The visions from Angela’s temple haunted her and she was quick to have left her companion behind for a breath of fresh air. She didn’t know if she had the strength to go back there and she was sure that Angela could handle her new friend.


There was a sickening pit in her stomach as she led Sehr over to the water. “We can come here now thanks to Sebastian.” She moved the horse’s white mane and kissed his snout. “You are a good boy.” She rubbed his nose and smiled, “but I need a bath and this place has many good memories.” She untied him from the wagon and let the horse wander about. As long as she was near by she was sure he would be fine and not mischievous.

She put the break down on the wagon and began to strip off her clothes throwing them up onto the wagon’s seat. Nimbly she braided her raven locks before throwing it over her shoulder. “I’ll be right in the water so make a noise if you need me Sehr.”

The horse grunted at her and she laughed before descending into the pool. The halfling swam out into the open water and found footing on some stones. The roaring falls came over her and she closed her eyes. The visions of the child haunted her and brought her hands up and felt her forehead. “Was Angela playing a joke on me? Or…” Was it possible?

Zanar. He was one of her first loves after a long time. It stung to think about it. It stung a lot more than thinking about Sirian. Maybe it was because of how close they had gotten and the dreams they had talked about so many times before. The two of them and the road to adventure was all they had. Even in the tight space of the gypsy wagon they were happy. It stung to think it wasn’t like that anymore. She hadn’t been his prisoner, or forced companion, but his lover and friend.

What the hell was the point of even trying anymore if people just kept dying or getting lost? Her arms fell to her sides as she huffed in agitation. She was over thinking Angela’s temple way too much for her liking.


To be a gypsy was to be free and she certainly was not free at the moment.

Zanar sat there on a log, cross legged, hands resting on his knees. He was silent as the elements around him stirred, the birds singing, and the rush of the falls in the background. It was a peaceful scene on the outside, yet in the swordsman’s mind chaos was brewed.
”How the living hell did I lose the tracks!!!” The silence was shattered with him screaming out, his eyes snapping open. He quickly jumped up from the fallen log and took a look around seeing if he could find the tracks once again, to no avail of course. The humidity in the air and the wildlife had made it impossible for him to find it.


”Right there…she was right there, and I had lost her again…Damn it all.” His fist tightening up, as he could feel the anger brewing inside him, more at the fact that he felt like he failed once again. All he could think of was how he had left her there, burning in that wagon and only could send out a slight pulse of mana to awaken her. In doing so though, the mages that had captured him tortured him even more for the disobedience.


He gently rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at the canopy of the trees, the sun peeking through the cracks of the leaves. He admitted defeat, and would just have to pick up the trail again from any rumors he heard from the people in the towns, it was all he had to go on now. While he was in the area it was a good time for him to get cleaned up.

”Vox to me.,” He commanded and the black wisp of energy that was following him around materialized into a sheathed katana in the air before his hand. He grabbed it and placed it on the ground next to the tree, which he decided was a good place to strip down. He folded his garments neatly placing them next to his blade before turning and diving into the crisp, cold waters.
He had not noticed the presence of someone else there.

That is until he surfaced from his dive and the water had cleared from his eyes. It felt like his heart had just stopped completely in his chest, as a woman was bathing beneath the falls. Not just any woman though, she was the one he was searching for this whole time. He had remembered everything about her, it was the only thing that got him through the time spent on that damned prison airship. He didn’t even realize that he was staring…it was like time had just frozen still for him. A single word, a name came from his lips.

”Kalyani.”

Kalyani was frustrated and she knew why. Angela’s realm had the habit of getting under her skin and she wondered just what trickery the goddess was up to now. It took her a while to dip herself further down into the water but before she could fully dip a voice reached her ear. It was her own.

Whipping herself down she lost her footing as she stared at him. “Zan-” She screamed a bit as she fell completely into the pool on her rear. She flailed about in the water for a moment before she came and threw river stones at him. “You bastard! You just left me what the hell is wrong with you.” She began to slip on more of the river stones.

The halfling found herself upset with him as he dove forward and caught her. “You are such a bastard.” He held her tightly as if knowing the woman was going to beat him with her own fists. Kalyani had tears now as she realized Angela’s realm had no trickery to them.  “Why did you leave me?”

The bed stones came fast and furious at him, he barely had time to dodge them. He snapped his fingers and his blade from over at the tree came to him in this wispy form and rematerialized. Immediately his swordsmanship reflexes kicked in and he blocked the remaining with the sheathed blade, or so he thought. A final stone came and nailed him square in the forehead, which caused him to recoil over in pain as he held his head. Her anger was still as furious as it ever had been.

He shook his head and looked up again, just in time to see her slip off the smooth stones. He rushed to her, dropping the blade in the water. He may have treasured the blade, but to him she was far more important. He caught her in the midst of her fall. A first instinct was to back away and see if she was alright, but he knew she wouldn’t just calmly ask her. He was not that stupid. Instead he held her close, and tight, just to embrace her again and also so he wouldn’t be struck by her fists.

“I never wanted to leave you…it killed me to do so.” He replied, loosening his hold on her and actually embracing her in a true hug instead of trying to restrain. “My past, my actions I did far before I met you caught up with me. I had to leave..to save you.”
“They came in the midst of the night, I had gone out to get some air. I was captured, by official sanctioned mages.” He said pulling away from the hug and taking her hands in his. He had turned his arms up to show her the scars of the shackles on his wrists. They were deep and jagged, like he had tried to rip his whole hand off to get away from them.

“I was asked if I was with anyone else, and I said no..they had trackers and mercenaries with them…who knows what they would have done with you..or what they would do to you.” He said bringing his hand up and cupping her cheek with it, wiping away the tears with his thumb. “Of course they didn’t believe me and they set fire to the wagon, our home, and killed the horse…just to get a reaction out of me. I had to stay strong, I could not say anything…but I did do something,”

Closing his eyes he focused. It was much harder to use the pulse, ever since they sealed away most of his magic. Or burst the mana channels in his body, scars on his chest showing where they had done so. After a few moments he managed to send out the same small scale mana pulse..the same one he had used to waken her from her sleep.

Opening his eyes he looked into hers. “I had thought you dead for so long…but I heard the rumors, I read the stories. A gyspy always leaves their mark when they go through a town…the same gypsy who left her mark in me.”

His words did little to comfort her soul. After everything she had been through just to find out he was alive, it made her miserable. “I thought you were dead. Gone.” He wiped away her tears and she felt the same pulse that had awoken her that night in the blaze. She collapsed in his arms as she clung to him.


She pulled one of arms from around her and looked at the marks on his wrists. “What did they do to you.” Her free hand came over and rid herself of tears so she could look. “If I had known… If I had known I would have moved heaven and hell for you. I would have found some way to get you free. You know that right?” She was quick to try and tell him she wouldn’t purposely leave him.


She could feel herself sniffling and by the gods it had to look ugly on her. She pulled herself out of the water and brought him back out. “We should talk more… I didn’t know you were alive but there were hints.” She stopped at the edge of the water. “Angela, the ruler of the Red Court, rules as Goddess of Fertility and Earth… One of her trials…” She had a hard time telling him. “The other day I seen our son and I yelled at Angela because I thought she was making fun of me.”



She gripped his hands for a moment. “She probably had no idea what I was talking about.” Though Angela had probably also dealt with it several times from other people. “Come you must meet Sehr.” She yanked his hand along just like the old times. She took him to see the large white drought horse and smiled. “This is Sehr. He is sweet.” She brought Zanar’s hand up so Sehr could sniff him.

He didn’t want to reply to her, he didn’t want to bring back the memories of his imprisonment. Even throughout the years he had tried to make up for the wrongs he did, people still held grudges and they still wanted him to get his just desserts. He got them and more..so much more than he could handle. “There is no way you could have found me..they were always on the move.”

As they exited, she spoke of hints that he was still alive, hints that she received from the goddess Angela. He had heard her name spoke by Kalyani before, and from others. He somewhat knew what the trials of her temple was…of course they were just hearsay from others, but to know that even Kalyani has the same visions. “A son…” It was hard even hearing the words come from him. He doubted himself “I do not blame you, maybe it would’ve shown me the same…I probably would have felt the same.”

Pulled out of his thoughts by the sudden yank of Kalyani, he having no choice but to follow her, came up to a large white horse. Another white horse he thought to himself as he was introduced to the horse. He could feel the warm breath come from the horse’s nostrils as he got his scent. “He is a beautiful one, I’m glad you find a new companion to keep you company” he smiled as he ran his hand up the horse’s snout gently. “Thank you.” He said to Sehr softly.

Retracting his hand he turned to face Kalyani. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her gently towards him. “Now I don’t really mind this, but I don’t think we both want to be standing around in the nude for much longer…just in case.” He teased her, as he was sure she forgot in the midst of the rush of things.

Before he left to go get his belongings, he did one thing he had been waiting to do for what felt like ages. He kissed the one woman who he had searched high and low for, working as a mercenary just to get by and travel. He felt like he had finally found his home once again.

Kalyani seen the pain in his face and it made her feel terrible. She reached up and stroked his cheek. “We’ll get you through those memories. The best way is to do it together.” She leaned his head down to kiss his forehead. It was a sad feeling around them even if it was a happy moment. The rage had subsided and she felt all eyes were on them even if it were just the two of them.


“Yep, I could tell because he had your face and hair.” She gave him a chuckle and shook her head. “He just told me I would know and that was it. I thought Angela was messing with me.” She repeated herself and knew that someday she would have to apologize to the goddess for being upset.


“Oh, he is and he knows it.” She stroked his mane. “I sort of stole him and my wagon from a hag. Though if you were following the rumors I’m sure you heard quite a bit about that one.” She winced a bit as she thought about what Bryony was going to do to her when she got caught.


Pulled out of her own thoughts she smiled up at him and returned the kiss. It was happy and short but she left off with a laugh. “You are right. Go get your clothes and I’ll show you the wagon. You won’t believe it until you see it.” It took her seconds to get dressed while she waited for the man to show back up.


“I told you I stole this from a hag. The amount of cleaning that bitch made me do was horrid.” She opened the door and the magic of the wagon expanded. The cottage on the inside was bigger than they ever had before. “Our wagon before was just a closet dream compared to this.” She offered him her hand before leading him inside.



“Find a seat at the table and I’ll make us some tea. You must be tired from all the running around.” She frowned a bit.

As he parted to go get his things, he couldn’t help but to smile a little and enjoy the moment of happiness that he had. Sure he had his fun doing his jobs, and making those that he did help have a moment of respite in their daily lives, this was different though a feeling you just couldn’t replace. He got to his things and put on the simple grey tunic and pants. He made sure the tunic was tight around him with a dark green sash. He cared not to put the rest of his attire on and just threw it over his shoulder, the loud clank of the clawed plate gauntlet ringing out in the night.

On his way back to the wagon, it occurred to him that he did not have his blade in his effects. It must’ve still been down in the drink. Quickly he made it to the water’s edge and once again snapped his fingers and the black wisp came rising from threshold. “So sorry about that friend,” he said to the cloud and returned over to the wagon.

As Kalyani opened the door, he was just expecting a more spacious wagon interior but instead was blown away buy what his eyes beheld him. It was about the size of a double story cottage, and he was struck back by the magics that bound the interior to this wagon. “Dear god…who knew hags could do something like this. I always thought their accursed blood magic was just meant to torture.”

He laid the rest of his clothing down by the door and took a seat at the table, yet he also noticed how her face contoured into a frown as she said that. This he knew would happen, being gone for so long would cause a tad bit of distrust and distain between them…so it would come to be expected.

“What do you wish to know. I know there is more on your mine than you let out. Even though I was gone I do still know you and your signs.” He said to her. He wanted to hear it from her, though he was sure he knew what she wanted to ask. He was unaware at the same time he was rubbing the scars on his left wrist. It was a habit that happened when he got nervous, anxious, and afraid all the same.

The pain still affected him to this day. The seals and the torn mana channels were still healing..

“She needed a mobile torture chamber unfortunately. It had body parts and other shit in it.” She sighed a bit and frowned. “It took a lot of cleaning and I even had to tame Sehr. He was really wounded by her and had a bad spell on him but I managed to get the curse off of him. It was a lot of work, I promise.”

She sighed at his words and waited for the kettle to boil and blow. Pouring the hot water she made their  tea and carried it over. Pulling a chair by him she sat down. “There is more for me to tell you as well.” She appeared nervous. “Why I originally stole this wagon… You should know.” She leaned back and held onto her cup tightly. “I waited for a long time and I wandered. Until one day I met a man who tried to fill the hole. We were together for a while but when the tears opened up and we fell in… I lost him and I made at both of you.”

Her fingers tapped against the cup. “Maybe because I was always by myself. So I stole this wagon and horse to find Sirian but I couldn’t. No matter where I looked on Canelux all over for him.” She appeared more upset. “Then Angela’s temple happened and I didn’t see his child, I saw your’s, I was so confused. I was sad but also happy because in the end I was just trying to fill a hole that you left.”

She set the cup down and took his wrists, kissing the marks. “You don’t have to tell me right now. I may have questions but it hurts to even think about it, I can tell just by looking at you. Whatever they did to you, I am sorry.” She put his hands up by her heart and gave him a smile. “You don’t have to worry around me. Just try and relax, alright?” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You can tell me whatever you are alright with telling me. The rest can wait until you are strong enough."

He sipped on the tea as he listened to her story of her other lover. On the inside he couldn’t help but to be furious. He had searched and searched, without stop when he escaped to get back to her and yet at the same time she stopped and took in another. He also felt like she probably had made the right decision for herself, and he was just too stubborn to do the same. He had plenty of women thrown at him from happy father’s trying to wed them off to a strong swordsman….and every time he denied them and went on his way if he heard anything.

“You did what you had to do for what was best for you. Your happiness has always been my top priority..and if this man,” the hesitation and slight frustration in his voice was made apparent as he said the last part, “helped do that for you..then I should have nothing to complain about.” He sat his cup of tea back down on the saucer that it was carried on. His spirit was lifted again once she had told him about the vision of the trial again. “A goddess’ magic..it’s almost absolute by nature. Though only Yggdrasil knows absolution.”

He laid his hand upon where her heart was, when she brought it up to there and turned slight to face her more. He closed his eyes and felt her lips on his cheek, telling him all that he needed to hear and feeling the beat of her heart. “I will always worry about you…until death sweeps me away to the afterlife. Hell even then I think my spirit will.”

He drew his hand away and just held onto her hand as he looked at the energy above him. “As you know from my past, I was far more attuned to the mana in the air. I was more a sword wielding mage than anything. They knew that..and they used that to torture me.” Unintentionally his grip tightened on her hand, yet he managed to undo it before he hurt her.

“Little by little. They either sealed away the magic I once knew, and as a mage that is your lifeline. But if they wanted info..or just to please themselves on that damned airship, they would do far worse.” Looking back towards her eyes. “We all are connected to the mana in the air, ground, and water. Invisible channels in our body draws it in….they would overload them, and cause them to burst within my body.”

A cold shiver ran down his spine as he remembered and even felt the slight twinges of pain. “I maybe damaged more on the inside than what I know, so far nothing wrong has become of me…but losing that connection…that life surge. Its pain is unimaginable and lingers.”