Morys wiggled the toes within his knife-holed boot. He didn't wince, and the pain was much more bearable now. The pain that was now gone was replaced with an almost irresistible itchiness. Morys thought that it must be healing.<br/><br/>Lysonna wondered briefly if the blue person was a demon, she seemed to believe she was stronger than the average human woman, and her skin and hair didn't look like anything she had seen in the Almerkian town. The Elf also noticed the young man cross the river and start running along it's bank on the opposite side. Was he unaware that they were supposed to swim down stream? Shrugging off her mind-babble, Lysonna thought briefly of removing her leather armor, but it seemed very unlikely that she could keep it with and keep it dry (or as dry as could be with it already a little wet with rain). She slipped off her shoes, they would be easy enough to replace, and then dived into the river gracefully. Lysonna decided to set an example for the others, hoping that they would follow her rather than the man who was running. A few yards down, her head burst through the swift waters for air.<br/><br/>"She swims like a fish," Morys thought aloud. As if embarrassed, Morys cleared his throat. He turned to Kykysh. "I can swim in steady waters, but have never attempted this... Could I count on you to keep me from drowning?"<br/><br/>*****<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF4040">Krastyo walked between the black stone buildings of Fainta, passed the central fountain of blood that was the fuel fro the glass tubes built into every wall in the city. The head demon entered Dermythis Temple. He found his father sitting in front of the alter, holding a white orb with a red notch in one side. Krastyo's father was twisting it with his fingers, as if studying it.<br/><br/>"You bear bad news," his father stated, without looking at him. Krastyo could see the orb in his hand, how his legs were crossed in front of him, and his sharp and slender horns that jutted up above the chair.<br/><br/>"Aye," Krastyo replied softly. He stood still, like a pray hoping its camouflage will hide it from a predator. "It appears a small group of individuals with various races have joined together. They have the black trinket. They are moving inland on the west continent."<br/><br/>"So send the Riders. Honestly, son, I find it difficult to understand why you haven't already."<br/><br/>Krastyo flinched as if his father had raised a fist to strike him. "Aye."</span>