The first thing Lariel noticed was the unusual beauty of the boy Eric said was his cousin. He was taller than she was, though slimmer, and his shoulder-length hair shone like flames.

His brown eyes sparkled as he smiled, gallantly.

"I heard a party going on and came to join in." He looks around at the fallen bodies. "But apparently the celebration ended early. A shame."

"How did you find me?" Eric asked.

"Are you serious? You're a traveling disaster, you leave traces everywhere. A blind, deaf, olfactionless dog could find you."

The wizard's cheeks turn red. Apparently he is well aware of the lack of discretion.

The man looks at Lariel and raises one of his eyebrows, oozing charm.

"You are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen."

The girl ignores, totally disaffected and indifferent. Instead, she begins rummaging through the bodies, careful not to be taken by surprise.

"Does the pretty thing have a name?" Eric's cousin insists.

"Lariel."

"Lariel, it's a great pleasure. I am Varic."

"Varic, were you really following us?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I was following this bright, clumsy firefly," he points to Eric, who approaches Lariel.

The girl stands up. The mage further assesses her wound as Varic says:

"I don't know what his goal is this time, but we need to get back to Navalla."

"I'm not going back to Navalla, not until I've finished my work." He replies.

"Navalla is your country?" Lariel asks.

"Yes, and it is quite far from here. That is, for almost three weeks I have been looking for this wretch, and now that I have found him, I am taking him home."

"I told you I'm not going with you. I don't even know why you came after me."

"Maybe put some sense into your head? You know you are a wanted man in this country."

"Good of you to bring that up," Lariel says with a touch of disdain. "Because I just realized that we won't be able to continue our journey without an army behind us. Would you care to explain that to me further, Eric?"

"I'll explain later, when we're arriving in Zana."

"No, you'll explain now."

"I like her," Varic comments. "She has a strong personality."

"And you," Lariel points to the red-haired boy. "Why did you go to all the trouble of making this trip just to go after him? I know you guys are cousins and all, but still, he seems pretty powerful to me."

"Eric?"

"Do you have any other cousins besides him?"

"I do."

Lariel rolls his eyes.

"But do you have any cousins of yours besides him here in front of us?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Then what, what?"

The half-elf growls so loudly it makes Eric jump in fright.

"Hey, easy there. You're very nervous."

"Am I? Is it because in less than twenty-four hours my life has turned into a nightmare?"

Varic intervenes, and this time he's not smiling or trying to flatter the warrior.

"Listen, Lariel, I don't know what my cousin told you or what his crazy mission is, but... I can accompany you to Zana. You need a doctor to look at that cut on your belly."

She wipes the sweat from her forehead as she walks toward the trees, with a handful of coins in one hand and small arms in the other, courtesy of the loot.

"Eric is a healer, and he's helped me a lot."

"I am not a healer. My magic unfolds in fire and electricity, but I need to work ten times harder to summon my healing gifts."

Lariel stops walking and frowns, the only sign that he didn't understand anything the mage said.

Varic explains, putting his hands in his pockets.

"There are various forms of magic in the world, each with a specific weakness and affinity. My cousin is what they call Due, because he can specialize in two elements."

"But what about his healing magic? Even in small amounts, does it still exist?"

"He would have to have the same level of skill in all three magics to be considered a Trie."

"So he's a... Due almost Trie?"

Varic laughs.

"Not that that appellation exists, but it fits perfectly."

"Let's get going, Lariel," Eric says. "And Varic, please walk to Navalla. You've wasted your time trying to find me."

"I already told you I'm going with you to Zana, and that's non-negotiable."

"For the thousandth time, I-"

Lariel interrupts him:

"Do you know how to fight?"

The red-haired man takes the two daggers and assumes a defensive posture.

"Why don't you come here and find out, kitten?"

The girl looks him over from head to toe before deciding:

"He's coming with us."

Eric protests, but Lariel only rebukes him with a look.

"We're going to need some help. If that's what's in store for us for the rest of the trip, all support is welcome."

"You heard the lady," Varic mutters, elated, sheathing his weapons shortly thereafter.

"He is right, though, Varic." She turns to the ladino. "We're not going back. We have something very important to do."

The man looks at Lariel's straight, partially open cut before deciding:

"Let's make a deal, okay? We'll go to Zana, you guys do what you need to do, and then we'll discuss our next steps."

"We don't need his help," Eric says.

"I can barely stand, and his magic has a limit. Of course we need his help."

She starts walking with difficulty toward the east. Then she tosses one of the coin pouches to Eric.

"Keep it in your magic cloak. We're going to need it."

Overcome by her insistence, the mage does as Lariel asks and begins walking toward her. Next, Varic does the same thing.

"How long until we get there?" The half-elf asks.

Eric replies:

"If we go straight on and without stopping to rest, five hours. But you are in no condition to walk that long."

"My conditions are self-imposed. I'll get there in four hours instead of five."

Even bent over in pain, the young woman begins to quicken her steps, followed by the boys. Varic says:

"She's rather overbearing, isn't she?"

"You can waste your time complaining about me or doing something useful, Varic." Even in pain and discomfort, Lariel is filled with anger and can't but control her temper.

"Of course, at your service, miss," he replies debauchedly.

The next few minutes are absolutely silent. The trio is tense, irritated and slightly uneasy, waiting for another surprise attack. Varic is playing with one of the daggers, tossing it up and down.

Lariel is so tired that all she can think about is how nice it would be to be home, with a living father and a fixed, simple routine to follow, and not a whole world to save.

She smells something approaching. Two things. Creatures.

Drugs.

"Stay alert," she mutters, raising her axe.

The blond prepares his own attack magic, and a golden aura surrounds him. The red-haired man takes up his defensive posture again, his weapons ready to spill blood.

Then Lariel smells a third scent: wild, fast, half human. And he is running like never before from the other creatures.

A man appears, running full tilt towards the three, panicked. Sweat drips down his forehead and slightly pointed ears as he looks back, trying to see his pursuers.

And behind him, two fierce, black wolves pursue him relentlessly.