The Intervening Year 2

Mosqeyn. Krean Refuge. Northern Farque...

The airship, a fast frigate in the fleet of the lands Farque comes into dock in the citadel of Mosqeyn. The main center of population in the Krean Refuge. A protectorate in the mountain range in the north of the lands Farque.
Darid Parsen looks back and waves to the captain of the frigate who is on the aft deck. Caerik Alsair, who has only had his commission for a month or so, nods to the young man from the kingdom of Druvic. Who he knows is somebody entirely else.
Darid, makes his way quickly down one of the gangplanks after they've been put out.
Once on the dock, the newly made commander in the armies of Farque. A cavalry officer to be precise. Looks along the dock, and slightly frowns as he tries to pick out one of the krean from the many who are on the dock.
He'd never admit it, but many of the krean all look the same to him. It's only those who are wearing uniforms who are a little bit easier to tell from the others.
And he spots a rather large krean in the uniform of an air marine at one end of the dock.
Darid Parsen is about to make his way towards him. When the air marine makes things easier, and flies to him from the other end of the long dock where the non krean airships berth.
The near six and a half foot tall, dragon like krean lands infront of Darid and says "Commander Parsen, I'm marine leader Devilca" as he folds his wings in along his back.
"Marine leader" says Darid Parsen by way of greeting, who then nods as the krean says to him "We've been expecting you".
The marine leader, who like all krean is muscular in appearance beneath his armour and uniform. Leads the young man from the east of the kingdom of Druvic, to a set of nearby steps that connects the dock to the citadel that perches on the side, and top of one of the mountains here in the Krean Refuge.
They go down the steps, and into one of the lanes in the citadel of Mosqeyn, as they do, Darid Parsen looks around then says "He wouldn't be here in the citadel itself would he?".
"Well" says Devilca, who after a pause as a grin spreads across his reptilian, or dragon like features adds "Kind of".
The marine leader who shortens his stride so the human beside him, who at nearly six foot tall, isn't exactly short. Is able to keep pace with him.
Then tells the cavalry officer in the armies of Farque "He's up there".
The young man from the kingdom of Druvic, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Darid Parsen.
Looks to where the tall, muscular krean points to, and sourly smiles as he sees a narrow path of steps that goes higher up the side of the mountain.
"He wanted solitude" says marine leader Devilca "Of course" dryly says commander Parsen, which illicits a chuckle from the krean walking beside him.
"If you like, i could fly you up" says the krean marine leader, the young man who hails from the Lé Dic fief in the kingdom of Druvic winces at the prospect of that, then he says "Thanks for the offer" followed by "I think I'll brave that path" Darid Parsen then silently adds, and hope to the tundra gods i don't fall off the side of the fucking mountain.
They make their way through Mosqeyn, going east through the citadel, then up.
Where they start heading along the outskirts of the citadel, heading eastwards and up.
As they do, commander Parsen gets the chance to look down to the shipyards below. Where not just the krean airships are made. But also the other vessels in the fleet of the lands Farque.
Beyond the shipyards, in the distance at the base of the mountain, is the plateau where airships from outside the Krean Refuge and the lands Farque are allowed to berth.
As no foreign airships are allowed into Mosqeyn itself. Not that many foreign vessels ever come here.
For the protectorate in the north of the lands Farque isn't exactly well known. Infact the lands Farque isn't all that well known outside of the very south of the Southlands.
As the cavalry officer and the air marine leader head towards the set of steps. Darid Parsen sees a krean vessel in the distance to the east in the late morning sky.
It's a scoutship by the size of it. And it's going through manoeuvres. The young man from the kingdom of Druvic slightly winces as he recalls his time on one of those airships. When he was still Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, before he died for the first time.
The commander in the armies of Farque will never forget that experience. His stomach definitely never will. As it was the most gut wrenching experience of his life.
And as he and Devilca the krean air marine approach the steps that go up the side of the mountain.
Darid Parsen wonders if they'll go by a krean vessel when they go north. If they do, he hopes to hell, and to the tundra gods. The captain and crew of the vessel takes it easy on the non krean passengers.
Knowing them, they probably won't, the cavalry commander sourly thinks to himself, as he knows the krean have a wicked sense of humour. Who get immense pleasure out of having anyone who isn't a krean fly with them.
As they walk out from between, what Darid can see, is two homes.
And a couple of krean youngsters fly by over their heads. Waving at the human with the marine leader.
The krean air marine Devilca gestures to the steps that's only wide enough for one. And obviously built for humans and others who are unable to fly.
And tells the young man who hails from the Lé Dic fief in eastern Druvic "He's up the very top of the path". The marine leader points upwards and adds "You can just see the cluster of small buildings up there" he pauses before continuing with "He's usually in one at this time of the day. You'll know which one when you see it".
Darid Parsen, who this time last year, was still Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who he had been for well over eight years.
Nods to Devilca, who tells him "I'll keep an eye on you" he nods off the side of the mountain and grins as he adds "You know, just in case".
"Lucky for some" mutters the commander in the armies of Farque after the krean air marine takes wing, and takes flight. Circling out from where Darid stands at the base of the path.
The young man who was a soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic before he was killed in the battle for castle Drubine during last spring.
Does his cloak up, as it's fairly windy, not to mention cold on the side of the mountain this fine, clear day.
Then Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson starts making his way up the steps, that to him, look fit only for mountain goats and madmen. And he hopes to the tundra gods, as well as the sky gods the krean worship.
That he stays on the path, and doesn't fall off. As it's a long way down. And even with Devilca flying nearby, keeping an eye on him.
Darid Parsen doesn't want to rely on the krean air marine on saving him if he tumbles off the path.
Just stay on the fucking steps Zubutai, Darid Parsen silently admonishes himself, the cavalry officer in the armies of the lands Farque, then silently adds, and not end up falling to a likely death, with only that air marine to swoop in and save you.
The commander, briefly waves to Devilca who he sees fly by out of the corner of his left eye. Then Darid looks down at the steps, and concentrates on them, and putting one foot infront of the other.
The cavalry officer who slightly shivers as he heads upwards as it's getting colder the further he goes up the side of the mountain,
Looks up to the top of the path, and though he sees he's still got a fair bit of climbing.  He does see more clearly, the buildings that the marine leader mentioned.
One of which, he knows. The person he's looking for, the person who he traveled here to Mosqeyn to find. Will be in one of.
Trying not to breathe through his mouth, as he knows that can be damaging at this altitude for a human. Darid Parsen continues up the steps, which winds their way up the mountain, and not directly up it.
Which is the cavalry officer in the armies of Farque is thankful for.
And though it offers him a majestic view down and out from the north side of the mountain, which the citadel of Mosqeyn is perched on.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin tries not to look that often away from the path he's going up. As it can be more than a little disconcerting, not to mention disorienting, going up a narrow set of steps, then looking away from it.
The recently made commander in the armies of the lands Farque, suddenly finds himself at the top of the steps. And as he takes the final step off the path, he looks up and looks around.
And finds he's on a flat area, or shelf on the side of the mountain. That's obviously man made, or more correctly, krean made.
It might of originally been a natural formation that was flat, but it's been worked and excavated, over how many years, Darid Parsen has no idea.
What he does know, is what he sees. And he sees a trio of buildings across the open area, two of which are similar or near identical to the one's down in the citadel proper.
While the one out infront, to the north east, that's out on an outcrop, has pillared corners and no walls beneath it's peaked roof.
There's a figure, sitting in the middle of the small building on the outcrop.
And Darid Parsen makes his way towards him and that building. The cavalry officer grimaces as he sees there's a narrow stone bridge connecting the rest of the flat shelf to the outcrop.
It's about thirty feet long, and four or five feet wide, with nothing to either side of it, or below it. Apart from fresh mountain air.
Oh fuck me! Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman thinks to himself, who closes his eyes briefly as he stands near this end of the foot bridge.
He looks down, and immediately gives up on that as he can easily see to the sides of the bridge. Where all he can see is sky, until the plateau far below.
He mutters a prayer to the tundra gods in the hordes dialect, and adds a muttered "Fuck it" in the same language. And steps out onto the foot bridge hoping a gust of wind doesn't come along and sends him off the stone bridge to his death.
He keeps his eyes forward, looking at the kneeling figure in the middle of that open building who has his back to him.
Darid Parsen quickly crosses the stone bridge to the outcrop, and finds himself beneath the roof of the building that has no walls.
His heart is pumping, and he's breathing quickly through his nose. He walks in a crouch really, until he gets next to the figure kneeling in the middle of the open walled building.
The commander in the armies of Farque sits on his ass next to the kneeling figure. His feet are tingling, and he's fighting the urge to get up and run and jump out through one of the open walls.
Darid Parsen sourly smiles, as he moves an odd conical shaped hat to one side, so he can put his hands beneath himself and sit on them.
"Greetings friend Zubu, i mean Darid" says Shur Kee the monk, who slightly smiles as he just gets a grunt in return from the cavalry officer sitting beside him.
"Not many can undertake the air walk to one of these sanctuaries, you are to be commended my old friend" adds the short statured monk who hails from the far eastern coast of the continent.
"It is a difficult undertaking" says the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li.
"I can't imagine why" dryly says Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who though not normally afraid of heights. But climbing up a narrow mountain path, then walking across a stone bridge with nothing but sky beneath it, to get to the outcrop that the building they're in, is on. Tested his courage beyond his limitations.
The young man from the kingdom of Druvic sourly smiles as he realises he has to do it all over again if he wants to go back down to the citadel below.
"The krean have more of these sanctuaries further up the mountains" says Shur Kee who continues with "Their spellcasters, those they call navigators and their philosophers like to use them" the physical adept then adds "Unfortunately there are no paths up to them. For i would like to of seen them too".
Darid Parsen slightly shakes his head, then says "No thanks" followed by "I wouldn't" he continues in a dry tone with "I don't have wings like the krean if something goes wrong" the cavalry officer then silently adds, just coming up here was fucking bad enough.
Shur Kee who has been looking out at the sky, turns his head and looks at Darid who is sitting on his hands, and is avoiding looking out the open walls of the building.
"What brings you to Mosqeyn Darid" asks the short, statured monk to his closest friend in the group.
The commander in the armies of Farque clears his throat, then looks at the physical adept next to him and says "They've got a hire". The acolyte in the order of Bru Li nods in understanding.
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson continues with "The lord wants to know if you'll come along" the cavalry officer pauses then adds "To keep an eye on some of the younger ones".
"Tam?" asks Shur Kee, Darid Parsen nods his head yes, then dryly says "And of course Dorc too".
The monk from the far eastern coastal kingdom of Wah Lee grins then says "Of course".
Then as he goes back to looking out at the sky, the living incarnation of the Jade Warrior Bru Li asks the young man from the kingdom of Druvic, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra "Where?".
"North" is the answer from commander Darid Parsen . . . . . .