The country Violet was wandering in was so close to reality that it was completely mystifying. What was even stranger was the fact that there actually seemed to be a town near the bottom of the hill she resided on. People were bustling about, a very active place indeed. Suddenly, a boy darted across the street and ducked into an alleyway, followed by three other men.

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"Ah, fine, fine... I'll be over here, then... watching..." He sheepishly moved back to his bed and laythere, eyeing the two.

"Um.. please come with me... it's really important..." The girl lightly tugged on his sleeve and began to lead him out of the room. Once she had closed the door, she whispered to him- You're in danger.. -and led him down the hall.

Leon's eye's widened up, he was unarmed and behing lead down the hall by the maid that had graciously informed him of what was going on. He went over the situation mentally, making sure he knew where he had his emergency knife hidden on him, something he kept just in case things took a turn for the worst.

"Danger?" He whispered back. "What about the other two? Should I go back and grab my blade?"

The girl looked sullen. "There's no time, we're here.." They stopped in front of a door. "There's a passage in this room that will lead you outside.. go and don't look back... it's too late for the other two... I had to get you out of that room or you would be captured along with Mr. Lex.. I just didn't want to see you harmed.. don't ask why.." She tried to hold back tears and stifled her sniffling.

"I appreciate the offer, but I won't leave violet behind." Leon said. "She saved my life, I must return the favor. Such is my code." He put his hand on the maid's shoulder. "I'm a pretty tough guy, i'm sure i'm strong enough to handle what may come." He took his hand off her shoulder. "What about you, I won't leave you to your own fate for helping me."

"No! You can't go back! I don't want you to die! They're far more powerful than you could imagine! If you'd believe me, I would tell you I was once a cleric... they killed my party and captured me, forcing me to be their hand maid and... personal accessory... I don't want you to experience a fate worse than I've endured... please, just go... I'll do what I can to find Violet for you, but most likely Mr. Lex has already been captured and taken away... if chances are I do fin Ms. Violet, I'll send her the same way..." She suddenly embraces Leon and held him close. "Just do this for me, please..." She gripped his shirt as tears fell on it, leaving dark spots.

Leon held the women in his arms as she sobbed.

"A women such as yourself shouldn't be crying, it doesn't suit you." Leon said with a stern look on his face. "We'll leave together. I need to try and get Violet though. I'm sure Lex will be fine, he doesn't look it, but he can definently handle himself very well. Chin up, we'll get through this. Alright?"

"No... please.... please, go... don't stay here... I don't want you to get hurt... there isn't much time..." She tugged on his shirt, urging him desperately to leave.

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Meanwhile, the lady playing the flute led Violet's zombified body into a small antechamber through a passage in her room. There, two men tied her to the walls with iron chains. They held no regard for the condition of her body as the sharp rust dug into and scraped her delicate skin.

"This was too easy." one of the men exclaimed as he inched his hand toward Violet's blouse. Suddenly, a knife penetrated the man's back, dropping him dead on the spot.

"Never treat a lady that way, you oaf." A man engulfed in shadow stood in the corner of the chamber, obviously having thrown the knife. "I trust you'll leave her be, now?" The other man cowered and stepped back from her. "That's a good boy.." He grinned evilly.

Serene stood there, looking at Eton holding the knife to himself. "I don't want to hurt him...that goes against this..." she muttered to herself. Her eyes began to tear up again. "No! I won't let you do this!" She shouted to him, sprinting. She attempted to grab the knife. "You're not dying..."
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Endoh looked in the room. "Ah...wrong area...better find her quickly." he said laughing, unsheathing his sword. He dashed through the nearest doorway, and found an easy-to-read sign pointing in the direction of the lobby. "...Bingo..." he muttered with his maniacal look, moving in the direction.

Euphemia sat upon the ground near the wall and placed the linen covered sword in front of her. She carefully unwrapped it and was in awe of it's presence. "This is the sword I've been waiting for! It's so amazing! I can't believe I actually have my hands on this!" she shouted in joy.

Leon grumbled, this women was far too persistent, but she had warned him, he knew what he needed to do, but couldn't it seemed.

"Alright, i'll leave, on the condition you come with me." Leon said. "Like I said, your not going to be left behind."

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Eton pulled the knife away from himself, not allowing Serene to grab it. He grabbed her with one arm, holding her, looking right into her eyes. "How's it fair for me to watch you self destruct then? I won't let you die either."

"But... I was going to buy you time.. really, I could hold them back... so you could be assured an uneventful escape..." She stepped back and rubbed her eyes with the edges of her sleeves. "There's nothing I would want more than to see you to safety, myself but there are more pressing matters... I know the guards will arrive soon and someone has to close the passage as it can not be done so from inside..."

Violet saw the boy as he ducked into the alleyway followed closely by the men, curiosity in her mind was spurred and she quickly followed after them at a distance, stepping carefully so that her footsteps would not give her away. She relished the thought of going on another adventure even though her old acquaintances had gone.

Leon rolled his eyes.

"Let's go." He said "I'm stil not leaving you behind, seeing as i'm leaving the other's." He crossed his arms and opened the door they were in front of. "I never did get your name."

"It's... Marion.. Marion DuVall..." Her face flushed as she hid behind his back. "V-very well.. I guess I can go with you... if you allow it.. the passage is through there.." Marion pointed to an almost invisible indent in the adjacent wall. It'll lead us outside, the south end of the inn."

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The boy hit a dead end and stood with his back to the wall. "E's the end of the loin, twerp!"

"Giv'it back, meddlesome pippon!" The closed in on him, each wielding a large, blunt stick.

"Marion. It's a nice name." He said approaching the indent and pushing it in, ever careful of his surrounding and slid it into the wall, a new passage was opened, the way out it would seem. Leon went over where he had his knife mentally, just in case. He looked back to Marion.

"Let's go."

Violet stopped a small distance behind them and hid behind a pile of junk leaned against the alley's wall. She was close enough to hear the threat but she didn't know who to help...was the boy innocent or were those big guys just trying to get something that belonged to them. She raised her lute above her head, she gracefully and silently swung the lute towards the closer thug's head with a tremendous amount of force.