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Gurak had a good idea of how the investigations went. Go to the scene of the crime, and look for evidence. Interrogate witnesses or suspects. He'd seen enough cop shows to know that's the jist of how it went. Just as Gurak had expected, that's how the events played out.

Towen, using his CFC privileges was allowed to participate in the murder investigation. He also used his position to allow Wukin and Gurak to help him in the investigation. Towen, Gurak, and Wukin, first went to the mage college. They were led to the archmage's room. The place was a mess, the body of the deceased notwithstanding, there were cracks in the stone all over the place, as well as clear signs of ice magic, still clinging to the walls and floor.

Gurak thought this odd at first. Usually magic dissipated when you stopped channeling mana into it, but the ice spikes all over the room seemed to prove that false.

Gurak was about to ask when Towen did instead. “Why is the ice magic still materialized? Wouldn't the killer have dissipated the magic?"

The archmage's attendant, a somewhat elderly human woman. “The mage's college is a special place." She spoke softly. “Mana is much more abundant here. It clings to the walls, to the air, and to the land itself. Magic persists for hours longer than usual. It makes for a beneficial place for mages to practice their craft. It is the nature of this place." She said softly. If Zamdor was a teacher here, he clearly knew that.

Wukin looked around, using his magic detection, he saw signs of battle, and different abilities used. Once he was satisfied. He nodded to Towen, who then approached the body of the archmage. Ice was lodged deep in his chest. The blood had frozen inside of the poor man, he'd fought, it seems, there were scorch marks and blasts of what looked like lightning as well.

Towen looked at the woman again. “I know it's frowned upon in this place. But can you tell me the archmage's blessings? You were likely the only person he trusted here if he trusted anyone at all."

She looked to Towen, then nodded. “I see no harm in revealing it now that he's passed. His blessings were fire, lightning, light, and water." Towen nodded his head softly.

He touched over the man's hands. There were no rings on his fingers. No bracelets on his arms, and no necklaces around his neck.

“The archmage wore enchanted items, did he not?" Towen asked as he looked at the woman.

She nodded. “He did, yes. We told the other guards they were missing when we found him."

Towen took special note, that the woman didn't shy away, nor seem upset that the man was dead. But that was something for later. She might have been involved in his death. So he didn't want to let on that he suspected her. “When was he found?" Towen asked.

She looked thoughtful. “Some time ago. Not too long after dawn. I came in, as I do every morning to bring him breakfast and tea. I found him like that. Alerted the guards and they contacted the town guards. The guards in the mage's college are a separate entity from the town. We employ them ourselves."

Towen nodded his head softly as he listened. That would certainly make things a little more challenging. A private guard force within the mage's college could have a wholly different allegiance than one in the town guard.

Towen nodded and checked over the archmage once more. No other wounds immediately stood out. He was attacked from the front and it seemed like the man did resist, so whoever it was approached him from the front, but also was arrogant to think they could kill the archmage head-on.

Towen stood up and nodded to Gurak, then Wukin. “Any other questions on your mind?"

Gurak shook his head. Wukin looked around, then nodded. “So you said, magic lingers here."

The woman looked at the monkey and nodded. “It does."

Wukin pointed to various places. “Fire magic was loosed there. Lightning there." He points to two places. “Magic is lingering here." He points to a corner. “But it doesn't look like any scorch marks are there."

Towen walked over and looked it over curiously. “If magic was cast here, what kind was it?"

Wukin shook his head. “I don't know. My ability to see magic doesn't discern that much. I can only see that it was cast here. The scorch marks of fire and lightning are easy enough to discern. But here. There's nothing to imply what was cast. No burns, no cracks, no ice. I can't imagine light or water had any effect here." Wukin rubbed his chin.

Gurak watched the pair, they were in sync, Wukin picking up on Towen's cues and vice versa, the orc felt like an odd man out in the moment. “Well, if it wasn't light, water, ice, earth, fire, or lightning, that narrows it to wind or darkness."

Maybe it was Gurak saying it out loud, but Wukin's eyes went large and he turned to Towen. “I know the killer."

The woman in the room looked at Wukin, surprised, Towen did as well. “What? How?"

Wukin looked out the window nearby. “It has to be the last Umbral Blade. The elf. Ice is natural to him. Darkness too." He points to the corner. “That's how he got in. But we have to prove it. Zamdor and Rulu are counting on us."

Towen looks to the woman and nods. “Please, keep this information to yourself. Revealing it unnecessarily could lead to you being in danger."

She looked genuinely terrified for a few moments, then bowed her head and nodded. “I don't know what you are talking about captain. I was outside of the room during this whole conversation."

Towen nodded his head lightly. “It's a shame, your hearing is so bad in your advanced age."

She smiled and nodded her head back at him. “Truly it is. If you'll excuse me. I'll have the guards take Archmage Tovaldir's body to the mortician later today." She gently turned and left the room, leaving the three.

Gurak watched the doorway after she'd left, Gurak looked to Wukin. “The man from the cave? The one who got away?"

Wukin nodded his head. “I've been hunting him, I thought he was back in Macta so I checked in on the Umbral Blade's base every time I was there. He never showed up though." He sighs and looks around. “I guess if he was in Rolwood, that'd make sense as to why he wasn't. Maybe he was hiding here all this time."

Towen leans against the wall and looks at Wukin. “Can you use your shadow magic to follow the path he took?"

Wukin shook his head. “It doesn't work like that, but, that'd be useful."

Gurak watched the room. “Towen, go stand where the Archmage is." He then looks to Wukin. “You stand in the corner and move like you just came out of the shadow there."

The two moved and stood there. “So what's the first move?" He asked as he looked at the pair. “Did the elf or the archmage act first?"

Towen looked at the corner. “If I was facing this way when Wukin came in, I immediately struck." He puts his hand forward and pretends to throw a fireball. Wukin rolled forward, and right where he stopped was the scorch mark. “So the archmage had good instincts. But he was just slightly off, likely the elf's training saved his life."

Wukin nods. “If I was in that position, I would have thrown a dagger." He makes the motion and Towen looks to where the archmage was. “He didn't dodge it, cause he was standing here." Towen and Wukin looked behind the lion. Gurak walked over to inspect the area more closely.

“Given his knowledge of you Wukin, he wouldn't have enchanted the dagger, since he knows you'd find it." The orc looked around and pointed to the drape on the wall near one of the windows. “There's a cut here and the fabric is stained."

Gurak was about to touch it when Wukin shouted. “DON'T" Gurak's hand stopped immediately and he scooted back.

“It is trapped?" He asked, the orc looking over his shoulder.

Wukin shook his head. “No, but, the poison can be absorbed into the skin. If you touched it, you could be out of commission for hours." Wukin pointed to the curtain. “But you can see the cut where the blade sliced into it, and the poison stained the fabric, it's slight, but it's there, it's the same stuff we used."

Towen nods his head. “So it must have gotten hung there. The elf probably didn't anticipate us going so thoroughly over the crime scene."

Wukin looked at the wall, then back. He points to the archmage. “Towen check the man's neck. Careful you don't touch the skin."

Towen blinked and looked at the monkey, then down at the archmage. He knelt and tilted the man's head slightly, on his neck was a spot that looked discolored, it was no bigger than a copper coin in size. “There's discoloration."

Wukin nods. “The blade didn't sink into him, but it must have scratched his neck, or some of it splashed off when thrown. Something like that." Wukin stood up and walked back to where he was before. “I threw my dagger. The mage throws lightning, and then I follow up with ice in his chest. Since the poison slowed his response time, the ice hit."

The monkey looks around. “So why all this?" He asked as he regarded the shards of ice all over. The stones were created and cast all around the room.

Gurak came back over and looked around. Finally speaking. “Because it looks like a fight, not an assassination when done this way. Zamdor is well known for his ice and earth magic, due to his career as an adventurer. Zamdor being in town, this murder, the clues of ice and earth magic like this? It's the elf setting Zamdor up."

Towen sighs and nods. “True, but we have evidence that it wasn't Zamdor. We just need to catch the elf now. If we can catch him, we'll have enough to get them set free, right?" He looks around the room and rubs his chin. “But how?"

Wukin looks around the room. “He wants to hurt me. I should be the bait. He'll want to get his revenge on me."

Gurak looks at Wukin and nods. “Are you sure? What do you have in mind?"

Wukin looks around. “Well, we know the weird beasts are out there in the forest. Maybe he has something to do with that too? So let's head there. It would give him opportunity, at least."

The three agreed it wasn't a sound plan, but it was something. If they could lure the elf out, they could catch him. It was something.

The three of them headed out of the mage's college, through town, making sure they were seen as they did, and headed out through the gate, then west to the forest. It was longer to travel by foot, but they didn't want to bring the wagon and risk it being spotted by the elf.

They arrived at the forest as the sun was overhead, they'd spent hours walking, almost twice the time it took by wagon. But that wasn't important. There was still half a day of daylight left, and they were at their destination. It wasn't too far off from where they faced the unnatural wolf.

Wukin set himself in the middle of a few trees, sitting quietly, and waited. Gurak and Towen were quite some distance away. Keeping tabs as best they could. They waited what felt like hours before something came lumbering towards Wukin.

It wasn't an elf though.

Wukin was on his feet when he heard the brush being moved around by the beast's aggressive rush in his direction. It was a bear, large and ferocious, too large in fact.

This time, Wukin was more observant. He shouted out first. “Beast, two crysts." He yelled out.

This caused Towen and Gurak to come rushing, they hadn't heard the beast's approach like Wukin had. The monkey shouted out still. “Chest, it's red." He dodged to the side, avoiding the beast's incredibly strong attacks that ripped through the tree he'd jumped behind.

Gurak was too far away, but Towen was rushing in fearlessly. His blade unsheathed, his shield out, glinting with sparkles of unnatural ore speckled across it. His voice is loud and deep, Gurak was a little weak in the knees hearing the lion speak so valiantly. “Blessing of Thuellor, spark of genius and carver of the earth. Strike my foe, and stun it so that we might see tomorrow! Paralysis Bolt!" From his blade shot the lightning attack. The bear reared back, but the paralysis didn't work.

Gurak never thought he could channel it through his weapon, he'd only ever used it as a lightning rod before. Thoughts of how this could be adapted to his fighting style came to mind as the lightning arced from the lion's blade and singed the beast's fur. It didn't seem too bothered.

Gurak then took that to mean that the bear must have been an Earth-element blessed beast. This made the orc grin. He unclasped one of his axe heads. He held it in his hand and focused. 'Blessing of Anamabe, please heed my call. Surround my blade, empower and sharpen the axe in my hand. Let it bury itself deep in my foe. Galeblade Axe' The thought was maybe a split second, and the magic reacted just as quickly sheathing his axe head in wind magic.

Gurak held it in his hand and readied his attack. Wukin looked over at Gurak, seeing the magic channeled into his axe, fear overtook him, and he dived for Towen. Grabbing the lion and hitting the ground. The monkey grabbed Towen's arm, the one with the shield, and held it over them as best he could manage it. He saw the power that was about to be unleashed. It was unlike any spell the orc had ever cast before.

Gurak's hand let loose and the blade sailed faster than it ever had before, the weapon cleaved right through the bear, and the trees behind it. Several trees, over a dozen...and kept going. A large swath of the forest was suddenly exposed to sunlight as the axeblade carved out a massive section of the forest.

Gurak blinked at the absolute destruction he'd wrought. He didn't even notice the bear as it melted away like the wolf had before. The damacite glowed powerfully as the magic-enhanced weapon spun by.

Gurak severed the mana connection and called his axe head back. “By the gods...what did I do?"

Wukin and Towen looked out from behind the shield, seeing the thirty odd trees felled by the orc's magic-infused attack. Wukin stood up and held Towen as well, before walking over to the orc.

Towen looked at Gurak. “What in the god's name did you cast?"

Gurak blinked. “I...I dunno...I saw you…" He pointed at Towen's sword. “You channeled the...the lightning...I did the same thing...but with my axe."

Wukin nodded to Towen. “It's true, he did. I could see it. But the mana around it? It was massive, larger than anything I've ever seen you do before. You weren't pissed off, were you?"

Gurak looked at Wukin, then shook his head. “No, not at all. I just channeled magic as I would have for a normal wind-blade spell. That's all."

Wukin blinked and looked from Gurak to the felled trees, going back at least 2 dozen trees. “Well, that axe, that weapon, must have bolstered it something fierce. Have you ever done that before?"

Gurak shook his head softly. “No. I'd never considered it till just now."

Towen looked worried. “That's...too much power Gurak." He said simply. “You're a dear friend and I love you deeply. But you can never do something like that again. The collateral damage is too significant."

Gurak nodded. “No, you're right. I didn't mean to cause so much harm. I just wanted to make sure I felled the beast in one strike this time." He looked down at the ground. “I didn't want what happened with the chimera to happen again."

Wukin stepped in closer and hugged Gurak tightly. “You big stupid strong orc." He laughs. “I'm fine. Thanks to you. You don't have to worry about me."

Gurak sighs and nods. He locked his axe head back into place and looked at the weapon. “Just what did the gods give me?" He asked as he looked at it. Light from the sun reflected off of it, and as he lowered the blade, he stopped, not only the sun reflected, but so did the forest behind him. He turned and pointed. “There!"

Someone in a cloak suddenly darted into the forest, far from the destruction that Gurak had caused. Wukin slipped into the shadow of a fallen tree and was gone before more was said. Towen gathered up the mana crysts and Gurak ran in that direction, hoping that Wukin had caught the elf and restrained him, that he was okay. The lion followed shortly after.

Wukin had pinned the person, whoever it was on the ground, chest down. “He didn't even put up a fight. Now, let's see what you have to say for yourself elf."

Wukin pulled the cloak off and was surprised to see fur. While it was a familiar face, it wasn't the face he expected to see.

“I know you." The monkey said softly. Gurak and Towen caught up just as the cloak was taken down. Towen didn't know the man, but Gurak knew him immediately. “Darion, you...how did you get here? I thought you were in Whetstin….wh...when."

The man snarled and struggled in vain against Wukin. “...r fault" was heard faintly.

Gurak moved in closer, and Wukin loosened his grip as Gurak got in close. The man on his stomach, rolled over and looked at Gurak. Snarling and lunging at him, swinging like a beast possessed. “YOUR FAULT." He shouted as loudly as he could at the orc. “THEY'RE DEAD AND IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

Gurak didn't even try to stop the man's fists as they connected with his face and body. Wukin was the one who grabbed and restrained the wolf beastfolk as he howled in anger and sobbed. Gurak sat quietly, looking down. “It is." He says softly. “I thought I was doing a good thing, giving that information to you. I had no idea what the elves would do when they found out. I'm so sorry."

Darion roared in anger and struggled in vain against Wukin. “I don't give a damn about your apology. My family is dead, everyone I knew, everyone I loved. I went to get more ore, I was going to make all kinds of new things, and when I came back, my home was gone. My family was gone! There wasn't even anything left to bury, you damned monster!"

Gurak winced, the words causing more damage than the wolf's fists had. Gurak looked to Wukin. “Let him go. Don't stop him."

Wukin let the man go, and he lunged at Gurak again. Punching the orc till his hands were bloody, till the orc's face was swollen. Till Darion's hands couldn't swing anymore and he just fell to his knees sobbing.

Gurak knelt beside him and sat silently for several minutes. Once Darion's crying had abated. Gurak spoke. “I'd do anything to give them back to you if I could."

Darion growled. “Doesn't matter. You can't. I'd kill you if it meant anything." He snarled as he stood up, his hands were bruised and bloody. The orc looked at them and went to heal them, but Darion pushed his hands away. “Don't you dare!" He growled out. “You won't take this from me too." He said as he pulled away and started to walk off into the forest. “Don't look for me either." He shouted as he took off into the trees.

Gurak stood up slowly and, with Wukin's help walked where they intended to set up camp, just outside of the forest, the attempt to goad the elf into coming at them certainly failed, at least for now. It was a quiet walk back, no playful banter, no warm words, just the three walking silently while Gurak looked down at the road. Thankfully it was a short walk since it wasn't going back to Rolwood.

It was hours later after their camp was set up, and the sun was starting to sink over the horizon. Wukin spoke up. “Can I…" Towen was setting up their tent he'd brought, as well as a collapsible tub. It only took about thirty minutes to set it up, so the lion did that after the tent was up. Next was the firepit for dinner. While he did that, Gurak was sitting, with Wukin not too far away.

Gurak looked at Wukin and then nodded. “You can say it. I'm a monster. Worse than a monster."

Wukin shook his head. “No, that's not it. There was something wrong with Darion."

Gurak shook his head. “No, he was in his grief still, that's not abnormal by any means."

Wukin shook his head. “No, I know grief, this isn't what I mean." He reached out, touching Gurak's face gently. The orc had a black eye and a busted lip. His nose looked broken too. But the monkey's touch was a gentle salve. “His mana...it was….off, it was wrong."

Gurak looked confused. “What?" His face tilted in confusion.

Wukin nodded softly. “His mana was like those beasts with the mana crysts. Warped, like an aberration. I can see it when I look at them, two kinds of mana fighting, rather than working in harmony. It's faint on most people, monsters too. But with the bear, the wolf, it was radiating off of them. Darion too. He's done something...awful to himself."

Gurak looked back over his shoulder. “Oh, by the gods….Darion, what are you doing….what did I teach you…" He slumped his head, as the three of them made their way into the tent. They couldn't go back to Rolwood, they needed to lure the elf here. It was too dangerous to fight in town.

Gurak didn't heal his wounds, he felt he deserved them and the others couldn't heal him. So they had to endure watching him put himself through the suffering he was.

Towen cooked that night, but he wasn't very good at it, at all, one side of the beast steak was burnt the other was almost raw. The stew ran out of water and burned on the bottom as well.

The three of them had a soft laugh about it. But, they weren't too invested in the meal. They ate it, Gurak didn't like the lion's cooking. If they spent more time out here, he was going to cook next time.

Gurak got into the large bedroll he shared with everyone, but by himself. Wukin and Towen joined him in it, after some time. The two wrapped their arms around him.

Wukin leaned in and kissed the orc's cheek as he held him. “You aren't to blame. The elves are." He nuzzled in against the orc's shoulder gently.

Towen then pressed his head in against the orcs neck and nodded. “He's right. If I can say anything at all, it's that you've never acted maliciously, even in the forest earlier. You weren't trying to do that. Your power is just….beyond your understanding. Beyond your control sometimes. You can't be responsible for everything that happens in the world."

Then Gurak heard those familiar words. “You've, from what I've seen, at least. Always acted with love." The lion's voice was soft, but it carried a lot of warmth in it, somehow.

Gurak's eyes teared up and hugged Wukin and Towen tightly. The pair returned the fierce hug, squeezing the orc and holding him tightly. The three of them held each other tightly until they fell asleep. Wukin had erected a wind barrier around them, something he'd learned from Rulu and Zamdor. He hoped they were okay back in Rolwood.

Miles away, in Rolwood, the pair were sitting in separate cells, but beside each other at least.

Rulu was leaning against the wall closest to Zamdor, the bull was the same way, the bars blocked their ability to comfort one another fully, but they held hands as they lay together like this. “Do you think Gurak will find a way to get us out of this Zam?"

The old bull nods and smiles. “You know he will Rulu. That orc can do anything. Even stuff he doesn't know he can do, I bet." He smiled and kissed the lizardman on the forehead as they sat together. “We just have to be patient. We'll be out of here in no time. And you heard the guards, some fancy captain is in town too, he's investigating our situation on top of everything, I bet we'll be out by morning."

Morning came, the sun's rays shining through the window, waking Zamdor first, who when he looked over, didn't see Rulu in his cell. He looked all around and shouted for the guards. “Where's my friend!?"

The guard, yawning came over and looked around the room. “Your….FUCK. We got an escapee!" He shouts. “Rulu the Blackscale Swordsman has escaped!" Zamdor looked around the room, there were no signs of escape, no clear route he could've gotten out. Where had the lizardman gotten off to? If Rulu escaped, why hadn't he helped Zamdor do the same? He feared that there was something darker at work.

Gurak awoke to warmth around him. Not in the usual place, just, all around him. The orc's eyes opened slowly to see Wukin on one side and Towen on the other. He smiled and went to nuzzle the lion when pain shot across his face, he'd forgotten he was still busted up from the day before. He smirks and sighs. Leaning back and hugging the two men around him. He went to get up and he felt a hand on his chest. It was Towen's.

The lion looked at him and very gently touched his face. “You should heal that up." He whispered.

Gurak shook his head softly. “I know, but, I deserve it, Darion lost so much."

Towen shook his head. “He did, he lost his family and his home. Just like you did." He looks into Gurak's eyes. “Did you beat the life out of the next elf you met?"

Gurak blinked, then shook his head. “You didn't send the inquisition to Whetstin, no more than Darion did. Someone else is to blame, and they'll get what's coming to them." He rubs his hand over Gurak's chest slowly.

Gurak huffed softly and looked upward. “I'm not really in the mood."

Towen nodded. “I figured. But, I think you need this, this morning. Your head is so clouded with mixed emotions and uncertainty about what to do. Let me do this, for you." Gurak blushes, and huffs, but nods softly. He couldn't deny the lion, not when he asked so kindly. He did, deep down, want to, but, his self-loathing was loud and hard to ignore after seeing Darion the day before. The orc hated himself this morning.

Towen slowly slipped down and pulled down Gurak's undergarments. The lion licked up along his length, nice and slow, before his lips wrapped around the orc. His eyes shut and he slowly bobbed his head.

Gurak leaned his head back and huffed softly. Wukin slowly stirred and rolled over, opening his eyes and letting out a soft laugh. “Looks like the morning festivities already started." Wukin went to get out of the way, so the pair could have privacy. But Towen stopped him, a hand on the monkey's inner thigh as he went to move, and pulled him back over. The lion leaned back and grinned.

“My two favorite men in the world together with me? Why would I want you to leave?" He moves his hand to rub Wukin's inner thigh, making the monkey squirm just a little.

Towen rested his face on Gurak's thigh and nuzzled his dick and balls while smiling up at Wukin, who could only blush. Towen nuzzled the orc's balls and gave them a lick before he sat up slowly. “Did you want to do something, Wukin?"

The monkey looks at Gurak and blushes. “If it's okay with Gurak." He looks up at Towen. “I've always wondered what you tasted like."

Towen blushed at that and laughed. “Really?"

Wukin nodded. “I...enjoyed what we did before. I always wondered what you tasted like." The monkey's face was red with embarrassment. “The...night we fooled around, I couldn't tell my own from yours. It was pretty much everywhere." The lion chuckled softly.

Gurak grunted at the pair, and they smiled. Wukin spoke up. “A few weeks ago, just before you came back, I visited Towen and we fooled around a little." He put his hand on the orc's chest. “Neither of us gave ourself to the other. We're still yours, body, heart, and soul." He sticks out his tongue at the orc. “We just...needed each other that night."

Gurak pretended to be offended, turning his head. Wukin and Towen suddenly got nervous and started apologizing. The orc rolled over and was laughing softly. “Sorry, sorry, it was a cheap shot." He moves one hand out to cup Wukin's cheek and his other ruffled Towen's head fur softly. “All I want is for you all to be happy. Nothing else matters to me." He looks aside. “I DO like being the only one who tops you though….cause I'm selfish and greedy."

Towen chuckles and slowly sits up, leaning over the bedroll to kiss up Gurak's body. “Well, it's been a long time since you've had me in your bed. How about I remind myself of how you feel?" He moves his hand down and strokes the orc slowly, causing Gurak to moan and squirm, pre-oozing from his tip down onto his hairy belly.

Towen scooted up and rested his knees on either side of the orc, before lining him up and pushing back. The orc grunted. “You need to stretch a bit first." He warned.

Towen grinned and shook his head, slowly easing back, taking the orc nice and slow. Gurak was a little impressed. Wukin was as well, from the look on his face. “I've only ever seen Zamdor do that." He of course saw Rulu do it as well, but he wasn't about to tell the lizardman's brother that in the middle of such an intimate time.

Towen laughs softly. “I might not have had the tools for taking care of it, but, I did dabble a little with my fingers, till I got used to it. You're bigger, but, I like that." He sighs and wiggles his hips, making Gurak tense and shudder, the lion's arousal fully upward and leaking his pre.

Wukin moved in and engulfed the lion's arousal. Gurak reached over slowly and wrapped his fingers around the monkey's arousal. Stroking him nice and slow with a low huff, Towen wasted no time in rocking his hips, pushing back around Gurak and thrusting into Wukin's eager maw.

Gurak lolled his head back and just enjoyed the feeling. Towen wanted this, he was rocking his hips hard and fast, so much so that Gurak didn't even need to thrust up to meet his movements. The lion knew what he was doing, whatever he'd been doing to practice on his own, clearly taught him a lot about what to do.

Gurak's hand gripped and stroked Wukin rapidly, matching Towen's pace of movement, the orc was enjoying everything when he felt the monkey's hips thrust forward a few times and heat streak along his arm, as Wukin came first. Gurak was surprised by this. But groaned softly, his free hand moving to rub the back of Wukin's head as it bobbed on Towen's length. “F-fuck Towen, he just came, shot all over my arm." The feel of it causes the orc to get riled up faster.

Towen blushed and opened his eyes, looking down at Wukin, whose eyes were shut, but his face was darker. The lion huffed and pressed down, grinding on Gurak's length as he felt his building release. The orc leaned his head back, the lion's hips gyrating on his groin, making the orc squirm before he shuddered and his orgasm hit him. Heat flooded into Towen's backside as the lion bit his lower lip with a soft growl.

“That's my big strong orc." He groans out as he feels the orc's seed shooting into him. He leans back and thrusts his hips slightly, into Wukin's waiting maw. It was only a few movements before his body shuddered, his backside clenching up around Gurak, making the orc moan loudly before his seed flooded into Wukin's awaiting mouth. The first few spurts were lost down his throat, but the last bit of it was swirled around with his tongue so that the monkey got a good taste of the lion beast's seed.

Wukin finally released the leonine length and laid his head on the orc's chest, panting. Towen and Gurak were catching their breath as well. The orc spoke up first with a rumble. “Fuck that was hotter than I expected it to be."

Wukin rumbles out in agreement. “Can't disagree with ya too much. It was just as hot as I always imagined."

Towen chuckled. “My ass is gonna be sore, but I missed feeling you like this Gurak."

The orc blushed, his hand coming up to rub Towen's side. “I missed you, just you. Too Towen." The implication wasn't lost on the lion. It wasn't the sex he missed, but the lion's company.

Towen rumbled out and smiled. “Thank you, Gurak." The three of them stayed like that for a little longer, before Wukin got up, and each other the others followed suit slowly.

After Gurak, Wukin and Towen cleaned up, using the collapsible tub, filled with the unlimited water canteen, and heated by Gurak's fire. The three stayed close, nuzzling against one another, and despite their protests, Gurak didn't heal up the wounds he'd received the day before. So his face was still rather sore and bruised up.

After that, was breakfast, which Gurak cooked. He loved Towen dearly, but the lion couldn't cook to save his life, and Gurak didn't want another burnt meal. No special buff or skills triggered this time around, likely because the heart of the orc wasn't in it like it should have been. His worry for Zamdor and Rulu outweighed his desire for an expertly cooked meal.

After breakfast, they broke camp and Gurak set about using healing magic to try and repair some of the damage he'd caused the day before. The healing magic couldn't restore the trees to their original state, of course, but the magic did cause the stumps to grow a new tree sprout from the center, it would take years for it to regain its size, but, it was at least a start.

After that, Gurak, Wukin, and Towen started exploring the forest. Their initial goal of trying to find the elf was still on their minds, but, also Darion's fate, hung in the balance. Gurak felt it was his responsibility to save the wolf if he could.

They spent quite some time in the forest. The sun was almost overhead, before they picked up his trail, finally. Wukin's ability to track was pretty exceptional. However, with the odd mana coming off the man, it must not have been too hard to pick out the odd magical energies.

Wukin tracked the distorted mana and tracks back to a cabin in the woods. Gurak had the others wait some distance away as he knocked on the door gently.

When no one answered, Gurak stepped inside and looked around. It was empty, there was a bed, a chair, and a hatch leading down. Gurak opened it and stepped down into the basement, lit by a few candles, burning brighter than they should have, he found creatures in various states.

Some dead, some alive, a few in cages, the living ones looked terrified to be stuck inside of these cages. None of them looked like they had mana crysts grafted to them. The dead ones looked like there had been attempts to fuse the crysts to them, and it had resulted in their death if the orc had to guess.

On the table were a dozen different mana crysts. Various elements, of everything but light and dark crysts. Come to think of it, he'd never seen a light or dark mana cryst. Such a thing must be rare, rarer still would be a void cryst, if any ever existed at all. He looked around a bit more, finding nothing of value or interest here, he came back up. Finding Darion sitting on the bed as he did.

Darion jumped at first, but then noticed it was Gurak and just snarled at him. “Why are you here?" He asked the orc.

Gurak looked down at the ground at first, then he came up and walked towards the doorway, looking outside to make sure his friends were still out there, he saw Towen and Wukin, they were okay at least. He then turned to look at Darion. “I'm sorry I brought all the destruction to your home. It was never my intent. I just wanted to share the knowledge I learned with you, like I promised."

Darion growled at him. The wolf's robe was loose and Gurak, for the first time, saw the glint of mana crysts, embedded in the wolf's chest. “Darion, what did you do?" He asked, having seen them.

Darion stepped back and covered his chest up, pulling the robe tight around himself. “That's none of your business." He growled at the orc. “I'll finally be strong enough to protect everyone like you couldn't. I'll go to Lofroayae, I'll siege Ayholenor by myself if I have to and I'll wipe out every last one of those damn elven zealots."

Gurak shook his head and stepped inside. “That won't soothe the pain in your heart."

Darion looked at Gurak and shook his head. “I don't want to soothe it. I'm not concerned with my happiness anymore. I had my chance, I enjoyed that life. All I can do now is make sure they never hurt anyone else again. Maybe it's the soldier in me, from Earth, but I know when a group has to be stopped. I'll bring down hell on them like they've never known."

Gurak frowned softly. “It doesn't have to be that way. You can love again. You can find another life path that you'd still enjoy."

Darion shook his head. “I tried for the last two years. All I can think of is the look on my wife and children's faces when they met their end and I wasn't there. If I hadn't shared my secret with the smithing guild. None of this would have happened."

Gurak blinked a bit. “You told the guild?" He looks at Darion, the wolf's anger abating slightly as he looks at the orc, confused.

The wolf nodded. “They were the first ones I showed the product of my first attempt to. I then went out into the mountains nearby to look for more ore cause I was going to come home and use all the crysts I had to start making all kinds of new weapons, armor, and trinkets."

Gurak looked at the floor. “So it was the guild, they told the elves." He says softly, looking at Darion. “There's no way they could have known so fast, without something to get that information to them quickly. They were in town within the week. That's a lot of people to move all at once suddenly."

Darion's anger had all but dissipated by this point. “What are you saying?"

The orc looks at Darion. “I'm saying, they had to have had someone get this information to the church fast enough to mobilize their inquisition within a week, either the guild has a means of direct communication with the church, or someone from the guild went and told the church in Ayholenor. It's also likely, that I wasn't the first to discover the secret. They've probably done this before, to other places that discovered the secret to dual enchantments."

Gurak leaned against the door frame, the others kept their distance. He could barely see them behind some trees quite some distance away. “The odds of them having an agent in every single smithy seems unlikely, so there must be another means by which they can monitor all the guilds."

Darion blinks. “You….you don't know about the guild?"

The orc looks up, then shakes his head. “Not really. I only joined it recently before meeting you."

Darion blinks. “All the guilds employ a set of enchanted books. I'm not sure of the specific enchantments. But, they are all linked. The books, there must be hundreds of them. They always have an empty page and are linked with every other guild book. So when you join, in say...Rolwood, the information is added to the books in every other city around the world."

Gurak blinked. “That's…. convenient and complicated at the same time. So...the guild in Ayholenor must have seen the update...and immediately mobilized the inquisition." He looks at the wolf and sighs. “I sincerely meant no harm to your home or family. But I swear I'll do something about the inquisition. That was always my goal once I came back."

Darion was confused about 'came back', but he wasn't in the mood to ask. “So you plan on going after the inquisition?"

Gurak nods his head to the wolf. “Yeah. I have my reasons, but our goals are the same, aren't they? To stop the inquisition, so they never hurt anyone else again. They mean to cause harm to everyone I love, so we should work together."

Darion sneers at Gurak. “You are going to say that to me? After what you cost me?"

Gurak nodded. “I am." He said softly. Standing up fully. “Because you know I didn't do it. I'm just an easier target for your anger. I might have given you the information, but they are the ones who destroyed Whetstin. They killed everyone." Gurak's fist balled up tightly for a few seconds. “So I killed all of them." He said softly.

Darion blinked and looked up at the orc as he spoke. “I went back to Whetstin when I heard they were there. I lost control of my anger, and I killed them, left and right, I went out of my way to obliterate every single fucking elf."

Darion watched Gurak, surprised. “The reason there was only a crater left, that was me." He said, looking down at the ground. “I...lost control of my mana, my anger took hold of me and it just...erupted from my body. My void element just spread outward and destroyed everything in its path."

Darion watched the orc, void element? The rarest one, the one that only showed up once every few generations, he might have been reincarnated, but even he knew that much. “You killed them, all of them?"

Gurak nodded. “I didn't let a single one escape alive. You saw the crater left behind. There weren't even any boats left. Nothing remained of them. I made damn sure of it."

Darion nodded. “Then, despite everything, I owe you my thanks. I was going to avenge my family, but you already ha-" But before the words could leave his mouth, a sudden blast of ice cut through the cabin. Darion and Gurak were thrown backward as the cabin turned to splinters. Gurak was thrown against the wall and it collapsed against his weight, so he managed to avoid the brunt of the damage. Darion was closer to the center of the cabin and the ice had impacted him almost directly. Gurak lost sight of the wolf and turned his gaze to look where the ice had come from as he rolled and stood up, shield extended and battle-ready.

There, stood an elf with crystal and ice for an arm, beside him, was Rulu, sword raised, and his eyes had an odd purple hue to them that seemed unnatural. “Rulu hurry, get over here, away from him."

The lizardman however didn't move, he looked to his side. “He even sounds like Gurak."

The elf grinned and nodded. “It's all a trick. The only way to find the real Gurak is to kill the imitator."

Rulu nodded his head and lifted his sword, in a ready position, before charging at Gurak.

Gurak didn't know where Wukin and Towen were. He was sure the sound of the cabin being destroyed should have been loud enough to alert them. Meaning either they had been incapacitated, or worse.

Gurak lifted his shield to catch the sword as it came down at him. He channeled wind into his hand, not enough to harm, but certainly enough to push his attacker back. His wind magic unleashed a stream of wind that threw Rulu back almost to standing beside the elf.

The orc looked at the elf. “What did you do to Rulu?"

The elf just grinned. “Helped him see the truth of your lies. Don't worry, Wukin isn't dead. Not yet. I'm saving him for last. I want him to suffer the most of all of you." That set his heart racing, what about Towen?

Gurak growled in anger and readied for a prolonged fight, a fight in which he couldn't harm his beloved lizardman.

From under the mess of broken wood, came an angry howl. The elf must have thought the orc was in the cabin alone because he was surprised to see Darion practically burst out from the remnants of the cabin. “Damn, another one?"

Gurak looked over at the wolf, whose robe was shredded, he was bleeding from a wound on the chest, and Gurak could see several mana crysts set into his chest, each of them glowing faintly.

Rulu lept at Gurak again, and the orc stepped backward, but there was so much of the cabin underfoot, that he lost his footing and fell flat on his back. Rulu was overtop of him with the blade made of ice raised. Gurak, lost for words couldn't even think of a spell to defend himself.

“Blessing of Anemabe, spreader of wind and ruler of the skies. Please don't harm this man, only knock the wind from his lungs. Gale Punch." Rulu suddenly stumbled forward as Darion shoved him away from Gurak with a punch in the back. Wind magic swirled around the lizardman as he was thrown over the orc. Landing on the ground feet just a few feet away, with the air knocked out of him, reeling and trying to catch his breath.

Gurak smiled as he went to get up. Darion's hand came down to help him stand up. His grip was firm until it wasn't. Ice was suddenly sticking out of his chest, the faint trickle of red liquid around the wound as he coughed and more of his lifeblood came with it. Gurak stood up, and behind Darion, he saw the elf, looking furious. Ice magic from the ground spiked up through the wolf's chest from behind.

Gurak knew the wound was fatal. Even if he used healing magic right this second, he'd only prolong the wolfman's life by a few moments. Darion knew it too. He looked to Gurak and turned his head, towards the elf. Gurak understood the meaning behind it. He patted Darion on the shoulder as he moved around and focused his hand outward. Every cell in his body craved to kill this man. To rip him apart piece by piece. But without someone to take in, to set Zamdor free and clear their names, Rulu was as good as back in prison as well. He wasn't sure what magic had been used on Rulu, but he'd find a way to counteract it.

His hand extended and blades of light erupted from it. Though rather than cleave the elf, they encircled him, binding him in light. He even made sure one encircled the elf's mouth, so he couldn't encant any more spells.

Gurak turn turned and saw Rulu come at him, a clear threat in his eyes. He raised his hand and focused on his void magic, a small blast of it unleashed towards Rulu, not enough to harm him, the orc hoped, just enough to dislodge whatever spell had the lizardman without his senses.

Rulu put his shield up, not that it helped at all. The spell still overtook him, and the odd coloration of his eyes dissipated. Rulu looked around confused. “W...where am I?"

Gurak came up to Darion immediately and rested his hand on the wolf's chest, focusing the healing magic he had, to try to save the wolf.

Darion looked at him and pushed his hand away. “D-don't waste your energy. Look at the size of this wound….my whole chest is torn apart. J-just promise me, you'll go to Ayholenor, you'll stop them."

Gurak moved his hand to Darion's own and locked their hands together. “I swear it on my life. I'll make them pay for the harm they caused." He looked at Darion a moment. “I dunno what sins you committed in this life. But tell them, when you cross over, if they deny you, the right to spend eternity with your wife and children. I'll come. I'll fight my way through hell, heaven and any boundaries in between. I'll see you spend eternity with your family." The conviction in his voice was enough to convince the wolf of his words in his last moments.

Darion nodded and smiled softly. His eyes drifted closed, and his body went slack, moments after doing so, his body melted away, like those of the beasts he must have created in his lab under the cabin. The faint sound of the mana crysts falling from where they were, hitting the ice and then landing on the ground at Gurak's feet was the only noise.

Gurak felt anger well up in him as he looked at the elf. He wanted to tighten the bonds around the elf, to squeeze the life from him. But he resisted the urge as it welled up within him. He looked to Rulu. “Do you know where Towen and Wukin are?"

Rulu shook his head. Gurak nodded and focused, creating a wind barrier and expanding it around them. He could sense both Towen and Wukin nearby. He rushed to Towen first. The fear that he might have been hurt, weighed heavily on him. He found the lionman lying on his back, a dart in his neck, he'd only been knocked unconscious. He feared Rulu might have been coerced into harming the lion.

Gurak then went to check on Wukin and he had the same, a dart sticking out of him, likely the same poison that the Umbral Blades. He didn't want to imagine what dark designs the elf had for them. He carefully created a gurney of light and carried them both on them, as he headed back to where Rulu was sitting.

The lizardman was looking down at the ground. “I don't remember anything after I fell asleep in the cell, beside Zamdor."

Gurak nodded. “We'll head back to town. For now, let's just...give him a funeral as best we can manage. He deserves that much."

Gurak laid the others on the ground gently, and using the pieces of the broken cabin, he set a cross for his grave marker. There wasn't much else the orc could do for the beastfolk. Gurak then went down into the basement, and one by one, released the beasts there. Most were glad to be free and made a run for the hatch, getting lost in the forest after that. Gurak then gathered up the mana crysts there and, after leaving the underground lab, set it ablaze with his fire magic, burning it all till nothing but ashes remained of the cabin and the terrible things done inside.

The only remnant was a cross-shaped grave marker in front of the cabin.

Gurak then carefully lifted the others back up and they made their way towards Rolwood, carried on beds of light. Towen and Wukin slept the whole way there. The elf was bound in light magic, and his mouth gagged so that he couldn't cast anything else. The restraints were used to keep him held aloft as they made their way to Rolwood. It took the rest of the day and it was a little awkward to explain to the guards.

Rulu was taken back into custody when they arrived. The elf was as well, not only that but he was cuffed in Damacite so that he couldn't escape. Gurak told the guards Towen would report what had happened the following morning, to not let the elf loose, as he was the true murderer of the archmage, Towen and Wukin all slept in an inn. The orc used his magic to carry them up to the room and beds. He slept in a bed all on his own that night.

Gurak was sure that they would have slept in the bed with him given the choice. But he needed the space for himself tonight. Darion's last moments were fresh in his mind the rest of the day and that evening. The wolf must have endured so much grief that he was mad with it. So lost in his grief he was harming others, including animals by experimenting on them with mana crysts. Such things were unheard of, but the potential it presented was unprecedented as well.

Gurak sighed and rolled over in his bed. Sleep was hard to reach that night. He managed to rest, somehow, though it was little, his bouts of being awake were far more common. He was glad when the sun finally rose and he sat up in his bed. Towen and Wukin roused shortly after him.

Towen looked around. “Weren't...we in the forest?"

Wukin huffed angrily. “Damn him, he got away."

Gurak shook his head softly. “No, me and Darion managed to capture him. He's in the guard's custody. I'll need you to tell the guards what happened Towen."

The lion looked at Gurak. “But, I don't know what happened."

Gurak nods. “I know. I'll tell you everything, and, let you decide what you want to do with the information."

Gurak took in a deep breath. “Darion was the one grafting mana crysts to animals. He'd done the same to himself. He planned on attacking Ayholenor all on his own to try and do something about the inquisition. The elf kidnapped Rulu from lock-up, used some spell to confuse him, and Rulu attacked us. I couldn't bring any harm to Rulu, and he was about to kill me, when Darion intervened, saving me, but in doing so, opened himself up to the elf's attack. Darion didn't survive. I bound the elf in light and then freed Rulu from whatever spell was used on him." Gurak chuckled. “Asshole never knew I could use void magic to negate whatever he did."

He sighs softly. “Anyway, I need you to tell them. My word carries no weight here."

Towen nodded his head softly and got up. “Alright. So, Darion gave his life, to save you and Rulu?" Gurak nodded his head in reply and the lion patted Gurak on the shoulder. “It'll be okay." He headed out and to the prison.

It was several hours later before Towen returned, Rulu and Zamdor in tow. Gurak hugged both of them tightly and squeezed them. Unwilling to let them go for some time.

Towen finally spoke up, once Gurak let the others go. “I spoke to the captain here, and I told him, after my investigation that the elf was responsible for the odd mana cryst monsters. A man named Darion was caught up in the whole situation. He died, giving his life to protect me and the rest of you. He'll be remembered as a hero here. Not a monster."

Gurak smiled softly. “Thank you, Towen." He nodded at the lionman.

“But, I got a missive from the capitol. I'm needed back in Macta. So I'm heading that way shortly."

Gurak nodded. “Well, how about you travel with us then? We're heading there as well, and then northeast after that. To the elven port city."

Towen nodded. “You're heading for Sikadi then? There's a road, not too far from Vrose that heads that way. Or you could head to Varkrol, there's not a road there, but, if you follow the coast, you'll reach the city in no time I bet. I dunno where I'm headed after Macta, but, I'll travel with you as long as I can."

Gurak nodded and smiled. “You're welcome to travel with us as long as you want, or can."

Towen nodded. “I'll need to make a few arrangements. Let's get breakfast after and then we'll head out. I'll meet you downstairs when I'm back."

Gurak sat back on the bed, Rulu in one arm and Zamdor in the other, hugging the pair tightly. “I'm sorry it took so long."

Zamdor had his arm around the orc and shook his head. “You're fine lad. I knew you'd sort it out and get us out of there."

Gurak nodded his head softly. “I still can't believe Darion survived, but he still lost his life because of me."

Zamdor's hand rubbed his back gently. “You didn't do that." He says softly. “A man with anger in his heart did. Darion saved you and Rulu both. He died a hero, even if the last few years of his life weren't lived the best." He smiles gently. “His final moments were the real him, the him that he always wanted to be."

Zamdor's hand rubbed still as he leaned against the orc. Gurak rested his head on Zamdor's chest as he sighed. “I hate that I couldn't do more."

The bull nodded and patted the orc's neck softly. “I know lad. But you can't save everyone. You can try, and should try. But, you gotta accept that you won't always be able to."

Gurak nodded. “I know, it's not an easy thing to accept, but I do know it, at least."

Gurak got up and got dressed. He had slept in his underclothes, and everyone had seen him naked by this point anyway, so he didn't worry about covering himself like he had in the past. Once dressed he gathered up his things and headed down into the inn proper. He and the others got a table, only drinking water for now, while waiting for Towen. He wasn't too long though and was there shortly.

The five of them had a lively breakfast, talking and joking. Towen shares a few stories from his time in the academy. Rulu and Zamdor talk about their stay in the cells, and the weird habits of the guards there. Towen talked about how Gurak had almost cut down the whole forest with his wind-empowered axe blade.

The group laughed and had a good time together before they paid for their meal and set about getting their wagon and horses. The stable and feed fee was paid, their wagon hitched, and they were on the road fairly soon. Gurak, Towen, and Zamdor sitting in the back, under the cover of the stretched fabric, while Wukin and Rulu sat up front, guiding the horses down the road towards Macta. It was only a few day's journey, and they'd be there before too long.

They traveled the day, and Towen shared many stories from his time in the academy. About his group of friends, his rivalry with a woman named Azile, and all the things they'd been through. How he spent time with them to help improve their combat abilities. How they'd all passed the first two months by the skin of their teeth. The trip was looking like it'd be a lot of fun with Towen along for this portion of the journey.