I probably should have returned to the house after my walk, but instead, I chose to follow the advice of the copy in my mind. First things first, we had named him Will, after all he came from a skill called fragmented will. Instead however I ended up walking around to try to gather herbs as best I could. I had a skill that improved my chances, so it would be better to try than not. While it wasn't as profitable as I would have liked, considering where I was searching all in all I had a good harvest. Placing the small vial back in my bag I made a list of what I had collected to add to my total amount. A stalk of Palmath, a flower of a Vilerge, 8 flakes of Cofrail, 3 bark chunks of Xosorrel, and 8 Shurper flower petals. Returning to the house I could see the sun was already high in the sky.
"Misty would be amazed at how awake you are already."
Will said as I slowly shook my head.
"If you mention Misty I'm going to get homesick already."
Making my way to the door, I opened it to the smell of cooking bacon and bread. Inside the others were cleaning up from where we had been set up to sleep on the floor. A bit to my surprise, I saw the three that had been with Ymer helping. Ironic how a day before they would have been enemies, and today they were moving around and talking to the others like friends. Afimaril looked up as I stepped inside and made her way over to me, a bit of a worried look on her face.
"Ah, Aiden, was worried you had been grabbed, I have a question for you."
I was a bit surprised by the sudden interaction, so I took a moment to look around to see if the others knew what this was about.
"What do you mean grabbed!? What did she mean by that!"
Will yelled seeming startled however I ignored him and said
"Uuuuuh, sure, what's up?"
"So Straun, Sena, and I are also headed for Coalhill, and it seems that Ymer took our supplies."
"Wait, I thought you were a with Ymer, why did he take your stuff."
"Technically we employed Ymer to help us get to obsidian rank, but he was kind of a piece of work."
"I hope this doesn't come across as rude, but you would understand if I don't believe you."
"Thats…. Thats fair, but I'm willing to pay."
I took a moment to look Afimaril up and down. They didn't seem very hostile at the moment, and they were helping so they seem to have talked to the rest of the group already.
"Alright then, what exactly are you asking for?"
Afimaril seemed to have a wave of relief wash over her as she continued.
"We are headed for Coalhill as well to catch a ship. Our ride was a friend of Ymer's who was a Spatial Mage that was doing something he called spider manning."
I raised an eyebrow in confusion as Afimaril shrugged.
"Don't know why they called it that, basically we built up speed falling through portals and then he would angle one to launch us, making others to continue our momentum before we hit the ground."
I blinked at her for a moment trying to imagine a group bounding over the plains through portals using the speed of falling to propel themselves.
"Yea I got no clue either"
Will said in my head in a rather unhelpful fashion.
"So, you need a ride to Coalhill to catch an airship?"
I asked raising my eyebrow and crossing my arms.
"Yes, but we are willing to pay you, we already paid to have your tank refilled on your vehicle as an apology for yesterday. I guess it's a bit lucky this is a carbuncle farm. Aside from that we have more if you're willing to give us a ride."
Afimaril reached around her back, and for a moment I felt on edge, but she grabbed her backpack and pulled it off, reaching inside she fished out what seemed to be a collection of 3 fist sized blocks of a bluish cyan metal. Setting them down on the mantle next to the door she reached in again, this time pulling out an ornate looking dagger in a sheath, a gem on the daggers hilt seemed to be practically looking at me, but upon further inspection it was a trick of the light. Lastly, she pulled out a small envelope.
"You see, we have one of 3 things to offer. The first is 3 ingots of Seasteel we acquired on our way through Hopestone we planned to be forged into equipment when we got to Coalhill. The second is a dagger called the whisperknife, it's a special blade that will alert you if there are enemies nearby. Lastly, an envelope I swiped from Ymer while we were traveling, no idea what it contains, but it may help you track him down when you're ready."
I looked at the 3 laid out items as I asked.
"I can see the use of the first two, but the third sounds like something we should already get."
Afimaril shook her head holding up a hand.
"No can do, we need at least two of these to make this deal, plus we already paid over 120 gold to fill up your tank."
"Thats… Thats fair."
I said turning to look over what had been laid out.
The ingots sounded enticing for obvious reasons. Equipment is the basis of all adventuring. Without it, even the highest ranked adventuring would struggle against monsters under their pay grade. Some classes like archer relied on equipment on a fundamental level.
The knife was also tempting. Our biggest threat we have had to face is being ambushed, something that I will regrettably admit has caught us by surprise a lot, from the Arrows from yesterday morning to the rapier to the ear that almost got me in the afternoon. A knife that gave us a heads up would be a lifesaver.
However, my eyes were still drawn to the wildcard of the 3. The letter didn't hold any current value, but its future value was practically priceless if it gave us good information. Ymer did not seem like he would be willing to let this fight end as it did, but at the same time there was a chance that this envelope didn't have anything related to Ymer at all and it would be a waste. It was a gamble.
"Let me ask my group before I make a decision."
I said looking over Afimaril's shoulder.
"They said your vehicle, your call."
She said matter of factly. A vein bulged on my forehead as a feeling of annoyance went through me.
"Here we thought Jax was supposed to be the one making decisions."
Will said as I could practically feel his eyes roll in my head. I nodded in agreement before remembering nobody else could hear or even knew Will existed, so I looked like I had made a decision. Looking at the 3 I picked the letter.
As we were wrapping up packing up the vehicle, Ms. Oxhouse stood outside the farmhouse with her daughter. Afimaril, Straun, and Sena were finding spaces with Sena and Straun sitting on top of the main vehicle at the ballista post while Afimaril was sitting down next to Jax. Kaelen with his arm was granted the passenger seat as Liora was put in the back with the others. Turning to Ms. Oxhouse I could see her eyes were red from crying. Her daughter hugged her leg, her nose still running from where she had been crying this morning. As we finished up, she walked over to me.
"Thank you again for all your help, are you sure you don't want the emergency quest reward?"
When she had mentioned the quest, offering 300 gold I was tempted, but with her husband and son gone, all the labor of running a farm would fall on her, so I felt more obligated than anything to refuse.
"We will be fine, you already gave us a place to rest and a warm breakfast, that's enough for us."
Kaelen said dipping in a single armed bow, the bandages around his stump were slightly red from where he had reopened the wound a bit this morning, but I had to use more healing poultice to close it again. Ms. Oxhouse seemed to take a moment before she reached into the front pocket of her overalls and pulled out a small envelope. Holding it out to me.
"My brother is a medic, he lives in Langbloom, if you bring him this letter, he should be able to heal your arm sir priest."
I nodded, taking the envelope and placing it on the side pocket of my satchel as I helped Kaelen into the vehicle before hopping in. Waving as we left, we drove, leaving the Oxhouse farm, and getting one day closer to Coalhill.