Neptune

Location: The Wet Holes, Down Below, Andromeda One, Churchill's Legacy, Andromeda Galaxy. “I would turn that retirement home into a damn party house, that’s what I could do!” Kellina said with a fierce grin, glad that Jake was able to see just how unsuited she was to a place like that. She then shook her head and said, “In all honesty, I think I will be flying ships until I drop dead of old age. I’ve got too much of a rebellious spirit to be put down so easily. I would rather stay active into my declining years rather than rot away in a home for the decrepit. That would be a really horrible way to die. To just waste away.” Her body seemed to convulse as a shudder ran up her spine, and she pulled a face. This topic had turned a rather depressive turn, and she groped for a way to change it. This wasn’t exactly how she wanted to spend her time celebrating. “Well, that sounds like a rather dull place to be. I don’t think I would want to visit one of these retirement homes.” Daniella commented as he took a sip of his own drink. Kellina tilted her head up a little before she tilted it slightly as she looked down at Daniella, “Nah, you really don’t. Most are miserable as all fuck. Just old people just sitting and waiting to die. I mean, some aren’t bad, but most are pretty bad. I would rather retire to Ashaea… if they would even let me in.” Kellina said, before grinning, “I kinda doubt it, though. I am a bit of a trouble maker, and I make no fucking apologies for that.” “Then I think I like you.” Daniella said with a grin, “But you never know unless you try and ask them. You never know, they might.” “Ha! I doubt it!” Kellina snorted, picking up her drink and taking a gulp of it before deciding to move away from the conversation relating to retirement homes, “So what kind of specs does this Imperial Clipper have?” She asked, before leaning forwards with a twinkle in her eye, “Although I suppose the next question might be; can I fly with it at some point? You know I’m good for paying.” She then winked at Jake to indicate that the payment might not necessarily be credits. Location: Command Centre (Bridge), Andromeda One, Churchill's Legacy, Andromeda Galaxy. Alexander had been busy reading a report on the power usage of the station, and the engineers plans to help cut down on power consumption while affecting the station as little as possible when his console beeped, informing that he had a reply regarding his request. He opened up the messaged, pleased to note that he had a confirmation on the meeting. He smiled before closing the message and putting it into the archive before he turned back to his report. It was a good way to wait out the hour, while appearing to be busy so that no one bothered him unless there was something important that needed his attention. He glanced up at Karla, who was dealing with a rude pilot in her usual brisk and no-nonsense manner. He smiled slightly before looking back at the report to the sound of her sarcastic voice. By the time he had finished the report, he glanced at time to see that an hour had almost elapsed. He knew that Axel would be very prompt and would likely appear right on the hour dot. That was one thing he liked about Axel; the man was always conspicuous about his timekeeping. When Alexander set a time for a meeting, he could expect Axel to turn up on time. So he stood up, looking over at Karla who looked back at him, “I will be in my office for a meeting.” She nodded in acknowledgement before she turned back to the command console. Alexander left the main command deck, almost bumping into one of the technicians who seemed to be hurrying and not paying attention to where they were going. They let out a mumbled apology before stepping around Alexander and walking off. Alexander shook his head a little before he made his way to his office which was dimly lit. The lights brightened when he entered the room, revealing his slightly curved desk with the comfortable desk chair behind it. In front of it were two chairs facing the desk. Opposite the desk, was a small seating area with a sofa, coffee table and two comfortable arm chairs. The desk itself was quite clean, with a computer terminal and a pen holder that held a pen that his old commanding officer had gifted him as a congratulations present for getting this command. He sat down in his chair, relaxing with a soft sigh as he waited for Axel to make an appearance. Location: Promenade, Commercial District, Andromeda One, Churchill's Legacy, Andromeda Galaxy. Aimi hummed softly to herself as she sidestepped a couple of merchants that were having a heated arguments about the pricing of table cloths. Her ear twitched towards the two of them, as they couldn’t seem to decide if the patterned cloths should be priced higher than the plain ones. It amused her that they were arguing over something so mundane. She shook her head a little as she continued walking through the Promenade, looking at the shops that lined the corridor, where merchants were cajoraling passersby to come and buy their wares. She came to a stop by one stall, which had a number of interesting of cups of varying designs. The merchant was a rather young looking Tau’ri gave her what he thought was a charming smile and waved a hand over the items, “Hello, young lady! I have many curious items from all across the galaxy!” He picked up a cup made from a silvery metal. It reminded her of a champagne flute glass, with an ornate flower pattern wrapping around the stem, “This is from the planet Berahla! The people are long extinct, and only a few examples of their workmanship exist!” He claimed. Aimi tilted her head as she studied the cup for a few moments before nodding her head a little, “Really? I didn’t realise the Berahlarian people were extinct. Last week I had heard that they settled a new colony and were thriving.” The man looked a little startled, clearly not anticipating that she knew that. He then looked a little more nervous as he picked up what looked like a shallow bowl, “How about this Santrelian drinking bowl? It’s used for their sacred ceremonies to celebrate the celebration of Hyrndhrll.” He sounded almost pleading and Aimi had to resist the urge to smile at him. “Celebration of Jynt’hall, actually. It’s their equivalent of Fyaemuraí… or Christmas for you. But you’re close, although it’s not really sacred.” Aimi said, causing the man to look quite annoyed that his potential customer was clearly more informed than he is. He put the bowl down with a frown before picking up a wooden cup, “How about this Tic Tic cup? It’s rare and quite valuabl-” He didn’t even finish his sentence when Aimi interrupted him, “That cup is mass produced and you can buy a hundred for a credit.” She then shook her head, “I think you need to rethink your strategy, dear merchant. Lying to your customers isn’t going to win you many hearts.” She then politely bowed her head slightly, “Good day to you, sir. Procedamus in pace.” She ignored his outraged sputterings as she moved off to look at anything else that was on sale. She had hardly moved on, when someone bumped into her. The man gave a mumbled apology and went to move on however her hand snapped out and gripped his wrist in a tight hold. The man turned back to her, a flash of annoyance crossing his features before he asked, “What?” “I would like my credit chit back, thank you.” She said politely, as she turned his wrist over to reveal that he had her credit chit clenched tightly in his hand. She pried it out of his finger as she said in a calm tone, “It is pointless to steal it, unless your goal was simply to cause me annoyance. It is isomorphic technology, meaning that only I can use it. Now, begone, before I call security.” She let go of him and watched as he scurried off to be lost in the milling crowds. She shook her head with a sigh before turning around and moving on. She soon came across a stall that was selling various pieces of cloth in various types, and patterns. Aimi stepped up to the stall and looked at what they had to offer. She reached out and picked up one piece of cloth that was a deep red in colour. It felt like silk and seemed to glide over her fingers. She quite liked it, even though she didn’t wear red very often. It would make a lovely Coda’zotoxian robe. It would require an underlayer though, perhaps of a cotton-like material, so that it would be comfortable. But she figured she would make something that would work. Sewing was something she liked doing in her spare time, even if she never wore the resulting clothing. “See something you like?” A voice asked, drawing her from her thoughts and she looked up at the stall owner who gave her a smile. She smiled back and held up the red silk material, “I would like six metres of this, please. Do you have a more cotton-like material… black in colour?” She asked. “I most certainly do.” The stall over said with an easy grin as he moved around the stall before returning a moment later with a roll of black material. Aimi fingered it for a few moments, feeling the high quality of the material, “That’s perfect. I’ll have six metres of this as well.” She said. “Sure thing, ma’am.” The stall over said, taking both rolls in hand and moving away slightly to cut off what she needed. She pulled out her credit chit, and when the man returned with the cloth rolled up in a bag for her, she pressed the credit chit into the payment slot of the machine he held out to her. She then took the bag, thanking the man before she moved on to see if there was anything else she could buy this day. She passed a couple of Tic Tics who were talking in excited tones as they quickly passed her by, one of them making wild gestures. She smiled a little as she moved past them before turning her head towards the stalls once again before she stopped by a jewelry stall to see what there was available. The man at the stall came closer with a smile and asked, “Is there anything that takes your fancy? You’re clearly a woman of good taste-” His eyes lingered on the tree necklace around her throat, “- and I have a lot here that I think you might like. Such as this bracelet. It’s twenty-four carat gold and the design is just beautiful.” He picked up an open box, presenting it with a flourish showing a bracelet that had a flower design etched into it. Aimi observed the bracelet and let out a non committal, “Mm, that’s quite nice.” The man put it back, before picking up a medallion that had a bird design, with a red stone in the middle, “This has come all the way from the Milky Way Galaxy, from the Gravftel system. Quite common there, but rare on this side of the wormhole. Perhaps this is more to your liking?” He asked, tilting an eyebrow up in a questioning manner. Aimi smiled at him before shaking her head, “No, not really. It’s pretty, but not really my thing.” The man put the piece of jewelry back and asked, “Perhaps you’re after to sell?” He asked, looking once again at her necklace. Aimi laughed softly and shook her head, reaching up to brush her fingers against the purple gold. It caused the pulsating lights to brighten for a moment as she felt the thrum of energy through it, “You couldn’t afford this. Besides, I would never part with it. Not for all the money you could offer me. It was given to me by someone very precious. It’s value is more than the materials that make it up. No… I was just browsing. I don’t think there’s anything that I like here. It’s all a bit showy. I prefer my jewelry to be meaningful, or simple.” “That’s a shame. A beautiful woman like yourself deserves only the best.” The man said, laying it on thick with the flattery. “That’s not going to work on me.” Aimi told him with a smile. “It was worth a try.” He said with a rueful grin as he stepped back away from her, “Well then, please have a good day.” “And you, Procedamus in pace my friend.” Aimi said, bowing her head slightly before she moved off. She had seen all she wanted to see for the moment, and there was nothing she really needed that badly. But she was now feeling a little hungry, so she decided to head towards the food court to see if there was anything that took her fancy.

At first, Raeghan didn’t notice the shifting of the sheet that covered him until he felt a brief rush of cooler air against his rock hard cock. He wasn’t sure what was going on for a moment, and paused in what he was doing. Then he felt warm and soft flesh wrapping around his cock, causing a sudden wave of pleasure that made him shudder slightly. He shuddered again when the palm of her hand rubbed against the sensitive tip of his cock. He had to suppress the groan that threatened to pass his lips. He was so unused to the sensation of sexual pleasure that he had to top for a few moments to simply enjoy it. It mattered little to him that Luna’s touches held the hesitancy and shyness of someone completely new to all of this. What she was doing felt good, and he was definitely enjoying himself, especially with her fingers playing with the most sensitive part of his cock. He had to resist the urge to thrust his hips up into her thighs in reaction, “Damn, Luna…” He grunted, allowing the pleasure he was feeling to be reflected in his tone. He hoped it encouraged her, and made her feel a little more confident about herself. But not wanting to be outdone, Raeghan cupped her small and supple breasts and squeezed them gently before he rolled the nipples between his fingers once again before rubbing his thumbs against the hardened nubs. But he wanted to see more of her, to be no longer separated by the material of her nightie. He gave her a slight smirk before he took her dress and lifted it up and off of her, allowing him to see her. His eyes roamed over her slender body, her small but rounded breasts and her slim legs. He couldn’t see her womanhood, but he knew that would come in time. Instead, he allowed himself to enjoy what he could already see, “Beautiful.” He said in a soft whisper, something only to be heard by Luna. His hands once again traced along the outside of her thighs before moving up to touch her breasts once again before they moved down and settled on her hips, helping to keep her in place. Raeghan leaned forwards and began to kiss along her neck again, planting small and light kisses as he moved. He gave the hickey he had given her a small lick, pleased by how much the red mark stood out on her pale skin, before his mouth moved further south leaving a trail of kisses as it went. When he reached her left breast, his tongue licked across the hard nub before he wrapped his lips around it and sucked gently on the sensitive nipple. He then flicked his tongue back and forth, listening out for her reactions. Thus far, her reactions had been an absolute delight, and unlike any woman he had the pleasure of making love to. Her squeaks were the cutest, and he hoped to hear more of them.

Raeghan was quite pleased by the squeak that escaped Luna. It was different from the reactions he had from other women, but he found it utterly adorable and it spurred him on to lay several more kisses along her pale neck. He then paused when she said that her people could be insatiable, which caused him to smile. He then chuckled a little, “Oh really? Well… that’s good to know. It means I can take my time with you.” He latched his mouth against the side of her neck. It started as an open mouthed kiss, but his lips soon made a seal as he began to suck at the flesh, intent on leaving his mark on her otherwise flawless skin. Like her mouth, her skin tasted sweet, almost addicting. The hand that had been stroking her cheek moved down, tracing the curve of her body before settling on her hip. After several long moments, he pulled away from her neck, his tongue flicking out one last time to lick across the red mark. He saw the mark left on her neck and smirked, feeling quite pleased with himself. He tilted his head, kissing the point where the jaw met the neck before pulling back and drawing her into another passionate kiss. He was taking his time, to make sure that she properly relaxed so that she could enjoy herself as much as possible. It helped that her mouth tasted so sweet, and the more he kissed her, the more he was aware of the faint taste of carrots. He had never encountered that in a partner before, but he quite liked it, especially in Luna. It seemed just like her. While their lips and tongue moved against each other in an intricate dance, his hands started moving of their own accord. They slipped up underneath her flimsy nightie which had not really left much to the imagination. He enjoyed the feeling of her warm, smooth skin against his fingertips. It felt so good to touch a woman in this manner, to enjoy the feeling of their skin and exploring their body. He tried hard to ignore the fact that his cock was already reacting, becoming hard underneath the sheet that still covered his lower body. It was a little distracting, especially as he took a moment to marvel at the familiar, but long forgotten sensation. He then turned his attention back to Luna, pulling away from the kiss as he panted slightly, robbed of breath. His hands moved up, causing the nightie to hitch up along with them, before his fingers brushed against her nipples, which made him smirk slightly at her before he lightly rolled the nubs between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. He watched her face closely, watching her reaction.

@Chiyako It's done: https://ecchidreams.com/community/topic/2357-side-story-a-learning-experience/

Warning: This Side Story will contain scenes of a graphic nature. This includes, but is not limited to, Heterosexual sex. If you find either of these themes distasteful, then please do not read. Participants: Raeghan and Luna Description: During their quest to find a dragon for an ingredient for Luna, she created a potion to turn Raeghan temporarily into a human. One of his desires for when he was human, was to have sex and Luna had offered to help him with just that. -x-x-x-x-x-x-x- Raeghan smiled at her nervous question, his thumb stroking against her cheek again, “Well, you relax. I have more experience than you, even if I haven’t done it in a long time. So it would best if, for this kind of dance, you let me take the lead.” He said. Before she would be able to respond, he pulled her face closer before kissing her once again. This time, he deepened it by pushing his tongue past her lips and into her mouth to explore the sweet cavern. Now that she was closer, his other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her towards him, pulling her up onto his lap. It allowed him to lean back a little, and be more leisurely in the kiss. It was quite passionate and heated, but he did it slowly to allow her to get used to the sensation of a deep kiss. He then pulled away from the kiss, tilting his head a little at her. Now that she was sitting on his lap, her head was almost level with his. A fact that quite pleased him as it made it easier for him to kiss her. Going along the theme of being her teacher, he told her, “Sex isn’t just about the pleasure of the one person involved. It’s about the pleasure of all. I know you want me to feel good, but I want you to feel good as well.” As he spoke, one of his hands moved up her thigh, his fingers ghosting on her pale skin before they dipped slightly under her garment but not fully, as he wanted to tease her a little. He once again kissed her lips with a full kiss that only lasted a few moments before he pulled away and pressed his lips against her throat, planting tender kisses along the unblemished flesh. A lot of women he knew liked this, as it sent tingles of pleasure through them. And he quite liked watching their reactions. Some would sigh and tilt their head for more, while others wriggled and moan. He was very curious to know what Luna’s reaction was, if there was one. He hoped that, even as she fulfilled his desire for this kind of contact, that she would get something out of this as well.

I will let you know when I've done it, and you can edit your last post to include a link to it.

@Chiyako If you want, we could open up a side story either on your post, or my next post. I don't mind either.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan frowned a little when she mentioned that some men before had made her do things. He didn’t like the sound of that. One thing that really made his blood boil was bad treatment of women, and forcing themselves onto woman that weren’t interested. He had always treated the women he had been with, with the utmost respect. He tilted his head slightly when Luna began asking questions, making it very clear just how inexperienced she was when it came to the subject of sex. He then gave her a reassuring smile, wanting to put her nerves at ease. He reached up, gently cupping her cheek as he brushed his thumb over the soft skin, “Well, it depends, honestly. Not only on the people involved, but their mood at the time. Sometimes, people like to just get down and on with it. Others like to prolong the experience, to take their time to enjoy it. To give, and receive pleasure and exploring to find out what feels the best. And with you… I think that it the method I would prefer to go with.” He said, giving her a charming grin before he leaned forwards and pressed his lips against Luna’s. It was a light kiss, neither forceful nor demanding. He didn’t deepen the kiss, and pulled away after a moment and said, “I personally don’t think kissing is too far.” His grin widened once again as amusement made his blood red eyes twinkle in mirth, “As for the naked thing… we’re both pretty much naked already.” He said.

As Izanagi spoke, Daedrin listened carefully although he did shift again so that he was once again lying on his back, with his head resting against the rock. After his friend had finished his tale, Daedrin couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. He shook his head from side to side slightly before he said, “Well, little Igna was duped. The cultist that I came across boasting that he was using their greed against them. He had no intention of letting them keeping me. Because they were so blinded by their greed, they allowed him to mould and manipulate them into the creatures that they were as well as to manipulate them into obedience towards him. I think the Priest must have followed us from the Mansion, intent on sacrificing me to bring back his God.” He couldn’t help but to roll his eyes, before he turned his head towards Izanagi, “He seemed to think that his minions could actually harm you.” Now Daedrin sounded amused as he continued, “He threatened that if I didn’t surrender myself, they would hurt you. I tried to warn him that it was pointless, but he didn’t listen to me. That’s one of their biggest weaknesses. Their arrogance. It seems to know no bounds.” He shrugged his shoulders slightly before he sat himself up, shifting a little to get comfortable before he stirred the contents of the stew pot as he checked up on it, seeing that it was pretty much done by now. He then said, “Still. Even though I know you can take of yourself, I’m glad you came out unscathed.” He smiled a little at his friend as he picked up one of the bowls and filled it before handing it over to Izanagi with one of the spoons before he filled up a bowl for himself where he proceeded to eat in silence.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan grinned a little at her rather awkward wording, finding it quite endearing that she started to stutter a little. It was clear that she was nervous, but if she didn’t want to do it, he wasn’t going to force her into it. That was not something he wanted to do. He would merely look for someone when they were next in town. His grin melted into a reassuring smile as he said, “I think it’s one of the most wonderful things in life. To make love, especially with an eager partner. I mean…” He paused for a moment, shrugged a little before he continued, “While I was in the Kings army, I had my share of concubines. But fucking them was always different to making love to my wife. It’s a little hard to explain, actually. It’s something you won’t understand unless you go through it yourself.” He squinted his eyes at her slightly before saying, “I’m not going to pressure you into doing something you’re not comfortable with, Luna. It’s clear you’re nervous, so if you don’t want to do it, then I’m completely fine with that. I can find some whore when we’re next in town.” He privately doubted that it would be as nice, than as being with Luna. He already liked her, and it was better doing something like this with a friend whom he knew he could trust. But he couldn’t help the nagging feeling that he might be taking advantage of her kind and selfless nature, which had prompted him to give her one last chance to back out before she did something she would later regret. The last thing he wanted was to make things awkward between them. But if she did decide to continue, then he would make sure it was the most intense learning experience for her.

Wish granted. Everyone is now an insensitive, emotionless husk. I wish I had a thunderstorm right now.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory At Luna’s question, Raeghan frowned a little in thought. He honestly didn’t know the answer to that question. He reached up and ran his hand through his raven coloured hair before he shrugged his shoulders with a little chuckle, “I honestly don’t know, Luna. That might have to be something you ask him. I know he does swords specialised in monster hunting. I have no idea if he does anything specialising in magic.” He tilted his head a little as he looked at the small woman, “But if he does, I imagine it’s something he does in secret. If people thought he was supporting witches, then he’s likely to get dragged to the stake to be burnt alive.” He grimaced at that thought. He couldn’t imagine it was the most pleasant way to go, and he had witnessed a few burnings in his lifetime. It had always bothered him, but he had never been in the position to actually do anything. “As for materials…” He said, before smiling a little, “I think it’s like the case with familiars. The best material is based on what kind of magic you’re using it for. But I think Mithril is a good material for a basic stave, able to do all kinds of magic… It just can’t do the more powerful magic that a specialised stave can do. Like a wooden stave for nature magic, Kraerhil for ice magic or Mangenarr which is perfect for fire magic. He might know more, though. I make no promises on that. The subject has never come up when talking to him. All Rayvenne likes to talk about is swords, what kinds she wants, and what kinds are good for taking care of the monsters that she deals with.” He gave Luna a slightly crooked smile, “But she’s a good friend of Daedrin’s. Getting in to see him would be no problem.” He assured the excitable bunny girl. He then rubbed his hand across his mouth for a moment before he grimaced, “The only problem is, is that Enutpen’s Glory is pretty much between Selil and Vorserend. It might be best if we go to Selil first, before heading to Vorserend. As I said, the mountain path can be treacherous, and it’s a good idea for monsters to lie in wait. Rayvenne may very well insist on it, if she’s inclined to go to Vorserend with you… I honestly can’t see her objecting, though. She was heading in that direction anyway, looking for work, when she ran into you.”

“Good hunting.” Daedrin said when Izanagi finally came to the decision to go and hunt for something to eat, instead of delving into their supply of food. He watched his friend walk off away from the camp before he shifted and sat up straighter as he looked over to his saddlebags. Using telekinesis, he undid his bags and pulled out their cooking bowl which he made fly over to him and settle on the ground next to the fire. He also gathered several other items, such as a stirring spoon, dried vegetables, and flour to thicken the stew sauce. He placed them down closeby while he waited for Izanagi to return. He allowed himself to settle down again, sighing as he lay on his back with his head resting on a stone. He closed his eyes, but his mind was alert for anything and anyone approaching the camp so that no one could sneak up on him. Thus he was able to sense Izanagi’s return and opened his eyes again. He turned his head towards his friend, watching as he stepped up to the camp before brandishing the dead rabbit. He noticed that it appeared to have a head wound, and judging from its shape, one of his Hell Chains had done the job. It had clearly been a quick and painless kill, a fact that Daedrin quite approved of. Stifling a groan, Daedrin pushed himself so that he was now sitting up. He folded his good leg so that it was slightly under him while the injured one was kept straight, “Rabbit stew, then. Just cut the meat off and throw it in when you’re done.” He said, picking up the waterskin and filling their stewpot with the right amount of water, along with the dried vegetables and a good amount of flour that would thicken it nicely, without making it taste like flour. Once done, he moved it so that it was sitting close to the fire before he sat back once again with a soft sigh. When Izanagi had dropped the cut rabbit meat into the pot, Daedrin gave it a firm stir before he put the lid on the top to keep the steam in before laying the spoon on top. He then leaned back, resting his weight on one hand and looked at Izanagi, “I suppose, while that’s cooking, you can tell me what happened in your little scuffle?” He then grinned, “The Priest thought he could easily overwhelm you. I tried to tell him that it was a stupid idea, but he didn’t listen."

Daedrin tilted his head up a little to look at Izanagi when the man gave his suggestion. He observed the demon silently for a few moments before a slight smile curved at the corners of his lips, “There’s no need to be worried, Izanagi. It will be a lot better by tomorrow, I assure you. It’s not a serious wound. A few inches deep, with a little tearing of the muscle. It’s missed the bone, and artery.” He said, reaching down and taking hold of the bandage as he unwound it to reveal the wound. There were several deep bite marks in his thigh, and the material of his trousers was slightly marked by blood but the wounds themselves were not bleeding. In fact, they appeared sealed by a translucent material that looked hard to the touch. He lightly brushed his fingers along the slightly swollen and red skin that surrounded the wounds, “It will take a few days to heal, but it will be as good as new.” He said, tucking away the old blood-soaked bandage and wrapping a new one around his thigh. While he didn’t need it to soak up blood, or to prevent infection, it would stop curious eyes from seeing the hardened Inchor. He pushed himself up from the rock and limped over to Daegrin, who had been waiting patiently nearby, and unsaddled him and the sacks he was carrying. While it wasn’t obvious, he was using telekinesis to lighten the weight of the saddle and sacks. Once the horse was free, he gave the animal an affectionate slap on the hindquarters before he limped over to the fire and sat down, resting his weight on the hip of his uninjured leg before he asked, “So what are we going to do about food? We should have enough in the packs, but if you want to hunt something, go ahead. I’m more than able to look after myself, injured or not.”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan chuckled a little at Luna’s enthusiasm. He didn’t know if the Eldyrannth would indeed allow her access to their library to be able to look at the books. He also wasn’t sure if any of them would spend the time to teach her how to read and speak their language. Despite their willingness to trade with others, they were still quite withdrawn from the rest of the Kingdom. They weren’t on friendly terms with many people. They were like the quiet child that was nice, but kept to themselves all the time and thus was rarely invited to play with the others. He wondered how they would react to someone such as Luna. Because she was certainly unique, that was for sure. At her next question, Raeghan thought for several moments before he then shrugged. He had to be careful how he worded this, as he had no doubt that Rayvenne would be unhappy if he gave Luna clues as to how old she really was, “Well, we’ve been in Craethiel for a while now, and we’ve managed to travel from one end of the Kingdom to the other. We’ve even met the King.” He grinned a little at that before shaking his head before pausing as a thought came to him. He looked back up and said, “Although, Rayvenne may want to go to Selil after we’ve helped you find your dragon. Her silver sword needs repairing, and there’s only one blacksmith with the skill to do it and he lives in Selil. While his services can be a bit pricy, he is the best blacksmith in Craethiel. It’s been some time since we’ve seen him, and her sword is beginning to lose its edge. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory As Luna started stretching herself out, Raeghan had to resolutely turn his head away a little just in case she flashed anything. It would have been rude to just sit there and stare at her, after all, especially when he had plenty of chances to do that later. He would rather not spoil anything now. When he had heard that she had stopped her movements, he turned his face towards her again now that she had settled herself comfortably. At her question, he shook his head, “I’m good thanks. I’m still full from the stew earlier, and I think I’ve had enough to drink for now.” He gave her a rather lopsided, slightly drunk looking grin. He tapped the ends of his forefingers together in thought for a few moments as he considered her question earlier, “As for what it’s like… well…” He waved his hand in a northerly direction, “The city itself is hidden in the Therarr Mountainrange. Quite deep into it. There’s only way to actually get there, short of being able to fly like they can. The road itself is somewhat treacherous but relatively well travelled. There’s a town called Dragon’s Eye that sits about half way travel from the city. But when you head to the city… you travel along a winding mountain path, and then just as you move over a rise in the path, you can see the city laid out before you. The buildings are larger than anything made by the hands of other species. More graceful too, I would say. There are also a number of waterfalls, of the clearest water you’ve ever seen. All in all, it’s a tall and impressive city.” He paused for a moment, before grinning slightly, “I know that you’re not going to believe me here, but that city… Vorserend it’s called, has stood for millions of years. It’s the oldest city in the world.” He tilted his head slightly, a sudden mischievous twinkle in his eyes, “And of course… being a raven, I can move around and see things other visitors might not.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Such as their burial grounds. Visitors aren’t allowed anywhere near them, and they guard them quite zealously. I can hardly blame them. I’m not exactly sure how they do this… perhaps some kind of magic but it seems that their bodies turn to some kind of crystal that actually grows into a tree. And the leaves turn into the colour that was their eyes. Their burial ground is a forest of these trees. One of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen in my life. I can’t even find the words to describe it.” He shook his head before giving a helpless shrug, “I think you would like it. They even have a massive library filled with thousands upon thousands of books… Of course, you’d need to learn how to read Eldyrannthian. Not many outsiders can actually speak or read it.”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan smiled a little when Luna toyed with the idea of freeing Maed is her soul was being used, or enslaved. She made it sound so easy, but Raeghan knew that it was far easier said than done. As he had been unsuccessful in locating any trace of her within the Spectral Realm, they would have no idea where she ended up unless they found some trail in the material realm and then from there, track it down. And that wasn’t counting any dead ends or false trails. They would certainly need Rayvenne’s help for that. She was an expert tracker, and her ways of finding out information. If anyone could find a trace, it would be her unless Luna had some means to track souls being used for magical purposes. Or, if a spell like that existed in the tome that Maed had left behind, Luna could learn and implement it. He then tilted his head a little when Luna thought that perhaps the dragon might know something. He shrugged one shoulder slightly before replying, “I kind of doubt it. I mean… there are intelligent dragons out there, but the only ones that I know that use magic are the Eldyrannth… and they’re not exactly pure dragons since they have a form much like this one. Although one might describe them more like elves than humans. However those that do magic are exceptionally powerful. But, they also aren’t known for sharing their magic with others, either. So that might be a bit of a dead-end, unless you’re able to convince them to give you some pointers. They do let traders into their City from time to time. Rayvenne and I went there, once...” He shook his head slightly, not even sure he could find the words to describe it, “It’s certainly is unlike anywhere else in the Kingdom and I think convincing them might be a little difficult.”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory “She was…” Raeghan couldn’t help but to agree when Luna said that Maed sounded amazing. She was certainly a unique individual. A little similar to Luna in some respects with her curiousity and kind nature. Maed was a little less trusting and naive, though. She had a sharp wit, though, and wasn’t afraid of much. She would even look a King in the eyes and not flinch. She was aware of her own power and was comfortable with it, without flaunting it in peoples faces. She knew when she could show her hand, and when to be discreet. In front of normal people, she wouldn’t show herself as a witch however in front of people like Rayvenne, she was pretty open from the start. But then, Maed was pretty good at being able to judge someone’s character and reading people. It was why she had managed to out-cheat so many people during her visits to various towns and villagers where someone would attempt to undercut her during a tavern game, only for her to turn around and beat them at it. He was brought from his thoughts with what Luna said next. He frowned a little before slowly shaking his head, “I’ve already tried to contact her and I haven’t had any luck, whatsoever. I’ve searched high and low in the spectral realm, but her soul has already moved on it seems. Either she has made peace and moved onto another host to be reborn again, or someone has already taken her soul and used it.” He said, hating himself for those last words. He didn’t like the thought of someone using his old mistress for their own selfish gains. He knew that there were magic users out there, that would use souls and spirits with little regard for any damage they might do. And Maed would have certainly been an enticing one. With how old she was, and her close association with magic, her soul would have been potent. Not as potent as one he had seen in the Spectral Realm, but that was one he had only fleeting glimpses of. He made sure to keep well away from that one, unsure if it was hostile or not. He certainly hoped it wasn’t.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan shook his head when Luna asked if it was silly. He was trying to keep his eyes fixed on her face, attempting to ignore her shifting around out of politeness. Despite his request for that night, he was still a gentleman, his manners drilled into him when he was a young human lad. Besides, he was going to be able to take his leisure studying her closely later, and he would certainly wouldn’t want anything spoilt before then, “I don’t think it’s silly in the slightest. Besides, I think you’ve learnt very well.” He commented, glancing around the wagon before he returned his gaze back to the bunny girl, “There are many different ways people get into magic. Maed, for example, got into it from her Aunt. She had seen her aunt cast a spell that made the flowers that Maed was trying to tend, bloom.” He grinned a little at Luna. “But no, I don’t think it’s silly. It’s obvious that pretty much as soon as you started looking into it, you were hooked. And you’re clearly a natural at it. Maed would have loved to have you as a student…” He squinted a little, trying to gauge her age although, as a witch, that was not always easy as there were numerous spells and potions that allowed a witch to greatly extend their lifespan. And due to the differing talent levels between different witches, the spells and potions had different effects. He certainly wasn’t going to come out and ask Luna’s age, as he felt that was extremely rude. Whatever her age, if Maed had known about her, she would have chased Luna around Craethiel, badgering her to become a student of hers.

At Izanagi’s warning, Daedrin scooted along the wall to give the man enough room to bring up the sacks of ore and deposited them nearby. He then waited several moments for Izanagi to make the climb up to join him. He tilted his head to look up at Izanagi before saying, “Those chains are pretty damn useful.” He sighed a little before adding, “Just give me a moment to rest. My leg is pretty painful.” If he was mentioning that it was painful, then he certainly feeling it. He had a rather high tolerance for pain, thus if it was painful enough for him to need a break, it was quite bad. His leg certainly felt as if it was on fire, the pain making him feel a little nauseous and a little sweat to bead his brow. It made him worry about a potential infection from the bite itself from the saliva of the wolf man. Something that the solidified inchor wouldn’t be able to prevent. Ultimately, as soon as they had left the cave, the best thing for him was to set up a camp and rest his leg. It would be much better tomorrow, but for today, he needed to rest it. Finally, he pressed his hands against the wall behind him and gingerly pushed himself up so that he was once again standing, “I’m good to go.” He said before he pushed himself away from the wall and limped through the caves towards where their horses were waiting for them. When they emerged into the larger cavern, Daegrin nickered in greeted, turning his head towards Daedrin and sticking his muzzle out in a silent plea. Daedrin gave in, stroking the animals nose before patting his shoulder with a rough affection. He then looked over at Izanagi and said, “Let’s split up the sacks. Ten on Daegrin and the rest on Lucky.” He helped secure the sacks onto both horses, allowing Izanagi to do most of the heavy lifting. He made sure that the sacks were secure and weren’t in danger of dropping off. Once the task was done, he took Daedgrin’s reigns and lead him out of the cave and into the sunlight. He narrowed his eyes for the moment it took for his eyes to adjust from the dark cave interior to the harsh sunlight. He then looked up and saw that at least a good amount of the day had passed already. He turned and mounted Daedgrin, his movement a little awkward due to his leg, but he was relieved that he no longer had to walk. He relied on Daegrin to move them forwards and to guide them back towards the campsite that they had used the night before. It was close, and they knew it was safe from the creatures of the mountains, Cloaked Harvester notwithstanding. When they reached it, he slipped from Daegrin and limped over to a rock before sitting himself down with a groan. He knew he needed to unsaddle Daegrin but he didn’t have the will to do it right now.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan smiled a little at Luna, “I doubt it will be that scary for you. Not only are you pretty brave, but you’ve got me to look after you and guide you. Maed didn’t have that luxury. She did it completely by herself.” His smile turned into a grin, “I don’t anticipate any trouble. At least if I haven’t just jinxed it.” He chuckled a little at that. He didn’t particularly believe in that sort of thing, and said it more as a joke. Maed sometimes chewed him out for doing that, at sometimes when he said it, trouble was just around the corner. But, quite stubbornly, he had always insisted that correlation does not equate to causation. Especially as it was only true some of the time. In his mind, it was quite irrational, but then Maed had always been quite eccentric, much like Luna here. At the second question, Raeghan shook his head slightly, “No, I haven’t given it any thought. Even if I did, I don’t think I would tell them the actual truth because they’re unlikely to believe me. They’re more likely to have me thrown into a mad house and those… those are not pleasant places.” He winced a little, as he once had a cousin that had been taken into one. The conditions were shockingly horrific, but no one said or did a thing about it. With a sigh he continued, “Not to mention the aversion to magic and witchcraft. They would accuse me of attempting to deceive them by taking the identity of one of their treasured ancestors. I might quickly find myself with my head on the chopping block.” He then shook his head, “No… it is best to leave it be. If I were to meet up with them, it would pretending to be a stranger.” He paused for a moment before asking, “May I ask… how did you get into magic?”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory At Luna’s question, Raeghan shook his head, “Of course I didn’t. I met her when she performed the spell that Rayvenne gave to you. I was already long dead. I was originally born nine hundred years ago. I had lived a long life… I was actually a Lord for King Enutpen, the first King for Craethiel. He rallied the country together, waging war across it to secure the borders and to establish Craethiel. I spent most of my life fighting. It’s why I was able to coach Rayvenne in all she knows. I was a Grand Master. One of the King’s best warriors. I had a beautiful wife, and ten wonderful children. I died a happy man. The Kingdom was at peace, and my family was well. Rayvenne and I had the chance to look up the records of my family. They’re still around today, and serve the Royal Court. It’s good to know that they still flourish to this day.” He smiled a little at that. “I met Maed in the Spectral Realm, where my soul had been wondering. I only have brief memories of that place. The passage of time is… distorted. Sometimes it feels as if no time at all has passed, and then at other times it seems to crawl. I vividly remember talking to Maed, though. She came up to me and just struck up a conversation. She didn’t tell me what she wanted at first. She just talked, and talked, and allowed me to get to know her. It had been a long time since I had spoken to someone like that, and I quite enjoyed our conversation. She had a rather dry, but quick wit. She saw things different to most people, and I really enjoyed her company. She then offered to take me back with her, to be a familiar for her. A companion. I accepted, quite eagerly I might add. The life of a raven had a certain appeal, if I am to be completely honest. But the next thing I knew, I was awake and in the body of the raven. And I had been with her until she died. Then I became a familiar without a witch… but since I knew Rayvenne so well, I decided to stick around her.” He said, his eyes half lidded as he focused in recalling his memories.

Daedrin watched quietly as Izanagi used his Hell Chains to wrap around the sacks, lifting them effortlessly into the air. He grinned slightly at his friend, “Effective.” He said approvingly. This would make it significantly easier for them to get back to the surface, and without weight dragging him down it would be a lot quicker as well. He stepped forwards and although he wasn’t one for much physical touch or affectionate displays, he clapped Izanagi on the shoulder on a comradery fashion, “C’mon. I hate being in stuffy caves.” He said, patting the mans shoulder again before he lead to way through the winding caves although they had to follow Izanagi’s route to avoid the rockfall. When they passed through where Izanagi had fought, he glanced around at the carnage and said, “Looks like an epic fight went down here… you’re going to have to tell me about this around the campfire tonight.” As they went further towards where they had come into the mine, they came across the sheer cliff where they had climbed down. Here, Daedrin came to a stop, looking up and then down at the floor with a look of annoyance. He bent down and picked up a length of rope, holding it up to Izanagi, “They cut it. Clearly thinking that they could block any escape for us.” He said, shaking his head at the sheer fooly of their ignorance. He had no doubt that Izanagi could simply use his Hell Chains to get himself back up, and Daedrin did rock climbing as a hobby and had climbed some of the most treacherous mountain ranges in his homeland. He carefully tugged at the fingers of his gloves before pulling them off and tucking them into his belt. He then placed one hand on the wall, tugging at it and showing to Izanagi that it was well and truly stuck to the rock surface. He then raised his hand, putting it above the other before he used the foot of his good leg to give himself a push up, allowing his injured one to hang limpy. Despite his injured leg, he easily climbed up the cliff face, using his hands to stick to the rock surface to pull himself up. He was faster climbing up, than he had been going down. When he reached the top, he pulled himself up and sat on the edge before scooting back and pressing himself against the edge of the cliff to get his breath back. His injured leg was throbbing painfully, and he needed a few minutes to sit down to give it some rest. He pulled his gloves back out and pulled them back on his hands once again so that he didn’t accidentally stick to anything.

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan grinned at Luna, tilting his head slightly as his eyes kept shifting to look down her top. He found it hard to look anywhere else and he had to shift slightly forwards due to discomfort of his eagerly reacting body. He tried to keep focused on what they were talking about in order to distract himself. They still had the entire night, after all, so there was no real need to rush things. He coughed a little to clear his throat, “Maed’s fortress is gone. Long gone by now…” Raeghan said, the corners of his mouth pulling down sadly, as his red eyes grew pained, “We were attacked, by bandits and Maed was killed by them before either me or Rayvenne could stop them. They burnt down her fortress so all that might remain is stumps. We’ve already picked over what could be there, which is why we have her Tome.” He sighed a little, feeling a sense of loss when he thought about his old mistress. Despite the fact that it had been about forty years, he still missed her as if she had passed away the day before but his efforts to try and find her soul to speak to her, were in vain as if her soul had simply disappeared. He then looked up and said, “As for meeting Rayvenne… we found her. She doesn’t come from Craethiel. She comes from a long across the Dynx Desert. I’m not going to tell you what happened in her birth home, but she felt the need to find another land to try and find peace. She crossed the entire Dynx Desert. It was a miracle that she made it. Maed and I came across her, near death, and brought her back to the fortress. Maed nursed her back to health, and Rayvenne stayed with us. I helped teach her swordsmanship, since that was something I was good at in my old life. Maed taught her some rudimentary spells, but she can only do a couple. They got on pretty well… although no better than with you at this point. Rayvenne is a very guarded person, slow to trust and slow to open up to people. She does it to protect herself…” He trailed off with a slight shrug, “I’m not going to tell you her life story. That’s for you to gain her trust for. But I think you’ll understand why she’s so… standoffish when you hear it.”

Location: North-east of Kalath, en-route to Enutpen’s Glory Raeghan chuckled when Luna exclaimed loudly in her eagerness, clearly far enough in drink to act more impulsively, and to not be able to control the volume of her voice. Rayvenne paused in sharpening her sword, looking over at Luna with a slightly raised eyebrow, “It’s alright… Raeghan is the better one to tell you about her. He’s known her a lot longer than I have.” She watched as Luna got to her feet, stretching her arms up. Raeghan stood himself, slowly stretching out his arms and legs while making soft, pleased sounds as he tested his body more. “I’ll be fine, Luna. Go, have fun and sleep the night away.” Rayvenne said, flicking her fingers in a dismissive fashion before adding, “Also, there’s no need to keep calling me ‘miss’. Just Rayvenne will be fine. I’m not one huge on manners.” She turned back to her sword, where she continued to sharpen it. The sound if the stone grating against the sword filled the clearing as Raeghan followed the bunny girl into the wagon. He had to duck down in order to get through the doorway, as he was significantly taller than Luna. While inconvenient in regards to her wagon, he found the height difference pleasing for very different reasons. He watched as she drew back a hanging blue blanket before unlocking and opening a door to reveal a quaint, cozy little home. It was definitely bigger on the inside, which caused him to grin. He had forgotten how awesome it was to be around a witch, and it was clear that Luna was pretty skilled at it. He carefully followed her through the door, making sure to watch where he was moving so that he didn’t hurt himself or accidentally break anything. He then looked at the chairs that Luna had invited him to use, and noticed that they were a little on the smaller size. But it was just about suitable. Making sure that the sheet was still tied on comfortably before he sat down. He didn’t get much time to look around before Luna returned. He had to double back, giving her a second, longer and more intense look. He definitely liked what he was seeing. His attention was so focused on that, that he almost missed the question. He blinked before forcing himself to look up at her face before he grinned slightly, “Nice outfit.” He complimented with a sly twinkle in his red eyes. He then sat back, reaching up to rub his fingers along his smooth jawline, idly wondering if this would grow a beard if he took enough potion to remain as a human for several days. Pushing that thought from his mind, he said, “When Rayvenne first met Maed, she was old… she was born about three hundred years ago now. She used various spells and potions to keep herself alive for that time. She was clever, incredibly clever. Many of the spells in her tome were ones that she invented. She had a knack for inventing new spells and potions. I’ve been her familiar since she was relatively young. Shamanism and Necromancy were two of her interests, thus she chose a raven for her familiar. She had build herself a fort by the Dynx Desert, somewhere where she knew we wouldn’t be disturbed much. Witches, and other such magic users are feared by the normal population which is why she decided to isolate herself. It left her in peace. Every now and again, a traveller would come by, begging some spell or cure but otherwise we were quite happy.” He smiled as he vividly remembered the warm days in the desert, “There was this one room she had… where she grew most of her plants and herbs. The walls were covered in vines and plants that also covered the ceiling and floor. You had to walk very carefully to avoid damaging anything. If you, or anyone else, were to go in that room you would have no idea what to find and where. But Maed always knew where to find what she needed. I wish she were still alive today. I think she would have very much liked you.” Location: Sheridan Manor, on the outskirts of Lathulla, and on the road away from the Manor Lucius tilted his head up slightly when he saw his sister emerge from the stables, already riding her mount. The kind of mount that, while he allowed Ciara to ride him, was clearly still very wild at heart. He smiled at her, as she looked very much at ease riding a horse even if she was riding in such a way that was considered unbecoming for a lady of her rank and stature. But he didn’t care. He knew his sister was not the same kind of lady that was content at fluttering her eyelashes at the various men in power, in an attempt to attract a rich husband that would keep her comfortable for the rest of her life. Lucius put his left foot into the stirrup before pulling himself up and throwing his right leg over the saddle before settling comfortably in place. He then gave his little sister a nod before he nudged the side of his mount who eagerly jumped forwards in a trot. Lucius glanced behind them at the Manor, noticing a figure watching from one of the windows. But he turned back before he could see who it was. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know. He nudged Aeris a little faster, wanting to get off of the grounds and into actual freedom. He knew that they had yet to decide where they were going, but he felt that if they stayed here any longer, they might never leave. The moment they left the manor grounds, he felt himself relaxing. A knot of tension in his stomach eased as well, making him realise just how tense he had been at the manor. He slowed Aeris down to a stately walk before looking over at his sister, “So where do you want to go first? We have the entire Kingdom open to us.” He asked, before adding, “We could go visit some of the other towns, or Selil… or we can go somewhere more exciting such as… the Rosayia Forest. I’ve heard that it’s a pretty interesting place.” He gave her a mischievous grin, “I’ll let you take the first destination pick.” He then offered, wanting to know where his sister was itching to go.