From Embers

38 - When the Past Meets the Present Part 1

"Is everyone ready?" asked Jai-Jai. She pulled her furs closer as the wind blew harder. Although she didn't need the extra warmth, appearances had to be kept up. The others would start questioning why she was only in flannels this late into the cold season.

Rhistel blew on her hands and rubbed them together. "Unless yer sharing those warm furs with me a need tae get somethin' warmer from the room."

That elf will be the end of us. Jai-Jai rolled her eyes and threw Rhistel the foxtail from around her neck. "Now is everyone ready?" she asked again.

Leaving wasn't hard. The men were given permission to explore as they wanted. The bulky muscled crew had little worries about being attacked in the city because none of the residents wanted to mess with Captain Ryo and risk not having his merchant ship land there anymore.

Walking single file and in silence, the streetlamps illuminating the cement sidewalks lit up a number of ways their feet could take them. Jai-Jai knew where the packs were hidden, and it took more effort than she wanted to put in to pretend like it was random roads she chose for them to walk down.

Jai-Jai's attention was pulled in another direction. "Do you hear that?"

Kraneia yawned. "It's hard to feel Mother with all this horrid rock between her and I, but I can feel many vibrations from that direction." She pointed towards a dark alleyway.

No one needed to nudge either the twins or Jai-Jai to walk into the dark unknown.

"I don't think we should be going there. You never know who you might meet here. And with all these humans walking freely, it's not safe," said Twig.

Rhistel rolled her eyes. "Twig, Darling. Everyone knows that there are plenty of things scarier than what you find in the dark everywhere. Cannae be scared tae go where ye might find a ghoul or two. Look, if ye're afraid hide under my hood. It's cold and I want to explore before me toes freeze off."

"I'm not sure we should go that way," cautioned the dryad. Jai-Jai saw the look of concern in her eyes and had half a mind to listen. "There isn't a small group of people over there. We should just stick with the original path and avoid larger crowds. Can't have anything happen to someone this close to the end."

"Ye be all worryin' more than sailors when they see sirens. Am goin' tae check it out. Yer all either comin' with or a'll meet you back at the boat," said Rhistel.

Jai-Jai coughed and walked around the corner. She returned with handfuls of satchels. "About that, we're not going back."

Flames instantly sprung from Rhistel's balled fists. "A made a promise," she sounded hurt. "Were ye all in this? Even you, Alanis?"

Her sister hung her head and didn't look Rhistel in the eye. Twig bit her lip and shrunk in size, while Kraneia came over to help Jai-Jai with the packs.

"We don't have the time. You can make amends after we've helped save the world. Our mission comes first before anything else. The captain would understand if he really knew what we were doing. I mean, he probably suspects that we aren't here to look for work because who in the seven hells changes professions in the middle of winter?" quipped Jai-Jai.

Rhistel yanked her rucksack, the stray coins inside it clinging when she threw it over her shoulder. "Am goin' tae march me happy arse down this way to see the city. Then am headin' back tae the ship. Ye'll either come with or can leave me behind and a'll catch up with ye's after a've helped rescue Captain Ryo's friend."

The temperature dropped severely as the night progressed making it difficult for Jai-Jai to decipher how to balance how warm to make herself without emanating heat for the others to feel. She'd been standing near Rhistel the entire night, ready to blame the warm air on her. But, the angry elf had stormed off down the alleyway and ignored everyone calling her back. That stubborn fool will get us found out.