Ch 91: Work Begins

The days passed in a blur of quiet preparation. Kael and Mira had spent their first few days in Absheron resting, adjusting to the city's relentless energy. But soon enough, they got to work.

Mira had wasted no time diving into the city's underbelly, speaking to informants, shadowy figures in dimly lit taverns, and the occasional trader who had seen too much but knew better than to speak carelessly.

Kael, ever the scholar, had turned his focus elsewhere. Water.

It was a new challenge—one that fascinated him. The ocean was unlike anything he had ever dealt with. It was vast, unpredictable, and corrosive in ways the dry lands of the Blanks could never be. If he was going to stay in Absheron, or anywhere coastal, he needed tools that worked with water, not against it.

And so, they each pursued their goals.

Mira's approach to gathering information was simple: Listen first. Speak second.

The taverns, docks, and marketplaces of Absheron were filled with rumors—some absurd, some grounded in truth. The trick was knowing which was which.

"The Consortium's been tightening its grip," a grizzled sailor muttered over a mug of ale. "More ships than usual docking from the east. Armed men aboard, not traders."

"There's been fighting in the Blanks," a merchant from the interior whispered. "Cities caught in the middle of things they don't understand."

"I heard a name. 'The Warden's Faction.' Ain't never heard of 'em before."

Mira filed away each piece of information, slowly putting together the puzzle. The proxy war Kael had guessed at wasn't just an idea—it was real. Factions were moving against each other in secret, using mercenaries, smugglers, and trade routes as weapons.

"Someone's making power plays," she muttered to herself one evening, "but the question is… who stands to gain the most?"

Her leads would take time to develop. But she was patient.

While Mira worked the streets, Kael spent most of his time in a rented workshop near the docks, a small but well-equipped space where he could tinker in peace.

The challenge was simple: Everything he had built before was designed for dry environments. What worked in the Blanks wouldn't necessarily work here.

Metal corroded. Wood swelled. Gears jammed. Firearms became unreliable in damp conditions.

Kael tested materials, watching how saltwater affected different metals. Iron rusted too quickly. Copper resisted corrosion but conducted too well. He experimented with coatings, trying to develop a sealant that would keep his weapons and tools from being eaten away by the ocean air.

His mind raced with ideas.

Weapon maintenance kits for coastal environments. Sealed containers resistant to water damage. Filtration devices—something that could make seawater drinkable without requiring an entire alchemical lab. A propulsion system for a small vessel, if he ever needed to move across the water.

Each night, as Mira returned with new information, Kael would present his latest findings.

"So, you're really making things for the ocean now?" Mira asked one evening, watching him coat a blade with an experimental anti-corrosion solution.

"It's necessary," Kael replied without looking up. "Absheron isn't the only city on the coast. If we ever go farther, we need to be prepared."

Mira smirked. "You always plan ahead, don't you?"

Kael chuckled. "I try."

As days turned into a week, both Kael and Mira started seeing the bigger picture.

Mira's information painted a world on the brink of larger conflicts. Factions were shifting in the shadows, their influence stretching beyond the Blanks.

Kael's experiments led him to new designs—some of which had potential applications beyond just surviving in Absheron.

One night, as they sat on the balcony of their rented inn, overlooking the ocean, Mira finally shared her thoughts.

"We're in the middle of something bigger than just escaping from Gron."

Kael leaned back, letting the salt air fill his lungs. "I figured as much."

"What do we do next?"

Kael's fingers tapped against the hilt of his newly modified dagger. "We keep preparing. And when the time comes, we make our move."

Mira nodded, satisfied.

The work was far from over.

But for now, they had taken the first steps.