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A confused look crosses her features and she looks at Braidenvayl as she takes the cloth, unwrapping it slowly.

"What is it?"

:braidenvayl crosses his arms and stands in a sort of victorious pose as he watched Serena unroll the cloth:

"a gift"

:and what Serena now held in her lap was the very reason why she set off to find braidenvayl in the first place, there laying in the cloth on her lap, was the black blade Gurrthang, the sword of Augustus Vanarhost.:

"Aaron has been avenged."

Tears sprung into the archer's eyes and she threw her arms suddenly around Braidenvayl's neck.

"Thank you..."

:braidenvayl caught the girl as his arms flung around her waist in an equally tight embrace.:

"i wont let anyone hurt you again. ever."

Tyr walks over to Braidenvayl and gives him a hearty pat on the back

"How are you feeling? Sorry about the whole head thing but I believed it to be the best course of action, given the situation."

Giving Braidenvayl one last squeeze, she stepped back and began to examine the sword in her hands. She ran her fingers gently against the blade and balanced the weight in her hands, pleased that Aaron had been avenged, even if she hadn't been the one to do it. A smile crossed her face as she listened to her friends speak. After a moment, she looked up,

"So, we alright now, boys?"

:as braidenvayl let go of Serena he coughed a few times and then looked down at himself and started to take inventory.:

"umm, yeah. I'm good now: braidenvayl sounded much more like himself as he nodded at tyr in appreciation and then looked over at his tattered shirt:

"however, i think a change in attire will definitely be needed"

"Good" Tyr drastically relaxes his posture "Now I can get some sleep"

*Serena nods quickly. *

"Yeah, go get some sleep, Tyr. We've got this covered. "

As Brey and Cristo made their way through the Inn, a strange stench seemed to follow them, one that was just beginning to fade since their recent arrival through the portal from what was once Avengard. Their almost non existent armor hung about them seemingly ready to fall off at any moment. Their clothes were stained with blood and various holes that at one point showed way to brutal wounds which were now only a reminder of where wounds had once been. Brey stopped just short of Braidenvayl's room and listened to their conversation. Once the three finished speaking, Brey and Cristo stepped through the doorway into the remnants of the room. Brey addresses those in the room.

“Misinformation, a tool used to plant the seed of doubt and betrayal deep into the heart and minds of those receiving it. A web weaved in this case to cover up Alrion's true intentions. Alrion was a man of many words and many faces. The image he tried to portray of himself to those around him was a man of good intentions, but underneath that mask was a man that none of us truly knew. I thought I knew the man well, but I had my suspicions after finding out that he was seeking the vampire lord Spring to receive his "gift". His goals we were not clear but the fact that he chose one of our enemies to be the one who turned him made us question his intentions even more. When we approached him, he openly admitted to it. We explained that treason was a crime punishable by death, and that once spring had turned him into a vampire, his will would no longer be his own and that it would be in the hands of one of our enemies. We kept a close eye on him after that. During this last moon, Alrion chose to stay behind while we fought deep into the Nomen City trying to avert the destruction of Avengard. We left someone to watch him while we fought for the keys, and as we were going to fight against Azram to gain access to the essence turbine, we received word that Alrion had been snooping around Zeira's building where the town chest was held. Many had already left through the portal before the battle so no man could be spared to watch him when our failure would mean everyone's demise. Alrion's shenanigans seemed pale in comparison, so we all set off for the battle except for Alrion who once again chose to stay behind. After we failed to stop the essence turbine and Zeira and many of our friends had died, we returned to the surface only to find out that everything had been destroyed, and the chest stolen. Alrion was nowhere to be found. There was no way to know if the turbine's wrath and after effects were over or had just begun so I convinced my brothers and any who would listen that it would be a better fate to starve and scrounge up what we could once we got to Final Haven than to be killed by the Vampires, Thieves, Gargoyles, Tsunotaur, and Undead who knew that we were vulnerable and would be hunting us like wolves who hunted a wounded animal by the scent of its blood. The land's destruction would push them just as hard to fight for their survival. So Cisto, Theon, Belric, Edwina, and I made our way to the portal. On our way there we found Genivieve and Ceridwen. Ceridwen had been afflicted with vampirism against her will, and Genivieve was leader once Zeira had died, so their duty to the town and need to find a cure for the disease kept them in Avengard. There were others who wished to stay, but without the chest they could not continue. I told them of the situation with Alrion, and they set off to find him. I returned the following day to discover that Alrion had approached Genivieve and Ceridwen demanding to be named co-leader of the town. Ceridwen took Alrion to the side asking him if he would agree to interrogation, so there would be no question as to whether or not he had stolen the chest. She explained that he was the number one suspect due to the fact that he was one of the only people who stayed behind and she had reason to believe he had been snooping around the building from which it had been stolen. Alrion refused replying "what I do is my own business, and I have just as much right over the chest as any other". After Alrion's testimony to the theft and refusal to return it Ceridwin, she enforced the laws of Avengard and killed him. When she searched his body for evidence, she found no gold, not even a copper, but what she did find was a one of a kind item that was locked away in the chest before it was stolen. Naming Alrion an accomplice if not the mastermind behind all of it. The chests remaining contents are still missing, and the knowledge of its location probably died with Alrion. Braidenvayl, the better part of me knows you had nothing to do with the theft. You fought alongside me in the battle against Azram while he stayed behind and robbed the town. If I'm not mistaken, I found your lifeless body on the floor of the city, and brought it to Genivieve who gathered your essence so Belric could bring you back from the dead. Does this sound like the deeds of someone who wishes death upon you, as you do her and her sister? They are innocents and victims of circumstance just as you are, but you'd rather say the fault lies with you which is no more the case than the sisters being monsters. Alrion was his own man, and his decisions alone are what landed him in that dangerous game that in the end cost him his life, but he knew the rules. The bottom line is whether you wish to believe it or not, Alrion's death was justified, and simply giving the location of the chest would have saved him, but I'm sure he thought his web of lies would pull you, and the rest in upon the ones who would name him for what he truly was, a thief, and a liar. Braidenvayl, you are a better man for not attacking when the situation didn't call for it. From the looks of this room you're being far to hard on yourself. Don't let this loss turn you into something you're not. These recent events would be more than enough to drive any man to the brink of insanity, especially one who did not have access to the truth in the situation that placed him in that state. You have now been informed of the truth of the situation. Will you seek out the sisters and become the murderer of innocents, or will you talk to the irregulars and cease this attack? I believe you to be a man of duty, and a very loyal friend, but don't let this take you down the path of vengeance; it will turn you into what you believed you were hunting. Well now you know the truth. Hold yourself together Braidenvayl and collect your thoughts. Find me before you leave back through the portal, I will be in Alefgard Tower, we still have many things to discuss but I'm afraid Cristo and I are very pressed for time. We must speak with the queen as soon as possible.

Brey gives a nod to everyone in the room and leaves with Cristo. They make their way out of the Inn and down the road towards Castle Gravesbane their stench slowly disappearing as they walk.

Serena's eyes sparked and burned with forest green fire. She turned to Brey as he finished speaking, but before he could leave and snarled,

"How dare you sully Alrion's good name. That man gave everything for that hell you people called a town. He never intended to gain Spring's "gift" as you so call it. He spent countless time seeking a way to destroy Spring. It was the only goal he held in his life!

He stayed in Avangard to defend it from your friend Balthos' followers and more of his disgusting kind. We were attacked over and over, barely surviving each wave, while the rest of the town left. We also personally went to plead the case of Avangard to the Shogunate when they sought to destroy all of us because of Zira's dealings with Balthos. We stayed to buy the town time to escape! And I was with him every moment last moon and he never snooped around anywhere, so you might want to check your source, if they're even still alive.

Furthermore, I have it on good account that it was Cristo who stole all the town's funds and ran through the portal. Alrion, myself, Braidevayl, Sythis, The Bard, and a few others left to find food and shelter and hunt for survivors. That vampiric whore murdered him when he was looking for people to help!

As for the item you speak of, I know what it was. It was a pendant given to him by Dizzy the day before.

Alrion was murdered in cold blood by a monster created because none of you had the courage to stand up to Balthos!"

As she finishes speaking, she gasps, trying to catch her breath.

"So don't you dare speak ill of him."

About half way through Breys speech, a large man comes into the inn. He's dressed in pants and shirt and wearing what looks like a smithing apron. There's a dagger on his belt and a well worn handle sticking out of the top of his pack belonging to, what one would guess as, a hammer. Obviously travel stained and weary, he hangs back until the young girl finishes her tirade, then steps away from the wall as if to speak. Thinking better of it, he returns to the wall and leans casually upon it waiting until he's sure the two are finished.

A slight smirk of amusement passes along the man's lips as he looks to the one that just finished getting reamed to see if he had a response. Seeing none forth- coming, he pushes off the wall and steps forward, extending a hand in gretting to each before him and in a deep voice that's full of friendlyness, a bit of true passion to be alive, and a hint of mischief(?) says,

Name's Jonny! Master smith of liittle renown! You all wouldn't know of anyone that's still here from about 2 years back, might remember a guy like me?

Slight pause as if waiting for a answer,

"No? Didn't think so. Aaannyyywaaays.. Pleasue to meet ya!"

The young girl smiles brightly and takes a step forward, taking Johnny's hand. Her mismatched eyes meet his and her voice takes on a warm tone.

"Well met. I'm Serena Blackwell,"

She hesitates as if to add to her name before smiling again.

"I wish I could tell ya anyone who'd know ya, but I'm sorta new myself. "