Healing Mishap -13-
By Lanzaq

The group stayed as quiet as possible as they trudged quietly down the path and eventually they came upon a landmark, however it shocked everyone, instead of a rock, or a tree or even an odd animal it was a town. Hands flew up in both excitement and horror. “A town! Yay!” Kate cried pulling the robe out and handing it to Cael before sprinting toward the town at full steam.

---

Lanzerus quickly cinched the cloak around his shoulders and let out a peal of evil laughter. “that makes for Creon's Mantle. The Cloak of Kings.” he looked around the bare rock of the cave. The rock-grating laughter of his hobgoblins mimicked his own . “With this I have no need for such weak minions, for now I can command the will of men.” With a shoulder flourish sending the red and white fur lined cloak behind his back he tossed a single magical explosive behind his back.

The villagers reported the screams of dying hobgoblins to the king that night.

---

Etoile woke up with Erin's chin on her shoulder and a wet trail of drool leading down her arm. “ERIN I WILL KILL YOU!”

A sudden and violent explosion rocked the ground as Klaus crawled out of a nearby stairwell leading down. “Hehe. I am a mage not an alchemist I guess.” he chuckled as thick yellow acridic smoke began to fill the room. “Well Et, I guess you get what you want. we get to go outside for awhile.”

As Klaus led the fuming Etoile, who was unhappy at 'the rudness of the upstart mortal giving her a nickname' and the slightly sleepy Erin outside it didn't take long for Etoile to be out of the rope and poised in a combat stance staring daggers at Klaus who already had his sword drawn and pointed at her face. With a quick sigh he sheathed it and pointed in the direction the group had headed out on.
---
As the group trudged slowly towards the next town, and the next treasure they hoped, they found themselves becoming quite accustom to the familiar looking landscape, and the also familiar grumblings of their stomachs, eventually to the point that Raleigh began to announce every time they crossed a group of rocks he would say. “see those rocks. Yeah you have seen those rocks, in fact we have seen those rocks FIVE HUNDRED TIMES already.”

Verris rubbed his temples. “you want me to prove those aren't the same rocks?” He said angrily.

“Yeah, in fact I would LOVE for you to prove it.” Raleigh said drawing a dagger.

Arric stared at the two unperturbed at their display. “Now boys, I understand you both are tired as we have been walking all day and the food seems to have disappeared. I blame a certain someone who thought it would be a good idea to feed the wild life.” he said looking back at Kate who was absentmindedly watching the clouds as she walked down the well-worn trader's path.

“Shut up old man.” Ash said shoving a bottle of alcohol into the depths of her backpack.

“G-Guys...quit fighting!” Cael said looking at Verris and Raleigh who now looked like they were reaching their breaking points, then to Ash who didn't look so angry as just generally hung-over, to Arric who was glancing at everyone with a dissatisfied face, to Kate who was obviously off in her own world right now back to Verris and Raleigh.

“That is it!” Verris roared launching a lightning bolt at the rock cleaving it in half and leaving the ground around it scorched. “ Now, if we keep walking and we come across a group of rocks like this, and either we are going in circles or the last group of adventurers ended up in the same sort of predicament like we are and their mage got tired of the fighting and decided to mutilate a boulder.”

The group stayed as quiet as possible as they trudged quietly down the path and eventually they came upon a landmark, however it shocked everyone, instead of a rock, or a tree or even an odd animal it was a town. Hands flew up in both excitement and horror. “A town! Yay!” Kate cried pulling the robe out and handing it to Cael before sprinting toward the town at full steam.

Cael grumbled softly as he pulled on the robe. “This is dumb. I don't understand why I can't just go dressed as I usually am.”

“We both know that Kate won't allow that.” Arric said.

“B-But its her fault, and I am the one paying for it.” Cael said whining as he adjusted the robe.

“Thats life kid.” Raleigh said looking over at the town. “Someone screws up and you might be the one facing the consequences.”

“Coming from you, I am surprised normally are you the one that does the screwing around while others face your consequences?” Verris said. “I mean if you think about it, you stole from travelers, then killed and looted their dead bodies and because of that it seemed to me like very few people felt brave enough to come to Ura to trade. If that isn't you screwing around and them facing a consequence I don't know what is.”

“You have to realize that ninety-nine percent of what I stole went to the village.” Raleigh replied. “So either way it was the same as if they had been trading with those travelers.”

“I don't understand your logic.” Arric said looking down at the town. “Well, I guess we should go.”

Ash nodded in agreement. “An herbalist could be in town.”

“Six words. I think we are making progress!” Arric joked.

“Shut up.”

“oh, one step forward and two steps back.” Arric said laughing as he ran into town with the angry Ash following right behind him.

---

The entire group made it into the Inn in one piece. It didn't long for Ash to get directions to the local herbalist for a cure for hang-over. Kate quickly snagged cael by the wrist and they went shopping. Arric and Raleigh left both mentioned 'finding something interesting.' Leaving Verris alone at the Inn lobby's table. Verris quickly fished out the Tele-Talk crystal out of his pocket. With a quick hum it lit up and revealed a close up of Da's eye. “ 'Ello my new pupil, sorry about the eye, my crystal is on the fritz.”

“Its fine.” Verris said noncommittally.

“So any questions before we start?” Da asked as his crystal slowly shifted view to show his full face.

“No.” Verris replied flatly.

“Rule four, An emotionless Magician is nothing more than a Machine that runs on the soul.” Da said looking at Verris sternly.

“Now I know you are making that one up.” Verris said cracking a smile.

“Now thats what I like to see, most people seem to think that all dark magic practitioners are focused on doom and gloom and all things negative, however people don't seem to look at things like a balance. Dark is just the absence of light. Not everyone working with Holy magics are pious as they would like you to believe some of the greatest evils are committed by those using the words of their god as a shield to hide their evils.” Da said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“So...when do I actually start using this dark magic?” Verris asked.

“I asked earlier if you had any questions and you said no.” Da answered. “And soon, I can tell your motives are good.”

with that the crystal stopped glowing and laid on the table top as an empty lifeless crystal.

Suddenly Ash walked through the door, a smile on her face. She quickly crossed the room in four steps at a maximum and stood in front of Verris. “Fight me.” she said.

“What?” Verris asked shocked at the random statement.

Ash just nodded and drew her sword. “Now.” she made a quick slash that would have connected with Verris' chest if he hadn't brought up the blade that Klaus had given him. They met with a quick clink of metal on metal. Ash smiled as Verris drew the entire length of the blade and parried her blade off to the side.

“Are you crazy!?” Verris screamed kicking over the inn table trying to at least deter Ash.

Ash just laughed moving it, swinging again their swords clashes, as they met Ash's blade just bounced off the flat end of the sword. With a spark suddenly the mysterious runes on the blade came to life burning a red eventually the red of the rune bled together and the blade suddenly caught fire.

Verris at the sight of his sword catching fire quickly dropped it out of shock.”What is going on!?” Before it hit the ground it extinguished itself and landed on the wooden floor of the inn with a clatter.

Before he could grab it up again off the ground Ash's sword point was at his throat. “I win.”

Suddenly the Kate, Cael, Raleigh, and Arric walked through just in time to see the scene.