forum old soldier, new stories (1x1 w/ dragoncita)

Started November 28, 2020 by Deleted user

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@Dragoncita if you'd like to continue where we left off!

Oshiera felt a glance from Aeolus, him seeming just as unsure as her about the giant Dragonkin. Her tail remained tucked between her legs as she stood in place. The hooded creature finally swallowed the lump in her throat, slowly making her way towards their leader. As she moved closer, the creature paused, feeling the cold, burning ember lay upon her.

The Dragonkin, he was looking directly at her as she moved closer. That single eye, glaring from the depths of the helmet he wore, she felt her entire body freeze. This…this man…not a man…this monster…the beast that resided within him…

No, no she couldn't let that bother her, he wasn't a Doom Dragon, only part…and knowing of his deeds, well, a few of them, she knew he was nothing like the Doom Dragons she had been told to fear, the stories of what such beasts could do, destroy. Just, Dur'kiir's imposing presence made it difficult, but surely there was some soft spot to him…wasn't there?

Oshiera started to reach an arm outwards, smooth, black scales seen, webbing between the clawed fingers a aqua colored green. Though she recoiled almost instantly at the sound of a heavy thud, the head of the axe suddenly being planted firmly in the ground.

With a heavy grunt and clanking of armor, the great Dragonkin hoisted himself off the ground, using the war axe as a cane to steady himself. He glanced back towards the cracked wall, the indent he left rather impressive when it came down to it. Though, the repairs for that were going to cost a pretty gold coin.

An annoyed huff escaped him, Dur'kiir returning the giant axe to the holster on his back. The humanoid started forward, walking past the startled Oshiera, and soon also past Aeolus. Though, he did seem to be walking slightly slower than before, the impact must've jarred something in his body. Then add the fact he was caught completely unaware, which was rather embarrassing to Dur'kiir (not that he would ever admit that), it smarted.

"The sooner we find Lady Mirabilis, deal with the problem, the sooner I can go to the tavern to drink and sleep my pain away," he muttered darkly under his breath.

Oshiera stood in place for several moments, then finally started to trudge behind their leader. The creature glanced over towards Aeolus, though she knew he was alright. She slowly blinked her large, teal blue eyes, then moved along, tail trailing behind.

The creature lifted her head to glance towards the slow moving Dragonkin. Her voice was soft as she spoke, "Skeletons and ghouls…I'm not sure how well water and earth will do against such fiends…"

"Undead are weak to Light magic, but seeing as we have no Light users, we'll go for the next best thing; fire."

At the statement of 'fire', a shudder came from the cloaked creature. Fire, she was taught fire was bad, the destructive capabilities…she had seen firsthand what such a flame could do when left untended…

"Though skeletons tend to be rather weak, least the normal ones. A good smack can normally shatter them with little to no problem. Skeleton commanders are a different story. Doubt there will be any however, so no need to worry about them. As for ghouls, they are mainly pack hunters. Figure out which is the pack leader, take it out, and the rest will normally scatter."

Aeolus watched, tensed, as Oshiera made a move towards their leader. Generally uninformed about the social goings-on with other races, Aeolus had assumed that the healer's intimidation came from the same source his did; the Dragonkin's demeanor. It had yet to cross his thoughts that Dur'kiir was more to people than an old warrior.

The clunk of Dur'kiir's axe startled him, and he froze, stiffly watching as the Dragonkin hoisted himself up, pursing his lips in surprise as he examined the size of the dent in the wall. As Dur'kiir passed by, however, the ground seemed a lot more interesting.

With his mentor behind him, he glanced up at Oshiera, his expression softening in sympathy. He couldn't keep to himself for long; it looked like a sense of companionship might serve both of them better. He just… had to make the effort, as much as it made him anxious, and make sure that he didn't reveal too much information. Though he was cunning when he needed to, he had a tendency to overshare when he became comfortable with someone.

As Oshiera turned to follow Dur'kiir, Aeolus followed suit. Light magic, huh? Bishop would've been good for this job. She used her light moreso to help her see when working on her gadgets, but she could defend herself with it when she had to.

But fire? He knew fire; he was fire, depending on which belief system one subscribed to. Now came another dilemma; did he divulge, or keep it to himself?

He frowned. Dur'kiir was Dragonkin, right? Dragons had fire. S-Sometimes.

He decided he'd just wait and see. For now, he had a mission of his own.

Aeolus picked up his pace until he matched Oshiera's stride, offering her the friendliest smile he could muster.

"I know your name, but I don't remember giving you mine," he said. "I'm Aeolus. I haven't seen someone like you before; what brings you to Igreacan?"

Oshiera slowly trudged behind their leader, tail hanging behind, but remaining close to her body. The creature continued to clutch her crook close to her chest, the dark brown cloak remaining to hide her head and body. Her hooded head remained hung low.

Shorewalkers, finless ones, these were what she had grown up knowing to call these other folks. She had been taught most were bad, greedy creatures always fighting amongst themselves over simple things. This was just assumptions, what she had been taught growing up into the world, in her tribe.

---

(Auqa Tribe - Several days before)

"Pssshh, no good come from the finlessshh onesss! We ssshould have the sssea ssswallow them all!"

Several heads of the fish-like creatures turned their heads towards a particular Aquaronas, a large beast. The fins on either side of his head were a bright, scarlet red, flared out to their fullest in clear agitation. The scarlet finned Aquaronas' tail was lashing back and forth in a frenzy as its lips were curled up, showing glowing fangs.

A pure white Aquaronas suddenly stood up from their place. Judging by the body build and appearance, they were feminine, female. The fins along her back and head were a lovely lilac in color, a beautiful contrast to her pure white scales. Violet eyes landed on the giant, agitated beast before her. Though smaller, she held an air about her that told she held authority.

"Enough Lokhu. You have sssaid your piece, but even you know our Lord of Sssea and Water isss againssst unnecessssary violence. And I am ssshure the other Elemental Rulersss would be againssst him, even if he tried."

Mutters passed between the present fish-like humanoids. The Matriarch had said her piece, and it was well advised to listen. The hotheaded Lokhu appeared ready to argue, but his jaws closed. Instead, a low growl escaped his throat, but the creature did indeed step down and away.

The cold eyes of the Matriarch looked over the rest of the present Aquaronas, then spoke again, "Asss the Matriarch of thisss tribe, I am aware of the looming dangersss. I propossse sssending one of our own to the inlands."

Uneasy mutters swiftly swept through the crowd, but were quickly hushed again as the Matriarch continued, "We need to essstablisssh a connection with the ssshorewalkersss, if we are to sssurvive in thisss changing world. The clossser the ssshorewalkersss draw to our tribesss landsss. If we can offer friendssship, perhapsss we can keep our landsss without worry of bloodssshed."

"Lord Hydrusss hasss already chosssen a young one of my clutch to pursssue thisss caussse, asss it isss hisss will, that we remain at peace, dessspite our once harsssh relationsss with the ssshorewalkersss."

---

The young Aquaronas was brought out of her memories as she heard the voice of Aeolus nearby. She turned her hidden head towards him as they trailed behind the large Dragonkin. Her teal blue eyes glowed in the darkness of the hood. The creature slowly blinked her eyes, tail remaining close to her body. She didn't want to risk accidentally knocking something or someone over.

As the young man asked his questions, she replied, "Pleasssure Sssir Aeolusss."

Formal, yes, as she was told to be respectful to these ones. It was for the best to try and keep a good profile with, humans, yes, humans. She had a feeling they would probably be offended if she called them what most of her kind did call them…

"Our kind don't often venture far from our watery domainsss. Ssso not sssurprissssing you have never heard or ssseen my kind. Asss for my reassson of being ssso far inland, call it partially a ssspiritual journey, and one to gain a connection to the creaturesss and humansss of thessse landsss."

The 'spiritual' part she would keep to herself. She wasn't sure if this outsider would understand their gods, goddessess, and everything in-between. Oshiera had a feeling Dur'kiir would understand if she mentioned them, but as for this young man, she had a feeling he wouldn't understand.

He seemed to be from another area that did not believe in such things, or if they did, they had a whole different set of divine beings.

The creature glanced towards Aeolus again, "Though, if I may asssk, what bringsss you to thisss city? Or isss it sssolely for joining the Adventure Guild?"

-

Dur'kiir was silent as the pair started to seemingly converse with one another.
That was just fine to the Dragonkin, it would do them some good. They would be needing each other more than him, or so was his thought process. The heavily armored male had gotten used to a solitary life, as he had left the adventuring days behind. Though here he was again, out of retirement, and starting the journey over again. However, he wasn't starting from scratch, having thousands of years of experience.

These other two though, they were still wet behind the ears. This upcoming venture, Dur'kiir had a feeling he was dragging them both into something way beyond their current level. Mean, they were both young, just kids compared to him. To expose them to such possible, overwhelming power so soon, the Dragonkin could only hope the Sorceress had everything under control by the time they got there…but in the back of his mind, Dur'kiir had a feeling this would only be the beginning of a series of events that could lead into something much bigger than he wanted it to be…

Nothing could be simple anymore…

Aeolus nodded as he listened, intrigued by much about the Aquaronas. It was certainly an experience, being surrounded by such diversity, so easily able to converse with individuals so fundamentally different from him. Darchester was a human-dominated city, isolated from the rest of the world to deter its citizens from considering a life somewhere else. As a result, intersocial and economic development was limited, and while the culture was rich, there were many aspects of Darchestran society that were significantly lagging behind compared to other societies.

It kept the people in line, he mused bitterly to himself. The only reason he'd been able to leave in the first place is because he was the director of one of the most influential organizations in the city. Not everyone had that luxury.

But he certainly intended to take advantage of his.

"Being a sellsword was tiring," he replied easily. "You get things done, but there's no real meaning behind it. I thought I'd take the chance to explore the world and do something more productive with my life, and the Adventure Guild looked like a place to start."

He readjusted himself, glancing up at the sky to make note of the current weather. "Your intentions sound noble, though. It's wise, I think, to familiarize yourself with the world and what's in it. I hope to do the same. Maybe we could learn from each other."

.
.
.

Back in Darchester, a tired, frustrated figure sat in a dimly lit office, the feather of his quill flittering erratically in the air as ink scribbled upon paper. He wrote for several minutes before he pushed the paper back and dropped the pen, a heavy huff escaping him. Taking a moment to pause and lean back in his chair, he groaned and cupped a hand over his eyes to try and relieve his pounding head from having to process the light. Several small sparks of electricity flickered off his writing hand as he shook it to relieve the tension.

"Paperwork starting to get to you, huh?"

His brow furrowed and he sat upright, squinting until he recognized the familiar shape of the Ash Brigade's head medic, her sturdy yet slender form relaxing against the entrance to the Director's Office. He managed to offer her a smile, but his drooping eyelids and unfocused gaze betrayed his exhaustion.

"He always looked busy, but I never imagined just how hard he was working," he mumbled, rubbing his face with both hands. "How does he do it?"

"Well, for one, he doesn't do it all in one session. You've been in here for five hours straight, Iro."

Iro chuckled softly in response. "That's… fair. I just don't want him to have to come back to all this after being out on missions for as long as he'll be. You know the first thing he'll do when he gets back is get right to work, Dal."

Dallas laughed, leaning on the desk and folding her arms across her chest. Her sharp green gaze dropped to the number of candles dripping wax onto the desk, absentmindedly studying a certain trail of wax making its way down a candle. "Oh, believe me, I know. But that's also why I'm here. He's out there handling those contracts all by himself."

"Mhm. He said he wanted to."

"I know, but… it's foreign land," Dallas reasoned. "We don't know much about it and the resources available on the surrounding territories are few. I'm worried about him running into something he's not prepared for."

Iro clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, leaning back in the chair once more. "What're you saying, then? We can't call him back."

"But we can send someone out there to help him, right?"

The Blademaster pursed his lips, "He wouldn't like that."

"Of course he wouldn't," came Dallas's light retort. "But I'd rather him come back and be angry for a couple days than risk him not coming back at all."

Iro closed his eyes, taking a moment to mull over his options. He didn't doubt Aeolus's ability to fend for himself and he'd seen the careful research Aeolus had done before his departure, but, now that the thought was settling with him, it didn't settle well. There were some imperative details Darchester refused to document, such as the political relationship with Igreacan, the kingdom's treatment of foreigners, and whether or not it'd actually be safe to complete contracts there. That was a bit too much of a disadvantage for Iro to have peace of mind.

With a sigh, he relented.

"Who do we send, then? I've got to keep the cogs turning here, and I'm not sending you; Aethex needs you here," he added, a playful smugness spreading across his face as Dallas's presumed objection faltered with the mention of her apprentice. She huffed and waved a hand. "Oh, shush. Fine. Then how does Bishop sound? I don't think she'd object to a chance to see the world."

Another moment of silence was dedicated to thought. He nodded slowly, "If she's willing. Aeolus is down south, in Igreacan. If she sets out soon, she can make in a few hours."

"I'll go and notify her, then – but when I come back, I want to see you taking a break."

Iro snorted, but, admittedly, was relieved by the thought of respite from the paper prison of financial documents. "Fine, fine. Might as well, or I won't hear the end of it from Aeolus when he comes back."

The two friends exchanged a smile and a laugh before Dallas left, and a half-hour later a spunky and enthusiastic engineer was on her way to Igreacan.

'Sellsword', she had heard of such things. Mercenaries-for-hire. Once again, she was mostly only taking the information of such individuals from stories she had heard back in her village. Though, it was a bit strange to her.

The way Aeolus sounded, as a 'Sellsword', he didn't get out much? Stories she heard often told of such individuals leaving their abodes more often than naught…or perhaps he did, just didn't stray too far from wherever it was he hailed from. Then again, her comparisons to a 'Sellsword' and a 'mercenary' could be different. Perhaps some research would be needed later on to understand such things.

Though hidden in the depths of the hood, the sparkling teal blue eyes seemed to show a slightly more relaxed and welcoming light. The pupils having become much rounder since they started through the streets again, even though they were headed to a place of the dead.

Oshiera seemingly tilted her hidden head, cane lightly tapping against the ground as she trailed behind next to the young man. The creature was rather curious, though she seemed timid and stand-offish.

"I've only heard ssstoriesss, of thisssh world, thessse landsss far from the ssshea'sss embrace. Sssuch talesss, many of which I am told are true, having once taken place long before my hatching day, to ssstoriesss that are happening now asss we ssshpeak. Like with the dragonsss…"

A sudden grunt sounded from further ahead, Dur'kiir having apparently heard 'dragons', and knew all too well the troubles…

"That war is happening in a neighboring kingdom along Igreacean borders aye. Man believes dragon started the war, as where dragons believe the opposite. As for the truth, men did in fact start it."

A gurgle seemed to come from the Aquaronas, finned tail tucking between her legs, "I…I would never quessstion the dragonsss…they were…are the onesss who guard the Godsss and Goddesssessss sshtill…"

"Correct, young Oshiera, but not all dragons are 'heroic' with the duties given to them, some born for a different purpose…"

The Dragonkin's voice seemed to lower, barely audible, "There cannot be light without the dark…too much of one overbears the other…leaving chaos in its wake…"

Dur'kiir shook his head, looking forward again, "But nevermind that, those are happening elsewhere, and I don't think Igreacean is going to get involved, less the dragons start invading Igreacean soil, we got enough to deal with, considering minor creatures and other problems."

The Dragonkin left out the fact of most dragons wouldn't invade. There were still parties, beasts who did not follow the Dragon King's rule, making their own. Dragons often exiled from their territories, often for good reason. However, that tale would unfold later on…for now, another threat would soon become at large for the small group.

Another huff from the great Dragonkin, "Another hour or so, and we shall arrive at the graveyard. The sun will soon be lowering in the sky. I ask that when we do arrive, both of you stay behind me. I will not risk having you gain unwanted attention. I wish to get this done as smoothly, and quickly as possible, with hopefully no casualties…not counting earlier when I was slammed into a wall."

At the mention of being slammed, Dur'kiir seemingly winced. Yup, that still smarted, and he had a feeling this 'minor' pain was just the beginning…

Aeolus listened in on the exchange curiously. Dragons? He knew of them, but sightings in Darchester were so sparse that some people had begun to doubt their existence; he himself had felt uncertain, only hearing of them in stories of ages past. It certainly felt odd to hear them referred to in present tense, but more than anything, it frustrated him. There was so much about the world that he didn't know about, and it made him feel small, feel ignorant, and he didn't much like that feeling.

The most he could do now, he supposed, was learn what he could. Ignorance was forgivable if it was eventually educated; Dallas had drilled that into him in an attempt to curb his inner perfectionist. He couldn't know every single bit of information or be the best at all there was to do, but he had to admit that it still bothered him from time to time.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him as Dur'kiir requested that the two keep behind him; the less he had to do, the better. Not that he particularly enjoyed doing nothing, but the less action he took, the less information the others had on him.

…He also just wasn't too keen on dealing with the undead. But that didn't sound as cool.

"Are you alright?" he inquired out loud, not wanting to completely neglect the Dragonkin's pain; the guilt from his earlier inaction was beginning to creep up on him. "I understand why you're asking us to keep back, but what about you?"

He winced, almost instinctively critical of his choice of words, but could only wait for the response.

Dur'kiir glanced back towards Aeolus, hearing the young man's question. The Dragonkin remained true to the path, the buildings growing sparser as they neared the outskirts. Time had a way of creeping up, both in silence, and in conversation.

The giant humanoid's tail flicked to the side. His horned head turned slightly more back, the burning ember of his eye seeming to spark to life. Dur'kiir flashed Aeolus his fangs, though not in a menacing or annoyed way, more so in an almost cocky manner. It was almost slightly frightening, of course to those who weren't used to the solitary Dragonkin, the energy he gave off suddenly.

"I've suffered worse kid. Once broke my wing while in my dragon form, and still continued to fight, as in dragon form I tend to succumb to the draconic nature. Hard to control to be honest, hence I don't use it less absolutely necessary. My half dragon form is much easier to maintain and control without fear of turning on allies."

That was perhaps the only downside, when Dur'kiir took to his dragon form…that and the incredible, destructive power he held. Unlike most Dragonkin, he had a much harder time controlling the primal nature and instincts. It was figured it had to do with what kind of Dragonkin he was, Doom Dragons often known for their incredibly destructive and wild capabilities, but it was nothing compared to the Chaos Dragons. Thankfully though, Chaos dragons were considered to be long gone, destroyed except a select few, and of course a certain Chaos Dragon, but that beast's name was not spoken, less be it in whispers, a beast now sealed deep in a mountain, to stay less the seal were to be broken…

As for Doom Dragons, they had been driven to live on a remote island out in the oceans, far from civilization. Course, there was the occasional escapee, to find their way back to mainland…one such incident being the reason for Dur'kiir's birth.

Oshiera seemed to clutch her crook closer to her body, averting her gaze elsewhere. That cold, though she was sure it was good-natured, gleaming gaze. The dangerous air Dur'kiir gave off making it almost impossible to stand near. She was supposed to be a healer…such things shouldn't bother her…but this one did…

It had to do with that 'Doom Dragon' nature…the destructive beasts having once commonly terrorized the lands after the Chaos Dragons reign. Even her tribe, the Aquaronas of the oceans had not been immune. Thankfully though, a time of peace finally came for her people, at least for a time. Hence, the reason she was here now, to learn about the humans and other creatures inland. So to have a better understanding and return to her people with knowledge.

---

Time had passed even further, the sun beginning to lower in the sky towards the west. A path led out of the main gates of the walled Kingdom, from the main road, down to another set of gates.

Approaching it, Dur'kiir suddenly raised his hand, single eye remaining trained on the great yard before them. Looking inside, the graveyard seemed to be separated in different paths and yards. Headstones lined different areas, each place seeming to have different memorials for the dead. Towards what one could only assume to be the middle of the great graveyard, a tall Mausoleum stood. From there, eerie lights seemed to dance in the windows.

The Dragonkin curled his lips up, fangs protruding, "Just what the hell is happening here?"

Oshiera stood further back, crook tightly held in her webbed claws. She peered around the side of the giant Dragonkin, looking into the darkening graveyard. The creature seemed to shift her weight nervously, teal blue eyes glowing in the depths of her hood. She stole a glance towards their mentor, then back before them.

"Dark magic…There isss sssomething elssse in the air…twisssted…"

"I sense void tampering…"

Dur'kiir turned his head slightly, his good eye coming to land upon both Aeolus and Oshiera, "Stay close, I don't see any undead…but that can change in an instant. Some of the bastards like to stay underground before popping up and grabbing an unlucky victim."

The Dragonkin reached a hand back, taking the handle of the great war axe, removing it from his back. Both hands gripped the weapon, handling what seemed to be a nearly impossibly heavy weapon with ease. Well, for a normal human, perhaps the weapon would be useless and too heavy to wield.

Aeolus blinked, meeting Dur'kiir's gaze as evenly as he could, yet his whole body stiffened in a rigid manner that contrasted his easy expression. He didn't understand the need for the Dragonkin to show his teeth, but he had to admit that it was a pretty impressive set of fangs. Must be the dragon half. But it was the eyes — or, well, the eye — that unnerved him. He was intimidated enough by the mere presence of Dur'kiir, but now there was a small change in demeanor that Aeolus hadn't seen before. It didn't surprise him, necessarily, to see a spark of life in the otherwise dull and dreary Dragonkin, but it certainly didn't reassure him.

Wait. Maybe he was smiling? It was certainly an odd way to smile, but maybe it was just a custom Aeolus wasn't used to. So Aeolus returned it with a polite but not very confident smile of his own, his little canines baby teeth in comparison to Dur'kiir's mighty maw. It was the thought that counted. Smiling eased his nerves a little bit, at least.

But with the mention of Dur'kiir's ability to assume the form of a dragon, his smile faded, his eye widening as the Dragonkin further explained how with the dragon form came the worry of turning on his party. How fantastic. The only thing better than a giant dragon was a giant dragon without a moral compass. He hoped fighting the undead wasn't a dire enough situation to require a dragon.

As the party approached the mausoleum, Aeolus felt his stomach begin to churn. The others had said it before he could, however; whatever was going on with this place, it wasn't anything good. The energy was unbalanced; and with unbalanced energy came unbalanced magic. He'd have to be careful if he ever had to use his. But void tampering? That was a phrase he was unacquainted with, and he wanted to know what he was getting himself into.

"Void tampering?" he echoed. "Void tampering? What definition of void are we adhering to, exactly? This isn't fabric-of-reality void, is it?"

Well, least going through the graveyard was mostly uneventful. Then again, Dur'kiir had chosen to take the well worn path, instead of cutting straight through the large graveyard. Less graves to accidentally step upon while on a obvious path. Suppose for one of those rare moments, actually taking the road mostly traveled proved useful.

As they moved, Dur'kiir kept his axe drawn, gripping the handle of the heavy weapon. He came to a halt at the great doors, a crack showing someone, or something, had recently passed through. The Dragonkin turned his horned head to face Aeolus, "I suppose in a way it could be, if I'm following what you mean. Another world, another dimension that is avoided at all costs. Only the strongest, or foolish, mages attempt to contact beings from such a vicious dimension. Though the beasts of the void rival the creatures of the hells."

A huff came from the humanoid, a puff of black smoke escaping his lips, "Summoning of such creatures is only allowed for a select few, an order tied close to the Queen of Igreacean. Anyone outside of this 'order' is forbidden to summon void or hell spawn."

"Of course, there are those who seek to summon anyways, most often for power, or some other reason," Dur'kiir finished with a slight shrug.

Oshiera lifted her head, the teal blue eyes glowing in the darkness of the hood, "Psssh…though aren't there other waysss sssuch creaturesss make it to the world which we walk?"

"Aye," Dur answered with a nod, "There are a few places, such as the swamps of Tjolan . Though a void hydra is said to guard the entrance there. Then the Ancient's Ravine, one of few places revered holy by the dragons, as it is there Elders of Dragon kind make their final flight to those rocky crags, before passing on to the afterlife. Tis said a void river runs at the very bottom of the giant ravine, but no one knows for sure."

"As for the hells, to be honest, you never know really. Demons and the such being unpredictable, though I will admit, the void is by far even more unpredictable than the hells. One moment the void will be a simple landscape, then the next a void storm could be rolling through, or so I have heard. One dares not spend too much time in such a unstable place."

Dur'kiir seemed to pause, having hoisted the axe to rest across one of his shoulders. His other arm raised towards his face, hand resting lightly on his scaled chin, seeming to ponder. There was one other place he had not mentioned, once again, a place spoken in whispers. None should have to worry about that, save for the guardians whom keep watch over it day and night, so the rest of the world did not have to suffer.

"Sssomething amisssss Dur'kiir?"

The Aquaronas' voice brought his attention. A grunt followed by his gruff voice was the reply, "It's nothing, let us get a move on through these doors."

With swift steps, the Dragonkin swung the great doors open, a grand hall yawning open before them. The lamps on either side were lit with an eerie, purple flame. Dur'kiir's single eye swiftly scanned the area, head turning to his good eye could take in the entire surroundings. His forked tongue slipped past his lips, lingering in the air a few moments, then drawing it back.

So far, there didn't appear to be any signs of a struggle. Though, another door further back was currently open, a door that was suppose to be closed. Dur'kiir started towards the opening, clearly expecting the two young adventurers to stay close as he had instructed them earlier upon entering the graveyard.

The male stood before the open door, looking down upon a flight of stone stairs. Dur'kiir was silent, the only movement from him was the slight twitch of his tail. Several moments of agonizing silence, and he finally broke it.

"So, down in the depths of the crypt…I suppose a hidden shrine or some place of worship below…"

The Dragonkin suddenly turned, facing Aeolus and Oshiera directly. The cold, serpentine gaze locked on the both of them, "Something tells me that whatever is about to happen down there, is way beyond your capabilities…so if I tell you to run, I expect you to listen…am I clear?"

Oshiera trembled slightly under the fiery ember of their mentor. Something that neither her or Aeolus could possibly offer aid? This was indeed quite worrisome, considering she was a healer and there to offer whatever healing spell she could, even if it was just something minor. However, she would not argue with the great Dragonkin, he clearly knowing more than she could, considering she was inland now, and nowhere near the seas.

The creature nodded her hooded head in response to the Dragonkin. She would listen…well, try to…

She seemingly stole a glance towards Aeolus, but then turned her gaze back towards the floor at her feet.

One answer down, one more to go….now for the boy.

Aeolus held Dur'kiir's gaze for a moment, his own dropping as he retreated into his thoughts. He never ran away. It wasn't a pride or honor thing of his, it was just never something that occurred to him as an option, even in the midst of a dire situation. He either kept fighting or bit the bullet, and to have the option of running away being presented to him almost felt… insulting. He shook his head slowly.

"I've had my fair share of cults to deal with," he admitted, tapping at his missing eye. "It was my gig as a mercenary, clearing out areas with fanatics and power-hungry idiots. Had to put up with a particularly nasty group for quite some time."

The Obsidian Mark. An organized religious group lead by Atlas Ur, the self-proclaimed son of the Dead God Cislous, and arguably Aeolus's worst enemy. Whether Atlas was just a really clever conman or absolutely insane, he still had a hard time figuring out.

"I don't know the specifics of these void creatures, but I can't imagine it being much different than trying to revive a dead god. If they're cooped up in a graveyard, of all things, experience tells me these fellows aren't the most organized. If we take out the leader, the rest will scatter, and the organization collapses inward. I've toppled larger establishments than backyard necromancers this way."

Aeolus drew his sword and dagger, gripping the comfortably familiar hilts with a bout of courage. "I hope you don't mistake my confidence for arrogance. Perhaps I'm wrong — and if I am, I'll face the consequences later with something sharp in my gut. But if you're going to take me — take us along," he added, passing a glance at Oshiera as he spoke, hoping that his words brought her even an inkling of confidence, "we've got to give it our all. We owe it to your faith in us. Either we all walk out of the mausoleum, or none of us do. And I think that we will if we rely on each other."

A few heartbeats after his little monologue, however, he seemed to remember who he was speaking to. He cleared his throat, his hold on his weapons tightening.

"Just… just my two cents, is all."

Hmph, the kid claimed to have dealt with such things like this before. Though, it was fair to assume most cults followed a similar schedule so to speak. Each focusing on a particular deity, or some higher being which they believed would grant them 'Power Divine', or some such thing in that manner. Not once did they often think of consequences, or that their so-called 'Deity' revolved around them.

More often than not, the summoned creature would turn on its very summoners, the ones to call it into existence in this world. Though, there were the few summoned that would listen to their subjects, but that came with a price. Serve the 'Divine Being' without fault, and you were rewarded. Try to control or defy the being in anyway, well, death would soon follow.

Course, the more powerful creatures had little to no trouble enthralling hapless victims.

The cold glare Aeolus received was next to none. The Dragonkin removed a hand from the handle of his war axe, instead moving to allow his fingers to rest above his temple, lightly rubbing it as if to alleviate pressure. Why, why was it always the newcomers who tried to play 'hero'? Sure, the kid explained a few things he'd been through, which Dur'kiir did not know what or how Aeolus managed.

He left his hand covering his face for several moments, then lowered it to his side. The hardened gaze had dulled slightly as the Dragonkin's glare simmered down. Dur shifted the giant axe's weight on his shoulder, tail sweeping to the side behind him.

" 'Take out the leader' the kid says, if only it were that easy. Think over your words, and what you have told me."

No, Dur'kiir wasn't just going to outright say what he thought. There was no better teacher than first-hand experience. Instead, Aeolus received a gruff growl from the grizzled Dragonkin and the man's backside.

As the Dragonkin moved down the stone stairs, Oshiera followed, though she paused next to Aeolus. The cloaked creature clutched her staff close to her chest, teal blue eyes looking towards the young man.

"I-I'm ssshure Dur hasss a plan…which we ssshould follow yesssh?"

The Aquaronas then gave a slight nod, continuing to follow closely on their mentor's heels.

---

Down, down deeper into the catacombs of the mausoleum. The only light in the dark, stone walls coming from torches that flickered their flames. Dur'kiir remained in the lead, not once stopping as he led them forward. Echoes of boot against stone was the prominent sound in the depths, that and the occasional skitter of an animal or insect chirp.

The Dragonkin paused, pressing himself to a corner suddenly. His forked tongue flicked out several times in quick succession. The male seemed to be on full alert, even his tail going rigid instead of the slow relaxed sway of earlier.

Voices, several speaking just around the corner…

"Really, I would prefer you returning the tome to me, without needless bloodshed," a woman's voice echoed.

A harsh laugh followed by a man's, "You're not in any position to be making demands wench, not while I hold the key to V'rask's coming!"

The Dragonkin's eye flashed as he stood with his back pressed to the wall. His voice was low, not bothering to glance towards the young adventurers nearby, "So, this voidspawn has a name? That or they named it themselves…not very often you get one with a name…"

"Ish…isssh it bad if the creature hasss a name," Oshiera's voice came from nearby, remaining quiet.

"Eh, just the named ones tend to be a lot nastier than the unnamed ones," Dur'kiir responded, continuing, "I recognize Lady Mirabilis' voice, the other is unknown to me."

The Dragonkin suddenly glanced over towards Aeolus. His lips curled up, showing fangs, "Well rogue, let's see what you do best, skulk in the shadows and see what and who you can take out. Oshiera, with me, we will join Mirabilis, and see just whom is so intent on summoning this 'named' voidspawn."

Without waiting for the rogue's reply, did Dur'kiir step out from the corner, entering an open hall. Towards the end near an alter, stood several men in robes, and before them, a tall woman. Despite the predicament, the woman stood with a rather exasperated appearance. Seemed she knew her words were falling on deaf ears, but couldn't say she didn't try…

"You lot really should listen to the woman."

Heads turned, facing the great, menacing approach of the Dragonkin. Staffs were suddenly drawn by four of the men, but the fifth, the robed man in the middle, rose a hand.

The woman looked back. The once annoyed expression seemed to soften as her grayish green eyes came to settle on the approaching Dragonkin.

"Well now, this is quite the surprise…and here I thought you were in retirement…old friend."

The woman received a grunt from Dur'kiir, his axe remaining resting against his shoulders. The single ember of his right eye glowing as he stared past her and directly towards the cult.

"Still would be in retirement, but fate has taken a different turn for me."

"Your appearance means nothing! You cannot stop our lord from being brought into this world!"

A sigh escaped the woman, "These lunatics have been constantly saying that, but have yet to act…"

Just as the woman had sighed, a snort came from the Dragonkin, "Eh, not too surprising. These guys are normally all talk, no show."

Without a spoken word, the Dragonkin suddenly sprang forward past the woman. Despite that armor, the weapon, and age, Dur'kiir moved surprisingly swift, a near blur as sped onwards to begin the assault. Ah, he had missed this.

Sure, retirement was nice, but there was just something about the thrill of battle he always longed to relive…

Oshiera stood behind next to the woman, clinging tightly to her own staff, clearly unsure of what she was supposed to do…

Aeolus held Dur'kiir's glare for as long as he had to, only letting his own fall when the Dragonkin turned his back. He felt crushed, to put it simply, and retreated back into himself, unresponsive to the world around him as he took a moment to regain composure, the grip on his weapons so tight his knuckles had paled with the strain. He wouldn't acknowledge Oshiera and offered no verbal response to her words, only snorting in contempt.

He followed Dur'kiir only after Oshiera had passed ahead of him.

Dismissed, just like that. Maybe it was childish of him to cling to it as much as he was, but he truly felt the Dragonkin's line of thinking was flawed. The new were inexperienced, yes, but they had that fresh eye when it came to puzzles that caught things even the most experienced might've missed. The seasoned ones, they stuck to a certain approach that had served them well, and they had a structure of thought that Aeolus quite frankly found inhibiting. If someone has never encountered a situation before, they often consider most possible angles of approaching it, and, with the guidance of the more experienced, can end up with a creative solution. Think over your words, tch.

Aeolus took a deep breath, relaxing his hold on his weapons. Maybe he was being a bit unfair. He knew he wasn't a newcomer, but he was intentionally withholding that information. Of course he was going to be frustrated by a remark like that, and of course Dur'kiir was going to make said remark. They weren't on the same page, and they couldn't be.

He sighed, his anger beginning to dissipate. He just… had to be a little more patient. Had to be careful. He was on a mission, his pride could take a step back for a moment.

But, admittedly, he still didn't quite agree with Dur'kiir's approach. He'd remembered it wasn't really his place to debate it, but it was going to be a minute longer before it stopped bothering him.

---

With Dur'kiir's orders, he was quick to move, happy to get some time to himself before the inevitable conflict ahead of them. As Dur'kiir and Oshiera made their presence known, Aeolus took advantage of the distraction and slipped into the more dimly lit side of the hall, fiery eye scanning the five cultists in the middle of it — a much smaller number than he was anticipating. He could take them.

His focus, however, was on the talkative one. He'd pinned that one as the leader, and while he was no longer irritated, he was petty. He pulled a small vial of poison from his satchel, examining the label. Null lily. Painful, but quick. It'd do.

He spread a pinch of the poison across the blade of his dagger and stored the vial, poising himself to spring into combat the second Dur'kiir made a move. If the cultists really were all bark and no bite, the battle would be over before it began.

As the Dragonkin lunged forward, a poisoned dagger shot out from the dark, aimed for the chest of the lead cultist — and behind it sprung Aeolus, sword ready to meet him if the dagger didn't do the job.

Despite the aggressive and swift approach, their was a measure of precise wariness to the Dragonkin. The men to the left, whom on normal circumstances would've been sliced in half by the mighty war axe, did not meet such a fate. Instead, they were met with broad side of the axe head, the weapon being used more so as a club to knock them aside than kill.

Instead of downright killing them, Dur'kiir simply knocked them down and to the side. With a swift pivot, the Dragonkin seemingly twirled to the opposite side, swiping down the next pair of cultists to only pause as he heard a soft 'thud', followed by a gasp.

His horned head lifted, glancing back out of the corner of his good eye. Behind, the leader crumpled to his knees, the large tome he once held falling to the ground, the robed man falling forward onto it.

"Dur'kiir! You damn fool!"

The woman's voice scolded from nearby. Her grayish green eyes almost instantly as she glared at the Dragonkin whom stood, now having turned to face the fallen cult leader, axe in hand. His good eye swiftly moved to the charging Aeolus. Seemed the kid was moving in to finish the job with his sword, but that would've been a mistake.

Instead, the Dur'kiir moved swiftly to block the boy's path. From his shoulder blades, a pair of black wings tinged with red markings suddenly erupted forth.

"Huzrah wah zu'u dii Dur Viing: Gral Spaan." ((Hearken to me my Cursed Wings: Ruin Shield))

At his words, a glowing black and red energy seemed to emit from the wings that now adorned his back. The Dragonkin flared his wings to their fullest, the energy seeming to create a wall of flowing energy before him as he remained as a wall in front of Aeolus.

Before them, the fallen leader's body seemed to suddenly rise, blood having spilt from the body onto the open pages of the tome. Glowing symbols from the pages flickered as if a spark had taken flame. Unlike the black and red energy emitting from Dur'kiir, the sudden pulses of dark, purplish energy spreading outwards from the risen body of the cultist and book would've probably made any caught in the sudden pulses to be thrown backwards.

Though, it seemed the Dragonkin had expected this, hence the swiftness of his interception of Aeolus before the young man reached to make sure the body was finished. Glancing to the opposite side, the woman had seemingly pulled out her own tome, a shield of what appeared to be green energy offering protection to both her and the quivering Oshiera behind her.

A grunt from Dur'kiir as he remained standing, wings flared out. All eyes remained on the cultist's body, as it began to twist and morph. The man's body twitched, growing in size and becoming something else entirely. The power continued to pulse from the creature that was warping the fallen cultist's form, taking shape of a monstrosity from what one could only assume to be 'one's worst nightmares'.

"Did disturb from the void, what mortal calleth?"

Glowing red eyes landed upon the Dragonkin whom even the towering gargoyle-like beast hovered over. It had no lips to curl up, instead fangs interlocking against each other. The whip-like tail lashed to the side, the tip ending in a cruel edged blade. Instead, it clacked its jaws together, the horns upon its head curling forward and up as it glared downwards.

The black and red energy that once shielded both Dur and Aeolus dissipated. The Dragonkin stood tall, despite the towering void creature, his large war axe remaining in his hands as he steadily gazed back.

"You should know, seeing as they are now you, or something in that matter. I don't take the time to understand all that shit."

"This mortal vessel hast forsooth did bear me into this world, but hither I am without loyal thralls…Nay matter, thee shall serveth me."

It raised a clawed hand, tendrils of purple energy suddenly snaking outwards, "Hark to me, essence of the void. Transform the hath lost into loyal subjects, so yond mine own word becometh absolute."

The energy tendrils suddenly struck forward, coming to strike the fallen cultists that Dur'kiir had taken care of, though instead of changing like the void beast, the most change they received were their eyes, now seeming to be devoid of life. Thralls, ensnared by the Voidspawn's magic, to do its bidding. The giant beast waved its hand.

"With mine own coming, the world shalt tremble. Those who cross mine own will, shalt be destroyed."

The cultists raised their weapons, two holding staves, the other pair holding sword and shield.

Dur'kiir's tail was lashing madly back and forth as he glared at the opponents. The growl coming from him seemed to rival the very beast that stood before them own's voice. His wings moved, coming to fold neatly against his back.

"Now see, sometimes it isn't as easy as just 'waltzing in and killing the leader'," the Dragonkin's voice was low, directed towards Aeolus, whom he was assuming had remained behind him.

Seemed the Dragonkin knew this was going to happen. A lesson, perhaps a harsh one, but Dur'kiir had his reasons and methods…which he had a feeling when they made it through this, he'd be hearing no end of it from the woman; Lady Mirabilis.

(hi! gosh i'm really sorry for the late reply, had midterm exams this week and was too tired to reply for a bit)

The dagger had found its mark, and the cultist with the tome collapsed onto the floor; Aeolus had expected no less. What he hadn't expected, however, was a massive pair of wings unfolding in his path, forcing him to come to a halt behind Dur'kiir as he stood to meet the changing form of the cultist before them.

Aeolus moved slightly so he could catch a glimpse of the scene, watching as the corpse of the cultist contorted into an awesome yet eldritch creature; he could only assume this was the void spawn Dur'kiir had mentioned before. Ye olde phase two: horrid abomination awakens with the death of its worshippers. He wondered why it never crossed the mind of the cultists that their so-called savior more often than not saw them as sheep to be harvested when the time came.

At Dur'kiir's remark, he shrugged, "Seen this before, too."

Which was only a partially true statement. This scenario? Yep, check that off the bucket list. This particular otherworldly creature? Not so much, and it was why he hesitated now.

But something told him that he'd made a mistake, and it bothered him that he couldn't pinpoint what it was. A dose or two of situational awareness would have served him well, but he tended to hyperfocus on whatever goal he was given until it was complete, and old habits die hard. It made him really good at his job, but it was also why he typically had someone with him in more diplomatic settings. As far as he knew, he was here to kill some cultists, and that's what he did; so why had the woman shouted at Dur'kiir when the leader fell? Why had the woman shouted at Dur'kiir? Did she want the leader alive, or had she just wanted the prevention of the void spawn's awakening?

It was times like this that Aeolus missed paperwork. Everything was laid out cut-and-dry with clear, concise language and there was no room for misinterpretations. Contracts told him what needed to be done and he followed them to a T. People were too confusing, too laced with double meanings and tone of voice and so many things that paper didn't have if you got the wording right.

---

Bishop glanced down at her tracking compass, then up at the mausoleum, then back down at the compass.

Seriously?

She drew a circle in the air beside her with two fingers, light filling the invisible boundary and materializing into a small orb. Fantastic. Incredible. Outstanding. How, in the name of the Trinity, did he end up in the middle of a graveyard?

The door to the mausoleum was open and the dust disturbed, so she wasn't too worried about running into traps or the undead, but the shift in energy as she stepped inside almost gave her whiplash. Outside, things felt thick and gloomy; inside, she felt like she was suffocating. With worry churning her stomach, she hastily made her way down the stairs until she could hear the low vibrations of a creature not from this world. Oh, absolutely delightful.

She peered out from the doorway to see Aeolus standing behind a draconic figure, the two staring down an eldritch thing with thralls beside it. How? How? He's by himself for a couple of days and he's already summoning things from the void? Iro would have a conniption fit if he knew this was what Aeolus was getting himself into.

Bishop dispersed her ball of light, taking a gander at the creature from the void. She'd be a fool to just waltz in, and she didn't think she could sneak around whatever that was. So, keeping as hidden as she possibly could, she watched and waited, choosing to interfere when either party made a move.

(((OOC: No worries. I wasn't too worried, knowing life comes first. Always take your time, no rush ^^)))

---

Oh for…this kid just didn't get it did he?

Course, Dur'kiir knew little to nothing of Aeolus to be honest. The Dragonkin's tail remained lashing back and forth behind him. For a moment his wings twitched, as if getting ready to unfold once again to their fullest, but remained folded against his back.

Damn, bull-headed…Dur'kiir snorted. That 'arrogant' streak, the Dragonkin could relate to that.

Dur'kiir's lips curled back, baring his fangs in their full glory. He felt a tingle along his spine, the Dragonkin's body urging to change, to become more formidable than it already was, but he refrained from doing so. Half-dragon form, he could handle it well enough, but if something were to trigger him to transform into full dragon form, there was no telling what could happen. Well as the fact they were in a small area, an area that left no room for his full size when in dragon form. He'd end up doing more harm than good transforming as such.

Out of the corner of his eye, a shimmer, a sudden vial appearing. Dur'kiir glanced back across the room, the look he was receiving from Mirabilis would've probably made many a men crumple under the intenseness. Instead, an annoyed huff came from the Dragonkin, snagging the vial, then suddenly tossing it back to Aeolus.

"I expect you to choke that potion down. You, unlike myself, are not immune to the void's enthrallment. Only reason you resisted was because of my shield…but I cannot cover you all the time."

The Dragonkin's single eye shot forward again, mumbling something under his breath. Oh how tempting it had been to not hand the potion off to the kid…but then Dur'kiir knew he would've been in the wrong…to become enthralled by a voidspawn, there was no known cure to reverse the condition. Death is a mercy to such thralls.

"I can handle the voidspawn, I expect you to rush to Lady Mirabilis once I have the creature and its thralls full, undivided attention. From there, she will be instructing you. Once again, I expect you to listen to her."

He perhaps waited a few moments, then once again the Dragonkin was springing into action. The male swerved to the group to the right of the voidspawn, swinging his blade downwards. A great shockwave of red energy seemed to erupt from the ground where the blade met stone. The wave surged forward, knocking back the two cultists into the other group. He was swift to follow the attack, the Dragonkin somehow managed to leap upwards, spinning his axe. The edge glowed with that same, unnatural red energy, crackling forward off the weapon in the shape of the edge of the powerful weapon.

This attack sliced forward, felling two of the cultists, separating torsos from legs. Dur'kiir's boots pounded the stone floor as he charged towards the voidspawn. He raised the war axe high above his horned head, an inhuman snarl escaping from his open maw, fangs bared. Meeting the brunt of the attack, the voidspawn seemingly pulled out of a dark pocket a dual pair of wickedly curved swords. The weapons crossed in front of it, shielding it from the axe that threatened to plunge into its chest.

On either side of the hellish creature, the two remaining thralls appeared. One with a sword and shield attempted to jab at the Dragonkin's exposed flank, the second cultist raising their staff, the end glowing with a purplish hue.

Seeming to sense the impending attacks on either side, Dur'kiir's wings flared out on either side, creating a shield on either side.

---

"Oshiera was it? Be a dear and offer a shield to your comrade when he joins us would you?"

Lady Mirabilis seemed completely focused on Dur'kiir. The tome in her hand continued to glow a soft, green hue. Her hand swept in front of her, an unknown language leaving her lips. From the tips of her pointed fingers, tendrils of green energy swept forward, swirling towards the struggling Dragonkin.

The energy seemed to swirl around Dur'kiir where he stood, creating a nullifying barrier that would repel most attacks, least till it wore off.

As for Oshiera the creature nodded her hooded head, raising her staff. Her teal blue eyes looked towards Aeolus, most likely to await him to draw nearer to do as she had been told by the woman, who would be instructing him further once he joined their side no doubt.

(i really appreciate it!! replies might be coming a tad slower from me for a little bit, this has been a busy month lol)

---

It only now seemed to dawn on Aeolus that Dur'kiir was displeased, and he seemed to shrink a bit at the realization. Oh, he'd really messed up, hadn't he? Figures. As long as his mission wasn't botched, it didn't matter too much to him, but now he was sure he wasn't going to hear the end of it when it was all said and done.

He caught the vial that the Dragonkin tossed his way, examining its contents carefully. Dur'kiir gave his instructions, but Aeolus was clearly hesitant to ingest a substance he wasn't familiar with. Time was against him, however, and he had no wish to further anger his mentor, so he chugged the vial and prayed it wasn't going to kill him. Fortunately, it didn't, but a few coughs forced their way out of his throat as the bitter taste overwhelmed his senses. If it offered immunity to the voidspawn's enthrallment like Dur'kiir promised, however, then he could get over the taste.

As the Dragonkin surged forward and stole the attention of the voidspawn, Aeolus heeded his word and made his way hastily to the woman he assumed was Lady Mirabilis, sheathing his sword along the way. Still, he cast spare glances behind him. He didn't want to. Now that he'd acquired the potion's buff, he felt even more capable of taking on the voidspawn. It didn't make sense to him.

He felt the heat rushing to his hands, urging to burst into flames as it always did, and in response he grit his teeth so tightly his jaw began to ache. None of this made sense to him. Nothing was going the way he'd planned. He'd just wanted to meet with the Adventurer Guild's head honcho and get information on the area so he could complete his contracts, not this! All of this was just a waste of time; a waste of his time, a waste of the Brigade's time. All he was doing was being inefficient, and now that his thoughts had lead him here, he'd become stuck, fuming silently to himself as his anger began to get the better of him — so much so that small sparks had begun to flicker in his palms.

But then, he stopped. Physically stopped, halfway there to Lady Mirabilis and Oshiera, and forced himself to take a deep breath. He… could work with this. Nothing ever went smoothly, that was life. This was just going to be a particularly tough series of contracts. The others would understand, he only had to be understanding himself. He wasn't the leader here, couldn't be the leader here, and he had to let go of his need for control if things were going to get better.

It was sure as hell going to take some work, though.

When he was sure his anger had faded and the sparks around his hands had died, he continued on. He first glanced at Lady Mirabilis, who seemed rather busy at the moment, before turning to Oshiera and offering her the friendliest smile he could give. His tense posture and heavily controlled breathing, however, betrayed the lingering irritation he was attempting to dissolve.

"Everything's fine," he muttered, maybe more to himself than Oshiera. "Probably going to get an earful, but what the hell. How are you holding up?"

---

Bishop observed as the draconic figure took on the voidspawn and easily decimated its minions, eyes wide with awe and a little bit of worry. Dragon man was dangerous, good to know. So was the woman with the magic, Bishop assumed, given that she was capable of powerful shielding spells. The creature near Aeolus, however, she had yet to properly gauge, having yet to see an example of her capabilities. That was fine, however; judging by her huddled body language, she didn't seem like the confident sort. Not harmless, but likely less of a danger.

Well, the draconic man had made his move, and it was time Bishop made hers. A little more wiser than her fiery-tempered friend, she'd decided it wasn't the brightest idea to take on a creature she didn't know much about. If she approached the group gathered on the other side, however, it was likely she could be able to assist in a more productive way.

While stealth wasn't her strong suit given one of her arms was made of metal, she could snoop around quietly enough to not attract the voidspawn.

Aeolus was the first to notice her before her approach, confusion contorting his features. Bishop? How'd she get here? He'd made it clear before he left that he wanted to tackle the missions alone.

He waved at her and was met with a wave in return, though the latter's was a tad more enthusiastic in delivery. He offered her the Brigade Handsignal for undercover, waving a hand in front of his face twice. Bishop responded with a thumbs up and tapped her chest with two fingers before crossing them and pointing at him. Aeolus rubbed his face with his hands and let out a deep, deep sigh.

Iro had sent her. Of course. As if things could get any better.

Bishop, however, was unfazed by Aeolus's apparent annoyance, greeting her boss with a grin and a pat on the shoulder when she approached. "What a mess you've gotten yourself into, huh? Didn't think I'd find you with a ragtag gang of adventurers."

"Of course you, of all people, could identify one of those."

"Aw, don't be like that," Bishop cackled, punching his arm playfully. "Who've you got here, anyhow?" she added with a glance at Oshiera and Lady Mirabilis, offering the chance for introductions. She'd let Aeolus handle her own introduction to clue her in on the narrative she had to follow.

((OOC: All good ^^))

---

Lady Mirabilis was indeed rather focused on keeping Dur'kiir protected for the most part. Between the magical shield she offered and his great wings, the one thrall's sword bounced off harmlessly, the magic orb of lightning infused energy cast by the second thrall being absorbed.

As a swift retaliation to the attacks against his sides, the Dragonkin snapped his wings outwards, knocking back his flanking attackers. Dur'kiir's full attention was towards the voidspawn, knowing it was the greatest threat in the room currently.

The draconic male shoved forward, sparks flying as his axe continued to press against the voidspawn's blades. His single eye burned brightly, the fiery orange changing instead to a brilliant red. Even his blind eye seemed to spark to life, a faint glow of red beneath the milky white surface. Sharp eyes would take note of the changes occurring with the Dragonkin…

Dur'kiir seeming to become suddenly taller, bulkier (not counting his heavy armor). His exposed skin seemingly rippled, more scales taking its place. From his back, sharp spines seemed to erupt, tail becoming thicker and powerful, the pronged end becoming longer, sharper.

With a snarl, the Dragonkin suddenly jerked forward, bringing his horned head down against the monster's own horned skull. The creature reeled back with a screech, swinging its blades towards the advancing beast that was Dur'kiir.

As Dur'kiir continued his advance, giving himself a moment without the thralls, did the woman steal a glance towards the young man whom once stood beside the Dragonkin. He had started making his way towards both her and the Aquaronas beside her, but then paused halfway.

Her steel gray eyes glared towards the boy. An annoyed 'tck' left her lips, hands getting ready to move in a swift motion and cast to forcefully bring him closer, when he must've snapped out of whatever stupor he had been in at the moment. About damn time he made their way to them. Such a mistake like that could've left him with a blade in the gut, head blown off, or some other manner of lovely death-dealing way.

"A pleasure you finally decided to join us," there was clear displeasure and annoyance in the woman's voice as her attention returned to Dur'kiir struggling with the voidspawn.

Oshiera glanced for a moment to Lady Mirabilis, then back towards Aeolus. The creature only gave a slight nod of her hooded head. Her finned tail remained tucked between her legs underneath the cloak she wore.

"Well enough I ssshhupossse, though let'sss get you a barrier."

She raised her staff, a soft blue hue glowing upon the end. Said blue glow seemed to move, washing over Aeolus, a cooling sensation most likely being felt, like a gentle water flowing over one. As she offered her shield, her head turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.

The creature clutched her staff, as if readying to to offer more protection, but the newcomer, Aeolus appeared to know them. Teal blue eyes swiftly scanned the ones before her, glancing backwards towards the snarling and clanking of metal and claws.

"If you are done with your little 'reunion', Dur'kiir could use your aid," Mirabilis didn't even offer a glance back to the meeting between old friends it seemed.

Such a meeting could not be afforded her attention right there and then. The woman raised her hand, a green orb raising from the pages of the tome she held, said orb moving to come and hover near the Dragonkin. A green stream of energy seemed to emit from it, the stream coming to connect and wash over Dur'kiir's form, offering a boost in vitality and power. Enough to hopefully keep the male going…Lady Mirabilis seeming to know more of his limits than the younger adventurers…but then of course she would, having known him for a longer period of time, and most likely the stubborn old fool didn't let on too much about himself to the young ones.

She would have to remedy that…

"Aeolus I believed Dur'kiir called you yes? I ask you take out the thralls. If you wish to use your fire, then so be it," she glanced back for a moment.

Yes, she could sense that fiery ability of his, albeit she didn't know the extent of the powers or what he could do with it, "Whatever makes it swift. Dur'kiir may be powerful, but even he cannot handle the constant barrage of enemies."

"As for your friend, I ask they remain behind me with Oshiera. I am in no position to get another Invutral Draught for her currently. Less she has some way to attack from a range."

No, Lady Mirabilis was not going to introduce herself. As was clear her focus was on the Dragonkin and his fight.

Both thralls were starting to get up again. The thrall with sword and shield advancing swiftly towards the back of the towering Dragonkin, sword raised and aimed to plunge into his back.

The second thrall once again raising their staff, readying a ranged energy attack…

(midterms are over!! i should be able to get in quicker replies now >:D)

Aeolus let out an indignant huff in response to Lady Mirabilis's scorning, yet decided, wisely so, to just bite his tongue and take it instead of causing unnecessary arguments. They had something more important to deal with at the moment. Instead he asked his question and nodded at Oshiera's response, taking a deep breath as he felt a wave of gentle cool wash over him. It felt comforting, but sturdy. He murmured gratitude, unsheathing his sword and twirling it as he adjusted to this revitalizing feeling.

He seemed rather content hopping back into battle, and anticipated leaving the second Lady Mirabilis gave her orders; but that anticipation, however, gave way to alarm as the mage mentioned to him his pyromancy.

How did she..?

Well, no point keeping it hidden now. He offered the woman no response other than a few moments' worth of staring before unsheathing his sword and bringing his hand across the flat of the blade, which promptly caught on fire. Time for business. Take out the thralls. He could do that.

He departed from the group before breaking into a sprint, snatching his dagger from the partly dried pool of blood that once belonged to the leader's corpse. He aimed for the duel-wielding thrall behind Dur'kiir and raised his fiery blade, aiming to drive it into the back of the thrall before it could land a blow on the Dragonkin.

---

Bishop squinted, taking a moment to ponder her options. Aeolus had seemed taken aback by the mage's astuteness, so she decided she'd just play it safe until she could get more intel from her boss.

"Guess I outta be straightforward with you, huh?" she murmured to Lady Mirabilis. "I specialize in melee combat – hand to hand, specifically – but I've got light magic, and if I refine it into rays it can stretch pretty far. It's good for offense, so I can probably pitch in unless you're looking for support magic."

She patted at her utility belt, pursing her lips in concentration, before perking up with a soft "aha!" and choosing a magnifying glass-esque tool. Working quickly, she attached the glass to the wrist of her mechanical arm, flexing it and its new extension before holding her arm out in front of her and nodding in approval. At Lady Mirabilis's call, she was ready.

((OOC: Nice))

---

Least the boy was quick, instead of questioning her. Good, meant less stress for Dur'kiir. She stole a glance back to the girl behind.

"It would be most appreciated yes, as for hand-to-hand, afraid you will have to hold off from that for the time being. Hm…"

Hm indeed, how to put the girl's abilities to use…

Steel gray green eyes shifted over, noticing the second thrall releasing the energy from their staff towards the Dragonkin, whom in turn took the hit, to only have it absorbed by whatever barrier Mirabilis had cast upon him. Calculations seemed to run through her mind, observing in quick succession, decisions that needed to be made in an instant.

"The magic-wielding thrall, see if you can either distract it long enough for your fellow Aeolus to finish it, or do the job yourself."

---

Dur'kiir pursued the voidbeast as it swerved backwards, avoiding the hefty axe that came crashing downwards before its chest. For a moment, the Dragonkin paused, turning his horned head back, hearing the sound of running footsteps. His red gaze caught movement, the thrall having somehow managed to sneak up behind him, but the blade that was aimed to plunge into his form was halted.

The Dragonkin glared over, seeing none other than the boy. Hmph…least the kid was quick…AH!

The distraction between the once advancing thrall and Aeolus had bought the voidbeast the time it needed. A pained and enraged roar suddenly escaped Dur'kiir's maw as he staggered back, clutching his left side. The fiend had taken the advantage, the whip-like bladed tail having lashed forward to slash through armor, scales, and into flesh.

Only this pain seemed to cause Dur'kirr to snap. He surged forward, leaving the war axe where it had crashed earlier. Now powerful claws ensnared the voidbeast that thought it had the upperhand, to only have it backfire. This wound and pain seemed to drive the Dragonkin into his more primal, draconic mind.

A mind of a wild, wounded beast that was trapped and fighting for survival…

Without even thinking, as if having forgotten entirely of the rest of those around, Dur'kiir attacked with a new, bloody ferocity.

He suddenly released the creature, then pivoting, swinging his powerful tail full force into the voidspawn, sending it flying backwards. The blades it once held were now on the ground, useless against the new monster of Dur'kiir. It had no chance as the beastly Dragonkin lunged forward, claws snaring the horns on either side of the creature's head.

Cold eyes glared, a snarling growl emitting from Dur'kiir. He bared his fangs, suddenly opening his jaws. As he did, a beam of black and red energy burst forth, seeming to instantly decimate the voidspawn. Horrid screeching echoed around the tombs as it wriggled and writhed beneath the raw, destructive power of the Dragonkin. The creature's flesh seemed to melt, body becoming a pool of black, viscous liquid.

Dur'kiir stood in place, claws clutching air where once he had hold of the fiend's horns. The destructive beam he had been deploying, he seemed to swallow back down his throat. The prominent draconic features that adorned his form earlier, started to slowly subside. The spines that once adorned his back disappeared, scales returning to skin along parts of his body. However, his eyes, they were still that ominous, feral red glow, the pupil a thin slit in his good eye, his blind eye a dim red glow seen beneath the milky white surface.

A small moment of peace, a chance that let him glance towards his left side. Though appearing more like his self when he first met Aeolus and Oshiera, it was clear he still wasn't entirely in the right mindset so to speak. A low, pained growl escaped his lips as he winced from touching the wound.

His 'peace', however, was interrupted as the second thrall was still in the scene. However, it seemed at the death of its leader, did the enthralled man seem to slowly back down. Though something must've clicked with them as well, as a barrage of lightning magic came hurling towards the already injured Dragonkin.

Tired, and wounded, Dur'kiir snarled in retaliation, once again a wing erupting from his back, moving to shield his body from the attack. Though how long he could hold out, well, it was up to the newbies to step in and help.

---

Seeing her struggling mentor, it finally put the young Aquaronas to action. In defense, she raised her staff, the blue glow emitting from her staff rushing forward as a torrent of water. The watery orb moved, coming to wrap around the huddled form of Dur'kiir, offering a shield of protection to him, softening the blows of the magic barrage.

The creature gnashed her fangs together, tail lashing as she remained in place, holding her staff. The energy of water she created remaining place, taking all her concentration to keep it there.

Now it was up to the others while she protected their mentor from further harm.

The blade had pierced easily through the thrall, the flames scorching its insides and simultaneously callousing the wound. A clean kill, as he preferred it to be. Messes were a pain to clean up. But there was no need to hide this body.

He pulled his blade out from the corpse only to recoil as a whip-like tail snapped and found its mark in Dur'kiir's side. Oh, shit, he thought to himself, his first move being a hand vainly outstretched in what would have been an attempt to come to the Dragonkin's aid. Judging by the fury oozing from the man's — creature's — cry, and by how savagely he snagged the voidspawn by the horns, he'd decided it was for the best that he left Dur'kiir to his own devices.

But even after having come to his decision, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene before him. His mouth fell agape as Dur'kiir melted the voidspawn as easily as a furnace melted an ingot; his mind told him to flee, to get away from whatever this thing was that could so easily decimate and destroy, but his feet would not move. It was only when he heard Bishop yell his name that he returned to his senses enough to scramble backwards a reasonable distance. He watched the Dragonkin carefully, weapons out and ready in case his mentor thought to turn on him — an assumption based on naught but fear — but there was a new air of calm that Dur'kiir carried that suggested not much else was to come out of him. Aeolus relaxed, but only reluctantly so, still watching the Dragonkin for any sudden moves.

Up to this point, he had all but forgotten about the remaining thrall, and it was only when a burst of electricity shot out and struck the Dragonkin did he remember it existed. Given the nature of lightning magic, he deemed it too dangerous to get in close. He turned back to Bishop and offered her a wave, a "two", and a thumbs up. Team attack time, and he was ready.

Bishop gave him a thumbs up in return and raised her metal arm, aiming for the thrall, and shot a refined ray of light directly at it. Aeolus chimed in with a snap of his fingers, the sparks reacting with the pure light and combusting in an acute wave of near-blinding light with a ridiculously high temperature to match. The thrall was incinerated, not much left of him other than ash that scattered gently in the air.

Aeolus then glanced at Dur'kiir, opened his mouth as if to say something, then found he wasn't sure what he could, what he should say. He took a breath. He had questions, that was for sure.

Bishop, on the other hand, broke away from the group and approached Aeolus, observing what had once been the thrall with a hint of satisfaction. But then she took a look at her friend, the two exchanging a brief and wordless conversation before he offered her a nod. He was fine, so was she, but there was definitely a conversation to be had when the group got a moment to relax. The two of them then turned to Dur'kiir, with Bishop glancing back at the group to see how the others were faring while Aeolus waited for something to come from the Dragonkin, whether it be words or just a passing glance.

As the final enemy fell, the only sound seemed to be both of labored breaths, and the eerie shrieks of the voidspawn that seemed to still be echoing, despite it no longer living. The flames of torches flickered slightly, but remained burning, providing light in the tomb, and what was left of the fight.

Oshiera slowly lowered her staff, the blue glow dying down. The creature lifted her head, teal eyes glowing as she looked towards the hunkered form of the Dragonkin. She seemingly started to take a step forward, but was halted as Lady Mirabilis' hand moved to block her path. The woman shook her head slightly to the Aquaronas, then slowly started forward.

---

Dur'kiir remained where he was, the single wing he spawned remaining to cover his body. Time passed, before he slowly folded that single wing backwards, it seemingly dispersing. The Dragonkin was on his knees, clutching his left side. The snarling he once was producing so vocally, had quieted down to a soft growl vibrating from his chest. His tail behind him was limp, barely moving.

He slowly closed his eyes, exhaling a puff of black smoke past his lips. His forked tongue slowly flicked out, then back into his mouth. The Dragonkin felt eyes on him, rightfully so…

Even when in that partially primal mind-set of earlier, he sensed the boy's fear. To be honest, Dur'kiir wouldn't have blamed Aeolus one bit if he had taken off towards the nearest exit. There was a reason Doom dragons were exiled, a reason his mother considered him a curse the day he was born…

The male gave his horned head a slight shake, as if to rid himself of those earlier memories. Yet traumatic memories such as that were not so easily lost…memories of both torture, and loved ones who…

His right hand suddenly slammed into the ground beside him, lips twitching as his fangs started to show again. The Dragonkin's eyes remained shut, head facing downwards as he knelt in place. Blood started to seep past his fingers on his left side, but Dur'kiir remained unaware. He was tired, the pain seeming to become numb now instead of the burning intenseness of earlier.

"…go on ahead…" he had finally spoken, though his voice sounded hoarse, "Lady Mirabilis will escort you back…"

---

Mirabilis had moved along, coming to pick the tome that had once been stolen from her. She seemingly dusted it off, then sighed as she noted the blood on the pages. That would take some time, and several potions, to clean.

Her gray green eyes shifted to both Bishop and Aeolus who both appeared to be the closest distance to the hunkered form of Dur'kiir. The woman moved her hand, removing a few loose strands of her hair away from her face.

"I must ask you listen to your mentor," her voice was gentle, yet with a stern tone, "Come, let us quit this place and return to the city."

She then moved, heading back towards the steps and upwards to lead back out into the open graveyard. Mirabilis knew there would be questions wanting answers, though she felt better replying out in the open. Also it gave her time to come up with the replies to the soon barrage of queries.

Oshiera stared towards their mentor. A mixture of feelings seemed to come from him. That once steely, gruff man now nothing more than a tired, and hurt figure before them. It was such a drastic change compared to much earlier.

Her head lifted though as she heard both Dur'kiir and Mirabilis speak. The creature followed slowly behind the sorceress, leaving behind the dusty tomb.

Aeolus only stood and watched, observing the Dragonkin's every movement with a hand on the hilt of his sword. What to make of this? He took the few minutes of silence to retreat to his thoughts.

Though he couldn't say he was surprised that such a large and intimidating figure, with horns and a tail, might he add, had the ability to assume a destructive draconic form, having seen such a transformation for himself seemed to finally knock into him what he was dealing with. He had his talents and abilities, yes, but it would be in his best interest to take a minute and observe as opposed to rushing into a situation headfirst, and while that idea hadn't fully registered, he had, to some degree, realized the benefits of caution.

Whether or not he'd actually heed such a realization was another story, of course. He was just as stubborn as the figure before him, and it was going to take some time to adjust to the unusual dynamic of the party. Having a familiar face around, he had to admit, was starting to come in handy.

What he wouldn't admit, however, was his new perspective of Dur'kiir. While he was not well-versed in dragons and so did not harbor prejudice against Doom dragons, there was a new apprehension — no, a new respect? No, no… he didn't know. He felt too much all at once, and to pull apart each individual emotion — fear, anger, shock, confusion, relief, exhaustion — was too much for him at the moment. He certainly felt, however, and he could understand that most of what he was feeling wasn't good. Dur'kiir was dangerous, and there was a side to him that was primal, unhinged, so deeply rooted in chaos that Aeolus just didn't feel safe. He knew a chaos of his own, but after years of unlearning and relearning thoughts and behaviors, he had been able to subdue it and live life, for the most part, normally. Now, to be reintroduced to an unpredictable situation after having finally established order and stability in his own life, he couldn't help the worry that ate at him the more he dwelled on it.

And he had to be stuck with this icon of destruction for however long it took to complete his contracts.

Of course, he could easily just up and leave, but he wasn't that kind of person. He made a commitment to this party the second he agreed to joining, and he intended on seeing it through. He'd just take a look at his mission when the group stopped to rest and confer with Bishop on what direction they should take with such a unique situation.

At least he'd have a story to tell the others when he returned.

Dur'kiir's voice startled him out of his thoughts, his grip tightening on the hilt of his blade only to relax seconds after. Thank the Trinity. He was more eager than he'd rather admit to distance himself from the Dragonkin for the moment.

To Lady Mirabilis he nodded solemnly, showing a deference that had been absent before. Bishop followed suit, though she happened to show more concern for the state of Dur'kiir than her friend, casting the occasional glance back at the draconic figure as the two made their way out of the mausoleum.

She also picked up on the quiet, contemplative state of Aeolus and nudged him gently with her elbow to gauge his reaction, to which she didn't receive much of one. His fiery orange eye was lost to the distance, the way it usually was when he was trying to figure things out in his head. She prodded him again, and this time, she grabbed his attention.

"You alright?" she murmured softly, to which Aeolus hesitated before offering a silent nod.

"Just.. thinking," he responded, just as quietly.

"I figured as much," she retorted, "but you look like the void is staring back at you."

"It's nothing," he replied dismissively, averting his gaze. "We can talk later."

Bishop huffed, knowing that was about as much as she would get out of him. Her bright yellow gaze instead focused on Mirabilis.

"So, what, uh… about the dragon guy? We're not just going to leave him there, are we?" she piped up. "I-I mean, will he be okay? That transformation of his was… a lot."

Mirabilis took them down the path, walking out of the dark graveyard and towards the city lights nearby. She seemingly picked up her pace as they entered back into the towering stone walls of the kingdom. The streets were much less crowded than earlier. Though what with it being night, it was of course only natural for residents to return to their homes, or the few who stumbled about from a night of drinking.

The woman didn't glance back, though she responded to the question asked by Bishop, "It is for the best we left Dur'kiir to collect his thoughts."

She entered into the tavern and Inn that the young adventurers passed by most likely earlier that day; 'The Weeping Rakia'. Mirabilis approached the bar, words passing between her and the bartender. Once their conversation seemed to finish, did the man behind the bar give a slight nod, disappearing into the back.

It was then she turned to face the young group, "I'm sure you all are both starving and wanting a warm bed no?"

A slight smile actually passed her lips, "If I know how the old lizard works, he didn't let you stop to have a bite to eat, did he?"

Oshiera only shook her head, shifting her grip on her staff, "You are correct Lady."

Though, to be honest, the creature wasn't feeling at all starved. No, instead she was tired and a warm bed sounded nice. Would most likely be different from the beds she knew back home, but it would still be something to rest upon. A bed, and she was looking forward to soaking in a bath, missing the feeling of water against her smooth scales. It would take quite some time before she got used to being on land for long periods of time…being better suited for the sea than land.

Mirabilis shifted her gaze to the Aquaronas. She moved a hand, coming to rest her chin on her palm, fingers lightly curling against the side of her face. A soft 'whoosh' seemed to sound from nearby, a black wisp hopping out of nowhere coming to suddenly rest on the woman's shoulder.

"OIOI! I see the kiddies made it back out of the graveyard ya," a familiar voice crowed.

Sitting on the Sorceress shoulder, was a small, quadruped creature. Its body was completely black, a furry mane around its neck, then attached to the neck was a completely white mask-like face. Yet the eyes, the eyes were like orange lanterns. When it had opened its mouth, its jaws were jagged like that of a jack-o-lantern, its mouth also illuminated with that ominous, orange glow.

Its tail moved, it ending in a tuft of black fur, coming to curl lightly around the woman's neck. Those orange lanterns looked towards the adventurers before them, gnashing its fangs a few times. It looked around a bit more, then once again returned ahead.

"What of 'Curse Child'? Hasn't come limping back aye?"

A sigh escaped Mirabilis, raising her other hand. She then flicked the creature on her shoulder right in the head, causing it release a squawk, rubbing where it had been hit.

"Jinx, the least you could do is be a bit more polite and considerate."

The woman's eyes moved towards Aeolus and Bishop, "Rooms have been set aside for each of you. Feel free to go and wash up, then come back out. The owner of the tavern is personally seeing to the meals that will be provided to you all. They should be done by the time you finish."

Then with a wave of her hand, Mirabilis turned, going to seat herself at a table, the creature Jinx remaining settled on her shoulder. She knew there would be more questions to come from the kids, and she would do her best to answer what she saw fit. Most likely some of the questions to come, would be best answered by Dur'kiir himself…till then though, she would see to sate their curiosity for the time being.

Bishop didn't seem satisfied by Mirabilis's answer, but figured it was for the best she didn't pry. But at the mention of food, her demeanor changed, and she immediately became more attentive. Aeolus rolled his eye and snorted, a grin breaking through his once stoic visage. Of course food would get her attention. He, on the other hand, only cared for some rest.

The little shadowy imp - Jinx, he would take note of - had caught his attention, however. He had then decided on dismissing the creature until it mentioned Curse Child, to which it had regained his attention once more. Curse Child? Hasn't come limping… was it referring to Dur'kiir? Why would the Dragonkin carry the label of Curse Child?

Unless… no. Oh no.

Mirabilis's voice brought him from his thoughts for only a brief moment, however, and he offered an absentminded nod before turning and making his way upstairs, Bishop following close with a worried look.

"You're doing it again," she muttered. "You've been lost in that brain of yours for ages. What's got you all worked up?"

Aeolus shook his head, his response just above a whisper. "A lot of things. Too.. too many things. I-I need to talk to you for a minute, in my room."

He casted a glance behind him as they made it to his room, shutting the door and locking it. He then took off his satchel and set it on the nightstand next to the bed, pulling out a bundle of scrolls and seating himself on the floor. His movements became quick and erratic, awkwardly fumbling to unravel each scroll until he found the one he was looking for, unrolling it on the floor with shaky hands and a wide eye. In bold, on top of the scroll…

"Curse Child", Igreacean, Highly Dangerous. Handle with extreme caution.

Bishop stared at the scroll, mouth agape, her gaze flicking from Aeolus to the scroll and back again.

"He… he's one of the marks? The big dragon guy?"

"I-I didn't.. by the Trinity, I'm an idiot!" Aeolus hissed, leaning back against the side of the bed and rubbing his face with his hands. "Why the hell did I go to the Adventurer's Guild? If I'd shown them this–"

"Hey, hey, let's take a minute," Bishop interrupted, the same uneasiness that grappled Aeolus now taking its hold on her. "The good thing is, you didn't show the Guild this. Y'know another good thing? He's wounded. If he doesn't die out there, we can probably finish the job."

"Are you crazy? Did you see him back in the mausoleum?" exclaimed Aeolus, as loudly as he could without being too audible. "The wound was fresh and he fuckin' incinerated that voidspawn. We're dealing with a guy that can turn into an actual dragon! This isn't a corrupt politician, crazy cult leader or wild magician. This is a monster surrounded by allies that probably hates me."

"Then we can just forget the contract, right? You're the Director, you're the authority on what contract is accepted and what isn't."

Aeolus paused, then slowly shook his head. "Something in his eyes… he's dangerous. He could kill people. He likely already has."

Bishop pursed her lips, folding her arms across her chest and casting her gaze to the floor.

Between the two there was a moment of silence that lasted mere minutes, but felt like ages.

"… What did you see?" Bishop finally spoke. "When he killed the voidspawn, you… looked terrified. I don't normally see that out of you."

"I didn't see a person, that's for sure," Aeolus admitted quietly. "A-And I'm not saying this to try and dehumanize him. I swear, I saw a beast. Something feral that was just begging to be released, but wasn't."

"It wasn't," repeated Bishop. "We should pay attention to that. He kept himself in check."

"But what if a time comes where he doesn't?"

"Would that be his fault? Should we kill someone for something they can't control?"

Aeolus couldn't respond.

Bishop seated herself next to him, picking up Dur'kiir's bounty and reading it over. "You're right, Aeolus. He's not a politician or cult leader – he doesn't look like he intentionally harms people. He just looks like someone who got the short end of the stick in life. You can't hold that against him, especially when he clearly does his best to manage it."

"But should we spare the life of one at the potential cost of several lives down the line?" replied Aeolus.

"As far as we know, he hasn't done anything, and he's capable of managing his abilities," suggested Bishop, rolling the scroll up and stashing it in Aeolus's satchel. "It's ultimately your call, but I think we should at least wait and see if he really is a danger to society."

Aeolus sighed, running a hand through his hair as he organized his thoughts.

"Okay," he whispered. "We'll wait."

Bishop knelt and patted Aeolus on the shoulder. "Take it easy, okay? Get yourself cleaned up, you've got blood on your clothes. I'll be downstairs once I settle in, make sure you get some food yourself."

Aeolus nodded, but was otherwise unresponsive until Bishop was halfway out the door.

"Bishop?"

"Hm?"

"… Thanks. For coming here."

Bishop smiled. "'Course, Boss."

---

After roughly half an hour, the two had returned downstairs with Aeolus in a change of clothes, his hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Bishop sat herself at the bar, excitedly expecting food, while Aeolus sat himself at Mirabilis's table.

"I have questions," he began, "and I'm hoping you have the answers."