�Yes well�it wasn�t easy,� Thalys said with a sigh.
�Are you alright?  That fall you had back there looked painful,� Rowe asked.
�Oh, that?  Bah, I�ve fallen worse than that,� Thalys said, trying to act tough.
�Looks like your nose is bleeding to me,� Faux said with a  smirk.
�What?� Thalys ask, feeling his nose.  Seeing blood on his glove, he quickly applied both hands to his face.  �Oh that�s no good!�
�Here, let me see your nose,� Kara said, taking off one of her gloves.
�No no, that�s quite alright.  I�ll do it myself,� Thalys mumbled.  A small light started to glow in his hands, and when he moved them away his nose was fine.
�Y-you are a light adept?� Kara gasped.
�Who, me?  Well, I am sort of a light adept,� Thalys said.
�What do you mean, �sort of�?� Ezekiel asked.
�I�m an omni adept.  I can use all sorts of magic,� Thalys explained, beaming with pride.
�An omni adept?!  Amazing�I have only seen one in all my life other than yourself,� Ezekiel gasped.
�Wait, you know this man?� Garis finally interrupted, growing confused.
�Well, sort of.  We saved him from near death back in Gale-Town and ever since he�s been �following� us in search of the Adept�s Stone,� Kara clarified.
�Indeed.  I got permission from Alak Valmore to join you all,� Thalys said.
�You have permission from the Prime Minister to assist us in the battle?  Very well then.  I am Captain Garis Cord, leading this strike on Tier Bastion,� Garis said, saluting.
�Aye, and I am Lieutenant Rowe Halzezem, assisting the captain here,� Rowe said, also saluting.
Thalys looked at the two for a moment before giving an uneasy salute himself.  �Thanks?�
�Hmm, yes quite.  You may continue now,� Garis said, slightly embarrassed.
�So, this guy from Maeltryst is an omni adept?  That�s unique.  I thought the people of Maeltryst were famous for their earth adepts,� Faux said.
�That is true.  Earth adepts generally come from the south east.  Just like water adepts mostly come from the north east, and so on with the other elements,� Ezekiel added.
�Yes well�I�m a fluke?� Thalys said, not sure how to respond.
�It doesn�t matter.  What does, however, is that we�re finally together in one large group, and together we can accomplish great things,� Kara said.
�Do you really put so much faith in me?  I mean�you hardly know me, and I�m not that good,� Thalys said, surprised by Kara�s fervor.
�It�s just�� Kara started to say.
�It�s ok Kara.  It isn�t something stranger than we are,� Faux said to her comfortably.
�Thank you Faux.  You see, I have visions sometimes.  One of them include a figure coming from a far off land with six orbs floating around him, each representing the six elements.  I think it represents Thalys here,� Kara explained.
�What made you think it was me before you knew I was an omni adept?� Thalys asked.
�He carried two swords in his hands and his eyes burned a sullen amber,� Kara said quietly, indicating Thalys� sabers and the color of his eyes.
�And the fact that he�s an omni adept just adds to the fact, I see now,� Faux said, nodding.  �You always confused me with your visions, but I understand how you get this from Thalys.�
�So�I have some importance to you?� Thalys asked, startled.
�Not me, but my quest,� Kara clarified.
�Which is to retrieve the Adept�s Stone,� Ezekiel put in.
�Really now?  Great!  I always wanted to be important with something!� Thalys said with a grin.
�And that brings up an important matter I wish to add,� Garis said suddenly.
�Yes?  What is it?� Kara asked.
�What role shall our unexpected friend from the south in the battle?� Garis asked.
�It would be good to have his power assisting us in the main force.  Numbers won�t win the day, after all,� Rowe said matter-of-factly.
�Then why don�t you just have us all help the main force?� Ezekiel asked.
�No.  With the less troops, the second group must have a harder punch coming into the battle.  The three of you stay with them.  It is vital,� Garis said.
�So Thalys is coming with me in the main fight?� Rowe asked.
�Yes, but once things are under control the four of you can all leave to search for the Adept�s Stone,� Garis said, bringing a smile to Kara.
�Very well.  Looks like you�re staying with us as the rest of them leave soon,� Rowe said to Thalys, offering a hand to shake.
�Um�I have no problem with your plans, but I feel I should ask, when did you decide that I was one of your troops to order around?� Thalys asked with a smirk.
�When the Prime Minister didn�t lock you up in jail for suspicious intentions back in Sol City,� Garis said, matching the nobleman�s smirk as he stood up and began to walk away.  �Kara, Ezekiel, and Faux Fo, I�ll send a soldier to come get you once we�re ready to leave.  I suggest you try to rest while you wait.�
�What do you think I�ve been trying to do?� Faux mumbled as he curled back up in his bedroll.
�I shall also be going,� Rowe said, �Thalys, it is kind of hard to miss the larger force�s movement, so I hope I don�t have to inform you about it.�
�Yes, of course,� Thalys said with a laugh.  With that, the lieutenant was off.  Thalys took a seat and looked at the three adventurers who�s quest somehow got intertwined with his own.
�So�finally we get the chance to speak to each other and we�re already separated again,� Kara said.
�Fate would have it so, I guess,� Thalys said with a shrug.
�It is good that we finally get to meet, but I�d take the captain�s words and get some rest.  We�ve got a battle to be written in history tomorrow, after all,� Ezekiel said.
�True true.  Not only that, but I ran always way here without rest�needless to say, I�m tired,� Thalys said with a chuckle.
�Good point.  I say we all call it a day,� Kara said, reaching over to her pack and getting her bedroll.

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