Day before the grand cerimony and ball, I told Mythol I was going in to the deep library. He stayed out of there as all the magic in there got on his nerves. Some of the books whispered or sang to themselves. I loved the place myself as its a true wizards library. I am sad I will not get to see it again.

I slip in to a secret passage, and down long dusty corridors and forgotten paths. I have been preparing to leave for a couple weeks now. I got maps, money, supplies, all the books from the 'forbidden library' and more magical doo-dads and gizmo's than anyone really knows about. I don't want to be pulled any deeper in to this lands politics or intrigues as I still have a lot of things to do and places I feel the Need to visit.

I carefully push the tracking spells Jason put on me, on to other objects or insects and then I slip out a forgotten door, and in to the night.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stare at the Palace of Serinity from a hillside a mile away. Everyone I know in this world is inside those walls and I miss them. But I can't stay in this country any longer. I am needed elsewhere. I been feeling the push to be on the road for weeks now. So here I go. Hoping this is the right thing to do.

I am more powerful now. Level 17 - combination of the spells I did and lots of cramming type studying.

I learned to enchant things, to make potions and more at super speeds. Lots more to learn, but new places call. Can't live here any longer. It's hard to turn my back on what this place offered me. And I admit to second guessing myself. But Jason, he was planning to make me part of the peerage and really I can't do that. It is not something I am allowed to do at this point in my new life.

I pull up my shields and lift silently in to the sky, picking a direction and leaving at speed. Only the sound of distant thunder to show where I used to have been. (Hit Mach 2, so sound barrier is the 'Thunder')

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Grand Cerimony - where Hero's are recognized and rewarded for their service. There are several 'minor heroes' in attendance. But the National Hero is missing and no one can find him. They have turned the palace upside down looking. His rooms are empty (no surprise there as he is almost never in them anyway) but all his usual haunts are empty of him to.

Finally the Grand Mages cast a seeking spell that finds his signature. Its over 500 miles away and moving away at speeds none there can really comprehend. He is gone and already beyond their ability to bring back. Jason and many others are saddened by this.

His few surviving enemies are thrilled he has left the land. Maybe now they can return to business as usual. (He left enough evidence on them to bury them in very deep dungeons - which they learn later, while being haulled off to those very dungeons.)

The Grand Exchecker informs the Emperor that he got his gold already. Never did get around to working out what his coin was worth. But he changed over all his Thessnian coinage for Pellara silver. He had a Lot of silver, over 90,000. Which worked out to just over 45,000 Pellara silver.

Given the stability of Pellara's economy (even with the counterfitting scheme of the Enemy troops), this means his coin is good for most of the known world - so he is pretty well off.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Valley of Dragons - (About as far north as you can get and not get ice bound.)

Even with super sonic speeds it took a couple hours flight to reach this region. Past 2 smaller kingdoms and an inland sea is the land called the Valley of Dragons. Colorful name for a place of high mountians, and deep wide valleys and really very few dragons any more. The Dragons for the most part packed up and left when these violent vermin moved in and kept trying to either turn them in to pets or kill them or both. They moved to a hidden land few ever find and fewer return from as these giants beasties trust humaniods as far as they can drop them. ... (the Hero would seriously freak them out to. Flying humaniod with near impenetrable force field who is immune to breath weapons. Something of a Nightmare for them as he wants to be Friends. Which translates to them as pets. They really don't comprehend what Friendship means.)

The only true dragons left are the ones to stupid or to arrogant or just a bit insane or a combination of the above.

====================================================

Tired and looking for a place to rest and learning real fast how old the maps are for this region. Very being the answer there. The town I had been aiming for is no longer there. Burned to the ground from the look of it. Lots of dead bodies and spirits who don't care if you are a mystic or a priest. I am even more tired after laying a bunch of mean restless dead to rest. I end up finding a good sized cave, half way up the side of a nearby mountain. It looks free of creepy crawlies but there are signs something large has used it as a lair at some point.

Really I am hoping to find a dry niche and set up camp for the night. What I find is people. Voices raised in anger and the sounds of scrambling or running.

I put on an amulet of tongues I got from the mage who taught me enchantment magics and carefully move forward.

What I see are two larger men chasing a smaller man or older teenager. The lead man, face painted in garish colors, "I will teach you to show me up Boy. Your bones will litter this hall." His 'friend' is following along with the gleeful look of most sociopaths and sadist.

The boy, "I did nothing to show you up. Why are you doing this ?"

"You got the praise the lady was supposed to give ME, now you die."

I have heard enough. I don't speak, I just blast the evil man with a 'low end' (no magic - high arc) lightning strike. Not really designed to kill, but I forgot the rules on my power - mostly as I have not done this trick in several months and am stronger now than I was then. Did not kill him, did blast him back in to his friend and them in to a wall.

The boy, taking a chance, runs past me. I watch him go as the two pull themselves up and now see me, tall, wide shoulders, dressed in dark colored foriegn styled clothing, standing between them and the boy.

The second one pulls a throwing axe and chucks it at me. I catch it in my tk shield then look at him, "Feeling suicidal I see."

I hold up my hand, where the visible lightnings play around it, then I blast them both again. Knocking them in to the wall.

The sounds of my attack has attracted others. They come from deeper with in. One carrying a nice lightning charged mace and chain see's the second blast and tries charging me. Seeing his weapon, I change attacks to 'psi bolt' which is pure force. Knocks him 'ass over tea kettle' and causes the men behind him to trip and fall over him. Stopping them from charging me rather effectively.

As they are pulling themselves together this tall woman in partial plate and leather, with a half faced helm (covers her face from the nose up) and blond hair peeping around the base of the helm steps up and calls "HOLD!"

The man with the lightning mace looks up, "But we are under attack my lady !"

She points behind me, "Then why is Bjorn hiding behind that man with his weapon sheathed."

Bjorn calls out, "My weapon is not sheathed. Valrick took it from me, then tried to kill me with it. I was running from him and Tharnack when this stranger saved me from having my head bashed in all cause Valrick thinks I got praise from you he should have gotten."

I nod, "That about sums it up nicely." These people have a lovely accent, it's going to take me a bit to get it down. The amulet translates languages but allows me to hear the words spoken to. In theory I can use it to increase the speed I learn spoken languages.

Valrick, shaking from the 2 electrical pulses I hit him with, "This is none of your concern stranger."

"I don't hold with murder oh evil one." I counter.

The lady looks pissed, "What the Hell is wrong with you Valrick ? Trying to kill the High Kings nephew ? "

Valrick looks angry and confused, "That boy ain't nothing special."

"That Boy is under MY protection, do you know what that means ?" She snarls at him.

I look at the boy, "High Kings nephew ?"

He shrugs, "Was supposed to come to the Ladies court to learn war craft and such. But got dragged on this quest instead, mostly seem to be the one to carry the extra bags."

I nod, "Fate of apprentices everywhere no matter their rank. Free labor." the boy Bjorn nods with a wry grin.

Valrick is being chewed out by the lady, getting an ear full about if the Boy dies in her service she could lose her Head, does he Understand that ?

I listen and sigh, "He is not listening to you. He just see's the boy as an obsticle to some imaginary accolade from his lady."

The one with the lightning mace sighs, "Explains why we keep loosing apprentices. The idiot kills them because he thinks they are between him and our lady here."

Fellow dressed in green, "If he were not so valuable as a warrior, we could leave him on his own. But " shrugs.

Big red head, no shirt, just a bronze shield and large sword, "How you come to be here mage ?"

"Luck mostly. Was looking for a place to set up camp and stumbled on to this scene. Really don't like bullies or murderers, he is just lucky I am not using my full power else you would need someone to find his ghost." I state looking a touch miffed.

The lady looks at me, "You should find somewhere safer to camp there is a dragon in these caves. A very mean and nasty one who has destroyed several towns and villages all across the area. We are hunting it."

I consider that, "Cool, never seen a dragon before. Well a live one at any rate."

Bare chested man with blood red marks on his forehead, "I like him, he's crazy." looks at me, "You know how to fight crazy man ?"

"Trained in staff fighting actually, before getting in to the magic stuff." I state as I shift my weight off my bad leg.

Tharnack scoffs, "Staff fighting, ha weaklings weapon."

I shrug, "In my home land citizens are not allowed to carry weapons. So unless your in the police or military and you wanted to learn to fight you used what ever tools are available to you. Staves are not seen as a proper weapon, so I was able to learn it with out getting in to trouble. The reason they do that is to cut down on people rising against them." I explain.

The lady sighs, "We don't have time for this. Be on your way mage, if you try and follow us I will have you killed."

I smile, "Oh yes please piss me off, give me a reason to switch to leathal spells. I go where I please and don't give a damn who you think you are. I have destroyed armies, defeated demon lords, you lot don't have what it takes to be a threat to me."

The lady leans back, then mutters something and 3 ghostly warriors step in to reality, "Teach this whelp a lesson" she tells them.

They leap forward and are cut down by my spirit defenders. Mine are not visible to the mortals, but the very evident destruction of her ghost soldiers has her and her people stepping back now. She says, "What are you ?"

I smile. "More dangerous than you can possibly imagine."

The red marked one points to a tunnel, "This tunnel goes straight to the dragon. Good luck."

My aura sight shows he is telling the truth and that he thinks I will die to. I nod to him and head down it.

I hear him tell his lady, "He will make a lovely distraction while we get in place."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The dragon, big, deep red scales and his aura screams 'insane'. He smells me coming of course. Watches me walk casually out of the tunnel, walk around his massive form and then stop in front of him. "Your the 3rd largest dragon I have ever seen. 1st live one I have seen though." I tell him.

He thinks about it, "That happened to the other two ?"

"First one, no idea. Was just a skeleton by the time I saw it. The 2cd on pissed off a mage, was not a lot left of him after the mage teleported a rather large rock in to the skull of the dragon."

Insane yes, stupid no. He nods, "That would do it. So you a mage then ?"

"Mystic actually, specialized in demon hunting. But I heard about dragons living here abouts so I came to see one of you. Your even more impressive than the stories say."

He nods, "Thank you. Now then egg stealer DIE!" Blast me with his fire breath. My shields crossed with pyrokinetics cause the fire to split and go around me, leaving me completely unharmed.

"OOO fire breath, Nice." I laugh.

The dragon now looks surprised and a touch nervous, "How ?"

"I Fight Demons. Not the little ones either, but the Demon Lord types. I got defenses against all forms of energy attacks. Do you think I would be stupid enough to come in here with out being able to defend myself ?"

The dragon nods, "Most of your kind are just that stupid. Like the fools who think to surround me in the smaller tunnels."

"Yeah I met them, not the brightest of people. They were working on pissing me off really. I am so not someone you want angry with you."

The dragon tries to smack me with a claw as I talk. Bounces off my shields, though in truth I felt that one a bit, barely kept my ground there.

"Ok now that was rude" I tell him, just before he lunges forward and swallows me, shield and all.

That had to be the dumbest thing he could have done. Now I am INSIDE him and all his defenses. Sighing, I Explode his throat, sending out a wave of razor like TK force, decapitating him. My shields are keeping all the ick and gore from my person even as I levitate out of the place his neck used to be.

The party of would be dragon hunters, from their hidden places, stare in awe of what I just did. Then their eyes get bigger as the dragons body and head glow and vanish. I look around and sigh, "Well that could have gone better."

Little search of the area finds no treasure, save lots of humaniod bones and similar. This was not one to horde treasure and my seeking spells show this to me to.

I look at one of my guardians, "Well so much for the stories of hordes of loot."

She nods, "True. Insane, and very stupid dragon. Fire does not work. Smacked you with a claw, did not even budge you so he tried to eat you. To stupid to live any longer that one."

I nod, "Say what were those things the girl sent at me ?"

"Ah those, spirits of fallen warriors who made a vow to follow her even in to the lands of the dead. Against a normal mortal they would be a test. Against you an annoyance. Against us, something to break up the monotony."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I find a nice, defendable space, summon forth my hut, which I made out of the wall of the inn.

I have done this before, to put out the fire on it. Found it has shelves and places for lamps as well as the door and part of the corner joist. There is enough of the corner part to hold it up with no other needed support. It has part of the upper floor to, which acts as a ceiling here. I fixed it up some and now it's a small hut. Its only about 24ft square, (12ftx12ft) but suits my needs really.

Next I pull forth a fire grate and camp stove set up, pots and pans and food. I go about making myself something to eat. I came prepared for nearly anything this time.

Also the bodies are long gone from the bag as is anything I determined to be 'junk'. Do still have the armor and weapons I picked up, some nice if low powered magic items, and of course all the treasures I aquired. And now one dead dragon corpes. Which has me wondering what I am going to do with that and if the stories about dragon hide armor are true or just bard tales.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party stare in wonder and a touch of horror at how easily the stranger defeated the dragon. They saw it all and heard most of what at least the man said. Mystic who specializes in hunting Demon Lords.

They see that he was not boasting when he said he was more dangerous than they could imagine. To have so easily defeat a beast that had wiped out armies of highly trained soldiers. Skilled dragon hunters, and more.

The Dutchess came, hoping her army of spirit warriors could do what the living could not. Only to loose 3 of her champions against that lone mystic. Then to top it off, he summons a hut to sleep in. while inside a cave no less. Strange thing to do indeed.

Up close though Helmon, her half giant notes the roof is bare boards, not suitable if it were to rain. The building, well part of it looks like it was part of a different building at one time, the rest is newer and not as well made. Odd that, beyond just appearing here in this place.

Tentively the lady knocks on the door. It swings open on it's own. Showing the small room with in. Lamps set on one wall, a simple bed and chairs around a small table with a camp stove in a portable fire pit. The owner is cutting up vegitables and dumping them in to the pot that is over the fire.

The cieling has a thick white cloth under it and more along the newer walls. Looks like a half tent from the inside.

He looks up at them, "Something I can do to you ?"

She Almost missed the 'to' line in that statement.

Helmon, squatting down and looking inside, "oh so that is how you stay dry if outside."

"Actually it does not work well outside, the water has caused it to collapse on me. It's a work in progress type thing really. It does work on helping hold in the heat and keeping the winds and drafts down though." he points out.

The blood painted on points at the 'outer wall', "Why does this look like part of a building ?"

"Cause it was. Its part of an inn from Thessnia. Had a bit of a problem with some corrupt guards and this mage who wanted to enslave me. My spell took them out and this section of wall. For some reason, that I still have not worked out, this magical bag I got sucks in anything my spells destroy or kill. Which is what happened to the dragon corpse. The bag was a gift from a Goddess really and while it's useful it sometimes does strange things all on it's own."

The Ranger, Trel looks thoughtful, "How did you get a magical bag from a goddess ?"

"Bit of a story behind that. But the short version is I found a long lost magical ring with the words '1 wish' on it. The ring though was tiny, more suited to a faerie than a human and well I did not believe it had that kind of power. So I made a semi serious wish that I really did not believe would come true.

I wished to be young, around 20, healthy, free of the diseases and such that made my old age miserable. Nothing at first happened. Then 6 months to the day later - Poof, I became younger, all the ailments, birth defects and such vanished. BUT I was left with all the injuries and such from the time before I was 20. So head injury which left me near sighted." taps his glasses, "Hip injury from when I was 7." taps his twisted right leg, "Fingers damage from some bullies crushing my hands." makes a fist and the knuckles all pop, "And well the weight, all still with me. The Goddess, well the ring was from her power, but lost in a battle from over a thousand years ago. The misfiring and messed up parts of the wish came from the magic in the ring being a bit on the senile side. She could not fix what had been done, so instead she gave me a magical bag that can never be stolen and made my glasses to self repair, which is very nice really as they are quite expensive to get otherwise."

The Dutchess nods, knowing how much a glass maker, who knows the secrets to such can charge for a single lens, two are scary expensive even for her wealthy self.

"I lucked out on the glasses really. The fellow was new to the area and gave the first 20 persons a discount on the lenses. Still it cost me 200 silver and I had to get a loan from my family to even afford that." he tells them.

The Dutchess nods, "So how old were you before the wish ?"

"60, though the doctors put my physical age, from illness and old injuries, closer to a hundred. The other thing the wish did was give me the knack for magic. Did not have that before either. Had the knowledge of it cause I studied on it, but not the ability. Now I got both and because I spent so long studying it I came out quite powerful just from the start. Unfortunetly the magic of the ring also dropped me in to Thessnia, half a world away from my home lands. No idea why it did that, and that caused me a whole new set of problems, mostly in people thinking I was one of the Lost Ones. But Lost Ones come from other worlds, not just from across an ocean."

The Dutchess chuckles both at his expression and his observation. She knows the stories of the fabled Lost Ones and he is correct. They all come from other worlds. Brought by the gods.

He was only Lost because a misfiring magical ring screwed up and sent him to the far side of the world.

Hjimin ask, "So your trying to find your way home then ?"

"Nope. Home is screwed up enough. Young, healthy, more of less, so exploring the world, actually doing things that mean something for a change, like rescueing people from violent morons." Looks directly at Valrik and Tharnack when he says that, "You two are lucky I don't just kill first. I wanted to find out more about what was going on. But it turned out to be a case of to little penis and even smaller brain."

All the men (save those two) chuckle over the insult. It is a good insult backed by the fact the mage does not find any of them a threat. Considering what he did to that dragon, they don't think they are a threat to him either.

Bjorn moves next to the mage, "Can I stay in here with you ? I fear for my life if those two manage to get me alone again."

"Well if they kill you, I will have to bring you back from the dead." The heavy set mage says kindly.

Trel sighs, "Mages can't raise the dead. Well not with out making things worse."

"I am not a mage. I am a Mystic." he tells them. Almost as one they look around at the tunnel the dragon had been at then back at him.

He looks amused as he stirs his dinner.

Dutchess Northstorm ask, "What is your level Mystic ?"

Pulls out a sheet of paper from nowhere, "Hm, level 17 on my last stat check."

The two Idiots are starting to get a clearer picture here. They are level 7, HE is level so high they don't stand a chance in a blizzard, naked, against him. Mystics as a rule don't kill if they have a choice in the matter. Which is why they all are still alive.

Tharnack looks at his Lady, "Suddenly I don't feel so lucky to be alive. IF he wanted us dead we would be."

"I normally don't kill. I have been known to shrink people who annoy me. It's very hard to fight someone when your the size of a mouse." he points out. They all nod to that.

Vargen sighs, "Like what that one mage did in Pellara a few months ago."

"Mystic and those St Moron people really pissed me off." he growls, "Then I had to go and fix the people they had converted via mind control spells or conditioning drugs. THEN I had to stop Flroggaan the Disease Demon before he could start a massive plague. Then there were the criminals turning people in to horses and selling them to slaughter houses. That was a whole other mess I was part of fixing. Fortunetly I had met a powerful guild of mages by that time and we were able to create a master spell that fixed That mess and turned all those who had knowingly been in on it in to tongueless monkeys."

This shadow like woman, with long black hair, fades in to view, "He is not boasting or lying. He has done all those things. Just in the last 3 months in fact. After being retired for over 30 years from active duty, he gets dropped in to this one huge mess of problems. Creatively fixed them to."

He looks at the woman, "Hello 3, you normally don't show yourself like this."

She nods, "The lady here, we been counting, she has over 250 soul bound warriors attached to her. Minus the three she sent after you. 4 wants to go after them and 'remove the potential threat' well you know how he is."

I nod, "A bit proactive when he thinks someone might be a threat."

She nods.

The Mystic turns to the Lady, "This is 3, one of my spirit guardians and one of those that happened to the 3 you sent after me. Technically speaking ... I don't have a word in your language to express what she really is. But there are very few mortal spirits that are a threat to her and the others."

The lady nods, watching the womans black wings move about as she grins at her charge, she can feel the reserved power from the entity. Helmon ask, "Why use numbers instead of names ?"

"Cause they made sure I understood what they would do to me if I ever named them or made their names known to mortals. I would live, but not happily." he states.

3 grins, sharp little teeth quite evident.

Face and form don't look all that dangerous, but the feeling of controlled power coming from her is unmistakable. She is not something to be triffled with. She turns to the mortals, "He is the last survivor of a group that took out a Demon King in his old lands. The God worshipped by the St Micheal group was one of that Demon Kings old Generals. He was sent here by the gods to stop him. He did, in record time to. Mostly as he made the right contacts and gained the help of a powerful group of mages and priest in Pellara. Now he is free to wander around and explore the world. He came here cause 'dragons'. Now that he has seen a real living dragon we don't know what he will do. Not that we are worried about it, we don't worry about much of anything really. But we are with him for life, his. That sometimes worries us as despite his great intelligence he does not always think things through."

He rolls his head on his neck, "This is cause I did not mice the morons isn't it ?"

She nods.

"They are not a threat to me, so I don't see the point." he points out.

She sighs, "Those two are unrepentantly evil and are the reason the Lady here has so many Dead minions. ROB. "

The Lady is glaring at them now, hearing they are responcible for so many deaths.

Valrik points at the spirit, "Surely you aren't listening to that Thing ?" he and Tharnack are slowly moving away from the others.

The 'thing' pulls up her hood and they see her as a Death Shade. Her sword shimmers in to her gauntletted hands and she watches, waiting.

Trel looks at the Mystic, "They are called Death Shades here."

He shakes his head, "No." 3 glares and he shuts up.

Bjorn, "Death Shades don't carry swords or wear gauntlets. Those are something a bit higher up the scale I think. Like maybe an Archon or such."

Bjorn just got Robs undivided attention, he blushes under it. "I study this stuff. Angels, demons, spirits and such, when I have the time."

The Mystic 'Rob' grins, "Keep that up and you may end up a Mystic. That's how I got my start on the path. I was a warrior before becoming a mystic. Mystic is what I did after I retired from my injuries." he explains to the boy.

The Dutchess and the others are gone by this point, chasing after the two cowardly murderers.

The man offers the boy a seat, "You hungry ?"

Bjorn greatfully accepts the seat and the bowl of warm stew. Vegitables are a little underdone yet, but the broth and meat are prefectly fine.

Rob nods, "It's beef. I used jerked beef in the stew, partly for added flavor and partly as the water makes the meat more tender."

He and the boy end up talking for quite a while as the party chases after its murderous evil members.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I accidently found an apprentice. The Push to be else where is gone. Killing the dragon was not part of it. I really think, with a bit of luck and time I could have reduced the dragons insanity but that was not to be. Then there is this wonderfully intelligent boy. He is dutiful and has a good will and a natural curiosity about the world and universe around him. The way of the warror is normal for his people. Men and women all learn to fight from a young age.

The way of war though is the path of the leader, the commanding officer and the Dutchess Doria Northstorm is considered one of the best to learn from. She is strong and wise though he thinks a touch to forgiving sometimes on some peoples short comings. I can tell he is talking about the murderous pair there.

I explain to him, ones like those two are good at hiding what they have done. Making things look like an accident, or helping people get lost in a permanent fashion and other very underhanded things. Not all get caught either. Those two would have likely gotten away with his 'accidental death' had I not walked in on it. That is about the only way ones like that are caught. Someone accidently learns of it and lives long enough to inform someone of authority who believes them. Me I tend to be bad luck walking for evil doers. My strange luck crossed with my natural curiosity gets me in to such situations. My complete lack of fear does not help. Lack of fear is not bravery, being afraid and still doing things, that is brave. Lack of fear is more along the lines of the foolish, if it is not tempered with wisdom. My wisdom only seems to work though when I actually stop and think things through.

He giggled about that one.

By morning I have decided to travel with the boy. Which means following the Dutchess, she is not happy with that but I scare them enough that they don't argue to much.

Of the murder pair, they caught them and trussed them up nicely. Me I offered to make them small enough to carry in a small box if they want. They turned me down.

I did explain to the Dutchess that I am here only because the gods Sent me here. To teach the boy as he is special in some form. I don't know what form only that I Need to be here and teach him things. I will not interfere to much in her teaching him what he needs to learn from her though. She teaches leadership, I teach knowledge and hopefully wisdom. Even I am not sure on that one though as I know I don't always think things through properly.

Bjorn is fine with it really. He Loves learning new things and is a very good worker who complains very little, at least in public.

Helmon and Hjimm, the shirtless duo, think having me along is a good thing. Mystics are known for strange wisdom and to be touched by the Gods.

I agree with them. Especially on the Touched part, stating it sometimes they Touched us a bit to hard, upside the head and scrambled our brains a might. That got a few laughs.

End of the first day, Dutchess, 'I want to beat you in to a stain', Northstorm cornered me, "I want to get a few things straight."

I nod, waiting for her comments, "Lets start with your Rank, in your homelands."

I nod, "Duke but I handed it off to my brother as the Gods call was stronger than dealing with our insane self entitled stain of a king." That has her looking shocked, then she snorts as I continue, "His name was Donald and he seemed to think he could do no wrong, and had this problem with the truth. Could not speak it, lied so much even he could not keep track of all the lies. Blamed others for his short comings and has come close to being imprisoned for treason on more than one occaision as he has alienated our allies and made friends with our age old enemies. Some rumors that he is trying to turn himself in to a demon king, but really he is not competent enough to do so. Which is a big reason I don't want to go home. I helped defeat a real Demon King once and it was enough. Then I end up here and help stop another Demon Lord from turning himself in to a God, the other gods made sure he will never do that again. Or anything really, from what I know, The Upper Gods, removed him from existance. Then I got sent Here. When I met Bjorn something 'clicked' and the Feeling I have had to 'go north' went away. He needs to know things I can teach, so here I am. Now I am, and I freely admit this, an ignorant city person from a far southern climate who will likely get under foot and be a neusance till I learn how to live in these lands. On the other hand, I do have the healing magics and war spells if they are needed. I am also a Master of the Wind style of staff fighting. In your terms that is triple specialized in staff. But I am also proficent in long sword and knife or dagger fighting. Just a great deal more dangerous with a staff.

As for my mage training, bit of a hodge podge but I learned from several arch mages in and around Pellara and it includes enchanting and some alchemy, but I only got the basics down on that one. So no potions persay, but the base line understanding needed to not accidently kill myself."

She shakes her head, "You gave me everything I wanted and a few things I didn't and I really understand about the incompetent kings thing. I unfortunetly don't have anyone to hand off my title to so I have to do this. That dragon, he destroyed many of my cities. I was the dutchess of this region and before the dragon it was one of the wealthiest in this part of the world.

Now I got dead cities, dead armies and very few population left. A few northern border cities, a quarter of my old population living there. And an asshat of a King who wants to remove me from my family lands and put one of his cronies in it. Got lots of ghost I need to lay to rest to. My port city is full of them."

"Was, I came through their and laid all the restless dead to rest. Though many of the fires and such I found were not done by any dragon. They don't use arrows or swords to kill people."

I pull and hold out a standard, "I found this on a body under a wall, it was in the hands of a defender."

She stares at it, her color going Nuclear red, "That scheming BASTARD! That is the Kings own standard, worn by his special Knights."

I nod, "He will likely claim that his people were there to rescue the citizens you were unable to protect. Thing is, according to the spirits I spoke with their way to 'protect them' was to put a sword through them so they did not have to suffer living any longer. Um, I can summon some of those spirits if you have a need of them. I can even make them visible so even those with out the sight can see them."

She nods, "He has mystics that can do that to. But he would claim that they are puppets under my control and would say anything to besmerch his honor."

I nod, "So he will ask for proof of the dragons death ?"

She looks at me and nods, "And talk over you, claiming we don't have any such proof, what are you thinking ?"

"I am thinking of dropping the head from my storage space, on top of him. It is quite heavy and well if I aim it right you will need a new king as I 'accidently' put him in close proximity of the spirits of everyone he has betrayed or killed, as they will all be there. Trust me on this, I know how such things go." I have that cool, dead tone, and look going.

She looks long at me, "Your not nice people are you ?"

Small smile, "Utterly neutral, and I work for the Balance, That is 6 High Gods whose job is to keep the universe moving forward. 5 of them have titles over names. The only one with a name is Tyche, Madam Fortuna, Tymora, Tymor, " she stops me from continuing her list of names, which is good as I only knew one more and that was the 'bad luck' sister of Tymora.

"I get it, I really do. You go where they send you. Mostly they either send you to places that need help or places where you can learn things you need to know." I shrug as she works it out.

"This time is different for you isn't it ?"

I shrug, "I always teach others, just this time its a single person who do to his circumstances can't run away or hide from what I need to teach him. Mind you, I teach Everyone wether they know it or not. It's in my nature to do so. Some lessons are harder than others. I am also always learning. Everyone is, but not everyone is aware of it."

She nods slowly thinking that over and sighs, "Ok, you have made your point and truthfully having a person who knows useful magics is something we need around here. Having someone else who can speak with the dead and lay them to rest is also a needed help. Very well Mystic you can come, but you need to pull your own weight to."

I nod, "Of course. That is normal really. On mundane skills, I can cook, I know how to fish and use boats, I can read and write 3 languages at present and know some basic first aid, such as binding wounds and similar, beyond the magic. I also know how to drive a wagon or carrage as I studied up on that stuff. Oh and I can talk to animals. Well birds and mammals, not reptiles or fish. Um, I don't eat pig of any sort, Religious vow that, or Horses. That one cause I like them. I have no problem eating beef or chicken. Provided I did not talk to them before they became food."

She chuckles and nods about that.

"I have my sheet but I it's written in my native language, so I did not bring it out. Stats and such. Also I am a Natural Mage, magic comes easy to me. For example, I can do cantrips all day long and to me level 1 spells Are cantrips. My spell limits start at level 2 and I have done a level 10 spell once. Took me 2 weeks to recover from doing that spell to. But it's how I stopped St Micheals armies from taking over Pellara. I made them 2 and a half inches tall. The Lady laughed for a week on that one. Said it was the single largest spell fail she has ever seen. Equivalent of rolling 20 twenty sided dice and having them all land on 1 level of happenstance."

I watch her face, her eyes got a little wide but otherwise no change in expression. She is very much a politician when she wants to be. Fair poker face.

I nod to that, "In actual reality, I have done that. Rolled 20 twenty sided dice and have them all land on the same number, in that case 20. Was for a game I was playing. The asshole in charge stated the roll was invalid as it is normally impossible to do that. But as I had 6 other witnesses to the fact, well it broke up the game as the others wanted to lynch the game master for that call. I wanted to cry as he basically said I was cheating. I was a child, just turned 12, at time." I shrug and she nods, "You are wierd."

I nod, "Oh yes, very much so. I work at being wierd though, makes life more interesting that way."

She jolts, then grins and nods, "Ah, what is your title, the one for your name ?"

Blank look from me.

She sighs, "Around here great deads or strange things can give a person a title, like my name of Northstorm comes as I survived a blizzard. One of the worst my people have seen in an age. Many others did not. Helmon IceHammer got his name from breaking through an ice wall, that had him and Hjimin trapped in a cave, with his fist. Hjimin is Bloodsight well he is a beserker and that really is all there is to his name. See what I am saying ?"

I nod, "The Emperor of Pallara named me Old Man as I have the knowledge of the ages, but am young in form. Old mind young body." I shrug.

She nods, "Ok, that is a good title, so it is Old Man Rob then, instead of the other way ?"

"Usually. Otherwise the titles the gods have given me are God Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Demon Destroyer, Luck of the Lady, that one as I keep surviving things that would kill most people, Plague Stopper cause I did stop a plague. Evil cult were feeding these black worm like things to the food animals in the empire. I stopped them, violently. Found several of the culprits and handed them over to the empire to deal with their interrogation." I pull out a sheet, "Um, Master of Shrinkie Dinkie, thats what the world spirit calls my level 5 shrink spell. Lord of Controlled Chaos, which is a step up from Magical Experimenter but a step below Mad Scientist." I look at her, "In truth I have only been using magic for a little over 4 months, I just keep getting pulled in to high level stuff and having to out think or try desperate measures to deal with it all. Level up Very fast that way but miss out on learning other things in doing so. SO glad I was a warrior for a time before becoming a Mystic. Mind you I was a level 12 warrior before I retired. Though do to not using those skills my fighting level has dropped to level 10." Truthfully I was level 5 to start, but somewhere along the line I gained levels in staff fighting and warrior craft, I suspect one or more of the gods is behind that bit of possitive mischief, but of course none of the admit to it.

She slowly nods, "I have seen that happen with older warriors, so I understand how that can happen." her eyes are bugging out a bit so I decide not to read the rest of that list.

She nods to my list, "Where did you get that ?"

"You know the spells that allow you to learn your stats and all." she nods, "Turns out there is a spell that allows you to see all the titles the World Spirit gives you to. I found it in an old spell book. Lots of nifty spells that don't see much use for one reason or another. I collect them."

She shakes her head but I think I can understand that some to.

-----------------------------------------------------