When Jasper approached Balthazar and his small band, the mage was
conjuring water from air to fill the buckets that the lingering members of the Black Cats were holding. He had the range and power to quell the fire completely but it would take time if he didn't want to burden his spark too greatly. In that time, the water could be used to make the task more manageable. If the man as familiar with Defiance, he would probably have some idea of how Balthazar intended to battle the flame, but if not then it was equally plausible that a man conjuring water from nothing could probably help fight a fire. Additionally while Jasper's spirit sight would allow him to see the small flaming rock known as Fuego, lingering on Balthazar's right shoulder, it would not allow him to see the darker form of Crow, the diri of Death, who was lingering further in the sky above them to keep watch. Crow, as Balthazar called it for lack of a better name, was simply too far into the air to be perceived- especially against the dark sky. If he'd focused, Balthazar would have been able to perceive the fire spirit around Jasper but regardless of that, the spirit would likely feel that the man was both a mage and kin with fire.
Balthazar turned to the man with
Melrathi marks and tilted his head slightly. A
quick glance revealed about the the man but it didn't matter. Anyone in the same state of undress as himself, willing to go fight a fire, had to have something useful to contribute. He gestured to himself,
"Balthazar Black," he gestured to Robin,
"Robin of Oakleigh. Come with us, I have enough people going to the business areas to slow the fire's progress there." He was not an Element any longer but he still had a way of
commanding in a crisis. Short and to the point more often than not but when racing flames, short commands were probably the best. No one should ever stop to monologue to a fire... well... except for Defiance mages since the elements actually listened to them.
"Are you sure?" Robin asked, casting doubt at the potential backlash of bringing on someone they knew nothing about. He didn't mean to question Jasper or his willingness to help, but people in Balthazar's orbit had a habit of getting reputations they didn't always enjoy. The Black Cats were content with it and Robin was content with it, but they had no time to explain the dangers of being seen working with the 'wild mage.'
"Unless he is carrying a torch I can't sense, he won't do any harm trying to help." Balthazar said with a gesture for the two of them to follow him out of the tavern. They would, assuming Jasper followed, emerge into what felt like a world on fire. While the blaze was not outside the inn doors, the smoke from the fire had risen high enough into the sky that there was no question where it was. He could sense the hottest part of the fire and felt his spark urging him to make it burn brighter, but he knew he needed to do the opposite. He thought about taking a portal into the sky to try and take control of the flames from above but it would mean abandoning Robin and the newcomer on the ground. That would do no good for teamwork.
"Robin, assess our new friend, I need to focus on my magic."
"You mentioned abilities. How can you fight the fire?" Robin asked as Balthazar took off into a
decently paced jog. He didn't try to outrun Jasper or Robin, in fact he moved a little slower than he could to make sure they could both keep up with him. He'd been in Almund long enough to know exactly where he was going, be it his attunement spark guiding him through familiar streets or hid defiance spark guiding him towards the blaze. If Jasper followed, they'd reach the fire in quickly.
