Open Regret

[Ardan]

Ardan didn't show it at first, but he was shocked, to say the least. Before he could speak, the scenery changed to a crowded dock. Ships were coming and going, workers were working, sailors were... sailing. Ardan could pick up the faint scent of rum mixed with the strong odor of salt. The humid sea-air caused sweat to allocate on his forehead, and he had to wipe it away with his sleeve.

The three men had come with them, all reacting similarly to Ardan. It took a moment, but the pale man spoke first.

"Who's up for some drinks? I'll buy!"

That was unusual behavior for Lucius, Ardan's darker self. He was usually greedy, but was now offering them drinks. Speaking of which...

"How the hell are you three even here? Y-you don't have bodies! It's impossible!"

"Anything is possible in the deep recesses of a troubled mind, child. Know this, accept it, and-"

"No one wants to here your rants, wingless!"

"Both of you, shut up! It seems that I won't be getting a straight answer, so I might as well introduce you to our new friend." The thief turned to Quint, smile masking his utter confusion and frustration.

"These are Lucius, Seraph, and Iso. They are my... partners..."
Speech

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[Quint Caravel]

Quint nodded at the men. "Well, it's good to have partners when you're planning a heist. You can't have one man do everything. Someone has to be the look-out and someone has to be the getaway driver in the horse-and-carriage. And other people do other things."

He pointed at them. "So who does what amongst you guys? And where are we heading?"

While he waited for them to answer, he took a sniff of the air. A man who owned a casinor-- a sort of Svefra houseboat that was often used for nefarious purposes-- he was able to tell that they were entering some sort of port town. There was a salty tang in the air, he could hear the call of seagulls overhead, and he could see roustabouts and dockworkers hauling barrels over to teamsters. Where ever they were, it was busy and crowded. He suspected it was a warehouse they were after, or at least some cargo in the warehouse. But he waited to hear what Ardan's friends said.

[Ardan]

Ardan was surprised to see Quint's knowledge of heist planning. Another thief, then? Or an undercover agent, perhaps? No, he didn't have the look of a man on payroll. The way he spoke, how he looked, he just felt like a thief. Upon realizing this, Ardan relaxed considerably, though Safire's face was still clear in his mind.

"Well, that's a more complicated question than you would think."

"The name's Lucius, but my friends-"

"Nonexistent, likely drink-induced friends," grumbled the old man.

"Shut it, Wingless! Anyway, my friends call me Red. I handle the... heh... fighting." With that, the pale thief opened his coat, revealing an armory's worth of knives, two swords, three small crossbows, several vials of poison, and everything else that a practiced thief and killer would need.

"And I am called Seraph." The old man opened his hand, a blue flame materializing in his palm. "He calls me Wingless due to my name and, ah, lack of wings. I advise Ardan and stop us from ever appearing too suspicious."

"I am Iso. I keep the peace between the others and am our... 'lookout.'" Ardan's twin pulled out a longsword, inspecting the blade for any problems.

"And despite what these idiots might say, I'm our leader. I make the decisions, take the falls, and handle the preparation. As to your other question... Lucius?"

"Not quite sure where we are, but we're meant to be on our way to a ship that's headed for... Wind Reach."

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