Wait for Tarik. That was the plan. A tavern was always a good choice for such tasks. Karolus didn’t like it but followed the lead of Stella and Yina. If they thought they were safe then so be it.  

“Slow breaths, it will help calm your mind.” Yina put a hand on his at the table. 

“He’s so close, and I’m sat here with an ale.” Karolus took a long inhale followed by a slow exhale.

“You will see him again.” the halfling druid smiled. Despite the truth of her optimism Yina worried in what state her friend would see his brother again.  

He shared the smile before a loud cheering went up at the bar. Stella had decided the best way to stay incognito was to join in as many drinking games as possible.

“She will be fine. Trust me when I say she will not be without her wits.” Yina tried to mitigate the worry on Karolus' brow. 

“Stay quiet and out of sight.” he whispered the words with a chuckle. 

“Stellas knows what she is doing. The more eyes on her the less on you.” Yina gave him a gentle dig in the arm, making further light of the scenario.

Karolus nodded and watched. People were genuinely merry, not a care in the world. It had been a long time since he was among it. Applecross came to mind and the time with Aoife. The gnome had been like an old friend, talking the night away. The village had felt like a bubble of safety. 

Caedmon had finished his dealings with the various merchants at the dock market and joined them in the tavern. At sea was always a favourite place of his but sometimes being in the thick of a negotiation was exhilarating. 

He would be taking a shipment of Silver Spice for a Tharros back to Horndean. Apparently the Calvarian’s used it for components in magic. Not that the Neroliath would be sharing that with his highlander friends. The deal struck, a handful of new crew hired and a board smile across the sea giants face.

A room had been arranged for them, turns out Stella was a dab hand at making friends and winning bets. The Samos was still unconscious on the floor, his coin purse sitting in the halflings palm. 

“It would be safer aboard the ship. I don’t trust this Tarik. I’d bet my last pearl he is going to betray you all.” The Neroliath ran his hands through his white hair and sat back with one foot on the table. 

“At least he’s not sailing away.” said Yina with the look of a disappointed mother. 

“He's had plenty of chances to take our lives on the way here.” Karolus gave him a shoulder nudge to comfort the scold from the druid halfling. 

“Still.” Caedmon had caught the eye of the gamblers, they were as common as ale in a tavern.  

“Go have your fun, captain.” Karolus smiled and gestured towards the table with several standing about it cheering highs and lows as bone dice rolled in the wooden tray.

Caedmon rose and kissed Karolus on the forehead, before making a step towards the coin and dice.

“What a bunch of soft bellies. I thought yer sailors could handle yer drink.” she finished the tankard in her hand pointedly.

“There is a difference between drinking with sailors and drinking with the children of the waves.” Caedmon offered.

“Let's not get emotional lad. Get’em in.” Stella sat at the table, taking the sea giant's vacant seat, and got comfortable.

Caedmon looked across at the table, the click clack of the bones landing, the celebration of a win and moan of a loss, silver making that jingle as the coins stacked repeatedly.

He bit his bottom lip and diverted to the bar as instructed and brought a tray of tankards over. Having done this more times than he could count, he thought drinking contests were behind him. Sure he had conned a few confident souls and had his ale watered down, but he had better ways these days. 

One more time he thought to himself. 

How hard would it be to bet his giant constitution against that of an elderly halfing.

“Let us begin, 

Yina adjusted her position, sitting as if to referee the bout that was unfolding before her. She rubbed her hands and bit into the peach she now held.

The ale started flowing, Karolus stuck around for the first couple, cheered them both on before slipping away through the crowd that had built up.

The moon was out and despite the heat and humidity on their arrival, the temperature had dropped significantly. Sea wind blew through the dock, as it touched the skin on the back of his neck, he shivered. 

Workers were wrapped up in woollen hats and scarves worn with use, but they did the job of covering skin and scale. 

It was such a different place at night. As if they had moved to a new town whilst in the tavern. Torches lit with  magical flame were scattered about, hanging from buildings in a multitude of bright colours. 

The rainbow aurora was magnificent, high above. Despite its vibrancy the night sky still had its turn. Bring darkness to the island city. A story or few, told of a deal made between the stars and aurora. 

It had been the first heavy drinking session he had since waking among the furs and incense of Yina’s druid glade.

Karolus felt his head fill with a fuzzy feeling. He stood at the edge of a pier and looked out past the docked ships. The sea, so vast and empty yet filled with freedom and secrets. His heart filled with a wanting to sail. 

Turning to look back at Calvaria, the island city of the dragon folk. Its secrets were crammed into every nut and cranny. Its vastness overrun with magic and dark pride. There was no freedom here, no chance to sail.

His eyes followed the rising land stretching away from the town, twisting and turning around rivers and mountains. The volcanoes standing like gods staring down their worshipers with eyes of lava. 

He took a deep breath and sat, his feet dangling over the water. There were those that called to him, asking to share a coin, or spend it on a night of pleasure. A few even offered a few hours work to help loading and unloading. Schedules needed keeping after all. 

He smiled and politely declined all advances and offered contracts. 

A shadow fell over him along with a blanket. Before he could react the Nerolaith had wrapped it about him and was holding him close. 

“Who won?” the highlander asked, pulling the blanket in closer.

“I’d rather not talk about it.” Caedmon let out a gassy burp and a smile and dropped to sitting beside Karolus.

“Was it close?”

Silence from the sea giant.

Sitting in quiet was nice, the sounds of the dock were nothing but ambience. The highlander stared at the water beneath his feet. 

“When do you leave?” he asked the Neroliath.

Caedmon was hoping it wasn’t spoken of. He cupped Karolus' face and gave him a gentle kiss. 

“If all goes well with the loading then I can be away at midday tomorrow.” 

“You really are just going to sail away?” Karolus asked, looking him in the eyes trying to get a read on the sea giant's honesty.

The huge captain flashed their usual charming smile but it was a fake, and the highlander saw right through it. 

“There are families I need to look after. The trip here was a costly one” he put on his best sad eyes.

Karolus took a moment to put it together, the crew that died in the attack. How true Caedmon's care for them was, he couldn’t guess. 

The pair left the subject, instead enjoying an awkward silence. But then the silence became too present. The ambience of the dock had paused.  

“I don’t mean to alarm you but I think we are being watched.” The Neroliath stood and summoned an orb of bright blue arcane ice in the palm of his hand. 

Before them was a unit of Magistratus from their attire. Tunics of blue and silver. Iron lorica, plate armour. Shield and sword in hand. These were the Samos that Tarik had them avoid on arrival. They stood in a semi circle shape directed at Caedmon and Karolus.

“Good evening gentlefolk, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Caedmon asked, rolling the magical orb across his fingers as if it were a toy.

The leader of the group stepped forwards. Confident in their surroundings. A short sword drawn, they lifted and aimed the blade in the giant's direction.

“Back among the crabs merfolk, we are here for the highlander.” The growl carried a promise of violence. Hunger in their eyes.

Karolus had stood and moved himself to a position that when the inevitable fight kicked off he had space to manoeuvre. 

“Why, I’ve done nothing wrong.” His stance was one similar to the many Tarik had taught him. One based in evasion.

The soldiers spread out a bit more. Everyone working the dock had moved well away, some had even gone into the taverns and spoke of soldiers in armour. Much encouragement to come watch spread about the town. 

“Either come quietly or be beaten bloody, makes no odds to me.” the growling voice betrayed their calm. It was obvious they wanted the latter option. 

“Oi yer scaled bastard! Back away from the boy and pick on someone yer own size!” Stella came pushing through the guards with a shield and hammer at the ready. Looking up at the Samos her scars scowling. 

At first they ignored her for a drunk, grabbing the hilts of their swords but not unsheathing them just yet. Behind her was a young, powerfully built black wolf. Stella staggered to Karolus and Caedmon side. Let out a burp and banged her hammer against the shield. 

“And you, thought yer gone vomit not tart it up with the lad.” Stella was more than drunk and just as poetic. 

The wolf stood beside Karolus and nuzzled him. 

“Yina?” he asked as he stroked the soft fur. Her fur felt as if it were his own. 

“I have no trouble spilling the blood of drunk halflings and giant fish.” the Calvarain signalled their soldiers and swords were drawn. 

“This is gonna hurt in the morning” Stella shouted a prayer much louder than she normally had and a divine light shot down from the sky and scorched the flesh and scales of the leader.

“Did they just call me a fish?” Caedmon smiled at Karolus and expanded the size of the arcane ice orb in his palm. 

A roar of pain went up from the burnt Samos. After a heartbeat the fight began properly. Wobbling, the halfling cleric rushed in swinging her hammer. 

Snarling and biting the black wolf set about the Magistratus. 

Caedmon let loose the icy orb in his hands and it smashed like glass against a soldier flash freezing them for a moment before shattering. It hadn’t taken them from the fight but several of their scales were now missing across their face. 

Short swords stabbed at the party, well trained with sword and shield and working as a unit the Samos quickly tightened up. Wounds appeared on both the wolf and Stella, slowing their advances.

Karolus reacted to the chaos and felt the same primal energy flow through him when he had fought in the water, sharp claws grew from his finger nails and canine fangs. He managed to slash out but the claws scraped across metal. 

Within a few moments both sides were stalking around one another. The Magistratus had better equipment, training and the advantage of numbers. Stella swayed and clanged her hammer against her shield, with the wolf circling and baring teeth. Caedmon had managed to grab a fishing harpoon from a nearby rack and Karolus was half crouched with druidic fangs at the ready.

The crowd of locals and visitors did nothing but watch on, holding their tankards, celebrating blood and the likelihood of death. 

“You cannot win this fight. Lay down your weapons and your deaths will be swift.” said the leader with an angry look in their yellow eyes.

“Not a people person are yer?” Stella burped again and continued her drunken battle sway.

“Not to worry though, I got a cure for that.” Stella closed her eyes and said a prayer. 

Her oaken holy symbol glowed and dark green light spun about her, the sound of rustling leaves and cracking bark. The soldiers backed away as it seemed to slam against their shields and tear at their scales. The crowd could see forms of white woad covered beasts, snarling and barking,  stalking about the aura like protective spirits. 

The summoned guardians started to make gaps in the soldiers defences, this allowed Yina to lunge into their mix biting and raking. 

Karolus followed suit but as he leapt her heard the sound of thunder. When he landed an elemental force of air blasted from him in all directions pushing the soldiers apart.

Karolus swayed holding his head. The spell had caught him off guard. He has cast it reflexively. He heard commands about him from the soldiers. Lizard and lupine growls wrecked the air.

With the soldiers split it meant the fighting was more chaotic. Giving Caedmon and Stella an advantage. The spiritual guardians of the halfling cleric were doing a lot of damage and the Neroliath was making great work of the harpoon.

Stella dropped one of the soldiers with a slam to their knee followed by a spinning smash to the side of the head. The blue scales were bloodied and broken. With this the leader shouted something draconic and every soldier roared. A necrotic green energy filled their mouths as each of them breathed forth a cloud of decaying energy.

The wolf yelped and as it passed over, Yina was now laid on the ground. Her skin raw and blistered. She rolled onto her side and knelt. Caedmon was caught by several simultaneously, he had been their main target, the necrotic breath rotting his flesh and hair. He lay still on the ground with shallow breathing. 

Stella lost concentration on her divine spell and the spiritual guardians disappeared. Her shield had helped block the angle of the death shroud pouring from the draconic soldiers mouths but not enough to prevent the pain. She threw her hammer wildly into the face of the nearest one. The impact brought their breath attack to an abrupt halt as teeth flew.

It had been like slow motion for Karolus. The night sky with its bright stars, the beautiful sea stretching away from the dock. As a thick cloud of necrotic energy rolled towards him, the primal energy in his gut raced through his limbs. He leapt at the cloud roaring at it. 

As it engulfed him the pain only drove him on, it burned and peeled his flesh, but only in places, elsewhere on his body he was absorbing it, druidic magic broke through the wounds on his skin. Within the death cloud the others saw flickers of green light, akin to lightning in a storm.

The cloud dissipated, Karolus stood growling in pain and anger, his hands were fully clawed and fur patched, all his teeth were sharp, sea green eyes focused on the closest Samos. With a leap the highlander bit into their throat, through scale and flesh. 

From the bit poured the dark smoke, whatever amount of it Karolus had absorbed he let out through the bite. The Samos died loud and bloody. 

Karolus was now looking about the dock, wild, desperate, seeing his heavily wounded friends and the scaled enemy that had attacked them. He was crouched low, weighing up which one to pounce upon.

“Magistratus Heaus! Stand down! By order of the Rook!” a Tharros in magenta robes, matching their scales, and a white tunic came bellowing towards the conflict.  

The leader, Heaus, turned his blade to Karolus. Both were filled with a want for blood. It took the Samos everything they had to give the order to back off to their unit.

“You live, for now, dog.” Heaus stated with warning.

Karolus ran to Yina and cradled her. She was conscious but weakened. Sounds of druidism left her lips, soft and quiet, her wounds began to mend themselves. 

“Check on the giant Karolus. I can feel his life ebbing” she gestured in Caedmons direction. 

As he laid Caedmon's head in his lap he saw his hands had returned to normal, his hunger for violence had subsided. Now the highlander was trying to call on the memory of how he had healed before. The water spirits had helped him, Yina had taught him. 

All that was out of reach, his mind foggy from the fight. His eyes scanned the dock for the small water humanoids, but none showed themselves in this busy place.

“This is getting to be a habit.” Caedmon coughed up blood, his smile fading quickly.

“Told yer, soft bellies.” Stella ignored the moment and placed her hand on the Neroliath’s chest. 

Light poured from her and a lot of his wounds healed. The giant still looked in a very bad state. Albeit as the cleric looked around, they all did.

“Well done lad, impressive.” she patted Karolus on the back, nearly knocking him over.

“My apologies, word had clearly not reached all of the Magistratus.” the magenta Tharros bowed before the wounded visitors.

Heaus and their unit were tending to their own wounds and shooing the crowd away. Much to their disgust and dramatic looks of betrayal.

“And who might yer be?” Stella put herself in the way.

“I am Wordspeaker for Garen Rook of the House Rook.” another bow followed.

“Tariks lot eh?” Stella looked disgruntled at the bend and dents in her shield.

“You were sent by Tarik?” Karolus was now standing leaving Yina and Caedmon to tend to one another.

“He did not. He is attending other business of the Rook. Please, allow me to arrange a bed for the night, away from this, well, this.” their hands waved across the view of the dock and its inhabitants.

“We’ve already sorted a place to lay our heads, begone with yer and tell this Garen to be a bit quicker next time.” Stella spat blood to the ground.

The Wordspeaker looked genuinely offended by the exchange. They gave a polite and practised nod.

“Very well. Magistratus Heaus will be of no further bother.” the Tharros strode away, summoned a thin winged lizard, almost ethereal. The size of a horse. Moments later they were to the skies and flying further into the island.

“Right, you lot. To bed.” Stella commanded, then eyed Heaus.

“I’m sure they won’t” she said to herself and spat again.