Epilogue : The Journey Back Home

8:46 AM, 18th of April, 422
Coins' Manor, Feuilledor

The party members, the Myrzen warriors, the fairies and the rest of their allies have been preparing for their journey to the Ribeauvillé Forest ever since yesterday, and they are now taking care of the last details. The Myrzens are loading supplies onto the carriages that have gathered in front of the manor while the fairies tend to the body of their fallen sibling. Gertrude and several of the servants under her supervision are helping with the preparations, even handing them lunch boxes which they made early this morning.

Jacob and Tom Blackcliff arrive just in time to say goodbye, but also to share some information with them. Mihai, Konrad, Steve, Amber, Breeze, Fluffle, Fedler, Zelk, Femke, Filarion and the untamable Florolf all gather in one of the private rooms inside the manor to listen to what Jacob and Blackcliff have to say.

"We don't want to keep you here any longer than necessary, but I thought you would like to know that after discussing at length with Faith and Filarion, we have reached a tentative agreement and we will coordinate with each other when possible. One of our primary concerns is the Aurus continent, which we know nothing about. To remedy to this problem, we have decided that we must send a scouting party to gather information and establish a base of operations there. We'd like to send Nick, Smirk, May and Samantha there, but we need to find new vessels for them first, so that might take a little while before that happens. Even once they're there, I expect it will take a lengthy period of time before they manage to convince the powers that be of the existential threat the Elementals represent. Any questions?"

The fairy waits while Tom watches with his arms crossed, ready to assist if need be.

"I have one. How are you planning on getting them there? I wasn't aware we had any ships with the range just yet."

"We don't," Tom answers. Centuries of hopping bodies doesn't appear to have changed his demeanor much; he acts eerily similar to Marcus Riddle. "It's thanks to the Tykes and their airship that we'll be able to get there. Even knowing where the continent is, I'm not sure a trip by ship would be possible. Even if it is, it would take months to reach it."

"No, we haven't," Filarion answers, still wearing his human disguise. "I need to discuss this with my people first. I can't many any decision about Aurus until I do."

"Taking the fight to, what, an entire continent on the other side of the world, will be very resource-intensive from the very beginning, especially considering what we have access to on this side of the ocean. Do you need any help form us? I initially wanted to stock dried fruit provisions for the war in the islands, but it sounds like the Enemy are going to save us for last."

"I do not believe we will require your help immediately," Jacob answers. "I'm sure we can handle the first foray into Aurus on our own, especially since it'll be a scouting mission. We are more concerned about the possible language barrier we will encounter, and whether or not they even have a universal language like we do. However, I think we could use our help with our supply chains. You saw our underground bunker near Narrowfist, right?"

"They did," Tom replies. "They also took several of the weapons we had stocked there."

"Oh? Well, we have many of these bunkers hidden across the Archipelago in preparation for a possible war with the Enemy. Now it seems that the time might be nearer than we thought, so we will need to build up our agricultural and transport capabilities. Maybe you would like to lend a hand with that?"

"Sure I would. I have a ship, and I have recently come into possession of some vineyards. I'll start planning to acquire more ships and more arable land."

"Thank you. We'd really appreciate that." Jacob smiles at Konrad and sensing that the conversation is coming at an end, he adds, "If there's nothing else, we wish you well on your journey ahead. Don't worry, we'll be in contact with you soon. For now, rest and look after yourselves."

"Safe journey," Tom says.

"Look after yourself as well, Jacob!" Breeze exclaims. "You better not work yourself too hard."

"I'll try not to."

Jacob and Tom leave the room, no doubt planning to return to the Parliament where a mountain of work awaits them.

"Shall we go, then?" Zelk asks.

"Yeah, I wanna go back home," Amber says with a melancholic tone.

"Understandable but it will still be a while yet. After we visit with Breeze's family we'll need to keep our promise and sail for Myr first."

The party members join their companions outside the manor and say their final goodbyes to Gertrude and the rest of the staff. Then they embark upon the carriages and depart from Feuilledor, leaving the war-torn city behind.
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6:30 PM, 18th of April, 422
Ribeauvillé Forest, Feuilledor

The journey to the Ribeauvillé Forest, the fairies' promised land, takes the whole day. The adventurers pass by scores of refugees who have decided to return home now that the rebels have surrendered and the civil war is over. However, the refugees also speak of monsters roaming the countryside whose description match that of the goblins who were imprisoned by Griggs back in Villevieille. Not only that, but there are also rumors of a one-eyed giant that was cut down by a rebel squad, as well as the apparition of half-horse half-human creatures that were seen heading into the forest. The government has been slow to respond to these new threats, and the citizens can't help but wonder if there will really be peace.

When the party finally arrives at their destination, the carriages stop next to the treeline of the Ribeauvillé Forest, and the adventurers realize they have only one hour of daylight left before the sun sets. Immediately, Kaja begins barking orders at her compatriots.

"Alright, I want to see the tents up and ready in thirty minute!" she yells in Wytrwaly. Then she turns to Breeze and asks her in Imperial, "Sorry, but could you and your family find us wood for the fires?"

"Huh? Oh, of course! I'll ask them."

"Thank you."

The Myrzens and the fairies work together to set up camp outside the forest, leaving the party members free to do anything they want. Fluffle and Femke decide to tend to the horses while Zelk and her mates go help set up the tents. There's a group of fairies that remain behind with Éclat's body, and they discuss something among themselves, although they're too far to be heard.

Meanwhile, Amber stares at the forest with an uneasy look in her eyes. "Um, there's no horse monster in this forest, right...?"

"Centaurs," Filarion says. "They're called centaurs."

"Oh. And are they nice...?"

"Not particularly, no. At least not to my kind."

Amber shuts up immediately, and Fedler says, "Don't worry. They'd be fools to attack us."

"She's correct," Filarion adds. "In fact, I imagine they must be as confused as we were when we first arrived to this world."

"When they say half human and half horse which is which? And what the hell do they eat?"

Filarion raises an eyebrow at Steve and replies, "They possess the body of a human and the head of a horse. Evidently, they eat grass and hay, but don't let that fool you; they can be quite dangerous when they want to be."

Amber shudders at the description of these centaurs, and Fedler widens her eyes in surprise at this unusual combination of human and animal anatomies.

"Good idea. Be careful if you ever try to sneak up on them, Mihai, horses can see side to side and in front of them and their eyes work independently of each other."

Steve waives goodbye to Mihai and goes to help Zelk and co with setting up tents.

Steve, Konrad and Amber go help the Myrzens set up camp while Mihai, Fedler and Filarion go inside the forest to scout ahead. Once they're out of earshot from everyone else, Filarion looks at Mihai and says, "Just so you know, centaurs actually have the lower body of a horse and the upper body of a human."

Filarion nods before looking forward again. "Steve is a renowned prankster. Even I heard about the pickles incident. I thought he might appreciate a little prank of my own."

Fedler chuckles. "Yes, I think he would."

"Velverdun," the elf answers.

Mihai, Filarion and Fedler continue scouting and eventually find hooves marks on the ground, all leading deeper into the forest. They're at least a day old, and there are no other traces that these centaurs have been here recently. Filarion says it's extremely unlikely they will reveal themselves to a large group such as theirs, and that they can probably rest easy for now.

The three of them return to the camp where the Myrzens, the fairies and the rest of their allies have finished setting up the tents and lighting the fires. Kaja organizes the warriors into a schedule to keep watch over the camp, and two hours after the sun has set, the others decide to go to sleep.
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7:12 AM, 19th of April, 422
Ribeauvillé Forest, Feuilledor

As the sun rises over the horizon, the camp bursts into activity when Myrzen warriors suddenly shout, "Horse monsters! They're here!"

Everyone scramble to their feet and grab their nearest weapon while the fairies get into formation and ready their cantrips. All of their eyes are fixed on the three centaurs who are standing at the treeline, each of them holding a spear in their right hand.

They are all tall, muscular creatures who absolutely do not fit the description Filarion gave Steve. Maybe they're the centaurs' cousins? Two of them are male, while the third one is female, which is made evident by the breasts she bares for everyone to see.

They watch as the humans and fairies prepare for a possible battle.

Steve boldly strides out to take a closer look at the centaurs, his confusion growing by the second. He even looks behind them for good measure, no doubt causing them some confusion as well, before raising his hand and saying, "Uh, greetings horse people, I'm Steve. You should be careful, I heard there are centaurs about and that they are dangerous."

Steve doesn't notice it, but Konrad and Mihai do; he just spoke in an unknown language, one that they nevertheless understand. And so do the centaurs, judging by the way they frown.

Without moving from his spot, the one in the middle says, using the same language as Steve, "You speak the language of the Slavers?"

Everyone in the camp quiet down, unable to understand the conversation between the strange creatures and the party members.