"Take cover!"

Korax's call was enough for Duris to take out his shield, which blocked an arrow meant to hit his chest. Another arrow pierced the tree next to him. Not wanting to be without cover any longer, he threw himself forward, collapsing on the ground behind a collapsed tree trunk. Ranri and Korax were both quick to join him by his cover. The rest of their fellowship took cover at the trees on the edge of the forest.

The group had traveled in peace for several hours and were about to leave a forest when the first arrow landed on the ground. They were under attack by a group of centaurs on the hills far ahead. The attack came without warning, something that struck Duris as odd. Yet, there was no reasoning with them now. He took out his crossbow and looked over the tree trunk he hid behind. There was no other cover between them and the centaurs. There were only five centaurs but they held many advantages already.

"Give us th' order an' we'll follow it!" Ranri encouraged Duris.

"Let's think about it before we go to battle," Duris looked back towards the trees his companions hid behind. "I don't think they've hit any of us yet but we won't make it to them without taking some arrows."

"I think I can hit them from here," Cyrene said, already taking aim with her longbow.

"Me too!" Halius joined in. "This is good. We don't have to worry about getting hit now!"

"Before you give an order, might I make my own suggestion?" Korax asked..

"Do so," Duris nodded.

"We fall back and find another way to Estoria."

"There he goes again!" Phoebe grunted. "Do you think we can't take a group of centaurs?"

"We most definitely can defeat them," Korax acknowledged. "I don't think any of us would have died even if we charged toward them. I'm not worried about them. There's only one reason to think that centaurs would attack us, and that's if they're part of a war band."

"So there's more of them?" Duris asked.

Korax nodded. "I believe so."

"We'll be long gone before they find us," Phoebe pointed out.

"I don't think the war band is here for us," Korax continued. "If they knew about us, they would have sent more than five archers at us. I think this is a rear guard or a scouting force. That's not important. What is important is that if the war band isn't after us, there's only one thing in the area that they could be after."

"Estoria," Duris said, coming to the realization.

"We attack these centaurs, and when they don't report in, the war band might jump to the wrong conclusion and besiege Estoria," Korax said. "We'll still make it to Estoria before nightfall. Let's not put the city at risk."

"I agree. Fall back to the forest!"

"Fall back te th' forest!" Ranri repeated Duris's orders, then fell back with his shield protecting himself.

It was easy for the group to retreat. Most of the group was already at the treeline, so they just ran backwards. Duris and Korax had a small gap to cover but with their shields they were able to make it to safety. If the centaurs intended to chase after and attack, there was no sign that they would do so. Duris called for the group to assemble by him.

"We're still heading to Estoria," Duris announced. "Tellek, I want you to find another road there."

"You want me to do so?" Tellek asked in surprise. The centaur had recovered from his fight with Halius although he still had clean bandages over his injuries. "I'm not sure how well I can do with such a task. I'm not much of a scout. I really wasn't one for being outside anyways."

"I'm hoping that if you're spotted by any other centaurs, they'll think twice about shooting you," Duris told him.

"Ah yes," Tellek nodded. "And if they shoot me anyways? I know I have a crossbow but I'm not the best shot either."

"Cyrene will follow you at a distance. The rest of us will stay here and wait for your return."
"Good plan," Ranri said. "Ye all heard th' lad. Let's get te it!"

Duris held back a sigh. Ever since Ranri found out that he was one of the old Dragonlords, he was insistent on following his orders without question. He didn't need anyone to repeat his orders. Yet, he figured that telling him otherwise wouldn't work out for him. He also knew that Ranri would follow him to whoever he decided to talk to while waiting. The dwarf was incredibly loyal but Duris had to admit that he did need time and space for himself.

Tellek and Cyrene left to find another way toward Estoria. The rest of the group took this as an opportunity to rest. Although he could take a few minutes to recover from the amount of walking and the ambush, Duris had other ideas in mind. He knew very little of Estoria or Pythor other than what he overheard of the group. If he was going to lead the Fellowship of Thylea, it would do him good to know more of the present day world. He knew that Kyrah would be more than happy to answer any questions he had but this was also the chance to get to know some of the others of his group.

Phoebe leaned against a tree with her arms crossed. Zyfon sat cross-legged next to her, taking out his flute. Duris approached the two with Ranri following behind him. If anyone would have an idea of what to expect in Estoria, it would be the daughter of the city's king.

"Might I have a word with you, Phoebe?" Duris asked.

"If this is about me wanting to fight the centaurs, I stand by my choice," Phoebe said bluntly.

"No, it's not that-"

Phoebe interrupted Duris. "If it's about my conflict with Argades last night, I stand by my choice."

"It's not that either," Duris shook his head. "Although we should have a talk about that at some point."

"Get on with it already," Phoebe told him.

"Ye would do well not to order a Dragonlord," Ranri said, prompting Phoebe to stand up straight and drop her pose.

"Ranri means no ill will," Duris said, defusing the situation. "I was hoping you could tell me more about Estoria."

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "And why do you think I know anything about Estoria?"

"You're Pythor's daughter, aren't you?" Duris said and quickly realized Phoebe was now glaring at him. "Pythor's the king of Estoria. So surely-"

"I didn't grow up in Estoria," Phoebe said with a shrug. "I'm from a small village in the Heartlands. I've never set foot in Estoria."

"But he's your father, isn't he?" Duris questioned, confused.

"Did you not have any children who never knew their father in your time?" Phoebe rolled her eyes. "If you want to know more about Pythor, let me tell you the kind of man he is. Although he is the God of Battle, all he does is drink and have sex. He is a man of many vices and cares little for the children he spawns."

"Seriously?" Duris asked in disbelief.

"Oh yes," Zyfon stood up next to Phoebe. "There are many stories of Pythor and the lovers he takes. My personal favorite is the time he visited a herd of centaur and-"

"Save the time Pythor slept with centaurs for another time," Phoebe ordered.

Duris blinked in confusion several times before finally regaining his composure. "How about you, Zyfon? Have you ever been to Estoria?"

"Only once," Zyfon tapped his chin in thought. "It's not as grand as Mytros but is still the largest city in this part of the land. Pythor has ruled over the land for over a century, although he's likely the reason Estoria has gone downhill. Still, even though he is likely the reason why Estoria isn't thriving, the people favor him as the king."

"Because who doesn't love someone who pays for drinks from the royal coffers?" Phoebe said with a sigh.

"Or someone who is very open with invites to his chambers," Zyfon added.

Duris covered his mouth with his hand briefly and watched Phoebe nudge Zyfon. "You know, this has been… an interesting conversation, but I think I'll ask Kyrah about Estoria instead. Thank you for the help anyways."

"You go do that," Phoebe leaned back against the tree.

"There ye go again, comin' up with another good idea," Duris chuckled.

If only he went with that idea to begin with, Duris thought. What he learned about Pythor from Phoebe and Zyfon was certainly a lot to take in. At the very least, Pythor was a one-of-a-kind god from what he knows now.

Tellek and Cyrene returned to the group, informing them of a way to Estoria to avoid centaur scouts. The group was back on the road to their destination once more. The centaur led the way over the hills, which soon turned into an exhausting climb. The repetition of going uphill and downhill numbed many of the warrior's minds. Although they had successfully avoided conflict with the war band's scouts, some may say that it didn't make the journey any easier for them.

Argades kept up with the climbing and kept his attention focused. Although he wasn't bored from climbing, he couldn't help but notice how Ranri had left behind his recruits in favor of Duris. The dwarf did his best to keep up with his new friend, even managing to find the energy to ask questions regarding the Dragonlords, even if Duris' memory couldn't recall the answer. It was Ranri who first recruited Argades and Semestra to restore the Dragonlords to glory, and now when faced with a Dragonlord of old, left behind his recruits. He couldn't help but feel a sort of anger over being left behind in such a manner.

"I thought Phoebe turning on me was bad enough," Argades thought out loud. "Now Ranri has abandoned me as well."

Semestra, who carried on behind Argades despite her exhaustion, sighed. "I don't see what the big deal is, really."

"We were his first recruits for the Dragonlords," Argades pointed out. "Now he cares about what Duris has to say and only that."

"He is a Dragonlord. Think about it from Ranri's perspective. All his life he looked up to ancient warriors who made history. Now, he has verifiable proof that one such warrior is here in the present, and now, they're traveling together. What would you do in his place?"

"Not give up on my own ambitions," Argaded shook his head. "When Ranri first recruited me, I figured he intended to lead the Dragonlords himself. Now he expects Duris to do so."

"Since when did you care what Ranri thinks?" Semestra asked. "I always assumed that you followed him to find your own path to greatness."

"And now that is in jeopardy."

"Even though the Oracle said otherwise?"

"The Oracle isn't absolute," Argades answered. "She wasn't definite on if we could beat the Twin Titans. Wait. That's it. That's why Ranri wants to work with Duris instead of me."

"Why's that?" Semestra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ranri has yet to speak with me since the Oracle revealed that Sydon is my grandfather," Argades explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if he thought the same as Phoebe did."

"That's absurd. Ranri has always looked out for you when we traveled together. Only Phoebe cares about your lineage."

"What do you think then?"

"I think that Ranri has found a new friend that he wants to spend time with, much like how you befriended Halius and Mantes last night. Ranri can make his own choices with what he chooses to do. Let him make those choices."

Argades sighed. "Perhaps you're right. I'm just worried about my future, that's all. I think Phoebe might speak for a lot of people in Thylea. How would they react if they found out that one of the new Dragonlords is descended from Sydon? Some of our own group doesn't trust me now."

"Then you must prove yourself," Semestra advised. "Show everyone that you can be trusted through actions, not words. I am sure that you'll be given the chance to do so at some point during our adventure."

Argades nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea, actually. I need to prove my worth to Ranri so that he sees that I should be the Dragonlord's champion, not Duris. Thank you, Semestra."

Semestra paused before speaking. "It's no problem. Anything for a friend."

Determined, Argades pressed onward forward to the hills, leaving Semestra behind. Ranri and his cause was the reason why Argades left Mytros in favor of an adventure. It was his destiny to become a member of the Dragonlords and it was one that he would do whatever it took to fulfill that journey. Thylea would recognize him as a hero if he is the one to vanquish Sydon, his grandfather, once and for all. That's what he had to push himself toward.

The encounter with the centaurs on the hills left Halius thinking to himself throughout the journey. When he joined the Epilektoi of Mytros, his first battle was against a centaur war band. Yet, Korax never explained why they fought the centaurs to begin with. They were enemies, sure, but why they were enemies was not something he knew. If there were centaurs traveling in war bands this close to Estoria, there had to be a reason for the feud.

However, there was nothing stopping Halius from finding out the answers he needed while traveling. It just so happened that they had a centaur in the group who may very well have the answers. Tellek led the group to Estoria, although his attention was dedicated to crafting an item. Halius didn't know what it was, only that it was metal and he needed Ferrous to help. The construct walked alongside Tellek, although it was mainly the centaur that tinkered away. All Ferrous did was hold tools and such as instructed.

Halius approached the two, able to keep pace with them. "Hey Tellek. Could I talk with you?"

Tellek nearly dropped the tools he carried at the surprise, but nodded. "Oh yes, of course. Ferrous, could you hold onto these for me?"

"Understood," Ferrous took the tools and invention from Tellek and held them.

"I guess I should start off by apologizing about this morning," Halius said.

"There's no need to," Tellek told him. "Lutheria is to blame for our feud this morning. She corrupted me in my sleep. I'm thankful that my mind is normal once more, and, well, that I'm not dead, of course."

"Even though we fought, you never struck me as a warrior, unlike the other centaurs I've seen."

"Although my people are mostly nomads, we are a proud race," Tellek explained. "From my elders, I learned that centaurs are the offspring of a stallion that was in truth a mighty titan of war. Many of our warriors wish to be respected because of this."

"So centaurs are descended from Pythor?" Halius asked.

Tellek shook his head. "That story is a legend, but if it were true, it's not Pythor. We centaurs were around before the arrival of the Five Gods. There is some debate on who it could be. Some believe we are descended from Sydon while others think it is another titan lost to time. The debate rages on, although I see better than to debate over myths."

"Is it the centaurs that believe Sydon is their ancestor that attacked us?" Halius questioned.

"Perhaps, although it's more complicated than that," Tellek tapped his chin, pausing to think about his answer. "There are tribes that do worship Sydon and raid villages and cities in his name. However, most tribes worship Thylea, such as the tribe I came from. The answer to the war bands doesn't have much to do with religion as it does with history. The fact remains that when the Dragonlords first arrived, many centaurs were killed as they established their settlements."

"That was five hundred years ago," Halius pointed out. "Why would they hold onto such grudges?"

"As I've said before, my people are prideful," Tellek answered simply. "We hold onto ancient grudges. Or most of us, at least."

"Not you though."

Tellek nodded. "It's like you've said, I'm not much of a warrior. I always preferred the lessons of my elders to that of martial training, but I thought that there's more to learn. It's why I traveled to Mytros to begin with. Although I did have trouble fitting in and the people did distrust me, it was worth it."

"We may end up fighting your people," Halius muttered. "There's that war band that could be threatening Estoria."

"It's not like you all had problems fighting those humans back in the Temple of the Oracle," Tellek shrugged. "I intend to stand by my choice to travel with this group against the Twin Titans, no matter who it is that we face."

"That's good to hear," Halius smiled. "And even though you're not much of a warrior, you're smart and talented. If you had used any of your alchemy in your fight against me rather than your hooves, I'd be done for."

Tellek chuckled. "Let's be thankful that Lutheria's madness blocked intelligent thoughts like that. In the meantime, I have another invention to work on. A tool that I think would benefit someone in our group that I've learned from my studies in Mytros."

"I'll leave you to that then. Thank you for answering my questions."

"Of course. If you have any other questions about centaurs, please feel free to talk to me."

Tellek returned to his tinkering, taking his tools back from Ferrous to get back to work. After the conversation, Halius felt like he knew more about not just the centaurs but Tellek as well. Tellek was young just as Halius and his friends were. He was an outsider to the settlers but didn't let them slow him down. Halius was glad to have someone as smart as Tellek with the group. He couldn't wait to see what he was making in action against Sydon's minions.

The sun was starting to set when the group first saw Estoria, found within a rocky gorge and next to a river, in the distance. Duris saw small villages and could even remember glimpses of the settlements he protected long ago. Estoria was unlike anything he had ever seen before though. Even though Zyfon said the city was in decline, it was by far the largest and most fortified sign of civilization he had seen in his travels so far. Stone walls surround the settlement with a military fort to the far side of Estoria on the north. Even at this hour, merchants and visitors traveled to the closest gate on the south side of the city.

Although he left the fight before the war was over, Duris couldn't help but feel a sense of pride from seeing Estoria. This was what the Dragonlords fought for: a place for the settlers in Thylea. This would be what he fought for in the present. If Sydon and Lutheria were intent on destroying Estoria, the walls and soldiers alone would not be able to stop them. He had to in order to make up for not seeing Estoria rise to the city it is now.

With civilization in sight, the group traveled on more eagerly. Many of the adventurers were tired from their travels and looked forward to sleeping in a bed for once. The only one who wasn't excited to arrive in Estoria was Phoebe. By now, everyone knew of her problem with Pythor, and by extension, Estoria. Yet, this city would serve as the staging ground for the heroes to commit the tasks given to them by the Oracle. There was no turning back now.

The soldiers stationed at the southern gate let anyone pass at will. The guards checked in with travelers briefly but there was no extensive search of one's belongings. While waiting for his turn, Duris took notice of a merchant caravan that came to rest. It wasn't goods that the merchants traveled with but animals. Yet, Duris could tell that the oxen they had were not of good health. There was hardly anything to them other than skin and bone. One merchant of the caravan took notice of Duris' suspicious glance and sighed. He approached the adventurer cautiously.

"You don't have to worry about the quality of meat on the oxen I have," the merchant informed Duris. "They are to be sacrificed to Sydon."

"You're sacrificing animals to the titans?" Duris gasped. "Why? Surely sacrifices in Estoria would go to Pythor."

"You must be new to Estoria," the merchant chuckled weakly. "You haven't heard of the drought that Sydon placed upon the land of Estoria. Pythor has ordered that all animals are to be sacrificed to Sydon in order to appease him, although from what I've heard, only the sacrifice of Anora, Pythor's daughter, will end the drought."

"That's terrible," Duris sighed. "Thank you for telling me this. Perhaps there's something to be done."

"Hopefully," the merchant shrugged, resigned to the demands..

Duris realized that ending the drought was his chance to strike a blow against Sydon and make an ally of a god. He knew that even with his magic he lacked the power to end the drought; the same could be said of his allies. Yet, perhaps there was another way. If there was, he would need to learn more details, and the best place to find such information was from Pythor himself.

The adventurers finally made it through the south gate and into the city. With Duris agreeing to his request, Korax started to divide the fellowship up into smaller groups as there was no inn that could take on a group their size. Duris took the opportunity to pull Kyrah goddess posed a poet once more as to not draw attention to herself. If there was anyone who would be able to arrange a meeting with a king, it'd be her. She was the king's sister after all.

"We've come a long way," Kyrah said, looking throughout Estoria. "Do you have another question about the city?"

Duris shook his head. "It's getting late but I was hoping that you could arrange a meeting with Pythor for tomorrow."

"I definitely can," Kyrah answered with a smile. "Anything to help out, given that there's only so much I can do with the Oath of Peace. Now, I'm sure I could just talk him into it but that wouldn't make for a good story. Instead, perhaps he should extend an invitation to you."

"And how do you intend to do that?" Duris asked, curious as to what she had in mind.

"I'm sure that once word spreads in Estoria that the Oracle's chosen heroes have arrived, my brother would be more than happy to invite them to his palace," Kyrah grinned. "Just give me the rest of the night and I'll tell every tavern of your story so far."

"That could work," Duris nodded. "You could invite Zyfon as well. I'm sure he can help."

"I'll ask him at once," Kyrah told him. "Until then, enjoy the rest of your night. You and the others have definitely earned the break."

With a bow of his head, Duris watched Kyrah dash to speak with Zyfon. Her plan would work. By tomorrow, the fellowship would have a meeting with Pythor and be well on their way to the next part of their adventure. Until then, Duris was content with a warm meal and bed at an inn.

A/N: Not much to say about this chapter. There's some character bonding and world building, so while it may just be a way for the story to transition from one location to the next, it serves a purpose.

Now, we're close to the point where the characters will make it to level three. I think it would be fun that in future author notes to discuss details about their character sheets. If you have any suggestions on who it should be, feel free to mention it in a review. I'll go by first come, first serve. If no one takes interest in this, I'll randomly select one of the characters.

Until next time.