Atina frowned slightly when the man looked at her in disbelief, stating that he would not be taking a card from her. He thinks it's just a joke... from a madwoman... She thought this in slight horror as she felt the wounds begin to heal from Kyron's magic. She leaned over the side of the carriage and vomited blood once the healing truly began to kick in. In all of her years of training, she had never uncovered the reason why healing magic made her sick in her stomach, vomiting up blood of all things, but then again, she was not talented with it at all and her body rejected it a good part of the time. This time, however, his spells actually worked, and she couldn't help but feel grateful towards her guildmate."So he can understand animal speech?" She asked hesitantly when she watched him run past after the mare.

She looked at Merek and then to Kyron again. "We must track him down... if the Haze capture him too... they'll have more of the upper hand than they already do...." She hissed thisthrough her teeth as she tried to focus her own magic inside of her. Her magic, unlike many mages, had no specific form, element, or color. It was all and yet nothing. She focused it so that it would splint up her cracked ribs enough so that they would heal in the same spot as they were when healthy. She then hesitantly reached up and covered her eye with her hand. She clenched her teeth together as she felt tears prickling at her eyes. Oh no... they know... they know how horrible this eye is... "The horse is heading towards the eastern gate..."

"Lelana!" he shouted down the open street, "where are you?", the clopping had stop a few moments before he called out and now he was worried about her. While he was scanning the road for any signs of which way she went, then he heard the sobbing. It was light and quiet but it was unmistakably the sound of crying, Magnus crept along the shadows and peaked down an ally and sure as can be she was there, backed into a corner and sobbing, eyes closed in an attempt to hold back tears. He stood and watched for a moment as she cried, he never knew horses, or any animal, could convey such emotion, really tears and pain. His heart hurt him. He approached her with her noticing and sat on a crate beside her, looking down at his feet in shame, he  placed his hand on her side and stroked it gently, she looked up at him and inched away instantly till there was no more space to back up into.
"what do you want?" she snarled in a thick teary voice, She glared at him from past her tangled mane "did you come to shout at me again?", even though there was no more space she still tried to shrink herself into a corner, it was sad, how delicate she looked their, close to breaking.
"I want to say sorry," he whispered hoarsely, the recent shouting stressed his voice, "for yelling at you." he twiddled his thumbs awkwardly, he was never one for apologies came with the job, if you couldnt make an accurate judgement, what kind of inquisitor would that make him? 'I'm sorry but I had you executed for no reason. Are we ok?".
"you should be" she huffed indignantly, "you hurt me here." she said ushering her head to her chest, Magnus chuckled mirthlessly, 'funny how animals dont know what's inside them.'
"it's called heart."
"what is?"
"what's in your chest.", after that burst they started talking about biology and about how the body worked, and how doctors were stupid. "So are you still mad at me?" he asked her innocently enough, looking her in her big brown eyes.
"yes," she said high and mightly, raising her nose in the air, Magnus slumped visibly.
"oh..." he sighed.
"But not as much." she giggled gently at him before she nuzzled him, her muzzle velvety on his face.
"ok, that's enough," he said standing up and brushing her mane, "let's go pick a card.", they walked out of the ally and back onto the road, to see a carage rolling towards them.

"Don't worry Atina, that man won't escape his Fate. No one can. That's why I called my longsword that. There's no running once it comes down on you."
Kyron was still a kid when he named his father's weapons. Names that occasionally sounded stupid to him, but that he would never change. He thought for a bit what other name he could have given his weapons while the carriage started moving. He opened his bag and took an dark brown cloak and put it on, pulling to hood over his face. The guards at the gates would probably not check inside the carriage but its better to be safe. A couple hits to the face and a few spells could always do the trick though. What they are probably looking for are lone people on horseback. Kyron was looking out the carriage, and suddenly noticed the stranger from before, with his horse, coming out of an alley.

"Merek, stop for a second."
Merek stopped the horses and looked back at Kyron who's head was partially peering out the window.

[/b]"Jump on, we will explain everything to you later, when we are safe. First though, pick a card."[/b]

Atina felt a hiss of pain slip from her iced-rose colored lips when the carriage ran over a bump. Inwardly, she was sobbing and curled up in a feeble position, but on the outside, she was taking it like a man. Maybe even better than that. "I've seen people run from Fate, my friend, and trust me... it never ends well..." She herself knew what happened to those who tried to make their own path in this world. Many friends of hers had been taken from her before she realized where her true path lie. Then she listened to what he had to say and felt a small smile form on her lips, though she was more focused on splinting her ribs from the inside. Damn it... She tried to find her eye patch and immediately knew that it had been left behind in the stables. No! NO! She thought in a panic, more worried about them thinking that her eye was one of the Devil's rather than the fact that it was a hint to the Haze where she had gone. She would probably remember that later, when they were too far gone to do anything about it. "Could I... ask you of another favor, Kyron?" Her voice grew weaker with each word. She clenched her eyes closed as she broke down her womanly pride. "Could you cut a strip of my cloak and tie it over my right eye? It... it's atrocious to look at... and... I'd rather not have everyone seeing the scar."

Just then, she heard him ask for the man who'd run off to jump onto the cart. She looked over and gave him a long look with her left eye. Then she motioned for him to come closer to the cart, giving a polite and knowledgeable nod to Lelana, and held out the small box. "Please, forgive me for being so rude and abrupt earlier." She said quietly as she tried to hide the pain that she felt from her expression. "I am Atina, the High Priestess of the Tarot Guild." She gave him a nod that would have been a bow if she had been able to. "This is Kyron, Strength of the Tarot Guild." She continued to hold the box out to him. "I have a notion that you may be one of the people that we are looking for in our depreciating guild. Please, try to open the box. If you cannot do so, then I may have been mistaken. If you do, select the top card and join us in our battle against the ones who are tearing our world apart."

It was only a few miles back to Damascus, even through Smirec had been riding for what seemed like an entire day. The sun had barley moved at all. He could see in front of him the rays of the sun beating down on the sand, and the wind was pushing around the dusty trail before him. He saw mirages of water every once in a while, it really was beginning to bother him. He decided he'd take a break and rest, Smirec wasn't used to riding on a horse for long journeys, his abdomen ached from the discomfort. They had used the carriage for the ride out here, it had all of his things, water, and food. Why the heck did I leave it behind? He dismounted from his horse, and opened up the saddle pack and began rummaging around for something to eat. He found a few carrots.. Why would these be in here? He also felt the black book that the man had handed him in there. He stopped for a moment, food was more important right now, he fed his horse and then himself. After a moment, he grew curious. He reached back in the saddle and pulled out the book. It was a rough leather material, he opened it to the first page. "Welcome new Death" it said, he remembered that vaguely. He grazed with his finger to the next page. "You are Death, the embodiment of balance, endings and beginnings.. There is a balance that must be maintained, things that must be kept in order. You will end life, and by ending it, you will create new beginnings, and open possibilities of another future. You have been chosen for this task, and been given to freedom to use this life anew as you see fit, because you have the eyes that we desire. This life anew will come at a cost, but you already know this, there are limits and rules to your power, read carefully." Life anew? This is insane, I feel the same way I always have. However, the words did give him a strange feeling, almost as if he'd seen them before. He began to wonder for a moment exactly where this beautiful horse had come from, and about that man. How he even got here in the first place. It was as though he could barley remember anything from the other night, he began to wonder where his friend was.. [/i]Wait.. my friend.. who is my friend?[/i] The image of Garret's dead eyes looking at him blinked into his head for a moment. Ahhhhhgggg! he dropped to his knees, the book fell out of his hands and landed face down. Smirec did the same as his head felt like it was going to split in two all of the sudden, the images came back to him one at a time. The man on the floor, with the bloody knife laying next to him. The man with the crossbow bolt in his head, and the bartender yelling at him to leave him alone. His hands, covered in blood. "What did I do!? Why did this happen!?" Why don't i remember.. his head hung down in between his shoulders.. his hands were pressed into the sandy dirt.. as he clenched his fists he began to hear a voice, "You know why this is happening, don't you remember?' A voice crept up his spine. He saw the man in black who had given him the book. He appeared before him, "This is truly unfortunate Smirec, this wasn't how it was supposed to be." Smirec looked up at him, his eyes burned black, deep swamp like pupils. "You've managed to repress your memories, all this time, but they're too strong, they're breaking through."

"What are you talking about, I feel fine." Smirec tried to stand, his legs barley moved at all, and his stomach jostled uncomfortably.
"If you continue on like this, you'll die. Smirec, this is not a game, this is your life."
Smirec grew angry suddenly and grabbed at him with what strength he had. "What about Garret?! Where is his life! What did you do with him!?" the words took everything out of him. The man grew silent, and looked down at Garret.. "You truly do not remember what you did? Do you?"
Smirec's face grew pale, "No..I"
"Let me show you.."
The man placed a hand on Garrets head. Smirec was suddenly sitting at the bar, with Garret, watching him drink with his own eyes.
"Garret?" Smirec said, astonished.
"Yeah? What is it buddy?"
Smirec just looked at him, and he knew what was about to happen.

Two men in black suits entered the bar, Smirec looked over.
"I think you boys are in our seats."
Garret looked at the skinny one who just spoke. "Do you want to die, you fairy bitch? If you want to sit down, why don't you shove him up your ass?" Garret pointed at the other man, who was abnormally huge for a person, he grunted.
"I believe it is you, who should fear for your safety. We came all the way out here to this bar, and we're looking for the best seats in the house, your seats. I recommend you listen to us and get out of here, before you kids get hurt."
Smirec didn't bother telling Garret to back down from this one, he knew he could never back down from a fight even if all the odds were against him. It was just like when they were kids. But not everything was the same, Garret wasn't the same. He saw him reach into his bag and pull out a crossbow.
"What are you doing?" Smirec said in a low whisper, he nudged Garret with an elbow to the ribs; harder than he'd expected. Garret accidentally dropped the crossbow on the floor, and looked at him, yelling at him with his eyes."
"What is that..?" The skinny man spoke in his high-pitched but menacing voice. "Hogen, grab me that one with the bag." he commanded the other larger man.
Garret flew up and ran at the big man and attempted to kick him in the chest. But it didn't work, the man just kept coming towards them as Garret bounced back onto his feet. Garret reached into his belt and tossed Smirec a knife out of it's sheathe. But before he knew it, the large man had caught it by the handle right between of them. He was faster than either of them had anticipated. He swung the knife at Smirec, he barley managed to dodge a huge swing to the head. When the large man turned to Garret with the knife, he shot him in the shoulder with the hand-crossbow. The large man dropped the knife and yelled, Smirec quickly picked it up. He charged screaming as he jabbed the knife into the man's stomach with all of his strength. He felt the warm blood dripping out onto his hands. The man, even with a knife in his belly, smacked Smirec with a fist to the head, knocking him down across the floor. When Smirec looked up in a daze, the big man was holding down Garret on the bar counter. The skinny man from before walked over to them, picked up the crossbow, loaded it with a bolt. He turned to Garret.
"Now who of you shall I kill first? You, or your friend?" He teased, patting the crossbow against Garrets head lightly.
"You can go eat a piece of shit and die you uncle fucking bastard." Garret turned his head and spit out blood onto the mans shirt.
"And with that remark, you'll be the first to go." Smirec yelled, but nothing came, it was too late. The man put the crossbow to Garrets back, and let go a bolt into him. Garret's head turned to Smirec as his body jolted, his eyes shone bright for a moment. Then, he was gone.

Smirec suddenly felt himself being ripped out of his body, everything turned to a pure, bright white. He began to remember that it was a vision. He saw the man in black appear in front of him. "Make it stop, I don't want to see this any more." Smirec exclaimed, the man looked at him without any remorse.
"There is a price to pay for being Death, you don't have to keep watching, but you will never know why you're here if you don't."
He looked at the man, he didn't know what to do. But knew he wanted to know what was really happening.. "I will stay.." he said, unsure.
"Good. Good. There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.. AHAH, mauahahaha.." the man let out a hideous blaring laughter, and Smirec felt his body disappear for a moment.
He was back in the bar. But something was different, he was on the other side of the room. He looked to his right, and saw Garret with the bolt in his back laying on the table, he felt the crossbow in his hand. The big man was right in front of him, leaning over Garret, panting and bleeding with the knife still in his belly. "That must mean.." He looked over past the big man, and saw, himself. Laying on the floor unconscious, he finally understood what he had done. I asked for this.. all of this. I am sorry. Garret" He set the crossbow on the counter, and put his hand on the big mans shoulder. He grabbed the knife in his belly, and twisted it hard while pulling upwards. The mans eyes blew up big and white, he crashed down onto the floor, landing on his back; and he let out a long gasp of air with his dying breath. Smirec looked at him, and felt nothing for him..But the image of killing him, made him feel sick. He turned to his friend Garret, realizing that he was looking at him through his own killers eyes. "I don't know how, but.. this is the best I can do now. Rest in piece, my friend." He reached into Garret's bag and pulled out a crossbow bolt. He loaded it into the crossbow, his hands were shaking. He glanced over at his original body,What did I do.. I have no other choice now. he then pointed the crossbow to his forehead, and pulled the trigger.

He heard a horse shuffling around as he opened his eyes. "Now, do you understand what you are? We made the deal in that very place where we met. You wanted this, you asked us for this power, and we gave it to you. Why? Because it was fate." The man in black cleared into his vision through the blinding sun.
Smirec looked at the man, and rose to his feet. The man handed the book back to him, Smirec accepted it. "I am Death, the embodiment of balance, endings and beginnings." Smirec recited.
"Yes. It is your duty and your gift to bring balance back to this forsaken world, a new era of doom is approaching, you will be needed."

A mile outside of the city, a little away from the road leading up to it, a red haired woman smelling of lilies exhaled with great relief as she sank into the waters of the hot spring. With her descent into the pool a small moan came from her lips, making her cheeks and pale naked flesh rosey in the heat. A week ago she'd set out for the damn city and she was nearly there. Seeing that she had no horse to her name after the one she had borrowed ran off at the sound of forest dwellers the third night out, travelling on foot had given her moccasin clad feet more callouses than she had time to treat for. She opened her eyes only after sinking nose-deep into the steaming natural spring, moist with happiness as her muscles relaxed at last. She was not a good traveler having spent her entire life within the boundaries of her village. Had it not been the fact she were a very open nudist, and for the aid of her... companion... she would have died on the journey over.

She recalled the event of the fourth night, asking for the aid of a wandering merchant. He had been keen to comply, and when night had fallen and her clothes came off, he was more than open on giving her a discount on his wares. The sixth night however, yesterday, she'd been attacked while resting naked under a meadow and gazing at the night sky. Through the thick and thin of it all, her companion was always there for her. Always.

Constantly.

As her eyes glanced at the hovering form just above the water, her look of relaxation and happiness turned into one of extreme annoyance. "What?" She hissed, raising herself out of the water just enough to glare at the ghost watching her. The ghost, a muscular man clad in thick armor and leathers, his face bearing scars of dozens if not hundreds of battles, glared right back at her. His messy brown hair did not move nor was affected by the breezy day around them. There was no sign of how he may have died, and its not like he could remember anyways.

Raine, the dead soldier before the red haired woman, half closed his eyes. "This is utterly fucking ridiculous," He griped, folding his legs into a bow shape and his arms against his chest. "What are we doing, taking a break?! The city is literally a mile away and a little snob like yourself chooses to spend her time cleaning the dirt from your toes?! Dirt NEVER hurt me!"

"Oh, OH!" Adiana stood up from the water, the liquid dripping down her bare breasts and thighs. "So just because I'm in the company of man that has never heard of soap that automatically means I must take on his personal hygiene regimen?!" As she talked, she balled her hands into fists and scowled. Though Raine flicked his eyes over her body as he always did when he saw her nude, his scorned brow did not flinch from her monologue. "I get a damn letter to come to metropolis of all places and you expect me to go in smelling like a country bumpkin?!"

"You are a country bumpkin. And a skanky one at that."

"Shut your mouth!" Adiana sank back into the water, blushing with her eyes closed and her brows firmly pointed downward. She opened her eyes and looked away from him, refusing to let her insecurities show here. "I don't sleep around, that's just a nasty rumor spread about me back home..."

"Really?" Raine asked, floating closer to her and holding his chin in his hand. "It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that you walk around your village naked and flirt with men and women alike like you're a damn rabbit?!" He said this with a grin. Yet... as Adiana turned her face from him he could see that he'd struck a chord. He frowned, looking at her and waiting for... something to be tossed back at him. Adiana spoke again, but still with her face turned from him.

"I traverse this world in the clothing I was birthed in to not hinder the energy of the earth and air around me... to be closer to the spirits around us all..." As she spoke, her eyes closed and the wind gently tossed her red hair, as though it were a lover playing in her hair. When she reopened her eyes, Raine's face was in front of her. She couldn't help but blush and stare at him, wondering what he was doing.

"You have something on your face," He said, leaning in slowly. Unsure of what to do, Adiana leaned in as well... and then...

SPLASH!

Raine shoved her under the water, his ghost hands only able to touch her by the power of the red string of fate connecting them, which haphazardly drifted between them in the water. He laughed, letting her go and allowing her to surface on her own. His laugh was boisterous, and had the universe acknowledged his flesh anymore, it would have echoed off the surrounding trees. Adian arose, blushing and now with her fluffy hair a soaking mess.

"Raine....!" She growled, ready to harm him in any way she could. Raine, however, continued laughing at her.

The cart rattled towards them, pulled by two immense pull horses, clearly European because of the characteristic small frame of middle eastern horses, the cart itself was also of good quality a clean oak with carvings on it, possessed from vikings no doubt, the runic patterns well known as the standard design of the northern barbarians. the cart slowed down as it approached them, the wheels clicking and clacking on the cobblestone roads less frequently. it stopped beside Magnus and Lelana, and just sat there for a moment and shook, as if people were moving around inside, when the window finally dropped the robed woman from before sat there looking at him clutching the card box in her small hands, peering at him with a misshapen eye that would have made any man flinch, just not Magnus.
"Please, forgive me for being so rude and abrupt earlier." She began in a hushed tone as she looked between him and Lelana "I am Atina, the High Priestess of the Tarot Guild, This is Kyron, Strength of the Tarot Guild." She held the box out in front of him and, "I have a notion that you may be one of the people that we are looking for in our depreciating guild. Please, try to open the box. If you cannot do so, then I may have been mistaken. If you do, select the top card and join us in our battle against the ones who are tearing our world apart.", Magnus just stared at her for a second, her eye staring at him from behind its swollen lid, he nodded slowly and reached for the box but hesitated, Lelana gave him a little nudge and took the box from the high priestess, as he reached for the lid the air around it seemed to resonate with a strange energy that was hot to the touch, almost as blazing as the desert floor at noon. As he touched the lid it resonated beneath his fingers, shuddering the bonds in his hands, the shacking got even worse as he opened the box, the pain it caused almost unbearable, then it stopped when the lid fell completely open. insdie was a set of large dusty cards, he picked the top one out and returned the box, he didn't look it.
"Do I look?" he asked softly to the hooded woman, she gave a small nod. he tuned the card and a voice seemed to echo in his head.
"you are judgment, at the end of the end i shall call upon you." the voice boomed mutely in his head.
"What now?" he asked simply afterwards

"Now, you need to come with us. Out of the city. We want to save you, please don't question us just yet."
Kyron was very impatient now, things haven't gone the way he wanted them to. A new member joined them though, which compensated for everything. Who knows what kind of useful powers this man could help them with. Maybe he was a good fighter as well.

Kyron got out of the carriage, grabbing his bag and pulling his brown disguise cloak over himself, and climbed onto the front next to Merek.
"What's all the fuss abou'?"
"He's a part of our guild now. He also has magic abilities. Let's go Merek, we need to move."
The carriage jerked forward as the horses started to pull it on the streets.

"I need to tell you a couple of things. Merek, you know people here. You know more people in this city than I ever will, so I have yet another favour to ask you. You must tell people about the Haze, you must tell them so if the time will come, they will know on who's side to stand. Be really careful though, if they hear you talking about it, you will most probably get killed. You don't have to do it, as it endangers your life as well as your family's. I have prepared something to get you out of trouble though."
Kyron pulled out a few shiny metal rings, decorated with golden linings and runes.

"This ring will protect you from major physical harm and will direct any attack back towards the enemy. Don't go jumping off buildings though, that would probably still kill you. The fact that the rings look very good is just an added bonus. I have some for your wife and older children as well, just in case."
Kyron handed the rings to Merek who took them and after a pause, put them is a small purse. Which he hid under his coat.
"I'll do my best Kyron. I've lived through many adventures throughout my life, the time has come for me to do something bigger, something more important."
Kyron put a hand on Merek's shoulder, not saying anything. They were both quiet as the carriage moved along. Until, at the gates, two guards stopped them.
"Whatcha doing out 'ere so late? Speak fast, I'm tired."
Kyron's palm slid to find the hilt of Purity, his sword, just in case things went bad, but Merek was faster.
"We're going to visit my neice, she just gave birth to her first son. It was quite an unexpected news, imagine. She leaves to be an apprentice at the-"
"Oh its you Merek, I'm sorry but I don't feel like talking too much now."
Kyron knew Merek was the right person to ask for this job. The other guard however, did his job slightly better.
"Why do you have three horses?"
"Gifts, to my nephew. The thin one, I'm just taking her because she really doesn't like the city, she doesn't eat."
"Hm... you can pass."
The carriage moved forward. The second guard peeked in the carriage window as it went past but seemed to have not noticed anything he didn't like.

They were finally out of the city walls. Kyron knew though, that this was only the beginning.

The cart rattled and shook with every dip in the road, making the process of allowing her magic to regenerate even more difficult. Atina, who had climbed into the back of the carriage, would occasionally lean out the back and cough up some blood before muttering a chant or two under her breath. Why is the magic being ejected now? She wondered to herself before she leaned against the fabric of the siding. They had reached the gate and had been questioned, but as soon as Merek had made an excuse, she couldn't help but feel extremely grateful for having both Kyron and Merek on their side. Without them, they most likely would have had to fight their way from the city. She looked out the window and noticed that the moon was full. Grasping the box that held the sacred Tarot cards, she felt it shiver and resonate a strange and ancient power against the palms of her clenched hands. The Tarot... possibly one of the first magics to be presented to this part of our world. She thought this with a slight pride for her guild and her own self as she enchanted it to stick to her belt no matter how hard one tugged. The usage of the magic forced more blood to fill her throat and mouth.

Of course, it had been about an hour since they had exited the city, but she couldn't stand leaning out the covered back any longer. She opened the back of the carriage and jumped out, signalling Merek and Kyron at the front to slow to a stop and that she would be alright. She walked a distance away before she coughed up more blood. She glanced down at the blood and realized that it wasn't the healing magic that caused this. It was a curse. Most likely from the King of Pentacles... him and his nasty blood magic... it's only when I use my own magic... which means he might have sent one of his Bloodied Hounds out to hunt me down... She wiped the black blood away from her lips and she gasped for air. Which means that I'm only going to be leading him or the Haze to where I am... I'm going to have to watch where this blood ends up, then... until it wears off or I can have someone remove it from me.

She stood up straight again and heard water, which would be a miracle at a time like this. She walked towards the pool and began to drink from it, cleaning out the blood from her mouth, but suddenly the miracle may have turned into danger when she heard a giant splash. Reeling back from the water, she summoned a fireball into her hands and stood up, prepared to fight, but that's when she saw a woman who was bathing in the water.... and a floating man. She stared at them for a long moment before the fireball disappeared and she bent forward to cough up black blood once more.

"Huh?" Adiana turned around in a start when she heard coughing, and at the same time, Raine stopped. When she saw that it was blood being tossed into the water, she rushed over, assets jiggling with each step. She came up to the woman and pulled herself from the water. Nearing her, Adiana's gentle nature gave her no qualms about rubbing the womans back and holding her hair from her face until she was finished. Whenever she was done, Adiana would aid her to sit down nearby, then come in front of her, kneeling down so that she had to look up at her with her large, but pale green eyes.

"I'm a healing mage. How long has this been happening?" As she spoke, her hands began to... weave, patterns of light; forming a patch. These strings of light came together at her will almost without any hesitation; the energy trusting who wielded it. Meanwhile, Raine neared, looking at the woman who'd been coughing up blood with a concerned, but stoic expression. He'd learned the hard way to allow Adiana to concentrate. Plus, he admired her work.

The carriage stopped. Kyron looked questioningly at Merek but he just nodded towards Adiana, going towards a stream, not looking very well.
"I think we're far enough from the gates to continue by ourselves. Our ways part here Merek"
"I really am going to my niece, I can take you further"
"You've done enough already, we must be able to make a quick escape if they attack us, and carriages aren't the best for that, I'm afraid."
Kyron walked to the back of the carriage to untie the horses. Than walked back to Merek who jumped to the ground meanwhile. Kyron hugged him just like in the tavern, patting his back.
"Farewell my friend, remember the rings. I wish you all the best."
"May God bless you Kyron. Who knows, maybe he already has." With that Merek jumped back onto the cart and urged his horses forward, leaving Magnus and Kyron with the three horses.
Kyron turned to the new member and put out his armored hand.
"You never told me your name. I am Kyron, Strength Tarot. Hm... I think we should go check on Atina, it must be those healing spell side effect again, it never was this bad though."
Kyron walked towards where Atina went, with Loyalty and Atina's horse trailing behind him. When he arrived, there was Atina coughing blood into the water, with a naked woman doing something with light coming from her hands. The thing that unsettled Kyron the most though was the strange figure, definitely a warrior. He unsheathed Fate from his back and took a few quick steps forward, letting go off of the horses.
"Stop right there, or your head comes flying off. What do you two want?"

Magnus threw himself out of the cart and made a run for atina, the grass brushing against his legs like razors, as he approached the world seemed to slow down. A woman pulled herself out of the water next to atina and went to her side, Magnus should have been looking at atina but he couldn't help himself. He watched as the water dripped off her white, naked skin, plastering her red hair to her face and head, besides the fact she was naked -which any man would find attractive-, she was beautiful. He slid across the wet grass to where atina was sitting, leaning against a rock, he kept his eyes off the other woman, 'don't peak Magnus, she's probably taken.'. Atina looked pale her blood stained across her lips and the front of her robes, Magnus pulled out his night shirt and frowned, he hadn't been able to wear it this whole trip, he finally ripped it and dabbed the cloth in the pool besides them and started to clean Atina's face, wiping it gently, cleaning the blood off. When he was done he pulled her down to the ground and slipped his bag behind her head to prop it up.
"I might have something for the pain," he said gently, brushing her sweat soaked hair from her face, "if you want," behind him Kyron was pointing a sword at the naked woman, "you don't need to do anything Kyron, she only wants to help. Right?" the last question was directed at the naked woman, she had green eyes he noted, pale ones, like moonlight was coming from them. He felt he'd been looking into her eyes for to long and looked down, embarrassed, trying to hide his mad blush.

She looked over and heard the threat of her beheadment.

"KIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" She shrieked in fear at the sight of the sword, beside her, Raine rolled his eyes. Adiana didn't even hear or notice the other man come up. She just quickly sent her patch of light into the injured woman. It should have healed whatever ailed her, even the symptoms of a nasty curse. Grabbing her satchel nearby next to her robe--which she wore over her bare flesh when travelling or working in her shop--she threw it into the face of the man pointing his sword at her. "TAKE MY MONEY!"

She turned and started to high tail it, a dust cloud forming behind her as little tears came from her eyes. "I DONT WANNA DIIIIEEEE....!!"

Raine couldn't even believe his own eyes. Twitching, he moved in to possess her.

Kyron just stood dumbstruck as the robe hit him ad fell on the floor. He sheathed his sword back on his back and picked up the robe from the ground in front of him.
These definitely weren't crimibals, if they were, Kyron could definitely deal with them on his own with bare fists, but now his fists happened to be covered in solid steel, so it should be easier even.

He didn't really know what to do at this point, he wasn't the best healer and he already did all he could for Atina. He walked over to the new member, who's name he still didn't know, and asked.
"Who were they?"

N/A

Atina looked up at the naked woman as soon as she had finished the last round of coughing up blood. Then she saw the woman begin to start weaving a spell. Holding up her hand, she said in a raspy voice, "No more healing magic... please..." She shuddered and fought all the attempts to help her, from her guild mates, to this woman. She couldn't just sit there and be cared for. They had to get to Foxlin if they wanted to stop the Haze in time, or at least slow them down a bit.

Just then, she noticed that the woman and the floating man seemed to have a glow radiating from them--just as it had around Magnus. She forced herself onto her legs and put up a hand before she motioned for them all to be quiet. Taking off the box, she held it to the woman. "Madame... would you be so kind as to open this for me?" She asked as kindly as she could in her annoyed and distraught state. She had no idea why they were suddenly running into all of these people that were potential candidates for the Tarot, but she wouldn't fight it if that's what Fate had in store for them. The thin layer of fabric that covered her left eye seemed to have an emerald glow behind it where her pupil would be, but it was hardly noticeable in the long-run. "I believe that Fate meant for us to meet you here."

Adiana stopped like she'd been clothes lined and the man beside her had disappeared. Then she turned around, her face bearing a smirk fit for a man, and she started back towards them.

"Hey!" She called out, her voice rough. "What's the big idea, threatening such a~" She paused to jiggle her breasts provocatively. "Asseted lady like me? You wanna' fuckin' FIGHT?!" With that she got into a battle stance, in the nude with no sad weapon, glaring at the man with the sword who had threatened her.

Kyron was simply wordless. He looked at Atina and Magnus slightly, hoping for some advice.

"Look lady, I don't know what you're trying to do. There sure is something strange going on though, and I don't like it. If it comes to fighting, I don't think you can do me any harm."

This woman was crazy. Suddenly Kyron realized the man was nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe the woman is just a distraction."
Kyron turned around to see if anyone was sneaking up on them, but thee was no one else.
"Whats going on?"

Atina slowly stood up and wrapped her arms around her abdomen. She hacked a little before spitting out any remaining blood from her lips. "We need to find them." She stated as powerfully as she could. "Those two might just be who we're in need of on this quest." She then readjusted her eye patch and even her cloak before motioning for him to follow. They had to find them--and find them quick. She had no idea if there would be anyone following them, but if there was, then there was no time to be lost. Fortune... please be on our side on our journey... help us find that girl...

Magnus turned around and headed back to the cart and strapped Lelana as she was having a conversation with the other horses about apples.
"I personally prefer crunchy app-" but she was cut off by Magnus pulling her away from the other horses, "what is going on?" she asked him, quietly, looking infront of them to see the injured Atina and the paladin.
"just a little situation," he said blankly, "do you feel well enough to carry Atina?" he asked sincerely, not wanting to force her to do it, she just nodded and they carries oh towards them. As they passed the Paladin Magnus finally introduced himself, "High Inquisitor Magnus Wayland," he said gripping the mans gauntlet and shaking it, "pleasure to be part of your guild Kyron." and with that he approached Atina and stood next to her as she clutched herself. "ma'am," he began "you could ride Lelana if you do not feel well enough to walk." he advised her, however instead of a reply he just picked her up and put her in the mare, "where to?"