bullets yesterday. He was going to need to restock soon if he wanted to continue his wayward adventuring.

But first breakfast was in order.

"Are you guys hungry by the way?" He held up his fish, grinning like a cat, "Ever tried smoked Reefback?"

 

[ERode]

Before he could refuse the money she offered, the woman was gone, leaving a hefty sack of gold on the table. Jagred blinked, before his eyes narrowed, slightly. So she wasn't a mere minstrel after all, not if she was carrying around this much money as disposable income. After a moment's pause, the Lidaran savage rose from his seat, pocketing the large sum of gold with him. With just this, he could live comfortably for a year. Hush money then, so that he didn't talk to the other guards about this? Or was he merely paranoid, and this minstrel just happened to be a noble lady who enjoy travelling and was rolling in money?

For now, he decided to go off to a walk. With a fat purse tied to his belt, he could probably get anything he fancied, huh?

Wandering through the marketplace, Jagred's gaze bounced from stall to stall. Interesting oddities caught his eyes, while the smell of food drew his nose in another direction. Following his stomach's instincts, he went down a path before suddenly stopping.

Oh, that's a familiar face.

Two redheads and that Other, huh?


"Ho there, fire girl," Jagred said, walking over, "Got your crimes cleared up?"

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

Marketplace - Fish Stalls

​

"I swear upon my..." She didn't exactly have anything to swear on, Anais was the brokest of the broke, really. But Faora probably got the point. "Don't worry, I won't breathe a word." Once that was out of the way, she continued her waving until Lawrence finally noticed them. The Solistian approached Faora for a handshake only to reveal he didn't remember her name.

"Wow, rude. Nah, I'm messing with you of course. I don't blame you. Everyone was too busy calling me arsonist-kidnapper the other day. It's Anais. Anais Kendrix." As soon as he'd finished shaking the pirate's hand, she grabbed his hand for a rapid and energetic handshake. "Pyromancer extraordinaire! The innovative inventor if Ivalon! Nice to officially meet you. I wasn't able to thank you the other day, sooo thanks for helping me out there Lawrence, and for not selling me out to those guards." She was trying to say it in a flippant, no-big-deal kind of way, but Anais was genuinely grateful for the vote of confidence he'd given her in the face of the persecution. "I'm very thankful."

The mage turned to Faora with a sheepish smile. "You see, I kind of got into some trouble three days ago. It wasn't supposed to end that way - oh breakfast, we'd love to join you." With the attention span of a magpie surrounded by shiny things, she was now looking at Lawrence once more. "My friend here wants some meat though. Know of any other good food stalls in the area?" She brought a hand above her eyes and began to peer around. "Ooh, I think that lady is selling some barbecue."

The cheery introductions and the redhead's bubbly yapping came to an end the moment another man entered the picture. Tall, broad of shoulder, and heroic of heart. It was the man with the boar - one of the people who had tried to turn her in to the city guard. Out of instinct, Anais leaped behind Faora like a spooked cat. She held onto the pirate's arms as she poked her head out to stare at Jagred. The girl narrowed her eyes. "I wasn't convicted of any crimes, thank you very much for asking. Sooo... why are you here? You're not going to try and arrest me or anything, right? My friend here will fight you if you try!"

 

[Astros]

After his minute exchange with the short female warrior, Bryte donned a set of the deer antlers, now his personal possession and returned to the streets of Aesyth. Resembling traditional cobblestone found in major cities across the globe, her roads were fairly smooth and level aside from the chips and wear of age. Though, what otherwise would be a call for repair, Bryte noticed the citizens did not mind it as much as those in Gualtierrez. They seemed to have come to accept the minor hazards as natural and avoided them casually.

The buildings surrounding them and rising up high to the skies, shared in the old and withered look of their street. Lit by torch light down below where the suns rays could not manage to pierce. The dark corners were an odd quirk and the result of towering peaks. The people of the mountains were full of life, and spoke loudly among groups of friend, family, and strangers alike. Leaving a constant trail of chatter in the background, they moved to and fro, a many running errands or to the direction of the Bazaar.

Despite recovering from a terrible event, it was like any other day. Nature still welcomed the city into her flowery green grasp and Aesyth accepted without resistance. Knowing not to take the entirety of the buildings appearance for herself. Nature benefited from the high trunks of stone and coiled herself upward toward the sun. Acting as a ever present symbol of the cities inner harmony that weaved throughout the streets. Much different from Lida and the other continents where she was impossible to tame and wild. Human and Magical were ever enemy and pitted against one another for survival.

As the thought came to Bryte in his blind traveling from a light section to one of shadow he wondered at the history of their coexistence. When had the founding taken place and what had brought human and magical together? He was in no rush to have his questions answered however. As there was a full day and an entire city to see. Taking his eyes to the variety architecture, and in it seemed to be blend and meld without care for consistency. Likely a result of past disasters and the rebuilding efforts that followed, every structure seemed to have a unique architect.

Tracing the buildings up to their tops which bathed in the natural light of the sun. All the foliage and greenery arched up in order to partake in the life given to them like all creatures on the planet. Just then as he marveled at the contrasting light from his dark spot on the ground he noticed from the corner of his eye and a fair distance away, the end of a long chain of people. Curiosity peaked at what held such a crowd, he soon after approached next to the end of the line asking no one in particular.

"Who's giving away their house?"

 

[Fox of Hearts]

​

Aesyth Bazaar: Getting in Line

"I understand your insinuation. Since we are heading towards the same site, it would be best if you followed my lead. You are clearly lost."

In - sa - nu - tion? No, it sounds like "inuit station". Vi struggled to replicate Estefania's exact pronounciation of "insinuation" inside her head without realising that the noble was no longer standing beside her. Luckily, she saw the Condesa disappearing into the crowd so she darted after the woman. She didn't take long to reunite with her newfound friend and soon she was gliding beside the pale woman at a comfortable pace.

"Thank you kindly again, Miss," she added as loudly as she could so that the woman could hear her over the din. Whether the woman heard her or not, she couldn't be sure based on what the fencer said next.

"My abuelo told me: hope is stagnant without action. Be direct always."

Abuelo? Vi repeated inside her head. The unfamiliar Gualtierran accent made it hard for Vi to recognise the word. Still, even if she had, the word wasn't part of her everyday vocabulary. Her community preferred using the terms Tutu or Kuka instead. Not knowing that one word didn't stop the Otherkin from getting swayed by the pride radiating from Estefania's words by the time the fencer was done.

"Those are wise words," Vi whispered reverently. Pressing a single blue hand against her chest, she added, "But I don't know if I can follow them, Miss. I am not very brave."

Vi barely got the chance to warm up to Estefania when the conversation came to an abrupt end. Silence followed them all the way to the back of the line and stayed long after they joined the queue. Left to her thoughts, the merbunny realised that the they had been talking at length without actually introducing themselves. It was something she felt she ought to correct because it was only polite to do so. Vivi tilted her head in Estania's direction as she considered her options.

She wasn't sure whether the noblewoman would be offended if she asked the woman's name but she believed it wouldn't hurt to offer hers first. After all, the woman had graciously gone above and beyond what she had ever hoped for. "I'm sorry, Miss," she began. "I never told you my name. I'm Vivi Whiffle. It's good to meet you."

She couldn't help wishing deep down that she knew what was considered polite in Asturias. After all, Vi had learned very recently that customs varied greatly from place to place. And, considering that she had stayed in Calella for less than two days, she could only regret knowing nothing about the rest of Gualtierrez save for the few stories retold countless times in front of the communal bonfire. Really, despite how haughty and intimidating Estefania seemed, Vi sincerely believed in her heart of hearts that the noble deserved her respect for that simple (but much appreciated) act of kindness.

"Hmph. I see that you are following proper queuing procedures now, stranger."

The words startled the timid Magical and Vi was left floundering around in a panic until she realised Estefania was actually addressing someone else. Cautiously, she peered at the woman in front of them. Her eyes moved slowly upwards until they met Liberty's. Normally, she would have started introducing herself but the shift in Estefania's tone made Vi even less willing to get involved. It just sounded less friendly than before which made the merbunny assume the worst.

Her bobbing ears deflated as her anxiety jumped up a notch. Vi bounced around nervously, praying that they won't start arguing in front of her. All the while, a voice inside her head kept nagging at her to intervene. She really should say something .... right? It would ... well, maybe ... before it's too late?

"Do you know her, Miss?" Vivi squeaked suddenly before Liberty had the chance to reply. She gave the ladies a nervous smile as she grabbed both her ears and pulled them down to her shoulders. Her hands squeezed the ends till they turned the same whitish blue of sea foam. "Well, it's good to meet you too. I'm Vivi Whiffle and it's ... erm ... nice to meet you. Both of you." She inclined her head to each lady in turn and would have gone on to remark about the weather if Bryte hadn't walked by.

"Who's giving away their house?"

"House?" Vi repeated instantly with a blink. "I heard the wise mages can answer any question but I don't know if they can give you a house... I'm sorry," she admitted, feeling bad about disappointing the ... man? Otherfolk? Her eyes flitted to the antlers adorning Bryte's head repeatedly. She thought he was human at first but now she wasn't so sure. Most humans she encountered didn't have any horns.

"Oh um ..." she considered asking Bryte about his race but she figured she could do so later. Changing the topic midway into the conversation felt quite rude. "Well, maybe they know someone who does?" She continued, turning back to the other two. "Erm ... what do you think, Miss and Miss?"

 

[Akashi]

Well then, things changed rather quickly. Faora was hoping this new stranger would understand her question. Maybe she should've been more thorough or specific with her words. Nevertheless, the conversation changed the moment he introduced himself. His name was Lawrence, and the man rather knew or had encountered Anais before.

At the moment, the only thing Faora could do was to stand next to the both of them and listen to them talk. Maybe the brunette would bring up her question at a later time. She was there after all, and thanks to the sick breaking loose, she was injured. It wasn't like she blamed Lawrence, she was not the type to hold a grudge. The woman had a solid personality, or so she believed.

Once Anais finally clued her in on what had happened, it all came back to her. "Ahh--" Her emerald eyes widened ever so slightly. Faora was at the bazaar when a stall was caught on fire. That's where she actually saw her use her fire magic. Even if she sorta had an idea three days ago, she was never really sure she was that very same woman.

Lawrence offered some fish for breakfast, but it all came to an halt when an uninvited stranger approached the three of them. Faora did not get the chance to introduce herself to the fish boy, and Anais quickly took a defensive step by hiding behind the pirate woman. She, however was confused. Her eyes landing on a familiar face. Not one she had any interactions with, but one who was fighting the sick as well.

He was tall, broad, and had a damn boar. 'Crimes?' The new stranger spoke up. Faora was still confused, but that quickly cleared up when Anais spoke of these crimes.

"Wait.. What?" I am?" Tilting her head to the side, she gazed at Anais with a rather conspicuous expression plastered on her face. Turning back in the direction of the man with the boar, her eyes quickly glanced in Lawrence's direction, pointing at him.. "Y-y.. Yes, Lawrence will fight you! Right?"

Turning to her side, she whispered to Anais. "What is this? Is it about the stall you burned up? Is this about what you just told me about?" Was she really a criminal? She couldn't be and Faora was ready to give her the benefit of the doubt. Especially after what occured three days ago. When she saved her more than once, but so did the pirate woman in return.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

​

Wandering her way down the merchant streets and past the tower into the Merchants residential district. It was a shame that The Lucieri had to set up meetings in such a manner. They were a bit less professional than her own order, but were still worth co-operating with. As if they were some sort of secret defenders of the peace.. Pausing a bit to reflect on that, Yadira gives a shrug, pushing on through the area, stopping briefly to reflect on her funds, this city was insane with it's prices. The Empire had a much more healthy economy, though prices evened out, the man she met from before was likely to soon be disappointed if he was not openly aware of the prices in this area.

Smirking to herself, the location she needed to reach was here, the Merchant Prudence Quincey's residence.

With it's pink place card, the house was fairly easy to spot and somewhat large, it seemed even here the Merchants did business and lived, though it was on a much larger scale suitable for other businesses as evident by carts and crates, or as shipping warehouses to hold goods for later sale. Pondering her point of entry, having in needed witnesses was one thing she could not have in her position as Journeyman Protector, or at least not so publicly, debates her means of entry. Making use of the warehouse across the ways Yadira takes the time to be sure she's not readily noticed before scaling the shoddy masonry, reaching the flat top roof she then takes out her parasol, keeping an eye on the structure. Noticing an open window and the Merchant engrossed in her work. Floating across the sky to the roof, a small child notices her on the street below, but his father ignores the boys pleas as Yadira leans over the edge her head looking in the window upside down, before flipping in.

Smirking to herself, it would be fun to startle the merchant a little at least. "You know it's dangerous to leave your Windows open, yes? You never know who may come to kill you after all.. Your other friends have gotten to be too much.." Opening her parasol and smiling as her eyes narrow into slits.

"Didn't you know it's bad luck to open a parasol indoors? Heh!"

Closing it and smiling as she stared at the middle aged if not a bit heavyset woman, Yadira shrugs, reaching beneath her ascot to lift it up, around her neck was a badge the man should know rather well.

"I need a meeting with some of our, mutual friends. I am Yadira Arella Rahman Reyes, a Journeyman Protector here to assist the Lucieri, I need to make contact with the local Branch and to gather information on what has happened in this City. I was told by my trainers in the Empire to seek you out in my Journey as I went to our outposts. I apologize if I startled you a bit too much."

 

[Yzmael]

As she was about to throw the antlers in her hands away, someone suddenly stopped in front of her and caught her eyes... Most particularly because of the way he was so dirtied and had his mouth filled with food. Needless to say, his unrefined attitude quickly startled the swordswoman, and she thought that maybe he was a street beggar. To her surprise, however, the man recognized the antlers, and proceeded to actually make an offer of trade for the things.

Before she could even say anything, the man drew a piece of meat and proceeded to eat it almost disgustingly in front of her. Placing a hand on her mouth and looking away almost disgruntled by the act, she only turned back upon the mention of trading an object for it. The man proposed either a calming elixir or a herb capable of numbing the pain from injuries. She had to admit, from having no one wanting to trade anything to having two possibly useful objects to her journeys, this was a good step-up. She eyed the way the man utilized the herbs to aid in a cut on his forehead, to which she glued her eyes on the method.

"You sure are more capable to utilize that than your appearance gives off... Sir." Although what she said was rude, she tried her best to say it in a way that merely showed how surprised she was with the situation. After all, she didn't want to ward the possible trade away. Noticing how rude she was, though, she quickly covers that up before he can respond. "I do not believe they're fresh... And I wouldn't want to price them any more than they're worth from what I gathered." For a moment, she stopped to think. Perhaps the elixir would prove a better use for managing the effects that the blade where having upon her. Her training sessions were getting worse the more she tried to. "Very well, then, you make a good offer with the elixir, sir. You can have them, here."

The trade went off smoothly, and it was almost awkward to her how in the end she managed to make a nice find out of the useless antlers. Seeing the way the man simply used them as accessories further more made her reactions awkward. She watched as the man walked away, apparently satisfied with it, as she held the bottled elixir on her hand. She wondered if it would truly have any effect on her training... Or at least she could try.

She figured that with that dealt with and the fact that the bazaar was now a lot smaller than she thought, she could move on to seeing to another thing on her mind. After the Golden Blades disbanded and had found themselves banished from Vesirian territory, many found their way across the world seeking other means of making their lives. Many still held contact with each other through letters or planned meetings.

Having cut her ties to the Golden Blades with an except few that she still spoke with, one of her old friends mentioned a good source of work to which even he was employed as of currently. The letter he had sent her informed that he couldn't reveal much, but what he could do is give her someone to go to and what she would need to seek from that person. Having worked the past few months doing nothing other than being a bodyguard for the few scarce caravans that went here and there, she figured that perhaps she should try to find a new source of work. Aside from that, it was always good to have new contacts. Perhaps she could even try to seek information from these people.

Putting the elixir back in her bag, the young woman made her way out of the bazaar's outskirts, towards the residential side of the town. As such, the address and depiction of the area led her to a rather large house. The key description being the fact that there was an easily noticeable pink card in it's front. Setting the letter down, she made her way inside.