Kessel's Story

Sam strokes his chin before going to the kitchen. "I think the last time I saw him was a couple of days ago. He knocked on the front door and said some people would be coming in an airship and to take care of him. He was pretty beat up and I wanted to bring him in to fix him up, but he said that he needed to leave before this place was endangered. Well the kids a tough one so I'm sure he'll be fine." Sam says as he walks away into the kitchen.

At the table Alexis takes another sip from the glass and smiles up brightly at Neil. "The typical stuff, stealing crops breaking things, it was really quite a mess." She explains.

"I'm planning on heading to their lair to wipe them out later if you want to come along." She offers.

As she finishes saying this Karen, comes out of the kitchen and upon seeing her Rain and Neil would be able to tell that she was an elf. "Well if you're going to do that I suggest you eat up first. Although you should really let us come along to help." She says with an edge of exacerbation in her voice.

"I couldn't do that, I owe you all too much." she replies as she licks her lips a bit looking at the food hungrily.

Then as the group sits down to eat the door is swung open by a woman with long brown hair. A long katana is sheathed at her belt and she wears bagy red pants with a thin silk shirt that covers her wrapped torso. Sam looks at the woman surprised.

"Well I'll be damned, Kessel, what are you doing here?" He asks walking over to the woman and shaking her hand. Karen grabbed her a chair and she joined the group, all the while maintaining a neutral expression.

Lara had also come down to join them but aside from some simple greetings her presence was more or less ignored.

When asked Sam says. "No idea where he ran off to, Steve's never really been the type to sit still. Though I wish he'd at least trust us to help him out when he's in this kind of situation." Sam complains a bit but then returns to affable banter.

Kessel turns towards Lara and then to Alexis, Neil and finally Rain. Her eyes seem to display some comprehension but she doesn't say anything. "I'm looking for Dekar's group. Renji showed up in the centeral continent." Kessel replies calmly and Sam looks over at her in shock.

"Renji did? I thought he died during the battle with Grueberik." Sam says in surprise. "But don't you live on the central continent now? Why are you trying to get that group involved?"

"Zelphie was found." She replies flatly as she takes another bites of bread. This causes Sam to let out a whistle and Karen to stop eating and stare.

"If they come by here we'll tell them you're looking for them." Karen says and Sam nods.

Alexis watches on confused. "Do you two know what they are talking about?" She asks Avander and Rain.

Kessel looks at Rain with a completely neutral expression but nods. "He acted faster than I thought. Though I'm surprised he could defeat Lance, he's no pushover." she admits then takes another bite of her food.

Sam looks at her confused. "Who's Lance?" He asks apparently surprised that he could stand up to Renji.

"He was a comrade back when I was a warrior in the army of Law. A very dynamic person and skilled with a spear." she explains to him, not bothering to talk about the other names.

However when Rain mentioned Shengan being attached Alexis's face paled and she gets to her feet. As she tries to walk back Kessel catches her by the belt and forces her back into her seat. "If the fae are involved it will be a while before Renji can actually assault Shengan, we still have some time." She says as Alexis remains quiet.

Karen notices the confusion on Rains face and decides to explain. "Grueberik is the other continent far to the east beyond the central continent. Tensions between us and them tend to run high and every once in a while there's a battle." She explains "As for Dekar and Zelphie, Dekar leads a mercenary...or I should probably call them a vigilanty travelers who go around helping out various areas when something goes wrong in exchange for food and shelter. The group is very powerful and Dekar has the blessing of the diety of light Zelphie." She explains.

Kessel looks at Rain and says "Destruction, and I took a raft" a straightforward and plain answer. "The rest is no concern of yours." She says, after all they were prying into her private life.

Then she looks to Neil. "I don't know what he's planning, but if he was hanging around the central continent it makes sense to think he had something in mind." She explains. "Maybe he's after Zelphie."

During the exchange Alexis takes several deep breaths and color starts to return to her face. "Even someone who attained divine rank couldn't defeat a large number of the heroes if they ganged up on him. I'm sure everything will work out." She says as if willing it to be the truth though then she realizes she has said too much and quiets down.

In the meantime Sam closes his eyes and ponders the groups questions. "Well to be honest I do't know Renji well, but when I've met him he's generally been a pretty good guy, a bit arrogant maybe but that's not uncommon for Slayers. Though a bard could tell you a lot more." he admits.

Alexis takes several more deep breaths and regains her composure. "There is no need to comfort me Miss Rain, I do not actually know about this city, I've only heard rumors of it on this continent...I had hoped to see it myself one day." She admits looking at the table.

Kessel looks at them "If Renji is attacking Shengan than the thing he wants is there. If Lance is defending Shengan then he will not be able to attack it for a great while." Her words carried a certain sureness to them that make it seem like he didn't even consider other possibilities realistic. Then she puts down her fork and both she and Lara look at the door.

In tramps a man in a large black cloak wearing shackles and manacles. He was covered in cuts, scratches and slices but overall he seemed well enough. "I figured you'd come here, Sam what's on the menu?" Narsh asks with a broad grin and Karen fetches him a a portion of food they had apparently set aside for him. "The wind carries many secrets, including how depressing this conversation is." he says with a laugh as he sits down.

"So you're back," Lara says glaring at him, but he gives her a smile and she simply sighs.

Rivers lets out a sigh as all three members of the group respond to him indignantly, for a second he wonders if this is what it felt like to be Lara, but then he decided decided trying to escape into this line of thought was feudal. He started with Shade and smiled a courteous, polite and perfect smile. It was a smile that people could only put on when they were truly upset.

"Shade, if you are all about freedom then you shouldn't be scolding my sacrifice. You chose to fight the dwarf to help me, I chose to take up a contract to save you. It was my choice, I don't expect anything from you for it, and that includes a leacture." He says stalely and shifts his eyes to the crow. "A contract with the Morrigan will give you far more combat muscle than the wind sprites ever could I'd suggest getting someone to teach you magical swordsmanship if you want to get stronger." he suggests a pressure pulsing from him, Rain would recognize the magic, it was the right of a fatewalker, the power of coincidence. Though it didn't seem to be directed at anything right now.

Next he turns to Neil with a frown. "Wild magic isn't controllable, that's why they call it wild. Working on your incantations isn't going to get you anywhere. *sigh* Spirits." he says uttering the last word as if it were a curse. "Just ask Dekar about it when you get back, he might know something. Well if you can't do it youself, get Rain to take the collar off me and have her be your keeper, that would do the trick. I already made my bargain anyways."

Then he turned to Rain a small smile spreading across his face and his eyes filled deeply with something dark as he leaned down closer to her. "If you want his physical form back feel free to remove the collar. I will not be shackled by the guilt or obligation of someone else's choices. If you are going to start ignoring Renji and crusading against Fate would you care to tell me how you are going to do it? To my knowledge the main way would be to try and destroy the world since that is what it tries to deserve." He says.

"Now my princess who fancies herself a knight, what will you-"

However before Rivers can finish the sentence he finds himself suddenly on his back staring up at the sky. Behind him Dekar stands with a discontented frown on his face as he turns to the group then looks back down at Rivers. "This is why kids are a problem...they all think that their issues are the center of the world." he complains. There was a gapping gash on his left arm that seemed to be sewed up with pure light, and numerous cuts covered his body. Kessel sat by the fire with several cuts of her own along with a large number of bruises, Alexis was tending to her with a frown.

"Get some food and some sleep kids, when you wake up in the morning you'll feel better. We can talk then." He says walking over and sitting next to Kessel, saying a few thing to her. She scoweled at him, but the expression soon relaxed into a gentle smile, and he laughed as she said something to him. Then he took some stew that had been cooked at some point and began eating, the rest of the group gathering around with smiles on their faces.

On the ground Rivers eyes had already closed and he had fallen asleep, apparently the interuption draining the last of his stamina.