Legacy of Fire: Howl of the Carrion King Chapter 1: Sultan's Claw, a pathfinder rpg fanfic

"We're close to our destination. I imagine that we'll arrive at the Sultan's Claw before the sun sets."

Zalerian nodded at the words of his employer but was too focused on the sight ahead of him. The Pale Mountains in the distance were majestic and awe-worthy, even if the haze of the setting sun made the peaks difficult to see. Gazing upon the Pale Mountains reminded the young man that he had traveled for a long time in pursuit of adventure. Traveling to Katapesh was part of his first assignment as part of the Pathfinder Society, the Confirmation test that would promote him from initiate to Pathfinder, and he was determined not to fail.

Mounted on a camel to travel across the desert dunes, Zalerian rode behind Garavel. Although he was the one who hired the group, Garavel did so as a representative of a merchant princess that acted in the interests of the Pactmasters of Katapesh. Although he was older than the adventurers he hired with his black hairline receding under his keffiyeh and his goatee showing white hair, Zalerian had a feeling that there was more to his employer than meets the eye. Unfortunately, Garavel was serious and focused on leading the way to meet with the rest of the expedition and offered little details on what kind of life he lived.

What Garavel did share was what was expected from the group he hired. The Pactmasters of Katapesh were interested in restoring Kelmarane, an abandoned battle market village occupied by gnoll brigands. They sent a caravan to help rebuild it but the task of reclaiming the village wouldn't be simple. Rather than risk lives in an all out battle against the gnolls, it was decided that a special team of capable specialists would weaken the village's defenses and lead the efforts into clearing it. With a letter of recommendation from the Grand Lodge, Zalerian was able to join the team assigned to clear Kelmarane.

While Zalerian didn't carry any weapons on him and wore no armor, he was still a capable fighter. Before he joined the Pathfinder Society, he traveled across Varisia with a band of nomads. It was from his fellow nomads that Zalerian learned how to dance as a young boy, and as he grew older, he learned how to use the movements of a dance to fight. The martial arts he practiced was a unique part of his culture and helped him stand out as a new initiate in the Pathfinder Society. While studying at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, Zalerian read different scrolls and learned about ki and the various techniques he could call upon. While he had yet to unlock such power for himself, he was still capable in a fight and the right choice to join the specialist team.

Over the past week of traveling, Zalerian had gotten to know the members of the specialist team that he was expected to fight along with in Kelmarane. Riding on the camel directly behind him was Belash, who was likely the strongest warrior of the team. Belash was a half-orc with short black hair, pale eyes, and dark green skin. He only wore a sleeveless chain shirt and pair of trousers that showed off his bulky build. Belash kept his only weapon, a large double-bladed greataxe, holstered behind his back, and Zalerian could see the warrior cutting down many foes in battle. Despite his intimidating appearance, Belash was a jovial man and he kept the group entertained with stories of the fights he had been involved in.

Riding by Belash was Teshak Bashemi, the youngest member of the specialist team. Although Teshak was seventeen, Zalerian worried that he was too young for the violence expected to free Kelmarane. With light tanned skin, dark hair and a slim build covered by robes, Teshak earned his spot on the team with his magic (although he also kept a dagger holstered at his side). The young sorcerer wasn't exactly sure where his magic came from but he was gifted with the ability to manipulate water. Belash, who was only a few months older than Teshak, took the sorcerer under his wing and looked out for Teshak whenever he could.

Behind Belash and Teshak was Emra, a woman that was unlike anyone Zalerian had seen before. With orange skin and yellow eyes marking her ifrit heritage, Emra stood out in the team. She was a follower of Sarenrae and had joined the expedition to Kelmarane to help establish a new church in the area, and with a scimitar at her side, she was prepared to fight the gnolls along with her companions. Emra played the role of peacekeeper among the group, helping to defuse the few conflicts that emerged during the journey. Truth be told, Zalerian found himself attracted to Emra, although he hadn't shared that secret with anyone else. She was fairly attractive with her dark hair partially covering the left side of her face and her armor showing off her toned body. Aside from her appearances, Zalerian spent a lot of time with Emra, realizing that she was energetic and outgoing, and spent many nights listening to the stories she had to share of Katapesh's legends while the group set up camp.

Covering the rear of the group were the last two members of the specialist team. They were both brought in given their gnoll expertise but they did not get along with each other at all. Melkia Tammavo, a half-elf huntress from Solku, had made a name for herself when it came to hunting down gnolls. With a bow and quiver holstered behind her back and a dagger sheathed by her side, Zalerian could tell that she was deadly. Melkia was cold and aloof when it came to interacting with the others, and with a tan keffiyeh concealing her features aside from her curly black hair, there was an element of mystery about her. She wasn't friendly, and even though she was blunt, she took care not to make enemies of the others she traveled with aside from the other gnoll expert.

Zalerian wasn't sure how wise of an idea it was to recruit a gnoll into a group that included someone who hunted gnolls but his employers thought it was a good decision. Arguk wasn't like what Zalerian expected of gnolls. His yellow eyes didn't show any violent intention and the gray-furred gnoll was surprisingly calm throughout the journey. He kept two scimitars at his side and a spotted hyena named Trax trotted alongside the camel he rode. Melkia made it clear that she didn't trust Arguk, and while she hated gnolls, she rode by his side to keep a close eye on him. For his part, Arguk kept to himself and spent the nights by his own tent with Trax. Zalerian had only tried to speak with Arguk twice during the journey and came to see him as a reasonable gnoll.

When the camel caravan climbed over the next hill, Zalerian made out a dense tree on the next hill over, marking the meeting spot. He could see why the area was called Sultan's Claw as the tree had five immense branches that were mostly without leaves that stretched out as though the tree were a talon. The caravan would meet with the rest of the group meant to liberate Kelmarane over the next hill and Zalerian couldn't wait. Although they would have to rest when the sun set, he looked forward to seeing where the adventure would take him and his companions tomorrow.

Garavel led the way over the hill and gasped. Zalerian was the next to spot what the older man had seen and looked on in horror. Among the central tend and half-dozen wagons gathered below, an elaborate wagon with painted moons and stars on its side had been engulfed by fire. The men and women of the camp rushed around the campsite, trying to herd the different animals that had escaped their pens as well as forming a bucket line to put the fire out. A sudden burst of wind blew toward the group, and from the burning wagon, several flaming cards flew out. One card even struck Teshak, who had rode to the top of the hill with Belash, in the chest, but the embers on the card had gone out.

"Quickly," Garavel told the adventurers without emotion as he dismounted from his camel. "If the fire spreads, it could jeopardize the entire operation."

Zalerian dismounted from his camel along with his companions and dashed down the hill. He caught a quick glimpse of Teshak pocketing the card that flew his way before turning back to the campsite. There was no saving the immolated wagon but it was important to put out the flames which risked spreading to the nearest wagon. A regal woman wearing white emerged from the tent and started to shout out commands to the others around the campsite, instilling order despite the panic the fire brought.

"Put out that fire!" the woman directed the men with buckets closest to the fire before turning to face Garavel and the adventurers. "Garavel, just in the nick of time as usual."

"Lady Almah," Garavel bowed his head before joining the men in forming a bucket line.

Almah turned to face the adventurers. "Don't just stand there! Find a way to help!"

Zalerian didn't need to be told twice, and although he lacked the skills to make much of a difference, ran up next to Garavel to join the bucket line. For her part, Almah stood by Zalerian's side, helping to pass buckets of water towards the burning wagon. The bucket line was a slow process at first until Teshak stepped up to face the fire, making elaborate signs with his hands. The sorcerer conjured waves of water that slammed into the caravan, helping to put out flames. Although he panted in exhaustion after conjuring four waves, Teshak had done significant work with putting out the wagon fire, giving the bucket line a chance to finish the task.

While passing buckets along to Garavel, Zalerian took a quick glance around the camp to see what the others were up to. Belash joined a group of four men by the wagon nearest to the fire, helping them pull it away so that it wouldn't catch on fire. Arguk and Melkia focused on guiding the goats that had escaped in the chaos. The two didn't get along but Zalerian admitted that they were similar when it came to their skills as they were able to calm down the animals with ease. Finally, his gaze fell upon Emra, who knelt by a woman who had been burnt, tending to her injuries with wet cloth to assist an elderly man in tending to the injured. Zalerian was so caught up watching Emra that he nearly dropped the bucket Almah handed him but recovered in time to pass it along to Garavel while the pail was still full of water.

It didn't take too long to put out the wagon that had been set on fire, and with the animals tended to and the other flammable wagons away, the camp settled back into an uneasy peace. Zalerian sighed in relief, and while he thought his role in helping out was minor compared to what his companions were capable of, he was glad to have helped out however he could. He made his way to Teshak, patting the exhausted sorcerer on the back. Teshak stood up a little straighter with the other adventurers walking forward to group up. Almah and Garavel looked over the burnt wagon before they both turned to face the adventurers.

"I'm glad to see for myself how competent all of you are," Almah told the group and sighed. "It's a shame that Eloais perished but it was too late to save him. You all did well given the short notice."

"It was no problem at all," Emra bowed her head. "The others that were injured should be able to recover in time."

"How did the fire start?" Melkia asked, glancing at the remains of the wagon.

"That I do not know," Almah answered with a frown. "We'll need to find out what happened before nightfall though."

"You suspect sabotage then," Arguk said, his words more a statement than a question.

Almah nodded. "I'm afraid I do. Anyone at the camp could be a suspect. Garavel didn't arrive with you all until after the fire broke out so I know I can trust you to handle this investigation."

"We'd be glad to help," Zalerian told Almah.

"Then I'll leave you to it," Almah said. "You'll report your findings to Garavel. If you discover who set the fire, we'll decide on a plan from there."

"Let's not waste any time then," Belash told the other adventurers. "The sooner we get done, the sooner we can rest after a long journey."

Belash led the way to the burnt wagon with Arguk, Emra, Melkia, and Trax following behind him. Garavel stepped aside with Almah, speaking quietly with her away from the adventurers. It made sense to investigate where the fire first started and Zalerian took a step in that direction when he noticed Teshak reach into his pockets. He looked at the young sorcerer, who pulled out a card from his pocket. Remembering that the card flew from the wagon while it was on fire, Zalerian stepped next to Teshak and looked over his shoulder. The card was singed but he recognized the design of the card, which depicted a burning tornado with an evil face across it.

"I wasn't expecting to see a card from a Harrow deck in Katapesh," Zalerian commented.

Teshak looked over his shoulder with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"A Harrow deck is a tool used by fortune tellers in Varisia, where I'm originally from," Zalerian explained. "They can tell events of the past, the present, and the future. I've seen my fair share of fortunes told with Harrow cards but they aren't common outside of Varisia."

"Maybe Eloais was from Varisia?" Teshak suggested before holding up the card to Zalerian. "Do you know what this card means?"

"I do," Zalerian nodded. "It's the Cyclone and it's rather an ominous card. I don't know what it means in this case but the Cyclone typically represents destructive plans."

"Much like a fire," Teshak pointed out, and after a moment of hesitation, held the card out to Zalerian. "Here. Take it."

"Are you sure?" Zalerian asked. "It came to you."

"I was just in the right place at the right time," Teshak shook his head. "You know more about this card than I do. You should hold onto it."

Zalerian saw the logic behind Teshak's reasoning and claimed the card. The sorcerer stepped away to join the others, leaving the Varisian to look at the card. He didn't think that the Cyclone was a clue on who started the fire but the fact it flew out of the burning wagon and toward him and his companions must have meant something. He would have to think about its meaning later. For now, Zalerian pocketed the card and stepped up to join the others, ready to help in the investigation and discover whoever set the fire.

Zalerian and Teshak caught up with the others in their group to find that not a lot remained of the wagon. Trax sat outside of the wagon, standing guard for the adventurers. Belash and Melkia went through clearing the scene and gathering what survived the fire such as shattered glass and a cracked crystal orb. Arguk and Emra looked over the charred skeleton which was what was left of Eloais. Zalerian closed his eyes at the sight of the remains, taking a deep breath to harden his nerves. Although he knew that death would be common in his new line of work, it didn't make the sight any more easy to take in. He forced himself to open his eyes although he turned his gaze toward Emra, focusing on her rather than the burnt corpse.

"The fire or smoke killed him," Arguk said with a frown. "There's not a lot left but I'm not seeing any signs of struggle."

"I believe you're right," Emra nodded in agreement and turned away from the corpse. "There doesn't appear to be any damage to the body aside from the obvious."

"But how did the fire start?" Zalerian asked.

"Maybe it was an accident," Belash suggested, although he didn't sound convinced. "There's burnt wax from the candles. Maybe they caught something on fire and it spread."

"I don't think our employer is going to accept that as an answer," Melkia shrugged. "Someone's taking the blame for this."

"We're not going to find anything else here," Arguk told the rest of the group. "The fire burned away anything that could tell us what really happened."

"Maybe someone around camp saw something," Emra said, tapping her chin in thought. "We could split up and ask around for anything suspicious."

"I guess that's the only plan we have," Belash nodded in agreement. "I think I impressed some of the mercenary guards by pushing a wagon away from the fire. They might open up to me."

"Zalerian, you could talk to Almah since you know a little about fortune telling," Teshak suggested quietly. "She may know if anyone has a grudge against Eloais."

"I think I can do that," Zalerian said with a nod.

"And I can speak with the healers," Emra offered. "We should stick with pairs for now. Melkia, would you like to come with me?"

Melkia nodded silently while Teshak spoke up. "I'd like to go with Zalerian."

"Then that leaves Belash and myself as the final pair," Arguk said. "Let's see what we can find out."

With a plan decided on, the adventurers set out from the burnt wagon with Arguk whistling for Trax to join him and Belash. Zalerian and Teshak walked by each other toward Almah and Garavel. Without any solid leads, they would need to learn if Eloais had any enemies or anyone that would want to kill him. As the merchant princess in charge of the effort to secure Kelmarane, it was possible that Almah knew something about Eloais that could help narrow down the list of suspects.

Although Almah was his employer, this had been the first time Zalerian and the rest of the group had met her. Now that he was approaching her, he could tell that she was young, likely around his age, with a fairly attractive appearance. She wore a white keffiyeh that covered the back of her head down toward her back. A black braid extended out from her headdress that fell down toward her dark robes. Something about Almah seemed familiar to Zalerian, and after some thought, he could recognize that although she was born in Katapesh, she had Varisian ancestry. He was surprised to find reminders of his home in a distant land.

Almah and Garavel turned to face the adventurers with the merchant princess speaking up. "You're back so soon. Did you find anything?"

Zalerian shook his head. "I'm afraid that the fire made it impossible to find out who or what caused it."

"We were hoping that you can tell us more about Eloais," Teshak said. "We're trying to find out if there's anyone in camp that would try to set his wagon on fire."

"I'll tell you what I know, Almah said with a nod. "I hired Eloais about a month ago as a fortune teller."

"He's been performing harrowings for you then?" Zalerian asked.

Almah was surprised for a moment before nodding. "How did you know?"

"One of his cards flew out during the fire," Zalerian explained and took out the card of the Cyclone. "I'm from Varisia so I knew what it was when I saw it."

"Now that you mention it, I can see the distinction," Almah commented. "Yes, he performed several harrowings for me. I felt that having someone at my side who came from the land of my ancestors was right. He was a good friend."

"Could the fire relate to the harrowings?" Teshak asked.

"I don't think so," Almah shook her head. "His last reading did end on the same card you carry now but I don't think there was any real magic to the ritual."

"There's some truth with a harrowing," Zalerian said, not masking his reverence for the tradition. "Anything you can tell us may help."

"I suppose I can trust you with this," Almah said. "The harrowings had been more grim."

"Does this relate to our work in Kelmarane?" Teshak questioned, frowning. "Is this a hint of what our future holds?"

Almah nodded and sighed. "He said that Kelmarane was a small part to play in something larger. Eloais called it the Legacy of Fire."

"I've never heard of something like that," Zalerian said and Teshak nodded in agreement.

"No one in camp has," Almah told the adventurers. "I wish there was more I could do to help but I'm not sure if anyone could have harmed Eloais. If you'll excuse me, but the camel drivers wanted to talk to me about a missing animal. If anything changes, Garavel will let me know."

"Of course," Zalerian nodded. "Take care."

Almah stepped aside, leaving the two adventurers to contemplate what Eloais' final fortune meant. Zalerian wondered if there was more to his work to defeating the gnolls at Kelmarane than he let on. Before he could think more, Garavel coughed into his arm, having stayed behind. The two adventurers turned to the majordomo to listen to what he had to say.

"I do not trust Dashki," Garavel told the two quietly. "He's one of the experts on gnolls that Lady Almah hired. If anyone is capable of murder in this camp, it would be him."

And with that said, Garavel stepped away before giving the adventurers a chance to ask any questions. Zalerian and Teshak turned to face each other, taken aback by Garavel's suspicions.

"I suppose we have a suspect," Teshak said.

"Indeed we do," Zalerian nodded. "Let's ask around and see if we can find this Dashki…"

Arguk sat by the camp's feast-fire where several of the mercenary guards had gathered to eat. He left Belash to handle the talking as the warrior exchanged jokes and stories with a group of four men that all laughed along with his tales. Arguk ran a hand over Trax's back, listening in on the conversation. He felt that Belash had done a lot of work getting the men to trust them and that the mercenaries may not be willing to open up to a gnoll.

"...and that's when they knew not to mess with me," Belash finished his story of his time spent in a gladiator arena, where he had intimidated several of his opponents by wrestling against a fierce lion.

The men clapped. "No wonder you've been picked to do all of the heavy lifting in Kelmarane. With you leading the way, there's no way we can fail."

"If only I had gotten here sooner," Belash said with a sigh. "Maybe I could have saved Eloais from that fire."

"Then the merchant princess would have been pleased," one of the mercenaries, his cheeks red from heavy drinking, said. "I bet she and that fortune teller were doing more than 'reading cards' if you know what I mean."

"They were lovers?" Belash questioned, blinking in surprise.

The second mercenary, more sober, shook his head and shoved his drunk friend lightly. "They were close but there wasn't anything going on between them, romantically or sexually."

"Not that it stopped Dashki from thinking otherwise," a third man added. "Dashki's obsessed with Almah."

"Who's Dashki?" Belash questioned.

"Some creep who knows a lot about those monstrous gnolls," the second mercenary answered and glanced toward Arguk. "Err, slip of the tongue."

"It happens," Arguk said with a nod, not glancing in the man's direction. "Where was Dashki when the fire started?"

The men looked around between themselves with the third man speaking up. "He wasn't around the feast fire with us. That's for sure."

"I thought I saw him sulking around somewhere, watching the wagon before the fire started," the fourth mercenary offered. "He didn't do much to help out when the fire started."

Arguk turned to look at Belash. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking of?"

"I am," Belash nodded, keeping his attention focused on the mercenaries. "How about you tell us where we can find Dashki?"

"It's a shame about what happened to Eloais. I thought that he was a charlatan with his cards but he was an intelligent man. I enjoyed our conversations over poetry and music, something which I can hardly discuss with some of the mercenaries. I will miss him."

Emra nodded. "He sounds like someone who would have been a good friend. I hope we can find out what happened to him, and if necessary, deal with whoever was responsible."

Father Zastoran nodded in agreement and sighed at the thought of Eloais' death. The elderly man was a priest of Nethys, and although he followed a different god than Emra, they got along well enough. Father Zastoran was thankful for Emra's effort in helping tend to the injured during the fire and was open to her conversation when she and Melkia found him still tending to the injured. The two mercenaries weren't at risk of dying but the priest did what he could to tend to their injuries.

Melkia didn't care much to ask questions and stood away from Emra and Father Zastoran so that she could listen in on the conversation. She didn't care much for religious matters, and while she understood that the gods were real and powerful, she didn't think them worthy of worship. Melkia couldn't stand the thought of such powerful beings doing nothing when the people of the world suffered. Emra could handle the questioning on her own while Melkia kept an eye out. There was a man on the edge of camp that she didn't like the look of.

"I wonder if anyone could be responsible," Father Zastoran pondered. "I was in my wagon, reading, when the fire broke out, and I heard that all of the mercenaries were eating by the feast fire. Dashki wasn't though. I didn't see where he was."

"Dashki?" Emra asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"He was brought along to help tell Lady Almah about the gnolls in the area," Father Zastoran explained with a frown. "I tell you that anyone who skulks around a nice woman such as her rarely has good intentions."

"He doesn't sound like someone I would like to spend time with," Emra said with a frown.

"Dashki," Melkia said with both Emra and Father Zastoran turning to face her. "Is he a man with dark skin, shoulder-length black hair, and carries several blades and a bow?"

"That's him," Father Zastoran answered, taken aback by Melkia's question. "Have you two met?"

"Not yet," Melkia stated and started to walk away.

Melkia trusted her instincts and they came through for her. The man Father Zasotran confirmed as Dashki was the same man she spotted lurking at the edge of camp. He had been eyeing her and Emra with Melkia spotting him watching the other pairs. There was something off about Dashki and she intended to find out if he was behind Eloais' death.

Dashki didn't try to run even though he spotted Melkia walking in his direction. She could tell that he cared little for his looks as his hair was messy and greasy, his dark clothes were covered in stains, and there was a foul odor about him. Melkia brought her hand to her dagger's pommel, and while she kept her weapon holstered, she made her intent clear: if Dashki tried anything, she would be ready.

"You're Dashki," Melkia stated matter-of-factly.

"I am," Dashki crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

"Why'd you kill Eloais?" Melkia asked bluntly.

"I didn't," Dashki grunted.

"I don't like liars," Melkia told Dashki with a glare. "Tell me the truth."

Dashki growled, and suddenly, he started shouting. "No! I'm innocent! That fool burned a hundred candles in his wagon! Perhaps he just got unlucky! We're in gnoll country so it could have been a pugwampi!"

"Pugwampis?" Melkia questioned.

"They're terrible critters that crawled up to land from the Darklands," Dashki explained in a condescending manner. "They worship the gnolls as gods and live in their communities like rats live in a home. Wherever pugwampis go, bad luck is sure to follow. The gnolls hate the pugwampis but they always come back even when a few of them are killed by gnolls. I'm quite certain now that pugwampis killed Eloais. It was a deadly case of bad luck."

Melkia nodded, letting him talk, before letting out a cruel chuckle. "I'm familiar with the gnolls. I killed my first gnoll when I was only thirteen and I've never heard of a pugwampi before."

"Then I guess you don't know gnolls at all," Dashki said, scowling.

"I guess I'll tear your confession out myself."

Melkia started to draw her dagger out when a warm hand grabbed her forearm. The half-elf turned to face Emra with a glare. The ifrit had snuck up on her while she was occupied with Dashki, and given the stern expression across her face, wasn't going to let violence break out. Dashki took a step back, looking in bewilderment at the pair before he started to look past them. Melkia turned to follow his gaze and noticed that the other adventurers in the specialist team were making their way to the edge of the camp that she, Dashki, and Emra were at.

"There will be no violence," Emra told Melkia firmly.

"He's guilty," Melkia muttered.

"You're wrong," Dashki shook his head. "I'm sure your friends are here to confront me about whatever suspicions they have. Take me to Lady Almah so that I can tell her about the pugwampis. I have nothing to hide."

Melkia sighed and released her hold over the weapon. "So be it."

Emra nodded, thankful for Melkia to not start a fight, and waved her companions over. Melkia shot a final glare at Dashki who scowled back at her. She didn't trust him and thought that his story about pugwampis was a futile effort to escape punishment. Melkia would help bring Dashki to Almah so that she could decide what to do with him, and when the merchant princess would decide that Dashki was responsible, Melkia would be ready to force her dagger between his ribs when Dashki tried to make his escape.

For now, Melkia would wait if only because she knew her companions wouldn't trust her for outright violence, but she knew how this would end.

Author Notes: Archer here with another Pathfinder fanfic.

So, not everyone saw the message I put up in Burnt Offerings but I said that I was planning on writing a fanfic over Legacy of Fire and said that I had planned to do so for a while. It was actually my plan to write Howl of the Carrion King last November during NaNoWriMo along with Seven Days to the Grave and Shadow in the Sky, and even though I ended up falling through with the plans because of real life problems, I had the notes. While Shadow in the Sky would get written sooner, I thought it would be best to hold off on Howl of the Carrion King for a more fitting time, and what's more fitting to start a story revolving with fire in it's name than the start of summer?

I intend to write this as my main project for June. For those of you who are interested in Burnt Offerings or Seven Days to the Grave as well. Burnt Offerings should be finished soon enough, and while there's still a bit left for Seven Days to the Grave, that story is nearing the end. As for Howl of the Carrion King, I imagine that this story will take about three months, much like Shadow in the Sky.

I look forward to continuing to write in the Pathfinder Fanfic community and look forward to hear if anyone enjoys the story.

Until next time.