Our heroes enter their old hometown of Sandpoint. Each one walking into town with a little nostalgia and sense of loss, home is always different than in your mind. Ezren glances from under his hood at the sad, downcast faces. Four more cows ravaged with no clues to what did it. The farmers in the town square are debating, screaming rather, at Mayor Deverin. Kendra Deverin is a good Mayor, just a little frazzled under pressure. The air is physically heavy with the fear and sweat hanging.
"Calm down everyone! We have to think about this rationally"
"WE'RE DONE WITH RATIONAL, RIGHT BOYS!"
"YEA!" "YOU TELL HER" "SHUT HER UP!"
"MAYOR YOU HEAR THE MEN, WE WANT RESULTS, WE WANT PROTECTION."
The mayor climbs, for her safety onto the gallows stand. Ezren chuckles at the irony.
"She'll die you know"
His eyes slide to the right. As usual, Merisiel was noiseless in the crowd, a gliding wrath in his cloak.
"Didn't think you'd be back"
"Home is home Ezren"
"Not yours"
That stung, Merisiel makes no reply but half turns closer.
"It was my home more than yours."
Ezren shorts and looks back up at Deverin, at her clamoring for order.
"Well? I hear there's 1000 gold open."
Ezren weighs his conversational companion. "Why aren't you out there then?"
"Too much for one person."
"Even the great Merisiel eh?"
Merisiel lets that one slide. "You plan on just wasting words all night or you interested?"
"Valeros and Kyra turn you down?"
"....Kyra….Kyra and I had a falling out….and Valeros is too stubborn in his...values. Not that that's your business."
"No...I guess not...fine, I'll go with you. However, you really think it's a two man job?"
"Scared old man?"
"Cation has served me well in my health"
"And made you poor"
Now that stung "Fine, I can match you stride for stride. Should we intervene?..... Should we?"
Sliding his eyes he searches and fails to find Merisiel. "Little weasel…"
Ezren tosses back his hood and grandly sweeps his robes back, tossing a magic ball of light behind him to illuminate his figure as he raises his staff in the air. "ILLUMINE" The staff flashes and winks out into darkness. The crowd cries in pain and shock as they lose their sight.
"Flame and Ash who was that!" "I'll kill 'em!" "Find them!" "I can't you idiot!"
Striding onto the stage Ezren looks down at the crowd.
"Whos the old man?" "Is he a wizard?" "you idiot, of course, he's a wizard" "Its old Ezren!" "Ezren?" "Elder Ezren!"
The Mayor sways under the relief washing over her.
"I will take out this mysterious predator." Ezren's voice seems to whisper through the crowd like a snake winding through the grass. "And then you will be safe. My companion and I will deal with it"
"I'll pay you 1000 Gold Ezren, find it, find Black Fang."
Ezren steals a glance at Deverin but keeps his focus on the crowd. "We will return, with the beast's head"
BANG
As the dust dissipates the crowd's mouths hang and they rub their eyes. The wizard is gone.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Well, that was….something"
"It got us the job didn't it"
"I slipped a note into Deverin's office letting her know we are BOTH going on this adventure...in case you tried to cut out your partner."
"Trusting as always I see."
"Cation has served me well"
"Hmph"
"Daylight is dying...after you"
"After you Merisiel...I presume you stole the map?"
"Psh it was on top on her desk..that's not stealing, I simply borrowed it." Merisiel unfolds the map. "This way."