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[latkje]

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for Geddoe

[latkje]

[ It was a lot like the old days. "There are rumors of a True Rune in some monster-infested forest, somewhere. Go out into the untamed wilds" — which is to say any land beyond the borders of the Holy Kingdom and probably some of the places only just within it— "and find the True Rune. Bring the Rune back to Holy Harmonia and receive the blessings of the Temple."

Nash used to get these kinds of assignments all the time. No one ever found a True Rune, it was just the nice excuse to get a (usually expendable) Harmonian agent on the ground wherever there was a foreign conflict to observe or be exploited.

This one was different. One— Nash knew exactly where the True Wind Rune was last seen. He'd kind of been important in finding that part of the Masked Bishop's plan out, actually. Two— it was Sasarai who'd asked this, and Nash didn't know what was going though Sasarai's mind, after the end of the war. Nash didn't know how on the books this mission actually was. And three— he had a lead.

Or, well, he had an idea. The ritual Luc used required the other four elemental True Runes, so maybe the remains of the ritual site would respond to one of them. And as much as he'd rather bother Chris Lightfellow, there was someone else who had a Rune and was still on the Harmonian payroll.

Which is why he'd borrowed some of Bishop Sasarai's authority to set up a meeting with the Captain of the Twelfth Unit. But Nash hasn't borrow any of Sasarai's official dignity. He's dressed in his work clothes and wearing a smile that has gotten him punched before in some nearby bars. Or, it would have if he didn't know how to duck. ]

So nice of you to show up! [ Nash knows there wasn't much of an option. ] C'mon, I'll buy you a drink. I know just the place.

[trueltning_fury]

[Is it ever wise to go back to working for the people who tried to kill you over your Rune? Probably not, but it's also Geddoe's only way to keep tabs on what Sasarai might do next in pursuit of the missing element, all the better to get there ahead of him.

He doesn't have Sasarai's deep connections, though, so information has not reached him yet, but apparently Nash Latkje has. Oh joy. Even after their time working together on the same side to stop the destruction of the world, Geddoe knows better than to fully trust this guy, but the promise of a lead is enough to get him to show up for this meeting. Without the rest of the unit, thanks.]

You're actually going to pony up the money? I'm shocked. [dryly] Fine. Let's go.

[latkje]

[ What had he said to Chris? "How easily the upper class parts with money." ]

Oh, this is a company tab. [ He waves a hand through the air, breezily. But it's a reminder: he's an important emissary from Crystal Valley. ] And I'm not on a Defense Force salary anymore.

[ Salary would be a generous term, come to think of it. The place he has in mind is also dirt cheap, since he knows it from when he was completely broke. It's not far from here, just down this alleyway with a sharp left at the staircase. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[some part of Geddoe really wants to see the expense report after this. No, he wants to see Sasarai's reaction to the expense report.

As well-traveled as he is, it turns out he's been to this particular seedy dive before, but not in a very long time. Long enough that the owner is probably dead and can't throw him out again, but the person behind the bar squints a little at him as if unsure whether this particular dark, shaggy customer is trouble. Must be the old owner's son.]

Lucky for you and your tab I don't need to be completely drunk at two in the afternoon. Ale. [he adds in the bartender's direction. Nothing fancy, he's a cheap date.]

[latkje]

[ Sasarai knows the Temple will always owe Nash.

Who squints at the bartender. It's not who he expected. It's only been… what, a decade? He orders his own drink, and doesn't sit down. They'll go over to the corner where the bartender won't be able to overhear anything. ]

How much ale would that take?

[ Nash isn't a lightweight, but he's also not twenty-two anymore, and he'd like to wake up without a headache. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[Age always hits you right in the liver, Nash.]

Let's just say you'd have to measure it in casks rather than mugs. [as he takes the one slid across the bar toward him and turns to accompany his business partner to a nice, secluded corner] I've had a while to build up my tolerance.

[he fixes Nash with an extremely unsubtle pointed look. Not that either of them forgotten what's on his right hand, but fair warning that he knows it may likely become a topic.]

[latkje]

Touchy, touchy.

[ That was a glare he could've gotten from Chris Lightfellow. ]

So, I guess you're probably wondering why I brought you here, to this charming establishment. I think the bartender probably is too.

[ He ticks his head toward the bartender, and waits for them both to stop glaring. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[Geddoe picks out the proper seat and eases into it, back to the bartender because whatever that guy's problem is, he can take it up with someone else. It also allows him to drop any facade and look Nash in the eye with honesty.]

The thought had crossed my mind. It's not every day you, in particular, show your face in Caleria. I'm going to take a wild guess that it's not to catch up and reminisce about the interior decorating at Budehuc.

[latkje]

You know, I like it better than Crystal Valley. [ That's something honest, anyway. Something honest that doesn't matter. ]

Not the Budehuc decorations, though. [ Or the dogs. He takes another sip of his drink, and when he speaks again, it's a beginning. ]

Harmonia is looking for the True Wind Rune.

[trueltning_fury]

[deep down he appreciates that; Budehuc being somewhat close to his heart, if anything is. Nash has good taste.]

I would expect nothing less of them. [his eye flicks up from his tankard to Nash's face] I assume by dragging me here and saying so, though, you mean there's an active effort presently ongoing.

[latkje]

At least one. [ He leans backward. There isn't far to lean in the booth, though. ] The Council of Bishops has many heads and many hats.

You don't have it, do you?

[trueltning_fury]

Do you honestly believe I would still be in close physical proximity to the Defense Force or Harmonia if I had a True Rune crystal in my backpack?

[though it's not a completely unreasonable assumption to make, given that he'd been hiding True Lightning in plain sight for fifty years...]

I'm not letting it fall back into Harmonian hands if I can help it, but I'll be honest with you, Nash: I don't presently have it in my possession.

[latkje]

[ Nash raises an eyebrow at that. Caleria is a fortress city and the jail here isn't kind to traitors, something Nash knows from extensive personal experience. ]

You seem pretty proximate with one on your right hand.

[ But no, that was a rhetorical question. ]

And the five elemental runes are all connected. That's why the renegade Bishop did the ritual the way that he did.

[latkje]

[ But it was boring.

Or at least, it was uneventful. Which often amounted to the same thing, but one was a blessing, the other a curse. It hadn't been much trouble getting through Lizard lands to the ceremonial site (Geddoe had been helpful, there) and there wasn't any sign of someone following them. Not yet, anyway. Even the monsters had seemed to have mostly cleared out of the place. Though it could be that they'd simply retreated further into the ruin. It was hard to tell, because most of the ceilings had fallen to the floor after Luc had been defeated. The pathways they'd used before were blocked by inconveniently placed rocks.

Such as the pile of rubble that stood before Nash right now. They'd circled the ruin as best they could, given the circumstance, and this passage was the easiest way deeper in. They were going to have to find a way to clear it out. ]

Do you have any fire magic?

[ Fire magic alone wouldn't help much, but Nash had an idea. ]

[trueltning_fury]

Runes, no. Just lightning.

[Geddoe slings his pack off his back and starts rummaging. A trip like this, he's hoarding an awful lot of potential you-never-know-we-might-need items, more than usual. Camping and traveling has been fine, but the last quality night's sleep he's had was at the Great Hollow prior to a nice diplomatic chat with Chief Dupa, so right now he's only slightly slower on the uptake than he would normally be. He's still far more competent than most adventurers would be in this situation, but it means he has to look through all of his shit rather than just know what's all in there.

There are a few collected scrolls tumbled in with the other items, mostly picked up on the way rather than purchased. If there's just one fire spell among them, it should do Nash well.]

What are you thinking?

[latkje]

That might work.

[ He looks at the obstacle ahead of them somewhat thoughtfully, then kicks one of the rocks, dislodging a pebble or two. ]

I want to blow a door open. But I need a light.

[ Nash could use gunpowder to control the explosion— blowing things up was something he had a fair bit of experience with. He could probably manage with just flint and steel, but he'd prefer to stand further back and conserve the powder he'd need for a fuse. Yeah, magic would work better.

Of course, the less he had to explain about gunpowder, the better. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[Geddoe shakes his head while he digs through his pack - lightning isn't going to be enough of a spark to light anything up. Aha, this, though...

He holds up a rolled scroll for Nash to take if he wants]

Flaming Arrows scroll. That should be enough.

Figured I had one in here somewhere.

[latkje]

Keep it. [ He glances back at Geddoe, holding up a hand. A Flaming Arrows scroll should do it, but— ] I gotta do something first.

[ And so Nash reaches into his own pack, and pulls out two bags of differently colored dust. Kneeling, he begins to mix the substance precisely on seemingly particular rocks. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[in his line of work Geddoe can't afford to be ignorant of such things as the Howling Voice and their firearms. So maybe it's only natural that he gets super curious and tries to peer past Nash's arms to see what he's up to.]

You meant blasting open the doors literally. As in, not using my True Rune to do the same thing.

[Hammer of Raijin could obliterate the doors...and a bit of the roof, and some of the cavern, and okay there's reasons he doesn't lightning-blast solid objects very often. The collateral damage isn't worth it.]

[latkje]

A controlled explosion. [ He nods, not looking up from his work, but definitely not making it easier to get a closer look either. He trusts that controlled doesn't need to be emphasized. ]

Don't worry, I've done this before.

[ He pours a few drops water from his canteen onto his powder, making a paste. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[yyyyep controlled is definitely the word here. It makes a lot of sense. Geddoe cranes his neck and makes a couple more attempts but if Nash isn't going to be cool, here, he's going to have to give up and worry about it later. He repacks his pack with the various things that got chucked out to find the rune scrolls, and tucks the Flaming Arrows in his thick leather belt to wait to be used]

Yeah, it looks like you certainly have. Right, then. Ready whenever you are.

[latkje]

[ He stands up, apparently finished. He turns to raise an eyebrow at that comment. Nash has solved many problems by just blowing them up, but he didn't think it showed. ]

Little further back.

[ And he follows his own advice, stepping backward a few feet. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[he matches Nash, drawing back and nearer to him]

Now what?

[latkje]

[ He shrugs. ]

You cast the spell.

[ Or Nash could do it himself, but he figures Geddoe's probably a little better at it. Or at the least not any worse. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[THANKS NASH. All right, unfurling the scroll and aiming...thataway? The rock with its freshly-mixed substance. Right. At least rune scrolls are quick and easy to use, reading off the spell and redirecting it, takes almost no time compared to casting off his Rune.

The flames of that low-level spell are pretty weak as far as enemies would be concerned but probably juuuuust right to light up some gunpowder.]