Tello trailed a tad slower than Rollin, and Joey, who led the way. The trio navigated the sewers they had initially entered, retracing their path to the surface. None of them said a word the feeling of someone listening or watching them was palpable.
Upon emerging, Rollin and Tello assumed new disguises, Tello's transformation magic had proven indispensable after encountering Moon Miracle. With a new appearance the relaxed blending into the surroundings more discreetly.
"Hey Joey, you might want to try to change your appearance. You look absolutely insane right now," Tello suggested with a grin. Joey had mellowed down considerably; the effects of whatever drug he had seemed to have mostly worn off.
He listened to Tello's advice, taking a deep breath. As he exhaled, his features morphed seamlessly, shedding the face tattoos and horns. Now the three of them appeared as ordinary men from the City of Albeane.
With their new appearances they strolled out of the narrow alley that had led them to the underground party they had essentially shut down. The husky woman who had invited Rollin nowhere in sight. Fatigue and hunger weighed on them.
"We didn't learn much," Tello lamented bitterly before jokingly saying, "Except that, like nearly every city, there's a dark underbelly here."
Joey, still processing the night's events, sarcastically responded, "Right... because every city is slitting the throats of the down and out like we saw down there."
Tello rolled his eyes, responding with a hint of exasperation, "No smart ass, they're probably not sacrificing their people in mass rituals, but you get what I mean!"
Rollin ignored Tello's remarks and absentmindedly stroked his chin, his mind working to decipher the implications of their discoveries. He interjected, piecing together fragments of information, "We'll we also learned that my mentor, Moon Miracle, and perhaps the Assassins Association, have some sort of connection with the criminal organizations of Albeane and Morroglosa at large."
Tello squinted, ironically expressing his astonishment at Rollin's insights. "You're telling me that an association notorious for literally murder might be tied up with a criminal organization?" Tello said with a mocking tone, emphasizing the apparent absurdity of Rollins disbelief.
The trio walked through the desolate streets of Albeane, which were mostly devoid of life, save for the occasional carriage or mechanized automaton.
Tello's mockery had little effect on Rollin, as his mind was awash with a torrent of speculations regarding why his mentor might be associated with such a sinister organization.
"I need to return to the Assassins Association," Rollin whispered to Tello, his voice laden with determination. "I need know the truth about what ties Moon Miracle has to Morroglosa."
Tello shook his head in frustration but reluctantly agreed. "Fine! But before that, we need to procure more Vree Stones. My potions are going to be essential if you plan on doing some more poking around. Sadly, by refining my potion with the effect will probably last for around three days, and after that, whatever form you've taken becomes permanent."
Joey, chimed in, "So, I assume we're going to take a few days off before hunting down these stones?"
"Well, to be honest, I have no idea where we can find them. So, we'll have to seek out the tribes from the wasteland and ask them for guidance. After gathering their location, we can rest for a few days on Scorched Mountain." Tello's response left both Joey and Rollin flabbergasted, he clearly was coming up with a plan as they walked.
The trio continued walking until the sun painted the horizon with its soft morning hues, marking their exit from the city limits. Fortunately, those leaving the city weren't subjected to the same scrutiny as those entering. As they walked, people began to fill the streets. Their stomachs growled audibly, and their thirst became increasingly unbearable.
They continued walking for hours, Albeane was close to the Southern border of Morroglosa. It would probably be dark by the time they begin walking towards the tribes of the wastelands.
Suddenly, the sounds of someone slurping a drink resonated in Joey's ears from his right, while from his left came the unmistakable noise of someone munching and chewing voraciously.
Bewildered, he turned to his left and witnessed Rollin indulging in a mammoth roasted turkey leg. To his right, Tello was downing a leather pouch of wine, the crimson liquid spilling from his cheeks.
"What the... when on earth did you guys get food and drink?" Joey asked, his confusion tinged with a hint of betrayal. Tello exchanged glances with Rollin before both of them erupted in laughter which only angered Joey more.
"Haha, Joey, come on! We're thieves, remember?" Rollin boasted, his tone proud. Tello capped his pouch and joined in, saying, "Yeah, come on Joey, you can't expect someone to spoon-feed you," he added and began performing hand signs while holding an oval stone etched with intricate markings which started glowing. Suddenly, a piece of bread materialized on top of his stone accompanied by a soft blue light.
A short distance away, a man shouted, "Hey, what happened to my loaf of bread? Who took it?" Unperturbed, the trio continued strolling, leaving the poor man to his confusion. Tello took a substantial bite from the stolen bread and handed it to Joey, saying, "Here, this one's on me, buddy. You're looking a little thin."
Joey paused for a moment, clutching the stolen bread now in his hand, then took a hearty bite.
Seeing their friend indulging, Tello and Rollin cheered him on. With their bellies full and their thirst quenched, the trio departed the Southern border of Morroglosa
The trio remembering how they had entered exited the same way, embarking on a journey back to the tribe that had facilitated their entry into Morroglosa.
The wastelands, both above and below the city, were desolate, with scant signs of life. Occasional lizards scuttled amidst dry bushes, and scattered relics from a bygone era littered the land. Anything still functional had likely been scavenged by the tribes eking out an existence in this harsh terrain. It was easy to lose one's direction in such a featureless expanse.
" I can feel the location of my Scorched Mountain and were getting farther from it. Are you absolutely sure you remember where the tribe is?" Tello asked, his persistent doubt starting to wear on Rollin's patience.
"Yes, I'm certain. I've hunted and eliminated plenty of targets attempting to escape to the wastelands beneath Asutan's territory," Rollin replied with an edge to his voice.
Just as Rollin mentioned his experiences in the wastelands, a distant rumbling disturbed the tranquility brought the setting sun. Joey was the first to pick up on it, signaling for Rollin and Tello to hush.
The rumbling gradually intensified, and Joey pressed his ear to the ground, the vibrations coalescing into a discernible sound. "There are four of them. They're closing in rapidly, maybe a minute before they reach us," Joey announced, his senses keen. Four figures emerged on the horizon to their right.
Joey swiftly readied his retractable bow, extending it and producing a handful of arrows that could fold into small squares. Nearby, Rollin drew his blade, preparing for whatever approached.
Suddenly, thunderous echoes reverberated, the air vibrating violently, and a sensation as though their bodies might shatter enveloped Joey and Tello. Yet, amid the disconcerting upheaval, Rollin only felt an odd scratching sensation beneath his skin.
Tello and Joey were forced to their knees. Rollin was left standing alone to face the figures that were fast approaching he heard 5 shots ring off, but nothing hit them.
Rollin looked around to see what was shot at them, but he saw nothing until he looked up to the sky and saw a canopy of nets descending on them.
Using all his strength Rollin leaped into the air making quick work of the nets that would have fallen on them. The 4 figures had become discernably visible as they neared the trio.
It was 4 sleds being pulled by 8 automatons that resemble a mix between a bear and a horse, 2 per sled. On the sleds were 3 figures wrapped in protective layers of clothing against the harsh environment of the wastelands.
The sled in front however only had 1 figure controlling it, the person shouted commands to the other 9 her voice was loud and hoarse "Hurry and disarm that one still standing let's get these 3 back to the settlement."
Six of the nine got off their sleds but instead of attacking Rollin who was readying himself for their attack they released 4 of the 8 automatons carrying the sleds.
Tello's knife had long since returned to its original size. However, Rollin wasn't too worried when dealing with automatons you always went for the chinks one could find in the metallic body. However, his confidence quickly faded as he couldn't any openings on the bodies of the metal monstrosities charging at him.
Rollin found himself without a clear target to attack, so he shifted his focus to defense, bracing himself against the automatons powerful swipe powered by their techno-mancy.
The sheer force behind the strike sent Rollin tumbling backward, his body careening about a dozen feet away. However, he refused to yield to the relentless automatons.
Unfortunately, the other three mechanical assailants wasted no time and closed in on Rollin. In no time, they had him at their mercy, kicking and tossing him around like a ragdoll. His blade was sent flying from his grasp, his body now reduced to a battered and bloodied mess.
Despite the merciless beating, Rollin's determination kept him conscious. He turned to look at Joey, he was astonished to find his companion peacefully snoring on the ground.
Tello, also lay there except he wasn't asleep but in fact gazing at the sky as if savoring the day's events. Tello noticed Rollin's gaze and nonchalantly whispered to him, "Just play dead, stupid. These marauders are going to be our Trojan horse."
Those were the last words Rollin heard before he succumbed to the darkness.
Tello patiently awaited the enemies' next move, they eventually commanded their automatons to stand down and commenced a thorough search of Joey and Rollin's possessions. They picked up Rollins knife and took Joey's bow and arrows while he loudly snored unbothered.
Tello complied with their demands, allowing them to search him thoroughly. The marauders then bound Joey and Rollin securely, each on separate sleds. Tello's bindings were less restrictive, only binding his hands and feet.
Tello attempted to engage his captives in conversation, hoping to glean information about wat exactly they wanted and their destination.
"Sheesh, we thought we were skilled at theft, but kidnapping the person themselves takes it to a whole other level," he quipped, trying to provoke a response that could provide insight. Instead, his comment was met with a powerful backhand that nearly snapped his neck.
Blood spilled onto the sled, and the raider, infuriated, grabbed Tello's head, slamming it against the sled's floor. Tello's face became was then used as a rag to wipe away the blood he had spilled.
After that brutal reprimand, Tello didn't let out a peep the entire ride, he simply observed his captives quietly. The marauders were moving towards the East as the sun cast its final golden hues across the Western horizon.