Getting clear of the enemy pursuit wasn’t trivial, but Hirrus had all the tools he needed. As soon as he crested the hilltop and broke line of sight for just a moment, he had a half-dozen Arcana that meant that, even when his pursuers came over the hill right behind him, he had vanished into thin air. Rapid Rip and Split Second meant he was yards away from where they’d last seen him in the blink of an eye, and while Fire’s stealth ability was not impenetrable, there simply weren’t enough people looking directly at where he was to break it.

The man in the green skirt and the two adventurers from the gate refused to give up the hunt, but they got it into their heads that he must have cut towards the forest to the west, away from town, and so Hirrus only had to wait for them to continue their search in that direction before picking his way back towards the hilltop where he and Alric had parted from Nidra.

Nidra was waiting there with an armful of purple cloth, having an annoyed discussion with Alric. As Hirrus expected, the man had gotten clear of the fight before it escalated, in order to avoid getting drawn into the scuffle.

Nidra was apparently not quite so pleased with that decision.

“So you just left him?” she asked flatly.

“The fuck did you want me to do?” Alric asked, waving his arms around wildly. “It’s fucking Hirrus we’re talking about. Do you get pissed at Jimmy Olsen for not sticking around to help when Superman starts fist fighting Darkseid? No! Because at best, he’s not gonna do shit, and at worst, he’s gonna be a distraction when the fight inevitably escalates!”

“He’s right,” Hirrus said, dismissing the stealth effect as he approached. He didn’t know what Alric was talking about specifically, but he was trying to follow Nidra’s lead to focus on context clues. “Alric would have been in needless danger if he’d stayed. Or he would have complicated my escape. He did the right thing.”

Nidra pursed her lips, and threw a robe at him. It thumped into his chest in a tangled lump. She threw a similar bundle at Alric, throwing it hard enough to send him staggering a step back. Hirrus would have said something, but the little bit of unnecessary force was enough to take the smug grin off the man’s face.

“I didn’t do anything to identify myself,” Hirrus said. “But they got a very good look at Alric’s face while he was making a fuss. We will need to move with care in case a description is circulated.”

“I’m not worried,” Alric said, struggling for a moment to untangle the mass of cloth. “As long as these aren’t full of dagger holes and covered in blood.”

The robes were in flawless condition. Hirrus had no idea how Nidra had done it. If he had tried to take a robe from the men he’d fought at the front gate, it would have been a torn and bloody mess by the time he had it in hand.

Nidra’s work seemed impossible.

But he imagined that before this was over, he was going to do things she thought impossible. That was why they were all working together. Each one could do things the others couldn’t imagine. Even Alric had gifts they couldn’t match.

With the three in their quasi-disguises, they started to head down towards the camp. Hirrus’s instinct was to stay low and try to be unseen, but Nidra and Alric made no such motions. He followed their lead, and quickly understood why.

They were acting like they belonged.

If the guards at the bottom of the hill saw them creeping around, it would raise questions and make them suspicious. It would ruin their disguise. They were meant to be seen. In fact, they wanted their approach to be noted, and then dismissed as normal.

Nidra led them directly and purposely towards a small knot of guards at the edge of the camp. Hirrus was slightly anxious about that choice, but he put his trust in her. This was not his area of expertise. When it was his turn to act, he would know it. Until then, he was in her hands.

“Ho there,” one of the guards called, stepping forward and raising a hand to bring the trio to a halt. “Where did you come from?”

“There was a disturbance,” Nidra said, pointing off towards the direction of the front entrance, where Alric and Hirrus had started the fight. “The adventurers who started it ran off. We were scanning the area for them, but it seems they’re long gone.”

Several of the guards nodded, no doubt having felt the Alarm ability being used. Some of them might have just returned from having gone to reinforce the spot.

“I didn’t know we had people searching for them,” the guard said with a grimace. “If we’d heard, we would have sent more assistance.”

“It wasn’t a formal search,” Alric cut in. “One of the adventurers struck a real nerve with one of the boys, and he wanted the satisfaction of popping that little pimple.” He shrugged and shook his head. “We were just trying to calm him down by helping.”

The guard chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Some of us get a swollen head, yeah? Get the idea that because we can do what we want, we should do what we want.” He gave a gesture and the knot of guards parted. He waved them on. “Get back in, then,” he said, “before things get any crazier around here.”

“Keep an eye out,” Alric said as Nidra led the way past the guards. “There’s a tension in the air over Shemil. I think… He… Might be coming.”

The guards all tensed.

Hirrus knew Alric was talking about him, but at his words, their eyes went to the area outside of the camp. He’d have thought that invoking Hirrus would be a foolish move while literally smuggling him past the guards. But their gaze was going outward. They were looking for a lone figure bristling with weapons and humming with power to launch himself over the hilltop and charge down at them.

Considering that would have been Hirrus’s plan, he felt an immense sense of relief that he’d put his faith in his friends.

“You’re a fool,” Nidra said as soon as they were past the guards and the noise of the camp itself could drown out her words. It took Hirrus a moment to realize she was talking to Alric. “Do you enjoy treading as close to disaster as possible?”

“Obviously,” Alric said with a smirk. “Don’t you?”

“Focus,” Hirrus said, before Nidra could respond. “We’re not here to bicker.”

Within the camp there was some manner of chaos going on. There were large groups of robed figures hurrying to and fro, carrying things around the camp. It seemed that they were preparing for something, though Hirrus had no idea what. And considering that supplies, furniture, and other goods appeared to be going in all directions, he couldn’t even tell where to go if he wanted to find out.

“What are they doing?” Hirrus asked.

“Fuck if I know,” Alric said, looking around.

“Preparing,” Nidra said with a grimace. She altered their course, moving along with one of the streams of people carrying goods around the camp.

“Preparing?” Alric asked. “For what?”

Nidra said nothing, only leading them on.

As they made their way deeper into the camp, there only seemed to be more and more people. The chaos seemed to grow and grow, and Hirrus was suddenly grateful for Nidra’s more specific knowledge rather than her more general skills. She’d mentioned that she had been “awakened” by Rumi here, and had rebelled. That meant she had been in this camp before. Without her, he couldn’t even tell which direction was towards the center of camp anymore amid the press of bodies. He’d be totally lost.

Nidra led them with purpose, though, following some series of landmarks that were beyond his ability to recognize. At length, she pulled them aside, off the main route that zig-zagged between uneven rows of tents, and they found themselves in a small clearing encircled by tents, next to a blackened firepit.

“We don’t have much time,” Nidra said, now that they were separated from the moving crowd. “Rumi is preparing a demonstration.” She pointed out at the streaming groups of people ferrying supplies around. “They’re clearing stored supplies from the area, and carrying materials to make a show of whatever he’s doing. Some grand experiment, or just a display of power.”

At her explanation, Hirrus could suddenly see the pattern. Crates, folded-up tents, and miscellaneous goods were moving one direction. The people transporting items the opposite way were carrying chairs. Larger groups worked together to transport wood and building materials, no doubt to construct or reinforce seating stands or a stage platform.

“We can’t let this opportunity pass,” Alric said, rubbing his hands together. “You’re thinking what I’m thinking, right?”

“Opportunity?” Hirrus asked.

“Causing problems on purpose,” Alric said with a grin.

“What are you thinking?” Nidra asked.

“We could-” Alric stopped, tilting his head. “Okay, that’s… Yeah, yeah.” He nodded, turning his head away towards no one, appearing to talk to himself. “That’s what I’m talking about.” He gestured at Hirrus and Nidra. “Can you give that to them, too?”

Hirrus suddenly felt a strange intrusion on his mind. It was like someone had clamped a hand down on his neck, but on the inside of his brain. He stiffed, and Nidra did as well, and he knew it was happening to her as well. A series of letters floated in the air before his eyes.

It’s A Lovely Day In The Camp And You Are A Horrible Hirrus

0/10 Disrupt the camp’s operations.

The cultist camp is a chaotic mess. Where things can go wrong, make them go wrong. The more mess you make, the more hands are there cleaning it up instead of taking up arms against you when it’s go time against Rumi himself.

And hurry the fuck up, will you? Your bullshit in Shemil is making more work for me than I have time for.

Hirrus blinked at the strange imperative. The letters settled in the air beside him, out of the way, though he found when he reached out towards them, he couldn’t touch or affect them.

“GM Dave?” Nidra asked.

Alric nodded. “I think ten disruptions apiece is a little overkill, but we seem to have plenty of opportunities.”

“We work together,” Nidra said, “Closely. If we become separated, we can’t protect each other from unnecessary escalation.” She looked at Hirrus as she said that. Her gaze turned to a glare at Alric as she added: “nor can we cover for any unnecessary showboating.”

“And if things escalate too far to come back from,” Hirrus added, “then you will want me at your side instead of across the camp.”

Nidra nodded. With a gesture, she led them out of the small clearing and back into the stream of porters carrying goods around. As they went, they started looking for activities that they could easily disrupt.

With a wide grin, Alric made a playful honking sound, like that of a waterfowl.