act17mini

We're on the outskirts already. Where's she going?

Maybe she really <i>is</i> leaving the city?

I should contact the Liches at the gates, then. Ermi gave me their info. They should be able to get the fragment for me.

Eh? Where'd she go?

Wait, what?!

Nymph watches as Crownie opens her own box, drawing out a hang glider from the depths within.

One hand grips the cane hooked onto the glider's frame, while the other holds the box tight. With her characteristic ramrod-straight figure dangling from the glider, she swoops off into the distance.

Can a revenant fragment really do all that?

I guess I should...

Forget it, Ermi's being awfully unreliable right now.

Wait, how about I...?

Nymph hems and haws for a while as she watches the glider float away, but in the end, she makes up her mind.

She inserts the tip of her key into the keyhole on her staff. It breaks apart, turning into a swarm of keys surrounding her.

She grabs one and opens the bag at her waist, the keys immediately splitting into two groups as she does so.

One flock of keys attaches to her staff, rapidly spinning like a drone's rotor wing.

The others act as platforms under Nymph's feet, holding her aloft despite gravity's pull.

Standing in midair is an extremely strange experience.

Drifting off wherever the wind blows, watching the familiar sights behind slowly shrink away.

Until the jagged edges of Kazdel have faded into fuzziness under the gentle light of the sun.

Then, with the breeze in back and the wind ahead—

A moment's distraction means tumbling to the ground.

AHHHHHH!

Hah... Hah...

Here. Use my handkerchief to wipe your sweat.

Ah... Th-Thanks...

I must admit, I have never seen anyone act quite so recklessly. You are inexperienced with those Arts, are you not?

Y... Yes...

If you hadn't flown by to catch me, I'd be a big splat on the ground.

Thank you for the hanky.

Oh, don't mention it.

Do you always use your glider to leave the city?

It's quick, convenient and graceful. A most beautiful method of transportation. I was inspired by the cable cars plying Kjerag's snowy peaks.

You've been to Kjerag?

I will have been one day, but for now, the pictures in the newspaper will suffice.

You should head back home already, young Djall.

What a strange ancestor... Why's he in such a hurry to leave Kazdel? And why bring Crownie along?

Oh, there's no signal here...

Guess you're on your own, Nymph. Your big adventure begins here.

Oh thank goodness, she finally stopped.

It looks like she's not leaving Kazdel just yet.

In the distance, Crownie takes a deep breath, then yells a strange... incantation?

<i>'Come on out, Suffering!'</i>

'Suffering'? Is that some kind of incantation?

It might be a name of a Sarkaz King. It wouldn't be strange for an ancient King to have a name like that.

If you insist, old buddy.

Heheh, long time no see.

A-A Sankta?!

His plan involves a Sankta?!

What the heck is he up to?!

I can see you, little Djall.

No need to hide behind a rock, come on out.

Why's your apprentice being such a stranger?

She's not. I believe there might be some misunderstandings at play here. She has been following me for quite some time now.

If you keep wandering around with that brooch on, I think your face'll end up on an arrest warrant real quick.

I'll take it under advisement, Mostima.

May I see the goods I ordered?

But of course.

Mostima gingerly places the box she is carrying between the two of them.

Three bolts of top-quality soft silk straight from Yan, just like you asked. Go ahead, inspect all you like.

This... This is...

I can feel it...

This subtle push-back when you press down on it, this suppleness, this pure white...

I guess he really does want to leave Kazdel. He's even got a bunch of supplies ready.

Huh? Where'd that Sankta go?

Heya, little Djall. Nice weather today, isn't it?

S-Stay back! I-I'm a caster! I've got really really super strong Arts!

Ooh, what a coincidence. As it turns out, I'm a caster too. Makes us counterparts, don't you think?

But you're... I'm...

It's fine, it's fine. You look reasonable enough, not the type to attack a defenseless Messenger like me for no reason.

I'll take your silence as a good sign.

Crownie's gonna need a while longer to check out her haul, so I'll get some fresh air over here, maybe slack off a bit. Won't bother you at all. How's that sound?

So, you're a Messenger?

Penguin Logistics. Guaranteed success.

Wanna try some Lateran candy?

Thanks... Then, you can have some of this.

What is it?

Baked dough from Kazdel. Shame it's gone cold... It's really tasty when it's hot.

Well, don't mind if I do.

So... how do you know Crownie?

I probably shouldn't tell you. Client confidentiality and all. But... You sure you wanna listen to a Sankta story?

Who knows, I might weave a web of lies to snare your soul.

Go ahead. I can tell truth from lies.

They say the Sankta are all awful and terrible, but... You haven't shot me with a gun yet, and you haven't tried to cut off my horns for a trophy on your belt.

Haha, alright. I'll start talking, then.

Hmm... Where to begin?

A few years ago, on a job in Ursus, I ran into a Sarkaz.

Apparently, she couldn't stand life at home and decided to wander across the lands. By the time I met her, she had just managed to find a path she wanted to follow.

Ursus has real strict controls on a lot of things, so that Sarkaz needed people like us to get her the stuff she wanted.

Was Crownie a designer in Ursus?

A designer? Heh, an Ursine hiring a Sarkaz to be an <i>assistant</i> is already a super-nice Ursine.

Y'know, the fashion brand that hired her was actually founded by a Sarkaz, but it got so crazy-popular in Ursus most people think it's local.

Even that fashion freak over there thought so at first. Anyway, she got the cold shoulder in Ursus, so after a bunch more wandering, she made her way back here.

She must have made a lot of money before she came back.

Money? Hehe, shame I have to say it, but she's barely got two coins to rub together.

When you look at her, well, you're seeing everything she's got, in a way.

The silk's perfect, Mostima!

Then why's she buying cloth? I've seen where she lives, and the people around her. Maybe she's skipping meals to afford all this expensive stuff...?

Maybe she predicted that the Furnace would explode, and wanted the revenant to latch onto the fabric? No, that doesn't make any sense...

Wowee, that sounds serious.

I have no clue what you're talking about, but we should probably head on over. C'mon.