Shortly after the light subsides Will is left still standing there, his gun pointed directly at Crim. For a few seconds all he does is stare, eventually deciding to grab a small rock and throw it at Crim after stepping further away. Thankfully nothing happens. Looks like the kid really just knocked himself out, he thinks to himself before grabbing Crim and propping him over his shoulders. Despite walking towards Urbi for half a day Crim shows no signs of waking up. After two days of walking and resting, Crim eventually does.
The second he does, Will drops him and steps back, ready to kill at a moment's notice. After letting out a pained grunt Crim opens his eyes and sends a glare at Will, completely unbothered by the gun pointed at him. "I'm so important yet here ya are with a gun ta my 'ead." Seeing Crim acting normal, he holsters the gun and puts it in his backpack. "Can't enjoy the fruits of my labor if im dead." Crim nods his head, taking a seat and pulling his radio out to give it a listen.
Habitually he turns to Harry's station and finds…static. Suddenly, all Will can see is a scared and lonely kid. Crim, despite his brave front, only barely manages to stop himself from crying. "Hey, It's okay. He died a hero. For now, all we can do is remember him and move on." Crim nods wordlessly.
As they start walking again Crim can't help but remember how happy "Harry's Happy Hour" made him. Life's always been boring, after seeing through the crack at ten something inside him broke. Like he didn't belong in this world anymore. Then one day, Tommy passed him an old radio he stole from an especially mean vendor. At first he didn't know what to do with it, so Tommy showed him how to use it. Seeing Crim pull out his radio, Will interrupts his thoughts. "Hey, check the news. We need to know what's going on outside." Again, Crim nods, unplugging his headphones from it and putting it on the ground.
"Emergency Notice, The calamities have escaped their dead zones and are currently on a path to all major cities. Survival rate is minimal. We also warn that if you encounter anyone acting strange you are to immediately report it to the relevant authorities. People claiming to be from another world have appeared and formed an armed militia. While they have not claimed too or have committed any acts of terrism known as of yet they are actively suppressing and disallowing seemingly random towns and cities from escaping their grasp. As of now their reason for behaving in such a way is unknown but after capturing one of their leaders we have confirmed that they are looking for some kind of treasure. Do not engage as all members of this group are shifters of at least tier five."
Crim looks to Will wordlessly, awaiting his response. "Yes, they're with us." Crim nods, asking another important question after. "An who's against us?" Will takes a moment to think before responding. "Five out of the ten tier zero shifters and the organizations they work with. We don't have to worry about the shifter's guild though as a majority of their main members are plants." Crim nods, continuing his walk silently. The entire time, from day to night he's bored out of his mind.
Eventually the duo arrive at Luden five minutes before exactly mid day after a week's travel. The town has been completely transformed into a goliath of a fort. Thick and dense walls as high as the sky surround it, jagged hills and deep spikey pits flow down a line from its left and right. On the small spires that fill the walls corners countless men stand watch. Immediately a few notice the duo, choosing to do nothing on sight. Instead of choosing to go through the fort, Crim walks up to a nearby hill and starts shifting a tunnel through it. Before he can do anything Will stops him. "Check for traps." Crim nods, using his eyes to see through the dirt and immediately finding countless buried bombs in each hill, all packed so dense it'd be impossible to safely get through.
In the end the duo decide to cut through the wall. Using his eyes he looks for the least populated spot and starts to slowly manipulate a hole into the five foot long stone wall, avoiding the traps and bombs placed into the wall. Once in they find it surprisingly empty except for a few lone guards keeping watch. The second one sees them prepare to knock him out and move on and Will stops him.
After muttering something in the guards ears the both are taken towards the back where supplies are shipped. Every single time they pass a guard they nod to each other, an overwhelming silence carrying through every step as they move, hoping to god they don't run into anyone who might be from Lindbourough. Thankfully, it seems everyone on base has gone off to lunch. Still, step by step, they can't help but think.
What if I get caught?
Thankfully, they don't get caught. At least not until they reach the supply drop off point. There, checking stock and preparing to move out is Charles and Lily. Before they can even open their mouths Crim and Will send a violent torrent of pure unbridled bloodlust right at them. Even without words Charlie and Lily can tell exactly what they're saying.
Say a word and you'll pay a heavy price.
And so, thankfully, without a word Crim and Will are placed under several sacks of russets in Charlie's carriage. After a few minutes Crim pops his head out of the pile and moves to the passenger side of the driver's seat. "So, how's it goin mate?" Seeing Crim's usual relaxed atmosphere Charlie becomes a bit less worried. Still, he can't help but look to Lily sitting next to Crim and worry. Unlike Charlie, Lily is only happy.
"Mistah Crim!!!"
Wearing a toothy grin she hugs him without hesitation. Smiling, he hugs her back, Will sending him a small nod of approval from the back before leaning against the back wall and relaxing. Excited, she looks around for Harry. "Where's mistah Harry?" Crim and Will instantly go still, wondering what they can tell her. Charlie figures it out the moment he sees the sadness in Crim's eyes.
Gently he pats Crims head while wearing a father's smile. "It's okay kid. Just gotta make sure ta member em well."
Will silently watches on as Crim points his head down, tears threatening to burst from his eyes. Seeing Crim about to cry, Lily gives him a big hug. "It's okay. You're really nice so don't cry. Have all tha hugs ya need." A warm feeling fills Crim as he puts on a smile, giving Lily a hug back before sending a thumbs up to Charlie. "Thanks Lily. Let's play lots when we…wait were's ya two goin?"
Charlie's brain shuts down for a second seeing Crim just now think to ask that. Laughing, he responds while holding his belly. "We 'eadin ta tha Fount portlands. I own a property down in Urbi so we're gonna reset there." Will raises a brow, wondering what plans the severed have for making him go to urbi while Crim puts on a clearly excited grin. "So then I guess we's is travelin buddies ain't we Lily." Throwing her arms up in excitement, Lily lets out an excited screech.
Ignoring Crim as he almost falls off the moving cart, Will instead chooses to plan out their path. For now, he might as well take advantage of Charlie. "Hey Crim, he's one of us. Finding him was an accident but we might as well use him. Hey, we're making your home our base for a while okay." A bit shocked Charlie stares at Will, then glances at Crim only for Crim to shrug in response. Lily on the other hand immediately puts on a toothy grin imagining all the time she'll be able to spend playing grab em.
Seeing her so excited Crim can't help but want to spoil her in the moment. Fully opening his eyes, he tries to see further, feeling like his mind can handle a bit more stress after seeing the cursed moon. Looking beyond normal sights he sees beyond the veil, the fabric of existence. At first he feels an overwhelming headache as something warm drips down his eyes. Guiding an unknown energy from his stomach and eyes he shapes a portion of that fabric, creating…a chicken drumstick.
Lily, at first amazed by the brilliant lights coming out of Crim's eyes, ends up swapping to violent laughter as a chicken drumstick appears just in front of Crim, falling down square on her head. Right as Lily is about to chow down Crim feels Will smack him in the back of the head. Before Crim can even protest, Will speaks.
"Remember what Harry said about ringing that bell."
"Ah shite."
Panicked, Crim pulls a sword out of his pocket and holds Lily tight, fully prepared to eat a man alive if he shows up. While everyone else visibly panics at Crim's sudden actions Lilly just sits there, enjoying her chicken drumstick. Eventually, after ten minutes of nothing happening Crim puts away the sword, Charlie and Will both letting out an especially heavy sigh of relief after. Charlie, after seeing everyone calm down, speaks first followed by Will.
"Tha hell was that mate?"
"Dumbass almost accidentally called our enemies and prepped for a fight way too early."
Twitch.
With his face red and his left eye twitching Crim decides to hastily change the subject. With his sword still out he points to the horizon as the sun falls and screams out! "To Urbi! The land a pirates and sea fights!" Charlie laughs while Will just shakes his head, Lily mimicking him by pointing to the horizon too. "Ta as lan a pirateses!" She screams out too.