Rise of the Fifth
The Hidden College Part 1
Pages 121 to 135

Gailen was still in shock, the scene before him unfolding like a thing of nightmare. Why had the Xeteskians invaded? Where were the alliance troops? How long could Julatsa last?

And why now, when every man in Balaia who could lift a sword would be needed?

"I don't believe it,” came Kumonai's voice from beside his captain.

Gailen was already sure that Julatsa was doomed - he felt his emotions swirling like a torrent within him. He saw the SpellShields holding and was confident in them, but Julatsa's guard was small and against the larger force and might of the Protectors, they could not last.

"When do we attack?" asked Kumonai.

"We don't," replied Gailen uneasily. His second stared hard at him,

"Sir, we must! It is our duty!"

"Our duty," Gailen burst, "Is to Balaia. We alone know what is coming and who is fuelling this war. We must tell the colleges." Kumonai took on a defeated look,

"Standing by doesn’t sit well with me sir. How do we proceed?" Gailen turned back to his men and walked towards his waiting mount.

"Try to make communion with someone inside, I'm not sure I'll be believed but it's that or take on the Xeteskian army."

And so three of his seven mages attempted to make communion with anyone inside Julatsa. To tell them their world was over...

~*~

The Master was smiling; a rare thing indeed. The college wars had reached a climax with all colleges taking huge losses. And the arrival of a Blackwing army in Dordover was furthering the damage done. But this alone was not the reason for the Master’s rare good mood.

Arithmus was finally dead.

At first he had felt a little disappointed - the mage had proven himself a fool and was toppled by one old man with a good idea. His disappointment was short-lived. Without a leader the Fifth College was in turmoil and only one man had shown any promise.

The Master allowed his smile to spread further - this man would make a perfect apprentice and with the power of an entire college, the Master could bind whole armies of Shadows.

He rose from his desk and left the small study. Two Shadows flanked his every movement.

"Gather all of your brothers and inform your general to make ready. I will ride to Triverne Lake and expect everything ready for my arrival," he ordered with a voice of venom. "And Shadow, the man named Korius is not to be harmed!"

The Shadow to his left bowed and leapt into a dimly lit wall. Rather then colliding with the brickwork, the creature vanished. The Master opened a small door at the end of the corridor and adjusted his sight for the darkness of the lair. Inside a small army of Shadows was waiting.

"Today I ride, you will accompany me. The time for silence is over!"

~*~

Kane and Gasta looked out over the woodland, the small fire behind them the only light available. It distorted Gasta's already scarred face, making him look like a deformed monster. Kane's cuts from recent battle did not help his looks either. They sat on watch while the rest of the camp seemed to sleep, or in a few areas argue. They were far enough away not to hear what was going on.

"I don’t trust him," said the former General.

"Maybe he will be like you," replied Kane. "Your legend is not a pretty one, but the real man is a hero in my book."

"Thank you." Gasta felt a slight bit of emotion. He truly felt that he was now being judged for what he was, and not for the orders he had been given and carried out in loyalty. "But I joined the college out of thanks, not for what it stood for."

"I know, but we must give him a chance. If we had killed you on the spot we may be dead now, he is our only way of getting into the college. Remember how long it took you to find the courage to say no to them."

"You are right once again. And we do need him, I know where the college is but, not being a mage, I cannot create the spell to enter. I’m just worried that he will double-cross us - he is very well regarded and his mission was always to the college first."

"We don’t know that. Anyhow, Del will watch him closely. If he makes a move then we will know."

"I hope we know in time. And I hope that is our only problem. I’m still worried about how Julatsa will cope when they are told I am still alive."

"It will be ok. Julatsa of all colleges respect loyalty and the fact you are now fighting for Balaia will make them understand. Just thank the gods they weren’t from Xetesk or Dordover, then we might have a problem."

~*~

"What the hell is this? You think you've angered me enough so you move on to someone else?!" Joibri's face contorted with the complex emotions coursing through her blood.

"It's not like that -" Pen began.

"Oh yes it fucking is!" Joibri shouted. "Or, actually, maybe I'm wrong - are the two of you conspiring on how to make my life more complicated?! Huh?!" Talo could only raise a silent eyebrow as the hint of a red aura began to show around the she-elf. "Well I'll tell the both of you right now - leave one another the hell alone, let's get this fucking 'mission' or whatever it is over and done with! Right now I quite frankly don't care what it means for me if we win. That's right, I don't care anymore if I die. It'd be quite a nice conclusion to my otherwise downhill spiral of a life - saving Balaia, without ever knowing why it had to be me!"

The red aura was larger now, and Lena's attention had been attracted. The two men were lost for argument.

"For hell's sake..." she turned to Pen, "I thought...that I knew everything. It's clear now that I don't, even when what I don't know affects me..." the sadness flared back up into anger, "But don't worry, it's not just you!" Her gaze flashed over to Talo, "Let's not forget you!" Her two hands each pointed to them, "You're just some ghost from the past who's either my father's intended husband for me or a brother or some other relation I never knew about who just expects to swoop in and make everything peachy," there was a low note of bitterness as she continued, "And you, friend. You've turned into some sort of demon. And you say that I'm not like how you knew me?! Speak for yourself!"

Her hands reverted to clenching by her sides and she hung her head. Talo made the mistake of placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to explain comfortingly,

"You must understand -" In a violent swipe Joibri hit his arm away and Pen had charged at the man. But Joibri pushed Pen away,

"No! I don't fucking need anyone to fight my battles for me anymore! You all think I'm just ever-so-helpless and feeble, like...like a child!" Joibri walked through them into the camp, turning around, "Surely the 'weapon' as you call it Talo doesn't need any sort of bodyguard, either from you or you," she pointed to them both again. "After all, a weapon is just that, a tool - an inhuman tool."

"You're not inhuman!" Pen shouted, and for once Talo agreed. Joibri backed up,

"Oh really? Really?!" The aura grew brighter and startled to spiral upwards in the clearing. "It seems to me that I am now, to you! How could you?! You're all lying to me every step of the way, drawing that blindfold back over my eyes! I don't fucking need that!"

"What is it that you need?" Talo asked seriously. Joibri gritted her teeth and unexpectedly flung a well-aimed bolt of red straight at him. Talo simply held up a hand, a cup-like formation quickly forming in that hand that he used to catch the attack. Those who had turned to watch stared in surprise.

"Answers! And people - friends," she turned to Pen with an undisguised sneer, "That don't lie to me! That don't lie, keep things from me or expect me to be some little girl that they can carry around in their pocket, that when they pull a string will carry out their every wish regardless of how I feel about it! I am a living, breathing woman, a creature of the gods, first!"

Her steps carried her back over to them briefly, a threatening glint of a warrior in her eyes,

"I am trained with the TaiGethen battle arts. Do not think that I need this fucking virus of a mana in order to kill you both where you stand. You hear me?!" There was a last glare at Talo before her fight ended with him and she turned to Pen. Her voice cracked, "Shit, Pen, how could you?"

Joibri turned away and walked around the fire and out into the woodland on the opposite side of the camp, past the tree where Delenar sat dumbfounded and in the direction of the brook.

Once there she plunged directly into it on her knees, taking the water and splashing it all over her face as if to try and wash herself of the hatred and the dying red aura that made the water flow away from her. The darkness was comforting - they wouldn't see the full extent of the hurt, here.

Delenar rose and walked over to where Kane and Gasta were talking. Veygan was beside him.

"Interesting group of people you have here. So this is the hope for Balaia," the young Wolf said.

"Things have been a bit on edge since Youlvi, our leader of a kind, died. Still, never fear young Wolf, you have the company of the finest archer in Balaia, so it’s not all bad,” Delenar replied cheerily. The two warriors approached Kane and Gasta, "Ah I almost forgot, you also have these two for fine company. The ugliest man in Balaia and a man who seems untouched by any kind of sense of humour."

All four began to laugh heartily, only to hear Joibri begin to shout.

"Ah I see you have been using your charms on Joibri again, Delenar," said Gasta sarcastically.

Again all four men laughed, and Gasta couldn't help but feel the spirit of camaraderie they shared. It had been hard to befriend Kane and even harder to befriend Delenar, but now he knew they would fight beside him through anything and his pride swelled. The feeling of fighting beside true friends was far greater then the thought of leading armies as he had once done.

The new lad Veygan made a comment targeted at Kane and again all four men laughed. He had already fit in well, Gasta noticed.

"So when do we leave, we have lingered in this clearing for almost two days now," said Gasta.

"I buried Youlvi earlier," said Delenar sadly, "I am now ready to leave."

"Well, who wants to tell Pen and Joibri that we think we should get moving?" asked Kane with a small smirk on his face.

No one volunteered.

~*~

She knew they should be leaving. Joibri contemplated going alone, just...disappearing without a word. She knew no one would notice until she was far gone. After all, her weapons she had on, so it's not like she needed to go back to the camp.

But for the moment emotion kept her rooted to the spot. The red aura had died completely, leaving her in the starlight-streaked dark. She couldn't help herself - she wept, her head in her angry and shaking hands.

What had she done? What had they done? What had Pen done? This wasn't how it was meant to be.

She knew she had to persevere, that she had to fight, accept the mana she didn't want to accept. How she was going to do the last one without help she didn't know but figured she would find a way, or a way would find her. She knew she had to do all those things, but they seemed so far away right now.

All there was was the brook and her crying, and they seemed to her the only things in existence. She lowered her hands and let the water run through and over her fingers, taking a small amount of comfort. Oh so very small.

She wanted to leave, to go ahead and get the whole mess of a destiny over and done with. When it came down to it, that meant just hurry up and go destroy a few things and die.

Joibri wept again, the sobs racking her back. Perfect, she thought, just perfect.

~*~

Sat on a boulder away from the others, Pen heard the sounds of their laughter as he violently yanked a handful of grass from the ground, twisting it around his fingers.

The anger and disgust in her eyes when she'd used the word... demon. Pen gritted his teeth. Had she known what she was saying? His thoughts were interrupted by a hand laid on his shoulder. Pen looked up to find Kane stood above him.

"It's time we were leaving, my friend." Saying nothing, Pen went back to twisting the grass around his fingers. "Listen, Pen." The man in question was about to shout, but thought better of it, concentrating even harder on the grass in front of him. "Whatever has happened, to you, to Joibri, it's obvious to everyone else in this camp that you both care for each other a lot. Whatever happens in the future, you've got a stronger bond than any of the rest of us have. Outside of this camp most, if not all of us have no friends. You may fight now, but it is the way of things when the pressure begins. It will not last."

Pen looked up, a mix of emotions on his face, but his answer was full of bitterness and sarcasm.

"Well I’m so glad it's so obvious for those of you who aren't involved in it!" Anger flared within Kane,

"Not involved? In case you forget Penrold, we are all involved in some way or another, whether we like it or not, and sitting feeling sorry for yourself here playing with grass is not going to make it any better, for any of us."

"You have no idea what I am or what I have done," Pen replied through gritted teeth.

"Whatever it is, you know you can always talk to us. We will not judge you. Youlvi did not judge you for it, and therefore neither shall we. It is not our place to do so. However if you choose not to that is your prerogative, just don't expect us to have sympathy or help you."

"I want no sympathy," Pen spat. "I need no sympathy."

"Fine. As I say that is your choice, but we have to leave, soon. Ready yourself. We head for Ereth."

"Ereth?" A fear gripped the warrior. The boy, he was from near there, he thought. But suddenly the fear dissipated for a sudden ray of hope. A slight smile grew on his face, surprising Kane.

"Well I'm glad something pleases you at least."

"Indeed. I have a great friend there from my childhood. Karil, a good man. He is the leader of their village."

~*~

Aenkalos was a mischief maker, always was. At the delicate and impressionable age of twelve most put it down to his age, something Aenkalos used to every advantage. He was in fact far too clever for most adults to compete with. It was so easy to play his father off against the city guard, or the guard against his mage tutors, or the tutors against his father. A few well-placed words, a look of innocence and he could avoid most punishments.

Not so for this. . .

As a young mage in training he was allowed access to only certain areas of the college, but as always he sought to....'extend' these boundaries. While the boy found adults easy to deceive he was always a sucker for a challenge from a fellow student. This time though the threat was serious, breaking into the research labs at any age was a serious crime.

Still, he was far too good to be caught.

He explored the labyrinth of underground labs for near on an hour before he saw another person. An elderly mage was walking quickly through the corridor and would soon bump right into Aenkalos.

The boy would normally try a CloakWalk, a spell he had learnt when he broke into the library and stole a book on its usage. However with a senior mage this close, he would surely be sensed. Running into a nearby room he searched desperately for a hiding place.

The room was an old lab filled with boxes and locked chests, however hiding spaces were in short supply. He ran over to a large chest and attempted to remove the WardLock. Unfortunately the chest was well-locked and it seemed impossible to remove the spell. Frustrated and puzzled, Aenkalos resorted to older methods. Removing his tools, he oiled the hinges on the nearest crate and then quickly unbuckled them. The crate lid opened a fraction, just enough for his small frame. Squeezing in, he sat in complete silence waiting for the mage to pass.

It was a full half hour before he had the courage to create a small light. The crate was filled with an assortment of books and scrolls. It was perfect proof that Aenkalos had completed his task. Rummaging through the store, the boy searched for the oldest script he could find, hoping it would be enough to impress his classmates.

He finally chose a large purple book with a gold-stitched binding and he read the title:

"Research of dimensional summoning and elements of the Hermetic, by Arithmus Galaide and....."

He struggled to make out the second name, worn as it was. Either way, it didn't look important enough for anyone to miss.

It took the boy another hour to escape the labyrinth of labs undetected. He had memorised every passage, secret turn and watch positions but even so it was no easy task. But what an accomplishment. No junior mage had ever seen the labyrinth - most didn’t believe it existed - he would be the envy of his class. He returned to his home just outside the college and slipped into bed as quietly as possible. Content that he had not woken his father he took the book from his robe and turned to the first page...

~*~

Joibri sat up from where she had been on her hands and knees for the last fifteen minutes in the swiftly moving, comfortingly cold waters. She had reached a decision.

"I'll leave, that's it, I'll leave," she thought aloud, pushing to the side her anger and her sorrows and hundreds of other emotions not yet given names.

Turning her wild-haired head this way and that, she concluded that she would follow the stream - to her left it curved upwards and away, dividing the forest. She suspected it would lead through the village they had been headed to at some point. She could pick up better clothes there, too.

"Come on Joibri, let's go get ourselves killed," she mumbled to herself cynically. Putting on her finger blades and checking the security of her other weapons Joibri kept to the stream bed, heading off at a swift jog. She didn't really care if the others caught up with her later or not - she just needed some breathing space.

And now, here, picking up the pace and running loose in the wild, Joibri remembered the forests of the southern continent. She felt safe, purged, despite the dangers. She was untouchable.

~*~

The group slowly concluded their packing, Pen even sharing a joke with Delenar. Placing a hand on the elf's shoulder he looked at him seriously.

"I'm sorry I mistrusted you Delenar. You're a good person. I was wrong to suspect you of anything and for that I apologise." Delenar smiled slightly.

"You have nothing to apologise for. I was not known to you and you were protecting a good friend." Looking about him the elf frowned, "Speaking of which, where is Joibri?"

Pen was suddenly back on alert. His heart beat faster, and panic filled him up inside.

"Joibri!" He ran into the wooded area in which they had had their argument, racing down towards the stream where he knew she had headed. "Joibri'dan?" Nothing. "God's burning this is my fault..."

"It is no one's fault Pen." He turned to see Kane staring at him. "Look. The mud is wet, she's left tracks visible enough for us to follow."

"This path leads us to Ereth." Gasta had joined them now. "She still has a level of her old self to travel that way. She'll probably go there for food and clothes. If we're quick enough we may be able to get there in time."

All the while Pen noticed the look on Talo's face. Fear, panic, regret even. He was intrigued despite himself. How could this elf care for her when he barely knew her? But what had it been that Joibri had said? Some relation? Possibly a husband her father chose?

At the latter he felt a wave of jealously wash over him. There was no way the elf would ever be her husband. Not if he had anything to do with it. Dragging his eyes from the elf he noticed no one made a move. Time for him to initiate it.

"Come, we waste time here." He strode back to the camp, grabbing his belongings, slinging them over his shoulder and hauled himself up onto his mount, "We head for Ereth."

~*~

Joibri was feeling quite proud of herself. It had taken less time than she had anticipated to reach the village. She had paused on the stone bridge that crossed the brook she had been running in and glanced up at the town's sign, swaying in the breeze.

"Ereth, hmm. Haven't been here before..." The breeze also toyed with the braids, feathers and beads in her hair and swept through the ripe fields clustered around the reasonably prosperous town. As she began to walk into it she hoped her weapons wouldn't alarm them too much.

It was a busy market day, but for some reason the faces of the people were solemn. Joibri caught whispers that said that a boy had gone missing - other whispers said he had been mauled to death by something inhuman. Joibri's mouth went dry, but she pushed possibilities out of her head.

"On a job, mercenary?" an older man's voice caught her attention. Clearly he was suspicious of the way she was examining everything and everyone around her. Still, it pleased her that he was wary.

"In fact I'm not, just here for a change of garb and some supplies." The man eyed her weapons,

"Those are unusual."

"I make my own weapons," she said dryly. "Where's a place to pick up some clothes?"

Only a quarter of an hour later she had spent the little money she had stored in a small pocket sewn onto her boot on a small sack of food and a new outfit. The seamstress had even been kind enough to let her change in the backroom of her stall. Joibri emerged from behind the curtain and handed the woman her old clothes and a couple of coins,

"If you'd please mend them." She wouldn't have asked for such a favour but the market was quiet, and baring this in mind Joibri continued, "Do you get much business?"

"Only travellers like yourselves and the rare trader that comes through from Korina," the kindly woman replied as she sat down, needle and thread in hand.

"I see." Joibri took a shred from her old shirt and roughly tied her hair back in a high, wild ponytail. She was finding it too warm to keep her hair down.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Miss, you don't look like the sort to be a mercenary." Deft hands moved quickly in and out of the rips of fabric. Joibri shrugged, for some reason not feeling distrustful enough to not confide in the woman,

"I never married. Nothing was there to hold me back." She and the woman shared a laugh.

"Sometimes I know I would envy you. I have a husband. In a way it holds me back. And then again in another it's like having an extra pair of wings to help me fly." Joibri looked, stunned, upon the bowed head of the older woman, and then reverted back to examining the clothes she had bought.

Red. She found the colour ironic, now. The top was pretty tight and dipped down in front, though Joibri knew as soon as she was out of the woman's life forever she would shorten the sleeves and the hem to under her bust - she moved better that way. A pair of leggings in the same material, no problem there. She would keep her current boots. And then a piece of spare brown fabric Joibri had found half shoved under a pile, where it looked like the woman had been experimenting - over the top of the first layer were another two graduating shorter layers. The whole thing the woman had confusedly sewn onto the waist of the leggings to where it hung like a half-skirt over Joibri's left leg way past her ankle. Joibri liked it very much - it was unique.

"Here we go," the woman interrupted her thoughts, holding up the neatly-folded pile of Joibri's old green clothes.

"That was fast!"

"I've been sewing all sorts of things since I was six," the woman said by way of explanation.

"Okay, well, thank you very much!" Joibri stood from where she had been leaning against the stall, putting her weapons back on.

Perhaps she might head to the tavern for a drink...

~*~

Vuldaroq sat in his office on his seat of power. Ironic now then that he became his prison. The Blackwings’ quick takeover of the city was a shock to him and he had now been placed here. Two guards stood either side of the door watching his every move. He knew he couldn’t cast and destroy the thick link chains that bound his arms round the back of the chair then take out both guards. If he was lucky he would get one, but the other would then surely kill him and that would leave Dordover in a desperate state. His head hung low in defeat but shot up when the door opened. It was Selik with a victorious smirk on his face.

"Selik," Vuldaroq said with such distain. "Why would you do this?! It is an outrage!"

"No," Selik silenced Vuldaroq. "The fact you let your city go undefended is an outrage. Always after power too quickly you college folk. And here’s a word of advice - never ally with people who want you dead."

"But I thought I was different," Vuldaroq’s tone was surprised as well as slightly desperate.

"You are a mage and therefore your fate will be the same as all mages."

"I can't believe you'd sink this low." The tone turned to an argument.

"I can't believe you'd be so stupid," Selik's retort hit Vuldaroq where it hurt. It left the Dordovan mage reeling. Giving Selik the upper hand in the conversation he continued, "I trust your communion with Heryst went well."

Vuldaroq paused, his head dropped. Lystern was their only hope and they could not mount an offensive after the slaughter near Xetesk. Vuldaroq knew that Selik would know this and had to convey the message he was told to send.

"If you are talking about the message, then I delivered it. He does not know you are here and think we are just reinforcing after the defeat. He has recalled what troops we have left outside our borders, all the colleges have free access to our lands..." Vuldaroq trailed off, he had realised what Selik was doing.

The Blackwing didn’t mind if people came to free Dordover - he had fortified it and could hold out for weeks. Although a risky strategy the likelihood was that the colleges would meet near Dordover and in a war situation that could mean only death.

"Excellent, now all I have to do is sent out the distress signal to Lystern and Julatsa, sit back and watch the fireworks." Selik turned to go, then paused. "Oh, you know my plans now. You could get back in contact with Heryst and tell him. We can’t have that now can we?"

A sudden look of panic came across Vuldaroq as the Blackwing pulled his sword from his scabbard and, in one fluid movement, slit right through the Dordovan's throat. Vuldaroq didn’t have time to scream, blood squirted from his throat and sprayed over the Blackwing commander. Vuldaroq's eyes rolled and then his head slumped forward, cold, dead.

~*~

Karil draped the heavy jacket over the back of his chair and stood rubbing his eyes, the problem of Donarl never having left his thoughts. Rumours were beginning to spread throughout the town and he needed to put the people at rest though he knew not how.

Stepping out of his study and into the long corridor that led to the stairs into the hallway below Karil stopped only a moment to lock the door behind him, knowing how curious the cook’s young lad was. He smiled momentarily, remembering how he and his brother had been as children, but the thought of his brother only darkened his thoughts, thinking of what he had become.

Dropping the key into his loose black trousers’ pocket he strolled down the corridor and began to descend to the hallway. It was a hot summer and although he now only had on a thin cotton shirt that tied at the top he still felt too warm. Loosening the ties of his shirt and knowing that he didn’t particularly look the part of a town leader, he ran his hand through his tied-back black hair, not really caring how he looked; this was the least of his problems.

"Rewel!" Karil called out to the man currently struggling with a large bale of hay just outside the door. The man turned to look at him, but in doing so tripped and dropped the hay, falling on top of it. Karil tried not to allow his smirk to show too obviously as he went to help the man up. "Rewel, where is the lad that normally helps you with these jobs?" Rewel let his head hang.

"He was a friend of the young Donarl, my Lord." Again Karil's mood darkened further.

"Indeed. Well be more careful, I can't have another of my servants going ill on me now. And don't call me Lord, Rewel, it does not suit me."

"Yes, my Lord. Sorry my Lord, I mean sir, I mean..." Karil raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"Just call me Karil. Unusual I admit, but it suits me better that way."

"Certainly Karil, sir."

Karil smiled slightly as he watched the man walk off dragging what was left of the hay bale. But his smile soon left as he thought of the look in the man's eyes. He was scared. The whole town was, they feared whatever had taken Donarl - a boy just doing his work.

He needed a drink that was for sure. Shaking his head and bringing himself out of his thoughts, then headed for the tavern.

~*~

Several pairs of eyes settled on her as soon as she strolled in - Joibri had come to expect this of this town. Then again she did look a bit...provocatively outlandish. She glanced around her as she headed to the bar - these weren't men enjoying an early ale - some of these men looked to be drowning their sorrows. She raised an eyebrow, taking off her finger blades and carefully slipping them between legging waistband and skin, points up - clearly these men hadn't learnt that sorrow can swim.

The barkeep looked at her warily. She was tired of that reaction,

"Oh for hell's sake I'm not here to kill any of you!" she said loudly in exasperation so that they could all hear. The door opened and closed behind her again.

"We don't get many of your kind here anymore."

"Would you care to take a seat?" Karil Karil had seen the girl enter the tavern and his interest was struck immediately. A mercenary. They rarely came to the town these days, and perhaps this one had news from the outside world since his messenger had decided to flee when he was caught by the vengeful blacksmith after he stole some horseshoes earlier in spring; since she was entering the tavern he could perhaps approach her.

As he closed on the tavern entrance he had heard the girl's exasperated voice,

"Oh for hell's sakes, I’ve not come here to kill any of you." Karil allowed himself a small smile at that; she sounded like he felt. Tired and fed up.

He had opened the doors and let them close slightly louder than he normally would, hoping it might get her attention, saying,

"We don't get many of your kind here anymore." The girl turned to face Karil, and it struck him how exotic-looking she was. "It's all right, you can serve her you know," Karil smirked at the suspicious barkeep.

"Yes, my Lord." Karil sighed,

"How many times do I have to say this? You - none of you - have to call me Lord. The title does not suit me."

"Sorry, Karil." His attention was drawn back to the mercenary who starred at him, one eyebrow raised.He made a point to gesture towards the back of the tavern in which they would have more of a private conversation. They walked to the seats that he had pointed to and sat down. "So, a mercenary in these parts? Are you on business?"

At her expression he realised he'd gone a little far to start a conversation with someone who'd never been to his town before.

"I apologise, that was rude of me." He held out his hand to the girl, introducing himself. "My name is Karil, I‘m, well the townsfolk like to consider me their Lord but I don’t feel I am any such thing. I just happen to run the town. I feel that does not give me any right to be named as a Lord.”

"That's a rare quality, I'll grant you that," Joibri allowed a smile to slip. She took his hand, shaking it briefly and steadily, "Joibri'dan. And as for your question - no I'm not on business. Just passing through as it were." The barkeep brought them both a mug of ale. Joibri didn't drink much but she though it impolite to refuse.

"Passing through or getting away?" Karil smiled, leaning back in his chair.

"Depends what you think I'm getting away from," Joibri replied saltily. Her defences hadn't gone down completely. Karil took the reply as a sign that there were more things on her mind than she liked to show. He would store that away for later.

"Sorry, I meant that there's been trouble abroad. Strange things afoot that no one can catch or see." Joibri knew very well what he meant. "I was just curious as to if you knew anything about the outside world - like I said, we don't get many people 'passing through'."

"I confess I don't know as much as someone in my position should. That's even worse, considering I'm not trying to get away from the trouble." Karil raised his eyebrows in interest, draining his ale surprisingly quickly and signalling for the barkeep to bring another.

"Then what are you doing? Joining it?" Joibri's mug hovered in front of her face, considering her answer. Instead she diverted them slightly,

"You could say that." She took a sip and set her mug down. "Sorry, but, I know this is going to seem a little pretentious, I couldn't help but notice that you look very similar to the captain of the Blackwings, Selik." Karil's face darkened, and Joibri felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"You're very observant," he said in a low voice. "He's my brother."

Joibri nearly spat out her ale.

~*~

They had been following Joibri on her way to Ereth now for quite a while, but they still had not being able to catch the elf-girl. Lena sighed; she was weary of the chase, but she knew there would be no rest until they had found Joibri. Tension was high, Talo and the man called Pen had had another fight a few minutes ago. She didn't know what was going on between those two and for right now she didn't care. She felt extremely useless, everybody else seemed to have a purpose, a reason for fighting. That was, everyone except herself. She had been dragged along on this adventure by Talo and then had been forgotten.

Suddenly she realised that she wasn't alone anymore, she had company. She looked around and saw that the elf-man, Del (or something like that was his name she remembered), was beside her. As he noticed her gaze he smiled and asked,

"How are you feeling?" Surprised by the attention Lena said the first thing that came to her mind,

"Kind of useless. What am I doing here? You don't need me to slow you down..." she sighed again. The elf smiled at her again,

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. You may not feel so appreciated right now, but I'm sure that later on we will be happy to have you with us." Lena smiled to herself at his effort to cheer her up and realised that it seemed to be working,

"Thanks," she said, smiling openly now. He smiled back and was about to say something when he heard a shout from further on - Kane was yelling something to him. He shouted,

"I'm coming," and smiled at Lena again, before moving off, leaving a happier Lena behind.

~*~

"Your brother?!"

"Keep your voice down!" his voice was harsh now, and his eyes flickered around the tavern to make sure no one had heard her. "It is not a relationship I tend to make public knowledge."

"After meeting him I can see why." Karil's head snapped to face her,

"You've met him? How is he these days?"

"Oh he's fine." Joibri sneered, making Karil wish he'd not asked after his brother. "It's the people he meets you need to ask after. Those he captures, like me, and Pen." She suddenly realised she'd mentioned her erstwhile friend, and the thought of him pained her.

"Pen?"

"Nothing, he's just someone I used to know."

"You don't mean Penrold? From Arlen? Son of Sarol?" Joibri's surprise must have shown clearly for the man next to her laughed aloud, "We were childhood friends. Myself, my wonderful brother and Pen," he explained, placing extra emphasis on the ‘wonderful’, showing he thought very little of his younger brother.

"Of course. I remember now - the heated conversations they had of the past, and loyalty. That was before Selik beat the shit out of him, though," Joibri said casually.

"HE DID WHAT?!" Karil drained his third ale angrily. "Barkeep, another ale! He reaches new lows every time I hear of him."

"I'm sorry I must be the bringer of this news." Karil turned to her, painfully, nodding to the barkeep as he was handed his next ale. Catching Joibri's meaningful glance at the drink he smirked,

"Don't worry Joibri'dan, I can handle my drink."

"Joibri, please." She was beginning to feel at ease. "If I may say so, though you are similar in looks, from what I can see you are nothing like each other in personalities and morals." At this Karil laughed, something which surprised Joibri, whose eyebrows had shot up again.

"Morals. I'm not sure that word and my brother's name can go in the same conversation let alone the same sentence." Settling back down to drinking deeply, almost downing half the pint in one mouthful, he swallowed hard, before turning back to the mercenary. "What got you both in his bad books, speak the word mage too loudly?" His tone was full of anger and bitterness.

Hmmm this one could be interesting. How could she tell him Selik's interest had been in her? Yet he had nothing to do with his brother. But still.

"We were on a job. Had information that would aid the Blackwing cause. Demanded Pen join him." At this Karil laughed harder than she'd seen him do so far. She wasn't sure if it was the drink or if it was his way of hiding how he truly felt.

"He should have known better than to ask Pen that. He's a fool. I take it that was why he was beaten? For refusing?"

"I honestly couldn't say, we weren't held together. All I know is that when we were taken in there by your darling brother, Pen was in no state to be questioned even by the most compassionate person in Balaia, let alone a cold-blooded murdering piece of shit like Selik." Joibri suddenly realised what she'd said and looked into Karil's face, a mix of emotions showing and she regretted saying it. "I'm sorry Karil, I shouldn't have..."

"No," his firm reply stopped her in her tracks. "Do not apologise. Much as I try to forget it he is my brother, but he is far more the thing that you describe him as. It just gets to you sometimes when you know how a person used to be, and then you see what they become." He attempted a warm smile, which failed, but Joibri returned it anyway. "So, he had his muscle beat up his own friend who was already injured?"

"I'm afraid that's not quite how it happened." Joibri knew that true regret could be heard in her voice, and she didn't want to cause Karil any more pain, though she knew he'd want to know all.

"How did it happen?" Karil asked, unsure if he actually wished to know.

"Pen was taken to Selik's "office", and left with him- for over half an hour."

Pure rage was now all Joibri could see within the Ereth Lord's face, as the grip on his ale tightened and he slammed it hard onto the table. It shook violently, making most of the bar turn to stare at them, but one look from Karil had them back to their original conversations. Joibri would have sworn that if the table hadn't been made of the sturdy wood that it was, the pressure at which Karil had slammed down his ale would have broken it in half. As it was, Joibri's ale was now lying on the floor since the vibration had thrown it off the table, and most of Karil's had slopped over onto his hand which seemed to snap him out of his depressive state.

“How would like to come to my home? I'll have my servants prepare a spare bedroom for you, you must be tired, and perhaps later after dinner you'd care to come to my study. We could talk more then when you have rested. Unless you're wanting to move on."

Joibri thought for a moment. She should really be going, but she was so exhausted after her trip and she knew she could easily slip from anywhere she was staying to avoid the group that would no doubt have followed her tracks as soon as they found she was gone. She would normally have covered her tracks well, but the speed with which she'd had to leave left her no time to do so.

"Thank you, that would be very kind," she smiled at her host, who nodded, a smile playing around his lips slightly. They stood, and Karil threw some money onto the table to pay for the ale.

"One thing before we leave. You will tell no one of my relationship to Selik. Do you understand?" She nodded,

"I swear it." To Joibri's surprise Karil was as steady on his feet as ever when they exited the tavern - he could hold his drink.

"It is funny we should have spoken of Pen," Karil said. Joibri was confused for a moment, then followed his gaze and there was Pen, leading the group into the town.

"Shit." She made to hide but Karil snapped out his arm and caught her wrist. She turned to see him now, frowning at her.

"I see you were running after all." Joibri twisted in his grip, but felt it tighten painfully. She gasped unintentionally, and he relaxed his grip a little as the group came up to them.

"Karil! Joibri!" the relief in Pen's voice could not go unnoticed.

"It seems you have worried my friend," Karil said to her, his gaze cold.

"Karil it's all right, let her go." Nodding, the man let go of Joibri's arm and she allowed herself to slide to the ground in defeat.

"Go ahead, say whatever you're going to say," Joibri said just as defeatedly as her position denoted.

Pen watched her momentarily, trying to figure out what he could and should not say. Karil made a note of it all. Including when a richly-robed male elf rushed to Joibri's side, and the resulting glare from Pen.

"Gods burning, Joibri, why did you leave like that?! You could have been killed!"

"I highly doubt that, Talo," Delenar reminded him as he and the rest of the group appeared around the corner. "Still, Joibri, it wasn't wise..."

"Don't talk to me about what's wise!" she snapped, then looked back to the ground again. Karil was very confused, though he hid it under a stern gaze,

"What's going on here?" The rest of the party looked to one another nervously, trying to silently decide amongst them if they should tell this man anything at all. When nobody spoke, Karil stared hard at Pen urging him to speak in greeting at least. "Pen?" The group looked around again, confused that this man should know Pen's name. Pen looked uncomfortable.

"It's just a misunderstanding, Karil. We can have it all cleared up soon enough, we just need to stock up on supplies and then we'll be gone," Pen made to move past his old friend, the others following, but Karil held his ground, reaching out a arm to block Pen's path. The warrior made to remove Karil's hand from his chest but upon looking at him saw his expression and decided his best bet was not to cross him. Pen turned to face the rest of the group.

"Delenar, take Joibri back into the tavern, see if they have a room for her." Delenar nodded, taking hold of Joibri's arm whilst Talo fumed.

"I already have a room. I don't need you to sort things out for me. I'm not a child!" she shook Delenar from her arm, and to his surprise, gave Talo an equally despising look.

"I'm not so sure of that now, Joibri'dan," Karil stated. Joibri glared daggers sharper than her sword. "Though you may wish to come into this town and be given supplies, whilst I am Lord, you will adhere to the laws of this town and its people. There have been certain incidents of late which I personally feel none too happy with, least of all how the townsfolk feel of it. Now. I suggest you all of you go to the tavern, there are plenty of rooms to spare."

As the group made towards the tavern, Karil again laid his hand on Pen's chest.

"All, that is, except Pen and Joibri'dan." Rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, Pen sighed loudly and looked across at Joibri who looked a little happier now the rest of the group had gone. "Come, we will go to my house where we will discuss the goings-on of the past few hours and frankly what in the hells is going on here."

~*~

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