As the huge, barcinaled-coverd bell rang in the close by harbor, Sylvar Krisneiros, also known as Sy held up his hand to stop his troop of followers. B. Steel,, S.K’s 2nd in command rode up beside the tall Elf “what do you think Steel, shall we go see if anyone worth recruiting coming in?” Sylvar asked his trusted Co leader and friend. The huge Rock man slowly turned his head and smiled “I figured that was what we were here for all along. Had a feeling the trade run was just a front.” Sy grimaced, “I am just worried for the guild, we are losing too many, and all the Races are keeping their best fighters close to home. No one knows IF or WHEN the Darkness is coming, and everyone is afraid. The Guild needs more able bodies to help the priestess beat this Whatever... …if it shows up on our shores.” Steel slowly nodded “Aye, I agree, I can send Raist and Sonja Blue ahead and see what is coming in...” The Elf smiles “yes, send them. Be it Beef or bodies...we need whatever the tide is bringing in!” Steel signaled the lanky Kindred blood vampire, and the Human forward “I would settle for some Gold to nibble on myself” Steel replied as the two came to stand in front of the big stone man upon his Obsidian Rhino ....... “Sonja, Raist, I need you to go into Wayward Harbor, and see if there are any able bodies coming in on the boat” Sy started, “Any race, any skills. You both know we need them all” Sonja sneered “even foul smell humans?” Steel taped her on the head with his granite hammer “hush you” Sonja looked back at Steel, then at Raist, and smiled, with just a hint of fang showing… “Well, they DO smell better after a bath.” Raist pulled at his collar...” Not too good I hope”, Sonja just showed more fangs. Sy chuckled...” go now, no biting, no hitting...that’s for both of you, be back in 3 hours, we will set up camp close by, and will have Lil K. on the lookout”

As the boat banged against the docks, a small, light skinned man, with a full beard walked down the middle of the gangway “everyone, get up and get ready! Gangplank goes down in 5 minutes, all ye off the boat in 15! I isn’t got time to wait on yall!” “Cranky dwarf” thought the Kindered, as she got hit by the spittle flying from the squat little gnome looking man as he walked by. Ivy Nod sighed as she pulled up the hood of her cloak over her waist long midnight black hair she had braided for travel, “another town, another dock, and no work to be had more than likely” she mumbled to herself as she followed the few people that were heading for the side of the boat where the plank was being attached to. An Elf with a Lute hanging from a strap from his back, looked over at Ivy, and did a double take, “Where do you hail from lovely creature?” He asked Ivy. She in turn looked over the Elf in a dismiss sniff: He looked just like all elves, tall, silver haired, almost glowing silvery-blue skin. Almost like the Kindered themselves.” Around...” she said vaguely as she tried to move away from the Elf. Ahh...same as me it seems”The elf said as he followed Ivy, “looking for adventure, good times, and songs to sing” “Not quiet” Ivy replied as she got in line behind a creature called a stone man; huge, lime green, and smelling like saltwater. “Work then?” the elf asked. Ivy turned to stare at the annoying man, “Why all the questions Bard, I take it you are a bard, with the Lute, you have work waiting, a home to go to, a LIFE?!?” “My name is Michiro,” the elf started, “I didn’t ask” Ivy replied. “and alas,” he went on like he did not hear her,” I have no work, home, or life either, I too am looking for all of that too”

Ivy rubbed her temples in an annoyed way, “sorry...Michiro, I tend to get bitchy when I have gone a bit without eating. Guess we are in the ‘same boat’, so to speak. My village was destroyed by The Dark Darknesss, I escaped with barley anything, and made my way to the closest town, and hop on this poor excuse of a water vessel, hoping to find a way to get back at The Darkness that killed everyone I loved and cared for” Michiro gently put a hand on Ivy’s shoulder “ “Aye young Kindered, I too share part of your story, I too have lost almost all, and want revenge,” He then smiled,” thankfully we did also end up ‘on the same boat’, I think we both could get what we both want” Ivy let a small smile lift the corner of her mouth, “maybe Michiro, maybe. It may also be good to have a friend after all we both have been through.” Michiro beamed his joy in a dazzling smile that lit up even his ice blue eyes. “Joy comes from your lips, upon my ears lovely Kindered. Let us leave this wretched ship, go find something to feast upon, and plan our next move!” Ivy shook her head, yet smiled back… “Bards, I didn’t know you could be so annoying!”

Three hours he says. THREE hours! “Sonja mumbles as she pulls up her HellRazer mount. Raist comes up beside her on a Lightning Charger...Both animals appear the same-horse like,6 feet tall at the withers-but unlike the Charger, when a certain spell is spoken, the Razer turns into a beast that the likes of Hell would be afraid of-spewing fire from its mouth in an attack, and glowing embers for eyes that can see any bespelled creature that carries a Dark Curse.” How does he expect us to find anyone in Wayward worth of joining US in three hours?” Raist adjusts the daggers at his waist in a nervous gesture, the Woman he is traveling with scares him, she is a pale, glowing white, with red eyes, and a temper that would have her slit your throat rather than talk sense to anyone. Raist, never leaving his small village until he hear the call of the Priestess, had never really seen any of the other Races in the world, he had heard of them, yes, and had met a few Dwarfs, but not the other, more exotic races. He smiles to himself thinking of the hodgepodge of people that is now in his life…B. Steel, a Stone man of the lower regent, he is huge-over 9 feet tall- and looking like a hunk of a slate hill that had come to life but having a heart of Gold (also his fav. Snack) …Sy, the leader of the guild called Aftermath, a “fine specimen” of an Elf, to hear the ladies talk, Silver hair, like all elves, but with golden skin, hinting to a mix of some other race, probably human, and the Ice blue eyes of the Elf. There were other Elves in A.M. but, Sy stood out, and being a warrior himself, was a natural borne leader.

Then there were the Dwarfs, like Lil K., , they were a strange lot, living close to the Stone men, some light skinned, some dark, the men were naturally vile sometimes. The hawking of spittle, the scraggly beards, and the body noises they make, but the females...Aww...They were almost too perfect! Dainty, sweet of voice, but you put one of that cannon-of-a-gun in either of the dwarf’s hands, and you better run! They were lethal shots, both men and women dwarfs! Lil K. the sweetest lady dwarf Raist had ever met, had shot the eye out of a Shadow Spirit 200 yards away…at night!

Then…then there were the Kindered, and Raist was not even sure how many sub-races there were of the Vampire-like humans. Sonja was a Blood Kindered, as in...must drink blood, sometimes, and a temper that would scare even the strongest of any race, then there was Dark, a sect saved from the Dark Spirit over 1000 years ago, but still somewhat shunned because of their long ago afflation with The Dark, and then there was the Inferno Kindered, almost never seen, living so far north, it was rumored that the fire of their blood was the only thing that kept them going in such frigid temperatures where nothing hardly else could live. Raist had never seen any Inferno Kindered, but he had heard, the paleness of their skin would glow an almost dark blue, when upset, or provoked. They were the true wielders of magic of the 3 sub races Raist was not sure if were more, but had never heard of any but the 3… all the races,-Dwarf, Stone Man, and Kindered-plus Humans like himself ,made a motley crew that makes up the Guild of Aftermath, and doing the greater good for the King and Queen of Myrda, and the Priestess of All, and Raist would not trade any of them, his Guild, his family now, for anything.

“Sonja, I’m sure we will find someone.” Raist finally says as he looks over at his companion, who is now giving him a look of pure annoyance, “we should get there as soon as they get done with unloading any goods the boat is carrying, and you know there is that Tavern. The Bejeweled Haven, right by the docks. I say we look there first, we may get lucky this time.” Sonia sighs,” your right Raist, and I hope we do, we lost so many that last battle, we need new blood, new magic in the guild, to heal, and to help, it’s just I have been with them so long, it just hurts so deep to see Steel, and SY, hell, all of us being so beat up, and hurt like we were.” Raist smiles at Sonja, then digs his heels into the side of his horse, “Then let’s get going, we don’t want to upset the Rock, and he would squish us both!” He yells back at the startled vampire as his horse takes off... “Why You...Slow down!” Sonja yells back at the retreating backside of the assassin!

“Do we have everything set up?” Lady Armina the head healer of the guild, asks the Kindred standing beside her.” I do believe so Lady Armina, Rinka replied, as she wiped down the last of the few tables in the small dinning tent. “I can’t remember everyone’s dietary requirements though…” the healer holds up a sheaf of paper.” I have them all right here...we didn’t bring many along, most are still back at guild, rebuilding” Rinka takes the paper and looks it over,” shew!...I’m glad I brought that charcoal with us…I know Key master hasn’t been getting enough as it is! Armina smiles “Key is getting all that he Needs, believe me!” Rinka laughs at the insinuated suggestion “I’m sure he is Lady Armina! When should we expect everyone in for dinner?” Armina looks at the sun, just hitting the zenith in the sky, “I am thinking they will all be in for the last mealtime, I’m really not excepting much in for luncheon.” Just then a broody looking Kindered walks into the tent, and looks around, spotting the two women, he walks over to them “is there going to be anything to eat today?” he asks in a not-so-nice tone, Rinka shrinks back a tad, but the healer straightens up to her full height, “Yes Lord Grakarrerth, we will make up a light meal for luncheon.” The Dark Kindered vampire looks down his nose at the woman, “Good! I was so not looking forward on getting my hands bloody today”, he then turns and stalks out of the tent. “Oh, how I hate the Dark ones!” Rinka mutters under her breath after the man leaves. Armina pats her on the arm “Now, we all must get along Rinka” she says. Rinka, still glaring after the way Lord G. left, “maybe, but I’m not liking that one at all. He doesn’t smell right.” “Maybe not,” Lady Armina. Replies” But SY, and Steel trust him, and the other Dark Kindered, and so must we. Now, let’s get at least something cooked up for whomever else wonders in for some food, shall we?” and the two ladies walk out of the tent towards the fire pits.

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Ivy, and her new friend eyed the rustic, yet but clean tavern with some suspicion. “Are you sure about this place Michiro?” The bard looks at all the foot traffic from the back of his unicorn looking Virtuos Steed,” it looks like it is a well-liked place…”. Ivy’s mount, a rare horse called a Soul Swallower, only found in the area she is from, nickers in agreement with the Bard “how would you know.” Ivy muttered to the horse, it flicked its ears back, and nickered again, Nassha here agrees, we go here I guess” Ivy says as she dismounts, Michiro follows suite. “The horse agrees?” he asks her, and Ivy just shrugs, “She’s smarter than she looks…” and walks the horse over to the stable on the side of the tavern.

A few moments later, they both sit at a scarred, yet clean table with some bread and cheese in front of them, and tankards of the local wine within easy reach. “Ok, we have the feast Oh Poetic Bard...Now what?” Ivy asks before she takes a bite of cheese. Michiro scans the faces in the tavern, “now we look and plan. I am sure there are two different types of people in this place...those who need help, and those who offer...We just need the right kind of offer.” Ivy too scans the crowded bar,” What kind of offer are we wanting?” The bard looks at Ivy,” the one that doesn’t get us killed I would assume.” Ivy shakes her head...” Is there any of that kind in this day and age?” Michiro shrugs,” Maybe not, but, we should hopefully find a guild that is looking, they have many openings usually, some that does NOT include killing.”

Ivy shakes her head at that suggestion. “A guild?!? You really think we could find someone looking to recruit for a guild...in this place?” The man just shrugs a shoulder as he looks around. Just as Ivy goes to reach for her wine, a huge green arm comes over her head, and grabs up the Bard that is sitting with her,” Guess what I have for you little Elf?” the arm now has a face, a Stone man, Lime green, and smelling like the same one that was on the boat then proceeds to belch in the Bards face! “Oh! You stinking excuse for a pebble! Put me down you horrendous pile of rubble!” The stone man just laughs. Ivy, with dark blue whorls of color starting to collect around her eyes, and the tips of her fingers, jumps up to get away from the trouble that seems to be brewing,” No little Kindered, sit back down, I know this sorry excuse for a singer.” The stone man says as he obliges Michiro’s request.

“Sorry Excuse!” Michiro exclaims, “at least I wasn’t stuck under the reefs in the sea of Tranquility for 2 months!” The stone man laughs as the Elf straightens up his wrinkled shirt, and at the barb. He then looks again at Ivy as he sits down on the floor, his torso, and head still 3 feet taller than herself standing “Hello there, I am Don Vito, brave Stone Man of the Onyx clan, and friend of the Elf-who-think-he-can-sing, and who might you be?” My NAME is Michiro, you stinking coal-dust pile!” the bard mumbles, Don waves off the sounds coming from across from him. “I am Ivy, from the...err...northeast lands.” She says as she gets herself under control, pulling her cloak over her hands, and closer to her eyes.

On top of a hill, not too far from camp, sits a strange contraption called a Mech Leaper, and its rider, Lil K. The Mech is old, a level 1, and K looks at it in disdain “stupid piece of metal” she thinks, as it grumbles and clanks beside the female dwarf as she keeps an eye out for the rest of the guild. Steel and SY had come back an hour ago, right before noon, and it was now past 1 if she was reading the sun right, and she was starting to feel a little hungry. She had eaten her Quick Rations an hour or so ago, and she was wanting to get some lunch. Wishing she had her pet Wind Puppet-a small winged creature from the deserts that are highly intelligent- when they weren’t chasing anything that flew by them- to go get her something to ,she scans the road leading towards the camp. Then she sees a figure coming. As she squints, she can tell by the cloak, and the stilted gate that it is Mourbius, one of the two Dark Kindered in the guild. As he gets closer, she can also see he is caring a basket! “Food” she thinks and sighs, not really caring at the moment who is bringing it. A few moments later the man gets to the top of the hill, panting and huffing.

“My word, did they HAVE to put you so far high in the hills?” Mourbius exclaims as he reaches the Dwarf at her post. She giggles as he sits the basket down, and then collapses in a silken-cloaked heap beside her “Ah Dark One, this is nothing for this pile of metal beside me.” Lil K says as she not so gently pulls the basket towards her, and rips away the lid, releasing a glorious smell. “I see Lady Armina has been hard at it” Lil K comments before ripping off a chicken leg from a roasted quarter of a bird. “Umm...Yes, she and Rinka, and Key have been hard pressed to fix something appropriate, too bad this is also going to be supper…leftovers you see.” The Kindered says as he gazes across the green landscape “What is wrong Mourbius?” Lil K asks as he just sits there with a sour expression on his face. He turns to the kind, yet knowing Marksman “Why does everyone hate us so?” “Hates who...Me... you...who?” she asks him. “No, not you K, Lord Grakarrerth-Gossom- and myself, we can sense that people do not like us, it is hard to fit in with a shadow of doubt over our heads.”

Lil K set down her food and looks the troubled man right in the eye. “It is not you, so much as it is Lord G. Rumors run rampant that he still practices the Dark Teachings in secret. That is why no one was allowed to bring pets on this trip, it is close to the Bringing, and Steel was afraid G would do something to the pets.” Mourbius looks appalled, “No, I cannot believe that! We have talked, Lord G and I,I have never gotten a feeling that he does anything like that!” Lil K leans back some,” I just wanted to let you know. You ARE a Dark, and Lord G is also, some people may think you are in Cahoots with one another.”

Mourbius shakes his head, “we are not even from the same clan, the same land, my family denounced The Dark at the very beginning of the TurnOver 1000 years ago, and we have done good since!” Suddenly the Kindered stands “I must go put a stop to this!” Lil K also rushes to her feet and grabs the shaken man by the wrist.” No! Say nothing of what I told you Mourbius! Sylvar and Steel are watching Lord Grakarrerth, to see if the rumors are true, do not put yourself in the middle of this, if it is true, they WILL find out!” Mourbius hangs his head and lets out a ragged breath. “Fine! I won’t but I will also keep an eye on him, and if I hear of anything, I will let you know.” “That is all you can do for the moment Mourbius, and to stay out of the line of fire IF Lord G is still tainted.” Lil K says and sighs, “Now, you get back to the camp, and thank you for bringing this...I was starving!” He smiles down upon the Kindly Dwarf,” You are most welcome!”

Sonja Blue, and Raist ride up to the front of the Bejeweled Tavern, just as a man roughly pushes a Dwarf out the front doors. “Another fight Charlie?” Raist calls out as he climbs off his horse. The man looks up as he wipes splotches of blood nods off his white apron with a damp towel “Every time a new bunch comes off a boat, it happens. Someone has to show off he is bigger ,badder than some other fool that is fully trained in magic!” Sonja takes both of the mounts leads and walks away in a huff. “That is how we found her.” Raist says to the barkeep and winks.

The other man laughs. “anything in there worth talking to by the way?” Raist asks as they both walk up the steps leading to the building, Charlie rubs his chin, “Maybe …there are 3 sitting in the far corner, by the fireplace, can’t miss them ,one is a Stoneman…” “And the other two?” Sonja asks from Raist shoulder, making him jump a little. “An elfin Bard, and a Kindred.” “We have enough of my kind I think” Sonja says.“You still may want to talk to this one, she seems…different. Had an odd blue glow to her at one point.” The Assassin, and Blood Kindered look at each other oddly “Thanks for the tip Charlie, and we will take the usual.” Raist tells him as they all walk in.

Ivy feels a cold prickle of, not fear, but of wariness along her spine as two new people walk into the bar. She glances to the door, and then down at her hands to make sure the blue whorls are gone, and not trying to come back. “What is it Little Kindered?” Don asks as he sees the shift of Ivy’s attitude. She jerks her head to the side, towards the Human and Kindered that walked in and stand at the bar. “Ahh…The colors of a Guild!” Michiro whispers to Ivy,” What we have been looking for!” Ivy looks again at the two, they do seem to be wearing identical colored clothing…A dark blue and copper combo, with an intricate A and M golden Symbol on the shoulder of the human.

“Do you know the guild?” Ivy asks, her two companions shake their heads,” But they look clean, and well fed, if not a little battle worn.” Michiro replies, as Don tries to turn to get a better look. “Don’t be so obvious ya sea turtle rockhound”, the bard hisses at him. Don turns a little more “A & M...I do believe it is something -Math...But don’t hold me to that ” Ivy then inhales a quick, startled breath, “they are looking at us! Why? Why are Guildies in here?” “Probably recruiting” Don says nonchalantly, picking up a piece of Soda-Ash cake, he missed. “Well, no time like the present to go say hello” Michiro says as he stands and adjusts his Lute on his back. “No….” Ivy whispers and tries to grabs at his hand as he walks by, but the bard ignores both attempts to stop him.

“Here comes one...” Sonja whispers to Raist as he turns to grab his cup of coffee the bar keep had just sat down in front of him, “Which one?” he replies, The Bard” Sonja says back as she takes up a loose, yet very obvious attack like stance. Raist rolls his eyes at the subtle shift in his partner’s stance, then turns to see the Bard coming up right in front of him. “Hello Young Guildies, may I buy you a drink?” Michiro asks as he comes up to the pair.” How did you…” Sonja starts, and Michiro taps Raist on the shoulder, at the ensigns there. Raist smiles at the rattled looking Kindered, then looks back to Michiro “No thanks Bard, but I do wish to talk to you and your friends. ” Michiro bows to both, “Come then, I am sure we would like to hear what you say”