Chương 15: Hey, haven’t I seen you before?

The sea breeze whipped at her face as they raced along the coast, hugging the shoreline.

"The weather is mighty fine, what a lovely time for sailing, I do love Everon so." One sailor said, taking a short break and leaning against the gunwale with his face into the breeze.

"What's Everon?" Nythera asked.

"You don't even know the months? Suppose all the sea-sourced kids are the same, well Everon is our longest month, and it's pretty peaceful, winds are stable, and as long as we stay out of the deep water, we're safe". The sailor said, eyes not breaking from the horizon. A man in a simple farmer's tunic walked up.

"I've never heard such a thing either." he spoke with a slight accent. I swear I've seen him before. Somewhere…. Nythera squinted, looking harder. The sailor shook his head, "They ought to inform you castaways properly, gonna get yourselves killed if you don't even know the months. Ren, you've been working the fields long enough and they haven't even told you?" Ren shook his head. Another sailor walked up to the bow.

"Just wait till its Wrath, you won't dare set foot on a vessel then, most people just hunker down in their houses. No ships leave port." He said smugly.

"Oi, get back to work, you bastards got a ship to crew" A voice called from the stern.

"Ay, sir" They replied, heading back to work. … They arrived at a dock nestled into the rocky shoreline, a forest towering behind it with only a few buildings present on the shore. They tied off to the dock and Nythera hopped off, thanking the dock workers. Wait, I have no fucking idea where I'm going. She walked back up to one of the sailors "Hey do you know where that newly found uh… rock thing is? I heard it was discovered around here?" She asked.

"Huh, you're looking for that? Yea it's actually right up by the shore, take the woods path towards Amplewoods then take a left onto a small trail when you see it." he said.

"Thank you kindly" she said and departed. The road to Amplewood was heavily forested, trees loomed over it like arches. After nearly an hour of hiking up the road, she found a path forking off to the left, it was significantly smaller and the foliage looked freshly hacked at. Well, time to get this sorted. She followed the path. Before long she was in a small clearing, a familiar stone greeted her.

"Myrraval Supply Depot #6" She smiled, pricked her hand and put it on top. The ground shifted as the stone pushed earth and root out of the way. *Crack Standing behind her was the man from the boat.

"Oh, Hi Ren, what are you doing out here, funny coincidence isn't it." She said, giggling nervously. He slowly pulled something from his pocket. A badge, an emerald badge. I've seen that before, where have I seen that? OHHHHHH. He's…. The INQUISITOR.

"Ren your…." She stopped. Ren pulled out a long dagger.

"Witch of Hate, I will wipe your bloodline from the Earth" He said in his now-recognizable accent. She jumped down the tube.

"Talvik close the door!" She yelled. Talvik let loose a quick command in Aurendorian. A knife found its way in above her head, but the door slammed shut, crushing the blade. She slammed into the bottom of the tube and her legs crumbled out from under her.

"OW" she screamed and clutched her legs, lying on the floor in agony. Her health dropped as it healed her legs.

"That was rash and stupid Child, but at least you got in the depot." Talvik scolded.

"Why the fuck don't you help me with any of these fights? we could make short work of him if you actually got your ass up and did something" Nythera said.

"I am merely an observer, my interference is only authorized if your life is guaranteed to end without it." Talvik replied. Nythera crawled up and made her way to the depot room, opening the door with her blood.

"fucking useless bird" she muttered. I can't believe he's alive! I thought I blew them all up at Greypoint, he must have landed on a different rock and made his way here. Has he been… stalking me the entire time? The room layout was the same as last time, a huge ovaloid table dominated the center, surrounded by dozens of shelves pressed against the walls. She greedily pulled out cabinet after cabinet. My poor thumb, oh well.

She found thirty more ration packs, which she stuffed into Boxy, two coins glowing with immense energy, a box that looked identical to her Boxy, and a cloak.

"I was kinda hoping for more, what are these coins?" she asked.

"Those are called Embers, a stage up from Sparks, worth far more than sparks." Talvik said. The power within nearly blinded her with the radiance and density of the flux, swirling red, like magma, the coins were hot to the touch. The cloak, she couldn't identify either, it was a dark green and reflected light at strange angles. Putting it on, she felt her shoulders heat up with unnatural energy. What the Hel is going on with these artifacts? The box…. Was identical to the box she had, in every way.

What, do I just get two Boxy now? She put them side by side, trying to puzzle out why it gave another box. Maybe they all just have these boxes? I wonder if I can sell them?

"If you try selling these, I will confiscate them, they are not for normal people to have, Child." Talvik said, as if he could read her mind. She scowled. She pushed the two boxes together, they were exactly the same size. She sighed. What do I do with two of them? Completing one more scan of the room, she found a note tucked into an odd corner, much like in the last depot. This time the text was only in one language, Aurendorian.

"Stop hiding, and come to the Mythral Palace, I am getting annoyed." That's not ominous at all. I am definitely NOT going to the Mythral Palace.

"Ignore the notes, do not respond to them, do not go to the Mythral Palace, they come from an enemy" Talvik said.

"What enemy, who are they coming from? Can you just-" she asked.

"Ignore them, destroy them, you do not need to worry about who, but you absolutely should not meet the one who writes them." Talvik cut her off. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Lovely, more secrets, as if there weren't enough already. She crumpled the note up and tossed it into a random cabinet. She would need to go back to Borris to get the cloak examined. Going back to her Big Boxy she picked it up to put it away just to find the new one stuck to it.

She shook it, waiting for the box to pop off. It didn't Then the new box began sinking into the side, melting into the old one.

"What the Hel? Did I break it?" she yelled trying to pull them apart. The flux in the boxes was way too compacted to see what was actually going on. There was a new rune on the inside of the lid. [Enter Space]"What the…" She said, selecting the runes. She suddenly found herself in a black room, surrounded by pitch-black walls with latticework woven into them. The floor and ceiling were identical. Nothing moved or breathed, it was just here and… Those are all the items I put in the box!

This is an actual pocket space! She excitedly rifled through the stuff she had stored earlier. Uh, how do I get out?

"Leave, Exit, Byebye" She tried in succession to no avail. Talvik whispered a word in Aurendorian, the word for leave. She found herself exactly as she had been before, holding the box in the depot room. Talvik watched from his perch on the shelves.

"Well Child, you have successfully begun the creation of The Armory, you will keep this secret from everyone or I will confiscate it, are we clear?" The bird said, no room for negotiation in its tone.

"Yes Talvik, we are clear. But what do you mean by armory?" she asked. Silence was all she got in response.

"Ok fine, keep your secrets, not that I'm surprised. You think Ren is waiting on the outside?" She asked.

"Almost certainly, you will need to fight or run, but that man has 3 class ascensions over you. I do not know what you did to draw his ire, but I recommend you brace for death. The only way you get out is through surprise and trickery." Talvik said. She had a plan. She strode into the ladder room and put Boxy on the floor beside the ladder. She shouted the Aurendorian word for open and as the door slid opened, she tapped enter on Boxy, which was tucked in a corner. She found herself in the familiar black space.

"I hope this works" She mumbled.

"If it does not work, you will almost certainly die. What if you come out of the pocket realm while he is standing above the box? You die. What if he takes the box? You die. What if he is standing in the vicinity of the box when you come out? You die." Talvik said. She breathed, in and out, in and out, focusing all her attention on her breath. If I let myself panic, I will exit too soon. She stayed this way, focused on breathing, as she slid into a trance. Talvik's claws dug painfully into her shoulder.

"OW cut it out you stupid bird" she said.

"It's time to go, you have waited more than long enough" Talvik said.

"How long have I been meditating?" She asked, still dazed.

"Too long, it is time to go" he said. Nythera gathered her wits, breathed in, and whispered the exit word. It was pitch black, she glanced up the ladder, seeing nothing but the sky. The sound of steps from the inner chamber caused her head to snap towards the room. I need to go NOW. She pivoted on her feet and softly climbed the rungs, snagging the box as she started her ascent. One step after another she proceeded up the tube, reaching the lip of the hole. Finally…. Safe. A crash resounded below.

In a split second a man appeared at the bottom.

"YOU BITCH" he bellowed and began darting up the ladder at inhuman speeds. Nythera called forth her Aether Culverin right at the entrance of the tube, barrel facing down. As it formed, she sprinted for the treeline. The cannon clicked into place and screamed "FIRE". The roar of the cannon went off as the tube in the ground exploded. Her Aether Culverin blew up with it. Curse words in a foreign tongue poured out of the tube as the man reached the edge, scanning the surroundings for her.

He locked on to her in an instant.

"Your head will look good when I serve it to the emperor on a pike" He bellowed, dashing at her. She booked it down the path for the main road The wind rushed past her as she dodged… most of the branches.

"Talvik can you distract him, there's no way I can outrun him" She huffed out.

"You are faster than you realize, but not fast enough. I will lend aid this once I suppose." Talvik said, and took flight from her shoulder. She could hear Ren crashing through the woods right behind her. I'm never gonna make it to the port in time! And Kronan only knows how far Amplewood is. She ducked under yet another branch. The footsteps thundering behind her stopped, but she barely noticed. Another branch dodged, another small hill crested, another brook jumped.

Before long she crashed through into the main road. Huh, this path took over an hour before? She stopped to check her stamina, (123/220) I don't have nearly enough to sprint all the way back to the port… but I have no idea how much further until Amplewood. She glanced down both of the sides of the road. I need to get the fuck out of here. She booked it for the port. Seconds later, yelling and a crash of snapping tree branches sounded behind her.

Looking back, Ren was there, clothes ripped and blood dripping down his face. He took one look around and chased after her.

"You don't have that damnable bird to save you anymore witch, stop and face me you snivelling bitch." He yelled as he pursued. Giant-slayer thrummed with power in her once again, giving her just a bit of extra speed. He's so fucking annoying, leave me the flux alone, I went all the way to an unknown land and the inquisitors are still chasing me! Despite his huge stat advantage, he was not gaining ground as fast as Nythera had feared. Huh, he's weaker than I thought. She smirked.

The ground beneath her erupted in an explosion of rock and debris, sending her flying forward, she nearly missed her footing. Looking back, she saw ethereal silver chains snaking around Ren, his injuries had already healed. He's going to skewer me like some fish. She tried manifesting her bombard on the road ahead, but the spell activation time took long. Fuck! Where is Talvik when I need him? She had to balance running forward at full speed while watching for skewering chains from behind.

Two more chains narrowly rocketed past her, slammed into the ground and ripped up cobblestones. She flew past the debris, nearly losing her stride. Stamina: (38/220) Ren had nearly caught up behind her. I am dead, is he just toying with me? No way to outrun a guy with three class evolutions over me. As the road turned and sloped down to the coast, Nythera caught sight of two men heading up the path.

"HELP" she screamed, sprinting straight for them. A chain rocketed forward from behind and skimmed past her leg, tearing off skin. She screamed.

"What is it ma'am, you alright?" They bellowed back, running towards her.

"HELP! a crazy man is chasing me!" she replied. As she reached the men, she checked behind her… to see nothing and nobody. That sly fucker… slinking away when people come by, I got to watch my back, this was the first, it certainly won't be the last attempt.

"I have no idea where he went but I was being chased by a crazy man, please watch out." She said, huffing for breath.

"Mind yerself, yer ladyship, these parts ain't safe, and some bastards got it in fer ya." The other man replied.

"Ladyship? She's barely even classed, miss is more than enough" the first man replied.

"She our lord ya fool" the other man replied. The two kept walking down the road, bickering over whether or not Nythera qualified as ladyship or miss. That was strange. Still, they were helpful. She merrily made her way back to the port. Ren was nowhere to be seen on her walk. She strode straight to the docks "I would like to commission a boat back to Grandport." She said to the first sailor she found.

"Aye missy, we got a boat heading back this evening, but are you certain? It's looking like a rager out there. The boat leaving port is crewed by fools." He said, gesturing to a small vessel called Swift River. Dark clouds were collecting on the horizon and the sun was halfway down its descent. Nythera approached the vessel "Hello, I would like to buy passage back to Grandport this evening please". Anything to get me away from that lunatic, before I get skewered with a chain in my sleep.

"Aye, hop aboard missy, we'll take you back to Grandport in a wee bit, ya can pay on arrival, just a few sparks." The sailor rigging the mast said.

"Thank you kindly" Nythera said, and walked up the gangplank, finding a seat on the port side while she waited for departure. Was that ring on his hand the same as Lance and James'… no there's no way. She dismissed her worries and sank into the seat for a well-earned rest. The ship soon cast off for Grandport, Nythera let out a sigh of relief as she watched the port of Amplewood shrink in the distance. Is that… no way. She stared straight at Ren, standing at the end of the docks, watching her.

I need levels, class evolutions, and gear and I needed them all last month. Talons suddenly sunk into her shoulder.

"Talvik you're back! What happened?" Nythera exclaimed, seeing Talvik perched on her shoulder again, unharmed.

"Child, watch your words, this vessel is not what it seems." Talvik said.

"Do you check anything before you act? Or are you just some mindless cow?" he added. Thick clouds rolled over them, and droplets started to fall. The ship continued its course ahead, but the waves were picking up, rolling the boat with them.

"What do you mean Talvik, we are just heading back to Grandport?" Nythera whispered back.

"Child… this vessel has no crew anymore. And you're in far deeper waters than you're supposed to be."