[center][h3][u]Baeshri Pass, Caravan Centaurus[/u] [sub]3rd of Summer - 10:25 PM[/sub][/h3][/center] Zay leaned back as Flin rummaged through the pockets of the corpses. He widened his eyes and nodded. "I didn't know you were into the [i]fur,[/i] Lieutenant," he teased. Neal rolled his eyes and knelt opposite to Flin, slowly searching the other Myti's pockets. He and Flin both found something, one after the other. Each Myti, along with several explosive devices much like the flash-bang that misfired earlier, carried a familiar device that the highest ranking officials in Arcadia used to communicate. They both had miniature Psy-stones with purple etchings across their entire surface. "Well I'll be damned," Neal grunted, "They were better equipped than I thought." Zay narrowed his eyes and stood up. Bandits were getting their hands on [i]Psy-Stones[/i] now? Just how far did the black markets of Thoris run? Those things were expensive, and [i]very difficult[/i] to manufacture. Even if they came all the way from Leias, for common thieves to get their hands on those trinkets was unheard of. But it went further than that. These were no ordinary Psy-Stones. "Is that all they had?" Noru asked. "Aside from a bit of money and a few gemstones, it looks like it." Neal confirmed. The medic vigorously rubbed his eyebrows at the thought of ruffians with Psy-Stones running A muck through the trade routes. "Then we were targeted," Zay hissed, "Targeted like animals." "That may be that case." Noru stepped towards Neal and grabbed the stone he'd found. "These aren't ordinary Psy-Stones." Neal rose an eyebrow. Zay shook his head at the situation. "They're not made of the same gemstones as the ones used in Arcadia. These things could be capable of communication across longer distances than your typical stone." "They could be short-range stones as well," Zay added. Noru sighed. "That's true. For all we know, they were just using these to coordinate their assault." "Well, they aren't made in Arcadia. At least, I've never seen anything like this. Even the [i]King's [/i]stone isn't this unique. Most officials use [i]ruby crafted[/i] stones, and those things aren't even strong enough to communicate across half the city." "So they didn't come from Arcadia," Neal grunted, "So what?" "We can't assume that, either," Noru added, "Especially not with the rampant criminal activity trudging about the lower districts." "So this tells us nothing." Neal moaned impatiently. "It tells us that they're [i]organized[/i] and [i]well supplied,"[/i] Zay corrected Neal yet again. At this point, Captain Geroldus was growing [i]increasingly frustrated[/i]. With these two men correcting every one of his sentiments, he felt like an [i]idiot.[/i] "Caravans don't typically take the Baeshri pass. It's not known for beast attacks, but it's a hazardous trail, and it's painfully secluded. So why the hell would there be bandits out here waiting for somebody to pass through? "Maybe they were especially patient," Neal groaned angrily, waiting to be corrected [i]once again[/i] with his eyes fixated on the Myti's body before him. Then he froze. "I thought it earlier," He mumbled, "But it's not impossible that this is related to the attack on my Caravan!" Zay grabbed his chin and thought it over for a minute. It wasn't impossible that the two attacks were corrected. As the men spoke, Flin was able to find something [i]else[/i] on the Myti's body through his diligent search. Near the base of her spine, just above her tail, there was an obscure black tattoo. Beneath it, jutting slightly from the back of her shorts, was a small piece of paper. Zay glared at Flin with a subtle smile. "I know they tried to kill us Flin, but it's awfully rude to [i]feel up[/i] an unsuspecting maiden while she's unconscious." Noru's head snapped towards Zay. "Can you control your [i]inane humor[/i] for just a minute!?" He shouted. Zay frowned and rolled his eyes. "Easy, Lieutenant. You wouldn't want to attract something [i]dangerous.[/i]" [center][h3][u]Baeshri Pass, Caravan Centaurus[/u] [sub]3rd of Summer - 10:25 PM[/sub][/h3][/center] Noru's shout was loud enough to pierce the shell of Centaurus' caravan, so much so that it echoed across the Baeshri hills as an indiscernible murmur. There weren't any particularly dangerous creatures nearby in the moment, but Noru's frustration did not fall upon deaf ears. Rem and Ellorei were making their way across the Pass around that same time, and they were less than half a kilometer away from the stranded knight of Arcadia. [center][h3][u]Kel Underworld, ???[/u] [sub]3rd of Summer - 11:52 PM[/sub][/h3][/center] Fifty Eldi were lined up row by row in a massive, well-lit cavern. They all wore similar clothing, but none of them looked the same. Men and women were dressed in bright red hues; They wore bandannas, ties, coats, shorts, helmets, tattoos, piercings, pants and shirts. They were different, so very different from one another. And yet, standing before their commander, those citizens all looked [i] the same.[/i] "What a time to be alive!" A woman shouted from atop a large wooden box, overlooking the people lined up before her, "A time of peace! A time of stagnation! A time where the government has nothing to be concerned about! Where its people can breath Kel's air without any urge for change!" She paused and looked out to the masses. [i]"Pathetic."[/i] A series of hoots and cheers sounded from the groupings in front of her, going silent shortly after. "We live in the shadow of their wretched tower, surrounded by the artifacts of old! Eldan men and women without any desire to progress as a Nation! Scientists and researchers that work only to learn more of the very magic that has [i]separated our people.[/i] The very magic that has been weaponized, and used to subjugate the world into a false state of peace! Something that our leader refuses to change! We are forced to stand by as Eldi become [i]entrapped[/i] in a self-defeating cycle of silence and servitude, selfishly sustaining themselves on [i]knowledge[/i] while some of us are forced to writhe in agony! Starved! [b]Beaten![/b] I say this has gone on [i]long enough![/i]" Another roar from the crowd echoed throughout the secluded little cavern. "We are thrown in with the rest of these [i]wretched[/i] evil-doers and labeled as thus, with no regard for our intent! Criminals! We are called [b]criminals! [/b]They call [b]us[/b] criminals while Senator Ero is allowed to profit off the backs of [b]real monsters![/b] Those that live in the shade suffer because it! We suffer!" The crowd echoed her announcement: '[i]suffer![/i]' "No longer can this go on! Kel's people require a wake-up call, and [b]we will give it to them![/b]" The crowd's uncoordinated roars of approval flooded the cavern. Each and every one of the Eldi present cheered and cheered, clapping or hollering random phrases across the room. Their leader, [b]Parthia Mylygnos[/b], stood proudly over them and rose a single first into the air. They group slowly began to inch towards a united chant. Their words finally united into something discernible. [center][sub]'Crimson Shades'[/sub] 'Crimson Shades' [b]'Crimson Shades!'[/b] [h3]'Crimson Shades!!!'[/h3][/center] [center][h3][u]Northern Marrenfall, Gybol's Cafe[/u] [sub]4th of Summer - 9:47 AM[/sub][/h3][/center] The morning was a fresh relief across the wide-spanning suburbs of Marrenfall. As fresh as it could have been, anyways. Gybol's cafe sat only a few kilometers off the edge of [b]Varbos[/b], one of the largest industrial districts in all of Marrenfall. The air quality of the [b]Eastern Suburbs[/b] varied on a day-to-day basis, dependent solely on how Thoris' winds decided to blow. A westward wind would bring subtle aromas of burning coal to the edge of the suburbs, sometimes thick enough to [i]taste.[/i] Stale weather meant for a more enjoyable atmosphere, where the air was still [i]coarse,[/i] but not enough to directly impact on the lives of civilians. Today, the wind blew to the east. Although this brought the locals a deal of peace, it also meant that many people would be visiting from the west to make a myriad of purchases. Residential locales that were positioned closely to Marrenfall's factories often had some of the most advanced and [i]affordable[/i] products, after all. This also meant that Gybol would see quite the influx of business. His cafe was already quite the success, despite its relatively small size. He was, after all, one of the few producers that managed to forage for produce outside the city walls, albeit on rare occasions. Ingredients that some might consider [i]exotic[/i] would wind on his menu from time to time, while on some very special occasions, visitors might have been treated to something [i]out of this world.[/i] One of the many perks of his occupation! But his only other co-worker, [b]Nina Belfont,[/b] was not fond of his business' scale. If she were in charge, Gybol's storefront would already be flooding the entirety of the suburbs. If she had her way, they would have a [i]chain[/i] of Cafes by now. But things don't always work out the way you want them to. The morning rush was especially [i]rushed[/i] today. Over twenty customers were flooding the tables and standing in line for their turn to sample Gybol's recipes. The workload was at least [i]four times[/i] heavier than usual, far more than the already minimal staff could handle, but the people of the suburbs were not especially impatient. If this were anything like the cities to the southeast of Marrenfall, the twenty-something customers would have made quite the ruckus as they dined and/or waited for their orders. But Gybol's modest Cafe, despite the large showing, was as quiet as it could get. The only one making noise was [b]Nina.[/b] "You ready with order #21 yet?!" She screeched from across the cafe while standing over a woman and her husband. They exchanged a warm smile, not bothered in the slightest by Nina's overbearing voice. "Boss???"