It took Amelia and Trillia a few hours to track Layla down. The orc cleric kept a busy schedule, it seemed.

They finally found her on the outskirts of town, kneeling with her hands pressed together. A fresh set of funeral pyres had recently burned out.

The two approached and waited in silence.

Layla was still a child. She couldn't have been much older than Trillia. Light leather armor and an iron plate strapped to her chest was her armor. A crudely drawn symbol on the chest piece seemed vaguely familiar to them both, most probably the symbol of her goddess. The most orcish thing about the young woman was the heavy crude lump of metal at her hip that was masquerading as a mace.

Dark blue skin and a completely shaved head. Hands that were scarred over as if burnt. Her head finally rose, and her eyes opened, revealing two bright purple eyes. Layla stood and dusted her knees off before approaching the two and extending a hand.

"Thank you. For not interrupting my prayers. Do you have need of healing?" The smile she wore on her face seemed strained at best. Her eyes lingered on Amelia.

Trillia was the first to take her hand, offering it a firm squeeze. Layla was only a few inches taller. Which meant if she wasn't a [Runt] herself, she was younger. "We do. Just not immediately. Amelia and I are putting together a group to challenge the dungeon with. So that we may progress and become stronger. Sir Gobbinz said that you were the one to look for. I've been trying to curb the bad habits I have. So I'll ask first, may I scan you?"

Layla shook each hand in succession as it was offered. Nodding at Trillia's words. "Of course, I have nothing to hide. Sir Gobbinz is an honorable man. The goblins of Red River show a reverence for their dead that I wish more of our kind showed."

[Orc - Acolyte of Retribution - 66] Universal Mana Manipulation

Notable Traits:

Divine Affinity

Whispers of Divinity

Trillia froze. It was the first time she had seen another Universe manipulator. It was as if she could feel tingles running through the left hand that she no longer had. "Were you...also?" She could barely whisper the words.

Layla stared at her for a long moment before looking down at Trillia's left stump. "I was not spirited away. If that is your question, Lady Trillia. I was still a baby at the time and was spared." Trillia wasn't surprised that the cleric knew of her. The two of them were rather well known amongst their own people. Layla turned her eyes to Amelia. "Please, inform your banshee friend that my goddess and I have no fight with her. Our retribution is directed at the [Primordials]."

It was Amelia's turn to freeze. The two girls stared at the young cleric before them. The three shared a long, awkward silence. Layla cleared her throat. "Forgive me for being rude. I am willing to travel with you. All I ask is that you let me bury and honor the dead we come across. If our travels take us past the dungeon."

Trillia barely managed a nod. "Sorry. It's just. It brought up some bad memories, that's all. I didn't mean to be rude myself. I would very much like to hear more of your Goddess and her beliefs."

Layla smiled at that, clasping her hands together. "You are a pact-bound. It is my dream to one day become an avatar of my Goddess in such a way. Though she can only whisper to me. For the debuff prevents her manifestation. I should warn you; That the same debuff prevents many of my more potent spells from taking full effect. Are you sure that you wish to have me along?"

Amelia placed a heavy hand on the girl's shoulder, smiling down at her. "If Sir Gobbinz vouches for you, we trust that you're up to the task. I am most interested in your Goddess, as well as your ability to see and hear spirits. On the morrow, we'll be heading to the new minotaur city that sits closer to the rift. We're escorting a couple of armourers there. One of which will be joining us."

Layla nodded once more. "Let me gather my things. Where should I meet you?"

"The Eastern Gate at sunrise. Do we need to talk to anyone? About you traveling with us?" Trillia didn't want to ask a question that seemed to have an obvious answer at this point.

"No, I have nothing to tie me to a location anymore. I'll see you tomorrow. I need to get some supplies and say goodbye to a few friends for now." Layla waited for some sort of confirmation. As Trillia nodded, she turned and left.

Amelia watched her go, turning to look at Trillia. "I'm starting to wonder if Gobbinz set us up to take in a bunch of misfits."

Trillia began chuckling at that. "Suppose we'll fit in well with them. If that is the case."

Amelia snorted, shaking her head. "I'll get us some supplies. Why don't you go and speak with Tormash, let him know the choices we've made, and see if there is anything we need to do in rift city for him while we're there."

"I'm sure. If nothing else, there will be some letters we could deliver. Who is leading the minotaurs right now? If you're not there, and King Cordaos is out with the other generals hunting?"

Amelia shrugged. "I don't know. Probably the Grand Alchemist. The minotaur are restless, especially after God's Watch. There's a lot of talk about fortifying the city more to fend against underground attackers."

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"For now, let's just focus on the dungeon and getting stronger. We'll hope that Malor is an easy sell." With that, the two girls headed off to tend to their given errands.

Trillia found herself at the Chieftain's hall an hour later. The sun had set at this point. A single guard was standing outside the door. "Excuse me. Is Chieftain Tormash still inside?"

The guard looked down. "The Chieftain and Elder Shaman live here. He's given me orders to allow you and Princess Amelia inside whenever you like." The guard turned his back to her and ran his mana through a series of different runes. The large stone doors slowly creaked open.

"Ba'Shoon's enchantments?" Trillia ran her fingers over the stone door as he motioned her inside.

"Yes, Lady Trillia. The Elder Shaman is quite adept at runes. This one keeps the door locked and reinforced." Once Trillia had stepped fully inside, he touched another rune. The doors slowly closed.

The hall was completely silent. No fires or people. A single floating orb bathed the room in a gentle blue glow as Trillia stepped forward. After a second, it zipped off, leaving her in utter darkness.

"Well. This isn't scary or anything." Trillia turned her head this way and that to no avail. A moment later, she channeled mana into [Searing Rend]. Her hand began to glow with fire, illuminating the room. Keeping the spell charged wasn't even enough to break even on her mana regeneration. She began to slowly meander through the hall. Peeking into side rooms and trying to find her brother.

"Is everything okay?" The deep voice startled her. As she spun around at the ready, she saw Tormash standing there in just leather pants. "Sorry. Ba'Shoon and I were going to call it an early day. It seems trouble rises earlier and earlier with each passing day."

Trillia smirked and nodded. "I don't envy your position, brother. Amelia and I are going to rift city tomorrow. One of the people we're recruiting is there, and the deal to recruit our armourer is to help guard supplies there and back. We went with an orc cleric, a minotaur enchanter, and a human armourer. We thought we'd let you know and see if you needed us to do anything while there."

Tormash rubbed his eyes and nodded, motioning for her to follow. They wound their way through a few hallways. A simple wooden door was their destination. Sticking his head in, he let Ba'Shoon know that Trillia was with him. Pushing the door open and letting Trillia inside. Ba'Shoon pulled some furs up around her, and the little glowing light buzzed gently near her head. "Trillia and Amelia are going to the rift tomorrow. I am going to have her take those copies of our supplies and building materials to Mort. Is there anything else we needed to get over to them?"

Ba'Shoon smiled and gave Trillia a little wave, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I think that's enough. I take it you found your party?"

Trillia nodded and relayed the same information to Ba'Shoon that she just had to Tormash, who was digging through a drawer on a desk full of papers.

"A human armourer? That's smart, actually. If the family of leadership appears to shun the humans, then it will reflect badly on orcs and minotaur. Even if that's not your intention."

"Sir Gobbinz said the same. It was his idea. We just agreed with it. We're going to rift city to pick up the enchanter. I don't know how long we'll be gone."

Tormash mumbled something and wrapped a bunch of papers in a hide before stuffing it all in a pouch. "Only a week or so. Over the years, we've made the journey much easier. Some of the humans showed us how they make roads. It's labor intensive, even with minotaur earth mages. But it makes pulling wagons significantly faster with no rough terrain. We also have a lot of joint patrols with the minotaur to ensure it's all a lot safer."

Trillia took the pouch as it was handed to her. "Sorry to bother the two of you. I didn't realize it was so late."

Tormash pulled her into a hug and tousled her hair. "You're family. It's never a bother. Plus, you're doing me a big favor. I've heard that the generals have already started moving to other continents. Mom and Dad are exploring some of the more dangerous areas on this continent. Stas is on the same continent as D'Jamu. I haven't heard anything about Brutus and Cordaos, just that they plan to take a ship soon."

Trillia blinked, a bit startled at that. "Uncle Stas already left? I felt like I just saw him..."

Tormash nodded. "I don't think any of them want to waste time. The longer it takes to seal the primordials, the more people die. I know they've explained that it's not going to be some short venture...but something feels off."

Ba'Shoon spoke up at that. "Mana isn't moving quite right. It's rather subtle right now. But a lot of our higher leveled warriors are reporting odd occurrences with how mana is flowing. The aggression from non-sapient monsters is also spiraling. I knew it'd be bad. I just didn't think it'd happen so fast."

Trillia nodded softly. "It's one more reason for Amelia and I to get stronger, faster. Maybe we'll get lucky, and Mariah will ascend. From what Arlyss tells me, that will break whatever seal is on the other deities."

Tormash grunted and shrugged. "Let's hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Do the two of you need any supplies or funds?"

"Funds?"

Ba'Shoon chuckled. "Most places don't barter and trade for everything like orcs do. They use metal coins to purchase things. With an economy growing, you'll start running into people who only use coins to barter for everything. We're making more portals near the rift. From my understanding, one recently went up that is linked with Kincairne."

Trillia shook her head. "I don't think so. Amelia is gathering some traveling supplies. Otherwise, we're just going there and coming right back."

She gave them both hugs. Stopping and staring at the buzzing little light. "What is this?"

"It's a small light elemental. I summoned it a few days ago. Right now, it patrols the building and comes to alert me if anyone is inside at night."

Trillia nodded and extended a hand. The little ball of light hovered near it for a few seconds before a spark of light arced from its body to Trillia. "Pleasure to meet you. Good job on being such a good guard." With that, she turned to leave. "I hope the two of you get some rest."

As she got to the door, Ba'Shoon called out to her. "Where's Ialu?"

Trillia looked down. "She died to that damn immortal. I haven't summoned her back yet. I keep letting her down... I know she can come back, but it's not fair that she has to suffer because I'm weak."

Tormash sighed. "Trillia. She's bound to you. It's also not fair that she's trapped in some artifact. I doubt she blames you for what happened. I'm also sure she is just as ready to progress as you are, maybe more. Look at it from her perspective. She's failed you twice. She could be thinking that being trapped in the artifact is a punishment for being weak."

Trillia's eyes went wide, and she spun around. "I would never!"

Tormash nodded. "I know that. In life, you have to view things from the perspective of others. Especially as a leader. Summon her and have a chat. You have a mental connection, right?"

Trillia nodded, her right hand moved up to grab the whistle around her neck. "I... I didn't think about that at all. I hope she's not angry. Thank you both, and good night."

The little light elemental darted after her and led her to the doors. The guard wished her a good night. As she wandered back towards the tent that she and Amelia shared, she summoned Ialu.