Allanon listened as Maeve explained what she knew of the Hallas family's recovery. Since it had been so long since he had heard from his former comrade it was a good thing to hear that he was successful in his endeavors even if they were slow. He had little interest in visiting Tundral, but if his adventures took him there in the future he would try his best to meet Craiv. He understood how closed off Tundral was to the outside world.

[color=50B1B8]"Thank you,"[/color] Allanon said. [color=50B1B8]"Of my old friends he is one of the few left alive. I'm glad he's doing well enough for his family to be back on the rise. I can relate to your feelings in regards to politics. My own family wanted to use me for political marriage as well."[/color] He turned to head out and deal with the commotion outside when he heard her repeat his name making him pause in his movement. When she said "sparring partner" he realized exactly what she was and chuckled. [color=50B1B8]"Perhaps at some point later we can exchange pointers. Even though I've long since left the dueling life I'm always willing to take on challengers when they find me."[/color]

Then he heard his name again from a different voice from a young woman that just entered the bar. He looked at her cautiously, but after a few moments recognized the Red Saints attire. The girl herself looked familiar as if he had met her somewhere, but her name entirely evaded him. Not all that surprising as when he brought in people needing the Red Saints' help he never asked for names although he heard several of them often enough. The Saints were the only organization he trusted to protect the victims he brought in from the Calabris family. He was pretty certain she was from one of the Portean locations.

[color=50B1B8]"I could say the same thing to you,"[/color] He responded with a kind smile. [color=50B1B8]"We can talk another time. It appears there's a commotion not far, and there is a thief about."[/color]

With that he marched out the door and to the marketplace to witness what clearly looked to be a dispute between Kallen, Kistal, and a stranger right in front of a stall.

Kallen blinked incredulously at Ingoleth. [color=D82408]"Ego battle? What are you talking about? My interest here resides with the thieving creature in that jar. Why in the hell would I waste my time engaging in an ego battle?"[/color] He sighed in frustration. As he did he noticed Allanon approaching. So much for discreetly finding a thief and getting recompense of some sort.

[color=50B1B8]"What in the hell is going on here?"[/color] Allanon demanded with his arms crossed. [color=50B1B8]"'Thieving creature in that jar'? Some questions need answering here."[/color]


Kistal's gaze become so withering as to threaten reality in that stall. His ire was directed at Ingoleth. The satyr took position between Nix and the rest, the wound on his arm now seemingly forgotten. His voice, normally boisterous but civil, became rough and belligerent. "Enough of this farce! Bard, you have done nothing but ill. Your...help," The word dripped with enough poison to kill a dragon. "did nothing but make the situation worse. She was already cornered." He grabbed one of the wine bottles he carried. He was too angry to care and snapped the neck off with his fingers before downing half of it. His next exhale exuded an odious miasma of unfocused mana mixed with the alcohol. "No more spectacles, no more threats. Move to let Nix and I leave to the inn or I will force you to move. I expected a bard to be more than a pile of verbal diarrhea."

He looked behind him at Nix. "Nix, if you would, please come with me and bring your friend to the inn. We have much to figure out, without the presence of this insufferable fool." His eyes fixed upon the people at the entrance. Everyone simply got a cold glare except Ingoleth, who received a glare that could only be forged through decades of hate and pain.

Chihiro saw the young woman get knocked down but left it alone. Bidzil was handling it. She instead was hot on Allanon's heels and saw the spectacle. Kallen and some newcomer seemed almost pitted against Kistal and Nix. She heaved a sigh, hearing how angry Kistal was. Obviously, something happened before they arrived for the satyr to be hurling insults at the newcomer. "Alright, alright, explain later, get this back to the inn. This place won't help any of us out."

She was about to begin trying to usher people back towards the inn, but Hilde came in and interrupted.

Tali followed the main group, though not without ogling the new Isoli a bit. At the situation, she crept on the sideline, letting the group say its piece. If anything explosive happened, she would be happy to step in. However, for now, she was content to make sure everyone got back to the inn in one piece. Had she known the situation, she likely would have sided with Kistal and Nix, regarding Ingoleth as an unnecessary meddler rather than any sort of assistance. Regardless, she didn't know the situation yet and was withholding judgement.





Alright, let’s head that way,” Hilde started with a smile, glad that it didn’t have to escalate further. She watched Kistal storm by as Nix followed, walking on her two legs so she could hug the vase close to herself, which, after seeing her move around normally, was a bit odd compared to how she kept low and on her haunches regularly. She wanted to ask if they were alright, seeing Kistal’s wound and Nix’s bandages. “Uh, w-wait. Kistal, y-you’re arm, what happened? Maybe we should swing by the temple first instead? Neev might be up and able to help heal that, if Vog allows it anyway. He’s been very particular about her magic use since the attack.Either way, that needs attention.” It then dawned on her that there was a new person in their midst. As they were walking and talking and approaching the inn, Hilde saw a girl in a red cloak.


    As for Elren, the group that walked away from the inn seemed to already be headed back, though with another familiar face other than Allanon’s in the form of a certain infamous, to Calibris anyway, satyr. 


"Oh, hey! You must be the one Vog was talking about. Elren, right? He said if I see you that he and Neev are in the temple. Poor girl has been sleeping since the other night after the raid the other night. I'm sure they'll be happy to see a familiar face. I’m Hilde by the way", Hilde said to Elren. She looked the part of the Red Saints girl Vog described, anyway. “So I guess if we go there instead, that will be two birds with one stone.”




Nix gazed a resentful glare at the others clogging up the stalls before clutching the vase close to her and walked only a step or two behind Kistal. Her ears were laid back as she looked at Kistal’s arm, not too happy with herself about it, secretly blaming herself. She was silent, though that was probably not surprising. Some chittering could be heard from the vase once in a while, and Nix would look into the vase to check on whatever it was inside. “Peach… Need one,” she finally said. 


“A peach? Hmmm, I don’t think we will have those any time soon. We can only get those in trade normally, sorry,” Hilde mentioned.


 Nix only seemed to huff once more, growling in frustration, though it didn’t seem directed back at Hilde.




Bidzil stared and watched, relieved that everything seemed to settle itself in the end, though maybe not as smoothly as one would hope. He rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, that could have gone smoother. Not much we could have done though it seems.” He sighed and brought his hand down to rest his left knuckles on his hip and his hand on his hilt in a casual stance. “Hmmm, maybe we should hold off on that training idea until  we know a bit more. Besides, I still got a bit of a road trip to plan out, ya know?” he chuckled.


At this point, it seemed the aformentioned red saint duo was walking out of the temple, headed toward the inn anyway. Vog was carrying Neev like a parsnt taking their child to bed, she seemed to [i]still[/i] be in the middle of one of her 'cat naps'. Whether she had woken up from her initial one or this was her falling asleep again, even Hilde wouldn't know. Vog, however, knew that unless she was needed or actively doing something, she tended to sleep the day away.

-----


“Momoki! Aliah!” a young woman’s voice could be heard coming down the hall from outside the room. Both the sister’s ears perked up when they heard it and Momoki was able to leap from where she was to the door right as someone frantically started knocking on it. 


    “It's unlocked, Erida,” Momoki stated as she opened the door for her, revealing a young pale girl with long  wavy light blonde hair that nearly brushed the floor. The most notable thing about her, however, were the weathered draconic features marking her as a half dragon beastman. She had frail looking horns, tattered wings that constantly drooped low, and a tail that drug behind her. She was breathing heavy and trying to catch her breath, her face flushed. Momoki quickly took her hand and led her to Aliah, resting her on one of the fluffy tails. “What’s wrong? You shouldn’t work yourself up like this,” she continued, sitting next to her and brushing the girl’s hair behind her ear for her. She looked rather shaken.


    “O-oh, Ilren, you are here too. I was looking for you as well,” Erida started, Aliah’s aura helping calm her down. “Its Teeva. She’s gone, and with one of Nina’s small crystal orbs as well,” she said with a worried look on her face. 


    “Crystal orb? What was she doing with that? I thought only Nina and Cros were allowed to use those? Where did she go?” Momoki asked.


    “We… we don’t know. Teeva isn’t tagged like Sahale is, so Nina is having trouble finding her. As… for what she was doing… She told me not to tell, but-” Erida stopped herself and was on the fence about continuing, not wanting to break Teeva’s trust.


    “If you think it was important enough to come this far, surely it's important enough to tell us,” Aliah stated.


    Erida took a few deep breaths, “Alright… Teeva somehow managed to learn the spell Nina uses to have one of her crystals watch over Sahale while he is gone, just as Mr. Cros does. While watching it though, something spooked her. W-well, not in a frightened way, but more of a surprise. I wasn’t able to talk to her much afterwards, and I don’t know what she saw, but she told me not to worry about it. This morning she was gone and Nina said one of her orbs was too.”