Chapter Fifteen: The Party Grows

Back on the road, Donovan and Colin finally were arriving back at the outskirts of the town of Port Columbine. The port city, which was the larger of the two twin cities of Port Columbine and Ravenmist Glen, and which was where the Sun Festival's first days were now in full swing. As one could see on approach to the city, the sight of bright colored banner which welcomed Festival goers to a gathering of sights, sounds, and smells, unlike any Donovan had ever seen in one place.

"This is amazing," Donovan stated as he and Colin rode into the city. "S-So this a Sun Festival, huh?"

"Mmm-hmm." Colin smirked. He was a bit amused by the child-like wonder displayed by Colin, as they rode through the city. "Impressive, is it not? Ah, mean, Aye. True, the festival is always an impressive sight. But this year...oh, this year it seems Gloriana has truly outdone herself as the festival's master impresario and head of festivities."

Master impre...impre-what?"

Colin chuckled. "Im-pre-sario." he stated succinctly for the marten to more clearly understand. It means she's the organizer of this festival, as I explained to you earlier. She arranged it's design, and is in charge of keeping it running smoothly, understand?

Donovan nodded. "Yes..." he murmured, with a gentle smile, as the Frondeer he and Colin rode now moved along at a slow walk. "I understand. And This Gloriana person..." the marten added, "...this is the same otter you mentioned earlier? The one you said we were meeting today, who would be able to help us find others who might join us as we quest for the treasure and tomb of Aloysius St. Abbot?"

Colin smirked. "Aye," he replied. "That's the one. Though the actual task of finding her...heh. Therein lies the rub. Ah' mean, truthfully, she could be anywhere in the city, checking on how the events of the festival are unfolding. It's why, Ah' wanted to get here early, because Ah' figured if we got here early enough, we could catch her before she left her paw."

"Her...paw?"

Colin chuckled, and called 'Yeel' to Ivy, who immediately stopped at the command. "A paw," Colin explained, as Donovan gave the same command to Holly, "Is an ambassadorial estate set up by the Pentarchy in major centers of trade and industry throughout the Solmani Empire. These estates," he explained further, "Are where the four lower representatives of the Pentarchy reside and do businesses, when visiting another part of the empire. Each family of the Pentarchy, owns and tends to one-fourth of the estate. A physical representation of Lodge Fenbrake, Tan, Xo'mala, and Giltreed, being the four fingers which control and keep steady the order of Otterian society. The head and voice, who oversees them all and who ensures that they shan't be tempted by foul lure of corruption, would be Premiana of House Wasserfjord. The Lod'zhak of the Solmani Empire, who has now place in the paw, as her business is not tah' work amongst the people, but to instead be the living vessel of the blood line of Ana. She who any otter will tell you, was believed to be The otterian people's first counselor, and one of the twin prophets who they claim helped found modern Otterian society."

Colin chuckled, as he motioned for Ivy to walk on. "Anyway," he said. "To the otters, the Lod'zhak is not so much a queen, but more a counsel and a wise woman, who is above reproach and who is above doing the work amongst the people, tasked out to the four lesser houses, who are each in charge of one aspect of society. Giltreed, they handle economics. Fenbrake, their duty is welfare. Xo'mala, they handle all the records and all things historical, and Tan..."

"We handle security." A firm voice suddenly announced, A brusque voice mustached otter stepping forth from the crowd with two other armored otters at his side, the individual metal scales riveted to their leather breastplates, looking as if to emulate the scales on a fish or sea serpent, startled both Ivy and Holly as the sun glinted off the metal, and flashed in the deer's eyes.

"YEEL!" Colin yelled to them both, as they reared up. "YEEL, BALAN BLAST IT, YEEL!" He hollered, the deer finally settling down, with Colin and Donovan gripping tightly, as Colin slid off slowly from Ivy's back, and Donovan just sitting there, scared to even move. All he could do, was watch Colin who snarled a little, as he marched up to main armored otter. Colin after he came within feet of him, snapped. "Sheldton Tan...Yeh' idiotic, bejanked, marsh-brained fool! Don't yeh' know yeh' never approach a Frondeer from directly in front or directly behind! Yeh' always, approach from the side! Always!"

"Oh?"

Colin's eyes went wide. "YES!" he growled. "And as for your two marsh-brained cronies, standin' right where the sun glints off their shiny, scaled armor...what's the big idea, anyway?"

The scale-armored otter known as Sheldton smirked. "What's the big idea?" he repeated, rather smugly, looking back at the other two otters, as if this were some kind of joke. "Why, I believe you should already know this, Colin. What with your ability to see future events, and all. I mean, that is true right? That you can see the current timelines for those you come in contact with? Or, is that all nonsense and whatnot, what they say about you so called minor and major visionaries? I never really knew whether to believe it or not. Say, how you give us some proof. Read my fortune, huh? Tell me whether I'm going to be fabulously famous or amazingly wealthy soon, and maybe I might actually come to believe in all that nonsense, about the 'Labyrinthian Way,' you clerics preach! Hah!"

Donovan dismounted, as soon as he saw Colin get pushed back by the otter. Even though he was intimidated by the guard, he was not about to let the prairie dog, get pushed around by him. And though ready to intervene, he suddenly heard another voice speak up in Colin's favor instead. A voice that as it called out, "Captain Sheldton!" in a firm, condescending tone, also carried with it the richness and sweetness one would savor, when tasting the flavors of a well-made honey. A voice which was both sweet and bitter, Donovan turned and was startled to see a rather beautiful, if not to say gorgeous otter, approaching. The same otter, actually, from the game with Hilde, Pazlet, and Renard, this otter had three gilded rings piercing her right ear. She had long black hair which flowed to about the middle of her back. And her hair was styled so that each partition of this sea of black, was segmented into three ebony columns. Two golden circlets on each row of hair, acting as the spacers that separated these three sections. A pattern overall, of what looked like cat-tail heads, thus flowed from the top of her head, down to the small of the otter's back.

Donovan noted, a sudden sense of respect, in the eyes of Sheldton, as he immediately stopped teasing Colin and stood at attention, at the approach of the young otter. A look of disgust in her fiery brown eyes, as she narrowed them over what she'd witnessed. Her lips curling a bit, as if trying to find the words of what to say. She finally managed to snort, and say in a surprisingly composed fashion to Sheldton.

"Really? Harassing a member of the Balanic Order on a day, dedicated to commemorating Ana and Tan's faith in Balan, their faith he would lead the otters to this land we call home, and that he would provide them with the knowledge needed, to begin the great Empire from which we draw our roots, anew?"

The otter shook her head. "Shameful," she murmured. "This is...just shameful, Captain. I hope, it won't continue. Otherwise, I might have to report your behavior, to my mother. Lady Gloriana. We wouldn't want that, would we? Have to report a head of council to another head of council? Imagine, first there would have to be the scandal of a Lodge investigation, by my mother. Then the report would have to be sent to Lod'zhak Premiana, who would have to decide whether or not you could stay on as Chief of Security. I mean...it seems like we'd be making such a huge deal of things, when the other option is, you could let these two pass in my charge, we can forget this whole incident, and I won't report what I've seen to my mother. Fair?"

Sheldton turned white, seeming to fear the situation, that the otter suggested. "I..." he murmured, first seeming intimidated. Then turning a bit red, as if angry, that he'd been outwitted by one younger than him. He began again with "You...!" Pointing a finger at the young otter, but stopped, as one of his attending guards, tapped him on the shoulder, and whispered something in his ear. Sheldton while listening, nodded, took on a gentler expression, before he sighed, and told this young female otter, "Okay...Fine. We'll take your deal. But only if you promise to uphold your end. Agreed?"

The young female otter smirked. "Always, dear cousin," she said. "I am after all, heir to the Seat of Welfare and Civil Well-being, held by Lodge Fenbrake. What would I be, if I were not a being who showed a sense of heart-felt respect, for the oaths I made to people?"

"What would...Grr..Ah, to dells with you," Sheldton growled, as he motioned for his guards to follow him as they moved along. Donovan as they left, clearly getting a feeling there was deep animosity not only between this otter and that Guard Captain. But also between their two families in general. Not, that this was something he felt a need to dig into. As he was just glad that the otter had stepped into help. Donovan, while helping Colin to his feet, then turned to the otter and said to her, "Thank you Miss..."

"Mariana."

The otter smiled with a warm tenderness at Donovan, as she aided him in getting Colin to his feet. "The name's Mariana Fenbrake," she said. "Daughter of Gloriana Fenbrake, heir to the seat of welfare and well-being of the Pentarchy government of the Solmani Empire. Though, please. Don't use the whole title. I really hate pomp and circumstance, and all that. If you want to call me anything, Just Mariana, is fine."

Donovan smirked. "Can I call you Mari?"

The otter opened her mouth, shifted her eyes to one side and raised a finger. "We'll see," she replied cryptically. "Depends how well we get to know one another. I doubt we'll run in the same circles, long enough, for that to actually happen. But who knows. It's like my mother is fond of saying. "All must ride the river's course. Though none can know the destination it intends." She's always liked philosophical stuff. I myself, never really got much into it.

Colin grunted, now back on his feet. "Your mother," he murmured. "Do you know where she is, Mariana mah' dear? It's important. My friend Donovan and I, we have business with her. Ah' mean, we don't have an appointment, or anythin', but this is a matter that came up last minute. So there really wasn't any time."

"Oh?" Mariana stepped back and crossed her arms. She raised a brow, apparently having heard this from Colin before. "That's funny," she said. "Last thing I heard from Mother, was that if you ever came into town seeking help from her again; you'd better not expect a freebie. That you better in fact, be willing to agree to the deal, she keeps trying to get you to agree to, every time you come to her."

Colin snarled. "Aye, and she knows, I'll do my dellsborn hardest to keep avoidin' that devil's deal, as well," he growled. "Ah' mean, it's not mah' fault she can't deal with the fact, that Ah'm happy with Maxine. Ah' don't care what she tries. Ah'm not agreein' to a deal where I leave Maxine for her. Ah' don't care how desperate ah' need her help."

Mariana shrugged and laughed lightly. "I didn't think you would," she said. "And to tell you the truth, I actually have a great deal of respect for you Colin, the way you stick by the ones you love, and the way you don't concede just to get what you need. It's a right respectable trait. I take it though, you have another way, to get my mother to help you, if you aren't going to concede to her terms?"

Colin laughed. "You think I'd come here, if I didn't?" He exclaimed, seeming rather proud of himself. Then adding, "Yeah, lass. I've got something. You remember that fight last year, between members of the Anaton Covenant and some of the festival goers, which I helped disperse?"

"Yeah..."

"Yer' mother said she owed me one. I took it in writing. By Mintaran law, that counts as a proper transaction. I paid my part, by helping her. But by saying those words..."

Mariana gasped and covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. "Oh, by the Triune," she said. "My mother still owes you. She will absolutely freak, when she realizes she has gone this long without paying back a debt."

Colin nodded. "And knowin' your mother and her feelings about her image, she'll be more than happy to put all other feelings aside, just to clear up this one issue."

Mariana laughed. "Oh, this I have to see," she said as she wiped a tear from her eye. "As for where my mother is though, I'm not really sure. I know, she left her paw, earlier than usual this morning. She gave me a basic rundown, last time I saw her, of where she was supposed to be and when today. I think about now...she's supposed to be at the axe throwing contest?"

"The axe throwers? Good Dells, are Gemma and Kysandra competing again?"

"I...Oh. Oh dear."

Colin swiftly climbed back onto Ivy, Mariana climbing on behind him. "Hike!" he called to the Frondeer. "Tik-Tik! Tik-tik!" He called twice motioning for Ivy to double time. Donovan in turn, then gave the same commands to Holly, so he could keep up.

"Hey!" called Donovan to Colin and Mariana as they rushed along, "What's our hurry Is there a fire or something?"

Colin, managing to stay focused on the road and on avoiding festival goers replied with light chuckle, "Nay lad, but yeh' might not be far off! Our concern is two troublemakers named Kysandra Wasserford and Gemma Digpath. Ah' swear, those two have the strangest relationship with one another, Ah've ever seen!"

Mariana nodded and put her two cents in as well. "It's true!" she declared to Donovan. "Last year they were the finalists for the axe throwing competition. A fact in itself, which normally would not be that much of an issue, except when you account for the detail that Gemma is the daughter of the Agatan Disciplist Groundhogs Weemuskhan, Agata Digpath. While Kysandra, is the daughter of Lod'zhak Premiana."

"Uh...excuse me?"

Colin nodded. "'Tis true!" He chimed in with a laugh. "And both those lasses take great stock in it! Ah' mean, they take any chance they get tah' try an one up the other. Tah' them, winning is more than just about sport. It's about bringing honor, prestige, and about upholding ideas of racial strength for their people. For either one, if they lose to the other at anythin', it only serves to justify the other's beliefs, that theirs is the superior race. That for Kysandra when she wins, it thus proves the otters truly are better than the groundhogs. Whom, they believe are brutish, uncivilized, earth-dwelling savages."

Mariana snorted. "Yes," she replied dryly. And whenever Gemma wins a contest, she thinks it proves Groundhogs truly have superiority over our race, the otters. A people they deem to be arrogant, physically weak, and socially entitled elitists."

Donovan as he rode squinted in disbelief, exchanging a look first to Mariana, then to Colin, then back to the female otter.

"Wha..." he started to say, then shook his head. "This is ridiculous," he murmured. "A-And you're saying they do this every year?"

Colin nodded. "Like clockwork," he replied, as both Holly and Ivy neared the area where the axe throwing competition was taking place. "In fact, when it comes time for the two of 'em tah' compete, it's been made a festival law, that no spectators are allowed within 500 feet of the event; for fear someone may get caught in the crossfire, of one of their brawls."

Mariana smirked, as Colin helped her dismount. "A good example," she added, was last year's fight. Kysandra won, and Gemma claimed, 'the only way a lightweight water-rat like her could win, was if she used a lighter than regulation axe. Kysandra took offense, and they went at it so bad, She and Gemma nearly killed each other, right on the spot. I am not exaggerating. "

Donovan's fur paled, as he dismounted. "Geez..." he murmured. "So...why are we here, if it's so dangerous to be near them right now?"

Colin paused and gave Donovan a determined look. "Tah' stop somethin' like that from happenin'," he murmured quietly. "Ah'm about the most respected person in this area, even by those two's standards. If somethin' happens and they do lose their cool..."

"...You're one of the few people who can stop it." Donovan nodded, understanding now why it was so important that Colin be here, as he followed both the prairie dog and the lovely Mariana. The three as they walked together, the heard arguing from around the corner, as they neared closer to the event.

"I say you are a cheating water rat!" a rich, hefty voice that sounded as if it was hewn from the soil of the earth itself, declared.

"Oh, a water rat, am I?" A voice which was as smooth and calm as a gentle coursing stream, replied. "Well, I suppose better to be that than a dumb Earth-dwelling swine, who can't even hit the broad side of a target."

"Excuse me!?"

"You heard me."

"Why you...I'll have yeh' know I'm the champion axe-thrower of the Agatan Disciplist Groundhogs! None out-throw me!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"If that's the case, you must not have much talent, to compete against then."

"Water-rat!"

"Earth swine!"

"LADIES!"

Both parties involved in this argument looked up, as Colin called for their attention. The Groundhog who had started it, A large and husky, yet still toned and muscular woman, blushed when she saw who had addressed her. "M-Master Leonard," she murmured. "Apologies. I know Kysandra and I promised this would never happen again. It's just, she insulted my skills, and my clan...and...oh, Gaiamor. Colin, she is so insufferable!"

"I am not!"

Colin looked to the otter who had a braided top knot, with a braid coming down back, where the hair was split into three segments, with two gold clasps. One clasp, adorning the separation between each segment of this ponytail braid.

Kysandra blushed as well, and held her arms close to her body which was clad in a plain blue dress, with silver motifs of swirling waves, stitched in. "Well," she muttered. "I'm not. It's just her insecurity, and the fact that she can't deal with me being a better shot. That makes her say such things."

"Insecurity!? Hah!" Gemma laughed. "This coming from the woman who can't admit when she's lost. You wanna talk go callin' me insecure!? What a joke!"

"But I didn't lose."

"Did."

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"DIDN"T!"

"Ahem, Ladies?" Colin again attracted the attention of the otter and groundhog. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems you both just lost this year."

"What!?"

The groundhog and otter turned in unison, to see Donovan who had gone over to the axe throwing booth, and who had thrown an axe into a target, with better accuracy than either of them. "What?" he said innocently, as all eyes were on him. "I got tired of the fighting. The best way to resolve this, seemed to be if someone just stepped up and won the competition. So...that's what I did. Now there's no question over who's better, whether it be the groundhogs or the otters. You both lost, so...you're on even ground. Pretty fair, I think."

Ah, so that's what Donovan was on about. Colin held a paw to his face and stifled a laugh, as Kysandra blinked, trying to take this in. Balan's way, it was too much, the way Donovan had a talent for humbly and quite brilliantly settling disputes, that no one else had been able to think of a way to solve.

Even Gemma, Colin observed, seemed to recognize this ability. For he watched as she now engaged in these discussions as a mediator who acted in favor of Donovan. Fascinating. Could it be, that Eagna was right? That this young marten who came from an island which was known to hardly anyone, was showing signs of becoming a great leader and negotiator, even at this very moment? Hmm. Such thoughts caused Colin to become increasingly more fascinated with Donovan. It was true, yes, that he'd already been fascinated by the curious nature of Donovan Dashraft, since before they'd made landfall. But now...now seeing the otter, the groundhog and the marten hash things out from afar, the way he had this unique ability to make people listen to one another, when normally they would not...Colin smiled slightly, as he considered with greater gravity what Eagna had said about 'his role in aiding a great ruler who would come from an unknown land.' He felt with greater confidence, Donovan had to be this one. And was only further assured, as he listened to the words of Gemma and Kysandra. Both, who spoke cordially and courteously to one another, whilst following behind Donovan.

"Oh," stated Gemma, in her thick Norwegian accent. "By Gaiamor, I can't believe it took a stranger to solve an issue that you and I have been fighting over for years. I mean, we've been trying to prove whose race is stronger and more superior through various contests and have been getting nowhere. He beats us both, makes us both losers, and in a single stroke not only humbles us; but puts us on even ground with one another, as well."

Kysandra smiled slightly.

"This..." she replied softly, her thoughts returning, "This is true. I suppose you and I got so caught up in loyalty to our people, in trying to prove what one race believes about the other, we totally forgot to stop and look at each other as individuals. That there's a way to see each other not as rivals to compete with, but as equals with shared interests and beliefs, that can unite us."

Gemma nodded. "True enough," she said extending a paw. "It may take awhile with others...but...think we can put aside this enmity we've had for so long? Start fresh? As equals, this time?"

Kysandra looked down at Gemma's paw. A bit wary at first, before she smiled softly, grasping it. "Yes..." she murmured. "I think that is doable. I think...I think I even remember a time when we were younger, when that very relationship existed between us. It will be nice I believe, to return to that."

Gemma nodded. "Ah' agree." she replied. "However, don't forget. This young marten...he's done us a favor, showing us how we don't have tah' be rivals. How we can break beyond these prejudices our races have for one another, and how we can treat each other as equals."

Kysandra nodded.

"Of course," she said, turning to Donovan, as they finally joined the company of Colin and Mariana, alongside him. "You did us a favor. The Mintaran trade code, as you might already know, demands we do one for you in return, for it to be considered a fully compensated transaction. Tell us, is there anything we can do for you? Name it, and we'll be happy to do it, if it means returing this favor you've done for us."

"Anything?"

"Yes."

Donovan rubbed his chin. "Just a moment," he murmured, raising a finger, to indicate for them to stay where they were for a second. "I need to consult Colin on something." Donovan as he turned to Colin then asked, "Well..."What do you think? You said we needed members for the party, right?"

"Right."

"Well... Would they fit the criteria?"

"Who?"

"Kysandra and Gemma."

"Kysandra and...!?"

Colin paused as he looked up at the two young women, pondering this himself, for a moment. "Ah' mean..." he replied, "Ah'd never considered it, honestly. Those two...they've always been like a lit powder keg in an ammunition store house, when you get them together. They're chaotic, unpredictable. Ah' don't want tah' bring them along and have tah' babysit their actions the whole time. Nor do Ah' want tah' have tah' answer to the Lod'zhak and the Weemuskhan, if somethin' happens to 'em."

"But...?"

Colin sighed. "But, they do owe yeh'," he replied. "And ah' don't want them in trouble fer' not repayin' a debt either. And yeh' do seem tah' have calmed relations between them, so maybe it will work. And Gemma...she would do an excellent job fullfillin' that front line damage dealer role, which we needed. And Kysandra would make a great back line ranged. The one who provides cover fire and cover strikes for the healers like mah' self...Ah Dells. We'll take the risk. Just...if anythin' goes wrong, this is on you lad, understand?"

Donovan smiled softly. "I understand," he replied as he turned back to Kysandra and Gemma. The two lovely ladies, who then listened intently as Donovan explained for one more time, how he and Colin were caught up in a quest to find the tomb of Aloysius St. Abbot. How they only had three months, in which to find this tomb which adventurers and connoisseurs of Mintaran history alike, had failed to find despite centuries of patient, painstaking research and recovery efforts. A quest which if they failed, Donovan explained, then would mean not only joining the ranks of many others who had failed. But also, for Colin, it meant he would lose a precious artifact, highly valued by his order.

"Here's the deal," Donovan concluded. "You two want to repay me, for helping you two be able to see past your differences. Colin and I..." he looked to the prairie dog. "We clearly don't have a big enough party, to pull off a quest of this size. Gemma," he said, turning to the prairie dog. "Colin said you would be great as a front-line fighter and defender, is this true?"

Gemma beamed. "Is it true?"" She stated, following with a boisterous laugh. "Aye, yes, it is true!" She exclaimed, flexing a muscle, proud to have been recognized for her prowess. "I mean, I don't get a chance to show it off much, but none are greater with the greataxe, than the one you're lookin' at presently!"

"Truly?"

Colin nodded. " 'Tis true," he interjected, as he approached. "Ah've never seen anyone, a groundhog, an otter, or a member of any of the other races; fight with the Greataxe, quite the way Lady Gemma does. She uses it not like it is a crude weapon made of wood and steel, but more as if it is a delicate tool. Somethin' akin to paintbrush, or an architect's chisel. She's truly an artist with it."

Gemma blushed. "Why thank you Colin," she said giving him a courteous nod. "And yes," she said turning her attention back to Donovan, "I am quite adept in my use of it. I've dedicated my life to the study of this one weapon. Some weaponmasters, have told me this is a handicap, because it makes me clumsier with other fighting styles, and it makes me less versatile. Still, I believe in the philosophy, that it is better to be 'an expert in one, than a master in none. Heh."

"I see."

Donovan turned to Kysandra. "And you Kysandra?" He asked. "What about you? What is your specialty? Colin said something about you providing good support from the back line, for other party members? Care to clarify what he meant by that?"

Kysandra gave Colin a wry smirk. "Gladly," she replied as she walked over to nearby archery competition stand where she picked up a sturdy bow that she then fired in a seemingly random direction. The arrow after it was fired then weaved almost intelligently through the crowd. It banked around sharp corners and swept back around to Kysandra who caught it by the shaft. A clever smile appearing on her face, as she received slow applause from Mariana, who was standing close to Donovan.

"As impressive as always," Mariana complimented her cousin. The otter after having said this, turned to the stunned marten beside her, and explained what he'd just witnessed. How what he'd just seen, was a rare ability known as 'the archer's thread,' which allowed Kysandra and a few others like her to control the movement of a projectile using telekinetic energy.

"In a word," Mariana concluded as she glanced over to Kysandra who was using this ability to manipulate the arrow and to make it do all sorts of mid-air acrobatic tricks. "And to put it simply, what Kysandra does, is she uses her mind to determine and control the path, which the projectile will follow. Don't ask for details, on how this ability works," Mariana stated, as she raised both paws. "I have no clue about the specifics. Only that Kysandra is considered a rarity amongst rarities, in the fact that she has much more extensive control over her ability, than most individuals who have been granted this gift. I mean...that is to say, for most who have this gift, they can set maybe three projectiles on a controlled course, before having to tap out. Kysandra...well..."

Mariana nodded again, in the direction of her cousin. She who at this moment, was now juggling nine arrows and a hatchet in mid-air, using her ability. A sight which Mariana reacted to, by placing a paw against her brow and by shaking her head.

"Yeah..." Mariana murmured, turning her attention back to Donovan, who was even more stunned than before at what he was seeing.

"She..." he tried to stammer, before being cut off by Mariana, who raised a paw. "I know," she said. "That's what I was going to say. Whereas most can only control about three projectiles at one time, before becoming mentally exhausted, Kysa can control ten. She also is adept at creating psychic shields when necessary, can create psychically generated illusions to distract an enemy, and can use her ability to take control of, or even to destroy enemy projectiles as well."

"Hmm...impressive," Donovan murmured taking this all into consideration. The fact that he had just recruited Mintara's Master of the Greataxe, and it's greatest prodigy in regard to the mystic skill known as 'Archer's thread...yes. Things seemed to be shaping up. A fact, even Colin seemed to take note of, as he now seemed a little less stressed about the endeavour they were setting forth on, now that they had accumulated at least half of the required number, for a Balan's star formation.

A small smirk crept across Donovan's face. "Yes," the marten thought. It seemed everything would be all right. They just, had one remaining issue to still take care of.

Donovan gently tapped Mariana on the shoulder. "Hey, Mari," he whispered. "I thought you said your mother was supposed to be here judging the axe-throwing competition. If that's the case, where is she?"

"Huh?"

Mariana shielded her eyes and searched the judges booth for a sign of her mother. "Well," she muttered. "She should be...no...no...well...Dells..."

"What is it?"

"Well...I dunno..." Mariana muttered with concern, as she turned back towards Donovan. "I mean...she's usually here. I mean it. It's a surprise not to see mother up in the judges booth for this event. Hey Kysandra, Gemma. My mother Gloriana, did either of you see her here, while you were competing?"

"Hmm...Cousin Glori?" Kysandra gently laid the objects she was juggling, gently on the ground, with adept control of her ability. "No, I didn't see her here. Which, come to think of it, I suppose is strange, considering she judges the same activity every year like you mentioned. Anyway, what of you Gemma? Have you seen my cousin, Lady Gloriana anywhere, since you arrived in town?"

"Hmm..." the groundhog rubbed her chin pensively. "Lady Fenbrake, you say? Tall, dark fur, long black hair goes down to her waist, carries herself in a refined manner, that the otter we're talkin' about?"

Mariana snickered at the somewhat elitist description, which Gemma applied to her mother. "Yes," she stated quietly trying to maintain her composure. "That'd be her. You've seen her?"

"Aye."

"Where?"

Gemma tightened one corner of her jaw, as she tilted her head. "Well..." she replied. "That's the weird thing. I was comin' into town, gettin' checked for carryin' 'questionable' paraphernalia, as the guard put it. I mean, what's questionable about some homemade Bristlespine ale and about a groundhog carryin' a beautiful, hand-crafted Greataxe, I don't know. In any case, that's besides the point right now. The point is, as I managed to get through the gate inspection, I saw your mother, the lovely Lady Gloriana, leaving with two downright undesirable looking fellows. And I thought too myself, what would an upstanding woman like her, be doin' with two fellows in suspicious blue robes with gold and silver braided trim? I mean...maybe they were just some charitable new order, I thought. And she was just takin' some time tah' help them, since that is in the description of her job..."

"...Gemma."

The groundhog looked up as Colin suddenly addressed her. "Yes?"

"Say that again," he said firmly. "The description of the robes. You said they were blue, with silver and gold trim, and that the trim was braided?"

"Aye."

"Were they wearing masks?"

"Well, I really don't know. It happened so fast. I can't seem to recall..."

"Gemma!" Colin snapped suddenly. Apparently not in the mood for an unclear answer. "Ah'm sorry," he murmured, as she gave him a slightly hurt and offended look. "Ah' ..Ah' did not mean to snap. It's just Ah' need to know. Were they wearing masks? Specifically masks which looked like the face of an otter, but which have crescent moon motif running down the center. The left side being gold, and the right side being painted in silver."

"Left painted in gold and right in..." Gemma's eyes went wide. "I did see one of those!" She said with a gasp. "The one who was walkin' closest to me. He tried to keep it hidden under a hood, but I caught glimpse of it, as he walked by. Why? What does it mean? What is so concernin' about these figures who wear these masks?"

Mariana nervously, bit her lower lip, as Colin slightly clenched his fists. "I was worried of this," he murmured. " It's the Anaton Covenant. The cult who believes that the Pentarchy and those who follow it, are otters who have gone astray from the original teachings of Ana and Tan. The twin founders, of modern Otter society. They view this festival as a corrupted perversion of its original version, in which otters took time to recognize the ordeals their ancestors went through, to provide a better life for those who lived in the present. Somethin' which otters in the present, then would carry with them, as they worked to make their society even better, in the future. A philosophy, which thus, would be carried on, year after year, until the Pentarchy realized, their isolationist ideas, were causing them to lag behind other powerful Mintaran nations."

Colin sighed. "Now," he murmured quietly, "the Anaton Covenant, is propelled and grows like a weed, based around the idea many otters hold, that the celebration in the form whereas it exists now, is nothing but a hollow shell, of what it once was. They want to see it returned, to the old tradition, by force if necessary; and they want to end what they believe to be a celebration dedicated to the adulation of the gods of greed. As well as Ah've heard it say, a festivity they think has only one purpose, and that is to exacerbate a culture of abandoning sacred otter customs and traditions, in favor of the sordid purpose of maintaining even ground with other powerful Mintaran nations."

Donovan nodded. "I remember much of this from the ship," he stated anxiously. "You told me they're basically a bunch of radicals, who instead of trying to do things in a civil, legal fashion, would rather throw out all the apples with the cart, and start over. Isn't that right?"

Colin nodded. "Spot on boy," he murmured. "It's partly why Ah' was in a hurry to get here. Ah' thought if we were here early, Ah'd be able to head off any trouble before it happened. But it seems the Covenant was one step ahead of me. They learned, from last year's mistake. How if they were to openly attack, that would just cause more chaos than they intend, and instead of converting more people to their cause, it would instead gain them more enemies."

"So...why kidnap my mother?" Mariana asked. "I mean she is a member of the Pentarchy. Doing that, bringing the whole government down on them... doesn't that make even more enemies for them, then if they were to attack directly, in the same fashion as they did last year?"

"Mmm...not necessarily," Gemma piped up, beginning to catch on. "Those two in the robes, they were very careful. They didn't make it look like Lady Gloriana was bein' forced anywhere. In fact, If she was being taken hostage, they did an excellent job of maintaining pace with her, to keep up the illusion they were simply two innocent citizens, whom she was intendin' to aid in one way or another, and that's why she was travelin' with them. "

"I see...still...mother would not go anywhere with those two, if she knew they were with the Anaton Covenant. She knows of their reputation. They are against everything Lodge Fenbrake stands for. Which she stands for. No. I refuse to believe, she would go with them out of her own free will. There has to be more to it, right?"

Kysandra nodded. "I agree with my cousin," she said. "We need more facts, before we conclude anything. I mean, all we know for sure, is cousin Glori, went somewhere with the Anaton Covenant, for some reason. Aside from that, we need to find out exactly what happened. And for that, we need to return to where this whole mess started. Gemma, can you take us there?"

The groundhog responded with a slow nod. "Aye," she stated succinctly. "I certainly can. Just let me lead the way," she murmured, as she motioned for Donovan, Colin, Mariana and Kysandra, to follow her until she brought them to the eastern entrance gate which divided Port Columbine from its sister city of Ravenmist Glen.

"Here..." the groundhog murmured, as she looked about and took in her bearings. "Yes...here. This is it. I remember clearly. I had to check in my weapon with the security office which is over there," she nodded to a building across the street. "Because groundhogs aren't trusted with weapons in Otter run cities. I was just on my way over there, tah' deal with the ridiculousness of Otter bureaucracy..."

"Excuse me?"

Mariana patted Kysandra's shoulder, who'd been offended by this statement. "Let it go, Kysa," she whispered. "We have more important things to worry about than unintended insults."

Mariana looked up hopefully to Gemma. "Go on Gemma," she murmured. "You were saying something happened while you were registering your axe with the security office?"

Gemma nodded, deciding it was best to ignore the interruption. "Aye," she replied softly. "I didn't want to start a fight where one wasn't needed. Pick your battles, and all that diplomatic strategy bit which my mum, taught me. Anyway...yeah, I was headin' over to register my weapon and to go through all the required protocol, when like I said earlier, Lady Gloriana and her two companions, or so I thought they were at the time, bumped into me."

"And it was on this exact spot?"

"Aye."

Kysandra stepped forward. "If that's the case then," she murmured, a magenta mist of powerful arcane energy, beginning to swirl and drift in a circle about her irises, "there may be something I can try. Just give me a moment," she said as she place two fingers to each temple, focusing her ability of the archer's thread, on this one location.

"Mmm..." she murmured, as she used her power. An image of what had happened here, slowly coming into view. It was milky, as these were only after-shadows, of the events that had happened here. Footprints in a vast temporal desert, which over time would erode away as more events which happened in this place overwrote them. Replaced them. Made the energy of what had occurred less apparent, less noticeable, amidst the noise of louder, more recent events.

Kysandra smiled a little, feeling the Prophet twins must've been on their side, for her to have had the opportunity to catch the trail of these events before they faded too much, to be followed. Her ability allowed her to watch shadows of Gloriana and of the two cultists bump into a shadow of Gemma. She watched as they then continued on their way out of the city, and on for several miles, before they left the beaten path for what she could only make out to be a long forgotten road. Probably from the age of pilgrimage, before the Otters had permanently settled in Solmani Marsh, and when they were still traveling with the twins looking for their new home.

The otter got nothing after that, however what she glimpsed was enough. "I...I think I know where she is," she murmured, needing to catch her breath, as she recovered from what was truly a very taxing use, of her archer's thread ability.

"Outside the gates," she said, "And a few miles up the road...there's a forgotten path hidden in the forest and the marshes that looks as if it was built sometime before the Otter's first permanent settlements and before the rise of the Solmani Empire. I...I saw them take her in there. I don't know what they plan. But if they wanted to kidnap a member of the Pentarchy, that would be the perfect place to hide her."

"And a perfect place for a base of operations," Colin added, "Seeing as they're too well known, in the regions of the Solmani Empire, proper. If they wanted to strike. If they wanted to recruit, and make their presence known, but also remain hidden...Aye, it would make sense, they would do it from a place no one cares about anymore. Somewhere isolated, forgotten. Just the same as you've described, Kysandra. Good work, lass. It sounds as if we don't have much time to lose. Okay..." Colin looked about and sighed. "Mariana," he stated quietly. "Ah, hate tah' ask this of yeh' lass, but in yer' mother's absence, and given the fact that we seem tah' know the Anaton Covenant were involved..."

Mariana shook her head and raised a paw.

"I understand what you're trying to say Colin," she assured him. "Go, find my mother and send those ignorant, bigoted muck-crawlers back under the rock from which they came. I'll stay here and fulfill my mother's duties, until you bring her back. Just...please. Bring her back. Okay?"

Colin nodded. "Ah' will lass," he reassured her. "Ah' promise yeh' that," he stated giving her a hug, as he nodded for Gemma, Donovan and Kysandra to follow him. "Gemma," he called out, as they headed for the gate. "Go get your axe, lass. Somethin' tells me, we may need it."