They crept through Nortempress, hopping from town to town and settling on the outskirts for the night. Ordephus still looked human, after all, and he was sure to be thrown out the moment he was caught. Temaius warned them of such. To them, Temaius was an odd fellow, as he was neither cold nor friendly. Almost lukewarm. One moment he seemed to care but the next would dismiss you without a second thought. But despite Temaius' advice and Argent asking Ordephus to change his eyes to a dragonkind's, they only received a sharp refusal. Argent didn't ask again.

It was strange being away from his mentor while wandering the towns looking for food. Argent never thought about it until now, but there hadn't been a long period of time where he was truly away from Ordephus. Not in all those months they had traveled together. It was nice to have someone he could depend on again. Before it was out of necessity, as he had to stay close for the glamour to work, but after what happened in Weststar . . . He didn't want that to happen ever again. It was embarrassing, looking back at it now, as he clung to Ordephus' side for the next few weeks after he had awoken from the poison. Ordephus never pushed him away, but they did end up having a conversation about it. After that, he would follow Iver to gather wild herbs or Noctifer to begin working on sword forms (only after getting the ok from Iver, of course). Sometimes he'd wander the grounds and tower by himself, as long as he stayed within the boundaries. But even then, his guardian was still nearby.

Another thing he had to get used to was the strange looks. While he knew dragonkinds weren't considered adults until sixty, that didn't mean he was a baby, either! He knew how to protect himself, with a bow and with magic. And not only that, all he needed to do was send a burst of mana in the air or smash one of the beads he had in his pocket to the ground for his guardian to come get him.

"Where are your parents," another well-meaning dragonkind asked, and Argent tried his hardest not to scowl.

"My guardian is nearby."

"Shouldn't they be with you? Surely they wouldn't let you wander off on your own—"

"I'm just getting food while they do something else," Argent stated bluntly, but still bowed his head to be polite. "Thank you for your concern, though. But I can do things just fine on my own."

He scurried off before they could ask anything else, slipping through the crowd as he wandered the market. He knew they meant well, but what else was he supposed to say? That his guardian was human (well, looked human, at least) and was waiting somewhere outside of the city walls? He wasn't dumb. While he still didn't understand why Ordephus wouldn't make his eyes look like his, he knew when to drop a subject, especially when the other snapped. Maybe he'd understand when he was older.

It was when he was packing away fresh bread into his bag when he began hearing a rumor among the crowd.

"So that was the commotion just now by the gate?"

"Yes. Apparently, they found him near the edges of the fields in the woods trying to flee. There was a campsite not far from where he was caught, too."

A chill ran down Argent's spine. He didn't like the sound of that one bit.

"So he was there for a while?"

"At least for a night. The Matriarch will take care of it, I'm sure. In fact, I believe he's already at the Arbiter's Fountain to await trial."

"Do you think he's a spy?"

"I think he is, but it's up to the Matriarch."

Quietly, he followed behind the pair. Others were heading in the same direction, so he assumed they were all heading to the trial. He didn't want to ask in fear that they might stop him from going. If the human caught in the woods was who he thought it was . . .

The crowd soon thickened as the road broadened. He could tell that there was an open space before him since there were no houses beyond, but he still couldn't see past it. Before, he would sit on Noctifer's shoulder to look over everyone. Unfortunately, Noctifer wasn't here, nor was Iver or even Ordephus. So, he did the only thing he could: He shoved his way through.

While he got a few annoyed grunts and some sharp words, he was gone before they could stop him. In and out, forward and back, he weaved his way between those standing in his way, growing closer to the most distinctive voice he could hear above the crowd's murmuring. The voice . . . didn't sound happy. It was cutting an articulate, sending wave after wave of knife-like words to whoever she (it sounded like a woman) was talking to. He couldn't hear the other's replies at first, but as he neared the edge of the crowd, it was undeniable he knew who the woman was speaking to.

"Why are you here, human? Do you seek to harm us or send word to others to do just that?"

"I am only here for an errand, Matriarch, and I have given full permission to search my belongings to find my proof. There should be a scroll with my employer's—"

"Your excuse only extends to the Feydra Mountains, which is miles from here." Argent heard her pause, and he could almost imagine her glare despite not knowing what she looked like. "I think you forget that your spellbook holds a Symbol of Ordephus on its cover. Do you take me for a fool?"

"I do not," he heard Ordephus say quietly. "But I know you won't take my words as proof of innocence."

"Then let me say this again, and answer me truthfully: Why are you here?"

There was a long pause. Argent was almost through the crowd. "I'm here for personal reasons."

The Matriarch huffed out a laugh. "So you choose not to answer. You do realize, that this isn't looking very good for you, human. Do you think your 'personal' reasons amount to our safety in our minds? Is there really anything stopping us from eliminating a threat?"

"Wait!" Argent stumbled through, only managing to step forward far enough away from the crowd before freezing. Two armed dragonkind held Ordephus firmly as he kneeled on the ground, and the Matriarch stood before him with a sword in hand. While the sword was not pointed at him, seeing Darin—Ordephus as Darin, Argent couldn't help the shudder that wracked through his body. The scene was too familiar, as were the circumstances. There were too many eyes around him. He couldn't—he didn't want to watch his guardian die again. "Please, don't hurt him," he managed weakly. It was becoming hard to breathe.

Before he could spiral any further, the Matriarch motioned to let Ordephus go. While she didn't know what was going on and why a dragonkind child would care, she recognized the human's urgency to comfort the boy. Everyone watched—some concerned while others confused—as the human quickly walked over to the boy once freed, calming him with a soft voice. Unsure of what to do, the Matriarch sheathed her sword and handed it to one of the guards. No-one stopped her as she approached the pair, pausing a few feet away to maintain distance in case it made the boy's condition worsen.

"Is he alright?" she asked in genuine concern. In truth, she wouldn't have said the words she did if she knew a child was with him.

"He'll be alright," he replied, holding Argent close as the boy kept his face hidden at his side. "There was a previous . . . occurrence that mirrored this situation. One that didn't end so well, I'm afraid."

"I see." She could sense everyone's unease as the crowd shuffled and murmured. The circumstances had become more complicated. While she had a duty to protect her people, she didn't wish to harm the boy like this, even if the human was manipulating the boy's attachment. It was obvious the boy cared for the human. "I still cannot simply let you wander freely, human."

"I didn't expect anything more." He bowed his head reverently. "I never originally planned to enter, either, since I sent the boy to buy more food before moving on."

"Then why were you running away from here?" she asked, both in curiosity and disbelief for leaving the child behind.

"Well, you see," he said, suddenly growing nervous, "I was going to return, and if not, the boy knows how to find me, but, um . . ." Ordephus glanced to the sky. Sensing the movement, Argent glanced up as well but saw nothing. What he did sense, however, was a sort of presence that was swiftly approaching. "We're about to have very large company."

Before anyone could react, a large mass dived through the thick clouds above them, momentarily punching a hole for the sun to shine through. Gigantic, grey wings unfurled to slow their descent, and the dragon landed heavily on the ground. Their front legs managed to stand comfortably in the square they all stood in while the back legs somehow managed to stand in separate streets without damaging a single building. Argent's dragon shift was easily dwarfed in comparison, as he wouldn't have reached the other's shoulder. Many scrambled away in a hurry as the dragon's head stooped down, casting emerald green eyes onto Ordephus. The dragon's teeth were bared in a snarl.

"Do you think so lowly of us that you thought we wouldn't notice you crossing into Nortempress?" the dragoness hissed, her voice threatening and guttural. "You, of anyone in Amare, have no business being here. You dare insult us with your presence?"

"I had no intentions of insulting you, Kravaugh," Ordephus replied, bowing his head low. He earned more than a few sharp glances, however, as he casually addressed the dragoness. As subtle as he could, he directed Argent to the Matriarch. Argent didn't want to be near her in the slightest since she had previously threatened his guardian, but with a bit more prodding that included verbal commands, he reluctantly stood next to her. The Matriarch was bewildered as well but accepted her responsibility to protect the boy in the human's stead. She didn't know what business the Matriarch Dragoness Kravaugh had with the human, but this seemed to confirm her suspicion of ill intentions.

The dragoness huffed a stream of smoke. "You are lucky to be of an even more ancient being than myself to address me in such a way. I, unfortunately, will do no such thing, as you do not deserve my respect. Lower your deceit, Ordephus, and speak to me in your true form."

Ordephus refused to raise his head, even as his hair and eyes shifted back to their original shade. Cries of outrage erupted from the crowd as it was revealed who was before them, many hissing "traitor" and "murderer" under their breaths. Argent's hand slowly shifted to touch the cover of his spellbook, unsure of what to do. The Matriarch, however, watched with thoughtful eyes.

"Now, speak. Why is it that you have come here of all places?" Kravaugh tilted her head mockingly. "A stroll amongst the destruction you've caused? You're in the wrong place for that, I'm afraid. The empty villages are by the shore rather than inland."

"I come with a request," Ordephus said, ignoring the prodding words, "and I seek your help."

The dragoness suddenly reared back with a loud shriek, causing the ground to shake fiercely. Her claws dug into the earth.

"You seek my help?" she raged. "You have slaughtered your brethren, tortured those weaker than you, and have single-handedly caused a degree of carnage that has lasted for centuries, only to disappear like a coward! And you dare ask me for help?"

Bolts of lightning struck the ground between them without warning, causing her to recoil in shock. She snarled and bared her teeth once more, thinking it was the legend who had summoned them, only to find a boy standing in front of him with his hand raised and his chest heaving. His silver eyes were wide with fear, but he stood strong as a physical barrier between the dragoness and the legend.

"He's not the same person as before!" Argent shouted up at the dragoness, ignoring Ordephus' demand to move aside once again. "He's my guardian, and he's protected me and saved my life by going to the Seelie to get the Dew of the Gods when I was poisoned by the Alliance!" Frustrated, he forcefully broke apart the glamour covering his brand. His head ached terribly after it as he used most of his mana to do so, but he continued on, brandishing his brand for all to see. "He's trying to help us! To free us! He didn't want it to go this far!"

"Argent?!" Ordephus was shocked, to say the least, by the boy's action. He looked to the side back at the Matriarch—he didn't care if the dragoness was still there, his apprentice had just emptied his mana supply—and asked urgently, "Are there mana potions here?"

She nodded, turning to the nearest guard. "Get them mana potions," she said, and they quickly complied.

Argent, however, continued to stubbornly glare up at the dragoness. At this point, Ordephus began to reluctantly prepare himself for a fight, forming a few lectures in his mind to say to Argent once the whole situation had settled. The boy needed to stop picking fights he couldn't finish! His hand twitched to his side—where his spellbook would've been if the dragonkind hadn't disarmed him—as Kravaugh spread her wings.

"Enough!" she bellowed before rounding on the boy. Argent took a shaky step back but stared back defiantly. "Listen well, fledgling. Someone as evil as him cannot change, even after a millennium. There is too much blood on his hands for him to be anything else than what he is: A murderer of his own kind."

With her unsettling words said, she took off back into the air, sending great gusts of wind as she ascended back into the clouds. Everyone waited until they could no longer hear her beating wings before they all let out a sigh of relief. As much as the dragons were respected, they were also known to be quite temperamental and sometimes destructive.

"Well, that could've gone worse," Ordephus muttered to himself, looking to the side when he felt someone grasp his hand. Argent's grip tightened slightly as he gazed up at his guardian with worried eyes, silently asking if he was alright. A smile tugged at Ordephus' lips at that, and he gave the boy's hand a reassuring squeeze. The words had stung, yes, but nothing he hadn't heard before. People much closer to him had said worse, all at different points in his life. A millennium, huh? Has it really been that long? His musings were cut short as the Matriarch approached them, and Argent stepped in front once again. He still hadn't let go of his hand.

"You're of Agkaneel's line," she said to Argent, not really waiting for a reply as she continued. "Why would you attach yourself to someone of the likes of him?"

"Because he's not evil," Argent hissed back, narrowing his eyes.

"Argent," Ordephus said, exasperated, "this is your elder. You should respect her."

Argent scowled at that, restating his reply. "Because he's not evil, ma'am."

"That's not what I meant!"

Their attention snapped back to the Matriarch when she chuckled, causing the crow's feet at the corner of her eyes to look more prominent.

"Bold boy," she said before looking at Ordephus. "You must be too lenient."

"That can be fixed if this continues to be a problem." He gave Argent a meaningful look, and Argent looked away and crossed his arms, muttering a faint apology.

The Matriarch surveyed the crowd as the two bickered. It slowly began to thin as people continued on with what they were doing. Albeit reluctant, but all eyes glanced between them. They all still waited for her verdict, and she grimaced as she side-eyed at the strange duo. What to do with them indeed. If this were an ordinary situation, she would have had the man locked up and questioned without another thought. This wasn't an ordinary situation, however, and the boy made things even more complicated. She doubted their cells would be able to hold the legend, anyway. When the previous guard returned with the mana potions, she had another request.

"Apologies for sending you on another errand," she said quietly, "but run back to my villa and inform the servants to prepare the guest wing."

"It's no trouble, but—" The guard glanced back at Ordephus. "Are you sure? I don't mean to question you, Matriarch, but I'm concerned for your safety."

She bowed her head momentarily. "Your concern is appreciated. You may increase the guard for tonight if you wish." Ordephus held her gaze when she turned to them once again, not bothering to hide that he had been listening. "I'm sure our guests would understand."

"A wise choice, if not a bit unnecessary," he replied with a small, crooked smile.

The guard looked between them, unsure, before bowing to the Matriarch and walking in the direction Ordephus assumed to be the villa she had mentioned. The crowd had now completely dispersed—minus the guards around them—as it was clear nothing else would be done.

"Let's sort this first before I show you the way myself." She held a mana potion out to the boy, expecting him to take it, but was surprised when Ordephus took it instead. Burning words were on the tip of her tongue at the action, but he gave her a sheepish smile and raised his hands in surrender.

"I don't mean to offend, but I rather inspect the potion myself before giving it to my apprentice," he explained, only proceeding with his plan when she gave an understanding nod of her head. It didn't take long, just him checking for abnormalities within the vial and making sure it smelled correct. Once he deemed it to be untainted, he passed the potion to Argent while reaching for the second to inspect. His next words were aimed at the boy. "You could have just asked me to release the spell, you know. That wasn't a simple glamour like last time."

"I didn't think it would be that hard to break through," Argent admitted, switching vials for the second mana potion, but paused when Ordephus inspected the third. "Can we keep that one? I think I'll be fine with just two."

"That's something you should ask the Matriarch since she's giving it to us," he said mildly, placing his hand against Argent's forehead to make sure he didn't develop a fever from his stunt. Warm, but nothing a night of rest couldn't fix. He suddenly straightened, causing a few guards to jump and reach for their weapons. There was a look of clarity—almost something akin to excitement—on his face as he addressed the Matriarch. "Actually, how many are you willing to sell? I've been looking for mana potions for ages, you see. Months. Ever since the Alliance—" He cut off his sentence abruptly and coughed awkwardly into his fist. "Anyway, even one more would be helpful since I, ah, can't produce my own mana."

The Matriarch couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Despite having a dangerous aura around him, Ordephus seemed to become more and more . . . ordinary. For being such a legendary figure, she thought there would be something to his name. But it seemed he was just as reliant on the potions as a normal human would be and even used a spellbook. These are all surface-level speculations, she reminded herself. He must be hiding something. A weapon or an ability.

"Consider the first three a gift," she said, at last, bowing her head in respect. This was her elder, as peculiar as it seemed. She was a younger matriarch, having just passed 300 not so long ago, but the one before her didn't even look to be 100. Nonetheless, she also wanted to set an example, even if the boy's defiance to the Great Sorcerer Ordephus himself was amusing. "As for future purchases, that would be between you and the potion master." She held her hand out with her palm facing up. "I am Ein'roth, Matriarch of Kurshan."

He immediately laid his hand on hers. So he knows our greeting. "Ordephus, as you've figured out by now, and this is my apprentice, Argent."

She did the same gesture to the boy. There was a moment of hesitation before he did the same as his mentor, glancing up at Ordephus to make sure he was doing it correctly. And Argent does not? Whether he was shy or genuinely didn't know, she would have to ask if she ever got the chance to speak to Ordephus alone. She had questions of the boy's origin, but she wouldn't want to bring it up in front of him. Even if it was a bit backhanded.

"Come." She stepped to the side and waved in the direction the previous guard had walked in. "I believe we've given the servants ample time to prepare for your arrival."

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