The Night Goddess waved Her hands, and time turned. Night was deep.
Thick clouds completely concealed the graceful moon, and darkness shrouded the land.
Tonight, there was no moon!
At a secluded dock in Wenne Port, four robed figures stood quietly on the shore, their hoods pulled low, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Where's Giles Krina?"
"He's still not here?"
Radeus clicked his tongue, thoroughly dissatisfied with this smuggler's respect for his commitments. He had taken their money and still arrived late. In Radeus's previous life, that would have earned him a bad review.
"Now, now, let's wait a little. We never actually specified a time, after all..."
While Rudeus was still trying to persuade Radeus, a somewhat familiar voice came from the mist.
"Hey, Swamp, sorry for the wait!"
A small wooden raft approached across the water, carrying none other than Giles Krina, the man Radeus had been thinking about so intently.
"You're a little late!"
Radeus spoke irritably, his azure eyes watching him from beneath his hood.
Giles shuddered all over. The inexplicable chill from that morning instantly returned, making him tremble with cold.
"Sorry, sorry. Taking care of things took a little longer than expected."
He waved with an awkward smile, beckoning to them.
"Hop aboard. I'll take you to the ship."
Radeus and the other three boarded Giles's little raft. It was just big enough for five people; there would have been no room for one more.
Giles paddled the raft through the mist over the sea, and an enormous dark shape slowly emerged.
A huge wooden ship lay quietly on the water, its hull hidden in the night like a lurking beast.
"This is the ship we'll be taking."
Giles lowered his voice.
"Let me make this clear beforehand: you can only move around within a