A story that (hopefully) goes on

[Cyl]

\"Well, you know Phinehas is a good teacher. Anyways actually this dwarf was hiring mercenaries for an expedition.\", he looked at the Kran, \"You really made me concern, but on the other hand I have some personal buisness to perform in the stone labyrinths anyways.\"

He let the hip flask slide back into his pocket. He then saw that his backup hip flask was away.

\"Lei, you didnt take my hip flask, when you bumped into me, did you?\"

[Under the moon]

Had glared at the dwarf, flexing his massive arms. \"A  journey through the Bronze Doors, into dark unknown, I suppose,\' he said to Cyl, without taking his eyes from Frent. \"To cavern lost, and riches many... That is the same tale he used on the last occurance. To lure those to their demise...\"

\"They\'re not dea...\" Frent started, but changed mid-word, fear touching his eyes for a fleeting moment, \"I mean, you confuse my intention, Kran. I never passed into the caves with those before. I feel poorly that they never returned, but that be none of my doing. I was only hired to spread the word, not to travel with them.\"

Had walked over to the table, his huge hands pressed to the wood, making the boards creek. \"Know this, Frent, you will be coming this time...as will I. Arnigus will just have to find another guard for a time.\"

(note: Had does not yet know that his guild has collapsed. The Twins forgot to tell him. Maybe someone could do the honor?)

[Cyl]

\"He wont need any guard, his money lending guild collapsed. Anyways, riches are not in my interest, nor are caverns, I have my reasons and I dont like if anyone messes around with them.\", he stood upright and looked face to face with the kran, \"And if you dont want to make me furious dont judge my intentions.\"

[Under the moon]

Had stepped bach, shock clearly painting his face. The Guild...gone? How could this be?

\"I am sorry good sirs, good lady, I must go find Arnigus before he does something...rash. I will be seeing you again, Frent, before our journey departs.\"

With that, he rushed through the door, grabbing his staff on the way out. No one had the time to tell him that Arnigus would be going with them on the morrow.

[Leiraine]

\"Cyl, are you actually accusing me of stealing? You should be ashamed of yourself. You probably lost it somewhere\", the Xacha walked away from him, shaking her head indignantly.

\"Eh girl, very amusing, very amusing\", Frent clapped several times, slowly and loudly - a mocking kind of applause. \"I must congratulate you, I don\'t know how you\'ve done it. All I saw was flask there one moment, and gone the next.\" Leiraine glared at the dwarf, her nostrills flaring slghtly, and her fists clenched tightly. Eyeing her lazily, Frent continued in a cheerful voice, \"Did I say something wrong? On, I\'m sorry, I guess you didn\'t want anyone to know. Now, that\'s not a pretty face at all.\"

Leiraine\'s swinged her hand to slap the Dwarf, but he caught her arm in mid air, just when it was about to reach his cheek. \"Why? I was only complimenting your skills, lady\", he sneered, \"in fact, I was about to invite you to the party, and with good money, too! And you are trying to hit me? Where are your manners? Not that I care. Two circles, miss (and plenty more with your skills, I should add).\"
\"Never!\"
\"All right, ten circles.\"
\"You can\'t buy me, you dirty...\"
\"Twenty\" The dwarf looked amused and studied Leiraine\'s frozen expression carefully. Finally, she nodded weakly. Money like that could not be refused. \"That\'s a good girl. So its settled\", Frent might not have been pleased with promising so much money, but he looked very much satisfied, \"I always knew women can be bought\".

\"I always knew men can be tricked\", Leiraine looked triumphant. She opened her fist to reveal a small glyph, and Cyl\'s flask reappeared where it was in the beginning. \"I simply used Azure spell to make it seem like the flask disappeared. I would have gone on your journey anyway, but good money never hurts, now does it?\", she winked at Frent.

[Cyl]

\"On the one hand I have to admit that your trick worked. You are just lucky that you haven\'t hexed me, it would have caused a disaster. So just for the future, let it be.\"

Cyl was not about to give in.

\"You really think that you are superior?\"

[Lalaith]

A clap was heard from the direction of the door and Laith could be seen standing in its frame.
\"Well well, Lei. Sneaky as always. Though you did scare me there for a second,\" chuckled Laith as she made her way to her friend.

\"It surely does feel like I\'ve missed quite a bit here,\" she said, looking blankly at a dwarf. She also wondered who was that kran who almost ran over her as he hurried out the door.
Turning around, she gave a nod to Cyl, Phinehas and Tybalt, wondering what happened here.

[Cyl]

\"I\'ll give in. You are superior. But please let it be in future.\", he mumbled towards Lei.

\"If I\'m right you promised Lei ten circles. It is getting wierd, you only promised me about two.\"

\"She is talented. You are just a piece of crap, I wonder if you would be able to guard the encampement.\", the dwarf mumbled out of his beard.

\"So you mean I am worthless? You mean I am a piece of crap?\", his figure getting taller as he moved towards the dwarf.

\"Ge.. Get away.\", the dwarf stuttered.

Cyl took a step backwards. Then he caught sight of Laith.

\"Ah hello. You did miss quite a bit. This dwarf seems to hire people for an expedition into the stone labyrinths. Finally a opportunity for me to earn some money.\"

\"Where the heck...\", the dwarf muttered

Cyl opened a small pouch, then turnt towards the dwarf the pouch holding in front of him.

\"Frent, ...  I should have known. If I wouldnt need the money I would keep here. What happened to Sergei?\"

[Phinehas]

Phinehas chuckled at Leiraine\'s little trick. Highly amusing, and quite a useful thing to know. Hopefully, though, she knew better than to try it on a mage. Fooling Cyl and that idiot of a dwarf meant absolutely nothing. He yawned and was about to take a seat again when he changed his mind and motioned to Leiraine to join him.

[Leiraine]

\"Cyl\", there was an undertone of exasperation, and \'i thought you knew me better than that\' look in Leiraine\'s eyes, \"I was gonna share it anyways. I couldn\'t watch everyone getting ripped off, now could I?\" She gave him an apologetic smile, \"Sorry for putting you in the middle of this.\"

\"Phinehas\", she nodded coming over to the Lemur. The briskness of her walk and the glint in her eyes clearly showed that Leiraine was very pleased with herself. Indeed, she rarely got to use any magic outside of lessons, and at that moment felt liek a kid who got away with a prank. \"How are you? Are you also going on this journey?\"

[Cyl]

\"To be honest. I feel like a child standing before the window of an toy\'s shop, everytime I see an other way than the blue being used.\"

He turnt to the dwarf.

\"I will go. But I will watch out for you, and Sergei. Your creepy little master will not fool me again. And you will never get the edge.\"

The dwarf turnt pale

\"Good, I am convinced you will get eight circles. Sergei\'s changed, he does not want the edge anymore. He seeks something other. Lying in the ruins, of equal use as the edge.\"

He turnt back to Lei

\"You dont have to share with me as it seems. But thanks, anyways\"

He streched out his finger, and a thin string of water connecting his hand with some strange curve in Lei\'s clothing. The curve vanquished and the cloth around turnt a little wet.

\"Hmm, you should hide your daggers better, it seems that it turnt fluid?\"

A childish smile appeared on his face.

[Phinehas]

\"Yes, I\'m going.\" Phinehas paused for a second as Cyl brought attention to his talent with magic. He shook his head, muttering something about why he should even bother with these children. Then he turned back to Leiraine.
\"I was just going to say that you should be a little more careful of your power output. It was a cute trick, I admit, but by far too detectable. Cyl is young and not very learned in the ways of magic, so fooling him is no feat. Fooling those who have little or no understanding of music is amusing and practical, but nothing to be particularly proud of. You\'re doing a good job in your studies obviously, and I\'m impressed, but keep working on your control. Your spell was easily detectable due to your lack of ability to keep your power honed in on the one object. To me your use of magic had the same subtlety as someone smashing a plate on the floor.\"
Phinehas shrugged, then continued, \"I guess what I\'m trying to say behind all that talk is, your doing good, but keep working at it.\"
Realizing he had finished with what could be considered a complement, he gruffly turned back to the counter muttering, \"Now go bestow your presence on someone who will appreciate it. I\'m busy.\"

[Cyl]

Cyl laughed faintly.

\"Well, it seems that you aren\'t totally resistant to tricks, Phinehas.\"

He turned towards the dwarf.

\"Two in advance. For being so cheeky. You should have known better.\"

The dwarf was about to say something against it, but as Cyl held up the small pouch, he just nodded and handed over the money.

\"I really think you should give Lei a bit in advance to.\"

He let the pouch slip back into his pocket.

\"You dirty, ...., okay.\", the dwarf reached out for another two circles and gave them to Lei.

Cyl mumbled, \"He will be pleased, ...\"

[Phinehas]

*Phinehas cocks an eyebrow at Cyl.*

Eh? I wasn\'t fooled. It was rather obvious to anyone with a trained mind. The excess magic was too much to go unnoticed.

[Cyl]

Cyl laughed quite heartly

\"Haha, sure.\"

Cyl turnt towards the window

\"Bah it\'s getting dark.\"

Without saying anything he just ran up to the balcony and jumped towards the first roof within reach.