Jerod gave the dark mage a strange look when she turned away from him to address the healer, he himself had no time to respond to the man as he gave thought to the rather odd dark mage, Marianne, before him. He was unsure of how far this whole newfound status as a 'F.R.I.E.N.D' of this dark mage would go, but it was certainly not something that most would probably be comfortable entertaining the prospect of, let alone actually being in the shoes of one such friend. And the healer was now stuck in the same mess, well, the walking one was. Niya, bless her stubborn soul, was standing off from this whole mess. Probably organizing where she intended to be with the Champion or his second, whichever she had cornered first. Probably the second, the lad seemed to get drug off rather quickly. Of course, the dark mage proceeded to offer a token of friendship to the two of them, in the form of quite the...interesting severed finger. Well, no sense making enemies, and he had seen far more gruesome trophies claimed before. [color=9e0b0f]"T'ank ye kindly lass, ah appreciate yer trop'y o' friends'ip, sure a' sure. As fer ye, 'ealer, ah am still intact, t'ank ye fer yer concern. Ye can call me Jerod, at yer service."[/color]

Niya calmly listened to what the knight had to say, noting he really had no idea where to stick her. He suspected keeping her in the rear guard until her talents were necessary, which was a wise if uninteresting place to be. She would have spoken right about then when the Wyvern Rider, Melody, that her detestable mercenary companion had been talking to strolled in and brute forced her way in without a concern for the conversation already going on, earning the disdain of the Troubadour. Just like Jerod, in that regard, he would have gladly butted in should he have something he just had to say, so she found herself not appreciating this Wyvern Rider, a rare resource indeed, as much now. But she kept concise and as cool, emotionally, as always. Though, as the group would no doubt see, whenever she referenced Jerod clear venom and distaste laced the mentioning of him. [color=0076a3]"I will ride where the injured are, then, a simple task. Niya of Regna Ferox, to make introductions. I can see how you and that [i]mercenary[/i] Jerod got along so well, Rider. You are as blunt as he is with a similar knack for manners."[/color]