Sabishii walked through this beautiful city, this literal city of gold.  Everything seemed exotic in this new land.  The old world he came from was covered in mud, compared to this beautiful land.  It was fresh, full of life.  But no one knew his name.  His son had a bigger name for himself than he did.  His own name, in his old world, was well known, for being a hero to the weak, a former deity, and so forth, he was a regular celebrity.  But no one knew he was here.  He wasn't sure what to do with himself at first.  But he realized he had to do what he was born for.  Find his fortune here, make a name for himself, and rebuild both his strength, and his other life's calling: blacksmithing.  He once had a booming business in dealing with arms and armor.  But he had no material or equipment to work with as it stood.  No one would trust a blacksmith with nothing to prove he was a master at his craft.  So he had to perform great deeds to earn himself money so that he could invest it into building his blacksmith trade.

Sabishii Kouen walked into the nearest tavern, it had more women than men, a fact that was surprising the veteran warrior.  This whole town had more women than men in it.  Not that it mattered to the Phoenix Knight.  It was a welcome difference to what he was used to.  He walked up to the counter at the tavern, the muscular warrior wearing a red tunic with yellow trim, and a dark pair of pants.  He wore a plain longsword sheathed to his belt.  His hair was brown with a slight silver mixed in with his red highlights.  His eyes were a deep sapphire blue, and his face was strong, with some facial hair, showing his age.  He ordered a spiced mead from the female bartender, who gave him a warm smile, and handed him an mug of cold mead as he ordered.  He took a sip, and felt refreshed.  The temperature outside was very warm, despite the oasis the city was built on.

"This is some good mead.  Anything going on here?  I'm new to this area.  Any wrongs need righting?  Any deeds worthy of a knight need doing?  Monsters need slaying?  Tyrants need overthrowing?  Or nasty orcs needing pummeling?"

The bartender looked at him, and shrugged her head.  "I can't say I've heard of much of that.  Things have been pretty peaceful in these parts.  The laws here are kinda strict, but fair; and the guards are pretty strong.  No one would really dare attack this city.  We're lucky to be living in a peaceful city like this."

"Huh, I guess this is the type of peace I've been looking for since I came to this land.  The place I came from, was constantly in chaos, gods fighting each other, or giant monsters needing slaying, orc attacks.  I know I missed a battle between two Deities, but from what I heard, things were settled in the end?  I seemed to have missed everything."

"Well, you may have missed that whole mess, but you haven't missed today's show," the barmaid said, indicating to the small minstrel stage that had been set up. "Got a couple of kids trying to make a name for themselves. They are pretty good too. Used to be part of a bigger troupe," she said as a girl, possibly not quite into her twenties yet and a young man a couple years older than her were getting things set up on the stage. The girl was slender and very pretty, with long straight dark chocolate colored hair that fell straight down her back, smooth lightly tanned skin, and eyes that a rich warm brown. She was dressed rather outlandishly, similar to the many gypsies whose caravans made their tracks through Sularia and down to Adeluna, with a long jewel purple skirt with gold embroidery that swished and swirled about her ankles, a boat neck top with puffy sleeves that gathered at her wrists completed with an under-bust corset. 

Rizka turned and looked at the gathering crowd in the tavern and looked back to her brother who was lining up the instruments that they had brought with them. "We seem to be gathering quite the crowd today," she said softly looking around with a smile. "It's a shame we lost the rest of our instruments," she sighed. They had once had quite the collection. Now it had dwindled down to a horn, a drum, a flute, and an enchanted lute and a beaten up tambourine. Truthfully, it was hard to perform with just the two of them. Some years ago there would have been multiple hands to lend to the instruments. Now it was just them. Rizka picked up the tambourine and watched as her brother picked up the lute. 

"Ready when you are," she sighed as she turned to face the crowd. Her eyes lighted on each of the faces, mostly women, and was immediately drawn for the moment to the man who was quite obviously not Arriese or Rosenite. There were some foreigners, but he just seemed a touch out of place there. She shook off the thought and turned to nod to Justice. 

When compared to his sister, Justice would have seemed the polar opposite in looks. Tall and lean in build, he had long blond hair that was kept out of his face by a neat ponytail, and a pair of half-moon spectacles sat on his nose through which pale blue eyes watched as he lined up the instruments. He was dressed smartly, again a contrast to his sister, and looked more like a noble than a traveler in his white linen shirt and waistcoat, black pants and boots. On his hip, however, was also a rapier that looked like it had seen better days. He looked at his sister as she commented on the crowd.

"Most of them look like they are back for more after yesterday. Maybe we'll do well enough today that they'll invite us back for a night show when more customers are about," he said hopefully as he grabbed the enchanted lute and straightened up with a sigh. "Eventually we'll get enough to replace everything we lost. We've got a good collection between the two of us, maybe we can get a good price for it in the market later," he suggested. He looked at her, waiting as she picked up the tambourine for her nod. He was more focused on her than he was on the crowd. He had to be in sync with her, not them. With her nod, he began plucking the strings of the lute. It was an upbeat tempo that was soon joined by Rizka's tambourine, and after the intro she began to sing slowly at first.

"I've been many places, I've travelled 'round the land,
Always on the search for something new
But what does it matter when all the roads I've crossed
Always seem to lead back to you…

Old familiar faces everyone you meet
Following the ways of the land
Golden stones and lanterns lining every street
Calling me to come home again

Dancing in the moons' light, singing in the rain
Oh it's good to be back home again
Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane
Oh it's good to be back home again."

With each verse the tempo was slow, with minimal aid from him, as though Rizka was telling a story. However, when the choruses came up, Justice's fingers plucked the strings fast and his booted foot tamped out the rhythm on the wood planks of the small stage.



((OOC: I borrowed the song from Blackmore's Night "Home Again" and adapted some of the lyrics to fit for Sularia.))

The bartender suggested he watch the minstrel show that was about to take place on stage.

"Think I will, thanks," he said, turning toward the stage and watched as a young girl only a bit older than his own son, and a slightly older boy came on stage.  They had more instruments than people, the bartender did mention they were once part of a larger group.  They started to perform on stage, the boy playing the lute, while the girl played the tambourine and sung.  He didn't recognize the song, so much in this land was different, the culture was completely different from what he was used to.  However, he was enjoying the song and their performance.

Then, partway through the performance, the doors to the tavern flew open.  An older man, perhaps older than Sabishii himself, stumbled through the door and nearly collapsed to the floor.

"Help!  M-My family!  Please, someone save my family!"  Sabishii and several other people rushed over to the man, who seemed to be covered in sweat, and was dehydrated.

"Someone get this man some water!  He looks like he'd been wandering through the desert for some time!  Get a medic, or a healer, something too!"  The man's skin was red from the sun, his clothing was covered in sand, and he had wounds across his body, as if he had been struck by a whip.  The man was fetched some water, and a healer started bandaging his wounds.  "Who did this to you?  What happened?"

"Bandits attacked our caravan to the west in the desert, they took us to sell us into slavery, they took my family, my daughter's family, my poor grandkids.  I barely escaped!  They took them to a cave in the south west.  Please!"  The man gripped Sabishii's hand tightly.  "You have to save my family!  The other people too!  You have to!"  Sabishii looked at the man, and smiled warmly as the man passed out from exhaustion.  He let go of the man's hand and stood up, turning to the crowd, his face had a grim determination.

"Who's with me?"

Justice halted the music as soon as the door burst open and the man came in crying for help. The lute was discarded almost as quickly as Rizka's tambourine was and the pair of them were jumping off the stage and rushing to help. Justice ran to the bar and grabbed several damp cool clothes and handed them to Rizka who immediately began applying them to the man's sunburnt skin while Justice filled a tankard with water. Justice offered the man the tankard carefully and slowly and he took his fill of it before he explained his situation. A cushion was fetched and placed beneath the man's head as Rizka dabbed at him with the cool cloths.

It was truly a dire situation, and it was begged that someone go and help those that had been taken into slavery. Justice looked to his sister, a determined look set into his face. Her eyes were wide, but she nodded silently to him.

Justice looked to the stranger, his gaze stony.
"We'll go. We've traveled the roads plenty, and know how to deal with these sorts of bandits," he said, volunteering himself and his sister, who looked just as determined.

The man was attended to by the pair of bards, as well as a few other people in the audience.  When Sabishii called for volunteers to assist in taking back the people who were kidnapped by the bandits, the first volunteers were the male bard and his companion who were just previously performing on stage.  Sabishii measured of the man and his female companion.

"Young man, thank you.  I won't lie, this will be a dangerous mission.  But I won't turn down a willing blade arm.  Thank you for indulging an old man's desire for Justice and Doing the Right Thing.  The name is Sabishii Kouen, Phoenix Knight.  I specialize in fire, holy light, and various other elemental magics, as well as swordplay.  You could call me a professional hero from another land.  Of whom do I owe this honor?"

A couple other people, some men, some women, had gathered around them.  They appeared to be tough looking people, volunteering their aid in rescuing the bandits.  "Thank you, all of you.  We should also have someone contact the city guard, militia, or whatever kind of armed forces this city has, and alert them to the situation.  If they're willing to be backup, then great.  if not, it'll be up to us together to defeat these bandits and save these innocent people.  We'll also need a way to get there, if we can acquire any horses or a portal, or something to get to the hideout of these bandits.  The man said a cave to the Southwest.  So we'll have to gear up and move quickly to get there."

Sabishii was taking command, he had a charismatic presence, a force of personality and will.  He was not some inexperienced hotshot, he had taken part in many battles over many years in land he came from.  He may not have had all the equipment and magic he had before he came here, but his battle experience was still there.

"If Justice is what you want, then it is Justice you'll get," Rizka chuckled softly as she stood up from beside the man who's care she left to the healer who had rushed to his aide. Her brother looked rather smug and he nodded in turn. 

"She isn't wrong. I'm Justice Del'Draco, and this is my sister Rizka," he said introducing himself and Rizka to the Knight who introduced himself as Sabishii Kouen. "We know the paths through the desert like the back of our hands, and we know the roads to the Southwest very well," he reassured Sabishii. 

"I'll prepare the vardo. Medical supplies, water, food, and anything else we'll need," Rizka said as she moved towards the door. They had just finished the large traveling wagon, and it would be ideal for transporting people who were injured. 

She worked quickly and got their horse hooked up to their house-wagon and was ready to move out as soon as Sabishii and Justice had rallied the others rescuers to the gates. She paused long enough for Justice to join her in the driver's seat and looked to Sabishii. 

"Ready when you are, Sir!"

The siblings introduced themselves, Sabishii was amused at the coincidence of the boy's name.

"Really?  Your name is Justice?  Hah!  My boy, this must be fate that we met this day!  Or at least just some big cosmic coincidence," the Phoenix Knight said with a jovial tone.  "We will find justice for these people, just follow me.  Everyone take a few to gather your equipment, prepare yourselves for travel.  We'll reconvene at the city gates and we'll take your wagon, along with anyone else who has any horses or other steeds, and we'll ride out.  We'll need your familiarity with the land, and your transport."  Sabishii made his way to his hotel room, gathered his belongings and equipment, and then met the group at the city gates.  The traveling bard siblings had quite the house wagon.  He was wearing a crimson cloak, and a partial suit of plate, along with a sword by his side, and a small shield.  The other people that had gathered were on their own mounts or were going to ride on the wagon.

"Very nice wagon you've got there.  Permission to board?  I haven't been able to get a horse of my own yet."

Sabishii boarded the wagon, and sitting in the wagon so that he could look outside and see where they were going, while being able to talk to them.  "I'm ready when you are!  Everyone, let's ride!  Follow our lead!"  With that, the group was off on their adventure.

"Justice and Rizka Del'Draco.  That last name, would you be related to maybe a dragon knight or someone who earned their name slaying a dragon?  Or maybe, just maybe you're related to an actual dragon?  I'm not familiar with all the culture in this land yet, but I've been a round the block a few times.  I originated from one world, found myself transferred to a different world that got destroyed, and now I'm here in Revaliir, with my son.  He's younger than you guys, but he's a good kid, and a skilled warrior in his own right.  I'm always glad to see the young'uns ready to take up arms against the unjust and do the right thing.  Someone has to stand up for those who can't fight, am I right?"

"Permission granted, Sir. And thank you. Just finished getting her commissioned," Justice announced as he motioned for Sabishii to join them. Rizka realized there wasn't to be enough room for the three of them and jumped down again and instead went inside the vardo and pushed the windows open behind Justice so that he could converse with them while sitting on the bed at the front of the wagon. She tied the shutters open quickly before she motioned for Sabishii to sit and went back out to join Justice on the driver's seat. 

At Sabishii's command, Justice clicked his tongue and lightly whipped the reigns, and the strong horse that pulled the vardo started off at a healthy pace.

As they set off, Justice glanced back at Sabishii as he started up a conversation. He shook his head slowly thinking about it. 
"No, not as far as I know at least where a dragon knight or dragon slayer is concerned. There was an old story that our father told me when I was incredibly young, saying that the name came from a long forgotten kingdom," Justice explained. "If you want a crash course in the land and culture, you came to the right people. Rizka and I make a loop around Canelux every year as we perform, and typically winter here in Arri. Our route for this year has been delayed though. We've already been to Adeluna and back though, partially in thanks to the help of the Goddess Angela," Justice told him. 

Justice nodded firmly at his final question. "We might not be warriors in our own right, but we dislike injustices. We've faced our own in the past, so anything we can do to help, you'll have it," he said. 

He got thinking about what Sabishii had been saying about his son, and a light entered Justice's eyes as he made the connection.

"Hiro. Hiro Kouen is your son. We know him. Well, rather, we know of him. We've heard about how he excelled in Torn's Theater before the God of Bards vanished without a trace."