United

[Wikiwalker]

Phox

During the hour it took to break camp Phox got his bearings from the surrounding forest. Moss on only one side of a tree, the sound of waves, the morning sun, all these things can be used to find one's way, and Phox had become very adept at using them. Mostly because he couldn't use a map to save his life. He'd proven that twice, and had never put it to the test again.

The camp breaking was almost complete, and Phox watched as the two brothers hoisted a pack onto Oren. He had tried to help, but apparently the donkey didn't like him much, and now he had another dent to beat out of his greave at the next forge he came across.

With a final grunt, the brothers got the pack onto Oren and began securing it on. Phox could've carried it himself, at least to the cove, but Dominick seemed to trust him less as time passed. It was alright though. Watching them struggle with the loads reminded Phox of the last time he'd walked into a village carrying a load. His parents had told him he was stronger than most, but he hadn't understood by how much. Apparently being able to carry almost as much as a donkey wasn't very common.
[OOC: I couldn't remember exactly how much a donkey could carry, so Phox can carry at least two men's loads at once. He's stronger than other humans, but not ridiculously stronger. I also didn't know how big a load Wyn and Dominck had, so sorry if I took too many liberties...]

At last they were all ready. "Ok, it's this way. We'll arrive before noon easily." As they started off towards the cove, Phox took out a small leather pouch of jerky and offered it to the brothers. "Want some? It's a little salty, but not too bad. Got it from some kind of fanged monkey thing. Dagnab thing bit me." Phox examined his gauntleted hand as if the wound was still fresh.

Just a short walk and they'd arrive.

Wyn

After Wyn was done apologizing profusely for Oren and explaining that Oren was young and immature--it was true, no one better deny it around him--but not a really bad sort of donkey really. Dominick turned down Phox's "fanged monkey thing" jerky--probably poison he signed to Wyn, Wyn just rolled his eyes--but Wyn took him up on the offer and spent some time walking and chewing the peculiar salty meat while Phox talked a mile a minute.

Since Wyn could not easily hold conversations he usually opted not to. He spent a lot of time listening and thinking.

After a while he noticed Dominick occasionally forgetting that he hated Phox and looking amused or interested before he remembered himself. Wyn smiled to himself. Dominick is really a creature of the present isn't he. He thought. One minute Dominick's temper was flaring, the next he was happily chatting and making jokes. Much as he tried he just couldn't hold a grudge. Lucky kid, Wyn thought.

Wyn smiled to himself. A sudden thought occurred to him, interrupting his reminisce. He quickly scribbled on a piece of paper: How far did you say it was to that village? We've been walking for quite a while; shouldn't we have seen some people before now? He handed the paper to Phox.

OOC: I haven't exactly made an inventory of their wares but I figure Wyn and Dominick are carrying roughly quite a lot of stuff XD. I guess they have the two donkey's panniers full of mostly wares, and their own pack baskets full of mostly personal belongings with the more valuable items that they sell, such as spices and jewelry, tucked underneath their belongings.

[Rusty Claymore]

[quote="Wikiwalker (post: 1408394)"]Wyn

After Wyn was done apologizing profusely for Oren and explaining that Oren was young and immature--it was true, no one better deny it around him--but not a really bad sort of donkey really. Dominick turned down Phox's "fanged monkey thing" jerky--probably poison he signed to Wyn, Wyn just rolled his eyes--but Wyn took him up on the offer and spent some time walking and chewing the peculiar salty meat while Phox talked a mile a minute.

Since Wyn could not easily hold conversations he usually opted not to. He spent a lot of time listening and thinking.

After a while he noticed Dominick occasionally forgetting that he hated Phox and looking amused or interested before he remembered himself. Wyn smiled to himself. Dominick is really a creature of the present isn't he. He thought. One minute Dominick's temper was flaring, the next he was happily chatting and making jokes. Much as he tried he just couldn't hold a grudge. Lucky kid, Wyn thought.

Wyn smiled to himself. A sudden thought occurred to him, interrupting his reminisce. He quickly scribbled on a piece of paper: How far did you say it was to that village? We've been walking for quite a while]

Phox

Phox finished his joke before reading the paper. He had already guessed what it said. Wyn's intuition was dead on. Phox had already noticed some signs of village life: a pot, a toy, a piece of rope, and that meant there should have been at least one person out here. But there wasn't a sound, except the waves. His nervousness reached the point where it was no longer nervousness. In accordance, his talking stopped.

Phox was now alert. It was not the alert one places themselves in when, for example, one is expecting company. No, it was the alertness in which one finds themself when one becomes aware they are being stalked by something much larger and hungry then they. It was that kind of alertness that had saved Phox's life from exactly that situation many times, and was indeed a normal occurance in his line of work.

"Something is not right. That doesn't mean it's nescessarily very wrong, but keep your knives handy." Phox's tone had made it very clear. Either the situation could be very dangerous, or his nerves we're serverely tried. Phox opted for both. They were now climing a small hill, and as they approached the top, Phox slowly ascended the ridge to gain a controlled look at what was beyond.

The forest had abruptly stopped. Where the forest abruptly stopped, the beach abruptly began. It was in fact the cove that Phox had seen the previous day, but it was much larger than he'd thought. A penninsula cut out into the sea, and it had effectively blocked his view of the rest of the cove, as well as the small fishing village that occupied it's shores.

Wyn and Dominick now stood next to him looking down upon the wooden huts. If you didn't count the utter lack of life in the village, it was perfectly normal. The huts were well kept, the windows were open, and they looked genuinly welcoming. This was what bothered Phox the most. But he attributed his serious upsetting of nerves to the fact that he had not slept in 36 hours, and convinced himself he was reading too much into his feelings.

Phox took a deep breath and exhaled, telling the brothers to do likewise. "If we're suprised down there, we'll only hurt ourselves if we're tense. We'll also be more apt to startle ourselves, and if there is any more pressure on my inner control I'll faint."

Squaring his shoulders, Phox took the last distance in a few quick strides. He was now standing directly in front of the nearest hut, so he walked to it's one window and looked in.

The inside was, well, the inside of a fishing village hut. Everything was in order. The floor was swept, and the mantles dusted. The only pecuilarity Phox had time to notice was that dishes from a thuroughly finished meal were still on the table, as if someone had just not felt like bothering to clean them up. The reason Phox had only enough time to notice this was because at that moment Dominick had shouted, "Hello? Anyone here?" in a rather loud voice.

*THWACK!* Phox saw only a blinding white light for the next few moments. Surprisingly, his mind still worked, since he said, Now, that there was probably what should have been done in the first place, and this suspicous snooping around and nerve slaying would have been completely unescessary. to himself, as well as expressing a sincere form of contempt for either the window frame or his nerves, whichever was properly to blame for the uncerimonious smashing of his skull into the hut.

Phox sat down, and motioned to the brothers that the hut was fine, and they could go ahead and look around. The last occupant of this particular hut had not been threatened, for all signs had told Phox they had left as if on a whim, and in no hurry whatsoever.

Phox was certain there was a very logical reason to why there were no people about, and was sure the brothers could find it out. Whether he had given himself a concussion, was succumbing to the need for sleep, or was just fainting, Phox now slipped out of consciousness.

[OOC: Many appologies for the length. It was a long day today, or yesterday rather, and I have been listening to too much "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", and gave this final push to give Wiki a decent setting for the village. It is now in your capable hands, Wiki, for I am about to faint. Please forgive any typos, I can't bring myself to review it...]

[FllMtl Novelist]

OOC: Sorry I'm late again, guys, but here's my post!

---Raia---

It was mid-afternoon when Raia galloped across the border to the Southeast. Glancing back, she could see the last of the Galdorian territory fade from view. She was really far from ‘home’ now. She turned her head Southeast again, urging her fresh bay mare onward. In the last Galdorian town, she’d managed to swap the horse she’d used that morning for the new one. She’d also managed to trade meat for a couple supplies.

Trees whizzed by, and the ground rushed along underneath the mare’s hooves.

Home was miles away now. So was Rahn, so was everybody she’d ever known. She was really and truly alone. “I’m going to start talking to myself, aren’t I,â€

[Davidizer13]

Streyvash
"Looks like we'll be heading in the same direction, then. Sort of. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for the trip. There's still much to pack, much to study, a course to finish plotting..." He smiled. "And what are you waiting around for? Go out and start your vacation!" Throwing open the door to the study, he called out, "Mella? Mel, dear, where are you?"

"Back here, in the kitchen."

"Mel, we're going on an expedition!"

"Right now?! I thought we weren't going for a couple more days..."

"No, that's the trip I'm talking about!"

"Oh...Then why didn't you say so?"

"I could've, but this makes it sound more exciting! We'll get to see the deserts like you wanted! There's all sorts of strange plants there, and, the castle, and it'll just be us out there!" He gave Mel a squeeze, grinning ear to ear as he did.

"Please excuse my husband," Mellara said to Umia. "He gets overzealous about his little projects, but you probably know that. Enjoy yourself while he's gone."

[Lynna]

Streyvash
"Looks like we'll be heading in the same direction, then. Sort of. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for the trip. There's still much to pack, much to study, a course to finish plotting..." He smiled. "And what are you waiting around for? Go out and start your vacation!" Throwing open the door to the study, he called out, "Mella? Mel, dear, where are you?"

"Back here, in the kitchen."

"Mel, we're going on an expedition!"

"Right now?! I thought we weren't going for a couple more days..."

"No, that's the trip I'm talking about!"

"Oh...Then why didn't you say so?"

"I could've, but this makes it sound more exciting! We'll get to see the deserts like you wanted! There's all sorts of strange plants there, and, the castle, and it'll just be us out there!" He gave Mel a squeeze, grinning ear to ear as he did.

"Please excuse my husband," Mellara said to Umia. "He gets overzealous about his little projects, but you probably know that. Enjoy yourself while he's gone."

Umia giggled "I know. And I will. But I better get homw now. Goodbye!!!!"
She packed away her books and turned to the door. Then she remmembered somethign "Oh! right! Teacher, is there anything you want me to study while I'm on vacation?"

[Wikiwalker]

Phox
Wyn and Dominick now stood next to him looking down upon the wooden huts. If you didn't count the utter lack of life in the village, it was perfectly normal. The huts were well kept, the windows were open, and they looked genuinly welcoming. This was what bothered Phox the most. But he attributed his serious upsetting of nerves to the fact that he had not slept in 36 hours, and convinced himself he was reading too much into his feelings.

Phox took a deep breath and exhaled, telling the brothers to do likewise. "If we're suprised down there, we'll only hurt ourselves if we're tense. We'll also be more apt to startle ourselves, and if there is any more pressure on my inner control I'll faint."

Squaring his shoulders, Phox took the last distance in a few quick strides. He was now standing directly in front of the nearest hut, so he walked to it's one window and looked in.

The inside was, well, the inside of a fishing village hut. Everything was in order. The floor was swept, and the mantles dusted. The only pecuilarity Phox had time to notice was that dishes from a thuroughly finished meal were still on the table, as if someone had just not felt like bothering to clean them up. The reason Phox had only enough time to notice this was because at that moment Dominick had shouted, "Hello? Anyone here?" in a rather loud voice.

*THWACK!* Phox saw only a blinding white light for the next few moments. Surprisingly, his mind still worked, since he said, Now, that there was probably what should have been done in the first place, and this suspicous snooping around and nerve slaying would have been completely unescessary. to himself, as well as expressing a sincere form of contempt for either the window frame or his nerves, whichever was properly to blame for the uncerimonious smashing of his skull into the hut.

Phox sat down, and motioned to the brothers that the hut was fine, and they could go ahead and look around. The last occupant of this particular hut had not been threatened, for all signs had told Phox they had left as if on a whim, and in no hurry whatsoever.

Phox was certain there was a very logical reason to why there were no people about, and was sure the brothers could find it out. Whether he had given himself a concussion, was succumbing to the need for sleep, or was just fainting, Phox now slipped out of consciousness.

[OOC: Many appologies for the length. It was a long day today, or yesterday rather, and I have been listening to too much "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", and gave this final push to give Wiki a decent setting for the village. It is now in your capable hands, Wiki, for I am about to faint. Please forgive any typos, I can't bring myself to review it...]

Dominick

"Huh?" Dominick stared dumbfounded as Phox fell to the floor limp, smashing his head on a windowsill. One second he was talking, the next he was dropping like a felled tree. "Wyn? Can you leave the donkeys for a sec?" Dominick knelt down next to Phox's limp body. Is he dead? Wyn arrived just then. Dominick looked up at him "What is this?" He asked, lifting Phox's arm and then dropping it.

"Did you hit him?" Wyn signed.

"No, I didn't even touch him! He just fell over!"

Wyn looked doubtful.

"I swear he just fell over. I think he hit his head. Help me turn him over."

Together they moved the prone Phox into a sitting position. There was blood running down his face Dominick recoiled, he felt nauseous. Wyn pulled out his handkerchief and wiped some of the blood away and smiled with relief.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he signed. "Just a little cut, but it's bleeding a lot, scalp cuts are like that."

Dominick regained some of the color in his face. "I guess he must have a really hard head."

"Almost as hard as yours." Wyn tied the handkerchief around Phox's head.

"Hey! That's not funny!" Dominick scowled.

Wyn smiled.

"Anyway, what do we do now?"

Wyn shrugged and sat down to think.

Dominick sat next to Phox. "If the blow to his head isn't serious enough to knock him out why is he unconscious?" He looked at Phox suspiciouisly. "Maybe it's a trick." Dominick reached out his hand and rubbed it through Phox's hair. "Spiky." He turned to look back at Wyn.

Wyn had a look of pure bewilderment on his face. What? he mouthed.

"If he laughs he's faking it."

Wyn put his hand to his forehead and he convulsed with laughter that didn't make a sound.

Dominick watched him feeling stupid. I thought it was clever.

Wyn recovered and still grinning signed "I can't make many good guesses about someone who I only met four or five hours ago. Maybe he has some kind of illness."

Dominick looked at Phox. His eyelids lowered. "Lucky us, cursed with a narcoleptic guide." He rested his chin on his knees. "So what do we do now." The empty village was giving him the creeps.

Wyn looked at the ceiling for a few moments and then looked back at Dominick. "Reconnoiter. We have to stay together. We'll have to carry him so lets leave our packs here." He pointed to the cupboards. "No one will find them."

As if there was anyone to find them in the first place. Dominick went along with his brother's plan since there weren't any other obvious things to do. They found the donkeys outside eating grass by the side of the house. After unloading their panniers and storing their contents under a tarp, since only the packbaskets fit in the cupboards, they tied the donkeys to the door posts, Wyn hauled Phox up on his back, and they set out to see if there was any life in this village.

"Piggyback for the narcoleptic one." Dominick tried to make jokes through the nervousness that was setting in from the silence and emptiness of the village.

Wyn glared at him. Dominick understood it:Not funny.

"Why can't we just load him on Nero?"

Wyn groaned and knelt down. Phox slid off his back to the ground where he began snoring. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"

"I thought you had already thought of it."

It took them a bit longer to tie Phox into the empty panniers with his hands tied together around Nero's thick neck.

Wyn

After a few hours of exploring Wyn was tired and annoyed--Dominick kept doing ridiculous things like holding one sided conversations with the sleeping Phox--he was just about ready to shake Phox awake, and demand an explanation. the entire time they'd been there they hadn't seen a single living thing besides birds. His hair was standing on end and he couldn't distract himself the way Dominick could. He couldn't stop thinking: what if Phox doesn't wake up?

Phox was probably just really, really tired. Wyn assured himself.

"Hey you notice the people from this village have disappeared and left all their stuff behind?"

Wyn turned to Dominick. No kidding I hadn't noticed that, he thought, and gave Dominick a blank stare.

Dominick shook his head, "No, I mean they left all their stuff behind."

Wyn mouthed What? "Am I missing something?"

Dominick sighed. "We sell stuff."

Dominick's meaning finally dawned on Wyn. Looting? His eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Hey I'm just saying, they don't seem to think they need it anymore. It might as well see some use."

At first Wyn was repulsed at the idea, but he saw the sense in it. "I can't believe I raised such a pragmatist."

"I'm just saving us some money."

Wyn half closed his eyes. This doesn't feel right. "Let's start with the boathouses."

"I knew you'd see it my way." Dominick grinned.

they spent a half hour searching the first boathouse they came to, and left with a few nice ropes.

"I told you this would pay off, maybe we'll be able to add another donkey to our string"

As they approached the next boathouse Nero stopped, planted his feet and hauled backwards. "Hey!" Dominick yelled. "What are you doing."

Wyn turned to look back at his brother who was hauling backwards on Nero's rope and trying to make the donkey move in every way imaginable. Strange, Nero is always so cooperative. Then he smelled it. A coppery smell of blood filled the air around the boathouse as Wyn approached the door. What is in there?

His hand shook as he wrapped it around the door handle. He took a deep breath. There's only one way to find out. He pulled the big boathouse door open, it hinges creaking slightly, and looked inside.

The interior of the boathouse was more horrible than anything he had ever dared imagine. He didn't know how long he stood there staring, unable to tear his eyes away from the pile of bodies.

They had been ripped with blades and . . . he turned away. Dominick was standing behind him with his mouth open, all the blood drained from his face and he was as white as a freshly bleached sheet. He clapped both hands over his mouth and ran to the bushes near where he had tied Nero.

Panicked, and unable to think straight Wyn ran to wake up Phox. He cut the ropes from his hands and feet and hauled him off the donkey. He lifted up the man's limp body and shook him with all his might. Wake up, wake up and tell me what the he** is going on. Wyn slapped Phox in the face. You've slept long enough. Phox's eyes slowly began to open.

OOC: I guess I won the long post award, sorry people who have to read this. And Rusty, I hope It's alright about Phox's unconsciousness lasting three hours, sorry if that wasn't right.

[Rusty Claymore]

{Note: Character limit did not allow for quote.}

[OOC: I thought it was great! Nicely done! Phox's unconciousness knida happened on it's own, so no problem. The ripping bit might've been a little graphic, but should be fine.]

Phox

Phox had been in the midst of a dream about an electric monk. It was an electric monk in the same way you have an electric dishwasher. The dishwasher cleaned dishes for you so you could do something other than washing dishes, the monk believed things for you. Phox had been reasoning that if you didn't spend time believing in things, it gave the same result as spending time in believing in everything. If you belive a mountain is in fact, pink, you are actually recieving more usefull practicle knowledge and doing power than if you simply didn't believe in the mountain at all. You'll at least acknowledge the mountain is there, and won't be wondering why something is blocking your way. This was the logic Phox had assembled, and he began to disclose to the electric monk this very important logical assesment when suddenly, the monk slapped him.

Phox regained full command of his perceptive and pain sensing capabilities right as Wyn's final and most energetic slap struck.
"Ouch! What's going on!?!" Wyn, paper and pad forgotten or just deemed unnescesary, was signing and gesturing for Phox to stand and talk. Or to make a sand caslte. Whichever, Phox got the inteneded messege from Wyn's face. He got up as quickly as possible, and followed Wyn, who had led him down to a boat house who's door stood ajar. Phox did not have to see to guess what was inside.

The scent he had discovered the day before, was the akrid upper fringe of the smell that was so thick it oozed from the shack. He knew now why it had seemed so disturbingly familiar. It was a smell one in his line of work was well accustomed to. But this was different. This was not the lair of a mad beast.

Phox walked up and looked inside. Terror struck him. It was not the remains that struck fear deep into his soul, but rather the how and why of the remains. It is the kind of terror one feels when they find out that the boggeyman stories told them by their parents to keep them behaving are actually true. This was in fact, exactly what Phox found himself confronted with. Stories of evil people who slay entire villages, and then eat their dinners before wiping their blades. Many other stories came to his mind, stories used to teach him morals, life skills, and reason. Almost all of them had been negative reinforcement, telling of the horrible deeds and concequences of different evil men. Phox now wondered if they were different men at all, or in fact the same boogeymen for every story, and every attrocity. There was no way to know for sure.

Phox turned to the two brothers. Dominick had finsished wretching, and now both looked at him gravely. Phox knew they were playing with the notion that this was his doing. He would have thought less of them if they didn't. Either way, Phox knew the best option was to move everything out into the open.

"This is not my handiwork." Phox put it bluntly, for he couldn't find any other way to say it. "I've never seen anything like this in all my travels, but I have heard of it." Phox shut the door to the boathouse, removed his cross scabbard and set his swords against the door. "It's best if we sit down. I'm still light headed, and this could take awhile.

The three made their way to a hut far enough away from the boathouse where the smell didn't reach. The brothers sat upon the abandoned bunk, while Phox stood opposite.

"My name is Phox, as you know. I have no surname, for my parents never gave nor mentioned any such name to me. In this land I have been working freelance, but my profession is a Slayer. I specialize in hunting and killing dangerous predators or beasts.

"With my expertise I can garuntee that whatever happened here, it was not done by any beast or human or elf that resides in this area. Whoever did this is also gone, and has no intention of returning. If they did, they would have dealt more fully with the deceased, and set things in order for their return.

"I believe the scent I discovered yesterday was that of blood, carried by the wind. I awoke that morning in the midst of a quarrel between the Okeanus tirbe and some Galdorians, and among them was a Arach Elf. The Arach have a very intense grudge against me, and have set a bounty on my head to be paid on delivery, dead or alive. This elf planned on taking me to a nearby Arach village, but I escaped to the beach, where I first caught wind that something was amiss. You know the rest of the story from there.

"I feel this is no simple matter of marauding, nor a repaying of a grudge. There is little I remember proper of my parents, but I do remember the stories told to scare me into being good. And this is as if the story itself has come to life. But other than the horrid deeds, there was no more insight upon the boogey men in the story. The future must tell what we have in store for us."

Phox wasn't sure if he'd covered everything well enough, but now it was up to Wyn and Dominick to chose their path. Phox remained standing, preparing himself for any accusation or even outright attack. He would begrudge them nothing that they would determine just.

[OOC: Time is passing, and I believe the three should leave at sunset, however this plays out. At that point Phox will be ready for the Dawn of the Second Day. MM reference totally intended. Any questions or clarifications needed PM me. Domo!]

[Wikiwalker]

{Note: Character limit did not allow for quote.}

[OOC: I thought it was great! Nicely done! Phox's unconciousness knida happened on it's own, so no problem. The ripping bit might've been a little graphic, but should be fine.]

Phox

Phox had been in the midst of a dream about an electric monk. It was an electric monk in the same way you have an electric dishwasher. The dishwasher cleaned dishes for you so you could do something other than washing dishes, the monk believed things for you. Phox had been reasoning that if you didn't spend time believing in things, it gave the same result as spending time in believing in everything. If you belive a mountain is in fact, pink, you are actually recieving more usefull practicle knowledge and doing power than if you simply didn't believe in the mountain at all. You'll at least acknowledge the mountain is there, and won't be wondering why something is blocking your way. This was the logic Phox had assembled, and he began to disclose to the electric monk this very important logical assesment when suddenly, the monk slapped him.

Phox regained full command of his perceptive and pain sensing capabilities right as Wyn's final and most energetic slap struck.
"Ouch! What's going on!?!" Wyn, paper and pad forgotten or just deemed unnescesary, was signing and gesturing for Phox to stand and talk. Or to make a sand caslte. Whichever, Phox got the inteneded messege from Wyn's face. He got up as quickly as possible, and followed Wyn, who had led him down to a boat house who's door stood ajar. Phox did not have to see to guess what was inside.

The scent he had discovered the day before, was the akrid upper fringe of the smell that was so thick it oozed from the shack. He knew now why it had seemed so disturbingly familiar. It was a smell one in his line of work was well accustomed to. But this was different. This was not the lair of a mad beast.

Phox walked up and looked inside. Terror struck him. It was not the remains that struck fear deep into his soul, but rather the how and why of the remains. It is the kind of terror one feels when they find out that the boggeyman stories told them by their parents to keep them behaving are actually true. This was in fact, exactly what Phox found himself confronted with. Stories of evil people who slay entire villages, and then eat their dinners before wiping their blades. Many other stories came to his mind, stories used to teach him morals, life skills, and reason. Almost all of them had been negative reinforcement, telling of the horrible deeds and concequences of different evil men. Phox now wondered if they were different men at all, or in fact the same boogeymen for every story, and every attrocity. There was no way to know for sure.

Phox turned to the two brothers. Dominick had finsished wretching, and now both looked at him gravely. Phox knew they were playing with the notion that this was his doing. He would have thought less of them if they didn't. Either way, Phox knew the best option was to move everything out into the open.

"This is not my handiwork." Phox put it bluntly, for he couldn't find any other way to say it. "I've never seen anything like this in all my travels, but I have heard of it." Phox shut the door to the boathouse, removed his cross scabbard and set his swords against the door. "It's best if we sit down. I'm still light headed, and this could take awhile.

The three made their way to a hut far enough away from the boathouse where the smell didn't reach. The brothers sat upon the abandoned bunk, while Phox stood opposite.

"My name is Phox, as you know. I have no surname, for my parents never gave nor mentioned any such name to me. In this land I have been working freelance, but my profession is a Slayer. I specialize in hunting and killing dangerous predators or beasts.

"With my expertise I can garuntee that whatever happened here, it was not done by any beast or human or elf that resides in this area. Whoever did this is also gone, and has no intention of returning. If they did, they would have dealt more fully with the deceased, and set things in order for their return.

"I believe the scent I discovered yesterday was that of blood, carried by the wind. I awoke that morning in the midst of a quarrel between the Okeanus tirbe and some Galdorians, and among them was a Arach Elf. The Arach have a very intense grudge against me, and have set a bounty on my head to be paid on delivery, dead or alive. This elf planned on taking me to a nearby Arach village, but I escaped to the beach, where I first caught wind that something was amiss. You know the rest of the story from there.

"I feel this is no simple matter of marauding, nor a repaying of a grudge. There is little I remember proper of my parents, but I do remember the stories told to scare me into being good. And this is as if the story itself has come to life. But other than the horrid deeds, there was no more insight upon the boogey men in the story. The future must tell what we have in store for us."

Phox wasn't sure if he'd covered everything well enough, but now it was up to Wyn and Dominick to chose their path. Phox remained standing, preparing himself for any accusation or even outright attack. He would begrudge them nothing that they would determine just.

[OOC: Time is passing, and I believe the three should leave at sunset, however this plays out. At that point Phox will be ready for the Dawn of the Second Day. MM reference totally intended. Any questions or clarifications needed PM me. Domo!]

Dominick

There was nothing left in Dominick's stomach but he kept retching until he was completely out of breath, but the image kept coming back into his mind. So horrible, so disgusting, and he couldn't think about anything else. It was several minutes before he could calm himself down enough to look up. As though in a daze he stood up and followed Wyn and Phox a little ways away and listened to Phox's long explanation. Everything sounded a long ways off and he didn't think about the meanings of the words or the sentences. There was just a constant droning like a beehive.

The color of the grass was so bright, it seemed to be bleeding onto everything else like in a watercolor painting. And then he was looking at Phox. Phox was very somber, Wyn was standing next to him and also looking at Phox. And suddenly Wyn was walking away. Dominick followed him until they were standing in front of the boathouse door again.

When he looked into the boathouse for the second time he felt something like a click, in his brain something snapped back in place and for a second the whole world seemed to be rushing like water, and then it stopped and everything was normal again. He saw all the bodies and he didn't feel sick anymore.

This is real, he thought.

Wyn

Wyn listened to Phox's explanation in silence, and then silently walked back towards the boathouse. He stared into it, letting the image burn itself into his memory. This is the most horrible thing I will ever see] He made sure to breath in the smell too, there was nothing like the smell of a memory to cement things in his mind.

He turned to Dominick. [I]"Translate for me," he signed and turned to go back to Phox, but Dominick grabbed his arm.

"Wait, what did he say just a minute ago?"

Wyn was too tired to wonder how Dominick could have not heard when he'd been standing right next to him, so he explained.

And they both walked back to Phox.

"Well," Dominick began. "Wyn says: Swear on the most sacred thing you know that you had absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of those people in there."

[Hetharu]

Luan & Xiuhcoatl

Luan, not glancing away from the other, was slightly relieved when Lucia said that she was fine, though he still remained in his position between them, hand still on the hilt of his concealed dagger. He didn't flinch or even give a reaction to the first words that were spoken.

Last I checked, it was not you who I am supposed to watch over. . .

The thought echoed in his head, but he said nothing as he listened to the explanation that was given for the intrusion. He noticed the other looked towards him after sheathing his blade. . . or rather, past him, seemingly unable to take his eyes off of Luciannica. He felt a twinge of annoyance and the urge to pluck his eyes right out of his head. Already, moreso than with others, he was gaining a great dislike for this person, though it didn't show. He remained stoic as ever, aside from the ever-growing coldness in his eyes.

Xiuhcoatl, having the tendency to view others based on how Luan did and having a great sense of his thoughts and emotions -- even when they were not connected via telepathy (though that did tend to help) -- grew only more tense.

Shall I eat him?

Xiuhcoatl's voice echoed inside of Luan's head. Glancing towards her just slightly, he watched as she gave a low hiss of disapproval, baring her fanged jaws slightly at him and her tail whipping back and fort now and again, looking ready to pounce. He looked back towards the intruder, looking him up and down. It was then that he noticed something; this person was neither fully human or elvish, judging from his ears. Seeing this, he had mixed feelings; unlike most people, his opinion of a person didn't change based on how they looked or where their origins lie; he tended to dislike all people equally, given a few exceptions. But at the same time, due to his own past experiences, he held just a few more feelings of negativity towards halfbreeds that made it harder to befriend them than others. Though he'd never befriend anyone in the first place.

For a moment, Luan actually considered it; letting Xuih feast on him. She seemed all too-happy to do so after all. Though in the end, knew that he could not allow it. Only did he ever harm those that were a threat or those that set him off, and he was neither, at least for now.

No. . . For now, check on Sirus.

Xiuhcoatl's eyes narrowed as she heard the response to her inquiry in her own mind. She gave a huff somewhat, her wings that had been spread in a defensive way trembling before she folded them close to her body. She, unlike Luan, was not as. . . kind. And though she may not be allowed to eat him, she'd still keep an eye on him for as long as he was around.

Watch yourself, halfling. Else you'll find yourself staring down the back of my throat.

After sending the message echoing into the stranger's mind, Xiuhcoatl turned, still keeping him in her sights while maintaining aware of her surroundings, just as Luan did, and went to the younger dragon she knew to be somewhat of a friend, having gotten to know him quite nicely. After all, with their riders spending countless time around each other, as did they as well. She glanced down at him and, more particularly, where the dart had somehow managed to pierce his tough scales. Reaching down, she pulled it from his body with her jaws, tossing it off to Luan who caught it.

Luan glanced at the dart, running his fingers over the tip that was smeared just slightly with dragon's blood and another substance. Collecting the fluid on his fingers, he rubbed it between them before reaching up and taking a small whiff of it. Judging by the consistency and the light scent that was almost lost under the smell of the blood, he could tell it was a low-dose sedative, at least for a dragon; it took less to knock out a person than a giant beast. What could have knocked out a dragon for an hour could have sent a person into unconsciousness for days, maybe worse.

"He'll awaken shortly," Luan said in a low tone, directed at Lucia, aware of how worried she was for her companion, though he would be fine and shouldn't have any ill effects.

Riona

Riona, waiting for he answer, saw Richard look at her and stroke her cheek in a comforting way that eased her worries somewhat. Though his verbal answer did better, nearly banishing it all away completely. She hugged him back tightly, a little smile forming there as she wiped away the last remnants of any tears that were left.

"Good," she mumbled lightly, clinging onto him and laying her head on his shoulder as they walked on.

It was one thing for random strangers she didn't know to dislike her. But if Richard ever hated her, that may very well be too much a strain on her heart, and it would undoubtedly shatter.

[[ooc: sorry for the major delay in getting this part up. @A@;; And sorry if is off a tad. Or too long (though I don't figure that'll be a problem, judging from the eye-bleedingly long posts of Wiki and Rusty. Lol! xD). Kept Riona's short too so you could ff, TG. :0]]

[TGJesusfreak]

OOC: We'll be coming to the end of the day really soon. As soon as Jordan (Quirky) posts for Annissa a time skip will occur to about 8-9 pm that same night.

[QuirkyIceHeart]

--Annissa--

"Hey, you."
Annissa froze, and her eyes widened. So there was somebody there. She tried to calm herself, and steady her racing heart. After all, they might not mean any harm... She tightened her fists, but didn't say anything.
"I'm talking to you, girl." Thick, boots squeaked against the damp stones, and came toward her. "Where do you live?"
She clenched her jaw, and tried to keep her voice regular, without much sucess. "I... I don't live anywhere anymore. Sir."
He came around to where she could see him, and raised a thin eyebrow. "Really? No home? And... no people to go back to, perhaps?"
Annissa backed up a step. "Well, no, I-"
The man smirked, and rubbed his chin. "Well then, I guess if you've got no one to miss you... Hey! Get back here!"
Her heart, now beating double speed, ached at the sudden stress. She ran as fast as she could, forgetting everything else. I never should've left, never. She realized for a moment that she'd dropped her bag... not that it mattered.
Behind her, the man cursed and yelled at someone. A few more men came out of the shadows in front of her. She gasped and tried to run the other way, but the first man had already caught up.
I'm trapped.
One of the men grinned, and a couple of the others laughed. "Pretty, isn't she?"
The first man frowned, and shrugged. "That will increase her worth as a slave, won't it?"
A spike of dread shot through her heart. Slave?!
He grabbed her arm and smirked. "You have nowhere to run, dearie. You're coming with us."
Fear took over, and Annissa screamed. "Let go of me!" Before she knew what'd happened, she'd kicked the man in the gut and was running again. Someone... someone please help, she silently pleaded.

[Davidizer13]

Streyvash and Mellara
"Ah," said Strey, I almost forgot about that! I want you to read about the reforms of the Dasharen Council; it should be in The Unification Period, volume 3, I believe. Have a wonderful time on your trip, and I'll see you next week!"

Mellara nudged Strey. "What he said. If you're lucky, I can find some cacti flowers for you! I found a picture of some in one of Eyarda's herbalist manuals, and I'm sure you'll love them. You do like flowers, don't you?"

"Of course she does, Mel! You certainly do. Listen, the poor girl's been having me talk her ear off for the last few hours, and now you come up and you're doing the same thing. Give her a break; she deserves it!"

"Well, if you insist... Once again, have fun - if you don't, we will!"

"What kind of threat is that? We're still going to enjoy ourselves whether she does or not. ...Oh, there we go again!"

"Go what?"

"We're talking her ear off again. Listen, Umia, get out while you still can. Otherwise, neither of us is going to have a vacation. Do you understand? Good. Mel, let's eat." They waved to Umia, then went into the back room to take their meal.

"It was your fault, y'know," Mellara ribbed. "You're the one that's constantly talking."

"That may be the case, but I couldn't talk for that long if you weren't giving me a constant stream of material to work off of, now could I?"

Mellara pondered this idea for a moment. "You know what, let's just eat."

[Rusty Claymore]

Dominick

There was nothing left in Dominick's stomach but he kept retching until he was completely out of breath, but the image kept coming back into his mind. So horrible, so disgusting, and he couldn't think about anything else. It was several minutes before he could calm himself down enough to look up. As though in a daze he stood up and followed Wyn and Phox a little ways away and listened to Phox's long explanation. Everything sounded a long ways off and he didn't think about the meanings of the words or the sentences. There was just a constant droning like a beehive.

The color of the grass was so bright, it seemed to be bleeding onto everything else like in a watercolor painting. And then he was looking at Phox. Phox was very somber, Wyn was standing next to him and also looking at Phox. And suddenly Wyn was walking away. Dominick followed him until they were standing in front of the boathouse door again.

When he looked into the boathouse for the second time he felt something like a click, in his brain something snapped back in place and for a second the whole world seemed to be rushing like water, and then it stopped and everything was normal again. He saw all the bodies and he didn't feel sick anymore.

This is real, he thought.

Wyn

Wyn listened to Phox's explanation in silence, and then silently walked back towards the boathouse. He stared into it, letting the image burn itself into his memory. This is the most horrible thing I will ever see] He made sure to breath in the smell too, there was nothing like the smell of a memory to cement things in his mind.

He turned to Dominick. [I]"Translate for me," he signed and turned to go back to Phox, but Dominick grabbed his arm.

"Wait, what did he say just a minute ago?"

Wyn was too tired to wonder how Dominick could have not heard when he'd been standing right next to him, so he explained.

And they both walked back to Phox.

"Well," Dominick began. "Wyn says: Swear on the most sacred thing you know that you had absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of those people in there."

Phox
"I swear." Phox replied. "On the heart of a dragon, if that means anything to you." A dozen other promises and proofs went through his mind, but if this didn't satisfy them, than nothing else would. It seemed to be enough, though.

"Dusk is drawing near, and we must report to a nearby authority as soon as possible. I'm afraid all we can do for these people now is a Ceremony of Regret, a funeral pyre. I'll get it ready." Phox walked off, entering the nearest hut to look for something to start a fire with.

Phox found everything he needed. Flint, tinder, a barrel of lamp oil, and a knapsack. He stood in the silent hut for a moment, and his free hand drifted uncounsciously to a sealed pouch on his belt. "On the heart of a dragon."

He returned to the brothers, and tossed the knapsack to Dominick. "Fill it with the best stuff you can find." Phox knew a protest would be aroused, so he clarified his statement with, "A gift of thanks to us for an acceptable burial. If we left this all alone they'd rot here, and looters would steal even from the dust of their bodies.

"Now stand back, this is a ceremony for soldiers who died honorably on the battlefield, but the enemy alowed no time for graves. It is a legend from a distant land across the sea." Phox re-equipped his scabbard and drew his Claymore in a sweeping arc over his head. "Those who could be collected were placed in a wooden structure." He began to walk counter clockwise around the boathouse, striking completely through each support he walked past. "The structure would then be collapsed upon them." With one more powerfull swing the last support gave way, and the roof collapsed. "Fuel was added, so the fire would burn unquenchable, and protect the fallen from thw wiles of their foes." Phox removed the lid from the barrel of lamp oil and threw it upon the pyre. "The fire was then lit by the last man to leave."

Phox stood still, gazing upon the makeshift pyre. "I'm leaving for the Arach village. They're the closest and must be informed and warned. If you are coming, make whatever preperations now. If you need rest, I understand. But I will not stay here tonight."

Removing one of his gauntlets, Phox poured a small portion of lamp oil into his palm from a small vile he had found in the hut. Holding the flint in his mouth, he struck it, igniting the oil in his hand with the sparks. As soon as it lit he flung the oil toward the pyre. The flame floated down, and the pyre ignited in a swift pillar of flame.

Phox turned back towards Wyn and Dominick. Against the flames his sihlouhette was dark, but his eyes had a fire in them. "Lives are precious things. And there is no excuse for the frivolous taking of it."

[Yamamaya]

Svein grinned as the dragon's voice echoed in his head. He was well aware of how dragons could speak telepatically. His master had always taught him not to respond to intimidation for if an enemy can dominate you mentally he has already won.

"Not much for conversation? Well all right then, I'll be making my way out." Svein had accomplished the first part of his mission. He had discovered the location of the dragons and thanks to the failed efforts of that assassin he had discovered that dragons could be effected by sedatives. However just when he took another step, a guard carrying a crossbow came dashing in.

"Great, just what I need," Svein thought.

"You shall come with me." he declared. Svein was about to respond to the men when he pointed the crossbow at Luan. His finger curled around the trigger and the bolt flew towards Luan. Svein drew his claymore in a flurry.
Ooc: Ella you can respond to the stuff before this happens if you desire.

[Wikiwalker]

Phox
"I swear." Phox replied. "On the heart of a dragon, if that means anything to you." A dozen other promises and proofs went through his mind, but if this didn't satisfy them, than nothing else would. It seemed to be enough, though.

"Dusk is drawing near, and we must report to a nearby authority as soon as possible. I'm afraid all we can do for these people now is a Ceremony of Regret, a funeral pyre. I'll get it ready." Phox walked off, entering the nearest hut to look for something to start a fire with.

Phox found everything he needed. Flint, tinder, a barrel of lamp oil, and a knapsack. He stood in the silent hut for a moment, and his free hand drifted uncounsciously to a sealed pouch on his belt. "On the heart of a dragon."

He returned to the brothers, and tossed the knapsack to Dominick. "Fill it with the best stuff you can find." Phox knew a protest would be aroused, so he clarified his statement with, "A gift of thanks to us for an acceptable burial. If we left this all alone they'd rot here, and looters would steal even from the dust of their bodies.

"Now stand back, this is a ceremony for soldiers who died honorably on the battlefield, but the enemy alowed no time for graves. It is a legend from a distant land across the sea." Phox re-equipped his scabbard and drew his Claymore in a sweeping arc over his head. "Those who could be collected were placed in a wooden structure." He began to walk counter clockwise around the boathouse, striking completely through each support he walked past. "The structure would then be collapsed upon them." With one more powerfull swing the last support gave way, and the roof collapsed. "Fuel was added, so the fire would burn unquenchable, and protect the fallen from thw wiles of their foes." Phox removed the lid from the barrel of lamp oil and threw it upon the pyre. "The fire was then lit by the last man to leave."

Phox stood still, gazing upon the makeshift pyre. "I'm leaving for the Arach village. They're the closest and must be informed and warned. If you are coming, make whatever preperations now. If you need rest, I understand. But I will not stay here tonight."

Removing one of his gauntlets, Phox poured a small portion of lamp oil into his palm from a small vile he had found in the hut. Holding the flint in his mouth, he struck it, igniting the oil in his hand with the sparks. As soon as it lit he flung the oil toward the pyre. The flame floated down, and the pyre ignited in a swift pillar of flame.

Phox turned back towards Wyn and Dominick. Against the flames his sihlouhette was dark, but his eyes had a fire in them. "Lives are precious things. And there is no excuse for the frivolous taking of it."

Dominick

When Dominick saw Phox knock down the boathouse and throw burning lamp oil he almost said "That's amazing, teach me how to do it!" but luckily remembered the sobriety of the occasion and decided to ask Phox to teach him fire stunts some other day. Now he had to find some loot.

Wyn stopped him short by grabbing his shoulder.

"What?" Dominick said impatiently.

"We are not taking anything from here," Wyn signed, irritated.

Dominick didn't want Phox getting involved with this, he had a feeling it would only make Wyn more angry, so he answered in sign. "You weren't opposed to it earlier."

"I changed my mind. If thieves are going to take it let thieves take it]

[I]"Isn't that a bit sentimental?"

"I don't care." Wyn glanced in Phox's direction and quickly changed the subject. "He put us in danger."

"More than usual?" Dominick spoke aloud this time.

Wyn shook his head. "He's a fugitive and he came to our camp, if the people looking for him had found him then, or anytime today, we could have been killed. I don't think he's lying, but I think he forgets to think of other people's safety. Maybe it's all the traveling alone."

Dominick had never thought of it that way, but now that Wyn had explained it it made perfect sense. "Oh . . . I didn't realize . . . "

"Neither did he."

"Wyn, you really can't blame him for this," Dominick said in a low voice, hoping Phox couldn't hear him.

"I don't blame him, he thinks differently than we do; but I won't travel with him."

"But . . ." Dominick realized he was speaking aloud, glanced back at Phox, and began signing. "I think we should travel with him . . . it's more interesting that way."

"More interesting? Are you twelve? That is not a good reason to risk dying."

"I mean . . . " Dominick thought hard for a moment "did you see all those people dead in there?"

"Of course I did"

"Well, the thing that killed them is still out there." Dominick suddenly found a decent reason. "I think that if it weren't so dangerous traveling with Phox would be a bad idea, but just living is dangerous now. perhaps there is a little extra danger from traveling with someone like him, but it's also safer, he can protect us. Staying out of the way isn't enough anymore. And, well, the benefits outweigh the risk." And appeal to his inner business-man, Dominick thought.

Wyn looked to the side, and then over Dominick's shoulder at Phox. He looked frustrated. " . . . you're right." He stood still for a second. "We will go with him, for now . . . but no looting. Tell him that."

As Dominick crossed the short expanse of grass between himself and Phox he realized how different everything was from the way it had been just that morning. They had been on opposite sides of the argument back then. Back then? That's something you use to describe things that were a long, long time ago. But, he realized, it was a long time ago.

Dominick walked up to Phox and held out the empty knapsack. "He says we'll go with you, but we won't take any of the dead people's stuff. I warn you not to argue with him, he's feeling stubborn and I promise you this is the best compromise you're going to get. When do we leave?"

[Lynna]

Streyvash and Mellara
"Ah," said Strey, I almost forgot about that! I want you to read about the reforms of the Dasharen Council]The Unification Period,[/I] volume 3, I believe. Have a wonderful time on your trip, and I'll see you next week!"

Mellara nudged Strey. "What he said. If you're lucky, I can find some cacti flowers for you! I found a picture of some in one of Eyarda's herbalist manuals, and I'm sure you'll love them. You do like flowers, don't you?"

"Of course she does, Mel! You certainly do. Listen, the poor girl's been having me talk her ear off for the last few hours, and now you come up and you're doing the same thing. Give her a break; she deserves it!"

"Well, if you insist... Once again, have fun - if you don't, we will!"

"What kind of threat is that? We're still going to enjoy ourselves whether she does or not. ...Oh, there we go again!"

"Go what?"

"We're talking her ear off again. Listen, Umia, get out while you still can. Otherwise, neither of us is going to have a vacation. Do you understand? Good. Mel, let's eat." They waved to Umia, then went into the back room to take their meal.

"It was your fault, y'know," Mellara ribbed. "You're the one that's constantly talking."

"That may be the case, but I couldn't talk for that long if you weren't giving me a constant stream of material to work off of, now could I?"

Mellara pondered this idea for a moment. "You know what, let's just eat."

"Thank you!!!Goodbye!!" Umia called, waving Strey and Mellara goodbye before setting off in the direction of the Council Hall. She started at a walk, but sloly quickened her pace to a run as she drew near. The Council Hall was a large, round building of wood, with tall copper doors. Umia opened them and found the Head of Council sitting at an oaken table nearby.
"Good day, Miss Umia" he said "Is there anything I could help you with?"
Umia straightened up and looked him in the eyes "I have a request"
" And what might it be?"He asked, his face growing weary
"To let me leave the Okeanus tribe for about two weeks and travel to the arach tribe to visit a friend of mine"
"I see" he said slowly "And I suppose this friend of yours is Princess Lucianica?"
"Yes, Sir"
The Head of council sighed "I'm afraid traveling outside the Okeanus territory isn't safe right now. We haven't been on the best of terms with other tribes. I'm sorry, but it would be against my conscience to allow yiou to go at this time"
Umia bit her lip and tried to stay calm "Please take into consideration,sir, that I have skilled with the bow, and am known to be quite fast. I can take care of myself"
"There are many others faster and more skilled than you" ha said, his words filled with extream annoyance "and other tribes cannot be trusted. This is for your own good, Umia"
Uma's fists tightened, and she fought to keep her voice steady "You say 'others' but you really mean my brother, don't you? Please, let me go. I don't need to be protected from him"
"Umia, you are too young to understand this matter. It is our desire that you refrain from contacting your brother. This is for your own safety, as well as it is the law. He is an outcast, therefore we can't risk you contacting him"
"I know that!" cried Umia, trying hard not to yell "But that is none of your concern. You say "For your own good" and "to keep you safe" but really, you just want to keep me where you can see me, because you don't trust me. I've commited no crime, so why are you punishing me like this?"
"If any of your accusations are true" he said "It is with good reason. You have commited no crime, and many speak well of you, but it was the same with your brother before he killed the son of a Council Member! Why should we trust you?"
"The only thing you can claim against me is because of my brother, so you can't trap me like this! Don't make me a prisoner inside my own country! Let me go!" She fought back her tears I will not cry she thought not now
He sighed "Fine then, I will consider your request. In the mean time, please don't do anything rash. Good Day"
"Good Day" she said coldly, and turned non her heals and flew out the door, racing thourgh the trees untill she came to the ocean

[Rusty Claymore]

Dominick

When Dominick saw Phox knock down the boathouse and throw burning lamp oil he almost said "That's amazing, teach me how to do it!" but luckily remembered the sobriety of the occasion and decided to ask Phox to teach him fire stunts some other day. Now he had to find some loot.

Wyn stopped him short by grabbing his shoulder.

"What?" Dominick said impatiently.

"We are not taking anything from here," Wyn signed, irritated.

Dominick didn't want Phox getting involved with this, he had a feeling it would only make Wyn more angry, so he answered in sign. "You weren't opposed to it earlier."

"I changed my mind. If thieves are going to take it let thieves take it]

[I]"Isn't that a bit sentimental?"

"I don't care." Wyn glanced in Phox's direction and quickly changed the subject. "He put us in danger."

"More than usual?" Dominick spoke aloud this time.

Wyn shook his head. "He's a fugitive and he came to our camp, if the people looking for him had found him then, or anytime today, we could have been killed. I don't think he's lying, but I think he forgets to think of other people's safety. Maybe it's all the traveling alone."

Dominick had never thought of it that way, but now that Wyn had explained it it made perfect sense. "Oh . . . I didn't realize . . . "

"Neither did he."

"Wyn, you really can't blame him for this," Dominick said in a low voice, hoping Phox couldn't hear him.

"I don't blame him, he thinks differently than we do; but I won't travel with him."

"But . . ." Dominick realized he was speaking aloud, glanced back at Phox, and began signing. "I think we should travel with him . . . it's more interesting that way."

"More interesting? Are you twelve? That is not a good reason to risk dying."

"I mean . . . " Dominick thought hard for a moment "did you see all those people dead in there?"

"Of course I did"

"Well, the thing that killed them is still out there." Dominick suddenly found a decent reason. "I think that if it weren't so dangerous traveling with Phox would be a bad idea, but just living is dangerous now. perhaps there is a little extra danger from traveling with someone like him, but it's also safer, he can protect us. Staying out of the way isn't enough anymore. And, well, the benefits outweigh the risk." And appeal to his inner business-man, Dominick thought.

Wyn looked to the side, and then over Dominick's shoulder at Phox. He looked frustrated. " . . . you're right." He stood still for a second. "We will go with him, for now . . . but no looting. Tell him that."

As Dominick crossed the short expanse of grass between himself and Phox he realized how different everything was from the way it had been just that morning. They had been on opposite sides of the argument back then. Back then? That's something you use to describe things that were a long, long time ago. But, he realized, it was a long time ago.

Dominick walked up to Phox and held out the empty knapsack. "He says we'll go with you, but we won't take any of the dead people's stuff. I warn you not to argue with him, he's feeling stubborn and I promise you this is the best compromise you're going to get. When do we leave?"

Phox

Phox accepted the knapsac back from Dominick and threw it on the funeral pyre. "If that is what you choose, than it's fine. Just do me the favor of taking my valuables if you find me dead somewhere, alright?" he added with a chuckle. "We leave now. It's a lenghty walk, and we won't arrive till midmorning, so you might want to configure a donkey so you guys can sleep in shifts. As soon as your preparations are complete, we'll go."

[OOC: Go ahead and mention them leaving with your next post, Wiki. That way we're all set for the next day, and i won't keep dragging it out >.<]

[Wikiwalker]

Phox

Phox accepted the knapsac back from Dominick and threw it on the funeral pyre. "If that is what you choose, than it's fine. Just do me the favor of taking my valuables if you find me dead somewhere, alright?" he added with a chuckle. "We leave now. It's a lenghty walk, and we won't arrive till midmorning, so you might want to configure a donkey so you guys can sleep in shifts. As soon as your preparations are complete, we'll go."

[OOC: Go ahead and mention them leaving with your next post, Wiki. That way we're all set for the next day, and i won't keep dragging it out >.<]

Wyn

Wyn followed Dominick after a few minutes.

"That's a bit morbid, but if that's what you really want." Dominick was answering some kind of request from Phox. He glanced back at Wyn. "Ah Wyn, let's go pack. Phox we're gonna go pack, don't leave without us."

They picked up Nero on the way to the house where they had left their belongings.

As they began to pack Dominick said: "Do you think if we were animals we'd be fleas?"

Wyn continued packing and paid no attention to Dominick's comment. I am never going to understand what he's talking about, anyway, he'll just explain it in a minute in some way that will give me a massive headache.

"I mean, fleas depend on bigger animals for shelter and protection, just like us." Dominick continued. " And I don't mean it's bad that we're like fleas, I kind of like fleas anyway, not when they bite though, that hurts. What do you think?"

Wyn let go of the stuff he had been packing and sat back. "I think you should just be quiet and pack. We're in a hurry, and unlike you, I can't pack and talk at the same time."

"Oh, sorry," said Dominick and he went back to packing sullenly.

Oren was surprisingly easy to load now, since he had been lonely all day and he was happy to see them so they were done in only a half hour.

They joined Phox back at the enormous fire that had once been the boathouse and all three set out on the next leg of their journey.

[TGJesusfreak]

--Annissa--

"Hey, you."
Annissa froze, and her eyes widened. So there was somebody there. She tried to calm herself, and steady her racing heart. After all, they might not mean any harm... She tightened her fists, but didn't say anything.
"I'm talking to you, girl." Thick, boots squeaked against the damp stones, and came toward her. "Where do you live?"
She clenched her jaw, and tried to keep her voice regular, without much sucess. "I... I don't live anywhere anymore. Sir."
He came around to where she could see him, and raised a thin eyebrow. "Really? No home? And... no people to go back to, perhaps?"
Annissa backed up a step. "Well, no, I-"
The man smirked, and rubbed his chin. "Well then, I guess if you've got no one to miss you... Hey! Get back here!"
Her heart, now beating double speed, ached at the sudden stress. She ran as fast as she could, forgetting everything else. I never should've left, never. She realized for a moment that she'd dropped her bag... not that it mattered.
Behind her, the man cursed and yelled at someone. A few more men came out of the shadows in front of her. She gasped and tried to run the other way, but the first man had already caught up.
I'm trapped.
One of the men grinned, and a couple of the others laughed. "Pretty, isn't she?"
The first man frowned, and shrugged. "That will increase her worth as a slave, won't it?"
A spike of dread shot through her heart. Slave?!
He grabbed her arm and smirked. "You have nowhere to run, dearie. You're coming with us."
Fear took over, and Annissa screamed. "Let go of me!" Before she knew what'd happened, she'd kicked the man in the gut and was running again. Someone... someone please help, she silently pleaded.

OOC: Sorry guys! Have been having issues with my internet connection! Everytime I tried to post my internet would die and I'd lose everything XD 3 times in a row. Let's see if 4th time's the charm! XD


--Richard--

That night...

Richard dropped off Rio at the orphanage. After a lot of complaining from Rio he tucked her silently into her bed and walked out into the cool night air. Richard loved the smell of the cool spring air at the end of the day. He began to walk back towards his house.

He walked down the cobblestone streets in silence. He was about halfway home when suddenly he heard a scream rip through the silence of the night, "Let go of me!". He froze, now fully alert and tried to guess where the sound came from, but his answer was given to him when he heard the quiet clop clop of footsteps coming down the alley in front of him to his left. He ran ahead and jerked around the corner. As he came around the corner he came just inches from crashing into a young woman. She shreiked slightly in fright when she saw him.

OOC: I think that Annissa would think that Richard was part of the people chasing her. So this could be interesting XD

[QuirkyIceHeart]

--Annissa--
She couldn't help but check over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure they weren't gaining on her. Fortunately, she was somewhat better at sprinting than they were, and had gotten some ground. But it wouldn't last for long... She needed another way out.
Her lungs heaved the air in and out, and it was all she could do to keep on breathing as she ran. Maybe, just maybe, if she continued to run quickly without anything to slow her down, she'd-
THUMP.
Something hard hit her- it felt like another person. She gave a little shriek in fear and started struggling. They're everywhere! She pushed herself away from the newcomer and screamed. "Just leave me alone!! Why can't you all just leave me alone?!" She backed away several feet, and ran into a wall.
The stranger seemed to be about her age, with dark brown hair and very bright blue eyes. He had a somehow kind look about him... For a moment, she felt safe. But the yells from farther down the street snapped her back into reality, and she glared at the boy in front of her. Sometimes it was sickening how even kind people could become so evil... he was no exception.
Biting her lip, she clenched her fists. "Let... me... go."
The footsteps of the others were approaching quickly.

OOC: Kehe :>

[TGJesusfreak]

--Annissa--
She couldn't help but check over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure they weren't gaining on her. Fortunately, she was somewhat better at sprinting than they were, and had gotten some ground. But it wouldn't last for long... She needed another way out.
Her lungs heaved the air in and out, and it was all she could do to keep on breathing as she ran. Maybe, just maybe, if she continued to run quickly without anything to slow her down, she'd-
THUMP.
Something hard hit her- it felt like another person. She gave a little shriek in fear and started struggling. They're everywhere! She pushed herself away from the newcomer and screamed. "Just leave me alone!! Why can't you all just leave me alone?!" She backed away several feet, and ran into a wall.
The stranger seemed to be about her age, with dark brown hair and very bright blue eyes. He had a somehow kind look about him... For a moment, she felt safe. But the yells from farther down the street snapped her back into reality, and she glared at the boy in front of her. Sometimes it was sickening how even kind people could become so evil... he was no exception.
Biting her lip, she clenched her fists. "Let... me... go."
The footsteps of the others were approaching quickly.

OOC: Kehe :>

Richard was taken aback by the young woman's reaction to him. He took a step back as she backed away also. "What's going on?" he asked confused "Who's after you?" His question had to wait because 3 men twice his size came barreling around the corner behind the girl. They were rough, cruel looking men. The man in front had tussled brown hair, thick facial lines, and an intense frown on his face. He stopped and stared at Richard. "Haha, what do we have here? A wanna-be hero?" The men just laughed. "Let's show this 'Hero' what happens when he messes with us." All the men drew long daggers.

Richard looked around for something to fight with. Anything at all. To his left he saw a wooden pole, the kind used to carry buckets over your shoulders. He snatched it up and turned to the girl.

"Get behind me!" The girl stood there staring at him, confused. "I said get behind me!!"

OOC: This is getting Epic XD

[Vega]

-Alanna-
She dropped to her hands and knees. Droplets of sweat slowley crawled down her forehead until falling into the feild she worked hard in all day. She looked over to the horizen, the sun was setting and it was becoming dark.
She sighed at this revelation. Another long and laborious day had past and ultimatly she remained the same.A workgirl! She stood up, brushed dirt off her work vest and skirt. She huffed. She had to be the only workgirl who at her age hadnt moved on or seen at least any sign of progression.

She began to walk toward the house. Alanna opened the door and the essence of burning oils and cleaning waxes filled her nostrils. Alannas mother was mopping the floor when she caught sight of Alanna.

"Hello, dear. You're in quite late today. I assume it must have been quite a productive day." said her mother. Alanna smiled as she let down her hair. Alannas mother walked over to Alanna and hugged her. "Dont worry dear, it wont be like this forever. You just need to spend less of your free time being alone." Alanna rolled her eyes. They had had this talk countless times before. "I dont want freinds mom. I just want to get a Dragon!" Alanba began to walk towards her room. " Honey, tomorrow I want you to go out to the town. No work, no writing under the tree. You need to be more sociable, especially at your age!" Alanna continued walking up the stairs. "Goodnight mom." Alannas mom sighed. "What am I gonna do with that girl? Shes hust like ger father" Her mother smiled and then continued mopping.

When Alanna reached her room she laid in bed. "A day in the town? Why? I dont need any freinds" Alanna got up, showered and then went to sleep.

OOC: Sorry for not posting guys. I got a bit lost but now im back in this!

[Davidizer13]

Mellara

The glow of the full moon cast a bluish light on the room; Mellara lay awake in her bed, admiring the pattern of wood grain in the ceiling. Sure, it was the same as every other night, but the splintery stripes still mesmerized her every time she saw them. She glanced out the window, over Strey, and at the flickering lamplights in the windows of the village.

"Hey, Strey?" She reached over and tapped Strey on the shoulder; to her surprise, he was still awake.

"Mmm?"

"I was thinking..." She drew closer to him, twirling the point of his ear as she continued. "...Maybe we should just leave tomorrow. We don't need to stay another couple days; Umia's going to be fine, Eyarda's going to be fine, we're all packed, so why wait?"

"Hmm, I like the way you think. Sure, love, we'll head out after breakfast tomorrow," he said with a smile, giving Mellara a kiss as he finished. "Well, ah, good night!"

"'Night; love you." She rolled over; tomorrow, they'd be off to the desert! She wondered what it would be like: from the way Strey had described it, it was like the Kousan lands, only hotter - she didn't see how it was possible, and she thanked her stars that they weren't going in the midsummer as she slowly dropped into sleep.

[QuirkyIceHeart]

Richard was taken aback by the young woman's reaction to him. He took a step back as she backed away also. "What's going on?" he asked confused "Who's after you?" His question had to wait because 3 men twice his size came barreling around the corner behind the girl. They were rough, cruel looking men. The man in front had tussled brown hair, thick facial lines, and an intense frown on his face. He stopped and stared at Richard. "Haha, what do we have here? A wanna-be hero?" The men just laughed. "Let's show this 'Hero' what happens when he messes with us." All the men drew long daggers.

Richard looked around for something to fight with. Anything at all. To his left he saw a wooden pole, the kind used to carry buckets over your shoulders. He snatched it up and turned to the girl.

"Get behind me!" The girl stood there staring at him, confused. "I said get behind me!!"

OOC: This is getting Epic XD

Wanna-be hero? Then that means, he isn't-
"I said get behind me!!"
Annissa snapped back to reality and blinked. "Oh, right." She still didn't trust this person, whoever he was, but that wasn't her biggest problem right then. She stepped back and glanced between the men and the stranger.
The man who'd led the chase winked at her. "Just you wait, girlie. We'll finish this guy off and then get back to business." He seemed to think he was funny.
Annissa's eyes hardened, and she glared at nothing in particular. The boy seemed ready to take the guys on... But could he? She tensed, and considered helping... or maybe she'd just get in the way.
The lead man stepped forward and fingered his dagger. "Alright, let's get this over with." He charged forwards, a dark look in his eyes.


OOC: This is so fun

[TGJesusfreak]

Wanna-be hero? Then that means, he isn't-
"I said get behind me!!"
Annissa snapped back to reality and blinked. "Oh, right." She still didn't trust this person, whoever he was, but that wasn't her biggest problem right then. She stepped back and glanced between the men and the stranger.
The man who'd led the chase winked at her. "Just you wait, girlie. We'll finish this guy off and then get back to business." He seemed to think he was funny.
Annissa's eyes hardened, and she glared at nothing in particular. The boy seemed ready to take the guys on... But could he? She tensed, and considered helping... or maybe she'd just get in the way.
The lead man stepped forward and fingered his dagger. "Alright, let's get this over with." He charged forwards, a dark look in his eyes.


OOC: This is so fun

Richard's anger was growing now. They were talking about this girl like she was an object, a toy to be sold of played with. Richard's heart pounded when the largest of the men stepped forward fingering his dagger. 'It's 3 against 1... how will i win?' Richard searched frantically for anything that could give him the upper hand.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Said the man. The man charged forward.

Richard had only a second to respond. The man reached him faster than he had anticipated. The huge man thrust his knife at Richard, who sidestepped. Time seemed to slow down as the knife came rushing past Richard and his back slammed against the wall in the narrow alley. Richard took a dive under the man's legs, he landed and rolled to a kneeling position. The man was turning around and Richard had to act fast. He lifted and swung his wooden weapon down with full force hitting the man on the side of his head. The man stumbled back in surprise and pain, Richard rushed at the dazed man and grabbed hold of his hand with the dagger in it. His grip was weak and he easilly pulled the dagger out of his hand.

Richard threw the knife across the ground towards the girl just as the man was starting to regain his functions. Richard turned to the man and put his full force into an uppercut. The man toppled backwards unconcious. The other 2 men just stood there shocked.

Richard looked at them with a look of pure malice. "Get out of here and leave this girl alone. She's clearly not worth all of your trouble."

The men's faces changed from shock to anger. "It's not about that now" Said the one on the right. "You took out our leader... It's payback time." The man nodded to his partner who then turned and walked around the corner of the alley. The other man began walking up the alley.

"What?" Asked Richard confused "You're gonna fight me? Alone?"
Richard glanced over his shoulder and saw the girl satnding there about a 3rd of the way down the alley. Richard's heart was beating hard, the THUMP THUMP was all that he could hear in his ears.


OOC: All of this happened in under a minute. XD

I could probably do a better job of describing things but I kinda had to rush this post. lol now I really g2g. I finished just in time. I'll edit it later, maybe.

[Vega]

-Alvar-

The land became dark. The sun which seemed to spawn days life was retreating behind the horizon. A new foe for Alvar to face. Darkness. In his year of wandering hes spend weeks and weeks with little shelter at all. Sometimes he'd awake at night. His body covered with dirt and insects. The nights could get frigid and he would end up crawling into a cave, like an animal, to seek warmth anywhere he could find it.

Alvar began to move faster. He was in a flat plain moist from the flash rains that occur frequently so making a fire would be impossible. Alvar then from a distance saw the ever so faint outline of beings. They seemed to be leaving and didnt appear hostile. He began to run towards them.

OOC: The people he sees are Phox and Wyn!

[Ella Edric]

Svein pointed the tip of his sword at the man standing in front of the fetching woman. "It would have been nice if you'd offered some assistance. Guards these days." He shook his head in mock disgust.

A plan had formulated in his head. It wasn't great but it was all he had. "Milady, this dead man here was part of a fanatical organization that desires the destruction of the Arach government." That much was true. Svein had always held disdain for the red dragons. They were little more than butchers with big egos.

"I've been tracking this particular assassin for many days, trying to see what his target was. He took a secret path into the castle which I followed him through. I apologize for my uninvited welcome. I knew there was a strong possibility this assassin had paid off the guards so I didn't go to the guards. Once again I apologize for my intrusion." Svein had to force himself to say some of those words. There was nothing he hated more than condescending himself to the nobles. Svein wiped the tip of his blade on the ground and slipped it back into its sheath. Svein couldn't help but look at the girl. Most elvish women that he had shown interest in had rejected him the instant they learned he was half human. His human features were not noticeable unless someone took a look at his ears which did not possess the nature point of most elvish ears.

OOC: Sorry it took me so long to post. @.@

She narrowed her eyes at the man, still not trusting him fully. As she studied him further, she noticed he was not a full elf. He looked to be a mix between the two.
Lucia watched at the two men and dragon in the intense moment. Anything could happen. Sussenly, the stranger pulled out his crossbow and shot an arrow at Luan.
Lucia screamed, "Stop!!" and ran to Luan's aid once he was hit. Luckily, the arrow had only pierced his shoulder. It was a fairly clean wound, bu still not good.
Lucia was now furious. Her grip on her knife tightened, and she bolted for the stranger. With lightning fast speed, she knocked him to the ground put her leg over him, holding her knife to his throat.

OOC: Sorry if i didn't quite understand your meaning Yama. I'll edit if you meant something else to hapen.

[Yamamaya]

OOC: Sorry it took me so long to post. @.@

She narrowed her eyes at the man, still not trusting him fully. As she studied him further, she noticed he was not a full elf. He looked to be a mix between the two.
Lucia watched at the two men and dragon in the intense moment. Anything could happen. Sussenly, the stranger pulled out his crossbow and shot an arrow at Luan.
Lucia screamed, "Stop!!" and ran to Luan's aid once he was hit. Luckily, the arrow had only pierced his shoulder. It was a fairly clean wound, bu still not good.
Lucia was now furious. Her grip on her knife tightened, and she bolted for the stranger. With lightning fast speed, she knocked him to the ground put her leg over him, holding her knife to his throat.

OOC: Sorry if i didn't quite understand your meaning Yama. I'll edit if you meant something else to hapen.

Ooc: That's what happened although remember that the stranger is not me. He's a different person.

[Wikiwalker]

-Alvar-

The land became dark. The sun which seemed to spawn days life was retreating behind the horizon. A new foe for Alvar to face. Darkness. In his year of wandering hes spend weeks and weeks with little shelter at all. Sometimes he'd awake at night. His body covered with dirt and insects. The nights could get frigid and he would end up crawling into a cave, like an animal, to seek warmth anywhere he could find it.

Alvar began to move faster. He was in a flat plain moist from the flash rains that occur frequently so making a fire would be impossible. Alvar then from a distance saw the ever so faint outline of beings. They seemed to be leaving and didnt appear hostile. He began to run towards them.

OOC: The people he sees are Phox and Wyn!

Dominick

Several years before Wyn had bought a small paper tube of herb paste from an overseas trader, this herb could keep a man awake for days if he needed it. It was extremely expensive and Dominick was sure they would never need it at the time, but it had come in handy a few times before. It was also something of a risk to take the stuff since too much could be lethal. Even though Dominick had only taken a tiny bit, smaller than a pea, he felt on edge. Every sound sent an electric shock up his spine, and his limbs shook ever so slightly as he walked. He could see it had made Wyn tense too, from the way his eyes looked larger and jerked at the tiniest noises. Dominick had offered some to Phox, but Phox had refused it.

When they had bought it the trader had said that where he originally got it people could become so addicted to the stuff that it took over their whole lives and eventually all they could do was try to get more. Dominick didn't understand how anyone could like this stuff, it didn't even taste nice. In fact it was probably the most unpalatable thing Dominick had ever put in his mouth and, after three years on the street eating garbage with Wyn back when they first left home, that was saying a lot.

Dominick jumped as something seemed to move on the farthest corner of his field of vision. It's just this herb stuff playing tricks, like always, he told himself as he turned to look. But there was something out there. It looked like a person.

"Guys, I think someone is following us," he said, pointing.

OOC: Rusty? Where are you?

[Ella Edric]

Ooc: That's what happened although remember that the stranger is not me. He's a different person.

OOC: Ok, got it. XD It's a good thing I didnt make that clear, cause I was confuzzled. XD;;;;;;