Varsen sighed and ordered everyone out after hearing the rest of the soldiers report, he began pacing and waved his hand. The council chairs moved around as a large table appeared in the centre of the room from the floor, Varsen sat just as his chair landed and looked at the other members.

"We must get the Great Glass back, without our magic is weakened and we cannot slow or speed time as needed." Varsen said, the other began putting forward ideas. None were of any use until the small person to Varsens' right spoke up, her voice was young.

"Lord Varsen, why not bind some mercenaries to us. Offer them a slower time in return for going after the thieves." She said, Varsen smiled.

"A great idea Katja, we shall do just that." Varsen replied, Katja turned to him and from under her hood you could see her smile. Varsen stood up and adjourned the meeting, the other council members bowed and walked off, Katja was the last to leave. Varsen called in a messenger and sent him off to find the best mercs he could.

Withing a few hours a band of seven entered the hall, the leader appeared to be a beastman. He had a black mane and sharp claws, he wore minimal leather armour. The rest of the team consisted of humans and other beastmen all wearing similar armour.

"Ah mi'lord, the little one says ya looking for some mercs to go thief hunting, and that ya offering a slowed time for each." The leader growled, Varsen was slightly repulsed by how he spoke and acted, Varsen had been brought up in luxury and disliked the low ranked masses. He nodded and informed the beastman that he would receive a slowed time as would each man he had, but only if he asked no questions. The beastman bowed as did each of his men, they each agreed to not question anything related to the contract. Varsen smiled and wove a spell around the mercenaries to provide them some assistance, he told them of their mission and that they would have to find their own way to the thieves as there was no information about them.

The leader bowed and he and his men left to begin their search for Drant and his team. The beastmen promptly found a scent and began following it out of the city, they were faster than humans but the ones in the team managed to keep up from years of practice.

Tali had fallen asleep and Lalien had returned to the fire Drant had made to warm up and eat, the deer was well cooked and everyone was silent as they ate, except for Varsak who growled as he ate the deer voraciously his fangs ripping the flesh away easily. After they had all finished and disposed of the remains of the deer conversation started up.

"Elf, you were talking to the girl what do ya know about her?" Varsak asked.

"Her name is Tali, she need not eat as she is the source of time magic." Lalien replied. Varsak went on about how a girl who looked fourteen years of age could be the source of time it self, Lalien shrugged and turned to Drant.

"Drant seeing as you roped all of us into this what say you. What next, where shall we go, what do we aim to do?" She asked, Drant thought and looked up at the night sky, each star was large as was the moon. Time passed normally over the world but there were locations where it had been slowed for the council's needs.

"Honestly no idea, I had hoped we would just break the hourglass and be done with slow and sped times. But that girl complicates everything, what if her life is tied to the hourglass, what will happen if it is broke and as for where we are going I have no idea." Drant replied. Lalien and everyone else sighed at this but a noise behind them made each turn, it was Tali pushing her self into a sitting position.

"I know where you could go, my home town would be good not many people ever go there." She tiredly said.
After quickly talking they decided that having an idea of where to go would be best, when light hit the sky the group headed off again.

Lalien was ahead of the group now scouting out the way, she had vague directions from Tali and was doing her best to follow them. After some time she saw the cart appear on the hill she had just crossed,