I woke up just before dawn. Toryani was gone so I headed out and up to see how things were going and get some food. She was leaning on the railing and staring off watching the large red sun's glow slowly grow. “Hey Toryani. been up long?” She must have been deep in thought because she didn't notice me standing next to her. “Holy Krador!” Her yell was muffled as she turned quickly to face me. I chuckled, “You okay?” “Sorry sir. I was ...I'm okay. To answer your question no, I haven't been up long and according to the captain we are making excellent time. We have been in the ocean for three hours and should reach Shasti by tomorrow morning.” “Thanks for the update. What will you be doing once we reach Shasti?” “I have been ordered to stay with the ship unless you say otherwise.” “Would you want to come?” She looked down into the water, “I would only slow you down sir.” I place a hand on her shoulder, “Tory, please answer the question?” “I…Would love to sir!” I heard the hope and excitement in her voice. I padded her shoulder, “It is done then! Now I'm going to see if I can do a bit of fishing.” I turned and went to see whoever was at the helm.
Captain Urzo was at the helm, “Good morning Hero. What brings you up here?” “I was wondering if I could do some fishing?” he thought for a moment, “I guess you could. We would have to slow down a bit and help set you up at the stern of the ship. You ever fished in the ocean?” “Nope, that's why I wanna try it.” “Just head to the stern of the ship and I'll have someone help you.” “Um stern?” “Back of the ship.” “Right, thanks.”
Fishing was so nice and relaxing until the large alien fish I reeled in tried to eat me. That was a blast and now we are eating him. According to the cook the fish was called a Pocuchina and it was a large spiny gray and blue fish, weighing more than a human, and had a mouth full of large teeth. It was fun fishing with an audience who was laughing and cheering me on at our quick fight on board. The Pocuchina tasted like a sweeter fish but it was still fish. Tory was clearly excited now about our journey instead of the it's just another job feeling I was getting from her before.
I helped around the ship for the rest of the day then headed down to the room just after watching the red sunset. I laid down and thought about who to Scry. I decided I would scry Kat tomorrow. I didn't know where Pem and Tal were and if they were okay. It had also been a while since I scried my wife. “Scry Pemilandituril.” I think she was on a boat, judging by the small room and the cot. She just laid in the cot clearly deep in thought. She was staring up at the ceiling with her hands behind her head. After about seven minutes of nothing happening the scry ended.
“Any news sir?” “My friend Pem is on a boat I assume going back to Frint.” She thought for a second, “That makes the most sense sir. Eldrin is pulling our troops out of the south to station them at Marlone. Frintilandituril is already sending armies down to Nardurothil and they have allied together. Barhurim forced everyone other than dwarves and friends out and closed their doors. That is only done in wartime.” “How do you know this?” “We received word only a few minutes ago.” I must have still looked confused because she continued, “The pigeons returned sir.” “Oh right. Sorry I was just thinking how crazy everything has gotten and I hope we are fast enough and Kat is unharmed.” “No problem sir.”
A foreign princess is nearly killed along with her guards then arrested then kidnapped while in custody. All done by Eldrin or at least in Eldrin... “Thank you sir.” She interrupts my thoughts “For what Tory?” “For being kind and allowing me to prove myself sir.” Oh no… “Wait, you have never been in a battle?” The silence answered the question. “Don't worry sir! I am well trained.” “I'm not worried but aren't you younger with a high rank?” “Command keeps me around to show women can become Champions as well. I am more of a symbol than a soldier….anything for my kingdom.” She said with a sarcastic joy, “I am twenty four and this is one of my two missions I have to do a year. Six missions and the only threat was…..the one I was escorting.” Her muffled voice was breaking by the end. So sad. All she wanted to do is fight for her country but she became a poster child and then was used. “Well that changes tomorrow! We need to sleep now because we have a long ride into battle.” “Yes sir!” Decisions were on my mind as I slowly drifted off to sleep.
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“Sir, we are arriving at Port Shasti.” “Thanks Tory.” I donned my new padded armor and white mail armor then I grabbed my belt, knife, and bag of clothes and coins and then finally my halberd. Tory threw her pack over her shoulder and grabbed her sword and a bow with a quiver of arrows.
The sun was just rising when we docked. We said goodbye to Urzo and Bealia then Tory led me to where our horses were stored on the boat. Both of the very large black horses were already saddled. They were eating and being brushed. Tory pointed at the larger one, “Yours sir.” She then began tying her sword and pack to the saddle. I tied my bag of clothes and coins behind my saddle then we walked them into Port Shasti. We grabbed some bread and some sort of vendor meat that tasted quite good.
Shasti was a coastal town with most buildings made out of stone and if there was a second story it was most likely larger than the first floor and made out of wood. Most of the people wore bright flowy clothes that reminded me of belly dancers or gypsies. We passed a large well built building with a sign that read, “A sheathe for every sword.” A Brothel. The first I had seen, not that I was looking.
It didn't take long to leave the town and start following the coast north. Tory told me to keep the horses near the water so the sand was better for the horses than the dry sand which I would have never thought of. The horses loved getting out of the ship and running next to the ocean. You could feel their excitement. We often had to get off the beach because it became just a cliff into the water.
After eight hours of riding we had traveled through a few small wooden settlements and not much else. “Sir, this is the area marked on the map.” We were at an area with a sheer cliff into the ocean and just flat plains as far as the eye could see. Tory and I spent about an hour riding up and down the area looking for clues before we reconvened. “Find anything?” “No sir.” “Hmm..Scry Katilandituril.” She was still sleeping but after about a minute I heard a familiar creak I had heard in the boat. Whether or not that's what it was, it made me drop the spell because I had an idea. “Tory the cliffside. Maybe a cave or underground port or something. Tory rode north and I rode south. I got off my horse and walked along the edge but after about fifteen minutes Tory came riding to me. “I may have found it sir!”
After a few minutes we arrived and I agreed with her. We couldn't see much but the waves weren't breaking here which meant they continued underneath us. There were also no jutting rocks in this area which was what clued her in in the first place.
“Do you have any rope, Tory?” “Around twenty feet sir.” I started to take my belt off. “My belt is made out of one hundred feet of five fifty paracord rope.” I started unraveling it. “That small rope will hold your weight sir?” “Oh right.” I am well past the working load for the rope now. I cut the rope into three then I braided them together then tied it to Tory’s rope. It didn't take long. “There we go.” After a few minutes of looking around for something to tie it off to, Tory said, “Use your horse sir. She is magically enhanced.”
While tying the rope off I thought of something. “Tory, can you swim in that armor?” “Not well sir.” “I saw a small dead tree over there.” I pointed out in the plains and about three hundred feet from us was the tree, “Cut it down and drop it down before you climb down then use it to help you float.” “I was thinking that as well sir.” “Okay since I'm so much heavier you keep my horse calm while I get down.” She nodded, “Sir.”
I got a good grip on the rope and headed over the cliff leaving my halberd and bags still on the horse. After about twenty feet I could see the mouth of the cave and after twenty more feet I was at the end of the rope and I had no more cliffs to plant my feet on. I took a deep breath and let go of the rope dropping the last fifteen feet into the ocean feet first.
The cold water instantly shocked me and my mail and padded armor was aiding in crushing my chest. I quickly scramble and climb up the northern wall. With a good hold and my head and shoulders above the waves I waited for Tory. The log fell near me so I grabbed it and got back on the northern cave wall. A few minutes went by before I saw Tory. I didn't see her long because she fell into the water screaming a muffled scream.
The water was about ten feet deep and I saw her kick off the bottom and when she was in reach I grabbed her arm and helped her on the log. “Thank you sir.” She mumbled completely out of breath. After she rested a minute we slowly headed inside.