26 Neria

"Sure, Curt! Take care of 'em," Otto said handing Curt the revolvers. That went easier than expected. Curt didn't expect Otto to let go of his guns so willingly. If there positions were swapped, Curt guiltily knew that he wouldn't have parted his guns to Otto so easily. It wasn't so much that he didn't like to share, it had more to do with how uneasy Curt got by being unarmed.

Otto didn't seem to have those qualms though.

"They'll be of more use to you than me right now," Otto was saying. "I'll be holdin' down the fort. All I ask for is a job well done from y'all. And for my guns to return." He gave a serious look to Curt. "You're just borrowin' them, got it?"

Maybe Otto did have some qualms with giving up his guns.

"Got it," Curt replied. "I have my own guns anyways. Once Kirina's done tweaking them, at least."

Otto grinned. "Yeah, I'm lookin' forward to what she does. You gotta show 'em to me when they're done, Curt."

Vanessa called for Curt from downstairs. It seems like Oleander was already here. Curt holstered Otto's guns and headed down. The rest of the guild was already heading outside, where a wagon loaded with crates, barrels, and sacks waited for them. He recognized Oleander at the driver's seat, holding the reins for two, shaggy draft horses.

Oleander gave Curt a nod of acknowledgement. It seemed like the old man remembered him. Everyone tried to cram themselves amongst the supplies, leaving little room for Curt. He eventually found a spot, squeezing between Bauph and Xujen, and sat on one of the crates. The two draft horses up front snorted and pawed the ground, impatient to get moving and unhappy with all the added weight.

Once everyone was accounted for, the wagon began rolling forward. Curt stared at the slowly retreating Point Blank base. He wondered what the real reason for Otto not wanting to come along was. He claimed it was because he was busy finding their last recruit, but Curt figured Otto could've come along and looked for a recruit in places other than Endyre.

Not to mention how averse Otto seemed to be from fighting. Come to think of it, Curt had never seen the man in any sort of fight. Maybe Otto had never been in one before. He did drop down to Sanora when he was only around thirteen years old. He wouldn't be as accustomed to gunfights as Curt was. But surely he knew how to fight down here in Sanora.

As the wagon drove past the peaceful streets of Endyre, Curt was starting to second guess that. It seemed highly possible that Otto never needed to learn how to fight. The streets of Low Town were about as nice as the main streets up in Ore Town. Otto probably had the street smarts to avoid most trouble down here.

But at least Otto could use magic, Curt thought. Even if Otto didn't know how to fight, he could always learn. As for Curt, he was doomed from the start. Hopefully Kirina's tinkering will help, even if only a little bit.

----

The day went by uneventfully. They talked and bantered a bit to stave off the boredom, and Curt found how little he knew his fellow guild members. He mostly listened — it's not like his own story was that interesting anyways.

Curt learned a lot. Bauph was once a model student at the Holy Order's school. Xujen's sword was worth a fortune according to Lysse. Tera was looking forward to buying new clothes in White Coast. Jesse practiced controlling his bullets under Mahku nearly everyday.

Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Jesse let it slip that he was from above the sky barrier to Vanessa, Lysse, and Oleander. Figuring that it'd be alright to let just three other people know, Curt chimed in that it was true.

Mahku looked disapproving the entire time, but let it go. The ex-dojo master seemed to realize that the chances of any of them ratting them out were low.

"So there really is something above the clouds," Vanessa said, a hint of awe in her voice.

"Sounds like a shitty place, if you ask me," Lysse commented.

"I won't deny that," Curt said.

"There is more you two should know," Mahku began to say. He turned slightly toward Oleander. The old man's back faced them all, as he was busy driving the wagon. "No offense to him, but I'd like to keep it among just the guild."

"None taken," Oleander said. "I know my place. I won't listen in."

"I appreciate that, but I really do mean for it to be private. Lysse, with your magic, could you keep the discussion contained to just this wagon?"

Lysse opened her mouth, looking like she was ready to object out of spite, but Vanessa gave Lysse a stern look. Lysse sighed, and with a few waves of her hand, the air suddenly became stuffy. The sound of the wagon's wheels and the horses' hooves went silent. Nothing visibly changed, yet Curt felt like the wagon got more crowded, like he was in a small room rather than outdoors.

"That should do it," Lysse said. "Nothing but light is going to get through, but make it quick. I'd rather not have to maintain this for more than a few minutes."

"It'll do," Mahku said. He then began to tell Vanessa and Lysse essentially everything he had told the rest of them that one night. He showed them the apparition of Black Lion, and described how a similar being was contained somewhere in White Coast's mage tower.

Curt was surprised Mahku was willing to spill all of that to basically near strangers. Mahku had just met the two of them a day ago. Not only that, Curt realized Otto wasn't in on it still. He totally forgot to tell Mahku to fill their guild leader in. Curt found it uncomfortable for everyone but Otto to know a big secret like this.

Vanessa and Lysse listened without interruption. Vanessa looked serious the entire time, and while Lysse had a dismissive look initially, she too now looked engrossed as Mahku wrapped up his tale.

"I know we are tasked with solving the quarry problem," Mahku said. "But I am hoping we could spare some time and investigate on the possible whereabouts of the seal."

Lysse narrowed her eyes. "It's not like I'm against breaking the law, but breaking one of the Sky Barrier's seals? That's what you're trying to do, right? What makes you think it's such a good idea to start messing with something the Stars created?"

"You're right," Mahku agreed. "I'm not so sure if what I'm doing is the right thing. However, what these creatures are going through is something I can't ignore. I'm also hoping that we might discover what the true purpose of the barrier is — Curt and Jesse's testimonies seem to suggest nothing terrible is beyond it."

Tera stared at Mahku. "You know we don't have much time to spare right? Assuming the quarry job's an easy one — which I have a feeling it won't be — we'll have less than half a month before the tournament."

Mahku nodded. "I understand. Just a couple of days — no, even just one day will enough."

"I don't see why not then," Xujen said. "One day wouldn't hurt."

Bauph sighed. "More work, huh?"

"Is that all then?" Lysse asked. "I'm about done with holding up this barrier."

Mahku nodded. Lysse snapped her fingers, and it was like someone tossed a blanket off of him. Curt could feel the breeze and hear the ambient sounds outside the wagon once more. He could see how useful such a trick could be for a thief.

By the time their conversation began to wind down, the sun was starting to set. Oleander parked their wagon a little ways off the road, and they made a makeshift camp there for the night. As Curt drifted off to sleep, he wondered what creature was White Coast's seal.

----

A few days later, and they were finally arriving at the halfway point: Oleander's village. A shabby looking sign declared that 'NERIA' lay beyond the side path next to it. The path was overgrown and rough, and it looked like Oleander's wagon was the first thing to have set foot on it in the last decade.

It wasn't long before a small hamlet appeared in sight. Compared to everywhere else Curt had been so far in Sanora, Neria was by far the most destitute. Rather than houses, lean-tos and huts dotted the landscape. The paths were all dirt, and a few scraggy gardens looked to be the village's primary source of food. A couple of scrawny chickens and mean-looking pigs roamed freely among the streets. Curt spotted only a single cow grazing in the meadow next to the settlement.

The few residents of Neria looked up at the approaching wagon, their faces lighting up as they spotted Oleander.

"Welcome to Neria," Lysse said with a grandiose sweep of her arm. She hopped off the wagon.

Several grubby children came running up, shouting, "Lysse! Van! You're back!"

Lysse hopped off the wagon and ruffled the nearest kid's hair. "I trust you've been good while we were away?"

The child nodded eagerly, grinning. Other kids began to crowd around Vanessa, excitedly asking her a bunch of questions. Curt leaned over the side of wagon.

"I didn't know you guys were so popular," Curt said. He glanced at the supplies behind him. "I'm guessing this is where the Legion's money went."

"We only took back what they stole from us," Lysse said sharply.

Upon seeing Curt's puzzled look, Vanessa explained, "The village has always been poor, but we could manage on our own. That is, until the Legion charged us an outrageous fee for taking care of some monsters nearby."

"We didn't even ask them to do it," Lysse said. "Van and I could've taken care of them ourselves."

Oleander turned towards them. "Neria isn't much, but please make yourselves at home. Once the supplies are loaded off, you are free to take the wagon and horses for your journey to White Coast."

Oleander's eyes lingered on Curt for a moment. Curt thought he saw a flash of guilt in them, but then it was gone. He wasn't sure what Oleander would be feeling guilty about anyways. Point Blank helped unload the wagon, distributing crates of food and necessities to the villagers. Everyone was assigned a place to sleep, with many villagers giving up their own beds.

Curt was given the honor of staying at the village chief's residence, which turned out to be Oleander's home as well. The old man had insisted.

"You saved my life," he said. "I'd like to repay you."

Curt was about to argue that he had contributed nothing to saving Oleander. He didn't cure the curse, and he didn't even fight against Blood Moon. He wasn't even the guild leader who led Point Blank to confronting Blood Moon either. But seeing Oleander's determined face, Curt gave up.

Despite being the village chief, Oleander's house was no different than the rest. There was only two rooms, if the second room could even be called one. Curt thought it was more closet-sized, but it was where the bed was. Oleander gestured for Curt to take the bed.

"Sorry, old man," Curt said. "But my conscience couldn't take it if I let a senior citizen sleep on the floor while I took the bed." To emphasize his decision, Curt began to spread his bedding down. The floor of the home was just packed dirt, but at least there'd be a roof over his head.

"Besides," Curt continued before the old man could protest. "I didn't really do much to help save your life."

Oleander shook his head. "Even so, I… I want to apologize."

Curt looked up. "Apologize?"

"Let's just say my intentions for initially bringing you and Otto to meet Vanessa and Lysse were not entirely good," Oleander said, unable to meet Curt's eyes.

"Lysse suggested as much. By the way," Curt said. "were you really attacked by Blood Moon that night?"

Oleander glanced up at Curt in alarm. He seemed to hesitate before he finally said, "It was… very dark that night. I'm not too sure who attacked me."

Oleander was obviously dodging the question. But why? Curt had no idea. Oleander definitely accused Blood Moon the night he was attacked. But Curt didn't feel like grilling an old man for answers. Oleander looked relieved when Curt instead changed the topic to asking what was for dinner.

Worrying about Blood Moon now seemed pointless. It wasn't like he had been targeted by Blood Moon, and Curt intended to keep it that way.