[@PrinceOfHeaven]

As morning broke upon the Holy Order's citadel, Herbert awoke. He was in a luxurious bed, with Erika slumbering peacefully beside him. As he curled up contentedly beside his lover, all seemed right in the world. It was then that he remembered that he had to petition a man believing himself to be the Prince of Heaven for assistance in trying to kill a dragon that was capable of slaying deities. The monster hunter gave a strangled half-sigh and began gathering the willpower to get out of bed.

Before Herbert got out of bed, Erika began to stir. The half-manticore yawned and stretched. "Good morning Herbert."

Herbert leaned over and kissed Erika. "Good morning, my sweet little lioness." The scarred hunter lay down and snuggled next to her. Erika chuckled and embraced him. "We're keeping the lioness moniker then?"

"Indeed we are." Said Herbert with a mischievous smile as he softly caressed her hair. The pair lay together for a while before Erika spoke. "While I certainly enjoy having you here, I thought you were getting up earlier?"

Herbert sighed. "Ah yes, I have to go ask a self-righteous megalomaniac to help us kill what is now a dark god. At least he's a somewhat well-mannered self-righteous megalomaniac." He gave Erika another kiss and got out of bed. "Hopefully I won't be too long."

"Alright." Said Erika. "Good luck with Lucian, I'll get a little more sleep and then once you're done talking to him, we can spend a little more time together."

[hr][/hr]

The Grandmaster of the Order of the Knights Solanian awoke to his own circadian rhythm, occupying one of the modest beds of a guest chamber. The room was dark, owing to the fact that the sun had not yet come to the horizon to illuminate the sky. Rolling over, he could see on the endtable besides his bed a little wooden geared clock, one of those new time-tellers from Tarraconia. Supposedly synced with a sundial during the day, the hands on the clock's face read "5:32."

That seemed about right. Back in Aesernia, him and the Apostles would rise early for morning prayers, chores, and other exercises to be done before breakfast. However, recalling last night's fiasco and the arduous journey that awaited them, he felt it fitting to allow them to rest up further. Rising from bed, Lucian approached the wardrobe and donned a simple linen shirt and a thick, woolen, brown robe with a rope belt which he tied tight around his waist. Slipping on a pair of leather boots, he grabbed his sword in its scabbard and strapped it to the rope belt. With that, he crept out of his chambers and quietly made his way up and out of the keep's interior.

Cracking open the strong wooden door separating him from the frigid outdoors, he stepped out onto the snow with a light crunch. The snow had fallen hard in the time between the feast and his awakening, leaving Mirador coated in several inches of pure, white snow. As the wind whistled past him, he slipped the hood of his robe over his head and his arms into their opposing sleeves as he proceeded to walk the ramparts of the keep, gazing out into the valley below to see torches lit about the city. Some of the peasants had risen early for work it seemed, and Alvar was working the forge, if the larger glowing light in the market square was of any indication. Lucian walked over to the edge of the wall, leaning comfortably against the crenel between two merlons, and kept his gaze fixed on the world beyond the keep. The winter sky was alight with the galactic bands, the Celestial Nest and Dove forever entwined as the twin moons Feynia and Askion floated parallel to each other in the night.

As Lucian was complemplating the pre-dawn sky, the sound of footsteps behind him heralded Herbert's arrival. To protect against the chill, the monster hunter wore his usual gray cloak with the hood pulled up. "Grandmaster Aquila, my apologies for interrupting your morning, but I need to speak with you."

"Ah. Ser Leintke," Lucian said, still gazing up at the stars, soaking in the sight before it vanished with the morning light. "I'd like to thank you for attending the feast, though it's a shame we didn't get to converse much before that unsettling incident with Hargash -- I imagine that is what you've come to discuss?" he asked him, now turning to face the monster hunter.

"That it is." Stated Herbert with a grim expression upon his scarred face. "I know who - or what - killed Hargash. The dragon Htraknu possessed the means to kill him, and the fire the priests saw further implicates him. I want your help to kill the dragon."

The smile left the Grandmaster's face, being replaced with a look of pure concern and wonder. "Htraknu, the very same that attacked Krossavik?" he asked, stroking his stubble thoughtfully. "I can see why you'd ask for help. Our interests align, then. You want justice for your people, and all I want is for the people of Thurius to survive his rampage and live in peace. You and I must both doubt then that he'd stop at just one Shaitun. So we must act quickly, lest he target the Gods, or worse, the Flame's mad cultists discover a moment of weakness and declare another Hariq War, this time on Samothrace and Foveros." The Aesernian began pacing back and forth, visibly worried but a far cry from being panicked. Instead the dilemma seemed to intrigue him, as though the conflict were one he was passionate about.

"And if he's now a dark god, we musn't assume he's operating alone. He has to have followers or accomplices. Perhaps that is the source of the recent outbreak of highly organized marauders," he theorized. "Alas, I cannot build walls without stone; I haven't enough information to be certain of his cult status. Have you any leads?" he suddenly asked Herbert. "Witness reports, captured equipment or uniforms, maps, journals, anything?"

"There was another survivor from Krossavik," began Herbert. "He set out to kill Htraknu twelve years ago, and is probably long dead by now, but he was the sort to record his battles. Once we find where he stayed while trying to kill Htraknu, we might be able to find information about the dragon's weaknesses or any followers he might have. I know of some other information, but I can't really get to it."

"That would do perfectly," Lucian replied, beaming eagerly, "a journal filled cover to cover with 12 years or less of information has to be of some substance. All we need is a reliable lead to its location and a way to acquire it and we'll swiftly have the journal. What more do you know?"

"A Viarosan nobleman took some of the survivor's things after he left for spite's sake. Bjorn - that's what his name was - made a lot of enemies, and this one in particular would never return the items, no matter what might be offered. If we did manage to retrieve the items in question, we'd be able to track down his hiding place and his notes." Replied Herbert thoughtfully. "We may need underhanded methods to acquire them, though..."

The Aesernian stroked his chin thoughtfully, leaning back against the merlon. "Given the necessity of Bjorn's information, one could hardly call this a wrongful cause... Alas, the Order is no thieves guild, and we do not train rogues and scoundrels." He paused for a moment to think, looking up to the star spangled sky, perhaps for inspiration. "That thief, although a disrespectful wretch, most impressively stole into the keep's cellars and managed to get past the guards to and from. Had we all been drunk, they'd have gotten away," he admitted. "Suppose we could direct them to steal Bjorn's items from this spiteful noble? The alternative of course would be to turn them in for the bounties they no doubt have accrued in the West." He shrugged indecisively, clearly open to ideas. "And again, my deepest apologies for my outburst as well as Kinara's. The Crusade... It's a sore spot for all of us. I assure you that the conduct you saw tonight is not indicative of the Order's usual."

"The thief could work..." Mused Herbert. "If you can get her to cooperate, then it sounds like a good idea. Do what you must to gain her cooperation. Bribery, holding her companion hostage, whatever you think will work. The items and papers could be the very key to stopping the dragon."

"Given her tendency towards insolence, it would be difficult to get her to cooperate. Though, I'm certain some sort of compromise can be reached," Lucian replied. "Our plan thus goes as follows: bring the thief and her slave-soldier to our side, have them steal into this nobleman's home and recover the missing items of note, bring them back to us, and study Htraknu's faction and weaknesses. We are agreed?"

"Aye." Replied the monster hunter. "Erika and the Hoffen girls have already volunteered to come along, by the way. Will any of your followers be joining us for the trip?"

"I will have to confer with my Apostles. Before I leave I will be making a decree to the people of Mirador. I am not sure if this is within my authority, but I am calling a Crusade against this beast and his followers. The entire Order will be actively hunting for further information and, if possible, those in league with Htraknu, as soon as the pigeons can spread the message to the other Seneschals. Those Kings and Queens who seek to aid us may potentially allocate resources towards stopping the dragon," Lucian explained. "To answer more directly, I'm considering bringing Sorano and Kinara with us, though I don't know how well they'd take to the thief and her eastern companion... especially Kinara, the poor darling." He spoke softly and empathetically for the lattermost statement, his gaze trailing off, as if he were in thought about something.

"I wouldn't advise calling for a Crusade." Said Herbert. "From what I know, not many outside of your Order appreciate the claims of your parentage. Calling for a Crusade would likely be seen by the Pope as an attempt to seize leadership of the Solanian faith. You might just end up with a Crusade against yourself." He paused in further contemplation with a grimace. "An appeal to self-interest might be more effective in persuading monarchs to assist us. As for your companions, Sorano would probably be an asset but I don't know if bringing the Samothaur is wise - we'll likely come across far worse than easterners."

"Then I will beseech the Patriarch to make it a Crusade," Lucian replied. "And if he cannot see the danger of this Shaitun-killer, then so be it; the Order will stand alone against him. As for 'the Samothaur' as you put it, Kinara is no coward, nor is she to be considered a nonthreat. She is a powerful archer and has killed her share of slavers, monsters, and easterners. She would be an asset just as much as Sorano or any other Apostle. I handpicked them for a reason."

Herbert took a breath that was just barely noticeable as deeper than usual and looked Lucian in the eye. "This is not the Order's fight alone. I must ask that you do your best to be diplomatic when asking for help. As for Kinara, if you believe she will be an asset, then by all means, bring her along. Do know however, that I will not hesitate to cut away any dead weight. Taking down this dragon is far more important than the Order's glory."

Lucian smiled and laughed, "Oh, you misunderstand me Ser Leintke. I have no intentions to make this about honour and glory nor to seize credit where it is undue. If the Patriarch in Aesera refuses to acknowledge Htraknu and the death of Hargash after the facts are presented, then we can wage this war without the help of the other rulers. And I assure you, Apostle Kinara will prove herself to you as anything except dead weight."

Leintke was irritated, distrustful, that much Lucian could read like an open book. For that he had nobody to blame but himself; for a more attentive man and a better leader would be more inquisitive, and would seek to understand his allies, never to make conclusions without proper knowledge, lest he bias his judgement.

He, like so many outsiders before him who had been in contact with the Order, mistrusted it and its Grandmaster, seeing only heretical fervour and megalomania. Still, it was forgivable to assume many falsehoods. Lucian felt no ill will, he decided. It wasn't as though the man before him had blatantly mocked the Order's dead...

"I plan on accompanying you myself, rather than sending men to do this for me -- It's been far too long since I've been traveling with outsiders. Not since the Crusade, I don't think," Lucian eventually said, breaking the silence that had just set in. He seemed enthusiastic about that. "So I'd like to get to know you better before we get on the road." 

Herbert smiled politely. "I'm afraid I must decline, Grandmaster. Erika is waiting for me. We will have plenty of time to get acquainted on the road. I daresay you'll find there are few other options while travelling long distances. In the meantime, I bid you good day." With that, he turned to leave.

Lucian perked his brow, watching Herbert leave the way he came. He was a curious individual, and it was most unfortunate that their first impressions of each other were so muddled by circumstance and rumours.

The Grandmaster turned around once again to gaze out over the wall of the keep, looking out upon the city below. The pristine view of the galaxy began to fade away as the first glimmers of light pierced the horizon, bringing forth the dawn. Lucian lingered a moment longer, reflecting on the journey that awaited him, then took his leave.