"Lich! Where the devil are you?" Markior was scouting around the base, when he had realised that Lich had been gone quite some time.
"...If you're hiding, you can come out now. I give up.." A zealot behind him purposely coughed loudly, and spun around to face it. The zealot looked away momentarily, then made eye contact with it's executor.
"Sir, perhaps you should check for mana fluctuations, you might find him easier that way." Blushing a dark crimson, the Markior replied,
"I was just about to do that, thankyou," and floated away slightly embarrassed. In reaching the river, he didn't need to search for traces of mana, as a large wave rushed past him. Though there was something different about it. It wasn't like the mana energies Lich possessed, it was... strange.
Peering over the trees into the sky, he saw Dragon approaching, alone, and in her usual form. Something was odd about this, he thought. Where was Tob?

She landed on the river bank, quite close to the very spot she collapsed on in arriving so long ago.
"Hullo!" She chirped, grinning, and 'bounced' up to where Markior was standing, giving him a hug. As if by instinct, he reeled back slightly.
"What's wrong, Markie-kun? Do I still smell like evil?" She raised a foot and smelt it, then winked. "I think I smell quite normal." Obviously in a good mood, she danced around him.
"Oh, it's so good to be back! I'm glad I got away from them." For the first time in their meeting, Markior spoke.
"Where is Tob?" She didn't appear to be listening.
"I can't wait to see Lich again! Is he around?" And at that, she shook his shoulders, running up to the base squealing with glee. The archon stood there for a moment still looking out towards the river. Something wasn't right.
"Oi, smokey boy! Aren't you coming?" Something nagged at him. Dragon seemed to be alright, prancing about behind him, but what ever became of Tob? It wouldn't be so easy to escape Ulrezaj's grasp on her own. He jumped at the sound of loud wailing in his ear.
"WHEEEEERE'S LIIIIICH???" Again Dragon shook his shoulders, forcing him to push her away.
"Dragon, please calm down.. I don't know where Lich is." She seemed to wind down, eyes wide and shoulders slumped. She remained silent while he continued.
"I haven't seen him for the past few hours, I thought he may have been out meditating or relaxing."
"You mean he could have been kidnapped?" She sat down on the dirty ground and picked up a twig, snapping off all the dead shoots.
"Possibly. I tried searching for mana, but only-" He went silent and thought for a moment. Dragon didn't have powers of any sort besides kinetic and a small portion of psychic...
"What? You only found what?"
'...Dragon doesn't have mana powers.....' Immediately he forced his hands onto Dragon's temples and searched her mind.
"What are you doing?!" She squeaked, startled. He found all the things he thought he would find, and many things he shouldn't have found, but saw that she was Dragon. Sighing sadly, he lowered his hands, and said softly,
"I'm sorry." Smiling sympathetically, she stood back up and replied with,
"It's alright. Boy, it gets dark here quick, now doesn't it? I'm tired. I think I'm going to drop-" and at that, she keeled over, snoring. Rolling his eyes, Markior scooped her up into his arms and cast recall, back into the Nexus. Placing her on a bed, he stood back from where she slept and felt a strong surge of hate.
"No," he said softly, shaking his head. "It's her. Just damned queer that she hasn't returned with Tob..." and with that, he left the room.

As soon as the door slid shut, Dragon's bright red eyes flicked open in the darkness, creasing into a devious smile.