Frosty: "Ah. Well, thanks for taking me this far."

She boards the ferry.

Frosty: "Good luck, and stay safe."

The ferry departs, leaving you alone on the shore. Alone with just your thoughts, a witch queen, and a super-compressed city full of witchlings and Tabi's family.

Alone, because Tabi isn't here.


____________________


Monk: "What kind of pattern? And, Lauffeuer?"


____________________


You experiment a bit with what you can actually do. Poking his spirit, trying to... Push it back into a better "shape?" It doesn't seem to help.

Your interaction with spirits still seems a bit, primitive.


____________________


You're not really sure where the pain is coming from. The best you can describe it is that it feels like it's the same place where you pull mana out of, but even that place isn't very clear to you.

There's a bit more feeling in the mysterious location, not painful this time, just, strange.

It looks like there are a few padded target dummies around. You move to an unused one and take careful swings at it, working to improve your edge alignment.

After a dozen or so swings it feels like a minor improvement, probably gonna need to go at this for a while.


____________________


Monk: "Well, let's get going. I've a feeling we should be hurrying along."


____________________


You head back towards Magusalto while you listen to the witch's response.

"You are a piece on the board, as am I. I help you because you are my shield that guards from the Red eyes. I help you to carry out my mission."

You reach Magusalto. The city appears as empty as before, with only occasional guards patrolling the streets. A few look in your direction from across the chasm, but do nothing more.

"I will aid you in finding your friend, and attacking the enemy if you so desire. It has been too long since my blades have tasted blood."


____________________


Tuhota: "Sword!"

Miimas: "I could go shoot dirt if you wanna train with T'ota, unless if we've got a spare sword lying around somewhere, then we could all go at it at once."

Miimas: "No problem, gotta work on my aim anyways."

She takes her rifle a bit aways, setting up to shoot across the bottom of a depression.

Tuhota: "Humm, I guess I need to work on like, technique. Parrying or something."


A telepathic message reaches you.

Telepath: Elizabeth has new orders for you, though she's waiting for John and Lucida to return, so it's not so vital that you should drop what you're doing and see her. I'll let you know when it's time.


____________________


As soon as you enter the city, a squad of six guards approach you. They get close enough to shout-speak to you, but not close enough to be threatening.

Guard 1: "Hail! Might we ask your business?"



____________________


Aucupe: "Is there more stuff to do? I want to finish the quest!"


____________________


You keep swinging, spending a little stamina to power your strike. You think you might've improved on your Edge Alignment!

Looking around, you don't see Riimuk anymore.

A telepathic message reaches you.

Telepath: Elizabeth has new orders for you, though she's waiting for John and Lucida to return, so it's not so vital that you should drop what you're doing and see her. I'll let you know when it's time.