Ciara leaned against the rail of the ship as it sailed towards the Kingdom of Kavala. The salt of the sea lingered in the air as the sound of waves hitting the bottom of the ship hung in the air. Instead of a beautiful gown, as she normally wore, she decided on a black pair of trousers along with a berry red tight tunic. Her blue hair was tied up in a low bun and her grey eyes were determined. Today was going to be one of work, not play. The mysterious kingdom had grabbed her interest in many ways. First of all, its beauty needed to be recorded in her artwork.

Second of all, she wanted to study this land's culture and learn about their artistry. If they had new forms of dance, paintings, clay-making or anything else, she wanted to be the first to understand it. Last but most important, she knew that there was trouble on the land. A family of a sailor named Eldwin had explained that he had gone to this land and refused to return. His wife explained that he was the most dedicated husband and father in all of Revaliir, he would never just leave them without any explanation. There were other rumors of this happening. Of sailors leaving home to never return or of merchants caught on the island. Something was going on. Her guard had to be up if she wanted to discover the truth. 

That was the real reason she was headed to Kavala. But she needed some help. Ciara had already cast mind tower on herself and for the next 24 hours, her mind would be protected. However, she knew she couldn't drain her magic on this trip. She needed someone who was physically strong that could keep an eye out for her. Of course, in exchange she would cast Mind Tower on them and help protect them from magical curses, illusions, or any other magical threats that reared its ugly head. The ship docked and passengers began to quickly leave the ship. She stepped onto the docks and glanced towards the sandy beach. The sands were pristine and lacked any sort of garbage or dead seaweed that decorated most beaches. 

Her eyes turned to the city ahead which was surrounded by a lush rainforest. This was her destination but….she wouldn't dare step further until she had someone else on her side. Ciara bagan searching through the groups of people on the beach, looking for anybody who seemed smart and strong enough to help her navigate through the city. Someone who wouldn't be swayed easily by this new kingdom's magic or whatever was causing the issues but somebody who had the strength to defend her if trouble should arise. 

But who would be willing to help a stranger on the strange perfect paradise? 

Zora had nothing in her memories of ever riding a boat. That’s why she had been uneasy when Nemesis had asked her to go and investigate this place for him. It wasn’t the rumored mysterious “call” of the city that had supposedly claimed lives. It was not the strangely unreal seeming citizens that wandered it streets. It was not even the fact that a revelation like this would bring many from all over Revaliir. It was simply that a place so pure was unnatural and disgusted her. 

As the ship rocked and sloshed up to the docks, she thanked her Lord that she was not human. A few had fallen ill to their stomachs on the way, obviously equally unused to travel by sea as she was. The redhead had tied her hair back and chosen a more practical outfit for this occasion. She wore black leather breeches and a deep plum flowing tunic that was partially tucked in. A belt around her waist held a dagger but that was far from her only protection and she pitied the fool who mistook it for being the only thing between her and them. 

Nervously she played with an divine symboled necklace around her neck. It was the silver head of a wolf with two red rubies for eyes but the wolf’s canines were unnaturally long. Circling this strange symbol was a ring of obsidian jewels. The silver moonlight glinted off them just as it glinted off the water and the pristine perfection that was this nauseating city. There was so much warm candle or firelight coming from the city (and it reflected so much) that it would almost be like stepping into daylight. 

Silently she observed from the docks. People brushed past her, some bumping into and jarring her. Zora ignored all that. Instead she got the wheels in her head turning, cranking up to evolving a plan. Rumors had already come from the city about the lotus flowers and she was hoping to avoid consuming them. If they affected the animals in such a way, she did not know why it wouldn’t also do so to humanoid creatures like herself. She tilted her head to the side eyeing the jungle. Perhaps that would be a place to start before working her way into the city proper. It would give her more time to assess what was going on. 

A burly man bumped into her, nearly trampling her. “Watch it,” she hissed, golden eyes narrowing and cut dangerously at him. “Move,” he remarked as he raised a hand to push her out of the way. A shadowy bolt of darkness formed at her fingertips and flew into his gut, knocking him down so hard that his head cracked against the ground, a little blood coming forward. “No, I won’t,” she replied as she made her way towards the jungle, boots clicking on stone. 

There were so many people and most of them seemed calm or happy with the situation. She needed somebody with half a brain to see this was all wrong. If they were happy here then it meant they were practically gone already. Ciara would not waste her time or energy on fools who couldn't see past the facade of the island. When the shadowy bolt of darkness knocked the large man into the ground, Ciara knew she had found the prime candidate. She walked beside Zora but kept her distance, as to avoid making her uncomfortable. Ciara was already a fae and that in itself caused people to distrust her. For good reason.

"It seems I'm not the only one uncomfortable with this place." She said with a sweet voice, "The lotus flowers are clearly one of the causes but I believe there is more to it." 

For now she would put the studies part aside to discover the secrets hidden behind the perfect curtain. As they headed for the jungle, she glanced at the people traveling with them. Mostly of the upper class, since this place was considered a paradise. There were richly dressed merchants, trying to blend in with the nobles and knights. Adventurers who wanted treasure or a fun experience dotted the jungle. An idea occurred to her and she raised her hand towards Zora. 

"Don't worry dearie, if I was going to hurt you I would be subtle about it." Ciara reassured the woman in case she flinched. 

A violet swirl of magic circled around the palm of her hand before wrapping around Zora's head and sinking into her scalp. The magic would give her an energized feel, as though Zora had just woken up from a long comforting nap. Her mind would be sharper and anyone who tried to enter her mind would feel a strong barrier. Ciara's fae magic was strong due to her noble status among the fae. But her magic wouldn't be strong against everything. If Zora let her guard down or ate on of the lotus flowers, then she was as good as gone. This was why Ciara was careful to choose her….friends. 

"There." She cooed, "A mind tower spell. It will last twenty four hours, provided you avoid eating any of the lotus blooms. At the very least it will slow down whatever is drawing people here." 

Finally she was ready to begin this for real.

"I have a deal for you. If you can keep threats at bay and keep an eye out for me, I will energize you with my magic. You'll be at top strength for the majority of the day and I can keep an eye on you in case your mind slips." Ciara suggested, "This will be a temporary deal that will last until we discover the truth of this land. What do you say dearie?"

Zora was making her way to the swath of jungle, where she didn’t know what to expect or find, when she heard a voice speaking to her. She had been more focused on scanning the tree line than she had who was beside her. “No,” she said, sighing. “Something this perfect and inviting is suspicious to me. It seems like the perfect bait to ensnare many an easily fooled sailor.” She was not wrong. Many sailors had gone missing. Some followers of Darkness had reported names of loved ones who went here and went missing. She had them written on parchment in a pocket. She didn’t want to bother Nemesis with this, so as Speaker of Shadows she decided she must look into it herself. 

She found it odd that most of the ones exploring the island were wealthier people. She expected to see servants of these people out trying to explore for their masters. Though she supposed the nobility and rich merchants did not trust their servants to bring back things of value they might find. Zora guessed that wasn’t a far off assumption. Places like this might have abundant riches in store. 

Zora flinched when the woman raised her hand out of sheer habit. Her previous Lord that tried to keep her first as his Lady and second as a servant had no qualms in beating her. “Sorry, it’s a habit.” She shrugged to dismiss it. She didn’t want to unravel her entire history to this stranger. 

Golden eyes watched the swirl of violet magic as if encircled her head. The woman explained that it would keep any mind altering magic at bay. Zora appreciated it as she had not yet learned that particular type of magic from Nemesis. “Thank you. My God has yet to get to that lesson. I appreciate the extra layer of protection.” She let her hand rest on the hilt of her dagger as she approached the jungle. 

The mysterious woman was not quite like any creature she had encountered. She spoke of a deal that would render herself protection from threats via Zora and she would amplify her ability to protect her. Making deals with strange creatures wasn’t always the best idea. She might end up with her soul sold to someone. But the redhead shrugged. Nemesis could probably undo something if need be. Besides, she said it would be temporary. “Consider yourself under my protection.” They were about to cross the threshold of the jungle. “Might I ask of your name? I am Zora, Speaker of Shadows, the right hand to the God Nemesis.”

"A pleasure to meet you. Call me Ciara Aeron, I am a lady of the fae." She introduced herself. 

Her fae nature was apparent to anyone who knew about her kind, though they often kept to themselves unless called upon. Ciara was strange among her kind, to prefer exploring the world rather than staying in one forest. As for the deal, it was a simple word contract. Normally she would have sealed it with magic but she didn't feel the need to this time. They both were in the same situation. Word contracts were still powerful if done with a fae but only if a fae was holding it strong. Besides, the deal was fairly simple and didn't have any hidden parts, this time. 

The rainforest was hot and humid but fresh with life. As they walked towards the city, she noticed something strange. Other adventurers must have been through here and yet the ground lacked any footprints. She knew humans and their ways of carving through the jungle but there wasn't a single branch cut nor any sign of people. As she scanned the rainforest, she spotted a lion and a lamb sleeping next to each other. The lion was laying on the ground while the lamb was chewing on a golden lotus flower. It was unnatural. Predators kept prey in check by feasting upon them. The prey knew to flee from predators for survival. There was a balance despite nature's seeming chaotic behavior. The balance had been shattered here.

When they finally came to the city, Ciara had to admit it was beautiful. The golden city stood tall and proud while locals swarmed inside of it. Even in the lowest level, the streets were perfectly clean and there was a smile on everyone's face. Literally. Not a single citizen had a frown or seemed upset. Ciara had noticed something about the art too. There was an abundance of an Ataiyan type dragon. There was a large mural that they came across. It was massive and beautifully displayed the dragon fighting a tiger. The way the dragon was positioned made it seem like the dragon was higher up while the tiger was lower. Judging by the way they organized the city, it wasn't too far fetched that the locals believed being closer to the sky was a divine thing. 

"Have a look at this artwork." Ciara said to Zora, "This dragon is everywhere. In architecture, paintings, statues…. Art is born from us and our reality. There's a strong chance that this dragon is real and might be connected to the land's problems." 

It was possible she was overthinking this but she knew art and knew its powerful influence was born from things people saw or experienced. From the corner of her eye, she could see a single local man walking towards them. The man held a silver goblet filled with ambrosia in his left hand while the right held a plate of cake. The cake was finely decorated with golden lotus flowers. She had seen him before, towards the entrance of the city. Ciara subtly pointed him out to Zora. 

"It seems we have a follower." She said. 

Zora knew little of the fae people other than the fact that they often liked making deals that often only benefited the fae themselves and not their victims. Her stomach dropped for a moment, but it had been a simple verbal deal with no way for hidden slights to be worked into the verbiage. Besides, her Lord and closest association was a God. Surely the gods could break mortal deals if they had to. She trusted that Nemesis would go to the ends of the earth to keep her from harm. He felt strongly responsible for her wellbeing, though her memory did not allow her to understand why. 

“Very well, Ciara. I’ll keep an eye out for troublemakers. These don’t appear to be people I can’t handle.” The redhead’s hand dropped to rest on her dagger. She, too, noticed the completely bizarre sight of the lion and the lamb lying together. It was an eerie sight to see such unnatural relationships between predators and prey. If a vampire were to feast on a golden lotus flower would they lose all their desire for blood as the lion had lost its desire for flesh? It was an interesting theory, one she was not willing to test out on herself. Zora had no desire to find herself lost in this nightmarish fallacy of peace. 

When they arrived at the city, she could see the weirdly loathed morning glories were bursting out of crevices everywhere and shooting up as fast as the residents could destroy them. Like a hydra, when one was torn out, two more took its place. She tilted her head to the side, wondering what about these flowers the residents feared other than the desecration of physical perfection. Ciara’s voice drew her attention away from the strange flowers. 

“Yes, I noticed. Though I think the more pressing matter are those morning glories. Wherever they have touched, the city loses its luster. And the way the townsfolk attack them is.. strange.” 

The scent of the man and the stink of the ambrosia had come to her attention earlier. Now that it was back, she turned her head just as Ciara pointed him out. “Seems we do,” she muttered under her breath. With the smooth reflexes and agility of a predator, Zora was upon the man, the cake knocked from his hand and ambrosia sloshed down his shirt. The edge of the dagger was pressed against his throat almost enough to draw blood. “Continue to follow us and I’ll make you regret it.” Her lips curled into a dangerous smile, the tips of her fangs showing. 

Zora pointed out the strangeness of the morning glories and the fact that it was causing the luster of the city to drain away. The townsfolk attacked them viciously despite having a kind demeanor. As for the man, Ciara was clearly impressed by Zora's fighting abilities. Before the man could respond she had knocked the drink out of his hand and had a dagger against his throat. That level of skill must have taken a while to cultivate and form. Ciara secretly wished to know this woman's story, although she knew it was improper to ask. But every story of every person was a nugget of joy to her heart. Like wine to an alcoholic or a pair of dice to a gambler. She was addictive to the stories of others and couldn't get enough of it. In a perfect world, she would be able to extract people's memories and watch them play out. 

The man didn't show any sign of fear. The smile seemed to be attached to his face, even when he was being threatened. Ciara scanned the area and watched as the local's heads turned to them in sync. Their eyes were wide and they wouldn't stop staring. They had denied the drink. The locals began picking up any available drinks or foods then began to slowly walk to them. Her hand motioned towards Zora, indicating to get rid of the local nearest to them. Everybody else was a distance away. Ciara's mouth opened and a strong echoing voice flew into the air. A haunting song that could enchant ears and calm the fiercest of strangers. 

"With earth and water, air and fire, 
By heart and soul and magic around, 
We come to you with our desire,
Let all be hidden and never found,"

The second she began singing, a mist formed from the earth. It formed into a dense fog covering where Ciara and Zora stood. She had learned to make her voice echo around the area by letting the sound bounce off of building walls, nearby structures, and even people. A trick she found in Onnen when speaking to other singers. It helped when she was in the forest pranking people and was a great party trick. Once the fog was thick enough, she finished her song. Taking Zora's hand, she began gently guiding the woman through the fog and into an alleyway where they wouldn't be noticed. 

"Sorry dear." She said, "I would have warned you but there wasn't time."

Zora’s instincts and reflexes were cat-like, as quick as any predators’. She was dumbfounded at the smile that seemed completely stuck in place on the man’s face. What in the Gods’ name was infiltrating this place and causing dangerous euphoria? He was pushing at it was with her temper and acting blithely unaware to the danger he was in and refusing to be anything but happy only made it worse. Before Ciara alerted her to the zombified group of people, the redhead felt their stares. Her gaze flicked back and forth between the man seemingly unaware of the danger to his life and the crowd. She had to make a decision. 

Within an instant, she blade sliced across the man’s throat and he gurgled with the smile still stuck on his face as he collapsed, a bit of blood splattering on her exposed skin and clothes. She quickly wiped the dangerously sharp blade off on her breeches before sheathing it. Her attention snapped to Ciara as her voice filled the air. It sounded like an incantation. Soon enough it was confirmed as mist filled the empty spaces and blanketed them and the crowd. 

She couldn’t hold back a slight jump in surprise as Ciara touched her and led her through the mist. When they emerged from the oppressively thick fog, they were standing in a vacant alleyway. Zora pressed her back against a building and looked around the corner. “Look. The murals are… changing. The dragon has a wound and the tiger has blood on its maw.” She wondered what this could possibly mean and what forces were at work here. Ducking safely back behind the corner she looked over where the fog still lingered among the placid people wandering around with food and drink. 

“What in the nine hells is going on here?” Where they were standing some morning glories were breaking through cracks in the foundation and walls and growing aggressively. She picked one and two more sprouted almost instantly. “I am concerned that there’s something sinister underneath this false happy exterior and they might turn on us. We can’t hide in this alley forever.” The wheels were turning in her mind. The luster was chipping away even more and the cracks in the foundation and buildings were getting large. “That is if this place doesn’t collapse into us first.”

Zora glanced, with the night early there were many shadows cast in the city. Luckily the shadows were her home. It was the essence of the one she loved and trusted the most and she was their champion. “I’m going to see if I can get us closer to the mural to see if we can notice anything. I don’t know if you’ve ever shadow stepped. It can be disorienting.” She grabbed the fae’s hand and in a moment they melded in the shadows, hoping as pieces of darkness themselves from shadow to shadow until they arrive between two buildings near the mural. 

“Why are they trying to hide this? What do they not what people to see?” Her first instinct was to interrogate someone. Zora didn’t know much about fae and had no idea if Ciara had a stomach for things such as that. 

The second Zora discussed the murals, she too subtly peeked around the corner. The murals had changed. The dragon had a wound and the tiger had blood. Showing that the fight itself wasn't easily won. The change gave a bit of context. Whomever or whatever controlled this….pretend world was losing power or being fought. Perhaps the tiger was using the morning glories to fight back. Ciara looked towards Zora to listen to her concerns then realized something very very important. Zora's lovely outfit had been ruined by blood! Stains like that were almost impossible to get out of cloth, as any adult woman knew. The fae lady decided to resolve the outfit issue on a later day, and possibly find a replacement for her. Then there was the morning glories to think about. Ciara crouched down next to the bloom and reached towards it. The vines outstretched towards her, like a baby to a mother. There was a smile on her face as she watched it.

"My my. You are quite lovely things, aren't you?" She said and turned back to Zora, "I must admit I've never seen anything like these flowers."

Standing back up, she pulled her arm away from the outstretched plant and received Zora's hand. They melded into the shadows and true to Zora's word, it was disorienting. There were many dark fae who used shadows in a similar way. But she was not a dark fae and thus had less experience in shadow melding. However she was able to keep up with Zora and only took a moment to readjust herself once they were done. Her friend began asking questions about what was going on.

"I have no idea." Ciara admitted, "I don't think this is fae magic, its a bit strong and only a fae king or queen could do something this powerful. The style IS familiar to me. The fae have similar tricks up their sleeves, using food and their powers to manipulate the mind. Perhaps the magic is a way to keep the population under control? Or the tourists are being fed to some monster and the happiness makes it easier to do so? Or maybe this is some fool who truly believes the people are better off this way?"

She adored speculating on what it might be. Despite the ugly turn of events, she was excited by the unknown aspect of it all. It brought a thrill to her heart and sent a shiver down her spine. And the stories that this experience would churn out! Thousands of new ideas sitting right in front of her, waiting for exploration, waiting to be used. Even if she died tonight, she knew she would be singing of it in the afterlife. Or painting. Or something else.

"We'll need more information before we do anything." Ciara mentioned and then she paused for a moment, "Oh! I know, lets head down to the library! I'm sure they've got something!"

She partially wanted to go to the library for knowledge but mostly wanted to snatch as much poetry and artworks that she could find. All of those beautiful items would go lovely with her large hoarding pile. And figuring out what was wrong with the island was important too…..