It's as we're all waking up, the day after rescued Scar, that we first see the Great Empire on the horizon. Scott declares we'll be in the town of Sanctuary before midday, the group mood running as high as it did last night.

'Anyone been here before?' Cub calls from the back of the ship with Scar. Doc raises a hand.

'Once. Bdubs accidentally became a deity.'

'Ooh, what kind of deity?' Scar's excitement runs as high as the rest of ours.

'He was a Sun god... still don't know how he did it. Is Sausage still in charge there?'

'Yeah, Sausage is still in power. He's got a child now too.'

'I like children!' Scar replies, still excited. 'When do we see the children?'

'When we arrive... Come on, we'll need all hands on deck if we want to be ready when we arrive... pack your stuff, help with the sails, and we'll be in Sanctuary in no time.'

It a couple hours of working and chatting later that we finally reach the colourful dock of Sanctuary, and before we've even stopped the boat we're attacked by a 5 year old child.

'SCOTT-SCOTT!' They yell. 'SCOTT-SCOTT!' Not far behind is a man with a beard and a very loud voice.

'HERMES STOP MURDERING OUR GUESTS!'

'Hey Sausage!'

'SCOTT! Oh my goodness, hey Scott! And are these all your friends? I'm Mythical J. Sausage, proud leader of my little town of Sanctuary... And this is my son Hermes, he's a lot of trouble sometimes but he's still adorable, aren't you Hermes?'

It all comes out in one excited explanation. I give Martyn a smile before approaching.

'Hey dude! I'm Rendog!'

'Hello Rendog! Welcome to Sanctuary! Are you and your friends staying long? We've got a lot of free rooms here in Sanctuary and- no Hermes, we don't just hug people without permission.'

'I don't mind. Hey there, Hermes!' I crouch down next to the small child. He's got purple eyes and sandy hair, only visible for a moment before he hugs me again.

'Uncle Rendog! Uncle Rendog!'

'Hang on, Uncle Rendog isn't getting all the attention. I'm Martyn.'

'Martynin?''Yeah, I'm Uncle Martyn. Hello, Hermes!'

'Uncle 

'Uncle Martynin!' He breaks from the hug, running over to Martyn and hugging him instead.

'Dude! It was my Hermes cuddle time not yours!'

'Finders keepers...'

'You yoinked the child from me!'

'Hermes, who's better? Stinky Uncle Rendog or Uncle Martyn?'

'Uhhh... Both! Daddy Sausage can I show all my new friends around Sanctuary please!' Hermes runs back to Sausage.

'Yeah! But there are more friends to meet first... who are you two tieflings?'

'I'm Cub. This is Scar and Doc said he met you before?'

'Doc... Doc... Oooh! I know you! Is Bdubs here as well?'

'No, he's back in Hermitia. Good to see you again, man.' He's going to shake hands, but Sausage takes it as an excuse for a full hug. I jump off the boat, looking around.

The only word that fits the place is colourful. Incredibly colourful. It's covered in flowers with brick paths running around a rainbow of houses. Several people of all races roam the streets... a few humans like me, Sausage and Hermes, dragonborn, tieflings, haflings... 

'Nice place...'

'I know! I've been here all my life! And so's Hermes, though he often goes to visit his other Daddy in Stratos.'

'Thunder Daddy is nearly as good as Wood Daddy!' Hermes chips in.

'Anyway... come over all of you... Scar and Cub and Doc and Ren and Martyn... and Scott, sorry Scott.'

'I'm here too.' Joey appears, waving over. 'Hey Sausage!'

'JOEY! Hello Joey! How's everything been? How's Xornoth doing?'

'You... know Xornoth?' We all understand Cub's apprehension.

'Oh yeah... Xornoth is great! His little group of friends are always in the tavern... speaking of which, we should probably go there now! Come on Hermes! Come on new friends! Let's go explore Sanctuary!'

I fall back alongside Martyn as we head off. He's only focussed on Cub and Scar. None of us are happy with the news, but their worry is clearer than ours.

'If they come back... I'm killing one of them with your guitar.' Martyn mutters. 'Just need enough strength and enough luck...'

'Yeah, that would be good... come on, let's continue. We're getting left behind.' 

It doesn't take long to reach the tavern Sausage has been talking about the entire journey, entering. It's mostly made of wood, but just as colourful as everywhere else with plenty of tables already full despite it being mid afternoon.

'This is where you'll be staying until you go... there's a couple free rooms upstairs. You'll have to share but there should be enough beds. If not... well, I always say we don't mind what you do up there, as long as it's not to loud.'

'Sausage! Not in front of Hermes!' Scott scolds. 

'I didn't say anything! So, straight upstairs, first two doors there, we've got wagons for you when you leave... enjoy your stay!'

'We're leaving as soon as we can.' Cub decides, not even waiting to be out of earshot. 'Sausage will tell True we were here the moment she comes, and where we've gone and what we did... we can't let them find us.'

'Agreed.' By this point we're in one of the empty rooms. It's decently sized, with 4 beds. I catch Scar holding Cub's hand, looking around constantly, keeping at the back of the group, eyes on everyone.

'Scar, where do you want to go?' I ask. A glance up, his mask and a fake smile back in place

'Oh, anywhere. I don't mind.'

'Are you sure?' Cub knows as much as I do how traumatised he still is. 

'No, no, I'm ok.'

'Scar, are you sure?'

'Yes, I'm sure. Just give me any bed, any place any...'

'Do you want me to bring your stuff up?'

Scar turns the moment he hears Sausage's voice, backing into the corner, wide eyes glued to the Sanctuary leader.

'Don't- don't do that. Please. Don't do that.'

'Seriously, don't.' Cub's at his side in an instant. 'Seriously.'

'Oh I'm so so sorry! Are you ok? What happened?'

The two glance between each other, then back at Sausage.

'It's complicated. What did you want?'

'We need to bring your stuff over from the boat, do you want us to do that?'

'Yes, thank you!' Scott amends the conversation by replying. I watch Sausage disappear before returning focus to Scar. He's sat down on one of the beds, Cub next to him. There's no mistaking the guilt on Cub's face, and I remember what he told us. He caused True to be after us. But I can't blame him. 

'I'm sorry.' Scar mumbles. 'I'm being paranoid... there's no reason for me... for me not to trust anyone standing behind me.'

'You have every right to be scared, dude. After... after what you faced.' I try to provide comfort by saying. I can't tell if it worked, standing closer to Martyn. Joey's claimed a bed towards the back of the room, as has Scott.

'Doc, Martyn, you... wanna join me next door? See what that room's like?' 

'Can... we come too?' Scar asks. 'I... I'd rather be with more people I...' A glance at Scott and Joey. 'I know.'

'Of course, dude. Whatever you want. Since... there'll be three beds in there... Martyn, would you wanna stay here or...'

'I can do whatever.'

'I'll head off there with Cub and Scar... tell me if Sausage or anyone comes over, man.' Doc crosses the room, ensuring he's ahead, he's in sight... The lingering paranoia breaks my heart, watching Scar's little glances back at us until he's closed the door and out the room.

This took too long to write