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Rain struck the windows of every home in the countryside city, the waves of wheat growing as violent as the seas. It had seemed like days since the clouds rolled in from the seas and settled over Belrea. Neryssa found herself sitting beside one of those rain beaten windows looking out over the grassy plains that waved in the winds. How did she end up like this? Well, she had been traveling with a few others and got bogged down in the rain. The roads had turned to mud and wagon wheels had gotten stuck in the ever deepening ruts. Groaning as she rubbed her eyes, how much longer was she going to be stuck in this place?

”Do the rains always last this long?” She bemoaned not exactly speaking to anyone. ”It almost seems like home.. Almost, more trees there and more sheltered areas.”

‘Well dear, these storms may be rare, but when they hit. They last a while.’ said the barmaid who was drifting around the tables cleaning off whatever was left behind. She picked up plates and pints to return them back to the bar and kitchen beyond. ‘Looks like this one is looking to stay a while. Maybe another day or two.’

”A day or two?” Neryssa said, a little startled, she was supposed to meet up with someone about joining them on a trip over the seas. Or had she already missed that moment? She couldn’t rightly remember. ”I have to get back to the seaport before that… Maybe I can…”

‘Oh no, you won’t be leaving the building, miss.’ the bartender said as he was listening to the talk of those around him. He had noticed Neryssa with a look on her face that meant trouble. ‘That storm would sweep you off your feet and throw you down the road the moment you exit those doors.’ he gestures towards the doors that rattled with the wind. ‘Best to stay here where it is safer and wait for at least things to calm down.’

Neryssa jumped as the bartender had spoken up from his perch behind the bar. He was standing there wiping water out of a mug that had just been washed. The man kinda reminded her of someone she had met before, but was strikingly different. While he had bright orange hair, his skin tone was much darker and lighter brown almost tan markings twisted around his left eye. One of his eyes was a darker violet where the other was a paler green.

”So there’s really no way to leave until this storm is over?” Neryssa questioned as she glanced back towards the window as the rain banged against it in another round of wind. ”Maybe there will be another chance…”

Just as she sighed, the door banged open as someone else came in. They looked like someone had thrown buckets of water at them without letting up. The stranger shook the water from his long coat before finding a place beside the fire that roared in the hearth. The flames waved and sometimes sputtered as the wind caught its way down the chimney. The thought of leaving was soon out of her mind as she watched as a few more entered the inn.

‘Storms bad out there, might lose the upper fields at this rate.’ said one of the strangers as he pulled off his coat to show the attire of a farmer.

‘Lets just hope that the winds calm down. Would hate to have to import everything to brew our signature ale.’ the bartender said as he looked out the window. ‘But it should blow out of here in a couple of days. That’s what’s being predicted anyways.’

‘I sure hope that you are right about that. So long as the cyclones don’t accompany this storm the fields should survive.’ The farmer sighed as he nursed a pint of ale that the tender had given him.

”Cyclones?” Neryssa asked quietly before she moved away from the rattling glass and headed over towards those that were talking at the bar. ”What are cyclones?”

The two men looked at her as if she had an extra limb or something before looking at each other. The farmer was the first to speak, ‘A cyclone is a heavy wind that drags the clouds from the sky to the ground. There it rips into the soil and leaves destruction in its wake. Ain’t had one in many years, but wouldn’t be surprised if something like that happened. With how bad this storm is raging.’

Fear was something that was written all over her face. Her thoughts were that perhaps she should have just stayed home in Matori. Sure the storm would have still been bad, but at least there she would have felt safer. The men looked at each other again before the bartender reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

‘Don’t worry lass, if anything were to happen, you would be safe here. Now, let me make you a cup of tea. It is going to be a long night with that storm and you look like you’re about to worry yourself sick.’

Mutely Neryssa only nodded as the bartender started making her some tea. Her nerves were as frazzled as they could get and tea sounded just lovely right about then. Might also help her relax enough to possibly get a little sleep…

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