The buildings were made of wood, and only a few were made of brick and mortar. Fewer people were in the road at this time, but some businesses were still open. There was a nearby noodle stand, and Quinta walked inside and sat down. Akahsha sat next to her. The halfling with dark skin served them, and he prepared two noodle bowls with beef.

“I want to learn more from my Archfey,” Quinta said, staring into the bowl in front of her. “I have to travel to her in order to do so.”

“Then do it,” Akahsha said, slurping his noodles down. “If it’s something you want, go get it. We don’t have long anyways, so best make of it what you can.” He thought of how his parents didn’t has as long as they wanted.

“I honestly want to see the world, so I don’t mind who I’m with or where I go,” he continued. “When I get strong enough, I’m going to return to Holstenkaft, and I’m gonna kill every Illithid there I find. I’m going to try my hardest to get as strong as I can. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I’ll have to travel to the Feywilds, and we won’t see each other again,” Quinta said, looking into her bowl of noodles.

“I think we will, Quinta. If it’s meant to happen, then it shall be. My mother always told me that Fate is a tricky thing that one can’t avoid. Besides, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to leave the Feywilds behind. I see into them no matter where I go. It is my blessing,” he smiled. “And my curse.”

They finished their food, and left a couple silver pieces for a tip. They walked back to the ship, passing by the statue once again. They got on board, and there was a great deal of noise coming from below the deck. As they walked down the stairs, the two saw a ring of sailors form around a single table. On one side, a tattooed, dark skinned sailor, flexing his muscle with all his tenacity. On the other side of the table, a familiar older man, without his normal plate armor on. His face was in dedicated focus, and his muscle was flexed in such a manner that he would not be moved. Their hands were locked together, and they were pushing together with such great force that the table was creaking.

The sailors around were rowdy and applauding, shouting things to both praise and berate the two opposing sides. A familiar woman with green hair stood facing the fight on the opposite side of the room. Her arm was around two men, one of them being the tattooed sailor from earlier, and the other being supposedly his friend. In her hands were beers, and the sailors were each holding two. She had a smile plastered on her face, and her cheeks were bright red.

Quinta and Akahsha walked up to Ordna, who was shouting Stenson’s name the whole time. She screamed louder than the sailor men did.

“What’s going on, Ordna?” Quinta shouted next to her. She repeated herself a couple of times, growing more frustrated each time.

“Stenson bet this guy a LOT of money, so he can’t lose this or we’re broke.” Ordna laughed.

Stenson was keeping his cool, barely letting the tattooed man to catch a breath, but also not making any ground himself. The tattooed man was losing his confidence, or maybe his vigor wasn’t as strong as he appeared. He tried to force the old man’s hand to the table, but couldn’t break his strength. In the end, the old man slammed the tattooed man’s hand down so hard it busted through the table. The tattooed man held his wrist while lying on the floor. Men cheered and grumbled, as money was passed from hand to hand. Stenson rose from his table and turned towards his allies.

Akahsha clapped loudly, because frankly, he was impressed. He’d only see men like his father who could stand up to strong beasts, and even strong men. Though he hadn’t seen any conflicts personally, he could only imagine his father’s true strength.

“Very well done,” Akahsha said.

“All in a day’s work,” Stenson grinned.

The first day on the ship for Akahsha was mostly spent below the deck, clutching a bucket. He hurled every good thing he could think of that he ate the last day. His stomach ached and he hated every minute of it. Quinta checked on him, but he told her that he’d be fine, just another thing to get used to.

He wasn’t sure what the others did, but when the sea calmed, he eventually was able to stand and move around. It night by this time, and they were in the middle of the ocean. He stood on the top deck, watching the moon’s reflection against the water’s surface. The ocean just went on for miles. It was his first time ever being surrounded by water.

“Yeah, kid,” He heard Ordna’s voice approach from behind. He looked at her, and she had her green hair up in a bun. She stared out into the distance. “It’s pretty out here. I’d take it all in while you can. It’s not every day you see a sight like this.”

Akahsha couldn’t help but feel that she was absolutely right. They travelled on those mountains by Holstenkaft, went through Vlandon, the Divide, Forkwind, Pouporika, and now here. He’d never imagined he’d have seen all of these sights. Though it was only the beginning, he supposed.

“Yeah, I’ll make sure I never forget sights like these,” he said. “I want to keep these things in my mind no matter where I go. I may not always talk about these things, but I’ll remember them always.”

“That’s a good way to do it. Are you sure this is the life you wanna live?” Ordna asked bluntly.

He nodded and looked at the moon. “It’s all I can do. I can’t avenge my family if I don’t train to fight those which destroyed my home. I need to see the world, and learn from whoever I can. I need to become who I must if I am to do that.”

She smiled for a while, not saying anything. She leaned on the railing, and then looked at Akahsha. He looked at her, and she focused on him. She could see the things he would be able to accomplish in his future. Not known to him, but she had a feeling she understood who he was - his blood, his legacy - these things were important. The poor boy wasn’t aware, nor would he be for a long time.

“Interesting,” she said.

“What is?” He asked, confused.

“You are,” she laughed, and walked away. He watched her walk back down the stairs, and out of sight.

He turned back to the moon.

The next morning came, and Captain Irons was loudly leading his men from the helm. Their movements were professional, and their swift speeds contributed to the ship’s overall performance. The Captain boasted, “We should make landfall in two hours,” he sucked on his pipe. “Two hours, no more, no less.”

At one and a half hour, they rapidly approached the city of Rison. It was a bustling port city, and many fishing vessels were on the outskirts trying their hands with netting, poles, and other methods. A few fishermen dove off of their boats with harpoon in hands, and would arise from the water holding a freshly kabobbed fish, still squirming lively. The port was large, and thriving. Most people around were citizens, unlike Pouporika which was mostly tourism-based. The ship docked after the estimated two-hours were called, and Captain Irons proudly inhaled his smoke from his pipe.

“We’ve made landfall, and in good time. Men prepare to dock, check your stations, and man your duties. Once you’ve been dismissed, the town should be at your disposal.” he said.

The party had their stuff packed and prepared, as they sat in the mess hall. Messy offered them some lunch grub, but everyone denied his proposal. “More for me,” he remarked. The Captain eventually descended the staircase and stood by the table where the four of them were sitting. He looked around and lifted his hat off of his head to greet everyone.

“We’re officially docked, and now you may exit the ship. Remember, I’m leaving in two weeks time, so if you’re not back at this ship by the enclosed date and time,” he handed Stenson a sealed document. “Then I’ll be back in Pouporika, and you will have missed your chance. I’m sure another vessel will be happy to bring you back, granted that you pay them. However, that’s not my problem.” He smiled and tipped his hat again. “Good day.” He walked off.

The group looked at each other, and rose from their seats. They walked up the stairs and saw the city up close. The city streets were made of stone, and the houses were also made of a stone, albeit much smoother and much nicer. The docks were still made from wood, but the finish was a much darker, richer color than that found at the other dock town. This was a port city, Akahsha thought to himself.

“We don’t have the kind of money to just be aimlessly spending it yet,” Stenson grumbled. “We have to track down a Bumblelion first.” He led the way through the town. Akahsha was very glad to be back on the ground. It took him a while to get adjusted to the constant stillness of the earth, but once he was, he was very thankful for it.

They watched some well-dressed children play with dominoes under a red parasol. A boy with brown hair and blue eyes was playing against a blonde haired girl with green eyes. The boy was dressed in a green tunic, and the girl in a yellow dress. The boy placed down a domino confidently, but was in anguish when the girl placed one that completed a train. The girl laughed out loud.

An older couple was sat on a bench, facing towards the sea shore. They held each other’s hands and smiled together. They wore fine knit clothing, and had a piece of jewelry themselves. This appeared to be a prosperous place, or so the boy thought.

The stores were along the single road up the hill and through the town square. Many businesses decorated the streets, as they were home to a stable, an inn, many eateries, and even a general store. A blacksmith’s tent was by the town hall, which stood three stories high, and had colorful bricks. The party walked through the city without disturbing much. Their stomachs grumbled, but they’d been eating at stands a lot. They had the rations, so they better eat them instead of relying solely on gold.

When they left town, the heat finally set in on them. It’d gotten warmer since they arrived in Pouporika, but Akahsha could feel the sun start to swelter on him. He’d never started to sweat without doing labor before. It surely made him feel icky, but the others seemed to have been adjusted to it.

Stenson led the team across the desert in the day. They passed by several men leading camels through the desert. The men were wrapped in white hats made from cloth, and their robes were lightly colored. Still, sweat poured from their foreheads, pits, and other places. Akahsha seemed focused on the camels.

“Odd creatures,” Akahsha remarked.

“Camels,” Ordna said. “They’re the horse of this terrain.”

They walked for a while longer, Stenson stopping every so often. He would check the ground for prints, and when there were none he would simply continue walking. The group followed behind for a while. They passed another set of travellers and Stenson paid them for any clues of the bumblelion.

“I’d seen some tracks,” one man said, his right eye covered by his hat. His other eye that was exposed looked like a frog’s eye, with the sick amphibian nature of it all. His skin even seemed covered in a thick ooze. “A whiles that aways.”

“Thank you, traveller.” Stenson grumbled. He continued onwards. The day grew to a close, and the temperature dropped suddenly. They set up camp, which was more difficult as the tent pitons wouldn’t easily stay in the sand.

Once it was all set, they lit the fire and began to toast alongside one another. Quinta put her fur coat back on and seemed content with herself. Ordna seemed fine in her dress, not that Akahsha knew why. Stenson didn’t complain, though he shivered in silence for sometime. Akahsha put a blanket over himself that he found in his bag, and they looked among one another.

“This job may require us to stay in the desert for sometime, so please get plenty of rest. The sun will beat down on all of us, and we will grow thirsty much more often than normally. Keep everyone posted if you are feeling ill at all.” Stenson drank from his canteen.

“Will we really need to be out here longer than a few days? Won’t it be easy to find the tracks of a bumblelion? It must be a large creature.” Akahsha inferred.

“We will need to be out here for as long as we find it. The desert is very large, boy. It will take much time.” Stenson said.

And it did. A week had passed before they even discovered the first track that remotely looked like a bumblelion. They zig zagged their way through the desert to be able to find it, and their faces were already bright red from the intense sun. Ordna did her best to soothe the pain, but it was a unique pain that Akahsha hadn’t experienced yet. It was as if being on fire, but without any burns.