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[voice.]

To any and all travellers or merchants who wish or plan to journey by foot to or from the regions of Dali, Lake Bresha, Macalania woods or between them, you may find this of note. It is a warning.

Recently, a region has sprouted from between them named Caedarva Mire... or in the common tongue, Illusion Mire. It is from the continent I once called home. And it is a very dangerous place - filled with undead, fomor, imps, wild and savage creatures, parasitic insects and plantlife, and most importantly a species of cannibalistic creatures known as the Merrow and their sisters, the Lamiae.

I ask you to divert your operations around the Mire and not attempt to cross it- at least not
until initial observation and exploration has been conducted. I thank you, and I remind you this is for your own safety. The more accidents that happen there, the more numerous the Lamia's army of undead will become. I have no desire, nor wish, for somewhere like that to claim any more lives.

[Filtered to Vincent.]

I'm going. I need to visit Azouph Isle's staging point within the Mire. An Immortal should be there.. and I need to speak to her as soon as possible.

[Filtered to Rughadjeen.]

We need to reclaim imperial territory. We will be leaving tonight. With luck, we should reach the proximity of the Mire by sunrise tomorrow. That gives us chance to get to Azouph and avoid the Ephramadian fomor which infest the territory at nightfall. A survey of Nashmau is appropriate. Prepare yourself well and do not be late.

[Filtered to Eiko.]

...
I have to go somewhere. I will return eventually.

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You warn others away, and yet you plan to go there yourself.

[He isn't irritated with Rishfee for it, but he is curious about the reasons.]

Your sister?

They won't have a knowledge of the area. Nor the fauna. The last thing I want to hear about is the Lamiae invading somewhere nearby with an army of undead and re-animated merchant idiots that just had to take a shortcut through the place to get where they wanted to go and got lost in the mist.

[Yes, guess what. His voice is short. He doesn't sound amused. And his voice is changed by this point substantially. All part of the evolution. There's a small pause before he answers.]

She's too high-ranked to be on staging points. It's Nareema, some girl that was brought in from the army about two years ago. She's highly unstable, and both insane and extremely irritating. Even before the proceedure.

[Vincent and Rishfee have been keeping in contact, of course, but it's been a long enough period of time since they've spoken that hearing that harsh tone from Rishfee, of all people, is concerning. Rishfee can't see it, but Vincent is frowning.]

...then it was good of you to warn them.

And if she was not brought to this world along with the location?

It's not for them. Probably even while undead and reanimated all they could manage would be to throw sundries at whatever their mistress deems an enemy.

[Trouble like that ends in one thing. Behests and do-gooders coming from all over the world to line their pockets, flatten everything that moves, and most likely find things they're not supposed to see in places like Hazhalm. In this completely bizarro personality shift, that's all he is concerned over.]

If she is not, the Mire will require a guard.

[The more he hears of this, the less it sounds like the Rishfee he's come to know. Something is definitely wrong here. Vincent gets the idea that perhaps this is something Rishfee was trying to hide from him. Why he's showing it now... it means he either doesn't care any more, or it's become too great an effort. Either way, Vincent wants to keep an eye on Rishfee, now.]

Hmm.

A guard, even after your warning.

... Yes. A guard, even after my warning. Because humans are fools. They don't listen to any sort of advice they well should.

[Yes, something was absurdly wrong there even though you've already noticed. He doesn't give half of a damn about maintaining any sort of appearance now. He's divided everything up, them the humans and him, not. ]

You can come and see what I mean if you want. I'm already dragging the General around with me, so one more won't be such a burden.

[It was just as well that Rishfee made an offer to let Vincent go with him. Otherwise, he would have asked to accompany him, or even might have followed, without consideration for whether Rishfee wanted the trip to be private or not. At least the offer, callous as it was, had been made. It meant that Rishfee at least thought something of Vincent.]

General... You mean Rughadjeen.

I'll join you.

Fine, we'll meet you there.
[A pause.]

If you're not outside the mire at sunrise, we'll go on without you. We can't waste any of the day getting to Azouph. Walking around the place at night is suicide.

[At least Rishfee's explanation for that makes sense, even if it still isn't quite like him.]

I'll be there.

[There's background noise as he was about to reply but finds words fail him for just now.]

I...I did hear you right, the Mire? Really? [Silly Ruggy. He's shaking his head.]

Yes, yes of course, I'll be ready before we leave don't worry.

[What is it with Elvaan and technology? He shakes his head and there's the faint sound of an irritated sigh before he responds. Normally this wouldn't bother him, not even in the slightest... but his mental state is not good right now. Blame it on his cobalt levels being ridiculously low.]

Check your skyphone map in future.

If you are not ready, I will leave without you.

[There's another silence before he replies, only this time there's no background noise. He's just staring at the phone with a confused and slightly miffed expression. What happened to make Rishfee so...short?He takes on a firmer tone as he replies.]

I said I will be there on time, Rishfee.

Good.

...
Furthermore, a survey of Hazhalm testing grounds (E-10) is required. We need to block it off- to prevent the fools upon this world finding anything of importance; or anything that could damage the Empire should that appear next. Arrapago Reef (I-6) is to be ignored. I do not want to be elbow deep in Lamia. Understood?

[Normally he would ask what was wrong, if something had gone on that caused the Immortal to act so different. Even compared to what he was like back in the Empire.]

Understood. Avoid Arrapago Reef at all costs.

[Excellent choice in not asking, elvaan. Note that there's no concern over whether or not you're alright to go, or anything that's characteristically nice of him in regard to an operation like this.]

Use this time to prepare. Dismissed.

[Not exactly glaring, but his eyes are narrowed a little at the phone as he responds.]

Sir.

What?! But...

Rishfee...

[Yes, this is some whining and pouting going on. She just got back. Eiko wants her hugs!]

You're going to have to speak to your father anyway. He's been worried.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to! Don't go away. Please?

It sounds a foul place indeed! I thank you for the information - we'll be sure to take note of it!

Do you have means to secure Alexandria at nightfall? Lamiae have been known to raid settlements and towns to charm both young and old. When they return to the Mire with their thralls, they kill them and reanimate the bodies to do their bidding.

...That... is terrible! Even the foulest creatures of the Mist do no such thing. I will make sure that Alexandria is protected, you have my word!

[Hooboy, it's not the worst thing that happens there. He feels that perhaps it's time to move on.]

...The Mist?
will you tell me more of it?

The Mist is dangerous. It can stir abnormalities in both mind and body... Monsters are born out of the Mist. You should always take care when travelling in it.

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