Chapter 2 - The Fellowship of Mud

[Megamieuwsel]

As the crowd disperses into town , Megamieuwsel lingers around the remains of the fire a little longer to see if he can be of any help to the strange man and woman.

They seem to be doing just fine by themselves , better not interfere with their buisness....

"I wish you a good night people , and if you're willing to contact me ; I'm staying in "the Dragon's Hangover" for the night.
Right now I'll be checking to see if my diner, presumably cold by now , is still up for grabs.
I fear for the worst , though....."

The man and his mule disappear into town and the latter finds his food gone indeed. Too tired to even mention it , he stables the mule again , noting with a minor part of his brain the hap-snap repair made to the stabledoor.
Once inside his room , fatigue overcomes him and without undressing he crashes into the bed.

*************

A new morning dawns ; wet and grey and rainy.
In a room , in a inn , in a town , in the middle of nowhere a tall , slender man grooms his moustache and sorts out his clothes while reflecting on the history of yesterday.
The night's rest restored a lot of his vigor , though a deep rumbling in his "midsection" tells him , there one more component missing : Breakfast.

Heeding his stomach's call , Megamieuwsel enters the Inns common room , where the Innkeeper's wife already is serving to some of the customers.

Hmmm... The others must be still asleep. Wonder if their rash words about going along with my "Gargeltje-quest" can stand the testimony of a new day.
A rather grey one , I might say. Good thing , I had my blue set with me ; if the sky isn't cooperative and such....

[Cadrius]

Shortly after finishing his cold soup Cadrius retires to his room for the evening. He spends an hour diligently cleaning his weapon, shield, and armor. Polishing every bit of grime, and blood off of it, making it look like it is fresh from the forge again. Eventually he's too weary to continue and collapses into bed and a dreamless sleep.

* * * * *

The morning matches Cadrius' mood, gray and slightly unpleasant. He rolls out of bed with a wince his hand instinctively reaching up to touch his wound.

It's fast on the mend, another day or two and I'll be good as new...not that it matters.

Coming downstairs he notices the blue-clad man is already up. Nodding to him he sits down and orders a small breakfast for himself.

"Good Morning sir," he says as he seats himself noticing the change of color and the lack of purple pants on the other breakfaster.

[WhoNAN]

As Cadrius sits down to breakfast, Whonan steps through the door, looking very tired and weary.... although he is oddly alone, covered in dirt and ash. His expression is of exhaustion, but also simultaneously of joy with a slight smile popping through the mask of fatigue.

He pulls a seat next to Cadrius...

"You know, you really shouldn't walk around with an open wound." He says out of the blue (possibly a pocket of megamieuwsel's).... but obviously not seeing the well hidden injury.

While Cadrius is still caught off guard... the odd man looks to the help, and orders an ample breakfast... paying a hardy price extra for some fresh fruit.

Upon the foods arrival it is attacked with a ferosity that would make a rampaging wolverine take notice... although never without manners, making quick work of the meal... and a slight nod, Whonan seems to discard the exhaustion and looks to be rejuvinated.... he turns to the fashionable man in blue.

"So when did you want to leave.?"

[Cadrius]

Cadrius eyes widen for a moment in disbelief before narrowing in suspicion. He attempts to hide his surprise by saying, "It's nothing and will heal in but a few days."

Turning back to his meager breakfast he says, "If it is not too bold of me, what was that map that was found last night? Forgive me for eavesdropping but I overheard something regarding a legendary object of some sort."

He looks down at the helmet he had taken off of one of the orcs, the dirt and grime long since scrubbed away by his relentless hands. It now shines brightly and reflects the objects around it. An image of a griffin can be seen clutching a rose within its talons.

He pauses and awaits and answer from either the grey eyed man or his blue clothed companion.

[Cadrius]

The dark haired man looks around a moment apparently perturbed by the lack of communication from the two men sitting near him.

"Er, excuse me gentlemen? Perhaps I spoke too quietly," Cadrius says leaning forward.

It is then that he notices something most peculiar. The grey cloak and the purple panted man are not moving. They are absolutely still, not a muscle twitches, not a breath stirs within them.

"Dear gods," Cadrius whispers slightly, "barkeep! Come here a moment! I do believe these men have fallen under some sort of hysteria or catatonia."

There is no response from the normally loud man and this causes Cadrius' gaze to shift over to the other end of the bar where the man in question is also frozen. Hunched over a mug with the ale that had been pouring from the keg frozen in mid-air.

The fallen paladin gasps and stumbles backward from the bar, knocking over his stool in the process.

Shaking his head violently he whispers to himself, "No, this cannot be real," scowling and looking about as if the perpetrator might be hiding within the room he yells, "What treachery is this?!"

Unfortunately there is no response forthcoming and the man puts his hand to the side of his head. Distressed and confused he slumps down into a chair by the fire. Once it had been dancing and causing warmth for all, now it lay motionless helping no one.

So much like Kalia... he thinks to himself, the symbolism not lost on him.

"Please," he whispers shutting his eyes tight against the world which has apparently gone completely still, "please let this be some magician's trick."

[Gralhruk]

In the midst of his depression, Cadrius fails to notice the small dark figure slip into the bar so full of motionless patrons. Dressed in a midnight blue cloak of heavy silk, she has short, raven black hair. Cadrius looks up as she glides through the common room, but she fails to notice his gaze. She approaches the statue-like form of the dwarf the paladin remembers from the battle with the orcs and lightly places the palm of her hand on his brow. She wears a veil across the lower half of her face but from the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes you believe she might be smiling.

One hand draws the cloak aside displaying a short, bright sword. She draws it silently and slits the dwarf's throat from ear to ear. Oddly, the dwarf doesn't even move and no blood spurts from the wound. The sword disappears beneath the cloak once more and she gracefully moves to an empty table in the corner. One hand reaches up and unhooks the veil revealing the face of a young serious-eyed woman.

Almost as soon as she is settled, time once again returns to it's normal flow. Blood gushes from the dwarf's neck and he slumps forward on the table, dead, without so much as a sound. The strange woman does not stir and nobody seems to notice her, nestled as she is amongst the shadows.

[Cadrius]

Why have you done this to me? WHY?! the man's mind screams in agony. We broke our bond long ago, why must you torment me with this?

Amidst the depth of his despair he notices a woman enter the room. His blue eyes fill with hope as he notices another living, moving being within the motionless hell around him. However a smile faulters and fails as he sees the woman draw a blade and slit the dwarf's throat.

Suddenly the entire world flows back into motion again. The fire crackles and dances, the ale is poured, and the blood flows, like a crimson river from the dwarf by the bar.

Leaping to his feet Cadrius sprints to the dwarf, catching him as he falls. The blood continues the flow out of him and onto the floor. Recognizing the wound mortal the fallen knight merely cradles the stout warrior's head and whispers, "Be at peace, Moradin waits for you."

As the last breath leaves the dwarf he runs a hand over his face leaving a bloody trail amongst his sorrowful features. He looks up in agony and confusion, searching for the woman and asks, "Why? What is this?"

[Gralhruk]

The woman's eyes widen in surprise as the tall man singles her out with his piercing gaze, demanding answers for an action he could not possibly know she committed. She half rises, eyes scanning the room, and then sits again when the man's question is drowned out by the combined voices of those within the bar. The common room is swirling with bodies and colors as everyone rushes to inspect the dwarf, everyone seemingly speaking at once.

Cadrius momentarily loses sight of the strange woman and when he glimpses her table again she is gone. Craning his head frantically, he spots a flash of deep blue silk as she slips out the door. She is moving quickly but not running and does not look back.

[WhoNAN]

Whonan's eyes flare... as he senses another consciousness appear out of nowhere... he looks around and only see's a dying dwarf in a heep, and Cadrius in a different location..... leaping to his feet he is too late to see the woman.... but his mind hears her.

The barkeep rushes to the dwarf along with the majority of the other patrons and those awake at the hour, causing quite a commossion in the bar... the glinting Grey of the strange mans eye alert those surrounding that something is indeed gowing through his mind... and he burst out the door of the tavern... to find the owner of the mind... that he cannot place... looking frantically back and forth down the street to find anyone.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius stands to his feet, his legs a little shaky. Blood and violence seemed not to trouble him anymore, but that coupled with a world in stasis and a brief moment where he thought he had reached his eternal damnation has set the fallen knight's world spinning.

Whonan sees the man stand as he flies out the door, also in pursuit of the woman.

Cadrius closes his eyes a moment and steadies himself before he gives chase as well. Bursting out into the street he whips his head back and forth, looking for the elusive bit of silk identifying the dwarf's assassin.

He grabs Whonan's arm and points down the street toward the far end of town saying, "She's headed that way." Looking into the man's gray eyes gives Cadrius pause. He senses something more behind them, something brewing, looking, searching.

He shakes his head and in a moment and then sets off down the street after the woman.

[Gralhruk]

With some distress, the woman notes not one but two pursuers. She ducks into an alley, breathing hard and takes a brief moment to steady herself.

Wizards and their promises! How have these two discovered me?

Staring down the alley, she realizes that there is no way out of here. Perhaps they didn't see her, but luck had not been on her side thus far today. She sprints for the far end of the alley and, springing off some discarded crates, leaps up toward the building wall. She gracefully catches hold of a space between some of the bricks where the mortar has fallen out, supporting herself with just her fingers until she can find a foothold. She looks up for her next hold and continues climbing the low structure.

[WhoNAN]

Cadrius sprints down the street... but Whonan remains still.... to the observer in deep thought... the air shifts briefly about him...

in the mind of the woman comes a slight echo.
""Come and gone so suddenly, stay a moment and talk.""

The strange Grey clad man, now begins to walk slowly down the street in no hurry at all. And again the air moves.

""Don't try to hide... I can feel your mind."" Again echoing only in the mind of the woman.

--- Whonan normally wouldn't be bothered by the presence of someone... even if they were a murderer... but something about this one fascinated him..... his eyes flickering with life he trods ever still slowly down the street... in the general direction that Cadrius set off in..... not even a bit distracted by the barkeep running to the street behind him calling wildly for the guards whos armour can be heard clamering from the direction of the gates.

[Cadrius]

Shaking his head as the gray-eyed man stands still he takes off down the street in pursuit of the woman.

"Blast! Where'd she go?" he says outloud as he looks over his shoulder to see Whonan slowly making his way down the street.

Continuing to run he blows right by the alley where the woman had ducked into only a few moments earlier. She freezes for a moment as she hears the man stomping about but quickly realizes he is unaware of where she has gone.

Racing another several hundred feet the man quickly realizes that she could not have made it this far and he doubles back to catch up to Whonan.

"By the gods man! Why aren't you hurrying? She just slew that dwarf!"

[Gralhruk]

She hears heavy footsteps in the street behind her at about the same time she hears the strange voice.

-Come and gone so suddenly, stay a moment and talk.-

She involuntarily freezes, certain that nobody is close enough to whisper to her. At that moment she feels rather than sees Cadrius rush past the alley, oblivious to her prescence. She is almost unaware of her luck in eluding him, so focused is she on the eerie whispering. The voice continues and now she realizes she can feel it's misty coils not with her ears but with her brain.

-Don't try to hide... I can feel your mind.-

She almost shivers and her will raises an unconscious defense against the intruder, like an alley cat arching it's back and hissing at one who has cornered it. The receding footsteps halt for a second and then continue, their volume now increasing. The tall man was returning.

Whoever you are, leave me be. This is none of your affair.

She is uncertain of her escape, pursued as she is both mentally and physically. Another might surrender in the face of such hopelessness, but she has been without hope for long enough that she no longer needs it. She continues climbing, now almost recklessly, and one arm finally slips over the parapet at the wall's summit. She vaults over in a liquid blue arc, instantly laying flat on the roof and freezing in place, listening for the hounds at her tail.

[WhoNAN]

Whonan replies with an automated response as his mind is obviously not there... he continues his pace slowly... almost stalkingly so.

"I have slain many in my life too, and no doubt so have you... don't be so quick to judge motives."

He continues walking slowly.... without interuption. And all of a sudden there seems to be prisms of light dancing around his head... almost like snow flakes reflecting light... Cadrius wipes his eyes and they're gone.

Again in the womans mind is anothers presence but this time its silent... only attempting to reason with her emotions... she feels a tugging at her feelings.... pulling her to calm, and relax... nagging her to forget her fear.

((Grahlruk Will Save DC13 or become a bit more calm and friendly (reaction levels)))

[Gralhruk]

Like a minature worm, the intruder burrowed into her consciouness. Her mental alley cat took a lazy swipe at it but missed and quickly lost interest. Instead of tensing against this latest onslaught, she found herself relaxing somewhat. The worm spread warmth and comfort whereever it touched and really, a little worm couldn't hurt her.

Are you so sure these men mean you harm? After all, they haven't alerted the guard or called any attention to you.

Her grey eyes still serious but no longer hunted, she reached up and grasped the edge of the parapet. Pulling herself up high enough to see, she looked down on the street at the two men. They were both big, tall men; one clad in heavy armor and toting a rather large sword, the other wearing only normal clothing and carrying a staff. Oddly, the armored one seemed more agitated.

<OOC: Failed my save miserably with a 5. Just out of curiousity, what power was that?>

[WhoNAN]

((It was Telepathic Projection))

A Slow smile comes across Whonans face.. as he reaches in one of his pouches... returning his hand to plain site clutching something. Again a shower of prisms fall around him.... and again there is a slight tugging on the womans mind.... reassuring her that everything will be alright.

This time Whonan speaks aloud with no direction or focus... but not loud enough for the guards now swarming around the tavern down the road to hear.

"I have no intentions of malice... however I am very curious..."
He trails off thinking again for a moment.

"... your chances of surviving the guards with my help is far greater than if you fair them alone. The choice is yours... talk with me... or face the town guard."

He clasps his hand on the shoulder of Cadrius reassuring him that everything will be alright.

((Diplomacy +14... Save DC13, you roll 'em))

[Gralhruk]

Another worm tries to enter through the same hole as the first, but this time her feline is waiting and pounces on the intruder. He toys with it a few times before putting the little creature out of it's misery. Her brow creases as she listens to the unarmored one speak, suddenly certain that it was his voice she kept hearing in her head.

She shakes her head and her presses her lips together tightly. The man speaks into her mind, invades her thoughts with his little creatures and then threatens her with the guard. Still, these two held the cards in this game no matter how little she liked it. She must play along, at least for the time being.

"Enough. You have found me. What is it that you want?"

<OOC: Saved against the power (I'm assuming telepathic projection again). You win on the diplomacy check: given the circumstances of your meeting I'm not sure what that ought to buy you, but at least she isn't shooting arrows at you.>

[WhoNAN]

Whonan's eyes slowly meet the voice... as only a second sense... supporting the preffered one. He raises a smile and a finger to silence her.

He then motions to Cadrius to quickly duck into the alley.

Speaking to him.

"You saw nothing of this woman... I don't care what you describe to them... just not her..."

He then pops back out of the alley staring frantically down the street when the two men are met by the guards.

"Did either of you see the attacker?" one guard blurts out.

Whonan looks at Cadrius reassuringly without a word yet.

[Cadrius]

The words from Whonan seem to affect Cadrius as he remains silent and becomes a bit more introspective. Brushing a rogue strand of dark hair out of his eyes he nods slowly.

He is right, you have killed, and not all of them were deserving of their fate.

Cadrius shakes his head and then the prisms of light cause a brief flash in his blue eyes. Dazed by the brilliance he takes a moment for his eyes to clear, the faint shadows of the prisms blazed across his vision. He blinks once and his vision is clear.

"What-" he begins before shutting his mouth again, the muscles in his jaw clenched. Somethings are best left unexplained.

As the man instructs him to lie to any guards that might come by Cadrius frowns for a moment, but he has little time to think as the aforementioned guards arrive quickly.

What? You're gawking at telling a lie? After all you've done, after every person that you have hurt, you hesitate to lie. What was the dwarf to you anyway?

I suppose so...something is not right here. I must learn more before I can make a judgement.

He looks back up at the guards and says, "No, I-I don't know who it was. It happened so fast. I just saw a brown cloak. That's all."

[Gralhruk]

She watches the exchange below, flinty eyes inscrutable. She is frozen, motionless, a part of the dull brick around her.

What purpose do they have? I would have guessed the armored one would sooner turn me over for justice, and yet there he stands lying on my behalf. At behest of the grey one.

She stares at Whonan more closely, wondering what is going on behind those grey eyes so like her own. She should be grateful and yet she feels nothing. Well, almost nothing.

[WhoNAN]

Whonan smiles at the guard again toying with something in his clenched hand...

"I can only assume they're heading that way." He points down the road past the alley, away from the tavern.

"We thought we should check this alley just in case... but no luck."

He again smiles.... and the guards hesitate looking at one another.

"We couldn't catch up with them, perhaps you'll be able to, but I would hurry if I were you."

Again the guards look at one another, and the moment they turn to each other, the dancing lights sparkle for a brief second around the Grey eyed man, Silver specs flaring amidst the grey only for that brief moment.

The word -"hurry"- must have sparked something in the guards mind, because at about the same time they sprint off down the road past the alley, without as much as a -thank you-.

Whonan simply stares at them as they hustle down the street around the corner and out of sight. Stepping into the alley he looks up to the overhang.

"Good, you're still here.... we should probably be leaving?" He states questioningly as the answer is obvious to him, but perhaps he is wrong. Out of his satche he pulls a beautiful Grey Cloak with intricate embroidering in a silver and black weave. "Someone else may have seen you, it might be a good idea to have a change?" Again the answer obvious to him, but perhaps again he is incorrect.

[Gralhruk]

Instead of answering, she stands then and her hands grasp the neck of her midnight cloak. Pulling it over her head she twists her hands around and, with a slight flourish, the cloak once again settles into place. Now it is a charcoal grey. Looking closely you can discern that the underside might be deep blue or black.

"This isn't the first time I've needed to disappear."

She lowers herself over the edge and retraces her route -somewhat less hectically than before - and soon stands beside her pursuers. Her stance is a little cocky for one that has just been caught rather easily.

"What is it you would like to discuss?"

[WhoNAN]

Returning the grey cloak to his pack... Whonan merely beams.

"For starters, exactly why didn't I -see- you kill that man, and why did you kill him in the first place... in broad daylight, in a crowded room none the less. You should for all means and purposes should be dead or in the jail right now.... -this- intrigues me."

His eyes light up at meeting hers except now the silver-grey hue has changed to match that of her cloak.... still beaming... still exmaning. Those who would be observant would start to realize that this whole situation was mainly based in Whonan's personal curiousity.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius shakes his head, obviously confused and bewildered by everything that has happened, is happening, and will likely happen before the day is over. He listens to the two interact for a moment before saying, "I saw her do it. It was a strange thing, as if the entire world stopped moving except for me...and her. How she managed it does not matter quite so much to me as why it all happened, and more importantly, why I failed point you out to the guards a few moments ago."

The tall man frowns obviously troubled by this last point, but he does not continue and stands still, staring out into space.

Why did I do that? I...I don't know. This is happening too fast, I am not certain what I should be thinking.

[Gralhruk]

She regards her interragators quizzically for a moment and adjusts her cloak. Looking first to Whonan and then Cadrius she clears her throat before looking off into the distance.

"You are correct: how it was accomplished matters little, as I am not capable of reproducing the effect. I am puzzled as to why you were not affected but the one who might answer that question is far from here. I cannot answer your other question; perhaps you have a sense about a person's true nature."

Her gaze turns back to Whonan and she shifts uncomfortably. Something about his gaze made her feel uneasy - too sure of himself, maybe.

"I have been tracking the dwarf for many months now. Simply stated, he killed somebody close to me. Somebody with friends. I agreed to find this dwarf and repay him in kind. As for the time and place in which I killed him: that is where and when I found him. Why did I stay in that room instead of fleeing?"

She trails off and her eyes grow distant for a moment but quickly turn flinty once more, as if a steel door slammed shut.

"I wanted to see his death with my own eyes."

[WhoNAN]

Whonan glints his gaze back to Cadrius... and smiles returning at once to the woman.

"Fair enough then. I am glad that you have succeeded. Hopefully the karma won't come full circle."

He ponders for a moment, and appears satisfied as possible with the situation.

"If you care to, come with us.... we were preparing to leave town shortly. I must make a stop however before then."

[Cadrius]

At the woman's words Cadrius' gaze falls to the ground. He shakes his head slightly and then lifts his eyes again and nods to her saying, "You are indeed lucky that fate did not have another end in store for you."

Revenge is never a good idea, but then again, who am I to tell someone what is and is not good? Not anymore. Not after that. What am I getting myself into? A murderer and some sort of warlock who can read minds? How far I have fallen indeed.

"I suppose that would be wise if we left," Cadrius says slowly as weighing each word carefully. Never letting his eyes leave the exchange between the two before him, he shifts uncomfortably in his armor as if anxious to be gone.

[Gralhruk]

As she speaks, the disappointment is apparent on the warrior's face. The mind-reader continues to wear that faintly amused mask she has become used to. Yet both men invite her, a murderer they have only just met, to join them.

Do they think me in debt to them for "rescuing" me from the guard? The guard would not have been aware of me if these two hadn't followed me. Will they turn me in if I refuse? Perhaps. Or perhaps they want to keep an eye on me to see if I merit their help after all. There are worse things I could do than prove myself worthy of such aid.

"That is all? You would like me to join you?"

She eyes them both warily, realizing that she knows as little about them as they do about her.

[WhoNAN]

He starts to turn away to leave the dark alley.... only pausing a moment to respond to the woman.

"Yes, that is what I was implying. The choice is of course yours."

And he set off out into the street and down the road a stretch until he comes to a particularly uninteresting alleyway, where at the grey clad man ducks in and makes his way down the legnth of it.... veering off to the left down another alley way a bit before the first dumps out into a field.... finally coming to a steel door in the wall. He turns to see who is behind him before speaking.

"We are guests... please act as such."

Before he takes out a beautifully cut gem from his satchel... and for a moment it glows a bright vibrant aquamarine... and he returns it to a pouch on his belt.

Placing a hand on the door he slowly pushes it open... and motions with a slight gesture for the others to follow. Inside is a dark hallway made of stone with torches on either side and ornate dark wood tables with brass etchings and adornment... all with very unique crystaline sculptures on them.... at the end of the hallway stands another single large steel door.... this one with an ornate carving of a young woman standing with her arms folded and a large sceptor in her left hand.

As the outer door comes shut with no sound at all the outside world seems to be shut out, and an eerie peace is all that can be felt in your mind. Whonan makes his way steadily to the other end and kneels before the door. A faint echo almost too soft to hear can be felt... not like the voice in your minds before... just a faint afterthought of something similiar. After it subsides Whonan again stands and looks back. The door swings open of its own accord and daylight fluids the hall oncce again... and a lush courtyard can be seen off beyond the opening, while your eyes readjust.

Whonan looks back with a smile... "It's alright, you are welcomed."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius nods as the woman speaks, asking her question regarding what they wanted. She notices the same sort of tired despair creep back into his blue eyes. This was the same beast that lurked there while he thought the world to have stopped moving. It is the same despair that frequently gets into men who have stayed at sea or been at war too long.

As Whonan leaves the former knight strides off after him, being sure to attempt to lend what cover he can to the woman from any prying eyes that might be about. However the morning is overcast and there is less light to be shed on them than there normally would.

The man frowns as he reminds them to act as such, but he holds his tongue and swallows his pride.

Now I am to be lectured on how to behave? Who does he think me to be? Some sort of child?

Cadrius elects to frown again which seems to be a reoccurring theme with him. Shaking his head and sighing he accepts yet another trick done by Whonan.

"I would know where I am going, especially with your magic involved" he says, appearing uneasy.

[Gralhruk]

What an odd pair these two make. The one seems overly burdened by his past, the other doesn't seem overly bothered by anything.

The mystic acknowledges her question and strides off without compelling her to follow. The warrior merely nods at her before following resolutely after the grey one. It would appear she was free to make her own choice; she hesitates only a moment before her mental alley cat gets the better of her. She catches up to the warrior with two quick strides and resists the urge to smile as he hovers protectively over her.

This one is not used to subterfuge. None of the others know who or what they are looking for; all I need do is avoid looking suspicious.

She follows without question; having chosen to tread their path she will accept where they lead her. She is somewhat relieved when the warrior asks about their destination, though. As nice as the information would be, it is even nicer to know that she isn't the only one in the dark.

[WhoNAN]

As he takes a step through the door into the courtyard beyond, he replies.

"To whom, not where... where is not important."

He looks at them generally peaceful.... but with a look of concern, knowing the situation is definatly odd for them.

"I must visit my mother before leaving."

And strides off down the center of the spacious garden... white marble walls surround the lush garden of shade trees and deep green grass.... blocking out the outside world, however occassionally with a door way to give a glimpse of orchards outside. Hr continues through an arch to a smaller area with a beautiful three tiered fountain standing in the middle of it and on the otherside, the side walls meet with a roof, and four pillars act as a front door to the dwelling, standing tall and proud with nothing more to stop the light breeze from floating in to the home.

THe three women that Cadrius saw before step out in a slightly excited hurry... now in light flowing dresses of light flowing silk that dance in the breeze.. of their respectful, usual, colors for each. With the arrival each steps up gives and receives a kiss before the eldest speaks.

"She's been expecting you." Her eyes flick to the people accompanying him for a moment... and she questions Whonan with another look of her eyes.

"These two will be traveling with me. Cadrius, this is Ember and her sisters Anna and Jasmine.... and I don't believe I ever cought your name." He turns for the last comment to the woman.

[Gralhruk]

She had wondered when she would learn the names of her companions, and wondered as well when they would get around to asking her name. Her response comes quickly and she doesn't blink as she delivers it.

"You may call me Gralhruk."

The name of a dead dwarf, as both of them probably already knew. Doubtless it would cast more suspicion on her in their minds but she was not yet ready to give up her true name. She wondered if the grey one -as yet unnamed- could pluck it from her mind, and then put that thought out of her head.

"Although many people simply call me Shade."

[Cadrius]

The man's eyebrows suddenly rise and a look of surprise intermingled with embarassment crosses his face. A bit of red colors his cheeks and he immediately says, "My apologies, I should have introduced myself to begin with. I am Cadrius. Gralhruk? Shade? I do believe Lady Shade sounds a touch bit better than that dwarven one."

He gives a short, uncertain bow, as if he is not sure how much courtesy he should afford the assassin. Straightening he smiles, the first one to reach him that day, and says, "Indeed ladies, I do believe we met last night. I trust you are on the mend," he inquires of the woman who had been ambushed by the orcs and the wyvern just twelve hours earlier.

"Either way it is a pleasure to see you again," that said he bows, a deeper one than before. While he is not sure what form of witches that they might be, he does know that they are for the most part good people. That and they haven't been connected with any temporal stasis combined with assassination.

[Gralhruk]

She notes his displeasure with her use of her fallen enemies name and files that information away. She nods at his choice -Lady Shade- and only thinks briefly how inappropriate the honorific is. Coupled as it is with his brief bow, she wonders what station this man had once held; clearly one where courtesy was the order of the day.

"As you would have it, Lord Cadrius."

She empahasizes the word 'Lord' slightly, almost questioningly, wondering if she is demoting him. She is unused to such courtesy and it flatters her slightly. That is, until she sees the smiles he has for the other women and realizes that his tolerance of her is forced, at best.

You are, of course, merely an assassin to him.

"Good day Ember, Anna, Jasmine; and thank you for accepting me as a guest. I am most indebted to . . ."

She looks questioningly at the mystic, still not knowing his name.

[Cadrius]

As the woman speaks her reply Cadrius turns back and looks at her a moment. His eyes stare intently and he angles his head to one side as if trying to discern any mockery in her voice. Eventually deciding that there is none to be had he says, a note of sadness in his voice, "Nay Lady Shade, Cadrius will suffice," he looks a moment longer before returning back to the mystic and his sisters.

[Gralhruk]

She nods, her eyes serious, as he rebukes her gesture. That was twice he had scorned her; it was good she had thick skin but she couldn't resist a small jab of her own. She manages to keep her voice neutral, even manages to avoid stressing his name, as she replies.

"As you would have it, Cadrius."

He hadn't missed her use of the dwarf's name; he wouldn't miss that she used the exact same phrase as before, only stripped of the honorific. She guessed he'd been stripped of that title or some other - it explained his bearing and manners as well as his despair. She knew something of loss as well and she knew the truth that he was obviously avoiding. Some things you lose you can't get back.

[Cadrius]

Although he does not turn back to face her, Shade notices a tightening of his lips, and a clench of his jaw. Clearly he understood and recognized exactly what she meant as she spoke. He nods wearily as if he had expected nothing different and awaits Whonan to see his mother.

Looking around he murmers quietly, "What a beautiful place you have here."

[Gralhruk]

Instead of feeling good that her barb hit home, the woman is disgusted with herself. In truth, she owed them both for not turning her in; they deserved her thanks rather than her scorn. Instead of proving her worth she seemed determined to find their tolerance level.

These men accept your situation and invite you to travel with them and this is how you repay them. Push them harder and perhaps they will have done with you.

"It is indeed lovely."

[WhoNAN]

Ember interupts the following silence....

"Mother is waiting..."

The way she speaks is not authoritative it is more of caring then anything else.... the Grey eyed man obviously means alot to her, and she takes his hand as they enter through the arch up a series of about 5 marble stairs into the body of a great welcoming hall with arches similiar to the one passed through on three sides and a series of three arches near the beack of the room, one leading out two the rear and one in each corner, these into internal room it would seem, although indoors, the hall has many lush plants and fountains addorning it, with beatiful patter of dark and light marble on the floor, swirling in what would seem to be chaos until the roof is observed.... a dome, polished finely to reflect the patters into a sphere that seems almost real, swirling with the same patters making it up.... through the middle archway they proceed, into a long hallway again with the same fountains and open arches going off to the left and right.... the lighting pleasant with no obvious source, just ambient.

At the end of the hallway and through the arch there a tall woman is sitting in a low chair with very comfortable pillows surrounding her... the room with a translucent ceiling, this time showing off the swirling clouds above... not like any clouds that you have ever seen before, much more active, without being violent. The woman tall and lanky, not of human blood, but very similiar.... a very kind look on her face, with minimal signs of age past that of the midpoints for humans... but an aura that one could assume she had been around a lot longer than her appearance would let on.

"Welcome friends." She says with a huge smile and an embrase for Whonan.

"Please sit and stay a while, will you please." Her airy voice floating aloft... with the smells of fruits and citrus in the air... two bowls that you could swear weren't there before are locatted on tables next to a group of lowlying pillowed chairs in front of her.

Whonan takes a seat while the three girls remain standing and motion to Cadrius and Shade to sit, before sitting themselves on pillows infront of their mother.

"Please, tell me about yourselves, and where you might be off to." The woman questions with a look of sincere interest.

[Cadrius]

The man nods as Whonan speaks and follows him into the house. His eyes take in every detail around him from the stairs, to the pillars, to the archway, to the marble floor, to the pillows. He nods to himself once as if noting something but quickly refocuses his attention upon entering the chamber containing "mother."

Her features and presence seem to trouble the man, and he does not sit until everyone else has had their seat. He offers a quiet thanks for the seat and settles a bit uncomfortably in the chair next to Shade.

[Cadrius]

Upon hearing the woman speak Cadrius frowns a moment before speaking.

"My lady, forgive my rudeness, but I imagine if you have the same gifts such as your son you could pluck whatever you wish from our minds."

He glances around a little uneasily at his surroundings but nods as if sure of himself if not where he is.

"Moreover while it was very polite of your son to offer us shelter here I would in fact like to know where we are. Clearly this spacious place could not be located in the alley that we were in."

He pauses a moment and looks at his feet, not quite ashamed of his boldness, but not entirely impressed either.

"I do apologize and I would be remiss without introducing myself. I am Cadrius, and as to where we are going, well, I think our only goal was to leave town."

[Gralhruk]

Shade looks at the ground as Cadrius takes a seat next to her, keeping an eye on him and the grey one with her peripheral vision. Many questions drift through her mind about the strange circumstance she finds herself in, this stranger man and his bizarre 'family'. She is beginning to feel that Cadrius is as much in the dark as she is.

"I am called Shade, and at the moment I have no destination in mind. My business in the immediate area is concluded and I find myself currently between jobs."

She saw no reason to give her true name, almost daring the matriarch to pull it from her mind. She raises her eyes to stare into the deep orbs of her host. The older woman regards her cooly and nods to her statement before voicing a reply.

"Greetings, travellers, and welcome to my abode. As you can see . . ."

The woman continues on about the grounds and buildings and history of the place, but Shade hears none of it. Almost immediately, her attention is diverted to yet another strange voice inside her head. All the while the matriarch's eyes are locked on her own.

-Greetings, Shade. In a way, I have been expecting you.-

Is that so? It was not my purpose to enter your home, nor was it my purpose to come to this town.

-There were . . . signs . . . that one of sufficient awareness can read. Those signs awakened my presence here once again, and led me to request a visit from Whonan and his two trusted companions.-

The grey one? We are his companions by chance only, and I'm sure he doesn't trust me.

She could almost feel the woman smile in her mind. She tried to ask questions, but the strange woman's presence was gone. She had apparently finished her discourse on the mansion as well, for the room was now silent. Shade stood rather stiffly and, without even looking around, beat a retreat to the courtyard outside.

[Cadrius]

The older woman's eyebrows arch at the man's outburst, "Indeed. Everything you ask and more shall be answered in due time, but not yet. If we are to be polite then I would be remiss if I didn't take you on a tour of my home," she says using the same words the man had used just a few moments earlier.

Cadrius sighs inwardly, he was getting tired of people using his own words to prove a point. Yet he nods and accepts that for now Whonan and his mother held all the cards.

She then proceeds to do as she says guiding the newcomers along with Whonan in tow as she describes her home. "Greetings, travellers, and welcome to my abode. As you can see it far more spacious than that alleyway might suggest..."

Cadrius quickly loses interest in her kindly rambling. Clearly she was not ready to divulge any information regarding what he found important. He would just have to force himself to be a little more patient.

He lightly drums his knuckles on the inside of his shield as he looks around at the home. It really was a beautiful place despite the unnerving sky. Although he resented not being informed he recognized that he was in fact at the mercy of his host. Being rude would not likely help the situation.

Suddenly Shade makes her way hastily to the courtyard, her steps swift but measured. Cadrius frowns at this uncertain of what could have set the assassin off. He begins to make his way toward her but he quickly hears the old woman's voice in his mind.

-Leave her be, she has her own thoughts to work out.-

The presence within his mind sets Cadrius back leaving him grasping at mental straws for a moment before he can regain his composure.

So, I was right then. You have the same gifts as your 'son.'

-I might.- the old woman replies in his head sensing his frustration.

Why have we been brought here?

-Whonan is needed, as are you, as is Shade.-

For what purpose?

-I did say all would be revealed in good time.-

And with that the woman is gone from his mind. Cadrius shakes his head slowly but appears resigned to his fate. He nods and continues to stand remaining quiet with his eyes lowered.

[Gralhruk]

Shade bursts out into the sunlight and stops in the middle of the grassy yard, drawing deep breaths of the clear air. Looking up at the sky she winces slightly, as the bright light reflects off of the white scar that runs beneath her eyes. Feeling rather exposed, she moves off to one side of the courtyard beneath the shade of the trees there and crouches down against the wall.

What have I gotten myself into?

She had come here of her own free will and she could leave the same way. Or could she? The door she had entered through was gone. She squinted down at the ground, noting the prints she, Cadrius, and Whonan had made when they arrived. They ended in a blank stretch of wall. She made a mental note of that location for future reference.

She didn't like the idea that the woman had known she was coming; Shade hadn't even known. It implied somewhere that she wasn't in control of her own fate, and that bothered her greatly. Absently scanning the lawn, she noted another set of prints. This one came from the orchards beyond, not from the house like that of the three sisters. A light print, and small. Probably another female. With a brief glance back at the house, she started off toward the orchard following the unknown tracks.

[Megamieuwsel]

The blue-clad sorcerer still sits there , a smile gracing his face , unchanged since his conversation with the grey-eyed one.
In fact : nothing of his stature has changed at all.....

As the ruckus about the dwarf´s death sttles down , the patrons start to notice his odd situation.

"Hey! What´s up with him?...."
"Man, looks just like a statue...."
"Hello! Anybody in there?..."
"This guy gives me the creeps! What´s going on?..."

Inside Megamieuwsels skull , his mind twists and turns frantically.
He appears to be trapped inside a rigid body. Can´t move , can´t talk , but he sure can think and see and hear....

What´s happening? What was that thud? A murder? Who? Why can´t I move?....
His mind struggles to regain control of his body , but to no avail.
People move into his sight , prodding him curiously , trying to find out what´s wrong with him.

"By the demons of the third Hell! His body´s hard as marble!"

The Barkeep wlaks into view , taking a close look into his eyes. Megamieuwsel wants to scream but even his lungs don´t obey to his mond.
"Bad magic is at work here. We´d better move him to the backroom. Having him here isn´t going to help me running this joint. Somebody give me a hand please..."

What the hell is going on?!?!?
LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!
Then another "voice" rings in the confines of his mind :
*So you want out?*
A silent laughter , slightly mocking follows.
*I can help you.....*
Who are you?
*Does that matter? I´m the one that can help you get rid of this frozen state*
You caused this? With what goal? What´s your game?
*Now,now....What harsh question to someone that offers help.....
How ungratefull.....
But to answer your questions : No , I didn´t "cause" this ; you did it yourself! Your automatic reaction to the temporal stasis went kind of awkward , so to say...
And my game? Simple : I want to have a little fun , that´s all...
Now : Shall I set you free , or do you prefer to stay in this state eternally....
That´s right : In this state you can´t die ; your body is in a perfect stasis and thus has no need for food and drink. Not even air.
The choice is up to you......*
What choice? I have little and you now that damn well! I haven´t got the faintest clue as to what you expect in return , but I want out! So work your magic.

The voice laughs again : a mental cackle that hints at a mischieveous intention......

*...In return? Nothing , but a little fun , that´s all. My kind is kinda bored , you know....
Now ; Hang on! I´m getting you out of here.*

Megamieuwsel starts to percieve a silent humming in his body , that´s building up slowly , growing stronger , turning into a reverberation , tremors... ´till it feels like his entire body is like a huge bell that´s just rung.
As it increases in pitch , a warmth from inside is growing into a heat , into an internal inferno......

Then , his corpus starts to move : Arms and legs and body stretch with a jerk and he´s rising , floating two feet above the floor in front of the cowering Innkeep and his patrons.

As the internal inferno and reverberation climb to a climax , his body spins faster and faster , ´till it´s causing a maelstrom of air and dust and small objects.....

Then Megamieuwsel explodes......

The spinning body bursts open and a ball of fire , cold as the deepest pits of chaos erupts from it , engulfing , no: devouring , the Inn and the entire block of houses , it´s in.
This only lasts a fraction of a second , then the sinister explosion implodes , sending a single jet of energy skywards.
The essence of what once was Megamieuwsel is riding it , soaring into the heavens , higher and higher , to where there´s no air and the cold starlight meets him unhindered.
The world below him shrinks to a ball , a marble , a grain.....

[Gralhruk]

As she passes out of the gate into the orchard, Shade notes a slight change in lighting. Everything seems to have a slight blue tinge. Shielding her eyes and staring up, she notes that the sun is also so tinted. Shaking her head she feels a slight shock go through her system, and wills herself to ignore this further strain upon reality.

Afraid of what explanations might come into her mind if she thinks on these seemingly impossible things for too long, she turns her attention back to the trail in front of her. Still there, the footprints wind lazily through the trees. She follows them to the edge of the orchard and into the wild wood beyond.

The mansion is growing rather distant now and the light doesn't seem as odd beneath the dark trees, although that is probably because of the almost palpable murk therein. She is beginning to get uneasy; there is a strange silence here, none of the normal woodland sounds are present. Alternate winds, hot and chilling, stir her dark hair. Goose bumps prickle her skin and she notes a damp, ankle high mist now rises from the ground, tinged with blue.

The trail is more difficult to follow but she follows resolutely, almost startled as it ends abruptly at the base of a great, shaggy tree. One slim hand reaches out to touch the slimy bark. As she does so there is an explosion of flapping and squawking from above as an enourmous blue raven leaps from the branches and quickly flaps away.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius has had enough. He had played along for far longer than most normal people would have, he had even gone beyond his own personal code of courtesy. This Whonan and his extended family were being purposefully vague whenever questioned and he simply no longer wished a part of it. If they wanted his help, they could fill him in, if not then he would take his leave.

Unfortunately despite the irritation building up inside of the man, he is unable to voice it and merely says, "Pardon me, but I fear if I do not get some fresh air that I will pass out. Excuse me."

With that he makes his way back outdoors into the sunlit courtyard. The air is comfortably warm and a light breeze caresses his face. He feels his anger dulled for a moment before shaking his head. As perfect as it seemed, this place was entirely unnatural. The clouds alone proved that.

He stops short as he notices that the door they had passed through is no longer present. A blank, featureless wall with tracks seeming to come from it is all that remains. Cadrius frowns at the sight of this and hoped there was another way out aside from returning to ask Whonan's "mother."

He looks around again and remembers that Shade had just recently made her way out here. He peers into the shadows near the wall and is unable to find her. It is then that he sees the two sets of tracks heading out toward an orchard of some sort. Glancing back at the ones the three had made he notices that one set is Shade's, the other is unfamiliar. However it is largely unlike his own heavy bootprint.

"What has she gotten herself into," he asks in a quiet voice before heading out the gate and toward the orchard.

[Gralhruk]

The raven is a large specimen, even for it's species. It's glossy feathers are black tinged with the deepest blue. It is difficult to assess if this is natural or due to the odd lighting effect. It spins a short circle around the tree before landing on a stone outcropping next to Shade. She stares at it, the bird's eyes level with her own.

She can see her own tiny reflection in the glassy black orbs of the creature and for some reason that strikes an uneasy chord within her. It stares back with a force of personality so strong and so knowing that she staggers back a step.

And then she is dreaming. She is in the hot sun, waves of heat shimmering off of the white plains. Looking around, the vastness of the desert is broken only by the occaisional scrub brush or cactus. The heat and the emptiness are familiar to her, and these things she can bear. It is the light that hurts her the most, reflecting off of the sand, blinding her. As she collapses to her knees she can see the blurred outlines vultures circling above. When did she get so thirsty? She opens her waterskin to drink but it isn't water that drips out. Grey and bright, like molten steel, the beads that drip out miss her mouth and land in her eyes instead, then roll to her ears and into her brain. They were speaking, those drops of liquid iron, but they spoke only in riddles. She can barely see now, barely think, and she turns to the west - away from the sun. It looks cooler there and she sees the vague outline of a figure, broken but upright. And then the vulture is in front of her, staring at her with glassy black eyes. It's beak darts forward and she tries to move but she is too slow, like she is underwater. She feels the beak pierce the skin beneath her left eye, sliding across her nose, continuing under the other eye before sliding free with a sheet of blood.

***

Following the tracks through the orchard, Cadrius can see that they angle toward the forest. In the murky mist beneath, he can see a figure staggering forward. A figure draped in a midnight blue cloak. She is mudstained and disheveled, though she appears unharmed. Her eyes are glazed and unseeing though she continues to move forward without incident.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius frowns, opens his mouth to speak, and then closes it again. He is unsure of what to make of the situation. Here is the assassin that slew that rather blood-thirsty dwarf. She is stumbling about seemingly unaware of his presence. Not only that but she is covered in mud. How odd. She isn't even walking away, she's staggering. This concerns him, but it is the mud that bothers him the most. She did not impress him as the kind of person who would tolerate such a lack of cleanliness. Then again, she did slaughter that dwarf like a farmer would a pig. Still, if something is wrong he cannot let her wander around this surreal land.

Making up his mind he begins walking at a rapid pace to catch up to her. As he closes the distance he entertains two thoughts, one conscious, one unconscious. The first is his concern that she is so haphazardly making her way into that murky forest. The second, his mind will not allow to rise into his consciousness. However he becomes uneasier with each passing step toward the woods.

Finally closing the distance he reaches forward and puts his hand on the woman's shoulder and says, "Shade? Are you well?"

[Gralhruk]

She stops moving and one hand reaches up to brush the scar beneath her eyes. She does not turn toward Cadrius. Her dark grey eyes remain unfocused and she speaks slowly.

"And how else should I be, Ricard? Perhaps you were expecting to find me less, shall we say, mobile?"

[Cadrius]

As she speaks Cadrius suddenly has the undeniable urge to remove hand from her shoulder. He decides that it is likely a wise decision and follows his instinct. However her voice chills him, sending goosebumps up and down his arms and legs.

Ricard? Less than mobile? What is she talking about?

The tall man has now slipped past the point of unease and into nervousness, population: Cadrius. The tone of her voice coupled with the environment and the forest in she was headed has made the man edgy.

Uncertain of what to do he clears his throat and tries to speak to her again, "Lady Shade, please, I do not think it would be wise for us to venture into the woods. Not here."

His gaze shifts to the trees and the mist. He has the distinct feeling that there is something sinister lurking there, but he cannot put his thumb on it.

[Gralhruk]

As he removes his hand he can see a change come over her face. Her pupils, tiny a moment ago, suddenly widen and she seems to see him for the first time. There is a wealth of emotion reflected therein: surprise, regret, rage, misery and even fear. Her hands move like lightning and with the faintest whisper of steel on steel her twin blades appear in her hands. She backpedals until she bumps against a tree.

For a moment, you wonder if she will attack you; she is coiled like a spring. Then you see recognition in her eyes and the emotion disappears, as if a blind was drawn across her soul.

"Cadrius?"

She seems confused, as if she was expecting somebody else. She looks around quickly, scans the trees and branches above her, before settling on his face again.

"Where is the evil bird? A vulture . . . no . . . it was a raven."

She slumps back against the tree and slides to the ground, her face grey.

[Cadrius]

As the woman recoils Cadrius responds with a similar move. He leaps back a step and his hand grabs the hilt of his sword but does not draw it out. His jaw muscles clench as he awaits her move. However the emotions reflected in her eyes gives him pause. He had intimate experience with most of them however he had long ago given up his rage in favor of melancholy. A less fiery companion, but one that was always with him. Rage comes and goes, but a sadness that is soul-deep will always stay with you.

So as he glimpses her emotions, she sees his. There is no anger, merely sadness and a glimmer of understanding.

At last she seems to become fully aware of her surroundings. He releases the grip upon his sword and lowers his hand.

"Yes, it is I," he says with a touch of difficulty as he was now uncertain of her sanity. The peculiar behavior, calling him by another's name, the violent reaction, and the mentioning of the bird: all signs point to crazy. Perhaps that's what happens when you kill people for money. You begin to lose it. He knew of a veteran or two from mercenary companies who gradually lost their minds after all the fighting they did. Perhaps the same was true for assassins.

He glances at her, worried for both her sake and his, "Let me ask again, are you well?"

[Gralhruk]

She says nothing, staring straight ahead. For a moment, you think she may have slipped back into the haze but slowly you notice that her eyes remain lucid. She shakes her head and sheathes her blades before climbing unsteadily to her feet. The world spins crazily and for a moment she think that she may vomit. Instead, she clenches her teeth and grabs hold of the rough bark next to her. The dizzyness fades and she could once again feel the unnatural silence of the wood pressing down on her.

"I'm not sure. The sooner we leave the wood the better I'll feel."

She briefly glances at the angle and length of the shadows, and then briskly turns in the direction of the orchard. She moves swiftly and quietly on her feet but something in the set of her back indicates anger.

[Cadrius]

He nods slowly in agreement. At least she had the presence of mind to recognize that the woods was not a safe place to be. Hell, this whole place just felt wrong. The air too heavy, the birds too quiet.

As the woman sets off the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She can feel something watching her, something other than Cadrius who can be heard making his way behind her. The metal of his banded mail gives him away, but the set of eyes feels as if it is coming from a different direction. From further off, and to her right.

Cadrius does not pick up on this as he is too engrossed with the overall feeling of the place. It seemed to behave like the real world, but just slightly different. Almost as if it were being viewed through tinted glass.

While he did not enjoy the company of Whonan's mother, he would welcome it rather than stay out in this place any longer.

[Gralhruk]

She moves as quickly and silently as she can through the wood, thankful that the underbrush is light. Her skin crawls with the feeling that they are not alone; she can feel a malvolent gaze on them even now. She halts briefly and closes her eyes. Like the cold breath emanating from a dark tomb, she can feel it pressing on her. It is pacing them, whatever it is.

She continues on for some time without speaking, wincing everytime the melancholy warrior makes a particularly loud noise. She is sweating freely now and yet the chill feeling within her grows by the minute. Cadrius notes her often looking ahead and to the right, straining to see throught the bluish gloom.

They approach a noisy stream, the steep bank slick with mud. She slows as they approach, scanning it's course for a suitable spot to descend. Moving off to the right, she steps lightly down to the stream and kneels by the water's edge. Pulling a square of cloth from somewhere within her cloak, she dips it in the stream and rinses her face.

She stands and shivers before turning to Cadrius for the first time since they started moving. Her voice is calm although her features are strained. She folds her arms for warmth before speaking.

"There was no stream between us and the orchard. We should have been out of this wood already. I would say we are lost, though I have not lost my way in a wood since I was a little girl."

[Cadrius]

The man slowly nods his head in agreement. At the first sight of the stream his heart fell. The way to Shade was but a simple path through the orchard. The way back seemed to be a constantly shifting maze.

What troubled him more though was that she repeatedly scanned the area to her right as they traveled. Almost as if she was expecting to see something. Perhaps her trip out here had taxed her mind. Perhaps she sensed something more specific than he did.

For the first time in a long time Cadrius wished he had taken a different branch in his life. Had his decision been different he would be better equipped for their current situation. However he quickly dismissed those thoughts. He could not have chosen differently, and if he had he would not likely be where he is today.

As he responds to the woman's comment his eyes glaze over. He responds to the present question, but his answer seems to delve further and answers an unspoken one.

"Yes, you are correct. Although I think it is far easier to get lost than most people believe. All you need to do is take a few steps. Some people try and find a way out. I say the answer is to become more lost. Perhaps then you are able to understand more about where you are."

He snaps out of his reverie. It was neither the time nor the place for introspection. He still was unable to put his finger on it, but everything about them was still wrong.

"What do you suggest? I would not be caught here after nightfall. Although I fear we are running out of time. Either we are lost or this place changes randomly."

Or something is leading us, an unbidden thought whispers.

The woman still feels the presence that has followed her thus far. It seems to be located somewhere off to the side of Cadrius who is still oblivious to it.

[Gralhruk]

She stares at Cadrius, listening to his theories on losing oneself and finding your way. She rocks back and forth on her heels and spends a moment brushing the mud from her clothing as if she has just noticed it. Running her fingers through her hair she turns her head once again in the direction of the evil presence she feels. She is pale and sweating and the odd light makes her lips appear blue; she shivers again. The cold wind is slowly freezing her soul.

How dense is this man that cannot he not feel it?

She looks at him again and is irritated by his slight frown. She stands straighter under his scrutiny, trying not to think about the look he'd given her earlier, when he'd woken her. Dreaming. She'd been dreaming, and then he was there. She'd been so sure it was Ricard, though why she'd expect him made no sense at all.

He probably thinks I'm crazy.

As he voices her own concern of being trapped in this place in the dark she snaps back to the present. There was nothing to be gained by staying where they were. She chewed her lip and hugged herself tighter. What to tell him?

Maybe I am crazy.

"I think we need to keep moving. The question is to where. I have an idea, but first I would ask you to do something. Close your eyes and forget that you have them. Dismiss your ears as well. Put this place out of your mind and concentrate; tell me if you can feel . . . anything."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius raises his eyebrows as the woman instructs him to concentrate. He grudgingly does so and shuts his eyes to the mud and the water flowing a few feet in front of him.

"What do I feel? I feel this place. I feel how it is like where we came from, but different. I feel how wrong it is," he says finally saying what he had been thinking for so long.

He begins to say something else before suddenly stoping. There was something else she was getting at. Yes the very land itself seemed different, almost as if it were alive. However there was something else, something different, something smaller, and something nearby.

For the second time in four years he curses himself for the path he chose. He cannot discern what it is but he can feel it.

Slowly opening his eyes he gives her a slight nod and his gaze shifts to his right. He cannot see it, but he knows that it is there.

Suddenly Shade can feel the presence intensify. It begins growing more substantial with each moment. She can almost feel what it is with her mind. She cannot see it's form but she can feel that it is human, or human-like. A malevolence hangs off of it like a cloak and for a moment she believes that it will appear directly next to Cadrius.

Then it is gone.

Without warning or perhaps because it knew it had been detected, the presence has fled. Yet the overall feel of the land has not changed, not at all. There is still a fundamental feeling of wrongness here.

Cadrius whispers partially bewildered, partially angry, and partially afraid, "what was that?"

He looks at Shade and then back at the spot next to him before saying, "Let us make haste." His blue eyes show worry, but it is not for fear of being attacked, but for fear of where they were.

He strides to the knee-deep stream and says, "I will carry you across if you need it. The last thing either of us needs is to fall ill out here."

Mud, how wonderful. Perhaps we can wade through some of those pricker bushes and then travel through a graveyard afterward.

[Gralhruk]

"Whatever it was, better that it is gone. It has been shadowing us since you found me."

Then he could fell it as well. Perhaps my senses have not yet left me.

She shifts her feet slightly and drops her eyes. Yes, he had found her - vulnerable, incoherent, and lost. She felt a stab of anger that he had seen that, though he at least had the grace to keep his mouth shut. She was angry all the more that she had seen a glimmer understanding in his eyes. She wasn't ready to acknowledge that others had visited the ruined depths her mind had made home.

"Haste will not help if we don't know the way. We can continue on across the stream in hopes that the orchard still lies in the same direction we left it. If that were the case, though, we should already be there."

Ignoring his offer of help, she pulls her cloak around her. Her eyes move to the spot where the prescence had emanated from. Gone, now, but for how long?

"I think this thing, whatever it was, has been herding us along. Perhaps we should go where it did not want us to go."

[WhoNAN]

While the others leave, Whonan lets them, seemingly wrapped up in a silent conversation with the others.

Eventually it subsides.

We shall probably get them out of there soon....
He says wildly amused.... starring at the ceiling now showing visions of the two others wandering about.

In time, they shall need to learn a few things before you set forth, it be best under supervision, rather than where I shall not tread. The maturnal woman replies.

.............

Back in the forest of spirits....

The shadows earily haven't shifted a bit although it is hard to see while covered under the dense canopy which grows ever thicker, while the two venture further into their own creation... their very fears hinting and poking out from every twist and turn, as their thoughts give them more and more life.

Cadrius looking up from the stream sees on the other side a robed figure... wearing symbols that he knew all to well, saying nothing but starring a hole through him.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius nods, understanding the reasoning but still not liking their choice. If it were up to him he would set a gruelling pace straight ahead. Either he would drop or they would find shelter and he did not find one more appealing than the other.

He notes her silent decline of his offer of help. He did not expect her to accept it, but some old habits die hard. He swallows relfexively at the thought. This place had a way about making your remember things you had forgotten. It excavates the negative, the haunting, the dark part that everyone posesses.

"Possibly, but I would feel better if we would at least travel in a straight path," he says knowing it likely would not matter what direction they walked in. The land was shaping according to someone or something. Whatever was responsible, it was not a benevolent force. That much Cadrius was certain about.

So they continue their journey. They move with the current downstream. The stream does not flow quickly and carries a rather unpleasant stench to it. Where some brooks would babble, this stream merely sulks. It eeks its way along emitting a foul odor about on the same level as a carrion crawler's urine. Further upstream it had appear relatively sanitary, but now it was nothing but filth.

Cadrius' unease had briefly waned once the presence had apparently fled, but as he makes his way by the stream the feeling quickly returns. A growing sense of dread seeps its way into the man, it oozes through his poores and permeates his body. The longer he walks the more he wishes he was anywhere else but in these woods. And the shroud of despondency envelopes him fully.

That is when he sees him. Standing on the opposite side of the foul stream. The white robes with the symbol of a fist clenching a lightning bolt on one breast and a griffin grasping a rose on the other. He is a paladin of Heironeous, and a Knight of the Griffin. He is Cadrius' brother. He is dead.

Or at least he should be, yet he stands before the man as clear as day. The white robes coupled with the symbols mark him as a new member of the knighthood, above a squire but still below a full-fledged knight. This is exactly how Cadrius last saw him four years ago.

He even has the same cuts from when...

Cadrius' thought ceases in mid sentence. The air around him seems to slow and condense, weighing heavily upon his body. His breath becomes labored and his arms and legs feel as if they have suddenly had anvils tied to them.

For you see, if Cadrius is seeing his brother in that state, then that means there is someone else here. Someone Cadrius wishes to forget but cannot. The one person in the world that he wronged more than his brother.

Uncontrollably his head turns further to the right and gazes across the stream to another figure dressed in white robes. The difference is that she does not bear any symbols upon her simple dress.

Cadrius blinks slowly, wishing the spectres of his past to vanish. Yet when his eyes open they are still there. His brother's jaw clenches and he walks through the foul stream not seeming to care about the muck and filth that travels up to his knees.

The man stands before Cadrius and the resemblance is remarkable. They both share the same dark hair and fair eyes. Although the brother appears to be about a hand shorter it seems that Cadrius is looking up at him.

"No," is all Cadrius can whisper. Feeling the wrenching pain inside, knowing what must come next and helpless to alter it. His hand slides down to his sword, past the pommel where a symbol of a hand clenching a lightning bolt and be seen, and onto the hilt. He slowly draws the blade, his arms still feeling weighed down. Then it begins.

A broadsword and a shield are suddenly in his brother's hands and he lunges. Cadrius does not tell his muscles to move, he does not want to parry the incoming sword blow, but he knows he must and that he will. He has been in this fight before, he knows how it will end and it tears at his soul.

There is a flurry of blows exchanged between the two and Cadrius is driven backward. His feet almost slip in the muck but he holds his ground. His brother was always fond of attacking high, low, and then high again in an effort to throw off his opponent. Cadrius never had been fooled by it but his brother attempted it anyway.

Metal rings on metal as blows are parried, blocked, and returned. He grimaces in pain as the tip of his brother's sword slips past his defenses and leaves a crimson line across his forearm. He grits his teeth and redoubles his assault feeling the old rage slip back into him. It's like seeing an old friend that has been away a long time. Part of Cadrius loathes it, part of Cadrius accepts it, part of Cadrius relishes it.

His brother is now on the defensive from the quick, powerful swings delivered by Cadrius' bastard sword. The anger is upon him now, casting aside his cloak of despondency in favor for one of blind rage. His brother's defenses falter and then fail. Cadrius makes two quick, clean cuts, one along the arm, one along the side. His brother falls backward an collapses to the ground in pain.

Normally the fight would have been over, the duel was settled, but it was not enough for Cadrius. His brother had betrayed him, he had stolen the woman that he loved and had humiliated him in front of the other knights. Cadrius would make him pay, Cadrius would finish him.

He lifts his sword overhead and prepares to slay his brother. There is no hesitation and he brings the point of it down in a wicked thrust aimed at his brother's belly.

This is where time seems to slow down again. He hear's a shriek and a woman cry the name, "Ben!" Suddenly she is there, leaping in front of his sword. His mind and soul scream in protest but he is helpless. He cannot alter the course of the sword. He is but a prisoner capable only of watching.

The blade enters her stomach easily and slides straight through the other side and into his brother. A bit of crimson seeps out where she has been impaled. She chokes for air and stares at him with impossibly wide eyes. All that can be read in those eyes are pain. She had betrayed him, and thus he had betrayed her. The only difference was his was much more lethal. She does not have the breath to speak and is only capable of mouthing one word to him. Why?

Ben, his brother, finds her hand with his and that is how they leave this world, their hands clasped while being run through on the same blade and a pool of blood growing around them.

Cadrius' shield drops from a nerveless hand. His arms and legs had seemed to heavy to lift but now they felt too weak to hold him.

He collapses to his knees a broken man. Holding his head in his hands he let's his dark brown hair cascade in front of him. Old wounds have been reopened and for the first time in four years Cadrius weeps.

--

Shade hears Cadrius whisper, "No." She turns about to see him draw his sword, staring off at a point immediately to his right. He then proceeds to engage in a furious battle with thin air. He rocks under the blows from his imaginary opponent and attacks back. His face slowly twists with rage as the fight progresses until the very end where he seemingly vanquishes his foe. The anger is broken and all that is left is despair.

He drops his sheld and falls to his knees. He weeps as if he were responsible for the end of the world.

[Gralhruk]

Shade moves on resolutely, the chill worming it's way into her bones. Her fingers feel numb and she hugs herself tightly for warmth. Cadrius moves along implacably behind her; heavy of heart and foot. The stream beside them quickly turns to a noisome, sucking quagmire almost laughingly appropriate next to the slick, blue-black trees.

The sickening stench combined with the odd light was making her head ache. She is cold and tired, her mind churning with the things she has seen and the things she is afraid to see. She is so lost in her own nightmare that she continues on for a few steps when Cadrius stops. The deafening sound of silence startles her into realization. Turning, she sees the man but it is clear he no longer sees her.

She begins shivering uncontrollably at his whispered No, and she drops to a crouch suddenly more afraid than she has been before. She watches, stunned, as he engages in futile combat with the unseen. She is frozen, unable to move, and yet a nagging thought worms it's way into her mind. His anger is terrible to behold, the sword whistles and hums as he thrusts and parries. This is the most alive the man has seemed since she met him, and that scares her more than anything.

As the mock battle completes he sinks to the ground, overcome with emotion, directly opposite her. She stares at him, uncomfortably aware that they must appear distorted reflections of one another. It is then that she feels the chill wind blowing on her again, this time from across the stream. Shaking, she rises and approaches the man, unsure what to do. She gives a nervous glance at the unseen presence before turning back to the man before her. A light rain begins to fall.

"Cadrius. We must go. NOW."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius remains on his knees, his weeping ceased, and stares vacantly at the blade embedded in the ground before him. All of his strength and courage did not save him then, and it would not save him now.

Within his mind he sees them dying over and over again. Their lifesblood expanding outward on the ground like a blooming rose. Their eyes, full of pain, slowly losing focus as they lose their hold upon the world.

"Cadrius. We must go. NOW."

The voice echoes in his mind turning about, but it is not Shade's voice that he hears. He is suddenly back in the days before his fall, when he was still a new recruit. There is fighting everywhere, men in steel charge other similarly clad men. Cadrius stands by his friend's side and attempts to hold the line.

Their side is heavily outnumbered and they are taking severe losses. Those that are not locked in combat with an opponent are fighting with death himself as they bleed.

"Cadrius! We must go! NOW!"

Again he hears it, more insistent. He looks to his left and sees his friend shouting to him. Their commander is screaming for a retreat so as to avoid a total massacre.

The sky is temporarily darkened, they duck behind their shields as a hail of arrows crashes down. Miraculously he is unharmed and he staggers to his feet attempting to move back. He sees his comrade, his friend Hale twisting in pain. An arrow has punctured his armor and driven itself deep into his thigh.

Cadrius reaches down and grabs his friend's arm as he pulls him backward through the mud, amidst a torrential rainstorm. Suddenly the weight gets lighter, he turns around smiling perhaps Hale had found the strength to walk. The smile dies on his lips as he sees he is only holding a severed arm.

The man screams in horror and flees the field of battle.

Suddenly he looks up with a start and is back in the same world as Shade. He closes his eyes for a moment and shakes his head, attempting to clear the horrific images that haunt him.

He opens his eyes again and slowly climbs to his feet. The mud he had knelt in sucks greedily at his armor and it is difficult going. Slowly but with grim determination he picks up his shield and retrieves his sword from the mud. He wipes the blade along the edge of the sheath before replacing it.

He looks up again at Shade. His face is different, he suddenly looks older than his twenty two years. There are a few lines around his eyes which have taken on a new emotion: exhaustion.

He begins to walk again, offering a brief apology to Shade.

A light rain has begun to fall.

[Gralhruk]

She pulls her hand back as he begins to rise, looking once again like the forlorn man she remembers. Almost like she remembers, but his pain is fresher. What did he see and who did he battle?

It will all be immaterial if we do not win free of this place.

He is almost in a daze and Shade is fearful that he will be overcome once again. She feels the cold wind at her back and this time the chill threatens to overwhelm her. Dark images tug at the corners of her vision and for a moment she considers running back the way she came.

Instead, something else wakes up insider her. Anger, rage, vengeance; they were the same things that had driven her for months now, the same things that had kept her from the pit of despair. She would not run this time.

Glancing back to make sure that Cadrius is following, she turns in the direction of the evil she knows is there. Swords drawn, she eyes the sludge of the once-stream and then moves toward a fallen tree that bridges the muck. Without slowing she crosses the narrow beam as if it were a paved road. The evil intensifies but she is resolute. The hunter will become the hunted.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius trudges forward, his jaw slack. His eyes remain blank, distant and unconcerned with his surroundings. His body steers him while is mind attempts to cope with the recent pain. He does not register the the rain that has begun to fall, nor does he comprehend Shade's increasing rage. If he could he would likely have found it bitterly amusing that the two of them display such similar emotions.

Meanwhile his mind is locked away, locked in torment. Waves of pain roll and break upon him, a rock amidst a sea of agony. Yet where water might cool and refresh a person, these waves burn him with a searing pain.

It was somehow worse this time, worse than his nightmares where he relived the horrors of his life, worse than his memory of the events, worse than when he had lived through these things. The forest was magnifying his pain and feeding upon it. Each moment of agony fed it and in turn the forest poured pain back into the man causing his suffering to grow.

A small part of Cadrius, the edge of the rock that was still above the surface of the sea, realized that if he did not recover the pain would kill him. He did not have to dismiss it, or fail to acknowledge it, these things would haunt him for the rest of his days. Yet he could no longer allow himself to be controlled by them, not here, not now.

His steps slow and then stop. His breath becomes deeper, and there is a ripple of muscle as he clenches his jaw. Shade turns around realizing that Cadrius' footsteps can no longer be heard. He stands ten feet back, his eyes closed, his head bowed, and his fists balled. He looks as if he is ready to fight more phantoms.

Within his mind Cadrius battles for control, he lets his anger, his rage wash over him, soothing him like the water should. This forest, this land was doing this to him. Perhaps he could never make amends for what he did, but he would not end like this, not now.

So where there was once barely the tip of a rock sticking out of the ocean there is now a small island. The waves still lap at him, Cadrius welcomes the pain, it feeds his anger and his anger protects him, for now.

He opens his eyes and Shade can see a real measure of awareness in them again. His rage is back, but it seems more controlled, more focused. He nods his head and places his hand on the hilt of his sword and walks next to her as they begin moving again. He does not say a word, he does not have to. Shade understands that he is back, and determined to leave this place. He will not fall so easily again, he will make sure of that.

[itches]

In a semi open clearing of mist shrouded forest there is no movement. It seemed as if the clearing was stuck in a moment of time. No animals to be seen nor heard and not even the mists are moving. Only the slow buzzing of unseen insects betrays the fact that this is real and alive.

Suddenly something in the clearing changed something that has not occurred here before, nor would occur again. A portal opens.

Hanging about 5feet above the ground and horizontally, the portal is a well of darkness. Once again something in the clearing changes, one which will alter the clearing forever. Someone falls out of the portal to land face down in the mud.

The moment he landed the portal winked out of existence. After a dazed moment of lying in the mud, Itches jumped to his feet. Grasping his left hand with is right, he tore a ring that sits on the finger, off and threw it into the Mud.

Staring at the glimmering ring as it lies there itches cursed and stomped on it several times, attempting to drive it further into the mud. Removing his foot to find that it remained there still, Itches cursed for a second time. Drawing his sword, a fine looking Rapier he stabbed at the ring, once more attempting to drive it beyond his sight. Instead all he managed to do was hook the ring onto the blade.

Looking on the ground once more he searched for the ring. Not seeing it this time the man gave a triumphant grin and raises his sword in salute - only to discover the offending ring now only inches from his face. Giving a horrified squeak, Itches threw the sword from him in revulsion, causing the ring to slide off and disappear from sight leaving only the sword to land on the indention on the mud left by Itches impact.

Leaning over to carefully inspect the sword blade and finding the ring not in evidence, Itches swiftly snatched it up and reattached it to his belt. Doing a rushed search of the area around where the sword landed, and not finding a trace of the now missing ring, he let out a sigh of relief

"Now to work out where I am, and how to get out of here"

Looking carefully at the flora around him and searching in vain for the sun in the sky above, eventual the half-elf determined what he believes to be north and he set off in that direction

"When in doubt head north," Itches quoted as he took step after step in a westward direction. "Just as Lilly used to say"

As he left the clearing, a ruby encrusted golden ring, the very one discarded by the departing half-elf, glow a deed red for a moment before fading back to its normal glint. All of which went unnoticed under its thin covering of mud.

[Gralhruk]

One look back at Cadrius tells her all she needs to know. The man's eyes glow hotly and she can feel the anger coming off him in waves. Truly, he seems the warrior now, not the broken shell that had trudged along since their first meeting. She moves through a sea of emotion: the hot wind of rage pushing her from behind as she wades through the chill breath of fear that billows from her unseen enemy.

Between those two she is the eye of the storm, calm but bringing death with her. The evil presence once again intensifies and she feels only excitement now, her fear swallowed by her new resolve. Once again, just before it grows strong enough to actually materialize it winks out of existence.

She stops, unwilling to let go of the hatred that has driven her to this point, and waits.

And then it comes. At the limit of her vision, she can see something stir in the leaves that litter the slick ground. Something is rising there, as though vomited from the forest floor. It steps closer, slowly, it's axe held loosely in both hands. It is a dwarf.

Not just any dwarf, though. She recognizes it from the many months she followed it. It is the dwarf she killed not so long ago, still dead, and looking considerably worse than the last time she saw it. One eye is a teeming nest of maggots, the other dull and splotched with red. Skin hangs in tatters, scraggly hair is matted and falling out. The wound she dealt remains, a gaping slit across the throat from whence a low shrieking emanates.

It would seem her past has returned to haunt her.

[Maeko]

Just fog and forest, forest and fog.
“ Could not have been worse for Master Xuan Cang when he came West looking for the holy scrolls”, thinks the petite woman, trying to avoid the patches of mud, but the thought isn’t much of a consolation. She has not seen another human being for the last three days and, as strange as the people here is, meat-eaters and milk-drinkers whit many-hued hair and eyes, she would welcome any sign of civilized presence.
As if the Lord Botahara himself had heard her unspoken prayer, a loud splash sounds to her left, followed by angry comments in one of the local tongues, Maeko doesn’t need to understand the words to recognize colourful cursing. She moves towards the sound, possibly another traveller needs assistance.

Trying to get out from that accursed mud-bath, Itches slips again, falling with a resounding splash. Pausing for breath in his litany of curses he hears soft steps approaching.
“ That’s just right” he mutters “with my luck some brigand just heard me”.
“ Don’t you dare…” he starts when the tall brushes in front of him open to reveal a …person.
At first sight he’s unable to determine the newcomer’s sex, it is petite, wearing a light grey outfit of exotic design splattered with mud, its features are regular, what it’s surprising is that its head is totally bald, probably on purpose given that it show signs of hair re-growth.
“Do you need help?” It asks in somehow hesitating Common, and now Itches knows ‘it’ is female.
“ I would welcome it, my lady” he answers corteusly
After considering his predictament for a few moments, the woman gathers a few dead branches and sticks and throws them into the mud patch; with better attrition and her help Itches is soon able to stand on firm ground.
The woman eyes him critically: “ You need to dry, otherwise you catch cold”.
He sneezes, nodding agreement.
The stranger busies herself gathering dead wood and soon the two of them sit in front of a fire, feeling the dampness go out of their clothes and bones.

[itches]

Itches sits in front of the fire, shivering slightly and considering his new found companion.

Suddenly breaking into speech he asks. "Did you know that you have no hair?" Moving on before Maeko can respond he begins to ramble. "I don’t particularly like this place. Too much mud and wet and mist. But it is all part of the adventure. That’s why I’m here. I'm on an adventure. I set out from home to get glory. I got to this forest . . .actual I don’t remember how I got to this forest. What is this place anyway?"

Moving on once again, before Maeko can respond, she settles back to wait out his ramblings, and enjoy a quiet laugh at the slightly foolish Half-elf.

"But I came on the adventure to seek glory so I can ask Lilly back home to marry me. I don’t have much to offer so seeking fame in some far off place is the best. Why are you here"

With a sudden cry Itches leaps forwards, and almost into the fire, sending Maeko back in a moment of alarm at the sudden movement. His face looking pale, or as pale as can be told behind the coat of mud that covers him head to foot. Pointing a finger at the bald-headed woman Itches stutters "y-your not not-t a b-bad guy a-are you"

As Maeko gets up to reassure the trembling, mud covered Man, Itches gives a squeal, and falls into the mud, once again. This time from Fainting in fear.

[Maeko]

" These Westeners are even stranger than I thought" murmurs Maeko to herself while she slaps slightly Itches to revive him.
She regrets her poor mastery of the common tongue, if it had been better probably the poor man would have been spared a fright.
He moans, starting to come to.
" You better now? My name is Maeko, I ask forgiveness if I scared you, ...and yes", she adds with a quiet smile " I know I have no hair".

[Cadrius]

Cadrius strides forth, continuing to allow the anger to flow through him, to protect him. He did not yet have an idea as to where they were headed but it did not matter much to the man, he knew only that were something to cross them, it would be sorry.

So it is with a bit of confusion that Shade stops and begins looking out of the corner of her eye. She sees something, but what? The man cannot figure it out. He looks around warily and keeps his hand upon his bastard sword, ready to defender her and unleash his mounting rage.

"What do you see," he asks quietly.

She had already suffered a visit from the past, and he had seen two. He feared that he may not be able to help if she were to be taken by a memory again. Indeed, he might be at risk merely attempting to keep her under control. He wonders for a moment what it must have been like to see him fighting what he thought to be his brother. The rage flickers for a moment, the sea of agony rises. He dismisses the thought with a shake of his head and the fury reignites.

[itches]

Meanwhile, back at the campfire:


Itches and Maeko both sit on either side of the campfire, drying off and observing each other.

Maeko comfortable enough in the silence draws some conclusions about the other.

From an strange society or not, it cant be normal for people to just faint like that. This one seems . . .innocent somehow.

Itches also considers his bald Companion, but he speaks his words out load.

"So if you’re not an evil person trying to rob or kill me, what are you doing in the middle of . . .what ever this place is. I mean I know how I got here."

Itches pauses for a moment and seems withdrawn.

"Actual no I don’t remember how I got here. Are there any other people around? Towns? Fallen Paladins?"

[Maeko]

' I have been told that there is town to the North, should be one or two days from here. Dont know of any fallen Paladins though, what are they?' Asks Maeko, curious.

After a short pause she adds "I came here on quest for my monastery: Phoenix Song Nunnery on Jade Mountain, far to the East. Holy relic has been stolen, I must recover it.
Thieves were foreigners I followed them till a few days ago, then lost them."

[Gralhruk]

She barely hears Cadrius as he asks what she sees, but that question resonates in her skull as the apparition advances relentlessly.

What do you see?

She stands, transfixed, as the putrid corpse lumbers forward. It's stench is nearly overwhelming and somewhere the thought comes to her that this is her doing. Without her, the dwarf would yet live. Perhaps he would be here in her place, travelling with these two men who cared enough to investigate his death.

This is my doing.

Perhaps a more worthy companion than herself. For a moment, the corpse wavered and she saw the dwarf as he was in life: the thick hair, the knotted muscle, the intense vitality. Yes, he was raw, elemental, almost pure. Almost. He had killed Lorrus, her mentor, friend, partner. Lorrus, the only true friend she'd had, and killed over pinching a few coins. Killed almost as casually as one would swat a fly, that great axe licking out like a lizard's tongue to swallow his soul.

What do you see?

And he had loved her; she'd never known until he gasped it out with the last of his life. Now they were both dead, and she was still alive. For how long? It looked like the dwarf was ready for some vengeance of his own.

This is my doing

She suddenly remembers Cadrius and his battle with the unseen. Could it be that there was nothing in front of her? It was almost within reach now and she could see the horrid evidence of her own blade, the oozing fluids from decomposition, the writhing nest of maggots feeding. So real that she was gagging on the stench.

What do you see?

The axe draws back and she lets her guard drop. The muffled squawking is louder now, as if the dwarf is cursing her despite his slit throat.

If I am wrong it is no less than I deserve.

The axe swings down and she stands motionless as it passes through her without harming her at all. The dwarf's head tilts back and the slit in his throat widens to a chasm. His severed head drops to the ground, his body still standing. The stump of the throat bulges obscenely and Shade watches, trasfixed. Something is struggling from the crusted blood and ooze, as if being birthed from the ruined flesh.

An enormous raven struggles free, blue black beneath a haze of slime and maggots. Shrieking, it launches forward and Shade ducks despite her resolve. The beast soars past Cadrius, it's claws raking his cheek as it disappears into the wood.

[itches]

Laz looks at Maeko for a long while, untill the point where she starts to worry. With a sudden cry he leaps to his feet, once again, alomst into the fire.

"Theives, Quest, Holy Relic?" he crys, his face shining. "Your on an adventure. And i'm going to join you! We will get this relic, and return it. I will gain enough glory to ask for Lilly's hand in marriage. But first we need to find that town, i really need a bath"

[Cadrius]

Cadrius looks around, an eddy of nervousness pools around the island of rage in the sea of agony. Shade tenses again and Cadrius becomes more worried that she will become as violent as he had been. He prays that she would not, the last thing he wanted to do was fight his only companion.

Suddenly she relaxes, her muscles are no longer tensed. He sighs in relief and his hand strays away from the hilt of his sword. Perhaps she was merely reliving a less physical nightmare, like his second one.

He glances around, making certain that there is no danger and then looks back at Shade. He pauses a moment as his eyes light upon her. Something is nagging at his consciousness, something insistent. He tries to grasp it but cannot, it slips away effortlessly yet it immediately worms its way back begging to be let in. He takes a couple steps closer and continues looking at her. The intangible thought still burns at the back of his mind, wanting to be heard but unwilling to be touched.

Then he realizes it. The way that she stands, he has seen it before. It was a different place and time, but there was no mistaking the upright posture, the defiant look on her face, it was the stance of someone resigned to their fate but who would not repent. He had seen it etched on the faces of men who were about to be hung in the gallows. Shade was about to be executed.

He shakes his head, unable to comprehend what sort of memory this was. Clearly she could not have been killed before, or could she? No, she lives and breathes just like Cadrius does. Perhaps the woods do more than summon up the spectres of the past, perhaps they bring forth inner fears. It did not matter, he would not lose her to a phantom executioner.

He takes the last steps separating the two and attempts to touch her arm, to bring her back. Where they were was not ideal, but it likely beat facing down a man with a black mask and a large axe.

Just as his fingers close around her arm she ducks down. There is an unearthly shriek as some sort of black being, a bird, claws its way across his face and disappears into the darkness. Cadrius falls back a step and cries out in surprise, his hand going to his sword even though he knows it to be futile. The bird is long gone, only its haunting caw echoes throughout the woods.

He stands for a moment, transfixed by the event. He then looks down at Shade, lines of worry and concern upon his face. The same feeling is reflected in his eyes, but the anger still simmers in the background, ready to be called forth if necessary. He kneels down to her position and looks around before quietly asking, "What was that?"

His mind races for a moment, the bird seemed familiar. Hadn't Shade mentioned seeing a bird at some point? While they were in the orchard? Perhaps, but was it the same one? He certainly didn't want it to be. Then again, the prospect of having numerous ravens that size inhabiting the land wasn't very appealing either.

He looks down at the mud and almost as an afterthought he reaches up to his cheek where the bird had clawed him. It was hot to the touch and blood runs from the three scarlet lines left by the bird's passing.

He removes his hand and looks down at it a moment examining the blood upon it. He looks up again as if to say something, but the words catch in his throat. His blue eyes widen in surprise and horror. He reaches out and clutches her forearm with his other hand, still unable to say anything. He reaches forward and points behind her, the blood streaking down his finger.

If it still had a head, one might say it was laying face down. Unfortunately what lays in the mud seems to be missing that particular piece. It is a corpse, a maggot eaten dwarven corpse. Slime and something unidentifiable but very black oozes out from the neck.

"Let us go," he whispers hoarsely.

[Maeko]

Originally posted by itches

"Theives, Quest, Holy Relic?" he crays, his face shining. "Your on an adventure. And i'm going to join you!!!. We will get this relic, and return it. I will gain enough glory to ask for Lilly's hand in marriage. But first we need to find that town, i really need a bath" [/B]

" Adventure? Yes, I think you can call it so" for a moment Maeko seems melancolic, almost lost in thought, then she comes back to the here and now.
" Do not misunderstand me, those people are dangerous and determined, I would not like to put you in danger; but if you really want to help me, I am deeply grateful".
She bows the best she can, vowing to herself she will do her best to protect Itches.

[itches]

Itches is still standing when Maeko rises and bows. Looking slightly startled at it the action he returns it, only to de=discover that his shoes are smoking from their proximity to the campfire.

Giving a now familiar squeak, the half elf leaps into the nearest mud puddle, putting out his shows, but once again, wetting his feet. Maeko struggles to hold back a chuckle at the Half-Human as he looks miserably at his feet. Itches shrugs off the occurrence and returns his attention to The Bald One.

"Milady, my honour dictates that I warn you now. I do this not, for you, not for the relic, nor for myself. I will do this act for love. A Love so strong, that nothing can break it. Strong enough to survive the forced separation of its participants, who shall one day meet again, and will be wed."


Giving another bow, this one bearing no resemblance to his previous one, for it is graceful, and flawless in its execution. His voice likewise has shifted from the slightly higher pitched tone that usually issues from his mouth; to a lower more controlled one. His eye have born a similar transformation, less spectacular but not less important. From his eyes issues a strength that almost makes Maeko step back. Wondering whom this stranger really is, she tries to find words, but can’t seem to under the light of those eyes. Everting her eyes to the campfire, there is another long and silent moment, during which Maeko 's thoughts run ramped, from the relic she is after, to her home, left far behind.

"Now if you could please help, I could use some help, as I appear to be sinking."

The voice that Itches usually adopts cuts through her contemplation of the flames, and she looks up. Eyes widening in shock she witnesses, itches, still standing in the mud puddle, but now up to his knees, sinking steadily lower as the moment pass.

"HEELLLLPPP"!!!!!!!!!!! Comes the cry from itches lips. A cry that echoes through out the forest, all the way to other figures. One a Tall man and a shorter woman, both with a look of horror on their faces.

[Maeko]

Forcing herself to move, Maeko comes as near as she dares to the qicksand patch, quickly she unties her sash and throws it to Itches.
At her second try he is able to catch it and hold on.
Maeko struggles, but his weight and the suction of the quicksand are too much for her, she can do little more than slow Itches' descent.

" Do not struggle" She gasps out " one can float in quicksand, like water...", It is true, she knows, she also hopes it will buy time for somebody to heed Hitches' scream for help.

[Gralhruk]

Her head is whirling with confusion. First among her thoughts is that she is still alive, followed closely by the knowledge that it really didn't matter. She'd hunted the dwarf hoping to find some comfort in his death and she'd found none. She'd faced his ghost hoping to slay the guilt he'd left behind or be slain in return; both were alive and well.

The impossibility of the entire sequence was muted by the blood running down the cheek of Cadrius. What was he saying? She tries to focus and becomes dimly aware of his hand on her arm. She pulls it free and feels a stab of pain at the wounded look that flickers in his eyes. The bird. He was asking about the bird.

"I'm not sure, but it was there just before you found me. It is connected to the visions in this place, though whether it is merely a harbinger or directly responsible I cannot guess."


She sees his eyes go wide and focus on a spot behind her. She spins gracefully, still crouched, and the twin swords go wide putting herself between the danger and Cadrius. In his present condition, though, the dwarf presents no danger. Her shoulders sag as she looks on the wrecked corpse. Her eyes are bleak and she glances briefly at Cadrius, for some reason feeling as though she has betrayed him.

"There is more to it than what you saw, I-"

She breaks off as a faint call for help echoes through the wood. She turns her head to isolate the direction, then glances at Cadrius before gazing once more on the corpse. She had thought to at least bury the body before they moved on, but it looked as though even that atonement would be denied. With another look at Cadrius she hardens her resolve and begins jogging in the direction of the shout.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius sighs and slowly comes to his feet. The momentary shock of seeing the dwarf's corpse laying in the mud had passed. He had seen worse before, although not much. He feels as if his body is merely floating along, as if in a dream, while his mind attacks the problem at hand.

The fact that the corpse had appeared seemed grimly appropriate. But what had happened? Was that the vision that Shade had faced down? Cadrius suspects so, but the reason eludes him. Was an assassin like her capable of carrying guilt? Did she feel remorse for each life that she took? Or was she an assassin at all? Perhaps the dwarf had wronger her somehow and she took vengence. Had she ever explained her reasoning? He could not remember.

Yet why had he seen it? Could it be that he also felt responsible for the dwarf's death? Yes, he does yet it all seems so long ago. He wonders how long they had been in the forest, it felt like years.

A light slowly dawns upon his mind. She had held herself ready to be punished, to be executed. If she had seen the dwarf, then the pain must still follow her. Cadrius remembers every man he has killed and he knows that taking another's life weighs heavily upon the killer. He felt the weight of each of them bearing down upon his soul. The more innocent the victim the greater the weight he felt. He wonders how much Shade carries on her shoulders. He looks back at her, a glimmer of sadness in his eyes, but for once it is not for his own woes. He knows much of guilt and pain and he understands its destructive nature. Clearly they were not as different as he thought.

She speaks a moment, a rushed almost apologetic response to his silent pointing. Then he hears it, as does she, a cry for help. Despite the cry he is temporarily relieved, at least it was something that they both had heard.

He runs to catch up to her and says, "Be careful, this may be another trap."

They run for several minutes, weaving around mud and through the trees. All that can be heard is their breath and their steps as they move as quickly as possible through the twisted forest. Again they hear a cry for help, closer now, to the right. Cadrius picks up his pace as he makes a direct line from where he thinks the sound is coming from.

At last they come around a bend and see the source of the commotion. A man, or rather the neck and head of a man can be seen sticking out of some mud. His hands breach the surface and seem to be clinging to a very muddy piece of clothing. At the other end of it is a bald woman.

Had the man not been in danger of drowning Cadrius would have stopped and marveled at the oddness of the situation. However as there was little time he rushes forward to the bald woman's side.

Quicksand! He had heard of it, but had little dealings with the deadly substance. On closer inspection she appears to be holding onto a sash.

He attempts to get a grip upon it, but the woman is already on the end of it. If he were to approach any closer he would be in danger of falling in himself.

"Hold on tight," he says to the both of them, urgency dominating his voice before muttering, "and pardon my action, lady," before wrapping his arms around her waist and heaving backward with all of his might.

[itches]

I'm going to Die

I can feel it below me. Sucking me down. Lower. Lower. Oh god I’m going to Die.

"HEEEELLLP""

Screaming. I can’t die now. I can’t die now. I cant Lie here and do nothing.

"Do not struggle"

Fight it!! Fight it itches with every last bit of strength. You can make it. Almost there.

Sinking. Sinking. Pull on the rope. Get out. You’re Pulling Her in!! No she will let go!! Hurry, tug harder. Before she lets go.

I'm going to Die

Lower. Lower. Past my waist. Up to My Arms. Getting to my head. Fiery Tears bursts forth. A Sob

" I don’t want to die. Save me. Please"

He Heard my call. He came to save me. A Hero. Bursting forth, with the sun at his back. My Hero has come.

"Save me"

Lower. Lower. Lower no more. Up and out. With an in human pull born of a Hero's strength, I rise out. Re-born. Reborn is his presence. My Hero. My Saviour.

Mud clinging to me. I land at his feel. Embrace his legs. Fiery tears.

"You saved me"

fiery tears, and a coming blackness.

My Hero saved me

Sinking. Safe under his gaze. Darkness consumes.

Itches Faints.

[Gralhruk]

Shade bursts into the clearing and witnesses a bizarre spectacle. An exotic bald woman is heaving desparately on a brightly colored sash; the man on the other end is floundering (and rapidly sinking) in a small patch of quicksand. Several options pass through her mind but before she can implement them Cadrius has saved the day, politely apologizing for his intrusion.

Ever the polite one.

She can't help but smile as the three go down unceremoniously in a heap. These two seemed real enough. Her eyes narrow as she glances around the clearing. It didn't seem nearly as twisted or dark as the wood through which they had been travelling. Something else was oddly different as well, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She reaches down and offers a hand to the bald woman and the mud covered one, who are both pinning poor Cadrius to the ground. As they stand she eyes them warily; not figments of her imagination but possible enemies nevertheless.

"Greetings, I am Shade and your hero there is named Cadrius."

She nods in his direction, noting the bright green of leaves at his back. Her pupils widen slightly as she realizes what is different: the light has returned to normal, the blue haze is lifted.

[Maeko]

Blessed be Lord Botahara! Just when Maeko thought she was going to lose her grip on the sash, a huge man, followed by a woman, bursted out of the trees.
“ Hold on tight!” he urged, then, muttering something she did not quite catch, he got hold of her and started pulling.
For a moment nothing happened, then she felt something give way ‘ Dear lord, let it not be the sash!’, then, with a sucking sound, she saw Itches come out of the mud a split second before landing
all in a heap. She felt a hand grasp her, the woman helped her on her feet with an amused smile, it becomed her, although she did not seem one who smiled much.
the stranger introduced herself and her companion, Maeko bowed deeply before going near the young half-elf. ‘Young… he must be my age, more or less’.
Terribly shaken, her companion was barely coherent, sobbing, babbling words of thanks and embracing the strangers’ legs, then he fainted again.
Maeko dampened a piece of cloth and, kneeling near him started to delicately wash his face from the mud.

“ I thank you both, if not for you, my companion would have perished. I am in your debt”. As she said these words she felt a shiver in her spine, the unsettling certainty that this debt would have deep, serious consequences on her life.
The man and woman, both, seemed surprised by her appearance and demeanor, nothing new to her in this land. She appreciated their restraint, but some questions needed to be answered.
“ If I may inquire,” asked Maeko, “ where are we? And how come that you were here, able to help us in the cut of time?”
From their faces that wasn’t the correct colloquialism.

“ …Nick…” moans Itches, coming to. Who is he calling? A friend?

“ It’s ‘in the nick of time’, lady” he murmurs.

[itches]

Getting a hold of himself, Itches gets up and looks around at the two new members of his friends..

"Well i too would like to thank you for your timely arrivel."

Looking down at his body, now totaly covered with mud up to his neck.

"I dont supose you know of a place near by that i can go clean up in??. I am badly in need a bath, and a change of clothes."

Looking doen at his mud encrusted nails.

"And i dont want to think what my manacrusit(i cant spell) will say when i get back"

[Cadrius]

Cadrius grunts as the air is knocked out of him. He had not counted on having both of them land upon him. As Shade makes the introductions the man clears his throat and says, "Right."

Coming slowly to his feet he notices that the one he saved is still clinging to his calves, mumbling about Cadrius being his hero. Cadrius rolls his eyes at the mention and helps the man stand.

"On your feet sir," he says pulling him up.

The bald woman inquires as to their location. Cadrius merely shrugs and says, "Your guess is likely as good as our's."

At the mention of a bath Cadrius turns to the man and says, "Well, we did see a stream a little while back," but he does not finish the sentence as he notices Shade's sudden glare. Perhaps sending the man to the foul creek would not be a good idea.

He catches Shade's eye and tries to read her impression of the two before them. They seemed harmless enough, but the man was still wary of them.

"I only ask one thing in return for saving your life, introduce yourselves. I would enjoy knowing the names of those that I aided."

[itches]

Itches straightens as the conversation begins to grow, the last horror from his near death experience.

Vainly attempting to fix himself up so he looks distinguished he stands in a dramatic pose. One leg forward, the other slightly bent, his right hand drawn to his chest and the left one extended out to the heavens.

"I am Itches. I am on a mission to find adventure so that I can return home and seek the love of my life -Lilly- hand in marriage. I happened to come across my Bald headed friend here, and as luck would have it she is also out on an adventure."

Dropping his voice and changing his stance, leaning in this time as if disclosing some great secret, itches is too engrossed in his won performance to notice to glances that Cadirius, and Shade at throwing at each other.

And I saved him!! came Cadirus's thought as Itches resumed his tirade.

"She is out searching for a holy relic that has been lost, and I am going to find her help it. I mean help her find it. I don’t remember what relic it was, but Maeko knows it. "

Looking up and finding Maeko not attending his story, itches glances around the camp fire and sees her standing on the other side gazing out into the now fast growing gloom, as day sets.

[Gralhruk]

Shade's lips compress to a thin line as Cadrius suggests heading back to that dark stream. Truly, the man's sense of humor was as rusty as his smile. However, she can't help but be amused with the account Itches gives of himself and Maeko.

Out for adventure and hoping to wed the love of his life! This one is very naive to be running about looking for trouble. The world has bitter lessons to remedy such fantasies.

She catches Cadrius looking her way and gives a barely perceptible shrug, a small crease appearing between her brows. They seemed to be no more than what they appeared. The other dangers they had faced had all been immediately apparent - the ill force of the wood had thus far been direct. Besides, if they were what they claimed to be they would need some looking after.

"Well, I wouldn't count on a bath anytime soon. Cadrius and I have just come from some danger, and I'd prefer to put a little distance between us and it before full dark."

The wood definitely seemed more normal and her feelings of dread had dampened considerably. She had a feeling that they wouldn't find the stream if they went looking for it - this seemed like an altogether different forest - but she didn't want to find out. There was something naggingly familiar about this place, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Would you two care to join us? I'd hate to leave you in possible danger, and four will make a stronger group than two."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius gives a slight not as Shade makes her barely noticible judgement. The two did seem harmless enough albiet very strange. The woman seemed dressed like a nun and the man like a lord. How they wound up out here was beyond Cadrius. At the mention of the man's name Cadrius shoots another glance at Shade, this time with one eyebrow raised in disbelief, as if he wasn't sure he had heard the name properly.

The mentioning of wedding his love brings a sad smile to Cadrius' face. The memories of what transpired while in the forest washes back over him, yet this time there is no threat of drowning. There is a subtle difference about the man that only Shade could notice for it one that had been lacking before, a will to live.

"I am honored to meet you," he says as he bows, remembering to be courteous. Absent-mindedly he brushes the mud and leaves from his armor. He shivers a bit, the mud had chilled him more than he had realized.

He nods as Shade extends the offer, it would be good to have them along although there was still something odd about the both of them. But he will not give his doubts a second thought as he is overwhelmed with relief to be free of the haunted forest.

"Shall we go then? We can make camp in an hour, provided that the two of you are fit for travel."

[Maeko]

Feeling somebody's eyes on her, Maeko turns back to the others, shaking away the memories of her last day at Phoenix's Song and how peaceful Jade Mountain had looked, that dawn, months ago.

What is, is. She reminds herself. And no amount of whishing can bring spilled tea back in the bowl.

She hears the woman's offer as if she had been expecting it, the proposal strenghtening her feeling that their fates have come together in this wood, strands being vowen into a single rope.

She bows to them again: " I, Maeko of Phoenix's song" Really? Have I the right to that name anymore? " thank you and accept".
She glances to Itches, reassured to see him on his feet, if a bit unsteady, " I believe we both can manage to travel that far".

[itches]

Itches looks disappointed when he is informed that he won’t be having a bath anytime soon. His disposition decreases even more as the others talk of moving on this night. Shivering slightly and still wet he looks at the fire and gives a loud sigh.

"That’s what adventures are I suppose, travelling from place to place, righting wrongs, and singing songs, all the while trying not to set fire to our selves [Band of Bumbling Bards PLUG!! PLUG!! PLUG!!]

"Still it would be nice if adventures would come to you, it would make it all a lot easier, but off we go. "

Shivering, Itches picks up his backpack and lingers by the fire, vainly trying to dry off.

"Hang on a minute, I just had a thought!" he says, brightening considerably. "If all 4 of us are going out on an adventure, doesn’t that make us an adventure group?!. We really are going to be famous then. But we needs a name to call our selves."

[Gralhruk]

She can't help but smile as Itches chatters on, but her smile fades as he wishes adventure would find them. She unconcsiously glances over at Cadrius, the recent events that they had shared all too fresh in her mind. Her thoughts darken as she thought once more of the dwarf's corpse, lying who knew where now.

Be afraid of what you wish for, lest you are granted that wish.

Her eyes linger a moment on Cadrius; he seemed different somehow, more alive than before. Perhaps he had managed to put some of his pain behind him. Shade wraps her cloak tighter about her body and looks away, wishing she could do the same. She suddenly wonders what he was doing in that wood to begin with; had he come looking for her?

"A name? If you must, you may think while we walk but I say there are better things to be worrying about right now."

She snaps the words off brusquely with more heat than she intended. She spins on her heel and stalks off without saying another word, not bothering to see if the others follow.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius glances at Shade as the man known as "Itches" wishes for adventure to seek them out. He had found that "adventure," frequently going by the name of "trouble," never had difficulty finding him. Moreover, it wasn't exciting or glamorous despite what the bards might sing.

Adventuring was much like being a soldier in an army: you slept in the mud, fought despite pain, and had to trust your comrades with your life. It was a cold and bitter endeavour and usually it led to an early end.

Yet there are times where the companionship and the sense of purpose, the feeling that one has a goal and one is driving toward it one sword swing at a time can be very satisfying. So he does not rebuke Itches for acting like a fool when suggesting an adventuring name. He smiles slightly, a facial expression he is not used to, and Shade reprimands Itches for him.

His smile widens a bit more despite Itches' crestfallen face. Itches was still young and unjaded by the world, and Cadrius respects that sort of purity. The smile falters as he realizes that sooner or later this mud-soaked innocent must come to realize the nature of the world. Because of his sorrow for what must eventually come to pass Cadrius says gruffly, but gently, "Come lad, we have a little way to travel before we can rest."

With that he sets off quickly to catch up with Shade.

[Maeko]

Maeko listens to the exchange without commenting, Shade's change in mood surprises her slightly, although the woman's eyes seems troubled, and her worry probably has very little to do with the mud-covered youngster.
Cadrius' face is open and revealing, it's almost like he saw a part of himself in Itches, a long lost one.
As he turns too, Maeko moves to follow, ready to steady her muddy companion should he need it.

[itches]

Feeling the high inside of him turn into a small depression itches trudges off after the rest of the group. After a few minutes of trudging through this half gloom, the rest of the group hears him murmuring. Maeko, who is walking next to him leans in to hear what he is saying and is slightly amused by what she hears. Coming from Itches are a stream on what sounds like group names.

"The Fantastic Four . . no . . Magnificent Seven . . .no . . . Fredo Frog and The Tadpoles . . .no . . . "

Looking up and seeing Maeko smiling at him he asks, loud enough for the rest of the company to hear.

"What do you think of the Fellowship of Mud?"

[Cadrius]

Cadrius, while mildly annoyed with Itches, still has to supress a smile at the suggestion for a group name. At the moment it would be a very fitting title. He makes a mental note to give his arms and armor a thorough cleaning once they find a suitable spot. Yet there is a touch of mirth in his eyes and he tries to share it with Shade despite her scowl.

By first impressions alone Itches seemed to be a fool, pure and simple. Yet he was an innocent fool, and one in love to boot. Because of those characteristics Cadrius found himself pitying the poor fellow. Life was not easy for a lovestruck fool, and it would likely become much more difficult before he would see his beloved again. So out of guilt and remorse over his own life Cadrius finds himself becoming more amiable. Or rather, he is more amiable with them than he is with a pack of rampaging ogres.

They walk in silence for a time and the ground has begun to dry as they walk up a gentle incline. Before they were on the verge of a swamp, but now they seem to near a temperate forest. Some hardy shrubs can be seen, surviving despite the nearness of winter. What was simply open ground slowly evolves into a rough game trail.

As the day's fading rays caress and glint off of the metal that they carry the four come across a great pine tree. Cadrius reaches in and brushes some of the branches to reveal a rather large area beneath the tree. He turns to Shade to consult her thoughts on the potential campsite.

"This might not be a bad place to stop for the evening. We could build a fire and still have some cover from these branches. What do you say?"

He unslings his backpack and rubs his arm. The mud coupled with the rather cold weather had sunk a chill into his bones and he longed for a fire to sit by.

[Gralhruk]

Shade glides throught the forest, silent despite her anger, her breath steaming in the cooling air. There might well be frost tonight, if she were any judge of weather. Her eyes are like chips of granite, and she finds that she is warm despite the chill. She returns Cadrius's mirthful gaze with a hot glare of her own.

This is no joke.

By the time they come to an unspoken halt at the top of a steep rise she is breathing heavily, finally feeling the weight of the day's activity. Her anger has cooled somewhat, leaving her once again uncomfortably aware of the frigid breeze. A fire would be a welcome diversion.

She takes stock of the others: she knows well what Cadrius has been through, and he seems as tired as she. Probably more so; he'd kept up despite her relentless pace and the weight of that ridiculously loud armor he insisted on wearing. Itches looked ready to collapse into a semi-dry muddy heap while Maeko didn't even seem to be breathing heavily.

"Yes, this seems to be the best spot we are likely to find. At least we command the high ground."

Her anger is gone, leaving only ashes, and her voice sounds distant. She scans a full circle around them, though anything could be hiding in the thickening gloom.

"I'm going to scout around just to be certain there isn't anything unusual nearby. See that you stay together until I return."

[itches]

Panting, Itches Collapses next to the base of the tree. After a moment of lying there drags he up and searches for a place for the fire. Finding a small pit with ashes already in it, Itches mutters, "what luck, someone has been here. Not too recently but the fire pit is still here."

Gathering some dry leaves and small twigs, itches attempts to start a fire. With out looking up at the others he stammers through his shivering. "I-if someone c-could get-t some w-wood, I’ll start-t a f-f-fire. I’m g-good at t-this"

Despite his shaking itches proves true to his word, and soon has a small fire going.

[Maeko]

Maeko busies herself gathering wood, soon a small pile of dead branches is neatly arranged near the fire pit.
Itches has revealed remarkable skill, she can feel her chothes drying already, and the warmth starting to penetrate her bones.
She sits, cross-legged and starts rummaging in her pack.
" I do not know if you will find my food palatable," she says, " I do not eat meat or fish, but what I have is yours to share".

[Cadrius]

Cadrius takes a step toward Itches in an attempt to aid in the building of the fire, but he shakes his head and allows the man to make it himself. Muttering something about "securing the perimeter" Cadrius moves out side the protective branches of the pine tree and wanders a bit through the woods. He always keeps the great tree within sight but he wants to become more familiar with the terrain.

The air is becoming more chilly as the day draws to a close. He hears the faint singing of birds who do not migrate south for the winter. It briefly occurrs to Cadrius that he has no idea where they are and that the birds might fly North for winter. He shakes his head and shrugs.

Finding a comfortable stump to sit on he watches the trials of a small red squirrel foraging for some more food to take back to his home before the first snows. Somewhere nearby he can hear the faint babbling of a brook.

He keeps an eye out for Shade although he does not expect to see her. While the woods here were decidely more safe, it would not do to escape from that hellish world only to be stuck down in the real one.

As night begins to fall he makes his way back to the camp and brushes the branches aside once again. He takes his place by the fire and begins removing his armor, laying the banded armor down in pieces so that he might clean them. Reaching over to his backpack he produces some bread, cheese, and dried fruit.

"I do not have much as well, but you all are welcome to share it."

With that he lets the fire warm his skin and he sets to work cleaning the armor with an old rag produced from his backpack. As he works a small necklace can be seen around his neck. The bit of silver chain is strung through what appears to be a ring of some sort.

[Gralhruk]

As soon as she passes into the surrounding wood, Shade sinks into the shadows like the arms of a lover. Her mental sigh of relief is so emphatic as to be almost audible. She scans the ground carefully as she slinks along, studying the signs that were bound to be present. There were tracks here, mostly human, but old enough that she was unconcerned.

Alone in the deepening twilight, the events of the day run back through her mind as she creeps through the wood, a shadow among shadows. She finds nothing untoward, and pauses a short distance from the camp watching the fire through the trees. What strange events had brought her to this place, with these people.

She thinks once again of the dwarf, and the last moments of his life. Murdered. She had murdered him, in cold blood, and in what many would call a cowardly fashion. Still, she hadn't been about to challenge him to a duel or anything so ridiculous. Doubtless she would be feeding worms now if she was so stupid as that. She hadn't expected to feel so guilty, or so empty.

He deserved it after what he did to Lorrus. An eye for an eye, his life for the one he took.

That argument inevitably led back to her. An eye for an eye, after all. The truth was right in front of her, though she refused to look at it. Vengeance had not brought her mentor back from the dead, and it hadn't healed her other hurts. Thoughts of Lorrus almost inevitably led to thoughts of Ricard and that hurt her more than she cared to admit. She could feel pressure in her chest, and a lump rose in her throat. It would be good to cry but the tears wouldn't come; something inside her still protested too much. Instead she swallowed the lump back down; she wouldn't piss away her feelings with tears. The guilt and grief were hers to carry and she would not give them up so easily. She hadn't suffered enough.

She tenses slightly as she hears the path of something through the wood, but there is something familiar about the heavy tread. Sure enough, Cadrius emerges from the gloom and seats himself within spitting distance of her. She remains motionless, her silouette disguised by the foliage; there was no way he could see her.

She looks at the man, as if seeing him for the first time: tall, muscular, with a strong look to his features. Battle worn, yes, but handsome and commanding at the same time. He was a man others might follow, though his melancholy attitude hid this most of the time. He'd saved her, twice now, and he was stuck gods knew where because of her. She almost breaks the silence to call to him but her doubt assails her. What would she say? The moments pass, darkness falls, and Cadrius rises and heads back to camp. She is alone in the dark once more.

[itches]

Itches gets up and glances around at the offer of food. Once again grinning, and looking proudly at the fire he created he turn away their offer of food.

"No thank you, I have my own, which indeed you are all welcome to share in. Lilly packed it for me, and you will never find better tasting food in your life.

Remerging around in his pack he pulls out some strips of over cooked, dried meat. Offering it to the others who turn it down

Munching away on their food, and stareing into the fire, no one hears the small sounds of shuffling just outside the light of the campfire.

Further away, standing in the shadows, invisible to human eyes, stands Shade. Confident of her abilities to remain unseen after Cadirus wandered in and out with out noticing her, she takes no notice of her surroundings. Unbeknownst to her a pair of yellow eyes piece the darkness around her and note her every move with inhuman cunning.

[Cadrius]

Continues to polish his armor, stopping briefly to pop a piece of bread or fruit into his mouth. He occasionally takes his waterskin and splashes a bit onto the rag before continuing his work. The rag quickly becomes covered in mud while the armor begins to shine a bit in the firelight.

At the sight of the meat Cadrius eyes it with apprehension. Itches must truly love this Lilly else he would be driven mad by her cooking. Still, love does cause a man to do strange things. He shakes his head before the dark thoughts can invade and stands up.

His waterskin was empty and it needs refilling. He grabs a burning stick from the fire and begins to walk from the campsite. He pauses a moment and walks back to buckle his large sword on. It might be safer than where they were, but he would not go out unarmed.

He quickly makes his way to the stream in the almost darkness. The stars can be seen through the treetops, especially now that most of the leaves have fallen. He fills his waterskin at the brook, letting the cold and clear water drain into it. He also squeezes out and rinses the rag he had been using.

Looking around he ponders as to where Shade had gone. It wasn't like her to wait so long after dark. He stops a moment at the ridiculous thought. He knew nothing of her or her habits. He wasn't even entirely sure what she looked like. The cowl of her cloak was kept up so often it was like a shield, or a helmet.

He shakes his head in wonderment at the three that he now traveled with. The air was cold enough to see his breath and he stands for time, looking up at the stars and pondering his purpose in this life.

[Gralhruk]

"The great bear shines brightly this evening, does he not?"

Her voice comes from almost beside Cadrius, low and clear, and he wonders how he missed her standing so close by. She is star-gazing as well, apparently sharing his sudden urge for cleanliness and introspection. The mud of the days travel is washed away, along with something else less definable.

The moonlight limns her dusky features, the scar beneath her eyes a silver line dividing her face; eyes and mouth. She laughs softly at the surprised look on his face.

"I have a habit of being overlooked - It's one of my better qualities. I thought you agreed to keep an eye on those two while I was gone?"

Her mouth is serious but her eyes are almost smiling. She shivers slightly and you can see that her clothes are damp beneath the cloak, but they seem relatively clean. Her dark hair sparkles in the moonlight and you realize that it is wet as well. You can't help but wonder what you might have seen had you gotten here a few minutes earlier.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius almost yells in surprise as he is startled by Shade's sudden appearance. The torch almost falls to the ground as his hand flies toward his bastard sword. Yet it freezes in mid-motion as he realizes who is speaking to him. He sighs in relief before saying, "I swear someday you will be the end of me."

However despite his initial fear he chuckles a bit. He was relieved. They had survived a trip into hell. He had faced his some of the worst experiences of his life and he wagered Shade did as well. Yet despite these things she seemed to be the stronger of the two. Cadrius had never seen her succumb to what she had been presented with, unlike him. He had fought again. Perhaps he had no choice, perhaps he did. It mattered little now, Ben was dead and always would be. Cadrius had no choice but to continue living.

"I am reasonably certain that they will do well enough on their own for a few minutes," he says and frowns for a moment before adding, "reasonably."

Looking back up at the constalation of the great bear he smiles again. It was in a different place in the sky, but at least they had rid themselves of Whonan's spirit world.

"Aye," Cadrius says quietly, a word that rarely escapes his lips, "it is good to know we are still on this world. After those woods I feared to know where we would be."

Holding the makeshift torch he gazes upward. The orange light casting shadows across his face, lighting one half and darkening the other. The torch glints along the necklace that can be seen around his neck before vanishing into his shirt. He raises an eyebrow as she mentions her ability to be overlooked but says nothing.

Noticing that she is wet and making the connection as to what she had been doing Cadrius suddenly averts his eyes. He then silently berates himself for doing so. She was wearing clothing. He raises his eyes to stars again in an attempt to disguise what he believed to be temporary idiocy.

Looking down again at shade he asks, "Where do we go from here? Do we help them? Do we find out where we are? I do not have any binding obligations anymore, but what is next?"

He smiles, slightly perplexed at the situation. Turning he studies her face a moment. There is something different about it. She seems less angry than before. Perhaps she recovered something she had lost in the woods, or maybe she had given up a burden that she carried.

A scar, I had never noticed before.

He notices her slight shiver and his gaze softens. He had been so concerned with thinking of where to go next that he had forgotten the chill of the air.

"You are cold, come back to camp, we can discuss this later," he pauses a moment before saying the man's name, "Itches has built a fire and with any luck the forest will not have burned down by the time we arrive."

[itches]

After Cadirus gets up to move Itches and Maeko both sit there comfortable in the silence, the usually talkative Itches content to knew on his meat in silence. After many minutes have passed Maeko notices that Cadirus and Shade have both been gone for a while. Turning to itches and commenting on it, he volunteers to go out and look for them

"Those two have been gone a while"
"Hmm, your right. I'll go see if I can find them"

The night seemed peaceful enough so against her better judgement she lets him go with out protest. Almost immediately after he leaves she notices that he left his sword behind. Sighing she picks it up and follows him out into the darkness.

As itches menders along looking for the dark duo, his thoughts merrily skip along through the past, and his beloved Lily

Suddenly coming upon the stream he sees the 2 he seeks, but they are so engrossed with each other that they didn’t even notice him coming. For once, the usually not to bright Itches realises that this is a private moment for the two, and with a small smile on hi face he turn to leave.

Immediately upon turning he comes face to face with another pair of creatures. These ones looked like nothing more then Large dogs, walking on their hind legs. Giving out a high-pitched scream of pure terror, itches stand rock still unable to move in the face of suck monsters

(its knoll time people)

[Gralhruk]

She smiles at his surprise, her dip in the icy waters having revived her spirit and washed away her doubts, for now at least. She had taken stock of what was left to her and found the stars of her childhood, an open forest, and stout companions to be more than she'd had in a long while. Probably more than she deserved but she refused to let her thoughts walk that road. Her smile widens as he repeats the word 'reasonably'.

"I imagine you are correct: I saw no sign of any quicksand about. A few old prints, humans mostly, probably more travellers walking our trail and camping in the vicinity. Nothing we need worry about, I think."

His mention of the forest they had recently vacated dampens her smile. She regards him closely, noting the way the torchlight divides his face: light and dark. Yes, he was both. What had he seen in that clearing; who were his invisible foes?

She sees his eyes widen slightly as they travel down her body, and her smile breaks out anew as he drops his eyes. When he looks up again, he stares studiously at the sky rather than at her. Amused at his embarassment but not wanting to highlight it, she smothers her smile as looks at her once again. She listens to his questions quietly; he had obviously given a bit more thought to their current situation than she had.

"I had thought to travel with them for a while. I wasn't kidding about four being stronger than two, and we've no idea how wild this area might be. This trail must lead somewhere, hopefully we can get our bearings when we find a town."

She trails off as his gaze changes, and suddenly she is the one that is embarassed. She looks away and he speaks quickly, to fill the awkwardness. A fire definitely sounded good, and she wouldn't mind some food to go along with it. She glances back at him, smiling once again.

"Well, that sounds like exactly the thing for a night like this. A campfire, that is, not a forest fire. I don't know about you, but I've had enough adventure for tod-"

She is cut off abruptly as a piercing scream sounds in the direction of camp. Her eyes harden and swiftly lock on Cadrius, the look lasts a split second but speaks volumes. Then she is pulling her swords free as she sprints toward Itches.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius' eyes widen in surprise at the scream. At first he thought it to be the bald woman, Maeko, yet something told him that she did not scream often. It sounds like Itches, and by the tone it seems he's in dire straights. He whips his head in the direction of the cry and draws his sword.

The blade hums for a moment as it is suddenly drawn. He sets off with Shade toward Itches. As they tear through the forest, barreling toward what sounded like a death wail, he manages to briefly say, "It seems you spoke too soon Lady Shade."

They burst through some branches and enter a small grove. Itches can be seen, frozen in fear by what surrounds him. Two large, hunched humanoids are circling him, toying with him. They hear growling but can only assume it's laughter.

Cadrius puts his fingers to his lips and whistles loudly and sharply. The two dogmen spin around in surprise, but this moment does not last long. They clutch their weapons in anticipation. One caries a wicked looking sword, the other a heavy mace.

Cadrius shifts his sword to both hands. Normally he would have his shield but if the past day had taught him anything, it was that life was not normal, not anymore. With a yell he rushes toward the dogman carrying a sword. He lets the rage and anger that had saved him earlier burst forth upon the dogmen.

[Gralhruk]

She shoots Cadrius a dark look as they race toward the sound, and instead of responding saves her breath for running. She can barely see Itches around the hulking bodies of the the two dogmen. She takes a moment to curse herself soundly. How had she missed any sign of these things? Unless they'd been followed . . .

She lets the thought trail off and becomes concerned with more immediate problems. The wet silk of her clothing would be poor protection against steel; her fine armor was doing her little good beside the stream. At least she'd had the sense to buckle on her blades.

Just had to have a bath didn't you?

Cadrius whistles sharply, making them the focus of the beasts. She frowns at his tactic but the man is already rushing to meet the sword wielder, leaving the mace bearer heading straight toward her. With no desire to meet the thing in a fair fight she cuts behind Cadrius with two long strides and leaps, tucks her blades in, and tumble rolls to put the sword wielder between them. If they could finish him quickly she liked the odds alot better.

She leads with her right, a glancing blow off the creature's shield that it barely seems to notice. Cadrius chooses that moment to feint and she launches a clean strike with her left. The glittering blade bites through a seam in the armor and she feels the blade grate along bone before it slides free trailing a stream of blood, black in the moonlight.

[Cadrius]

The dogman yelps in pain as Shade slices his arm open. Recognizing an opportunity Cadrius immediately brings the bastard sword in with a swift overhand swing. The dogman however is merely distracted for a moment and it whips its head back around.

It raises it's shield to parry but the recent wound has weakened it and all it is able to do is stick it's arm in front of the oncoming blade. It's forearm is severed neatly and fresh blood begins to flow.

Still in shock combined with adrenaline the dogman lashes out with it's blade and catches Cadrius on the back of his arm. The man grits his teeth in pain as an angry red line suddenly appears in the wake of the blade. However what strength remained is now spent and the dogman drops to the ground where it lays bleeding profusely.

His rage still boiling he immediately rushes the mace-wielder who turns and swings at him. Their weapons crash, creating a couple faint sparks as Cadrius parries the dogman's weapon.

[Maeko]

All of a sudden an high-pitched scream breaks the night's peace, recognizing Itches' voice, Maeko starts running carring his sword, of all the moments to be without weapon... she thinks,why i am not surprised? and this thing is worse than useless to me.
When she arrives near the river she sees creatures like demons from one of Mara's hells fighting her companions. Itches is unarmed and seems frozen in place. Maeko throws him is sword, just as Cadrius brings down one of his opponents.
Without turning to see if Itches has catched the weapon, Maeko throws herself in the fight, flanking the remaining creature, readying herself for the 'Mountain Dragon Strike'

[itches]

With the two hulking figures leaning over him, Itches is frozen with fear. Close enough to see into their eyes and smell their foul breath, Itches try’s to recall the lessons Master Samuel had taught him, but his mind stayed blank with terror. In a dim part of his mind he sensed other figures arriving, and a high pitched whistle. After the Dog men had moved away from him all he could see was their yellow canine eyes. As another figure as another shadowy figure enters the area, and throws something at his, Itches resolve breaks. Emitting a mindless howl, he runs from the site of the battle, Crashing blindly through the clearing. After an unknown length of time to Itches his feet catches on and unseen object and he falls, whacking his head on a rock, and darkness descends onto him.

Back at the site of the battle, seeing one of their own leave this world, two more of the dogmen enter that battle. One another armoured knoll wearing better-looking armour and arms, and a forth one of the creatures. This one however is wearing robes.

As the two watch the battle, the armed one prepares herself to intercept the first of the non-knoll to head his way.

((Give the armed one a level in Warrior and the robed one a level in Adept. Plus all master work items))

[Cadrius]

If he had time in the midst of combat Cadrius would have rolled his eyes at Itches' actions. However given that he didn't seem to be one experienced in fighting perhaps it was the wisest decision.

Maeko bursts onto the scene and tosses a rapier at Itches' rapidly diminishing form. It lands with a clatter behind him which only serves to spook the man further. She quickly makes her way to flank the dogman Cadrius is currently fighting.

Two new dogmen appear, one well-armored, the other in robes.

"Wonderful," he mutters as he leaps back causing the mace-wielder to narrowly miss him.

He then realizes that Shade is now the only target between the newcomers and them. Hoping that Maeko is able to handle herself Cadrius knocks the mace wide with his sword, giving him time to back up and rush the other two dogmen.

He quickly picks the one in armor as his opponent. He clenches his jaw as he rushes in, at least he'd have a challenge.

Eyes glinting in the near-darkness the two circle eachother. The dogman carries a fine battleaxe to match his shield. This would be a hard fight for Cadrius.

Steel rings on steel as their weapons meet time and soon both are panting from their effort. Cadrius feints at the beast's leg only to alter it's course at the last moment and sink it into the dogman's arm.

It yelps in pain and immediately swings it's axe at Cadrius. He is unable to bring his sword up in time and it sinks into in side. Cadrius gasps but grits his teeth and continues the fight.

[Maeko]

Maeko hasn't the time to notice Itches' flight, she is concentrating on her opponent.
As Cadrius knocks its mace away she strikes at it; her blow does not connect but she rolls with it coming up on the other side of her foe, narrowly avoiding a clumsy but powerful blow.
First rule: when blow lands better not to be there she thinks, uncongruosly hearing Master Wang voice in her brain, while preparing for 'Cherry Blossoms in the Wind'.

[Gralhruk]

Cadrius dashes past her and engages the two newcomers, leaving Shade momentarily uncertain of her course. Cadrius was a warrior, but unarmored and facing two foes. She had no idea of Maeko's combat ability, but the small woman was both unarmed and unarmored. The indecision lasts only a moment and she turns in the bald woman's direction.

Shade slides in behind the mace-wielder and is rewarded with a short cry from Cadrius as he is struck by his foe. Her face snarls in rage; it seemed that the warrior would pay the price for her choice. The dog-man was focused intently on Maeko, unaware that behind him death was rolling in like a silent wave. Shade launches a backhand cut, made vicious by her frustration.

The blade slips edgewise between armor and helm, neatly severing the beasts spinal cord and lodges in the bony vertabrae. The gnoll crashes forward, unaware that it is no longer among the living and nearly wrenches the blade from Shade's hand in the process. She hangs on, a desparate yank freeing the blade just when it seems she will lose it.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius grits his teeth against the pain he knows will come shortly. He slams one hand against the haft of the axe, freeing the blade along with a rather large amount of his own blood. He uses his momentum and puts himself into a spin, providing enough force to wrench his blade out of the dogman's arm.

The beast growls in rage, its green eyes glinting in the near dark. It swings the axe again and Cadrius ducks, avoiding it by mere inches. Yet before he can return a blow the beast quickly reverses the flight of the weapon and brings it back down, burying it into his shoulder.

Screaming in rage and pain Cadrius shoves his blade point first into the belly of the dogman and he does not stop until the hilt is pressed up against the beast's chest. It gasps in surprise and slumps to the ground.

Turning toward the one in robes Cadrius quickly rushes in, leaving his sword behind. If it was a spellcaster then he would not have the time to work the bastard sword out of the dogman.

His guess is correct as the beast begins to fall into a chant, weaving its hands in a cryptic manner. It closes its eyes for a moment and Cadrius slams his fist into the beast's face, disrupting its concentration. He laughs grimly, but in the back of his mind he realizes he's starting to hurt pretty badly. He can feel the blood flowing from the wound on his side and his back. He had to put the robed one out of action soon.

[Maeko]

Barely pausing to nod her thanks to Shade, Maeko runs to Cadrius' help.
Using her momentum at her advantage, she leaps and kicks the robed dog-man. Cadrius can hear a rib or more give way with a sickening snap.

((Charge action, 5 damage to the robed gnoll))

[itches]

Itches lies face down in the mud, with the top of his head at rest against a rock. The Forest around him is quiet except for the buzzing of unseen Insects. With out warning a blur of movement makes its way over the fallen body with out stoping, and up another trees. Stoping for a moment to consider the change in ground, the thought quickly flee from the squirrel’s head.

[Maeko]

Whitout letting her eyes leave the robed dog-man, Maeko speaks:
" Cadrius, I protect your retreat, you in no fighting shape, now".

[Gralhruk]

Shade notices Maeko's slight nod in her direction and in the back of her mind it registers that the exotic woman doesn't look at all distressed. In fact, she looks as if the gnoll was about to invite her to tea. Before she has a chance to examine this information the unarmed, unarmored woman has launched herself at the remaining beast. Shade hears the audible snapping of what can only be the things ribs as she rushes forward to lend her blades to the fight.

As she reaches the battle, she notes that Maeko continues to wear her usual calm expression. Incredibly, the bald woman actually offers to defend Cadrius. She tumbles behind Cadrius and lands on her feet next to the Gnoll, opposite of Maeko. As the creature turns to defend itself from this new threat she slips past it's guard and drives her blade into it's stomach, just beneath the sternum. It's eyes go wide and it lunges forward, further down the blade, jaws snapping before life finally goes out of it.

Shade slides her blade free and dances back as the thing crashes to the ground in front of her. Her eyes scan the surrounding wood for any movement as she backs over to where Cadrius is standing.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius grits his teeth in anger as well as pride. He would not let some dogman in robes have the best of him. Even if he could feel his blood pouring out in hot rivers of scarlet he would not retreat. Not now. Fortunately Shade is there to prevent him from wrestling the beast to the ground. The savage life present in its glowing green eyes flickers and fades as it collapses on the ground.

Now that the battle is over and his adrenaline is fading his wounds take on a new, more vocal significance. His nerves are suddenly quite aware of his wounds: a light cut on either forearm, a deep gash in his left side, and an axe buried in his right shoulder.

Almost as an afterthought he reaches up and grasps the haft of the axe. His jaw muscles clench just before he pulls the axe out of his shoulder. He gasps in pain and closes his eyes before letting the weapon drop to the ground.

He seems to move about like a man in a dream. He casually walks over to his sword, still protruding from the dogman, and places his foot upon its chest. He grasps the blade and pulls it out of the offending corpse, relieving the blade of its temporary organic sheath.

He peers about him a moment before finding what he seeks. He walks about twenty feet, before reaching down with one hand and grabbing the back of Itches' collar. Cadrius turns around and begins to trudge painfully back to the campsite. A small trail of blood marking where he has been.

[Gralhruk]

Before she has a chance to assess the extent of his wounds, Cadrius is doggedly attempting to drag Itches back to camp. Satisfied that they are, for the moment, safe from further attack she quickly moves to his aid. She shakes her head as she approaches.

As stubborn as ever.

She lays a cautious hand on his shoulder, feeling guilty that his wounds were at least partially her fault. She reaches for his hand and presses a small vial in it without looking at him, her eyes downcast.

"I am no healer but this will help with your wounds."

Then she turns her attention to Itches, seizing the unconscious man under the armpits. She is strong for her size and he is light, but the effort of the long day and the recent battle have left her tired. Struggling a little, her skin prickles as a chill wind washes over her. In addition to being damp from her ill-considered bath, she is now drenched with sweat.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius stares dumbly at the vial pressed into his hand. He looks back up at Shade questioningly, as if he is uncertain as to what it is that he holds. He then squeezes his eyes shut and opens them again, clearly attempting to concentrate.

Slowly he removes the stopper and puts the vial to his lips. Tilting it back he swallows the amber fluid with a shudder. It was bitter, and it smelled faintly of bananas. Yet his stomach felt warm, a comfortable warm similar to drinking a shot of whisky.

He winces slightly as he feels the potion taking effect, his blood begins to clot and the wounds begin to knit. Magical healing always made him feel slightly off. There was something about accelerating his body's ability to repait itself that felt peculiar.

The man shakes his head at her actions and sheaths his sword. Moving to Shade's side he gently nudges her out of the way before taking Itches under the armpits again.

I might still be weak, but I'll be damned if I'll walk back to camp while she carries him, he chuckles grimly at the thought. He probably already was.

[Maeko]

Maeko moves, straightening the gnoll corpses, she quickly search them for clues. True, those who stole the relic where human, but maybe they had associates...
That done, she closes the deads' eyes, composing them she murmurs " May you find enlightenment in your next life".
Then she follows her companions, stopping on the way to pick up Itches'weapon, she carries it as if it was a strange beast, likely to bite her.

[Gralhruk]

Shade numbly allows herself to be nudged aside as Cadrius resumes hauling the unconscious aristocrat back to camp. She stands still for a moment, unseeing, while her hands clench and unclench. Her fingers were getting numb. She looks back longingly toward their little fire and then down to the stream, absently noting Maeko composing the dead.

She seems no stranger to strife.

She is still somewhat amazed at the woman's composure and skill in the battle and resolves to ask about it later. For now, though, she needed a few moments to order her thoughts. Skirting the trampled area where they fought, she stoops to pick up her swords from where she'd dropped them to carry Itches. As she does so she notes the blood on her hands and her weapons.

Stained like your soul.

Despair creeps upon her then as she winds her way down to the stream. It came so easily, the killing, and always the same way. A little distraction, a little hesitation and then their life drained out with their blood. She stares at her reflection in the slowly moving water at her feet, her face dark but for the glimmer of her eyes. Not honorable, no, but effective. After all, she was still alive when so many others had died. She sweeps a black-stained hand through the wraith staring accusingly back at her, scrubbing violently to clean her hands before snatching up her armor and starting back for camp.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius deposits the unconscious man by the fire. He begins sit down, his muscles aching for rest, but he sees the fast drying blood coating his arms and chest. Reluctantly he trudges back toward the stream, passing a cleaner Shade on the way he nods wearily to her. There is something about the look on her face that troubles him, but his weary mind cannot grasp it.

He reaches the stream and falls to his knees, allowing his blood soaked hands to dip into the cool water. His eyes widen slightly, the water was much colder than he had thought it to be. Yet it numbed his hands and there was a certain release in it. He removes his torn and bloody shirt and cranes his neck to look at the wound on his shoulder. The potion had helped it, to be sure, but it would be close to a week before he would be feeling good again, the same was true for the gash on his side.

Seeing bits of dirt scattered throughout the wounds he realizes they will need to be washed or they will become infected. Removing his clothes he takes a deep breath before plunging into the chilling water.

His head breaks the surface and he gasps as the icy water surrounds him. He is unwilling to stay in long, but he makes sure that his wounds are cleansed. Climbing out he quickly puts his pants and boots on, but not his shirt.

As he walks back to camp he begins to tear part of the shirt. There wasn't much to be salvaged, but by the time he reaches the safety and warmth of the fire he has two relatively blood-free strips of clothing. He ties one around his shoulder, and the other around his side. They would make crude bandages, but they would have to serve. He tosses the remainder of the shirt on the fire and watches it burn.

Looking over at the other two he says, "Perhaps we should wake him. I do not think he is injured, but he does not need to sleep the night away." He also carefully notes that neither Maeko nor Shade were injured.

Good. Better that the sword strike me than them.

[Maeko]

" Yes, I also think we have better keep watch tonight," adds Maeko,"I'll take any turn that is needed, although I would like to take bath before, I be quick".

She had noted Cadrius' glance checking out Shade and her, and his evident relief, the reason why anybody should think that women neither old nor ill need to be protected, though, throughly escapes her, maybe this is a question she could ask to Shade.

She gets up, takes some spare clothes from her pack, and finds her way to the stream, strips down and gets in.
The cold water reminds her of the brook coming down from 'Heaven's Door Peak' who formed the monastery pool where novices often meditated as part of their training.
After a through, if quick, scrubbing, she dries, changes and comes back, to find the three around the fire, Itches is awake, now, but still has a bewildered look.

[Gralhruk]

Shade returns Cadrius' nod with a brief one of her own, reluctant to meet his gaze. She can see the bodies of the gnolls still steaming in the dark and she moves toward them cautiously. Four of them, dead, lined up and arranged like horizontal sentries. She sits, cross-legged, at their feet and stares at each in turn. Maeko had closed their eyes, but she can almost feel them staring back.

Are their souls still here?

Shaking her head she tries to bury thoughts of a twice dead dwarf the way she should have buried his body. A nagging paranoia gets the better of her, though, and she creeps to each body in turn. She'd scavenged a few battlefields before she found a better way to make a living, and compared to some of the horror she'd sifted through these had died relatively clean deaths. Their weapons and armor were crudely made iron and hide and appeared ordinary for the species. Her quick search reveals nothing of value and she wonders if Maeko had pocketed anything. She didn't seem the type but then that was the real trick, wasn't it?

She carefully repositions the hands of the last body the way Maeko had left them, wondering why she bothers. The scavengers would be on them before dawn, and they would do alot worse. That thought doesn't make her feel any better as she rises smoothly and turns toward the fire. She can here a distant splash from the stream and wonders what Cadrius is about.

Bathing, no doubt. I should have waited as well; I could use another.

Still, she wasn't about to brave the chill waters a second time. The fire was a tangible pull on her, promising to drive the cold from her bones. She reaches camp, drops her armor in a pile, and silently takes a seat next to Maeko noting that Itches is breathing regularly. Sitting close to the fire, the heat soaks into her and she closes her eyes, pushing all thought from her mind.

A familiar, heavy tread brings her back to the present. She cracks her eyes open slightly as Cadrius saunters back into camp, damp and half-naked. She closes them quickly but the image of his wounds, poorly bandaged, burns in her mind along with another pang of guilt. He was valiant and honorable, virtues that apparently made poor armor, but she wondered what he had seen when he looked at his reflection.

"Yes, we should probably wake him. We will each need a turn at watch this night."

[itches]

Cadirus nods to shade, and walks over to itches, and shakes him awake, none too gentle

Having been woken up Itches looks around him in confusion.

"What happened?" he asks looking around.

Seeing the fresh bandages on Cadirus Itches leaps to his feet and goes have a look at him

"What happened? Were we attacked? By whom? Why didn’t you wake me? I could of helped fight them off!"

Itches looks at Cadirus's blank expressions and seeing no help there glances over to Shade and Maeko

[Cadrius]

Cadrius is quiet for a moment, reclining against the tree he lets the warmth from the fire seep into his body. The heat has a hypnotic affect upon him and he finds his eyelids becoming harder to keep open. He shakes his head and returns his attention to Itches.

"Yes, we were attacked," he says simply, gesturing to one part of the surrounding darkness, "if you would like to see what, go ahead. I do not think we shall see any more this night."

He lets the fire chase the chill from his body. The frigid water had done a good job of numbing the pain from his wounds, but it would be back by morning at the latest. Yet for now he was content to sit by the fire and rest, tomorrow would come quickly enough, too quickly.

"I will take first watch," he says, and waves off a look that questions his ability to stay awake. He stands, but still stays propped against the tree. The large tree's surrounding branches gives a sense of safety and protection. The campfire is somewhat shrouded from the outside and there was likely little that would bother them.

"Go on," he says, "the three of you get some rest. I am happy to take first watch as long as I know which one to wake in a few hours."

[Maeko]

" I am accostumed to interrupted sleep" answers Maeko, I would gladly take second watch".

[itches]

Glancing out at the Darkness, Itches shakes his head

"I'll take your word for it"

at the mention of watches, Itches says

"i'l take third watch. Wake me when its time," and sits down next to the fire. Getting out a long stick, he pokes at the embers, making no attempt to fall asleep.

[Maeko]

Maeko moves slightly, coming to sit closer tio Itches so that the two of them can talk without waking Shade.
" Do you remember what happened?"
Itches stare at her blankly.
" After you went off on your own, we heard you screaming, when we arrived we saw you being attacked by two wolf-like creatures..."
She waits to see if her words bring forth any memory.

[itches]

Itches looks at Maeko in confusion

"When I went out? Oh yes I remember, when I went out looking for Cadrius and shade." Looking up at the duo, one asleep, and the other leaning on a tree Itches gives a half-smile I Found them too, but I thought it would of been better if I gave them their privacy so I started back here. But before I could get back. . "

Itches turn Pale and locks up as the memories return to him

"The wolf-things," he whispers with a slight shudder. "I, I Remember their eyes. They were yellow, and that’s all I could see. I tried fighting back, but I couldn’t move."

Looking up at Maeko with the beginning of tears in his eyes, he pleads with her. "I tried to fight, tried to do something, anything, but all I could do was look at their yellow eyes.

Taking a deep breath, he glances around the camp. "Next thing I knew we were back here! What happened?"

[Gralhruk]

Shade listens to the others decide on a watch schedule. It looked like she'd get last watch which was fine by her. She could use the sleep.

The deadwatch, how appropriate.

The others thought she'd fallen asleep, laying there by the fire with her eyes closed. She was content to let them believe that; in truth, she was still awake. Old habits again. Her eyes were cracked the teeniest bit, allowing her a hazy glimpse of her surroundings. She did have questions she wanted to ask but her mind was fuzzy. It would be best to wait until morning.

The fire was relaxing and she felt both good and bad with Cadrius on watch, the protector once again. He had to be as tired as she was, and he was wounded besides, but the stubborn fool was determined not to rest. At least he'd have an unbroken sleep when he finally did get the chance.

She can barely hear Itches account of his chance meeting with gnolls. As if through a thick fog, she can see Cadrius standing resolutely beneath the hulking tree. It almost looks like some gigantic monster looming over his battered body, arms outstretched, ready to pounce on him unawares. It is the last thing she remembers as she drifts off to sleep.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius notes the conversation but remains quiet, content to clean and polish his sword. The aching pain of the wounds had come back more quickly than he had thought. For the first time in a long while he wished there had been a priest with them. He would put up with their religious fervor in exchange to be rid of these wounds.

He examines them and then doubts his wish for a cleric. There was a silver lining about the wounds. He was still alive. Having them will remind him of who he was, and it provided a release from the emotional trauma he had undergone in the haunted woods.

Remembering the fight he grimaces. He should have fared better than he had. The well-armored dogman almost had him. Yet he had refused to retreat even when given the opportunity. Perhaps it was that old habits die hard, or possibly it was because he would rather die than see these people harmed. He shakes his head at the thought, somewhat bemused, somewhat worried. He had not felt this way in a long time.

He suddenly becomes aware of the corpses proximity to their camp. Scavengers of all shapes and sizes will be drawn to the smell of blood and death and it would not do to have them so close-by. He ponders it a moment longer before buckling his sword back on and slowly moving through the darkness to the four corpses.

Cadrius notes the fact that they are lined up with eyes closed and hands placed neatly upon their chest. Maeko or Shade must have arranged them in such a manner, but he does not bother to question the reasoning behind it. Carefully he drags each corpse a hundred paces deeper into the woods, but further from the stream. There was no sense in contaminating the water. After the work is done he is careful to replace the hands as they were.

Despite the chill air his back is damp with sweat by the time he returns to the fire. He nods to Maeko and Itches and speaks quietly so as to not wake Shade, "You two should get some rest, we can talk about it in the morning. I do not wish to have to carry anyone because of a lack of sleep."

He leans upon the tree again, letting it grant him the strength he lacks. However he is still watchful and vigilant despite his weariness. His watch would be soon complete and he would have his time to rest. The time passes slowly and after watching the stars move across the sky for a time Cadrius gently wakes Itches from his sleep.

"If you hear anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to wake me. I would rather be disturbed over nothing than surprised by something."

His body grateful for the much needed rest, Cadrius makes his way past both Shade and Maeko to the very edge of the tree's protective branches. Placing them between himself and the fire Cadrius closes his eyes and quickly falls asleep, his weapons and armor laying in a pile next to him.

[itches]

Maeko listens as Itches memories return to the point where he ran off, and then it stops. Trying to think of an easy way to answer his questions, she looks up and sees Cadirus coming their way. Thankful for the short reprieve she waits to hear what he has to say.

Looking up at Cadirus, Itches nods to Maeko.

"He is right, we can talk about it in the morning, until then I need to do some thinking."

With that he moves around to another point surrounding the fire, and curls up in his bedroll, looking at Cadirus leaning against the tree with his two wounds.

those wounds should have been mine

After what seems only a minute, itches is shaken awake. Squinting up, through bleary eyes at Cadirus, he nods his understanding.

"Wake you if anything happens. Got it"

Getting up and walking around the camp trying to ponder his memories of last night. Trying to piece the blackness of what happened.

After many hours the sun rises, and Itches is still on watch, glancing at the now risen sun Itches walks off into the forest, this time taking his sword with him.

Once again hours past, and the sun has made its way through about one forth of its daily journey, when the others awake, Still with no Itches.

[Gralhruk]

Shade rolls over uncomfortably in her sleep, unwittingly rolling into a stray patch of sunlight that somehow manages to pierce the leafy canopy above. The light pulls her from sleep's vacuum and she opens her eyes blearily, momentarily confused.

Maeko should have woken me hours ago . . . did someone fall asleep on watch?

She sits up with a start and her eyes shoot around the camp, noting the still resting forms of Cadrius and Maeko. Grabbing her swords as she stands, she spins a slow circle looking for Itches and curses loudly as she discovers he is gone.

Did Cadrius fall asleep on his watch? Unlikely. He woke Itches, who started his watch. Did he wake Maeko? No, or she would certainly have woken me before going to sleep. So, what has happened to the aristocrat?

Several possibilities shoot through her mind, none of them good. She spares a glance at the others still present, now rousing from sleep thanks to her outburst, before skirting the circle of the camp looking for prints.

Cadrius' long, deep stride; Maeko's light print, similar to her own but more measured; and Itches' uneven stride, with deep heel marks, were all present and criss-crossed. She is relieved that she doesn't find any unrecognizable tracks but to learn more she will need to circle farther out: the prints here are too muddled to tell which direction he may have gone. Moving back to her small pile of gear she begins rapidly donning her armor, speaking to the others as she does so.

"Itches is gone, possibly for quite some time. I do not know if he was lured away, found trouble investigating something, or has simply decided he does not like our company. I think we should find out: he may be in need of help."

[Maeko]

Loud cursings in a feminine voice, what...

Maeko reacts immediately, finding herself in a crouching guard position even before realizing what happened.

It's no attack, all seems in order...but for the fact that she has not been called for her watch and Itches is nowhere to be seen.
Neither is his sword, she notices; he went of his own will, then, trying to make amends? or did he notice something strange and went alone? It does not make sense.
The nun sees Shade checking the ground in larger and larger circles, she stifles her curiosity and remains near the fire, to avoid confusing the tracks, grateful that someone among them has the skill to read the ground.

"Itches is gone, possibly for quite some time. I do not know if he was lured away, found trouble investigating something, or has simply decided he does not like our company. I think we should find out: he may be in need of help."

Guilt is a bad counsellor, I hope he has sense enough to stay clear of trouble thinks Maeko, shouldering the wicker basket she uses to carry her belogings, and yet, it seems trouble has the habit of finding him

[Cadrius]

Cadrius slowly moves his hand toward the hilt of his sword. There was something moving about. He opens his eyes, the world still fuzzy from his rest, and hazards a glance around. Suddenly he hears a rather loud bit of profanity. It is Shade. It strikes him that the bald woman likely does not curse often.

He rolls over and stands quickly, feeling the blood rush to his head. Listening intently he sighs and is tempted to take part in the cursing, but he merely frowns and begins putting on his armor. His wounds, still asleep, loudly announce their presence to his body in the form of an aching pain with each piece of armor donned. The morning light shines through the branches and glints across the bands of metal that he wears.

He seems a bit unhurried as he suits up though as if unconcerned with beginning the search as soon as possible. He can see his breath in the chill morning air and he wonders for a moment how the man could have survived the night without a fire.

"I suppose he did not wake either of you two for your respective watches?"

Glancing up at the sky and seeing the sun already above the horizon he says, "Then he has about an eight hour lead, but I don't think he will go far. Either he stayed on watch all night and left this morning, or he merely left in the night, but he will need rest no matter what he did."

Finishing he buckles on his sword, straps his shield to his arm, and slings his backpack over his shoulders. He winces as the extra weight causes the padding beneath the armor to press down upon the wound.

"Any idea where he went? Or why? The fool seems determined to be saved," he says with an odd attempt at humor.

Examining his breath a second time he says, "I do not think he left us in the middle of the night. He would not have lived and while he might be a fool, but he does not strike me as stupid. So he must only have a few hours lead on us and only a couple hours of rest."

[itches]

As Shade Examines the ground she eventually comes across the tracks she was looking for - tracks if Itches heading away, towards where the fight with the knolls was. Calling the others over and pointing out the tracks, she leads the group in following them.

"He went down here"

Surprisingly it does not take them long to find itches, for he is standing where the battle had taken place the night before. Standing in the exact place he had before he had fled the night before. The group makes no attempt to hide their approach from him, but still there are within 10 feet of him before he looks up.

I was right here," he says to them in a halting voice. "I was here, they came out, but then blackness. I can’t remember anything after that. What happened," he asks with more desperation in his voice. Falling to his knees he asks the ground "why can’t I remember?"

[Gralhruk]

Shade's jaw clenches as she represses an impulse to strangle the hapless aristocrat. Her rage licks up like a flame from her gut and she struggles, successfully, to hold her tongue. Knuckles whitening on her sword hilt, she remains silent as the anger boils over. When it is gone, color seems to return to the world and she sees Itches in a different light.

Guilt. He is burdened by guilt for what happened last night.

It was a foolish thing for him to feel but she could respect his feelings. Leaving them during his watch was even more foolish, and that she had a harder time forgiving. Gods knew what else was wandering these woods, and leaving them sleeping and unguarded was as bad as meeting danger all alone.

Taking a deep breath, Shade releases the hilt of her sword. Adjusting her cloak, she sits cross-legged on the ground across from the man. Her eyes and voice are neutral as she replies to his plea.

"The two of them were most certainly looking to take slaves; gnolls are a savage and evil race. You had no chance against them, taken unawares as you were. You did the smart thing and evaded them, else you surely would be their prisoner even now."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius comes to stand next to Itches but does not look at him. Instead he surveys the surrounding trees and the spattering of blood on the ground. There are still grooves in the ground from when he had dragged the corpses off the night before. He scratches his chin in thought as Shade speaks. He had heard of gnolls but had never dealt with them before thus it interested him that Shade new of their habits. He wondered what else one learned while practicing her profession. If it was anything like soldiering it was likely the same thing: how to kill efficiently.

The only difference is, he thinks with a touch of grim humor, is that she likely is paid more than I ever was.

The fact that she seems fairly at home in the woods troubles him somewhat. He had always thought assassins to be city-dwellers, never leaving unless absolutely necessary. Picking up on the tracks had been an interesting trick as well. He knew that there was much more to her than meets the eye, but what was it? He makes a mental note to think on it later while walking. Cadrius returns his focus to the task at hand and remains silent a moment longer while thinking of the right words to speak.

"Indeed, you did the right thing. You...alerted us to their presence and ran. It was the smart thing to do. After that we took care of them quite quickly," he says his eyes still roaming the wilderness around them.

"The fact that you cannot remember does not surprise me. Many soldiers block out some of their worst experiences in war. Trust me, you did not miss much."

Turning at last to face the man, Cadrius regards him with cool eyes. He places his hand on the man's bicep and clenches it before speaking with steel in his voice, "But never leave the three of us asleep, no matter the circumstances. You might have been curious, but more of those beasts could have come back, or possibly worse. I fear that if they are around then these woods are far from safe."

Satisfied that the man understands why he cannot leave while on watch Cadrius claps him on the shoulder and attempts to take some of the edge from his scolding. He did not like reprimanding him, especially in front of others, but if they were to travel together they had to trust each other. He smiles trying to make the man feel better. The cold, stern quality has left his eyes leaving the familiar weariness and melancholy.

"Now come on, we can go back to the camp and make some breakfast and then get on the road. When we camp tonight I could show you a thing or two in case you find yourself in that situation again, if you like."

Cadrius nods one more time and then strides back to the great tree that they had spent the night under. The branches still felt safe, as if nature was embracing them, but they would have to leave its protection shortly. Pulling out some bread, cheese, and dried fruit he sets about cutting pieces of each and distributing them to the others. He looks in his backpack with dismay, his rations were beginning to run low.

"I fear if we do not find a town soon we shall be living off nuts and berries."

[Gralhruk]

As she finishes speaking she feels Cadrius brush past her and she watches as he stands next to Itches, hands on her knees. She notes the way his eyes unconsciously scan the surroundings for movement or anything out of place. It was a habit common to both lawmen and criminals but it never ceased to amaze her how different it looked on each of them. Guards gave it a regal look that made you think you'd done something wrong; on thieves it looked more sinister and you felt that they had done something wrong.

Her eyes flicker at his scolding but she remains quiet. It wasn't nearly as harsh as the things she was tempted to say, but then again she'd managed to keep her mouth shut. Itches wasn't likely to turn into a soldier overnight and she wasn't going to force him. She'd sooner feign sleep during his watch than have her throat slit while he was off galavanting.

She watches Cadrius thoughtfully as he strides back to camp. So orderly; the situation had been dealt with efficiently and now it was back to business as usual. Shaking her head with a slight smile, she rises gracefully and follows the others back to camp. She didn't think it would be over so easily.

She accepts his food gratefully. She was down to trail rations herself, and precious few of those. Sometimes travelling lightly was problematic. She smiles at his mention of nuts and berries; the season was right, but that wouldn't near enough to sustain them. Her smile widens at the thought of Itches eating roots and grubs.

"I've got a little food, but it'll only last the four of us around half of a day. Do not fret too much about it; I can forage as we go. It will be slow going, though, and I fear that the things I find might not be to everybody's taste."

[Maeko]

" I have something too" puts in Maeko " very little, tough, I am afraid".

She had followed the exchange in silence, keeping her thoughts to herself, although she notices Itches seems a bit relieved now.

Cadrius is a kind soul, and he seems used to having 'novices' around too... the man has her wondering, but each of us is a mistery to the others, who knows what they think about this strange bald woman?

The thought has her turning towards Shade :" Yesterday you seemed surprised by my way of fighting, is that not practiced in these parts?"

[itches]

"I ran?" itches muttered to himself. Disbelief sits on his face until Cadirus begins to chasten him. Turning slightly pale as he realises what he had done, Itches begins to stammer. "I . .Bu . . No . ." Giving up and facing what he had done, Itches head drops in shame.

After the chasting is over Itches looks up at Cadirus with new respect. "Yes, thank you. It would seem that I need more help. Apparently Master Samuel’s lesson didn’t sink in as well as I thought they did.

Trudging back with the others, still slightly depressed, but no longer totally withdrawn Itches shows some signs of life, that he lacked yesterday evening. When everyone begins sorting through their food supplies, he digs through his pack.

"All I have left is Lily’s cooking, and not much of it at that." Holding aloft Several pieces of over cooked meat, and what looks some deformed flat bread. "This might only keep us going for about half a day. But it is hardy food. I'm more then willing to share, it’s the least I can do."

[Gralhruk]

Catching the scent of Lily's "cooking", Shade revises her earlier assessment. Maybe Itches wouldn't mind dining on roots and grubs. Her ears prick up at Maeko's question and she turns towards the other woman.

"You did surprise me. No armor, no weapons; that beast should have torn you apart. I've heard tales of those who fight this way but to be honest, I thought it highly unlikely."

It crosses her mind how useful those skills would be, especially when you wanted people to think you were defenseless.

"How is it that you learned to fight this way?"

[Maeko]

“ It is the way they train us in the monastery” answers Maeko, “ it started centuries ago.

The Empire was in turmoil, armed bands were everywhere, looting, robbing and killing. Common folk turned to monasteries for help, but Rule forbids us the use of weapons; Abbot of Young Forest Monastery was very distressed and sought a way to help.

He retreated up in mountains, and, meditating, a sort of enlightenment came to him, and he started observing how animals fight, with no weapons but those nature gave them.
When he came down, he started teaching his monks how to fight in ‘animal styles’, using their bodies as weapons; in time Young Forest came to be known as safe haven, other monasteries sent their novices to be trained, other schools were born; some of them also teach defensive use of farmers’ tools.

Now this kind of fighting it is mandatory part of our training, we mostly use it as an aid to meditation, though”.

[Gralhruk]

Shade quietly ponders Maeko's response, using the time to chew her share of the food. Her method of fighting sounded difficult to learn, no matter how useful it might be. Time probably better spent on other things . . .

Still, the foreigner intrigued her. She was so calm, so controlled; good qualities to have, particularly in a fight. Qualities that Shade herself had cultivated, albeit more from luck and natural talent than from any meditation. Apart from those things Maeko seemed possessed of a purpose, a secure sense of self that had always eluded Shade. Much of her life she had drifted along the currents she stumbled across, never spending much time wondering why.

"Have you practiced for a long time? And you say everyone learns this method of fighting? Women here are not normally warriors, although there are some that defy that trend."

[Cadrius]

Cadrius remains largely quiet as the two women discuss combat and meditation. It interests him but he does not wish to disturb it. The dedication to an ideal he understood. Shaving your head and fighting without a weapon or armor? He is not quite able to grasp how one can survive, let alone flourish, in a fight. He supposes that mobility and agility are the key to avoiding being split in twain by an axe. Still after the fight with the gnolls Cadrius is determined not to be caught unarmored again.

He discreetly ignores Itches' suggestion of eating his beloved's cooking. The roots and berries sound far more appetizing.

Cadrius waits for a lull in the conversation before turning to the other man and asking, "So tell me why it is that we are to call you "Itches?'"

[itches]

Itches looks from nawing on the his food at the large fighting man's question. Atempting to speak Itches finds that he cant spek around the food in his mouth. Waving for the man to wait a moment, he finish his mouthful. After several minutes Itches manages to swallow the food.

"Well Itches isnt my realy name. what kind of mother would call her child Itches? No its the nick-name that my freinds gave to me back when i was a child. I still dont know why they called me Itches, they said it was becourse i'm like it, not that i ever understood that. But anyway, when i set out to gain enough fame to be able to ask Lilly's father's for Lilly's hand in marriage, I had to leave in secret. It was Lilly's idea that i not use my real name - she is very smart. So i started using Itches, and i must for the moment forget that i am Phillip Manuews Cleaton Dian the third, and no one is allowed to know of my real name - at least that is what Lilly said, i dont under stand why, but she is smarter then me so i do it anyway. That is why i can only tell you my name is Itches, and please dont ask me what my real name is, for my lips are sealed."

With that Itches makes a motion of locking his lips and throwing away the key, before returning his attention to the "food" before him.

[Cadrius]

As the man known as Itches opens his mouth Cadrius immediately regrets questioning him. He is not prepared for the short biography of Phillip Manuews Cleaton Dian, which was a ridiculous name itself. It seemed that the only ones who enjoyed pointlessly long names were gnomes and nobility.

"Ah, I see," he says struggling to find an appropriate response, "interesting."

Finishing his food he begins straightening up the camp. Cadrius puts his bedroll away and kicks dirt over the dying remains of the fire. Slinging his backpack over his shoulders he dusts off his hands and asks, "ready to go?"

[Maeko]

Originally posted by Gralhruk
"Have you practiced for a long time? And you say everyone learns this method of fighting? Women here are not normally warriors, although there are some that defy that trend."

" We do not really consider ourselves warriors, this way of fighting is for defence, and also a way to find harmony and balance within oneself, it is a path of discipline.
I grew up in the monastery and have been training for 15 years only, I am just a student...".

Hearing Cadrius's question Maeko gets up with a fluid movement.
" I am ready"
Smiling to Shade she adds " I am afraid our conversation must wait".

[Gralhruk]

Her eyes flick to the aristocrat as he launches into a long-winded discourse about the origin of his name. The name itself is supposed to be secret, but the absent minded nobleman inadvertantly announces it to them without seeming to realize. Momentarily distracted by Itches tale, Shade turns her attention back to Maeko as the other woman speaks.

Defense, harmony and balance is it? Seemed to cave that Gnolls chest in quite nicely though.

She leaves the thought unspoken, and simply nods quietly to Maeko. She scans the camp quickly for anything she may have forgotten, noting with some displeasure the clear signs of their overnight stay. As far as she knew nobody was following them but it irked her to leave such a clear trail. She adjusts the pack on her shoulders irritably.

"One question, though. Where are we off to? Cadrius and I are unfamiliar with the area we currently find ourselves in. Do you have any particular destination in mind?"

[Maeko]

" I have been told there is town if you go North for two days; I was going there when I met Itches.
I don't know If that is the place you came from, though, neither if the indication is right, sometimes people like to make fun of strangers".

[itches]

Quickly Itches [Phillip Manuews Cleaton Dian the third] finishes off what he was eating and stores what is left back in his pack. Getting up and making sure he has everything with him, he watches Cadirus put out the fire.

To Maeko he says, "The town to the north sounds good, I don’t suppose you know which way north is?" Looking around at the forest he continues in a mild voice. "I for one am totally lost."

[Cadrius]

"Unless you wish to trailblaze I suggest we merely follow the trail. We know which way we came from, the swamp, why not follow it? I do not see any others around here and if the town is two days north then we shall quickly find out if we are going in the right direction."

He shrugs helplessly. To him it did not need discussion, or at the very least it did not need to keep them from walking. His wounds hurt him but he was anxious to make his way to a nearby town despite his rapidly decreasing amount of coin. Cadrius hopes it is not the same town, there was little for work and less for company there. Besides, it put them back near Whonan and his bizarre family.

"We can certainly talk this over, but let us do it while we walk."

He adjusts the straps on his backpack and belt restlessly while he waits for the others to leave. As they do he is certain to walk in the lead, letting his eyes gently roam over the countryside. No use in allowing themselves to be ambushed.

The morning hours while away as they march in a vague north-western direction. The trail dips and winds its way between hills and along streams. It certainly does not seem to receive a large amount of use.

[Gralhruk]

Shade wasn't as sure as Cadrius that they knew exactly where they'd come from. Still, the man had a point: there was no use waiting around here. With a wry grin Shade looks up at the sky, squinting as the light reflects off of her scar, and points roughly in the direction of the trail.

"Well, unless the sun has changed it's course I think North is that way."

She lets him take the lead and moves to the back of the line. Easier to keep an eye on everybody that way, not that they couldn't take care of themselves. With the exception of the nobleman, of course and he didn't seem likely to wander off just yet.

[itches]

Itches take up his position in the line and walks along behind Cadirus in silence at first, and watching the ground in front of his feet. After an hour of travelling in this silence Itches begins to speak.

"You know what this reminds me of, that trip that he took me on to do some wilderness fighting. Of course it was only in my fathers forest, but still it was exciting none the less. Anyway we walked for about 3 hours into it - I think he was trying to find a fairly wild sop- before all of a sudden he stops. After looking around he turned to me and said, "lowering his voice Itches continues, "My boy, it would appear that we are lost." Giving a short laugh, Itches continues his story for many minutes, showing remarkable enthusiasm about a story that involves him falling down a ditch. Losing his swords and spending 30 minutes looking for it, before getting back out of the forest 4 hours later.

:|

[Gralhruk]

Shade walks behind the others with her hood up and her veil across her face; it alleviated the glare from the sun that plagued her. As they walk, she allows a little distance to creep between them. Her sharp eyes were more focused on her companions than her surroundings. It still puzzled her that she was part of this group.

A faint smile touches her lips as she watches Cadrius march along. How easily he assumed the leadership role she was certain he'd once held. The man seemed less brooding, she thought, probably because he had a purpose now. Or maybe it was because he had others to look out for.

She listens with half an ear as Itches tells his story, glad that she is far enough away to be out of the conversation. For some reason, the love struck would-be adventurer irritated her. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, though. He was pleasant enough, and he tried to be helpful but something about him rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was because he had the luxury to make stupid mistakes, or maybe it was his overwhelming naivete, or maybe it was his blind devotion to this Lily. Any of those things might be enough to get him killed, yet he seemed completely oblivious to that fact.

A slight shake of her head and her eyes find the straight back of Maeko, flowing along rather than walking. The little woman was the least physically imposing of the three and yet she had waded completely unruffled into a pitched battle with little more than her robe. Her philosophy and methods were completely alien to Shade and some part of her envied the self-reliance and inner stability that surrounded the monk.

She notes that Cadrius stoically endures the Itches interminable narration, finally at an end. Moving up a little closer to the others she lowers her veil to speak.

"That is a tale of wilderness fighting? Here is another. A long while back I had need of a guide to lead me through a wilderness and help me find somebody. Skerf was his name; not the most trustworthy of men but he was skilled and strong and the only question he asked was how much coin I could pay him. A scant two days into our trip I decided that he was of a mind to lead me far away from civilization before robbing or killing me.

Rather than abandon my quest, I determined to give him a reason to travel with me for longer than he intended. It was simple really; I dropped some hints about a large sum of money I had hidden, I feigned stupidity, I pretended to revere his prowess. It wasn't long before he thought he could learn where this fictitious money was hidden if he kept me around a bit longer.

It was all working out, managebly if not perfectly when we stumbled upon the owl-bear. It was a deranged beast and it very nearly killed the both of us. There was a moment where I could have left him and saved myself, and I wanted to, but without him I might have died alone in the wilderness; I certainly would never have found the one I was looking for. We were weeks at healing, and the trail was cold when we finally started off again. Something had changed though, because in that time I think he decided he liked me after all. Maybe it was because I saved him, or maybe it was because he believed all of my lies and thought I really adored him.

We travelled much longer, how many weeks I do not know, but we were long out of rations and moving slowly because we must forage for food. Too slowly for me and I became angrier and angrier as the trail grew colder and colder. I could see the old suspicion creeping back into his eyes and I knew that he was thinking again of loot I had told him about long ago. Eventually, we came to blows for I would not turn aside from my purpose. He wounded me and escaped, though he was wounded himself. I was alone now, but I had not been idle in our time together.

I had drawn knowledge from him, knowing that I might be forced to continue on my own. Before our quarrel, he had mentioned a tiny frontier town not too far off of our course and suggested we might winter there. I decided to follow him, thinking that I could resupply at this town and make better time afterwards. My guess was right and he led me there, but I was livid to find that he had stolen all of my money. He'd been planning to leave even before our fight. There was only one tavern in town and I knew he'd find his way there.

I watched from the shadows while he drunk himself stupid, then followed him up to his room. I could have killed him, there in the dark, for what he'd done. He might have deserved it, too. Instead, I stole everything he owned right down to the blanket he was sleeping under. Burned most of it, but I kept the money. Next morning, I bought my supplies and was out of town before he knew I'd ever been there."

She trails off and loosens her blades in their scabbards, unsure of why she had gone on like that. Truthfully, it hadn't been that long ago. She shifts uncomfortably as Cadrius turns to look at her, certain that he knew who it was she was looking for. There is defiance in her eyes but something else too. It wasn't the whole of the story, just a piece of it, and a piece that would probably confirm his worst thoughts about her. She pulls the veil up again, lowers her eyes, and continues walking.

Let them think what they will.

[Cadrius]

Cadrius grits his teeth as the man launches into a story that borders on being nonsensical. He was a fool, but then again wasn't everyone at one point or another? This one merely seemed to suffer from it more often than not. Plus he was a fool in love, that made matters worse. Yet he seems largely innocent and because of that Cadrius does not interrupt him.

He nods in the appropriate places where a response is expected and even manages a word or two response, but he is greatly relieved once the story is at an end. It might be interesting to Itches, but Cadrius had no intention of making this story hour a daily routine. He is a bit surprised as Shade begins her story but he does not object, after Itches this one would likely sound as if it were told by a master bard.

His pulse quickens however and he feels a sudden autonomic response as he realizes where the story is going. Looking for someone? That was a mild way of stating it. She was on the job, but for who? And what poor soul was being chased? Yet did it matter? Not likely, for all he knew she could have been hired to track down a bandit.

Cadrius clenches his jaw as she speaks of this Skerf fellow. He knew the type: large, strong, and remarkably stupid. Yet the world seemed to be made up more and more of men like Skerf. Scum that were willing to do whatever it took to achieve their goals. He makes a mental note to kill this Skerf if their paths ever cross.

As Shade speaks Cadrius becomes increasingly agitated. His hand tightens around the hilt of his sword and his eyes burn with rage. Whatever Shade might be, she had not deserved this treatment. His breathing becomes more ragged and he closes his eyes to steady himself. Is that where she received her scar? This Skerf? He does not know, but Skerf will not have the chance to explain it if he were ever to meet Cadrius.

It is then that the world drops out from under him. The dwarf. She had been on a mission to slay the dwarf, and slay she did. He still remembers the blood gushing outward from the stout man, who had loved combat perhaps a bit too much, as he died in his arms.

He takes a deep breath to steady his nerves. It had been a very gruesome way to meet someone for the first time. If you call meeting someone watching them assassinate a dwarf and then run out the door.

Opening his eyes again he feels a very gentle calm wash over him. He sees the defiance in her eyes, practically begging him to reprimand her, scorn her, to do anything that would further mark them as different. He is unable to summon up any righteous indignation, a flaw quite rare amongst the order that he used to belong to.

Instead he approaches Shade and stands before her, close enough that the hilts of her swords almost touch the metal of his shield and armor. Slowly and deliberately he reaches out with each hand and puts a thumb on the underside of the guards on her swords. He slides them back into their sheathes. In his eyes there is no rage, merely the familiar sadness and a glimmer of understanding.

Not taking his eyes off of her's he says, "Enough stories for now," before turning and walking up the path again.

[Maeko]

Maeko hears the anger in Shade's voice. What for? And why chosing that grim a story of her own?
A lesson to the nobleman, maybe? Don't trust apparences?
But, seeing Cadrius' unease she cannot help but think there is more to it than what it seems.

Shade ends her tale, her stare almost defying the warrior, almost...but not quite.
Cadrius appear so angry that Maeko is afraid he could strike at the woman, she has eased her weapons, ready to fight.

Botahara's mercy, what is this? Why are they ready to kill each other, now?

Subtly she shifts her stance, centering herself, ready to intervene if needs be.

Cadrius closes his eyes, and something happens, he seems to change, to become both less and infinitely more than a moment ago, very gently he approaches Shade and slids her weapons back in their scabbards; her look of shocked surprise is not lost on Maeko.

Without knowing why, as they walk on, Maeko's mind goes back to the Sutra of Compassion.

One day Lord Botahara was looking down from his seat in the seventh heaven, into the depth of Mara's Hells; and there, in the Lake of Flame, he saw enduring eternal torment a robber and assassin.
He said to himself: " I know this man: when I was a monk, one day, he gave me a leek to eat. This good deed should not go unrewarded.

So he took one leek and bent down, and the leek grew to reach the Lake of Flame. The assassin saw it, grasped it and started climbing.
But the others had seen it too, and they too tried to climb. The assassin was half-way to Heaven when he grew afraid that the leek would break, so he started kicking at those following him and screaming "Get down, you sinners, this is MY leek" ...And at that point the leek, which till then had been strong as a metal rope, suddenly broke.

She sighs to herself, thinking of lost chances, but the story comes also as something of a confort.

[itches]

As Itches tells his story, he grows ever more enthusiastic, emphasizing points with growing gestures. After his story ends, there is a moment of dead silence as they walk along, both Cadirus and Maeko seeming to enjoy the silence. Then Shade begins to speak. Half turning as he walks, Itches looks back as she tells her story, looking forward to the opportunity to hear a story, and part of his companions history as well.

The smile he wears on his face, quickly fades as she re-counts her tail of betrayal. Keeping his head low as he walks Itches thinks only to himself.

This is I have come into. This is the world I must survive in order that Lily and I can marry. The True measure of my quest will not be surviving the enemies that attack me face to face. It will be surviving the friends I make. Already I feel a bond between us, how far would I go for these people. People who don’t even like me. The true test of my quest will be if when I return home, if I can look my beloved in the eye. Or if I will turn into someone as bitter as my dark friend there 'shade'.

As Itches walks along his mind deep within his own thoughts, not noticing when Cadirus drops back to the end of the line to talk to Shade, leaving him in the lead. What Itches does notice however is when the ground under him suddenly shifts and jumps upwards. Giving the vilest curse that he knows "By Dancars hoof" Itches realises that he is caught in a net, dangling from a tree branch. Looking over to the side of the trail, Itches is horrifies to see four more of the Dog men that attacked them before charge from the bushes, with a roar.


((we have Gnolls thats right Gnolls. 4 of them two. They would be attaking from our left as we walk along. I am all the way up front dangling in a net. At least i wont run away this time ;) ))

[Gralhruk]

She watches Cadrius turn and approach her. His face had reflected a growing discomfort during her narration but he seemed to have mastered himself now. That angered her, though she was still unwilling to admit to herself that it was because she'd hoped to provoke him.

Shade resists the urge to recoil as Cadrius reaches for her blades. It triggers an old memory, one she had tried to forget, but it wouldn't go away. For a moment she sees Ricard's darkly handsome face superimposed over Cadrius's own rugged features; even through the mask she'd known it was him. In her mind she still remembers his lean hand licking out to snatch her blade, quicker than you could blink. Had she moved then she might have avoided him, but she was still a step behind, still didn't understand his intent. The thief's skill was impressive as he reversed the blade and in the same motion struck at her neck. He missed his intended target - somehow she was already twisting and dropping to roll to his off-hand side - but his blade slid across her face and cut deeply. She saw only red, and then the moment is gone and it is only Cadrius in front of her again.

She stiffens but refuses to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. She stares hotly at him as he lays his hands on the hilts, but his eyes tell her that he has no ill intent. Indeed, what she sees there as he re-seats her twin blades adds fuel to her inner fire.

I don't need your understanding. I don't need your pity.

Her eyes burn holes in his back as he begins to retreat. Maeko relaxes slightly, though Shade is still peripherally aware of a puzzled look in her eyes. No, it wouldn't make sense to her. It couldn't possibly make sense to Cadrius either. What made him think he knew who she was? Her anger boils over and her voice is thick with bitterness and sharp with fury.

"Who was he? The one you fought in the wood. Did he hurt you? Did you kill him in return?"

His back stiffens and she knows that she is not far off the mark. She opens her mouth to continue her reckless tirade, for the moment still too angry to care what damage she does. Her diatribe is cut short as Itches, unwitting catalyst of the entire incident, is snatched up like a rat in a trap and another group of gnolls assaults the group.

[Maeko]

Maeko is the first to react.

She puts herself between the attacking creatures and the net containing Itches What did he do in his past lives to have such karma?, ready to defend him.

OOC I stand on opportunity

[Cadrius]

Cadrius shakes his head sadly, the same emotion mirrored in his eyes, and turns to begin walking again. He'll remember this the next time he offers the woman any compassion. How could he have been so stupid? She was as vile and hot-tempered as any of the countless other brigands and thieves he had caught before.

Yet there was something different about her. There was a quality, perhaps a kindness, not present in the others.

Suddenly the trap is sprung and Itches is floating above the ground with four more of the dogmen bursting from their cover. An ambush.

He draws his sword and rushes the first two. Maeko seemed capable enough and she didn't need two more dogmen flanking her.

There is a silver lining to this though, he thinks as he bellows and charges, at least we know where the fool is.

The blade of the bastard sword flashes through a beam of sunlight streaming through the trees and there is a thunderous clash as it deflects under the dogman's shield. Cadrius grits his teeth and prepares for the answering blow.

[Gralhruk]

She stares at Cadrius after she spits out her venomous words, waiting for some kind of response. Almost before the attacking gnolls register on her senses, Maeko is moving forward with her customary poise. Ridiculously enough, for a moment she is more concerned with what Cadrius might say than with their attackers and she hesitates. Almost as if he didn't hear her, Cadrius roars as he moves to engage the nearest pair of yellow-eyed dog-men.

Foolish girl; what makes you think he can be bullied?

Again she is left with a choice: Maeko or Cadrius? Regardless of her skill, Maeko would be hard pressed against two foes. Shade still wasn't convinced that her fists were the most effective weapon. Still, Cadrius was yet wounded from their previous battle and facing two foes of his own. Unwilling to admit her guilt over her misplaced tirade, she tells herself that she can reach Cadrius sooner.

As her chosen enemies focus on the armor-clad figure of the once paladin, Shade sprints after him and angles wide to cut behind them. As she approaches the slim girl launches herself into a roll, pulling her blades out as she tumbles and deftly avoiding the gnoll's clumsy strike before launching an attack of her own. The beast recoils in the nick of time and her blade cuts only air.

[Maeko]

The wolf-creature was still like a statue, the wood itself was still. In the eternity between an heart-beat and the next Maeko smelled damp fur, felt the creature hunger, deeper than mere need for food.

She saw something: a shadow of movement in its eyes, before it moved to strike, she tried to avoid the blow but it was too fast. Its axe bit into her arm, but she heard a grunt of disappointment, the blade had turned in its hand, striking with less force than the creature intended.

She did not allow her wound to interfere and reacted with the Attack of the Sun and the Moon, she saw her opponent’s eyes go wide when it realized its wounded prey was not going to run.

Both her fists connected, the creature staggered for a moment, then fell down and did not move anymore.

OOC: Maeko takes 5 hp of damage, uses flurry of blows and inflicts 13hp to the gnoll.

[itches]

Shock enters the Gnolls small yellow eyes; the apparently unarmed women darts forwards and fell its companion. Lunging forward, and giving screaming out something in its guttural language, the dog-man swings a while blow at the nun, who leans out of the way with ease.

The other remaining 2 Gnolls, face their Adversary’s. The one that blocks the fallen paladins strike, hefts its axe at him, the blade finding a kink in the armour under one of the mans arms, striking deep.

The other Gnoll, turns to face the fast moving woman, and carefully swings at her. Leaping out of the way, Shade isn’t quite quick enough, the axe leaving a bloody trail across her leg.


sqirming around in his net, Itches manages to - after much effort - draw a dagger from his boot. Now that he has a weapon in hand, is cuts away at the cords of the net, desperatly awear of his now wounded companions.

(( I must apologise now but 10 damage to Cadirus, and 3 to shade))

[Cadrius]

Cadrius glances to his left as Shade tumbles by. What was she doing here? He was trying to tie them up for a reason, so that she could aid Maeko. The fact that she hadn't burried her twin swords in his back surprised him. She had seemed angry enough to kill earlier.

The gnoll takes this momentary distraction to attack and it does so with terrible success. The axe slips past his shield and drives its way deep into his arm. The cold bite of the axe brings his attention sharply back to the present.

Screaming in rage and frustration he heaves his sword around and sinks it into the dogman's neck. The blade of the large sword easily cuts through flesh, tendons, and bone, leaving the beast standing for a moment with its head almost severed. It collapses to the dirt, blood spurting from its neck and surprise etched across its face.

Panting heavily he spins toward the second monster his eyes wild with anger and his body rushing full of adrenaline. His shoulders rise and fall with a slight clanking sound as he prepares to engage the dogman attacking Shade.

[Maeko]

The small woman is oblivious to all that goes around her, the clangs and grunts are just meaningless noises, like the wind blowing among the trees.

Only her opponent exists, that and her mind and body acting together in defense of an helpless friend.

Maeko pivots on her right foot, kicking with her left and surprising the right-handed creature, the heel of her foot strikes it, but slips in part over the wolf-man's armor.



OOC 4 hp to the gnoll, my d8 does not like me :\ (althoug my d20 does :) )

[Gralhruk]

As she adjusts her position the Gnoll rushes her, it's heavy blade striking sparks off her own before sliding free and slicing her thigh. The shock of the blow numbs the last two fingers on her left hand and she mentally curses herself for the clumsy parry, grateful that the cut is shallow. A meaty thunk and Cadrius' gnoll is dropping to the ground, the nearly severed head flopping by a string. The warrior turns to her attacker and she unconsciously shifts to put the beast squarely between them.

Sensing it's predicament the dog man changes his stance, right leg moving forward. It is all the opening she needs. Her torso twists, aiming her right hand blade in a wicked backhand at it's face while the she reverses her grip on her other sword. Reflexively, the creature's blade snaps up and easily deflects her feint; she continues her spin and lets it skate off wide while drawing the edge of her left blade across the exposed tendon on the outside of it's knee.

She pauses for a fraction of a second at the height of her twist - her body coiled like a spring - and waits as the gnoll starts to topple rightward, it's leg unable to support it. Both of her blades spin in her hands; the left now in a traditional grip, the right reversed. Again she feints with her leading blade, this time a low gutting stroke that slides across the shield it somehow manages to get in the way. Again her trailing blade finds it's mark, this time she draws it across the exposed throat. It is the same maneuver Ricard had attempted on her, though she performs it somewhat better.

She follows through on her twist, fastidiously avoiding the jet of blood that arcs out of severed arteries. She completes her spin, blades again in the guard position, as the creature drops at her feet. She finds herself face to face with Cadrius, the dead gnoll between them. For a fleeting instant that seems an eternity their eyes lock on one another, and for the second time in as many days she has the uncomfortable feeling that she is looking into some kind of warped mirror.

[itches]

Moving as quickly as he can, with his movements hampered by the binding net, Itches cuts his way through line after line of the net. Eventual the net weakens to the point where is snaps, and the half-elf lands on the ground with an oomph .

Looking up around the battlefield, Itches is struck at the destruction. 3 of the 4 attacking Gnolls are dead, with the last one facing Maeko. Added to this is the fact that not one of his companions remains uninjured.

Dear Gods, look at this carnage.

Taking a short step to the right, in order to gain a clear line of sight to the Gnoll, Itches pulls back his arm, and lunches the dagger that he holds at it.

That’s it, just like Master Samuel taught you, find the centre of balance, find your target, and then fling.

Flying true towards the Dog like creature, it non-the-less manages to just get its shield in the way, and the dagger bounces of and lands harmlessly in the ground

[Cadrius]

Cadrius watches as the gnoll falls to the ground mercilessly cut by Shade's blades. Once again they stand opposite from each other with carnage strewn about. It was a rather grim pattern they were falling into, yet it was effective and clearly got the job done. What did he care anyway? At least she was putting her skills to a better use than assassinating innocents.

Their eyes lock for a moment and there's something there, something different from the anger and indignation he had seen moments earlier. Yet his mind is too tired and his body is too full of adrenaline to decipher what it might be.

Turning his attentions to the remaining dogman he sees Itches dagger deflect off its shield. At least the man wasn't totally useless even if he had lousy aim.

Forcing his body to move the man races to Maeko's side. Fatigued from his wounds his manages a clumsy strike which would have normally barely managed to nick the beast but he applies brute force where technique fails and manages to sink the blade in a little deeper.

((OOC: 4 damage on G2))

[Gralhruk]

Cadrius stares back at her for a brief moment with an expression akin to contempt, though underneath she tells herself that she sees confusion written there as well. Then he is charging off like an enraged bull to engage Maeko's attacker. What the man lacks in grace he makes up for with dogged determination and sheer force.

Men. Why try the handle when you can just break the door down?

She wades in after him, once again forcing the beast to reckon with multiple attackers. Without thought, her eyes study it's movement even as she approaches; the way it parries, the shifting of it's feet, it's preferred feints and attacks. By the time she gets there, her body already knows what to do and she throws herself into the dance. She ducks beneath a wicked slash and her blade darts up in it's wake, sinking deep into an unarmoured chink in the beast's armpit.

It's arm flails back but she is in too close for it's long blade and the beast has no strength to move her. She hangs on as it sinks to it's knees; she watches the light fade from it's eyes and it slides off her blade. It leaves her facing the ever calm Maeko, who somehow looks as if they hadn't just been in a pitched combat. Cadrius' labored breathing is loud off to her side; further off she can hear Itches saying something, though she is too surprised at his escape to listen. She turns her back so she doesn't need to look at any of them and retreats back to the first pair of gnolls.

[Maeko]

Maeko stood, staring at the dead gnoll.
Four lives more wasted, and one of them I killed myself, may they be born to a better life.

But she somehow doubted it, they had been killed while trying to prey on others, it was likely their burden would not be lighter in their next life.

Colors and sounds came back in the woods, Maeko, all of a sudden, heard a soft 'pat-pat', like rain on dust, and the sound of laboured breathing.
She turned. Cadrius was standing near her, leaning on his sword but stubbornly pretending not to.

The dripping sound was his blood, falling from his wounded side on the fallen leaves.

Maeko turned away, pretending not to have noticed Cadrius' weakness; she went back to her wicker basket and after a bit of searching she found a small vial.

When he lowered his eyes he saw in front of him the small figure of Maeko offering something:

" You are hurt, brother, this will make you better".

Why his eyes went so cold now? What did I say?

The confused nun stood, her hand outstretched, offering the healing potion.

[itches]

Standing there looking at the fallen Gnoll, Itches speaks out loud. "Well that wasn’t so hard." Looking at his companions and noticing that none of them are paying any attention to him, the young love struck noble gives a shrug at them ad moves over the most recently fallen Gnoll and begins searching the nearby ground where his dagger had fell. After several moments of searching, Itches comes up triumphant, his knife once again in his hands. Finally looking over at the fallen creature, Itches turns a distinct shade of green. Staggering slightly he moves closer to the corpse. Upon the closer viewing of the body he visible wavers. In an overly loud and strained voice, he speaks.

"Well I do declare, that is a lot of blood."

Immediately after making the declaration, the half-elf collapses in a faint.
:KO:


(( just when you thought Itches was starting to be less anoying))

[Cadrius]

Cadrius clenches his jaw, feeling the muscles tighten and then relax. Pain was not an unfamiliar companion to him and to be honest it was much better than the typical melancholy that enveloped him. He shakes his head, rejecting her offer, and straightens his posture. A small rivlet of blood slowly winds its way down the bands of metal and strips of leather that make up his armor.

"Save it for when someone truly needs it. I will live."

He carefully, and perhaps a bit slowly, makes his way back over to his backpack and rifles through it for a moment. At last he pulls out a fine maroon silk shirt and tears the sleeve off. Unbuckling his armor and keeping his back to the others he looks down at the gaping wound.

"It's not that bad," he lies as he calls back to them as he wraps the piece of silk around the deep wound. He was lucky the gnoll didn't take his arm with that blow. A harder hit a few inches to the right and he might have.

Once completed he fastens his armor back on, but remains kneeling for a moment. He breathes deeply, attempting to steady himself, and through force of will he manages to keep his vision from swimming. He has lost quite a bit of blood in the past twelve hours and he fervently hopes he won't have to loose any more for a while.

He climbs to his feet, cleans off his sword, and begins walking up the path again. His strides are measured, and a bit more shallow than they had been earlier, he had best conserve his strength if he expected to make it to nightfall.