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We Rode on Broken Wings (Arkus and River_Wolf)

Erec and Azura both noticed that something was up with Tsia, so Azura would talk to Elyta and Erec would talk to Tsia and try to figure out what was wrong. Erec admired the town from above as he and Azura followed Tsia and Elyta, landing next to them and getting of Azura in a slightly more flamboyant fashion with a small flip. "We thank you for your hospitality." Erec said formally as he bowed.

With that Azura flew off to catch some food, sleep and talk to Elyta when he saw the chance. Erec instead walked over to Tsia, "So, I'm guessing we'll ask them questions about our quarry tomorrow? If so lets grab some food and drink tonight before heading to bed. Though I'll practice in the town training yard for a bit if you want to join me. Also, Tsia, are you okay? You looked upset after flying with Azura and you looked very happy while flying. I'm just wondering if you need someone to talk too."

Erec really did have the best intentions at heart when dealing with Tsia, well usually, sure he wanted in her pants but he wanted her heart too, and he wanted it to be mutual.
 
Tsia refused to talk about anything other than their mission for the rest of the flight. It helped keep her mind off of irrelevant things. Elyta didn't really comment on it too much either. She knew what was wrong, but doubted Erec or Azura would understand. The best Elyta did was just tell them not to worry so much. It was just more stuff that Tsia really didn't need to think about.

Arriving at the inn didn't improve Tsia's mood. She dismounted in a far more practical manner than the overly flashy Erec, rolling her eyes at his usual antics. The inn keeper and the attendants all clapped though, impressed by his show of dexterity. Not all of us can be half-elves. Tsia thought bitterly. "Not all of us need to be." The rider gave a little cough, but and followed Erec with a formal bow of her own.

"Your services are always appreciated." Tsia added.

The inn keeper laughed heartily. "As is your patronage. Come in, get comfortable. Enjoy. The bill is on the citadel after all." How the hell did he know that? Tsia wondered. All these specialty inns seemed to know. Technically, any magic to track a dragon was illegal. Doing so often incurred the wrath of the dragons themselves. Yet, these inn keepers must have a way, she was sure of it. Demon contract maybe? Or a faerie device? Honestly, there were a lot of possibilities with how boundless and unpredictable magic could be.

Tsia kept Elyta from joining Azura long enough to remove her saddle. The copper dragon gave a quick shake before taking off to join Azura. The attendants rushed forward to collect the riding gear and Tsia had a small struggle with one before finally reluctantly relinquishing her possessions. True to form, the attendant turned and headed inside to deposit her gear into her room. "I..." Tsia actually wanted to get started with the questions that night. Erec clearly had other ideas. "Yeah, I guess it can wait. A little practice will help me relax after that all that riding. My back is sore." She didn't bother to answer or even acknowledge Erec's question. Instead, she turned on her heels and headed for the training yard.
 
Erec didn’t know why Tsia was being so weird but it never crossed his mind that something was weird with towns like these. But when she agreed to practice he grinned and practically dragged her along to the training field. He couldn't hide his excitement since Tsia hadn't agreed to train with him in recent memory. He went and grabbed a few practice weapons, blunted weapons, and grabbed a bastard sword and then letting her choose what she wanted. A Bastard sword, or hand-and-a-half sword, is very versatile in combat.

He stood across from her, with his cloak off and standing there in his very finely made studded leather armor, that of course showed off just how strong and lean he was. He was one of those people that most expected to be slow, but one of his strongest abilities is his speed. "Come on Tsia, I haven't seen you fight in ages, lets see what you can do." He gave her a small smile that showed he was excited.
 
"Wah-hey!" Tsia cried, suddenly being literally pulled along at Erec's pace. Okay, that was worse. She didn't pull her hand away though, partially because she struggled to keep up with the much taller man's long gait and partially because she chose to grumble instead.

Because of the late hour, the field was mostly deserted. While Tsia waited, she shucked off some of her riding gear to reveal her own armor underneath. Erec quickly returned with a variety of weapons. Of course, Erec went for the bastard sword. Just slightly shorter in length than a true long sword, it allowed the wielder to use both one handed and two handed tactics. A good mid ranged weapon with a lot of power behind it. Tsia glanced at the ones left, considering her options. She tapped her cheek, mumbling the various advantages and disadvantages to each. Just like before, little wiggling words appeared on the weapons, waiting like excited dancers for their turn. Finally, Tsia chose an arming sword and a dagger.

Tsia moved across from him, trying not to stare at the display of raw strength before her. Focus. She lowered herself into position, already on the balls of her feet knowing full well just how quick the half-elf could be. They might not have sparred in ages, mostly because Erec wildly outclassed her the last time they sparred, but that didn't mean Tsia had forgotten her humiliating defeat. She steeled her gaze. "More than you know." Tsia surged forward and to the right, swinging with her sword first at his chest and anticipating that he'd block it. Just a heartbeat behind her sword was her dagger. It moved in time with the sword to try and get past Erec's guard and go straight for his neck. Tsia knew Erec could outpace her in both speed and physical stamina. She needed to end this round quick.
 
Erec's could see the knife coming from a mile away, it was obvious by how her weight wasn't truly behind the sword in her hand. So instead of blocking as he normally would, he literally only moved the slightest distance he could to dodge the sword and used his swords handle to class against her wrist, making her drop her knife. He hadn't augmented himself because he wasn't going to use magic for this. Though his martial arts training had been intensified much more than hers, though he still had tricks he never used on her.

"You're telegraphing your attacks too much, your body language is to easy too read, so we should practice you being able to hide that well." He was practically gliding across the training field, like a dangerous dance that Tsia had trouble joining. Block, dodge, weave, he did it all to never let her get close to hitting him once. After a few minutes, Erec put down the sword and stood with his arms up, "Come on Tsia, lets see how I do bare-handed."
 
"You aren't the Flight Leader." Tsia replied coldly, clearly saying Don't tell me what to do. "Nor are you the Weapon Master. My. Skills. Are. Just. Fine!" She added with a lot more force as she took a swing at him. Nothing she tried worked. Every jab, slash, strike, and thrust were just brushed aside and dodged like it was no big deal. Her frustration grew, sparks appearing in her hand every time she tried another useless strike. So when Erec suggested they try bare-handed she actually threw the sword away and came right at him with a left hook and a frustrated scream.
 
Erec literally slapped her hand away her punch was so sloppy. “Um Tsia, what’s wrong?” He hand never seen or heard her get so angry before. Acting fast he grabbed her around the arms and chest pinning her arms to her side. “Tsia, calm down, I don’t know what’s going on but this was supposed to help you unwind. So.. I’m going to let go of you and we are going to go grab something to eat and drink.”

With that Erec let go of her as he watched her body language to see what she would do.
 
What's wrong? How could he even ask that after just flaunting his skills and treating her like some kind of newly bonded rider. Ten years. She'd been working her butt off for ten years and she still couldn't kick that stupid smile off his stupid face! Useless. Tsia threw another punch. Then, like it was nothing, he put her in a pin. She screamed and squirmed, pulling and trying to get out of it, all of her training flying out of her head as if it was never there in the first place. Useless.

"Fine." Tsia spat. Erec finally let her go and she rolled her shoulders, glaring at the ground. Her hands opened and close a few times, but she didn't go after him again. Instead, she grabbed her discarded weapons and shoved them none too gently back into their original homes along with the other weapons Erec brought out. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. This was just pent up energy. Their rivalry getting to her head. Azura's words messing with her confidence. What was wrong with her? A lot, apparently. Elyta's presence pushed itself to the forefront of her mind, swelling with comforting thoughts and soothing feelings.

"Next time Erec, don't help. We aren't friends." Tsia muttered before heading back towards the inn. "Let's just focus on the mission. Sooner this is done, sooner we can go back to ignoring each other."
 
Erec blocked her path as she started to walk away, him grabbing her shoulder. “I just want you to know, I would like to be friends, and also being friends, this mission will be easier and safer if you can trust me. That’s all.” With that Erec sighed and walked away towards the inn to grab a hot meal and drink. Maybe he’d catch a tavern girl’s eye just to relax, Tsia was being s big bitch the last few hours.
 
Guilt clawed at Tsia's gut, pulled and wrenching at her with everything it had. She grabbed her arm, glancing down at the dark earth as the lamps around her casted long shadows. Erec was right. She was being childish, taking her frustration and anger out on him. Yet he still took the high road. Honestly, that only made her feel worse. Tsia clicked her tongue. After gathering her things, she followed after Erec, catching up to him as he reached the tavern. "Sorry." Tsia said, then headed inside.

Naturally, the inside of the inn was built for riders. Paintings of dragons and riders depicting great victories and epic legends covered the walls. While the inn was filled with other patrons, a special section sat divorced from the common crowd, meant exclusively for their use. Two servants waited patiently at the dais table. They came over immediatly to assist the riders in whatever they needed. Tsia dropped several coins into one of the servant's hands. "Whatever he wants, on me." Tsia said, tossing a look at Erec. Yes, their expenses were technically paid for already, but this was the best apology she could think of.
 
‘God dammit I’d wish she just talk to me! I guess I’ll just have to waiting for tonight.’ Erec was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t hear Tsia walk up behind him, though he did hear her say sorry it he grinned at her and said “It’s alright. No hard feelings.”

With that he sat down at the table for the both of them and ordered some food and drink not noticing that Tsia handed one unneeded money. He decided not to try and seduce any of the waitresses though he made sure to enjoy his time, playing cards with some patrons, dancing and singing with other sand eating his fill. All so that he could slee easily and see what Tsia has been fighting her whole life eternally.
 
Food and drink helped improve her mood a lot. Out of the cold and away from her frustrations, she settled into her seat and worked on planning for tomorrow. One of the servants had passed her a more detailed local map instead of desert, one that included their target's last confirmed location and some speculative sightings. Tsia poured over the map, her mutterings falling across its page and rippling like water. While Erec played games, some of the words became still, as if solidified. Markings grew along with her plans and the wiggling words eventually shifted and stilled. After a couple hours, Tsia leaned back with a satisfied stretched and a smile on her face.

Tired, but satisfied, Tsia rolled up the map. "I'm going to head to bed. Don't stay up too late."

Their rooms, like their tables, were in a seperate wing from the other patrons. Tsia's room had a soft, feather bed on the far side and a simple writing desk across from the door. Oh the other wall was a specialized rack holding her, now very clean, saddle. The saddle bags and her other possessions were neatly tucked underneath. By the bed was another door that led to a specialized washroom. Some kind of magic kept a warm, clean bath waiting for her, the beautiful tile tub large almost enough to swim in. Several gorgeously scented soaps awaited her. She wasted no time hoping into the steamy water and cleaning up. Tsia ended up spending more time than she intended in the water, but by the time she was done she felt sleepy and clean. Another yawn and Tsia curled up into the bed.

"She's falling asleep. Be ready. I'll pull you in when the dream starts." Elyta said to Erec.
 
Erec had waved and nodded to Tsia of course as she headed to bed, he had trusted her to figure out a plan for tomorrow, since he did trust her with his and Azura’s life. Though the one thing he that he did that she probably didn’t expect was that he had actually gained a lot of Intel on their target. Put enough drinks in the blue collar workers and flirt with the young bar maids and patrons, and most are ready to spill on anything they know.

Erec had found out that their target had gained a few followers, most likely those that were hoping to be riders themselves and vagabonds that wished to take advantage of whoever came for the rogue rider.

He’d tell Tsia in the morning but now that she was heading to bed, Erec himself got ready after making sure his armor and weapons were all ready for tomorrow. When he heard Elyta tell him to be ready he meditates before going to sleep and keeping his mind open so he could see Tsia’s dreams and past.
 
Falling into the world of her dreams was easy. Once everyone was ready, Eltya coaxed Erec's mind along the bond she and Tsia shared. They appeared above a village in a foreign country, its houses small and made out of cheap material. A farming village similar to the ones that they'd all flown over a thousand times before. The only thing that marked this as different was the landscape. Unlike Tanniym which had a varied landscape filled to the brim with magical energy, this place was flat and marshy. The were crops thin and pathetic, wilting from the heat and humidity. Parts of the world were clear and sharp. A house near the edge of the village had such fine detail it almost looked real. Other buildings were less focused, less detailed. Even so, compared to the scene below, Erec and Elyta were practically invisible. No one reacted to their presence. They were like ghosts, watching and unable to influence the world around them.

Tsia ran through a crowd, the skies heavy and dark. A clawing hunger dug at her belly, but she ignored it as she ran with a single silver coin clutched desperately in her hands. People chattered as she passed, their words in a foreign language with a thick, quick cadence. The words soon became intelligible to Erec and Azura.

“The village just beyond the ridge burned to the ground. Nothing’s left.”

“Those soldiers are supposed to be on our side.”

“Steal all our food, money, and wine. Claim it’s ‘for the war’. Bunch of lowlife thugs if you ask me.”

“Don’t let them hear you say that.”

The crowd shifted as Tsia ran, villagers with blank faces turning into soldiers in blood soaked armor. Tsia grew smaller and smaller, her body regressing until she was just a child among giants, all staring down at her with distaste. Her feet faltered, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. A voice called to her in the distance.

“Come now children! Lineup, lineup. Take the test! One at a time. You’ll all get a chance. Let’s see how many of you can change your fate! It only costs one silver coin. That’s right! Come on parents! Your child could be the next Court Magician!” The now eight-year-old Tsia stepped up to a man, round and fat. His smiled, holding out his hand. Tsia placed the coin in his hand. Gently, he guided her to a table with a small crystal on a satin cloth. The fat man knelt next to Tsia and whispered kindly to her. “Now. There’s one of the neighbors, a fae, in this crystal. Her name’s Sipha. All you gotta do is call to her. If you have magic, any at all, she’ll come. Go on little girl. She’s waiting.”

“Sipha.” Tsia whispered. Nothing. “Sipha. Sipha!” Tears dripped down her cheeks as she called and called. The man clicked his tongue and shoved her out of the chair.

“Useless child. All you’ll ever be good for is as a hole or to make sons. Get out of here. GO!”

Tsia scrambled to her feet and rushed home, tears flowing as smoke built up around her until she couldn’t breathe. Once more she shifted; her body much thinner, but only a year older. Her cheeks hollow and joins protruding. By the time she reached her home, everything was on fire. Tsia burst through the door and the whole world turned red. A soldier stood above her bruised and battered parents, their faces just as hollow and empty as hers. The soldier raised his sword high.

“NO!” Tsia screamed. Once more she was an adult, sword in hand as she rushed forward. The soldier easily danced out of the way of her blade as the bodies of her parents crumbled to dust. Tsia fought hard, swinging wildly. Nothing even came close to hitting him. Finally, he brought his sword down on hers and in a shatter of splinters, her blade turned into a broom and cleaved in half. Defenseless and exhausted, Tsia fell to her knees as the knight towered over her. She bowed her head, only to hear a roar. Another tongue of flame came and a dragon swooped down, picking the knight up and swallowing him whole. The dragon rider on top of his spoke, this time in the Tanniym language.

“Come on. Catch up!” Just like that, the whole scene shifted. Tsia stood at Dragon’s Peak, fourteen years old and wearing her riding gear for the first time. She watched as Erec flew off Azura, riding high above her without a care in the world. Tsia stretch her hand out towards them, desperately wishing she could grab hold. Instead, the ground beneath her shattered and she fell into a dark abyss below as their Flight Leader's voice echoed:

"Useless."
 
Erec woke up with tears running down his face as he gasped out as he woke up. “Oh god.. what the fuck..” Erec sat up and wiped his face as he tried to process what he just saw. He then got dressed slowly in his armor before sneaking downstairs before first light and walked back to the training field, he need to work through what he saw.

When he got to the field where he trained with Tsia earlier he stripped off his upper armor leaving his muscular body out for all to see, though it was so early no one should see him this early in the morning. With that he started doing some kata’s that he learned from the monks after his parents died.

It was martial arts he learned years before he became not a rider, and for hours he trained until the sun rose. His body was warm and glistened with sweat as he had worked hard enough that he could think clearly.

‘She lost everything. I saw myself when she was fighting that knight, it was just like what I did... and she thinks she’s worthless.. the fuck.. she’s one of the greatest dragon riders and magician I’ve ever seen.’

“God dammit!!” With that yell Erec hit the fully armored target and with one punch, utterly destroyed it, his first covered in a blur aura, was thrust right through its chest. The other riders didn’t know that the reason he was as strong as he was was because he had access to a secondary ‘energy/magic’ called ki.

“What the hell am I supposed to do!” Azura just listened from his mental link but also let Elyta in on Erec’s thoughts.
 
Tsia woke with a sigh, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. She'd had that nightmare again. Tough days always brought that nightmare back. For almost twenty minutes, Tsia laid there, dwelling on the dream. Something about it felt off, but Tsia didn't put too much stock into that part. Her main focus was on the memories it made surface. "You think too much." Elyta chimed in her head.

"Why did you pick me?" Tsia asked back.

"You know why." Elyta hummed, clearly not surprised by the question. This wasn't the first time they'd had this exact conversation. She knew the drill.

"Please, just tell me." Tsia begged, rolling over in her bed.

"Because of how hard you work. You, on your own as a hatchling, traveled to a new country and immersed yourself so deep into the language and culture, you could pass as a native. That kind of determination is rare. Plus you are a great channel for magic, though you have none yourself."

"Thanks." Tsia sarcastically chuckled aloud. It wasn't unheard of for rider prospects to not have magic. The pair bond with a dragon provided the riders with a own unique form of magic. But most prospects at least had some potential, even if it was latent.

Tsia allowed herself another moment in bed before finally forcing herself to her feet. She got dressed, taking her time getting ready so that when she finally did make it downstairs for breakfast, all of her worries were hidden too deep to see from the outside. Even though Tsia took her time getting downstairs, it was still fairly early by most people's standards. The cooks had just started making breakfast for their guests. Tsia glanced around, expecting to see Erec. When she didn't she asked the inn-keeper. Apparently, he'd gone to train. Tsia made a mental note to figure out how on earth the inn-keeper tracked their movements later. That was just unsettling. She pushed it aside though and ordered two warm plates to go.

"Be careful." Elyta half-heartedly warned.

"What? Why-" Tsia's question died when she saw Erec punch his fist straight through a fully armored dummy, yelling and covered in sweat. For as amazing of a figure he cut, Tsia couldn't help but be taken about by his anger. "I thought I was supposed to be the explosive one." Tsia walked over, careful to at least stay out of striking distance from Erec, especially since she didn't recognize that magic. She raised a covered basket with their breakfast in it. "You, uh... hungry?"
 
“Oh.. uh yeah.. I’m hungry.. sorry you had to see that...” the normally cool, calm and collected Erec was flustered at having lost his temper, one he had kept under wraps for years.

Erec went over and grabbed a towel and wipe his face free of sweat. This also put his whole chest and arms on display without him being able to see. His body was bulked up a bit from all the exercise, and with the towel on his face she could see everything, but one thing she noticed Ian he had scars all over his body, all from different weapons of all shapes and sizes, and with her intellect, she would know he didn’t get them from Dragon Rider training. This was shown also by the fact that they were all old.

A few second later he put the towe on his neck as he sighed and grabbed the food, “Thanks, and sorry about yesterday..” Erec then went and sat down next to the rest of his armor. He was clearly waiting for her to join him and ask him questions on what she saw.

‘Just keep calm Erec, you’ve come too far to let your anger get you now.’ Was all Azura told him as he watched through Erec’s mind.
 
Tsia watched Erec, a look of worry in her eyes. Maybe going after a dragon and rider today wasn't such a great idea, not of they were both this emotional. Although, for Tsia her anger was at least her MO. She could at least channel her magic through it. Not so much for Erec. At least, not that she could tell.

It took a lot of self-discipline not to appreciate Erec's musculature and body was he wiped the sweat off his admittedly gorgeous frame. Damned half-elf. Tsia thought with no real bite behind it. Even with all the scars he was still pretty. That just wasn't fair. Tsia had her own collection of scars, ones she kept hidden under her riding uniform and long sleeves. Old things from childhood and adolescence. She didn't expect to find Erec with his own collection. Her hand started to reach for one, but she quickly pulled it back. A pink tinge touched her cheeks, cursing her concerned curiosity. It wasn't her business. She should keep her nose out of it.

"It's fine." Tsia muttered, her eyes downcast with shame. "I shouldn't have blown up on you like that. Next time, we'll eat and sleep first before training. Give ourselves a little break after riding all day... Assuming there is a next time."

Tsia followed Erec, settling down next to him so they could both eat. After all, her breakfast was in there too. She reached into the basket, pulling out two plates and started to dole out the mourning's meal. It was all still pleasantly warm to the touch. Steam rose from the basket, warming her hands every time she reached inside. "What's got you so riled up this morning? You wanna talk about it?"
 
“I’m fine Tsia, but thanks for worrying, I just had things on my mind so I had to work things out. Also I saw you staring when I was training. Knowing you, you have questions, and I’m willing to tell the truth. I’ve noticed that even though we’ve been rivals for years, I only know a little about you and it’s what I’ve learned learbed through watching you at training. Also, we need to modify any plans you have for riders and enemies in horseback, our target seemed to recruit some people.”

Erec continued to eat after his little monologue as he sat and could feel Azurs telling him to be sure if he was willing to share any of his secrets he had held for years.
 
Tsia tried really hard not to turn bright red at the mention of her staring. She didn't really succeed. Questions, sure. She could probably come up with some. That wasn't really why she was staring though. Tsia coughed and handed Erec his plate of food. Her eyes didn't meet his. Instead, she chose to keep her gaze focused on the plate in her lap. Again, that guilty feeling prickled in her stomach, making it quake and her breakfast a lot less appetizing. The only one in the citidel Tsia got close to was Elyta. Most knew almost nothing about her past, not even the Flight Leaders. Tsia liked it that way. They didn't need to know. She swore an oath to serve as a dragon rider and worked her butt off every day to try and prove herself. As long as she kept proving she could be useful, they'd keep her around.

"I guess I have questions. Like what bear did you piss off as a kid?" Tsia admitted, mostly to try and hide her embarrassment. He didn't need to know she was gawking at his muscles. Elyta chuckled somewhere in the back of Tsia's mind. Tsia mentally snapped back at the dragon. "Although mostly they're about enemies on horseback? What did you find out?" Better question, when did he learn it?
 
Erec laughed, a small chuckle really as he looked back as Tsia. "Well the bear was more of a cave full of bears, and they were my teachers ever since my parents died before I became an Initiate with the Dragon Riders. They taught me how to do this." He then lifted up his hand as he covered it in a blue aura. "Personally this is what I thought you were going to ask about but it's nice to know that even you like looking at me." He said this cheekily but had a slight blush on his face.

"Now to the riders, I didn't get specific numbers but Nyrodi has seemed to gain supporters, either so they can be riders or something else. So they are on horseback and Nyrodi is also traveling much more slowly now with them, though I didn't get any specifics. And you may think I just mess around, but when you get men to drink and flirt with women long enough, you can make them tell you anything if you play your cards right." He could read the look in her eyes, and was able to see the real question she had.

"So, what made you wake up so late? You usually rise before the sun does like me."
 
An orphan? Like her? Tsia's head shot up, eyes wide as she tried to process what she'd just heard. Now she had questions. A lot of questions. Teachers? What kind of teachers? Magicm obviously, but there were so many different forms out there. What happened to his parents? How old was he? What kind of magic was that? Now Tsia really was staring. Openly and without any sense of shame. It was only when he mentioned how she liked looking at him that she snapped out of the spell. Tsia ducked her head quickly, her cheeks burning bright. "That's... o-obviously I want to ask about the magic." She stammered, trying desperately to cover up her mistake. "It's just not the time for these things. We have a job, so... I figured later when I could properly collect the information."

"But you do just mess around." Tsia remarked flatly, although there was no bite to her words. "A group traveling with a dragon is extremely noticeable. Assuming they aren't killing any witnesses, travelers and local townsfolk will have seen them. Nyrodi is taking a big risk with the ground. It also means we'll have to change tactics. Our top priority should be recovering those eggs. Maybe an infiltration?" Tsia tapped her chin, about ready to dive back into planning mode. Erec's question brought her out of it.

"Oh..." Flashes of her memories and the dream came to her mind, unbidden and unwelcome. "I dreamt that I had a Flight's worth of beautiful men waiting on me hand and foot." It was a lie. Tsia didn't even bother to try and pretend otherwise.
 
"Well just so you can focus on our mission.. I'll explain my magic a bit. First off anyone can learn to use it, depends on their dedication to the art of course, and its called ki, its best learned hand in hand with martial arts, but there are many ways to use it. I use ki and my augmentation magic together to great effect as you've seen before. So maybe after this, if you want, you can practice with me? It would be nice to show someone else, and I know I can trust you to keep it a secret." He gave her a small grin, not his 'playboy' one, this one seemed more sincere.

"Also, you, Elyta, and Azura can handle Nyrodi and his dragon, I'll keep the riders off you if we are forced to split up. I trust Azura to have your back. Now he is moving slower but face it, none of us are specialized in being stealthy, I mean the monks trained me in being quiet so I could, but I almost feel like we have a better chance in the open. That's just me though."

When she blatanly lied he looked her dead in the eye, "I won't push you to tell me, but I hope you can trust me soon enough to tell me." "I don't like this plan Erec, but at the same time, I know that you can do what you put your mind too, and if it comes down too it, I'll make sure to protect both Elyta and Tsia." 'Thanks Azura, my friend.'
 
"Anyone?" The look in Tsia's eyes was unmistakable. It was the same one she got every time she learned something new about magic. The same expression she had when she rode Azura before. The thought that she could learn magic on her own? No need for Elyta to help? Just her own power and strength holding her up. Tsia's expression wavered. What if she couldn't though? What did this magic require? She wanted to ask, to question and probe; but that meant giving away part of her past. Asking the wrong thing meant admitting she had no natural magic of her own. But she wanted it so bad.

Tsia shook her head. "I was thinking less stealth and more seeing if one of us couldn't temporarily join their numbers while the others follow at a distance. Once we identify the location of the eggs, we could strike. It's risky, but if I went it would free you and Azura up to handle Razerith. Elyta and I are better at handling groups anyways."

"I hate this idea." Elyta chimed in, letting everyone know exactly what she thought. Tsia could hear the dragon's growl even through the mental link.

Erec's gaze met Tsia's and she held it. A big part of her wanted to insist it wasn't a trust thing. Unfortionatly, that would also be a lie. Tsia didn't trust him. At least not when it came to her past. Farum wasn't exactly friendly towards Tanniym. Heck, Farum was known for starting wars with smaller countries that it could easily bully. On top of that, as a country with no magic, most of its citizens either saw magic as something to be feared or something only royalty could wield. Though the country made a lot of attempts to try and cultivate magicians in the past (using methods Tanniym officially denounced), none of their attempts ever really worked. She didn't want him to know. What if he rejected her? What if he told everyone else? What if they tossed her out; broke her pair bond and left her with nothing? "Right. Thanks."

"You think too much."
 
"Yes, anyone. Trust me, knowing you you'll learn quickly and I'll have to find my scrolls on the techniques that probably would work for you better. I know the basics of all the styles from the monastery I was taught at but there are other ways to use ki."

When Erec heard her plan he looked over at her in shock, "I would feel more comfortable with me just charging in by myself then and letting you pick off the stragglers, I don't want to risk you getting hurt. And I know that you and Elyta with Azura as back up can easily handle our target. I’m up for taking our time and figuring this out, no need to rush and get any of us, our dragons or the eggs killed or injured.”

Erec sighed as he leaned back, this time accidentally putting his muscular and toned body on display. “Well come on, I need to take a bath or something, don’t want to kill anyone with my odor.” With that he stood up and carried his armor over his shoulder walking half naked down the mostly empty streets to the inn.

‘Azurs, any ideas?’ ‘I have a few but let’s see what Tsia comes up with first.’
 
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