The decision to leave Master Valyran's service had been a difficult one for Dayvin, but even the wizened mage knew that adventure stirred within the young man's heart. There was a thirst for knowledge that resided in the young man's heart that no meager library could quench, and he felt that his continued research would best be performed in a more fluid environment rather than by pouring through musty tomes. So it was with the elder mage's blessing that Dayvin had set out on his own personal journey of discovery, vowing to his former master that he would not succumb to the enticement of the Chaos.<br/><br/>His first stop had been the dense forests outside of Altdorf, searching for the one person that he had ever truly considered a friend in his twenty-five years of life. He had searched for what felt like an entire afternoon, calling out the name of a young woman without caution until finally he found her...or rather she found him. At first she had been reproachful of the manner in which he stomped through the woodlands, but upon realizing who he was and what it was that he offered Taliyah had thrown her arms around him and agreed to accompany him. It was a moment that Dayvin had both been thankful for and regretted in the months they traveled the lands of the Old World.<br/><br/>It wasn't until they came to The Great Forest outside of Untergard that Dayvin decided that he had enough of the wilderness for the time being. While he was interested in the potential of ruins undiscovered and what they might contain within, the rainfall that had come down dampened his spirits more than he liked to admit. Taliyah had once more offered to find them shelter of a more natural variety, perhaps another dank cave that smelled of dirt and fresh moss, but the nearby town and the thought of an actual bed called out to his aching muscles more. The conversation had not been the most pleasant one they had in their time together, but eventually Taliyah had conceded to his wishes.<br/><br/>The mattress was lumpy and nowhere near as soft as ones he had grown accustomed to in his indoor life, but it was a far sight better than using a stone for a pillow and a pile of leaves for a blanket. Perhaps that was why he had not noticed the lady druid's exit for the evening, nor the initial din of activity outside until a single gunshot rang out across the air. The wizard was jolted awake by the crack of gunpowder and rolled out of the bed with a thud. Scanning the room he noticed that his companion was no longer present and panic began to set in as the crowd outside screamed at whatever was happening.<br/><br/>Thankful for once that his exhaustion had caused him to fall asleep in his robes he quickly cinched his belt around his waist and took up the oak quarterstaff that leaned against the wall. He wasn't quite certain what had happened, but from the commotion outdoors he feared that it was nothing good to say the least. Bursting out of his rented abode he made his way onto the streets and towards the town square, pushing his way through the rising tide of a panicked crowd that was doing everything in their power to escape whatever horrors had assailed them.<br/><br/>He barely caught a glimpse of Taliyah helping a woman and her daughter before the guttural cries of the mutant horde drew his attention to the bridge they had begun to rush across. The few townsfolk that had frozen in panic were being attacked without mercy, and Dayvin could not help but watch as some were run through with spears or hacked at mercilessly with blades. He had never been in an actual combat situation before, even though his training at the Academy had included courses in Battle Magics. However, practical application of such spells was far different than a classroom setting as he was quickly learning.<br/><br/>It wasn't until a young boy fell to his knees before one of the mutants, pleading for his life that Dayvin snapped out of his stupor. The beastly aberration had raised its blade into the air with the obvious intention of drawing even more blood in the massacre. The wizard began chanting arcane words without a thought, not even certain until he had finished his spell just what he had cast. The mutant's weapon came down on the boy and that was when Dayvin realized what he had done, for the blade had become limp as a length of rope, slapping the young man across his shoulder harmlessly.<i>Wilted Weapon, </i>the wizard mused to himself. The effects wouldn't last long though and Dayvin knew he was going to draw attention to himself, but he called out to the boy nonetheless, "Run you fool!"