Fantasy The Extirpation of Illios

[Mopzee]

The thing about breaking down like this, she decided, was that there was no way to look good doing it. No way to keep her face from feeling hot and her throat from aching, to stop the sharp hyperventilative breaths that made it difficult for her to speak or drink with much composure. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and cheeks, working to calm herself. Delgue commanded her attention with a sudden, stern yet somewhat concerned tone. Sniffling, and watching with stinging, red, surprised eyes as he insisted that she wouldn't do those things she had spoken of. That she wouldn't be homeless. That she was a mercenary now. She hasn't actually given any thought to being a mercenary. She had heard it was a fairly lucrative career, though the opinions held of them varied greatly. She nearly commented that she wasn't sure she could "get the job done" as he put it. Quickly finding herself cut off when Delgue insisted that she was more than able.

She took the chance to take another swig and hide her face. The color her tears brought to her cheeks hid the blush his comments had triggered. "They took the armor." She confirmed quietly, "A new set will be expensive. I don't know if i can afford custom made armor." There was a pause as the corner of her mouth curled into the tiniest of smiles "Unless you're buying. You don't seem to be hurting for ingots." The sniffles and shakes were fading, leaving behind the uncomfortable empty feeling she had been feeling since she had been relieved from her job. Setting her mug down beside her, she stretched her legs out before herself, pointing her toes. They had done so much travelling, her legs were still a bit sore, the liquor did much to dull the ache. Finally she glanced over at him, staring at his face for awhile, focusing on the features at last. "So how does one become a mercenary? Like... how do you... merce... or whatever." She asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

 

[beedis]

Delgue had gotten through to her with his speech, and her sobbing began to die down much to his relief. He was beginning to worry some tough guy under the assumption he made her cry might try to start something with him. "Har, har, very funny Neriah. I was wrong thinking you didn't have a sense of humor." he quipped in response to her comment. "So, did they take the axe and shield too?" he asked before taking another swig of his drink. "Because come to think of it maybe I can help you get what you need, top of the line equipment even. I'm talking nicer armor than you have even seen, and the only thing it will cost you is a favor." he offered his lips twisting into a wicked smirk. "I'll warn you though, I take favors very seriously, and I keep really good track of people who owe me." he explained. "Give it some thought, You can't go charging into battle dressed like that after all." he said.

"Now, if you want to be a mercenary you can start by not saying things like that." He joked with a cackle. "Past that, there is nothing to it. Ask around, people need extra muscle more than you would think." he explained. "You do odd jobs, help somebody find their lost wife, private guard duty, armed escort, whatever." he continued. "You have to be more intimidating though, but I can help with that too." he ordered before downing what remained of his drink.

 

[Mopzee]

"I'm sorry I take things seriously" picking at the stone with her fingernails, "They took the shield that was issued to me. But the axe is mine, so at the very least I still have that." Neriah listened passively, considering his offer and pondering what exactly he would want from her for this favor. The smile he flashed her left her uneasy. She wondered if she even wanted to know what he was thinking.

He laughed at her question, urged her to never again say something like that, and she couldn't help but chuckle too. Yes, she supposed it sounded strange, but in all fairness she didn't know of a better way to phrase it just yet. But she still had to answer him. "Fine. On one condition. It can't be anything weird." Neriah knew well enough not to agree to anything that lest her completely aft the mercy of someone's imagination. But right now she couldn't come up with something better than that. The alcohol was acting faster than she anticipated. Which was both a blessing and a curse.

She retrieved her own drink, finishing the last of it shortly after he downed his own. A small belch erupted from her before she could stop herself, her hand rapidly moving to clamp tight over her mouth tho stifle it. Her apology drowned out by the sounds of heavy, panicked footfalls and asudden, screaming voice.

Neriah flinched, but was nevertheless quick to her feet. Stumbling at first, but catching herself by placing a hand upon Delgue' s head. Not graceful, but it was better than falling. Her eyes were wide when they met his. "Oster's breath!" She breathed, "Come on, we've got to-". Another scream, desperate pleas for help from "someone, anyone, please!" It was a short distance away, far enough to be out of sight but close. So close. She looked to him again, catching his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Delgue, please, we have to." She urged, her words slurred the tiniest bit, a sinking feeling boiled in her gut. What if it was them, whoever it was that bad attacked her. She couldn't let someone go through that, and she had to know.

 

[beedis]

"Well at least they didn't take everything." his smirk returned once she agreed to let him help her out. "Come on, weird? What kind of guy do you take me for, I'd never take advantage of anybody like that!" he joked. "To be perfectly honest with you I'm even sure what I want yet, but once I figure that out expect a knock. Could be next week, could be next year." he explained. "But first I'll do my part. As soon as I get back to Osturlund I'll pay a couple of friends a visit and get you a suit of armor that'll make the city guard jealous. Maybe even a new shield if I'm feeling generous." he said.

He cackled in response to her belch "Very ladylike N-" he began before the sounds of a nearby struggle cut him off. A piercing scream came from somewhere outside the tavern. He moved to get to his feet but Neriah was way ahead of him, using his head to steady herself. He grunted "Yeah, yeah I know." he responded before another scream rang out through the city streets, closer this time. He nearly lost his footing as Neriah pulled him from his seat. "Alright, we're going, just relax." he assured her before drawing his blade from it's sheath and handing it to her. "Just in case you need it, and don't treat it like an axe you savage." he implored before drawing his crossbow, hastily loading a bolt as they took off in the direction of the noise.

It didn't take long to pinpoint the source of the ruckus, in a narrow alley near the tavern a woman garbed in dark clothing stood with her back to them over a collapsed Vern. She was armed with some kind of club, and a large sack was draped over her right shoulder. The Vern had collapsed on the floor and seemed to be unconscious. Delgue let loose a loud whistle before aiming his crossbow at the stranger. "Drop it!" he shouted. The woman was caught off guard jumping at the sound of the unexpected voice. Without skipping a beat she took off rounding the corner faster than Delgue could hope to act with the booze in his system. "Damn it." he muttered before lowering his crossbow and turning to Neriah. "Well that's that, we did it! I don't think the Vern is dead so we saved the day. Now, can I get back to drinking?" he asked nonchalantly before turning his back on the scene and squeezing past Neriah to get back onto the street.

 

[Mopzee]

She was relieved when he relented to being dragged along, the thoughts she had about what Osterlund might be like had all but disappeared as soon as she heard that first awful scream. Delgue thrusted a weapon into her hands, insisting she not treat it like an axe. She scaled even through her panic when he called her a savage. She was no savage. Neriah got the feeling she would hold onto that for awhile, but now really wasn't the best time to worry about that. As carefully as she could while they were running towards the source of the screaming she tucked the weapon into her belt. Passively she worried about what they would find when they got there. Whatever it was, it hardly sounded pleasant.

Delgue had already drawn his crossbow by the time they reached the alleyway. Loosing a bolt at the hooded figure and charging forward while Neriah came to an abrupt halt the second she witnessed the scene. Eyes wide, remembering her own experience in an instant. How she had been chased down, too slow in her reactions and the weight of her armor to outrun them, she was easily captured.

She shook the rest of the memory from her mind. Delgue had missed, and the would be kidnapper had darted around the corner to escape them. Neriah closed the distance to the collapsed form of a Zadovern, straining to flip them onto their back. Bruises were quickly forming, darkening the already olivine tones of their flesh. They had been stuck down by the club, and it was clear upon seeing the sack that the assailant had been carrying that they had intended on doing more than just injuring the poor Vern.

"Delgue, we have to report this! And we can't just leave them here! What if that creep comes back?" She thought for a moment, and made a decision. "Help me carry them back to my place. They should be safe there while we find a guard."

 

[beedis]

Delgue groaned as Neriah rushed to the aid of the collapsed Vern. He just wanted to enjoy his night, not play town guard but it seemed that would be impossible with his present company. Sighing he returned to his companions side before hoisting the Vern onto his shoulder with a grunt. "Maybe this Vern wouldn't be in such sorry shape if he even tried to defend himself" he growled. "Don't worry about helping, I got him. Just lead the way back to your place, and we'll dump him off." he ordered. "He's going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow morning but I can hear him breathing so he should probably live." he explained.

The trip back to Neriah's home was oddly quiet, hardly a soul roamed the streets which was unusual for what seemed like such a busy city; Quite the contrast to the bustling night life in Osturlund. They reached their goal quickly, and without event, which was a blessing because the Vern he was carrying had begun to get heavy. Neriah's home was about what he expected a town guard might be able to afford. A single room street level flat, sparsely decorated, and meticulously cared for. It didn't take long for him to find the bed where he dumped the still unconscious Vern. "I don't trust our new friend here." he said bluntly. "If he wakes up while we are out looking for a guard he could steal whatever he could carry without any resistance." he explained. "But I know I won't change your mind so let's just go find a guard and get this over with." he said with a sigh.

It took more searching than he would have expected to come across a guardsman. The man was absorbed in thought leaning against a wall and staring up at the nighttime sky. They were only acknowledged once they got very close. The guard's expression immediately soured once he saw Neriah, it seemed she had a history with this guy. "Don't tell me you've come to try and beg for you job back Einfauld." he scoffed. "Don't even bother. I can smell the liquor on you from here, you're pathetic." he taunted. "And who is the goon? Don't tell me you are friends with this lowlife?" he asked. The incessant taunting and smug superiority of the guard was enough to set Delgue off. He wasn't about to sit around and let this tin can insult him. "I can't believe you-" the guardsman was caught off guard as Delgue shoved him up against the wall he had been leaning against, pinning him there. "Look asshole while you were busy with your thumb up your ass we stopped a Vern from getting beaten to death a few blocks over. I don't think it looks good for illios when two citizens are the ones keeping the streets clean" Delgue spat. The captain growled before pushing Delgue back. "I'll forget you just did that, but do something like that again and I'll have every guard in the city after your ass." he threatened before turning his attention to Neriah. "These things happen, probably just a mix up with the night patrols. No need to get up in arms about it. I'll handle things from here, Just tell me where the Vern is and what happened to the assailant." he ordered.

 

[Mopzee]

He came back. Insisting that he would support the unconcious man by himself. She was unsure at first what to do with herself, she could have helped carry him, she wasn't certain but she got the feeling she was at least as strong as Delgue. But that was an Osterlund thing, right? Showing off how strong you were. Neriah let out a gentle sigh, "You know they don't fight. They refuse to harm anyone." Leading the way as she spoke, hovering over them a bit just in case he changed his mind and wanted help. Even if he specifically told her not to worry about it. She led him to a small house, modest, but she did her best to care for it. The door had been carefully stained an amber color, but it otherwise resembled the surrounding houses built of the same pale white stone as the rest of the city. Producing a simple looking key, she hurried to open the door and usher Delgue to her home.

As her companion lowered the Vern none-too-carefully onto her bed, she retrieved her old hand-me-down blanket to pull over him. It didn't even come close to covering him, but she managed to drape it across his torso after some effort. "Don't worry about it. I don't know if you noticed, but I don't really have anything worth stealing anyway." She stood up too quick, stumbling and bumping into Delgue clumsily. "Sorry. I'm not very graceful today, am I?" A sad sigh passed her lips as she looked over at the Vern. Deciding to leave a piece of bread and her pitcher of water beside the bed for the man when he awoke. She left a short note, telling them they were safe here and to get some rest, signing with her own name before looking back to the other human. "Alright. We better go find a guard."

They spent quite awhile searching, which seemed odd to Neriah. It shouldn't be so difficult to find guards, they were assigned posts and didn't often stray far from them unless they needed to. "I'm glad we got there in time to save him" she announced, hesitating before she finally blurted it out. "That's what happened to me. I saw something I shouldn't have, I still don't remember what I saw. But I remember them chasing me. People dressed like that. Then... I woke up in the middle of nowhere. They must have dragged me out there. I don't know why they didn't just kill me, they seem to have no trouble attacking others." She trailed off into her own thoughts, not speaking again until they finally found a guard. She couldn't be any unluckier if she tried, it was the guard Captian.

No sooner had she opened her mouth did she get interrupted by him. He immediately began yelling, accusing, belittling her, even insulting Delgue. She was in shock from such a sudden outburst. Delgue however, snapped back at the Captain rather suddenly. They shouted back and forth, shoving one another before attention returned to her. Cautiously she stepped in between the men to try and separate them from one another. "The assailant took off when we got there, they had a big sack and a club and were wearing these dark hooded cloaks that-"

"What about the victim. Where is he?" The captain insisted, stepping forward and pressuring her even more.

"The Vern is at my house resting. I figured it would be safe there until we found a guard." She answered anxiously, shifting away from the intense glare of the Captain.

"Yes. Well. I suppose that's a good idea. From now on let the real guards take care of things. Citizens shouldn't be out looking for trouble." He spat, glaring at Delgue for a moment "And I suggest you and this delinquent friend of yours stay out of trouble. If you get in the way of the Illian Guard, I promise you it won't be pretty."

Neriah nodded, fighting the urge to salute as the Captain hurried off, likely to gather the other guards and search for the kidnapper. When she finally relaxed her muscles ached from being so tense for so long. "Okay... let's go back to the tavern then. I'm sure they'll take care of it. I'm going to need another drink if I'm going to have any hope of sleeping tonight after all of that craziness." She whined, giving a half hearted wave for him to follow her before they set off again. Her mind drifted again and again to what Delgue had said. It must be nice to be so fearless. Not that she was a coward, but he had the guts to insult the guard captain! That took some serious nerve. Could she ever do that?

 

[beedis]

Delgue scoffed as the guard called him out again. He managed to hold himself back, not wanting to get Neriah in more trouble than she was already in. He glared at the captain as he walked off before shifting his gaze back to his companion. "You know, I actually like that plan Neriah, probably the only reasonable thing you've said in the past hour." he joked with a cackle. "back to the tavern it is then." he replied before following after her. "I take it that guy was your boss, right?" he asked as they walked. "And by the sound of things you weren't his favorite." he continued. "Don't know how long you were a guard, but if he were in charge of me I wouldn't have made it a week." he explained with a cackle. "Not too fond of his type" he commented. "Oh, and before I forget, I need my sword back." he said.

Things hadn't changed in the tavern despite all the screaming from before. The place was just as noisy as it was earlier in the night. They managed to find a pair of empty seats inside towards the center of the bar. Delgue ordered them another round of drinks as soon as they got settled. "So the reason you were wandering alone in the middle of the desert is because you were kidnapped?" he asked as the barmaid placed their drinks down. "You know that explains a lot, but something isn't adding up here." he said before taking a sip of the fresh drink. "They fired you for abandoning?" he asked. "Did you even try to explain the whole abduction thing? I figure a captain would want to hear about one of his guards getting knocked out and carted off during their shift, but that's just me." he commented before trailing off. "By the way, you should really try standing up for yourself. Don't be a doormat if somebody is being a prick to you, ya know?" he added changing the subject before taking another swig of the heady beverage.

 

[Mopzee]

A smirk curled her lips, but only the one side, she was still on edge from their encounter. She reminded herself that they were okay, and to calm down. It didn't help much, but it felt like it was worth doing anyway. "That's just your opinion" she let out the snarky comment and the smirk spread to the other cheek at last. At least, until he asked if that had been her boss. "Yes. That was Jarvas Soderra, he's the Captain of the Guard." Neriah crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "I was a guard for a few years, maybe... four? I had thought I was doing well, he hadn't yelled at me like that in months. I hoped I had proven myself." Her muttering of "I was wrong" was lost when Delgue admitted he couldn't have lasted so long working under the man. Admittedly she was at a loss for words. "I... don't know how I did either." The words tumbled out without permission, but seemed harmless enough that she let it slide. With greater care she slid the borrowed blade from her belt, passing it back to it's owner. She hadn't even had the chance to use it.

When the arrived at the tavern once more she followed Delgue inside, walking past many strangers but finding that she knew a few of the patrons. She waved and smiled at them as they passed, lying and telling them she was doing well even though just the opposite was true. She sat across the table from the man and shifted her feet to a position that allowed them to rest and relax. Finding that she had closed her eyes at some point, she flickered them open and looked to her companion with an expression that clearly displayed her despair. "Yes, I remembered when we saw that hooded man." A slight nod while she sipped at her drink "i tried to explain to Jarvas, but..." She considered it for awhile "I understand why he was mad. I wish he had been willing to listen. Though I'm not sure it would have helped either way."

Delgue pointed out that she ought to stand up for herself more, receiving a sad glance in return. "I'm working on it." She admitted, deciding it would be best to keep drinking until she felt better.

 

[beedis]

"I have a feeling you're right about the not helping part, but still, doesn't it concern you that he wouldn't even give you the time of day? I mean he should have at least been a little curious, it's borderline negligent." he said taking another swig of his drink. "But it could just be because he's lazy and not because he has some sinister agenda. I'm probably just thinking too much into this because I don't like the guy." he admitted.

His expression shifted to a grimace once Neriah responded to his suggestion, it seemed he had brought up a sensitive matter. "Er, well...once I'm done teaching you the tricks of the mercenary trade I can give you lessons on being sassier if you like?" he offered in an attempt to lighten the mood back up a little.

They finished their round of drinks and after some idle chit-chat they decided to leave the tavern for the second time that night. The trip back to Neriah's home wasn't nearly as exciting as the last time, the streets were dead quiet. It was late enough in the night where the only people out on the streets were city guards, and drunks, they fell into the latter category. "I hope your bed has room for two Neriah because-" he stopped short as her home, or what was left of it came into view. The modest house had been reduced to a pile of rubble, and by the looks whoever had done it was long gone. The street was vacant. No guards investigating, nobody shady looking hanging around, not even a concerned neighbor. "I knew that Jarvas guy was worthless!" he growled. "There should be patrols all over this street! He should have known somebody might come looking for the Vern again!" he spat. "Let's just hope that whoever did this was clumsy enough to leave something behind in the rubble." he said rushing to search the remains of the home not really stopping to consider how Neriah might be feeling about her home being destroyed.

 

[Mopzee]

"He's very capable. They said he was the brightest guard they had, and so very... very strong. Osterlund born like you." She explained into her mug, watching the liquid as she swirled it slowly round and round. "He was always harsh. But, lately he's been worse. I don't know what's gotten into him."

The chatter surrounding them began to dwindle and their own conversation was beginning to dry up. It was well enough, both of them were feeling quite drunk or tired, some combination of the two certainly. The air was cool and the night was still, streets were now almost entirely empty. She tried not to look at the Guard she had spotted some distance down one street. She was reaching her limit to how much more of it she coukd stomach in one day. Delgue spoke and she pivoted her head back to the direction they were headed. And then stopped dead in her tracks.


There, before her some thirty yards, broken stone and splinters of wood littered the street. Neriah felt her hand smack into her face to silence the gasp before she could even fully process what she was looking at. Blinking slow, but the image never changed. Tears threatened to flow, held back only by the shock of it all. She stepped forward to the edge of the rubble, pushing away a broken board. A thumb caught a charred spot, and then the scrap was hurled away as if it had been the cause of all this. The woman waded into the mess, knee deep and lost. It felt like a dream, but no matter how she tried she wasn't waking up from it. She sat on the beam that had supported the roof, now laying sideways amidst the rest to form a sort of seat for her. Gods knew she needed to sit down for a moment. The char, she noticed, seemed to have come from what had once been her bed. It stained the floor ashen black where it had rampaged in an arc. Like a shield wall of flame. She had seen mages do this before. "They... did this. Just to..." words came slow. She was drunk, tired, and too, too confused. "Just to take him"

She felt something shift beneath her feet as she made to stand, glancing down to find a large object buried in the mess. Something that did not belong to Neriah. Something new. Carefully she lifted the object, nearly half again as large as her fist, wiping away the ash and dust. The surface danced with the light of a shifting serpentine glow that wound and convulsed at it's core. It was warm to the touch, quite heavy, and it's very proximity made her hair stand on end.

She looked to the rubble again. Confused, shaking, eyes streaming hot and stinging tears. "W-why would a-a-anyone do this?" She whimpered. "This was my h-home." Slumping down into a heap upon the pile of stone and wood, Neriah hugged the stone to her chest, and once more felt the despair in her heart force her to choke out sobbing breaths. Everything. In less than a week. Everything Neriah had was gone.

 

[beedis]

Delgue had worked himself into such a frenzy that he hardly noticed he had been talking only to himself. He was convinced Jarvas had something to do with what happened and was desperate to find something that might incriminate him in some way. He searched through the crumbled masonry like a man possessed, tossing stone and charred wood aside to expose what might be hidden underneath. It was only when he glanced behind him to check Neriah's progress that he realized she had not been listening to him at all. She sat alone on a wooden beam clutching an object he couldn't identify sobbing uncontrollably. A sight that finally made him consider what she might be going through. Neriah had lost everything in one day, her livelihood, her reputation, and now her home. She needed somebody to talk her down and as much as he dreaded the thought he was all there was.

He let out a quiet sigh and took a moment to gather himself before walking over to Neriah. He crouched down to her level before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a warm hug. He gave it a moment before trying to comfort her "When I was younger my parents kicked me out on the streets. I had nothing but a couple of ingots, the clothes on my back, and a crappy sword. The point is things won't only get worse, I promise. If somebody like me can bounce back so can you." he stressed his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Just take it easy for now, I'll keep searching to see if anything survived this. Once I'm done I'll rent us a room for the night, sound like a plan?" he asked before letting her go and turning back to the wreckage.

Hoping what he said was enough to make a difference he resumed his search combing the ruins of the house for anything still in one piece. It didn't take long for him to uncover something. The gleam of a metal object underneath a charred crossbeam caught his eye, a bit of Neriah's axe stood out, It was stained with ash but still in good condition. He stashed the weapon in his satchel before continuing his search. It wouldn't be until he combed nearly the entire foundation that he found something else. Underneath some destroyed furniture was a small wooden figurine. It had been carved to look like a tiny knight, probably a sentimental keepsake. He pocketed the toy, and with nothing left to search he returned to Neriah a bit disappointed he hadn't found anything significant. "Would these help brighten your mood?" he asked before handing her the axe and wooden toy.

 

[Mopzee]

Warmth surrounded her, pressed into her shoulders from all sides. Her face forced into leather that gave off a similar, but lesser warmth. The pressure and the heat opened the floodgates. The woman felt her fingers loosen, finding their way around the warm figure gripping him weakly on his back, just below his neck. Her face wiggled into his chest, her cheek cradles against his arm. Gently, the soft patters of tears struck his clothing, dampening it more and more by the second. Her breath caught a bit as he began to speak, she tried hard to quiet her sniffles and gasps so she could hear him. Holding her breath and shaking when necessary to try to force herself to calm down. It did little good of course, but she tried anyway.

The man who had been little more to her than an acquaintance, was telling her of himself. Something awful that had happened to him when he was young. Neriah hadn't the strength to speak just yet, focusing her efforts on listening and quieting herself instead. He explained that he had been kicked out, disowned, how he had made it. How she could make it. Her fingers moved up for a second, the tips of which barely found their way into his hair. She squeezed him tight, glancing up at him with pinkened eyes. Before she could voice her appreciation, he pulled away. Broke free of her weak grip, and instructed her to stay there while he searched.

She didn't have the strength of will to disobey. Running her fingers across the strange object that left an odd sensation in her skin. Like a million bees buzzing at once. A sensation that almost felt unreal, like a dream. Her trance broke when the voice of Delgue pierced the silence. Something of familiar weight was thrust into her hand, giving off warmth that no doubt came from whatever had darkened the wood of the axe. Next, something far smaller and more precious was placed into her palm. She glanced down, locking her gaze onto the carved wooden figure. "Oh." She whispered, a heartbreaking smile consuming her face. In time, she juggled the stone and figure under one arm, stood and spoke. "My grandfather made this for me when I was a child..." eyes met his, glistening with the remnants of tears. Carefully, if a bit awkwardly, she fixed her axe into her belt and with her free hand, reached out to him. Curling her fingers around his without a word. When she released, she wiped her tears with her sleeve and cautiously stepped out of the rubble onto the street. Hesitating just to look over the mess one last time. "I'm ready, I suppose." Her voice was shaky, unsure, afraid, and yet wholly sincere. "Sitting here and crying won't undo this... let's go then"

 

[beedis]

Delgue's usual smirk returned as Neriah began to pull herself together. She didn't look one hundred percent yet but he had at least made some difference. Perhaps he was better with the sentimental stuff than he thought. "Aren't you glad you paid me? You got the premium service today. Free drinks, a free room for the night, and free emotional support all included. You know, I'm just not sure how you ever managed without me Neirah." he joked with a cackle shutting his mouth as she began to recount the origin of the carving he had found. He realized it wasn't exactly the best time for tone deaf jokes. And so as difficult as it was for him to hold his tongue he let her have her moment, offering only a silent nod and reverent silence in response as she squeezed his hand and reminisced. The silence wouldn't last though, as soon as his companion urged they move on he returned to his usual demeanor. "There we go, that's the spirit Einfauld!" he responded before taking off back down the street they had traveled on earlier. It had been a long day and he was more than eager to get some sleep.

The streets were eerily quiet on their walk to find an open inn, not a soul was out on their path. He kept mostly to his thoughts as they walked, still unable to shake the feeling something sinister was at play. How the culprits could get away with leveling a house without drawing any unwanted attention was beyond him but thinking himself into a stupor tonight wouldn't do them any good. They could look further into things in the morning under proper daylight. "Say...Neriah...I don't know if you've given it any thought yet but we should probably head back to Osturlund first thing tomorrow. You're gonna need some new equipment to have any hope of getting work, and I hate to say it buy you're on the clock now. I'll call in some favors and get you hooked up as soon as we get back into the city. Just don't forget our deal from earlier." he reminded her as they continued to walk.

It took quite a bit of searching to find an inn with its doors still open but they managed. Once inside Delgue wasted no time approaching the portly man seated behind the reception counter. He rested a elbow on the counter before leaning over it and speaking "I'll take the most expensive room you have open for me and my lady friend here." he said before pointing a thumb behind him at Neriah and dumping a small bag of ingots on the counter top. The clerk seemed taken aback by Delgue's request "Erm, sure the finest unreserved room we have it is then." he responded before taking the bag of ingots and handing Delgue a tagged iron key. "Just down the hall there." the man said as he pointed to a door down the hall from the left of the counter. The mercenary pocketed the key beckoning to Neriah before making his way to their room. Once inside he locked the door behind them and began to look around. The room was boring looking, and hardly seemed worth what he spent but he was too tired to complain. Off-white walls, a table with two chairs, a painting of a landscape on the back wall, a screen for changing in the corner, and a single bed that looked like it could accommodate two people in the center of the room. He stretched out, taking his boots and armor off before tossing them aside. Underneath he wore a linen tunic, and some loose fitting trousers. Excited to finally rest he hopped on top of the bed and spread out not even bothering to get under the covers.

 

[Mopzee]

She watched him run off with a sort of admiration. "How do you have so much energy?" She mumbled to herself, deciding to stick to her own pace instead of running off after him. It gave her a little time to think, though she wasn't sure if she wanted to be thinking about this stuff any more than she already had. Cradling the slavaged objects in her arms and giving herself a reassuring sort of hug at the same time. Something was going on in this city, she was growing more sure of this with each unusual event. One part didn't make sense to her though. If the attacker came back for the Vern, how had he known where to go? Neriah was fairly certain nobody had followed them. And besides herself, only two people would have known where to look. Jarvas was so cruel to her, but was he really capable of that? She refused to believe it. No. It had to be someone else. They had to have been followed or seen by someone.

Delgue laid out a plan for the two of them, determining they should leave for Osterlund right away to get her some equipment. She shook her head with a weak smile when he reminded her of their agreement. "I won't forget." She assured him, "I don't think you would let me forget it anyway." The mercenary was rather quirky, but he was all she had right now. Not that she could say she disliked his company. She never would have thought upon meeting him that he would be as friendly as he was. It was nice.

When they arrived at the inn and Delgue paid for a room, she followed him down a narrow hallway idly. Stepping in the door and stopping almost immediately upon seeing that there was just one, single, bed. Her body didn't hesitate to make her face flush bright red. "Oh. I thought- well..." She stammered, watching him instantly walk behind the screen to remove his armor. She took a few steps back, bumping into the now-closed door and covering her face with one hand. Surely this was a mistake! "I'm going to go ask if there's another room, then nobody has to sleep on the floor." She announced quickly, ducking out the door to go check with the innkeeper.

She returned not long after receiving the troubling news. It was the only room in the entire in. All the rest had been rented. She knocked softly, nervously. What would they do now? It's not like they could share the bed. Her face was burning hot from the idea alone. It was far too embarrassing. Out of the question. They would just have to stay in different inns, that's all. She'd just tell him the news and leave. There had to be an inn with an open room somewhere.

 

[beedis]

He turned his gaze from the ceiling to his companion where she still stood awkwardly by the door. Shooting her a dubious glance as she announced her plan to rent another room. "What are you on about Einfauld? Sleep on the floor, why?" He tried to ask but when he looked back to where she had been standing she was already gone. He rolled his eyes before crawling under the covers and shutting his eyes.

He had nearly dozed off when the sound of knocking roused him from his half slumber. He yawned before rolling out of bed and walking to the door. Peering through the peephole to make sure it was Neriah before opening it. He could tell the room situation hadn't changed as her face was bright red. "Let me guess, no other rooms?" He asked, not waiting for her response before continuing. "You gotta stop being such a prude and relax, this isn't exactly romantic. We're both going to be fully clothed and the bed's definitely big enough where we won't even have to touch. You're not gonna sleep on the floor, so take a deep breath, relax, and lets get some rest okay? You need it more than I do." He said in an attempt to calm her down. "If you still want the floor do what you gotta do but I'm going back to sleep." He explained with a yawn before walking back over to the bed and crawling under the covers. It would be only moments before he fell into a deep slumber.

...

Delgue awoke groggy from the night of drinking, his head ached and his mouth felt horribly dry. With a groan he rolled out of bed collecting his discarded armor and equipment before getting dressed. He walked to where Neriah was still asleep placing a hand on her shoulder before shaking her roughly. "Rise and shine buddy. We have a long day ahead of us and I want to get to osturlund as early as we can." He said. "Where can I find some water to drink by the way?" He asked. "Feels like something is trying to carve it's way out of my skull." He explained.

 

[Mopzee]

As soon as she came back she was treated to a scolding by Delgue, telling her to stop being so prudish and relax. He had a point about it not being romantic of course. Though, there was still the issue that she had never slept in the same bed as a man before. If it were just sleeping in the same room it would have been an entirely different story, but this was just far too intimate.

She looked to the floor, considering it for a fee moments until she finally determined that dispute how uncomfortable she would be sharing a bed with him, it hardly held a candle to how much she didn't want to be forced to sleep on the bare floor. She carefully placed her things alongside the length of bed where her feet would be, positioning her few remaining objects including the carving knife in her pocket on a low table beside the crystal as if it were some display of everything she owned. She sat carefully on the farthest edge of the bed to remove her old boots and set these off to the side as well. It felt nice to be barefoot for awhile, the blisters she had developed on her heels from all that walking were still a bit tender.

By the time she was ready to lie down and sleep Delgue had already passed out. Inconveniently positioned towards the outside edge of the bed, forcing her to carefully crawl over him to not disturb him when she finally went to lay down. Neriah turned away from him as best she could, curling up slightly in the darkness. Everything had changed, and would change from here on out. A good night of rest was sorely needed.

She was shaken awake the next morning and immediately bombarded with questions and plans. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she began to carefully run her hands through her hair to undo the strange hairstyle sleeping in the bed had given her. "The innkeeper should be able to give you some water" she mumbled, sitting up slowly. "Is there a reason we need to get there so fast?" She asked with tones of reluctance. Travelling that far would eat up a considerable amount of time, and she wasn't entirely prepared to do it all again so soon. Not to mention, she needed to ask around to see if anyone knew what the crystallie object they had found was for.

 

[beedis]

"Innkeeper, huh? It better be free." he responded. His face crinkled in confusion once she suggested they take their time. "You're right, no reason to rush at all, we should just take our time, maybe get a nice breakfast and some tea." He replied, his tone gentle and patronizing. "In case you missed the sarcasm there we got a pretty obvious reason to rush!" He snapped. "Armor takes time to forge so I want to talk to my guy and get him your measurements as soon as possible." He explained. "I thought you'd have a lot more motivation considering your livelihood is at stake." He scolded. "Early bird catches the worm and all that, ya know?" He asked before walking over to the screen to get his equipment on. "I'm going to go get something to drink so get yourself put together and we'll head out as soon as I'm back." He ordered as he walked out the door now fully dressed.

Delgue found his way down the hallway and back to the front desk where a different man now sat. "Hey boss, where can I get some water to drink?" He asked. "The closest place is the market down the road, they sell spring water there." The employee explained lazily. "Perfect." Delgue grumbled before leaving the inn and walking down the road.

Twenty minutes later Neriah would hear a knock at the door. Delgue wouldn't wait for a response before barging in, now holding a half empty mason jar of water. "5 ingots for a jar of water! Can you believe that? I would have been better drinking from a puddle off the street" he complained loudly to Neriah before walking over to the bed, and taking a seat. It was then he finally spotted the gem Neriah had been carrying. It sat on an end table with the rest of her belongings. "Woah, hey, you been holding out on me Einfauld?" He asked pointing to the gem. "Look at the size of that thing, where did you get it? Was it a gift or something?" He continued. "If I were you I'd get that thing appraised it's definitely worth big money." He suggested.

 

[Mopzee]

For such a casual and meaningless question he seemed to react rather strongly. She hadn't meant anything really by the remark. In her newly awoken state she had merely lacked the clarity of thought to understand why he had been in such a rush. She understood now that she was fully awake, and of course the scolding she had received had only confirmed her assumptions. Her face contorted into a slight scowl, "I'm sorry I upset you." A small part of her added that she had been through a lot and she was feeling mentally drained, but she was fairly certain she hadn't said that part out loud.

While he was gone from the room she took the chance to smooth her hair and clothes. Her weapon and trinket went to her belt and coin pouch respectively. The only thing that remained was to pull on her old boots and grab the stone. Hopefully they could find a bag of some sort for her. She knew there wasn't much of a need to carry a bag sometimes, but if they were going to Osterlund she didn't want to simply carry it in her arms. It wasn't huge or unwieldy, but she would get tired of it quickly.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed when he returned, staring at the strange crystal thoughtfully. His complaint about the water forced her to stifle a laugh. "Fresh water is hard to come by here. You can't drink the sea water." She explained, though her attention was still locked elsewhere. Until of course, the crystal was noticed. "Honestly. I don't really know. It isn't mine." There was a pause, Neriah touched the crystal thoughtfully. It was pretty to be sure. The way it glowed with life, it was almost hypnotizing. "I found it last night, in the.... rubble" she hesitated to say the word, still shocked by the turn of events and the loss. "I just don't know why. If it's valuable, why would they leave it behind? That doesn't make sense." She considered this more as she took up the stone in her arms, and made for the door. "Do you think they were using for something? Whoever did it I mean. I can't imagine why else they would have brought it with them." Either way. It was time to go.

 

[beedis]

Delgue seemed quite transfixed by the gem. "Why do you sound so worried? The money you're gonna make from pawning that thing off will keep you on your feet for a month!" he commented. "I wouldn't worry about it being worthless either, that thing is too big to be worthless." he assured her. "I doubt the previous owner left it on purpose anyways. They must have been in a hurry and got clumsy. Probably tripped over a board and didn't realize they had lost it." he guessed. "As to why they brought it with them, that beats the hell out of me. They could have been on a crime spree and robbed some poor sap before trashing your house." he guessed. "Regardless I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Ingots are ingots no matter where you get them from, and I got a pal back home who can tell us what that thing is worth. He's a goldsmith handles gems like that all the time, he'll be able to tell us what it is." he offered before following after her out the door.

Once they had returned their key to the innkeeper they set on their way back through the city streets and on towards the ferry. "So...how did you sleep last night? I bet it was the best night of sleep you ever had considering you were right next to your knight in shining armor." he joked, his splitting headache had done little to shut him up. "By the way, before I forget to ask, how are you holding up?" He questioned his voice carrying a hint of concern. "Better than last night I hope? Because I don't know if I have much compassion left in me." he joked, his voice had returned to its usual sarcastic cadence. "My skin is still crawling from that hug." he remarked with an exaggerated shiver. "You should feel special because I wouldn't do something like that for most people, ya know? But I like you red, and it doesn't hurt that you're nice to look at too." he explained before cackling. "You'll get through this, I promise. It might look bad now but with my help the only direction you'll be going from now on is up." he assured her with a cocky smirk.

 

[Mopzee]

His words, like the near inaudible hum of the sizable gem, echoed through her mind as the boat they had boarded sailed diligently through the water. Her thoughts drifted like leaves on the water. First they drifted to everything she had lost and how terrifying it was to have so little left. Second, she considered the man beside her. Delgue had blown into her life so suddenly. And this total stranger had helped her so much already. Neriah couldn't decide if it was simply the way Delgue was or if it was due to his occupation as a mercenary that caused him to step in and help her. Either way, the help was invaluable to her at this point.

When he had mentioned the hug he had given her the night before, and how it glfffffgf $cf f2f $ ll we had made his skin crawl, she hadnt been sure what to say. She had responded that she felt a little better, even if she was a long way away from being okay or perfect, it was a start. Neriah hadn't seen Osterlund herself, she had heard stories of the pit city. The people there were known for being harsh and rude. Osterlund, from what people had said, was a place where strength and willpower alone was the measure of a person's worth. As the boat ever neared the port, she felt her nerves grip her muscles tight and twist her stomach into knots.

The boat docked with an unsettling lurch, one woman who had stood up all too fast nearly toppled over from the sudden movement. Neriah had to will herself to relax her muscles to stand. Trees and plants grew huddled close to the water, fading in the distance to a muddy yellow. The harsh wind whipped past them, blowing Neriah's bangs into her eyes and sand into her mouth. "Urgh. Gross." She groaned, picking the strands from her eye and spitting out granules of sand. They had made it quite far with the help of the boat. Travelling between continents was always easiest by boat, considering the narrow strips of seas that rent apart the swaths of land. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this wind." She admitted, glancing over at her companion while she gathered up her bag and axe.

They hadn't said much up until then. She hadn't been in much of a mood for talking, there was so much on her mind the idea of talking hadn't occurred to her until now. But they still had some distance to go. Hours by foot, but less if they could catch a ride with someone. "Think we could catch a ride with that merchant?" She asked, gesturing to a cart with a large and powerful pair of horses waiting patiently for their master. "We would get there much faster that way. Faster than if we walked." There, she could appeal to his sense of urgency. The last thing she wanted was to find themselves surrounded by the Blighted as they had been the first time she had tried merely walking through the wilds of the Ostern continent.

 

[beedis]

Neriah was unusually quiet on their trip back to Osterlund. His teasing was met with muttered replies at best. Perhaps her situation had really begun to set in, or maybe he had stuck a nerve with one of his comments? Either way he got the message. Maybe it was time to shut up and enjoy the scenery for once, he was exhausted and still felt like crap from his hangover anyways. He was looking forward to being home again though, Illios was a little too squeaky clean for his liking. Being around all those guards made him uneasy, despite how ineffective they were.

He couldn't help but smirk as they docked and the wind ripped through the plains blowing sand into his partner's mouth. He hopped off the boat offering Neriah a hand before helping her out. "You know it's funny you say that. I think I missed the harsh wind the most." he joked before stretching out. "Well we have no time to waste, lets get walking. I know the way to the city from here." he ordered pointing behind them with his thumb.

They wouldn't have to walk for long until Neriah pointed out a Merchant's cart in the distance and suggested they try and catch a ride. "That's the second brilliant plan you've had Einfauld, I'm starting to think I should keep you around after all of this." he joked with a cackle. "Just let me handle the conversation, I'll smooth talk him." he explained as they walked towards the cart. As they approached they came face to face with who he had to assume was the caravan's leader. A man of imposing stature clad in fine silk robes and a pure white turban, he regarded them with caution. "Take it easy we're not looking for trouble." Delgue assured him. "We're just travelers headed into the city looking for a ride. You mind if we hop in the back? We're good in a fight." he explained. The man took a moment to think the offer over before replying. "Aye, but don't try anything funny, I've got other guards. And don't expect to ride for free, you two help unload once we get there, and you better make good on your offer. Pull your weight if we're attacked and we'll have no problems." he responded in heavily accented voice before turning back to his horses without another word. Delgue turned to his companion and shrugged "Yeah, yeah I know, you don't gotta say it." he groaned.

They arrived at the massive sand colored walls that marked the perimeter of the city in record time, and after helping to unload some obnoxiously heavy crates they were set free. "Home sweet home." Delgue proclaimed as he looked around at the crowded sand colored adobe buildings of the top layer. "So I don't know if you've been here before but you better stick close to me and keep your head down." he ordered. "There aren't any guards to come to your rescue here, and we have a few layers to get down before we get to the smith." he explained. "This first layer is where all the vagabonds and slaves live." he pointed out as they made their way downwards towards the affluent center of the city. "They get desperate sometimes so don't get close to any of em." he barked.

Despite Delgue's fears nobody bothered them on the long trek downwards towards the smithy. They arrived at a quaint white building tucked between two massive homes. The glowing forge and tool racks could be seen clearly through the two windows that decorated the front of the smithy. "Well here we are." he stated before pushing through the reinforced wooden door. They were greeted by a bespectacled old man clad in soot stained clothing and a large brown apron. "Ahhh Delgue, here to extort me again I presume?" the elderly man asked with a good natured chuckle. "Oh Henry, that's a low blow. You're gonna break my heart the one time I come in here and just want to have a chat." he replied with a cackle. "But you know me too well, I'm here to cash in on that favor you owe me finally. I need a suit of armor for my friend here, she'll give you the specifics." he explained pointing behind him to Neriah. "I need it fast too, within the day if possible. So you might have to use some of that magic you hate so much." he suggested. Henry shook his head and sighed "Fine, fine but we're even after that." he replied before producing a measuring tape and beckoning Neriah over.

 

[Mopzee]

Neriah managed to clear the majority of the offending particles from her mouth, feeling grains of sand freeing themselves from her skin as she brushed them away with her hand. "I suppose it's not all that different from getting used to the heat of Vesten" She mused aloud, following after Delgue towards the caravan that seemed to be nearly ready to depart. She made her suggestion, and felt a smirk spread across her face when he announced the brilliance of her idea. Personally, Neriah felt that it was a reasonable enough option to try. Most of all, she just didn't want to walk all that way. It hadn't nearly been long enough since her last treck through the Ostern Plains, and she had very little desire to experience such a thing again so soon.

The man demanded that she and Delgue assist with unloading cargo in return for the ride, which was fair. After all, they didn't have much other use to the caravan unless they could manage to pay them, but her interest in parting with her few remaining ingots was the same as her desire to walk to the city. None at all. Delgue turned to her with an expression that seemed to read equal parts frustration and embarrassment, insisting that she needn't say whatever words had come to mind.

They arrived at Osterlund in short time, and impressive feat by Neriah's standards, though she hadn't done all that much travelling prior to this and her opinion meant little. Even before she had set down the first of the crates, she could smell the stench of the city on the wind. It smelled of sickness, of poverty, of blood and rotten food. Frankly, it smelled like the hind-end of Nord's Oxbear. Neriah threw herself into the task in an attempt at distracting herself from the nauseating stench, making the work seem like a breeze with the powerful combination of her strength and desperation. If anyone had been counting they may have noticed that Neriah had managed a majority of the work on her own, but few seemed to brother with the foreign woman. At least, until they made their way for the city walls.

As instructed, Neriah stuck close to Delgue. Following close behind him when required, and nearly shoulder to shoulder when able. The stench hadn't faded even slightly, though she was getting to the point of being able to ignore it soon. They strode past a number of slave merchants, their 'goods' forced onto their knees, chained to a large beam by shackles around their hands and throats. The slaves didn't even try to glance up at them, instead focusing on the dirt before them, soft wet drops of tears spattered the sand here and there. She could almost feel their misery. Still, she kept close to Delgue. They made their way deeper into the city from a wide sloped road that burrowed deep into the earth, the walls were still rough from their construction, yet gave no indication that they would collapse any time soon. Deeper and deeper they travelled, the heat of the sun and harsh wind were distant now, replaced by a cool breeze that ran through the tunnel that led them down into the earth. Some that passed by them took notice of Neriah, either because she was an outsider or because of the axe hanging from her hip, they watched the duo pass. Finally they arrived at the smithy, and Neriah instantly felt at ease. The nearness of the forge filled the room with a suffocating warmth. Uncomfortable only for those who hadn't grown up in Vesten, Neriah inspected many of the displayed pieces as Delgue spoke to the man at the counter. She was far too distracted by the craftsmanship to notice when the craftsman himself called her over. It wasn't until the third call of her name that she snapped out of the daze. Her face flushed bright fiery red, she removed her bulky belongings from her person to allow an accurate measure of her body. It had been a long time since she had been fitted, and she had almost forgotten how hard it was to stand still while they measured each and every part of her that they could.

 

[beedis]

Delgue rolled his eyes as Neriah stood oblivious staring at the displayed weaponry and armor as Henry tried to get her attention. He stood by silently as the smith took her measurements. "So what type of armor are you looking for? You forgot to tell me that part." the elderly man mentioned. "She likes to keep it light, so mostly chain mail. Throw in a couple of steel plates to cover the important bits and we'll be good to go." Delgue spoke on Neriah's behalf in an effort to speed things along. Henry nodded in affirmative "Not a problem, now leave me be. I won't be able to work properly with you two gawking. I'll have the armor ready by dusk." he responded. "No problem old man, I've just got one more special request before we go though." Delgue sneered a wicked smirk spreading across his features. He walked over to Henry before whispering something into his ear. The smith sighed and shook his head in response "Fine, I can do that as well." he replied reluctantly. "Oh Henry, you're too good to me." The mercenary quipped before walking to the door and beckoning Neriah over.

"Alright, now that your armor is taken care of we can go figure out what that gem is worth." he suggested as they walked out onto the street. "The goldsmith I know is a bit of a hike away so let's get moving." he explained.

Delgue wasted no time filling the dead air as they walked "Henry might be as old as dirt but he is some legend of a smith. Moved from Vesten to this crap hole a few years back, but that's a story for a different day." he remarked. "Everything metal I own came from his forge. So take my guarantee that the armor won't disappoint." he promised. "Only the best for my new apprentice." he joked with his usual cackle.

They arrived at the goldsmith after another long uneventful trek. The building was unmarked, lacking in any defining features and without windows to peer into. Delgue pushed through the heavy metal door causing a small bell to ring. Inside was a plain looking room with only a massive workbench covered in tools for decoration. In the back of the room a purple silk curtain covered a doorway to what he assumed was a storage closet. A slender, pale man emerged from the the curtain, clad in extremely proper garb with an unreadable expression. "Ahhh, Delgue. It's been a while. How can I help you and your...friend?" The man asked cautiously. "She's fine, you don't have to freak out Horace, we're not here to rob you. We just came across a pretty expensive looking gem and were trying to find out what it was worth before we pawned it off." he explained. "Go ahead and show him Einfauld, he doesn't bite." he joked.

 

[Mopzee]

The exchange between Delgue and the Smith was unusually breif for her tastes. She felt the wonder drain away as soon as she realised they wouldn't be staying to watch him work. Neriah had grown up watching craftsmen work, and enjoyed helping whenever she was able. She had to admit to herself however that it was likely for the best that they not sit and wait for the armor, as such a sizable project would take quite a long time. And though she didn't doubt that the man was a talented smith, she couldn't help but feel that they should have given him a bit more to go on as far as the design. All things considered however, it wasn't like she could complain too much if she was getting it for free. It would be interesting to see what he would make for her however, and she decided to focus herself on the thrill of the surprise. Soon enough they turned to leave the man to his work, finding themselves outside again with loads of time to spare.

Sparing no time to stand idle while they waited, Delgue began again to lead her through the dimly lit, drafty city with purpose. He casually announced their destination was to be a goldsmith some distance away, and while she followed along beside him he began assuring her of the competance of the armorer he had chosen. "Oh. I'm sure it will be fine." Neriah admitted, letting out a sort if half chuckle in response. "He's a good smith, you can see it in his work. He doesn't cut any corners, you can see it on the inside edges of his pieces." Neriah, who had primarily not spoken much at all since they had left Illios, had started rambling on about how she could tell the care he put in his work by the hammer marks and the way the metal was shaped. "Anyone who polishes the inside of a helmet like that really cares about their craft. It's like... looking at the joints in a woodworker's pieces, if they are truly passionate about their craft, the joints should fit so tight and so smooth you can't stick the tip of a knife between them. Or if you see a woven piece and all the stitches are the exact same size. Anyone that puts that much time in, you know their pieces are worth the cost." Neriah ducked into the building alongside Delgue, falling silent at last when a pale man stepped out to greet them, the smile quickly faded.

When instructed to put the gem on the counter, Neriah's gaze met that of the jeweler, and she felt her heart rate quicken. The man seemed rather on edge, should she be worried? She glanced down at the gem in her arms, the weight of which she had almost forgotten about until now. She approached the counter and carefully placed it on the surface in front of her, sliding it delicately towards him. "Do.... do you know what it's for?" She asked, nibbling at her lip in anticipation, choosing carefully how to describe her assumptions about the stone. "I don't think a gem like this is just for decoration." She admitted, glancing toward Delgue as she said it. She wondered just what he expected to hear. It was a huge stone to be sure, but it couldn't be worth that much or they wouldn't have dared to leave it behind. Still she wouldn't be at all prepared for his answer, to hear that it was a gem with no measurable value until it's purpose was known. That he alone couldn't appraise it's worth, considering it held an immense magical presence to it, more than any gem he had previously held in his hands. She would be even less prepared when he added that the only ones who could accurately appraise it's worth were far far away to the south on the main island of the Silfren Isles.

Neriah took the stone back from the man's outstretched hands, staring at it and thinking. "So as soon as the armor is done, we head south, right?" She asked, meeting the gaze of her new companion with a mixture of concern and anticipation. "I've always wanted to see the Silfren Isles and the Mage's Guild." Osterlund was an impressive city to be sure, but to be on an island full of magic-users, that sounded like a once in a lifetime opportunity.