A Quest for the Stars

The group was due to arrive on the other side of the mountain border in two hours.

Having made some money during her adventure, Lenoria paid for the cost of the tickets for the massive group that had joined her. Gabrielle Bisset had taken care of the costs for her, Alistair, and Clara, but no one had expected a magical child and a pirate crew to join them all in due thanks to Starflower's jail break. Lenoria was flattered Constable Richards, even after getting hospitalized, was looking out for her well-being, and the fact that three of the people that had been sent wielded Soulstones of their own, plus Alistair's reassurance, brought her some much-needed relief despite the circumstances of their arrival. With Alistair napping on the seat across form her and Clara having joined the others by singing sea shanties, Lenoria was left alone with Pearl. With nothing else on her mind, she decided to inquire about the power of the new Soulstones.

Starting with Captain Caesar, who wielded the power of Pyxis, the mariner's compass. With it, he could locate other Soulstones, conjure and use a ghostly rope as a lasso, and escape from even the sturdiest of binds.

"Why didn't we detect his stone when we first met," Lenoria asked Pearl.

"Beckett, the spirit of the stone, had entered the Star Dream by the time you met Caesar," Pearl explained. "It is a state of hibernation we spirits enter when we spend too much energy, and such a state takes the spirit to a place where its power can't be detected. If I were to make a guess, it is a failsafe that prevents the spirits from using too much power at once. Otherwise, we'd be tapping into our true power too quickly and cause havoc in the wrong hands. That's why we need partners, to borrow their power to manifest our own."

"I see. So, Beckett must have spent a lot of energy for something to make him take a nap, just like you did when you attacked Alistair. The stronger the partner, the stronger the spirit becomes." Lenoria rested her hands behind her head. "What about Aquamarine? Shouldn't the Corvus Soulstone have detected her even with you out of commission?"

"That one's a little trickier to explain, so try to follow along. Aquamarine awakened as a magical child, becoming a heroine of the seas. But she wasn't as strong as the spirit had hoped, so he lent her the power necessary to fight crime. She has great potential as a bard and even greater knowledge of hydrokinesis, but she needed martial training and the ability to hide her real identity. Thanks to the Soulstone's power, her true self and her Aquamarine persona are two different people."

"I mean, that's just most people who fight crime. Are you implying that Aquamarine uses a trick that allows her to remain undetected by other Soulstones?"

"It would appear so. Otherwise, if she was detected by another Soulstone wielder when she's not in disguise, she would find herself at a huge disadvantage. If she transformed in front of a crowd, everyone would know her secret identity. That in itself presents a problem."

"You're right, it is a little tricky." Lenoria admitted. "Looks like she needs us as much as we need her."

The two stayed silent for a couple of minutes. When Pearl realized Lenoria wasn't adding anything else, she asked "Aren't you going to ask about the Argo Navis?"

"What about it," Lenoria said after a huff. "It's just a silly pirate ship. I don't want to know anything about it or that halfling, for that matter. Besides," she paused to grab a gray blue gemstone from her bag of holding, "I'm more worried about this one. Clara said it borrowed Cassiopeia's power to use as its own. Is that all it can do?"

"In a nutshell, yes. Cassiopeia has power over plants, and Cepheus can borrow and amplify its power. They were named after an old legend of a king and queen, which explains their synergy. By acquiring Cepheus, we already avoided the worst-case scenario."

"We definitely owe Clara for this." Lenoria believed it was best not to think about what could have happened if Clara had failed. It didn't happen, and that was all that mattered. "I'll treat her to something nice once we get to Goodsprings."

"The part that concerns me is that the spirit of Cepheus hasn't answered my call. I hold the Smith's authority and have the power to seal the stone away. This spirit is surprisingly courageous, albeit a bit stupid."

"Seal it away?" Lenoria didn't like the idea of sealing something away without giving it a chance to explain itself first, especially since the spirit worked for Cassiopeia and any information could yield was helpful. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I'm implying. A Soulstone that is no use to us has no point in staying with us. I'll simply return it to the Smith, who will keep it out of anyone else's hands."

"Isn't that a little extreme? Are you sure that's a good idea? It could lead us to Cassiopeia so we can end this once and for all."

"Or maybe he could lead us into a trap. It's your call, Lenoria, but I recommend we seal Cepheus away before Cassiopeia can steal it back from us."

"Can't we at least give it some time to make this choice? Maybe the spirit is a good person who's too scared to help us."

Pearl sighed. "I hate it when you're right. But we're only giving it until tomorrow at sunset. If we don't have an answer by then, I'll seal it away myself."

There was plenty of time left, and the pirates, along with Clara and Aquamarine, were still singing the night away. The melody was rather soothing, which ultimately made Lenoria close her eyes. They were in for an overnight trip to Goodsprings, and it was best to save her energy in case Cassiopeia attacked again.

***

26th of Cobre, 9:46pm, 1659

Lenoria stretched her arms after exiting the cable car. She had arrived at a similar station like the one in Helix soil, but there was less cobblestone on the ground in favor of dirt and grass. Stalls were manned mostly by men in simple tunics selling various meats, breads, and vegetables.

Alistair silently grabbed her hand and led her to a railing on the edge of the station. Lenoria was amazed by the view before her; she could see the mountain path they had to take to get to the base of the mountain, and further in the distance she could see a vast array of trees and plains. Several dots in the distance indicated signs of civilization, and a bigger one stood out from among them despite being perhaps dozens upon dozens of miles away.

"That's Red Haven, the capital city," Alistair said as he pointed to the bigger settlement. "The king of Thule lives in his castle there, and the leads of the four noble houses reside there, as well."

"Ah, then Gabrielle lives there, too."

"As matriarch of House Bisset, she has to live close to the Parliament and the castle." Alistair pointed eastward. "We'll be going to Goodsprings, located southeast of Red Haven. It's a quiet little village, and she owns the land there. While the authorities there answer to the King and his men, they have to report to Lady Gabrielle in matters of business."

"She's a bit of a tycoon, then." Lenoria wondered just how much power her new boss had. "She's basically their landlord, erm, lady."

"It's the layman's way to put it, but you're correct." The duo faced in the direction of the cable car and saw the rest of the gang emerge since they had seated themselves towards the very back. Clara, Aquamarine, Caesar, and Cecilia seemed to be in excellent condition while the rest of the pirates were in a state of singing - and drunken - stupor.

"Be careful climbing down the mountains," Lorak said. "Lots of dangers in Thule's shadows, you see. Just stick to the path and you'll be arriving in Norwich in about 30 hours."

"30 hours," Lenoria asked. "It took us about three days to climb the mountain on the other side."

"We're at a lower elevation here, so it won't take as long to reach civilization."

"Norwich. The village at the base of the mountain..." Alistair unrolled a parchment after taking it out of a scroll case attached to his belt. "I see. The path is straightforward just like the one in Helix. Maybe if we rush forward without a break..." He mumbled the rest to himself.

"Don't tell me he plans to go down the path without a break," Caesar asked Lenoria.

"He does this sometimes. I've asked him to take it easy on his body, but he's as stubborn as a goat." Lenoria shrugged. "I guess it isn't that bad. Clara and I are used to the bumpy ride, even when we sleep."

"Let me get this straight. You guys now have a flying ship at your disposal, and you want to walk down the mountain path?" Caesar chuckled. "Forget Norwich. Why don't I just fly you to Goodsprings? I'm sure we can get there in no time."

"You'd do that for us?" A flying ship would surely save time. "We would appreciate it, wouldn't we, Lenoria," Clara said.

"If it's fine with everyone else." Lenoria tugged Alistair's sleeve to get his attention. "Al?"

"I appreciate the offer, Caesar, but we have a problem." Alistair rolled up the parchment and inserted it back in the case. "Airships are rare in Thule, and even those who operate them need a license. On top of that, Thule is at war with Mesarthim right now. Any vessel without so much as a registered coat-of-arms will likely be shot down by cannon fire and we could get arrested. We'll have to follow protocol and get the ship registered before we even think about setting sail."

"Geez, what a killjoy. You paladins sure make life harder for everyone around you, including yourselves." Caesar maintained a jovial attitude despite the glare Alistair shot at him. "Oh, relax, will ya? If I was looking after a couple of cuties like these two, I'd also be working hard to make sure they don't get arrested."

"T-thanks," Alistair said. "We should get going, then. The sooner, the better."

"I'm still not going on foot." With a snap of his fingers, Cecilia rushed to her captain's side. She had been helping her brother Charlie walk but dropped him the moment she was summoned. The other pirates, drunk as they were, stood at attention as they readied themselves to listen to their captain's orders. "At least not down the mountain. I'm not a scholar like the rest of you, but I do know the mountain border is officially property of both Helix and Thule. Anyone born here is a citizen of both nations, and everyone here adheres to whatever laws are in place within reason."

"Oh..." It dawned on Lenoria where Caesar was going with this, to Clara and Alistair's confusion.

"There's no law in Helix that is against flying pirate ships-"

"Because there was never a need for one," Alistair interjected.

"-so as long as we stay on the mountain, we won't be stopped by the local authorities. Once we reach Norwich, we'll simply put away the ship and go the rest of the way on foot." Caesar lifted his index finger and tapped his head twice. "My plan's foolproof. If you want to take a stroll through these mountains, be my guest. But I don't see the point of dragging your lady friends with you, too."

Alistair raised a hand to object, but he glanced over at Clara and Lenoria. Clara's wounds may have been healed since her last fight, but both of the girls were weary from the cable car ride and quite possibly from the entire journey. With a sigh, his eyes returned to Caesar with a look of defeat. "It wasn't my intention to tire them out. If we take the ship to Norwich and continue on foot, we should get to our destination by morning. I accept your terms, Caesar, provided you're not up to anything terrible."

"And who do you take me for? You really think I got some ulterior motive?" Before his own crew could get a word in, Caesar turned to them and added, "Don't answer that."

Both men heard giggling coming from Lenoria's direction. From her position, Lenoria raised a hand in an effort to make them stop talking. "Then it's settled. We'll take the Argo Navis to the base of the mountain and continue on foot. Thanks a bunch for the offer, Caesar."

Caesar responded with a grin. "Hoist anchor, Cecilia! We're taking off!"

"Aye, captain!" Holding a gemstone of her own, Cecilia made her way to the railing. "This will take a minute, so you have that much to unload your stuff from the platforms, you scalawags!"

"We better start unloading, then." Lenoria was the first to head back to the cable car and was soon joined by Alistair.

"I-I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to take the longer route without reason."

"I know, I know. Don't worry about it," the girl said with a pat on the shoulder for reassurance. They returned to the cable car and made their way to the back door, which led to a platform attached to the car that contained their belongings (and Chestnut) inside four walls made of metal bars. The goblin crew was already in the process of lowering a metal bridge from the platform to connect it to the unloading bay, which would allow Alistair to guide the wagon out of the platform without any bumps.

Lenoria sat next Alistair as he directed Chestnut back to the railing. The goblin crew followed closely behind, and the little green men's mouths opened and remained agape when they noticed a galleon floating in the air beyond the railing as if it were anchored at a dock in the ocean shores. A wide gangplank had been lowered, with Caesar already on board at the other side beckoning for everyone to get in.

Clara and Aquamarine were the first to walk on the gangplank, casually talking to each other as they did. They were followed by the pirate crew, and lastly Cecilia. The goblins, seeing this, carried the party's belongings and set them down once they were safely inside the galleon.

"How in the world can you keep this ship afloat?" Lorak shouted from the station. A crowd had started to gather and marvel at the phenomenon in front of them. Concerned merchants remained in their stalls while children tried to slip away in vain from their parents' grasp to take a closer look.

"It's magic," Cecilia said. "I don't have to explain diddily squat."

"Oh, come on." Lorak turned to Caesar. "From one seaman to another, you have to tell me your secret."

"Sorry, pal. I have to back up my chief mate on this one," Caesar said.

"Please?"

Alistair watched the exchange between the two, which he found amusing. His smile disappeared when he looked back at Lenoria, who seemed despondent once again. "Everything okay? We'll be in Goodsprings soon."

"You're right." It would still be a little while before they actually arrived, but morning wasn't that far off. "I...I guess we'll be parting ways pretty soon, huh?"

"Parting ways? Oh..." Alistair remembered the talk they had on their first visit to the Ezmestli inn. "R-right. In light of recent events, I could always postpone a visit to my family. B-besides, I haven't been gone for long, so I doubt they miss me yet, anyway."

"Are you sure?" Lenoria twiddled her thumbs. "You don't have to do that for my sake, you know. They're your family, right? I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Honestly, I don't mind at all. Besides, I made a promise, didn't I?"

Lenoria shivered at the emotions that ran through her. The two gazed at each other, having nothing else to say. But the message was clear between them; Alistair wasn't going anywhere. His journey back to Thule began with a promise to escort the girls across the border, and now he has sworn to protect Lenoria with his life. That promise extended to everyone else, as well, even Caesar. But the paladin's main concern was his love. A maniac who had tormented her had broken out of jail, and there was no telling when he would strike.

Love. The thought of it was as exhilarating as it was scary for Alistair. It had almost been two weeks since they started this journey, and only three since they met. Was it safe to utter those three sacred words this early? Were those words something Lenoria needed to hear now? Should he wait for a more appropriate time? When was the appropriate time? After Starflower has been struck down? Why are Lenoria's lips slightly opened? Why is she closing her eyes? Why is she getting closer? Why-?

"Hey, lovebirds!" A blunt object THUNK'd Lenoria on the head before it landed on the seat and rolled away into the dirt below. Lenoria looked over at the insolent halfling back on the ship, who had clearly thrown a rock at her. "If you don't hurry up, we're leaving without you."

"I had almost forgotten about that. My apologies." Alistair flicked the reins to get Chestnut to move once more. Once Cecilia went deeper inside the ship, the paladin felt something warm smooch him on the cheek. His face had almost gone numb from the mountain air, but he definitely felt that, as quick as it was.

"I have to be quick when I'm around you, or else someone's going to try and stop me," Lenoria confessed.

"I-I understand, Lenoria. I don't mind. Um, why is your face red?"

"Still dense, I see..." Lenoria cleared her throat. "I-It's just the mountain air. It's getting a little hard to breathe at this altitude, so we better get to lower ground." Finally making it inside the ship, Alistair and Lenoria hopped off the wagon as Caesar and Wulf pulled the wooden bridge back inside. The rest of the trip to Norwich was a blur for Lenoria. Never taking her eyes off of Alistair, it was as if she was looking at the face of an angel.