Standing in front of Rhanoa's biggest tavern, the members of Bastion of Rhanoa had signaled me to enter. With my entrance into the tavern, many curious eyes had locked onto me. Silence plagued the once lively tavern and the thumping of footsteps was the only sound echoing through the wooden building.

I was signaled to stop moving after we made our way to small cellar door, the members began to take my weapons and anything that looked suspicious to them. The woman from earlier told me to wait here before going into the cellar by herself. Surrounded by the other members, I sneakily started to analyze the building. Just in case I needed to bust out, I burned the image of the room into my head to start formulating a plan. The sound of a creak had brought my senses back to reality. Seeing the woman's head popping out from the cellar, she beckoned us in.

Now standing in a room filled with people, the silence was broken only when a tall man had stepped his way in front of me. "How do you do?" The man had greeted me with a smile, he then went on to introduce himself. "My name is Niles Valmirious, Leader of the Bastion of Rhanoa, and one of the officers of the liberation group known as White Wind. The one that brought you here is named Freia Medvella. My subordinate had briefed me in the situation so lets make this meeting short and pleasant shall we." The man in front of me had released a bit of bloodlust in order to frighten me, amused by his threat I decided to play back.

"Don't worry I don't intend to make any trouble for..." I then proceeded to use one of my own original magic, "Earth Weight Shackles." Using a bit more mana then usual, I omitted the cast incantation. Making sure to weaken the spell, everyone in the room besides me hunched over. "As long as you don't make any trouble for me, that is." Looking him in the eyes I saw a glimpse of confusion and fear. After seeing everyone's reaction to the spell, I knew that my counter threat and gotten across to them. Satisfied, I began the conversion before Nile's had a chance to regain control over the situation.

"Well then Mr.Niles, I would like to clear up... One little mistake you made." He looked at me confused, "Don't worry it isn't anything ground breaking or something like that, I'm just correcting what you said earlier. Earlier you had stated that she had 'brought' me here like it was against my will. So I'm just going to correct you in that she didn't 'bring' me here." I began to increase the power of Earth Weight Shackles, "I came here for my own purposes, and I should also make sure you know." Yet again increasing the power of Earth Weight Shackles, I saw some people crumble under the pressure of my spell, "I can also leave this place... ALONE." More people had fell to their knees, the woman named Freia had also been struggling in keeping herself up.

Now with the situation completely in my favor, I decided to release everyone from my spell. The heavy weigh they all felt had completely vanished as if it had never been there in the first place. Relieved from the weight, everyone had fell to the floor drenched in sweat, I continued to look down on Niles with composure, this way he wouldn't try to threaten me again. I snapped my fingers to remind the people resting on the floor that we weren't done yet. "Looks like everyone's a bit tired, should we instead postpone this meeting till another time? I wouldn't want you all to collapse, although it looks like a few of you already have." I continued my evil way of speaking to them in order to not lose my lead in controlling the flow of conversation.

"No no, Mr.Argus, there isn't a need to postpone the meeting, a little sweat is good for the body no? He stood up and composed himself, still smiling as he continued talking. "Well than, if you don't mind, why don't we go into my office to continue our meeting." He began walking towards a door with Freia and waved his hand towards me telling me to enter.

Walking into the office I began to scan the area, two sofas that were separated by a table were facing each other. Behind those sofas were bookshelves filled with numerous amounts of books. And opposite of the door we had entered was a desk with a single chair behind it. Niles and Freia had sat down on one of the sofas, gestured for me to sit on the one across from them. I walked to the sofa and sat facing them with my up most gentlemen like position. With us now seated, Niles brought out a little folder of notes. "Well Mr.Argus, Freia had told me that you were working for the Laughing Skulls, I would like to make sure with you if this information is correct."

"Truthfully, I don't work for the Laughing Skulls, I had only said that in order to calm this one down," I gestured to Freia, who then angrily retorted.

"WHAT! Then why did you tell me that you knew were the slaves were being held!? You're telling me everything you said was a LIE?!" She unsheathed her knives and before continue her antic Niles had intercepted her.

"STAND DOWN, FREIA MEDVELLA! THAT IS AN ORDER!" Niles shouted at Freia ordering her to stop.

"But this man no, this scoundrel! He lied to me, to us! Giving us false hope just to crush it! I..." Before she could finish Niles had stopped her again.

"Officer Medvella, I know how you feel, but this isn't the time or place to start pulling out your weapons." He then gestured to her to look at me. She saw that I had a hand out, knowing that the invisible weight had something to do with me she flinched back a bit. Seeing her come back to her senses, I brought my arm back down and started speaking.

"This is the reason why I lied in the first place, it seems like the officer of the Bastion of Rhanoa has quite the temper." She looked back at me even angrier then before, but after her resent scolding decided not to make another scene.

"Mr.Argus I would like it if you stopped bully my poor subordinate anymore, she seems to be reflecting on her mistake so could I ask of you to drop this behavior?" I looked at him, then shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't mind dropping it, Its not like I have a person grudge against her. Plus with there being a chance that shes related to someone I know, I wouldn't want him to hear that I bullied his relatives." Freia's expression changed from a scowl to confusion, so I decided to tell her about Zerok. "Well it seems that Miss Freia's last name is Medvella is it not?" She nodded in acknowledgment so I continued. "Then would you happen to know of a man named Zerok Medvella?" She gasped at the unexpected name. With a shocked expression she spoke.

"You... You met my brother? Zerok... Zerok is... still alive?" The tone of her voice was filled with emotion. With tears welling up at the corner of her eyes she looked at me for answers.

"Well now, I guess I was right after all. Yes Zerok is alive, or at least he should be. We separated ways while ago. But if you wish to find him then you should ask around about a adventure group called Lobo Sword." Learning that her brother was still alive, Freia had started to cry. She quietly wept for little and composed herself afterwards. Niles hadn't said anything but he looked relieved at the news. With a sudden shift in the mood, Niles had thanked me. I told him that it was just coincidence but he thanked me nonetheless.

With the now composed Freia, we continued out little meeting. I told Niles that even though I didn't work for the Laughing Skulls, that I had information on them. I began with where the children had been taken, that they were sent to Nossrax in order to be raised as either slaves, or soldiers. And that the Nossraxxian Nobles had been demanding more slaves to be sent to them. I also told them the children that were sent to Nossrax had been taken from a bandit group that raider a slaver's caravan. "It seems like Bowjack was ordered to get the slaves back from the bandits." Niles had thought out loud.

"With the slaves being transported to Nossrax, we don't have much of a chance in getting them back. Usually only citizens of Nossrax can enter the kingdom, we would be searched at every check point. Damn it. It seems like news of Nossrax waging a war against the elves were true. The plan on buying slaves in order to supple their war efforts. Tell me Argus, do you know if the slave were of different race?" I knew why Niles had asked that, and I also knew the answer.

"Yes, the only race of children I didn't see in the wagon was human. There were three Varathi girls, two of which were wolfkin, and one that is lizardkin. Four elves, two boys and two girls. And one male dwarf." I saw the flames of wrath swirling in Freia's eyes.

"Bastards, Why can't they just enslave their own kind instead of tormenting others!" Hatred was seething out from every word she spoke. I understood how she felt, seeing those children worn down and surrounding by cages and chains, I had began to resent my former species.

The meeting was still continuing but nobody had spoken a word. Freia was still angry, and Niles seemed to be in deep thought. I too was also thinking, with the information I had gained from Niles about Nossrax, I knew my self promise to save the children wouldn't be possible. With Nossrax now in a state of war, there wasn't any way for me to hide my identity while trying to gain entry into the kingdom. I needed more power, more than what I had now. I needed to travel around the world and gain all the knowledge I could possible get. With an unlimited amount of time, no matter how long it takes, I deeply wanted to help the people of this world.

With out anymore info about the Laughing Skulls, Niles Freia and I, had wrapped up our meeting. Niles had asked me if I wanted to join the Bastion of Rhanoa, while Freia kept telling him that inviting me wasn't a good idea. Ignoring Freia's insulting advice to Niles I declined his invitation and told him I was going to continue traveling. Freia had told Niles that she wanted to take a leave of absence from the Bastion of Rhanoa in order to track down her brother. I told her about what direction Zerok had left Graverot Marsh in just in case that would help her narrow down her search locations. After leaving the tavern, I opened the small bag that Niles had given me. Looking at the contents inside of of the bag, it looks like Niles had given me some gold coins for my information about the slaves and maybe some for telling Freia about her missing brother. Its not like I wanted to ask, so I just left it alone.

I continued along the main road of Rhanoa until I found an inn. "The Pig's Belly," is what I read, without any reason to turn away from it, I entered the inn. Finding myself in such a merry atmosphere I couldn't help but grin, "how long has it been since I've seen people having so much fun not worrying about a thing." I walked up to the inn's proprietress who greeted me with warm smile, "Welcome to The Pig's Belly hon, Now don't mind the craziness and tell me, how can I help ya?" They woman looked to be in her forties and had some weight to her. But all that along with her voice gave off a motherly charm.

"I'll take a room for the night."

"Would you like something to eat for dinner with that? I can make anything ya like sweetie."

"Ah well its a shame I ate before coming here, Maybe some other time."

"Oh well, then do you want breakfast in the morning before you leave?"

"I'm going to have to decline again, I'm planning to leave very earlier in the morning tomorrow."

"Well that's to bad, but at least that's less work for me huh haha!" And with that hearty laugh, I paid for my room and began making my way upstairs. Walking past a group of what looked to be students in uniform I happened to over hear their conversation. "What! what do you mean!? what happened to my village?!" the girl exclaimed in a sorrowful voice.

"Calm down Lilana, I know how you feel but that's the truth. It seems like your village was raided by monsters about two years ago. No one knows when exactly it happened but apparently there were no survivors."

"What!? What about my Grandfather? Surely he would be alive, he was a great mage, there's no way he would be killed by some measly monsters."

"No is sure what happened to Master Horrus, we don't know if hes alive or not, but his house was a complete mess when we got scouts got there. They say it was almost falling apart, and that some of the other houses had been completely obliterated."

"No, that can't be possible..." The conversation died when the girl sat there without any movement. "It seems like I found the granddaughter of the unknown mage. Hmm, I can't help but feel like fate is playing with me. There's no way for this my coincidences to happen in a single week is there? Well fate of not, this girl might be the key in unlocking this book, and maybe even the knowledge of magic that I don't know. I need to make a plan for this." Thinking this, I began to prepare a plan in order to meet with her alone.