There was still blood on his face, but he wasn’t bleeding anymore. Rain’s cuts were gone. Aleah was still trying to wrap her head around how it worked, it definitely wasn’t a healing elixir, but it healed him. When they walked into the pub, there were people passed out over their drinks, playing cards, and one man playing with a little girl.

The man was old, but somehow clean shaven. He had gray hair that barely covered his neck, with scars along his arms. On his lap was the girl from earlier. She poured something into his drink. He drank it, seemed to choke for a second, and sat up as if he was thirty years younger.

Aleah got up and got two drinks and a bowl of stew. The pub hand needed a while to make the stew, so Aleah waited with her thoughts.

Her parents didn’t want her, so they cast her out when she was seven. For the next year she spent her time begging, like the young kid who gave Rain the elixir, but Aleah had nothing to give. Eventually she met a young boy, who came to be Rain. He gave her bread. Not just the one night, but every night. Eventually she was allowed to live with him. Later, she took up sword fighting. Rain’s father was a blacksmith, so it would be easy to get swords. She originally started by stealing them, but Rain’s father started making them for training, not being as sharp as regular swords. He also made a training dummy out of his old mannequin, cutting the torso so that the arms spin when hit. Eventually Rain wanted to start training with her, he never took it seriously though.

Aleah thought she owed him. He gave her food. A home. A family. For some reason however, Rain never asked Aleah for anything. Most of Rain’s family in fact, treated her as if she was there since birth. It was that way until their house burned down. Rain’s mother died, and his father couldn’t be found. Eventually they left town, as brother and sister.

“Two drinks and stew,” said the barkeep, taking the money Aleah laid out for him.

She went back to the table and noticed Rain had left. She saw him over by the bar, talking to the man and the girl.

“Oh my friend and I are travelers, going from town to town doing what we can,” Rain said to the man.

“So have I. Little Lucinda here picks flowers and grasses, mixing them with bugs and lizards. She once made an elixir that burned down a tree when she poured it on the ground,” the man said.

“That’s a special talent,” Rain replied, “Aleah, come here.”

Aleah walked over, “Hello,” she said very matter-of-factly.

“This is Duane, he’s the caretaker of the girl who gave me that elixir,” said Rain. Not a very good one, Aleah thought. Letting a child as young as Lucinda probably wouldn’t end well, then again she did have potions.

“We ar’ also travelers, like the two of you, just not as skill at keeping bandits away I’m afraid,” He said. Aleah couldn’t help but notice that Duane spoke with an accent.

“Where are you going to next?” Rain asked.

“Oh jus’ one of the coastal towns, they have a certain type of material there that would help me make a project I’m working on.”

“What is it?”

“I’m making a sword that will not break, and would be able to cut any material softer than Diamond.”

“I want it.” Rain spoke bluntly, which he would do in some occasions.

“I have no use for it, but I need something in return.” Duane couldn’t use a sword. They were too small for his hands, and too light for his liking. The last time he used one he lost grip and got it stuck in a tree, the same tree Lucinda had burn down.

“My sister and I will travel with you, and protect you from bandits.”

“Alright,” said Duane.

“Rain, come here,” Aleah ordered.

They walked back over to their table.

“We are not going with them are we?” Aleah sternly asked.

“Duane seems like a good man, even for a Nordic, plus my sword is halfway to breaking and can’t be swung right.”

“You can’t swing a sword right if it was controlling you. We don’t need a sword, we need money.”

Although Rain enjoyed traveling, seeing new towns and meeting new people, he hated the in-between moments. The forests and roads were boring, and became quite lonely, They never had enough money to buy lots of food, and both of them were horrible with a bow. They usually were starving on their adventures, but they learned to live with it.

“If you need supplies I could pay for them,” Duane said.

“See? We can trust him, plus your sword is going to break soon, might as well get a new one. All we have to do is go on a trip with a father and his daughter.”

“Fine, we’ll go. We’re still training on the road though,” She knew she wouldn’t be able to convince him otherwise, so she gave up.

“Duane, we’ll do it,” said Rain without hesitation.

“Great, anything you’ll need I can try and get to you,” Duane said. The little girl came back.

“Are they coming with us Duane?” She asked.

“Yes they are Lucy, I’m going shopping with the sister first, so the brother will ‘ave to take care of you,” Duane said, “What are your names anyway?”

“I’m Rain, shorty here is Aleah,” Rain said, pointing at Aleah. Although she was only six inches shorter, he acted like she was a child without a growth spurt.

“‘right, Rain take care of her. Anything happens to her I will kill you o’er. Aleah and I will go get some supplies.”