“Mistress, perhaps we no go this way.” Ak’Gak said nervously, tugging on one of his floppy ears with his hand.
“I must have words with the Count.” Kanzen informed him simply, seeming lost in her own thoughts. “He may know the origins of the Boy.”
Ak’Gak licked his lips. “Maybe you just fly to Al'Lamar and kill Demon quickly and then we go back to Crater Lands and bathe in our home’s tasty energies. No need to know stuff about him.”
Kanzen didn’t respond, choosing to simply continue her journey at a leisurely pace.
My mistress never do things the easy way. Ak’Gak thought with a sigh.
The forest they traveled through was filled with ancient trees, their twisted branches and warped trunks still living strong even after centuries of being exposed to the magic of the Dead. Night had fallen, making what dim light the sun had managed to shine past the mountain walls of the valley and through the heavy boughs of the trees vanish completely. Only the moon held any illumination to the twisted landscape, it’s full silver disc taking up quite a bit of the night sky, much more than it did in other lands.
Ak’Gak’s fellow goblins began whimpering as they sensed Necromantic energies rising to fill the primeval forest with death’s cold clammy grasp. The traveling brigade reached the crest of a large hill and was able to see over much of the forest, to the massive citadel that loomed beyond. It was a gothic castle of truly colossal proportions, with hundreds of twisting spires and a keep large enough to contain whole armies. Only the Demonheart Citadel in the Crater Lands could match it in size and oppressive presence.
“Castle Luna.” Ak’Gak said, swallowing nervously. “Citadel of the Count.”
Ak’Gak’s beautiful mistress didn’t seem all that impressed however, and walked slowly down the hill into the crushing shadow of the keep’s spires, making a beeline directly toward the antediluvian bastion. Realizing his mistress’s intentions Ak’Gak sprinted from the safe haven of his brethren to Kanzen’s side. “U-Um Princess, W-What are we-“
“They come.” Kanzen interrupted him, stopping to stare out into the mysterious forest.
Ak’Gak was about to question what she was talking about when he heard hoof beats closing in on the brigades position. Out of the darkness rode a dozen knights in baroque bloodstained plate mail. Their steeds were jet-black war-horses with glowing red eyes that emitted sounds more akin to growls than nays. Their leader rode within a dozen feet of Kanzen and stopped, raising the faceplate of his helmet.
“You dare trespass upon the Count’s lands?” He hissed.
Ak’Gak was taken aback by the sight of the Knight’s face. Blood red eyes glared from a too pale visage and long fangs jutted from his upper lip, elongated ivory canines flashing like silver needles in the moonlight.
“Vampire!” Ak’Gak squeaked, ducking behind Kanzen.
“I have come to speak to your master.” The Princess informed the knight.
The Vampire let out a dangerous chuckle. “You stink of Demon, woman, the master has little patience for your kind. They flood his castle begging his favor and, in his kindness, he lets them serve him. Slave at his feet for a century or two and perhaps then he will deign to speak to you. I can introduce you to one of his lieutenants if you’d like, I sure we can find a use for a body as fine as yours.”
The Vampire’s cohorts gave rumbling laughs at their leader’s pseudo joke. They carried themselves with the supreme arrogance that comes from being a part of an elite group that always gets what it wants.
Ak’Gak looked up fearfully at his mistress, unsure of how she would react to their taunts and hoping he didn’t get caught up in the whirlwind if she decided to go berserk.
“I was thinking of a more immediate audience.” Kanzen replied, perfectly calm. “I’m not in any particular hurry but I’d prefer not to get stuck bantering with the help any longer than is necessary. Now, stand aside so that I may go speak with someone who actually matters.”
The Knight snarled wordlessly in reply and dropped his visor. He turned his horse and clopped away for several moments, then turned back and launched his horse into a charge, leveling his lance at Kanzen’s heart. Ak’Gak shrieked in terror and dove to his left, rolling across the ground to escape the coming battle. He came to rest on his belly and looked up just in time to see the lance shatter against his mistress’ breast, hurling wooden splinters in all directions. Kanzen raised her arm and placed a hand on the head of the charging steed, halting it in its tracks. The force of the war-horses abrupt stop compressed its spine, breaking both its neck and back. As for the knight he went head over heels past Kanzen’s shoulder to land on his back with a heavy clank.
“Grah!” He roared angrily as he smoothly leapt to his feet and turned on Kanzen, tearing his sword from his scabbard.
Ak’Gak ducked behind a tree, hiding in a relatively safe position to watch the action.
Kanzen stared disinterestedly at the twisted remains of the crushed war-horse as the Vampire delivered a lighting fast slash to her back. The sword seemed to pass directly through her image but in truth she was no longer there but standing behind the Vampire. His reflexes and awareness of his environment was superhuman and so he continued his swipe as he spun toward her to bring the blade across her neck. Unfortunately, though the blade connected, it did no damage but rather shattered just as the lance had.
The Vampire snarled and tossed the ruined remains of his sword to the ground. “What are you?” He demanded.
The Princess strode past the knight, ignoring him completely. “Come Ak’Gak.” She called as she moved through the ranks of the Vampire knights, who did nothing to bar her path.
Ak’Gak slowly left his cover, than sprinted to his mistress’s side. His fellow goblins quickly came after.
“Wait!” The Vampire leader called after her. “You’ve proven yourself worthy of the Count’s interest, I will take you to the Master’s Court!”
Kanzen stopped. “Lead on then.” She said without turning.
Ak’Gak wiped the sweat from his brow. What a life I lead! He thought, leaning exhaustedly against his mistress’s leg.
Joseph goes begins to go red in the face once again, this time however, it is in anger. "Am I the ONLY ONE that wants answers here?!" He points a finger at Kei's face and shouts at the young man. "GIVE ME THE KEY! I am not going too fly blind just because your scared of this guy being able to open anything he wants! What's the worst he's going too do? Rob a bank?!" Joseph throws his hands in the air, face only growing redder and voice more enraged and panicked every moment. "Well guess what!? I DON'T CARE! I want to know whats going on and he says he can tell us! GIVE ME THE KEY!"
After finishing his outburst Joseph simply stands panting in front of Kei, hand outstretched and face still red. You get the feeling that the only thing that had been keeping him together up until now was a mixture of confusion and a promise of an explanation. Now that his head is clear though, he's loosing it.
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Joseph goes begins to go red in the face once again, this time however, it is in anger. "Am I the ONLY ONE that wants answers here?!" He points a finger at Kei's face and shouts at the young man. "GIVE ME THE KEY! I am not going too fly blind just because your scared of this guy being able to open anything he wants! What's the worst he's going too do? Rob a bank?!" Joseph throws his hands in the air, face only growing redder and voice more enraged and panicked every moment. "Well guess what!? I DON'T CARE! I want to know whats going on and he says he can tell us! GIVE ME THE KEY!"
"Calm down!" a suddenly much braver Alyssa responds. She rushes over, and slowly, as if approaching a ferocious beast, reaches out to touch his arms. Her voice lowers to a whisper as she says "You are not the only one who wants answers. We WILL get answers. Let the rest make their decisions. If not now, then later, but WE WILL GET ANSWERS. Of that I promise you."
Alyssa slowly begins to tug Joseph away from the group. "Come," she asks, "someone is hurt, and they could use your help. Please." She begins dragging him away from the group, off in the direction Ruskarl indicated, not waiting for Ruskarl himself to come.
He's right. He's so right. But we cannot let this descend into madness and outrage. Having him help with the medical treatment will take his mind off of this, help him calm down. He needs to calm down. We ALL need to calm down. she thinks to herself.
Kei does not react at all when Joseph yells at him. Once Joseph finishes, Kei calmly asks "What if it's the kind of key that opens a place no one is supposed to go? What if it's the key to a nuclear weapon? What if it's also a weapon, and when you stick it in people, it unlocks their death? Someone gave this key to us, and I don't think it's too much trouble to ask him what he wants it for before just giving it to him."
"One of my sisters used to say that just because someone wants something, it doesn't mean they should have it."
John sighs at the outburst, but nods towards the Asian "Just because this guy is the first person to offer us answers, doesn't mean he's the only one who can provide them. Besides, how do we know he'll have the right answers, or is telling the truth?"
Bage sighs and scratches his head. "I guess we can just give it to him," Bage finally says. We can always simply fight later if need be, I guess... Key... Unlock...
"Hold on, though," Bage adds. "If this is a key that can unlock anything, then...is that what unlocked the gateway that brought us here? If so, then it could be our only way back." Not that I want to go back.
Joseph allows himself to be pulled away by Alyssa, though this doesn't keep him from going balistic on Kei as he's dragged away. "I don't give a SHIT about what your sister said! Don't you want to know if you'll ever see- This is the point at which Joseph gets pulled out of earshot.
-her again YOU NAIVE LITTLE SHIT!" Joseph has a few tears rolling down his face at this point, ripping his gaze away from the others he simply goes quite. They're going to make me stuck here, I just know it. My life is over...
Alyssa keeps her eyes peeled as she steps just inside the brooding forest but there seems nothing to see but the tall trees with their heavy canopies and the furry green moss that coats most of the undergrowth.
Surprisingly, all of the commotion fails to wake Lucas completely from his slumber - or maybe not so surprisingly... he's become a heavy sleeper in his old age - but the shriek of "you naïve little shits!" does rouse him. He rolls over onto his back, sits up, and is met by literally the most unusual sight he's ever seen. Surrounded by green on all sides - Wasn't I just in the hospital? - and what appears to be three distinct groups of... people? Well, two groups and one who looks like they're waiting for them to resolve their argument.
In one swift motion, Lucas stands up and slings his rifle over his shoulders, unlocking the bolt and pulling it halfway back to verify that it is loaded, then walks over to the lone figure and leans against a nearby tree. "So looks like I've missed out on a bit then. What's going on?"
Lucas knows better than to admit to any except verifiable lack of information. What's happened while he was asleep? Sure. Not knowing where he is, or when he got here, or when he learned to handle a rifle? Figure it out as you go, but never let anybody know.
"Oh cool. The cowboy's here", remarked the big warrior. "I guess Captain Kirk and Abraham Lincoln should be here shortly as well".
"Let me guess?" Zaidel continues. "You most recently died, and woke up in a strange place, in a new body, with all kinds of questions..AND you may be in an actual fantasy world. These guys", the big warrior points to everyone else in the clearing, "is fighting over whether this guy", pointing at Kamii, "should claim a magic key that could open anything from a ritual done with Shouty McShouter", pointing at Joseph, "And we all have different opinions on that. Congratulations. You are now caught up. Please join us in the Chaos", smiled Zaidel.
As he Alyssa, Joseph, and Ruskarl head into the forest he says to Joseph in a calm tone, "I know you may be wary of a man who was a giant bird a few minutes ago, but you would do well to hear me out. You said that you bled to death, yes? Then your life as it was is over. But you have been given a second chance in a new world, an opportunity to be something new and better. I have something of a hunch, that we have been granted our ideal forms in this new world. If that is true, then there is no reason to be afraid." After speaking to Joseph, he looks about the forest. Despite his human form, his eyes are still incredibly, almost supernaturally, keen.
Jospeh breaks his silence after the Vulture kind finishis speaking to him. He just looks a bird man and says. "The only thing different about me is my cloths... Maybe you all got your ideal form, but as far as I go it just feels like I'm the same old me."
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Alyssa finally asks the question on her mind, hoping to make conversation and draw Joseph away from him predicament. She looks at the Vulture King. "I'm sorry, but I have to understand. What are you? How are you talking? I don't get it. Birds don't talk unless they're parrots, and you're not a parrot."
She nudges Joseph and Ruskarl. "Don't you think that's a little..... neat?" she catches herself, trying to put a positive spin on things.
This has got to be the strangest dream of all. Keep a positive spin on this, Alyssa, we don't want to stress anything out.... even if you're freaking out on the inside.... keep it together. Stay strong, and remember the important things. It's going to be ok. You're going to be ok. Just keep an open mind, and enjoy the dream. Cause after this, eternity waits...... she quickly wipes a stray tear from her eye, hoping no one catches her.
She follows Ruskarl, hoping everything is going to turn out ok.
The Vulture King smiles before saying, "To put it simply, I am a minor deity of scavenging and survival given a physical form by this new world. When I am in my preferred aspect of the Vulture, I do not truly know how I am able to speak, though I am able to nonetheless. This whole experience of having a body is rather new to me, although by instinct or possibly memory I am able to steer it well enough."
Jospeh breaks his silence after the Vulture kind finishis speaking to him. He just looks a bird man and says. "The only thing different about me is my cloths... Maybe you all got your ideal form, but as far as I go it just feels like I'm the same old me."
Zaidel puts his hands on his hips and retorts, "Well, I'm sorry. Not all of us had healthy self-images in our previous lives. Congratulations on your enlightened outlook."
John looks down at himself. "I literally look exactly as I did when I died. Same clothing, same shoes, the only thing I'm missing is my briefcase, but I had set that down before rushing into the burning building. Perhaps that's why it's not here, wherever here is."
The Vulture King furrows his brow before saying, "In truth, I do not know. This realm is new to me, new to all of us I am fairly certain. We shall have to figure it out together."
"Umm...I actually never died. I was walking to school for Karate Club practice and...then I was here. I am also dressed as I was when I was walking to school."
"Are we getting close?" she queries Ruskarl, suddenly eager to arrive.
Ruskarl has been moving surprising quick for a man with a head wound severe enough to turn his jog into more of a confused gait, stumbling along with great urgency but little coordination, as if his legs weren't getting along and had different opinions on the proper way to walk.
"Soon." He mumbled, his focus almost entirely bent toward the difficult twin tasks of staying conscious and stumbling along toward Bunny.
It was dark and close under the forest's canopy of intertwined branches and thick leaves, and silence ruled, despite the fact that you occasionally spot birds in the trees and wild game like deer and rabbits foraging along the forest floor.
It was a twilight realm and yet somehow wasn't oppressive in the least, rather calm and pleasant. The silence of the animals wasn't the silence of fear when a predator arrives but rather the silence of priests, bowing before their god in meditative silence.
Some strange force permeated the forest, or perhaps WAS the forest, but it didn't seem sinister.
Finally Ruskarl leads you to an old, run down log cabin squatting in the dim shade. Throwing open the rickety wooden door, he leads you inside.
The interior of the cabin is a single large space. A old wood burning stove sheds dim light from the low fire in its open face. A pile of adventuring equipment sits in one corner and up against one wall is a bed of soiled sheets and dirty blankets where the woman lies.
"Bunny!" Ruskarl croaks at the sight of her.
Bunny is a middle aged woman with close cropped hair just beginning to go to grey. She has a massive build, her shoulders as wide as a mainline Knight's and her muscles as thickly corded as that of a peasant too poor to afford an oxen so he must pull his own plow.
A massive Katana leans against the wall near the head of her bed, and when she's healthy, you get the impression she wields it with frightening power.
Currently though, she appears near death, her body covered in hundreds of shallow, if wide, cuts.
It appears Ruskarl dressed her wounds as best he could but she shivers with fever and appears barely lucid.
"Save her!" Ruskarl cries.
"Umm...I actually never died. I was walking to school for Karate Club practice and...then I was here. I am also dressed as I was when I was walking to school."
The big warrior sighs. "Yeah..okay, whatever. The point is we are in the middle of a classic 'log jam': the campaign cannot move forward unless a decision is made. So let's lay it all out there. So far Kamii has not threatened us in any way, just wanted an unbelievably powerful artifact. I get it! Who wouldn't want it?
I say give him the key. If it turns out Kamii an evil f#<ker, fine, we'll level up, get more powerful and Kamii becomes the campaign end boss. If Kamii take the key, gives us the info and we never see him again, even better, then we collective can get on with exploring the campaign world, and do awesome s#!t. Personally, I don't want to stay in this meadow for the rest of my new life."
Seeing the terrible state that Bunny is in, the Vulture King rushes over to her. He places his hand on her forehead and closes his eyes, muttering in an ancient language. Primal life energy courses through him into Bunny. He then opens his eyes and says, "There, she should be coming along shortly."
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Entering the house, Alyssa lets out a gasp of surprise.
Oh my, the poor woman. What could have done this?
And Ruskarl. No, he's devastated. There's no way. He'll lose it, if she goes. When she goes. Oh, no, and we just walked out of one horrendous into another.....
She watches as the Vulture wanders over, quickly places a hand upon her, then announces her good health.
She watches as the cuts begin to cauterize and heal, as the woman's skin takes on a healthier hue, as her breathing goes from ragged to steady, and slow.
She watches- and stares in amazement.
This is beyond me she thinks, and slowly begins to sit against the wall, her mental processes shutting down.
"Well..." Joseph say to the vulture king. "Looks like she's fine then, good job with... Whatever that was." Joseph seems to have been snaped out of his stupor by the amazing feat of curative properties.
"How long was she like that?" He asks Ruskarl, approaching Bunny he examines the places the cuts used to be, amazed to find that there is a distinct lack of scaring. "I'm certain that most anybody would have bleed out out by by now if was more than an hour or two..."
The big warrior sighs. "Yeah..okay, whatever. The point is we are in the middle of a classic 'log jam': the campaign cannot move forward unless a decision is made. So let's lay it all out there. So far Kamii has not threatened us in any way, just wanted an unbelievably powerful artifact. I get it! Who wouldn't want it?
I say give him the key. If it turns out Kamii an evil f#<ker, fine, we'll level up, get more powerful and Kamii becomes the campaign end boss. If Kamii take the key, gives us the info and we never see him again, even better, then we collective can get on with exploring the campaign world, and do awesome s#!t. Personally, I don't want to stay in this meadow for the rest of my new life."
"Not that anybody asked my opinion, but as your elder I say that we honor the agreement. I don't understand half of what Muscles there said, but I do know that you can tell a lot about a man by how he keeps to his word, and apparently you young'ns could do with a bit of learning in that regard, if this is even a discussion."
John shakes his head at the big warrior. "You seem to be missing the obvious here. *IF* Kamii is the bad guy, and we give him the key, what if he uses it to unlock some super weapon? Sure, he said he just wants it to get a gift, but what if that gift is some device capable of killing millions of innocents. I'm sorry, but I don't want that kind of blood on my hands."
He turns to the old man. "Here's the thing about agreements among a group. We all have to agree before we can be accused of breaking our word. I never gave my word, so I can't have broken it. And neither have you. *WE* were never consulted and *apparently* this artifact key is tied to all of us. Which means we all should come to a group consensus."
"I came into this after the argument started so count me as an abstained vote. I had thought that the agreement was already made and now someone was reneging on that agreement, but if that's not the case, can you fill me in? What do you mean it is tied to all of us? How did the argument even start? Where did the key come from?"
"I just want to know what he is going to do with the key that materialized from one of us before I give it to him. Since he hasn't answered, I haven't given it to him. I don't want him to use it to hurt other people."
"It could be used to open the door to another world, such as letting a horde of demons here or something. And even if he told us, how do we know we can trust him?" Bage points out. "But this isn't getting us anywhere. We don't know anyone in this world, only one of us know what this world is, and we have nothing to base the truth on. So let's just go with what we want. I vote keep it. Besides, the guy's honestly a wimp, so fighting him would be easy."
"Please...not too late...survive!...the Seal...destroy ...can't die!
The words ring through Cherry's head as he awakens amidst the commotion unfolding in the meadow, of which he seems oddly ignorant. ...Where am I? he ponders, trying to make sense of his surroundings as more thoughts rush through his head; A dream? It seems too vivid...Well, what did I do last night?...Could I be... Quickly sitting up and giving his head a brief shake in an attempt to suppress his last idea, Cherry becomes aware of the somewhat-deadened sounds of the others' argument, which quickly roar to life as Argos focuses his attention on the event. Figuring that he could glean some information about his current state from these figures, Cherry rises fully and moves toward the scene. "You, there. What's happening here?" he asks in a tinny, distant voice.
Kamii blows out an exasperated breath as the discussion spirals on.
"Tell you what, I'll go search out what answers I can for you and will seek you out when I know more." He tells the group.
He gets up off the log and turns, walking back into the heavy shade of the forest.
"Feel free to travel as you like, I have the feel of your auras now. As long as you don't deliberately hide I'll be able to find you."
He walks off into the dim woods and his form seems to meld with the shadows, vanishing bit by bit.
"May our next meeting be more to both our liking." His voice calls out, then he is gone.
You are left in the near silence of the meadow, the only sound the buzzing of insect wings as tiny bugs move from colorful flower to flower, doing their eternal work of pollination.
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Watching Kamii disappear, the big warrior sighs a sound of relief.
Looking around, Zaidel ponders aloud.
"In my old life, my name was Joe. But I don't think 'Joe' will cut it in this new body. Something fantasy sounding. Zaidel was my last name. That sounds kinda cool. But just Zaidel, no! What am I, Madonna? Zaidel..ah..Michigan. Yeah. That'll do. You guys can call me Joe if you want, but my new given name will be Zaidel Michigan..Hero of..wherever-the-f#<k-we-are!" The big warrior strikes a heroic pose.
"Perhaps we should follow the sun", poses Zaidel. "At least this world only has one."
When the Vulture King finishes his spell Bunny's eyelids flutter open and she sits up.
"Kara." Ruskarl says, a tear running down his cheek.
"Ruskarl, you...brought someone to save me?" Bunny's voice is light and dry, like the long grass at the end of the summer season. Her question doesn't sound rhetorical, but rather is filled with surprise, as if going out of his way to save someone was atypical behavior for Ruskarl.
"I've suffered a head wound." Ruskarl informs her, as if that explains everything. He turns to Joseph as if to answer his question but his eyes roll up into his head and he faints.
Bunny is off the bed and catching Ruskarl in her powerful arms in an instant.
"Uh, can you heal him too?" She inquires of the Vulture King.
"I guess following the sun is as good an option as any, but let's find the few that already wandered off, first. Might as stick in a group since we're in the same boat," Bage suggests. "And it looks like all the shouting has woken everyone up. I'm Bage, for those that are curious."
As the group gathers themselves a strange little creature, standing about a foot and a half high, comes bouncing into the meadow.
It has the lower body of a cricket with pretty golden strips across its green insect parts and the upper body of a beautiful elven woman with silver hair, green eyes and pale skin.
"Hella." She says in a cheerful tone. "Oh, but he wos a bod mon wosn't he?" She asks in a childlike voice. "He smelled of bononos, right?"
She lands in front of the group and preens, running a cricket leg through her messy silver hair.
"Well, Bononos and domnotian!"
"A half bug, half elf. A Belf," Bage determines, staring down at the small, mystical creature. "Do you know where we are, little one?"
Relieved when Kamii leaves, Kei pockets the key and then says "Where did the upset man and the upset-but-now-calmer woman go? We should probably all stick together, since we all came together."
As the insect creature appears, Kei squats down and says "Hello Mrs. bug lady. I don't know what a bonono is."
"A half bug, half elf. A Belf," Bage determines, staring down at the small, mystical creature. "Do you know where we are, little one?"
"Hey naw, I oin't na belf, I'm o Grig! A Beoutiful fey, in service to her Lody!" The Grig corrects Bage. "Ond yau're in my Lody's Waad!"
As the insect creature appears, Kei squats down and says "Hello Mrs. bug lady. I don't know what a bonono is."
"O bonono! Yau knaw, green ot first then yellaw! Tostes mighty fine! Shoped like o gently curved baamerong?" The Grig informs Kei, she rubs her left hand onto the left jade horn that curves gently up from her tiny forehead.
A nervous tic perhaps? Or perhaps she is trying to illustrate the shape of a banana?
"My nome's Bobey by the woy, whot ore yau're nomes?" She asks the group at large.
To Bunny's response, the Vulture King nods. He turns to Ruskarl and says, "Now hold still for a moment." He places the fingers on Ruskarl's forehead and mutters in the same ancient language. Healing energy, albeit less than before, flows into Ruskarl.
Ruskarl awakens and slowly opens his eyes. "Thank you." He says to the Vulture King. His eye catches Bunny's and a look of wordless appreciation passes between them.
Ruskarl gets to his feet. "I'm glad you're ok." He says gruffly to Bunny.
He walks over to Alyssa, tugging on his vest to straighten it as he goes. Reaching her he puts a hand on her shoulder and asks; "How about you? You look put out..."
Meanwhile Bunny bows before the Vulture King and Joseph Miner.
"My name is Karatotsei Baru."
To the Vulture King she says; "I owe you my life."
Lucas watches Kamii leave* and notices that everybody else relaxes after he's gone. When the grig appears in the meadow, Lucas immediately turns towards it and readies his weapon, aiming down the sights at it before he catches himself in surprise. When did I learn to do that? He shakes himself out of this thoughts just in time for the creature to give its name and ask for their own. Lucas gives his own name and looks expectantly around at the others, matching names and faces for the odd group around him.
After Kammi leaves, John relaxes visibly. That boy set him on edge for some reason.
He flashes Joe, now Zaidel, a ready grin as he introduces himself "I know what you mean, I feel like John Smith is way too boring. Which, I think was my curse in my old life. However, I'm unsure what to call myself now, so I guess John will have to do for now."
When the faerie shows up, something deep inside him resonates with the tiny creature. He beings to talk to her in a very strange language.
*Sylvan*: "Well met Babey, my old name was John, but that doesn't feel right any more. And yes that boy definitely smelled like bononos and domnotian."
"My name is Kei. Nice to meet you!" says Kei as he bows to the creature.