The trio found themselves at the large stony forum outside the Lornius Corporate Challenge. Shinsou, still grinning ear to ear as he shoveled handfuls of teriyaki'd venison they had stolen from street vendors, now called Attila "Slepnir" as he ogled at the horse's great jaw. Joshua, who greedily scanned the entire arena for action, bounced from toe to toe with anticipation, albeit a brutal lack of coordination.

Tapping the bottom of his pipe, the wizard realized his smoke was now reduced to mere ashes. It was a sad realization; the magic gumbo was gone.

How the hell did we get rid of that snake?!

Dots were not connecting for him, as bits of his conscious self began to flitter into the front brain. The buzz was wearing off him slightly, although colors still ran into each other and the clock above the LCC was slowly spinning backwards as it declared a time of 35:95. Presuming that this was simply a method the wealthy used to showcase mastery over the fourth dimension, Storm popped off the horse and floated over to the front counter.

"Help you, sir?" a bright eyed young lady stood before him, in a snug, handsome-fitted navy suit with gold trim. Her gaze became a bit leery as she no doubt smelled the rank of whateverthehell the three imbeciles had been up to.

"Yes, dear, and fine to meet you. As a former Champion of the Lornius Corporate Challenge, I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of representing us on a tour of the grounds? My friends and I have been itching to see the platform for the next competition; I'd love to come back and take another crack at a second crown!"

Nope. That is not what came out. The disconnect between intent and delivered speech was glaring, and Storm's inquiry was far less cogent:

"Run to grounds and show me, lady! I won the fahgin' thing so drag me through for show and teach the tricks of LCC and you don't understand I won the fahgin' thing. Sorry, lovely. Tour."

Eyebrows above the delicate sapphires the employee darted northward with confusion and perhaps a blend of fear. Storm's shirt had found a way to open itself to the ribs, exposing him as somewhere between a lust-fueled hedonist and penniless transient. A few larger men began shuffling towards Shinsou, Joshua, and Storm Veritas as security sensed a need for its services.