Arthur and Brig quest onwards.

The two of them stand on the outskirts of a small town in the south eastern corner of the Tivera Empire. They've been travelling for a couple weeks now with no luck as of yet, but Arthur keeps insisting that such a quest is going to require a lot of patience. Fortunately, he seems to have quite a lot of that, and as a suit of armour without the need to eat nor the ability to age, Brig isn't much different.

"I know this is our first solid lead, Arthur, but please be careful. You're not used to the dangers of the wilderness," says Brig--voice reverberating off the metal of his body. "Stay near me."

"Of course I will. Don't worry," Arthur replies. He chuckles.

"A harpy's talons are as sharp as daggers you know."

"I do know, Brig. I study this for a living. But I also know many other things. Like did you know harpies possess the ability to transform other women into more of themselves? Harpies don't traditionally reproduce. That means more are created only by this ritual. Sometimes it's mutual, and other times it isn't depending on the nature of the harpy. They do have a poor reputation for stealing people away, however."

"Scary. Don't get stolen into the sky, Arthur."

"I don't plan on it. You see, I have a theory that most harpies are merely trying to survive, and only transform women who want to join their simpler life of living in the mountains and enjoying a true sense of family. See, they care much for one another. People just like to only remember the negative. It only takes a few bad apples to spoil the entire bunch, or so they say. I think they're just misunderstood."

"If they value family, then why do rumours say only one was spotted out in the cliffs?"

"That's a great question, Brig. And that's exactly what we're going to figure out."

Onwards they go into the hills. They spot the odd wild animal scurry into the shrubs, but they're otherwise left alone by any goblins or other hostile creatures of the wilds. As they travel deeper into the hillside, they find that the incline is becoming steeper. The hills ahead are taller. Some extend high enough to become rocky cliff faces that drop a distance down to where they stand.

It's around here that the villagers said they saw a bird-like person recently.

Brig doesn't seem tired at all, though the terrain is already affecting Arthur. He pushes on regardless. The boy grabs the rocks and hoists himself up a steep pathway leading farther up. Finally, the ground starts to even out, though the ground becomes hard and covered in jagged rocks. If something were to grab him into the sky and drop him, that could be the end of his adventure already.

The town is far away. He can only see it given his distance up. His eyes turn back down to the soil, and he leans down to brush it with his fingers.

"Tracks. They're large talons," he murmurs. "It can only mean a harpy. Look, there's even a feather here. It wouldn't take a biologist, or any academic, to make the connect at this point. Look at the size of the feather too."

Brig leans in to gaze at the sky blue feather pinches between his good friend's fingers. "I see. I'll take your word for it. So what now?"

"Harpies appear as women, but also as bird. They share traits from both. Do you see what I'm saying? Birds communicate with very specific sounds. It's like they sing to one another."

"So you're going to sing?"

"No, no. Well, almost. I've been practising this one. I have a feeling it'll be a little bit off, but let's see."

He takes a deep breath, and then begins to whistle. It's an enchanting, melodic tune. It elicits the feeling of resting beneath the sun in the grass by a calm flowing stream. It's the sound you hear when you first awaken, and you're greeted by the chirping of birds. He whistles a repeating tune over and over, and then stops to listen for a response.

The sound of grinding metal comes from Brig as he turns his head left and right. "Did it work?"

Arthur puts his finger to his lips. Then, both of them perk up to the sound of a different whistle in response.

"What does that mean?" Brig asks.

"I have no idea."

"Wonderful."

"It is! I heard where that came from. Quickly now. Though, not too quickly. You don't want to frighten her."