Traveler

When they first left Little Solace in search of their missing Elder, the five of them didn’t realize how much time they’d spend in a small community known as Buscarron’s Druther’s. The problem with this little settlement this deep in the Black Shroud was that it did not have an Aetheryte to teleport. The other downside was that it was equally distant from the two communities in the woods. The one community due east of it was Quarrymill. The other community due south of Druthers was called Camp Tranquil. It was also a first full of danger and rife wit poisonous fauna. If one wasn’t too careful, one could find themselves sicker than the drunkard they had to douse with buckets of cold water. Thus did they find themselves doing quite a bit of travel. From taking care of the bar side for Buscarron, or getting rid of the local monsters that were terrorizing the folks nearby. 

They recently just got back from a long two day trip that took them all the way to Limsa Lominsa. What should have been a quick return of goods to a Qiqirn merchant by the name of Teteroon. Buscarron helped back on it’s feet after the Calamity, and when the poor Qiqirn had visited him, the beast man happened to forget his scarlet earring. Thus did the proprietor ask them to make the journey out to return his possession. They first went to Hawker’s Alley, only to be turned around to Aleport from the ferry. From there the guards in town mentioned that Teteroon had found himself a nice place in Upper La Noscea—off the shores of Bronze Lake.  

As Azlyn had never been that far into the countryside, Roll and Kida were forced to travel by mount or by foot given the territory. The time it took to find the Qiqirn was spent mostly traveling, but Azlyn was able to attune to the crystal in Camp Bronze Lake for their troubles. 

It was then, that should have ended their trip so they could head back to Buscarron’s Druthers to see if he found out anything of interest for their missing Sylph Elder—but the Qiqirn wanted to gift Buscarron for his kindness—which inevitably left the trio to this Qiqirn’s bidding. The making of Qiqirn firewater. So another day out traveling to gather all the things and ingredients needed to make this strange concoction, and they found themselves somewhat closer to finally meeting up with the Scions back in the South Shroud. 

They travelled back to Quarrymill together, and travelled westward to Buscarron’s Druthers. While they couldn’t see the pair of Scions nearby, they did find good old Buscarron at his bar side. He reminded Azlyn a little of Baderon back in Limsa Lominsa—he was a midlander, his gruff dark brown beard, matter hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in a couple days. The dark eyepatch that covered his left eye. The only thing that was vibrant about his entire garb was his bright blood orange tank top, tucked neatly into his denim black pants with tall riding boots.

“You’ve returned. Thank you for seeing Teteroon’s belongings to him.” 

Kida brought out the bottle of Qiqirn firewater and placed it on the counter in front of him. Roll crossed her arms, and Azlyn smiled. 

“He wanted to send his thanks.” Azlyn said, explaining the bottle for the proprietor. 

Buscarron seemed surprised by the notion, his one brown eye widened. “Qiqirn firewater! So he remembers my fondness for the drink, does he? Why that old... He... I... Aw bloody hells! Who’s cutting onions back there!?” He shouted behind the bar to the kitchen in back. He rubbed his eyes, before lifting the bottle gently. 

Kida smirked, “Teteroon says you need to shelve it for a year. It’ll be ready by that time.” 

The proprietor nodded. “Aye, that sounds about right. I hate to have to wait, but I reckon it’ll be worth it. This stuff has an aroma and body unlike any drink I know.” 

Roll laughed to Azlyn. “You’re pretty good with your drink, from all your time in Limsa Lominsa.” 

Azlyn shook her head. “One time I take you to Baderon’s, you two start to tease me about drinking ale.” 

Buscarron was mildly pleased to hear she enjoyed a good pint of ale. “If you can wait a year—it’ll be a loooong year. What say you come back then? We’ll see if we can’t make it through this bottle together. Like good ol’ drinkin’ pals.” He grinned widely. 

Azlyn laughed, nodding her head. “Sounds good to me.” 

Roll propped herself in a barstool. “Any news on our missing sylph?” 

Kida also hopped into a barstool next to the Au Ra. She lightly drummed her fingers on the wood of the counter as they waited for Buscarron to finish placing the firewater in a safe place. He pulled himself up from the counter, cracking his back. 

“You know what.” He said, tapping his chin. “There was word while you were away. Sylphs were seen in the wood, but near no lands of their own. No, this was a place near to here—a place we’ve never known a sylph to come.” 

Azlyn leaned on the counter, placing both of her arms against the wood now. He had all of their attention. 

The proprietor continued. “Something must have given them cause to venture this far. More than like, the missing sylph elder’s among them. You got yourselves a map?” 

Roll produced her own from her bag, stretching out the paper until the South Shroud was within view. Azlyn could see several other points circled and labeled with FP—she wasn’t quite sure was that meant—but figured since each one was by a body of water, it might have something to do with fishing. Buscarron didn’t seem to care for her annotations, as he pointed due north of his druthers. 

“Here. This is where they’ve been sighted. Actually, you should probably check these other areas as well.” He tapped several areas close by before nodding. “Go see if there’s anything to be seen.” 

The three knew they would have no time to rest just yet, the afternoon sun shining up above the canopy of trees. Taking their next clue, they went north of the ale house to do a bit of reconnaissance. And what they found wasn’t any good. 

Kida yanked Azlyn down into a nearby bush, as Roll silently tucked herself into a nearby tree. After surveying the general areas they found themselves quite a few Garlean soldiers. 

“What are they doing this deep in the wood?” Kida whispered to Azlyn. 

The girl shrugged. “I thought the fortress was in the east shroud. Are they trying to expand?” 

Roll whispered over to them. “It’s strange because these areas are heavily patrolled most of the time—how’d they get past The Wailer’s?” 

Kida gasped. “Unless...” 

Azlyn narrowed her eyes. “Should we take care of them now, or go back to Buscarron?” 

Roll pulled her astronometer out. “We should take care of the small units that we can. As officers of the Twin Adder, we can’t let them do as they will with the forest.” 

Kida agreed. “Azlyn, ready your weapon. We’re taking them out.” 

Azlyn drew forth her axe, feeling the need to wreak some destruction against the soldiers. She jumped out from her hiding spot, charging straight into one of the small units nearby. They were completely taken unawares by her sudden appearance as she swung her axe around violently. 

“Wha—ahhhh!” The screams of the soldiers alerted more of the soldiers nearby to come help support—but Roll and Kida had that figured out. They were in the background, firing their long range spells and arrows into any of the soldiers that came into view. 

Azlyn swung her axe back up to her shoulder, letting the handle rest as she surveyed the woodlands. From what she could see, there were no more Garlean soldiers. Or they ran without her knowing. 

Kida pulled out a towel from her satchel, walking it over to her. “You should wash up by the river.” 

Roll nodded, oddly amused by the situation. 

The young Au Ra sighed. “I’m covered in blood again, aren’t I?” 

They both nodded in unison. Accepting the towel graciously, they walked to the edge of the river where Azlyn peered at her reflection. Her face had streaks of blood spray across her cheek, and some in her hair. She cupped several bits of water before she vigorously wiped herself of the blood. 

“It was true.” Kida replied coyly, a playful voice behind her. 

Roll spoke right back. “Her eyes do glow red when she fights with an axe.” 

“Ha. Ha. Laugh it up.” Azlyn called back to the two, waiting for their teasing to begin—only they didn’t. They were both looking at her with curious expressions. 

“No, they really do light up red. You never noticed before?” Kida said with a matter of fact. “It’s like you lose yourself in the heat of battle.”

Her cousin knelt down by her side, giving her a curious expression. “Do you even remember what happened?” 

Azlyn slumped her shoulders, “Of course I remember—I remember...” She hesitated, her towel hovering inches from her face as she tried to recollect what had just transpired within the last ten minutes. “Wait—I was fighting the soldiers. How many were there?” 

This one question caused both Kida and Roll to turn to one another. Then slowly Azlyn’s cousin reached out to pat her back. “Maybe for a time you shouldn’t use your axe—maybe there’s something else that’s going on.” 

Kida crossed her arms, looking back to the grounds where she fought. “Who trained you?”

Azlyn had finished cleaning up, her bangs dripping wet from the river water. “The Marauder’s Guild in Limsa Lominsa. Do you think they’d know what’s happening?” 

Her companions shrugged to her. 

“Who knows—but maybe something to consider given you went full rampage until the soldiers all dropped dead.” Kida replied, shaking her head. “Roll, how are the elementals? Were they shaken up by all this ruckus?” 

Roll closed her eyes, concentrating for a short time. They were waiting for her response as the Au Ra with short white hair shook her head. “The balance has been restored—a bit shaken but overall alright for a time. Master will probably want to send someone out to rejuvenate the spirits.” 

Azlyn let her axe disappear into the aether pocket of whatever she possessed, and instead brought forth her arcanima book. “I’ll avoid using my axe until such a time—but it’s not like I can just up and run back to Limsa. We still have this situation to deal with the missing sylph elder.” 

Kida walked over to the throng of dead bodies, she produced one of her hunting knives as she knelt down. Scrunching her nose, she slowly cut off several of the insignia’s their uniform’s carried. When she returned to them, she held up the bloodied pieces of fabric. “We should show these to Buscarron. If the Garleans are this close, it might mean he was unaware, or he was aware and didn’t bother telling us.” 

The three seemed to be in agreement, deciding it best to head back to Buscarron to report. They arrived at the ale house with no real problems, entering the establishment like usual customers. Buscarron waved. “So, was there aught to be found in the wood? What did you come to—“ 

Kida tossed the insignias on the counter. As this drew his attention, he instantly withdrew a breath. “...Garleans? In this part of the Twelveswood?!” 

Roll nodded, explaining to him what they found in all of the spots he pointed out to them earlier. She opened her map to show him the areas that they were patrolling. “We took out the small units that we were able—however it is concerning how close they are.” 

Buscarron let out a frustrated breath of air, shaking his head at the thought of Garleans being this close. “First sylphs and now Garleans, and all in the same place. It cannot be mere coincidence. Might the Garleans be following the sylphs? Tracking them or giving chase, mayhap?” 

Azlyn anxiously ran a hand up and down the spine of her book. She was still a bit worried about her missing recollection of the battle earlier. “Roll mentioned earlier about The Wailer’s patrols.”

“No—not this far into the forest. Roll was right to consider The Wailer’s. The Wailers’ spires are everywhere. Imperials could never have stolen past them all.  How in the bloody hells could they have—unless...” The proprietor dropped a hand to his side, as if there could be no way for something like what he thought would happen—to happen. “Unless someone guided them through. Someone who knew where the spires stand, and when the Wailers watch.” 

The three of them narrowed their eyes. “A Gridanian Traitor.” Kida spat out, and Roll flared at the thought. 

Azlyn crossed her arms. “That explains that. Now the question is who.” 

Buscarron leaned close to them now, his voice just below a whisper so that the other patrons in the bar wouldn’t overhear them. “This is between you and me—someone comes to mind that could be our suspect. There’s a regular of mine who used to dine on thin soup, and sip his pint on account of not being able to afford another. But of late, he’s taken to ordering my best wines and the finest cuts of meat I can lay my hands on.” 

Kida scoffed. “So he hit the jackpot?” 

Roll looked to the blue haired Au Ra. “In Gridania? Highly unlikely, unless they make themselves well known in Manderville’s Gold Saucer.” 

Buscarron added with a sour note to his tone. “Were he a merchant, I’d prob’ly think nothing of it, but this lad’s a Wood Wailer.” 

At this new piece of evidence, all of them tensed. 

“—And Wood Wailers don’t earn that kind of coin. By chance, I was musing on this where this money was coming from before you three told me about the Garleans in the forest, and I couldn’t help but put two and two together.” The proprietor shook his head, his vein in his throat throbbed in anger. “Suffice it to say, if a Wailer’s working for the Empire, none of us is safe.”

Kida punched a fist into her own palm. Her pink eyes were alit. “I think it’s time we heard a name to go with this Wailer’s face—that way I can find them and drag them out by their teeth.” 

“Laurentius. Last I heard, he was in the South Shroud. Find him, and if he is up to no good, put an end to it—and him if it comes to that.” Buscarron’s eyes darkened. 

The trio of girls nodded, decided it best to head out to make some rounds around the spires. If they could find a Wailer they could ask about his routes, and patrols. Roll took on the majority of the conversations, as Kida seemed ripe to burst. 

They came across the first spire, finding a pair of Wailer’s on duty. Roll waved to them, holding up her officer insignia from her bag. “Good afternoon Wailers. I’m one of the Captains. Roll of the Order of the Twin Adder. I’d like to know the whereabouts of Laurentius of the Wood Wailers?” 

The two Wailer’s stopped their conversation, giving her a glance. “Laurentius?” 

His partner frowned. “The bugger said he wanted to go out and patrol alone.” 

Azlyn stepped forward. “Did he say where he was heading?” 

The two Wailer’s looked to her, “And who are you?” 

This seemed to take her back a bit, only for Roll to step in once more. “She’s private third class working under my supervision. Answer the question Wailer.” 

They both went rigid at her cousin’s cold tone. “He should be in that general direction Captain Roll, ma’am.” 

Kida gestured for Azlyn to walk with her as Roll thanked them for their time. “You should leave the politics and talking to Roll—nothing against you, but rank means quite a bit here.”  

Azlyn sighed, “It seems to be a common occurrence.” The only reason why she was well known in Limsa Lominsa was because of her work in the countryside. 

“Although if we told them you were the slayer of Ifrit itself, they’d probably shit their pants.” The Au Ra with blue haired gave a short laugh. “Although Roll’s probably giving them a hard time. She doesn’t like it when elitist pricks discriminate so openly. Neither do I, however, my eye is on the prize.” She clenched her fists together. 

“Laurentius?” Azlyn guessed. 

“If he’s sold out his country for money, I may shoot him with an arrow when he’s running away like the scared little wimp he’ll become.” Kida chuckled darkly. 

“Already plotting his murder before we get the evidence?” Roll popped up beside them, she had silently crept up to their side with ease. “They shouldn’t talk like that to anyone—I made sure to get their contact information and also their head of supervision. I’ll have to write a report.” She sighed at the thought of it. “I just want to fish—why is it so hard to find one Sylph?” 

Azlyn chuckled. “When we find the elder, we’ll go fishing. I’ll let you show me how and everything.” 

Roll’s eye’s brightened up at the thought. “We should go ocean fishing. Oh! We should get you some gear from the Guildmaster’s wife back in Limsa Lominsa!” 

Kida gave Roll a curious look. “Why the wife and not the Guildmaster himself?” 

“Cause he’s a philander and lady-killer.” Roll answered immediately. She then pointed to an area past the groves up ahead. There was a single Wailer looking around nervously. A single Elezen, dark brown hair with matching chops down the side of his face. His uniform was that of the Wailers’, green and armored for surveying the forests. “I think we found our target. Kida, you go to him first. Let’s see what he’ll do with one of us.” 

Kida nodded, breaking off from the group and approached him with relative ease. She seemed to be asking him a question, only for him to blow her off and walk off. 

Azlyn frowned. “He didn’t even give her the time or day.” 

Roll also narrowed her golden eyes. “Suspicious indeed.” 

Kida waited for the guy to disappear before making her way back to them. She blew out a string of profanities. “Sonavubitch referred me to the barracks.” 

Azlyn pointed in the direction he went off to. “He went this way, let’s follow him.” 

Her group stuck to the treeline and shrubbery, keeping themselves unawares as they tailed him. After fifteen to twenty minutes of waiting, Roll decided to check in on their new buddy. “I’ll be back—remember we’re not trying to raise the alarm just yet.” 

Kida and Azlyn nodded. She left without a word, trailing backwards to the path. They waited another five minutes when Roll approached him. They watched him as he jumped at her presence. He ran off into the woods after Roll asked him a question. 

“Was he always this jumpy?” 

“Not as jumpy as he was with me.” Kida watched him retreat further into the South Shroud’s wood. Roll waited, she was standing alone on the trail before she headed over to them hiding in the woods. She shook her head. 

“Either my hearings wrong, or we have quite the catch on our hands.” She explained, looking at the path he retreated toward. 

“What’d he say?” Kida pried. 

Roll frowned. “He wasn’t saying it to me—he was speaking to himself. Something about rations and patrol routes fetching a price. And then something about the Empire.” 

Azlyn lined the spine of her book once more. “I think that’s as suspicious as one is going to get.”

The three of them decided to take action into their own hands. They followed him further into the Shroud, until he seemed to reach a spot to lean over. He was breathing heavy as he brought his hands to his knees. They didn’t bother to send out Azlyn by herself, as all three of them approached him. 

The Wailer noticed Kida and Roll right away, as he started to back up. “You—How long have you—? Help. Help. Heeeelp!” He turned to the Cliffside nearby, as he scrambled away. “Please! Come quick, my friends! It is I, Laurentius! I am under attack!” He ran away from the site, as a Garlean soldier holding a lance appeared from beyond the brush. 

Kida yelled as she witnessed Laurentius running. “Can I shoot him now!” 

Azlyn summoned her topaz carbuncle as the lancer sprinted straight at her. She had to move out of the way, as the lance-spear nicked her retreating form. She winced, feeling blood being drawn from her side, while Roll started to bring forth several cards from her astronometer. A cleansing wave washed over her, alleviating a bit of the pain in her side. 

“If you have a shot, use it on this guy!” Roll yelled, as Azlyn was keeping the Garlean busy. She was ducking and weaving between his strikes, using any of her quick spells to hit him with. Kida swung back to their newly arrived lancer, and fired several arrows into his side. The Garlean groaned, keeling over before Azlyn slammed a ruin spell into his head. He was rendered unconscious, as Roll tapped her linkpearl. 

Kida jumped up from one foot to another as she pointed in the direction Laurentius ran. “We need to catch him! Let’s move on!” 

“South Shroud, north of Druthers.” Roll finished her conversation with whoever was on the line, and turned back to Azlyn. “Come, we need to apprehend him. Some officers from Twin Adder are en route to pick up our new friend.” 

 Azlyn looked down to her ripped clothes, her blood stained the fabric and frayed edges. “He might have more friends in higher places.” 

Roll ran up behind her, tapping her on her lower waist to usher her forward. Kida had already begun to sprint in the direction the traitor ran in. They ran instead of hiding their presence, Kida had her arrow notched, ready to shoot if the Elezen did another thing out of line. 

They found him once again, hiding behind a set of trees. Bringing their weapons forth, Kida’s already ready to fire, Roll shouted to him. “Don’t make this anymore worse for you Laurentius.”

The Elezen laughed manically at her comment. “How long do you mean to keep this up for? What is it you imagine I’ve done? Enough!  Enough, I say!” He threw an arm off to the side, exasperated at their chasing him.

Kida didn’t miss a beat. “You know it’s odd that you called for your friends, and a Garlean was the one who answered! Not looking so good, is it?” 

The Elezen backed up, he was a case of nervous jitters. “It’s...it’s over then. Aye, fine you’ve caught me!” He shouted, his face contorted in anger. “I sold maps and rations to the Empire. It was I! I meant no harm. I only wanted the coin.” He shrugged. 

Azlyn stepped forward. “You want to know what happened to the last guy I knew who sold out his country’s patrols and secrets? They’re dead Laurentius! Dead. Money does you no good if you’re six feet below!” She tightened her hold on her book, thinking back to all those people who were killed because of the Tempering of Ifrit. All because of one man’s avarice.

Laurentius flared at her shouting. “The Wailers are good. Strong. I was proud to join their ranks. Am proud. But—how would you know? An adventurer like you wouldn’t understand. You have a means to provide for yourself! They, however, do not. They preach justice, honor, duty—but in the end, it is those with money who do as they will. Who live as they will!” He tried to reason with the three of them, gesturing with his arms and hands. “—So what? I sought an opportunity to change my fortunes. Bloody idiots!” He stopped, laughing at them as he straightened. “Did you think you had me cornered? It is not I who is cornered.” 

The man suddenly beckoned to the side, as he started to call out. “Garleans! I’ve brought the Auri sluts!” Three Garlean officers stepped out from their hiding spots. There was a male Hyur, a male Elezen, and a female Hyur all holding up their lances. All of them had grey-colored hair under their helmets. They strode up confidently to Laurentius as he pointed to the three of them. “Permit me a question, if you will. Are all adventurers so deluded to believe they can challenge the power of Garlemald?”

Kida fired an arrow, it’s bite of the shot sailed into the tree behind him. A line of blood ran down the side of his ear and neck as she started to reach for her next arrow. “I won’t miss the next time you son of a bitch. You sold out your homeland—to these—these...” Kida angrily stammered.

Azlyn lifted her book up as her topaz carbuncle hissed by her feet. She glared heavily to them. “For someone so inclined with money, you’re blinded to what’s really happening. These people—these monsters will put you all under imperial order. They’ll raze the lands, and burn it all to the ground.”

Roll answered with a similar cold tone. “Look outside of your homes and see. Places like Othard, Ala Mhigo, Bozja—Garlemald is no savior; only monsters that destroy for their own worth.” 

Laurentius lifted a hand up to his bleeding ear, his shock of the injury made him snap. “You would not understand! What’s the point of fighting it, when it will be that way in the end! Such is the cost of fighting with great power! Or of remaking it, as we will Gridania. And there will be no place left for the likes of you—the lower classes that deign and taint our homes.” He drew his own lance, spitting to them in anger. “Kill them all!”

The three Auri prepared for battle, except several footfalls behind them alerted them to stop. The Garleans and Laurentius also gave pause when they noticed two male Elezen’s approach from beyond the trees. 

One of the men walked up to Azlyn’s side, the other to Roll’s. The Redbelly Gutter, as Azlyn recalled the poachers being called in this neck of the woods, scoffed to Laurentius. “So that’s the way of it. Swapped your hard bunk at the Barracks for a feather bed in Garlemald, did ye?” He spat back to the traitor. 

The one by Azlyn’s side looked down to her, giving her a curt nod. “You three Auri—you stand here at ol’ Busc’s wish, no?” 

Azlyn nodded, remembering that he was the one who sent them out. “Yes.” 

The two Redbelly’s grinned, drawing their weapons. “Then you don’t stand alone. Come, we’ll take care of this riffraff!” 

They charged forward, their lances ready to take on the lancers from the four enemies standing before them. Azlyn resorted to her support spells, not wanting to accidentally slam one of their allies with a misplaced Ruin spell. Her poison seeped into their wounds, festering when they could. She also did her best to draw forth their aetherial energies, and soon after slamming it back to them with twice as much force. 

Roll focused on healing, and Kida continued to shoot when she was able. They were fighting five against four. 

Laurentius started to yell over the fighting. “You mean to stand against the might of the Empire with this Redbelly rabble at your side? Hah!” 

Kida yelled back. “I’d rather a poacher in these woods more than a legless, spineless whiny bitch like you Laurentius!” 

The Redbelly Gutter laughed, “Your eyes betray your words, coward! It is plain as day. You know full well the Wailers fear the Wasps’ sting.” 

The Garlean contending with the Gutter’s partner called out. “After these tress drink your blood, I will see to it they are cut down and burned!”

Laurentius laughed, “Show them what happens to those who oppose the Empire!”

Azlyn commanded her carbuncle to rock blast the Garlean in the face. Seconds later the Garlean was knocked off his feet by an arrow sailing into his knee from Kida, and her carbuncle tackling him and slamming it’s hardened tail into his face. The blood streamed from his broken nose, as the Redbelly Gutter jammed his lance into the soldier’s abdomen. 

“So...this is to be my end...” The Garlean Elezen wheezed as the Redbelly retracted his lance. The other two soldiers tried to attack, only for a series of arrows to come sailing down from the canopy. Kida looked up, spotting a huntress jumping down from the branches above. 

“If this is a fight Buscarron wants won, then the Coeurlclas will fight it.” She meandered to Kida’s side, drawing her arrows. “Come little quiver, show me more of your skill!” She roared, and Kida raised her bow. 

“With pleasure.” 

Laurentius started to cower behind the two remaining Garleans, his back against the tree. “How? Why!? You scum have no allegiances!” He watched at the Hyur male dropped as several arrows pierced into his chest, the man gasping for breath as another arrow flew into his trachea. “How? How has it come to this?”

Azlyn watched as the last Garlean soldier, the female Elezen had been skewered by the lances from the Redbelly’s with ease. This only left Laurentius who had edged himself further into the tree’s trunk. His eyes were filled with fear as he regarded all six of them. 

“Impossible—how did you best the Empire’s finest? And with bandits and poachers at your side?! They are your sworn enemies! Why do they fight with you and not against you!?”

Kida stepped forward, “We know who the real threat is. It isn’t ourselves we should be fighting.” 

The Coeurlclaw walked by her side, her painted face and animal skins worn proudly over her body. “it’s because of the ale house.” 

“Figured as much.” The blue haired archer replied, turning back to Laurentius. She notched an arrow, just in case he decided to run. 

Laurentius faltered, looking down at his hands holding the spear. He dropped it to the ground as he started to weep. “Buscarron. This is his doing. His words are wont to inspire men to act. Better men than I—Gods, what have I become? What have I done?”

Roll’s linkpearl buzzed, she turned away from their interrogation to speak with whoever called her. 

Azlyn looked to Laurentius with a frown. “Turn yourself in—you can still turn back. No blood has been spilt on your hands—yet.” She remembered the young pirate lad by the name of Sevrin—someone who tried to get her killed on numerous occasions. If a pirate could see the light, maybe this fool would too. 

Laurentius choked a sob. “I—I am sorry. No more will I pursue this folly. No more lies. No more bribes. I will confess my crimes to the Order of the Twin Adder.” He hid his red face with his sleeves. Roll turned back to their conversation, her linkpearl call was finished. 

“Speaking of, they’re on their way now.” She turned to the bandits and poacher who stuck around. “If you don’t want to be seen, you should leave now.” 

Kida looked to the poacher miqo’te with a frown. “And I’ll pretend I didn’t see you today.” She kicked a rock to the side. “It was fun shooting with you, instead of at you.” 

The two Elezen Redbelly’s nodded, running off into the forest. While the Miqo’te huntress climbed up into the trees to disappear. All that left them was a crying Laurentius and several dead Garleans in their wake. 

The other officers of Twin Adder arrived, gathering the bodies and arresting Laurentius. Before he was taken away, the Elezen Wailer looked to the three of them. “There is something I would like you to tell Buscarron. Tell him Laurentius the fool say’s ‘thank you’. I feel as though a veil had been lifted from before my eyes.” 

As he was taken away, Kida crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I would have chosen a different name, like Laurentius the coward, or peebrain, or greedy bastard. But I suppose we can pass a message.”

Roll frowned. “This report is going to be a long one. I can feel it in my bones.”

Azlyn stated to them.  “And no signs of the sylph’s either.” The trio of Auri collectively sighed their grievances. “Let’s head back to Druthers. Maybe he’s heard something else.” 

Her cousin cracked her knuckles, a rare occurrence for her to do. “If I do another fetch favor, killing monsters, or dousing a drunkard with a bucket of cold water—I’m done. I’ll go out to fish and won’t be seeing anyone for a week.” 

Kida laughed. “Fishing withdrawals already? It’s only been a week!”

Roll led their group from the site, letting the Order of the Twin Adder handle the messy cleanup. They walked through the woods, each lost in their own thoughts and devices. It wasn’t until they arrived back at Buscarron’s Druthers did their luck begin to change. 

Azlyn walked up with purpose, as she smiled to Buscarron. “Laurentius the fool says thank you.”

The proprietor wasn’t expecting that right away, as he gave a sad smile. “He asked you to thank me, did he? Then there’s good in him yet. I just hope the Adder’s Nest are able to see it.”

Roll began writing her report, she tapped on the parchment while looking to Buscarron. “I’m writing my report as lead investigator. Tell me everything about him, and I’ll see if I can recommend some remedial services.” 

The proprietor grinned. “The lad’s had quite a life. His mother killed by a brigand when he was only small. As a young man, he joined the Wailers, hoping to spare his fellow Gridanians the misery he’d known growing up. Trouble is, protecting Gridania’s too big a job for one man, and he came to believe that he couldn’t make a difference—that it was hopeless.” Buscarron went to pour the three of them glasses of water, handing them out to each. “There are a few things more dangerous than desperation, and a man lost in the dark is easily drawn to the glimmer of coin. I reckon he thought that if he couldn’t change the lot of his fellow man, he might as well change his own. Thing is, he was making a difference—just not on his own. Somehow, he’d failed to grasp one simple truth—that those things we cannot do alone, we must do together.” 

Kida nudged Azlyn, and the girl smiled back. “You’re right. It’s easier when you’re working together. Especially when dealing with large scale operations like the city-states.” 

Buscarron sighed. “What he’s done ain’t easy to forgive, but I’d like to think he’d be afforded a chance to make amends.” 

Roll had been scribbling down everything that he spoke of, and then she signed her name on the bottom. She looked up, nodding her head curtly to him. “I’ll see that it is done. Is there a moogle nearby?” 

The man pointed outside the north side of the doors. “Past the doors, to the left side.” 

She rolled up the note, tying it with an official wrap and headed out. As she did, Buscarron snapped his fingers as if he remembered something. “That reminds me, I have something to tell you gals.” 

“Please give us some good news.” Kida responded, laying her arm on the counter. “I have a companion bursting at the seams wanting to fish.”

Buscarron nodded, “It seems you three are in luck. Your sylph Elder has been found!”