Guardian Angel Haruki

Drowning

Wake up, please...wake up...

Ripley groaned as someone called to her and shook her shoulder gently. She mumbled with her eyes still closed, "Five more minutes..." She then tried to roll over and go back to sleep, with her hands clutching towards the sheets.

The only problem was that there were no sheets to clutch. Instead, there was only rock. Ripley groaned when she slowly realized this, and she slowly lifted her head, confused by her senses. As she opened her eyes, she found that at first they stung and were blurry, but as she blinked, her vision grew clearer and clearer.

"Wh-Wha...?" She whispered as she looked towards the source of the voice, and she asked quietly, "Who are you...?" She then tried to lift herself up, finding that she was quite sore. She hissed in slight pain, and she looked at the ground. She commented out loud, her confusion growing clearer along with her own voice, "...This isn't the hotel. Where am I?"

Then she noticed her own hands, and she lifted one of them closer for inspection. There, she saw it: How her hand was not how it should be. It was now webbed between the fingers, and her nails seemed...sharper? She also that there seemed to be a slight sheen of blue in her skin. She then asked out loud, her confusion slowly bordering towards fright, "What...What happened to my hands?" She then tried to move her legs.

But she felt like they were stuck together. After failing to move one leg away from the other, she whimpered "What?!" before trying again. Her attempts resulted with her flipping onto her back and her tail curled upwards so that it was dangling over her, for her to see. Instead of her legs, there was a blue fish tail.

No...! This....This can't be right!

Ripley couldn't help but think to herself. As though to test and see if the tail was really hers, she moved the tail back and forth and it moved according to her will.

She sat herself up as she stared at the tail, and after a couple of deep breaths that turned into wheezes, she screamed.

The scream was filled with confusion, shock, and fright. Kassandra can be pretty darn sure that anyone outside of the grotto would be able to hear the scream....especially if they were far from the grotto.

She'd also noticed that Ripley had seaweed around her arm like a bandage.

---

Zack didn't seem to have any reaction to Brendan's cheerful question, except an aloof and calm, "Just a table for three. Hoping to get breakfast before we head out,"

Before Brendan could lead Zack to the table however, the third friend, Richard, came running back and he said to Zack, "Zack! Wait!" He stopped and bent down so that his hands rested on his knees, while panting to catch his breath. Zack quietly waited for Richard to catch his breath before the brown haired boy straightened back up and told Zack, "Zack....Ripley hasn't answered me at all,"

Zack shrugged and asked "Maybe she's still asleep?" Brendan shook his head and answered "Even if that was the case, she would have given a mumble or something! It's not like her to not answer," Zack sighed and he tried to reassure Richard, "Calm down, Rich. There's no reason to panic. Maybe she went out ahead of us?" Richard pointed out, "She hasn't even told us anything. Normally she would have let us know,"

Zack carefully considered his words, before checking his phone. Sure enough, there was nothing from Ripley. No text message, no email, no nothing. Zack pocketed his phone, and he answered Richard, "....We're going to look for her,"

Richard nodded, and told Zack, "I'll ask the hotel staff. Maybe they've seen her," He then hurried off to the front desk.

Zack then turned his attention back to Brendan and apologized, "Sorry man. Looks like we're gonna have to cancel that table for now,"

Drowning

^////^ Aw, thank you!

But it really isn't that impressive. ^^"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia chuckled hesitantly at Pylia's quiet comment. That's right...She forgot that Pylia didn't like loud noises. She reassured Pylia, "Maybe we can find earplugs for you today," She then made the way through the bazaar, politely declining the merchants who were trying to sell them stuff, with numerous "No thank you," "Sorry," "Gotta go!" She was grateful that Pylia was there to keep pushing her along, and she helped make sure that Shortfang did not impulse buy anything.

Once they reached the Silver Stag, she led the way inside. After taking a good look around, she spotted the elven woman behind the bar. After hearing Pylia's suggestion, Sylvia nodded in agreement and stated "Sounds good. Let's try talking to her," She then led the way up to the barkeeper and she greeted politely, "Uh, Hello! We'd like to purchase, uh..." She looked at the four of them before continuing, "Two rooms for the night? How much would that be?"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia rubbed the back of her head at the thanks given. She accepted the pay given to her, as well as the pay that Buddy was handing her. She pocketed the money. She answered Ferric with a smile, “We’ll definitely stop by the shop! Take care, you two!”

She then looked to her friends and suggested to them, “I think we should get to the Silver Stag. After we pay for our lodgings, we can talk about what to do next,” She then led the way to the inn.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia listened as Shortfang and Shor answered her. She mentally noted the garrison symbol and she answered Shor, “We’ll be sure to find you when we get the chance,”

After all was said, Shor and his patrol went on their way. She sighed quietly to herself, troubled by what she had heard. She didn’t really have an answer for Shortfang’s comment. She still mentally mulled over the fact that Shortfang has the dream about the dragon too. All of them were guided to each other...

She then turned back to Ferric and the others and she stated “The news of this Elysion group is troubling...”
Deciding to bring the focus back to the task at hand, she suggested, “Ok, let’s finish unloading the cart,”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

When Shor gave her his reassurance to keep the information confidential, she thanked him quietly. Sylvia looked at their reactions carefully. She couldn't blame Aisha for needing to step away for a bit. When Yorik asked, Sylvia answered grimly, "A real one," When everyone reached for their weapons, she turned around to see that they were startled by Shortfang. She looked back to them, and she reassured them, "It's alright. His name is Shortfang. He's with me. He helped us protect Ferric and Mica on the way here,"

She then looked to Shortfang, and she was immediately surprised by his words. She answered him, not concealing her surprise, "I did! You had one too?!" ...So even Shortfang wasn't here by coincidence...

She then turned to face Shor and the rest of his guard as well. She was surprised to hear that there were already rumors going about. This group, Elysium...

She answered him when he was done, "It doesn't sound good. It doesn't make sense..." She then told Shor, "Thank you for letting me know, Shor. If there's anything we can do to help out, you'll let us know?"

After his answer, Sylvia would thank him for answering her questions.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia nodded at Shor's request to hear the message, but before she could start, Kor threw an accusation her way. She had to admit, his suspicion was fair. If she had been in his position, she probably would have been suspicious too. Before she could say anything though, Pylia angrily rose to her defense. As Shor was calling Kor to back off, Sylvia gently put a hand on Pylia's shoulder and told her calmly, "Pylia, calm down. It's alright. It's perfectly understandable. He doesn't know me as well as you do,"

She then turned her attention to Shor as he spoke. She answered Shor's comment, "That's a relief to hear. I just want to make sure everyone gets through...what's coming safe and sound," She then told Kor, "Your suspicion is understandable. You are most certainly free to contact Chief Arduo or anyone in Cassari however you can and ask about me or my time there,"

She then turned her attention back to Shor and after a moment of thinking, she answered, "As for my message itself...I think it would be wise to inform you as well, since you are a guard captain for Gransys. You'd know how to best protect the city. I only ask that you be careful with this information, because while I want everyone to be ready and safe, I don't want to cause an unnecessary panic. Okay?"

Once she got his answer, she would lean down and whisper in his ear, deciding to keep it brief,

"The Black Dragon has returned. Chief Arduo requests soldiers or fighters who can protect Cassari,"

She then leaned away from Shor and studied his reaction.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia nodded and answered "I do. And it's an important message," She then pulled the medallion that Chief Arduo entrusted to her out from under her shirt, but kept the chain around her neck, and she told him, "Chief Arduo entrusted this to me. I believe this is supposed to get me in to see him and deliver the message," After letting him see the medallion and having a good look, she would tuck the medallion back under her shirt and out of view once more.

She then added, "And...with all due respect to his seneschal, I'd rather wait until Duke Erod Blackbane returns and tell him myself. I'm someone who wants to be one hundred percent sure that he receives the message,"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia blinked at the news and she commented in surprise, "Oh! So....So Duke Erod isn't even here right now?!" She was surprised to hear that. And what was the threat in the north? Could it have been...the black dragon? No that can't be...Could it? What was happening right now? As she thought about it, she pensively and distractedly answered Shor, "That...sounds rough..."

She snapped out of her thoughts when he asked what her third question was. She started "Oh right! Uh..." She then asked somewhat embarrassed, "Say...someone has business with Duke Erod Blackbane and has to talk to him, when he returns of course, where should they go?"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia nodded at the answer, and she mentally noted the inns. She mentally decided that the Silver Stag might be a good place to stay. She answered thoughtfully, "That's good to know. Thank you, Shor. I think we might be going to the Silver Stag tonight,"
She then continued her line of questioning, "OK, my second question, and this is just out of curiosity, but we have noticed that everyone here seems to be preparing for a festival. What's the occasion? Is it for the competition that's a month from now?"