Trantis lake lay empty and the ground as dark as that of the forbidden forests of Death's Pass. The town that had floated upon it waters now lies desolated as the buildings had collapsed to the ground. Two men stood at the edge of the lake, overseeing the wreckage. One with long flowing green hair, the other, tall and muscular, face covered with an ornate mask. There were small piles of clothes everywhere, still warm from their previous inhabitants bodies, yet not a soul in sight. The masked man leaned forward and picked up what looked to be a doll next the a broken down pier.

"Do not mourn for them. They too once sent their men to murder my people for their own selfish gain. This is the price for their ancestor's folly.... Your first lesson I shall teach you," the masked man said, tossing down the doll. "In war, your enemy must be completely wiped from existence. Not just the men, but the women, and the children. You will be seen as a monster, sure enough, but grieving women and vengeful children beget rebellion and more bloodshed in the future." He turned towards the green haired man and held his arms out . "Am I not all the proof you need of this truth? This town will serve as an example for those who seek to oppose my birthright." He then turned and started walking towards the dark woods to the east.

"Follow me and leave this place behind you. You are no longer a man bound by this lake or its people. Bardus shall spread the word of my arrival in Salna. In the meantime, I shall prepare you for what is to come."



In Salna, an odd man wearing stilts, a worn out fur cloak, a basket helm, a smoking pipe, and carrying a hoe with a thick blade shambled up to the front gate. He took a deep breath and called out to the guards at the gate."Hear me, ancestors of tyrants! The final days for those who oppose the vengeful king draws near! In three weeks time, this town will face the judgment of King Jeevak of the Grandis Empire! Submit! Lest you wish to perish like the people of Trantis!"

This caused a stir in the crowd that had gathered to watch, and really caught the guards' attention. The stir turned into panic as there were a lot of people with family in Trantis. A small group of guards assembled to arrest the man, though, in a flash, the first man to move towards him suddenly stopped walking forward. An outcry from a woman in the crowd as she seemed to be the first to register what happened. The guard slumped and fell dead to the ground, the odd man's farming hoe lodged into his skull, piercing through his helmet. The towns people backed off as more of the guards moved in to attack the man who was now retrieving his weapon, but each one fell to the surprisingly nimble enemy, who seemingly dispatched them with fluid ease. When the tenth body hit the ground motionless, the other guards backed off to regroup and make a new formation, but were knocked over by a freak gust of air that seemed to come from the odd stranger.

"Do not rush your fate." He said as he dipped a hand into one of the fallen guard's wounds. he then drug the dead man over to the wall, and using the blood, wrote a message on the wall. "A NEW KING RISES. THE GRANDIS EMPIRE HAS RETURNED," it read. The man wiped his hand off in his fur cloak and turned towards the people with a bow. "You have been told, you are no longer ignorant. We will return." With this, the man then hobbled off. The man's pipe seemed to start billowing out smoke, turning his image into nothing but a haze, gone when the smoke dispersed.

---

2 weeks later

---

Bidzil woke up in a sweat, though, the heat baring down through the window he was sleeping next to the cold night before. He was currently in Kalla, the one and only town in the Killiman Desert. The heat was something he was used to in Trantis's summer, but it was a bit different when there wasn't an ever present body of water around to jump into. Sure, there was the few spots of water around the town as it sat in an oasis, but people didn't take to kindly to others jumping in the water they used daily for their chores and to drink, as he had found out the night he arrived. Bidzil kicked the thick blankets off and got out of the bed he rented for the night, and started to get himself ready for the day. His gear and jacket were locked in a rental chest at the foot of the bed, thankfully it didn't look like it was tampered with. He popped it open and threw the jacket on and then equipped his gear. He patted himself down, making sure everything was still there and in the right place before heading out the door. The first thing he wanted to do, is get something to eat, and then get supplies for the road, so he needed to head towards the market first.

The markets were packed with people bartering and selling their wares. Here was plenty of things to choose from in the market, from dates and melons, to corn, millet bread, even potatoes and lamb meat. The smells of all the different vendors cooking their foods was enough to drive a starving person mad. Though Bidzil was originally making a beeline for the opportunity of a filling breakfast, he found something else that caught his eye. Out to the side, just south of the main merchant tent, sat a tailor's shop with Aerex's name on it.

“No way...that couldn't be...but... I don't know any other tailors with a name like that,”] he murmured. He found himself making strides to the store to see if he was right about his assumption.

One year.

It had been exactly one year since Aerex saw Joan for the last time. To this day it was hard to explain why he left. An affair? Frustration? Both. It was unlike Joan to not even say goodbye however. An air of mystery surrounded the disappearance, and no city guard ever raised a finger to help. Some days, Aerex would wake in a cold sweat after a nightmare, missing his partner’s embrace. Eventually, he was a able to bury those feelings in his work. Tailoring had become his life. An obsession, almost. Every day, it was all he did aside from tending the house, eating or bathing. Nothing else was worth it anymore, he thought. He’s lost everything he had ever cared about. Now he needed to hold one to what was left, what his father had taught him. Despite this, today was a specially hurtful day. The anniversary of his disappearance.

Aerex awoke following a nightmare, shook it off and refused to even ponder on it. He followed his usual routine, a bath followed by breakfast. Then, heading outside, he opened his shop. Aerex Tailoring. After that, it was a matter of settling in and wait for customers to walk in. Today however, he had left his assistant Juliana, a local girl who he had hired a few months before, to watch over and tend to the counter at the front. These past few days he hadn’t even been seeing customers in the eyes. He would only take requests, finish the work, and have his assistant deliver. Despite her refusals, he offered to pay her extra for the additional work. It was only fair. After all, it was him who felt like he couldn’t look at anyone else in the eye without stuttering. Simply put. Out of all days, he wasn’t interested in other people. Just his work.

Aerex sat in a room especially made for his tailoring work. The room had a single window and door, with the rays of the sun pouring in and touching the hanging expensive fabrics on the walls and tables. Aerex sat in a chair, and began to work on a top he had our off for months. An anniversary gift for Joan. Slowly, he paired and stitched together intricate patterns upon the cotton fabric. Each thread, hand sewn to perfection. He was almost done with the shirt, the final piece of the white set that also included a pair of trousers made in linen fabric. Once it was finished, it became impossible to contain tears he had been holding since he began. If only he would have done better. He should have never left. Before he could ponder any further, Juliana knocked on the room’s door.

“Excuse me, Aerex? Someone by the name of Bidzil is asking for you in the front.”

It took Aerex a moment to respond. Taking a deep shaky breath, and cleaning off his tears with his sleeve, he set the clothes he had just made on a table beside him.

“Tell him-” He took a moment to compose himself. “Tell him I will be there shortly.”

“I will!” Said Juliana, hearing her step away from the door and back walk back to the front.
Aerex sighed, taking one last look at the clothes he had made for Joan then turning to the door.

”Bidzil? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Aerex mused to himself, opening the door and heading to the front desk. Once behind the counter, he stumbled upon a male customer standing by some designs that adorned the walls of the front of the shop.

Kalla.

Allanon remembered the last time he came here. The Calabris family had sent the Ironblades to hunt down an opposing family’s operation and shut it down with lethal force. There were no survivors that night, and the only people that knew what happened were the Ironblades or dead. Rumors flitted about some time after, but now that it had been over a decade since that happened it was irrelevant.

Irrelevant. Allanon frowned at that thought. Their deaths were not irrelevant to their families. He still remembered, so they weren’t irrelevant to him. He had to carry that weight.

He had spent the night in an alley, but he was not entirely prepared for the cold night of the desert. It took some time for him to stretch his muscles to warm up as the sun rose in the morning, but this was a better option than a fight for survival in an inn. If anyone seeking his bounty recognized him or his swords there would be a serious fight for his life. This was just better for everyone. Although nothing Allanon did, and nowhere he went would ever be a safe place for him.

A rustle of paper sounded as Allanon pulled a bounty he saw as he entered Kalla.

1000 gold for his head.

It had gone up from 750.

Outside of the fact that he had grayer hair and his skin had gotten rougher with age he had not physically changed much over these last eight years. It was almost an honor that the Calabris family wanted his dead that bad. He was pretty sure he was tied for first among a few others including his fellow surviving Ironblades. A part of him could relate to some of the more villainous folks on the bounty list as far as how this could be a point of pride for them.

The temperature had already risen to a steadily roasting heat as the sun rose over the horizon. After his morning routine to maintain his body, Allanon lifted his hood over his head and entered the market to find out where the Calabris family had their slave operation. He had gotten the request from a panicked father that came to him to rescue his daughter. Apparently, he owed them and they wanted her as collateral or else. She was going to be brought here to be trained as a dancer and then sold to the highest bidder. Allanon promised to rescue her if the father could find a way to disappear with her.

Allanon stepped up to a food vendor selling bread. “I’ll have a loaf of bread.”

The vendor looked up at Allanon with a curious and possibly suspicious look. “That’ll be three silver, sir.”

As he took the coins out to pay for it he asked. “Also, could you help me out? I am looking for dancers. Where might I be able to find them?”

Portia

Kistal stood in front of a sweltering oven, crouched low as he watched the final moments of the bread loaf cooking. As soon as it hit perfection, his hands moved with practiced ease, grabbing the peel and sliding his creation out. The aroma of the poppy seeds and the sourdough pierced the other food smells within the kitchen. He couldn't help but feel some pride in his work. Upon placing the fresh loaf on a cutting board to cool for cutting, he then returned to his stew, stirring and tasting it. The venison and beef both tasted good and fell apart in his mouth. Perfect for a luxury meal. He served up a bowl, placing it on a platter surrounded by other pre-entree food.

He lifted the platter and smoothly backed through the doorway out into the common area. The hustle and bustle of the patrons buffeted him for a moment, but he moved between bar maids and drinking men and women. The recipient of the platter full of stew, salad, and fruit sat across the room, surrounded by a bodyguard and vassal. The woman saw the food she ordered for only a moment. Once she saw the one carrying her dish, her face went pale and she barely managed to hide her disgust at the race of her cook. Kistal, keeping professional, paid it no mind and set the platter in front of her. "Here is your order: beef and venison stew with a mixed salad and mixed fruits. I also provided some homemade balsamic dressing to add more flavor. Please, enjoy your appetizers. I will be out again as soon as your main meal has finished." Kistal then bowed respectfully and turned on his hoof, leaving for the kitchen again. His keen hearing caught her leaning to her vassal and stating, "How did such a stupid brute learn to cook this well? Beastmen are little more than animals."

Kistal frowned and let out an annoyed growl. He made his way to back to his station, saying hello and chatting with some of the regulars along the way. She saw him as subhuman. The regulars saw him as their friend, cook, and purveyor of high quality booze. The duality struck him as severely annoying. The ones that judged him as brutish were also the ones that did not know beastmen personally. He discarded that line of thinking once inside his kitchen again, not wanting to spoil his day. The bread had cooled enough by his return, so he grabbed a bread knife and sliced it into thick pieces, wrapping the now sliced crusty poppy bread in cloth to help it keep until needed. He went into the cooler, grabbing a drake steak and a bottle of his best wine. He stepped back out into the warm kitchen, ready to make the rest of the meal.

His mind drifted to his desire for adventure. He loved his work and the people he now knew, but he kept feeling a wanderlust building. His instincts for freedom led him to want to leave and move. He wanted to experience more and see the rest of the world. He especially wanted to find and end the evils of slavery and forced servitude. He just needed at least one reliable person, if not a small group, to help him realize his desires.

Kalla

Ren wakes up from a deep slumber in a nearby lodge, furrowed brows and bag under her eyes, it seemed like she was still exhausted from her travels to finally arrive here. Rolling out of bed she drifted into the shower lazily shedding of her night clothing to bathe in the wooden tub they had set out. Scrubbing her body clean she gets out and drys off then using her magic she concealed her white hair to a brown as well as her eyes. She puts on a light tan sundress and combs her lions mane of hair before making a meal for herself.

Eating up some simple beef stew with carrots and rice she takes her belongings and heads towards the market district she has to open up her shop to make some money. Walking across the market district she eyed a tailoring shop, some of her clothes needed some attending to so she kept the thought in the back of her head. She saw a girl attendant and some people gathered at the tailors shop so in an effort to get more customers she finds a nice, sizeable space nearby. Pulling out a small coin purse she threw it open on the ground in front of her and magically done her shop had popped into existence in front of her. A sign dangling as an aftereffect reading VESPER’S TOMES AND MAGICAL ITEMS. With a smirk and a swash of nostalgia she walked into the front door, a dusty collection of books and items strewn about it was like an old antique shop where every item is someone's treasure. She sat at the cashier awaiting some customers, with nothing better to do she opens up a tome and starts to study the magical properties within.

Since a kid she loved reading and it brought forth a safe space for her diving into a whole new world. When she found her first tome and learned magic through it a whole new world was brought forth where she could adventure. Sitting in this lonely shop that can move wherever like a gypsy she sat and reminisced as she read a tome about black magic and the consequences of using some of them. As she read a smile from ear to ear formed as her adventure continued.

@Honesty Crow

When Juliana mentioned he would be there shortly, he smiled and gave a small bow, which ended up being closer to a nod than anything, and thanked her. He looked around the store with all its fabrics and clothes, though only a few fully made garments to show the tailor's talents, as it seemed like everything was custom fit here. Definitely way over Bidzil's budget....even if he had money. There was then the sound of another set of footsteps approaching, prompting Bidzil to turn to see who it was. Bidzil's eyes widened a bit with a smile as he saw a familiar face walk into the room. "Well, I'll be... I never thought I would see you again. Who would have thought that you came all the way out here." He reached his hand out to shake Aerex's. He stopped for a moment and looked around. "H-hey, didn't Joan leave with you as well? Is he in town too? There's something I need to tell you two if you haven't heard already, but you may want to sit down first."

@drewccapp

The merchant took the silver coins and inspected them, honestly, three silver was a little much in most places, but for a foreigner out in the middle of the desert, most usually paid. He wrapped up a loaf of bread and handed it to him, still warm and with a flaky outer shell. "Ah, a man after the fine arts I see. Well, those lovely flowers don't normally come out until night time at the taverns or during festivals. But maybe madame Valia can help you. she is one of the finest dancers around, she has been teaching other girls for a few years now. She hasn't been herself recently though, guess something has been on her mind. Got some big party we should know about?" he ended with a deep laugh. "She could be just down that street, a few houses away from the chieftain's place. You will know it when you see the blue silk banners.

@Kaia Tau

Ren's shop drew some attention from the local's, not really used to seeing magic, let alone one that spawned an entire shop. A few warrior looking men seemed to take interest, but not to her store, though after a moment of watching one of the men tapped on the other's shoulder and jerked his head towards the market, and they went on their way. There seemed to be a couple girls following behind them, quietly. Not a moment later though,a small group of kids would run up, fascinated at some of the items on display, but when it came to books, a number of them didn't even know how to read them, and their interest wavered more towards the gadgets and magic items instead.



@Lotrix Molick

The table Kistal served was close to another table with some of his regulars. A large brutish looking man, though actually very kind, and his friend liked to come her for a drink or two in the morning to take the edge off the day. But it seemed like the big guy was down once again after hearing some troubling news that hit a little close to home.

"Oi, did ya 'ere? That bastard, Lord Calibirs, sounds like he's been lookin for some new girls for, eh...'entertainin' purposes." the big gruff man said at a table to his friend, already half drunk.

"You shouldn't talk like that about him, you never know who h has listening-" the other man tried to tell him.

"Oh shut it...He already took my daughta. Wut do I care if he hears me. I'm so buried in debts, I'll probably never see 'er again. Least he is leaving us alone this time. Word is 'e wants one them dancing girls from the deserts. Got some...Varlick tribe or whatever on pay." he stammered.

The other man sighed. "Look, you are going to have to let it go, you are already working yourself to death, it wasn't your fault. We will get her back soon, I'm sure. As for those in the desert, I couldn't imagine what that must mean for them..."

Kalla

Ren peeked up from her reading to notice a bunch of kids have started to look around, closing her book she watches them with a smile. The curiosity embedded into the children reminded her of her own adventurous spirit. With a small grin she waved to the kids saying “If you need any help let me know! I also have a small bowl of snacks over her at the register if you get hungry.” She had always been good with kids and been gentle and kind to them. She would also see the groups of people walking around outside and even walking away from her store. Little did they know that if they asked her she could assassinate anyone for a good lump of money, This store although legitimate and made her enough money to get through life, It was a front for her assassination skills being sold.

Coming back snapping out of her head she treated the kids very kindly explaining and showing them all sorts of magic items and displaying them playfully, but carefully. She knew that kids sometimes are good sources of information too and planned for them to be her little ears while she stayed in Kalla. Asking innocently to the children “Where does one put faith in listeners? Can you all be my ears? I can give you treats and show you these cool items everyday I just need to hear the whispers of the town, good information if you will, Now It is not hard to do just relay any little or small thing you notice that makes you question what was said or done. It is a job perfect for you guys and i am putting my trust in you so please don’t break it. Pinky promise alright?” As Ren extended her right pinky offering it to the the children.

The children responded back with their pinkies and nodded in agreement with each other, seemed like a simple trade sweets and entertainment for what they hear around town it was a fair exchange. Ren tied an invisible imaginary string amongst them all. “See were all tied together and we can’t break the promise now or your severing ties with your new little band we started just now by doing that.”

The children felt like they were part of something bigger now and had each other to back them up it is an empowering feeling and Ren used that to her advantage, She had her little birds system set up and now it’s a waiting game for something interesting to stir.

Meanwhile, she could just run her shop normally and if the right customer comes in offer her skills of assassination to the client. She thought of bounty hunting again just for the buck but she would rather not go back to doing that again unless absolutely necessary.

Allanon already understood he was overpaying for this bread, and if he were in Portea he would definitely have called it out and haggled. Money was not easy to come across even when he earned most of his money by taking it directly from the evil people he had hunted over the last few years. He had six silver coins and two coppers left after this purchase more than enough to make ends meet if need be. Even so, he was paying for more than just bread. He was paying for information, and what he got was perfect. It sounded like the Madame responsible for training dancers was under suspicious circumstances. Allanon smiled at the merchant. "Thank you."

With that he marched off in the direction the merchant had pointed. He cut himself a slice of the bread with one of his throwing knives and ate as he found his way through the streets toward Madame Valia's. Just as he finished he found the blue banners just as described. He entered the space and immediately scanned the area. "I am looking for Madame Valia. I have need to talk business with her."

If something was unusual about her lately according to the locals then it was likely she was directly working with the Calabris family, and she had moral qualms about it. The odds were they had something over her if she was performing work for them. This would require some delicacy. His actions could destroy innocent lives if he was not careful.

The comments made while he was nearby stayed at the back of Kistal's mind while he worked. He served the pompous and prejudiced woman her meal. He then turned off his equipment and took his leave of the inn as the supper hour was done. The satyr meandered around the neighborhood, ruminating on the comments from the regulars. It gave him a very good reason to leave town and seek some adventure. It would take him to Kalla, which wasn't too far. Perhaps he could find some new profession to take up. He eventually made his way back to the inn and went in, pulling the bartender aside. After explaining his thoughts and situation, the barkeep basically said he could go. After all, Kistal wouldn't stay away forever. He would still come back and make sure to restock the alcohol for the barkeep.

Satisfied that he could always come back, Kistal left to his home. Inside, he grabbed his spear and other equipment. Then, he took some of his savings to a stable. There he bought an oxen and a sturdy cart. Then, he stopped by the supply store he used for barrels, casks, and other materials for booze. He grabbed and prepared the ingredients for a barrel of wormwood absinthe, a barrel of beer, a few casks of various wines, a barrel of vodka, and two casks of scotch. Then, he loaded the rest of the cart with feed and rations to last him the whole trip to and from Kalla. Once satisfied, despite it being nearly midnight, he set off on the road towards Kalla, taking casual swigs from one of the six bottles of absinthe he brought along from his personal stash.

For Kistal, the journey to Kalla would unsurprisingly go off without a hitch. People would worry about bandits on the roads, but truth be told, if the greedy merchants of Portea were good for anything, it was in the fact that they at least kept Portea's immediate trade routes clear of brigands that may try to steal their goods. If someone were to stay on the main roads leading away from Portea, they would normally have a fairly safe trip, as mercenaries could be seen keeping an eye out any time during the day and night. Kistal, traveling at night, would see small squads of men at arms walking in a loose group with two or three lantern bearers. Lantern bearers would normally have a lantern hooked into their halbreds, so that the light was out of their eyes and was enough to fill the area around them in light as they patrolled, but should they lower their weapon, it would come unhooked so that they can fight. The lanterns were metal and easy to refuel over torches. Every now and then, a few of the friendlier squads would wave or greet as Kistal passed. They were smaller in number, and were either carrying wooden round shields with their alliance painted on them.

The two more prominent smaller groups tended to have shields painted in white, trimmed in green with a red lotus on them, or were a two tone of grey and cobalt, its insignia a hammer with fours wings. These groups belongs to the Lonnette and Dalkain families, nicknames the Red Saints and the Iron Souls. These mercenaries are usually volunteers or paid only what they need to maintain their gear. They aren't always professional soldiers, but they volunteer to serve so that there is some representation of their district's merchant families. Most had other jobs within the city or in the farmlands to tend to on top of their mercenary work.

Most of the time however, Kistal would run into large groups of heavily armed mercenaries moving in various disciplines of formation. the rougher looking ones could care less about their form, while the higher paid ones, usually farther from the city where more trouble would occur, marched their patrol in tight formation. This was the Calibris family's mercenaries. Well armed, maintained, and given all the funding needed to complete any task. The elite ones found marching further from the city has special golden crests on their helmets, their shield, as all the Calibris mercenaries carried, were kite shields, with the middle pained olive green, the edges trimmed in gold, and a gold insignia of a dagger pointed down to three rings at the tip as if it were touching water and making a ripple effect. While the earlier brutes had plenty to say about the satyr skipping town, the elites were steady and disciplined, allowing Kistal to pass without so much as a single word.





The building Allonon arrived to was exactly as stated, though inside, it seemed to be a different tale. The lamps were out, some on the floor, tapestries ripped down, furniture upturned, cushions tossed about, pedestals collapsed to the ground in pieces alongside the shattered remains of whatever piece of art they held, be it a bust or pottery. It was a large ballroom made to both train, practice, and entertain, with a hallway in the back that lead to some living quarters, as many people also lived in their place of business here. There were a few bloodstains, minor at first, but progressively worse the further they got to the dark doorway leading to the hall. They were still fresh, as if just spilled only moments ago. At the door way itself, it looks like there were smears, as if something landed there and then drug itself inside. He could faintly hear someone crying from down the hall, though the door was closed and locked. The door however, was a simple thin wooden one, more for privacy than anything, and probably wouldn't stand up to much abuse.

Allanon made the quick decision to not request for Madame Valia with the scene before him. He immediately drew his sword at the sight of blood. This was too recent. He crept along following the blood trail with a focused expression on his face. He could hear a faint crying. Possibly the wounded person. Possibly someone else. He took a few moments to listen at the door and in the hallway. He wanted to hear if there were any threats still around before helping the injured.

When Allanon stepped closer to the door he was able to make out that the faint sobs sounded like they were coming from a woman, the faint flickering glow of fire light barely tracing the bottom edges of the door.

Whatever happened was recent, so whomever was responsible for this clear assault and battery could not have gone far. The last eight years had been almost nothing but a fight for survival spending every moment prepared for the worst. This door was the only way to further explore the building, so he immediately got to work on forcing it open. This would be the only way he could get answers.

Immediately upon pushing through the door he would see a body in the hallway on the ground. Upon inspection of his gear, it was a Calabris mercenary. There was a small ornate tri-bladed dagger in his chest, not part of their usual kit, Allanon should know for certain. The rooms to the sides were all empty, and at the end of the hall, there was an opening into a living room, with the legs of another body peeking around the corner. Whenever he decided to move up, he would see that the man was also dead, a blue silk veil wrapped around his neck, and the belt of his pants undone. There was a quick gasp as the crying stopped, just a few paces away was Madame Valia. She tried to stand, but fell rather quickly, trying to grab the lampstand to catch herself but it crashed to the ground with her. She had multiple injuries and bruises across her face and body, but the main was was her right leg that she just tripped up on. It was black from bruising in multiple areas. She was Varuk mostly, though her ears gave hint to something else being in her bloodline, maybe Sylve? And despite her title of 'madame', she actually seemed fairly young. "S-stay away! Leave me alone! Haven't you bastards taken enough!"



Allanon did not address the woman he assumed was Madame Valia immediately. He could tell she was not likely in immediate danger, but she would not be dancing anytime soon. He checked the body more thoroughly with an expression of contempt. A part of him wished he had been here in time to kill the Calabris merc. However, this man had a family. Did Allanon have the right to play executioner? Perhaps he had something that could give him more information than she could. Besides he wanted to give her some time to gather her wits.

"Be careful with that leg. Move the wrong way and your career could be permanently over." Allanon finally addressed the Madame with a firm tone. "Tell me, what is the Calabris family doing? What business did they have with you?"

Valia shook her head, she was still weary of him and didn't let her guard down, but the man was already acting differently than the others. "Those men mentioned that name as well," she said shakily. "My career is already over," she mentioned lowly looking at her leg, her voice quivering still in pain, "but I'm not worried about that." she said. "My girls have been slowly disappearing the past two weeks...And... now these men....these men tried to take me away. At first as an offer to be some Calabris person's personal dancer... that they have been....'looking' for one to suit his desires. I can only imagine they had been taking my girls.... I refused to help them, and then...they did this to me and my home. Said if i couldn't dance for their lord, that i should...." she couldn't finish the sentence as she shook her head, *they tried to force me to... and... I... I snapped." she finished, her hands shaking, the hand that stabbed the other man in the hall still covered in his blood.

Allanon sheathed his sword after assessing the danger had already been dealt with. He wished his fellow Ironblade, Marik Kane was here. He was a gifted Isoli healer, but he was the only Ironblade in what would be considered a "safe" place. He had returned to Tundral to be under the protection of his people. Of all the Ironblades, Marik was the most secretive, and he was the only one to not tell anyone how he owed the Calabris family anything. There was no way he'd be here in Kalla anyways.

"I am Allanon," Allanon said with a level tone. "I am an enemy of the Calabris family. Let me help you to a healer. I can help you get somewhere to start over, but I'm going to need your help hunting down those bastards. Tell me everything you know about them."

"My name is Valia," she said, starting to calm down. She timidly held a hand out to him to help her up. She couldn't even touch the ground with that leg as it was, let alone walk on it. When he assured her that he was against the Calibris family why gave a pained smile, "I believe that would make the both of us. Ah, thank you..." she said as he helped her up. "I can't leave here. This is my home, live or die," she started about him mentioning starting over elsewhere. "I don't know much about this 'Calabris' family, other than what those men mentioned. When my students started disappearing, I was worried that they may have lost their desire to continue dancing. Though, when their family came looking for them, I grew worried. I guess these men, like for me, have been looking for dancers to enslave to this family you speak of."

Before helping Valia up, Allanon bound her wounded leg to the best of his ability to make sure any broken bones would not move and cause permanent damage. He made sure to make this clear as to not upset her further. He felt the same sentiment she had towards not leaving. "I'm afraid I do not know Kalla very well. I'll need your direction to a healer you trust."

He remained silent for a short while as he mulled over the information he had now. What they were doing was pretty equivalent compared to the work they had him to all those years ago. Even though he never worked any of their slave operations the odds were his team laid out a lot of the foundational work for their current operations.

"If you can tell me everything you know about your students I may be able to track them down and rescue them from whatever is planned for them. Where did they live? What were their daily routines? Anything that can give me a clue."

Valia "Our healers are at the temple, beside the inn, close to the markets. People may undoubtedly have their questions..." she mentioned, noting that the site of him nearly carrying her out of here may draw quite some attention. "Though...it may be a bit safer there... As for my girls, they were all local and here in town, all Varuk, very talented. Aside from their duties at home with their families, the only main places they would visit would be here, the market, and the oasis for water."



Some of the older children scurried away at the proposal, knowing too well what promises like that could cause, awkwardly taking their younger siblings by the hand and running off, making it sound like another game. others were all to willing to share what they knew about the town, mostly what cool lizard they saw at the oasis this morning. Meanwhile, a man was leaning against a tree not to far off from her shop, one leg crossed at the ankle and his arms crossed. Ren would be able to instantly recognize him as Sahale, a broker, a person who delivers contracts for assassinations and other wetwork operations. Brokers tended to be retired assassins themselves, as they would be the best people to use to track other assassins to deliver jobs. This particular broker was easily recognizable because he always seemed to find Ren no matter where she was, like he made it his personal business to be the only guy to deliver jobs for her. If she noticed him while talking to the kids, he would just smile and pull one arm up to wave, then cross his arms again. It wasn't till the kids eventually left the he sauntered his way over with that smug grin of his.

"Hey there sweet cheeks, been a while! It just so happens I wasn't looking for you this time, I was in the middle of another job! Imagine the odds!" he laughed. He pulled a fat pouch of gold out and plopped it on her counter. "BUT, I did just so happen to acquire a contract you may be interested in, just about ten minutes ago really." He leaned in close. and whispered, "Some mercs tried to take the package they were picking up for a spin and got canned, need ya to clean house before the dirty laundry gets aired out and I mean as soon as possible. The target is a beautiful half Varuk and Sylve woman with long hair, she is a dance teacher in town. House with the blue banners just down the road." He leaned back up and tapped his sheathed sword on his shoulder. "Its a shame for such a beauty to go to waste, female targets always leave bad tastes in my mouth. Anyway! Consider that the down payment, gorgeous, and the completion will be worth twice as much. Some guy named Calibitch or whatever is shellin it out. Take it while you can. Take care, doll face, I'll find ya when I need ya, or rather, when you need me~." With that, he went on his merry way towards the markets.

As they made their way over to the temple, Allanon kept on full alert. While it looked like they felt just one mercenary would be enough for one woman he could not discount the possibility of a back-up. The information she gave him while limited was good enough for him to work with.

"How secure is the oasis?"

As he considered where to look next he considered the fact was with the one person with any link to the Calabris family's operations going on here. Even if she knew little about what they were doing it was entirely likely they would want to cover up any knowledge she had. It wouldn't be long before her act of self-defense would be known and the rumors would spread. He knew the Calabris family to be relentless in their pursuits, and it would not be over for Valia until their operation here was dead.

He cleared his throat. "Never mind that. I would like your help. It is entirely possible they will track you down and try again. I want to use that to find their base, and I promise to keep you safe. If I'm going to rescue those girls I'm going to need your help in this."

On their way to the temple, many people noticed Allanon carrying Valia, who was covered in bruised. The sight, stunned a lot of the people he passed by, some letting a curse slip from their mouths. Someone ran off to alert the guards. By the time they reached the temple, there was a small crowd following them, but not too closely. Rumors already spreading about what may have happened, and if the strange man carrying her was somehow involved. "It seems we might have caused a bit of a stir," Valia said to Allanon as they went up the temple steps. The doors were open already, making it easy to get inside, and luckily the people didnt rush into the temple with them, though a few guards who caught up did.

A clergymen was the first to notice their arrival, getting up from his small chair in the entryway. He wore simple yet comfortable white robes with a hood loosely resting on his balding head. He was a tall yet thin Varuk man, with dark skin from his years in the desert. "M-Madame Valia!" He shouted after her as he rushed to them. He helped Allanon get her to a bed in their medical facility on the other side of the temple. "Just rest dear, you will be safe here." He looked her over before he turned to a priestess in the room as well. "Go inform the Red Saints we have a patient." The girl bowed and rushed off. The clergyman turned to Allanon, "thank you for bringing her here stranger, but I must inquire as to what happened." Shortly, three large Varuk guards blundered to the doorway.

"Madame Valia, are you alright!?" One shouted while the other to gave a cold glare to Alanon, already suspecting him. The clergyman lifted a hand to them to stop them.

"She would be doing much better if you baffoons would give her peace and quiet, stand at the door if you please!" He said a bit irked. the guards straightened up and went outside the room, standing guard at the door, murmuring amongst themselves and listening in on the conversation.

Valia spoke up from the bed she laid on, "Its all right, I am fine. This man found me shortly after I had been attacked. I was able to fend them off, and he helped me get here."

"Please rest Ms. Valia, I will ask him, just concentrate on your rest." He thought for a moment as he turned bask to Allanon, "I can't think of anyone bearing her ill will, did you see anything of these attackers?"

Just then two people wearing white and red, bearing the symbol of a red lotus came into the room. Unlike most of the mercenaries, or rather volunteers, of the Lonnette family, they werent human. It was actually common for non human mercenaries from Portea to work abroad, mostly so they could skip out on the persecution they could face from the citizens. Merchant families like the Lonnette and Dalkain still tried to help where they could, drawing critisism from many people, though not many could say too much as they were some of the few wealthy families that actually helped their communities rather than attempt to tax them to death. The man was a drake beastman, and the girl that entered after him was a half feline beastman. The drake looked at Allanon with a sidelong glance and chuckled a bit under his breath. "So, the infamous Allanon is here to help people in need as well. Makes a person wonder whats truth or fiction these days."


The cat girl wasted no time, she was obviously the healer of the two, her kit seemed to have different vials of medicines and herbs, as well as two small books in a pouch. One a notebook, and the other a spellbook. "Don't worry, I'll have you fixed up in no time," the girl said quietly in a soothing tone. Though, when she moved part o Valia's skirt out of the way her ears gave away her concern when they snapped back in surprise. Her leg was brutally beaten, it would be hard to repair the damage done to a level of working as well as it had once done. She looked up to the others. "If you don't mind, some privacy please. This shouldn't take long, but I'll have to remove her clothes for some of the wounds." The clergyman nodded and ushered everyone from the room, the drake man started to leave when the healer quickly grabbed him by the pauldron. "Not you, I still need you!" she said as she dragged him back in.

Valia looked to Allanon as he was ushered out. "Don't worry, I'll still help you, but it may be better if I could at least walk," she said with a smile to reassure him.

The cat girl looked between the two and then settled on Allanon, giving him a thumbs up "Nothing to worry, I used to be an emergency medic in Portea, I'll have her walkin' in a jif!" Unlike her drake friend, she had no idea who he was, she never bothered paying attention to that sort of thing, too busy trying to save lives than hunt them down.

After finding his way to the inn, Kistal would untie his ox and then get it nice and comfortable. Then, he grabbed the casks of soon to be alcohol and stashed them securely in the shade to prevent any issues. He checked on each one, his practiced hands moving swiftly and his much more practiced tongue telling him how the progress came along. Each one was coming along according to plan. Following all his post-travel checks, Kistal went into the inn, the last half of his bottle of alcohol in hand. He quickly downed it in the doorway and made his way to the bar. "What do you recommend for meals? Also, what drinks would you recommend?"

His eyes drifted through the crowd, keeping a close eye on reactions. As usual, he got many disgusted or annoyed looks, but he was pleasantly surprised by seeing more than a few beastmen or half-beastmen casually talking with well-heeled citizens. Perhaps Kalla was a decent place to be for someone like him. However, the heat was not his style. He preferred the comfort of a cool mountain or hill area. Maybe one day, Tundral would become an option again, but with the bounty he assumed he accumulated, Kistal was in no hurry to get back to that place.

AND

---

Sunny days are supposed to be pleasant affairs. When the sun peeks over the horizon, entire cities give out a collective sigh of relief. The sun is a symbol of warmth and comfort, a sign that today, you can go about your business feeling the pleasant hug of the heavens around you.

But not for today. Today, the sun was the enemy. It was Akko’s hammer, beating mercilessly upon her drum, played in this instance by our own dear Tynni. Of all the days where the sun had to show its unwelcome face, it had to be today. Two weeks of biting winds had preceded today and now, right when she needed them the most, they deserted her in favour of a beautiful, blistering heatwave.

Had she the weather she desired, Tynni would have had an advantage over her opponent. It may not have had a huge effect, but right now, even something as minute as a change in weather could make the difference between glorious victory and shameful defeat. Just one little gust, she pleaded to Akko. Just a little wind chill.

If Akko heard her prayers, she chose not to answer them.

“You doing okay there, titless?” came a smarmy voice from the other side of the ring. “You wanna throw in the towel already?”

Siiga Kalayo. Notorious outlaw, defiler of heirs… and one stuck up bitch. God, how Tynni had longed to plant something on that arrogant face of hers, preferably something hard, sharp and at high speeds. Once upon a time, Kalayo had been responsible for all manner of havoc up and down the country. She had done it all. Banditry, kidnapping, murder, larceny, even ruined a couple of debutantes in her time. Of course, in her recent years, she had decided to use her experience to work with the law rather than against it, a change in sides that was about as believable as a New York sales pitch, but it had the guards wiping their brows in relief nonetheless. Siiga was gorgeous. That’s not a compliment, that’s a fact, and by god did she know it. Every part of her, from her voice to her mannerisms to her clothes, was designed to draw as much attention to her “considerable assets” as she could.

Which brings us squarely to why Tynni was praying for a cold snap so hard. See, most soldiers wear full body armour. The interested watchers at the side of the ring were mostly clad in chainmail. Tynni herself had a fetching blend of leather and gambeson protecting her. Siiga? She wore a bra, a leather greatcoat and what a modern man might calling hot pants or Daisy dukes, but those words hadn’t been invented yet, so Tynni just called them Siiga Shorts. The place of her that had the best protection was her legs, clad in knee-high black leather boots. Her official excuse was that she would distract her foes like this; some mystical art from way out East done by female assassins, she said. A load of bull. Tynni knew that she just liked to get the attention. It was especially embarrassing for a professional soldier if he couldn’t beat a random bandit woman, but especially so if she wasn’t even wearing armour when she did it.

All that exposed flesh made for a tempting target. It also provided absolutely no protection against the cold weather. While wind and rain would have to get through the thick cloth and leather on Tynni’s skin, Siiga would be shivering like a kicked dog. But fate had cruelly taken that advantage away from her. Now it was Tynni who was feeling the effects of the weather, while Siiga was undisturbed.

“And lose my chance to beat you down? I’m gonna pass on that offer, thanks”

Arrogant cow. As if she was gonna pass this opportunity up. For the past year and a half, Tynni had not known peace. Whenever Siiga got the chance, she would go out of her way to embarrass or humiliate the new girl. Out on a march? Siiga would stomp on the back of her heel and trip her up. Going for a bath? Siiga steals her clothes. They have any sort of competition where Siiga’s side happens to win, even by the slimmest of margins? Tynni would get paraded across the marching grounds like a prize trophy on Siiga’s shoulders, kicking and screaming. That was on top of the endless insults of “titless” and “dwarf”. With the others, she had a playful rivalry. But to Siiga? Siiga was one she absolutely detested.

The captain, Tiikeri, wouldn’t do anything about it. That was how Siiga showed her affection, he said. Tynni knew affection, and it didn’t involve having to climb the great tree in the yard because someone decided to decorate it with your undergarments.

Finally, their disagreements had become too much to bear. After being tripped up for the a thousandth time during the morning march, sending Tynni sprawling into wet mud, the smaller girl had finally challenged the bullying bitch to a one-on-one fight. That had been two days ago. Looking back, it had probably been a mistake. Siiga was Tiikeri’s prize girl. She had the highest success rate of anyone in the company, had beaten several veterans without taking a scratch, and was broadly considered the second-in-command after the captain himself.

By contrast, Tynni had made a bit of a fool of herself when she had initially arrived. She thought Siiga’s harsh treatment was just some sort of hazing ritual, and she had gone through it without a murmur. When the weeks became months and she realised that this was no mere hazing, she had tried her best to patch things up with Siiga. But when she apologised, she just laughed in her face and called her an idiot, and didn’t change her behaviour at all. She got her gifts, asked her out for drinks, even asked her straight to her face why she hated her so much. No answer, just more insults. By the time that Tynni realised that Siiga was just being an asshole for asshole’s sake, everyone had the opinion that Tynni was some kind of braindead, naive moron, and handled her with kiddy gloves as much as they could. Only Tiikeri saw any potential in the little mercenary. She tried so hard to prove them all wrong, but nothing she did was good enough. People only saw this naive kid, not the fighter that Tynni desperately wanted to be. Once more, everyone would stare at her and treat her like an outsider. But this time, it wasn’t out of respect, but disdain.

Well, no more of that. Now, she had the chance in front of her to prove them all wrong, starting with Siiga. After today, they were going to look at her with respect. She swore it.

“Alright, girls, enough tough-talking. Time to get to business” said Valiity. He had been chosen to arbitrate the fight. “It’s a simple submission fight. It will go on until one of you calls it quits, or if i think you look too banged up to keep going. Weapons only - I don’t know what kind of magic you know, Tiny, but if I see a spell from either of you, that’s a straight disqualification. Can both fighters please pick up their weapons?”

Tynni plucked her halberd off the ground. It was nothing special, but she had it ever since she joined the Followers, and she couldn’t imagine just throwing it aside for anything else. To her shock, Siiga picked up a very similar weapon. Was she mocking her?

“Both halberds. Fine. Just remember, you picked these weapons, girls, so I don’t want to hear anything about how it was unfair because such-and-such reason. You fuck up, it’s your own fault.You go on the bell, and not a second before. You stop on the bell, and not a second after. Get ready.”

As Valiity went to the bell, Siiga offered a sickening smile to her opponent. “My safeword is Hummingbird~”

“I’ll keep an ear open for it” Tynni retorted.

The bell rings, and Siiga doesn’t waste any time. In her mind, she was already celebrating her victory with a pint at the local, Tynni optionally around her shoulders like a slain bear. With an almighty bellow, she charges, fast and low like a raging bull ready to trample Tynni into submission. Tynni doesn’t react anywhere near fast enough, and lets out an “oof” as 220lbs and muscle and fury thunders her into the wooden edge of the ring. Pain blossoms along her lower back where the edge bit her skin.

But that was just the beginning of Tynni's worries. She barely has time to gasp before Siiga's knee finds its way into her gut. If Tynni could have staggered back, she would have, but with the edge of the ring cutting off any escape, she can only stand there and take it as Siiga follows up with a second, then a third, knee to the solar plexus.

Weakened and weary, Tynni can only watch in horror as Siiga lifts her by neck and knee. She looks up to the heavens, pleading with Akko for a shred of mercy. And then it all goes white. Later, she would learn that Siiga dropped her into her outstretched knee, contorting her back and pelvis skyward. At the time, it didn't matter. All she could feel was pain.

Siiga makes a show of throwing the injured girl over her shoulder, leaving her gasping and writhing in the dust. All that build up, and that was the result? One basic move and Tiny Titless Tynni was out for the count? She couldn't say she was surprised, but damn, she expected a little more fight out of her. If nothing else, it was fun to bat her about like a cat with a mouse. Ah well. It would make for a laugh at the pub.

Siiga turned to jump over the fence, thinking nothing more of the fight. Except…

“S-so that's… it then? You're just… just gonna walk out a-and leave..?”

No way. Look at that. Titless was actually crawling to her feet.

“Didn't...anyone ever tell you… not to leave a girl unsatisfied?” Tynni's hands scrambled for her halberd. When she found it, she staggered back upright, battered and bruised, but still willing to fight.

Siiga was… well, not impressed. More irritated. Didn't she know when it was time to call it quits? “Clearly you need to spend more time getting acquainted to the underside of my boot.” Siiga spat, turning to face her stubborn foe. “Fine. If you want me to beat your ass more, I'm happy to oblige”

Once more, Siiga doesn't give Tynni any time to prepare, and prepares to rush her down again. But this time, Tynni sees it coming. As Siiga barrels towards her, she drops into a defensive position and thrusts her halberd towards her. If Siiga kept going, she would impale herself on Tynni's halberd.

No such luck. Siiga was reckless, but she wasn't thick, and she knew she wouldn't get anywhere while there was a steel spike in her path. Worse, Tynni had timed her move just right that she couldn't properly counter it. She could only stop dead in her tracks, and against a healthy foe, that would have been fatal. Luckily for her, Tynni was still recovering from her backbreaker and didn't have the energy or the wits to counter-charge while she was undefended, but if she wasn't…

It didn't bear thinking about. Right now, she needed something big, something that would knock the little brat flat on her ass and stop her getting back up. A quick series of jabs put Tynni on the back foot while she thought. She had the range advantage. She had a height advantage. She had a weight advantage. All the components were right in front of her, she just needed to use them. But how?

Too late, Tynni realised that Siiga had been pushing her back. She had yielded too much ground, and now she couldn't attack without exposing herself to a counter. Idiot! She should be closing her in, not backing away!

One last, powerful thrust forces Tynni to leap back and that's when Siiga goes for her coup de grâce. She swings the halberd over her head like an axe. With thunderous force, the blade comes rushing towards Tynni's neck, ready to seperate the two once and for all. Would she offer up a prayer to her precious Akko, Siiga wondered, or would she not have the time before her inevitable beheading?

Things didn't go quite as planned.

Siiga had expected to hear the squishy splurt of blood and to feel her halberd carve through muscle, bone and sinew alike. Instead, she heard the rasp of metal and felt a powerful jarring sensation race up her arm. In her determination to finish the fight, she had overcommitted to her assault. It was a trivial matter for Tynni to redirect that momentum safely over her head, leaving her completely and utterly exposed to whatever retribution Tynni had planned. Siiga realised this a split second before the metal pommel of her opponents halberd slammed into the side of her face.

Siiga reeled back in pain. A welt was already forming on her cheek, but before she could worry about that, Tynni rammed the haft of her weapon into her nose with the force of a steam-roller. Bones crunched. Blood splattered the sand. In the midst of the collision, Siiga dropped her weapon, though she swiftly joined it on the floor. Through the ringing in her ears, she heard, hollow, the gasp of the crowd watching the one they were certain would win crumble to the ground.

But Tynni paid them no mind. The past year of insults, humiliations and bullying had formed a little black ball of malice deep inside her, and now that she had seen the chance to finally rid herself of her tormentor, that ball was erupting inside her. With a mighty, terrifying roar, she raised her halberd over her head and brought it down.

If Siiga had been a shorter woman, she would have died. In the days to come, when she played this moment back in her head, she would swear blind that if she had been one measly inch shorter, she would be a dead woman. But as it happened, she happened to be just the right height, and just the right distance away that if she were to stick her leg out, it would hook behind Tynni's and send her tumbling to the ground, ruining her chance at finishing the fight. Which is, of course, exactly what happened. Tynni fell to earth with a tremendous thud, and before she knew what end was up, Siiga was on her like a bad smell.

---
Though it was midway through the day, Lynn was just now waking up from a nap. The half merfolk girl rose from a shallow pool of water, that was brought to her by some of the others in the encampment. She dried out easily in this desert, and the scorching sun was doing its best to dissipate the water around her further. She sat up groggily, the water dripping off of her as she did so. Someone called out to her, "Oi, ya friend seems ta be 'avin a bit of a scuffle I 'ear. Might wanna go take a peek ,could be right entertainin'."

Lynn stared at the man blankly, gathering her thoughts. She didn't remember falling asleep here, in fact, it seemed like she was in a makeshift bath house of sorts, and she was sitting in a slowly leaking wooden washtub. She was still fully clothed, but it seems that wherever she fell asleep last, someone must have moved them to a place that was safer for her. The man spoke up again, seeing her confusion. "Siiga found you out like a light again, brought ya 'ere ta rest. This desert ain't tha kindest towards your folk I'd rekon. Anyway, ya better get goin'. My money is on Siiga breakin' the half pint in ta two by now."

"Oh no...," Lynn said, a bit worried. Her staff came floating to her as she climbed out of the water and onto it. "Thank you, I will go see." She continued as she hurried off the water that was in the bath seemed to float out and follow her as well. She flew away from the little bath house and up so she could get a good view of the surroundings. Sure enough, there was a crowd formed not to far from the edge of their little portable mercenary town, and two figures were fighting in a wooden ring. Lynn floated down to where they were just in time to see Siiga making an advance on a smaller girl. She watched as Siiga made a devastating looking cut to the girl's neck, but it was deflected by the other girl, who returned with two strikes to Siiga's face. "Siiga!" she called out to her as she saw the other girl lift her halberd up for a finishing strike, but she didn't seem to hear her. It did seem, however, that Siiga was to make a comeback, knocking the girl over and pouncing on her as soon as possible.

"You aren't going to call it? One of them could die?" she pleaded with the man in the cage as well, officiating the fight, but he seemed not to mind, engrossed in however the fight would end up. Lynn, looked back to Siiga, who was pummeling her oppenent into the ground now. Lynn flew up above the wall of the wooden fence they used for an arena, some of the spectators calling out to her warning her she could get hurt. Lynn was determined to stop the fight, so she used the water she was holding on to for herself and dumped it onto Siiga and Tynni.

"Please stop! You are both badly hurt!" she said, standing next to them. Her hands held together in front of her, though one was completely covered by her sleeve. Her ears were down and her tail was nearly coiled around her. She didn't like being the the middle of the arena with all this attention, but she was too worried for her to care about that trivial discomfort.

(Last part written by @Jollan)

On his way out the door she would reply, “Hey my lucky charm Sahale! Long time but it seems like you always find my ass, I will look into it may or may not do it though see ya next time honey” She smirked slyly at him as she leaned on her desk bending at the hip and folding her arms, she wondered where he was off to as Ren eyed him out the window now walking towards the market area. “That damn guy always a laugh” she silently chuckled to herself moving her fist up to her face covering her laugh.

Ren thought of this target, seemed like an interesting person considering she herself was born and raised like a Sylve and she loved the culture behind dancing. Killing the target seemed a bit sour but she decided to gather some intel on this woman at least. Wondering to herself as she looked out the window, “Will I ever find anything of my Gruskan heritage this way” Shaking her head while scratching the nape of her neck she needed an information broker, “Maybe that flirt Sahale could help out.” She whispered to herself.

Going back to the register now, Ren called some of her little birds over asking them if they knew anything about the dance teacher down the street. With some replies of “She is pretty” She got nothing but asked them again. “Can you guys find out anything more about her and let me know?” A couple of them nodding and running off, others stayed behind for some candies at the front register and looked at gadgets and items she had. Seemed like business wasn’t doing so bad but she could use some coin, she would need it in the future.

Sitting at the register she would make exchanges here and there with various customers all the while reading her tomes, but then one of the children came running into the store gasping while talking “the store *gasp* is in ruin and *gasp* madame is hurt.” The sound of the child's gasping was soon overrun with the murmurs of the crowd outside. Looking out the window she saw a man carrying her target into the temple right next to her shop. Her jaw dropped a little in astonishment of the coincidence of it all. They seemed rushed and really hurt, not wanting to draw the attention they did. It seemed like a mystery and Ren was hooked she just had to find out what was going on and how they were all linked together, Sahale, the Calibris family, herself, and this pretty dancer from kalla. Ren walked to the window and asked the child, “What did you see at the store? What happened here?” As she silently waited for the non existent answer, because the child could not answer. Staring at the massive crowd gathered right outside she smirked, an interesting adventure seemed to be stirring.

Allanon remained silent as people questioned him about what happened. He could already see the suspicion forming in their eyes. These people were not combatants, but they could cause trouble if the opportunity arose. He could not trust any of them anyways. What if they were spies for the Calabris family trying to get more information out of him? The less they knew the better regardless.

If he could keep some people untainted by the Calabris family he would.

Red Saints. This caused Allanon some relief. Of all the families that were in charge of Portea they were the ones he trusted the most. Two beastmen. Unusual sights in Portea, but since he had arrived in Kalla he had seen more of them. One of them seemed to recognize him and commented on his appearance.

The bounty on his head listed all the crimes he had committed while under the “employment” of the Calabris family. The truth was his infamy was well-earned. The only thing was it was a secret until the Calabris family decided to “retire” the Ironblades. Again, he decided to remain silent. They could come to their own truth. He had no illusions about his past. He was responsible for the crimes he committed back then, but he also had a promise to keep.

The first step of Allanon’s plan was already at work. The news spread by all of those that witnessed him carrying her from her school to the temple would be more than enough to catch the attention of the Calabris family operation. Madame Valia was already bait, but it made him feel better that she was willing to help. She was right that it would be better if she could walk.

He resisted slightly as he was ushered out of the room he had brought Valia to. He wanted to be in the best position to protect her should an assassin arrive. After he did leave the room he stood by the door maintaining constant vigilance. It would be a matter of time before someone with the intent to kill arrived.

He placed his hand on his wife’s sword and sighed. ”I hope I’m doing right by you, honey. I hope that every day.”

While there was commotion outside from the people that gathered around the temple, there wasn't much information aside from what Ren had seen and heard already. Valia's school of dance seemed to be wrecked and she was quite injured when she had arrived to the temple. Listening to the crowd, she would learn that there were healers in the temple, and two volunteers from a group called the Red Saints inside as well, apparently here to help with injuries caused by repelling a small raid on the town a little over two weeks ago. Something about the man who carried Valia into the temple may seem vaguely familiar, perhaps a bounty that Sahale carried around with him, as he did carry a number of them. If they were too high, however, he usually didn't willingly give them to her. After all, a dead person can't complete commissions and Sahale hated seeing a pretty face go to waste, so there were some missions he would hold out on her, but he always described it as being in their mutual best interests. If Ren wanted to learn more about what was going on, she would either have to go inside herself, or wait for them to come out.



The in was simple, yet cozy. Rugged wooden tables and benches all worn smooth over years of frequent use. The smell of spices filled the room from the kitchen, curry by the smell of it. As it was the middle of the day, the fireplace off to the left wall of the inn was unlit. Against the back wall was the bar, four large long tables filed the room, and to the right was a staircase that led up to the rooms that the inn would rent out. There was a heavyset man tending to the bar, though it was easy to see that beneath his heavier weight lied a mountain of muscle. The bar around him was larger than most and seemed custom made to accommodate his giant-like physique. To anyone who was a regular here, he was known to be his own bouncer, and in a land of strong warriors, that was saying a lot. All that aside however the man seemed fairly jovial. He saw a Kistal walk into his bar and he couldn't hide the surprise on his face, though his ever present grin still seemed to be there.



"Well, I'll be. Welcome ta Sworn Spirits lad. Me own inn and tavern. Can't say I'd ever seen a satyr in these parts, hope the heat don't get to ya too bad. Least the night will be a bit more comfy for ya. Trust me, gets colder than a witch's bosom at night it does!" He laughed heartily, "M'name's Allard, what'll ya be havin', friend?"

After listening to Kistal's request, Allard scratched his beard in thought. "Hmmmm, well, lets see 'ere," he said as he took a peek into the kitchen. He came back out rubbing his hands together. "Seems like tha curry chicken will be ready 'ere in a sec. Meat's fallin off tha bone, it is. Should be great. And as fur drinks, well, not sure of the pairin' but other than the regular corn whiskey an ale, we do make a fine rum if I do say so m'self."



About an hour seemed to pass before Alanon heard from the room. The priest was called away to go deal with the crowd and assure them that Valia was fine, and to disperse. The healer came out of the room, looking quite tired as she stored a spellbook. a few of the vials on her belt were now empty as well. She looked to the others and gave a weak but reassuring smile. She turned to Allanon as he was the one who brought her in. "The damage was quite extensive. The people who did this seemed to be aimed at crippling her rather than killing her....at least... at first... I don't know what all she told you, but something wrong is definitely going on here. I'm Neev and the happy guy over there is Vog," she said gesturing toward the drake beastman, who one could swear was a few shades of red after watching the whole ordeal as he walked out with her. "If you need our help for anything else, please don't hesitate to ask. Madame Valia will be fine. She should be able to walk, but nothing too strenuous, alright? She still need to heal naturally. Now, she is getting dressed so just give er a moment. I'll be...taking a cat nap." Neev finally said as she walked to one of the free infirmary beds and curled up in it, Vog sitting in the chair beside her. He didn't trust Allanon. He didn't know how much of the stories were true, but he didn't have a reason to doubt them yet, and until then, he stayed on guard.

A few moments later, Valia stepped out, adjusting the final bit of cloth as to tie it in a bow behind her to keep her skirt up. she looked to Allanon and gave a bow. "I must thank you for your help, apparently, much longer and the damage may have been irreparable. Now, I believe it is my turn to help you, correct? I will try to help as much as I am able."

Allanon had plenty of time to consider a next course of action from here. After all these years of working in the shadows to avoid the direct attention of the Calabris family while fulfilling his wife's last wish Allanon had built his skills in subterfuge and intrigue to what would qualify as a skillful level. He had two options at this point: stay here and wait for the hit squad to come and finish their job, or take a serious risk and step into an unfamiliar city to act as a body guard. He was not at all interested in losing control over his environment if he could help it.

The healer stepped out after an hour and filled him in on the situation. The catwoman wrapped up her explanation with a rather ironic joke which caused Allanon to raise an eyebrow and then chuckle a little bit. "Well, thank you." The Saints he knew were a good humored people. He was glad that the pair here appeared much the same.

Once Valia stepped out from the infirmary and told him she was ready Allanon replied to give her a choice. "The Calabris family I know will not let you be until it becomes too expensive for them, their operation here is dead, or you are dealt with appropriately in their eyes. We have a couple choices here. We can wait here for them to show up, and if they are Calabris mercenaries and not some third party hire it's possible I can get a direct lead to their operation's base and shut it down. The second choice is more aggressive and risky. We can leave here and make our way to another location where we can control the flow of who's coming in and who's coming out. The risk comes with the getting there and if they have someone with better stealth skills than my senses can detect."

He paused to give her some time to consider before continuing. "I will let you know. I prefer the first choice, but this is your life, and I want you to choose in this instance. I will keep you protected either way. I can guarantee there are few that are my equal with swordsmanship and fewer that are above without the aid of magic."

Allanon probably had the fewest answers to magic, however it was so restrictive and rare that he also rarely had to deal with dangerous magic situations. Only an idiot or another magic-user would dare risk facing a prepared magic-user head on. Everyone knew that.

Allard's jovial demeanor and jokes got a smile from Kistal. He clapped his hands together and sat at the bar. "Well then, I'd love an order of that curry! The rum sounds fantastic. It isn't often I get to sample some rum. The pirates up north seem to suck that in like a fish drinks water." He leaned his spear next to him on the bar, his back to the rest of the room. He was not off his guard, however, and was keenly listening for anything amiss behind him.

The satyr's height made the bar stool slightly too short for him, but he managed without issue. He was well used to his frame being an oddity beyond accommodating for. This Allard fellow, though, seemed quite interesting. He might have some stories to tell given that he looked like someone who kept in shape for the worst. Perhaps he was previously an adventurer or mercenary.

A clash between curiosity and keeping her store open was wracking Ren’s thoughts. She wanted to keep the store open to keep on making money however this crowd gathered around the temple right outside lit a flame of curiosity. Her want of a possible adventure out shined her want for money, but she thought at times like this she could use an assistant to help her out just to watch the shop while she was away. After thinking about it for a while she decided to close up shop in hopes of finding out was going on right outside her doors. Since she hasn't hired a coworker yet to run the shop she couldn't keep it open to the public, noting to herself to start looking for help to run the shop in a way that is constantly profitable. Making some final transactions before ushering people out of the shop. After everyone left she said “Oh magic shop of mine, minimize in this bag and twine” The magic shop disappeared into her belongings, as fast as it can be put up its faster taking it down. She smirked at how easy it was to set up shop efficiency made her feel at ease.

Walking through the crowd of people gathered at the temple she nudged and squirmed her way to the temple entrance. Feeling a bit claustrophobic she felt the need to gasp for air but she remained silent and moved gracefully through the crowd like an assassin would, she just had to see about Madame Valia and that particular man that carried her there. She knew his face from Sahale’s bounty list it just had to be him but she needed a second look to confirm it. In order to find out everything going on she had to go inside, and if that man that carried Valia was a wanted man then she had to be smart and have her wits about her as well as keeping her guard up.

Upon entering the temple the duo caught her attention immediately they stood out over the others that were there. Recognizing Allanon as one of the bounties when she saw his face she knew Sahale had his bounty in his list. This shocked Ren a little bit what would a wanted man want to do with a dance instructor. She eyed Valia and what a beauty she was absolutely stunning it would leave such a sour taste if she decided to assassinate her so Ren decided to help them. She knew information that can save them. But with her constant businesswoman mindset she approached the duo getting close like she had a secret to tell “Hey I can help you I know a guy with a lot of information that can help save your lives I already know there is a bounty on Madame here and I know a bit about you too… Allanon… If you want me to connect you to him it will cost you some gold though.”