Kenni's Story

The ocean, a gleaming array of spray, blue greens and warm sand. Kenni watched the sun bathe the surface of the moving water with reds and oranges, the yellows so bright she nearly had to look away for fear of being blind. Around her ankles, the hem of her white dress swayed on the gentle breeze, bird calls drifting to her ears and lulling her into the melody of the beach.

Landing, the palace of the peaceful.

Turning, she gazed upon the regal towers set into the hills and small mountains, the walls paled from years in the sun, wind swept with sand. Voices swirled from the distance, the festival beginning and bringing hands together in prayers and cheers of happiness. Kenni smiled, blue eyes bright, feet itching to charge forward and join them.

My Child, My Sweet.

Startled, Kenni turned on her heel, nearly toppling over in the sand. She stumbled over the crevices here and there, searching for the source of the voice. "Hello...?" she called cautiously.

Kenni, listen closely. I do not have long.

"Who...?"

The War ended many years ago, but today marks the one thousandth day of imprisonment for our siblings. Their caging bars weaken. They wish to be free.

Kenni spun about again, gripping her dress and following the voice to the left. Then she decided it had actually been to the right. She stopped beside the tide, the cool water splashing her toes as indecision boiled up inside her. "I don't understand...who are you?"

You know me Child, though I have never shown my face. You know me.

"Show me your face now then."

There is no time. You must travel to Rodwin, find the lost relic. The ring, Child. The ring to seal their prison forever. Do not allow my brothers and sisters to be freed.

Like a tiny stone dropping on the top of her head, Kenni started, brain kicking into gear. She had read the scripts, heard the tales, whispered prayers to such a voice all of her life. "Skye..." she muttered, blue eyes turned upward now. "You are one of the Skye."

Yes. You must complete this. You must not allow my siblings to escape again.

"But I don't understand...How can I stop them?"

The Ring.

"A piece of jewelry...I read the stories. A worse consequence will befall Siveen if we allow the Spawn to escape, I know this, but you arm me with a ring?"

Are you questioning me?

Kenni's lips pouted slightly. "No, Your Holiness. I simply wonder why you would choose someone as fragile and unnecessary as me to complete such a task."

You can hear me. And your spirit is strong-willed, even if you do not see such. Now, to Rodwin. You must hurry. The seals weaken.

Kenni wished to continue to speak, to know details, to speak with such a Holy entity for longer than she knew was possible, but she began to slip through the sand. Clutching at grains and kicking without moving, she struggled to climb out of the deepening pit. Soon she was engulfed, chest crushing, bones constricted and throat squeezed. Air vanished. She could not even scream.

Then she escaped the sands, falling farther, coughing up the tiny rocks as her watering eyes met heat and red. Fires licked beneath her. She was going to burn in the hells of the Spawn. She heard their shuddering cackles as they echoed around the cavernous bowl of flames, giant looming black shadows, grabbing at her and batting her this way and that like a cloth doll, a plaything, an insignificant piece of flesh ready to be eaten below. Kenni screamed and snatched at thin air. The Spawn only laughed.

::

Her own screaming woke her. She struggled for breath, clutching at her chest and feeling the fearful tears trail down her cold cheeks like searing beads of candle wax. Flinching and shaking, she stood from bed, wrapping the thin blanket around her figure and noting the violet blue light streaming in from the high rectangle window. Her tongue felt like dough. Around her, the other girls had woken up and gathered, asking questions that Kenni could not bring herself to hear. She kept muttering about Skyes and Rings for a good twenty minutes before Annibeth strode in dressed still in her nightwear.

"My Child, what dreams have startled you?" she inquired softly, lowering Kenni back to her bed to sit. Kenni felt the warmth from Annibeth's hand. It made her colder.

"The Skyes...spoke...to me..."

Some of the girls gave skeptical stares, while others gasped in disbelief. Annibeth herself squeezed the younger one's fingers, startled.

"What...well, what did they say?"

Everyone was silent, waiting for her answer. Kenni lifted her eyes to the other girls of the mountain, their red or brown hair trailing around such beautiful faces. Her sisters, her friends, and Annibeth...Kenni nearly began crying again, gazing upon the face of the only mother she had ever known. She had always wanted to leave the cathedral, see the world, discover adventure and truth. Yet now...

"He told me I had to travel to Rodwin. To find a ring." Kenni swallowed, eyes closed. "The Spawn...are going to break free."

The blur of events replayed in Kenni's mind. The priest questioning her from under his long auburn beard, the skeptical townsfolk who used to praise any message from the Skyes ridiculing her and her supposed greed for fame, the royal adviser listening with the utmost astonished of expressions, and finally here she was, standing before His Majesty himself. King Jar was a humble man of drink and religion and she had met with him once before, but she had been younger and with a group. Now, she stood alone, wrapped in her finest deep blue cloak, hood drawn up and red waves spilling out the sides to shield her face just the slightest bit.

She did not feel she had to hide, the ridicule she had received was simply disheartening, as if the people around her had suddenly betrayed everything they claimed to believe. How could it be so simple for them to cast away their source of happiness and fortune to tear down a simple girl from the cathedral.

King Jar studied Kenni closely, deep red eyebrows pulled together. He was a handsome mountain man, burly and eyes full of life. There was no doubt that he gave himself fully to the Skye's and their wills, but there was hesitation in his expression. Kenni stood straighter, mouth a thin line.

"This task is rather...large...for a young girl."

"Yet I have been tasked to it," she responded at once, the booming voice of the Skyes echoing within her chest. "I had your same doubts, My Lord. But the Skye was persistent."

"You cannot have me believe you wish to complete this journey on your own!"

Kenni shrugged once, gaze falling to the ground to the red and gold carpet at her feet. "It is far and treacherous. I would ask for aid, but it is not my place. The Skyes tasked me for this journey and I cannot ask anyone else to complete it. The dangers alone would frighten any soldier."

The King nodded. "Dangers, yes. Dangers you cannot handle alone."

Kenni remained silent, not replying due to pride.

Again the King studied her and soon a smile broke out on his face, one of admiration. "You are very strong, dear girl. Daniels! Send word down the mountain to Mandor and anyone else you can reach. They have plenty of men. And announce to the people that I will be funding this journey, as in gold, that should get a few volunteers as well."

His eyes twinkled as he stood and strode to Kenni. "The Skyes may have tasked only you on this mission, Kenni. But I will be damned if I allowed you to fail. You will have the finest men. Such a journey...you must complete. For all our sakes."

The seriousness behind his friendly demeanor hit Kenni hard. Yes, it was important. If she failed, the Spawn would be unleashed on the world again. She could not and would not allow such to happen. Nearly shaking with fear of the unknown and anticipation to prove herself to the Skyes, she hugged the King close without thinking, arms tight and hardly able to fit around him. He chuckled and waved off his guard, hugging her back and giving her more assuring words. She felt confident now, with the King on her side. Despite having only had one other audience with him, she admired his character and how he handled his kingdom and people. He was the father figure she wished she had had. Then she thought of her nurse and felt an even deeper sadness. She would have to leave him as well.

But for now she put on a smile and stood straight again, pushing her hair out of her face. "You have no reason to worry, Your Majesty."

Two days ago Fayvus had a conversation with another priest over paralyzing poisons. The priest claimed they were merely more powerful lethal poison while Fayvus thought it could create spasm that would render the body motionless. He had been working on it day and night. The test subjects were small vermin and showed that his recipe was on the right track by there long periods of motionless periods after taking the poison. All he needed now was an ounce of red grass, which grew on the side of the Cathedral's garden.

Fayvus was walking to the garden and just got out the front doors when some guards called him over to help them aid another wounded guard. He rushed them inside laying the wounded on the table. The man had been stabbed in the gut. Fayvus immediately began surgery with the tools in his pack after sterilizing. The surgery took about an hour and the guard that had brought the man there was relieved. "Apply two of these leaves to his wound and rewrap the bandages with new ones each day for one week. It will close in four days, maybe three with luck. That will be five silver." Fayvus told the guard.

"Thank you sir. That was a friend of mine and he was attacked by a thief in a dirty suprise attack. Uhh...I don't have any money but take this." The guard held out a Nikian flute. "I bought this from a merchant earlier, he said it could 'sing' the voice of an angel."

Fayvus took the flute with a smile on his face. He remembered his joy in his childhood when he played these instruments. Though Kenni was most likely too old for such trinkets the old man was determined to give it to her none the least. "Thank you for the gift, now I must be off but do not forget my orders for his get well." He told the guard with a warning tone. Fayvus then began to walk to Kenni's quarters where he would wait to show her the fine trinket that he got.

Kenni managed to abandon the other girls easily, their questions tiring, and the elder girls' taunts childish. Only a select few actually believed her story and she hated to admit she was crumbling under their words. But as always she straightened her back and held her chin high so that her neck was always showing, just as Fayvus had taught her. He always said her mind was open to more than those around her. Today, his words rang true.

Slipping through the narrower halls of the cathedral, Kenni twisted a piece of her crimson locks as her thoughts raced through her dream. Despite her solid belief that what she had seen had definitely transpired...doubts began worming their way behind her eyes into her mind, darkening her confidence.

But when she reached her quarters and pushed open the door with force she had not been aware she was building, she felt the stong of tears behind her eyes. Then she saw Fayvus, the only true father she had ever known. And she slammed the door shut, ran to him among the echo of the slam and fell to her knees as she clutched at his robes and buried her face in his knees.

"I cannot do this," she managed to choke out, tears sliding onto his clothes. "It is too much for me."

It didnt take long before she realized how she must look and she pulled away, horrified by her actions. Standing straight and adjusting her blue sleeves, she stepped once away, wiping at her eyes. "Apologies...I...lost myself...I..."

Fayvus' eyes held no criticism and she caught her heaving breath, forcing a smile. "Such...a child I must seem to you..."

The young girl that Fayvus had taken care of all these years thought to much of appearance. Even the eldest of beings felt sadness at time. As did he, as did gods of all natures. "You are a young woman, not a child. It does not matter that you are upset because you are your private room now. Now I brought you this flute. It is a Nikian flute that is used at their spring festivals. I would like you to sit and relax for now." He signaled to her bed, pulled out the flute, and began to play a short lovely tune. He had learned it when he joined the nomads in Nik for a few years. The tune was used to sooth even the wildest of beasts. Good for calming the most dangerous of predators as well as lure prey. It brought back memories of joining the Nikians in their dancing during the festivals. He rembered his friends in the tribe. Perhaps they became elders or perhaps they died a magnificent death. He hoped to seem them one day again, in this life or the next.

Fayvus finished the beautiful tune and lowered the flute before speaking again. "Now dear child, what seems to be the problem that has got you so riled up?" He asked kindly.

Kenni took a seat on the edge of her bed, fingers curling into the wood there and her gaze lined with the floor. The tune was sweet and uplifting, her heart not as heavy as it was when she entered. A soft smile overtook her lips and she peered to her Nurse. "I had a dream, you may have heard by now. The Skyes have tasked me with a great mission, one to save the world. A monumental...task...dangerous and long..."

She faced Fayvus full on now. "What is it like? The world beyond the mountain. Truly," she added, knowing the man had softened his stories for her over the years. "Books speak of barbaric practices...elves...creatures I have never seen. According to records, most have died out but...are there still such dangers among nature still?"

Gaining as many facts about the outside world was all she could accomplish for now as the King gathered a protective guard for her. He had sent messengers all through the nearest kingdoms and hopefully by tonight, the call for the able-bodied and willing would have reached helpful ears. Kenni had to admit the generous incentive of gold would aid in their search.

For now, she needed knowledge. "What can you tell me, Fayvus? I may never return here...or see you again...I need to know..." Then a thought struck her and her back straightened as if poked with the sharpest of sticks. "Fayvus...why don't you come with me?" Excitement filled her eyes and her body flooded with anxious anticipation. "You can teach me everything! Everything you have ever learned from the outside."

Nearly shaking now, she waited for the Nurse's response, begging with her gaze for a "yes."

Fayvus had longed to see the open world again but for a long time never saw a good reason to set out. After all at his age travel was a no. This seemed like a good opportunity to set out for adventure and teach Kenni as well. "Yes dear, I will go. I do not know how much of what I have learned is still relevant but I will teach none the least." He told her in reply.

He looked at her more closly now. She was obviously very nervous about the whole situation. "The book speak of cultures in which the authors did not understand. If they were familiar with them then perhaps there would be friendlier terms used to described the Nikians. As for...elves...I have only met one in my entire life. That is a tale left for a different day though. Now tell me child, when will we leave?" He asked.

As soon as Fayvus agreed to accompany her, Kenni desired nothing more than to jump for joy like a small child. But she resisted and continued listening to his familiar and soothing voice, two fingers twisting into her bright red locks as she absorbed every word. She wanted him to expel every tale about elves and the Nikians he could, but his question halted her.

"When the King is satisfied with the protection I will receive," she explained, furthering such with her story of visiting the King's court earlier that day. "He is such a good man," she added absently. "I am grateful he cares about me enough to provide such luxuries. I was afraid that...that I would have to venture alone."

Fear hiking once more up her spine, she caved into her childish desires once more and hugged Fayvus closely, curling into his familiar smell of medicinal herbs. He was the constant in her life and if she ever had to part with him, the pain would tear her limbs from her torso and she would bleed then and there to death. Dramatic, but somewhat true. Kenni was terrified of being alone. She had always longed for adventure, but to experience it alone would be empty and cruel.

Her thoughts ventured to the whispers of the elder girls in the cathedral, their giggles and taunts about the boys who deliver the food to the church. They repeated words such as "cute" or "handsome," going on to describe his hair or smile, then his supposed gentle nature and protective charm. Kenni had seen the boys as well, but never fully understood what the elder girls were talking about. A longing always surged within her however at the thought of the thing called "love." From what she could tell from books, it was a wondrous emotion to feel, one of music and gravity and wings and agony. It fascinated her as much as the outside world, this intangible entity called "love," the one thing she had never truly experienced for another person.

Yes she loved her sisters, and yes she loved Fayvus, and of course she loved her Skyes...but what was love between a man and woman, as she had read so much about? Her status within the church forbade her from physical relations with the opposite sex, but she didn't even understand what that meant! One of the girls tried to explain it once, but didn't get very far as she grew annoyed with Kenni's constant questions of "love."

"It's not about love," she huffed, rolling her eyes.

But Kenni wasn't so sure.

Realizing she had been lost in her thoughts for quite some time, she lifted her gaze. "Sorry...did you...say something?" She tried an innocent grin.

Fayvus smile at Kenni. The young girl was lost in thoughts yet again. He often did as well although he only did so when around the priests. His thoughts wondered to the brew he was creating. How much concentrate would it take to paralyze a human body? He thought to himself. He had been working on a repeating crossbow that needed to be tested but he never had time to do it for more then twenty minutes. So he had just spent time creating and redrawing more bolts.

Kenni spoke, waking the old man from his thoughts. "I was asking when we leave. I need to get some things before hand so I need a time." He paused thinking of the road. "Kenni do you know how to properly thrust and slash a knife or where to hide so not even a royal guard can find it?" He asked her. They were about to embark on a dangerous quest so she needed a weapon of her own. Fayvus knew that she could not stay an innocent child forever.

Kenni pondered his inquiries, realizing she had little experience with weaponry and combat. When younger, the girls had pretended to follow the examples of the royal guard they could see practicing down the mountain in the village, putting on a show for spectators. It was just after they were found being so rambunctious that the girls were then forbidden to stand along the high wall that overlooked the people below in the town.

"I've never held a knife before," she admitted, feeling greatly inadequate for the journey set before her. Why had the Skyes chosen her, of all people, to fulfill this quest? She was hardly capable. "Nor do I know how to hide."

"There is much I must learn before we embark, Fayvus. We have little time. I'm quite certain the King will have a guard soon enough, Skyes willing."

She stood up, twirling her red hair around both hands with concern. "What can you teach me? I can continue to learn on the road of course, dangers shall not greet us until we have broken the perimeter of Mander, but I must learn." Standing straighter and wondering just how difficult such a feat would be, she added, "I must know how to survive in case..." Unable to finish, she waited for Fayvus to fill the silence.

Fayvus thought about the statement. She certainly needed to learn about defense but now was the time for common knowledge. He stood up straighter before speaking. "We must go get some things from my room that will help. On the way we will speak of different subjects but you must ask them before hand. I will start by where to place a knife once you have one. The point is to place it on an undesirable part of the body. For men it is around the inside of the femer area." Fayvus pointed at the right side of his left femer. "For women it is the ankles that are an unattractive part, so hide it on the lower part of your shin to the side. Trust me it works. The Waponians taught me alot about the arts of stealth and concealment. Now you must follow me to get my things. I have something that you may be able to use." He finished telling her.

Kenni noted the hiding place and hurried along with Fayvus, astonished by his mention of the Waponians, those who dabbled in dark magics of old. There was so much he had yet to divulge to her and she anxiously wished he would continue speaking. But they had to reach his room first. It took a few moments, during which Kenni's mind began to drift again...wondering about love and its origins...until they arrived in front of Fayvus' door. Kenni had been hear a handful of times, always enjoying the scents he housed.

Knowing he had something to give her, heigthened her excitement and she waited, fingers tingling, for him to open the door.

On the way to his room Fayvus took a route through the gardens to grab a handful of red grass. He opened his door to walk over to a table to cut up the grass and then put it in the brew pot, which was simmering over hot rocks that he put in the fireplace. He turned around to walk to a chest, pulling out of it a bag of silver, fifteen throwing knives, a hand axe, five lockpicks, two vials of deadly poison, and his own invention. A repeating crossbow.

The crossbow was a unique oak object. There was a handle over the tob that pulled the bolts from within the clip onto the top and clipping the end to the string. There was a custom wooden and glass sight on it too. The clip held five bolts at a time. Fayvus created three clips as well as one hundred custom bolts. Twenty of those bolts were armor piercing. Could take down a knight if shot right. He handed the crossbow to Kenni.

"That is one of the things that I have been working on for the past five years." He said while he strapped the knives, axe, and poisons to the inside of his toga, taking care of the bag of silver too. He walked to the brew to begin carefully pouring it into an empty vial. "The rest are tools that I have used when I used to travel. Very good for battle, stealth as well. That crossbow is the easiest thing to use but I will show you how to aim and handle it. It shoots just as far as the normal kind but the sight makes it easier to aim. Also it does not take much to pull back the handle to resupply the bolts, nor does it make a sound." Fayvus headed for the door now that he had everything he needed. "Come Kenni. We must not keep the King's men waiting."

Packing was a tricky business, needing to keep light. Kenni owned few pieces of clothing so allowed herself only the clothes on her back as well as a brown cloack loaned from another girl about the same size, and one change of clothes. Her pack was desperately empty as she only added two books, one to read and her journal. Fayvus carried writing utensils so she didnt even have to bother with those. Slipping the pack on one shoulder, she wondered how she must look to the girls around her.

The goodbyes were harsh, but quick. Kenni managed to keep a stiff lip and dry eyes until all the hugs had been given and she kissed her farewell to the women of the church. Rejoining Fayvus at the front of the cathedral, his attire drastically changed from his usual robes, she felt the reality crush her lungs. But she held herself high and silent.

The King had managed to summon three Saerian guards to accompany them to the valley below, the largest kingdom in the land having messaged their own compliance with the quest. More would join them by this time tomorrow.

So they were to set off to Mander...Kenni eyed the men joining them, three burly, stoic faces of protection, not friendship. Kenni turned to Fayvus in spite of her fears, muttering, "Such a lively bunch. I surely shall be protected from ever feeling happiness again."

The armor that Fayvus was wearing was a unique type. He wears his studded leather on the outside, one that could stop an arrow with luck, and a fiber weave underneath. The weave was an art taught to him by the Nikians, could stop an arrow easily. A suprisingly well suited armor for the wieght which was very light. He was probably wearing only ten pounds of armor at the moment.

Past the armor his weapons took up most of the wait. His throwing knives were attachted as a vest around his chest, his hand axe was on his belt, he had replaced the glass vials for the poisons he had with metal flasks that he had attached to his belt, and this time he put the silver knife that he always carried in a compartment in his right boot. He stored three lock picks in his left boot and two under his wrist brace.

His skin was no longer scented with oils, instead Fayvus rubbed dirt on his skin to give off a musk. It was better to smell the same as an enviroment than to smell nice dead. He had also scubbed his mouth out with grass as to not have any distinct breath.

Fayvus turned to Kenni after shared her comment. "They are meant for your protection though I wonder how experienced they are. They look like they have never fought a battle outnumbered by more than two to one." He smirked at the thought of the guards before continueing speaking. "I think you will like this journey. The world is an intersting place, even the bad parts. If you have any questions on anything just ask me." He finished telling her.

Kenni had plenty of questions, especially about the Nikians he had mentioned earlier. But the group was heading to the stables for horses. Having ridden before, Kenni's only worry was being out of favor with the beast she was given. The "protectors" each chose their personal horses while Fayvus and Kenni were left to choose some of the training beasts. Fayvus went about choosing his own, while Kenni stood back a ways. She knew horses could be fiesty and she glanced over them warily.

Then the horse on the end, a gray coated, muscled animal, caught her attention. While the other horses were nibbling at apples or facing their windows outside, this gray one was staring straight at Kenni. Strange. Slowly approaching, she wondered what interested the horse, reaching a cautious hand forward to pet his nose.

A hand snatched her arm before she touched anything. It was one of the guards for her traveling protection. Standing nearly two feet taller, he loomed over her with a dangerous glare. "This beast shall not be suitable for anyone in our caravan."

"Why?" she inquired at once.

"He is a wild beast, only trouble making."

"He seems fine to me."

In response, the gray horse whinnied, agreeing. Kenni smiled. The guard did not.

"I wont allow it."

"He is harmless."

"He has been quarantined to the stables for his behavior. Do not test me girl. The Skyes may have chosen you, but your protection is under my command."

Kenni stared up to him firmly, not caring about the politics of the manner. Her eyes found Fayvus, wondering if he could help, but doubted it almost at once. Sighing, she turned to the gray horse and stepped closer before the guard could react and she petter his nose softly, smiling and even leaning the side of her head against the horse's. In response, he made a contented grunting noise.

"His name...is Storm." Kenni decided it from the color of his coat matching that of storm clouds. "He will be my horse. And you will be okay with it."

Storm neighed and nodded his head once. Kenni laughed, seeing the guard's astounded expression.

"Grab a saddle for me," she directed him. "I'll prepare him myself."

Fayvus utterly hated riding military mounts. Unfortunately they were the fastest transport at the moment. It was just a thing about riding on the back of a breathing animal. The horse he picked was a breed that was used in steppe grasslands. They were both fast and smart, a small and shaggy creature too. His favorite type of horse. Staring at the horse he placed his right thumb on it's third eye. The thumb had a small trickle of magic flowing through that would help bound it's loyalty to him. Too small to even notice. "You are now Harbinger. You are my legs, my ears, my senses. We are linked for this journey. My name is Fayvus Tritnai." He whispered to his new horse. It nodded as if it understood. He was preparing the Harbinger when he began to watch Kenni choosing an unbroken horse. Storm...How ironic for the situation. He thought to himself.

He walked over by Kenni to look at Storm. He slowly raised his hand to pet it with a cupped palm. He began the pet the mane of the horse. "A wild one this one is." Fayvus told the girl. "I prefer camels myself. Generally they are much smarter and travel hardy though they are not as fast as horses. With the exception of a few."He said looking between Storm and Harbinger. "When you ride I want you to ride next to me on my left side. Two guards will probably be at the front with one to the back. I will teach you how to use that crossbow once we are on the road. That there horse may be the difference between life and death on the road. If it is loyal that is." He telling her.

Fayvus led Harbinger out of the stables before mounting. They were linked now by a very low grade magic. A druidic spell. The two would be able to sense each other's emotions while they were within five feet of each other. He had been certain to exclude certain...less desirable emotional links. "Come on. We have to hit the road now." He yelled to those still in the stables.

The band started away, sooner and more put together than Kenni anticipated. The dream, then the telling, and the King...now here they were, on the open road to Mander. Fayvus rode on her right with two guards ahead and one behind, as the nurse had said. Kenni wasn't used to riding horses, having not needed to go anywhere. But Storm was understanding and gentle, guiding her just as much as she was guiding him. Smiling, she gave him a grateful pat and pet on the mane.

"Why are we heading to Mander?" she asked Fayvus. "Are all the scouts from both kingdoms meeting us there?"

Mander was more direct in their route, she knew, having looked at a few maps over the years. But also straight through the forest beyond Mander. Though shorter, wasn't it more dangerous.

The night was falling around them rapidly, insects zipping through the air and torches being lit to guide them. Kenni felt her spine ride with chills, but she turned to Fayvus to fight her anxiety. "Shall we begin the crossbow lessons?" She definitely needed to know how to defend herself on this open road down the mountain. Who knew what the darkness could hold.

Nervousness was beat out of Fayvus when he worked as a merc in Wapone. When they were to cut across easy ways. A bad idea on the safe side but wise on time managment. Though what the Waponians taught him was to finish the wounded off instead of carry them as luggage. For all intents and purposes the injured are the same as dead bodies that take up important resources. When Kenni asked him why they were following their chosen path he simply answered, "Time."

The night had fallen upon their party and Kenni was asking about her lessons on her crossbow. Fayvus held up his hand in a fist and shouted "Yeild!" To the guards so that they would stop. He nudged Harbringer closer to Storm so that he would be able to show the young girl how to hold the weapon.

"First we must discuss the process of reloading. Each of these magazines hold five bolts and you just need to put it in as so." Between each action he taught her how to perform the action by example. "To reload just pull this here lever. When shooting hold it against your shoulder and look through the sight as such." He proped the crossbow against her shoulder. "The crossbow is even easier to use than a spear. A normal crossbow is more powerful and has more range but this is easier to reload and can deal more shots in a short time spam. All you need is practice." He took out a magazine filled with practice bolts. "Try to shoot that stump one hundred and twenty feet away." Fayvus suggested pointing at the stump.

Nodding her head, Kenni adjusted her stance and copied Fayvus' examples of how to hold and reload the crossbow. She was not nearly as fluid in her motions, cheeks reddening with frustration as she struggled to fit the bolt in just right. But when she finally was able to aim, she felt better, both eyes open, the sight lined perfectly, or how she thought, with the stump. There would be some kick to it, and she adjusted her heels accordingly and slowly exhaled, counting down in her head.

3...2...1...

Thwang!

The bolt left the crossbow like a diving lightning strike, a spinning death awaiting the make-believe enemy she was firing against. However, the bolt didn't reach its desired destination, veering slightly to the right and nicking the edge of the stumped wood before striking the earth. Kenni slumped, hardly satisfied with such a shot. She began reloading at once using five bolts this time so that she could shoot one right after the other. Again she took aim and tried to calm the irritations with herself in her mind.

As she focused on the sight however, another in their midst readied to attack, shoulders shivering with anticipation amongst the shadows of the trees. Daylight was fading faster and faster. When inky blackness covered the lot of them, the guards, the older man, the luscious redhead girl...the wolf man would attack.