"I understand." He is not sure how that is evil. "Refugee request help you no help? Areus world danger. Gods want death. Now Areus world danger danger danger."

Shrug.

"Who? I help you. I help he, he, she...world? No. I help you. Say he, he, she if want request help."

He points to some of the other tritons.

Areus nods. "Who help world? Refugees maybe pay help. Refugees maybe work you. Maybe divide work you pay you maybe not you. Refugees three thousand..."

"Three thousand...no if no work. No...building for three thousand refugee. If refugee work, maybe. Say refugee work?"

"Refugee maybe work. Maybe a thousand? Refugee maybe parent. Refugee maybe not want move water place. Areus world nine different people. Water people, wood people and magic people maybe move here."

"Water people? Wood people? Magic people?"

"Water people name sea serpent. Wood people name Faen. Magic people name dragon." He starts explaining, making sure each part is easy to understand. "Sea serpent 'and' dragon breathe water 'and' air. Faen breathe maybe air maybe water. Areus one parent sea serpent one giant, Areus breathe air 'and' water."

Nod.

"Thank you."

Most of the explanations he wants to solicit will need to wait until he learns more of his language. Still, he can try to expand his vocabulary a little. He's starting to understand 'and', he thinks, after a little bit of back and forth:

"One sea serpent add two dragon. One sea-serpent and two dragon? If earlier sleep, later wake up. Sleep now day and wake up tomorrow?"

"Yes." Maybe they can add 'or' to their vocabulary. "Opposite and word 'or'. Move left or move right. Not move left and move right. Understand?"

"Sea serpent work? Giant work? Areus work sea serpent and giant?"

"I need understand you. You want understand people. Or want understand work if people move your place?"

Nod.

"I want understand refugee work if refugee work later. Now, no work. You help I understand equals you work."

Areus nod. "Sea-serpent water magic and safe magic. Giant metal magic and understand magic. I less sea-serpent magic than giant magic. Two magics." He raises a hand to convey things more clearly. "Understand danger and fire." He raises the other. "Understand move and air.  I move safe less danger. I less danger if enemy. No Areus sea-serpent and giant different. Sea-serpent maybe move water, maybe no death, maybe change shape. Giant maybe move metal, maybe change object, maybe understand air, fire, earth, water, life, metal, magic, mind."

It's really inconvenient that he can't communicate basic concepts until they've done more translation. They should probably find a linguist, but very few of those choose to make the City of Glass home. At least a merchant with more patience than Gulun. Until then, he has to make do with this. 'Understanding' things doesn't sound immediately useful, but he'll wait until they've secured better relations before burning any bridges.

"Move...up building? Move safe?"

He points above, far overhead, at the glass dome that surrounds the city.

Areus grins. He glances up then easily launches himself towards the top of the building. It looks effortless, even when you account for the lack of gravity, something that big usually can't move that fluidly.

Blink blink blink.

Light applause.

He's pretty sure that happened faster than even most sorcerers could act, although he would want an arcane expert to independently confirm that. It could be a crucial advantage that would put their guild over the top. He's not sure how to convince someone concerned about refugees to share his priorities, though. He'll need to pray tonight.

Areus grins and bows slightly. "Move understand. And I understand danger," he points at this weapon. "Different person understand different. Sibling and sea-serpent dad understand people. Giant parent understand equal Areus. And metal and water less danger Areus, four times less danger."

Nod.

"Understand danger now?"

"Maybe I not understand you? Areus work understand danger."

"I not understand you. Tomorrow understand danger? Three ten day understand move?"

"Yes tomorrow. Three ten day equal month.You need understand move?"

Shrug.

"Now I understand you."

They continue to speak for a little while longer. He painstakingly extracts a few more bits of vocab. They manage to learn some color words, verbs that are easy to mime, and words for longer periods of time. There is an embarrassing moment when he mistakes the word for 'say' for the word for 'mouth', which he realizes only when they move on to body parts.

In retrospect, they should have been clearer if they had done verbs and body parts as two distinct categories.

Areus is trying to get the word for "combat", so he can clarify that is what he has been meaning when he uses the word "danger".

It takes some time for him to agree that 'combat' is a good word for whatever Areus is trying to demonstrate, but sure, that's fine. The weapon he has sheathed at his side is for combat.

"Combat, yes."

And Areus explains that his understanding power is "less danger more combat".

It might be clear that this was annoying him. He will want as many words as they are willing to give. But if they want him to do something to earn his keep, he will go about doing that instead.