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Xiu had no trouble following her, moving through the crowd like water. His finger moved off of the trigger mechanism of his gauntlet, but he was still aware of Karima's movements.

I no longer follow one strict style of combat, I use what works best. The pulsations I feel come from very strong souls, or power. A strong energy flow will generally mean a trained, extremely powerful, and talented combatant, but not always. It takes many years to be able to control your energy flow, if you have one. Most people will never realize their potential, and thusly will not be able to use more than human power.

Their is a limit to everyone's energy though, the level varies depending upon the person. Occasionally their will be people with monumental capacity, but only through either training or personal experience will they be able to tap into it.

The ones that do give off a constant pulsation, even if they are not using their power it is still there. I try to find the epicenters of the pulsations, and that is why I came to Strata. Someone has a left a very large energy imprint here, something traumatic or evolutionary started here.

Xiu continued to follow Karima, not sure why he was telling her these specifics, but it didn't matter. There was no real practical reason not to. It was a very complicated subject and he had summarized best he could.

Long Xiu could smell the salt air as they began to get closer to the docks. Also, the crowd started to change.

"Here we are ladies the teaming metropolis of Strata!" Deo gave a big goofy grin to his sister and sweet Meggie as they stepped off the cargo ship Acacia raised an eyebrow at her brother, for the prince of an ancient and powerful race of creatures he sure acted funny. The streets did not exactly look like a 'teaming metropolis' more like a dusty bustling marketplace, Acacia questioned if her brother even really knew what the word 'metropolis' meant. Meggie's tail bristled at smelling a hundred new smells and seeing a hundred strange people all at once, she paniced and Deo, sensing his new pet was about to bolt put one long elegant arm around her and hugged her protectively.
"So where to now?" Acacia asked her brother as she wandered ahead of her brother slightly it was certainly a different place, and he wasn't kidding when he said it would be warm Acacia was greatful of the dry heat, she had always felt slightly cold at leviathan stadium. Deo started through the crowd of the market taking long quick strides with Meggie firmly at his left side and grabbed Acacia's hand with his right to guide her along. He couldn't trust his sister not to get distracted and wander off with so much excitement going on around.
"You didn't answer my question." Acacia pressed. "Where are we going?"
"To a bank dear sister, the oldest bank in this fine city, I have kept track of it and it seems to be in a bit of a recession right now so I think I will withdraw all the money I left there last time I was here." Acacia's eyes widened a little.
"Last time you were here? You said you hadn't been here for over a hundred years!"
"Shhhh not so loud sis." Deo hissed at his sister and squeezed her hand a little. "The people here aren't very trusting of those who live as long as I do. Its true I haven't been here in a very long time but I made sure they would not close the account." Deo led them around a corner onto a side street and not a very nice one, Acacia could tell poverty when she saw it, but they didn't stay on this street for long and were soon back on a larger nicer street.
"Ffooooodd." Meggie whined and tugged on Deo's sleeve, he smiled a kind smile at her but it almost made him look too much like a snake.
"Don't worry sweetness we will get you some food very shortly." Meggie blinked up at him, he wasn't sure she understood until she hugged the arm he had around her, squishing it into her large bouncy bosom not realizing that this would be considered very unapropriate, Deo of coarse understood the woman's child like mind and smiled at her sillyness, someday soon he would have to teach her a few proper manners for being a real person like she wanted.
Finally they arrived at a slightly larger building with "First Bank" written on a fairly nice looking sign, Deo led them inside and over to a bench where he told them to sit and wait very quietly, he then approached the front desk very smoothly and rang the little bell placed there for service. A small gentlman wearing very thick glasses emerged from somewhere in behind.
" Y-y-yes?" He stuttered as he looked Deo from bottom to top, stopping to stare at his unnaturally bright violet eyes, there was in fact quite an akward pause at this moment. " H-hhow c-can I hhelp you today sir?" he never took his eyes off Deo's who was getting sort of creeped out, he looked away from the bank clerk and searched his back pocket, taking out a small gold key and handing it to the clerk.
"I think you will find that key goes to the safe of a mister Clyde, I would like to withdraw everything from that safe if you please." Deo's eyes darted back up to the clerks who looked first at the key and then back into Deo's haunting eyes before bustling into the back. Deo sighed and ran his fingers through his long dark hair, stopping to carefully pull a tangle free without causing damage. After about twenty minutes the clerk came back dragging something heavy behind him in a large brown sack, the poor little fellow couldn't even lift whatever Deo had left in the bank.
"Good lord man, I don't recall leaving that much money here." The clerk dragged the bag, which jingled softly all the way up to the front desk then in one giant heave managed to get it up on the counter sweating slightly and panting.
"Y-yes ssir y-you d-didn'tt Th-thiss is your sssavings p-plus interest." Deo blinked then put his palm to his forehead and grimmaced a little.
"Of coarse I forgot about the interest!" He heaved a great sigh and looked at the bag, then at the clerk then with great resign took hold of the bag and slung it over his own shoulder with ease. He then turned to Acacia and Meggie and gestured for them to stand, guiding them both with one arm out onto the street again.
"Alright ladies, it looks like we're staying in a slightly nicer Inn than I had originally planned."

"So the Sacred Tome is located within the somewhere within confines of the Orc Forest, also known as the The Dead Forest." Brass spoke in a calm voice as he thumbed through a rather old, anicent looking book that rested safely on his lap. The books tattered and yellowed pages wafted slightly in a cooling wind that swept through his home, a welcomed visitor in the rather oppressive heat that was the norm of living in/near a desert.

The sage yawned as he glanced out the window that allowed the cooling breeze and enter and sighed heavily taking the book in both hands and tossing it rather uncaringly onto the oak wood table the rested beside the chair he was sitting on.

"The Dead Forest of all places! Why the hell was the Sun Dragon doing there anyway! There's nothing there for a dragon of his calibur much less a place to hide his Scared Tome. I know the guy was old and dying when he went there, but come on. That's just being unreasonable hiding it there!"

Brass fumed open as he stomped on the floor childishly and using some of his earth magic, causing deep footprints to appear where he had stomped. The last place he felt like going was the Dead Forest. It was such a far distance away from here it was almost unreasonable, internally he refused to admit that the trip would easily be done in less than a day of so by rock travel. Distance, however, wasn't his main reason of concern or whining. It was the most obvious danger of the forest: The Orcs.

Now it wasn't that Brass couldn't easily defend himself against the Orcs, a few Orcs was nothing against a Divine Sage of his skill and power. Plus, the Scared Tome was a fine motivaitor. The problem was his lack of knowledge of where exactly the Scared Tome was, that would force him to stay there longer than he was okay with. So that in turn would lead to more confortations with Orcs, and Orcs usually attacked in numbers. Numbers that would probably grow with each encounter he had with them. He could use a partner to go there with, but that just wasn't possible. He knew of no one he could call upon to make this journey with.

"Suppose I'll have to go it alone then..."

Deo glanced over to the table Acacia and Meggie had been eating at to find that Meggie had finished eating and was currently peeking out into the main lobby, testing the air for possible signs of predators, Deo could tell she was getting ready to make a break for it to go exploring. He turned back to look her sister in the eye and tried to look stern.
"Acacia go watch Meggie for the moment, I must speak to the Inn Keeper, and don't worry about the food, It'll be added to the bill for our room." He glanced back in time to catch Meggie bounding out of sight on all fours, her large fluffy tail high in the air.
"Serpents tooth! You'd better go catch her before she causes any trouble!" Acacia was off faster than Deo had ever seen her move before. He sighed and went to the front desk, the Inn Keeper was talking with the little lady who had previously found Deo on the floor and cleaned up the mess he made, he felt bad about making more work for her and as he approached she noticed him, said something quietly to her father and then left, the kindly old man turned to Deo who for a moment was very fascinated by his crowsfeet before noticing that the man was giving him a concerned look.
"Ah, mister Clyde, are you well?" Deo felt very enbarassed having been caught in distress by human offspring and fidgeted with his coat.
"Of coarse good sir, as I told the young lady I merely tripped."
"Are you quite sure? You know you do look frightfully pale." The old man frowned as he examined Deo's face.
"Yes I'm quite alright thankyou, you are such a kind man I was wondering if you could do me a favor. You see I've just recieved news of a family emergency and I'm afraid I have to leave Miss Meggie here for a while, I was wondering if maybe you could look after her. As you may have noticed she looks quite grown up but she's um ah.." Deo tried to find the words to describe it but couldn't.
"She is a little strange I have noticed, almost acts a bit feral to tell the truth." The Inn Keeper gave a small chuckle, he hadn't said no to looking after her yet.
"Yes well.. Yes its a bit like that actually listen, can I talk to you about her in a slightly more private setting?" Deo looked around and was slightly assured about the lack of shady types hanging around the Inn, he was pleased with his choice.
"Certainly sir, come with me." He gestured Deo to come around the front desk and followed the man through a door behind it, it turned out to be a fairly small office croweded with a desk and two large shelves full of records from the Inn. "Take a seat mister Clyde." Things were looking good, the man genuinly seemed to want to help Deo out. After closing the door they both sat down.
"I first encountered her while I was going to pick my sister up, she was living in a fighting stadium but the whole place was going to be destroyed, I told my sister to get out and went to warn others, I found Meggie hiding by the concession behind a dumpster, she could tell something bad was happening but she was too terrified to do anything and I soon realized in many ways she resembled an animal more than a young lady, so I took her with me and fled the stadium. She can talk but she has a limited vocabulary and I think that is because whoever used to look after her treated her more like a pet, no one has ever bothered to teach her to be a person." Deo paused and sighed, he could tell by the few conversations he managed to get out of Meggie that she desperately wanted to be like people and by observing her behavior on their boat ride to Strata he had seen her try and reach out to touch the world someone had denied her. "Which brings me back to my request, since I cannot take her with me I am asking you if you could look after her and help her to become a person. Give her chores and get your daughters to teach her things speaking, reading, writing. I would do it myself but there is something I MUST go out and do. I will of coarse pay for all the time you look after her." The old Inn Keeper was touched by this story, how could he refuse?
"Mister Clyde I would be glad to take care of the young lady, we can always use more help running this old place." He gave a kind smile and Deo was so pleased he lept up and with great grace and speed moved around the desk, snatched the old mans hand and shook ot firmly.
"Thankyou Very kindly good sir, I will of coarse give you a deposit in advance and pay any further charge when I return to pick her up." In truth Deo had almost hugged the man but considering his great strength he thought better of it, in exhuberance he often over-did things.
"Just one more question Mister Clyde, when can I expect you back?"
"Oh, I shouldn't be more than two months, I shall pay you for use of a single room for that long and leave an extra sum for food." The old man nodded and together they returned to the lobby where they worked out how much Deo would pay him.
"No no no you don't have to pay me that much, after all she will be helping with the work around here." The man told him but after insisting for a good twenty minutes he finally caved and Deo retrieved the sum. Deo was quite pleased with himself and found Acacia and Meggie back in the Tavern having some tea and sweets. He joined them, smiling at the way Meggie's tail twitched happily. He was sure she would be happy staying at the Inn.

Early the next morning Deo got everyone up, dressed and packed, he even managed to get Meggie to brush her hair. They all went down to the lobby where the Inn Keeper and his wife stood behind the front desk having some breakfast.
"Meggie, do you remember when I explained to you how Acacia and I are family?" Meggie nodded, she remembered that word better than others because it seemed special to her. "
Well, there is a problem with another part of our family and we need to go now to take care of it. So while we do, these very nice people are going to be like your family, they're going to take care of you and help you learn to be a person." It took Meggie a moment to process Deo's words and he watched her face go from puzzlement to sadness, it almost broke his heart.
"Y-you... You leaving Meggie?"
"Only for a little while, I will be back."
"You said you take care! Promise!" Deo put both hands on her shoulders, her eyes were starting to water, he looked into them.
"I will, its still a promise Meggie but right now the only way for me to take care is to get someone else to, its not safe where I'm going and I don't want you to get hurt." He could tell just by looking at her that she only half understood.
"Listen, I'm going to make another promise to you if you will make one to me." She sniffed and blinked at him, a tear running down her face.
"I promise to come back for you, but you have to promise me that you'll learn to be a people, that's what you want right? You want to be like people, promise me that you'll learn to be like people for me? Do you promise?" Meggie full out started to cry now and Acacia cried a little too, she could see what her brother was trying to do for Meggie and could tell he was trying very hard not to cry himself. Meggie nodded.
"Yes... Promise.. Be like people." She managed in between sniffles, he hugged her and after a few seconds she hugged back, as hard as she could until she managed to stop crying, the Inn Keeper's wife came over and put an arm around her. Acacia gave Meggie a quick hug before Deo hurried her off and out the door. They got all the way down the street till Deo stopped, his head dropped and for a moment Acacia thought he might cry, but instead he took a deep sharp breath, lifted his head and continued on.

"So Levitcus!! What do you have for me today? It'd better be good. I'm starting the same crap run through your shop of late!" Brass jeered at the owner of the Lucky Soilder Weapon Shop. Brass had been coming here for years for his weapon needs, though he didn't typically use staffs, most Sages stopped the use of staffs once they were promoted from Mages, he felt for this journey his magic might need alittle boost.

"I doubt its' anything you'd actually be interested in Brass my old friend. But, I did order a special little something for you last month." The large middled aged, bearded man laughed in reply as he patted Brass on the shoulder and pointed him to the direction of the back wall. There fitting in a large special glass display glass was Brass' weapon of choice. "The Matgin Tree Bow, made out the rare Matgin Tree of the Dead Forest. It's durbility and flexiblity is unmatched by any other type of wood out there. Many smiths have tried to re-create them and have failed, even me. But I was able to find one who could get the job done. I know how rough you are on Bows, so I figured you might find some use for it." He spoke proudly as he took the flawlessly designed Bow out of the glass case and handed it to Brass.

Brass held the Bow carefully in his hand, awe-struck by the level of craftmanship that went into making something like this. He had searched far and wide for a smith or craftsman that could do the job and make one, but had failed and given up years ago after the Matgin Tree was thought to have gone extinct. "So how much will it cost me to replace my old Bow?" He asked the owner softly still in awe at the weapon before him.

"For you old friend. Not a damn thing. Just make sure you don't get yourself killed alright? I wouldn't want to lose my best customer over something stupid!" The owner waved Brass off as Brass gave him one last word of thanks and headed out the shop and onto the nearly empty back-street.

Passing through a sparse crowd of people, Gamma was just looking around. This place was kind of a dump to him. Being able to see the sky over the less-than-five-story buildings wasn't all that impressive.

They call this hole a city?

Dirt roads weren't doing a whole lot for Gamma, either. That and the dust in the air was threatening to ruin his overpriced suit. Black, three piece suit, that could have paid for a small car.

Cupping his hands in front of his face, Gamma stuck a small black cigarette between his lips and lit the tip with a small plastic lighter. If he had been paying attention, he probably wouldn't have walked into and elbowed several people around him.

Well, he probably would have walked into them anyway. People should watch where they're going.

Seeing as how he had just hit something solid, Gamma twisted at the waist away from the obstruction. Keeping that position, awkwardly, Gamma glanced up from his cupped hands and smoke, to meet Ze'ev's eyes. Staying in that position for a moment, as if to let the offender see his own insult, Gamma finally lowered his hands and looked down his nose, passed the cigarette, right at Ze'ev.

Offering the top of the pack forward, in what was intended to be some kind of backwards, ironic insult.

As if ignoring the previous offense, Gamma spoke on another subject.

"Y'know, they say these things will kill you." An odd tone to his low voice. Trying to convey some hidden threat as he put his smokes forward.