Time: Late Afternoon
Location: Azmor City, Azmor Galus, Daka Island
Interaction with: None.

Skar had arrived at her destination, sloppily docking the wooden boat by paddling close and jumping onto the dock. The boat was kicked away and floated off on its own. She landed with a brief stubble, but caught her footing. Skar looked toward the dark elf civilians giving her odd looks, while guards took caution. Though she was armed, she was alone and not letting out a warcry of madness. The guards would keep close watch of her for now. Well at least until she moved to approach them.

Skar walked casually towards the guards and stopped a few feet away before addressing them.

"Slave market. Skar will purchase slaves. Where is it?" The senior of the two Azmor City guards chuckled.

"Can you even comprehend directions?" The elf asked with a smug smile. "I don't want to be the blame for an orc vagrant within our city."

Skar scowled at the dark elf and took a step forward. Both dark elves gripped the pommels of their swords. Skar was ready to take on both guards, but refrained as she thought of what she was setting out to do. She thought of home.

23 years ago….

A much younger Skar sat on the ground outside of her family's large hut sharpening the head of the first weapon she had learned to use, a spear. The natural sounds of the thriving oasis were drowned out by the beating of drums, the clanking of metal, and the occasional roar from an impassioned orc. A large male orc stepped out from her family hut. He wore leather armor that left the right side of his chest exposed showing scars indicating the numerous failed attempts at his life. On his face were more scars with sharp bone pierced into the bridge of his nose.

"Skarsnaga! Today we raid goblins! You come. You watch kill then you do kill!" Skar's father, Grum, a towering 10-foot orc almost bellowed to the child who initially replied with just a fierce stare.

"See kill! Do kill!!" Skar's father pat her on her head, proud of the daughter he was raising. He was sure she would become a fierce warrior within the clan and someday produce warriors of her own. Skar had never witnessed her father smile in her childhood. It wouldn't be until her young adulthood that she would see such an expression.

Her mother, Reshna stepped out next, her leather armor understandably covered her entire torso, but she also lacked any visible scars. She peered down at her daughter and let a brief smile form on her face. She resembled how Skar would look in years to come, minus the length of her hair. Reshna's hair was braided into thick cornrows that stopped at her shoulders.

"Skarsnaga, you follow me." Reshna stated. Grum turned to his wife with a scowl.

"You? I am head of home!" Grum snarled. Reshna didn't flinch and instead took a step closer to her husband. Her scowl would make one question whether her previous smile was possible.

"Grum. You are head of home. Not in battlefield. Not in raid. Reshna is head of combat! I show Skar to be head in combat, not head of home like you!" Reshna's scowl did not soften, giving Grum no choice but to back down from his wife. He grunted and walked off towards where many of the other members of the clan were headed to arm themselves. Skar stared up at her mother who nodded for her to move forward. "Skarsnaga. You will be strong orc. In combat. In life. Orc with most scars is not always strongest orc… Your father forget this"

Present

"Skar know where she puts blade to kill dark elf... but Skar want direction to slave market. I have amas." Skar shook the hefty pouch tied at her waist.

Message me on discord to add to this list or I will add according to the story summaries you put in your posts.

1. A message had been broadcasted late-afternoon to all of Roshmi from one of its main cast spheres. A translucent image of a stoic dark elf was in the sky for all to see. He announced without emotion:

- A large number of trees around Roshmi have been withered and the dark elves have claimed the fault, announcing they would not let Roshmi flourish until Risa Millinia’s blood ran through the streets. A sketch of Risa was shown as well as those who were journeying with her of Elsea, Kyran, and Dionaea.

- A sketch of Kuroi was shown, stating he was also wanted for a bounty. The reason was simply "treason." No explanation was given why.

2. There was a secret planning session in the Greenhouse involving Cade, Ilan, Ayita, and Sakura.

3. Dionaea has fallen quite ill and is currently resting in Kyran's home. She will be sent to the Flower Fairy Kingdom to stay with Risa's parents tomorrow if there is no improvement.

4. Malachi, Kenia, Corvina, and Rei were shopping and such, also having gotten a hotel. They were very gossipy today with the townsfolk.

Time: Dusk
Location: The Nest

---

The day had been long and interesting, to say the least. After Corvina had burnt down the house, they had checked in at a lower-class hotel to place their belongings. It was a big downgrade from the lovely home they had previously stayed in, but it was tolerable. The only problem was that they had to share a room with four beds crammed into it, so that was sure to start some sort of bickering later on tonight. Since the lower class was overcrowded and had a large percentage of the population, it was the easiest to hide amongst. They spent that afternoon shopping and tending to their needs in that area. Though Malachi found many demi-humans to be a bit too boisterous for his tastes, he had grown with age to enjoy the presence of those who weren’t snobby and uptight like many elves he had grown up around.

A message had been broadcasted late-afternoon to all of Roshmi from one of its main cast spheres. A large number of trees around Roshmi had been withered and the dark elves had claimed the fault, claiming they would not let Roshmi flourish until Risa Millinia’s blood ran through the streets. Malachi knew well of the Millinia legacy at the River Kingdom. Before Aklenroth had taken over Avalia, Oribel and Camellia had been well-known for their compassion. He had seen them speak before so many years ago. They were a very charismatic family. However, it had been their grandson years ago that he had become directly acquaintanced with, Helio Millinia. He had been outspoken and wilder than the usual member of the Millinia line, taking risks and schemes that probably helped affect the results of today. He had actually been one of the prominent members of those trying to rebel. People had trusted him for who he was and for his sheer passion. If the sister, Risa, was now involved, she could be a match to light the flame of all of Avalia. These dark elves feared her for good reason. He had informed the group of his thoughts, telling them it would be wise to seek her out and aid in her protection.

The dark elves had actually done them favor with this act, showing they were willing to hurt innocents. They had shown the citizens of Roshmi they were certainly not on their side. The impoverished were especially outraged that their food supplies would be put at risk over the death of one fairy girl. The sacrifice of a city for one girl did not make sense and people were already questioning the integrity of the dark elves. Kenia and Malachi decided to make matters worse for them and started spreading gossip throughout the day about how the dark elves burned down her home, to as many people as possible. It was in their best interest to keep kindling any outrage as much as possible

From Kenia’s perspective, the day had gone well in the sense that it kept her busy enough not to fall into depression. In addition to spreading rumors about who started the house fire, she got to spend some time with Corvina and get to know the young woman better. After discovering that there was to be a ball in a few days, they decided that it may be best to go and so their shopping trip turned into looking for outfits for that. While she enjoyed helping the girl find a dress, it caused Kenia to wonder if that would have been what it felt like if she’d ever gotten to take her daughter shopping for such an occasion. This fact alone caused the female elf to unknowingly draw even closer to the human.

Through the course of the day, shopping with Kenia had brought Cora’s mood up. She had enjoyed seeing the fashion in Avalia. Their clothes were so pretty, and Cora had trouble pinning one dress down. The one she had chosen was alluding to her magic which she had become fond of during her time. She felt drained from the house fire she had created but hadn’t let it show. The memory she’d drawn upon for her magic was in her subconscious, and she kept trying to push it away. It caused her to focus more on shopping, and take the time to bond with Kenia. She had picked out a dark-haired wig as well to help cover her own. Furthermore, she had bought another outfit as well, since her old ones reeked of smoke and ash. Cora had started to feel some happiness and shades of her past self coming back. It had been awhile since she had felt truly happy or comfortable.

---

The Nest was the destination for tonight for the group. It was important to wind down as to not exhaust themselves before the real battle had begun and bars were a great place to make connections and talk to those. Malachi, however, was unhappy with the choice of bar. It was much too packed and loud for him. Demi-humans of all sorts of species were all over the place: fighting, flirting, and whatever else one could imagine at an out-of-control establishment. He had sat down with a drink to quietly watch at the beginning of their visit until someone familiar caught his interest. There was a feline demi-human female he had seen at many rebel meetings named Talira. He moved over to speak to her for some time in the back to exchange intel.

He found out a few things from her. There had been two attempted attacks on a light-elf governor today, possibly the same one they had come across in that cave. He couldn’t say he was surprised. A healer had also been assassinated in the River Kingdom earlier in the week. There were incidents in smaller fairy communities of fairies having their wings ripped off by a demon as well. At the start of the week, Risa Millinia, and her friend Dionaea Sycamore’s houses had been destroyed, and the Sycamore family was taken hostage. This was all useful information he’d have to share with others. Then, the most interesting was that there was a secret about the fake elf ears going around: each of them had a small tattoo on the inner lobe that could only be found through close inspection. This was a way for them to locate other humans.

Malachi thanked Talira for her information and asked her to spread the word of the dark elves crimes. If they played their cards right, everything the dark elves did to try to push them down through fear could be used to simply fire up the masses. After the exchange, he moved back to the group. Kenia had stayed with Corvina and Rei during this time. He decided against telling them everything in public and instead decided to fill them in later.

” I will tell you all later.” Malachi told them immediately as he rejoined the three. His words were already slurring. The bartender had thought it would be funny to give him a stronger drink than he had requested, unbeknownst to his knowledge, since he had seemed way too serious. He gave them a grin, something he didn’t normally do, “You know I didn’t expect a disgusting place like this to make such a tasty drink. I think I might have another… Anyone else wants a drink?” He held up a bag of chima nuts as he inquired.

The nest was a place Kenia would visit on occasion as it was a good source of information. That and she was often able to meet with shadier folk and purchase her black market goods. This was, in fact, where she’d managed to get the fake ears for both Corvina and Rei, though she wasn’t about to mention that to the group. For now, she was here to relax, maybe listen in on a few conversations, but most importantly have a drink or three. Malachi had left to speak with a woman while she stayed with the two ‘children’ as she’d begun to teasingly call them from time to time. She sipped on her drink as she glanced around the place, taking in each and every face in the bar. She’d taken her coin purse and hid it deep within her boots, instructing her companions to hide theirs somewhere that wasn’t as obvious as well. It was a good thing she did as well as she spotted a hand slowly creeping into her bag. She swiftly grabbed the person by the wrist and yanked the perpetrator forward. It was a smaller faun demi-human who looked up at her in alarm. She merely grinned at him before speaking.
” Oh dear friend, I would highly suggest not doing such a thing. If you wish to keep your appendages intact might I suggest you refrain from trying to steal from myself or any of my companions? Are we clear?” The faun man was swift to nod his head. ”Much obliged.” She said as she released him and he scurried off.

”Can you believe the nerve of some people?” The elf asked as she looked to her human companions, giving them a slight smirk. Not long after that Malachi appeared again and oddly enough he was smiling. This, in turn, made Kenia genuinely smile, though if anyone were to ask why she would surely blame it on the alcohol. ” Someone’s in quite a good mood. You should smile more often Kai, it really does suit you. I’ll take another drink pretty please.” She said happily as she took one of the chima nuts.

Rei caressed his ‘new’ ears. The tender, realistic feeling made him shudder slightly. It was likely better if pushed it into the back of his mind. He would try not to overthink it… more than he already has. He didn’t feel comfortable being in public at all, considering that both humans were Aklenroth’s most wanted. His paranoia stirred, thinking that a few patrons had their eyes on him made him pull his pulled his hood down further. A loose attempt at being incognito. As he watched drunk Malachi fumble about, he did chuckle softly to himself. He also made a mental note to try avoiding pissing off Kenia, as he watched her threaten a person’s limbs, smiling all the while. People who show emotion on their face are scary. He thought, gulping his ‘drink’ and letting its warmth slither down his throat. He had chosen not to inebriate himself, considering the circumstances.

”I understand the need for downtime.” Rei said, stopping for punctuation. ” But is it the smartest thing to do so, right after some boy fox found out me and Corvina’s true identities? Oh right, didn’t he ‘smell’ us? Is there magic to mask that?”

C ora was drinking her water with amusement. The chaos of the nest was delightful; their group blended right in. The nightlife didn’t bother her; she was used to it after walking around at night on sleepless nights. When a demihuman tried to pickpocket Kenia, it turned to bite him. The human saying, “A deer in headlights,” had filled her mind but she didn’t speak it out loud. She had found Kenia slightly scary but hadn’t let it deter her from being close with the Elf. Next, when Malachi returned and was slurring his words, Corvina let out a bark of laughter. She hadn’t ever seen him smile or look unprepared. She sipped her water and whatever Kenia had bought her that wasn’t intoxicating. She didn’t want to inebriate herself in case of anything. The fox child had kept her on her toes and alert.

Once Rei began to speak, Cora turned to face him. She waited for him to continue after pausing and began picking at the food on the table. ” Rei’s correct, and his question is indeed a good one. Is there anything more we can do? Also, maybe someone here might know of him and we could gain more information about him. It was too easy for him to break in and coincidental for him to just find us. I think we should continue to lay low and maybe find more disguises for us. The ball will be a great way to find more allies, though we should make sure to stick together. I don’t want us in another bad position.” Corvina finished speaking to allow the others to reflect upon her words. She moved closer to the others as a few drunken Elves brushed passed her. She clutched her Elf ears and firmly pulled them back onto her own.

Kenia glanced back to the two humans, listening to their concerns before giving them a soft smile. ” You both have valid concerns, however, there is a reason why this place was chosen for relaxing. I am unaware of any magic that will mask your scent so the next best thing to do is be in places with lots of people and scents as yours will get lost in the mix of things. When there are so many scents in one place it is near impossible to pick up on one alone and pinpoint it. So in that regard, we should be safe here.” She began to explain to the two, all the while keeping her eyes open for anyone who may be trying to listen in on their conversation. On the plus side it was so loud in there it would be hard for people to overhear unless they were sitting at the same table.

” The second reason I wanted to come here is that it’s full of drunks who like to gossip loudly. While we’ve been sitting here I’ve been doing my best to listen in on conversations around us. While some are talking as low as we are right now and I can’t hear them, others don’t realize how loud they are. The group at the table behind me has been talking about how the dark elves burnt down that nobles' house and some saw a large and terrifying floating demon at the scene after it was put out. It’s good to know that the story we spun is spreading, but the demon is new information. Could be someone we keep an eye out for as it’s not often you see large, terrifying demons.” She informed them as she nodded to a group behind her. There sat two male fairies and two demi-humans who were clearly drunk and laughing about something. ” If we stay cooped up in an inn room for two long that would look even more suspicious. It would also be really hard to find out any more information about things. As hard and terrifying as it may seem, the best course of action is to act as normal citizens and go out and about sometimes.” She gave them a reassuring smile before adding in an even softer tone, ” Also those ears are built to stay on even through being bumped into. The more you mess with them, the more likely they are to fall off.”

Rei nodded, her points were definitely valid. However, his anxiety still held him in a vice-like grip, something he had to push back or he’d be unable to control himself. When she spoke of the masking magic being unable to do it, he propped her a question. ” Would it be possible for my powers- er, my air magic, is able to do something like that?” In theory it should be possible, but it likely would have required active concentration to do so.

He also agreed on the gathering knowledge. They would have been in the dark had they not been listening in this bar. Though the smell was awful, especially compared back on earth. It just festered and lingered in your nostrils. In the end he would acquiesce to the elves' decisions.

” Sometimes the most intelligent thing to do, when it comes to staying hidden, is the most foolish thing to do. They expect us to hide so we stay in plain sight. Take your downtime now because you can bet you’ll be back training by tomorrow. As for air magic doing something like that, who the hell knows. You can try it when no one’s looking if you can control it well enough. “ Malachi explained to them briefly. Kenia had already covered it all in great detail, but he summed it up nonetheless. “Listen up for the names Risa, Dionaea, and Terneus. ” He instructed them lowly.

“Your drink, handsome.”

Floopa was the bartender working tonight. She giggled as she handed him his drink and then handed a drink to Kenia next. The short-haired demi-human leaned her elbows on the bar, distracted noticeably by Malachi, her bushy brown tail actively moving in a back and forth motion. She blew him a kiss, to which he quickly turned away to pretend he hadn’t seen it, thanking her rather hastily. He did not usually order from the bar unless it was to blend in, so he was not too familiar with her. She moved her attention to Rei and Corvina, whispering, “I gave him a little something extra in his drinks. He used to come here in before and he was always so serious and kind of sad, y’ know? He needs to loosen up a little.” She giggled again after her words, watching Malachi sway a bit to the music as he drank. He set down the cup on the table. Floopa hadn’t expected him to drink it that fast. She had a new concoction to add to drinks like no other that made folks have heightened emotions and honesty. It was also rather addicting, so everyone always came back for more... It was always a good time at The Nest.

“Stop talking. It’s annoying.” Malachi told a young demi-human, who had been laughing loudly next to him, who looked at him in surprise. Truth be told, Malachi had heard him say something about an attractive blonde elven woman, which he attributed to being Kenia immediately. He then found himself annoyed for a reason he couldn’t quite place so when the opportune moment came to strike, he took it. The demi-human was at a loss of words. Malachi made a waving motion to gesture for him to leave like he was shooing a fly away. “Go on. Out.” The male awkwardly moved away from the area, causing Malachi to laugh, “Ha. ” He sat upon the stool, nearly slipping off it drunkenly. Was I always such a lightweight? He quickly gathered himself together, glancing between the group and stating firmly, “Right then. Let’s continue listening for information. Stop fooling around.”

” There is definitely a possibility that your magic could help out Rei.” Kenia responded to Rei with a grin, glad to know he was thinking of ideas. Her ears picked up on the bartender, Floopa she remembered her name was, flirting with Malachi. For some reason, she felt an irritation bubble up inside of her and she was soon glaring at the woman as she was handed a drink. She downed the drink quickly, not entirely intending to do so, but it happened nonetheless. Her face was feeling warmer than normal and she felt as if she were light as a feather. She began to wonder if there were extra in their drinks.

The kiss Floopa blew Malachi pushed her over the edge just a bit. ”Hey! If you could stop ogling over him and get me another drink, that would be great.” She said rather harshly to the woman which earned her a smirk from the woman who seemed pleased to be getting under the elf’s skin. It just helped to irritate Kenia more and she turned to scowl at Malachi as he told some young demi-human off who was complimenting her. If he was gonna get attention from the pretty barmaid then she was allowed to get attention as well. It was in this moment that she realized she was feeling jealousy over someone showing Malachi attention. That irritation quickly turned to embarrassment and her face flushed a deeper red than it already was from the alcohol.

As soon as she got her drink she stood in a hurry, a minor mistake as she swayed and almost fell over. ” Right, uh, I’ll go listen for information over here then.” She was clearly trying to hide her face as she began to weave her way through people, heading for a section of dancing people. What’s wrong with you Kenia?! Why would you get so jealous like that?! It’s Malachi! I can’t be feeling things for him...can I?

There was something about the beverages here that were just so addicting. Malachi couldn’t stop himself from ordering another drink. He began to question it himself in his mind only to be broken out of his thoughts by the sight of Kenia swaying. His impulse was to grab her shoulder to steady her. She immediately started to weave through the crowd away from them. He couldn’t just let her go off alone like this. He glanced at Rei and Corvina and did his best to tell them sternly, but he could not stop slurring at times. His cheeks were red at this point. “Don’t move. Yell for me or whatever to signal me to come back if you need help. Don’t drink any alcohol.”

Time: Dusk
Location: The Nest

---

Kenia found herself glancing towards Malachi, but before she could stare for long her vision was blocked by a tall and very drunk light elven man. She blinked up at him in surprise, wondering why he was grinning down at her in such a way.

”Well hey there, pretty little thing. Looks like you need a dance partner.” The smell of alcohol assaulted Kenia’s nose and her own drunken state couldn’t keep her from looking up at him in disgust. She did not want to be near this man.

”No I’m quite content dancing alone. So if you could just fuck off, that would be wonderful.” Tact wasn’t her strong suit at the moment and as she tried to move away from the man she found him gripping her arm. She looked at his hand in disbelief, but before things could fully register she found herself being pulled towards him.

”Hey I don’t appreciate being talked to in such a way nor do I take well to being rejected. So how about you apologize.” She tried to push herself away from the man, but his grip mixed with her befuddled mind was making that impossible as he basically had her in a grapple. If only she could reach one of her knives, then he wouldn’t be so confident.

Malachi’s footing was harder to place than usual as he stumbled after her, pushing people out of his way without a second thought. The room around him seemed blurrier than usual. It had been a long time since he had been inebriated, but it was not an unfamiliar feeling. The lack of filter and the over-willingness to do anything without a second thought was something not easily forgotten once one had been through the experience. Malachi was his honest self right now and that scared him more than anything had in the last week, for he didn’t really know the person they’d all be meeting tonight. His emotions were something he kept under lock and key. If these were his honest thoughts, why did they revolve around Kenia so much?

When Malachi finally found her, she was with another elven man. His heart was pounding in his ears as he overheard him call her a pretty little thing. You disgusting pig. She rejected him to his pleasure and he smiled smugly. Kenia was obviously out of his reach. His best bet would be for him to get the hell away from her while he still could. Of course, he didn’t though. Beautiful elven women were not so commonplace in Roshmi. No man was going to just give up on her. It had been a while since he had seen a woman like Kenia anywhere in Avalia.

The man ended up grabbing her arm. Malachi immediately started pushing people out of the way again to move up to them. He could not even hear his own thoughts. It was a blind, numbing anger that only escalated as he tightened his grip on her. His fists were clenched so tightly he thought he would break skin. Finally he grabbed the elven man by his shirt, yanking him away from Kenia and up to the wall with strength he had not used against another in a very long time. The loud music started to lower its volume and nearby folk began to all turn their heads to the scene. Malachi barely noticed all this as he stared him in the eyes. He wanted to curse the man out and tell him how much of a low-life he was, but the clouded intelligence looming in the back of his mind reminded him that making the scene worse than it already was, was a bad idea. His ears rang as the anger he felt seemed to make his blood feel like it was boiling. He simply stared into the man’s widened, terrified eyes, letting him have a moment to take in how angry Malachi was with him without telling him a word of it.

“Get out.” His voice was cold and threatening, but low in volume. There was no need to give him a threat or say anything of the like. It was clear what his intentions were and the elf clearly recognized it. Malachi’s grip loosened and the elf moved away as quickly as he could. He stayed in place for that moment, letting his arms fall to his sides and trying to collect himself once again. The music started to play at full volume again and interest was lost as there was no fight to entertain them all.

The suddenness of the man grasping of her being yanked away made Kenia gasp in shock. She nearly fell over, but a kind soul caught and steadied her. She took a moment to catch her breath before looking over to see who’d helped her out of the situation. There stood Malachi with the man up against the wall. She stared at the scene in a bit of shock as she hadn’t expected Malachi to come to her rescue. She felt a strange allure towards her defender and her feet seemed to grow a mind of their own as they slowly carried her closer towards him. She stepped aside as her assailant quickly left the scene before closing the rest of the distance to Malachi. She placed herself in front of him, at a complete loss of words, as she stared up at him.

She scanned his face for a brief moment before her gaze fell upon his eyes. It was as if it were the first time she’d ever really noticed them. They were like deep pools of silvery blue water that seemed to enchant her. Without realizing it, she moved closer and closer until there were only mere inches separating their bodies. Her eyes traveled down to his lips and her heart beat wildly in her chest. She couldn’t help, but wonder what they would feel like, taste like. Before she realized what she was doing, she pressed her lips against his and the world around her seemed to slow down. A warmth filled her, but not like the warmth alcohol brought. This was something deeper, comforting, something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Suddenly reality and realization came crashing over her like a tidal wave and she looked up at him in panic.

”I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I...I don’t know what came over me, but I couldn’t help myself...you just...and then...I’m an idiot, I’m truly and idiot. You were just helping me and I guess I got swept up in the moment…” She was rambling like a mad person, but she feared if she stopped the rejection and revulsion for what she’d just done would come. Kenia feared that she’d just royally messed things up between him and her and soon harsh and berating woulds would pour out from him. She felt vulnerable, far more vulnerable than she’d felt in a very long time and she could only hope that he’d be kind. She still remained rather close to him despite it all, but she averted her gaze as she debated on bolting. Where would she go though? It was far to crowded in here, so she settled on remaining where she was and facing the consequences of her actions.

Malachi had been caught up in his thoughts as Kenia started to approach him. His own reaction had startled him. He had hated that man with every ounce of his being in that moment. The idea of someone hurting Kenia had driven him up a wall. It was strange how feelings could build up over time for someone and one could not notice. There was no denying them though; something was there for her that he had not felt since his wife.

He finally noticed Kenia as she took her place right in front of him. She probably thought he was crazy now. This whole time, he had always been so composed and careful with his emotions only for him to blow up in front of her like some out of control drunk. However, she said nothing of the sort. Instead, her eyes seemed to be searching his and he found he couldn’t pull his gaze away from them. They were a radiant golden color, which was something he had noticed from day one and secretly admired. Being so up close, he could notice there was a blue outline on the perimeter of her iris. It felt like looking into stars. He barely noticed her moving closer to his face since he was instinctively mimicking the movement.

Then her lips met his and the room seemed to melt away around them. It was like having a wish fulfilled he had not even known he made. Cool air once again caressed his lips instead of her warmth faster than he could move to kiss her back. He found himself instinctively frowning and glanced down at her as she started rambling; he had not seen her so flustered before. It was actually quite cute. “Shh…” Malachi gently brushed strands of hair from her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. It felt like a wave of heat washed over his body as he found himself pressing his lips against hers. The thought that they were in a public bar had not even crossed his mind. In that moment, he felt the need to kiss her until the two of them could not breathe anymore. His hands drifted to her waist, wanting to pull her closer, but he held off in order to allow her to decide if this was something she wanted to continue.

The reaction she got wasn’t entirely what Kenia had expected, but in fact came as a relief. His calming touch silenced her and she let out a shaky breath. Their lips met again and she felt herself melt into the kiss. She wasn’t sure if this was the alcohol prompting their actions or if this was their true feelings, but she didn’t care. That could be a worry for another day, for now she was focusing on the moment, on him. Her hands found their way up his chest until her arms lay comfortably on his shoulders and around his neck. Her body instinctively closed the remaining distance between them, wanting to feel the warmth of his body pressed against hers. As her lips moved against his she felt every worry, fear, and sadness she always had on her mind melt away. She felt safe there in his embrace. He had found her, saved her after so many years of being completely lost. He was becoming her home and if she were sober the thought may have scared her, but for tonight she welcomed it. All she wanted was to remain there in his embrace, to kiss him until they both collapsed breathless. She found herself pulling him with her until she was leaning up against the wall and he was pressed to her. One of her hands slid back down until it rested on his chest and she could feel the beat of his heart.

Malachi was used to always thinking through every action, but it felt like he had lost all sense of that, moving on pure instinct. She moved closer to him just as he had to her, conversing their emotions with each kiss and pull closer. He wrapped his arms around her and entangled a hand in her hair, barely moving away to breathe. For a moment, Malachi felt like himself and not the empty shell of a man that had pushed all his energy into defeating Aklenroth and the dark elves. Knowing their feelings were mutual, made him feel safe, like he had someone to always come back to and to trust. He knew they’d probably not act with the same amount of passion when they started to sober up, but for now he could not help but fall victim to it as this was a feeling he had not even known he missed so much.

Kenia surprised him when she led him with her to lean up against the wall, pulling him to her once again. He hadn’t untangled himself from her and instead gave in, kissing her like she was a lost lover he had not seen in years. There was no telling if this would ever happen again, so the two seemed to want to savour the moment and each other as much as possible.

Zelginn

Time: Noon
Place: Den of sin -> Alleyway

"Memory hm? That was pretty clever! Time for me to go make some new memorable moments. A pity you won't be joining me lady, oh well..." Zelginn shut his eyes almost fully, only having slight slits open as his lips formed a smug smile as his attention set on Jack.

"He does look kinda lost!" Zelginn snickered as he reached up his clawed hands up behind his own head. "Well, I'm going now. Oh and I will totally have fun with my dinner." The small tailed figure gave a smirk to Azriel before jumping down to the floor and walking over towards the doorway out of the brothel.

"Let's meet again someday, Azzie. I got a feeling that there will be lots of fun soon." He said in a jolly and soft tone, looking back to Azriel, still with his arms raised up behind his head. Then he proceeded to leave the building, where some of the people leaning up against the building wall were throwing him strange glances.

I wonder... did your meeting with the elves go well, Umber? The small figure pondered as he was suddenly snatched by something or someone as he entered an alleyway. Lifting him up into the air, holding unto the cloth at his neck. Zelginn's ears and tail fell down in a low manner as a dog expecting to get yelled at.

"Well, well well... what have we here then? The pesky little thief. Took some time to find you, but now that I have... you are going to regret ever being born." The anger in the dark elf's voice was as clear as day. This was the dark elf whom he had relieved of his pocket amas earlier that day, looks like he had finally caught up with him. What a bummer.

"Please.. I'm just a child... don't hurt me please.. I just want to eat. I'm starving..." Zelginn said in a trembling voice, his eyes going watery and his clawed hands were shaking.

"Hurt you? Oh that's just the beginning... I'm going to kill you. You little thieving shit." The dark elf chuckled and carried the small figure down an empty alleyway, his shadow being cast on the walls of the alleyway from the noon sun. A loud scream could be heard coming from the alley, a shriek of pain and panic in the air. The dark elf's face was filled with sweat as he began to make his way to the entrance of the alley, before a snap could be heard and he screamed in horror, he landed on the muddy cobblestones. His fingers dug into the mix of cobblestone and mud of the alley, as if bracing himself against something.

"A-ahh! N-no n-no no!" He frantically stuttered as he felt a strong tug at his lower body, pulling him in towards the alley again gradually. His fingers losing their grip on cobblestone after cobblestone. The dark elf was beginning to panic and wanted to run, but then he realized he couldn't feel his legs anymore, he couldn't run. He couldn't get away. "Help! Someone! A monst- Aaahhh-" The voice of the dark elf became null when the large fur clad claws attached to his back and head. Pulling him fully into the alley. He closed his eyes as wanted nothing more than this nightmare to be over. His wish was followed by a large splatter of blood on the building walls. Then a few moments passed and a new shadow began to take shape at the building wall. That of a large wolf head, momentarily opening to swallow something down it's mouth, a few crunches later and what was put in there was gone.

A black fur clad paw with razor sharp claws stepped into a muddy pool of water, blood would gradually begin to drip into it. The refelection of the pool was revealing a creature of nightmares. A hunter from a more primal time. The kind which were told to keep children scared of venturing out at night.

...and night was approaching slowly.

Time: Dusk
Location: The Nest

---

Corvina listened to Kenia’s words and nodded. It made sense; she was just on edge. She sighed and looked at Floopa with disappointment in her eyes. This crazy demihuman had nothing better to do than spike people drinks? Avalia wasn’t too different from Earth in that aspect. How many times had she seen the worst-case scenario in real life and tried intervening? She remained silent and turned away from Floopa without a word. She didn’t want to aggravate the demi, nor start anything. She sipped her water and scrunched her nose at the taste of it. It smelled awful. She didn’t need a superhuman sense of smell to detect it. She blanched and looked at the woman who was now pointedly ignoring her. What the hell was in the water? She pushed it away and looked at her again after Kenia had stumbled off. Cora sure hoped Kenia would be all right; though it didn't take long for Malachi to follow her. Cora sighed again and rubbed her head. What was wrong with her?

” Rei,” She began and began to shovel food in her mouth to try to dampen whatever the hell she had drunk, but trailed off. She had good tolerance due to her fallout after high school. Corvina turned and heard the name Terneus and locked eyes on the pair of Elves.

” Terneus was almost taken out! Did you see it?” Corvina watched as the Elf turned to his female fairy accomplice and shook her head. Cora felt herself become giddy at the news. She didn’t know Terneus personally but laying in the mud for what felt like a century caused her to feel ill towards the man. She had nearly lost her favorite sweatshirt because of him. It was one of her only items from Earth, and one that gave her a sense of peace and happiness.

”No, but I saw this stupid Centaur running away. Nearly took me out, the stupid horse. The crazy thing is, nobody knows who shot the arrow. Nobody could see who it was. Must’ve been some light magic.” Cora turned to Rei with a grin and nudged him.

”Terneus, huh?” Rei said, his amber eyes seeming to glisten at the new information. ” Not surprising, with how he acts I’m surprised he’s lived this long, at least in this world. That and he owes me amas for my sweater.”

”It appears as if someone is doing the dirty work. Pompous git,” She mimicked an English accent with surprising accuracy and giggled. Corvina turned to Floopa and stared her down. ” Water, please, and nothing else in there you crazy woman.” Cora laughed at the end and turned to see an Elven man grabbing Kenia. Malachi quickly intervened and broke it up. She watched with wide-eyes, then felt herself beaming from ear to ear. Yes! They were kissing! Cora turned to Rei, unaware that Floopa had spiked her drink, this time much stronger than earlier. ” Well heck yes, finally!” Corvina remained quiet, beaming as she watched. ” Hot damn, they’re going to need a room. Thankfully, the Inn isn't far away,” She turned and began to drink her water and downed it quickly. She stared with confusion at it and blanched again. This water tastes like a stale … She didn’t finish that sentence and pushed it away. ” I’m going to stretch. I’ve been sitting down too long,”

”Who knew you were such a vindictive one.” He continued, finishing the last of gulp his drink. He eyed the miffed bartender, waiting for her to pull anything. She didn’t seem to do anything but the way Corvina acted was definitely out of character. It was like she was drunk and as far as he could tell, she didn’t drink any booze.

”Hey, Floopa, can you bring some beer..” He said putting on the most genuine smile he could muster, though it didn’t manage to reach his eyes. He kept his gaze on her as she disappeared into the kitchen with a huff. It would only take a minute or so before she was back. The glass dropped in front of him looked normal. He would stare at it for a moment before speaking up again.

”That’s for you!” He heightened the pitch of his voice, watching for her reaction.

“Ah, er- I can’t take the drink of my patrons.” Floopa said, unable to maintain any prolonged eye contact with Rei.

”I insist, my treat.” He threw a couple of amas, that Kenia had given both the humans, onto the table. His fake smile had faded into a frown. ”... or do you not have pride in your drinks?”

If looks could kill, Rei would have been dead five times over with the glare the bartendress shot at him. She didn’t say much else and instead downed the drink in seconds. Her movement seemed more restrained than before, but if there was anything in the drink she was trying her hardest not to show it. Were his instincts wrong? She moved away before he could make sure.

As Corvina moved off the bar stool, she bumped into a rather dismal looking demi-snake hybrid. It took all of her self control not to laugh at the woman, but the amusement was shining in her light blue eyes. The snake-woman glared crossly and hissed at her, ” Is something funny there, Elfie?”

Corvina bit her lip and felt adrenaline pulsing through her veins, though she wasn’t sure why. The energy from earlier was pulsing through her. She kept thinking of Linnet and Gale, the two worst people she had ever met. In the back of her mind, she knew that the stupid bartender had spiked her drink and god would she pay her back tomorrow. She couldn’t think of it now; this snake was sizing her up like she was a snack. ” In all my life, I’ve met snakes, some bitchy, some jealous, while others were plain horrendous, but never have I met a real-life snake. Are you going to have a hissy fit? The Garden of Eden’s the other way.”

The woman glared at her deeply. ”I bet your friend is much nicer than you. Why is he hanging out with a lowlife Elf like you? Why don’t you join me, handsome and ditch your bitchy little Elf friend?”

”Don’t talk to my friend like that!” Corvina snapped and her voice raised, causing some heads to turn. Her temper felt like it might explode. She was controlling her ability not to use pyrokinesis, though she wanted to throw a fireball at this hideous looking demihuman. ”Besides, he’s committing a sin just by associating with you. Best you cleanse yourself with holy water, Rei, as not to enter purgatory with this sinful looking snake.”

The snake woman had it and went to punch Cora but she grabbed the woman's fist. ” The first rule of self-defense? Never make an easy first move on your target. Guess you’re too busy slithering around like the snakey bitch you are to know that.” She then moved to the side and pulled the woman's arm toward her, locking her elbow and then placing her hand on the woman's neck and kneeing her in the back to drop her. Corvina then used her other knee to kick her in the face. She held the woman on her back and smirked. ”Well whoopsy daisy, look at what we got here.” Corvina taunted and kept the demi down with her foot and glared at her. Her other leg was on the women’s arms to stop her from grabbing at her feet. ” When I release you, you’re going to beat it like the lowlife you are. Got it?”

The snake watched with wide eyes and nodded, prompting Corvina to release her slowly but carefully. As the woman stood up, Cora braced herself. She watched as the woman swung at her and knocked her in the jaw, causing her to stumble backward. She glared at the woman and rubbed her face. She then cracked her neck and pulled her pepper spray out. ” Choke on this, bitch,” She sprayed the woman in the face who had been staring with confusion. She yelled out and Cora ran back to Rei’s side protectively, though with wide-eyes.

The situation unfolded before he could react. It didn’t help that some of his focus was on that shifty bartendress. Before he knew it, the situation was already over and Corvina had pepper-sprayed the serpent. There was definitely something in those drinks. He thought, assessing how violent and terrifying she had reacted.

”Corvina, are you alright?” Rei asked, glancing at his side. Though really, he should be asking that question to the snake lady. A large section of the bar was now staring in awe or amusement at the whole debacle. He patted her head in an effort to calm her down. ”Sit and relax.”

Rei placed her onto a chair before getting up himself and going over to the snake lady, who was now writhing less but sending death glares down to the sitting Corvina. He bent down next to her. ”I’ll apologize for my friend.” He said blankly, placing down a bag of amas (50 - from the bank?) beside her. ”Hopefully that will patch things up between you two.”

”The rest of you.” He said, his voice cold and prickly. ”Screw off back to your drinks and stop gawking, this is not a show.”

The beady-eyed stares began to disperse. A few clicked their tongues while others grumbled. The little that remained met his steely gaze, with them looking away after a moment of eye contact. Rei massaged the bridge of his nose as he settled back into his seat. That whole debacle drew too much attention for his taste.

Corvina stared at Rei as his words replayed in her mind. Was she all right? She didn’t know. Something in her mind was letting loose. Rei patted her head, and smiled faintly, though she eyes on the table. She found it difficult to look at him after her debacle. Her cheeks were flushed. ” I’m sorry,” Her voice was low as she watched him begin tending to the snake-demihuman. She laughed quietly when he told the rest of the bar to back off. It had surprised her that he’d come off that cold; she hadn’t expected it from him. On the other hand, he probably hadn’t thought she could act that way as well.

”I think I’ll dehydrate over ordering again. I think there was something in my drink. Are you alright? I’m so sorry, Rei,” Corvina sniffled and pulled her hood over her head as she retreated into silence and confusion. Her eyes were teary. Why had she done that? Cora glanced sideways over at Kenia and Malachi with an apologetic gleam in her eyes. She hated to think what would have happened if it had continued to blow up. What if she ruined Rei’s cover or the Elves? She bit her lip and sighed heavily into her hands, then rested them on the table.

”It’s no worry at all. Hopefully, I managed to disperse the attention of the crowd.” He said, his gaze sweeping across the room. ” Something definitely was in that drunk, I was lucky that mine wasn’t spiked..” Though he did want to reprimand her, it seemed like she was already beating herself up over it.

_{”Not like I want to know what side of myself would appear..”} Rei unconsciously whispered to himself. Maybe there was something in his drink. He looked at Corvina. ”Ehm, we’ll take a short break before we fetch those two rambunctious elves..”

Corvina felt his gaze and knew that Rei was likely trying not to scold her. She knew Malachi would if he sobered up and had seen. She glanced at him at the mention of his drink. ”I hope not. I think we should take five and then go. I don’t want to stay here anymore in case something else happens.” She shuddered at the thought of Rei might expose if he were drugged. He seemed too peaceful, but then again, so did she and look what happened. Corvina sighed and picked her head up with a melancholic grimace.

An inconspicuous demi-human with a sly smile approached their table. Oh boy here we go. Rei sighed internally. The demi-human whistled. “I saw your fight, feisty little thing, aren't you.” He said he bowed incredulously. “I am Damon and I’ve been enchanted by you. What say you drop this downer and hang out with me tonight? ”

”Well, what say you Cora?” Rei said with an amused chuckle.

Corvina turned to look at the demihuman approaching their table and raised her eyebrows. She struggled not to laugh and managed to keep a straight face. ” I appreciate the compliment, however, I am going to stay with my ‘downer’ as you called him.” Cora eyed Rei, then turned her head to keep Malachi and Kenia in their line of vision. ” It is nice to meet you, Damon, but I must deny your prestigious offer.” Corvina eyed Rei now with a slightly panicked gleam and turned to face the demi-human without emotion. She was at her tail end of the bar and dealing with drunks. The look on her face would convey she had been in the situation before, though not with a demihuman of course. She knew how to carry herself at the moment, albeit being slightly spiked still.

”There it is, see Damon.” Rei said boorishly. ”Now please leave her alone, she’s a bit out of i-” The demihuman clasped his shoulder with a heavy hand.

“It’s not because of this downer of an elf, is it,” Damon said condescendingly. “If so I can get him out of the way.”
”I will give you exactly three seconds to get your hand off of me.” Rei said menacingly.

The demi-human let out a pointed, bellowing laugh, almost crying tears. “You really think I couldn’t handle ya half-pint-”

One… Two… Three… In a moment Rei had taken the arm on his shoulder and placed it into a reverse joint-lock. He pushed downwards at an angle, making the arm bend at an angle it shouldn’t naturally bend to. It only took a few seconds for Damon to take a knee on the beer-stained floor. The demihuman yelped in pain. Rei pressed down hard at the steepest angle he could. Three… Two… One… Then he let go. Damon collapsed onto the floor like a house of cards.

”Please leave.” Rei said, his nice words were betrayed by the cadence of his voice.

The demihuman didn’t take a second look and hurriedly scuttled away, into the crowds.

Corvina could only stare in shock at the current events, much like Rei had been staring at her debacle. She swallowed hard and then cleared her throat. Their group was attracting too much attention; they had to leave. She couldn’t help but blush with warmth inside at Rei defending her and knew she would have done the same, had someone hit on him. She shook her head at the madness that had been The Nest, and also the debacles. She rubbed her aching head and emitted a sinister growl at anyone still eyeing Rei and her. They turned away quickly.

”You sure that drink didn’t also give you a fever or something?” Rei asked, placing the palm of his hand on her forehead. ” You’re really red.”

“I don’t know,” Cora’s words fell empty as she stared at him. She felt horrible, but mainly emotionally. She touched her hand to his and gripped it gently. ” What do they do for fevers here, a potion?” Her words were quiet as not to be overheard. Then, she began to focus more on him and less on her. She mustered up enthusiasm for him and forced a smile.

”If it helps, it seems like I left a packet of paracetamol in this sweater.” He fished in his pocket and produced the paracetamol packet with four tabs left. He slid it across the table with a wink. ”Take one. It’s extra strength.”

Corvina started laughing with shock. Out of all things from Earth… ”Coming in clutch, Rei. Thank you so much. It’s funny what we still have with us. I still have my spray of course, and also my pocket knife. I never left my home without it.” She glanced around for something to drink and sighed. She didn’t trust Floopa not to give her the same spike bullshit. She tilted her head back and swallowed it whole, rather quickly. She sighed with relief and rubbed his shoulder kindly. This new world was much more tolerable with Rei. Cora wasn’t sure if her face was flushed from blushing or the fever, or perhaps a combination.

”Don’t touch that shoulder, I might put you into a wrist-lock like your lover Damon.” He joked.

”Oh no, I’m scared,” Cora joked with a mock look of fright then laughed. Her tone became serious, as did her expression when guilt and sorrow filled her eyes. ” I'll make my bullshit up to you tomorrow somehow.” She added with a grin and stood up, catching the table to steady herself. She gritted her teeth. One day, this Floopa bitch would get what was coming to her. Cora hated herself for the implications with the snake-demi. Her gut was in knots at the thought of endangering Rei, Kenia, and Malachi.

Corvina forced herself to smile as she genuinely commented, ” Good move. Maybe we should try combat and self-defense together during training.” She sighed, then glanced at Floopa to give her a glare then turned back to Rei. The woman had blatantly ignored her. ” Let’s collect our lovebirds and go. I can’t stand this place.” Her tone was sharp, a reminder of the spiked drink she had ingested earlier. Corvina waited for Rei and didn’t move. Corvina couldn’t help but wonder what idiocy might occur next if she left his side.

”Best we do. I’ll show you some Brazilian jiu-jitsu locks and throws.” Rei said, his eyes trailing over to the two elves. ”Agreed. Somehow the smell’s gotten worse.”

Corvina nodded at his comments. ” That sounds great. Thank you,” She shuddered at the smell once she took a whiff. ”Ugh, gross.” She brought Rei along with her as she strode over to Kenia and Malachi. The noise was growing louder but she didn’t want to look and find out why. Her heart rate began accelerating at the noise level rising. ” Alright lovebirds, as much as I ship you both together as a couple, we have to go. It’s getting crazy in here.” Her voice was pleasant with an urgent tone underneath it. Her eyes were gleaming with panic, though she tried to keep a relaxed expression for them.

Time: Dusk
Location: Morteum, Daka Island
Interaction with:
Amas:

---

Darius panted heavily as sweat poured down his face. Kol had him on the move ever since they started the training session with breaks only consisting of further instruction or the one time where Darius snorted a bump of flarus to get himself going at what felt like 200%. Darius was positive it was a drug judging by how he had to administer it, but he barely showed any reluctance. He felt the need to push himself, and the flarus was just a means to that end.

"Again?" He let out between heavy breaths. The air was thick with the mana filled blue fog which made it a bit harder to breathe when one was gasping for air to catch their breath. Kol stood before Darius with his arms folded over his chest, his expression as cold as always.

"Now we may proceed to magic. The goal was to completely fill your mana reserves, while training your agility and endurance. We have met that goal." Kol said as a dark aura surrounded him. "You know how to gather your element, shape it, and direct it already… Now you will use it to combat another element. Prepare yourself, human!" The sun set allowing darkness and its dwellers to reign across Avalia.

Later…

Darius found it almost impossible to pick himself up off the ground as darkness sizzled off of his leather armor tattered with holes. He managed to kneel, but his body ached and felt almost too heavy to budge.

Kol seemed to have shown the human little restraint. Whenever Darius didn't deflect or dodge, he felt the brunt of Kol's darkness. The feeling of it seem to hurt him beyond just physically. Each strike seemed to demoralize him as he was given taste after taste of despair. Despite Darius' protests to end the training session, Kol continued. Even now the dark elf approached Darius with his cold silver eyes. The only source of light was the ominous blue glow coming off of the castle. Primal demons howled and screeched in the distance, only adding to the grim experience.

Darius fought with himself to move. The depressant effects of the dark magic blended with his own self doubt. He grit his teeth as tears began to roll down his face in his struggle against himself and his inability. Kol had showed him just how weak he was, with elf having not taking a sliver damage from anything Darius had thrown at him.

"Do not fret Darius. It is not easy facing your own weakness, but it is necessary. So don't be afraid child. Face me with whatever you have left." A tendril of darkness coiled around Kol's right arm as he raised it towards Darius. Darius held up a hand, not in defense, but in an effort to attack. He grunted as his arm trembled from its own weight. As Darius felt himself faltering, his vision blurred before hearing Kol sigh.

"No… Come on!" Darius shouted as he tried to force his magic to activate. He inhaled the mana filled air deeply, but no water was summoned. "Fuck!" On one knee Darius watched Kol fired coiling darkness at him. Failing to build up an attack, Darius threw both his arms up as if his forearms would protect him and block the oncoming darkness. In this moment, he lost faith in his own magic and something sinister surfaced in its stead.

Kol's attack met resistance against a large shield of what appeared to be twisted black steel. As the shield blocked Kol's magic a smirked etched his face. Darius was left unharmed, but his body collapsed as he passed out onto his side. The last thing he saw was the mysterious shield that had protected him slowly shrink and re-enter the skin of his arms. Once he was out, Kol spoke.

"You could have come out sooner Malgormuun." Kol said with disdain as he approached Darius. He picked him up and slung the young man over his shoulder in order to carry him back to Edena.

Kol was a loyal subject of Aklenroth through and through. The Lich King ordered him to forge a weapon against the growing rebellion and Kol would ensure it happened at all costs. Even if it meant that this human would risk eventually losing himself.

O'Ner Faister

O'Ner had sneaked away from his comrades, Having not told them where he was going which would seem suspicious to the others but he would just make up a excuse of why he was gone. His excuse would be that he was searching for some rare flowers, Using one of his many disguises to becoming a traveling trader named Kellogg Ward. From what information he had gathered form his most trusted spies that they may have spotted his daughter and grandson, This gave him hope that he may see or speak with them without giving out his true identity. Having taken a brown horse and a carriage that one of his spies had procured for him, using this horse and carriage to ride into a local village that was near Roshmi City. While on his horse and riding his horse into the village, scanning the area and finding a spot to open up his carriage to start selling.

What Kellogg would be selling would be exotic and beautiful flowers, Having hand made the sign and whatever he needed to build to continue the illusion of him being a traveling merchant. Of course to help him with gathering the flowers and building the carriage was his reluctant servant Phillip. A few hours had passed and he had gotten no customers which meant he was not close to finding his daughter, All of his hope seemed lost when he noticed a blonde haired woman walking passed him. "Excuse me madam, would you be interested in buying a bouquet of flowers for your gent?" He said pointing to her.

"Well i have forgotten to give him a gift for his birthday, so what do you have that says i am sorry?" She asked him approaching the carriage. O'Ner could now get a better look at her and could see it was his daughter all grown up, he was trying his best not to cry right there and then. She looked exactly like her late mother, "I think i got something that could make your husband forgive you on the spot" O'Ner as Kellogg walked further into his carriage and soon handing her a bundle of blue flowers which leaves were blooming outwards. Something that was quite noticeable was the light yellow and orange hue in the middle of the flower, "These are flowers i had procured form the forest near Oaks Island, It's called Ish'mak and is perfect for asking someone for forgiveness and love" He said trying to sell her the flowers which he had used some magic to spy on her and the family. The woman looked at the flowers in amazement and bought them on the spot thanking him and asking his name. "My name is Kellogg Ward, a pleasure to meet you mrs?" He asked curious to caught her name. "My name is Anya Faister" The name which made his grin bigger nodding his head and shaking her head, "A pleasure to meet you miss, a great pleasure" He said shaking her head for a bit too long. Quickly pulling back his head not wanting to scary her and as she left he waved goodbye to her.

Turning his back to the streets of people and shedding many tears, crying was something he has not done in a very long time. He saw his daughter for the first time in many years. The sight of his grown daughter made him very happy, so happy in fact that he did a bit of a jig singing a song form when he was a child. Of course not seeing a potential customers staring at him, Hearing one of them coughing he quickly wiped his tears and turned around to sell them some of his flowers form his garden. Something he did not mind as he had a abundance of them.

Returning to the castle, now accompanied by Artemis, Darius soon left them with Lol to resume whatever both of them would do. Left alone with Artemis, Myra reminded where and how they found her. She certainly should be quite hungry. If Myra gave Artemis some food, then maybe she would let Myra see her tail up close, maybe even touch it!

Gently grabbing Artemis hand, Myra made a short hand signal for her to follow her as she took the mermaid to Zorrah. Even though Myra had known Zorrah for only a short time, she knew very well that the woman was a good one, especially since she never denied Myra's request to give her more meat than she would a normal person. Surely, she wouldn't deny feeding another mouth... Right?

Myra's assumptions shortly showed themselves to be correct as she met Zorrah and knew she was more than willing to feed the mermaid too. Giving Myra the usual huge platter of cooked meat, rare, just like Myra liked. Even though Myra most of the times ate only meat, Zorrah enjoyed showing Myra new things and watching her reaction upon eating them. This time it was a strange colored fish. Even though it was cooked, Myra could tell by the color and the smell that it was different from the fishes she sometimes caught to eat on the rivers. After taking one bite, they showed themselves to be surprisingly tasty.

Even though Myra didn't know exactly what Artemis ate, she remembered her as she looked at the cooked fish in front of her. She was a mermaid so she lived on water. That meant fishes were an easy source of food for her to hunt and eat... Right? After looking to the cooked fish and then to Artemis, she gently pushed the dish to Artemis, looking to her with a smile as she offered her the fish. After a moment, she looked at the cooked meat on the other platter too and before resuming eating, Myra thought that it would be a good idea to give one to Artemis. After all, she was weak and very hungry, and meat always solved both problems for Myra. Taking one of the large steaks with her claws, she put it on Artemis' plate, near the fish as she smiled at her, looking to the mermaid with a curious expression, waiting to see if she would accept her small 'gift'.

Time:Dusk
Location:Kyran's Home
Interactions:@Tae@Alivefalling


Dionaea had suddenly started to feel ill while they were all shopping in the afternoon. It was not long before they had to retreat back to Kyran's house. They had all thought the stress of everything or maybe the alcohol had gotten to her, but it quickly became clear it was more serious than that. Risa had stayed at her best friend's side all afternoon, fetching her soup, water and taking care of her. Putting a small amount of energy towards healing seemed to bring Dionaea comfort, however it was no use. Dionaea was becoming weaker by the hour.

Hades had returned and Risa had a short exchange with him, arranging for him to accompany her back to the Flower Fairy Kingdom tomorrow morning. He would lead her to her parents in order to give Dionaea a safe place to recover. Little did they know that Dionaea was ill with something more deadly than they could imagine.

Risa decided maybe she would go to the healing center tonight and try to ask around there. A fairy healing center would have been ideal as they might have known more about fairy illnesses, but that was not an option. She rubbed Dionaea's hand as she remained at her bedside, expecting Kyran and Elsea to come in the room any moment. Dionaea had been asleep all day. It was getting to be dusk now. She was going to approach them about the idea of finding help for her.

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi
Interactions: @Helo-Bowyn @Potter Belle

---

Belle had allowed Torvi to order food and paid for it as she said she would, which Torvi was pleased about. While Bowyn didn’t trust that anything was actually free, Torvi would take advantage of it where she could. With the food she also got a water, needing to drink something, but deciding another mead would have been a bad choice. As she’d gone to take a drink of it, however, the water stayed in place at the bottom of the cup. She’d found it odd for a brief moment, until she noticed the glance from Belle which indicated she was responsible. What a clever way to indicate to Torvi alone that she wasn’t an elf at all, but in fact a human. No one else would have seen the use of the magic and it made Torvi grin internally. She proceeded to start a conversation about how she was relieved to find a relative here in Roshmi, hoping Bowyn would pick up on the subtle clue of her own which he thankfully did.

After some more small talk and mention of the ball, the group decided to leave the Leaky Tap in order to go shopping for outfits. It was during this time that they discovered Belle was also quite skilled at theft. This was something they could all oddly bond over. Torvi was thrilled to have found another human, or maybe she should say that the human had found her. While she still kept her guard up a bit around the new people just in case, it was a relief to know she wasn’t the only one of her kind here in Avalia.

While they shopped they ended up seeing the message broadcast over what Bowyn quietly had to explain was a sphere. Images appeared in the sky of four figures first which Torvi made note to remember because they might be potential allies. Then there was another sketch shown of a demi-human man, but they didn’t explain what his crimes were. She found it quite curious and thought she’d seen Belle react to the image a bit, but wasn’t entirely sure nor did she ask about it. They also overheard a rumor of dark elves burning down a nobles house merely because the noble had just mentioned that the humans didn’t seem to be that big of a threat. Torvi couldn’t help but feel like dark elves were too over dramatic in dealing with things.

---

Now the group was back at the Leaky Tap, where Bowyn and Torvi were staying, debating on if it were time to call it a night. Their shopping trip had been quite successful and Torvi loved the dress she found. She strangely found she was eager for the ball now even though she knew it’d be dangerous. The elf ears definitely seemed to hold up with no issues through the crowds of the marketplace which made her feel a bit better. She was confident they’d hold up at the ball if she decided to dance. For a brief moment she wondered if Bowyn would dance as well, but had a feeling he’d be reluctant. Maybe she’d try to convince him to do so.

She looked over to Belle and gave her a grin, still excited over the fact that this woman was another human. ”So where are you guys staying while you’re here in Roshmi?” She was curious if they had a place to stay or not. She even considered suggesting they all stay together, but she didn’t know how Bowyn would react. So for now she decided on just asking where they were staying.

Elthrael Vol'Kerno

Time: Evening
Place: Leaky Tap

The talk over by the table next to his had been brief, one of the voices which he determined must have belonged to the winter fairy did however catch his attention. He was cautious. To never trust strangers, to be wary of all. That was something which Elthrael could get behind aswell.

'Such a show of caution. Less prone to fall prey to daggers in the back or sweet poisons. Though that does not explain what has driven this one all the way to Roshmi. To prod him about it would surely give rise to his caution. I'd suppose it is best to wait for now, not always must you lunge in at the first given opportunity. Sometimes it earns you more to wait.' The fairy thought to himself as he tapped his fingers against the table, looking towards the doorway and any others entering the building.

Elthrael didn't drink alcoholic beverages, such were for those wishing to drown themselves in sorrow, false joy or take them someplace other than the present. Then again, there was surely plenty of reason for people desiring to do such. It was not uncommon to see elves indulging themselves in drinks, with all the dark elves afoot and Avalia being overseered by Aklenroth. To wanting to dullen ones senses completely was to a degree understandable.

'Someday you will be removed, but then comes the question who will seize your place?' He thought to himself, there was so many possibilities of what could potentially happen. There would no doubt be plenty of individuals with a desire to usurp the throne. Thus a massive war following the lich's defeat was inevitable. There would be death and suffering beyond what would no doubt be lost in the coming rebellion. Greed was certainly something he knew existed. People craved materialistic things and respect by any means necessary. Some desired fame and power just for the sake of it, not thinking for a moment why they sought it in the firsdt place. Often it is vanity or greed. Elthrael himself was taught by his mentor that greed was a dangerous thing that had led to the death of many powerful individuals. Much like how a ship remains afloat with it's cargo, if you overload it, then it will sink.

He was confident that among the choices in the world, he would be the best choice to replace the lich. For he would not let such power go to his head. How could he? History was a wonderful thing and you were meant to learn from it.

'He lacks the will and charisma to unite the world under him. All he has been able to do is temporary impose fear upon the world, which may momentarily daze people. But ultimately give rise to rebellion. Favoring one race over the other is not the way of nature. All exist together and form a circle which must be upheld. But the strong will always rule over the weak, thus all races must unite under a single banner.' The fairy breathed out of his nose softly, and watched as some by the table next to him decided to head outdoors.

'The fairy kingdom is the key to uniting the realm. The forest and flower kingdoms together could be enough to drive the inhabitants of Roshmi and the elves to join them. The elves fear for their own skins, more than any other. They wouldn't dare take up arms of their own for fear of the repercussions to the elven lands by Aklenroth's servants.' A brief chuckle escaped his lips as he threw a glance towards the nearby window which gave a slight view of the sky, and upon it he saw some of those who were now being hunted. One of them he didn't recognize however.

'Ah... to think so much potential lies in the hands of that young girl and she is too naive to understand that only with me as a co-regent can this world be brought back into it's natural order. A natural order which has long been defiled by that witless thickskulled knave. That demi-human seems to harbor some feelings for the girl and she seems oblivious to it. Why else would he get in my way? Would she end up with him then not only her dream but the dream of those in this rebellion will be turned to dust. The more traditional amongst the fairies could never accept a union between a fairy and a demi-human. It would be seen as a usurper to the fairy throne and not even a fairy. Such could only bring uprising and infighting among those narrowminded elders.' The smile that crawled unto his lips remained for a brief moment asd he dwelled more on the various paths that were now being laid in front of him, but also those who wanted to remove the king.

'That foolish fox-boy and Elsea is as good as dead. Both are fiery to the point it will lead them to their death. As for Risa and her female friend, the former will surely be taken alive in order to make an example of. Too bad for them that things will not go quite their way. My mind is a fortress, my heart is a diamond. Unrelenting and unbreachable. Of all those who could seize the throne, only I bear the will to resist the power of corruption that leadership will bring. For corruption is my weapon, I am not a slave to it's power, but it's master. Wield, don't be wielded.' The thoughts that came to him were like mantas, things which he could never forget and they gave him focus. But also the determination to see things to the end. The ones which was previously sitting by the table next to his in the room, returned. One of them spoke up, he wasn't sure of who it was as he didn't look at them.

'Hmm.. not overly interesting so far. Ahh, how about a little bit of initiative...' The winter fairy was curious, he had to at least take the opportunity to say something to him. Thus he put together a simple plan by moving both his hands inside of his cloak, making sure the cloak was closed off at his chest and stomach area. Then he closed his eyes and began to attune to his chlorokinesis to artificially form an apple within his two hands. Such a small display of magic would surely go by unnoticed. Then once the form of the red apple was complete he loosened his cloak abit and dropped it in such a manner it would roll over towards the other table.

"Oh?" He said in a slight gasp, as he turned his head towards the other table. "Such misfortune.." He said softly, his hood was still up and over his eyes, his mouth was however visible, showing the small narrow cornerteeth that protruded forth between his lips. Which were in a slight smile as he awaited for the reaction of the ones by the other table.

Time: Night
Location: The Nest
Interaction: @princess Malachi @Inertia Rei @Potter Corvina

---

It took Kenia a long moment to realize someone was trying to get her and Malachi’s attention. She’d actually completely forgotten that they were in a bar, one of the rowdiest bars in the poorest area of Roshmi in fact. There were fights, arguments, and drunken conversations happening all around them and she was supposed to be paying attention. Instead she was there ignoring it all and focusing on Malachi alone. It slowly began to register that it was Corvina’s voice that she heard and this prompted Kenia to reluctantly pull away from Malachi’s lips. She looked over to Rei and Corvina, blinking as she tried to grasp what was said. ”Ship us as a couple?” She began to say in a rather dazed matter, trying to figure out what she meant. She then shook her head a bit to clear it and truly looked at the two humans.

Finally she saw the panic in Cora’s eyes and it caused small alarm bells to ring in Kenia’s head. ”What exactly happened?” She questioned as she now began to look around the room. It seemed just as crazy as it always was in here, but slowly she started to notice that there were some stares on both Rei and Corvina. She turned her head back to look at Malachi, the movement being faster than she’d intended and thus making everything spin. She swayed, almost falling which made her stupidly giggle as she grabbed hold of Malachi to steady herself.

”Maybe they’re right. Besides we can continue this back at the inn if we wanted.” She gave Malachi a flirtatious smirk as she went to casually move away from him and head for the door. The movement, however, made the room spin again and she soon found herself falling towards the grimey floor of the bar. In a brief moment of clarity, she realized that’s what she got for acting like a complete fool. Perhaps she should stay away from alcohol for a while after tonight.

Time: Night
Location: The Nest
Interactions:@Tae@Inertia@Potter


Corvina's voice shattered one layer of Malachi's daze and he slowly broke away from Kenia as she said something about a ship. "No... I get seasick." It had been a while since he had been on a ship. Last time he had gone on a ship they had been trying to explore further from Avalia maybe a hundred and ten years ago, but the same problem had remained as it always been: once they spent a day's worth of travel on the ship, it would seem to stop moving and not be able to proceed further. One elf had thrown his shoe to reveal that there was indeed some sort of magical barrier that not many had known about. Malachi started to chuckle to himself as he recalled the shoe had hit the dumb boy in the head.

He blinked rapidly as he heard Kenia's voice and he looked to her and nodded, "Yeah we could go back there, but the children would be in the room so I think that'd be distasteful." He drunkenly referred to Corvina and Rei as the children. His pleasant state was finally cracked through as he saw Kenia start to fall and he practically stumbled over to catch her in his arms, his heart racing. Once he had caught her, he began to help upright her. Meeting her gaze and seeing her clarity start to return to her, made the same begin to happen to Malachi a little. "Oh, we gotta go." He said, looking to the other two as well as he spoke. He moved toward the door and tried to hold the door open for all of them only to almost fall himself, stumbling face-first into the door. Holding on to the handle to keep himself upright, he groaned.

Time: Night
Location: The Nest
Interactions: @Potter - Corvina, @Tae - Kenia, @princess - Malachi.



"You two are delirious, drunk, and likely were spiked." Rei sighed, watching as the two fall over themselves trying to be rational adults. First it was Kenia almost falling onto the disgusting floors and next it was Malachi who seemed to be having a steamy make-out session with the door. "Let me and Corvina carry you both back." He continued, looking at Corvina who didn't look all too well herself. He frowned at their drunken attempts of courtship. Though they try to be discreet, many of the patrons still shot the group leery glances. They had way too much attention on them, which was already higher than Rei's preferred zero.

"Actually, I'll carry both elves." He said, not disagreeing with being called a child. Atleast from an elf's point of view. "Sorry Corvina you'll have to walk by yourself."

"Now, you two, support yourselves on my shoulders." The pungent smell of booze stung his nose. He wasn't paying attention to how much these two drank but it was evidently too much, it reminded him a bit of his past and parents. He shook his head pushed those thoughts aside. He glanced back at Corvina. "Comeon, Corvina, let's go before anyone else courts you."

---

Kuroi had spent the remainder of the day getting as much distance between him and where he had fought the governor. Seeing as he was injured and he was bringing Baraian with him, the two had to lay low in multiple places. After the adrenaline had worn down, the pain had long started to set in Kuroi's body. The first laser that came in contact with him had only ripped through his clothes, resulting in no more than a slight burn wound that was ignorable. The second laser had come a lot closer to his body, and although it wasn't a direct hit, the mere fact that he was grazed was enough to shoot pain up his leg and into the rest of his body which greatly slowed down movement.

There wasn't much Kuroi was able to do as long as he was with Baraian. Hell, there wasn't even a fountain he could visit to alleviate the pain in his foot without being spotted. The vulpine had brought the elf through alleyways and the shadier parts of town where it was harder to be tailed. Although he had so much wished to have eliminated the governor then and there, he realized that it would have made his current situation a lot worse than it already was. Kuroi may have had political power but with how conniving the governor was, lies would have already circulated that the son of Roshmi City's military trainer had attempted to harm the governor of the city.

---


As soon as night fell and moonlight enveloped the city, Kuroi slowly rose from the bench he was sitting in. It was the middle of the night in one of the most dangerous parts of town but for the fox and the elf, it might have been one of the safest for them.

"...I should have never gotten involved. I've tarnished my own reputation and endangered mother..." Kuroi cursed under his breath, gritting his teeth angrily. "I don't even know you very well, and I very well had my suspicions for you as well. I never wanted to be fully dragged into this rebellious plan of yours, it cost my family's name...and almost my life..."

The vulpine sighed as he clenched his fist. Part of him wanted to slam the elf on the cobblestone path in front of him and leave him to fend for himself but that just wasn't quite him. The duelist had found himself dealing with inner turmoil. Had this truly been the correct moral choice for him? Surely his mother would agree with his current stance on politics, and perhaps even understand his actions to defend the life of another despite his political meddling. If there's one thing Kuroi did know though, he wasn't very fond of Baraian, nor would his mother be. However, it was the right choice to save a downed man from an unjust death. That was something Kuroi was sure of.

The fox closed his eyes and relaxed, using his interlaced fingers as a table for his chin to rest on as he pondered deeply. "...I am unsure what to do. I need to find a way to contact a mother and find a way to clear my name." He said before opening his eyes and looking over at the elf.

"We were spotted a few times. By city guards no less. Although disdain for the governor is not uncommon, I feel as if chance is on our side. Even the city guard isn't fond of him." Kuroi spoke.

"Regardless, our main priority is to leave the city or set up some sort of safe haven for ourselves in the slums. It's easier to commit a crime here, meaning it's easier to deal with any trouble we may come across. I reckon any corrupt law enforcement might even be a boon for us...what say you, elf? How shall we survive the night and go about clearing my name?"

Baraian Paladice

Time: Noon-Night
Place: Roshmi Slums
Ambiance: youtube.com/watch?v=AbtZLkDOz5o

The elf had remained mostly silent as they had made their way further and further away from the scene where the fight with the governor had taken place. Aside from the occasional grunt as he felt the stinging pain in his shoulder from where Terneus magic had burst through. They could not return to Ra Monde, and they could not go to a place of healing, so the vulpine's choice to lead them to the shadier parts of the city was a good idea. Even if such areas were the hunting grounds for bountyhunters. But at their situation there were very few safe places to go to, it was only when Kuroi began to first speak, appearantly to himself at first, that Baraian found his voice again. While abit more raspy than before, yet still with the same monotone touch to it.

"To think about what you should have done or should not have done will not change anything. What is reputation anyways, when history is written by the victor. Once the lich dies you can rewrite it all to your liking. I for certain would want to... erase a few things myself from history." It didn't take the dark elf long before he coughed and he could feel how his arm had gotten slightly numb. It was troubling, but also a relief as constant pain would have been much worse.

"Suspicions? Well.. who can blame you. I am a dark elf... but remember.. a hero never wants to fight evil, he nontheless does it for no one else can, and for those who cannot. Fate is a curious thing, but I think it is fate that has driven you down this path. Not because you wanted to, but because you were meant to... as for your mother. They may already have taken her. I don't know how to set her free if that is the case. We cannot do it alone. Not in this condition..." Baraian was leaning up against the side of the bench to where Kuroi had moments before sat on, looking directly to his vulpine companion. The dark elf had suspected that the vulpine were not overly much interested in supporting the rebellion, yet when he had stabbed that dead human... Kuroi had been ready to fight. That had told the dark elf enough about him as a person. He would not sit idly by while others would try to do as they please.

"As you know I passed on leadership, because I am not a grand leader myself. Even If how I passed leadership to her was despicable, I had to do it. Hope is the last thing that leaves your body. I too have it, or I would have been dead long ago. As how we are to survive from here on out, I do not know. There may be corrupt officials willing to aid us, but if they are willing to betray others, what's to say they won't do the same to us? Fighting the governor whose a plague on this world, and saving a companion from death by said villain is that how you believe your reputation has been tarnished?" Baraian asked as he looked the vulpine over, his eyes tired and his hair more messy than normal.

"What I suggest is that we undertake some minor unlawful action tonight. We'll borrow some blankets or clothing from a clothingline then make our camp on top of one of the many houses in this district. It would keep up safe from most guards as they generally do not fly." The dark elf explained and pointed to one of the nearby roofs. "We'll use the cloth to bandage our wounds and cover us during the night. In early morning we should return to Ra Monde for some healing aid and attire for the upcoming Roshmi ball. It will be a good moment to gather more information, and after we have gotten what we may aid your mother..." He explained in a tired voice. It would be too risky to go for a healer tonight, or to find an inn to rest at. As they would be searched for rebels as possible hideouts for a night.

Time: Night
Location: Roshmi City
Interaction with:

---

This elf woman… Elusive and covers her tracks well. First the burning of the home and then the false name given to both Zelginn and Lord Norkas. Umber floated through the poorer districts of Roshmi City, bothered by what had occurred today.

The brothel had been a wonderful buffet of emotions, but since leaving, he only found disappointment. Lord Norkas lacked any honor and gave away Lady Tsarra after four of his fingers were broken. The rest of the fingers that were broken provided Umber with clarity. The hate born in Lord Norkas through his torture for Lady Tsarra provided Umber with a clear image of the elf woman. And as Umber surmised, she matched the elven woman who Soruklithbaal had seen in the woods with humans a week ago. Confirmation is good, but I will find you Lady Tsarra… As darkness falls on the city, I rise in power.

Umber had been across town at the docks, but he was quickly floating towards hos bext destination. "It's a place for people like her go to on occasion. Full of lowlife scum and aaaaaaah!" Umber chuckled as remembered Lord Norkas. He missed his cherished Azriel, but was glad she had been absent. He was the worst thing she could come across. A squealing pompous light elf… The elf may have faired better with the angel of death. Lord Norkas was alive, and his physical injuries minor, but Umber had broken the man into a muted stupor. He would no longer squeal and he would no longer find the ability to speak or feel praise. All Lord Norkas was capable of was trembling with his body curled into a tight ball while whispering the same thing over and over to himself.

"Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber… Umber…"

So Lady Tsarra, will you be of worth to me or will I break you as easily as that fool? The demon's eyes glowed menacingly in the dark of night.