It seems the break is over. I might as well see what this human wants of us. I have grown tired of this filthy castle, the sooner we leave the better. Once I finally find the means to leave this world I'm out of here. But until then I might as well intertain myself.

Sigurd looks around him at the crew assembled. "Two elves, a human raised by dwarfs, a barbarian chief, and," he pauses as his eyes rest on Ende," let's just not get into what you are."

"I have a mission I need completed, and as you all answered my summons for heroes I'm under the impression you will not reject said mission. Lifth, come here."

A demure looking young girl approaches from the side of the room.She's dressed commonly, with nothing out of the ordinary about here.

"Lifth needs to be taken to Hoddmimir Forest, east of Melfias. Normally the airships would turn that into a 2 day trip. But since air travel is no longer safe due to the sever weather and numerous skirmishes popping up everywhere, it seems like you'll have to make the trip on foot. Which means close to a two week trip for you fine gentlemen and the lady."

"You'll be heading east from here to the port at Hormir. After that a few days travel north will bring you to Melfias. If you can't make it to Hoddmimir from there you're all a bunch of fools and this mission was doomed to start from the begining."

"Be smart gentlemen, ask no questions, fulfill your duty, and keep Lifth safe, exspecially from yourselves. I'll be providing horses and the necessary items you'll need to travel. You just bring your gear and your wits. Oh...and you leave now."

A flick of Sigurd's hand sees the party escorted outside to awaiting horses. Lifth is the first to mount her steed, in one single fluid motion that dismisses her demure appearance. "This is Alsvider, do not touch him, nor me, on this journey. We will see to ourselves. You simply need to see that others obey the rules you yourselves have been put to."

Horses. Jerod had never seen before in his life. He had no idea how to ride one. But, in the midst of the trained warriors, he didn't want to seem the stupid one. So, he tried getting on. He fell almost instantly. He heard laughter behind him. It reminded him of the dwarves, how they laughed at him non-stop. I won't be humiliated again... and he quickly jumped onto its back, trying again.

"I'll take the lead position."

*Wargolth jumps onto a horse and gets ready.*

No sooner than Sigurd flick of a wrist was Kayn already turning on his heels and heading out of the castle.

He walked up to one of the kings horses he assigned for the trip and began to unlatch the saddle. After freeing the animal from the saddle and reigns, he mounted the steed. He whispered an elvish phrase and the horse because what was soon to be a long journey.

During his preparations, he disregarded anything Lifth had said. The only time he would acknowledge her is if she was in danger... other than that, Kayn would keep to himself.

Well this is some good news. I'm mocked by the king, forced to work with elves, and have to babysit some woman. How the mighty have fallen. Does Sigurd really expect me to go along with this? Plus, for him to think I would be as lecherous as my father... to touch a human woman. *sigh*

Maybe I should just look at the bright side. It has been a long time since I've been on a horse. I remember back when I was young, father would take me horseback riding. Hours went by, as we just wondered the country side. Good times of so long ago. I hope I still know how to do this. *sattles up nicely on the horse* Seems I still got it.

I can't believe that I'm working with elves. Those treacherous creatures. If they pull anything, I'll kill both of them, myself. Must keep my spear sharp, just in case.

... It ... seems like a simple enough task, William thought to himself. But ... I don't know .... He glanced over at the human girl, who called herself Lifth, who actually seemed intent on avoiding making any eye contact with the him. ... I have a feeling I am in for some real trouble, ahead .... He glanced down at the dark red flower he had bought from Elmina to make certain it was still pinned to his shoulder. In any event, ... I suppose I had best do as that girl says and think only of keeping her safe. She seems a little scary, not to mention horribly arrogant.

Taking a deep breath, the rather short-statured elf swordsman used the springs in his heels to leap up onto the only riderless horse remaining, for the others had already gone ahead of him while he had once again been zoning out with so many random thoughts about what was soon to happen to him. William could see that the only other person in the group with him who still appeared to be in his childhood, the human called Jerod, was actually having a bit of trouble getting up onto a horse that was quite a bit taller than he was. William felt inclined to ask him if there was anything he could do to help, but a sudden sidelong glance at Ende's face knocked the words right out of him. Ende appeared to be gazing at him with far more coldness than William had ever felt from Kayn when that dark elf had always seemed to be glaring at him from his back. It was more than just a bit unfriendly.

The elf felt a sudden unpleasant stab of uneasiness in his heart, ... but eventually just turned up his nose and hastily turned his face the other way in a false show of apathy. I suppose not everyone approves of having a child at their side as someone to watch their back in the middle of fighting .... He thought, his horse coming to a trotting pace alongside the others. But there's no way I will give this person the pleasure of thinking that I am apprehensive of him.

Lifth, begins riding without a backward glance at the party. She heads through the eastern gates at a slight trot, though it seems Alsvider wishes to go faster.

There are 5 pack horses in addition to each of your mounts. Looks like each one of you should take the lead to a pack horse and ride after Lifth before you lose here. This might be a long journey and you wouldn't want to make it without the goods and equipment in the packs.

Jerod finally hopped on and followed Lifth. HE felt a sudden pain inside of him. I left the dwarves to come here. Now I'm leaving here to, most likely, die. I'm sooo stupid!

Young... Careless...

Kayn rolled his eyes. Looking back at the pack-horses, he called to one in an attempt to get everyone to follow suit.

He whispered to his horse and made it catch up to Lifth's.

"Don't be careless, girl. If you are to be protected, stay were you'll be safe."

Kayn continued pasted her...

(This is a formal attempt to use Kayn's special ability for any suprize attacks that may be later down the road.)

Kayn sighs to himself. ("Children... why did I let myself go on sucks a fool's errund with a buch of children. Personally, I know not what the king has in mind, nor do I see how this girl has anything to do with saving the country.")

Before William could even shake the thought of Ende's cold stare away from both sight and mind, he turned at the sound of approaching hoofbeats just in time to see the human girl Lifth thundering past him and the others. She obviously had no intention actually telling her recently adopted guardians to catch up to her, either. "Hey, wait - !" William was about to shout after her, but just as soon realized it was useless to even try.

"Ach! That girl!" He angrily huffed. "How can we be expected to look after such a headstrong little brat?! I cannot believe she is trying to give us this much trouble already!"

William wasn't very familiar and definitely not skilled with riding on horseback, but luckily, as what comes naturally to most elves of the forest, he possessed a spirit that was able to communicate directly with that of most animal species', regardless of personal relationship. The elf swordsman leaned forward as close he could to the top of the equine creature's head without risking losing his balance and falling off, and whispered, "... Please, try to match the pace of the human girl's, my friend." The horse's ears suddenly perked up, and it obediantly began to go from a fast trot to a gallop.

"... Oh! Right ...." William suddenly remembered, turning his head back to one of the pack horses that were beginning to linger somewhat far behind the rest of the group. "Come on!" He called to one in particular - a smaller-statured mare of an oddly greyish color, it appeared - waving one hand. The elf smiled in relief, seeing the mare gaze directly at him and appear to immediately try to catch up to William's side. His innate abilities as an elf certainly did not fail him at this moment, but William could tell that the next couple of weeks were going to be a bit of a trial for him.

There were eyes on the party that could not be seen. And the eyes were very amused. A rag tag band of heroes indeed. Some charging forward with knowledge in their veins, some with the hope of being needed, and others without a care in the world. And hell, not even all of them were charging forward. One could barely stay on his horse.

This was the party that was going to protect Lifth? The eyes didn't know whether to be scared or joyfully amused. Either way this seemed like it was going to be an eventful few weeks.

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

Your path takes you along a main trade road east from Prontera to Hormir. It is a rocky road with mountains bracing it's northern side and ocean clearly in view of its southern edge. The road is mostly barren of people as most trade is done by airship and river. The light it fading fast, but Alsvider sets a brisk pace just over a trot. As the light begins to fade the group is several miles from Prontera.

I would suggest stopping for the night. The road is rocky and it would be unfortunate to lose a horse or perhaps a rider in an accident.

After a good deal of riding and with the sun setting, it seemed that it was time to get some rest. Still ahead of Lifth, he called over his shoulder.

"I'll be stopping here for the night... I suggest you do the same."

With that, he talked the horses under an oak tree. After dismounting, he placed his palm on their necks and spoke to them. He made sure that the horses knew not to wander off durring the night.

With a great leap, Kayn found a notch between the tree and a limb where he would reside for night. He threw back his hood and let his white hair fall freely down his back. He also took his weapon and jabbed it into the tree within arm's reach if ever the need for it arised.

Before he left the horses at the base of the tree, though, he pulled a bit of food from the rations. Afterwards, he settled in for the night...

Jerod was having trouble keeping up. When he saw they were stopping, he was very relieved. That might have been the worst hours of his life. Bouncing uncontrollibly, not know where to turn, and he even fell a few times. Now he started to feel a sattle sore on his backside. Could this possibly get any worse? Then he remembered. Yea, it could...

Wargolth wasn't tired, he's been itching for a real fight.

"I'm going to explore."

Wargolth starts to wander off.

I climb up a tree just off the campsite. These rogues do not seem trust worthy to me. I'm much safer sleeping up here, out of their reach... and out of the reach of predators. They can dine on these fools. Like I really care for their or the girl's safety.

There weren't many in the group that chose to stay near the human girl, really, and those that did stay close apparently did not feel much like socializing. The seemingly apathetic Warlgoth simply wandered off up the road a ways, and the particularly grim-looking Ende hastily took off high up into a tree, looking as though he wanted as far away from the others as possible. The dark elf who William did not trust for a second sort of stood near by, up in a tree, as well, but ... even though he actually seemed to take his current objective seriously, there was still something that caused the young forest elf to not even want to so much as look in his general direction.
With the other three heroes gone, having remained with King Sigurd for some reason, it looked to be that Jerod was about the only one around that William thought he could even begin to communicate with. Even the young lady, Lifth, herself, remained near but with her mind completely elsewhere.

... But all of this was probably for the better. The elf would simply be able to concentrate on standing vigil over her as he promised without worrying about any of the others interfering in some way. William stood, quietly with his sword held securely at his side, thinking he was ready to draw the weapon and come to Lifth's defense in case some sort of antagonist came. After a few minutes of complete silence, where not one of the other heroes moved, the elf suddenly felt a strange, unpleasant feeling shot like an arrow into his back, as though perhaps something or someone of malevolent intent was watching them. Alarmed, he quickly turned around, gazing off a distance back down the road in the direction they had come from. ... There was nothing. After a few moments' discernment, William slowly turned back to the human girl sitting in perfect tranquility just yards away from him.

Kith silently cursed Elven senses under his breath and crept back down the road from his hiding spot. He'd almost been certain that the young elf had discovered him, and he was definitely not pleased about the thought. His buyer would hear a word or two about this when he got back. Kith had signed on for an easy mission. And while he wasn't worried about his own safety elves would make getting everything into position slightly difficult. Come to think of it his gift should be arriving sometime soon.

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

Back at camp a growling can be heard in the bushes...after a few moments a large mutt leaps out with something dangling from his mouth.....He inches slightly close to the camp and drops the thing in his mouth on the ground before turning and fleeing. That "thing" happens to be a severed human hand. And it happens to be holding a letter.

If someone is brave enough to approach the hand and read the letter please speak up and I'll tell you all what the letter says. But a word of caution that I'll give is that severed hands never bring pleasant surprises.

... Night was finally beginning to fall in entirety, it seemed. William blinked a few times, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness, but elves - especially those who are still only children as young as he - are not known for having the ability to see through just anything without much discipline in the art, and so even the few stars rising in the sky were not much help.

William grimaced in his concentration, setting his face as intently in the direction of the road ahead of him and the rest of the group as he had ever been in the last few hours, hoping that if danger were to come, he would be able to see and react in time. Since having first taken up his place of vigilance over the girl that he and the others were supposed to be protecting, the only times the elf had ever taken his eyes off of the road was to glance back at Lifth every so often, to make certain nothing had managed to sneak up on her without anyone's awareness. If escorting this girl safely to this Hoddmimir Forest that the king spoke of somehow had anything to do with saving this world, then William, amateur and somewhat naive swordsman though he may be, would try his best to see this task accomplished. He was just glad that Lifth's horse, the one she called Alsvider, seemed to be taking the task of guarding her just as seriously as the young elf was.

William smiled half-heartedly to himself, still wondering if the time when he would truly have to face down some terrible being of great evil who truly intended to kill him, with nothing but the Northern Longblade at the elf's side to stand in the way of his life being utterly crushed, would come in the near future. .... On instinct William's pointed ears stood erect; something the like the rustle of leaves, and then a slight growl, came from some vegetation somewhere behind the elf. He turned, unfortunately only belatedly remembering to draw his sword, and squinted a few times to see a shadow fleeing into the thicket, leaving something on the rocky ground just before it.

"Wha - " The elf stammered, wondering if the curious present that was left in the shadow's wake really was what the elf thought it was from his vantage point. All in the matter of two seconds, William fervently glanced about, and, summoning the first two names he could think of to the tip of his throat, he shouted in alarm, "Jerod! Kayn!"

Not even waiting to see if they were reacting to his summons, the elf rushed over to the patch of vegetation, and bent down to his knees to see that the object that had at first been concealed by the shadows of the night was, indeed, someone's severed hand.

Jerod was asleep. And sleeping very good. He dreamed of being a hero. A leader. The leader of an army. He and his army fought against the evil, and won. The king rewarded him with everthing his heart desired. But even with all this, he felt like he was missing something....

The sound of his name alarmed him and he woke up fast. He scrambled up to where William was leaning over. Then, he wished he didn't. What he saw was a severed hand. It's holding a note...