Check the OOC topic before posting here. Thank you.

Marvirn, a place known for it's dangers and treasures. The city is filled to the brim with buildings, litter, thieves, tourists and money. The streets remain packed even at night.

Old women try to haggle merchants for lower prices. Tourist taking in the view while la few kids rob them unexpectedly; merchants sell everything from fish to jewelry, live stock to high tech weapons. Their motto is, "You buy! We sell! No refunds!" Many families have gone hungry thanks to this but business continues like nothing.

This is where it starts...

A young boy with a missing tooth and a bowl cut hairstyle begins to laugh as he chases his two younger siblings. A blue ball is being tossed around between them; the game they're playing is monkey in the middle.

The oldest throws the ball too high and watches as it flies into a nearby alley. His younger sister pouts causing her pig tails to move up and down, "Ollie! You threw it far! Sniff..." Her eyes teared up in protest.

Smiling nervously, Ollie started walking towards the alley. "Sorry sis, I'll be right back." He said before entering the dark area. Looking around he could see a few rats enjoying a full meal of paper and cans near a dumpster.

Skipping around them, Ollie spotted the ball. "Ha, there you are!" Reaching for it, a bright light from the furtherest part of the area. Curiousity got the best of him for within seconds his feet led him to the source.

A woman with red hair that reach past her knees stood in front of him. Her back was turned to him and she was muttering something but he couldn't understand it. A can moved by him causing the woman to stop.

She turned quickly; a long gray staff was pointed at him. The tip of it had a cresent shape to it, an orange stone rested in the middle of it. The boy cried out, both of them seemed startled. He was in awe of her clothing; never had he seen anything like it. She had a mid-waist black jacket; the sleeves reached almost past her knuckles trimmed in aqua blue. This seemed to be her colors for she wore what looked like a aqua blue bathing suit that showed just enough cleavage and black tights that disappeared into her boots. The flaps folded down. A black headband covered her ears and two round silver clips against her hips. A piece of cloth hung from each of them.

Upon seeing the boy, she lowered her weapon. Her other hand held something, she shook it and it beeped a few times. Sighing, she spoke. "Where am I?"

OOC: Far from the Dusty lanes within, a voice sings: " The Sigh of the Wind" by Kumi Tanioka

♫♪Don't~ fear...You~'ll be safe from now on, Morning star watching over~...♫♪
♫♪All~♫♪
♫♪"Deep inside, though silently, My Heart will speak...~"♫♪
♫♪"Deep Inside of me...Memories flickering, and shimmering~ On... -Oh Dear-!"♫♪
*CRASH*

The rules of the ever-so cruel cosmos: everything has a starting action and an ending consequence. Cause and Effect. You steal a loaf of bread, you go to Prison. Cause and Effect. You murder a baron, you are condemned to Hang. Cause and Effect. You leave home for a trip around the world but walk back in shame due to lack of money. Cause and effect. And the more recent one: You play the Lyre while walking carelessly and trip on a misplaced stone on the road. All products of the principles known as 'Cause and Effect'.

Yet, Lyre could only question the unfairness of society itself, his questions reaching the very mantle of reality by questioning it all: why?

Lyre knew it was foolish of him to question what makes Society 'Society'. It was like asking a carpenter how to turn that Stone into a loaf of bread. It was foolish enough to ask a question so impossible, yet asking it to a person with absolutely no idea just made it more of an idiotic question. Maybe asking it to a Sorcerer might help, but factor #1 would restrict that from any sliver of success. Why? Who in the world could turn a Stone into a loaf? No matter if he was the most powerful Magician in the world, or he was the very Emperor of A lost Dynasty, the intricate system of matter could not be reversed to turn Stone into edible Material.

Speaking of Loaves of Bread, Lyre was Hungry.

"Food..."
"Foood...."
"FOOOOD....uhhh"

His mind was kicking him while he was down. Again. His mind did this when he walked away from the safety of his home with less than a pocket full of Coins to survive on, and now his sub conscience was teasing him with images of Steak and Roast mutton. The kind of things Nobles and the Rich are privileged enough to eat. At his state, even a bowl of bland porridge was better than eating that Rock.

"Hun...grryyy~" groaned out Lyre, in unison with his protesting stomach. Interestingly, he thought his stomach said 'Whatareyoulookingat?' when he looked down to his doublet. True, it had been nearly 4 days since he got a decent meal, and believe it or not, Ration crackers are not enough to constitute for a full day's meal. He might have to resort to licking the crumbs from his pocket to satisfy his hunger, but he figured "Hey! This would be a great time to train my stomach to eat less!"

Optimism. Some people mistake it with the word 'false hope', others with 'mass idiocy'. Regardless of what people thought Optimism was, it won't change the fact that Lyre had a lot of it. In an instant, Lyre's drooping face beamed up into a cheerful smile, easily rivalling the beaming rays of the indignant sun above him, feet tapping the ground as a small dust cloud drifted about:

"And a one, And a Two...And a One two..."

♫♪Don't~ fear...You~'ll be safe from now on, Morning star watching over~...♫♪
♫♪All~♫♪
♫♪"Deep inside, though silently, My Heart will speak...~"♫♪
♫♪"Deep Inside of me...Memories flickering, and shimmering~ On... -Alley Oop-!"♫♪

Two things accomplished: He finished the middle segment of his ballad and hopped over yet another pebble that threatened to trip him. "Hah! Take that, cruel universe!" he exclaimed, extreme pride filling up to the brim to his moment of euphoria, only to serve as a distraction as victory dance collided with yet another rock, one that was bigger than the other two dodged. While it was true Lyre claimed victory against the Cosmos temporarily, it seemed that the Universe has it's way of getting back at the interlopers to who try to avoid their fate. And for now, Lyre could only sigh as he lay facedown on the dirt floor, hopelessly lost within the network of dirt roads. He only wanted to go back home from his last trip across the countryside, and he prayed that the heat would kill him before his boredom eats him from the inside out.

Lily was wandering down the bustling street, books in one hand and bag hanging from the other. Her glasses slid down her nose as she walked until they were nearly slipping off. She was trying to avoid the people in the crowd, but it was difficult as she kept stopping to look inside the windows of the shops to figure out what sort of wears they had. She wanted to try and get as many things on the good side of town as she could. The open market area was difficult to navigate, and there was more crime than Lily would like to deal with.

"Ah, finall... omph!" She'd finally found the store she was searching for, but as she stopped, some kid ran into her and knocked her over. Her things splattered to the ground, and the kid went about helping her up and fetching her things - but not before pocketing a rare gem.

"There you go. Are you alright?" The kid said, smiling widely.

She smiled softly at the messy haired boy. "I am, thank you. But you know, it's not polite to steal." She moved her hand and the gem jumped from his pocket and back into her bag.

The kid just stared at her, wide-eyed. "How... how did you..."

"Why don't you spend your time doing something worthwhile?" She handed him one of her books and patted him on the head. "You might like this one. It's about magic. Now run along, little one."

The kid swallowed, nodded, and ran away as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Lily smiled fondly and turned to enter the shop.

Meiun was standing in the back of a shop, a heavy stack of books in his arms. He was following the owner, an man named Shimi. He wore small glasses, and behind those glasses he had striking blue eyes that shone with the intelligence of many years. He had a small white beard, neatly trimmed. He wore a blue robe that touched the floor, and his black-shoed feet peeked out of the bottom of his robe.

"I'm so glad that you decided to help me young man. I could never do this by myself! What was your name again?", he said.

"My name is Meiun."

"Ah yes. Meiun. Well follow me lad, we need to put these new arrivals on the shelves."

Shimi moved out of the back room, and motioned for Meiun to follow. Mieun followed and was struck with awe. The store's walls were lined with floor to ceiling shelves, every one packed with books. He had never seen so many books in one place. They were of every size and color, and on almost every subject you could imagine. As Shimi made his way through the shop, he took books off of the stack that Meiun was carrying an placed them on the shelves were they belonged. He held them gingerly, like one would hold a very fragile glass ornament. As soon as the last book was on it's shelf, he turned to Meiun.

"Well son, I think that we're done. I suppose you could go now, but I have a favor to ask of you. Would you stay here and look after the shop for a while? I need to run a errand. I will return shortly. Of course, I'll pay you a little extra for your help."

"Sure thing."

"Good. Now I'll return in a few minutes."

And with that Shimi left the shop, and left Meiun standing behind the counter.

A moment of silence passed between the two of them, both staring the other down. One was curious, the other was eager. A cloud of dust swept through the area snapping Elisha out of her staring contest. "Boy, where are we?" She asked in a firm voice.

Shaking his head to each side, the boy answered. "M-mavirn."

"M-mavirn? What a strange name." She said, looking around the alley in wonder. "Is this what they call a city?" She pointed to their surrounding area.

Caught off guard by this comment, Ollie laughed. "No, not M-mavirn. It's Mavirn and this is an alley."

"Olllllliiiiieeeee...!" came a small voice from the entrace.

"Coming!" He replied before turning to Elisha, "Sorry, promised my sis I'd return the ball." He bowed in respect and quickly left her alone.

"Hmm... that went rather well." Elisha sighed before turning her attention to the item in her hand. "That idiot Marco sent me to the wrong spot. Gah... never rely on men." She muttered some more of her annoyances about men before shaking her tool again.

At first glance it would look like a regular remote with a big red knob in the center, a wire sticking out in an old angle and a small screen showing odd symbols.

"Feh... it seems the translator is working but something is screwing up my reception. I need to fix this, but now might not be the time." She placed the item in a small pouch behind her back.

"Where is Aura...?" She wondered before hitting her staff twice on the floor. It began to shrink until it was small enough to hide in her palm. She placed that too in her bag.

"Heh, I guess she started the search without me then." She mused before heading out of alley.

As she exited, she noticed a few... well, a lot of stares coming her direction. A few tourist men even wondered allowed if she may have been the famous hooker they'd heard so much about.

A scrowl crossed her face as the men began to wave and compete for attention. This scrowl soon turned into rage, "How dare you! Have you no manners?! Me? A whore?! I will cut your tongue out if I ever hear you say it again!"

With a heaving chest, Elisha took a step closer to the men. They seemed to have lost their courage and began to take a step back. This continued a few times until the men looked anywhere but her. "I thought so." She said with an evil gleam. "Now, be gone."

"I think not." Came a gruff voice.

Elisha surveyed the group, wondering who said this when a short but bulky man stepped out. His hair was a mess, the color of mud and his bushy eyebrows practically covered his black eyes. With no shirt, you could easly see the scars telling stories of many battles.

"You may not be her... but you surely are more beautiful then her and I for one will not be made a fool of. Bwahahahaaa..." He looked around the men, a few followed suit in the laughing.

Becoming more annoyed by the second, Elisha closed her eyes and looked down. "Nothing but animals..." She said loud and clear.

"What was that?!" The bushy eyed man asked while taking a knife out from behind him. Two more men joined in with a bat and a led pipe.

"I said... you are a filthy animal. A snumrug, if you wish to know exactly." She laughing in mockery.

"Hey boss, you gonna let her get away with that?" The skinny man with the bat asked.

"Of course not you idiot!" The boss said before slapping the guy on the head. "Go and get her!"

The men cheered as the stranger approached. Elisha merely smirked, awaiting the challenge.

The little bell chimed above the door as she entered, and she inhaled the distinct smell of books with a slight smile. Coming towards her was what appeared to be the shops' keeper, though, and she frowned. "You aren't closing, are you? I've been looking for this shop for an hour..."

The older man smiled at her. "No my dear. I'm merely stepping out for a moment. I have someone watching the shop for me, so if you need anything at all, feel free to ask him."

Lily sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness. It would be hard to find another shop to match these wares."

"Why thank you, my dear." He eyed her robed and added, "If you can't find what you're looking for, you could always ask for access to the back room."

"Thank you!" She beamed at him, and in some strange ritual of acknowledgment, each bowed respectfully to the other before the man left.

There was indeed a man behind the counter, but before greeting him, she let her eyes linger over the bookshelves, looking for anything that she hadn't read. She moved at a leisurely pace, her eyes stopping here and there before moving on.

It wasn't until she had combed the front shelves thoroughly that she greeted the clerk. "Good afternoon. I'm just browsing for now, but if I find anything of interest, I'll let you know. Could I possibly store my pack behind the counter for a bit? It's a little difficult to check the shelves with so much in my hands." She held up her books and her bag in way of explanation, approaching the counter and glancing at the stack of titles sitting there before bringing her full attention back to the clerk.

Meiun stood behind the counter and watched Shimi and the customer interact. Well aren't those two kindred spirits. I've never really been one for books, but each is own. He pulled up a stool and sat down behind the counter and watched as the customer picked her way through the shelves. He wondered what she was looking for, then put it out of his head. It was none of his concern. Then the next thing he knew was that she was asking him about storing her bags behind the counter.

"Sure I guess." He looked at all the books that she was carrying. "No wonder you're having trouble making your way through the shelves with all that stuff."

He reached out for the books and the bag. She handed them over, and he placed them behind the counter in front of him. He turned back to face the customer.

"If you need anything else just ask."

She smiled gratefully as the man took her things. It was a lot of weight off of her shoulders. She couldn't even imagine how difficult it would be once she finished her shopping and replaced her broken staff.

"If you need anything else just ask."

"Thank you! I'll let you know."

She went back to browsing, picking over books and skimming pages before putting them back. She didn't know how much time had gone by, but she had gone through much of the cluttered shop and still, she hadn't quite found what she was looking for. She picked up a book on Mythical Beasts with some interest, but upon seeing the contents, she replaced it again with a sigh. There was a decent selection, but most of what she had seen here she already owned or was written by someone without any real knowledge who was just looking for a quick buck.

She was about to gather her things and leave when she remembered what the shop keeper had said to her.

She made her way back to the counter, her eyes still skimming the shelves instinctively as she passed by them. "Uhm, I hate to be a bother, but do you think perhaps you could let me see the back room?" She sighed, motioning to the books around her. "I don't seem to be finding what I'm looking for, and it really is important that I see the entire collection. That is, if it's not too much trouble. I just..." Her hands fell to her sides, smoothing over the insignia on her robe that designated her one of the Hidden Knowledge Pact of Scholars.

Knowledge she had. Her interpersonal skills, however, left something to be desired...

The smell of yeast and burning logs hung heavily in the flour-filled air of the bakery. Lyra clapped her hands together, expelling more flour, and coughed on the cloud of whiteness. A bit of flour settled into her short, dark brown hair and at the ends of her eyelashes. Lyra pulled on two large oven mitts and removed a tray of fresh bread from the wood-burning stove. Steam rose off the loaves in swirls and the young woman breathed in the hearty, slightly sweet scent of fresh bread.

“Ly-raaaaaa!” called a voice from the front of the shop. The dark haired woman set down the hot tray on a wooden board and hurried through the door to the front of the shop. It led to the area behind the counter, directly behind the register. The glass display case was filled with colorful pastries and icing covered cookies. Beautiful cakes gleamed out like works of art, their red cherries and sugary icing glittering like jewels in the sunlight that poured in through the windows.

“Mrs. Doolittle!” Lyra exclaimed. “I’m so sorry. I was just getting a fresh loaf out of the oven. What can I do for you?”

The older woman, graying hair piled atop her head in a neat bun, heavy pearls dangling from her earlobes, shook her head at the baker. Mrs. Doolittle was Lyra’s most important patron. It was her heavy purse of coins and her love of sweets that kept her little shop afloat.

“My dear, I will take my usual. I am also here to remind you that it is Wednesday.” she said, a gleam in her astute blue eyes. Lyra looked back at her in confusion and then began collecting the woman’s order. She opened up a box and began filling it with one of each kind of cookie and sweet and then closed it, tying it with a piece of twine.

Wednesday? What was she supposed to remember about Wednesday? Lyra refused to ask, and instead tried to remember on her own. It was quite embarrassing when others remembered what she was supposed to do more than she did. Lyra handed the box back to Mrs. Doolittle, who accepted it with a look of amusement and then slid a few coins onto the counter. Lyra accepted the coins and put them into the register, a puzzled frown still on her face. A look of dawning suddenly came over her face and her mouth fell open.

“Oh, it’s Wednesday! Dear Lord, I’m already late!” she called, disappearing into the back room. Wednesday was the most important delivery day! She had to deliver Shimi his usual order of rolls! Lyra pulled a wooden basket lined in blue and white checkered cloth from the top shelf and then scooped a dozen rolls into it, throwing a red travel cloak hurriedly around her shoulders. She flew out of the back door, and then ran back to get the basket.

How could she be so forgetful, she reprimanded herself, running wildly through the busy streets. She was always doing that, forgetting to do things and go places. She was a mess. The young woman’s wide brown eyes became troubled as she thought of what a failure she was most of the time. What would her parents, rest in peace, think of her now?

Lyra, lost in her thoughts, stumbled over a young man with a lyre who was for some reason lying face down in the dirt. A few rolls bounced out of her basket, but she didn’t notice. “I’m sorry!” she called to the man over her shoulder. “But you shouldn’t lie in the street, you know.”

Onward she ran, short blackish hair bouncing across her cheeks. She had to get there in time, otherwise she would miss Shimi! Lyra found herself quite intimidated by the older man. He was just so….smart. And that was something Lyra definitely was not. Lyra herself could read and write passably, but she felt quite at a loss when around scholars.

Her attention drawn away again, Lyra ran right into Elisha and looked up, realizing the woman was surrounded by a group of very unfriendly looking men. Her eyes widened and she took a step away from the oddly dressed girl, clutching her basket to her chest with a sense of foreboding. The men surrounding them made her very uneasy. “I’m sorry,” she said hurriedly to Elisha. “I guess I wasn’t looking where I was going very well.”

Her large brown eyes darted around nervously. Why were those men standing like that? They looked so threatening, as if they wanted to harm the woman she had just run into.

Meiun sat there behind the counter and waited for Shimi to come back. As the customer picked her way though the shelves, he just sat there and watched. Eventually, he decided that he'd give reading a shot. He picked up a random book from the plethora of books surrounding him and began to read. He became engrossed in the novel. When the customer came up and asked to get into the back room, he got startled.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't know you came up here. Sure, I'll let you into the back room. One second."

Meiun grabbed the key from it's hook behind the desk and walked over to the door leading to the back room. He unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Right this way. Take as long as you need."

He went back to the counter just as Shimi walked into the shop.

"Ok son, you're all done for now. Thank you for all the help. Here's the money I owe you and a little extra for watching over the shop while I was gone." He handed Meiun a small leather pouch that clinked when it moved.

"Thank you Mr. Shimi. Just let me know if you need more help and I'll come by. By the way, the customer is in the back room and her stuff is behind the counter."

And with that Meiun exited the book shop, and walked down the street. He pulled the hood over his head and stuck his hands in his pockets. As he walked by an alley he noticed that a group of men were surrounding a two women. His eyes narrowed. Bastards. Those women probably haven't done anything to them. I should do something. He cracked his knuckled as he walked into the alley.

"Hey buddy, why don't you leave those two alone. I'd probably be a better fight than those two, so bring it on."

He settled into a defensive stance and waited for the men to come at him.

She took her time back there. It could have been hours - she had no real concept of time when books were involved - but he had everything she wanted and then some. Many of the books had the different Secret Scholar Organizations' seals on them, and those were the books she was most interested in. She picked through each very carefully, putting aside the ones she had seen before and creating quite the stack of books that she planned to purchase. Of course, for so many books from different sects, she'd have to offer some in return, but her bag had plenty of copies for just that.

The different groups of Secret Scholars were connected in more ways than one. Each group studies a different aspect of magic, and in return for knowledge from other groups, the books they write are circulated. Book stores with areas only available to members of a Secret Scholar Organization like the one she was in was just one of the many ways to make these exchanges.

As she looked through the shelves, she found a book written by the Hidden Knowledge Pact, and being a member herself, she almost overlooked it. Her eyes lingered on the seal, but as she was about to move to the next, she read over the title again. Theories on the Art of Element Merging. Her fingers lingered on the spine, considering it.

"I think that would be a good title for you. Why don't you take a look?"

Lily jumped, looking at the shop keeper sheepishly. she had no idea how long he had been standing there, leaning against the door seal with a smile on his face.

"Thank you. I think I will." She put down the rather impressive stack of books in her arms and pulled it out, spreading open the pages and reading at the first one she came to.

The art of Element Merging is something that most are unable to achieve. It has been tested and retested, but it appears that only one with a pure association with the element they are trying to merge with can achieve this powerful state.

Furthermore, it is curious that most cases of Element Merging occurs naturally, without the individual knowing they are doing so. Of the people capable of using magic, less than one percent have been able to use this in practice, and a select few are thought to retain a state of full Element Merging throughout their lives without interruption.

With most magic users, there is a certain set of skills that they can learn and use effectively. This is not the case with a pure incarnation of Element Merging. Instead, one who merges completely with their element can use any and all magic from their chosen element without preamble or study. Legends have alluded to such individuals as well. From the Tabul Book of Prophecies: 'And then there were those who could do what could not be learned. One could call them the very essence of the element itself.' And again in the Lost Rembrandt: 'In the beginning there were five who could do what no one else could and merge with that which was thought lost.' Even more interestingly, it is mentioned in the Oracle of Sacred Pacts: 'These individuals will eventually become the element, and the element becomes them. As such, only one such person of each element can appear at any one time.'

Through tests on a willing individual who could achieve, for short bursts of time, the fire type of Element Merging, we now know quite a lot about the process. However, the best research would be on a true individual that the Legends speak of. Unfortunately, no such individual has been found. We have compiled a list of the abilities such a person would have control over based on our research.

Light: All forms of light magic, including Telepathy and Telekinesis

Lily gasped, nearly dropping the book. It couldn't be...

"Y-Yes... I think I will take this one."

The old man smiled. "Very well. I hope you find it of use."

She placed it on the top of her stack of books and brought them to the counter. "I have eight books here, so..." she retrieved her bag and leafed through her titles, pulling out another eight, "I think these titles will do. I didn't see them back there."

The old man looked them over, leafing through a couple. "Yes, these will do nicely."

She smiled, pulling out a small handful of silver. "Thank you for your patronage. I hope this will help keep the circulation going, Master of the Secret Magic Sect." She bowed awkwardly, her glasses askew and books nearly falling from her hands.

He bowed in turn. "And thank you as well, Master of the Hidden Knowledge Pact. May you have fortune during your travels."

She tucked what would fit into her bag and shouldered it, holding the other three books in her arms. She was really going to have to buy a new bag.

Her real excitement, though, was finding time to read further in that book. There had to be some explanation. She couldn't possibly be...

She shook her head, making her way back out onto the busy street. No, there was some explanation. It was nothing to get worked up about. She had to focus now on buying a bag and finding a new staff. There was no time for pondering her books until she finished her shopping. She had to keep alert! Marvirn was a dangerous place, after all.

As the bat wielding minon proceeded to carry out the orders of this supposed 'boss' character, Elisha began to chuckle. A chuckle which soon became louder as Elisha bent over double holding her stomach.

An uneasiness fell over the man as his mouth opened and closed. He was unsure with how to proceed for in all honesty, she looked more like a mad woman then an appealing one. He looked from her to his boss and back again before shrugging his shoulders and scratching his head in wonder.

His boss' bushy eyebrows soon began to twitch in frustration at the scene, "Idiot! She's trying to pysch you out! Grab'er! Or you'll have to answer to me!" He waved his knife around to prove his point causing the other man to shake his head nervously.

"Y-yes sir!" He gulped before turning his attention to his prey. She soon stopped laughing and another smirk came over her as her hand creept to her bag.

"So... you want to challenge m--OMPH!" An unknown source ran into Elisha causing her to stumble backwards. Falling flat on her rear, Elisha scrowled. An apology was being made by a woman; a woman who seemed to be aware something was wrong.

Standing up, Elisha began to dust herself off. "Don't worry about it." She muttered as the men around them laughed.

A laugh soon cut short by a new voice. "Hey buddy, why don't you leave those two alone? I'd probably be a better fight then those to, so bring it own!"

"Who the hell said that?!" asked the boss in annoyance. A silence fell over the group as they searched for the one to blame. It didn't take them long to find him, ready for a fight.

Elisha watched him closely. The first thing she noticed was his lack of a weapon. She shook her head at this yet before she could make her sarcastic comment, someone else jumped in.

"I'll handle this one boss!" offered the man with the pipe. He was leering at the women before stepping up to the new comer. "We don't take kindly to people in our business. You should know this." He chuckled a bit before stopping and swinging his weapon with full force.

"The Argyros Shrine was destroyed last night."

"I don't know who, what, or even how. No trace of fire, weapons, or brute force. It's over my league."

"What would anyone win for doing that to a shrine?"

"They wanted the treasure underneath the shrine."

"What treasure? Underneath the shrine, there was only books, and an empty tomb."

"The books is what they were after."


"Weren't they just... priest logs?" What contents would those books need to have, in order for anyone to do such distortion to something considered... "sacred". In what way could they have done it; how could something be destroyed yet show no signs of... destruction?

The conversation between Ion and the Elder of Argyros Peak Village still resonated within Ion's thoughts. He couldn't help but question the event he was told about just a day before. Moreover, speculate about the letter that the old man gave him to deliver to a famed blacksmith of Oermin. He had to snap out of it though; it's wasn't within his right to inquire about the situation of the shrine. Or at least is what he began telling himself in order to halt his bewilderment.

In any case he had to pay close attention to what that famed blacksmith's lackey was trying to tell him. A short bald man, with a burly nose and wide lips with a messy mustache sprouting just below his tiny nostrils. He had some muscle in his forearms but the rest of his body was thick and hefty. Wasn't quite intimidating, but still quite the typical figure of a blacksmith.

"He's nut in town toodai." A large smile painted his already comical face after his spoken words. Obviously he wasn't very eloquent, but at least he was friendly.

"Do you mind telling me where he went to?" Ion was hoping the lackey wouldn't be startled by his eagerness to know the blacksmith's current location. After all he was running an urgent errand, probably considered private.

"Uhm... he want to dut port town to delivur sum wuapons. He's ben gon fur a cuuple of dais now, he shuld be bahk soon." The man didn't struggle through his speech at all. This is how he spoke and it was very normal to him, apparently. It was difficult to capture everything in one moment, so Ion would stand silent a few seconds after the man spoked, in order to digest and understand what he was saying. Even to someone like Ion, who can concentrate, this was almost painful to hear.

"Where exactly? Was it a private delivery?" Yeah he was being invasive albeit polite, but Marvirn was a big town filled with a lot of people. It would be pointless to head there without more proper direction of the exact location.

"Wall, nurmally he leaves no sai or whereabaouts of his claients, but he dad mantioned the Kingdom's District Chateau in Marvirn." That's what he needed; a building to go to and ask for the blacksmith. He pondered shortly about the blacksmith's business there, and even about how the lackey said 'Kingdom's District Chateau' without an error. But that was beyond his point. Speech hassle aside, Ion did learn of the blacksmith's position and was determined to find him there, or on his way.

"Thank you, uh, sir. You've been kind." A little bit at loss of words, but he was certain it was all he needed to end his conversation with the lackey.

"Yar walcum Sire! Lepame!" Exclaimed the odd man as Ion parted from the building where the famed blacksmith was claimed to be. But Ion was to follow his tracks all the way to Marvirn in order to deliver an urgent letter which content is unknown and should remain unknown until delivery.

He walked out of the city limits at a quick pace toward a post. He soon stopped for a minute and stood still. There was a warm desert breeze flowing that fluttered his hair and most of his straps and strips in his equipment. He reflected on what he had to do as he lead his left hand in between his protector and robe, and guided it to where the letter was securely concealed. Had taken it out with little hesitation, Ion looked at the envelope with intrigue. It had torn edges and wrinkled corners, but no seal. Something was in this letter that referred to what had happened in Argyros Peak Village, about the lost Shrine and about the books that were stolen. It was certain to him.

No sooner when he considered peeking at it, a strong desert gust swiped the letter from Ion's hold onto the space above him. Alarmed that it may be lost, he swiftly wielded his bow, chose a special aerodynamic dense gripping arrow, and set. He closed his left eye, and with his right eye calculated everything going about him; speed, height, wind, weight, location. Minutes seemed to pass in a mere second as Ion meticulously aimed at the letter. The sound of the wind hitting against his body, the fluttering of his hair, and the whistle of the air itself provided him with enough information. FWOOP! The arrow was launched upward but curved downwards quickly, in enough time to impact the envelope onto the post. Ion relieved his position and approached the post quickly. He carefully unattached the arrow and reclaimed the envelope. A smile of relief came upon him, as he secluded the letter with his other belongings. After a brief sigh and pats on his clothes to take away the dust, he continued onto a stable nearby.

Wasting no time in further sight-seeing, Ion mounted the horse loaned to him by the Elder. A strong and tall white steed, displaying a lushly gray mane and tail, an elegant saddle along with other adornments. Well fitted hue for ion's own appearance, but it was mere coincidence.

With a few voice and sound commands, Ion bid farewell to Oermin for the time being and galloped to Marvirn in order to conclude his task.

It took her another hour to find a suitable bag, but to her dismay, she could not find the proper staff in the more crime manageable section of town. With her new bag slung across her back, she reluctantly made her way across town to the bazaar.

The bazaar was much more crowded than the rest of the town, and as such, it was difficult to quiet the voices in her head.

Should I get the red gem? It's a little out of my price range...

This is perfect for my girlfriend! I hope my wife doesn't find out...

Highway robbery, that's that this place is.

Oh god, am I going to run into Steven? I'd better hurry.

Sucker. That was worth twice the price I paid for it.

What he doesn't know is that it's a fake.

She pressed her fingers to her temples and tried to quiet the hum of noise. She learned to control it a long time ago, and usually, it was nothing more than background noise. But in large crowds, it was still a difficult thing to do.

She located the open weapons area, and she stopped at a table with staffs, picking over them carefully. There was a large selection, but most of the pieces didn't suit her at all. The longer she stood there, the louder the voices became, and she was afraid she'd end up leaving empty-handed when she found exactly what she was looking for.

By touching the wood, in a way, it spoke to her. Its origin was Betula lenta, a form of Cherry Birch; a flexible yet strong wood. The tree it had come from was well aged, and it fell by natural means - a bolt of thunder had struck it down, making it the perfect choice for a staff. It was thin enough to retain a nice flexibility, but thick enough to use as a walking stick without damaging it. At the top, there was an ornate design, and it had been carved by an expert designer. In the center of the design was a clear opal with a light cloudiness to it. She felt an urging from the staff to purchase it, and she picked it up, snapping it back and forth to test it.

"How much are you asking for this one?" she asked the dealer.

His eyes lit up. "Ah, that is a fine choice. Genuine Cherry Birch, with superior flexibility..."

She interrupted him. "I know what it is made out of, but thank you. I just want to know how much it is."

"Uh..." he paused for a moment, obviously unused to his customers denying him the chance to tell the history of the material it was made from, "Eighteen silver pieces."

"That seems fair." Without thinking twice about it, she placed the money on the table and walked away. The staff nearly vibrated under her touch.

As she moved further from the Bazaar, the voices once again dulled down to background noise, and she went to find a less-populated place so that she could finally sit down and spend some time with that intriguing new book.

Viorek Forest
On a well worn path through a colorful forest walked an elder man. He was an ancient looking fellow adorned in rather pretentious looking robes. A light breeze moved gently through his snow white beard and equally brilliant hair. He walked using a cane but if one looked closely they could observe his lack of need for it. It seemed to be born of habit or perhaps he carried it for protection. To an observer this man just might appear a bit of a loon. He talked you see, but there was no one around. Entire conversation would come from his almost unseen lips. (One sided of course) An observer just might avoid him due to this, for it is never a good idea to approach the insane.

If you asked what he was doing he would tell you he was speaking to the ones around him. For mankind, conversations stem from the ability to understand each other. Even that can be a difficult task what with all the languages scattered through out the world. It didn’t stop them however from learning each others tongue, yet they ignored the many voices around them. For Maximillion, conversations were everywhere. From the birds in the air to plants and trees that gave them shelter, even the wind whispered little things in his ear.

As he continued to walk the path a little grey squirrel ran happily around him. The squirrel was quite excited you see, for it had never talked to a human before. Oh sure, she had tried many times but was always ignored. They would laugh and chase her or give her nuts. At least some good came of it. She watched as the old man took a seat on a smooth rock next to a tree and breathed a heavy sigh. “So how have you been little one?” The squirrel chirped with glee telling the old one of the many adventures she'd had. “That’s quite a tale. So you have plenty of nuts for the winter?” She chirped some more. She had plenty thanks to the humans, but right now she wasn’t pleased with them.

“Yes they are at again. I suppose it is human nature. In many ways they are like animals.” She chirped indignantly at that. “No need to get cross. All of nature is violent at times.” She continued her rant. “I know animals don’t destroy but all of us are different. Perhaps mankind is more like the wind then?” She seemed to accept that and changed the subject.
“Oh, me? I am simply waiting. Some of those humans you are cross with will be coming this way. I have need of their services.” She looked at him puzzled then chirped some more. “My friends are missing. It is my hope that they will be able to help me find them. In exchange my friends may be able to aid them on their quest.”

The squirrel thought about that then chirped in laughter. “They are not all foolish little one.” She chirped some more this time with urgency. “Yes, they may very well destroy this world but don’t loose faith in them yet.” She chirped a few more times then scurried away. “It was nice talking to you as well. Have fun with the others.” After The squirrel left, Max sat back against the trunk of a tree and stretched his arms wide. He stopped in sudden realization. “Oh, I forgot to ask her name.”

Meiun chuckled. The man was obviously a lackey, and not a bright one at that. He carried a lead pipe, obviously something he just picked up by the way he held it. It was sad really. The poor man didn't have a chance.

"You really want to fight me? You must have shit for brains!"

"Why you! I'll shut your mouth for good!"

The man swung the pipe with all the strength that he had. Meiun laughed. Ducking under the blow, he countered with a quick uppercut that sent the man sprawling. He tumbled away and hit the wall of the alley. Meiun turned back to face the rest of the group, but the man stood again. He spat out a tooth and some blood and advanced again, the pipe held up menacingly.

"It'll take more than that to take me out! Now it's payback ti-"

He was cut off in mid-sentence as Meiun punched him in the stomach. With a choking cry, the man spat up blood and went down to the ground. He began to rise again, but Meiun was immediately on him. He pinned the man to the ground with his knees and began to rain blow after blow on his face and upper torso. Blood began to pool behind the man's head but Meiun still beat him. He wasn't himself anymore. He had gone into a savage rage, and he was only the brutal, unforgiving, gladiator. A savage man who stopped at nothing to win.

A small crowd gathered behind Meiun as he mercilessly continued to punch the man. Blood sprayed on the wall, and blood began to run into the street and into a gutter. There were flecks of blood on Meiun's face and there was a lot of blood on his gloves. When he stopped, the man didn't have much of a face anymore. It was bloody and pulpy, and chunks of skin and some flesh had been ripped off by Meiun's assault. He moved no more. The man was dead. Meiun rose and looked at the remaining group of men. They stared in horror at the man's horrible visage, then back at Meiun.

"Who's next?", he spat.