4.6 KiB
| title | created | updated | syndicated | public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00041 | Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:38 -0700 | Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:44 -0700 | yes | yes |
00041
Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his last request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, impactful. "Trust no one". Which begged the question, could even it be trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in danger? His allies and leads awash in the dark grey mist of uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted, cracked, and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn't certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy response had him on edge.
This anxiety didn't boil up to the surface, not a line of worry or hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue eyes. Outwardly he was just as composed as ever, but between these uncertainties, the loss of his uncle, and now this utterly strange dagger he'd found amongst his uncle's belongings, he wasn't certain how long that composure would last. It didn't held that he felt this gnawing at the back of his mind, as though something was probing, attempting to communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.
And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle's allies, and very little intention to change that situation at the moment.
As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet them Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but fluffy, ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to be an ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them, "Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to take us, and by what means do we travel?". Short, cut, information only. There's too much unnerving in an unknown situation like this.
~
Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the second toque and says, "A little bit of bread and no cheese."
"Cheese?" Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch of embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, presumably looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the travelers, but finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence butts in apologetically, "There will be plenty of food at the hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun Peak's famous liquid gold!"
"Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you," Bread answers Alex. Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. "But I suppose technically the hotelier sent us." Bread points up at the sky, in the general direction of the summit of Kelsun Peak. "We are to escort you to Palace Runesocesius." They thumb over their shoulder in the general direction of the stairs. "By way of the cloud steps. On foot."
Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. "A Ginnarak Crystal! I can't hardly believe it! Thought they had all been lost to the ages. I hear it's complete dumb random luck that this one turned up. Story is, an aetherwael beached itself on some wide zephynos boulevard. Happens sometimes. Poor things can't distinguish between clouds and cloudstuff. I don't blame 'em! At a distance, you and me can't either! Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side. Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a harpoon in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag tethered to the harpoon. And you probably already guessed what was inside of it!" By the time Confidence finishes their brief story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with excitement.
"Anyway," Bread interrupts their excited companion in an attempt to restore decorum. Both of the toques have been gently herding you toward the base of the stairs this whole time. "You know how the zephynos are. You could give them all the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless like a Ginnarak Crystal, and they'd just as quickly misplace it out of carelessness. If it's not a cloud they can sculpt into the shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature, they just don't give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or something silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at Runesocesius now." Bread climbs the first step, his foot sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking the solid cloudstuff. "Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!"
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