Deepwoken: Divers

Betrayal: No rest

After arriving on the surface, Faust and Pakki soon met up with Colt and Kevin. They walked up a long path up towards a small mountain, and at the top, they ended up in Etris - The capital of The Kingdom of Etrea.
They moved into the Inn in the city, which was rather welcoming to them. Pakki and Colt finally changed their clothes: Pakki wore a plain red shirt with a red megalodaunt coat over it whilst Colt got himself a Skeptic Pioneer's outfit.
For the trio's first time, they sat into a proper restaurant.

After having ordered, Kevin smiled. "First one's on me..."
"Man, it's gonna be weird to not eat Urchin Stew for once..." Colt said, leaning back.
"I've never eaten mushrooms before..." Pakki shrugged.
"It's about time... Today's the day we were born. 19 years ago..." Faust added.
A waiter brought their food, placing it on their table. "Oh? A birthday? Special occasion huh? And would you look at that... You gentlemen were born on a very special day!"
Colt tilted his head. "Well... They're 'special' that's for sure..."
The waiter got serious. "Please be respectful... A lot of people died." He then left without a second word.
Faust looked at the waiter leave. "The hell's he on about...?"
"I don't know...." Colt responded. "But we should listen to him. We're guests here after all..."
Pakki looked at his food suspiciously for a moment.
"Come on... Try it, don't be a pussy!" Faust lightly hit his shoulder.
"Like hell I'll be!" Pakki replied, taking a swig of his mushroom bisque. His hair fell before his only remaining eye, covering his expression.
He put the bowl down, standing up.
The waiters looked at him, just about ready to call guards.
Pakki ran his hand through his hair, fixing it. "....Two more. Please. I've never eaten anything close to this good."

For the next few days, the group finall got to relax a little. Colt met a black diver in the capital who was a master at brewing potions and learned from him. Faust met a young Adret girl, aspiring to become a diver. He, however, managed to talk her down, knowing she wouldn't make it down in the Depths. Kevin travelled back to the Ignition Union for his duties, promising to return soon.
As for Pakki, he met the local bookkeeper called Andros and spent most of his time learning about the outside world.

"I've got to say... Jaeger? Or... Jäger was it? Either was... It's a rare name... I haven't heard it before..." Andros said.
"Yeah... Now that you mention it... Most of the names I've heard I've seen in these books. Heh, I must be a rare breed..." Pakki replied, holding a book. "Hey... When we ate at Lance's... The waiter mentioned something about me and Faust's birthday being... Special?"
The elder bookkeeper looked at him. "Now that you mention it... ....In the winter of 1291, exactly a hundred years before your birthday..."
Pakki half-closed his book, looking at him with a tilted head.
Andros continued. "Something terrible happened. I don't exactly know why but... Hundreds, if not thousands of Megalodaunts stormed the entire world... Thousands died trying to fight them... And then they were just gone."
Pakki looked at him, his only eye widened. It was like something clicked inside of him. "What... I-- Where can I learn more about this?"
Andros looked at him a little worried. "Are you okay?... You look as though you were traumatized... Maybe y--"
Pakki grabbed onto the bookkeeper's shoulders. "I need to know more! There's gotta be records of this, right?!-"
The bookkeeper looked at him, confused since he usually didn't act like this.

The Canor let go of him. "I'm.... Sorry... ....Being stuck in hell... For 13 years really changes people..." He held his head.
"13...? Weren't you born down in the Depths?..." The bookkeeper asked.
Pakki looked at his necklace, his panicked face reflecting off of the gem. "I... Think I was... But I have memories of... Before it. Some place white. Really bright... And-- I don't know why... Yet I remember it was cruel..." His eye narrowed. "...And according to Klaris I was taken in when I was five.... Why... Didn't I remember before?..."

Colt walked in. "Hey... Sorry to interrupt but the Lord Regent has asked us to speak to him."
Pakki took a deep breath, standing up straight. "Yeah... Okay... Bye, Andros!"
The bookkeeper looked at Pakki and Colt as they left. "B...bye..."
Soon, the three former Divers walked into Lord Regent's throne room. He was sitting atop a throne surrounded by corals - and surrounded by a wooden cage almost, almost like it was meant to keep it in there.
"Ah if it isn't the three divers... Colt Kalinof, Faust Ytreshi and Patrick Jaeger.... How has your stay in Etris been?" The 'temporary' king asked.
"Fine." Colt replied shortly, sensing that there was something off with the man.
"Oh come on now, don't be so short. Let's chat. Do you know why I summoned you?" Regent continued.
"No..." Colt replied.
"Three experienced divers, whom are big names in Etrea, and you haven't a clue? I called you to recruit your service, of course." Regent said.
Colt seemed a little confused, but spoke, since whenever Pakki and Faust were unsure, he'd take the lead. "Recruit... Our service?"
The Lord Regent nodded. "Indeed. You see, I've come to want something from Erisia and with how busy I've been lately around here I don't quite have the time to go fetch it myself. That's where you come in."
Colt looked over at his friends for a moment before looking back at the king. "What do you need from Erisia?"
The Lord Regent seemed to have started to have enough of their questions. "What else? The Forge of Sin. It should be located in the manor of the one known as Duke Erisia. I hear you're more fighters than burglars but lucky for you break-and-entry won't be necessary. I have the key."
Colt nodded. "We'll go..." He knew there would be no more questions answered.
"Splendid! Here's the key. You're of course welcome back once you've secured the forge. Nice chatting with you." The king responded, dismissing them.