They were kind enough, the men were, as they tugged gently upon the lead rope. Each woman stood, after the one before her, like a wave of long, multicolored tresses coming to peak. Enid did as the others , but did so regrettably. By being forced to stand she was pulled away from her attempt to locate her suicide blade; bad luck all around. No chance now to get herself untied from the gang of women.

Her head bowed as they were escorted out of the boat, booted feet slipping along the soft sand of the beach. The rowers were accompanying them, one on either side of the string of women about two to three ladies apart. They held the nearest girl’s elbow, making sure no one would fall and bring the whole procession to their knees.

The port town was buzzing with activity. She glanced around, tossing her purple gaze about with ease. There were plenty of stalls lining the streets, a handful of bars. The calls came from all about her, men yelling to get attention for their products, swindlers purring at gorgeous women to tempt them into buying needless junk. The people of the town seemed hardy, and decently well off. By simply surveying her surroundings she could tell what this town was based off of: gold. It was the way the women walked, the way they dressed, chins high, eyes opened in thin slits as they looked down their noses at the world around them. The men were no better than their female counterparts as they sported their thick pouches of money, the drawstrings tied tight on belt loops, shiny buckles bedecking every inch of their well done clothes.

At least if she were taken in by one of these families she could hope for a clean bed and decent food.

The procession came to halt, Enid lightly bumping into the girl before her. She craned her neck to see down the long line of women. It was like an entire village of women were present, it wasn’t just her small boat of girls, it was all the women from the uncounted number of boats that had come ashore with hers. She couldn’t see their faces, but by the bowed heads and the shaking legs and the clasped hands she could tell they were all so scared, all so unprepared. It didn’t matter that the men were gentlemanly towards them, it didn’t matter that they were protecting the girls with their lives. They were all still terrified.

They had been sauntered through the middle of the town, down the main street. Now after many minutes of careful marching, they were at the back end of the market in an open corner. They were gently pushed into position, one line of six girls behind another line of six. She was in the third line back, her view of the people of the town obscured by a rainbow of hair from the multiple elves in front of her. Line by line the girls were brought onto a long rectangular stage, the makeshift wooden platform holding the women well. And the bidding started, the gruff voice of a male sounding to the gathering crowd. Many of the girls were approached by the curious on lookers, their peering eyes inches from their own, but there was never once a hand placed anywhere, never once was anyone manhandled or stroked. After what seemed to be a good half hour, the girls that were not bought were hurried off the stage and allowed to stand nearer the crowd so they could be more easily perused by possible buyers.

Some time passed before she was brought atop the stage. She stared straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact with any of those before her. Instead, she closed her eyes. She could just barely latch onto the sound of the distant waves, the cry of the gulls, the light rustling of the wind. She had found the nature within such a human setting and she clung to it, the familiar sounds soothing and calming her aching body. She was tired of standing, weary from the constant beating of the hot sun upon her heavily cloaked form. But the voices of the natural world around her brought her to a place of balance. She didn’t know how long it had been, but after some minutes she found herself being escorted off the platform, herself and the girl behind her the only ones left within their line.

Several hours passed under the hot sun as the girls were distributed about so they could be shown off. One by one the numbers dwindled. Enid watched as the woman were taken from their rope chains to be placed in the unfamiliar care of their new families. Some cried, some screamed, some fought, only a precious few went quietly. Enid found it so ironic that, at a time when she would want to cry out in protest, she honestly couldn’t. That had happened only a handful of times in her life; she rarely allowed herself to ponder the possibility of finding or claiming a voice for herself. She began to slip into such thoughts, her amethyst eyes closing as she fell prey to her psyche, but the sudden presence of another startled her. She was being looked at, judged, his eyes roaming over her cloaked form with an intrigued twinkle. She narrowed her eyes, the only way she could communicate with the man, and lightly backed up. She shook her head, the blue tresses displaying wildly behind her as she released an inner sigh.

This was going to be a long day.

Alice merely gave a snort, eager to be off on a task that had already been delayed much longer than it should have. Giving Gunther an odd twisted smile, she turned on her heel and stalked away. She herself was a pro at navigating crowds, exuding a sense of 'get the hell away from me' when she felt the need, which she did so now. It didn't part the crowd by any means, but it loosened them enough to allow for decently easy passing. She hoped the others were with her, as she traveled back to the inn to retrieve their mounts. They had better be ready, she thought grumpily, barely restraining herself from crossing her arms in a show of irritated emotion.

It was very shameful, she scalded herself, to be caught up in emotion and to allow it to effect you so. Let it go. Breathing deeply, trusting that the noise of the crowd would mask the sound of her efforts from most ears. Her eyes scanned around her, ever aware of her surroundings. Briefly, she sent her mind out ahead of her, taking a brief look around to see what could be seen.

Her b-line towards their destination suddenly angled sharply and she was off down another path. Her emotion was in check, but just barely. Her eyes turned, and even her head, searching for what her mind had already found. Finally, she spotted it: a slave market.

Nearly fuming, Alice approached the stand purposefully, her purple cape sweeping out behind her. Half, leaping, half floating, she propelled herself onto the platform, landing gracefully, but with a purposeful thud. Her vivid blue eyes, gleamed like a predator stalking prey as she came up to a man who was obviously in charge there. His smile was straight and teeth gleaming. Odd, for a pirate.

"Dear me, are you a fearsome sight," he said mockingly. "Get off my stage, they'll think I'm selling you!" he turned to one of his companions and chuckled. Alice's stypical over-large smile stretched across her face, giving her a sharp unnatural appearance, something like a lizard or a bird of prey. They laughed at her all the more.

"Slavery is illegal in Brays," was all she said. "As per the order of the King on High." Rahiki the slave trader stepped towards her, revealing a small old lady standing behind him. For only a moment, hers and Alice's eyes meet, then the old lady cackles along with the others, though perhaps for different reasons. Uneasy, Alice felt a darker reflection in the eyes of the woman, and felt her mind being pulled in, opened, pulled apart, lured into the honey-trap. Alice was a tool, this woman would use her...

No! A mental door was slammed and the woman laughed all the louder, coughing as she did so.

"Alice, is it?" Rahiki stated arrogantly, proof of what his mage had just accomplished. "I don't know if you know this, little miss," his voice was sharp like a knife, "but the king is not 'on high' any longer. He's six feet under, if my sources are correct, and they are, trust me. Also, I do believe that the king himself was perfectly fine with slavery, employed it himself before certain 'do-gooders' decided to give him enough noise to change things. What those people don't realize, is that commerce flourishes on the backs of slaves." he paused with an elegant gesture to all around him, "I am a careful business man, Miss Alice, and I take only the unemployed unoccupied unwanted of the world and feed them into the machine. Their lives are usually improved by my simple act of giving them a home and a skill to learn. They can always buy themselves from their-" he stopped mid sentence. "Why am I explaining myself to you?" he sighed. "You are wasting my time. Get off, or I shall get you off myself, though I am loath to hit a lady...still, you hardly seem female, let alone a lady." angered, less by his insults and more by his arrogance, Alice flung her power at him, taking him by surprise and knocking him backwards onto his behind. Infuriated and with a hurt pride, the man stood, his sailors flanking him, ready to flood into action at his word. Rahiki put up a hand. Alice approached the current slave on display here, a blue haired elf who looked rather frightened.

"I am warning you and giving you a last chance. I am well liked here and your thievery will not be tolerated!" Rahiki snarled. Alice turned back to him only for a minute, before drawing a knife and cutting her bonds. At that moment, Rahiki's hand flicked forward and the four men he had with him surged forward.

The sky above the auction was a clean blue with little cloud cover, a usual scene for sea faring towns. The Sun was free to radiate its light over everyone… until a sudden shadow seemed to put the plaza in darkness. The shadow began to shrink rapidly, at the same time a noise began to grow. It started small, weak as a whisper, but soon grew to a full blooded yell. The Panther Shifter smashed head into Rahiki, the two of them crashing to the pavement bellow.

Following the random shifter’s appearance a full-blooded roar echoed across the whole port. As the deathly silence from the crowd became a grave thought in everyone’s mind the screams and rings of a battle floated through everyone’s senses. Deep thuds could be heard and felt, the sound of booming war drums… but it wasn’t war drums… From the forest emerged a shaded blob or form of… of something. The odd and disfigured shadow of a head rose and another deep roar echoed across the land.

As if in a chain reaction several more massive forms arose to meet this one, smaller… much smaller dots could be seen falling from them or moving between the larger. As if on cue, a massive Ursa Shifter arose from the forest’s edge and growled. His eyes scanning the multitudes of races and smashing its giant paws together and letting out a thunderous roar that shook the ground. Its eyes caught sight of the Panther shifter and it began to step forwards, crushing any and everything in its way to get at the unconscious shifter…

Several Hours Before…

The clearing was deathly silent, no breeze and no sounds of the forest to make everything thing seem ok. The faint smell or rotting logs and damp moss was present everywhere as the green shrubs and trees blocked sight of anything past the clearing. The scout pair stood side by side, the tall and lean Panther Shifter on the left and the hunched and broad shouldered Timber Wolf Shifter on the right. Both their eyes were narrowed on the hooded and cloaked figure in front of them, uncaring of the Ursas behind him.

The figure held a crossbow calmly in his hands, a bolt notched and the draw of the string was at the seventh notch. No one moved. No one spoke. Only dead silence and the sun overhead, bearing down its heat on the motionless figures. “Why have you come here Saldon? You know you were banished.” The Panther Shifter spoke clearly and slowly, testing the twin short swords in his trained hands. His forest green cloak with an oak-brown trim was hanging from his form, his hood drawn back to expose his coal black hair and ears to the sky. His cloak shifting as his tail snaked and curved behind him, a life of its own.

The Timber Wolf Shifter was leaned forwards slightly; across his shoulders was the staff to his massive battle axe, his right hand pulling lightly on its end, a counter balance to the heavy head. His left hand was rigid at his side… but ready to spring upwards and help bring forwards the weapon to crush the life out of this unknown figure. His balance was in the front of his feet, a common sight, his pointed white and steel-gray ears twitched slightly, listening for any noise. His face was more angular and a small snout formed where his nose and mouth should be, the canine nose at its end wet and sniffing for any hidden scents. His short tail motionless as well, curved slightly to end up pointing at the heavens above.

Inside Saldon’s cloak his eyes were closed, he listened and felt but his mind was elsewhere…

Saldon talked down the street, his cloak drawn around him and his hood pulled over his head and hiding his face. Around him were his friends and rivals, their cloaks open and hanging loose. Underneath was their family’s special armor… decorated in their colors… proof they were now a man. Saldon’s fists were clenched tightly and hidden in the long arms of the cloak. His arms and legs, as well as most of his body, were covered in deep and gruesome scars…

It was three weeks after his father last fought him and he was finally able to manage a limping walk… Ahead of him his father strode through the crowds, their masses parting in his footsteps, their eyes drifting to his son and the whispers and rumors covered him in their filth. Saldon’s father was the greatest warrior and assassin in the whole clan… everyone assumed Saldon would excel as fast as him… It angered him, his friends became rivals his rivals became foes, everyone was against him and no one was with him… his mother long dead from the last Canine war… His father marched him out here… a walk of shame…

That night was the last he was Saldon, his child name. For he stole away through his house and found his father’s armor and weapons, daggers, crossbow and swords. Fully armed he managed to knock out his father and drag him by the neck through the sleeping town. When his father came to Saldon gave him only a dagger. Despite the odds in his favor, his father fought like mad and almost bested him twice. After the second attempt Saldon, in pure rage, threw away every taboo and law and rule and took his crossbow and fired. The bolt missed but as his father rolled forwards, Saldon released the bayonet and the blade rushed forwards and drove through his father’s heart.

Saldon proceeded to remove his father’s head and formed such a raucous as he paraded through the city streets with his father’s head that soon everyone saw him for the true form he was… That day Reaper was the strongest warrior in the clan… and on the day Reaper was banished from his lands, no home his own, no clan his life, no family in his blood and no love for anyone… Many chased after him… everyone he slew… no one ever caught him… and now he was back…

Reaper looked up; his eyes blazing under his hood and in an instant lifted the crossbow and fired. The deadly bolt slicing through the air at unheard of speeds and driving through the Timber wolf shifter, who had began to move his left arm to his axe. The bolt penetrated strait through its arm, bone and all, and drove deep into its heart, the force throwing the now lifeless body backwards. Before the Panther Shifter could react one of the Ursas was upon him and smashed him high into the air with his every growing fist…

The Ursa wars had begun…

"I'm loosing my touch," Alice decided grimly. As the shifters appeared all around them. She had been well aware of their presence in the Ivex to the South, but she did not think that they would dare to make trouble in the city. Surely there were royal guards around someplace that would sort this out. Thinking back to last night...."Oh, right." she sighed and grabbed onto the blue haired elf girl's hand roughly and dragging her off towards the rest of her group.

She carved a path in the crowd by tossing humans to the left and right with psychic force. Irritated that she let simple irritation get in the way of efficiency and keeping an eye and mind on her surroundings. Also, if she had not come after this weakling female, she would be off on her quest with her proper tools and on her way to...her final and distant destination. She knew she would be needing to take baby steps to get this done...she had no idea that she would be going backwards.

Still, she was here and she may as well get what she had come for. Her eyes slid behind her to the Blue haired one, wondering if she was going to put up a fight going with her. Certainly this maid must have some skills Alice could employ to her goal...they would only need to be discovered.

The marketplace had erupted into chaos. The merchants were many and had various skills, not to mention the various mercenaries and assassins who used this as the epicenter for gathering work and leads on other work elsewhere. The shifters were stronger than many, but they were many that were strong here. The shifters were outnumbered.

Rahiki himself rolled with the man who had tackled him, letting out a growl. In defense the alchemist behind him drew out a concoction from her belt. Old and female she had been left largely alone. It was a dire mistake. She threw her sleeping draft over the area, vial after vial. It would put her men to sleep, but there was a drought to fix that as well. Purple-gray smoke spread quickly, causing many to drop dead over. Others took longer to fall, the shifters were especially hardy. In the chaos, Alice found Gunther and to Jeeves.

"Seems like a good time to get out of here." she said, cocking an eyebrow and keeping her mind open so as not to be surprised again. There were many more centers of power in this area than she had originally thought. So many people could not be manipulated or controlled, so their exit must be made hastily. Turning back to the blue haired elf she stated authoritatively. "You're coming with us, call it payment for your freedom."

"All life is precious my son." A father whispers kneeling to touch his broken son on the shoulder, "Even the lives that belong to those who harmed you." The father, a full elf, dragged his fingers gently down his son's bandaged wound which would across the half elf's back right shoulder to left hip. The half elf was only 10 years of age, and his silent cries of pain mirrored his human mothers wails of distress. "We took their lives my son, but only because they deserved it. You must always remember, the taking of a life is a sacred thing, and must only be done when all else fails. now rest my son, and remember your time to bring justice will come."

Jack came awake with a start, lighting flashing through his green eyes. The light of the sun still hadn't pierced through the darkness left by the moon and though he dreaded it, it was time for him to start on his way again. There was a slavery trade auction later in the morning and he had to be in position to stop it before they even started setting up shop. Slowly Jack wormed his way from his plain sleeping bag and stood to his feet. An absent mindedly Jack dragged one gloved hand through his long black hair while the other started to roll up his sleeping bag. It had been a long night before and Jack's lithe body was still sore. Jack had just landed on the isle Faydor and he had traveled to the outskirts of Sventon in just a few days. Jack was from the Mounties island of Iliad so he wasn't entirely unexperienced with mountain travel, but such a long and fast journey striped him of his strength. The cold doesn't help either, thought Jack as he rapped his thin arms over his slender body. The arms themselves were amazingly thin, but that is not what would catch most people's attention. On the right arm, a number of elven runes were tattooed. On the left, human words inked on to the unnaturally thin forearm. Standing at his full height, 5 feet 11 inches, was at first glance a non-threatening figure. he weighed only 130 pounds, and while a lot of his "lightness" was due to his elven heritage, he was also just naturally thin. He was only non-threatening when statue still, the second his graceful movements began, anyone could see he was a natural born fighter. Jack had a quick and cold breakfast and he was gone, leaving his camp without a single look backwards.

Your time to bring justice will come. . . Yes and the time has come.

Jack had been on the roof of a house overlooking the auction for hours. No one saw him climb it and no one has spotted him up there since he started his vigil. Jack wanted to attack just as it started, the auction of lives, but he knew he would never be able to free all of them if he did. What he needed was a distraction, something to focus the attentions of all of the guards at once. . . and there it was. A crazy eyed woman was approaching the auction, unafraid of the large men with sharp objects. The irony of a slender woman with a fierce stance pitting herself against 5 strong and hateful men just to save one slave amused Jack, that is until he actually took a close look at the slave herself.

The first thing that would bring any attention to the slave was her radiant blue locks, Jack would remember later how the shined in the sun. Next she was an elf of unequaled beauty, and at once Jack knew at once he had found his goal. His people were a very peculiar community. It was a culture filled with mutts. Not a single being, be it a man, a woman, or a child was made up of entirely one race. Some came from a long history of mix breeding and others barely had any special blood left, but all were welcomed. There were even a number of people who were pure of race. As long as you were peaceful all are welcomed in Iliad. But this also is the reason why Jack was away from home. Every man born into Iliad had to leave the island by his 24th birthday to find something more important than any other resource in Iliad. A wife of another race. Racal diversity is belived to be Iliad's biggest strength and it indeed had saved Jack's own life. A seventy-five percent elf human mixture is very rare in my lands, yes she is perfect!

Jack knew now that it was time to strike no more hesitation. Reaching down to his left leg, Jack wound a chain, starting from his ankle to his knee. Next he slowly removed his black leather gloves, something he dreaded doing more than anything. What was reviled was two hands irreversibly scarred and disfigured. Jack's hands looked as if they had been stuck into a pot of boiling water over and over and over again, beyond anyone's ability to withstand, anybody but Jack. Now Jack stood to full height, His shoulder length black hair flowing in the slight breeze, his olive green pants and sleeveless shirt bellowed about as if slipped onto a scarecrow. Jack took two steps back and just as the sailors prepared to attack the crazed woman, who Jack (using his half elf hearing) heard identified herself as Alice, prepared to throw himself upon the captain and slave accutioneer, however things never go as planed.

Crash, and a panther like being landed on the captain, hopefully, Jack thought, killing the heartless bastard. Before he could rethink his plan, it seemed as if a full scale war had started. No time to change my plan, a devilish smile crossed Jack's sharp face, guess I'll just have to roll with the waves. That was the last conscious thought Jack had, before he sent his lithe body flying through the air with unconscious grace. Jack sailed right towards the first of the sailors and he reached out with his right hand to catch the man's throat. Before the man could even truly register the light and disfigured hand there was a flash of blue light and the smell of ozone filled the air. Jack's right hand burned anew, and it pained him as he tucked and rolled, but the pain was nothing compared to the solder's. His esophagus had been burned shut where Jack's deadly finger's touched and he was now suffocating to death. Jack was shocked by the though of dieing the same way but he knew it was only true justice, the man silenced other's with brute force in his life, and in death he himself would be silenced.

Jack barely had enough time to stand before the next attacker came, swing a blade diagonally at Jacks right side. Falling onto His left hand, Jack dodged the blade and lashed out with his chained leg. The cracking sound the followed was gruesome. Hoping to his feet Jack caught sight of the sailor falling onto his knees and hands screaming in pain. Jack also saw the guard directly behind the injured sailor, lined up perfectly for a jump. Without thinking, working completely on impulse Jack Started running forward towards the wounded man. For a second, Jack was worried his strength would give out, just the surge of power to kill the first sailor sapped almost almost a quarter of the energy from his body. I have to judge this perfectly, or I will die trying to save these people! That was the only conscious thought Jack ever had in a fight, monitoring his energy levels. A surge just slightly to much and he would die. But there was no time to rethink his plan, Jack was already steeping on the wounded man. Reaching down with his left hand just before leaping, Jack dragged his middle finger down a small section of the wounded man's spine. Another flash and the wounded man never screamed out in physical pain again, for he was permanently paralyzed from the neck down. The drain was instant, Jack was down around sixty percent of his energy and he still had another man to kill. The pain was also instant as Jack's entire middle figure blistered from burns. Jack wanted to scream, but instead he just leaped from the permanently paralyzed man's back flying through the air towards the final guard in sight.

Jack landed a few feet short, but that was perfect to his plan. Tucking and rolling, Jack ducked under the man's horizontal strike and he sprung to his feet just inches from the man, his hand palming the man's chest exactly where his heart would be. This time there was little light, Jack formed the plasma into a lighting bolt, shocking the man into a heart attack. As the final guard fell to the floor dying, Jack himself sank to his knees. I'm down to less than half my available energy, if I attack once more, I'm going to pass out. Pushing himself to his feet using his much less injured left hand, he scanned the once-market-place-now-battle-field. A number of beast's waged a small war, firing arrows and trading blows, but that wasn't important to Jack, he found the blue-haired elf, and her beauty stunned him out of battle mode. Without warning, Jack flashed back to his favorite memory with his mother. . .

"Mom why can't I find someone for me?" Jack is only 13 at the time and he is sitting at the table with his mother, a beautiful woman with brown eyes and brown hair, stunning by any race's definition. He is thinking back to an incident at school, where he had asked to carry a girl's books but she sent him away. The small Jack was obviously upset by this. "Well Jacky you are special. Your power means you will only be right for a woman who is in trouble. In trouble often!" A chuckle leaves his mother's mouth and her eyes go distant, as if relating to a personal experience. But only for a second, and then they snap into focus. "But it can't be any old damsel in distress, your power comes at a cost, and there will come a time when you over extend yourself trying to save her. The one for you will be strengthened enough by your love to save your life for once, and you will love her forever because of it." And with that, Jack's mother slowly and graceful walked to Jack and hugged him, ending the conversation with a simple "I love you."

Jack shook himself from the day dream, he was only out for a couple of seconds. It's relevance didn't strike him until he refocused on the blue-haired elf. Then he saw the captain, he had survived the tackle. Fury exploded from Jack, He is the man who caused all of this pain, and he is the one who will face justice! Jack started his charge, but half way from closing the distance, he felt his strength wain. Damnit! I'm going to have to bluff my way through this!

"Hey you, Captain ugly! I'm the guy who just destroyed three of your sailors! If you leave you slaves here," Jack's hate flashed anew when he said the words your slaves, but he continued on, "I will let you flee with your life." It was a lie, no matter the choice, he would die. Not because of Jack's hate, But because it was justice, the man ruined hundreds, maybe thousands of lives, and he would continue to do so if left to his own means. The lie annoyed Jack, and it tugged at the part of his brain still horrified by the deaths he had caused, but he would deal with it later by giving the men a decent burial, just like his father taught him too. "So what do you say?" Jack struck his most intimidating pose, pretending not to even notice the signs of battle all around him.

The bonds were loosened immediately by the sharpened knife. Enid’s purple orbs studied the woman for a few precious seconds, unmoving, her form rigidly in place. She shook her hands lightly, the rope gently plopping on the ground at her feet. She had no idea who this odd looking woman was, she had come out of the blew, from the crowd, emerging like some holy saint to free her. But even though she had cut the slavery coils Enid was wary of trusting the lady. She may have a hidden agenda, something worse than placing Enid in the tender care of wealthy merchants. Her pondering was cut short, however, by the tightening group of pirates swarming both herself and the older lady. Awkwardly she took a step towards the woman, this Alice, trying to decide what action she should take.

With her hands and wrists free her gut was telling her to run, to let her thin legs launch from beneath her hips and transport here from this town, out into the comforting woods. Even at this time of peril, her heart tugged for the forest, for the nature she found so soothing. But her mental reverie was disturbed by a growing growl, the feralness erupting into a harsh roar as it charged at the lead pirate. Enid averted her gaze, refusing to see any form of bloodshed. She would maintain her innocence this day, keeping her jewel-hued eyes from witnessing death.

As her head turned, displaying in a mad rush her long hair, she caught the gaze of another man. A flash of black, a hint of green. Although everything was moving about her, the shouts were filling her tender eardrums, the smell of spit and blood masking the salty air, she had a moment of connection with the man, the elf. She couldn’t tell what it was, perhaps it was the way he was looking at her, perhaps the circumstances, but she found joy in that solitary moment. And then it was gone. At that point, she felt the hard grasp of Alice upon her gloved hand, jerking her back into the crowd. She was pulled along, boots thumping hard against the crowded road as she glanced over her shoulder, trying to catch another glimpse of the boy. But her mass of blue hair obstructed her vision and she left the scene without a second sighting.

Squishing in-between the bodies of others, she came to understand in which direction they were headed and to whom they were meeting. The men stirred emotions of wonder and fear, but her half masked face lay emotionless. The one, the biggest, huge compared to her small frame was obviously a hunter of some kind. Her shyness began to get the best of her as she maneuvered behind Alice, head bowing. The other, oddly dressed, seemed timid enough, but a sense of -- what was it, uniqueness? Oddity? -- warned her to be wary. Enid had little problems with strangers, she enjoyed the company of others, the feeling of friendly compassion and trust; it was usually others that had a problem with her.

Being a mute, Enid had learned very few social skills. The only way she had developed to communicate to others was by writing and she knew the probability of someone carrying parchment and pencil on their person was rather low. She figured she’d never have the chance to ever have a decent exchange of knowledge with these people, and she had grown to accept this over the years.

But then everything changed. Enid was in front of both men and Alice, her hand free. She was in the process of taking a step to leave when Alice’s words met her pointed ears. Beneath her satin mask Enid bit her lower lip, the movement only somewhat invisible to those watching. She could still run, still try and make the tree line…

But where would she go? What money did she have? These three, they seemed well put together, and well off. Perhaps Alice had not bought her, but she was still offering Enid protection and, hopefully, food. She nodded at the woman, showing that she accepted her command and understood the implied conditions. Swiftly she gave a similar nod to both men, her politeness enhanced by a tiny smile, the corners of her lips twitching upwards. She didn’t know exactly what was going on, but she was happy she was no longer alone.

The loud footsteps of the crowd echoed through the marketplace. Jeeves lay in wait, watching mortals chatter away about their daily lives. This interested Jeeves. He had never been social, not until he had met Alice and Gunther. It was probably the first time he had ever spoken to a mortal, or two. It was exciting. Speaking in jest, laughing, smiling, discussing; all things he had never been able to do. But he would, now that he had friends. "True friends," he thought, slipping a smile in between, "No more shadows. Light shall be my path from which I shall lead a new, more exuberant life."

His smile donned his face for a little longer, as his eyes peacefully gazed at Alice. His mind raced along, thinking of the short chat he had with her at the tavern. Then his eyes sailed over to Gunther; another thought entered his mind -- a joke. His smile broadened, and a light chuckle left his lips. Wonderful thoughts filled his mind for the first time. Never had he felt such excitement in one day.

After gaining control over his 'happy' feelings, Jeeves turned back to gaze at Alice. A man stood in front of her. He looked familiar, very familiar. His grimace instantly changed, now filled with anger and shock. "Rahiki..." he whispered, a sweat droplet poured from his forehead onto his nose, dangling mercilessly. The droplet represented fear. An unfathomable fear. "How did he get here...? No, no! He can't be here... If he is here, that means his ma... The mages!" Jeeves whispered to himself with disbelief in every word, "I must flee before he finds me. My existence is far more important than their mission. Let these mortals fend for themselves."

At the very moment Jeeves took his first step back into the darkness, a loud "Awe" from the crowd entered his ears. A sudden urge forced him to turn back and peek through the alley. His jaw dropped; his eyes jutted open. A boy -- a mere mortal -- took down Rahiki. What was the boy thinking? Does he wish to die?

Without thinking twice, he propelled himself forward with immense speed. His cloak shuddered wildly as Jeeves masterfully dodged the crowd with impeccable precision. An arm extended, a cloak covered the boy, a dark shadow shrouded the area as the boy disappeared from sight.

Light pants could be heard from a nearby alleyway, but they were too light for any mortals' ear. A hand covered the boys' mouth, "Quiet, boy." Jeeves took a short look across the alleyway, skillfully scouring the area. "What have I done? And what is this feeling that fills every vein in my body, every movement that I take... is it fear?" Jeeves thought to himself, watching as his free hand shake wildly, "This is not fear..."

What is this feeling?

Reaper was holding onto the back of the Grizzly shifter and he spotted the blue haired elf and his target easily. Before he could move everything fell into chaos and the crowd was a mob. As Reaper prepared to jump he spotted a few assassins and archers that had gained to a rooftop and took aim at the Ursa. In one motion he shrugged off most of his cloak, except for the hood, and grabbed his twin blades, pulling them loose from his back and holding them outwards slightly.

He pushed off from his ride and flew through the air, he felt two arrows cut the wind next to his ears with a sharp his as the sailed into one of the Grizzly Shifter’s arms with a muffled thud. Reaper crossed his blades in front of him and forced himself to flip forwards at the last minute, his flexible feline structure rolling and spreading the impact as he seeped his arms out to his sides.

He stood up, hood drawn and cape billowing, his twin blades covered from the middle of the blade to the tip in crimson, dripping slowly from their edges and drifting in a slight sea breeze before they splattered the vibrant and quickly dulling color on the rough brown of the roof. Behind him the two archers screamed as their bows clattered uselessly to the ground as their arms fell after them. The assassins turned to face him but he had vanished. Suddenly he was behind one with his blades protruding from his chest.

The other turned and shot his crossbow but the bolt flew into his companion instead as Reaper once again seemed to melt away. The assassin took a step back and felt his heel hit the edge hit the smallish wall of the roof, he looked back at the drop and when he turned around he looked into the eyes of Reaper. He simply held the assassin at blade point and kicked out, letting gravity do the rest…

He quickly wiped the blood from his blades on the dead assassin and put them away, drawing his cloak back around him and scanning the crowd, catching the blue hair of the girl being pulled along by his target. In the next instant he was racing along the roof tops, flipping from one to the other. At the same time his size seemed to shrink, his height nearing the size of a child’s while his flexibility and strength seemed to remain the same. He turned and angled towards the merchant carts on the side of the streets and ran forwards.

He leapt and in midair he shrank even more, his size almost the size of a mouse when it landed on the clothe cover of one of the stands. He didn’t slow and soon leapt from stand to stand, gaining ground on his target, before making on final leap. He landed on the shoulder of a random patron at his smallest height and moved. The longer he waited the more likely they would notice his weight. He made a few more jumps and he landed on the shoulder of the blue haired elf. He was about to jump to his target but she suddenly stopped in front of her apparent party and he had to hide quickly.

He spotted a hood on the girl whose shoulder he now stood on and before his target turned and was able to spot him he slipped into the hanging hood. He used his cat-like grace to measure his distance down the hood and stretch himself out to spread the weight. If he judged the distance right and she put on the hood he would be where the back of her neck was and he would go unnoticed…. For now… he must wait.

The death of the creature who attacked the slave trader, Captain Rahiki, was dispatched with quickly and with ruthless efficiency. The entire market place had erupted into chaos and Rahiki knew that his part in this battle was over. He was a man who knew when to cut his losses. His hand flicked and his people withdrew.

One last look over the shoulder and his eyes met, by chance with an ill fitting man who's eyes gleamed with recognition. The captain's only response was a grin and a small salute, before he disappeared into the crowd.

People around the stage were falling asleep by this time, many dead away, and many still struggling with consciousness. The smoke had faded and those not yet effected would remain so. Within the roiling crowd, Alice's eyes shot to Jeeves as he disappeared from her sight, muttering to himself. Her brows raised a fraction, but she let it be. Her attention returned to Gunther, curious how he would react to all of this. She didn't take the moment to contemplate, instead she thrust herself in the direction of their mounts.

As the world vanished from Jack’s sight, a hundred thoughts raced through his mind. One above all persisted; I have to help that elf! Without even thinking about it, Jack’s entire left hand burned anew with blue plasma. But what the well articulated stranger said ran though Jack’s head again, He told me to be quite, not something an enemy would say! Even with this revelation, Jack might have burned the man’s hand to the bone, if it hadn’t sucked almost all of his energy away. Jack swayed gently in the man’s arms and his vision blurred. Only an iron will kept Jack from passing out as he slowly slipped his hands in his pockets, searching for his “second hands” leather gloves he used to cover his powers deforming side effects. He got his first pair when he was eight, and even then he hated the leather’s texture against his ruined skin. . .

Jack is eight, his young body covered in sweat and dirt, his face twisted into a grimace of pain. He stomps into the kitchen, and his mom is sitting there. She was watching Jack and his father train. Jack remembers the look on his mother’s face most, a look of pure fear and regret. She only glances at Jack’s newly burned hands and a gag escapes her mouth. This is the first time Jack’s power had caused any real damage, before Jack had used it only very sparingly, the pain had never outweighed the benefits of the power. Jack’s father was much luckier than Jack, he was a full elf, and while the power still sapped his strength, it didn’t actually hurt him.

The ability to collect and bend plasma had been in Jack’s family for dozens of generations, but Jack was the first half-elf to inherit the power. Jack’s power was far more flexible though, for his father could only emit plasma from his fingertips, while Jack could light up his entire hand with the blue fire-like plasma. But flexibility always comes with a price; with Jack’s power the price involved needing to ingest massive amounts of food, pain, sickness, and a shortened life span. Jack’s mother however, had only ever seen Jack’s father’s side effects so she was not prepared mentally for the disgusting results, but she was prepared with a gift, a pair of leather gloves, black sturdy things that would last a couple of years at least.

Jack’s mother bit back her disgust and managed a few words, “I. . . I got these for you at the store, they should, uh, help.” With that she stuck out the gloves and let her gaze drop to the floor. Jack meekly griped the gloves and walked from the kitchen to what he thought would be a safe distance. But even as far away as Jack had gone, his mother could still hear his cries of pain as he slipped on his “second Hands” on for the first time and before long, her wails of distress joined his screams of pain.

A similar wave of pain hit the Jack of the present as hit Jack of the past, but this time, not a sound left Jack’s throat. Jack knew friend or foe; this man could not be allowed to hold him any longer. With the movements so fast it betrayed Jack’s half-elf nature he slipped from the man’s lose grip and dived from the safety of his cloak. With a quick 360 degree spin Jack caught his bearings and spotted the fleeing captain. With a flash he was on the move, but after only a few steps Jack stumbled and fell to the dirt. Cursing himself for the impulsive us of his power Jack tried to rise to his feet only to fall again. One more desperate try and he was on his feet. To Jack’s immense disappointment, the slave trading captain had disappeared in the crowd, however, the captain ran without his prize, the blue-haired elf.

A few more shaky steps and he was standing before the blue haired for elf he had just helped save. Jack was tired, sick, and hungry but he couldn’t let this opportunity pass. Kneeling and trying to make it look like an option not a necessity, Jack reached for the elf’s right hand, kissing it gently on the Knuckles an obviously romantic gesture, Jack announced “I am Jack Sanner and you now have no fear of those slavers, they are fleeing like the scared and dirty dogs they are.” Slowly rising to his feet, Jack took a second to stare directly in the elf’s eyes. “My my, we are pretty aren’t we?”

She stepped back as the oddly dressed man took off, her slender oval face cocking to the side as she watched him head out. She cast her gaze from the large man to Alice once more, watching their respective actions. She was glad that everything was beginning to die down, even more glad that no one had come to steal her away from her savior. As Alice began walking away she obediently followed, having no other option.

She was a mere few steps behind the older woman when she caught sight of the elf. She was stopped dead in her tracks as she peered at him, a secretive smile displayed upon her hidden lips. She looked him up and down, noting that, although he tried to hide it, he seemed tired. His form was too heavy as he kneeled, his eyes showed signs of stress.

Her entire demeanor changed, however, the moment his gloved hand took hers. Her smile was gone, replaced by a slight frown. Her eyes lost some of their sparkle as they furrowed. She allowed him to kiss her hand but quickly retracted her fingers. She forced herself to nod, the only way she could thank him for his part in freeing her. But the minute he spoke of any form of beauty, she panicked. Gingerly she took the hem of her hood in both hands and, with a flick of her thin wrists, tossed the sapphire fabric over her head. Her visage disappeared as the hood's dark shadow covered her soft face.

She lingered there only a precious few seconds, staring at the elf. They were closer to the ocean now, she could hear the lapping water upon the soft beach clearly. The rhythmic waves lulling her into a state of subconscious happiness; the joy wasnn't present in her body, but it was within her mind, keeping her optimistic of the whole situation. Where had he gotten off being able to kiss a lady he barely knew? So impulsive. Yes, impulsive was the word that seemed to fit his personality. Te gulls were crying, one then two... soon the whole flock was calling and singing together. With the few actions she had seen of this man, she understood he'd be trouble, most likely trying to do good or something noble, but would make things worse. She became wary of him; if he had fought the slave traders and come back to speak with her... would he be following Alice's party as well? The wind picked up, wrinkling her sapphire cloak as it rippled up the fabirc, a soft flapping sound issuing from the loose bottom hem. Would it be wise for the older woman to accept his help?

She shook her head, the ever changing emotions upon her face covered well by the shadows upon her. With a single, swift movement she made her way to Alice, figuring the woman was already upset with her for taking precious time to entertain this young man. She refused to allow herself to look back at him; instead she buried her thoughts in the surrounding nature: the ocean, the wind, the forest off in the distance. She cleared her mind of the boy as she reached Alice's side, continuing to follow her.

The randomness of the feeling that Jeeves felt at that moment overpowered him. His grip on the boy loosened, allowing his swift escape. His timid mind began a bloodthirsty ravage for answers. Questions that made no sense to him harasses him with no stop in sight. Their lewd voices distressed him. He needed answers; and he knew who to get them from, "Alice..."

Dropping off his cloak, he quickly paced towards Alice, revealing his jet black hair to the world. A glance to his right revealed the noneffectiveness of the young boys' courting, as the little elf girl had left to follow Alice. In his eyes, a creature that followed orders from another person, or creature, would forever be known as an obedient dog. Eating when told, stopping when commanded and killing under the supervision of the one known as the 'master'.

Haste beckoned; the pace at which his legs carried him intensified as he weaved around and between those in the dispersing crowd, his charcoal black eyes searched for gaps, which made managing the crowd far easier. He finally stood at the exit of the crowd, mere meters away from Alice and the elf.

Shifting his footing, he, apparently, disappeared; only to be seen seconds later standing tall beside Alice. "I find little use of me asking you any question, for you know what they are and are already contemplating the answers to them. But it seems that I must question you, for it is only right that a question be voiced for an answer to be gained," Jeeves said with a respectful tone, his eyes always looking forward into the nothingness, "Why was Rahiki here? What connections do you have with such a man of his stature?"

Saldon remained motionless where he was, making no moves what-so-ever, since even the slightest shuffle would alert anyone… let alone an elf… that something wasn’t right. He kept his ears open however and his listened to his target and a new voice that seemed strangely closer. There was a slight shift in the clothe, as though someone took the elf’s hand, a gesture, however small and unconscious to the person, was long ad obvious to him. He listened slowly to the boy and smirked, not allowing himself to laugh or move, this boy had some things to learn about the world… and one was that nothing was true the first time around…

Suddenly his world became inverted as the elf flicked her hood onto her head. His grip tightened slightly as he felt his body want to go forwards and soon get pulled in a drooping arch back from the hood’s material. He skewed his eyes shut and prayed she wouldn’t notice. He kept motionless, her hair lightly touching him, cursed for him to long he could of his elsewhere… the living tendrils of the person and sensitive guard that would alert her is he so much as sneezed wrong. The time sluggishly crawled by and nothing happened, a small breeze, to everyone but him, pushed at her hood, forcing him to move his body to the motion of the waves. Luck was on his side… for now… as the elf could not tell his presence, and he might as well could have been the hood itself and nothing more. The heat in the hood rose slowly and his mind began to fade back to one of his previous employers… a man until only recently, he thought he would never see again…

The tavern rafters had been her safety for several years, but now she was leaving them for an adventure with the group she had met the other day. Her silent nature and nervousness amongst others had seemingly disappeared when she finally worked up the urge to step into the group. She was accepted and she didn't want to lose the confidence she gained while spending time with people so Rose decided to find the others and rejoin them.

Rose opened a window and slipped out onto the roof. Her eyes scanned the crowds below and she gulped, trying to gather enough courage to drop down into the people below. Knowing that once she drops into that crowd, her mind was going to get filled with their thoughts, but she took a deep breath, threw a cloak over her red wings and dropped into the street.

People bustled around her, bumping her. Their thoughts flew into her mind and she winced softly at each different voice as she pushed herself through the crowd. Rose could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she searched for Alice and the others. She wanted to scream out, but nothing would ever come out between her thin lips. The thoughts flew around her, making her dizzy and sick.

Breathing was beginning to get slightly difficult as Rose began to hyper-ventilate from the closeness of all the people. She found an empty alleyway and leaned against a building, her eyes wide as she searched through the crowds for someone she knew. Fighting to keep the food in her stomach, Rose took several deep breaths and tilted her head to the right as she sent out a mental plea. Alice? Alice.... are you out there?

Moving into the shadows, Rose pulled the cloak from her shoulders, it was too hot for her. She decided to wait to see if she would recieve an answer, but she knew she wasn't safe standing there against a wall. She let her mind calm itself and felt her heart slow its pounding. Breathing got better for her as she stretched her wings some, her eyes stayed glued on the passing people.

Alice merely snorted at the exchange between the two elves. Their affairs hardly concerned her, as long as they didn't interfere. The arrogance of the full elf irked her though, as blue-hair was already perfectly safe when he decided to 'save' her. However they please, Alice told herself, moving past it to deal with something that involved her more directly. Her quest. Brushing off each of her sleeves, she started back to finally get to the rendezvous point and get on with the already half eaten morning. Her eyes skimmed around the crowd as she went, her mind catching a call among the debris of human and other various race's thoughts.

The chaos around her of roiling thoughts was making it easy to miss things, which was irritating. This fact was annunciated by Jeeves stepping up beside her, causing her to twitch just slightly in surprise. A little frown etched itself into her surreal features as she twisted her head a little to face him. Perhaps she would have said something to him about not approaching her unannounced, but she was too pleased at her choice to bring him along. Instead she kept walking as he spoke.

"Why was Rahiki here?" he asked her. "What connections do you have with such a man of his stature?" Alice's confusion did not show on her face, but she felt it nonetheless at his questioning. That's when it hit her: she had not informed the others that she was psychic. It ust have looked like she had some foreknowledge of the slaver's presence, when this in fact was not true. Without breaking her pace, and continuing weaving through the people, she forged her way onward.

"I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression, but I have never seen that man before in my life. I was merely reviewing my immediate surroundings..." she knew immediate was a stretch, since there was no way she could have seen the slave stand from where they were. "I do not tolerate such things, so I decided to interfere." she concluded simply. As they approached the tavern from the other night, Alice reviewed some important noise she thought she caught. It was Rose. She sent back, a little confused since the girl didn't converse much.

I am near, please prepare yourself to leave. I want no more delays! she couldn't quite keep her exasperation out of her sending. When they came to the tavern, the stable boy was waiting outside with their mounts, his eyes a little glazed over as he stood their gripping onto their reigns. The mild mannered creatures she had purchased hardly needed prompting to stay nearby, but the boy looked frozen in place.

Alice touched his shoulder and pressed a coin into his palm. He shook his head as if waking from a dream and strode off, uncomfortable. Alice thought the full elf might follow them, but she didn't much care. They had stolen a product, according to the thoughts of most of the townspeople, she was in a position to know, and soon what authorities that were left would be after them. Whoever was coming would need to get out of town, and Alice had no intention to wait.

In one fluid motion that may or may not have been enhanced by levitation, she mounted her steed and adjust herself, before heading towards the South end of town. Remembering the blue-hair with a touch of irritation that again did not show on her face, she circled back around and offered her hand to the half-elf, in order to help her up with her. She did not seem any more comfortable than Alice was around all of these roiling people. Alice's eyes flicked up to the window to see if the winged girl would be coming...and then down to her other companions. These creatures may be diverse, but they all certainly had slowness in common, she mused. Her expression was starkly neutral as it returned to the blue-hairs face, her arm still poised to help the girl up.

Following Alice like an obedient dog didn't sit well with Enid. In fact, it rather irked her. She was near to halting her progression and sneaking out into the homely forest, when she noticed the mounts. Enid was mesmorized; she loved animals. As Alice brought the steed towards her, she ignored the offered hand. Slowly, cautiously, she eased towards the front of the animal, locking stares.

The deep brown was so thoughtful, so trusting. How could such an animal be so willing to give itself so completely to another species? How was it okay with being used as a bartering tool, a transportation device? If Enid had been born a horse, she would have caused such chaos within the hands of her breeders and/or owners they would have been forced to have either kill her or set her free. No animal, at any time, should be forced to be at the hands of another species.

A gloved hand slipped from her cloak and rested upon the muzzle of the horse. Enid's smile grew as she watched the beast push into her hand instead of move away; it was obviously happy with it's life. It was so incredibly trusting. She moved forward and wrapped her arms about its neck, hugging her tiny bod to the massive steed; they could both feel each other's hearts from the closeness. Her purple eyes closed as she inhaled deeply, an odd but beautiful peace overcoming her figure. She stood there for a moment, not caring if Alice became enraged. This was a moment to be cherished.

Beneath the soft mane of the mount, it's blood was racing through its veins. With an ear pressed to it she could hear the liquid flowing through it's neck. The ease of the blood's movement, combined with the distant lapping of the ocean's waves began working its natural magic upon her form. She was so intune with the surrounding nature that she lost track of where she was...



She was lying on the grass, the wind slipping over her clothed form. She was in a sundress, the fabric a lavendar color, a beautiful contrast to her skin, eyes, and hair. She was so tiny, still a child. Her small frame was in the middle of a deer bed, the cypress and oak trees unbelievably taller than she. Her thin hands were spread high above her head, her legs spread as well, she looked like some kind of star flung onto a bed of meadow grass. The thin strands of green were poking high all around her frame, bordering her playfully. The tips of the blades bowed in the wind, a few of her tresses mixing with the grass. She sighed silently, her under developed chest huffing with the inhale.

She had been laying there for some time, probaby close to four hours, happily watching the random bird fly over head. She knew her parents would be upset, knew they would be furiously searching for her. She could care less at this point. She slid her arms down to her side, feeling the silkiness of nature's carpet. It was just a matter of time before they would find her and chastise her for shirking her studies once again. Studies, she hated them. Cooking, cleaning, how to be a good wife. Who would ever marry her? The village mute, the town freak. She didn't need to know any of that stuff.

With a snort she turned over, her elbows digging into the greenness, surpassing it and slipping into the soft brown earth. She held her head up with her palms, pushing her cheeks up and out, her lips puckering like a fish. This was the time in her life when she wore no mask, when it hadn't sunk in enough that she needed to hide the part of her that didn't work. Her eyes corssed as she tried to watch her lips open and close, making the childish imitation of a fish. She sat there for a few seconds entertaining herself that way when she felt something thick and wet slam into the back of her head. She jolted and wiped a hand through her hair, the bird droppings slimy against her fingers...



She snapped back to the present, a covered kiss slipping over the horse's mane. She walked to Alice's side and grabbed the extended hand, hoisting herself into position behind the woman. She stroked the side of the mount lovingly before gripping Alice's shoulders, waiting for in inevitable jolt as the horse would begin to move again.

I feel like I'm turning into a footsoldier in some bloody war. Didn't I come here just on vacation? Hunt some great beasties, have a good time. Instead, I shoot a Royal Guard, then end up following this psychic in whatever it is she has planned along with a ragtag bunch of misfits.

A knife sailed through the air, whistling shrilly as it passed by Gunther's ear, grazing the upper ring slightly. While he gave no indication of pain, his teeth gritted together, as he rolled behind an upturned wagon for cover. Rapidly visualizing the blade's path and trajectory, he traced it back to its source. In one swift motion, the hunter swept his firearm above the wagon, took aim, and fired. Several more daggers were hurled at him in response, to which he ducked back behind his shelter. Numerous thuds resounded through the wood of the wagon as the knives buried themselves within it.

Feels like a pretty good time to me. Gold well spent, I should say.

Surveying the battlefield, he found that the mysterious gases that some old lady had disseminated through the air appeared to be having an effect on the combatants. As he watched, those who fell prey to the concoction's sonorous properties were quickly cut down and incapacitated by the more resistant fighters. Strangely enough, Gunther found himself unaffected, and indeed, the gas smelled interestingly like some of the herbs he used on the plains to season his meals.

Looking back, he noticed his newfound companions had retreated into a quiet side alley. Holstering his rifle, he rapidly followed suit, eager to leave the danger zone, lest a blade or some other projectile make its way into his somewhat more important body parts. As the group made their way to the rendezvous point with their apparently new recruits, a silent elf female and a young lad, he noted with slight amusement that the elfin lady seemed rather intimidated by him. But then again, he usually had that effect on people. His many-layered leathers did grant him a bulky silhouette, and the oversized instrument of loud explosive death strapped to his back didn't do all that much to improve his relations with the common man.

Before long, he found himself outside the tavern, his bray awaiting him. Strapping his pack to one side of the saddle, and the second pack of gunmetal on the other side to act as a balance, he adjusted the harness ties and knots curiously, never having rode a bray before. Unknowingly, he accidentally unsecured the whole thing, which resulted in the stirrup giving way beneath him as he attempted to mount his, well, mount. As the dust settled from his falling flat on his face, the hunter stood up warily, nursing his bruised nose. Guess I shouldn't have touched that darn thing.

"Ah meant to do that."

The stable hand, eager to earn more coin, and apparently unaffected by the goings on around him, rushed up to help Gunther as he quickly dismantled the Bray's harness. The boy was eager and lithe, but stunk of a thief and Alice sniffed at him from atop her mount. She circled her Bray around for a moment longer, then deciding that the others had been given quite enough time to settle themselves, she took off, slowly. She let the Bray follow the stinted and slow flow of traffic, not wanting to make a scene by pushing herself through sitting atop the larger creature. While she made her agonizingly slow way South and towards the end of town, she sent out her mind to see what became of Rahiki...

It took a few minutes to find someone who had noticed him, and even then it wasn't recent. Frustrated, Alice slipped in and out of people's minds, throwing them aside like slips of paper when they didn't hold what she wanted. Outwardly, she was slumped forward, and it is quite possible that she may have fallen off had the blue-hair not had her hands on her shoulders. Randomly through the crowd, someone's eyes would glaze over until someone bumped into them, waking them. When she encountered a stronger mind that could not be mastered and used quickly, she simply left it alone rather than fight to see something that might not even be there. She wished she had felt the Mage's mind, that would make it so much easier she could simply locate her directly.

All at once Alice felt a shadow pass over her insides and she let out a cry, caught unaware. It was soft, in the crowd, most likely only heard by the blue-hair. The presence in her mind was slick and liquid poison. Thrusting herself outward, she hoped to push the force away from her, but at the apex of her mental blast when the barrier was weakest from extending, the person pierced like a knife into her defenses, pouring inside. Alice had to fight to keep control of her limbs as the force moved throughout her body, tugging like a puppeteer on it's toy's stings. The now infuriated woman focused diligently on each part of herself, keeping it out of the control of the tampering creature. Being in someone's mind, though, leaves an imprint, no matter how skilled you are, and Alice knew: this was the alchemist woman, partner of Rahiki.

Alice victoriously sealed the hag from tampering with each of her body parts and turned to face her with what was left of her awareness. Just then, the old woman's laughter filled her head and then the rest of her.

Stupid, proud child! So afraid of being toyed with that you forget what's important!

The instant it took Alice to rush her main concentration back to her mind was an instant too long, the hag was already there, and it was like a copy was made. Everything Alice knew, ever in her life, everything she could learn, every mental skill she possessed, all of her combatant styles...were now in the possession of the enemy. Groaning aloud, Alice pushed against the woman, trying to force her out before she tampered with anything. There was something like a mental arm-wrestling match, and then the challenger was rushing away. Alice knew, with a bitter resentment, that it was not her own skill that one this fight, but the hag's choice to leave it.

Panting, Alice came back to the extroverted world. She examined herself with one piece of her consciousness. Had she changed something? Would Alice know if she had? No...it wasn't possible. She didn't have the time, not to make such a smooth and clean change...yet it bothered her still. And also the motive of the old woman astounded her. Why come at all? Just to prove that she could best the young psychic? [i[Well[/i], thought Alice, let her think or be what she pleases...when all the pieces have come into my hands, I will never lose to anyone again! And then...all this will be over. She sighed, her body shaking somewhat from the exertion of what she had just done.

And the Bray rode on, ignorant of the important events that had just occurred.

Alice, the elf girl and Gunther had already begun mounting their steeds. A little fumble on Gunther's end caused some delay; nothing that would take too long to fix. A creature stood in front of him. "Such a creature should be set free," Jeeves thought to himself, declining the offer from the young man.

The ring of a gold coin being flicked into the air silently rang out, as the young man captured it; hiding it in his shirt. Clothing such as his must have been due to the lack funding he receives on a daily basis. One gold coin should solve most of his problems, then again, it could possibly cause more problems than it can solve.

A hand extended, patting the young man over the head. Black eyes filled with remorse, reminding Jeeves of his past. "No thank you, child. I shall walk," he said aloud, giving a final pat to the young mans' small head. Looking ahead, Alice and the elf had already begun their move; leaving everyone behind.

Another swift shift in his footing, and Jeeves was standing beside Alice and the elf -- a plume of dust left rising into the filthy atmosphere. Once again Jeeves was beside Alice, something that was becoming all too common between the two. His palm gently moved over the steeds' side, feral eyes tweaked their positions to their target -- Alice -- who seemed distraught by something. In jest, Jeeves spoke, "Haste makes waste, Lady Alice."

Some movement by the pillion captured his wild gaze. The elf seemed remorseful for the animal. She seemed unhappy by the fact that it was being used. A feeling Jeeves knew all too well; the sensation of being hunted, captured and used. Freedom was something everyone wanted, but it was something not everyone could have. "It shall be set free in due time, Miss Elf," he said with a grin.