Vale

"You? An ally? A mercenary could never bring the world what it needs. You would be just another complication. Surely, you would be better off with the ones who wanted power. I have no money except that for travelling. I am not a man who is looking for profit, nor looking to make someone else profit. I suggest you be off, stranger. Find money elsewhere." Sergei kept his distance from the eavesdropper. It wasn't until now that he noticed the man's power.

"You would be useful, however. Perhaps in the future we could speak of your work. However, we do not need a Mars clan member now. I am afraid you must look elsewhere."

Would the man become hostile? Adepts in this world were entirely unpredictable. Sergei knew that all too well from previous encounters. Words made allies into enemies.

Would the world truly be better once the lighthouses were lit? Would it be better to let Prox and the world die?

Vale

Orpheus was disapointed at hearing the mans answer, however did not show it. In answer to this he simply shurgged his shoulders.
"Oh well. May our paths cross again then, if you stil hope to look for a Mars Adept in the future..." After bidding farewell, he turned to leave, noticing how wary the man was of him. He was about to leave, when a thought dawned on him. Whatever reason this man had for being in need of a Mars Adept, from what Orpheus had overheard, he recalled the man being in need knowledge about Prox. Was he intending to go there? If so, were Orpheus to go with him, he would have a perfectly good reason to be back in Prox, and perhaps...See his home...His family. Orpheus supposed a renegotiation was in order.

He held up his hand as if to say wait and turned round once again to speak.
"Clearly, from what you have said, you are in need of my powers, however I also have knowledge that would help you...Knowledge concerning Prox." Orpheus began to smile, "Now, if money is a problem, I have a different offer, one that might fulfill both our needs. If you intend to visit Prox, which I would assume is why you seek knowledge of it, I would gladly help you, as long as we get there. No cost. All I ask is that whatever journey you take will take you to Prox and that I am there with you."

Orpheus held his hand out as if he was lending the man a hand.
"Do we have a deal?"

Vale


Sergei pondered for a moment before shaking the other's hand. Even Vaeon seemed alright with the deal.

"If what you say is true... I can see no reason to deny your help, though lighting the lighthouses is no small task and requires a lot of thought... what I plan to do is in no way guaranteed to stop the blight afflicting our world. We should get the stones from the Sanctum as fast as possible - the others are surely ahead of us. We cannot let them get ahold of the stones. If... no, we can't get all of them. I am of wind, and you? We could not get more than two of them. Unless there is another way. We cannot ask Kraden, however. He would never let us take the stones. He is one who believes the world would be better without restoring the lighthouses.... the ignorance of scholars can be surprising.
"We must find others. Those who can aid us."
Only then could they light the lighthouses and reclaim Weyard from its destruction.

Orpheus let out a grin as he shook the mans hand. He had no idea what he was getting himself into really, and his only goal was to return to his home, to see those who he loved. However, this seemed like the perfect oppourtunity to achieve such a small goal...Without being attacked on sight of course.
"Well, I am happy to hear you accept my offer, and although our goals are clearly different, the journey we must take is surely the same, so in the end we both win, eh?" It suddenly occured to Orpheus what this man intended to do...Light the lighthouses? Hmm. The Elders back home really would not enjoy the sound of this, despite knowing that Prox was on the edge of a shrinking world.
"By the way...If your goal is to liht the lighthouses, the one of Mars will be tricky. The Elders in Prox have had guardians preventing anyone from entering the place for years, and even though they know that Prox is close to destruction they think it incredibly unwise to release alchemy upon the world again. But hey, I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to it, hmm?" Orpheus chuckled, before continuing, "For now, if we still require a Mercury Adept, I think I may know of place to find one in this world now barren of alchemy. In my travels I have heard tales of people with great healing powers in Northeast of Angara. Course, no one I've spoke to in my journey have any knowledge of why they have these powers, but I can recognize an adept when I hear one. So yes, I sugest we head to the Northeast, if we are to achieve your goal, unless you have matters to attend to first?"

Lalivero (2 weeks prior to the incident in Vale):

As Malkon stepped off of the Lemurian ship now docked at the port in Lalivero, he got many strange looks. He was sure no one from around these parts had ever seen a more magnificent vessel and he was sure it would draw heads. He smiled lightly as he figured people would come around asking questions...and he needed some answers himself.

"HALT SIR! You are unauthorized to dock at this port!" A guard said as he ran from the nearby gate to the outside world.

"I'm terribly sorry." Malkon stuttered lightly, putting on an act. "I seem to have lost my way. I'm trying to find a place called Mt. Aleph..."

"That is on the other side of the continent buddy, and even if you get there, you will be unable to get to it because a range of mountains surrounds the area!" The guard said, obviously being pushy.

"T...Then what do you recommend?" Malkon said as he made sure to keep his fists down, no need for a fight here.

"Try to get to the village of Imil in the North, there is a giant blue lighthouse there, you can't miss it! From there you just have to go through a few caves...it's easier than scaling mountains." He said pointing north.

"Thank you sir, much obliged!" Malkon smiled as he remounted his ship. He also made note of the two lighthouses in the area. If his information from Alhafara served correct, this would be the Venus lighthouse and he would need to venture back here eventually. He then held his hands out as blue psyenergy poured into the wheel and with the vibrations from the black orb in the boiler room, he knew the ship would eventually direct itself to the North.

East of Imil (present):

Malkon noted he had now been outside of Lemuria for three weeks and the air felt like death. It was unlike Lemuria where life seemed to pour out from each fountain and sift through the air granting him a breath of life. However, the air here in Weyard was heavy and crisp like an old coffin. Malkon steered the ship as he now saw the giant blue lighthouse in the distance. Since the brown lighthouse had been aligned with Venus, he gathered this lighthouse was...at the thought of this he smirked. He knew that after he somehow found the stones of eternal light, he would need to return here first, as he would most assuredly be able to scale the giant structure. It was 30 minutes later that the Lemurian ship docked on the land near Imil.

Malkon lightly tied the boat to a tree in the near distance and then made his way towards Imil. As he walked towards it he sensed psyenergy nearby. He knew this was the place he would be able to find someone who could help him accomplish his goal...

(edited since apparently my upcoming party is already near me)

((I think it would be fine... perhaps you should shoot a PM to Blue Zero to let him know this fossil has come back to life.))

"Right now, I think it is best that we find two more adepts. And I do not know this continent very well, especially outside of this region of Angara .... so I guess it's your lead for now." Sergei admitted. Vaeon took off from his shoulder and circled about above their heads.

It wasn't often he let other people take the lead. He had lived his entire life outside of the Jupiter clan's influence... which was fine with him. The only people he ever could rely on were his family and friends in Tolbi, and of course Kraden, however much Sergei's intentions differed from those of the old man. The fear of Alchemy was not unfounded, however, Sergei felt the doom of the world took precedent. After all, war would be better than complete destruction... if war were to actually happen.

"I am not from Vale," Sergei also admitted. "I was born and raised in Tolbi... so there is little I know of this continent other than of the towns and places I have passed on the way here. I am a good tracker, however, and shall remember our path. Let us be off!"

((Why hello there Iva- Sergei. lol))

Vale

"Tolbi you say? Hmm, when I was last there it did not seem the kind of place Adepts came from, but ah well. A lot of Adepts these days are hidden, such as the clearly obvious water Adepts in Imil we are about to go recruit," Orpheus cricked his neck before continuing to speak, "Anyway, if there is nothing else here you wish to do, then I suggest we get going then while it is still early in the hot season. Don't want it to be too cold on our arrival..." Orpheus began heading towards the gate at the edge of Vale, expecting the man to follow.

"Oh yes...That reminds me," He realized they had already set out plans to journey together and still had no knowledge of each others names, "Orpheus Flamehearth, yourself?"

Not far outside Imil

As soon as the pair had stepped out of a cave that ran through the mountain range that seperates the snowy north connected to Angara, Orpheus instantly shivered at the feel of the cold. Rarely in the eight years since he had been exiled had he ever been far up north, so it was easy to forget how cold it could get. To think his home was ten times as cold as Imil...

And to no surprise on the horizon, pointing towards the sky as if to show off some symboic gesture was the Mercury Lighthouse. Were they to find a a Mercury Adept in Imil and find the Mercury stone the goal Sergei aims to achieve would already be a quarter done.

"Not far now...It might be worth me mentioning, although I have travelled Angara a good deal, I have only ever heard rumours and news about Imil and it's local landmarks. Never have I actually been here, so you will have to bear with me if I get lost or such..."

Just East of Imil:

Malkon trudged along in the snow. It was freezing cold here, even for a water adept. His teeth chattered lightly as he pulled his water cape around him tighter, hoping to at least keep some of the cold out. He could feel the chilly wind pierce not only his skin, but deep into his soul. Was this journey to light the lighthouses going to end up fruitless? He shuddered as he then heard a growl from behind him. Great...a bear...

Malkon quickly turned around avoiding an ambush of fury swipes from a bear and cursed his bad luck when he saw a second bear appear next to it. He held out his hands and concentrated as he formed "barrier" around himself giving extra protection. The second bear growled in response to that, raising it's power. Malkon then let out a burst of energy and caused the first bear to become "frost" ed. The bear seemed to recoil lightly as it charged at Malkon for another swipe. Malkon yelped as he was hit on the arm. Malkon then used "douse" as a heavy rain storm with hard droplets caused slight damage to the first bear. Malkon knew if he was going to survive this he would have to take the beasts out one at a time.

The second bear then charged at Malkon and hit him full force. Malkon felt the wind get knocked out of him as he stumbled. One more hit would kill him for sure. With no hesitation, Malkon held up his hand and sent help for his psyenergetic fairy friend who cured him with "ply." This restored him to full health as he once again faced off with the two bears. He grit his teeth as he ran towards the first bear and with a critical hit, he punched him full force with his right spiked glove. The bear moaned loudly as it fell down in defeat. With a renewed sense of energy, Malkon faced off with the second bear. It charged at him as he conjured up another "barrier". It hit him, but with slightly less force than it had before. Malkon recoiled with a heavy "frost" attack. While it did damage, the bear seemed more agitated than hurt as it swiped at Malkon multiple times. Malkon felt cuts all over his body as he stumbled onto his butt in the snow. He saw the bear readying another attack as he attempted to conjure up another "barrier."

((if anyone wants to join go ahead :P))