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Vander Zalek

"The desert can be a dangerous place....flying over it helps".

0 · 453 views · located in Reclaimers Universe

a character in “The Reclaimers”, as played by Mr. Baneling Squishy

Description

Name: Vander Zalek. (Van-dur Zal-eck)

Age: 37

Race: Human

Description: Image

Clothing: Image

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A man who has clearly seen violence and conflict, Vander looks his age and has his scars. Many of them. He appears gruff and ridged, and wears clothes well suited for desert travel. He has short brown hair, stands fairly tall, has some muscles, though he does not show them off. He has blue eyes, Caucasian, and carries his weapons at all times. His left leg is not as good as his right, causing him to have a limp when walking, but he is still capable of running at fast speeds.

History: According to the timekeepers, Vander was born 37 years ago in Solaria. He was born to Lilian and Farxis Zalek. He had a great life, along with his older sister. They were very close, which would help for what would come later. When Vander was six, his father trained him in multiple forms of combat every day. When he was 11, his father went off to war promising to come back alive. However, when he was 12, he lost his father to war and his mother to sickness two years later. From there on, he never made a promise he couldn't keep.

To help them get by without having to sell what they own, Vander went to work at 14 as a messenger, and then an errand boy. However, when he was 18, an Aeroship captain noticed his skill at. Bartering and trade, as well as his combat prowess, and took him on into his crew, a much better paying job. He taught Vander everything he knows about Aeroships, including how to fly and repair them all by yourself. He was like a second father.

However, soon after he turned 27, the captain died. In his will, he gave the ship and his job to Vander. Vander took up this role with pride, and fear that he would not be capable of handling it. But he was wrong. He, and two others, excelled at their jobs, and became good friends. Then, 4 years ago, they found a boy, naked and tied up in the middle of the desert while investigating a nearby destroyed caravan for possible loot. The only thing he was wearing was a pendent of two triangles empty in the middle, connected together at a tip therefore making it appear as if it's an hourglass. They brought the boy aboard and saved him from nearly dying. The boy had no memory when he woke up, excluding glimpses and fragments that often made no sense. They were quick to bring him to the city and cloth him, but none of their attempts to identify him have failed with not a single clue. Vander adopted the boy and named him Taro, an old word for "Mystery". The boy has lived with him on the ship ever since, though he has shown rather unique attributes about him.

Abilities/Skills: He is a capable pilot, is also a good shot and good swordsman, as well as a good trader. However, he is absolutely horrid at having personal conversations, and he isn't really exceptional at any one thing. He is good at repairing Aeroships though.

Weapons/Equipment: His Aeroship, two Solarian Pistols, a Solarian Rifle, four Vtaren style swords, a large amount of supplies, and some armor he can hide under his clothes. He also has cannons on his Aeroship.

So begins...

Vander Zalek's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Taro Zalek
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90th Day

Solaria


Vander checked the money. "All right, all here. Pleasure doing business with you" Vander noted, as he moved to put his payment in a secure location. A few of the Sunfires took the cargo they had been hired to deliver. The cargo was supposedly nothing special, but then again none of the cargo they ever carried was nothing special. And several times that proved to be false.

Vander had his fair share of cutthroat encounters. He had grown tiresome of dealing with them, even though he did so effectively. It was a dangerous world, and one that would grow only more dangerous. Cutthroats, bandits, raiders. Usually they avoided them, but sometimes they would have no choice. Especially when it was their buyer who tried to betray them, which happened more times then he would like. However, most of the time at the end of the day he escaped with the payment and the cargo, so it worked out rather well. They could usually sell the cargo for more payment.

Occasionally they would take passengers too, but that was rare. They had to give a really good impression. Vander had only made one exception to this, and that was with Taro, his adopted son.

Taro was perched at the very top of the Aeroship, watching the city below. He loved to just sit and watch up there sometimes, looking at people as if they were tiny. "Taro, we need some more food from the market, and I need to deal with potential clients".

"Yes. Papa".

Papa was more of a nickname then an actual term. But he kind of liked it. "And when you get back, we need to get working on your training!"

Taro began to climb down. Vander worked him hard, just like his father had to him. Every day, training. There were only a few exceptions. The start of a new year, the day of the year Taro was found, and any time they get a REALLY good deal.

Of course, when they got a really good deal, they had other celebration attempts, albeit Taro's was extremely tempered.

Vander gave Taro some money. "Taro, make sure to go to Yeilla's. They should have the best deals for what we need".

Vander made sure to check on the equipment as well, to see if he needed any more parts. None that he seemed to need at the moment. He then began to make his way to see if he had any clients, though he didn't necessarily need them.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Taro Zalek
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Solaria

Taro ran toward the market, the sun hitting his hair, giving it a glowing gold look. He searched around, looking for anyone who might be following him, before continuing forward. Eventually, he made his way to the market, picking up the precious water, food, and other assortment of things.

However, as he turned around, he felt something nudge in the back of his head. It wasn't something physical, it was something else. For a moment, he zoned out. He could see a bright light, and then a little boy, playing in the street. He had brown hair, and he looked a lot like Taro. He was just standing there, playing. He could not have been more than three years old. Taro started to reach out for him, but snapped back into reality.

He kept getting these...flashes of memory. The same memory that he lost about four years ago, when Vander found him. Vander found him tied up, and naked in the middle of the desert with nothing but rope and a pendant. It seemed like whoever left him there, expected him to die, or be enslaved. The slavers would definitely see him as a prize. Whatever the reason was for leaving him naked in the desert with not even a drop of water, Taro was honestly afraid to find out. He could stare down the barrel of a gun no problem, because at least he knew what he was dealing with. But he did not even need to know who did this to him, or who his birth parents were.

But honestly, he would probably prefer Vander anyways. Vander fed him, clothed him, and kept him alive when Taro needed it. He refocused, and took their supplies back to the aeroship.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Taro Zalek
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90th Day

Solaria


Taro cursed himself when he realized he was dazing. It had only been for a moment, but he had still dazed. As part of his training, Vander would strike him sometimes if he dazed too long. Not all the time, but sometimes, and it would be light. It was to teach him to stay aware of his surroundings. "If you miss something, anything, you could end up dead". Vander wanted to teach Taro everything his father had taught him. He was not cruel, and rarely anything he did left a bruise, but Vander could be very strict.

that, and Taro made use of the training. Which is why when a pickpocket tried to pick his pocket, he grabbed the man's hand and pressed down on a pressure point Vander taught him to induce pain in the man, before quickly walking away from the pickpocket. Taro had to admit that something that defined him was being left in that desert. There was only one man who he truly trusted, and that was Vander. He didn't know who was responsible for leaving him in that desert with nothing but a pendent. For all he knew, any man or woman he came across was responsible. The only one he knew wasn't responsible was Vander.

He continued to make his way back to the ship with the supplies.




Vander checked the money and then the cargo. They were going to a Sanoren Trading Post in a few days, and this trading post was favorable to the Solarians. It was four small crates, listed as "Nothing Special". That is all the logs ever said though, excluding the rare time someone admited it was "Special".

The Sanorans were a race that seemed to never need water. In fact, very little is actually known about the Sanorans. They run a series of trading posts throughout the desert. They seemed reptilian in nature, but kept themselves constantly covered with cloth so it wasn't very clear.

He continued to map their route. It took them south, near the border to Protectorate City. The trip would take a little over two weeks most likely, as they would visit several other trading posts after the one they were hired to make this delivery too. Someone would be waiting to pick up the package. Once they finished this long trip, Vander wanted to give Taro some more time in the city. They would only be here for two, three days, maybe four. They might pick up a few passengers as well, if they were headed in that direction. Though Vander would make note to avoid the Varentis Ravines, a stretch of mountains and ravines that were known to have slavers and cuttthroats. There were some people there as well who used the slaves to mine materials from the ravines. He suspected two things as to why they are still there. One was that they were too big and not a big enough threat to Solaria for anyone to decide to crush them. The other was that the materials mined there were sold to Solaria, and that it was more profitable to let it keep running, while not actually endorsing it.

As Taro returned, Vander checked the supplies. "Good find, though a bit late. What took so long?"

"A pickpocket tried to steal our money, and there was a crowd of kids on one of the passageways that was so thick I had to find a way around. Oh, and here is the change".

"Good job. I am going to look for some more clients to make some extra money. Get the cargo loaded, and then get dinner started. Think you can handle that?"

Vander was worried he might be being a bit hard on Taro, but he wanted Taro to be prepared for the real world. It had already treated him harshly once, and Vander also knew how cruel the world could be sometimes. He counted the money, and smiled. Taro had only taken 1 percent of the change. Vander knew the prices, but he was impressed. He was sure it was a sign Taro could improve his bartering skill.

He turned his attention to the clients now.




92nd Day

Solaria


Vander was impressed by his own work. While they still had room for any last minute passengers, they had plenty of Cargo. He smiled as the morning light emerged from the horizon. He had already gotten dressed, to deal with any complications, but he believed they might just leave today. He would go out, see if anyone wanted passage south for some reason or another. Maybe they had some business near one of the bordering settlements by Protectorate City lands or something. Either way, it was a good morning. He made his way around the ship and checked all the cargo, making sure his two workers were keeping guard, before checking on his and Taro's room.

Taro was still in his bed, undressed and unawakened. He thought about waking him, but decided against it. Today, you can sleep in, while I arrange some last minute things. However, Vander did decide to play a little game with Taro, and did something before he left, leaving the door open.

People every day always wanted cargo moved and often people wanted transportation. It had been a slow day transportation wise, but cargo wise it was rich. However, the more they took, the more money they made. And more money meant, well, it made things easier. So he went to look, before they would take off later that day.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Seth Elijah Character Portrait: Vander Zalek
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[This post is a collaboration with Mr. Baneling Squishy]

93rd Day

Solaria


Seth only woke up after a few minutes. After all, it was only going to be a nap. He looks around in his little basement of his. It was dark-ish since he had yet to install a new light source. He scratched his head for a moment, thinking that he might have something to do. He remembered that he had to go attempt to kill Jolo, but he had no idea where he was at the moment. Maybe his informator... Now he does remember; he had a small meeting with his informator. He did originally plan to get along in Solaria for a small talk with him. He quickly grabbed his stuff and went outside of his hideout, stepping in Solaria again.




After a few running around in the sewers, trying to get out of the guards’ sight since it has been increased in the few last hours, he stepped in a dark alley and knocked on a door. It was left with no answer. He bit his under lip. "Probably too late..." Seth was about to go away, but he felt a hand pulling back inside the door. He had the reflex to pull out his sword, but as he saw who did that, he quickly draw it back into its sheath, smirking. "Scaring me as always, Claude."

A businessman chuckled as he stands on the other side of the small box. "Late as always, Seth."

"Heh, you know me too well." Seth chuckled again and stepped out of the small box as he heard some kind of buzz noise. They were now in a larger room, seeming to be like a small office that doubles as a apartment. Claude went to the desk and pulled out a cigar, lighting it up. He offered one to Seth, but the latter refused as they both sat down.

Claude Varlson seemed to be a man in his late 30s. He was reputed to be a dealer, rich from his profession. It wasn’t uncommon to hear that his practices were, for the most, illegal. Again, he should have been arrested, but money can go far when you have it.

"Long time no see, my friend. How things have been doing?" Claude asked towards the assassin, seeming to be eager to hear his adventure.

"Oh, nothing much new. With the death of the old Queen, we had been starting to keep a low profile. Although, I’ve been offered quite the job." Seth responded. Claude was his informer, and the most trustable guy he knew. He never sold the assassin out, or at least, so far he sees it.

"Five persons in one night? Quite impressive. You’re quite fast, my dear..."

"I tend to not disappoint my client."

"...But, for the fifth one..."

"Survived?"

"Yes."

Seth took a moment to sit back into his chair, crossing his arms. "Well, this looks bad for me, isn’t it?"

"Well, I can’t assure you anything, but I will look what can be done. The man is hospitalized, and you know very well that he can or cannot make it." Claude smirked a bit.

"Oh, I hope he won’t" The assassin smirked back. "But that is not the catch to the story."

"Oh, is there another fish to catch?"

"A big one. Name Jolo Grossman. I think you know him very well."

Claude chuckled a lot. "Jolo?! Really?! Oh man, that is the best one!" He smirked, hitting his desk hard. "I was sure I would be the first to get his head rolling on the ground." The man soon set back into his chair, relaxing. "He’s a great man, but he has his nose a bit too much everywhere. Doesn’t surprises me if it would be the protectorate council that ordered that. I mean, if I were them, I would have executed this man myself."

"The council, hm?"

"Yeah. Oh, talking about the council, there something new with them. It is just fresh out of the box. Remember there was an attack in the Protectorate City, right?"

"There was? That may be why there was so much noise outside that day..." Seth looked a bit confused

"There was a wall that blew up and many have been reported dead or missing. People thinks it is a bandits attack. Do I take that..."

"I do not know and cannot know what my clan does. There is things of them that I don’t even know." Seth immediately cut off, knowing him too well.

"Very well. Any ways, they are seeking people to bring justice on them. The prize? 300 bezants and whatever you can find on those bandits." Claude said a bit in surprise, tapping his cigar on the ash tray.

Seth whistled a bit. "Sound promising, but I don’t think I’ll be part of that raid. Jolo is quite the piece of resistance, if you can say that."

"Oh, I’m sure he will put up a fight for his life. You want to know where he is, don’t you?"

"Quite precisely."

"Well, I don’t know where he is for the moment. All I know is that he is heading to the Protectorate City. Maybe you’ll find him there? Who knows?!"¸

Seth stood up. "Anything else?"

"Yes, Now that I remember, someone said to give you this." Claude tend a letter to Seth and the assassin opened it, knowing whose wax seal it was. He pulled out two bezanth. "I don’t know what they wanted, tey just told me to. If anything, it is just a joke."

"Oh, I know very well what those are for. Actually, I’m not surprised of them." The assassin chuckled a bit as he putted them back into the letter, then he would put them in his pocket. There was a moment of silence.

"You know if you fail and they found out, you need to go through that process again..." Claude said, a bit worried.

The assassin smirked a bit, chuckling. "If I do fail, I know I will. It is painful, but I will need it." He said, walking away.

"Oh, one more thing. There is a ship that has a departure soon for the Protectorate City. I think it would be a wise choice to take it."

"Thanks for the info." The assassin said, but as he was about to turn on his heels back into the elevator he said: "Oh, actually, I do have something to ask."

"You know I’m always listening."

"I’m curious about who came to me. As you might understand, I don’t like people knowing who I am." The assassin sat back into the chair, looking a bit more serious.

Claude only nodded in silence.

"Well, this broker came to me. A Drak. For what I can recollect; average, dark grey scales. One eye patch and the other of a luminous green. Below average in muscularity, but donning all Xth armor. Weapon of choice; tonfas. Rings a bell?"

Claude shook his head. "Not at the moment, but I’ll see what can be done for that," he sighed softly. "So it might not be the council for our little Jolo." The assassin nodded in agreement. "Will that broker be to kill?"

"No. Keep him alive as much as you can. If there someone to make pressure on, he is the one. However, collect as many information there is about this case that I don’t know about. If those investigator are bright enough, they will find me."

"You know they won’t kill you, right?"

"Being dead is better than being in jail for life. Even so, they could. If they try to find some kind of connection between all of those murders, they’ll pin something ba on me."

"What? The Queen’s death? There is nothing to pin on you. They used poison, and there is all kind of poisons in this world. You know it very well."

"The same poison was used." Seth simply said.

Claude had to sit back for a bit. "How are you certain?"

"A normal person would require quite the mind to know that. However, a good assassin had a fair time with all of those poisons."

"Well, if there was any trace, there will be none. The Queen corpse has been burned."

"Never doubt what they might find that you don’t know about."

There was a moment of silence before Claude spoke again. "What now?"

"I will go finish my job," Seth responded. "Then, I’ll go hide somewhere until the suspicions goes down or that they catch someone else than me."

Claude sighed a bit. "Try not to die. You’re precious to me, you know that very well."

That remark almost hit Seth emotionally. With the death of his father, he had no one beside himself. It was sad, yes, but he tried to live with that reality. He only rose up and walked away. "I have a ship to catch." He returned into the elevator; the door closed automatically.

"Take care... young lad..." He turned to look at the city, slowly consuming the drug.




The assassin got back into his lair and pulled out a map of the world. It was a bit crude for the moment, but that is because it was a bit old. He would consider to buy a new one, but he never really got around to do it. He took out the two coins and placed on the map in a specific manner. You see, most of people wouldn’t the difference between them and a normal one. Seth knew that the little details that they had was important, because it carried a message. He looked at where the second coin was and frowned a bit. He then sighed. "That is a bit too close from that city of lizards... but I guess it is what needed to be done." He shook his head and made sure he was right. Actually, there was a small error he made, which changed something. It was still nearer from that nation than the other cities, but it was completely in the middle of nowhere. He rose an eyebrow and shrugged, putting the coins away as he rolled up the map, going outside. "Well, here we go." He said to himself as he made his way to the harbor for the ships.




The assassin had his textile scarft down as he approached one of the members of the ship that seemed to be the most ready to get off. "Hey, do you think there is a place for a last minute passenger?" He chuckled lightly, smiling at the man.

Vander looked at the man, who had arrived. "Why yes. We certainly have room for one more. Standard Fee, as I am sure you know. Is it just you, or do you have anyone with you? And do you have any others with you, or any luggage?"

Seth nodded, taking out the few coins for the trip fee and giving them to the member of the ship. "No, I’m only here by myself. Just a small business trip, if you can say that."

Another passenger would be good for Vander. More money was good. Its not like he was greedy. He just appreciated the value of money. "The room is down stairs, second door to the right. If you need any help, just ask any member of the crew. I do need to go over some details with you though. First of which being do you have any specific destination?"

Vander couldn’t help but notice the man seemed more than ready for the desert. He had the right clothes and the proper supplies, so he figured he did not have to go over various safety rules about the desert. He also appeared to be lightly armed, but Vander figured that was so he was not weighed down. That, or he was hiding weapons on his person.

The assassin nodded at the instruction and spoke thus, "I’m here to get back in the Protectorate City. I think it is where you’re heading for, right?"

"Yes, we are headed in that direction. We have to make a few stops along the way, make sure we keep up on supplies and such, but even with those stops we should be able to get you there quickly and efficiently. We plan to leave very soon, as well".

The assassin nodded. "That seems good for me."

"Alright, Welcome aboard then. We plan to make our way out soon, just need to finalize a few things with the port so that none of us get into trouble or anything. So if you got anything to do really quick, I would recommend doing it now, or getting on board and waiting to do it when you get back. Oh, I will need a name for the roster though. You know, just something for them to put in their books. I don't even thing they use their records for anything, just so they don't get in trouble". Vander had a slight laugh at his own remark as he faced the man.

The assassin nodded. "Formalities, I’m guessing." He said. "Name is Seth Elijah." Seth confirmed. There was nothing tainted with his name, other than the fact that it was his. He had yet to know if his name was ever been the case of suspicions for what happened, but he highly doubt. If there was such accusations, it would have been made far earlier. Besides, it was easy to invent names. At least, for Seth, it was easy to just disappear.

"Alright. Il get the whole thing registered, and then we should be able to take off immediately" Vander noted, making his way to the office. Seth was right about it being formalities. If anyone bothered to check the registry with the actual accounts and businesses, more than a few discrepancies would be found. He quickly made his way back, and had the crew get ready to take off. "Hope you don’t get airsick too much".

Seth nodded slightly as he stepped on the airship. It was the first time that he’ll be aboard of one. Or, at least, a public one. He always wondered how they worked, but as he was no engineer, he thought it would be something he won’t understand. "I hope I don’t too." He said back to what seemed to be the captain. Seth had reason to doubt that even with his daily life he might get sick.

Vander started to prep for takeoff, signaling the dock they are departing, and then having the ship take off. The crew went to the stations, while Vander checked their speed. "Good, we will make it to Spire Canyon before nightfall at this rate. It will be a good place to hide from any raiders lurking around at night. I would like to avoid combat as much as possible on this trip".

"Very well," Seth said, looking around a bit. There was a bit of awe in his eyes.

"Something wrong?" Vander asked as his look seemed to change, if only slightly.

"No, I never been on an airship before," He chuckled a bit, smiling a bit towards him.

"Ah. Alright then. Well, we are off now. Let’s hope for smooth skies" he mentioned as they flew off south, towards their destinations.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Seth Elijah Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Taro Zalek
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[This post is a collaboration with Dementedness]

95th Day

Taro finally awoke as the ship went into motion. He rolled off his bed, only to feel a scorpion sting him. He panicked for a moment, only when he looked, he sighed with relief. It was the non poisonous version of the Scara. They kept the Scorpion as a pet in case someone ever got stung by the male version of it, as the female naturally produced the anti-venom.

He got up, and looked for his clothes. After locating them in the mess of the room he got dressed, got his sword by his side, and went up to look at how they are moving, and if they picked anyone up. Along the way, he made sure all the cargo was secure, and made sure everything seemed alright. When he emerged, he noticed an unfamiliar face. He also heard his father's voice.

"Taro! Is everything secure?"

"Yes, papa! Everything is secure! We heading towars Spire Canyon first?"

"Yeah, so make sure the hull is tightly connected. Some of the corners might be tight. Spire Canyon is the best way to travel going south on an airship. Easy to lose a tail in, and ambushes on airships range from extremely difficult to impossible to do there. Once that is done, ensure the cargo is tightly secured again, and check on supplies and cargo room. Once that is done, that will be it for now. Not much to do at the moment".

"Yes Papa" Taro noted, going over to look as the land moved beneath them. He looked towards the other man. "What is your name? I am Taro."

Taro's voice was friendly, but he trusted this new person about as much as a stranger. Taro could be friendly yes, but he trusted only one man in this world and that was it. He was friendly, just not quite as much as he might be implying with his voice and words. "What is your destination, anyways?"


Seth turned over to see a younger member of the ship, seeming to be the Vander`s son. A small smile appeared over his face. "My name is Seth." He only said. "As for my destination, Im going to the Protectorate City."

"Protectorate City. Where the only law and god is money. Or so they say, anyways. I hear a bunch of people rule it, instead of one. How do they ever decide on what to do?"

Seth chuckled a bit. "Not only money makes law and god. Sometimes, you have to use a little bit of force." A grin creeps on his face. "The people do try to make it a civilized place, but they have a long road to do before doing anything. Of course, they do try to make some kind of law enforcers."

The assassin chuckled a bit. "Ah, the Protectorate City. A place where you can make good friends that will backstab you as soon as you blink."

"I have never actually been there myself. Papa believes that if we went there, someone would steal our ship. So when he does go to Protectorate City, its always to a trading post close to it, taking a land route there, doing the exchanges and then coming back. Sometimes we do actually dock there, but I never leave the ship. Says its too likely I would be kidnapped..." Taro unsheathes his blade slightly to show Seth. "I don't doubt that. What I doubt is if they would still be alive in the next five minutes".

"And still, their debates must take forever. They must be so boring. Why are you going there, Seth? Business? Lover? Oh, I know! You're a professional thief and you plan to get money for something you did in Solaria! No wait, that counts as business I think". Taro considered the reasons. "Oh, I know! You're some sort of wandering preacher! No wait, that doesn't make sense either. Don't worry, I will figure it out!"

Taro looked over at the sun. He leaned foreward to get a better look at the lands around them, causing his shirt to lower on his back, and reveal a part of some sort of mark on Taro's back. Any inspection would reveal the mark to be that of the sun. It was unclear, however, what had made it. The best answer would probably be some sort of birth mark, but that would be a large birthmark then. It definently was not a tatoo, and no wound could make it. It was part of the mystery that is Taro.

"Do you have any children?" Taro asked curiously.

Seth had in fact inspected the mark, but did not bothered to question about it. He leaned as well to looks to the sun. "Children, hm?" He said to himself, closing his eyes. "No, I don't have any. My life style is too extreme to have any social life. If I had kids, I would probably not see them much often." He sighed softly, but smirked as he looked over Taro, turned around. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to have one. Say, it doesn't bother you? I mean, with all of this moving around, you must find times boring."

"Nah. Something always happens, and I know how to entertain myself when not doing a task". That was partly the truth. Another thing was his inability to know who he could trust other then Vander. Every kid he meant, for all he knew could be his sibling or cousin. Maybe their parents were the one who left him in that desert? These thoughts made it difficult to trust. "Also, how many people can say they live on an airship?" he added with a smile.

Taro gave a good inspection of the hull as they talked. It all seemed secure and strong. "You seem like someone who might be good with kids". Taro quickly changed the subject when he realized he said kids in third person. "Also, a nice thing about traveling is that you don't get bored of the same scenery. And its like a constant adventure".

The assassin had a smile in the corner of his mouth. "I don`t agree with you," he said, closing his eyes as if he remembered something. "There is a place called the Free Market in the Protectorate City. Basically, people are free to come buy, sell and trade their goods. Everytime, even though it is the same place, it seems to always bring something new." He would then open his eyes, still smiling. "I like to peer down from one of the tall buildings. I can see those little persons moving as if they were only bits of colors floating around. It is something to see."

He would then sigh, his smile replaced by a small pout. "But right now, that beautiful scenery is ruined by thiefs and other misfits, but I guess it is the price to pay for." He shrugged, shaking his head. He would then look up at the kid. "Say, is it always trips between Solaria and the Protectorate City for you?"

"Sounds like a nice dream" Taro noted. It occured to him afterwards that the phrasing seemed a bit strange for someone of his age. He quickly went further into it. "But I have seen many things. Including betrayal. Protectorate City sounds like its filled with theives and criminals the way you say it, but personally, I think its just more visible there. I bet if you took a magnifying glass to Solaria or the Drakyvrian Nation, you would find an equal amount of cutthroats. If anything, the fact it is so open about it might make it a bit safer. You are more aware of it, and therefore better able to counter it".

As Vander began to walk down towards them both, Taro noticed a flock of Skarra pass them. "I see you two have met. Taro, have you secured the cargo yet?"

"I did that before I came up" Taro noted.

"Yes, but its best to triple check. Better safe then sorry, right?"

"Right" Taro noted, leaving to do so. Vander walked up next to Seth.

"I see you have met my son Taro. Hope he wasn't bothering you or anything."

Seth chukled a bit. "Nan. He didn`t. He`s quite a curious kid, isn`t he?" He wondered if Taro was the same with people that he is more familiar with.

"Curious would be one word for it. Taro barely trusts anyone, on account of what happened to him..." Vander mentioned, looking out into the distance. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was probing you for information. Trying to figure out what kind of a person you are. He isn't the best at bartering, but sometimes he can use the answers to seemingly random questions to figure out what people are like. Personally, I would find that trait worring. Its a good way to get shot if you're not careful. And Taro has already been through so much already..."

The assassin nodded, leaning against the safety bar as he crossed his arms. "Well, I mean, it is his way to do. Details can lead far, but sometimes they can be misguiding." He tilted his head a bit. "I had it rough as well, but I don`t bother much of my past. I always said to myself that was is done is done, and the things I have to take needs to be took in consideration."

"Heh. Good concept. The only problem I see with that is if your past could come up to haunt you" Vander noted. "That is his fear. And a bit of mine I guess. But personally, I think it is just a worry he will eventually grow out of. He is a good kid, after all.

"You can live to fear your past, or you can live from the fear of your past," Seth commented, but he only shrugged lightly.

"Good saying. Who said it?"

"A friend of mine." He simply said, smiling a bit.

"Sounds like a smart person" Vander noted, looking around the ship and making sure everything looked good quickly. Taro re-emerged, having checked the cargo a third time, and made his way around the ship finishing up his morning duties. He looked at the Wind Measurement device, he couldn't remember what it was called, and checked it. "Favorable winds. Granted, we can power through them if they were against us, but its better to have it as an ally then an enemy. If our luck holds, we may reach your destination a day or two early".

Taro returned with a partially unbuttoned shirt. "Jeytelh must be closer then usual today, it feels hotter then normal".

"Well, if it gets too hot you could always strip" Vander half joked with a smile. Taro was not a big fan of their temple visits, but Vander made it a point to have them both visit the temple each time they are there. His theory was that it was better to have the gods with you then against you. However, Vander did know that if it did get too hot he might just do it. Taro was cautious, but he wasn't stupid. He knew about the lethality of heat stroke in the desert. If you get heat stroke in the desert, you are almost certainly dead. "Besides Taro, we have wind".

"Hot wind" Taro noted, taking off his shirt and going back into the cargo hold..

Vander faced Seth again. "In truth, this is a rather hot day today, and he is more vulnerable to heat stroke then the rest of us. I assume you know of the dangers in the desert, correct?"

Seth, for his part, didn`t seem to be worrying about the hot winds as he stayed there. Although, he did still have a half-smile while looking at them. When Vander asked such question, he snickered a bit. "Of course I do. I do very well. I have survived - lived, may I say - long in the wild than you might think."

"Ah, good. You just seemed more like a city person, believe it or not. And the desert contains many dangers. I have seen heat alone kill warriors. And then there are the beasts that claim more lives. Then, we have bandits and raiders. Now, the good thing about having an airship is we can surpass most dangers. But we do have to land for the nights, and for settlements we have business in. Its a lot faster then taking to the land though. Even if we stop at a set of ruins or two, we will make it to your destination faster then any land route could, and we are less likely to be attacked by raiders. Still, if they do try anything, I know my way around a rifle rather well, and Taro...well, he is learning, and there is certainly hope for him".

He looked around, then smiled. "After all, there is no 'Safe Journey' when it comes to traversing the desert. But I am guessing you know that, if what you claim is true".

He snickered a bit. "Oh, I have more to fear than what the desert have to offer, but you got it all right." He looked around the ship a little bit, wondering if their journey wont be jinxed.

"Its always good to adress the dangers reguardless. That way, you are less likely to forget them" Vander noted, quickly checking their course. "Ah good, looks like we are right on schedule."




A few hours later.

The group was approaching the first stop on their list, a trading post. Taro was leaning against the edge of the ship, to feel the wind on him. It made him feel like he himself was capable of flying. The cargo for this trading post was already prepared. Vander would quickly trade the cargo around, earn some money, and then they would continue on their way. Taro held his shirt in one hand, and a map in the other. He had been studying their routes, learning the best ways of travel. Airships were safer then land transport, but even they could not always take direct routes. "Papa, we are here!"

Vander emerged from below, and eyed the trading post. At first he was happy they were ahead of schedule, but he couldn't help but notice something. The trading post had a significant lack of activity...and signs of a battle. "Taro, get your sword and rifle, and tell the others to do the same. Something is wrong here..."

The assassin was in his cabin at the moment. He was revising the hints given with the map and the coin. He sighed a bit as he took the map away. He noticed that there was a lot more activities on the airship itself. Curious, he went out of his little room, his hands resting on the handle of his blade.

Vander noticed Seth, and walked next to him. "Trading post up ahead looks like it was attacked. I would recommend to stay alert. If the owners are alive, I would like to know what happened, and see if I cant make a trade or two. And if they are dead, there might be some clue as to what happened, and some useful cargo to take. Its unusual for a trading post to be attacked, so again I would recommend to stay alert".

Taro returned with a rifle slung around his chest, and a sword in his sheath. "This could be a trap".

Seth rose an eyebrow as he was told what was going on. Of course, a raid on a trading post must be rare to be a success, but he was intriged even more. Then a smirk appeared on the corner of his face. "Maybe this trip won`t be as boring as planned." He would say as he speeded off, knowing what could the danger be.

He took outside of the ship as he looked towards where what looked like to be the trading post. He smirked a bit as he quickly ran towards the edge. He would apply force on the barrier as he jumped over them, and farther than he would normal do in a simple jump. He landed nearly the edge of it, quickly taking cover. He slightly got out of his hiding, looking through the place to see if there is anything that seemed to be suspicious.

Vander did not like what he saw as he dismounted and looked around, holding his rifle and keeping his sword ready. There were dead humans, dead Sanorans, and quite a few fight marks. But not enough for his liking. The bodies were certainly dead, but whoever did this plowed through them with ease. As if, the man possessed the strength of five and the speed of six. The marks were all highly accurate, going for various kill points, and their own swords did not show much sign of use. Maybe one or two blocks, but that is it.

There were arrows in some as well, others crossbow bolts, and others seem to have had their skulls crushed. But those were not the bodies that concerned him the most. The bodies that concerned him the most were the ones killed by Solarian weapon fire. The mark of a Solarian weapon was very distinguishable. But this trading post was a very favorable one for Solaria. It was one of three that made trading much easier between Solaria and other places. So the fact Solarian weapons were used...it was unsettling.

"What do you make of this, Seth?"

Seth was frowning a bit, then looked back at Vander. "We should probably leave right now." He pointed at one of the bodies. The blood wasn't that much dry. "It seems to be recent, and I don't feel being trapped right now. I don't think it would be wise to fight."

"Agreed. Taro, we do a quick sweep, then hurry back to the ship. Understood?" Vander told him, some sternness and some caution in his voice.

"Yes Papa" he noted, looking for anything of use, value, or that told them what happened. He found a chest in the back room. "There is a chest back here, completely looted..." Taro started, but then eyed something of value. It was a pendent, one that appeared to be the same as the mark on his back. He snatched is from the ground, and found a bit of money hidden beneath a dresser. Taro was careful not to disturb the corpses though. He had heard stories of what happened to people who messed with corpses. He took a sip of his canteen, and made his way back to Vander.

Vander was looking for anything of value, or anything that could tell them their names, but neither seemed to be true. As Taro showed him what he found before heading on board, Vander walked over to Seth. "I don't like this. Why are Solaria Weapons being used against an Solarian Trading Post? We should go, quickly. I don't like the implications of this".

"Because it is the easiest way to not get targetted." He said simply, watching over the scene. He had collected some stuff for himself, but mostly blatant forgery. He looked back at Vander. "I might jump on the conclusions too fast, but I'm starting to think there might be a conspiracy growing against the Solarians."

"If there is a conspiracy, we would be better off trying to avoid it all together. Conspiracies have a nasty habit on being easy to blame...or frame...on anyone". Vander noted, moving towards the ship as he talked.

Seth nodded to what Vander said, which is why he thought they should leave now. "Of course, it is only a thought, but it seems that we're assisting in an increasing number of act against the Solarians, if not its government." He would then look back at him. "Have you heard of the recent deaths of figures in this particular government?"

"Aye, I heard the whispers and rumors. Some claim the Queen was assassinated, some claim she was smited by the gods, some claim she had a heart attack on the shitter and that they are covering that up. Honestly, I avoid politics myself. That is just another thing that will get you into trouble. I just stay loyal to my own, and keep doing good business. Anyways, we have no authority here, nor do we have any way to contact them. If we come across them we will report it, but that is all we can do" Vander noted, looking to Taro. "You done loading everything?"

"Yes papa. Everything is loaded. But the winds are increasing" Taro noted, looking to the west.

"Alright. We should hurry and get to Shale mountain then. If this is a sandstorm, we will need some cover" Vander noted, boarding the ship.

Seth looked back once again on the scene. He could tell a lot of things right now to Vander, but those lots of things much be kept to himself. He had to shut himself before secrets starts to spew out of his mouth. It will happen, some day, but now it is not the time. He looked over at Vander, only slightly nodding before saying: "I'll be in my room if you need me." He would say as he walked off. He had a lot of thoughts right now as he walked towards his room, but he let them out of his consciousness once he closed the door of his room, laying on the ground as he tried to relax. Maybe take a nap while he can.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Seth Elijah Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Mox Ierba Character Portrait: Taro Zalek Character Portrait: Jolo Grossman
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[Co-written with VindicatedPurpose and Mr. Baneling Squishy]

96th Day

Protectorate City

Southwestern Edge


"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jolo asked.

"I'm going to need something for the journey. After all that I've been through, I need some protection."

Mox walked ahead of the ranger on their way to his forge. The weaponsmith trudged in tattered boots, still good for several forays into the desert. The city streets were much rougher in more ways than one could think. The ones leading to the district where he once called home were not quite finished. Rough and cracked.

The others were told to wait near the departure hangars, Mox and Jolo would only take a bit of time to find something useful.

As they reached the epicenter of the explosion that had cracked a hole in the city's wall, Jolo wandered toward the construction site. Repairs were underway as laborers and soldiers carried cut stone to fill the eyesore of a hole. The wall was the only thing that could have been considered perfect, it covered the shambles of a city known as Protectorate City.

Other guards stood watch, two attacks days apart from each other would have made the the City appear weak and defenseless.

They rounded a corner of markets where people milled about making the days' rounds. It was a busy intersection, smoke and fires billowing from the restaurants and the forges that had not been blown apart. Then they finally reached the spot where it all happened as Mox could recall. It looked different, his forge was a wreck. He thought he would find some squatters, or maybe in the six or so days he had been gone, someone else had moved into that little patch of the city to do business.

His hammer and anvil were gone, which meant thieves. This also meant that his items were at least of value for someone else to steal. That was one way Mox looked at it. The fire in the hearth that fueled his metal works was long put out, and he was sure that beggars had come along to sip the water from the slack tub. He wandered about among the pieces of metal that littered the ground. The bellows was gone, probably stolen by one of the nearby blacksmiths. Mox did not dare eye the other smiths who had their forges near his. None of them dared to oust a fellow smith for thievery, and they would say that it was his fault for not watching his station.

There was no home left for him, even the furnishings in the shed behind his hearth had been taken. They cleaned it out thoroughly. Mox scanned the wreckage before he spotted something that he thought could be useful.




Protectorate City

Vander's Ship


During his moment of peace during his time on the airship, Seth had been pondering about his life in general. Being an assassin was a pain in the ass sometimes, but then he remembered why he was doing this. Some kind of path that he couldn't go away. If he goes on his own way and reveal to the public where is his organisation, his head will be rolling on the ground in no times. However, he did find enjoyment in what he was doing: he wasn't bound to a single place to a single task. Killing may seem to be a single task on its own, but there was several ways to do it. Everything was plan from the beginning to the end. Dare he to set-up traps for everyone to fall in.

Seth moved towards the front of the upper deck which was giving a good view of the Protectorate City. From this perspective, it will be in minutes that they will arrive to destination. He wasn't so sure how the rest of the day will pass. One thing was sure; he'll have to kill Jolo some day. Or did he? It is his choice, after all. It was the five targets first, then him in extra. Seth wasn't a fool; he knew Jolo is a much harder target. First, there is little know about his whereabouts. Second and foremost, he knew how to protect himself. It would probably won't be the first time he is attacked by assassin. All came to one thing: if he wants to. He recall the being's specifically saying it was on his own demand.

Seth leaned forward on the railing. His elbows on it and his head on his hands. Whatever he was about to do today, he felt that it is going to be different from what he will expect.

As they docked, Vander had his men ready their weapons, and keep watch. He had a plan, and getting robbed wasn't part of it. Taro was making sure all the cargo they had picked up and decided to carry was secure.

As they approached the docks, various people were there to pick up the packages. They all had different proofs of purchases. Some had a special mark tattooed on their hand that marked a specific piece of cargo. Others had letters and documents. Some accounted for the contents inside, before Vander would open to confirm. For lack of better words, this was a proof of purchase. TO show they were in fact the owners of the cargo.

Once that was done, they would start selling the other pieces of cargo to various shop owners, get some supplies, make sure they were all set for the trip back. Technically, they already had ample supplies, but Vander preferred not to risk it. And a bribe of water was often as good as a bribe of gold. As he did this, Taro walked up next to Seth. "Some people think the desert looks the most beautiful in the morning, but me, I prefer the city view. Especially in the morning, when the sunlight highlights all the buildings. What is your preference?"

Seth shrugged lightly, looking back at Taro. "Neither of them sounds different to me. I prefer to see the market in the evening. It is fun to think how many people have stomped on these tiles, and how different they are from one to another." He would say.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Seth Elijah Character Portrait: Yeron Reid Character Portrait: Vander Zalek Character Portrait: Mox Ierba Character Portrait: Taro Zalek Character Portrait: Melio
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[Co-written with VindicatedPurpose, Dementedness, Redred33mer, conor]

96th Day

Protectorate City

Airship Docking


The group watched as an airship pulled into the hangar. They stood in the middle of a group of patiently waiting passengers on a departure platform several feet off the ground. Eian and Shari had their belongings bare to the rest of the travelers. Others could tell that they were itinerants, not city-dwellers.

Kaidman waited with the messengers and Jolo's friend, Yeron. There was a bit of a lull in this part of town, the excitement of the blast and seemingly random attacks on Protectorate City seemed to have calmed down in only a few days, but it was surely still a hot topic. The young swordsman looked at the messengers who only tagged along for the receiving of payment.

Portia stood in the back watching their conversation with interest. Her eyes shifted to each one of them from time to time before resting on Kaidman. There was something off about him, but that was nothing more than a feeling. She had seen him fight, was it luck? No man was ever lucky. He was hiding something. Yeron's presence, though, was unexpected, he was a possible threat to her plans. She scanned the platform for Melio, landing upon a drak who's face was covered beneath a wide brimmed hat.

He returned her gaze from his end as he was separated from her by a throng of passengers waiting to board. The gray-scaled Drak watched the group closely amid the crowd. He recognized the two desert walkers who were the messengers. He also spotted Jolo, who was supposed to be dead. The younger man was likely part of their entourage. The older man, he had the bearings of a ranger. He looked somewhat familiar. Where was Jolo?

"How much exactly are you looking for in compensation? If you had to put a number in bezants on it?" Kaidman asked.

"We were promised two hundred fifty," Shari spoke.

She was as candid as ever, her partner, Eian remained quiet.

"I'll remember that," Kaidman noted. He recalled their being an agreement that they would get a cut of the treasure, if it was real that is. And whatever may be hidden out in the desert could be worth much more. He'd rather not have his new friend, a weaponsmith with his forge just obliterated, be schemed out of a chance to recover well from his misfortune.

"It is quite a bit less than what the city was promising in exchange for bags full of bandit heads and hands," Eian added, "We were hoping we could sustain ourselves a bit and work some other odd jobs if we could not find the receiver of the letter."

"Your friend sounds like he's in a bit of trouble," Shari glanced at Kaidman.

"He was. I must question why he has been the target of an attack like this. Who did he know? And what was known by them? It seems someone went to considerable lengths to track messengers like you and try to assail you. This is while they were trying to kidnap Mox," he explained.

"We're just messengers, we know nothing of the politics that plague your friend," Eian replied in his tactiturn manner. He added nothing more to what he thought was a sufficient answer.

"What do you know?" Kaidman directed his question at Yeron.

"I honestly wish I could answer that for you. I've been out in the desert so long, and it's hard to get believable stories from people on their travels. I rushed back as soon as I got solid intel that the attacked had happened. Too late to do anything of course but I figure something like this Jolo could use another rifle around."

Yeron stroked his beard and gazed out into the distance.

"Something don't feel right though, yanno? Treasure in the middle of the desert, free, no strings attached treasure. Combine that with all the happenings recently it seems damn suspicious. Not that I mind, hell my ol' trigger finger was getting itchy anyway" finishing with a hearty chuckle and wink in Kaidman's direction.

"Yeah, well whoever's interested in our suffering is playing for the win. I cracked my ribs a few days ago taking a bullet in my armor, when I found Mox," Kaidman told the Ranger. "And they seem to have numbers, too."

"Damn, ribs are a painful one. Nasty bit of hurting in that."

"It's fine to have the numbers but it won't do a load of good if you've got the mental capacity of a headless Yakola."

Shari giggled, "I've seen those around, they make better meat than mounts."

Eian cleared his throat at her comment, "I don't believe that treasure is anywhere close to free."

"I agree, they're damn tasty." He replied to the young girl. "Well knowing our luck it probably won't, but time will tell what price has to be paid. If any."

Kaidman considered the situation for a moment before he said aloud, "I almost want to go myself, for fear of harm and loss of any one of you. We wouldn't want the few that have important pieces to this puzzle to be lost. But if I do go, I'm also afraid you may not hear from me again."

"Careful there, some of that is for us," Shari clipped.

"Shari," Eian cut in.

"No, 250 bezants worth is yours. You just said, and that's if it even exists," Kaidman answered sharply.

"I just wanna shoot some bandits."

"And that attitude will find you dead," Kaidman replied.

"Well I'm gonna die someday anyway, if I can go down making those sons o' bitches scream then i'll die happy. I hate bandits, they're scum."

"Yeah, and Jolo isn't too far off with his age. If he and you were to just drop dead that'd upset the Rangers as a whole mighty well. Ever hear the saying, 'live to fight another day?'" Kaidman responded to Yeron. He was getting restless just standing there and began to pace a little bit, looking around. He spotted a hooded woman and fixed his eyes upon her. It was the Ranger they were with yesterday.

"Sure I have, but there's a reason to my madness. I've seen things that will haunt me. I've put bullets through the skulls of men who were lucky to die so easy. It's hell out there, and I know you know it. But the only way I can do this day after day is if I go out with the expectation of not coming back. That way I don't have to worry about emotion effecting judgment. If I do come back in one piece then I count my lucky stars and go again tomorrow. It's a vicious cycle but if you go in with no expectations then nothing can go wrong."

There was a void in the conversation following the veteran's words. Numerous other mouths speaking in various corners of the hangar filled the lull.

"Portia, is it?" Kaidman called, trying to remember her name.

"Coming to join the party?" Her stance was questionable, as it seemed she had been standing there for a bit. The fact made him uneasy; she had no reason to stay back like that, and she had left the previous night for a rather guessable reason.
Yeron leaned against a wall. Maybe Kaidman wouldn't understand but hell everyone has their own way of coping. He snapped out when Kaidman began talking to Portia.

"Ha, tell you what. I ain't seen a soul better with a blade than Portia. She'll gut a man before he even realizes what's happened. I'm glad she's a ranger, otherwise I might just have nightmares of her roaming the desert for the other side" he chuckled once more carrying a smile that would light up anyone's day.

Portia eyed the warrior closely, she remained aloof of their conversation, but her ear was interested in what they had to say. She smiled a modest smile in reply to Yeron's comment about her blade work before she turned to Kaidman, "Don't let me stop you."
Kaidman considered her words. What exactly did she mean by that?

"I have nowhere to go to be stopped. A possible few bandits doesn't mean very much to me," he stated plainly. "What makes you think you're in my way?"

Her lips remained closed as Mox and Jolo rejoined them.

Jolo puffed away with a cigar tucked to the side of his mouth, Mox was in tow gripping a long slab of bladed metal that he had retrieved from his forge. It was the only useful thing that still remained, valueless, but still useful. He could hack a bandit in half with it if he wanted to. It was wrapped up in bands of fabric that he found strewn on the ground. If he had the time, he would have shaped it into smoother steel with which to protect himself with. The two of them emerged from the crowd to join the others already waiting for them.

"Did you all get along while we were gone?" Jolo asked.

To which Kaidman simply ignored the question, continuing to stare at the figure that kept itself mysterious. He chose to ignore Yeron's comments as well, as he was a more foolhardy individual. On some level, you had to be to be a Ranger, but Yeron's overt headstrong nature was excessive to the point of being careless. It's why he went to Jolo rather than Yeron first if there was a problem among the sands.




The group was at the van of the passengers onboard the platform. Jolo spotted a ship captain as he was ordering his crew mates to unload supplies from his ship.

"Excuse me sir, are you headed to Spire Canyon by any chance?"

The man turned to Jolo, "Spire Canyon? No sir, we're headed east."

Jolo nodded his head at the man's reply, Spire Canyon was west. Jolo rejoined the group as they searched for an available ship.

"Jolo, do we really need an airship to get out to Spire Canyon? It's at most three days of walking, if you only do ten miles a day that is," Kaidman complained. He wasn't one for getting tangled in the mess of civilization's organized chaos, though he admired it. Societies made things possible which were not possible before.

"Is it now? That's three days of non-stop walkin'. We could probably get there in a day and be back in two."

The old ranger paused, rubbing his beard, which had since the ninetieth, regrown. He had not the time to condition his facial hair, but such was the life of a ranger.

"But somethin' tells me that we might not be headin' back," Jolo swung a look at Kaidman, "Call it a gut feelin' kid. 'Sides, I'm sure you've never flown befo'."

Taro overheard the man, as he was dealing with a delivery. Some letters to various people, some tried to kept their faces hidden but did it poorly, and one of the letters seemed to cause some stir among the person who got it. Taro couldn't tell if it was good news or bad. He did know however, that he and Vander were going past Spire Canyon.

Kaidman followed along before having the chance to ask, "Jolo, you're talking as if you're getting to old for this stuff. I don't mean to be rude, but maybe you should skip out on this adventure. I can get to Spire Canyon and back without an issue, and if something went wrong, you'd know." The young swordsman looked at Jolo, his brow furrowed; his friend had been a Ranger, a self-perpetuating entity, for at least as long as Kaidman had been alive. Perhaps Jolo was getting too old.

Jolo took another puff from the still lit cig; he learned to sustain them for quite a bit longer than most smokers. Even if he barely smoked as much as most smokers. He considered Kaidman's points carefully, or appeared as though he were.

"Sounds like you're the one callin' me old, but don't worry I'm not that old. We're goin' along because I think that treasure has a trail to it. Seems a bit coincidental that bandits kidnap that boy yonder," Jolo jabbed a thumb back at Mox, who was with the rest of the group, "Then we return to the city, where he receives a letter and death threats aimed at keepin' him away from some supposed treasure. It's what I do. So help me find a ship."

"Maybe I can help?" Taro asked, walking over to them. "My father is the Captain of the 'Morning's Light,' and we are headed that way, if I heard you right and you're headed toward Spire Canyon. It happens to be on our route, not even a detour. Good prices."

Taro made it sound genuine, but Vander had told him at least some of that phrasing. Just to be safe. Taro might be a good shot for his age, but he was only average with words. Vander was typically better at it. "Our ship is right this way, if you want to see for yourself".

As Jolo heard the boy, his gaze shifted to Kaidman, who shrugged at the mention of boarding the ship called Morning's Light, before he returned to the boy. A smile slowly formed on his lips, "Well, lead the way then, young man."

Jolo gestured with a head nod at the others to follow. Mox, Portia, Yeron, and the two messengers joined them.

Melio watched from afar, he remained a spy in the backdrop of the crowded hangar. He watched the group board the ship that was known as Morning's Light. He eyed the contours of the ship and the little details that separated it from the others in that hangar. He made a note of remembering the little boy's face. After he had seen all that he needed to see, he turned his gaze toward Portia. She replied with a batting of her eyelashes. He smiled and turned a corner, departing from the platforms.

Yeron kept quiet about the whole situation, he never liked flying. Suspended high up above the desert on a flimsy platform just didn't appeal to him for some crazy reason. Still, he remained silent and followed along. The whole idea of this trip felt off. Even here now in the airship platform he felt an uneasiness. The years of training kicked in and his eyes jumped from person to person. He peered into every dark corner as he passed. All the while clutching at the rifle he had slung on his shoulder. At least in the desert the bandits had few places to actually hide, here someone could disappear in the blink of an eye. Something shady folk tended to do when rangers were about.

"Oh," Kaidman interjected, "did I mention that cavemen usually don't carry money with them?" In a way, he felt guilty, for he needed to rely on others because he could not pay the fee himself.

Mox overheard Kaidman, "He's not the only one."

Jolo turned to look at the two younger men, he shook his head and smiled, "Freeloaders."

"Well, it's a trading ship, so you can use cargo as barter if needs be," he noted as he led them toward the ship. It wasn't uncommon for trading vessels to accept cargo as payment. And it was usually a lot easier. The value of money altered itself on where you were. Cargo did not vary as much.

"We have plenty of room, so you don't need to worry about space".

“How much would it cost to take us to Spire Canyon?” Jolo asked.

Just Spire canyon, Mox wondered about the return trip. Will there be a return trip?

Taro told them the price. It was more then land transport, but reasonable for airship prices. Plus, Airships would be safer then traveling on the ground. And if anyone took a good look, they would see that they had plenty of cargo room because their airship had a large cargo hold.

As the discussion goes on outside of his cabin, the assassin showed the tip of his nose to the sun. He was leaning against a shadowed wall, trying to eavesdrop into the discussion. 'Spire Canyon, hm?' He thought to himself, walking towards outside of the small room. He watched the group of misfits, a small smirk on his face, but his gaze quickly met with Jolo's figure. He blinked once, twice before realising his luck. He looked around. Too many witnesses with very little openings. He shrugged; he had time. Nonchalantly, the man walked towards the group, approaching Jolo.

Mox saw that the Boy ran ahead, probably to alert the owner of the ship. He wondered what a kid was doing in the hangars. The others, Portia, Eian, and Shari went along ahead of him.

"Alright move along," Jolo watched the group merge into the crowd of the airship's departing passengers.

He shook his head at Yeron, "Like herding Grelbs."

"Jolo!" Seth called out as he approached. "I need to talk to you," his eyes then swept over to the other people before coming back to the man he was talking to, "And in private. It'll take only a few seconds."

"Do I know you?" Jolo's eyes narrowed at the stranger dressed in a tatter of scarves.

He snickered a bit, resting a hand on his hips. "Well, no, of course you don't." He shrugged. "Workin' under some Claude person. Look, I'm not here to cause trouble. If you really want, I can leave my belongings to your group if you really want to make it safe."

The old ranger eyed the stranger, he was an odd fellow. Jolo brushed him off and continued.

Seth shrugged. "Oh well, a ranger like you probably already heard of drakyvarians wanting your head on a diner plate, so I'll pass my turn." He would say, turning away before bidding a farewell to Taro and Vander walking away, outside of the ship.
Jolo paused in his tracks as he heard this, he turned to glance at the fellow who had his back turned toward Jolo as he walked away. The ranger dismissed his words, but anybody who had lived as long as he did, especially in the manner that he lived, would have taken any words from a stranger as more than what they were. Prudence was demanded.

The cargo was tucked away and the passengers were assigned whatever quarters to sleep in. Vander told everyone the rules of the ship.

"No shooting each other, no explosives, play nice, no stealing. I keep a tight watch over the cargo, and trust me, we will know and we will find you. We will employ the utmost safety and security. Please remember to not hog supplies either. Those that are on this ship are also closely watched."