"How am I understanding you?" Lyros shook the buzzing in his head away.

"That is a good question," The little pinkish being said while looking at the odd grumpy being that appeared to be an extremely light blue and all angles.

"It's an old magic, natural to this world," The surly blue being proclaimed.

"Magic," Lyros laughed, they must think he's stupid.

The wind picked up and the rain blew sideways. He saw the pink one shiver and begin to lower its hands then put them back up. The grumpy one seemed unaffected.

"You asked," The blue grumpy one snorted, and he saw a bit of flame come from its mouth.

"I'm going to catch cold," The pink one whined.

"What are you?" Lyros was curious.

"I'm a person," This time the pink one sounded upset.

"She is a human and quite fragile, I am a dragon," The grumpy one said, "And what are you?"

"Takarien. My name is Lyros," he smiled at the grumpy one and to his surprise they smiled back. He lowered his gun.

"Finally!" The pink one took its hands down and wrapped themselves in their own arms and shivered, "My name is Hin, and I am really cold and wet and miserable."

"I am never going to hear the end of this, am I?" The blue-tinged grumpy one said.

Then the grumpy one waved their hand and some kind of flash went off above Hin's head then he saw the rain kind of hit something sheer and bounce off and around them.

"My name is Aulder," The grumpy one said, "Takarien, hmmm. You are magnificent."

"Are... are you flirting?" Hin asked of Aulder then Lyros watched it turn to him and look at him closely, "And are you... blushing?"

"You take the fun out of everything," Aulder looked disgusted.

"I can't believe this is happening," Hin threw its hands up and sat on the wet ground.

Lyros holstered his gun and looked to Aulder, who was now very obviously annoyed. He looked to Hin who was still shivering even though it was no longer getting wet. He watched them take off their pack and rifle through it pulling out a very shiny material and unfold it and wrap it around them self.

"How did you do that thing over its head?" Lyros was trying to figure out the technology that would be able to do that.

"Magic," Aulder shrugged.

"No, really, what are you using to do that?" Lyros was still smiling and laughing.

"Magic, and now you are not so interesting," Aulder said snidely. Lyros felt a bit upset at that. He wanted to be interesting to Aulder. He could feel the attraction, and wanted it to continue. He decided being quiet for just this once instead of pressing would be the best idea.

Lyros heard movement coming from the broken trees. Something that smelled foul was coming toward them. He saw Aulder visibly go taught. Hin stood up and moved closer to them, the blanket making a crinkling noise. Lyros reached out and stopped the tiny pink human from moving further. The smell grew stronger and Lyros thought he would be sick. Hin seemed more upset about hearing movement than a smell. Could it not smell the foulness on the air?

"Can you smell that?" Lyros whispered and Aulder nodded yes.

"Smell what?" Hin asked. Lyros sighed at the confirmation of his suspicions.

The thing approaching came into view. It was another Human by the size and looks and smelled horrible. It was wearing a white long robe and a white scarf that wrapped around its face obscuring all but its eyes.

"I found you," The human said, as it looked directly at Hin.

"Why are you looking for me?" Hin stepped forward despite any misgivings he or the dragon expressed.

"You hold in reserve a power meant for the child of prophecy," The man paused and appeared a little confused, "Did no one tell you? You are the Conduit."

Hin turned back on Aulder with a very intense look of anger. The strange human advanced and put a hand on Hin's shoulder. they turned back around and accidentally knocked the scarf from its face and it revealed a horror of a half-fleshed face with bone and tissue showing in various states of decay. Hin looked horrified and fell back onto the ground in front of it, Lyros pulled his gun and fired several shots. To his own dismay, the being did not flinch and did not fall. It did laugh and it grated. He winced and took out his kinetic blade and advanced on the decrepit thing in front of him. Then suddenly he felt a pressure on his neck and realized the thing was trying to hurt him. When it did not get the desired effect it took its hand away. It looked at him strangely and then Lyros took his blade and cut off the thing's head. Aulder rushed past him, and fire leapt from their mouth and doused the body in bright flames. Lyros jumped back and tried to stay away from the heat.

Lyros then heard a loud disturbance behind him and a group of beings. Some human, and some that were other things entirely.

"Mom!" he saw the big human shout, and the tiny pink Hin got up and ran over to it.

Lyros decided to sit. The new group also had the thing preventing rain from falling on them. Wherever he was, he guessed magic was more real than what he was used to back home. He was used to tricks used by thieves as magic, not something useful or used by seeming noble beings. He watched the reunion in front of him, then looked over to where the foul smelling thing was, and it wasn't there. There were scorch marks on the ground, but no ash, no body, and no bone. Chills went down his spine. What kind of planet did he fall onto? Lyros sighed and caught Alder's attention, and then he pointed to the scorched earth.

"It will not bother us again tonight," Aulder smiled then, "I was very impressed by your natural ability to smell the dark magic. Do You come from a place with no magic? That is an odd trait for you to have. I am intrigued."

Lyros once again felt excited to be at the center of Aulder's attention.