Charting the Course

The salty breeze rolled over the deck as the group gathered around a crate-turned-table, studying the map Tomas had spread out. Their ship bobbed gently in the waves, steady and reliable.

Tomas, standing with his hands planted firmly on the crate, looked at each of them. "Alright, we've got a choice to make. Redharbor or Cliff's Edge. Both have dungeons, both have job opportunities. But which one's the better move?"

Leila leaned against the crate.

"Depends. Do we want to get stabbed by pirates or burned at the stake?"

Mira sighed. "That's a gross oversimplification."

Leila smirked. "But I'm not wrong."

Mira pointed at Redharbor. "Redharbor is profitable. It's got connections to underground markets, bounty postings, and people willing to pay a lot for questionable work. The dungeon there is small but filled with rare magical loot, so we could make quick money."

Beren nodded. "Also means fewer rules."

Leila shot him a look. "Which also means fewer laws keeping people from killing us in our sleep."

Arlan, watching the back-and-forth, smirked. "Sounds fun."

Mira ignored them. "The downside is that if we make the wrong enemies, we'll have to fight our way out."

Tomas nodded. "And the other option—Cliff's Edge." He tapped the map. "Bigger guild-sanctioned dungeon, more stable economy, actual legal jobs."

Arlan's smirk faded. "And the Guild reports directly to the Holy Order."

The air between them shifted. Mira exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Right. That."

Leila muttered a curse. "We step foot in Cliff's Edge, and if the Guild even suspects what Arlan is, we're all getting tied to a pyre before sunset."

Beren scowled. "They don't need to know."

Mira frowned. "They always find out. The Holy Order has diviners, relics, clerics trained to sniff out necromancy. One wrong move, one careless spell, and they'll come down on us like a hammer."

Tomas looked at Arlan. "You think you can keep a lid on it?"

Arlan shrugged. "I've been doing it this long." He hesitated. "But this is different. If we go to Cliff's Edge, I'll have to bury my magic completely. No summons, no spells, no nothing. One mistake, and we don't get a second chance."

Leila looked frustrated. "Then why are we even considering it?"

Tomas exhaled. "Because we need stability. Redharbor is fast money, but it's also a nest of backstabbers. The kind of place where people sell you out for a bag of silver. If we go there, we need to be ready to fight for every coin."

Beren cracked his knuckles. "Sounds like a good time."

Leila threw up her hands. "Of course you'd say that."

Mira crossed her arms. "Look, I hate dealing with the Holy Order as much as anyone, but we need a place to recover. Redharbor doesn't give us that. We'll be dodging cutthroats and mercenaries the second we step off the ship. Cliff's Edge is dangerous in a different way, but if we're careful, we can operate under the radar long enough to get what we need."

Arlan exhaled. "Which is what, exactly?"

Tomas sat back, rubbing his jaw. "Money. Supplies. A dungeon we can work without looking over our shoulders every five minutes. Somewhere to set up for at least a few weeks. We can't keep drifting forever."

Leila leaned over the crate. "And you think Cliff's Edge is the place?"

Tomas looked at the map, running a hand through his hair. "I think it's the best bad option we have. We keep a low profile, work the dungeon for a while, and get out before anyone starts asking questions."

Leila sighed. "So we're going straight into the lion's den."

Tomas gave her a look. "We're going in carefully."

Beren rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

Mira looked tense but resigned. Arlan just grinned. "Guess I'll have to delay my plans of becoming a pirate king."

Leila patted Beren's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll find someone to punch."

With the decision made, Tomas folded the map. "Cliff's Edge it is. We'll set sail at dawn."

Arlan leaned back against the railing, looking out at the ocean. "I give it a day before we regret this."

The ship sailed forward, carrying them toward their next adventure—whether they were ready for it or not.