The Tavern
By the time the sun was up, Elias and Vordea had covered a lot of ground, and were back on the road. In the daylight, Elias could get a better look at the strange woman they encountered, and noted she was actually quite attractive. Flowing blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, and while she wasn't outright muscular, she definitely looked strong.
"Elias Malliot, are you checking me out?" Vordea said with a grin, missing nothing.
"Maybe." Elias said, looking away again. "What if I was?"
"It means you're a healthy man." Vordea said playfully. "You want to know more about me, don't you?"
"I suppose. Don't even know your name, but you somehow know mine. You a stalker?"
"The name's Mira. Mira Frost." Vordea said, knowing she couldn't just use her name, and borrowed the name of her creator instead. "As for the rest, well if you keep hanging around me, maybe you'll find out."
"Fine then, keep your secrets Mira." Elias huffed. "How are you not sweating in this heat? I'm already roasting."
Vordea glanced over and noticed Elias was already drenched in sweat. She hated the whole sweating thing, and so made up a lie.
"Heat like this doesn't bother me." Vordea said confidently. "Don't believe me do you?"
"Not even for a second." Elias said, shaking his head. "Full of secrets aren't ya? So where are we headed, or is that a secret too?"
"The Imperial Capital. I'm... searching for something." Vordea said, answering vaguely.
"Oh? For what?" Elias asked, interested.
"I wish I could tell you, but..." Vordea started. "I can't. It's my biggest secret."
"How do you know the rest of the guys will be picked up by the Army?" Elias asked, shifting topics. "They're not going to die out there, are they?"
"Because there's an entire Imperial Division watching me." Vordea said with a smirk, pulling the bright red Imperial Visa out of her shirt for a moment and waving it, before putting it away.
"T-That's a Catastrophe Class Visa!" Elias gasped.
"Exactly." Vordea said, not breaking pace for even a second. "Which means the Godsfire Division has spotters watching me at all times." Vordea briefly looked to her right, and then waved. "That'll spook them."
"How did you know where they are?" Elias asked. "Wait, let me guess-"
"Another secret." Vordea said, smiling.
Elias huffed, but this time didn't respond back, choosing to remain silent. The two of them walked in relative silence for the rest of the morning, punctuated by Elias trying to no avail to get more information out of his mysterious new companion. As the noon sun hit its peak, they arrived in a small town, and Elias gestured at a local tavern. Nodding, Vordea followed him as he went inside.
It was a typical Dwarven tavern when they entered, and the bartender waved at them when they entered. Motioning at the bar, Vordea walked over and sat down, Elias following her.
"Aye, enjoy this respite from the heat!" The bartender said, laughing heartily. "What can I get for ye?"
Before Elias could answer, Vordea pulled a sack of coins out of her jacket pocket and placed it on the counter. "This is for both of us. Bring me the strongest alcohol you got until the bag is empty. Elias what do you want?"
"I'll get some sasuages and beer to start, thanks." Elias said, managing to maintain his cool after seeing that bulging sack of coins. Just how rich was Mira?
Elias watched in amazement as over the course of several hours, Vordea drank bottle after bottle of some of the strongest alcohols he had ever heard of along with some that were definitely not for drinking.
"Mira I'm pretty sure that's for washing dishes." Elias pointed out as Vordea swallowed a bottle of blue liquid in a single gulp.
Vordea paused to read the label. Huh, so it was. "Yeah but it's 190 proof, see?"
"This is toxic." Elias said, making a face. Vordea belched in response. "Let me guess."
"Exactly, my human friend." Vordea responded, grinning from ear to ear.
"She's likely a demon, laddie." The bartender said with a laugh. "Had my suspicions when she drank the keg without even breathing."
"Not quite." Vordea said, smiling. "I'm just an adventurer."
"Oh sure tell us whatever lie makes you feel better." The bartender said, laughing some more.
"Tell you what, Elias." Vordea said, slightly slurring her speech. "Keep traveling with me. If you can figure out who I am, I'll tell you what I'm searching for."
"Will you lie to me?" Elias asked, after a moment's silence.
"No. I don't do lying. Omitting a truth isn't a lie. You get it right, and that's that. If you think the truth is on my Visa though, well I'm sorry to disappoint." Vordea stopped, pulled out the visa, and opened it, letting Elias read the contents.
Name: Mira Frost
Occupation: Adventurer
Reason for Visit: Adventure
Duration of Stay: At His Imperial Majesty's pleasure
Visa Class: Catastrophe
Elias read the visa and knew it didn't make any sense. Normal people don't get Catastrophe class visas, no matter who they are. But the seal was real, he could tell from the official stamp in the bottom right, no faking those.
"So, you said you're not a demon." Elias said as he sipped his beer. "Or rather... you said not quite. Quite the hint if I ever saw one."
"Is it now." Vordea said, smiling. She knew he couldn't possibly guess based off something so vague, using knowledge no mortal could ever know.
"We've been in this tavern for nearly 4 hours, and you haven't eaten a single bite of food, instead you're just getting smashed." Elias pointed out. "You're definitely not mortal, no matter your claims. You claim you're not lying but you're full of shit."
"Boy, you can't handle the truth." Vordea replied, her mood changing. "Just enjoy the company of your strange, rich, and beautiful travelling companion."
"What good is a beauty I can only look at?" Elias asked, leaning in.
"Think you can handle me?" Vordea answered with a wink, leaning so close to Elias he could smell her breath.
"Oi this is a tavern not an inn. I don't got any rooms. Save the flirting for later." The barkeeper said, intervening.
"Too bad. Perhaps another time." Vordea said as she sat up straight again. "Let's get going."
Vordea stood and began to walk toward the door, pausing at the entrance for only a moment to look back at Elias, before continuing.
"Yeah yeah I get the picture, I'm coming." Elias said, before chugging the last of his 4th beer. "Thanks barkeep."
"Oh anytime, laddie." The barkeeper laughed. "Come back and see old Thaddeus again, why don't you?"
Elias didn't respond, rushing to keep up with Vordea, who was already walking south down the road toward the Imperial Capital.