[ IP ] These lands ... they are not how you know them . Welcome to the Netherlands where dragons live and giants roam . Welcome ... to The Netherrealms !

More uneasy than being awoken by water is the feeling that you're being watched. After waking up twice within a day in such a way made my mind on edge and irrate. The feeling of being watched was different than the night before; the muggers' life energy I could sense coming from many lengths away, but now I could n't sense anything apart from the hawk making a fresh kill, or the dunefrog sipping from mildew forming on the dune's grass. But I *was* being watched; that much was clear. It annoyed me dearly, but after a few minutes I shook the feeling off and packed my scarce belongings for the trip to Wecsile Keep. 
 
 That trip, ultimately, took me three hours. Which was a lot, because I did n't encounter anything troublesome at all. I just kept walking the wrong way. Now, wizards usually do n't have problems like this. It's often joked about how men ca n't read maps and that women do it better, but wizards kind of auto-navigate as soon as they know where they need to go. Suffice to say, my internal compass was apparently going haywire. Yet again a ploy to keep me from being on my way? What greeted me at the gates of the keep brushed that thought away, though. 
 
 `` Hello Valeria. Handsome as ever, I see. Now what would a Mistress like you have to search in a place like this?'' 
 
 The smile was so cold that the sweat on my forehead litteraly froze. `` Hello, Master McDouglass. Still charming to the bone.'' Silence. I took the time to make a faux bow and brush the frost off of my forehead. `` The pleasure is all mine. I was n't expecting an escort, especially not when I barge in unanounced, but now that you're here why do n't you give me a tour of the place?'' This time, the resulting stare did n't do much to throw me off balance, although the feeling you get when your blood tries to freeze, but is n't allowed to, ca n't be described as entirely pleasant. `` I'm afraid that my employer wishes you to not enter his Keep and rather sees you leaving. Even better, rather *yesterday* than today.'' 
 
 Ah. That cleared up a lot. Nonetheless, I was n't letting a wizard-for-hire stand between me and my means of getting off this island. `` Ah. Yes, well, in that we both agree. You see, I had a rather unpleasant experience landing on this island, and I intend to leave as soon as possible; my business does n't entail ruffing up the local status quo. So... *please*?'' Yet again silence. It was at that point that I noticed the lapis lazuli behind her left ear. Got to take that one up with the wizard's council... When she spoke again, it was with less danger in her voice, but it was clear she still did n't trust me. `` My employer, the mayor of Wexalia, welcomes you in his home... for now. He wishes to audience with you. At your behest and after you've... *changed* clothes, ofcourse.'' That remark made me blush a bit. I had forgotten that the salt had bruised up my robe and other clothing pretty roughly. `` Ofcourse,'' I nodded. `` Please extend my thanks to His Mayorship for allowing me into his home. Now, if you'll excuse me?'' As I walked past Valeria and into the keep, the scents of food and the bustling of civilization filled my ears. It was good to be under the people again...
