Year 765 The Storm Crawler Charge

Connor isn’t shocked to see Jerilyn already at the window not caring if anyone notices the damn snake. Her creature friend isn’t hanging around her neck and Rhea braves enough to get close to Jerilyn for the berserker to finally responds.

“Hello, my little ember and the angry husky.” Jerilyn beams at Rhea, not even giving Connor a glance.

If only Rhea wasn’t next to you. “Hmph.”  The pirate captain shows his scowl anyway. Since she wasn’t being polite there is no need to be either. This damn snake hasn’t changed much since we were children…except for the alcohol that reeks off her now. As he thinks of this, Jerilyn took a hearty swig from her not water. Rhea nose wrinkles, his guess she could smell the alcohol.

“Didn’t think you go ahead and blow up this wall! I must be that out to not hear it.” Jerilyn cackles and Connor didn’t like this one smile. It didn’t reach her emerald eyes; those shone the insanity of a berserker. As she drinks this alcohol, she is still very capable of taking a few men.

Obviously, Rhea doesn’t notice. “It was not an explosion.”

“Welp no matter, I won’t be traveling back with y’all. The spirit of Esiyae beckons.” Jerilyn looks over the window getting ready to jump if it isn’t Rhea asking out of the blue.

“Who?”

“Someone you REALLY don’t need to know, lil’ ember.” Jerilyn croons.

“First Berserker.” Connor heard Azar’s rather random answer as he slinks in to hop into the conversation. He had this bored look already this early in the day. How does he know that?

Rhea and Jerilyn peers at Azar like he just recited the song of Gods. He didn’t elaborate of course.

“Okaaaay. My kind of don’t do well without alcohol or carnage so.” Jerilyn pats Rhea’s head who in turn frowns at the touchy berserker.

Connor didn’t like it, “Hands off.”

“Pfft sure angry husky.”  Jerilyn chuckles, halting her patting of his wife’s head. This when she relays something useful, “Before I forget, do stay clear from the empire cronies. Theon Einars is sniffing around this region like it’s some drug or whatever.”

“Why would you tell us if the Saoirse are just as loyal to the empire?” Connor touches the handle of his pistol, hating the news nor the fact it came from a Saoirse of all people. This berserker notices Connor’s hand over the pistol, it didn’t scare her.

“Loyal? Please, my family is only loyal to the calls of war or alcohol. Loyalty is a fancy word for money and power.” This Saoirse sneers not budging to protect herself. However, her gaze is not as jovial. “I can tell you’re worried. Don’t be! I want to inconvenience this Einars the very moment that I can. It’s just too fun.”

“Of course, Einars and Saoirse should end each other already instead of faking this alliance.” Connor muses spitefully, hoping that gives the berserker a hint to leave.

This had Jerilyn squint at Connor, and he in turn glares back. “For some rando, you sure know a lot about us.”

Should’ve kept my mouth shut. Connor huffs, his confidence not wavering under the scrutiny. “Your kind aren’t exactly good at keeping your problems to yourself.”

That works to have Jerilyn lose interest on him. “Yup, we are louder than some keldios in heat. Anyways~! Bye now! If you see me don’t run~! I like to chase too much.”

 “What?” Rhea blinks at the rather odd statement.

Jerilyn never did elaborate, shooting a wink at them. She hops out the window and lands the wet ground with one roll to soften her landing. It is an impressive display of her dexterity, but Connor didn’t care since that means giving a Saoirse a compliment. Jerilyn didn’t stop there, running towards the tree line to vanish in them. Connor felt Rhea speculative gaze on him, and he knew she had a ton of questions ready to blow out of her ears.

“She's definitely fun." Azar comments, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Connor on the other hand chimes in, not caring how his pettiness looks. "Yeah, I bet she is. She is a Saoirse. Make sure she hasn’t castrated you already…"

"That is none of your business, chew toy." Azar merely snorts ad he too readies to leave out the window. Then says this under a tongue that is remarkably like Kraxxian language just intended for Rhea to hear. “Don’t forget… I still want answers. Lava mutt”

Connor’s scowl did nothing to this stupid Vhaltian, who has yet to realize Connor is very fluent in Krax. Keep on demanding and I’ll just shoot you. That is not what he says aloud because Rhea had been nervously spying on Connor. She is right to be, one of these days he won’t be so lenient towards this insufferable stow away.

Azar didn’t wait long enough for Connor to reconsider this irritating dance of words. The mage hops through the window. Instead of landing on the ground like a normal person, he uses his fire to propel himself in the air and lands a bit away from the building. With a nonchalant stretch of his arms, Azar saunters towards the jungle not waiting on them.

If he wants to survive, he’d stay away. However, Connor knows this won’t be the time the mage finally leaves them. Without holding back, he finally says now that both malignant mortals are long gone. “Soon, my kind graces are going to be gone, and he will miss his empty skull.”

Rhea didn’t give an answer and maybe he didn’t want one from her. It will be a repeat on how their crew will be safe when Azar leaves out of boredom. However, Connor is starting to think she doesn’t comprehend his own capabilities. It would make sense, and it does hurt his pride knowing it. It’s hard to believe someone without powers can take on a mage brimming with that much murderous aura.

It’s better for her to think so. The latter is revealing the darker sides of him that he had been desperate to hide from. This is more than simple namesake but what it brings to Erathea, to their lives.

Rhea went to the glyph to shut the wall; she didn’t look at him to avoid him noticing the melancholy that etches the curves of her face. Having to be Azar's and Connor’s middle person can only be nothing but exhausting, Connor knows but it didn’t change the fact that he can’t take another of Azar's jabs at her. Right now, Connor can sense his limit will come when that stupid mage least expects it and Rhea can’t really stop it.

Since she chooses to remain silent this time, it only proves she is catching on the warning. That he will break his promise on peace, and sadly he found her silence as victorious after so many bickering on Azar. It made him forget about how she might feel right now, he moves towards the hatch about to go down it first only to stop. “If I keep on allowing this abuse on you, how can I call myself your husband?”

“My vishka, you always will be.”

Rhea might be trying to appease him, and it did stave some of the torrential waves of rage in him. The problem is he couldn’t believe the future she sees is something he could deserve. Not even Connor’s own master could change his beliefs.

Connor said no more, he knew if he continued the conversation it would lead to another tirade between them. He still didn’t want to add on more stress on her. This motivates him to climb down the ladder; he waits for her at the bottom. She didn’t keep him waiting long, shutting the hatch then slid down the ladder. She must’ve used it so many times to be this confident in the rope. Connor would comment instead he moves aside; he inspects the horizon with his hand resting on his pistol.

“Connor, let us go home.”

He broke away his attention, not just by her voice but her touch on his arm. A smile as brilliant as her silver eyes forms on her face and he was tempted to kiss her. Through the sheer willpower with the mix of noticing the bruising on her rib area of her stomach changes his temptation. Regardless, he nods as a response to keep her from losing that smile. She had a lot of reasons to, yet she always finds a way to remain positive. A total opposite of his mindset on a regular.

She is one more motivation to find the Trail Artifacts.

No Scene image just a silly redraw of Connor as a mad scientist and Rhea as a zombie. Happy Halloween just in case I may forget to say so on the day of!!!