Siren's Reach - Fallen Lands Book 3

Chapter Sixteen

The Road to Irvine's Ferry

Alice

The days on the river flew by, turning into weeks before Alice realized it. Far from the desperate run they'd made from the bandits, this time, their small boat and stockpile of supplies made their trip far more comfortable. When they'd begun their trip in the dead of night, the cold had seemed an immutable thing, but the further they went downriver and out of the mountains toward the sea, the more it began to actually feel like spring. When Caeda had explained they were, in fact, getting close to summer, Alice almost had trouble believing her – but each day took them a little further toward their goal and filled the world around them with a bit more of the vibrant green of new life. Their trip also was far from the non-stop marathon they'd experienced before. The closer they got to the coast, the more often they ran into small towns and settlements. Now that Alice understood how rare healers were in this world, she always wanted to stay for a couple of days just in case she was needed. It also allowed Alice to gain another level in both [Healing Arts] and [Healing Touch]. Caeda didn't mind, especially since that meant they'd make a little more money, and she could buy and trade supplies.

Their trip ended up taking a few weeks before they finally arrived at the town of Havencross. The coastal town was built where the river delta met the Shallow Sea, and it was by far the largest town they'd encountered so far. They'd had to pass under a large bridge for a busy trade road to reach the river docks, and then, after seeing the wait time to tie up at the docks, they decided to just beach their small boat nearby. With the nice weather, the shoreline was spotted with dozens of townsfolk fishing, and it took them several minutes to find a clear spot to pull up on the shore. The moment their boat ran aground, Alice was over the side and pulling it out of the water so Caeda could get out without getting wet. They'd both managed to gather new traveling clothes, and the water wouldn't have bothered her, but it was a simple thing she could do for her friend, and Caeda beamed at her for it.

"I was startin' to think there weren't any towns this big 'round here," Alice cheerily told her friend as she accepted the large pack Caeda was handing her.

"I didn't know this place was so big, either. It might be worthwhile to ask some questions while we're here. This port is more remote, but it's even bigger than the one back home."

Alice reached out to give Caeda a hand, "Well, it can't hurt to ask. It'll be a lot better than any other place we've been for information. Maybe we'll get lucky."

As soon as Caeda's feet touched the ground, Alice looked for a place to tie the boat in place, but a young couple on their way along the bank stopped near them long enough for the woman to say, "You can't tie up here. They'll confiscate your boat."

Alice grinned at her, "Is that so?" She looked out over the water, where the delta was spreading out and filtering into the sea, "Hey, y'all see that spot over there? Between those two islands?"

The woman looked to her partner and back before replying, "Yes, they will... and yes, we do. What about it?"

Alice handed her the line to the rowboat, "There isn't anyone else fishing over there. I'll bet you can catch a lot more."

The woman took the line apprehensively, "You're giving us your boat?"

"Yep. She ain't fancy, but she's in great shape. We're gonna travel up the coast; it ain't no place for a boat like this."

"Oh. Wow. Thank you, miss. Are you sure?"

Alice nodded, "One good turn deserves another. Good luck!"

Before anyone had a chance to say anything else, Alice tightened the straps on her backpack and led the way up the shore toward town. She hadn't been planning to come back for the boat, and knowing it would be going to someone who'd take the time to offer her a small helping hand made her feel better. Besides, that little boat had been good to the two of them over the past few weeks. She just didn't have a realistic way to keep it.

Caeda took a few quick steps to be at her side, "Well, that was nice of you. I thought you'd sell it…. though I suppose we have enough money. I think we should find a tavern if we're going to check into some rumors!"

"You lead the way. You got a nose for good food." Alice told her with a grin.

Caeda started walking and shrugged, "It's a gift."

It took them nearly twenty minutes to find a place that looked busy enough to have a lot of information but also smelled good enough that they'd want to eat there. It was resting on a street between the river docks and the ocean docks, but not too close to either. The Inn was between two warehouses and looked very old, but its front was covered with large glass windows to show its very nice and very busy interior. The two stepped through the door and into the constant hum of conversation. The innkeeper, a jolly older man, spotted them right away and, seeing their large packs, called out to them.

"Welcome, travelers! A room with two beds is two silver a night. Breakfast and dinner are included. Are you looking for a place to stay, or just a meal?"

"Both, and we're hopin' to catch up on some news and rumors!" Alice called back with a smile.

"Ah, well, if you don't mind eating over here at the bar, the rumors and news are free of charge!" he said with a grin before doing a double take as he seemed to take in their appearance in more detail. "Say, you don't happen to be that silver-haired elven healer that's been traveling downriver the past few weeks? I don't imagine there are two people coming through here with such a unique appearance."

Alice shrugged, "Might be that I am. I've been travelin' downriver, and sometimes I do a little healin'. Why? What've you heard?"

The innkeeper laughed as he stepped behind his bar, waving two fingers in the air to a cook through a kitchen passthrough, "Nothing bad, don't you worry yourself. A few boat crews have stopped by spreading rumors of a miracle healer that can mend any wound and cure any sickness. People are turning you into a local legend."

Alice laughed and said, "If they like that, they oughta see how good I am at fishin'."

Caeda playfully slapped her arm, "Don't mind her. She's a very good healer, and she offers decent rates if you know anyone in need."

The innkeeper laughed again. "Fair enough! I am Rohan the Innkeeper. Would you two like something to drink while you wait? Or perhaps you'd like to get settled into your rooms? It will be a few minutes for the food to be prepared. You two are a little early for the evening meal."

Alice nodded, "Yeah, that sounds great! Let's settle up for the night and drop off our bags at least."

A few minutes later, changed and refreshed, Alice and Caeda came back downstairs and took their seats. Rohan put mugs in front of them while he made his way around, serving a few other patrons, and soon they had food to go with their drinks. They had time to get well into their meals before Rohan was back.

"How is everything? And what kind of news were you looking for?" he said with a big grin.

Alice had just taken a large bite of food and could only stare wide-eyed back at him, but Caeda seemed to have been waiting for this. "Everything is wonderful, thank you. And we're looking for news on a few things, like the bandits upriver, anything important between here and Vigilance or Irvine's Ferry, and if there are any new rumors going around about the [Hero] Evelyn."

He grinned at her last request but started in order. "We've been hearing about the bandit issue, yeah. There are increased patrols looking to root them out, but more keep showing up. I've been hearing that a lot of them are raiders from the island nation going further inland to find travelers who are less likely to be linked to piracy when they're killed or go missing. It might have been a clever tactic for a time if it wasn't for everything else going on. There have been a lot more ships going missing lately, and there are plenty of warnings about abnormal numbers of pirate ships in the water, even in the coastal waters, so you'd be best traveling on the road with a well-prepared caravan if you're heading east. Some of this is related to the rumors you're looking for, too. You'd probably be most interested to hear that word was spreading across the city like wildfire a couple of days ago about a large battle between a few ships out of Siren's Reach and a whole mess of pirate ships. They were blockading the port until a 'Lady Evelyn' appeared and destroyed the entire fleet before fighting off a major sea monster attack. No one said it was the [Hero], but she was a beastkin with white hair, and the merchants are saying she didn't lose a single ship or sailor in the battle."

Alice and Caeda listened intently as Rohan spoke, but at the end, Alice sat up straight in surprise, "Evelyn is a beastkin?"

"You didn't know? A pair of young ladies like you, I assumed you were admirers of hers. A lot of the young folk around here are obsessed with rumors about her."

Alice nearly laughed at that. She supposed fame was the same everywhere. "No, it ain't like that. I don't know much about her yet, but I'm tryin' to figure out where she is. I intend to join her."

He somehow seemed to brighten even more at that, "Ah! A pair of Aspirants following The Calling! I hadn't even considered that. You're certainly the first I've heard of. You know. Becoming a [Hero]'s companion is a hard life. Well, I guess you two must have already considered that if you've traveled so far. If Lady Evelyn has interests in Siren's Reach, she might be there for a while. Their neighboring domain has declared war on them, though the merchant spreading the news didn't say why."

Alice took a moment to mull over his words before shrugging, "Yeah, let's go with that. Sounds close enough. That's a real big help, thank ya!"

Rohan nodded, but Caeda wasn't done yet. "Do you know anything else about the [Hero] Evelyn?"

The innkeeper laughed, "Well, miss, I don't think many people know much about her except the rumors, and they're as diverse as you can imagine. As best as I can tell, she just appeared one day after the first world announcement about a [Hero] destroying the necropolis and slaying the great devil Jalmonnoth, and no one even knew she was around before that. She's young, I've heard, as young as sixteen according to some such fancy ball the nobles had. The first time she was spotted was during an attack on a frontier town to the northwest when they were beset by a vampire coven, and she slew the lot of them. Besides the other world announcements, the rumors are scant. There are some saying everything from she has an airship, or travels on the back of a colossus beetle, or she even magics herself around the world through some sort of lost spatial rituals. Some say she's a kind and quiet young woman. Others say she's as bold as the sun, followed around by a swarm of suitors from all over, lovers waiting for her in every town, though all say she's a peerless beauty. It's all the sorts of things you'd expect rumors to say about a [Hero], but I imagine you'll know more than all of us soon enough."

"Oh, well, thank you," Caeda said, a little disappointed by the lack of any real information, and Alice grinned.

"Admirers indeed! Don't look so disappointed, Caeda. You'll meet her soon enough."

Caeda shot her a glare, "There is nothing wrong with wanting to know what we're walking into."

Alice only gave her a knowing smile in return and took a bite of food.

The elf turned back to the innkeeper, "Siren's Reach, that's east of Vigilance, not too far past the Dragonspine, right?"

The innkeeper nodded, "That's the one! It will be quite the trip by caravan, but I'd strongly recommend that over trying to sail up the coast right now. It's a longer trip, but it's safer and cheaper. The pirates are getting the spotlight today, but there have been a lot of other odd sea monster sightings as well."

They chatted with the innkeeper for a bit longer, learning a little more about the layout of the town they were in, and even shared a little about their trip up the river, sticking to the recent travels where they'd been going from town to town and some of the things they'd heard about local politics. It wasn't long before he was pulled away as the dinner rush began in earnest. They finished their meals, and, taking Rohan's advice, began making their way through the town to the merchants guild to ask around about a caravan.

"So, tell me 'bout these caravans," Alice said, catching Caeda's attention from where she'd been watching the crowds go by. "Do we need to get a wagon and a few horses or something and join a bunch of others traveling together? Or can we just rent a spot on a wagon with another group?"

Caeda looked at her with incredulity before bursting into laughter. "Well, I guess that would be one way to travel, but no. We're just going to join one caravan, and there won't be any horses. They'd be killed by the first monster or zombie horde we ran into tied up to the caravan like that. We're going to find a caravanner and rent a space to travel with them. I guess it'll be easier to explain when we get there."

Alice was quiet for a moment, but mulling over what they heard, she knew they had a decision to make. Deciding she'd rather have this conversation now, she said, "Fair enough. So, sounds like we're gonna pass real close to your hometown followin' this lead. You might even be able to find a way straight there before we get close to Siren's Reach."

Caeda beamed brightly at her, "You're right! Except we won't be passing close to Irvine's Ferry - we will be going straight through it! The road will follow the coast a bit here, but then it'll turn north to join the King's Road and go right through Vigilance. We'll have to take a branch that gets closer to the coast again and my town is the only place you can cross the Dragonspine in that direction! We'll even be able to stop and visit my family before we move on!"

A smile crept onto Alice's face before she realized it. "So, you're stickin' with me for a while longer then?"

Caeda first looked surprised, but it quickly turned into a smug grin, "You were worried I'd leave you behind, huh?"

Alice shrugged, "A little."

Caeda scoffed, "As if you'd get rid of me that easily. Nope, you're stuck with me for a while longer. I think I've found my new calling in keeping you out of too much trouble. Besides, you'd be completely lost without me, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember... Holy moly, what is wrong with those cows?! They're huge! They're like some kinda weird mutant super cows!"

"What? Alice, those are just Caravan oxen!" Caeda snorted out.

"What the heck are they feedin' 'em?" Alice asked, beginning to slowly walk around one at a distance. "And how do I get one?"

"Get one? What're you going to do with a caravan ox?"

Alice stopped and grinned at Caeda, "Win every competition at every county fair 'til the end of time?"

Her friend just shook her head, continuing toward the merchant guild. "You're so weird sometimes."

A few minutes later, they made their way into the merchants guild and, after asking for directions, found their way to the caravan desk. An older man was just packing up his books for the evening as they approached, but he looked up over the rim of his glasses when they stopped in front of him.

"Sorry, ladies. Everything is full for the next week. It's best to check in first thing in the morning to see if any more caravans have come in and are taking on passengers."

Alice raised an eyebrow at the dismissal, "Y'all can't just put our names down on a waitin' list or nothin'?"

The man stopped and looked at her more closely, "First timer, are you? Well, no, we can't keep a waiting list. Caravanners control who they will or won't take with them at their own discretion, and we can only help broker deals for openings they post. They'll only post them while they're at the guild, and they'll want to meet you before they let you travel with them."

She deflated a little, "Alright. Thanks anyway, I guess."

The man nodded and quickly walked away before anyone else could stop by and slow down the end of his work day.

As the girls turned to leave, Caeda said, "Don't worry. We're up early every day, anyhow. We can just check in before breakfast. Caravans always come into town at night and fill up in the morning. We should have known it was a long shot tonight with everything going on."

The voice of a roguish-sounding man interrupted her, though, "Is it just the two of you? Are you heading east?"

They turned to see a middle-aged man, looking like a well-dressed merchant but in need of a shave, and Alice replied, "Why do you ask?"

He gave Alice a grin that reminded her a little bit of a used car salesman about to rip someone off, "I'm Caravanner Morley. The day after tomorrow, I'll be leaving in the direction of Vigilance. I just had two of my passengers cancel last minute. Seats are at a premium right now, but if you're in a hurry, I can help you out."

Alice crossed her arms and gave him a flat look, "I ain't gonna let you rip me off if that's what you're thinkin'. And didn't that man just say caravanners wanna meet someone before lettin' 'em aboard? You seem awful eager to sell us those seats. Why is that?"

The man held his arms out to the side in a show of innocence, "It's nothing too special. A young, beautiful woman like you, I'd be a fool to pass that opportunity up. Your kid sister looks adorable and harmless enough. I think it's a safe bet. And no, I'm staying with the market price – you can ask anyone. Five silver each for the trip, and meals are included."

Alice could tell from Caeda's immediate look of affront that she wasn't happy about being called her kid sister or the price, but Alice only shrugged, "Fine. What time do we meet you here?"

The man gave her a huge grin and held out a hand, palm up. "An hour past sunrise, the day after tomorrow."

Alice slapped her hand into his, gripping and shaking it instead of handing the money over. "It's a deal. I'll pay ya when we see your caravan ready to leave."

The man laughed, "Alright. Thats fair. See you then."

They stood there and watched him leave before starting to walk away themselves. Caeda asked, "Are you sure he's who we should be traveling with? Something about him felt off."

Alice gave a helpless shrug, "Yeah, he's got some pretty standard creeper vibes, but it sounds like we ain't got much choice."

Caeda grinned, "Well, I'm sure if he gives us any trouble, you'll be happy to tutor him in manners."

It was nearly noon the following day when Caeda made her third attempt to get Alice out of bed.

"Well, I guess you can sleep all day. I've got our coin, though, and I'm off to the market. This town is big enough that I bet I could find a few nice dresses for the summer weather."

Alice groaned, "This is the first comfortable bed I've slept in since comin' to this world! … Fine. I'll get up, but we ain't wastin' more money on clothes! We agreed to wait 'til we got you home!"

Caeda put her hands on her hips, "Yeah, we did. Alright. But I think we should refill our supplies just in case."

Alice nodded groggily as she slipped out of the bed and started to get dressed, "I was thinkin' 'bout what you said. About the caravanner, I mean. Maybe we should give the docks a try, just in case. If we can find passage on a good ship, it might be better for us. I think I could probably help 'em outrun any trouble if it came down to it."

Caeda nearly slumped with relief, "That's a really good idea. I'm sure it would be cheaper, too. It's good to have a backup plan, but if we could get to Vigilance without needing to rely on that man – well, I'd just be a lot more comfortable."

They made their way downstairs and had brunch before taking the innkeeper's advice and making their way first to the market. Since they'd missed the opportunity in the morning, it was best to speak with the port master in the early evening when he was more likely to be in his office, and by then, most ships coming into port for the day would have already arrived. So, they took their time in the market and visited many shops and stalls, tried some street food, and eventually finished their task of refilling their supplies. Caeda did look at a few new dresses, but a judging look from Alice was enough to keep her from wasting the money. Eventually, they made their way toward the seaside docks, taking their time and appreciating the nice weather while they took in the sights. When they arrived at the port master's office, he had beaten them there by hours – far from what they'd been told to expect, but when they were let in to see him, they quickly found out why.

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The gruff man took one look at them before saying, "No ships are taking passengers until further notice. Sorry, ladies."

Alice bulked at his abrupt attitude, but her curiosity beat out her annoyance. "No merchants headin' toward Vigilance? I know a bit of water magic—I could speed 'em along."

"No. Only one ship came in today, and no ships left. If you're part of the adventurer's guild, one might hire you on," he said, but after a quick appraising glance, he continued with some doubt, "If you're strong enough. Otherwise, come back in a week or two, and things might be different. If you need to travel that urgently, I recommend the merchant guild. If there's nothing else…?"

Alice shrugged with an "Alright, then." and turned back the way she'd come.

Caeda was quick on her heels, "That was rude."

Alice only sighed, "It is what it is. Not everyone can be sunshine and rainbows. But it's a little concernin' that all shippin's stopped. I'd be stressed out in his position, too."

Caeda huffed and shook her head, "That doesn't mean he had to take it out on us. It's not like we knew."

"Don't worry. We've already got a spot on a caravan. If that don't work out, we've done well enough walkin' on our own before."

Caeda snorted, "No, we didn't! We were almost eaten by goblins, barely fought off hypothermia, and we only avoided the undead because of the river. Traveling on the open road will leave us open to monster attacks, hordes of undead, and all these bandits. We should definitely not try walking to Vigilance from here."

Alice couldn't help but chuckle, "Well, it sounds a lot worse when you say it like that. We'll just be careful with our shady caravanner, then."

Their way forward set, they were content to spend the rest of the evening back at the inn. They had stayed out long enough that they returned to dinner, and then, after spending some time repacking their supplies, they came back down to the common room to have a few drinks and talk about plans for the future. Traveling to Vigilance would take about a week, but they would be stopping in a few towns and forts along the way, giving Alice a chance to help a few people while making some more money. Once they arrived in Vigilance, it would be easy enough to approach House Dalen to ask for aid in reaching Evelyn, wherever she might be. With Vigilance being an even bigger port city, they had some concerns about whether they'd be able to find passage further on to Siren's Reach or wherever she might be if things were already so bad here. With an early morning ahead of them, they didn't wait too long to bid everyone goodnight.

Alice awoke with a start when one of the girls working at the inn gently knocked on the door and called out, "It's sixth bell."

"Thanks." she groggily replied, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. A moment later, Caeda fell out of her bed, trying to untangle herself from the mess she'd made of her blankets in the night, and Alice stared at her with a raised eyebrow, "Uh, you ok?"

The elf made a sputtering noise as she pulled the blanket away from her head, "Yeah. Just a bad dream. These blankets are way too big."

Alice nodded and began to get dressed, "Yeah, okay, let's go with that."

Suddenly, the room filled with brilliant lights, forcing her to look away, and Caeda said, "Don't make fun of me!"

Alice laughed, "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!"

The lights didn't dim much, but they did float up to the ceiling as Caeda finally got up, "I guess we better hurry if we want to eat before heading out."

Alice looked out their little window, seeing that sunrise was quickly creeping up on them. "Don't worry. We just need to eat quickly. Everything is already packed."

They finished getting ready for the day before rushing downstairs, where breakfast landed on the table a moment after they sat. Several other people were preparing to leave, and this seemed pretty routine to the inn workers. After a quick breakfast and a quicker goodbye, they were out the door and making their way to the merchant's guild. Alice let Caeda set the pace with her much shorter stature, but she discovered in only a few steps that her friend could walk surprisingly fast when she wanted to be somewhere on time. When they turned the last corner to put the merchant's guild in view, Alice was surprised to see how many of the Caravan wagons there were. Several of them were opened up like large mobile storefronts with the caravanners and other merchants openly trading goods before moving along. People she could only assume were adventurers were everywhere, on top of the wagons, guarding goods, or just exchanging news with each other. There seemed to be some sort of rule about when they were leaving, and every few minutes, one of the wagons would close up and move toward the gate. When the two arrived at the guild, there were still plenty of other wagons, but Alice realized that she'd not even thought to ask what the caravan had looked like and instead was stuck trying to spot Caravanner Morley in the quickly thinning crowd. After they stood off to the side for several minutes trying to spot him, a man spoke up from behind them.

"You the two elven girls Morley was talking about? Of course you are, you're the only elves here."

He let out a gruff laugh as they spun in his direction, and Alice found herself facing a very motley-looking fellow. As soon as her eyes landed on him, she was sure he was an adventurer, but she couldn't quite figure him out. He had long, slightly greying dark hair tied back in a ponytail and a face full of stubble, smelled slightly of alcohol, and was wearing light armor with several knives in a bandoleer across his chest, making her immediately think of a rogue, but his large heavily muscled frame and perfect posture threw some confusion into the mix. Alice could tell he'd seen plenty of action, too, with the wear on his gear and the scar on his face.

"Yes, that's us. I'm Alice, and this here's Caeda. Who are you? He didn't send you lookin' for us, did he? I know we're not late."

He laughed again, "No. I just got here myself. I'm Leo the Adventurer." He held out a meaty hand, and Alice took it with a quick shake. "What has two kids your age out here traveling alone? It's odd enough to see a pair of elves your age at all. Dangerous business, that."

Alice smirked, "How do you know how old we are? Elves live a long time. I coulda grown up with your grandmother."

He laughed again, "No, I know what an adult elf looks like. I've seen plenty. Nice try, though."

She only shrugged, "So, do you know which caravan we should be going to? I can't tell them apart, and I don't see him."

He lifted a hand helplessly, "He just hired me on last night. I'm not familiar with him or his crew. I think they just got into this business not long ago, or they're not from around here. He just happened to have told me a bit about the passengers. He rambles when he's drunk. One of those guys who takes one look at you and thinks he can tell you everything about yourself. But he was convinced I was a solid fit and offered me good pay to fill a spot."

Caeda pointed at a group not too far away, "They look as lost as we are. Maybe they are waiting for him as well."

Alice followed her gesture and spotted several others standing with bags along the side of the road not far away. They were a mixture of well-dressed people, not much older than Alice. They weren't nobles by any means, but rather young professionals – which made sense, seeing as they were all heading to Vigilance. As she watched, she saw Caravanner Morley approach the group with a wide grin on his face.

"Good eye! That's our group. Let's hurry before we're late."

They all approached and joined into the back of the group as they followed the caravanner. His caravan looked to have just pulled up and was waiting on the road, already set to leave. There were several others on the roof that she could only assume were the guards as she couldn't see them very well, but Morley was already ushering everyone aboard and she just joined the line. He grinned when she made it to the door, and she handed him the owed payment.

"I wasn't sure you two were going to make it! And you found my newest crew mate, too."

Alice nodded, "We couldn't afford to miss the trip."

He grinned, looking around and then waving them aboard, "I think that's a popular sentiment. We'd best get moving then!"

They stepped aboard, and he followed them, turning directly into a small private control room at the front and closing the door behind him. Alice and Caeda stopped shortly after stepping aboard, and Leo stepped past them, winking and heading up a ladder to a hatch above. She looked around and saw several seats that faced inward, similar to public transit back home, before a narrow hallway packed with crates on either side. The others aboard were already sitting and talking quietly among themselves, so Alice and Caeda just took the two open seats and joined them, managing to sit only moments before the caravan lurched into movement.

Caeda squeaked and then blushed, covering herself with a, "He sure seems in a rush!"

A young woman sitting across from her replied, "Yeah, he seemed a little hurried to get us all aboard and get moving. I was surprised he came up from the docks instead of the guild. I guess he had a shipment to pick up or something."

Her partner, a bookish-looking young man, nodded, "Yes. This is my second trip by caravan. They all have to leave in a specific order, and I think he was late for those heading toward Vigilance. He will have to rush if he's going to catch up with the others."

Alice sat back and listened to the others chat, everyone seeming perfectly happy to pass the time in conversation. They shared rumors about the pirate issue, something everyone seemed very worried about, the rebuilding of West Peak, border tensions between The Spires and its neighbors, and many other things related to local politics that she didn't understand. It was nearly noon when the caravan turned and seemed to half-tip for a few seconds as they left the road in a somewhat rough fashion.

The young man who'd spoken up earlier half stood up and excitedly said, "That'll be our lunch break then!"

Only a moment later, he stumbled as the caravan didn't slow down, and the much rougher path tossed him off his feet and left him sprawled across the floor. His traveling companion held back a laugh as she helped him back up to his chair without standing herself. "Or perhaps they're going around something in the road. Don't be in such a rush!"

Alice held back a laugh, but as they continued to rumble down the rough path they were on, her mirth quickly faded into confusion. Not that the road was a little more rough, but that she felt such wild water nearby. It was like nothing she'd felt before, and she turned to Caeda.

"Does this road get close to the ocean?"

Caeda looked at her in confusion, "I don't think so? I'm not sure. I know we're near the ocean until evening, but I don't see why the road would get close. There are no towns until then."

There were no windows, so Alice was about to climb up to the roof and look around when the ride suddenly smoothed back out for several seconds before the caravan came to a stop. A moment later, Caravanner Morley opened the door to the driver's cabin and stepped out.

"Sorry about the bumpy ride, folks. We're taking a break at a different spot than usual to drop off some cargo. Everyone can step outside and stretch their legs!"

He led the way outside, and slowly, everyone got up to follow. His crew members and guards began coming down through the roof hatch, and Alice joined the rest of the passengers to make room. She stepped out into a slightly shaded spot on a long beach. There were several men already waiting there, and the two large ships sitting off the coast immediately made her think that she'd hired a smuggler to take them to Vigilance. It felt a lot like confirmation when the sides of the caravan were opened up by the crew. They began taking several crates out, and as quickly as they were unloaded, the men waiting on the beach picked them up and headed for the long boats lined up just outside the reach of the crashing waves. All of the passengers stood in a small group, watching this happen in confusion.

The young man they'd been talking with turned to Morley, "What's going on?"

"Like I said, boy. I'm just dropping off some cargo for these fellows."

"Wouldn't that have been easier at the docks in town? This looks a lot like smuggling."

Morley barked a laugh, "If it were smuggling, you'd have been a lot smarter to pretend you didn't see anything. But it's not."

There was a hollow thud behind the group, and Alice spun to see the men dropping several boxes on the ground. It wasn't a great sign that they looked a lot more like coffins made of rough-cut planks of wood than storage crates. Morley gave the young man a shove, sending him stumbling back to land in the sand next to one. In an easy motion, Morley took a step toward him, smoothly drawing his sword, his action mirrored a moment later by his crew.

"No, boy, this is the slave trade. Now get in the box, or we'll cut your throat."

Everyone froze for half a second before someone in the group shrieked, and the man tried to stumble to his feet in the sand to run. He made it one unsteady step before a knife was plunged into the back of his head. There was a hard smacking sound of a fist hitting flesh, and Alice turned to see the woman who'd been traveling with him hit the ground face first.

"Anyone else want to try and run?" Morley asked before squinting at the sudden mist building in the air.

Alice took in their situation. They'd been surrounded by more than a dozen men since they'd stepped out of the caravan, all armed, and there were even more carrying boxes down to the waiting boats. She didn't know how she could deal with so many people with how far they were from the water, but it wasn't just her and Caeda now, either. The others weren't her responsibility, but she also didn't like the idea of running and leaving them to their fate. She knew she needed to stall somehow, and that somehow needed to also include no one else being murdered – but the only thing she could think of was to be a distraction or bluff. She decided to do both.

"You shouldn't have killed that poor man. 'Specially not here, in front of me."

Morley turned his eyes to her and laughed. "What's this? Girl, you might be valuable, but no matron will pay less over a few bruises. I'm trying to be nice about this, but I can have my boys throw you in there the hard way if you want."

Alice looked around at his men like they were dirt, "These boys? They don't seem all that reliable."

She made a casual gesture at the pirate closest to her, and just like with the knight's bodyguard, he stumbled and fell over, vomiting all over the shoes of the man beside him. Immediately, every weapon on the beach was pointed at her, but she just stepped free of the group of passengers and into the open, and every one of the pirates followed her – just as her shortsighted plan had intended.

"Morley, you didn't check if any of them were classers?" one of the more well-dressed pirates asked with some annoyance.

"She's just a kid. And he's fine. She just knocked him over. Stop being a coward and get her into that box. We can collar her later."

The word collar sent a wave of terror through Alice, and before she could even think, the fog around her condensed, and her [Water Shield] sprang up around her. It was just in time, too, as a club aimed at the back of her head smashed into the shield, glancing off with a splash. Immediately, half the pirates nearby swung at her, and the shield quickly began to shrink before Morley called them off.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, you morons! You're going to damage the goods. Just grab her kid sister!"

Caeda's eyes went wide, and she turned to sprint into the woods, but two of them were right in front of her. A sudden flash of light blasted into their faces before they could grab her, though, and she dodged right between them, yelling, "Run!"

Unfortunately for everyone else, including Alice, the spell had been powerful enough to blind anyone nearby. They couldn't run even if they wanted to. There was a frantic bit of movement, though, and what sounded like a brief fight while they were blinded. Alice tried hard to blink the brightness out of her eyes before giving up and healing herself, only to find Leo standing beside the bodies of two pirates. His hand was already extended, throwing one of his knives into the face of a third. He turned, pulling out another knife to go after Morley, when an arrow missed his face by less than an inch. He ducked, looking toward the sea, but two more arrows were already in flight, one taking him in the shoulder and the other his chest, knocking him to his back.

Alice dove into the sand, landing beside him, her hand already glowing with healing magic… But the spell failed, and the feedback of the magic spiking through her head told her why right away. She yanked the arrow out of his chest, which was much harder than the movies made it look, and made Leo scream as if he were going to die right then. Ignoring the agonized expression on his face, she pressed a hand against the wound and immediately began healing him again. Another arrow ricocheted off her shield, and she looked up just in time to see Morley raise his sword to stab Leo. With hatred pounding through her veins, she did the only thing she could. She stopped using [Heal Wounds] on Leo, changing her focus to Morley's horrible victorious grin, and pulled it in reverse. It was just instinct, but it worked. [Heal Wounds] poured out of her in reverse, and Morley's face opened up as if she'd swung an axe into it. Skin split, teeth shattered, and half his cheek tore away in a shower of blood. He stumbled back, dropping his sword and trying to push his face back together with a muffled moan of horrified pain.

Alice didn't hesitate at all. She jumped forward, grabbed his fallen sword from the ground, and rammed it right through his gut. Her shove knocked him off his feet entirely, and the sword was yanked from her grip with his collapsing body. Several of the other passengers were trying to find a path to flee into the woods, but taunting pirates still encircled them. And then, a shrieking Caeda came running back onto the beach, two more pirates right behind her. She stumbled in the loose sand, and as she fell, she tried to blind them again, but the flash lacked the concentration and was far weaker. She quickly began pushing herself away from the two men, sliding backward in the sand, but the two men suddenly stopped when there was a loud yipping bark from just behind them. Alice watched as they both turned to see a small red fox sitting on the ground, wagging its tail and grinning up at them.

"What the f-" one of them began, but then there was another flash of light and snap of movement, filling the air with the sound of shattering bone. In that instant, the fox had been replaced by a fox girl, and her boot was already coming around for a second kick. She moved in a rapid flurry of strikes, so fast Alice could hardly follow them. Every impact ignited with a white-gold flash of magic and resounded with the crunch of bone. Seconds later, both men hit the ground in a broken, bloody heap. The fox girl looked around at stunned pirates with a bright smile that slowly began to fall as they just stood there in confusion.

"What? Not a single Ahoy There, Matey? Maybe a Shiver me timbers? Oh, Avast ye? … Nothing? Wow. Worst pirates ever." With a look of utter disappointment, she shook her head, "Okay. Whatever. Hostages, please go hide in the caravan or something for a minute, I guess."

That was enough for the pirates, and they all charged her at once. Alice knocked another one silly with a shove of [Hydrokinesis] before locking up two more archers with [Water Prison]. She could barely pay attention to the rest of the fight while channeling the two spells at once, but the strain wasn't as bad as the last time she'd dual cast in combat, and she was still able to catch plenty of the fight in the periphery of her focus. The Fox girl danced around like an acrobat while she battered the pirates attacking her, that golden flare accompanying blasts of fire with every impact. She caught flashes of their rescuer using the pirate's own momentum to throw them to the ground or into each other while she taunted them or laughed. All the while, she was somehow always moving out of the way of their strikes, her hands and even boots always ready to dart out and redirect arrows flying her way into her attackers, as if she knew what the pirates were going to do before they did. Several of the pirates on the beach came running to help their friends, but before they could get close to the fight, dozens of armored soldiers fell out of the sky, slowing just before they hit the ground and then charging into them.

Feeling the pirates in her water prisons go limp, Alice dropped them just in time to look up and see another of the pirates charging the fox girl from behind. In a rage, she locked her eyes with his and lashed out with her weird reverse healing. The magic drained her in a way that her normal healing never had, and the spell hit him like a ball of disharmony. She felt every touch of her magic as random parts of his flesh throughout his head and throat simply separated as if they'd never been connected. The man gurgled, and blood poured from his mouth and ruined eyes before he limply collapsed to the ground.

"Oh wow! Did you just unheal him? That was crazy! You will have to show me how you did that!" the fox girl called out to Alice cheerfully before punching another pirate in the throat. She hadn't even looked at the now-dead pirate.

Alice couldn't think of the words to answer, still processing everything that had just happened, but she did look up at some motion to her side to see Caeda standing beside her. The battle was quickly dying down, with a few of the pirates trying to flee from the soldiers toward the water, though none made it very far. The soldiers, not bothering to run the last few stragglers down, began policing the beach, ensuring that there were no more pirates hiding or playing dead.

The fox girl started to walk away, but Alice stopped her, "Who are you?"

The red-haired fox girl spun with a friendly smile, "How rude of me! I am Amélie. Come on, the fireworks are about to begin!"

When Amélie turned back and began to jog past the bodies toward the beach, curiosity slowly moved Alice's own feet forward more than any conscious thought, but Caeda grabbed her hand and pulled her forward at a more brisk pace, "That woman and her soldiers, all of them are wearing the crest of House Dalen!"

Alice's eyes went wide, and she picked up the pace, jogging as well until she stopped next to the fox girl. "Excuse me, miss-" she began, but Amélie turned her head with a wicked grin and held up a finger in the universal one-moment sign before turning her head back to the ships in the water, now clearly trying to get their anchors up and sails rigged as quickly as possible. Alice was confused and a little disgusted to see they'd be so quick to abandon their shipmates, but they were pirates, after all. Still, she knew she should be relieved to see them go – if they stayed intent on all the loot and prospective slaves, those ships must have hundreds of more pirates aboard she'd be faced with, compared to the few that were on the shore when she arrived.

Then Amélie counted down, "Three, two.. and one."

Her words were like a prophecy of doom, heralding a rain of fire as objects that had to be bigger than they looked from so far away rained down. Alice knew right away she was looking at some kind of magical bombs even before they started slamming into the ships in a rapid staccato. As fast as they hit, they were going off like a summer storm tearing through a dry field. Each blast sent up a towering burst of fire so bright it looked like lightning cracking across the water and sent out shockwaves that she could feel vibrating her ribs. She stood mesmerized as the smoke billowed up, thick and black, twirling high into the sky. She wasn't sure if the heat she was feeling from so far away was real or just her imagination. But then one of the masts creaked and groaned, collapsing across one ship and into the other, she was brought back to herself, and she looked back to the fox girl.

"Alright, I guess that was worth the wait. But I need to ask you somethin' important. Are y'all from House Dalen? I need your help."

Amélie turned, her grin easing back to a friendly smile, "Oh. Yes, we are. I might be able to help depending on what it is that you need."

Alice nearly slumped with relief. "I need to find the [Hero] Evelyn. I'm not sure where to go to find her, but we were headin' to Vigilance to get more information. It'd be a real big help if y'all could point us in the right direction."

Amélie's smile faded into a look of suspicion as she ever so subtly turned her body sideways from Alice, "And why do you need to find her?"

Alice took a half step back at the sudden change in attitude and slowly raised her hands to show she was no threat, "It's nothin' like that. Look, I'm supposed to be with her. Somehow, we got split up without even knowin', and I need to find her. The system messages are the only clue I've got."

Amélie's face morphed again, going through confusion, shock, and finally, disbelief before she burst into laughter. "Oh my! I had no idea! How did she even find her way out here to steal your heart? If this is what it sounds like, we might be getting into serious harem territory! It seems I cannot take her anywhere without someone new falling in love!"

"What?"

Amélie's mirth returned, and she stepped forward and put a hand on Alice's shoulder, "Well, alright. I will help you. I have been trying for some time to figure out why she was so resistant to just picking one suitor. But are you sure you will be okay with so many others vying for her heart?"

Alice stared at the fox girl like she was insane, "Suitors? Harem? What are you talkin' 'bout?"

Amélie was busy inspecting every inch of Alice, "Wow, you are really beautiful, you know? Are you some sort of elf? I've never seen an elf with skin or hair like you before. Do not worry. She only has one other elf girl spending time with her, so perhaps you will stand out as a novelty. But I must know, is it true love, or are you only chasing after her for fun? I do not want to see her get hurt."

That was enough. "No, you crazy fox, I'm not in love with her! I'm supposed to be helping her on her quest to save the world! What are you even talkin' about?"

Amélie tilted her head to the side with a look of pure innocence. "Are you sure? I can tell from just a single look that she'd be very interested in you. She really likes women who are willing to stand up and protect others. It is sort of her thing."

Alice nearly groaned in frustration, "Miss Amélie, please! I'm bein' serious. Can you really help us? We've been havin' a real hard time of it since I woke up here, and you're the first real lead I've found."

"I am helping you. You need to know what to expect. You have no idea how fast Evelyn could get you out of those clothes and into a warm bath with her. I've seen her end up naked with three other women at once like that…" Then, she trailed off for a moment, and her face scrunched up, "What do you mean since you woke up here?" Alice watched as Amélie's eyes glazed for a moment before they went wide, "I knew you looked familiar! And that ridiculous accent! How did I not notice before?!"

Alice started to object, "I ain't got no accent!" but before she knew what was happening, Amélie had removed a pendant she was wearing and was fastening the necklace on Alice. "Hey! What're you doin'?" she asked, startled, but Amélie had already stepped back before she had a chance to react.

"Evelyn gave me that pendant, but I have a ring that is even better, so it is probably best for you to have it. This is an [Amulet of Disguising]. You can use it to hide your class or just change it to something else. Just focus on it, and you can change your class to anything. Mage would probably be best for you. You should also go into your personal status and stop displaying that title until you are stronger. It will cause all sorts of problems."

Alice's mouth parted in surprise as she reached up to hold the pendant. She looked at it in her hand before looking back to Amélie. "How'd you know?" But despite the shock, she immediately followed Amélie's instructions.

"I have a skill that lets me see a lot about a person. There are a few similar skills. I think [Insight] is the most common, but if you don't have it, perhaps you can get Evelyn to teach you the [Lore] spell. I am certain she will want to spend a lot of time around you, after all."

Alice sighed, "I'm really not sure how to take what you're sayin' to me. You're not a crazy person, are ya?"

Amélie shrugged helplessly, "I was only giving you fair warning. I will leave it alone. Instead, we can help these people get back on the road and then share some stories of our adventures on the trip back." Her attention swung to Caeda, who was doing her best to be inconspicuous. "Is this your companion?"

Caeda jumped, a look of guilt and embarrassment taking over her entire demeanor, "What? Me? I'm only level two! I couldn't possibly.."

Amélie raised an eyebrow, "You do not need anyone's permission or approval to be her companion. That decision is for no one but you and Alice to make."

Alice scoffed, "We've been companions almost as long as I've been in this world. I'm not sure what the big deal is."

Caeda stared at her for a long few seconds before nodding, "I guess we have been."

"There! That is settled!" Amélie said with a happy clap and a smile. "I am very curious to hear your story, and the sooner we help these people, the sooner we can get back up to the ship and have some tea while we discuss it!"