{-Myr-}

They didn’t find Kaerio. Or, rather, she ultimately decided to stop trying. They’d talked with a few people about where he’d been and while it might’ve eventually led them to him… it sounded like he was busy. She didn’t want to interrupt him.

So they went back to the inn, and together headed for Kyirius. Llewel’s conversation with Casrane must have done something because, then and there, Casrane mentioned that they’d only need to stop at Anthalas for the quest. She brought up the possibility that the players could head there on their own, and the other three would meet them in Nafrius.

Both practical and suspicious, enough so it was hard to determine what side she’d leaned towards when making the suggestion.

When they got to the Kyirius City shop, they stopped by the door.

“It might be best if only one or two of us go inside,” Llewel remarked. “I don’t think Tamlio’s going to take well to the large crowd, especially considering who’s in it.”

Casrane nodded. “You just need to get here for the quest. What I need is with Vureta. We can try to find her together.”

Zetai shrugged. “Alright, I’ll be quick. Reynneak, you want to come, too, to make sure we’re all stocked up?”

“Yeah.” Then, with that, Reynneak and Zetai both walked into the shop.

“I almost feel bad for them,” Tinath mumbled after a moment. It was clear in her tone she didn’t know whether to treat it jokingly or seriously. “They have to be in the middle of… this.” She gave a not-so-subtle gesture between the four of them.

“They probably can’t honestly say they expected any of this…” Myr said quietly. “This has to be a lot more than they ever thought of doing…”

“But, despite that, they still willingly signed themselves up for it,” Llewel pointed out. “They know what they’re getting into.”

She might’ve actually had the courage to ask it—Will that really stop them from getting dragged into it?—and both Casrane and Llewel seemed ready to refute it. But Tinath, likely realizing the deeper thought behind it as well, diverted the conversation.

“Do you have any idea of where Vureta might be?” she asked, glancing at Casrane. “I guess we’re not too pressed for time, since if worst comes to worst I can just walk you around myself, but any idea’s better than none.”

Casrane shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t have any specific ideas of where she might be. But she knows I’m coming—she might’ve decided to stay at the base. Or, at least, I don’t think she would’ve gone far enough into the forest that no one could come and get her.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

A nod was about the extent of what anyone did to acknowledge it. There was probably something more all of them wanted to say, or ask—but none of them did. They’d already gotten as much of an answer as they were ever going to get. So, Myr was more than grateful when Zetai and Reynneak came back, Casrane restated what she’d told Tinath, and the six of them went to the Ghost Hunters’ base.

…

They only needed to get into the sight of the base. It wasn’t long after that that Vureta came out of the forest around them, carrying a little box with her.

“So I was right to think you’d be coming soon!” She gave them all wide smiles, as if there was nothing but chance behind their meeting. “Hey, what’s with all the frowns? This doesn’t have to be that serious, you know.”

Casrane stepped forward to take the box, mumbling, “I think they all know enough to understand that it isn’t all casual either…”

“Well, it’s never gonna be, if you keep sounding like that.” Still, Vureta let Casrane take the box. “It’s probably pretty late for you players, right? There’s a campsite right around here you can stop and head off. The twins and Casrane can come with me to the base for the night.”

“There’s actually… one last thing I want to do before we go our separate ways,” Casrane mumbled. “But it can wait a couple of minutes. Can you show us to that campsite?”

Vureta nodded and led the way. It was, really, just right off the path. She gave a wide gesture to it, then admitted, “If you don’t need me for anything, I’m going to head back to the base. I kinda promised I’d return as soon as I finished talking with you. But that doesn’t mean you guys can’t come back later whenever you’re ready.” With that and Myr’s mumbled see you then, she disappeared back into the forest.

None of them bothered sitting down. Casrane, after a moment, asked, “So, I just want to make sure of something. You three are okay with heading to Anthalas on your own, right? From there, you can just teleport back to Nafrius, where we’ll meet you.”

Zetai nodded. “Wasn’t that always the plan?”

“Yes, but… there was one other thing I wanted to add to it. You wouldn’t mind staying at the inn when you get there, would you?”

“What else do you want to do..?” Reynneak questioned cautiously. “I don’t think any of us are really going to be in favor of leaving you alone.”

Casrane considered it, and came up with a half-answer. “There’s just some things I want to take care of and, besides, we’ll be visiting Fininri anyway. It’ll give the twins some time to talk with him—they’ve all probably got a lot of things to talk about.”

“We all realize there’s more to it than that,” Tinath pointed out.

“I don’t exactly think I’m going to enjoy the moment knowing you’ve got another reason,” Llewel agreed.

“I’ll explain it later,” Casrane said. It was nowhere near reassuring—everyone, herself included, had to have realized that. “It’s about time I started explaining what all of this was for. But in order to do that, the players first need to stay at the inn. We’ll meet with you after the twins are done talking to Fininri and I’ve done what I needed to. Alright?”

It sounded more like a muttered disagreement, but it was as much as she was going to get. They weren’t going to know any more about the situation, either, until she decided it was time.

Myr was already starting to have mixed feelings about returning to Nafrius…