Rickety little place...

Kilika... How droll. This was the initial thought of the town that Zolanius had wandered into, looking for something to do. He was ignored, for the most part, as he wandered and wrote in his little black book the details of the town. Architecture, landmarks, local behavior, all that wonderful stuff. But what he made a harsh note of is the condition of their landmass. Or rather, lack thereof. Seriously, these people couldn't move to the closest land and more stable ground? The place was a dump. But it was their dump. So there was probably good reason though. This was a mystery for another time, however, as Zolanius was on a quest. A quest... For a quest. The only thing that'd catch attention was when he'd randomly talk to himself. "And the inn? I say its worth looking into. I need the gil!" From anyone else's perspective, he'd have been talking to the air, which sent strange looks his way, and made people avoid him entirely. But inside of his mind, there was... Well, there was nothing there either. Only a sort of pressure on his mind. Not a painful one, but familiar. See, the Raven Shade didn't speak using words. Zolanius has just... Well, he just knew. They were connected, after all. So when the Shade had something to say, he'd already know what the deal was. It was like having a second mind. Only with fog and images of glowing eyes in the darkness.

Following the more or less mutual choice between them, Zolanius made his way toward the local inn, seeking out work. He happened upon the building, a quaint little place.with enough space to give a few travelers temporary shelter. Surely there must've been rumor or work requests circulating amongst the people. So he walks right up to the innkeeper. And before the woman behind the counter could ask his business, he interrupted her preemptively. "I'm looking for work. Heard any rumors lately?"

WC: 329

Zolanius wandered over to the board that was, for lack of a better word, in shambles. Three jobs were posted, and each seemed to carry a quality mystery, even if they did come off as a bit mundane. A job was a job, however, and needed to be done. Not like anyone else was around to do them anyways. Zolanius collected the papers upon the board and folded them neatly, and stores them in the back of his journal where they should remain safe.

He leaves the small building, walking out with the first job in hand:

"There's a cave on the east of the island ya? People say that when they go there their worst nightmares and memories come to life. Doesn't sound good ta me, go there and see what you can find out willya?"

Likely some strange superstition, but Zolanius was open-minded enough to give anything the benefit of the doubt. So with that, he heads east, eager to solve the mystery of this mysterious cave and earn his pay.

WC: 173

There was a saying that Zolanius had heard before. Of course, this was during his early childhood when mention of darkness was frowned upon. Something about when staring into the abyss, the abyss stares back. And while the saying, in this moment, was terribly accurate, Zola knew he should not be deterred. For it is not the darkness that he feared. But the mystery within. Nothing alive is without fear, and Zolanius was no different. So before stepping in, he drew his sword and gripped the handle loosely in both hands, holding it to his side as he took his very first steps into the darkness.

WC: 106

The chill that filled the air sent a chill through his entire being, but being the stalwart fighter that he was, he tensed up to contain the trembling that the chill would have brought him. There was definitely something off about this place, and the entity lurking inside his mind was on high alert. It saw what he saw, and more, but it couldn't quite put a lock on what was there. Perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps the cave was indeed cursed. Or perhaps there was a creature here that played on the minds of the superstitious. That last thought came to him as a warm breeze quickly hit him. It wasn't the same warmth as was outside of the cave, however. It was more like a breath, that had forced back the chill that surrounded him. He tightened the grip on his sword, and picked up his pace towards the innards of the mysterious cave, the origins of the warm breeze. He dare not speak aloud, for as far as he knew, he still had the element of surprise, and whatever manner of beast or apparition was lurking in the shadows, he did not want to incur its wrath until he had proper advantage.

WC: 205

What Zolanius had seen then filled him with an immaculate sense of wonder, followed by a heavy sensation of dread and remorse. These two skeletons, nay, these souls were trapped, and their words, conflicting as they were, echoed throughout Zolanius' mind. The way that they were bound and left here, it brought back memories. He put a hand to his bare chest, remembering each scar left there. Some were from battle, yes, buy it was the cleaner, more symmetrical scarring that had bothered him. Seeing the chained remains made him remember his time in captivity, tortured and experimented on. How his cell was amongst those littered with bones, blood and the living, rambling shells of the prisoners before him. Each scar had been mended and opened and mended and opened again, all for the sake of unknown experiments.

Zolanius didn't notice that he had been gritting his teeth, nor that the Raven Shade had conjured itself to his side. It laid a claw of fog and cold steel upon his shoulder, and snapped him out of his daze. The Raven Shade was born from the experiments, and was the embodiment of all of Zola's sorrows and regrets. It knew what he had been feeling, and would help to remind him of his goals. It recalled, fading into black smoke and vanishing before his eyes. "No... No creature deserves to this. Good or evil, there can only be life or death! I don't know who did this to you, but I do not care why!" He holds his sword up, fixing his gaze upon the chains. "Pass on or linger, I care not... But not like this!!" With that, he swings his sword down, the tip of his blade barely clipping the stone as his steel breaks the bonds around them.

WC: 300

After the pyreflies had ascended into whatever afterlife was awaiting them, Zolanius investigated the skeletons that had been chained up, and there he took notice of the shimmering black crystal clutched in the bony grasp of the remains. Lifting the shard into the light, it didn't even refract the light. There was a darkness to it, not unlike the Raven Shade that accompanied him. Was this the reason they had been bound like this? It didn't seem to be of any danger, not now. Perhaps back in its day, it was a power to be reckoned with, and it had all but lost its spark over the years. What, decades? Centuries, even? It didn't matter now, though. This shard was now his, and that was one mission down. Next it was time to go and... What was the next mission?

"I lost my kitty near the north east beach, shes a little black cat named Mittens. I'm a bit busy so I can't look myself, though she shouldn't be hard to find. Likes fish."

Inside, he felt the weight of hindsight upon his shoulders, feeling that he probably should have read the papers before just taking them from the board. But he made a obligation and he'd never go back on it, so long as he was under contract. So he leaves the cave, swallowing his pride as mercenary and preparing himself for a cat hunt.

WC: 236

Getting back to Kilika was really simple, seeing as how he just needed to follow the signs back that might need to be taken down. Something that stuck with him are the myths that stuck to the cave as lore, about how they played tricks with the minds of those who enter. Their worst fear, apparently. But the closest thing to his fear was the vague flashback to his time in captivity. That wasn't really a fear, more like a bad memory. What was done is done though, so there was really no reason to dwell on it, besides the crystalline reminder in his pocket.

Once back in Kilika, he had suddenly missed the cave. The walkways felt unstable and he wasn't fond of falling. But he could complain later. What he would do for now is ask around. Fishing was probably a way of life to these people, and so the people should have plenty of insight on the best fishing spots, where the fish would be stored, and maybe even how to make a mean fish on a stick. Not to be distracted by the sudden sensation of hunger in his belly, his questions to the various townsfolk centered around where most of the fish go after being caught. If not to the homes of the fishermen, then for the commercial trade in Spira. Surely a place like this has to offer up a bountiful resource such as fish, so perhaps a storehouse full of smelly, tasty fish would be the place to check for any sort of feline activity.

WC: 262

Ocean Spray... He could swear that he's been past it on several occasions during his stay here, and might have even passed it on the way to the way out, when he had to find the cave. Shouldn't be too hard to find. On his way there, he had to consider what the children said about luck. Sure, it all sounded like balderdash but Zolanius has seen enough to give anything the benefit of the doubt. During his studies as a mage, he's learned that mirrors have long since had some sort of mysticism to them, but nothing so specific as to make happenstance turn bad. Unless it were cursed, of course, but that's a different school entirely. And then there's the fact that he has a dark entity that took the appearance of one of the more foreboding creatures, the raven. Always related to death, or ill omen, thus the Raven Shade being both raven and wraith-like in appearance, it would probably attract the wrong kind of attention if anybody here ever saw it. Bad luck was never something Zolanius believed in. Destiny, however, was always something he had etched into his mind. It came from his childhood, growing up in a clergy that followed the idea of fate and how, even for those of free will, it will steer those to their ultimate destiny in life. The way he lives now, he could only hope that his destiny will give him the recognition he desires.

Once he reaches the restaurant, he doesn't enter. No, more like he patrols it. Here, he would keep a constant watch. Even if he'd not see what was going on, the shade would assist him in keeping his attention to the doors.

WC: 286

So how in Gaia do you attempt to carry a conversation with a giant gentleman fish? Zolanius was at a loss for words, as the creature that stood before him was like nothing he had ever seen, nor was it what he would imagine to find in a place like this. He was sure he had gone mad. He hadn't eaten anything that wasn't fresh, so it couldn't be bad food... What the hell, what bad food would create something like this!? Even the Raven Shade thinks he's turned looney, since it isn't even responding to the fish man, only that Zolanius has stood still and is staring into space with a dumbfounded expression upon his face. Zola didn't even notice that he had his head tilted in curiosity. Zolanius looked around him, seeing that several of the other customers were talking to things that were not there, and some were even having psychotic breaks. Then Zolanius remembered, from his magical studies, illusory magics. Possibilities ran through his head, and everything he'd ever read about this particular school of spells was put into review. Has there a curse on the building? Or perhaps there was an artifact being used as common decoration? Was it the shard he found in the cave? Or maybe he'd been marked by a shadow mage lurking nearby.

There was really no point in asking much, Zolanius had thought. Because in cases like this, it would be impossible to get any straight answers from this. So the best thing he could possibly do is play along. He knew that this was going to get weird. So he simply removes his hat, bows, and introduces himself as though he were addressing nobility. "Zolanius Thyre, my lord. At your service."

Yeah... Weird. Wait, "Us"?

WC: 296

Did I say weird? I meant to say insanely bizarre, and grotesquely so. At the sudden jump of dancing musical aquatic creatures, Zolanius already had his sword drawn. The birthing, the rainbows, all of it a strange display of illusory prowess and playful chaos. What the hell could possibly be causing all of this!? Then, at the corner of his eye, he say the target. A black cat with yellow eyes. Sir Reginauld made mention of the cat, so could it be that the cat was connected to all this somehow? He'd turn to run towards the feline but his movements were extremely sluggish, due to Fishly's friends and the technicolor dream slime and its binding reach. Even slashing at it with his sword, there was no way a simple blade could cut through this, right? This did not stop him, however, as he pushed himself to move away from the vomit and force his way towards the bathroom, reaching out with his free hand towards the animal he had been under contract to locate. He'd keep telling himself, "None of this is real, it couldn't be real... None of this is real, it couldn't be real!" He didn't reach out to grab the cat. No, his experience with animals goes beyond barbaric snatching. From what he's learned, he only needs to hold out his hand, so it could at least sniff him, identify him, and know that the last thing he'd try to do is harm it. Because only a cruel being would go out of their way to hurt a cute and cuddly cat. And he's not under contract to do so.

WC: 274

Current Event: Crow's Nest Current BGM: The Cat's deep yellow eyes stared into Zolas as he held out his hand, once again the world would seem to shift. The world felt like it was spinning out of control forcing him to shut his eyes just to remain anchored to his own sense of sanity. Just before the nausa became too much to bare Zola would feel a strong firm grasp on his hand jolting his eyes open. Where the cat had once been now stood a man in a black suit, his own eyes the same deep yellow as the cats. " Oh hi there!". He seemed to announce gleefully. " You found me, my cat and I". He shrugged before giving this area the once over again, there were several people within the restaurant who were either dead, or dying  from what appeared to self inflicted wounds. " Honestly kind of shocked that someone managed to pull it off, usually when I lure someone here with that bogus bounty they just loose their minds like this lot....". He would shrug though and remove his hat " Well I guess since you DID succeed I'll have to pay up". He'd remove a small bag from his pocket with the tell tale jingle of coin and more within. The moment Zola either blinked, or looked at the bag to examine the contents, the man would be gone. Along with the coin  there would be an odd piece of paper with a few words written upon it. " The secret to madness is [blank]"

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As Zolanius read the paper, he was aware that the strange man had left. The one thing that bugged him was the riddle. Or was it even that? An insult maybe? After all of that, he was given his cash and left with a strange, unassuming paper that seemed like there was something he was supposed to know. He wanted to tear the paper to shreds, or ball it up and toss it into the waters. But, Zola being Zola, he instead folded the paper as neatly as he could, slight trembling from the ordeal making this an uneasy task, and tucked it into the back pages of his journal. He could sense the confusion within the mind of the Shade, as this was all spontaneous, it not having seen the giant fish musical and the like. It's not that he really found the paper important, but he just felt like he needed it. One was certain though. He'd be off of sushi for awhile.

Locking the latest events in the back of his mind, he'd wander off while reading the next quest paper, involving the temple and its artifacts. This should prove be a much needed change in pace.

WC: 200

((Thread over.))