JP - Going Back to the Keep

"You can check the ruins once it's done burning, see if we can find something" Alex replied.

“I hope we find nothing but ash.” Bai said. He started to walk around the burning building.

“That was so cool!” Jacob cheered. “Mr. Mage is so cool, Bea!”

Beatrix shook her head, but had a smile on her face as she watched her little brother. “Yes, the magic is cool, but I think he’ll need you to let him rest.”

Bai stood at the opposite side of the Black Raven Tavern, watching the building burn and keeping an eye out for anything escaping.

Alex smiled at the siblings as he leaned against his staff for support. "Your brother is very kind" he spoke softly to Beatrix his eyes making contact with hers "of course I can see where he gets it from."

Beatrix snorted. “Just let yer friends help ya, fool.” She retorted.

“Why are ya calling him fool?” Jacob asked.

“Because he is a fool for goin’ down there alone!” She answered.

"And I was lucky to have a guardian angel like your sister watching over me" Alex added.

"Flattery will get ya nowhere, bub." Beatrix chided. "From the looks of it, ya got a nasty habit. Ya know mage's blood'll kill ya, right? Explains the sorry state ya were in when ya first showed up. Ya can't keep drinkin' it or yer gonna die."

"It's not that easy there's a reason why witch hunters use it on mages" Alex sighed in defeat "I've tried quitting in the past the withdraws nearly killed me but you're right I can't keep doing this."

“Jacob and I are accustomed ta people who suffer withdrawals. Ya got a healer in that town ya come from?” Beatrix asked.

"Yeah" Alex admitted shyly "not use to people caring about me. Been on my own ever since I escaped.

“Yeah?” She retorted. “Well, get used ta it. Lets get ya back an’ taken care of. Yer in for some bad next few days, bub.”

Jacob giggled. “You’ll never escape Beatrix when she’s made up her mind. Mr. Mage!”

"And yet somehow I don't mind that" Alex chuckled as he followed them back to the keep.

“Good,” Beatrix replied and pinched his ear. “Uh…Bai, where is this…Keep? I know I was heading for it, but I was just goin’ by instincts back there.”

Bai glared back at the smoking rubble of the Black Raven. He hoped the magical fire fixed this problem permanently. “The Keep is north of here, just follow that main road.”

"I can lead us there" Alex replied with a smile "perfect timing too then dinner should be ready soon and I'm starving."

“I just hope the place hasn’t gone to hell in a handbasket while we were away.” Bai muttered. “I don’t like leaving those twins behind. Also a unicorn man showed up with his memory completely gone and I don’t like his story.”

“Unicorn man? Wait, wait, wait…no memory…his horn black? He got a magical symbol carved inta his neck?” Beatrix asked.

“Yeah. I take it. you have seen him before.” Bai said as they went into the Keep.

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(OOC> Morphy, if you’re reading this you are more than welcome to return. Your characters will be waiting offscreen for you looking for herbs, barking at walls, etc. )