After a few days of travel the Wilted Rose arrived at the city of Lorithstad. It was a settlement of old stone buildings that had endured the test of time. The tall stone wall that surrounded it presented its irrelevance in the era of airships through its chipped and broken appearance. Unlike the rest of the city, the dry docks were a new addition with three cramped within the walls. Jioh made sure to take his time landing, using Vanemar to look over the ship and guide him away from obstacles.
When Vanemar had awoken the day after the Brighthawks had boarded, the crew offered him the halved blade that the magiwarrior had used against him. Vanemar had no idea how to use the weapon, deciding it was best kept under his bed for safekeeping. Jioh said he would help him learn magic but Vanemar doubted the man would show him anything before he left for Nelympionis.
"Ever been to the lowlands before?" Vanemar asked Jioh as he kept his main focus on the ground below them
"Not very much, I can count the times I've visited on one hand. They weren’t very long either, just business deals. Surprisingly, the richest people prefer to live in the lowlands. Quite unusual for a place where the poorest of the poor live."
"Makes sense. Down here the size of your home depends on your wealth.”
"When I bought my warehouse I realized that the city would only allow so much space for it. Not to mention that trying to buy property in such a desirable place was headache inducing. I could have had a much larger one in the lowlands, but that would have made my job a hassle.”
"How did you get into the business of the black market anyway? Weren’t you a student before?”
Jioh kept his face on the horizon as he recounted his memories with a smile. "During the time I was at the academy the cult was just starting to spread in Honea. When it first expanded, it didn't with ordinary people. The ones who first started paying attention were the scholars and politicians. Since there were so many who fit into the former the cult took off like the plague. Obviously, I was one of those who were infected by it.
“I eventually ran into one of the high standing cultists at the time. They offered me a deal, once I graduated I would use my alchemy skills to provide them with magic equipment and they would in turn provide me with a chance to get involved in their much more secretive matters. Being my curious self and with no real plans for the future, I instantly agreed. Once I graduated I bought the warehouse and started selling them goods. That's how I ended up where I am today. My innocent curiosity got me stuck in the middle of this mess." He frowned and was silent for a moment. "Seems like it all might finally be paying off now though. What about you, what got you into your business?"
Vanemar was silent for a moment, the man didn’t even know his name yet. "Slow down here and move to the left a bit." He stared at the drydocks below until he was finally comfortable with their angle before turning to face Jioh. He decided that it was the least he could do after asking the same question. "Similar story to yours in a way. I knew what to do but didn’t know how to do it." Jioh's head quickly turned to him as if surprised that he would answer. "I was going to be a hunter at one point, just like my father. But, before I saw it coming he was laying dead right in front of me. On that day we had everything taken from us and-." Jioh listened intently as Vanemar grew silent. "After that happened I needed to make coin quickly to help support my mother. That’s when I ran into a group of mercenaries who offered me work. It's a long story but to sum up how I became a bounty hunter: A man who had been in the business for a long time offered me to become his apprentice and I took up his offer. I almost got everything I could had ever wanted, but I was tricked and brought to where I am now. All those years of work for nothing..."
"And what about your mother?" Jioh asked as the ship collided with the dock and he quickly pulled the throttle back.
"What about her?"
"Didn't you say you were going to support her?"
"Well, yeah. That was a long time ago. I sent her a lot of the funds I saved up a while ago. She should be fine now. My brother takes better care of her than I ever could."
"Ah, good to hear. At least you were able to help her somehow right?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Vanemar frowned deeply.
Jioh turned the engine off and approached Vanemar for a moment. "Can you wake everyone up? I'm going to see if I can get someone to patch up that hole in our hull." Vanemar nodded and went below the deck. The cultists were in the lounge that they were always at, talking away the days.
"We're leaving." Vanemar said simply. The cultists stood up at once and grabbed their things before following him up to the deck.
A poorly maintained staircase was constructed on the side of the dry dock. The steps creaked under their feet and the lack of a railing for support made the descent nerve racking. Vanemar sighed in relief when they reached the thin stone walkway at the bottom.
They found Jioh speaking to a small man with a large beard who acknowledged their approach with a nod. Jioh's business was quickly over and he returned to them with a gesture to move on.
"Ship will be fixed before we get back." Jioh informed them. "No need to worry about anything falling out anymore."
"Good to know that even the lowlands offer services such as these." Jun said with a smile as his head rotated around to take in the sights.
"Must not be as good business as in the Highlands though." Jioh said. "Or perhaps it could be, the prices here are a bit higher."
As they continued down the city, Vanemar felt his body get weaker and weaker. His rest had not done much to heal the wounds from his recent fight. It was easier to move around then during the time he had the arrow wound but he doubted his ability to do anything besides that.
"Place seems abandoned today. You would think that people would be leaving work by now." Jioh mentioned with suspicion. While some people could be seen through the glass windows of storefronts the road itself was completely devoid of anyone. During this time of day, even people in the small town Vanemar used to call home would be out and about. The city seemed almost frozen. No sound except for the quiet ringing of windchimes and the occasional banging of a tool was heard. It especially made Vanemar uneasy, his hand laid over the hilt of his weapon ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.
The further they went down the street the closer they were to the source of many shouts. It was then understood why the city had become so empty. A large crowd of people were gathered outside of a grand, fenced in building of stone in the center of town. No doubt that it was the city hall. A combination of mansion and fortress, tall silver rimmed windows sat below flat merlons that surrounded the roof. Guards stood behind those merlons watching silently as the crowd increased in mass. The people were releasing their anger through shouts directed towards the building’s resident who was nowhere to be seen. "Best we stay away from that." Jun told the group. "I don't think the sight of foreigners will make them any less angry." Nods of agreement were exchanged as they changed their route to be as far away from the crowd as possible. Vanemar checked in all directions for threats until they were out of sight. By the time they left, the crowd was attempting to break through the gates.
The other road was just as barren, leaving a straight path between them and the gates to the outside. They were closed shut and guarded by two soldiers in mail and gambeson, a far-cry from the shining knights of Holy Light. "Leaving?" One of them asked simply.
"Yes, but we'll be back." Jioh answered casually.
"Be back? You want to come back to this mess?”
Jioh was silent for a moment before deciding to take his chance, "What's been going on exactly? We just got here."
The man raised a brow and the other guard cracked a smile in response. "You picked a bad time to visit then. Everyone finally decided they've had enough of the mayor. Someone managed to learn of his mismanagement of the city treasury and today everyone decided to gather outside the hall in hopes that he’d confess.”
"That's not gonna happen is it?"
"Nope! The man doesn’t have an inch of honesty in his whole body! Guard captain isn't even doing anything to stop it, decided that protecting the city would be more beneficial." The door was fully open now and Jioh thanked them before they quickly went on their way.
Using one of the many maps from the Wilted Rose to guide them, they travelled through a small dirt path within a dense forest of evergreens. The sounds of birds chirping and creatures skittering through the ground emitted all around them. "First time in a forest?" Vanemar asked, noticing the others being quieter than usual.
"I’ve been in one before, but after what happened in Holy Light, being out in the open like this makes me nervous." Jioh answered as his head moved from side to side.
"Well there isn’t anything wrong with that statement. That mage seems to be able to follow us wherever we go. Maybe has to do with that glass ball of his.” Vanemar thought on the point. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that the mage ran into him twice already.
“A glass ball?” Jioh said with familiarity.
“You know what it is?”
Jioh tried to remember. “There’s a few things that a glass ball can be used for in alchemy. If the mage were to be using it to find us though…” His eyes widened in realization. “A Tracker!”
“A Tracker?”
“A type of spell that can be used to follow a person. The spellcaster has low control over the spell which is why a glass ball is used. Oh dear.” He sighed and scratched his head.
Vanemar felt a bad feeling in his gut. “This is a terrible thing isn’t it?” He asked in hopes of an opposing answer.
“It is. With only a single strand of hair they can find you without fail. Not even moving to Nelympionis will save you from that.” Jioh frowned in sympathy as silence began to grow.
Vanemar was filled with despair. This was the most vulnerable he had ever been. It was a feeling that was only lessened by the sight of Lorithshield Keep behind the evergreens. A sight which filled him with purpose. His worrying would have to wait.
Vanemar took a swig of his water flask as he peered through the greenery of the forest. The keep was just ahead, a weathered stone structure upon a hill. Surrounding it was a wall that had received an equal amount of care. Vines had grown upon the base of it giving the structure an extra color.
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The rest of the group were either keeping watch or sitting on the grass in wait. While they had all experienced life threatening danger a few days ago, the responsibility of entering the place without alerting the guards would be stressful. The guards in question were atop the walls, peering into the forest with bow in hand. Another set of three guards sat around a campfire at the gate. They appeared to be quite passive to Vanemar. He knew that the biggest problem they would face would be crossing the treeless area between the walls and the forest. If they were spotted, the guards at the gates would be alerted and they would be pelted with arrows. "If I were alone this would be easy." Vanemar thought as he brainstormed different ways of getting inside. "Well maybe not. But if I had all my tools...." A thought came to his mind as he watched the guards who were loudly laughing between themselves at the gate. They wore a uniform vaguely familiar to the ones at the Lorithstad. “Mercenaries.” He quickly put together his thoughts before speaking. "Hey Jioh." He said, getting the man's attention. "Think you can make two potions for me?"
"I’m going to run out at this rate.” The man said jokingly.
"I’ll need another sleeping potion and something that will make a very loud sound."
"I'll get on that. Give me a minute to look through my journal."
Vanemar turned to Ama who did not seem very pleased with how her day was going. "You can use wind magic right?"
She shrugged. "Quite easily but if you want me to hurt someone you can forget it."
"If just want you to clear a path through the fog that Jioh’s potion is going to make."
"That I can do."
"Then get it ready. Once Jioh is done we won’t have any time to rest."
The group watched the movements of the guards intently as Jioh found the signcaster pattern for his second potion. After finally etching a sign into one of his vials, he handed it to Vanemar carefully and waited for the man to explain the rest of his plan. "I’ll need an arrow and some rope." One of the cultists brought him an arrow and the other a thin piece of rope. He quickly tied the potion to the shaft and checked its tightness by quickly waving it around in the air. “Anyone here a good shot?"
"Give it to Zin." Jun answered confidently. "He is young and quick on his feet."
Vanemar turned around and held the arrow towards Zin who hesitantly approached him. He appeared to be in his teens with facial hair that was just starting to sprout from his skin. "Run till you see either the left or right side of the wall. Once we reach the gate let the arrow fly and run back to us. Make sure the guard in the battlements don't see or you’ll be in trouble." The man nodded and Vanemar patted him on the back before he disappeared into the forest. "Follow me through the gate." He turned his head to Ama. "Once the guards are unconscious, use your wind magic." She nodded reluctantly as he stood out of the green.
They approached the gate in a group, walking in an unthreatening manner. The three guards quickly stood up and watched them as they began to go up the hill.
"This place is off limits!" One of the guards called out. "Go back to where you're from!"
Vanemar waved to them. "Hey! We were attacked by some scoundrels back in the forest, do you mind protecting us so we can get some rest?"
"Must have been a whole lot of them to get you worried. We’ll let you stay out here but you’re not allowed inside.”
"Th-" BOOM, a tremendous explosion went off nearby causing everyone to brace. Vanemar's ears began to ring intensely as he reached for the potion on his hip. The guard’s attention was no longer on them. Instead they looked wide eyed towards the sound. As he threw the potion, Vanemar looked up. The archer above them had left them to go check on the ruckus. The magic mist quickly spread and caught the mercenaries off guard. They began to cover their eyes and coughed harshly in an attempt to stop its effects. As the three men fell at once, Vanemar looked at Ama who had watched the scene aghast. She slightly nodded her head and gripped her magiglove causing it to glow with a blue hue. The mist dispersed into the wind leaving the bodies of the guards out in the open.
Ama's voice came as Vanemar approached the bodies. "Are they-"
"Unconscious? yes." Vanemar interrupted as he crouched down and dug through the pockets of the bodies.
"Ah, so you’re a pickpocket as well," Jioh joked.
Vanemar groaned in response as he pulled a worn key from the pile and stuck it through the gate. The door clicked as the key turned and slowly opened inward. The sound of crunching grass from behind caused him to jump away defensively. The cultist named Zin had returned and was well out of breath.
The majority of the bailey was empty. A group of shattered stone buildings sat against a corner of the wall where the tall grass had yet to touch. A stone path led to the actual keep ahead, a three story stone building that was built as a dull square. It had been chipped and weathered, seemingly in no condition to stay upright for very long. Noticing the archers still at alert, Vanemar hurried his pace towards the single battered wooden door that led inside the keep.
The air inside was thick with dust that left Vanemar on the verge of sneezing. It gave him a headache, one that he guessed was not only caused by the dust. As they entered the main room he reached for the hilt of his sword. The room was furnished recently, with clean wooden desks and shelves that lined the wall. It was the room of a scholar. Books and materials for alchemy surrounded the place and on one large desk in the center was a manuscript written in ink from a small glass inkwell nearby. “Stay on alert. I don't think it's farfetched to say that someone lives here." He warned them as they quietly acknowledged. He went over to the large desk with the documents and looked over them. They were a part of a journal, recorded with a seemingly random choice of date. Vanemar quickly skimmed through each with Jioh joining in to help. The others watched them in silence until finally Vanemar came upon something interesting.
He began to read the words aloud, "I have spent years attempting to get through those doors but every method I try seems to be for naught. The doors are both impervious to magic and I fear that physically getting through would run the risk of destroying whatever would be on the other side. For now I will leave the entrance to the place sealed until either I find the answer or the answer comes to me."
"Looks like your wish will be coming true today." As he looked up his eyes quickly fell on a lone metal door in the corner, a large lock on its handle. "Seems your guess hit right on the mark." He said looking towards Jioh with a smirk.
“Wasn’t a guess.” Jioh responded.
Vanemar gave the lock a shake already knowing that it would not budge. There were only ever two options when he was met with a lock: find a key or break down the door. He turned to Jioh. “Got any magic that would get through this?
"I could melt the lock but It’ll be messy without a funnel. Ama, you think you can handle magic hot enough to melt this?" Jioh asked the mage who was already etching something upon her sign caster.
"Give me some space." She said as she held up her hand and focused her eyes on the lock as everyone began to back away. A bright and thin pale stream of fire exited the front of the magiglove and circled around the lock like a snake. It latched onto it and began to fizzle as Ama held her breath. It ate through the metal with ease, causing the bottom of the lock to dangle from one side. As the stream faded Ama exhaled from exhaustion.
"That was quite impressive." Jioh said as Vanemar gently pushed the lock off the handle with his sword. "You must be near the end of your schooling aren't you?"
"No, I'm only halfway through it." She said tiredly.
"You did a good job then. Not many novices can burn fire that hot.”
"Let's get going." Vanemar said as he opened the door. "Guards are probably about to figure out what happened." The descended a rounding stairwell which led below the earth. Unlike the floor above, the stone there was flat and well-kept, appearing as if it were only built a few years ago. Directly across from them, was a large golden door.
"Woah." Vanemar said dumbstruck. There was no doubt in his mind that the gold was real. It was as if its intended purpose was to be a work of art. Images of times past were etched along the frame where the hawk of the empire watched the newcomers with sharp eyes.
"So this is what so many imperial historians were trying to find." Jioh said as he stood beside him. "A place where the Brighthawks had locked all their secrets behind." He began to push the key through the hole in the center. "Is it magic too?" He said as he attempted to twist it before pulling it out. A sudden trembling in the wall caused everyone to back away in surprise. The doors rumbled as they began to move into the wall.
"Looks like the magic is already being used for you." Vanemar said as he looked to where the doors had gone. They were now lodged into the earth, he hoped that they would not close upon them. Looking away from the doors he noticed the state of his companions. They were frozen with eyes wide and mouths agape. It was only when he looked within the room that he copied them. A shining white crystal, tall as a church spire and bright as a star floated in the center of a circular archive. "What in the four is that thing?" He finally managed to ask.
"A construct of magic." Jioh recited. "Capable of generating energy as long as water flowed beneath it. A tool that could be used to power cities as long as it stood." Vanemar put a hand on the railing around it and pushed himself to see what was below. A stream of water was indeed rushing beneath it, the source of sound which emitted around the room. "It's a Crystal Pylon!" He finally said. "I was certain they were a myth. How could it be possible to create such a thing?"
"I'm guessing it'd probably be in one of these books." Vanemar said as he approached one of the bookshelves. "Although." He said as he picked up one of them and sighed. "They're all in Old Standard."
Jioh cursed and walked to one of the shelves to make sure it was the truth. "There must be something here we can take with us! Let me know if you find something, once we leave we won’t be able to come back for seconds.”
“That and we’re also short on time." Vanemar offered as he began to walk around.
"Don't remind me, I’m stressed enough."
"Sure." He stopped as he ran into a wide desk at the very back of the room. On it was a map of Deskaly with circles drawn in old red ink at different locations. "Found something that looks important." He called causing everyone to immediately come to him.
"That's definitely important but..." Jioh looked at the writings on the corners of the page. “I don’t have much of a clue what it’s trying to show us.” He looked at Vanemar. “And You won’t be with us to see where it leads.”
Vanemar stared at nothing as he thought. The thought of another journey made him curious but he wanted to go off on his own more than anything else. There were still some problems though, the High Mage and Jioh’s boss. Two roadblocks that he would likely have to personally handle. “That isn’t completely true,” he concluded.
A tap on his shoulder made him jump out of his thoughts. "Someone is here to see us." Jun said as he directed their eyes to the entrance. A woman in mage robes, surrounded by a group of mercenaries had found them. She had made no announcement of her presence although her eyes were too focused on the massive floating object in front of her.
"That crystal surprises everyone, doesn't it?" Vanemar said with a hand on his weapon as he began to approach them.
"I spent years trying to open it myself." The mage said as she finally noticed the group at the back of the room. "How did you manage to open it? Did you find the key?"
"Unfortunately, if we told you we would be in even bigger trouble." Jioh said as the rest joined with Vanemar. "I recommend you let us leave before you lose your chance of reporting this."
The woman frowned. "I suppose it would be rude if I stopped you for involuntarily aiding in my research.”
He raised a brow in surprise, "Fine then... By the way." Jioh reached into his bag and showed her the map that he had taken from the desk. “Do you know what this says?”
Her eyes scanned the page. "Geokeys of Deskaly." Her eyes widened as she realized what she had said.
"Thank you." Jioh quickly went for the staircase and gestured for the others to follow.
"Why are we leaving so soon?" Ama asked in frustration. "Especially after someone who actually knows Old Standard showed up!"
"We have what we need." Jioh told her. "The location of the Geokeys is enough."
She sighed as Jioh increased his pace. "Mind explaining what a geokey is then?"
"It is an ancient piece of magic equipment that, once connected to other geokeys, can be used to display a map that is stored within them. So whatever it is that these geokeys will show us, it will probably be the greatest piece of history ever discovered."
"Then we will be returning to Raverna then?" She asked with some excitement.
"Yes." This answer did not make Vanemar excited though, as it meant that the would need to go to a place where he had spilt the blood of a duke. The place where the populace would hold him in the highest contempt. "You'll be meeting my boss." Jioh said to Vanemar without noticing his nervousness. "Don’t forget what I told you before." Vanemar managed to nod before remembering what Jioh was mentioning.
As they exited the keep Jun pointed out something in the sky. "I think that our Honean fellows have found our trail.” The fleet was approaching, marking their arrival with the dark green banners of the republic on their balloons.
All heads immediately rotated up towards the sky. "Lets go!" Jioh said as he began to walk quickly. "Lets go!" He said again to get them moving.
Vanemar cursed under his breath. "Damn High Mage really gave us a running start!"