Ashkey watched as the group entered an inn. She sighed and walked further, finding an old tree stump that was slightly taller than her.
Drawing her knives, she began to slash at the stump, training her skills.
Oire entered the inn and looked around.
“Where’s tha’ han’some fella? I need ta talk ta him.” He said aloud.
“My father is one of the guardians of Dragopia…it’s probably best that you haven’t met him so far. He’s a proficient warrior and he tried to teach me combat skills, though I really only took to the basics… I had a heart for healing and enchantments… so I’d often take to my own studies practicing those magics.”
Siansa grunts a bit placing her free hand on the wounded shoulder, “Unlike me… he’s actually loyal to the throne, but I believe that he would not kill me… I’m afraid Bloodfang will force my father to decide who he is loyal to… who is important to him… I’m afraid Bloodfang will force my father to die for me, or to kill me to prove his loyalty…”
She looks at Will, her eyes telling him that there was more to it. Siansa leans forward dropping her head onto his shoulder, “I’m… sorry…but…I’ll need to go to my family…my father likely doesn’t yet know my position with the king…I can use that-…”
Will wraps his arms around her waist, hugging her as she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “Listen…I know you worry about that, but we have other things on our hands, Siansa.” He said. “It is unlikely Bloodfang would send Geal unless he is one of his most trustworthy servants…from what we’ve seen, probably Janus is one of his servants.” He declared.
“Perhaps, the moment we will meet your father is when we try to invade Dragopia,” Will said, suddenly his hand touched her chin, holding it, bringing her view up to his eyes, they were close now.
“I’m not sure who’s loyalties your Father lies with more, you or Bloodfang. But if your Father really loves you, then he would more likely try to recruit you, not kill you and if he does try kill you…” He then holds her cheek, wiping her tears. “I will be there to stop him…I promise.”
Norag sat down and looked at Oire. “I’m afraid he is in one of those rooms.” He said. “I don’t think he wants to be bothered, so tell me what you want to talk with him.”
“What are y’all, some kinda fugitives?” Oire said, plowing straight on.
“…cuz that dragonfella seemed real special.”
Oire shrugged. “In any case, whatever y’all are doin’, I’d like ta offer mah help.”
“Will…”
Siansa pushes his body away slowly. She looks him in the eye, “I’ve decided… this won’t be easy for me or for you…”
She looks away, her eyes drifting to the upper right, before returning to him, “I should go… I can go back to Dragopia and incite a revolution against Bloodfang… and use that to…”
When Siansa pushed him away and said that it was not going to be easy for them, he didn’t understand but what caused him to drop his face and every expression he had of worry would be her next choice of words.
“Siana, you are going to die,” Will said bluntly. “You’ve seen what Lord Bloodfang is…what he can do.” He tried to remain calm but raised his voice a little.
“What part of the Dragon Lord of Dragopia you don’t understand?” He asked her. “As long as Bloodfang is on His Throne…he will have absolute control over all of the Dragons.” He said.
“Perhaps the reason why Ernesto and Clawripper were able to betray him so to speak, was because he didn’t expect it. But if you go there and try to do so…he will do otherwise. Plus we need you here…are you simply going to dump us, just like that?” He asked her.
He still had his hands on her waist, not allowing himself to get completely pushed away. “So after all of that matchmaking…after all of those hints and stories you gave me, you want to make it even harder for us?” He asked.
He shook his head. “You should rest, you are in no way near capable to go there. Nor strong.” He said. “I’m not stupid, Siansa, Bloodfang is too much for us, as of now, we need to get the artifacts.”
“No.” Norag shakes his head. “We are some people who want to do Good. We want to get the Artifacts of this world so we can stop Bloodfang and his rule but well…” He sighed. “By the look of things, today it wasn’t a good day for us, at least.”
“Bloodfang kicked our butts…” Norag said. “And now he has Tiara’s Shield, what we can do is simply move on and get the next one. And hopefully, get that shield back as well.”
“Conventional weaponry cannot hurt him, we need to be thinking outside of the box.”
“You can bet your butt that Warhammer worked on Bloodfang.” Norag said to Ernesto. “Haven’t you seen what kind of damage Siansa caused to his armor by simply swinging that thing?” He asked.
“Perhaps, but we should still be looking into other forms of pain.”
“I don’t know what could cause a Dragon Lord extreme pain…” Norag said. “However, Will told me of something that can weaken a Dragon’s abilities…it is called Dragon’s Bane.”
“Perhaps there’s ways for us to eat away at his mind, or for us to liquify his bones, or perhaps we can destroy what little he loves in this world. We shall follow any and all leads that may lead to his bloody destruction.”
Oire nodded.
“I see. Sounds like ya could use a bit o’ help.”
Ashkey continued training, amd she would do so throughout the entire night.
“A bit dark,” Candall noted. “I don’t mind kill’n him if it brings peace to our lands, but we don’t need to torture him. An eye for an eye only makes a good bloody mess!”
“Dragon bones are the toughest there is,” Leandro said, crossing his arms. “No amount of acid can liquify your Dragonic Bones.”
“Ya should know.” Norag looked at Ernesto. “Yer a dragon.” He said.
“Plus if he has a Queen or a loved one, is probably a Dragon too.” Leandro points out. “So, that’s a goner.”
“Best chance is that Dragon’s Bane,” Norag said, caressing his beard. “Only if we knew where to find the dang thing.”
“Tru dat.” Norag nods.
“The Isotixian is right.” Norag agrees.
Leandro sighed. “Yeah but for now, we need to rest and we need to see what is Cloudia’s fate after this.” He said. “They took a pretty good hit, despite them being known for their defensive purposes.”
“And bloody it will be. But let’s talk about more pleasant things.”
Oire nodded.
He moved away towards the bar.
“Could I have a glass o’ Scotch?” He asked the bartender.
Envarus goes to the roof of the inn after bathing and redressing. This time he is wearing normal clothes, and if anyone were around him they might notice burns on his skin from the fight. He puts his sunglasses on and begins staring at the sky seeking more power from the stars.
“Will…given the chance would you not do everything in your power to save your family… even if you knew it was futile?”
She looks away, “It might be for the best… that…that you know the truth behind that story…”
She looks at Will again, “That story wasn’t a metaphor… It was an event in my past… When I was perhaps your age… there was this man in my village. He would gift me things… at the time I did not know what it meant and I was too busy in my studies to truly care. At some point I learned the truth that the man was in love with me… I would keep denying him for a good time before he left defeated… It was after I saw him for the last time that I wondered what my life would have been if it ended up differently.”
She places her index finger on his chest, “Don’t you know? A matchmaker is supposed to get two people to fall in love, not fall in love…”
She slowly leans back, “Will… go and be the leader you need to be… don’t leave a single member of this party suffering…I think she is going to need you.”
Candall comes to the inn, looking for some much needed rest from the harsh beating he took, as well as use of magic. He is an exhausted man.
Will scoffed and looked away, shaking his head, his jaw tensing on the right side of his cheek was noticeable. “What a fool I was…” He looked down for a moment, not making eye contact with her.
“You know what’s funny?” He asked, looking at her, she would notice his glare was a bit cold, calculative, just like they first met, the true face of the Black Raven.
“After so many years, you still didn’t learn a thing that.” He said with a cold tone and expression. “And judging by now, you won’t this time either. And this ring…” He said touching it before grabbing it and ripping it off of his neck, handing it back to her.
“It’ll be more safe with you than with me.” It was his best way of saying, I don’t want it anymore. He then stood up and walked towards the door, his hand reaching for the doorknob before turning around.
“Also, who said I was the leader?” He asked. “Who said I am responsible for not letting any member suffer?” He arched an eyebrow. “Who is overthinking here, me or you?” He narrowed his eyes.
“And she is not a part of this conversation…” He sighed, looking away, before turning back at her. “They told me Witches were cold, but this heartless, man.” He scoffed.
“Go after Geal, see if I care.” He opened the door and closed it, in a forced shutting way before he made his way down upstairs, he seemed upset very upset.
“Hey, Will there is someone who wants to~” Norag’s voice went silent as he sees Will burst out of the inn, in a manner that would let everybody know not to follow him.
Norag sighed, blinking a few times before realizing from what his outburst may have come from. “Ah by Odin’s beard…” He leaned against his chair, looking at the ceiling.
The bartender gives Oire a glass of scotch and hands it to him.
He might see Will walking away from the Inn but he didn’t want to be followed, the stars may let him know what happened and through that give him an explanation.