Erir felt a great amount of empathy for his Oktra kinsman, after all, he was weak as a warrior himself. However the idea of being able investigate this ruin was too great an opportunity to pass up; exploration and magic were the two things Erir loved most and this journey had large quantities of both. Besides, the cells didn't sound too nice.

"I'll help in any way I can."

Bombur had listened to the explanation, his eyes shone with excited at the prospect of helping his country and doing more than just slaying trolls.

"And Bombur- you'll come with us, won't you? A long road's journey is plenty of chance to sample foods!" proposed the Oktra lad.

"Pah! Well of course, who am I to pass up an opportunity that involves slaying the enemy and making fine, foreign foods?!" Bombur asked then proceed to chuckle, "Of course I will come, my friend, shall we vow to watch each others backs? Let me show you a special Dwarf handshake, but don't be showing this to any elves!"

At this point Bombur grabbed the back of Paldo's hand, he spend about 10 seconds thrusting, shaking and almost breaking Paldo's hand and ended with a smile on his face,

"Now we are brothers! Not by blood of course by by shake!" Bombur laughed once again-something he did a lot when his stomach was satisfied- the quickly turned to the king,

"I shall accept your proposition Sir, but I have but one question. Where is your kitchen located?" at this he turned back and winked at Paldo, his stomach softly bouncing from laughter.

Lucidas scanned the room and all the faces in it and accessing the situation, all the while thinking to himself "Hmm, people are getting awfully friendly. Pairing off, too bad the chances of someone dying is very high... but it wont be me, not before..." he stopped before he became enraged at the thought that followed.

In his anger he shouts "I better get what I am looking for out of this little escapade, your trinkets and treasures are meaningless to me!", he shook his head as if shaking out of hypnotism and resumed his purposeful gaze into the distance with only his grin showing from below his hood.

"Thank you all that have agreed and Bombur, the guard here shall take you to the kitchen, but could you please wait until everything is answered first so you aren't left in the dark," he smiles slightly.

"You'd rather live in hatred and let it engulf you than do what could make you a hero?" the King asks raising an eyebrow towards Lucidas.

"Then very well," he waves it off before Lucidas can answer, "just know this if you become overwhelmed with hatred I've no doubt people will put you down."
He stares at Lucidas, "I know of your past, and yes you may get what you want from this, but I doubt it...just don't allow 'it' to be your only focus in life. That's all I ask of you."

"Anyone else wish to know anything of this journey?"

"Yes," Erir said, keenly aware of all the other people in the room looking at him. "What do you believe this ruin does? You must have some idea if you deem it important enough to gather us all here." he felt slightly uneasy about taking an artefact out of the hands of one set of warriors only to place it into anothers without knowing what it did.

The King sighs deeply, "perhaps the effect can best be shown to you," he lifts his hand and flicks his fingers signalling a guard at his back to bring something in.

He leaves the room and a few minutes later returns with what appears to be a body on a stretcher. The only difference between most bodies and this is the apparent cause of death, other than the eyebrows, no feature remains on the face of the dwarf. Millions of deep gashes line his body removing most of his skin, a thick lair of muscle and tendons are visible through the skinned dwarf.

"The ruin, is thought to be one of forbidden magic, in this case that grants at minimal the ability to skin a target upon a whim," he gags slightly, "we have no idea what else it can do...does that answer your question?" he asks Erir turning slightly whiter than before.

"Anyone else wish to know anything of this journey?"

Korgan considered the human King's question before speaking up, eyeing the carved-up Dwarven body with distaste. It reminded him of things seen in the Deep Caverns.

"Aye, Your Majesty. Will we be permitted to keep any Altrin artefacts that we claim on this quest? And how much shall we be paid for this? Honour and glory are all well and good, but I shall require something that I can return to my Clan with."

Glancing around while waiting for an answer, his eyes fell upon Bombur and Erir.

Hmmm, another son of stone. I shall have to introduce myself, surely he must be of some reputation to be asked here. And I suppose the little warlock creature may not be too bad.

Thoughts of magic crossing his mind, Korgan glanced at Lucidas and quickly looked away, making a symbol in one hand to ward off evil. Again, he thanked himself for his race's natural resistance to the Art.

Arri had covered her mouth and looked away in disgust as the body entered the room. Eiravel stood in front of Arri, trying to protect her from mutilated body. Speaking loudly over the rest of the group Eiravel scanned the room and began to doubt the skills of everyone in the room.

Does this king honestly think that I shall entrust my safety to these people?!

Eiravel noticed that Arri was beginning to turn pale, seeing the body has taken its toll on her.

"Please remove this body. I think we have all seen enough of it.. Your Majesty. "

"Other than the ruins, yes," smiles the King thinly, "those most not be used by anyone," he nearly snarls at them.

"And if you do, I fear what may happen to you, and I also fear that they may corrupt you as many have been before. And as for pay, how does 100,000 gold pieces each sound to you brave dwarf?"

"Of course Eiravel," he turns to the guard, "remove the body if you will please," he says to them with a nod. They disappear through the door they came in from with the body.

Paldo, upon seeing the horrendous body, had found himself staring for a long minute in disbelief before looking to his feet and rubbing his hands over his eyes, as though to rub the image away. The sight had unfortunately already been burned into his mind, and the smell remained.

He refused to look up again until the body had left the room and the doors shut. He felt a bit queasy; he had never seen a dead body so mutilated that before, only the still thin frames of travelers he had passed on the road who starved to death in attempts to run away from a horrendous life. A fear began to settle deep within his chest, the fear that in this journey, he would see his fair share of wretched corpses.

Lucidas' eyes lazily cast over the corpse as it was taken out of the room, thanks to his rather unique eyes he could see even the smallest magical traces. In the case of the corpse he saw a fog of magical energy pouring out of it, it settled across the floor and remained for a few minutes after the body was removed.

"That is a high concentration of magical energy for something dead... not even necromancers can pull that off. I am amazed I didnt pick up on this before now, how do they mask this much power?" wonders Lucidas, he then looks toward Erir and says "This is a very different kind of magic you are used to, healer. But I dont know enough about it and I fear we wont learn enough before we are facing this thing head on...". Lucidas breaks out in laughter and says "I dont envy the close range combatants!".

He then walks up to Fredrick and asks "When are we leaving? You appear to be a suitable leader... Or at the very least, you have seniority... Well, except for the Elves but we dont have time to wait 10 years to make a single decision, huh?".

Alexia covered her nose when the smell of the dead body wafted over her. It wasn't the smell of rotten meat she'd expected, but something much more wretched. Perhaps it was something magical? When he heard the white-eyed man speak, she sort of confirmed that the corpse was ravaged by magic. Odd that this smell would accompany it.

The noticed the other Oktra, the one with the nuts, look a bit perturbed, almost the mirror image of what she felt. She subtly nudged him with her elbow and asked softly:

"Where are you from?"

"And what do you mean by that?" Eiravel said to Lucidas angrily. Arri grabbed his arm, trying to calm him. "You get offended too easily Eiravel. Please, calm yourself."

Eiravel, who was obviously irritated, looked at Lucidas then to the princess. Once again, he spoke in a low and quiet voice so that only Arri could hear him.

"You are too kind princess. Do not trust these people. They have no skill........ and no etiquette."

Lucidas replied "I meant, you take a VERY long time to make decisions... thats why a human should lead. Huh, for a princess you arent so bright... and very aggressive." as he looked over to Eiravel, then he glanced at Arri and said "... Wait, unless youre the princess... I knew that male princesses were too weird, even for Elves!".

Paldo was still struggling to fight back the bile in his throat when he felt something poke his side. Peeking an eye open and glancing to his left, he noticed another Oktra, the one who had been talking to the tall man previously. Her lengthy dark hair shone glossily in the light of the torches that lined the walls, youthful and far from graying. In fact, she seemed very close to his age, which comforted him a little- the humans were awkwardly younger than himself, while the elves far outstripped him in years.

He found himself staring after a moment, and blushed slightly. He answered her question in a voice just as soft as hers, but a bit more chipper.

"From very, very far away," he said with a warm smile (at least, as warm as he could muster with the stench of that body still ringing in his nostrils). "From where the trees are more ancient and taller than elves, and the wind just as soft and sweet smelling!"

He paused, then shook his head. "Forgive me! I don't mean to sound homesick." Am I really homesick? Oh, bother... "My name is Paldo, Paldo Kempkin, resident of far, far away! What is yours? And are you from further, further away?"

"The guards or Fredrick will show you to the dining hall then to your rooms so you eat and sleep before departing tomorrow."

He coughs again, "if you have any questions further on, the Advisor's quarters are at the end of the hall you shall be staying in tonight please ask him. For ow I bid you my due, good bye." He leaves the room with two guards at his back.

If you'll just follow me please without trying to kill each other, sighs Fredrick as the throne room doors swing open.

He leads them back to the Dining Hall where they can eat till they feel full.

Eiravel grabbed the hilt of his sword tightly, fighting back the urge to attack, and possibly even maim, Lucidas.

"Do not speak down to us... human." Said Eiravel, the last word having a bit of venom attached to it. "Your kind is like a parasite. You colonize wherever you see fit, having no consideration for the surrounding wildlife and plant life.. destroying all if it and not caring.

Your kind it too aggressive, idiotic, inexperienced, and unpredictable. You-"

Arri stepped in between Eiravel and Lucidas. "Both of you need to calm yourselves. You're bickering like children."

"If you'll just follow me please without trying to kill each other.." Fredrick said.

Arri walked next to Fredrick, obviously annoyed with Eiravel and Lucidas. "If this arguing continues then I'm not sure that this journey will end well."

"And if it does I guess the surviors may just abandon the bodies of those they hate, destined to rot in some hostile land," Fredrick sighs deeply.

"That is of course if the hatred persists," he leans towards Arri and whispers to her, "perhaps things may change within the group and alliances are made, I wish only too well that it happens." He leans back away feeling Eiravel's eyes boring into his back.

"But for now, we must grit our teeth and keep going..."

"Really, aggressive? How many times have I reached for MY weapon?" replied Lucidas as he left the room, he then glanced back at Eiravel and continued "Yeah thats what I thought, Elf.".

Lucidas walked a few strides behind Fredrick and Arri and upon noticing that Arri was quite frustrated he asked "This isnt because I thought he was the Princess is it? I would have thought the Dwarves were rocks if they werent hairy and so fond of moving... which is not a characteristic of most rocks." all the while feigning a serious face.

His concentration broke as he realised that Fredrick hadnt answered his question, he again asked "And are you planning on taking the mantle of 'Leader'? Maybe it needs discussing... weigh peoples strengths and weaknesses... Ooooh, we could make lists!" as his usual grin reclaimed its rightful place upon his face once more.

Bombur prayed to the gods that his fellow Dwarfs soul would reach the heavens, he wasn't much of a religious dwarf, but seeing someone like that would make any man pray. He shook his head as he stood up, he was about to turn back to his new friend when he noticed an attractive young Oktra talking to him, Paldo's face was rather red and Bombur chuckled,

"I'll leave you two alone." he said walking past the two young ones, winking at Paldo as he lumbured toward his fellow dwarf, "Hello there friend, I am Bombur Trollslayer, son of Fili Ironforger. What would your name be?"

Alexia smiled.

"Further than far, it feels like I've crossed half the world and hundreds of paths on my way here. Though not from any forests. I lived at the foot of a mountain."

She coughted, still trying to get the taste and smell out of her system.

"Tell me, do you practice magic? I've yet to meet another Oktra magician apart from my parents."

As Bombur passed, the small Oktra watched him move away with a blank stare, unsure of what he was thinking. The mention of mountains, however, made Paldo's heart skip a beat and his attention turned back to Alexia. He had never seen mountains- mostly just forests smaller than his own and endless plains. Perhaps they would come across some in their journey?

"I try," replied Paldo to her inquiry, a little embarrassment showing in his cheeks. "I am a little poor at it, though... Small things, such as unlocking doors, I can do just fine; but when it comes to the larger spells, I usually need to be in a state of panic to get anything done!" He chuckled warmly. "But I haven't heard of this before- I mean, where I am from, almost every Oktra practices magic, to a degree.

"You're probably rather good at it, aren't you?"

Arriving outside the dining area the group paused before the doors swung open to reveal a feast that could feed an army for weeks.

One of the chefs step out and bows to the approaching group.

Welcome to the hall, may you enjoy your meal and if you wish anything not there, request the dish to one of the workers here and if it is plausible it shall be made, he bows again before disappearing through a side door to his kitchen.

Alexia was about to answer when she smelled the scent of food ahead. It was entrancing, and when the doors were opened she almost laughed out of delight. Almost every single thing edible she could think of was on the tables. The scent was simply delicious. Her answer was lost in a few seconds of mumbling and distractions. Then the snapped out of it and turned her gaze back to Paldo.

"I've been raised with magic, it's almost like breathing with me." She said with a small giggle. "But anything greater than...say turning lead into gold need alot of focus."

"That's... amazing," Paldo replied, half to his fellow Oktra and half toward the scene before him. Food! SO MUCH FOOD!

He hadn't eaten in quite a few hours, since before he had been taken by the king's guard and traveled the long road here. By now, his stomach was moaning in protest, and abruptly growled at the scent of the tables.

"Excuse me," he said as though hypnotized, walking past Alexia and toward the table. He had to climb up one of the chairs, but once he was on top, he began to grab foods from every platter and pile them onto his plate no matter how far down the table they were. Once he was satisfied with the small mountain on his plate, he sat, his eyes barely visible over the top of the table. He looked to Alexia and waved happily. "It smells better from here, you know!"

Stepping into the hall, Korgan heard Bombur's greeting. Turning towards his fellow Dwarf, he nodded his head in greeting.

"Greetings Bombur Trollslayer, son of Fili Ironforger, I am Korgan Thoral, son of Gorek Thoral, Ironclad warrior of Clan Azaghal. I must say, it is good to meet a fellow Dwarf here, I thought the stench of those Elven fairies would become too strong to stand on my own. I hail from the city of Baranzibar, whereabouts do you come from Bombur?"

Setting the tips of Snaga down on the flagstones, Korgan extended his hand to the other Dwarf.

Eiravel found himself at the table in between the princess and the tiny female Oktra that was sitting next to Paldo. He made sure the princess had gotten her food before her selected his own. He selected an entrée that appeared to be a human version of one of his most beloved Ef dishes and start to dig in.

He looked around at the uncivilized eating practices of the lesser races while he ate with true and proper etiquette.

"It's good" He said to the Princess, "But nothing like my mother made."

Arri looked at the food, which was so different from Elven's usual cuisine, and immediately became homesick. She pushed the thoughts from her mind and ordered a small salad. Her etiquette was perfect, just like it had always been. She was a princess after all.

"It's good" Said Eiravel "But nothing like my mother made."

"Tell me more about your mother". Arri said, somewhat embarrassed that she just blurted it out. "Forgive me. I should not be asking you about your personal life. It was rude and I'm sorry."

"She hasn't been the same since . . ." Eiravel looked off into the distance, "She used to be so bright, now she just sits of the porch looking at nothing and just trying to remember what she- we lost."

He started to push the food around his plate, "She never cooks any more, the servants do, but its not the same . . ." He dropped his fork and took a long drink from his cup of spiced wine, "You should eat more than a salad, Gods know when we are going to get a properly cooked meal once we leave."

He picked up his fork and forced himself to eat more.

Lucidas takes a seat far away from the others, grabbing a medium sized meal and kept a large goblet next to him that he constantly refilled with wine anytime it became empty... which was quite often.

He realised that keeping his hood up was quite rude and said "Forgive me." as he took his hood down finally allowing people to see his face properly, although he didnt look around to see if anyone had noticed as he was fully aware that his eyes were completely different to what any race was used to.

Erir took a choice selection of food and decided to join the other Oktra. It was rare to see others of his race outside of their settlements and so he wondered at what brought them here, apart from the universal summons they all shared. Seating himself next to Paldo, they exchanged greetings and pleasantries as they ate.

"If you don't mind my asking, what brings you both into these human lands?" he asked.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother. It must be very hard for you to see her like that. Perhaps over time she'll return to her previous self."

"You should eat more than a salad, Gods know when we are going to get a properly cooked meal once we leave."

"I'm not very hungry", Arri said as she pushed her plate away. She looked around the table, taking a few moments to look at everyone, before finally stopping at Lucidas. He had taken his hood off and she finally got to see his face.

"So, where are you from Lucidas?"

"So, where are you from Lucidas?"

He looked up, quite surprised by the question. He then composed himself and replied "I am from nowhere, I am an exile... I exiled myself sure, but still. I guess you are wondering about my hometown, it was a small village that few people knew of. It trained magicians exclusively, everyone there was a powerful magician and I was trained by one of the most powerful... but that wasnt good enough for him...". Lucidas clenched his fists as his eyes began to exude white light and the flames of the candles in the room froze yet still emitted light.

He quickly stood and left the dining hall, once he reached the courtyard he fell to his hands and knees and the earth around him began to quake and burn. The flames grew larger and began to spread, reaching across the floor like the roots of a tree.

Lucidas came to his senses as he realised the flames were spreading dangerously close to the castle, he reached into his pocket and pulled a single glove out. Putting it on and pulling it tight he whispered "Levis...", a blast of air shot out and extinguished the flames immediately.

Fredrick sat slightly away from the others, flicking pieces of his food around with a chicken leg that he had been eating.

Leader? I don't know any of these people enough to care for them, let alone lead them into battle against who knows what? he wonders idly changing his gaze between members of the group. His eyes once again settled on the Oktra trio before snapping to his plate as the leg slipped from his grip.

His changing focus caught Lucidas leaving the room.

"What's up with him?" Fredrick asks the room, pushing himself away from the table ready to follow him if needs be.