The group spent only the night in South Shire, Adam not feeling comfortable considering how they had been treated the previous evening. There had almost been a fight when the guards asked for Adam to remove his helmet and the Half Elf had refused.

“We placed well in the Noonval Tournament so we’ve got gold to spend. If you don’t want us to spend it in South Shire, just tell me, we’ll go camp outside and continue along our way.”

Though the guards had tried to extort the group for gold coins, Jurot revealed the silver plaque which they had received from the Duchess, and the situation was quickly resolved.

The days continued to pass as they travelled through the plains and the hills of Central Aldland, the sun high above still roasting them, though the air had begun to grow chilly. They managed to stay within the village around the nearby order before they finally arrived at Eagle Wing.

The walls of Eagle Wing were long and wide, wrapping around towards the hills, where they wrapped upwards to protect the tiered city. The guards outside stood tall and proud in their breastplate, each stamped with the symbol of an eagle. Dusky tan cloaks fell from their shoulders, with spears in hand, and short blades at their side. Small wings of metal peeked from the side of their helmets, reminding Adam of the avian helmets of those of the Order of Wings.

“I forgot how serious the guards looked,” Adam admitted, eyeing up the guards as they approached.

“Halt!” came a shout from a guard, who raised their hand towards the strangers. “State your name and business.”

“Adam, of Fate’s Golden,” Adam motioned behind him. “We’re just passing through Eagle Wing to get to West Fort.”

“What is your business in West Fort?”

Adam let out a sigh. “We want to help a friend of mine help his missing friend, and West Fort seems to be the place they might be.”

The guards eyed Adam up, noting his Bronze tag, his puthral armour, and the cart and steed. “What is in the cart?”

“Some companions, and barrels of food,” Adam replied.

“Is it for trade?”

“No, but we do have a silver plaque from the Duchess of East Port.”

“You do?” the guard asked, uncharacteristic surprise filling their voice for a moment.

Jurot revealed the plaque, which they then took and checked, before they nodded and allowed Adam and the others through. The pathway inside the town was wide, extremely wide. Fifty people could stand side by side with ease if they needed. The next tier began almost a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and guards, but the bustling people made it hard to see.

The floor was smooth, the buildings to the side were made of smooth stone, or wood, each of them formed into small cubes. Everything in the city was was a light tan or a creamy colour, and most people wore muted clothing. Many people walked about with a small blade or axe at their side, and some carried staffs too.

“It feels so weird considering how bright and colourful East Port was,” Adam said.

“Yes,” Sir Vonda agreed, glancing around. She could feel a chill run through the back of her spine from the lack of vibrant colours. However, she noted the large number of accessories the people wore, and the ways they were fashioned. Though the colours were muted, the people wore their colours in various different fashions.

“How long until we get to West Fort from Eagle Wing?” Adam asked.

“If we hurry, six to seven days. If we take caution, ten days.”

“Oh? That’s much quicker than I originally thought,” Adam admitted.

“There are hills, then the plains, and then the forest and hills beyond, before we will finally arrive at West Fort,” Jurot said, simply. “We make decent pace thanks to the cart and your steed.”

“Sometimes I have my moments.”

The group spent only the night in Eagle Wing, the party fund also replenishing their food. Adam had first cycled his berries between the people, but upon feeling how awkward it was when some of the group were eating and talking over food, while others sat awkwardly, he had stopped the practise, even though it cost several gold daily. However, he did eat berries himself every so often, with the other Iyrmen around also joining in, as well as their Priest of Life, Vonda.

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“You have got to be kidding me,” Adam said, staring out into the forest. “Didn’t you head south?”

The pencil thin Crowseer flashed a smile from behind his cloth mask. “It is good to see you again, Adam.”

“For once, I’m not causing any issues, and yet you’re bothering me, what, twice? Three times now?” Adam asked.

“Am I bothering you?”

“Well, no, but you know what I mean.”

“Do I?”

“I’m sure you do.”

Crowseer continued to smile. “You say you didn’t cause any issues, but you’ve been acting up much recently. I asked you not to make a fuss, and you decided to place third in the tournament, after revealing how powerful you were.”

Adam began to sweat lightly, and not from the Duskval sun above them. “Well… you know.”

“Do I?”

“I’m sure you do.”

“I hope you take my warning to heart, Adam,” Crowseer said, bowing his head gently, while Maurice leaned back as to not appear to be bowing.

“How have you been, Crowseer?” Adam asked, clearing his throat.

“Well.”

“Keeping busy?”

Crowseer flashed another smile. “Yes.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“For you?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Yes.”

“Alright…” Adam remained silent for a long moment. “Hey, Crowseer?”

“Yeah?”

“Where are the depressed people I need to help?”

“Dunes, Jonn, and Fred are within West Fort,” Crowseer replied, simply.

“…” Adam narrowed his eyes. He met Crowseer three times recently, and now he was going to meet with three of his friends who were depressed. ‘Didn’t realise Dunes was depressed.’

“I shall be leaving you before I bother Her Majesty,” Crowseer said.

“I’m not that bothered by you,” Lucy replied.

Crowseer flashed another smile, before continuing on his way, passing them as his cane tapped the stone road under them.

“Crowseer,” Jurot said in their tongue.

Crowseer stopped, turning around to face Jurot. “Yes?”

Jurot remained focused on Crowseer for a long moment. He had thought to ask Crowseer certain questions, questions which had come to Jurot each time they had met. “May Baktu watch over you,” the Iyrman said in the Aldish tongue.

“I should hope not, but I will consider it a blessing,” Crowseer replied, holding Jurot’s gaze. Jurot bowed his head, and the Idol left, the sound of his cane striking the stone floor.

“Hey, Jurot?” Adam asked over dinner, the crackling fire still burning nearby around the tiny outpost they had created.

“Yes?”

“You think we could beat Crowseer if we fought him?”

Jurot thought for a moment. “Crowseer is not the strongest Idol we have met, but he is the most mysterious. Even the Iyr knows little of him.”

“Yeah? What do you know about him?”

“There are rumours he is allied with other great Idols, though I do not know of which,” Jurot admitted.

“Oh yeah?” Adam wondered how many Idols travelled the land. “You think I could become an Idol?”

“Yes.”

Adam noted the others throw him queer looks. “What?”

“You haven’t asked such an obvious question in a long time,” Jaygak replied.

“Well, you know… it’s been a while since I said something stupid.”

“That’s not true,” Lucy replied, sipping her soup. “You talked about how chubby Lanarot would be when you returned, and if Gurot would be as chubby too.”

“Like I said, I haven’t said anything stupid in a while,” Adam repeated.

“It will take us more than two weeks to return to the Iyr,” Jurot said, trying to change the topic. “We will not have much time to assist Dunes.”

“Mnnn.” Adam frowned. “I’ll leave him with a bunch of gold that he can use to search for his friend if we aren’t done. Do you know of any information networks in West Fort?”

“Yes.”

“Any that deal with missing people?”

“Yes.”

“Could you meet with them and ask them for help?”

“Okay.”

“If they want a ton of gold, that’s fine,” Adam said. “I’ve got gold to burn.”

“I will discuss with them,” Jurot assured.

Rick stared down at his soup, listening to what the pair were talking about, before going on to recall what happened this year. He looked to his companions, and leaned in to whisper to John. “John. Did we meet a Goddess?”

“We did,” John confirmed, his throat closing as he tried to swallow, before he calmed his heart.

Rick slowly nodded his head, sipping his soup. Once he was done, he went to bathe in the tower. He used the soap he had bought in East Port, which was beginning to run out, but he still had another full bar in his pack. He stared at the soap in his hand.

‘Did I smell well meeting the Goddess?’ The thought was the second most grateful Rick had been towards Adam, the first being the mass of gold coins he had made betting on the Half Elf.

The days continued to pass as the group made their way through the forest and hills, seeing the mountain to their north east, and the cool air from the sea from the west.

“Jurot, I feel like you told me that this area was particularly dangerous,” Adam said, spotting the plains ahead, and the large river which cut through the city in the distance.

“Yes.”

“How did we manage to travel for weeks through Central Aldland without coming across any beasts or anything?” Adam asked, narrowing his eyes.

“The bands may have dealt with the Beast Waves,” Jurot said, though he agreed that it felt weird. He had heard there were very few this year, much less than anticipated. “…”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Adam whispered. “You think maybe Crowseer had something to do with it?”

“I do not know,” Jurot admitted.

“Are we going to have problems in West Fort?”

“We may.”

Adam sighed. “Damn. I don’t like it, Jurot. We… coming across nothing now means something bad will happen later.”