[Right][H2][color=#CA9BF7]Fia Blackfire[/color][/H2][/right] [hr] Leaving was bittersweet. It always is. Fia never really thought herself tied to anywhere in particular. She always found herself staying somewhere for a day, a week, maybe even a month. Yet in recent years, she always found herself returning to this quaint troupe of traveling oddities. Merchants, doctors, rangers, scholars even. People who through mere coincidence ended up traveling across the land together, providing for each other, and forming a pseudo family. A perfect resting stop for her various endeavors, but one that she found herself returning to. Perhaps they were just acutely aware of her selfishness, and played it back at her. Fia’s motivations were always selfish, and the people she ended up meeting with expendable, for lack of a better word. Her interests, her motivations lied in the unknown powers and striped divinity of those creatures that predated humanity, yet forgone any authority. Still, their power was tantalizing, and it was rumor of another of such power that once again had her saying her farewells to the caravan. The land of twilight, once since sealed away by the elves of Varenheim. After many years have passed that predate even most if not all of the elves at this point, those lands were open. For what reason, Fia guess were no more noble than ripping the bandage of lost history and the thrill of adventure. It was relatively simple to join. Quests were posted, and the application simple. A quick rendezvous and the long carriage ride, they were within the twilight tree line. There was only about half of them at the start of the quest, their employer opting to depart earlier. His eagerness to run into danger proving his stupidity along with his resolve. Still, they were assured it would not take long to catch up. That was four days ago. The trip through the forest was mundane at best. It was clear that some found the journey dull, and Fia would have been among them had it not been for one thing. Actually, two things. Fia came on the journey looking to unlock the mysteries of those entities that would hide out in the lands that has been for so long without a visitor. But by pure chance, two of her colleagues were also born out of the worldly inclination. Through one reason or another, Fia was denied any chance to question let alone study them. Urgency alone made it hard to even bring about introductions. Still, Fia held hope. They’d have to work together. There a nonzero chance the forest held something malicious or otherwise. Now, Fia stood on the dry ground, barely pressed by recent travelers, surprisingly not overrun by vegetation. The night was clear and crisp, and was completely drowned out by the snarl of mutated beasts and the explosions from their prey. From monotony to war, the sudden change in tone was enough to stir awake even the most jet lagged of individuals. Overhead circled a winged dragon with horrific complexion. Not easily matched to the small pack of tentacled monstrosities on the ground. Its blue fire replaced the moon that hid from the sky. Without it, the only light they had was the lantern. They caught up to their employer, but under less than ideal circumstances. Immediately, everyone went to work. From the tall to the small, the paladin, rogue, ninja, and fighter took to arms against the hideous almost skeletal monsters. At the same time, their once proud fearless coachman steered away, fleeing at only the mere sight of danger. Perhaps they should consider themselves lucky it happened as their employer was being attacked. Otherwise, the might have spent the last few days walking on foot had danger reared its head earlier in their journey. Fia watched the dragon, but with the mist cleared away, and the dragon disappearing with it, she followed down the road along with the others. While they ran, she walked, not out of callousness, but she was better suited keeping her distance. Maybe she wouldn’t have to get involved. After all, their arrival doubled the fighting force of those elves. Not thirty seconds since arriving, they cleared half of what remained. “Well, then. That should take care of the spawn. But one doesn’t present a musket without using it.” said Fia. The woman in the crimson dress held her right palm down with her slightly bent arm out forward. Mana condensed between her fingers as the elemental power flowed between her and a glass sphere that quickly escaped the satchel hanging off her shoulder. As if on cue, the dragon reappeared, prey in mouth circling overhead, before roosting just beyond the farther treeline. Though obscured, there was no mistaking its presence just a mere field’s length away from everyone else. Fia was close enough now to be considered part of the group again. She raised her hand, the energy that was dancing between her fingers flying forward, circling the glass sphere only a few times before streaking over the heads of the elven advanced party and her recently met colleagues. The mana glowed white like the light of sun, though no where near as bright. It burst overhead, into four shards that darted straight down like daggers towards the monstrosities that remain standing after her colleagues’ onslaught. Her goal was to finish the underlings quickly. Though the dragon was occupied with its snack acquired from a coward, they were still close enough to be noticed. That could make running away difficult.