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

Started November 28, 2020 by Deleted user

tune

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Aeolus's gaze subtly flickered to the group the elven lady had turned her attention to, sizing them up with a hint of distaste. Given that the quest they had undertaken was one assigned to Gold Adventurers, he figured that the individuals who made up that group held, at minimum, such a rank. Unfortunate.

But he spent no more time assessing the party than the Guild Lass did.

"It's appreciated," he replied to her condolences, offering a slight smile. "Admittedly, the endeavor has left me looking forward to what our adventures will eventually become."

Aeolus followed the Lass to the directed desk, watching intently as she shuffled through and distributed a pair of documents. Quests, he realized upon closer examination. He listened to the details of each quest, mulling over which one would be the better one to take.

If money was the goal, taking care of the imps was the obvious choice. If these imps in particular dabbled in any variety of hellish magic – darkness, fire, poison, what have you – then he was confident to say that the party had the upper hand. Bishop's light could counter darkness, Oshiera's spells could provide protection, and Aeolus himself was immune to fire, having a little fire magic of his own. That being said, his own flames would pose no threat to imps (again, running with the assumption that they had magic), but he could make up for that with physical attacks. Of course, it could be that Igreacean imps were vastly different from Darchestran imps, and the whole plan would fall apart the second they engaged in combat, but better to have some semblance of a plan than no plan at all.

The escorting quest, on the other hand, would be the way to go if they wanted to potentially keep a life safe. While the imp problem of the former contract was definitely an issue, it didn't seem like a potentially life-threatening one – crops were being stolen, but nobody was being directly hurt, and the farmer could likely hold out a little longer before the crop theft became a serious issue. This woman didn't feel safe walking alone to her village, and she was carrying medicine for her sick husband. While the potential threats were more unknown than the imp job and the pay was less, they could rest well with the idea that someone ill received medicine and that the woman was able to reach home safely.

"Tough choice, ain't it?" Bishop murmured from beside Aeolus, causing the latter to jump a little. He'd been so engrossed in the quests that he hadn't noticed her approach, nor had he noticed the Guild Lass leave.

"Both have their benefits," muttered Aeolus in return, brow furrowing as he read over the two quests again. Then, he rightened himself, glancing back at Oshiera. The more opinions, the easier the decision. Hopefully.

"What do you think?" he inquired to the Aquaronas. "I'll go with the quest you'd prefer to take."

Oshiera's head tilted as she listened to the elven lass. A soft gurgle came from her, shifting her feet, claws clicking on the hard surface of the floor. Her blue eyes flashed with slight worry at the mention they had accidentally undertaken a quest that could've possibly ended them all. 'Gold Adventurers' were below 'Platinum', and Dur'kiir was what they called a 'Platinum Adventurer', and considering what happened last night, the Aquaronas was relieved to know they made it out of there.

Her head seemed to lift, the hood remaining to cover her features. Her tail slowly swayed one way, then the other behind the creature. Oshiera listened in silence as Ledea spoke, then motioned for them to follow. She didn't seem to pay mind as a glare and sharp comment was said about another group whom were suppose to deal with what they had the unfortunate circumstance to come across and deal with instead.

The creature looked attentively towards Ledea, gaze shifting down between the two papers set on the desk before them. The elven woman spoke of imps, and then another being an escort of a woman. Then it seemed just as soon as Ledea had set the two quests before them, she excused herself to most likely deal with something else.

Her gaze watched for a moment as Ledea moved away, then looked back towards the papers on the desk. Oshiera's tail flicked to the side, waiting for Aeolus to finish reading one paper, to move onto the next. The creature pulled the first quest across the desk towards her, being careful with her claws. Her eyes scanned the letters.

Imps? She had honestly never dealt with such creatures. What were they? Oshiera lifted a webbed hand, seeming to reach into the darkness of her hood, scratching her head confused. The way it sounded, they were pest creatures; either taking or destroying things. Gold coins, that had to be the highest currency one could get here. Five per imp destroyed? So say they killed five imps, that was 25 coins right there already. Suppose that would be a quick and easy way to earn some coin.

The second quest, an escort. Oshiera looked over the paper once Aeolus had finished. A woman, a wife, picking up medicine for her sick husband. Perhaps the medicine was quite valuable, hence she felt the need to have guards? The creature could relate in several ways, having been tasked to gather herbs and other medicinal supplies her tribe used for the sick, wounded, or something to ease those who were dying.

Though she could relate, that was not the only reason Oshiera was leaning towards the escort duty. Her mind thought back to Dur'kiir. Their mentor was still injured, so perhaps something that wouldn't put too much strain on him would make more sense.

Her head lifted as she heard Aeolus voice directed towards her. Another gurgle, and the creature spoke, "Both have their benefitsss, one offering more pay than the other. I will admit, I am unsssure what impsss are, or what they are capable of doing. Ssso fighting them would be a new experience for me."

"Asss for the essscort, lessss pay yesss? If the woman feelsss ssshe may be in possssible danger on her journey back, it isss highly probable. Medicine isss valuable, sssome more-ssso than othersss."

The creature slowly blinked her blue eyes, thinking of how to phrase her next sentence. She was admittedly concerned about their mentor. Straightforward, she would be straightforward with it.

Oshiera opened her eyes, looking directly towards Aeolus, "I am alssso consssidering what would be lessss ssstrenuoussss upon our mentor. Dur'kiir isss ssstill injured, having only been healed lassst night. Hisss wound hasss been sssewn ssshut from what Lady Mirabilisss letter sssaid. For him to put any ssstrain on it could quickly undo what hasss been done to help the healing processsss."

She clutched her crook close to her, averting her gaze towards the floor again as she spoke in a more quiet tone, "That isss jussst my thought though…I'm sssure we could handle the imp problem if that ssseemssss more logical to you."

Oshiera knew he said they'd go with the quest she chose, but she'd still leave it on the table, seeing as she still saw him as the current leader.

The escort mission, Oshiera had suggested. Aeolus closed his eye for a brief moment, nodding thoughtfully to himself as he listened to her reasoning. Right — if how Mirabilis spoke of Dur'kiir was true, then he probably wouldn't rest without some protest. Best not to throw hellspawn at him right after dealing with voidspawn. He leaned on the table and tilted his head to the side, shifting his eye to his peripheral to catch a glance at Bishop, who seemed to be in agreement with Oshiera's thoughts. Very well, the escort mission would be the quest the party undertook.

Yet, he noted how, even after offering sound logic, Oshiera seemed to retreat back into herself. He was better at keeping his curiosity hidden this time, but her demeanor still piqued his interest. When it came to his work, he couldn't care less about the whys and the how comes. But people? It was almost the total opposite.

Maybe that was Dal rubbing off on him. Once upon a time, he was practically the same dismissive and calculated figure as the one who raised him, not caring much for others besides whether or not they were an asset to the task at hand. But, little by little, his friendship with Dal chipped away at that stone cold demeanor, and where he used to find that upon being met with another person he felt nothing but contempt, he was now often overwhelmed by pure sonder. He had fought battles external and internal, lived a life so horribly complicated he didn't think he could tell a linear story to someone else if he tried. And now, he was faced with someone else in that exact same situation. Everyone had a life, a story of their own, just as complex and intricate as his own, and he marveled at the concept. A feeling often born from the smallest gestures of others, he found.

He supposed he could apply that same concept to Dur'kiir. He was the way he was for a reason, and Mirabilis had kindly filled him in on that reason.

He internally grimaced. That was enough introspection for today.

"Your logic seems more sound," he acknowledged, nodding his head in Oshiera's direction. "I suppose we should keep in mind that Dur'kiir might show up despite his directions to rest. We'll take the escort mission, then."

Bishop grinned in response. "A good way to get a sense of Igreacan territory, too, huh?" she suggested. "If we're gonna spend most of our time questing here, might as well get used to the surroundings."

She had a point. He could also take some opportunities to locate the rest of the marks — there were four, Dur'kiir included. The other three were also located in Igreacan, but their exact whereabouts were still something he had to find out; these sorts of missions would be a good way to narrow down their locations.

He cracked a smile. Maybe things weren't going to be so difficult; at least, for the time being.

"Well!" prompted Bishop, turning to face where Ledea and several of the Guild Lasses had congregated. "If that's that, we should probably get that elf lady over here."

Before the others could make that effort, she raised a hand, waving and raising herself to her tip-toes to try and grab the attention of the elven woman.

Her head seemed to lift again as Aeolus noted her statement. In her mind, the creature was relieved to know that maybe the other shared her concerns for their mentor. It was still unclear to her at times, having only really been sympathetic towards her own people. She was trying to keep an open mind though, and treat these individuals as she would treat her own. Her tail swished a bit behind her, the fan-like fin seeming to vibrate, but remaining folded up neatly.

Oshiera glanced between Aeolus and Bishop as the female mentioned it being a good way for them to get the lay of the land. Suppose it made sense, meant they would get out further from the city walls and into lands that belonged to the Kingdom. It would be something different, something which she could perhaps use to learn more about the surface world.

Ledea spoke under her breath to the younger Guild Lass. Seemed a client was trying to haggle with the pricing, and it was not going over well. The elven woman moved a hand, lightly massaging her temples. It was going to be one of those days wasn't it…

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement. Ah, Aeolus' party must've decided on the quest to undertake. She pointed several things out towards her younger employee, then stepped off to the side. It did not take long for the elven woman to cover the distance, standing before them.

"So we have decided?"

Her gaze shifted to the side, noticing one of the papers had been set aside. Ledea reached over, pulling it towards her. Seemed they had chosen the escort quest. Should be simple enough…'should be' being the keywords there.

"The Escort Quest it is then. The name of your client is Mrs. Irene Maesin. You will find her just outside of the Guild here, waiting by her horse and wagon."

Ledea paused, seeming to pull a short, black feathered quill from a pocket somewhere, with it a slip of paper. She jotted something down, then removed a ring from her finger, pressing it onto the parchment, replacing the ring on her hand. The paper hovered between her hands, seeming to roll up on its own, a thin vine materializing from nowhere, acting as a tie to keep the folded parchment in place.

"Hand this to her when you meet her. A note stating you are Guild Members and will be helping her with the escort."

The elven lass stepped back again, giving them her warm smile again, "And with that you are ready to begin. Good luck!"

Ledea gave a slight wave, before turning away to return to her own work again.

---

Dur'kiir had woken again from his nap, yawning showing his sharp fangs. The large Dragonkin slowly stood up, leaving the tavern. As soon as he exited the building, he raised a hand to cover his eyes from the onslaught of the morning sun. A low growl came from him as his vision started to adjust for the light instead of the dimness that had been the inside of the tavern.

As the light became less harsh, he lowered his hand to his side again. His single eye moved, scanning the area before him. The Dragonkin's tail swished to the side, seemed the streets were starting to get busy again for the day. He shifted his feet back and forth, eye narrowed, pupil thinning into a slit.

Gods he felt so vulnerable, naked even, without his armor or weapon, and only the Gods knew when he would be getting those back from Mirabilis. He closed his eyes, letting the thoughts of feeling exposed sink downwards. Even without armor, his weapon, he remained formidable…he just didn't feel that way…especially now…

Only thing covering him was a simple, dark green tunic, black work pants, and worn work boots. The draconic male lifted his hand, lightly rubbing the plated, black scales that were now visible running down his neck and seeming to branch outwards along the collarbone. That was the nice thing about armor, covered more of his scales. As a Dragonkin, he had scales covering certain parts of his body, scales that were permanently in place, instead of him able to seemingly call or disperse the scales when he needed extra armor.

"Mean the demon bastard child still lives? Then as if to add to the fact he is still alive, he goes and takes another's quest? Pathetic."

An audible sigh escaped him, slowly opening his eyes again. Dur'kiir lifted his gaze, tilting his horned head to the side, eyeing the one who clearly addressed him. A blonde male stood across, a sword attached to his hip, shield on his back. The armor he wore was polished, seeming to have yet see a battle.

The Dragonkin easily towered over the stranger, outweighing him as well with pure brawn. Dur'kiir flicked his forked tongue out, testing the air. He leaned back against the wall, arms moving to cross in front of his chest.

"Well in your 30's…and you still have the mentality of a pompous 15 year old," the Dragonkin's voice sounded tired, looking down at the other, "Perhaps if you actually put effort into doing something, your so called 'claimed quests' wouldn't be taken by someone else Lambin."

Dur'kiir received a sharp glare, "If you were not such a high ranking adventurer and 'pet' to the Guildmaster, you would've been executed long ago."

The Dragonkin remained with a tired, bored look in his eye, "Yes yes, I know how influential House Darwin is…trust me…"

His gaze narrowed again, pupil becoming a thin slit, "Your House seems to hold a prejudice against Dragons and dragonfolk…for I know I'm not the only one you seem to spit on when you walk past."

An annoyed 'tck' seemed to come from the one called Lambin, "What my family thinks is none of your concern, though I'm sure your 'primal' mind wouldn't be able to comprehend such a thing anyways when it comes to 'concern'. Nearly killed 3 new recruits of the Guild on their first day I heard."

Dur'kiir seemingly stiffened. Did word spread about the incident that quickly already? Of course, leave it someone like Lambin to have inside sources somewhere to give him the information to turn on rivals…why he saw Dur'kiir as a possible 'rival' was beyond the old Dragonkin.

"So you came to lecture me? When you are but a child compared to my age…amusing…"

The large Dragonkin remained looking down towards the man before him, expression remaining neutral despite the verbal abuse he was receiving.

Aeolus acknowledged Ledea's approach with a subtle nod of his head, observing as she took a gander at the quest he had discarded.

Irene Maesin. Irene Maesin. He silently repeated the name over and over again to cement it in his mind; the last thing he'd want to do is forget the name of his client on his first quest. He'd had that happen before… never again.

Ledea's little trick with the note caught his attention, however. That was a neat bit of magic. Judging by the vine, he was tempted to call it earth magic, but with that label he was still uncertain how the paper had rolled up on its own. Perhaps the ring was enchanted? He hardly used enchantments when he sorted through paperwork, but now, seeing what they were capable of, he began considering an investment or two into some magic utilities.

He took the note, murmuring his gratitude to the Guild Lass and offering a slight wave of his own as she left. Then, he turned to his companions.

"Well, here's to our first quest as a party," said he, holding up the paper firmly in his hand with a smile. "Let's hope things don't fly too far off the rails this time."

"Oh, you know it will," snickered Bishop, gently punching him in the arm. "It's not a real quest if they don't. Now, let's not keep that Maesin lady waiting!"

Aeolus rolled his eye, huffing with feigned annoyance, before turning and following Bishop as she eagerly made her way out of the Guild Headquarters.

As he pushed open the door and took in the busy streets around him, he took note of two special figures in front of the tavern across the road. He instantly recognized Dur'kiir — his towering form and draconic horns made him stand out, even without his armor — but he couldn't say the same for the man he was conversing with, who, in contrast, was fully decked in what Aeolus could only assume was a fresh set of armor. Perhaps he'd recently replaced his previous armor. Or, considered Aeolus with a mocking snicker, he wearing it for more pretentious purposes. Either way, it didn't look like the conversation was a pleasant one, so he didn't think much about intervening. The topic likely wasn't his business, anyways.

He turned his attention instead to locating this Irene Maesin. Ledea had mentioned she would be accompanied by a horse and a wagon, and it was upon seeing a woman standing near such transportation that he recalled that information.

Aeolus pointed out the wagon to his companions before weaving his way there, raising a hand to the woman to grab her attention.

"Would you perhaps be Mrs. Irene Maesin?" he announced, holding out the parchment for her to take. "We're with the Adventurer's Guild, here to escort you to your village?"

"If you are done Lambin…I have more important matters to deal with than giving attention to a child…"

Dur'kiir was growing tired of this. His tail flicked behind him, pupil remaining narrowed, showing his growing agitation. The male felt his lips twitch now and then, but he refrained from showing his fangs. The Dragonkin was honestly trying his hardest not to let himself get riled up by the man before him.

He knew that's what Lambin wanted, to get a rise out of the old Dragonkin. Perhaps if he had been in his younger, more reckless years, Dur'kiir would have probably taken the 'bait' and given the other what he wanted. Dur'kiir had age on his side now, had dealt with many people and creatures trying to get under his skin.

"Tck, you should consider yourself lucky that I'm taking some of my precious time to even talk to you."

"Oh yes," Dur'kiir gave his shoulders a slight shrug, controlling the urge to roll his eye, "I'm feeling absolutely privileged to be graced by your presence."

The large Dragonkin lightly drummed his fingers against his arm, having remained with them crossed in front of his chest. His gaze shifted to the side, having caught sight of several familiar faces exiting the Guild. Aeolus, Bishop, and Oshiera, good, they must've managed to get a quest. Which meant a better excuse to tell Lambin to piss off so he could continue his job as a mentor.

"Oh, so those are the Bronze members you nearly had tempered? A fish and 2 outsiders, sounds about right for the likes of you. No one will be too concerned if they do by chance happen to die while under your mentorship."

Dur'kiir remained impassive with emotions. The only emotion shown was through his single eye, the pupil remaining a narrowed slit. This guy really didn't know when to quit.

"Lambin, if you are finished berating everyone who isn't either a native or human, I will be taking my leave now."

The Dragonkin proceeded to push himself off the wall. His tail swept to the side, arms lowering to his sides again. Dur'kiir moved walking past Lambin without saying another word. As he started to brush past, it seemed the other man wasn't done with still trying to provoke the Dragonkin.

"Though losing a party member doesn't mean anything to you, does it?"

Dur'kiir instantly froze, unmoving. The air around both of them seemed to suddenly grow heavy, suffocating. The Dragonkin turned his head back, his eye swirling to bright red, the same hint glowing beneath the milky white of his blind side. Dur'kiir did not bother being pleasant, lips curling back to show his sharp fangs.

"Consider yourself lucky Lambin," Dur'kiir's voice lowered, tone dangerous, "That you are in the safety of these walls."

With a growl, the Dragonkin faced back forward, his pace quickening. Calm down, he needed to calm down…

He gave his horned head a slight shake, trying to clear it. Dur'kiir didn't need to startle them and the client. The draconic male released a sigh, walking to where the trio were currently introducing themselves.

---

A nod came from the Aquaronas, blue eyes glowing in the hood of her cloak. Her gaze seemed relaxed, still having the curious glow about them. Hopefully this quest would go much smoother than what had happened the previous night. Her head perked up at the interaction between Aeolus and Bishop. It was intriguing to the creature, not having had interactions like lightly punching someone happen between tribemates.

Her tail swished back and forth behind her as she gurgled in reply to the pair of them. The aquatic creature followed behind Aeolus and Bishop, having seemed to keep to her place in the back. She felt slightly safer there, the other two acting as shields in front of her, or that was her thought process. Also, she seemingly considered the fact that she was not physically strong at all. No, if it came down to hand-to-hand combat, Oshiera would easily be overpowered by physical strength. She was a healer, not a fighter…

Oshiera lifted her head, teal eyes scanning the surrounding area. They were looking for a woman next to a horse and wagon? The streets were growing busy, so trying to find who they were looking for seemed like it was going to be diff-…oh, Aeolus must've seen whom they were searching for.

The Aquaronas was quick to follow close behind, claws clicking on the hard stone. She tucked her tail closer to her body so not to accidentally trip someone while passing to keep up with Aeolus and Bishop.

Her fingers delicately ran along the harness, making sure the buckles were in place upon the large draft horse. Good, everything seemed to be hooked up and ready to go, now to just wait. She didn't have to wait long as the sound of footsteps drew closer to where she stood. The woman turned to face three individuals; a man, woman, and an unknown creature covered in a cloak.

Hazel brown eyes came to land upon the young man who asked her name, "Yes, I am Mrs. Irene Maesin."

She looked towards the folded letter, taking it from him. The seal, the insignia was indeed that of the Adventure Guild. Her hand tugged the vine that acted as a string to hold the parchment in place. The woman unfolded it, her eyes scanning the contents.

As she came to the end, the woman folded the letter back into its original shape. Irene gave a short bow, then straightened again, "Thank you for accepting my request. I appreciate the quick response as well…as I'm sure there are much more pressing quest matters than a simple escort mission."

Heavy footsteps accompanied by a large shadow falling over the small group. A gruff, familiar voice spoke up, "Apologies I am late, had some business that needed to be dealt with…"

Dur'kiir towered behind the trio, tilting his horned head slightly to the side. His form seemed to have relaxed for the most part. The Dragonkin still seemed to have an exhausted look about him, though sharp eyes would notice his gaze was not at all relaxed. No, the pupil was still a thin slit, hints of the feral red glow seen just beneath the surface of his usual fiery orange gaze and even the milky white of his blind eye.

The large Dragonkin steadily gazed towards the woman, "If I may ask m'lady, what village are we traveling to?"

Irene looked up at the sudden appearance of the shadow. Her eyes widened slightly at the great Dragonkin, though she pushed the thought aside, soft voice quick to answer, "I-I hail from Alenmont…"

Dur'kiir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as he eyed the woman. Something else was on her mind…perhaps it was because she knew who he was? Or maybe something else was bothering her. It was as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. He wouldn't worry about it, nor would he push her to say anything…unless Aeolus, Bishop, or Oshiera decided to query her about it.

The draconic male gave a slight nod, turning his horned head to look down towards Aeolus, "Your call kid, how you want us to be arranged for this escort quest?"

"There is room in the wagon…if you need to ride…"

The Dragonkin turned towards the woman again. He tipped his head slightly towards her, "Thank you m'lady."

His gaze shifted back to Aeolus, clearly waiting for him to call the shots. Well, the Dragonkin did put him in charge…and honestly, Dur'kiir still recovering being an excuse, he wanted to see how well the kid did in a 'leader' situation so to speak. Perhaps it would give him more insight how this guy worked.

Aeolus waited patiently as Mrs. Maesin read through the letter, meeting her gaze and returning her bow with a slight nod of his head.

“All quests are of equal importance,” he assured her, his tone assuring but with the same stiff formality he often carried while on the job. “But, to business. What would—”

His words were cut short by the sound of footsteps and a looming figure’s shadow casting itself over the party. Aeolus tensed, turning warily until he faced the familiar face of Dur’kiir, to which he visibly relaxed. By the Trinity, he thought to himself. Maybe he’d start waking up in the mornings with a heart attack instead of coffee.

As Dur’kiir inquired about the woman’s residence, he, too, picked up on her uncertain demeanor. He blinked, concern ever so slightly furrowing his brow. He couldn’t say what exactly about it bothered him, he only had a slight feeling that things weren’t quite right. But, if his mentor saw no need to press further, neither would he — at least, not for the time being.

At Dur’kiir’s instruction, Aeolus was taken aback. Of course, he’d been appointed temporary leader, but he was under the assumption that such a role would only last until Dur’kiir felt well enough to join the party again.

Or, perhaps this was a test. An assessment of his abilities.

Either way, Aeolus approached the situation eagerly. Strategy was his forte, that and paperwork.

He took a few steps back, folding his arms across his chest and taking a gander at the scene before him. The party consisted of one civilian, one support mage, one (injured, he had to remember) warrior, one close-range fighter, and one close-to-mid range fighter. No actual long-range means of combat, unless Oshiera knew any offensive spells — but her comfort zone seemed to be in support, so he decided against a position that might make her nervous. He’d just have to work with what he had and pray no archers or other long-range fighters were thrown at them.

First things first, Mrs. Maesin would probably be most useful sitting up front. She would likely know the way back to her village, and considering that three of the five people were foreigners, her navigation skills would be invaluable.

Beside her, in the passenger seat, Aeolus was inclined to station Bishop. While she was a close-range fighter, her light magic could be used in a variety of defensive ways. Her flashbang, for example, could easily disorient or even temporarily blind those looking in the direction of the party, which could potentially provide that defense against long-range attackers the group needed, as well as any other malevolent characters unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.

Mrs. Maesin had mentioned room in the wagon, and that was where Aeolus believed Dur’kiir would fit best. The wagon’s cargo would need protecting, and by situating the party’s strongest warrior in the center, he could hopefully protect Mrs. Maesin and Bishop as well, recalling the protection Dur’kiir’s wings provided in his more draconic form. He also hoped it would be less strenuous on Dur’kiir’s injuries to sit in the wagon with the other two, and he could keep an eye on the wagon’s backside.

And, finally, he and Oshiera would probably perform their best flanking the wagon on either side. The two could keep an eye on their surroundings and serve as a first line of defense in the event things went south. Oshiera would have the flexibility of movement and positioning for her spells, while Aeolus’s mobile and fluid style of combat would benefit from an open area.

It certainly wasn’t perfect, but maybe, just maybe, it’d work.

He relayed his plan to Dur’kiir, along with his reasoning for his decisions. He was careful, this time, to not get so caught up in what he thought was the right course of action; when he concluded, he waited to hear Dur’kiir’s input, if his mentor was willing to offer any.

The large Dragonkin was attentive, listening in silence as Aeolus started to explain and direct the party. Dur'kiir remained emotionless, as seemed to be his main trait when it came down to it…at least it seemed when he was out amongst others. In battle, that demeanor changed as had been witnessed the other day.

His good eye started to return to its more normal fiery orange, the blind once again returning to milky white. The male's pupil was still a slit, but at least he had calmed down enough for none of them to seemingly notice. Maybe they hadn't been paying attention yesterday when in his half-form…but how could've they missed it? That or maybe they didn't want to say anything.

Dur'kiir lifted a hand, resting his face in it for several moments. Why now were all these thoughts crashing down on him? He shook his head, removing his hand and returning it to his side again. A slight frown crossed the draconic male's features. Damn…he probably seemed like he was being disrespectful and not listening. His thoughts were troubled, still agitated by Lambin's parting sentence. The Dragonkin felt his heart seemingly twist. Absentmindly, his hand moved again, now rubbing lightly at his chest, as if trying to ease the growing pain that had taken root there long ago.

Push it aside, he had to push it aside as he had done many times…bury it deep again…but heartache was not something one could easily ignore once the pain was renewed…

Dur'kiir instead focused on Aeolus' voice, finding it as something to anchor him to the present. His gaze remained on the young man as he continued to explaining his plan. The Dragonkin's tail twitched slightly, letting each word sink into his mind. Was a rather strange placement, least to the male.

Personally, the Dragonkin would've insisted he take the lead. Would it not make more sense for the warrior to walk in front of the escort train? Putting the civilian in the driver's seat…though setting Bishop up next to her. Seemed he would be getting put into the wagon with supplies, while Oshiera and Aeolus flanked either side of the wagon.

He felt his mouth open, as if getting ready to say something, but Dur'kiir shut his jaw quickly. No, he put Aeolus in charge, he would go along with what he said. He noticed as the young man finished, he looked towards the tall Dragonkin. Dur'kiir felt his lip twitch slightly, averting his gaze downwards and to the side.

His hand that had once been massaging his chest, instead moved to rub the back of his neck. Dur'kiir rubbed at the scales there, his gaze remaining trained towards the ground. He went silent, his thoughts a storm. The Dragonkin finally lifted his horned head, eyes once again facing Aeolus.

"Very well, though I am a bit worried about Oshiera and Mrs. Maesin being in rather open situations. Settled in a seat up front could be a prime target for an assassin's weapon of choice. As for Oshiera, the healer left in a wide open space…"

"D-Dur'kiir…you are still hurt…you s-shouldn't be doing anything too s-s-strenuous on your wounds…"

The Aquaronas' quiet voice suddenly speaking up made the Dragonkin hang his horned head. His hand flopped to his side, a barely audible sigh escaping the male.

"Very well…just don't hesitate to call out…"

Without another word, the large Dragonkin turned. He walked towards the back of the wagon, an almost dejected look about him. The draconic male pulled himself inside, settling down crosslegged, tail curling against his side. Another huff escaped him as he hunched over, eye a dull glow in the darkness of the covered wagon.

An upset gurgle escaped Oshiera. She seemed to step up and closer to Aeolus when she had stated her thought to their giant mentor. The creature watched as Dur'kiir did indeed step back, limping towards the wagon and climbing inside. Her gaze shifted back to Aeolus once the Dragonkin disappeared.

Her voice lowered, soft again for the man's ears alone, "I…I hope I-I didn't upssset him too much…Dur'kiir ssseemsssss both in pain physssically and now mentally…like sssomething isss bothering him more than usssual…I'm jussst glad he lissstened…"

She clutched her staff closer to her body, blue eyes shifting towards the ground. Oshiera hadn't meant to sound demanding…maybe she did when she stated the already obvious to their mentor. The creature lifted her hooded head again to look forward.

"Y-you want me walking along the left or right? I-It doesssn't matter to me…"

Aeolus had noticed Dur'kiir's distracted demeanor as he relayed his idea, but had decided not to comment on it. They had a mission on their hands, and he felt as if Dur'kiir wouldn't appreciate taking time away from that mission to discuss what was bothering him. Whether that was actually the case, he couldn't say. Recalling how he'd caught a glimpse of his mentor's conversation earlier in the morning, however, gave him some ideas.

Dur'kiir seemed to pull himself out of whatever turbulent thoughts occupied him to offer his comments on the arrangement. Aeolus acknowledged them with a nod — valid points, both of them — yet before he could answer, Oshiera had offered a response — one that, to his surprise, seemed to cause something to shift in the Dragonkin. The stoic and intimidating figure he'd come to understand Dur'kiir to be now changed before him, and he watched curiously as his mentor slowly approached the back of the wagon and hauled himself inside, an almost defeated look about him.

This was… new. He didn't know what to think. A glance at Bishop revealed that she, too, seemed taken aback, yet that surprise shifted quickly into concern. Her gaze met his, a silent "what happened?", to which he had no answer. She pursed her lips, then seemed to decide that an answer probably wasn't worth pursuing at the moment. She moved towards the passenger's side of the wagon and climbed on top, taking a breath and observing the scenery around her.

Aeolus's attention was grabbed by Oshiera's quiet voice. He shook his head, casting one last glance behind him at the wagon.

"I'm sure you're not the problem," he replied just as softly. "He's most definitely got something on his mind at the moment. I suppose we should keep an eye on him."

To her question, he paused thoughtfully. Then, he shrugged.

"Take the left. Why not?"

---

Bishop rolled her shoulders, leaning back in her seat and crossing one leg over the other, her arms folding neatly across her chest. Defense. She was defense. She could do defense. She had all sorts of gadgets on her person that could manipulate light, and if push came to shove, she and Aeolus could combine their elements again.

She liked that about her light. It was tangible, elementally. And, apparently, explosive. Neither she nor Aeolus knew why elemental light exploded when it came in contact with fire, but they both agreed that it was fuckin' awesome. They had all sorts of combat techniques together that revolved around it, to the point where it was probably obnoxious, but nobody could say it wasn't effective. Blow it up could be the universal solution to every problem if it didn't leave so much collateral damage.

She took a glance beside her, then sat upright. Aeolus seemed to be done bossing everyone around, and it looked as if the party was about to depart. She'd been personally assigned to take note of any individuals of interest or locations that might house a mark. Not sure why, given that her eyesight wasn't something to be jealous of, but at least she still had two eyes. She was surprised she still had her hearing, if anything, given her work with loud and volatile machinery.

Bishop took a gander at her metal arm. Maybe she could make the rest of herself metal and live forever.

She grimaced. Forever would take a long time.

Aeolus whistled, which grabbed her attention. He gave her a thumbs up, to which she reciprocated, glancing beside her to see if Mrs. Maesin had taken her position.

Oshiera gave a nod to Aeolus. His words seemed to reassure her. She was glad that he too seemed to have noticed that something was bothering their mentor. The Dragonkin's gruff nature had given way to something else entirely today. Maybe it was just exhaustion and pain, she knew such things could be blamed for sudden shifts in behavior.

The Aquaronas had dealt with injured warriors back in her tribe. The trauma of a fight could severely affect an individual, some more so than others. Few there was little one could do other than try to ease their suffering. Yet, unlike warriors back home, Oshiera had no idea of what could possibly be bothering Dur'kiir's mental state other than yesterday's battle. That had to be it…didn't it?

Her hooded head lifted as she was directed to where she would be placed. Oshiera gave a slight wave with a scaled, webbed claw, then moved towards the left side of the wagon. She moved slowly, tail trailing behind her as she held her crook close to her cloaked body.

As for the woman, Mrs. Maesin, she had remained off to the side, tending to her horse. She of course tuned most of the conversation out, being polite as it didn't concern her until the placement. Her gaze shifted as she watched the giant Dragonkin disappear into the back of her wagon, then towards the 3 younger individuals. The young woman of the group had hopped upwards into the seat, the other pair taking to flank the sides.

Irene gave her draft animal a final pat, then walked over to the wagon. The woman climbed up, seating herself next to the other, Bishop. Her hands took hold of the long reins, taking a final moment to seemingly count and make sure all were present. Her head shifted, tilting slightly back as she heard the whistle. Seemed the young man had everything set and they were ready to depart.

She flicked her wrists, the slight movement of the reins being a sign for the animal. The horse plodded forward at a steady pace. Their path led them past the bustle of the busy market streets and out into the open forest nearby.

"My village, Alenmont, is about a half day's journey to reach," Irene spoke up from her place on the driver's seat of the wagon, "Weather permitting and we don't run into any trouble, we should reach my home just past noon."

Dur'kiir sat silently the darkness of cover. He felt the jolt of the wagon as it suddenly moved, causing him to release a soft growl of pain as his injured side was jarred by the movement. The large Dragonkin repositioned himself, remaining crosslegged. His tail curled around his side, the tip twitching now and then.

He lifted his horned head, his single eye a burning ember in the black cover. Dur'kiir looked towards the back, the flaps slightly parted letting light stream through. Opposite side, another set of flaps which would allow the driver to enter. His gaze was trained towards the back, as light could still occasionally flit through now and then.

Well, now was a good a time as ever to try and clear his thoughts…alone in the darkness…just like those years long ago…

The Dragonkin gave his horned head a shake, a deep, upset rumble coming from his chest. It seemed so hard to focus now, why was that? Had Lambin's words really hit that hard? When had been the last time he joined an adventurer party like this? Well, he felt like he had been forced into it this go around, being the only available mentor at the time…

A sigh, he slowly closed his eyes. The gentle rocking of the moving wagon lulling him to sleep. The draconic male's head dropped, resting against his chest, arms settled on his knees. Dur'kiir's tail tip continued to slowly twitch now and then, sleep taking hold once again.

Aeolus took the time to observe the scenery around him. It wasn't often he really stopped and immersed himself in the world; his duties often kept him occupied, both physically and mentally.

But now, on this cool, fresh morning, he let himself watch as his shoes left soft, dented prints in the dirt and grass, the morning dew accumulating on the soles. Perhaps the smallest physical impact he'd ever made in his life, but it brought him a comfort of some kind. Appreciating the small things was something he'd been trying to work on.

He turned his attention back upward, keenly scanning for any suspicious shapes in the foliage, before letting his gaze wander again. They'd be at this for twelve hours, and the thought already made him fatigued. Of course, he fully intended to keep to the mission contract for as long as was required of him, but he did have to admit that just walking, even for an escort mission, wasn't something he wanted to take up half of his day. He needed something to keep his mind occupied.

Aeolus pursed his lips. How was everything back at the Brigade? Dal and Iro were running the place fine, without a doubt, but with nothing else to think about, his thoughts turned towards home.

He wished he could send a letter, but no communication at all was the safest form of communication in situations like these. Besides, they knew where he was. They'd sent Bishop, and she found him just fine.

The Brigade had been informed of his departure before he left, but now he wondered if the news reached any further than that. This was his first foreign mission, and likely the first time anyone had left Darchester in… a while. The Three Chosen had strict immigration and emigration policies. Given that he was Aeolus Dadichus, however, bypassing such policies was easy. Nobody dared tell him no, out of some irrational fear that he'd use that as justification to make them his next mark. His work didn't function like that. He could handle a no.

But a reputation took a while to change after it was established, and he didn't blame people for having the perception of him that they did. He was a different person than he was before, he knew that — and for now, that had to suffice.

Now that he was gone, however, what were the Three Chosen doing? Dal wasn't involved in combat, being head medic — and while Iro, being the Blademaster, was roughly equal in skill to Aeolus, his reputation was almost the polar opposite of Aeolus's. The Chosen wouldn't take him as seriously.

He tightened his grip on the handle of his sheathed blade. Iro had the skill. That's all that mattered.

Aeolus, once more, examined the wagon's surroundings, now an attempt to distract himself from his worries. A flock of birds departing from a nearby tree startled him, and he quickly drew his sword and dagger, relaxing only when he realized what it was that had spooked him. He hadn't realized he was so on edge.

"Goodness, Aeolus, they're just birds," cackled Bishop. "Nothing's even happened yet and you're already tense."

"I'm just prepared," he muttered in response. "You must be nice and cozy lounging up on that wagon."

"Mhm. I'm having the time of my life right now," she replied, the same playful grin plastered on her features. "You should try relaxing, too — it's a nice morning. Save your energy for when there's people to hit."

She had a point, but he wasn't going to do it.

"How are things on your side, Oshiera?" he called over to his companion instead.

Oshiera walked along in silence. Her finned tail trailed behind her, long cloak flowing downwards. It was strange, walking on land when she had grown up swimming as soon as she had hatched. The most walking she had done while back in her tribe had only really been along the shores to gather plants, shells, and various other things. It was always back to the sea once they had finished and back to their rocky spires beneath the waves.

The sounds on the surface were also different. They didn't seem as amplified, sounds harder to hear. Noises only seemed to become apparent when they were close, some too close for comfort. A call beneath the waves could carry on for what felt like miles. A voice above the surface only seemed to echo only a mile and not even at times. Maybe her hearing was just more accustomed for the surface beneath the water, and not above.

As for scents, Oshiera was still a bit confused. There was most certainly more scents, especially in crowded areas. The Aquaronas found herself overwhelmed by it all, all the smells crashing down upon her. All those smells seemed to congregate and just hover in the same area. Even when a wind or breeze blew past, it didn't seem to do much to disperse it all. At least out in the open, which they were now, the scents were not as congested, letting Oshiera relax.

The creature's hooded head lifted at the sound of caws, a flock of birds suddenly taking flight upon the right side. She shifted her cane to her other webbed claws. They may have only just started their journey, but she felt her legs already aching. In the water she felt weightless, but on the land she felt heavy.

She heard the voices of Aeolus and Bishop, conversing. To be honest, hearing them speak, the creature herself also felt tense, but mostly because she was out of her element here. Her gaze shifted to the right as she heard Aeolus suddenly call out to her.

Oshiera's teal blue eyes quickly shifted back to the right, scanning the woods. She saw nothing, nor did she sense anything. A shadow flew overhead, causing her to look up, to only see what appeared to be the shape of a bird overhead…least it had looked like a bird… Her gaze narrowed, having noticed it had seemed to take off at a rather unnaturally swift pace…perhaps she was just being paranoid. She honestly didn't get a very good look at it.

She gurgled to herself, then spoke up for the young man to hear her voice, "Other than the usssual sssoundssss of a natural foressst, it isss calm."

It seemed that their journey to this village would be uneventful…well, here was to hoping it would be anyway…

Aeolus nodded, content with Oshiera's response.

Bishop kicked her feet up, fidgeting with some bolts on her arm and, on occasion, flexing it to get a sense of how her tendons were functioning.

"How's your arm?" Aeolus piped up, having watched her check up on her arm with interest. It had always intrigued him how she had been able to manufacture a new limb for herself.

"Eh, it's good enough," she replied easily. "Might want to start replacing some parts soon, though; looks like it's rusting a little bit near the wrist. Haven't quite perfected that part yet."

"Would the rust make it stop working?"

"In the sense that I wouldn't be able to move my wrist, yeah, but it was magic that got my arm to work in tune with my brain. Even if I took off my arm now, see—"

Bishop detached her arm from its socket, holding it out for Aeolus to observe. Its metallic fingers clasped into a fist before they extended again and wiggled in a demonstration of flexibility. Aeolus raised an eyebrow. "Impressive."

Bishop nodded in return, a giddy smile spreading across her face. "Taking apart bits and pieces won't affect its connection to me. It technically falls under the 'possessed object' branch of enchanted items, so only complete destruction can make it stop working, which is already a way bigger advantage over an actual organic arm. I don't have to worry about blood loss or going into shock, like what happened when I originally lost my arm."

Aeolus didn't immediately respond, seemingly having retreated to his thoughts. After a minute, his gaze lifted from the ground, and he faced Bishop again with a new curiosity.

"You think I could make an eye the same way you made an arm?"

Bishop's brow furrowed, and now it was her turn to take a moment and reflect.

"Maybe," she finally answered. "And I say maybe because we could certainly jam a metal ball in your skull and get it to move like an eyeball, but I'm not so sure we could make it see things."

Aeolus chuckled, his laughter fading into a defeated sigh. "Well, it was worth a shot."

Bishop shoved her arm back into its socket, sitting upright once more and stretching, a long yawn escaping her. "Hey, but ya never know. Maybe one day, when people get the hang of mixing machines and magic."

The Director nodded his agreement, yet seemed more interested in the immediate ability to see well again as opposed to hoping something came up in the future. He turned his attention back towards observing his surroundings, no less alert than before.

Bishop glanced over at Mrs. Maesin for a brief moment before turning her focus entirely towards the path ahead.

"So… what's Alenmont like? Nice village, good people?"

The woman's form was mostly relaxed. She hired these adventurers, already feeling safer with their presence. Irene had never been trained in combat, so knew little to nothing. She had been raised as a housewife. So to know these individuals could defend themselves and herself was a comforting notion.

Her mind wandered towards her home, hoping she would make it back before it got too late in the afternoon. Worry, the feeling was constant since she had left her husband back home alone. The woman did not know what ailed her husband, but she hoped that with the medicine she had bought at the Kingdom, it would help.

Mrs. Maesin was brought out of her troubled thoughts as Bishop suddenly spoke up, asking about Alenmont; her village. The woman shifted slightly in her seat, readjusting her grip on the reins.

"Alenmont is mostly a agricultural village. We mostly tend to our groves of fruit trees, with some livestock. Alenmont, though belonging to the Igrecean Kingdom, the village is owned and run by Duchess Isabelle Jiluet. The Kingdom is broken into several smaller pieces of land, each owned by either a Duke or Duchess. Personally, I feel those under Duchess Jiluet are well-off, the lady tries to keep her villages supplied and protected, as long as the Igrecean Queen sees it fit."

A frown suddenly crossed the woman's features, "Duke Obrant, however, is a rather…unsettling individual. Quite a few rumors about him…thankfully we don't have to worry about the man, considering his lands are the farthest from the Kingdom. Duke Obrant is located further towards the Northeast, bordering a forest that is supposedly the home of the fae, and past that is dragon territory, a place none dare tread. Kingdom Valon, the neighboring Kingdom, is at war with the beasts, have been for centuries from what I have heard."

"Either way, Alenmont is just one of the few villages belonging to Duchess Jiluet. The people are well-off and seem content with the way things have been. There are things that could be improved, but that's with any place now isn't it?"

---

Oshiera had grown quiet. Out of the corner of her eye, she once again observed how Aeolus and Bishop interacted with each other. They must be close, the way the treated each other. Course, the creature thought of their closeness being more than comradeship. She didn't know how humans worked, or how their courtship would go about.

Teal blue eyes widened slightly as she noticed Bishop simply pull her arm loose, holding it out towards Aeolus. The sun glinted off of a metallic sheen, a metal limb? Oshiera had noticed it before, but didn't really think it would come off like that. Machines, what were machines? Artificial limbs and the such were all foreign to her.

The surface world was strange…

Bishop listened to Mrs. Maesin intently, offering the occasional nod to show she was still invested.

So, Igreacean was broken up into sections of land either a Duke or Duchess saw over, and both answered to a Queen. A fine little system, but more importantly, vital information. A quick glance over at her Director told her that he had definitely taken note of Mrs. Maesin's words.

"It does seem like a fine village to live," she agreed, still mulling over Mrs. Maesin's response. Duchess Jiluet seemed fine enough if the people were satisfied with her rule, but the mention of Duke Obrant specifically caught her attention.

"What about the rumors surrounding Duke Obrant, if they reach so far past his domain? Why would the Queen keep someone like him around?" she asked.

---

Aeolus kept his gaze focused outwards, carefully measuring his surroundings — yet kept an ear towards the conversation.

A monarchy. Alright. Even though Mrs. Maesin seemed to speak highly of Duchess Jiluet, Aeolus wasn't convinced. Given time, anyone would let power get to their heads — or, so he believed. While he was certainly aware that not every nation functioned the same as Darchester, he'd be a little more hesitant to admit that his experiences with people in positions of power hadn't soured his perspective.

That's why he had his council. He himself was someone in a position of authority, and he desperately wanted to make sure he didn't fall down the same path as many before him had.

Besides, Bishop would be more than happy to knock some sense into him if the need arose.

He smiled at the thought. Sure, her nonsensical attitude and general lack of self-preservation had gotten on his nerves and always would, but at the end of the day, she was someone unafraid to challenge and even disprove many of Aeolus's beliefs and ideas — and then work right alongside him as he developed new ones. Where Dal and Iro usually provided support and comfort — certainly no less equal in worth — Bishop was constantly pushing him to learn and grow as a person.

And he was someone she could confide in. He carried many secrets with him, secrets he and only he was privy to. Bishop was, in a way, in a similar situation to his; they were both trying to put the past behind them and work towards a better future. The bond between them that formed as a result was incredibly unique. He understood, and so he was the only person she felt safe opening up to. Where she provided change, he provided stability.

And as Bishop took another quick glance in Aeolus's direction, she remembered this. They were in an odd little predicament, but at least they were in it together.

The woman shifted slightly in her seat. Her eyes darted back and forth at first, then looked back forward. Even her voice lowered to a more hushed tone.

"Missing servants seem to be a common occurrence…though their disappearances are chalked up to the fae. Stores of fae depict the creatures as mischievous beings, leading humans astray, but people think differently. The fae aren't known for leaving their forest, nor are they known for outright being malicious."

"People know Duke Obrant lost his wife and daughter in an attack by a rogue dragon. Said dragon having been driven from Dragon Territory for crimes unknown by us. Either way, they say the man lost himself to grief. His wife's body torn apart, his daughter choked by poisonous fumes. Can't imagine finding such a sight…"

A frown remained on her features, "It is said Duke Obrant turned to dark magic, a warlock offering knowledge to him on how to get his daughter back. Since his dabbling with that dark magic, another group from Kingdom Valon have sought his help in dealing with their problem; the dragons. These of course are all rumors."

The woman was quiet for several moments, then shook her head, "The Queen has sent investigators from what I have heard, and so far none have managed to find anything against Duke Obrant. So until evidence is actually found to prove the rumors true, she lets the man be."

Mrs. Maesin glanced towards the sky. The sun was reaching midday, they would soon be arriving to her home. She was thankful that the journey back to her village seemed to be uneventful.

"We should be arriving in Alenmont soon. My house is on the outskirts of the village."

---

Noon had indeed arrived, the outline of houses coming into view as they traveled down the dusty road. A sigh of relief seemed to come from the woman as the familiar homes came into view, lines of tree groves on either side as they approached.

"Just a bit further through the main village, and we should reach my house…I really do appreciate you all for escorting me here…I was beginning to wonder when I was still back in the Igreacean Kingdom if anyone was going to take my quest…"

The fae, huh? Bishop was familiar with them — there was a forest back home that was known for housing nature spirits and mythical creatures of all sorts, fae being one of them — so she found herself confused by the rumor. She continued to listen, tapping her foot thoughtfully.

Sheesh. Obrant didn't sound like that bad of a guy, just someone who'd gotten the short end of the stick in life. While it was never a good idea to dabble in the dark arts, she could understand why it would have its appeal given the situation.

Despite his questionable coping mechanisms, however, he didn't sound like a mark. Her gaze turned towards the road ahead, studying it carefully. "Mm, sounds like a rough situation. Hopefully it'll get sorted out soon, for the sake of the people under his rule."

In response to Mrs. Maesin's announcement, she cracked a smile. "Oh, perfect. Right on time for lunch, I'm assuming?" she added, glancing over at Aeolus..

"Is that all you were looking forward to?" he asked.

"You're telling me you're not looking forward to a hot meal?"

"Not while there's still work to do."

Bishop snickered. "Right, I forget who I'm talking to."

Aeolus stared at her, squinting with suspicion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her snicker devolved into a bit of laughter, "Don't worry about it."

---

It was a pretty village, Aeolus had to admit. He felt himself relax and he took a deep breath, letting himself indulge in the warm atmosphere. Another job well done.

"Oh, it was no trouble," he replied to Mrs. Maesin, offering her a weary but content smile. "I hope your husband's recovery is a speedy one."

He glanced back at the wagon, seeming to remember the draconic figure snoozing inside it.

"Should we wake up Dur'kiir?" he asked Bishop, who shrugged in response.

"I say let him rest until we stop. He needs all the sleep he can get."

"Fair enough. How are you doing over there, Oshiera?" he replied, raising his voice so the Aquaronas could hear him from the other side.

She had grown silent as they continued to travel. Oshiera barely listened to the conversations happening between Bishop and Mrs. Maesin. The creature instead focused on the world around, eyes scanning the foliage, listening more to the natural sounds than human voices.

As they had neared, soon entering the village, the creature seemed to pull the worn cloak closer to her body. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to being in crowded areas that were full of humans and creatures that were not her own.

Oshiera lifted her head towards Aeolus' voice. She shifted her staff to her other clawed hand, tail swishing behind her.

"My legsss are sssore…I am not usssed to walking long dissstancesssss on dry land."

How could humans stand to walk for so long? Least in the water she felt weightless.

Through the village, then finally coming to a halt outside a small farmhouse. Mrs. Maesin gently pulled the reins, the draft horse coming to a standstill. The woman climbed down from the seat, moving towards the back of her wagon. She moved to pull the cloth back, letting light stream inside to see the few crates and sacks that most likely held goods.

It had been an uneasy sleep most of the way. In and out of conscious, his mind slipping back and forth. Old memories had been triggered, both good and bad times. One moment he was back, younger and surrounded by familiar faces, next he was thrown into the bloodshed, bodies falling as blood stained the ground. The sounds, all a jumbled mess of laughter and screams, all those memories melding into one another.

A light suddenly shown into the darkness. Still in his drowsy and mixed state of mind, the large Dragonkin lifted his horned head. The single ember for an eye seemed to spark to life slightly, widening as he saw the silhouette of what appeared to be a woman.

"Mahuat…is that you?"

"I-I beg your pardon sir?"

That voice, that…that wasn't right. His vision started to clear again, and with it his mind as well. Ah shit, this was awkward. The Dragonkin swallowed hard, fumbling over his words as he suddenly sat up straight, single eye staring towards Irene, pupil completely round.

"F-forgive me madam…I-I-I'm afraid my mind may have wandered further than I care to admit."

Dur'kiir was quick to bow his horned head to her, then stood up straight. He moved towards the back, waiting as the woman stepped to the side, allowing him to exit the wagon and into the afternoon sun. The tall humanoid walked towards the side, coming to stand nearby. One arm moved to rest on his hip, the other moving to rub the scales along the back of his neck. A frown graced his features as he remained standing awkwardly, single eye shifted to the side.

Mrs. Maesin had taken hold of one of the sacks, holding it close. She approached the door of her house, pausing to look back, "One moment, and I will return with your payment."

The Dragonkin gave a slight nod, his hand returning to his side. The male's single eye glanced over to the side where he took note of the 3 younger adventurers standing. Well, seemed they were at least all getting along so far. That was a plus, when the group decided to work together instead of butting heads. Gods knew he had dealt with such problems in the past…some of which he caused…

His gaze shifted back forward. Had he really let his mind wander that far to where he mistook a shadow as…no, enough of that. A sigh escaped Dur'kiir, arms moving to cross in front of his chest as they waited for the woman to return outside.

"You and me both, hah," Aeolus replied. "Quite the walk, this has been."

He took in the village setting, now with more focus than before. With the escort job finished, he remembered that he was still in the middle of his own work.

Three people. Yetfa Net-Hal, Julien Thornrose, and a certain someone known only as "The Sky". What made these certain contracts interesting, however, was the lack of a description. He had their names, a (in all honesty, rather vague) physical description, and the fact that they were all located in Igreacean — and that was it. He didn't know who they were or what they had done to warrant sending an assassin after them.

And, to add to his intrigue, all four of his contracts had come from the same person. The woman had provided their names, locations, and coin, and when it came to business, that was all he required — but most clients were often thoughtful enough to provide their reasons. Cheated on, stolen from, sabotaged… what he would call the usual. But the woman had provided nothing.

At first, it hadn't bothered him. It was only business, after all. But the more he dwelled on it, the more it had begun to unsettle him.

Why exactly had she wanted these people dead?

The wagon eventually came to a stop, and when it did so Bishop slid off, dropping to the ground with ease. She dusted off her shirt, meeting Aeolus's gaze with her signature smile. He returned the smile with one of his own. Yet as he heard sounds from the wagon, his posture changed — his arms folded across his chest, and he stood stiffer, straighter. Bishop's smile faltered, her features softening with a mixture of sympathy and dejection. He'd get there eventually.

She herself turned her attention to the approaching Dur'kiir, offering a nod to acknowledge his presence.

"How are those wounds of yours holding up? Sleep help you any?"

While Bishop struck up conversation, Aeolus decided to seek out Oshiera's company. He made his way over, briefly raising a hand to grab her attention as he approached.

"How was the journey?" he inquired eagerly. "I recognize that it was likely to put a bit of strain on you, but other than Dur'kiir, I felt you would have the keenest eyes about you, and that spot would need them. I'm grateful you were willing, and," he added, more softly, "that things went smoothly. I… don't know if I could've faced Dur'kiir after a second mistake."

He wouldn't normally be so quick to confide in someone he didn't know well about his worries, but he'd grown to like Oshiera — they seemed to be in a similar situation, navigating lands unfamiliar to them and struggling in one way or another as a result. He had an ally in Bishop, and so was less worried about that, but he found Oshiera to be one of the more approachable figures in this strange environment.

Dur'kiir continued to stand in silence. His tail slowly swayed one way, then the other as he remained with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He lifted his horned head at the voice of Bishop. The old Dragonkin lowered his right arm to his side. He seemingly glanced behind her, observing as the most he received from Aeolus, was a stiffening of body posture, tense perhaps?

A low huff seemed to escape Dur'kiir, forked tongue flicking past his lips for a moment, then drawing back into his mouth. His single eye returned to look towards Bishop.

"Sleep, barely…" the most emotion in his voice was a tired drawl, "The wound, in due time."

No, he had no want to share the details of exactly was going on in his mind of his currently. Too many troubled thoughts, all of which the Dragonkin was trying to sort through. Words usually meant little to him, used to verbal abuse like what Lambin had done earlier…but that mention of 'not caring about his party'…was their truth behind that man's words? Would she still be alive if…

Dur'kiir suddenly lifted his hand, gripping his head around his horn, as if a sudden shot of pain racked across his head. A low 'humming', it was resounding in his head, making it feel like it was pounding. That 'hum' seemed to grow louder in his mind, growing into a chorus of voices, voices speaking words he felt as if he should understand, but didn't. In the back of his mind, through the hum and pounding, he felt his primal nature stir, as if reaching out, to break free.

His eyes shot open in an instant again, wide, pupil narrowed into a thin slit. His gaze swirled from the usual fiery orange, to the feral red, then back again.

"Damn't…just what the hell…" The Dragonkin paused, only realizing his behavior would probably come off strange…just suddenly gripping his head, having an almost wild look in his good eye again. Calm down, keep it buried, control it.

Oshiera sat down on the ground as they waited for the woman to return with their payment. Though at the sound of approaching footsteps, the creature was quick to stand again, holding her crook again. Her hooded head lifted to face none other than Aeolus. She observed as he raised his hand, promptly doing the same in response. It seemed the right thing to do, watching the humans and other creatures back at the Kingdom. Seemed it was a greeting of sorts.

Her finned tail flicked to the side, those blue eyes glowing in the darkness of her hood trained upon the young man. A gurgle resounded from the depths of the cloak, as she seemed to do now and then, followed by her voice.

"Other than the long walk, it wasss an interesssting experience. I found a few thingsss along the road I picked up."

The cloaked creature paused, looking towards her side. She reached a clawed hand down, opening the flap of the leather satchel. Oshiera rummaged through her belongings a bit, then pulled out several items; mostly a few uniquely colored rocks, holding them in the palm of her webbed claws.

"Not sssure if thessse are worth anything to humansss, though back in my tribe, I'm curiousss if thessse will be worth sssomething. We ussse different kindsss of ssshellsssss when we barter with other tribesss. That or thessse will be usssed asss offeringsss."

She tucked the stones back into her satchel, moving a few things again, then finally pulling out a large, fiery orange feather.

"Thisss isss ssstrange to me…thisss feather. It ssseemssss warm, and the coloration remindsss me of fire…"

Her head lifted again towards Aeolus, tilting it slightly. Wasn't sure if he'd be able to face Dur'kiir? Her blue eyes softened, "Don't think I could face him at all…I had the benefit of being in the conssstant company of my people…ssso all thessse new culturesss and ideasss I am ssstill trying to underssstand…and try not to make missstakes and insssult sssomeone by accident…"

Bishop nodded towards Dur'kiir, a hint of sympathy apparent on her features. She truly felt bad for the Dragonkin, but figured he wouldn't want much of her pity, and instead settled on just not giving him a hard time.

"In due time, indeed," she murmured in agreement, yet right as her gaze drifted off, Dur'kiir's behavior caught back her attention. She frowned, watching as he took a moment to recollect himself, her posture relaxing with her hands slipping easily into the pockets of her pants. At this point, it seemed rude to not say anything. She met his gaze, unfazed by the reappearance of what seemed to be his more primal side — concerned instead about the state of her mentor.

"I'll be frank with you. Everyone here's had an inkling that something isn't all right with you, and I'm talking more than just the wound. You don't gotta spill your guts if you're not up for it, but… are you alright?"

---

Aeolus took a gander at the objects Oshiera had collected along the journey, his curiosity piqued. He himself wasn't a collector, but he knew people who indulged in the hobby, and he saw the appeal.

"I'm no expert on what's worth collecting, but if you find the right person, you could make a couple coins from those. If neither they nor your tribe would want them, at the very least you'd have a souvenir from land."

A souvenir… now that he'd thought about it, he was interested in picking up a memento of sorts. He certainly had more pressing matters at hand, but a book or two would be nice to bring back home.

Book… library. That's right. He had to remember that he'd wanted to find a library when he had a bit of free time. Good thing his mind had started wandering where it had.

His eye widened as Oshiera pulled out the feather. It was certainly pretty, and he found himself wondering where along the trail she'd found it.

"Seems warm — warm to the touch? Maybe Dur'kiir would recognize something like that. I'm no expert on the wildlife here, either," he replied.

In response to Oshiera's confession, he managed a knowing smile. Was that why she was so timid? He couldn't say for sure, but it certainly made sense. "I think you're doing quite fine. Mistakes are just a part of the learning process. And, honestly," he added, "I've got a lot to learn about this place, too. You're not alone in your confusion."

The Dragonkin's lips twitched, fangs showing. He should've know…that the kids would pick up on things sooner than later. Problem was, he thought he knew what was wrong, but in truth he himself barely knew. There had to be more to the story than just memories triggering his primal, destructive nature. Dur'kiir had learned to keep his emotions in check. He knew certain, strong emotions would be enough for him to change in an instant.

Yet those voices, they were almost like a call…as if he was being beckoned somewhere. Not once in his long life had he ever experienced such a sensation that seemed to rattle him to his very primal core. Something about it, it felt as if he should know what those voices were saying, why they were calling him.

His single eye came to settle on Bishop. The large Dragonkin opened his mouth, though shut it again. How could he describe it, to someone who didn't hear it, to someone actually had a grip on their nature so to speak. He most likely already seemed mentally unstable, to say what he felt and heard would probably just worsen that view on him.

Sure, Dur'kiir knew his mind's primal, chaotic nature was there, but recently it seemed to be harder to control. Now and then he would hear that strange 'hum', but the hum suddenly erupting into a chorus of voices in his mind, that was new, the sensation he felt accompanying it; intense anger, hatred, a song that called for destruction.

Take a breath, just let the words flow on their own…

"It's…it's complicated to explain," the Dragonkin moved his hand to rub the back of his neck, "Mostly cause even I'm unsure of it myself."

His single eye shifted to the ground for a moment, then lifted back upwards as he remained facing the young woman before him, "It…happens now and then…I'll hear what sounds like a low 'hum' in my mind. I-It's nothing really, just a sound that comes and goes…"

Another breath, he probably sounded insane, and if he didn't before, he sure would now, "Though that 'hum' just seemed to change into voices, a chorus almost. That song…a song of destruction and death…it beckoned my draconic nature, seeking it specifically…"

Dur'kiir shifted his gaze elsewhere again. It really was hard to explain when one, he didn't truly understand it himself, and second, he was trying not to sound completely insane, but he probably did now.

---

A sound that seemed to be a pleased gurgle came from the hood of the creature's cloak as she returned her items to her satchel. Her finned tail swayed to the side as she moved her cane to her other webbed hand. 'Souvenir'? The creature couldn't say she understood what the young man meant, but she did not question it. Instead, Oshiera simply seemed happy to share her findings with another.

Her hooded head tilted slightly. He thought she was doing fine with her interactions? Well, she certainly was trying, and Aeolus confirmation did make her feel better. True, mistakes did indeed happen, but one could learn from them.

"I feel better, knowing I'm not the only one trying to work on learning thisss landsss culturesss and sssuch."

Blue eyes glowed, remaining their soft hue, "Well, let'sss try to learn sssome of thessse thingsss together, ssso if thingsss do happen to go sssour, leassst we will look like foolsss together yesss?"

A strange gurgling seemed to come from her, her equivalent to a laugh for the Aquaronas.

Dur'kiir was right — he absolutely sounded crazy to her. But Bishop had no qualms with crazy. Hell, depending on who one asked, she could be considered some kind of crazy herself. She could work with crazy.

A hum, a beckoning hum, he said… a hum that becomes a song. Her thoughtful gaze drifted to the ground as she mulled over potential causes, her need to problem-solve kicking into high gear. She likely wouldn't have anything satisfactory to offer the Dragonkin given that this would be her first time hearing of such a phenomenon as well, but she recognized that Dur'kiir probably trusted her to some degree if he was willing to divulge all this at this risk of sounding mad. Any idea of hers could be a potential solution, so she tossed out an idea that had formed.

"I am aware that there are certain kinds of magic that can, hmm.. compel certain traits in people," she offered him. "Spells that can make people angry, or fearful, or give them strength, y'know? I used to know a shapeshifter back when I was a bandit. Our chief kept him in line with magic that forced him to assume his human form. By what you're describing, I'm tempted to say it might be something along those lines."

She shrugged. "But take this all with a grain of salt; I'm taking a shot in the dark here. Whatever it is, maybe talking to the other two will get more people on board with getting to the bottom of this, if you want to look into it."

The other two. She'd heard them conversing from the other side of the wagon, and now that the thought crossed her mind, she found herself curious.

---

Aeolus laughed in return — a hearty, good-humored chuckle. His own laughter surprised him; he had a sense of humor, certainly, but it wasn't something he frequently indulged in. As a matter of fact, only two people had ever heard him laugh before. And it'd taken a while to get there.

Maybe he was finally loosening up, finally becoming more comfortable with himself and other people. He relished in the feeling. He'd grown weary of being timid and distrustful of everyone a long time ago, and now that he'd come to a point where he could share a laugh with someone he only partially knew, it gave him hope. Hope for the future. Hope for himself.

"The screw-ups of today are tonight's stories over ale, a friend of mine would say," he replied, his joy lingering just a tad longer in the form of a content smile. "But so far, it looks like things are running rather smoothly. We just need to get our payment and head back to base."

His smile faltered as new thoughts crossed his mind, and he turned to glance briefly at the house Mrs. Maesin had entered.

"Speaking of which, when will Mrs. Maesin return?"

The giant Dragonkin's gaze was trained on the ground. His hands were settled on his hips, tail slowly flicking one way and the other in an almost thoughtful manner. Though he seemed to have withdrawn back into himself, Dur'kiir did listen to Bishop's input.

Magic, leave it to magic…though something else bothered Dur'kiir. He knew some history with the dragons, knowing very well how the beasts seemed to be closely connected with each other. Even Dragonkin like himself, seemed to feel ties with the great beasts. Though for Dur'kiir, it was much different, coming from a Doom lineage, it wasn't the same tie to those dragons whom served the mighty Dragon King.

Perhaps it had to do with Doom Dragons being driven from this mainland to the remote island Malucladium. The Doom Dragons most likely became their own society so to speak…a chaotic one probably…

Dur'kiir knew with the connections in the Dragon Kingdom, should the Dragon King call, dragons of all kinds would obey and swarm to the great Mount Draconis. Even the Dragonkin would feel drawn, but unlike their true, dragon counterparts, they were not required to answer the call, less they chose to.

"Hm…I think I see what you are getting at, controlling the thoughts of another."

A frown crossed the male's features, "A possibility some magic user could be nearby…though I am unsure, seeing as this 'hum' I spoke of I have heard long before even in my younger years at times, but never has it gotten this intense, changing to that ominous chorus."

That song, that call of destruction was truly bothering him. He was raking his brain with possible creatures that could instill such malice. Yet it all just came blank to him…except…

He gave his horned head a slight shake. No, that was impossible…there was no way…

Dur'kiir's head lifted at the sound of a door creaking. Mrs. Maesin had appeared on the steps, holding a small pouch. The tall male slowly stepped forward, approaching for their payment.

---

Her finned tail seemed to sway a bit faster, body perking up as she heard the young man laugh. That was the first she had heard him actually sound relaxed. Well, Aeolus seemed the more secretive type to the Aquaronas, and she was not one to pry into someone else's private life less they decided to share. However, she did feel more confident, her own body seeming to relax as he seemed to show a small amount of joy. Was much better than that tense, stuffy air of earlier.

Oshiera gave a nod, the darkness of her hood seeming to show a glimmer of glowing fangs, as if the hidden creature was smiling towards Aeolus. Her own gurgling laugh quieted down as Aeolus spoke up of stories over ale. Then he asked the question most of them were all probably wondering.

The cloaked head turned towards the sound of a creaking door, "Would ssseem we no longer have to wait."

Oshiera took hold of her crook, shifting it to her other webbed hand. Her tail trailed behind her, still swaying back and forth in the relaxed manner, also seeming content and having relaxed.

---

Dur'kiir soon stood towering over the woman, even as she stood on the top step of the short stairs that led into her house. In her hands, she held what looked to be a worn, leather satchel. Mrs. Maesin held it outwards towards the horned male.

"20 silver, as promised for escorting me safely back home."

The Dragonkin followed suit, moving his hand out, letting the bag drop into the palm of his hand with a soft jingle. Without so much of a second thought, the male tucked it away to the side of his belt.

Dur'kiir bowed his horned head slightly, "Glad to be of service madam."

The male then pivoted, starting to walk away, but paused at the sound of her voice.

"D-Dur'kiir was it? You weren't by chance in the Battle of Klilk…about 60 years ago?"

The large Dragonkin stopped. His horned head turned slightly, that single ember coming to land on the woman who stood seeming to clutch her hands to her chest. Dur'kiir was silent for several moments, then finally answered.

"I was…the trogs put up quite a fierce fight, but we managed, despite our faltering numbers."

"Y-yes…my father had been in that fight…h-he spoke highly of you…"

Dur'kiir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow towards the woman, "Oh?"

Mrs. Maesin seemed to pause, trying to find words, "Sir Henric, he was my father. He remembered you, you were the one to carry him to safety."

"He…He never did get to thank you then…so let me thank you for him. Though he has passed, if it hadn't been for you, I would have never seen my father return home after the war…so…thank you."

The Dragonkin's single eye seemed to widen ever so slightly. He had clearly been waiting to hear something else entirely. He quickly shifted his gaze back forward away from the woman. The horned male swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Dur'kiir released a low sigh, a thin stream of smoke escaping out of the corner of his mouth.

"It is my duty to protect those weaker than I. Even when I had the urge to keep fighting…it would not have sit right with me to leave the incapacitated on the field while blades continued to clash around us."

His head turned to look towards her, "I only hope you continue to live for him. May the Supreme One watch over you, and his Daughter Goddess Medaci grant your husband a swift recovery."

Dur'kiir lifted his hand in a slight farewell, then turning back to walk towards his pupils. His tail slowly swayed one way, then the other, trailing behind him as he walked over. He came to stand nearby, once again towering over those before him.

"Well, that's over with…I'm headed towards the nearest tavern for a drink, then we head back to the Kingdom."

Bishop watched Dur'kiir curiously, reading his expression in the hopes of garnering some sense of what he was thinking. She responded to his words with a hum of acknowledgement, retreating back into her thoughts to mull over the information. If this hum had been with him for a good few years, then…

She was pulled from her thoughts as Dur'kiir walked past her, and she frowned, leaning to the side to try and catch a glimpse at what had caught his attention. It was only when she saw Mrs. Maesin that she relaxed, resting a hand on her hip and tapping her foot to a steady beat. It hadn't occurred to her until that moment that the woman had yet to show up.

---

Aeolus had turned his attention towards the exchange between Dur'kiir and Mrs. Maesin, observing the two carefully. Admittedly, the time it took for her to return with the payment had raised some suspicion on his end, but he was a naturally wary individual.

He was about ready to turn and prepare for departure until Mrs. Maesin spoke again, her words this time holding his attention more firmly.

Battle of Klilk… 60 years ago? Dur'kiir's reaction to the name spelled out its importance. Aeolus pursed his lips and took to studying individual blades of grass on the ground as if one of them would be able to sort out his feelings for him.

He stood, now in disbelief. Not at the idea that Dur'kiir's act of kindness was unlikely to transpire, no — instead, he stood in disbelief at the realization that he'd been wrong.

He'd been wrong before; that much wasn't new. But he'd considered himself astute in his judgement of character, despite his tendency to be distrustful and avoidant of others. When he had stood by Dur'kiir that night and stared into that angry, primal flame, he could've sworn he was standing face to face with something evil. Something that wanted to burn and destroy.

But as he stood here and listened to Mrs. Maesin's story, he found himself having to challenge his previous notions. He could almost see Bishop grinning at him now, despite being separated by the wagon. She'd been right, and now he'd have to confront her about it.

And as Dur'kiir approached, the party gathering beside the wagon as the Dragonkin relayed the plan to hit a taven before the Kingdom, he found that Bishop was, in fact, grinning ever so subtly at him.

"Sounds good," the mechanic chirped in response. "Watch your drinks, though. We've still gotta keep an eye on your health."

Aeolus was so absorbed in his thoughts that he forgot to reply.

Bishop pulled him to the side, just out of earshot from the others, that grin of hers widening by the second.

Aeolus threw his hands up in the air, a long sigh escaping him. He knew exaclty what she was waiting for.

"Okay, okay. You were right, I was wrong. You happy?"

"Soooooo, does that mean…?"

"Yes, I'll disregard the contract."

Bishop let out a joyful laugh, punching his arm playfully. "Aw, I knew you'd come around eventually!"

"But that still raises the question of why someone would want him assassinated in the first place," Aeolus pointed out, to which Bishop responded with a thoughtful nod.

"Of course. That client sure was… secretive. I know we don't have any policies for that, but…"

Aeolus frowned. "At this rate, I might put something into place. But that still leaves three marks left."

"Yeah, but at this point you've gotta wonder: if Dur'kiir's alright, who's to say the other three aren't bad, either?"

Aeolus paused, running a hand through his dark brown hair as he thought over his response. "We'll have to be careful. I have half a mind to just not complete the contracts, but I don't want to back out of the deal entirely after accepting it. That's bad for business."

"At the very least, let's see what the other three are all about," suggested Bishop. "Then we can make our next move. We're going to be here for a little while, anyways — what, with all this questing."

Aeolus seemed content with the idea. "Alright. I intended to hit a library when I had some time, so I'll look into seeing if there's one in the area while Dur'kiir's at the tavern."

He nodded back towards the others. "Shouldn't keep them waiting, though. Don't wanna look too suspicious."

Bishop snickered, but accompanied him as he made his way back over to the party. She smiled and waved at Oshiera. "You intend to go anywhere for the time being? Aeolus and I are thinking to hit a library, if any are around here."