Around the worlds 3 - Golems & bears

Neos's eyes went white, as he quickly began to irradiate of pure light. Fire. Not light, fire.

Karl bowed politely. "No, sir. We are here looking for the leader of this town, to offer our excuses."

Ezra shrieked. The pain caused by that fire was unbearable (HAHA BEAR I'm sorry), too much for him. He jumped back, loudly voicing his pain. Michela kept a safe distance from Neos, snarling menacingly at the other bears, which eyed them menacingly.

The old man looked at him suspiciously. "A foreigner. What are you doing here?" He slowly got up, hastily gesturing for Maverick to pick a nearby wooden cane. The younger man moved quickly. "Excuses, huh? What do you mean?"

Neos carefully stood up, as he kept emitting fire from his body. It forced him to take off his coat, and drop it on the ground. "Alright. Can everybody please calm down now and stop attacking my girlfriend ?"

"My friends and I had to go through this region to move on with our journey. We went through our territory unknowingly, and have learned afterwards that it didn't please you," explained Karl calmly.

Michela's head was kind of spinning. The sight of blood, and the smell, were driving her insane. She stopped breathing for her own good, even though the hunger was showing in her eyes. She growled lowly when she saw some of the bears shifting unsure of what to do. She just needed an excuse. And that excuse came when Ezra attacked them again. She pounced him to the ground ferociously. "She is attacking us! Make her stop!"

The chieftain, whose name was Avery, sighed deeply. "Yes. We don't appreciate foreigners in our territories. They want to kill my sons, to skin them, and they do it just as a sick sport." He stopped Maverick's weak protest with a sign. "I know, they aren't all the same. But you also know how scared all of your brothers and sisters are, my boy." He sighed again. "I guess my sons stole your things? And you want me to give them back?"

"Michela !" called Neos as he made the flames around him disappear, and caught her by the wrist. He was actually surprised to see her react like this.

Karl nodded. "Yes, please. We will get away as soon as possible when we get them back. You have my word."

Michela snarled, her head snapping to him. Her pupils were blown, she looked as if she was high on some kind of drug, teeth bared. However, she fought to get her control back, shaking her head, breathing deeply. Then she scrambled away from Ezra and Neos, breath rugged, hands trembling.

"Eeeh, can't promise that everything is still well kept, but I'll give it a try. You don't seem like you'd back off from that promise." Avery leant on the cane and walked out of his house, Maverick following swift.

Neos pressed his lips together, and brought Michela closer, as he offer her his wrist. "Alright. Has everybody calmed down now ?"

Karl followed them both, hoping nothing had gone too wrong during their absence.

Michela weakly shook her head, nudging Neos' wrist away from her as she slowly got back on her feet. Her feeding had to wait until she was sure she had calmed down.
"For the love of our ANCESTORS, what the hell is going on here?" Avery had reached the place where the fight had taken place. It wasn't too far from his own house. As soon as he walked in the middle of the group, everyone had transformed back, an uneasy expression on their faces. "Chief! Those strangers- they attacked us-!" Avery shut Ezra up with a gesture. "And you expect me to believe they attacked you without a reason?" Ezra looked at his feet, grimacing. "That wouldn't be new." He looked angrily at Neos and Michela.

Neos took his travelling coat back, since the rest of his clothes had now vanished, consumed by the fire.
"Well, I'm sorry we had to defend ourselves, since you just attacked us with no reason."

"My friends meant no harm," told Karl, giving Neos a warning glance nonetheless.

"Y-yeah, you attacked first anyway!" Maverick barked at Ezra, even though he was shaking. "And they wouldn't have even cared about coming here if you hadn't pillaged their camp!" Ezra growled to him threateningly. Avery shook his head. "You boys will get yourself killed one of those days. Stealing from people that didn't harm you, destroying their stuff... did I raise you like this?" Ezra didn't look at him. He looked ashamed at how disappointed he sounded. The old Chieftain then sighed. "Boys, go get their things." Some men moved away silently. "I am sorry for how you were treated", he said then gravely to Neos.

"You weren't the one treating us that way. But thank you," he said as he bowed slightly. "I have to warn you, though. I won't leave this place until all of my most valuable belongings are given back to me."

"I wasn't, but they are under my responsibility." Avery sighed deeply, leaning on his cane. "I will not excuse their behaviour. They have no excuse, since you did not threaten them in any way." He nodded to Neos. "I will make sure everything is returned. In the meantime, if I can do something for you..." And slowly, all their things were being carefully put down before them.

"... I don't have pants anymore," Neos said a bit awkwardly. "Do you perhaps have a spare pair I could borrow ?"

Karl arched a brow, and lowered his gaze on Neos, wondering just what the actual fuck happened during their absence!

Avery arched an eyebrow too, mirroring Karl. "... sure, it's not a problem." He gestured for someone to go get a pair of pants. Then he looked at Maverick, as if he was seeing him for the first time that day. "... you shouldn't be here", he said, furrowing his brows. Maverick lowered his gaze. "No. I shouldn't", he muttered. "I'll leave as soon as I'll be sure everything is solved."

"Why shouldn't he ?" asked Karl, who had no notions as to when he should actually mind his own business. "Has he done anything wrong ?"

Maverick glared at Neos, then lowered his gaze again, pressing his lips together. "Yes", Avery answered. "But it is not my duty to tell about what brought him to exile." Maverick muttered something about 'primitive' and 'violence', but he didn't look at anyone. One man finally brought a pair of pants and gave it to the mage. "Well now, verify that everything has been given back to you, then please leave the village. No one will disturb you anymore." With that, the Chief turned and walked away, followed by the others.

Neos thanked the person who brought him pants, and put them on, before he counted every single one of his magical items. "Seems I've got everything. Should we go ?" he asked that question to Michela more specifically, since she had seemed so hungry before.

Michela nodded. She seemed to have gained her self control back. She even dared a small smile. "Is everything there?", she asked. Maverick walked past them. "I'll guide you back to your camp", he said, gesturing for them to follow him. He still seemed a bit grumpy when he started to walk.

"Eh. Thanks," said Neos to him, as they started to follow him back to their camp. He slowly took Michela's hand in his as well, sighing softly.

Michela sighed too, gently squeezing Neos' hand in hers. She looked at him, a bit bashfully. "I'm... sorry you had to see me like that. Haven't had that kind of crisis in a long time." She sighed. "I wonder what you might think of me now."

Neos just... shrugged. "You're a vampire, Michela. It's ok. I'd be acting the same if people kept agitating fried chicken under my nose," he told her with a sincere smile. "Actually... I haven't been much of a great example either, back there. So if you don't think I'm a crazy bastard, I won't think you're crazy either."

Michela laughed a bit, looking fondly at him. "You don't have to justify me. I should keep my instincts in check. But thank you." She smirked. "I won't think you're crazy either, don't worry. I am just regretting that I didn't fully enjoy the view while I had the occasion."

Neos smirked. "Told you. It'd be better if I was back at the castle, with my full equipment. I'm... Not allowed to travel with it for now, since my master wants me to use my powers as little as possible," he sighed.

Michela looked at him curiously. "Why that? Because you're still an apprentice?" Then she snorted. "That's too bad. But the view I was referring to has little to do with your powers. Even though I'll admit the fire show was quite nice too." Her smirk grew larger.

Neos cleared his throat. "Of course. I knew that. I mean... Come to think of it, that's the first time you've seen me naked," he mumbled as he facepalmed, embarrassed.