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[Caellath]

"That does not seem like the effect of your average magical item. I assume Fer will want to take a look."

[Gaterhyme]

Claude seemed to have recovered well enough by now.

"This view's not good enough for him?" Lavinia said, leaning on her lance as she watched the spectacle.

[Caellath]

"Maybe he'll want to experience it himself. So how are you feeling? Aside from better than me."

[Gaterhyme]

"Fighting's the same thrill for me as always. They didn't even manage to knock me down once."

"Wouldn't have knocked you down either if it wasn't for you having to cover him." Lavinia indicated Fer with a tilt of her head, matter-of-fact, not disapproving.

[Chevaleresse]

"Intriguing as the Crown is, it may be best studied underway. We still have a false king to overthrow."

[Solymr]

~~Chapter 10: The Tower~~



With two Treasures in their possession, it was time for the trip to the mysterious Tower of Xos. Mysterious except for the crew member that was born and raised there.

Though Xos seemed peaceful, one couldn't help but wonder what sort of trouble would be waiting for them before and after obtaining the final Treasure.

After another week of travel, the Blackbones' supplies were running low. However, over the horizon the lookout could begin to see the top of the great tower, the unmistakeable landmark that signaled their destination.
The port of Xos was quite a ways away from the Tower for safety, yet bustled with activity. The signature Black Ships stood out from the merchant vessels, but they made no attempt to intercept the Blackbones. After reaching the pier, the group touched solid ground after almost three weeks of sailing.

: For some reason I didn't expect this place to be so... normal.

[Praefectus Screptum]

"All the more reason to be cautious."

[Chevaleresse]

"I'm simply glad to stand on something that doesn't heave to and fro for a while."

[Haspen]

"The port was always, well, normal. It's the Tower where all the weird things happen." Ethan scratched his nose.

"Don't ask me for details, it's just the stories I've heard from others."

[Caellath]

"We need more oranges." Claude added to the conversation after he emerged from belowdecks with a ledger in hand.

[Powder Miner]

Xos - despite the circumstances around the trip here, Fer couldn't help but be excited, with a smile on his face.
:"Xos! Ah, you know, it's probably not all that surprising, considering how far away from home this city is, but I've never been here. I've always wanted to, though! There's so much that could be learned here - there is some philosophical misalignment when it comes to how we run our research and Xos runs theirs, but really we've just never much collaborated because of the distance. You know, I suppose it's an obvious fact, but it warrants saying - I consider Xos to be one of the four main capitals of magic in the world-"

All of a sudden, Fer stopped talking as his mind started running down an extremely specific train of thought. He considered the other three main capitals of magic, as he saw it, during their visits:

Demura - they had personally run a horrific and bloody smash and grab on a leading museum, scarring the crew (and him especially) for a long time afterwards, and no doubt damaging the magical establishment there terribly.

Duo Alvada - the entire city had undergone a massive and horrific wave of violence centered around their crew specifically, involving a siege of the Jasso Library, internecine violence, false artifacts, and generally just the wrecking of the entire academic infrastructure there in the tide of strife.

House of Scholars - the compound had been engulfed in sudden violence as many of the scholars had turned out to be traitors and/or sleeper agents and actually that one kind of turned out okay for the House of Scholars if he were to look at it rationally, but it was too late, the train of thought had already gone too far.

Fer suddenly trailed off into a high-pitched and quiet voice, looking as if he'd seen a ghost or some sort of dark premonition.
:"^{-aaaalongwithWOWthreefunnyotherplaces.}"

[Praefectus Screptum]

"Are you unwell, Fer? Did our somewhat limited diet affect your stomach?"
"Luckily for you, I do know how to prepare a tea for that. I do believe the tea is popularly known as 'Death's Whisper' due to its potency. But does the trick."

[Haspen]

"I don't think oranges will be priced cheap this far north, Claude."

[I_Like_Pi]

It was a weird feeling to be home, effectively, after such a long time away. When she'd left home to become a mercenary she hadn't expected that this was the way life would take her, on some crazy quest collecting Treasures. A quest that eventually led her home, seeking the final Treasure of the set.

"I don't know what sort of rumors you've been hearing, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't imply my home was weird."

[Chevaleresse]

"In fairness, every place is strange to somebody. I'm certain there were things you found odd about Alvada."