Just one more spin, please?

The bottle whirls about the table, coming to a sudden stop when it collided with a plate; the recipient of its glassy gaze being none other than our Shy Sharpshooter.

“Oh… oh my…” Says Zana, squirming in her seat. “Uh… eep!”

A squeak from the Mousy Mage, signaling her retreat into the large Hat of Holding that once sat upon her head. The headwear floats down to an empty chair.

“Aw, come on out, silly-head.” Says Ashes, sweetly rocking the hat like a newborn baby.

“S-sorry…” Whispers Zana, flopping out of the hat. “I wanted to use my papers, like Cilla.”

Speaking of which, the Hairy Handler was now sitting back in her chair; waiting impatiently to take notes.

Zane clears her throat, before squeaking out her paperwork’s details. “I am Zana Litwick, age twenty…”

Near everyone’s eyes go wide; myself, Sammy, and Klyde excluded.

“L-Litwick?” Stammers Cilla. “As in… the Litwicks?”

Gabbie seems baffled beyond belief; ironic for a Priestess. “I knew you were wealthy, but… the Litwicks…”

Once again, Zana had vanished into her hat; Ashes quickly snatching the huge headpiece for further comforting. “Zana, it’s ok! They wouldn’t… you guy’s wouldn’t… would you?”

I could hear the wild mage’s heart pounding away, even when hidden away; fear, distrust, anxiety. That she need feel these things on top of our recent encounter with her other half…

It made me furious.

“Is Zana in danger?” I ask; my instincts overtaking any curiosity about the situation.

Ashes answers with a worried stare, like that of a child whose been caught taking from the cookie jar. Slowly, Zana steps out from her hat.

“I assume… m-most of you know of my f-family?” She whispers, soberly.

I try maintain my composure. “I don’t.”

“Same here. Are you royalty or something?” Asks Klyde.

“Why is Hat Friend sad…” Asks Sammy; a worried look forming on her fluidic face.

Cilla, who seems equally concerned for our friend, pulls a familiar, multicolored bottle from her cloak; Soul Sedative.

She slides it over to me. “Read the label.”

I do so, speaking it aloud. “…Manufactured and Distributed by the Litwick Foundry: Hoctin…”

Zana speaks once more, a small fragment of courage returned to her throat. “My family are the primary p-producers, and d-distributors of Soul Sedative in Ruyanei; as well as many other industries. Their wealth is… immeasurable.”

Scott begins cleaning his glasses; looking as though he’s seen a ghost. “Bloody hells… and you’re… Goddess help me; I thought I had poor luck.”

Klyde rubs his head in confusion. “I don’t understand; why is everyone freaking out about this? She’s rich… and?”

Ashes speaks, her throat tighter than a vise. “As you’d expect when none of your relatives age past their prime, elven family businesses are notorious for their ‘internal disputes.’ ****, slander… assassinations… and Zana is from the second largest trade-empire in existence.”

Gabbie smiles nervously, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, she mustn’t be in too much danger, surely. Only a distant relation would even be permitted by the Litwicks to leave Hoctin in the first place.”

“Well… you’re half right.” Says Zana, wringing the brim of her hat. “But there’s a very old ruling in the family; one that made my own mother disown me out of fear of retaliation. Any Wild Mage born to a Litwick… is first in the line of succession. My father had me hide away in Saltmoore with Granny Hush… ”

Ashes pulls Zana closer, looking around defensively; as if something would spring out after her friend when she least expected it.

The air seems to freeze in dread; yet I push past it. “I saw your father when I woke you in Bounty; he had Wild Mage eyes…”

Zana eases slightly, waving away the detail. “He married into the family, so he's safe… are… are any of you m-mad?”

“Mad? Why would we be mad?” I ask.

Mostly, I’m concerned…

The poor thing pulls her hat over her face. “W-Well, I didn’t… tell you. We’ve been traveling for a few weeks, and you didn’t know how much d-danger I could have put you in.”

“You do remember that I’m being hunted by three powerful evil Chosen with an enormous army of minions… right?”

“Oh… uh… is that a y-yes?”

I sigh. “No, it’s not… does anyone have an issue with Zana?”

No one says a thing; instead either smiling, nodding approvingly, or other inviting gesture. Sammy in particular turned her entire body into a massive hand, just to give the biggest thumbs-up I’d ever seen.

“See?” I walk around the table, patting Zana’s head gently. “We’re all here for you. Now, do you want to continue, or do you want to wait until later?”

“I’ll keep going” Says Zana, smiling at the acceptance she had received. “Th-thank you, everyone. That is a m-massive weight off my chest.”

Ordering her papers, Zana continues. "Name... Age... Ah, h-here we are. Height, five'four. Weight, a hundred and ten. I'm an Elf, as you all know, and I have the condition known as Wild Magic. It alters any spell I cast in unexpected ways; which leads to my class. Balistress, a Tier III Sorcerer evolution. I specialize in the firing of magical bullets, the use of which limits the ways my magic can vary. I know a few other, less useful spells; Open, Close, and Light, but they are very limited in terms of usefulness, and tend to... alter drastically."

She flips a page. "My more useful, and consistent spells are each a variation of the Incantation; Yield. Since Wild Mages are nearly immune to Vibrosis, I can cast most varieties of Yield as an Utterance. High Yield is a short-range, high impact blast. Long Yield is a high accuracy, high rangr, lower impact projectile. Wide Yield fires multiple projectiles at middling distance, and is useful for quick enemies, or groups. The final varient, Grand Yield, requires a full Incantation; producing a singular, incredibly powerful projectile, which will seek out it's targets heart... but, using it causes an immesnse backlash of magical energy. The one time I've used it, I nearly lost two fingers to magical frostbite... and my first rifle shattered into pieces..."

Ashes pats her on the back. "Well, at least you were at Pop's forge when you tested it the first time. We had to shove her whole hand in the forge at full-heat!"

Taking off her hat, and wiggling out her Boomstick from the headwear; she finishes her presentation. "My rifle doubles as a Travel Pole, and thanks to Ashes, my prosthetic can double as a... Side-Arm."

"Good one!" Says Ashes, laughing at the terrible pun.

Zana's cheeks blush with many colors. "Aw... Ashie... well, I'm d-done now... oh wait! I have a golem named Rocky. He's the little stone man guarding the portal."

"Ok... who's next, mister bottle..."