Tay woke with a jolt of excruciating pain. His eyes opened slowly and painfully, light flooding into them. It felt like someone was holding a torch in front of him inside a dark tunnel. It was sudden and it made Tay panic, jerking his body yet again causing sharp prickling sensations to run across his arms.

“Mallor,” A voice said. “Calm down.” He felt a hand on his shoulder. The feeling was raw against him like he had scratched away the top layer of skin there. The voice made soft cooing noises as the hand gently massaged his shoulder. Tay’s body, which had been starting to shake, slowly calmed. His breath slowing from the raspy gasp’s that it was.

“What…happened?” He asked slowly, his voice alien to his ears. The hand squeezed a little harder. “You saved us.” THey said, a hint of a quiver at the edges of the words. “Quincy?” He asked. “Yes, Mr. Mallor.” Tay’s hands started to shake again, his memorie coming back. “Where’s Orby?” His voice was hard and grating. Quincy didn’t say anything for a moment.

“You're familiar.” He said, almost as if realizing. Tay nodded, looking up at the man as his vision began to return color other than blinding white. “I…haven’t seen him.” Tay’s heart stopped. He focused and looked inward and his blood ran cold. He couldn’t feel Orby! No. It wasn’t that he couldn’t feel it, but rather Orby wasn’t there. It wasn’t in its spell!

A painful feeling came over him then, and his next words were distant. “Where are we?”

“The pig’s pen.” Quincy answered.”I asked around and this is where you were staying, right?” Tay could see his face now, and he nodded. “The old inn keeper was a nice old lady.” He stated. Tay nodded again, not really hearing what the other adventurer was saying.

Orby was gone… That thought echoed within him endlessly. And it made him sad. Really, really sad.

Quincy leaned down at Tay’s bedside, placing one hand on a knee. Tay saw him clearly, a tear running down his cheek. “You saved us.” He reiterated. He bowed his head. “Thank you…” His voice ought in his throat, and he choked back any other words, wiping at his face roughly with his sleeve.

“Did Frankly…” Tay left the question hanging. Quincy’s shoulders sagged, and a wry smile pulled at his lips. “He survived, amazingly.” He chuckled. “He was pretty banged up, not as much as you, but still.” He gestured at Tay's Hands. He had intently averted his gaze from them, but now he couldn’t help it.

His eyes narrowed in a pained expression. Up to his elbows, his arms were black and rough, almost cole. He flexed his fingers, feeling that they were only slightly stiff. “I got a healer for both you and Frankly, and he said that your muscles and such are fine, apparently we got to it soon enough.” He said disbelievingly. “But he said all the healing potions in the world couldn’t fix your burns. ‘Said they were unnatural.” Quincy hesitated.

“What happened in there?” He asked. Tay looked at him for a moment, and then he shook his head. “I don’t know.” He only partially lied. He didn’t know, exactly.

Quincy nodded, looking down as if pondering something. “Well,” He said suddenly. “Whatever it was, it did a number on you. And not just your arms.” he added.

Tay raised a hand, looking at it coldly. Taking a breath, he lifted the sheets and swung his legs off his bed. Quincy protested, but Tay ignored him. Painfully, he walked over to a large, wall mounted mirror. His eyes inspected his body. He was in a pair of shorts, and the burns were easy to see.

His legs, arms and face all had the black, cole-like texture, although his legs and arms were the worst. His face was quite odd. Instead of the solid large burn marks of his arms, all that was on his face was thin black lines that traced downwards from his hair and across his eye, although it luckily didn’t injure it.

He stared for a long moment, trying to understand, to accept it. And he wasn't quite sure if he did.

Eventually, he looked away, going back to sit on the edge of his bed. His hands, numb and rough against his skin, held up his head. “I need to rest.” He said to Quincy. “Thanks for your help. I should be able to take it from here.”

Tay couldn’t see the other man, but from his hesitation, he could guess what he wanted to say and didn’t. “Alright.” He stood and made his way to the door, stopping just before. “Thank you, again.” He said softly. “I’ll never forget what you did.” Then he was gone, and Tay stood upright.

He would have to apologize later for lying to him. But rest was not what he needed, or wanted.

It was early morning again. Tay didn’t talk to anyone when he left the Pig Pen, and so he didn’t ask how long he had been asleep. He had made his way through the city, a new and unfamiliar sword at his belt, stiff leather armor around body, and a full heavy bag hanging from his shoulder. The tower loomed in the distance, and although Tay doubted he would be able to see anything from such a distance as he was, he saw no signs of the hole he had created.

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Short and tall stone steps lit by magic lights were before him. He looked around sneakily before he began to ascend them. Each step sent vibrations up his legs, reminding him of their condition with numbness. He couldn’t feel details like he normally could. He doubted he could even tell what he was walking on if not for his vision.

The stairs turned back, making a zig-zag up the incredible stone walls of Finick’s Bay. As he stood on the landing that started the ‘zag’ of the stairs, he looked back out onto the ocean of buildings, the bigger ones looking like islands, peaks and spikes jutting into the air looked like tree’s, and the actual ocean in the background almost looked like the sky. It was beautiful.

But Tay turned away. He couldn’t look at it right now.

His legs grew more tired with each step, and more and more Tay was suspecting that he had been asleep for more than a day. Eventually, he reached the top of the wall. That had been a place he had only gone a few times. Three, including this one. Stretching out before him were lush, hilly grasslands outlined with forest’s in the distance. Beyond them was the great Elzibian mountain range that cut off the Finick region from the rest of the kingdom.

The only way to get in or out o the region was by one of three way’s. The first was going over the wight peaks, which was a death wish—only supported by the faint grey clouds that were ever-present over them. The next was to go around them by boat. That was its own issue because of the Pirates that the crown saw no reason to get rid of. THe third, and most used, was the ancient kingdom of Dryden, deep beneath the earth.

Dryden was a great city, its catacombs and marble halls legendary even to Tay. As was the conflict there. It had no one leader as the royal family had no stake there. So many sought to become the de facto leader, and many died in the process.

Tay breathed in the faint, unsalted air that drifted to him from the forest and hills. The sun was only just peaking over the horizon, and it kissed the mountain peaks and the storm clouds in a golden light.

Tay gripped the unfamiliar hilt of his sword, his eyes tracing the paths that led out of the city.

“Thought I’d find you up here.” Tay jumped, fumbled with his sword, and then slammed his side painfully on the crenellation of the wall. Jerking his head up, he looked at where the voice had come from. Raya Finick stood several yards away from him, her hair loosely waving in the morning breeze, glistening even without the sun beaming on it. Hey purple eyes seemed to glow as they observed him. She wore a dress that was only just suitable for a woman of her status. It fit tightly around her waist, and tapered out slightly below.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to stop you or whatever you’re thinking.” She said as she saw Tay’s hand on his sword. She made an odd expression before turning away. “Then why are you here? How did you even find me?” He asked suspiciously. She laughed softly, the sound tickling his ears.

“You are not the first to come up here, Tay.” She looked back out onto the city. “I doubt any adventurer worth their keep hasn’t been up here, contemplating their lives.” Tay tilted his head.

“Is that what I’m doing?” She smirked at him. “Amongst other things, I’m sure.” She nodded knowingly.

“As for why I am here…” She looked hesitant for a moment. “Officially, It’s to tell you that the others will be waiting for your safe return.” She looked regal as she gazed out at the ocean. “Unofficially?” Tay asked. She looked at him with studious eyes. “I find you quite interesting, Mr. Mallor.” Tay scoffed. “I don’t expect you to believe me.” She said, “But it is the truth. Although you’re not much different than anyone else, I can’t help but find myself wanting to figure you out.” Tay rolled his eyes, but made an effort to not look at her face.

“I’m flattered.” She chuckled. ”Simply speaking, I’m here to see you off.” Tay slowly loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword. “How do you know I’m leaving?”

“Because it’s what anyone would do. It’s what I would do.” She moved to the edge of the wall overlooking the grassland around the city. “Many people saw what happened at the tower, And judging by the absence of your Spirit, and recent events, it’s quite obvious that you would leave.” Her voice was so soft as the wind carried it that Tay had to swallow a knot in his throat.

“I…” He stopped himself before he choked on his own words. Slowly, he leaned on the embrasure of the wall. “I can’t think here.” He said finally. Raya simply listened. “I don’t know who I can trust. For all I know, you're simply here to try to get me back only because of my power.”

“But, in a way, that’s the truth.” Tay looked up at the women, disgust on his face. “Tay.” She said admonishingly. “Don’t be naive. Power, skill, and potential are the most important things leaders consider when they recruit their newest soldier. Do you think that the opportunities that have been laid before you since you gained your abilities were simply by luck?” She asked. Tay wanted to retort, but she continued.

“Everything in this world, everything, is gained by some form of power. Your place in both the guild and our team was obtained because of your potential power. Alexander would have never taken you under his wing as he did if he did not see something great in your future. The Guild would have never scouted you if not for it.” Tay looked down, pain on his face.

“So that’s all I am…power to be had.”

“That’s all we all are, Tay. If we have nothing to give, then why would anyone give us a chance?” She was right, Tay knew. In a way, he believed the same. Everything was gained and lost through power.

“Though,” Raya continued. “I’d be lying if I said your power kept us interested.” Tay looked and saw a smile on the beautiful woman’s face. “If you were a pretentious, know-it-all, untrustworthy lout, we would have never considered keeping you with us. Although your power might have been what trained our eyes onto you, you were what kept our attention.” Tay stared at her, an impossible flurry of emotions racing in, and upon him at once.

“But that doesn't change your mind, does it?” She asked like she already knew the answer. Tay shook his head. “I need to go somewhere, and I need to clear my mind.” Raya nodded. “We will be here. Waiting.” She said softly, and then she was gone.

Tay’s eyes lingered where her hair had been so gracefully swaying, and then he turned his back to the city. With a final nod to himself, he climbed up onto the crenellation, and leapt off it, into the ocean of green.