Our heroes decide to stay in Olden Gorge for the night. They have been traveling all day and were now too tired to keep riding towards Fox Arbor, much to Galen's disappointment. "Who's tired?!" he yells, "I'm not! Are you tired Faeda? No, I didn't think so!" "Hey!" frowns Adie, "You didn't let her answer!" "Yes I did!" yells Galen, "You did answer, didn't you, Faeda? See! She said she wasn't tired!"

Faeda: (o_o)
Adie: "Liar!" W('O')W
Edeline: "Galen... we do need our rest. And you need rest, more so than us." (u_u)
Galen: "That's not true! I'm fine!" (o_o)
Vi: "So, where will we stay tonight? The same Inn as before?" (>_>)
Adie: "Um... they were kinda upset, about all the chicken feathers left in our rooms before." (;^_^)
Oar: "Chicken feathers?" (-_-)
Galen: "Trust me, you don't want to know..." (o_o)
Faeda: "Galen got into a fight with a Mage and that mage turned us all into chickens." (^_^)
Galen: "HEY!!!" W('O')W
Oar: "Hmm... figures." (-_-)

"Don't worry so much, Galen." sighs Edeline, "Just behave and don't pick fights with other mages-" "I don't pick fights!" he screams. "Yes," nods Faeda, "He didn't pick the fight, our last time here. But... he did insist on finishing it." "Is that so wrong?!" snaps Galen. "No," says Oar, "If you like being a chicken." "Shut up, Oar!" he growls. "Like I said," shrugs Edeline, "Just try to control your temper and you should be fine." Everyone nods in agreement, while Galen sulks.
In that moment, Professor Teriss approaches them. "I see you're back, Adie." she nods, coolly. "Professor!" bows Adie, "It's a honor to meet with you again." "Yes," waves Teriss, "Well, I've heard of your skill in the Quibble battle. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. There may be hope for you yet." Adie just smiles. "That's odd." says Oar, "Why would a powerful mage, such as Adie, get such a lowly complement?"

Professor: "You seem new to this group, so I guess you wouldn't know. Adie's skill was mediocre, at best. But over some time, she's managed to go from 'mediocre' to 'acceptable' in one leap. Maybe one day she'll make advance... but I wouldn't hold my breath." (-_-)
Faeda: (o_o)
Adie: (*^_^*)
Edeline: (;u_u)
Galen: (>_>)
Oar: "Well, I believe she's more powerful than you give her credit for."
(-_-)
Professor: "Do you? Ha, how sweet." (^o^)
Oar: "After all, she did jump from 'mediocre' to 'acceptable' almost overnight. And she did it all, without the help of a powerful Mage teacher. Doesn't seems as if her teacher had much skills in teaching." (>_>)
Vi: (o_o)
Adie: (o_o)
Galen: (o_o)

"Yeah..." frowns Galen, "And I'm the one who picks fights with mages, huh?" Professor stepped closer, her anger growing, her fists at her side. "I don't suppose you know who I am." she says, quietly. "No," waves Oar, "Should I? ...Oh, wait... you're not Adie's useless teacher, are you?" Everyone gasps. Adie hops between her teacher and Oar. "Eh-heh," she laughs nervously, "Oar's not from around here. He doesn't know-" "Adie," he interrupts, "Don't apologize for me. I'm not so much of an outsider, than I don't understand who this professor is, and what powers she may posses. It's just, frankly, I could care less about that. She insulted you, very badly."
"That's okay." blushes Adie, "I'm fine." "Well," nods Oar, "You shouldn't be." "Young man," growls the woman, drawing her wand, "You have no idea who you're up against!" Oar looks towards the woman, coldly. "Give it your best try." he says, "I will stop you, where you stand, before you could blink!" Professor gasps. Galen runs away and ducks behind a barrel, leaving his friends standing there. "Galen!" growls Edeline, "You coward!" "He's not very gallant, after all." frowns Adie, "He left the seer behind and everything." Faeda blushes.

Professor: "Who are you?" (o_O)
Oar: (-_-)
Professor: "You have guts... I think I will offer my home, to you and your friends." (-_-)
Adie: "WHAT?" (O_o)
Professor: "All Inns are full tonight. Tomorrow is the Magic Festival, you know." (-_-)
Adie: "Oh, right. I forgot about that." (;^_^)
Faeda: "What's the magic festival?" (o_O)
Professor: "I'll explain later. For now, you Adie, the seer, and friends may follow me home. I have extra rooms and you're welcomed to stay the night." (-_-)
Faeda: "Oh, thank you very much!" (^o^)

They follow Professor to a small two-story stone house. But the inside of the home was magically huge, with many rooms. Our heroes get comfortable in the living room. "The Magic Festival," the Professor begins, "Is the one day that mages, from all over Serenity, gather and celebrate the changing season. There are games, dances, magic show-downs... the one who wins will get an Golden Egg!" "Ooh." smiles Faeda. "Real gold?" asks Galen, "Or the kind that turns green, after a while?" Edeline elbows him. "What?!" he frowns, "It's a valid question!" "Real gold." nods Professor, while lighting a few candles.
She turns to face the others. "So," says the Professor, "Who wants tea?" "What is the real reason?" says Oar, giving Ms. Teriss a suspicious look, "Why are you suddenly so nice? Opening your home to us?" "Hmm..." she grumbles, "Should have figured he would be a little wise... after all..." The others feel nervous and inches towards Oar. "Okay," sighs Professor, "Fine. I'm hoping to get information.... From you, boy." She points towards Oar.

Adie: "What? Why? What's going on Professor?" (o_O)
Oar: "Fine, I'll answer... within reason." (-_-)
Professor: "Good! I should have asked from the very start, instead of being so... nice." (>_>)
Faeda: (;^_^)
Edeline: "Hey, does that mean we can't stay here for the night?" (u_u)
Professor: "First question... Where are you from?" (-_-)
Oar: "The Bone Cliffs." (-_-)
Professor: "... How old are you?" (-_-)
Oar: "I don't really know. But my estimate is 23 years." (-_-)
Professor: "... Do you know of your parents?" (-_-)
Oar: "No... I never had any. The monsters on that island are my family."
(-_-)
Professor: "Interesting..." (-_-)

"Wait..." frowns Adie, "What's going on? What's with the weird questions?" "I do believe," says Professor, "Oar is an relative of mine." "Oar's your son?!" shrieks Adie, everyone else gasps. "No!" frowns Professor, as if she just bit into a lemon, "No! Foolish little girl! ...This young man may be my... nephew." Everyone looks from the faces of Oar, to Professor Teriss, and back. "Hmm." nods Galen, "I do see an resemblance."
"Weird..." says Adie in deep awe. "You're mistaken." says Oar, coldly. "I wish I were," says Teriss, just as cold, "But I'm afraid it's the truth." "You have no proof of that." he says. "That cloak," she nods, "It hides the small birthmark above your lip. It's funny, your mother use to wear cloaks to mask that mark too... always self-conscience of it. Though it's not a bad mark and many find it 'cute' or 'charming'." Oar's one visible pupil swelled up to the size of a saucer.

Professor: "And she also wore her hair over one eye too. Your mother was always so strange." (>_>)
Oar: (o_o)
Professor: "Though, you have your father's hair color. Always snowy-gray. He was very handsome and very sought after by Olden's girls! But he would just ignore them. He loved your mother very much!" (^_^)
Oar: (o_o)
Edeline: "You mean... his parents are no longer alive?" (o_O)
Professor: "No... and it was thought that their son was killed too." (-_-)
Oar: "Lies... all of it." (-_-)
Faeda: (o_O)
Adie: "Oar..." (o_o)
Oar: "Nice try. You wanted to get back at me, Professor, try to trick me to prove to everyone you're superior?" (-_-)
Professor: "Useless babbling... I do believe you are my nephew, thought to be dead, lost when your parents decided to explore The Bone-" (-_-)
Oar: "Lies!" W('O')W

Oar storms from the house, Adie runs after him, the others are stunned. "Back then," Professor continues, not acknowledging the outburst, "Tales of the monster horde of The Bone Cliffs and it's warnings were unknown to the people of Serenity. My sister and her husband, along with their 2 year old child and other mages, sailed there in search of new materials for spells. They all thought it would be harmless." "But it wasn't." says Edeline, sadly. "No," nods Professor Teriss, "They were met by the horde and only a few made it back. Mind you, these were very skilled mages, highly advanced! But... there were just too many.
"I was sixteen, when I heard the news, that my older sister and family were killed on The Bone Cliffs." "How horrible." says Faeda. "Yes," continues Professor, "I did mourn the death of my sister, her husband, and my nephew for years. And until tonight, I had buried their memories deep inside... until that boy looked me in the eye and said the same words that my sister use to say to me!" Everyone looked confused, only recalling a threat from Oar, nothing sentimental.
Adie caught up with Oar and grabbed his arm. "Wait!" she yells, "Slow down! Where's the fire?" "It can't be true!" he yells, "It can't! I was abandoned on the island, an unwanted child, I've always been sure of it!" "Oar?" says Adie, sadly. "But," he huffs, "If this woman is right... if she's my aunt... if my parents didn't abandon me..." "Yeah," sighs Adie, "I think I know what you're trying to say..."

Oar: "How could you?" (<_<)
Adie: "You're trying to say, that you've spent your whole life, hating your parents for abandoning you." (-_-)
Oar: (>_>)
Adie: "And that's after years of blaming yourself, for them abandoning you." (-_-)
Oar: "..." (-_-)
Adie: "And it kind of defined you too, it made up your personality, and became a part of you. And now... you're afraid." (-_-)
Oar: "I've lived so long, with painful thoughts of horrible parents who threw me away, that the thoughts became my home." (-_-)
Adie: "And now that it may not be true... you're afraid of loosing what makes Oar the way he is?" (o_O)
Oar: "Yes..." (-_-)

"Oar," smiles Adie, "It's very true. Finding out the truth about your parents, may change everything. But that doesn't mean that's bad! Change can be SO good. And it's always best, as we grow older, to keep changing with time. What's really important, what's really the real you, most likely will never change. But with learning the truth of your parents, it may change the parts of you, that you no longer need. You no longer need to feel abandoned and to carry that hate around with you, you know?"
"Perhaps." sighs Oar. "Is it really true?" nods Adie, curious, "Do you have your mother's scar." "I do have a scar." he admits, "And I do wear this cloak to cover it." "Let me see." hops Adie. "No." says Oar, annoyed. "PLEASE!" grins Adie. Oar sighs and pulls the cloak from his face. There is a tiny dark line, diagonally on his top lip. "Aw!" coos Adie, "It is cute." Oar quickly covers it, "Shut up..." Adie giggles. "Hmm..." says Oar, now thinking, "How come you know so much about this subject?" Adie looks sad for a moment.

Adie: "Well... my parents have abandoned me." (-_-)
Oar: "I'm sorry..." (-_-)
Adie: "It's okay. That was a long time ago and I've accepted that fact now." (;^_^)
Oar: (-_-)
Adie: "It did make me sad, at first... then very angry... now it makes me just a little sad, sometimes." (>_>)
Oar: "I see..." (-_-)
Adie: "But, I decided to change. I decided to not let it get me down! And that's when I found Professor. She's like an guardian to me! She's taught me so much and looked after me." (^_^)
Oar: "So, that's why you don't mind her insults." (-_-)

"Yep." she smiles, "I only know she insults me, because she's afraid of change too. And I am getting stronger than her, and more skillful, with each day! I think she's afraid that I won't need her anymore and will abandon her. Hence the insults." Oar gives Adie a very long stare. "Adie," he says, "You're strangest person I know." Adie giggles. "But," he sighs, "You're right about my past. It's time for me to find out the truth. Walk with me, back to the house?" "Sure!" Adie cheered, slipping her hand into Oar's, "Let's hurry back!"
That night, Oar, Adie, and Professor Teriss talked, while the others got their rest. Oar found out more about his loving parents and about his skills too. "It was your mother's talent." nods Professor, over a cup of hot tea, "She could turn anything and anyone into stone. When we use to get into arguments and I drew my wand, she would shout 'Don't try it Teriss! I will stop you, where you stand, before you could blink!'." Adie gasps, remembering those earlier shouts from a very annoyed Oar. "Yes." nods Professor, "That's when a light came on and those memories came back. It was as if I was standing in front of my sister again."
"Well..." says Oar, "Did you try to attack?" "Every time." laughs Professor, "And every time your mother turned me into stone!" All three laugh, as the candlelight flickers in the window...