The Ocean Lord

[Khalan Darkstar]

The knight looked thoughtful for a while.

"Well, Goggles are a must, we might need Traveler's Cloaks. I'm quite sure they sell that in town, besides that we might need whetstones just in case." he said, looking at Gerald. "And I don't have a name unfortunately, I abandoned my name a long time ago."

He glanced briefly the assassin before turning back to Gerald. "Anything else you want to add to the list?"

[Shinzar]

The assassin examined the boy from head to toe, absolutely nothing about the boy had caught his interested. "Pick an ingredient, and we're off."

An assassin he may be, but he never inherited their coldness towards others. Though on the outside most of them tend to act nice, he however had no need for those kind of disguises.

"Just make sure it's not one you can't handle, I'd hate to drag you around."

[Laphir]

"For that, I have to disagree," Asha frowned at Aravip's suggestion. "Mikhail is physically weak, and the time we have known each other is not even enough for the shadows of the trees to shift; I do not know if you are worth the trust." Nomads used a particular old method to keep track of time, and what Asha meant was they she didn't know them well enough to trust them.

"Asha, I'll be fine," Mikhail frowned. "Besides, they're not exactly bad... At least," He faced the two. "I trust the glow in their eyes."

"Mikh-"

The feminine boy interrupted her. "Tell me, Asha, what is the wind telling you?"

The girl frowned. He does have the point; she sensed only traces of dark energy that did not belong to them but harmless enough, and the spirits of the wind claimed that they would not take advantage of Mikhail... or do anything she would not approve.

"Very well," Asha looked at Jerkin. "You and your partner take care of him. His brother is not a forgiving person."

"Srenn's not that bad!" Mikhail faced Aravip. "In fact, my brother is a poison specialist. There is something in his blood that made him immune to poison, so killing a basilisk wouldn't be a problem to him," He sighed. "It's too bad we got separated along the way..." He smiled at Jerkin. "So, let us go. Where's your partner, by the way?"

[Aegis]

Faizleen's grin grew cocky. "Do you have to ask? Let's go for the bonus! By the way, do you have a name, or will 'You with the eyepatch' do?"

Gerald blinked in surprise. "I see. Then, I shall have to give you a name! Let's make it 'Juu'. Let's get going, then, Juu! No sense in sticking around talking!"

Already, Gerald's mind was drifting past the tall gates that guarded the castle from all outside, onto the spiraling path into the city that would leave enemies open to archer assault, and of course, the city itself. It was quite a walk, but the sight that greeted one at the end of it was breathtaking. At least, it was to Gerald, who loved Pride's every inch.

The weaponry store, the magic store and the general store were all in a line in front of the path to the castle. As always, this was strategically placed - in times of a war, the stores could each be shifted quickly to the castle, rather than risking them being taken over by the attacker and hence gaining free supplies. The food store and tavern were less strategically placed. While food was also important, people at the borders of the city would be complaining if they had to walk all the way to the castle just to get food. Instead, they were around the centre of the city.

To head away from the castle was to begin a journey south. To head behind the castle was to head towards the North Gate. This was because a sea attack was thought unlikely. It also left the castle open if the Ocean Lord ever decided to launch another attack.

[Khalan Darkstar]

The knight's eye twitched a little.

"Juu?" he said, before he could get anymore out he was interrupted.

"Let's get going, then, Juu! No sense in sticking around talking!"

"Fine, let's go." he spoke, his shoulders slumping slightly. 'Juu?'

[Fanlourau]

Jerkin whispered to Asha.
'Be careful, I dont mean against the tortoise, but Aravip... can sometimes get a bit into her part of stuff and thats when she need a good whack in the back of the head for snapping out of it' he quickly told the nomad girl.

Aravip turned her head towards him.
'And what are you whispering about little Jin?' she tilted her head slightly to the side while giving him a look that passed on a messege similar to 'better be something you dare repeat to me or else'.

Jerkin smiled at her and waved his hand slightly to her, knees slightly bent to lower his height: 'Oh, nothing really' he said and then grabbed Mikhails hand and ran away towards the south gate exit in a hurried pace.

'Sann, is sort of a shapeshifter. Although he cant contain his human form for long, so he mostly is in the form of a purple wolf cub while resting. I orginally bought it as a pet, then got a heartattacked when he suddenly became a, you know, person.' the alchemist looked down on his bag, where the wolfcub had cuddled together with its nuzzle on its tail.

[Shinzar]

The assassin climbed to his feet lazily. The boy was apparently shorter than he expected. "The name is Shinzar. Nice to meet you, kid." An arm outstretched as he spoke.

Thankfully for Faizleen, the assassin was completely scar less, otherwise there'd be a plentiful number all over his body. A smile appears on his face, exposing his shining white teeth. Clothes flapping about on a windless day like this. The dust magically slipping off his shabby clothings.

If his outer appearance didn't count more than anything else, he would have performed the happy dance with the boy and sprinkle the happiness of life all over the world...

My ass they will! What kind of assassin performs dumbo dances with a kid he barely knows?! Let alone trouncing about like a buffoon in broad daylight.

After a brief moment to regain his coolness seriousness, the assassin waits for the boy to lead the way.

[Laphir]

"Ahh, my companion, Ikarus, is one of the feline race... but certainly not an ordinary one," Mikhail was a little surprised when Jerkin just sprinted off like that, pulling him along. Nevertheless, he smiled kindly at the alchemist and studied the sleeping wolf. "However, your friend sounds like a dependable companion."


Asha was slightly confused at Jerkin's words, but she looked at Aravip and shook her head. "They have left without us. Shall we be on our way?"

[Fanlourau]

Aravip nodded to Asha.
'I must have scared him again, I swear, he is extremely easily startled, Jin. Atleast his paranoia helps him being highly alert about real dangers.' she sighed.
Turning to the nomad she smiled.
'It was to the north the turtoise were, right?' she began to move.

*meanwhile*

Jerkin nodded, although it wasnt very visible as he was running.
'Loyalty is a canine trait. He have never let me die this far.' he replied back.

[Aegis]

"...Hey, geezer, you getting senile in your old age?" Faizleen rolled his eyes. Without another word, he turned to set off. "C'mon, we're going to the West Gate. You should stop by the stores first and buy what you need first, but they don't sell walking canes. Just try hobbling along, okay?"

"Alright, goggles, cloaks and whetstones, healing balm, bows and arrows, oil-dipped rages, matches, and a change of clothes." Gerald handed Juu a set of each. "Even though we knights wear our armour as a second skin, two skins are too many for the desert. We'll have to make do with these light clothes, even if they offer less protection."

The East Gate was made of stone, always burning hot under the desert sun. Nomads and merchants made their way here somewhat often, but whenever an expected shipment went missing, people would always whisper that a Roc was eating well that day. From there on, there would be nothing but endless sand.

"Last chance. Any second thoughts?"

[Khalan Darkstar]

The man looked at Gerald and removed his armor, putting on the light clothes that was given to him by his companion.

He looked at Gerald with a bewildered look as he asked a question.

"You kidding? No second thoughts, I've been wanting to fight a Roc for ages. The question is, are you up to it kid?"