[center][h3][color=darkslategray]Luca Warren - Raven Queen's Attendant[/color][/h3]
Location: Actium[/center]

Luca waved at the retreating elven form, curious as to whether they would meet again in the future. For now though, his hands seemed to be rather full. Pyria spoke up again, causing the priest to turn back to her with a confused look. She was making less and less sense as she continued on, and he ventured that she must have a rather active imagination.

[color=silver]"But... I serve only the Raven Queen..."[/color] he said, dumbfounded, as he stared at the manacle he now held. While he was glad that the iron ring would no longer burden the girl, he wondered at the significance of the situation. If he was to take her seriously at all, he was in a heap of trouble. Dragons didn't exactly have a reputation for being cute and cuddly. The powerful magic he had sensed when the manacle had opened spoke to some true nature he could not discern, but he had a hard time believing that this little girl was actually a dragon.

[color=silver]"Pyria, what are you--?"[/color] he says as she starts to charge away, only to fall almost immediately. The frying pan she had been struck with earlier was on the floor of the square and the poor girl had tripped over it in her haste. Striding to her side again with Snow following in his wake he looks down at the frustrated Pyria with a look of concern, touched mildly by amusement. If she did happen to be a dragon, it appeared she still had much growing to do. With a heavy sigh, Luca tucks the manacle into his robes so he can palm his forehead without releasing his staff and reins. After a moment of listening to her tantrum, he leans his staff against Snow's shoulder and kneels next to the girl.

[color=silver]"Up we go!"[/color] he said, grabbing Pyria by the hips and lifting her into the air. Turning, he plunks her down on Snow's saddle. The horse snorts and tries to shy away, but relents when Luca gives her a mild glare. [color=silver]"There will be plenty of time to vent your wrath on the Undead tomorrow. I have no supplies and limited coin, and I am weary from traveling. We wouldn't even make it through the mountain pass on our own."[/color]

While he tries to placate Pyria, Luca takes up his reins and staff again to lead his horse toward the inn. The sun was still high, but he wanted to make sure to have a room to return to when he was done shopping. Besides, if the storm came early it would be good to have somewhere for them to take shelter.

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[center][h3][color=fff79a]Liliana Stormshadow - The Fallen Star[/color][/h3]
Location: Campus Magnus[/center]

Gripus' lie, though his attempt to preserve what remained of her honor was flattering, caused Liliana to roll her eyes. While he could clearly see how much she had lost, it was impossible for him to know how hollow and empty she felt without it. A large part of what made her who she was had been stripped from her by force, torn asunder by the combined will of those who decided she no longer deserved Sol's light.

[color=fff79a]"Perhaps you should remain at my back rather than my side where you are less likely to get cut down, old man,"[/color] she said in jest, a smile finally touching her stern features. As much as his magic made her skin crawl, Gripus was by and large a good man who had done much to keep her alive. After the fateful battle where he had rescued her, darkness had rode in her heart for some time. His determination then had lent her strength, and had shown her that a purposeless death would do nothing to atone for her shortcomings. Liliana would gladly fight by his side and lend her sword to his efforts.

[color=fff79a]"I suppose more would be better, though in the end it'll mean we need more supplies."[/color] She said nothing about it, but it was implied that the bounty would have to be split as well. Her only goal was to lift the curse, and the monetary reward meant nothing to her. [color=fff79a]"None of the regular soldiers in this camp are suitable, not that I would willingly travel with those brutes. But if you can sense them, it must mean somebody who might be able to help us is near."[/color]

Liliana's own ability to sense the aura all magickers held around them had been stunted, and she could only feel Gripus' power due to their proximity. As though to answer his question though, a young boy nearby was shouting something about gathering men to assault the tower. As he ran past, she grabbed him by the shoulder and nearly took him from his feet with the suddenness of the grip. When the boy turned to the pair at the base of Gaius' tower, awe and fear mixed in his features. When Lili produced a gold coin from a pouch at her hip, the boy's eyes locked on it and widened.

[color=fff79a]"Seems we've found ourselves some luck. Can you take us to who told you to carry that message?"[/color] The boy nodded vigorously, stretching out a hand. Liliana dropped the coin in it, then ruffled his dirty hair. [color=fff79a]"Let us hope we find some true heroes,"[/color] she said in an aside to Gripus as the boy started back the way he had come. She made to follow, offering the mage another smile over her shoulder as she turned.