Prologue

Baracus takes in the Pradeshi cursing at him.

"THESE ARE YOUR FINAL WORDS? DO BETTER IN YOUR NEXT LIFE, FOOL."

He leaves the axe to rest on the ground where it fell, and throws punches at the man with the floppy swords.

Ybus falls into the back with Aditya. "I totally made that up!" he says to the farmer, referring to Urban's pants mishap. "I swear, I think you and me are the only one's who aren't crazy. We're the sane, you and I!"

The halfling snarls, almost to no one in particular, "Don't you tell me who's really crazy!"

"Stumped on the first one? Want to know your flaw? You're the blind leading the blind—or the dumb teaching the dumb, in your case—that is why you lost." Rydler berates the leader with a smirk.

Ybus picks up a surviving flask of chili oil, cracked down the side and leaking. "You do owe Urban there a book bag," he says, matter-of-factly. He inspects the wetness on his thumb and licks it.

"Hm. Hints of oak, with mapleberry and peach blossom," says Ybus, opening the flask and taking a swig.

"I say you're testing my fucking patience, this is the second time you've fallen flat on your promise. Right now...my only thought is how much you're worth to those 'godless villains'. Convince me otherwise." Rydler stares at Aditya with disinterest.

"We agreed to do this for a hefty payment of gold and I expect that promise to be fulfilled quickly," Erden says, snapping his fingers in front of the man's face, causing sparks to for into the air inches from the man's eyes. With a great Harrumph, he turns away and stomps to the other side of the cart, winking at his companions and smiling where Aditya can't see him.

After he sits, he looks back to their employer, "As you're aware, the noble art of Divination is my specialty, which means that I'll be able to find you with ease if you try to weasel out of it!"

"Gentlemen, please!" Aditya pleads. "I fully intend to pay you what is owed. But I can't pull 500 gold out of thin air can I? Take me to Pradesh and you'll be paid. Or content yourselves with a couple of crates of these fine peppers and we'll part ways. Either way, this wagon is taking me to the city." The man holds out his hand, expecting Urban to hand over the reins.

Baracus returns to his center. He listens to his friends fight with Aditya for the money they are owed, cracking open one of the crates and devouring large handfuls of delicious peppers.

"Go to the city. Get the gold."

Although Baracus was a little concerned with his friends' unhealthy obsessions with coins, it always lead to a good fight. If all went well, Aditya would betray them and he'd get to fight some more interesting characters. That last guy had floppy swords! he reflected.
This land was full of strange things. He imagined what kind of ribald infertility jokes his old brothers would have made at the human's expense.

He picked up the Urumi that he had saved from the fight and made it jiggle.

"Why are Pradeshi smiths so stupid, Aditya?"

He puts another handful of the peppers in his mouth waiting for the reply.

"What are you....please put that away before you put someone's eye out!" the merchant says, backing away from Baracus. Turning to the others, he smiles. "Our half-orc friend is wise. Come see the city. Get paid, spend your coin on a thousand delights! It is Dasai festival after all! Nothing rivals the Pradeshi festival of color and light! You'll be my guests! Though I am now poor, and will have to beg just so I can pay you what I owe. But you will come, yes?"

Gravely concerned, Urban turns to Ybus immediately.

"Hey, what do you mean about 'Owes me a bookbag'?" he asks, with a deathly serious look. "You got it didn't you? I asked you to put it in the cart. I remember specifically asking you! You put it in the back didn't you?"

Urban tunes out as Ybus cracks jokes and spouts more nonsense. Once he stops the cart, Urban immediately climbs over into the rear deck area and starts rummaging through the cargo. "Where is it, Ybus?! My Rule of Tueser copy was in that bag. My letters from Demetrius in Cadarnle. My Scriptures of Calticus - that was a 19 gold book, Ybus. Oh no ....no ..."

Urban barely hears the others talking as he searches. Tipping boxes, tossing aside jugs, he works like a madman. Eventually though, he realizes that his bag is gone. All of his scrolls, parchments, books - all gone. Burned in the barn fire.

Urban stands up in the back of the cart, looks to the sky, takes a deep breath in and out. He slowly slides both hands from his eyes back over the top and back of his head. His mind is spinning. How can he do his Tueserian devotions now? He hadn't memorized the last 15 measures yet. How could he ever recount the Apotheosis Pathway well enough to pose it to Henderun? Demetrius was either in jail now or dead. He would never be able to write his theory down on paper ever again.

Urban looks over to see that everyone is arguing with the Pradeshi merchant. The words are not registering in Urban's mind, but he sees the stress and confrontation. He sees that the Pradeshi is trying to worm out of this. Urban thinks back. Aditya had gotten them involved in this charade, and in the end he probably deserved some of the retaliation from the competing crew. It was clear now that the Pradeshi brought most of his problems on himself. Ever since they had been here, Aditya had brought his problems on them.

Now Urban's books and writings were gone. If Aditya had not escalated this whole drama, Urban would have left the farm probably yesterday. And he damn sure would have had his bag with him.

Aditya. Cheat. Liar. Meddler. Takes everything and offers nothing. Doesn't think he has to pay?! No he is going to pay.

Urban sees Aditya trying to resist against Barracus.

Urban stomps over the front of the cart, his heavy boots crashing over the bench. He picks up one of the loose bridle lashes that he had thrown in the floor board and wraps it around Aditya's neck. He heaves the man up in the air and slams him out of the cart onto the ground. After he crashes onto the dirt road, Urban heaves him back up again, crashing him into the side of the cart, headfirst. As Aditya reels, Urban chokes him furiously with the leather lash.

"What?! AAAGH...What d'you... URK...want...*cough, cough, gag* from me?! Said I'd pay you...AAAGH! Help!!!..." Aditya struggles feebly. From the smell it seems like he's pissed himself.

Rydler grins as the merchant is choked, slammed, then choked again "It seems you aren't a very good 'convincer'. You are a very boastful man, you should stop; it lands you in more trouble than you can handle. With all your bold face lies you've been telling us, for all we know, you could be a bum in this city. You haven't enticed us with much except empty promises."

Aditya begins to slow and go limp. Urban snaps out of it and releases the leather strap, letting the Pradishi slide to the ground, gasping for air next to the wagon wheel.

Urban glares fury at the struggling man for a moment longer, then turns away in a burst. He strides away for a distance of separation from the others and stops. He turns away looking out into the wilderness. Taking several deep breaths in and out, he begins recitation of the 10th Measure of Teuser's Discipline, trying to calm his murderous passion.

It was not for Baracus to interfere if his brother had decided he deserved blood justice from Aditya. Instead, he gingerly reaches around to hold the reigns and bring the cart to a stop. He jumps down to the road and checks the little pony that pulls their cart, petting it, soothing it.

From inside the cart, Ybus leans over and whispers from behind Aditya's ear, "I don't want to tell you I told you so. But I did. Tell you, that is." He taps Aditya's nose with a knowing wink and returns to sorting the tossed cargo into a manageable pile of unsorted goods.

"Ah, so full of rage, my friend," Erden says sadly, made uncomfortable by his companion's display of anger, "Whatever was in your bag, I will help you replace whatever I can. Perhaps when we have time, I can look into the past for you to help recover whatever manuscripts were lost? I'd be happy to, as long as you'll make a copy for me as well for my trouble!" By the end of his little speech, he's moved past his discomfort, excited by the prospect of amassing more knowledge to send home to his scholarly family.

Urban looks down at Erden, first with an expressionless stare, but then he softens to friendly contentment.

"Ah...yes...you know. It is nothing," he shakes his head and waves his hand, softly dismissive, "They were just papers. Just ...possessions. I have to strive to maintain better control. Should not be so quick to anger."

Urban continues to gather his calm demeanor with every word. He pats Erden on the shoulder sincerely, and starts to walk back to the group. "So," he asks the gnome, "have you decided where we are going next?"