Crickets sang through the forest. Fireflies danced in the darkness, and a cool breeze blew through the branches. Small embers floated up into the canopy. A gentle tune plays on a lute, casting a relaxing aura among the forest. Francisco continued to strum his lute. Lily sat against a log while Kira sat on it. Diomede and Clayton stepped out of the darkness carrying wood. "Ah, our heroes have returned with more wood for our beautiful fire." Francisco rejoiced. The pair dropped their piles of wood and joined the others around the fire that danced in between them. "How fair the clothes my friend?" Francisco asked. Diomede, now dressed in a dark blue shirt and brown pants, replied. " Fine, they will do it for now." Francisco chuckled, "It is better than being in the nude, especially on a cool night like this one ." Clayton stood above the fire, holding his hand out. The warmth felt nice against his cold fingers. Clayton looked through the fire at Diomede. "What can you tell me about the necromancer that destroyed the village." The bluntness of Clayton's question deafened the sound of the camp. Diomede rubbed his beard, "Not much, I didn't recognize them. But whoever they were, they were able to cast a powerful spell not many can pull like that. Even more so how easily they did it." Clayton rubbed his hands as if he washed them with the warmth from the fire. "What do you mean?" The young knight asked. Francisco spoke out, "When an individual casts a spell, they use some sort of anchor to flow the energies through. Like a funnel would a liquid. This can be an item of sorts, your hand, or even words. In most cases, if the caster isn't well practiced with magics they use a ritual. Myself a bard, I use the music or the rhythmic sound waves I make as my anchor." Francisco continued, "Now the important thing to remember is that your anchor must be able to withstand the power of the amount of energy the spell calls for, or the caster will take the full force of the energy." Clayton sat down, fixated on Francisco as he continued. "What we saw the figure do, that amount of power to cause that much damage with only a snap of their fingers would mean the figure was a powerful one." Clayton thought back to what he learned at the capitol about using prayers to cast "blessings". "Would a prayer be able to be used as an anchor?" Clayton asked. Francisco nodded, "Yes because you use the words as the metaphorical funnel to pour the energy through." Kira interjected, "Now this is not the only way some can cast magics, others may be the anchor through a connection to a divine deity, like a cleric or those who make deals with other powerful beings." "Could that be the case with the figure?" Lily asked. Francisco looked to both Diomede and Kira, 'Yes, the figure could be a chosen of a dark god, or worse a mortal that has achieved a level of power they naturally should not have been able to." Clayton was surprised, he had no idea the logic behind magic use was so simple yet complex as well. He had only been taught about magic from the academy, and that any other magic outside of prayer was blasphemous. The Young knight looked to the group, "I think something needs to be said among us. Some truths brought to light." Clayton stated. The group shuffled where they sat. "And why is that?" Diomede asked. Clayton stared into the fire. "We have fought side by side with one another and now travel together to MY hometown." "I would like to know more about those I bring around my father and my home." Clayton moved over to sit against a tree and continued. "I only wish to better understand my companions." Lily crossed her arms. "My past is my own. And if you are to know it then you shall learn of it when you do." "Just know I will fight by your side as long as I must." Kira's heart fluttered, a pull to be truthful upon her soul was strong. Kira spoke out with a reserved tone, "Then ask your questions, I shall hold nothing from you." Clayton cleared his throat. " I have faced boarkar before, you may have a resemblance to them but you do not look like the ones I have faced. Why is that?" Kira inhaled deeply. "I have been chosen by the goddess you know as Gia, I am to be her divine champion of sorts." "Because of this, I have been given the looks of the first priestess of Gia. The one that was murdered along with her family in the very temple that was built to connect her and The Great Mother." Clayton's core sank. He couldn't believe what he had heard. He was in the presence of a chosen, and the chosen of the deity of life. Lily's face fell in disbelief. She sat beside the very connection to life itself. Francisco looked to Diomede who gazed into the dark and showed no reaction to the information. "Due to being chosen by her." Kira continued, "I have strong healing magics, and can feel both the emotions and physical pain of those around me." Kira gazed into the fire, "With my powerful magic I am sought after by those who would want to use me for dark purposes. I am a divine link to The Great Mother, but I am also Boarkar." Tears welled in Kira's eyes, "So I am also to suffer the punishment my ancestors have brought upon my race." The tears overflowed down her face as she continued. " My Father is Blood Tusk, the war chief and he gathers the other clans to rally together and face the dead that have begun breaching our borders from the deadlands." Kira wiped away her tears, "But those of my race wish to take from our neighbors, and raid across the borders. Grim tooth has taken most of my father's men and commits atrocities under the blood tusk banner." "Many have turned against my father because of this. So I set out with a group of boarkar warriors to find Orcsha, so he may rally and boost the morale of my people." Kira reached into a small pouch along her belt and pulled a necklace out. It was a dark bronze, embedded in it were cream-green stones. "I plan to show this to Orcash when I find him, it belonged to his sister, my mother." The information caught the attention of Diomede. "Wait, your Orcsha's niece?" Kira nodded, "I am." Kira placed the necklace back into her pouch. The information raddled Clayton. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. From everything he had heard about the Boarkar, none of it ever mentioned such deep connections. Everything he had been told was about their savage and brutal nature, and how during the first war they continued to fight. "Thank you, Kira, you don't need to say more." Clayton stood to his feet and kneeled in front of Kira. He pulled his broken sword from his belt and placed it in between them. "I may no longer hold my title as a Holy Knight of Umar, but I pledge on the broken sword soaked in the blood of my brothers, and myself to you and promise your safe return to your home." Diomede's brow rose with curiosity. Francisco began to play his lute, soothing Kira's heart. Clayton turned to Francisco, "What about you Francisco?" A large grin formed on the nesfundur's face. "Oh my young friend, my story is a simple one. I have traveled far and wide. I have seen the Fall Star Islands. Crossed the blazing sea, and play cards in the very house of the ruler of Artose." Francisco jumped into the air. "I collect stories and spread them all over. So that we may have a chapter in the history books of our heroes just like the ones of old." Clayton laughed. "But." Francisco's voice softened and his joyful tone faded. "I also search for someone I have lost, someone important to me." The others knew not to ask whom it may have been. Kira could feel the weight of sadness rest upon the Nefundur's heart. Lily felt a compelling tug in her heart to share with the others as well. The voice of her father poured into her mind, "Hide nothing from those who have bled with you." Lily stood up, "My tribe was attacked by the lords of Lagoona. I plan to travel to the capitol to gain information about their whereabouts." Everyone was stunned by the bluntness and sudden nature of Lily's statement. "And this one has assured me he will get me there." Lily said as she pointed at Diomede. Clayton's gaze met Diomede's. "Well, care to share who and…what you are?" Diomede readjusted his bearskin cloak. "About a week ago the farm I lived on was attacked by four Umar Holy knights. A Leoniod named Abadala, an Elofolk named Richard, a dark-skinned human named Stonewall, and Grandmaster Talon." "I am looking for them to gain information as to why they attacked the farm." Clayton's confusion spilled from him. "You said UMAR Holy Knight?" Diomede looked at Clayton with an exhausted look. "Yes cub, Umar holy knights." "That doesn't make sense, non-humans aren't allowed to become citizens let alone become Knights tasked to defend Umar." Diomede sat up, "Do you mean to tell me they weren't holy knights?!" Clayton nodded. Diomede felt the trickle of disappointment dripped down his back. He was never meant to make it to the capitol, just as Dafeena said. "But I will say this, Grandmaster Talon is known in the ranks of the Holy Knights." Clayton exclaimed. "But no one has set eyes on him, except the royal family. He is the King's battle master." Diomede rolled over to his side and processed the information. Annoyance and frustration clouded Diomede's mind. "Be up and ready before daybreak. We leave early in the morning." The muffled commands echoed from underneath the bearskin cloak. Clayton poked at the fire, as the others pulled blankets out and draped them over themselves. "Wake me when your watch has concluded." Lily spoke as she wrapped herself and dropped to the ground beside the log. Francisco tipped his nonexistent hat and curled under both a blanket and his magical cloak. Its form shifted to resemble a red and gold blanket. Kira rested against the same log as Lily and hummed a tune. The tune reached Clayton's ears, it felt both sad and comforting. Clayton stood and looked over his companions, he couldn't believe he was traveling with them and back to his hometown of all places. He gazed into the fire and kept his attention on the sounds around them. "What a strange turn of events." He muttered to himself.