Into the Fire!

Synizn

"Look," I snap, more than a smidgin annoyed, "This is growing to be an annoying habit!"

I visible gather myself before continuing. Frankly, I am getting just tired of all this.

"Look," I say slowly, "While I can sympathize with your plight with your missing princess I really think you are getting obsessed here. You have mistaken members of my team twice now. First time it was the dark skinned one here, Joan. Granted, the lighting in the room was rather poor and you are rather limited in what your human eyes can see. I understand, believe me. But NOW I find that you believe that Aynine is your missing person? While I guess you think there might be some resemblance between the two.....

I pause, drawing in a deep breath before continuing (talking right over the rangers as they try to interrupt my triad). It is a rather neat feat, considering that as a demifox my lungs and voice aren't as powerful as they used to be.

"Right," I sigh in resignation, "At first I and the others were happy to meet fellow travelers but I now believe that I speak for all of us in wishing you a good day away from us! Do you business in this town and we'll do our private business also in this town. Separately and AWAY from us."

With that, I turn to leave with the others pausing for only a fraction of a second before following suite. Frankly, this is the only card we have left to play here. Playing the part of an aggrieved and afronted set of folks is the only thing we can do....besides drawing sword and attacking. If it comes to violence we shall do what we can to minimize the damage, but bottom line.....they are not taking Astra with them back to Aqualaria!

Let us not go into a nightmare scenario of if the townfolk somehow believe that they suddenly have royalty in their midst and they suddenly feel greedy and try to kidnap her for ransom. I believe that if that should happen we'd have a LOT of bodies about....

"Wait!" Stasia (the leader of her unit) commands, clearly incensed.

She then pauses when she sees the hostility in us.....and the clear lack of support from the townfolk (as well as the town guard). Point in fact, the "guards" (really just hired thugs for the Black Market) seem to like the idea of the rangers bleeding (and much more)....

Back off they do, for now.

We don't have long before they come up with some kind of plan, Gilmuriel says as we head off to a likely spot for our business, I believe that, ranger or not, the color of money will win them some hired swords and mages to face us here soon. We better be quick about this.

Jarlath

Finding a messanger that Grailing trusts well enough turns out to be relatively easy (considering the money we're paying) but the thing takes too long....

Now we're playing hide and seek.....

We can't use our horses (they got killed).

Leaving town by foot? Don't think so. Trying to get out without a fight if we can manage (hate to shed blood on this matter)....

The mages, I feel, will be able to intercept us with their own means of flying if we try to flee by flying carpet.

Crud, what a flipping mess! Wish that Synizn was still a dragon so we could lift off that way....

Then, we come across something that....might be a fast ticket out indeed!

"You want to take a ride on a gnome's flying machine?" Grailing asks, looking at me in something like.....fear.

Thing had landed (almost safely) just a few moments ago and the inventor (a relatively young gnome inventor) was proudly putting up banners for a new (superior) means of travel. There weren't many takers in this Shadow Town....

Seems that gnomes on this Terra the gnomes practice the art of science....but.....they...

I guess you could say their machines and scientific endeavors are disasters waiting to happen....

"That or fight?" I sigh.

Lord in Heaven, just how they were able to muster up so many thugs in this small town?!

Boy, did we miscalculate here.....

We board and see that there is this one red haired elf who is still swearing and gathering up his luggage (had been thrown all over the vehicle)....

Inside

"And after all this I need to track them down to join them," the elf mutters, "By the Forge I must, but....when.....?"

What an odd accent the diety had spoken with! He hadn't thought that the Forge could be a woman (and human at that).....but then after meeting those elves....

They'd helped him......but the Vision ordered him despite him still being....unsteady....

But to actually meet the avator of the Forgehe'd risk it! Wwherever the group he was looking for was going the end of the road would lead to Her!

Taking the fastest (if not the sanest) means available, he was here now. Now the fool gnome wanted to take off, according to the muffled speaker tube announcement?! Sighing and aching from that bruising landing, he hurried up with his gathering....(aching from that bruising landing).

1. "Why did She keep calling me 'dearie' in my Vision?" Tarrin Gazin mutters to himself as he looks up....and sees the object of his quest!