[center]Cross - Chapter 1: A Proposal[/center]

Cross through the long grass, following the pirate rumors. Second and third hand rumors were about all he was hearing up until now, but things were getting clearer. He'd been dropped off by a Zaitchek guild ship that had been picking up a small amount of Excessively rare Thanatite. It's rarity and usefulness meant that even the small amount would be enough to finance the entire expedition. They'd put down during the dead of night just north of Invidia, meeting with some Orcs that they'd formed a secretive working relationship with.

That was over a week past and now he was finding himself walking across the plains of Modia. As much as he would have loved to have gone north into Ira and visited his homeland, securing transportation was a much more pressing matter. As happy as he was to have found peace, it was disappointing in a way. There was no sign of war and so he had no reason to stay.

The road had been quiet and those that he saw quickly changed their path and disappeared into a group of trees or behind a hill, watching him from a distance. A lone traveler was unusual enough but one dressed for war was something to be cautious of. The last person he'd spoken to and had the chance to buy some food off of had been almost three days ago now and he was nearly out of food. The good news was that he'd also heard that there was a town nearby with a half decent tavern.

He idly wondered how the old man had done it. Traveling alone year after year was hard on a person. Sure, there was the occasional comrade fighting by your side or someone you spoke to during an airship ride but nothing that lasted. Perhaps humans were just different in that regard, more able to cope with solitude and immune to loneliness. He knew for certain that he certainly wasn't and could hardly wait until he could chance upon a town.

Hours passed and he continued to walk, pausing a handful of times for a drink of water. Even the water too ran out but soon a town come into view. The word 'town' might have been stretching it by the standards of other Spheres although he might have remembered other travelers calling it a city. Regardless, it was a town and people felt more secure there, more likely to speak to a stranger fresh from the road.

Cross stood still for a moment before beginning to ask about the airship that was spotted, finding people that looked willing to talk and might be adventurous enough to show him the way there.