Sven concealed all emotions behind an empty stare. When Incendia spoke up, he smiled, casting her a look that said 'You think you're so smart, don't you'? "You're group was alone, but no longer. And it's easy to tell that you are mercenaries. Why else would a large group of warriors, magic-users, and priests be in a forest headed for Dyan? I assume you're not all headed there to sell your wares in the upcoming Harvest Festival. That would be absurb, and that is the only reason people even go to Dyan nowadays. Either that or mercenary work. The place is swarming with mercenary work." Was it just Luke or did this man really enjoy the sound of his own voice? He wouldn't shut up. "I don't know," Lucas said aloud. "I just don't know if we can trust you. What do you think?" He looked to Deathblade, Incendia, Agnorth, and the others, waiting for an answer. "We should allow this man to travel with us, but do you think he is really what he says he is?" Annaleigh whispered to the group.
"That is no reason to assume that we are mercenaries, even a simple delivery man like your self should know the dangers of this land and time. Surely even you know enough magic to defend yourself and how to wield a sword, or at least a small knife. I won't allow you to stay near our group, not without proving who you are, and that you mean us no harm."
The man's emotions and personality were somewhat similar to Deathblade's. "Luke let me try something." He walked over to the man planting his sword in the ground between the two. He stared at the man blankly, looking over specific features, a twitch in an eyebrow, possible quiver of the lip, maybe even a double skip of his heart beat. Nothing though. "I don't trust you," he stared at the man further, "and yet, both of us are so much alike. I might even dare to call us twins."
Luke watched as Deathblade approached the man, saying something about them being twins, and he couldn't help but laugh. Their personalities were similiar; over-confident, all-knowing . . . They looked nothing alike, but Deathblade was halfway correct. "Twins?" Sven questioned, looking Deathblade in the eye. "Hmph! I suppose you may think so, but I must say I disagree. My intellectuality is far beyond your own, to such an extent I can read you like a book." He paused, his mouth curling into a mischievous, charming half-smile. "But I can see why you don't trust me. You all make assumptions, but assumptions lead to nothing. When you assume, you only suceed in making an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me'. Now, we don't want that, do we? Ha! I learned that one from an old friend of mine . . . But that's beside the point."
"Twins?" Sven questioned, looking Deathblade in the eye. "Hmph! I suppose you may think so, but I must say I disagree. My intellectuality is far beyond your own, to such an extent I can read you like a book." Deathblade chuckled at the comment, "overconfidence my friend will be your own downfall, I doubt you have the intelligence you claim, and my friend you can't claim anything until you prove yourself." "But I can see why you don't trust me. You all make assumptions, but assumptions lead to nothing. When you assume, you only suceed in making an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me'. Now, we don't want that, do we? Ha! I learned that one from an old friend of mine . . . But that's beside the point." "Of course, but I believe in this weather," he stared at the group, "I don't think this is the time for bantering and idle chatter," he began to walk off, "if you're going to come, then you'd better be moving right about now," he stopped short next to Luke and whispered, "I suggest we keep an eye on him, and if you want him dead," he looked over his shoulder, "don't hesitate to ask." He then walked off beginning the long trek ahead.
"Witty", Incendia said with a tinge of something akin to disgust. "As you have said, assuming leads a person no where. So if you would; please clear up the assumptions for us, and prove to us that you have good intentions; so that we can stop making an ass out of you." it seemed that Deathblade had already begun to walk off, so Incendia followed, while holding a charged gem in her hand, just in case.
"Of course, Miss," said Sven calmly. So, he had been invited into the group. All he had to do was prove himself. Easy enough. Catching up to Incendia, Sven folded his hands into his robes and smiled at her. "I seem to have already forgotten your name. Would you mind repeating it to me?" Lucas went along with Deathblade and Incendia, once more working his way to the front of the pack. They would stop and rest soon, and then finish their journey to Dyan the following morning. All the way, however, Luke would be watching Sven. Waiting for him to screw up . . . Annaleigh, like Luke, said nothing, but instead walked very close to her brother, fearing the newcomer. Whatever he was up to was no good. She didn't trust him, and she had no reason to. Why had they even allowed him to join them?
"In that case, Incendia Ignis, it is a pleasure to meet you," Sven said, offering her a hand from within his robes. "It is just Sven, actually." It was odd for one not to have a surname, but Sven was an odd person all-around . . . or so most people seemed to think.
"As i have said before, it is a pleasure to meet you. So you have no family line?" she said as she took his hand to shake it.
Len remained silent the entire conversation. He was doubtful that Sven was just Sven and not somebody else. Although, there was a sort of superior charm in Sven that he could admire, or perhaps it was just because he had stood up to Deathblade and came out on top. Either way, the identity of Sven would be an interesting mystery to tingle with on their cold journey. "So is Dyan really that bad of a town?" Len asked Sven suddenly. Len knew that was where Barobarg's things were transferred after his death. But, if the city was as bad as Sven said it was, he was worried all of Barobarg's treasures had been stolen.
Agnorth didn't like this man, not one bit. He didn't know how, but he knew that this "Seven" guy was up to no good. When the group had decided to let him come, however, he made no objection, for reasons he didn't fully understand himself. What is this guy up too... Agnorth thought, staring at Sven's backside while he chatted with Incendia.
A strange man had joined the group, for reasons unknown to Atrius. The man seemed normal enough, but he had a certain quality that Atrius couldn't understand, but it made him weary. And, by extension, if such a quality could get through Atrius' drunken head, it must have been obvious to the reasonable people in the group. Yet, no one was complaining... "Atrius Rile. Pleased." He made an acknowledgement gesture to the new member and directed his gaze to the night. What was the night planning for us?, he thought.
Gloria, unlike the others, was completely and utterly captivated by the newcomer. He was charismatic, good-looking, mysterious...everything Gloria admired. Gloria smiled in his direction. ''Hello there Sven. What a lovely name...I'm Gloria. A pleasure to meet you.''
"Not one worthy of recognition," said Sven to Incendia, shaking her hand, and then looking at Atrius, who had also introduced himself. Sven nodded at him, and Atrius' words were followed by those of Gloria. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Gloria," he said with another charming smile. "Yes, and I've been there many times." He finally got around to answering Len's question, and he did so quickly. "We'll be stopping soon," Lucas announced to the group, looking about to gain his bearings. "I'd say we're only a few hours from our destination, but we certainly can't be entering Dyan in the dark. We'll try not to worry about firewood this time around." He sat down on a boulder under the shade of a tree, not worrying if the others would join him or not. He was tired.
It seemed that the group was stopping here, so Incendia picked a place next to a beautiful oak tree and set her things down, taking out a small piece of bread from her pack and eating it.
"I think we could work with some firewood Lucas," he looked for the nearest and smallest tree, he sliced it down and cut it in a few pieces, then finding a boulder he cracked it into a few pieces and placed them in a circle with the wood in the ring. "Incendia, Gloria, mind lighting this thing?"
"Not a problem." Incendia said as she tossed a fire ball onto the heap of fire wood. "Why couldn't you have just done that last time though?"
"You never asked," he smiled and chuckled. The flames putting a glare on his eyes, the fire was mesmerizing.
"You fool. You could have kept us from being ambushed." Then noticing how Deathblade was staring at her fire. "It seems that you like my fire"
"Hmm, fire just has its own little unique mark to it," he reached into the flames picking up one of them, and turning it into a black fire, "like mine," pointing to his, "and yours," pointing back at hers. He snuffed out the flames, sitting on one of the boulders, staring into the flames.
Hmm, fire just has its own little unique mark to it "That it does. Every fire is a unique and living thing; different for each person." She said while keeping her eyes focused on the flames. The fact that Deathblade's own fire was black, a sharp contrast from her own white fire, disturbed her. "Deathblade... Does your fire burn from your soul, or just from your magic?" Incendia said in a soft voice, almost not wanting to hear the answer.
"Deathblade... Does your fire burn from your soul, or just from your magic?" Deathblade looked down a bit, "In all honesty, I'm... not sure." He felt his arm a bit, the runes protuding their magick underneath.
In all honesty, I'm... not sure. Incendia wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not from this response. She still knew even less than before, not only did Deathblade have a dark, ominous flame, but he didn't know whether it burned from his magic, which was clearly dark, or from his soul. "I see" she said quietly.
Deathblade looked up at Incendia, "I'm sorry if I troubled you with such thoughts, and I also apologize for my action." He then looked back into the flames.
