It was a very subdued group who returned to the town of Ott a few days later. After Richard had released Krr'rrk, he had expected The Captain to attack him. Krr'rrk, however, had only given him dirty, hate-filled looks and seemed to decide his best course of action was to pretend Richard didn't exist. The others had started keeping their distance. Not ignoring him as they had before, but no longer as friendly as they had been after the Split Beak attack. Richard had gone from a joke; to a part of the party; to freak. All in the matter of a couple of days.

Getting back down the mountain had ended up being easier than getting up. After the path had collapsed, the rest of the party had tried to figure out what to do. Cremia suggested that since the party had used a pilgrimage path, there was probably another path somewhere in the living quarters that initiates would use. She turned out to be correct. Down the various hallways, they found rooms containing a library, washrooms, laundry rooms, and even a training room judging by the gear inside of it. At the very end of one of the halls was a much larger room with several long tables and cooking supplies in the back.

In the back of the cafeteria, they discovered another passage with steps leading down. In the opposite direction of the catacombs, thankfully. It let them out near a shrine that turned out to be about half a days walk through the ravine and back to the cliffside in which they had spent their first night on the mountain. The door that exited out to the shrine was part of a relief built so well into the wall that even if it wasn't overgrown with vines and moss, they would never have been able to tell it was there.

It was once again early evening as they walked through the small town to the large building that housed the Mayor and his staff. Catkin walked the street, going about their own business and watching the strangers in their midst. The Mayors manor had lights in its windows, getting ready for the night. Krr'rrk knocked on the door, which was answered by a tuxedo-colored Catkin Richard didn't remember seeing last time. They were welcomed into the Mayors house and brought to the same sitting room as before. A short time later, Bright Dream came bustling in, tail quivering behind him and spouting greetings.

"Captain! Wonderful seeing you again! It looks like everyone returned; and in pretty good health." Bright Dream sat in the chair across from Krr'rrk. "I'm sure I don't even need to ask, but please forgive me for wanting to actually hear you confirm the beasts destruction."

Krr'rrk seemed unsure of himself for a moment before answering. "Yes, Mr. Mayor. Your Wyvern problem is taken care of."

"Wonderful!" Bright Dream exclaimed. "I knew I could count on you, Captain! I just knew it! There's a reason you're the Councils Captain, after all. Please, Captain, tell me all about it."

Krr'rrk smiled, though not quite the same confident smile he had last time. "Absolutely, Mr. Mayor."

Bright Dreams tail curled under him, and he tilted his head. "Forgive me, Captain, but is everything ok? You seem more subdued than before."

"Just a very... tiring journey, Mr. Mayor."

Bright Dream perked up. "Of course! Where are my manners? Please forgive me, Captain." Bright Dream rang a bell by his chair and Morning Mist came from the hall leading to the servants areas. "Please bring some refreshments, my dear. Our heroes are back from their journey." Morning Mist nodded and turned to leave again. "Hold on just a moment." Bright Dream glanced at Richard briefly. "Captain, would it be too presumptuous to ask if your boy could assist in the kitchens again?"

Krr'rrk glanced at Richard, a hint of concern in his eye. "Um..." Krr'rrk didn't seem to know how to reply.

Richard took this moment to interject himself. "Actually, Mr. Mayor, I'm not a servant. I'm just a member of this party."

Both Catkins tails swished in confusion. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't understand... Last time you were here..." He didn't seem capable of finishing his thought process.

"Yes.. well..." Krr'rrk coughed, clearing his throat unnecessarily.

"Captain?" Bright Dream asked, attempting to understand what was going on.

Richard took a moment to enjoy the uncomfortable look on Krr'rrks face as he had no idea how to answer the Mayors unasked questions. Seeing the concern and confusion in Bright Dream and Morning Mists faces, though, caused his conscience to kick in. Looking around, he noticed even the rest of the party seemed uncomfortable. As much as he was enjoying Krr'rrk squirming, he knew this was hurting everyone else. He activated Slow Motion, giving him several extra moments to think about his situation. When time returned to normal, he had an idea ready to go.

"That was just one of The Captains jokes, Mr. Mayor." Everyone turned to look at Richard when he said this.

"A joke?" Bright Dream asked, still confused.

"Of course, Mr. Mayor. You know how much The Captain likes a joke. He was just hazing the new guy." Richard shot what he felt was a fairly convincing smile at Krr'rrk.

The Mayor thought for a moment uncertainly. "Yes..." He turned back to Krr'rrk and spoke with more confidence. "Yes, of course. I've heard what a jokester you were, Captain! I wasn't sure after last time. You seemed so intense."

Krr'rrk collected himself quickly. "Yes, well..." He cleared his throat again, bringing his normal confident smile back. "Then we were on a mission. Of course, I couldn't help myself when I saw a chance to mess with the H-. Richard." He said Richards name awkwardly. Morning Mist was staring at Richard, eyes wide as saucers. He smiled at her, and she looked away in embarrassment, her tail holding still behind her.

"Well then, I apologize for being the cause of your hazing last time... Richard; was it?" Bright Dream turned back to Richard, who nodded.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Mr. Mayor. I actually had a lovely evening with your staff." Richard stood, looking to Morning Mist. "In fact, if they truly need some help, I'd be more than happy to assist again."

"Nonsense!" Bright Dream said. "One of The Captains party members deserves to relax and enjoy themselves after such a hard journey." He turned back to Morning Mist. "Bring us those refreshments now, please, dear." Morning Mist nodded again and left through the back door as Bright Dream turned back to the group. "Sit, please. And tell me all about your adventure, Captain."

As Richard sat back down, he felt his arms and legs flush with the warmth of a skill. As the feeling filled him, he realized he never checked on the gains he made in the Wyvern caves. Bright Dreams attention was focused on Krr'rrk, who was in the middle of telling him about the Split Beak attack with large sweeping motions. Bright Dream was captivated, like a child listening to a storyteller. The others were drifting in and out of attention, each doing their own thing. Cremia was the only one who had a look of intense concentration on her face, though she didn't seem to be paying attention to Krr'rrk. Richard decided now was as good a time as any to check his messages.

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Skill Upgraded! Stealth is now level 2! You are better able to avoid detection.

New Ability Learned! Sneak Attack: Deal an additional 50% damage to your first attack when you go unnoticed by an enemy.

Advanced to Level 7! 5 stat points are available to spend.

Advanced to Level 8! 5 stat points are available to spend.

Title Earned! Pyromaniac: For dealing massive damage using nothing but fire-based attacks, you've earned the title of Pyromaniac. Along with your title comes the skill of the same name, which does additional damage when using fire-based attacks.

Title Earned! Dragon Slayer: For single-handedly killing a creature with the Dragon classification, you have earned the title of Dragon Slayer. Along with your title comes the skill of the same name, which allows you to deal extra damage to all creatures classified as Dragons.

Advanced to Level 9! 5 stat points are available to spend.

Advanced to Level 10! 5 stat points are available to spend.

Skill upgraded! Defender is now level 3! Take 15% Less damage when equipped with a shield.

Skill upgraded! Diplomacy is now level 2! You handle tough interpersonal situations with much more tact.

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'I need to find me some more Wyverns.' Richard thought to himself.

Richard enjoyed Bright Dreams genuine interest in Krr'rrks story. He was accepting a cup of tea and cookies from Morning Mist when The Mayor gasped in disbelief at Krr'rrks description of Richard falling off the cliff. The Mayor was a good audience.

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It had been a long evening, and Richard was happy to head to the room Bright Dream offered him for the night. It was small and had no more than a bed, dresser, and washbasin, but it was all his. Richard had all his armor removed and was kicking off his boots when there was a light knock on the door. Richard looked at his sword sitting in the corner by the bed before deciding he probably didn't need it.

"Who is it?" He asked, standing at the door.

"It's Cremia. I was hoping to talk to you for a minute." The Elfs quiet voice came from the other side of the door.

Richard lifted the latch and peeked out the crack he had created seeing the female Elf. She looked him in the eye and waited as he pulled open the door. "As long as you don't have any daggers on you this time, you're welcome to come in." He said with a grin and stepped aside to make room.

"Oh, stop it. You know that was an accident." She said as she passed him allowing him to close the door.

"Of course I do. That's what makes it so much fun to tease you about." Between the two of them, there wasn't much space to move. "There's not much room, but would you like to sit?" Richard offered the end of the bed to her as he sat on the head.

"Thank you." She said, arranging her robes as she settled in. She sat there with a pensive look on her face. Not wanting to be rude, Richard let her think. After almost a full minute with her not saying anything, though, Richard was bursting with curiosity.

"Um, Cremia? Is there a reason you're here?" He finally asked.

"Yes." She said simply.

"And that reason would be...?"

With a sigh, she turned to Richard. "For starters, I want to say thank you. I realized I never actually said that after you saved Eriden and myself from the Split Beaks. So; Thank you." She made a little half-bow seated as she was. "Second, I want to apologize for the way we've treated you since leaving the Wyverns caves. You surprised us with the strength of your mana and the way you handled The Captain. Eriden and I have been talking the past couple of days, trying to come to terms with everything that happened. In the end, we decided that you did nothing wrong with the way you handled The Captain."

"Gee, thanks." Richards comment dripped with sarcasm.

"Richard, please understand. You attacked our commanding officer." She held up a hand to forestall any argument. "And not without cause. But The Captain comes from a militaristic society and, more specifically, a family with a great, many historically significant Generals and Captains. He expects his subordinates to follow orders and stay in line. You challenged him when you insisted his hypothesis of the situation was incorrect."

"I would have been happy to fall in line, follow orders, and learn how to be part of the group, Cremia. Believe it or not, I was excited to go on this job. I've been wanting to go on a job since the moment I got to Bolgarum. But in the week I've known him, all Krr'rrks done is ridicule, belittle, and threaten me."

Cremia nodded. "Yes, his strong dislike of Humans is well known. I think that the Council's decision to include you in his party without consulting him caused him to act more irrationally than he normally would have. Either that or you seriously rub him the wrong way. I've honestly never seen him as irritated at anyone as he has been at you."

"Aren't I the lucky one?" Richard grumbled. "I don't think he has to worry about dealing with me anymore after this time. I'm more than willing to bet the Council was hoping I would die on this trip, and next time they'll just send me on something even more dangerous, probably by myself." Cremia stared at him as if he had just said the stupidest thing she had ever heard. "Yeah, they don't like me either." Richard said.

Shaking her head, Cremia continued. "Well, putting aside... I do have another, possibly more personal, question, if I may ask it."

"Shoot." Richard shrugged as he answered. She once again looked at him oddly. It reminded him of the looks Yelxidor had given him when he first started studying with the ancient Elf. "It means go ahead."

"Ah." Cremia nodded. "Well, you puzzled me earlier, Richard. And I don't like a puzzle that I can't solve. Can you please tell me; why did you help The Captain earlier? You had a perfect opportunity to let him suffer some repercussions for the way he acted towards you, and yet, you helped him get out of the situation." Cremias face contorted in confusion.

Richard sighed. "Because I'm not an asshole." Cremia glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Most of the time." He amended. This answer didn't seem to assuage Cremia, though. Richard wiped his hand across his face. "Ok, look. I don't like The Captain, but I do understand that he's not a bad guy. He has treated me very poorly, to put it mildly. And I did enjoy the look on his face as he tried to decide if he should own up to his lie, or try to get me to go to the kitchens again. But..." Richard thought for a moment about how to explain his decision. "Ok, let me ask you this. Is there any kinds of food you don't like?"

He started to worry that he would break Cremia as she looked even more confused than ever. "Celery?" She answered uncertainly.

"Ok, great example. You don't like celery. But you understand that others do like it, right?" She nodded. "And that it's a healthy choice to eat?"

She nodded again. "I see where you're going with this, Richard."

Richard smiled. "I've seen the way you guys and Krr'rrk work together. You trust him, and he trusts you. How much the Mayor needed The Captains confidence and stability to bring normalcy to his town. How his presence alone brought hope to the Catkins we passed in the village, and how much assurance and peace he can bring to the people just by being there. My personal feelings towards The Captain are just that. My personal feelings. And it would be wrong of me to take away what he means to everyone else, just because I dislike the guy."

Cremia sat silently for another minute. "Thank you." She said again, standing. "I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me and help me understand your decision."

"Not a problem." Richard stood as well, as it seemed the conversation was over. "Thank you for taking the time to try and understand me." Cremia smiled as she left, pulling the door closed behind her. Richard checked to make sure the door had latched before laying in bed, wondering what would happen when they returned to the city the next day.

The next morning Richard said goodbye to Morning Mist and exited the manor. He passed Bright Dream, who was once again thanking Krr'rrk for his service. They had carriages again to get them back quickly, but Richard didn't see his little Zudoag buddy from last time. Both carriages were helmed by Catkin this time. Disappointed, Richard stood wondering if he should ask one of them if he could sit up front again. He was only thinking for a minute before he heard Eridens voice.

"What are you just standing there for, Richard? Get in." The door on the second carriage swung open, and Eriden waved for Richard to join him. Richard smiled as he climbed the small set of stairs into the cabin. It was much larger inside than he had thought it would be. There was enough space that he could sit on the padded bench beside Eriden and Cremia without being too scrunched up. Elrast and Rathert sat across from them and nodded at him as he sat.

They spent the return trip discussing the parts of their journey that Richard had been missing. Cremia asked more about the crypt he had found himself in. The Dwarves wanted to hear details about his encounter with the Wyverns. Eriden, just asking questions in general. Richard also asked about what they had done after he had fallen. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on the perspective, their journey hadn't been nearly as interesting, more climbing along mountain cliffs and trying not to fall to their deaths. Cremia and Eriden were both astonished when they found out that Richard was studying with Yelxidor Gembell. Apparently, he hadn't taken on a new apprentice in decades. Their questions about training with such an esteemed Elf took up the rest of the journey back.

The sun was low in the sky when they passed through the gates of Bolgarum. The sounds of the city were loud in Richards ears after the quiet of the countryside. The ringing of hammers on steel, the smells of the local taverns, even the rough bumps of the cobblestones made Richard realize how much these things felt like home to him. He wasn't sure why since he had spent most of his time here in Ylexidors quiet apartments, but there was just a sense of calm in him after passing the walls.

They came to a halt in front of the Guild Hall and unloaded themselves into the main room. As they waited, they talked more about what they would all do now that they were back in the city. Meanwhile, Krr'rrk collected their reward for completing the job. Eriden and Cremia gave him their guild information, that way Richard could request them if he ever got a job and wanted their help. Krr'rrk finally rejoined the group and passed out everyones shares, giving a small leather purse to each of them. When Richard was the only one left, he expected Krr'rrk to find some way to try to keep it or somehow give him a hard time about getting it from him. Krr'rrk, however, just gave Richard a look full of loathing and shoved the purse into his chest, causing Richard to stumble back about a foot. Overall, it was the nicest interaction they had ever had. Richard said goodbye to his small group of new friends, promising Eriden and Cremia that he would introduce them to Yelxidor.

The shadows in the city were long, and lamps cast flickering light across the roads as Richard descended the short flight of steps to the Guild Hall. He took a deep breath as he stood basking in the cool night air. Just as he was getting ready to head down the street towards he heard a voice.

"Well, look what the Catkin dragged in."

Turning towards the voice, Richard saw the smiling face of Leven leaning lazily against one of the decorative pillars that held up the roof of the Guild Hall.