Benedict Trish's Story

Amir sauntered past the sisters and into the structure. He had been to the House of Wonders on multiple occasions, Hassan had been able to guide him to the obscure place multiple times when they needed information that not even his best informants had on the goings-on of Tempress Cape. Generally though, the information sought from the twins was monster related. It still amazed him, however; how big the inside of the House of Wonders actually was. He was sure that the twins had done some sort of strange monster space distortion thing, but that didn’t stop the awe.

In the opening foyer, the floor was made of white and black marble that stretched as far back as three times the size of the outside, and the ceiling stretched up so high he could barely make out where it ended. In the back a grand staircase stood proudly, leading up to a cut out second floor and served as a balcony to peer down upon the first floor. The walls of the second floor were entirely bookcases, packed tightly without room for even a single more novella. Amir walked forward, pulling the white cloth he had been using to shield his face as he observed the newly decorated first floor. The golden bracelets clanked softly as he moved forward. A grand oak table sat in the very middle of the floor, masked servants rushed around, busily setting order to things that Amir hadn’t realized had been out of place in the first place.

The table had seven chairs stationed around it, each carved to represent one of the riders and then a throne for the twins as well. The Gemini throne was large enough to fit two people, though he was sure that was on purpose, and it looked as through two separate chairs had been artfully fused together. Existing in harmony despite being two separate entities. Amir scanned the other thrones until he spotted the wooden carving that had to have been for the phoenix rider. The wood had been shaped to mimic rising flames, yet they weren’t harsh or violet, and they billowed up the wooden surface warmly. The throne’s flames morphed into the plumage that was distinctly familiar and a wooden phoenix lay atop the throne looking down softly at the empty space where someone would sit. The sight filled him with something distinctly nostalgic, but before he could think on it he was pulled away from his thoughts.

"Are the others here yet? Or are we the first?" Amir looked to his right to see a silver haired girl walking past him. Alasahe was the only one of the riders that Amir had met prior to this meeting and he could feel the distasteful frown press his lips down as she spoke. She was much too honest for him, and even when they had worked together they hadn’t been able to get along.

“Oh great.. Melgrove,” He started sarcastically, and his tone vocalized an eye roll as he spoke. “Glad to see you’re still as pleasant as ever.” He purposely ignored her question, not seeing a reason to give her any information freely no matter how insignificant. Hassan clucked at him, tugging at the earring that was dangling from his earlobe and he pushed lightly at his beast. The phoenix was a big believer in things like manners, and while Amir agrees politeness was the best way to lower someone’s guard he couldn’t stand people like Alasahe, who valued honesty over anything else. He briefly pondered that idea of attacking, but that damn beast of hers was nothing to bat and eye at. He may have been a skilled fighter, but he doubted he could take on an ancient dragon. Amir hadn’t realized he had been gripping the hilt of his dagger until his grip on the instrument lessened.

"Hello." Amir turned to see another rider had arrived already. The rider was quite good looking, and if the presence of a partner was any further a clue he’d have to guess the man was the siren rider. He had spoken to the twins before about the different riders, and they had informed him the siren rider was nearly always beautiful. He cast a smirk at Alasahe before making his way over to the new rider, his jewelry clanked softly with his movement, and Amir reached out to the man, offering his hand.

“Hi, my name’s Amir Taheri, I’m the Phoenix Rider. You’ve got to be the Siren Rider, right? What’s your name?” Before he could get an answer another rider arrived. His presence was large and dominating, it cause Amir to look over his shoulder as the man entered the house, donned head to toe in armor. As Amir watched him he could tell the man was leader, his commanding presence left no room to argue and he hadn’t even said anything. It was quite impressive.

---

"Sir Trish I am afraid I can take you no further."

Benedict recalled the words of his handler very clearly as he'd been walking for what felt like miles. He hadn't heard much about the Gemini Twins nor their location but he had heard tales from the handlers of past riders who said very simply that the House of Wonders only allowed the worthy. It didn't worry him as Ben himself was a rider (young, but a rider still), but tickled his curiosity as to what was so exclusive that they need be in the desert.

"There is no one here," a raspy voice hissed from beneath the boy's feet.

"Maybe nobody wants to come out this far," Ben shrugged as he adjusted his hat.

The three headed beast shook its center head before the rest voiced their disapproval.

"I smell blood!"

"There's a killer!"

"We should catch!"

"We should kill!"

"Kill!"

"We don't have time for that," Benedict sighed, wiping sweat off of his forehead, "I'm almost out of water."

"Why do you need water?

"We drank three hours ago."

"Just kill the next traveler and steal their water."

Despite the wide brim and his threadbare clothing, he was a mountain boy at heart and thus, not used to the sweltering desert or blinding sun. He wanted to go home or back to the milder side of Gnaji. Well except for the part where he didn't because he really did want to see the House of Wonders. Orpheus did too. The two were united in their determination to find the unknown and in Benedict's case, learn from it. He liked to think that these treks were worth taking on so long as the destination provided something he hadn't known before. Granted, some of his reactions have been less than good (i.e. taking a page from Orpheus's book and smashing a priceless vase after the owner refused to sell it) but no one needed to know about that. No one would believe him.

"So are we going to kill them?"

Benedict glanced upward and saw a griffin flying overhead before sighing. He could feel the restlessness, the urge to run ahead of their rider but also the sense of duty that tethered Orpheus to him. The Cerberus was, unfortunately, still quite young (reflecting Benedict's own age) so it was not yet big or strong enough to carry him for great distances without needing breaks. Well that wasn't true. They could theoretically carry him but they would merely be too distracted. Half the time they preferred running in Ben's shadow to being out in the sun.

Still they somehow managed to finish their long walk to the House of Wonders where the twins greeted him.

"Greetings to you, young Ulysses. You are the fifth to arrive."
"Greetings to you, young Ulysses. You are the fifth to arrive."

Orpheus circled around the twins, sniffing them thoroughly (one of the heads nearly peeking under Meg's dress) before Benedict started walking inside.

"Or-phe-us come on!" he called, gesturing for them to follow.

The two (technically four) met the other four duos, each of varying appearance but likely all the same age.

Typical that they'd all be adults.

---

Dae's eyes scanned the strange house he found himself in. He had never been here before so its wonders were new. Actually, he had been here many times over in past lives but not the current life time. The carving of the house was truly exquisite. The people of Sui Generis were craftsman and he himself loved carving wood when he wasn't painting or fulfilling his duties as the guardian of Sui Generis and its trade routes, so he could truly understand and appreciate the structure and architecture that went into this home. He found himself extending a hand to caress some of the knobs and delicate lines of the railing, people and creatures forgotten for the moment. He was always one to take note of the smallest detail and ignore the social interactions around him. He took less stock in those. What was a little conversation compared to art that would last beyond millennial and forever gather millions of perceptions?

Dae walked over to his seat then and traced the beautiful and intriguing wood work that shaped the almost lifelike looking shells of varying sizes and species. He had the suspicion that this was his work. The lines felt familiar to him as if he had been the one to slave away the many hours it took to make this chair. His first life must have been the one to carve the piece.

He was brought out of his revere when he noticed he was being approached. He turned his gaze upward and saw Amir, the Phoenix-Rider coming towards him. He straightened himself and offered a small polite smile as Aquarian leaned over to wrap his arms around Dae's neck and draped himself like a charm on his rider. The siren watched Amir with interest and tilted his head to the side as he took in his features. And this is why Dae and Aquarian worked well as a team regardless of their point of views. While Dae took in the scenery and details, Aquarian observed the people and interactions so they made up for the others downfall. Their mental connection allows the observations to pass freely between them.

Before he could speak, the door opened again and both he and Aquarian looked to the door to see the man that entered. His presence was intriguing. He was imposing with his armor but Dae could tell that even without it he would be intimidating. He walked with the grace of a prowling animal and as tall as the oldest fir. This was a man proud in his heritage and it was easy to tell he was the Griffin-Rider. How interesting that they all had such different personalities and yet worked well throughout the generations. He pulled his gaze away from the newcomer to look back at Amir.

"Dae," he answered and extended his hand to shake Amir's hand firmly. "And yes, I am the Siren-Rider. Nice to meet you."

"And I am Aquarian," the siren answered though the rider hadn't spoken to him.

Then another rider appeared; smaller than the rest. He was a child compared to the rest of them if the three-headed dog behind him was any indication. Dae couldn't help but grin. Cerberus looked adorable as a puppy! Even the rider was adorable. It did cause him to worry though. He was yet a child. He would need to be protected while they were on this mission. He knew better than to underestimate the young rider however. He was sure the rider was capable of keeping up with them in a fight. It was just something in Dae that always made him partial to bring those younger under his wing, so to speak. He would wait to approach. As always, he was the cautious one. He always liked to wait to get a feel of those around him before he intervened. He had already learned much from Amir and Alasahe. They must have met each other before this gathering and it was obvious they did not like each other. It would be wise to stay out of their squabble and not take sides. Both were formidable warriors and too hot headed. Any slight would set them off it seemed.

To say Trytheus was stoic was an understatement, his face betrayed no emotion as he cast a long look across the room. A small part of him was pleased that his entrance could cause all the others to turn and look at his presence. His eyes were drawn to the dragon that clung to the wall.

"Such a pitiful creature." He mused to himself. "Relying on fear and fire to be respected among beasts, it is no true king of beasts, no matter how it would dream it." As if on cue, Mavegen crossed the threshold to stand alongside him, the griffon was taller even than him, by a good many hands indeed, and without the added weight of the saddle pressing down on her back she could now stand tall and proud, though he was always impressed at how easily the griffon could remove her saddle when she wished.

Something seemed wrong though, her head was tilted at an angle and her eyes kept darting to... Oh but of course, the Siren-Rider, the ruler of the lands directly to the north of Amstra, he began to step deeper inside as he cast a glare towards his neighbor, brief but still present. He did not trust the Siren-Rider, if nothing else he mistrusted the vast difference between them, the griffon was honour, bravery and justice, the siren however, that monster was one of treachery and falsehood. Naturally the Phoenix-Rider was associating himself with the Siren-Rider, it seemed to be the reoccurring trait that people quickly found themselves desiring the Siren-Rider. Trytheus scoffed at the idea of lust and such temporary loyalty that it brings, nations are forged on the bonds of battle and hardship, tragedies are forged on the notions of love and companionship. Indeed he scoffed at even calling the pair true riders, they seemed more companion to their beasts than rider. He turned back to catch Mavegen looking at him, she simply gave a shake of her mane, she did not disapprove of his opinion it seemed, but was simply indifferent about the two themselves.

He halted behind the throne that was designated for him, it was a tall sweeping affair, with feathers carved from the wood that splayed out from the back of the throne itself, the arm rests ended in gilded talons but as for that it was carved with patterns that what must be what the currents of wind appeared to the eyes of the griffon. He would not take to his throne before the Gemini twins took theirs, as a mark of respect.

The arrival of another newcomer made his head slowly turn, it was a boy. Apparently some ill fate had befallen the Cerberus-Rider of late, as their latest incarnation hardly seemed large enough to hold a sword, let alone control that unruly three headed monster. He heard a snort behind him from Mavegen, it seemed the griffon disliked the unpredictable and unruly nature of the cerberus, and he couldn't help but agree on that.

Amir watched the griffon rider observe all of them. Even without words it was easy to tell the man was judging all of them, a distinct look of, I-am-better-than-all-these-people sat smugly on his features. A look Amir often saw on the faces of crime lords when they thought they had subdued the Great Phoenix Rider, and Amir actually liked that. He had been told the Amstra King was all about those noble traits such as honor and loyalty, but it was nice to see him looking down on others. They all were riders after all, they were better than the rest.

"Dae, and yes, I am the Siren-Rider. Nice to meet you." Amir gave him a warm smile and ever slightly he could hear Hassan’s exasperated sigh from where he sat on Amir’s shoulder. Disappointing Hassan with his actions had become a regular, somewhat enjoyable, occurrence ever since Amir had hit puberty. He liked to think that despite Hassan’s growing disappointment in him, if he ever got into something seriously bad his red-feathered beast would stop him. He was about to continue when Dae’s siren spoke first. It caught him a bit off guard, as Hassan only vocalized bird relevant sounds, all words the phoenix spoke were only inside Amir’s head. "And I am Aquarian."

“Dae and Aquarian,” He started, letting the names roll off his tongue. They were quite the pair, considering the siren wasn’t too hard on the eyes either. He smiled at the beast and then gestured to his own. The bird straightened, his fiery plumage puffing outwards and brightening to show itself off. Hassan, like his rider, enjoyed showing off, albeit subtly. “This shit head here is Hassan, owe my life to this bird on multiple different counts.” Shit head in this case meant nothing but affection, though the bird still nipped his earring. Amir laughed, pushing at his beast and it clucked back at him as if to scold the man. “Sorry about him, it’s really easy to get him all fired up.”

Hassan was going to bite him again for the horribly placed pun, but the entrance of the young Cerberus rider stopped both of them. He was young, really young, and so was his Cerberus, though that just meant it was less threatening for the time being. The kid was the Cerberus rider, probably the one that struggled the most with controlling their beast, Amir doubted that the kid was anything less than capable. May and Meg trailed in after the boy, they shot both their glances towards Amir and Dae, a call to get to their places among the table as they slid into their respective throne. “Amir, please, try to control your mouth.”

Amir motioned for Dae and Aquarian to follow, it was time to get to business. “Relax bird-brain, when am I ever not on my best behavior? He waved off his bird, who fluttered to the perch at the top of his throne and slide into the wooden chair with ease. The wood was hard, but the throne was carved as if it was made to fit his body, which it actually probably was some thousand years ago. Amir scanned the other riders, surprised to see the twins had started the meeting despite missing one the unicorn rider. He was pretty sure the current reincarnation was a female, but to start without her was surely unusual.

“We have called you here today, five riders-”
“-to discuss a matter of utmost urgency The twins began, speaking in broken sentences as they always have.

“The unicorn is dead!”
“But its rider lives on!” The two threw their hands into the air in sync, their words suddenly going faster, overlapping. “Bandits killed the unicorn and stole the rider-”

“-leaving the unicorn to rot in Languinre. But, my dear riders,”
“A dead unicorn is far more dangerous than a living one.” Amir felt his blood run cold. Unicorns were peaceful monsters with a strong magical resonance, if a unicorn died naturally its body became one with the earth and nourished it further. But if it were killed, all the land would-

“-rot and die. That is correct my dear Sahira, that unicorn carcass is toxic to any and all living things.”
“If left too long that rotten meat will reanimate as a Kelpie-”
“-quite the fearsome beast.” Amir tensed under the word kelpie, they were fearsome beasts that made there homes in water, poisoning anything that came too close. Such a creature would wreck havoc across Mundus alter. “There are few ways to kill the kelpie, but-”

“-alas, this beast has yet to turn. Burn its body-”
“-with a fire made with faery wood to stop the change.” Amir sighed, he had seen a kelpie before, at the cape, it had completely destroyed over a third of all the activity just by passing through, they were incredibly dangerous monsters. “But this is not the end of our tale.”

“A new unicorn has not appeared. The unicorn rider is-”
“still alive. Some of you must go-”

“And kill her.”
“And kill her. For a rider without their beast-”

“Is worthless.”

---

Before Benedict could do himself the pleasure of introducing himself it seemed that Orpheus already had the job covered.

"Bark! Bark! This table is made of bark!"

"It's the bird-horse we saw earlier!"

"Kill bird-horse!"

"No! Kill the other bird. It's burning."

The Cerberus ran around the room, surveying the different riders as they announced their names. It was the first time in a long time that the pup had been around so many new monsters (typically being in more human-dense areas). They felt the urge to jump and swipe at the great phoenix known as Hassan, but the fire also felt rather intimidating given their...past experiences (i.e. needing to be bandaged after running through a campfire to catch a racoon. Nonetheless, they were ready to unleash a torrent of barking before feeling a mental pang of pain.

"This is not the time."

Orpheus's demeanor changed, stopping to skitter back to their rider as introductions continued. He recognized Amir and Alashe as royalty for their respective kingdoms, but the siren and griffin riders were lost on him as he'd come in later than everyone else. Nonetheless he could ask their names at a later time. He needed to get to his seat, which stood out against their grandiose counterparts.

As the legend went, each throne was carved out in the image of the rider and their monster (such as the flames for the phoenix or seashells for the siren), but Cerberus was the exception. Ulysses being a simple man merely wanted cushions for his back and seat as well as holder for his walking stick. Who was once the oldest among all the riders was now the youngest and the irony was not lost on him...even if Orpheus didn't care so much. The identity of the chair lied in the ebony, shiny in some places, but dulled where it counted. Scratches covered the legs and back where teeth might have once been and at the top, three separate sets of eyes carved and painted red.

After Benedict sat he slid his walking stick into the holder provided by the chair and patted to signal Orpheus to sit upon his lap. The dog obliged and quietly, they all listened to the Gemini Twins describe the mission ahead of them. Though the unicorn died its rider was still alive and both needed to be disposed of.

"Kill?"

"Yes let's go! I want to kill them."

"Can we kill the human first?"

Benny raised an eyebrow. While he could feel the dog's blood lust in the back of his mind the thought of traveling to Languine interested him more. He'd never been there before and it wasn't as though he had easy access to the memories of his predecessors. It was all too interesting to pass up.

"We're willing to go."

---

Dae couldn't help the quirk of his lips at Amir's interaction with Hassan. It reminded him of his own conversations with Aquarian. it was easy to see that the name calling was just teasing and subtle affection. Amir seemed to speak whatever thought came to mind. That was a good thing in Dae's book. That meant he was less to lie an cheat. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn't used to the man's choice of words, but it was refreshing. His people didn't often swear around him in conversation considering his status. He almost felt normal around these riders. What an odd thought.

Dae glanced to the side when he felt eyes on him and saw the Griffin-Rider glaring at him with such disdain. He arched an eyebrow at the judgmental gaze. He knew that in the past they weren't too friendly with each other, but their borders were still united. Dae ensured that both their trade routes remained safe and he had never raised a hand to his neighbor. Why should he look at him with such anger and distrust? It seemed that some riders didn't like to let the past go. The rider didn't even know what he was like in this life time. He shook his head before taking his seat as instructed and waited for the twins to begin their meeting. He did find it strange that they were starting before the Unicorn-Rider arrived. Aquarian himself leaned against the chair and crossed his arms as he waited.

The rider's eyes widened as the twin's spoke and leaned back in his chair contemplating the courses of action before them. He hugged himself and tapped his index finger on his lips. They had to kill the unicorn and its rider? It seemed like such a waste. The rider needed aid from her brothers and sister riders. It was not her fault misfortune fell upon her. It did strike home the fact that though their lives were all bonded together, not a single one of them owed the other a thing. Their only worth was the bond they had to their creatures and without it... the rider was useless. It really was a shame. He wanted to go and help the rider but he knew there was nothing they could do about the fact that she had lost her worth. How unfortunate. In the end, killing the rider was probably a mercy anyway.

So, he would either go after the unicorn before it turned Kelpie or go after the rider and the bandits. He looked over at Aquarian who eyed him, silent as Dae worked through his thoughts. Where would their strengths be the most useful? No matter how he thought about it, going after the Kelpie was the best option for them.

Is this your heart talking or your rationality? Aquarian asked mentally and toyed with one of the few blue strands in his own hair, testing his rider's resolve.

My rationality. I wish to spare the rider, but that is not a choice for us right now. You and I both know that if that unicorn changes, we are the best chance at going after it in the water. We can't let it escape and poison the water and surface somewhere else where it will kill unchecked until we get to it again.

Dae cleared his throat and turned his attention to the twins who were eyeing him. He had no doubt that they to would have known what he was thinking. "I can only assume we are going to be splitting up to deal with these two tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible. I would like to be on the team to go after the Kelpie. If we fail to burn the body in time and it shifts, it will escape towards the ocean. Aquarian and I are the only ones here that can breathe underwater and go after it. Aquarian's speed will be our asset beneath the waves to steer it back towards the rest of the group for the finishing blow," he announced. "We would also be able to set up a trap in the water to slow it down. We need to make sure it doesn't escape by that route."

With the Gemini twins now arrived, and seated, he himself could sit. It felt strange how much sitting down he was being made to do of late, Amstra was at a point where it required the deft touch of diplomacy rather than riding into battle, the majority of the bands of bandits had been crushed the last few years, all that remained were the organised crime syndicates and the nobles smuggling rings, though no doubt by the time he had returned the bandits would have begun to rise again. Mavegen sat next to his throne, their eyes now at an equal level, to the observer it would appear the two were all but carbon copies of each other, they both sat upright, their eyes unwavering and proud, it had always been this way with the griffon and the rider.

Though he was not expecting the news, he kept his expression blank, better that than let the others know his mind. To kidnap a rider and slay its beast? Such things happened barely once every quarter millennium if the ancient carvings his past lives had left behind were to be believed, he wondered how such a thing could happen, either the Unicorn-Rider was especially weak, or else something dark was at work here for simple brigands to manage such a task.

He kept quiet until the others had talked, as was his custom, and all others turned their attention to him, as he was the last to contribute to the meeting. Though he did not revel in the task, he understood the necessity of it, they were bound to their beasts, as their beasts were to them, they were the symbol of their immortal power and their right to rule.

"I take no pleasure in saying that this task is of great importance." He declared in a rich baritone. "But destroying the body of the unicorn is not my place, should we arrive too late then I am ill suited to combating a creature who is most at home in the water, my domain is of open skies and wide plains, not vast waterways, which is why the Siren-Rider should be the leader of undertaking that task." He lent forwards in his throne, to ensure he had their full attention, he only wished he also knew their names, it helps get people on board if one addressees them by name rather than title. "Additionally I believe the range advantage of a flying dragon, would be of great use in this task, as dealing with organised banditry is often a business that requires some discretion, it is also no place for a child, the task of destroying the unicorn or the beast that it forms, should fall to the siren, dragon and cerberus. I am far more accustomed to dealing with human bandits than I am with roaming beasts, so I propose that I go to slay the Unicorn-Rider and eliminate these bandits. Though to go alone would be fool hardy and could result in an ever greater issue for the others, so I propose that the Phoenix-Rider accompany me, I hear tell that he too deals with bandits and piracy in his own lands and such is well suited for the task." Trytheus was a natural born warrior, and over the years he had become an adept tactician, as was required for him, he expected some disagreement- it was only natural, yet as far as he could see it was the best course of action that relied on all the strengths of the riders present, then again his lack of knowledge on the parts of the others could mean he was overlooking a useful trait or another, something which could prove disastrous, but it was a necessary risk

Amir let himself lean into his throne, his head tilting up to look at Hassan who was peering down at him with soft eyes. The bird at settled comfortably atop the wooden phoenix and was taking in all the other riders as they discussed, no doubt working through its own knowledge and experience with kelpies. He didn't care for whatever Alasahe had to say, but he did give credit to the small cerberus rider for having the courage to volunteer for the mission. He smiled as Hassan clucked quietly at him and he reached up to tap the bird’s beak , it responded with a shake of the head and scolded him. “You should be paying attention to your meeting Amir, this is a very serious matter.”

Amir rolled his eyes at the bird, it was always a serious matter, though he did have a point. Even if Amir had never met the Unicorn rider they still were all bonded as riders. It wouldn’t be like slaying a crime lord, it would be like murdering a sister. He shifted his weight uncomfortably as the other riders began giving their two cents on the situation. Amir didn’t really care for where he ended up on the outside, but he secretly hoped that he wouldn’t be going after the kelpie. Fire and water did not go well together, he would be placed at a large disadvantage.

Amir raised an eyebrow as the griffin rider began speaking his part the boy almost got up and left. He had heard the griffin rider liked to… take command, but this was ridiculous. His speech left no room for argument; it was annoying that he thought he knew what was best. But it was even more that it was a solid plan because he didn’t want the man to be right. Meg and May listened to the griffin rider speak as well, the old twins looked on amused with what looked like a sparkle of recognition in their eyes, clearly the griffin rider was living up to his bloodline.

“Your skills as a tactician are still sharp Griffin-Rider.”
“The unicorn rider has been located in Tempress Cape, a place our Lady Sahira is very familiar with.” They gestured towards Amir and he sighed in annoyance. The twins called everyone by their beast except him, and he was pretty sure they were doing it on purpose now. He supposed he was going to have to take it, he and the twins knew Amir was no match for them. So he turned his attention to his partner, the griffin rider.

“So me and Tall, Dark and Armor are headed for the promise land aye? Sounds good to me. Let’s get a move on.” As he pushed himself out of the throne he saluted everyone at the table making sure to send a wink towards Dae before looking at Alasahe and the young Cerberus rider. “See ya on the flip side.”

He was going to end the sentence with an elegant ‘motherfucker’, but decided against it with the kid present. He figured the griffin rider would follow him out, he didn’t seem like the type to waste time. Hassan flew after him, it tail feathers alight with warm looking flames that licked against the air. As he was exiting the room he heard the tail end of the twin’s speech.

“Languinre is full of monsters attracted by the unicorn’s good magic, they are mostly harmless, and finding faery wood should not be a huge issue.”
“Near the body of the dead unicorn everything will be dead, and there is be darker presences, there will be no faery wood near the body so you will have to collect it along the way.”

Amir left the room, looking up at the sun and pulled the white scarf back over his head. “What d’ya think Hassan, about a day walk to the palace? Get some intel on Tempress and then set out to kill a rider?”

Hassan chirped at him, stretching its wings before answering. “I am not sure the griffin rider would be keen on walking through the desert for an entire day.”

Amir snorted, “I’m sure the Ever Noble and Great Griffin Rider will have no trouble with a little walk in some sand.”

"Your skills as a tactician are still sharp Griffin-Rider."
"The unicorn rider has been located in Tempress Cape, a place our Lady Sahira is very familiar with."
Trytheus bowed his head at the praise, accepting it, yet not attempting to force the issue. He disliked the idea that others viewed him as a vainglorious and in love with his own image, as some of the Forge Knights were of late, it was an often occurring issue that would rear its ugly head, often times one or another Forge Knight would believe himself greater than the established order or believe the Order itself was above all others and would try to press their claim heavily, often with force being the only resolution.

He looked across at the phoenix rider as he departed the meeting without being dismissed, he couldn't quiet decide if the brash personality or the ever glaring heat of the sun was going to cause the larger headache.
"Ladies Gemini, by your leave I depart to undertake this most necessary of tasks." He gave a short bow to the twins, with Mavegen giving an upwards jolt of her head in acknowledgement as the two turned together to leave, he swiftly donned his helm once more, leaving on his face exposed, unlike his new companion he did not give a passing remark to the others, or wish them fair well- simply because he did not think they needed it, their task was a simple one and of no great danger if they acted with haste.

He picked up Mavegens saddle from where it lay just beyond the door and knelt down before the griffon, it was a mark of respect from man to beast, asking rather than assuming that the saddle be placed and he be permitted to ride once more. Mavegen was a slight tilt of the head and raising her left foreclaw, a gesture he recognised as a smile and acceptance, he gave a short nod in reply. The saddle was a simple thing, hard boiled leather that served only for something to hold him on during aerial maneuvers, as well as a place to hold his warhammer, a weapon he crafted himself as was tradition. The last piece of the saddle to be fitted was the bridle, which unlike with a horse was placed around Mavegens powerful neck, he did not direct Mavegen in flight, instead the reins were for him to hold onto, lest he fall off to his early reincarnation before his time. With his riding gear reattached his gave a gentle pat on Mavegens shoulder, as a kind thank you for her patience in the task and swiftly mounted, before being carried down to where the phoenix rider stood.

"I’m sure the Ever Noble and Great Griffin Rider will have no trouble with a little walk in some sand."
It would be the personality then.
"Indeed I would not, 'Sahria', but the deserts are not a place for a man in plate and Mavegen shall carry none but I. Enjoy the sands of your homeland as I enjoy its sky, I shall return if we see something of note or the sun reaches four fingers hence from the horizon. Don't get lost." Without waiting for a chance to retort, Mavegen took first one then another bound before bursting upwards into the air, her wings splayed out as she pushed herself upwards, resulting in Trytheus' cloak to billow out behind him, and for a great blast of sand to be kicked up into the air.

---

Benedict nodded along to everyone's discussion, choosing to remain silent while he soaked in the information. They all knew more about this strategy stuff and while it was interesting his mind wandered more toward the lush greenery, the animals, and of course the unicorn's carcass. Meg and May, being the old and wise beings they were made him curious about the actual amount of harm that a rotting unicorn could do. It couldn't be that bad right? And if it wasn't could he touch it? Sketching would be a for sure thing (he liked drawing), but imagine if he could grab the unicorn horn or a hair or something.

"Additionally I believe the range advantage of a flying dragon, would be of great use in this task, as dealing with organised banditry is often a business that requires some discretion, it is also no place for a child, the task of destroying the unicorn or the beast that it forms, should fall to the siren, dragon and cerberus."

"Child?"

"He thinks we can't kill rider?"

"Kill him."

"Kill the bird-horse too."

Orpheus stiffened as the three pairs of eyes glared at the griffin-rider with a hint of aggression. Tiny as they were, the three would have none of those insults. It was bad enough that they'd yet to outgrow any of the other beasts, but to be told they would not be able to fight some weak humans was awful.

Calm down, we are not here to argue. We're a team here, Ben thought, petting their body.

As much as he wanted to have more input on the conversation (in part due to Orpheus's desires) he sat patiently in order to listen to the rest of Amir's input. It seemed the two assigned rider killers would have to walk around in the desert which suited the Cerberus rider just fine. He was tired of the sand anyway.

"This is fine by me," he shrugged, "however we will need an alternative form of travel since I cannot ride my beast like the rest of you."

Alasahe pressed her lips into a thin line. Every word out of his mouth felt like a command. And in her experience she was the one who gave the commands. Still, she and her advisors had recently been discussing the perks of keeping her mouth shut, so she sulked silently until he and Amir were gone. Fiir watched the griffin stroll from the room and sent her a wave of amusement. Fiir was more connected with his past lives than she was. He actually had residual memories from former incarnations of himself while she only had shelves and shelves of journals. Apparently this griffin lived to its reputation particularly well. Fiir found such a small, unimposing creature with such enormous pride amusing. Alasahe cast a glance at him and rolled her eyes again.

She surveyed her companions. The cerberus-rider though young, had proven himself mature enough, at least, to sit still and quietly during the meeting. Dae seemed more interested in the decor than the meeting, constantly casting glances at everything other than the other riders. They had not betrayed much more about themselves.

"This is fine by me," he said, looking down at his young monster, "however we will need an alternative form of travel since I cannot ride my beast like the rest of you." Alasahe cast a doubtful glance at Dae and his siren. She wasn't sure he would be able to use his monster for transportation either.

"Fiir could carry you and I, assuming you could keep your monster under control, but not all four of you," she said, nodding toward Dae and Aquarian. "I have a ship waiting in the small port town near here. We can sail from there to Languinre and continue on foot to the carcass." She stood, combing her fingers through her hair and then stopped. "What's your name? I won't call you Cerberus-rider indefinitely."

---

Dae was amused as the Griffon-rider spoke, assuming command of the whole situation. He knew that he would so it really wasn't all that surprising. A bit peeving for sure, as Amir was already flustered, but foreseeable. He was a bit surprised when the man had appointed him as leader of the second group going after the Kelpie however. He figured the man hated him enough that he wouldn't trust him as a leader. The comment even earned a small quirk of his lips. He was still concerned with the Cerberus rider. Going after the Kelpie could pose more dangerous for him considering the three headed dog was yet a puppy and harder to control. What if the dog decided to rush forward and bite the dead carcass? The poisons in the shifting creature could kill the dog and Dae would be severely heart broken if they had to kill the young boy as a result. He never wanted a hand in killing a child. Caring for children had always been ingrained in the siren rider considering the fact that the his ancestor had struck the deal because of her own dead children.

Focus, Dae. You're getting side-tracked. Aquarian murmured in his head. Dae spared him a glance before he sat forward and watched Amir and Trytheus depart. They too needed to get a move on. There was no time to waste. Dae looked over at the younger rider as he began to speak then and gave a nod. The two of them were at a disadvantage. The Cerberus was too small yet to carry its rider and there was no way he could ride on Aquarian, though quite a sight that would be.

He cleared his throat then and turned his attention to his team. "Benedict has a point. I can't ride Aquarian through the desert either. Walking is going to take a lot of time for us. Alasahe, would you and your dragon be willing to carry us so that we may reach our destination faster? If that is not a possibility, I propose then that you fly on ahead and scout the area. Since you will have the advantage of flight and speed, you'd be able to search for the wood we require. It will be easier to spot over the landscape from the sky compared to the ground. You would also be the first one to reach the carcass. You'd be able to monitor the change and help set up a barrier to keep the creature from escaping by land. That would leave Benedict and myself to travel by land till we get to the boat waiting at the shore. If you can still carry Benedict and the Cerberus however, that would be the better option. That way the two of you can get a head start and you'll have back up if need be.

---

As Amir and the griffin-rider departed, Benedict turned toward Alashe and nodded once he got a clearer view of Fiir. Though he was larger than the others still remaining in the room he could see that he wasn't nearly large enough to carry everyone. Plus the siren-rider was an adult. He ought to be able to walk on his own. Ben on the other hand could not make the same concessions.

If we get a ride we could hunt birds.

If we're in the air we could fall off!

It's worth it!

It's not, not with the dragon!

But we can look through the skies.

I love the sky!

"Of course I can keep them in check," Benedict smiled, "the both of us are perfectly fine with sitting quietly, right?"

The black-haired boy looked down at his monster whose tail was wagging at the thought of sightseeing, well as much as an internally conflicted, three-headed dog could. His rider could feel the discontent, but rather than stifle it he pushed the chair back and allowed the Cerberus to jump off and run around while he mulled over the siren-rider's input. That meant that he and Alashe would arrive first and possibly need to deal with the prospect of looking for the special wood, something that would only be slightly more fun than traversing the desert.

"What's your name? I won't call you Cerberus-rider indefinitely."

"Benedict," he said politely, "Orpheus is the one running around, but I assure you that they are better off tiring themselves out now than while they are on your dragon's back. I recognize you Alashe, but what is your name siren-rider?"

Alasahe found herself nodding along with Dae's suggestions. Finally, someone clear-headed and thoughtful. Perhaps working with her two companions would not be a complete chore. She glanced around the room. She thought she remembered...

There, tucked away in an adjacent corner of the room was a large, elaborate map of Mundus Alter, its lands outlined in thick, gold lines. "Look here," she said, pointing to a point on the southern end of the land mass. "This is Languinre Town, the capital of their land. Since we do not know exactly were the carcass rots, I suggest we begin our search here. Someone there should be able to tell us where their rider was going when the unicorn was struck down. And if not," she shrugged, "the blight caused by a dead unicorn will be the talk of the town. There will be more than enough rumors to point us in the right direction." She turned back to Dae and Aquarian. "Benedict, Orpheus, and I will ride ahead, as you say. It will take us a full day of riding. We will reunite there."

---

Dae looked over at Benedict when the young man asked him for his name. Oh. He forgot to introduce himself! How rude he must seem to his companions. He had only introduced himself to the Amir. Alasahe might have heard him since it was quite enough at the time but Benedict had come in much later after all. He offered the boy a smile and tipped an imaginary hat.

"My apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I am Dae. My siren companion is Aquarian. It is a pleasure to meet all four of you in this life-time," he answered, addressing both riders and their companions. Their beasts were a huge part of their identity after all. It was only right to acknowledge them all.

Aquarian himself gave a regal incline of his head to the boy and Alasahe. "Pleasure to see you all again."

Dae then turned his attention to Alasahe as she spoke and gave a nod. Her idea of gather information from the towns people themselves was a good one. They would feel the loss of their rider deeply and would most definitely point them towards the rotting carcass so that it may be disposed of before it started to sicken everything around it. He was also quite thrilled that she would be able to take Benedict and the Cerberus with her. It wasn't that he didn't want a travel companion, but it really was best for him to accompany Alasahe so they'd get to the unicorn faster. Alasahe may need help if she encountered the revived creature. And besides, both he and Aquarian had longer legs to walk quickly and he wasn't 100% certain that Benedict would be able to keep up with his pace.

"Then we have a plan. Since I am walking and arriving by boat, It may take me 2-3 days depending on the weather. I will meet you both at the Languinre Town. Safe traveling. To aid the well wishing of his words, Dae raised his right hand to his heart before extending it, a motion that was custom among his people. Dae then turned to Meg and May and repeated the hand motion out of respect before he vacated the building.

Once outside, Dae turned to Aquarian and rested his hands on his hips. "This time, you are going to put that water layer on me to. I don't want to have a heat stroke before I even get to the boat."

"You are so polite," Aquarian said with a teasing smirk before he leaned forward and kissed Dae, extending his magic over his rider so that a small water layer covered his skin and kept him cool and hydrated.

Dae pulled away from Aquarian and rolled his eyes at the siren. "Why is it that everything you do involves kissing?" he grumbled as he started to hurry back through the dreaded desert.

"It is more fun that way, he teased, "but it also provides the necessary bridge of energy transfer. It is also quick and easy."

"I think you use that as an excuse to kiss people and get a rise out of them."

Aquarian just chuckled. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Dae shoved Aquarian lightly before he picked up the pace hoping to cover as much ground as he could. He was already going to take a lot of time to get where he needed to go.

---

With all plans in order, Benedict followed Alashe and Fiir out of the House of Wonders and into the air. Being young put him at a rather obvious disadvantage, but he was lucky that he had fellow riders who were more than willing to help him along. While Ulysses's reincarnations were never known for being disagreeable, there was never a history of harmony between everyone due to rivalries, politics, and personality clashes. The griffin rider and Amir would prove that soon enough, which was one of the reasons why Ben had a nagging feeling in regards to the two's partnership. Then again, their job was merely to kill the unicorn rider so either of them could perform the task.

Let me go human.

We're in the air.

Where is this dragon taking us?

Did you not listen?

The growl from one of the heads gave him his answer.

We're going to Languine to get rid of the unicorn carcass, Ben sighed, petting them.

He sat in the rear with Orpheus struggling to stay still. They didn't like the constant shifts in balance (though they were minor) nor the height they were flying at. Neither they nor Benedict had ever been in the air whether it was riding in a machine or on a beast.

"So I've never been to Languinre," Ben started, "do you know the way to the Fae forest?"

Alasahe inclined her head to Dae and exited. Despite herself, she found that she was starting to feel... excited. She had imagined that the other riders would be much the same as Amir: crass and irritating. But both Dae and Ben seemed like mild personalities. Fiir followed dociley and lowered himself so that Ben and Orpheus could climb onto his back. She didn't have to prompt him to rise into the air. For all of his years, Fiir was no where near the stately creature the Griffin seemed to be. He craved contentment and he got it from simple things. Flying, cutting through the wide, clear skies of Mundus Alter and knowing that there was nothing there that could best him, that was all he needed.

"So I've never been to Languinre," Ben started, "do you know the way to the Fae forest?"

Alasahe glanced behind her. The boy looked a bit uncomfortable, but looked determined not to speak on it. She favored him with a small smile. "My visits there have kept me to the coast and their capital. From what I've heard, the forest is northwest of Languinre City." She frowned thinking about it. "The fae are not a kind of monster I would trifle with lightly..." she muttered, more to herself. The problem with fae was their obsession with words. Faeries were all about deals and trickery. They could not lie, so they were experts at twisting the meaning of words.

Alasahe was not particularly good at watching what she said.

She shook her head slightly. She didn't have time to doubt herself. This was her first quest as not just the Melgrove, but as the Dragon-Rider. She would not-- could not-- fail.

"Lay back and relax. We'll be riding for a while yet," she called behind her, sinking her mind into Fiir's and relishing the easy confidence the dragon had in the power of his own wings.


Many hours later, Alasahe, Ben, Fiir, and Orpheus finally set their feet in Languinre Town. As much as she would hate to admit it, the city was always a wonder to her. The buildings in Melgrove Town were open and airy, the residents welcoming the sea breeze. The buildings in Languinre Town, however, were large and imposing, crafted so that they swept along with the lush landscape. Alasahe patted Fiir's side and looked down at Ben. "It's late. Shall we find an inn and wait for Dae?" The urge to talk down to the boy had faded completely during the journey. The very first Dragon-rider had been a child ruler and Melgroves tended to take on their duties young. Ben, more than anything else, seemed capable to her.

ignore.

---

"The fae are not a kind of monster I would trifle with lightly..."

Benedict frowned. That was not what he wanted to hear. Though he expected the fae not to fold over lightly hearing Alashe's warning made him more wary.

What is fae?

Can I eat it?

Can I kill it?

We can kill it.

Be still, Ben thought, patting down Orpheus's heads even before they could wag their collective tail. New monsters excited them more than new animals because they had more leeway for hunting...even if it didn't always end well. It excited Ben for different reasons seeing as Orpheus made for excellent bait when he wanted to sketch new creatures.

"I'll keep that in mind when we meet them" Ben nodded, although the smile on his face was entirely false.

He stayed silent for the rest of the ride, deciding to pull one of his few books from his backpack. Curious Creatures and Maniacal Monsters was a book written by his predecessor, a young lady of only twenty or so years old. Like him, she was a prodigy who traveled with her monster and loved all there was to love about exploration. She included detailed drawings, imprints of samples, and anything else that could have helped future explorers. Unfortunately, she met her end before anything else of value could be entered. Benedict, of course, ended up being the rightful owner of said book despite that he had no real intention of adding to the guide.

When they arrived he slid off of Fiir with as much grace as a lithe boy could while Orpheus chose to leap off and bark at the dragon in an almost smug tone due to the fact that Fiir was the one who had to carry the triple-minded pup around. Ben didn't really mind as Fiir likely saw the dog as a mere pest but he still gave the dog a dirty look before agreeing with Alashe.

"Hopefully he knows not to walk ahead of us," he murmured, "Orpheus should be no issue so long as we muzzle him tonight."

Benny you underestimate us.

We have never had a problem escaping.

Just like you.