Around 6:00 the next morning, NENGO 327年11月14日, the occupants of the house were awakened by the sound of every alarm clock the party owned going off. It only took about a half hour for everyone to be up and dressed, and out the door and in the car. TRITHAL drove the vehicle, loaded down with 6 people & their luggage, directly out of town and up the highway leading to Myria. With the car weighed down as it was, it takes almost 2 hours to reach the port city.
On the way, the party engages in idle conversation. Adeth tells his story:
Adeth: "I remember back when I was about 14... the village me and my family lived in was attacked and massacred by bandits, led by the witch Nashira of Darkness...."
TRITHAL raises an eyebrow to what Adeth said.
Adeth continues, "..She was infamous throughout the southern lands as being one who would raze any village she came across if she just 'felt like it'. The army she led consisted of the most-heartless mercenaries who thirsted for nothing but human carnage. Even the mention of the name 'Nashira' struck fear in the hearts of everyone who heard it."
THRAX: "Sounds like someone I'd like to meet!"
Adeth: "It wasn't long after that when I found myself at the castle of Lord Doman. He had me train in his army and be one of his soldiers. I served in his army for the next 7 years. Ours was a military force to be feared throughout the land. In the back of my mind I always thought that if we went after every army or militia that opposed us, we would eventually come across Nashira and her army... then I could exact my revenge... but unfortunately I never got to see that happen."
Danika: "Why not?"
Adeth: "Because one day I was sent on a scouting mission to the forests to the north of our territory, and I fell into Mori-Kami's temple. The next thing I knew these huge stone giants were attacking me from all sides.... then I woke up next to that stream with you folks there."
Anri: "Interesting."
AXEM: "I wonder whatever happened to that 'Nashira' lady? If she had an army that huge and was that powerful, I'm sure there must be some trace of her somewhere. (to TRITHAL): Hey Trithal! Does that name ring a bell with you?"
TRITHAL (kinda looking as if he knows more than he's letting on): "I think I remember hearing that name before.... although, I can't exactly place a face to this 'Nashira of Darkness'. I'll think about it though."
Adeth: "Wait a second.... How would the Sensai here know Nashira? She lived hundreds of years ago, and Sensai appears to be in his late twenties.... Hey, could you be one of those kinds of people who are supposed to be able to transplant his own soul to another body?"
TRITHAL: "That's... one way to look at it, I guess."
Danika: "You see, Adeth, Tsutaru here is one of many mythical beings known as the Macha. They first came into existence more than a thousand years ago, and there are some who survive even today. Tsutaru happens to be one of them."
THRAX: "The Macha survive by assimilating human host-bodies, bringing with them memories from their previous hosts."
Adeth: "So then a Macha can take over someone's body & their life? Wow!"
TRITHAL: "Something kinda like that. It's quite complicated, and it would take a whole lot of time to explain each intricate detail. Why don't you read Wind Earth Fire Water Volume 1, Episode 22. That will give you a pretty good idea about the nature of the Macha."
The party continued on down the road. After a little more than an hour, the party comes upon a Love's Travel Plaza. They take the opportunity to stretch, use the restroom, and grab some lunch from the attached Wendy's. While sitting at the table, the party engages in more idle conversation.
THRAX (to AXEM): "Oh yeah! What did you do with my car after you left Dale Gorge with it, yeezy?"
AXEM: "Oh yeah! It broke down on me after I got to Southern Port City, so I left it in the Wal-Mart parking lot."
THRAX: "You left my car in Southern Port City? Damn it! Now it's probably impounded by now or something. I'll probably never be able to pay the fines and shit to get it back!"
AXEM: "Well it was a piece of shit anyway. They probably wouldn't release it anyway because it would fail inspection. You're probably better off without it."
THRAX: "But it was my piece-of-shit car! Now I'm without wheels! If it weren't already blatantly obvious that you're in legal trouble, I'd be pressing grand theft auto charges!"
TRITHAL: "Let's save this argument for a better time. We need to get going."
With that, the party finishes their lunch, makes another stop to the rest room, then loads back up in the SUV and heads back down the road to Myria.
----------
After another 45 minutes of driving, the party reaches the Port city of Myria. TRITHAL finds a place to park the SUV in a lot next to the Port Marketplace. As planned, AXEM takes off to the shops to stock up on supplies while TRITHAL, THRAX and the rest look for passage across the sea to Garr.
TRITHAL and THRAX read the itineraries of every commercial vessel in port that day, and not a single one of them were headed anywhere near Okreman Territory. TRITHAL was able to talk to one of the private boat operators, who told him that King Midus issued an alert a few days earlier asking for all 5 of the United Prefectures to place restrictions on travel to and from any point past Ragnarok Island, onacounta an 'unspecified threat' from across the sea. He further added that any individual could apply for an exemption and get temporary permission... provided it's for a justifiable reason. Since the party is trying to leave without King Midus noticing, this places the party in a spot.
After spending almost 2 hours in vain trying to find a way to get to Okreman Territory, TRITHAL and THRAX gather the rest of the party to discuss their options...
THRAX: "Well, thanks to the dumbass king of Mount Sabretooth, there's no way we can get a boat to the Okerman port city of Garr from within the United Prefectures. Now what do we do?"
TRITHAL: "Maybe we should head East to Ghon-Ki. If my memory serves me correctly, there's a small port town about a half hour past the prefectural border. Maybe we'll get lucky & find a boat that will take us to Okreman there."
AXEM: "That sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think we have any other option at this point."
Danika: "It's not like we can go North to Mount Sabretooth and have any better luck. Besides, Axem here is trying to hide from whatever mess he made up there"
AXEM flashes Danika a dirty look for that remark.
TRITHAL: "So is it agreed? Shall we head to Ghon-Ki?"
Everyone nods in agreement, and the party gets back into the SUV and departs the Port City of Myria, heading East to Ghon-Ki Prefecture. It's about 1:00 in the afternoon now.
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