It's no secret that in the land of Suloo there is an interior sea, so vast that one would find themselves preferring the ancient Spice road that went around it to the many differents boats making the journey. One of these people was a scholar by the name of Joan Archebus. He was one seasick, water loathing, history graduate of the University of Margen, the most renowned university of all things but science. An exception that he hardly cared about, having realised early that if the mysteries of long dead tongues revealed themselves to him then the foreign language of physics or mathematics would forever stay alien to him.

Joan Archebus was a man in his late twenties or early thirties. No one really knew, mostly because he kept to himself a lot. He didn't really understood why one would share this kind of information during small talks, he also didn't give much importance to his age. He was also not someone you notice in a crowd, he didn't stand out nor did speak loudly, that is as long as he didn't wear his scholar robes. Even if the colours were of earthy tones they were particular enough for people to turn when he wore them outside of the University. Something he seldom did because he'd rather die than become the center of a crowd's attention, unless of course he was giving a lecture.

He was perfectly average in looks, brown eyes, fair skin due to him never going out and preferring the company of dusty old record to that of other humans. His hair were relatively long and he wore them in a low ponytail like men of the upper class of society did. It denoted the absence of physical labor in his every day life while being fashionable and low maintenance.

Due to the time he spent reading he already required the assistance of a pair of spectacles he kept around his neck by the uses of a chain when he wasn't wearing them. He was always close shaven to keep an air of respect and cleanness. However he was not as perfectly put together as his carefully maintained appearance suggested, he would often get so absorbed by his work that he would miss lunch or diner and would often stay to study until well late into the night, because of this, he was a rather thin man with dark circles under his eye. His neighbours Miss Lila and Miss Veronica would often stop him in the stairs to conceal them under makeup with the excuse that he had to appear steadfast and reliable if he wanted his student to trust him or his colleague to entrust him with interesting work.

It was because of one of these so called interesting works that Joan found himself walking to the University in such a hurry on a bright Tuesday morning.

Joan had a mission, he was to meet up with Berel's team in Andora and get from them the documents that they had already translated to then bring them all the way to San Vale at the opposite side of the sea from his starting point. In essence the mission was trivial and should be easy enough to complete even by taking into account the elements or banditry on the road. Yet when Joan set out he took with him enough supplies to last him three time that journey and recorded in his journal everything he took up to the amount of grain of rice.

Professor in History and languages he shouldn't have been the one to do such a task but he was to set out alone on the journey. Well he had been supposed to but at the last moment his colleague and elder Doctor Tesla had assigned him an assistant, a young bachelor graduate in topology and geography name Alessia Voder. Now his mission was also to escort her to the research site where she would join in Berel's team.

So now they were two. It shouldn't be too hard to co-exist even with the gap in their age. Doctor Tesla had assured him she was 'an easy-going and friendly person' but that she would not pester him if he required calm and silence. Joan believed none of that.

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On that bright Tuesday mornings he arrived at the University and brought all the provisions out and then wait for three events, the first should be the arrival of Doctor Tesla and second Alessia's, in third should come the carriage.

Upon greeting his colleague upon arrival they waited for a long moment idly chatting the time away. Doctor in topology, Tesla wrote his thesis on the geography of the coast of Suloo proving while at it that the region used to be underwater and that even longer before was at the summit of an eon old mountain, Joan often joked that he would have preferred the snow topped peaks to the lazy and sunbathed coast. His colleague could not disagree more. He was fifty-four and his hair were silver, Madame Roena, in the department of social study, found him quite good looking despite his aging and most of her colleagues called her mad.

Tesla seemed to believe the weather would be nice and warm in the upcoming days, Joan silently prayed to the higher power presiding over storms and winds to make it true. The carriage arrived before Alessia. She appeared around ten, quite dishevelled and out of breath. She explained, between two heavy sigh, that she had met with difficulty on the way there and had woken up a little late. She hoped it would not be too much of a problem.

Tesla dismissed her worries, lying through his teeth, saying that it was okay and that they still had plenty of time, and were even a bit early. Joan chocked on his breath but Alessia did nor understand the hidden reason behind it and simply offered the professor some fresh water. He thanked her but did not take it.

It was the first time he met her. He vaguely recalled her being Professor Zayik student, but her face was new to him. He anyway was terrible at remembering people's faces.

Alessia was probably in her early twenties, she couldn't be older, she had long brown hair, lighter than his, probably somewhat bleached by the sun rays over the years, that she wore in two pigtails held by yellow ribbon. Joan was aware that the uniforms of the University required girls to keep their hair in a chignon but after all, they were on official University business, not in a class. There was no need to follow each rule to the letter.

She had golden eyes when the sun hit them just right and a very nice face to look at, she was everything Joan wasn't: cheerful, friendly, confident and probably very popular. Even when she wasn't smiling her face exuded this bright and joyful aura.

Joan had a sigh, this was going to be an exhausting journey. Especially if he had to entertain her.

The carriage driver went on and also loaded her stuff onto the carriage. They boarded and waved goodbye to Tesla and the University and set out.

That was three weeks ago and they had yet to reach their destination. Sitting next to him, on the drivers bench, Alessia was sharpening a knife. She had abandoned her dress for a pair of trousers Joan had lended her, he sat there, holding on to the horses leash. They had buried their driver two days ago.

"It was acute intuition on your part to bring that gun professor." Alessia said to break the thick silence.

"Indeed, but we must save up those bullets, sometimes a gun is a better deterrent than a bullet."

"I doubt these people would agree to turn away an leave us alone. It didn't work the first two times anyway."

"Unfortunately but we might encounter normal folks. "

"What I wouldn't give to fight against normal bandits instead of the one we got"

"What wouldn't I sacrifice to be able to finish this journey without having to fight again"

"That would be even better." Alessia looked at her pocket watch and had a soft sigh. "It will soon be noon, shall we have something to eat professor?"

"What a wonderful idea Alessia and get something for the horses too. We can't risk exhausting them too fast."

The professor wiped his forehead with his sleeve, it was quite a warm afternoon. When his sleeve came within his area of sight he felt his heart sink, he quickly lowered his arm and concentrated on the road ahead. His white silk shirt was torn in some places but what had warranted such a reaction was the large crimson stain slowly turning brown. How did it come to this ? When did it became a nightmare?