The town healer is over in their room at the tavern tending to Faylin's wounds. After some hours of castings of blue auras and praying over her, her shoulder blade starts to heal completely.
Faylin smiles and gives the cleric some gold.
"Thanks again," Faylin says, smiling.
Faylin is laying in bed as the cleric finishes with one more prayer for her, "no problem, stay safe, young one. May the gods watch over you."
Lyrian smiles and the cleric leaves. He shuts the door and sits on the bed where Faylin is lying down. "Well, we didn't get any ore, and the cave is collapsed. But we did get about 800 gold from the reward for the job."
Faylin sighs in relief, "600 of it will pay for the mortgage and a roof over mother's head. But not the noble who's after me."
Lyrian hands 600 gold pieces to Faylin. "You keep the rest, you've earned it," Faylin says with grace.
Lyrian smiles, "it's ours then." He pockets the coin. "You okay about everything with Aleena? If that's a loaded question, I'll forget about it. I'm sorry," Lyrian apologizes.
"She almost killed me." Faylin laughs, "yeah, no! We were at a fight with a large dinosaur and she just went and nocked that bow at me."
Lyrian sighs, "she's a complicated woman, and a little crazy."
"You think she'll stay gone, or come back?" Faylin asks.
"Probably leave for good after today," Lyrian sighs. "We won't hear from her again. Even if she can help, she won't want to anymore." He shakes his head and then lays next to her above the sheets. Faylin snuggles under the sheets but she faces and him and touches his arms through the bedding.
"Hey," Faylin calls out. Lyrian turns his head.
"You're a man, Lyrian. I think so, at least," Faylin compliments with a chuckle.
Lyrian turns pink, "you mean it?"
"Yeah, you do lot for me." Faylin smiles and she closes her eyes to rest.
"That's just what friends are for," Lyrian whispers, fading out above the candles on the dresser. "Although I consider you more of family than a friend."
"Me too." Faylin and Lyrian dwindle to sleep. Moonlight beams through the clouds and through their window.
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Faylin and Lyrian head out the door of the inn, with their coats on. Pouring rain bounces off their jackets and their cheeks are blasted with cold air.
Aleena stands up where she was sitting on the floor waiting for them, "wait!" Aleena is soak and wet from the rain, her feet muddy in her sandals and her leather armor dripping wet from water. She looks like she had been outside in the storm without any jacket or rain gear.
"What do you want?" Faylin groans in slight anger. "You tried to kill me and now you're here."
"I thought about what Lyrian said," Aleena pauses. "Maybe my thinking isn't correct."
"You mean how you're a wood elf? Living among humans and dwarfs isn't good enough to think that you can trust us?" Faylin says, rolling her eyes, and turns her head away from Aleena.
"No," she steps forward. "My culture. My upbringing," Aleena replies, looking down at her muddy feet.
Aleena continues on, "listen, Lyrian was right, these creatures are changing the environment and they're really not supposed to be here. I know how nature works. And the only way is to, e-execute it."
"What are you getting at, Aleena?" Faylin says, looking down at her.
"These creatures have no right being on this world, they are monsters, so the best way to deal with them is kill them before they become too much a nuisance," Aleena says. "And I need help, as you've proven."
Lyrian raises an eyebrow, "And?" He waits.
"Will you join me in fighting them?" She pauses, and takes a big breath.
"Let me get this straight, you're asking us for help, even after all the crap you've been saying to both of us? How are we going to trust you?" Faylin asks. "Why should we trust you? You shot me in the shoulder."
"I'm sorry! Okay? I'm sorry I've called you human scum, I'm sorry for shooting an arrow through your shoulder." She turns to Lyrian, "I'm sorry for the comments I made about you being a man. I'm sorry for all the arguments. I'm a wood elf, I'm used to driving humans off my land, and that sometimes includes killing them. I aimed at your shoulder, I didn't mean to kill you, and I didn't. It was reckless, but it was just a natural reaction of me watching humans disturb and abuse animals in their natural habitats."
Aleena looks to the side feeling warm in her eyes, despite the cold rain and wind, "you've no idea how much this has been messing with my values. Elves do not kill living beings of any kind unless it's self defense."
Lyrian smiles and hugs the wood elf. He picks up the small fragile girl who is in shock, "thank you, Aleena, we can be friends now and we'll help you in anyway we can to stop this." He sets her down.
"No, I'm not your friend but I would like to be partners in this," she reassures to him but Lyrian keeps his cheerful smile over her stubborn attitude. He knows he'll eventually win her over.
"Alright, I'll take that for now," he says with smugness.
Faylin sighs, "I guess I'm sorry too. I haven't exactly been very inviting." Faylin scratches the back of her red hair awkwardly. "And I guess I could understand your natural reaction. I'm not a fan of idiots disturbing animals like that either. It's a complex situation we're in."
Aleena chuckles, "I've never met someone like you Faylin. A bit of an air-head, and yet always realistic. I guess that's good." She looks to Faylin and gives a gentle smile over a straight face. "Sorry I shot that arrow at you, it was reckless and childish."
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"Thanks, but don't do it again, I might not forgive you a second time," Faylin smiles.
"So, we have to stop a necromancer?" Lyrian asks, "Where do you think he'll go?"
Aleena shrugs, "she's in the mountains, I think. That's what we should look into," Aleena explains. "That's the best idea I have to go on right now."
"Wait," Faylin interrupts, "I need to pay my mortgage so I need to stop back at Acrine."
"How about we send a messenger with the money?" Lyrian says, and Faylin nods. Lyrian waves over a town messenger on the street, delivering morning mail.
He runs to them, "hello sir! What can I deliver?"
"I need you to take this bag to Acrine and give it to a dwarf named Gimrik." He writes something down on a sheet of paper and gives the letter to Faylin to sign. She signs the bottom of the page and he rolls it up.
"Alright, I'll do it," the messenger takes the money and heads off, tilting his hat, "Thank you."
Aleena nods, "let's go. We'll go to the mountain, and we can try to find out what's happening. We have to start looking for the source of this, so our next lead is the village of Tranmere," Aleena explains.
Faylin stops her, "also, Aleena. If we help you, you'll help us find another mine."
"Deal," she says. "Thank you. And if we find a dinosaur..." Aleena asks knowing that she'll have to take part in killing. "If it is harmless and under a spell, promise you'll do your best to end it swiftly, at the very least."
"Of course," she says. "Now let's get you some rain gear Aleena, you are soaking wet."
"I'm not afraid of the rain Faylin. My body is a lot more adaptive than you humans," she explains walking next to them.
"Still, it's nice to keep warm and not catch a cold," Lyrian adds.
"Maybe," Aleena replies.
The group heads off on a path, ready to face their challenge that awaits.
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The three walk through a large meadow. Flowers bloom, trees howl and leaves rustle. The grasses are green, and the skies are blue of fresh air. A beautiful day, and they travel down a road. The birds in the area chirp, and it's a quiet day full of nature's call. Their objective is the nearest mountain. The group continues walking through a prairie full of yellow and red wild flowers, tall grass and bouncing bees. After about thirty minutes they stop at a small river for a break and water. They need to camp out soon as nightfall will arrive. But not just yet. As they cross a small wooden bridge Lyrian turns to Aleena, "where do you think we'll end up? We still haven't found this so-called necromancer."
"We'll get there when we get there," Aleena responds with some annoyance. She shrugs with a sighs and takes another step through a small puddle.
"Great," Faylin says. She rolls her eyes. "How is the mountain supposed to help us exactly?"
"The cave in Limerock had magic and enchantments on that dinosaur. I would guess the mountain would be the best place to investigate and see if the necromancer is up there," Aleena replies. She turns to the others, "I can't think of another place for us to search. Necromancers love control so they'll pick high places to hide."
"Okay, fair enough, but I don't feel like walking all day. Let's take a break or camp. We'll walk all night otherwise," Faylin replies, and stops in the dirt road. The road winds through hills, tall trees and even more flowers, like a picture book.
"I hate to say this," Lyrian interjects, "But I think Faylin might be right." He catches up with the other two. The sun is starting to set over the horizon.
"There's a village up ahead in the meadow. See the smoke?" Aleena points. "Let's go. It'll be nightfall."
Lyrian and Faylin squint their eyes to see to see a distant village with several buildings, houses and even a blacksmith that is smoking.
"Alright, let's go." Lyrian begins to walk again.
"I'm starving, I could eat a wyrm," Faylin groans.
"We're almost to the inn." Lyrian starts to run. "Come on Faylin!" Lyrian yells.
"Alright!" Faylin runs with him.
They run to a tavern at the beginning of the street, "The Red Maiden". It is a rather large tavern. Large logs make up the inn house and there's a stable on the left side. Several other smaller shops surround it. They push open the door.
Inside the bar patrons are yelling and cheering and singing while the bartender is cleaning cups with an old rag. Smells of alcohol and stale beer are in the air.
The group walks through the lively village folk and to the counter. Aleena looks around with wide eyes at all the people in one spot, slightly becoming nervous. But she is able to hide it with her usual seriousness.
"Hello?" Faylin says to him, "are there any rooms?"
"Yeah, of course." He says. He turns to his backroom, and he pulls a small book.
"The village of Kneiclappia welcomes ye," the old man's accent says. "How many nights?"
Faylin reaches for her pocket to get coin, "is ten alright for one night?"
"Yes, that's perfect," he smiles. He is missing most of his teeth and he looks very old. Saggy skin drapes his texture and covered with scars.
"Faylin, fancy meeting you here."
Faylin turns to her side and two hooded figures sit at the bar next to them, "Serrill? Luminitsa?"
"Good job noticing," the male takes down his hood revealing his black hair and pale skin. His face looks stern, his eyebrows narrow. His sister, a few inches short of him, is more kinder, but more frail looking. Thin and delicate under long silver hair. Luminitsa sips a tea, minding herself for the moment. She looks tired again, like she hasn't changed since the last time. Same dark bags outline her eyes, and no one forgets her same musky smell. Her robe is torn and she's barefoot, looking like a total mess.
Unlike her brother who is more clean yet carries a mysterious presence.
"Fay, who are they?" Aleena asks, getting in front of Faylin, ready to pull her bladed bow.
Serrill laughs loudly and struts his chin at Aleena, "who's the elf belong too?"
"My name is Aleena!" she says raising her fist. "And you better watch your human tone."
Faylin stops her. She places a gentle hand on Aleena's chest, "it's alright, I know him," Faylin replies. "Serrill is a simple mage, and former coworker of mine. Luminitsa is a fortune teller." Aleena steps down, but keeps a glaring eye at Serrill, not giving eye contact to his twin sister Luminitsa.
"Former huh Fay?" He laughs, "former as in you fired me?"
Luminitsa speaks in a soft and quiet, almost child-like voice, "we missed you so much since the last time." Luminitsa's eyes are looking down. "It's always a treat when someone hires us, especially you Fay."
"Shut up!" Serrill snaps, then turns back to Faylin.
Lyrian whispers to Faylin, "hey Fay, I'll take Aleena and we'll set up in our room. Just meet us up there."
Faylin nods, "I'll be up there in a few." She then shakes her head at Serrill who is sipping a steaming tea. "What are you doing here Serrill?" she asks in a rude and monotone voice.
"I could ask you the same. What's Acrine's young and only blacksmith doing miles away from her shop?"
"Bogh Buldar's king was murdered and they closed all access to the city, which means I can't use their mines so I have to find a different mine." She says in a monotone voice.
"Oh. Why is that important?" He says.
"I can't get ore for my shop. Any more dumb questions or can we cut the crap? Why are you really here, Serrill?"
"Can't a guy just travel and live day by day," he chuckles and looks to Luminista sipping tea, "or a gal too?"
"You have no reason to travel to the mountains unless you were given a job by someone, so tell me the truth before I call the town guard. What have you been up to, Serrill, selling your black market drugs and being a general annoyance?"
Luminitsa gives Faylin a small frown.
"Listen, my work is none of your business. It never has and it never will." His eyebrows lower, "so how are we going to handle this?"
"You don't intimidate me Serrill. What is your job and where are you going?" she asks in an angry tone.
Luminitsa puts her hand on Serrill's chest gently to back down. Serrill sighs as he notices the innocence on his sister's soft yet greasy face. He rests calmly in his seat, "I'm sorry Faylin. I'm genuinely just trying to make amends and travel with my sister. That's all. I never meant to anger you with my presence." Serrill gets up with Luminitsa. "We should be off now," Serrill says.
He puts up his hood with Luminitsa. They both get ready to head outside. "Wait!" Faylin yells out to them.
"Y-yes?" Serrill asks in shock. Luminitsa keeps looking down to the floor.
"You two hungry? Do you want to eat some supper?"
"Sure, you paying?"
Faylin groans, but pulls out coin from her pocket and sets it on the bar as she is reminded of what Aleena said when she first met her. She takes the coin back. "Actually, I'll cook you guys something in our room if you'd like. We have steaks and Aleena has some fruit, I'm sure she'll share," she offers, thinking it would be nice for the two siblings.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Serrill questions.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I? It could just be like old times, the good memories at least," she whips her hair, and the two follow.
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Serrill and Luminitsa
image [https://i.imgur.com/iZ4Mpfn.png]