Thrown Into The Snow

Looking at the white dragon that was now before him Sorrow sighed. He wondered why he had to put up with so many dragons now and especially ones he couldn't just kill and be done with.

"Fine" He said throwing Cassuner up onto the dragons back over the gap "But if that things tries anything like what I saw the pyromancer's one doing it's head is coming off"

He wasn't going to enjoy this. The idea of flying sickened him but so be it. He judged the distance, crouched and lept into the air and onto the dragons back with a thud that made the dragon shudder.

"There was someone down there shouting at us" He said pointing towards the being up ahead "He feels like one of your lot"

As he stood up his joints popped loudly, as would joints that had not moved for over a century now. This entire time their owner had lived underground, staring into the dark to pass the time, in hopes to perhaps one day see it fit that the vampire was once again held in such godly prestige as it once was. He was the last of his civilized ken... He knew this for a fact, as all vampire brethren share a unique mental link with each other. To survive they had to learn perfect harmony with each other, something humans would never understand. In all of his hiding he had never felt energy of magi so focused as now... It intrigued him beyond measure... He had to see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The walls of the rustic well smashed in small fragments as the shadow of a man flew at speeds unknown by most other creatures of this dimension. For having been in slumber for so long he was running awefully fast. He amazed himself then thought nothing else of it. He felt winds blow through his hair at a speed that would make an aeromancer jealous... He missed this.

Finally he made it to the city. A battle had ensued and many had died… He could smell the fresh blood. He missed this aswell.

Creatures came from out of the night to attack him, immortal beings from a time long forgotten. With a crack of the wrist and a twist of the finger a few of the dead around him began to viciously to defend him. He began to smile. Two more things he missed.

“I see your back,” spoke a voice.

He immediately frowned. This was something he had not missed.

“Only for a time my love,” he replied, pushing up his spectacles.

"Sumeving iz amizz.", the lillend said, breaking the kiss. Venetica fell to the ground now she was unsupported. From her view on the ground, she could easily see the giant sea of lava flowing towards her.

The snake woman smiled, grabbed V, and tore through the forest at an impossible pace. Her scales make an unnatural rattling across the ground, and soon the lava stopped flowing.

They kept moving, deeper into the forest. Soon they came upon an abandoned campground in a clearing. Bear tracks were all over the camp, and the skeletal remains of something human were in a far corner of the area. A few tents were set up, and wild animals were frequent.

"Zu hav great tings aheed uf zu.", the snake woman said, pulling a bow from the skeleton's fingers. She drew upon a spell for the arrow, and fired a white light into the air. It streaked across the sky before exploding into a flock of doves. "Zu vill need zum companionz tu aid zu in zis."


"I don't have any special talents!", V shouted at the snake.

"Oh? Deed zu know zu can zpeak znake?", the woman said, gesturing toward her lower half. "Zu ore a 'Forest Vitch'. Zu control ze forest."

"But...", Venetica tried to say, but the snake woman was no longer talking. She flicked her tongue again, and slithered away before V could catch her.

The muscles along Njord's back tensed as she coiled up in preparation for flight, and then like a spring, all the energy was released in one large leap that put them well into the air. Wings snapping open to catch the air, they coasted for a bit till they caught a updraft from the heated ground below.

Craning her head around, Njord singled that she saw something. Turning around he spoke to the people behind him

"Over there, there's a signal arrow of some sort, it must be a survivor, we will check that first them make our escape"

Then as an after thought

"Oh and hold on"

With a roar of delight Njord flipped onto her back, and dove towards the ground at break neck speed, throwing her wings open at last second to halt their decent. Landing in what little remained of the forest, she had already spotted who was in need of their help. It was the elf from the bar, the one whom the guards had been harassing. Offering a hand up, he cried out.

"Get on, come with me if you want to live"

He had fully surveyed the area now. There was a dragon soaring in the air, lava melting away the buildings, and the legendary leviathan to top it all off. This was quite the spectacle indeed. Surveying a bit more he noted people were riding the dragon. He would get to them soon. First, however, there were the Divers to attend to. How long ago was it? Ah yes, seven centuries ago wasn’t it? Indeed…

Snap. Snap. Snap.

More bodies arose from the dead to do the bidding of their new master. Corpses were the best of infantry; they fought with a rage unparalleled by any man on the planet. Having no soul to steal they fought with absolutely no fear. The fresher a corpse was the better the fighter it became. Bodies that had had time to decay were of little use save to be turned into powder by a blade. No, Vrokos was the sort to kill his first by breaking him mentally. There were some images in this world most men were afraid of… It would haunt them, drive them mad… And eventually lead to their suicide. Such an image was permanently engraved in Vrokos’ head.

The bodies fought with ferocity but each was eventually overcome by the Divers. Eventually he would be forced to fight them himself. He didn’t fear however.

“A sad lot, those divers,” said the voice to him, “Tormented to a life of desolation and madness, only turned divine in their blood-lust.”

“Indeed my love,” he replied, understanding that replying would end her conversation faster than fighting against.

The last of the corpses were finally killed with a deadly accuracy. It was now his turn, he’d best to not fucking fail. He darted towards the first one slapping it straight in the face. Its jaw dislodged but relodged back into place seconds after. This was going to be fun. He punched the creature in the forehead feeling its bone give way but press back again. Punch after punch landed but to no success; just as last time. More punches, eventually slaps, than pokes. This was becoming a game to him; he laughed loudly while playing it.

A flip backwards landed a kick into ones head crashing it to the ground. He was good and surrounded now, at least twenty of them. He twisted his hand in a pattern it had grown unaccustomed to, then twirled it in a circle. The corpses that lay mangled around him began to move. Not towards the enemy, but towards each other. He had created a flesh golem, eyes as black as hell’s pits and a hate as fierce as a drowning bear. It was deaths way of dealing death.

Vrokos climbed atop the fifteen foot creature and sat upon its head. With each fist it sent the Divers flying back yards, they got back up, however, with no intent of losing this battle. He could have stayed for days and fought them off for the sake or boredom but the flowing lava around him caused him worry. He needed wings fast, but how would he get them? He saw it. Incased in ice was a dead dragon freshly killed. This was perfect… He took hold of his spectacles and removed them into his pocket. His eyes began to glow an orange glow, he opened his mouth to reveal an ivory white smile. This was going to please him.

The dead dragon’s eyes opened shining a bright orange and soon its flesh began to rot away into a putrid muck of bile exposing only skeleton. The lack of skin made the encasing the dragon was in hallow enough for its fleshless corpse to swing its tail and shatter its icy prison.

“Come to me,” Vrokos muttered at the massive flying bones, “Come to your master.”

Despite having no vocal chords the creature let out a roar that shook the earth. Vrokos wasted no time, leaping into the air to mount the advancing beast. He grabbed hold of one of the eye sockets and climbed within its skull. This was much more comfortable in his opinion than being forced to ride on the back of such a beast. Not wanting to cause TOO much commotion to the leviathan he willed the creature to land near the forest clearing were it resumed its role as a corpse.

One last check for interesting individuals on the ground and then he would head towards the other dragon’s crew.

A sudden rush of wind knocked Venetica off balance. She was on her feet in a second, grabbing the hand that was offered to her and hopping on.

"Where are we going?, V tried to ask, but the rush of wind drowned out her voice.

Blackness. Cassuner was no longer within the confines of his own mind. He hoped somebody was there to attend his body, or else he feared he might not wake up again. He did not remember entering the Spirit Zone. He usually never did. It was a realm of gentle darkness, not unlike an extended blink.

"Where the hell are you?!" demanded a feminine voice. Bianca Roxanne. Part one of the two-piece puzzle.

"Above Wessenridge."

"Above?"

"Yes, above." Normally Cassuner had a great deal of patience for the young woman, but he was feeling less than agreeable at the moment. His fucking dragon had just died, after all.

"You were supposed to be here yesterday, Firedog."

Oh, the conceit of wolves. Though not unearned.

"We're called Pyromancers now, Bianca."

"You're called late, is what you're called." Her voice was pleasant, despite her words. He knew she wasn't really mad. She was just being whatever it was that she was.

Cassuner sighed, even though his Spirit Form technically didn't have to breathe, "I'll be there soon, maybe. It's sort of hard to tell at the moment. Maybe if you'd let me get back to my body..."

A brief silence. Then her form appeared from the darkness. He knew not how old she was, though he'd found her on the streets when she was about seven. That'd been around a decade ago. She was tall and slim, with dark chestnut hair that fell over her face, obscuring one of her hazel eyes... eyes that literally glowed in the dark, such were their intensity. She was incredibly attractive, with skin so dark that she would have looked a slave if not for her complete lack of calluses or scars... and her beauty of course. Her breasts were considerable, but he tried not to think about them any more than necessary. Oh, and she had a tail.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Genuine concern. He was the closest thing she had to a father, after all. He'd even named her, after his mother no less.

"Efrit is dead."

Her mouth opened slightly in mock shock. Stepping forward, she placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry."

"I know you didn't like him much."

"He used his dick as a weapon."

Cassuner had to smile, despite himself. "And he used it well."

Suddenly another aura distorted the zone. "Why was I not invited?" the Voice demanded in its laughing tone.

"Because I don't like you," Bianca said, her eyes briefly flashing a brighter green. Before the Voice had a chance to argue, its presence was gone.

"Thank you."

"You're in no danger," Bianca said, moving right on to the point, "I can see your body right now. We have time to talk."

"Leviathan."

"Hush up and listen," growled the she-wolf, her tail swishing back and forth with excitement.

... ... ...

When next Cassuner awoke, it was in a forest. It was daytime. A babbling brook boisterously babbled brookish noises past the brambles and brush.

"What... the hell?"

"Told you I could see your body," he heard Bianca's Voice purr. Sitting up, sure enough, there she was kneeling next to him.

"Oh... Another simulation."

"So you've got a feel for your companions?"

"Not really... I only barely met with two of them. Some big guy and an Aeromancer."

Bianca frowned deeply.

"YOU try remembering a conscious goal in the middle of a dream," the Pyromancer laughed, cracking the first smile in what felt like forever. "And you could have told me Efrit wasn't really dead, you cold little bi-"

Bianca's giggling cut him off. He frowned.

Efrit was still alive. All was good.

"Try to keep the civilian casualties to a minimum now that you're awake," Bianca scolded, pouting.

Cassuner threw up his hands in pretend exasperation, rolling his eyes, "She tells the flame not to burn!" Bianca laughed. She was easy to please.

All was good.

"So," Cassuner started, "You managed to tr-"

He was interrupted by her pointing behind him. Sure enough, the seemingly random group of individuals he'd met in the Dream Zone were behind him, sleeping soundly.

"You work fast."

"You've been out for three days. You were supposed to make it to the next town and wake up in less than two..."

"Something's wrong," Cassuner pointed out, eyeballing the man with long white hair, "I don't remember him. And where's the Ezermancer?"

"My mistake," Bianca said, looking apologetic, "He was dead when I found him... So I got you a vampire instead!" she positively beamed at this.

"When will they wake up?" asked Cassuner, as he tried to gauge the time... Probably a good four hours of sunlight left.

Bianca looked crestfallen. She had not received praise. She was an unhappy puppy. "Any minute now..."

"Good. We have little time to waste."

- - - End of Chapter 0 - - -

Talethal remembered the jubilant feeling of flight and and wind rushing past his face when he awoke. Opening his eyes he found himself slumped against a tree with his lute out across his lap. Thinking back, the last thing he remembered, was jumping out the window of a castles tower running from the guards of the father whose daughter he had been entertaining.

Looking around, he noticed he was in a small clearing, most likely deep within a forest from the look the trees around him, he could hear a brook near. Without thinking, the beauty of the scene brought his hands to the lute on his lap and began to play a quiet melody.

Looking around, he saw other people still slumped over. Then gazing around some more, he saw two people standing up and looking at them. One was man with hair of fire, and a few odd marks on his body, he knew he should know what they meant, but he was groggy, and there was another person to be thinking on. The other was a beautiful women, who happened to have a tail. His fingers never leaving the strings of his instrument, he spoke up.

"Hello, I am Talethal, and presume I have one or both of you to thank for being here with such, beautiful surroundings" He said with a smile and kept playing on.

"Cassuner, son of Casseon," said the Pyromancer. I already know who you are, Aeromanc-

Just then, Bianca came bouncing forward, pushing Cassuner out of the way.
What was that, the fifth time she'd interrupted him today?

"Play me a song! Something about bears!" she demanded, plopping down by the bard all smiles... tail wagging.

Tal nodded at the man called Cassuner, then turned and smiled smiled.

"Well, I only know one song about bears" clearing his throat he began to strum, then finding his cue, he sang in a clear crisp voice that bounced with the wind.

A bear there was, a bear, a bear!
All black and brown, and covered with hair!
The bear! The bear!
Oh, come, they said, oh come to the fair!
The fair? Said he, but I'm a bear!
All black, and brown, and covered with hair!

And Down the road from here to there.
From here! To There!
Three boys, a goat, and a dancing bear!
He danced and spun, all the way to the Fair!
The Fair! The Fair!

Oh, sweet she was, and pure, and fair!
The maid with honey in her hair!
Her hair! Her hair!
The maid with honey in her hair!

The bear, smelled the scent on the summer air.
The bear! The bear!
All black and brown and covered with hair.
He smelled the scent on the summer air!
He sniffed and roared and smelled it there!
Honey on the summer air!

Oh, I'm a maid, and I'm pure and fair!
I'll never dance with a hairy bear!
A bear! A bear!
I'll never dance with a hairy bear!
He lifted her high into the air!
The bear! The bear!

I called for a knight, but you're a bear!
A bear! A bear!
All black and brown and covered with hair!
She kicked and wailed, the maid so fair,
But he licked the honey from her hair,
Her hair! Her hair!

Then she sighed and squealed and kicked the air!
My bear! She sang. My bear so fair!
And off they went, from here to there,
The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair.

Finishing his song, he returned to the gentle melody.

"So what did you think of the song, The Bear and the Maiden Fair..." He paused for a second, then smiled "I am sorry my lady, I did not catch your name"

Cassuner grimaced and shook his head slowly. He'd have to watch the bard.

Meanwhile, Bianca had rocked with the melody, enjoying it thoroughly. Where they lived, there was little music.

Then, as the song faded away, Bianca squealed with delight.

He'd have to watch the bard indeed.

"I am sorry my lady, I did not catch your name" he heard Talethal say.

"Bi-aaaaaaan-ca!" the she-wolf said, leaning close, "Bianca Roxanne!" Oh, how she loved the sound of her own name. For an instant, she turned to Cassuner and smiled fiercely. "See how good I did? I got us a bonafide bard!" he could almost hear her say.

"Please excuse my... daughter," Cassuner said, stepping forward. "She doesn't get out much."

"You don't LET me out much," Bianca corrected.

Indeed. Dangerous things were best kept under lock and key.

Tal smiled, daughter, so they where both involved, in whatever this was.

"So Cassuner, Bi-aaaaaaan-ca Rrr-ox-annnne, do either of you care tell me where this place is, and why I do not remember arriving here, and why did you say before, that you knew who I was, in fact, WHAT I was, I don't ever recall meeting you before or you, Bianca" He said turning to Bianca. Then turning to face both he then smiled. "Though, I am sure I would remember such, exotic features"

He changed the song to one with a slightly faster tempo, the smile never faltered from his face.

Vrokos had been listening to the entire conversation, yet had not moved once in fear of what exactly had happened to him. I was sitting in my castle, he thought to himself, attempting to remember... He couldn’t.

“Your were kidnapped,” squalled in a voice of the purest note, “They mean you no harm from what I can see.”

He grumbled softly and opened one eye to inspect. It was a forest. In front of him were many others leaned against trees and rocks. Music being played by a bard, a fox tailed lass (He’d actually never seen one before. Intriguing), and a pyromancer. He began to wonder if they had intents to sale him into some form of slavery, torture him, or something of a crueler fate. He decided if that WAS the case he could always run..

He shuffled, realizing he was weak in the knees. Where they broken? No, he could still stand up.

“I’ve taken to listening to all of your names,” he began, pushing up his spectacles, “So there is no need for introductions. I’ll assume you know who I am, since, if I deduce correctly at least one of you has brought me here… So, where exactly are we, and what is your intent?

“Not the nicest way to greet what could become friends… You could use more of those.”

“Love,” he said looking down, “Quite yourself.”

Cassuner coughed into his fist, awkwardly. He had a habit of saying too much too soon. "We've met before," he said, offering a hand to the bard, "but not in person."

Just then, the white-haired man arose. Withdrawing his hand, Cassuner casually stepped to the side, so that both figures were within his field of vision.

"I've taken to listening to all of your names," the rather pretty man said, “So there is no need for introductions. I’ll assume you know who I am, since, if I deduce correctly at least one of you has brought me here… So, where exactly are we, and what is your intent?"

Just then, the white-haired man was tackled to the ground by Bianca, whose speed never ceased to amaze Cassuner. She was squeeling again. Not very ladylike, that girl... "This one's a vampire!" she announced, straddling the poor man, "Took me forever to find! Isn't he cute?!"

"Vampire?" Cassuner asked, shooing the feisty lass off and away as he approached. He offered a helping-hand to... "Say, what's your name, Fangs?!" Bianca demanded, anticipating Cassuner's question. He quickly hushed her.

"Forgive our rudeness," the Pyromancer implored, still offering the hand, "All will be explained shortly, but it would be for the best if we waited for the others to awaken. I assure you, there is no other place you'd rather be right now."

"Oh!" Bianca piped up from behind as she plopped down next to the bard again, "And he has more than one soul in him, just like you!"

"... Really now...?"

Tal looked at the newly arisen man. He was too quiet, Tal had barely heard the winds whisper of him, and he was a vampire, according to Bianca. He smiled again when she returned to sit next to him.

"I would not worry, friend, I am in the same boat as you, and they seem like fine folks. Besides, there are more of us than them, if they wanted to do us harm, why stack the odds against themselves by bringing us all here at once"

He decided to bide his time play another song. Gazing upwards into the last remains of the sun through the leaves, his voice started to echo through the clearing.

The road now leads onward
As far as can be
Winding lanes
And hedgerows in threes
By purple mountains
And round every bend
All roads lead to you
There is no journey's end.

Here is my heart and I give it to you
Take me with you across this land
These are my dreams, so simple and few
Dreams we hold in the palm of our hands

Deep in the winter
Amidst falling snow
High in the air
Where the bells they all toll
And now all around me
I feel you still here
Such is the journey
No mystery to fear.

Here is my heart and I give it to you
Take me with you across this land
These are my dreams, so simple and few
Dreams we hold in the palm of our hands

The road now leads onward
And I know not where
I feel in my heart
That you will be there
Whenever a storm comes
Whatever our fears
The journey goes on
As your love ever nears

Here is my heart and I give it to you
Take me with you across this land
These are my dreams, so simple and so few
Dreams we hold in the palm of our hands

Awaking with a jolt Sorrow looked around. He was in a new location than where he had been and was surrounded by strangers. Leaping to his feet he drew his hunting knife.

"Right" He began "I have three questions"

He drew to his full height

"Where am I?"

He cracked his knuckles

"Who brought me here?"

He began twirling the knife in his right hand

"And who wants to be the first to die?"

The dwarf shifted in his sleep, causing the flint and tinder in his gloves to spark and ignite his beard.
It smoldered gently untill the heat reached his chin.
"Bugger!" he yelped as he sharply awoke and slapped his chin out.
"Why the hell was i sleeping with my gloves on" he muttered grogily, followed by "and why the hell am i sleeping in a forest!!"
He turned around to see if he was alone and saw a small group of people who had clearly ignored him, their attention directed towards the walking mountain of flesh with a sword bigger than the dwarf himself who was hulking over them apparently letting them choose who he was going to kill first.

In a moment of what can only be described as morning glory he snuck up behind the giant man and snqpped his fingers igniting his garments.

The moment his cloak was set alight Sorrow knew of it. Spinning he grab the flame with his empty left hand extinguishing it before it could do any serious damage or spread and with his right hand struck out. However not realising it was a dwarf who had ignited him the knife missed.

The dwarf smiled at what he had done and managing to dodge the ensuing reaction. However the smile and the dwarf it had been attached to were sent flying across the clearing when Sorrow's left fist connected with it.

Before the dwarf had even finished hitting the ground he began to charge after him. His knife ready to finish what his fist had started.

"I'm taking your skull as a trophy dwarf" he bellowed as he bore down on the small figure.

" that doesn't work too well for me now does it" said the dwarf as a distraction from the marble like pellet ammunition he had dropped between them as he flew, diving backwards into cover, something he had alot of experience in, behind a fallen log.

Venetica felt soft grass and something crawling across her leg. Groggily she looked up, to see a rabbit nestled against her leg, resting.

'So cute.', V thought to herself. She must have moved, because she startled the rabbit. It ran away into the woodline, where it sat and watched.

A group of people were sitting around talking, so she decided to thank them.

She smiled as she saw the fox girl. "Not everyday I see one of those."

V sat down in the group, and caught up on the names of those present. Two people were causing some sort of problems, but V ignored them.

"My name is Venetica, and I no longer have a last name. I would say it is dangerous to travel with me, but......somehow I can..sense...that you can be trusted.", V said slowly. "I'm not sure how to explain it."

As Vrokos set out to reply a man of considerable size awoke and began yelling at the group. A dwarf, who had awoken just previously set out to absurdly burn the cloth of the giant then darted away. The giant pursued.

“This lot seems crazier than you.”

Vrokos could not disagree... This exposure had been quite simply… absurd. His title as the last remaining of what he liked to call the aristocratic vampires had forced him into hiding for many decades awaiting the time where vampires were once again accepted. Now, being kidnapped from his hiding place and having no recollection whatsoever of it by apparently this girl with a tail didn’t set well in his stomach.

He turned to the bard. “No…” he said inspecting the others, “Based on the method in which you and I have been captured leads me to believe we could do little to defend ourselves if we displease our host.”

“Now,” he began anew looking at the girl, “Bianca was it? What exactly might a title such a beautiful thing as yourself? Out of all my years of life I have never came across something,” he pointed at the tail, “so mystifying.”

“Beautiful is she?” said the voice with a hint is jealousy.

“Nothing in comparison to you,” he said to the voice, “My love.”

After finishing all this, the giant was still chasing the dwarf. Within the blink of an eye, Vrokos had reached the running giant. Within the beat of a heart, Vrokos had sent his foot directly into the back of the giant’s knee to set him in a bowing position. Within the speed of a though, Vrokos had stomped on the knuckles of the giant, not so much to hurt him as to pry free temporarily the blade that which he stole.

Vrokos tossed the hunting knife at a tree and impaled it into its side.

“It isn’t always the enemy who has immediately done you wrong you should worry with,” he said grabbing the giant’s back his blade and stepping back out of harm’s way, “It is the enemy who will take advantage of your rage you need fear most.”

Vrokos did not want this lesson to come back at him with a rage so leaning against the blade he continued on with his enlightenment.

“A wise man once said the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Being that we all view each other as enemies right now this holds true. You are my enemy; the dwarf is your enemy, so the dwarf is my friend. The dwarf is my enemy, you are his enemy, and you are my friend. Calm yourself giant and listen to the words of the one who brought us here.”

He gave the blade a look over then tossed it back at the giant. Feeling the situation resolve he then resumed sitting under the tree he had awoken.

“I apologize for my outburst. Please continue.”

The vampire did not appear to be in any hurry to accept his hand, so Cassuner had retracted it, again awkwardly. Social encounters were not the pyromancer's forte, and the few gestures of courtesy he'd collected over the years tended to fall short in practice.

Meanwhile, the bard had started on another song, which Bianca was paying far too much attention to.

Then, three more figures awoke at once; the man whom he'd remembered from the dream as "Sorrow," the girl Venetica, and... a dwarf? Immediately, Bianca's head turned toward the girl, and her tail began to wag as introductions were given. The she-wolf hadn't really encountered another woman in nearly a decade, and would surely wish to speak with her at length.

Suddenly the Vampire was up, speaking in turn to the bard, and then Bianca, with a gaze that lingered a little too long near her tail. She grinned broadly, displaying those pearly fangs.

Inevitably, a nasty scuffle suddenly broke out between the dwarf and the giant, but was quickly ended when the Vampire put Sorrow on his knees faster than his eyes could follow. "Play nice!" Bianca demanded of their guests, as the vampire disarmed Sorrow, tossing a giant hunting knife as if it was nothing.

Cassuner was not pleased with this gathering at all. There were far too many lethal characters and likely perverts in far too small of a proximity.

The vampire did and said a few more things, but Cassuner scarcely heard for his dread. Oldbreed Vampires were incredibly dangerous, and were supposed to be all dead, or twisted with time and turmoil. Furthermore, he was possessed. Cassuner wondered where the hell Bianca had found him... He'd have to ask her about it later.

“I apologize for my outburst. Please continue.” said the mysterious vampire, taking a seat near a tree.

"Three to go," Cassuner said, clearing his throat, "Let's try to be calm until everyone is properly in attendance."

Bianca, who'd been watching intently, wagged her tail and turned back to the bard. "Play something soothing, lute boy!"

Aethr woke to the sun glaring in his eyes. Groggily propping himself up one his elbows, he then checked to make sure that his rifle was nearby, his bag unopened, and that the correct amount of bolce were in his counpurse. Then, after accounting for everything, Aethr reached into his sack, withdrew a bottle of liquor, and drained it in one long drought. Then he made sure his rifle was loaded before fully opening his eyes, then examining the area hi found himself to be in.

Aethr cocked his eyebrow at the sight. There was a strange, redheaded man, who was most defiantly a pyromancer, standing there looking very cross about something. Next to him was a young wolfgirl, who appeared to fancy a nearby bard. Aethr got a strong feeling that he had met him before, and that he did not like this man not one bit. Maybe it had something to do with how his singing sounded like the death of a loved one.

There was also a mountain of a man, a dwarf, and a very effeminate man, all standing around. Aethr sighed, then got up. He then fired once into the air, and said,

"Where the Hell am I, Who the Hell are you people, and What the Hell is going on?"

Grom had awoken several minutes previous during all the commotion but he lay perfectly still. His head was clouded and his thoughts murky, his muscles all ached, and he had awoken to the sounds of combat. However now it had been replaced with music and conversation.

Grom rolled quickly off of...nothing. He had not been sleeping the bedroll he was so familiar with, it seemed. It took him no time at all from his first movement to rise, his knees slightly bent and his entire being ready to strike out any nearbye enemies.

Instead he was met only with confused looks.

Tal shook his head. Then he smiled and looked around the group

"Am I the only person who can wake up in such, splendid company, and not threaten to do harm to others." He then turned to the elf, the still living one.

"Set that aside friend, we seem to be in friendly enough company, and we either out match them in numbers" He said waving his hand at the firemancer and his ward

"Or, they are so powerful as to be able to take us all on at once, and then, its really not worth it to make them angry, let us all be calm, and let calm minds prevail, from what I take of it, they have brought us here for a reason, the redhead even knew who I was, though I do not know him" He flashed his best smile across the group assembled, if he could not calm everyone down, things might turn ugly fast, and someone was bound to get hurt.

He changed the song he was playing and began singing a soothing melody.

Wherein the deep night sky
The stars lie in its embrace
The courtyard still in its sleep
And peace comes over your face.

"Come to me," it sings
"Hear the pulse of the land
The ocean's rhythms pull
To hold your heart in its hand."

And when the wind draws strong
Across the cypress trees
The nightbirds cease their songs
So gathers memories.

Last night you spoke of a dream
Where forests stretched to the east
And each bird sang its song
A unicorn joined in a feast

And in a corner stood
A pomegranate tree
With wild flowers there
No mortal eye could see

Yet still some mystery befalls
Sure as the cock crows at morn
The world in stillness keeps
The secret of babes to be born

I heard an old voice say
"Don't go far from the land
The seasons have their way
No mortal can understand."