Mikael

"Okay, partying all night long is definitely out of the question," he mumbled before gulping down more wine. They had to save their money for supplies and a transportation spell. Hopefully, they'd find a mage who believed in charging reasonable prices for services rendered. Mikael hated having to worry about the possibility of his money running out. This trip to Neromba might take care of the problem of constantly dwindling funds if all that talk of gobs of treasure waiting to be taken by courageous adventurers turned out to be true. If the rumors proved false, they'd have to figure out other ways to make fast money.

Mikael wondered if there were any gambling halls in Neromba. He'd discovered he could control dice rolls with his mind power, and nine times out of ten he could mentally visualize the cards held by all the players in a poker game. Using his psychic powers in that fashion took an awful lot of concentrated effort; it left him drained and nursing a blinding headache for several hours afterwards. Because he really didn't like dealing with pain, he limited his visits to the gambling halls in Dara to about once a month. That was usually enough to keep his money from running out completely.

After Sasha pointed out the absence of massage tables, Mikael got out of the tub and pulled the cord that would summoned an attendant. A heavyset, gray haired woman arrived a few minutes later, carrying a tray of food and drinks that was included in the price of the room. She set it on a small table in front of the couch by the fireplace. "Do you need anything else?"

"We'd both like a massage," Mikael told her as he lifted a wedge of cheese to his mouth.

The attendant nodded before scurrying out the door. Mikael sat down and continued to eat then looked up at two women who entered and set up tables. They were middle-aged, rather plain looking, and both had overly muscular arms that he found a bit gross. At least he wouldn't start fantasizing about being in bed with one of them during his massage!

He swallowed down another piece of cheese then shared a grin with Sasha as they made themselves comfortable on the tables and let the women do their thing. Mikael dozed on and off during the pleasant massage, and when it finally came to an end he felt invigorated. His shoulder wound was nearly healed and his energy level completely replenished.

They spent another hour lounging around the bathhouse then returned to the bazaar and found a knowledgeable merchant who helped them pick out proper clothing and other items they'd need in Neromba. The man also gave them the name and address of a mage who specialized in teleport spells.

"He charges quite a bit but he'll be able to get you and horses, if you have them, to your chosen destination, or as close to it as possible."

Mikael hemmed and hawed a bit before finally giving the guy a fairly decent tip for his assistance. The sack of money Kyros handed him at the cultist's cabin was half-full now. He had a feeling it would empty out completely once they paid the mage for his services. That didn't concern him too much since he still had most of the money he left Dara with and was certain he'd pick up a lot more in Neromba pretty quickly.

Mounting excitement prevented him from paying too much attention to the heavy weight of the pack of supplies he now carried as they made the long walk to the stables of the Frothing Flagon Inn. He grinned at Sasha while readying his horse. "I don't know about you but I'm anxious to start this little adventure of ours."

After several minutes of digging through his saddlebag, Mikael pulled out a small bottle of ink, a quill, and a sheet of parchment. He jotted down a message to Rowan, thanking him for inviting him along on the journey to Bizmar before going on to explain that he and Sasha had decided to venture off on their own. By the time you read this, we'll be somewhere in Neromba thanks to a teleport spell, he wrote. Maybe we'll meet again one day if we ever find our way to Bizmar.

He signed his name then let the ink dry before folding the paper and paying the stable boy to hand deliver it to Rowan Silvertree. "Time for us to go, Sasha." They mounted the horse and road to the far west side of the city where they found the mage's home. Mikael turned a little pale when he heard what it was going to cost them to be teleported to the outskirts of some city called Hazam.

"It'll cost you extra if you'd prefer arriving on Medina al-Afyal or one of the other islands," the mage said.

Mikael shook his head then handed over a sack of gold. "Hazam will do just fine."

The mage followed them outside and patiently waited while they mounted the horse. "I suggest you both close your eyes," the mage said. "It helps keeps the nausea at a minimum."

Mikael saw him pull a small wand out of the sleeve of his bulky robes then quickly shut his eyes when he heard him begin the words to an incantation. A wave of dizziness washed over him then he felt a bit of pressure on his skull. His hands kept a sturdy hold on the reins and his legs tightened around the horse when it seemed like it might bolt.

Once the dizziness passed and the pressure subsided, he opened his eyes and stared at magical globes of light suspended above the walls of a city in the distance. His jaw fell open when he caught sight of a full moon in a star-filled, dark sky. "What the hell?" Unfortunately, no one had bothered to tell them about the large time difference between Loris and Neromba.

Suddenly, he laughed and glanced over his shoulder at Sasha. "We left Falor a little after the lunch hour and arrived here just in time for a later dinner." He led the horse down a dirt road that went directly to the city gates. "I guess the first thing we should do is find an inn because I don't know if anything else will be open at this hour. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to find a talkative barkeep or a resident who can tell us where we might find some ruins to explore tomorrow."

Odarin:

Odarin listened attentively as his dark-haired customer explained the place he�d last seen the suspected young dragons. Neromba, Neromba� He said the name over and over again in his head, tasting the sound of it and familiarizing himself with it. He couldn�t recall seeing a place like that on the map of Loris. But he had another map with him, one detailing the greater portion of the world of Variance. Could Neromba be a completely different country, then, far away from Loris?

�As I said,� the man continued, his eyes dropping to study the mug of ale before him, �I do not have very much money, so I would only ask a modest amount.� He paused then, seeming to consider something, and smiled. �And a warm bed, and a good meal at the end of this journey.�

Odarin found himself smiling back though he wasn�t sure why. �You can have all the money,� he assured him, but then he, too, paused. �Well, as much as I can give you. I suppose I�ll need some to pay for food and lodgings. But I�ve some things in my room that I can sell, too. Now, about this Neromba place��

He realized, as he stooped below the bar to hunt for his little map, that he was not thinking very logically here. If this Neromba proved to be halfway around the world, it would be rather stupid to follow the description of a man who said he �might� have seen a group of people who in someway resembled Odarin�s description of the Elendoran fugitives. But he had nothing else to go on. By now, he was almost frantic in his search for revenge. If he didn�t kill those who had murdered his villagers, what would stop them from hurting those he actually loved? He had a reputation to uphold, after all�he was Konstantin Odarin, the cold-hearted outcast. He could make fledglings and young drakes alike tremble just by looking too deeply into their eyes.

�Neromba�� he muttered almost to himself as he found the map and spread it out on the bar top. He pulled the glasses from the inside pocket of his coat and put them on so he could read the little marks indicating each continent and city. And then, there it was�a nation far to the south of Loris, made up of several islands. One island, called Jana-Qit, may well have been the very place his companion had spoken of but misremembered the name of.

A poke to his arm made him look up from his study of the map. It was Lyla, the perky, blonde-haired barmaid who always wore a smile on her cute young face.

�If you're thinking about going to Neromba, see Nicklar,� she suggested. �He can get you there in the blink of an eye. He's out back by the stables right now giving magic lessons to Josh and a couple of the other urchins interested in learning the art.� Then she flashed him another smile before helpfully offering to take the order for a customer who had just ambled up to the bar.

Nicklar! Of course! The proprietor of the tavern was also an accomplished mage. Odarin quickly folded up his map and stuffed it into his pocket before looking up and meeting the eyes of the dark-haired man again. �Just let me get my things from my room,� he said, before turning to slip out from behind the bar and hurrying upstairs. Once there, he repacked his clothes neatly before next reaching under the mattress and grabbing the rest of his money. He also grabbed the two daggers he�d hidden there; it was these he intended to sell for additional gold. They were his own creation, and bore his initials at the base of the blade. Such a marking would have made them nearly priceless back on Elendor, but here he was a nobody, and so had no idea how much they might be capable of fetching.

Back downstairs, he gestured for the man at the bar to rise and follow him outside where Lyla had said Nicklar was. The mage wasn�t hard to find. A flash of light coming from within the stables was followed by a chorus of high-pitched ohhs and ahhs. Before they entered, though, Odarin paused, and turned to face the man beside him.

�Thank you,� he said, his voice as sincere as he could make it. �I promise, once I find those I�m looking for, I�ll do everything in my power to reward you. I�ll make you a gift of anything in my home.� A thought came to him then, of a gift that was, at least in his eyes, far superior to all the money available in the world. �I�ll make you a sword, if you�d like,� he added. �And I promise it will be the finest blade you�ve ever carried.�

He gazed intently into the man�s eyes for a second, a little alarmed by his own generosity. His swords, after all, were dangerous if not wielded by the right hands. He only crafted them for the most honorable of men�and, of course, for his brother and his nephew.

The next second, he turned away again and continued striding towards the stables. Once inside, Nicklar spotted him almost immediately, and paused at what he was about to do, much to the disappointment of the anxiously waiting children who formed a little semi-circle around him.

�Odarin,� the mage said, not looking at all pleased at being interrupted.

�Nicklar,� Odarin replied, nodding his head. �I have a favor to ask you.� He winced inwardly when Nicklar frowned; granting favors obviously wasn�t something he did very often. �I need to go to Neromba. Lyla overheard us discussing it, and she said you might be able to help us.�

Fortunately, the mage softened when he heard the young barmaid�s name. He told them that although he could transport them to Neromba, free of charge, he could only take them to two different cities: Hazam or Medina al-Afyal. They settled on Hazam, since that was the place his companion was more familiar with.

Nicklar then instructed them to join hands. But before he started chanting the words to the powerful spell, he paused to warn Odarin that he would probably have a bit of a headache. �I know,� Odarin muttered, and he could almost feel it already, pounding at the back of his eyes and against the sides of his temples. Why did dragons have to be so damned sensitive to transportation spells? He sighed, took his companion�s hand loosely in his own, and closed his eyes, awaiting the inevitable.

There was a brief, unearthly darkness as they were enveloped in the between-place familiar to all transportation spells. Unlike the darkness that lasted for almost a minute when he traveled from Elendor to Variance, however, this one only lasted a couple of seconds. Before they knew it, reality was back in full force�hot sand rested beneath their boots, while above, a clear, dark sky filled with twinkling stars looked down upon them. In the near distance lay the walls of a city, over which little magical globes of light were suspended at various intervals.

�Is this is?� he asked curiously. He released his companion�s hand and turned around a few times, trying to take in everything all at once. Neromba, he decided, was a beautiful land. He had always loved the desert�perhaps because most dragons tended to avoid such hot, stifling places at all costs.

�You know, it just occurred to me,� he added musingly, turning to face the dark-haired man again with a slight smile. �I don�t even know your name yet.� Then he winced, for the headache had finally caught up with him. It wasn�t as bad as it had been when he�d first arrived on Variance, but it was enough to make him curse under his breath and push the tips of his fingers against his brow, as if merely applying pressure could relieve the sudden pain from within.

Sasha:

Sasha tightened his arms around Mikael�s waist and squeezed his eyes shut as soon as the transportation spell took effect. He hated transportation spells. Part of it was knowing he�d have a screaming headache waiting for him on the other end. But the other part was that awful nothingness of the between place. No sight, no sound, no senses at all. He remembered trying to desperately wriggle his fingers during the trip from Elendor to here, and the sudden horror that swept over him once he realized that he no longer had any fingers.

Fortunately, the trip from Falor to Hazam was a lot shorter. Sasha opened his eyes and immediately grinned. They made it! He loosened his hold around Mikael�s waist and sat back a little, surveying the area around him. Hazam was a pretty city, he had to give it that. He really like those little floating globes of light that hung above the outer walls. The surrounding scenery was very picturesque, too, with rolling dunes and the occasional caravan of horses and slow-moving camels making their way to and from the city gates. The only thing really oppressive was the heat, but already the temperature was starting to cool down for the night.

�What the hell?� Mikael�s exclamation made Sasha laugh. Apparently, his new friend was surprised by the rather abrupt change in time. Sasha had traveled a great deal, though rarely so instantaneously, so he was pretty familiar with the concept of time change.

�We left Falor a little after the lunch hour,� Mikael continued, looking over his shoulder at him, �and arrived here just in time for a later dinner. I guess the first thing we should do is��

Whatever else the prince had to say was drowned out by the sudden onrush of pain that erupted in Sasha�s head. He gritted his teeth and laid his forehead down on his friend�s shoulder, moaning lowly. �Phooey,� he mumbled. �Transportation spells suck.�

After a couple seconds, he was able to explain to Mikael that he had a headache caused by that gods-awful spell. But though painful, the effects were quick to wear off, and by the time their horse had made it to Hazam�s outer gates, it had dwindled down to a dull, throbbing ache.

�First we have to find an inn,� he said cheerfully, not realizing that Mikael had already said as much. �We can rent a room there and get something to eat. After that, we can do some exploring. I�m sure there�re all sorts of great places to hang out at night. Gambling halls, clubs, all kinds of things! This is going to be so much fun!�

He�d already forgotten that their main reason for traveling to Neromba was to try and strike it rich. How could he possibly think about money when he had a whole entire city to explore? Scratch that, a whole entire country. And if he really wanted to look at the big picture, well then, hell, he had the whole entire planet of Variance to explore! So really, he was just getting started! He was no longer even thinking about sharing the experience with his friends once he returned home. He had a new friend now, and already liked him immensely more than the ones at home.

The gates they passed through led them down a neat, cobblestone road, wide enough for twelve horses to walk abreast. Merchants were busy packing up their wares, and a few people still lingered from table to table, looking at the goods. All of the citizens were very well dressed. They all had dark complexions, and dark eyes and even darker hair to go with it. Most of the women were exceedingly beautiful, though a few indulged a little too much in cosmetics. The men might have been equally attractive, but it was difficult to tell beneath all that disgusting facial hair they wore. The clothing they wore was generally very lose and light-colored, though some of the better dressed people also wore brightly colored sashes, robes, or layered skirts.

�There!� Sasha suddenly cried, and he pointed over Mikael�s shoulder at a large tavern off to the right. It was a large building, three stories high with white walls and heavy wooden frame. A sign reading �The Crystal Orb� hung above the doorway. From within could be heard many chattering voices, along with some very strange music. A delicious, spicy smell wafted out into the streets as well, making Sasha�s stomach rumble. He couldn�t wait to take his first bite of Nerombian cuisine!

They left their horse in the care of a stable boy and entered the Crystal Orb Inn. �Now this is an inn!� Sasha said happily, as they paused at the door and surveyed the room before them. In the very center of the common room was a pretty little fountain illuminated by magically bobbing lights. The bobbing lights were also sprinkled about the room, shedding light on the diners and the dancers in the corner. A strange-looking troupe of minstrels played, led by a female vocalist who did the most interesting things with her voice. Most of the instruments consisted of drums, flutes, and a weird looking sort of lute held with the base cradled in the musician�s lap.

A server immediately approached them and bowed. �Marhaba. Es salam alekum. Would you like a table, effendi?

�Yes!� Sasha said, his eyes still hovering eagerly over the strange musicians. �And we want to sit over there, by them!�

The server bowed again. �Right this way, effendi.� They were led to a table situated close to the stage and given seats. Sasha picked up the menu he was given, anxious to taste some exotic food, but then immediately frowned.

�I can�t read any of this,� he said, annoyed. �I guess we should just say we want the special, and a bottle of their best wine to go with it.� He flung the menu back down on the table and sat back in his chair, the smile reappearing on his face. �Well, I have to say I love this place already. Isn�t it the best? We have deserts on Elendor, but I hardly ever go.� He took a sip of the water beside the menu before continuing. �So what do you want to do tonight? I�m open to anything. Oh, hey! I know we just went to one, but you know, I bet the spas here are fantastic.

Mikael:

Mikael wanted to use a little of his psychic power on Sasha to see if it would cure his headache but decided against it. As far as he knew, in order to heal someone with his energy, he had to touch them while focusing intently. During the process he sometimes picked up the surface thoughts, or vague past memories, of the person he was in contact with. And since he now considered Sasha a friend, he didn't want to take the risk of accidentally reading his mind without warning him of the possibility of it happening. Hopefully, he'd remember to discuss this strange aspect of his power with Sasha later. If the dragon didn't care about him learning any deep, dark secrets he might be harboring, then Mikael wouldn't hesitate to use his power to attempt to heal him in the future.

He glanced at the numerous buildings they passed once inside the gates of the city. The architecture was stunning. He stopped the horse several times to stare at minarets and domes clad in gold. The magical globes of light reflecting off their surfaces filled many areas with a warm yet eerie glow. He spotted merchants locking their shops for the night, and heard a number of different dialects spoken by the people they passed. Much of the language sounded harsh and guttural. It almost seemed as if the speakers were having an argument rather than a pleasant discussion.

Many of the women hid their faces behind veils and had shawls draped over their heads while most of the older men sported thick beards and covered their heads with turbans. Mikael saw a few of those men spit on the ground then mutter the word, ajami before turning their backs to them. When one old crone made a warding sign against evil as they rode past her on the street, he got the feeling that many Nerombians were highly superstitious and although tolerant of outsiders, they weren't overly fond of them. He really didn't care because he didn't think they'd stay in their cities for long. Since they came here to explore ruins and find hidden treasure they'd probably spend most of their time outdoors. We better buy a 2-man tent in the morning.

"There!" Sasha cried.

Mikael looked over his shoulder to find him pointing at a 3-story building up ahead to their right. He led the horse towards it and smiled once he realized it was an inn because he felt hungry again. They quickly dismounted and left the horse with a stable boy who bowed a lot but said nothing. As soon as they entered the Crystal Orb Inn, Mikael's eyes began to tear from the thick smoke and pungent aroma of spices. He noticed that nearly every man, (and a few women) in the place sucked on pipes.

By the time they found a table, his eyes had stopped tearing and his nose had adjusted to the strange smells. He stared at the magically bobbing lights by a fountain in the center of the room then glanced at the minstrels before picking up the menu. Like Sasha, he couldn't understand a word of it. "I'll have what my friend's having," he told the server, whose smile never faltered. Obviously, he didn't mind waiting on foreigners.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" Sasha asked. "I�m open to anything. Oh, hey! I know we just went to one, but you know, I bet the spas here are fantastic."

After a quick nod, Mikael rolled up two cigarettes using the Ocol Weed tobacco and passed one to Sasha. "We have to buy a tent but I guess that can wait until tomorrow. One of the main things we need to do is get our hands on a map then find some sociable people who speak our language and are willing to tell us where the hell we might find all those ruins that are supposedly scattered around this nation."

He paused to fill two glasses with the wine the server delivered. "I guess all that can wait until tomorrow too. We're in no hurry." A smile lit up his face once he tasted a little of the wine. "Hey, this stuff's great! It's got a nice kick to it." He followed another sip of wine with a deep drag off the cigarette then looked up at the server as he set down plates of flat bread, cheese, and boiled onions.

The smile flew off Mikael's face when he saw the main entry. "What the hell is that?" he asked, his nose crinkling in disgust as he stared down at his plate.

"It is fried locust on a bed of saffron rice," the server said. He placed a tiny glass of red liquid next to both of their plates. "And that is the blood of a dessert snake. You drink it at the end of the meal. It will cure stomach problems and increase your sex drive."

Before Mikael or Sasha could comment, the server hurried off to another table. "Normally, I don't have a problem with food, but..." Mikael shrugged before finally lifting a locust to his mouth and taking a bite. It crunched loudly and tasted a little like heavily spiced, stale chicken.

"It's not bad," he said, eyeing the tiny glass of snake's blood before reaching for a small piece of cheese. "Now this is something I can relate to!" A moment after he tossed it into his mouth and started chewing, his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. After downing a glass of water he blinked at Sasha. "That cheese must be laced with hot peppers!"

He took another hit off the cigarette and started laughing. "At least the food isn't boring!" He continued to smoke between spoonfuls of rice and sips of wine. "I think I'm getting a major buzz already."

They shared a laugh then Mikael leaned back in his chair. "When we finish eating we'll take a walk around and see what's open." His slightly glazed eyes fell upon the glass of snake's blood by Sasha's plate. "Are you brave enough to drink that shit? If you do, I will too."

Rihkard:

The barkeep smiled at Rihkard�s last comment, a smile open and full of genuine happiness. Rihkard returned the smile.

The man in his excitement said, �You can have all the money. Well, as much as I can give you. I suppose I�ll need some to pay for food and lodgings. But I�ve some things in my room that I can sell, too. Now, about this Neromba place��

Then the man disappeared below the bar, and Rihkard couldn�t help but laugh.

After a few moments he emerged to spread a map of Variance on the bar, muttering the word �Neromba�� absently as he scanned the map. He took a moment to put on his glasses, while Rihkard greedily ate his stew, now that it was at the proper temperature. With a spoonful of stew in his mouth, the spoon clasped between his closed lips, Rihkard was just about to point out Neromba on the far end of the map, when the man found it himself.

Then Rihkard noticed the island Jana-Qit and pointed to it. �That is location of the tavern.�

Just as he finished saying the words, a pretty bar made came over to give Odarin some information.

�If you're thinking about going to Neromba, see Nicklar. He can get you there in the blink of an eye. He's out back by the stables right now giving magic lessons to Josh and a couple of the other urchins interested in learning the art.�

Then the bar made went off to take care of another customer that just arrived.

The barkeep, folding and pocketing the map met Rihkard�s eyes, determination evident on his face.

�Just let me get my things from my room,� he said, before turning to slip out from behind the bar and hurrying upstairs.

Rihkard had a fleeting moment of indecision, debating as to whether or not to call after the man and call this whole thing off. It all seemed to be happening rather fast, but the young man had left the room already, and Rihkard knew that to refuse would just be too disappointing for the man. Rihkard looked at what was left of his stew and reached his spoon into the bowl to finish it.

Rihkard thought, Might as well. I can use the pay and what�s one place to another.

Now that it was finished between him and Eleanor, was any place really home? Would any place ever be home?

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, for fear of the memory, but it flashed in his mind nonetheless. Eleanor, in bed, with that murderer...

The barkeep returned and gestured for Rihkard to follow him outside, the air getting crisp as the afternoon wore on towards dusk.

Both men saw a flash of light followed by children�s voices coming from the stables. The man made his way there directly and Rihkard followed him.

But just outside the entranceway, the man paused, and turned to face Rihkard.

�Thank you,� he said, sounding quite sincere. �I promise, once I find those I�m looking for, I�ll do everything in my power to reward you. I�ll make you a gift of anything in my home.�

And then the man said something that made Rihkard almost gasp. �I�ll make you a sword, if you�d like. And I promise it will be the finest blade you�ve ever carried.� Rihkard pondered the idea, remembering that the man said he was a sword smith. He remembered the care with which the man did his work behind the bar and could only imagine the care he took in his own craft of choice. Rihkard thought of the old and battered sword strapped to his back, and scratching his head, grinned.

�That would be wonderful. I could use a new sword.�

Then a look of worry flitted in the young man�s eyes, Rihkard wondering if he was already regretting the promise. Rihkard contained a laugh.

They entered to find a man surrounded by a group of children. The man looked annoyed at being disturbed.

�Odarin,� the man said, addressing Rihkard�s companion. So that was the barkeep�s name.

�Nicklar, I have a favor to ask you.� The man winced at them in an unfriendly way. �I need to go to Neromba. Lyla overheard us discussing it, and she said you might be able to help us.�

Then Rihkard watched as the man�s features seemed to soften. He informed them that he could transport them but they must select the City. They chose Hazam since Rihkard had been there.

Nicklar warned Odarin that he would feel some pain from the spell. As Niklar started the spell, Rihkard felt his own discomfort, a terrible headache taking hold of him. Rihkard, distracted by the increasing pain barely registered the feeling of Odarin loosely clasping his hand.

Rihkard was frightened. He had never gone through a transportation spell but he heard of their frequent use so was at least comforted to know that it was relatively safe. He kept his eyes closed and suddenly felt quiet nothingness all around him. He would have marveled at this had it not been for a feeling of building nausea; Rihkard despaired that his lamb stew would soon leave him. He was just swallowing a flush of saliva warning of impending sickness, when he felt dry, hot air all around him. He opened his eyes to see that he was standing in the desert, a blue/black sky studded with stars above him.

And ahead stood the city of Hazam.

�Is this it?� asked his companion, releasing his grip.

�Yes, we are here.� Rihkard sucked in hot air trying to steady his already depleting nausea as his travel companion turned around several times taking their environment in. Rikhard straightened, having a final deep breath. He smelled the familiar scent of this part of the world, a hint of spice in the air, and felt comforted. He was kind of glad to be back.

Then his companion spoke, a grin on his face, �You know, it just occurred to me, I don�t even know your name yet.� Then his companion winced as if in pain. Rihkard could sympathize, a rather horrible headache hurting him as well.

�My name is Rihkard.� Rihkard held his hand out to Odarin. �Nice to meet you.�

When his companion shook his hand, Rihkard glanced over his shoulder. �Shall we find lodgings for the night? We stay out here much longer and we may have to bunk down in a sand dune.� Rihkard winked at Odarin as best he could with what felt like a growing migraine, and started to make the unsteady journey through the sands to the City of Hazam.

Odarin:

Odarin gave Rihkard a wan smile and tried to ignore his headache as they shook hands. It was an interesting name, and not one he could very readily place. But of course, he had to remind himself, feeling a bit foolish, he was on a different world now. Rihkard could tell him right here and now where he hailed from, and the name would mean nothing to Odarin. He didn�t even know what race his new companion was. He appeared human enough, but appearances could always be deceiving.

�Shall we find lodgings for the night?� Rihkard asked, looking past the expanse of the desert towards the glowing city. �We stay out here much longer and we may have to bunk down in a sand dune.�

He tossed him a wink, and Odarin laughed, caught off guard by his teasing. �Very true,� he agreed. �I suppose,� he added, as they began to make their way to the city gates, �I should�ve thought this through a little better. A horse would�ve been exceedingly useful��

They continued to trudge forward, their boots slipping in the sand, until they intersected the main road. This they followed to the city, which they entered along with several other late-night travelers. Most of the travelers stopped to deposit their mounts and some supplies at the caravansary�a sort of large, communal stable where camels and horses could be kept, bought, or loaned. There was also a large inn for the travelers to stay at, although several opted to enter the city further and find lodgings within.

In the middle of all this, with camels and travelers and dark-skinned Nerombians all around them, Odarin suddenly stopped. His body went rigid as he suddenly caught a familiar scent�the scent of a fellow Elendoran dragon. His heart began to race, and his eyes widened; he couldn�t believe his good fortune at finding his enemy so quickly and so easily.

�I sense them,� he said, grabbing Rihkard�s arm in his eagerness to hunt his enemies down and kill them. �The other dragons,� he clarified, and he paused to gaze into his companion�s eyes, his own eye glittering with excitement. �Come on. They went this way.�

But something about the scent nagged at him as he followed it through the main street of Hazam. For one thing, there was only one. Maybe this one had split off from the others; dragons were, after all, a querulous people, always arguing amongst one another, frequently splitting off in factions and cliques, or often going off alone, just as he�d done himself. But that wasn�t it�the scent was also very familiar. He wracked his brain, trying to place it. It seemed to steal all the anger from his heart, to curl around his senses and plead with him to soften. Abruptly, he realized who it belonged to.

�Sasha,� he muttered, almost too low for Rihkard to hear. His companion glanced curiously at him, and he huffed under his breath. He took a deep, unhappy breath, then let it out before speaking again. �I was wrong,� he said flatly. �It�s not my enemies. The scent belongs to Aleksander Odarin�my little brother.�

He said the name with something of a hiss, unable to contain his annoyance. So, Sasha had followed him here! For all his cleverness, his younger brother was known for doing some incredibly stupid things. Traveling to this brand new world, alone, ignorant of its customs, and all, no doubt, on a simple whim�it was one to top all the previous little messes he�d yet gotten himself into. And should Odarin�s enemies learn that Sasha were actually here, well� He shuddered, unable to complete the thought. So now, in addition to hunting down his enemies, he would have the burden of watching and protecting his foolish little brother as well. Terrific. Just terrific.

Sasha:

Sasha laughed when the waiter arrived to deliver their dinner special. Insects! These ugly, hairy-faced, strange-sounding mortals actually dined on insects! He couldn�t stop laughing, especially when he saw the look on Mikael�s face. Of course the whole thing was pretty funny, but the Ocol weed he was smoking probably helped him enjoy it just a teensy tiny bit better, too.

His eyebrows rose when the waiter explained that the stuff in the cups was snake�s blood. Briefly, he found the concept of increasing his sex drive, perhaps to a state of normalcy, at least, intriguing. But then he frowned and brushed the thought aside. Sex was a dirty, disgusting act, and he�d probably never grow to like it. Being able to actually go through with it wouldn�t make him think otherwise, either.

The smile returned to his face when he saw Mikael pop one of the locusts in his mouth. He watched him chew it for a couple seconds, and was surprised when he didn�t immediately spit it out. �It�s not bad,� his friend commented with a shrug. Sasha shrugged back and picked one of them up, eyeing it curiously before popping it into his mouth as well. It tasted a little like a baby chimera, believe it or not. A little too spicy for his tastes, but not overly bad. He wasn�t a big eater, though, and decided he could do without. He�d stick to the rice, at least, and the wine.

He laughed again when Mikael tried out the cheese next, which proved to be laced with hot peppers. �Thanks for being my taster for the evening,� he teased, tossing him a wink. Now he knew to stay well clear of the cheese! He took another drag of the Ocol weed before joining his friend in staring down warily at the glasses of blood.

�Are you brave enough to drink that shit?� he asked after awhile. �If you do, I will too.�

Sasha smirked. He picked up the little glass and tipped it towards his friend. �Bottom�s up,� he quipped before tossing it back down his throat. It was a little runny, not as thick as he was used to, but then, he�d never tasted snake�s blood before. It wasn�t warm enough, either, but it did cause a little tingling sensation as it slid down into his belly.

�Ohhh,� he said wonderingly, his eyes widening. It felt awfully good. He smiled slowly at Mikael, reveling in the sensation for a second more before speaking. �I like it. It�s a bit thin, but not bad. Try it!�

After the finished their meal, they asked for desert. This proved to be more edible�a sort of sweet bread with honey and sugar poured on top. They feasted on this along with more wine and Ocol weed, so that by the time they were ready to go exploring, they were both in a really, really great mood.

�C�mon,� he slurred, grabbing his friend�s arm and tugging him along beside him. �Let�s go see what this place has to offer. I bet we could�

�Sasha!�

At the sound of his name, Sasha suddenly stopped. Slowly he turned around, his eyes widening when he saw, of all people, his brother striding angrily towards him, fists clenched and eyes blazing. Beside him walked another man, but he barely spared him a glance.

�Aleksander!� Kostya growled, coming up to stand before him. Sasha swallowed, and knew he was in trouble, because his brother hardly ever called him by his real name. �How dare you! Stupid, foolish boy!�To come here, of all places! You don�t know what you�ve gotten yourself into, you little fool! Damn it, Sasha�damn it!�

By now, Kostya had grabbed him by the shoulders and was shaking him in his fury. Sasha felt himself wilting as always before his older brother�s anger. �Don�t be mad, Kostya,� he pleaded, his voice rising somewhat as if he were a little boy again. �What did I do wrong? I haven�t gotten into any trouble this time�at least not yet. I just wanted to have some fun. What�s wrong with that? Elendor is so boring, and I�m so sick of all my friends there, too. Look!� he added hurriedly, pulling out of his brother�s grasp to point out Mikael. �I�ve got a new friend now. This is Mikael. He�s not a dragon or a mortal.�

He was pleased to see Kostya�s expression soften when he was introduced to Mikael. �It�s nice to meet you,� he said, though his voice was still stern. He paused for a second and then sighed. �Listen, you two. Is there a place where we can talk? I need to tell you something, Sasha.� He glanced at his companion for the first time, then back at them. �And we need to rest. Where are you staying for the night?�

Sasha still felt more than a little shocked and intimidated by his brother�s sudden appearance, and had finally lost the use of his tongue. He left it to Mikael to direct them back to the Crystal Orb Inn.

Mikael:

Mikael closed his eyes each time he popped another fried locust into his mouth. They were easier to eat if he didn't have to look at them first. He finished half a plate full then pushed it away and started on more of the spicy cheese he took to wrapping in small pieces of the flatbread. Between bites, he took brief pauses to sip more wine and smoke more of his cigarette. By the time he got to the bowl of rice he was fairly stuffed and just a little high.

As he snuffed out the cigarette butt he watched Sasha drain the small glass of snake's blood. It brought a smile to the dragon's face before he began praising its taste. Mikael lifted his own glass to his lips and stared at it for a moment. After a shrug he brought it to his lips, finishing it in one long gulp. A strange warmth spread along his stomach then slowly moved down to his groin, leaving him feeling slightly aroused. He shifted uncomfortably and covered his embarrassment with a laugh.

"Yup, that's good stuff!" Since he was a healthy young man with a very healthy sex drive, who got turned on quite easily, he couldn't see himself ordering more dragon's blood anytime soon. It was probably a very popular drink for elderly men who couldn't get it up anymore without a little help.

Although he felt full, Mikael managed to find room for dessert. The sugary goodness made him so thirsty he consumed two more glasses of wine before he finished it all. He rolled up a couple more cigarettes and leaned back in his chair to relax, exhaling smoke rings and grinning as he watched them sail over Sasha's head. His glazed eyes widened when he saw the price on the bill the server handed him. The food in this place was good, but it wasn't that good!

He paid the bill and was about to suggest they look for a cheaper place to spend the night when Sasha pulled him to his feet, and dragged him towards the door. Two minutes after they stepped outside, someone called out Sasha's name. Mikael turned to his left and stared at the two men rushing towards them. Immediately, he sensed that the blonde one was another dragon. He threw a hand over his face and laughed; he couldn't help it. He'd been stranded on this fucking world for five long years, and not once in all that time had he ever encountered a dragon. Now they were popping up all over the place! And so far, not one of them knew a damn thing about bonding with a member of the royal family. Talk about frustrating!

Once he regained his composure and stopped laughing, he took a closer look at the two men. The blonde was beautiful beyond belief while the dark haired one possessed a ruggedness he found quite appealing. Mikael lowered his eyes and finished a last drag off the cigarette before flicking it onto the street. Knowing that the blonde would probably turn out to be a gold dragon made him want to impress him. On his home world, gold and platinum dragons were the only ones that chose a royal solar for a life-mate.

He straightened his clothes and finger combed his hair while listening to the conversation going on. It almost looked as if Sasha was a little afraid of the one he called, Kostya. Mikael didn't like the hold the guy had on his new friend's shoulders but he was either too high or too awestruck to do anything about it. If Sasha really needed some help dealing with the blonde he was positive he'd speak up.

"I�ve got a new friend now," Sasha said, pointing at him. "This is Mikael. He�s not a dragon or a mortal."

Mikael nearly lost his composure again when Kostya turned to peer at him with remarkably clear, sky blue eyes. He gulped and shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly nervous in the presence of such unearthly beauty. The other dragons he'd recently met on Variance paled in comparison to this one.

Kostya spoke in a pleasant voice, his earlier anger gone. "It�s nice to meet you." He paused for a second and then sighed. "Listen, you two. Is there a place where we can talk? I need to tell you something, Sasha." He glanced at his companion for the first time, then back at them. "And we need to rest. Where are you staying for the night?"

When he saw Sasha staring at him, Mikael's face went white. What the hell was he supposed to say? He gathered his courage then cleared his throat. "We just had dinner at the inn behind us but decided not to get rooms there because it's too expensive. We were on our way to look for another inn."

Sasha's golden haired friend nodded then hurried them down the street. Everyone walked along in silence while keeping their eyes open for a decent inn. Several minutes later, Mikael pointed to a building in the distance with a large sign over the door that read, The Firefly Inn. "It looks like that place might be a little more reasonably priced."

He fell in step beside the dark haired man since he didn't feel so tongue-tied around him. 'I guess you overheard Sasha say that my name is Mikael." Before he could ask, the man introduced himself as Rihkard.

Mikael gave him a smile then flew forward when he tripped over his own feet. "Thanks," he muttered, when Rihkard grabbed his arm and stopped him from falling on his ass. "Guess that last glass of wine did a number on me." He laughed as everyone made their way inside the inn.

While they waited for someone to escort them to a table, Mikael glanced at Rihkard again then leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "Have you guys been in Neromba long? We just got here a little over an hour ago and neither one of us knows a damn thing about the place except that they eat insects and like to drink snake's blood." He chuckled. "Did you ever try that crap? It's got a real peculiar kick to it."