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"Lance!'



There was no time for thinking as he looked over his shoulder to see why Jira was yelling his name. He looked just in time to see the blade coming down at his head. With a fluid motion he pulled his own sword underneath it while he danced around this new opponent and elbowed him in the back. "That was a dirty move." He and the newcomer circled now, measuring each other with each step.



The man grinned a sick smile of rotten teeth and chuckled. "I just wanted to see if the rumors were true." He dashed forward, sweeping his blade down in an attempt to strike below Lance's guard.



Lance brought his sword down at an angle to catch and divert the attack, he stepped forward to prevent further attack for a moment. "And just what rumors would that be?"



"They say that you bested Aronis, that you haven't lost yet. I wonder if they speak the truth." He thrust back and sheethed his sword. "I have your measure and I am reasonably certain that it may be possible, I can't wait to see what happens next." Before Lance could do anything the wind came up and his opponenet seemed to disappear into it.



Jira gasped. "Did you see that?"



Lance snorted and shook his head. "Of course I saw that." He sat down and went back to sharpening his sword.



"Don't you know what that means?" She had a touch of exasperation and a little bit of fear in her voice.



"That people with bad hygiene have heard rumors about my skill with a blade?" He grinned now, he was being intentionally obtuse and knew it would annoy her.



"Gah!" She kicked dirt at him. "I don't know why I bother ! Fine! If you don't want to care about the fact that a Wind Swordmage has noticed you than I won't either! And don't ask ME for help when you get in trouble for it!"

"Come in, come in! Please excuse my lack of manners but I usually don't have guests this late. Here, have a drink. I can't imagine what brings you here at this time of night but I welcome the company. I suppose if you're here you must have come for a tale."



"That would be wonderful indeed."



"Excellent! Sit and relax then, I think I know just the one. It starts a little over two centuries ago, some people now say it's nothing but a legend..."







"Would you hurry up!" Sal looked around at his friend in annoyance. "If you don't pick up the pace we'll be late and you know what she's like, do YOU want to take the blame for keeping her waiting?"



"I'm trying!" I might do better if you'd carry anything, he thought to himself. "How much further is there to go?"



"It shouldn't be more than half an hour more."



Enrick sighed in relief, "I don't know what you're whining about, we're almost half a day ahead of schedule if that's right." He silently grumbled about Sal's impatience. "Run on ahead and get a room at the inn ready for us, I won't be far behind and you can give Malise our report while I'm on my way."



"Oh, well, alright then." With that Sal turned and hurried on.



Once he was out of sight Enrick started to chuckle at his companion's reluctance. He knew about the antagonism between the two and couldn't imagine why Sal had volunteered to accompany him. Then again, maybe that was why he had. "Yes, that would be just like him" said to himself. He knew that Sal would love nothing better than to tell the Shifter that she was being called back to duty. Not that she really had any right to resent the summons since that was the oath she swore to when she began her training. There were very few sorceres who weren't bound to the council these days and even fewer who had attained the power she had, bound or not.