Port Diablo
93rd Zi'da, 718
93rd Zi'da, 718
“So this is goodbye then?”
Port Diablo was almost completely deserted as the sun set. Honest labourers had finished their work for the day, but the criminals wouldn't come out to ply their crafts until night had properly fallen. The only people around were a small crowd bustling about the one dock that had a ship berthed at it; a medium sized galleon called the “Dandy Lion.” It was a merchant ship about to set sail of its first voyage to Yaralon to set up a trading arrangement, and had hired extra deckhands for the first journey in case the storms surrounding the city were as bad as the rumours said they were. Tio had taken one of those jobs in order to get to Yaralon for the mission the Seekers had assigned to him, and as such this trial was the very last one he would spend in Scalvoris. His apprentice Tasha had decided to come with him, but since she didn't know many people from Tio's social circle had said farewell to her own friends already and was getting acquainted with the ship's captain.
Among that crowd were a small huddle of people that stood out from the rest like an island from water. Most of them were, if their apparel was anything to go by, pirates, and yet half of them seemed to be on the verge of bursting out into tears. The other people in the group were three little girls and an absurdly hairy dog, who honestly seemed to be doing a better job of holding themselves together.
Tio shot a bittersweet grin at them all; the little makeshift friends and family he'd built for himself during his two arcs living in Scalvoris. He was going to miss the lot of them dearly. His crew had been a close bubble of friends for him ever since he brought them together, and the seasons he'd spent as Wren, Emma and Deliah’s guardian had given him a brief little glimpse into what it was like to be a parent. He regretted now that he'd never let himself open up to them fully, never told them that he was a yludih. But it was too late now, and perhaps that was for the best. Let them be happy remembering Tio, the larger-than-life illusion, rather than learn that they'd been lied to all this time. It was better this way.
“I'm afraid so. Take good care of yourselves guys. Grace, the Skylance Pirates are in your hands now. I know that you'll be an even better captain than I ever was.” He replied, offering his quartermaster-... former quartermaster… a hand to shake. The Eidisi took the hand and shook it politely, returning him a small smile of her own.
“I will do. Take care captain, and good luck in whatever trouble you get yourself wrapped up in next.”
Next Tio turned to the three girls, and ruffled each of their hair affectionately in turn. The three of them were also going to be taking a ship in a few trials; they had sold two of the houses they owned and used the money to hire a small band of mercenaries to take them to Rynmere and help search for their parents. Tio was a little worried about them, but he'd personally interviewed the mercs to make sure they were trustworthy and had seen for himself how strong their wills could be when it counted. It would of course be dangerous for them, but it was something they needed to do.
“Goodbye girls. Never give up on hope okay? As long as you have that I know you'll be fine. And Wren, you're in charge okay. Look after the others.”
Wren nodded and stepped forward to wrap around his stomach in a hug, followed instantly by the other two. “Bye Mr Tio. Thanks for everything. Promise you'll come find us if you ever come back.”
“I promise. See you around kiddo.”
The girls released him from the hug, and Tio stepped back onto the gangplank of the ship. With one last wave he turned away and strode up into the deck of the ship, leaving his little crowd of people behind.
His time on Scalvoris had come to an end. Now it was time to see what destiny had in store for him elsewhere.
It was time for him to take on Yaralon.
Port Diablo was almost completely deserted as the sun set. Honest labourers had finished their work for the day, but the criminals wouldn't come out to ply their crafts until night had properly fallen. The only people around were a small crowd bustling about the one dock that had a ship berthed at it; a medium sized galleon called the “Dandy Lion.” It was a merchant ship about to set sail of its first voyage to Yaralon to set up a trading arrangement, and had hired extra deckhands for the first journey in case the storms surrounding the city were as bad as the rumours said they were. Tio had taken one of those jobs in order to get to Yaralon for the mission the Seekers had assigned to him, and as such this trial was the very last one he would spend in Scalvoris. His apprentice Tasha had decided to come with him, but since she didn't know many people from Tio's social circle had said farewell to her own friends already and was getting acquainted with the ship's captain.
Among that crowd were a small huddle of people that stood out from the rest like an island from water. Most of them were, if their apparel was anything to go by, pirates, and yet half of them seemed to be on the verge of bursting out into tears. The other people in the group were three little girls and an absurdly hairy dog, who honestly seemed to be doing a better job of holding themselves together.
Tio shot a bittersweet grin at them all; the little makeshift friends and family he'd built for himself during his two arcs living in Scalvoris. He was going to miss the lot of them dearly. His crew had been a close bubble of friends for him ever since he brought them together, and the seasons he'd spent as Wren, Emma and Deliah’s guardian had given him a brief little glimpse into what it was like to be a parent. He regretted now that he'd never let himself open up to them fully, never told them that he was a yludih. But it was too late now, and perhaps that was for the best. Let them be happy remembering Tio, the larger-than-life illusion, rather than learn that they'd been lied to all this time. It was better this way.
“I'm afraid so. Take good care of yourselves guys. Grace, the Skylance Pirates are in your hands now. I know that you'll be an even better captain than I ever was.” He replied, offering his quartermaster-... former quartermaster… a hand to shake. The Eidisi took the hand and shook it politely, returning him a small smile of her own.
“I will do. Take care captain, and good luck in whatever trouble you get yourself wrapped up in next.”
Next Tio turned to the three girls, and ruffled each of their hair affectionately in turn. The three of them were also going to be taking a ship in a few trials; they had sold two of the houses they owned and used the money to hire a small band of mercenaries to take them to Rynmere and help search for their parents. Tio was a little worried about them, but he'd personally interviewed the mercs to make sure they were trustworthy and had seen for himself how strong their wills could be when it counted. It would of course be dangerous for them, but it was something they needed to do.
“Goodbye girls. Never give up on hope okay? As long as you have that I know you'll be fine. And Wren, you're in charge okay. Look after the others.”
Wren nodded and stepped forward to wrap around his stomach in a hug, followed instantly by the other two. “Bye Mr Tio. Thanks for everything. Promise you'll come find us if you ever come back.”
“I promise. See you around kiddo.”
The girls released him from the hug, and Tio stepped back onto the gangplank of the ship. With one last wave he turned away and strode up into the deck of the ship, leaving his little crowd of people behind.
His time on Scalvoris had come to an end. Now it was time to see what destiny had in store for him elsewhere.
It was time for him to take on Yaralon.
