Serenydi Signpost [https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOk7YeudxKgpZ4kFfQD18FsbJMXSSn0heB0Q5WK72DFZ48mxYg07QxGuZw5LQx9m0CL-o8udAd6lk-7FcZArmuAeQKIrIMAmo0EKXFKE8Wlz46JNRovL8cWVG6Xu5-_5kuNp7029MoekzFHxMaknkhl=w661-h992-s-no-gm?authuser=0]
The coach they ran into had been surprisingly fast with the driver’s own abilities hastening their trip. While they had been making decent time already as Sapphire Casters, whose speed walking was faster than a Mundane sprinting, the Utility Caster whose entire powerset focused on transport over land turned their two weeks into two days.
The sight of the shining, towering city of Serenydi seeming to float on the sea, filled Uriel with both wonder and dread. Would he find the others? Was Dazien still alive? Would he be able to handle telling Phoenix that he could never hug her again? Would he be able to find a tailor that could make some actual clothing that his skin wouldn’t shred into ash?
He realized there was a problem he hadn’t thought about before that moment when he and Camilla stood in line to purchase a ticket on the ferry that would take them into the city of luxury. Uriel quickly discovered that he couldn’t read the signs or speak the language the attendant spoke to the people ahead of them.
Turning to look at Camilla, who continued to avoid his gaze, he confessed, “I can’t understand the language. Dazien told me he would be able to translate, but…” He trailed off not wanting to voice his worries that the man he loved and depended on actually died in the sea weeks ago.
Camilla seemed to shift uncomfortably before saying quietly, “I c-can read but not speak it. Twenty Mana Bits per person to ride across.”
He nodded as they both fell back into silence, and he wondered if she had a similar translation ability as Phoenix. Perhaps something from her Rune Aspect? He pushed the idle thoughts away and focused more on keeping his aura nice and restrained as they waited their turn. Setting forty Mana Bits on the counter, he was given two slips of paper in return.
Uriel couldn’t read the writing on the tickets either, but he didn’t need to in order for the ferry workers to let the pair of them on the massive boat, and they soon began gliding across the crystal clear waters towards the monstrosity of lights in the distance.
When they arrived on land once more, Camilla reluctantly took the lead to direct them through the maze of streets and stairs towards their best chance for information: the AOA. With every twist and turn they took, he found himself immensely grateful for Camilla’s presence as he doubted he would have been able to make it to the right location in a week let alone the hour they managed.
Getting there, however, turned out to be the easy part for the pair of them as nobody seemed to speak their own language at first, but eventually someone arrived who spoke Trade Pyrinese to help them get sorted.
However, the translator couldn’t provide any answers to the questions about their missing party members. It wasn’t until they handed over their Adventurer licenses and a handsome barely-dressed Night Elf arrived to greet them, that they finally got some answers. He dismissed the translator and took over the position himself as he greeted them.
“Hello, Mister Karislian and Miss Saren. You can call me Emrys,” the silver-haired man said with a cheerful smoothness that instantly put both of them at ease, “I understand that you’ve been separated from your party during your travels here?”
Uriel nodded and reluctantly spoke up when Camilla didn’t answer, “Yes. Our ship was attacked by pirates and a Hoarfrost Leviathan. We were lucky enough to make it to shore together but haven’t been able to meet back up with our companions.”
Emrys’ smile was almost blinding as he replied, “Well, I have some good news then. Three of your companions have already arrived and are staying here in the city at Lalune Dellarose. I can take you to them now if you wish.”
“Please,” Uriel almost begged. The relief that crashed into him stole his breath away and he was glad he no longer needed it. Only a moment later did it click that three was not four, and he wondered which one of his companions they would be stuck waiting to arrive, or worse, needed to mourn. He steeled himself as he asked, “Who… who isn’t—”
“We can cover that once you’re all together. The others have been waiting for over a week now, and I just got some information pertaining to the one still missing a bit earlier today. I would like to gather you all before going over everything,” Emrys gently said, and Uriel was slightly surprised by the sense of tension leaving his body.
Something about this man was… comforting. Perhaps the confidence with how he carried himself? Or the compassionate smile he gave them? He couldn’t place why, but he followed him almost eagerly as they left the crowded AOA hall.
It wasn’t too much longer until they arrived at an extravagant building, and he wondered if they were in the right place. While he knew Dazien wanted to be a king someday, the orphaned gemite wasn’t one to waste money on extravagance like this inn screamed it was.
His heart sank at that, fearing that the location meant that Dazien hadn’t been there to choose it. Maybe he had arrived later, though, and hadn’t bothered relocating? It was a stretch, but a hope to cling to nonetheless.
“Would you two mind waiting out here for a bit? I wish to verify that they are here still and don’t want either of you to feel overwhelmed,” the elf said gently but without condescension.
Uriel noticed the furtive glances Camilla was giving the building and his own hesitant posture. Returning his smile, Uriel replied, “Thank you. That’s very considerate of you.”
“Of course,” Emrys said with a wave of his hand as though it was nothing, “You have been through enough already. I will be back soon.”
Then he vanished with a swish of silk and smooth grace, leaving Uriel and Camilla to wait awkwardly while not daring to lean against the gilded walls of the inn.
He was beginning to worry that perhaps they weren’t there, when the door cracked open and Emrys’ voice echoed out to him, filled with amusement, “You can come in now.”
Uriel led the way for the fidgeting researcher as he pushed the door open a bit wider and walked the pair of them through to hear a voice, one that he hadn’t realized until that moment that he had been desperately longing to hear again.
Phoenix choked out, “Uriel?!”
As his eyes instantly locked on hers, they both seemed to react on instinct as they closed the distance and hugged each other tightly. Relief flooded their auras at the same time as the two best friends were finally reunited.
“You’re alive,” Phoenix almost sobbed as she smooshed her face against his magically armored chest, “You’re here.”
Uriel swallowed the lump in his own throat as he managed to say, “Thanks to Camilla.” He released her a moment later as he almost rested his cheek upon her hair. Taking a step away and holding her at arm’s length with his magically gloved hands he added, “While I would love to keep hugging, I have a lot that I need to explain.”
Her watery eyes trailed up and down him before she asked with a crooked smile, “Like what exactly you’re wearing? Where did you get this armor? I’m not sure this bright blue is really your color, which I have been learning waaay more about fashion lately than I had ever planned to before.”
He didn’t get a chance to answer as another body slammed into him and he was finally grateful he was Sapphire now and managed to stay standing.
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Saiya’s grip on him was almost breaking him though as he tried to carefully extricate himself from it.
“You’re Sapphire!” Saiya exclaimed. “I’m so relieved you’re alive and finally ascended!”
“You’re late,” Rayna teased as she followed her sister to their side. “Glad to see you made it here, though.”
He shook his head but managed to return her grin with a rather forced one of his own. “You too. I wasn’t sure if anyone else had survived.” It wasn’t that he was disappointed to see them. He was relieved the twins had lived too, but if they were here… that meant Dazien was still missing.
“Speaking of that,” Emrys interrupted, drawing everyone’s attention to him instead. “Let’s find somewhere more private to sit and talk.” His pale blue gaze settled on Phoenix as he inquired, “I believe you have a couple of rooms rented here, yes?”
Phoenix gave the elf a glare that Uriel wasn’t sure the reason for as she gave a curt nod and said with more bite than she normally used, “Yeah, up on the third floor.” At Emrys’s raised eyebrow she gave a huff of annoyance, “Yeah, we can use it, but I don’t even know who you are or what you need to talk to us about.”
“He said he had some information about Dazien,” Uriel supplied, and tried to get her to relax around Emrys a bit more by adding, “He’s been helpful to me and Camilla so far. We met him at the AOA.”
Phoenix’s brows knit in confusion, “The AOA told me that they don’t take missing person missions here that don’t pertain to a resident of the island. They wouldn’t send an Adventurer to comb the ocean for an outsider who’s never even been there before.”
Emrys smiled and gestured to a malachite gemite that Uriel had only ever seen pictures of before as the Night Elf explained, “Well, that’s where Zevan comes in. She reached out to me specifically and explained your situation. I requested that the AOA and Port Authority inform me should any of your missing companions show up there while using my own connections to send a few messages. I received a little tip just before the PA contacted me about the arrival of these two. I can continue explaining in your room, instead of blocking the entrance here.”
Uriel chuckled slightly at the subtle tease that reminded him of how Dazien would behave at times. Phoenix gave him a curious look but nodded, “Sure. We can all go into my room on the third floor,” she said, then turned to lead the way for them.
It felt weird to Uriel to be going to the third floor of the building that was located on the twenty-first floor of the city, but there was much in this sparkling city that he was already finding odd. The clothing, the jewelry, the music, the people, the constant laughter and sounds of parties; all of it was so different from Tulimeir.
The room was spacious with enough seating between the chairs and pair of beds to accommodate all of them. Once they were all seated, Saiya successfully extracted from his waist, Emrys finally revealed his information.
“I received word that a Shiny Amethyst Gemite was spotted on an island near here. The Silent Isle is primarily a den of thieves and crooks outside the purview of any civilized nation—”
“Why doesn’t Serenydi’s government just go rout them out?” Phoenix interrupted with another glare and Uriel was wondering again exactly what happened to make her so hostile toward the man who was helping them.
“Because they are not part of Serenydi, and if the isle was destroyed they would just go to another and continue on,” the Night Elf patiently replied, “If we leave them be for the most part, then we can have our own agents in place to keep an eye out for the worst. If we had routed them out as you suggest, then I would never have learned of your brother passing through.”
“What was he even doing there?” Rayna asked from her spot on a bed.
“Apparently, he was taken prisoner,” Emrys softly announced, “I’m trying to narrow down by who exactly, but the brothel matron who bought his hair for one of her ladies mentioned the slaver was a runeforged that didn’t speak Nightish well and hadn’t ever been seen on the isle before.”
Silence fell for a moment before Phoenix asked in a horrified whisper, “What do you mean by bought his hair?”
Emrys met her gaze, “Exactly that. She cut it and paid the slaver Bits for it. He apparently put up a fight according to her complaints about it, but he was a Caste below her guards and wore Chains of Silencing Hunger.”
Phoenix glanced at Uriel in silent question and he explained, “There are different kinds of Silencers. I believe those ones do exactly like they sound. They keep him silenced and starved.”
She put her hand over her mouth and Uriel could practically see the panic behind her eyes as her mind likely raced as much as his currently was. “You said passing through,” Uriel reiterated as he asked, “Do you know where they took him?”
“Not yet, but I have my people asking around to find out,” Emrys replied. The elf’s lips curled into a more apologetic smile, and he added to Phoenix, “I know I ruffled your feathers a bit earlier, and I’d like to apologize for that. I simply didn’t want you to treat me like you were with those other nobles, putting on a mask that did not fit you in the slightest. I am here to help you, though, if you’ll allow it.”
Phoenix frowned at him, contemplating in silence for a long moment before saying, “You called me ‘Little Hero’ earlier. What did you mean by it?”
His smile turned more into amusement as he answered, “I know who you are, Saint Wayland. My information network is likely the strongest this side of Devreli. I have heard much about you already, but those other nobles downstairs are not nearly so informed.”
He nodded toward Zevan who sat beside him on the opposite bed from Phoenix, “I normally have Zevan spend some time with them every now and again to learn anything useful they might have caught in their inn hopping, but they very rarely gain anything of note.”
“Wait, who exactly are you?” Rayna interjected again, eyes narrowed as if suddenly on alert.
Emrys smiled again, “Hopefully a friend. I’m just another prominent noble scion, but I have quite a bit more experience and ambition than the others downstairs.”
“Ambition?” Uriel repeated, wondering exactly what he aspired toward.
“In the sense of not sitting around chatting in an inn all day just to feel like I’m someone important while not actually accomplishing anything productive,” he replied, before turning toward Rayna and saying in a slightly more conspiratorial whisper, “I personally blame the Fainéant being part of our pantheon for that, though. They make him so proud.”
Rayna snorted a laugh that time, her body relaxing more, “The god of layabouts and relaxation? I wonder why anyone thought that would be a good one to include.”
Emrys chuckled as well, “I’m certain those entitled scions did.” He turned back to Phoenix, and his humor turned more serious as he asked, “I want to help you find the Heir of House Wayland and assist in whatever brought you here in the first place. Will you let me?”
“I’m not the leader,” she said, which seemed odd to Uriel at first, “I’m not going to give orders to my friends, and I’ll need to talk with them first about trusting you.”
Emyrs raised a brow and glanced towards everyone else. When his gaze fell on Uriel, he asked, “With your former party leader gone, is it not Regent Wayland who leads you all?”
He blinked owlishly for a moment, unsure what to admit. As far as he was concerned, Phoenix was their leader in Dazien’s absence, despite him knowing that she would shy away from the title. Rayna might have the brazen attitude that many leaders seemed to have, but he knew she wasn’t one. Uriel knew what true leaders looked and felt like, and Rayna was more of a soldier than a commander. While Phoenix didn’t normally give orders, she still had the presence of someone who could lead, especially when he had seen her stand in defiance against multiple gods.
She was someone who could make the choices that needed to be made when it mattered the most.
He hadn’t recognized it before, but if Dazien was gone, then Phoenix was someone he felt he could follow—someone he wanted to follow and support.
Phoenix’s eyes hardened as she seemed to realize that everyone was looking to her to decide and huffed in annoyance, “Look, I know I said I’d do better about the whole Saint thing, but I still don’t want to be the one deciding everything on my own.”
Emrys nodded and stood, “Well, I’ll leave you all to discuss then. Zevan will be staying here at the inn while you’re in town, so she can get a hold of me if you need my help at all. I’ll still keep my people looking for Heir Wayland on my own and at least let you know if I learn anything new. You may not want my help, but I’m sure he does.”
As the elf made for the door, Phoenix called out, “Wait, Emrys.”
He paused and looked back at them, and she said, “Thank you. I think we’d be grateful for your help, if you’re offering it. I know I’ve been doing a pretty crappy job about finding people so far and Uriel was right, all you’ve done is help us.”
“And ruffle your feathers,” he added with a smirk.
Phoenix snorted a laugh, “Yeah, maybe don’t do that as much?”
He laughed that time, “It will be hard for me to promise that. Much like I wanted you to be yourself around me, I was hoping you’d allow me to be more myself around you. No shallow facade coming from me either.”
Uriel watched silently as his chest tightened when he saw Phoenix’s smile become more genuine as she replied to the handsome noble elf, “I might be able to allow that. You said you wanted to be friends, right?”
Emrys nodded, “I would like that, but I understand if it takes you time to want the same.” He returned her smile with an odd fondness as he said, “Something tells me that you’re worth waiting for.”