"On the road. That's a big surprise."

This was the thought of the day for Damian Grey. He had recently helped a province of a kingdom west from his current position from several problems with a bandit clan. He defeated them with a degree of difficulty, as he had to fight them without the use of his own sword as he tied it in its sheath, as part of his vow to not use his knightly relics. He was alone, but that wasn't a surprise. He was a vagabond with a strange sack and a bound sword.

He looked around the vast field the road was cutting through and discovered a village a little ways off down the road. "Hopefully I can rest there for the night." Damian muttered to himself as he headed towards it, hoping for a hot meal, a cold drink, and a soft bed. Such commodities would be a welcome relief to someone like him.

Verreth was disheartened. She had been travelling on this road now for two days and there was no sign of Gideon. There hadn’t been any news of the mage for almost a week now.

She sat at the table, playing with her spoon. The very small travellers inn was almost empty. The village itself was small, barely a village really. Only a handful of farmers in the surrounding area and the three established businesses.

The inn keeper’s wife was a portly woman with a kind face.

“All alone deary? Pity a little young woman like you should travel all by herself.”

The woman placed the bowl of hot but watered down stew in front of her Verreth looked up, smiled and offered her a nod of thanks.

“I am alone but it is alright. I am a skilled healer and I am used to being alone as I travel.”

“Healer hm?” The woman looked thoughtful. “You know any treatments for gout?”

Verreth smiled and turned to fully face the woman. “Yes. I will eat and then will go get what I need. For you?”

The woman laughed. It was a jolly sound, a belly laugh. “Heavens no! For the mister. Gets gout bad in his foot. Lays him up for at least day and a man who ain’t working ain’t no good to me.”

“Very well. I will take care of it. Perhaps my treatment in exchange for this meal?”

The woman smiled. “Of course.”

Verreth nodded and turned back to her hot stew. “Very good then.”

Footsteps approached the door of the tiny inn. Verreth did not move but turned her ears and her peripheral vision to the door, wondering at the new arrival.

It is an inn. It is likely another traveller like yourself. Gideon is not going to fall into your lap. Don’t be a ninny. Verreth inwardly scolded herself.

The doors of the inn opened quietly as Damian walked in, looking at the near empty inn he smiled under his hood at the anticipation of all his hopes for the evening. He walked to the front desk and silently wrote his name on the ledger and pulled out his coin purse and placed a gold coin and two silver coins on the desk, paying for his room and board for the night hopefully, and also helping the owners make ends meet.

He walked to an empty table and set his Sack on one side of the table. He then seated himself and sighed. "I'm here, so let's try not to look so strange. However, I'm unsure taking off my hood will make me the strange one." he thought as he pulled his hood down and rubbed his now near shoulder length silver hair. Two years of endless wandering hadn't kept him from making sure he was well groomed. However even though he set his sack to the side, he kept it well nearby so no aspiring thief could take it.

When the innkeeper's wife approached him he said. "Cold brew and a Hot Stew?"

He then scanned his eyes for anyone else and saw only one strange person and shrugged to himself. "Probably just another traveler, no one of my former group has poked their heads towards me in a long time."

When his drink arrived he took a long sip from it.

Verreth took a spoonful of stew and subtly watched the man. He sat, sack next to him as if he too was being cautious. She wondered if he would lower his hood or sit there in the shadowy folds of the material. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment, fearing that the shadowy figure was Gideon.

What would she say? What would she do if it was?

Verreth held her breath as the man lowered the hood and reveal his long, silver hair. She exhaled, shoulders slumping. A traveler. Nothing more.

She finished her stew. Standing she brought her empty bowl to the counter. "I will go look for those herbs now. Could I please leave my bag here for the moment, at least till I am done gathering. Would I be able to use the kitchen to brew it up? It will be a tonic when I am finished."

The portly woman came out of the kitchen. "Of course. You can use the kitchen and I will watch your things."

"Thank you." Verreth smiled at the woman, casting a quick look over at the man at the table.

"Don't worry deary. I will get you a bed set up too. No charge"

Verreth relaxed just little. "Many thanks."

She headed outside.

The innkeeper's wife brought the man a bowl of stew. "You need a room too? I will go sweep them out and open the windows." She smiled at the silver haired man.
---------------
She spent half an hour gathering the herbs she needed to make the man's tonic. She ended up forgetting the new arrival as the forest calmed her. She hummed to herself, singing songs of her childhood.

Verreth returned to the inn. Removing her cloak she hung it over a chair before heading to the kitchen. Her hair was mussed from the wind but she paid no mind as she focused on kitchen and her next task.

"Money for the night and then some is on the ledger." Damian replied as he ate his food silently. The woman headed out to gather ingredients for a medicine. This left him alone to devour his food and think his silent lonely thoughts, as he recalls several bits and pieces of his memories.

---

The young twelve year old was shaking from the recent initiation rite. His hair half black half silver as he shook and quivered from the pain. People also undergoing the rites were either shaking slightly or just trying to sleep it off. Others were simply watching them with either pity or loathing. One thirteen year old Individual looked at their Twin sibling.

"Just look at them, I doubt they'll withstand training if they can't withstand a little bit of the Rites." The individual said.

"Dareon Flynn, be more considerate, we were in the same boat as them once. So don't perceive it as weakness, but gathering strength. Especially the boy over there. His face seems to show he suffered worse in life." The other said as the person then left their twin and approached him. "Try sleeping it off, it'll go away faster. I guess you'll just lose your hair color. But I think silver fits you. What's your name?"

"Damian Grey." The boy said. "Grey means Orphan."

"I know."

---
He finished his food once the woman came back with the medicine and disappeared into the kitchen. Sighing he drank from the mug when he heard a scream outside. He looked out the window to see.

A local thug had dragged a woman's husband for being behind on 'protection' payments, and he and his goons were about to make an example of him. The woman was begging them to take her, that she had spent the money trying to get the means to get supplies for her young child.

One thug was looking in consideration and was approaching the woman with a vile intent. Damian had exited the inn, leaving his sack behind as he approached the trouble makers. The thugs see his approach and they all pointed their weapons at him. The reason of doing so was the fact his eyes shone like a jade colored fire.

The bandit who made the first approach was sent to the ground with a dislocated shoulder as he then fought unarmed with several of the bandits cohorts. He throws a coin purse at them. "That covers your pay for treatment to your own doctor and your departure. Leave this small community alone and never return because if you do, you will see a grey armored individual in my place. Now go." The bandits began to flee as he walked back to the inn and finished his drink.

The inn keeper’s wife offered the young man a kind smile before she left him to his meal. Her attention was on the ledger now, sorting out the coin he had left. A quick mind counted it and a quick hand stashed it away.

Humming happily she went off to prepare the two rooms. They were swept, the freshly washed linens laid out on the bed and each room had a pitcher full of clean water waiting for the occupants.

Taking a look around the round woman nodded, satisfied at her work and returned downstairs.

In the kitchen Verreth was busy toiling away over a pot. Her hair stuck to her forehead from the steam as she muddled her plants and added them to the slowly bubbling water. Her mind was going over the ingredients, the amount that was needed of each. She had a sharp memory for potions and salves. It had served her very well over the years.

The work was good. It kept her from thinking about Gideon and what she might do if she finally found the mage that had forced her into the thing she was now. Verreth had learned to accept the creature, learned to control it and use the form to her advantage but it did not take the sting out of his betrayal.

A slender wrist wiped the sweat from her brow as she bottled the drink. It needed to cool but it was ready for the man to drink. It would relieve the swelling in the affected area and keep him from being laid up after a night or two of drink.

Verreth exited the kitchen. The inn keeper’s wife was back behind the counter.

“It is done. He s-”

Verreth’s words were cut off by a scream from outside.

Both of the women jumped. Only the man, still at the table looked calm and composed. Verreth watched him look out the window, stand and then exit.

The women followed slowly behind, curiousity getting the better of them. Verreth looked at the scene. It took her longer than the man to work out what was going on. She gripped the bottle as she watched the silver haired man approached the gruffer men.

Verreth had travelled alone for a long time. She had managed to avoid men like them for the most part. A woman alone was easy prey. Her ability to change saved her the few times when avoidance was not possible.

The two women watched as the man threatened the thugs, tossing coin at them. Verreth blinked/ Armour....knight...
She wondered what he was doing here in an inn and alone. She handed the inn keeper’s wife the bottle. “Your husband should take this, one spoonful in the morning. Not a big spoon mind you and he should ease off on his drink.”

The woman nodded, her eyes still on the silver haired man. “Very good.”

Verreth turned and went back inside. She darted to her room and quickly washed her face, clearing the sweat and dirt from her face and hands.

Back in the inn the portly woman started a fire in the hearth and then moved to the table where the man’s sack stayed, waiting for him. She placed the coin he had paid for the room on the table by his mug. She refilled the brew as well.

Cleaned and feeling a bit more like herself Verreth returned to the main room. She waited in a chair near the fire for the knight, the silver haired man to return. She had questions for him.

Damian wandered to the next open room as he heard the rushed sounds of cleaning. He walked in and stared at his reflection in the water of the basin. "I shouldn't have. Farmers distrust people who interfere in bandits' business. However, whether the woman had a child or not I wouldn't have tolerated what they were about to do." He said to his reflection as he scooped water and splashed his face to clean it.

He then started to brush his hair with his hands. Gathering it all up in one hand and taking a strip of cloth in the other, he began to tie if in a tail. "There, I'll look a bit neat for the next couple of days." He muttered to himself.

He wandered back out of his room, walking back to the main area he discovered his mug refilled and one of his coins returned. "My change?" He questioned aloud as he took it with one hand and stared at it for a minute or two before looking around the empty inn, save for the woman by the fire and he placed it back on the bar area of the Inn. "Keep it, you'll need it more then I do." He gave a small smile of sincerity as he walked to the fire to warm himself, his green eyes looking dull like a tired and weathered green leaf.

"Rare to find places of rest like this anymore in my case." Damian muttered to himself. He felt however, a twinge of uneasiness. The woman in the chair next to him felt like she had something on her mind, and he was the subject of it. His main instinct told him to go for his sword but it was tied to its sheath.

And to him, for good reason.

Verreth felt anxious as the assumed knight returned from his room, questioned his coin and returned it to the bar.

Definitely a knight. She knew only a knight would concern himself with others and their well being. Healers would as well, like herself but he was certainly no healer.

He was muttering to himself as he came closer to the fire and where she sat. Behind them, at the bar the innkeeper’s wife had returned from whatever task she had been about. Her eyes met the coin, the stranger’s back and the coin once more. Her round face grew soft with her smile and she clucked lightly to herself as she pocketed the money away once more.

“I’ll bring you both something warm to drink. Evening promises to grow cool and the night even colder. Place is older so we get drafts most nights.”

She puttered off into the kitchen, leaving the two travelers to sit in awkward silence.

Verreth tucked her dress about her legs and tried not to fidget. Is there a good way to strike up a conversation...to ask for help? The woman wasn’t particularly good with people. She knew her mother’s lineage gave her sway over others should she want it but she greatly disliked the idea. Growing up it had meant a great deal of solitude and loneliness. Her social skills were not exactly polished either.

The woman cleared her throat. “N-nice evening hmm?”

Verreth immediately rolled her eyes at her own ridiculousness. He is going to get up and walk away. Likely thinks you are weird or simple minded.

She decided to forego the awkward pleasantries or pretense.

“You are a knight aren’t you? I saw what you did out there...also the talk of armour sort of gave it away. Have you been travelling long? I was wondering...have you come across any mages by chance?”

Might as well go for broke. Verreth knew the chance of anyone happening by Gideon on the road was small and she didn’t know what knights knew about magic users but she figured if anyone knew or heard anything about a man taking advantage of people it would be a knight. It was in their blood to watch for wrongdoing and those being taken advantage of.

Verreth shuffled her feet. “I am looking for particular mage. He isn’t very nice. He will pretend to be and he will drug you and used you for magical experiments and then...”

She clamped her mouth closed. “Sorry.”

Her shoulders hunched and she looked toward the fire. “I asked you a question and never even paused to let you answer....” Her words were a soft whisper.

"I don't go around people much so I forget sometimes how to have a conversation..." Verreth looked over at the knight.

The innkeeper's wife came over with two steaming mugs. "There now you two. This will take away any chill you might get. Made them nice and strong." She chuckled handing them the mugs.

Verreth took hers with a nod of thanks. She eyed the liquid warily.

"Go on dear it will do your tiny frame some good. Must be chilly."

Verreth gave a strained smiled and slowly raised the hot liquid to her lips. It burned from heat but as it trickled down another burn set in. Verreth let out a hard breath.

"That's the bourbon sweetie. Don't worry only the first drink will take your breath away." The round woman looked at the man. "You too. Go on now."

Verreth looked over at the man.

Damian looked at the woman strangely and let go of the hilt of his blade, but it wouldn't be of use as per its current bindings to the sheath. He eyed the woman carefully. She had a suspicion as to what he was but at least Who he was is a silent secret. "You presume much yet have guessed little." He said softly. "I was a knight. Yet knight I am no more. I know not of any mages that you speak of. I've been this way for over two years now."

When he was given a hot steaming mug of a concoction of bourbon and other things as he found out. He sipped it lightly, wary of the heat. His thoughts were musing over why the woman near him would try to pull out the questions of his former profession. Was this healer in some form of danger?? If so why ask him? He wasn't a mercenary, as he recalled.

"If the Order still existed I'd turn you to them. But alas they do not."

The inn keeper's wife smiled as the man took a drink. "That's a good man. Alright then I have work to do."

She tottered off leaving them alone. The fire crackled.

Verreth sighed. "So there is no help then. No sightings, no one to bring malevolent men to justice. I really should have known that Gideon would never be punished for what he did..."

Her eyes were back on the fire. "Were a knight? The order is no more...a shame. Men like you were really all that men with malicious hearts feared. Forgive me."

Verreth looked over at him. "I had hoped you had heard or seen the man I seek. He-" She bit her lower lip. "He is not a good man, not like you and he needs to answer for what he did but I am just me...a healer and nothing more. What does a powerful mage have to fear from one such as me?"

She took a drink from her mug. The intoxicating liquid brought a red hue of warmth to her cheeks. "Why is the order no more? what do you do now then? Besides visit inns and help those accosted by thugs."

Verreth looked back to the fire.

"My order existed to combat evil. But there was one of our own who slowly grew enticed by the shadows. He became corrupt, and struck his sibling." Damian gripped his mug slowly. "I attacked him yet for my actions they exiled me from the order. Several days later, out of fear of more Corrupt Knights, the Order, which existed since the end of the War of demons, was forced to disband. There maybe others like me. Mercenaries or bandits or even some who are trying to put it back together and bring the order together once more."

Damian had a grim look on his face. "I just want a life of peace now, but everywhere I go, trouble follows." He downed the mug. "The only reason I helped was so that woman's child wouldn't turn into an Orphan like me and repeat a history I don't like." His eyes showed his slight pain on that subject. "I just want peace. Buy some land, be a farmer."

"You don't look like a farmer."

Verreth's eyes grew wide and she shut her mouth quickly. She once again had spoken without thought, saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"Sorry. I am not very good with people most of the time." She raised her mug once more. Verreth let the fire crackle and pop for a time, silence between her and the man. Her curiousity grew to the point where she was not sure she could keep it in.

"If you wish to settle down so much why not just pick a place, go there and live? If trouble follows surely it has to die down at some point right? I am sure that once you have a little home and a field to work trouble will fall away. Travelers...we are the ones who stir up trouble. We flit in and out of places and disrupt the balances there."

She mimicked him downing her mug and it only took a moment for her to regret the decision. Her cheeks warmed quickly and her head began to feel as if it were full of cotton.

"I am not an orphan but my mother had a wandering soul so I barely knew her. Nymphs have fickle hearts and never like to stay in one place. Perhaps that is why I ended up the way I am. I will never be whole again. Gideon made sure I was a monster."

Verreth sighed and looked in the fire. She leaned heavily on her elbow. "I am Verreth. I had hoped to get a knight's help but if you are telling me they are corrupt and disbanded than I must rethink things hmm?"

Her eyes grew droopy. "Turned me into a griffin you know...drugged me....experimented....what's your name?"

Verreth turned to look at the man, her eyes showing signs of the drink hitting her. Her lids drooped and she looked as if at any moment she might fall asleep in her chair.

"I don't talk to people much. Does it show? You seem like the strong silent type. Hmm, I think you did the right thing hitting that man. You shouldn't have been punished. The good suffer when evil is in power..."

"Not good with people? Heh. Something we have in common then." He stated with a dry hint of sympathy. He pondered on the situation but the woman, or at least Verreth as she was called. Her questions both intrigued yet made him irritable at the same time. He then felt a slight headache but ignored it. "I was punished for my reaction to the event in Hand. I maimed a comrade in arms technically. He too was punished, but I fear on what he is doing now."

He smirks and turns to her. "Before I was a Knight of the Order, I was a farmer's son." He sighed as he stood up walked towards his Sack that contained his armor when he heard the sound of hoofbeats. Some of the bandits had returned, but they seemed to have brought their boss, who looked quite intimidating. "Fudge. Trouble has followed me yet again. Oh Healer, in case I fall making sure those ruffians don't harm this village, I am Damian Grey. Grey means Orphan where I come from."

Damian slowly walked out to confront the Bandits as he sighed. "If you want revenge you should've done it outside the village in broad daylight. It would've saved you further humiliation."

"We are going to kill you and burn the offenders of not giving us our pay to the ground! Where's this Grey Armored individual you spoke of?!" The bandit leader shouted on challenge.

"Right here. I am The Grey Knight of the Hand of Justice for the Knights of the Order. And you have just made a fatal mistake." Damian said with something burning in his heart as he pulled out his sheathed and bound sword. "Don't look like a farmer huh?with all the Order's Initiation rites I probably no longer look like any of the people on this village. But I will protect them then leave. Even if it means breaking my personal vows."

He pulled the Bindings off his blade and drew it. "Let's go."

Verreth smiled sheepishly as he commented that they had not being good with people in common. She didn't quite understand why he was punished but she wasn't a knight and never had a comrade in arms so that sort of thing was beyond her.

She looked over at him as if trying to picture him on a farm. Her head was tilted, hair hanging over her shoulder and her eyes hinting at amusement.

The sound of hooves in the dirt caught her attention. Even slightly inebriated her senses were not so dull that she did not notice. Of course the riders were not trying to hide their approach either. Whoever it was they wanted those in the inn to know they were coming.

A frown pulled at Verreth's eyebrows. She watched as the man stood and removed his armour from his sack. She nodded to his request to protect the village should he fall and to his name. She wasn't entirely sure she was not dreaming.

Verreth stood and followed Damian to the door. She remained in the inn, standing just in the doorway. She watched, suddenly no longer feeling the alcohols effects as Damian walked out to meet the men.

The woman inhaled and held her breath as Damian met the bandit's challenge. Her chest began to sting and she exhaled slowly through her teeth. Damian drew his blade and stood his ground. Verreth waited. She knew she could change, turn into the griffin and help him but he didn't need help, not yet so she waited, biding her time.

The Bandit Leader got off his horse as the other bandits circled around them in the duel that was to come. Damian looked around and looked at each member of this ring of bandits. "Cowards at heart, they may flee if their leader is vanquished." he thought, but he nearly took a blow to his face if he didn't block.

The Bandit Leader had a wicked looking axe, which he swung and tried to strike at his opponent. Damian fought and swung his own blade, trying to get the axe away, only to discover something about the Bandit's axe handle. It was black, black like Onyx. Damian Narrowed his eyes and he knocks his opponent back and swung at the Leader's arm, the blade slicing the limb like a knife to butter. The Bandit fell to his knees before looking up at his opponent only to feel the bite of the blade on his neck.

Damian then picked up the fallen head of the leader and glared at the now frightened bandits. "Run now and NEVER come back." Damian threw the head at the nearest bandit and they fled. The Grey Knight swung his blade around, throwing the blood off it before sheathing it. He walked back into the inn and walked for the fire. He felt disturbed at the Bandit's axe, and it's Onyx handle.

Verreth shivered as the leader slid smoothly off of his horse and the others circled. Damian was outnumbered. The griffin's call rang through her blood. It wanted out. It wanted to feel the men's bodies crushed beneath it's talons.

Her mouth was dry as she saw the leader raise his axe. Her hands clenched tight as she waited. Easy....patience...

Suddenly there was the movement and the men clashed.

A blink of an eye. Verreth would swear it was no more than that. The leader was on his knees and then his body fell lifeless to the ground. The man's head was now in Damian's hand. He raised it aloft and Verreth felt her stomach lurch.

Damian yelled for the rest to leave and after a moment of being stunned they did begin to move. They ran, their leader's head in hand.

Verreth remained in the doorway as Damian turned and approached the inn once more.

"Are you alright?" She managed to get out with an exhale as she stepped out of his way, closing the door behind them.

"Shall I get you something to clean up with? Another drink?"

Verreth felt almost at a loss.

Damian took a long deep breath as he takes off the gauntlets he took from the sack to aid him temporarily in the fight and stuffed them back in the sack with the rest of his grey armor. He looked at the sack almost pitifully as he held his head for a moment to bear through the flood of memories within the contents of the sack as he ties the ropes into a knot. His face turned to desperation at the tying of the sack.

----

The Funeral was long, and bitter sweet being Exiled Damian was not allowed to directly attend and pay respects to one of the only friends, nay. His only friend after what Dareon did to his own sibling which started this whole mess. Covered in the armor the deceased wore in life the Gold Knight was put to rest with the other knights fallen in battle.

Damian longed to hear his friend again. He wanted to join the procession but could only watch under the cloak he now wore. All he could do was nod at the body, and then continue on his way out of the city and country he once called home, now a Transient being.

----

Damian snapped from his flashback when being asked if he was alright and needed anything. "Just, something cold to drink" he said and walked to a chair by the fire and looked into it, hands shaking as he stared at the now unbound blade. Now he feared that some of the more sensitive members of the order, those in tune with magic, would sense the blade and resume is search for him. But he feared Dareon would sense it too, and prepare his revenge for his maiming.

He sighed trying to get the fear he now felt out of his mind. Tomorrow he'd have to continue on his way.

Verreth watched him in silence as Damian put things back in the sack and his fingers worked almost mechanically to close it. Something was on his mind and he returned to the inn as if the weight of the world was on his shoulder all of a sudden.

His voice startled her even though she had asked the question. "Cold. Okay."

Verreth moved off to the kitchen and found a pitcher of water. She lifted it and it was then that she realized how much her hands were shaking. Very slowly she poured Damian a glass of water.

She crept back into the room and to the side of his chair very quietly. He was staring a the fire.

"Here you are."

Her voice was soft as she bent to hand him the full glass.

"I don't think you have to worry about anymore trouble here now..."

Damian stared at the fire for several minutes longer before being offered water. He took the glass and drank the whole cup in less then a minute. He silently pondered about his current situation. "Well, yes, for now at least. Tomorrow is another story as I continue to go about my business trying to find a place to sleep the next night. But now some new challenges may come to this weary traveller." He mused as he knew using his sword did mean in a sense, lighting up a torch in a dark cave.

He got up and stretched his legs, then walked to his sack and picked it up. "Ah well, I'll have to see." He stated as he walked to his room for the night.

----

At Dawn Damian walked out of the Inn, heading out towards the more southern road of the village to at least resume his travels. He thought about visiting a port town, or something along those lines, to see if he could try to catch some fish as travel food.

Verreth watched as Damian drank all the water. She was confused as to his statement about tomorrow. If he had dealt with the bandits what other problem could there be?

He said he was moving on the next day and though she wanted to ask him for help she dared not ask just then.

As he left she lingered a little longer in front of the fire. He might be one of the only people capable of punishing Gideon. Worst he can say is no. Verreth resolved to ask him in the morning.

When she awoke Verreth washed her face, packed her small sack and move down to the main room. The round woman greeted her and told her that her new friend had already left.

Cursing under her breath Verreth thanked the woman and after she point a portly finger in the direction he went Verreth ran off down the road in hopes of catching Damian.

She ran for a while, eventually slowing as she tired. Frustrated and annoyed Verreth decided she might never catch him on foot and opted to change her plan. She stepped off the road, into the brush and removed her dress. She had learned the first few times she had changed that clothes did not change with her. It had led to a few unfortunate incidents.

Verreth tucked her dress into her bag. Closing her eyes she let her body change and in only a few short time a griffin, brown feathered and large stood where the woman had once been. The creature snapped the sack up in its beak and with a rush of wind took off into the air.

Now in the air her speed was much greater. The griffin soared over the road watching for the man. It did not take long for its keen eyes to spot him. It let out a cry of triumph and then soared even closer.

The griffin came in low to the road, just to Damian's left. It zipped by, the gust from its wings ruffling Damian's clothes. The brown feathered creature with the blue eyes landed in the road just ahead of the knight. It regarded him for a moment before walking off into the brush.

The transformation took little time and once dressed Verreth stepped out into the road once more.

"Much faster. I was fearing I would never catch up but where by foot is slow, by wing is not." She smiled at Damian.

Damian nearly fell backwards from seeing the Griffin. Several moments later Verreth stepped out of the brush where Damian saw the Creature slide into. "I see." He muttered. Sighing he picked up his sack and put it over his shoulder. "You're welcome to follow me if you wish. I'm just simply journeying through this kingdom trying to keep money in my pocket and food in my belly. Last night however is probably gonna cause some former members of my Order to seek me out, be it good or Ill."

He walked as he talked. "I'm heading towards a port town, gonna see if there are any job opportunities for me there." Damian gave Verreth a gesture to follow. "Come on."

Verreth followed at his gesture but she frowned.

"Why would they seek you out for protecting people? They came looking for you last night, not the other way around."

She ran a little to keep up with him.

"Look if you are looking for a job...I need help. The man who...well you saw...that is what he did to me without telling me. He drugged me and experimented on me. He made me change. He used me. I can't find him on my own and even if I did I couldn't stop him. I can help you with whatever trouble you might get into with the other knights. I admit I am a bit confused since you said they were no more but I will help you. When I am like that I am quite strong and we can move faster if you ride on my back. See I really could be of help to you and in return you could help me find Gideon and you could...well punish him for doing what he did to me."

Verreth sighed. "And please don't lecture me about how it won't change anything. I know. I am what he made me and I have come to terms with that but that doesn't mean he should get to walk free or worse do it to someone else."

Damian gives a small smile at her question. "Last night isn't an issue. What I mean is, they will know I'm in this kingdom and some of them will come for different reasons." He stated with a sigh. "There are those who'd want my help to get some of the others to regroup and reform the Order. Then there are those who probably just don't like me and wish to spar."

He pondered about the last part. "Then there's The Onyx Knight, Dareon. Or should I say Turncoat. He's not a friendly person and will most likely be a problem if I ever saw him again."

Damian then let her explain the job she had in mind for him and actually felt a little bit sick. "The other knights won't be that big a deal, though I appreciate the idea of better travel arrangements when my legs are tired. I guess I have a use for a healer too. As for this Gideon, I cannot guarantee that we will find him. But if we do, I promise I shall see to it he is locked away where he will never be able to use his magic, or harm any other people again. I know how it can feel to go through, changes."

He calmly ran his fingers through his hair as he said the last part. He didn't want to imply anything about the initiation rites, as it in a sense helped him in the long run. "And as for what you said, about the knights seeking me out to protect the farmers? Simply put, they will know it's me but know not where I'm going. Because in the end, former knight or no, I will always remember the warm sweet sun, the golden fields of wheat that danced in the wind."

He turned and gave a smile. "In the end, I'm a warrior with a Farmer's heart."

"Regroup?" Verreth was once again puzzled but she reasoned that like before it was simply because she had never had to deal with an organization such as the knights.

"Spar?" She frowned. "So some like you and some don't? Onyx knight? I feel as if I am missing a large part of the story."

Verreth stopped and reached out to stop Damian mid-stride. "How about this, you tell me everything while I fly us off to the next town?"

She tried to smile but she was a bit lost, only getting bits and pieces of the man's past. It was understandable since they had only just met the previous day. "I would like to know more and I do appreciate that you will help me should we find Gideon."

Verreth nodded. "So is it a deal? I fly and you talk?" She scuffed at the dirt road with her foot.

Damian slightly frowned. He sighed. "Very well then. I will start at the beginning as we go." Damian said as he felt unsure how to talk to her about the story of his life. "But don't expect it to be all there. There are some things which must remain unsaid."

---

After waiting for her to change and then waited for the initial uneasiness to pass from the flight upwards. He felt unsure if he should talk but he had slightly no choice.

"I was born a farmer's son and lived there contentedly for about, ten years. Then Bandits came and the usual thing had happened. I was the only survivor in the raid and lived like a Vagabond for two years before finally reaching the city. I registered myself a resident of the Capital. They swapped my old Surname to Grey, which is The general name for Orphans. A few months after that, The Order was getting new recruits so I signed up. I shall not mention the details of their initiations, for under oath, I am sworn to secrecy. Shortly after that I met the only friends in the World. Together we formed the Order's Greatest Warriors, the Hand of Justice. Dareon the Onyx Knight, whose armor was Onyx Black. The Gold Knight, The Leader of the Group and Dareon's Twin, and then Me. The Grey Knight."

"We went on many adventures, we fought together, trained together, Grew together." He continued. "Then, One day, Dareon slowly became corrupted by his own desires, and became more violent with each passing day. One day the Gold Knight was confronting him about it and he lashed out and they fought. It was to the death. I watched Dareon kill his twin sibling. Angered I lashed out, I couldn't control my anger, in the scuffle I maimed him. For the infighting we were both promptly exiled. But we Branded Dareon now as The Turncoat Knight, for betraying the order. I was exiled because I was deemed now dangerous." Damian took a deep breath before continuing.

"The Order itself disbanded after a Funeral, unwillingly. Which is why so,e are seeking to try and reform. Some became mercenaries and bandits. As for Dareon, who knows what dark Plots he now plots, and the grudge held against me for his maiming. I myself, became a traveling being, never again to draw my sword....until last night." Damian looked at the Griffin.

"Does that answer your questions?"