Adelle and Arnold moved through the streets on Ampyre. With lesser people and equipment than they were escorting before and a better understanding of the layout, they managed to avoid the increased security with little problems.

That, and Adelle could teleport.

They reappeared in an alley shadowed in even more darkness than the rest of the continent. Even if they could travel quickly, they were trying to not raise alarms. Another patrol of ten or so soldiers marched past the street as the pair slunk into the umbra, pulling up their cloaks to hide the colour of their faces.

Adelle harshly whispered, "There seems to be more of them than normal."

"They're probably looking for us. Or at least, you," he replied. "Green hair, red eyes, hard to miss."

"Don't remind me," she groaned.

Once the guards passed, she grabbed him by the shoulder and ported them across the streets. Moving through the labyrinth of the inner city, they hoped to close in enough to the fortress for Adelle to sneak in while Arnold caused a distraction outside. But hopefully, their secondary plan would kick into place instead.

Three days ago while on the road over, Arnold had sent out a message over the radio to Eca's group for aid. They did not have a long range 'receiver' on the truck - whatever that was - and could not be sure Eca's group even got the call. They were going to execute the rescue even if they didn't though. Time, after all, was not on their side. They had to meet back up with the rest of their friends before the hunt for them on the other side of the continent escalated further.

Together, they blended into a crowd and flowed with the swaying pedestrian. Each stepped brought them closer to the meeting spot they had arranged for with Eca. The plan was to wait there for the afternoon and hope someone turns up to get them, preferably not the ones wanting the capture Adelle to execute an end of the world plan. They weren't sure if their radio message had been intercepted and only hoped the secure frequency was actually secured.

Arnold said, "This way." He darted into a smaller street. As they proceeded towards the tavern where they were meant to wait for Eca's rebels, Adelle could not help but notice Arnold's relieved smile. "We're almost there!"

"They might not be here," she reminded him and watched his smile fade away.

"Way to kill the mood."

The Grumblehorn Travern was just your run-of-the-mill tavern that served enough alcohol to put a giant to sleep, or a rampage, whatever one's fancy. It was one of the few places not connected to the Guides and informants information network. There was little reason for any guards to investigate the place for anything else other than how much their rum cost.

Unlike most of the middle city, the building was relatively new. Though made of common stones, it was able to afford the luxury of wooden frames and a velvet flag hanging above its door with the tavern logo of two white horns crossed as swords.

The pair entered and some of the patrons looked up to them. However, none kept their gaze and quickly fell back to whatever slime of drinks they were having. The room was made of simple rock floor and layered with long stone benches and tables. A bar was situated flatly across the entrance with shelves of drinks in leather ceramic jugs labelled with dried paint. A musky smell of dusty alcohol floated around.

They walked across the tavern and took a corner booth. When the waiter walked up to them, Arnold simply raised three fingers to order the drinks, to which the former nodded. The drinks came in three ceramic mugs of different sizes and colours. Consistency was obviously not a concern there.

Adelle kind of liked the place.

"So now what?" she asked.

Arnold shrugged. "We wait for twilight."

Three mugs for a table of two, that was the sign for Eca to notice.

An hour passed. Then two. Patrons had come and gone but still they sat, having shuffled through two rooms of different customers. Arnold had already finished his mug and was starting on hers. She didn't drink as she liked to keep her senses sharp enough to fire her bow without accidentally shooting herself in the foot. Arnold obviously had no issue with shooting himself in the foot. Either way, she could not find it in herself to relax, not just because her weapons tangled oddly under her cloak. The air of tension was infuriating. She hated waiting.

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After the third hour passed, she suggested, "I think we should go."

Arnold looked at the last mug, still filled, obviously thinking about finishing it. But he finally agreed after a moment's hesitation. "Yeah. Let's go."

Before they stood up, however, the door to the tavern opened and a group of 5 guards sauntered loudly in. They were not patrons, obviously, not just from their numbers but also from the extra protection standing guard outside.

"Alrigh'," the leading guard exclaimed. "Nobody leave. Rou'ine check."

"Again?" the bartender whined. "'at's 'e fourth 'ime 'is season!"

The guards went around the table, checking the face of each patron with a scroll bearing a roughly coloured sketch of Adelle.

She clicked her tongue in frustration. Looking around, the door was watched at an angle where even if she managed to teleport out, she would still be seen, and no doubt a chase would take place.

"Geared..." she swore under her breath.

It was not the time to get tripped up. She needed to rescue Josh quickly and get back to Luce.

As she was thinking, one of the soldiers walked out around her blind spot up to their table. She looked straight up at him as he stared down at her face and knew their cover was blown. She reached for her bow, prepared for a fight. Her mind raced to anticipate their first moves.

The most optimal strategy was to leave Arnold to deal with the soldier immediately before them as she took out the ones on the other side of the tavern before they could react. That would leave the least amounts of enemies to deal with, but at the same time, would leave Arnold exposed to harm. Guarding him was a priority as she needed him to Guide her back to Luce.

In some ways, she had always enjoyed the starting moments of combat. The tension of hanging on the edge with the unexpected tickling at her throat. But not then. Not in a long while. There was too much at stake, and she was still not sure how to handle the responsibility of having something to fight for or a reason to live other than her own selfish needs.

Her fingers rubbed the leather of her quiver.

Then, the soldier huffed and walked away.

She was confused for a moment, then anxious the next. Her hand was still touched to the edge of her bow, ready to jump at a moment's notice. Was it a ruse to lure them out? Put them in a sense of safety as they leave before ambushing them with their guards down? She crossed glances with Arnold, the latter giving her an almost shocked and quizzical expression.

After a few minutes, the guards approached the bartender, exchanged some pleasantries, and left the establishment.

"What was that?" Adelle turned to Arnold and asked.

"Your face and hair," he replied. "They are different."

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

A young man with blond hair and a scarred face walked up to them, a drink in hand. They did not recognise him but he did not make her hair stand on the back of her neck as most dangerous situations did. The young man exuded no violent aura or intentions.

Arnold looked to him quizzically. "Can we help you?"

The man smiled and bowed slightly. "You're welcome, by the way." As he stood back up, his face sparkled with light and the facial features changed into that of Eca Rend.

Arnold clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Illusion magic."

Eca waved a hand over Adelle's face, probably to disarm the illusion that had tricked the guards. "Come on. Let us go."

The light mage moved swiftly with a sense of urgency, paying for their drinks as they left the tavern. Disappearing back into the crowd, the trio continued westward, following Eca to what would likely end in one of his many hideouts.

Adelle piped up, "You received our message?"

"Yes. I sent Talia out towards the coordinate you sent me. She'll meet up with your friends and guide them back once they're done on their end."

She sighed in relief. Having another Guide on the road halves their workload. They now had more time to spend attempting their rescue of Josh, though she still wanted to get things over with quickly. She'd felt better if she were by Luce's side. Her train of thought screeched to a halt. Since when had she begun to think that way? She wasn't sure. She didn't know if she cared when it happened. It felt right, and that was how she had lived her life for all those years, simply doing what felt right.

Eca broke her out of her trance by asking them, "How are you planning to save Joashden?"

Arnold explained, "Not much planning. I'll throw some grenades at the gates and cause a distraction while Adelle sneaks in."

"Simple, to the point," Eca noted. "Very like you guys. But I don't think that's such a bad idea. A direct confrontation might work better than trying to skirt around it. But let's wait until after dark."

"Why?" she asked. "Or what are you plotting exactly?"

"No plots," he admitted. "Just that if you're going for distractions, might as well make it a big one. Instead of tossing a few incendiaries at the gate, I'll gather my people and tonight, we'll set the whole district on fire."

Arnold gave him a look of worry. "Won't innocent people die?"

He laughed. "Don't worry. It'll be targeted. Only assholes will die."

"Why are you helping us to this extent?" she asked.

"Like I said when we first met. This is a mutual exchange. As long as the Pyrerai keeps her eyes on you, she's not keeping an eye on me."