Parthevia in Peril

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 "A deep, shared experience that no one else can understand."

~*~

"She's in trouble. We have to go help her!" you demand of Sinbad.

You are gathered with his closest friends at the company's office. Your guard accompanies you, and you hope Seren will be able to show up again with more details as her last appearance was so brief.

Sinbad clenches his fist and looks to the side. "Seren chose her path. I can't get involved any more."

"You were about to head that direction anyway," you counter, recalling the dungeon just west of Parthevia that he would soon be leaving for. "Can't you at least check on her?"

"...I can't."

"So that's it? You're just going to leave her to her fate?"

He looks directly into your eyes with an intent gaze that is almost scary. "We avoided a catastrophe," he reminds you. The memory of how shaken up he was after he had a vision of what was supposed to happen surfaces. He continues, "I can't expose everyone to tempt fate like that again."

Torn between the welfare of your friend and your fiance, you bite your lip, but before you can reply, your guard drops to his knees with a labored scream, his hands outstretched to keep him from completely falling on his face.

"Sin...?" the voice from the guard croaks.

"Seren?" He kneels on one knee, propping his arm across his other in front of the guard and looking serious. You note that despite gaining his full attention he is keeping a physical distance. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Falan...betrayed us...she has something...to make Barbarossa...super strong."

"What is it?"

The guard's body heaves. "Barbarossa has a dark metal vessel from magicians from Mustasim...It's powers can rival our djinns...We got lucky escaping his attack this time, but he is destroying Parthevia in the process!" The guard's head raises and looks directly at Sinbad with large, tear-threatened eyes. "You have to help us! You have to save those caught up in the crossfire!" Eyes roll back and the body collapses on the floor, a hand clenching the stomach. The body stays there, most likely from Seren holding out for a beacon of hope with the very last of her strength.

Sinbad's eyebrows knit together as he processes the new information. He stands up and turns away.

"Change of plans. I will set out towards Parthevia alone. The rest of you who were going to accompany me, I need you to stay here and help with building Sindria."

"But Sin! It's way too dangerous to go by yourself!" Ja'far screeches.

Sinbad gives him a solemn look that quiets him. "It is because it is so dangerous that I must do this alone." He looks pointedly at Ja'far, Hinahoho, then Mystras, his mind obviously calculating the situation. "Especially you who have household vessels. Being in dire situations such as this can cause the vessels to consume you. That is not a price I'm willing to pay."

"Then at least let me, who already has assimilated, accompany you," Drakon interjected, bringing a fist to his scaly chest. "I am fully aware of their situation as I have been in correspondence with Saher and it is my brother we must stop."

Sinbad looks at him studiously then nods his acceptance.

"But just the two of you?" Ja'far asks.

"He's right. Maybe you can call in the Seven Seas Alliance?" Mystras suggests, "My father and Queen Artemina have metal vessels too."

"I've got four djinns at my disposal; Drakon and I can handle it on our own. It would be an abuse of power if I were to ask for the Alliance to come and interfere with a non-affiliated country," Sinbad looks down at the unresponsive guard, "and it doesn't look like Parthevia is in a position to join. But if they do, I promise to call for more help. Okay?"

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