Session 8.

The fight with the bounty hunters continues, and the tide begins to slowly shift in favor of the group. The two scouts along with the man who seemed in charge, are all dead by the time Kathor rides up with more men. However, instead of having them attack the group, he halts his men, saying that his fight is not with them, and now that Renald, the previous leader, is dead, the group is to go on their way freely.
After some further inquiry, it seems he was only following Renald's orders, and truthfully viewed their recent job to hunt mages as distasteful and beneath them.
Though the tension still seems high, the bounty hunters go their own way, offering their old camp as they leave.
 
Continuing on their way, the cliffs on either side of the path turn slowly to craggy hills, and the air begins to warm. What seemed at first to be snow in the air, they find is actually cinders and ash. The fire forest comes into view. Tall trees stretch down into a valley that burns, as far as they can see. The last quarter mile of ground to the forest is covered with ash, and a river can be seen at the border.
Crossing the hills toward the forest, they notice the first and only farm house in the area, accompanied with a barn. Additionally, they note a young girl, with wide blue eyes, dark hair, and a cloak wrapped around farmer's garb.
As the group approaches, she does not look to them, but gazes off in the distance, and speaks flatly, as though not to them.
 
"The scourge comes and the skulls of the dragon pursue you. I saw it in a dream."
 
She then shakes, as if waking from a daydream, not seeming to know that she has spoken to them at all. But she does say that she believes their "arrival means that the end is near." She clarifies, that it would mark the end of her and her father's time on the farm, saying that since they themselves are magic users, she wishes to come with the group to avoid The Scourge. This she says in reference to the Ragesian Inquisitors who are in search of any and all magic users. She introduces herself as Crystin, and her father as Haddin, and invites them to stable their horses and stay for the night.
When she leaves the group in the barn to prepare things inside for them, Jack shares with the group that he has heard of this Haddin, and that he is a well known magic user with a rough past and is known in Gate Pass for his skills in Dominating people. Though the stories were from decades ago, he still warns the others to be on their guard.
After talking for some time, the group goes in to meet with Haddin and Crystin. They find that, though Crystin is cheery and welcoming to them, Haddin is a sour and hard-hearted old man, who seems to have some concerning control over his daughter.
 
Out of Game
After dinner with the two of them, the group retires to make camp in the barn. During the evening, both Jack and Rayland make their separate attempts to befriend Haddin, but he seems convinced that neither he nor Crystin will be leaving the farm, sure that they will be able to handle The Scourge when it comes for them.
Through the evening, the group argues for some time on the best way to continue. They are all quite divided, but seem to mostly agree that they will wait until morning to make any move, and if Haddin still does not agree to leave with them, then they take Crystin by force, as they all agree based on what they have witnessed, that he is abusing her with a magical control.
Later in the night, as Jack is on watch, Winry reveals to him that she has other plans, and proceeds to wake Rayland.