They were back to the guild by evening. Raven wanted to make sure there was a record of their findings regardless if they wanted to make an official quest. The front room was as busy as ever with a few new faces either at the missing board or over by the desk. Raven figured they were friends or family of those who had yet to be found.

  “Professor Thanolin?” Jace questioned, leaving her side for an elderly white aulterun. The bird man lifted a wing to the human adventurer in somber greeting.

  “Oh, young Jace, hello. I came here to see if there was any news about a tenant.. He… went missing the day of the attack.”

  The paracrest came up to them as well and she remembered Ramjack telling her about his landlord, a mostly retired professor. “We found a lead.” She spoke before Jace could, causing the aulterun’s head to rotate almost fully to the back and tilt up to her, “He might still be alive.”

  His beak parted, tongue darting a few times before he said “You’re actually looking for him?” Then he tilted his head more, “Oh, yes, are you the paracrest lady he has been on a few dates with? He said she was an adventurer.”

  She couldn’t help but give a small, though slightly sad, smile. She moved around to the front, offering her hand. He took it in the hand-claw that sat at the joint of his wing, long feathers brushing her arm. “Raven. We went looking today and found his gear on the ground not far from his normal camp site. Looks like he fought a small demon and likely was taken by the people who released them in the first place.”

  This seemed to come as a surprise to the aulterun who faced forward once again, only still tilting his head. “Why would anyone take him?”

  “We do not know exactly but it seems there is a cult involved, a hillsec one.”

  His head straightened with an “Ah. Maybe they recognized him then.” His feathers puffed out briefly before he started to relax. “That makes me think he is likely alive though maybe not in the best of spots.”

  A real smile touched her lips this time. “Yes, I think so too. I take it he told you the story of how he got here?”

  “Yes. Appeared in a stone corridor and was nearly attacked by a four-armed scaly creature with no legs. I was the one who identified it as a hillsec. Not many in Dacathus after all, mostly a few students. And professor Thaliss of course.”

  “We talked to her. She is the one who told us about the cult. I figure if we trace the route that Ramjack took to get here in the first place we’d get to where they are.”

  “Are any of you good at tracking?”

  “None of us are skilled in it professor. At least not of the three of us.” Jace told him even as Mazen finally walked up. Raven was ashamed she hadn’t greeted him as soon as they came in. She gently touched his shoulder to acknowledge he was there.

  “We are good with maps.” The chelkren said, as if he’d been there the whole time.

  The aulterun hadn’t noticed him before though, feathers fluffing up as he turned his head to look at the one-armed adventurer. “I see. Three of you then?”

  Mazen nodded, the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile of sorts. “At least for now. I put in a party request. I do not know where we are going but if anyone can join us in the morning we should take them along while the guild organizes a people who can take on a demon using group. We have someone to hopefully rescue.”

  Raven couldn’t feel prouder of him. She hadn’t thought of hiring. Just of telling the guild where they planned to go. But he saw the need for people to take on this cult. He was right, while they could take on a few people, maybe even a demon or two, if the cult had more demons or even something else from that vault there would need to be others to take care of it. They would pave the way and hopefully find Ramjack alive. And what if some of those others on the board were also abducted and not just dead or buried under ruble? Well, they were the team for the rescue.

  ——————

  When learning of their plans the professor insisted that the come to his home at once. He would see to it they were fed and they could talk about Ramjack. While it was smaller than the boarding house she and Mazen were staying at it was much nicer. It felt more homey than cramped even with knick-knacks and books on shelves. The smell of rice cooking met her nose, as did pickled beets and carrots.

  There was a wide common area with a cooking nook, a table with seating for four and a few more comfortable seats arranged so that one could sit with a book and a cup of tea and read in comfort. Or sit and chat, though only one of the seats looked like it would be comfortable for a paracrest, or anyone else with more than a brush for a tail.

  Working in the kitchen, clearly not used to it, was a male paracrest with coppery skin and an orange sail that matched the downy feathers that started at his neck. He looked up as the group trekked in and she could see his sail rise a bit as he caught sight of her.

  “Bibbel, we have some good news for a change. These adventurers found evidence that our missing roommate might have been taken by the scoundrels who let loose the demons upon the city.”

  The sail lowered quickly as the male paracrest glanced at the aulterun. “Oh, uh, hello.” He took a step back from the pot he had been keeping an eye on and reached for a jar that emanated the smell of root vegetables in brine. “I take it you are Ramjack’s girlfriend then?” He asked her, offering the jar.

  She nodded her head, appreciating the gesture. “I take it you are the roommate he has mentioned.” That seemed to make his sail dip a bit, even as she fished out a carrot from the jar.

  “He said you were studying trade agreements and guild history. Learned what foods I might enjoy by watching you.” She could see his sail raise a little at that as he sat the jar aside.

  “I think we’ve finally been getting along lately. Bonding over our mutual dislike of professor Voss.”

  The smell of cooking fish joined the other scents in the air as Thanolin took his kitchen back. Bibbel sat down at the table, and both she and Jace joined him there as Mazen stood gazing about the room. The other paracrest gave a few glances at the chelkren before fixing his attention on her and the human.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Where do you think he is?” Bibbel asked them directly.

  Raven let out a long breath. “We think he was taken back to where he first arrived. That’s the only thing that makes sense. We found evidence of a hillsec cult opening the vault in the bunker, letting the demons lose.”

  Bibbel’s eyes went wide, “That hillsec… Ramjack said he saw one the day he appeared in our world. Oh wow, what are the chances?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense. And even if it was random, that maybe others suffered the same fate with the demons just as some kind of cover, I think that the place Ramjack described is the most likely place for a cult like this to operate from. Far away from the city, and even the towns in the area. They must have known about the bunker. Maybe they have someone in the guild, maybe it was the hype over the repository auction.”

  “Ooof…” Jace cut in, shaking his head, “After the Engineering Guild took theirs and the school the other we never did see who bought the remainder. Just took the money from the auction house. Could have easily been this cult. The time line would fit, especially if they have fast communications.”

  “What we need,” Raven continued, “Is a plan to get there. Do either of you,” She looked between Bibbel at the table and Thanolin at the stove, “Know the route he took to get here?”

  “Hmm, “ Thanolin was flipping some fish in a pan as he turned his head around to look at her, “I do believe he crossed from the east bank of the river that runs through the forest and then traveled south. He said something about marking stones near his campsites with words from home.”

  Raven let out a sigh, “People sometimes draw on stones in the woods near campsites. I saw one that he marked not far from town, it looked like squiggles to me.”

  “Yes, he had his own written language before coming here. He even showed it to me once, his first notebook where he wrote himself notes of letters in common with how it sounded in his own writing.” His head turned back to his work.

  Raven’s sail lifted at once. His notebook! He’d mentioned that to her as well over tea and buns. He learned to write by copying menus and comparing sounds. She wouldn’t be able to understand his written language but if she saw the notebook she might be able to identify his writing from someone else’s campsite.

  She stood from the table then, even as the aulterun was plating the fish. “Professor, is his notebook here? Would it be in his room?”

  The bird man’s feathers rustled as he stopped plating. “What? Oh.. I believe so young lady.” He paused a moment, tilting his head in thought. “I suppose since it is life and death and you have been going on dates with him then letting you into his room would be alright. Bibbel, please show her the correct door while I serve the food.”

  —————————

  The room was neat and tidy. The bed was in a paracrest style, pillows arranged on the floor with various small blankets on top so that one could breath while keeping warm. She had one like this at the boarding house but not nearly as neat as she tended to crumple the bedding in a pile.

  There was a small shelf that had folded clothing, a few small books, and writing implements. He had been busy. There was even a crudely made bow sitting on the bottom shelf next to a stone knife. Mementos of his journey through the woods no doubt.

  Raven brushed her fingertips along the shelf before plucking the first notebook in the series. It was of the worst quality of the small group and clearly had been used a lot. She was not surprised to find the odd writing on the first few pages as well, until she reached letters and words she knew well with the odd writing next to them.

  “Found it.” She turned around, holding the book to her chest.

  Dinner consisted of rice for everyone, fish for everyone but her and Bibbel, and pickled vegetables for the paracrest and Jace. While the others talked, Raven kept her eyes on the book. She would take it with them of course but she wanted to acquaint herself with the odd letters as much as possible. It was fascinating to her how he had learned how to write in common. He’d talked about it before but to see it, to see words like ‘Menu’ and ‘Chicken’ written so carefully next to letters that likely said the same thing but in his language. She had evidence of this on later pages after his letter match up where he wrote them again but had a third set that pronounced the words in common but in his own system.

  “Remarkable.” She breathed at last, putting down her eating implements. She’d somehow finished dinner without even looking at it, so fixed on the book was she.

  “Got something there Rav?” Mazen asked, his own plate empty.

  “I can defiantly find his marks in the woods now. We just need to follow the river back towards its source. If we find the first marker he made out there we can cross the woods and keep going till we come to a meadow, then follow the edge. He said the structure he came out of was close by the woods so as long as we stick by the edge we should see it.”

  “Didn’t it take him a week or two?” Jace asked, polishing off a few last bites of fish.

  “Yes, but he also spent time hunting and making food, camping at night. We won’t have to hunt or gather. We can just camp. We do just need to keep an eye out for each of his old campsites. When he told me about becoming a [Chronicler] he said he wrote it out on a rock in his own language so that is our crossing point. It might still be a day or two after for our target but finding it will help. We also need to mark it for the next team.”

  “Ms. Raven,” Thanolin began, “I know you lot are experienced adventures and all but I would like to add what resources I can.”

  “Me too.” Bibbel added in, “If there is something I can do for the guild, well, I have a few contacts I can talk to. No guarantee but hey, he’s a good roommate to have. Don’t want to get someone like the last girl in here. She was a mess.”

  ——————

  The first time since learning of the demon attack Raven felt hopeful. They hadn’t found a body in the woods, they knew who took Ramjack, and a path to the location he was likely to be. They had a plan, and the guild knew that these people were also behind the vault being breached. Folks died because of this cult.

  They had their plan. Blaze the trail for the guild to follow. They might not be stealthy people but they could take note of the situation. Maybe even talk their way in. If the cult liked old machines then Jace had a shot at it. Assuming he was willing to risk himself. Since he hadn’t said anything about leaving the party Raven figured he was up for the challenge.

  She slept better that night than she had the one before. It wasn’t just her body collapsing on empty either. Having a plan made even her worry slide to the back of her mind so she could get the rest she needed. In the morning her companions were there waiting for her, once again with breakfast and packs ready to go.

  “We’re on our own for now.” Jace told her as they started to walk, “But they are gathering gear and getting ready for an assault once we have established a camp outside the cult. We’re on scout duty even if none of us are [Scout]s.”

  Raven wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it but she just coughed lightly, swallowing down a bit of her breakfast bun. “I’ve been there before. I take it all the [Scouts] are busy elsewhere?”

  “It’s not all bad. They gave me this.” Jace pulled a small notebook with a fancy pen attached out of his coat. “It’s a very expensive communication artifact. We can write instantly to them. And even see them right back.”

  Raven did laugh this time. “I had to spend a lot of gold just to send a message via one of those things a while back. They charged me per letter.”

  “Well, the Adventuring Guild thinks this is a priority but won’t commit people till they know what they are up against. You know how it goes.”

  “We have the supplies.” Mazen chimed in as they left through the gate, “Enough food for each of us for a few weeks. You have your water magic to keep us hydrated. I even have a tent that can fit us so we don’t need to worry about bugs and rain at night.”

  Raven smiled now, patting chelkren on the side of his shell. “You think of everything Maz.” She was glad to have people who would think of things like tent and the food they needed, because all she had concerned herself with was Ramjack’s old notebook and a knife to mark trees.

  The party left the city behind them, the scents and sounds of a busy place full of people fading as they ventured off into the woods. She had been out here a lot in the last month, but this would be the longest stretch of being out there. Stopping only to mark the trees where they came off the road they headed for the first checkpoint of their journey.