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Third Energy Research - Subject Eighteen ("Lea Monde")

28-11-2048

Recorded by Dr. Andrea Dixon

Our next experiment is rather unusual, since it's essentially a repeat of Subject One. Our plan is to undo the effects caused by the intervention of James, who for reasons unknown siphoned energy from our gravity well in order to fuel his own experiment to summon the city of Lea Monde to this world. Oddclaw has aided us with information he brought from the guardian, known only as Baldwin, with help from Watterson and Drumarien in the previous year. We are prepared to engage and befriend whoever arrives, hoping that we can send the city back to whence it came. However, before doing so, we must bring James back from the city's barricaded depths, and hold him to account for his actions.

" You get all that?" said Thomas through the comms.

"Yes," Oddclaw nodded, "find any new visitors, tell them about the city and bring them to you."

" I want this to go as clean as possible, we have to make certain that whoever comes through here should be willing to work with us, and hopefully find some means of entering Lea Monde."

"I un-derstand, Thomas. I will do my best."

He clicked off the radio and put it in his satchel, the raptor stretching his arms out with a grunt as he checked his belt and holster with shotgun against his thigh. The cave in the Dry Mountain was a place he rarely went to these days, the starch air making his nostrils feel cracked with a smacking of his lips as he stared down at the cubby hole where his tools sat, next to the laser rifle as Oddclaw petted it fondly.

"Poor Starfire, not had to fight many stonebeasts have you? Well, perhaps it is best. We always hope for the day we never need to fight again."

"But what of the hunt?"

He looked up to see the large steel mantis by the entrance.

"Is not the hunt itself a fight?"

"True, but would we all not want food without struggle?" The raptor pulled a rock over the hole to hide his tools. "How are you Stonevoice?"

"Good thank you," he bowed his solar rim, "the greatmoon has passed and the coldfire has begun again."

"Yes the hairless told me," Oddclaw patted his radio, "there will come new starbeasts and I must find them soon as we can. Did Barkclaw sense anything?"

"He did, he wants to speak with you."

They headed out from the cave and down the Dry Mountain through the forest, a cool breeze of the morning sun biting through the raptor's scales as they hopped over logs and swerved through trees with a quickening pace. The outer edge of the Hunters' Nest was as jubilant as ever, the sounds and scents of raptor families a constant cacophony that swelled Oddclaw's heart as he went to the southeast tip of the territory to the large stone and set of tree stumps full of crawling bugs that cloistered around a dull-brown raptor they mistook for an old tree.

"Hello brother!" He barked without turning his head. "How are you?!"

"Good thank you!" His brother sat. "Any new friends Barkclaw?"

"Yes, a few." He waggled his claws feeling centipedes slide around his belly. "This one is having babies, her family came from the Deep Mountain."

"That is good! Stonevoice said you had something to tell me?"

"OH, yes!" He shook his head slightly as a dragonfly crept near his eye. "This one came from where the Waterjaws are, he flew here three days and nights before."

"Is something wrong there?" Oddclaw asked leaning closer.

"The air is...odd. Something came, a dead beast they cannot eat, cannot touch."

"I learned more from them too," said Stonevoice tapping his chest, "they said that this dead beast came from the sea, and now lurks hiding within a cave."

"A cave?" Oddclaw felt a tightness in his stomach. "I see. Thank you, I must go find this beast."

"Will you need our help?"

"I will ask the alpha first," the raptor stood up, "but I would like you two to sya and protect the nest."

"Okay brother," Barkclaw sighed with relief causing wings to flutter on his nose, "be careful!"

Watching his brother swish his tail with butterflies creeping up his back, Oddclaw stepped between the nests with a call to his mother rousing from her sleep within his home as she chirped back at him, scritching her necklace of small black claws before curling up again. Approaching the large menhir hill he found Fishclaw lounging in the sun, savouring the heat by himself in his own nest outside of the rocky crags.

"Gooood morning."

"I know what you want." The silver-eyed raptor blinked open. "You want to travel somewhere and fight a beast."

"How did you know?!"

"Starleaf." He looked up with a gentle song through his ears. "What beast is this then?"

"The hairless have told me to find new starbeasts to befriend."

GREAT MOON AWOKE WHEN WE SLEPT

"Ahhhh yes," Fishclaw raised his head with a yawn, "the coldfire, and you wish to go?"

"Tell my family when they return too," Oddclaw nodded, "are you alright brother?"

"Oh I am very well thank you," he swung his tail out to tap his leg, "this has been quite a calm cycle, despite these deadbeasts you fought none of which have even come close to us."

"They cannot journey far from the firecave," said the anthro scratching his head, "the deepblood that keeps them alive is bound to the cave, and if they journey too far, it turns dry."

"Hhhhh...it is odd, I find more odd beasts but I have had far less trouble as an alpha for how few come to our nests."

"That is good yes?"

"Very much so," Fishclaw stretched his legs and sat up with a creak, "I have you to thank of course, and the hairless have done their best despite also being the ones to bring such starbeasts here."

"But we have made new friends!" Oddclaw grinned spreading his arms. "Look at Stonevoice, Barkclaw has never been happier!"

"True and he makes a very good scout himself, one that does not even need to be fed."

"So yes, I will be going to the Waterjaws to search for starbeasts, tell my family I will return in...six days."

"Alright then, be safe brother."

WINDS OF HOPE CARRY YOUR HEART

"Starleaf also hopes you stay safe."

"Thank you, goodbye!"

Heading out west beyond the reach of the nests, Oddclaw hoofed through the plains as the sun rose high and the winds faded to a gentle whisper. For a moment he took his time, spreading his arms wide to sigh and unclench his muscles with a whip of his tail as he savoured the peace. His eye turned towards the Skylands as he felt a cold chill through his belly, rubbing the old scar where a deep black line still remained on his skin.

"Oddie, ODDIE!"

The call of two females came from behind as he turned to find his twin sisters, both with one eye green and one eye hazel reversed of each other's look.

"ODDIE, Oddie, are you gonna meet the Waterjaws?!"

"Can we come too?!"

"What, wha-why?!" he stammered switching between both.

"Well," Leafrunner bit her feet, "just, weeeee heard about the deadbeast and-"

"We wanna help too!" shouted Sandrunner snapping the air. "What's wrong with that?!"

"Nothing," Oddclaw grinned petting them, "but what about your children, will they be alright withou-"

"OH our mates have them, it's their turn to look after them!"

"Yeah!" Leaf nipped at his head with a chirp. "We never hunted a deadbeast and yanno, we missed hunting with our baby brother!"

"How do you know I am going to fight a deadbeast?" he cocked his head with a squinting eye.

"We heard you talking with Fishy!"

"Do not call him that he is our alpha now-"

"PFFT nah, he'll always be our big Fishy brother!"

"And YOU are our little baby brother, always!"

They both slurped his face and nuzzled him before they each took one arm and dragged him through the dirt, leaving him helpless as he kicked and sputtered all the way across the western field.

"WH-what, LET ME GO!"

"MM-MMH, yer takin' us with you!" shouted one.

"Yeah we wanna journey too!" squeaked the other.

"S-SAND, LEAF, STOP IT ALRIGHT YOU CAN COME WITH ME JUST LET ME GO!"

Eventually they did, nipping at his head with teasing bites as they galloped around him like horses, kicking clouds of dust before they raced him to the next rock and then the next one after whilst he kept his eye out for fiends on the horizon. The sun glistened on their backs as they briefly encountered some of the undead sea beasts lurking by the cliff of the northern shore, circling around the perimeter as much as their reach would allow them to as Oddclaw warned his sisters to skirt and evade round them to the cavern passage between the mountain and the red canyon. The Jaws of the Earth remained an unflinching chasm, a blood-drenched rift that were one to approach its edge would be forgiven for thinking it reached to the very centre of the earth.

But beyond that, to the north of it where its boundary met the Skylands, there was the cave passage that led the three raptors to the Land Before, the sprawling wide marshy hills of emerald gleam and soft pools of rainwater that gathered inside the little valleys. Much to his relief Oddclaw's sisters kept the pace, finding themselves shelter when needed and not spending too long when hunting to feed despite their constant playfighting and goading him into small wrestling matches.

"Come on Oddie!"

"NNNNGH!"

"PFFFT what's wrong you lost your teeth COME ON BITE ME!"

"NNNNNRRRGH!"

"HAH, nope!"

Leafrunner shoved him against a hill when he tried to bite down on her throat, hitting the back of his head on the dirt to have him release before she reached back to clamp on his neck in revenge.

"YEAAAAH GET 'IM SIS!"

Sandrunner shouted from the sidelines as she watched her sister bite deeper, just on the edge of hitting pain as Oddclaw scrabbled and pushed against her face until he grabbed her snout and twisted her down with a firm wrench and the pulling of her teeth from his neck. Her breath grazed his cheek with thick meaty snarl before he kicked both his feet into her chest and sent her rolling into the dirt.

"Hah...aaaaah, you win."

"YESSSS!"_Leafrunner cackled kicking her feet in the air. _"Told ya I would!"

"Alright, alright let us go we are close to the Waterjaws now."

"What are they like?!" she asked rolling back on her feet.

"I have not met them often, I have one friend with them who helped me before."

"So how do we fight a deadbeast?!" snorted Sand strolling up to him. "Isn't it already dead?!"

"My fire works," he patted his gun, "do not get close, and do NOT touch their deepblood, it is poison."

"Ugh that's so BORING, you mean we just have to stay away and you get all the fun?!"

"You wanted to come with me!"

"Yeah but-"

"Siiiis it's fine," Leafrunner licked her face, "we're just having a journey with our baby brother, any way we can help is good!"

"Mmmm...yeah, you're right, we're just happy to help!"

She gave a look to Sand and a whispering purr just out of earshot from Oddie. The sisters swished their tails and headed on behind him as they soon reached the swamp, the stench of the stagnant water mixed with the salt of the sea causing them to wrinkle their snouts and shudder as they walked through the puddles of thick slime and treaded over sunken logs. The deep sounds of kaprosuchus brayed across the foetid marshes as they saw lurching shapes shiver from the waters, large crocodilians with tall legs that stood in front of the raptors.

"Halt. Why have you come?"

"I am Oddclaw, of the Swiftclaws." He lowered his head in respect. "I have a friend here known as Frozentongue, I am here to help with a deadbeast that was seen here."

"You know Frozentongue?! Hmmm...wait here."

One of the crocs lumbered off as four others kept watch, judging the raptors silently whilst the two sisters cringed with a sneeze.

"UGHKH, smells like shit!" Leafrunner snorted.

"Now you know how I feel next to you," Oddclaw poked his tongue.

"Wh-WHAT!? You wanna fight again?!"

"Uuugh don't do it here!" Sand shouted. "You might fall in and drown!"

"He just-what you want me to do then?!"

"I dunno, I just wanted to see if she was here!"

"Who?" Oddclaw turned to her.

"UH, um...y-your friend?"

"You did not know about my friend until today."

"Wwwwweeeeeeelll now I do!" She put on her boldest face with stiffening eyes before her sister leapt in.

"Doesn't maaaatter we're just helping out right Oddie?!"

"Hm," he bopped her head with a smirk, "now please be nice to my friend when we see her."

"What course we will, any friend of Oddie's is a friend of ours-OH, LOOK!"

Walking from the mists of the marsh was a large familiar croc with half her tongue missing. But the raptor she walked with caught their attention almost immediately by the long curved fang against her chin.

"Wha-...E-eggfang?!" Oddclaw gasped.

"OOOoOOOOOOH!" Sandrunner barked with a teasing swish. "Siiiis look who it iiiiis!"

"What a surpriiiiise!" Leafrunner snickered.

"Oh...you cannot be serious," Eggfang shook her head, "what are you two doing here?!"

"We were just helping little brother!" she nudged against Oddie and walked forth as the crocs parted. "HI, I'm Leafrunner!"

"I'm Sandrunner!"

"Uhm mudthleeper." The croc huffed at them. "Nush tuu meetcha."

"...uhhh, okayyy?"

"Hmhmhuhuh, naww uhm Frozhentung uhm jusht foolin' ya."

"Still neither of you answered why are you here," Eggfang nipped at their heads.

"OW, h-hey!"

"Siiiiis come oooon!" they whinged as she pulled at their faces.

"W-we just wanted to come with Oddie we promise!"

"Hm." She pushed past them to look at her brother. "You are looking well."

"Thank you!" He hugged her with a lick. "I came to help with the dead beast but, I did not know you were here!"

"Hmhmhm." She nuzzled along his neck. "Such a good brother you are, showing up just when I need you."

"Ohhh?"

"I was just about to return to our home to find you, seeing you can fight these deadbeasts well."

"Yah?" Frozentongue sniffed his chest. "Whut yuu got fer 'em?"

"My fire." He pulled out his shotgun. "I fought the deadbeasts before, this will kill them."

"Huh! Guud, ulright let'zh take yah tuu zhuh ulphuh."

"NOT you two," Eggfang pushed her sisters back, "you are going to tell me why you came along."

"Zhizhterzh uhhr duh wursht, yuu dun wan hulp?"

"I think I will be fine."

"Uhlright, zhee yuu in muh nezht Eggy."

"Wait, Eggy?!"

The two sisters gasped with widening eyes and a shivering of excitement. Eggfang clenched with a sour look to Frozentongue who simply chortled with a deep croak as she took Oddclaw deep in the swamp.

"Sooooo!" Sandrunner slipped behind Eggfang. "Who's yer friiiiend?"

"No one!" she shouted. "Just a friend!"

"A SPECIAL friiiiiend?" Leafrunner sneaked the other way.

"Frozentongue has been helping me in my scouting."

"You're really far away to be scouting."

"Yeah a little TOO far," Sandrunner repeated as their tails dragged along her neck, "come ooooon you can tell us."

"Did you find a maaaate?"

" No."

Her teeth almost crunched together as they backed off with a sharp hiss. They broke soon after with a snickering cackle almost in stereo as their older sister turned away with a huff whilst the rest of the crocs sludged back into the swamps.

"I weep for your children, I really do."

"Oh they're fine!" Leaf scooted up beside her. "Our mates have been the best."

"I would hope so since I am not there to care for them."

"Do...d-do you want to?"

"Why would she wanna do that?!" Sand scoffed on her other side. "They're not hers, it's boring looking after someone else's-"

"That is not true." Eggfang looked to them both. "I love looking after your children, did I always not say our family needed two mothers?"

"Wait...what?"

"Please never think that I hated caring for your children, sisters. Even when I was looking after you and our brothers, no matter how frustrating you got, I enjoyed it because...well, I am not sure why."

"Are you serious?" Leafrunner blinked bending her head. "I mean, I love our children they're great but, sometimes I do wanna get away from them to just...but why would you like that when they're not yours?"

"I..." she looked away, "I do not need a reason. I have always just been like a mother...all my life. It makes me happy to care for children."

"Well...why not get your own?" Sandrunner sniffed at her neck. "Then you can do it every day-"

"I...I-i just have not found the right mate yet-"

"Then we'll help you!"

"Yeah!" Leafrunner chirped. "We can help you find a mate, maybe one of the bloodfeathers, they're pretty fun!"

"Thank you but," Eggfang pulled back with a sigh, "I will be fine."

"You sure, we wanna help we really do!"

"No no! Just...well...if you ever need an extra mother for your children, let me know."

"Um, okay!" They nuzzled her together. "Yer always welcome with us, Eggy."

"Hahah...thank you."

"And you have fought them before?" asked the ginormous alpha before him.

"Yes," Oddclaw bowed, "my fire can kill them, it burns the deepblood away."

"I see," the sarcosuchus shifted his weight, "Eggfang herself said she was to bring you here, how did you arrive so swift?"

"Uhhh, he'zh uh zhwiftklaw?" Frozentongue chuckled bumping him.

"I have a brother who can hear the smallwings," the raptor explained, "they spoke of the deadbeast from the sea, so I came to help."

"Awww fankzh Udd, yer guud tuu uzh!"

"Indeed," her leader purred causing the mud to shudder under their feet, "we have kept our distance from the beast after three of our guards tried to attack it, only to become poisoned by its blood. They are lost to the sea, and never returned."

"I am sorry to hear," the raptor clenched his fists, "I will avenge them, the beast will not live past this day."

"Be warned, this beast is a greatfish, far greater than we have seen and we only consider it less of a threat because it never manages to reach our home."

"Zhtill bad ulphuh," Frozentongue stomped the earth with a snarl, "uh wuuda fought it but, poizhon'zh too zhtrong fer uzh."

"I know you are the strongest of us," the huge beast rubbed her snout with his own, "but this is one beast that cannot be killed by strength alone."

"Then I will be honoured to kill it for you." Oddclaw turned towards the north. "Where did you see it before?"

"Frozentongue shall guide you, but your fight will have to be alone."

"Khun yuu even zhwim?" she asked nudging him.

"I can yes! But my fire will not work beneath the sea, I must bring it to the shore."

"Huuhuu, now ZHAT'ZH whut ah lahk tu hear!"

"My dear, please." The crocodilian king sighed with his huge body spreading across a tree stump. "Do not lose yourself this day."

"Uhll be fuhn ulphuh, dun worry!" She croaked with a rumbling cackle and slapped Oddclaw with her tail. "Khum on, uhh huff uh plan!"

"GUH, y-yes!"

He almost staggered falling in the mud as he hurried after her, gasping from the sting of her tail against his back as they took the long walk through the swamp to reach the dark stony shore.

"Yer zhizhter'zh great," she said trudging through the mire, "knowzh lotzha zhtuff, gave uzh zhum guud planzh fer hunting."

"That is good," Oddclaw smiled, "she has always been the cleverest of our family."

"Even luukzh ufter muh kidzh when uh go hunt! Zhey luv her!"

"Really?! Hm, even away from our nest she never changes but, what is she doing here, do you know?"

"Uh dunno," the croc lurched in a vague shrug, "uzhk her, zhe juzht wanna hulp."

"Hmmm..." the raptor rubbed his cheek and pondered gazing at the sky, "this greatfish, what should I know about it?"

"It khun get to zhore," she turned her head back to him, "big klawzh it khun zhwipe ya wif, lung jawzh, khun zhwim VURY fazht, don't go in zhuh water."

"What was your plan then?"

"Uhll go in zhuh water, lure it to zhuh zhore an' you burn it GOOD!"

"Wh-what?!" He jumped over a log to stand beside her. "F-frozentongue that is too dangerous"

"Naw uhll be fuhn, khum on!"

"What if something happens to you?"

"Yuu ulmozht died in zhuh Deep Hunger'zh khave but yer zhtill uhlive, yah?"

"Well...that was only because I had many friends with me, it is just us."

"Zho?" She grabbed his arm in her jaws with a playful nom. "Yer a better hunter now, an' ahm zhtill zhuh zhtrongezht waterjaw, nuffin khun kill uzh now."

"Let us be cautious at least."

"Heheh...yuu zhound lahk yer zhizhter. Ulright, let'zh be khareful."

The shore was dark and dismal, even in the light of the sun the pebbles littering the beach were dull and dead under their feet. The ocean felt barren yet restless, a seething froth storming around the rocky plinths half-sunk within the waves as they watched and waited. The marsh had ended where the scrubland had met, thick gluey waters turning dry a few feet from the sands.

"Get ready," the kaprosuchus went forth into the sea, "uhll bring it here."

"Alright," he said bringing out his gun, "I will wait here."

With a canter of her scaly legs the croc-beast jumped into the water against the waves splashing over her face, swimming out with strong equine limbs that paddled furious into the depths with her tail swishing out behind. She disappeared as Oddclaw waited, the shadow of the Skylands looming above him to the east as he saw vague shadows of the flyers circling the sky, stretching shadows over the land. Something bubbled from the depths as he braced his gun, slipping his claw against the trigger and taking aim as the snout of Frozentongue lurched back out of the sea.

"UHHH, prublum!"

"What?!"

"Zhumfin's fightin' it already, zhum...luuk lahk me!"

"Looks like you, what do you mean?!"

"Zhum uvver beazht, luuk lahk me but azh zhmall azh yuu!"

The ocean crept with snarling seethe as something fumed beneath the surface. A long dark shadow could be seen as a creature circled frantically with flashing tail smacking out of the waves causing a pale foam to thicken around it. Then they saw it, rising from the depths with a mighty roar was a monstrous Mosasaurus, a cross between a giant crocodile and a ferocious pike with flippers of wretched bone jutting out the tips and a colossal body reaching towards 60 feet from head to tail. Its flesh was half-decayed and peeling off with every second in oily drapes, darkening the ocean behind it as it burst within a cloud of white froth. Upon its head however was a smaller bronze-tanned beast, a crocodilian snout with a body resembling Oddclaw's, draped in shining armour with a sword in one hand and a long shield in the other.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!"

The monster thrashed with a snarling rage, guttural sounds from its wretched throat drooling darkness as the stranger rode upon its head with sword piercing down between its eyes. The small beast leapt off its head, backflipping through the air to land upon the rocky plinth amongst the torpid fury of the waves.

"_COME ON YOU BASTARD, FACE ME IN HELL! _"

"WHO IZHAT?!" barked Frozentongue.

"I-i do not know!" gasped Odd. "I think...wait, he wears stone like-OH! THE STARBEAST!"

"WHUT ANUVVER WUN!?"

The rotting beast lunged towards the knight with a shocking speed, crunching its skull against the rock as he leapt back to another point with sharply-balanced feet upon its tip, slashing across the monster's face with two diagonal strikes and a single downwards cleave before thrusting in its deadened eye.

"YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF THE SEA?! I'VE FOUGHT WORSE THAN YOU!"

Roaring against the blade of the knight, the mosasaurus surged upon the rocks almost scarring its belly to attack him as he swung up his shield to block against its vicious jaws, teeth scraping over the symbol of its front before the shield bashed it aside in a double-whack. The stranger swung his sword in a gliding cut across the eyes, blinding it briefly before thrusting straight in its head once more and opening the wound in the centre of its skull, crusted blood oozing with the grey sickly matter of its brain half-decomposed. Lunging hard it almost knocked the swordsman on his back, who leapt in a brief stagger and shielded himself to allow himself to be pushed away, landing upon a rocky point with perfect balance.

Oddclaw squinted at the fight, seeing the knight's sword as as long as his leg, thin with an ivory-gold blade that sat within a curved hilt emblazoned with flames around the handgrip, a fuller of shining lapis lazuli travelling the length of the blade's centre. But he recognised the shield's pattern, much to his shock but equally to his joy for the fact it was an inverse of the tattoo he had seen on Baldwin's back. A decorated blade pointing upwards, with a cross over the centre.

"YES, YES!" The raptor cried. "THAT IS HIM, THE ONE I AM SEARCHING FOR!"

"Whuh?!" Frozentongue snarled.

"The hairless told me to find starbeasts that were coming here, they can help me rescue my friend!"

"Yuu didn't tell me zhat!"

"I did not think they were here, but I DID come to fight the deepblood, that is a promise."

"Ulright well, if we're all fightin' zhum deepblood zhit it'zh all good wif me."

"HOOOOOOIIII!" Oddclaw shouted from the beach waving his arms. "HERE, HERE, WE FIGHT THE BEAST, TOGETHER!"

"HUH?!" The knight turned to look once before leaping back from the monster's jaws.

"I CAN KILL THE BEAST, I HAVE FIRE!"

"ALRIGHT!"

The stranger backed up to the edge of the rocks, trapped between the mosasaurus and the sea when the creature loomed closer with dragging flippers of huge bony claws revealed underneath the scarred flesh, swiping with primal fury as the knight who parried fast with his shield and brought out from his satchel a small pistol. He fired in the air with a cracking boom, a sharp ringing across the beach as Oddclaw heard someone approach from the east. Frozentongue snarled bracing for a fight as she turned and swung her tail, but the one who came next was beyond their reach.

"AERO, FRATREM!"

A gust of shocking wind rippled across the sea, tearing through the waves like a brisk tornado as the knight upon the rocks watched for the approaching gale. The monster lurched with a vile crunch as he jumped on its head, racing down its entire back before he leapt into the whirlwind with his shield under his feet like a board. Closing his eyes shut he felt the spiral whirl him viciously fast, spinning him back to shore as the creature came hounding towards him with a beastly hunger, roaring from its undying throat as it tore through the water with the speed of a torpedo straight towards Oddie and Frozen.

"LOOK OUT!"

"PROTEGAT!"

A shimmering light crossed their eyes of sweet sunkissed cyan, just before the monster hit with its jaws crunching against the rock, hitting its head against an invisible barrier as it rolled clumsy upon the shore.

"You alright?!"

The croc of human size stood beside them with a hand to the raptor.

"Y-...yes!" Oddclaw grabbed him with a sigh. "Are you from-"

"Talk later we got a monster to purify! FAYNE, GARDIH SECAMAN!"

"JANA VAISZH!"

The one he called to from the eastern side was a creature that Oddclaw was shocked to see resemble Baldwin, down to the four long ears but there the resemblance ended for this creature had a richer tone of copper skin, a robe of white and baby-blue with a bishop's mitre crowned upon his head, where a beard of bristles draped the entirety of his snout.

"N'ayekhaf," he spoke with guttural slur, "jana protegahmik."

"Um, alright yes," Oddclaw nodded.

"Whut'zh goin' on?!" Frozentongue shouted slapping her tail. "Zhum zhtarbeazht wunna fight now?!"

"No!" he put his hand to her. "No they are helping us, they can fight the deepblood!"

"Ugh, uhvrywun getzh tuu fight but me, zhit make me wizh uh didn't wake up tuhday."

"It is fine, we fight together! Come on!"

Witness to the fight upon the shore, they watched the knight engage with the dreaded beast of the depths as the mosasaur snarled with black drool down its lips, trudging its thick clawed clippers over the pebbles to lunge and snap at the croc humanoid who dodged left and slashed an upwards strike over its face, tearing through the cheek to expose the sheer bone as it swung its body back towards the water. Frozentongue came running at full pelt, biting at its tail and pulling it hard back against the stony shore as the mosasaur turned to strike with its appendage, whipping hard for her face as she went tumbling to the side with a grunt before Oddclaw leapt in front of its turning face to fire one shot, crackling fire bursting across its tarnished skull when it shrieked with infernal cry.

"DON'T LET IT ZHWIM!" she barked staggering up. "IT'ZH FAZHTER IN WATER!"

"KEEP IT OUT OF THE WATER!" Oddclaw repeated.

"YEAH I GOT THAT CHIEF!" the knight shouted. "FAYNE, PURIFARHNI!"

The bangaa raced towards his side whilst the raptor and kaprosuchus took charge of the fight. The monstrous jaws snapped towards Oddie with a crunch, scooping some of the stones in its mouth that it hurled with surprising accuracy to pelt him in the head and send him falling. Frozentongue came charging from the side of its jaw, boldly slamming her head into its chin before savagely biting one of its large loosened teeth to wrench it violently from its gums, cracking the root and almost taking the gum lining with it as it roared in instinctive anguish. Dodging under the swiping crunch of its maw, the prehistoric croc ran from one side to the other and chomped upon its flipper with savage strength, twisting the digits out of joint as hard as she could before Oddclaw took a second shot at its wounded mouth to further cripple its biting force. It was enough a distraction for the one known as Fayne to reach the knight.

"Szha vant mon bakhour?!"

"Jana bikhayr, bialmuste ennuqat."

"Arrequf ean plaiszhanter!" the bearded bangaa stomped his foot. "Je n'aszht bihaszhoin delaa maintalan!"

"Hahahaha," the knight smooched his face, "tuant latignon quandama tu es taghou."

"Hmph. SZHANCTUSZH!"

He raised his staff to envelop a shining light over the stranger's sword, turning it almost pure white with blinding force.

"Netil prodhab l'agondha de alwete, Kruzh. Nouszhan zhomme fi muhisszhion."

"Jana veux pas Fayne," he stroked the bangaa's bristled cheek. "Maikank tulam sainan que je ser'akun toujana rajomme de la albehr."

The bangaa rolled his eyes as they turned towards the scene of carnage, the raptor and kaprosuchus constantly antagonising the undead beast with biting wrenching teeth and high-flying kicks to keep it distracted. Furious at their interference, the mosasaur spun itself round in a vile swing of its tail, throwing its entire body against Frozentongue to throw her down and almost crush her under its weight whilst hurling Oddclaw back with a club of the tail against his belly. Seeing the ancient croc shudder with pain, the bishop in muddying clothes cast a pale green light towards her body that suddenly refreshed her spirit, opening vessels and knitting wounds with a soothing aura that kissed upon her scales.

"U-uh?!" She looked to Fayne who nodded in respect. "Uh, fankzh!?"

"REGABA!"

He pointed to the undead beast aiming its sight upon her as she leapt out of its path, taking a huge sidestep before she whipped her body round to whack her tail against the exposed root canal that sent a shuddering agony through its head, shutting it down brief for the knight known as Kruz to tear one of its flippers to pieces with a golden swing of his enchanted sword. The strength of the holy spell channelling through it made the Dark shiver with ancestral fear, trembling in the heart of the beast as its flipper was severed clean off its side and crippled its mobility.

"HEY HANDSOME!" Kruz shouted to Oddclaw. "GET THIS THING ON ITS BACK, I NEED TO STAB ITS HEART!"

"ALRIGHT!" the raptor turned to Frozentongue. "Get it on its back, the starbeast can destroy its heart!"

"ULRIGHT, HMHUHUH, NOW ITSH MAH KINDA HUNT!"

She cackled with bloodlust as she barged into its chin, smacking its head upwards before Oddclaw fired at the side to send it lurching violently to the left. It was not enough to overturn the beast, as Fayne kept on point to heal anyone that was attacked or thrown aside by the mosasaur's wretched swipes and crushing tail that slammed the stones of the shore and sent scattering shrapnel to rake across their flesh. Piling against the creature's side the fighters went en masse against it, but still it would not budge, and the one time it did almost roll over it flipped completely with a sudden hard roll that crunched the stones and threatened to crush them, recovering fast to swing its entire body in a wild hurricane as its tail flattened all three of the assaulting reptiles.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" Kruz snorted with a lumpen head. "HEY HANDSOME, I GOT A PLAN!"

"WHAT?!" Oddclaw cried.

"SHOOT HIS EYE THEN MY SHIELD, I'LL DEFLECT YOUR FIRE AND WE BLIND HIM TOGETHER!"

"WILL THAT WORK?!"

"MIGHT AS WELL!"

"Frozentongue!" he called to the croc-beast. "Attack its jaw again, I have a plan!"

"Ulright!"

Clicking his gun Oddclaw took aim towards Kruz who stood the other side of the creature's head. Firing once into the monster's eye it reeled back in snarling pain before the raptor blasted a cloud of hot fire towards the knightly shield. The polished surface almost absorbed the flames before turning into a hot stream that shone a blinding force into the creature's other eye. Taking the charge once again, Frozentongue roared with another slamming strike beneath the monster's jaw, galloping at full tilt to hoist her entire back against the underside of its chin and send it reeling back. Fayne saw his chance and with a swing of his staff sent a shattering orb of white, launching it upwards beneath its neck with a small explosion of purest holy might, forcing it completely on its back as Kruz leapt upon its belly.

"BEGONE FOUL BEAST!"

With a plunging sword of piercing light, he split the mosasaur's heart into twain as it came apart like ashen dust, roaring its final shriek as the darkness within was suddenly burnt to a withering cinder. Wreaths of smoke drifted to fade in the sky forever, as the deadened corpse of the beast from the sea laid lifeless at last upon the shore with moth-eaten hide and pale bone. The knight stepped off its body with a swish of his blade, the light fading from it as he sheathed it to a scabbard at his waist, with his shield attaching to a hook on his back.

"Hoooo...not fought any sea monster that big before." He walked up to the raptor and kaprosuchus. "Thanks for helping us out, you must be the local guard round here huh?"

"Oh, no that is her," Oddclaw pointed to Frozentongue, "I came here to help but I live far away."

"Hah same here, funny that." He offered his right hand. "Kruz Underwood, paladin of Lea Monde."

"Oddclaw, ambass-sidor of the raptors!" He shook his hand in turn. "I have been waiting for you!"

"Yeah, really?"

"Yes, we know about Lea Monde, the humen told me that we need your help."

"You know our city already? Wait!" Kruz turned towards the bangaa bishop. "Fayne, ils yaerissent ean notratina!"

"Vraiqaa?!" he gasped walking over. "Yaerivent szhiidha Baldwin va bikhyr?!"

"Baldwin!" The raptor clapped. "I know Baldwin, yes, he helped us!"

"Woah woah, hold on, hold on." Kruz put a hand on each of them before turning to Oddie. "You met Baldwin?"

"Yes."

"Is he alright?"

"I am...well, I met him a year before, I do not know what happened, we cannot get inside the city because something trapped him and my friend James."

"Jameszh?!" the bangaa clutched his head. "Haszht-il hunici audana?!"

"No no, no," Kruz stroked his bearded snout, "padhlk James, l'aukhar aldh'elle akhbanous biht."

"Do you know James?!" Oddclaw looked between them.

"No sorry," the gator waved his hand, "my husband's just worried about your friend trapped in the depths, people outside of our city don't really know what's waiting for them down there."

"I will call the humen, they will tell you everything."

"Alright."

The raptor pulled out his radio and clicked to send.

"Hello, Oddclaw here."

" Alrigh' dab," Holt's voice came ringing through.

"I found the starbeasts, tell Thomas to pick us up at the beach, west of the Skylands, just north of the Waterjaws' home."

" Aw buzzin', nice work Odd, see ya back at base!"

"They will come soon," he turned back to Kruz pocketing his radio, "please wait here, it will not be long."

"No problem," the knight shrugged, "not like I have anything else to do?"

"Who IZH zhat?" Frozentongue walked up to the bipedal croc with a curious sniff. "Yuu...zhmell different but...luuk zhorta lahk me."

"Oh, hi!" He waved politely. "Didn't I see you at the kremling kavalcade like thirty years ago, lived in a volcano, swimming in lava, may have jumped on your head like an odd fifty-dozen times?"

"This is Frozentongue," Oddclaw gestured, "she protects this place."

"Well you did a damn good job helping us out, you like meat?"

The kremling pulled out a small sealed box containing a few meaty rations, offering a thick chunk of salted meat to the kaprosuchus who sniffed tentative before opening her giant jaw to let it be tossed in.

"KHRN...mmmmhhhh! UHHH, zhat good! MMMMH, yer ulright zhtonejaw!"

"She loves it!" Oddclaw cried.

"Well she earned it, call it a fee," Kruz offered the rest as she wolfed it down, "and this here is my husband Fayne sorry for not introducing sooner."

The bangaa shuffled forwards with a nervous step, his scent laden with fear as Kruz put an arm around him and whispered something in his ears.

"H-hah...hello," he spoke in halting English, "I am...Fayne Underwood, of Lea Monde. Thank you for your...u-uh-"

"Help," Kruz added.

"H-help, ah."

"I am Oddclaw," he shook Fayne's hand as Kruz translated, "I will help you find your brother."

"Thank, you, Oddclaw."

"Mmmmnnnh, ulright," the prehistoric croc smacked her lips, "deepblood'zh dead, uhm going back, you zhtaying wif zhem?"

"Yes," the raptor replied, "tell Eggfang I will be going to the hairless' mountain."

"Whut about yer zhizhterzh?"

"They will be fine, Eggfang can take them back."

"Huuhuuh, zhe won't like zhat. Ulright, zhee ya round Uddklaw."

"Take care, thank you!"

The kaprosuchus lumbered off back to the swamp, leaving the three reptiles to stand on the shore next to the fiendish corpse as Fayne gazed around him. A sense of awe took him briefly, the grand mountain of the east piercing the clouds as he felt the ocean tremble behind him.

"//Be thiszh truly another land?//" he whispered in Ivalician.

"//Sure is,//" Kruz rubbed his hand, "//you'll get used to it.//"

"//And he...he lookszh juszht like him, it...incredible.//"

"//Yeah it's even weirder for me considering I've fucked his dad.//"

"//KRUZH, d-do not szhay szhuch thingszh!//"

"//What he can't understand us it's fine watch.//" He turned to Oddclaw. "Did you get what we were saying?"

"Um, wh-what?" the raptor blinked.

"I was asking about that cool gun of yours, I got one myself, dunno if you heard me."

"Oh, no I did not un-derstand what you said, sorry."

"It's fine my bad," Kruz waves his hand, "I have to switch between Ivalician and Kremlish, actually it's kinda weird you speak Kremlish too."

"Well, this is English," he rubbed his throat, "the humen taught me to speak it."

"They taught you pretty damn well, I guess it's one of those common language things huh?"

"Yes, other starbeasts have spoken it too, it is very odd!"

"Sure is! Sooo uh, your gun?"

"OH, yes." The raptor showed off his sawn-off weapon. "It is a shotgun, my best friend gave it to me."

"Daaaaamn very nice, looks like a mini-blunderbuss." The kremling pulled out a flintlock pistol. "This one's mine, had it for years but it only shoots blanks now."

"Why?"

"Well it left a bad taste in my mouth to go shooting folks, that's why I got a sword but I still use it to signal friends, or just to frighten others."

"Ahhh I see."

"Your gun's enchanted though isn't it?" he holstered his pistol.

"Yes," Oddclaw nodded sheathing his, "it was my friend James who made it stronger, I do not need bullets for it now."

"Ohhhh infinite ammo, nice! Saves a lotta gil, and it's uhhh Fira-level right?"

"I think so?"

"Nice, nice, you're gonna be a big help getting our brother back."

He smiled and turned back round to Fayne who still looked and smelt nervous.

"//See he can't hear a thing we say in your language.//"

"//Regardlesszh I think it terribly rude to szhay you had carnal relationszh with hiszh father.//"

"//I dunno, he's...gods he's the spitting image of him it's fucking with my head.//"

"//Kruzh.//" The bangaa tapped his staff firmly upon his head. "//Need I remind you I am your huszhband and you took a vow to honour by me?//"

"//What of course I'm not gonna jump his ass come on Fayne what you take me for?!//"

"//I know you szhtill carry a candle for my former clan leader.//"

"//And I've accepted that and moved on, thanks to you.//" He gripped Fayne's cheeks and gave him a smooch on his beard. "//You've given me more than he could, like stability, a job, a new life and a home of spiritual enlightenment.//"

"//I am very glad to hear.//"

They looked over to Oddclaw briefly as Fayne turned red looking downwards.

"//By Faram'szh graszhe he iszh enormouszh.//"

"//Yeah that thing is a deadly weapon between his legs,//" muttered Kruz, "//how the fuck did James have a kid like him?!//"

"//I am szhertain he had a good reaszhon not to tell uszh. We are entitled to szhome privaszhy.//"

"//You're right, I'm not going to ask him or his son, it might be messy.//"

"//I agree.//"

The ship soon arrived scuttling over the waves as the white-egg Ducky landed on the beach. A short trip past the Skylands and over the Birthlands to the great inner sea, brought them to the T.E.A.R. base where the guards greeted them and they were welcomed in by the two leaders.

"Good afternoon, my name is Thomas Brightman I'm the Major-General of this base and this is Dr. Andrea Dixon our chief physicist."

"Well met," he shook both their hands as did Fayne, "I'm Kruz Underwood, paladin of Lea Monde and this is Fayne Underwood one of our chief bishops."

"Thank you for coming," Andrea bowed at the entrance, "has Oddclaw explained the situation to you?"

"That we were essentially summoned here to help with the underhalf of our city and bring it back home?"

"Exactly yes."

"Uhhh do you mind if I translate all this to my husband?" he pointed to Fayne.

"Actually we have something better." Thomas brought forth two collars with crystals around the rim. "Translating collars, wear these and it auto-translates anything you say to our language. We thought you would need them, we had a friend from Ivalice here already so we already have the settings calibrated to it."

"OH, thanks a lot!"

Briefly explaining them to Fayne, he encouraged the bangaa to clasp one round his neck as the crystals lit up before clearing his throat.

"Hhehem, HHEM AAAH, aaaaah, there onzhe waszh a moogle from Balfonheim, who waszh alwayszh late and never on time."

"Oh don't tell them the rest of that!" Kruz cackled patting his back. "Wow, this...this is kinda weird you sound like a master at my language."

"Truly? I do not feel different, szhtill feel aszh if I am converszhing Ivaliszhian!"

"Does it feel alright?" Oddclaw asked behind him.

"Goodnesszh! I can underszhtand you, what incredible enchantment!"

"Just some good ol' audio-based science," Andrea shrugged, "you can turn it off anytime you want if you rather wanna discuss things in private with your friend."

"Ah, thank you doctor. But yeszh, I can underszhtand you all now."

"Alright so," she beckoned them in as they walked the halls, "our portal technology can send things back that we summoned from another world, but the problem is your city, well, the depths as you said, wasn't brought here by us, so we had no means to send it back."

"That sounds pretty difficult to deal with," Kruz scratched his chin.

"If I heard you correctly," Fayne raised his hand, "you brought uszh here from our world, szho you can szhend uszh back along with the szhity?"

"Exactly," Dixon gave a thumbs up, "glad you caught on quick."

"I am well-verszhed in the arcane, I have encountered...goodnesszh thiszh iszh quite szhome material you conszhtructed."

"You like it? We have some available facilities for you while you stay, food, drink, entertainment, gymnasium and spare rooms."

"What sort of entertainment you guys have?" Kruz asked as two badniks rolled past him.

"Television, movies, a few games."

"Televiszhion?" The bangaa plucked his beard.

"We can show you after," Thomas stepped towards a door, "for now let's get our meeting underway so you're brought up to speed."

"I have to return home," Oddclaw bowed, "I told my family I would return soon."

"Awww, okay," the kremling squeezed his hand, "I wouldn't mind meeting them though, I mean, you did help us out."

"I would like you to meet them too! After you meet Thomas, you can come to my home with Jane, my tribe know her well."

"Awesome, see ya soon I hope."

The raptor took his leave back to the hangar as Kruz and Fayne stepped into the meeting room with Andrea and Thomas. The table laid out the map of the world with an indicated mountain.

"Here is where the city is," Brightman pointed, "Oddclaw went down into the depths to hunt a beast that came through during our last experiment."

"Lea Monde wasn't planned," Dixon added, "only three people were brought from two worlds through my previous experiment, but we later discovered that a friend of ours, James who is skilled in magic, took advantage of my technology to summon the city of Lea Monde."

"A mage did that?" The bishop shook his head. "That cannot be, no szhingle mage could do szhuch a thing, the very noszhion of szheparating Lea Monde in twain iszh nigh-unthinkable!"

"And yet it happened," Kruz tapped his fingers, "I'm honestly amazed the topside of the city didn't collapse."

"When we inveszhtigated, there waszh nothing but rock, filling the entire depth beneath our feet inszhtead of the old townszhip."

"That's what we have here," Thomas tapped the map, "the problem however is there's some kind of forcefield, a barrier keeping us out that wasn't there before."

"James might have put it up," Dixon crossed her arms, "he forced Oddclaw out and trapped himself in with some kind of cave-in."

"And you don't know what his plan is?" the kremling muttered.

"No, we have his notes, but there's a lot of magic script stuff we don't get."

"May I szhee?" Fayne asked leaning forwards. "I do not know if I could help but I do know magic szhcript."

"Sure I mean we did want you to help, Chanoch'll let you in his room but for now why don't I take you to your room and get you folks settled in?"

"Sure, thank you," Kruz bowed heading out the door, "how long do you think we should hang here for?"

"Long as you like," Thomas bowed, "but we do have to send you back within the year to activate the feedback and prepare our next experiment."

"What exactly are you guys doing here anyways?"

"Trying to get back home," said Andrea following them, "that's as much as we can tell you."

"Oh you guys don't live here?"

"No."

Taken to their guest quarters, they found a charming windowless room with a flat-screen TV across one wall, a small shower in the back and a few dressers around a large single bed.

"I'll have Chanoch come round to meet you when he's free," said Andrea, "we also have a library if you wanna read something."

"Oh that's great thanks," Kruz waved, "also is there a girl named Jane around?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Oddclaw told us to talk to her cuz we'd like to visit him and his family when we can. We didn' t get much chance to talk on the way over."

"No problem, enjoy your stay and thanks for offering to help."

She walked off to leave them be, the bishop flumping back on the bed with a deep sigh as he took off his mitre from his copper-scaled scalp. Out of earshot Dixon bit her nails and pondered aloud:

"I'm sure it's them...the ones from the recording, subject one it...how the fuck did this Baldwin guy even know about all this and my calculations..."

As she struggled with all of this, the kremling took his time to stretch his arms and flex his fingers, the right hand having four fingers including his thumb whilst the left was a gold-painted metallic gauntlet like the talons of a hawk.

"Unbelieveable," Fayne whispered, "another world beyond my own, juszht...incredible."

"You enjoyed the flight over?" he asked tapping the TV.

"How could I not?!" he shot up with a gasp. "Szhuch a primordial realm and yet thiszh little outposzht in the wildszh filled with humeszh and, and, automatonszh, did you not SZHEE they were roaming the hallszh converszhing, maintaining, one or two even waved at me!"

"Yeah I don't think I ever saw that kinda thing before, how does this thing work-AAH!"

He stumbled back when he felt a button, turning the screen on to show a perfect sunset bathed in rich amber by the sea as the sounds of gentle waves filled the room.

"Good HEAVENSZH!" the bangaa crawled back from the screen. "What iszh...oh, that lookszh lovely."

"Sounds amazing too, it's like I'm really there but-"

"It iszh moving!" He gasped at the visual piece. "A memszhtone perhapszh?"

"Probably," Kruz rubbed over the screen, "feels more like glass though what happens if I press it again?"

The screen flickered to several other broadcasts, one of a spring forest with the call of woodpigeons hooting through the glade, one of a city where cars beeped and growled to the rumbling of traffic, and another where a simple log fire crackled and burnt with a false heat.

"O-oh...ohhh that one iszh lovely, leave it on that," Fayne curled up in his robes.

"Yeaaaah this is perfect," Kruz sighed slipping down beside him, "you got pretty comfortable with that collar I gotta say."

"Well it be nothing more than an enchantment," he scratched under his beard, "no szhtranger than what you find in the market."

"Yeah that's true...so, what's our plan, we find Baldwin and that's it?"

"That and more," the bishop nodded, "Baldwin forewarned uszh of an event, we muszht have faith in him and follow hiszh word to the letter."

"How do you think he even predicted something like this would happen?"

"The Dark iszh a myszhteriouszh entity, itszh power we can barely comprehend and we arrived aszh he foretold."

"Damn...feel a little outta my league," the kremling chuckled rubbing his head, "so we just get down there and find him, alright no problem, we got time until then right?"

"Correct." The bishop took his hand with a soft squeeze. "My brother will be fine. I truszht him, and I truszht you."

"I trust you too babe." The knight smooched his face making the bangaa blush. "We got this, we're unstoppable, remember we took down a deity once."

"Oh, pleaszhe do not remind me."

"No I am definitely reminding you, that was the craziest shit we ever did and we WRECKED it!"

"W-well I would rather practiszhe humility when conszherning deific matterszh."

"Hahahaha, gods you're cute."

"Hello?"

A knock came from the door as they sat up.

"I am Chanoch," said the voice, "you are the visitors?"

"Yeah we are come on in."

The door opened to reveal a 7-foot lizardman in resplendent silver armour, contrasting to the pale yellow-pearl sheen of Kruz's own as the kremling stood up with curtsy.

"Ahhh a fellow knight, I am sir Underwood of Lea Monde."

"I am Captain Jarogniew," he bowed with a kneel, "formerly of Gdansk."

"Oh nice I'm a captain too, what up?" He offered a high-five to which Chanoch slapped tentative.

"I have brought James' records," he brought out a small pile of books, "Dr. Dixon said you wanted them."

"Ah yeszh indeed!" the bangaa took them carefully. "Thank you szhir Chanoch."

"You can help us find James?"

"Correct," he opened the books and scanned through words, "I am the brother of Baldwin, I asszhure you that Jameszh will be fine."

"Really?" The soldier sighed and sat on a chair with a creak. "Thank you. I am afraid for him."

"You're close to him?" Kruz asked.

"He is my love. I do not know what has happened, he has...no, it is fine-"

"No no, tell me." He patted the lizardman's knee. "I know we just got here but if we can help bring him back, I mean we're already going down into Lea Monde either way."

"...thank you." Chanoch clasped his face. "I am...I need to find him."

"Waszh he calm, or agitated before he left?" asked Fayne still reading.

"He was...he was troubled by something," he rocked gently in his seat, "he left me a letter saying he went to fight the great darkness."

"Oh no."

"W-wait, wait," Kruz raised his hand, "how does he know about-"

"In his homeland," explained Jarogniew, "there is a prophecy in some years time that darkness will come to his land and consume it. His people wanted to leave for a new home, but he wanted to stand and fight."

"Ohhh good heavenszh no," Fayne shook his head sadly, "I waszh afraid to hear that."

"What is wrong?"

"The writing of your lover, he...I know what he iszh planning."

"You figured that out already?!" Kruz looked back to him. "What'd it say?"

"Well, look here."

He spread out a few pages before them pointing to some calculations.

"Theszhe are how he brought the underszhity of Lea Monde to here, but look at thiszh part here."

Ivalician script had been written in a frantic hand as Kruz reeled back with a tensing gasp.

"What?" Chanoch looked to them both. "What does it say?"

"He..." the kremling turned to him, "he is trying to obtain the Dark himself."

"...what?"

"He iszh in great danger," Fayne shook his head, "the Dark will not liszhten to him, only my brother can control it and IF Jameszh can prove hiszh worth aszh an inheritor, then he can never leave Lea Monde again."

"The Dark is a force of nature that cannot leave the city," said Kruz, "even if it wanted to. But anything it touches, will be corrupted and their soul will be lost forever."

"N-no...NO!" The soldier stood up and headed to the door. "WE MUST GO NOW!"

"Woah woah relax!" Kruz stepped up to grab him.

"JAMES IS IN DANGER YOU SAID SO!"

"Baldwin is not an idiot, he will keep him safe."

"You...you are szhure?!"

"Yes. Don't worry, I know what we just said, but Baldwin's been keeping the Dark under control for the past twenty-seven years, he's got this. Long as James is around him he is safe as houses."

"...you are certain?" He clutched his chest with a gasp. "I do not want to lose him, please, tell me I won't."

"You won't. Knight's honour." Kruz raised his hand with the other to his chest. "I will get him back."

"Alright. Thank you, again. But I will come with you."

"Will your commander approve?" Fayne asked turning the page.

"If he does not, I will go either way. I must find him. I must save him from temptation, I cannot lose him before he does something-"

"Then we do it." Kruz shook his hand. "Tomorrow we get our bearings."

"Be warned fair captain," the bangaa added, "the dead of the Dark are many and accurszhed, firearmszh will prove futile without enchantment."

"What of my sword?" He unsheathed his blade with a shimmering gleam.

"OH! Goodnesszh!" He leapt almost from the bed to inspect the blade. "Thiszh...by the godszh you have a holy weapon!"

"Yes." He watched Fayne run his hands over the scripture down the fuller. "It works against demons."

"You are more than prepared, thiszh iszh a fine blade of tremendouszh purity, who enchanted it!?"

"My great-grandfather," he sheathed his sword, "the rabbi of Poznan blessed it himself, my grandfather helped build the synagogue."

"Ahhh you are a paladin too?"

"No, I am a knight."

"Well hey you definitely gotta come with us," Kruz patted his shoulder with a grin, "a knight with a holy sword that's gonna help a LOT down in the depths of the city."

"Good." He nodded stepping out the room. "Tomorrow we go?"

"We'll be ready."

As the door closed the kremling turned back towards Fayne with a forced grin as he pulled off his armour in bits.

"Hhhhaaaaah I really hope we find this James kid."

"We szhould not tread lightly," the bishop waved his finger still reading, "the knightszh of thiszh szhtation have all firearmszh that unlesszh they are enchanted too will not be enough to faszhe the Dark."

"You're right," he put down his arm-guards first, "too many down the depths would be more a threat to us than anything else."

"May I recommend Oddclaw? Hiszh weapon did well againszht that fearszhome beaszht."

"I was thinking the same thing," Kruz pulled off his greaves, "I don't wanna pull him away from his family though, it's not really his business."

"Did he not szhay that Jameszh waszh a friend of hiszh?" the bangaa looked to him.

"That is true...welp," his breastplate thudded on the bed, "we're off to meet him again soon so we can ask him then, so is that the plan?"

"I think it would be beszht, a szhmall group can move effizhiently through the depthszh. Chanoch with hiszh blade, Oddclaw with hiszh fire, the four of uszh would-"

"You mean like a clan?" Kruz grinned in almost naked splendour. "Alright, but first we gotta see what Oddclaw says, tomorrow. Right now though..."

He stretched out his limbs with a sigh and bent over giving Fayne a good look at his tail, poking out from his undergarments of a cloth shirt and pants.

"I'm just gonna relax for a few, check out what this place has got?"

"Are you not at all amazhed or, aszhtounded by the fact we are in another world?!"

"I got over that like, thirty years ago Fayne," he bent over to touch his toes in a brief exercise, "if you wanna walk around and enjoy yourself go ahead."

"After peruszhing theszhe recordszh I will," he stroked his long chin, "I am particularly faszhinated by that library they mentioned."

"I'm gonna guess you might not be able to read anything in it."

"That iszh why I have you to narrate for me."

"What am I your secretary!?" he turned thrusting his gauntlet.

"No but you are my bodyguard," he grinned with a click of his fingers, "aszh biszhop of the church I outrank you."

"Oh wow you gonna pull rank on me?"

"If the szhoe can fit," the bishop raised his right foot showing the peel of paint revealing an iron base, "teaszhing me with your backszhide maketh a good target for a boot."

"Khehehahahahaha."

For the moment they relaxed, Fayne taking his time to read through James' notes whilst Kruz did his stretches with the sound of a simulated fire crackling away. Despite their words he could not stop thinking of the raptor, the uncanny resemblance making him shake his head long throughout the day as thoughts both curious and indecent he stifled down into the pit of his mind.