>>6130918“You, your people. You think the Lliogor are savages. Barbarians. You're wrong,” Usik continues, raising a hand to point one fat finger at you, “They are smart. They learn. When they first landed on the home islands, they died in the forests. They died alone, and in fear. But they learned. They used the forests against us. You could not imagine it, being hunted in your own homeland.”
A deep anger throbs beneath Usik's words, and for once you're left grasping for a snappy response. “No,” you admit at last, “I couldn't.”
Usik just grunts, turning away to stare back out into the night. You linger for a moment more, to see if he's got anything else to say, then retreat to your tent.
-
The next morning, you have a quick meal drawn from the supplies you brought and set out for another long slog. It's brighter than the previous day, at least, with much of the mist having dispersed overnight.
Before arriving at the Mire, you vaguely wondered if you might be able to hunt some game in order to bolster your supplies. Now, you see that you were wrong – the birds and beasts seem to have abandoned this place entirely, and even insects are nowhere to be seen. It's not just that this place is dead, it seems to reject the very idea of life.
Mud squelches underfoot as you follow Alina's trail, the monotonous process of walking soon numbing your thoughts. Losing track of time, you couldn't say how long it is before something rouses your attention once more.
“I must confess, I've been having... doubts,” Elle admits, lurching a few steps forwards to stand beside you, “What could your father have been looking for out here?”
“I've been asking myself the same thing. Some lost secret of House Phalaris, perhaps?” you suggest with a shrug, “I can't even say that we'll know it when we see it because, well-”
“We won't see it,” she finishes for you, nodding ahead to Alina, “She will, I hope. But what if she doesn't know what to look for? Even with the map, we may still be as good as lost.”
“Let's wait and see before having a crisis of faith, okay?” you tell her, gesturing around at the mire surrounding you, “Just relax a little. Enjoy the stroll through this wonderful scenery and let me worry about everything else.”
“Wonderful scenery? That's-” Elle repeats, but she doesn't get the chance to finish her thought.
“Got something ahead!” Alina hisses, holding up a clenched fist. Even before you join her up ahead, you see what she's talking about – the faint silhouette of ruins, blocky buildings and a listing, half-collapsed tower. “This is not on the map,” she remarks, waving the paper at you, “Was this what you were looking for?”
“No, I don't think so,” you murmur, studying the map, “The remains of some old Phalaris town, I suppose. Long, long abandoned.”
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