Streets of Gorz

"Alright, do we take a left here or at the next cross?" Blake asked as the cart was making its way through Gorz to the war armory but was having trouble with getting there at the moment.

"Hmm? Sir Blake, I believe we were supposed to take a right back there," Risabeel answered, looking back the way they came as she did she could see some of Gorz's citizens and they weren't just humans; Elves, Dwarfs, Beast-men and other races all living and working together in one place with not a hint of animosity between them. "I wonder if I can be myself here?"

"Ahh!" Blake pulled Nash to a stop and hung his head low. "Ugh...why is this place so confusing?" He groaned to himself then made a turn getting some annoyed and angry looks from the other cart drivers behind him. "Sorry, sorry, my bad."

"Any of you have a problem with my Alpha/Big Brother?" Gram and Mari asked with glares sent at the ones looking at Blake, making them look the other way. "That's right. Make way!" Mari smiled while Gram kept up his one-eyed gaze and Os seemed to be doing the same by making an eye close to Gram's inside its jar.

"Hey, you three be nice, please..." Blake told the three of them, but they didn't even act like they heard him. "...Well, at least they work well together."

"Your turn is here, Scaleless," Saffire pointed out just as they were about to miss it.

"Huh!? Nash, turn!" Blake did a quick turn getting a rough snort from Nash as he looked back at Blake. "Hey! Don't look at me like that! This place is like a maze!" Blake yelled at the horse, leaning over the driver's seat so Nash could hear him loud and clear. "OW!" Only to get a tail whipped at his face. "Dumb horse..."

"Hmph, you're the who's not going the right way," Saffire told Blake off after he sat back down. "How hard is it to remember your way or is the only thing that stays in that head of yours is smithery and girls."

"Yea, mostly..." Blake answered without a hint of joking in his voice and was being completely honest then thought it over. "...there's also fighting, Mari, and other stuff up here..." He added, tapping on his head a little. "...and if you're so great at knowing where to go, you drive." He handed Saffire the reins while smiling at her. "Unless all you've got on, your mind is finding ways to insult me?"

"Tch, challenge accepted!" Saffire gladly took over for Blake, 1) because of her pride and 2) to show Blake that he was wrong.

"Wha?" Which surprised Blake a bit, not expecting her to do it. "Guess I get to relax." He leaned back into the seat, but a dark aura was coming from his left. "Hmm?" Turning to it he found Risabeel looking depressed. "Uh? What's the matter, Risabeel?"

"...It is nothing..." Risabeel answered in a quiet voice while looking more at Saffire than Blake.

"...Ok?" Blake said not to sure what was wrong with her but didn't think much of it. "As long as she doesn't go full Demon on me should be fine."

30 minutes Later War armory

"Okay, you have a good sense of direction," Blake muttered, looking at the war armory in front of him with Saffire all smiles.

The armory was a large four-story stone building that almost took up two city blocks and was surrounded by a small army of City Watch continually marching around it with peerless. The courtyard of the armory was filled with all manner of siege/anti-siege weaponry, ready to be developed at any moment. Proudly flattering on a few poles were flags displaying a golden Phoenix on a red background with a wealth of flames coming from its wings. How one could not get to or miss such a site of military power was a mystery.

Which spoke volumes on Blake's navigation skills since he was randomly going around it for a while. "Wipe that smile off your face."

"Heh, oh what's wrong, Scaleless? Can't have a lady out do you?" Saffire chuckled at Blake's muttering and jabbed an elbow at him.

"Shut it, you big dumb lizard," Blake told her off and got down from the cart before something hot in ball form was sent his way.

Once he did a group of City Watch were there waiting for him outside of an iron gate. "Took your time to see the sites. I take it?" One of them asked since Blake took up a bit of time.

"Uh, something like that, haha..." Blake answered with an awkward laugh, leading the guard to the side of the cart where the weapons were stored. "Here you are, guardsman!" He declared, opening up compartment that had a few crates filled with weapons for the army.

"Good, looks like everything's here..." The guard nodded after doing a quick check along with Blake, and the other guards started to take the delivery inside of the armory. "...and here's your pay and many thanks for supporting your kingdom." He bowed to Blake as other guard came up with a chest in their arms.

"Sweet! But hold for a sec?" Blake asked the one holding the chest as he opened it and pulled out a bag then counted out some coins. "Alright, that's about half for me! Send the rest to the blacksmith of Fairmaw named Reiner, if you could?"

"Of course, but weren't you going back there to give it to him?" The first guard answered/asked, sending the other one back to the armory with a young messager boy running out the next moment.

Blake waved his hand around a bit before talking. "No, I used to train under that guy and just finished, so I was looking to start up here, I mean you guys must be short on smiths if you have to look for weapons in some random town far south."

"Ah, well, you aren't wrong about that! We can always need an extra smith up here! And if Reiner taught you, then that means your worth it!" The guard nodded a few times to himself, then snapped his fingers at Blake. "Well, if you're looking for a place to get yourself a home? I've got a suggestion for you; try the western side between Mt. Nod and Mt. Nyth. There should be a few good looking places over there...but don't get too close to the Nod side of things we're still having trouble getting those thieves and scammers over there under control." He offered some help and warning to Blake.

"Heh, don't worry about us, guardsman, we aren't the kind of people you can mess with that easily," Blake smirked at the guard and thanked him for the help then returned to the cart.

"Did all go well, Sir Blake, and what is our next course of action?" Risabeel asked, offering a hand to Blake to help him up.

"Yea, got paid and now we find a place to get my blacksmith business going," Blake answered, shaking the bag of gold he had a few times then sat down between the girls. "Now then driver bring me to the west of Gorz, would you, toot sweet." He commanded, clapping his hands at Saffire, who just glared back him for acting like that. "What can't a guy have fun?"

"Not if it means bossing me around!" Saffire growled at Blake even trying to bite him a little making Blake slide up to Risabeel for protection. "Tch, baby." After that, she cracked Nash's reins and got moving.

"Yo, Alpha, what's the point of getting a place when you got a moving house and smithy in one?" Gram asked, coming up to the driver's seat. "You even got a sign to boot." He nodded up at the Blake's Blazing Smithy sign hanging off the top which had gotten a few people looking at the cart, not to mention Gram himself.

"True, this bad boy does let me do work on the go, but I can't really push out that many items with it and the problem with storage is a thing. That weapon delivery used up all the space except the coal and Ore storage not to mention that I would have to think of some way of keeping our money safe and there's all of us moving with this thing..." Blake started listing out some of the trouble he'd have to go through if he wanted to keep the whole moving smithy a thing.

"Also it would be difficult for one to find you if you are always on the move, Sir Blake," Risabeel added in as she was doing the same as he was.

"Right, I might have to go out looking for Ore once in a while though and being able to work right away is good, but it's not like I'm giving up on this thing." Blake rubbed a hand on the cart; after all, it was a gift from Reiner with the help of the people in Fairmaw.

"Well, if you ever go out hunting, remember to think of me." Gram smirked all he was worried about was not getting to go out for a good hunt once in a while.

"Excuse me, Blake, may I have a word with you?" Lu asked, sticking his head out from inside the cart.

"Hmm? Sure thing, man," Blake answered, moving inside to talk with the Elf and noticed Lu had a small bag hanging off his shoulder with his bow and quiver of the other. "Ugh, going somewhere?"

Lu gave Blake a small nod. "Well, Rena and I did originally come to Gorz on a quest from the Elf King if you remember."

"Oh yea, what for anyway?" Blake asked since he never actually asked before.

"We are to a give a report to king Loth from king Dewran and work with a group of Elves here in Gorz...which means we need to part ways for now," Lu answered and offered his arm to Blake. "It was nice having you as company, Smith-Knight, Blake."

Blake reached out and took Lu's arm in his. "Heh! You make it sound like we aren't going to see each other? Sure Gorz is big, but we're friends, right?" He shared a laugh between Lu and gave his arm a shake.

"Tch, from my point of view, you've been bossing us around a bit too much to be friends!" Rena flew into Blake's face with her hands on her hips.

"Ugh, ain't going to miss you fly girl!" Blake yelled right back at her then blew the Fairy out of his face and into Lu's quiver. "That's where you belong."

"GRRR! WHY YOU! RENA KI-!?! LU! LET ME GOOOOO!" Rena whined, trashing around in Lu's hands when he grabbed her.

With all the yelling going on Baba who was laying on Blake's hammock got up and floated over to Blake's side. "Hmm? Are you leaving us, Mr. Lutwig, and you too, Rena? Well, safe travels to you." She gave them a small wave.

"Well, I should go tell the others," Lu bowed his head to Baba and moved to the driver's seat.

"Hey, why were you all formal with Lu?" Blake asked Baba since as far he knew she always did something weird with other guys.

Baba gave Blake a small and devious smile. "~Oh~ Hubby, don't you know you should respect your elders sometimes, yes?" She cooed then went back to Blake's hammock, leaving him a little confused look on his face as she cuddled his pillow.

20 minutes Later Housing Center

With Lu's and Rena's departure, the rest of Blake's party made their way to the housing center on the west side of Gorz. Currently, Blake and Risabeel were looking over a list of places that were available from within a small office.

"Sir Blake, what about this one?" Risabeel offered, pointing at one of the many choices.

"No, go. That place is too crowded, and I don't want people getting mad at the noise or smoke when I'm working..." Blake turned her down and looked at some of the other choices. "...hmm? This one doesn't have enough room even if Lu and Rena get to live with that Elf group. Both Gram and Nash need a good amount of open space to run around in and Saffire takes up a whole house by herself...not to mention we might have to do some reworking to get a working smithy set up...ugh! This is hard..." He groaned lowly still trying to find the perfect place for them to settle down. "Why'd a Dragon and a big ass wolf have to join up?"

"Indeed, this is quite the conundrum that we are in but nothing that will stop us!" Risabeel declared, doing one of Blake's righteous poses with a fist in the air, eager to help him with this task. "Ah? Excuse me, miss, could we have a look at your other residences?" She asked, stacking the papers she and Blake were looking through and handed them back to a woman with glasses in a brown dress behind a desk.

"Sorry, to say but you two have gone through the 'other' ones already," The woman answered, putting the stack aside then put her hands together to rest her head on them. "...There are some 'less than up to code' spots that might be what you're looking for, but I'm going to need some time to find the owners if any at all." She informed them then pulled out a paper and pen to write something down. "Here, these are some inns that are pretty close by if you're going to wait."

"...Thanks," Blake groaned getting up from his seat and walked out.

"Ah! Sir Blake, please wait!" Risabeel took the list of inns and followed after Blake quickly but turned back to the real estate agent. "Thank you for your services!" She sent a quick nod to her before leaving.

The agent rolled her eyes and went back to her work. "Dumb kids, getting married so fast."

Once outside, Blake leaned against the side of the cart to think. "Having trouble?" Saffire asked, swinging her head around to Blake.

"More or less..." Blake groaned in answer while he watched Mari play around with Gram's head as he was laying next to the cart.

"That so, huh?" Saffire said and watched Risabeel come out.

"Sir Blake, you forgot the list of inns." Risabeel held out the list of Blake, but he didn't take it right away still ideally looking look at his sister. "...Are you alright, Sir Blake?"

But on noticing Risabeel's worried look, Blake lightened up. "Oh? Sorry, I'm just a little down...I thought getting set up here would be easy." He answered and took the list from Risabeel trying to find a place to stay for at least the night. "At least this is going to be easier than the house."

"~Oh~ don't be down, Hubby, I'm sure we'll find our little love nest soon then we can get down to ~business~" Baba popped out of the cart to float over to Blake's side and instantly got a glare from Saffire. "Ohoho, are you planning on doing anything about that, Hot-head?"

"As if I'd want to do anything with you perverts!" Saffire snarled at Baba with smoke coming out of her nose.

"No fighting, you two," Blake warned with his face still on the list but wasn't really looking for anything then sighed deeply. "...Welp, it's not like things are just going to fall into place out of nowhere, right?" He held out his arms playfully after saying that as if expecting for something to get dropped into them.

"GET BACK! YOU THIEF!" From further down the road came the yelling of a group of guards chasing after someone in a brown cloak that almost covered everything on them except for a pair of black boots and was carrying a large bag.

"Ugh? How about? NO!" The thief yelled back in a young man's voice with a lead on the guards. "But this haul is starting to slow me down might have to toss it...?" He thought, looking for a good way to get rid of the bag and spotted Blake's open arms. "There you fucking are! Quick! Take this back to the hideout!" He tossed the bag to Blake as he ran past.

"Huh?!" Blake just stared at the guy as he gave him a thumbs up in slow-motion before he sped off, but Blake did get a look at his face being somewhere around his age with, blue eyes and a few bangs of black over his face. "The fuck was that?" Blake asked in disbelief at what just happened then turned back to the guards rushing up to him, and they did not look happy to see him. "Oh shit! What now?!"

"YOU! DROP THAT BAG AND COME WITH US! NOW!" The guard at the head of the group ordered readying his spear to stop Blake from getting away.

"What?! Hold on! I'm not with that guy!" Blake yelled back at guards waving the bag around, causing it to come open with a flood of coins from copper to gold, falling to the ground. "Whoa!" He quickly held it properly to stop the waterfall of money with a gang of people jumping at his feet to grab the free coins. "Ugh..." Blake looked back at the guards still coming up then at the thief running away.

"And now you're trying you get rid of it! Take him down!" The head guard ordered, and now the others had their weapons at the ready looking right at Blake like he had a bounty on his head. "And don't try to talk your way out this of one, thief!"

"Ugh? How about...NO!" Blake threw the bag of stolen coins at guards, sending coins flying out and into their path, slowing them for a second as a swarm of people gathered around them. "Sorry about that! But I have a real thief to catch!" He apologized then whipped his head around to the end of the road seeing the thief about to turn a corner. "Get back here! Asshole! Risabeel! Baba! Get inside! Saffire, after that guy!" He grabbed Risabeel by the arm and hopped onto the cart.

"Right!" Saffire gave the reins a crack and Nash went off while Baba floated behind quickly.

"Huh! What's up?" Gram rose up from the ground and picked up Mari before catching up with the others while the group of guards was trying to keep some beggars off the coins.

"Some thief just tried to pin their heist of on me! So we're going after him!" Blake answered as they gained on the thief since he stopped suddenly for some reason. "Hey, ~buddy~! The drop off ain't happening what now, boss!?" He asked, acting like he knew the guy and was about to grab the thief when he saw what made him stop. "Oh?" Coming down on the thief was another group of guards, all of whom heard Blake's earlier question and by the look of things they weren't going to listen to anything he had to say. "...Shit!"

"Huh?" The thief turned to the cart with a confused look on his face then quickly wiped it off. "Seriously?! You're useless as usually! Well, guess we're going back empty-handed this time, right ~partner~?" He got up on the cart and gave Blake friendly smile, and a light elbow jab to the chest as he was keeping the act Blake unintentionally set up going, making sure the guards could hear him loud and clear. "You know? Before they get here!" He pointed at guards marching down on the cart.

"Why shouldn't I throw you off?" Blake asked, grabbing the thief by his collar and along with Saffire sent him a glare while Risabeel looked at him suspiciously.

"Because as far as they know all of us are working together and are going down together, believe me, I have the experience." The thief answered and pulled back the hood of his cloak, showing his jet black hair, which touched his shoulders a little. Next, he pushed his arms out from his cloak and under it was a red long-sleeved shirt with only one sleeve on his right arm leaving the other bare, over the shirt was a series of straps that held lockpicks, coin pouches, and a knife. Next up were some brown pants with two short swords attached to his belt and a pair of black boots. "So unless you want to stay in a dungeon cell for a night, listen to me and we'll get away, Scot-free, heh!"

"Yo, Alpha, the ones back there are coming up," Gram warned, making Blake and the thief turn back to the first set of guards.

"We aren't letting you get off easy for that stunt! Thieves!" They all yelled together, stomping down the path like a pack of bulls on the run.

"Ugh!?" Blake didn't like any of this but a cell wasn't looking all that nice even if he didn't do anything to get put in one, he could fight but taking on the entire City Watch might not be the smartest of things even with a Dragon on his side. "Fine! But I'm punching you in the face after this!" He promised, waving a tight fist in the thief's face.

"Heh!" The thief just smiled at Blake's threat, even bumping fists with him. "Alright! First, let's go down there!" He pointed down an alleyway.

"Scaleless?" Saffire looked at Blake to be sure.

"Go, we'll deal with this guy later." Blake nodded while pointing a thumb at the thief then turned to Risabeel and Baba. "You two inside." He told them and with some nodding from them they went inside just as Saffire got Nash moving into the alleyway as the two groups of guards came up to them.

"Dammit!" One of them cursed, watching the group get away. "Send word to the others!"

"Hmm? That was easier than I thought?" Blake said surprised, getting out of the alleyway and the guards weren't trying to chase them. "Looks like we didn't need your help all that much."

"Yea, usually they send the horses out for me around now, are they running late?" The thief thought then covered his eyes to look up at the sun, but the sound of horse hooves beating on stone came to his ear. "There they are!" He cheered as a new group of guards on the backs of armored horses appeared in front of the cart.

"There!" One of them yelled out as they all dashed straight for the cart.

"OK! Where to now!?" Blake yelled while Saffire got them moving fast, trying not to crash into a building, cart, person...or worst of all, a poor puppy.

"MOOOOEW!" Came from a cat's terrified scream when the cart past over its tail while it was lazily laying on a corner. "!" It hissed at the cart. "?!" Only for it to stare wide-eyed at Gram dashing by.

"Let's see here? My original escape route isn't going to work with you guys here...time for plan C!" He snapped his fingers, coming up with an idea as the guards were gaining on them.

"What about Plane B!?" Blake and Saffire both asked, turning to the Thief as he was smiling to himself.

"That was the bag thing earlier, but you messed that up for me." The thief answered, looking pissed off at Blake.

"What're you looking at me for?! It's not my fault you couldn't get away!" Blake yelled back at the guy about ready to punch him like he promised.

"Hah! Come on, man! It was all in good fun, and you had your arms open waiting for me!" The thief joked just as a guard caught up with them on his side, taking him by surprise. "Shit!"

Come here, yo-guh!" The guard tried reaching for the thief but got a foot to the face by Blake that sent him off his horse and into a fruit stand.

"Oh shit!" While Blake was left hanging off the side of the cart after jumping in like that.

"Thanks!" The thief waved at Blake as he dangled off the side. "Didn't think you cared that much?"

"If anyone is taking you down; it's me!" Blake shot back, despite having to dangle off the side of a moving cart and was trying to make his way up to the roof.

"What are they doing up there?" Saffire questioned as they got near a bridge that was a story above the road with two guards standing over its edge.

"Ready?" One of them looked to the other with a sword in hand, shaking his head at what they were about to do.

"Just go!" The other yelled back with a mace, and they both dropped down on top of the cart's roof.

"Finally!" Blake cheered after getting to the roof. "..." Then noticed the guards brandishing their weapons his way. "Nice to see that the law is willing to do anything."

"Now! We've had enough of you lot!" The guard with the mace barked as he came up to Blake with the intent of knocking his lights out.

"If you just let me talk this ou-WHOA!" Blake tried to talk the guard down but soon had to dodge out of the way almost throwing himself off the roof.

"No words out of you or this thief!" The guard ordered reaching for the thief as Blake was trying to keep his balance.

"Is that so?" The thief asked, just before grabbing hold of the roof of the cart to flip himself up there with them.

"Gah!" And got a kick on the guard with the mace, driving him back to his partner. "Why you!"

"Little shit?" The thief finished for the guard as he pulled Blake back on better footing and whipped out his short swords. "Know how to use this?" He offered the one in his right hand to Blake.

"Probably more than you do!" Blake took the blade and stared the guards down. "Nothing personal, just defending myself from guard brutality."

"Nice excuse, we'll mark you two down for armed assault on authority." The guard with the sword smirked joining his partner in dealing with Blake and the thief. "Adds to the bounty which is good for us!"

"Then it's about to get higher after we're done with you two!" The thief stroke out first with a thrust aimed at the mace-wielding guard. "Oh?"

But even with the weight of his mace the guard still blocked the attack. "We're not pushovers you st-"

"Street rats!" Blake cut in literally with a swing at the guard's mace trying to knock it out of his hands.

"Hah!" But the sword using guard stepped in to parry Blake pushing him back a little. "You boys aren't winning this one!" He claimed with some flourish in his swings as the other guard worked the thief off himself.

"Tch! These guys aren't half bad?" Blake thought in his head as he was having a fair fight with the sword-wielding guards for the most part.

"Hah!" As was the thief even with him have a faster weapon the guard with a mace was keeping up with him, not to mention every other moment the cart would bounce into the air throwing all four of them off a little. "Hey! keep things steady down there!" He yelled down at Saffire.

"Do not order me!" Saffire yelled back just as she made a quick turn to dodge a small roadblock of guards in front of them. "I don't even know where I'm going at this point!"

"Then go right and straight down after that!" The thief shouted down at her, having figured out a way to get rid of his and Blake's dueling partners.

"Right!" Saffire listened doing another sharp turn as ordered and was now on a long stretch of road that was going down on a hill.

"Hey! Do as I do!" The Thief swung at the guard using a sword to get Blake's attention on him.

"Sure, whatever!" Blake at the same time parried a strike from the mace-wielding guard, switching places with the thief as they kept going down.

"DOWN!" The thief yelled out of nowhere as he dropped to his stomach followed right behind him was Blake, leaving the guards with their arms in mid-swing.

"Huh?" Was all one of them could say as they stared at Blake and the thief. "SHIT!" Then looked up to see a wooden beam between the second floors of two buildings.

"AAAGGHHH!" Both guards screamed once they smacked into it and got thrown off the cart with Gram jumping over them as the still in pursuit horseback guards rode after them.

"Hmm? They are really out for me?" The thief wondered out loud after taking his sword from Blake while looking back at the guards, still hunting them down even after all that. "We left the main city, huh?" Now they were in a less urban part of the Gorz as trees and open fields were starting to appear around them.

"Yea, it's like you tried to make off with a lot of gold or something?" Blake faked a thoughtful look before he and the thief jumped down to Saffire, but despite the way, things were going he was having fun somehow. "Alright, man, I hope you got something big left over?" He asked since they were going up a small hill now.

"Haha! Of course, and this one will get us out!" The thief answered, pointing at a cliff and under it was nothing but trees. "That's it! The ultimate escape plan!"

"What!?" Saffire yelled at the thief, all of his other ideas were kind of dumb and simple, but this one was downright insane. "I'm pretty sure this thing can't fly!"

"Welp, guess we're getting a few broken bones!" The thief bonked a fist on his head out of any more 'good' ideas leaving Saffire to growl at him. "What are you a Dragon? heh?"

With that, Blake leaned in on Saffire and whispered. "Hey, I don't mind doing something that stupid, but Risabeel might get hurt sooo...?" He trailed off not needing to add more since he knew Saffire got what he meant with only a nod. "Gram!" Then he looked at Gram still keeping up with them. "We're leaping off of that cliff, so be careful with Mari!"

"Hah! Is that all? Just watch me!" Gram smirked then suddenly sped past the cart and jumped off the cliff and into the trees below.

"Whoa! He's fast!" The thief grasped this whole time he just thought Gram was just as fast as a horse.

"You ain't seen nothing yet! Haha!" Blake laughed as Saffire was handing him her clothes, getting a hate full glare from her. "Hey! Want me to ask Baba instead?!"

"Whoa! Haha...that's a bit much! It's not like we're going to die from this!" The thief turned his head away quickly and saw the guards catching up with them. "Shit!" He turned back around about to tell Blake about that. "WHAAAA!?" But now Saffire had scales all over herself and was on fire starting to change into her Dragon form.

"She's not done yet, thief." Blake grabbed Nash's reins, taking over for Saffire while she moved to the roof still going through her transformation with her horns, tail, and wings coming out, all the while she was growing in size. "Alright! LET'S FLY!" Blake gave the reins a crack, and Nash took off over the cliff.

"What!? Are they crazy!?" The guards stopped short of the cliff and watched the cart fall over, but in the next moment, it was being carried by Saffire with her hind legs while Nash was in one of her front claws. "..." To which all of them just watched as Blake's party flew away. "Uh? What now?" They could throw a spear or shoot an arrow at the Dragon that appeared out of thin air for them, but a fireball was not something they wanted to deal with right now.

"Report to the castle?" One of them offered, and they all nodded.

"A-a-ah!" The thief was at a lost for words, looking at the trees under them. "Wow..." Then up at Saffire and finally at Blake, who was taking his time to enjoy the ride. "So you have a Dragon rolling with you? That could have been useful information earlier, don't you think?"

"Yea, but she only does it when she doesn't have a choice," Blake muttered, reaching up to pat one of Saffire's toes and the entire cart shook almost throwing him and the thief out into the trees a few meters below them. "Hey, what gives!?"

"Don't get frisky!" Saffire growled looking down at Blake with embers burning in her mouth. "Just hurry up and tell me where to land before some bastard shoots me with a ballista, and I roast them!"

"Hey! Hey! The guards might be asses, but they're doing their job, geez! No need to cook 'em!" The thief protested a little bit too seriously for someone who just robbed somewhere and ran from said guards which got him confused looks from Blake and Saffire. "Uhm? But anyway, thanks for the help! Byyyeee!" He quickly held up his hands and fell backward out of the cart.

"What!?" Blake tried reaching out to him, but all he caught was air and saw a hole in the trees where the nameless thief fell through. "Dammit! I didn't get to punch him for starting this crap!" He groaned lowly almost wanting to jump after the guy, but right now he had better things to handle like finding a landing spot. "That looks good." He pointed at a clearing just up ahead.

"Good, this guy is getting restless." Saffire held up Nash who was losing his cool by the second, kicking his legs wildly with widening eyes 'Nash and being in the air' do not mix from the looks of it, thankfully for the horse, Saffire touched down in the clearing to let him run around on the ground. "Baby, can't handle a little airtime." She teased, leaning down to rest her head on her claws

"!" Only for Nash to come up and snort at her.

"Cute!" Saffire returned it with a cloud of smoke perfectly hiding Nash thanks to his black coat.

"Hah, Nash, I think she has you beat in the blowing air department," Blake laughed, getting off the cart then moved to one of the side doors. "Hey, you guys okay in th-wah!" He opened the door, but Risabeel fell out on top of him with a dizzy look on her face.

"Oh! Many apologies to you say, Sir Blake! I was not ready for suddenly taking flight...." Risabeel bowed her head a few times at Blake while still on top of him.

"I think he'd be thankful if you got off him, dear." Baba floated out perfectly fine.

"Ah! Yes! Many apologies again, Sir Blake!" Risabeel quickly stood up and held out a hand for Blake.

"Yea, whatever I'm just happy you're okay..." Blake told the worrying Demon, granted one of her horns smacked him in the face but Risabeel telling him 'many apologies' again wasn't helping with that.

"~Oh~ but Hubby where's our little misfit? I wanted to 'chat' with him about causing us so much trouble." Baba cooed, floating around the clearing for any signs of the thief.

"Yes, indeed, I do not like to say this, but I am very crossed with that man for his misdeeds." Risabeel wondered as to where the thief was as well.

"I dunno, he jumped off while we were in the air. He might be around here somewhere, or he took off as soon as he hit the ground," Blake answered, checking the treeline for anything that might be coming their way. "Hmm?" And he did find something.

Fortunately, it turned out to be just Gram with Mari on his back. "There they are," Gram muttered, slowly walking up to the group while shaking off some leaves.

"Yep, your nose knows, Gram!" Mari cheered with some leaves and twigs in her hair while holding Os up high.

"Oooh!" Os' muffled cheers of joy could be heard at seeing Blake.

"Good, everyone's here..." Blake went up to Gram to pat his head for keeping Mari safe then brushed off the stuff in his sister's hair. "Alright, now, what do we do?" He asked himself as of right now most of the guards on the west side of Gorz were out looking for a custom built cart that helped a thief escape their hands making them his accomplice...and he still hadn't gotten a place to set up yet which is going to be even harder because of the earlier problem. "Ugh!" He groaned out loud, letting anyone around him know just how much of a pain this was.

"Hmm? Quite the hole you've fallen into, Blake my boy, care for a reading?" The old Seer offered now standing in the middle for everyone like he was there the hold time.

"Meh, You're right, old dude, hit me..." Blake nodded to himself as he looked at the Seer. "..." Then as if all the time within the world stopped and left Blake the only one aware of what was going o, allowing him to slowly plan out his next few actions with a heightened level of thinking equal or greater than the best minds of his age. "...HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET THERE!?!" But all that amounted to was him screaming his head off and grabbing the Seer to throw him at something like the sun in the sky.

"Aww, you remember me, wekiki!" The Seer just laughed at Blake's efforts as he stood there like a boulder unmoving.

"Great, it's the old guy," Mari said not that surprised by the Seer's sudden appearance, but Os was doing that for her since it couldn't pick which color it wanted to be right now.

"Ah! Wise Seer, could it be possible for you to read into my past..." Risabeel was the only one who was somewhat happy to see him. "Ah?" But it appeared none of her words got to the old man who was grinning up at Blake trying to throw him.

"Wait? The last time I tried this, he...?" Blake thought out at first as he was doing nothing to this sickly looking old man and was about to let go when... "OW! Cut your nails!" ...He jumped back, holding his arm now bleeding after getting stabbed by the Seer.

"You know the answer to that, my boy!" The Seer cheered, holding up his finger-tip now dyed red by Blake's blood before licking it clean. "Hmm? You need to eat more greens, your blood has a different taste now...or is that mana?"

"Shut it! You creepy old dude!" Blake yelled back at the Seer's suggestion with his arms in an 'x.' "Also...EWWW!"

With all of Blake's screaming, the rest of the party came up to him, and they all stared at the Seer weirdly not knowing what to do. "Ah! And I see that you have recruited most of the ones I saw in my last readings! Wekikikiki!" He giggled at the sight of them.

"Grrr! Alpha! Want me to bite this guy's head off!" Gram growled at the Seer only picking up on his smell now, and that wasn't something the Greater Wolf liked.

"Please, I mean no harm! I simply wish to give this boy his fortune!" The Seer backed away as Gram got closer. "Hmm!" Then noticed Saffire now in her human form along with Baba coming to him next. "Ah! I see that the winged beast who is quite 'blessed' and the ancient wind that preys on the young men are quick to your aid, Blake, my boy!"

"I don't know who this guy is, but can I burn him?" Saffire asked with a fireball in hand.

"For once I agree, the old need to lay down at some point," Baba was ready as well with some winds coming to her hands.

"WAH! Please! Blake, my boy! Protect me or your fate shall be but a mystery in the wind!" The Seer jumped behind Blake in hopes of getting away from the three monsters.

"As much as I would love to see them kill you, I have this feeling you'd somehow make it out okay..." Blake held up his hand to Gram, Saffire, and Baba with all of them stopping in their actions then waited for Blake to explain. "...The creepy as hell and near death's door old guy is a Seer that predicted...vaguely...how I met you guys and so far he's been right."

"Oh?" All three of them said at once but still eyed the Seer as he was starting to crack every bone in his body, making them turn to Blake with blank stares.

"Just wait..." Blake told them as the Seer closed his eyes a swayed from left to right.

The Seer stopped in his swaying after a second or two then spoke. "...Ah, yes, I can see it all! After this day, you will encounter many more ordeals as you spend your time in the City Of Gorz! First, you shall meet a young one who is lost and is in need of your guidance! Next, you will face off against one who uses a power close to your own, after that I see you joining forces with the ones who have left your side and you all shall be guided by one you thought as but a malice, from there things do not get easier..." He pointed at Blake menacingly with one of his bony fingers.

"...Within the many a conquest that your group shall have I see you! Deep under the earth where you will find yourself doing battle with half men who live of all things gilded in gold, and you shall take one of them as your own! Dragged to the bottom of the seas, you will be when faced with a creature that bites down on all..." After that one, the Seer hung his head low for a full five minutes.

"Is he dead?" Saffire, Baba, and Gram asked together, looking at Blake again with blank stares then back at the Seer.

"Give him a sec," Blake answered with his arms crossed and watched along with everyone else as the Seer raised his head with a huge snot bubble coming out of his nose. "Of course..." Blake muttered and picked up a rock. "...Wake up!" He threw the rock right at the Seer's head which was caught without the old guy so much as looking at it.

"*Snores*...That was very rude of you, my boy," The Seer grumbled out half asleep and with his snot bubble slowly shrinking in size. "*Snort* Back to it now...you will be assaulted by the rainbow itself that comes from a single whiteness, but it is they who will lead you to the darkness of your past. With it, you shall engage in an unwinnable yet unlosable battle, but worry not for this darkness, whiteness, and the very rainbow will be your allies soon after. Together with these allies, I see much greatness to you all as one! But with such greatness there comes even more dangers that even I am unable to see at this time...!" The Seer threw a hand out at Blake, letting his final word hang in the air for added effect.

"...You done?" Blake asked in a deadpan despite what he heard, although half of it didn't make sense to him just like the first time around.

"Yes, yes, I am...your reaction wasn't what I wanted, but..." The Seer nodded now done with his reading then held out his hands to Blake. "...that does not matter with how I get paid..."

"Here and go away, please..." Blake dropped ten gold coins into the Seer's hand that the old man gazed at like it was candy.

"Wekikiki! Why thank you, Blake, my boy..." The Seer waved his hands around, and the coins disappeared somewhere into his cloak then put on a confused look. "...But I am surprised that you had the right amount ready? I did love how you yelled at me the last time...Hmm? Are you trying to get on my good side?"

"I just came prepared this time, is all old dude," Blake answered, not thinking much about it.

"Hmm? Well then, I am off again! May your next reading be a truly happy one, Wekikiki!" The Seer laughed as he walked back into the trees, slowly being covered by the fauna and only left his odd laugh. "AAAAH!" Until the loud sound of branches cracking and breaking was heard. "I am fine! No worries..." He called out from the trees followed by something about his back.

"Ok, what was that?" The trio of monsters asked left all too confused by...that.

"Just let me worry about it," Blake told them while shaking his head at the old Seer. "For now let's just camp out here and hope that no guards come looking for us and maybe they'll forget about that whole chase thing." He hoped, but he was more than likely either going to pay some fee or get tossed in a cell at some point.

"Indeed, Sir Blake..." Risabeel followed after him 1st and had a question on her mind. "...also, I do not want to think this, but did you acquire that amount of coin when you caught the stolen money that thief had wrongfully taken?"

"Wh-wh-what?! Nooo! Me? Do that! Pffft! Of course not!" Blake lied through his teeth, trying to not look bad in front of anyone, but everyone saw through it as he felt their judging gazes on him. "Oh! Come on, guys! A bag of gold gets tossed into my hands, and you guys want me not to take some?!" He yelled at all of them as he turned around to enter the cart and get some rest after all the shit he just went through and to think about his reading.

Chapter End