“A trouble-maker, I see? And you pointed the blades at me!” Nalp accused with a snort.
“No no! They are the bad ones! They locked me up and tried to kill me. I’m just trying to get to this place called Tier Bastion. I have no intentions to mess with those people,” Thalys said defensively.
“If you say so…What name do you go by?” Nalp asked.
“W-that’s a subject change…but I’m Thalys,” the nobleman said, scratching his head.
“Thalys, eh? Well, where are you from little Thalys?” Nalp asked.
Thalys, weary of the sea drake, stared at Nalp cautiously as he said, “The southern kingdom of Maeltryst.”
“Oh! A southerner. That’s different. Well, Thalys…want to make a deal?” Nalp offered.
“Depends…what are the terms?” Thalys asked, his hands slipping down to the hilt of his blades.
“You say you are heading to Tier Bastion, no? Well that is on the other side of this river, which is quite large, and you’d need a ride. So, I’ll give you a ride if you tell me of this Maeltryst,” Nalp explained cheerfully.
“Ok! Hey wait. Why are you so helpful all of a sudden?” Thalys asked.
“Well, truth is…I get very bored and lonely here on this river, so I tend to mingle with others whenever I can. Peacefully, that is. Though sometimes a random ship full of warriors may come attacking me in the name of justice and what not, naming crimes I don’t eve know of…but that’s a different story. Anyway, I did not mean to start our conversation so badly at first, but I get kind of cranky when I first wake up,” Nalp clarified.
Thalys rubbed his chin with one hand for a few moments before agreeing. “I’ll trust your word on this, but don’t try anything! So um…how am I going to get on your back?”
“Oh, right. You humans can’t breath underwater. Well, this will take longer than I thought. Hop on my back and climb up to my head then. You better have plenty of tales to tell,” Nalp said with a sigh, folding its back around so Thalys could climb on. He did just that and sat comfortably atop the sea drake’s head.
“Where do you want me to start?” Thalys asked.
“How about…why you are adventuring?” Nalp suggested.
“Oh yes, that is a good idea! Well, I left my city in hopes for finding something adventurous out in the world,” Thalys said bluntly.
“I figured that much,” Nalp said impatiently, “what business have you at Tier Bastion?”
“I’m getting to that part. After wandering for only a few days I heard rumors that the Adept’s Stone…” Thalys began.
“The Adept’s Stone…?” Nalp gasped, stopping suddenly. “You mean to tell me it have resurfaced?”
“That’s what the rumors say, at least. So, I traveled to the great library of Tolley to find more information on the stone. I hardly got anything out of it, but I did meet a peculiar paladin from Rullenfay, another eastern kingdom,” Thalys explained. “She seemed to be looking for the stone as well, so I decided that it must be important for Rullenfay to send out paladins in search of it. Recently, I got some information from the paladin saying that I should go to Tier Bastion. So, that’s exactly why I’m going there,” the nobleman continued, nodding his head in satisfaction of his information.
“Interesting…well, from what I know the Adept’s Stone has been around longer than I myself have been, and that’s pretty long!” Nalp said with what seemed to be a chuckle as he continued moving onward.
“That brings up a question: what are you doing in a river like this? I thought sea drakes lived in, well, you know…the sea?” Thalys asked.
“That is obvious information. I happened across this river long ago and found it comfortable. I had plenty of food, plenty of people traveling by to hear a tale or two. I find it quite comfortable here, and I don’t intend to leave anytime soon,” Nalp stated.
“Reasonable enough. So, how do you know of Tier Bastion?” Thalys asked.
“I hear tales once and awhile about ‘mythical’ places, and from what I’ve heard, Tier Bastion is haunted with evil spirits and the like. I doubt such words, but who’s to say? Not like I’m going to go there myself,” Nalp said with a sigh.
“If we meet again, I’ll be sure to tell you everything I find out once I go there. That is, IF I come back,” Thalys said grimly.
“Fair enough. I’m sure you’ll be just fine,” Nalp said encouragingly.
“You think so? I can barely hold my own in any good fights…but if you say so. How much longer until we get to the other side?” Thalys asked.
“Well, judging from that recently set out boat, not long,” Nalp said, turning his massive head in the direction of a far off ship heading in their direction.
“How can you tell it is recently set off?” Thalys asked, not seeing the significance of the boat.
“Because I can see the port from which it likely set off from…” Nalp blatantly said.
“Oh…I knew that,” Thalys said, finally noticing the land ahead of him.
As the ship neared closer, Nalp seemed to shift in the direction of it, which would set the two side-by-side.
“What are you doing?” Thalys asked.
“Just a little chat with some friends, tis all,” Nalp clarified.
Thalys only nodded his head and waited.
Finally the two met next to each other, and the ship set their anchor down. Upon the boat were two lone figures.
“Oi! How have you been Nalp?” the male asked, going to the starboard and waving at the sea drake.
“Quite fine, thank you. How goes with yourself and Reala Mei?” Nalp replied kindly.
“We’re good as usual. Hey, got yourself a passenger I see?” Wevin Lo said, pointing to Thalys atop Nalp’s head.
“Aye, just a little friend I met. He’s Thalys of Maeltryst,” Nalp said.
“Did you say his name is Thalys?” Reala Mei asked, a curious expression on her face.
“That would be me, yes. Why do you ask?” Thalys said, standing up on Nalp’s head with surprising balance.
“Well met. I have a message from Kara of Rullenfay. She simply wanted me to say hello to you,” Reala Mei answered.
“Oh, you met her? Where is she heading now?” Thalys asked.
“Sol City and then on to Tier Bastion, I believe,” Reala Mei said.
“I see…thank you very much for this information! It helps a lot,” Thalys said with a smile.