Chapter 3

"So it went well?" Suzan asked as she sat and brushed her hair at the vanity. She could tell by Dusty's large smile that he had a good testing.

The vanity was the only furniture she had brought with her when she moved into Dusty's room and it was small enough that it took up no real space in the corner.

Dusty always enjoyed sitting and watching her work on her hair. While she only wore makeup for some of their special times together he still enjoyed watching her movements. To be honest he enjoyed everything about her.

"Yes it did. Lori and I did so well that even Melkin was impressed and he said that we more than likely wouldn't have any issues with our last testing further on either," smiled Dusty as he came into the room.

Putting down her brush and rising, Suzan turned and approached Dusty. Draping her arms over his shoulders she gave him a smoldering kiss which Dusty eagerly returned. Turning around in his arms Suzan leaned back into her husband.

"Soooooo ... feel like celebrating?" asked Suzan softly.

Sweeping her hair away from the left side of her neck Dusty started to nibble on it for a moment before he asked "What do you think?"

Suzan turned and resumed kissing Dusty. After a few moments she leaned back and looked him in the eyes.

"Good I was hoping you would feel that way. To tell the truth I'm still pretty horny from having gone so long without. Also before I forget, Marie and Rachel dropped by and they want to meet with us later," said Suzan softly before she returned to kissing Dusty.

As they disrobed each other they soon fell onto the bed and lost yet another hour from their day.

Dusty and Suzan were late for the meeting, but as they sat down Dusty looked over at Mark and Lori. Mark was smiling but he looked like he was hurting. Not a bad hurt, but like he had been out running and was about ready to drop. Lori was grinning from ear to ear, and it really wasn't hard to figure out why.

At least this was building up his stamina in a most enjoyable way if nothing else, thought Dusty.

Dusty was observant enough that he could see that while Marie and Rachel smiled at them with good humor, they were both trying to hide some of their sadness. He was sure it was because they were ready themselves to have a permanent man in their lives.

"Suzan said you wanted to see us all," started Dusty.

"There are two good jobs that have minimal danger and good pay. It wouldn't be a good idea to split us up too much, but if we do three people to a job we probably could get them to accept that," said Marie.

"Well before we talk about it too much, I need to tell everyone that we have another assignment from the Mage's council. Standard pay rates," said Dusty.

Everyone but Mark was all ears, but only because this would be his first mission for them. No one ever paid as well as the Mage's council, but they also expected much more. But this would be a mission that was full of adventure as well.

"Do they want all of us to go?" asked Rachel.

"Yep. Mainly because all of us are somehow expected to figure out a way to stop a war between two neighboring Kingdoms. The Kingdoms of Trestenall and Patella are the ones being targeted. The council said that it is only a matter of time before they start fighting each other," said Dusty.

"But why are we going there for council business? Didn't you always tell me that the Mage's council won't ever use their power to get involved in fights between Kingdoms?" asked Suzan.

"Normally they don't, but this is a special case. It seems that it's a fight of Magic that isn't quite magic and they want to know what is going on. People are reporting weird sounds right before entire buildings are detonated. No one can predict when the attacks will happen or detect the magic being used," said Dusty.

"Long as they don't mind someone who is new to all of this and on probation going, I'm in and since he spoke to both you and Lori I'm sure she's already expected to be going. But something tells me from all I've seen about you since I've met you that you have some idea what it is going on, don't you?" asked Mark as he looked at Dusty.

The other all looked at him now as well waiting for his answer.

"I have some thoughts, but I don't want to put them out there just incase I'm wrong and because it will be hard to explain without proof," said Dusty with a smile.

"So which is first?" asked Marie.

"Since we need to travel by boat to get to both, and since Trestenall is a port town, we will go there first. It's about three days travel by boat I've been told. Melkin has already made arrangements for us all on the next boat leaving in the morning," said Dusty.

"I wish either of you knew a spell that could get us there faster," said Rachel as she looked at Dusty and Lori.

"It's in the eighth circle, it takes up an ungodly amount of power per person, and we need to have been where we're going at least once. It's called "The Folding of time and Space" and it not an easy spell to cast, so I hear," said Lori with a smile.

As Dusty looked at her he realized that that was probably one of the spells she was going to eventually memorize and use over time so that it would cost next to nothing using his newly acquired skill.

It still amazed him how intelligent she could be at times. He probably would have realized it if she would have quit trying to vamp him as much as she used to do.

Since no one had anything else to talk about everyone left to enjoy the rest of the day before they started out for their next mission.

Captain Seth was sitting in one of the three local taverns getting a personal idea of what was going on in one of the border towns of Racier after having come from the King's personal chamber after talking with him personally two days before.

King Millen was a good King and he trusted Seth. But he worried about the trouble that the various members of the court would start if he showed favorites among anyone one of them.

Too many of the nobles were from long lines and he needed their support because of all of the infighting and backstabbing. He was the only thing keeping them from collapsing in on themselves.

King Millen was informed of Seth's plan to take the men on exercises almost as soon as Andre' left with them. Seth wouldn't keep that from the King and he planned to take all the heat for it. But King Millen decided that it was a creative use of the power given to Seth and approved it.

After a few weeks of Andre's touring the different border areas Seth needed a break from those idiot nobles as well, and so he took out this tour. So far they hadn't seen anything or heard anything newer than what they already knew. Trying to find out what was happening was madding to him.

While he put his men on rotation, just like they were at war, he only brought 20 men with him to keep the suspicion down on what they were doing. He was grabbing a moment to relax and get a drink before he returned.

As Seth was nursing his beer suddenly the ground rocked hard like he was in the middle of an earthquake, right before the loud sound of an explosion could be heard off in the distance.

Lurching to his feet just as the door to the tavern burst open and as one of his men charged the room. It was Corporal Prewitt.

"CAPTAIN SETH! WE"VE GOT... ," started Prewitt.

But he never finished.

The next sound they heard was a loud whistling noise that seemed to be getting closer and closer. But they couldn't tell where it was coming from. Soon the entire building was vibrating with the noise as it got louder

As the two men turned quizzically to look all around the room, then at the ceiling, right before they turned to look out the door, the building next to the tavern exploded taking out the adjoining wall and door that Seth and the man in front of him were facing, and then darkness claimed Seth.

Dusty and his friends disembarked at the small town of Racier.

They were headed for the capital city, but as they could see smoke well into the distance they asked to be left at this town since it had a dock so they could get started by questioning various people since this town looked to have recently been attacked.

It had probably happened sometime the night before since it was already early morning.

As they entered the town they could see the various buildings were destroyed. Some were just a few walls, but had craters where their floors should be. Other had fallen in on themselves and looked like so much rubble of stone and sticks.

The party of six was disgusted by what they saw. It looked like a war zone.

As they walked they could still hear the crying and moaning of those who were hurt or morning their dead.

Everyone started to sprint into action, headed for where the loudest outcries were coming from, but sped up their run as they heard a voice ringing out over the cries. Someone was organizing the town's people into rescue attempts.

As they rounding into the square they could see a big bear of a man, while his right arm in a sling, it was still hanging at a funny angle and blood still seemed to be flowing down his face as he pointed where the men he had available should keep working.

His clothing was blackened with smoke and he looked dirty and grimy, as if he had been at the heart of a fire. It looked to be part of a uniform, but it was hard to tell as damaged as it was, even then he was still directing some people to be taken to a building behind him.

When they were close enough the man seemed to take notice of them.

"Are you friend or foe!" called out the man as he slightly crouched forward menacingly as he faced them.

"We're travelers who came upon what was happening. We'd like to help if we could. We have plenty of hands and two mages," said Marie as she looked around her.

"Can any of them heal?" asked the man wearily as he straightened up.

"Yes we can," answered Dusty.

"If you would, please there are women, children, and a few men in the building behind me. Some may not make it without care soon. Can you please help them? If you would start with the most critical first," said the man.

"Lori, go on in I'll be right behind you," said Dusty.

As Lori started for the building Dusty stepped up to the man.

"You need help first my friend or you'll fall over and won't be of any use to anyone," said Dusty as he raised a glowing white hand to the man.

Moving faster than he had any right to in his condition the injured man caught him off guard and grabbed Dusty with his single good hand by his shirt and completely lifted him off the ground. He held Dusty easily up and he was dangling a good two to three inches off the ground as he held his face just inches from his own.

Everyone in the square stopped moving and got quiet, including Lori, as they took in the sight. They were stunned by the man's actions. It was so quiet that his next words easily carried through out the square.

"Understand me on this; these people are in my care. They were ALL under my care to protect. And I have failed them on this. Now some of those same people who depended on me lay behind me dying and need your help far more than I do.

"I won't die from these light wounds or from this cowardly attack, but some of those who survived this hell soon will. Now get your ass in there and help them!!" said the man.

He thrusted Dusty towards the door and turned back around without looking to see if Dusty followed his directions, as he tried to coordinate the rescue efforts.

Without pause the man started ordering Mark, Suzan, Marie, and Rachel where they were needed to be, to be of greatest help to them all. They responded without question or comments.

Looking back a few times Dusty and Lori entered the building without question. Dusty was most concerned at the amount of blood flowing from the wound hidden in his scalp. That would have to be a nasty wound to still be bleeding. He didn't miss the dried blood on his shirt so he had been bleeding for a while, but it was no longer a steady flowing stream.