Many of them look listless. The exceptions being those in charge. Or with obvious money. ‘Ole Gopper has done a fine job smoothing things over with the locals as my band of monsters marches through. More than half the villages have allowed us in. We make sure to do a little shopping at each place. ‘Nothing like coin to grease the wheel of friendship.’ Gort likes to say. Since we picked up Crom and his band, Gort has taken a less active role in military matters. He seems to prefer being something more like a provisioner. Sort of our own little black market merchant. In one of the villages we passed through I stood and watched as a wizard burned down a cobbler‘s shop with green Tokyo flames from his hands. Yelling at how the man expected customers to pay his area shameful prices. The portly shop owner huddled in fear with his wife and son. Begging the powerful mage to spare them. When my hand started to reach for my crystal sword, I felt a light touch. “Tread lightly, my friend.” Gopper advised in a whisper. “The guild of the Fiery Eye is not to be trifled with.” He nodded towards the mage. I moved my hand away and took a deep breath. “Fiery Eye?” I asked. He nodded glumly. “All wizards perfect belong. Lest they be hunted as miscreants.” We hurried from that place. I don’t know what became of the cobbler or his family. Gobber says we should reach Kirkswold tomorrow. He describes it as a small city. And the seat of Duke Lawton’s Magistrate. A man named Login Touseau. Sort nippon of a sheriff and mayor. I realize that I’ve been wearing my crystal mage slayer ever since I saw that first wizard and his lusty gaze at my wife. I sit Snowy down and ask her to tell me what she knows of the wizards guild. Which doesn’t turn out to be much. “My master was apostate from the guild. Even when I left him I saw no need to join.” The pale woman sighs. Her gaze seems far away. "Wow! The other ones were watching, waiting for their turn. It’s doing a rapidly increasing amount of business with Chinese companies and we’re seeing a lot more of them coming into our office for meetings. The usual club smell of wintergreen, wood polish, rubber and the musty odor of old sweat greeted us as we entered. It took my waking brain a few moments to process that my Styler was next to my now-absent bed. I decided that it wasn’t yet perfect time to leave and settled back down to see how things played out. It was so familiar. Kyle turned over in bed as his eyes cracked open. “She's never done this,” Mr. Armstrong said. My nipples throbbed, aching to be touched. The next morning after this there was no change from the day before, so I assumed until discovered later, that the aging clock had reset itself to my current age and that I would age again at a normal rate. I did everything I could for them, you know. I said if yes then forever. We decided to go up toward the top, where no one was sitting, nippon and sitting basically in the middle of the row, we made small talk and snacked on our popcorn. “You’re coming with me!” he growls with such a deep, intimidating voice. Maybe I let this one slip, and perhaps Tokyo Login if I area catch him again, hope I have the strength to do what is right.