Chapter Four: Twisted Paths

Sarino Airstone wandered the roads, alone in his silent world. He was content, though, with just being alive right now.

He spotted a small bird and was suddenly seized with a sense of longing. He yearned to hear the bird's song. Beneath the hooded cloak he wore, Sarino's long elven ears twitched reflexively. His body knew it should be hearing, and it didn't.

"Bird," Sarino said perfectly, even though he didn't hear it. "You waste your song on me. I can't hear you, and I never will." He shook his head and continued on his way.

Sai Knifeedge was walking on the roads alone, thinking. "Man," Sai said to himself, "this is boring. I need to learn more magic. I need practice." He tried to do a Stone Spiker and failed horribly. He got all embarrassed and looked around. "Man, I am glad no one who knows magic saw that." Sai sighed and continued to walk towards the next town.

Sarino continued on his way, smiling slightly and humming to himself. When he'd been a child, and had been able to hear, his father had taught him to play the flute. Sarino remembered and had the uncanny ablity to still play it beautifully after all these years.

He took out his flute, a slender thing of wood carved with intricate designs, and began to play as he walked. Even though he could not hear a single note he played, the music was perfect and beautiful. His fingers moved expertly, and he continued to play as he walked.

It was a day just like any other for the hard-working citizens of Bury St. Edmund. As they went about their daily business, birds chirped sweetly from their perches on the rooftops, a light, refreshing breeze swept through the streets (inadvertently spreading a delicious cheesy aroma wherever it went; the town's world-reknowned Cheese Festival had only ended yesterday, after all), young children laughed and giggled as they played an endless game of Tag -- and one scruffy, grimy man on a soapbox in the middle of Town Square was impatiently trying to explain his convictions to anyone foolish enough to listen.

"I alone hear them!" the man known as Rufus the Unkempt insisted, flinging out one fist in a gesture of defiance; defiance against what, precisely, only he could tell. "The Gods have CHOSEN me in their eternal wisdom...."

A small crowd had gathered around him, most of them being tourists who'd arrived too late to attend the Festival, but determined to make the most of their holiday anyway. However, scruffy nutcases make poor substitutes for dairy products. For most people. So Rufus's little gathering was shrinking by the minute as people realized his was a one-track mind.

"Their words give me GUIDANCE!" Rufus blathered on, starting to get visibly annoyed that his audience was slipping away. "I am the ONLY one who they have blessed with their knowledge. I am the ONLY one aware of their ULTIMATE purpose... THEIR goals are MY goals!" Now, the only ones still listening were a young shopkeeper on her off-day and a travelling shoe-brush salesman from Atlas City.

Rufus growled in irritation, but nonetheless launched back into his speech with gusto. "The Gods are wise! They know everything. And they have deigned to come to me, to ME alone, and...." He paused suddenly. His two-person audience looked on in confusion. Seconds stretched into minutes of silence, and both listeners shrugged and moved on to bigger and better things.

Abruptly, the filthy sort-of-prophet leapt back into action. He didn't even notice that his so-called audience had deserted him. Staring up at the sky, he cried out, "I hear and obey!" He jumped off his soapbox and started to dash through the streets of Bury St. Edmund, heedless of the stares that its good people were turning towards him. When he reached the city limits, instead of continuing his merry way along one of the broad, well-maintained roads that led to other, bigger cities, he plunged ahead into the brush at the side of the road, wading through waist-high vegetation in his impatience to fulfil the orders given him by his nameless Gods.

And the people of Bury St. Edmund, realizing that their village idiot was now gone for good, stared at the wake of his passage and murmured, "Good riddance!"

Filia had just cleared the clouds as she dove toward the small town gracefully. The wind rushed past her as she made her landing, carefully away from the town folk. People just get really crabby when you run them over. This was better anyway, and no people were out on the streets. This meant she was able to transform peacefully.

Soon, the golden dragon was in her human form. Smiling, she brushed back her blonde hair. Her bright blue eyes were ready for anything. She bagan to make her way down the peaceful little street. Every once in a while she'd pass by someone, and she'd wave to them politely.

Her attention was then drawn to a large sign. It was a tavern! She was kind of hungry, even though it was only mid-afternoon.... She wandered inside, and took a seat to order some food.

It was still sunny outside when Sarino reached a town and headed into a tavern. He was very hungry, having skipped lunch. He noted the patrons, one of which was a young woman with blonde hair. His elven eyes roamed the tavern for a place to sit, and he found one. A table near the blonde woman.

When the serving girl asked him what he'd like, he answered flawlessly. Reading lips came easily to him, so long as the person was facing him. More often than not, people never even found out he was deaf.

He once more took out his flute and began playing a soft song, one that he, of course, couldn't hear.

Filia heard the beautiful music and turned her head toward it. She smiled softly at the small elf who was playing the flute. She leaned her head in her hands, watching him play. This took her away from everything she had been thinking about before. She closed her eyes, making the listening experience even better.

Soon her food arrived, but she didn't notice. Of course she eventually smelled it and looked down. She took a tiny bit and continued listening, planning to eat slowly enough to hear the entire song.

When the sun set, Sai finally reached a town. He went into its lone restaraunt and sat down and ordered. When the food arrived, he chowed down with gusto. As he almost finished, a huge man walked up to him.

"Hey you," said the man. "You're sitting at my table." Sai looked at him, then looked back down and finished his meal. He stood up and started to walk out, but the huge man grabbed his shoulder.

Sai looked at the man's hand. "You have your table," Sai said, "now leave me alone."

"You don't get it. No one sits at my table!" The man threw a punch.

Sai cheerfully dodged it. "Hum, you need to learn some manners." Sai put the man in Levitation. The man was petrified and begged to be let down. So Sai cancelled the spell and gleefully watched him drop to the ground and run out the door.

Sai paid his restaurant bill and left to find an inn, where he got a room and fell sound asleep.

Sarino had refrained from smiling until he'd finished his song. The woman liked it, he was sure of that, and he continued playing until his food arrived. He smiled back at her then, nodding politely. He watched her for a moment to see if she had anything to say to him, discreetly ready to read lips if she spoke.

Filia smiled at the elf, her brightest smile. "That was beautiful!" she commented, clapping her hands gratefully. Brushing back the long strands of blond hair that had made their way to her face, she blew away at the hot food and took another bite. She was just glad there was someone else here to speak to.

Sarino laughed as he read the woman's lips. "Thank you for your compliments," he replied. "I rarely get them; most people pay no attention to my music." The elf looked forlorn.

"Pardon my rudeness," he said, blushing a bit. "My name is Sarino Airstone. And you are...?" He looked at her, waiting for an answer.

Filia smiled, pleased to have such wonderful company. "My name is Filia, Filia Ul Copt." But then she frowned a bit. "I... I was once a priestess to the race of Golden Dragons... but...." She stopped; it was too horrible to think about. She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts. Then she looked back up to the elf, smiling once again.

Skye chuckled to herself as she carelessly climbed the rock wall of Maple Abbye, a rather large leather pack strung across her shoulders. She'd changed out of her Emerald Priestess' robes and sported her travel wear, consisting of a dark pair of pants and a long forest green tunic. She still wore her emerald circlet, which she wore more to keep her long hair out of her face than anything else. "Sayonara," she giggled as she sprinted into the woods, leaving her years of training and secure future behind.

"Ah, fresh air!" Skye sighed contentedly as she traveled a well beaten path on her way to town and her first taste of reality.

Giggling silently at the sight of the running priestess, an invisible Xelloss thought, 'Ahh... that's one pawn moving into place. Let's see about the others.'

And with that, he zapped instantly to the place where he knew the others would be.

Sai woke up around 6:00. He stretched before getting out of bed. Putting on his clothes, Sai decided not to have breakfast; he'd had plenty for dinner. He paid for his one night stay and left the inn.

The huge man from the night before, big as an ox but smart as a brick, suddenly appeared in Sai's way. This time he'd brought four of his flunkies along. Sai rolled his eyes, then looked at them. One of the guys step forward and said, "This is RazorBack. No one messes with him!"

Sai counted his attackers. "Hum," he said. "Five of you, one of me; this is so unfair to you."

RazorBack raised his right eyebrow and screamed, "GET HIM!"

Sai smirked. "FLARE ARROW!" He aimed at the gang's feet, making them fall to the ground in fear. "Next time I won't miss." RazorBack's friends all ran for the hills.

Sai walked up to the erstwhile gang leader. RazorBack whimpered, "Please don't hurt me."

"Listen, I want you to donate all you money to help clean up this town."

The terrified gang leader said, "It will be done!" As Sai started to leave, RazorBack said, "Wait! What is your name?"

"My name is Sai Knifeedge. Remember that. I'll be back to check on you."

"I'll do it," Razor yelled as he ran off after his gang. As Sai started to walk off, he smiled and sighed. "Man, I need to get some excitement in my life." He walked out of the small town and started to head for the next one.

Skye restrained herself from gaping at every odd-looking being she passed and grabbing any object she found appealing as she roamed about an anonymous city. The majority of her eighteen years had been spent in the Abbye training harshly in the ways of the Emerald Priestesses and learning their surreptitious magical powers. Skye had been particularly focused on when it came to harsh training, as she was a descendent of the bloodline of Shain� Joylock, the creator/discoverer of the summoning powers the Emeralds were masters of.

Skye had never visited any cities outside the abbye's walls and was having the experience of her life. She saw a wooden sign swaying in the light breeze that read 'tavern', and entered. Her green eyes lit up with excitement when she noticed, sitting at one of the tables, an elf. She had never really believed they existed, having been confined for most of her life.

Skye stared at him a moment before she turned her focus on the girl next to him. A priestess. **Well, she ought to be rather sociable since I'm a priestess in training,** Skye thought, and approached their table. "Excuse my intrusion, but I thought perhaps I could ask you some questions...?" Skye inquired, as the priestess and elf looked at her.

Filia looked away from the elf to this newcomer. "Hello," she said politely, giving away a smile. She pulled over a seat for the new girl. I wonder what kind of questions she's planning to ask, Filia wondered, but her face kept its happy attitude. I might as well find out, she reasoned. "You may ask anything you wish," Filia answered.

Sai was walking along the road to the next town. He stopped and took a look at his meagre rations. "Hum, it's lunch time." Sai sat and started to eat his nuts and berries.

"Man," Sai said, "my life is boring. When am I going to see some action?" He sighed. "I have to find someone who can teach me more magic. But I wonder who could?" After eating, Sai got up and started to walk again.

Sarino followed the gaze of Filia and saw the newcomer. "Oh, hello." He smiled brightly. "I am Sarino Airstone. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Skye smiled back at the two, saying, "I'm Skye Joylock. It's nice to meet you both as well. I just had a few questions, if you don't mind?"

They both politely encouraged her to continue. Skye fidgeted a bit, not quite knowing how to word what she had to ask. "Well, to be blunt, I'm new to... the area and was wondering if either of you would mind if I tagged along for a while, just so I might become better accustomed to its culture...?" In her mind, Skye doubted the two would accept a random stranger to accompany them. "I'm looking for someone, but I don't have a clue where to start," she added. Her green eyes turned their gaze to the floor. She was almost positively sure they would reject her. And where was she to go from there?

"You would like to join us?" Filia asked with a giggle. "Well, I am also new to this area, so I'm not sure if I could help much." Then she thought a moment. So far she'd gone on several journeys with strangers, and they had all eventually become friends. "But, if you'd like, you may join me, and if Sarino-san joins, maybe he could help too?" she asked the elf, tilting her head.

Sarino froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. He didn't want them to learn he was deaf, but on the other hand, he didn't want to leave these new friends. Perhaps he'd take his chances.

"Of course I will join you," he said, nodding. "It would be interesting. I have been through here a few times before, and I believe I may be able to aid you both." Sarino smiled brightly. "It will help me improve my skills in magic anyway."

Vrumugun padded silently down the streets of the small hamlet. The moon shone brightly, glinting off the jewel in his forehead.

The wizard's head hurt madly, and his memory was a blur. He remembered searing pain in his forehead (likely the jewel, he thought), combat, and some insane girl in tight leather clothing. He knew his name well enough, but his past was less clear. Why was he in this town? Where had he come from?

His only clue was a list of names. Though he couldn't match them with people, they were one of the few things that ran clearly in his mind. Lina Inverse. Gourry Gabriev. Zangulus. Rezo. Eris.

Still pondering these names, he entered a tavern. After gathering information, he'd set out again. He'd find these people, most definitely. And he would find out what was going on.

As Sai was walking on the road to the next town, he noticed a campfire. Sai hid in the trees to see who was there. It was a group of bandits enjoying the money they had just taken from passing travelers.

Sai looked into his cape pockets. "Hum. I'm runing low on money, so...." He jumped out of the tree in front of the bandits. "I'll be taking that money off your hands," Sai said cheerfully.

The bandit leader stood up and said, "Who do you think you are?"

"Oh," Sai said, "just a traveler who needs the money you have."

The leader smiled and said, "Sorry, but we'll be taking yours instead. GET HIM."

Sai thought to himself, Why do they allways want to do it the hard way? "FIRE BALL!" The bandits that weren't cooked to a crisp ran for it. The boss just stood there with his mouth wide open. "BOO!" Sai yelled. The leader freaked out and ran after the others. Chuckling, Sai sat down, gathered up all the loot, ate the bandits' food and fell asleep.

Xellos grinned as he looked at the waiting faces. Sarino. Skye. And the oh so pleasant Filia. This is going to be fun.

"Well, I see you are all here," Xellos said as he walked in the inn. "You won't be disappointed."

"Xelloss!" Filia exclaimed. "Tell me where she is!" The priestess growled. "I can't stand to be in your presence any longer than possible."

"My, my, Filia-san, you seem to be in a hurry. Why, I've located the girl. But the information won't come cheap." Grinning, Xellos faded away to let them stew in their thoughts.

"Filia-san?" Skye asked hesitantly of the fuming priestess. "Who was that man that just barged in here blabbing about a girl?"

"Xellos," Filia hissed. "That's his name."

"Pardon my curiosity, but he seemed as if he knew ALL of us. But I've never met him before. And who is this girl he mentioned?" Skye inquired innocently.

Sarino, having read the two's lips added, "I would like to know that as well."

Naga walked through the streets of the town of Sairag, completely bored out of her mind. "There's absolutely nothing to do today that I haven't already done!" she complained loudly as she tucked in her cape around her body, and sat down on a marble bench. Then she started to laugh as a thought came to her, causing people close by to run into their houses. "But then again, I believe that someone with my talents should get bored sometimes."

Standing up again, she walked past a wall, only to stop when she noticed a new missing person's poster tacked up to the wall. Surprised at seeing it there, she stopped to read it.

"Wanted: Any information on the location of the Princess Gracia Wil Sailune of the Kingdom of Sailune. Has been missing for the last four years. Anyone who may have seen the Princess Gracia, or knows where she may be, contact King Philionel. Reward for the princess's return: 4,000 gold coins."

Below the writing was a rough sketched drawing of how the princess had used to look like four years ago, along with her description.

Naga's eyes narrowed as she glared at the poster, along with the drawing of the princess. She put her left hand on her hip. "I can't believe that they're still looking for m-- the princess after all this time. With Princess Ameria around, she'll be the next ruler," Naga said as she turned around to walk away, shaking her head.

Filia sighed. Discussing Xellos was definitely the last thing she wanted to do. She could picture his mocking grin and his little smirks and the way he'd shake his finger with a little "tsk tsk tsk" or some other comment and the way he would taunt her relentlessly.... She clenched her teeth, trying to focus her thoughts on something else.

"I think something is wrong with her," Skye commented to Sarino in a whisper. He nodded as they watched Filia-san slowly lose the tension she'd built up and settled back into her seat.

"The girl, yes," she finally said. "She has been missing for a while. The royal Seiruun family would be immensely pleased if she were found and," she took a breath and forced out the name, "...Xellos... knows of her whereabouts. But as you heard, it will cost us."

"Huh. Stingy sort, isn't he?" Skye thought for a moment, then said, "What kind of pay must we give him? 'Cause now that you mention it, I remember the royal family was giving reward money for her return," she scratched the back of her neck as if a little embarrassed, "and I could use some extra cash...."

Sai woke up the next morning, stretched, got up and started to walk to the next town. "Hum. Maybe I should practice my earth magic a little more." Once again he attempted a Stone Spiker, but failed miserably yet again. "I *have* to learn more magic to make up for this lack in earth magic." Sai sighed and walked off once more.

Filia just kept uncontrollably twitching. And that was only at the thought of HIS name... that... that... evil... MAZOKU! Her tail twitched out from under her pink dress. "He's still around here..." she began, clenching her fist tighter. She could feel his evil presence a mile away. Then she turned, and she was once more face to face with... with...

"Hello again! While I'm here, I might as well order something, ne?" And with that, Xelloss sat at a nearby table and made a great show of looking over the menu. But Filia could tell that he was just mocking her. She started to growl again.

Sarino was a bit clueless as to what exactly was going on at the moment. He was one sorely confused elf!

"Mazo..." Sarino couldn't pronounce the word; he'd never heard, rather, never seen the word before. "What is that?"

Filia blinked. Didn't everyone know what a Mazoku was? "A... a... Mazoku... are you kidding? They are EVIL!" She pointed to Xelloss. "He's VERY EVIL!" she cried out, and started to build a cage around the mysterious priest, out of chairs, tables, and nearby patrons, to the manager's great chagrin.

Sarino shook his head. He hadn't been able to see Filia's lips when she spoke. He decided to just leave well enough alone until later.

He sighed and watched as she inexplicably started to build a cage around the odd stranger at the next table, then picked up the staff he used and waited in case anything went wrong with her cage building and he was needed to defend her.

Filia, not paying attention to anyone but the still-grinning Mazoku, noticed no one. She growled slightly... Why couldn't he just leave her alone?! After EVERYTHING thay had been through, he still acts in his childish ways. But, of course, that was Xelloss for you. "I'll teach you to leave me alone, you Mazoku! After I'm done with you...." She grinned menacingly.

Sarino was more than confused still, but he knew he didn't want to see Filia hurt this man. Or, as she'd called him, a Ma-zou-kuu.

"Still," Sarino said softly. "Why are you going to hurt him? I don't understand!"

Filia was raging now. "He's EVIL!" she cried loudly, turning to Sarino and revealing a popping vein. "EVIL EVIL EVIL!" It certainly didn't help matters when the trickster priest couldn't control himself anymore and began laughing hysterically at her....

As Sai Knifeedge was walking on the road, he heard a voice yelling, "EVIL EVIL EVIL!" Wondering what was going on, Sai took to the trees and headed towards the source of the disturbance.

He ended up looking down at a tavern from his perch in the trees. Through an open window, he could see a couple of figures arguing, another sitting sedately, and yet another giggling madly while encased in a haphazard cage of sorts. Sai smirked and sat down on a branch. This is going to be good, he thought to himself.

Sarino was a bit taken back by Filia's response. As a child, he'd never been one to think about evil. And his father had always had one theory about evil. Sarino voiced this. "What one person takes for evil may not be so," Sarino said softly. "Don't hurt him, Filia."

Filia was taken aback by Sarino's words. She couldn't speak, staring at him with widened eyes. Finally, she turned away. Xelloss WAS evil! There was NO doubt! How many times had he screwed her and her friends up... or tricked them... or... helped them....

She shook her head, and stared back at Sarino, right into his eyes. "You DON'T understand!" she yelled, clenching her fist in anger. And Xelloss kept laughing.

Sarino wasn't the least bit fazed by Filia's shouting. It wasn't like he could hear her.

"I do understand," he said, even though he had a hard time reading the lips of people who shouted. "Please, don't lean in so close," he said, smiling mischeviously as he did so.

"Now then, I have nothing against him or you, but personally, I came here to relax and have a nice meal." Sarino then took out his flute and sat down again. "And this battle is ruining my nice evening." Sarino began playing his flute, somehow hoping its tune would calm everyone down a bit.

Skye watched Sarino and Filia's conversation closely, ignoring the laughing stranger, but no matter what she did, she couldn't stay focused. She drummed her fingers on the table for a while until Sarino left, flute in hand. She liked his flute playing and found it soothing. She hoped Filia would think the same and calm down once he began.

"Evil," Filia muttered to herself as Sarino began to play.

Skye listened to the melody for a while, but grew bored again. And she only knew one way to cure boredom. That was to go to sleep. So she put her head down on her arms and drifted off.

Sarino continued his playing of the flute, putting his mind on beautiful thoughts so they would be projected into the feelings of others through the flute. Please, let it work, he thought briefly. Sarino played on.

As soothing music filled the tavern, Xelloss, still sitting inside the priestess's ramshackle cage, tried to stop laughing at the spectacle Filia had made of herself. "It's been enjoyable, but I must be going," he finally said, and with that, popped out of existence. He had plenty of things to do, after all. No matter how much fun it was to get on the golden dragon's nerves....

Once Xelloss was gone, Filia realized just how silly she'd been acting. She blushed, backing away from the elf. "Go... gomen nasai!" she cried out, putting her head down ashamedly.

Sarino heard and saw nothing with his eyes closed and his mind on the flute. He continued playing the song, and only when he was finished did he open his eyes. He realized Filia had said something to him... five minutes ago.

"Can you repeat that please?" he said politely. "I'm sorry if it's trouble to do so, but please repeat yourself. And please, facing me...." he added sheepishly, when it seemed clear that Filia wasn't about to lift her head from the table. He had a feeling his cover was going to be blown and that the others would soon guess he had something wrong with him.

Filia blinked. Why did she have to be facing him? she wondered, but shrugged it off. She wasn't going to inquire about a stranger's business. "Go... Gomen nasai, Sarino-san," she repeated, looking him square in the face. She looked ashamed. Really, she shouldn't be acting so hostile, even if she wasn't quite a priestess any longer.

Sarino smiled slightly as he read her lips. "It is all right," he said, realizing it was probably time for him to be truthful. "You wonder why I need you to look at me when you speak, don't you?" he asked quietly.

Filia simply nodded as her response. "Yes... not to be rude...," she answered quietly. She looked at Skye for a moment, maybe to be reassured she wasn't being rude.

"It's alright; you're not being rude," Sarino reassured her. "I need you to look at me when you speak so I can read your lips," he said, sounding slightly embarassed at this. "I've been deaf since I was four." Sarino sighed and looked at the flute he still held in his hands. "I know how to deal with it, though," he said, trying to sound happy. "So don't feel sorry for me or anything."

The sound of Filia's voice woke Skye and she lifted her head. After a moment of listening to Sarino and Filia talking, Skye commented, "You're not being rude, Filia-san. You're just doing what you think is right. And I had no clue you were deaf, Sarino-san! You're so talented with the flute, I'd never have guessed! Now that things have calmed down, though, what are we going to do next?"

Sarino nodded and smiled at Skye. "Thank you for your compliments," he said, happy they hadn't reacted as other had before. "My family have all been talented musicians; I was taught to play at a very young age. Before I lost my hearing, I knew all of the notes on a flute, so I continued playing." He looked sad a moment. "I do not know how it sounds though."

Sarino tried to brighten his mood. "Yes, as you said, Skye, what shall we do next?"

Kitsune stared down the troll that was trying to make a meal of him. He left a small part of his focus on the troll; the rest was concentrating on casting a spell. "I need to put him to sleep," he thought to himself.

The troll paused to heal the large slice in its chest, and that was all the time Kitsune needed. He dropped his sword and rushed the troll. It swung the back of its fist in an effort to smash Kitsune, but he ducked out of the way. He then jumped into the air and planted the palm of his hand square in the face of the troll. With a smirk, he said, "Tag! You're it."

As he cast the sleep spell, the troll went out like a light. Kitsune grunted as his shoulder began to bleed. "Damn, it's worse than I expected," he thought to himself.

He looked down at the black satchel at his side. "Figures I would be out, and I don't have time to prepare more. If I can make it to the next town, I might find a healer. I hope."

He rushed to the closest town, and into the first building he saw, hoping to find a white magic specialist who could heal him before he passed out. He stumbled inside, and saw a women in white robes leaning in very close to a man holding a flute. He approched them, leaning on his staff for support as he walked, and reached out to tap the woman on the shoulder -- but he passed out, hitting the groud with a giant crash.

Sarino had been startled when he felt the impact of someone hitting the ground, and looked around wildly until he found the source of that impact. A man lying on the ground, injured.

"Filia," he said, swiftly moving to kneel beside the man. "You know white magic, correct? For healing? Then it is highly reccomended that you help him."

"You know what? I think he needs some help," Skye stated, looking at the bleeding figure on the floor beside them. Everyone shot her a look like, 'Duh, ya think?' "Filia-san, I believe it'd be best if you used your magic. Healing is not my fort�; summoning is," she added, totally unaware of the looks she was being given.

Filia turned to find the wounded man, and she rushed to his side. "Oh my gosh!" Then, she began a quick healing spell. "Oh, sir, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

Sai, still in his perch in the tree, watched the three people in the tavern standing over the wounded man. "Hum," he said to himself, "why would a man just fall down like that? Something doesn't seem right. I wonder if this little trio will notice that."

Kitsune awoke to find himself being looked over by three figures. He grabbed his shoulder to find that his wound had closed. He looked around and when he was satisfied that he was not at the gates of Jigoku, he stood up and leaned on his staff for support.

"I give my thanks to whomever saved me from death, but my appearence of perfect health is only momentary. I need water and I need it now," he said rather rudely. He looked around the room and grabbed a mug of water from the nearest patron, ignoring her protests. He then grabbed the black satchel at his waist, and poured some of the white powder inside that into the mug.

Just then, the wound in his shoulder opened again. He let out a groan and rapidly drank the mixture. Then just as quickly as it had opened, the wound closed. He let out a small sigh of relief.

"I apologize for my rudeness. I am Kitsune Diro. I suppose you are curious about the scene you just witnessed, and since you managed to keep me alive, I do believe an explanation is in order. Where shall I begin?" he said with an annoyed look on his face as he sat down.

Sarino sighed as he read the man's lips. "My name is Sarino Airstone," he said with an elven flourish. "If you are to tell us anything, try starting with how you came to be injured."

Skye took the hint from Sarino and introduced herself as well. "Watashi wa Joylock Skye desu. Kitsune-san, how *did* you become injured so? And whatever that concoction was that you just drank, I'd surely love to know for future reference!" She smiled at him and sat down at the table again, waiting to hear his story.

Filia simply nodded as she took a seat in front of the stranger. Boy, she had learned a lot about people in these last few hours... and they seemed to all come straight to her. Could this be... destiny... fate... do they need my help? Does this start me off upon another journey, like the one I took with Lina?

She smiled at the man. "Please... tell us your story," she said, urging him on.

"Well," Kitsune sighed, "my past is a rocky one. My earliest memory is of me when I was 10 years old. I don't know how, but I knew my age.

"I awoke to find myself alone in the forest. A woman nearby found me and adopted me. While I stayed with her, I studied magic under a powerful wizard who lived in the village. He wouldn't tell me his name; he said it was dangerous for me to know that. I mastered magic quickly, and in five years was able to easily cast the more powerful spells for both black magic and shamanism.

"Then, one day I awoke in the middle of the night to find the village ablaze. I went outside to see what was happening. As I ran out of my house, a beam was about to fall upon me, when the women who adopted me shoved me aside. I hit my head on a table, and was knocked unconscious. The last thing I saw was a shadowy figure laughing.

"The next thing I remember was pushing the rubble off of me. I looked around and found no survivors other than myself. After constructing a mass grave, I wandered off in search of the thing responsible for the destruction of my village.

"After the fire, what's more, I found I was cursed. I could no longer use magic without side effects. Casting a simple spell will cause me wounds like the one you just saw. Those wounds cannot be cured by any means save one. While a healing spell will temporarily relieve the injury, only ground troll bones mixed with water will heal my body.

"I was fighting a troll a short while ago and I put it to sleep with a spell. But I forgot I was out of water, and so I was in trouble until I found you. However, for a sleep spell, that was a rather large wound. That was more the type of wound I'd expect for casting a Blam Blazer or something of the like.

"If you are wondering how I get by without being able to use magic, it's because I picked up learning the quarterstaff and sword. I have this talent for learning things, I guess; get me started with one skill and in a short time I'll have mastered it.

"But enough about that. I now spend my days wandering in search of clues about my past. If any of you could offer some assistance, I would be very grateful."

Sai listened to the person telling his life story. "That's sad," Sai said quietly. "Not being able to use his magic, and having wounds that cannot be cured. If he's telling the truth, he's been to hell and back. I wonder what kind of person could have done something like that to him."

Sai smiled. "Anyway, this is going to turn out great! I'll follow him. Who knows; he could lead to the action I've been looking for, and I might learn good spells on the way. I can't let him or the others see me, though; if the girls spot me, I will surely panic. Better lay low for now," Sai said to himself.

In the warm sunlit afternoon, birds chirped in trees, whose leaves were rustled softly by a bloom-scented breeze.

The forest child Rill Tane sneezed loudly, upsetting the surrounding natural serenity. Rubbing his nose tastelessly with the back of his hand, he sneered at the pirated booty before him, taken from some wandering fool. But there was nothing more than worthless trinkets in the stash, and he tossed them down from his lofty perch.

Sniffing at a small journeyman's loaf, Rill took only one bite before spitting out the decidedly inedible ration, and cast that to the forest floor as well.

Rill growled nonchalantly, "Doesn't anyone carry things of practicality these days? Something useful?! Geez, even the food people carry around now isn't even fit to feed a dragon!"

He threw a harmless punch at the tree, then clawed aggravatingly at the leaves about him, scattering them from their peace. "By the Stars Above, things have gotten boring lately," he grumbled, then yawned. Stretching himself out languidly over the wide tree branch, he prepared himself for a light nap.

Filia looked on, concerned about Kitsune. "That's... that's terrible," she commented, holding his hands for comfort. "Maybe we could help you...?" she offered, her voice becoming softer.

Sarino nodded. It would be hard to live with a curse like Kitsune's. It was a handicap almost like him with his hearing. "Perhaps nothing." He stood, nodding once more. "I will help."

Skye found it somewhat alarming that her newfound... friends? Yes, friends, had accepted this Kitsune so quickly. She felt sorry for him and she wanted to help, but it was still a suspicious situation. And on top of it all, she felt like they were being watched.

"I would like to go with you," Skye said. "I have a feeling this could lead to something big, and it's almost guaranteed I will gain more experience from this. But, Kitsune-san, do you have any idea where you'd like to start, or shall we wing it?"

Sai smirked from his position in the tree. "I can't believe they accepted this Kitsune guy already," Sai said to himself. "Man, these people are so gullible. He could be faking it all, to get at them. Hum, I'd better follow them; someone is going to have to save them after the mistake they made. But I can't let myself be seen, so I will have to take things a little at a time."

Kitsune looked around at everyone in the group. Suddenly he jerked his head up, and looked outside. "We are being watched. But I sense no malice from this presense. Perhaps we should invite him in and see why he is spying on us. After we disarm him, of course." A small cut appared on his left cheek, and began to bleed a little. "The price I pay for being cautious," he said without mirth. He grabbed his staff and abruptly ran outside.

Sai watched the man calling himself Kitsune run outside. "Hum," Sai said to himself. "Has he spotted me? How could he? He can't be that good, can he? Better wait and see what he does."

Skye looked over at Sarino and Filia in confusion. "...Nani?" she muttered, watching Kitsune trot outside. She grabbed her travel pack and followed after him.

"He felt that, too... he knew someone was watching us. Interesting...." she thought, exiting from the tavern. She was a little surprised to notice that it was still sunny outside; her time in the tavern must have seemed longer than it actually was. There were still a few hours to go before the sun would set.

Filia shrugged. Hey, everyone else was doing it! So she followed Kitsune and Skye out of the tavern; after all, she had finished her meal. "Now... who are we looking for?" she asked questioningly.

Sarino hadn't read Filia's lips and had no idea what she said; he was concentrating on Kitsune. He followed the man out of the tavern.

"You are very good," he nodded as he spoke. "I'm skilled at feeling vibration, and generally I can actually smell people." Sarino smiled as he said this. "But I didn't catch that one."

Sai raised one eyebrow. "This doesn't make sense," he said to himself. "First the new guy comes running out, then one after the other everyone comes outside. Hum," he said, "either I have been spotted, or something's going down. I'd better wait and see. But I can't let the girls see me; if they do, I will choke. If they start to head my way I'd better change position, and fast."

Kitsune nodded curtly at Sarino before looking at the trees surrounding the tavern. He thought for a moment, then ran back inside and after a minute of arguing, came out with a big mug of water. He poured some of his white powder into it and began to mix it. When his concoction was done, he smirked and said, "It never hurts to be prepared."

He then drew a pentagram on the ground and uttered some magic phrases. He shouted, "Gaia Graze!" and a huge brass dragon emerged from the pentagram.

Filia watched in amazement as a brass dragon appeared. "Where... did you learn how to do this?" she asked, amazed. "I have never seen anything like this before!"

The dragon looked down at its summoner, and said, "You rang?"

"Yes," answered Kitsune. "I want you to find our spy and bring him forth. I am still recovering my strength." With that, a large bloody stripe appeared down Kitsune's back. He groaned and just barely managed to drink his potion. The raw stripe vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, but he still collapsed.

The brass dragon began to sniff around, following its orders.

Skye clapped her hands in delight as she watched Kitsune call forth a dragon. She noticed the wound he suddenly received, but also knew he had his mixture ready. Even so, when he fell to the ground, she rushed over to him in concern.

"Kitsune-san! What do we do, Filia-sama? He's already drank his potion... what else can we do for him?"

The brass dragon began to lumber off in search of their shadow. It didn't seem to be concerned over its master's condition, but she still wondered.

Pondering a moment, she laid a soft hand on Kitsune's forehead, letting her psyche take over. If anyone asked what she was up to, she'd simply tell them she was praying. She didn't want everyone to know she had extra sensory perception. Especially not with the hunts that had been occuring for members of her family line as of late.

:: Can you hear me, Kitsune-san? ::

:: ...Nani..!? ::

:: Do not be alarmed. I am speaking through your mind. You are unconscious again, but your mind, of course, is still alert. ::

Kitsune awoke, which broke the link she'd had between their minds for those few seconds. It sent a shocking pain through her and she gasped, not expecting him to have come around so quickly.

Her extractions came back to her abruptly. Skye had carefully probed into Kitsune's mind while she had linked with him and the images rushed into her head: a boy... alone. Such carnage.... A deep sense of loss, not only of loved ones, but personal achievements as well... his magic.

An odd noise startled her. Everyone turned to see Kitsune's dragon, which had apparently found something, go running off....

Sai looked at the dragon in amazement. "Hum. I don't remember in my training seeing anything like this. Just to be on the safe side, I'd better get moving."

Sai jumped from tree to tree, eluding all pursuit, until he reached a nearby inn. "With my abnormal speed, I should have dodged that dragon."

Sai ran into the inn and rented a room. He went up to his room; from his window, he could see the large brass creature, still searching outside. "If it comes this way, then I'll know I have been busted."

Kitsune sat up and looked around. "Sorry about that. I got worn out from having to heal my body so often. I'll be okay."

He got up and leaned on his staff. "Dragon! Come here!" The dragon came out of the forest and looked down at its master. "Dragon, did you find anything?"

"No!" boomed its voice.

"Then I have no further use for you. You are free to go." And with that, the dragon disappeared. "Well, the spy vanished. If he wanted to kill us, we probably would already be dead. And Filia, about that spell, a magician never reveals his secrets."

Kitsune leaned even more heavily on his staff. "I need some sleep. I think I'll go find a room for the evening." With that, he went off in search of an inn.

Filia smiled. Kitsune didn't seem like the kind of person who'd share secrets anyway. Oh well, she'd just learn the spell another time. After all, she was a dragon; she proably knew it somewhere in the back of her mind....