Mercenary, traveller, adventurer, lover. For many moons, Ethelston travelled east to gain renown and favour amongst his peers and those who considered him an outsider. When the opportunity to slay the famous mythical creature, the Manticore, appears, the opportunity for wealth and fame is too easy to pass up. But with each step forward moving closer to the prize, two questions fill Ethelston's waking thoughts. Are fame and fortune really the most important objective in this quest, and is the Manticore really the biggest threat that he will have to face on this deadly adventure? ** Short story associated with the Elemental Sorceress Series **