The first night in Dustgarde. Anabelle was allowed inside due to her being the Crimson Mare. Ezra had a meal set for himself and Anabelle. The rest of the tavern was filled with warriors of magic and weaponry sat eating with either friends, or family. The doors continuously opened, and more and more came in. Some children came to sit atop Anabelle or just rub her fur. Nicholai eventually walked through the door. He noticed Ezra in the corner and made way over.

“Look who’s popular.” Nicholai said sitting down. Ezra motioned to the bartender.

“The same can be said about you. Have fun with the witch?” Nicholai flinched at Annabelles response.

“What happened?” Ezra asked innocently. Nicholai began to move back, all while still in his seat. He tried to find a different subject.

“So. Did you get any info?” He asked quickly.

“Did you get the potion?” Ezra responded. Nicholai took the potion from his bag and placed it on the table.

“Nice. I learned that his name is Zarcah. He used to live in the village. However due to some…..circumstances, he was exiled from the village. He must have some lair nearby. That's what we need to find. Hopefully that potion works.”

“So we just pour it on he bodies and it will tell us where he is?” Nicholai asked.

“Pretty much. However it exposes you to the enemy. That's why people barely uses them.”

“Well, then. We’ll just have to be quick with this. Will we bring him back to the village?” Nicholai asked.

“If we want our reward.” Ezra responded. The waiter brought over a plate of food and placed it before Nicholai. It had grilled pork and potatoes. The young sorcerer stared at the food. Though it smelt delicious.

“Something wrong? I don’t like potatoes?”

“Sorry. But i don't eat meat?” Nicholai stated. Ezra gasped. His expectations completely gone.

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know. Here I’ll take it off your hands. Go ahead and order anything else. It’s on me.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’ve only eaten veggies and fruit since i was born. I remember Irene telling me that. Even before my mother died when I never ate meat. It was just a habit. Now, it’s just me.” Nicholai said back, all while eating each of the potatoes.

“Speaking of which. Now that your out of the village. How does it feel?” Ezra asked. Hoping to have helped his new friend in some way. Nicholai thought back immediately to the Three Hearts Witch Shop, and the 2 dead bodies.

“The experience has been hit and miss. I should have expected it.” Nicholai answered.

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“Well. It’s going to get better, hopefully. First thing in the morning we’re going after Zarcah and his beast.” Ezra proclaimed. His voice rang through the tavern. Everyone heard and started staring.

“You’re gonna defeat Zarcah!”

“Make sure you bring us his head!”

“Don’t let him live another day!”

The people started yelling orders and complaints about the necromancer. Ezra sat back in his chair, listening to their words and just eating away. Nicholai sat anxious about the situation. Not averting his gaze from his empty plate of food.

The two young men retired for the night. Granius granted them free access to one of two rooms in the inn. Nicholai had a hard time getting down. FIrst for him he had no change of clothes to sleep in, second he was beginning to feel uneasy about tomorrow.

“Everything’s happening so fast.” He said to himself, lying face up on the bed. The town outside had started to get quiet. He looked out the window. Covering most of the frame was the tower in the direct center of the village. It reminded him. They still had no idea of what that place was. Could it be a special library, a gathering place for mages and the like, or maybe it was just for show.

A knock came to his door.

“Hey, you still awake?” It was Candice.

“Yeah. You can come in?” The door opened. Candice appeared in the same attire as before. She closed the door behind her while leaning on it.

“You guys are the talk of the town. You’re really going to fight Zarcah. Everyone else was scared of going after him, and here comes this handsome young mage who decides to do it on a whim.” Nicholai slightly tried to analyze Candice’s words. His books made him believe this to be flirting, if that was possible. Candice moved over and sat down on the bed. “You truly made an impression. If you were a girl you would be great for the clan.”

“Guys aren’t allowed.” He asked.

“Pretty much, the leader of the whole clan has one of those rules. So we witches have to venture out to find our beloved.” Candice started to look at Nicholai differently. Nicholai quietly took a deep inhale. “You know. I’ve never been in love with someone before. I know we’ve only known each other for such a short time, but…..I feel something from you.”

“Hey. I...I don’t think I’m ready for this.” Nichoali said in a whisper. Candice was able to make out what he said. Yet she still continued to press forward onto him.

“No one truly is. Trust me, and even if you don’t want to afterwards. I hope you’ll be able to think about it.” Candice softly spoke to him. She managed to have herself propped on top of him. She pressed her hands down on his shirt, attempting to feel his chest. Though he knew his body wasn’t as toned as someone like Ezra or Granius, Candice didn’t seem to mind. Candice took her hands to her dress straps, and slowly began to remove them from her shoulders. Nicholai saw Candice’s breasts. They were small for a girl her age. Her face began to turn pink. She wanted to keep him from staring too much, so she immediately went down for a kiss. Making it abundantly clear her intentions.

The night was spent in good fortune for the two. Nicholai found a much better way to spend the night, even without a comfortable change of attire.

The sun rose over the village of metal and magic. Two of the three visitors gathered outside. The last still inside. Sleeping next to a friendly witch.

“Do you even have a plan for when we find this necromancer. Isn’t he said to be strong?” Anabelle asked out of worry. Ezra seemed mostly calm about his opponent.

“Nicholai can take him. I know he can. Necromancer’s do have many offensive capabilities. This will be a pseudo test for Nicholai from me. But I have my confidence he can get it done.”

“And what about you?”

“Ill be disposing of the beast. I think there's a chance it will be close to Zarcah.”

“That reminds me. Granius wants you to bring Zarcah back alive, what do you think they’re gonna do to him?” Anabelle asked.

“It’s obvious. They’ll execute him.” Ezra responded sounding unsurprised. “I see no other way. Plus if that story is true I believe that’s one of the more rational things to do.”

“Rational things. Do humans have other ways of punishing someone for their misdeeds?” Anabelle’s question brought back a new light to Ezra, and he child-like mind of the world.

“Yeah. Tons of ways. Some of which are worse than death.” Ezra wished not to sugar coat anything for her.

The tavern door opened. Nicholai walked through with his staff in hand and eyes foggy. Candice walked from behind. The two shared a small moment where Candice hugged him from behind with a bright smile on her face.

“Good luck.” Nicholai kept grinning at her words. She walked away, heading towards the shop to begin her daily work.

“You ready for this.” Ezra interrupted his trance. Yet Nicholai was fully aware of himself.

“Yeah. Let’s get this out of the way.” He responded, and the two set off to find the Necromancer.