The desert wind blew hot against the trio of riders that approached the outpost gate of Mircine. The gate was opened with a flurry of activity from posted guardsmen, allowing them passage to the main street. While two of the individuals stopped just past the guards, the third kept at pace barreling past a parted crowd until horse and rider slowed in response to several shouts. “Commander!” called a breathless bespectacled man as he came running after them. “Commander Callisto ple-please wait!” The horse in a large cloud of dust with a huff and snort. The woman undid the fabric that covered her mouth and pulled her goggles down to rest around her neck as she glanced down to make eye contact with the man that wanted her attention so badly. “You act as if I wasn’t on my way to see you, Tarmic. I hope your rushing means you have good news.” “N-Not exac- We don’t. I wanted to tell you before you…got your hopes up.” “Hm.” She dismounted, flicking her great robes aside. “My hopes were never that high to begin with, you say you wish to dash them further?” Tarmic hesitated with his answer but resigned to a hurried low bow and murmured apology. “Tell me what information you have gathered, if nothing else.” “Of course-” he had straightened but ducked into a bow once more as the Commander’s traveling companions, Markkus and Auberon, approached. “Stop bowing.” She said harshly. “You are being very rude, Asteria.” Said Auberon. “Our friend here is only doing what he was taught. You always say respect is important.” Her gaze did not break from Tarmic and instead she dropped the reins of her horse and began to walk away. “You better follow her.” Auberon spoke up once more, taking the leads to keep the steed from following its owner. ‘she’s not in the best of moods.” “We hadn’t noticed.” Markkus muttered. Tarmic caught up with Asteria once more. “The disease is still spreading in the southlands, it’s only affecting the baseborn at this point, but we don’t know how long it’s going to stay that way. We haven’t found any further evidence of the Lyramire nor even any real idea what to look for aside from the mark of the star but all the forms that could take-” “We found a set of scrolls in the fallen city we were scouting.” “You- you what?” She brought forth a relatively small leather pouch. ‘they disintegrated the second we tried to pick them up of course, but perhaps one of your [i]crafters[/i] would like to use the dust as an additive in their search for a cure.” Tarmic could not detect the skepticism nor the teasing in Asteria’s voice and took the bag with a befuddled grin. “At least your trip wasn’t for nothing! I’m sure the council-” “Hm. Make sure my horse got taken care of properly, I need some time to think before I speak to anyone else about our ventures.” “Did something happen, Commander?” “I don’t know.” She said quietly. [hr] Asteria entered the compound she called home on this expedition and took the dark maroon robes from her shoulders. The fabric was ill-suited to the sand and had become practically lined with it. It joined her goggles and thick riding gloves on a chair by the door. She knew she should be sweltering in this heat, but she felt a deep chill in her bones where there should have been the uncomfortable stickiness of sweat after a full days” worth of riding. There hadn’t been much in the fallen city but rubble and decay, war had torn that area apart so long ago nothing was recognizable. The scrolls had been nothing so why was it she was so unsettled by them. The image of their seemingly intact forms just resting in the middle of a ruined building waiting to be picked up and read troubled her. She crossed the room and touched her fingers to the wick of a candle by the washbasin mirror, a spark of magic lit a flame just strong enough for Asteria to assess her dusty face with a scowl. She was still herself, despite everything. The flickering light reflected the universe in her eyes and, just for a second, she thought maybe there was more to what she had jokingly passed off on Tarmic. The search for the Lyramire would need to be reassessed in the coming days, if this mythical savior existed surely they would be found eventually. The fate of much of the population of their island depended on it should the disease continue to spread at its current rate. Asteria gave a sigh and snuffed out the light after washing her face, plunging the room back into darkness. She was still herself, despite everything. That much was true.