Rising Shards

Tik, Kara, and Mars sat by a statue of the mythical being Endora, a lone Exumi in the middle of them, one that apparently worked for Arctus. An ominous feeling wafted around, the idea that Arctus Kathron was beneath them was the root of it.

"So where do you want me to start?" Viserra, the Exumi with orange and black armor, said.

"You didn't answer me last time," Kara said. "Where is everybody?"

"I don't know where they went," Viserra said. "They all got on a ship, and went someplace far away. I didn't want to go. I'm the only one left."

"A ship?" Tik asked.

"I don't know! They all gathered, and I stayed out of it. Because I had more important things to do than explore," Viserra said.

"Things like being Arctus Kathron's lackey," Mars said.

"I'm not a lackey! I'm his supporter," Viserra said.

"When did you meet Arctus?" Tik asked.

"It was a few years ago," Viserra said, sounding like each word was poisonous as he gave the info out. "He arrived here on the shores, telling me he found a way to return after a long time away. He told me all about his heroism, and he was so kind to me, unlike the other villagers. He's been working so hard since he returned, and humbly won't even meet the other villagers he rescued!"

"Very humble," Kara said. "So he's just been here doing Endoran crap this whole time? Kinda boring if you ask me."

"It's so much bigger than that! Bringing Endora back is just the beginning," Viserra said. "I'm not exactly sure what else he's doing, but it's surely important."

"So he's beneath us," Tik said. "And has been for some time. And you have no clue how to open this?"

"No, no one knows but him!" Viserra said.

"Have you ever seen a woman like us with short, light hair and blue eyes?" Tik asked.

"I can't remember seeing anyone like that," Viserra said. "In all the time I've been here, you're the only ones I remember seeing."

He could be lying, Tik thought. With a cover like 'I remember' to deflect if we countered him. But we don't have enough info to do that.

"Don't you get lonely just sitting here by yourself?" Kara asked.

"Oh no, I like being alone," Viserra said. "I was glad when everyone else left."

Once they hit a wall with questions for Viserra, the trio took a moment to themselves, keeping him in sight but stepping away so they could talk in private.

"So...this is something, right?" Mars asked.

"The part of the case where we get a bunch of vague non-answers," Kara said. "At least, I dunno what we got out of that."

"Quite a lot," Tik said. "We can't ignore the possibility that Arctus isn't under there, and that this poor Exumi may have been guarding based on misconceptions given to him. But it's possible he really is still under there, which is a major victory for us. We can put measures in place to make sure we know that he's staying there. We can prevent his retention sprites from their machinations."

"So we maybe got nowhere, but we also maybe had a huge win?" Kara said.

"Basically, yes," Tik said. She wasn't totally sure which was which in her mind, but she leaned to the more hopeful interpretation. If they could block Arctus in, figure out a way to get into this cavern...they could stop him. And maybe, just maybe, find out what happened to River Kathron.

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