Taking a step back, Deacon took in his surroundings to ensure there wasn’t an open crack or crevasse that creature could use to surprise him. To his right was a long expanse of trees and tall grass. Just beyond that he could see the islands on rails. There were about a mile away and the ground was unnaturally level between here and there. Deacon expected there to be more rocky terrain up here. The cliff edge just ended about fifteen feet inland. That was where the grass started. To his left was spire he noticed while climbing although from up here it was just an overhang of mossy covered rock. The trees he thought he saw from below was just one tree that whose trunk branched off in three directions. It seemed to have grown out over the cliff reaching further and further out into open air.

At the base of that tree was some coiled rope half again as tall as Deacon. Every yard or so had a thick knot in it. To his eyes, they were about fist sized. This must be how the smugglers made it down to the ledge below. Deacon wondered why they did not construct something more permanent. He guessed if you were going to sneak around, why make it easy to spot. This area was pretty secluded and if you didn’t know this was here, you probably wouldn’t stumble upon it.

“Right. So that way leads back to the shattered isles and this way probably leads to where they are hunting. I don’t have any tracking skills. I’ll just start walking?” he asked himself.

He headed off into the tall grass leading to the trees. Deacon opted to go intangible to make his passage as simple as possible. This way he didn’t have to avoid fallen trees or other obstacles he came across. The forest up here was lush, with leafy green trees and a strong moss smell. The area clearly benefited from all the rain they just had, with scrub brush growing thicker and more verdant. The further he got from the moving islands the more variation there was in ground. He found that smaller hills started appearing and he was stepping down from large rocks more and more. Soon, Deacon heard the sound of chuckling from his right. He squatted down to listen closely. His method of traveling while incorporeal didn’t make much noise since he disturbed no branches and rustled no underbrush. Still he wasn’t invisible.

Once Deacon narrowed down what direction the sound was coming from, he adjusted his course. Not five minutes later, he reached a clearing that had a small freshwater pond in it. Pond was probably the wrong word since it was overflowing considerably. In fact, the water running off of it was heading back the way he’d just come. This might be the source of water that was running on either side of the overhang. With that one mystery solved Deacon scanned the area for sounds. The waters surface covered a good eighty square yards. On the complete opposite end from Deacon’s location was a camp site on a large rock elevated above the rushing waters. There were five Deep Dwellers seated around a campfire. The smoke from which would have been impossible for Deacon to see in the waning hours of the day. But it was still early enough that the light from the fire didn’t stick out either. He must have found them due to his high luck.

They were too far away. He couldn’t see faces clearly and didn’t just want to announce his presence. So, Deacon took the long way around the burgeoning lake mentally cursing himself for losing his other sandal. If he still had them, he could have just walked across the waters surface to close the distance. After another five minutes of walking, he was close enough to hear what they were saying.

“Can you believe he let them go out a third time? Generations ago if you failed the first challenge you needed to find yourself another family. Hope you could marry into the Jinkbons or those filthy Bloodbeards. But not the twins. They get to try again and again,” said one of the Dwellers.

“They’re the first set of twins in multiple generations. It would be a shame if they didn’t rise to our families great calling. Oh well, I guess they’ll just have to be outcasts,” scoffed a particularly burly female Dweller. Her hair ran down the sides of her head and was braided together before sinking into her bosom.

Deacon realized he’d never seen a female of the race before. If she was an example of the standard, he found it interesting that the hair braided down past the face was almost reminiscent of a beard. Deciding this wasn’t the time to get lost in thought, he kept listening.

“They should reach the migrating lanes of the giants tomorrow morning. If we stay ahead of them, we can keep the giants moving in the opposite direction. That way they’ll never come across one and the twins will fail the hunt. We’ve never been paid so well to do so little,” said another.

‘Seems like the twin’s failure isn’t a lack of skill. Someone or something is working against them. What will you do champion?’ asked Sun Wu.

“I could just tell them. That might solve this whole problem. None of this is really my business. I’m just up here to swing another vote to our favor. Why is this so convoluted? What was our original goal in coming here? Didn’t Typhus just need to show the Stone Council his tapestry? Something feels off,” Deacon thought back to Sun Wu.

‘It’s about time you noticed. Isn’t it strange you keep getting shuttled around the city, but you never get to enter it?’ replied Sun Wu.

“That’s it! Typhus is trying to keep me out of the city. Of course, he thinks I’ll bring a Deactastrophe to his home. I mean, I get it. I’m two for two but damn,” thought Deacon before getting a new slate notification.

Quest Complete: Escort Mission- Verus Guild Master of The Tower at Iron Mountain Plateau has asked you take his nephew to the Shattered Sky with you. Rewards; a favor from Verus, Access to runic enchantments from Tantus.

“Ooh, that sounds cool. I wonder what it means,” said Deacon a little too loudly.

“What was that? On your feet. Someone else is here,” said female Dweller.

“Shit,” swore Deacon under his voice.

“Who goes there? Show yourself and maybe we won’t kill you,” said another Dweller.

“Not very encouraging,” replied Deacon standing up from behind a bush.

He was still nonphysical, but they didn’t know that. At least, until a crossbow bolt passed right through Deacon’s chest. They all leapt from the rock and drew weapons. It seemed, at least to Deacon, that the talking was all over. The first of the Dwellers wearing all leather armor with a wolf pelt draped over his shoulders ran at Deacon full speed. Before he got there another crossbow bolt was ratcheted in and fired. This one was a little different it burst into a circular net midflight just as the runner brought his small maul around and up to catch Deacon under the chin. Deacon suspected the strike was meant to lift him into the air allowing the net to fully engulf him. Instead, the flat head of the maul passed right through Deacon’s body exposing the Dwellers arms and weapon. They were both subsequently wrapped up in the flying net. The Dweller had over extended since he expected resistance from his weapon. The net wrapped around the weapon and his arms before Deacon jabbed out knocking him to the ground unconscious.

“Daelus! What are you waiting for? Get him!” cried the woman.

There was a short scuffle with a Dweller wielding a long sword. He came in slashing hard to keep Deacon away from his knocked out comrade. The slash went right through Deacon, so he followed up with a back hand to the Dwellers temple. Now he stood above a stack of unmoving Dwellers.

“Impossible! How are you doing that?” screeched the female Dweller before she came into combat range. She unsheathed a battle axe and gripped it tight. The edge of the axe began to glow a soft yellow light that stuck out in the now twilight sky.

“Okay, you seem serious. I guess I’ll have to use an ability,” said Deacon, before Spectral Dashing behind her leaving a trail of green copies. One quick chop to the back of her head and his pile now had three Deep Dwellers in it.

“Ten Hells! That was fast. Screw this. I’m heading back to the smugglers path. Are you coming?” asked one of the two remaining Dwellers before vaulting back over the rock they were camped on.

The last two, one being the crossbowmen, left all the gear at their campsite. Deacon floated all the weapons the unconscious three were using into his bag. After that, he took any coins they had on them as well. All the while softly muttering under his breath.

“I wouldn’t recommend using the smugglers path.”