"AL!" ADRIA SHOUTS RUNNING TOWARD THE TRAIL THAT AL AND THE PRIEST APPEARED THROUGH. "DID IT GO OK? ARE YOU SAFE?"

"HE’S SAFE HE’S SAFE." THE PRIEST SAYS WAVING A HAND.

ADRIA ON THE OTHER HAND DOESN’T LISTEN TO HIS OPINION. AND INSTEAD BEGINS GLANCING OVER AL TO SEARCH FOR ANY DAMAGES IN TRANSIT. "I’M SAFE ADRIA."

"GOOD." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SMIRK. "I FIGURED YOU’D BE FINE."

"HE WAS MORE THAN FINE, YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED..." THE PRIEST BEGINS, BUT ADRIA HAS ALREADY STARTED INVESTIGATING THE SMALL METAL PIN ON AL’S CHEST. THE PIN OF COURSE WAS THE COURT RESEARCHER’S PIN ADRIA HAD SEEN MANY TIMES IN THE ROYAL LIBRARY.

"THIS… IS…" ADRIA STUTTERS POINTING AT THE PIN IN SHOCK. "AL?"

THE PRIESTS SMIRKS AND STEPS BACK, THE PIECES WERE IN PLACE NOW HE JUST GETS TO WATCH. HE ALMOST WISHED HE HAD POPCORN.

"COME WITH ME." ADRIA SAYS GLANCING AROUND AT THE ASSEMBLING AUDIENCE IN THE TOWN JUNCTION. SHE GRIPS AL’S WRIST AND YANKS HIM TOWARDS THE APARTMENT BUILDING. AL HADN'T BEEN LED THIS WAY IN A WHILE, IT WAS ODDLY COMFORTING.

THE TIME SEEMED TO PASS MORE QUICKLY, AL LEFT ALL DIRECTIONS TO ADRIA’S GRIP AND COULD FOCUS ELSEWHERE. IN WHAT FELT LIKE MOMENTS THEY WERE PULLING THE DOOR OPEN AND SETTLING DOWN INTO THE TWO CHAIRS AND TABLE THAT ADRIA ADDED TO THE APARTMENT.

"SO, WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE GONE? SEEMS LIKE A LOT." ADRIA GENTLY PRODS GLANCING AT THE SILVER-GILT PIN.

"IT WAS A LOT." AL AGREES WITH A NOD. "I WAS JUST TRYING TO READ, REALLY, BUT THERE WERE SO MANY DISTRACTIONS..."

FROM THERE AL EXPLAINS THE BASIC EVENTS THAT HAPPENED. IT WAS ALL TOLD IN A FAIRLY COLD INFORMATIVE MANNER BUT WITH EACH TURN OF EVENTS ADRIA BECAME MORE AGASP. SHE INSTANTLY UNDERSTOOD THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AL’S ABILITY TO SEE ‘FREE MANA’.

"YOU NEVER CEASE TO SURPRISE ME." ADRIA SAYS SHAKING HER HEAD IN AMAZEMENT. "I HAD NO IDEA THE CAROL WAS… I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO VISIT. BUT, YOU HELPED HER, THAT'S REALLY GREAT AL. YOU DID WELL. AND NOW YOU GET TO GO INTO THE RESTRICTED PLACES IN LIBRARIES AND YOU CAN..."

"CAN I HIRE YOU TO PROTECT ME?" AL CUTS IN AS ADRIA RAMBLES ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE POSITION.

"HIRE… ME? OH…" ADRIA PUTS A HAND TO HER CHIN WEIGHING THE OFFER CAREFULLY. SHE BEGINS WIGGLING HER LIP BACK AND FORTH FOR A MOMENT BEFORE A SUBTLE GRIN APPEARS ON HER FACE. "OK. I’LL DO IT. BUT YOU HAVE TO FILE ALL THE PROPER PAPERWORK. AND I WILL BE TAKING THIS JOB SERIOUSLY. AS A COURT RESEARCHER YOUR WORK IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTRY. AND, IT BEING YOU, YOU WILL UNDOUBTEDLY DISCOVER SOME AMAZING REVELATIONS. SO I WILL DO MY UTMOST TO PROTECT YOU."

"I TRUST YOU." AL REMARKS WITH A NOD.

"AH! WORK! I’M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING A PATROL RIGHT NOW." ADRIA SUDDENLY SHOUTS LEAPING FROM HER SEAT AND RUSHING FOR THE DOOR. QUICKLY SHE REALIZES THE RUDENESS AND TURNS BACK ONCE MORE TO AL. "I MISSED YOU. I’M GLAD YOU ARE BACK SAFE AND SOUND. WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THAT STUFF MORE LATER."

SHE TOSSES AN APPLE FROM HER POCKET AND POINTS AT THE BOOKSHELF IN THE APARTMENT. "IT’S GOT A COUPLE NEW BOOKS ON IT FROM DIANNA. I DOUBT YOU READ THEM IN JINX. I WILL BE BACK REAL SOON, BE GOOD."

AS SUGGESTED ONCE THE DOOR SHUT AL GRIPS A FRESH LOOKING BOOK FROM THE SHELF. HE WAS AMAZED BY ITS CONDITION. IT WAS THE NEWEST BOOK HE HAD EVER READ. THE TEXT WAS CRISP AND STRIKING AGAINST THE PURE WHITE PAGES. HE TURNED TO A PAGE AT RANDOM BUT THEN QUICKLY THOUGHT BETTER OF IT.

HE GLANCES AROUND THE ROOM AND FOUND AN IDEAL CANDIDATE. HE LIFTS THE SECTION OF CLOTH AND INHALES. MOMENTS LATER, AFTER A QUIET SIGH, AL WENT BACK TO THE BOOK AND BEGAN SCANNING IT FOR NEW INFORMATION.

IT’S TOPIC WAS THE EFFECTS OF CURSES. ONE SECTION IN PARTICULAR REVOLVED AROUND MEMORY CURSES. IT WAS CLEARLY THE REASON THIS BOOK WAS SENT BY THE ROYAL MAGICIAN. AL READ THE BOOK CAREFULLY, HE KNEW THERE WAS NO LOST MEMORY BUT EXPLAINING THE TRUTH AT THIS POINT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

THE BOOK WAS STILL INFORMATIVE. EVEN IF BASED SOLELY ON CURSES IT SEEPED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER MAGICS. IT MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY FOR CURSES PERFORMED WITH VARIOUS MAGIC TYPES. BOTH SELF-CHANNELED AND TOOL-CHANNELED MAGIC COULD PERFORM CURSES. AND IT WAS EVEN THEORIZED THAT, WITH PROPER RUNE WORK, A GOLEM COULD TOO.

THIS, ONCE MORE, PIQUED AL’S INTEREST IN THE TOPIC. THE BOOK CONTAINED FEW DETAILS ABOUT GOLEMS BUT ALL OF IT WAS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED BY AL.

AFTER COMPLETING IT HE BIT THE APPLE AND RETURNED TO THE SHELF TO SEE IF ANY OTHER NEW TITLES WERE THERE.

A GOLD MINE.

AL NEARLY HYPERVENTILATED WHEN HE SAW THE BOOK. IT WAS A ‘BEGINNERS MAGIC ENGINEERING WORKBOOK.’ EACH PAGE CONTAINED RUNES TO BE COPIED AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL PURPOSES. AL QUICKLY BEGAN MEMORIZING THE SHAPES OF EACH RUNE. AFTER THE RUNES HE CAME UPON A SECTION ON CARVING COPPER. THE BOOK SAID TO PRACTICE ON A SPARE BLANK BUT AL HAD NOTHING LIKE THAT SO INSTEAD HE MEMORIZED THE INSTRUCTIONS.

HE WAS DEEP IN THE BOOK REREADING THE RUNES AND THEIR MEANINGS AND CREATING VIRTUAL COMMAND LINES IN HIS MIND WITH THE RUNES. IT WAS EASY REALLY, JUST SIMPLE BLOCK BASED CODING. HE BARELY NOTICED THE CREAK OF THE DOOR OPENING.

"AH YOU FOUND IT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?" ADRIA ASKS LOOKING AT THE CROSS LEGGED AL READING THE BOOKLET CAREFULLY. "I GOT IT FROM THE SAME MERCHANT WHO BROUGHT THE LETTER. MOST OF THE TIME HE ONLY HAS PRETTY ROUGH LOOKING BOOKS BUT THIS TIME HE HAD A BUNCH OF OUT-OF-PRINT SCHOOL BOOKS. HE NEEDED SOME OF THEM FOR A DELIVERY TO THE PORT PAST JINX BUT HE LET ME TAKE A FEW OFF HIS HANDS."

"THANK YOU." AL RESPONDS WITH A SMILE AND NOD. "IT’S A GOOD BOOK."

"MHM, I’M GLAD YOU LIKE. DID YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER ONE? DIANNA SENT ONE OF THE NEWEST GUIDES ON CURSES. SHE SAID THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MEMORY BASED CURSES."

"YEAH. IT HAD LOTS OF INFORMATION. IT WAS A GOOD BOOK BUT IT DIDN’T..."

"WELL IT’S OK. EVEN WITHOUT MEMORY YOU BECAME A COURT RESEARCHER SO I THINK YOU ARE IN A GOOD PLACE." ADRIA SMILES AND PATS AL’S HEAD. "HOW ABOUT EATING OUT TONIGHT? AFTER THAT WE CAN SWING BY THE FORT AND FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK. I WAS GOING TO BRING IT BACK WITH ME BUT… I DON’T KNOW, IT FELT WEIRD TO ASK FOR MY OWN TRANSFER PAPERS."

"SOUNDS GOOD." AL CONFIRMS RUBBING HIS STOMACH HUNGRILY.

"WITH THE MERCHANTS IN TOWN, THE STEW OVER AT THE INN WILL PROBABLY BE TOP NOTCH. WHO KNOWS THEY MIGHT EVEN HAVE WINE TO SERVE WITH IT!"

AL UNCONSCIOUSLY GRIMACES AT THE THOUGHT TO WHICH ADRIA GIGGLES SNEAKILY.

"COME ON. LETS GO!"

«§»

"WHAT DO YOU ASSHOLES WANT?" ADRIA ASKED THE GROUP OF THREE ADVENTURERS WHO APPROACHED AS SHE AND AL FINISHED THEIR MEALS. IT WAS A QUICK TURN FROM THEIR EARLIER HAPPY ATOMOSPHERE BUT FOR GOOD REASON.

ADRIA RECOGNIZED THESE MEN AS KANGER’S PARTY, OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF THEM. AL SIMPLY LOOKED AT THEM AS POTENTIAL DANGERS, HE MADE WHAT LITTLE PREPARATIONS HE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH THEM. IT COULD BE ENDED IN A MOMENT, THE WORD NEED ONLY BE SAID.

"HOLD ON, HOLD ON. WE CAME TO APOLOGIZE. WE DIDN’T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOUR MEAL BUT… WE ARE SORRY ABOUT WHAT KANGER TRIED TO DO. THE GUILD AT LARGE IS TRYING TO CLAIM YOU ARE AT FAULT BUT WE, OF ALL PEOPLE, KNOW WHAT KIND OF GUY KANGER WAS…" THE BALD LEADER OF THE PARTY SAYS BOWING HIS CUE-BALL IN ATONEMENT. FOLLOWING HIS SUIT THE MAGE GIRL AS WELL AS THE BOW WIELDING HOODED MAN BOW AS WELL.

"SORRY." THEY BOTH MURMUR WITH EYES OF SINCERITY.

"YOU ARE APOLOGIZING?" ADRIA ASKS HALF TAKEN ABACK, HALF UNBELIEVING.

"YES. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO STOP KANGER AND THAT FATAS…"

"TROY!" THE WOMAN SAYS ELBOWING THE BALD MAN IN THE GUT.

"RIGHT. WELL ANYWAYS. SORRY." THE MAN AGAIN SAYS WITH A THIRD BOW.

AL AND ADRIA EXCHANGE A GLANCE, NEITHER IS REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO. "I DON’T BLAME YOU. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHT."

"RIGHT, WHAT AL SAID." ADRIA AGREES WITH A SLOW NOD. "BUT THAT’S NOT ALL IS IT?"

"I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU…" THE BALD MAN BEGINS TO SAYS ATTEMPTING TO MASK HIS GUILT.

"TROY!!" THE MAGE AGAIN JABS.

"FINE, I’M SORRY. WE… WELL WITH OUR POSITION THE IMPORTANT JOBS IN THE CITY GO TO US. FOR INSTANCE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER YOU KNOW OF THE CAVE SOUTH OF TOWN CORRECT?"

"OF COURSE." ADRIA SAYS WITH A NOD. EVEN AL HAD READ ABOUT THE CAVE IN A FEW HISTORIES OF THE VILLAGE, IT'S SAID THE VILLAGERS ONCE SURVIVED A STAMPEDE BY TAKING SHELTER IN THE MASSIVE CAVE NETWORK.

"THERE IS A FAMILY OF BEAR BEASTS NESTING THERE ACCORDING TO SOME REPORTS WE’VE GOTTEN. IT CAN’T BE CONFIRMED BUT WE HAVE A DUTY TO INVESTIGATE." THE MAN SAYS IN A DAUNTLESS TONE.

"I’VE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THAT…" ADRIA SAYS IN, AGAIN, DISBELIEF.

"WELL IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE ALWAYS REPORT. I MEAN THE SOLDIERS COULD HANDLE THE BEAR BEASTS JUST FINE BUT IF…"

"IF YOU REPORT IT TO US THEN THE GUILD DOESN’T PROFIT." ADRIA FINISHES WITH A KNOWING NOD. "I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH AL."

"WELL I THINK THAT’S SELF EXPLANATORY." THE BALD MAN SAYS WITH A SHRUG. "US THREE ALONE HAVE LITTLE CHANCE IF THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO BEAR BEASTS. SO…"

"SO IF AL WAS ABLE TO DISABLE BOTH KANGER AND UM…"

"THE FAT GUY?"

"YEAH, KANGER AND THE FAT GUY, THEN HE COULD PROBABLY TAKE HIS PLACE IN THE PARTY." ADRIA CONCLUDES WITH DUBIOUS EYES.

"RIGHT." THE MAN AND HIS TWO PARTNERS AGREE WITH A NOD.

"NOT A CHANCE." ADRIA SAYS SHAKING HER HEAD. "AL JUST GOT BACK I'M NOT LETTING HIM GO ON SOME DANGEROUS…"

SHE GLANCES AT AL WHO WAS LOOKING INTENTLY AT THE STRANGE WEAPONS ON THE BACK OF EACH ADVENTURER.

"AL IS A COURT RESEARCHER, IT WOULD BE FAR TOO DANGEROUS FOR HIM TO…" ADRIA AGAIN TRIES TO COUNTER.

"THEN YOU ARE HIS PERSONAL GUARD? IF THAT’S THE CASE, COME ALONG AND MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE. I ASSURE YOU ALL WE INTEND TO DO IS INVESTIGATE. IF IT GETS DANGEROUS WE WILL LEAVE AND REPORT IT TO THE FORT."

ADRIA SEEMED TO BE AT AN IMPASSE. AL LOOKED FAIRLY INTERESTED IN THE MISSION, AND IT COULD BE SAID THAT IT IS HIS FAULT THEY WERE IN THE SITUATION. SHE COULD JUST REPORT IT TO THE FORT HERSELF, BUT REALLY SPREADING THE MANPOWER LIKE THAT FOR A MERE INVESTIGATION IS FOOLISH. IDEALLY THIS WOULD GO AS THEY SAY. ONLY IF WE KNOW FOR SURE THERE ARE BEASTS SHOULD THE ARMY BE MOBILIZED.

"AL? DO YOU WANT TO GO?"

AL SHRUGS AT THE QUESTION. THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN SEEING A BEAST FOR THE FIRST TIME BUT AS ALWAYS THE DECISION WAS LEFT TO ADRIA. PROTOCOL ONE.

"OK. WE’LL GO. IT WILL BE AL’S FIRST RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT." ADRIA GRIPS AL’S WRIST AND YANKS ON IT. "LETS GO GET THE PAPERWORK FINISHED SO IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE."

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU." THE BALD MAN SAYS BOWING HIS HEAD FOR AN UNCOUNTABLE TIME. THE TWO BEHIND HIM FOLLOW SUIT BEFORE THE BALD MAN’S HEAD POPS BACK UP TO ADD SOMETHING. "AH, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT LEAVING SUNDAY AT AROUND NOON. THEY ARE NOCTURNAL SO THEY SHOULD BE FAST ASLEEP BY THE TIME WE GET THERE."

ADRIA NODS WITHOUT GLANCING BACK. ONCE OUTSIDE SHE LIGHTLY WHISPERS TO AL. "THIS COULD BE A TRAP BUT… IF WE ARE TOGETHER IT WILL BE OK. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE READY. I DON’T TRUST THEM."

"UNDERSTOOD." AL SAYS WITH A NOD.

"GOOD, WE CAN’T BE TOO CAREFUL." ADRIA SAYS CONTINUING TO PULL AL IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FORT. "BUT, IF THERE ARE BEAR BEASTS WE CAN’T LET OUR GUARDS. DOWN EITHER. SO… WE JUST HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL, OK?"

"OK." AL NODS.

"RIGHT, WELL LETS GET THE PAPERWORK DONE. I HOPE THE COMMANDER WON’T BE MAD. ALTHOUGH MOST OF MY WORK IS ALREADY DONE SO IT SHOULDN’T BE TOO TOUGH TO WAIT FOR MY REPLACEMENT." ADRIA SMILES UNCONSCIOUSLY AND INCREASES HER PACE TOWARDS THE FORT.