Logan's grin remained, but his eyes glazed over with boredom as the large man(A mercenary of some sort, he thought) opened up his side of the conversation with a threat. The dark mage had misjudged this one, he was the same as all of the other smelly killers, a large, festering blight of annoyance, a fool and an anti-intellec- Logan's disturbed thoughts were brought to a halt as the man continued. Oh, questions. A necessary evil, one that could be tolerated, provided that his questioner didn't ask the ones that took more than five minutes to explain. His eyes darted down to the paper as he smelled the charring, before he answered the big man, slightly annoyed. "The town has many of these things, and many people who wish to sell them to you. Unless you desire to go knocking on doors at this time of night, I'd recommend waiting til everyone isn't either drunk or not conscious."

Logan leaned back from the man, his grin fading to a slight smile as the blonde one spoke, already promising to be a better conversation than the big one if his talents as a spellcaster were anything to go by. Perhaps this one would understand the need for knowledge. The dark mage's traces of annoyance vanished as he tolerated the hated questions, because the prize could be so much more. "The second question answers the first, blonde one. I am an inquisitive soul, as all wielders of the magic arts should be. I come here because you two promised to be the most interesting people in the bar, thus netting me the most amount of experience and knowledge, and since one of you smells strongly of days old blood, I'd also get a chance to test out this tome I found. With that out of the way, do you happen to know where a large amount of either tomes or rare items could be acquired? You seem the sort to know that sort of thing."

Kalar watched the paper burn for a bit, spelling out the word of "Nope." He turned from the table, ignoring their new conversation. Before leaving from the inn, he said to his client,

I thank you for your time. I will be on then, looking for those supplies. I dislike holding off on a job.

He opened the door to the inn and walked out, breathing in the fresh air. He looked from left to right and saw that most of the stores were mostly closed. Kalar turned to the left and went up to one of the general stores, as that may hold the most promise. He began knocking on the door, hoping for the owner to awake. He continued to do this, until a yell could be heard from inside, cussing at him and his lineage who must have mated with goats. Acting as if he had not heard that, Kalar watched as the old door opened to reveal a aged gentleman, wearing just a robe.

What do you want?! Do you not notice it is late?!?!

I do recognize the time and I apologize, but I am in need of supplies. I require several weeks worth of rations. I will be on the road for a while.

Why didn't you show up earlier, during the day!? Now, you wake up the entire marketplace with your incessant crashing on my poor door-

And I do apologize and I am wiling to pay extra for the foodstuffs.

Hearing that he would pay extra, the senior turned around and let the merc into his store. After a hour of examining the wares, Kalar left with a bundle and his wallet free of 435 gold pieces. Now, it was time for the horses.

He went to the stables and saw a faint light was there. Kalar went inside of the building and saw a small boy, petting a small dog who eagerly licked the hands of the boy, but caught scent of the man who was walking in and began to growl. The boy, alarmed by this change of attitude, turned to see a cloaked figure who towered over him. He began to shake and was about to raise his voice to his master when Kalar bent down to the ground and pulled out two pieces of jerky, and offered one to each of the dog and boy. The canine hesitantly walked towards it and sniffed it. Noting it was free of anything mysterious of it, the dog chomped on it from the hand of the mercenary. He looked to the boy and saw he was still wound up.

Boy, do you know if any of the horses are for sale right now?

The boy shook his head, shocked that the stranger was speaking.

Would you mind getting the owner of these fine horses please? I would like to purchase two of them.

Kalar stayed on the ground while the boy rushed in to get his master for there was money to be made.

The healer blinked when Zaino mentioned someone by the name of ‘Octopus Head’. Who was that? She didn’t know anything about someone who was named Octopus Head. He shifted slightly in his bed, pulling over the covers and taking on a relaxed position. Ah, he was going to bed. He told her that she should as well. ”I should.” she replied, voice curt. She had been troubled by their discussion. Why he thought of them in that way, she didn’t know. ”Goodnight.” and with that, she turned and left the room.

Her thoughts wandered as she walked down the hall, keeping her eyes firmly planted on the ground. The night was chilly, and she rubbed her arms, trembling at the slight breeze that slithered its way between the cracks in the wall. It’s hard to believe a desert can be so hot in the day and so cold in the night, she thought. … I wish it was just like Ylisse. Moderate. Yet, she knew that she wouldn’t go back to Ylisse, not as long as Darrian was on the throne. She lifted her eyes and glanced at a doorway as some feminine voices spilled from a room. Ah, didn’t that woman say that the musician was alive?

She had to see this for herself.

Ambra gingerly stepped into the room, her eyes wide as she saw the crippled form in the bed. He had been coughing, and now he was wheezing wildly. I hope they are treating him well. He looks stressed. ”It seems that he is doing well. There is a spark of determination in his eye.”

The musician ignored her, that is, before he gave her a glower. She laughed a bit, and turned toward the person to her left. ”You’re a Cleric, aren’t you? Or Troubadour? Anyways, there’s a man in the next room that’s in need of proper healing. I can only do so much with herbal remedies.” she dipped her head and smiled softly at the new face, before turning away and walking to her room.

I need a good rest…

Sipping from his fresh mug, Laius sighed innerly. This guy talked a lot. Way too much. So many words being said and so few of them meaning anything. Still, he was a mage. He probably deserved some respect because of that. Even if he did vaguely threaten to use his magic against Laius and his newly found bodyguard, who had just completely abandoned him to go get horses that they wouldn't even need until morning. Placing his tankard down, Laius thought for a moment before answering the request. "Nope. Don't have any clue where you'd find large quantities. Your best bet is likely the capital. I'm pretty sure the castle has a fairly vast selection of tomes. Of course, they don't let just anyone waltz in. Maybe if you join the army they'll consider it. War is brewing." He doubted the mage would go all the way to the capital to get what he so craved. So, perhaps a consolation prize was in order. Reaching up under his cloak, the prince undid a clasp on his belt. From the tattered clothe that covered his body he produced a yellow colored tome with a dazzling thunderbolt on the front.

"Although, the capital is pretty far away. Perhaps we can exchange tomes for now? Nothing wrong with mages exchanging some knowledge. I expect it back before we part, though." He dropped the thick book onto the table. In comparison to the barely held together fire tome the grinning magician was looking over earlier, the Thoron tome before him was well kept and rather new. "You seem the type to carry about some of the dark tomes. Got any black magics on you?" He asked in a friendly manner.

Logan ran over the information in his head. This man had good sense, and good sense was always a scarce rarity. Perhaps it would be beneficial to stick with this one a while, at least till he found out all that this other mage possessed. The suggestion to join the army seemed a little off, but it was something to file away for a rainy day. "War is brewing, although it seems more of an extermination if the slaughter of the Shepherds are anything to go by. I'd like to have met them before they all disappeared. A pity." His mind drifted slightly to the promised land of glowing tomes and power. It seemed almost legendarily unreachable.

In the midst of Logan's musings, the other man pulled out the most brilliant yellow tome that Logan had laid eyes on before. "That must be a... Thoron tome, correct? Interesting, interesting! How wonderful!" The dark mage reached into his own coat, first dropping the nearly spent Dying Blaze tome, its distinctive smell and strangely warm aura drawing the senses even more than its deep red color. He rummaged around a bit more, before his smile expanded once more into a grin, his eyes twinkling and his voice excited. "Not just any dark tome, my new found friend, I have something truly rare and interesting. It is..." Logan's hands moved quickly as he drew out the Mire tome in nearly pristine condition, the black on purple cover seeming to devour the light around it. "A Mire tome. An avid application of the dark arts, I've not seen a spell like it in today's day and age." He glanced at Laius, and his grin again faded to a more kindly and less terrifying state. "I would like to study this for a time, so perhaps we shall be companions on the road for a while. I am Logan, a Plegian mage and student of elder magic. It is a pleasure to meet you, mage."

The Next Morning

Trying to sleep had been hectic. Snores slipped through nooks and crannies in the walls, depriving her of a good night’s sleep. Not to mention that she had been thinking about Helena, recently. Oh, Helena. If I had died instead of you, it would have been so much better for the Shepherds… the thought frequently crossed her mind as she laid in the creaky old bed, staring at the shadowy walls of the room. The night air nipping at her skin made it worse. Goose bumps rose up, and she had no other way to warm herself up other than a thin, stained sheet that used to be white.

When she woke up, she packed her things and walked down the stairs. She advised that everyone get something warm in their stomachs, and that they should move out immediately after. She had not seen Zaino, but she knew that he would not leave from there. Not without something important to him. Ambra felt dirty for stealing things, but a man that had sustained as many wounds as him should not leave their group. Even if it had been a woman, she would have done the same. The red haired woman looked around the main floor, watching everyone gather their things and begin to pay the innkeeper for their night’s stay.

Nestled safely in her satchel was Zaino’s bloodied, worn shirt. Taking it off of him had been a hassle, because she did not want him to wake up and see her undressing him. Yet, it had been worth it. She was pretty sure that he would not leave the inn without all of his clothes. She should have taken something else other than his shirt. Yet, how was she going to conceal his sword? Not to mention that it might be so important to him that he would slit her throat when he found out.

A loud laugh to her right made Ambra glance over at a pale haired, rosy faced lady that she quickly recognized as that Wyvern Lord. She had been rutting around with that Knight a few hours ago, and already she was getting drunk. She was actually sitting on another man’s lap, straddling him with her arms, but she didn’t get a good look at his face to determine who exactly he was. How she could act like that all of the time, she didn’t know, and she didn’t want to find out. How she could ride or guide her wyvern or walk, she didn’t know that either. Such a loud woman. If I ever act like that, someone should give me a good smack on my head.

“Loud, isn’t it?”

Ambra glanced up to see a man, wrapped in bandages and as bald as… well… she didn’t know what to compare him to other than a mummified mage. The Musician groaned as he walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder for support. She winced as she expected a heavy weight upon it, but he was surprisingly light. ”Hello… my name’s Ambra.” she greeted, nodding her head. ”Nice to meet you.”

“Name’s Talbot. You can call me Tal, if you want.” The musician glanced over at her. “That girl wants to learn from you, you know. The thief.”

Ambra narrowed her eyes, but Talbot raised a hand. “Don’t object. She has a spark in her, Ambra. And you keep on smothering that spark in hopes of it dying. Yet, that spark has grown into an ember, and then a flame. Every time you attempt to smother it with the heel of your boot, it will grow larger and larger. It is a fire you cannot put out.”

”So, what you’re telling me is that I should teach this untrustworthy woman so she could become deadlier?” Ambra asked.

“Think about it, Ambra. Even if she does turn on us, can a measly thief get very far after she has harmed one of us?” Talbot patted her on the shoulder, and turned away, limping to the innkeeper and ordering a bowl of soup. The red haired woman was left standing there, confused.

Should I..?

Logan was having, while not the best morning ever of all time, at least it was a decent, pleasant morning. An hour before, he had quietly left the room he had 'borrowed' from the mage(Logan slept in the corner, it was comfortable enough), and had wandered down to the main floor. Not fifteen minutes into his study of the Thoron tome before he was approached by a slightly tipsy and attractive young woman wanting to know what he was doing. Despite the hated questions, he accepted, as the woman brought at least some nutrition in the form of drink. Another thirty minutes had past before she was sitting on his lap, and he was telling her in detail about various things, the current one being about alcohol, more specially how he could tell how the inns ale was made from the taste.

The dark mage took a sip, gave a look of concentration, then looked at Lumara and voiced his findings. "Bitter. Water and grain... I believe that ale is also fermented with yeast. However, unlike beer it does not have hops in it. This allows for a different tastes depending on what one does." He concentrated momentarily, as if adjusting his thoughts against the drink he'd been having. It was definitely a new experience this early in the morning. However, in the drunken haze, Logan figured out what Lumara was reminding him of. A cat. He reached up and rubbed the wyvern lord's head, before continuing with: "...Another drink? You appear to have finished yours."

For once, Zaino did not feel like a pegasus clipped of its wings. He had woken up and, feeling healthy enough to stand, was surprised to find that he was full of energy and his wounds no longer pained him [if they were still there]. Releasing his sword from its scabbard, he saw that it had grown worn from usage and lost a good deal of its durability, keeping a mental note to replace it when he arrived in Regna Ferox. He reattached it to his side and began the search for his upper garments that were still missing. He had known that Ambra had taken it the other day, and expected it to have been returned to him, but it was nowhere to be found; what was she planning on doing?

"She's really getting on my nerves," Zaino said to himself, sighing as he tidied up his bed in respect towards the owner of the inn and promptly exited his room, hearing the liveliness of conversation coming from the lobby. He had intended on waking up earlier to leave without any of these people finding out, but for some reason, he'd gotten too comfortable. I'll go ask that woman...

Zaino sheepishly strode into the lobby still shirtless, feeling a bit uneasy about all of the eyes that now laid on him. He ignored them and spotted Ambra, who had been speaking to a... bald man? Her interest in men was... questionable, to say the least. He trotted on over to her with his usual look full of spite, not bothering to indulge in formalities. "Where's my clothing? I need to make haste if I want to get back to Ferox in time."

Lumara thought that Logan was an… interesting and intellectual fellow. As was Tihlas last night. That had made him her…. what… umpteenth man so far? She didn’t care. She hadn’t kissed a mage before. The only ones who were really interested in her were usually cavaliers and knights such as that pale haired man. But this one was dark haired and dark eyed, and very, very intriguing. There was an air around him that she wanted to experience, and best of all, he drank. So far, this Logan person was steadily keeping up with her, and he did not object to the fact that she was on his lap. She giggled and nodded her head, raising the glass toward him. It was dry, but then again, it had been dry for a while, now. She was too busy enjoying his… presence.

”I would like another drink, please,” Lumara told him, her words almost slurring into one large one. She purred as he rubbed her head, and she tucked her face into his palm. ”You have such soft hands… not ones I’ve ever experienced before… tell me, have you ever…” she giggled, shaking her head and covering her lips with one hand. She was playing the dumb, innocent one now. Maybe that would grab his attention more than her rough and tough attitude. ”I’m sorry, I’ve just heard so many things about Dark Mages. Of their… so called interactions with women…”

Lumara forced herself to blush and giggled again, her green eyes focusing on his face. He had somewhat delicate features, much like that musician’s. Maybe she would go after him neck, but he didn’t seem like he was in the right health for him to rut around. ”I’ve heard that they have many taboo ways of pleasuring women. Is that true?” she chuckled. ”I don’t know, some women cringe away from that sort of stuff. But I… I think I would like that kind of treatment. It has to be exciting…” she let the word roll on her tongue, grinning at him.

That was Lumara for you. A woman that drank, played in the dark, slept, and fought. She was nothing else. What could she be? A mere Wyvern Lord? No, it would be too depressing. She would have to think about her life more. And that… she didn’t want that.

”Tell me, handsome… what is your name? Have you ever had a woman before..?” she purred this straight into his ear, making sure to get as close as possible to him. If I’m lucky, he could show me a few new techniques.

---

Ambra was about to sit down and eat herself when someone approached from behind. She turned to see a shirtless Zaino asking for his clothes back. She knew exactly what he meant—he wanted his shirt back. Her hand unconsciously gripped at the satchel she had just recently put on as if she was defending it. His shirt had been so tattered and bloodied that she literally had to wash it for hours. Then she had to sew shut the rips and tears after leaving it to dry. How this man can get out of bed, I don’t know. I just want him to stay. she exhaled roughly before picking up her chin and narrowing her eyes at him.

”I… don’t know what you’re talking about.” she lied. It was the worst lie she had heard in her life. But, it was a lie nonetheless. Zaino knew that she had something to do with his shirt. She was the one that had taken it off in the first place to look at his wounds. She knew that this would make him angrier, and so she backed up a few steps closer to Talbot. The heavily wounded mage was busy carrying a bowl of soup to a table, but paused as he looked at Zaino.

“Hey, what’s going on?” his voice was weak, yet Ambra could hear his usual upbeat charm. “Why is this guy shirtless? Is he one of those guys that likes to show off his body?”

Ambra stepped around him and hid behind him, peering at Zaino with wide eyes over his shoulder. Tal blinked in surprise and looked back at her, and then back at Zaino. “Uh… hey…” he greeted nervously, obviously not wanting to get into a fight.

I have to avoid him, if I can. Ambra told herself, backing away even further. If he made a run for her, she was pretty sure that she could run upstairs and lock herself in a room until it was time to leave. She was an archer, after all. She was built on the aspect of agility and stamina. She took another step back, an anxious grin spreading across her face. Purely reflex. It wasn’t as if she was making fun of him.

"Out of the way, shiny." Zaino pushed his way past the bald mage, hovering over Ambra with a malignant glare. It didn't take much to perceive that she was lying to him, and that was one of the things he hated most other than thieves; liars. He wondered if this woman had already forgotten that he had an important objective to carry out, and an entire country was at risk of possible invasion if he wasn't able to carry it out in time.

Or maybe she did know, and she thought this would've been a comical thing to do; waste his time, because that was all the rest she was good for. Zaino could feel his anger begin to reach a fever pitch as he spoke, "You're a funny one. May I please have my clothing so I can leave? I've no time to waste on delivering the news to the Khans of Helena and Ylisse with your shenanigans."

The nuzzle against his hand had come as a pleasant surprise to Logan, and then the purr had seemingly confirmed this woman's relationship to cats. The dark mage's small exclamation of happiness was barely noticeable as a rushed whisper of "Kitty!". He continued until she pushed her head into his palm, registering that she was going to answer his previous inquiry about the drink. He nodded and gestured to the innkeeper for more(Logan received a dirty look and a nod for his troubles), and turned back to Lumara in time to see her put her hand to her mouth, and voice her comments on dark mages. Logan's comment back was simply. "I've been told a lot of things about that too. I wonder why?"

The dark-haired man seriously considered her next question, thinking back to long before he was free, where he first learned the arts of elder magic. Pleasure wasn't supposed to be the goal, but he'd found that many of the Grimleal had found comfort in the flesh of others in the dark halls of the decaying temple. Glassy-eyed, he listened to the Wyvern Lord's next few comments, before snapping back to reality as she leaned in close to his ear. He paused, absorbing the information in silence for a time, before lifting the woman carefully of his shoulders and staring directly into the green eyes with his own unblinking dark ones. "...My name is Logan, of Plegia. To your second inquiry, I don't believe I've 'had a woman', as you say, but I have more than some knowledge of the subject." The nearly black eyes narrowed as it was Logan's tun to lean in close, and whisper what seemed to be a challenge in the woman's ear. "I'm fairly certain you don't want the sort of excitement I'll bring." He pulled back in time to grab the tankards that the innkeeper brought over, smiling at the man as he placed the two drinks down on the table next to him.

Ambra’s eyes widened when her “shield” failed. Great. Now she had to resort to running away. Just a bit longer, and then she could leave with the rest of the Shepherds. The russet haired woman shook her head, clutching tighter at her satchel. The grin was gone from her face and her eyes was set on his angry expression. ”No.” she told him sternly, clutching the bag close to her chest. This man… no… this boy was as stupid as a cow! He rushed head first into things without realizing the consequences. ”Think for a moment,” she stepped around him smoothly, her eyes remaining on his face. ”If you go out there by yourself in your condition, you’ll die!”

She yelped as she rushed away from him, running up the stairs to the second floor. Once, she tripped and almost fell all of the way down, but she caught herself before she was the living example of “take one step forward, two steps back”. If Zaino caught her, she was done for. Thank Naga for her agility. She bounded up the rest of the stairs and sprinted down the hallway. Slipping into a random room without checking if it was occupied, she pulled the shirt from her bag and looked over it. At least it was nicely patched up and the needlework was good. He had to forgive her when he saw what she did with his shirt.

---

Well, this was fun. Logan was either the type of person who wanted a woman in his lap or he actually liked her presence. Maybe both? The mage waved over the innkeep and he came with two extra flagons of ale. Ah… so he was going to drink more as well? This will be fun. He looked like a good man… er… sort of. His appearance was a bit unnerving, as his eyes were black as pitch and stared her down as if she were a morsel of food. He lifted her up as he rose, and leaned in close to her hear. He murmured something that might have frightened others, but… Lumara was thrilled. She wondered what he would do, if they actually fell in bed together.

”So, you seem to be Grimleal, Logan. I’m Lumara. You might wanna know that if we meet later on.” she took the flagon and swallowed a mouthful of ale. ”Tell me, Logan. You say that you’ve never had a woman before. Mn, I kinda like it. I haven’t had someone who was pure before.” she grinned mischievously. ”Maybe we can go for a quick round right now. It’ll be over and done with in an instant and I can see if I want to play with you later on.”

“Uhm, no.” the bald mage staggered up to the duo and frowned. “Listen, we have to get going. The Exalt should be only a day behind us.”

Lumara narrowed her eyes at him as he finally sat down to eat his meal. Well, she supposed she could wait a little bit longer. ”Wanna come with me to see Caius?” she asked, getting up and grinning down at him. Her eyes flashed with mischief and her grin betrayed her true intention with him. Maybe she could sneak off with him after they camped. Or maybe she could give him a few pokes when she passed by him. That was the way she thought love worked, after all. What was love? Just some stupid, mythical emotion. All men wanted was a woman in bed with them, and that was what she was giving them. Yet, why did everything go bad for her..?

---

Ugh… what…

Darrian woke up to a splitting headache, fueled by the rays of sunshine that slipped through the window frames. His whole body ached horribly. All he could tell was that he was laying on a bed, and a small form curled up next to him much like some cat. The woman’s arm wrapped around his chest, and he caught sight her as he glanced to the side. She was pretty—she had ebony hair and a very triangular face, and her brows were thin yet relaxed over her closed eyes. Darrian watched her for a moment before shrugging off her arm and sitting up in bed. Just as he expected, he was stark naked, which he quickly fixed by pulling on his trousers and shirt.

The Exalt left the lady and the room behind as he walked down the hall and down the stairs. Some of his men were already up, pulling their armor over their shirts and tying their boots. Darrian watched all of them before he walked out of the inn himself, stretching in the hot, morning Plegian sun. Already he felt as if he were sweating, and he was pretty sure that he smelled horrible. Yet, last night was the best night he had in a while. He wondered if Xanxus got any pretty lady to lay with him, along with Lantus. He deserved a lady once in a while, even if he was old and rusty like an aged sword. Women often squeal when they hear that their friend had shared a bed with generals such as them.

The black haired man yawned as he walked to the stables, his eyes half lidded as he opened the door to the establishment. The smell of horses and shit reached his nose, which wrinkled in response. They should really clean this more often. Darrian thought, walking to the end of the stables and locating the horse he had taken from that soldier. He looked it over again and sighed. Morningstar was a much better horse than this mixed breed. Yet, it would have to do. He walked into the stable and began to slip on the saddle, making sure that his prestigious, gray blue saddle blanket was visible for all eyes to see.

I guess I have to do things by myself at times. Darrian thought, narrowing his eyes as he finished fixing the saddle. Sometimes it gets boring when other people do everything for you.

The dark mage's body went rigid at the mention the Grimleal. Thoughts raced though his head, wondering briefly if he should kill her before she mentioned it to others and started a mob. Perhaps he could run, she seemed to have enough drink in her to leave her confused if he dropped her. Perhaps she would be silenced with gold? His fingers flexed against the chair, gripping the aged wood like as if it were a throat to be snapped, and the dark mage's eyes stared holes into the side of Lumara's head as he went over his options once more, finally dismissing them as she continued on as if nothing bad had happened, his tense body relaxing once more. "I see. In that case-" Logan's response was cut off by the actions of the bald man who smelled of snuffed fires and the harsh tang of energy, suggesting some sort of mage. The dark-featured man took the time that the other mage's interruption as a chance to fix his hair, feeling to make sure the vibrant purple tattoo was hidden.

As the other man wandered of, Logan's attention was again on the woman on his lap, who appeared to be as sultry as ever. "Your wyvern? I'm sure it would be my pleasure." The dark mage turned to the drink he had left on the table, taking a rather large swig to calm his nerves once more, before lifting Lumara up and off him, the feeling returning to his legs in a rush. Pins and needles ran down his lower limbs as the black-haired spellcaster stood upright and nearly buckled only once, picking up the Thoron tome from where he'd left it in the morning and storing it once more inside his coat. He made a note to drag the blonde haired man from last night on this merry adventure that he seemed to be embarking on. "Lead onward, Miss Lumara. I'm sure this will be an experience for the both of us."

”Yay!” Lumara giggled as she leaped up, clapping her hands in front of her like an excited little girl. When it came to her beloved wyvern, there was no stopping her boasting. Her wyvern was her baby, and even the beast knew that. He would always make these rumbling sounds whenever she rubbed his belly. He was such a cute little thing, yet no one really thought so. She sung a drunken tune as she left the inn and walked toward the stables. ”You’ll love my little Caius.” she told him, motioning for him to follow. ”He’s such a good boy. He won’t bite anyone unless I say or he thinks I’m in danger.”

The blond woman walked to the end of the stables and sighed, looking at the heap of brown scales that was curled up in a corner. The wyvern huffed and blinked at her, raising his head and letting out a low rumble at Logan. ”’s okay, boy! He’s a friend!” she told him, rubbing his nose. The draconic beast simply looked at him. ”Isn’t he a beaut?”

After getting the horses last night, Kalar had opted to stay the night there, as he had seen some unsavory fellows traveling home back to their wives, with hands clenching their heads. He had not slept for he feared of losing the horses to thieves. His hand never left the hilt of his right sword. When the sun came out, he stood up from his position and hopped onto one of the horses.

The horses trotted down the street when he saw the mage that had intruded on his client's and his deal. He was being led by a woman towards the stables. Making note of this, for it could become important for a getaway, he tied his two horses next to the opening of the inn. He went in and walked up the stairs. He looked in on many rooms, seeing a variety of occupants before finding his client. He was still asleep so Kalar reached down and shook him, with one hand on his sword and one eye on the door, looking to see if any eavesdroppers were around.

Logan followed the blonde woman out the door, making sure to note the positions of who appeared to Lumara's allies, and ignored the nagging suspicion that was tapping at the back of his mind. There was something the bandaged man had said that was vitally important, but it wasn't returning to the forefront of his whirling thoughts, and as such could wait until this woman and her wyvern were sorted. The spellcaster returned from the depths of his mind as they crossed into the stables, the resulting smell of horses and feces ripping through any semblance of inner concentration that Logan may have built up. He stared vacantly at the horses, dismissing them as great stupid beasts before his eyes lighted upon the brown wyvern that was no doubt the object of Lumara's affection.

There was a moment's pause as man and beast saw eye to nose for a moment or two, before Logan's mouth broke into a grin usually reserved for rare tomes or other magi. "Wonderful! Magnificent!" The dark mage did a little jig as he danced closer to the wyvern, darting back and forth around the entire creature as he examined everything that the still sleepy monster would show from his small position. After quite a few moments of excited movement, Logan turned to Lumara, his face still holding the elated expression of child-like proportions. "How old is he? What does he eat? How does he act when he feels you're in danger? What does he consider danger? How does he fly? When is he most active? How does one tell if he wants to mate? How does he maintain his hygiene? Why'd you choose him? Does it cause him stress to be in a stable? Is he a prime example of a male of his species? Can-" The dark mage cut off, and began to gasp for breath, holding up a finger to signify a moment's pause before gasping out: "Well?"

Lumara grinned at his questions, yet her drunken mind struggled to keep up with them. She knew some of what he was asking, and opened her mouth as she leaned on Caius's shoulder. The animal gave a slight grunt as he looked at the mage with his wide, amberish colored eyes. "I don't know how old he is, exactly, but he seems to be a young adult." she told him. "He's not as big as the other wyverns, but he's close. He likes to eat specific types of meat, especially choice cuts. Yet, I don't have enough money to be buying Caius here all of these things. Yeah, he protects me when I'm in danger. I made a command for him to attack if I was, but I really think that he just knows when I am. He flies like a bird, and he cleans his scales on his lonesome at times." she grinned. He had many questions but... he was just excited. "Tell ya what, when we leave, you wanna ride with me? You just have to feel the rush of the air against your face. Oh, and the thrill of battle!"

The dark mage's ecstatic expression never faded as he finally got his breathing back under control again, the air in his lungs no longer coming out in wheezing gasps. He gave Lumara's suggestion a second or two to sink in before Logan stood bolt upright and stared longingly at the wyvern, voicing his concerns under his breath as if to reconfirm that he had them all. "...need to reconvene with the blonde mage...he promises to be able to give me knowledge if I stick around him long enough...however, I can learn many things from this wyvern, and Lumara has some... interesting allies...Therefore-" The dark-haired spellcaster looked over to Lumara before continuing in a normal tone of voice. "-I accept! This allows allows me a higher chance to study your wonderful companion, and probably offers better protection than the shady man that the blonde mage seemed to be recruiting." There was a moment's pause before his expression shifted ever so slightly, his now-hardened gaze scything through the air as the smile spread into something more akin to a demonic grimace. "And I'm a mage, Lumara, My study also requires me to be upon the battlefield more often than not, and the thrill, as you say, isn't... lost on me."

The deadly mirth faded as quickly as it had come, the alcohol taking the edge of his words as he looked around for the tankard he'd taken from the main floor of the tavern, finding it(to his dull surprise) still clutched in his grasp, before taking a small swig and then proffering it to the Wyvern Lord. "You seem to be missing yours."

...

Suddenly, Zaino felt the urge to kill the woman like he had almost done before, gritting his teeth. It was then that Ambra suddenly took off sprinting up the stairs leading to the second floor of the inn, her agility surprising him just a little bit, but falling very short of impressing him. Now that he was rejuvenated and at his full strength along with the fact that he had spent the last few days resting up and stockpiling energy, she was clearly foolish for testing the speed of a swordsman, and moreso, a swordsman with the training he had. Placing a hand over the hilt of his sword, he dashed after the woman; Ambra wouldn't be able to hide from him for too long. "Stop!"

Zaino reached the top of the stairs in half the time it had taken Ambra to go up, calling out. "You're acting like a child, you know that? Come out already."

When he saw that she wouldn't do so, Zaino drew his sword and slowly paced down the hall, peering into each doorway that he passed and opening any closed doors. Upon looking into one of the closed rooms, he blinked twice at the sight of a fat man sprawled on the floor of his room with his buttocks directed right at the doorway, snoring extremely loudly as Zaino screamed at the horrid sight, also locating Ambra who was at the corner of the very same room, clutching his shirt.

...

"Get out of there. NOW."

---

This is horseshit.

Xanxus groaned loudly as the sound of birds chanting their morning songs joined by the radiant sun woke him, his eyelids bursting open as he saw that he was at the center of a bed filled with women. He pulled his arms out of the snuggled embrace of two women as his brain refused to comply with his senses, and when he tried to squeeze between the two of them and off the bed, that was when he felt the weight of another human atop of them. It was yet another woman, and although he couldn't recall who these women were, them being in the spots they were and all of his and their clothing at the base of the bed was all but enough to paint the picture in his groggy mind. The three women all had voluptuous bodies and pretty faces, and he was sure that he had gotten intoxicated enough to the point where his drunken self would actually admit to enjoying himself, but the morning after he was irritated; at both Darrian for pressuring him, and himself for giving in to that pressure.

Xanxus used his legs to carefully set the woman atop of the one to his right, scooting off to the base before she awoke, the smell of alcohol in her mouth no different than the entire room itself. "Commeee on, we're just getting staarted~" she encouraged, running a hand down Xanxus' biceps as he inched away from the bed. The woman fell back into her sleep shortly after as he proceeded to put all of his clothes back on, locating his two swords underneath the bed and making haste to exit the room, and after some questionable navigation, he was outside. It was evident that he suffered from a terrible hangover, and that only served to bolster his mad mood.

When I see Darrian, I'm going to-

Xanxus bent over and lifted an abnormally large boulder with ease, hurling it directly towards the back of Darrian's head. He sighed, folding his arms and waiting to see how the Exalt would react to the impact.

Lumara grinned when the man said that she would indeed ride into battle with her. Yes, she had a partner the next time that they encountered bandits and she needed help. At least she would have extra support at long ranged attacks. She grinned over at him and took the flagon from his hands. ”You know, I’m really beginning to like you. You seem like a good man, Logan. May the Divines grant you many years and children!” she laughed loudly, not even knowing what she said, and swallowed some of the ale that was in the cup. Ah, she would have to get some imported ale when she was back at Ylisse. ”We better get going, though.” she told him, handing him back the cup and beginning to get Caius ready. She slipped on his harness and grinned. ”Caius seems to want to fly anyway.”

The blond yawned loudly and began to tug the wyvern out of the stables. The animal got to his feet and followed his owner, his tail swaying slightly as he took slow and long steps. Of course, he was a giant thing. Such an animal could not move so quickly. Well… at least, not now. Lumara walked the rest of the way out of the stables and sighed. ”I got him when I joined the Riders of Dawn. I wasn’t the one to string an arrow or whatever they say. So, they handed him over to me. They had taken him from another Wyvern Lord that was killed in battle. Luckily, he seemed to like me more than his previous owner at the time and we became like two peas in a pod. Right, boy?”

Caius rumbled and snorted as if he was agreeing with her. Lumara laughed another of those laughs and shook her head. ”You sure are the joker! Who taught ya that jest?”

---

Ambra did not notice the fat man that was in the room. She was just so terrified of the man that was hunting her down that she didn’t really notice anything in the room. Zaino’s voice could be heard from the hallway, and she heard his footsteps come her way. At times she heard the doors swing open, or his footsteps slow, but she was sure that he was going to find her. She clutched at his shirt in fear, and then closed her eyes and prayed to Naga. Please, don’t let him hurt me! she whimpered softly. He’s just stupid!

Her door opened, and she looked at him with wide, terrified eyes when he screamed. It was only then that she followed his gaze, and saw the fat naked man on the floor. What the hell?! she leaped to her feet, disgusted. What the heck was this man doing when he passed out? Zaino didn’t have to tell her twice to get out of the room. She made her way to the door, attempting to slip by him and escape to the first floor. His sword was unsheathed, and she felt like laying on the ground and crying out for mercy. No! He caught me. He caught me!

If only she could slip past him. Yet, he was right at the doorway, and squeezing into that gap between him and the door frame without getting caught was impossible. Ambra realized this, but far too late.

---

Darrian looked over his handiwork. The horse’s saddle and cloth were properly positioned on its back. At least he hadn’t made a fool of himself in front of the others. Believe it or not, he had to do things for himself as well! Xanxus didn’t have squires, so he didn’t need them… not every time he wanted to do something, anyway. He patted the horse on its flank and grinned at it. I wonder what I should call you. he thought, trying to get over his hangover. Yet, he wasn’t in a lot of pain. He just had to focus on something else, that was-

Something struck the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground with a cry of shock and pain. The object that had hit him was heavy. The impact on the back of his head was not one dealt with mere force, but weight as well. Darrian quickly jumped to his feet, rubbing the back of his head and neck and feeling where the object had hit. Who the hell did that? he thought as he looked around. I’ll gut him, string him up by his innards-

Oh.

The assailant was standing there, arms crossed and glowering at him with a pair of unnerving, crimson eyes. If looks could kill, he would have been slaughtered there on the spot. ”Xanxus, what the Hell is wrong with you?!” he hissed at him, rubbing the back of his head and narrowing his eyes at the man that he called his friend.

”What, didn’t you have a good time last night? Those women were all over you. Or don’t you remember?”