decided they best not remain in town for any longer, what with the possible eyes at their backs. Aya petted Trinkets nose in apology for the warm mash lost.
Serrtin glanced down at her friend, an amused sparkle lighting her eyes. “Much harder to intimidate, these fisherpeople. They’ll keep their distance, I’ll give ’em that.” She said, then: “Options?”
“Well,” The mage began, turning her own eyes back to the ground ahead of her. She was not at all confused by the saurian’s quick subject change. “I am most interested in the rumors of the strange goings-on in an area at the foot of the Krintal Mountains called the Pass of Genlo. Some of the townsfolk refuse to go near there. Gevn- the baker- said he doesn’t believe a word of it. The consensus seems to be split as far as that goes. So, if it truly is the rogue mage we are being told of, he is making himself a small nuisance. But that’s the thing I don’t get- he’s not making a big nuisance of himself, like a Triple Sign would be apt to do. It doesn’t fit the usual bill of one.”
“Hmm,” Serrtin considered thus. “Perhaps this ‘nuisance’ is nothing but a bunch of brigands- not quite large enough to openly threaten a town like Barda but organized enough to pray off those who travel too far outside the city. That would explain the man by the smithy when we first entered Barda.”
“If it is indeed our Triple Sign then perhaps he is hiding out knowing he is hunted? Laying low, so to speak, but unable to control the urge to torment?”
The pair continued walking in silence till they reached the edge of the city and reunited with the latter half of the team. Aya repeated what they had learned, the thoughts of the townspeople as well as her own but did not mention their run-in with the Circuit’s infamous Master Swordsman nor his almost blatant threat. No sense giving the old sage more to worry about.
All of them concurred on a single factor: ‘normal’ Triple Signs had a way of attracting large scale disaster and were not typically found harassing travelers. If this truly was their rogue mage, he had already proven himself far more unpredictable than usual. And that was never good for those chosen to hunt him down.
“Either way, we best be prepared. Let us place our supplies on… thehorse .” Serrtin sneered as she spoke of Aya’s mount. It had taken her a while to accept the mare’s presence, let alone its occasional usefulness, but never would she admit the stupid beast had a name. And a silly name at that.
Serrtin heaved the grain off her shoulder and sat it on the ground. Taking the foodstuffs, she placed them with another small bag that contained the edibles purchased from the Market in Barda. All the supplies went into the duffel except for the rope which she used to tie the satchel and the grain bag behind the saddle. After making doubly sure the items were secure, the Yarcka adjusted her flamberge. No longer feeling weighted down, her spirits lifted at the thought of a possible fight and that they may just out-do their own record for fastest retrieval.
“Ready?” Serrtin asked the team. Aya and Agemeer nodded in unison. “Then let’s go. We’ll follow the Azure Ribbon into the Pass. This’ll be much better than staying at some Inn.” Aya doubted that last part.
“I can scout ahead. Just to be safe. If I see anything I will run back.” Agemeer suggested.
“Good idea. But be careful. We as a team have never taken on a Triple Sign. You can never be sure of what the Chase may do. Keep your wits about you.”
“And Agemeer,” Aya said, bending to look the Wulf in the eye. “If you do see anything, or hear anything, or even think you feel anything, please come back for us, okay?”
“Not a problem, Aya dear.” The old Wulf gave his companions a last look before racing off into the woods. His keen nose would keep him near the inlet and, should the need arise, make it much easier to find his companions.
Serrtin glanced down at her friend, an amused sparkle lighting her eyes. “Much harder to intimidate, these fisherpeople. They’ll keep their distance, I’ll give ’em that.” She said, then: “Options?”
“Well,” The mage began, turning her own eyes back to the ground ahead of her. She was not at all confused by the saurian’s quick subject change. “I am most interested in the rumors of the strange goings-on in an area at the foot of the Krintal Mountains called the Pass of Genlo. Some of the townsfolk refuse to go near there. Gevn- the baker- said he doesn’t believe a word of it. The consensus seems to be split as far as that goes. So, if it truly is the rogue mage we are being told of, he is making himself a small nuisance. But that’s the thing I don’t get- he’s not making a big nuisance of himself, like a Triple Sign would be apt to do. It doesn’t fit the usual bill of one.”
“Hmm,” Serrtin considered thus. “Perhaps this ‘nuisance’ is nothing but a bunch of brigands- not quite large enough to openly threaten a town like Barda but organized enough to pray off those who travel too far outside the city. That would explain the man by the smithy when we first entered Barda.”
“If it is indeed our Triple Sign then perhaps he is hiding out knowing he is hunted? Laying low, so to speak, but unable to control the urge to torment?”
The pair continued walking in silence till they reached the edge of the city and reunited with the latter half of the team. Aya repeated what they had learned, the thoughts of the townspeople as well as her own but did not mention their run-in with the Circuit’s infamous Master Swordsman nor his almost blatant threat. No sense giving the old sage more to worry about.
All of them concurred on a single factor: ‘normal’ Triple Signs had a way of attracting large scale disaster and were not typically found harassing travelers. If this truly was their rogue mage, he had already proven himself far more unpredictable than usual. And that was never good for those chosen to hunt him down.
“Either way, we best be prepared. Let us place our supplies on… thehorse .” Serrtin sneered as she spoke of Aya’s mount. It had taken her a while to accept the mare’s presence, let alone its occasional usefulness, but never would she admit the stupid beast had a name. And a silly name at that.
Serrtin heaved the grain off her shoulder and sat it on the ground. Taking the foodstuffs, she placed them with another small bag that contained the edibles purchased from the Market in Barda. All the supplies went into the duffel except for the rope which she used to tie the satchel and the grain bag behind the saddle. After making doubly sure the items were secure, the Yarcka adjusted her flamberge. No longer feeling weighted down, her spirits lifted at the thought of a possible fight and that they may just out-do their own record for fastest retrieval.
“Ready?” Serrtin asked the team. Aya and Agemeer nodded in unison. “Then let’s go. We’ll follow the Azure Ribbon into the Pass. This’ll be much better than staying at some Inn.” Aya doubted that last part.
“I can scout ahead. Just to be safe. If I see anything I will run back.” Agemeer suggested.
“Good idea. But be careful. We as a team have never taken on a Triple Sign. You can never be sure of what the Chase may do. Keep your wits about you.”
“And Agemeer,” Aya said, bending to look the Wulf in the eye. “If you do see anything, or hear anything, or even think you feel anything, please come back for us, okay?”
“Not a problem, Aya dear.” The old Wulf gave his companions a last look before racing off into the woods. His keen nose would keep him near the inlet and, should the need arise, make it much easier to find his companions.
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