Lost in her own thought, Alex is taken by surprise at the sound of her name being called. Dorian strides across the tavern floor. He was quite a sight to see. Clean, hygienic and meticulous in his appearance, he obviously made an effort to look flawless. Alex could tell that he had a secret, or at least something he didn't like to talk about. She could find out if she wanted, but she is not one to invade the privacy of an employer. Especially one she respects. Snapped out of her head by Dorian's voice, she quickly stands up.

"I'm sorry to ask but can you please go downstairs and make sure Clay doesn't get himself or someone else killed?"

"Oh it's no problem, I'll take care of it, boss." Dorian's fingers brush against her elbow as she starts to remove her jacket. She's happy to take care of Clay, especially after the last incident. Alex doesn't hold grudges, but karma is a bitch.

She moves with purpose towards the basement door. Upon reaching it, she can already hear Clay's booming voice taunting someone in the room.

Coming down off the last step into the basement, Alex looks down to find a torn shirt on the floor. She would know the smell of dog anywhere. 'Clay.'

She decides to stand, un-noticed in the back, waiting for the fight to get to be too much. Clay is a dangerous animal and someone should put him on a leash. @Dark Light

Illysia Vaine

Tavern Rooftop

The young woman sat on the roof, bare feet against the shingles and cloak discarded beside her. Hair the shade of obsidian blended with the darkness of the night, ice blue eyes piercing the shadows. Blue flames danced on her fingertips, watched by eyes filled with sadness. She had not been home in years - lifetimes, perhaps even generations - and the ache had begun to swell up again as she stared at the always familiar sky. Some days she urged to lift her wings and fly until she could not any longer, but she knew that she would always begin again. Much like Ouroboros, there was no end to her.

Dorian smiles as he muses over Ayeka's words.
"in the shadows or in a cold heart"
"But what is a cold heart? If not a normal heart drained of warmth by the burden of suffocating, shadow casting secrets that it must bare."
He dismisses the thought with a sip from his newly poured wine.
"So what did you do in this village?"
He asks moving the conversation to something lighter.

@Alisdragon911

@Dark Light

"I think you are a kind person who needs to find someone to share that burden to warm a heart." Ayeka says swirling the wine in her glass, she is expecting Dorian to laugh at her as some of the villagers did when she talk about love affairs or tough situations. "I train to be strong and sell stuff made of crystal, I am guessing you own this tavern." She could not help over hearing Dorian and Alex conversation.

@Dark Light[downstairs]
Following clay down the stairs tic bounced in place before lowering his own stance Tic, took a moment to take in Clay's stance looking for any form of weakness in his defense In a burst of speed he quickly shifted his own stance and closed the distance between the rugged man and himself.

Feinting a low blow Tic used his momentum to slid between his opponents legs and whipped around honing his legs aim at the back Clay's right leg.

@PaintLynn
"So, now what? Do you want to keep exploring?" Alex asked her, pulling on the dry clothing.

@Alisdragon911
Dorian didn't laugh, he only stared with vacant eyes. His thoughts slipping to that place of dream like memories and innocent ideals.
"No" he softly replies between sips.
"This tavern cannot be owned, for it is not a tavern." his lips curl into a smirk as he awaits the look of confusion.
"She is kind and holds all my secrets and more, but I fear she owns me, not I her."
Dorian looks around leisurely, distant memories flooding his eyes at each and every location they fall upon.
Finally they fall back to Ayeka. He gives her no more words, just stares expectantly.

---

@Pineappletumble[downstairs]
Ignoring the feint Clay hammered down a thundering straight right punch. He was quick but Tic was quicker.
The floorboards cracked with the bare impact of Clay's blow and dust flew into the air of the stale room. Before he knew it his leg buckled out beneath him and he dropped to one knee. Quickly with a staggering swipe he twisted on the spot with a wide unbalanced back swing, nearly spinning him around.

@Dark Light[downstairs]
Tic was raising his right leg to take a second shot at Clay's left when the large man turned a whole lot faster than Tic could process. Pain shook Tic's jaw as he was thrown across the room, somehow managing to meet the wall with his feet before his back he pushed the pain in to the back of his mind one more slip up like that and he could be out cold. Not having time to take in his surroundings or Clay's movements he pushed off the wall shoulder first aiming where he perceived to be Clay's last location.

@Dark Light

Ayeka did not look confuse at all, she may have idea of what Dorian was saying to her. "This tavern is alive in away that can't be explain, not everything can be explain by its own mysteries. I don't think anyone can really own a breathing thing, it maybe a partern ship between you two." She did not want to chance her fortune nor get hit by falling stuff from a jeoulouse tavern trying to steal her man. Ayeka takes a few more sips of her wine, she wonders about the mysterious taver she step into a few hours ago.

@Overlord24
"Let's go seek out other beings! Maybe they will be interesting" she says her clothes dripping water on the ground as they walk

@PaintLynn
"Perfect, that bar maiden that served you and Avary seemed interesting."
(Alisdragon911)

@Overlord24
"Ok! I'll follow you! Because I don't remember how to get back"

@PaintLynn
"OK, got it." Alex said and led Paint to the bar.

@Overlord24
Skipping behind him, Paints clothes slowly starts to dry, but leaves a trail of water that an unfortunate soul could slip on. "I'm glad I'm with you since you seem to have better memory then I"

@PaintLynn
"Not at all, because my father used a potion of amnesia on me to forget my family and friends for several years."

"Trust me, you have good memory. Your dad made you experience amnesia, it didn't occur naturally so . . . Yeah" she says not quiet sure how else to end her sentence

@Pineappletumble[downstairs]
Clay felt his backhand connect and a sick joy filled him. He stumbled and staggered for a moment as he found his balance and brought himself to stand.
Just as he turned to see Tic the little man rocketed right into his gut and the wind came rushing from Clays lungs.
With a few fleeting steps backwards Clay crashed heavily into a nearby wall but managed to keep upright.

With the following deep breath Clay knew he had at least one cracked rib. He winced in pain and let out a guttural growl. Quickly following his recovery Clay hurtled a nearby bar stool at Tic with a flick of his powerful arm, instantly he followed it by charging at his opponent with every intent to punt him like a stationary football.

Alls whilst Clay could smell that familiar undeniable scent of Alex's presence, he felt her eyes on him and with it a million self built social pressures that didn't really exist.

@PaintLynn
"I'll take your word for it, I still can't remember my real childhood, the earliest I can remember of real memories is High-School."

@Overlord24
Paint smiles " well that's something!"

@PaintLynn
"True, I just wish I remembered more."