World Between: Intro part 2

Jared wasn’t sure what he had expected, but falling on soft grass with a river running nearby was not it. The thumping of a cane could be heard as he got up. A humanoid tortoise about half his height greeted him. “Well hello there, new friend or foe.”

“We’re not enemies.” Jared stated.

“It is not as though either you or I know.” The tortoise stated. “I do not yet see how you run counter to the waters.”

“The waters?” Jared questioned. “Run counter to me?...”

It is you who runs counter to the waters, Jared. But one only hears so much at a time, and I am only one Albroro after all.” Albroro stated.

“I’ve only just arrived.” Jared stated. “My goals are peaceful, and believe my intentions are pure.”

“As do we all.” Albroro began. “ But the waters travel where they choose, and where they choose, it seems, is not with you.”

“Yes, well” Jared stated. “all I need to know at the moment is where the group I came here with is.” Albroro closed his eyes as the river flowed and the wind blew. Shortly after he nodded slowly.

“Dangerous are your goals.” Albroro stated as he walked more towards the river, and signed. “Always such dangerous times for the newest of us.”

“Well that explains a lot.” A harpy girl planted her talons on the ground with an older woman following behind her. The light blue skin of the harpy made her rather hard to miss with all the greenery. “Look just don’t rush it, okay? And that’s coming from me, which is a testament to just how much you’re prepared to mess with.”

“Let’s just go, Cindy. It doesn't seem like we’re going to get much assistance.” Jared stated, and both began walking to the large town in the distance.

 “Not like I brought you part of your team, or anything!” The harpy shouted as Albroro turned to her. “None of the girls like them.” She stated. “Dark would go into hiding if she was allowed to, and empathize keeping her title and former name a secret.”

“Troubling.” Albroro stated as the river bubbled. “Would you keep me informed, Odina?” Odina looked at the water, and back to where Jared and Cindy. “I think I’ll be flying around a lot either way.” Both looked towards the town wondering what was about to come…

“All I really understood is people are guarding the things we, somehow, want to break, and she was very insistent we consider doing something else. ‘People are happy here, and you’re just going to ruin their lives again.’ or something.” Cindy continued summarizing to Jared.

“Let’s make sure the people we came here with are okay, first.” Jared stated. “We’re better off getting us all together, given the kind of training we may need.

Meanwhile back at the bar Cain and Jen had managed to join up with Aaron. And were now reading through information gathering quests. Reasoning that would be one of the best places to start. There’s discussing and reading through sheets, but by the time Jared and Cindy arrive it still only narrowed down to four.

“I thought you were a group of six?” Sofia questioned as the group once again claimed themselves a table. “And you aren’t allowed on the Algere Trails.”

“It’s the same level as the rest of these.” Aaron stated. “And just a flower.”

“There’s a difference between not doing it for the gold, and not even looking at the gold.” Sofia stated placing both hands on her hips. The group looked over their 4 sheets. The other 3 quests they were considering had a reward of about 500 gold. But the quest to get the flower was set at 2,500 gold, and clearly stated in very big letters that dark mystics would be given the standard fey cut.

“What makes it so different then?” Cain asked.

“Those trails are all thick fog or barely lit caves. Even the extremely skilled navigators hire a fey class race before going through. The more religious minded would have you believe that the less light oriented fey, such as beastmen, or demons” Sofia gestured to herself. “aren’t as helpful. But I've taken a few priests across, plus, occasionally, it's kind of fun to hear their excuses after.”

“You could take us then?” Aaron questioned as Sofia stepped a bit flustered.

“I… uh… yeah… if you really want me to... but it’s kind of expensive.” Sofia stated her last sentence rather fast, almost stumbling for an excuse not to.

“I don’t think she’d agree with our objective, Aaron.” Jared stated. “And…” Jared paused staring at her.

“One of those religious types I mention, huh?” Sofia stated noting the look she was given. “I don’t technically know your goal. So if you agreed to pay, I’m not technically allowed to refuse. One of few rules I don’t like around this part. But then moving would mean money and research. So, yes, I could take you. But you are all hopelessly under trained, so the fee is near half the reward.”

“We’d learn a lot though, and knowledge is top priority right now.” Cindy stated.

“And what happens when you learn about our goals?” Jen questioned. And what if it’s mid-way through the mission?”

“Well they’d have at least one thinker in the group.” Sofia stated. “It would depend, but most likely any actions I take would have to be after completing what I agree to do. For the most part, I agree with the rules. And even if our goals end up on the other side of the planet, no flower is gonna help you that much.”

“But we’re on our own as soon as you realize we’re against you.” Cain stated.

“Now, now. It has to come to that first.” Sofia winked at the group. “There’s a chance you realize how wrong you are, afterall.”

“So you’ll come with us?” Aaron questioned again as Sofia sighed.

“If you’ll have a demon, I really can’t refuse.” Sofia answered. “But I don’t do mornings.” Sofia was the last one up the next afternoon. But true to her word, escorted the group across the planes after hearing them decide the issue at hand had too many moving parts to wait on someone when they didn’t even know where they ended up. “See?” Sofia stated moving up to the front as the wagon approached the fog. “A lot of creatures can’t even smell their way through this.

“Good places to leave bodies.” Jared stated and Aaron nudged him

“He’s totally correct, so don’t know what you’re punching him for.” Sofia stated causally. “But it really is a pretty simple job, so it’d be a massive dip in my both trust ratings and success rate. Plus getting out here all by lonesome isn’t as easy you would th-” The wagon went over several bumps in the road. “-ink.” She finished after pointing to another turn.

“There’s not a charisma rating or something is there?” Cain stated as both Aaron and Sofia chuckled. There was a long pause before Sofia sighed.

“There’s a trail to the top of one of the mountains in the next cave. A couple of Ecchi flowers should still be up there.” She felt the group gaze silently shift to her. The air practically filled with fear and worry. “It’s a rare ingredient, and there’s not a lot of places to find it. Kind of obvious description too, but still not something you should keep from any future escorts.” She stated slowly dropping her serious tone afterwards. “Relax, it’s way too obvious. I’d be wanted or in jail in a week tops. We’ll get your little knowledge flower, and we’ll all get back in one piece.”

“And after?” Jared stated.

“After our pay, which is not gotten just cause you got out of the trails. We’ll know, for sure. where everyone stands. And if I take a quest or two specifically just to stop you, it is 100 percent personal.”

“Sofia-” Sofia turned around and glared at Aaron as he spoke.

“No.” She stated curtly. “We can’t.” The rest of their journey was rather quiet up to the trail Sofia talked about. “Someone should probably watch the wagon. It can sometimes disappear on ya.” After some discussion Cain stayed behind, and rest climbed up the trail.