Chapter 176 The Wind Comes Calling

In all her time spent amongst merchants, Falla had never felt this nervous. She'd spent the better part of the day coming up with a convincing story. While she was sure that Jane would believe it given their friendship, she wasn't so sure that she could keep up the lie. It was the one time since she'd met him that Falla felt regretful for having known Rassa.

But, she knew Jane better than she did Rassa. And if Jane discovered that Rassa was not only alive, but now possibly on the brink of death, she would stop at nothing to find him and protect him. It'd been a promise she'd made to herself. Jane had been heartbroken upon hearing about Rassa's death, and the topic had been a sensitive one ever since.

It would do Falla no good to speak of her meeting and communicating with Rassa. And honestly, she had to wonder if it would do Jane any good. Jane had always spoken of the caged boy. The one who had given up his freedom and dignity just so those he loved would be safe. The Rassa that Falla had met a month ago was definitely not that boy. He was stronger, and seemed to have no intentions of surrendering to anyone, or at the very least appeared that way.

Layn had made reservations for them at the Fire Falls Restaurant in Port Cresh. It had a similar reputation to the Blue Jade in Port Leis, and the two were frequent competitors on Rouke Island. Fire Falls didn't have the same grand atmosphere as Blue Jade however. It was more serene and peaceful thanks to a it being built into the side of the cliff to the west of Port Cresh's Bay. The steep cliff that swept around to the East and was topped by a crumbling tower so old that no one had any memory or story of who had built it. The Restaurant itself was built so that a pool of water sat on the upper level, filled with hundreds of koi fish and surrounded by private rooms that over-looked it.

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The water then fell, with a dulled drumming, to the lower level, which consisted of a more open, public area. The pool here was often used by the commoners to increase their luck, and it was said that the restaurant granted one wish every day – but only to those who 'wished' with coin.

Thanks to the angles of the windows and the many coins at the base of the pool, in the morning the waterfall looked to be shades of gold and red, hence, Fire Falls.

Falla arrived early that evening, ordering a glass of wine to calm her nerves. She rarely partook in alcohol, mostly because she didn't have the tastebuds for it, but she'd been told her tolerance was average. Falla wasn't so sure, she always felt rather confident when she drank, sometimes too confident. She'd come to this conclusion after requesting her husband's family's prized Star Pavilion as a wedding gift.

It seemed to arrogant now that she thought of it, but her husband had handed over the ownership documents the next morning whilst she'd clung to her aching head.

"Better you than our Imperialist cousins," he'd said, an edge of disdain in his words. His family had always been against the Kildares being the Imperial Bloodline, though after he'd been born the branch families had decided to turn over a new leaf. After all, if the main bloodline died out, who would they have to lean on?

Their decision had only been solidified after they discovered the heir's decision to hand over their most prized and sacred place to an outsider, whether he'd married her or not.

Falla had protested strongly at the time, but her husband had insisted. In the end, she decided not to fight him on it. As the Heir, it was his decision to make, the rights had been passed to him when he'd been born, as with all male-heirs of his line before him.

Despite owning it however, Falla had never had the opportunity nor the desire to go there. With how her husband's family revered it, the prospect of such a place only served to frighten her.

As Falla downed her glass of wine, Jane arrived, her Magician's robes looked ever-so-elegant on her slim build. Whilst Falla had grown into quite a curvy woman, Jane had only shot-up in her teenage years. She was almost like an elf, though lacked the etherealness and pointed ears.

"Good evening," Jane smiled as she was escorted inside. Falla rose to greet her and the two embraced.

"Hello, sorry about earlier," Falla stated.

"It's fine, whilst I'm not a merchant, I do know that you are far busier than you used to be," Jane smiled as she stepped back and took a seat.

"You have no idea," Falla sighed, "The Trader's Festival this year was exhausting, and it doesn't seem to have stopped yet".

Jane's eyes narrowed in her concern, "I hope you're looking after yourself".

Falla smiled, "Layn is doing a good job of that. I don't know what I would do without him there to remind me to have my meals and stop working before midnight".

Jane sighed, "Well, clearly somebody has to".

"Speaking of meals, shall we order?" asked Falla.

Jane smiled, "You do it, I don't know what's good here, though the atmosphere feels quite remarkable. I've never been to a restaurant with a waterfall before".

"It is quite pleasant on the upper floor, though the lower floor sometimes gets too loud with the water drumming down," Falla admitted.

The two ordered their meals before Falla decided to raise the topic she dreaded talking about. Better to get it out of the way now.

"So, you mentioned earlier that you've come to Rouke Island with a mission of some sort?" prompted Falla.

"Yes," Jane nodded, "The Emperor has heard word of a miraculous charm made from Evanine Crystal that came form a protective shield around the wielder. That it protects against attacks both physical and magical. I did some scouting around this afternoon and found that they were first sold right here in Port Cresh. Do you know of them?"

Falla smiled and took out a protective charm, "I own one".

Jane's eyes widened as Falla willingly handed it over for her to look. Everyone else she'd asked that day had been hostile upon hearing the request.

The crystal was only as large as a walnut and seemed to be an ordinary Evanine Crystal. The only thing that defined it was a black mark that marred its surface and seemed burned in. A circle within a circle.

Falla observed Jane for a moment as stared at the rune. Rassa had explained before that only a Magician could read the intentions of the rune for what they were, was that what Jane was doing now? That seemed to be the case, because after a short half-minute, Jane spoke a single word.

"Protection".

She looked up as if in though, then handed the charm back to Falla, "Thank you. I've never seen a mark like that before".

Falla smiled as she pocketed the charm, "No one had until the charms began being sold. I don't consider myself an expert and I haven't had to use it yet, but having it by my side has in the very least reassured me. Apparently its power is limited though, it can only sustain so many attacks before it needs to recharge, whatever that implies. I'm told something to do with the Mist".

"That makes sense," Jane nodded.

"It does?" asked Falla, half surprised. After all, she knew nothing of the Mist except what Rassa had told her, and she barely understood that.

Jane smiled and nodded, "The Crystal itself is a natural container for the Mist, the mark, through whatever method was used, is somehow able to harness the Mist within the crystal to perform a task, in this case, to protect the wielder. However, the Mist within the crystal will eventually cease to exist after continuous use, after that the crystal would need time to gather the Mist within it once more. It's quite an ingenious device. Whoever came up with it is surely highly sought after".

Falla nodded, "Indeed, though no one actually knows who came up with the process".

Jane raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"No, the only thing the public knows is that the crystals were manufactured by a newly established Trading Company by the name of Moonshadow," Falla stated, "But despite the fanaticism around their product, no one has actually met the creator, only the owner of the company and his companion. Even then, since the end of the festival they've disappeared".

"Disappeared?" asked Jane.

Falla nodded, "No one has seen them since the night of the auction".

"I see, that does make things difficult," Jane sighed. She thought for a moment before speaking again, "Can you tell me any more information about them?"

"To be honest Jane, all I can tell you is that they are no longer on Rouke Island," Falla stated.

"How do you know?" asked Jane.

"Because my company is the only one that successfully made a trade deal with them," Falla admitted.

Jane frowned, "What was the deal?"

Falla shook her head, "I'm sorry, Jane, but it's a confidential business contract, I can't discuss its contents. All I can tell you is that it will take some time until you see any movements from Moonshadow again".

"You can't discuss it? Falla, I'm your friend," Jane insisted.

Falla smiled sadly, "I know, Jane. But I'm sorry, this deal is just too important for me to jeopardise. Even if I'm just telling a friend".