At least his Xerbian was improving, though he still sounded like a barley farmer from Tel-Koltan. Calliope looked around her, she had no idea what part of the world she was in. Somewhere far to the south certainly, the jungle made that clear or did it? Could the world have changed so much since she had taken her unwilling break from it? She needed more information, perhaps the idiot had woken her up by his own arts maybe…

Calliope cried out and gripped her head. Waves of searing pain rolled through her and she fell to her knees. The idiot was beside her in a second, a look of concern on his face

"Are you a coconut?" he asked, though he probably meant 'ok', the words were similar. Calliope gritted her teeth and forced herself to her feet.

"Ten thousand years gives you quite a crick in the neck," she lied. The reality was that Iskandarin's geas was reminding her that it was still in place. She was compelled to work towards his liberation and her own schemes were not to be tolerated. The pain was a reminder from her ancient and undying master that she already had one mission and she shouldn't begin another.

"We should get moving," Beren suggested, skepticism clear in his voice.

"It isn't safe in this jungle after dark." Calliope snorted derisively.

"Where are we headed?" she asked.

"There is a city about a half day from here, I should inform the king there of the fate of our expedition."

"Does it have Temples? Libraries?" Calliope asked. Beren looked a little confused.

"Well yeah, it is a city," he replied. Calliope nodded, that sounded like a good place to start, not that she had any choice but to accompany Beren.

"We won't make it all the way by nightfall," Beren commented. Calliope looked out over the lush jungle.

"We could travel faster," she suggested, "if you wish." Beren gave her a long look before sighing and trudging off towards the east.