Leaving Stratos

-----V-----

I was getting close to the mansion when I heard guards talking about Ethan. He apparently escaped the mansion's guards and now is hidden somewhere in the city. Maybe I shouldn't have sent Ethan out on that balcony with the noble's daughter. Now I need to go around and find him. Great.

He would likely try to escape the city without me, it is a good choice by him to leave me behind. But I messed up, I need to find him to go back to space. Is my spaceship even still there? Or did it get stolen? I paid quite a lot for that fancy ship, it was unique.

Ethan is probably trying to go through the gate unnoticed. So I need to run quickly there to try and find him before he is gone.

I turned my head away from the mansion and started running towards the south gate, which was further than the eastern gate from the mansion. If Ethan is smart enough he would go to the gate that is a bit further away. The eastern gate is likely already notified by the noble's death, and they would be on the lookout for a man with a shield.

----------

I arrived at the gate, there were many carriages around with people putting crates on. And there were even a few dynami in chains arriving from the outside with guards around them.

Is there some sort of special prison here just for the dynami? Or maybe they are put into slavery?

I walked around to see if I notice anything. And thankfully, I did. Ethan was there talking with a person that was just about to go off on his carriage. The girl and that other guy were also there. This was easier than I thought.

I hid in the crowd and asked a person that was previously loading the carriage that Ethan was likely trying to get on, about where it was headed.

„I believe they are heading towards Dunwich if you need a ride just ask one of the riders on the carriages if you can get on, but it would likely cost you."

I turned towards the back carriage and asked if I could get a ride. And the man gave me one after I gave him some coins, I then sat in the back.

I wonder why they would be going to Dunwich. I guess it's better than getting caught by the guards. But they would need to go further than that to flee from them entirely.

They must have a plan, maybe it's going to a different country. If Ethan didn't try and flee from me, then we would be going around finding the gemstones. Does he really not want to leave? Or is he going to stick around here forever?

If I remember correctly when I was talking to a few people in the tavern when I waited for Ethan, that the next country is called Simuluna, I would guess he would go there. Stratos or The Kingdom Of Stratos, which is this country name, would likely want to capture Ethan because of the noble's death. So, of course, Ethan would leave for a new country.

„Wait up!" I heard someone yell towards the driver as he was leaving for Dunwich.

Then I heard a bit of chatter going on and it ended by the person also getting a ride.

She looked familiar, she had gauntlets on her hands, her clothes and hair were pure white. I think I remember her being picked for the quest back at the mansion. She is quite stunning.

„Well hello there," I said while I looked her up and down.

„Hi, I'm going to ride with you in the back if it is fine," she said with a soft voice.

The carriage started finally moving, I wonder if I will ever come back to this city.

„It's fine by me, I'm Vincent."

„Letya is my name. I feel like I have seen you somewhere before, have we met?"

„Likely not, you probably saw me back at the mansion when that butler was calling out the names."

„Oh right, you are Ethan's friend, right?"

„Y. . yes, how do you figure?"

„When the selection was done, I heard you calling to Ethan about going to talk after he was done at the mansion."

„Huh, I guess many people did hear me when I called to him."

If others know that I am working with Ethan, then guards would likely try to arrest me for questioning.

„I heard that he helped kill a noble's daughter, is that true?"

„Eh, no. He did not."

I can't have Ethan look like the bad guy here, I need him.

„I thought so, he is a really kind man."

And a stupid one.

„Do you know where he is now?" She asked.

„Why do you ask? You in love with him or something?"

„Just wondering," she looked down while her hands fidgeted

I am not really sure if I should tell her that Ethan is at the front carriage. She would likely see him when we arrive, though. I could act oblivious and say that I didn't know that he was in that carriage.

„So why are you going to Dunwich?" I asked.

„I live there, I am going to store my new equipment that I just bought."

I now just noticed her big backpack by her side.

„What about you? Why are you going there?"

„I. . um. . . seeing a friend."

„What about Ethan, are you not going to look for him? He is in a bad spot right now."

„I believe he is fine," he is out of the city after all. „This is going to be a long ride, what shall we talk about?"

„Whatever comes to mind."

-----E-----

We thanked the driver and jumped down from the carriage, Nia hopped out earlier to sneak into Dunwich. She still couldn't go inside without an ID.

We quickly went to Reve's shop, and there Nia waited. And also unexpectedly, Ivona was there, looking at swords on the walls.

„Ivona?"

Ivona turned towards us.

„Ethan, I was just about to head out to Tyrida to find you," she said.

„Why?"

„You remember that I said I would maybe join you later on? I decided to grab a few things here in Dunwich and then come find you."

This is a great coincidence that we can team up again, but I don't really want her to get in trouble with us if we get caught. I hope she is fine coming with us to Simul, we would likely finally then head out to Mount Vallow.

„We would gladly have you along with us, but. . ." I told her everything that happened, and she appeared quite fine with it.

„You don't seem the type of person to kill a noble, but Vincent does. I don't know any other artifact hunter to hunt with, so I'm going to join you nonetheless."

Our number rose from 3 to 4. Nia, Reve, Ivona, and me. I think that's pretty good.

Reve went in the back to speak to his apprentice, then he came back to tell us he would not join us, but he was fine with following Reve later to Simul.

While at Reve's shop we decided to go to Midhaven, which was Simul's second big city, it is apparently closely as big as the capital, which is called Firsthaven. They were both in the middle of the desert, Firsthaven occupying most of the western desert, while Midhaven occupies the eastern desert.

„How exactly are we going there? On foot or on horses?" I asked.

„On giant spiders," Reve answered.

„Giant. . . spiders?"

„Yeah, they live in the desert, and some are tamed. We can get some at the next town from here, it is just at the edge of the desert."

I don't really like spiders, couldn't there just have been something like a camel?

We were just about to head out when all of a sudden someone walked into the shop.

„It's not really nice to just leave me behind," Vincent said as he crossed his arms and laid back on a wall.

„Vincent, did you follow us?"

„Of course, and I need to talk to you right now. Alone."

„How about you just say it out loud to everyone," I said. I want him to tell the others why he got Elishia killed. I really don't think that he has found a way off the planet at all.

„Yeah, do tell us why that noble girl died!" Nia said as she was holding a grenade in her hand. I hope she doesn't get any dumb ideas with that.

„Fine, whatever." Vincent sighed and then started talking. „I needed to get that noble killed so I could get information about how we could get back to space. And thankfully, I got it, but you are the key to all of this because of your shield. Your shield is the only way we can get back to where we came from."

We all stared at him for a few seconds.

„I'm sorry, but I couldn't understand anything that you said," Reve said.

„Yeah, you used a different language," Ivona pointed out.

Vincent used our language so everyone else couldn't know what he said. Goddamit.

„Did you really find a way off?" I said in our tongue.

„Yeah, and I will only tell you if you promise not to ditch me again."

I thought for a second. I could just lie about the promise and just ditch him either way. Screw it, I think I'll do that.

„Fine, I promise. Now tell me how we can go back."

Vincent's face was composed, it didn't change when I lied.

„When you entered the vault, you should have gotten a new program on your shield that would show you the way to a gemstone. And once you acquired the gem, you insert it to your shield and we can go home."

I thought he was lying, but then I checked my programs and found the one he was talking about. It was called 'Summon Artifact Wielder Back', and I definitely remember that this wasn't here before. I decided to check it out later once I was alone.

„I guess you are telling the truth."

„I'm only telling the truth so I. . we can get back. Oh and there is a woman here named Letya that wanted to find you, just so you know."

„Letya?"

Why was she in Dunwich? And she was looking for me?

„She said that she lives in this town and that she wanted to join your party."

Huh, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have her around.

I turned around to look at everyone else.

„Vincent is going to come with us," I said forthrightly.

„What?" they all said at the same time.

„Why are you letting him join us? He is just going to lie again!" Nia said irritatedly.

I don't really know if I should keep on lying to them. And I don't know what will happen when I do tell them. So yeah, I am still going to keep my mouth shut.

„I know you all don't like this, but we do need him in the future."

I am going to ditch Vincent later on, so everyone would be happy in the end.

Everyone had a thoughtful look.

„Fine, he can come, but next time he lies, we will leave him."

I started walking to the door.

„See? It wasn't that hard to convince them," Vincent said with a grin.

„Yeah, whatever."

We walked outside, the light from Tessera blinded me for a second, and once I saw my surroundings, I saw Wilmer and many other artifact hunters around us.

I noticed that Nia quickly hid behind Reve when she saw Wilmer.

„There is that brat! Bring her to me, now!" Wilmer yelled at us.

Oh great, how did he know that we arrived here? There must have been someone that saw us when we entered Reve's shop.

Wilmer and his artifact hunters drew out their weapons and readied them. We are going to end up fighting, aren't we?