V5 Incline 8: Baltanthan

"So, can we *finally* get going?" I ask, hoping I'm not being too impatient as we exchange items with our o-so tearful bug protector. I'm literally shaking and bawling over this farewell we're having.

Nah.

"Hold on, let me just... Rianta-chira, come on!" Einervaene goes as she fights to tighten up the bag of the insufferable one. However, as she struggles to get it all done, it only becomes clearer as to why. She's not trying to head our way or be with us.

"Right..." she mutters, those bulbs of hers glowing bright with another message entirely. I never learned to properly 'read' aelenvari light signals, but I'm certainly familiar with them. But one of the many hardships of living in a ravineer town. And, well, I'm very much picking up a tone of 'I don't want to be here.' I'm all for it under typical circumstances, however...

Mountain.

"Come on, let's go." I snap, twisting around as the last of my patience dries up. We've got too many bodies to get on past, anyway. No sense in waiting here when the traffic is going nowhere regardless of the time of day. Mountain-states of this scale and importance never die down. If anything, I have a feeling the war between the two neighbouring great powers has only diminished what we're seeing now. So many things could make our journey even more exerting.

Now, to get a bloody move on! I'm excited enough as is, and I don't need anything holding me back right now. We need to get back onto the main road and slip in without any trouble. Then, we can finally start heading on up properly. All under the lights and sounds of the city and the airships buzzing around it and the spiral-trains thrusting their way on in!

Yet, despite all of it, I can hear the two behind me going at it with nonstop something...

"Quit making those noises, you two. We'll be able to get to an inn on the road." I tell them, assuming something out of the noise as all I can think of is that they're complaining about their feet again. It's why we ended up on the bug's back, anyhow.

"Are... Are there even going to be rooms available? I've been on ships less crowded than this, and they were lacking space even when they were still selling tickets." Einervaene compares this too, and I'm not sure what to say about it. No ship will ever compare to a road like this, not even a lesser town or city will be light on the entrance.

Though, to be entirely fair to her, there's not exactly anything to look at right now. The crowds surrounding us are all there is to look out. Crowds, crowds, crowds. There's so little to look at that I'm just following her gaze wherever it goes so I don't lose sight of her.

"Of course, these places were built with the busy road in mind. These places will be huge! Probably bigger *and* better than the backwater I came from alone! So, you hear that, Aelenvar? We'll find grandeur fit for you alright." I explain, targeting that supposed lover of the bug while I have a chance.

I look behind us and see no one, and Einervaene follows suit.

"Where is Rianta-chira...? RIANTA-" she questions, her scream cutting short as I put my hand on her mouth. She comes to a stop, looking at me with wide, offended eyes. However, it settles into her head somewhat that she'll never hear us over this crowd and all this vehicle traffic. We're already effectively shouting as is.

Einervaene will not move, though. The crowds slip around us, but not without complaining on such a busy road. A groan builds up in my throat, and I take her by the hand, pulling her along as I push on through. I smack up against the mountain and pull her up to me. All to keep us as out of the way as possible with all these travellers.

"Don't stop and look for her, we got to get moving!" I insist, moving my head close to her ear so she can hear me clearly. Even the rock is struggling to hide the noises of the under-city from us.

"Don't look for her...? We can't just leave our friend in this crowd!" Einervaene cries, my hands barely keeping her from forcing her way back into the crowd. Literally all she has to do is even exert herself slightly overpower me.

"There's only one way to go! We'll see her again, not hard to miss her!" I point out, explaining with gestures as well as there is simply no way to fight your way down this path. The main roads into mountain-states like this are nearly always entry only, from what Founding-Lord Brewbrt told me.

"But-!" Einervaene tries to get out.

"We stay the course!" I snap sternly, letting go of her as I go to the other side and give her a gentle push. She tries to fight back and gives in to the first blocking step. Something I keep up for a little bit until my eyes start to roll as I nab at her hand. If my words aren't going to keep her going up the road, my actions will.

"Her bag!" she snaps all too suddenly, shooting away with her superior strength. Something that makes her backwards travel through the crowd all too easy. Yet, once she's done cultivating a batch of insults to fill out the crisp night air, she's back at my side. And... I feel jealous of her.

Here she is, seemingly a pushover yet so magically gifted in a way I cannot describe.

"Alright, come closer to the side." I nearly hiss at her as we retreat as much as we can from the crowd she's riled up.

"See, her bag!" she points out, shaking the bag about while I'm more surprised it never got trampled or stolen.

"... She must have left it there, we can't go back for her." I struggle to comprehend as it's so bizarre to just leave the bag in the middle of the road. Better yet, how did Einervaene even see it there? Did someone try to steal it, and she saw them, or did she somehow slip in a spell...?

Either or, there's no way it just fell off her back. The straps are as fine and well-made as they were when first sewed up. There's no way she was just grabbed and taken away. Nor was the bag stolen from her. She must've just left it there!

"But...!" Einervaene tries to contest, her concern genuinely touching even if I wish to never see that damn aelenvar ever again. Pretentious, vile woman.

"If she is no longer here, then we have to let the bu- Nin deal with it. She's probably gone running back to him." I tell her, switching my usual word as it's not worth dealing with Einervaene's emotional fallout right now. I want to get moving up the mountain, and things keep delaying us!

"We need to look for her..." Einervaene mumbles as I drag her onwards with little resistance, if any at all. Feels like I need to push more than pull.

"It's out of our hands now!" I snap, closing the lid on the issue for the time being.