Welcome to Gaia! ::

“I’m so ready!” Kaimana stretched, the Matori grinning brightly at Kieran as they waited on the other two. The adventurers were already at the lower docks, their supplies loaded onto the two rowboats that Kaimana had gotten from a nearby villager who he had worked with in the past. Growing up in the area was definitely a perk since it had allowed him to do so many tasks throughout the whole village, earning the Matori a trustworthy reputation with the population. Now he could easily ask for supplies and help without others batting an eye, unless of course Devika was told something about his reckless adventures which was another problem in itself since he didn’t like to worry his twin. Now he had to balance that with other things and well…maybe there was more to his restlessness than Kaimana would even admit. “Oh, hey!” Kaimana was thankful to see the two appearing and eagerly moved to help them load their supplies onto the other rowboat. “I think we’re set then. Everyone is alright with keeping the ladies in one boat and the gents in another, right?” Some Belrean lingo right there or at least that would be Kaimana’s joke as he waited on the others with a bright grin crossing his expression.

[Kaimana 4]

“We’ll just swim ahead and grab onto your boat.” Joked Kieran, a small smile crossing his lips as he also finished setting down their belongings and grabbed an oar. “The ocean seems to be on our side at the moment and the skies don’t look stormy, as far as I can tell without the sunrise that is.” As he finished speaking he pulled out a spyglass to study the horizon, the oar sitting on his lap while he waited on Kaimana to jump into the boat. “The island is in that general direction, under the constellation of Drach'ti.” Hopefully that wouldn’t be an omen for their journey. It would be unfortunate if a storm did actually hit because they were following the god of storms, even though Kieran would find the irony intriguing even though he did not believe in such things like most Yaeli.

[Kieran 5]

“Dach’ti, really?” Kaimana shook his head. “I am so glad I didn’t tell the others about this then.” He joked lightly thinking about the more superstitious neighbors who would have tried to drag him back home. The god of storms! What could possibly go wrong? Tossing some fish towards Hunapo, Peni and Koa the Matori made certain the snaptrotters were happily following their boats as they continued along through the ocean. Noticing Nanami pointing out the dolphins, Kaimana chuckled. “You’d think that they were on a vacation or something.” He teased towards Kieran, his expression shifting as he noticed the island looming in the distance. They had been rowing for almost two hours now and his arms were so ready for them to anchor these boats!

[Kaimana 5]

“Good timing, I think my shoulders were about to give out.” Kieran murmured with a weary smile towards Kaimana. While he was mostly joking, the cartographer was definitely more exhausted than usual from the late night studying the map. “Can you put down the anchor while I grab the supplies?” Even as the question left his lips the Yaeli was already gathering everything, leaving out the potions for their expedition.

[Kieran 6]

“Aye, captain.” Kaimana chuckled as he slipped out of his outer tunic and stayed in just a tight sleeveless shirt, leggings and sandals for easier swimming. “Take it easy, I don’t want to have you retire just yet.” He teased before slipping over the side to join Ami in the water with their boat’s anchor, the Matori mimicking her actions to nestle the weight into the other rock where he found a nice crevice. Emerging, Kaimana tossed his braided hair back over a shoulder and pulled himself back on the rowboat. “So the cave is a swim towards the north, along the base of the island. We should probably take the potions now and I have spares in case of emergency tucked into my bag. Noelani can wait to save her own if she wants since I figure she can make the trip without it for now.”

[Kaimana 6]

“Fair enough.” Kieran swallowed the potion, the Yaeli only wincing slightly at the burning sensation as it spread throughout his chest. He had experimented with these back in Belrea months ago but it didn’t make the experience any more pleasant the second time around, that was for certain. Grabbing his own supplies, secured tightly in a waterproof leather satchel that he attached to his back, the leather glad Yaeli slipped from the boat and joined the others in the water. At first there was that initial panic of being underwater and breathing, but Kieran was patient and he gave his body a moment to adjust before swimming past the others. “The cave should be in this direction. If you don’t mind, Ami?”

[Keiran 7]

Gulping down his own potion, Kaimana did not hesitate to grab his belongings and kick off after the others. While it was rare for him to truly deep dive growing up, the Matori had spent time swimming but most of it chasing around wild animals living within the nearby coves, Kaimana was not completely unfamiliar with the sensation of swimming in deeper waters. If anything he enjoyed the challenge and it was made a lot easier when he could simply grab onto Peni and have the snaptrotter help him speed along. Laughing, a burst of bubbles leaving his lips, Kaimana watched as a flustered school of fish separated to allow the crimson snaptrotter through their midst. No worries, I fed her first! He thought with a grin before zipping along after the glowing blue light that was Nanami.

[Kaimana 7]

Holding onto Hapuna for support, Kieran guided Ami and the others along the route that was marked by the map. Obviously it was a different experience underwater but from what he had gathered the formations that they were seeing should be what was expected near an underwater cave. Eventually once the coral reefs faded into the background they were faced with an undersea cliffside that stretched all along the outer coast of the island. “This should be it.” Kieran murmured to Ami, nodding for the group to go towards the western side where the cavern entrance should wait for them if it truly existed.

[Kieran 8]