Chương 167: Quest Complete!

The Straggler's Last Chance Tavern and Casino - Telaseer - Kingdom of Transgracia - Nexus. Local Time: 1900 Hours Apprentice Ral Altaria Del Narya Sey Antisonzia the Second Character. Yes. Mhmm… yes. Character. Spycraft, at its core, was all about getting into character. Though precisely where this character ended and I began proved to be a whole other matter entirely, one dependent on the circumstances, the play, and the aim of the game as many a playwright had put it.

This had scarcely mattered when the aim was to become one with the crowd, to be unseen and unheard, merely another dirt-covered body in a sea of unwashed masses. It was quite rare after all for such faceless dregs to be put in the limelight, let alone faced with anything demanding a disambiguation between the self and the porcelain mask that shielded it. … Though I should have known, or rather anticipated, that the fates of drama and comedy have conspired to make me the star of this insipid play.

"CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!!!!!!" By means of presenting me with a dilemma with no way out but brute force. A test… of commitment to a role I so so loathed.

"LADS AND LASSES, DON'T GIVE UP NOW! TEN GOLD, I SAY AGAIN, TEN GOLD IS ON THE TABLE TO THE LAST MAN STANDING!" That vexatious kobold screamed, his words egging on the feeble minds of the ravenous rabble.

"HEAR HEAR!" I could not risk not partaking. For that would be beside my character. A character who would have much sooner sold out his first-born, second-born, third-born, farm, parents, steed, and the very shoes on his feet if it meant earning another handful of sovereigns during a bottomless night at a shady tavern. And breaking character would mean suspicion from the rule-rattling pair. But you could just leave! Take a page out of L'Rimmi's book and take exit stage right! Yes, yes…

I could have, internal monologue. I would have. If I had the option. For you see, my internal monologue, my very quest prevents me from prematurely losing sight of these two rapscallions.. I'd only caught up with them now, out of chance and fate, for His Eternal Majesty's sake!! I can't lose them now! I couldn't afford to! And so, faced with the risk of losing the pair yet again and the risk of breaking character and making my presence known, I was left with only one option. Committing to the bit.

"CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!!!!!!" I drank. No. I gulped. I winced at every ounce and unwanted presence of bitter bottom-shelf ale that flooded my throat. The tankard felt bottomless even though it clearly wasn't of magical make. Indeed, the whole world grew fuzzier, smoother around the edges, as I struggled to switch my attention between the ever-intrusive buzz and the frustratingly jovial pair who sat back against their prime seats, basking in whatever passed for glory in this rat den. Use a spell!

Neutralize the ale! Yes, internal monologue, that would have been a wise decision… IF IT WASN'T FOR THE FACT THAT THE MERCENARY PRINCE COULD DETECT IT AS SUCH! I would be seen, my drawing of the manastreams made apparent, thus losing all of the progress I'd made! No. I needed to commit to character. I needed to see this through. For just how many more tankards could there be— THWUMPPPPP!!!!

The whole bar counter shook, glasses clinked, and tankards collided as I turned warily to the mountain of ale stacked before me. I had to crane my head up, peeking so high up in order to finally lock eyes with the barkeep who looked down upon me from the peak of his own hubris.

"AR'YE UP FOR ROUND 21?!" I gulped and, in doing so, felt a disgusting belch forming. The crowd around me snickered then outright laughed at that.

"I'll take that as a yes." The barkeep grinned before signaling over to the two would-be kings of the dregs that sat high above the rest of us in their private game table.

"M'LORD AND LADY! ARE YEE WILLING TO CONTINUE THE ROUNDS?!" They both looked at each other as if in quiet contemplation as I hoped, prayed, and wept for the sweet release of bookkeeping temperance from the—"Aye." My body shook as my eyes opened wide at that wolfish acknowledgement.

"You may continue, good barkeep." The prince continued. And with those words, he sealed my fate. Secondary Wholesalers' Arcade - Market Square - Telaseer - Kingdom of Transgracia - Nexus. Local Time: 1920 Hours Emma"So… that just happened." I managed out through a chuckle of disbelief, ducking and weaving through the increasingly dense pedestrian traffic of this nightmare of a dual-use road.

Thankfully, we had Aquastride to pave the way, as her very presence seemed to be more than effective in getting most to stay clear of our path.

"What's wrong, Emma? You seemed to be taking it in great stride as we left the tavern." Thalmin responded boisterously, the prince clearly on top of the world, if that wide grin was any indication.

"No no, it's just… wow. I just can't believe it worked. The man was trapped between two conflicting parameters like he was one of those dumb AI cartoon characters caught in a logic loop. It was both entertaining and somewhat concerning to see… though it does bode well for our strategic vectors." I posed ominously, garnering Thalmin's full attention by this point.

"It's clear that Expectant Decorum and this whole tangle of societal expectations are as effective in controlling subject behavior as they are a detriment when the proverbial cards are down. Because in a conflict? There's no room for vague and roundabout social games. Communication and clearly defined chains of command are vital. So if this is a symptom, rather than an isolated incident, we may be looking at a potential exploit vector for if — or when — the time comes for that sort of thinking."

I offered, rambling on through Thalmin's earpiece, with the added benefit of a privacy screen being projected on top of that.

"The Apprentice is… an extreme fringe case, Emma." The prince acknowledged with a sigh.

"The man takes things to a level bordering on parody …" He paused as if pondering his own words.

"Though I don't deny that for it to be a parody, some of it has to be rooted in reality. So, yes, while most certainly a demerit on the part of the Nexus and its Adjacent Realms… the 'mileage,' as you often put it, may indeed 'vary.'" I nodded as the prince's features shifted into a more somber one, right as we arrived at our rendezvous point.

This specific corner between two covered streets was surprisingly quiet, more than likely due to the presence of several cafes on each corner having seized much of the sidewalk for their own outdoor seating spaces, creating an unofficial 'plaza' where general traffic avoided to make way for paying customers.

It was here that Katiya remained seated, her feet constantly tapping on the cobblestone ground beneath her, as a stack of disused conical glasses smeared with the remnants of ice cream and other sweet treats took much of the available real estate on the already comically small table in front of her. Her ears quickly folded back against her scalp as she saw us. This, coupled with a sheepish smile and a wary expression, marked yet another signature 'Katiya greeting' that I just couldn't get over.

The woman was the purest embodiment of a cat in a humanoid body that I've seen in the Nexus to date.

"Ah, Ser Dreadwolf! I've been awaiting your return as instructed!" She beamed, standing up— Causing a waiter's tower of glasses to tumble before our eyes. Time slowed to a crawl for a moment as my heart sank at the sight of an inevitable disaster unfolding. However, just before the expectant SHATTER of glasses could cause a scene, everything stopped. Or more specifically, the glasses — all 30 or so of them — now hung ominously in mid-air.

Thalmin's scrunched-up features, coupled with a sigh of relief, were all the context clues I needed as Katiya's mouth opened… only to be hushed by a single hand from the mercenary prince.

"Server." He commanded, garnering the attention of the three or so waiters who were just as equally stunned by the entire turn of events.

"Take these vessels away."

"Y-yes, m'lord!" A flurry of CLINKS, TINKS, and CLANKS soon followed before, finally, we both moved forward, but only after parking our respective 'mounts.'

"I… I'm sorry for—""It's fine, Katiya." Thalmin preempted Katiya's flurry of apologies, instead choosing to cut straight to the point.

"So have you decided?" He questioned firmly.

"I… I don't think I will be heading back to Old Larissa." The baxi began, to which Thalmin responded with a raised brow.

"Old Larissa's one of your kind's core territories, is it not? Baxi sovereignty under Baxi ruling dynasties?"

"Y-yes…" Katiya responded softly.

"Many a Nexian native would kill for that sort of heritage. Let alone the opportunity to live amidst said storied avenues." Thalmin took a moment to consider his words, taking a breath before continuing.

"I assume then, that there must have been quite an extraordinary reason for you to have willingly chosen vagrancy over paradise?" I could feel a genuine pang of indignancy coming upon me as Thalmin uttered those words. But despite part of me wanting to tell Thalmin to cool it, I relented, knowing that this was part of 'Dreadwolf's' tough love routine.

"I-indeed, Ser Dreadwolf." Katiya admitted, lowering her head low.

"T-there… there is indeed a reason behind it all…" I half expected Thalmin to take a dive into this tangent, digging deeper into this mystery. But instead—"We all have our demons." The lupinor acknowledged plainly.

"So I can respect your reticence." —he chose the path of restraint, respecting the baxi's silence in a way that clearly struck a chord.

"T-thank you, Ser Dreadwolf." Katiya responded with a lowering of her head… before moving the topic along on her own volition, taking the off-ramp with grace.

"Moreover, I… I don't think I'll be returning to mercenary work anytime soon." She began with a sullen mewl.

"Good." Thalmin finally acknowledged with a supportive breath before moving back into his stern persona.

"Katiya… you need to find a goal in your life. And if not a goal, then at least a direction, some… semblance of a path. Otherwise, you risk meandering, attracting the gaze of the vultures circling above until the day inevitably comes where your legs can carry you no longer. And when — not if — but when that day commes… you will inevitably join the ranks of the millions of faceless souls that dot the roads of futility." The prince paused before moving in closer to hammer home his point.

"I wouldn't wish to see you befall such a fate." The baxi paused, taking a deep breath and then closing her eyes shut.

"M-maybe… maybe I could become your squire, Ser Dreadwolf?" She offered. We both saw that coming, as Thalmin reacted to this in the only way he could — with a reassuring but stern gaze.

"I'm afraid I work alone, Katiya."

"Ah…"

"This path, your life, is yours to dictate. We just so happened to have simply crossed fates. Though I do hope that this junction proves to be a positive turning point in your journey." The wolf prince paused before continuing by placing a hefty bag on the table, hiding it amidst a flurry of assorted knick-knacks; all to keep prying eyes away from the obvious presence of hard currency.

"That's 100 gold. Now if you need more, just tell me. I just tried to respect your wishes of keeping the amount reasonably low." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"T-this… this should be more than enough, Ser Dreadwolf." The baxi bowed her head down low, all the while trying to maintain a confident smile.

"I… I guess this is it then, isn't it?" She laughed meekly.

"It is." The mercenary prince nodded resolutely, his features, and indeed his tone of voice, matching the weight of the scene unfolding before me.

"I… I know that I am but a footnote in your story, Ser Dreadwolf, but I would like you to know that your presence, as brief as it was, has come to define my own. I… I won't spread your name, or our story, as you've requested. But know that for this one, fleeting, tiny life… you will never be forgotten." She quickly stood, prompting Thalmin to do the same before turning around to the busy cafe as if contemplating her next actions carefully.

"I appreciate the candor, Katiya. And I wish nothing but the best for— UUMF!" The baxi reached in for a hug, the first and perhaps only time I've seen her fully utilize both free will and bravery, all without accidentally triggering some unexpected disaster. I couldn't help but to shoot my gaze up to Thalmin's features, taking in the utter shock, surprise, and complete abashment that formed on his face in that order.

She held that hug for a good few seconds before finally releasing Thalmin and rapidly switching back to her awkwardly shy 'default' state.

"Er, ahh, haha, I… that worked out much better in my head. I… er… g-goodbye, Ser Dreadwolf!" She bowed rapidly, once, twice, thrice, increasing in frequency until finally, she darted off, kicking up a trail of dust in the process. Thalmin quickly sat down following that as he quickly patted himself down, as if to check if anything had been planted or stolen.

"She's… going to be haunted by that for the rest of her life, you know?" I teased, but found my cackles followed up by a tempered lupinor sigh.

"That baxi's a strange one, I'll tell you that much. An honest one, rather naive perhaps, but a strange one all the same." The lupinor spoke with a shrug before reaching over to stow the knick-knacks he'd planted on the table.

"Right then, onwards to Sips?"

"So we are spending the night there?" I asked, genuinely amused that Thalmin had actually taken the suggestion.

"We aren't due for two days by your count, right?"

"More or less." I nodded.

"The deadline's on Tuesday, at 1 P. M. on the dot. It's literally just Sunday, so even with the Sips detour, all we'd need to do is to take a transportium to Elaseer, and we'll be back by Monday morning."

"Then Sips it is." Thalmin nodded with a sense of finality, standing up and then marching his way over to Aquastride.

"It's customary, after all, for a returning warband to let loose the demons of war prior to returning to their castle."

"And here I thought you'd already done that in the casino." I acknowledged with a sly lilt to my voice, hopping over the bitreader and securing myself once more." That was merely a warm-up. Because in Sips? Well… we have both drink and music, hopefully at the hospitality of the Lord of the Town. And even without? We can make do… for what are our spoils if not fuel for some momentary pleasures?"

"Sounds good to me." I grinned widely.

"It'll be nice to just have some downtime." The Next Day Ambassadorial District. The Crown Herald Town of Elaseer. Nexus. Local Time: 1400 Hours. Thalmin I couldn't help but to hum the fleeting beats of a song I knew not the name of; my feet moving to the rhythm of last night's bardic escapades. Indeed, upon retrospect, the return to Sips was very much a perfect parallel to the start of our journey: a lull in excitement and a much-needed reprieve from the frankly existential horrors of reality.

So no matter how my story ended, regardless of whether I find myself slain on the march to freedom or sitting on a throne of an unshackled Havenbrock, I will have at least died knowing that I'd managed to experience everything that life has to offer. A warrior isn't only defined by his experiences on the battlefield. If anything, the lesser the battlefield defines him, the more well off he is for it. … I wonder how Uncle would interpret my actions now…

I wonder, if things do move in the direction I'd inexplicably charted, if my own words and actions would become legend… or a cautionary tale. My mind continued to wander as I patiently awaited Emma's return from her spendthrift escapades. I told her to buy whatever she needed from Sips… things were much cheaper there, more reasonable than the prices commanded by the inflated wallets and egos of shopkeepers and nobles alike in Elaseer—"Hey Thalmin, I'm done!"

Emma shouted through my earpiece, her presence following suit as she rounded the corner and stopped short of Aquastride.

"Took you long enough." I managed out dryly.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's quite alright." I nodded as we both craned our heads back up at the Academy.

"You feel ready to head back?" Emma managed nervously." Ready is perhaps not the word I'd use here." I admitted with a sullen sigh.

"But we do what we must."

"Yeah… it's… it's been a lot." Emma acknowledged.

"But I know we'll manage to weather any storm, especially with you by my side, Dreadwolf." I couldn't help but punch the earthrealmer playfully on the shoulder as we soon approached the Academy, albeit at a leisurely, almost reluctant pace. The Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts. Ludio's Tower, just above the Eastern Gate. Local time: 1440 Hours Chiska"And that, second-years, is how to evolve your familiar to its next form—""EEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!"

A scream pierced the air, managing to arrive just before one of the many gargoyles did. I turned to the creature of animated stone, read its palm to assess precisely what was happening, then quickly nodded before turning back to the class.

"Alright students, remain where you are. I expect to see progress when I return!" I announced confidently, nonchalantly, carefreely even. And without a moment's hesitation, I blinked. The world around me contorted, shifting in a fraction of a fraction of a second, before I arrived at the front of the eastern gates itself. There, I found the second-place quester, Geriad, running and huffing with all of her strength, pointing back towards two approaching figures gently meandering through the winding roads.

"P-Professor Chiska! Thank His Majesty's Graces! I just, I just saw, I saw a—""Calm yourself, Geriad, calm."

"Y-yes, Professor."

"Now tell me, slowly now, what it is you saw."

"I saw… I saw a strange otherworldly kelpie! One with an immense manafield that shouldn't be possible outside of—""Alright, alright. I sense it too, dearie." I responded with a carefree grin, garnering naught calm but even more confusion from the young long-trunked student.

"Just, run along now, and don't speak a word of this to anyone! I wouldn't want fearmongering in the halls, you understand?"

"Y-yes, Professor Chiska!" The woman nodded before rushing up and into the 'safety' of the castle. It was at this point that word inevitably spread. Though none could act upon it, as none could leave the grounds at the current hour… save for the victorious questers. Lord Qiv, Lord Auris, and even Viscount Gumigo rushed down the tower, which was all well and good when greeting the next quester… but not when there was the added complication of a kelpie.

Though intrusive, it wouldn't change much in my trajectory as I walked up to greet what was destined to be the last of the first half of the questing ten.

"Prince Thalmin Havenbrock, Cadet Emma Booker." I announced with a warm smile.

"May I welcome you back with grace or with dishonor?" Emma was undoubtedly confused at this simple greeting, though the prince was quick to make up for her customary deficiencies.

"With graces, Professor Chiska." The Havenbrockian prince bowed deeply before reaching into his satchel to produce a bouquet's worth of Everblooming Blossoms. My pupils enlarged at this as I couldn't help but to finally let free the latent excitement welling within me.

"Then it is with honor and, indeed, my own excitement that I welcome both of you back into the graces of the Academy. To Victor's Square with the both of you, come!" I urged, gesturing them to follow me back towards the gates, much to the shock of the recently arrived Ping.

"Professor! You can't possibly allow a wild beast into the walls of the Academy!" The bull announced with disdain, moving to point his meaty finger towards the kelpie in question.

"And why not, Lord Ping?" I questioned politely.

"Well this… this is clearly… it should not be allowed for reasons of safety and—""Lord Ping… I understand your wariness, but really now. There is no need for concern! This is, in fact, a majestic creature, with so, so much to learn from!" I walked over to the kelpie, placing a hand on its mane. NEEEIEIIIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THWACK!

"PROFESSOR!" I felt my world flipping up on itself as my vision — indeed my entire perspective — shifted to the skies above. But blocking that view and taking up most of my vision was the long face of a particularly miffed beast, who whined and whinnied up a fuss, even going so far as to plant a hoof on my chest.

"DO YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, MERCENARY PRINCE?! THIS IS GROUNDS FOR—""Ha… hahahahahahhahahhaahhahahhah!!!" I broke out in veritable tears of excitement as I was quick to twist and leap my way out of the creature's stranglehold, letting out a fanged grin in the process.

"Oh my, my… Prince Thalmin Havenbrock, you sure have quite a catch there."

"I sincerely apologize for Aquastride's behavior, Professor! I wasn't expecting—""Oh, nonsense!" I raised a hand, waving it dismissively in the prince's direction.

"I was purposefully annoying the poor thing! I wanted to see what it was capable of. For there's no real measure of strength than actually testing it out by your own physical vessel! Indeed, no quester has ever arrived with such a specimen, not in centuries! This is the realm of second years, or perhaps the latter half of the first-year curriculum with familiars and such! But for you to have captured a mount, on your first quest at that?! Oh, my, my.

Prince Thalmin, we may have to have a word about potential extra accreditation for both your grades and merit board."

"Thank you, Professor." The prince bowed once more as I could practically hear the audible huffing coming from the irate Ping.

"If I may, Professor…"

"Yes, you may, Lord Ping." I acknowledged with a sigh of my own.

"Did you not just prove how unruly and dangerous such a creature is on campus grounds?"

"Oh, yes. Which is why Aquastride will be staying in the stables." I clarified, watching in pure satisfaction as the zealous noble's eyes shattered in place.

"But what of permits?" Lord Qiv joined in, taking the floor seamlessly from Ping.

"Surely such a mount would require some sort of permit or registration to be done prior to arrival." He clarified, garnering a reluctant nod from the defeated Ping. To which I now gave the floor to the recent arrivals.

"Well, Prince Thalmin Havenbrock? What of your 'permit?'" The prince nodded, sending a wave of relief through me as he produced not just the bare-bones skeleton of a permit but in fact a notarized town-seal form in triplicate. I couldn't help but grin toothily at this development too, as I turned back to the nosy pair with papers in hand.

"Signed and in triplicate, Lord Qiv'Ratom."

"Thank you, Professor Chiska." The sheer excitement that welled within me at the constant surprises could not be overstated. This… constant shift and push in the bounds of what was and wasn't possible had now reached even greater heights. It was one thing to have had one, two, or even three anomalies in rapid succession. It was another when each and every day seemed to produce even greater enigmas and completely inexplicable developments.

And while a headache to handle, it was a headache I'd take over the lull of boredom of a repetitive career.

"Come, let's get you situated! Regale me of your exploits! Because the next thing I know… you may even be serenading us with your dragon-hunting sidequests!" I announced loudly, bringing the pair up and towards the tower and up into Victor's Square. The Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts. Dragon's Heart Tower. Level 23. En Route to Residence 30. Local time: 1625 Hours Emma"I still can't fricking believe Qiv managed to do this in under 24 hours. 24! That's utterly ridiculous!"

"What made you suddenly invested in the quest, Emma?" Thalmin shot back haughtily.

"It's not that I'm invested, I'm just… just so thrown off. The whole thing's supposed to take a week, right?"

"Yes?"

"So just how does someone manage to do that in a day, under a day at that! The dude's a speedrunner or something, I swear…" Thalmin raised his brow at that latter statement.

"Odd, because given your earlier… predispositions, you seemed awfully taken aback — enamored I should say — by Lord Qiv's rodent of unusual size."

"YES!" I responded with a starry eyed skip in my step.

"THAT has not changed, not one bit! I was fricking waiting for a spot to open up so that I could just squeeze that little capybara lookalike's cheeks ahhhhhhhh!!!" I cried out, thinking back to the crowd around Qiv and Uven's makeshift attraction, completely oblivious to what was ahead until we finally rounded the corner to our own corridor. From there, my attention quickly shifted to a different ball of fluff — our friendly neighborhood ferret reaching for the handlebars to his dorm.

"Oh hey, Etholin! Long time no see! What's up?" I beamed.

"Ah! H-Hello, Cadet Emma Booker! I am glad to see you have returned safely!" The little ferret spoke cheerfully as he briskly walked towards us.

"I appreciate the sentiment there, friend. So, how's life been treating you?"

"Oh… just the usual, you see." The ferret-like being chuckled nervously before pointing back at the fuming Ilphius and stoic Teleos having yet another shouting match, with Kamil seemingly aloof and in his own lane smack dab in between them. I gave the group a wave, which — to my surprise — the latter actually acknowledged. Though that scene quickly ended with a swift smack and BANG of their dorm room door.

"Well… you have my sympathies, Etholin." I offered politely, to which Etholin bowed curtly in response.

"Thank you, Cadet Booker. Oh! That reminds me! How have you found my gift?" The lanky guy smiled widely.

"I hope it was of use to you on your long journey!"

"Oh!" I paused, moving to untie the little pouch in question.

"You mean this? I… actually didn't spend any of it. Though the coin itself was useful for me to study! I learned quite a bit about Rontalisrealm's mint from it, so there was that!" I managed out awkwardly, before deciding to toss the whole pouch back to Etholin. The Rontalisrealmer was quick to catch it, not with his hands but with telekinesis, as he rummaged through the coins as if to examine my claims.

"Ah! I… I at least do hope the gesture was well received."

"Indeed it was, friend. But we are nothing if not frugal in our adventures." I smiled, giving him a nod before we reached our dorm proper.

"We'll talk sometime later, alright? I've got quite a bit of catching up to do with my peer group."

"O-of course! Until next time, Cadet Emma Booker." The Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts. Dragon's Heart Tower. Level 23. Residence 30. Local time: 1625 Hours Emma THWACK!

"We're HOOOOOMEEEEEE!" I hollered out, spreading my arms wide and quite promptly throwing both duffel bags and equipment down on the floor. Though that paled in comparison to the return of the bi-treader, which was quite literally airlifted up and onto the balcony, courtesy of Chiska and her wyvern.

That seemed to garner much, much more attention than our arrival as both Thacea and Ilunor looked on with awe at the professor, who quite promptly waved me a knowing goodbye before just as abruptly flying off into the distance.

"Well…" Thacea managed out, clearing her throat at first, before addressing me with what I could only describe as a slight boost in her confidence.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance."

"Hey, what can I say? It's been a week, and you may as well have just a taste of the non-stop excitement we've been through." I offered with a dry chuckle, feeling almost… rusty at addressing the more eloquent princess. Yet despite that and in spite of my stilted speech, the princess still moved to close the gap, giving me a gentle nod in the process.

"It's good to see you again, Emma."" Hmmmmmmmmm … it seems the earthrealmer is simply catching up to what I had long since established from the very first week." Ilunor quickly added, coming between us and gesturing to the door slam in an effort to politely remind us of his loud, obnoxious, constantly intrusive entrances.

"There's a fine line between big entrances and obnoxious calls for attention, Ilunor." I teased back, garnering a huff from the Vunerian.

"Heh, good to see you too." Thalmin was quick to close the door behind us as he wordlessly plodded over to the couch and quite unregally plopped himself atop it.

"I can see the journey was not kind to you two." Thacea acknowledged with a chirp before placing herself on the armchair opposite of the couch.

"Let's forgo dinner to catch up. I'll have room service delivered." She added warmly while just as quickly rechecking the room for what I'd understood to be her privacy screen countermeasures.

"Yes, yes. We have much to discuss." Ilunor spoke through an excitable grin as he now sat next to the both of us.

"So give us the synopsis. Tell us what we have to expect. Regale us with a prologue if you will!"

"Erm… I think it might be best if we do a little exchange, Ilunor. Let's hear the synopsis on your end, first."

"Ah, of course, of course. Why, I will be more than happy to do so!" The deluxe kobold beamed as he crossed his legs in a dramatic fashion, while placing a single hand atop his throat.

"We anticipated an act of subterfuge, engaged in counter-intelligence operations, and successfully thwarted an attack on your tent." My eyes grew wide at that as I turned to Thacea for confirmation. She nodded and then added in a surprisingly dark tone of voice.

"And in the process, we have gained two new pawns to do with as we please." I narrowed my gaze warily in response, but before I could push for their story, Ilunor was quick to remind us of our end of the bargain.

"Well, earthrealmer? How about your synopsis, hm?"

"Oh well, hmm… let's see… highlights include evading an Academy spy, dueling the elven twins on a parked riverboat, fighting a vorpal chimera, taming a mutant kelpie, fighting a mercenary company, fighting a dragon, finding out dragons can talk, getting into live contact with Earthrealm, oh, and—""STOP." Ilunor, rather unexpectedly, put his hand up mid conversation.

The celebratory mood of the room was soon replaced with confusion, then uncertainty, followed by the return of both Ilunor and Thacea talking over each other but in the same tone of utter incredulity.

"DRAGONS CAN WHAT?!"