Janius was forthcoming at first as they strolled down the street from the keep. "Well, son, you might have noticed this in other cities, but places like the Empire and the Dominion tend to be so big that people don't really help each other in the same way that we do back home. That can mean that some people, either because they get addicted to substances or just because they do not have enough gold, get desperate. They might threaten or beat people for coin. It's worse in some places than others. There are some placed in Bravil that are much worse."

They took another few steps in silence.

"And your mother and father?" Rhazii asked.

Janius looked ahead. "I'm afraid that we should probably not visit them." He did not want to lie. "They think I am dead. I have not seen them since before both of you were born."

[hr]
Fendros' initial reaction to Lorag's flurry of swings was a methodical control of the situation. At least, his defence was as methodical as he could make it. His stance switched a few times as he took two careful paces back in an effort to deflect away Lorag's brute force. Aging or not, he was still deadly.

Unfortunately for Lorag, such a long combination of strikes still held the patterns of his style, and Fendros had fought many savage and relentless foes before. He counter attacked with his sword held against his left shoulder, arm across his body. A swing coming diagonally down towards Fendros' left shoulder prompted him to duck and parry Lorag's sword with the edge of his shield such that it was guided over his head. Meanwhile, Fendros' sword travelled from his shoulder, over the rim of his shield, and towards Lorag's neck. Fendros was careful enough to stop before he made contact, in spite of the dull edge of the practice sword. But he didn't know if Lorag would let his mistake mean the end of the bout.