The city of Ranthor skirts the horizon. A stone wall surrounds it, with only a few buildings and facilities laying outside. Farmland spreads out a great distance from the walls.

   Leading up to an iron barred gate is a line of people and carts, some of which I recognize as having lined the streets of Lindwel the day prior. At the front stands two watchmen. They are conferring with those that seek entry. One looks over the cargo and luggage while the other speaks with the owners. The line moves forward slowly with an hour passing by the time we reach the gate.

   Artisie shows the two a wooden pass.

   They share a glance and nod, letting us pass without inspection.

   That was strange. Perhaps though, "One of the perks of your job?"

   She scrumples her brow, "I'm unsure what you mean, but yes I think." With a few glances She checks around us, "About our mission I should have told you earlier, but after entering this city I have to make a report within a day of them knowing I'm here."

   Now there's a time limit? Alright, "How long will it take them to know?"

   "They check my position every other day, and I felt my bracelet actify yesterday." She says tapping the metal binding.

   Less than two days, "Then we have till overmorrow¹The day after tomorrow then, giving us time to plan and prepare."

   Her bag is open and like an empty wallet a leaf falls out, likely caused by sleeping on the ground, "If you want to do that, we'll need some coin."

   Already down to a few pieces, how quickly money can slip through your fingers, "I know where we might be able to get some, I have this letter to deliver to a Meranthy Tonar."

   Her eyes go wide, "To a Tonar!?"

   I raise a brow, "Is there something wrong with that?"

   "It's just, they're, how do I put it? They're not the kind you want to get caught up with. Those that open shops that compete with them don't stay in business very long." She speaks with a suggestive tone, "How have you come to be given this task?"

   "Met someone that knows them."  Her reaction does explain Hane's cautiousness with not wanting to be tracked down. But I need the money, and I gave my word I would do it, "and if it is as you say, then let's do our business quickly with them, I was told I could find Meranthy if I started asking around at some papermills."

   She sighs, "Oor I could instead take you directly to the Tonar's mansion, so we can spend less time dealing with them."

   With her leading the way we pass through the streets the buildings become more impressive with higher quality materials the further we go. Starting with the more common adobe-like structures to randomly shaped stones held together by mortar and then progressing into proper blocks and long flat brown bricks. 

   "This is it." She lays a hand against the wall.

   The brick wall surrounds a three-story building that has noticeably more accents and furnishings than the residences on each side. The front door has two stone pillars to the sides, with sculptures of a creature that looks similar to a lion next to them. 

   An armored guard stands outside a black metal gate leading inside, "Halt, state your business." He blocks the way in.

   I walk up, "We're here to deliver a letter."

   He looks me up and down, "A Dryad for a messenger? See something new every day. Alright hand it over."

   From what Hane told me I don't believe its in best interests let others have it, which is to say, "The sender wishes for me to give it to the recipient directly."

   The guard changes from his formal demeanor to a hostile and indignant one, "Who is this sender to believe he has right to have you do such?"

   I can't tell him that, "The sender wishes to remain unknown."

   He huffs, "How arrogant, inform him if he wishes to exchange words with Boss Tonar then he shall come here himself."

   Artisie whispers to me, "Maybe it would do you well to tell him who the letter is for."

   "Perhaps," I clear my throat, "I think there has been an error in our communication, for I am here to deliver this to Meranthy Tonar."

   The guard relaxes his pose, "Oh, to her."  He tilts his head, "Then it is a love letter I assume, given the senders need to not be known?" Not bothering to let me answer he swings open the iron gate. "I shall bring you to her."  He sniggers, "so, you may properly deliver him the news of heartbreak." He leads us to the front door which opens after a few knocks.

   Outsteps a man wearing a formal button up shirt and a flat hat that spreads over the sides of the head. His demeanor is that of a butler or chamberlain. Holding his hands at a parade rest²A formal position in which one stands motionless and quiet. The feet are spaced a foot apart and hold equal weight. The hands are held behind the back with the palms pointed away from the body. he stands before the guard.

   The guard tells the man, "A visitor for miss Meranthy."

   He replies, "Then I shall see if the bastard is keeping her occupied."

   The guard's hand rests on the hilt of his sheathed blade, "Be more careful of your words lest you bring shame upon yourself."

   "His existence will forever be more shameful than the words to describe him." He speaks indifferently to the threat and leaves returning after a few minutes.

   A woman who's face is like a porcelain mask follows behind him, "Who is here see me?" Seeing me she gives the usual response I've come accustomed too, "A Dryad?"

   "Please, I am just to deliver a letter on behalf of another." I say.

   "How very humble, let me see." Taking it from my hand, she opens the folded paper reading the contents. The mask of her face shows its true nature as some turmoil of emotions appear to be hidden beneath it. "Either you two have little shame or know not what message you've brought. Come with me" She says this as a command with fury but a degree of worry underlays it.

   The chamberlain complains, "Miss, you can't bring them inside. They are strangers."

   She stares daggers at him and snaps at us, "Names?"

   The little wizard companion of mine gives a curt response, "Artisie." Then points to me, "Cain." Despite her work with the Tenth these people obviously make her nervous.

   "We are strangers no longer." She says loudly. Taking us through a maze of corridors until we reach a room at a secluded corner of the mansion.

   From within comes the crying of a baby.

   Meranthy enters speedily scooping it up. Her demeanor changes immediately upon contact, "Shhh. There there now. You cant cry this much, you barely leave me enough time for myself."

   I whisper to Artisie, "Any Idea what's going on here?"

   With a raised brow she looks at me incredulously, "You should know better than me, you were the one with the letter." Waiting for me to reply she only see's the confused expression I give her, and sighs, "Well obviously the kid is illegitimate to say the least."

   Born out of wedlock then? That explains some things, but I don't get how Hane is involved with this. Unless he is the father. Why did he leave then? He said the reason he ran off as an apprentice papermaker was because of a falling out with his Master. Nothing about a child.... Although, "Would I be correct to assume the Tonars own the papermills I was told to ask around at?"

   "Yes, it's what they first started off producing although they have come to make many other things over time like buttons, rope and pottery. Though I can't see how that relates to the matter at hand." She holds her chin. 

   Then perhaps what has happened is that Hane got his master's daughter pregnant before running away so he wouldn't face the consequences. With the child quieting down I speak up, "Are you trying to guilt us into telling you about our employer, your child's father?" 

   Artisie has an expression like she's been fed some of the juiciest gossip from a coworker, but it fades as she exhibits self-control. 

   "No, not at all I was in agreement with his actions. With how things are around here it is better for him to be alive far away than dead nearby. I've brought you here for something else." Meranthy holds the chunky leg of the baby boy and exposes his fat little foot, "Can you see it?"

   Looking closely, we examine the squishy appendage. The pads of the toes and ball of the foot are bulbous. reminiscent of a tiger's paw. The padded skin giving it a feline appearance.

   Is the child deformed? No this is more like a targeted mutation. Then he is probably of exalted blood, I believe by their standards, "Ah, you want us to tell him the child is of exalted blood-."

   She shushes me, "SHHhhh-" pausing she listens to the surroundings, "no I want you to help me escape, you're outsiders and since Hane trusted you enough to deliver his letter than maybe I can trust you to help me."

   Artisie shakes her head like too much food has been put upon her plate, "We already have important business to do."

   "And we were getting paid to do this." I add in.

   "You don't understand. They don't know he is exalted!" she whisper-shouts at us, "Father has changed since the Rosellinos started making deals with him. He'd even trade away my boy if they asked for him. Which if they knew about him, they would" Cradling him closer to her she buries her face into his tummy eliciting a little laugh from the infant.

   With large eyes Artisie has disbelief spread upon her, not towards the selling of one's child, but at the mention of the Rosellinos. Far outstripping her original reaction to the Tonars, "If it wasn't for what we're already planning to do, I would've have left already. This isn't worth getting involved with." She mutters to me pausing for a moment, "It sad that she'll be in even more trouble once we do." 

   Hearing the word I raise a brow, "Trouble?"

   Showing an annoyance like having to explain everything to someone, she explains to me, "The Rosellinos they're the ones that create the wards. They were entrusted with the duty by the church which recognized their talents in stone carving from the many tombstones and mausoleums they've engraved. However, they are carrion beasts, wherever tragedy strikes they appear to scavenge from it. Though I suppose that can only be their nature as people whose trade relies on death."

   Then if we destroy the base in this city, they'll show up and with their increased presence put Meranthy here in danger. I put a hand on the poor lady's shoulder, "We shall help you."

   Unburying her head, she looks up and in spite of her asking us to help her and even showing this weak side to herself, she has disbelief in her eyes.

   "No we aren't." Artisie scoffs.

   I look down at her, "If you want me to help you, then you'll help with this."

   She averts her gaze from me, not willing to argue with my demand.

   "We can't help you today, it would be inconvenient to draw to much attention ourselves just yet." We'll have to grab her as we make our escape from the city, "Overmorrow there will likely be an event that drags attention. We will steal you away shortly after. However, before all that I will need to know the location of a tree with braided roots."

   "An event? What exactly will be-," Meranthy is sent an unspoken message by Artisie who gives a stare saying not to ask about it, "Ah, Never mind. This tree I know it. I assume Hane told you to find it, and to retrieve what he had stashed there?" Not letting me answer she opens a drawer containing a wooden box, "I realized he had buried something the first time I returned to the spot." She removes the lid, "Sorry but anything of worth I used in bribing the handmaid into silence. Now all that's left are sentimental objects and trinkets."

   Removing the lid I see a papers filled with writting which upon closer inspection reveal themselves to be love letters. Other things are also present in the box such as carved wooden figurines, buttons, and other random bits of things. Shifting the papers, I find something beneath them. No way... what is this doing here? I take it out of the box. A small metal canister colored red with stylized letters from an alphabet I'm all too familiar with. As I'm about ask her about it, my BIOS screen appears.

 

[Error Modules Alteration Detected}

Running Diagnostics

(53/53) Pinging Modules     [#########] 100%

(53/53) Checking Protocols [#########] 100%

Diagnostics Complete

(27) Modules Disabled

[Lightning Cannon] Reinitialized

 

   By holding the soda can, one of my disabled bionics has been re-enabled. Half of my implants where disabled when I arrived here. I'm fairly certain that very laws of nature this world are different especially considering that magic appears to be real. Such difference is likely what is the cause, resulting in the malfunctions of advanced technology, so could it be then that items from my world act like artifacts in this one and change the laws to be more in line with my home thus allowing me to use more of my bionics?

   The can is taken from my hand by Meranthy.

[Lightning Cannon] Uninitialized

   "As I said the contents of the box are sentimental, even this junk." She says holding the interdimensional artifact, "While, Hane may have been willing to give it to you, I'll need more convincing to do so. Such as when you help me escape."

   Artisie gestures with disdain at the box, "Didn't take that much convincing to give away the valuable stuff. Why would we even want the leftovers?"

   That would be useful to have before we raid the base, but I can make do without it. Besides that particular Bionic isn't the safest to use when on a team. Though it would still be in my interest to get it. Best to try an ease Artisie over then, "Don't you know? One man's trash is another's treasure."

   "She may very well treasure it, but it's still rubbish. We came here for coin, and there isn't anything but someone else's problems. We should leave and try to find a job elsewhere." Artise crosses her arms.

   Ruminating on the difficulty of her being unable to give us what we are due, Meranthy shows empathy, "Since you were promised pay, I can tell you a way to get it at the very least." She talks in a remorseful manner.

   I lean forward, "Go on."

   She continues, "There's a Tiluttu, it has been rising from the river at night and dragging anything it can into the depths. Recently one of the workers reported he was attacked by it and even lost some precious cargo. However, no one is willing to go looking for it because of the Tiluttu."

   Tiluttu, the composition of the name means something like evil water spirit, but that doesn't tell me anything more than what already could be inferred from her words.

   "A rumor about a river monster how helpful." Artisie sarcastically replies and shifts her crossed arms, "The worker probably stole it and blamed the missing items on the rumor." 

   Holding herself with pride Meranthy refutes the allegation, "He is well trusted and has worked for the family for many years, don't besmirch him such."

   My opinion on this is in line with Artisie. I'm doubtful hunting this Tiluttu will bear fruit. However, "We will spend some time looking for it, but if in a city like this there has been no one from the guild who has yet to find it I doubt we will either." Though perhaps I can try using some of my modern knowledge. "We shall be going then."