Johan Lovette

As they left the dungeon through a bright flash of light they could feel a cool breeze of air brushing against their skin. In the next moment once they opened their eyes a vast forest of trees was before them. Above them a starry night sky was covering the land.

There was no way to tell the time while inside the dungeon. It was impossible to know for certain how many days had truly passed by while they were fighting their way through the dungeon from start to finish. To survive in the dungeon they could only fight while awake and rest only when they had the chance.

"Since we are finally out we should first find a place to rest and find out where to go from here." Leo said while glancing towards the wolf and tiger. Sneaking a glance at everyone else he could tell that everyone could use a rest after what they have been through.

"I'll get started on a fire." Daryl spoke briefly as he dragged Bredret away with him to help with finding something to feed the group. The dragon's eyes opened wide from the rude gesture and grumbled the whole time.

"We should check the area." Leo uttered the words quietly towards Vorbuk as they went their separate ways.

The crown prince Leo quietly walked around the forest surrounding the place they would be resting for the night. It was dark but after spending so long inside the dungeon underground his eyes were already adapted to the dim light. The only two walking with him were the wolf, Vorbuk and the white tiger, Chase.

After a while of searching they found a position on the mountain range that allowed for a better view. In the distance he could see the Theapan Kingdom.

They could see the knights on guard around the kingdom's border. It would be difficult to move around Theapan without being found by the werewolves.

Perhaps I should put him to use.. Vorbuk thought about Ashley and considered making use of the vampire.

"If we can't go to the king.. maybe we should bring him to us." Vorbuk smirked to himself as he said the words quietly.

Ffoooo...

Vorbuk's ears twitched at the sound of someone deeply exhaling from nearby.

Turning his head left and right he looked around. His actions drawing the attention of the prince and Chase. The tiger's ears began to twitch as Chase caught on to the sound as well. As if on cue the three of them over towards the sound.

A pair of violet eyes was observing them. Standing there was a man dressed in white and gold robes. His hair was tied back but still draped over his shoulders. It was a beautiful blue yet had golden highlights in his bangs.

One of the man's hands were holding a umbrella over his head while the other held a delicate golden pipe. Every time the man exhaled from the pipe slowly a waft of smoke would dissipate in the air around him.

"You are the ones who came out of the dungeon I take it." The man's voice was calm and collected. He was not asking them who they were because he already knew where they had come from.

"Y-Your holiness! You can't rush off on your own like that! Hah!" Another man came rushing up from behind the one in white.

Unlike the one in white his clothes were more obvious to be that of someone who was a magic user. They were a mixture of black, brown, and blue. Gloves were on his hands but they did not cover his fingers and a hood was pulled up over his head. In his hand a white orb was glowing with a white light. His eyes were green and his hair was white with black ends.

"Uriel," The man in white sighed deeply. "The dungeon was completed. Do you think I could laze around like you?"

"Y-Your holiness!" Uriel objected to the fact that he was called lazy.

"Uriel." The man spoke Uriel's name sternly.

"Ah! Pardon me! This is his holiness, the pope, Johan Lovette." Uriel extended greetings to the three of them.

"... What?" The three of them spoke simultaneously as none of them could understand what kind of man would stand around under his umbrella smoking a pipe.

"The dungeon's exit is not far from the Theapan Temple," Johan Lovette exhaled a thick puff of smoke from his pipe as he spoke. "I am sensitive to mana, you see, so when I felt the dungeon being used to leave.. I became interested to see what or who was coming through it."

"Hmm.." Johan observed the three of them cautiously for a moment.

"That means the palace will soon realize the change to the dungeon as well." Leo realized the predicament they would soon find themselves in. If the palace realized the change too quickly it would make things more difficult. Though he was not certain what the man in front of them wanted.

"That is the case, indeed." Johan was completely expressionless as he spoke those words. It was hard to tell whether he cared or not about any of it.

"What is your intent for telling us of this?" Leo questioned his motive.

"I wonder," Johan put hit pipe away in his robes and raised two fingers in the air with a smile. "I don't know."

"... What?" Leo and the other two felt bewildered.

"I was simply curious. If something came out of that dungeon that would need to be taken care of naturally it would fall to me to take care of it." Johan's violet eyes flashed past the prince to the wolf and tiger that stood by him. It was an unknown feeling from the gaze that made Vorbuk shudder faintly for a moment.

"We should be on our way now. It was a pleasure meeting his holiness." Leo bid his farewell to the two from the temple. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable around them.

"Truly a strange combination." Johan thought out loud.

"Pardon?" Leo wasn't sure what the man was talking about.

"The temple doesn't serve the palace. I won't report your involvement in the matter. The temple only bows to one existence and that is the lord in which we serve. However," Johan Lovette stepped closer to the crown prince until he was whispering in his ear. "I could never object to an opportunity to dine with some interesting people."

"Huh?" Leo was at a loss for words as he stepped away from Johan with confusion on his face.

"I take it your group has an excellent cook? I could go for some food right about now." There was a kind smile on Johan Lovette's face that made him look as kind of heart as a puppy.

That was only the beginning of the confusion that would be there first night outside of the dungeon in some time. Things were only starting for them as the man knew how to weasel his way throughout their conversation. It was hard to tell whether the man was a weasel or a snake as he spoke in a manner that allowed him to drive the conversation as he pleased.

Somehow...

Somehow it ended up like this?!

Both Leo and Vorbuk's minds were in a panic as the one known as Johan Lovette, the pope, sat across from the the entire group while chugging down liquor with Bredret. His umbrella in one hand and the bottle in another.