Unknown to the intrepid Deku, certain events were taking place even then across the land of Academikos, that would soon coincide with his own mission.

It was just a few counties over from him, in the wild wetlands of the South West, that two other people were setting out on their own journey. Momo and Kyoka of the Warrior Tribe of the South were tromping their way out of a bog, while consulting their tracking falcon for directions. 

"I'm sure it cannot be this way," Kyoka grumbled, as they took a turn deeper into the woods.

 "I know it seems like we're getting further off course, but I completely trust Sight's skill," Momo said, breathlessly.
"I am sure this must be a shortcut of some sort." 

They kept going, finally, the bog dried up, and the woods gave way to more open brush and shrubbery.
"Ah, sunlight!" Kyoka flopped onto the grass.

 
"We don't have time to rest," Momo pointed out. "We're supposed to cover 10 miles today at least."

"Easy for you to say, your legs are longer," Kyoka grumbled.

"A warrior never complains about things she can't help," Momo reminded her firmly.

 "I know, I apologize," Kyoka stood up. "I'm fine now... actually, now that we're standing still, I'm sure I can hear a village not too far from here."

"A village?" Momo looked nervous. "Oh, well, then we'd better veer around it..."

 "Princess," Kyoka said dryly, "Didn't you just say we need to cover 10 miles? Well, if there's a village right in our path, wouldn't it make more sense to just go through it? Rather than make it 12 miles by going around. You know, we're going to have to face them eventually."

"I know, I know, I just didn't think it would be so soon, we just started yesterday..." Momo said sheepishly.

"Our entire tribe is depending on us, you can't let your warrior's heart be intimidated by the idea of running into those creatures." Kyoka pointed out.

"I'm afraid I'm not as brave as you are about these things, but yes, you're right!" Momo held up her fist bravely. "The fate of the tribe depends on us! We cannot fail! Onward, warriors!" 

"I'm the only one here..." Kyoka looked around.

"Oh, sorry, force of habit." Momo said. 

"Princess, I keep telling you, never apologize to me, it doesn't strike fear into the hearts of our enemies to hear a princess apologizing to a lower warrior." Kyoka chided her wearily.

"Oh, yes, my apologi--I mean, I will stop." Momo said. 

"Not much hope of that," Kyoka muttered, "but whatever, let's just journey on while we still have daylight."

***

Deku reached the very same village these two ladies were headed to, following his magical map. Of course he wasn't used to walking so far, and was hot and tired by the time he arrived. Paying for a night at an inn might be too much for his limited budget, he had more need of supplies, but he decided to rest for a bit at a tavern... he'd never been in one of those before. I hope I don't look as nervous and out of place as I feel, he thought. 

Sadly, that hope was entirely in vain. No one bothered him, as he looked too poor to be a target, but people glanced at him and smirked. One bartender maid sauntered up to him. 

"What will you be having?" She asked with a smile.

 "Me, oh, uh, n-nothing, ma'am." Deku sputtered. 

She frowned. "Hey, this isn't a parlor, if you aren't going to order, clear out." 

"Oh...right...sorry," Deku got up hastily.

"Hey, it's okay," said a different voice. "He's with me."

Deku looked up, a youth about his age was perched on one table, holding a lute. He was wearing brightly colored clothes, with a kerchief wrapped around his neck as if to ward off dust. The barmaid glanced at him, and rolled her eyes. 

"Whatever you say, don't take up extra room." She walked away.

"Come here, sit," the youth waved Deku over. "You look like you've got a story to tell."

 "Oh, uh, thank you," Deku moved over to his table gratefully. "I'm Deku, wha--"

 "Nice to meet ya, Deku," the youth didn't give him a chance to finish. "The name's Denki, I hale from the pristine village of Kamininaron. Where more Thunderstorms and lighting strikes happen than anywhere else in the Land."

 "Oh, really?" Deku said with interest.

"That's what the sign says," Denki shrugged. "I have to remember stuff like that, you see, I'm a Bard."

"A bard?" Deku had never met a bard, they passed through the village occasionally, but his mother would never let him talk to them, he immediately felt both guilty and intrigued. 

"Yes!" Denki said proudly. "I collect stories and commit them to memory, then I turn them into songs, you know, a bard."

"No, I know what it is, I've just never--" began Deku, but Denki interrupted again.

"So, where are you from, Deku? Green Village, I'm guessing."

"How did you know?" Deku sputtered.

"Your hair of course," Denki said, like it was obvious. "I bet everyone in here already knew that, you don't get around much, do you?" 

"Well, know this is actually my--"

"First time away from home," Denki finished for him. "Yeah, dude, it's written all over your face." 

"Dude? What's a dude?" Deku asked.

"I don't know, I made it up," Denki said casually. "I do that a lot. I even have a song about all the words I've made up, if you want to hear it," he began to strum his lute.

"No!" several people cried. 

"You play that song again and I'll break that danged thing over your head!" said one burly looking guy. 

"Tough crowd," Denki said. "Ah well, what brings you here?" 

"It's... a secret." Deku said, unable to think of anything better.

"Oh?" Denki said. "Well, it's safe with me." Deku considered, he was really excited about his quest--and terrified--and he did need help. Maybe just a small portion of the truth would be okay.

"Well," he said in a low voice, "actually, I'm looking for someone."

"I'm your man!" Denki said enthusiastically. "I know everyone! Just tell me who it is, I have all the rumors."

 "Oh..." Deku lowered his voice further. "Have you...perhaps... just heard about the 8th holder?" Denki blinked at him.

"You mean the Legend of SOL?" he said.

"Shh, yeah," Deku said. "See, I have this friend, who went looking for the 8th holder, and I'm trying to find him, and I can't figure out where to go. I mean, I have a general direction, but I've never been north before, and I don't know what to expect, plus I'm all alone, and I don't have a weapon--"
"Wow," Denki said. "That's a lot of problems. I thought I had it bad, but you, you're really in a fix, huh." That didn't make Deku feel better. 

"So, do you know anything?" He asked.
Denki shrugged. "I don't know, dude, rumors about the 8th are everywhere, who knows what's true? Your friend might be as good as gone if he went North though, I hate to break it to you. But between the griffins, and goblins, and spectres, and thieves, and the Dark Lord's forces, not many people would be stupid enough to go there, and even less would survive it."

Deku frowned. "I guess, the Dark Lands aren't too far from here, though, right?"

 "Oh no, just a few days from here you'll enter one blighted territory," Denki shrugged. "People keep trying to push it back, but you need a really good mage to do any real damage. Or maybe a knight... or maybe a really top notch bard, not like me, I don't do much magic--"

"You can do magic!" Deku said.

"Shh!" Denki hissed. "Of course I can, most people who are in the Arts can do magic, dimwit! Why, can't you?" 

Deku frowned. "No one in my village can do magic." 

"Whoa...that's so sad," Denki said. "That would really be terrible."

Deku frowned. "I mean, it's not so bad--" he began but Denki cut him off yet again.

 "If you can't do magic at all, you'd definitely better not go after your friend. You'd never last an hour in there. Sorry, dude, it's just not possible."

Deku frowned. This was not what he wanted to hear. "You mean...but, maybe, I could just sort of sneak through." 

"Not without concealment magic," Denki shrugged. "Look, I'm telling you for your own good, don't go."

 Deku frowned. "But, I must." He said. "The 8th--my friend, is counting on me, I can't let him down." 

Denki shrugged. "Well... you should really look for someone to go with you then, someone with strong attack power. Preferably magical and regular too. Don't know where you'd find someone like that around here though, unless they came in for a drink."

"I... guess I could look around," Deku said uncertainly. 

"Sure..." Denki shrugged, strumming his lute. "Hey, if I see anyone like that, I'll mention you to them, maybe they'll want to help. You never know. I can be pretty persuasive."

"You'd do that?" Deku said. 

"Sure, for a small service fee," Denki said.

"Really? Thanks!" Deku said. "I gotta go now, but I'll come back later."

 He scrambled up and left.

Denki sighed, "I didn't have the heart to tell him no one's going to be a fool enough to do something that crazy for free." 

"Get off the table!" The barmaid yelled. He jumped.