The collar was a good idea, though they were left with the problem of placing it on. It stopped all magical ability … Teleporting included … though the Dryad could still use the extraordinary ability of entering her tree she was nurtured … no innate Demonic magic and no Druidic magic … it was worth a thought to ponder.

When Flame next thought of the psychological impact that this may have one Lilac her mind drifted to the search of a Priest or Druid. It was when reminded that they would probably find one amongst the Elves that she began to think about the Pixie's and their arrows … their abilities to erase memories with an arrow … could they erase so many years permanently?

Perhaps they could find out later …

“Oh, without a doubt they get along better with humans, but two days of being lazy ...” he had wondered as how she had implied that. “I'll help out when I can. I have to get a scroll with Dimensional Lock any way and I doubt I'll find one amongst the Faerie Dragons. Besides, if I'm at least in the background the Fae are likely to behave themselves ...”

He paused as if considering whether or not to elaborate on this and eventually did. “To the Fae, sex is like a handshake. There are Half Elves but no Half Dwarfs if you get my drift ...”

The Dwarf let this sink in for the time being. A part of his mind still turning over what they had been through and calculating those observations. Then he grinned at the sorceress before him. That young human that was so refreshing to cast his eyes upon given the cell that he had found himself in, a cell later shared with an Elf of all things, a small part of him would have preferred a Pixie or even a Faerie Dragon.

Gale lacked for an interesting personality, royal or not all Elves seemed pompous to him.

“It is alright. I'll share though it is a simple story. Unlike the rest of my brethren my stories are not as long winded. In a nut shell, Kale,” and he pointed to the tattoo as a reminder of his fate, “killed a great man Dwarfs, two being my wife and child. This was sometime back and while I still hated Dragons … most Dragons,” he corrected though he wasn't fond of Faerie Dragons he did not hate them either, he just found them annoying at times. They were not true Dragons in a sense but he thought it best to clarify this least Flame suspect that he wanted to actually kill Spencer though there were times he wanted to throttle the Fae.

“It has been a great many decades since I was last touched by a woman, even incidentally. There are no codes of conduct for us monks to be chaste but I had never sought out such pleasures for myself since Kale last breathed life.”

It was simple really, his glee at dealing even with a juvenile Dragon made more sense now.

“I'm sure you are no stranger to your own beauty, it seems to have a universal appeal almost like ...” he paused not wishing to sound insulting. “Like a Succubi ...”

"There's no need to be concerned. I'll look after myself in their company, no worries." With the Fae she dealt easily enough, Spencer alone priming her for their overall mindset, but she was no stranger to the general idea in reflection of his earlier warning that they'd steal her clothes should she disrobe, leaving little room for doubt that they might've been more than mere pranksters.

But Flame referred to slacking off in this case, two days among species that were fundamentally different than the two without moving a muscle, basking in the freedom they soon regained wholly though the Dryad's suffering wouldn't be stopped as a result.

His tale on the other hand wasn't quite as carefree, swiftly extinguishing the smile upon her features as the reality behind it struck the red head with unrelenting waves of empathy stirred from the depths of her conscience, the situation at hand immediately twisted in favor of less desirable feelings as Roc offered up the memory of a disastruous event in his life. Whether out of trust or sheer need to vent the pressure and include somebody else rather than keeping it a secret, Flame growing mildly agitated upon being filled in since telling anyone surely wasn't an easy hurdle to overcome let alone the one who brought the subject back up in the first place.

"That's horrible .." She touched upon his shoulder, tender digits squeezing him there reassuringly before quickly withdrawing, uncertain as to whether or not that was a good idea. "I .. I'm so sorry for your loss, I had no idea, if I did then I would've-"

She caught herself prattling on and intervened. All that happened a long time ago, decades before these now slightly narrowed crimson eyes covered in a gossamer film of moisture ever reached the light of day though part of her wished she hadn't asked for him to elaborate on what he'd meant. At last the sorceress merely lowered her head, red bangs spilling forth briefly covering most of her face as she settled on finding a decent amount of composure. "Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your loved ones .."

"It'll stay between us, of course." In a sense Spencer did possess youthful qualities, mocking and teasing the dwarf at almost every turn whilst she paced herself and dealt with either in a sometimes futilely mature manner. Banded together from prisoners and supposed agents they'd grown closer through the challenges they faced, maybe to the point where they were considered family.

Though by the end Flame had been beat red, blood rushing to her cheeks as he used the one word which in her case might put many Succubi to shame by comparison. The many things she'd done and still wanted to do as these inherited memories of her mother surfaced within the fountain of lust amidst her mind. Whitney, Spencer, Nicodemus, secretly even Murk thoroughly dominating her pestered the darkest corners of her mind with untold scenes of heated intercourse, but she would never admit it let alone talk about it in a moment of clear consciousness.

"Why, are you implying anything?" She finally inquired whilst bending over slightly, lowering herself to eye level as she bowed from the hips upward in order to match their size difference. Her new posture emphasized the shapely swell of her breasts as these twin orbs strained the cloth around her chest, a sly means of enticement for when he'd look directly at them there wasn't a snowball's chance that Flame wouldn't notice.

"I can assure you that I'm human, mostly .." With a stern expression she was merely playing it off as the facade bled away with an added tease in mind, the well endowed woman smiling warmly before straightening up though portions of her felt like they were going to go up in flames due to rapidly increasing levels of embarassment. "But maybe we should head back as we talk and keep these bits for later, while drinking a Dwarven Ale perhaps .. I never had the chance to try any."

“That was a long time ago before you were even a thought,” Roc began as she showed her concern for what he had been through. “It is quite alright now.”

He had learned to live with matters, to move on. Killing Kale die not bring his family back and revenge had only made him feel better for a little while. Hence earlier there had been the reason for her to be without blood on her hands, he knew it never truly washed off.

But she seemed content in handling the Fae itself and as lovely as it would be to have the next day or two off he knew that Spencer would never let them live it down. While they were vacationing he was working, not just that but he had already gone well beyond what he signed up for.

Still, that did not mean that they had to press themselves and if it took them that much time to acquire the scroll and do more research then so be it.

Now when she bent over she knew she was such a tempting sight, she was just playing around right? Though he had to reflect on this for she knew that Dwarfs were seen as dour and humorless. Roc was patient and easy to get along with though he rarely joked so he had to surmised that she was only partially kidding.

His words had caused her some embarrassment. “Why, I am not implying anything. Dwarven Ale … we probably won't find any here though it's much better than this fruity Elven drink.

“Keep in mind that alcohol is a poison and we Dwarfs are highly resistant to toxins so as a consequence our drinks are very strong. I doubt you could manage half of one without passing out, a fourth will probably have you stinking drunk.

“I'm not boosting, just stating facts given that it's suppose to be strong enough to give us a good buzz. That's just the way of it. With any luck we might get lucky and find some human imports, better than the Fae blend but not as good as true Dwarf beverages.”

But was she implying something else. In any case they were off yet again and had made their way to the village they had been at previously. Before entering it Roc transmuted some rocks into gemstones then gave some to Flame. They could trade them in at a money changer.

Roc had gotten a scroll of Dimensional Anchor. They had found that Willow had close up her shop for the evening and while they could get drinks and later rooms someplace it showed more wisdom in getting their rooms first.

When they had entered a tavern it seemed that all eyes had been upon her. One pale skinned man that had runes etched all over his body, pure white eyes and platinum blond hair came up to the pair.

He had plenty of silver jewelry, rings and bracelets along with a silver medallion etched in runes. His platinum blond hair looks wind swept and his ears are point sharply … Elf? He looked similar to Gale outside the solid eyes she could at least see a resemblance in features.

He also had a staff which emitted a pale light. He said nothing at first then turned to Flame speaking by telepathy inside her head.

I can give you what you need ...

"I wouldn't drink more than I can handle, of course, I'm quite content in stopping when I feel that it may be too much for me." Unlike him Flame knew too well that she was overly susceptible to the effects of alcohol, knew that her inhibitions might bleed away at a brisk pace no matter the beverage and the red haired seductress grew even more open to the idea of a little fun of one sort or another. She would pace herself to an extent, nothing extraordinary as she might not pass out but wouldn't truly have a grasp on her senses either on the pretext of celebrating what they've achieved thus far or whatever else let her do as she pleased. "Even if we don't find any I'm still looking forward to having a drink with a Dwarf."

Returning to the village they were out of danger at last, finally leaving the cursed Dark Wood far behind. He handed her several gems which they proceeded to exchange for the local currency, heading out in search for the scroll they needed before the two doubled back only to find that Willow closed up shop already.

Walking amidst stores had Flame wonder as to whether she possessed any property of her own despite the fact that she was a construct at the core. She'd seen the laboratoy of her father in their meditation session, but any place of residence eluded the young woman thus far, a place she called home where she lived and slept. Instead of spending anything on the offered wares, however, she saved what little she was given in face of the evening, still in need of quarters and food, maybe some drinks.

She followed his guidance and inevitably ended up in some sort of inn, crimson eyes scanning the premises only to confirm the suspicions that many customers had their attention directed at the voluptuous beauty. Stepping inside with the natural yet slight swinging gait which enhanced the young temptress even further that came as no surprise, the garment molding almost teasingly against her shapely frame despite how loose it had been upon her in certain places, unable to conceal the lavish charms hidden beneath and whilst the rather tight cloth around her ample bosom displayed her breasts prominently, thankfully the twin orbs hadn't swayed or bounced any as a result before offering more of a show.

At least the locale wasn't shabby, certainly lulled in a dim light as was expected from these establishments though Flame didn't hold it against them, it usually suited the mood perfectly.

Merely one of the many approached before they even had a chance to arrange for their rooms, his body quite a sight if not somewhat intimidating by comparison to the companion beside her. Silver jewelry graced his form, as did the unusual body art that plastered the pale man although his eyes struck her like lightning the moment she locked gazes with him.

Flame assumed he must've been an Elf, she figured it the moment she took note of his pointy ears though when he spoke directly into her mind, the young woman was taken aback and mesmerized in a moment of perplexity. Perhaps he was mute and adressed them that way, or he spoke only to her, it was hard to tell what his intentions were although given the many marvels within the Shadows she didn't think of mind reading as impossible.

"What we need?" She replied, her voice lowered slightly yet in all honesty Flame couldn't tell if the man was either of the two or he meant to adress another matter entirely. "We're looking for a Druid or Priest to assist us in the coming days."

“Well, if it is your plan to get me drunk … as a warrior monk I am immune to venoms and poisons. I can't even get buzzed now though I still enjoy the taste and the company. I suppose drugging still works though I've never been exposed,” he has a little chuckle as he teases a bit. It was not like him to loosen up but given the fight against the Demons the day before and events here he supposed he could afford to loosen up a little until Spencer got back at least.

They managed a little shopping after they discovered that Willow had closed up shop for the day so it was up to the Faerie Dragon now.

While Flame held onto their money there were two notable things that Roc purchased. The first being the scroll of Dimensional Anchor they could look over later. The other was a used wand that allowed the possessor to use the Quench blessing, though he could not use it himself if they found someone that could use Divine magic then they did not have to worry about them having much more than the skills to use it, which any novice could and one that could perform exorcisms. They were on their way though even Roc was aware that she would have the memory of being possessed, that and the area still being corrupted.

He would need a Druid or Priest, they both had access to the spell he had been thinking of and while the Dark Wood would be corroded for time eventually without the influence of the Demon it should recover though it would probably take centuries.

He was also aware that they might want to blank the memories of the Dryad, blank them all and let her begin life anew though that was something he would talk more with Flame about since she lacked all her memories and would probably have her own opinion to offer there.

Roc had found them lodgings at a place that had a downstairs tavern, killing two birds with one stone so to speak. Though as they entered there had been no surprise that eyes were already crawling over his voluptuous companion.

In fact someone approached, Roc regarded the Fae who said nothing though Flame was responding. Telepathy? Was he trying to pick her up since she was the only one receiving anything? He looked at the Fae harder. He may have been a wizard of some sort given the glyphs tattooed to his body.

I am aware of that fact. I could not help but listen to the thoughts and concerns on your mind. You need not search any further I am an ordained Priest, as well as much more than the God's have dictated, Flame.

I am Stratos and would be honored to accompany you and your companions for a one time fee of course, assuming that you are willing to pay then I am at the service of you and your troupe.

"Shame, I was hoping to see how red your face can get." His chuckle had been priceless given the rare occasion Flame had seen him smile, let alone laugh though the same invoked an overall innocent, bubbly giggle drawn from her lips and seeping into the air, a hand clasped over her mouth soon thereafter in order to silence the remnants of it. They somewhat purposely steered away from the less desirable subjects although the shapely red head had to remember that they had time to enjoy the company of each other later that day, drinks blurring her mind at least when she got to motivate him into relaxing some more.

Alcohol they could purchase and drugs weren't exactly appropriate for a pleasant evening although she did possess the means to intoxicate most men she came across in another way, tempting if not downright luring them with her presence as she did upon entering the tavern. She had been content in letting the Dwarf take the reins in a manner of speaking, Roc being far more knowledgeable had an idea of what they needed and obtained the necessary utensils around town until they ended up here.

Stratos took the young woman by surprise with his telepathy initially whilst her mind automatically processed and derived meaning from his strange talent, a distant thought from another life reminding her of one such incident and Spencer who contacted her earlier through an unusual connection she didn't know existed, whispering that single stimulating innuendo.

Flame concluded that he must be aware of their undertaking when he picked up upon surface thoughts as the Dryad came to mind repeatedly, but it wasn't the foremost concern when the unknown man adressed her by name after which her eyes narrowed slightly, her head tilting sideways for a moment as she crossed her arms in front of her bountiful chest, pondering on the issue. "On the condition that you refrain from skimming through my mind, I'll consider your offer."

Truly his reach must've exceeded momentary impulses and thoughts which troubled her at the time seeing how they weren't simply travelling through Brindel for the life of one Dryad under demonic possession, they were on the cusp of an elaborate coup and intent on ridding themselves of the witch Tori, merely having time to spend and while Flame wasn't eager to think about it, the flow couldn't be suppressed now. Carrion followed by their escape to Sirocco, their business in J'zar and struggle with the mighty demons, the undeniable sexual tension coursing through her mind though before things got worse she cast a sidelong glance to Roc.

"He is a Priest who goes by the name of Stratos and offered to enter our service, for a price." She didn't know what he meant by adding that he was more than the God's have dictated, but all they required would be a Priest and that information should suffice although her crimson eyes return to him then with no lesser degree of reluctance since he tapped into her personal stream of thoughts without permission. "Apparantly he reads surface thoughts or even more which is why he already knew what we were looking for when we entered."

Perhaps they had to expect his kind of behaviour, his appearance matched that of an Elf from what she gathered and therefore Flame hadn't been nearly as upset as she would've been if another species did something of the sort.

Whether Roc approved or not weighed her decision in or against his favor, but the delicate issue of payment seemed negligible by comparison to his mind reading capabilities. They could fashion gems from plain stones, at least the Dwarf could which by this point Stratos might already know as well and while she was unaware of how much he usually fared with, certainly they could come to an agreement quickly. Standing near the entrance made the red head slightly uncomfortable with these stares upon her akin to presenting oneself on a silver platter. "How much did you have in mind?"

Agreed.

She wished for him to relent, of course what assurance did she have if he chose just to play dumb about the matter? He gazed at the Dwarf as she addressed her companion and could feel the Dwarf's appraising eyes upon him.

She had made him aware of matters with a quick summary that had Roc rubbing his chin as if he were in thought about the matter. “Is that so? A Priest?”

Convenient … Roc was a little suspicious but he was a Psi user to. There were three forms of magic. Book magic or Arcana which they practiced. Divine magic, the ability to channel the Blessings of the Gods. Only a select few were chosen at birth to become Priests by the Gods themselves.

Some individuals no Blessed at birth could learn to serve a God if they worked at it and dedicated themselves to the ordeal.

The last type of magic was the rarest. Psi magic, the magic of the mind. You were either born with it or not, perhaps as little as 1% of most species had Psi users … some species had none, others had all though in these cases such as Doppelgangers the tasks they could do were limited to two or three options such as mind reading in the case of the later. No doubt Roc was considering that this was a Doppelganger and not a true Psi practitioner. If so did Tori figure out something.

“Doppelganger?”

“No.” He answered the Dwarf. He could speak. He also had telepathic abilities which Doppelgangers didn't though he could have had an item that did this.

The situation was explained to Roc, who was still weighing matters in his head. “A true Psi?”

“Yes.”

“Which Deity do you serve?”

“Airyee.”

Not his particular first choice but a predictable one for this Fae in particular. Though when price came back up Stratos looked back to Flame. “Material thinks do not hold much interest for me. I was considering you of course on three separate evenings ...”

Even without guarantees she'd have gotten the point across, Stratos was a stranger digging through her mind whilst drawing upon whichever private detail he desired, an intimidating thought which didn't place him in the most favorable of lights, but unfortunately they were in need of one of his kind. Flame had no idea how numerous these special individuals were and how lucky they were to stumble across someone as easily as they did, she had been mostly unaware of the various technicalities their position within society entailed and had to leave the majority of their thought process up to Roc.

In short, she didn't trust him, quite frankly circumstances played into their hands perfectly as the red haired beauty followed their brief exchange of words, his presence here beneficial to the point of being oddly suspicious.

But Roc didn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary, conducting an interrogation hidden beneath seemingly casual dialogue which mainly adressed his true nature though were the Elf a liar he'd been prepared extraordinarily for his role. His answers came naturally, fluent and without hesitation where one might believe the sincerity behind his every word and for as long as her companion couldn't prove him wrong she simply had to accept him as such.

He named his price as the solid spheres of his eyes settled upon Flame, the voluptuous sorceress gathering the attention of various customers would have to be his for three seperate evenings and Stratos needn't specify whether he chose to claim his payment three days in a row or spread it over weeks, leaving the young woman to ponder when he'd come knocking for another partial fulfillment of their agreement since the time frame hadn't mattered any although she figured that his true intentions laid in her bodily charms and not in keeping her around for the sake of her company.

Earlier she promised her travelling companions the truth, but darker secrets remained sealed away to which he already had access or would in these fateful moments as they bubbled up to the surface. Flame possessed sinfully sublime talents, many of which could put a man's senses in a whirl at the slightest notion and with the highly sexual oriented Fae there was no doubt she'd prove beyond fruitful in the bedroom.

"Why you .." At this point in time the red haired temptress had been furious, the heat upon her cheeks from teasing Roc earlier surpassed by the sheer embarassment flowing through her veins like a tidal wave. "I should scorch you for assuming I'd even remotely consider paying with my body, that is out of the question."

All around the air within the establishment slowly heightened in temperature, an increase of several degrees emanating from their position as Flame struggled with her fiery temper and only then doused the excessive humiliation suffered at his words though no promises were made as to how long she'd refrain from letting him pay for insinuating that she was anything like her mother. Hands clenched into fists she had a hard time not cutting off her breath through squashing the large mounds beneath her arms as impossible as the task may seem.

The worst part, however, was that Flame did consider accepting his offer, somewhere in the darkest corners of her mind being under control of someone with utmost authority over the body and soul of his seductive captive had been enticing beyond reason. Any resistance appeared futile, Stratos knew what she knew the moment it struck the woman before him and she found herself trapped amidst these troubling thoughts.

Her interest laid with Roc at the time, she planned on carelessly sharing a few drinks with him with the conclusion of another day and simply wanted to get this out of the way beforehand as she looked at the Dwarf. "We'll find someone else."

The steely eyed Sylph gazed at Flame though his features had not been tainted or hinted at any signs of emotions that had been their beneath the surface. If this were a set up of some sort then clearly he would not have approached things in such a fashion or perhaps he was trying to encourage her to respond in some manner.

If he knew her mind then this was probably likely. Then again he could have been a charlatan too as the Fae had their share of tricksters amongst them.

Her skin reddened at his insinuation, the temperature heated up and still he remained impassive to this, perhaps because of this she managed to keep more control of herself under the circumstances.

“Did I say such or are you just assuming such?” Stratos spoke in an even tone though it seemed as if he were not trying to incite her but point this out though what he had mentioned seemed to imply just as she thought.

Roc's touch settled upon her hand. “Fae.” That single word a reminder to the situation. Perhaps that was the very reason he had requested payment in such a manner. Perhaps there was even a small chance that he was telling the truth in that regard. Or maybe because he was Fae and the culture was so different … Roc had told her that sex to Fae had been like a handshake to other species.

“That is your choice. You know where to find me if you change your mind.” And with that he returned to the table he had just left, the remnants of some salad and half a glass of wine had been their.

Roc did not say anything such as 'I told you so' or the like though he was mindful of minimizing her interactions with the Fae. He secured their rooms as well as a table that rested by a window overlooking a splendid few of the waterfall that the Faerie Dragons called home. She could even see a water sprite down their, the Nixie being a water born cousin of the more common Pixies.

“We'll find someone else,” Roc repeated as the heat of her anger subsided. Stratos was still at his table going back to his salad as if nothing had happened. There were no Dwarven beverages here and only a few human ones.

Roc couldn't even make recommendations given that the palates of Dwarfs and Fae were so different. Humans and Fae had plenty of similarities though and it was only through the waiter that beverages could be recommended.

For his part Roc stuck with human liquors which where stronger than these “sissy” Fae drinks. These were the closest to his tastes. He drank, though the one of the pair not to get drunk watching out for Flame had been his duty.

He had thought to bring her focus back to the task at hand and figured that wasn't the best of ideas so he turned toward other matters.

“What do you assume is Nicodemus' next move?”

He didn't precisely calm the situation by implying the lecherous stream of thoughts emerged from her mind rather than his, but whatever else was he going to do with Flame by his side? Would he show her off and around the streets as pleasant company tied to his will when instead he spent this particular evening alone in a tavern and didn't seem the type that'd mingle with the general public much? Would he put her to work at home or in stores and merely utilise her various capabilities there instead of asking for the obvious when he said himself that he had no use for worldly riches? The whole affair was upsetting and nonsensical to such an extent, she couldn't possibly take kindly to a stranger adressing her in that way.

Yet with the touch intercepting the hand already moving to incinerate Stratos the tension in the air slowly diminished, the rough texture of the warrior monk upon the tender smoothness of her own which gradually settled the warmth streaming out and away from the shapely red head beside him. It was calm, soothing even though parting with the Priest left Flame somewhat sullen.

For the time being she added nothing, patiently observing as Roc saw to their seperate rooms and table before heading for the latter, getting seated opposite of the Dwarf for now though perhaps in the course of the evening that'd change.

"I know, I know .." She shook her head and dismissed the matter with a hand gesture indicating as much. ".. but the way he asked for it without shame in his eyes .. like I'm some sort of streetwalker, Fae or not, that made me furious."

She briefly thought of her mother and although Flame had been tempted to indulge into less desirable states of mind they were here for relaxation and entertainment in the company of one another which made her give up on the confrontation for now. While waiting crimson eyes swept across the scene on the outside of the establishment, absorbing the beautiful scenery since night hadn't fallen at the time, a mild smile splaying over her features as she eyed the Water Sprite down below in anticipation of finally traversing the shadows should their duties come to an end for eventually they would.

Flame ordered a stronger rum though aware of the risks it merely served to bring her to the heights of alcohol induced bliss quicker and maintain that state, the taste might take some getting used to but seeing how it required one third of a bottle of red wine to reach a greatly enjoyable high she simply had to pace herself before having too much, the two glasses of champagne on the balcony merely the cherry on top.

The first swallow burned mildly as it went down before she went on to sip on the drink instead, her attention guided back to Roc when he asked about Nicodemus whilst setting her glass back down. "I honestly can't say for sure, but I'm hoping he will keep himself in check and play out his role in the days to come until he's fully recovered his power. Unless he wishes to gamble with his life and newfound freedom that may be a wise course of action."

Her eyes briefly flickered to Stratos on the other end of the room. "When we met earlier in the day I haven't had the chance to get a feel for his tactics although he seems more than willing to dispose of the witch as soon as possible. I asked him not to do anything rash lest our efforts would've been for naught, but how he plans on taking her out with ease is beyond me since she could draw upon her allies for assistance if the moment isn't perfectly timed, especially the Efreeti could prove troublesome then."

"We'll have to wait and see I suppose if we don't find out tomorrow." Another sip, the beggining of a marvellous rush cascading over her and rendering the young red head more than at ease already given the beverage and his distraction from the task.

It was then her focus laid on him as she looked him straight in the eyes, the familiar warm smile upon Flame beckoning an answer from the Dwarf. "Come to think of it, I never asked what you did in the days or weeks before you were taken to Carrion. What were you up to? Did you spend your days in some sort of Monastery or were you travelling as we are now?"

“There is something to be desired about the casual approach of the Fae to sexuality but he seemed to try to turn it around there at the end, I'm not sure if he were covering or if he actually didn't intend matters as it sounded though I find that hard to believe he is Fae and a sylph at that.

“Sylphs can be a bit flighty like the winds. Though I cannot fault his tastes but can make a few observations … the Fae are usually out going about this, either the fact that you are here with a Dwarf dissuades them or they witnessed that show has pacified them from being too over the top. They maybe Fae but they aren't stupid either.

“What strikes me though, is that he knew your name … that is he knows of your power Flame and if he drew that from your mind then he would be aware of mine as well. At least we could assume. And yet, even in the face of both of us he was so calm, confident that we could not best him. He may be one of the Blessed …

“There are a rare few that know all three types of magic. Ours, the book stuff is the most common Arcana. Then there are those ordained at birth, blessed by the deities that can call upon Blessings or Divine magic. If you are not so ordained it might be possible to channel a fraction of the deities powers by remarkable means, saving a temple or worshipers, recovering and artifact, that sort of thing. Nothing stops you from being a Priest with no connection to spell casting though.

“Then there is Psi magic. Magic of the mind that is extremely rare in most beings. Telekinesis, telepathy, pyrokinesis, I have even heard stories told where they could enchant people, implant suggestions or even kill. Their powers only seem to work on those with minds though, the fact that he was able to read yours shows that you are very remarkable, that you have a soul otherwise he wouldn't have been able to read yours.

“The living dead are exempt from their influence, constructs, well I guess most,” he grinned, “plants and oozes, mindless things like vermin … now we know he has Psi magic, he's a Priest and if he has Divine magic I can surmise he has Arcane magic too. It is the easiest to learn and he is Fae so he could be far older than we realize. Quite powerful if he has all three, even two of the three might get him confident enough to take us on by himself especially if he were ultra proficient in his craft. If so though I wonder what his interest is with us. Why he would consider helping in the first place.”

He explained a little though moved away from the subject after supplying his opinion of the matter. Now the one with the clear head put him in a tough spot … did she trust him? Was her earlier playing just playing or something more? He did not worry about it just yet though it had been awhile since drink actually effected him so he wasn't as aware as when enough was enough.

“I don't imagine that he will do anything rash at this stage. But I know of how rushing things can be a folly. I am insightful in seeing what is there and isn't but sadly I have not witnessed too much interaction between you two and will have more of an understanding when I see him next.

“I can surmise that after last time when you two vanished that it was for a reason, some privacy perhaps after being parted? As I said I haven't had too much to go on other than what you've already relaid to me. I can guess that you two are on good terms.

“As for me, well I hail from this country further up North in the mountains. I did not get to travel so much, not since my younger years as I am charged with running the temple there. The only real traveling I get to do these days is for warfare and covert ops. It had been one one of these ops when gathering Intel on an Orc war band that I was attacked … Giants no less and one of them wore a ring that could generate Anti-Magic … I bested a lot of them but in the end there were too many and I next found myself in Carrion.

“So in addition to the Efreeti we could include Giants, particularly Frost Giants as her allies or at least hired muscle.”

"You may be right, perhaps I misinterpreted his offer and offended him without reason even though he seemed fairly content in giving us the opportunity to come back whenever we pleased."

"I could talk to Stratos again tonight or in the morning and ask him to elaborate on what he had in mind, but unless we find someone else I don't think he'll leave the area if there's something he truly wants from me so we have some time, as you've said he seemed to have taken an interest in us when clearly we don't have much to offer. Should he prove as powerful as you say he is then I doubt we'd find anyone better suited for the job although we could probably fare with someone less skilled."

They still had to wait for the report of Spencer and an entire day in search of another Druid or Priest wouldn't be much of a hassle when the three of them split up, granted their diminutive companion probably wouldn't be taken serious and Roc enjoyed less favorable treatment than Flame although they had to come up with something eventually.

Normally she refrained from talking about the time spent with the Angel, particularly before they obtained the Feather in fear of accusing the woman of following an emotional stream of thoughts rather than reason though with the slight amount of alcohol already flowing through her it didn't seem like much of an issue anymore. "Nicodemus and I .. well .. I don't really know how to put it."

She blushed faintly, her gaze drawn out the window for a moment as she drew upon these recent memories. "While Typhoon was taken from our cell, Gale and I were left behind. We used to have another jailor back then before you arrived, an Ogre who presumably saw a golden opportunity there in merely having two women to deal with that couldn't use their magic for self defense .. so he went on to enter the cell .. and .." Another sip was taken as she guided the glass to her full lips then, that enormous abomination upon her with a phallus that could tear them in half. "Nicodemus killed him before he had a chance to defile either of us, an act for which I'll be eternally grateful."

"We did share a few moments of privacy since then .. but you have to understand that unlike any of the others I didn't remember anyone from my past, neither family nor friends, let alone a husband or lover and I couldn't handle my fate all alone without a glimpse of hope, so I reached out to him instead."

"Now I don't know if there's anything more than mutual fondness between the two of us that might wither over time although part of me hopes that it won't, I mean I barely know the Angel and probably spent more time with you and Spencer ever since the moment my memory functioned again. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's too early to assume we'll wind up in any sort of relationship when these matters have been resolved, of all things I haven't even told him that I'm a construct yet."

Flame wasn't an entirely innocent character, more of an enchantress who got teased and teased in return hence she was drinking in these moments that caused her inhibitions to bleed away at a steady rate. As a response these lewd thought patterns surfaced and ascended to a prominent echo of longing over the course of time for the travelling companions that meant much to her, the desire to be observed by Spencer during a bath in a nearby lake pounding profusely amidst reasonable conversation as did the wish to seduce the reserved Dwarf on the other end of the table. Perhaps it was the distant reminder of another life outside of this realm that compelled her to enjoy herself to the fullest, maybe she simply got a thrill from cheating on the one she loved though either way she approached that state of lust slowly but surely.

"You're in charge of running a temple? I'm surprised. I mean you're strong, prudent, probably the most amazing warrior I've ever seen, I expected you to be out in the field more often and not take on these greater responsibilities, but no doubt you deserve that position above many." She was being truthful, of course, a mild crimson hue splaying over her cheeks as she expressed her desire to know more about his personal life. "Do you have any other duties than what you've already mentioned? Do you train the initiates if there are any or anything of the sort?"

She smiled shortly after, thinking of the opportunity she had in revealing that the Fae might accompany her in the future. "I for one plan on seeing the world when this is all over. As a golem I'm immortal and I haven't made up my mind on what I wish to accomplish in life although I would like to spend most of my days studying. Getting to know cultures and the like, expanding my available spellcraft until I can no longer improve which certainly will take an eternity, but after that? I don't know. I figured I could take Spencer along with me, at least for a while, he doesn't seem to be tied to this place and I could use the company."

Again Flame giggled, taking another hearty swallow now that she got a little more used to the sensation. "We could probably visit you from time to time if you could refrain from strangling the little guy."

“I do not think he was offended, he seemed to take the rejection well though it might be better to approach him in the morning,” Roc added. Preferably without any drink in you, he thought as he brought his gaze to the Sylph, just encase matters were as he implied.

“Though he is not our only option and there are others that will accomplish what we need done as well. What we need is someone that can perform an exorcism ...”

It was true, they did not need someone as powerful as Stratos, he was convenient but had to have an ulterior motive Roc believed.

He listened. Ogres were stupid, vile creatures and classified as a species of Giant like Trolls they were seen as Giant-Kin. She explained matters before he arrived and he could envision it, Ogres were stupid but this one may have had a flash of insight and realized his prisoners couldn't fight back and that he was bigger than them.

Roc was glad that it had worked out in the end, even that Gale made it out of the matter unscathed as much as a haughty stick in the mud she was he knew that she was good underneath that exterior. The Air Serpent would have rejected her if she wasn't. Elves rated higher than Giants in his book and he had yet to determine if he would like her more than Spencer, a tough call there …

Roc would not have judged her for being emotional though. He made his mistakes when he was younger back in his forties and she was still young for a human … even a construct though he could not see her as such even when he looked hard at it.

“That could be a deal breaker, you being a construct. But how could anyone see you in such a light? Even today you exhibited much, much more. Your mind was read for starters and Constructs are automatons, mindless creations that follow the orders of their creators blindly. I do not see that, that mindlessness.

“If your creator told you to murder everyone in her, to let loose with the Flame Serpent would you? The Serpent would not follow such a blatantly evil command but nor would you issue it … innately you are good, you have a soul and while your body may be artificial that does not make you any more of a Construct than I.

“I'm sure it will be fine. Nicodemus … is he a rational or emotional sort would you say?”

He did not know that those thoughts that had been going though her head with the more alcohol that she was consuming.

“Oh, I began life like many other Dwarfs. I was an apprentice Jeweler and fashioned all sorts of things; bracelets, rings, earrings, anklets, you name it. But like all Dwarfs I was part of the defense forces and displayed that I was good at it, became captain in the militia and was wounded,” he pointed to his left eye.

“I lost the eye and it hampered my ability to fight so I entered early retirement, went to the monastery and became a monk. My craft as a Jeweler was on the side but one day I had been commissioned work for the Princess which afforded me a lot of money. So much so that I got the eye regenerated though by that stage I liked working as a Jeweler and doing my drills at the monastery and excelled so much in my physical training that one of the Brothers pulled me aside to work on my mental training as well and thus I then began to learn the principles of elemental magic, namely earth magic. Over the decades I got quite good at it and eventually became the successor of to the temple, the being with the great skill at Earth magic is promoted to succeed when there is a vacancy and so I left the monastery when that occurred.

“My duties consist on maintaining the temple and training the initiates there along with spreading the word of the Great Earth Spirit among the Dwarfs.”

Roc chuckled a low rumbling sound. “No promises there, but feel free to visit. The life at the temple is quite, patience is taught in all things an is often tested. But I have the knowledge of being a warrior in my younger years and know that you are not afforded patience all the time.

“Hence after my eye was restored I was used for special ops given that my martial training only continued to expand at the monastery and I was less of a liability at that stage. If I was adamant I could have probably stayed on as a one eyed warrior but did not want to be the cause for the loss of left and chose the Brotherhood at that stage.”

Flame always tried to make the best of the circumstances, malicious deeds were usually repelled by her mindset before even remotely taking root although she did realize that trying to get with either of her two travelling companions was wrong when in truth she confessed her love to Nicodemus and yearned for his presence with every single beat of her heart. "My creator .."

She paused for a moment, smiling as she stared at the bottom of her glass through what little liquid remained in there. "My Father wanted me to have free will, the freedom of choice which is a great gift for someone like me and the human part of my consciousness does help in making day to day judgements based on what we consider right and wrong. When suddenly everyone in here turned out to be notoriously evil, even then I couldn't bear causing such great amounts of suffering and death, no matter who gave the command I'm simply not cut out for murder and I appreciate that you've been as supportive as you were about my true nature."

Crimson eyes looked at him then, deep into his own though her pleased expression never ceased to delight. "You make the idea of what I truly am far more tolerable."

But with the Angel he made the young sorceress think harder through the haze of alcohol induced bliss. "He's .. determined."

"Nicodemus might've lived far longer than you and I combined yet all I have to judge him by are a few measly days, most of which I've spent in our cell or out here with the two of you in the search for his feather. I have a hard time telling what kind of man he is sometimes which is why I couldn't simply tell him the truth back when we handed it to him." She smiled again. "But you've given me hope, as always. I don't know for certain which portion of him may be prevalent, but either way I suppose I don't have nearly as much to worry about as I think."

"I may not age and live an eternal life, but for all intents and purposes my body is human which should appeal to his rational side, in case his feelings are strong I doubt it'll matter what I really am at the core. I'm just afraid that anyone I allow to get close would refuse me, by definition I'm cursed with the unpleasant label of being a mindless drone and as such those who know nothing about me will probably treat me with mildly negative bias."

"Truth is, I've never been close to anyone before and would hate to see my heart broken because of a minor aesthetic flaw not even visible to the naked eye." In the end Flame set the glass to her lush lips once more, tilting her head back as the remainder of rum vanished beyond their ruby frames. She was definitely getting buzzed and the feeling was incredible, nearly as good as back on the balcony which is why she ordered another drink of the same kind, preferring to sit rather than walk before she became an easy target for those patrons still around the tavern.

The red haired temptress remained calm, relaxed as she eyed the Dwarf and listened closely to his early days, the loss of an eye whereupon Roc joined the ranks of the monks and worked on the side which eventually earned him his left eye back. As he continued Flame subconsciously drifted over the various tattoos of his, attempting to place them anywhere within the given timeframe although she guessed they came long thereafter, his Stone Serpent surely not for many more decades to come. "Hard to imagine that there's been a time when you weren't able to craft gems out of ordinary stones, not to mention you even worked for a Princess .. What was her name? What exactly did you work on?"

She pondered on the story for a moment. Maybe someday she'd write it down in its entirety before he passed, after all he had no offspring thus far and with his traumatic experience in regards to Kale she didn't think he'd ever try finding another wife again. "Did you never .. think about leaving the monastery? Was it simply something you aspired to be part of aside from working as a Jeweler, maybe looking for a greater purpose?"

Before long the waiter returned, placing the glass down beside her whilst retrieving the old one though she hadn't touched it again until Roc finished. "Well, you seem to have come a long way since your early days and as far as your tattoos go I'd wager you've got quite a tale left to tell. When I regain my memories I'll tell you what I did in my early years, but I doubt it'll be nearly as impressive as your recollection of the events in your life .. I must've been quite naive back in the day, my appearance perpetually this age with the mind of an infant when my Father Abdul breathed life into me .."

"You must know that despite my abilities I'm not actually older than two decades, so there might not be many surprises waiting for you in what I can relay when the time comes. My knowledge of the Flame Serpent was handed down to me by my Father, as of now I don't even know how I learned its use, but I'm assuming the Fire Elemental in me and working with someone versed in the realm of Fire Magic since birth made studying any form of elemental magic far easier for me than it might've been for others."

"Maybe I'll tell you of the stories Whitney mentioned should I remember what allowed me to gain such prestigious acclaim in the first place, but until then you're stuck with me as I am." Flame seemed utterly content, pleased by then as she leaned back fully, fingers gently drumming against the edge of the table although her motions weren't quite as fluent as those of a sober state. "I don't make for bad company, do I?"

She really was a delight to be around though he did not want to alarm her he had to be truthful as well. If Nicodemus was the impulsive sort … he did not have much to go on thus far, as far as Nicodemus went, he had to rely on her thoughts about matters there.

He hoped it all worked out for her in the end though he did note a few things that he had kept to himself. She seemed uncertain as to where the pair stood which relaid to him that their relationship had been a casual level right now.

“You are welcome. You are no Construct that I am knowledge in, you have a soul and just as I had my eye regenerate you could say that you were a soul without a body. Me having a 'replacement' eye makes me no less Dwarf just because your body is artificial makes you no less human …”

He drank, though the alcohol did not effect him. He could see her eyes trying to make sense of the tattoos and where they fit into the equation. He let he look of course as he himself pondered that the situation would work itself out as far as he knew.

“Anyone that would break your heart over this does not deserve you. Still, I wouldn't want to find that the people are mistreating you, viewing you differently because you are different in the sense that you were awakened and not born ...”

“Princess Ophelia of the Steel Kingdom. She was on the cusp of being a coronation Queen but found the crown jewels too plain for her tastes and commissioned me to make such wonders for her. As far as leaving the monastery I was considering it after the trials. I am not a young Dwarf anymore but was hoping to wait after the Trials.

“When I leave or die the Stone Serpent gets passed along and I want to ensure that it is in good hands before that day. I got involved in the order because as much as I loved working as a Jeweler I still had that itch to fight and since my wound endangered others I fell into it since it allowed me to work in a martial capacity as far as some of the training went.”

He regrade her, something shifted in his gaze for a moment, surprise, fear, it was there then gone virtually the same moment it had arrive. “Humans tend to do a lot in a short time frame. Abdul is your father?

“No wonder you are so well put together,” she could take that one of two ways, knowing Roc he probably meant it in the sense of her being more than a mere construct. Perhaps he was surprised then to learn of this.

“Oh, I'm sure there's at least one interesting story there … but yes, I enjoy you company as you are and being the current keeper of the Flame Serpent I am sure that whatever tale you have will not be so shocking like a murderous rampage but even if it is redemption was the end result so I look forward to it. Your reactions are slowing, you're probably best not to drink much more though you're a big girl so I'm not going to stop you.”