Part 2: Leaving the Watchtower and the hour is getting late

[Halbarad]

"Don't look at me," Clyde replied with a grimace. "Terrible coffee is about the limit of my culinary abilities, unless you like your food burnt."

[Shukuen]

"Maybe we got something that doesn't need cooking," Leets replied hopefully, digging through his bag for whatever foods Jan had ordered them.

[Dracos]

Jan was getting a fire started.

They had some nuts and dried fruits in the back, enough for a meal sure, but not the best of fare.

Dracos

[Shukuen]

"So, Professor Hornsby, what do you think of this... future so far?" Leets asked idly while looking over his stock again.

[Olvelsper]

Jan tended to the fire every once in a while as he went about setting up camp. "My personal opinion is that it needs more meat." He shut his mouth as he stopped sticking his nose in.

Besides, he didn't want to get into the more crude and rude versions of what he wanted to say.

[Halbarad]

"A bit more desolate than I would have expected, or hoped for," Clyde said with a slight sigh. "I suppose there's not much I can do about that, though, so I'd best learn to survive here."

[Shukuen]

"I suppose we all need to," Leets said, gazing off towards the tower again. "Especially if there really is no way back."

[Olvelsper]

"There's another choice, y'know. There's two places that haven't ever been really explored that might shed light on this world. A wall of mist to the south that hides something, and that there tower to the north. None have really ever tried to explore them, or haven't gotten very far."

[Shukuen]

"What's with the towers anyway? Does every city have them?"

[Olvelsper]

"I only know about this one, since I travel frequently between Brunswick and New Reno. I've been meaning to explore it for a long time now, but I've never really had the support needed for it." Jan looked at the other three members of the group. "You three interested in assisting me solve this little enigma? What do you think you could add to the exploration team?"

[Shukuen]

"Well, I kind of have the knack of getting into places I'm not," Leets vaguely answered.

[Olvelsper]

"Does that relate to that trick where you seemingly popped out of nowhere?"

[Shukuen]

Leets glanced at Jan oddly. "Been meaning to ask what the bloody hell do you mean by trick?"

[Olvelsper]

"Back in the bar, you seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere all of a sudden. I didn't even hear Sally's old creaky door open when you came in, and *bam* - As soon as your sword hit the ground there you were; already at the table looking like you were there for a long time now." He shrugged.

"Speaking of which, does everyone on your world sling those bad boys around, or what? You're clothing isn't old, so do people on your world still fight with swords or something?" The negotiator looked at the sword that Leets had set aside  curiously.

[Shukuen]

"I came in before you did though," Leets pointed out, frowning thoughtfully. "Sure it isn't a case of you just overlooking me?"

"This thing? I just found it when I was lost in the desert. Thought I could sell it or something."