Riker stayed up all night working out and practicing a few sword play moves. He told the doctor to stay outside of Ptolema's door, and if she tries to escape the doctor will stop her. Riker also told the doctor to check her hand at least once every hour for Ptolema's health. After falling asleep and dreaming of a too intense dream of an explensent thought about him and Ptolema, Riker changed into his black leather combat outfit. Ptolema would definitely kill him if she knew about what he dreamed of at night. Riker decided to never tell Ptolema about his dreams, for his life's sake. He stocked every little sack with all the weapons he could find in his room.

Riker has killed many people in the Uri council, so Carmoc should be an easy target for him. Gunn should also be easy (easier than Carmoc). He headed for the "Uri Council Residential Village" with his passcode written out onto a piece of parchment that was torn from a book in the town's library. The ground is still wet from the rain storm two days ago, but could be used as an advantage to Riker, if needed.

He breathlessly came up to a guard's post and called out the tiny words on the parchment. The guard raised an eyebrow; nonetheless, he raised the iron gate to let Riker walk though. As he walked through, huge houses appeared everywhere. No, not houses - mansions! They were taller than the wall surrounding them. Bigger than the entire guild tripled. Carmoc is on his porch with two young women. They seemed too young for him. Riker needed Carmoc his house to kill him. He waited inside of the closest mansion's bush for Carmoc to leave. The way he looked at the women made Riker want to puke all of his guts out at this very moment, but he had to stay strong, and wait.

After hours of waiting, Carmoc went inside his house after the two women walked halfdrunk to their own houses. Riker wanted to help the women, but decided it would waste too much time. He stealthily moved over to Carmoc's house without being seen. Riker lifted the nearest window noislessly, and slipped inside of the house. In case he needed to quickly get out, Riker opened every window near him. Carmoc burped. Riker froze. Footsteps followed the burp toward Riker, but stopped and laughed.

"My dear boy, why today?" A snake-like voice slithered into Riker's ears. Riker did not say a word. He did not even move.

"I saw you watching me from that bush of the Drakez's house. They would not be happy to find out that a stranger was in their beloved bushes. Tell me why you are here?" It had to be Carmoc. Riker squinted underneath the door, but saw no sign of life. How did Carmoc know he was in here, when the door to the room he was in is closed?

"Oh, I see. A deed for Mr. Rohodly. Is it?" Mister Carmoc sneered at the door in front of him.

Riker said the only possible explanation for this situation, "You have the ancient snake magic. Don't you?" Mister Carmoc slithered through the crack in the door and into the room, until he was inches away from Riker's nose.

"Surpri..." before Carmoc could finish his sentence Riker lunged his knife into Carmoc's face. His nose split in two, and it dripped dark, red, thick blood. It poured down Carmoc's face even after he fell to the floor.

"Never start a fight with talking, Jackass," Riker laughed to himself. He sliced Carmoc's head from his body and flung it into a sack. One more to go. Gunn. He lived in a regular townhouse in the city near the guild. Riker slipped out of the wall that surrounded Carmoc's old village and into the town. People were walking everywhere now. Noon crept up on Riker before he knew it. He decided to get a bite to eat before killing Gunn. A full belly never did anyone any harm.

Riker went into the closest place that smelled of food without even looking at where he was going. When he was inside, he ordered a frig with cheese on top of it. After paying, he sat down at a small two person table and ate. Some people gave him weird looks at the sight of a head size sack strapped to his waist. Riker does not mind the stares he gets. He heard a familiar voice from behind him, so he turned around. Ptolema. She was talking to a too tan for his own good boy. He wore a warrior outfit close to the the one Ptolema wore. Her hair was down, but her mask was still on. Riker walked over to her.

"Hey," Riker awkwardly interrupted.

"Don't you have someone to kill?" Ptolema snapped at him.

"One down, one to go!" He bragged back. The man beside Ptolema stiffened as Riker spoke, "Who is this?"

"This is... um... Irik," Ptolema had to make eye contact with Irik before saying his name. Riker got suspicious.

"We're training togther," Irik informed Riker.

"Oh, cool. Well, I gotta kill Gunn before night, so... bye," Riker gave Ptolema an unexpected hug before leaving the restraunt. He left his food sitting on the table that he was just sitting at for the waitresses to clean up.

{|《~》|}

Ptolema sat back down into the booth after hugging Riker. She hated human interaction, especially if it's affectionate. Irik seemed stiff now so Ptolema ordered another water for him.

"So, do we have a deal?" Ptolema asked.

"I guess so. If I'm going to be your partner though, I would like to see your face at least once. I've heard that you have never shown a single person, besides Kolo and Hicop, your face. It that true?" Irik seemed too happy about this.

"Yes you'll be able to see my face, but there is no questions to be asked about it, okay? Anyways, I'll have to move in another bed for you, and you'll have to buy your own clothes and weapons."

"No problem, my parents ste... I mean borrow money all the time from the town bank."

"Why does your kind think you can treat mortals like trash! I mean stealing from us for your own benefit, for the Seik's sake, just get a damn job like a normal person!" Ptolema could not hold in her anger. Irik had to literally hold her in her seat with his overly powerful muscles in his arms. Ptolema could feel the steam that burned Irik's hands. She smiled at him.

"We're going to make a great team," she said with all hopes.

"Sure," is all Irik could say considering how hot Ptolema's skin is on his hands after her temper-tantrum. He let go of Ptolema so she could tell him about all of her former clients and the deadliness in which each job has been. Ptolema had always wanted a magical partner, the last one did not turn out as planned though. Ptolema never speaks of that day again. She was hoping for a magical girl partner, but a boy will do for now. He told her about his past life about living in the woods, hunting animals, tearing down trees, and how he found Kolo. Ptolema ate the entire time whole Irik talked. She kept using that excuse, "FOOD IS A PRIORTY FOR LIFE! AND A HAPPY PERSON, OKAY!?" Irik does not like to fight, so he went with it and kept talking.

After about six hours of talking to one another, they packed their stuff, and Ptolema showed him the way to the guild. Irik loved the place already. The outside disguise amazed him. The inside, he almost passed out because of how much he loved it. Ptolema had to smack him a few times before he got life back into him.

"Come on, you big baby," Ptolema ordered him. She walked to her bedroom. "This morning there was an accident in the room next to me, so I tore down my side wall to make a two room mash-up."

"Wait, you killed your neighbor?" Irik felt sick.

"You want to work with me, don't you. Man up, okay? She should have recognized the poison anyways. Besides, this is a hotel full of murderers, do you expect anything better?"

Irik looked at the bolted up door about thirty feet away. These rooms must be big! Irik thought. He was right, because as Ptolema opened the door a huge, full sized, room appeared before his very own eyes.

"Hey, your side is over there!" Ptolema pointed at room half covered by a brown silk curtain. His half of the two-room mashup was the same size as Ptolema's. Irik wanted to faint again, but did not, and instead walked to his half of the huge room to start unpacking his one bag of clothes.

Ptolema came into his side of the room after shutting, and bolting the door twice. She sat at the end of his bed with such grace.

"You wanted to see me without my mask?" Ptolema whispered. Irik nodded cautiously. He stopped unpacking as she unclipped the clips in the back and started to lift the mask off of her face. She got to her mouth, but stopped.

She spoke, "Promise not to laugh!"

Irik saw a tear - not swear - roll down her cheek, "I promise." He tried to say it as gently as possible. She was basically a stranger, but in the future, Irik can see them being great friends, literally.

Ptolema lifted it all the way off of her face. The straps of her mask dangled between her legs while she set it on her right knee. Irik's eyes widened as he saw her face.

She had a single scar going down her left eyelid, yet it was almost healed the faint line was clearly visible to people up close to her - like Irik was. Her eyes were ice blue with a tiny rim of gold bordering the pupil. Her rosy lips made her tan face beautiful. Ptolema had blonde baby hairs that were glued to her forehead with sweat. She was beautiful.

"I feel like your judging me. Is that why you won't talk?" Another tear rolled down her cheek. Her face looked as smooth as a blanket.

"No... it's just... I'm stunned!" He answered without blinking.

"By my ugliness, I get it." She started to put the mask back on, when he stopped her and ripped it out of her hand.

"I'm stunned by your beauty, Ptolema. The scar doesn't make you ugly, it means you stood up for something in your life."

Ptolema snatched her mask out of Irik's hand, "Finish unpacking, I'll be back."

Ptolema slipped her mask back onto her face before running into the guild hall to look for Riker. He was waiting foe her, as usual. He held up the head sack in one hand with joy as Ptolema stroded over to him.

"Your hand looks better, actually it looks... healed." Riker is too smart for his own good.

"The doctor is just really good, what cam I say," it was half a lie, "Now can I see the heads?"

Riker gave her a half smile before handing the heads over to her. She opened the bag to make sure. Gunn and Carmoc were both in there. Ptolema bowed a thank you to Riker and walked back to her room, alone.

Irik already had his night clothes on when Ptolema walked in. He gave her a thumbs up and went to sit on his bed. She pulled the curtain so it would each wall to wall. Now, she could change into her nightgown.

"Oh, come on!" Irik moaned.

"You ain't seeing anything, you pervert!" Ptolema laughed. Irik scrunched his pillow loudly before screaming into it.

"Must you?" Ptolema asked pulling the curtain back to the half side it was on. She had on her brown silk medium length nightgown on.

"Tomorrow, I have to return two of my targets, but after that, we'll do what we discussed," Ptolema informed Irik, while snuggling into her warm bed.

"I can't wait!" He roared back. His voice sounded more lion than human. He was magical to Ptolema.