Next Move

"What's wrong with Vorbuk?" Daryl glanced at the wolf as Leo and Vorbuk entered the room. The sight of the wolf's attempt to laugh made everyone in their group glanced towards them both with confused expressions. The only one who did not seem that confused was Bredret who kept his eyes in the opposite direction to avoid eye contact. It was obvious the dragon already knew the wolf was laughing.

"I have no idea. I think he's just laughing to himself in his head and it came out... awkward." Leo muttered the last word cautiously to not embarrass the wolf.

Vorbuk glared up at the crown prince. It did not matter how he muttered the words it still sounded almost like an insult even though the wolf knew he meant no harm by it. The lack of his ability to laugh was something else he hated about his wolf form. If he found something funny it always embarrassed him because his laugh made him sound like a sick animal that was coughing from an illness.

"That's alright. If he's fine than we need to start working on our next move. Since the kingdom of Ethiadan has sent people after us here in Dradel we should work on our next move. We can't stick around here waiting for us all to get assassinated."

"Yea, but the question is what is our next move?" Zoe softly spoke her question as she leaned towards the conversation. Her cat ears were twitching with curiosity.

"That's a good question... I think I know someone we could ask for help, but I don't know where exactly to find him..."

"Who do you mean?" Leo and Zoe both asked at the same time.

Bredret glared at Daryl and sighed heavily.

"Well... He's a bit complicated and doesn't stay in one place too long. The last I heard from him he was in the neutral kingdom of Cista, the kingdom that's in dead center of all the kingdoms." Daryl thought deeply about the contact as he tried to figure a way to locate him.

"No! You can't seriously mean who I think!" Bredret planted his head in his palm as he thought of something.

"Two questions..." Leo broke into the conversation. "Who are you talking about and also why is he so hard to find?"

"Well... as I said the next guy to meetup with is complicated to explain." Daryl smiled wryly.

"How so?" Zoe was the first one to speak up and ask. There was a heavy curiosity on her face that caught everyone's attention for a moment before they all glanced back at Daryl.

"He's a cambion..." Daryl scratched the back of his head as if he was trying to seem nonchalant in what he was saying.

"What?!" Leo and Zoe were shocked by the statement the man had said out loud without a care. The only one who was not fazed by his statement was Bredret who released a low growl that seemed like he was groaning his frustration out.

"Of course you'd want to get HIM involved in this!" The dragon sighed heavily.

"Well of course I know he could be useful from the shadows. That guy gets around so quick and easy!" Daryl smiled wryly at his own words. He could feel the confusion and shock in the room from the Leo, Zoe, and Vorbuk.

"Aren't Cambion's ruthless killers?! How do you simply know one like you're friends with him?" Leo pressed for answers.

"I've been all over the realm of Validore, crown prince. You got to understand that just because there are bad creatures out there... that does not mean a species can not have it's good sides as well."

"I get it! So he's like a good Cambion?" Zoe asked.

Daryl sighed.

"Good?" The dragon scoffed. "Try a pain in my ***!"

"I really don't understand this..." Leo tried to comprehend it all.

"He's neither good nor bad initially." Daryl started to explain. "He was born a cambion as being half demon and half human. Since he is half demon he can not stay in one place very long and has spent many lifetimes moving from one kingdom to another to keep himself hidden and alive. If he was to stop in one place for too long it would be easy for someone to realize what he is and kill him."

"How could he be neither good nor bad?" Leo asked.

"Well, he kills anything evil he comes across, but at the same time he's been known to do shady work as well that could just as easily make some assume him to be not that good initially..." The wry smile appeared on Daryl's face again as he thought things over while carefully explaining.

"So you want us to ask a demon for help?" Zoe was the one to speak up this time as she looked at the crown prince's puzzled and cautious expressions.

"Yes, I think he could come in great use later if we can find him. Usually he isn't easily found unless he wants to be or finds you first. The guy is a few hundred years old by now, but very talented. His demonic bloodline has kept him alive all this time."

"Doesn't that just mean his demonic side is stronger?" Leo cautiously asked.

"In some respect of his situation, yes... Though as I have said you don't have to worry about him coming after you. He's not one to hunt someone down for no real reason, normally."

A sarcastic laugh from Bredret at Daryl's comments could be silently heard.

"We can try it, but I hope you're right about this contact. I don't feel all that great with asking for help from a demon even if he is a cambion." Leo nodded slightly as he agreed to the plan.

The entire group was in their own opinions on how to react to the situation of asking for help from a half blooded demon, but nobody disagreed with the plan to locate the man. The only person who held no real worry was Daryl who knew the one they were going to search for. The next day they all gathered their things and took their cart to travel to the next destination. They were heading for the kingdom of Cista.

Out of all twelve kingdoms, the kingdom of Cista was the one that was placed at the very center of them all. It was known as a place of gathering for every species of creature known to the realm of Validore and was highly valued as a trading point among all kingdoms. Since Cista was known to be nuetral there was no war among it's small kingdom. Among the kingdoms it was highly valued and respected by all, therefore none dared to take up arms against it in all the years it'd existed. The kingdom of Cista had not once in it's existence been met with a single war due to it's value of existence to all other kingdoms and the kingdom's royalty never gathered an interest before in going to war so naturally every time a new king was placed on the throne they all held the same thought in mind to die with a prosperous kingdom without worry. They naturally kept to working internally on the kingdom to keep it running smoothly and without unneeded bloodshed.

For the next week the group found themselves traversing to Cista in hopes of finding the half demon.