"Yes, that I am," Alurat responded, setting his glass down on the edge of the table and looking off into the distance introspectively. "Consequently, the results are particularly [i]potent[/i]. That's how life works, isn't it?" He asked, letting the question hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "Your capabilities are directly proportional to your efforts, which brings me to my next question." His gaze focused on where he imagined Ivan's eyes to be. "While I am competent in battle, I am not a warrior by trade, but you, Sir Rischter, are." He tapped the tattoo on his forehead. "This gives me the ability to detect presences, but only when active. So if your instincts warn you of anything untoward nearby during this quest, I would ask you to warn me so that I can ferret out anything that lies in wait for us."