A cleric entered the room upon hearing Barbas shout.

"It's ok! It's ok!" He said. "Your fine now. I will say, that was quite a wound you had, if I hadn't found you so soon, you'd probably have been dead, arn't you lucky. Anyway, my name's Canas." He said.

The man wore a white cloak, his hair, a shiny black color with brown eyes. With him, he held a staff.

"Tell me, how are you feeling?"

-------------------------------------

Julius held Charisma's corpse in his hands as he was about to put it in the hole he had dug. He closed his eyes, which whelled up with tears. He couldn't believe this had happened. He heard a rustling behind him, something was coming out of the woods, but, it wasn't another monster, it was an older looking man, one with a long flowing beard, golden eyes, filled with wisdom. He approached Julius at a rather quick pace, despite how old he looked.

"This ales you. Your loss." He said scratching his beard and then he raised his staff, it glew with power as he examined the wounds from where he was. Then he stopped. "Young man. Watch her more carefully next time. I assure you, I will not be around next time. How fortunate for you I was passing through." He said as he walked on by, leaping over the shallow grave. Julius gave a puzzled look as he watched the old man go away, as fast as he had come. He then looked at the Charisma, her body becoming warm again and the wounds healing up miraculously.
-------------------------------

Tekun swung at the assassin again who jumped back avoiding both Tekun's attack and the light magic that was casted his way, as well as an attack aimed by Eton who swung at him as well.

"15,000 gold." The assassin stated simply.

Charisma instantly gasped for air, her body shaking. For the time being, she just sat there, nearly motionless, except for her eyes which were fluttering. Her vision was bad, she had thought she was still on the verge of death, between the blinking of her eyes, she could see Julius' face. "Jul-" She couldn't continue to speak, her body still weak from being so badly harmed. "Julius." She moved her eyes, trying to regain clarity of her vision. "What happened?" Her clothing had tears, and was stained with blood, but her wounds were gone. "I...don't understand." She gazed up at Julius, wondering if he had something to do with this.



"Canas!?" He questioned. "Why wouldn't you let me die? I did not wish to be saved. Being defeated by that... That weakling was bad enough, but now living with the defeat?" He gritted his teeth, as he had done so many times before. "And now, now you ask how I am feeling? Am I supposed to be grateful? Well, I am not grateful!" He rolled his eyes, calming himself down. "Fine, whatever. I'll just find that man and kill him." He looked up at the cleric, as if to ask for approval if he can leave. He wasn't sure if his body was fully healed or not.

"You're a murderer and a crook" hissed Tania coldly. She continued to back away from the man though she was wondering where the blasts of lights were coming from. "Help!" she yelled "Murder! Murder!" She hoped someone from within the inn or nearby would hear their calls. She was frustrated, as soon as she comes back to the land of the living someone wants to kill her. It then clicked in her mind, one of the others had hired the assassin, though the only person to have seen her alive and not with them at the moment was....Serene. Her face grew red, she could no longer restrain her emotions "Damn you Serene! May you never find peace! Damn you! Damn you!" It a fit of strength she took up a clay pot that held a flower and threw it at the assassin. "Damn you too!"

---
Anna growled the man had dodged her attack. His unrighteous ways would be the end of him. She raised her hands to the sky and the atmosphere grew tense with magic like a warm humid day. "Morale" she whispered, and she focused the spell on the girl and her protectors.

---

Violet laughed, she imagined sliding down a hill on Leon's back, she thought it would be fun. "It's quite amazing to know that you both live even though you fight like a married couple" she said cheerily while strumming her lute once again. "How much farther til we get there?" she asked while humming.

Lex poked his head down from the leaves and smiled at Leon. "Push you? Why, I wouldn't dream of it, my dear friend! Although, Miss Violet is probably thinking of something mischievous!" He cheerily clambered back up the branches. Once he was out of site, his smile faded. He sighed and reached into his breastplate, removing the book he always kept. Its red binding and deep midnight blue hard cover were slightly worn from the constant rubbing of the leather armor. He stared at it expressionless and slid his finger between its pages to number 216. He muttered a simple phrase and the faint outline of a crow glowed upon the page.

"The symbol of the crow... interesting... I'll have to lead them to it, then. There's no way this'll be easy..." He furrowed his brow and stuffed the text back into his chest piece. A grin spread across his face once more as he popped back down below the greenery. "I have an idea! Let's head east! I have good feeling we'll find something grand if we follow my instincts. And you know what I've told you, Leon." He unfailingly smiled at his companion.

Rana started, shocked at how quickly the assassin had moved. He reached out his hand and swiped at the air. A solid wall of shadows crashed into the assassin's side.


Gabriel finished the last of his drink and sighed deeply. his throat was burning and it made him sleepy.
"Wave up!" Lucifer shouted.
Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the apparition.
"Why?"
"The others! They're doing something strange outside."
Gabriel shook his head. "I'm annoyed at them."
"Just come! The girl is back..."
Gabriel raised his eyebrows, not noticing the people staring at him as he talked to himself. "But she died..."


The demon looked up at the ceiling of the cave. It rumbled and reached upwards, dissolving the last piece of power the cavern held. His massive body shivered; he had had his fill. But there was still more... He turned, sensing the trail or strange power Tania had left behind. The energy was different than that in the cave. It was better. There was more to it... The same magic from the altar, but with an odd taste of void. The demon's home. He lumbered out, moving slowly and powerfully back towards the exit of the jungle, his feet devouring the magic residue left behind by the group.

OOC: Idk if I made it clear, but the demon guy feeds on energy & magic or whatever XD

The assassin slammed into the wall, and stumbled off it and looked at Rana as a clay pot smashed against his head. It was clear with this many numbers, he'd need to do what he could. He twirled his dagger. Eton looked over at Tania, who was accusing Serene of it. She couldn't do it, could she? No, he didn't believe it. The assasin looked around and went in for another strike, aiming for Tania, only to be blocked by Tekun again, while Eton went in for another attack, stabbing him in the side. He didn't have much time left.

Julius had a huge smile on his face, he couldn't believe it. He brought Charisma close him him, nearly sobbing. "I....I can't believe it." He said. "I....thought....." He stopped to happy for words. He couldn't believe that man had managed this. "It's....a long story." He said simply.


"Push me?" Leon said as he approached a cliff and looked down it. Such a steep fall, no one would be capable of surviving it. "Why, neither of you would be so heartless." He said as he backed away from it. "Anyway, Lex is leading, we'll just follow him."


The cleric looked away. "I am obligated to save lives when I can. Nothing more then that. You must rest though, your not fully recovered. I'm surprised your up so soon though. You must rest more though."

"Brilliant!! Shall we, then?" He hopped down and walked perfectly eastward. "Violet, perhaps you could play us a nice tune? I'm quite partial to Triumph... I heard from a traveling bard, once. Do you know it?"


OOC: Triumph. lol A nod toward FE.

Normally, Barbas wouldn't listen to the Cleric, but he had already been killed once before. It would be best to listen, then go out looking for the man who had killed him. He rolled over, onto his side, flinching in slight pain. Yeah, definitely not ready... He took another deep breath before resting his eyes, turned away from the cleric who had saved his life. He just wanted to get rested and on with his life, or what was left of it. He didn't know it, but the defeat form Lex would soon hit him harder than he would ever imagine.



Charisma nodded. "Yeah, I understand." She thought for a moment, looking away, then back at Julius. "Just answer me one thing... Was I... Dead?" She still wasn't completely sure of what had happened. She was nearly certain that she did indeed die by that creature that attacked her. She closed her eyes, imagining the whole thing over again. She was still in awe about the ice bolt that had killed the first one off.

Tania felt a tingling sensation and felt fit and stronger than she ever was before, she took up the next pot "I'll pay them back when I'm done" she said through clenched teeth, and threw another clay pot "I never would in all my life, ever!" she mumbled something else beneath her breath. She did not deserve this, if she had a weapon she would run the assassin through like a kabob with Serene on the other end. She had tried to make amends between them before she died. She had appologized numerous times. She cried her eyes out when he died too. Why was Serene making her suffer for it. "If I die again today I will haunt Serene for eternity. If I survive today I will make sure she is put in prison, her class status ripped from her, and Black King returned to the wild."

----
Violet smiled "Of course I know it" she said happily. She immediately tuned her lute to the proper chords. "There" She began to play the tune the music flowing through her spirit she walked along the direction the Lex had stated to go. "Perhaps having people around you is more fun" She thought while playing her lute.

"I found you..." Julius said closing his eyes tightly. "You were just lying there...." Julius said intentionally leaving out he creature, he didn't want her to know about that, something like that is best left to not be remembered.

"Get your rest." the cleric said. "i'll bring in some food. I shall return with in about 5 minutes."

----------------

The assassin dodged the last of the pots and then went in for one final strike only to be punched square in the face by Eton. He backed away, there was a commotion coming along. It was time to flee. He sheathed his knife and turned around.

"Live today, die another." He said and then ran out of the area, having not revealed who he was. He ran into the nearby woods and removed the cloak and his other clothing which concealed him. Revealing what he looked like entirely. He walked out near another end, making sure not to be seen.

For a few moments, Zesper just stood there awkwardly in the hallway, staring down at Nechis, having nothing else to converse about. He safely assumed that the two of them had absolutely no idea of the whereabouts of the others, and that they were both equally clueless about the whole ordeal. Suddenly a loud feminine cry rang out from a open window at the end of the hallway, screaming "Murder! Murder!". Raising an eyebrow, he turned away from the bandit and briskly walked down the hallway over to the window, and reluctantly stuck his head out to see what was amiss.

The scene below him was a confusing one at that, Tekun and his posse of comrades were fending off what seemed to be a poorly dressed assassin. All concern that was visible on his face before was now completely washed off, and he now bore the look of slight annoyance. All this fuss was at him? "I've seen better assassins at costume parties..." Zesper thought bitterly to himself, as he shut the window. Turning around he started back down hallway to where Nechis still stood, his bare feet creating a "pitter-patter" sound against the highly polished wood floors. "What am I still doing with them? I have better things to do then to tag along with a group of childern..." he silently told himself as he turned to return to his ill-lit room.

But suddenly, he stopped in the doorway, his left hand tightly clutching the doorknob. What else did he have to do? Where else did he have to go? The clan that gave him a job and paid him was wiped off the maps, he was miles away from any area that needed serious mercenary business, and he was without proper weaponry, only a longsword and his claws to aid him. On top of it all, he still had yet to ask that boy Tekun what became of the Black Horizon. He was without any real purpose. As he stood there, Zesper's gaze drifted from the now empty jug that lay at his feet over to the pile of armor that lay in the corner of the room. Finally realizing what he had to do, Zesper kicked the jug out of his way into the hallway, and slammed the door behind him. After a series of clanks, scrapes, zips, and grunts, Zesper slowly emerged from his room dressed in his usual battle outfit, his black cape now covering up his mouth like before. Now with a new purpose, he strode past Nechis over to the stairwell on to opposite side of the hallway from the window, crushing the jar that lay on the floor underneath his iron boots. Once at the first step, Zesper stopped and slowly turned around. With a low gruff tone he spoke to the bandit "Our comrades are in need of us..." then his voice became quieter and he lifted his hand and beckoned with his claws, sounding less like a question, and more like a challenge
"Are you... Coming?..."

The hall had remained silent, leaving a tranquil atmosphere. Nechis was leaning against the wall still when all peace had been shattered by the cries. By the sound of it, it seemed that a lady was in urgent need of help. She did not sound like anyone on their team, though. At least, not their current group. The voice was very familiar. Curiosity seemed to warrant a trip outside, he decided, but if their was indeed murder occurring outside the inn's doors, the man would simply be a sitting duck. Perhaps a better choice would be to observe what the cavalier would do, and follow him. The man may exit the inn. If that course played out, Nechis may be able to find the endangered, and there would be another skilled fighter on the battlefield. It seemed to be a good plan, but if the armored man chose not to leave, it would fall through.

To the bandit's dismay, the footsteps were sounding in the opposite direction of the stairs. The man had walked over to the other side. A dozen questions arose in his mind, only to dissolve as the curtains were drawn away as the man peered out the window. He was in no position to glance out the window himself, so Nechis quietly observed the facial expressions of the other man. While he had previously worn a expression of concern, it was apparent that the situation was not nearly as bad as he had feared, for the man seemed to be in a state of bother. Things had surely taken a turn for the worse, and as the man stood seemingly in deep thought at the door of his room, things were in no condition to get better. The door fell shut. Would he emerge? Nervously holding his axe, Nechis turned. He had no time to waste, he needed to make every effort he could to help. The simple cloth pants brushed against the wall as he walked. With no warning, the door behind him had burst open. The cavalier had rushed past the bandit to the stairwell, then turned with no haste and spoke. "Our comrades are in need of us." Nechis smirked. Looks like this one was going to remain with the party. The man's tone changed, and his body language seemed to suggest a challenge. To refuse it would be simply unacceptable. "I thought you'd never ask." he replied, his eyebrows raised as he thought about where he had heard that before.

"I see..." Charisma muttered through her breathe. She let out a sigh, as she tried to clear her mind. "Julius... Can we go back near the fire?" She asked him, a slightly worried look on her face. What would happen if there were more of those creatures that have harmed her before still around? She wasn't ready to defend herself, and he wasn't sure if Julius could kill them or not on his own. Julius was fairly tough, but those creatures put her through unbearable pain.



"Yeah, whatever." Barbas just kept rethinking the fight, constantly. He was supposed to be an archer, and a fast one at that. He considered Lex to have gotten a lucky hit. In an open environment, he would never stood a chance. He turned once more, rolling onto his back and looking at the ceiling. I'll find him. And when I finally do, I'll kill him as he did me. He swore this to himself in thought, trying to plan ahead of where he may have gone.

Tania wanted to chase after the man and stab him like he had planned to stab her, though she stood where she was. There was an assassin after her and she'd have to be careful from now on, she'd need a disguise, a change of hair style, a new name. A girl stepped out from the shadows but then quickly retreated back in once their eyes met. "Hey!" called out Tania before the girl could leave "Were you that light mage?"

Anna stepped out from the shadows, she looked down as she walked not wanting to meet the strange but enchanting yellow eyes the girl had.

"Thank you for helping" said Tania sincerely."I'm Tania, by the way"

"It..was no problem" replied Anna while looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet against the cobblestoned path. She wished she were friends with Tania, maybe some of her outgoingness would rub off on her. "I'm Anna" she curtsied. "Do I call you lady Tania or just Tania?" Tania laughed causing Anna to cringe slightly, had she done something wrong?

"Tania is fine...though how did you know I was a lady?" Tania felt the idle itch in the back of her mind, "What Is it that is constantly bothering my mind? Had she developed some kind of sense? If so, what am I sensing?" she thought to herself.

"Well you look very lady-like" said Anna.

"Hmm...Do I? I suppose I do." mused Tania, she turned to Tekun "Tekun is there anyway that I could somehow become a mage?" she asked in a hushed tone "I'll also need a whole bunch of robes and clothes and hair dye. That assassin will hunt me down I need a disguise. Though before I do that I have to make it look like I've left the inn"

"I have spare robes" offered Anna quietly, being part of the secret made her fill invigorated, like the sensation of creating a magical atmosphere.

"That's great" said Tania cheerily.

OoC: Talking to yourself?