Lissa took a few shaking steps towards the door while Micah watched her appraisingly. “You are doing well considering the injuries. How is your head?” Lissa kept one hand on the wall while turning her head slowly to face him, “How do you think it feels?” Micah raised an eyebrow, “I thought they found something to help with the,” he made a circle gesture with his hand, “Spinning world.”

“They did, but it also makes me incredibly tired and puts my mind into a haze,” Lissa replied, taking more slow, unsteady steps to the door. Her eyes were glued to the handle, the only unmoving object in her view. “So that explains why we didn’t leave yesterday then. I just thought it was due to your wounds needing to be healed more,” Micah wondered out loud. Lissa fought against everything to turn her head to glare at Micah. That would only result in her lunch trying to violently see the light of day again. “Any word from the capital at all?” Lissa asked while taking a deep breath. Only two more steps before turning and making the long journey back to bed.

“Not as of yet, which is strange. I would have expected to hear something by now,” Lissa could almost see Micah tapping his chin. “Though considering Volamire may be transitioning soon, I am not surprised. No one wants an entire city falling out of the sky after all.” Lissa touched the door handle and breathed a sigh of relief. “Good job, want me to help you back?” Micah asked while taking a tentative step forward.

“No, but thank you for asking. I appreciate it,” Lissa waved off his good intentions. She needed to do this. If she couldn’t handle walking on a flat surface, how could she take horseback? The answer was she couldn’t. Micah shrugged loudly, “Alright, fair enough. Want me to get Mera or Mela to check on everything?” Lissa bit her lip, she wanted to shake her head, but that would only compound the inner ear turmoil. “If you wouldn’t mind,” She finally replied after a few more confident steps.

“Sure, I will be right back. Don’t fall now,” Micah said with a chuckle while quickly walking to and then opening the door. Lissa heard it shut and continued pressing on. Her eyes locked with her goal, the side of the bed. “And people make this look easy,” Lissa said to herself while gaining ground. An excruciatingly long time passed before she reached the bed. Lissa saw the wall in front of her twist momentarily.

A wave of nausea broke over her as it happened, and she clamped a hand over her mouth. The bile rose and was swallowed back down with great effort. “Gods damn head injuries,” Lissa muttered, “At least the fractures and breaks healed nicely.” Lissa looked at her arms and legs. Only small thin white lines showed any evidence of the injuries.

A low and deep thrum brought Lissa from her thoughts. She could see the water in the pitcher on the bedside table move with the thrumming. The thrum continued to grow in volume. Lissa ran through her mind searching for what could cause this. Only one conclusion came. “What is an airship doing here?” She asked herself while standing slowly. The subtle vibrations around her did not help with vertigo, but she soldiered on. Lissa had made it halfway to the door before it burst open, startling her. “Lis! We got an Emissary airship….” Mera said while her gaze went from the bed to Lissa standing next to the door.

“Oh, well, I guess you can hear it in here,” Lissa glared at Mera as she spoke. “You were saying?” Lissa asked while making her way to the now open door. “Yeah, an Emissary airship is landing close to the city gates on this side of the river. Not sure why it’s here, though. Wanna come to find out?” Mera began while an ear-splitting grin formed. “I don’t think you are going to give me much choice. Can you at least give me some of that medicine to help with the spinning? Sleep be damned at this point,” Lissa replied while debating on the casual clothes she wore were appropriate. Lissa decided they were reasonable, considering she was still being treated for grievous injuries.

“Umm, didn’t expect that answer. I will be right back,” Mera disappeared through the door into the hall. Lissa could hear her thunderous bounding down the hall. Sighing, Lissa made her way into the hallway just as Mera crashed through the door to her and Mela’s room. Lissa screamed, “I am not paying for that door!” Grumbling, she walked down the hall. Her hand never left the walls. What felt like an eternity later, Mera walked out of the room carrying a small flask. “Is that it?” Lissa asked while raising an eyebrow. When they had given it to her before, it had been in small vials. “Yeah, we had made a new and slightly different batch. Though we didn’t expect it would make this much,” Mera replied while continuing towards Lissa.

“Does it still taste awful?” Lissa could still remember her first taste of this medicine. It was like someone poured dirt and chalk into her mouth. She couldn’t hide the cringe at the memory. “No, it isn’t anywhere close to that bad. At least to Mela and I,” Mera sniffed from the flask. Lissa could see the barest hint of a nose wrinkle as the smell hit her. “It smells worse, doesn’t it?” Lissa replied, dreading what she was about to do.

“Not much we could do about that, we weren't at home, and the ingredients were. Um, not as pure,” Mera kept the flask a bit further forward now as she walked closer. “If this makes me vomit, I swear I am going to get it all over you,” Lissa braced herself against the wall and waited. Finally, Mera reached her, “Only take a small mouthful right now. I will put a stopper in and save the rest for later.” Lissa grabbed the flask with her free hand, and she pinched her nose shut. Taking a swig from the flask made her gag.

It was only marginally better than the other one. Instead of chalk and dirt, it was bitter sand. Swallowing it down quickly before the taste settled in, Lissa shuddered. “Blegh, you couldn’t make it taste any better at all? And why did it feel like a mouthful of sand?” Lissa passed the flask back to Mera, who pulled out a stopper and sealed it. “We were in a rush and couldn’t filter it properly. Though it should kick in soon,” Mera stowed it away in a pouch and walked past Lissa. “I thought we were going to the airship?” Lissa asked while slowly turning and following Mera.

“We are. The Silver Shields are nothing if not resourceful. They built tunnels that lead outside the walls,” Mera replied while turning slightly to look at Lissa. “Isn’t that a major weakness that can be exploited? How could the lord of the city allow it?” Lissa retorted. The arrogance of the Silver Shields knew higher bounds now. “I didn’t ask many questions, honestly. The only reason we found out about it was that the Silver Shield party we ran across used one of them to help us get you into the city,” Mera continued farther down the hall before stopping in front of a bare spot.

“Why didn’t you go through the gates?” Lissa asked while Mera pressed her palm onto the wall. “Because then the healers would have wanted to take you. And if they did and you died while they had you,” Mera exhaled, and a runic circle appeared around her hand. “I don’t know what we would have done, but it wouldn’t have been anything good.”

“Were you really that worried?” Lissa asked while watching the runes fill up with light. Mera turned to look at Lissa, “Yeah, we were. We had a few close calls on our way to get you here. Honestly, we didn’t think you would wake up.” Once all the runes were lit, they grew brighter for a moment and then dimmed. “The house was there, but no one was home,” Lissa said. Her mind went back to when she spoke with Maggie. What she told now made a bit more sense. Does that mean her body would have just withered away without her there? A dozen different thoughts ran through her mind, but a click from the wall brought Lissa back to reality.

“Yeah, that is kind of what it was like. You okay?” Mera asked while taking a tentative step towards Lissa. Concern was on her face, and a gentle hand reaching out. “I’m fine. The medicine kicked in just now. Do you mind helping me walk for a bit?” Lissa said to alleviate Mera’s concern. It wasn’t a complete lie. She could feel the slight fog settle on her mind. “Yeah, of course,” Mera replied, coming to Lissa’s side. Meanwhile, the wall jutted forward before sinking into the floor. Beyond was a stone set of stairs leading down into the darkness.

“No railings, of course,” Lissa commented. She hadn’t tried stairs as of yet. “I got you, don’t worry,” Mera said while placing a steadying hand on Lissa’s lower back. Slowly they made their way down the stairs. The footsteps echoed both in front and behind them. Hidden sconces lit themselves as they descended, providing just enough light to make sure they had a sure footing. “Lis?” Mera’s voice carried forward into the darkness as she spoke. “Yeah?” Lissa replied, her hand tracing the stonework around her.

“What was it like?” Mera unconsciously pressed into Lissa. Lissa sighed, “I, uh, it's hard to explain, really. For me, it was excruciating pain, and then nothing.” Lissa bit her lip, and she could feel her tail hit Mera at least twice. “I opened my eyes and was someplace else. Honestly, I wanted to be angry, sad, bitter about what happened to me.” A few more tentative steps down let Lissa see the end of the stairwell. “I wasn’t though, I knew I should have been feeling a lot of those emotions. But I couldn’t, and then I was asked if I wanted to die.” Lissa knew Mera had a confused look on her face.

“Wait, what?” Mera asked while stopping for a moment. “Yes, I was asked if I wanted to die. I didn’t answer right away. I asked why it was my choice. If this is the afterlife, shouldn’t whoever was speaking to me decide?” Lissa turned slowly and leaned against the sidewall. “Did they answer?” Mera looked at Lissa more curiously but also with concern. Lissa smiled, “They did. And said that it was my choice whether I lived or died. I didn’t want to die, and soon enough, I felt myself falling. The next thing I knew, I was laying in bed, Darvick next to me.” Lissa wanted to tell Mera and the others everything that had actually happened, but it didn’t feel right each time the words and thoughts formed.

Mera looked at Lissa not with curiosity but happiness and painfully shoved her into the wall with a hug. Lissa could feel the smile on Mera’s face and the small spots of cold wetness from tears. Smiling, Lissa put her head against the chilled stone. She wondered who would break first to ask her. She was glad it had been Mera. Lissa smiled. It felt good to tell someone at least part of the truth. Soon though, the warm embrace turned painful. “Mera, my tail is pinned and is starting to hurt,” Lissa commented softly while gently prying Mera away.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to hurt you,” Mera replied sheepishly while letting go and taking a step back. “Are you ready to keep going?” Lissa asked after Mera wiped her eyes. “Yeah, the longest part is coming up,” Mera quickly got back into position to help Lissa, “At least we are near the bottom.” Lissa gave Mera a look as a thought occurred to her, “Mera. Where exactly does this take us outside the walls?” With caution steps down, they continued while Lissa watched Mera think. “Umm, I am not entirely sure, honestly. I only found out that this one went outside the south walls a few hours ago,” Mera said while turning away sheepishly. “You didn’t check?” Lissa said while taking a deep breath to calm herself.

“I didn’t expect to need to use it. I, we, we’re just curious how many there were,” Mera replied while biting her lip nervously. Lissa raised an eyebrow, “How many are there?” Lissa felt Mera’s grip change just a bit as her fingers moved. “About a dozen in this building, some lead to other buildings. A few lead outside the walls like this one. On the north side, there are about….” Lissa smiled as Mera continued speaking about the number of tunnels in the city that the Silver Shields had.

The entire discussion only ended when they reached the end of this tunnel after what felt like hours of walking. “Do you think we should send a report about this back?” Lissa asked while taking a tentative step up the stairs. The good thing about walking for so long is that the medicine has taken full effect now. “I don’t think so. You noticed all the runes on the walls, right?” Mera said, ascending the steps behind Lissa. “I wasn’t really paying attention,” Lissa said while looking at the walls. Now that she pointed out, she could see runes carved out at specific intervals in the wall. “But now I do. Do you know what they do?” Lissa asked. Runework and enchanting were never her strong suit.

“I can take a good guess. Some reinforce the walls, floor, and ceiling. I saw a few that manage the temperature and humidity here. We walked over one that was about halfway through this tunnel. I didn’t want to stop and really look at it since we have somewhere to be, but,” Mera trailed off. Lissa rolled her eyes. She knew this tactic well, “But what?” Lissa could practically feel the smirk coming from Mera. “But just a glance told me that one could collapse the entire tunnel. Pretty violently too.”

Lissa turned her head to look at Mera. “Wouldn’t that affect the stuff above us if the tunnel suddenly collapsed?” Mera shrugged, “Probably, but I think whoever built this tunnel accounted for that. Or at least I hope they did. Either way, if this collapses, there is probably something much more worrisome going on.” Lissa nodded. She had a point. They were silent for a few more steps before Lissa noticed something. The walls and stairs were vibrating ever so slightly. “Wow, I didn’t expect the ship to land so close to the walls. Or we walked a really long way,” Mera commented as she placed a hand entirely on the wall.

“Did you get a look at how big the ship was?” Lissa continued upwards. She could now pick out the low thrum of the crystals. “No, but it's gotta be pretty big if we could feel it while it was descending and now even when it is idling,” Mera said while squeezing past Lissa and practically skipping up the stairs. “Gonna make sure we aren’t going to come out into a pasture or something. I will be right back.” Lissa couldn’t stop her if she tried and merely sighed while continuing the slow ascent.

Alone with her thoughts now, Lissa thought about her family. She missed them all and still found it strange why she hadn’t really thought about seeing them. As her thoughts went down that path, the pinprick of pain came back. Lissa felt the pain smolder in the base of her neck. She started to remember what Maggie had said but quickly quashed that thought upon also recalling the reaction. “I am going to have to ask Mera and Mela about this later,” Lissa whispered to herself. Soon what sounded like an avalanche came down the stairs towards her.

“I got good news, and I got bad news. Which do you want to hear first?” Mera said while barely slowing down enough to not crash into Lissa. “Bad news first,” Lissa responded while stopping to look at Mera. “Alright, the bad news is we are in a pasture, and I am pretty sure I left a furious cow up top,” Lissa could tell Mera was holding back laughter as she spoke. “And the good news?” Lissa had given Mera a few seconds to carry on, but clearly, she was waiting for this question. “I saw Darvick by the ship on his horse.”

Lissa looked to Mera, up the stairs, and then back to her, “How much farther up do we have to go?” Mera put her hand to her chin, “A bit, why?” Lissa knelt just enough to look Mera in the eyes, “Promise you will tell no one about this, alright?” Mera cocked an eyebrow, “Um, sure, what is it?” Lissa gingerly raised Mera’s hands and arms up. “Considering how slow I am,” Lissa took a deep breath, “I need you to carry me up the stairs.” Lissa had closed her eyes and expected Mera to chuckle or laugh. She didn’t, though, “Okay, Lis, it might be a little awkward going up these stairs with you. But I can do it.” Lissa opened her eyes and watched as Mera gave her a once-over.

Considering Lissa was slightly over double Mera’s height, they had to get creative about how she was carried. “You promise you are not going to tell anyone about this,” Lissa said while looking Mera right in the eyes. “I don’t think we will have any problems unless I carry you over a threshold, right?” Mera said while adjusting her grip on Lissa as they ascended. Lissa rolled her eyes and snorted. They had settled on a strange mix of a bridal carry with part of her being slung over Mera’s shoulder. “Haha, very funny,” Lissa replied while trying not to shift her weight. “You alright?” Mera asked while taking nearly three steps per stride.

“Yeah, I just feel bad that you have to carry me,” Lissa was worried that she was burdening Mera too much. Although considering the breakneck pace they went up the stairs, she doubted it was any inconvenience. “I would have said no if I didn’t want to help you,” Mera adjusted Lissa just enough to now start taking four stairs at a time. “Are you sure going this fast up the stairs is such a good idea?” Lissa couldn’t tell how fast they were going, but it certainly was much quicker than she anticipated.

“It’s fine. The sooner we get up there, the sooner we can find out what is going on. Though if you wouldn’t mind shutting up for a bit, I have to concentrate on not falling,” Mera replied somewhat breathlessly. Lissa stopped her questions mid-thought and sighed. Closer her eyes, she let the fog roll over her for a time until Mera slowed. “Alright, we are near the top. The door is pretty well hidden inside a boulder. Let’s just hope that same cow isn’t grazing nearby. I would really hate to hit it again,” Mera gently set Lissa down on the stairs. Lissa stood slowly, getting her balance back, and looked up.

A dozen steps remained before coming to a landing. “Runes are on the left. Push some Aether in, and the door should open,” Mera said while taking in a deep breath. Lissa could see she was sweating a bit and went up to the door. As Mera said, Lissa found the runes on the left and placed her palm on the cold stone. Taking a deep breath, she pushed Aether into the circle with the exhale. The runes lit and became brighter before dimming. Lissa noticed this time it wasn’t a click, but a rumble as a portion of the rock face in front of her slowly slid into the ground. As the rocks slid down, unmistakable sounds of a surprised cow could be heard.

“Watch out for the cow. I don’t think it likes us,” Mera said while ascending to meet Lissa. “I wouldn’t either if I just found strangers in my pasture,” Lissa watched the light stream into the stairway and saw beyond the pasture. A lone brown cow stood a few meters away, head low, pawing at the ground. Lissa stepped forward slowly, arms outstretched, “It’s okay, it’s okay, girl. We are just passing through.” The cow backed off slightly, head still low, snorting and pawing at the ground. “I can always just push it away, you know?” Mera said, slowly approaching Lissa. “I would rather you not throw a cow at the moment, Mera.”

“It wouldn’t be far, and you know it,” Mera looked at Lissa, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Lissa shook her head and sighed. Looking past the cow now, Lissa could see the airship in the distance. Emissaries milled about on deck and around the ship itself. A boarding ramp extended from the deck to the ground, and gathered at the base were a few Emissaries that appeared to be looking specifically for someone or something. “I thought you said that everyone was there waiting for us?” Lissa asked while turning to Mera. “They were. Maybe they went aboard?” She replied with a shrug. “It’s possible. Let’s get going. I hate being late,” Lissa said while slowly skirting around the braying cow.

One eye was on the ground, making sure that no surprises waited for her feet. “Oi! What are you doing in my pasture! Get out!” A man’s voice shouted from behind Lissa and Mera. They turned slowly. A tanned older man with sun-dried leathery skin sat on horseback a dozen meters away and trotted over them. “And how did you get in here without me seeing you?” He asked while staring daggers at them. “Sir, do you really want to know? Or do you just want us out of your pasture?” Lissa said calmly while eyeing the man.

He met her gaze, looked at Mera and then the cow, and sighed, “I am getting too old for this shit. Go on, get out of here before I get the guards.” Lissa did a slight bow and put her knee into Mera’s side until she bowed as well, “Thank you, sir, you won’t see us again.” The man trotted past them to the cow, “Now Jessebell come on now. Don’t pay any attention to these strangers. We got fresh grass over here. Now don’t start with that…….” The man’s words carried on as Lissa and Mera wound their way through the pasture. A few cows approached them curiously but were shooed off quickly enough.

Reaching the fence line, Lissa clambered over slowly while Mera jumped over. The thrumming from the ship grew louder and could now easily be felt in Lissa’s chest. The Emissaries watching the boarding ramp finally spotted them and seemed to confer with each other. “Are you Callista Narto, and does the halfling next to happen to be Mera?” One of the pair turned and shouted towards Lissa and Mera as they closed the distance. “Yes, we are! Were you waiting for us?” Lissa returned the shout while out of her eye, she saw Mera’s face grow pale. “Mera, are you alright?”

“No, we were informed you were both missing! I will let the captain know you are safe!” The same Emissary shouted again before sprinting up the ramp. Lissa stopped and turned to Mera, who looked to the ground downcast, “Mera, please tell me you left a note or told someone where we were going.” Mera shook her head, “I didn’t think we would be gone for long, honestly, so I didn’t feel the need to.” Lissa pinched the bridge of her nose, “Mera. You broke down the door to your room, I know it was accidental, but no one else knows. I didn’t leave a note. Probably left the room a mess, and then we both couldn’t be found.” Lissa knelt down to Mera, her tail swishing in agitation. “How do you think everyone reacted?” Mera smiled back at Lissa, “Well?”

Lissa had to laugh. It took a few moments for her to compose herself to respond. “Probably very well. I am just going to watch when they all get here,” Lissa said with a wink. “You aren’t going to help me even a little bit? What friend you are,” Mera returned the wink as armored footfalls closed in on them. “Well, both of you have caused quite the stir,” A gravelly voice said to Lissa’s left. Standing there was presumably the captain of the airship. Lissa stood and went to shake the captain’s hand. He gripped it firmly, “Captain Virstus at your service. We didn’t expect to find a team here. Though it is good we did, everyone is being recalled to the capital.”

Lissa looked to Virstus and then to Mera. “Why? Is something going on?” She asked while watching Virstus look around. “Walk with me first. This can not be spread idly,” He did an about-face and walked towards the ship. Lissa and Mera kept up with him. Lissa’s thoughts raced on what could cause every Emissary team to be recalled. Did the Risen Empire strike against the border again? An assassination attempt on the Emperor? Or just precaution as Volamire prepares to shift? “I must ask, though, did you complete your assignment, or are you finished with it?” Virstus asked, jarring Lissa from her thoughts.

“We just finished it, and we’re heading back,” Mera replied before Lissa could open her mouth. “Good, then we aren’t taking away from anything crucial. Now that we are out of earshot of these people, I can tell you what’s going on,” Virstus said while stopping and turning to Lissa and Mera. “There has been a massive outbreak of Gloom in the capital.”