[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/90NXg60h/sdheader.png[/img][/center] [center][color=1E90FF][b]Time[/b]:[/color] Evening [color=1E90FF][b]Location[/b]:[/color] Tavern Interior >> [i]Sada Kurau[/i] [color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]:[/color] [color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]:[/color] [color=1E90FF][b]Appearance:[/b][/color] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/Fzw1wZ8n/alkalinestingray-Portrait-of-a-South-east-Asian-Chinese-sailor-52c337e9-3211-44db-8828-5fdc1044bd39.png]Sjan-dehk[/url] [color=1E90FF][b]Attire[/b]:[/color] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/0QCZ6rQj/alkalinestingray-Watercolour-painting-of-an-outfit-for-a-male-s-312f5cf8-c1fd-4b90-8f64-d292f9b1da7f.png]Sjan-dehk[/url] [color=1E90FF][b]Equipment:[/b][/color] [hider] Sjan-dehk: [color=1E90FF]Lamellar Cuirass and Tassets Conical, woven hat Two single-edged swords Six pistols (Two on hip, two on lower back, Two across chest) Breech-loading Rifle[/color] [/hider] [/center] [color=dimgray]“CROWN GUARD!”[/color] The man’s shout, firm and commanding, echoed through the tavern, easily carrying through the thick walls separating the main floor from the kitchen. Sjan-dehk frowned, his brows knitting together. He’d expected the authorities to make an appearance, but he would’ve preferred it if they’d arrived just a little later. There was still plenty he wanted to investigate, to examine in detail—the mess of broken utensils and crockery on the floor, the splintered furniture, even the bullet-ridden counters. Any of those might give him a clue as to where Kalliope had been taken. More barked orders—muffled, vague, but still close—reached his ears. It wouldn’t be long before someone decided to check the kitchen. He had to move, and fast. A disgruntled growl rose in his throat, but Sjan-dehk forced it back down. He hated the idea of delaying the search for Kalliope, but it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t stay, not when the guards weren’t likely to be in a negotiating mood. They would’ve almost certainly heard of all the magics used, and given Caesonia’s dim view towards the arcane, Sjan-dehk had little doubt that they’d be questioning everyone about it. And the last thing he needed was to be detained for Mother knows how long. He didn’t mind it, personally, but his gut told him that Kalliope didn’t have that sort of time. Fortunately, Dahsahn and Iyen had led the Viserjantan arcanists away, and back to their ships, just before the guards arrived. That was a handful fewer people for Sjan-dehk to worry about. Moving with speed, but still in silence, he moved towards the door Dahsahn and his section had come through earlier. He stepped carefully over mangled bodies—some missing limbs, others with heads blown clean off—and followed the sticky trail of drying blood through the dim light. A small bundle of herbs, hanging from the ceiling, rustled as his helmet brushed against it. Sjan-dehk felt a pit open in his stomach. His breath caught. For what felt like an eternity, he didn’t move. But then, the loud voices from the tavern drew no closer, and he relaxed ever-so-slightly. He continued moving. Soon, his boots stepped from springy floodboards to solid cobblestones. He looked over his shoulder, and only once he was sure he hadn’t been followed, he quickened his pace, first to a brisk walk, then to almost a job. Blood spattered over his armour, and stained even the hilts of his swords. The longer he lingered in the evening crowd, the greater the chances of someone noticing his less-than-innocent appearance. A few passers-by cast curious looks at him, but thankfully did nothing more. Sada Kurau’s berth wasn’t far from the tavern, but still he ran across the gangplank as if he’d just suffered an arduous journey just to return to her. Her main deck was abuzz with activity—the arcanists were sitting by her mainmast, with Dai-sehk examining them with his physicians tools, while Dahsahn and Iyen rested closer to the gunwale, deep in conversation with the rest of [i]Sada Kurau[/i]’s officers. [color=B0E0E6][i]“Captain!”[/i][/color] Azwan’s voice drew Sjan-dehk’s attention. Sjan-dehk turned, and saw his first officer jogging over to him. [color=1E90FF][i]“Azwan, how’re things?”[/i][/color] Azwan snapped to a crisp salute before replying. [color=B0E0E6][i]“Fine, Captain. We just heard about what happened. Are you—”[/i][/color] [color=1E90FF][i]“I’m fine,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk cut in. He glanced at the arcanists. Yasawen was slumped against the mast, Inshahri fussing over him with a flask of water in one hand, and a fan in the other. Tehwasang sat beside Hasehnya as Dai-sehk tied an eyepatch over the latter’s wounded eye. Each of them had done plenty—some paying a high price, even—to save the tavern’s patrons. In a city that would happily see them burnt, no less. [color=1E90FF][i]“How soon can we sail?”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk asked. Confusion flashed across Azwan’s face, but he nevertheless answered. [color=B0E0E6][i]“As soon as you want, Captain. Is there—”[/i][/color] [color=1E90FF][i]“The city’s not safe,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk replied quickly. He tilted his chin towards the arcanists. [color=1E90FF][i]“Not for them. We’ll sail for open waters and think of our next move from there.”[/i][/color] [color=B0E0E6][i]“Aye, aye, Captain.”[/i][/color] Azwan saluted again. Before he could move, however, Sjan-dehk continued. [color=1E90FF][i]“And signal [/i]Sudah[i]. Tell them to follow us.”[/i][/color] [color=B0E0E6][i]“Signal[/i] Sudah [i]to follow us out of harbour,”[/i][/color] Azwan said with a nod. [color=B0E0E6][i]“Aye, Captain. Any specific message?”[/i][/color] [color=1E90FF][i]“Just make sure they know it’s urgent,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk said. [color=1E90FF][i]“And that I’ll explain later.”[/i][/color] Not an hour later, [i]Sada Kurau[/i] quietly slipped from its berth. Hidden by the chaos and confusion caused by the events at the tavern, she—along with [i]Sudah[/i]—sailed out from Sorian harbour. And following in their wake, was the [i]Recompense[/i]— No, not the [i]Recompense[/i]. But the [i]Remembrance[/i].