Part 3: The City of Crime

[Dexie Oblivion]

Darx continues fixing himself up as he speaks.

"Some punk shot me as I was coming into the city.  I tried intimidating him, but he's obviously totally fearless or a complete fool."

Pause, plucks a feather.

"In any case, once I'm rested, I'm hunting him down and paying him back."

[Olvelsper]

"What's your name anyway? We seem to keep crossing your path wherever we go." Jan quirked his head at the man. "Besides, you should watch yourself in this city, it's ruled by four crime families, if you make too much trouble they could pay you a special visit."

[Dexie Oblivion]

"The name.....is Darx."

He gives Jan a wary glance as he finishes up.

"Darx Vandar Umbris, formally of the Blood Crescent Alunites of the Moonstrike Empire. And you are?"

[Olvelsper]

"Jan Smith. A simple negotiator." Jan smiled, suddenly tossing him a plastic covered bar. "Here, have a ratio. It takes remarkably well for what it is. You don't look like you've had a bite to eat for a while."

He looked to the others. "In fact, it'd be best if we all ate and recovered our strength from the wolves last night. I can join you after a meal."

Jan tossed the others some ration bars too.

[RyderHakubi]

Ryder caught the bar and smirked, munching it about halfway... and then he suddenly goes over to Darx.

"Uh... I really don't know why, but I think I know how to fix this... I need medical tape though.  Anyone got some..."

[Olvelsper]

"Catch." Jan tossed him said tape from his bag.

[Dexie Oblivion]

Darx looks at the ration then throws it back.

"No thanks. I prefer something a bit.....lighter."

[Olvelsper]

"Like what?" Jan asked between bites of his ration bar. "It's pretty convenient  'cuz it has all the rations most people need."

[Dexie Oblivion]

He flicks his good wing, then slowly turns his gaze towards the window, and the crescent moon hanging in the sky.

"Don't worry about it....I can't handle it myself. I don't need to feed too often, anyway."

[Olvelsper]

"Anyway, you've ever heard of wolves that can heal themselves from crushing amounts of damage?" Jan asked the winged swordsman. "Or you, Ryder. You two are about the only ones that I'd wager may know something."

[Dexie Oblivion]

Blink.

"Never have I heard of such a thing.  Why do you ask?"

[Olvelsper]

"We probably would've been in and out of this town by now if we hadn't run into some on the way here. The things were nigh invunerable. Pits and such couldn't keep them contained for long because they seemed to be able to phase through the ground. Other times they'd tear through rock like it was nothing."

Jan sighed at the memories of last night. Shaking his head, he continued. "Even crushing blows were healed in minutes like it was nothing. How did we get out of that predictament, anyway?" He addressed the others.

[Shukuen]

"We climbed up a tree and waited them out." Leets shrugged, finishing his rations. "They apparently got bored of us."

[Olvelsper]

"You didn't fight them like I did. Those wolves don't get bored with whatever steps into their territory. Anyway, before they moved in, apparently there was a slaughter in that town. Probably some bandits, because there were clear signs of hurried raiding going on." Jan frowned, scratching his chin in thought.

"On top of that, I found plenty of corpses that the wolves had gone through inside a house. Which is strange in itself, since the only way in was by opening the doors themselves. No other entrances made themselves apparent to me."

[Shukuen]

"What are you saying then? You mean that this isn't normal behavior for wolves around here?" Leets asked nervously. "Do you suppose they'd actually follow us here from their territory?"