Malkai was laid out on the bed, completely unconscious. While physically well, his stamina was drained due to all the magic usage and thus he needed rest and time to recover. At some point he even fell asleep and had an odd dream. He was in a forest, alone, with nothing but some simple clothes and a spear. He did not see Falchion anywhere near him and he didn’t recognize the forest, which was very strange for a druid. But he marched through the forest regardless, his spear ready to impale anything in it’s way. Malkai noted that the spear was silver-tipped. Many creatures were weak against silver: undead, demons, the cursed. But why he was hunting with such a simple weapon and wearing plain clothes confused him. [i][color=00a651]”Why am I here? What the hell am I doing?”[/color][/i]

Just then he saw some movement in the corner of his eyes. He turned and lunged, but ended up missing and hitting a tree. His spear was stuck when he saw a great beast come out from the shadows, throwing him against the ground and disarming him. The beast pinned Malkus to the ground and he tried to cast a spell, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t able to use any magic at all. The beast glared at him, didn’t even kill him immediately. [i][color=00a651]”Do it! Finish me off!”[/color][/i] The beast brought its jaws onto Malkai’s neck. But instead of getting his throat ripped out and dying, Malkai… Never felt more alive.

Suddenly Malkai’s eyes opened up. He sat up and immediately laid back down as he felt his body grow very sore. He was still fatigued from overusing his spells, so he was in no shape to do much. He was also very hungry and could probably eat without straining himself. He looked around and noticed, to his surprise, that Vivian and Catarina was still here. He had half-thought he was left for dead or picked up by slavers. Though maybe he wasn’t wrong yet.

[color=00a651]”Why did you save me? I’ve done nothing but lie and hide secrets from you. And I’m an orc besides. Do you intend to make me beg for mercy as you torture me? Interrogate a confession from me? Or just enslave me?”[/color]

[hr]

[color=7bcdc8]”Consider me curious.”[/color] Veridis said with a roll of the tongue. He smiled as it seemed Elleonora was enjoying his company and spoke more about herself. She was a knight errant looking for evil to stop, wrongs to right, be they big or small. Veridis considered doing the same himself once, though it turned out to be hard to actually find any trouble that he could deal with that wasn’t political in nature. Bandits were (usually) smart enough to only raid lone farmers or pillage a village more quickly than Veridis could arrive, and though Veridis tries his best to just “look” like a wealthy fop, the amount of times he’s been mugged could be counted on one hand.

Then Elleonora started talking about her past. She looked quite serious, so Veridis made sure to listen carefully. It was sad to hear what had become of her mother, more so due to the mystery of it. Veridis has fond memories of his own parents, so he couldn’t claim that he understood the full extent of what it was like being orphaned. He pitied Elleonora, but also felt respect for her. Despite the rough beginnings, Elleonora was quick to grasp her own destiny and a weapon, making her own fate one step at a time.

[color=7bcdc8]”That is very impressive, my sunshine. You… You’re like iron.”[/color]

Veridis took a few steps forward for dramatic effect, and to avoid Elleonora’s swings if she happened to be offended. [color=7bcdc8]”A common metal that most would pass off as nothing. Others would rather fight over things like gold or diamonds, but these are pretty, pointless things. You are like iron because you’re strong, despite your rough beginnings, and in time you have been forged into something far better. A work of art in the form of a woman that has more power and more beauty than any jewelry or gem. Like a steel blade forged by the hands of a master, you are both a work of art and a mighty individual.”[/color] 

Around that same time, Veridis spied a strange group. An elven woman with a warrior in a bulky suit of armor that looked like an onion, with a tiger carrying a orc. Very strange. Veridis made it a note to go investigate later.