"How many people do you need for this quest of yours?" Kage asked, walking next to Shole as Artlem led the way through the city.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrM6V7gg82
The three of them had departed the inn early in the morning, the sun had yet to show over the walls giving the streets an unnaturally dark appearance. Artlem had grudgingly agreed to walk since Kage didn't have a horse, so their animals which, as Kage saw them up close, were both impressive animals, walked along beside them.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡighgzjwT7C
"Well, difficult to say. Different people, different talents." Shole replied vaguely. "But likely no more than two others."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgH23878Gb
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUymmHC6qyV
"And you know this person we're going to find?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TwuVoBWTZ
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwEhILn1tM
"Well, not know per say, but we do know of him. He's a fairly well-known mercenary, and he's a flint dragon, so he should be fairly easy to recognize."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIxHvEyiGd
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QELU6h2Ie
"And what part of hunting Calligriphics requires a bodyguard?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6TUr7r1sF
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBdODGg3K6
Shole had to pause for a minute before answering. "Well, how to say this." He met her eyes. "That's not the only thing, well, put it this way. We need the Calligriphics for a reason. Bard is here to help with that purpose. But it's not something you should have to worry about, unless something changes later."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr3ogZtsmK
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2kF4e4FFK
"You make it sound pretty suspicious." Kage frowned.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5N0JL7Bw7n
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnt2rlNBVS
Shole chuckled. "I guess so. Sorry about that. But I promise there's a good reason."
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pzQFY7WxQ
As if I could trust that. She was already regretting her agreement. Well, if worse came to worse she could still run, but for now she was just going to have to keep her eyes and ears open.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9ZWrQgaoM
"Hey, you two! Hurry it up!"
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq5cEjtUMT
Artlem waved them forward as the final gates of outer layer opened ahead.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScHhFXnQcu
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1khUkfzuQl
Kage gazed around at the area before her, a bright and stark change from the city. As the wall ended, a gigantic boardwalk extended outwards and around the walls of the city to her left and right. Docks of all sizes stretched out over the water, with ships of all shapes to match.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5pE1octot
This area of the city already bustled with sailors and fishermen, as well as a few travelers like themselves.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoaOcn6LwF
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkbungqJcc
"We're a bit ahead of schedule, but we still shouldn't have any trouble finding a place on a ship." Artlem thought aloud.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpJTg7pA4O
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV24RXulXlt
"Follow the crowd?" Shole suggested.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj47S02u7S
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjsteRFR6R
"Merchant ship maybe."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAGniowSmZ
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡre4FYMTJYk
"They'd be out of here earlier than the rest." Shole pointed to a couple of brightly-robed merchants struggling to get their mules to follow. "Shall we follow them? We'll probably end up in the right direction."
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEdxntleKd
Kage's eyes flicked in every direction as they crossed the docks, avoiding workers and animals carrying crates various forms of luggage. 343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvn2nEcjRhk
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJEeOI6hfL
They came to a halt as Artlem held up his hand from the front. Kage peered around Shole's back to see that those merchants they'd been following had come to a halt in near a ship, and were speaking with a man at the foot of the gangplank.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8f3Egxxq39
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBLCGPSfO3
Some money exchanged hands and they proceeded to board with their animals.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LSExnOt9H
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzCSkTldoX
"Easy as that?" Shole said.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3o9e3KSXX
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ROzaUDFcw
"Easy as that." Artlem confirmed.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgsOd3FOtR
Artlem and Shole stepped forward towards the man, but Kage hung back a little longer, eyeing over the ship. The ship itself was a small thing, but sturdy looking. Two masts towered above the deck where the crew and passengers muddled together, trying to get around the others.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVsb46UMFZ
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2UsodzcW1
The sight made her more nervous than she would admit, even in her own mind.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXmWg9E7QW
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0r4QIMar7
After all, she'd never been on a ship before, at least physically.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8dmPWIzyf
"Kage! You done spacing out yet?" Artlem called, impatiently waving her over.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtUKpHgqmC
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJybcFTz5k
"What a ripoff." He muttered as they started up the gangplank.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemiYCpHmp0
In that moment, Kage's eyes caught a shadow swooping down from above.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9Ylrrrcug
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFIOgMhCLU
Artlem saw it too, holding out his right arm in what Kage saw as a reflexive reaction, but quickly understood as a bird smoothly landed on Artlem's outstretched arm. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, thought that was somewhat to be expected. It's plumage went from jet black near the head, to brown, to red on the tips of its wings. Artlem's eyes briefly met Shole's before he deftly removed a strip of paper from the cannister on its leg.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuw2nRPv4X6
His expression darkened as he read it, and he passed it to Shole. Kage couldn't see his faced, but judged that his expression was much the same as Artlem's.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MHsz5lOO1
"Two more." Shole read around. He read something else, but didn't say it out loud.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2KfH8CIjx
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Wp6VBt6Ie
His eyes met Artlem's. "That makes seven."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9mgqEpRYP
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSgwtCJBCX
Artlem turned without another word, and ascended the rest of the gangplank, bird still perched on his arm.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡME8VOTWKTO
Shole looked back at Kage, and smiled through a concerned expression before following him.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwHDFHUPEn
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvbgU6wPuy
"So I guess this is the part they're not explaining to me." She thought.
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YCMZY9Jwt
Whatever it was, it didn't sound good
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.