"You sure about this?"
Kar looked at Aldwin and nodded. "I'm sure."
The older man released a sigh, then rose from his crouch and handed the pack to Kar. It wasn't the one Kar had left Ember's ship with—that had been left behind with Nat, along with the Prism and nearly everything else he had salvaged.
Kar's clothing had similarly been replaced with something less conspicuous—a simple grey smock and trousers that closely matched what he had borrowed from Morrow. He'd ripped and dirtied them up. He wanted it to look like he'd been surviving in the ruins since he and Kiya were separated.
Kar had a large pouch belted around his waist. It was loaded with fresh Shards, a folded up map of Iridess, and those rings he had pilfered from the ship. As he had discovered while fiddling with them, they worked the same way the staff did, intensifying the Focusings Kar directed through them.
"Tell me again where we'll meet." Aldwin quizzed him.
"Northwestern Canal street, three days from now. I'll keep you updated if that won't work."
"Can you hear me Ember?" Kar said aloud, testing yet again just how far the Prism's perception reached.
"I can hear you Karalinde."
Kar sighed, "Ember, you can just call me Kar."
"But I like Karalinde. Natalie says she likes Karalinde too."
Aldwin shifted awkwardly. Kar supposed it was strange to see someone else talking to themselves.
"We're pretty far away, are you sure you'll be able to sense me?"
"I am sure. My field stretches over much of the city. It is odd though; there are some areas I cannot see. Stay away from those places. I will warn you if you come near to them."
Kar nodded, then remembered Ember wasn't with him. Did that make a difference? He should ask, "Can you sense when I nod like that or do I need to speak up?"
"I can sense you nodding."
Kar wasn't sure how he felt about that. Did that mean Ember was aware of everything that happened in the city, down to the smallest details? Or were there limits?
"Ok, well, Nat's going to take care of you, if you need anything let her know. And we'll stay in touch. Thanks for all your help Ember."
Ember hummed pleasantly in Kar's head then faded away.
Kar shook his head; this was a strange dynamic. Even odder was the fact that Ember could only talk to he and Nat. Aldwin hadn't sensed a thing from the Prism even when Kar had placed it in his hands. It was a fascinating mystery for sure. The more Kar discovered the more questions he had. But he'd already spent enough time away from Fierdi territory; away from Isa, and Derek.
It was time to go get them back.
He and Aldwin set out then on foot, Kar shouldering the pack.
Aldwin led him cautiously along side streets, keeping to the shadows of buildings. Evidently walking down the main roads was a good way to get yourself killed by crystbeasts or other creatures here in the ruins. Kar realized now that Kiya would have known that when she took him out into the city the other day. Had she purposefully been trying to get him killed? Or was she just reckless? It made him fume with anger either way.
Aldwin halted at the corner of a building and raised a fist. Kar stopped behind him. The man was sweating, clearly nervous. Kar leaned forward to see what was around the corner.
They had reached the canal. It was empty of water, no longer supplied by the river that once flowed through the heart of Iridess—the Cataclysm had opened the rift which now swallowed all of that flow. But there were other things occupying the canal's empty bed; massive crystbeasts of a type Kar had become all too familiar with. They grazed on strange crystal buds that Kar had started to notice bloomed throughout many parts of the Ruins.
"I've seen a crystbeast like those before," Kar whispered to Aldwin, "the one that nearly killed me. Twice."
He nodded solemnly, "We call them Bastions. Mean brutes. Not too smart but they'll attack anything they see. We should go around, find another way."
Kar didn't argue with that. They followed the banks of the canal south a few blocks and found a bridge across. It looked to be clear of any creatures or other dangers.
"It feels wrong to let you do this Kar," Aldwin said, turning to him, "I'll be honest with you. Everything in me is screaming to blast over there and get them out myself. But I trust you. The plan is solid. And it's safer for everyone, I know. I just want you to promise me you'll be smart. Keep your head on straight. And if things go south and you need help, just say the word. I'll be keeping close to Nat for the next few days just in case."
Kar felt a surge of gratitude at Aldwin's vote of confidence. He had always looked up to him as a father figure, had hoped for most of his childhood that Nat would eventually say yes and marry him—the man had never made his intentions or interest a secret—but she never had. Regardless, Aldwin's approval felt precious to Kar, and he was determined to earn it.
"I promise. I'll be back with them in a few days. Hopefully we won't need you before then."
They embraced, and Aldwin hung back as Kar jogged quietly across the bridge and back into Fierdi Guild territory.
——————
Without Aldwin to guide him, Kar's confidence faltered. "Which street was I supposed to go down?" he asked Ember.
"Not this one," the Prism warned, "you're headed toward a den of some kind of crystbeast. I think they are predators."
Kar stopped in his tracks and slowly backed away.
"Oh. It appears they have sensed you. You should run."
Kar cursed, then turned and bolted round the corner. He skirted the sidewalk, pack bouncing on his back as he outran unseen threats.
"Thanks Ember," he panted a short while later. He had gone at least a couple of blocks before stopping to catch his breath. He slipped a hand in his belt pouch and drew on one of his shards. Energia flooded through him. It felt like being immersed in icy water. His eyes widened and and his fatigue melted away. It was a handy trick he'd figured out earlier that day.
"Any luck on finding any of the Guild's scavengers?" He asked Ember.
"I am still searching. There are many things moving in the city. It is hard to tell the difference between them."
"Well, just do your best." Kar jogged ahead, starting to feel the pressure. It was taking longer than he thought to encounter anyone from the Fierdi outpost.
"Be careful up ahead-" Ember started to say, but Kar had already stumbled out into the open street. He tripped on a bed of cryst-buds growing in a sprawling pile along the ground. He fell to his knees, the crystal growth crunching painfully underneath. He reached out to catch himself and his hands came away bloody and scraped.
"You are near an area I can't sense clearly, Karalinde."
"Flaming crystals everywhere-" Kar muttered angrily, ignoring Ember. He stood and picked his way to the side of the nearest crumbling building to heal himself. The front of his pants were now ripped where he'd fallen and blood from his hands stained his shirt. He cringed a bit looking into his pouch. At least one of his shards was already dimmed almost entirely. He needed to be more careful.
Something crunched on the ground nearby.
Kar spun, ready to run.
A hooded figure stood from where it crouched behind a pile of rubble.
"Who are you?" a girl's voice asked.
Kar froze. He was relying too much on Ember to warn him of every danger. It was making him careless.
"I'm Kar." He paused, not sure what to say next.
"OK," she said slowly, "What are you doing out here, Kar?"
"I-uh, I got lost. I've been trying to find my way back for a couple of days," Kar realized he was fidgeting with his hands, so he crossed his arms, "are we close to the Fierdi outpost?"
The figure stood still for a moment, then walked over to Kar, and lowered her hood, revealing a young woman with auburn hair.
"Yeah we're close. What business you have with the Fierdi?"
Kar swallowed nervously, "I was with a woman named Kiya, she was taking me out to join a scavenger party when we got separated. I haven't been able to find her since."
A smile cracked her lips and she started laughing, "You're the initiate Kiya lost?"
Kar wasn't sure what was so funny. "Oh man, this is great. They were betting on whether anyone would find your body but you're not even dead." She wiped tears off her face with the back of a hand.
"Kar, who are you talking to?" Ember's worried voice asked.
Kar shrugged, hoping Ember understood the mannerism. To her he said, "Yeah that's real funny."
"Come on," she said, turning to walk away, "I've been on watch out here but the rest of the crew is this way."
Kar stood dumbly for a moment, then went after her, "What's your name?" he asked.
She half turned and smirked at him, "Call me Lore."