The sun rose up as its glow flickered through the dense muddy trees of swamp waking Theo and Sticky up.
Theo packed up all the cooking equipment and as he prepared everything he noticed a creature in the corner of his eyes hidden behind a large boulder to his left.
Suspicious of who or what was behind the boulder, Theo stood up with his blunderbuss raised and aimed at the boulder.
He walked slowly and once he was near the edge of the boulder he rushed in only to see nothing there, as he turned his head back to the crew who were all preparing there was nothing out of the ordinary.
"You okay?" asked Yuni as she fixed her leather gloves on.
Theo looked around the dense swamp forest before replying with a nod. All of them walked out of the swamp, and into a long winding road that reached Cerrix.
The massive walls lined around the city in a 250 radius, the city was known for the many criminals and vandals that lived there.
The gates opened wide as they entered the walled city to be met by a murder happening in front of them. Another crime happened to their left wherein a woman was stealing from a jewelry shop.
Worried, and confused Aralia spoke up, "Where's the guards?"
Yumi quickly replied with an apathetic look to the crimes happening, "They are either drunk in a tavern, out fucking whores, or taking bribes. Either way this city isn't for the kind hearted like you."
A hint of animosity was in her voice as she spoke to Aralia. Aralia tried to speak up more on this, but stopped seeing the knowing look of Theo.
"We need to find an inn then we can go ask around the citizens." Volhcard took out a map where he pin pointed an inn which was in front of a bank.
Sticky made low gurgling noise, "We need to stay on guard. Who knows what could happen in a city like this."
Everyone nodded as they head their way to the inn. Passing the streets of Cerrix they were asked by many homeless for change or drunks, they also passed the many dead bodies lying around the streets.
Cerrix was home to every criminal, degenerate, vandal or sinner after all no guard here could careless about trying to stop these criminals. Since Cerrix was being controlled by many influential criminal mob bosses, or just powerful people in general.
Entering the bar, Yumi sidestepped as Idol behind her was hit by a chair from an angered patron of the inn.
"Move out of my way!" the woman screamed as he stomped away.
Idol tried to call out for the woman, but was stopped by Volhcard.
They walked in the inn while everyone their minded their own business except for a few who were whispering to one another about the crew.
The innkeeper looked up at the crew before speaking, "Get out." animosity emitted from his tone of voice.
They were all confused, but not only that Yumi was getting mad as she leaned closer to the tavernkeep.
"And why do we have to leave?"
The tavernkeep let out a groan in annoyance before pointing to Theo and Jae. Suddenly out of nowhere a man struck a chair at Theo before cursing at him, "Leave you damned monster!"
Everyone in the bar started to call Theo and Jae different sorts of names such as monster, demon, or traitors.
Jae was about to transform before Theo stopped her, and to ease everyone's emotions Volhcard started shaking his staff using a spell that calms a person's emotion.
But the spell didn't work as everyone's hatred for Jae and Theo was so strong it broke the barriers of the spell itself.
Feeling guilty, Theo decided to walk away from the group and Jae followed him in which the patrons in the tavern calmed themselves.
Yuni gritted her teeth in annoyance as she screamed, "Theo! Jae! Get your asses back here!"
Both of them glanced back at Yumi who held a dagger near the throat of the tavern keep.
"You will let them stay with us in a room upstairs, understood?" she threatened the tavernkeep.
Theo's eyes widened as he tried to speak, but Sticky cut off him off before he even started talking, "Once you're a friend of me, Yumi will always watch your back."
Theo and Jae walked back towards the group as they chuckled. Volhcard laughed out loud like a drunk all while Aralia giggled and Idol stayed emotionless to the scene.
After that fiasco the group staying in one large room with only three beds so the others would have to sleep on the wooded floor.
"I'm gonna go find someone who has any knowledge on Volantis," Theo stood up while Sticky bounced towards him and on to his head.
The slime made a low gurgling noise, "I'll join."
The two walked out of the room, and right as they were about go down the stairs.
Sticky noticed someone from before in the corner of his eyes.
"It's you! How ya doing pal?" a recognizable voice was heard.
Theo looked back to see a dwarf who was naked holding two glasses of wine.
Sticky made a gurgling noise, "You're that dwarf from before."
Theo crossed his arms as he looked at the dwarf up and down. Just by how he spoke and looked, Theo came to the conclusion that the dwarf was definitely a scammer.
"I'm guessing you two have history?" asked Theo, and his question was immediately answered with Sticky created a small hand and gave the dwarf a middle finger.
The dwarf simply chuckled before speaking, "I heard there's a carnival nearby, and apparently a mercenary group is currently resting there and they have a scroll on Volantis."
Theo's ears perked up, but was skeptical on the information right before he could ask the dwarf left as he went inside his room.
"You think he's telling the truth?" Theo looked up at Sticky who shook his head.
But as he shook his head, Theo noticed a poster on a wall next to him and took a closer look at it.
'The Red Caps are here and they're here for a mighty good show so come down to Grigori's Wonderous Carnival'
Seeing the poster the two decided to head for the carnival... But somewhere on the ceiling was a lizard spying on them.