"Are you kidding me?" Lyon said as he looked at the thing now attacking him. He shundo'd to the side, just out of the way of the first few waves. Grunting as he stopped and holding his arm tighter. "What the hell am I supposed to do..." Lyon said looking around. "How do I fight this thing?" He said aloud. "And where did Mortimer go?" Lyon looking around the lake, keeping most of his attention on the threat that stood in front of him now. He waited for the next attack but couldn't get his mind off the pain in his sword arm. "How do I fight something when I can't use my right arm...? Even if I tried, would I be able to do anything... and how many attacks can I dodge before the pain takes over..." Lyon turned up his music seeing he had a second to do so, not too loud but so he could hear it clearly.

"Bit difficult when you don't know how to fight water ain't it?" Lyon would have heard a little voice spaing right into his ear. Ha he turned to look at it he would have seen what looked to be a chibi-sized version of Mortimer sitting on his shoulder. Such a thing could only lead to a WTF moment of course that could prove near-fatal for Lyon in his current situation. "Here's a hint, water elementals can't travel far from bodies of water... simple right?"

Lyon, a bit shocked at the thing sitting on his shoulder. "It's only easy if you can find a way to get it out of the water..." He said turning his attention back to the water creature. "And I'm also guessing that hitting you won't count..." Lyon said jokingly. He knew this was a test and was more than likely planned by Mortimer. Lyon was now focused on a way to get this water element out of the water.

"Nope, sorry hitting me doesn't count. But you know, you don't have to get it up there. You just have to get away from here." The chibi-Mortimer said this rather cheerfully little thinking about what he had just said. Even as he said this, another flury of water-blades came shooting out, this time in a crosshatched pattern, decreasing the chance Lyon would be able to avoid them.

Lyon, seeing the next barrage of attacks didn't have long to react. He turned and ran away from the lake and at the last moment shundo'd above the blades. He fell to the ground landing on his legs and continued running. Lyon knew what Mortimer's chibi was telling the truth and ran as far as he could from the water. He ran far enough where he was almost back to the lodge. "Now, where are you hiding Mortimer..." Lyon thought as he started to walk back into the lodge.

"Where would bats hide?" The chibi asked, drawing Lyons attention to the mountain range which ringed the valley. From his vantage point, Lyon could make out several pockmarks in the nearby mountains...caves. But would Mortimer really do something that cliche? And if he did, which cave was he going to hide in? The one on the far leeft (the farthest away). The one in the middle (the closest to the lake) or the one o the far right which seemed to have a heavy fog or smoke wafting out of it?

Lyon looked at Mortimer's little chibi again. "Well, thanks for that tip there." Lyon said as he let out a heavy sigh. "Now the question is where do I go first..." Lyon said looking at the different caves in the distance. "I bet in some twisted manner he is going to make me search all three caves..." Lyon thought as he looked at his options. He started to walk towards the cave with the fog. "Why exactly are you helping me?" Lyon asked curiously as he continued on his path.

"Because I feel like it. I am supposed to be helping you be faster and more accurate after all." After a half an hours trek Lyon arrived at the mouth of the cave. The fog-smoke continued to leak from it and only became denser as one got closer. The walls were smooth, shaped by years of water and erossion, looking down into the cave was like looking into an abyss. It started off with a gradual incline but dropped off into something so sharp and dark it was practically vertical. Would Lyon enter the smokey cave, or would he return to try another avenue. From here he could see that the other caves were not far, and there was even smoke rising from the houses chimney, indicating someone was there. The lake had calmed down at least and there was no sign of the elemental anywhere. But what would Lyon do?

Lyon looked into the cave but decided in his current state it would more than likely kill him. He looked around and saw the smoke coming from the cabin. He then looked to the other caves and how close they were. He figured it would be best if he started to walk back towards the cabin for now. He was in no state to search caves. Even though he wanted to find Mortimer he decided going back to the cabin would be best.

It took him another half an hour before he reached the cabin again. Strangely enough the door seemed to have been replaced by a hard black substance. Opening the door he found Mortimer standing there removing a tray of chocolate chip cookies from the oven. "Welcome back Lyon, how was your trip?" He asked as the chibi on his shoulder morphed into a bat and seemed to rejoin the rest of his body. "I hope you like cookies because I made a whole batch of them" removing the cookies from the tray andonto a plate he then proceeded to remove his oven mits and apron before pouring himself a glass of milk. "Woff ou rike shome?" he asked offering the plate to Lyon his mouth filled with cookies already.

Lyon walked over to the table and sat down. his arm still hurting he decided he might as well. "Sure..." Lyon said resting his arm on the table. He wasn't even surprised that Mortimer was there but had no urge to even try and punch him. He figured he was done for now. It wasn't Mortimer's fault that Lyon had hurt his arm, it was his own plan and he even knew at the time what the consequences would be. "So, what did you think?" Lyon said referring to day he just went through.

"I think that you need a few more tricks up your sleeve. Oh and by the by, why is it you are seeking to become better. Most people have reason of some kind, a purpose to push themselves harder to achieve a goal. If you don't mind me asking what is yours?"

About this time Lyon should have had an odd sense of deja-vu at the similarities of the conversations.

Lyon thought back to the conversation he had with the voices that led him here. "Well, I have always been someone to try and get stronger. This strength is also to help me gain better control of myself." Lyon said in a bit of a daze. The pain in his arm numbing as it just layed on the table. "I also look to better my abilities since I came to this magic world. It seems there is something odd happening every turn I make." Lyon pulled his dagger off of his chain and set it beside his now numb hand. "How do people hear about you?" Lyon said focusing back to where he was and his surroundings. His attention now on Mortimer.

*sigh*"I was afraid you were going to say that. But to answer your second statement first, if people want something done, someone found, something destroyed or somewhere explored they tend to find me through the mercenary guild roster in bosporus. I have a standing order with them to send me any missions with a reward of an amount I am not inclined to disscuss. Since the mercenary track record is public knowledge it is also possible to select individuals to specifically deal with certain tasks. On the other hand if people want to find me for other reasons, kill me, or meet with me personally they usually have to go through a bit of digging to find where I live.

But if possible I'd like to focus on what you just said... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR F***KING MIND!" Sending several cookies flying at Lyon as he said this.

"You have NO reason to get stronger. You don't gain more control to get stronger you NEED more control the stronger you get. A person could remain an utter weakling all their life and still have more control then the strongest of men! What you are doing is setting out on the road of the paradox of power without even knowing WHY you are doing it! Power, the ability to accomplish tasks whether through your own hands or the hands of those you control has always been a MEANS! Normal people don't seek out power as an ends unto itself. People seek out knowledge for its own sake. People seek out love for its own sake. People seek out COMBAT for its own sake. But power is a means... and every person I have known who seeks power simply to have it has either given up, died or gone insane. Now unless you find a purpose for becoming stronger, I can garuntee you will end up like them... So what's it gonna be?"

Lyon dodging the cookies thrown at him but was surprised at the rant Mortimer just went on. He had no idea how to react to what was being said so he waited silently until Mortimer finished. "In no way do I seek power... I seek the strength to control, I seek physical strength for other reasons..." Lyon said after a second of silence. "But you do bring up good points." Lyon paused again then continued. "I guess I should be more clear in my responses..." Lyon said more to himself than Mortimer.

Calming down again,Mortimer asked him slowly. "Alright then... I'm going to ask you thi again in as calm and measured a way I can... WHY do you seek power? And WHAT are you controlling or seeking to control? Physical strength can be gained for simple entertainment but true power requires a higher purpose... so if you don't mind me asking again WHAT is your higher purpose?"

"Well, to kind of explain this I don't just listen to music because I want to..." Lyon said in a calm tone. "but my higher purpose... that I am not completely sure on..." Lyon knew he had good reasons to get stronger but nothing he was ready to share with anyone yet. "Sorry to frustrate you..." Lyon said in a failed attempt to calm Mortimer down. "If you want I will leave..." Even though he did not want to Lyon figured he might be wasting Mortimer's time. Lyon waited to get up but was ready to leave, even in his condition.

*sigh* "No, no.. you may be frustrating me but it's more that you won't admit that you're not ready to share the reason yet. If you could just say that you are not at liberty to say rather than lying about not knowing it then that I could understand... And I'm afraid I can't let you go with your arm in that bad of shape. If you would please just lie down on the couch in the other room" leaving the kitchen Mortimer entered the living room and sat expectantly next to the couch in a large puffy arm-chair.

Lyon followed him and layed down on the couch. "Well the truth is I don't know my higher purpose but I do have reasons to get stronger. But you are right, I am not ready to share them." Lyon said as he lay almost motionless on the couch. His arm was still numb but when he did try to move it he could feel what was like thousands of needles sticking through his arm. "What was your higher purpose?" Lyon said moving his head so he could see Mortimer. "If you don't mind me asking..."

"I never had one actually... I lived my life the best way I could. Sometimes I was forced to fight, sometimes other forced me to work, some forced me to kill. Becoming stronger for me wasn't a choice or a means, it was an unintended consequence. Now if you will shut your eyes and you should go to sleep for about an hour."

Even as he said this, Mortimer was already weaving the spell, causing Lyon to fall asleep and a black cocoon to envelop him whole. A small quite space where he would be steadily healed over the next hour and awaken healed and stronger than he was before.

In the meanwhile, Mortimer also needed his rest. Heading up to the loft, Mortimer dropped down on his bed and was asleep instantly. Sleep. Quiet peaceful sleep.

(feel like this is a good place to stop?)

(Yeah, it's a good place to stop)

Rewards

Alberio: 4 SP, 4 MP and 650,000 Drachma
Lyon: 4 SP, 4 MP and 620,000 Drachma