After collecting some food and drink, the pair continued to walk through the magnificent estate. They passed hallways of fine tapestries and paintings. Arannis did look over the art pieces as they passed them, but did not comment on any.

“I am quite adept at creating portals. Teleportations and summoning via portal is what first grew my interest in the field. I portaled here from my inn, and at the end of the night will return the same way.”

Eventually the pair arrived at a balcony overlooking the estate. Arannis sat at a small table and slowly dined on the food he had collected.

“What is the most interesting location you have explored?” Arannis asked.

"Is there any way I could catch a ride? My right was a one way ticket." She said as she looked at the pictures. She caught a glimpse of one piece that really summed up her life. Men in chains ran from a fight and the gallows as a single woman fought off men. She looked away not saying anything about it or the fact it resembled most of her life. 

She sat her food down and started eating. "The most interesting place I have explored would definitely be the island of four seasons. What was it called horse island, or something like that. The fay that lives there have some rather cool tree…" She started to say more but got quite dizzy all the sudden and almost fell off her chair. She grabbed her stummic slowly looking up with a fog in her eyes. 

“I would be happy to assist you,” Arannis replied, “Just tell me the destination and I can drop you off.” It would take but a fraction of power for Arannis to accomplish the task. He prided himself in his specialty.

He continued his meal as they chatted. The conversation was pleasant and the variety of flavors in the different meats and cheeses were quite invigorating. He drank only crystal clear water, avoiding anything that could cloud his thoughts. Inebriation and teleportation did not mix well, he had taught students before who had severely injured themselves in flawed teleportations. Whether they left a part of themselves behind, or ended up miles off course, it was never a pleasant situation to resolve.

He was listening to Vinsue recount the tales of the exotic land she had visited, when suddenly her words trailed off. Her eyes turned glassy and she swayed as if she was about to faint. He immediately stood and steadied her. He looked into her eyes and noticed the tell tale signs of a poisoning. Drawing upon his power, Arannis poured positive energy into her body, willing it to purge the poison from the woman. Healing was not Arannis’ strong suit, and it took him time and effort, pouring energy into her as three cloaked figures emerged from the shadows. They drew twisted black daggers of an odd material Arannis did not recognize and moved towards his companion.

Arannis lifted a single hand and diverted a portion of his power. He slashed his hand downward and spoke a single word in the fey tongue. A cyan tear in space appeared, and three feline fey leapt out upon the attackers. Arannis turned his attention back to Vinsue, purging the last of the poison from her and steadying her as she regained her senses.

"Thank you. It will be nice to not go through the blizzard." She responded to his offer. She was glad he stayed sober as she knew what alcohol does to people and would rather not trust a drunken man's magic. She had only felt as she did when the poison took hold once. And that was back when she was cursed to human form without any magic or her birth power. It was a temporary poison that nocked her out. She awoke chained last time and did not want to go through that again.The healing magic was strange yet worm. She wanted sleep. Her whole being wanted to die but she had will and a strong one at that. Once the poison was out of her thanks to her dance partner she looked at him than at her hands. "Thanks." She said knowing she would owe him. She noticed the sounds of a fight and looked over as she slowly stood up. Once she finally could see and had her balance she looked at the man holding her. "What's happening."

Arannis’ summoned fairies danced around the three attackers, distracting them and occasionally swiping at the figures with viciously sharp claws. These feline fey were not bred for combat, and would not last long when the attackers adjusted to their inhuman movements and managed to land strikes on them. With that in mind, Arannis hissed another command in the ethereal tongue of the fairies. The cats broke off combat. Two of the felines stood between the attackers and their would be victims. The last blocked the exit of the balcony. Gently releasing Vinsue, and allowing the smallest sliver of magic to remain and assist her in not falling to the ground from her seated position, Arannis walked up to the cloaked figures. They drew weapons and approached him, but the finely dressed man simply spat out a word in the twisted tongue of demons.

When the infernal word met the air, a darkness filled the area and the attackers’ eyes filled with an acid green energy. The three men screamed. They turned to charge Arannis, who stepped back behind his summons. Upon seeing the felines, the trio screamed again and turned to flee to the exit. They froze when they saw the third fairy awaiting them. They screamed one last time before dropping to the ground and clutching their heads, whimpering. Arannis took that moment to act. Drained of power, he quickly pulled a stick of chalk from a pocket. He drew a circle around the three attackers. He wrote nine Draconic runes around the edge of the circle, and then focused his will and spoke a word in the tongue of dragons, “Hold.”

Three at a time, the runes lit up with orange energy, and each figure in turn froze, still as stone. Satisfied with the results of his ritual, Arannis turned back to Vinsue.
“How are you feeling? Is the poison purged?”

Vinsue looked at him and nodded. "I am ok I think." She said slowly testing her balance. She close her eyes and mentally checked her health. Satisfied with her wellness she looked at the food. She was well confused at what type of poison that used for usually it was as harmful as water to her. 

Vinsue than walked over to the circle and 3 begging men. She walked around as she figured out who they were. "I can't believe they sent the shadows after me at a party, I mean seriously one night to forget life and have fun and they show up." She said.

She noticed the glowing symbols and was quick to recognize them and the language it was in. "We're did you learn this?" She than noticed the fay cats. She did not try to talk to them or pet them as animals had a way of knowing what she truly was and usually tried to attack or cower. "Those are pretty, they yours?"

“I’m glad you’re feeling well,” Arannis said, “I discovered these particular creatures on one of my journeys to the realm of the fey. They are a useful species, easy to appease and quite talented at a variety of tasks. They are also very simple to summon in a hurry, without a proper ritual.” The fairies paced around Arannis’ ritual circle, looking impatient.

When Vinsue inquired where he learned Draconic, Arannis’ tone shifted to the style he used when he once taught students at the guild.
“Knowing a variety of languages is key to my research. I’ve studied a wide variety along with their uses.”
“Infernal, the language of demons. A language of cruelty and malevolence.”
“Sylvan, language of the fey folk. Subtlety and manipulation.”
“Primordial, language of the elements. Raw power and chaos.”
“Celestial, language of the divine. Hope and benevolence.”
“Draconic, language of the dragons. Strength and domination.”

Each description the mage gave was in the language he named. Infernal was a guttural and twisted tongue, the language was grating to most human ears. Sylvan was light and majestic, like calming music. Primordial was a difficult language to follow, it sounded random and chaotic. Celestial was bright and hopeful, empowering. And Draconic sounded as it always did. A language filled with confidence and strength, and an edge of cruelty.

“Languages were the first thing I studied in my youth. Specialization of verbal spell components provided for much finer control when I was in training. Draconic was one of the first I picked up.”
His explaination had continued in fluent Draconic, and he then asked, “Where did you pick up the language?”

Walking to the paralyzed would-be assassins, he switched back to Common and asked, “Do you need these three alive?”
Muttering a word in Infernal under his breath, violet tendrils of energy stretched out from his fingertips to each of their throats. The energy halted, awaiting release.

She took note of the felines and what Arannois said. Cutting down on the magic use in spells would be a very handy thing to know. That information could allow her to do a lot more damage to pirate property and slaver ships. 

Once he started talking in different languages she listened surprised at the languages he knew. She knew most of the words but never spoke celestial and never hurd of it eather. When he spoke her tung he spoke like any dragon blood would and had no trouble. Just he made no body movements which showed he learned the human version. 

She answered in her native language and used some hand movement. A dragon usually used it's tail and wings but she did not have them to use. "I learned from a dragon when I was growing up. Like you being fluent is a very important part of my job." 

When he asked if she had reason to let the men live she answered in the common. "I have no need but I am not one to kill. Despising 3 bodies in this place would not be easy. And it would not be right to do so with them unable to defend them selves." She said as she summoned her sword. "They came for me so let me show them there mistake." She said 

Vinsue seemed surprised at Arannis’ grasp of the Draconic language. Her fluency was impeccable. She seemed more comfortable with the dragon tongue than with even common. As they spoke, Arannis stooped to the ground. He pulled the chalk back from his pouch and drew a rectangle. He filled it with sylvan runes, spiraling patterns and curves lacking any sharp angles or polyhedra. He worked quickly, drawing out the ritual he needed, and once he was satisfied with its completeness, he stood.

He flashed a smirk in Vinsue’s direction as he said, “Dishonorable to end their lives when they just attempted the same to you? With poison, mind, without giving you a chance to defend yourself.”

He then turned to the three fairies. They had been pacing, looking agitated at the lack of activity. The sorcerer spoke a command in the fey tongue, and then waved a hand over the ritual he had drawn, speaking one final word. A shimmering rectangular portal opened up, pulling upwards from the runes like a rising curtain. About seven feet high, it was translucent and shimmered with a vaguely violet color. Peering through it revealed a vast jungle. Odd foliage unlike anything in Revaliir populated the forest beyond the portal, and the muffled cries of fantastic beasts resonated. Arannis’ summoned fairies darted through the portal, and then all three turned to face the entrance. Their eyes grew hungrier, they arched their backs aggressively as they glared at the three paralyzed assassins. A slight hiss escaped one of them as its claws extended.

“Do what you will with these attackers,” Arannis told Vinsue, “However if they do require disposal, I can provide the option.” Arannis concentrated to maintain the portal while he waited to observe what Vinsue would do to her attackers, and awaited her reply.

She thought of what she would do with the men as he drew the portal up. "I am not them and refuse to take there level. Besides they are only the hit men not the actual guys that order my death, and trust me there are worse fates than death." She watched as his summoned cats leaped and turned ready to eat. Feeding the men to the cats was a very convincing idea yet that was not how she works. "troth" she said pertect in her tung so she would have no way of losing the fight or being effected by the circle. She slowly stepped in the circle and took there coin and a scroll from the leader. The belongings disappeared as she claimed them. But the scroll stayed as she read it. A simple wanted poster was all it was but it answered any questions she may have had.She put the scroll back than stepped out of the circle. She turned and faced them she than said release in draonic. The three could move again but did not attack for they knew they did not stand a chance against her. Actually they were potheadic. "I leave you two choices stand and attempt to earn the coin I'm worth or leave. The portal is opened." She said getting into her fight ready stance. A glimmering wall of static electricity stood between them and any other means of escape.