"We? Who said you're coming with me? You're staying here. I'm going to meet with my contact, Ralof. Assuming he's still alive. Now, I'll be right back with some food and water, and you will not leave this room until I get back." he said sternly. He then walked out of the room and downstairs. He got some food and water for Janelle and walked upstairs. He was only gone about five minutes. He knocked on the door, waited until Janelle said "Enter" and opened it. He gave her the food and drink, grabbed his cloak, and left without saying a word. He walked back downstairs and left the tavern.<br/><br/>He donned the cloak in the shade under the awning of the tavern and started walking. He weaved through the crowd and ended up at an abandoned warehouse in the poorer district of Moesbe. There were beggars whom he ignored. He saw "courtesans", really just prostitutes and whores. And there were of course the Street Rats. The gangs of filthy children who lived on the streets, stealing and begging to survive. Their parents were never to be found, most likely some rich snob who had abandoned an illegitimate child.<br/><br/>Arcaeus took notice of all this while slowly and carefully making his way to the entrance of the warehouse, being sure to enter unnoticed. Inside is was dark and musty. Dust coated the floor and the small furnishings in the "lobby". There was table and some chairs, with an empty bookcase to the right and another door straight ahead. He walked over to the door and knocked once, twice, stopped, then knocked again. The door opened and Ralof stood in the doorway. "Ahh my good friend Arcaeus, I've been expecting you to stop by. What took you so long? Come, come, right this way." he said,  smiling and gesturing for Arcaeus to enter.<br/><br/>Arcaeus entered.<span style="font-style: italic">I wonder if Janelle actually listened to me and stayed in the room.  Probably not. It doesn't seem her way.</span>he though as the door closed behind him. " I'd like to make this quick if you don't mind Ralof. In case you forgot, I don't like towns. And Moesbe has changed a lot since I was here last. It's gotten even more degraded. And this is what you humans called 'progress'." he said, sighing.<br/><br/>"Of course, of course my dear friend I know , I know. You were never much of the talkative type, your Lordship" Ralof said, wringing his hands.<br/><br/>"THAT IS ENOUGH OF THAT!!" Arcaeus bellowed, his eyes glowing red, his body emanating a dark energy, the air around him losing what little light there was. Ralof cowered."I will have none of that petty deference and title worship. I left that behind when I was banished to this realm. It's bad enough that you are part of The Xathalamaeum." he scoffed. Arcaeus forced himself to calm down. He walked over to a table he hadn't noticed before and lit a candle. "Now quit your cowering and answer me this. Are there dragons who can take human form? Or something very similar?" he he demanded.<br/><br/>Ralof picked himself off of the floor and brushed his clothes off, as they had gathered the dust that was on the floor. He coughed and mumbled an apology for his ignorance. Then answered, "Yes. There have been some cases of humans with dragon-like wings and tails, capable of taking full dragon form. Though it has never been officially documented. In fact, some hunter came back into town about a week ago telling tales of a dragon he saw deep in the Great Thal'Liik Forest. He said that he saw it flying above the canopy and then it dived to the ground about half a kilometer from him. He quickly, but quietly, moved to it's location. But when he got there, there was no sign of a dragon other than the broken branches and disturbed ground that it had made when landing. Then he noticed it, small, human footprints walking away then vanishing at the base of a tree. According to him, he rushed straight here and began telling anyone who would listen."<br/><br/>Arcaeus listened patiently, and intently, to Ralof's story. "Well thank you. That certainly helps." he said stoically. "Now two more questions. What is the status of the Holy Brotherhood and have they located the Portal?" he asked, the candle flickering and casting shadows on his already dark face.<br/><br/>"Ah the uh Holy Brotherhood, yes." Ralof stammered. " They have been quite active these past couple years. Their numbers have swelled recently with their successful capture and execution of uh... Balthazar..." Ralof trailed off<br/><br/>"....Balthazar is dead?" Arcaeus was stunned. "What happened?! How did it happen?! TELL ME!" he screamed. He was furious, and maybe a little frightened.<br/><br/>Ralof once again cowered in the corner. "They tracked him to the capital, Thalmora, and ambushed him in the market. He was exposed for what he was and executed. He didn't fight back. I don't know why." he explained.<br/><br/>Arcaeus sat down in the chair at the table, rested his head in his hands and just sat there.