A Grande Adventure

Gildor jumped back as Lesard threw the ball of flames at his feet. "Guys, remind me to hunt that Neko down after we finish with the vampire." The elf slid over to Cliff. "I wouldn't worry about that. Instead think of it as a door opening for you. You could join us, if no-one minds."

"argh." Saen growled as Lesard slipped away he would not fire an arrow at a man who was holding a child. He couldn't help feeling despair come over him as he could not help those trapped in the flames. He knew nothing of magic so he didn't feel comfortable waiting for the spell to be fired to do something. "I-I need to do something! Corveta we need to find something to put out these flames or making an openning for them to escape."

Suddenly, the sphere encircling Taihaku stopped rotating, and Taihaku stopped chanting. The spell was finally finished, and without any hesitation, Taihaku cast it, spreading her arms out to her sides. The sphere expanded outwards at a quick pace. Everything it touched, including people - including any of the party that was caught by it - would be instantly frozen solid.

As the magic sphere reached the flames, the force of the spell dissipated the fire on contact with it, and froze the ground so that they could not continue to burn. The spell reached the sides of nearby tree trunks and ice formed on them. Even the cart and the nodhog would also be encased in ice should the spell pass through them as well. In all, the spell reached outward in a radius of 25 feet from Taihaku, and anything within that would be completely frozen.

See the spell freeze everything it touched Saen Kel grabbed Corveta and made sure she would not be caught in it.

(XD Oh Nyah, how'd I know it'd freeze EVERYTHING? Well at least we're in jungle. It's not as bad as if she used in the Tundra. Otherwise she'd be the only thing not frozen. At least it put out the fire! Yay for the Negav and Nekomura Fire Squads having less work to do.)

Cliff considered. He was a mercenary though he originally got into this to steal from humans though it couldn't hurt to broaden his horizons as the elf had said.

Richard couldn't believe his luck. One minute he was going to be burned alive by searing fire the next he was encased in ice! It was almost comical. 'At least my injury isn't so painful now.' Though Richard unable to say much else due to being to close to Taihaku's spell. Dargo however was only covered a light layer of frost and while shivering soon thawed out in the jungle's heat.

"I would help but I mostly know some spacial relocation spells and some temporal magics- Whooa okay now!" Said the petite mage being tackled by Saen Kel tyo the ground just as a wave of frosty magical energy went over them. "What are you doing?!" She asked blushing a bit as he was mashing her chest and other areas when he pressed her down into the ground. The sudden and force of the made it equally less welcome.

The young man blushed as he realized what he was doing. Saen Kel got up brushing himself off and stammering trying to explain. "I'm -uh sorry! I didn't mean to fall all over you! I was just worried that you might have been frozen." He stops and turns away ashamed. "I .... didn't mean to offend you."

Persephone, unable to see the rest of the group, was taken by surprise by the gust of frigid wind that suddenly blasted her in the face, covering her momentarily on one side in a thin layer of frost. Within a few seconds the smoke had cleared until the air was transparent, and she could see what had happened. A large area of the field was frozen solid, including several people (at least one of whom was one of their party members), and at the center of the frozen region stood Taihaku, completely untouched by the blast - all the evidence pointed to her having cast an ice spell.
This, Persephone supposed, wasn't such a bad idea - in an ironic way, she and Taihaku complemented one another and the double whammy of their attacks was likely to continue to serve them well later on the trip.
Their adversaries appearing to have been vanquished, and with minimal cleanup needing to be done, she scanned the road ahead and then packed up her belongings, along with the loot from the wagon, in preparation to continue the voyage. Hopefully they wouldn't run into any further setbacks at least until they were in the wilderness proper.

Corveta watched Saen Kel get up with some satisfaction at his nervousness. "Just try warning me next time, okay?" She said getting up and hugging her arms to herself. Her highly decorated outfit and skin tight leather garments underneath were not very well insulated. "Wh-what di-did that? I've not felt a icy spell with such intensity- Oh is that a dog? Why is he hitting that big guy with his tail- Ow! That looked like it hurt." Said Corveta watching Dargo "extract" the noble from his frosty box.

As if to answer her Dargo let out a loud bark and trotted over to Richard. Richard looked down at Dargo as he turned around and wacked the outer layer of ice covering Richard with his tail causing Richard to fall forward into the remainder of the shards. He let out a loud groan and said "Good...boy...Now fetch a healer will you? ...We can't miss our appointment." With that Richard colasped. Dargo looked worriedly at Taihaku and the others. Richard didn't usually faint. Play dead sometimes, but actually faint? No way! He was too proud. 'He must be in considerable pain from his injury dealt to him by the badnit's fire ball. Though Richard's Titanium and Trinium armor should have been able to take that fire ball. The neko must have been a spell caster in his former life.' Thought Dargo waiting for somebody else to ask for him to chip them out of the ice.

Gildor leaped back, trying to stay ahead of Taihaku's spell. Unfortunately, the Elf was too close to the Neko to avoid the spell, and was frozen in place mid-roll. "Great," he thought to himself, "now I'm cold, uncomfortable, and very possibly in a extremely embarrassing position." He waited for someone to unfreeze him, and wondered if any of his equipment had been harmed by the cold.

As the residual magic around her died down, Taihaku looked around. Her goal seemed to have been accomplished: the fire was no longer a threat to the area or the people in it. She could only hope any adversaries that were remaining were caught in the spell as well. She looked towards Richard, who was being excavated from the ice by his strange pet. She saw that some of the group was not caught in the blast, which was good, though it made Taihaku question her abilities. Then she noticed Gildor. A small smirk found its way to Taihaku's face. It quickly departed as she turned and walked calmly to the frozen elf. She balled her fur-covered hand into a fist and knocked on the ice as one would a door, using her power over the ice to manipulate it around him. A crack broke out across the entire surface of the ice, creating miniature crevasses all over the frosty ball. The ice then fractured completely into multiple shards and collapsed altogether, freeing Gildor from the icy prison.

"of course again I apologize." saen said bowing to Corveta then noticed her shiver he took off his leather armor and shirt and handed them to Corveta. "Here you go if your still cold this should warm you up. I'm going to see if I can help the others trapped in ice." Saen Kel the fifth said leaving to help. He approached Taihaku "Excuse me but do you need any help with freeing your friends?" He asked trying to be polite as possible.

"No," Taihaku responded coldly. She gave the area another look over for any of their party still frozen.

Gildor fell to the ground and sucked in a deep breath of air. He looked up at Taihaku with a smirk. "Congratulate yourself, you not only managed to catch me with a spell, but you also got to see me embarrass myself and fall. Not many people have ever seen or done that. Though I managed to make a small smile appear on your face, even if it was for a second. So I guess fair is fair." The elf stood up and walked over to the fallen Psion. He then checked to see if there was any chance of saving the fellow.

Saen will sheepishly back off of Taihaku and go find his arrows starting with the one that hit the ground. Then he will go to the fallen and frozen Teryl hesitant thinking he is dead and not wanting to acknowledge the fact he helped kill someone.

Zee noticed the oncoming spell with a smile. Just as the ice spread within a foot of him, he jumped and his shadow enveloped his entire body. His body changed instantly from solid to black gas, the gas rising clear from the ice for a second before his body solidified, sending him back to the ground. He landed with a "oof," straight on his back. He got up with a big grin and cracked his back, then began walking towards Richard with not so much as a falter over the frozen earth.


He whistled as he inspected Richard, turning him onto his chest and opened up his clothes, if he needed to. "Dude, that must of been a big owie." He took out a knife and started to break the receding ice, putting small enough pieces onto the man's injuries, as he had no other options.

Coverta gladly took Saen Kel's amror and shirt wrapping herself in them and cursing whoever made her outfit. "Tha-thank you, sir." She said polietly and turned to watch the large man who seemed to be the leader freehimself then the the neko help the elf out of his frosty prison. "A strange, but capable group." She said aloud. 'Allot like Bigs, Wedge and Tair.' She thought sadly. A tear streaked hr cheek but she quickly whipped it away and started to walk towards the leader.

Teryl wasn't breathing. The arrows he had took were too much for him. Though the peice of Psierin still lay by him near the pool of his blood. It sparkled in the sunlight it's azure hues playing tricks on one's eye.

Richard had thought he had seen it all but when Zee had turned into a gaseous substance that was indeed a feat of magic he'd never before witnessed. "V-very impressive mister, Zee. You are more interesting than I thought when we first met. Though medical attention is not necessary- Augh! Damned ice. Look in my pouch there is a green vial. It is medicine, I came prepared for anything you see, bring this vial to me." Dargo went and fetched the said pouch and held it out to Zee in his mouth looking at him expectantly.

Cliff watched the group recover and thought over what Zee had said. It was true he could join with them, but that would increase their size and thus make them more of a target. 'And I know who'd be eaten first. The warrior. Yep.' On the other hand if he went back to Nekomura he could wait till Lesard showed up he'd likely let him exchange the information so he could return to the Raiders. 'Hmm but will they let just go back to Nekomura? I am a threat...Decisions, decisions...' Cliff thought silently plotting out his next move carefully.

Saen took his arrows and said a prayer over Teryl's body in apology. He looked at the piece with curiousity and picked it up putting it in his pocket. He then returned to Corveta. "Now that you are free of this bandit group where do you plan to go? I am new to this world and don't know my way around. Do you perchance now where I can find a great evil to defeat?" He says completely serious.

Gildor frowned at the Neko's body. "A shame you had to die, and a shame my arrows helped to kill you." He carefully removed the arrows and checked to see if there was a pulse, just in case. Though the elf seriously doubted there would be one.

(Oh sorry is the action getting to lulled for ya? I'm sure we'll get back on the road in no time. After Zee hands Richard that vial I'm pretty sure we'll all be able to go. He was the only one badly injured I think...Actually what the heck for th3e sake of the story I'll just have Dargo bring him the bag.)

Dargo decided not to wait on Zee and to just bring Richard the bag so he could treat himself. Lazy human needed to be reminded of the fact these people weren't his servants. He trotted over and dropped the bag in Richard's hand. Who looked at it and then smirked. "Well you're not as useless as I thought, are you?" He took the vial, and not noticing Dargo's irratation, drank it. As he did he yelled out in pain and some light shot forth from his wound and he fell back breathing heavily. "Mmngg...Well I forgot how much that stings. Ha ha ha- Agh." After saying that Richard began to get up and stumbled a bit till Dargo steadied him. He turned to look at the woman who had came towards him. He didn't reconize her as one of the party. "Whom are you?" Asked Richard with as much suspicion as he could leaning on Dargo and looking a bit out of it.

Corveta decided lying wouldn't really help maters. "My name is Corveta Aldev, free lance mage, formerly in the service of Lesard. I want to ask if I may accompany your group and aquire a small fee to help me get back on my feet."

Richard considered. 'Hmm she didn't seem to useful before. I mean what kidn of mage can't put out a raging fire? Though she could be good to throw to a hungry creature to help us escape should the need arise.' Richard smiled and said; "Ofcourse you may accompany us. Though I warn you we are on a long a perilous quest. There is a chance we'll all not make to the end of it."

That caused Corveta to laugh lightly. "I'm no stranger to peril or long quests." Said Corveta firmly.

Richard layed a hand on her shoulder and smiled but it wasn't a bright smile. "Well spoken, mage, and weclome aboard. Now I need to see about the other, your boyfriend over there, excuse me a moment." With that Richard walked towards Saen with as slight slump but managed to stand as he adresed him. "A fine shot you are sir, and brave to boot! What are you called, young warrior?"

"I am Saen Kel the Fifth of Edithal." Saen says with a respectful bow. "I thank you for the compliment but a better shot would not taken the poor man's life." He says with great shame in his voice. "By chance can I have your name, and why you are traveling with such a group? I'm new to this world and know next to nothing about it. I would appreciate it if you pointed me in the direction of some evil thing be it tyrant or beast matters not, I'm on a quest to make a name for myself."

Gildor looked at Sean with a shake of his head. "Don't blame yourself for that Neko's death. You weren't the only person firing at him, and if you look at the arrows in his chest you'll find they're mine. Your shots were spot on, and neither of them woul have killed that man. Now I'm curious, where did you learn to fire a bow with such precision?" The elf strapped the bow to his back. "I've seen plenty of Archers, and there aren't many who would have been able to shoot that stone out of someone's hands like you did."

Saen will cheer up a bit from Gildor's words the only guilt in his heart being so happy that another was to blame. "I thank you for the praise sir, and I doubly thank you for putting my uneasy mind to rest. Permit me though to shoulder some blame if not only to quell my pride. As for my skill with the bow well I think myself better than any other I hunt wild game quite often but I think luck played a bigger role than I" He explained as he revealed two dice from a satchel on his belt one gold with black dots and the other black with gold dots. "They rolled a 7 this morning so I was bound to do well."

Taihaku, not seeing anyone else in need of attention, looked towards Persephone. She thought about how much unnecessary danger that woman had put all of them in, and was giving her a cold stare.