Just Looking Around

[Albert Wesker]

For a long time, no one moved. Faint traces of cold mist still streamed from Kuzan's hand, but all he did was watch and wait.

And finally, the downed man rose back to his feet, slowly and unevenly. Without his hood it was revealed that the horns that had been seen were merely for show. Despite the shallowness of the blow that had knocked his balance aside, the struck horn had nearly been shorn through completely, and now they were lopsided upon his head. Merely a tool used for intimidation, perhaps, or something equally silly. "Fine. I'm done." He brushed off his clothing of grass and dirt with all the dignity he could manage, and nearly ripped the false horns from his head, tossing them down in the grass with his ruined cloak. "But just remember one thing: I don't like to be cheated. And I don't forget a face."

He turned and took off in a quick run. "So you had best be on watch if you pass through my territory again. Both of you."

It was fairly obvious to hear and see the man as he ran off the threat was almost entirely empty. He probably wouldn't be any more trouble unless he had the chance to get a real jump on them. Kuzan was also quite assured that even if did get such a chance he probably wouldn't take it on his own. "Well, well..." With a hissing noise, the ice sword in his hand rapidly melted, dripping onto the grass as the now-damp blades of grass fluttered away in a breeze. "That was quite an experience."

"That went a lot better than I was expecting it to..." It was the apprentice behind him. "I thought for sure I was done for when he tried to just go around you."

Though he didn't want to admit it, it was just as much luck as skill on his own part. If he'd missed with that first blow or if even a single ice shard had gone anywhere else, he just might have made it past. But that wasn't something to worry about. Chance was all fine and good when it was in the past, and even better when it was in your favor, but thinking too hard about it...well, that was just silly.

"Well, then..." Turning about to face the apprentice, his hands slowly slid into his pockets as he regarded the young man with an unreadable look on his face. He was debating whether to carry on and finish helping the man back to....Dalaran, was it? Part of him wanted to just finish what he had said he would do, but a part of him rationalized that now he should be out of danger and could get there just fine on his own. Given that he had witheld and twisted so much information from him to get his help in the first place only complciated things more.

The look on his face must have carried the wrong message, as after only a few seconds the young apprentice spoke up nervously. "L-Let me explain everything, now. The truth, this time, I guess...." He seemed miserable as he paused, before continuing. "The...items and ingredients are for research into a certain field that hasn't produced any results yet, but there are other applications for it that...are very dark and evil magic."

"I thought that...if I just stole it, and then came across someone willing to help me get to Dalaran quickly, I could get past the guards and anyone too inquisitive to what I was carrying, maybe...if the urgency was enough..."

Clearly he didn't really understand how illegal goods really worked, if that was what he thought about all of this. "That really wouldn't have worked, anyway."

"I...I know. I guess I knew from the beginning, but I was trying to carry on the work of my instructor. He made a mistake working with this stuff, and....bad things happened."

Shaking his head, Kuzan tried his best to dismiss it. "I'll prtend not to know about the illegal goods, I suppose, and let you worry about that on your own....if you'll still give me directions to that city...Dalaran, was it?"

It was hard to tell if you young man was grateful or scared.