You had fought to keep your head above water and were breathless as you stubbled through the old ruins but emerged safe as you collapse on all fours on the beach. Haden holds out her hand to help you up and you all start looking around to try and understand where you were. Next to you, Maeka tries to stand, but her knees buckle. She looks more exhausted than any of you. Calling on the elements in the way she did — to sense the lava and river, and then to help you make it out safely — must have zapped her strength.

The beach is small and overlooked by a steep grassy cliff. You check everyone is with you and then you cast steps in the earth on the side of the hill so that you can all ascend the hill and get a view of the area. Once up on top of the hill you can see up and down the coast. Mt. Peak lies to your east and the city of Crystal Quay far off in the distance to the south west but there is nothing else around. With Winruk Canyon at your back you are unsure of the best direction to head and anyway you are too tired to think of anything else right now. Maeka sits drained in the grass and then from out of literally nowhere two bandits pounce on her. There's nothing she can do to defend herself in her current state as the bandits swarm her out of nowhere, trying to pry the memory shard from her grip.

"Leave her alone!" you shout, as you try to cast sand that sprays out into their eyes but the wind from the ocean blows it futility back at you. Haden had been walking around scouting the area and saw the trouble and was running back, "They're the same bandits we met in Roka Forest, and they might still have the shards they stole!" she says as she pulls out her short blade and runs towards them. 

Drue's griffon had been circling ever since the collapse in the canyon and we heard her screeches above us as she dove towards Drue like an eagle about to strike a fish in the river, just before reaching the bandits she swoops and turns creating a gust of wind that topples the bandits backward. Despite being soaking wet, you've got the upper hand, and they're outnumbered. Haden activates her shield around Maeka to protect her short sword extended and Talik sets fire to the bags holding the shards which catches the mage bandits off guard. The bandits swat at the fabric, the water mage casting water onto the leg of the burning fire mage, but seeing they were outnumbered they're forced to drop the bags and run. "Let them go." Calls Haden, we don't know if they have friends and we don't need another ambush. Besides, they dropped the crystals."

Once you are all sure they leave, Drue collects the shards, stamping out the flames in the burning grass.

You laugh. "That was a little … dramatic."

"Calculated risk." Talik grins.

This is the second time you have seen these bandits. You had better remember them this time. Make a criminal photofit of 2 of the criminals with this link. Photofit of Thieves add the screen shots of the 'crims' in Thy Quests as a screenshot image.  

Next: E4Q2 The Path Leads Here