[h3][center][color=d8bfd8]Nero – Guild Hall[/color][/center][/h3]

Just like that, a whole new squadron of magicians materialized, replacing what had most fortuitously been empty air with a dozen haggard bodies.  Instantly Nero comprehended the method by which the unexpected company arrived, but he marveled unmitigated, eyebrows arched, at the strength of the teleportation spell necessary to accomplish such a deed.  Surely, he dared to guess, not all of these could be guild members?  And yet Phoenix Wing's mark gleamed, beneath whatever sweat and dirt strove to muddy it, on a handful of their bodies.  The rest Nero could assume lay hidden beneath their clothing.  Now that he considered it, several of the wizards boasted fantastic clothes of unidentifiable fashion and origin not at all uninviting for Nero to incorporate in the ever-expanding index of the Law of Raiment.  Alongside this, the genie wondered if any of these fine warriors, newly returned from endeavors afar, would care for his own unique brand of assistance.

With the interesting new retinue, however, there came a predictable response from little Ayame.  Nero struggled to imagine why a young girl like herself, even one homeless as he supposed her to be, would sport such a crippling terror when it came to others.  Preferring one-on-one interaction represented a common phenomenon; shrinking in fear at the sight of a bunch of people, however rank-smelling, in one place hinted at some deeper disorder.  [color=d8bfd8]“Sure, sure.  Over there,”[/color] he steered her in the right direction, watching as Jamie morphed into childlike form.  [i]How deceptive!  People always trust children.[/i]  [color=d8bfd8]“And if you return, we're gonna have a chat about your ridiculous phobia.”[/color]

Leaving the Edolas crew and his only friend behind, Nero sauntered up to the bar and placed an order from the nondescript tender for food with a grin from ear-to-ear.  Despite a dubious glance, the young man on duty complied, and Nero soon found himself in the possession of a plate of mouth-watering potato, carrot, and pork.  He allowed his repressed hunger to surge forth, and it was all the dark mage could do to remove his gloves and fold them neatly aside before digging in.  [color=d8bfd8]“Ah, dry and wholesome!  After a whole day, anything tastes great!”[/color]  He remarked with gleeful condescension between bites, and downed a carved-horn cup sloshing with water.  After a taste, he paused for a moment in his feast to retrieve a small vial from his pouch.  A drop plopped promisingly into the drink, the dark mage waved his hand, and the clear water became a murky purple liquid.  [color=d8bfd8]“What a blessed day!”[/color]  He took a sip, sighed in pleasure, and set it down.  [color=d8bfd8]“It took me ages to be able to use the Law of Embodiment on various liquids,”[/color] he explained to an uncomprehending and uninterested bartender, whose eyes were narrowed in skepticism at the liquid.  [color=d8bfd8]“But it pays off in the end!  Isn't that right, Horned One?”[/color]  Nero pulled a cloth doll from his pouch and set it on the counter next to his plate.  It depicted in ironic cuteness a ghastly, goatlike creature with black hair, three eyes, horns like a moose, and six legs tipped with what looked like smaller goats.  The genies flicked its head with affectionate callousness, knocking it over, and returned with infectious joviality to his meal.