After a good night's sleep the trio relax in the front yard. Harry plays with the dogs while Crim plays dolls with Lily on a blanket placed on the grass, Will being the only one to watch the front gate seriously. Charles sits in his office, looking to the horizon, seeing the moon still hanging above the cage despite the night having already passed. Below, as if chasing it, a horde of strand infested walk towards Lindbourough.
Maybe three days until it arrives?
"Why won't mistah Will play with us?"
"No clue. Pass tha tea please."
Lily glances at Will, then glances at Will, then decides it's better to play with Crim than figure out why Will won't play. "Okayyy." With a bright smile she passes Crim's doll a small cup of tea. Harry, seeing Lily have fun can't help but wish he could join. Unfortunately, men can't play with dolls according to Lily.
"But dolls are fun…"
"Wha was that?"
"Nothin Lily!"
Seeing him pout while petting the dogs Crim lets out a small laugh.
"Hey, we still have ta decide our rotation."
By now a few hours have passed. Grabbing his stomach Crim thinks, wondering whether he should go first or not. Before he can say anything Harry raises his hand, "Yeah I got it. You two eat and rest, just bring me some food before anything." Thanking Will, Crim heads inside to grab a meal, While Will stays back.
"I let him know about the two weeks but as far as our identities he knows nothing."
"Dropping the accent are we? I'll be upfront. I don't care about the headless snakes, just don't mess with me or the kids"
Will raises a brow, looking at Harry before glancing at the mansion.
"Lily will be okay. Same for Crim."
Staring at Will, Harry for the first time shuts away all emotions. His eyes glow, the silhouette of a brain appearing behind his head. "They already know I'm here, they just don't want to deal with the annoyance either. Try anything funny and this won't just be a warning." Suddenly Will's arms starts to expand and contract wildly. Colors change and flesh warps.
Red
Purple
Orange
Its long
Its short
Its curved
Its monstrous
Its an abomination
Its warped
For a split second Will's arm becomes a monstrous abomination. Before he can even panic, let the fear overwhelm him, his arm returns to normal. Like it never changed.
Like it was a dream.
"Keep in line or the anchor burns."
Silently Will stares at Harry, cold sweat dripping down his drenched back as he tightly grips his arm. With his eyes still shining Harry pulls out a chicken drumstick from thin air and takes a bite. "Nevermind on the food, just bring back a little something extra for Lily." In the center of the moon a silhouette flickers. A knight from a time long forgotten. For a moment it glances at Harry before fading away, going off to find something.
"Heyyyyyy Will! C'mon! We wanna see the markets!"
Breaking the tense air Crim walks out of the manor carrying Lily on his shoulders. Lily looks around with eyes full of childish happiness, fully enjoying the fact she's technically taller in height now. Instantly Will's pale face brightens up. In less than a second, at least outwardly he returns to normal. Before leaving he gives Harry one last look. In response Harry waves and smiles.
And so the trio head off to markets. Unlike the relaxed atmosphere at home, it's tense, like a powder keg ready to blow at any second. Policemen walk around, firearms in hand ready to shoot. Vendors who own, while not outwardly showing are ready to pull out and end anyone who tries to harm them. Looking around they find a vendor praying. As they pass they notice a few people praying. Will holds his left hand to his heart and lets out a small prayer while Lily makes a square from her forehead, eyes, and mouth. Crim on the other hand does nothing.
After looking past a past a tear Crim decided none of the five orthodox gods could be real. Between the tear is beyond what any human could comprehend, the fact the gods can be understood means they can't be behind the tear. Still, he can't deny there's something behind the calamities. It just can't be the five.
It can't be Soluni, the keeper of cycles.
It can't be Draumr, the keeper of the mind.
It can't be Levia, keeper of the seas.
It can't be Agusti, keeper of the sky.
It can't be Sylvia, keeper of the land
It can't be Ouros, keeper of passing
None of them can control "That" let alone their subsidiaries.
"Didn't know ya where a follower a Ouros Will."
He looks at Crim and ignores him. Unfortunately for him, Lily's curiosity has been set off! "You follow the snake thingy? Does that mean if I bite you you'll taste like snake instead a choco? Can I bite you? Why are you looking at me funny? Do I not bite you?" Looking at his skin he can't help but wonder if the kid has never seen a westerner let alone an Urbi local. While Will puts on a shocked expression Crim can't help but chuckle to himself. With a scolding tone he puts down Lily and gets to her level.
"While 'e's sweet as chocolate 'e's not made a it. Just some people got darker skin."
"Okayyyy! Sorry for wanting ta eat'cha mistah Will!"
He lets out a heavy sigh and pats her head, deciding to let it go. Least the kid won't try to upcharge him, though he wonders why her first thought was to take a bite out of him. If your candy was walking and talking wouldn't you be scared instead, he thinks to himself with a small grin. After the distraction the trio stop at a small candy shop to buy Lily some actual chocolate. Walking in they see a familiar inkeep talking with the shopkeep, a young woman wearing a loose blue sundress with a white apron over it and sandals. Her eyes match her dress while her short hair is blonde
"Please just stay at the inn. We can take your stock with us and I'll have some of my men guard your shop!"
"Not unless you agree to take care of those kids too dad"
The pair stare at each other, determination flooding through their eyes. Without a care Crim walks in, letting out a small cough to let them know someone here. The girl jumps up while the innkeep turns around calmly. Determined he looks to Crim and Will and prepares to say something. Before he can though, his daughter speaks first.
"Welcome! What would you like? We offer discounts for children and elderly so please don't hold back."
With a heavy sigh the innkeep facepalms. Resigned he exits the store, glancing at Will as he goes. Just as he passes he let's out a small whisper. "Try ta rip 'er and I'll rip ya limbs off." He ignored Will's scent at the inn, but, now that he's come in contact with his family he can't risk someone who so closely reminds him of himself to go completely free. Glaring at Will he let's out a small amount of pointed killing intent.
Regret
Without a single shake of his eye an overwhelming feeling of death pours out of Will. Something above bloodlust and killing intent. A memory? The illusion of a roaring sea of blood and planks appears behind Will. Despite the horror in front of him everyone else in the store is acting normally, not even glancing at the two. In that split second, that small moment he knows.
Absolutely do not mess with this man.
Passed
As the innkeep walks out he can't help but think to himself. There's no ocean near Abbey as it's between the mountainous Sylician Empire to the north, a dead zone to the east, the lake filled Pence Republic to the west, and the United Urbi Founts in the south near the dead zone between this continent and the next. The only possible time something so intense could've happened would be when the dead zones were explored.
Problem is there were supposed to be no survivors.
With the innkeep gone the atmosphere returns to normal. Smiling Lily looks around after Crim puts her back on the ground trying her best to resist grabbing everything she can. "Member! We don't waste othas money." Despite saying that she still grabs an extra large double thickness homemade chocolate bar with a smile. Seeing Lily having so much fun in her shop the lady can't help but let out a small chuckle.
"Why what a serious lassie ain't she. You can 'ave the chocolate free."
"Yay!!!"
Throwing her arms up Lily almost drops her chocolate, thankfully Crim catches it just in time. "Safe!" Despite faceplanting to catch the chocolate Crim wears a silly grin. Will seeing this makes an x in front of his chest with arms. "Chocolate, sure. Ya dignity, nah." Looking at Crim treating her chocolate so seriously Lily laughs. After getting some chocolate for themselves the duo take Lily to whatever vendor they can find willing to sell food. Eventually they find a small stall with three tall burly men standing guard. Immediately the stall guards examine the trio, focusing on Crim and Lily. In response Crim puts a hand in his pocket, looking them dead in the eyes while pretending to grab something. Seeing Crim won't be an easy target they move to Will.
In response he waves his backpack. Seeing no easy targets, the three back off, the real vendor stepping out from behind.
"A silver for servin, six for a day's worth."
Looking at him, Crim seriously considers just robbing him. That's sixty coppers for three meals when three to five is enough to cover a meal. Hell a cheap tea costs five hay coins or a full copper if you want to get two. Maybe I should? Then again there might be a shifter with me, he thinks to himself.
"''Eres nine gold, since we orderin large think ya can throw in an extra two days from our fifteen."
"Deal!"
Looking at the man in front of him Will sees a familiar glint. He knows full well he's marked himself as a target when giving so much gold, especially when walking around with Lily. But, he also knows that it's best to get rid of that target and mark themselves as porcupines not to be touched while there's something resembling logic. The three guards pull out a large person sized burlap sack full of canned meats and fruits, passing it to will with a smile.
Walking away the trio notice they're being followed. Crim looks at Will, Will signaling to move to a small alley in the side. Despite trying to take advantage of the crowd and keeping low they still end up being followed into the alley. Looking forward they see a man wearing a loose white shirt and khakis with matching black dress shoes. On his neck loosely hangs an Ouros cross depicting a serpent consuming its own tail.
Smiling he leans down and touches the alley ground, two walls slowly sprouting from the ground to block off the alley immediately after. Seeing this Crim smiles, happy to use Harry's gifts. "Unofficial versus unofficial while the suits work. Fun!" Before the man can move Crim pulls the shrunken down sword and shield, growing them back to normal size and running to the man. In the meantime Will guards Lily, looking to the night sky to see a small wall starting to rise around lindbourough.
The shifters have begun to move.