[center][h2]Diver's Paradise[/h2]
[sub]The remnants of battle.[/sub][/center]

     [color=darkviolet]"Hm? Oh, it's you! Luke, this Diver helped organize some of the Divers during the battle to help get a tactical advantage. You know, Luke. Strategy. You should give it a shot sometime, eh?"[/color] Humor helped. Amidst the aftermath of the chaos, jabbing at his friend a bit would help ease the tension, even just a little. The utter devotion and respect [i]was[/i] a little disconcerting, as was his excitement to follow them after fighting such a battle. Hopefully the kid wouldn't collapse once all of that adrenaline wore off.

     He turned towards the young Diver after giving Luke a pat on the shoulder.[color=darkviolet]"Easy there, Paradise. Alvios is fine, especially after that showing of yours back there. You did a good job of giving organization into some of the Divers. Give it a few years, some hard work, and maybe a bit of luck, people might start thinking this place was named after [b]you[/b] instead of the other way around!"[/color] Alvios chuckled a bit at that, and looked over at the arriving Jenso. [color=darkviolet]"Luke and I aren't going anywhere at the moment. We've got enough to talk about right here. Besides, Tinon hasn't come out of his quarters yet, and I don't want to miss a chance to have him kissing my boots instead of complaining about me ignoring him."[/color] Alvios didn't immediately acknowledge Jenso outside of a quick nod. The guy was familiar, but he didn't have any actual idea who he was.

     [color=darkviolet][i]At least, Tinon [b]should[/b] be kissing my boots. If he isn't happy about me ignoring him...[/i][/color] Alvios wasn't about to kill spirits by suggesting any reason to doubt the third or fourth most famous Diver around. Who knows what kind of discord that would spread? Heck, it was already killing Alvios' spirit just thinking about it. Tinon was a respected comrade, and Laura's husband. Through Luke, Laura was like a sister to him. If he had to suspect Tinon, it would break her heart.

     Alvios' face had gone from being reassuring to worrisome as he thought about all of this. He didn't voice a word of this to Par or Jenso, but the two Divers could both tell that it wasn't time to celebrate yet.


[center][h2]Hyznia[/h2]
[sub]"Southern Ramparts[/sub][/center]

     [color=lightcoral]"Outside. Yes. Plenty to be done in that wasteland."[/color] Sulfrax paused for a moment, going over something in his head. He hardly looked his part of an Arch Mage who had worked directly with the heads of CMAS. Thin and weak, no real posture to speak of, and much younger looking than he should have been. He was staring at Rem with curiosity, bright eyes analyzing him as though he had words on his face and could be read like a book.

     He waited to a point just before the silence got too awkward before continuing. [color=lightcoral]"Yes, I'm Sulfrax Lauchlin. You, Rem, have shown up at a curious time. I have some questions about that wasteland, since it likely isn't as barren as I think it is."[/color] Sulfrax's eyes narrowed, his deadpan expression slightly more serious now. [color=lightcoral]"We can speak outside of Hyznia, if you'd rather be on your own land. Not far, but outside the barrier at least. If you don't want to answer, that's perfectly fine. Not very safe, but not an immediately lethal decision."[/color] Possibly the most dangerous man in Hyznia was making a rather modest request, all things considered. Something he surely had other ways to manage that didn't involve strangers on walls.


[center][h2]Arcadia[/h2]
[sub]Southern Gate[/sub][/center]

     [color=whitesmoke]"Woe and despair! A woman of such power and grace, bewitched with a heart of stone! No smile graces her lips this day, and yet no fury crosses her lips! I plea again, fair maiden... can ya just tell us your name if we're gonna be workin' together?"[/color]

     Most of Survey Team 1 had gathered around the southern gate of Arcadia by now, and a handful of them had gathered to one side of the gate, lounging about as preparations were being finished, checks and double-checks being completed. They talked a bit, introducing themselves and discussing what their actual opinions about the mission were, now that Head Arch Mage Sydney wasn't around to lay down the law. A handful had gathered around in a bit of a semicircle, watching the exchange between two of the members of the team.

    One was down on one knee, dressed in some mismatch between an assassin and a jester, looking up at the woman across from him with a simple wooden theater mask on, the curved mouth and slanted eyes meant to portray the epitome of sorrow. Maybe some of them would have backed him up or said some jokes, but the woman he was talking to didn't look like the type to be joking at.

     Illon didn't have a great reputation. Questionable practices, aggression, overpopulation, and a disdain for everything regulated; hell, even normal magi were scowled at, if not worse. The true slums of Arcadia... with a history of war and violence to back it up. She fit the bill of one of their old warriors perfectly, in dark leathers and tattoos, abnormal height and build, and just the right amount of intimidating. The poor kid didn't even reach her chin, and some of the others were wondering if she was about to get off of the crate she was sitting on to crack his skull. The Illon woman just watched him silently, legs and arms crossed, impatience on her face.