Enter Rayner

"Looks like he is to me," said Charmina. Holding him in her arms, Angela closed her eyes and gazed upward, seeming to stare intently at nothing. A soft glow began to surround her. Gradually it became brighter and brighter, until it was so blindingly white that Astra and Charmina had to look away. After the light died down, Angela's body was slumped over the young man's. He was still covered with dried blood, but the cuts on his face had healed. He stirred and pulled himself up, catching Angela's body once he realized she was falling down. He felt her pulse. Her breathing seemed faint at first, but after a few moments, it grew stronger. "She's alive, I think," he said to the two women. "As am I. I guess this wasn't such a bad day after all." He looked at Astra and Charmina and smiled. Clearly, he now felt that this really wasn't a bad day. "Thanks for actually noticing me. So who are you people?"

"I am Astra from Aqualaria," said Astra,"and the woman who saved your life was Angela, also from Aqualaria. This woman is Charmina, from the far-off land of Varga. She doesn't know the local language."

"Nice to meet you," said the young man. He seemed upbeat, but was still hyperventilating. "I'm Rayner Ulamik, level-two Mage and semi-professional adventurer. I'm not surprised none of you are from around here, considering you actually helped me. This city lives up to every bit of its reputation. So what are you people doing here? I hope for your sake you don't intend to stay here for long."

Astra decided to tell as much of the truth was was prudent. "Angela and I were sent on a quest to kill a dragon that was attacking Aqualaria. However, an evil mage took us far away, along with Charmina. We escaped him ended up here. There were also two other people along with me on the quest, a knight and a boy turned into a dog, but I don't know what happened to them."

"So you're adventurers too? Cool! Was the girl who saved my life a Cleric?"

"I suppose you could say we are. And no. She seems to have some kind of innate magic power."

"What kind, do you think?"

"She's always had it. I don't know and neither does she."

"Guess she's Gods-gifted then. Lucky her." The look on his face was a mix of sadness, nervousness, and fascination. "Or she could have been a Protector who was spontaneously created, but that hasn't happened in centuries. Anyway, you people had better watch over her. There are probably going to be a lot of people who want your power." He now seemed to notice Astra's clothing, or lack of it, and looked with some approval. "I'm curious, do you always dress like that?"

"Hardly," said Astra. "You woke me up in the middle of the night. This is a rather special circumstance."

"Oh. Well, I was just asking because you know how woman Warriors are today, wearing chainmail bikinis and stuff. Or maybe not, since you're not from here. Well, never mind."

"I'm curious, why were those people attacking you?"

"Who knows? Maybe they were just muggers. Or maybe they were after some artifact I'd taken from some tomb or other... yeah right. Novice adventurers like me never get any interesting adventures. Breaking into this business is hard--you have to have experience to be hired for quests, but you have to be hired for quests to have experience. Mostly we novices just get hired to kill kobolds. Nasty little buggers, very hard to kill, but if you let them kill you you'll be a laughingstock for centuries after you're dead. I've met guys who are in their forties who are still fighting kobolds--although people will be more inclined to hire you when you're older, or so I've heard, but not too old. Still, I've gotten pretty good with combat magic over the years, even though I got caught unawares back there. I'll probably go on to big things if I accidentally stumble on some plot to kill the Imperator or something. Maybe I have? Just goes to show you, be careful what you wish for."

"Could they have been after your pendant?"

Rayner looked almost unnoticeably taken aback for a moment. Then, he recovered his cool. "I don't think so," he said. "It's pretty much worthless. I just keep it around because my dad gave it to me. I'm sorry, it just means a lot to me." Holding Angela's body close to him with one hand, he slipped the pendant over his neck with the other. Charmina took Angela's body from him, and he tucked the pendant under his robe. None of the women had seen that it was in the shape of a serpent eating its own tail.

"Do you have a bath where you're staying?" said Rayner after a moment. "Because I sure could use one." Although all his wounds had healed, he was still caked with dried blood.

"I'm not sure," said Astra. "It was fairly late when we got here, and I haven't had a chance to look around our room."

"OK. So you don't have a fourth party member?"

"No."

"You don't have a mage then?"

"Seems more like cleric magic than wizard magic. So you're a Warrior, your friend looks like a Thief, and the girl who saved my life is sort of a Cleric, but I guess you don't have a Mage." His face lit up enthusiastically. "Say, maybe I could join? As I said, I'm good with magic, and I'm also a good artist, for what it's worth. You did save my life. I'd like to do something for you in return."

"I'll consider it," said Astra wryly. "There is something you can do for us, though. Can you perform translation spells?"

1. "Sure! In fact, I can do it now. Your friend did such a good job on me that I don't even feel tired."
2. "Well, maybe. That kind of thing isn't one of my strong points. I can try later, but I can't guarantee it'll work."
3. "Not really, no. But I know someone who can."

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