Time was flowing. It was a nice day, sunny with few clowds in the sky, and Lorus had a job to do. Apparently a group of bandits was causing trouble just outside this city, a simple job, similar to the few he did before joining Chrysalis in fact, so it should be easy. What proved to be difficult however was finding the place the bandits were hiding, the information was probably very precise for a local, or just someone that knew the world in general maybe. This was the second city he visited in search of his bounty, who knew there was both a Driftview city and a Driftview overlook in a different city? While mentally complaining about the naming conventions of this land the mage hears a familiar sound, a child crying, it was the same noise the guildmaster made when things did not go her way, she tried to hide it most of the time. A child was indeed crying on the side of the street, the bright red ball stuck on branch of a nearby tree made for a clear cause to normal people, Lorus however was a bit behind on the playing habits of children so he had to ask. "Why are you crying small human? It does not seem to be having any effect." Nobody on the street of the small city even glanced at the kid, maybe it was a common occurrence? Or some kind of tradition? Lorus lived life in constant cultural shock so he was not sure.

"I lost ma ball" Said the youg girl, between sobs, which made understanding even this little already a challenge.

"You mean the bright red one on top of that tree? Don't worry, I will reunite you with it." As he was speaking a blade of mercury was already forming around his arm.

"What are you doing mister?" Asked the girl, apparently startled enough by the sudden appearance of the blade to forget she was supposed be inconsolable.

"I am removing the obstacle to your goal. If I remove the tree you can recover your round implement." Lorus stopped right before hitting the trunk, looking at the girl confused.

"But I like this tree, I always play under it. Can't you just get it for me, you are taller." This statement made Lorus think, maybe the girl was the problem, this probably already happened. He could get the ball however so he hoped it would not become a bigger problem down the line, maybe a couple of wise words about the definition of insanity would help. Wait, how did he know that?

"Fine, but some problems are better solved at the root." The blade disappears, and wings appear on his back instead. After a quick teleport up and back the ball was safe. "Here you go, be careful next time."

"Wow, you actually did it. Do you want to play with me mister? Nobody wants to play with me." The girl was suddenly looking very similar to his guildmaster, remaining in her presence too long could be dangerous for his job, he was already losing too much time. Hopefully she will not take to badly.

I wonder why "I am sorry small creature, I have a job to do in... this town I think." He was still not sure he got the right one. "There is a Driftview overlook here right?"

"Yes, that way. Are you really sure? Maybe it can wait."

The pity was strating to get too much, he had to go before getting stuck playing ball with her for the rest of the day. "Yes child I am sure." The girl was about to cry. Oh no "I promise I will... come back ok, if you are still here when I am done we can play." It did not feel good, tricking a child like this, but there was no way she would still be here at nighttime right? The girl calmed down, he had no time to wait for her to change her mind so he just teleported away, in the direction she pointed at.

Well, that went better than expected. I was probably just lucky, kids are a nightmare to deal with. Why do I know that anyway? The day was about to end, the sun was approaching the horizon, there was not much time before the bandits went to sleep. The overlook was a very pretty sight, a road passing near a very scenic sheer cliff over the sea, called driftview for the strong winds that often grace this place. A band of bandits had a creative strategy lately, one of them had access to magic capable of quickly pushing carts, and even magic vehicles, closer to the ciff, they then robbed the poor souls threatening to keep pushing into the sea. A surprisingly smart plan for some common bandits, but completely useless on someone that can fly like him. Just as he was getting to the middle of the road a sudden push shoves him in the direction of the cliff, with a quick summon of his wings Lorus rights himself and lands on the edge, the push was strong enough to send him stright down from the cliff but on a cart would be the right strenght to simply move it over. Was it automated or the mage behind it was simply unable to control the intensity?

Out of the bushes a shady character starts laughing. "Cool show kid, I took you for a car. No matter, you better leave your valuables there if you don't fancy going for a swim." The bandit must have missed the wings, he was still sure falling was a threat.

"I am Lorus Azoth, and I have come for your bounty..." Lorus quickly checks his notes. "Pushy... Steve... What kind of name is that?"

"That is not my name! I am The Pusher, I push things." That sounded worse to Lorus for some reason, but he decided to keep it to himself. "And you will never take me or my boys alive."

"Well, I don't really care. Acoording to this piece of paper I don't have to take you alive"

This enraged the criminal, somehow. "Ok I had enough about you! Push him boys." And to the strange warcry at least a dozen other men jumped out of the bushes and started charging at Lorus.

The following fight was a mess, a dozen and a half men with random clubbing implements all rush at a single man, that swiftly summons a mass of mercury to start defending himself. Clubs are met with blades and the practical advantage of being more numerous is nullified by vastly superior speed. The chaos however makes retailating precisely quite difficult, even if he said he does not need them alive killing them would not be particularly good for him either. Some bandits are armed with blades but in the big mess it does not make much of a difference, there is something very wrong however, something in this plan makes no sense. Lorus is surrounded by bandtits, and the leader has a magic that pushes in a wide area in front of him, if he used it the whole band would be affected, the leader is not even fighting him. Suddenly in the chaos of the fight a familar cry resounds.

"HELP!" Time stops.

The little girl is being held by the leader, she must have followed Lorus to make sure he kept his promise. But Lorus does not see her, nor does he hear the pointless threats the leader is making, all he sees is corpses frozen in time. The sky is burning with magic, the ground is bathed in blood, A girl screams for help in a sea of death.

"I will not let this happen again." The bandits fall to pieces covered by glowing metal, the leader stands impaled on a tree by a glowing spear, and Lorus stands ready with another one already in hand mercury swirling arpund him, the normal purple glow of his eyes replaced by red. The sun is out of the sky, the night has begun.

Then time flows again. The little girl sits shaking on the road, Lorus rushes to her with the primal hatred nowhere to be seen. The girl starts sobbing.

"Don't worry, everything is fine, there is nothing to be scared of anymore. I will bring you home ok?"

"Ok..."

"Just tell me where to go."

By the time the girl is home she has calmed down considerably, she even manages a weak thanks. Lorus on the other hand is doing much worse, he does not remember what happened exactly, he just remembers what he did, not how. He goes back to the road, the bandits are not there anymore, only pieces of strange matter is left in the place where all the bodyparts should be. The leader is still impaled on the tree, in pain but still alive, the spear hit him in the shoulder. Lorus stares at the bandit, then he takes the spear and dislodges it from the tree and the leader letting it fall to the ground. The bandit is too weak to sceam in pain, but his wound is not bleeding as much as it should be.

"I already told you I don't need you alive, so are you going to follow me or do I have to carry you myself?"

The bandit slowly stands up and nods. The job is done, it's time to go home. Maybe tomorrow time will flow as it should again.