Corin had experienced many unique locales in his two years in the continent but none were like this.

  “Do you know what I really dislike about this area?” Nanaua asked.

  “The neverending feeling of being wet.” Corin answered her.

  “And you know what else?” She asked.

  “All the damn bugs around us.” He said as he swatted the air around them.

  “Precisely!” She replied as she clapped in front of her.

  She opened her hands. As if taunting her a small fly flew in front of her face.

  “Argh! I hate these things!” She yelled in frustration.

  He and Nanaua waited outside a large rocky structure. Within moments a strange looking creature came out to meet them. The creature was short, even by furtive standards. It was shorter than Corin and about as wide. It reminded Corin of a dwarf but with more alien features. Its face was squished, it had large bulbous eyes, even larger than those of the Gesherin. It had a flat nose with two nostrils and it had a wide mouth. Within the mouth they had a long tongue that they used to catch all manner of insects. Corin was amazed at how agile it was. Their skin was green, smooth and seemed to always have a sheen as if wet.

  “The elder waits.” The creature, a Grutto spoke.

  “Thank you Daya.” Corin replied.

  “Me? You're the ones who rid us of the Hilig!” She replied.

  “But it was so much fun!” Nanaua interjected. “Right Corin?”

  He looked sideways at her.

  Shortly he entered into the rocky structure with Nanaua and Daya following shortly behind.

  The structure carved a semi circle on the ground, with a lone spot in the center for a speaker to address an audience. The audience was seated in stone rows all looking down upon the spot where Corin and Nanaua currently stood.

  The members of the audience were all Gruttos like Daya. But unlike her their skin was wrinkled and they had various spots on their green skin. Corin assumed they were elders. He and Nanaua were now in their village and they came with a unique request.

  “Polopo.” Corin began his address.

  “Polopo.” The Grutto that sat in the very front of the audience replied.

  “Ibiso.” The Grutto followed with.

  “Elder Ibiso, thank you for letting us speak to you today.” Corin replied.

  The elder Grutto raised his hand.

  “The outsider's gratitude is not necessary.” Ibiso said. “The outsiders have slain the Hilig!”

  When Ibiso said this the other Gruttos in the audience began huffing their chest. To Corin it seemed like a positive reaction.

  “For months Gruttos live in fear of Hilig. Entire Grutto villages destroyed. Many Grutto fugitive come here to our home. But now Gruttos able to navigate Ririo with no fear. The gratitude that is required is from Grutto to outsiders.” Ibiso added.

  The Gruttos once more huffed.

  “But Ibiso know outsiders come with news.” He continued. “Ibiso and Gruttos want to know why Hilig let loose. Ibiso and Gruttos see many changes in rainforest. Bosc is nowhere to be found. For centuries Ririo under watchful eye of Bosc, now Bosc is gone. Ibiso and Gruttos confused as to the meaning of this. Some Gruttos think this is test.”

  When Ibiso said this Corin saw some of the Gruttos in the audience begin to huff their chest, but Ibiso continued.

  “Other Gruttos think that with no Hilig, and no Bosc in Ririo we are sole rulers of domain.” Ibiso said and now Corin saw different Gruttos huffing their chest.

  “So tell us outsiders. Tell Gruttos about the outside world, tell Gruttos why you come here.” Ibiso finished.

  Corin looked at his audience and prepared himself.

  “What you have seen here in Ririo has been happening all over the continent.” Corin began. “Titans all over have begun retreating from their domains. It is not just Giants. Leviathans who haunted the coast have also retreated. Dragons are rarely seen flying overhead anymore.”

  “And it's not just the Gruttos or other furtives that have noticed this. The Seidrs, like the Hilig, those who were born to be Titans but never ascended, have noticed the lack of their more powerful brethren. And just like the Hilig they have filled the power void with their own might. But the Seidrs lack the same intelligence of their ascended brethren. Where the Titans exercised their power judiciously, Seidrs destroy and kill without thought. Although less powerful, these Seidrs can end up being more dangerous due to their irrational behavior.” Corin finished.

  “Outsider describe Hilig. Outsider say Titans run away. Outsider don't say why Titans are running.” A voice from the crowd spoke up.

  To this statement the crowd began speaking amongst themselves. They wanted to know what exactly had caused the Titans to run.

  “The reason Titans are running is why we are here.” Corin began. “Each of the races of the Titans worship a different God. Speir of the sky for the Dragons. Uraqi of the land for the Giants. Maji of the sea for the Leviathans.”

  “Gruttos know of the legend of the Gods.” Ibiso spoke up. “Why tell this to us?”

  “Because there is another God. A Goddess. Jokasta, the Goddess of the Furtives. And she has returned.” Corin replied.

  There was no reply.

  “A Furtive God? That is not possible.” A voice spoke up. “For millennia Titans destroy without pause. Furtives cannot even think of fighting back. So where was Goddess?”

  Corin was apprehensive about saying too much.

  “What the outsiders say is true!” Daya interjected. “These eyes saw it! There is a Furtive Goddess and she has returned.”

  “You saw Goddess?” Ibiso asked.

  “I did not, but I met many who spoke of her messengers.” Daya replied. “Those who I met said the same thing as the outsiders. The Furtive Goddess has returned and furtives have begun following her.”

  The Gruttos were silent, thinking about what they had just heard.

  “What Daya is saying is the truth.” Nanaua spoke now. “The Furtive Goddess is here now, and several Titans have met their ends at her hands. That is why the Titans have retreated. That is what you have seen happen in your own land. What has happened across the continent.”

  “So what of Goddess?” Ibiso spoke up now. “We Gruttos have suffered for millennia under Bosc. When Bosc left, we suffer under Hilig. No Furtive Goddess came to help, outsider did.”

  To this the Gruttos began murmuring. They all seemed to agree with Ibiso.

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  “Unless outsiders are agents of Goddess? Messengers?” Ibiso added.

  “We are not!” Nanaua replied sternly. “We have nothing to do with them nor do we want to!”

  Ibiso looked at the two of them puzzled.

  “Ibiso does not understand.” He began. “You bring help. You explain outside world. Where is Goddess in all of this? Why are outsiders here?”

  “Jokasta is not merely recruiting furtives to her side as her followers.” Corin began. “She means to raise an army of furtives, an army that she will wield against the Titans and their Gods.”

  The revelation left the audience silent.

  “Outsiders.” A voice in the crowd spoke up. “You say that Goddess plans to fight Titans? You say that Goddess plans on coming here for Gruttos help?”

  “We don't know when her messengers will arrive.” Corin began. “But as time has gone on we have seen more and more furtive villages visited by the Goddess. Yours is one of the few that I have not seen visited yet.”

  “Ibiso is still not knowing.” The elder Grutto began. “Outsider tell us of Goddess. Outsider speak of Godess offer. But outsider is not under Goddess orders. Then why outsider come? If Goddess would eventually come anyway?”

  Corin was silent.

  “Outsider must wish to meet with messenger.” A voice that Corin had not heard yet spoke up.

  The Grutto who spoke seemed to be the youngest in the audience. He had observed silently the entire time, not reacting, but now decided to speak up.

  Corin was silent. The Grutto was correct. For over two years he and Nanaua had been trying to find any information they could on Jokasta or her efforts and had not succeeded. This was their only option left.

  “Grilo, do not forget your place!” A voice in the audience spoke up.

  “Outside Grutto needs silence!” Another voice chimed in.

  Several Gruttos huffed their chests.

  “Grilo speak out of turn.” Ibiso was the one who spoke now. “But outsiders do not say Grilo is wrong.”

  The Gruttos were silent now as they stared at Corin.

  “It is true.” Corin replied. “When we met Daya she told us that your village had not been visited by Jokasta or her messengers. Because of this we decided we had to come here.”

  “Outsiders wish to speak to Goddess and messengers. Outsiders have request for Goddess.” Grilo spoke once more.

  The other Gruttos began huffing their chests when Grilo began speaking, but this did not deter him.

  “But outsiders no seem like friends of Goddess.” Grilo added.

  Once Grilo was finished the Gruttos were quiet. They were no longer huffing their chests.

  Corin knew he had to be honest.

  “It is true.” Corin spoke up. “There is something we want from the Goddess. And it is true that we are unable to communicate with her on favorable terms. Which is why we are here. We need to speak to their messenger, so that we may learn where Jokasta is and go there.”

  Corin finished.

  “If Goddess comes here to offer help, and she see no friend outsider, then Goddess could be very mad!” Grilo said out loud.

  For the first time since he began speaking the other Gruttos were in agreement with Grilo. They all began huffing their chests after he finished.

  “Because of outsider Goddess might abandon us!” Grilo continued. “If Goddess abandon us, we face Titans ourselves!”

  All Gruttos now huffed in unison. They all seemed to agree with Grilo. Corin gnashed his teeth in frustration. But the part that frustrated him the most was that they were correct.

  “Too much noise!” Ibiso shouted.

  The worked up Gruttos quieted down, but their anger still simmered. In only moments the Gruttos went from thankful and appreciative to hostile.

  “Outsiders risk life to destroy Hilig!” Daya spoke up now. “Outsiders are friends, not enemies.”

  “Do outsiders tell Daya that Goddess dislike them?” Grilo spoke up once again.

  Corin was beginning to despise Grilo.

  But Daya had nothing to say.

  “This outsider was almost killed fighting the Hilig.” Nanaua shouted as she pointed at Corin. “We did everything we could to keep your village safe from the after effects of the Goddess's actions! And this is how you repay us?” Nanaua yelled.

  The Gruttos huffed their chest at Nanaua's rebuttal.

  “Too much noise!” Ibiso shouted again.

  “No more noise!” He added.

  “Outsiders need to step outside.” Ibiso commanded. “Gruttos speak and come to decision.”

  Corin could see the Gruttos huffing their chests. He already knew what the decision would be.

  “Ibiso, may I address the crowd once more before I leave?” Corin asked the elder.

  The elder nodded

  “Jokasta is building an army of furtives that much is true.” Corin began. “But not all of you are fighters.”

  The Gruttos began to huff their chests at Corin over the perceived slight, but Ibiso raised his hand.

  “Continue.” Ibiso told Corin.

  “We have visited countless villages that have been visited by Jokastan messengers.” He continued. “She will take your strong, your able, your committed individuals, but the rest will not have a place in her army. For those of you who are left after the Jokastans leave just know there are many like you out there. Nanaua and myself have helped guide many of these forsaken individuals to a new community. It is not a large or a prosperous community, but we are able to provide for all who come. If you wish to find us, go north until you find the Yellow River and follow that until it intersects with the Lancang River. There you will find us. Thank you for your time.”

  With that Corin turned and left.

  “Corin, that's it?” Nanaua said as he left.

  “They’ve already decided what to do.” He said, the two of them leaving the building.

  They now stood outside.

  “But how can they do this?” Nanaua said her voice rising. “We risked our life for them!”

  “Yes.” He replied. “But in exchange we were possibly asking them to risk their lives for our scheme. A scheme that might not even work.”

  “Then what now?” She asked. “How are we supposed to find out where they are? How are we supposed to learn where Jokasta is building her army?”

  Corin looked at Nanaua.

  “Well…” he began and trailed off.

  “Well what?” She replied.

  He looked away.

  “I don't know.” He admitted.

  “You don't know?” She asked.

  “Yes Nanaua I don't!” He shot back. “We've followed every lead we had for two years and we are nowhere closer to finding Livia or Zhi! And you know what?”

  Nanaua did not even get to respond.

  “I don't even care if we find them at this point!” He continued. “For two years they could have reached out, said something, shown us a sign but there has been nothing! They abandoned us, Nanaua! They left us in Tonatiuh's damned floating rock without a second thought! Like we are worthless!”

  Nanaua was silent. Corin huffed as he finished his tirade.

  She could only look back at him with sadness in her face.

  The only noise came from the constant rain. The two of them had been so worked up that they had stopped noticing it. They looked at each other but there were no words either could think to say. The one who broke the silence was Daya.

  “The elders are ready to speak to you.” Daya said.

  She did not look at Corin when she spoke. He knew exactly what they would say.

  ***

  Corin lay on the raised bed, trying to sleep. The previous nights the pounding rain on the tent had helped him find sleep. But tonight nothing could help him find rest. His mind raced with thoughts and sleep eluded him.

  Now what?

  Nanaua and Corin had focused on the Gruttos and their lack of contact with Jokasta. But now, now that they had been rebuffed, now he did not know what they ought to do.

  Do we keep looking for them? Do they even want to be found?

  Nanaua and Corin had not spoken since they left the Grutto’s village. Once they received confirmation that the Gruttos would not help them they left. Corin should have been used to setbacks by now, but a part of him thought this opportunity would be different than others.

  All that Corin could do now was head back to Seingen. From there they would plan their next move.

  As his mind continued the endless race he heard someone speak.

  “Outsiders are in here?”

  Corin opened his eyes. The voice sounded familiar.

  Nanaua responded.

  “Daya is that you?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Daya replied hurriedly, but she stayed outside the tent.

  “Come in.” Nanaua said. “Corin and I are tired of being in the rain.”

  The small Daya stepped inside Corin and Nanaua's makeshift tent. She breathed heavily and Corin could tell she had spent a lot of time looking for the two of them.

  “I'm sorry to outsiders.” Daya began her face contorting with a mix of anger and frustration. “I promise help from Gruttos. I gave word of help, but all we Gruttos gave was betrayal.”

  “I don't want to hear this apology.” Nanaua said.

  Daya looked hurt at Nanaua's words.

  “When you came to us you mentioned the creature that was infesting your home.” Nanaua continued. “When I heard that I saw an opportunity to test my mettle, an opportunity I would never let pass. Besides, you fulfilled your end of the promise. You told us you would bring us to your elders and that you did.” Nanaua finished.

  “Nanau’s right.” Corin added.

  “So save your apologies.” Nanaua continued. “The elders have their reasons, and you did what you could.”

  “But Daya wants outsiders to be helped!” Daya replied.

  “We appreciate it Daya but-” Nanaua began but Daya spoke up.

  “Daya not yet done!” She replied. “Village elders preparing for arrival of Jokasta’s messengers. Finding all Gruttos who will fight. Daya first to volunteer!”

  “What?!” Corin and Nanaua said out loud.

  “Daya you don't know Jokasta.” Corin said. “You should not do this!”

  “Daya will not change her mind. Daya know you need something.” She said. “Daya will honor promise of helping you.”

  “Daya what we require from her messengers is not something you will be able to provide.” Nanaua said. “Once they come to your village you will be taken somewhere. We don't know where this is or what happens there. Corin is right, the danger is too high.”

  “So what did outsiders want from messengers?” Daya asked. “Was it to know where messengers come from?”

  “Yes, but, it's not just that.” Corin replied.

  “Did outsiders have dear ones taken?” Daya asked.

  Corin and Nanaua were silent.

  “When Daya taken, Daya will find them.” She said. “I promise. Tell Daya dear ones’ names. Tell Daya what you want dear one to hear. Daya will find them.”

  Corin thought about the proposal. This was an opportunity unlike any he'd had until now. But the risk was too great.

  “Daya.” Corin began. “We have no idea what happens to those that are taken by Jokasta or where they go. I couldn't ask you to do something for us when there are so many unknowns.”

  “Daya is aware of dangers!” She replied. She looked frustrated.

  “Daya, we just-” Corin began.

  “Their names are Livia and Zhi.” Nanuau cut Corin off. “They're both humans like Corin here, both female. There's another one. An annoying bird. A male sparrowling. Kadus.”

  “Nanaua!” Corin said with a hint of anger.

  “Corin, you heard Daya herself!” Nanaua replied. “She is aware of what she is going to sign up for. She is no child! She is free to make her own choices.”

  “But we shouldn't force her!” Corin replied.

  “Force her?” Nanaua asked. “Think about her choices. Join Jokasta’s army or stay back. If she stays back, then what? Stay in a village full of those who cannot fight? Join us in Seingen where we hope every day that no Titan comes to destroy all of us?”

  Corin was silent. He looked at Daya.

  “Please Daya, if you do go.” Corin began. “Please do be careful not to anger Jokasta. If she thinks you might do something that goes against her will, it will not end well for you. I would not mention our names to her.”

  “Daya will be careful.” She replied. “Daya will speak to outsider's friends when she’s sure of safety.”

  “What do outsiders want friends to hear?” Daya asked.

  Corin was at a loss for words.

  What would I tell Livia if I saw her?

  “We want you to tell them the truth.” Nanaua spoke up. “Let them know that we have been searching for them since the day they left. And that we will continue to looking for them, regardless of whatever danger we might find.”