Alone he polished the ruby on the hilt of his sword. In a way he wished he had someone to converse with, but everyone else had a life to deal with. He didn't want to drag Prism away from his shop or Emeryl from his church, or even Blake from his bar. But he missed his brother and had to do something about it, even if he didn't know what he could do.
      "Found him!"
      Eric blinked as Blake slashed through the bushes with a knife. Behind him the others appeared, Prism, Emeryl, Bentora and even Leiko.
      "Huh? What? How'd you know?" Eric stopped in his tracks.
      "Emeryl told us you were leaving. Then he told us what way you were going." Prism told him.
      "We even stopped to look up stuff on the way!" Leiko excitedly held up a book.
      "Stuff?" he queried.
      "We found more information on 'Nature's Treasures' in Prism's shop." Emeryl replied.
      Nodding and lowering his head, Eric looked away from them, "I really don't want to bother you guys..."
      "No offense, but if Emeryl can trick you I think you need our help." Blake retorted. The small cat clawed into Blake cape, kneading at him.
      "Besides, what would you do without us?" Bentora snapped.
      "Blake and I decided that the location of one of the treasures must be at those mountains that you were headed to." Prism informed him, "Right after we dragged him out of a bar fight, that is..."
      Shaking his head, a small smirk pierced his lips.
      "Then, to the mountains?" he asked.
      "To the mountains!" Leiko shouted. Laughing, everyone cheered as they headed for the white peaks penetrating the morning sky.