19 Would it kill you to be a little less cryptic

Julian's strength and circuits were both failing him. The Blueiron armor was eating into a mana reserve that frankly no longer existed. And the soles of his feet were sore. Trying to pretend like he wasn't out of breath, Julian grimaced at Leonel's long strides.

"So what kind of hunting dogs were you talking about again?" He bit out between panting breaths.

Leonel slowed a bit. His towering figure was on top of a slight slop of forest ground and he felt a bit sorry when he looked down and saw the frail doctor grasping his knees, hunched over. Unthinking, he held out a hand. "Dogs of a similar nature to myself. You know the type, I'm sure."

Julian gripped onto the outstretched hand and allowed the Inquisitor to pull him over the slope. Home felt so close yet so far. "Would it kill you to be a little less cryptic and bit easier to follow?"

Blue eyes rolled at the doctor's jabbing complaints. "Inquisitors. Are being lead right to Motsven, because of some stupid innate mage. I'm sure you've already picked up a scent of that rumor floating around. It wouldn't surprise me."

"Okay…Let me get this straight," Julian hummed, jogging a little to keep up with Leonel's steps, only to end up stumbling a bit when his right leg failed him. Amazingly, Leonel was as solid as a brick wall and didn't even react when he leaned against the taller man.

"There's this SUPER scary innate mage that popped up in Fauster. And several Inquisitors were dispatched because of this mage. And then somehow this little mage escaped from a whole hound of Inquisitors…and is now running to Motsven. The dead man we ran into was that innate mage's protector but he's now dead because of your Inquisitor friends. Tell me, my dearest Leonel, just where do you fit in, in this whole picture?"

Julian was answered with a scoff, a strong arm wound around his waist to help him balance off that right leg. His flesh was already sizzling beneath the heat of the Blue Stone, sweating beaded on his brow from the pain. Julian trembled slightly but maintained an easy-going smile that seemed to put Leonel off.

"I'm just me," Leonel grumbled. But after a pause he finally said, "I…don't know. I might be in trouble."

"So…you MIGHT be in trouble with your fellow Inquisitors. Is that was you're saying?"

This time he was silent and nodded slightly to Julian's words. This guy was getting more interesting by the moment. He snickered a little, "Is that why you're sticking to me without worrying that I'm a mage?"

"Don't think so highly of yourself, idiot." Leonel clicked his tongue, "I just happen to not being a total insensitive dick, that's all."

"Could have fooled me." The forest was slowly parting, Julian could almost make out the outline of his hut behind the trees.

"Only because you haven't met other Inquisitors."

Julian's head tilted back in laughter, "Of course, if I were comparing a mangy stray to a pack of starving wolves, the stray would seem pleasant, wouldn't it?"

Leonel was struck with annoyance, the corner of his lips twitched. Out of an act of both retaliation and convenience he swooped down and swept the doctor off his feet, and carried him over the shoulder like a good old sack of potatoes.

A high pitched screech was won out of the doctor's lips, followed by a string agitated protests, "Put me down at once! My waist, ow, my waist is going to break in two. Ow, ow, ow! It damned hurts you dog brained idiot. Argh, do you know what karma is? Probably not but allow me to explain…"

Unbeknownst to Leonel, Julian was truly in a lot of pain. The way the young man's hand wound tightly around his thigh was just pressing it more against the burning Blue Stone, eating into the circuit scars on that leg.

He hammered the Inquisitor's back like a stolen bride which only earned a chiding spank against the buttocks. Julian squeaked, "How dare you? Do you even understand what you're doing? Do you really think my mother would approve of a man like you? Though in truth, she never did quite approve of my existence in the first place but that's besides the point!"

Whatever point Julian was even blabbering about, it went in through one ear and out the other. Leonel sighed in relief, finally able to travel at a faster pace now that the cripple was slung over his shoulder. But his relief was short-lived because when he came upon Julian's hut, there was a teenage girl waiting for them outside.

Her blond hair was brown from dirt, matted with tangles. Though she was wearing boy's clothing it was easy determine her sex, even with all the mess of mud and blood crusted over the fabric. Despite her unsightly appearance there was fire in her eyes when she looked up at Leonel.

There were flecks of gold in her eyes, shining. Leonel held his breath, a visceral hatred simmered. The last time he saw eyes like that were on the terrible visage of the Dethroned Mage King. It took him a moment to remind himself the person in front of him was not his most hated enemy, and just some random little girl.

The hand tightened on Julian's thigh which made him kick in protest, "You undignified beast!" He howled, unaware of the girl that now stood in front of Leonel, "How dare you treat your bride this way? Be gentle! I'm delicate and frail! What if you ruin me before we've even had our first night together? What would your father say about that?" Julian continued to shamelessly spew, hoping that his nonsense would encourage the young man to finally put him down.

The girl's expression quickly changed from determined and excited to disgust and judgemental.

Both annoyance and embarrassment smacked Leonel square in the chest. He threw the doctor down as though the man was just a bag of trash.

"Ow! What part of being gentle did you not understand? I'm old!" Julian hissed as he rubbed his poor abused hip. It was then he noticed the girl that was standing before them.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Awkwardness was amok. Julian squinted at the girl and fixed his glasses. Though her features were obscured with dirt, he knew for a fact that he hadn't seen that young face before. She was not from the village. And her bright, shining eyes were telling of her power.

But Julian was already annoyed with strays, and Leonel had stretched both his patience and hospitality thin.

Julian did not get up from his seated position but that didn't stop him from crossing his arm and tilting his chin up in a haughty fashion, "If you think I'm going to bandage you up for free then think again!"

The girl blinked, snapping out of her earlier stupor. She looked at the doctor, her thin lips hung open and then closed. She shook herself out of the embarrassment and cleared her throat, "No I…I'm not here for that."

Julian narrowed his eyes at her. Most of the blood that coated her clothes were not her own. But the cut on her shoulder was deep and just asking to be infected, along with all the other little cuts and scrapes that litters her arms. "Oh really now?"

She shook her head again before looking up at the tall Inquisitor. "No, I'm here to speak with the Ferryman."

Julian uncrossed his arms and stared up at the silent man that stood next to him. He asked curiously, "The Ferryman, you say?"

Leonel's blue eyes narrowed, frown pulling downward further.

The girl nodded. "My name is Illysa Caneth, daughter of the viscount of Fauster. My mother and Jordan told me that the Ferryman could help me. They told me to find the bright-eyed Inquisitor."