Two horsemen ride up to a tavern...

At Ascian's prompting, Ember's keen nose picks up something, and along with Kaed, the pair speed off into the woods. After a few minutes, their trail leads up a tree. Ember, moving silently with Ascian, sniffs at the base of the tree and then paws the ground. 

Ascian blinks up at the tree, his brow creasing as he sets a hand on Ember's head to acknowledge how far the wolf had brought him. "Thanks," he mutters, setting a foot against the bark.  "Stay here. I'll be right back." It's strange, he thinks as he climbs; to have someone that matters to. He looks back over his shoulder at the wolf several times as he scales the branches, pulling himself up with more care and consideration than he might have two weeks ago. It's a fair climb before he notices broken leaves and branches he hadn't been able to see from below; a light frown creases his face before he steals across the canopy, leaping from one to the next until, only two ahead, he sees what is undeniably someone ahead.

The figure crouches in a tree, black leathers bound in a cloak that is tied up around their arm so it doesn't get in the way of their climbing. The slight figure looks up, eyes glowering at Ascian. "Gods, but you are persistent, aren't you? What now? You kill me?" T he figure's voice is androgynous and even as the eyes bore into Ascian's own above the black cowl concealing the figure's face.

Ascian doesn't blink, though his head tilts slightly as he takes in the figure. He notably doesn't answer the question, asking instead,  "Who are you. Why are you following us. And for who."

Rather than speak, the figure holds their hands up in a calming gesture, then slowly reaches up to their collar. Leather pulls down against pale skin far enough to reveal an intricately carved glyph, the "wound" still open and red, garish runes shining with wet blood. "I think that answers all three of your inquiries."

"Two." Ascian gives a measured store to the weeping glyph and then back to where the figure's eyes might be. "It tells me what you are. Not who. Why is he having us followed."

The figure stares back. "Who I am is inconsequential. If you want to know, you can call me Marius. As for why the boss wants you followed, I think that's rather obvious."

"Where's your camp," Ascian intones. " How far is he from here."

This question actually evokes a laugh from Marius. "My camp is wherever I am. And I actually don't know where the boss is right now. Quite sure I wouldn't tell you anyway."

"You would," he replies simply, shifting on his branch. Beneath his own black leathers he can feel the strange amulet against his sternum begin to reverberate against bone. Tilting his head as he considers Marius, it isn't long before a steady stream of consciousness flows into the space between them in the other figure's voice, a river of thought so similar and yet so different from the way Ascian is accustomed to communicating in silence. He wades mentally through the shallow puddles of concentration and irritation, sinking eventually into the pools of fear and resentment that summarily fills his lungs and closes over his head.  "You   were running somewhere," he says at last. "Tell me where. We can help you."

"I was running away ," he says. His eyes grow hard as he feels Ascian probe into his mind. "I know you seem to think that you're very impressive. But I'm sorry. I don't know you, but I will always be more frightened of him. Now, I'm going to leave now. If you're planning on stopping me, then let's get it over with."

"I don't think I'm much of anything," he replies bluntly, argument simple. "You know I can outrun you. Choose to come with me. Or it will hurt."

"You actually don't know that, but I will grant you the assumption, as you did catch up with me," Marius says. "I'm not coming with you. So, if we're fighting, let's fight." Ascian makes a move for something on his belt and Marius spring into action. His crossbow bolt goes wide, but before Ascian can follow the bolt with his eyes, the other man flees into the dark and disappears.

Ascian's eyes follow the bolt and momentarily lose the other man in the darkness of the trees, gone in an instant. He follows from branch to branch reflexively, eyes scanning the foliage as he mentally reaches out for the edges of those pools of fear and resentment that he finds almost curious aren't aimed at him. It doesn't take him long to zero in on a source, and he gives the rogue hiding amongst the branches an almost appreciative nod as he closes the gap between them, watching the shreds of smoke peel from his skin to find a new home beneath Marius' skin. 

Marius's eyes widen as Ascian picks him out. Not surprise, but a look of one that's impressed with what he's seeing. He quickly flits across the tree branches, and attempts to hide, but the magic of Ascian's medallion keeps the rogue tuned into Marius's location. A bolt comes flying out of the crossbow, and Ascian dodges it neatly, the bolt grazing off his armor. "You're good," Marius says. 

"And you're faster than I thought."  Fingers snatching at a pouch at his waist, Ascian tosses the small bag of dust they'd found what felt like ages ago into the air, watching without blinking as the motes scatter between he and Marius. A month ago, he would have been coughing and sneezing alongside the other man, but now he only watches as the man loses his balance and plummets to the ground. It's the first time he's been grateful for whatever it is that's done this to him – or, he thinks, as he flashes down the tree to stand over the choking man and sees those telltale wisps of mist rise off him to slither into better-unknown orifices, perhaps the second. "I'm sorry," he says patiently to the man's openly bleeding face as he touches down back on the forest floor.  "I didn't want to have to hurt you."

As Asican dashes back down to him, Marius flips over and stares up at Ascian. The sneezing continues, and Ascian can see his eyes are bloodshot with asphyxia. His eyes widen as he sees Ascian pass through the magical dust in the air without effect.  "What..."  He coughs, his voice ragged.  "...are you?"

"Dead, I think," Ascian replies evenly, kneeling to methodically tie Marius' feet and hands. "Or something close. My mind just hasn't realized it yet." Ropes knotted, he sits back on his heels and looks into the bloodshot, bleary eyes somewhat reminiscent of Ember's. Gaze not leaving Marius, he whistles a single piercing note, and not long after the wolf itself appears from the underbrush. His fingers reach for the fur out of habit, filtering through the silvery coat as he says quietly, "Go get the others. We'll be here." Obedient, the wolf disappears and Ascian sits back, loosely holding his knees to his chest as Marius gasps for breath at his feet.  "I'll wipe the dust away when I've gotten you back to the others," he explains tonelessly. There's a brief pause before he adds,  "I'm sorry for what will come after."

Marius coughs again, glaring up at Ascian. Then, his eyes roll back and the lids flutter closed, the pool of blood spreading out from his body.

Ascian waits till the man's eyes close before he quietly drags him out of the range of the dust, listening as the coughs sputter to breaths and Marius' chest begins moving. Staunching the blood as best he can from the nastily broken nose, he tilts the man's head back to help him avoid drowning in the streaming blood, noting in dull surprise as the hood falls back just how young he is – Ascian's age, perhaps, or maybe even younger. Just as fast, nearly as pale; arguably a better shot. A strange mirror of sorts, a window into a lifetime where he wasn't what he is and had come across an orc instead of a sorceress. "It would have been easier if you'd just come," he says to Marius' bound, unconscious body as he sinks back to loosely hold his knees again and wait for the others to arrive.

Leaving the horses and cart in a stashed away place, Ember leads the rest of the party back to where Ascian had captured the bound and unconscious Marius.

Katrin notices the bound form, and the blood pooled around him. She looks at Ascian, a question in her eyes as she walks over to the bound man. Kneeling down, she sees that the man is breathing. Raggedly, but breathing nonetheless. Without a word, she places a hand over his eyes, closing her own. A warm radiance travels from her fingertips and down the man's body, disappearing as it reaches his toes. She looks at Ascian. "One of Gesrik's, I presume?"

The life energy courses through the unconscious form of Marius and he sputters and coughs as he awakens. Around a mouthful of blood, the party can only make out a single word. "Fuck."

"Yes,"  Ascian replies woodenly, not quite able to meet her eye as he watches her heal. His eyes stay on Marius as the other man begins to stir. "I tried to get him to come quietly. He didn't listen."

Katrin shrugs. "You gave him a choice. He chose poorly. I don't fault you for that. Help me set him up. Against that tree over there. Don't want him choking on his own blood." She and a few others drag the man over so his back is leaning against the tree. Katrin eyes the man and the severity of his injuries. "Ascian says you work for Gesrik."  

He coughs again, and spits out a plug of mucus and blood. His voice is muted and nasally when he speaks, due to his broken nose. "I know you're going to have questions. I'm just going to save us a lot of time and let you know that I won't answer any of them."  

"Nor would I expect you to, given our previous encounters with others like you." She takes a breath. "So I'm not going to ask questions." Her grey eyes pierce his, and then she stands, gesturing for Ascian to follow her. A short ways away, she turns to everyone, speaking quietly. "If we can keep him alive until tomorrow morning, I may be able to get some information from him. Which may be tricky, as I imagine Gesrik is waiting for him to report back to him."

"Gesrik?"  Thezra watches the proceedings with an air of curiosity. Arms folded, she down to Katrin with an arched brow, "I take it it is no friend you speak of."

"Gesrik already knows what has happened here," he says, pulling his leathers down to reveal the bloody rune again. 

Akiran calmly takes in the scene, it wasn't his first interrogation and with the path he has chosen it certainly won't be his last. Though the Dragonborn preferred a soft touch, to the beatings that were traditionally doled out in these situations. He had witnessed far to many "conversations" where the interrogator beat the suspect within an inch of their life and heard nothing worth hearing. People will say anything to stop pain, and Akiran found it was far to much work to filter the mountains of bullshit people will shovel to try and find a few kernels of truth. The Dragonborn preferred a friendly approach, even hardened operatives don't wish to die. And when facing their end, often latch on to the only friendly face around. Especially when the man brings them food, drink and laughter. It is much easier even honorable in a sense to spill your truths to your only friend, then let them be beaten out of you by an interrogator.  Akiran shrugs "Could be more of his crew around. What are you hoping to learn?" Pausing for a moment he adds  "I would be happy to speak with him, I was often called upon in the Legion to help prisoners see the benefits of talking."

Katrin turns slowly to the injured man, taking in the rune carved into his skin. "Someone we crossed paths with awhile back. I killed his brother, and I'm wearing the armor I took from him," she says to Thezra, not taking her eyes off of Marius. "His location for one thing," she says to Akiran. "But they're all scared of him, to the point of silence."  

"I'll be nearby," Ascian tells Akiran, slowly standing though his attention doesn't leave Marius. "Just in case.  He's fast. "

Akiran nods and reaches into his pack removing a water skin, a piece of cloth and his flask. Walking over to the man he begins speaking, his voice slow and friendly. He sets the flask in front of the man and wets the cloth with the water skin before sitting it down next to the flask.  "Looks like you hit a bit of bad luck. But do not let it shame you, the pale one is a fierce warrior. And you have survived where many have not. It is good fortune is it not?"  Before the man can respond Akiran steps forward and gingerly  wipes the blood from the man's face  "Ah that is better isn't it?"  Once again before the man can respond Akiran takes a pull of his flask and holds it out to the man  "Tell me when you grow thirsty, I have water and the most delectable whiskey you will ever taste. And if we are forced to be here might as well enjoy a drink, isn't that right?"   Again before the man can respond Akiran sits with a long exhale and says "Oh I have forgotten myself, I am Akiran. Who might you be?" This time he pauses looking at the man with great interest. During his time with the Legion he found that it is often best with the stoic ones to chatter away. They often do not wish to speak, but few are strong enough to not try and make a friend when death looms over them. 

The man looks up at Akiran. "Marius," he replies, his expression hard. "You're new. You weren't there at the retreat."

Fixing his snout into an approximation of a human smile "I won't say it's good to meet you, but I truly believe it was fortunate. I am a newcomer among this group but I have learned that.." He nods his head towards Ash "That man is deadly. That you still draw breath confirms that fortune favors you Marius." Wanting to keep him talking he asks "You're right Marius I was not at the retreat, depending on when it was I was still serving with the Legion or on the road. What happened there?"

Marius spits more blood and laughs. "Ask your friends. They're intimately familiar. I wasn't there."

Nodding towards the flask " I've often found that a good whiskey is the best way to rid the taste taste of blood." Thinking for a moment he adds  "Thank you for the suggestion  I will do that. This lot doesn't have a flair for stories but I'm sure it is an interesting tale. "  It was disappointing but not surprising that a dead had emerged.  Changing tactics he takes another sip of his flask looking at the brand as he does  "That's an interesting mark Marius, does Gresik demand that of all of his men?" Shaking his head he adds wistfully " I've taken more than a few bad contracts and served under some shit bosses but never one with the balls to demand brands.  " His voice friendly yet sympathetic  " How did you come to work with Gresik? I've found that they type of man who brands his men isn't the type that takes no well. " 

Katrin places a hand on Akiran's arm, drawing him back slightly from Marius.  "Gesrik killed a friend of ours there, after he offered to take everything we'd found and leave us with our lives. Kou was a good man. And Gesrik killed him." She pauses, then continues. "He is relentless, and he will come for Marius. He said that he values the lives of his men very highly. I doubt he'd let a good one like Marius hide away for long."

Marius considers the proffered flask, then shrugs and takes the flask in his bound hands. He raises it to his lips and takes a long pull from it, then hands it back to Akiran. His voice is a mirror of Akiran's own, but not with a mocking tone. "How did you come to be a Legionary? I assume you were hungry, and needed money to buy food. We're the same. I've seen the Legion's tactics. It's just a different kind of banditry. At least we're honest about it."

Akiran gives a quick nod of thanks to Katrin before turning back to Marius and taking back the offered flask. Akiran genuinely laughs as Marius makes his' point, the dragonborn nodding his snout in agreement. "You are not wrong Marius!" As his laughter subsides he says truthfully  "I joined the Legion because I needed money and no longer had a home. I only have three talents my friend, I can swing a sword, tell a gripping tale, and work a forge. The world only pays you for two, and truth be told I would die of boredom forging weapons for others day in and day out." "I won't insult you by arguing the similarity of our tactics, but I will say two things. The difference is that the Legion did not brand me and was smart enough to earn the King's blessing. Their actions would not have landed me on the end of noose. Your talented Marius, why serve someone cruel enough to brand you, and short sighted enough to not gain the crowns favor?"

"The crown," Marius snorts derisively, "can kiss my ass. You can't possibly be that naïve . Sure, Gesrik branded me. Cut my skin. But it came with a promise that he'd keep an eye out for me -- one that he's kept for three years. He's fed me, and given me a family. The fucking crown never did that."

As Marius snorts and tells the crown to kiss his ass, Akiran raises his flask and says sincerely "Cheers to that. I have no love for the crown, what they get up to is worst than the Legion and Gresik combined." Taking a sip "But only a fool would think that Gresrik and his forces could stand against it's might. And I don't take you for a fool Marius. You know how Gresrik's story will end, he will either get greedy  or piss off the wrong noble and the crown will send it's might. Hell they may even pay the Legion to deal with him." Shrugging he says simply "Do you want to be there when that happens?"

"As opposed to where?" Marius says. "Sure, Gesrik is a cold bastard when he wants to be. He's terrifying. But living with him is a sure sight better than living on the streets, scrounging for scraps. Offered the choice, which would you pick? Besides, old King Darius is far too busy with his war to deal with the likes of us."

Katrin is surprised to hear the young man's opinions mirror her own. If you needed someone to rely on, the Crown wasn't it. But neither were men like Gesrik. In the end, they always let you down. "Akiran, to an extent? Marius is right. The Crown doesn't give a fuck about ordinary people. Ordinary people are the fodder, the thousands who will die, and for what? A bit of farmland on the other side of the Dragonvale Lake. The King should be worrying about his own citizens, not the lands of others." She takes a breath. "Sorry. I didn't mean to go that far. I'm...well. I don't like the King. And I don't like the Legion either. I'm sure you understand why," Katrin gives Akiran a pointed look. Then she looks back to Marius. "We have to give him a choice."

Akiran's snout has confused look as listens to Katrin speak. He had no bloody idea why she didn't like the Legion or why she thought he was defending the crown. But she was right the man needed a choice. Turning back to Marius he holds his flask out to the man and says "She is right Marius, you deserve a choice. I don't know how it was when you first joined Gesrik. But now  my friend you can run with the best of them, aim a crossbow, and watch others move unseen. Until Ash started running I had no fucking idea you were there." Chuckling as he says the last bit. "With talents like these you could offer your talents to the highest bidder. And Marius hordes of  people would throw gold at you with skills like these, and  best of all. You would get to make the choice of what jobs to take, who to work for, and how you wanted to make your way in the world. You are far to talented to fear scrounging for scraps, and being forced to live on the streets. You are beyond such concerns Marius. You would live well, with a pouch full of gold and only answer to yourself and those to whom you lend your aid. " Leaning in he meets Marius' eye and says "We could help you do this Marius. If you permit I would like to be the first of many to bid for your skills."

Marius just laughs. "Yes, you're right. I'm good at what I do. If not for that dust, I'd have killed your friend without breaking a sweat." He shoots a glare at Ascian. "Just who do you think is responsible for honing those skills? I owe  Gesrik. Not just for the things he taught me. But my life itself. I wouldn't betray that even if I could."

"Loyalty is important. If you wish to return to Gesrik, I won't stop you." She glances questioningly around, before continuing.  "But as for the rest of them? They have yet to make up their minds."

Akiran nods as Katrin speaks "I will not stand in your way either Marius, as Katrin said this was your choice. I only hope that Gesrik shares your same sense of loyalty. I've found that life is better when my loyalty is only bound to my own heart."  He then stands and joins the rest of the group. 

Ascian had been standing out of earshot as Akiran and Katrin spoke to Marius, his eyes unmoving from their captive. It isn’t until Akiran backs away that he approaches the Dragonborn. “What did he say. Do you believe he can see and hear through that rune.”

Akiran shrugs and a self depreciating tone says "I am sad to say that fortune was not kind today. I did not think to ask about the runes, I can ask him but I do not believe the man will reveal anything Gesrik doesn't want us to know. The man is loyal, I do not believe he willing spill any secrets"