Marta took the ointment just after Cale was done with it and when it started to itch like hell Marta had to spend all the trip back to Suhalla trying to not not scratch her burns, but the urge ceased once they reached the destination, a new town, that meant new places to explore, more people to meet and more food to try! But no, duty comes first, she needed to stay with her party in case she was needed.

Cale said Why don't you guys go...

"Okay seeya later at some inn or something!"

Unlike Tolbi, Suhalla was a small village, although as with many others not as small as it used to be previous to the upbringing of the alchemy. The sun was setting, but since the area was close to the equator of the world, as Marta recalled from one of the geography books she had read, probably it wasn't as late as sunset in Lemuria. All shops were closed, and it seemed like tomorrow there would be a small market taking place, but so far the only activity and noise was the one of some kids and youngsters playing on the street with a ball which was sent flying in the direction of the girl, who caught it with her foot and started to keep it up in the air with her knees and feet, much to the entertaining of the kids, who seemed amazed with the display of ability. When she returned the ball with a powerful kick, the kids promptly asked her to stay to play. While it's true that she was tired, the medicine of Leyya had done wonders, so she wasn't feeling any pain and she could spend some time with them

"Sure, why not? It's not night completely yet, and in such a small town I won't need to search too much to find my friends again."

Did she say friends? She let a little chuckle out as she imagined Isaiah, Sayuri and Leyya raisin an eyebrow at the idea.

While they were walking to the healer, isaiah turned to look at cale. "Hey cale, since we seem to have time, what were you doing in tolbi? You're proxian. Was there any reason to be in tolbi, or were you just exploring?" Isaiah was genuinely interested to learn about cale. He didn't talk much it seemed. Along with leyya, he was quiet and demure.

On their way back to Suhalla Leyya cleaned all her wounds and applied solutions to all her burns so she knew that she was going to be alright. When they came into the inn she just let out a sight and turned to the ones that were left in the room: "Marta, cloud you please see with the innkeeper that we get a nice and sizable dinner in a hour or two when, if the local healer is not a total failure, Cale should return with Isaiah. If he tries to argue about it just mention that we are warriors working for Iodem and that if he doesn't listen to you we shall mention this to the Lord alright?"
Then she turned to Sayuri: "How are your wounds holding up? I didn't catch if you at least cleaned the cuts and asked me to check your burns?"
She was wondering what are they supposed to do from here on, naturally collecting the rewards comes first but an Adept cloud not ignore Zagan's destruction and arson, it had to have a connection with Alchemy, Psyenergy or Adepts in some way and that meant that they had to at least try to do something about his, ignoring it cloud lead to a bad image to the already doubtful position of Adepts after the Golden Sun. The best bet would be to convince the rest of the Adepts in this temporal group that the matter of Zagan's weird behavior cloud not be overlooked and that they had to act for the benefit of all Adepts and Weyard by finding what was behind that behavior...

Cale looked up when Isaiah addressed him and nodded. He was used to these types of questions, it was odd after all to see a proxian in the world now. They used to be a rarity altogether, and the last ones that really made waves weren't very well loved for a lot of good reasons.

"Something like that. Exploring I mean. Up until a few years ago our people didn't really leave the north often. Some people left, but eventually it became very difficult to impossible due to the glaciers and severe weather. When that changed a lot of us wanted to go out and see the world. So we did." Cale answered. There was a little bit more to his own inspiration for leaving, but he didn't feel like sharing that just yet. He then turned to Isaiah and returned the question.

"What about you? I've never been to Garoh, but the way you talked about it before is there some taboo around that town? Why did you leave?" He asked.

"Alright. I guess since you told me, i'll tell you. But you have to promise me that you won't tell any of the others. I don't want them knowing any of this." Isaiah said. taking a deep breath, Isaiah began to unfold his secrets.

"I was born in Garoh. It's a small village in some mountains. Do you remember when Sayuri didn't want to carry me and called me a beastman? she was wrong, but her statement wasn't out of context. I should be a werewolf. I don't know why I'm not. Maybe because my father was just a normal human. But when I was six or seven, when my mother found out I couldn't become a werewolf, she abandoned me. After a year of starving, I decided to stow away on a merchant caravan. By the time they found me, they had decided to just take me in and let me travel with them. I traveled with them till I was about 14, at which point I left the caravan, and decided to wander around. I wandered around for about 2 years, until I came to Tolbi. I was hoping to find some kind of work here. Guess I found it." Isaiah chuckled at this point finally telling his story to someone. "Now remember what i said. Please do not tell this to anyone else. I don't want them to know. But thanks for listening."

Cale listened intently to Isaiah's story. A village of werewolves. Nowadays that probably wouldn't be considered the weirdest thing people had heard of since the rise of the Morgal Empire, but before the rise of the Golden Sun that kind of information could be very unnerving to the average person.

"You know...legend has it that the Proxian people are descended from dragons. It's why we're scaly and have an affinity for fire. So being a beast person isn't all bad if that's true." Cale said, giving a toothy smile. Afterwards he chuckled a bit and nodded.

"Your secret is safe with me, Isaiah. But to be honest, I'm a bit confused as to why it needs to be a secret in the first place. I don't believe the others would care. But it is your choice." Cale said. Eventually they reached the small hut where the healer was located. Cale helped Isaiah inside where the healer was, currently unattended.

"Welcome, what services may I offer you?" The healer asked. Cale presented Isaiah and helped him forward.

"Broken bones and ribs. Also some cuts and burns." Cale said. The healer moved forward and inspected Isaiah before giving another nod.

"Yes I can do that. I will need to be compensated however, I'm afraid this service does not come free. 1200 coins please." The healer said.

Marta spent some time playing with the kids until she remembered that she was supposed to have asked the innkepper to prepare the group a meal for later, and the embarrassment of having forgotten such thing made her stop on her tracks and without giving any explanation go running directly to the inn and ask the man in charge, however, just as she feared, it was too late

"Dinner? At this hour? Sorry miss, if I start preparing it right now you would have to eat it in three hours, and I suppose the party you arrived with are already hungry and tired."

"Well, better late than never I guess!"

"Besides, miss, I close the kitchen in an hour so that the smell does not attract distant monsters, so I can't do anything to provide you a warm meal, sorry."

The adept's stomach growled and she gave a despairing look at the man behind the bar while pouting. Far from melting the man's heart, this act made him feel embarrassment for the girl and scratching his head he hesitated before talking

"Well, I know for sure there is one house in the town that can give you food at this hour, but I won't lie to you, they probably won't receive you and in the unlikely chance that they do, it won't be cheap."

Marta recovered her enthusiasm at this glimpse of hope and said that it was okay and asked for the direction of this house, to which she moved immediately. Upon arriving at the place, a youngster blocked her path in front of the door, but when he recognized Marta as the cool girl who had played with them he trusted her enough to let her pass. While the local had a reminiscence of the infamous pub back in Tolbi where she had a fight with some brigands, the people in the place had more sophisticated looks and way much elegant matters. Dressed in silk robes, adult men of different ages and sometimes displaying magnificent works of facial hair congregated around tables to chat, play gambling games, breath the white smoke of a curious tall artifact and drink and eat food that was being catered to them and that certainly made Marta's mouth to melt. She approached an old man with a turban that seemed to be some sort of patriarch, and full of coincidence she went straight to the point and asked him to buy food for five people while showing him the money she had, but this patriarch just gave the girl a detested look and quickly dismissed her telling that she didn't have enough money. However, instead of trying to go back to Cale to ask him for coins, which he would probably need for the healer, she instead looked at the gambling players and said

"Explain me that card game and give me half an hour. I'll have enough money."

Instead of the expected laughter, a gentleman near her politely explained the rules of the card game in which you had to bet guessing the hand of the contrary, similar to a strange poker. With a malicious smile on her face, she sit on an empty seat that was offered to her and after she put her money on the table she was given cards alongside her opponent.

{Mind Read}

Maybe half an hour was an understatement of how long it would take for her to earn the money

Sayuri was wandering around having no location in mind. As she wandered she heard a bird off in the distance. She paused and listened for a couple minutes before hearing the cry again. She smiles and pulls a small whistle out of a small pouch and blows into it. The same cry comes from it. She sits on a nearby bench and waits for another cry before responding with the whistle. After about 20 minutes of this a pair of birds land in front of her. She smiles and holds out her arm allowing them to climb up, "Hey guys. It's been awhile, especially you Tsume," She writes a quick letter and ties it to one of the birds legs, "Hane I need you to deliver this letter home so the know what's going on." The bird she spoke to nods and flies off circling twice before flying off.

Leyya first went to check if the inn-keeper was preparing the meal that she order Marta to order but found that he would not be able to provide one she acquired enough ingredients she found a spot near the inn and begun making a simple meal in the cauldron that she took from the inn's kitchen. Sighting as the whole think cooked she wondered where did Marta and Sayuri disappear to. She decided not to think about that and went to maintain her weapons and recheck her wounds to kill time and be ready for anything ...

When the healer said the price for the healing, Isaiah immediately reached for his coinbag. "Here. 1200 and more coins in there keep whatever is left." In truth, that was the last of isaiah's money. That was all he had left from his travels with merchants. He would miss it but he was sure he would earn more in his travels. After the healer had received the money, he began to work. Isaiah could feel energy surging back into him, and felt good as new. When the healer was done, he hopped up feeling nice and energetic again. "Hey cale why don't we go find ourseleves some nice hot food? I bet they found a nice place in the inn." He said to cale, ready to walk out the door.

"Sounds good to me." Cale said as he gave a nod to the healer in thanks and left out the door. That had been an expensive job, he hoped that money was going to charity or something beneficial to the town. After they had left, the pair would venture back towards the inn, at which point they would find Leyya along the way. It seemed as if she was preparing a meal, which was a bit odd considering he had thought they'd be eating at the inn.

"Leyya? Is there a reason you're cooking out here?" Cale asked. He then looked around the immediate area and also noticed the absence of Sayuri and Marta.

"Where are the other two?" He asked.

"Is she a witch?"

Upon listening to the accusation, Marta didn't turn her head, but her smile got wider and her eyes described a malice look as she responded

"Don't say nonsense, witchcraft and magic do not exist."

Since she had started playing she had managed to win every time. Her rivals were more drawn to play against her not because of the possible winnings but because they tried to figure out what cheating method she was using, but it was no use, a game based upon predicting your opponents draws should be won by experience and only a bit luck. Marta was getting richer and richer, and because she had been brought a plate of food she had completely forgotten about what time was it. She was about to call another opponent when the patriarch scratched his beard and said

"Oh, I finally get it. You must be an adept."

Nobody seemed to react to it, except for the girl, who jumped back hit the table with her knees, screaming and "ouch" and almost dropping the cards she had on her hands. She then fixed the eyes on the man and tried to fake dumbness

"What's an adept?"

"It's funny how you reacted. Excessively so I would even say. I have no proof really, but if you value your safety I would recommend that you pack your things and leave as quick as you can."

Marta didn't hesitate to just grab all her winnings and just get out of the place, not even wasting a second saying goodbye, she was risking getting beat if the old man explained her psynergy to the guys she had played with. It was pitch black when she went outside and while the desert locust were making a turmoil with their singing Marta just knew that there was someone following her because of the lights coming from nearby houses oscillating, it could be just one person or more, but instead of turning around and facing the pursuer she just walked normally in the direction of the inn, pretending that she wasn't noticing and once she reached the inn her heart pounded when she saw her group.

"Oh hi guys, how good to see you here safe. I might just be getting paranoid, but I think I've been followed on my way here and I'm a biiiiit concerned because I have a bunch of money I've gained illegitimately and someone asked if I'm an adept, which is a bit suspicious, so anyone can lend me a hand?"

Leyya answered to Cale: "The innkeeper was unable to provide a warm meal so I am making one. As for the two, well one of them just came back dragging trouble with her. *Sight* I wonder if you have the talent for attracting trouble Marta." The last comment was followed with a faint smile, a show that she was joking more then being serious. She then said: "And don't worry Marta I doubt that we will need to do much as long as we are smart enough. I guess mentioning that we are on a mission for Iodem will make them think twice before doing anything and we will add some Psyenergy show to make sure they leave you, and us, alone." She then went on to add a few spices in the cauldron, her teacher always said that every good relationship, of any kind, starts with a good meal. While humming a tune almost to faint to be hear over the cracking sounds of the wood she mixed the stew and waited for the troublesome people Marta attracted to come here...

Cale rolled his eyes bemusedly at Marta's news. It wasn't unexpected really, this girl really was drawing attention everywhere she went. He couldn't tell if she was just innocent or a deviant playing at innocence. Either way, he wasn't really up for more fighting today if he could help it. Zagan had worn him out.

Cale took a seat and invited the others to do the same while they waited for their company, assuming they would show at all. At that point, he decided to go ahead and talk about the dragon in the room.

"So...has anyone seen anything like that? That...thing we saw today?" He asked no one in particular. They hadn't breathed a word about their fight with the embodiment of a god this afternoon. He had a feeling that normally that would garner a reaction out of people. Then again they had been distracted with Isaiah dying and all.