“This is the last place she was pinged,” Puddles called out as she searched between the trees, “There has to be something around here!”

“I found her backpack!” Davon lifted the torn bag and sniffed it, “I can hardly smell her on it.”

“There’s blood over here!” Piper yelled, “Jonah, see if you can find anything from up high!”

He cawed and soared towards the top of the needled trees. When he saw the edge of a cliff, he swooped down to alert them. Davon followed the trail of blood towards the cliff edge. He looked over to see the lake below.

“Puddles!” Piper yelled, “Can you see if she’s in the lake from here?”

The water goddess ran to the edge of the cliff and looked down.

“We would see a corpse,” Gabby hummed, “Unless something ate her.”

“Don’t say something like that!” Davon growled, “We’re going to find her. She’s alive.”

In a pocket at his side, a small, sad Squirt stuck his head out. He peeped before he shrunk back into his shell.

“We’re going to find her,” He encouraged the turtle, “I promise.”

“What’s over there?” Piper pointed at the shore on the other side of the cliff.

A shiny gold pile reflected sunlight towards them. A man dragged pieces of other metallic objects towards the pile and examined them. Puddles’ eyes grew as she recognized them.

“That’s the thing that captured Charlie!”

The lion shielded his eyes from the midday sun, “And some guy is just… moving pieces of them?”

“Did she kill them?” The goblin asked.

“Her? I don’t think she could have. Maybe that guy did?” Piper handed the glasses to Gabby and shifted into her raven form.

Jonah and Piper chirped at each other before they flew down towards the man. They circled him for a few moments before he looked up and waved at the odd birds. One landed on top of the pile of clockwork pieces and the other perched on his shoulder. He patiently knelt next to them before he turned and looked up towards the group. Puddles gasped when she realized who it was.

“Everyone, jump!” She squealed as she propelled herself from the cliff.

Davon and Gabby followed her. After plunging into the cold water and swimming to shore, Puddles sprinted towards the man. He threw his arms out and caught her as she launched herself into his arms.

“Big Brother!” She squealed, “I thought you were in the Sarorr lakes by the sea! Why are you so far out here?”

“My little elemental!” He twirled her around, “Ocean said you needed help, so I’ve been making my way to meet you at Mixus. I see I left too late.”

Davon and Gabby knelt immediately. Jonah extended one wing in a pseudo-bow and Piper transformed back into her human form and knelt beside the dripping couple.

“All, this is Lake,” Puddles giddily announced.

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“Where is the anomaly?” He looked around, “Is it the bird woman?”

“We… lost her,” She grimaced, “But, she was around here recently.”

“How recently?” He lifted an eyebrow.

“Maybe a few days?” Davon grumbled, “It’s hard to tell. I can’t smell her.”

“I see. There hasn’t been anyone around here in over a week,” He dipped his head, “I’ve mostly seen these things. Any idea what they are?”

“They’re after the anomaly,” Gabby pointed to the general, “That one in particular captured her.”

“Hmm,” Lake rubbed his chin with his hand, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“We also found her bag but none of her things up on the cliff,” Davon looked back, “We’re worried she might be—”

“Interesting,” He ignored the lion, “I also sense a familiar aura nearby.”

Squirt stretched his head from Davon’s pocket. Once he saw the water god, he playfully squeaked and wormed his way out. He shuffled towards the steely blue man. Lake knelt down to pick up the turtle and held it up to his eye line.

“Well, look at that. My godbeast gave someone a familiar?”

“The anomaly.”

Squirt squirmed happily as Lake pressed the turtle against his bare chest. Davon eyed the turtle suspiciously, as he only ever saw the creature do that with Charlie. As the deities talked, the lion knelt beside Gabby to ask her a question.

“What’s Squirt saying?”

“Lake created the godbeast that gifted the familiar to Charlie,” She clarified, “It’s basically like he met his grandfather. But… there’s something else.”

Squirt cawed and nipped at Lake’s hair.

“Apparently, he smells like Charlie,” She whispered.

He cleared his throat, “Are you sure you haven’t seen anyone here lately?”

“Not in the last week, no,” The god crossed his arms, “Or are you saying I’m lying?”

“No, I just want to make sure my friend is safe,” Davon bowed, “I apologize for insulting you.”

“Lake would tell us if he saw Charlie!” Puddles stomped her foot, and the shockwave sent a ripple up her watery body, “Wouldn’t you?”

“I have not met anyone named Charlie,” He tussled her watery hair, “But, I am going to a small village nearby to see if they will melt down some of these pieces to turn into bars. I haven’t been around long enough to know what the currency is in Vlaminer.”

“How did you know where we’re going?” Piper asked.

“I told him,” Puddles rolled her eyes, “You guys are being paranoid.”

Davon and Piper shared a suspicious look.

“Do you honestly think Charlie would not introduce herself to him?” She snorted, “Plus, Big Brother would not lie to me, would you?”

“Of course not. Now, if you would help me carry these things, I may be able to help look for your friend once we get to the village.”

“Okay…” Davon threw his bow over his shoulder and picked up the larger golden carapace, “This will probably make the most money.”

“Piper, Jonah, go grab Pixie and bring her to us. It’ll take much longer for her to travel down that mountain,” Gabby yelled, “I’ll go with Davon and the others.”

“Yes ma’am!” Piper morphed back into her bird form and the pair flew up towards the cliff edge.

Lake and Puddles walked beside each other as they carried golden body parts into the woods. He spoke softly as they got further ahead of the others.

“I did find a woman around here. A young goddess,” He cleared his throat, “But, she refuses to tell me anything about her. I don’t even know her name.”

“Oh?” She giggled, “A young goddess? Does Big Brother have a crush?”

“I gave myself a humanoid form again once I felt her near here,” He shrugged, “She… fascinates me.”

“Where is she?”

“At my cabin in Moggaer. She was injured when I found her,” He tucked his turquoise hair behind his ear, “I think she’s new to godhood. She hasn’t even figured out how to heal herself.”

“I haven’t heard of any new goddesses in a while.”

“Perhaps she’s not a goddess but close to ascension. I do not gain any information about her when I attempt to identify her. Not even her name, but I also have not formed fully,” He whispered, “I worried she is as powerful as the Originals, if that is the case.”

“After we find Charlie, you’ll have to introduce me to your new goddess girlfriend,” Puddles teased.

“I do not think she is romantically interested in me,” He chuckled, “But, once she is well enough to travel, I’m bringing her to Vlaminer at her request. I believe she is placing her own attunements at the assessment center there, as most new gods do.”

“You should do that as well,” She smiled, “Delta and River have.”

“I don’t give out attunements, you know this,” He grunted, “But, it looks like my godbeast gave out one.”

“Yes –why exactly did you leave a crystalline turtle in the underground lake?”

“I don’t remember. That was nearly a millennia ago.”

As the two gods chatted back and forth, Davon could not get rid of the odd feeling in his stomach. He walked to a nearby tree and clawed something into the bark. Something told him that Lake knew more than he let on. He hoped that wherever Charlie was, she was at least safe.