Naclia sat in front of the campfire stringing her bow. Beside her, Talen sat with his hip and leg against her while he leaned back on a log. They were just on the outside of the Silent Swamp on the road back to Valis. Naclia hoped they would catch up to their friends, or at least have some way of finding them. She had been too rash in following Ariakan, if somehow she could have talked to Mia...But she was irrational then. The thoughts of her homeland began to bubble to the surface and Naclia forced them away agian. Still far to painful.

Talen sat up and wrapped his arms around Naclia's waist as she set her strung bow down gently. She barely acknowledged it, but it was comforting to have a warm body beside her, holding her. He laid his head against her shoulder. She hadn't know this in her time as a ranger, most of her life was spent living alone. During their travel, Naclia had become much closer to Talen. Their first night out she began to reveal her history to him.

"Ariakan..." Naclia called to their companion in a voice that was neither loud or soft and rang melodically. "Are you certain this is the best road to take to find them? Perhaps we should go north? I doubt they would wait for us. They likely left the inn days ago. I dont think they'd go back to Roid."

Ariakan looked up and grinned. "Maybe we should head north, how about the two of you go on ahead, I've got something to do first, my sword is insisting that I head east and then come back north." As Ariakan spoke a messenger stopped by the camp and approached. "A message for Ariakan, if he is here." They simply stated. Ariakan looked up and held out his hand. "May I see it, I am the one you seek." The messenger then handed Ariakan a scroll and took off. It read:

Meet me in Raiden, I will be at the capital waiting for you, I will wait as long as I need to.
Anonymous

Ariakan looked to Naclia and Talen and shook his head. "Someone knows I'm out here, but who could have sent me this? Either of you know why anyone would seek me out so desperately.?"

Naclia stared at the messenger blankly as he handed Ariakan the message and departed. "How the...what?" Naclia started. "Maybe someone from the group located us?" was one suggestion. "But they would have come on their own then...I dont know Ariakan." Naclia watched him for a moment. Behind her Talen was scratching his head curiously. "What does it say?" Naclia asked. "If you dont mind sharing." She added quickly. "I would guess it's personal, but i think it would be best if Talen and I went back east, to the inn. We will likely find someone to tell us where they went. I can track them anyway."

"It's not from the group, it's from someone else. I don't know who it is but it seems important. Seems like this person put alot of effort into finding me. I'm heading to Raiden, if you want to join me you can, but you need not." He replied with as he handed Naclia the message for her to read. "Do you think she might be alive after all this time?" He seemed to have a hint of anticipation in his voice almost as if he was hoping it was her...

"Who?" Naclia asked, she could think of no woman he mentioned before. Glancing at her bow, she remembered him speaking of a priestess who enchanted his own bow. "The preistess?" she asked hesitantly. "Talen and I will head back to the inn then, they likely are gone, but I can track them like I said. Talen, where do you want to go?"

"That's the one, she showed me how to live and how to love as well. If she is alive then I have a promise to keep. I'm leaving for Raiden at dawn, so I should get some sleep." He replied with as he rolled out his bedroll and fell asleep beside the fire.

Naclia smiled, "That's good to know. Sleep well, I'll take first watch." Naclia picked up her bow and Talen made a small noise to object. Naclia silenced him with a look. "Men," she muttered under her breath and climbed up a nearby cyprus. Not many undead should bother them, Naclia and Ariakan had set up wards to deter them. However, one could never be too careful in these times. Naclia found it hard to sleep anyway, even in Talen's arms.

Ariakan slept that night in a restless sleep, something was bothering him, almost as if something was taunting him in his dreams...