All Kayn really remembered was almost being shot out of the mouth of the cave. When he came to.... he found, once again, that strange guy on top of him. To tired to be annoyed, he pushed him off in the same mannor he did back in the cave after beating the spider. He didn't quite feel he had the energy to get up... so he sat there resting his arm over his knee as he looked over everyone else.

No one seemed to have come out of that for the better. Battle worn and with no strength left, everyone could do nothing but take in the fresh air, which was considerably different from the musty and sufficating air from the cave they just left.

It was then that his memory began to pick back up. And he remembered that power he sense from Lifth... only to see her looming over him with ill intend in here eyes. Normally, that wouldn't even bother Kayn as he though she was just an ill tempered woman... but after what happened in the cave...

"No, I don't think I'll take that chance!" And with that, the skill of hundreds of years of training and honing was reduced to near nothing. Kayn felt blinded. So many emotions flooded him at once. He only did what was best to save him and the ones around him. And first off, she was the one missleading us to begin with. Why should I be punished for her dishonestly? Other questions he dare not speak outloud began to build in his mind.

As he sat there still muddled, the others began to move. It seemed that no one was really hurt to the degree of harming their life... which was fortunate. The poor forest elf looked the most beaten. Seeing him reminded himself of his youger years... back before he lived his life in exile as a dark elf.

Kayn had just picked himself back up when Lifth came back to him... this time her ill intent gone. And honestly she looked almost like a different person.

"I'll trust you with it for now. Do not make me regret this decision." ...and with that, he was freed from what curse held his senses. And as she began to walk away, Kayn was able to mutter, "Who.... who are you?"

Silently, she walked away leaving Kayn to his thoughts. To which Kayn wouldn't be able to sort out till much later. By this time, Lifth was already calling her horse. Knowing that only he and William would only speak with the other horses, Kayn summoned them to the party's current location. Fortunately they were all unharmed... Kayn pulled himself up on the animals back, and began to follow.

How frustrating it is to be dragged around like a dog by a woman. Not only that, but her obvious superiority just makes my blood boil. I'm so weak and useless to be out done by a woman? And now we have some strange creatures joining us... I want to slay them so badly. The one I want to take out the most is that Kayn. For all I know, he was behind the attack. I'll be keeping a close eye on him from now on. I'll ride shortly behind him to watch for any suspicious behavior.

The fresh early morning air was revitalizing, but did little to ease the pain that wracked the little elf's body in perpetual, resounding waves. Unfortunately, though his powers of healing did much to keep a youthful but delicate body like his from having fallen to pieces in the midst of fighting long ago, it could not dispel the memory as well as the physical proof of scars and wounds from sword and magic.

He collapsed against the outer cavern walls with a great sigh, closing his eyes and tilting his head back against the sun, as if hoping with childish naivety that somehow its warm rays of golden light would do what magic could not. ... But it could not. Indeed, William was acutely aware the entire time that he was breathing more heavily than ever before, and they were ragged breaths that came with continual spasms in his chest - the breaths of one who is near the threshold of death, and just may not be able to turn back.

He could hear Lifth's voice, but was unable to comprehend the words. All his pointed elven ears (the tip of one of them smashed in a bit from his awful tumble into the rock wall several minutes ago) could discern was the continually changing gravity of her voice as he turned her face from one battered and tired hero to the next, not excluding the two new strangers who had fallen into a chance meeting with the rest of them all in the course of the one frightful and horrendously long night that had just passed. (One of the two - not Lausen but the one whom William had guessed ran across the group in the cave at some point earlier - the elf had half-consciously noted with a brief glance out of one eye, was certainly not seemingly human, but had a presence about him that was far more grotesque than the wretched mask that was the man's face.) William was even more inwardly shocked by Lifth's words that were aimed directly at him; words of encouragement, almost ... compassion.

He glanced up at her face, dazed from the emotional stress of this past crazy night, and worn from the rigors of fighting with monsters, bloodthirsty mercenaries, and ruby-eyed dark elves, still trying to fathom the mysterious and complicated depths that was this girl's heart. Most times he felt so aggravated and self-conscious at her mocking and sometimes outright hateful nature; often he found himself clenching his teeth and wringing his hands from the frustration of feeling the weakness and self-doubt that she would always instill within him with the cold weight of her words. ... And then, there were times such as this that William felt his soft heart extend to hers, perhaps only out of unexpected pity for the weak-willed and ill-fated woman that the forest elf was now beginning to imagine seeing within Lifth, and not quite all of the way, but still ....

William made a vow to himself at that moment, listening as tentatively as he could to the rare but strangely warming kindness of the girl's voice, that he would stop at nothing to see this journey through to the end, now. No matter what, the number of enemies he would have to survive against or the life's blood he would have to lose in the so-doing, the forest elf would be successful as the protector that he had so grown up all of his life wishing to be. He would be the protector of this world, a world of living and breathing (and therefore precious, according to elven principles) ... and, perhaps, the protector of this one particular human girl, also.

.... But she was off into he gathering wind, again, as always, wordlessly bidding her guardians to follow after her in all possible haste. William rose to his feet, trying to give some of his companions (a few pleasant and trustworthy enough to be around, and most being his companions out of mere obligation) a small smile, and he called for the grey-spotted mare that he had personally chosen back at the king's palace as his road companion for the journey, and fondly come to call "Miss Bessie". Somehow, even after all of this fervent running away and desperate fighting, the horses had stayed within the vicinity of the group's control.
"Come on, girl," the forest elf spoke to the mare as he hopped over onto her back. "We've still a long ways to go. ... Story of our lives, now, isn't it?"

A few moments after being launched from the cave Lausen finds the energy to return to his feet. He stands eyes closed in complete silence. The warm sun beating onto his battle wore body. Mere minutes ago it was a feeling he thought he would never have the pleasure of experiencing again. The shuffling of the others breaks his peaceful silence. He opens his eyes to find everyone there.

Lifth darts right past him in a disrespectful manor without even acknowledging his presence. Enraged she begins to yell at Kayn. With each word Lausen feels more and more uneasy with the situation. The grip on his still unsheathed sword is tight, as if ready to slay an enemy.

Lausen watches her speak with a few other people in the group. Her words are almost mute to Lausen, who is prepared to strike at her throat if it comes to that.

"I must ask that you journey with us at least as far as we can find a safe place to explain everything. I feel as though we should trust you, so I hope you will accept." Without another word to him she rides off.

With a flick of his wrist the remaining blood on Lausen’s katana is gone and returned to its spot at his waist. He stares off into the horizon and thinks. I will find out the truth regardless of what I must do. With an attempt to mask his anger “Now how am I supposed to keep up without a horse of my own? Guess I’m footing it.â€

As Graft pulls himself up and brushes off the dust and spider entrails. He looks up to see the party head away from the cave into the distance. Graft shrugs and sighs and follows after them on foot

Lifth eases her pace shortly, allowing the rest to catch up. From there their progress is slow, detained by the treacherous footing of the mountainous paths they trekked as well as the fact that two of their party were without horses.

At midmorning they stopped near a stream, allowing the horses a chance to drink and those on foot to rest themselves. Conversations were short, clipped with no real meaning or intent. The majority of the party remained too absorbed with their own thoughts.

The journey resumed quietly and a little later the party happened upon an old mountain road. The going remained slow, due to the unmounted, but the way was easier for all. A cool breeze flushed through the area, wisping through the thin trees and down gulleys.

As the day approached noon, the party began to see humans here and there, working about the mountains. No-one paid them much heed. And then suddenly, as the party rounded a bend in the road, they were faced with Grefit, the mountain town.

Oddly, as the party encroached nearer and nearer on the town, they saw no-one. As they neared the open wooden gates the sound of fighting began to echo out of the place.

Lifth impetuously urged forward, riding into the town and down the main lane. The party hurries after her, each for their own reasons, but all staying near as they can manage.

The source of the fighting is soon found in the middle of the town. Goblins. A few men from the town are holding them off, but they are quite outnumbered. The remaining villagers seem to have crowded into the village chapel.

A middle aged man, more round than fat is on the steps of the chapel, engaged in a furious argument with a heavily armed woman standing near him. Both gestured towards the goblins and the few men holding them off repeatedly.

As they argue a robed man walks out from the crowded chapel. It is obvious that he does not belong to this town. A large black tabby cat struts beside him and they as they make their way past the round man and armed woman the robed man says something that seems to catch the round man by surprise.

The situation seems to be growing more and more grim by the second. The goblins overrun one man, leaving him unconscious on the ground before they make their way towards the next.

Then, all time seems to stop. The robed man and his cat pause for a brief moment. And the, as the man raises his arms, a strange and horrendous thing happens. The robed man flashes brightly and then goes transparent. At the same time his cat, which is now walking forward, begins to mutate horribly. Its back legs grow large and snap back, thrusting the cats growing upper body into the air. Its tail mutates with its arms, each growing larger and longer. Its head snaps back, its face elongating, fangs growing wicked and deadly. And then in a terrifying finally its fur actually drips of its body, leaving behind a glossy black skin with the appearance of hard metal.

The party, which hard been moving to aid the villagers is shocked into inaction. The thing, now a full head taller than a normal human looks much like the partial demon half the group had fought earlier.

The goblins seemed as shocked and frozen as everyone else. Then one managed a step backward. It was the last thing it did. The demon was on him in a flash, ripping through him with deadly talons that dragged from its hands. The goblins panicked, and slaughter ensued as most of them focused on fleeing instead of fighting this creature.

The goblin party was reduced in half in a matter of moments. Unfortunately it seemed that this helped them make sense of things. Four of the five remaining goblins turned on the creature, Jumping it in a furious attempt to take it down. The fifth turns to the transparent man, apparently blaming him for this demon and leapt towards him.

The leaping goblin falls through the man with a dagger protruding from his chest as the heavily armed woman walked down from the steps. Her arms surged forward and two of the goblins that had dog piled the demon fell off, a throwing star at the base of ones neck while the other had been pierced through with a long needle.

The demon surged up, rending one goblin to shreds and grasping another by its throat, lifting it high into the air. A second later its back is riddle with metal objects as the, still heavily armed but less so, woman walks back towards the round man.

The demon drops the dead goblin and a quickly as one can blink, is transformed back into a cat. A slightly bloodied cat that is licking itself clean amidst a pile of bodies. The robed man, no longer transparent, tuts at the cat which returns to his side.

The armed woman, who has now reached the round man, holds a hand out expectantly. The round man, none to happy at the situation, places a fat sack of coins in her palm. People flood from the chapel, many hugging one another or crying, but all apparently with the intent of returning to their lives.

Lifth's face is contorted with a mix of horror, fascination, surprise, anger, approval, and disgust. This was definitely an odd entry into town.

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

OOC: Go wild. Lol. Actually, just post responses and the like as we usher our two new players into the fold. We have plans for a RP Chat night that I would like to take place in Grefit on Friday, so we won't be leaving the town before then. So just go with the posts and we'll see what happens. Oh and my apologies for the bad grammar. I keep switching tense, but I really don’t feel like going back to correct it all.

No sooner did the gates of the town of Grefit appear did Kayn reach back on his cloak and pull his hood well over his head, doing his best to hide his hair and eyes. It had been a while since he's been in public and he has never much enjoyed it either. Though this is probably the one time he could have gone into public without the locals fearing a Dark Elf because they were amist an attack by a horde of goblins.

What happned next even furthered that point as the robed being slaughtered them all with his.... pet. Seeing as he had everything well under control, Kayn had no intent on drawing any unwanted attention. So he slid of the bear back of his horse and spoke in Elvish telling it not to leave the rest of the horses or the party. Kayn then darted between a few houses.

As he slipped away from the scene he could already hear the last of the goblins dying. People then started dispersing from the chapel, which meant people would begin to start populating the streets again. In sight of this, Kayn located an old lybrary towards the western side of town. Many trees grew beside it as it was farther away from the residential area. Upon opening the door, an old man with very white hair sat. His eye-glass was big enough to double as a telescope. He had a pipe hanging out of his mouth, but it wasn't lit. He sat there thumbing though a book and acted as if he wasn't taking notice of Kayn entry.

Kayn was about to walk past him to go find himself a scroll to read when the elderly man spoke up. "Haven't seen your kind in a long time." Reflectively, Kayn grabbed his hood and pulled if farther down. The old man then let out a hardy laugh which almost made his pipe fall. "I'm old... not blind. I'm also not going to let a few goblins keep me from my books. There's history here more important than this old fools life, and it'll not be left to be ruined by goblins. I've also been around long enough to know a Dark Elf when I see one. But the same thing applies to Dark Elves as Goblin. The only difference is that I know Dark Elves have respect for litterature..."

Silently, Kayn pulled back his hood far enough to better take a look at the elderly man, half suprized at his reaction and interested all in the same. He was half expecting the flash of his golden eyes to change the man's oppinion and flee like everyone else does... but instead, he just smiled... and then lit his pipe. "Feel free to take a look at whatever interestes you... no one really comes into here anymore. And specially now since the recent shenanigans of those goblins."

Kayn, unsure of how to reply, just gave a him a "Thank you..." and when searching through the archives. The town wasn't very large so there wasn't that many documents. But there were more than what one would expect. After searching for a few minutes, he settled on a transcript and sat at a old table by a lantern in the corner and began to read.

At the first sight of goblins Lausen reached for his sword. Before he could do anything a robed man and his pet began to engage the goblins. Lausen could do nothing but mumble the words “interesting.â€

Carm sofly smiled as he gracefully picked up Vjex, eyes beaming under a most generous sun. Holding the black cat closely did he stare at his dear pet as if to suggest that he was genuinely concerned with the cat's well-being. The blood trail dripped from Vjex's fur. So thick and rich did the goblin blood flow from the innocent appearing animal while some villagers slowly approach Carm to ask him questions.

"Whoa, where are YOU from?"
"Where in the hell did you learn to do that?!"
"I want a pet like him! Can I have him?"
"Who... are you?"

Seeming flooded with mundane inquisition did Carm mutter under his breath while gazing intently at the ground he stood upon, "Midgard hasn't a particular taste for self-restraint or manners, does it?" He spoke in a gentle tone, but Vjex hissed at one of the villagers whenever they approached him too quickly. Eventually he replied to their questions with congenial manner and haste. They all seemed to enjoy at what Carm had done for this town. This was his hobby, his pleasure. He secretly enjoyed helping people who could not afford to help themselves.

Relishing in his victory, Vjex nuzzled up against Carm's stained shirt which had been contaminated with foolish Goblin blood. Carm stared as if fascinated with the corpses Vjex had just decimated. "Such folly. Goblin, human, jotun- it makes no difference. Stupid seems so commonplace; makes my skin crawl." His crystalline blue eyes eyes closed for a moment to rid himself of the trance he was in. Ignoring all the pestering people who wanted things from him did he thank those who offered aid in the battle. He refused the money the man offered to pay him as thanks for defending the villagers from an obviously unorganized and quite pathetic attempt at a raid. Instead, Carm looked away from the crowd that had once been in shock. He focused on the band of people who he did not recognize riding into the village. He looked for a moment and then addressed his gaze towards the chapel. Carefully cradling Vjex in his arm as if he were carrying an infant, Carm entered the chapel. The crowd of confused people made way for him quickly, being specifically careful not to agitate the man who controlled the beast. He only returned a smile to those who looked upon him, though. He was aware of the stigma his power weighed upon him. He knew the stupidity that lay dormant for any of these silly people to tap into. "HE'S A DEMON." "HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED." "HE'LL KILL US, TOO!" This is what he had to deal with now. Clustered and introduced to a world that did not take kindly to the principles and disciplines of demonology, he knew the risks of performing such feats in public. Regardless of this, it must have been done in order to ensure the survival of the people. A necessary endangerment.

Carm entered the chapel, taking in his surroundings. He caressed Vjex in a soft and slow manner.
A voice pervaded Carm's mind, "That was mildly disappointing, Sleep."
Carm grinned without looking towards the animal who had just penetrated the walls of his mind and spoke, "Why do you have this fascination with calling me Sleep, hairball?" Vjex looked up at his face, frustrated that Carm heed him no attention with his eyes.
"Why, you're my euphemism for death" the cat spoke gleefully. Carm closed his eyes for a moment with his grin still painted on his face as he sat down on one of the pews within the bosom of the chapel.
"I typically like the tranquility that go along with places like this. The world could learn a thing or two from simply sitting still. Too bad it never will." Vjex frowned at Carm as the man spoke into nothingness, just as he normally did when there was a moment to relax and take in the emotions of their surroundings.
"Fortunately, the world never gets tired, Sleep" the cat spoke with a degree of emptiness.
"I suppose you're right, hairball..."

Finally, we arrived at that stupid town for some needed R&R. Like with every other place we been to, there was a bit of trouble. Goblins, eh? I'm not going to waste my time on such pathetic creatures. Besides, eversince we left that cave my head has been ringing something feirce. I wasn't interested in fighting or doing much anything. That is when I saw a rather strange sight. A Helcat tearing the goblins to shreads. Seems things might get interesting later on. I guess I'll have to bump off the master before we leave. Someone with this kind of ability might know who I am, for it isn't a technique familiar of those of Midgard. I can't be found in this place. Odin...

My train of thought was broken as I saw the dark elf wander off in town. My first priority is to confirm whether or not he is a spy. I can't let him leave my sights. I proceed to trail behind, keeping just out Kayn's view. He went into a hideous looking building, a place fitting of a low life like him. However, I cannot proceed into the building without him noticing. That is when some annoying little girl started tugging on my shirt.

"Mis'a what you doin?"
"Leave me alone, kid. I'm busy."
"You wanna biscuit?"
"No, kid, I already told you to scram. Leave my sight."
"Big meanie! You bad man."
"Yes, I've been told that many times before. Now get the hell out of here before I thrash you with my..."

That's when it hit me. I could use the little girl to spy on Kayn. I use my dominate ability to take over the girl and makes her enter the building. The place is just a run down library... the elf is reading, never thought he was a reader. Bah! This is boring. I'll check out the chapel while I have the brat keep track of him. Need to find out what I have in store for me later. Now to scope the owner of the Helcat. I proceed to the chapel and see a cloaked man lounging with a cat. Doesn't look very threatening. Wait a sec!

"ITS YOU!"

Carm and Vjex's ears picked up a rather accusing speech that was bolted into his direction. His back was to the man who was unknown to him. Carm looked over his shoulder at the man while Vjex immediately, with liquid speed, pounced up upon Carm's shoulder to see who this intrusive man was. Vjex hissed for a moment before Carm gave him the signal to settle down, a gesture that was only noted by closing his eyes for a brief moment. Upon opening his eyes, Carm eyes flashed a dark red but then returned to the original frozen iris's his eyes commonly sustained.
"I was beginning to think you'd have more tact when introducing yourself to people. Perhaps your list of manners is past due, or perhaps etiquette is not your forte. Whatever the case may prove to be, come in and sit with me. I have a feeling you seem uneasy about me, whether I'm a baddy or not? I'm a good judge of posture" Carm laughed. First impression told him that this man would not be so easy to settle down.
Vjex leaped from his lap and onto the floor by the end of the pew closest to the altar Carm was sitting on. The cat's stare was cold and unrelenting as if to suggest that the man should be careful of his actions. After a moment, the cat sat and began to lick his bloodied paw but was paying close attention to the rude man with his eyes.
"I don't like this one, Sleep" Vjex said telepathically to Carm.
"We mustn't make hasty assumption of others, hairball. Only when they point the tip of a sword, arrow, and whatever weapon they feel makes them unique in a desolate world can we shatter their vanity; the infection of reality. Irony is ever blooming and sweet, in my opinion." Carm replied telepathically, as well.
Carm motioned for the man to sit with him or at least generate some form of congeniality in the form of standing closer to him. His expression clearly showed warmth. He didn't want to feel like some freakshow, after all. The circus wasn't in town today.


--------
OOC: I am color coding Carm as yellow. Vjex as cyan. My posts may become confusing as I roleplay two characters, just trying to make things a little more easier to read for everyone pertaining to who is talking and saying what at the time.

Kayn didn't get very far in his scroll when he heard the door of the library creek open. Instinctively he grabbed his hood and pulled it farther down to a more comfortable level. The old man with him looked up at her.

"Lilly, what a surprise to see you here. I haven't seen you here in quite some time."

The little girl did not reply. Awkwardly, the man went back to his pipe. Kayn noticed her glancing at him ever so often. He scanned her with his sensing ability to find nothing... still, he finds it strange that such a young girl would come into an old library and even stranger still that she didn't pick up any books while she was there.

"..."

Kayn tried his best to just ignore here as he when back to reading his transcript. The document was quite old. The edges of the pages were old and cracked. The brittle document held old runes that probably very few could read. After what happened in the cave, Kayn had to try and figure out just what was going on. The rune's roughly translate to "Poetic Edda."

The sun, the sister | of the moon, from the south
Her right hand cast | over heaven's rim;
No knowledge she had | where her home should be,
The moon knew not | what might was his,
The stars knew not | where their stations were.

The war I remember, | the first in the world,
When the gods with spears | had smitten Gollveig,
And in the hall | of Hor had burned her,
Three times burned, | and three times born,
Oft and again, | yet ever she lives.

Heith they named her | who sought their home,
The wide-seeing witch, | in magic wise;
Minds she bewitched | that were moved by her magic,
To evil women | a joy she was.

Kayn was rubbing his fingers on his temples, trying to figure out everything that had come to pass. He was so fixated on his though that he never noticed the little girl leave. It wasn't until the elderly man came within his vision did he snap out of it.

"Would you mind a smoke?" The man pulled out a leather bag tied with some rather small rope. Unable to be rude to the man who was obviously trying to be overly hospitable, he reached into one of his traveling bags and produced a pipe of his own. It was made from a branch from a tree back in the Elven forest. It had been hollowed out. Kayn thanked the man, and packed in some of the tobacco from the pouch. To his surprise the tobacco was much better than expected. It helped lighten his heavy thoughts on what he was researching. Curious as to what Kayn are so intently looking at, the old librarian asked what he was searching for.

Exhaling a plume of smoke, Kayn muttered just one word...

"Ragnarök."

The darkly dressed woman quickly grabbed the bag of gold from the Mayor's hand, sneering and stalking over to the side of the chapel. Leaning against the wall, she opened the drawstrings and slowly began to count her coins. The mayor frowned and walked over, "I didn't cheat you!" he exclaimed loudly.

Several villagers stopped to see the confrontation, but the woman just raised an eyebrow. "I never said you did. Surely you know that it is the habit of any mercenary to check any way?"

The mayor glowered at her, as did a few of the townsfolk. "You doubt our reputation by publicly checking our funds."

She laughed. "But I preserve my own, and also my wealth. If I had waited until I was in a more private spot to count my money, and then found out that you had shorted me, it would be my word versus yours.... And you could easily claim I had spent or hidden what was missing. This way, all can see..."

"Can see what, exactly?" The mayor asked threateningly.

"That you did not cheat me." She pushed away from the wall and past the mayor and villagers, and into the chapel. Taking her staff from it's position strapped to her back, she collapsed on a bench and tucked her money into a pack that she had left inside during the fighting.

As the fighting ended the party scattered. Lifth shook her head from side to side, half grimacing, half grinning. She recalled that she had told them this would be a chance for rest. Ah well, she already knew the multitude of things she would have to attend to in this place, including the new faces she would have to approach.

But for now, she decided, that could all wait. She had owed someone something for far to long, and she intended on making good her promise.

She scanned the area and spied her target sitting beneath a tree. She approached Lausen, neither cautiously nor boldly, merely approached. "I believe I have promised you an explanation. If you wish to hear it I suggest you take a stroll with me."

Without waiting for him she walks away, down a nondescript path that winded through the town.

Still gazing into the sky, letting the sun beat on his face, Lausen didn't even notice Lifth aproach him until she started to talk.

"I believe I have promised you an explanation. If you wish to hear it I suggest you take a stroll with me."

"I'm not sure I want to know after what's happened already." Lausen uses his sword and sheath to pull himself to his feet and starts to follow Lifth. "Oh boy, this is going to be interesting."

My head began to hurt drasticly more than before. All I could do in response to the cloaked man is laugh as I pass out from the pain.

The laughing from the man tricked a nerve in Vjex's head sending him into an angry state of resentment. He hissed at the man as he passed out.
"The idiot passed out on us. I wanted to taunt him with my claws, Sleep" he exclaimed.
"There are more pressing issues at hand, hairball" Carm retorted vocally. "If this man is exhausted or hurt then we should see to it that we care for him. Hiss once more and your eyes might gush forth your woe." Carm wasted no time in scolding the prudish cat, but instead he got up and walked towards the direction of the man. Stopping at the man's feet where he collapsed, Carm gazed down at the unconscious body drained from it's functioning.
Vjex was quickly upon the man who had just collapsed before them, sniffing his face to acquire a scent. "So filthy. He's injured, but I haven't a clue from what. We'd best direct his injuries to someone with better knowledge of the sorts. You're a demonologist, not a healer, Sleep."
Carm kneeled down and whacked Vjex on the head. "Condescend me like that again, dolt, I'll make sure that the only thing you eat comes from the backside of goblins. Besides, I think I would know my limitations by now." He smiled and rubbed Vjex's head after he said this. It looked as if he were talking to himself.
"Just an suggestion, Sleep. Damn you..." the cat stated in a rather pathetic tone.
Carm noticed the darkly dressed woman that entered the chapel moments ago. "Ma'am" he said in a voice large enough to easily reach her ears, "Could you please assist me? I have no clue what on Midgard is wrong with this man, but he just collapsed here. If you should know anything on how to tend wounds, could you help? If you do not... maybe help me seek out someone who is adept in the arts of recovery?" He scratched his temple as he spoke to relay that he wasn't certain of himself while addressing someone he barely knew of, especially since she did not approach him first.

Growling under her breath, she stood and sighed in apparent irritation.

Turning her back on the injured man and the demonologist, she stalked to the door. Opening it, she poked her head out and called to the nearest villagers.

"Traveler hurt in here. Bring a healer."

Closing the door again, she turned and walked back to her pack. Dropping on the bench, she pulled a dagger from her boot and a whetstone from her pack and started sharpening the blade with a slight rasping noise.

Lifth walked silent, contemplative, the wind wisping through her cloak. She followed the meandering path, slowly, resolutely. When she spoke it was soft, and she did not look at Lausen.

"I assume you have heard of Sigurd's call for guardians. I assume this, because I think all of the nine worlds has heard it, and how could they not?" She smiled, the corners of her lips twitching up. "The arrogance of it! A human, plotting to halt that which is prophesied by the Gods!" Laughter bubbles up from within her and spills out, brightening her face and adding a twinkle to her eyes. "But if anyone could do it, he could. Sigurd is the strongest king we have ever had. And he loves his people. He does what he must." Her smile seems sorrowful for a brief moment and then is masked away.

Lifth halts abruptly, turning to Lausen. "The members of my party are the last warriors to answer Sigurd's call. He charged them with the duty of escorting me to Hoddmimir Forest, far to the northeast. But some have been forced to leave our group already, and our numbers dwindle. We require warriors. But not just any warriors will do. As you may have noticed, on the outside some of my party appear not so brave and true. But it is what is inside that counts."

She lowers her head for a moment and then brings her gaze up, level with Lausen's eyes. A feeling of immense energy rushes from her, her eyes sharp as piercing lances shooting towards Lausen's soul. "I believe you have what is required warrior. But that is not my decision to make."

She breaks off her gaze and stares at the ground, and as she speaks despair quivers in her voice. "Leave us and I know not what will find you. But come with us, my dark warriors and I, and I promise you, all you will find is battle."

No matter how hard I try, I can never get close to father's skill. It is so frustrating! Mom just giggles as I fall on my face over and over again. Training with him just isn't fun, anymore. Thor will at least give me a fighting chance. Not father. What the hell is he trying to teach me?! One of these days I'll surpass him and earn the right to be at Odin's side. It is taking too long to earn these skills. There has to be another way...