As nauseating as the sudden shift could be, the transition wasn't as jarring this time around. Claude's feet sunk into the sand as he quickly regained his balance, and his eyes readjusted to the dark, moist cavern. He had a feeling they'd warp here several times more in the future, so it was probably just as well that he was starting to adjust. Glancing at both of his friends, Claude was relieved to find they'd made it here along with him.

Even though none of them likely wanted to deal with the ferryman again, they needed his boat to cross the water. Claude moved beside Guy and Anise, his grip tightening on his sword in case something ambushed them.

All this toll talk irritated him, though, especially after last night. "That's not fair, though," he sighed, unable to keep the frustration out of his voice. "I mean, we didn't even make it across the lake. Of course, I guess that won't mean much to this guy, but..." Well, he could dream.

It was then that something occurred to him, and his gaze snapped over toward Anise. "But besides that, shouldn't I be the one to pay this time?" Claude pointed out. "We never got to any doors, and my sense of touch came back just fine this morning, so it's not like I really had to pay anything in the end." To be honest, he'd expected to take the toll again, since he'd hardly kept last night's long enough for it to be an inconvenience to himself. It didn't seem right to foist the responsibility onto Anise when he didn't think he'd shouldered his fair share of the burden.