"I see. Hopefully, it will have been worth it." Erk replied simply, as he continued on his path. The wizard led them down what seemed to be the main thoroughfare of the village, which most of the houses opened onto. Children and women at the wash stopped in their tracks and openly gawked at the retinue of armed warriors traipsing down their street, the mothers pulling their children closer to them.

This awkward march continued for several more minutes, before the retinue had crossed the entire length of the village. They now found themselves at the huge, oaken door of the mansion that they had witnessed from the valley rim. Without even knocking, Erk pushed the door open and entered into the dim gloom beyond.

After crossing the threshold of the house, they found themselves in what appeared to be a large entry hall, with a large staircase in the center back wall leading up the the second floor wings. The house appeared desolate, its interior barren of furniture except for the occasional rickety hall table or portrait, the majority of them of old men with glowering expressions and large, beak-shaped noses. Spiderwebs criss-crossed the ceiling, swaying in the gentle breeze loosed by the open door.

Erk immediately ascended the stairs and took the first door at the top. After some time spent navigating hallways, all equally desolate, the party came to a door at the end of a long hallway, with light streaming out from underneath. He opened the door.

Beyond the portal lay what seemed to be a large workshop. Spacious windows opened onto the village on one side and the mountains to the north on the other. Wooden tables lined two of the four walls, all of them covered with large, dusy-looking tomes and strange instruments complete with bubbling, multi-colored fluids. Standing with his back to the guests, a tall, gangly figure bent over a text that lay open before him, one hand absently stirring a small beaker of orange fluid.

"I haven't a clue on both of those questions. To me this seems like a huge waste of time and if we don't get moving soon we won't be in the cover of dark and will be easily spotted by any galbadia soldiers. Though I am sure that they wouldn't be a problem, i could easily take them out," Raven said to her getting a little upset. He just wanted to get to the D-District prison as soon as possible and it seems that this wasn't helping much. If Erk was here just to visit a friend, then Raven would knock some sense into the old gezzer.

"A bit tensed, aren't we? Erk remarked over his shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll be there soon. You can do whatever it is that you plan on doing when we arrive."

Erk stepped up behind the man at the table, and rapped him sharply on the back of his head. The gangly man fairly jumped through the table in front of him, he started so violently. He whirled around fearfully... and then calmed somewhat when he encountered the mystic's dour countenance.

"Ah... so you're here already. I hadn't expected you until later this...." The old man began. His face was wizened and wrinkled, bearing the badges of old age prominently. What was left of his wispy grey hair was stuck out wildly, giving the appearance of a grey corona about his head.

Erk immediately interjected, "Yes, yes, we left early. It became urgent that we depart as soon as possible. Do you have it ready?"

"You were always impatient when it came to business. And here I was about to offer tea. I agree to take a considerable risk for you, and what do I get? A knock to the skull. Why, back in the days at the academy..." The wizened old man muttered as he moved with his gangling gait to the center of the room. As a few syllables escaped from his lips, a flash burst from the wood planking at his feet. Gradually, the party witnessed a square section of the floor, measuring ten feet on either side, become what appeared to be sandstone. Immediately, a glowing dot of light appeared on the floor and traced out a circle, leaving a shining line on the sandstone.

"Pass me the..." the conjurer began, but stopped when he turned to find Erk holding out a glass flash of cyan liquid. The gangly figure muttered inaudible things as he walked around the circle, pouring the fluid over the shining line.

"Yes, yes, that should do. Alright, are you sure that you must..."

"Immediately." Erk cut him off once again. He softened for a moment, and laid his hand on the conjurer's shoulder; admittedly, it was a bit of a reach for the short wizard. "Thank you, my old friend."

As the strange man exited the circle, the light that the line emanated turned a brilliant green. The air inside of the circle began to warp and twist, as if viewed from over a fire. Taking a breath, Erk stepped across the boundary... and vanished.

Turning to the rest of the party, the conjurer spoke quietly, "Well... if you have everything that you need... you should follow him. It won't stay open for long, only a few minutes more. I'll reopen the portal in two day's time, at what will be sunrise in the desert. Hurry, and good luck to you all. Be careful."





(EDIT: I meant to say sunrise, not noon.)

Nia was sitting on a chair in the house when they arrived. She was sitting in a corner so most probably didn't see her there, besides they were probably too busy trying to figure out what they were doing there. The old man told her about what was about to happen while she was there.

It was all cause of her meeting Erk earlier then others this night, she couldn't sleep so she went for a walk and on her way back she met him. Yeah, it wasn't fun to be a messenger of this old geezer and going to the town all by herself. Nia sigh slightly as she was thinking about the long journey she made just about an hour ago. She couldn't say no though, she was a student and this mission was to rescue one of them. She would do what she could so they could get Shinu back.

When old man disappeared she stood up and smiled softly at the guy that opened the gate. He was really nice to her for the hour before the rest arrived so she could cheer up a bit.

"Thank you for the tea, it was really good."

She then looked up at Raven, he and Crysta were standing close, that didn't look good. She smiled at him though just before walking in the circle and disappearing in it.

Raven sighed and rubbed his forehead. So he had hijacked a boat for no appearant reason. Now this totally made himself look like a fool, but then again he didn't really care. It gave him a sort of thrill before they went on this mission, he hated espionage type ones, and like the front out confrontation types. That is what he was more suited to, but then again this one was for a completely different reason.

He then stepped forth through the gateway, ready to appear on the otherside for anything

Faina shook a little as she approached the portal. Could this be trusted? Not that they really had much of a choice. This entire trip had already left her clueless and feeling stupid. With a sigh, she squeezed Kira's hand and murmured that she would see him on the other side.

Then, with an air of bravery and confidence that she had no right to feel, she closed her eyes and stepped into the portal, ready and waiting for anything.

Corenian sighed, looking at the portal then at the old man "well it was a nice meeting... I guess well either way, thanks for the help."
Getting up from his seating position near the doorway, he strolled over to the portal and looked into the nothingness that was all that was visible. Feeling a touch behind him, he turned to see Fia lying on his shoulder, giving him a nod before floating over and into the portal.
"Well good sir, once again, thanks for the hospitality," he muttered before walking into the portal, ready to face whatever was on the other side.