It was a typical afternoon at the grey gates of Hometown. Chainmail-clad guards stood in their posts, doing their best to look like they would be keeping a careful eye at all travelers coming in or out. Traffic was quiet yet steady. Farmers came from their fields to have something to eat in their homes. Traders of all kinds, from wagon-driving merchants to simple bag-carrying peddlers hurried into the town, hoping to have some sort of sale before the market would be closed down for today. Among the other folk walked the ever-present adventurers, voyagers of all kinds, in no hurry to anywhere yet always driven forward by ceaseless wanderlust.

"Alm for the poor", a grey-cloaked, scar-faced Forest Clansman whined and lifted his cup at one of the merchants. He scoffed as his plea was left unheeded, his only healthy eye glared disapprovingly at the back of the richly-dressed Fish Clansman. Shifting his position under his cloak, the Fox crossed his legs and leaned his back against the gate's stone pillar. He hummed idly, patiently waiting for the next traveler to come close enough for him to repeat his plea. Every now and then his eye wandered across the road, at a lone figure standing on the other side of the gate.

Leaning lazily in the shadow of the other stone pillar there was a slim Woran, dressed in a worn leather armor. His muscular, bracelet-protected arms were folded over his chest as he watched the passing of travelers through the gate. He wore a pair of long swords in his back, their handles jutting out just behind his shoulders.

That Woran had been standing there for almost five hours now and did not seem to plan to retire anytime soon. Whoever the mercenary was waiting for, the Fox wondered, he was determined to find him.

The Forest Clansman's thoughts were immediately drawn back into business as a new wagon passed by.

"Ahoy there, little girl. Spare this ol' fox a coin or two?"

Before the young girl -- of the Wing Clan, her black wings revealed -- could answer, her shoulder was touched by another woman sitting on the wagon's driver's bench. "Get yourself a job, beggar", the dark-haired beauty said.

"Hah", the Fox replied sarcastically, "As if someone like me would get a job anymore. Good thin' I can still walk, but runnin', that's out o' question. Just one coin! Please!"

"Well, one coin wouldn't do much harm", said a man who was walking alongside the wagon. His light brown hair was tied into a bit shaggy ponytail and his ears were weird, furry and somehow cat-like.

"I -- I think so too", added an older, white-bearded man sitting further away on the driver's seat.

"Hmph." Tossing her hair out from her face, the scar-faced woman pulled out a single coin. With a satisfying 'clink' it landed into the beggar's cup. "Buy yourself that damned beer then and be poor for the rest of your life."

"Ah, may Saint Eva bless you, bless you he will!" the Forest Clansman intoned loudly, then turned his gaze to prey upon new victims. Inwardly, however, he smiled.

A wagon, an older wizard, a dark-haired woman with scars and a girl with black wings. That was them, all right. But who was that cat-eared fellow? The Fox frowned for a moment, then shrugged. Oh well, it really made no difference.

The Forest Clansman sat in his place just for long enough for the wagon to disappear around the street corner. Then he hastily stood up, emptied his beggar's cup into his pocket and dashed down the street in the same direction where his targets had gone.

The beggar's grey cloak had barely disappeared from sight when the Woran narrowed his eyes, stepped out from the pillar's shadow and swiftly walked down the road.

* * * *

"Ah, a town", Aryn announced with a pleased tone as the wagon clattered along the street. The bodyguard walked alongside the vehicle, his eyes feasting upon the buildings and the bustle of the city. Although they were completely surrounded by other traffic, citizens going about their daily businesses and children playing and scuffling in the street corners, Raven's vehicle moved onward surprising ease. People knew that it was healthy to stay out of the way of a lumbering biruburu.

"Why it's called Hometown, Aryn?" Nina asked, turning her head left and right as she looked at the passing houses and shops. Ever since they had passed through the city gates, she had felt herself a little nervous. Although the feeling had decreased from what it had been in Capitan or Coursair, her imagination still conjured pictures of people turning to stare at her behind her back. It was a feeling she simply had to get used to.

"Huh?" Aryn looked up from where he had been inspecting the stock of a young girl who was selling fruits in a street corner. "Oh, I think it's a bit similar thing as Cat… I think I'll take these, Miss." The bodyguard placed a few coins into the girl's palm and hurried after the wagon with his purchases, a couple of small apples. "Yoji told me that this was originally just a small fishing settlement without any kind of name. It was just 'home' for the folk living in it. And then, when it slowly began to grow… Nobody happened to think about changing its name."

"Yes", Yoji added with a matter-of-fact tone. "It has been Hometown for people living in here, and now, it still is Hometown. It is a good name, so there is no reason to change it."

"Ah."

"Beggars." Raven suddenly sniffed in disdain. As stubborn as her beast of burden, the dark-hair seemed to be unwilling to leave the events of the gate behind. "I hate beggars."

"Ah --" Master Yoji carefully interrupted her sulk, "Shouldn't you spare some pity on them? They are at other citizens' mercy and…"

Raven scoffed. "How many of those beggars have really lost their legs? How many of them are really so fatally weak that they can't do any work?" As if to give a point for her words, she again slammed her stick against the biruburu's backside, with the usual, non-existent effect. "Hah! Most of those people are just lazy louts without any kind of will to do work."

Yoji sighed. Although he had known Raven only for a short time, he knew that it was easier to break down a mountain with a cobbler's mallet than persuade the dark-hair change her mind. This being said, the wizard saw it wiser to change the subject: "We'll probably have to deliver your cargo to the School as quickly as possible. The unloading and assorting will take the better part of this afternoon, so I believe it would be good if you, Miss Windia and Mr. Seaholt, went to arrange yourselves a lodging for the night. I know a good inn just nearby and Raven can drop you there before continuing to the School -- " He kept a pause, suddenly drawing a bit nervous expression over his face. "That is if you agree with me, Miss Raven."

Raven shrugged. "That's why I'm here, grampa. To deliver this cargo to your school. Better be off with it soon as possible."

"Master", Nina asked and swallowed a piece from an apple Aryn had tossed to her. "Couldn't I come to the School today already? I mean, I'd really like to see it."

"Uh -- " Much to Raven's and Aryn's amusement, Master Yoji looked extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed. "I think not. Outsiders are not usually allowed to walk the School's grounds. It will be much easier if there is only Miss Raven to get through the gates without agitating the gatekeeper. And besides, enrolling into the School is a very complicated and time-consuming process. Better leave it for next day."

"Oh." Already guessing what her teacher was about to say next, Nina hastened to add: "No, I don't mind. Really!"

"Hey, Yoji", Aryn said down from the street.

"Ah, yes?"

A half-eaten apple in his hand, the bodyguard pointed at a tall building in a street corner. Hanging by its doorway there was a large sign, illustrating a loaded crossbow. "Is that the place?"

"Ah. The Ranger's Lodge." Yoji nodded. "That's it."

* * * *

"That's it?" A wiry, thin-faced man casually sank his teeth into a piece of carrot at the same time as his eyes measured a large building on the opposite side of the street. Although he was leaning negligently against the wall in the shadow of a side street's corner, his gaze worked carefully, examining his target in a professional manner.

The Forest Clansman's single eye gleamed innocently from the shelter of his gray cowl. "Hey, have I lied to you before, buddy?"

"Can't say you have." The other man gave him a sullen look and added: "As long as we pay you, that is." With that, he spat a half-chewed piece of carrot out from his mouth.

The Fox shrugged, his lips curling up into a canine grin that revealed his yellow teeth. "Hey, that's what they call 'business'! But anyway, your Joker-boss wants that girl, right?"

The wiry man bit his carrot and decided not to comment.

"Well then, go get her! The cat-eared fellow and the girl went into that inn there and haven't come out yet. The other two, the bitch and the wizard, they rolled to the School. To load off the cargo, I s'ppose. Maybe --"

The other man wasn't interested, so he silenced the Fox with a glance. "Does the girl have black wings?"

The Forest Clansman nodded and winked with his only eye. "Uh-huh."

Finally, the thin-faced man answered the beggar's smirk. Swallowing the last piece of his carrot, he contentedly clasped his hands together. "Good. The things are finally starting to run again. I'll go and see my cousins. Snoop, you'll get your reward in the usual way."

"I'll be waitin' for it."

"Ok." The wiry man nodded, turned and walked right into a fist that slammed into his face. A quiet gasp of pain escaping his lips, he slumped hard against the brick wall. Blood sputtered from his broken nose.

The Forest Clansman whirled around in one spinning mass of gray cloth. His eye widened as a palm closed around his muzzle and slammed his back against the wall.

"Hi", smiled a Woran mercenary, the very same from the gates. "Doing some extra-income here, are you?"

"MMmmph!" replied the Fox furiously, his hands moving swiftly under his cloak.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. Am I choking -- no you don't!" Nimbly the Woran leaned backwards, out from the reach of a dagger that had appeared into the beggar's hand. One of the mercenary's strong hands grabbed the Fox's wrist, the other never yielding its tight grip from the muzzle. A twist, a grunt, a painful slam against the wall, the struggle was quick and silent. Within mere moments the dagger clattered to the shadowy street.

"There we are", the Woran said happily as the Forest Clansman finally ceased his struggling. Quickly the mercenary glanced around, making sure that none of the passers-by on the main street had noticed anything. His smile froze as he noticed that the other man, the one with the thin face, had disappeared from the place where he had been supposed to be laying unconscious. "Swift little bastard, is he? Doesn't care about his pal too much."

"Mmmh." the Fox replied sourly. Although the beggar was considerably stronger and healthier than what he gave credit for, he knew when he was overpowered.

"No matter", the Woran shrugged and pulled his prey deeper into the alley. "Now, my friend, you're going to tell me just why you folks are hunting my good pals Mr. Cat-Ears and Miss Black Wings. Oh, and -- talk quickly, will you? I'd hate to stain my dagger on such a good day…"

* * * *

Wisps of steam rose from the light-brown surface of a bowlful of soup. They swirled, spun, danced in the air, hastily as if knowing that their life span would come to its end within mere moments.

"Not hungry?" Aryn asked from where he was sitting cross-legged on his bed. He was surrounded by neat rows of throwing knives and a little larger daggers. One by one the bodyguard lifted his blades from the blanket, carefully polished them into a rag and moved aside the ones in the need of sharpening.

"Huh?" Caught by surprise, Nina looked up from her soup. Then she gave out a little laugh and returned to her original position, leaning her head against her hand. Her elbow, in turn, was leaning against their room's little table. She continued to toy with her spoon as she spoke: "I guess I'm a bit nervous of tomorrow. It has felt like an eternity. This journey, I mean."

Quietly, her spoon went tink tink tink against the soup bowl.

"And now, here I am, preparing to study magic in a real school."

"Uh-huh", Aryn agreed and held up one of his knives for close inspection. "Big changes aren't easily made. You'll get used to it." With a little glint of mirth in his eyes, he added: "After all, you got used to me, too."

"Yeah", Nina chuckled.

"Aryn?"

"Hm?"

"Legends and prophecies can be more inaccurate than a blind man with a bow, right?"

Aryn nodded and picked up the next dagger. "Right."

Finally Nina decided to try some of her soup. She used her spoon with almost ridiculous carefulness. "I could grow up to be the destruction of Windia. I could become a savior of the world. Or, I could live quietly all by myself. That's what you once told me, right?"

Aryn frowned. The girl had a good memory. "About right."

Nina looked up from her soup and chuckled awkwardly. "Well, here I am, helping to save the conscience a bodyguard who's supposed to protect me!"

"Well", the protector shrugged, "It's a good start, at least." He decided not to comment the subject any further and hoped that the girl, too, would have enough sense to leave it be.

After a moment of silence, Nina decided to change subject. "I miss Silen", she simply said. Those words, those three little words, made the room seem somehow a little darker, a little emptier than what it was.

"Me too", the bodyguard replied quietly.

Nina was just about to add something when there was a knock at the door.

Aryn lifted his eyebrows. Raven and Yoji simply could not have finished their work this quickly. "Who's there?"

"Room service!"

Nina and Aryn exchanged glances. "Ah, we haven't ordered anything."

"I know", answered the voice behind the door, "but I was sent to deliver you a message."

"A message?" With a little nod of his head, Aryn sent Nina to open the door. The Wyndian girl complied, expecting to see the friendly face of the apron-clad young servant they had met in the Inn's taproom.

"Hi", said a Woran mercenary who was leaning one hand against the doorframe. He was clad in a leather armor and his muscular arms were shielded by a pair of bracelets.

And he was definitely not wearing an apron.

"Girl", instantly wary and ready to take on any surprise, Aryn leapt to his feet, "get over here."

"Long time no see, huh, Aryn?" the mercenary said, spreading his hands in a gesture of showing that he bore no ill plans. The two sword handles jutting over his shoulders, however, spoke another tale.

"You are…" Aryn frowned and narrowed his eyes, searching through his memory. Then he flinched. "The pirate base! You're the Woran pirate I fought!"

The Woran nodded. "Lynn is the name."

With clear, calculated moves, Aryn reached for his battle daggers. "What does captain Rajen want with us?"

To their surprise, Lynn just shrugged. "I dunno. Rajen hasn't been doing too well, lately. I quit the piracy business soon after that Essar incident. Heck, that snaky-friend of yours is scary! He wiped out half of Rajen's gang in a single-handed match! And then there were the ones you folks killed upstairs." While speaking, the Woran moved further into the room and sat down onto one of the beds. "Look, Aryn, Rajen's finished. I'm earning my money as an honest mercenary these days! I came here looking for you."

Aryn seemed to relax a little, but he still kept his daggers in his hands. "Are you seeking to finish our match?"

Again Lynn surprised them by laughing. "Hey, I beat you once and you beat me once! We're even now, no hard feelings! I've been tracking you for a long time. Took the first ship to Coursair, only to arrive to find that your ship had sunk right into their bay. Then there was this Forest Clansman with a blue scar who told me --"

"Blue scar?!" Aryn interrupted, his eyes widening with alarm. "Wolfmund?"

Lynn shrugged. "Didn't ask his name. But anyway, he told me you were heading in this direction, so I booked into the first ship going to Hometown and have been waiting for you ever since."

"Why?"

The Woran mercenary took a very solemn expression onto his tiger-striped face. "I'm here because I want to ask you something."

"Ask?" Aryn's tone was wary. Quietly he motioned Nina to sit next to himself. Moving as silently as possible, the Wyndian girl complied.

Lynn folded his arms over his chest. "Why didn't you kill me back then? You killed plenty of others, but not me. Why?"

Taking a deep breath, Aryn leaned his back against the wall. After exchanging looks with Nina, he spoke: "I don't like killing. I'm a protector, not an assassin. I try to save lives, not to take them."

"You killed the others."

Aryn nodded gravely. "I had to. But there's also something else to you, Lynn."

Lynn smiled, a hint of understanding entering his eyes. "There's some Woran blood in you, isn't there, Aryn?"

The bodyguard nodded again. "Yes. If you discount my Grandma, you're the second full-blooded Woran I have ever seen. I've seen plenty of the world, but only two members of this Clan. It's sad, but true. Sometimes I think you folks are on the brink of extinction."

"No Woran should kill another", Lynn stated. After a moment an impish smirk spread out to his face. "I would have killed you."

Aryn chuckled. "I'm only a quarter-Woran. Much less valuable than a pureblood."

"Right. Talk about race protection…" Nodding in agreement, the Woran mercenary leaned forward and picked a piece of bread from the table. Glancing at Nina, he leaned back into his place. "How you're doing, girl?"

"Fine", came Nina's curt reply. "Why do you ask?"

"Because there seems to be plenty of people interested in you", Lynn said around the mouthfuls of bread. "You were followed to this inn."

"Hmm?" Nina could almost imagine Aryn's ears perking up in a professional interest.

"The beggar you saw in the gates. He informed your location to some gang member in town. They're looking for a black-winged girl."

"…Me?" Nina swallowed as her spirits sank. No, it was beginning again!

"Yep. You. You may know that there's a certain gang of bandits acting around this region. Jokers, they're called. For a reason or another, they are hunting for you, girl."

* * * *

"DUCK!"

Cursing like a pirate, Raven hastily drew her head back into shelter. An eyeblink later, a purple bolt of fire struck into the pile of large boxes she, Yoji and two other wizards used for cover. Charred wood splinters and multi-colored sparks showered all around the storeroom.

"I'm going to skin you for this, my dear sis!" the dark-hair seethed as she peered over the boxes.

It had turned out that one of Lady Ayena's packets indeed had contained an elemental. Unfortunately, she had forgotten to label this particular bundle with the words 'Fragile! Handle with care!' (Or, at least this was what Raven claimed. One of the wizards insisted that the words had been there, large and clear, but the dark-hair had simply ignored them. Master Yoji told both of them to be quiet and run for cover.)

Whatever the case, they now had a purple, dog-shaped blaze wreaking havoc in one of the School's storerooms. Shards of the shattered containment crystal laid scattered in its paws. The blackened stone floor was littered with burning fragments of wood and debris.

"We'll have to get it under control!" shouted the youngest wizard with a shaking voice. He hugged the floor even tighter as another blast of fire scorched the wall right behind him.

"Fine, just go and ask it to be a nice pooch!"

"Oh dear…" Master Yoji wiped his soot-covered face into his sleeve. "That's easier said than done…"

"Do tell!" screamed a blue-haired sorceress next to him.

All four drew their heads down as a flaming table crashed against the boxes. An entire selection of bottles shattered onto the floor, their valuable contents splashing everywhere.

"Um… Does anyone happen to have some water magic handy? I do know a few ice spells, but that may be a little too harsh…"

"We can't just kill it!" shouted the young wizard. "It's far too valuable. We'll have to recapture it!"

"Swell…" Raven rolled her eyes. "Any brilliant ideas?"

"Well, there's one thing we'll know for sure", Yoji remarked sheepishly, stroking his beard. "The storing operation will take a bit longer than expected…"

"Oh, really!" The others scowled at him.

In the middle of the room, the fire-dog howled and breathed out an immense blast of flames. An entire pile of boxes was blown into smoldering pieces and three wizards and one hawk-trader scrambled for new shelter…

* * * *

The sun was setting.

The buildings of Hometown were nothing but angular, gold-trimmed silhouettes as they caught the light of dusk. Wagons and carts rattled in the streets, boxes and baskets were carried inside as townspeople closed up their shops and workplaces, preparing to spend yet another night in their lives. Through the floor under their feet, muffled sounds of chattering and clinking of mugs could be heard as the Ranger's Lodge's dining room was slowly being filled with customers.

Absently plucking the fur in his ear, Aryn was standing before an open window and watching at the street. Nina wasn't sure if he was looking for any signs of Raven and Yoji or their supposed pursuers, but the bodyguard had not moved from his place for a long time. It was also quite probable that he was once again going through their meeting with Lynn.

Other than his warning, the mercenary had been able to tell them little else. The leader of the Jokers had started becoming annoyed at losing many valuable resources chasing a prey that kept eluding his grasp. So, his next move would probably be brave and swift.

As their meeting closed to the end and Lynn, satisfied that his curiosity had been fulfilled, prepared to leave, Aryn had laid a hand onto the Woran's shoulder.

"Behave yourself now, Lynn."

"I'm an honest mercenary now", the Woran had replied solemnly. Then his lips had parted to reveal a sharp-teethed grin. "Okay, a teeny-weeny bit of bandit business on the side, but hey, who's going to count that?"

There was a knock by the door. Without a moment of hesitation, without so much as a blink of an eye Aryn's hands disappeared into his sleeves, ready to draw his daggers. Though his expression was wary, his voice was calm and casual as he called out: "Who's there?"

As always, the voice behind the door sent a chilling feeling running through Nina's spine: "It iss me."

Aryn frowned. "Snaky?"

Silence. After a moment something shuffled behind the door. "Indeed. I understand well your amazement, but are you planning to make me sstand here for entire night?"

Aryn blinked his eyes. After throwing a quick glance in the direction of Nina, he strode forward and unbolted the door.

Standing on the other side was indeed the lean, cloak-clad form of Essar Shoo. His reptilian eyes widened in something that had hopes of being translated as mild amazement. "Ah… Sso you indeed are alive, Aryn. I wasss fearing for the worst when I heard the newsss, but I am relieved to ssee you in good health, my… friend." Wiping a hem of his cloak out of the way, Essar walked further into the room and favored Nina with an absent look. His long-stemmed pipe was leaking its purple smoke in his mouth. Within a few moments the entire room reeked with the sweet smell of his unusual tobacco.

"How did you find us?" Aryn asked as he shut the door.

"I have my resourcess. You sshould know that."

"Essar", Nina put in quietly. She had moved to sit down into her chair and was now watching the snake-wizard over her now-empty soup bowl. "Don't tell me you came here to warn us about the bandits called the Jokers, who are after us."

The Windian girl took secret pleasure from the fact that this time, Essar definitely looked amazed. "You knew…?" His eyes narrowed and two clouds of smoke puffed out from his nostrils.

"We have our resources, Snaky", Aryn said casually as he sat down onto the corner of his bed. With a wave of hand he gestured Essar to sit down into the free chair. "Why did you come all the way to Hometown just to tell us this?"

"Aryn…" Essar's hissing voice took a mild reproving tone. "I am offended. I have done what I could to protect you ever ssince you left Capitan, and sstill you are asking why I am here?" He paused, long enough to fill his lungs with the pipesmoke and exhale. The coiling wisps of purple smoke were gathering into the ceiling above them. "Very well. I am looking for certain arcane tomes. I wish to find them from the Great Sschool of Magic. You merely happened to come into the ssame direction, but now that we are all here, I wish to help you."

"Why? You want me to get into debt with you again?"

Essar's yellow eyes gleamed in the shelter of his high collar. "When you first came to me, I failed to provide you and the girl with a ssafe passage. I do not like to fail, Aryn. And moreover, I'm not exactly in… good termss… with thiss Joker Gang. Their actionss have damaged my network, and I wish to repay the debt. I am planning to help you… by hiding you from your chasers…"

"Where?" Nina asked.

Quietly Essar's tongue lashed out from his mouth and disappeared again. He drew a deep breath from his pipe and blew a rippling cloud of smoke into air. "A place ssafer than thiss inn."

Aryn and Nina exchanged quiet looks. The bodyguard had traveled with the Windian girl for long enough for him to read the message from her eyes.

"I think he can be trusted", the protector said openly.

"…To a certain degree, that iss", Essar finished the phrase Aryn often used to describe the snake-wizard. As always, there was a link of understanding between the two.

* * * *

Across the street, directly facing the Ranger's Lodge, there was a two-story apartment building that rented out rooms for workers and travelers who had decided to stay in Hometown for a greater while. Unlike the inn, it was dark and silent. Either the rooms were currently empty or their occupants were already sleeping, preparing for the next day.

Well… at least on the case of the apartment that faced the Ranger's Lodge, neither of these options were correct. Standing by the window in the darkened room, there were two men. Neither of them spoke, nor did they move from their vantage point. It was an excellent place to keep an eye on what was going on the street, without any kind of danger of the observers themselves to be seen.

"How long have they been there?" one of the men finally asked.

"Don't know", replied the other. "The beggar said that two of them would be there. We've got all the exits covered. We'll see them if they come out."

"I heard that one of the cousins got his nose whacked pretty bad while getting the info from that Fox." The man shifted a little, attempting to shake the long hours of standing from his legs. "You think it was this cat-ear fellow they spoke about?"

"Nope. Heard it was a Woran. The big Cousin doesn't know about it yet… Don't know if we even SHOULD tell him about it. He doesn't like hearing about such stuff."

The other nodded. "Yeah. S'ppose that Woran was just some sort of cutpurse. Coincidence, nothing more.

"One of my pals is looking for him. Let's hope that it was just a coincidence."

The other man was just about to add something as movement down on the street caught his attention. "Hey. Look at that."

A lean shape had stepped out from the inn's front door. It was a tall person, dressed into a broad cloak and a hat decorated with a large feather. Although his clothing covered almost all of his features, there was something… reptilian about this character. He was too lean, way too lean to be a human.

"Hey, isn't that…?" one of the men asked.

"Not our target. Too tall to be the cat-ear and WAY too tall to be the girl."

The two guards watched with interest as the shape down on the street looked first to the left, then right. Finally, he turned so that his cloak whirled around him and began striding down the street.

* * * *

Essar Shoo walked along the street with his determined, yet calm pace. Absently he puffed little clouds of smoke from his pipe and watched how they dissipated into air. The sun had already set and the streets were quiet. No annoying, noisy people hustling around him, no little children staring at him with their wide eyes and the most importantly, no irritating Fish Merchants showering their incredible bargains at him. Essar took great pleasure from the moment. At this time of day, he could feel that the streets belonged to him, and him alone…

Essar allowed this dream caress his mind for the tiniest of moments before focusing his thoughts into the matter at hand. Blowing smoke through his nostrils like a dragon, he turned around a street corner.

A stifled cough could be heard just behind him.

"Ssilent."

"Sorry", came the quiet answer.

The snake-wizard continued his journey as if nothing would have happened. The route was familiar to him and it could be seen: he chose roads and turns without hesitation. Though his eyes were constantly scanning his surrounding, he did not look especially vigilant or careful as he moved forward. To put it short, he looked like he would be doing something he did every single day.

A couple of street corners later, Essar finally stopped. Absently he tossed glances up and down the street, then nodded to empty air before him. "Truly, Misss Anina…" he reproached mildly, "Even though you cannot be sseen, you sstill can be heard."

There was a gentle stir in the air, as if a weak breeze would have rippled the surface of a crystal-clear pond.

"Sorry!" Nina shrugged apologetically as she materialized out of nowhere onto the street. "It's just that smoke of yours."

"You think we are far enough from the inn?" asked Aryn, who came into sight right next to the Windian girl. The bodyguard was carefully watching at the shadows, looking in the direction from which they had come.

"Sshould be", Essar answered calmly. "Thiss iss how long the sspell of invisibility will last, anyway. I don't think we'll have to rely on it for the rest of our journey. But …" he gestured the others to follow him, "let uss not tarry, either…"

"Right."

Even despite their situation, invisibility had been an exhilarating experience for Nina. It had been incredible to look down at herself and see nothing, as if she would have been little else than just a breeze in the air or a shadow in the night. Even more thrilling had been the moment when she had passed the mirror in their room. Reflections, Essar had explained, were invulnerable to the magic of invisibility. That was why she had seen her own image. But what had made it a strange experience was that she could actually see through the girl in the mirror, as if the Windian would have been nothing more than a mere ghost!

"Wonderss of magic…" Essar had actually smiled mildly as he had prepared to cast the spell on Aryn.

On that moment, the snake-wizard's hissing voice drew Nina back to the present, back to the dark, quiet streets of Hometown. Oddly enough, at the nighttime, the streets in every city looked all the same. Dark, silent and creepy in every way.

"The Jokerss have been after you even ssince you left Capitan. The troubless at the Golden Auria, the assassinss, it wass all their doing. While you were running for your livess, I have been gathering information on their movementss…" The snake-wizard halted and held up a slim hand. "Wait."

"What?"

For a moment Essar just stood there, his eyes glimmering in the dim light as he scanned the shadows. Then he soundlessly stepped forward and turned around a corner. The hem of his cloak had barely disappeared from the sight when his snake-head reappeared and favored Aryn and Nina with a curt nod. "The way iss clear. Quickly."

"What kind of information?" the bodyguard asked as the two followed Essar through the twisting maze of narrow, shadowy streets. They were heading for the storing quarters of the city, the area consisting mostly of simple, large buildings meant to temporary house the goods shipped into Hometown's port. At this hour, the streets were dark and almost eerily empty. Only a single, black cat could be seen pawing its way down one of the alleys.

"It sseemss that they have rather limited resources for thiss chase… and they sseem to know about your past, Aryn", Essar replied and rapped the ashes from his pipe. "And --"

"And they are hunting for me…" Nina put in quietly. Her voice was somehow submissive.

Essar nodded as he glanced down an alley. The movement made his feather sway. "Exactly, Misss Anina. It iss likely that they believe you to be valuable to your family back in Windia…"

If you only would know, Nina thought sadly.

"Where are you taking us?" Aryn asked as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure that the Windian girl was following him.

"Temporary hideout." Essar answered, "Not too comfortable, but very ssafe. Most of my network is based into Capitan and Tunlan, but I do have ssome alliess also in thiss direction. While you are out of the way, I sshall contact ssome of my… friendss and ssee what we can do."

"How about… framing the death of a Windian girl?" Aryn asked casually and threw a meaningful glance at Essar.

The snake-wizard halted and looked back at Aryn. "That iss… a possibility", he said, evenly.

A few unnerving moments later they reached their destination, a dark alley behind an abandoned storehouse. It was a dead end, no visible doors and no windows on the walls.

"What now? Illusions again?"

Essar didn't bother to answer. Quickly he cast a glance onto the street, then drew out something small and metallic from the folds of his cloak. Turning his back to Aryn and Nina, the snake-wizard stepped close to the wall.

There was a quiet click as the key turned in a lock and then a door that had been hidden into the shadows swept open.

"Darkness iss one of the best camouflagess one can ever hope for…" Essar stated dryly as he put his key away. Then he gestured towards the black doorway. "You will be ssafe here."

Led by the snake-wizard, Aryn and Nina stepped into the darkness. It was immense, so thick that it felt almost like a cold blanket folding itself around them. The only source of illumination came from the street, and even that faint light was like a teardrop attempting to quell a blaze of blackness. But even so, they had a feeling that the room they had entered was a large one.

Nina felt how Aryn put his hand onto her shoulder. The bodyguard's green eyes were gleaming in the faint light as he looked at something on the floor. "Essar?" he called out after a moment, "what are these marks for?"

Nina followed his gaze. Indeed, even in the darkness she could distinguish a series of marks burnt into the floor. They were a complicated set of runes, all linked together to form a long, arching line. Such runes, the Windian girl remembered Master Yoji explaining, were often used to create long-standing spells into designated areas.

"Those?" Essar's absent voice came from the shadows. "It iss a ward."

"A ward?" Aryn asked. "To keep intruders out?"

"No", the snake-wizard replied casually. "To keep prisonerss in."

On that moment, the marks blazed to life. Their venom-green light spread out from rune to rune with dazzling speed, arching in a perfect circle around Aryn and Nina. The door was slammed shut behind them.

The bodyguard was already on the move. His hands disappearing into his sleeves, he attempted to leap over the runes before the spell would take full effect. A tongue of green flame, flashing out from the floor, proved that he was too late. It looked like Aryn would have leapt against an invisible brick wall. With a grunt of pain, he stumbled to the floor.

"Essar…!" Nina gasped as she attempted to help her bodyguard to his feet.

Standing in the pale-green illumination of his spell, Essar's cloak had taken a new, almost unearthly shade. His tongue lashed out and back into his mouth as he evenly answered Aryn's angry stare. "Please forgive me, Aryn…", he said definitively, "but I just passed the degree of trust."

On that very moment, a clapping of hands could be heard from the other end of the room. Soon it was accompanied by an another set of hands, then another, until the entire room was echoing as the unseen audience applauded for the end of the show.

"Nice going, Essar!" called out a vague shape standing further in the room. "Wasn't exactly trusting that you would actually bring 'em to us on such a delicious tray, but I suppose you can be trusted, after all!" Even as he spoke, the man walked forward. The light of the runes landed onto his leather clothes, tanned complexion and red scarf.

"Ssince you were getting impatient and you were unable to do it yourselvess, Hain" Essar replied as he made way for the tan-skin.

"Hain?!" Nina gasped again as she saw the familiar features of her long-time hunter.

"Nice to see you again, Miss Nina", Hain greeted the captives with a little bow. His face was heavily covered with scars. Though the wounds left there by Raven's hawks had already healed, their memory would mark Hain's features for a long time. "I'm sure your daddy will love to get you back again."

Nina swallowed. Fear was starting to be a familiar feeling for her. Attempting to muster whatever courage she had, she lifted her chin and replied defiantly: "I do not think so."

"Essar…" Aryn had not seemed to even notice Hain's appearance. His eyes had been fixed into those slits of darkness of his former…'friend'.

Essar did not reply. He simply answered the bodyguard's glare.

"Hey." Hain turned his back to the rune circle and walked over to Essar. He even lifted his hand to tap the snake-wizard's shoulder, but then reconsidered and withdrew. "Joker will be pleased with this catch. We can begin cooperating pretty soon, so you don't have to be afraid that we'll come all the way to your territory, Essar."

"I am pleased to hear that", Essar hissed calmly. "You can do whatever you wish with these two. Aryn iss no longer any use to me."

While the two were speaking, other shapes had begun to appear from the shadows. Lanterns were lit here and there, lighting the large storehouse with their yellow glow. There were numerous people here, all dressed in assorted selection of clothes and pieces of light armor. The only thing that bonded them together was a fiery red scarf. Some carried it around their necks like Hain did, others had covered the tops of their heads or their faces with them. It was a telltale sight enough.

As if reading Aryn's and Nina's thoughts, Essar nodded to the two captives. "Aye. These people are Jokerss, the oness who have been after you for a long time."

"Why did you --" Aryn barked out.

"I told you", Essar interrupted calmly. "I'm not exactly in good termss with the Jokerss. That hass to be corrected… by making an appropriate sservice to them."

"Such as bringing us a little offering of a Windian princess", Hain added with a smirk.

There it came. Nina had already been suspecting this, but to actually hear her hunters to say it sent a wave of fear and sadness across her soul. Slowly she lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

Aryn's hand had clenched into a fist. His eyes were glimmering with their dangerous flame again. "I thought you were above such a thing, Essar", he said, bitterly.

"There are many thingss about me that you do not know", Essar replied. His tongue lashed out from his mouth, his eyes gleamed. "That, Aryn, iss the difference between you and me." He turned away from the rune circle, his red cloak sweeping the floor as he did so. "You might want to take care of Aryn while he iss sstill in the circle, Hain. I am ssure you know, he tendss to be…dangerouss…"

"You got that right", Hain nodded and gave a mark to one of his men, who drew out a bow and began notching an arrow.

"And sso, the flight of a beautiful…sswallow…endss into a wall." Essar's voice was poetic and solemn. It was as if he would have been preparing for a eulogy to one of his former allies.

There was a long, deep sigh. Aryn's hand closed tightly around Nina's shoulder. "Sorry, girl", he said calmly as he watched how one of the Jokers took aim with the bow. The flame had disappeared from his eyes. There was no edge in his features. Yet though he knew that he was facing a certain death here, he didn't look very frightened or even worried about it. Instead, he looked…tired. Tired and sad. "Looks like I failed you again."

"Don't blame yourself", Nina replied quietly. Swallowing, she pressed her eyes tightly shut. If her friend would be to die here, she did not want to see it. Not again.

The bowstring creaked as the weapon was drawn to its limit.

Nina did not see how Aryn suddenly lifted one eyebrow. She did not see how his eyes blinked once, twice, as he realized something important. She did not see how the very corners of his lips twitched in a short and carefully hidden smile. This was why she flinched as she heard her bodyguard's voice whispering very low: "Girl… when the shield goes down, open that door and run."

She did not have time to be surprised. She did not have time to ask what he had meant. She opened her eyes just in time to see Aryn leap forward, his wide sleeves flapping as he flipped himself from the way of the arrow. A dagger had appeared into the bodyguard's hand, the weapon's long, silver blade carving a crescent-shaped blur into air as it slashed against the green flames of the rune circle.

There was an angry flash as the enchanted blade met the enchanted shield. Aryn's dagger drew a long, shining-green arch into the wall, a wound into the magic itself. With a loud, violent crackle the runes flared in a futile attempt to heal themselves and then --

They simply went out.

"What the --!" Hain gasped and immediately took a step backwards.

Essar narrowed his eyes.

"Run, girl!"

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Next: Chapter XXI
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