Time: Morning
Location:Baelde's
Interactions:@Dezuel@Tae@Alivefalling@MissCapnCrunch


Elsea came out wearing super interesting clothing that Risa had only those outsides of the fairy kingdoms wear. The color of her dress was enchanting against her hair. The cape was also a great touch. "You look beautiful as always!"Risa told her with a smile. Sometimes Risa wondered if she appreciated pretty girls more than other fairies she met.

Dionaea soon brought out a surprising outfit of her own. She was wearing a red cape and wearing pants! She had never seen her wear something like this before but Dionaea looked great in the new clothes. However, she knew the girly-girl in her would break out and stifled a giggle as she started to make a skirt with the cape as Dionaea spoke.

Risa returned the embrace, telling her, "That is the perfect disguise! You look great. We're all changing constantly and that's okay. You'll always be you no matter what you wear or what happens to you and we'll always accept you. Nothing can change that."

With everyone ready, Risa began to lead them down the road to a nearby restaurant that her brother had introduced her to. Thinking of him made her heart hurt. Her expression fell and she grew quiet on the way there. She wondered if he would have been proud of her or thought she was dumb for this week's actions. She shook her head, deciding that she knew he would be proud. He had wanted freedom so bad. Risa wished that she had been there to protect him like all the times he had done for her so that he could fight alongside her for it now.

The small cafe-like dining establishment was on the bottom floor of a two-story white and blue paneled building in the middle-class district. It clearly wasn't luxurious but it was charming. The wooden board sign outside read "Baelde's." Through the glass window, a couple people could be spotted eating indoors but it was not as bustling as Risa remembered. She supposed eating out was becoming more expensive to do and perhaps people were nervous with the trouble looming over them all.

Immediately upon entering, the joyous voice of an older man filled the room, "Ah! Sweet child! You have grown!" A pleasantly plump demi-human with bear ears coming out of a mess of brown hair started to struggle to get out from behind the counter to get over to them. He had a soft and friendly face with green eyes that seemed to sparkle from happiness. His big smile could be seen even through all his facial hair. He looked like a kid in a candy-shop; he was so excited. Risa immediately hugged him upon seeing him. "I am so happy to see you, little Risa! Oh and you have brought my wonderful huntsman, oh he's like a son!" He stopped speaking to take Kyran into quite literally a bear hug. He set him down after remembering that Kyran enjoyed breathing sometimes. His eyes moved over Elsea, Dionaea and Elthrael and he gave them a smile, waving his hands in the air, which were a bit on the furry side, "..and all these happy people to are here to eat! Warm greetings! I am Chef Baelde. Some call me Big Bear around town and why wouldn't they, huh?"He started to chuckle at his own joke, waving them over to a table, "Please take some time look over the menu! So many beary good choices! Hahaha!"

Risa sat at the table and smiled at the others, "Isn't he so darling? He's been such a sunshine for so many years." She handed the menus to them all to read over. There were some foods that Elsea might recognize but other concoctions seemed a bit more unique. There were a lot of fruity treats, some of the fruits which were unheard of to Elsea. Eggs, milks, meats, potatoes, and vegetables were all common components of the foods. Baelde was quite the baker so he had a lot of baked breads. Some were fruity and sweet while others seemed to include meat and cheeses on top.

Terneus Andros

It was with determined steps that Terneus began to stroll away from the gathering of dark elves, his entourage of knights accompanying him. Some of them disgruntled from both seeing and having to listen to a dark elf.

"My lord, pardon my insolence. But why did you not take the dark elf up on his offer? You would have surely been able to-" The elven knight was intercepted by a swift slap across the face, sending his face slightly to the side. His lord had a peculiar way to show his approval and disappointment in others for certain.

"Ofcourse I would. The winner of such a mundane contest would have been won by me, to the point that he would consider moving back to his..." The light elf took a moment to put in an amused chuckle. "Home." He said with a slight grin on his face. "But accepting a spar like that could imply that he would stand a chance. I couldn't possibly live with anyone making such a conclusion, that would put -him- on an equal footing as -me-." He began to wave his mirror to fan his face, as his attention fell on Commander Feldrin.

"Besides I have a very important mission, I cannot allow myself to be stopped by mere insects. At such times you will have to step over them, or swat them. Though my preferance is to simply ignore them. For they are insects." Terneus reached up his hand and grabbed Feldrin's cheek with two fingers, pulling abit and then letting go. "Now we are going to find any and all possible leads to any humans in the city. If you find them, you will be rewarded handsomely. I am a generous man." Terneus gave a soft smile, and put his free hand at his waist as he began to walk along the street leading towards the marketplace.

Zelginn

He had waited patiently to see how the people around him would have taken to his short little accusation to put the blame on the blonde elf. For a moment the female elf seemed to have taken the bait, but alas it was not the case. She had seen through his guise fully and completely. The small figure lowered his ears as he realized he had been caught, and not only that but the woman was a skilled liar herself. It's either that or she told a lie right there. The boy perked his ears up, lowering his guard briefly and then felt as life- no his band of sausages was being stolen! The elf woman had seized his dinner-to-be, after all the trouble he had gone through to liberate it from their prison.

"Hey!" He yelled out as he felt them slip out of his safe embrace, the various meaty sausages were drawn away like a terrible nightmare. He began to reach out to try and stop it, but alas they were already out of his reach.

"I-I took those! Uh.. for safekeeping! In a c-certain kind of way! I got scared, you remind me of my mother. Oh she can really get scary..." The small figure frowned for a moment, fumbling his clawed fingers together. His eyes and face beamed up at the chance of having his new belongings return to him, all he had to do was to tell them his name and what he was doing there. That was something he indeed could do. It was alot better than being turned in, so that the dark elf he had previously relieved of his coin would get payback.

"Ermm.. I'm Zelginn, I didn't really break in! The chimney was open! Uhm... I am a pillag- pilgrim... uh.. of homes. I go and visit all the homes of the city and sometimes I get hungry when doing so..." Zelginn proceeded by kicking the floor abit with his sot ridden feet, as if embarassed of the fact. "I guess I was curious... and hungry..." He said in a low mumble, looking up at Kenia and then to Malachi. "Sorry" He said in a hushed manner to Malachi, one of his hands raised up to his mouth as he did.

"Uh... what's with these two? They look and smell really weird..." He wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes to stare abit in uncertainty to Rei and Corvina.

"Oh oh! I know! I can make up for my... ahem! Rude intrusion.. I'll do anything! For sure! I swear on my tail!" He nodded very quickly, after making a snapping sound with his fingers, his attention at Kenia.

Baraian Paladice

"I am pleased to hear so, only together can we accomplish the greatness needed to save this world. Will you play that lyre of yours someday with a tune of victory? I certainly hope so. I hope the coming war will be the last war ever fought in Avalia. You have much wisdom, Ilan." The dark elf attempted to pat the faun on the shoulder as they began to walk towards the tent where Kuroi had decided to stay. Baraian had not interacted much with him after their arrival, but it seemed so far as if he was not an enemy of Ra Monde or the rebellion. This allowed Baraian to breathe out abit in relief.

"It would appear Kuroi has left for the surface, perhaps alongside our new leader. That is fine, she should have someone with her at all times until she has gotten more familiar with the city itself. In my own case, I've lived here for most of my life. The homeland for us dark elves. Dakka. It never felt like home to me. The cruelty of my fellow kind, family or otherwise. The strong ruling over the weak. An endless spiral of suffering and death. A terrible place." Baraian said in his usual monotone manner of voice, he clasped both his hands together before him as he walked alongside Ilan.

"We should also head up then, I also believe there may be more humans about. The marketplace is a good location to find people. As all people have to eat, they would eventually have to go there. So that is where we should begin to look. Perhaps you can attract them with some of your music? The world would have been a much kinder place if there were more like you around. Who could play such beautiful tunes." The dark elf nodded softly and began to move towards the stairs leading up from Ra Monde, ready to open and seal the entrance after they would leave. Then set out towards the marketplace in search for any leads.

'It's a shame the world isn't as kind as the songs you sing, Ilan. Then I wouldn't have to do, what I must do.' The dark elf thought to himself.

Time: Morning.
Location: Roshmi- Kenia's estate.
Interactions: @Potter - Corvina, @Tae - Kenia, @princess - Malachi, @Dezuel - Zelginn.





"Too bad you pyromancers can't rock the dog's saliva stench." Rei said, taking off his sleeved shirt, leaving only his white tee-shirt. "It's a lovely fragrance brought to you by 'Aklenroth scents'."

Rei threw the shirt up in the air and tried to use his abilities to squeeze the slobber out of the shirt. Instead pellets of drool flicked around him and his cheek, the wetness was gone but the smell lingered. He frowned at his current level of control, but it's why they were training. "Guess I'll just wear this shirt."



"You're right, honestly we just should avoid using our powers unless in privacy or absolutely necessary. From what I gather from Malachi and Kenia, seems like other races can't quite use the elements that humans can. So we'd be a dead giveaway." Rei leaned onto the wall, picking at his food sporadically.

Rei could feel her worry ooze through. It was pretty understandable, a crazy boned-dictator is out to get them. They were also unable to trust pretty much anyone who they meet, much less reveal that they are indeed humans. Magic was also extremely commonplace from the little he had gone outside, the denizens of this world used it like humans from their world used technology. You stand out if you don't. Ugh, what a complicated situation, we definitely need to get our minds out of it. Rei set his plate down and decided to let his stomach settle before stretching.



"Malachi might like it, always struck me as a Disney princess." Rei said flatly, "However let's hope Disney's lawyers aren't transdimensional."

Time: Morning
Location: Roshmi Baelde's
Interactions:@princess@MissCapnCrunch@Tae@Dezuel


Baldae's was a beautiful place with a fountain in the center and marble pillars topped with malachite arches around the room with wonderful vines growing around them. Flowers and other large plants also decorated the room. The place felt like a home away from home and all the food tasted as such.

"Hey there, ya big bear!" he replied to Baelde, returning the hug and laughing before taking a seat at the table beside Risa. Baelde hadn't changed. He had always been a big softy for years. He was a dear friend to Kyran. "So... guys what are you looking to get? I think I am going for the bacon and eggs, they are the best here!." Kyran asked and said to the group, excited to eat. "This is my favourite place to eat in Roshmi. I know you all will love it; I know Risa does." He told the rest. "I hunt and fish usually supplying some of the food served in this restaurant. I also used to look after Baelde's daughter Alie sometimes." He explained proudly.

Time: Breakfast time
Location: Baelde's diner

The dark winged fairy had relocated himself to the appletree which he had moments earlier grown with his magic. He plucked two apples from it, sliding one into the inside of his blue overcoat. Then flew over to sit on top of a nearby wooden post made for hanging a lantern in, crossing his legs slightly and taking the other apple to his mouth, taking a bite out of it. The sweetness of the apple would suffice for now, a precursor to a sweet victory to be seized further down the road. Perhaps one of many. The fairy was in no hurry, he would take his time and calculate his next moves with precision. Would something unexpected come into his path, then he would just have to deal with it in the smoothest way possible.

At his terms ofcourse. Anything else would be gambling, and gambling was something the fairy did not enjoy. Those which gamble end up winning big, but they may also lose everything they own, even themselves. Such a path was not appealing to him at all. As he sat there eating his apple, the others finally exited the building, now clad in other clothing. Had they indeed decided to dress up? Elthrael looked at them for a good moment, with a blank expression.

'What's that good for? All you need to do is clean yourselves or hide your scent. Changing clothes won't stop the hounds potentially hunting us...' He thought to himself, as he uncrossed his legs, throwing the mostly eaten apple over his back making it land on some grass. Before flying down, landing closer to the group. He gave Kyran a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth, letting the demi-human know he wasn't going to keep his guard down for a moment. Even as they moved and conversed, the fairy made sure to keep a close eye on the vulpine but also to his surroundings. Taking in each sound, each smell. The group was being led towards a place to eat by Risa. During which Elthrael saw it a fine moment to introduce himself to Dionaea.

"The name is Elthrael, pleased to make such a fine aqquaintance. That attire compliments your form quite perfectly, I'd love to teach you a few... physical manuevers." He offered a slight bow with his torso and arm, followed by a slight smile and glimmer in his eyes.

'Eat in order to live. Eat too much however and you will get fat and won't be able to move fast enough. Which might make you into someone elses dinner...' The fairy thought as they came within sight of a place which looked like a diner.

"Oh?" He said aloud, tilting his head to the side abit when he saw the bearlike demi-human pop out from behind the counter. 'Oh and ain't he wonderful... This whelp a huntsman? Bah!' The dark winged fairy thought in a snarl like manner, throwing a glance to Kyran before he was being the subject of a bear hug.

"Yes, warm greetings..." Elthrael said towards the overly energic and jolly bearman. 'Such a loud one, he would have died the moment he sat his paws into the forests...' The fairy thought as a smug grin began to decorate his face, throwing a momentary glance to Risa.

"Oh I'm certain nothing rains on his parade...Hm? What's this?" He said as he was handed a menu by Risa, his eyes searching the menu momentarily. The thought of ordering city food, something about that very thought unsettled him. How easy it would be for someone to slip poison into your dinner. But then again, he was confident of his nose and ability to detect such as long as they had a scent. The apparent dimwittedness of the bearman could be a show of true nature, or he could be a mastermind in disguise. Neither thing could be fully proven yet though. He devised a simple plan, since he had no coin with him he couldn't order anything. Allowing himself to slip neatly away from it. Unless someone got the idea to offer to pay for his dinner, that thought itself was both amusing but annoying at the same time. A thing truly tricky to place.

"Bread... I ate that once. Some twenty-five years ago. Very fluffy I do recall. Like a woman whose bearing offspring." He said with a slight scoff in his voice, raising one hand up to his chin in thought, his fingers drumming on his cheek.

"But that was before my little... exile. Hnn hnn. I'm sure some dark elves would know what I'm talking about. Ahh! Unlike them however, I do not hold such petty grudges against an entire race, what purpose would that do other than destroy your very person? Pfah." He said with a shrug of his shoulders, his hand moving up to his face as he gave Risa and Dionaea a look each.

---

---

"Stop that kid!", shouted a guard to his men as he pointed at a child running away. The child mention looked back at them and stuck his tongue out in a teasing way before running and disappearing into an alleyway. The guards chased after the kid but when they got to the alleyway, he was gone. The alleyway was filled with random junk and the kid just hid behind one of the bigger ones.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are... You little brat", the guard said with spite. The kid closed his mouth so he wouldn't hear his breath as the guards walked closer and closer to his hiding spot.

Just then, one of the guard's men called their attention. "I found him, sir! He went inside a shop!". The guard ordered his men to go to that area. The guard stayed behind for a bit, growling and leering at the pile of junk, before leaving the alleyway and following his men.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, the kid emerged from his hiding spot. He looked at the direction where the guards were heading to and then, making sure the coast was clear, he went in the opposite direction with a smug look on his face. There were those who have seen the child, but those who live in the slums were too caught up in their own problems to care about some random kid's law-breaking.

The kid passed a grungy store with windows to look at his reflection. Bits of dirt and grime were on his ragged clothes and his yellow-ish-green-scaled body was etched with various scars he gained from living on the streets and fleeing from the city guards. He looked at the bag he stole which comprised of freshly baked bread he stole from a baker.

Neither he nor his younger sister knew anything about their parents; they don't even have names. The only thing he could remember was living in an orphanage, where he grew up to become a wild troublemaker while his sister grew up to be mute. He would always end up in fights with the other kids who teased his younger sister. The siblings were not likable by prospective parents either as they don't want to adopt a hard-headed troublemaker boy or a special-needs mute girl. Knowing that no one will ever love them, they both left the orphanage as they believe it's better for them to live in hardship together as they always knew they had each other's backs.

In this part of Roshmi, it's every demihuman for themselves. The young boy made sure that he secured a spot for him and his sister so they'll never have to worry about finding a place to sleep in. As the boy approached their spot, he could hear a bunch of children laughing and it seemed that it came from the direction of their spot.

The boy rushed to the place and discovered that a bunch of other street children was teasing his sister. They were more heartless than the kids at the orphanage; they tugged at his poor sister's hair, pushed her around and kicked her, while she could only cower in a fetal position as tears ran down her face. One of them grabbed the girl's cherished stuff toy and began to tear it apart right in front of the sister, and that's when the young lizard boy first heard his younger sister cry. It was so loud and full of pain and hearing it made the brother remember all the hardships they have endured together. He felt the bread he stole drop to the ground, and then he blacked out.

When he came to, the first thing he saw was his sister's face that's full of fear. He looked around and saw the children that were once teasing his sister were now lying motionless on a pool of blood. They were covered in scratches, bite marks, and bruises; most of them even had broken bones. He looked at his hands and was surprised to see that he too was mostly covered in blood, their blood.

He fell on his knees on to the pool of blood, realized what he's done and cried in anguish for the first time in years. His sister crawled to him and hugged him as he shook in fear and shock, not caring about her becoming stained in blood. They cried in each other's arms: the brother because of how much of a failure he was from not being able to give a better life for the both of them, and the sister because she knew how much her brother sacrificed for the both of them.

"If only there was a way, huh?"

The siblings stopped crying in surprise to look at the person who just spoke. The brother immediately faced the stranger, spreading his arm to keep his sister protected behind him. The stranger was using an umbrella and wore very foreign clothing. Her long, white hair flowed through the wind, and she looked at the siblings with a glint in her pupil-less yellow eyes.

"There is nothing more powerful in this world than the bond of a family. You have endured so much together, experienced so much together, at such a tender young age. You may call me Sakura and I'm here to help you. I know you want nothing in this world than to be together forever, so I have a proposition to make...

I want both of you to help me do some work. In exchange, I will both give you power you can't even imagine, power you can use to defend yourselves, and power you can use to hurt those who dare hurt you back. Of course, both of you will be inseparable. Nothing and no one can ever tear you apart from each other."

As Sakura said that, she knelt down and handed out the little girl's stuff toy that looked good as new. The girl's eyes brightened and she grabbed her toy while smiling graciously at Sakura. The boy was still confused about whether or not to trust this stranger, because no one actually paid attention to them nor showed them kindness.

"If you agree to my proposition, all you have to do is take my hand." Sakura said as she opened her hand while smiling serenely at them. The girl smiled at her brother, eyes twinkling with excitement. Trusting his sister's judgment, he looked at Sakura, nodded, and shook her hand.

---

---

The siblings, once feeling cleaned and refreshed from taking a decent bath and having a decent dinner for years, now knelt in the middle of a blood circle while facing together. Candles surrounded the perimeter of the blood circle and Sakura stood at the edge, holding a large wooden mask. Standing beside her were two figures made of various materials, mostly wood. Their heights were exactly the same as the siblings'.

When Sakura began chanting, the flames on the candles turned grey and grew in size, surrounding the three of them in a large tornado of grey fire combined with the shadows of the night. The siblings began to cower in fright, but Sakura wrapped them in an embrace and gently shushed them. "Would you like me to tell you a story?". Sakura kindly asked the two of them, and they nodded.

"There was once a man, grey and hollow
Where woe and pain were sure to follow
Weighted by the curse of being alone
Burdened with sins he hoped to atone..."

While Sakura told them the story, the grey fire began to consume the siblings. They arched their backs and screamed in immense pain. Their eyes and mouths began turning as black as night. Despite that, Sakura continued:

"As he lived on, time receded his sanity
Until his heart had forgotten how to be happy
So he picked up an ax and split his core
And he finally had a friend forevermore..."

Their bodies shuddered and they kept on screaming until two bluish-white orbs, their souls, came out of their mouths. Black energy emerged from the wooden mask, grabbing the children's souls and infusing them within it while their physical bodies burned to ash. The plan mask began to change until it turned into a despicable object of terror, a mask so horrifying that it will cause anyone who looked at it to fall into madness and despair.

The mask was brimming with power and Sakura simply picked up an ax next to the ground and split the mask into two. Both of the two halves let out a blood-curling scream and they flew around in the air, vibrating violently. They both flew into the faces of the child-like figures beside Sakura, changing their appearance to look more like two smaller versions of the original mask. The energy from the two masks flowed through the two figures' bodies, and they shook violently, their bodies jerking and snapping until they finally came to life.

Time: Morning
Location: Morteum
Interactions:O'Ner@Eviledd1984, Aklenroth


Jack and O'Ner walked deeper into the halls, "Oh O'Ner, I am ever so overjoyed to go on this mission; I love the powers I was given, helps me rend flesh better than ever!" He exclaimed to him. He had a pep in his step and was humming a tune O'Ner probably did not recognize. Jack's mind was always filled with the thought of the next thing he could murder, whether it was human or not he enjoyed killing everything this world offered him so far. The two turned the corner and saw Aklenroth in the hall. "Hello! My lord, we are here to follow up on thy orders." He said, tipping his hat and bowing.

@Alivefalling

O'Ner Faister

O'Ner's expression when seeing Jack was one of annoyance while being spoken to, "I am sure you are having such a riveting time using it" The tall skeleton spoke rolling his eyes while walking beside him. He didn't want to know what he was currently thinking, not that he cared of course. But he was going to be aware around Jack, because like his comrades he did not trust being open around him. Once he and Jack had arrived at the halls of the necropolis, O'Ner bowed towards his master playing into his expectations.

"Greetings my lord, You had assigned me a new missions i believe?" The tall undead kept his head low showing false respect for the lich, He was not sure what his master wanted but was sure it would be something unpleasant.

Time: Morning
Location: Biralei residence
Interaction: @princess Malachi @Dezuel Zelginn @Inertia Rei @Potter Corvina

---

Kenia was glad that Malachi was backing her up on questioning this child. They had to be cautious on who they trusted and this child had already proven himself to be a liar. It was troubling that he was all on his own, however he spoke as if his mother were still around. Why was she not caring for him? Why was he having to be involved in petty theft? What kind of mother left their child to fend for themselves? If she were to find out she surely would scold the woman.

”Zelginn huh? Shame on your mother for leaving you alone and having to fend for yourself.” She told him as she handed him the food back and then the bag. She’d hold up her end of the bargain as well since he actually told her who he was. She even believed his story about being hungry...to a point. Who could they really trust other than each other right now? They had to be very careful on who knew the truth about Cora and Rei.

”Those two are family of mine who have come into town for Haron. They smell strange because they’ve been spending the entire morning cleaning the house out of courtesy of us allowing them to stay here.” She explained to him smoothly as she moved over to a cupboard and pulled out a few more food items along with an empty flour sack. She began filling it with food and then turned to look at Malachi and Zelginn. ”Stay right there for a moment, I’ll be back shortly.” She said as she left to head up to her room.

Once up there, she gathered a few items of jewelry that were worth quite a bit before heading back down to the two. She grabbed the sack of food once more and placed it beside Zelginn. ”What I want for you to do is take these things, go home to you mother, and clean yourself up. This should hold you over for a time between the food and valuables. Then I want you to go down to down to Lord Norkas and instruct him that you need a job and that Lady Tsarra Urmicca highly recommends you. He will put you to work probably running errands for him, but he will pay you very well. Sound like a deal?” She gave him a kind smile as she was being completely genuine. She wanted to make sure he was taken care of and didn’t want him to become involved in the danger of the humans.

Time: Noon
Location: Devils Bay, Daka Island
Interaction with: None

About three hours had passed since Skar had said her farewells to Darius and Myra. Her thoughts remained on the two as she noticed her own and Darius's tracks on the path the trio had taken previously to Morteum. Myra left no trace of her footing as always. The demon was one that was a master at both stealth and agility.

"Sneaky demon… Odd creatures Skar met…” Skar stopped and took a moment to think of Darius and Myra. “Do not die. Darius. Myra… You will see how strong Skar is! Avalia will see how strong Skar is!” Skar shouted towards the sky.

The orc ferryman seated in his rowboat dock on the sand about twenty feet away stared awkwardly at the female orc but lowered his head as she continued walking towards his direction. The taller female orc had crossed over to Daka with “two” demons but was now returning for his services alone. The runt of an orc wondered if she had let the foul creatures loose. He almost shuddered at the thought of the obnoxious water demon and the silent pale terror.

“Ferryman! Take Skar to Azmor Galus! 15 amas!” Skar demanded as she stepped onto the large wooden rowboat and pointed her sword at him. The ferryman looked up at her and her demand with a challenging scowl. Sure, she was larger, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be bullied by this exiled Diamond Heart Clan bitch of an orc! He simply would not allow it.

“The ferry doesn’t go to Azmor Galus! The ferry goes to Orc Landing and Orc Landing only! 100 amas or…” Skar’s sword thrust through his chest, cutting him off short. Skar stared into the ferryman’s stunned face, her expression fierce and unforgiving.

“No more talk tiny orc! Just die.” Skar thrust the blade further before violently pulling it from the ferryman’s body. Her free hand reached out and caught him by the shoulder, only to push him off of the rowboat and into the sand and let fate do as it pleased with him. She moved to drag the boat into the cold waters of Devil’s Bay. Skar take Skar to Azmor Galus. No need of ferryman. He stinks and take up room. No more stopping! As cruel as her action seemed, this was her way. With the reward of 5,000 amas on her person, the orc was too eager to wait and spend it. She took a seat on the boat and gripped the oars tightly before pushing off from the shore. Her next stop, Azmor Galus, home of the dark elves.

---

Elsea had thanked Risa for her compliment, feeling a bit better about her choice in dress. All the clothing here was much different from what she was used to back home. Dresses were more revealing and then it was apparently accepted for women to dress in men's clothing. It was an odd concept, but she wasn't opposed to it. At least she felt comfortable in all the clothing.

As they walked towards the restaurant Elsea stayed beside Risa, chattering happily with her and Dionaea. She was thrilled to be getting out of the house for a bit, having felt very confined for the last few days. She was still quite on her guard, however. She was cautious of every person they passed, constantly wondering if they'd see through her disguise. She was actually a little fearful of it. They were all playing such a dangerous game.

They entered the beautiful cafe and were greeted by the most adorable bear man. He was so cheery and it was hard for Elsea not to smile at it all. He seemed to know Risa and Kyran well which was a bit of comfort to her. At least if something were to go wrong she had a feeling this man wouldn't turn them in. She gave a friendly wave back before going to take a seat, plopping down beside Risa. She began looking over the menu and quickly found she was confused by some things. What in the world was an alaberry? She considered asking, but decided against it so as to not look suspicious. She'd merely stick to something that looked somewhat familiar.

Kyran seemed to be in such a fantastic mood and it warmed Elsea's heart to see him like this. For so long they'd been under stress, there had been bickering, and far to many serious situations. It was refreshing to finally have a moment of peace and happiness. "Everything looks so wonderful! I think I'm going to try the potato cakes. They should delightful!" She told them all happily. She then glanced at Elthrael as he spoke and cocked her head to the side a bit. Fluffy...like a woman bearing offspring? What an odd thing to say... She thought to herself.

A gentle breeze danced across Dionaea's cheeks as the group made their way into the city for their long awaited breakfast. The longer the young fairy adorned this new outfit the more confident she felt, her chin raising a bit higher and her strides a bit deliberate. The fairy from earlier took a moment to introduce himself as Elthrael. Dionaea nodded, politely returning the favor introducing herself as Dionaea. She gulped when he complimented the garb she had decided to adorn herself with. "O-Oh! Thank you." she stuttered back as he made comment. She would admit to being slightly embarrassed, her cheeks heating up with a slight pink as she adjusted the fabric on her shoulders. "You really think so?" she commented, aloof on what Elthrael really meant by his comments. She cocked her head for a moment, giving him a cheeky grin.

Eventually they reached Baelde's, an establishment she had never visited before but felt familiar and comforting. Warmth and delicious smells almost took her breath away when they stepped inside. They were quickly and warmly greeted by the owner of the shop, and it was clear that the man was a warm and loving type, he exchanged quite literal bear hugs with Risa and Kyran and the girl couldn't help but contagiously smile. The man was beyond welcoming. As they were seated, Dionaea couldn't help but respond to Risa's comment- "He is wonderful!" she cooed as she took the menu in her hands as looked over what type of foods they served.

Browsing for a bit she decided on the egg and tajokel dish- as she quite enjoyed the spicy flavor of the root vegetable mixed with the running yolk of an egg. Everyone listed off what they were having and it seemed pretty varied, Dionaea chipped in what she was ordering and put in a comment about what Elsea was ordering, "You can have a bite of mine too Elsea, you might like it! You are spicy just like a tajokel!" she giggled a bit, pushing her menu forward towards the middle of the table to signal that she was ready to order.

Time: Late morning
Location: Roshmi city
Interactions: @Dezuel
Ambiance: Roshmi

---

Ilan walked beside Baraian in comfortable silence. They were heading towards the marketplace of Roshmi. The dark elf believed it would be a place where humans could likely be gathering. Ilan didn't know much about humans yet. He had learned they were not as different as he expected. Like any who lived in Avalia they had hopes dreams, the need for food, shelter and safety. Ilan listened to Baraian's kind words, delivered in a toneless voice, something Ilan had grown accustomed to. He listened to his words, not in the manner he chose to deliver them. The faun was touched by what he said. He hoped one day he could play his music in times of peace. Until then, he would use it to ease the pain of war.

The walked through the gates of the immense demi-human city. Ilan always needed a few minutes to adjust to all the overwhelming sights, sounds and smells the city had to offer. Once he'd settled he grew less weary of the loud noises and bustling crowds. He was grateful he'd visited Roshmi often when he was younger. It was less threathening, and he could enjoy the inviting atmosphere of all the city sights. The marketplace while still very well visited and appreciated by the city folk was not what it used to be. As the war intensified it slowly spilled into the city too. Ilan remembered his grandmother telling him about some of the beauty of Roshmi, which now sadly was no longer there. Even he could remember the market had seen better times.

Luckily some of his favorite stalls were still there and offered everything to his heart content. The scent of flowers made him happy and gleaming honey cakes were stacked on top of each other, creating golden towers of sweet delight. He walked over to the bakery stand and looked at the cakes, smiling at the many memories he had of eating them. Next to the bakery stand there was a modest flower stand. Ilan inspected their wares from a distance. He could tell they sold less well-known flowers, the ones who were only popular with the people who knew what they were. Ilan loved stalls like that one. There was always something to find he didn't expect.

Baraian suggested he would play his lyre to draw the crowd. Ilan turned and looked up at the dark elf.
"Yes that is a great idea!"
He exclaimed with enthusiasm, his voice getting a little higher. Afterwards he got a little closer to Baraian and covered part of his mouth with his hand, whispering to him. Ilan failed to realize his gesture was anything but covert, in fact his attempt at muffling out his words made him look all the more suspicious.
"It will give you some time to sort through the crowd, once they are all in one place"

There was an empty stand next to the flower stand, the vendor most likely having a day off. Ilan swiftly jumped on top of the wooden boards, with the ease of a deer. He took the lyre from his back and slowly people started to turn their heads his way expectantly. Ilan felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach rise through his entire body, as eyes from all over were looking at him. He smiled kindly and started to play a joyful tune, his notes smooth like water flowing from a fountain.

Time: Morning
Location: Roshmi
Interactions:@Potter@Tae@Inertia@Dezuel


Malachi put his hands on hips as he straightened and listened to the child. Children did often lie and it could be nothing, but being in the dangerous situation they were in; he wasn't so sure he could have a liar in the midst right now. An entire nation of people quite possibly sat on their shoulders. They had no idea if any humans had successfully been brought in. No one could be trusted. It wasn't much a place for a child anyhow. To make matters worse, he picked up on the scent of humans.

Fortunately, Kenia had a story for that. She was gathering food for him then she disappeared up the stairs. He awkwardly smiled at the kid in the period she was gone. Malachi kept his eye on him, making sure he wasn't up to more schemes. He pondered about getting Rei a new shirt before they trained, as it looked to be a bit of a mess.

To his surprise, Kenia returned with jewelry. Yes. Let's reward the thief and liar for his wonderful performance.Malachi thought sarcastically at first. He wanted the mischevious boy away from the humans as soon as possible, so if giving him these things was what it took, then it would have to do. "You're more than old enough to understand that if you want things like food and Amas, then you have to work for them. No more stealing, no more breaking into homes, got it, Sir Fibbsalot?"

Time: Morning
Location:Baelde's
Interactions:@Dezuel@Tae@Alivefalling@MissCapnCrunch


Risa smiled listening to Kyran excitedly talk about the restaurant and how he helped hunt and fish. It was nice to see him smile and be himself. It really warmed her heart to see him happy. She glanced at the girls. Elsea and Dionaea were smiling and excited as well. She wished she could paint them all in this moment and save it. She feared there would be harsh times ahead. No, she knew there would be. Even an optimist like her could admit so. Her eyes moved across the table towards Elthrael and noticed he didn't seem as energetic as the rest.

"But that was before my little... exile. Hnn hnn. I'm sure some dark elves would know what I'm talking about. Ahh! Unlike them however, I do not hold such petty grudges against an entire race, what purpose would that do other than destroy your very person? Pfah."

"Oh dear, exile? What happened? My grandfather told me stories of the dark elves back when I lost my Cloud to their clutches... I had never known what hate felt like until that day." Risa's voice grew somber but she smiled a little at the memory of Cloud. "He reminded me of a lesson he had taught my brother and me when we were still very young. It was that only those who have never known kindness are unkind." She moved her gaze around to see if everyone was listening."This is important to remember through life. Those who seem cruel, have only known cruelty. One who is not taught how to speak, cannot speak. If one has never experienced kindness, then they will not know how to be kind. I suppose many demons are the exception. I have heard of many that were born with a taste for evil. This is something I cannot understand." She paused now to allow Elthrael to reply with story of his exile if he so wished.

Risa recalled how different her brother had felt when their grandfather used to speak the way he did. Helio had always been so headstrong and opinionated. He had stood up, cursing the dark elves and his grandfather's words. He hated the dark elves and wanted to fight them out of the kingdom; he spoke how nothing could excuse their cruelty. Risa had felt that way at times more than she wanted to admit this week. Taking Dionaea's family and murdering her innocent siblings had been despicable. She had known loss and known the pain this must have caused Dionaea was immeasurable. She had done nothing at all to deserve it. It made Risa's blood feel like it was boiling when she thought of it. The light elves had been the ones to banish them and yet they held so much hate for all other creatures. There had to be more to the story. There had to be a reason for such evil.

Risa took on a hushed tone as she began to speak. There was not many people seated in the restaurant at all and no one else was seated by them, but she still chose to be cautious. "The dark elves have known great pain. The light elves scorned and feared them for being different...So they banished them. They were outcasted to the frigid cold up north. Quite a terrible thing to do to those who have done no crime and I understand those elves have not known the kindness I have known." Risa paused, twiddling her fingers as she decided on her next words,"But... I cannot excuse them. If they insist on ruling creatures they know nothing about and lashing their pain out on us, we must fight back."

Risa did not want to hurt anyone. She wished to understand the dark elves and have a dialogue. Another important lesson she learned, especially from her losses, was that the world was not as kind as the one she grew up in. Not everyone was understanding and not everyone wanted to talk things out. If they were willing to hurt Dionaea's family without her doing anything at all, then Risa knew the compassionate route was not going to work well with them. Still, she hoped to give them a chance to do the right thing.

"Fighting a war should not be our priority at this moment. Dionaea's family is out there as well as possibly many innocent humans whose lives are at stake. We cannot save Dionaea's family without more information and more comrades in my opinion. Our priority should be to find more humans and allies. If a human does not wish to fight, we will protect them. I hope that's clear and agreed upon. We will not be forcing those stolen from their world into a war they did not sign up for. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get them home if that's what they want. " Risa was not sure how the others felt. She knew they were passionate about defeating Aklenroth and so was she, but the lives of the innocent would always be of utmost importance to her. "I feel that Dionaea's family will be used as leverage against us so my hope is that they will not be hasty with their lives. I really hope so. If we can find them and ensure their safety, I will then be willing to lay my life down to fight for Avalia's freedom."

Risa began to pull a flier out and she flattened it across the table with her hands. "I found this on the way here. This ball will be a big event. If any human found allies, they could probably gravitate towards this ball in search of others or even of help. It's risky but it might be worth it. I don't think we'll stand a chance alone. "

"Uh... Hi everyone. I'm Alie." The young brunette waitress approached them awkwardly, hiding the bottom half of her face with her book. Her green eyes peaked over the book at them, blinking. She took out a feather pen and tilted her head, one of her bear ears twitching in her anxiety. "I'm... just gonna write down your orders for you all... If you're ready that is, sorry! You can tell me them! If you need more time that's okay. Any drinks?" Her words seemed to get faster the more she spoke. The girl was a bit unprofessional but Risa found her cute and charming. She could recall the young child from years ago. She had only been a few years younger than her. It seemed she took up working here.

"Hello Alie! I'm Risa. You might remember me from a long time ago. You were still very little so that's alright if you don't."Risa greeted her, to which she nodded shyly, "I'll get the Alaberry custard, please. Her sweet-tooth usually gave in. She always favored fruity dishes.

Once Alie finished interacting with the others and taking orders, she addressed the others again, "I've done a great deal of speaking. I would like to hear everyone else's opinions please, especially yours Dionaea. Speak as much as you want. I apologize for taking up so much of the conversation. I will pay for everyone's food today so don't worry about that. I just really wanted to tell you all what's in my heart. "

Time: Late Morning
Location: Roshmi Baelde's
Interactions:@princess@MissCapnCrunch@Tae@Dezuel


Kyran listened to what Risa said silently. He did disagree with some of the things he said. All the humans should be involved. It was the reason they were brought here, and they wouldn’t stand a chance unless they all helped. Hopefully they’d all understand the dire circumstances. Additionally, he had seen a lot of what the dark elves did to his race and would not show them mercy or ponder whether or not they had been shown kindness. There was no excuse.

"They may have shunned and exiled but their actions are unforgivable and inexcusable. I have seen them treat our races like trash, beating and even killing them for minor reasons, to put others through what you have been through yourself only creates a vicious cycle. I hate to say this, but we may need every remaining human to fight against them and Aklenroth if we ever want to cease the oppression we are under. King Tokris fought for the demi-humans and died in combat trying to save us. I think that the only reason they won the last war is that Aklenroth started killing the humans before the war. If we can amass a large rebel alliance with the humans and other rebels, we may have a chance. I agree with protecting them, but they need to learn how to fight and use their magic if they truly wish to survive here. It’s true though that I may not have been affected by the war or what is happening currently as much as you guys but my race has and I am not going to stand around and not fight back. No matter what is going on around us, a new war is coming to Avalia and there is no better time to at least prepare mentally." Kyran explained his feelings, clenching his fists thinking of all the abuse he had witnessed the dark elves give.

'No mercy.'

“I do agree that as of now finding Dionaea's family and more humans that is our number one priority." Kyran concluded. He hated the fact that Dionaea's family had been taken along with Risa's and Dio's homes being burned. If they were going to be used as leverage, Kyran would stop at nothing to help get them back. The more he continued to think on this fact and everything happening over the years to his race just dug into his mind and it had begun to fuel something dormant in his body. Moments into his thoughts, a burning sensation overwhelmed his left eye. He began to bare his teeth as his left eye began to glow a deep red. Kyran quickly put his hand over his eye and started to think of happier thoughts that gently calmed him down. A low growl came from his throat. He was scared and unsure of what had come over him at that moment but he did not like it.

"Uh... Hi everyone. I'm Alie." a familiar voice reached his ears. "I'm... just gonna write down your orders for you all... If you're ready that is, sorry!”

Kyran looked up to see Alie, at the same time removing the hand from his eye, which now appeared to have returned to normal. "Hey, Alie it's nice to see you again!" He said, smiling to try to cover any form of distress that he may have been shown. "I would like some bacon and eggs with some water please, but I want to know how have you been! I kinda miss looking after you." He said and laughed at the end of the sentence.

"Okay, and hey Kyran! I have been really good dad gave me a job here as you can see." Alie said joyfully realizing that Kyran was here. She was clearly comfortable with Kyran. "I am enjoying working for dad even though it can get a little busy and stressful sometimes but I am surviving." She giggled and smiled brightly at Kyran. "I should probably get your friend's orders and get back to work. I am happy to see you come back to eat here though." She told him before looking to the others for orders.

Time: Late Morning
Location: Love Lounge
Interactions:@FunnyGuy Umber @Legion02 Xenelith @Alivefalling Jack @Eviledd1984 O’Ner

---

The motley crew of villains had met up in the city of Roshmi after they were all done with what they could before the ball. Azriel and Umber had both been so kind to inform Xenelith of the ball coming up and then suggested that perhaps they take some time to relax until then. How were a group of villains supposed to relax, though? What in the world could they do to fill their time? Well go to a brothel, of course! Whoever first suggested the idea Azriel wasn’t sure. Perhaps it was her, perhaps it was Xenelith, or perhaps it was someone else. Either way they were all headed towards the Love Lounge for some entertainment.

Azriel pushed open the doors of the brothel, glancing around the dimly lit establishment. There was a smokey haze in the air as well as three half dressed women danced on the stage to some interesting sounding music. There were surprisingly quite a few people in the establishment even at this time of day. A few eyes turned to look at the group and some looked slightly unsettled. Azriel led the way towards a table that was low to the ground and surrounded by pillows. There was already a group of men sitting there with a few women hanging off their arms. They gave her a very confused look before glancing between each other. ”I suggest you move...NOW.” She told them, her voice full of authority. They looked like they were about to protest, but when they saw her sadistic grin as her hand went to her sword. They quickly left the spot and Azriel sat down, patting the spot next to her for someone in her group to join.

It took a moment, but Madame Uma finally approached the group. ”Welcome to the Love Lounge, the finest establishment of it’s kind here in Roshmi. If you don’t believe me just look around. Our employees sell themselves.” She greeted them in a sultry voice, a smirk gracing her lips. ”So what can I do for you?” She asked, ready to provide them with whatever they needed.

”Well boys, what’ll it be?” Azriel asked the others, a grin on her lips.

Time: Morning
Location: Morteum (The Necropolis.)
Interactions: O'Ner@Eviledd1984, Jack


Aklenroth turned to the two calling to him as they walked up to him. "Ah, yes O'Ner and Jack. The mission will be put on hold for now. You will go to Roshmi and meet back up with Umber, Azriel and Xenelith. I am hosting a ball there in three days and I would like you to stay there for a few days. I will meet you all there on the day of the ball after I finish things here." He told them, "Go now, I will send you on my personal amora there so you get there as soon as possible." He finished as he sent them off.

SKIP --> Late Morning in Roshmi
Jack and O'Ner had made it to Roshmi and met up with the others and are now heading into the Love Lounge.