"So...you got the stuff ready?" A man asked of his companions.

"That was an easy job, so of course." The second person said.

It was afternoon by that point, ash fall swirled through the air but they had engineered clothing to protect against the harmful burning effects of it. Their hoods were up casting shadows across their faces. "They were too far off the road..." The leader said calmly.

"Something troubles you does it not?" The second man said.

"Yeah we probably should not linger too much longer here...OOF." Something, no someone, slammed into him hard from their right and both figures rolled off some paces in opposing directions.

The man who was knocked down was their leader, and stood up looking at the stranger. "God damned Elf..." The man said carefully looking at the boy on the ground.

"No villages around these parts...?" The second man mused. "Fuck did he come from?"

The leader looked at his companions..."He looks like a stout one, but I have a weird feeling about this."

"Premonitions again?" The second man asked.

The leader nodded. "We take him with us." The leader walked over towards Elthas. "Hey...kid, nod if you can hear us."

Elthas blinked for a moment or two but nodded.

"Going to take you with us, it is not safe for you to wander about around here alone." The leader extended his hand out towards Elthas for him to take.

Elthas nodded once more and took the man's hand and the fellow helped him stand.

"What's your name kid?" The man asked.

Elthas motioned towards his throat that he was not able to speak, and just them remembered his journal. He handed the leader his journal.

"Holy shit...Belthasar House..." The leader's eyes went wide for a moment. "We hit a jack pot out here folks." The leader said. "You belong to Clan Belthasar, is that right, Elf?" The man asked. There was no hostility or malice in the man's voice.

Elthas nodded once more showing he understood what was being asked.

"Write your name down on this slip." The leader asked. And handed Elthas a small parchment and fountain pen.

Elthas scribed his name with the fountain pen in perfect common tongue, albeit stylized writing.

"Elthas..." The leader said reading his name out load, he knelt down int front of the boy. "You are going to be given a new name kid." The man paused for a moment. "We belong to Terrentius Estate, a guild operating around these parts. Forget your old life, kid. You are now one of us." The man said calmly as he explained what they were doing out there, that far off the main road. "You were running from something were you not?" The leader asked of him as they returned back to the Terrentius Estate charter guild. "My name is Xallvius." He said carefully saying the name to Elthas. "Your new name you will operate under from now on will be Xell The Swift. You understand me?"

The boy nodded.

And that is how it all began once more...