Flame struck nothing but air in that instant, nearly losing her balance due to the quite sudden acrobatic feat performed by the newcomer although she recovered quickly with the spear in her hands, using it to regain a certain amount of composure. Its tip was swiftly pointing at the creature for the red head spun around to meet any impending retaliation on his part, and while it never came it was the first time she laid eyes on the wicked looking goblin.

He'd covered an incredible distance while evading that blow, the means through which he was capable of doing so had eluded the sorceress though considering the nature of this world it could have been nothing short of magical, his own feeble physique certainly wouldn't have allowed for it.

Of a more immediate concern were the blades brought forth, a single one split into three with such nimble motions that it seemed he'd done such a thing many times before. Still, she held onto the spear with somewhat waning courage, his grin serving ideally to let a shiver run down her spine as her narrowed eyes held him in focus.

The same words spoken mere moments before rang through the air, as foreign to her as always though Roc answered in her place. Nothing truly indicated what he and the other goblin were discussing, whether the conversation took a turn for the worse although some of the tension got lost along the way, eventually fading almost completely when they were adressed in a way that did not exclude Flame from being able to get involved.

Crimson eyes take in the features of their supposed guide, seeking the orange hue of his own and while she couldn't detect any deception, their weapons remained an issue. "I'm not entirely comfortable with introductions as long as you have these knives in your hand, Spencer."

Naturally she'd been the first to slacken in her stance, raising the hilt of the spear just barely in preparation to remove its deadly peak from Spencer whilst waiting for him to do the same, wary of his recently discovered ability that allowed him to avoid the first strike. Assuming he could close the distance between them utilising that very same method, she didn't want to feel as though he could take a blade to her throat immediately, no matter what little reason he'd have to do so.

"You know where we're headed?", she then asked casually, trusting that if he were true to his word he'd know the answer right away though as highly unlikely as it was to be found by an imposter early on it never hurt their travels thus far to make sure.

Spencer chuckled softly as he continued to watch the pair then his eyes shifted ever so slightly to Flame as if he were sizing the pair up as if determining who was more dangerous. Probably the other one, at least in close given that he seemed more at ease with that martial stance though he could be wrong.

A few tense moments then the three daggers he held transformed into one that he tossed up into the air with a slight flick, caught in the other hand then sheathed with that hand in one separate fluid motion. Though it was on the same side as his hand.

“Just pointing out that you attacked first,” Spencer chuckled a little more as if this had amused him in s
some way and he saw that the other Goblin did the same though he was in no hurry to close the distance. At range he had the advantage after all considering what he knew …

No sense given up that point though the question that had been put to him caused him to grin again. “Is that a trick question? If you continue on you'll join up with Tori at the Blue Shrine but neither one of you intend on going there as far as I have been told your final destination resides across the ocean at Sirocco though I suppose you could use the land bridge to the North if you had the time at least.”

“He's not a Goblin,” Roc whispered to Flame. He had battled against Goblins and knew how they moved, how they spoke … This one's Goblin had an accent to that was familiar that he couldn't place and while he was more at ease with this tongue there was a trace of an accent. Brindel, maybe, he lived in Brindel so picking up that accent, was difficult seeing that it was normally an every day matter and thus he could not distinguish it.

“What are you two speaking of? Don't be rude.”

“Just that with a name like Spencer you're not a Goblin. First it has one too many syllables.”

“Oh, such hurtful words. Not all goblins are brain dead you know.”

“I noted you didn't use we or us there.”

Spencer shook his head. “You do have the payment of course.”

“Payment?” This was the first time he heard anything about payment.

“I am to see one Flame naked, whomever that is between the two of you. That is what I have been told, a small price but I have been told that seeing such a site is well worth the risks I am taking.”

The way Spencer sheathed his dagger spilled arrogance, a certain sense of superiority flowing through his every word and action, wafting through the air like vinegar although Flame guessed the illusion laid upon them had been all that he could see and really, when she first encountered two armed goblins at once she hadn't truly felt intimated either. She grumbled a bit, reluctant to respond and explain how sneaking up on her gauged such a reaction though at the very least their hostilities were cast aside for the time being and her inquiry was answered to her satisfaction.

A whisper coming from Roc gathered her attention, the reasons as to why he thought that their guide wasn't a goblin were unclear aside from the near inexplicable means through which he'd distanced himself from them, but she trusted the dwarf considering the expanse of his retained memories.

"Well, then what is he?" It was a mumbled response riddled with curiosity, her eyes never leaving the being before them although it was then that they were interrupted.

Their vocal jabs were going back and forth, to the point where one might consider it humorous. Flame made a few mental notes of goblin characteristics throughout their little chat, always seeking the knowledge that'd aid her in this world though upon noting the delicate issue of payment, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at that revelation. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Nothing ever indicated that they were responsible for delivering anything of value to any of those they met if their jailor arranged for the various meetings along the way to their destination, they were prisoners after all yet disguised as goblins it might seem differently to those ignorant of their true nature. Her state of mind merely worsened when Flame heard what was on the table, unable to suppress the urge to clench her hands into fists as they tightened around the spear and blood rushed to her cheeks.

He wouldn't dare, would he? To offer the view of her nude body for payment? She would've loved to object, perhaps Spencer was simply hoping for more than what Nicodemus already paid and figured that somehow such a nickname was indicative of gender, possibly attractivity and while that chain of thoughts could continue for quite some time it seemed more likely that he really did pay him with the promise of such an enticing image.

"No need to try and fool us, Spencer. Clearly we have no idea what you're talking about.", she replied in a nonchalant manner as a grin splayed over her features, the slight remnants of annoyance punctured her tone nonetheless as she straightened up in an attempt to fill in a role of someone she was not.

"Payment was never discussed. We were given the impression that Nicodemus had taken care of everything beforehand because neither he nor others we've come in contact with ever mentioned anything about it."

Flame shook her head. "We don't have your payment with us even if there was any to be had .. You best consult with Nicodemus as to how he intends to pay you with the body of another the next time you see him before agreeing to meet up."

Surely he wouldn't fall for such a blatant lie although her acting was rather convincing. There were a lot of things she wouldn't have minded, becoming endebted to someone and owe them huge amounts of whatever they used for currency here just being one of many, but the way things were it was troublesome to even remotely be put in such a place.

He was indispensable, they needed him to remove the collars, needed him for guidance in these lands unless they were prepared to sacrifice time they didn't have by taking an alternate route which, at this point, was of unknown length and duration depending on the terrain as it might inhibit their progress. They didn't have time nor the means for anything but Spencer's aid and unless he was prepared to accept anything else, Flame was bound to pay up.

“I'm not sure ...” Roc was only aware that he wasn't a Goblin. The accent, the way he carried himself … there was something that was off by all this and if he had the time to elaborate on these matters but Spencer reminded the pair that he was still there.

What was going through his head had been as unknown as his actual species had been though those orange eyes watched the pair coolly, confidently. Being a contact of Nicodemus could it be that he too was a fallen Angel or perhaps something else for what were the odds of this man being a Celestial as well?

“Nope.” Spencer shook his head as he swung his gaze to Flame figuring that she would be the first to protest about it. Those orange eyes looked at an image of a male Goblin warrior though which wasn't too appealing at present though being in such a state wasn't permanent of course.

As things were explained, Spencer raised a brow as if annoyed or displeased with that matter. Holding his gaze on Flame he wore a stern visage and had been silent for a full minute. He then grinned with that toothy expression of his.

“I'm fucking with you. You should have seen your face, even the illusion contorted this way and that. We're not even the same species ...”

A clue perhaps. Did he know what species she was or was he simply guessing here?

“Come, time is of the essence I am told.”

He guides the two away and they have to elude a goblin patrol though after a moment Spencer tells the others while they won't be attacked in these forms the others might think they're playing hookey so to speak.

Another five minutes took them to a section of deeper forest with glyphs marked on the ground. Just another minute or so into this are he stops at a clearing and gestures about to the logs and rocks.

“Have a seat. I'll get those collars off first. Until then let's play a game. I will allow both of you three questions. Together I will give you three guess as to whom I am, these mechanisms should be easy enough were were can play a short game though I will have to dispel the illusion now to see what I am doing. It's OK the Goblins don't come into this area of the forest on account of the unicorn.”

Flame eyed Spencer expectantly, neither of them giving an inch as they held their position firmly although it was safe to say that once he'd broken the silence, his reaction blatantly caught her off guard. Not that she'd minded not having to undress before the creature hidden beneath a goblin appearance, but somehow she couldn't shake the thought that he and Nicodemus did at least touch upon the delicate subject of her appearance.

Whether he refered to his own species or hers as though he could see through the illusion remained unanswered, but she was glad to find that they were finally able to move on. With a nod she'd joined up with him, casting her gaze back upon Roc to ensure that he tagged along and wasn't left behind.

The further they went, however, the more alien these woods appeared to be to the concealed sorceress, passing by sigils of some sort along the way though she hadn't paid them any mind, unable to ascertain their true meaning and purpose even if she tried simply because Spencer pressed on and seemed to be ignoring them all the same. They may prove to be landmarks, she thought, but she didn't feel the immediate need to recognize any of them. They weren't going to spend much time in these parts, after all, not that they could even if they had wanted since time actually mattered and their deadline wasn't going to change.

At last they came to a halt amidst a clearing, they hadn't gone far but their purpose here became apparant once Spencer began to explain. Flame complied at his gesture, making her way over to their supposed seats though she stopped dead in her tracks at his notion of a game.

"A game .. now?", she asked in disbelief, her voice carrying a slightly lower volume than necessary after his guarantee of their privacy, not even initially concerned about the mention of a unicorn that may or may not reside in the area since if every time she'd asked about something she did not know nor understand in her state of mind as it were under the effect of the witch's spell, she'd have never gotten anything done.

It was a mildly intriguing thought at best to reveal his origin or in the very least his own species, but considering her lack of knowledge on nearly any topic available including his proposition of a so called game, perhaps she could gain more than she'd lose seeing how nothing was truly lost by them not guessing right. She then responded, summoning up a white lie along the way. "Well .. I know very little about anything outside of Sirocco, so unless my traveling companion feels inclined to play, you might be out of luck."

She placed the spear beside herself once she became seated atop one of the nearby logs, hands neatly folded within her lap as she spun around, facing the other two. "Maybe if he was allowed to take over the majority of questions and guesses in an attempt to even the odds, but even then they would probably end up being stacked in your favor I'm afraid."

"Please begin, we shouldn't stay here much longer than we have to.", she then added, eyeing Spencer instead of Roc although it might've counted for either of them. The sooner they removed these collars, however, the sooner they could move on.

Gale would have been great here. She, being an elf, would have picked up on things that neither Flame nor Roc noticed. One was the sigils. She would have recognized the marks though given her haughtiness may have kept that knowledge to herself or just assumed everyone should know what was common knowledge for her species.

Roc indeed followed though he wasn't a dour dwarf as was stereotypical of his kind. He did not find Spencer humorous and found him in bad taste with most things but they needed him. The latest gag about payment, sneaking up on them initially and eluding to the fact, at least initially, that he was nothing more than one of Tori's Goblins.

It had been as if he were testing them when all they were doing was wasting time.

The orange eyes of the Goblin snapped to Flame as if she had just slapped him. “Yes, now. Was there a better time for it? Would you prefer to be caught up in a pitched battle against Tori's minions? We are doing nothing else after all.”

He seemed to relax as she considered it though. Roc listened to the exchange. While he was a little old for playing games and dwarfs played different games altogether he was a bit curious as to what Spencer was though he had some ideas.

Roc nodded. “I'll play. You wouldn't happen to be a Pixie?” Games, making light of situations even if they were life and death. The desire to play games …

The Goblin had a dead panned look as if Roc guessed it straight away then he grinned. “Nope and that's one guess down. I may be a novice at this game but you each have three questions that you might want to use up first before you start guessing a species.” He giggled at that.

Roc deferred the removal of his collar until Flame was out of hers. The simple fact was that even without magic he could be effective in the event that anyone chanced upon them. With all that seen too Spencer dismissed the illusion on Flame, moved behind he and began to work on the collar. It was a simple thing though he could not remove it as quickly as Nicodemus could.

“OK, six questions split between you as you see fit but only two guess to the species now -”

“Are you a Fae?”

He frowned. “I guess … to be fair I could be classified as two things ...”

“Are you a half breed?”

“No.”

Four questions and two guesses left. Spencer continued to work on Flame's collar all the while, answering questions had been easy for him after all.

Flame wasn't entirely pleased with the idea of playing a game in light of the situation at hand, but considering the immense pressure that had been on them and that they might be dead in the following days, it offered at least a brief escape from reality despite how inappropriate it seemed and felt to partake in it.

That they'd lost a guess to a rash conclusion Roc reached didn't upset her in the slightest nor did it matter in the long run, in the end Spencer wouldn't be around for long as were these woods that were merely a temporary harbor for the unusual trio.

Naturally one played games to win, but she lacked knowledge there and while she recalled bits and pieces, nothing truly substantial came to mind. Flame considered they may end up losing despite their best efforts, but she was eager to try and at least give it a shot seeing how there was nothing to lose.

There was the option to simply give up, after all one way to beat those seeking games would be to deny them, perhaps trick him into giving up the charade and expose his species to them instead of having either of them play, but they were granting him the satisfaction of having the lead for the time being.

Perhaps his true nature was that of a sprite, although an illusion might hide his true form it was doubtful that their feeble stature allowed him to perform as extraordinarily as he had done minutes before nor impersonate a goblin. Whether he changed forms or enveloped himself in an illusion she could not tell, but at the very least sprites were out of the picture from the get-go.

An imp seemed more likely although she wasn't quite sure whether they actually were fae, yet sometimes classified as fairies and vice versa that might've worked out if it weren't for the fact that Flame remained hesitant, unwilling to sacrifice their remaning guesses so soon. Regardless, he was a trickster of sorts, a Fae and while she might've had a slight idea there it seemed flatout impossible to derive an ideal guess refering to his species at this point in time.

"Hm .. Do you have wings or pointed ears?", she then asked, well aware that she may be using two out of four remaining questions, but then again that was all she could think of and felt as though Roc should be given the other two due to his greater knowledge in that regard.

Roc had been thinking along similar lines. This could be a natural shape shifter rather than an illusion though he weighed those two options with what he understood but the answers they had already know. Magic in the form of an illusion was fairly common among the Fae so he was probably using an illusion, though he narrowed it down just a little further.

He was in the process of thinking up a question to whittle it down further when his attention shifted to Flame as Spencer continued to tinker with the metallic collar unhitched it so it hung half on and half off Flame. He nearly had it though paused for a moment after the collar fell away fr9m hr.

Making his way to Roc he considered the question. “Hm. I should have made them yes or no questions but clever … you pose two questions into one, an either or but we had no rules about the questions before hand so I shall answer. Wings, Three questions?”

“What kind of wings do you possess?” Roc followed up Flame's question with one of his own. This would narrow it down and Spencer seemed to know this as he frowned. Flame hat hit upon the right question and there were only a few styles of wings.

Roc might have guessed Pixie earlier but Sprites had wings as well, gossamer ones.

“Butterfly ...” he mumbled to which there was only two types of creatures he knew of and only one that fit the mold of two types of creatures.

“Come again?”

“Butterfly ...” to which Roc grinned after stroking his beard.

“Faerie Dragon?”

Spencer went quite for a bit. “Oh, this latch is so much easier then the first.”

“Faerie Dragon?” Roc repeated a little louder than before.

“I heard you the first time. And yes, Faerie Dragon.” Spencer admitted. “Frigging lucky guess.”

A certain naivety was involved when it came to her question, not knowing whether he'd answer in regard to it being either yes or no only since Roc had progressed under that principle alone.

She looked over at the dwarf once he followed up on that revelation while a soft smile adorned her lips, having contributed to the game in more ways than one as the board seemingly tipped in their favor now. The discovery of these holes in the rules felt simply rewarding, nearly as good as winning itself no doubt although it seemed they weren't far off now that they had greater freedom.

As the collar fell away she'd gazed upon it before the red head bent over slightly in order to pick it up as her smooth fingers ran over the metallic device. It hadn't changed much in appearance, similar to when Nicodemus removed it and since it activated once simply attached to someone else it would've been simple to use should the need arise. They could leave it there safely, of course, taking his word that goblin patrols wouldn't come through here though it might come in handy at a later time or so she thought.

The busty sorceress tucked it away beneath her clothes, securing it amidst a strap under the first slim layer as to conceal it from sight completely before turning her attention back to the others. She got the gist of their brief exchange of words although when one of them got louder she'd been shaken awake from the thought of what she might use such a device for.

Flame didn't recall ever hearing or reading about what Spencer turned out to be through the game of his choice, but found that if she did know she'd have likely refrained from laughing out loud as it might make her seem indecorous back in the day as much as she did now. Two species from opposite spectrums which essentially resulted in a somewhat cutesy image of a small magical dragon with shiny butterfly wings whereas dragons usually were depicted as creatures of intimidating stature such as Kale who Roc had refered to earlier. It was akin to a bad joke waiting to be made.

"Someone's a sore loser .. He guessed your species fair and square.", Flame chimed in with a grin, the comment nothing more than playful teasing as her tone and expression would indicate.

But now they've made her curious, their knowledge surpassed her own once again and she didn't want to be left out considering that the notion of his species didn't really tell her anything at all unless she looked it up herself some other time. "While we're at it, would you kindly explain to me what a Faerie Dragon is?"

They were a hammer and anvil, working together on the task at hand. When Flame touched upon that loop hole in the rules, if indeed it was a loop hole and not an oversight Roc worked quickly and before long a solution had been reach.

Roc was sure that they would work together well. His usually patience had been stilled given the deadline that they had but they worked well together from what he could see even if the task was a simple one.

So a bunch of Goblins, a Fallen Angel and now a Fae he tried to link them together but did not have the information that Flame did so he could only speculate on a few matters.

Spencer frown a little then grinned, his mood lightening and to Roc he seemed wishy washy always bouncing back and forth between extremes. She had not called him a cheat, a sore loser, well he could deal with that. Rumpelstiltskin, now that was a sore loser!

But she was not too far in her imagery of a Faerie Dragon. Nor did she deal with the realm of the Fae and such creatures were rare there. Created originally through powerful Fae magic one was in the process of creating a pet for their daughter and had spliced together a Dragon with a butterfly.

The growth of the Dragon had been severely stunted though they lived for only two decades or so before being subject to illness unique to the species.

“What's a Faerie Dragon!!! Just the greatest of all Fae creatures.”

“And modest too,” Roc added though Spencer frowned briefly. “To be honest I have little idea myself, I've heard of them though.”

“So uncultured ...” Spencer shook his head from side to side. “Think the size of a dragon shrunk to about twice the size of your hand but half that is tail. Instead of wings like a dragon we have wings similar to a butterfly and as we age we actually change color mirroring the spectrum of a rainbow plus white for hatchlings and black for venerable members of our species.

“Some say that we have playful personalities like Pixies but our territories often overlap and we have picked up a great many of their personality traits. We are also good with magical illusions, invisibility and other magical talents.”

“Such as jumping that distance earlier?”

Spencer shook his head. “Naw. That was from a magical ring I got and the dagger is magical as well though it can resize and looks larger given the illusion.”

There was a click and the second collar fell away. Roc picked it up for the time being.

“Unless there is anything further I still have to lead you to Sirocco, I'm quite sure you two can beat him ...”

"Oh, but I do have a certain interest in your culture." Flame intervened, hoping to explain before Spencer got the wrong idea though he seemed baffled by her lack of knowledge, but at the very least they weren't going to waste any time here since he was actually working on the second collar througout it all. "Any culture, really."

"Unfortunately I've had my mind tampered with, as was his, so even if I knew anything about the Fae previously I wouldn't be able to remember it here and now." That confession didn't make her feel bashful in the slightest, the truth never would though she made sure not to upset him further by choosing the wrong tone. She nodded in thanks to Roc for backing her up, after all her inquiries were not meant to be ill will yet with a character whose emotional state seemed to be changing constantly that point in itself proved hard to get across.

Flame raised her hand at the notion that he wasn't larger than twice its size, palm facing toward herself as her red eyes flicked back and forth between it and the illusion of a goblin concealing the Faerie Dragon. It was strange, that size didn't always matter considering that such a feeble creature posessed such notable traits and abilities. Not knowing what he was in his natural form and seeing one for herself in reality she might've underestimated him.

"I take it we would've been at a loss with our spears then.", she noted, thinking out loud more so than anything as her hand lowered only to connect with the other placed in her lap.

At last Roc was free of his own restraints, Flame eager to move on though whatever they might face ahead they'd have two anti-magic collars to assist them in the future seeing how he picked up his shortly after. She was about ready to get up and suggest they move on straight away when suddenly Spencer spoke up.

"What do you mean, him?" The words spilled from her lips somewhat unthinkingly, surprise in her voice as clear as day before she regained some composure, now unable to take it back she had another confession to make. "We, um .. Well, to be honest we haven't really been told what we're up against. Nicodemus didn't seem to know while another contact of ours didn't have much of a clue either though he suggested we should discuss the matter with you."

"I must've forgotten to ask .. Until now, that is." A subtle blush rose to her cheeks, embarassed that she got carried away at a time where focus was of hih importance though there was no point to dwell on that now. "Who were you referring to just now?"

“Oh?” Spencer seemed to be appeased by Flame though, maybe a little surprised though like a true Dragon a Faerie Dragon still had an ego despite not having the size or the strength to back it up as a true Dragon would.

His orange eyes went to Flame as if to study how serious Flame was though he seemed to see something there that had set him at ease. He nodded at that, his hand rubbing a chin as if in thought here.

“Alright, I will tell you about us throughout the trip. It is nearly an hour through the Shadow and thus plenty of time to inform you along the way. The two of you. It is good to find those with an interest in these matters.”

Roc knew about Fae, at least the general stuff and while Elves and Dwarfs might not get along all too well, while most Fae dwelled apart from the dwarfs save for annoying Mites and some of the other Gremlins.

There were a few subterranean Fae as well … Roc figured that it would be a boring conversation for him but an insightful on for Flame so he did not mind so much.

The promise had been made to tell them all about the Fae in transit though Spencer grinned with Flame's mention of the spears though. She was judging his size of course though he had little doubt that a single blow could have done him in the fact that most would harmlessly pass through the illusion made it worthwhile there.

Interacting with the illusion though they would have had a chance to see through it though he had to beat them close before they discovered his secret.

“Oh, I have little doubt that either of you two would have figured it out, you're both potent spell castes after all you were given those collars. Memory or not I think the basics would come back.”

He considers for a moment about her question and sees her blush though he had not confirmed it himself he did have it on good faith from various sources.

“I have heard things though I have not been back there myself, else I would have check it out myself if I wasn't told to assist the two of you and had the time to do so.

“Apparently Tori keeps that particular cave guarded for whatever reason by a Demon, a rather strong Torment Demon so there must be something of importance there.”

Dropped into a mystical realm without being able to recall years of life spent within it, Flame considered it wise to pick up the pieces whilst adding new fragments whenever she could, expanding the collective through the various species she encountered along the way although she'd passed on that opportunity when it came to goblins. She was repulsed by the idea of indulging into their culture as it were, perhaps another day when recent events didn't make her hold a grudge against the green skinned hordes.

A strange phenomenon had occured a few times since her arrival in Carrion, subtle enough to be missed though she couldn't help but pick up on it as first Gale, then Spencer reverted into a calmer state upon laying their eyes on the red haired sorceress. It might've just been her apologetic nature in these moments, the honesty which underlined her every word though she made a mental note to keep those incidents in check. "Thank you, I'm looking forward to it. Oh, and .. please, forgive my manners. The name is Flame, pleased to meet you."

She smiled briefly as he continued, her gaze diverting to the dwarf for a second. "He would have figured it out first, no doubt. I'm not nearly as accustomed to these things as others seeing how my memories have been almost entirely suppressed."

With a nod she continued. "I believe you're right, but only time will tell if what we remember will be enough to make it through the day."

Flame was embarassed of course, naturally one might've expected more careful planning though the rush caused matters to be made up from nothing at all almost instantaneously. It proved soothing as Spencer revealed his own take on the situation, that he lacked knowledge himself though it gave them a general idea of what they were up against. "A demon .."

That much could not be taken from memory, firmly embedded in her mind as she brought up images of the vile hellspawn, fearing what may lie ahead even from the vast distance that stood between them and the demon. The thought of facing anything of that nature scared the young woman, especially considering that torment seemed to be its most prominent attribute by the sounds of it where one did not wish to imagine what would happen if she were to be defeated yet survive the encounter, inevitably at its mercy whilst she knew there would be none.

She then took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts aside for the time being. "I see. Well, at least that narrows it down a bit though it would surprise me if it isn't fond of fire .. considering that the Efreeti were supposedly seen near our final destination." After all Nicodemus hinted at their presence in the proximity of that cave, whether joining forces with Tori or not it'd be an immense loss on their part if Flame couldn't cause any harm to them or the single, most powerful guardian they had to overcome in order to reach the artefact.

"You wouldn't happen to know more about these, would you?" Her gaze shifted from either of them to the other, anticipating their responses though upon receiving them she pressed on, finally rising from the log and pacing around the clearing. "I imagine the only sensible thing left to do would be to speak to the locals as well when we arrive, maybe they're aware of some ancient lore that we're not or have caught glimpses of whatever it is that dwells near their settlement. With any luck we might stumble across a historian .."

Arms crossed in front of her chest they savored the precious swell of her breasts, hidden beneath layers of clothing the sudden increase in pressure accentuated their lush curves well though she hadn't wasted any time on thinking along those lines, her arousal having eventually died down completely before she turned to Spencer again, lowering her arms and ending the subtle display of her ample cleavage. "In any case, I was wondering if you'd be able to provide us with a map of the area? That is, unless you plan on sticking around once we've arrived and would care to serve us as a guide along the way. I for one would appreciate any help you can offer."

At last she shook her head, wary of the pressing time concern as she adressed Roc and their new traveling companion. "We should talk as we walk, any moment we stay here longer than we have to is one we won't have when it actually matters."

Spencer giggled like a little child. He had forgotten about simple introductions distracted by his games, at first challenging the pair to see if they were any good and more recently in this guessing game.

Flame could see that he was a bit fickle, quick to take offense in certain areas but quick to let things go. It was a tribute of a long life perhaps that came from his mixed heritage despite not living so long unlike other Fae or Dragons then again it could have been that since his life had been so short there simply wasn't the same luxury of time that the longer lived races had in holding onto anger for so long.

“Good, I certain look forward to teaching you. Faerie Dragons should be known far and wide!”

Roc was leaning against his spear until they were on the way. He was not bored but rather taking the time to plan ahead and consider this and that as she and the Fae spoke.

At the mention of her lost memories Spencer looks to Roc, sees that he is still impassive then looks back at Flame, orange eyes studying her carefully. “While there are many spells that can impede memory we Faerie Dragons have the ability to breath out a cone of gas of one of two types. Unlike our larger cousins that may spit fire or noxious gases and the like ours can cause sleep or memory loss, though only older Faery Dragons have that talent. Do you feel as if there is nothing there or that there is a sense, a familiarity with no memory of the past? After all this we can speak to the elders but time is a factor here.”

“A Demon I'm afraid bond by and summoned by the Efreeti. It has an affinity for fire. Apparent the evil genies, the fire wielding Efereet summoned it as a last resort by them."

Roc thumbed his dragon tattoo seeing the measure of concern on Flame's face. “I'll deal with the Demon, chances are your magic could only bend the flames that it uses any way and if it has some resistance or immunity to fire my Earth magic should do the trick and if all else fails I'll just pummel it.”

“Whatever works, I suppose. I'll guide you there maybe the locals may known more. If this was not rushed I would know more …”

It was odd seeing that neither of the men were ogling her as her breasts were accentuated, different species of course thought they had to be into different matters. Spencer stroked his chin as Flame considered a map.

“I was only asked to bring you from point A to B but I have no problems with going most of the way and waiting for you two. A map is rather easy to acquire too so either or. I do not mind,” he smiled at the two. Spencer nodded at Flame's words. “Follow.”

And he begun to move through the Shadow as they talked.

"Nicodemus explained that they're suppressed, not erased entirely, although I have only his word on that." Flame commented on the matter, uncertain to what extent her memories were actually affected though considering that Tori wouldn't have much use for any of the four beyond opening a passage to the Blue Shrine, chances were that they weren't salvageable except those the witch needed them to have.

"Some things I do remember, such as having studied a wide variety of languages alongside my magical training although those memories don't seem to be going any deeper than that."

She had to swallow hard at the way she perceived of her memory loss, hesitant to continue though that information seemed to matter to Spencer at least. "Personally, I fear there may be nothing there. Sirocco is but a word that I associate with a region simply because I was told what it was, not because I spent years living there as my memory suggests and know its meaning for a fact. I just .. don't remember the slightest moment of my life there. My home, acquaintances, even friends .. nothing comes to mind .. as if there never were any."

It saddened the sorceress to think along those lines, they simply couldn't be true unless she'd been an abyssmal human being throughout her lifetime which, seeing how she interacted with others, seemed nearly impossible. However, she perked up at the notion of being taken to the elders, that they may fix her problem if they got there in time and the source of her problem had been one of their kind.

"You would take me there? Really?" Flame lit up when she spoke, torn from the nightmare that her thought had become. Of course Nicodemus offered to restore her memories as well, but given the alternative she'd prefer using it rather than asking for his divine intervention so soon after assuring their freedom. "I cannot thank you enough .. Whether or not they're able to help, I won't forget it."

She smiled briefly when Roc confidently accepted the burden of taking care of the demon, a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders. "You're probably right, but if I can assist, I will."

At last she'd taken a hold of her own spear, ready to depart as Spencer urged them to their feet. He was willing to stay which made any further argumentation on the matter pointless, her decision already made long before he agreed. "In that case I'd like to pass up on the map and ask you to stay with us. I'm sure we could use your advice, should we need it."

There were questions, there always were as they made their way through the woods, the path solely known by their unusual companion. How long they'd be on their way, she did not know, but she took the opportunity to indulge in his culture while they were at it. "Spencer? I hope you won't mind me asking a few questions along the way?"

"I was wondering where Faerie Dragons live in general and if they get along well with their neighbours, Pixies in particular since you said that your territories often overlap." It was followed by a related inquiry, nothing extraordinay as of yet before Flame felt confident enough to venture further into their society and customs. "How does your kind define territories to begin with?"