Healing Mishap
By Lanzaq
"I HAVE GIRLY EYES!" Cael yelled, causing it to echo around every corner, into every nook and cranny that the tripwire alarm hadn't reached. All the Party heard at that moment was a deafening roar. So loud was the roar that the cave itself quaked.

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Healing Mishap Part 1 of many.

"Where the hell is Kate!?" Roared Cael, the parties only magic user. "She was supposed to join us for this dungeon Crawl hours ago!" he continued, launching magical arrows in groups of three at the monsters in front of him.

"I don't know Cael, you know how Kate is, she is a ditz of a healer, she always seems to pop-up when we need healing the worst, and disappears just in time for when we need a resurrection." Arric, the bowman, said. "What do you think Ash, do you think Kate is showing up any time soon?" Arric said directing his attention to the tall swords woman who was busy hacking away at a group of nearby monsters.

"Dunno." Was Ash's short reply before she did a graceful swirling dance making contact with several vital spots on the monsters. She looked over at them before returning to her hack-and-slash approach to getting through the hoard of monsters that were dormant until Arric accidentally stepped on a trip-wire. Waking up every sleeping goblin and every tired ogre in the cave, and trust these adventurers, Goblins and Ogres are NOT morning people.

Before they could even kill the next monsters in front of them a petite blond headed healer appeared with a big smile on her face in the middle of the group through a blue ring of energy. "Hello Everyone! Sorry I am late, I got caught up in Capital with a bunch of young kids that needed to have some minor injuries tended to." She said brushing her hair over her shoulder. "Now...who needs to be healed?" she asked looking at her party members who just shot her an angry glare before returning back to the hoard in front of them.

"Ooo Cael, is that another Magic Arrow?" Kate asked looking at the young elf Cael. He stood taller than Kate, but not as tall as the man Arric. His hair was the shade of blond normally referred to as 'elf headed'. His eyes like a frozen lake.

"Cael has been studying hard to become the Capital's next Sage-General." is all Arric said before sniping an Ogre in the eye and watching it fall backwards on top of a group of very startled goblins. He sighed and ran a hand through his short salt and pepper hair. "did you know he has already mastered creating a razor wind? And what is impressive is that the sprat is only thirteen."

"Kate. Heal." Ash interrupted pointing at a gash across her arm where there was a gap in armor.

"Alright Ash, you know, you should really talk more, guys like tall women, you really should think about getting yourself a man, y'know, I mean you can only hope to stay a strong adventure for so long before guys lose interest in you, I mean you have Arric, but he is old enough to be my dad, and Cael, but if you tried to get his attention you would practically be robbing the cradle!" Kate said completely ignoring the fact that Ash needed to be healed.

Ash just sighed and ignored the wound and continued to attack as Kate continued on her tirade

"Why exactly do we have the two most strangest women in our Dungeon-Crawl group?" Arric whispered to Cael who just wiped sweat off his forehead and continued his magical assault on the hoard.

"I dunno, you tell me, Ash is so quiet and reserved and then we have Kate, the ever talkative Ditz of a healer..." Cael said summoning an Earth elemental out of the rocks nearby and commanding it against a group of Armoured goblins.

"Well, you know I have never been very good with women...."Arric trailed off shooting another ogre in the face. "I mean when I was ten, I got my first kiss from my local village girl, my parents got mad at me later because she was an elf, but hey, she kissed very well for a ten-year old elf."

"How...interesting..." was all Cael said before his elemental crumbled and he let out a string of elvish profanities. "Guys, this isn't going well...KATE get busy!"

"I know...its just Ash should really think about talking more...I mean she is so pretty and tall and exotic, I think that if she were to talk more she would really get a whole lot of male attention." Kate continued waving her staff around absentmindedly.

"Kate. Heal. Please." Ash asked again, the wound bleeding fairly badly. Cael was busy fending off three goblins with his staff that his magic had missed. Arric was now knee deep in imps that were too quick for his arrows.

"ahahaha, guys...I think we are in trouble...Kate tell us that you have that resurrection spell mastered this time right?" Arric said kicking at the imps with little to no effect. Cael was sprawled out on the floor, and Ash was staggering about from blood loss.

"Oh yeah. I have been practicing!" Kate said twirling her staff in her hand and dropping it. "...a little." She added meekly. Arric quickly removed a small dagger from his belt and continued to hack his way out of the pile. "Kate...how did you manage to practice Resurrection if it requires the target being dead?"

"Oh that's simple, You know the field with all the funny looking stones with names on them?" Kate said beaming. "I used the incantation, and it wasn't very long before I helped a LOT of people back from the dead."

Arric sighed and shoved the dagger back into it's sheath. "Kate....That's called a graveyard. That's where people who got sick or just got old and died went to sleep forever..." Arric said slowly trying to get Kate to understand just what she had done.

"Oh. Does that explain why when they got up they groaned and sort of shuffled around a bit like you do when you wake up at camp?" Kate asked her head tilted, and the staff in her hand tilted the same way as if mocking her.

A groan escaped Arric's mouth and Ash sort of stabbed at a couple of goblins while still bleeding badly. "Kate, Please. Heal." Ash Stuttered before falling on her back. Arric groaned louder, and tried to fend off the still coming onslaught.

"That sort of explains the zombie infestation we had a few days back at the capital." Arric said taking down a large troll with several shots to the chest and shoulder area. "Kate. Now, I understand you probably have something to tell me right now, but please you have two team mates that are downed and would thank you a LOT if you could help them out." By this time the onslaught was over as quick as it had begun, and silence loomed over the two like a thick fog.

"Okay!" Kate said smiling, breaking the silence. Waving the staff around making odd shaped symbols that hung burning in mid-air. Kate whipped through an incantation and by time she was done Ash was standing back up and her arm was no longer bleeding. "Ash, go get 'em." Kate encouraged before turning to Cael. With the same incantation and the same symbols Cael stood up however when he opened his eyes Arric just stared.

"Cael, you feeling alright?" He asked somewhat shocked.

"What, I don't feel different...why?" He asked giving a hard glare back. "Why are you staring?"

"Well uh. Your eyes." He said tossing him one of his daggers. Cael then shifted the blade around until he could get a good look at his reflection, however they eyes that stared back weren't his. They were a light pinkish colour.

"I HAVE GIRLY EYES!" Cael yelled, causing it to echo around every corner, into every nook and cranny that the tripwire alarm hadn't reached. All the Party heard at that moment was a deafening roar. So loud was the roar that the cave itself quaked.

"Well, this couldn't get much worse....Cael...I will have you know for the last thirty some odd years of my life, I have always received comments from my prospective lovers about how lovely my eyes are. They would then follow that comment up with something along the lines of it reminds them of their sister...or mother...or even their grandmother." Arric said. "And before you decide to scream some more, I want my knife back because we are in for hell." He stated.

"That's normal. You said yourself you have lousy luck with women..." he made a quick glance over at Kate and Ash who were in the middle of an albeit, one-sided, discussion. "I believe argument A supports anything and everything you could possibly counter-argument." he continued "Also since when since we first entered this dungeon were we NOT going into hell"

"Not fair using Kate against an ole man like me...and true very true this dungeon has been nothing but hell." Arric said looking at Cael and trying not to laugh and not doing a good job. "Those eyes are quite lovely, for a lady!" he said bursting into a fit of laughter before getting serious. "Get ready guys. I don't know what Cael woke up with his yelling but I doubt it will be friendly." he added nocking an arrow into his bow.

--- afterward.---

"Well Cael, it could have been worse..." Arric said stifling a laugh. "I mean you could have ended up with more than just eyes." He continued "Besides you got a decent robe."

"You get a special bow that allows for rapid fire arrows. Ash got two perfectly weighted swords. Kate even got something better than me. She got that staff that makes her healing sixty percent more effective." Cael ranted "I get a 'decent' robe that allows for quicker casting and a set of pink girly-eyes. Woohoo" he says with mock-enthusiasm.

"Cael, maybe you also got the way to pout like a girl when Kate botched your resurrection." Arric said glaring at him sternly. "You are acting like a five year old girl over how your eyes are no longer a blue. In honesty. I LIKE your eyes the way they are. Believe it or not, take it for what it is. The undrunk rambling of a fairly old man." He went on. "Your gaze before was powerful, but now it commands more than just power. So quit moping about and stand up like a man and face the world."

"Don't you understand. I am not a man, I am an elf. What do you think is one of the few things other than childbearing and birth that make an elf man different from an elf woman? His eyes. The clearer the blue the better your bloodline. However how do you think elves judge a woman's bloodline? The lighter the pink, the purer the blood." Cael said looking into a puddle. "With eyes like this it looks like my blood was untouched by so many poisons that have corrupted bloodlines for centuries. "

"CAEL. Listen to me. How old are you?" Arric said giving him a glare of pure iron. "What do you understand of the world and how things work?"

"Greetings strangers." A man says stepping forward out from a nearby store, dressed in cleric robes, half moon glasses, and a holy-man's mace at his hip. "I hear you two are dungeon-crawlers, need a cleric? I can resurrect!"

Cael looked ecstatic and Arric just sort of shrugged. "another healer wouldn't be bad. I guess he would be working while Kate was off being...Kate. Tell me Son, how many dungeon-crawls have you been on?"

The young man flustered at this. "Umm one." he said shuddering. "It wasn't good, we were a group of newbies against what was supposedly a hero's dungeon. I escaped with scars, however some of my friends weren't so lucky...I hope where ever they were reincarnated they are enjoying themselves."

"What is your name?" Cael asked looking excited at the healer. "My name is Cael Fairwind. I am the last of my family." He said extending his hand for a shake.

"Lanzer, just Lanzer, and I came from a small parish where I learned I had a knack for healing magics." he responded nervously running his hand over the back of his head. His dark brown hair seemed a mite unruly.

"Nice to meet you Lanzer, the name is Arric Verdin, Archer sharpshooter," He paused as two young ladies wearing courtesan dresses walked by "And lady-killer extraordinaire. If you excuse me." he said before chasing after the two.

"What an odd character." Lanzer said to no one in particular. "He seems quite tethered to this world. I hope when the time comes he can find inner peace." Lanzer continued, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose. "Now, I know you are not human, so tell me you little worm, why are you Dungeon-Crawling with three humans, why not find a group of your own maggots to go find your own treasure, in your OWN country."

Cael couldn't believe what he was seeing, the man who was nice and polite just a few seconds before was now degrading him and being outright racist. "You know how you are treating me is against the ruling of the king. He has a decree out that we are on equal standing."

"Under law Maggot, we aren't in court and you aren't defending yourself. I am Human, I am superior." Lanzer said running his finger along the edge of his right sleeve. "Wait. I understand why you are here. You are a freak!" He stated "Your eyes are pink, only the elf women have pink eyes. I understand perfectly, you couldn't be with your own maggot-people so you decided to be a freak with a group of people that accept yo-" His sentence was stopped short as the flat of Ash's blade met the back of his head and he dropped to the ground clutching it.

"Scum." she said, as she kicked him in a very tender place. "Cael is superior to you."

"She-witch. God hates Sympathizers. You shalln't find hope or peace in the future." Lanzer said before he stood back up on wobbly knees and walked away as dignified as he could. "Remember this, I hate you, and your people." he said before Kate appeared in front of him, a look of unhappiness on her face.

"You are no healer. True healers listen, and help as much as possible. You are the true maggot." Kate said bashing him on the head with her staff before walking over to Cael and Ash. "Lets go. We need to get Arric. I have a special request for a dungeon-crawl."

---
I am tired, its two a.m. and I honestly can't believe I am actually going to post this...blah blah blah, something about leaving comments and how I need a proofreader.

Healing Mishap -2-
By Lanzaq
As Cael walked up to the door however the stone eye jumped to life followed him with a grind of stone on stone. Cael just stood in place outside the door. "Kate. This is all too much I am glad you are willing to do this for me but I don't think this is the best idea. I mean I am fine living with pink eyes its no big deal. I am sure people back home have lots of pink eyed men." he said
---

The four set down into the catacombs. Arric just stood at the back quite a look on his face. "Whatcha' thinking about?" Kate asked a confused look on her face. "Is it about Cael and that horrible person who was ready to attack him?"

"Huh, what? No." He paused placing his hand on his chin to look around at the dank, dark and claustrophobia inducing walls of the catacomb. Ash stood at the front of the group, slashing at the webs created by the giant spiders that could easily be heard crawling around corners before the light from Cael's magic could reach them. "I was thinking about how I almost had those two young ladies willing to preform for me." he said ruining the mood.

"WHAT!?" Cael screamed, causing the spiders lurking on the outside of his light to skitter about ."I almost get attacked by a religious zealot, and you can't help but think of how I ruined your night!?" Cael continued, the anger making its self apparent by turning his cheeks a bright red.

"Settle down. I knew he wouldn't attack you. He didn't have the spine." Arric said continuing to inspect the walls. "By the way Kate, why are we doing this?" he asked looking at the healer who was busying trying hold a conversation with Ash. "KATE!"

"What?" She asked bubbly turning around and hitting Cael in the head with her staff causing him to stop creating the light. "Oops."

Arric just sighed, drawing his knife in the smothering darkness. "Good job Kate. Good Job."

The group held their ground as they fought off the spiders in the dark. They weren't sure who or what they were swinging at. Eventually when everything quieted down Cael re-light the torch to survey the damage. Kate was left perfectly unharmed, Arric had his knife broken at the handle, the blade stuck in the nearby wall. He noticed his staff was bitten off at the end and Ash staggering around poisoned.

"Well, it could have been worse." Kate added with a smile.

"How is that Kate." Arric asked a little peeved that his favorite dagger was broken.

"We could have been ambushed by the undead living, well not really living because undead are Well, undead."

"Kate, you never mentioned anything about undead down here." Cael said, looking a little frightened.

"Don't worry they are controlled by a litch."

"A Lich! They are evil necromancers that brought themselves back from the dead, They are everything that is evil in living...er....Undead flesh."

"Nope." Kate said looking at the two men fighting back and forth. "She is a friend of mine!" She added with a grin.

"Kate...Cure please." Ash said staggering close to her. "Please." she said holding out the spider bite to Kate.

"Ash, why didn't you speak up sooner?" Kate asked before Arric interrupted.

"Wait, Kate. You are a healer, someone who channels the holy powers above into magical energy to heal wounds and cures those with ailments."

"I have ailments." Ash interjected flatly.

"We understand Ash, but this is kind of important." Arric continued. "Are friends with someone who channels the dark energy from shadows into unholy power to raise the dead and create pestilence?"

"Yeah, that's a problem?" She asked rubbing the cross at the top of her staff. " We have known each other since we were tiny." she said placing her had at knee height. "We always knew we were best friends. We laughed together and cried together. We shared many moments of fun and I want you guys to meet her, and I think she can help us with Cael's eye problem." she added the last part in with a whisper

"MY eye problem?" Cael asked walking up behind Kate leaving the slowed Ash outside the ring of light. "My eyes wouldn't be a problem if a certain someone understood what they were doing when they tried to Res me back from the gates of hell itself!"

"Guys. Help." Ash said from the shadows behind the three. "I need it."

Cael quickly turned around to see Ash holding a spiders head a few inches away from her face, its hairy legs pressed against the wall behind her and planted in the ground behind itself. The spider, as soon as the light made contact with it, shrank and became harmless.

"Thank yo-" Ash managed to say before passing out.

"Anyone else feel bad now?" Arric said looking at the passed out Ash. "She WAS trying to get our attention."

"Bad doesn't even cover it." Cael said. "Kate, you know Cure right? Correctly, right?" He asked turning to kate who was playing with the now tiny spider. "Kaaate. Yoohoo, Kate. KATE! Ash needs your help! Kate, help ash!"

"What?" She said throwing the poor spider over her shoulder and turning to the passed out Ash. "Yeah I know cure, its actually a really easy spell to cast. I bet even you could do it." She added

"Yeah, that will be the day, Big strong Cael, casting Heal, Cure, and Resurrection. Last time I checked most elves couldn't cast healing magic."Arric said. "Before we waste time with magic I should have an anti-poison in my backpack." He said rummaging through the leather bag slung over his shoulder. After awhile he stopped and gave up. "I can't find it, or any potions for that matter."

"Potions? You mean the things in the bottles in your bag?" Kate asked. "I dropped those when you gave me the bag back in town because I thought we wouldn't need them." Kate said smiling "I knew we would need the extra space when the undead we would run into dropped stuff."

Arric just stood where he was standing his face betraying no emotion what so ever. "you dropped them. The potions that I spent the majority of the money I had earned from the last THREE dungeon crawls. The expensive potions that I bought knowing our healer, who, although she is a great person isn't the most capable healer on the face of the earth...Those potions."

"If 'those potions' were the ones you left in your bag then, ummm yes!" she said mimicking the way he had said those potions. "they were heavy and they didn't look like they were safe for drinking so I thought that they were junk you had managed to pick up and stored in your bag."

Arric turned around so he was turned away from Cael and Kate. "Three, Three crawls to save up enough for those potions, I can't believe -."

"I kept this one though!" Kate said retrieving a small red phial out of her bag. "It looked pretty so I kept it. What is it exactly?"

Arric swung around quickly, looked at the small potion with a sigh. "You managed to save the smallest, and strongest, dose of anti-poison I had bought. Good job Kate. Good job." He sighed. "Now don't go pouring it all on the bite at once. The anti-poison is known to cause hyperactivity and headaches when overdosed. So be safe and only use half of it, if she complains of pains then use more."

"Okay!" Kate replied slowly pouring the vial onto the bite. "Did I ever tell you guys that I sneeze when I get too close to spider webs? Its actually really interesting my mother never figured it out until just recently because when I was little I always had a spider that would build its web right above where I slept at night and I guess that the spider would mess with my nose because I would sneeze all the time at night or at least my mom said so." She said before she realized she had empty the entire bottle on Ash's arm.

"Thats Great." Arric responded still mourning the loss of his expensive medicinal potions. "Can I at least have what is left back?"

"Oops."

Arric didn't even turn around he just smacked his forehead. "At least maybe ash will be a little more talkative.

Everyone waited quietly for the swordswoman to wake up, and when she did however the effect of the overdose was, as cael described, odd. Instead of being overly talkative or jumpy, the exact opposite happened, she spoke even less if that were possible and she moved a lot slower.

After a few minutes Kate decided to address the problem her way. "Ash....hey Ash....ASHLEY, ash...hey ash are you listening, Ash are you there!? ASH I WANNA TALK WITH YOOOOOU!"

After being unable to take it anymore ash spun around her sword drawn and a look of pure pain on her face. "Damn it, I have a headache, don't you ever shut up, I am not that fond of men, I prefer being on my own, I go by Ash don't call me Ashley, I hate the name Ashley, my god I think I would have been better off if you had just left me poisoned. Kate I blame you for hitting Cael causing him to drop the light and then spilling the rest of that potion on my arm and not even trying to wipe the excess off. I was unconscious but I could still hear you, Arric why did you trust her with the backpack if you understood she would probably do something unintelligent with it. I AM NOT FEELING GOOD." She managed to rattle off in less then five seconds before turning back around and sheathing her sword in a quick motion.

"that was...Odd." Cael said slinking back behind Arric.

"Meh, I have seen worse when a woman that I was dating at the time went postal during her erm...tenderer moments in the month, and tried to kill me for apparently not buying the right kind of fruit for her. That was fun. She grabbed my bow and tried to shoot me. She nearly hit me. If the postman hadn't come by to drop off a package I wouldn't be here right now." Arric said.

"He wasn't hurt was he?" Cael asked still on the look out for the undead and a lich

"He only sustained one wound." Arric answered.

"Good."

"An Arrow wound to the head isn't too bad is it?" Arric asked rhetorically knowing what an arrow to someone's unarmoured head could do. " He lived, he never spoke any semblance of CAL, but hey, who needs to speak Common Area Language when you know High-Church."

"In other words he was a former holy-man?" Kate asked mildly interested at the spiderwebs hanging about. "I mean I wouldn't be willing to give up my place in a church for being a Mail deliverer. " She said.

"Oh, so you would rather give up your place in a church to become a wandering Dungeon-Crawler?" Cael asked a mischievous smile stretching slowly across his face.

"No." She responded. "My church was burned by a group of non-believers claiming that they were Atreeists, or something like that."

"Atreeists? I think you mean Atheists." Arric said correcting Kates mistake.

"I dunno. I just knew that they hated my beliefs enough to try and burn down a church while our congregation was still inside." Kate said before smiling. "Well guys. We are here!" she said gesturing to A large door with a single stone eye set in the center. Kate quickly ran up and held up a small block of cheese to the door and said. "PATT! I came with the boy!"

The door ground open, leaving a cloud of dust raising from the floor. The four stepped through the door. Kate smiled, Arric looked disinterested, and Ash walked on holding her head with her hands.

As Cael walked up to the door however the stone eye jumped to life followed him with a grind of stone on stone. Cael just stood in place outside the door. "Kate. This is all too much I am glad you are willing to do this for me but I don't think this is the best idea. I mean I am fine living with pink eyes its no big deal. I am sure people back home have lots of pink eyed men." he said

"Liar." Arric whispered back to him before returning back to normal volume. "Cael, I am so glad you took the initiative to walk to the front of the group like a true man and protect two lovely ladies and an elderly man." He said resting his hand on his lower back and using his bow like a cane.

"Ha. Very funny. Well you see I have to go, I have an errand I need to run and if yo-"

"No you won't. I was willing to come along, and get rid of all sorts of sick things. I risked dying and an overdose on antidote, I have a splintering headache, and so help me, if you don't walk through that door I will knock you out and drag you to this Lich myself! Besides you have the light!" Ash screeched running over to Cael and grabbing him by his slightly pointed ear. "You are going with us, you will see the Lich we will all go back to town together and I will drink until I pass out afterward to get rid of this headache until it comes back tomorrow, but then I can blame it on a hangover!"

"That's a positive outlook!" Kate said smiling. "Well Patty will be glad to see him and look at his eyes. She has had the last hundred years to work on her magic as a Lich!"

"Wait...you said 'Patty' is a Lich right? Which means she has been dead for at least a hundred years." Cael stated, as Kate mhmm'd at the right moments. "Which means you knew her while she was alive and " He gestured to his knees. "This tall?"

"This tall." She corrected putting the height at her knees. "And Correct!"

"That means you are over one hundred years old?"

"Its not nice to ask a lady her age." Was her reply. "We are now actually here!" She exclaimed running to a large stone door and with a quick push the stone door opened, letting out the smell of dirt, dust, death, and rotten food. "You see, since she is a Lich she can't actually eat, so she sort of collects food." Was what Kate explained lifting the hunk of cheese after Cael asked.

"This isn't helping my headache." Ash added.

"Well, at least she has something to do other than terrorize people." Arric said plugging his nose. "And raise the dead."

They walked inside, they meaning Arric, Kate and Ash. Cael was dragged in by the power of Ash, the crypt. However it wasn't just any crypt it was large and extremely ostentatious, Gold leaf covered everything that wasn't rotting food. However the space that wasn't taken up by rotten food was the top half of the wall and most of the roof. A voice rang out from the single sarcophagus lying in the back of the room. "Hello!" Three of the four companions were expecting some sort of dark and ominous greeting probably alluding to 'Patty' stealing their souls and using their bodies for minons. However the Plain "Hello!" issued from the Coffin confused them.

Eventually it opened up revealing what appeared to be a young girl dressed in a stained and ripped ankle length robe. She smiled when she saw Kate and dashed over and gave her a quick hug. "I hope you brought some sort of dessert, I haven't seen a decent dessert since that pie you brought last Month!" She said looking up at Kate.

"Sorry Pat, all I have is a block of white cheese from the market." Kate said trying to pry the girl off of her. The pair struggled for thirty seconds before Kate was able to peel the Lich off of herself and hand her the cheese.

"Its white like pearls except you can eat it." Patty sighed before setting the cheese down on a table that stood next to the Coffin. "Only thing I really miss about being human. Eating, oh and being able to talk to people with out them suddenly fearing for their life. I don't understand why I have an evil aura I guess its just part of the package. But I mean it, the only people that come down here are mourners who just sort of look at me before running off, and the odd pair of dungeon crawlers who hope to 'Vanquish the Lich terrorizing the innocent.' Half the time I don't even leave this room and the other half is spent further down where I practice on the long dead."

"Wait you mean you don't steal souls and use bodies for reanimation?" Cael asked looking at the 'girl'. "I mean you are supposedly a super-powerful lich who controls a vast army of the dead."

Patty just laughed at this. "No. Zombies are gross and they only speak of eating brains or flesh, or flesh and brains. Never anything interesting like the texture of ground beef." She stopped to stare at the cheese hunk. "Besides I don't want zombies I prefer skeletons, they don't talk and their soul is long departed so I don't have to worry about trapping an innocent persons soul in their dead body."

"Anyway. Patt. Can you help me? I botched a res for Cael here and well, look." Kate said shoving Cael close to her.

After a quick look into his eyes Patty laughed. "I know what I can do!" With a quick enchant and a few elaborate waves of her hands Cael cried out in pain.

"I am on fire!" He screamed before it suddenly stopped and he looked about and was quite shocked. Arric burst out laughing and Ash cared so little it was obvious. Kate however just stopped stared and then suddenly ran over to Cael and scooped him into her arms.

"I...am....SHORT!?" he screamed looking over at Patty.

"Only temporarily!" She said a smile on her face.

At this moment it was painfully obvious why Patty and Kate were friends. Ditzy Friendship can last centuries. The weight of the world pressed on his (already lowered) shoulders and Cael just sort of looked up at Kate.
---
"I won't get used to this." Cael said as they walked out of the Catacombs into daylight.

"You don't, Patty said its temporary." Arric said a smile on his face. " 'sides, I think that height is kind of cute. Maybe we should turn back around and get it permanent."
-------------------------------------------------------
Thus ends part two of I don't know how many of Healing Mishap. Also I won't post over the next six days as I am going on a little spring vacation and getting away from my baby. (my computer)

Further more as the writer of this story I want to thank everyone that reads it, every time I get on BC and see that little number next to the reads get a little larger I get a warm tingly feeling knowing that people are actually reading my writing, so this goes out to my readers.

THANK YOU ^^

Healing Mishap -3-
ByLanzaq
---

The four just sort of sat there not sure what to do when a young man approached their table. He had in his hand a trainer's wand and a large leather bound tome, a smile spread across his thin face. "Hello. I am Verris Sarm, I am working here part time and I was wondering if I could interest you with some food?"

---

---In the Town's only tavern.---

The Four, three if you don't include the passed out Ash, were seated at the smallest table, in the farthest darkest room of the town's only tavern/inn combo. The Drunken Lich Rest house. The building was small because the town only saw regulars and the odd dungeon-crawler or two.

Cael was drowning himself in the Elvish Brew, a beer that really didn't have alcohol in it. Kate was sipping at some spring water. Arric was drinking a nice Iron-forge Hammer, the strongest of the forge-named ales. And Ash had drowned herself in the house favorite, The Skull Crack Slime.

The four just sort of sat there not sure what to do when a young man approached their table. He had in his hand a trainer's wand and a large leather bound tome, a smile spread across his thin face. "Hello. I am Verris Sarm, I am working here part time and I was wondering if I could interest you with some food?"

Cael noticing the wand and book said "Ah. So you are a spell caster's apprentice?"

Verris at this comment straightened up his back and became very nervous. "A-ah, no I am self taught. I don't have the money or the means to find myself an appropriate teacher."

"Hmm, how old are you?" Cael asked looking the Young man up and down before smiling.

"seventeen ma'am." Verris said looking down at Cael the smile that disappeared slowly crawling back onto his face.

Cael chose to tactfully ignore the Ma'am, its rare to find an apprentice when you are a roving 'crawler. "Hmm, just so you know I just recently turned fourteen so I hope you are willing to have a master teaching you that is a few years younger."

"I-I don't mind as long as you know how to teach me!" Verris said smiling brightly.

"Well, First things first, before I can accept you as an apprentice I need to know your skills." Cael said gesturing to his wand. "I set forth a Challenge, tomorrow morning, outside. We will duel and I will test your skills, if you can remove the ring from my left hand I will accept you as my apprentice."

"Y-Yes! I accept, Tomorrow, outside we will duel and I will remove that ring." He said

"Verris You lazy bum, we have orders!" The cook cried from the kitchen. "Git your skinny ass over here."

There was a long pause after he had left before Arric cleared his throat. "M-Ma'am." He mimicked. "Shut up. You know its not often that I will get this chance to teach someone else besides, it will help me cement those spells if I have an apprentice trying to learn it for them selves." Cael added before looking back down into his empty glass.

"I think he was kinda cute. I wish Ash were awake, well at least she isn't trying to kill us all." Kate said taking a sip from her water. "Arric ummm you are paying the bill for this right?" she asked.

"No." Was his quick response. "I am still trying to make up for the hundreds fo golds worth of potions that I no longer have because a certain someone dropped them thinking they were making room for non-existent loot."

"What about you Cael, can you foot the bill?" Kate asked turning to him.

A quick scoff was all Kate got as a response. Suddenly all three had a brilliant idea. "What does Ash even do with her money?" Cael asked. "I 'unno, she doesn't buy potions, armour or weapons." Arric said. "And she doesn't buy clothes either." Kate added staring down at Ash's Backpack.

The only thing the few patrons of the tavern heard in the next few seconds was dead silence followed by a yell and three piercing screams.

Ash Walked through the door into where the rest of the customers sat, a look of pure hellfire on her face. "Don't." is all she said situating the backpack over her shoulder and looking back at the group left cowering in the small room of the pub.

"I fear that the contents of that backpack will remain a secret for an eternity." Arric said, his skin trying to return to normal colour.

"I don't think an eternity is long enough." Cael added, his skin staying a ghastly pale.

"That was fun!" Kate said smiling unaffected by their friend's deathly glare.

"Kate, you have a weird definition of fun." Arric said drinking the rest of his beer. "I am going to head up to the room, not a whole lot left to do."

"Me too." Cael said following Arric as he got up and left the table.

Before Kate could even think through what had just happened she realized. "Wait? That means I have to pay the bill?"

---The next Morning.---

Ash, Kate and Arric stood leaning out side the Tavern and watched the two square up against each other. "Remember the ring on my finger." Cael said to the what felt like the tall young man.

"Understood, I am going to try and use my magic to try and get a hold of your ring?" Verris said Looking at Cael's hands noticing that one hand had 5 rings the other only had one, Verris, though a bright young man never learned left from right so he was left confused at which ring to try and grab, he guess since the one hand only had one ring that was the one he was supposed to go after.

"Cael. Psst. Cael. You know loading your left hand up with rings so its easier for him to get a hold of one is sort of cheating him into your apprenticeship." Arric whispered pointing at cael's heavy ring laden hand.

"Its not cheating, its slanting the odds in favor of him becoming my apprentice." Cael whispered back. "Besides its obvious he wants to be my apprentice and its obvious I want him as my apprentice."

"Slanting the odds. Its called cheating." Arric replied. "Whatever, have fun. Don't beat each other up too bad."

the two launched into a fight instantly, fire, water, rocks and wind moved around outside the pub in such a flurry of activity it was hard to keep straight what exactly was going on. Eventually the two stopped. Cael was left sprawled out on the ground, unconscious, and Verris just stood looking like a champion, hefting two rings, one from each hand.

"How is that for slanting the odds huh?" Arric said before turning to Kate. "Kate now, Cael is hurt, I want you to heal him with as low level magic you can alright? HE has already been through enough and doesn't need any more on HIS plate."

Kate just nodded and walked over to Cael, she poked him a few times in the stomach before turning back to Arric. "He is unconscious!"

Arric sighed. "We already knew that Kate, just heal him."

"Okay!"

With a quick spell Cael was quickly back up on his feet however his breakfast was also brought up too. Verris quickly ran over and apologized frantically. Cael just smiled and said " Stuff happens. Arric, Lets find a decent dungeon, Verris is more than ready for a first try."

"What really!?" He asked, his smile growing larger. "Thank you, I won't let you guys down. I promise that I will be strong enough to tackle all the enemies that get in our way!"

--- At the end of the Dungeon Crawl. ---

"Oh man, I thought you said he was ready!" Arric said wrapping a bandage around Verris' head. "The poor man locked up on seeing that troll. I thought he was going to wet himself."

"Yeah well, you know Arric we mages have this super special talent that you and Ash don't have, both of you have muscle see...Those muscles can take some of the force dealt to you and you are hurt less than us. You see. We mages. Are squish." Cael Said before looking over at the unconscious Verris.

"W'arite." was Arric's response. "Are we ready to go into the bosses room?" He asked dumping half of his canteen out on Verris' head. "Yo, apprentice. We aren't done yet."

"Momma? Am I dead yet?"

"Not yet boy but if you don't get up I think we might leave you here." Arric said walking away.

Suddenly jumping up Verris ran headlong into the bosses chamber of the dungeon, screaming about tainted honor and how the dastardly ogres will get what is coming to them.

Cael stood shocked, Ash was silent, Arric laughed and Kate had managed to disappear at the best time.
"Well." Arric paused to laugh some more. "I guess we should go help him. I don't think the lad can take on the Troll Chieftain by himself."

the three ran into the spacious rocky Chamber, Bones of both human and large animals alike were strewn across the floor. However what was different was both the unconscious Verris, and the piles of dead trolls, the only thing alive in the chamber was the four Crawlers, and the Troll Chieftain.

He turned to look at them his earthy skin torn jaggedly in several spots, and nasty scars ran across his face, legs and arms. Atop his head sat a ceremonial hat made of several large bird feathers, a young tree clenched in his fist. "Hoomans...More Hoomans!? Ulgargan Want rest. No more fighting puny hoomans."

Arric stepped forward and bowed. "Ulgargan. We are here to collect our foolish and slightly confused magician's apprentice. He apparently thought that you were the one controlling this dungeon and thought that he would be considered better if he could defeat you."

"Ulgargan thinks stoopid hoomans should turn back and no try and steal his shinies."

"'shinies?'" Cael asked looking up at the monstrous thing.

"shinies...you know hooman, errruh. 'Loot'?" Ulgargan said pointing to a pile of armour, swords, spears, axes potions, gold and everything else one would hope to obtain while doing a dungeon-crawl. "Me thinks hoomans like their 'loot' so I takes it off of the hoomans dumb enough to come down here and challenge me and my buddies to battle. Ulgargan never loses."

"N-never loses..huh?" Verris said standing up and holding his now broken staff. "I got this staff from my deceased mother, and if you don't understand what that is 'Ulgargan.' then let me show you!"

"Oh gods don't tell me, Don't try it Verris. Its not a good idea." Arric warned.

"I don't care. This staff was the last thing I got from my mother before she died, that's why I wanted to become a mage, to honor my mother's dying wish. SO" Verris said, the smile that had stretched across his face innocently before was now twisted in a fit of rage and maybe insanity. "Ulgargan. Ogre chief, I challenge you to a duel for honor."

"Me Troll Hooman... and you stoopid." he said swinging the young tree like a club at him. Before the tree struck Verris he disappeared. "Wha- " Was Ulgargan response before Verris appeared behind him.

"Hello ugly." He said throwing a large rock at the back of his head, of course the large rock appeared large while still in his hand by the time it had reached the back of Ulgargan's head it looked more like a pebble someone had thrown.

Ulgargan turned around and roared at him and swung the tree at him again, however instead of hitting who he had intended the sapling tree caught Ash and flung her against the nearby wall rendering her unconscious. "Sorry." Ulgargan and Verris both said in unison before turning back to each other to fight more.

"Great. Well, it could be worse." Cael said, smiling.

"How is that?" Arric asked assessing the situation. "Your apprentice is dueling against a troll chieftain, Ash is unconscious, Kate isn't here..." Arric paused to soak in what he had just said. "Oh. I get it."

Verris decided enough just messing with the large brute and decided to actually attack, he flung magician's arrows at the troll but they didn't seem to do much against his leather like skin. He flung levitated rocks, to the effect of making the already enraged troll madder. He summoned fire to try and scare the troll just to make the troll frightened and causing it to attack harder out of fear.

Cael coughed trying to hide the hint he was dropping "Water" he said between the fake coughs.

"Smooth. However I don't think he is listening." Arric said watching the back and forth fight. "He will figure it out eventually.

The fight raged on, seemingly like the two could fight forever. However one Stray Magician's Arrow Caught Cael knocking him backwards and unconscious against a wall just like Ash. "hehe. Lucky me." Arric snided because the magic arrow had just barely missed him.

"Well, now I believe it couldn't get worse." Arric said as the tree wielded by the Troll came rushing at him. "I expect this to hurt....A lot."

Just before the tree hit him Kate appeared with a look of anger on her face. "Ulgargan. NO. BAD. Stop it." She screamed.

Suddenly both Verris and Ulgargan stopped. "Well How convenient for me. I guess I have something looking after me." Arric said looking at the tree a few inches away from his face.

"Kat?" Ulgargan asked looking at Kate a toothy smile on his face. "Kat! You here to look at my tooths?" He said pointing to a large broken tooth at the front of his mouth. "The stoopid cow had bones that broke my tooths."

"Uh uh, I am not here to look at your teeth I am here to help my friends." Kate said before helping Ash up with a quick spell, and turning to Cael and casting the exact same spell with out stopping to think. "Oops." She said as Cael stood up with a little more weight on his head.

"Long hair. Nice." Verris said looking at Cael. "I prefer women with long hair. It looks nice."

"Long hair?" Cael asked before Kate ran over and ran a hand through it.

"Soft." She said, scooping the young elf into her arms. " I like it too."

Cael just sighed. "Can we get out of here, please."

"Yeah." Ash added rubbing her swore arms, and chest, and legs, and pretty much everything.

"Lets go. I think we can find a different dungeon, one with a little less fighting." Arric said before looking at the battered and beaten party behind him. Cael stood directly behind him and was tugging at the long hair he now had. Behind Cael, Verris looked about ready to collapse. Ash trudged forward, mouthing ow every other step, and taking up the tail end of the group was Kate, the enigmatic ditz of a healer who was leaving the dungeon with out being hit even once. "This will be fun." Arric added. "Very fun."

---
Well, Okay this is the third part of Healing Mishap...I am sorry to say but this is the last you will see of it for about a week, I think I mentioned it before but I am going off on spring break and I won't have access to a 'safe' computer for me to use.

Thank you for all the readers who take the time to leave a comment you make my day...or night...or whenever i get around to reading them.

Healing Mishap -4-
By Lanzaq

"what did you get?" Arric asked looking at the necklace.

"I think we might be in for a lot of trouble, its a rare anti-dragon breath pendant." Cael said.

"Nah shoot girl, we don't get dragons down here. Its a small mountain pass. Unless o' course y'all had the bad luck to stumble upon a long lost war-dragon from the elf-goblin war waged countless ages ago." Taf said shoving his hands in his pockets and smiling his yellow, gaped smile.

Cael and Arric laughed. "Well, we are set up for trouble now."

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

"Arric. Do you know how to cut hair?" Cael asked sitting on the end of their room's 'bed', more of a wooden box covered with a burlap bag stuffed with chicken feathers, when Arric stood up stretching.

"Oh sure, I can cut my hair, but you want me to cut your hair?" He said sheathing his belt knife. "I dunno. It would look like mine, and I don't think it would look good on you." He added looking over Cael, the elf that now stood shorter than Kate. Cael's rose petal pink eyes stared back at him, full of wisdom from books ancient enough to make Kate look old. His now long hair reached just above his hips that were already quite noticeable underneath the robe, Pronounced dress to non-magicians. His pale white hands were absentmindedly running themselves over the bed fabric.

The longer Arric tried to envision the young man with a short cropped haircut the more he saw the lad running through an open field after his 'apprentice' giggling. He quickly applied a palm-to-forehead. "No. Never mind. Sorry Cael, we would be better off finding a traveling merchant that can cut hair."

Verris suddenly spoke up from behind his large leather book. "Y'know I have been thinking. Kate and Ash." He paused to turn the page and groan about the difficulty of the spell. "They get their own room but..."

"Ash pays for her own room." Arric quickly interrupted. "Which reminds me." Arric quickly checked his money-bag on the side of his backpack. "Empty...all three hundred gone." He said sitting down on the rough bed.

"So Cael sleeps with us because she can't pay for her own room? Why wouldn't Ash help pay for her room." Verris said looking over at Arric. The man stood tall, like the tree that would stand in town square if there wasn't a fountain. His hair was like salt and pepper with more pepper than salt and very clean cut. He had gray eyes that matched the salt of his hair. His skin was tan, not dark, just tan. The dark green cloth with had the leather stitched onto it was noticeably faded, patched, and stitched back up from well use. Light stubble still remained on his face.

"I Thought it would be better if I stayed close to my apprentice." Cael said taking another look over at his apprentice. The man who was older and quite a bit taller than Cael was sitting in the only chair in the room. He held a practice wand, a stick picked up from from street outside, in his pale yet tight grip, his hair was fairly long, it reached about his shoulders. Thick glasses sat perched on his long nose, they teetered from side to side every time he moved his head to talk. Like Cael the man wore robes, theses were actual robes. Deep purple with red glyph stitching around the ankles and wrists of the garment. His brown eyes barely peering above the cracked leather book.

Footsteps were heard hammering up the wooden hall of the inn. Ash pushed open the door with her typical neutral face. "An idea." She said tossing a paper flier to Arric. Cael and Verris both pushed their way next to him to read it.

The paper had no real offer just a bunch of phrases on a bright yellow background. Some of the phrases that stuck out the most to the Three was,

"Low Risk! High Reward!"

"Great For Beginner Dungeon Crawlers!"

"Dagger's Sheath Pass! We have Merchants who specialize in anything!"

Cael and Verris both got excited after reading the empty offers. Verris ran and grabbed up his staff, not his mother's staff that Ulgargan broke but a cheap plain wooden staff with a glass orb on the top. Cael began talking about how the merchants would be able to cut his hair and he would at least look more 'normal.' Arric just laughed and said. "With a group like ours normal isn't a possibility."

Ash just stood at the door. Waiting, watching, her cloak hood up hiding her black hair and green eyes. Her well toned and bronzed body hidden under the heavy armour. Two swords rested in their sheathes at her hips, and a small knife by a strap on her shoulder. She stood taller than Cael, and shorter than Verris. "I thought it sounded good."

Both Cael and Arric stopped what they were doing and stared at Ash. "That was five. She said five. I think that is a new record in front of someone new." they said turning to look at Verris. "But No, Cael, as much as you want your haircut. We can't trust some random piece of paper promising riches and reward at a low risk, Life doesn't work that way."

Suddenly another pair of feet could be heard racing down the hall. Suddenly, in a flurry of motion and a clash of armour against wood. Kate stood where Ash had been only a few seconds earlier. "I Found something!" She said tossing another flier to Arric and turning to help Ash up with a quick sorry and a smile.

The new flier was a dull and rain-weathered piece of paper, scribbled onto the sheet was one phrase.

"Missing Dungeon-Crawl team. Dagger Sheath Pass. Will Pay for the head of their Cleric."

--Bar Mistress Dianna.

Cael just looked at the piece of paper. "It looks old and besides its asking for murder."

"I know its asking for murder, but there is money involved...money that could possibly make up for a loss of mine." Arric said now the one to grab his weapons and backpack.

Verris just smiled. "It was a plan from the gods. I knew we would find a way into Dagger Sheath pass."

"Yes, to die." Arric said lowly. "But if we can make it out alive, and with the head of our friend here. We will make a killing....literally."

The Five set out toward the distant mountain range. Hoods raised as the clouds over head looked ready to drop rain on them. Arric led, Cael in second followed close by his apprentice looking through his heavy book and asking Cael for instructions on how to form certain glyphs and markings. Ash took up forth, polishing one of her two swords reflecting what little sun was shining back at itself. Kate was last laughing and humming to a song she had heard from a bard in a tavern somewhere instead of the holy songs that should be sung by Clerics.

The more the group traveled the darker the clouds got. By the time they had found the entrance the clouds had already started their downpour. The five quickly piled into the cave entrance to be greeted by a bustling market place, however the people that manned the market stalls were the unlikely people.

The squat toad-faced goblins all stood around their stalls yelling back and forth to each other about the price of their competitors being higher than their mother's nightly rate.

The Five just stood looking out at the goblin market with half awe, half disgust.

"Interesting." Said Cael looking from stand to stand for a barber or something of that sort.

"Do they read?" Verris asked rhetorically strapping the book to his back.

"Gross." Is all Ash said watching the short green goblins ogle her and Kate as they passed.

"I agree Ash. They are kind of gross." Arric said dropping some sort of fruit that supposedly only grew inside the mountain, but upon closer inspection just looked like an overly ripe apple.

"They look funny. I like this. I haven't seen goblins in hrmmm twenty years?" Kate said lifting a little doll off a stand to look at the representation of a girl goblin.

Verris just looked up at Kate with his mouth open. "How old are —"

"She won't answer." Arric interrupted. "its not nice to ask a lady how old she is." He added in a whisper.

"Well that was a bust." Cael said after they were out of earshot. "Specialized...they were about as specialized as a group of rocks. I mean honestly not a single one of them knew how to cut hair." Cael said throwing his hair back over his shoulder.

"Cael. They didn't know how to cut hair because they can't cut hair." Arric said gazing back at the unhappy elf. "if you didn't notice. Goblins are bald. Kind of hard to cut non-existent hair."

"Still, they get a lot of traffic through here, at least one of them should know how to cut hair!" Cael said rather loudly.

"If you were a traveler, specifically, a female traveler that took a lot of pride and joy out of your hair would you be willing to let a bunch of short toady-faced green goblins take a pair of shears to your hair if they had no previous experience in cutting hair?"Arric asked looking at Cael.

"Oh." Was the last thing Cael said before they had reached the entrance to the actual dungeon.

The five opened the dungeon door with a sickening squeak of unoiled metal against unoiled metal. They all were ready for combat. Arric had his bow drawn, Kate her swords out, and Cael and Verris had their wands at the ready. However they were greeted by an empty cavern room. A single chest stood at the center. Ash stepped forward and looked at it for a while. She took a lot of time before giving it a swift kick causing it to open. Instead of a gold or items inside the chest however a goblin popped its beady eyes out.

"Thank y'all. I had been shoved in that darn box for I dunno how long. Musta been a gewd hour er two." It said dusting its crude overalls off. "Names Taffly. But you can call me Taf. I will be yer guide through Dagger Sheath Pass makin' sure that all yer party-peoples git to the otherside with only minor bruisin' and bleedin'."

"Names Arric." He said extending his hand to shake with the little goblin. "We should have left the box closed." He whispered to Cael before turning back around. "And with me are Cael a mage, Verris his apprentice, Ash, the nice lady who let you out of the box, and Kate, our healer."

Taffly just watched as Arric listed off the party members before he stopped him. "I think you be missn' someone bowman...Kate was her name? Well, if she isn't with y'all now she either turned back around or is up ahead."

"Oh Kate does that all the time." Cael said glancing back at what was Kate's general direction. "We will meet up with her eventually."

"Okay then. Now lets get a goin'. I wanta get through this Pass in no time flat." Taf said putting a hand in his overall pocket.

The (new) five now continued down the pass pathway, making sure to stop on occasion for Taf to drawl a long winded drawl about something important that no one cared about. After awhile they finally came across their first opponent. A mutant Goblin, if the four thought that goblins couldn't get any uglier then they were wrong. It stood even worsely proportioned than regular goblins, one arm with more muscle than the other, a club foot. A squinted eye. Spotted head and the knobby fingers stretching out for Ash's Blade. "Shinnnnny." was the only intelligible thing they heard out of its mouth before it leaped like a frog for Ash.

Arric took it out mid-leap with a single arrow to the side of its poor mutant head. "Taf, you know what this...thing...is?" Arric said turning it over and pulling the arrow, the arrowhead now covered in a layer of gray matter and a thick gooey green slime, and a few coins fell out of its loincloth pouch, Arric quickly snagged them.

"A mutant." Is all he said. "been a huge influx of the poor thangs, I don't never seen anything like it."

After this little incident the five trudged onward their packs seemingly getting heavier as they moved forward. After the fifth empty room they had walked into Verris sat down on a rock. The wall beside him suddenly shuddered and slid backwards revealing a hidden room. Taf advised them not to look inside because there could be 'bad thangs, curse-ed thangs beyond that thar door.'

The instant they poked their heads in the room lit up revealing some low quality loot, but loot none the less. A crude and rusty ax that appeared to have an anti-goblin inscription in low-elvish for Ash, a goblin quiver that held a rather large amount of Arric's arrows, a goblin's mage staff, with a skull and feathers ornament at the top, a set of gloves with a crosses on them lending to a better ability to cast cure for Kate, and in the corner of the room in a small chest at perfect eye level height for Cael sat a necklace bearing the elvish inscription 'FyreBurns.' it didn't look suspicious, it was just a copper chain and a small nondescript blue gem with the inscription on it. However when Cael put it on he felt the magical properties of the necklace.

"what did you get?" Arric asked looking at the necklace.

"I think we might be in for a lot of trouble, its a rare anti-dragon breath pendant." Cael said.

"Nah shoot girl, we don't get dragons down here. Its a small mountain pass. Unless o' course y'all had the bad luck to stumble upon a long lost war-dragon from the elf-goblin war waged countless ages ago." Taf said shoving his hands in his pockets and smiling his yellow, gaped smile.

Cael and Arric laughed. "Well, we are set up for trouble now."

Ash stood looking at the rusted ax, testing the edge.

Verris laughed nervously. "War-dragon? We couldn't run into one of those would we?"

"With our combined luck, Yeah we will." Arric said shifting the weight on his shoulders to re-situate his new quiver.

The group continued on their way now searching every nook and cranny, after awhile Ash walked into the center of the room and quickly dropped down into a trapdoor. The others followed against everything their friendly goblin guide suggested.

Down in the pit of the trapdoor they found a new route to travel, although it was hidden it wasn't an untraveled path Arric pointed out fairly fresh foot prints in the sand. "That missing group must be around here."

The group continued. Arric had his bow up, Ash had her swords drawn, Cael and Verris walked slowly, and ready to spew incantations quickly. They walked onward stopping on occasion to listen hearing nothing until they heard a voice. Not just a single voice but a chorus of ten or more all chanting the same foreign language over and over.

Arric stopped them at the corner where the voices could be heard at their loudest, an ominous green glow flashed shadows of a group of goblins and a single man sporadically. "On three we turn the corner and see what is going on. Okay?"

"Okay." Ash, Cael and Verris said

"Naw. I am gunna turn back." Taf said turning around

"Three." Arric said suddenly.

What faced them however wasn't a group of goblins, but a group of goblin mutants and a single man. He stood wearing clerics robes, an evil smile stretched across his face as the energy of the magic he was casting whipped his hair around. His smile only stretched wider as he noticed who had wandered in on his casting.

"Hello again...Maggot." Lanzer's voice said, the evil magic melding with his voice.

"Well, its no dragon but I don't think this will be any less fun." Arric said rapid-fire launching arrows taking down five of the nine mutant goblins.

"You know, my pets are like this because of you are your maggot ancestors." Lanzer said pointing at Cael. "If your worm-people hadn't set foot in this pass, my servants wouldn't look half as interesting."

"S-shut up! My Teacher isn't one of those land-hungry elves. She is nice and kind and above all she cares about what people think!" Verris screamed launching several bolts of lightning at the priest which were quickly deflected.

"Foolish boy, Your 'teacher' is a male elf. A maggot male elf at that." Lanzer said "And your pitiful magic won't hit me. I have the Heiliges Schild. If you don't know what that means in Cal. Its Holy Shield. I have godly protection from blasphemers and the maggot races of this world. under my feet is where their skulls will rest when I get the eight holy artifacts." Lanzer said showing off a plain wooden shield with a silver cross at the center. "Boy, remember this. You are human, you are following the path of the holy one, if you leave your maggot companion and follow his light you will find salvation." He said before he disappeared.

"Like I said, Fun." Arric stated before looking at the now enraged mutant goblins surrounding them.

I got back from spring break to see my hits on Healing Mishap and I was quite happy. I had an amazing spring break and I tried to include some character description in the beginning as per request in the comments.

Healing Mishap -5-
byLanzaq

They eventually reached a clearing, A mine cart junction. It was essentially a cavern that had been carved even larger by hands other than goblins. A single shaft of light filtered down from a single opening in the roof of the room. In the center of this light was a small chest, it was boring was all Verris said to describe the chest. It was nothing more than an ornate wooden crate with a hinge. Ash took the honours of stepping forward to try and pick it's lock.

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

The Four stood their ground as the mutants walked or more like hobbled through the sand of the trapdoor pit towards them, they all looked about as intelligent as the fruit Arric had refused to purchase at the beginning of the pass. One of the mutants hobbled faster than the others, and it seemed a little more intelligent, maybe it had a less rotten apple for a brain.

"We ready?" Arric asked knocking an arrow back. "I am."

Cael nodded followed by Verris pulling his book over his shoulder and opening the page. "Ready."

"I'm good to go." Ash said drawing her blades.

The semi-intelligent mutant leaped forwards grabbing for the arrow head of Arrics arrow, with a quick release and a whistling of the feather fletchings the arrow found its mark, however it didn't hit the mark the mutant was holding the arrow by the shaft and looking at the arrow head. Smiling, it put the arrow in the pocket on its loincloth, it stuck out of the shallow pocket and looked rather odd, but the mutant didn't care, it had its shiny and it hobbled off down the other way of the pass laughing to its self. "I gots a shiny!"

The other mutants seeing this all looked toward Arric, like their leader they wanted a shiny for themselves and they weren't about to be stopped.

"I don't think regular arrows will work." Cael said launching a Magician's arrow at the mutant this a sizzle as it traveled through the air. It hit the mutant mid-leap which did nothing except to stop the mutant from continuing its jump towards Arric. It paused looked over at Cael and laughed as a third eye opened up on its forehead. The eye blinked slowly at Cael.

"Well, now we know. They like shiny things and they can snag my arrows mid-air and Cael's magic just causes them to mutate more." Verris said. "I think I can try though." he said whipping through an incantation for wizard's fire. As he finished the incantation the mutants all stared at the ball of fire that continued to grow in the apprentice's hands from a small match sized ember to a blaze as big as a barrel is round. "Pyros Ignus." Verris screamed causing the fire to whirl around the edge of the room in a tightening circle. Leaving the walls of the cavern they were in a blackened colour. The mutants upon seeing this display of magical prowess did the equivalent of a full grown man emitting a girly scream and running for his mother. They all headed the same direction as their mutant leader down the right passage

Arric stood stunned. Ash just raised a single eyebrow and Cael smiled at this apprentice. "That was impressive." He said before taking a quick whiff. "I smell sulphur." Cael said looking down the left passage. "We could risk another encounter with those things or we could head down to what smells like hell, or rotten eggs. Or both."

"I prefer the rotten eggs." Arric said smiling. "Rotten eggs don't involve a lake of continuously burning oil." he said shrugging the bow back over his shoulder. "Besides. We haven't meet up with Kate or that dragon Taf was mentioning."

"Y'all ain't looking fer a dragon. I thought Y'all were looking fer a way out." Taf said looking at the four. "I mean Y'all came in here, let me out of a box, and then fought a crazy. I thought at least y'all would be looking for some rest but I come to learn y'all have no intention of slowing down." He said before mumbling more about how he doesn't like over-active dungeon-crawlers.

"Looking for a dragon is not something we are doing. We are looking for our friend Kate. And I know for a fact the faster we find that dragon the faster we find Kate." Arric said looking down at the two foot tall green goblin who was supposedly their 'guide'.

"Crazies. Y'all are Crazies." Was all Taf said to them before letting them head down the left passage.

They walked slowly over what appeared to be bent and twisted mine cart ties. The sandstone walls of the earlier passages were now giving way to charred blackened rock and chunks of mineral that was foreign to all of the crawlers, Taf however was more than willing to talk In one ear and out the other describing to them just what was layered over the walls of the passageway.

They eventually reached a clearing, A mine cart junction. It was essentially a cavern that had been carved even larger by hands other than goblins. A single shaft of light filtered down from a single opening in the roof of the room. In the center of this light was a small chest, it was boring was all Verris said to describe the chest. It was nothing more than an ornate wooden crate with a hinge. Ash took the honours of stepping forward to try and pick it's lock.

"You were able to help our little friend here out of his box, we believe you are capable of opening such a plain box." Arric said stashing the coins he had looted off the dead mutants into his coin bag.

"Okay." Ash said getting down on her knees to inspect the box closer. After a few minutes of just looking around the box she picked it up and looked at it from the bottom. She set it back down and retrieved her belt knife and slowly wedged it into the gap of the chest and proceeded to slowly work it open.

When she finally got it open she smiled. A small smile, but still a smile of success. However it was cut short as a quick cloud of gas was released from the chest and covered Ash's face. When it dissipated Ash was left looking like she was half-awake. "It was trapped." She said slowly before trying to nod off before Cael shook her back awake.

"Good job Arric, you just caused Ash to spring a Drowsy Chest on herself." Verris said pointing to the markings of the chest. "I wasn't paying attention. But if you had just waited for me to look it up in my book I could have warned you."

"Listen, I have been doing this for years. In fact I have been doing this long before your father had decided to pick your mother out a crowd at a local yokel dance." Arric said. "I know what I can and can't trust. If it were an explosive chest I would have told her to avoid it, but its just mild drowsiness. I should have bought a potion..." He said reaching to the empty space in his backpack. "That's right...Kate threw my potions out." he said sighing.

"There is something still in the chest." Cael pointed out pulling the bundle of cloth out of the chest. As he continued to pull it out it unfolded revealing a 'robe' of sorts. If it was truly a magician's robe it was definitely on the women's spell caster end of the spectrum. It was a shimmery purple that when shifted became a bright neon pink, around the sleeves and around the waist special glyphs were embroidered on. "Know what they mean?" Cael asked looking at Verris.

"Yeah. They apparently create light magical barrier against projectiles." Verris said looking at the robe. "I already have a set of Glyph-robes." he said gesturing to the red symbols around the cuff of his arms and the ankles of his robe. "Besides it looks like it is just your size." He said

Arric just laughed. "He is right you know, those robes are too small for Kate, let alone him" Arric gestured to the now flustered Verris. "I think someone or something out there wants you into something a little more...fitting." He said laughing loud enough for it to echo in the spacious area.

Cael glared at him before finally sighing. "Fine, but you need to turn around while I change." He said removing his non-glyph robe and shoving it into his backpack. He wormed his way into the robe just to find that it fit perfectly. "well I was complaining earlier that I ever got from dungeon-crawls were average robes, I guess its about time I got something a bit out of the ordinary."

Arric turned around just the be greeted by Cael in a purple-pink robe. Overall this just set a spring off mentally in his mind. Cael stood their, long white-blond hair, Pink eyes and in a robe that when it wasn't purple was a matching pink colour. He struggled long and hard however the urge to laugh over came him. He dropped to the blacked ground and rolled, laughing harder than he had laughed in a long time.

"Its not funny!" Cael said putting his hands on his hips and leaning forward.

At seeing this Arric paused just to watch Cael do this before he started laughing harder. "Oh this is great, perfect just..ah oh my." He said struggling to get back up he wiped a single tear from the corner of his eye. "Cael I must say, the robe pulls everything together."

"And what do you mean by that?" Cael said straightening up and crossing his arms.

"Turn around." Arric said to Cael

Cael followed the orders and spun around to see Ash standing their a large grin on her normally straight face. "Cute." Is all she said retrieving a hand mirror out of her backpack and handing it to Cael in a half-sleepy stupor.

Verris although he understood he didn't understand what exactly was going on. Suddenly the words Lanzer had yelled at him sunk in. "Wait...YOU are a GUY!"

At this outburst Arric just dropped back down to the ground and started laughing again. Cael dropped the hand mirror out of shock and Ash giggled a little before bending down to pick up the mirror pieces and collapsing to take a nap.

Suddenly they heard exactly what they were looking for. The semi-rhythmic stomping of clawed beast foot against rock. A shuddering roar was heard and they saw it. The scaly Snout poked its way through a large opening. However what followed the snout wasn't what they were expecting. Out crawled a War-dragon. It stood at a terrifying three feet tall and wings barely able to lift its body off the ground. It looked about as ferocious as a de-clawed kitten at this point.

Taf just screamed and hid behind the sleeping Ash. Cael looked interested at the small dragon. Verris was still trying to piece together just who he had been following for the past day and a half. Arric stopped to look at the dragon momentarily before returning to his laughter fit. "This tops it all. In all my years I have fought trolls, ogres. Bandits and Rock-dogs. But never have I seen such a fine specimen of dragon health." He roared.

The small dragon looked over at Arric before sneezing, that's when Arric realized that dragons, no matter how small can be dangerous. The fire released from the maw of the diminutive dragon was hot enough that it was a pure red. It melted the mine cart ties that were even in close proximity to the fire.

"Not so funny any more." Arric said jumping up and staring at the dragon.

This was the moment that Kate decided to appear. In her arms was a replacement mirror for Ash, and a large parcel of meat. It looked like pork. "Drea. I thought I told you before that even though they deserve it, its not nice to scare poor travelers." She looked over at the mine cart ties. "And cover your mouth when you sneeze." She scolded. "Three hundred years old and you still have a hard time with that."

"Nice to see you join us." Arric said dusting himself off. "Well, Like I thought. We meet the dragon and Kate appears from nowhere to give the thing something, I was half expecting her to be bringing a small child in tow."

"That silly." Kate said smiling. "Drea doesn't eat children. They are much to small and they supposedly don't taste that good compared to old men." she said smoothing her healers robe out.

Arric paled at this. "Not funny Kate I know he wouldn't eat people he seems like a nice dragon." Arric said walking unsteadily toward Kate and 'Drea'.

"Who said I was joking?" Kate asked tilting her head to one side as Drea ran his forked tongue over his scaly lips.

"Well. Aside from the man-eating dragon, Where were you Kate?" Cael asked.

She smiled and handed Cael a small stone with a symbol of some kind into it. "I was talking with the Goblin elder, It wasn't the same one I remember from before. This one was much younger and was a little green behind the ears."

"Ah I get it, he was a goblin so he was green!" Arric said letting out a quick laugh.

"That was Rude." was all Kate said. "No really, he was inexperienced as a Leader so the goblins have been running expeditions down into the abandoned mine under the pass and running into elvish artifacts causing them to mutate." Kate said twirling her staff absentmindedly.

"Well, its great to see you again." Cael said. "Because we need a way to wake Ash up." He said pointing to the pile of human and steel that was Ash. "She sprung a trapped chest that got me this robe." Cael said showing his new 'robe' to Kate.

"I can wake Ash up really quickly!" Kate said before looking at Cael and becoming distracted. "How pretty!" She said grabbing Cael into a quick hug. "You look so cuuuute!" She said lifting him off his feet and shaking him side to side.

"Let me down." He gasped "Ash needs to be awoken."

"Oh yeah!" She said setting Cael down and turning to Ash. She rolled up her sleeve and made a quick incantation and launched a blue bolt of magical energy at Ash. However no matter what one uses as an offensive or defensive thing. One must consider rebound.

Healing mishap -6-
ByLanzaq
Verris stood back up a scowl on his face. "Well, this is a fine mess I am in. My wonderful teacher is actually a MAN, I have one of the worst clerics in history dealing with our wounded and afflicted. Our sleeping swordswoman over there is staying true to her name and STILL SLEEPING, and probably the most light hearted, and laugh-happy archer I have ever seen. Aren't archers supposed to be super disciplined and all Steal from the rich and give to the poor types? To me you look like the person that would be willing to beat up an old lady if you learned she had more than ten gold on her." Verris screamed.

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Kate looked stunned as the magic rebounded off Ash's Armour and the shards of mirror strewn around her. "Duck!" She screamed dropping to her knees. Cael and Verris both followed suit and got down with her. The Blue bolt of magic whistled over head as it sped by.

"Arric! Duck!" Cael cried out.

Arric was too busy watching the over grown salamander lick its lips to be ready to turn around or even break his gaze with it. Suddenly Drea let out a small roar and moved away from Arric. "Ha! I knew it! I am so awesome, I intimidated a Dragon!" He said just as the blue bolt nailed him in the back of the head.

"Arric!" Cael screamed getting up off the ground and running over to the grounded Arric. When he got there he stopped and looked at the old man and asked the same question he had heard not that long ago." Uh...Arric, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, Fine. Why?" Arric asked rubbing the back of his head. "That really hurt Kate."

Cael ran over to the still sleeping Ash and brought back one of the mirror shards. He handed it to Arric. He used the mirror to make a quick inspection stopping at this hair. Before it would have been described as pepper and salt now it was just pepper, actually more of a raven colour.

At seeing this Arric just laughed. "You get feminized, I get a new hair colour. Kate. Have I ever said I love your skills?" He said running a hand through his now coloured and generally healthier hair. "I actually think that made me a few years younger. Hey Kate care to launch maybe two more of those my way?"

Kate just smiled, kicked at a clump of dirt sending a little cloud of black dust up and nodded. "Sure."

"I was joking, but good to know that you would be willing to do so." Arric said looking over at the still cowering Verris. "Boy, are you getting up any time soon?"

Verris stood back up a scowl on his face. "Well, this is a fine mess I am in. My wonderful teacher is actually a MAN, I have one of the worst clerics in history dealing with our wounded and afflicted. Our sleeping swordswoman over there is staying true to her name and STILL SLEEPING, and probably the most light hearted, and laugh-happy archer I have ever seen. Aren't archers supposed to be super disciplined and all Steal from the rich and give to the poor types? To me you look like the person that would be willing to beat up an old lady if you learned she had more than ten gold on her." Verris screamed.

Taf suddenly poked his head up and looked between Arric, Kate, Cael, Verris and Drea who was peering at the group from a dark opening nearby. "Y'All are crazies. Plum crazies. " He grumbled continuing on to mention the most danger-seeking and least intelligent set of crawlers he had ever seen.
"Y'all heard of caution? Or didya run into a nice thick wind to throw it into?"

"I will have you know, I didn't not throw my caution into the wind. It was blown away." Arric said picking up his bow and slinging it back over his shoulder. "Well anyway. Lets find a way out of here."

Suddenly a rope dropped down from the opening and a man shouted down. "Are you all 'Okay'?" The man said. "We heard the dragon roaring and magic being used. "Is Drea okay? Are you all okay?"

At hearing the voice Ash woke up and yawned she looked down at the shattered mirror and looks sad. "My grandmother's."

Kate suddenly smiled. "I was using tele sight when I saw Cael drop it. So..." She held out an almost perfect copy of the mirror, except the minor details were mirrored.

"You all can climb right?" The voice yelled down again. "If anyone can't I will come down and help you get them up."

"No we all can get up." Cael yelled in reply. "Come on guys. We can get out of here." He told the rest of the group. The smell of food wafted down the hole and the group realized, none of them have eaten in over fifteen hours. Hunger drove them quickly up the rope.

Taf Yelled up to them. "Becareful Y'all, not everyone up there is as trustworthy as you would like to think.
They all acknowledged this bit of information and still continued undaunted. However they werent' expecting what was at the top of the well opening. Four men stood poised to attack. The leader was a tousled blond haired man, he was wearing a pure white silk shirt, and white dyed cotton pants. A devilish grin stretched across his bottom half of his face, a white mask hid the other. "I am the White-Highway man. Your money, potions, or clothes. NOW." He demanded. He looked over at Cael, Ash, and Kate. "Except the ladies, I am a noble robber, not a heathen theif."

Arric just sat stunned. "I am broke. My potions were dropped long ago, and sir. You don't want these rags for clothes." He said before his face turned hostile. "Now get away from me scum."

Verris just paled. "We are nothing but broke dungeon crawlers, we have used our potions surviving an onslaught of Mutant goblins please. Let us live, we umm could maybe work for you for awhile.

"Excellent." He said removing his mask revealing a burn-scarred left eye and a missing ear both covered by some of the longer bits of his long hair. Caels stomach growled and gave the man an idea. He grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the five. "When the townspeople ask, you are starving travelers that I saved."

The five walked slowly as the three still masked bandits followed closely behind them, their daggers still out eyeing their backpacks. "I get the Elf girl's pack, I think she is about the size of my daughter." The middle man of the three said looking at Cael's heavy backpack.

"If thats the case I get to go through the Archer's Backpack. I don't think he is as broke as he lets on. You know how Archers are. They are tighter fisted than your aunt, and she made sure to give the inheritance you would have gotten when she died to herself." the smallest of the robbers said. Looking up at Arrics drooping, almost empty pack.

The tallest of the three stood behind Verris. "that leaves me with either the Healer, which would probably have nothing but herbs and bandages, the swords woman who would have maybe blade sharpening equipment meant for travel meaning junk, or the dress wearing man. Ah the true cream of the crop right there. I love getting last pick."

"Gentlemen. We don't discuss such uncouth things in front of my now cordially invited guests." The leader said brushing more hair over his damaged eye and ear.

The robbers stayed quiet after that. Before they reached the village however the robbers hid their daggers and masks in a heavy clump of bushes. Underneath they looked just like any average and ordinary villager.

As they walked into the village a hobbled and almost blind old lady walked out to greet the leader of the bandits. "Ah Raleigh, Its good to see you getting out and still helping, I was sad when I heard about your house fire earlier this year."

"I know Mrs.Morrew. I was devastated, the fire even spread to the garden." He said nervously smoothing the longer hair over his eye as if he were trying to hide it. "If those lovely gentlemen from the church hadn't had the guts to drag me out I would have perished like my mother and father."

"Such fine people, unfortunate enough to get caught in an arson attempt to murder the entire family and steal their fortune." The old woman said whispereing into Cael's ear. "You be extra careful little lady, he has a nice face besides the burns but I hear he likes the young ones the most." She also added before hobbling back into her house cackling.

Arric, glaring at the back of the man's head spat into the dusty street. "I bet the blond brat set the fire himself and accidentally burned himself. I can't stand the idea of someone stealing or murdering for personal gain."

"Coming from the man willing to trek into a mountain pass for a man's head in exchange for gold sounds a tad hypocritcal. " Verris said with a shrug.

"Thats different, You don't understand what sort of a psychopath that cleric was. If given the chance Cael would be dead and most of the goblins you met back in that pass that at least looked like normal goblins would have been gone." Arric said. "Lanzer is a threat, and if is still out looking for the other High-Church Artifacts, supposedly if he can get the other seven then he is 'assured victory over the lesser races.'"

"Lanzer. Sounds familiar." Raleigh said to the group, still leading the way through the Village waving at people as he went. "He was a cleric you said?"

"Shut up robber." Arric said. "I don't think you should be eavesdropping on our conversation."

Raleigh just smiled. "You fool, when we get out of the public eye I could easily kill you, you know that right?"

"Yes, go for it, be as cold hearted and mean as the damn bandits that killed my wife and son so long ago." Arric said spitting at Raleigh's feet. "Make this old man glad to finally be moving on."

Raleigh spun around fast on his heels landing a heavy backslap across Arrics face, his calm and cool demeanor gone and replaced with a red face of pure rage. "Never...Say...you...are...willing...to...die." Raleigh said between heavy breaths. "Cowards get killed. True men are murdered on the battlefield."

"I wouldn't be killed, I would be murdered by a man no better than those that murdered my wife." Arric said rubbing his cheek with one hand and grabbing Raleigh by the collar. He drew the hand away from his cheek into a fist and draw back, suddenly the men 'guarding' them had daggers pointed at Arric.

"Raleigh is a kind and gentle man. Don't hate him for what a group of uncultured heathens did ten or twenty years ago." One of the robbers said "Besides it sounds to me like those men are long gone."

At this Arric laughed, not his usual light and warm laugh, this was a cold, cruel laugh. "You are right. They weren't alive as soon as I got a hold of names." Arric said, the memory coming into focus in his mind.

A Twenty some odd year old Arric, just home from work out in the forest with his best friend. His wife laying on the floor of the kitchen tears still on her face. Their son, laying face down in her arms. Both dead not more than twenty minutes. A trek to the bar proved to be useful as he got the names of two men, Horrer, and Maleyce. The two were held up out in the forest nearby, A shack was what their hide-out actually was. The two men were sitting on moldy old apple crates. They were talking about how they got a grand total of crap from their last robbery. Arric spotted one of their bows sitting against the wall outside. He quickly picked it up and snagged the only arrows left by the bow. Three. The vivid red feathers still fresh in his mind.

Arric remembers the exact curve and roughness of the bow, he could feel the malignant spirit that had grown in the bow itself. He shuddered remembering it. He knotched the first arrow and pointed it through a small slot in the wall of the shack meant for the bandits to be able to shoot out of, Arric was using their offensive against them. He let the first arrow fly it flew and directly hit the bandit later identified as Horrer right between the eyes killing him mid-sentence. Maleyce, the dimmer one of the two had his back turned at the time, upon hearing Horrer stop mid-sentence he turned around to see his 'buddy' sitting dead on the crate and slumped onto the table. Maleyce's world went black at that instant.

The next thing Arric remembers is being pulled off one of the two's body, he had a knife in hand and had brutally rendered one of them post-humorously neuter outside their hideout, He remembers a voice, indistinct. Time had worn away the gender. Telling him to stop, it was no longer honouring his wife if he continued. He also remembered breaking into Laughter, and tears at the same time. The mid-afternoon sun that had graced his trip out there had long seceded into a new moon, both men had chunks of skin carved out of their arms, legs and chests.

He left not a few hours after that, no longer able to stand living in a place that the murder of his dearly beloved could go completely unnoticed, he vowed to never get attached to anyone else.

However that quickly changed. After several years of wandering Arric was setting up for the night in a forest. He heard crying, not loud or terrified crying, just the sound of a lost child crying out for someone. He quickly, although at the time it felt terrifyingly slow, he got up off the log near his fire and pushed his way though a bush to see a young elf boy, not much older than six or seven crouched low, a leahter bound book, laying crumpled, dirty and almost ripped to pieces at his side on the ground, in his hand he held a small child's staff over his head in fear. His clear blue eyes looked up at Arric and he smiled.

That was when Arric decided that a Life away from anyone else wasn't possible anymore.

"Touching." Was Raleigh's only comment. "I liked the part where you stopped talking."

"Well, What do you know, spill the reason you hate all criminals and the criminal hates you for it." Arric said spitting at his feet again. "So, now. Tell your little friends to put away their pocket knives away before I decide to -"

"What?" Raleigh interrupted. "What are you going to do, in the middle of MY village's crowded street." He whispered into his ear and putting his arms out gesturing to the shocked people looking at them through windows and door cracks. "You would kill me? The Raleigh of Ura, the hero of the people. I not only rescue lost adventurers from death, I am still holding on to the highest donation to the local church."

"Bastard." Arric muttered under his breath.

"No my good sir. I knew my father, quite well actually." Raleigh said. "Now before you do anything rash, put me down, and we can discuss things further at my home. I did say you are all guests." He glanced back at Cael. "I do love having guests."

Verris bowed low, still pale from earlier. "W-we would be more than happy to spend the night at your most likely lovely estate." He mumbled out quickly.

"I would hate to think my...guests....weren't properly entertained while staying with me." Raleigh said shooing away his posse. "Gentlemen and ladies. Now we will peacefully resume our walk to my house and you will tell me why you were down in my private chamber of Dagger blade pass, messing with MY dragon."

Kate suddenly spoke up. "He isn't YOUR dragon. Drea is a free spirit to go where ever he pleases, he has seen more sun rises and more sunsets than you will ever hope to even get close to, he has seen his great great great great...."She paused to breath before continuing. "great grandchildren give birth to his..."

"Enough. Boys. I know what I said about proper treatment of the ladies. However if she speaks up again." He laughed. "Gag her."

Kate huffed angrily and stomped her foot on the ground. "I am versed in magics you wouldn't understand." She said "I have lived longer than you, and like Drea, I have taken the time to watch the sunrise and sunset. You are happily blazing through life not willing to stop and notice the real good happening."

"Love the morals. Tell me more." Raleigh joked. "I love getting lectured by women who are older than me. I have been living on my own for ten years after the fire killed my parents and nearly killed me. I know what is going on. Nothing any of you say could change how I am. Deal with it."

Ash drew a single sword and pointed it at the still lifted up Raleigh. "Don't Mess with us." She said poking him with the very tip of her sword causing his exposed neck to bleed a pin-heads worth of blood.

"Great. Some what decently skilled Dungeon-Crawlers. I hadn't anticipated this." Raleigh said. "To tell you the truth, I intended to take you all to my home, and kill off You." He pointed down to Arric. "First, because one, you are a man and two, you are old. Then you." He said pointing at Verris. "Because you seem to lack talent, are a man and have no spine. Then you." He pointed to Ash. "Because you are a woman you get to wait until your male friends are gone, and yet the honors of being the first woman because you are carrying swords, and look somewhat dangerous, it seems that I should have actually put you second. Then her." He pointed at Kate. "She looked about as empty headed as the Church Coffers before I started donating, and finally, I would have kept her alive." He pointed to Cael.

---
Well, I started this chapter out with a plan where I wanted it to go. Arric wasn't supposed to have such a depressing bit of back story, and Raleigh was DEFINITELY supposed to be different. I sort of let him go off in what ever direction my fingers typed for him.

Happy Reading
Lanzaq

Healing Mishap -7-
ByLanzaQ
After Proceeding through Dagger sheath Pass the group found themselves in the presence of a group of thieves that supposedly were there for the sake of stealing from the loot and plunder rich Crawlers for the sake of donation to the local church and helping the needy.

However, what happens when the man wanting their money decides he wants to tag along?

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"you're sick." Arric spat throwing Raleigh to the ground.

"I am sick?" Raleigh said climbing up and dusting himself off and laughing. "I am not the one traveling with a skinny ass man, a young, maybe twelve year old girl, a silent swordswoman and a ditz of a cleric. Notice something? Other than the other man its two women and one girl. All three of which are younger than you." Raleigh stated.

"Scum." Arric said drawing his belt knife. "Cael, Adeptus Forma." he continued. Cael quickly responded bringing his staff up to a very tender place for Raliegh. "Forma Complete." Cael said quickly returning his staff to the spot behind his backpack as Raleigh dropped to the ground with his hands between his knees.

He was winded for a long time before he said anything that was understandable. "---OW." Suddenly Kate, forgetting her little rant over Drea jumps forward. "I can help!" She said beginning the incantation. Before anyone could say anything she was already done. A flash of yellow and green light engulfed Raleigh, and he suddenly jumped up to his feet and his eyes widened as he realized something.

He laughed, not his usual laugh but a happy laugh as he exclaimed to Kate. "Thank you!" He quickly snatched Kate into a hug. "Thank you so very very much!"

Kate stood shocked. "Umm You're welcome?" she said as she returned the gesture.

"I don't think you understand what you just did." Raleigh said pulling back the long hair over his eye revealing the now smooth, unscathed skin and ear. A large smile stretched across his face.

"Good job Kate. Heal the man that was saying he was going to kill us, excluding Cael. " Verris said. One of the men pointed their dagger at him and growled menacingly.

"Conrad, put the knife away!" Raleigh said rubbing a hand across his now velvet smooth skin that was once tough scar tissue. "How did you do it exactly?" He asked Kate releasing his hug of death. "I searched countless hours for clerics with the ability each one I met just laughed and said good luck."

"Well you see I have had decades of chances to perfect my skills." Kate said twirling her staff. "Mastering my arte was a requirement for my church if you wanted the position I had." She added nodding sagely. " I have seen more in my life than you might in several hundred."

"So...Just how old ar-" Raleigh said before being interrupted.

"It's not nice to ask a lady her age." Kate huffed slinging her staff over her shoulder hitting Verris on the head. "Well, we helped you, you stole from us. I think we are even now." Kate said

Verris rubbed the growing bump on his head. "Of course that makes perfect sense. Are all clerics either crazy or this illogical?" He said setting his backpack down. He rummaged around for a bit. Several glass vials clinked around before he finally pulled out a small square of bandage.

As he went on applying the bandage. Raleigh's Face lit up. "I can help you." He said. "Do any of you five know about 'that cleric.'?" he asked in a whisper.

" 'That cleric.'? Really wonderful description you go there." Verris snarked.

Raleigh thought for a moment. "Wait here I know someone who can give a better description." he quickly took off leaving the five behind with the three stooges. Ash suddenly whirled around quickly, her sword drawn and her eyes full of anger. "DON'T EVER TOUCH MY BACKPACK." she screamed at the three of them.

The three shrank back. Arric nudged her. " Ash, put it up Raleigh is coming back with a...girl."

Raleigh stood there, the girl next to him fidgeting nervously. She couldn't have been older than fourteen. She wore a plain brown dress that matched her hair and eyes. An apron that was comically large engulfed her and the dress. "Um Raleigh, you wanted a description of the man that attacked my mother right?" she asked looking scared. Raleigh just nodded at her and smiled. "H-He was tall, um Brown hair, and I think, maybe, blue eyes." She paused to look around "He wore glasses and was talking about something in High-Church with my mother when he suddenly got angry and flung her towards the glass case."

"Alyssa, I know this is hard but these dungeon-crawlers want to help, if you didn't know they helped me." Raleigh whispered to her revealing his healed skin and her eyes widened and she turned to Arric

Arric patted her on the head as tears formed in Alyssa's eyes. "We know the ass that did it. Is she still alive?" Arric asked looking down at her.

"Y-yeah." She sniffled. "barely. Raleigh helped me find a cleric willing to treat her."

What is her name?" Cael asked her looking into her brown eyes. He smiled as she smiled back shortly.

"Dianna." Was her quick response. As she wiped the tears out of her eyes and beamed at Cael.

"Did she post these?" Arric said with a laugh handing the girl the yellowed paper that they had found posted on the bounty board in the last village they were in. "A Head-hunter note found in the last town before daggersheath pass."

Alyssa read it quickly. "It's her writing, but I don't think she could have posted this." she paused to re-read it. " Ummm. I got to get back to the Inn, we had customers. Come by later if you are still in town." she ran back fairly quickly before Raleigh turned to them.

"I want to help you find him." He said glaring into space. "Any man that would attack someone for no reason deserves punishment."

Verris laughed. "Wow. Coming from you I find that statement funny." he rubbed his temples. "Coming from the man who was willing to steal and murder for his village I REALLY find that funny."

Raleigh smiled. "I never said I wasn't expecting punishment. I am just hoping that it will come in my old age when I am more willing to die on the battlefield."

Verris sighed. "Well, we need to sleep for the night." he gestured to the moon already starting its climb into the sky. "just a recap, the five of us were ordinary dungeon-crawlers until this crazy cleric Lanzer appeared, now suddenly we are fighting for the fate of ourselves, and all the non-human races of the world?"

"Sounds about right." Kate said smiling. "Um, however it would be the six of us including Raleigh."

"Kate, he isn't an official member yet, he is just sort of here for the moment." Verris said.

"Why not bring him along? He might be able to actually pick locks." Arric said. "However I don't agree with his moral system." He added with a quick glare.

"Hey. I can." Was Ash's response.

"I don't like him that much." Cael said looking up at Raleigh. "I mean, yes, he probably knows what he is doing but I mean." He looked away and remembered how the old lady had mentioned that Raleigh liking them younger. " I just don't."

"Alright, its official! Welcome to the team Raleigh!" Kate said shaking his hand.

"Oh boy." Verris said

"Oh god." Arric cried

"Oh Great!" Raleigh exclaimed

--- In the Unicorn's Horn Inn---

Alyssa stood at the door "Welcome...I can show you up to my mother's room." She said grabbing Cael's hand and dragging him towards the stairs next to the lobby bar. "This way c'mon!"

Raleigh watched this with a smile. "Lyss always did have a thing for being shy until she really gets to know you." He chuckled at seeing Cael's face as Alyssa dragged him up the stairs by his hand. "She seems to really like that girl."

Verris scoffed, Arric suppressed a laugh, Ash stood silent, and Kate just smiled. "What?" Raleigh stood there clueless as they suddenly realized Cael was standing at the top of the stairs. "Get your butts up here. Lyss wants Kate to see her mother!"

"Hmm already calling her Lyss. She must really like her. " Raleigh said nodding sagely.

The five, six including Cael all squeezed into the room that Alyssa had led them to, inside on the small bed rested a woman that looked like what could only have been described as an older doppelganger of Alyssa. She looked to be about thirty. Her hair was a mess and her face was deathly pale. Alyssa walked over to the bed and softly said. "Mommy, Raleigh brought a really strong cleric that was able to even heal his face. She can help you!"

The woman turned to them revealing a mass of scabbed over wounds across her face where the remnants of glass could almost be imagined. Cael quickly looked away mumbling something about feeling queasy. Verris stood with his mouth gaped. Raleigh just sighed and Kate quickly drew her staff and was already working on the incantation. A wave of energy suddenly expanded knocking small items off the vanity and bookshelf nearby.

Within moments Dianna was up out of bed with a smile on her face. "I dunno what healing magic that was but it was so much more...powerful...than what those other clerics were trying." She said. "I am Dianna and owner of the Unicorn's Horn Inn and Tavern, would any of you like something to drink, 'cept you Rals. I know you aren't old enough for that Dwarf ale you keep asking for." she said with a laugh.

"Di, you know I don't like you using that nickname." Raleigh said shuffling his feet.

"Well, speak up. Also Glad to hear about the face and ear Rals, now as I was saying. Do any of you want a drink." she asked again.

The oder went fairly fast. Arric wanted a local specialty, Robin's hood. Kate and Cael went with plain Cider. Ash as per usual picked her favorite, SkullCrack Slime. Verris asked politely for a Wizards Wine. Raleigh tried for a dwarfish ale, and Dianna just laughed and handed him a mug of Cider.

Alyssa sat beside Cael and started asking about his hair, and eyes and his family. She asked if he took part in the dungeon-crawls or stayed behind in the towns. "I like my hair." Cael said getting a 'you liar.' look from Arric and a laugh. "My eyes I am not that fond of." He answered when he noticed Arric's look. "I don't really remember much about my family except that they left me behind when we were forced out of our village."

"Oh." Alyssa said, sadness reflected into her Cider mug that her mother was happy to give her. "Well. I also asked, do you help on the Dungeon-Crawls?"

"Oh yeah, actually." Cael said. "I am actually the main Magician, Verris is my apprentice!" at this truth coming to light in a moderately populated tavern Verris quickly hid his face. "Cael." He hissed. "You don't say something like that out loud. Especially when you look like a young girl and I look like a decently reputable wizard."

"Ah come off it Verris. Cael is just having a good time with her new friend." Arric said.

"Her?" Cael asked looking over and up at Arric.

"Yeah. Its not every day that Alyssa gets to meet with any girls her age." Raleigh said tipping back the rest of his Cider. "I mean, she works for her mother and lives inside Ura, you know who shows up in Ura?" He said slamming his mug down on the table. "Old or sweaty, or old and sweaty merchants that 'braved the pass to bring you such high quality' crap." Raleigh said anger bubbling to the surface. "No interesting dungeon crawlers or even the decent family wanting to move in."

Alyssa just nodded. "mhmm, Raleigh is right. We never have anyone interesting show up." she looked over at Cael. "So, you must have some interesting stories don't you?" she asked a smile on her face.

Kate smiled. "I am friends with one of the most famous liches in the kingdom!" she said "And...um we have cleared I think the last time I checked five dungeons total. Well, not all of us. Me, Arric, Ash and Cael all have cleared five, Verris has cleared two. Raleigh will be accompanying us on our next dungeon crawl."

Alyssa looked shocked at Kate. "A lich? Aren't they really scary undead necromancers?"

Kate just laughed. "I think you would like Patty." she said before an idea popped into her head. She quickly rummaged around in her back pack before she pulled it out. It was a crystal that couldn't have been much larger than the last digit of her pinky. "A TeleTalk Crystal, manufactured by Run, the greatest in TeleTalk crystals. Anyway me and Patty are both on the same TeleTalk plan so we get unlimited nights and weekends!"

"TeleTalk?" Raleigh said staring at the small crystal. The other four just shook their heads. "Sometimes its better not to ask." Arric said. "The girl has more trinkets and little things than what you could even begin to think up."

Kate set the crystal on the flat of the table and to the shock of the five plus Alyssa and the other patrons of the tavern it sparked to life. Suddenly in front of the crystal about two feet in diameter on the table was a circle. "I gotta get a hold of her." Kate said writing 'Patty' in Cal in the circle. Suddenly a loud squeal was heard from the crystal and in the circle the face of Patty greeted them.

"Hi!" Patty said over the poor reception of the crystal. "How, and where are you?"

Kate waved at the image. "We are good, we are currently in what was formerly Greenwood Hold, now Ura." she said. "Umm Cael has been on the receiving end of some more magic."

"Aw poor Cael!" Patty said. "Um Kate, I think a storm is rolling in, the reception I am getting from your crystal is poor. I blame Run, they manage to make one of the most revolutionary items and they can't even make the signal decent everywhere."

"I know!" Kate cried. "But its expensive for them to build the Magical Broadcasting towers. Also they can't just stick them anywhere. Hey! I got to see Drea again. He says hi!" she said smiling.

Alyssa edged slowly over to Kate to look at Patty. Upon seeing Patty she smiled and waved. "Hello." she said timidly.

"Kate? Who is that?" Patty asked tilting her head. The background walls around her were all a melded brown, however there was a spot of bright yellow and green. Cheese.

"Her name is Alyssa and she is one of the few people living in Greenwood Hold." Kate said. "Also her mother looks almost just like her!"

Patty looked shocked. "I spent over a hundred years learning necromancy and this girl mother looks just like her?" she pouted for a bit and poked at the cheese. "Not fair."

"Not like that!" Verris said. "Kate means that the girl looks like her mother."

"Ah. Who is this as well? Another local?" Patty asked rubbing some of the molding cheese on the bottom hem of her dress. "He looks nice at least. I think he might have some talent for the darker magics."

"He is my apprentice!" Cael said shoving his way into the picture.

Patty stopped, stared and Cael and squealed. "YOU LOOK ADORABLE!"

The conversation between the group and Patty continued on for several more hours until eventually Alyssa was called up to her room by her mother. The five all began to retired. In the order of the most inebriated. Ash first, then Arric, Verris, Cael, Kate, and Finally Raleigh. However one thing was over looked. Ash had so quickly staggered her way up the stairs leaving behind her backpack. Raleigh being the last one at the table had remembered Ash threatening his men. 'One peek wouldn't hurt would it?'
----------------------------------------------------
Ah, feels good to be back in front of my computer after so long. Also a nice little break doesn't hurt much does it? feel free to leave comments, I actually like to read them sometimes.

Healing Mishap -8-
By LanzaQ

The conversation between the group and Patty continued on for several more hours until eventually Alyssa was called up to her room by her mother. The five all began to retired. In the order of the most inebriated. Ash first, then Arric, Verris, Cael, Kate, and Finally Raleigh. However one thing was over looked. Ash had so quickly staggered her way up the stairs leaving behind her backpack. Raleigh being the last one at the table had remembered Ash threatening his men. 'One peek wouldn't hurt would it?'

---
Raleigh looked around the almost empty tavern. Those still populating its tables were either too impaired, or apathetic to what he was doing. He touched the weathered leather, worn between between its tanned state and being rawhide again. A single string tied down a simple flap covering the drawstring opening. He quickly gave it a yank and watched as the knot came undone.

All that separated him and some of Ash's secrets was a simple flap. Raleigh lifted the flap slowly, and once it was completely lifted off of the bags contents he instantly knew why she kept it so secret. The very topmost item in the bag was a simple emblem made of wood, not any particularly noticeable wood. But an average, dull, and unfinished wood emblem, it was a shield with the center cut out in the shape of a sword.

"This emblem." Raleigh whispered. " She had a side in the Civil war, the side that lost."

suddenly a voice called out to Raleigh. " Some Secrets are best kept just that, secret." Dianna said behind the bar, sliding a glass mug of something down the length of the bar. "Everyone has their own secrets, like your sister Rals, speaking of your sister that elf girl those crawlers had with them would have looked a lot like her except the eyes a slight difference in curves."

"Dianna, one don't call me Rals, and two, Becca is still a sore subject for me." Raleigh said cinching the bag closed and retying down the flap. "I know it has been ten years but she had loved me more than both mom and pop combined."

"Rals, er, Raleigh. She was kept secret from everyone in the village except from you and me." Dianna said. "Jessica wasn't even your real mother, or Becca's for that matter!" She paused. "Lyssa would love to learn that her hero Raleigh was actually her older brother."

"Older HALF-brother." Raleigh said. "Also if Ash asks, I didn't see anything."

"If anyone asks you didn't get anything from me." Dianna said as Raleigh walked over to the bar and picked up the glass mug. He gave it a quick sniff and instantly knew what he was smelling. His face betrayed exactly what he was about to ask.

"Why are you giving this to me? I'm not 'old' enough yet." Raleigh said.

"There is a difference between being old and being mature, and personally Rals, I think you have just shown me a lot of maturity." Dianna said. "Now be a good son and make sure these old men get home safe. I want them all to come back tomorrow or next week and its hard for them to get in here if they fall and bust their head open on a rock or tree somewhere."

"Yes Mommy." Raleigh said sarcastically with a quick bow.

The sun seemed to rise extra early that morning, the team woke up with mild grumbling except for Ash, whom Arric, Cael and Kate were willing to tell Verris and Raleigh to leave her alone. After a night like she had; it sometimes seemed that even the devil would be afraid to wake that woman.

The six, minus Ash stood outside the Unicorn's Horn. Dianna and Alyssa both waved them out of the village. Several of the older people and church members also gave their farewells to Raleigh. small amounts of gold, and food were passed to the dungeon-crawlers. "Raleigh, does this town have a Bounty Board or, maybe some kind of Message board for people to leave messages for everyone to read?" Verris asked before thumbing through his book again and occasionally mouthing incantations.

"We have a Discovery Board, where travelers can post something interesting they found outside the village." Raleigh said pointing to a dilapidated signboard. The four except for Raleigh crowded around it. One thing stuck out to them in particular. A small nondescript piece of paper with few words scribbled on it.

"Old burnt church basement, Creatures...lots of creatures." Cael read. "Everything past that is illegible."

"Sounds great." Verris said. "We can't find one with nice information, like 'Dungeon found! Low risk and low reward, good for new adventurers!'. No, we have to go after the ambiguous note that can't be read past. 'Send help nearly mauled come look around.'"

"Aw lay off of it Verris. It might be fun." Arric said counting his arrows and bowstring. "besides we have been here for too long if we expect to get anywhere soon we better head out now."

"Lets go!" Kate said with a fist pump and a large smile. "Where is ash? I think it might be good if we take Ash along. She hates being left behind!" Kate paused to look around. "The last time we left her behind she ended up getting caught by a pack of feral elves that weren't hesitant to trying to induct her into their clan, when we found her she was dressed in nothing but a loincloth and a look of pure fury."

"What happened to the Elves?" Verris and Raleigh asked in unison.

"The children were kept alive." Kate said with a smile as if that answered all their possible questions.

"Well then. Lets wait for Ash and stock up on some necessary supplies." Raleigh said checking the small leather satchel made for him by the same older woman that gave Cael the advice. "I have, three loaves of unleavened bread, three anti-poisons, A large First-aide kit, and two hundred gold pieces."

Verris looked in his large camper's cloth pack. " I have my study books, practice wand, four sets of anti-burn salves, two apples, two changes of robes, a set of five basic wound bandages, and one hundred fifty gold pieces and a sapphire." He continued to look over his items "I think I am set."

Cael shrugged."I know I am set, but I guess it never hurts to check." he said. " I have my maginomicon, a second set of robes, a low-class home remedy, a half pound of some kind of meat, and one hundred and one gold pieces and a small ruby that I would like to someday have set in a nice ring." Cael said checking every small pocket in his home-made backpack.

Kate smiled. "Let me see..."

"Good job guys we might be here for awhile." Arric said as kate began to open the hand sized leather pouch.

"I have, five apples, a loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, two dresses, a change of robes a set of leather leggings, a small dagger, an anti-fire ring, my teletalk crystal." She paused shoving her arm up to the elbow in the pouch. "A small doll from my younger years, a knife." She fished around with her shoulder all the way into the small bag. "A different staff in the event that mine breaks, and" She stretched as far as she could letting out strained groans. "My healing manual, an emerald, a gold band, and five health potions." she stressed pulling out the large leather tome that looked positively ancient.

Verris and Raleigh paled. "Dear god how much can she fit in that small bag?"

"A lot." was all Arric said in response to their question. "My turn I guess? Well...my backpack contains." He said lifting the backpack off his shoulder and upending it dumping it out. All the fell out of it was a bundle of sticks, arrow heads, feathers, a single potion, and a set of arrows tied tightly with a small length of cord. "That is all I have on me. Except the equipment I keep on hand like my belt knife, tinderbox, and a coil of all-weather-rope."

As if on cue Ash walked out of the Inn, her face neutral and her hair a mess. Her backpack slung over her armoured left shoulder. "Lets go." She said gesturing to everyone as they shoved everything back into their backpacks.

The six set off, with only a basic idea of where they were going. The note proved to be little to no help as the directions they were attempting to follow were claimed long ago by the god or goddess of faded ink. "I think I know where we are going." Kate said. "Remember how I mentioned my church being burnt by atreeists a loooong time ago?"

"Athiests." Cael corrected. "And yes we remember that, why?" he questioned as they suddenly found themselves in an old clearing, a ring of rocks in the pitted center stood their as if it was waiting for eternity for another campfire to be lit there.

The six all sat down and readied the ring for another fire, eternity wasn't as long as it had thought. The fire only took a few seconds of gathering wood and a quick practice incantation from Verris to get it started hot.

It seemed like it only took a few minutes after the fire was started and the sun was already setting. The six began to set up camp. Tents from Ash's backpack went up quickly, and the fire died down fast. Everyone was settled around the dying fire. When suddenly a voice was heard from the bush nearby. "Hey. Any of you wouldn't happen to have spare food?" it said as its figure pushed its way into the clearing.

The voice belonged to a man. A tall man. His hair was wild like the forest around him. He wore a cassock with several small leather plates sewn in. At his hips were two daggers that probably had seen better days. His gaunt face was fairly clean shaven as you could get with two partially rusty and dull daggers. The stubble that remained was as bright as the fire that was lit earlier.

"Name is Zedd, I am a religious nomad, I could help but notice you were following the map to the abandoned church. " He said pulling a few leaves out of his hair. "I find the history of the church fascinating."

"What do you mean by that?" Kate asked defensively after she got a good look at the man.

Zed stretched. "I was just saying it was originally a church for Sodia, a goddess that has become virtually nonexistent in the history books that were written during the last two hundred years."

"What about Sodia interests you?" Kate asked crossing her arms. "Her teachings? Her disciples?" She paused and stared at Zed coldly. "Her supposed 'lost treasury'?"

Zed got extremely nervous at this statement and the impromptu interrogation and began to fidget, running his hands across the sleeves of the cassock. "The history, I thought I said that already."

"What do you know about the history other than that her teachings have fallen out of practice?" Kate said unfolding her arms and walking towards him."Maybe you are a no good rotten treasure hunter willing to desecrate what is left of a previously holy spot for you own gain, or maybe you are actually a dark wizard set by an evil organization to look for artifacts to aid in horrible rituals twisting the powers of Sodia for your perverse will!" Kate said ripping Zed's sleeves up to his shoulders revealing a large amount of black ink tattoos running up and down his arms.

Ash and Arric didn't understand but Cael, Verris, and Raleigh looked back and forth at each other. Raleigh quickly looked over at the man and said. "Verris restrain that rogue magician, he has magic tattoos!"

Verris quickly flipped open his large tome and found what he was looking for. "Verite Capturez!"he incanted slowly. "Now." suddenly Zed stopped fidgeting and looked over at Cael blankly.

"Ask a question."he said monotonously.

Cael thought for a moment before asking "What is your real name?"

"Erin Flamma. Last of the house of Flamma." He answered before turning to Raleigh. "One question."

"Why are you here?" Raleigh asked, his scowl growing every second that Erin didn't answer the question.

After a short pause Erin answered. "To look for Sodia's lost child. " he answered before turning to kate. "Last question."

Kate thought for a moment. "Why are you looking for Sodia's lost child?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Sodia's lost child would be key to my cult's ritual, her almost endless power that would be drawn from Sodia through her could allow us to manipulate every magical item in the world. Making the search for the eight High-church artifacts to be no search at all." He answered. As he finished his face regained its scared look and with a quick flash his right sleeve was rolled up to his shoulder revealing a glyph tattoo. "Arrivederci!" he said slapping a hand down on the tattoo.

The design suddenly came to life moving down his arm to his fingers and up his shoulder disappearing under the robe turning the faded black to the colour of a shadow, suddenly the shadow that was Erin engulfed itself and disappeared, the entire process took less than a single blink of an eye. Everyone stood around silent thinking over what just happened and the information they had just received. Finally Kate broke the silence. "That was fun!"

----

By the time everyone had woken up the sun had nearly climbed to its peak. Everyone was still a little confused over what had happened. "Kate how exactly did you know that that man was evil?" Arric asked as they were breaking down camp.

Kate stared at him for a bit before she answered with a smile. "I guessed! I mean he was acting so nervous and fidgety so I was pretty sure the story he was giving us was a quickly thought up fake."

"Ah yes, leave it to Kate to be able to guess that the man that appeared to be completely harmless turns out to be a dangerous black magic user." Verris said pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"Well lets go, I think the church is up a head." Cael said pointing to a large blackened wooden beam sticking out above the treemade horizon.

---

The Six found the wreckage of what once looked like a fairly large and impressive building, now all that was left of it was a few pillars that looked untouched by time and blacken and charred wooden support beams and the large, heavily tiled floor. Arric immediately looked down and noticed the tiles. "These tiles. How did they get them here? I mean two hundred years ago they probably didn't have the right tools to move these by hand, and it would have taken at least a good ten maybe fifteen mages to move it via magic-telekinesis."

"I find it amazing that these heavy stone pillars are still completely intact." Verris said. "Either the people who worshiped Sodia knew techniques stone-layers today would kill for, or they had several very very powerful magicians."

Cael just stood with hands over his stomach, and his face a pale green. "The magic here, its overpowering. Like a thousand people all started singing at different notes so that it would sound as terrible and mind-numbing as possible."

"How exactly can it sound both terrible and mind-numbing at the same time? I mean I am pretty sure if it were terrible it would be painful to listen to, but if it were mind-numbing that means you wouldn't feel it." Raleigh said removing a dagger from its sheath and tossing it blade over handle in his hand.

"You know what I mean perfectly well." Cael said. "I don't feel good at all."

"Here." Arric said tossing him a vial out of his backpack. "Its the last of the few potions I was able to buy back in town. It's a new recipe supposedly it can help with all sorts of symptoms ranging from minor aches and pains to blindness."

Kate ignored the current conversation and walked over to a single tile smaller than all the rest and a smokey gray colour. "Here is the entrance to the actual dungeon. Cael it will only get worse from here do you still want to continue?"

Cael nodded yes to Kate and downed the potion from Arric. Kate quickly incanted what sounded like a poem in High Church and the tile seemed to melt like hot, gray wax. The six climbed their way down on a wooden ladder that also appeared to be untouched by thousands of years. "Well. We have creepy entrance to a creepy dungeon underneath a church that apparently had metric tons of secrets, an elf that is allergic to the magic they used and we were led here by a note that became illegible halfway down and," Verris said pausing to adjust his robe on his shoulders. "Lets get going shall we? The person that wrote the note sounded like they needed help didn't they?"
---
=w= sorry about the wait. I can explain. external hard drive died leaving me to rewrite everything past chapter 7, and recently my younger brother and I were in a motorcycle wreak. we both got away with only minor bleeding and bruising.

Healing Mishap -9-
By Lanzaq

Cael nodded yes to Kate and downed the potion from Arric. Kate quickly incanted what sounded like a poem in High Church and the tile seemed to melt like hot, gray wax. The six climbed their way down on a wooden ladder that also appeared to be untouched by thousands of years. "Well. We have creepy entrance to a creepy dungeon underneath a church that apparently had metric tons of secrets, an elf that is allergic to the magic they used and we were led here by a note that became illegible halfway down and," Verris said pausing to adjust his robe on his shoulders. "Lets get going shall we? The person that wrote the note sounded like they needed help didn't they?"

------

Underneath the church appeared to make the capital's catacomb appear tiny. The black stone looked like it was carved from the shadows that waited the light being cast by Verris' staff. Everyone stood on guard as the roar of some sort of creature could be heard down the hallway.

Each step they took down the hallway echoed in their silence. Reverberating to their soul as if it were telling them to continue or give up hope and turn around right there. It seemed that they were all determined to press onward.

After a while they all came upon a large open atrium. As Ash made her first step into the room a light from above lit up revealing a large cast bronze statue of a woman that bore resemblance to a certain healer. Everyone stared except for Kate at the statue. Suddenly the staff that the statue was holding swept across the floor missing everyone except for Ash who was standing on the trigger switch.

The impact hit hard and drove her into the stone wall with a clank of armour. Kate ran over with a worried look on her face. "Are you okay Ash?"

"The gal just got smashed by a giant metal staff. Would YOU be okay?" Verris asked sarcastically. "check her pulse she might need a resurrection." he fished around in his backpack and pulled out his large leather book.

"I know what I am doing." Kate stated flatly. "besides she isn't dead. Any novice healer could tell that." she said drawing her staff out of her leather hand pouch. With a fancy twirl and a quick incantation Ash was back on her feet.

She let out a quick thank you and picked up her sword off the floor where she dropped it. Everyone continued to look around in silence. Eventually Cael broke it with an observation. "There is a draft from under the statue, I think we might need to move it."

Verris flipped page after page before he retrieved his staff off his back. "Everyone move out of the way. " he paused, and inhaled sharply before letting out a stream of indecipherable words. Eventually the statue slid over slowly. Revealing a ladder just like the one before.

The six again found themselves in a crowded, almost light-less hallway. After awhile they found them selves a fork. One leading forward one lead to the right. "Keep going or turn to the right." Arric said "I have a gut feeling we should go forward."

suddenly a roar echoed around them whatever they were hearing it was getting closer. The all agreed that forward would be the best option. "We will face it head on and save the person that sent the note." Raleigh said pointing a dagger down the hallway. "Lets go."

Again they found themselves walking into a large open room. Ash stepped on the tile that turned on the magic lights to come to life showing the ceiling above them. The ceiling was a mural depicting a 'young' Sodia, placing an infant in an open field, the rest of the mural had crumbled beyond recognition. Raleigh walked forward slowly expecting something, however he walked to the wall on the other side and made a complete circle around the room.

"Nothing, no switch, no draft, and Ash didn't even get nailed by a trap this time." Raleigh said as he poked at the wall expecting a spot to push in revealing a trap door.

"I guess my gut feeling was wrong." Arric said. "We need to head back. Be careful I think if we found what ever has been cooped down here for so long. Three things might be the case. One, it might be hungry. Two, it might be angry. Three, if we are still in one of the hallways there is no way we would be able to fight it correctly. "

"Okay. I understand point one, but why point two and three?" Verris asked pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"Verris, think about this. If YOU were locked in a small cramped space for a hundred years plus, with little to no food and no light what so ever. how would you react when you came across someone? Even if they weren't the ones that locked you away, but you thought that they were involved. how would you react?" Raleigh said. "I am pretty sure you would be a tad angry."

"Another thing. Look at the hallways. If we are lucky we can walk two by two. There are six of us, how could we fight successfully in such a small area?" Arric said.

Verris stopped for a moment before finally letting out a slight "oh."

they all turned down the right corridor, Cael finding the switch this time. Lights lit up all down the hallway also revealing small and almost invisibly thin blades stretched across the hallway. Raleigh tossed one of the loaves of bread against one of the blades. Instantly the blade halves broke away from the wall and wrapped around the bread slicing it clean in half.

"Shit." Verris said sucking in air through his teeth. "how are we going to get through this mess."

"very carefully." Arric said several arrows in hand. With a creak of the bowstring the arrows were sent whizzing down the hall tripping several of the blades. "Now I think I tripped most of them still be on the look out."

Ash took the lead again. Her sword held point down towards the floor. As they all walked forward maybe two feet away from the next turn there was a sproing and thunk. Ash lifted her sword revealing that it had been cut clean through about half way down.

"Well, it looks like Ash needs a new sword." Raleigh said. "anyone got a spare Executioner's Sword?"

"Ha ha, very funny Raleigh. I don't think any of us here have a spare sword." Arric said notching another arrow.

Ash dropped her backpack and opened it pulling out a small rapier. It looked neither that functional or cheap. It looked like something a noble would have given their favorite daughter for her first fencing lessons.

After the turn it revealed another hallway, however instead of trap wires it was spinning blades. "my lord what were these people protecting that required a labyrinth, traps and dangerous monsters?" Raleigh said smacking his hand against his head.

"Normally that hints to something interesting." Arric said. "I mean, would you take the time or effort
to hide something of little importance under levels and levels of security?"

Raleigh thought for a moment. "No actually, you are right." he said drawing his two daggers. "so what is our plan here? We can't rush it. We would end up as ribbons. "

"I can try and melt the blades." Cael said summoning a ball of fire, Kate was saying something but suddenly the ball of fire roared into life and grew larger and larger and eventually launched itself screaming down the hallway just to turn back around as a wall of fire.

"RUN!" Cael screamed. The six turned around and ran down the hallway, Ash snagging the broken half a blade before the fire could get to it. Eventually they got back to the fork and found themselves back in the room with a mural for a ceiling. The fire had hit the T intersection of the hallway and dissipated.

"Okay Cael, please listen to me." Kate said. "We are in the holy sanctuary for Sodia, she is the goddess of magical failures and accidents." she paused for a moment. "And she is my mother."

"Okay. We now officially have the worst possible set up for a dungeon." Arric said. "Kate are you trying to say NO magic will work?"

"No." Kate said. "Non-Sodia worshiping magicians will find their magic next to useless, almost ninety percent of the spells cast will not work as intended. However if you are a disciple of Sodia your magic will work great if not better than before with only the occasional accident just because Mum can and will do what ever she pleases with magic."

"So are you saying if me and Verris were to align ourselves with Sodia we would be able to use our magic here?" Cael asked.

"Yes. But its not that simple." Kate said. "Once you are aligned you can't stop being a disciple if you denounce Mum you will find that every attempt at magic you try backfires."

"We can't have rogue magic going on." Arric paused. "Cael, Verris. Put your staves away. If push comes to shove use close combat magic ONLY. The simpler the better."

The six trudged back down the spinning blades. "Well. Magic doesn't work, we can't try walking."

"Wait." Verris said. "Notice the walls." he said pointing to the partially melted stone around them. "Cael's fire...it melted the stone around us. How could the blades not be even touched?"

"I don't know, magic blades?" Arric said. "Damn it Verris, I am an archer not a magician. Observations are not my specialty."

"Watch this." Verris said fishing an apple out of his backpack. "if the apple ends up like Raleigh's bread then we have to think for a bit, but if my hunch is correct..." he tossed the apple. It phased right through the blade unharmed. Verris walked over to it, the blades passing through him harmlessly. "its fine...well except for a new found bruise, but its still one whole apple and that is what counts."

the remaining five walked down the hallway hesitantly. Eventually they reached the end of the hallways, a large gate with a single eye carved into it. "I can do this part." Kate said walking forward. The eye rolled itself to look down at her.

"Katelyn Vierrin, Lost Child of Sodia, and High Cleric for the Church of Acceptance." she told the eye in High Church. It blinked once and then slid open.

Suddenly the roar of what ever was waiting for them vibrated the floor around them and a clawed beast landed in front of them. Its red eyes glowed out of the shadows it hid in. the click of its claws could be heard on the tiles as it stalked back and forth in the shadows.

The six all stood at the ready as it strode into the light of the room. It was a chimera. "Guys. We have a problem." Arric said notching an arrow.

"Don't. Not yet." Raleigh said. "wait till it moves first."

"Ash. You have any sort of shield?" Arric asked.

Ash shook her head no and drew her rapier. Verris and Cael both reached for their staves but then remembered and left them at their backs. Raleigh sat there spinning his daggers. His face was a 'bring it on' smirk.

The chimera sneaked over slowly its snake headed tail hissing angrily as it weaved back and forth. Raleigh watched its intently. "Cael and Verris stand back and try to only attack if it gets too close. Arric, take the tail. Ash, take you broke sword and try and bludgeon its head. I will go for the heart when you get it unconscious."

The chimera walked forward as the snake tail lashed forward. Arric caught it immediately with a slash cutting the head off which continued to thrash around on the ground attempting to bite any who dare come close.

Ash quickly beat the Chimera over the head with the flat of her broken sword. It fell to the floor its breathing slow and uneven. Ash turned her back to the Chimera and walked over to Raleigh patting him on the shoulder suddenly the chimera leeped over Ash, Arric and Raleigh, and made a B line for Cael. Its lion mouth open wide.

Cael out of defense raised his hands and cast a defensive light-flash. Temporarily blinding the Chimera and himself. The Chimera in a blind fit smashed Cael in the shoulder tearing his robe and shoulder underneath to shreds it also managed to get Verris across the face leaving three diagonal bleeding gashes and basically pulverizing his glasses. Cael screamed out in pain and summoned fireball which nailed the Chimera dead on in the chest and went straight through it with a sizzle and drained him of enough energy to make him collapse

Kate suddenly leeped into action as the Chimera fell. She recited a prayer and there was a flash of emerald light and the chimera was gone and she turned to Cael, one incantation later and Cael was laying unconscious, but healed. Arric noticed immediately that Sodia was present at this time because she did cast the spell right but the effects weren't quite completely noticeable the way Cael was laying down.

Kate turned to Verris and gave another quick incantation. He found himself healed but Kate began to apologize. "Sorry Verris, I tried as much as I could but the magic of the Chimera means that the scars of its claw mark will stay there forever."

"anyone have something I can look at my face with?" Verris asked.

Ash handed him a poorly reassembled silver mirror. Verris paled making the red scars even more apparent. "Well, it will make an interesting story to tell."

A cough was heard as a man strode into view. "t-thank you." was all he said before collapsing. He wore what appeared to be common clothes, badly torn common clothes. He looked like the Chimera had been playing with him like a kitten does with its first mouse. Wounds were all over his body ranging from touching bone to barely scratched areas.

"Well. This was interesting." Arric said. "We explored a forgotten religious labyrinth, learned our cleric is a demigoddess, saved a man, and fought a chimera with relatively - " he looked over at Cael " Small losses."

---

Cael blinked slowly. "She is awake!" Alyssa screamed running to the door. Suddenly Arric strode in with a sheepish look on his face. "hey Cael, how are you feeling."

Cael coughed for a little while before talking. "like something the cat dragged in." he said before he stopped and coughed again. "let me guess. The plan didn't go as planned and Kate was forced to heal me under Sodia's influence?"

"Nailed it." Arric said. "Yeah...you robe didn't fit so well any more so we checked to see if Alyssa had anything that fit you a bit better."

At this Cael just laughed. "seriously." he said as he stood up on wobbly legs and noticed the knee length brown dress. "great." he said as his knees gave out both from shock and fatigue.

"Cael be careful you have been unconscious for the last two days." Arric said lifting him up off the floor. Cael grasped him at the shoulders and tears fell down his face. "I don't think you understand. This isn't something I wanted or asked for. This isn't fair."

"Whats not fair?" Verris said walking in with his broken glasses mended shoddily with a cracked lens and a nose bridge with wood that didn't match the rest of the frame. All together the broken glasses did little to hide his new scars.

"Verris...Y-your face." was all Cael said pointing.

"I could lie and say that I got this protecting you. But I was just unlucky enough to be close enough to the things other side that it got me in the face while you blasted it through the heart with hyper-concentrated fire. " Verris said. "they look nice don't they."

"If by nice you mean 'makes you look like scary thug' then yes. They look nice." Cael responded with a quick giggle before he realized just what he had done. "Get Kate in here I need to talk with her. Please." he said turning serious.

Kate popped in with a smile on her face. "helloooo and good morning!"

"Kate, cut it out. I want answers now." Cael said. "Why your magic does what it does, why Lanzer is after the eight High-Church artifacts, and just how exactly Sodia brought you to this earth." Cael said rubbing the fabric of the dress.

Kate continued to smile. "Mum wants my magic to work like that. Lanzer is after the Eight High-Church artifacts because he is after superficial power, and Sodia lost me."

"Lost you?" Cael asked sitting down on the side of the bed.

"You see, my father was a half-elf. My mother was visiting earth to start her church, when she saw him it was love at first sight. After she gave birth to me I was abducted and 'lost'. I was never lost Mum knew where I was the entire time but it made the congregation stronger if they thought that there was a hope that they could find a demigoddess out there, however they didn't know that their minister was actually the one person they were looking for." Kate said smiling

"Okay, now one last question. What exactly are the Eight High-Church artifacts?"

"I will have to save that one for later. Raleigh, and Ash are waiting to see you down stairs." Kate replied walking out of the room gesturing for Cael to follow.

---
Thanks for reading, Leave a comment, I love to read them. Constructive Criticism is welcomed and appreciated.

Healing Mishap -10-
By LanzaQ

The group all stood at the last stretch of land of their home continent. “Well. I heard from a good source that Lanzer took one of those wooden...things....across the water and apparently has continued his search for the other High-church artifacts.” Arric said looking at one of the boats suspiciously. “I don't trust it.”

---
The group all walked down the stairs together Kate and Arric talked back and forth about the next dungeon they would try and tackle together. “Something easy, with a lot of possible loot.” Arric said counting his remaining arrows. “If we keep on fighting the way we are I won't have enough arrows to run us through the next dungeon.”

“I will be fine.” Kate said tying Caels hair into a pony tail before making a face and untying it. “Just pick up your arrows after we kill the monsters then you don't have to worry about it.”

“Kate please don't mess with my hair.” Cael said, but Kate apparently wasn't listening.

“Easy for you to say.” Arric sighed. “Do you understand what happens after you shoot an arrow into a tough-skinned, slimy or generally scarly beast again and again?” He paused. “They break, bend and become generally unusable as feasible ammunition.”

“H-Hey.” Verris said suddenly attracting Cael's, Arric's and Kate's attention. “How would someone go about learning...” He paused rubbing the back of his neck. “Darker arts?”

Arric and Cael just sort of stared for a bit before Kate smiled at him. “Patty can help you.” She said looking over Verris as she braided Cael's hair. “She definitely can help you learn more about that sort of magic.” she said pulling the braids out of Cael's hair. “I mean she has technically mastered it as an art form.”

“P-please stop.” Cael pleaded again.

“It's Cute.” Kate said pulling Cael's hair into two pigtails

Ash and Raleigh were both sitting at a table with mugs in their hands. “I know that the politics of the area aren't the best but I don't think the people of this area could handle me not being here. I mean I was the only source of income for both the schools and the church.” Raleigh said looking over at Ash who just shrugged. A sudden explosion was heard from the stairwell.

Raleigh and Ash both looked up and acknowledged what had happened but when back to their one sided conversation.

“Don't think about me like that. I bet you are thinking about how ninety percent of that was stolen, but hey the other ten percent was made from selling the items that I looted off the traveler's bodies to wandering merchants.” Raleigh continued before taking a swig from the mug. Ash again just looked out the nearby window disinterested and shrugged again.

Arric, Verris and Kate made it down the stairs in one piece, however Kate's ribbons would forever be nothing more than two black smudges on Dianna's walls..

“Hey. Ash, Raleigh. How does a nice dungeon sound?” Arric stated interrupting their little imaginary debate by slamming his hand on the table. Raleigh frowned and finished off his drink and Ash turned to look happily at Arric.

“Lets go.” She said grabbing her backpack and broken sword. “Can we find a smith?” she asked lifting half of the broken blade out of the scabbard.

--- Elsewhere. ---

A black orb appeared in the center of a large ostentatious marble hall. Pillars could be seen in almost any direction supporting the massive ceiling above which had a mural of a goddess handing down a baby wrapped tightly in a blanket to a man dressed in armor. The only words that could be found among the work of art read something along the lines of 'The world was given, him and the sword.'.

Suddenly the black orb tightened revealing a man with wild fiery red hair. He quickly drew his daggers and got into a defensive stance. “Erin Flamma is here.” he said.

A clinking could be heard as a man in heavily tarnished bronze armour walked forward. “Ah, Erin. Good to see you again.” he said in a voice that could have been threatening for your life and still sound angelic. “I suppose since she isn't bound, gagged and in your arms you have failed.” the man continued looking over him. “Well to say the least it was kind of expected.”

Erin paled as he heard this statement. “Khaos. It's not like that.” He said. “I-I didn't so much as fail you as.” He looked around the marble hall around him. “not succeed.”

“Erin, Erin, Erin.” Khaos said with a click of his tongue. “Not succeeding, IS failing.” he quickly drew a well worn and rusted sword from the scabbard at the hip of his armour. “And I Khaos, will not tolerate failure of any kind.”

---

The group all stood at the last stretch of land of their home continent. “Well. I heard from a good source that Lanzer took one of those wooden...things....across the water and apparently has continued his search for the other High-church artifacts.” Arric said looking at one of the boats suspiciously. “I don't trust it.”

“Why would you not trust 'The lady of the Waves.' the fastest vessel on this continent.” A man said walking forward pulling on a heavy cloth coat. “I believe I can get you across the ocean in no time flat with her.”

Raleigh stepped forward. “I am Raleigh of Ura, I command you to grant us access to your...” He paused to look at the large boat.

“Ship.” The man said looking at Raleigh.

Raleigh coughed. “Ship.” He finished.

“Well then I am the best captain for you, I am the only seafaring man in this area that knows the way across the ocean.” the man said rubbing his white gloved hands together and then adjusting his glasses and the large ornate gold and steel cutlass at his hip.

“Sound Great.” Arric said. “I don't believe that we are going to be accepting a ride on a giant HEAVY wooden...'ship' in deep deep water.”

"Au contraire!" The captain said. "The only way across the ocean, unless you can breathe water is by boat, ship or if you can get one to fly you across...a dragon."

"Where is Kate? Maybe I might just be able to work out something with Drea." Arric said looking over at the boat distastefully.

Raleigh scoffed. "Yeah that deal might only cost you an arm and a leg."

Arric suddenly remembered just what that dragon was doing the entire time he was stuck down there with the other four dungeon crawlers. "Nevermind."

“It could be worse.” Cael said with a smile. “The 'ship' you are worried about could have been made of metal.”

“Ha! As if you could make metal float.” Arric said crossing the gangplank slowly.

---Elsewhere.---

“Khaos. Please don't.” Erin pleaded as the blade made contact with his right hand dagger slicing the rusted steel blade cleanly through. He yelped as he jumped back. “Sir you don't understand. I have a wife and two children. Young children sir, and another one is expected soon.”

Khaos just rubbed at his temples with the hand that wasn't wielding the sword. “How sad of man you are Erin.” He said. “Stooped so low as to fail me when you understood that failure would mean death and the destruction of your poor family.” Khaos just laughed and begun an incantation.

In an instant a fireball the size of a small shack appeared and spun its way around the pillars in figure eights before crashing into the floor leaving a circular burn mark in the marble. Khaos just sighed. “MOTHER. I am trying to get rid of an undesirable leave my magic alone!”

“Oh Grateful am I , oh lonely mage devout to Sodia Grand Goddess.” Erin said falling to his knees.

---

The six sat in the belly of the wooden beast as it was being thrown back and forth. Arric slept peacefully. Raleigh was busy carving his name into one of the wooden support beams. Kate was reading quietly, while Ash was slouched over a bucket heaving at a steady rate. “Sorry Ash. I tried but I guess my healing magic doesn't work on seasickness.”

Verris was looking through his book and practicing by making small shapes and animals out of some water than had leaked in. He was also trying to leech the salt out of the water. He would quickly thrust his hand in the center of the puddle and quickly pull it out. A small stream of salt would quickly follow his hand before dropping back down into the water. Kate looked up for a small moment. “Patty said that that spell is actually one of the basic spells for necromancy.

Cael watched him for a bit and laughed. “You are doing it wrong.” He said. “You wave your hands in a circle around the puddle and the salt gathers around the edge.” Cael tried to demonstrate quickly. However to his dismay no matter how fast he spun his hands in a circle the salt would gather at the edge and quickly sink back in towards the center.

Verris laughed at this. “It seems that my teacher isn't quite the master at this either.”

Cael's face reddened quickly. “S-Shut up.” He said punching Verris in the arm. “I am just never wasted the time to practice with water.”

Verris was about to say something but he was interrupted by a sudden jarring of the boat and the hatch being thrown open. “We have arrived on Arcia.” the captain yelled down to them. “Hurry now. I can't stay here in port too long or the officials might get suspicious.”

The six all piled out and onto an icy pier. “It's cold.” Was the only thing Verris said shivering. They all glanced around them. The village was large considering it was the 'only port in Northern Arcia.' The buildings stood tall and were made of either frozen solid wood or Marble that matched the white snow around them. In front of every building stood a large round marble bowl filled with either glowing hot coals or actual fire.

Before they could walk off the pier a man stepped forward dressed in white wolf fur robe that was tied at the waist and a hand muffler wrapped tightly around his wrists. The man would have been in his late twenties. The falling snow stuck to his ghostly white fur shapka, and his icy blue eyes instantly set Cael on edge. “ 'allo. I am Burgh Klaus.” He said removing one of his hands from the fur muffler to shake Arric's hand. “Now let us get out of this cold.”

They all followed the man into one of the few smaller buildings, and they began to ever so slowly migrate towards the fire in the center of the room. “So. You mentioned that you were the burgh. Does that mean that you are the 'leader' of this village?” Arric asked looking over at a very expensive looking vase nearby.

“No. I am the 'leader' of the surrounding five.” Klaus said removing his hat, brushing off the snow and revealing his pointed ears. “Since we are all friends here why not introduce yourselves by name, and just how many are you exactly, I am not the greatest at counting.” He said looking over at Arric.

“Arric Verdin. Sharpshooter and Archer for this group of six dungeon crawlers.” He said setting the vase back down quickly.

“Ash Mydia.” Ash said looking at her still broken sword.

“Raleigh of Ura.” He said tossing up and catching his dagger.

Verris jumped away from the fire because one of the logs fell casting sparks into the air. “Verris Green. Apprentice Mage.”

At this Klaus was slightly interested. “Ah you are an apprentice that means that that lovely lady is your teacher. No?”

“Y-Yes.” Cael said walking forward. “Cael Fairwind. Master Magician for this group.”

Klaus, at learning about Cael suddenly became very interested. “A Swords-woman, An Archer, A dagger wielder, an Apprentice mage, and a Master Magician, I am missing someone ya?"

The five looked around, and could find no trace of Kate. “Well she tends to only appear at times when we need her most, she is our enigmatic healer.” Arric said

“It seems that you are exactly the group 'He' warned as about.” Klaus said throwing back the robe revealing shining silver plate mail and sword at his hip. The 'sword' look like it was nothing more than water frozen in the shape of a sword. “ I am Burgh Klaus SwordMage of Arcia, and recently a Cleric came through here and warned me about a possible group of six that would threaten the way my people live. You are under arrest by the Burgh and Citizens of Northern Arcia and will be held here until the Royal family can come down and hold the trial.”

Arric just sighed. “Of course this is our luck. He got here first so he gets the allies.”

“You can come quietly o-.” Klaus' speech came to a dead stop as Kate walked through the door with a smile on her face.

“Klaus! You are this Area's Burgh?” She asked setting down three icicles.

“Kate!? You don't look any older from the last time I saw you!” He said running over and giving the groups healer a hug.

At this Arric laughed. “She had to heal you before you would even get close to her.” He said looking back at Raleigh.

“I like younger women.” was all he had to say before he shoved the dagger into its sheath and walked over to Cael and patted him on the head. “ Not a lot younger just....” He trailed off looking over at Klaus and Kate. “She seems to get us out of a lot of trouble.”

“Mhmm.” Ash grunted placing the sword half back in the sheath. “Saves our asses.”

---
T_T sorry everyone, I have been so busy recently that I didn't get a chance to sit down and hammer this out. Comment Please I love reading them.

“Boy, I can already tell you need more help than just dark studies.” Da lowered his hood revealing pale skin and multiple scars ranging from puncture scars to deep slices that had removed chunks from his face. “Rule one, Never tell someone your full name. Its bad ju-ju, and any ill wishes they can think of will follow you.”

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

The group watched Kate and Klaus sit down next to the fire pit and continued to talk in whispered tones and occasionally glanced over at Cael. Klaus at first looked shocked but the more they talked the larger the smile stretched across his face.

Kate concluded with a final. “And that’s the story so far.”

Klaus just nodded. “Well, I must say your mother certainly has a nice taste in young elves to torment.”

Cael's jaw dropped when he heard this. “You mean that entire whispered conversation was about me!?”

Kate looked sheepishly over at the large vase that Arric had again set his attention on. “ Not all of it...just the majority. At most it was a good eighty-five percent.”

“Lovely.” was his response. “Verris. Now would be a good time to practice fire magic. I am kind of cold.” Cael said grabbing his hand.

“B-But its even colder out there than it is in here...” Verris whined.

“Lets all go out. We can't stay here forever.” Arric said edging towards the door. “I mean we couldn't impose on such a great person like the Burgh of this lovely town.” As he said this he was already halfway out the door.

Ash just grunted and followed them out the door. Raleigh followed close behind twirling his daggers. “I left Ura for snow and weird people. The joy.”

Kate just sat there and smiled. “I will meet you guys out there.” she quickly turned to Klaus as Raleigh shut the door behind him. “Brother seems to want to see me again.”

---

“Erin, this is your last chance.” Khaos said rubbing his temples with his index fingers. “ I hope that his time you won't fail me.”

“Yessir.” Erin said still bowing on the floor. “She will come back with me even if I have to risk my life for you sir.”

“Well you won't be going alone.” He side stepped to reveal a short curly blond haired woman. “Meet my Aunt Etoile.”

Erin just paled as she walked forward. “I am in the presence of a Goddess incarnate.”

---

With quick incantations Cael, and Verris were both controlling small thin snakes of fire that meandered and moved through the air as if they had their own free will. “ Now it might be a bit much to ask but please increase the power just a little bit.” Cael instructed, demonstrating the effect, and his small snake of fire increased in size and became a small dragon of pure white hot fire.

Verris followed the instructions, however instead of his dragon being that of pure white fire, his grew extremely large, nearly three times the size of Cael's and it shifted colors in different spots sometimes a blood dark red, in other spots a soulless black. “Uh I-I don't think I did it right.” as the fire all conformed to a single gray color it no longer just meandered through the air, it suddenly leaped forward towards Cael's dragon.

Arric, Ash, and Raleigh watched as the two dragons of fire grappled, twisted, ducked and dived through the air, in a titanic clash of magical power. Cael and Verris however were doing their best to separate the two columns of twisting fire. “Sometimes you forget just how powerful the force of magic is.” Arric whispered in awe.

The dragons grew even larger in size, and threw off enough heat to melt and evaporate the ice surrounding Cael and Verris. The ice hissed and popped as if it were the dragons roaring at each other.

Klaus, Kate, and several villagers also left the warmth and comfort of their homes to see just what was going on. The dragons ripped at each other with glowing embers for teeth, eventually they began to dwindle in size and eventually both of them sputtered out leaving two very tired mages standing in an ice-less clearing.

“Th-that was good.” Cael said pressing a hand to his chest before quickly removing it and becoming flustered. “I still have something to get used to.” Cael quickly fished out a slightly luminescent light blue liquid in a vial out of his backpack and gave it a quick drink.

Verris just gasped for breath. “I-I think I am done casting for a while.” he looked over at Cael and watched him take the drink. “What is that?”

Cael just looked over at Verris confused. “Um its a magic-energy restoring potion.”

“C-Can I try some?” He asked staggering over to Cael.

Cael nodded slowly. “But don't drink it all at once. Too much at once can cause poisoning.”

Verris just nodded as he took a quick gulp and his eyes widened. He quickly gave the Vial back to Cael and turned away from the crowd to regurgitate, the swig of potion and everything that he had eaten on the ship ride over. “Wh-wh-WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?”

“I think I just told you, it was a ma-” Cael started before Verris interrupted.

“I can't drink that.” he said grabbing at the sides of his head. “I have a headache.”

“Its probably just because you are nervous right now, after you calm down you could probably handle it.” Cael said pulling it back out and taking a drink.

As an almost instant response Verris turned green and heaved a few more times. “Don't even...not even in front of me.”

Cael quickly put it away in his backpack and looked sad. “I-I like the taste.” He said looking down at the dirt that was below the permafrost.

“Ah what a crazy group we make. Cael, the slowly changing elf, Ash the silent swords-woman, Kate the Demi-goddess healer, Raleigh the Rouge, and now awakened...Now would be the time for fanfare! Verris! The potion-hating Mage!” Arric said followed by a groan. “I think altogether we have such a negative area of luck that bad things are attracted to us like magnets.”

---

“Etoile. I am-I mean-I uh....” Erin stammered quickly looking up into the blond woman's bright green eyes.

“Out with it boy.” She said “ We will be leaving to capture my Rouge Niece Kate before she become a nuisance to anyone. She has her mother's pendant and it need to be reclaimed and safely stored away before it can fall into unwanted hands.”

“Auntie...” Khaos whimpered.

“Yes dear?” Etoile said turning rapidly to face him. “I hope its important, because me and mr.mortal needs to head out if you expect us to get your sister to come home quickly.”

“Nothing.” and with that the Goddess and the mortal were gone in the blink of an eye.
---

Everyone other than Klaus and Verris were asleep. They both were wide awake and talking quietly about the events that had transpired earlier that day.

“So...in other words you can't drink Potions?” Klaus asked Verris quickly as they sat around the fire pit that now was just glowing embers casting odd shadows against the walls of his home. “This isn't good, in times of crisis the potion can save your very life.”

“I don't know...I drank the potion that Cael handed to me and...it was gross, it was thick, slimy and tasted like fermented blueberries.” Verris paused to adjust his broken glasses. “I mean. It was disgusting.”

“Well, how are you supposed to protect yourself as a mage if you can't use magic because you wore yourself out like that?” Klaus asked again. “Do you carry say a knife? Or a sword on you?”

“Um I carry a small, very small, Knife that I use only for cooking and extremely close combat.” Verris said pulling the knife from his belt.

“Do you know how to use a sword at all?” Klaus continued to ask.

“No.” Verris responded quickly and flatly as if the thought left a bad taste in his mouth. “Sword users, aside from the lovely lady Ash in my group, are normally knuckle dragging barbarians that enjoy watching their blade slice through the flesh of the innocent.”

“Did I not tell you that I am a SwordMage?” Klaus continued. “I am well-versed in both magic and sword-mastery.” he said drawing his, what was explained as Crystal-Ice , blade. “I want to teach you how to defend yourself in the event that you or your fellow Dungeon-Crawlers get into a fight that is a little too close for comfort.”

“I am not fond of the idea however...I guess that it would be a good idea.” Verris quickly shuffled through the pages of his book.

“I also noticed.” Klaus paused. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a talent for what seems the be the darker elements of magic?”

“Yes, but what does that mean for me?” Verris asked “I keep hearing that I would be skilled with darker magic however, no one seems to know about how to teach me it.”

“That’s because you are looking in the wrong places.” Klaus said nodding sagely. “ Here you can have this.” He said tossing Verris a Tele-talk crystal. “Use it later tonight, the man you want to talk to will go by the name of Da.”

“Da?”

“Da.”

With this Klaus bade Verris a good night and retired to his bedroom. As Verris heard the door's lock click shut he set the crystal down on the small table in front of him. It instantly sprang to life and a round sweat-slick face filled the circle on the table. “Du here. You be wanting help?”

Verris quickly looked at the mustached man in front of him. “Is...um....Da there?”

The man quickly turned his head away from view and yelled up a set of wooden stairs, the glow of an anvil could be seen behind him. “DA ITS FOR YOU.” suddenly the circle wavered before settling on a man who's face was obscured by a hood. “Da here.”

Verris took a deep breath. “I am Verris Green, an apprentice mage and I was told you could help me with studying darker magics.”

“Boy, I can already tell you need more help than just dark studies.” Da lowered his hood revealing pale skin and multiple scars ranging from puncture scars to deep slices that had removed chunks from his face. “Rule one, Never tell someone your full name. Its bad ju-ju, and any ill wishes they can think of will follow you.”

“A-Alright.” Verris stammered looking at the intimidating face of Da.

“Rule Two. Reveal your face only when you know you are in the presence of someone you can trust.” Da said pulling his hood back up . “Like rule one, its bad ju-ju, and any ill wishes someone can think of will follow you forever.”

Verris just stayed silent.

“And the last and final rule of Dark magics...Ignore the previous rules!” Da said throwing back the hood and peeling off a mask revealing unscathed skin and a smile.” He laughed as Verris sat there completely shocked. “However in all seriousness. Dark magic is just that...Dark, it doesn't work well with water magic, or light magic, however Fire is bolstered and increased threefold the strength.

Something clicked in Verris' mind. “The Dragon.”

“Dark mages however eventually get to the point where water and sunlight isn't necessary for them to live. Hell if they are skilled enough they don't require anything to live any more as they begin to feed of the darkness that is always present in the world.” Da said. “And that my boy is the basic theory of Dark Magic.”

Verris nodded as the circle wavered and disappeared. He felt an odd knot form in his stomach, and he quickly got up and walked over to Cael's backpack and removed the the vial that gave off a sky blue glow illuminating his face and casting weird shadows around the room.

He quickly made a disgusted face and put it back in his backpack and retired for the night.

---

The Group all woke up well rested and ready to go, with the exception of Verris, as they headed out two things were on the table.

A note, and a sword.

Arric quickly picked up the note, and began to read aloud. “Dear Kate and Crawlers. I have left the sword for Verris, please DON'T allow him to get rid of it. I want Ash to teach him proper methods for carrying himself and ways to defend himself against attack.

PS. Arric, Please either return the vase or give me the money you got for selling it.

Burgh Klaus.”

“Well then. It looks like Verris has something he needs to learn.”

“Make it two.” Verris said quietly.

“What was that?” Raleigh asked

“Nothing.” Verris replied with a quick yawn.

They all looked at the sword. It wasn't anything special, just a plain straight edged sword of unimportant metal with a plain leather scabbard. Except for the runic inscription that had been etched into the blade.

No one knew what the inscription said or meant, even Kate took a good long look at it.

The six began to file out of the house in single file in the usual order. Ash, Arric, Cael, Verris, Kate, Raleigh. As they had reached the end of town Arric suddenly remembered. “Crap guys, I have to return the 'vase'.”

With in a few minutes Arric returned breathing heavy and a smile on his face. “Well, Klaus will be a bit mad but I don't expect too many problems.”

When Klaus returned home that night, in place of his face was a set of the most expensive potions that could have been bought in the immediate area. “Arric, where ever you are....this is not amusing.”

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

sorry about the gap in posting, a new semester just started and I can't very well skip classes just to write stories.

I also came to a decisions that required me to cut ties with a very close friend.

Healing Mishap
By LanzaQ

Klaus pointed at the angry red glowing runes etched above the door. “whom ever enters this portal without permission cannot leave without permission.” Klaus read aloud. “So until I say you can go, you are kind of stuck.”

---

Erin and Etoile looked around their surroundings. “Stupid.” Etoile said putting her hand above her eyes. “I know that the arctic is often times referred to as the 'Desert Tundra.' however, where we are at right now is anything but tundra.”

“I-I don't understand, normally this only happens when I teleport with Khaos nearby.”

Etoile just smiled and remarked with sarcastic niceties. “It couldn't be me. Its not like I am any relation to Sodia at all.”

“Oh.” Erin said rolling up his sleeve and attempting to use his tattoo to teleport again.

---

“Well Verris, how does it feel to have a sword hanging at your hip?” Raleigh asked picking up a small chunk of snow and giving it a good toss into the distance. “I mean, can you really even wield a sword?”

Verris just glared at Raleigh. “I can wield a sword just fine. I just...never took the time to learn.”

“Right.” Raleigh said walking over to Ash who was swinging her newly repaired sword. “Ash. When did you get the sword fixed? I thought that those traps back in the Sodian temple really worked one over on it.”

Ash shrugged. “Back in town.” Was all she had to say before fishing out a small bag and quickly tossed it to Arric who was listening in on the one-sided conversation. “Got these too.”

Arric caught the bag and looked inside and his face lit up like a child who was just given their favorite candy. “Ash, Why did you buy me potions? Its not my birthday.”

Ash just smiled evilly. “You owe me.”

---

“You certainly know how to test a woman's patience don't you...” Etoile said as she sunk deeper into the jungle quicksand.

“Its not my fault!” Erin exclaimed tossing rope over a nearby tree branch. “I blame you.”

“You dare blame me!? Etoile DeArra, the Goddes of true beauty on the face of this world!?”Etoile said with a huff. “If I had the ability I would be kicking you somewhere it would hurt...ALOT.”

“I will just have do this correctly.” Erin said hoisting himself out of the quicksand. He scraped off as much mud as he could and rolled up his sleeve.

“Aren't you going to help a beautiful lady out of a bad predicament?” Etoile asked putting on her best puppy eyes.

“Coming from the goddess who just a little bit ago was threatening me with physical ha-” was all Erin was able to say before Etoile started screaming.

---

“It's getting dark.” Cael pointed out. “I think now would be a good time to set up camp.” He quickly shrugged off his backpack and set about clearing a space for a tent. It didn't take long and everyone had followed suit and shrugged off their backpacks and helped set up two tents.

Everyone had settled into the tents and began preparing for the night. Arric, Verris, Raleigh and Cael all stood in the large tent. When Everyone except Cael had changed into their night clothes the atmosphere in the tent became unbearable.

“Okay. We all need to talk together as a group, Verris, start a campfire. Raleigh, go get the girls from their tent.” Arric said shoving Verris and Raleigh outside forcefully. “Cael, as much as you'd like to deny it. You can't stay in this tent.”

“Yes I can,” Cael said putting his hands on his hips. “It's my tent.” He glared angrily up at Arric and fought to throw his long hair over his rounded shoulders. “If I can't use the tent I purchased then I could go back into Arcia, buy a new tent and sleep alone.” he huffed angrily.

“You know that isn't what I mean.” Arric said.

Verris threw back the tent flap interrupting their conversation. “ Fire is ready and Ash and Kate are waiting.”

---

“You really are something special aren't you.” Etoile said scraping mud off into the snow “ Three tries.” she glared angrily. “it took you THREE tries to teleport to the right spot.”

“It wasn't my fault.” Erin shot back.

“We are lucky we didn't end up in a rock.” Etoile said scraping off more mud

A man suddenly appeared out of the falling snow, a smile on his face and an arctic wolf fur robe on. “Welcome. I am Burgh Klaus.”

---

“It's not fair.” Cael said rubbing tears off his face. “That is my tent, and...and...” Cael began to cry and everything after that became indecipherable. Ash quickly reached over and embraced him. She didn't say anything just sat there hugging Cael.

Cael suddenly jumped out of her arms and was furious. He didn't say anything he just glared at Kate, Verris, Raleigh, and Arric. “If my body bothers you, I will go into town tomorrow and buy a tent, a single person tent for me and only me.”

“Cael, they are doing this for you.” Kate said. “It is my fault in the first place.” she added. “Cael, look over yourself.” she quickly fished out a large mirror out of her bag, and handed it to Cael.

Cael took a look over himself. Long blond hair, bright pink eyes, round shoulders, delicate fingers, and the most recent addition, a chest. Small, but not ignorable. “Fine. If that is how you,” he looked over at Raleigh, Verris and Arric. “feel, I will sleep in the same tent as Kate and Ash.”

---

“Erin, I am going to KILL YOU.” Etoile said as the end of the Crystal-Ice blade of Klaus was leveled at her nose.

Erin who was tied up nearby just laughed nervously. “Well, we certainly have grown together, this was the first time you didn't call me 'stupid', 'idiot', or mentioned how I am nothing more than a mere squishy mortal.”

“Etoile DeArra. Sister to Goddess Sodia, I will be keeping you and your...'Mere squishy mortal' friend under the custody of Arcia.”

Etoile looked at Klaus nonplussed. “How exactly do you propose to keep a Goddess under custody?”

Klaus pointed at the angry red glowing runes etched above the door. “whom ever enters this portal without permission cannot leave without permission.” Klaus read aloud. “So until I say you can go, you are kind of stuck.”

---

Cael had changed into his set of nightclothes with his back turned to Ash and Kate. When he turned around for bed Kate just giggled. “What?”

“I don't think you can continue wearing that.” Kate said.

Ash shrugged and added. “Not cute.”

“Even Ash understands.” Kate said. “You look like a girl, you should dress like one to eliminate unwanted attention in towns we are unfamiliar with.”

“B-But....Ash wears stuff like this in towns.” Cael said looking at his plain grey loose fitting shirt and pants.

“Ash also swings a sword to kill monsters three or four times her size.” Kate said. “What I mean is, you look like a girl, a young girl who looks cultured enough to not be running around wearing pants and swinging a sword.”

“Hey!” Ash exclaimed, looking hurt.

“Sorry, but its the truth.”

Cael just looked slightly unhappy at Kate. “What do you recommend?”

Kate fished around her bag before fishing it out. Instantly Caels slightly unhappy face became very unhappy. “Kate where did you get that?”

“I found it on the ground where you dropped it back in that town before our encounter with Lanzerus.” she said holding up the lavender and sky blue robe. “It looked pretty but it couldn't fit me but it was so pretty... so I kept it.”

“Before we reach the next town I will wear it. However until we get in view of the town I won't even touch it.” Cael said lying down and falling asleep quickly.

---

Lanzerus laughed as he lifted the boots from their supposed final resting place. “The Thousand League Boots, another of the seven artifacts to add to my collection.”

he quickly shoved the boots into his backpack. “That leaves Wicked Spike, Ceon's Mantle, Perfection's Pendant, and the Vision Robe.” he stopped to count. “Wait thats only six.” He quickly fished out the large book out of his backpack and opened it to the well worn pages that listed the artifacts. He scanned for a good five minutes before tossing the book against the nearby frozen ice walls. “Damn it!”

With a quick and simple wave the book that was guiding his search was now nothing more than a pile of burning paper and leather in a crumbling heap against the icy wall. “I will have to resort to different method to achieve my goals.”

---

The Six woke up and broke down camp, Cael ate breakfast with his back turned to Arric, Raleigh and Verris. Ash and Kate watched Cael as he ate quietly. Eventually everyone quickly got up and walked around a bit, the universal sign that everyone was ready to go.

They began the cold and quiet trek towards the next town, Southern Arcia.

Arric walked forward trailing close behind Cael. He quickly grabbed at the young elf's wrist. “You know you can't act like you are the same. Cael things are changing, not only with you but with the entire world around us. Lanzerus is slowly getting closer to rounding up all Eight of the original artifacts. I don't know about you but the twisted world he envisions isn't home to anyone like you or me.”

Cael just continued forward, ignoring him. “I know. However, you, Ash, Verris, Kate, even Raleigh act like these changes can't be fixed.”

Arric quickly covered his face with his free hand and laughed. “I get it you are still mad about having to tent with Kate and Ash.”

“Of course I would still be mad.” Cael said pouting.

---

Etoile screamed as loud as she could breaking several glass items on the shelves and in the cabinets around Klaus' house. “I REFUSE to be kept here any longer! You WILL loosen these ropes and you WILL let me and my mortal friend hunt down my Niece!”

Klaus removed the mufflers that were strapped tightly around his head. “My quite demanding for someone with no way out aren't we?”

Erin, who was rendered semi-deaf from the scream tried to read the lips as best he could to respond as tactfully as possible. “Well...our demands are that you let us go then we wouldn't be demanding for a way out...I think.”

Etoile just sighed. “Pay no attention to the idiot tied up next to me.

“I stopped paying attention when he said 'Well.' “Klaus said before leaving the room to the tune of Etoile screaming something about indignities to a Goddess.

---

Well, that concludes Healing Mishap 12, sorry for the wait, I was away for the weekend with important business.

Comment, please. Point out mistakes or things that you liked don't be shy.

Healing Mishap -13-
By Lanzaq

The group stayed as quiet as possible as they trudged quietly down the path and eventually they came upon a landmark, however it shocked everyone, instead of a rock, or a tree or even an odd animal it was a town. Hands flew up in both excitement and horror. “A town! Yay!” Kate cried pulling the robe out and handing it to Cael before sprinting toward the town at full steam.

---

Lanzerus quickly cinched the cloak around his shoulders and let out a peal of evil laughter. “that makes for Creon's Mantle. The Cloak of Kings.” he looked around the bare rock of the cave. The rock-grating laughter of his hobgoblins mimicked his own . “With this I have no need for such weak minions, for now I can command the will of men.” With a shoulder flourish sending the red and white fur lined cloak behind his back he tossed a single magical explosive behind his back.

The villagers reported the screams of dying hobgoblins to the king that night.

---

Etoile woke up with Erin's chin on her shoulder and a wet trail of drool leading down her arm. “ERIN I WILL KILL YOU!”

A sudden and violent explosion rocked the ground as Klaus crawled out of a nearby stairwell leading down. “Hehe. I am a mage not an alchemist I guess.” he chuckled as thick yellow acridic smoke began to fill the room. “Well Et, I guess you get what you want. we get to go outside for awhile.”

As Klaus led the fuming Etoile, who was unhappy at 'the rudness of the upstart mortal giving her a nickname' and the slightly sleepy Erin outside it didn't take long for Etoile to be out of the rope and poised in a combat stance staring daggers at Klaus who already had his sword drawn and pointed at her face. With a quick sigh he sheathed it and pointed in the direction the group had headed out on.
---
As the group trudged slowly towards the next town, and the next treasure they hoped, they found themselves becoming quite accustom to the familiar looking landscape, and the also familiar grumblings of their stomachs, eventually to the point that Raleigh began to announce every time they crossed a group of rocks he would say. “see those rocks. Yeah you have seen those rocks, in fact we have seen those rocks FIVE HUNDRED TIMES already.”

Verris rubbed his temples. “you want me to prove those aren't the same rocks?” He said angrily.

“Yeah, in fact I would LOVE for you to prove it.” Raleigh said drawing a dagger.

Arric stared at the two unperturbed at their display. “Now boys, I understand you both are tired as we have been walking all day and the food seems to have disappeared. I blame a certain someone who thought it would be a good idea to feed the wild life.” he said looking back at Kate who was absentmindedly watching the clouds as she walked down the well-worn trader's path.

“Shut up old man.” Ash said shoving a bottle of alcohol into the depths of her backpack.

“G-Guys...quit fighting!” Cael said looking at Verris and Raleigh who now looked like they were reaching their breaking points, then to Ash who didn't look so angry as just generally hung-over, to Arric who was glancing at everyone with a dissatisfied face, to Kate who was obviously off in her own world right now back to Verris and Raleigh.

“That is it!” Verris roared launching a lightning bolt at the rock cleaving it in half and leaving the ground around it scorched. “ Now, if we keep walking and we come across a group of rocks like this, and either we are going in circles or the last group of adventurers ended up in the same sort of predicament like we are and their mage got tired of the fighting and decided to mutilate a boulder.”

The group stayed as quiet as possible as they trudged quietly down the path and eventually they came upon a landmark, however it shocked everyone, instead of a rock, or a tree or even an odd animal it was a town. Hands flew up in both excitement and horror. “A town! Yay!” Kate cried pulling the robe out and handing it to Cael before sprinting toward the town at full steam.

Cael grumbled softly as he pulled on the robe. “This is dumb. I don't understand why I can't just go dressed as I usually am.”

“We both know that Kate won't allow that.” Arric said.

“B-But its her fault, and I am the one paying for it.” Cael said whining as he adjusted the robe.

“Thats life kid.” Raleigh said looking over at the town. “Someone screws up and you might be the one facing the consequences.”

“Coming from you, I am surprised normally are you the one that does the screwing around while others face your consequences?” Verris said. “I mean if you think about it, you stole from travelers, then killed and looted their dead bodies and because of that it seemed to me like very few people felt brave enough to come to Ura to trade. If that isn't you screwing around and them facing a consequence I don't know what is.”

“You have to realize that ninety-nine percent of what I stole went to the village.” Raleigh replied. “So either way it was the same as if they had been trading with those travelers.”

“I don't understand your logic.” Arric said looking down at the town. “Well, I guess we should go.”

Ash nodded in agreement. “An herbalist could be in town.”

“Six words. I think we are making progress!” Arric joked.

“Shut up.”

“oh, one step forward and two steps back.” Arric said laughing as he ran into town with the angry Ash following right behind him.

---

The entire group made it into the Inn in one piece. It didn't long for Ash to get directions to the local herbalist for a cure for hang-over. Kate quickly snagged cael by the wrist and they went shopping. Arric and Raleigh left both mentioned 'finding something interesting.' Leaving Verris alone at the Inn lobby's table. Verris quickly fished out the Tele-Talk crystal out of his pocket. With a quick hum it lit up and revealed a close up of Da's eye. “ 'Ello my new pupil, sorry about the eye, my crystal is on the fritz.”

“Its fine.” Verris said noncommittally.

“So any questions before we start?” Da asked as his crystal slowly shifted view to show his full face.

“No.” Verris replied flatly.

“Rule four, An emotionless Magician is nothing more than a Machine that runs on the soul.” Da said looking at Verris sternly.

“Now I know you are making that one up.” Verris said cracking a smile.

“Now thats what I like to see, most people seem to think that all dark magic practitioners are focused on doom and gloom and all things negative, however people don't seem to look at things like a balance. Dark is just the absence of light. Not everyone working with Holy magics are pious as they would like you to believe some of the greatest evils are committed by those using the words of their god as a shield to hide their evils.” Da said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“So...when do I actually start using this dark magic?” Verris asked.

“I asked earlier if you had any questions and you said no.” Da answered. “And soon, I can tell your motives are good.”

with that the crystal stopped glowing and laid on the table top as an empty lifeless crystal.

Suddenly Ash walked through the door, a smile on her face. She quickly crossed the room in four steps at a maximum and stood in front of Verris. “Fight me.” she said.

“What?” Verris asked shocked at the random statement.

Ash just nodded and drew her sword. “Now.” she made a quick slash that would have connected with Verris' chest if he hadn't brought up the blade that Klaus had given him. They met with a quick clink of metal on metal. Ash smiled as Verris drew the entire length of the blade and parried her blade off to the side.

“Are you crazy!?” Verris screamed kicking over the inn table trying to at least deter Ash.

Ash just laughed moving it, swinging again their swords clashes, as they met Ash's blade just bounced off the flat end of the sword. With a spark suddenly the mysterious runes on the blade came to life burning a red eventually the red of the rune bled together and the blade suddenly caught fire.

Verris at the sight of his sword catching fire quickly dropped it out of shock.”What is going on!?” Before it hit the ground it extinguished itself and landed on the wooden floor of the inn with a clatter.

Before he could grab it up again off the ground Ash's sword point was at his throat. “I win.”

Suddenly the Kate, Cael, Raleigh, and Arric walked through just in time to see the scene.

Healing Mishap -14-
By Lanzaq
“I heard from a very reliable-”

“And drunk.”

“source that one of the last few remaining artifacts are located in this ruin.” Arric said with a small interjection from Raleigh. “And that it is only guarded by two golems and a gargoyle.”

“Stone creatures...ew.” Ash said feeling the blades on her sword. “Stone isn't nice to blades.”

“Gargoyle?” Kate said half lost in cloud-observation. “Its like a stone dragon right?”

------

“Umm bad time?” Kate said looking over at Raleigh, Arric and Cael.

“Yeah. Bad time.” they all agreed walking slowly back out the door they had just entered from.

“G-guys!” Verris yelled over at them. “ She walked in with a huge grin on her face and WHOOSH! She swung at me and I drew Klaus' sword and kicked a table at her and suddenly KABLOOSH! It was on fire!”

“The table?” Arric said looking around the inn for said burning table.

“No! The sword!” Verris said scrambling over and lifting the sword. “I kicked a table and then the runes on the sword started to glow and VWHOOSH! Fire!”

“I don't believe you.” Raleigh stated dead-pan. “Maybe you just channeled magic through the blade, but it would have been a conscience effort.”

“Actually, I dunno.” Cael said looking up at Raleigh. “Magic can be very complicated.”

“Mutter nonsense. Swing a stick and either an explosion happens or a person is healed. Sounds terribly complicated.”

---

“Are you one hundred and ten percent sure we aren't lost?” Etoile said looking back at Erin who was currently playing the role of pack-mule. “I mean I swear I have seen that rock a good twenty times now.”

Erin huffing beneath the weight of every article of clothing, and frippery that Etoile demanded to be packed and carried by the only non-deity of the group. “l-let me fix it.” he said holding out his hand spliting the rock with divine lighting. “Now if the next rock we come across is split like this I saw we turn around and...”

“And what? Go back to Klaus I don't think so.” Etoile said. “If I ever see him again...” she said her clenched fists sparking with divine energy.

“I-I was going to say Khaos.” Erin said setting the very large bag on the ground.

“Get that bag up. We have to make sure we aren't going in circles before nightfall.” Etoile said leaving Erin behind.

---

Lanzerus walked into the Iceberg Pub, the only building to serve alcohol that didn't come with a complimentary Ice pick in a hundred miles. With a single outstretched hand he walked over to a brawny bruiser of a man swilling an ale next to his shipmate. Suddenly the man stood up and looked at his shipmate.

“What are you doin'? You some sort of crazy?”

With an evil glint in his eye he gave a single two word command. “Kill him.”

and all hell broke loose in the Pub.

---

“I heard from a very reliable-”

“And drunk.”

“source that one of the last few remaining artifacts are located in this ruin.” Arric said with a small interjection from Raleigh. “And that it is only guarded by two golems and a gargoyle.”

“Stone creatures...ew.” Ash said feeling the blades on her sword. “Stone isn't nice to blades.”

“Gargoyle?” Kate said half lost in cloud-observation. “Its like a stone dragon right?”

“Gargoyles are more just like really ugly animated statues...smaller than a golem with less magic working like a glue.” Cael said

“so let me get this straight, we are fighting small ugly statues and really big and uglier statues?”

“Golems are less statue more like magically animated boulders.” Verris said before coughing violently. “Sorry.”

“Anyway, so what do you guys think? Take the tip or not?” Arric said twanging the string on his bow absentmindedly.

“Why not.” Raleigh said. “A drunk tip is still a tip. It certainly the closest we are going to get to a 'lead' while searching for the high-church artifacts.”

“speaking of the artifacts I will be right back!” Kate said smiling running ahead of the group into the ruins.

---

“SEE LOOK AT THAT!” Etoile screamed pointing at the boulder that had been cleaved in two. “ we ARE going in circles, I blame you.”

“Me? Aren't you some sort of all-powerful deity capable of teleporting where e're you need to go?” Erin stated. “Why can't you just teleport us to her?”

Etoile just looked at the boulder avoiding his gaze.

“You mean to tell me we could have just had you teleport us to her this whole time?”

“Maybe.”

“well then, why didn't you?”

Etoile just whistled and kept walking forward past the boulder, avoiding all questions Erin threw at her. "Because I am a goddess you expect ME to have to cast magic for YOU!?"

---

Lanzerus looked around the remaining wreckage of the Pub. No one except himself and the man stood. “It seems the power of the shield also works to cover those under my control. Perfect.”

The man stared at him blankly. The bloody knife still in his hand. And several other knives still in his arms and shoulders.

Lanzerus adjusted his glasses. “You have served me well pawn, and proven to me the extent of the power I currently possess. However you no longer serve a purpose for me, Lanzerus.” He though to himself before looking man straight in the face. “Kill yourself.”

The man brought the knife up and aimed for his heart but stopped before the tip could peirce his skin. For a split second the look of an intelligent thought crossed his face.

“As I thought. The power is only capable of what the person was capable of, in other words you were capable of murdering a whole building of people but in the end you were too weak to even kill yourself. Worthless.” Lanzerus said slamming his mace into the back of his head. “ Burn in hell for the murder of the innocent you sinner.”

---

“Dis one is quite the pretty.” The gargoyle said standing over Cael “but the taller one, she seemsed eh. Fiesty.” it said grating its stone hands together. “C'mere gorgeous.” it said before charging at Ash. As soon as it got close enough to almost embrace Ash, the blade of her sword made sure that the head of the gargoyle was no longer attatched to its shoulders.

“I don't think so.”

Cael stood up. “Stupid gargoyle, how was I supposed to know that fire, lightning and even water couldn't do anything to it?”

“I am surprised the thing was dumb enough to charge at Ash.” Raleigh said giving the fallen stone head a swift kick into the nearby wall where it promptly shattered like a vase, a very thick granite vase. The impact of the gargoyle's empty head against the wall echoed through out the remainder of the ruins. “Of course it would be empty.” Raleigh said slightly amused.

“That probably wasn't the smartest move you have ever made Raleigh, I don't think you understand that echoes are ba-” before Arric could finish his sentence a Large golem, around maybe 12 feet tall, burst through the very wall that the head had made impact with. “d. I honestly think we are cursed.”

“Cursed? You think we are 'Cursed'? More like Royally -” A Golem Smacked Raleigh into a nearby pillar before he could finish his sentence. “Ow.”

upon hearing Raleigh's complaint the golem swiftly punted him damaging the column behind him. “WHY IS IT ONLY HITTING ME!” before the golem continued to kick at him.

“I think I know what is going on! Its blind and uses it's hearing to...tell...where...we...are...oh crap.”Verris said before the golem stormed over and he got the equally brutal treatment Raleigh was receiving earlier.

“So essentially its a game of hide and seek...or hide and not get pummeled to pieces.” Arric said dodging the swing from the golem before gracefully tripping on the shattered remains of Gargoyle head. “Well at least for once I can be happy that I wasn't the reason we were preemptively attacked.”

The golem had its leg hovering over Arric's face before the three rings of blue light moved slowly up to reveal the groups healer. “HELLO EVERYONE!”

“Bad move.” the entire group declared before the golem struck Kate into the wall nearby.

“It, You, why?” Kate said looking at the golem tears streaming down her face she looked down at her lap and her now cut arm. “You, Golem!”

the golem turned away from Arric to face Kate. Kate stood quickly, and casted magic that blew it back into the wall behind it. The golem then hefted a boulder and threw it at random in the room, the boulder flew through the air, before eventually finding Ash as its target. It then stomped in the direction of stone on metal to where Ash was previously standing and began to sort of flail at random, barely keeping one leg on the ground.

Out of fear Cael launched a plain fireball at the golem only to watch it hit the golem who shrugged it off and turn towards him. It slammed its fists in fury into the ground working like a small shock wave that upset the brick floor of the ruins Cael found himself airborne, straight into the Pillar that was now leaning slightly thanks to Raleigh.

Kate Threw a rock at the golem trying to distract it, and it worked.”Hurting my friends is a no-no, however they can be healed easily, hurting me however will get you seriously injured if not dead. I am a demi-goddess, and I don't think you understand how much it takes for us to heal ourselves. Prepare to die.” The golem moved closer to Kate who stood up quickly. In a few verses the Golem disappeared in the usual three rings of blue light that appeared to be stretched to fit its larger form. “Done.”

“Teleport?” Raleigh said watching the golem disappear.

“Teleport.” Ash confirmed.

“K-Kate where did you teleport the golem exactly?” Arric said slowly getting up off the ground.

“Approximately four miles into the air above this set of ruins. Why?”

“Guys we need to run. Fast.”

---
:D I bet you thought this was another abandoned stories didn't you? Well WRONG! I was just really busy and couldn't find the time to sit down and write life happens and when it does we all have things that get neglected and well, now I have found some time to sit down and write for fun again.

don't hesitate to comment, I like comments :)

Healing Mishap -15-
By Lanzaq

Arric brushed himself off. “Hello earth to Kate! You just teleported a 10 ton giant golem four miles into the air! You need to heal everyone so we can get out of here, like now!”

Kate sniffled brushing tears from her eyes. “ I-its fine, even if the golem had strong enough magic to hold itself together there is no way that it could actually hit us.”

“well whatever if you say we are alright, however wrong I feel this will be, I guess we are safe.” Arric said. “But still it does our friends no good to lie there unconscious.”

---

Derrik sat behind the counter of his families general shop, expecting a man to deliver some late goods. He stared lazily at the door as a man walked in looking rather goofy. 'he has on hunter green boots, a gaudy black and red velvet cloak with white fur trim, while wearing a cassock, well not the weirdest I have ever seen come through the shop.'

“You Boy.” Lanzerus said staring Derrik straight in the face. “You happen to have any sort of magical catalysts? I am in need of some white sand and a large pearl.”

“White what?” Derrik said staring back. “I am afraid we only have what you see on the shelf, we don't carry foreign goods. However if you can stomach it you could always find one of those elf traders.” Derrik broke eye contact. “ But I wouldn't trust them.”

Lanzerus let out a contemplative sound and further studied the boy. “You ever try divine magic?”

“No my parents were never fond of magic-users, they thought they were on the same level as elves, why?”

“Because I think I might have found myself an amazing new apprentice.”

---

Arric brushed himself off. “Hello earth to Kate! You just teleported a 10 ton giant golem four miles into the air! You need to heal everyone so we can get out of here, like now!”

Kate sniffled brushing tears from her eyes. “ I-its fine, even if the golem had strong enough magic to hold itself together there is no way that it could actually hit us.”

“well whatever if you say we are alright, however wrong I feel this will be, I guess we are safe.” Arric said. “But still it does our friends no good to lie there unconscious.”

Kate walked over to Ash, her emotional state making a complete 180 degree turnabout. With a quick incantment in High-Church Ash was back on her feet. She nodded the nod that told a thousand words.

“You know, ever time you heal Ash, then Cael it normally ends in the bad for him.” Arric said.

“What like him being slowly emasculated by some unknown goddess pulling a bunch of magical mishap strings?” Raleigh said rubbing a large bump forming on the back of his head. “Guys am I bleeding at all?”

“Yes, in fact, copious amounts, like a drunk hemophiliac.” Arric said trying not to laugh. “If I were to be bleeding like you I would be worried about my health and well being.”

“Seriously?” Raleigh said taking his hands off of the bump to look at them only to discover that the man had been joking the entire time. “You, sir are an ass.”

“Kate, Tend to Raleigh before Cael, lets see if we can eliminate a variable.” Arric said. “Besides maybe a hormone imbalance will do this one some good.”

“Okay but I don't think Raleigh needs to be revived, just some minor first aide.” Kate said walking over to Raleigh and examining his bumped and bruised head. “Besides I like to work from most critical to least.”

“But if Ash and Cael both have the same injuries, and both are unconscious then who do you determine who gets healed first?”

Kate just stared at him for a second tilting her head to one side before turning towards Cael. She began the incantation when a boulder, presumably an arm or leg from the golem, pierced the ceiling and barely missed Arrics noes. She stopped mid incantation to look at Arric. “You alright?”

Blanched but altogether still in one piece he nodded. “Go ahead.”

Kate resumed the incantation and quickly finished. Cael opened his eyes, stared at Kate, looked around the ruins and passed back out.

---

“Do you know ANY High-Church at all you stupid boy?” Lanzerus said before clouting him in the ear.

“Ow! I know the four elements and the 'call' word.” Derrik said. “But that's all.”

“Do it then.” Lanzerus said crossing his arms. “NOW.”

“A-Alright.” Derrik said shocked at the man. 'Comes into the shop, asks for weird magic items then starts screaming at me to try magic then hits me, I don't understand.'

“Don't alright me. DO IT.” Lanzerus roared. “Or maybe you need a demonstration.” With a deep resonating voice Lanzerus spoke quickly in High-Church generating a spiraling ball of fire in the palm of his hand. “Now copy it or you will learn a very painful lesson about crossing Father Lanzerus.”

Derrik, being a smart boy, copied almost exactly what he heard, instead of the spiraling ball of fire he got more of an erratic line that spun crazily before extinguishing. “S-Sorry, I stumbled a bit.”

“It was, adequate, for the first attempt.” Lanzerus said. “Do you like the idea of playing shopkeeper for the rest of your natural life or would you enjoy more adventure?” Lanzerus said extending a hand. “Shake my hand, and you can learn magic beyond your wildest dream.”

---

“I still don't quite understand. You are a Goddess you have just as much magic if not more than I do. Why do you refuse to teleport?” Erin said still lugging the large bag on his shoulder. “ I mean as far as we know we are still going in circles, I am almost to my breaking point, and you haven't even begun to glisten.”

“Do you understand WHY teleporting doesn't work around me and Khaos?” Etoile asked.

“Because you are related to Sodia?” He responded.

“No. Have you paid attention to how you teleport?” Etoile said slowly. “You use tattoos as an outlet for your magical energy, you are using basic magical energy. Do you think that beings that radiate divine magic can be easily moved using THE MOST BASIC FORM OF MAGIC POSSIBLE!?”

“I got it.” Erin said covering his ears. “No need to scream at the pack mule.”

“Okay, I admit it, you can now apologize for angering me.” Etoile said before continuing forward. “Besides we weren't going in circles.” She pointed as they reached the end of the path, she pointed towards town. “And everything went as I knew it would.” She added.

“Mhmm. That still leaves me wondering, what prevents you from teleporting me?”

“Drop it or you will be eating this goddess' lightning.”

---

Cael woke up slowly, the rough sheets of the mattress was comparable to sandpaper.

Arric was sitting at the table, his backpack emptied of its contents sitting on the floor next to him. “When I tripped on the fragments of the gargoyle head.” He paused to lift up the jagged bits of broken vial. “The potions.” he stopped and broke into heavy sobs. “I didn't even get a chance to use them!”

Ash surrounded by a wall of empty glasses just looked up at him, and with a devilish smile. “You still owe me.”

“Guys, I really wonder will Cael be alright?” Verris said

“Cael is a tough uhhh...” Raleigh trailed off. “We have any word on the status of Cael?”

Arric just stared at the fragments of glass. “Tough...like the opposite of the potion vials.” He quickly wiped the broken vials off onto the floor. “ H-Sh- Cael will be able to handle anything thrown at...Cael.” Arric said carefully selecting his words.

“Aye, Clean that up I canna' have you leavin' broken glass an' pointy messes around my inn.” The man said while filling up another glass for a man sitting at the counter. “If ya do have the urge to break somethin' fragile go outside an' throw it on the ground.”

“You know, we never did get that artifact out of those ruins.” Raleigh said. “I also haven't seen hide nor hair of that bastard Lanzerus.”

“Now now, don't be in a hurry to run into him.” Arric said. “ The man is currently in possession of as far as we know, two artifacts, however that number could have easily grown.”

“Yes, and with that number growing so does his power.”

Kate walked down the Inns stairs a smile on her face. “Guys Cael is awa-” Before she could finish her sentence the four, the bartender, the bar customers, the bar's next door neighbors, the neighbor's neighbors and essentially almost everyone in town could hear the piercing shriek of a very very unhappy Cael.

---

Derrik looked at Lanzerus' hand. 'This man, how would I put it, is a freak.' “Look, I don't know what you are talking about, I little to no comprehension of High-Church.” He paused. “But I like the sound of Magic beyond my wildest dreams.” He quickly grabbed Lanzerus' hand and gave it a hard shake.

“Excellent.” Lanzerus said watching a green light slowly curl around their hands eventually melding into a sickly green glow that slowly faded. “The handshake is binding, if you so much as break your promise you will die.” He stared Derrik in the eyes. “Now, go pack and we will be off.”

“Right now? But the shop, I can't just-”

“NOW.”

---
HAHA getting back into the flow of daily posting! Only because I am somewhat sure I don't work tomorrow, er, today as it's now 1 am in the morning and I can't sleep :D.

Healing Mishap -16-
by LanzaQ

“I don't believe it. The boy actually managed to do it. I spent four weeks trying to do what he did his first time.” Lanzerus laughed coldly to himself. “Dear Lord you have just granted me one the greatest gifts you could have given me. Now if only I could get a hold of that sword. Wicked Point? Corrupt spike? I shouldn't have burned that book back in that dungeon.” Lanzerus said half disappointed with himself.

---

The Four, minus Ash, stood up as quickly as possible from the table and began spouting reasons as to why they had to be the absolute first to see Cael.

“Cael is like my child!” Arric said dashing up the stairs

“She is my friend and teacher!” Verris said running up after him

“She is a young girl who needs to learn more about the world of love
and relationships between a man and a woman!” Raleigh roared, his boot squeaking as he ran after Verris.

“Ash, stay here watch for anything suspicious. I need to stop them before something terrible happens.”She paused to sigh. “Cael isn't looking for guests right now.” Kate said gracefully pushing herself away from the table to slowly walk after the guys who made a mad dash up the stairs.

Ash looked at the now deserted table and the also deserted drinks. With a flourish she procured a cloth from her pack that she used to clean the rims of the glasses off, she smiled to herself, leaning back in the chair and taking a nice swig. “Mine now.”

---

“For someone with no prior knowledge of High-Church, Dervish, you have made exciting progress.” Lanzerus said watching Derrik, now outfitted with Acolyte robes and a mace at his hip. “Of course that potential would have been wasted if not for my tutelage.” Lanzerus laughed at himself before turning serious. “Now craft a golem using only High-Church. No Acolyte of mine will waste his time by dirtying the proud magic that is High-Church by mixing in bits and pieces of CAL.”

“Yessire,” Derrik said his speech slurred by the growing collection of bruises on his face most of them an angry purple. However one quick and slightly slurred incantation later and the boulders in front of him lurched slowly to life.

The boulders began to assume a very rough humanoid shape, a lot of gaps where magic had to suspend rocks where there wasn't any that could fill the gap and still move proficiently. The took a few staggered steps, before toppling over under magical pressure. “Let me try again.” Derrik said.

“No.” Lanzerus said delivering a punch to his face sending him to the ground. “We will move on, I guess Magical Animation just isn't your specialty.” He watched as the young man gathered his scattered wits and stood back up. “We have to find your specialty before much longer, I fear even with your specialty figured out we can't stop the group of heathens from trying to stop the lord's message from cleansing the world.”

“Group of heathenth?” Derrik slurred and spat out of his now swollen lips. “Cabn I get an ethplanathion of who thethe heathenth are?”

“Heal yourself before trying to talk to me boy. I can't stand to listen to you talk like you were born mentally incapable.”Lanzerus said watching Derrik. “THAT WAS AN ORDER.”

Derrik immediately spat out the incantation in High-Church flawlessly, his wounds glowed a bright yellow before settling back down to his regular skin-tone. “How was that?” Derrik said seeking approval from the man in front of him.

“Decent. Enough practice and you might actually be more useful than a pail of wood shavings.” Lanzerus said drawing his mace. “Let see how well you can heal a bit more, what is the word....”He look at Derrik before slamming the mace into his arm with a bone shattering crunch. “Heavier wound.”

---

Erin lead etoile to the local inn. “Are you sure they are here?” he asked nervously tugging the priest's cassock sleeves down over the back of his tattooed hands. He glanced around quickly. “Last time I met up with them they all grouped up on me and suddenly I was under some truth spell that made me answer three questions. They know that I am in fact not a sodian priest, and that I am after Kate.”

“Yes I am sure.” She spat venomously. “Unlike you I have a sense of direction, and also that was your own fault you were dumb enough to show off those fancy drawings on your arms to them.” She laughed.

“Yeah you definitely do have a sense of direction.” He said holding the inn door with a creak open for her as he thought “Yes, you do have a sense of direction indeed, a malformed sense of direction.”

Etoile stepped through the door and shot him a glare. “I CAN read minds you know...”She then looked around the inn room before looking back at him. “But thank you for being a gentleman and holding the door for a lady.”

Erin sat stunned. “Th-thank you? You actually thanked me?” He said in awe. “I don't believe it.”

“Normally people respond with you're welcome when they are thanked, but it is good to see you aren't deaf. Don't expect it again.” She responded her tone going from sweet to sour quickly.

“Did I show you what Khaos gave me before we left?” Erin said almost excitedly.

“No, what did my sweet nephew give a worthless being like you?” Etoile said looking half-amused and half-uncaring at the man acting like a child ready to show a friend a gift his parents had given him for doing something important.

“Wicked Spike.” Erin said lifting the sword out of its scabbard. The sword that in the hands of Khaos looked like nothing more than a hunk of rusting metal that vaguely resembled a sword, now in the hands of Erin looked like a well-kept knights sword, gilded hilt and jeweled pommel. “Khaos said that I should give it to Kate, that she knows what to do with it.”

Etoile Placed her hand over her face. “Khaos entrusted YOU with one of the Artifacts? My poor nephew must be going crazy.”

---

Ash in a now less than sober haze watched Erin and etoile enter. She registered Erin and immediately was up and stumbling towards them gathering speed as they turned to go up the stairs to the rooms.

Verris out of the four that had gotten up from the table had taken the lead, he had already made it a good two thirds of the way there. Arric trailed close behind, Then Raleigh and lastly was Kate whose run looked more like a brisk walk. Then out of nowhere, attacked a rogue rug, Pulling Verris to the ground. His limbs flailed before he hit the floor. Arric gracefully leaped over his fallen comrade. Raleigh laughed as Verris untangled himself from the rug in time to take third again.

As Raleigh was laughing an elderly woman opened her room door, Raleigh still not paying attention ran head long into it and fell to the floor dazed.

“So Sarry Sweethart. Did'n see ya running down the hall there.” She said looking at the Raleigh who refused to get up.

“Back when I served as a knight WE apologized when we was running drunk into walls.” He said hitting the downed rogue with his cane. “Next time watch where you are running and try drinking less next time!” he said as his wife took him by the arm and they started down the hallway.

Verris took his turn to laugh as he walked past Raleigh who was busy being a retired Knight's canning dummy.

“Help me.” Raleigh pleaded extending a hand to verris who was already long gone down the hallway. However Kate saw him and was quick to help him back up and heal his bruising.

“Kate, why aren't you running up front, you could easily pass Verris who has probably already outran Arric?” Asked Raleigh as Kate fished out an anti-burn salve and a bandage. “Because you guys are eventually going to hurt each other so much that I will win anyway.” She said smiling.

“Why do you have a bandage and an anti-bu-,” He cut himself short as they turned the corner to find Arric on the floor covered in a fine layer of soot. “What are you? A freaking Pain detector!?”

“No, I am just a well prepared healer.” She said magically tending to Arric's major burns before applying the slave ot the lesser one and quickly field dressing the wounds.

“Thanks Kate, Verris is dead-set on being first into see Cael.”

“If I am not there you can remove the set because right now Cael isn't quite mentally prepared for visitors.” Kate said, making quite possibly the first serious face Arric had ever seen on her.

“Mentally Prepared?”Arric questioned.

“Imagine yourself and everything you know turned upside down in a matter of days. Imagine the body you are currently in being completely different at the end of those days. Different eyes, Height, shape, practically a whole new body.” Kate responded. “Imagine that everything your culture says about how you are currently living is wrong and you have to almost relearn everything.” she paused. “That is not mentally prepared.”

“I can't even begin to fathom it.” Raleigh threw in. “It would be impossible.”

“Your Scar?” Kate said. “Arric's hair?”

“Yes, I know but those were wanted changes, I was certainly ready to give up a few grey spots.” Arric said

“My scar sort of defined me but it also was a constant reminder of everything I had done in Ura after my parents died. To be quite honest I didn't know how I felt when you first healed me.” Raleigh said twirling his daggers around in his hands.

“Yes, you both gained from my healing, however for Cael's Sake it transcends you or me or even her.” Kate said as they approached Cael's room, the door slightly ajar.

“OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT!” Cael screamed as Verris ran from the room, followed closely behind by Cael's knife, her backpack, her staff, her shoes, Becca's dress, a couple of potions, and a bolt of lightning. Light, yet stomping footsteps were heard as the blonde elf poked her head out into the hall. “IF I WANTED TO TALK I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU TO TALK TO ME!” She screamed slamming her door.

“Cael doesn't seem to want to talk right now.” Verris said looking at the small pile of thrown objects, and the knife that has found its new home embedded hilt deep into the wall.

“Really?” Mocked Raleigh as he attempted to pull the knife out of the wall to no avail. “I wouldn't have guessed, especially after she managed to throw her belt knife handle deep into the wall!” he said giving the knife a flick only to watch it stand fast in its now, most likely permanent resting place.

---

“Concentrate boy, you won't get past the pain of that broken arm unless you concentrate.” Lanzerus said watching Derrik struggle through what was obvious amounts of pain. “When my Teacher did this to me I quickly learned that pain is the best motivator. Come on now, I don't have all day to listen to you gasp in pain, heal your damned arm.”

Derrik sat and tried to control his breathing enough to where he could say the chant to heal his arm but found the more he tried to concentrate on the incantation the stronger the pain got in his arm. “L-anzerus...I can't handle this pain!” he said feeling the bone in his arm spasm in unison with his muscles as his brain cried from relief. “I focus on the chant, and the arm hurts worse.”

Lanzerus sighed. “One, don't tell me you 'can't' anything, and two. If you 'can't' focus on the chant, instead do the opposite focus on the pain. Bear through it and just chant what sounds right in High-Church, if you are truly meant to be my student then what you instinctively chant will be correct.”

Derrik followed the order focusing on the sharp, stabbing pain, his head swam the longer he focused, eventually almost to the point of blacking out he found himself saying something, he couldn't focus on it because he was almost unconscious but the pain subsided as he fell over. Before he was completely out he said. “Father Lanzerus, I did it.”

“I don't believe it. The boy actually managed to do it. I spent four weeks trying to do what he did his first time.” Lanzerus laughed coldly to himself. “Dear Lord you have just granted me one the greatest gifts you could have given me. Now if only I could get a hold of that sword. Wicked Point? Corrupt spike? I shouldn't have burned that book back in that dungeon.” Lanzerus said half disappointed with himself.
---
Well, its been tough, finals week, Still Jobless, but hey I got another chapter out for all of you who still y'know actually take time to read my drivel. Have fun, may this provide at least some comic relief at my attempts to assemble some form of plot, if you can call it that.{Highlight to read} Next chapter, there will in fact be cameo appearances, be vigilante!

Healing Mishap -17-
By LanzaQ

He whirled around quickly catching Lanzerus' mace before it met with the back of his head. “I have analyzed every strike, every pose and every little nuance of you. I have been watching from the very beginning when you first walked into my families general shop and told me to come with you or lose out on something great.”

---

Cael poked her head out into the hall, her face a colour comparable to a ripe tomato. “Can I have the dress, my shoes and backpack back?”

Kate quickly scooped up the objects of Cael's that were still in one piece, in other words, everything except the potions which Arric was busy trying to scoop what little still somewhat 'clean' potion into the bowl he fished out of his backpack. “Cael, here is all your stuff...'cept the potions.”

Cael just stuck her arm out and grabbed everything, before slamming the door shut again.

“That could have certainly gone worse.” Raleigh said, still trying to remove the embedded knife. “I mean If I were standing only a few inches over I would have had a new metallic implant.” he paused to see a still extremely shocked Verris on the floor. “even though I am sure she was aiming at YOU.”

Cael stepped slowly through the doorway. “Actually I didn't care who it hit...even the satisfying thump of my knife hitting the wall made me feel good.”

Verris scrambled to his feet, and started to slowly walk down the hallway away from Cael. “Well then I will just go and check on Ash, she has probably drunk enough by now to pickle her stomach.”

As Verris turned the corner he came head long into a very familiar man, followed by a very unfamiliar woman. “Frenar!” he said quickly as ethereal chains locked themselves around Erin

“Wait why are you...DEMON MAGIC.”

“Kate, Your stalker is back!”
---

“Et...I think we might need to do something, conceal our identity, go invisible. Something. Last time I had a run in with this group I was magically bound, and truth serum...ed.” Erin said casting a glance over his shoulder to look at the angry goddess trailing behind him.

“One, my name is Etoile, stupid mortal, and two, why would I need to hide who I am from my own niece.” she said. “I don't think you even use that thing you keep in the loft-space above your eyes.”

Erin turned the corner and almost ran face-first into a now bescarred, and amused individual, before he could do anything the man had chanted and Erin found himself stuck in place as ghostly chains wove their way around him. “Wait why are you...DEMON MAGIC."

“Kate, Your stalker is back!”

Etoile laughed. “Stalker? Erin, these people consider you to be my niece's 'stalker'?”

“Erin, Niece?” Verris said looking at the woman. “Wait a minute, if you are Kate's Aunt then that makes you a...Oh geez.” He said blanching before running back around the corner.

Kate turned around the corner to come face to face with Erin and Etoile. “Hello Aunt.” She spat. “Are you here to try and convince me to give up being a 'mortal' and live with you, and Uncle Leo?”

Etoile looked at Kate, genuinely hurt. “No dear, why would you ever think that was the reason I have spent trekking half-way across this world with this...thing.” she gestured to the still bound Erin. “To try and convince you to come and live with me and Leo?”

“No.” She admitted. “Then why are you here?” she glared at Erin. “And why with him?”

“Your Brother seems to think that I needed the company.”

“Khaos.” Kate said looking Erin in the face. “Are you nothing more than a Lackey? Did he send you after Mother's Necklace?”

“He sent me to help you. You can't fight HIM on your own. He has collected Heilige Shield, Creon's Mantle and The thousand League Boots.” Erin said. “I have Wicked Spike, He told me a member of your group would be able to use it to the best of its abilities.”

Kate briskly strode over and removed the sword from his possession. “Ash.”

---

Ash turned the corner just in time to watch Verris chain Erin in place. She watched the proceeding conversations and watched as Kate snagged what looked like a rusted sword from Erin and walked towards her. “Ash, take it and swing it once, in a direction that will cause the least amount of collateral damage.”

Ash smiled and pointed it in the direction of Erin before getting into a proper stance. “Fun.”

“No. Bad Ash. We don't go maiming the people that just delivered the sword, even if they might be nothing more than a puppet for your older brother to be using at his disposal.” Kate said. “And besides my Aunt might have found a mortal that she dislikes as much as my Uncle.”

Ash turned away from Erin and gave a quick controlled practice swing with the sword, it quickly glowed before expanding and become a large two-handed claymore. It was quite ornate with gilt edges and what could have only been described as a masterwork hilt, unfortunately it managed to take out a nice chunk of wall in the expansion. “I like it.” she said swinging it again trying to dislodge it from the wall.

“That is great, you can use a Wicked Spike, you must have done some terrible things in your past to pull that off.” Erin spat. “Like kill a puppy, maim a child...you know average things most civil war veterans did on an almost daily basis.”

Ash turned again only too look at Erin, no one else in the hall saw the glance but they did hear what she had to say. “You swine! I will murder you in your sleep! Ash DeVyria Laramorte doesn't stand to be insulted! Insinuations that I have preformed deeds so heinous that cowards would blanch and vigilantes would yearn for my head to rest at their feet. YOU ARE DEAD.” she paused to breath in. The sound of her grinding teeth was easy to hear for everyone in the hallway. “I spent five years after the civil war looking for work, FIVE YEARS, that I spent searching from every village and hamlet to every large trading city only to be turned away as soon as my task-master recognized my face from wanted posters. Do you understand how hard it is to live when you were one of the top leaders for the side that LOST a civil war!?” with a slink she drew her other sword. “I would rend your idiot head from your shoulders with the elegant sword you just gave me but, I can't seem to get it out of the wall just yet.” she lunged at Erin only to watch the bounds break on the spell Verris cast earlier. “Damn. I am going to quote my favorite author, however I fear it will be lost on a simpleton like you, but here goes. 'Thou art unfit for any place but hell.'”

before her blade could connect it was deflected as a silver stream seemed to jet through the air. Erin found himself on the floor as yet another throwing knife found it self a new home also lodged in the wall of the inn. Wicked spike fell from the wall with the blow that the small knife made as it hit the wall.

A man walked into view from one of the nearby rooms. “unfit for hell you say?” he laughed before rising from a bow revealing an eyepatch over his right eye. “And that Vigilantes would yearn for your head at their feet? Well Madam, I am a vigilante, and you are THE Ash DeVyria Laramorte?” he laughed “Let me greet myself I am the Mercenae Vigilante Darrius, or if you prefer Dark Darrius.” he said, waving his hands as two more durable daggers found their way into his hands. “Now excuse me, I need the bounty on your head, also I do enjoy a nice tale of kings on occasion but that author was actually a woman.”

---

Derrik awoke to a kick in the stomach. “Get up. It is time to test your actual combat abilities.” Lanzerus said watching Derrik stand slowly and draw the acolyte's mace at his hip. “Land one hit on me and I will consider your training done and we will find a tailor fit for a king to make your cassock. I will then refer to you as an equal. Are you ready to attempt your final test?”

Derrik shot him a glare that could chill an ice troll to the bones. “Yes. Father Lanzerus.” he said leaping and attempting to strike before he had a chance to raise his shield. “I have spent almost half a year training with you. You lash out at me for my mistakes and almost ignore my success. You starved me for positive attention while drowning me in beatings.” He whirled around quickly catching Lanzerus' mace before it met with the back of his head. “I have analyzed every strike, every pose and every little nuance of you. I have been watching from the very beginning when you first walked into my families general shop and told me to come with you or lose out on something great.”

“Finally thanking the man who delivered you into the light?” Lanzerus said easily parrying a blow. “You are still sloppy in your strikes.” he said kicking a sweeping low kick, taking Derrik's legs out from under him. “and you will probably die if this weren't my mercy being show to you.” He said as he stomped on his knee with a sickening pop. “Because if this were anyone else. If this were an elf, or any sort of supporter of the freaks you would be dead.”

Derrik gritted his teeth and the incantation came out naturally. “I don't think I can get to you alone. I am going to need help.” He quickly dropped his mace and let out the incantation that Lanzerus knew so well. In fact Lanzerus smirked as the large boulders in the nearby area came to life under magical stress and began moving. “ I realized the problem between my golem and yours. Your golem had some sort of sentience that I couldn't wrap my head around. However I figured it out.” he bowed his head quickly and recited a prayer in High-Church while Lanzerus looked at him quite amused.

Before he could get to Derrik to hit him the golem lurched forward and struck him, knocking him off balance and causing him to embed the bottom edge of Heiliges Schild into the ground. At this moment Derrik scooped up his mace off the ground and slammed it into Lanzerus' jaw. “No, you daft man, I wasn't thanking you. I was saying Thank you for proving that you are unfit to wield such artifacts.” He said as he watched Lanzerus fall to the ground unconscious.

“Also. Thank you for leaving them in such nice condition.” He said as he removed The Thousand League Boots, Heiliges Schild, and Creon's Mantle from his person. With a wave the golem crumbled and Derrik just let out a laugh. “hmm, It seems that I am actually a member of the High-Priesthood now? Isn't that what you said. 'Father.'?” he said spitting on the ground. “I might as well take the cassock too since I am robbing you blind.”

As the sun set behind him Derrik walked off leaving Lanzerus in the middle of nowhere with nothing, Taking his backpack, map, all his supplies, and even change of clothes with him. “I am not a dog to be beaten just because you are angry. I am a human being that appears to have more mental capacity than you, Father.” he sneered, before it quickly became a laugh. “And unfortunately for you, the nearest town, or even a stream to get water from is miles and miles away.”

---

Lanzerus regained consciousness slowly. The night breeze was cold on his naked body. “This is not going according to my plans.” he felt around his jaw. “But he does show promise. He definitely recognizes himself a member of the church if he took the time to steal the cassock as well as my supplies.”

Lanzerus laughed though. “Yet even after all that training the fool seems to think that stealing my water and food will kill me. The Lord is my savior and he will supply for my needs.”

---
Well. It took a while for me to finally sit down and pound this one out. I really would like to extend an offer. now I have done this before only to stop and not rely on them but I really think it would be a good idea...I want a proofreader. I want the constructive criticism and feedback. Even if it takes even LONGER to get chapters out. I want someone who can take what I write and tweak it to make it all the better for those out there that read it, to enjoy it all the better.

Healing Mishap -18-
By LanzaQ

She smiled at Darrius, masking her own apprehension. "C'mon then," she said as she lunged at him with the sword, only to watch his terrible daggers easily deflect the rapier. "Or perhaps I need a little more weight?" She twirled the sword as it grew into a large flat-bladed gladius.

Everyone watched as the two fought in the crowded hallway. Their flowing movements and extended swings grazed the rough hewn wood of the walls around them, leaving deep gashes in the weathered surface. The eyepatched vigilante took the offensive, gliding around Ash's blade like a snake, the two daggers in his hands his fangs.

"You can't beat me," he huffed. "I have trained." He paused to parry Ashley's swing, easily deflecting it into a nearby wall. "As a magician."

"Magician," Raleigh said, watching the man move. "Does that mean he is using magic to amplify his abilities?"

"Possibly." Cael said, looking on as the man twirled around. "I don't think he is amplifying anything, yet." She turned a wary eye on Ash as she tested the man's defenses with a short lunge. "But with Ash's luck this fight is going to go from bad to worse, and fast."

'This amateur thinks she can best me? I fought in the civil war, and battled for my life in the Arena against Grimrawr the Lionheart,' Darrius thought to himself as he easily maneuvered past Ash's defenses. 'No upstart with a chip on her shoulder stands a chance.'

“You cannot win, Madam," he said to her, his face inches away from her own. "However, you are worth more to me alive than dead. What do you say? Beg for your life, and I may just spare you."

"Beg for my life?" Ash scoffed. "You expect a former noble to grovel at your feet, like some kind of dog?" Using her two-handed sword as a shield she attempted a strike at the man with her family's rapier, only to be carelessly turned aside.

'This isn't good. He's obviously an experienced killer,' she thought as she adjusted her footing, keeping an eye on his dancing blades, 'and with how he is using those daggers I'll never be able to score a decent hit.'

"Don't worry Ash!" Kate screamed over the sound of their clashing blades. "I can heal almost any would you receive! I can even revive you once of twice!"

“We have to help her. We can’t just sit here and watch as that maniac attacks her!” Verris stepped forward, gripping his staff tightly. “Prismatic Spr-”

“No!” Cael snapped, kicking Verris in the back of the knee and sending him to the floor. “I didn’t realize my apprentice was so impulsive. Did you even think about what you were about to cast?”

“No,” Verris said, pulling himself up and away from the fight raging mere feet from where he had fallen. “It was the first spell I thought of that could have possibly helped.”

“That spell would have cast a cone of colour that would have blinded EVERYONE in front of you for the next few minutes. Both of the people over there are using real swords and are swinging to kill. Two blind fighters swinging sharp weapons in a small hallway? Think. Before. You. Cast. A. Spell!” Cail hissed, punctuating her reprimand with smacks to the back of Verris's head.

At Cael's words Arric cast the young elf a strange look before turning back to the fight at hand. He fingered his own small throwing dagger wearily, waiting for an opportunity to aid Ash in any way possible.

“How did we get ourselves into this mess exactly?” Erin rolled up his sleeves, showing off his plethora of magical tattoos. “I think we should be on our way, while they are distracted.”

“Idiot, this is Fate. I wouldn’t just hand wicked spike over to someone traveling with my niece, no matter how much faith she has for the person. I think this is working in our favor,” Etoile said, smiling. “She can fight her way out of this, I can see it in her eyes. Once she has proven herself worthy of Wicked Spike, then we can leave.”

Erin reluctantly rolled his sleeves back down, and joined his lady in watching the battle continue.

Derrik lowered his heavy burden to the ground, wiping the sweat from his brow. His own pack had been heavy enough, but combined with Lanzerus' stolen goods the load was nearly unbearable.

'I could always summon a golem to serve as a pack mule, but then I just wear out what power I have, and there is only so far my piety can go.' With a sigh, he sat down on a nearby rock, his various acoutrements clanging as they hit the rough surface.

A flash of inspiration hit him. 'I know! I can leave something for the naked bastard in case he travels this direction,' Derrik thought to himself as he sank the blade of one of his many daggers into the ground. 'The Lord will favour me for my generosity. Who else but a man of faith would part with such a fine dagger, leaving it in the middle of nowhere for a lone, lost traveler to find?'

He laughed to himself as he reshouldered his burdens with renewed vigor. Before him lay the path to Reion, The World's Cradle, and the largest trade city in the world.

Lanzerus awoke, unsure of how long he had been out. He knew it would be impossible even unburdened to catch up with Derrik; however, that wasn't about to stop him from trying.

He ran through the wilderness, the wind whipping at his bare skin. Bites and bruises covered every inch of his body, and his head felt like it was almost ready to split open from sheer exhaustion, yet still he pushed on.

"My Lord, I have been your devout follower since I was old enough to read. Why do you not keep me safe? It is not my time! I refuse to die and let the wilderness claim my body," he said, pushing his way through the overgrowth that surrounded him as the plains he had been crossing met with a dark forest.

Lanzerus steamed as he trudged on. Never before had his god failed him, but now, in his time of greatest need, he had been abandoned. He would renounce his god if he must, break every holy tenet he had held close to his heart for so long, if it meant his survival.

And he would find his apprentice, oh yes. And when he did....

Lanzerus collapsed, his overworked legs willing to carry him no further. As darkness descended upon him, he heard a the sound of a village and speaking in a foreign language in the distance that set his blood boiling.

"This has been most fun. I am impressed you have managed to stay alive this long," Darrius said, his cruel leer morphing into a cold , expressionless stare. "But enough toying with you."

"Φωτιά," he said, stepping back beyond the range of Ash's rapier as his blades began to flicker with mystic flame. "Second stage. Blackening." He spun his daggers, the flame shifting from orange to green to blue, before finally darkening into an inky blackness, swallowing the light around them.

"These blades will easily penetrate any defense you put up," he said, his blades leaving eddies in the air as he wove them back and forth. "And roast your flesh from your bones."

Ash cursed when she saw the blades, knowing her own weapons certainly stood no chance against that kind of magic. Realizing it was her only option, she dropped her two handed sword and drew Wicked Spike from its sheath.

The rust cleared from the blade, its metal surface twisting and folding until it became an exact copy of the rapier she held in her other hand in every way but the sickly glow it cast.

She smiled at Darrius, masking her own apprehension. "C'mon then," she said as she lunged at him with the sword, only to watch his terrible daggers easily deflect the rapier. "Or perhaps I need a little more weight?" She twirled the sword as it grew into a large flat-bladed gladius.

"So you have a magic sword. And some skill in many different types of blades," Darrius said, impressed. "But that won't save you from my soulfire." He swung too quickly for Ash to dodge or block, catching her chestplate and searing a gash straight through, revealing the padded underarmor.

"Aha! I knew it was padded!" Raleigh interjected, only to be glared at by Cael and Kate.

"Hmm, a magic sword, but no magic armor? A pity. You must be a very bad adventurer if you can't even afford to get your armor enchanted."

Ash stumbled back, dismayed at her ruined armor. "Why are you doing this?" she yelled, whipping the gladius around and catching the side of his head with the flat of the blade. "Why me? There are plenty of higher ranking officers you could be attacking. All I did was command some of the lesser rabble!"

Darrius reeled backward from the blow and glared at her, hatred seething behind his eyes. "Your 'lesser rabble' killed someone very important to me. Another three weeks and she was to become my wife. But you, and your people, killed her." He swung one of his daggers into the wall next to him, slicing through the wood like butter. "And for that, I will have your head!"

As he charged Ash, screaming in rage, flames began to creep up the wall from the charred gash his blade had left in the wood.

And with that draws a close on Part 18 of Healing Mishap.

I would like to put a sincere thank you out to my proof-reader, Melanie E, who with out her, you all would have read a part 18 that would have been as sloppy and a punctuational mess as the previous.

Healing Mishap -19-
By Lanzaq

“Still trying I see.” Darrius said laughing his attack flowing together making an almost impenetrable defense in itself. “I thought I would take you alive, however after everything you have put me through I don’t think so! “ He roared going for a killing blow only to find his daggers slicing through the now molten metal of Ash’s two handed sword.

“You, you. Idiot! Are you trying to set the entire tavern on fire?” Cael said raising her hand and preparing an incantation only to stop halfway through. “Guys. I think it would be best that we start heading down stairs.” She said urgently. “Like as soon as possible.”

“Why do you say that?” Raleigh said too intent on the two swordfighters to notice the slowly growing blaze.

“If we don’t there will be problems. Kate please start evacuating the rooms down the hallways.” Cael said. ‘I told myself I wouldn’t wear this robe, so I wore it under lyssa’s dress because I couldn’t stand the idea of watching anything so...obnoxiously bright coloured, however it must either highly magical or an artifact.’

“Okay.” Kate nodded before going down the hallway knocking on doors and pointing to the fight.

“I will end this now.” Darrius said. “αφύσικη ταχύτητα!” at the end of this incantation Darrius began moving faster than before, as if someone had lifted a massive weight off his shoulders. He went on the immediate offensive. Striking repeatedly, unrelentingly, to kill.

Ash kept her defense up. However she knew that the fight would have to come to an end quickly.

“Etoile...Let’s go! That blaze, it isn’t normal!” Erin said pointing at the growing blaze with one hand and grabbing hers with the other.

“I am immortal, so I don’t care. However I know you mortals cling to life as if you can achieve something.” she said watching the fight and shaking his hand off hers.

Erin just sat there. watching with her. “I know you are immortal, but doesn’t fire still hurt you?”

“Didn’t you understand the hint? Go.” Etoile said waving him away like a small dog. “Go now,” she added as he went down the inn stairs, followed by everyone except Kate, and the fighters. “Because I care about you idiot.“

Ash sat in one spot attempting to block the onslaught. However his new found speed made it almost impossible to block everything.

“Still trying I see.” Darrius said laughing his attack flowing together making an almost impenetrable defense in itself. “I thought I would take you alive, however after everything you have put me through I don’t think so! “ He roared going for a killing blow only to find his daggers slicing through the now molten metal of Ash’s two handed sword.

‘When did she?” He questioned mentally as Ash slung the now glowing hot metal.

“Taste steel.” Was all Ash said as what was left of the sword splattered him across the face, neck and chest.

He screamed in pain and rage as he fell to the floor. Ash walked past Etoile to get to the stairs.

As she disappeared from view Etoile smiled to herself. “Looks like he made the right choice after all.”

Lanzerus came to, still in one piece, well-fed and clothed in what appeared to be sewn together from nicely crafted leather and what looked like a white scarf. However he touched in confirming that it was some sort of white ermine or ferret pelt..

As if on cue his headache flared, he could practically feel the blade his headache made trying to cleave his head in two. “Son of a bitch, stole my glasses. God damn it!” He screamed sitting up in bed, only to worsen his headache. “When I find him. I was originally going to reprimand him for his actions, however taking a man’s glasses is going too far!”

A small blond haired child walked into the room, wide-eyed and afraid of the man. On spotting her Lanzerus smiled, hiding his headache. “Hello, I am Fath...Lanzerus.” he extended a hand to the little girl. The girl took the hand, it easily dwarfed her small delicate hand. “I assume it was a ‘nother one of your tribesmen that saved my life?”

The girl looked up at him and nodded. Lanzerus got a good, long, and blurry look at her face and that was when he realized why he passed out in anger. The child had pink eyes, but he held his tongue. ‘Lanzer they saved your life. even if they are world-filth they are still your saviours.’ She quickly left and dragged in a woman, essentially an image of the child twenty winters later. Long blond hair. small, slightly pointed ears, and pink eyes.

“Greetings and welcome back to living.” The woman said with a chuckle. “I hope daughter Elsi didn’t bother you when you sleep. She was just shocked that human man found his way into our camp before falling.” The woman said clasping her hands in front of her. “my very limited CAL is acceptable for you understanding?”

Lanzerus looked at the woman half confused. his vision clouding out of pain. The woman saw what was going on and quickly caught the back of his head and lowered him to the pillow on the make-shift bed made from leaves and animal pelts. she turned to her daughter and spoke what sounded like gibberish to Lanzerus. Before he blacked back out. He watched the young elf scamper off and fetch something for her mother. Before he fell back into blackness he could taste the bitterness of the potion running down his throat.

In the end he drifted into sleep comfortably, and woke up even more comfortably. Lanzerus woke up a few hours later, the sun was getting ready to set when he got out of bed and stretched for the first time in what felt like an eternity. His headache gone and with it all other aches and pains. Lanzerus did a more in-depth examination to find that even his smallest cuts and scrapes were gone. However his vision was still horrible.

Elsi poked her head in to see him stretching and quickly took his hand and smiled at him. Lanzerus let himself be led by the girl. He watched himself be led past the woman. “Mimma. ‘tha man’ is needing of glasses.”

‘Mimma’ just smiled at the girl. “Ta Fara. Opti arc prome Fara, Elsi.” she said. back to her. “Ta CAL, ma gresti.”

Lanzerus felt his blood boil listening to her talk, he could feel her words like pins and needles. Goosebumps rose to his skin as he listened. Mentally it was played back to him. “Your Father. Glasses are from your Father Elsi.” and “Your CAL, is better than mine.”

“Father Grigorii. I hope where ever in the nine circles of hell you are...You are burning nicely.” Lanzerus said. The two elves exchanged quizzical looks back and forth.

Derrik found himself in front of the gates of Reion. A line of traders, trappers, wealthy merchants, slavers, mercenaries, and a little bit of every other profession you could think of. At the gate, or what he thought was the gate entrance, was a gaurd post, checking every single person entering the city.

“They say the guards are searching because of the recent outbreak of plague.” A man dressed head to toe in pelts and claws of some variety said to the man next to him.

the man just scoffed and drew his, although well worn, quite ornate sword. “ I will run these sprats through. When I served as a guard we didn’t care about plague, if the people in the town were able to get sick then they deserved to die.” His chainmail clinking with every movement.

Derrik got an idea, and he rummaged around Lanzerus’ backpack and pulled out the leather boots. “Thousand league boots.” he whispered. He quickly pulled off the clerica shoes he stole and slipped the other pilfered boots on. With a quick dash he found himself in the center of the town almost in the central fountain.

An unwashed, and stinking man dressed in rags walked forward. He smiled at Derrik, his dirt and scrape covered hands outstretched. “Sir. Please? Only a couple copper?” his stomach growling to add emphasis to his statement.

Derrik pulled out a handkerchief and placed it over the man’s dirty, disgusting hand. “Come with me. I know where a place that can provide for a person like you.” He said smiling at the man.

No news really. Feel free to comment or give positive feedback. I always enjoy listening to what you have to say.

Furst struggled against the bonds that the mage before him had woven around his frame. “Chiao! I thought out of all the councilors you would be the least apposed to joining us. We are achieving something you have been screaming about!” He continued to struggle until the magic that had woven itself around him dissipated. “Saving the future. The non-magic people don’t care about their children born with magic, in fact they see them as a curse. You and I know that!”

“My name is Kao, and unfortunately for you and I, only I decided to follow the rules!” Kao said pulling a raw stream of magical energy from the ambient powers in the air around them and forming it into a rough arrow shape. “I won’t be swayed, even if I have to scream ‘till I collapse to be heard, I WILL follow protocol. You are just following your brother’s shadow.”

“My brother’s shadow?” Furst questioned looking at the young mage who at that very moment was channeling even more raw magical energy into the ‘arrow’ with what looked like some sort of exotic dance. her weapons of choice only accentuated the movements, razor-bladed fans depicting a mountain shrouded with clouds. “He is dead, has been dead and as far as I am concerned, I am happy that he will remain dead.”

“Heartless. You stopped loving your only brother? I thought that he was the only thing keeping you alive.” Kao said with a smirk, launching the bundle of energy at Furst. "I mean he was tall, strong and intelligent. He must have gotten all of the manly genes in the family. Where as you were left with a slender frame, and left short in both height and temper."

"Kao, I don't care how much you spout about him, but I won't tolerate you insulting me like that!" Furst said drawing raw energy straight from his very core. Instead of relying on a limited supply of energy that could have been found in the air around them.

“Furst, I know it hurts, but if you just stay with the council we can sort it out. We might be low-councilors considering we are just out of the magical academy.” Kao said. “But if we stick with it in a couple of --” She was interrupted by a bolt of energy searing through the extra cloth on her left sleeve.

“So what we can wait to grow old? Let the children like you and me get beaten? Possibly killed so we can follow a set of rules set down by a bunch of dress wearing geezers that died long before the new old dress wearing geezers became the new old dress wearing geezers!?” Furst yelled. “I won’t sit back and watch that happen!” Furst pulled even more raw talent forward, and because he wasn't shaping it in anyway it began to orbit around him forming a tight ring.

"What are you doing!?" Kao said watching him build up energy. "You idiot! that is dangerous! shapeless energy can do almost anything if you don't give it any direction!"

"SHUT UP!" Furst roared striking the ground splintering it like balsa wood. As the ground fractured toward Kao, she tried to run away only to trip over a boulder and fall into one of the newly opened fissures. She grasped at the edge, her hands shaking. she knew she couldn't hold on for long.

Tears were streaming down her’s face as she screamed to Furst who was slowly walking toward her. “My palms! Furst quickly, pull me up!” She screamed panicking.

Furst leaped across a gap and landed a few feet in front of her. He walked forward and looked down at her, stared at her eyes, and stomped on her fingers. “I always thought that your temper would get the better of you. I was right, I am ALWAYS right.”

He laughed coldy to himself as she fell.

Furst sat in the courtroom. the past week was hell while he was detained and a magic-suppression collar was put on him. He felt no remorse for his actions as he sat there on the bench. “Ladies and gentlemen of the court you heard it yourselves. This man was provoked by the councilor into a fight. She knew the risks of initiating the duel with him.” Darrian said looking at the juror’s box. His shoulder length black hair tied into a short ponytail, and the suit not hiding that even for a lawyer was physically fit.

“Is that all?” One of the three judges asked Darrian. “Does the defense rest?" The overweight and balding judge asked, looking over to the prosecution.

“The defense rests.” Darrian said looking at Furst with a ‘If you make it out of this I will kill you myself’ look

A man strode forward in a Councilor’s robe. “the prosecution would like to bring forward the argument that Furst Grandfield, a graduate of the Mage Academy of Rularia. Has the preferred school of Battle-Prophetry." the Councilor stopped, and used magic to retrieve a glass of water off his courtroom desk.

"Councilor, No matter how high ranking you are in the council, acts of magic are banned in the courtroom, that is your first and last warning." The Second Judge said glaring at him.

The councilor ignored the reprimand and continued without so much as a missed beat. "He saw exactly how the fight was going to happen, he knew exactly when to release his raw talent to create the catastrophe that led to the death of low councilor Kao, and because of that,you, members of the jury have no choice but to condemn this criminal to the fate he condemned his fellow recent graduate Kao to. “ The man said with dignity. “ to death.”

Furst sat listening to the man tell the jury his side of the story, and the more he listened the angrier he got. He slowly began to draw small amounts of raw energy into a ball. “And it was in cold blood that he did it! That monster murdered Councilor Kao!” The man said pointing with his left hand, the fabric on his robe flapping wildly.

“That is it!” Furst said standing up out of his seat and launching the burst of raw magical energy in the man’s direction. “I didn’t kill her! She merely fell with the aid of my boot!” He screamed as the energy shot through his glass of water, his sleeve and ruined a tile on the floor behind the man.

“Guards you saw it for yourselves, the man tried to kill me. Restrain him! And Jury, if that wasn’t a admission of guilt I don’t know what is!”

“Enough.” One of the judges said. “We, the High-Court judges won’t take such business in our court. Guards both men will be found in contempt of court if they continue this behavior.” the Judge thought for a moment before whispering with the two next to her. “Guards court is adjourned for today. Escort both men to their respected places until tomorrow.”

Furst found himself back in the holding cell that he’d been occupying for the last four days. his sheets were still the same, torn, patched, and bloodied as they had been the first day he had been 'escorted' in. The guard on duty had confiscated his hand-staff, Furst's weapon of choice aptly named for its length, too long to be a wand, too short to be a quarter staff. So he didn’t have that as an option of escape and a raw surge of energy wasn’t going to break down the thick bars of the holding cell's door.

Darrian came to greet him later on that day as boredom was getting to be too much for the contained Furst. “Well. Now You’ve done it.” he said as he walked past the guard who looked away as he entered. “The Jury believes because of your outburst that you are in fact guilty.”

“Let them believe what ever they want.” Furst said. “I know that I am guilty, I know that killed her, and I know that the lady judge, the middle one, knows that I am as well.” He smiled putting his hand through the bars. “I thank you for everything you have done, also I was wondering...”

“The troops are stationed outside the city, because the trial security is tight.” Darrian said taking his hand and giving it a hard shake. “The people don’t suspect that the trading caravan stationed outside town will work as a high-speed get away caravan as soon as the verdict is called and you are released.”

“Now tell me again...why would I need a get away caravan?” Furst said looking confused as he drew his hand back into the cell. “Because if I do manage to go free I would bed dealing with a lynch mob trying to kill me? Or is it because if the trial is going to go how I think it is going to go we will have to make a get away?”

“Both, either, now please keep quiet, any more slips, and fighting like that could push the already biased jury over the edge.” Darrian said. “But, on a different note, I believe you will also be setting a legal precedent for the council. I must admit this is an interesting case from a legal standpoint.”

“Whatever. I don’t need to listen to anymore of your legal babble.” Furst said examining the toilet, a clay chamberpot left close to the sink.

“Just play nice and then we can make a stop at the ‘Leapin’ pony.’ before jetting out of here.” Darrian said waving to him as he left.

“The man is dangerous, a threat, and needs to be eliminated as soon as possible.” The First judge said wiping sweat from his bald dome of a head with a kerchief. His second chin wobbling with every word he pronounced. “ I don’t think keeping him alive any longer would serve a greater purpose.”

“I think Furst is a greater asset then you would like to believe. Did you not notice in the courtroom? He used raw talent...” The younger of the two male councilor said, his left sleeve flapping wildly as he talked with his hands before he was interrupted.

“Yes, heaven forbid the mage be able to use raw talent.” The First Judge said resorting to wiping his head with his left sleeve, because the kerchief was using earlier was soaked. "He is a heathen and deserves his just desserts. As soon as he gets his I can go home and enjoy mine."

“I think what Zander is trying to tell you is that Furst used his talent while under a magical-suppression collar. He has done the formerly thought impossible. The Magic academia originally believed that someone would have to have almost god-like levels of raw talent just to release a fraction of what Furst launched at Geoffry in the courtroom.” Judge Sysen said, looking at the two arguing councilors.

“Oh.” The First Judge said, coming to a full understanding. “Dear Lords and Ladies, we need to keep him alive at all costs.”

“And I have an Idea.” Zander said, grinning. “However our little hellion won’t like the idea at all.”

“After extensive mediation, We, the Grand Judges of the High Council, have ruled that the defendant, Furst Grandfield, is in fact,” The bailiff said pausing just to watch Furst sweat. He continued to stay quiet, letting the tension in the air thicken until it seemed like everyone was holding their breath. “Guilty.”

Furst nodded to Darrian who walked out into the hall. “ Two options have been brought forth for the condemned.” The bailiff continued. He cleared his throat looking at Furst who was now sweating musket-balls. “ Death Penalty, to be flogged, and stocked. Publicly humiliated before you will be hung in Rularia Square.”

“Yes!” Geoffry screamed gleefully. “The Murderer will be murdered in front of EVERYONE!”

“Prosecution, another outburst and you will be found in contempt of court and will face legal repercussions.” Judge Sysen said pointing her gavel at him.

“Or, option two, Furst will remain alive. Under strict watch, his identity will be altered to fit among the women’s side of the Council where he will take the empty seat of Councilor Kao as a way to--”

“No way in the nine hells!” Both Furst and Geoffry said in unison. “ I refuse!”

“I can’t allow this murderer to get off scot-free AND take a place on the council!” Geoffry roared. “This is a travesty to what ‘Justice’ really is!”

“Guards, Get the prosecutor out of this courtroom, he will be held in a holding cell until he pays all fines for his crime and faces a stripping of rank in the council!” First judge said.

“Don’t Ignore me!” Furst screamed. “I won’t allow this!” He roared the energy he was pulling forward was becoming more and more focused with each passing second. what before was a watermelon sized blob of raw talent was now a spear of energy that came to a pin-point tip. He pointed it first and the bailiff before turning to the Judges. “If you think I will just allow you to kill or feminize me, you are gravely mistaken.”

“Guards, Magic Dispersion field. NOW!” The First judge yelled rubbing at his bald head. “Get the professionals in to restrain this maniac.”

“No! I won’t let you get away that easil---” Furst was in the middle of the throw when one of the guard’s truncheon found it way to the back of his head.

Furst’s consciousness returned slowly, his head swam as he was greeted by a new set of bars. He felt around his neck greeted by not the single collar that had been placed around his neck but a second collar. As he sat in the cell it was then that he heard it. A slow and steady laugh growing louder.

“My my my. If I were you I would have hoped that old Gib’s trunch split my head open, instead you survived and the Council took the liberty to decide your fate for you, and you won’t be pleased.” The guard outside the cell said twirling Furst’s hand-staff deftly.

“Since I am here and not comfortably in the back of a rapidly moving caravan, I guess that means the absolute worst has happened...” Furst said looking up at the guard. “So when is my Execution date?”

The guard just laughed at this. “Who ever said the council decided you would be executed?”

Darrain sat in the back of the first Caravan wagon. “Furst I am sorry.” He said out loud. “The Courtroom was impossible to get back into once I left.” He laughed. “How much trouble did you cause while I was gone?”

A young man slept nearby. Darrian quickly noticed him out of the rest because of his appearance. The other young men seemed to wear their dirt and grime with pride where as this young man was well washed and seemed to be quite a contrast to the others. “Crau, what school is this young man?”

“Brother, don’t you know that referring to branches of magic as schools is archaic? Anyway, his branch is Non-combat, he is a Medic-Mage.” She said. “He is an angel. He heals the incoming sick and beaten and makes sure that they are properly clothed and fed.”

“What is his name?” Darrian asked reaching into his nearby pack to fish out a leather-bound book. “I think I know enough magical first-aid to teach him a little.” he continued to search the backpack until he removed a quill and small glass jar of ink.

“Sorry to tell you, but with his level of skill he could easily teach YOU a thing or two about first-aid of both the magical and non-magical variety.” The woman said. “The boy even weaves his own bandages.”

“Interesting. However you still haven’t told me his name.” Darrian said scribbling hurridly on a blank page.

“Why don’t you just ask him? He isn’t sleeping. “ Crau said looking back from the driver’s seat of the caravan cart to smile impishly at her older brother.

Darrian quickly looked over to see the young man sitting up, a large smile on his face. “My name is Grey, nice to meet you Commander.” Darrian quickly looked over the young man. His short, dark blonde hair kept nicely. However where his hygiene was phenomenal his clothes were lacking. Darrian noticed that both his knees and elbows were patched with what appeared to be several layers of patches. Grey’s pants, even while he was sitting, were above his ankles.

“Nice to meet you Grey, I am Darrian, and I guess while we work on getting Furst back I am a temporary commander.” He said said placing his hand on his chin while he thought about the exact meaning of commander.

“Well ‘Commander’, it seems we have hit a roadblock” Crau said, throwing her black hair over her shoulder to glance at her older brother. “It seems the Council knows we have been on the move.” she said “And I don’t think they want to be first in line to trade with the merchants.” She added sarcastically.

“Listen you shaved ape. I want details. What do you mean the council didn’t decide to have me executed? Do you mean to tell me that they picked the alternative for me?” Furst said shoving his fist through the cell bars. “IF that is the case....Get your armored ass over here so I can kick it.”

“temper temper. I don’t think kicking my ass will save yours anytime soon, besides the council sent their ‘best’ to take you into custody my friend.” he said even with the helmet obscuring his eyes Furst could tell that the guard was glaring at him.

“Wipe that goofy grin off your face.” Furst said. “I am glad I can’t see ALL of your fool face otherwise it would just make me more mad.”

The guard’s smile soured and he gritted his teeth out of anger. He stomped over to the cell and shoved the butt of his spear into Furst’s stomach. “Shut it murderer.” He said returning to his post, leaving Furst alone as the guard walked through another set of doors taking the only lantern with him.

Furst sat in the darkness for a few seconds before drawing forth a marble sized ball of talent that mimicked the lantern that the guard had taken with him. “Damn it.” Furst thought to himself kicking the chamberpot into the corner, he then thanked the lords and ladies that it was empty. “That is exactly what got me into this mess. Impulsivity, is that even a word?”

he looked at the ‘sink’, a metal bucket that hung from a nail. It was filled with water that was more akin to gravy. He spotted the two collars in the mirror and quickly felt them, nothing but seamless cold metal. “Well It was easy to out-talent the first one, but this one,” He lifted the second to find it loose, but not enough to get it to come off. “really does prevent me from mustering almost any talent.” he thought looking down at the dwindling glowing marble that had slowly diwndled to the size of a pea.

Furst closed his eyes, everything that had happened over the past few weeks weighing heavily on his soul. he bowed his head, and pushed all the thoughts out of his mind. As he lost focus of everything, a set of new, and slightly blurry images came into focus in his mind’s eye theatre, it was just snippets of future events. A continuously growing group of Non-magicians armed with shovels, pitch-forks, torches, and muskets marching toward every major village and trading city. Council Battle-mages posed on every Rularian city battlement slinging fireballs, spears of rock and ice, and summoning infernal beasts from dark portals.

When Furst opened his eyes back up, he realized he was screaming and was greeted by the sight of four women in red battle-mage leathers. “Screaming quite loudly there. Did you foresee us?” The leader said twirling his hand-staff. “Because whatever you just saw, we will make sure that it will be a lot worse.”

“You have no idea how bad it really is.” Furst said as he tried to draw what little talent he could only to find that the foreseeing he had done had drawn the last that he had for a while. If he even had a sliver of talent left the woman standing in front of his cell would have found a lovely pea-sized burn on her face.

"Well girls, It seems we don't know just how bad it really is. However our little blonde cutie in the cell will learn quickly as soon as we get him back to the tower and begin our work." She said.

Hello Everyone! this is a re-write to RWDWP, the first story I posted on BCTS. I was originally going to call it Real Wizards Don't Wear Pants REBIRTH, but I don't think the title needs to be changed. :P besides if I ever get to the point of completing this it might be a viable sequel title.

I hope everyone enjoys! Read and Comment Please, your feedback is the only pay I get for writing!