Dice Our Shenanigans

[Katsuya]

- The Sunken Temple -
“Close to the Chickadee tavern”​

Isa nodded, remembering the image of the sunken temple as he hugged Loki once more. “I’ll talk to you soon. See ya later, Loki!” Then he made his way up the slide and slid down.

With a deep sigh, the redhead woke up, taking in his surroundings. Dread and hope filled him as he climbed the ripped rope ladder and by the end, he met a wondrous sight. Underneath the soft-lit moon, islands floating about and above the mainland. Waves crashing the rocky edges of the ruins that’s by the sandy he’s on. He actually made it to the Highlands, to the Sunken temple.

” . . . Moss . . .” Isa closed his eyes, dropping his bag on the sand as he intertwined his hands together. Praying for help from Moss‘ spirit guide, should they hear him from a far. “Please, lead me to him and lead him to me. Please. Please . . .”

He wanted to find him in hopes to calm his worries.

————

- Three days later -​

It took three days for Isa to reach Bird village, exhausted from marching for so long. He’s just happy to see people roaming about, not wild animals skulking around and wanting to eat him. The candle lamp posts dimly lit the cobbled streets, giving an air of safety even on the dead of night. Houses were quiet, the inns were busy.

He stopped at a wood sign of a grumpy chickadee bird crossing it’s wings and he peeked at the tavern behind it. “...Better than nothing.” He mumbled and went inside, finding himself ignoring the rowdy and jolly folks as he went up to the front desk to check himself in. One room, one bed.

As soon he reached his room, locking the door behind him, Isa plopped on his bed, and slept heavily. Dreaming of whale wails, Isa searching, and a certain merman‘s happy smile.

On the next morning, Isa woke up early and went downstairs to ask if he could earn his lodging by entertainment. The burly man in a sailor suit, crossed his arms and nodded. Silently passing a piece of parchment to sign in as a temporary worker and left the tarvern while there’s still daylight.

“Time for info gathering.” Isa said, grinning. For once, he is searching for someone else this time.



Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

It took Isa the whole day of following wrong leads, guesses of where Moss was staying from strangers who saw Moss days ago, until finally the shopkeeper of the only bookstore in town, the Snow Owl, told Isa that his friend left town two weeks and four days ago for the Windshear Mountains.

The shopkeeper regarded Isa behind his black rimmed glasses, from his red hair down to his black gloves. "You're the one he was looking for." He realized calmly in a smoky voice, leaning over the countertop to look down at Isa's coat. "He asked everyone in town if you've come by. He asked my sister and I so many questions about portals. Said he came by the one from Windshear, though that one is nothing but pretty rubble now, and that somehow you did not come out of the portal with him. Said that you didn't respond to his ley messages. He refused to believe you were dead, insisting that you couldn't hear him because you weren't in this realm . . . "

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“We fixed that portal, but only to jump to here—or well, that was the plan.” Isa replied to the shopkeeper, relief rolling through his exhausted body. Finally. Finally, someone knew about Moss and even kept an eye out for the redhead. “He was right, I wasn’t in this realm. Would’ve answered his messages if I was.”

”Do you know anyone that can send ley messages? Can you? I need to contact him as soon as I possibly can...” Isa asked politely, rubbing one of his eyes with the palm of his gloved hand. “Or do you know how to use the portal in the Sunken temple? I had to ask if Moss asked so much about it from you and your sister...”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

"No, the portal in The Sunken Temple has been broken for hundreds of years. As for the message, I can, for a price. What do you want me to tell your friend? You have thirty words." said the shopkeeper, pulling up the sleeves of his blue robes where black tattoos of animals decorated his arms. With his finger, he began to draw in glowing white lines a magic circle on the wooden counter.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

Isa nodded. He should probably keep it short.

”Hi, Moss. It’s Isa. I hope you’re doing okay. I’m in Bird Village at the Highlands. Where are you? Send me a Ley message.” He said, looking at the shopkeeper’s tattoos in interest. Then he looked at the magic circle.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

The shopkeeper nodded, as he finished his circle. It began to swirl. He then drew out a piece of amber from his robes and placed it floating in the middle of the circle. The amber was burned up in a silver smoke.

"From Isa Bianchi via Snowy Owl. Hi, Moss. It’s Isa. I hope you’re doing okay. I’m in Bird Village at the Highlands. Where are you? Send me a Ley message." said the shopkeeper. He waited for a moment.

"Message start: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh." said the shopkeeper in a calm voice. "O theè mou, Isa, filos mou, naí, I will. I'm almost at the portal in Windshear. I'm turning back right now. I'll take the Merchant's Road back to The --- message end." said the shopkeeper.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

It’s so weird to hear a yell in a stoic manner. Isa raised a brow. The Merchant’s road from Windshear? ”He must’ve ran out of word capability.“ The redhead grinned.

“One more message, please? Just write ‘The Merchant’s road back to the?’”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

No sooner had the shop keeper began drawing the spell circle again, Moss' voice exploded in Isa's head.

"Isa?! Are you hurt, Isa? What happened? Are you alright? Oh, and Smoky is with, errr, Sen Pendragon. He owns the Iron Itsumade across the Chickadee Tavern!"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Oh!” Isa winced, holding his head as he listened to the message. “Um...never mind! Thank you, Sir.”

Then he started to reply, mindlessly looking for alchemical ingredients in his bag. “I’m okay. I was transported to the Void where Ancient Loki lives. Are you alright?! Okay, do you want me to wait in Bird village?” Isa gave James three medical herbs. He won’t move if it’ll keep Moss sane.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

The shop keeper accepted the herbs. Then looked up surprised when Isa said 'The Void'.

"Yeah, it's safe there. I'm so relieved you're alright. I'll try to get there in two weeks. Oh, but if you find a lead about your uncle, just go ahead!"

The shop keeper waited patiently for Isa to finish, drumming his fingers on the counter. He looked very curious.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Okay. I’ll wait here. Are you alright, Moss? I’m so happy to hear ya. I’m sorry for worrying ya so much.” Isa replied then saw that the shopkeeper was waiting for...him?

The redhead grinned impishly . “Yes?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

"Had a run in with some mountain wolves and an ogre, but I'm alright. It's okay, Isa, I'm just glad you're safe. I'll message you again later. Looking for shelter." said Moss, who sounded like he was huffing, as though he started to travel again.

The shopkeeper rested his chin on his hand. "How did you come here from The Void? That's . . . remarkable. And worrying if someone can create a rift from Windshear to here, or from The Void to here. Giants can come in, monsters from the shadow veil, and other less savory folks who want to take over our home. I don't mean to sound suspicious, but who are you?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Stay safe, Moss.” Isa tenderly replied before paying attention to the shopkeeper. His brow raised up.

”. . . You first, Sir. I don’t know you.” The redhead said, pocketing his hands. “And you’re mighty interested in the Void and it’s residents for a simple book shopkeeper. Mind introducing yourself first?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

The shop keeper looked annoyed. "I am James Pendragon. This simple bookshop keeper who helped you send word to your friend is mighty interested in keeping his family and friends safe. We live here." he said coolly, as though that was all the reason needed to know about The Void.

" I help keep away bandits and Templars who secretly try to build outposts to gain a foothold in taking our land, I destroy demons from both the Ghostlight and Thousandcut Badlands, we do not want more trouble from giants of Windshear or monsters from The Void. And not only that, if the other Bandit Warlords and Inquisitors get wind that somehow the Sunken Temple portal is working, they may break their peace treaties with the Daughter of Giantsbane and march upon the Highlands to fight us for it."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Ahh~ well well~ Nice to meet you, James Pendragon.” Isa’s grin grew mischievous like a cat that caught a canary. His tone of voice is rather playful. “My name’s Isa Bianchi. I’m a demon hunter bonded to Loki, who is obsessed with ruins, and it’s history. As such, I will not tell you about the Void. It is, after all, sensitive information and you don’t have to worry about the residents reaching here.”

He is pretty sure that Ancient Loki will fix that tear of time and space.

”However, since this is your home, I can tell you this. The portal in Windshear is fixed. Just used a small piece of ragnite to power it up enough for my friend and I to go through to reach the Sunken temple. There’s some suspicious group of kutulus and their unfortunate drows near that portal higher up in the mountains. You might want to check if the Sunken temple’s portal is working, just in case. I didn’t stay long enough to check myself.” Not with him wanting to look for Moss.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

"Where is this suspicious group?" James pulled out a map from a cubby hole behind the counter and spread it out between the two of them. After asking Isa where they were hiding, how to get there, what they were doing, how many of them were there, and how he got the ancient portal working, he finally let Isa go.

It was now ten in the evening. Crickets were chirping. frogs were croaking, and the strange calls of beasts resounded from the sprawling jungle that surrounded the village outside. The moon, a waning gibbous, hung bright above a cloudless sky. Most of the shops were already closed, save for the Vermillion Den, a stable and pet shop where a princely oriental man with purple hair was leading out a mocha brown chocobo for a hooded traveler who was so bundled up only his orange eyes peered out from behind his scarf, a hawker with sheep horns shyly and trying to be confident in calling out the late night strollers to have a taste and buy the last of his blueberry hazelnut galletes, and creamy goat butter seasoned with seaweed, the angry Chickadee Tavern that was alive with revelers, and the Iron Itsumade smithy across the street from it that was bellowing smoke stacks into the night sky.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Snowy Owl -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Can I leave now? Now?...Nooow?”

Isa made it hard for James when he was asked about how he got the portal working. He didn’t like being questioned like he was a criminal. Not at all. “I smithed by using the kutulu’s forge and jumped off a cliff.” He said dully, sitting by the ground and leaning against the desk in his supposed boredom. “You have eyes. Know the difference between new and old metals, James.”

Once he was done being questioned, the redhead cheerfully waved at the bookkeeper with a mischievous grin. Standing by the opened door. “Bye bye, James~ Thank you for your help~” Then he left. Satisfied in annoying the Pendragon. Hearing a shy man to taste and buy what he is selling, Isa got curious about the taste and asked the sheep-horned man for a small sample of the blueberry hazelnut galletes. Humming in glee and asked for one to snack on. “Thank you. This is very tasty. People are missing out for not buying one.” Isa told to the shy man as he payed him before walking towards the Iron Itsumade.

Loudly knocking on the door’s frame, Isa waited. Munching on his dinner sweet. Moss should try these when he gets here.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"
​

James was annoyed Isa didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation and gave him a steely look when he left the shop.

The sheep-horned man Isa bought the sweet from looked happy from the compliment. "That's quite kind of you to say." he said in a gentleman's accent. "Ah, I can finally go home. Thank you for buying my last galletes, good sir, have a good night!" And with surprising strength for someone so meek, he lifted up the yoke of his cart, and walked towards the village outskirts, humming.

In the smithy, a young man's voice from inside shouted, "Come in!"

The air was filled with the sound of hammering metal, the smell of coal dust and molten iron. It was cramped. Matchlock guns hung gleaming on racks, there were shelves of shurikens of different designs, kunais with handsome handles, sickles some attached to chains, metal fans of war embossed with oriental landscapes with a sign underneath saying 'Will do custom designs' ; there was a barrel of caltrops, another of long wooden staffs. A heavy spiked metal kanabo hung next to the wide double doorway, and closest to the forge were tonfas, war claws and knuckle dusters, and a handful of finely crafted katanas.

Hammering at the forge was an auburn-blonde haired young man, green eyes, slender, but the little muscle he had were sharply defined, so that they looked chunky under the lantern light.

"Evening, welcome to the Iron Itsumade! What can I do for you?" he said cheerfully to Isa. Then his expression became that of recognition, and he stared. "Do --- do you happen to have a friend with a horn on his head?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

While he waited, the redhead watched the villagers walk around. One catching his eyes as he heard “Ken’eeeen~” breaking the crickets’ song. A blonde swordsman jogged up to the princely handler and hugged him from behind. Isa chuckled and looked away before he saw anything else from the cute couple; he spotted a pair of matching gold rings around their fingers. A sign of marriage.

This place seemed friendly and peaceful . . . Guess James kept up the good work.

As soon he heard to come in, Isa came inside of the smithy. Heat hit the young redhead as he took a deep breath of the molten iron; happy to feel warm this quickly. He looked around, taking quiet steps as he read a sign saying ‘Will do custom designs’. He wondered if maybe this blacksmith can help Moss in the long-run? Indigo eyes roamed the room filled with finely melded weapons and thought ‘or he only knows how to make tools.’

Still! There’s hope for the merman’s wishes.

Turning around at the greeting, Isa grinned, giving a slight wave. “Hm?“ He blinked owlishly, surprised. “ . . . I must have worried Moss a lot. Yes. That’s my friend. I just contacted him through a ley message and told me to come here for my bike.”

”Thank you for holding onto Smoky. Is there anyway I can repay ya?” Isa asked, seemingly grateful.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

"Yes, I would love to take her apart and see how she works!" said the blacksmith with the air of someone who had been fighting temptation for a long time and was about to lose it. "Oh, but first, he had a security question for you, just to make sure you are the real Isa Bianchi. Please complete this sentence." he stopped his hammering, shoving the heated metal back into the forge, and walked up to Isa patting his dirty hands on his dirty overalls.

"You flirt only during . . . ?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

“Pfft-!” Isa covered his mouth as he laughed. “Hahahah! I only flirt during the daytime and when we’re safe. I can’t believe that Moss- hahahahahah!”

The redhead covered his whole face to calm down, finding it all too funny. He huffed at the end, clearing his throat. Indigo eyes looked back at the blacksmith as his grin melted into a smile. “Sure. Better yet, how about we make a deal? I’ll even show you how Smoky works as you tinker her around as long she gets a safe haven while I wait for my friend?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

The blacksmith laughed as well. "That settles it, you're the real deal!" His excitement came back, "Yes! Anything! What's your deal? Oh! And I'm Sen, by the way, I'd shake your hand, but . . ." He showed his coal and soot smudged hands. "And, you don't have to worry about people judging you, you can freely call the unicorn man your boyfriend. We have another gay couple in the village and we love them."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

Isa grabbed his hand anyways, shaking it firmly. “It’s okay. I’m usually covered in ragnite dust and smoke. Nice to meet ya, Sen!”

Though his eyes widened by what he said next. His face turning extremely red and he chuckled awkwardly. His gloved hand reaching behind his neck to rub. “U-um....w-we’re not dating...” Isa sighed, his smile turned rueful. “As much as I like to be, we’re not boyfriends.....what made ya think we’re boyfriends, Sen?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

"Oh! Sorry about that." said Sen, sheepishly. "I just thought with the flirting and how he looked like he was going out of his mind with worry when you . . . didn't appear with him when you came out of the Sunken Ruins portal? Yeah. That made me think you were a couple. Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Iron Itsumade -
"Night Time, Bird Village, The Higlands"​

Sen can cook an egg on Isa’s face with how hot he is. Smoke is coming out of his red ears.

“A-ahh....I-I see...” Moss really cares about him. There’s so many hints of his true feelings and Isa...doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to date him. Not when Moss has plans and Isa needs to find that book before his uncle does.

”I-it’s okay. I don’t blame ya for thinking like that...”He cleared his throat, averting his swirling eyes away. “But thank you for accepting us. I appreciate it...now about the deal. Other than having Smoky a safe haven, can I work with ya for the two weeks I’m staying? That way, you can ask me anything about her without looking for me.”

Zer0