Chapter 23 - New Acquaintances Gained
Primordial Calendar 097, Summer Season 8, and 23rd day, City: Ravelin, Continent Truven, World Javelin
Blue skies had small, puffy white clouds, and the temperature was pleasant for once. Conroy swiped a hand over his brow as he sipped from his water flask. He currently sat atop a small rocky formation while regaining his breath. "I'm glad I got the last of the herbs." He checked the window of the conditions required to make it to the formal mission. "Huh, just need to round up the goblins." He supposed it was fortunate that the herbs and the goblins were the last of the conditions.
Early on, Conroy and Kenneth discovered, to their dismay, that the way the conditions worked, you couldn't skip ahead but follow the order of progression. They had to be done in the order of the listed items. That had thrown off their pace and progress. "Fortunately, the other eight items were easy to acquire while in Ravelin." Conroy reflected. Otherwise, they would've been in a heap of trouble. "Now to regroup with Lancer Oljan and Kenneth." He felt they were doing a little better solo than he had.
It had taken Conroy longer than planned to find all the herbs. That didn't matter to him; it was nice just to be outside Ravelin for a while. However, now he had to return to where Kenneth and Lancer waited. He checked the map to see where they were gathered and frowned. "What's this? Did we gain new party members?" From what Conroy could tell, there were four people, not two? "Hmm, and one of them is a dangerous red color." He saw the triangle that indicated danger encroaching on Kenneth and Lancer Oljan. How had they missed the signs? "Well, whatever, I will join them now."
*
This was going to fail to end well. Seated in a tree branch, Kenneth observed the trio below him with some unease. Why hadn't Lancer also contacted Conroy? Earlier, he'd received a message from Lancer to remain out of sight temporarily. I don't quite understand what is happening, but those two are definitely not friendly toward Lancer Oljan.
Much to his discomfort, Kenneth felt a definite threatening sensation rising in the atmosphere between the hidden people and Lancer Oljan waiting below him. Didn't he say that Shayna was going to be his wife? Kenneth needed clarification.
According to Lancer's earlier message, Oljan had two companions from previous hunting parties with him. He felt something was wrong with their demands to join the party he'd meant to form with Kenneth and Conroy.
Conroy was more perceptive in situations like these. While concerned about this latest twist, Kenneth agreed. He offered to observe from a distance, and Lancer took him up. "Hmm, that makes me think that he'd discovered something worth needing others to back him up just in case." That at least made sense, Kenneth sighed wearily. However, now he was in a quandary because things were moving too fast for him to react properly.
Essentially, Kenneth meant to send Conroy an update, but the other two joined Lancer too soon for him to do anything. Damn, Conroy is going to be pissed that I didn't warn him ahead of time.
Kenneth could only hope that Conroy would understand once he felt the atmosphere between the three of them. It wasn't jovial or pleasant by any means. Also, was one of them surrounded by an ominous red hue? It set a vague alarm in Kenneth's head, but he didn't remember why.
That was why, when the original meeting with Lancer Oljan fell through, Kenneth chose to go into a tree to observe Lancer and his companions for a short while before deciding on his subsequent actions. His gut instinct warned Kenneth to remain out of sight, backed by Lancer's request to stay out of sight for the time being.
Somehow, none of this felt right to him, so Kenneth agreed not to hail them right away. Now, he was glad he hadn't. There was something seriously off with the woman and man. None of them, what Kenneth could say with certainty, were trustworthy.
*
Lancer Oljan was not having a good morning or afternoon. He could no longer trust the people he partied with, whether Shayna was his wife or simply his fiancée. She'd lost his trust the moment he caught her kissing Milo passionately in the doorway of the home he shared with her.
Now, he just hoped at least Conroy or Kenneth was present. Hmm, what should he do? Lancer Oljan glanced around and spotted Kenneth right away. Good, the warrior was here, at least. Now Lancer just had to stall long enough for Conroy to appear. He'd managed to send a last-minute warning to Conroy about why he no longer trusted Shayna or Milo, for that matter.
Conroy had yet to respond, but Lancer wasn't too worried. All that meant was that Conroy was on the move. He'd seen the flicker of reaction on the map before making it vanish. As for Kenneth's presence in the tree, Lancer didn't indicate his awareness much, which amused Oljan and relieved Kenneth.
Instead, Oljan addressed the woman and the man calmly. "So why did you two decide to join me after our previous argument?" He was not happy with this latest change in their demeanors.
Once he accepted what had happened to him, he discovered, to his shock, that neither Shayna, his current fiancée, nor his supposedly best friend, Milo Jackson, were aware of any changes that had happened. Evidently, the regression only occurred for specific people who wanted desperately to change their lives.
Now, though, Lancer suspected something was happening between Shayna and Milo, which she didn't appreciate Oljan noticing. A sigh escaped Lancer when neither of them answered his question immediately.
"You've changed," Shayna studied him with a frown. "I know what you said about the regression, but I don't understand what that has to do with us not forming a party as originally planned?"
Milo glowered at Lancer. "I want to meet these new people you've encountered." He demanded. "Otherwise, I'll report you as having been possessed by one of those damned aliens that're taking over our lands."
Lancer sighed in disgust at Milo's aggressively hostile attitude. "They'll be here soon enough." He hoped Kenneth would remain out of sight for the time being.
Of the two men, Kenneth's appearance as a mighty warrior would scare Shayna and Milo into reacting hostilely. Conroy's more inhuman appearance, resembling a god-like statue, might be easier to use to calm them down. At least, that's what he hoped for.
Fortunately, Conroy appeared right then, his wings tucked as close to his body as he could make them. "Hello, Lancer, what's going on?" He stood beneath the tree where Kenneth was perched.
Lancer knew the timing wasn't a coincidence. Conroy must've held back to listen further before making an appearance.