Prequel: Bansished Bonds

[Midnightmoon]

Lioh had just exited the Inn, meeting up with Oron outside when a familiar voice called to him. "Hey, still just a common guard, no warrior here." Lioh called as he turned towards the voice. "Doing great, that balm from the shop really helps. Who are these lovely companions you have here?"

[Morty]

Moira laughed nervously. Already on a dragon again so soon. She'd always dreamed of flight but somehow it seemed inappropriate to ask the normal pair bonds for a lift; for one thing, she didn't even know which of the two to ask. The etiquette of such things was completely lost on her. Returning her mind to the present she started, "Allright, I know a small traffick exit is around here somewhere, I used it to get in since I don't exactly have a need for dragon-sized doorways. You should be able to fit, though, seeing as you're kinda small..." she trailed off awkwardly. "I can see it up ahead, see the tower?" she asked, neglecting to point it out, as Fireheart wouldn't be able to see her anyways.
Sure enough among the outer buildings of the city one mong many towers rose, arpertures in its shell allowing small airborn travellers to pass between the city and the surface. They passed through one of the crenellations and flew straight up on a current of geothermal air, the lighting gradually changing towards the brighter. Luckily there was no one on the stairwell at that time of day, and they burst from the tower some several dozen feet above the waterline, the salty air greeting them as they careened over the bay. Moira could see the small ferry boat she'd taken to get there bobbing by the dock in the choppy sea. The shore and the town thereon could be made out from this distance, huddling in the lee of the cliff face over which grassy hills rolled. "Well, that went by without a hitch." said Moira in surprise as they sailed out freely over the bay. "What now?"

[Kauria]

"I'm Lisim, and the quiet one here," she said, nudging the thin light dragon with her knee, "is Jaraen."
Jaraen crept up beside Mags, and, with some difficulty, pushed himself onto his hind legs and extended a small hand in greeting. He smiled. "You are the flying guardsman some people are talking about?"

[Midnightmoon]

"Their talking about that stupid idea? Ya I guess that would be me. Feera, I sure hope that doesn't get out of the city. For one I'd have a lot more explaining to do for my captain and the others would never let me forget it." Lioh said with a bit of embarrassment and a laugh. "Please promise you'll not breath a word of it to anyone." He added in a whisper and a conspiratory hand to the mouth.

[Kauria]

"Not a word," Mags repeated, although a toothy dragon grin had split his face. "Any sign of the scientist who ran off last night?"

[Midnightmoon]

Lioh stilled looking up at Oron. "Why would she have been a scientist?" Oron asked quietly in a deep voice.

[Nohiki]

"Well i for one just found i have a lot of alchemy to practice. You wanna give... THAT... another try? I should probably stick around in case it fails again." Fireheart shrugged and headed for the shore. "got any safe spots like a cave several feet underground? My experiment might involve explosions... a lot of them."

[Kauria]

Mags exchanged a brief glance with Erasmus. "That's what all the rumors are saying," he said, puzzled. "According tae the people who were there, she said something about the College of Alchemy just before the attack. Quite a few Dark Clan members are worrying over what her actions mean for their scientists' public image, it seems."

[Midnightmoon]

(OOC: OK I have a PLAN NOW! awesome: get ready!)

Oron didn't respond to that but the pair of them quieted down, their expressions showing nothing. "I thought all our evidence was leading to another clan." Oron said with uncertainty. Lioh replied, "They both may be doing something. We can't hold off any longer." "But if we're wrong, and this gets out then there could be conflict. Most people would not even accept the idea." "If we don't say anything and we're right it could already be too late." The pair shot at each other. "Fine... but send that air pair with the message." Lioh sent a sense of a question. "You saw how fast and nimble they were, they'll get the info there fast and then the commander can question him personally." "Agreed." Then Lioh grinned at the company. "Eh, sorry, I was just thinking about the other stuff I've heard today and as interesting it all is I just want to drop the incedent. It's a bit too much excitement then usual for me, heheh. Hey! How about we meet up for lunch? I have some items I wanted to get before I have to return home but after that I'm free 'till they release me."

[Kauria]

"I understand," Erasmus said, holding up both hands. "And we'd love to meet you for lunch, if it's all right with everyone else."
He could faintly detect the series of mental murmurs passed between Mags and Jaraen as the two dragons consulted, but their thoughts were thick, quick, and muffled.
Lisim leaned forward in her saddle and rested her arms on Jaraen's curved neck. "We're coming, too."

[Midnightmoon]

"Great! How about the Silver-Oar? I went there a few nights ago and it was great. We'll meet up there and if you want something else we'll go to another place." Lioh said hurriedly as he clambered up into Oron's saddle. Lioh hadn't even sat when Oron started to lumber forward. "Heh, see you then!" Lioh nodded as he passed them. Heading down the street for one of the city entrances, there was always courier posts there in each city. He lost sight of the two pairs as Oron turned the first corner. They didn't say anything else as they traveled. When they got there Oron waited outside as Lioh hustled inside. Getting a pile of parchement and a quill he noted down everything he had collected and overheard over the past year in point form, finishing with the conclussion he and his bond had come up with. "Stay objective." "It's all wrong, what their doing is all wrong." "Regardless." With a grunt and a scowl he rewrote the last page without the conclussion. Closing everything up he went to the scribe on duty. He said firmly and with authority, "I need this sent to Jarahal, and I have want a certain pair to do it..."

[Awesomoman]

Vieris and Azelma received a message, they were to return to the city they had just left. Seems had been requested by name to deliver a special letter to Jarahal. "Wow. We're never gonna get away from here are we?" Azelma laughed as they entered the courier post. "As long as there aren't anymore black demon monster things it should be fine." Vieris replied. He walked up to the scribe and showed his postal ID. "You said you had a letter for us?" Vieris asked. "Yes. An Earth pair handed it to me and requested you deliver it." The scribe explained. Vieris gave him a weird look. "How did they know our names?" "Well....they didn't. They asked for the air pair that helped them fight that beast. It was pretty easy to figure out who you were." Vieris just sighed. "Them huh? Well just hand it over and well take care of it." He held his hand out and the scribe gave him the letter. "Now this is high priority. Get it to Jarahal quickly and safely, don't let anything happen to it." Vieris didn't even say anything, he just ripped the letter out of the scribes hands and walked out. "Get involved with one crisis and suddenly people don't think you know how to do your job." Vieris ment to say that just to Azelma but he said it a little too loud. People around him heard it and started talking and pointing. "I think they recognize us now." Azelma said. "Let get out of here." Vieris hopped on Azelma and they quickly took off.

[Midnightmoon]

"That was them." Oron rumbled from where the pair were waiting at the end of the street. "Yes, may Lady Luck be with them." They stayed there a few more minutes, both in their individual thoughts, then turned and headed to their lunch meeting.

It was Alices turn to set the bait and trap in the Silver-Sand Desert, but she really did hate it. The place was hot and dry. But it was the best place to gather the magic they needed without suspision, and they would soon need actual test subjects to continue. With Vincen invisable a few meters away she cast an illussion. Alice Lument, a light clan, now looked like a human at the edge of exhaustion. Then she took a deap breath and started to yell in desperation, "Help! Please help! Someone!..."

[saphira]

quill was getting hungry but more so tired and she knew Katrina was just running on fumes by now when she noticed a town. " i know your nervous about returning home after running off but both off us would have killed someone if we had stayed." katrina said to her partner. "yes i know." quill said wearily as katrina started to sink down to where the underwater city lay. "get ready to drop." katrina said then she transformed mid air hitting the water but not making a splash quills hair streamed behind her as she sat on katrina then she saw the city, exactly as she remembered it. she undid the strapping to her legs and swam up next to katrinas head and together they stepped onto the road that lead into the city. quill removed her necklace with the pendant that marked her as one of the t'ari bloodline, and walked down the street after entering and exiting the air lock.

[Awesomoman]

The two had been flying for sometime. They had gotten to the Sliver-Sand desert when Azelma slowed down almost to a stop. "Hey whats going on? Why are we stopping?" Vieris looked around but couldn't see anything that would cause trouble. "Don't you hear that?" Azelma asked. "Theres someone out there." "What? This is a freaken desert what would someone be doing out here?"
"Help! Someone help me!"
"You hear it now?" Azelma looked back at Vieris. "Someones in trouble." Vieris knew they had a time schedule to keep, but Azelma looked like she wanted to help this person, and after what he had done back at the festival there was no way he could argue against it. "I guess we could offer them a ride." He finally decided. Gleefully Azelma turned and headed straight towards the distress call. They spotted a human girl ready to collapse. Azelma landed next to her and Viseris quickly jumped off and ran to her. "You can stop yelling, where here to help. How long have you been out here?"