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((Gains 70 exp. Grows to level 8. +1 literacy, +1 spelling, +1 ingenuity. xd ))


Derek heard the footsteps grow louder. Someone was coming this way. There were many footsteps, and that could only mean trouble, "Don't move..." Derek said in a quiet voice. Lise still had no idea what was going on, things were moving too fast for her. Now all this secret information in enigmaese was presented to her. Of course, she wasn't expected to suddenly just get it all the first time around. She knew very little of conflict and turmoil.

A faint light could be seen coming their way. Amazing how some people know exactly where to look. Whoever was coming must've known where to look, because they were making a beeline. There was no point in trying to run away now... because they were here. It was a troop of 10 people, half of them were Pegasus Knights, 3 Mercenaries, and 2 Monks. The main one to point out the the captain, Maria, a Pegasus Knight. She was the one to confront the trio.

Brown hair, and a blue eyed stare that made you think she was related to Derek. You'd be really close, she was a member of the 4th Division of Pegasus Knights, Derek and Lise knew her well. Heck, even Harmony knew her. This time however, the enviornment was hostile.


"Derek... So it's true then... What is the meaning of this?" Big trouble...

((Gets an idea... ninja ))

There was a brief pause. Derek and Maria engaged in a staring contest, not saying a word. Maria broke from Derek's stare and viewed Lise and Harmony behind him.


"Why are you down here with Princess Lise?" You could tell from Derek's face that Maria's presence was a wrench in his plans. Of course, that meant he was planning on joining Lise from the very beginning, which made Lise even more baffled. More silence proceeded. Maybe Derek couldn't think up a lie good enough to convince Maria. Lise was getting impatient after about a minute of this sort of waiting. She saw no need to beat around the bush.


"I-I'm going to Eturia! And... and I'm taking these two with me!" Derek slapped his forehead. Maria appeared unchanged as she thought over what she should do.

"M-milady! You realize you are forbidden to do that! You're not being serious, are you? Stop this foolishness now!" More silence followed as Lise wieghed her options, ultimately knowing that she couldn't be stopped here. But... how to get by Maria... Or was this going to be like Derek... not likely...

[ Message temporarily off-line ]

Isilra made her way towards the first inn, still freezing cold, following the directions given to her by the woman in the tavern. From what the woman had said, the second in sounded like a rough place. She really hoped that she wouldn't end up staying there. Though Isilra had learned to use a bow from an early age, she had used her skill for hunting, nothing more. She didn't particularly enjoy having to hunt for food. Had the oppurtunity arose, she would have happily become a vegetarian, yet growing up with just one parent meant that she had to do her share of the work. She couldn't afford to keep on buying vegetables. It was a lot more profitable if she and her father were to hunt, then sell the best bits of what they caught and keep the rest for themselves. That way they made more money.
Isilra had always been a little bit of a gentle soul. She used to struggle hunting game, even if it was for her own benefit. It made her feel guilty, as if she had committed some sort of horrendous crime. She would avoid the second inn at all costs. She couldn't survive in such a rough environment. She looked too different, she acted to different. She wasn't strong enough, emotionally and physically. But she was in luck. As she approached the inn, she saw a sign in the window.
"Vacancies" in bold red print. Isilra raced in there as fast as she possibly could, and immedietly paid for a room. it wasn't cheap, but at least she had enough money left to stay a second night. She made her way upstairs and threw herself onto the bed. it was itchy; the sheets felt scratchy and unfamiliar. But she couldn't care less about that. She threw her saturated travelling cloak onto the floor, not caring that it could easily pick up dirt and dust and all sorts from there. For now all she needed was sleep. Isilra pulled the covers over her thin, freezing body, and let herself drift away with her dreams.

((I'll just wait until I'm needed. I... don't seem to be of interest to any of the characters right now.))

Hare was beside the dying woman and was the only one who heard her last words. By the time Ryu and Zephr were standing beside hare, he had gotten up. Hare looked at both of his comrades and announced their orders.

"We, being a small nameless mercenary group have taken on a mission that is of great danger, and dire importance."

Ryu stood without moving, he almost seemed to be frozen in time. He neither breathed, moved, blinked, nor sweat while hare spoke to himself and Zephr.

Hare resumed, "We are to change our plans. We will enter Bern for less than a day, just enough time to re-supply, and then make our way to Eturia. we have the necessary funding that has been provided by our now deceased client." Hare paused, he was so serious in the way he commanded Ryu and Zephr that he was scarring himself. He looked at the ground, "...So will you help me...." Hare was obviously had conflicting emotions about the mission that he had taken on.

Zephr was worried from the moment Hare spoke without his usual carefree or engrossed tone, and his worry only grew at the description of the mission Hare had accepted.

Ryu smirked and placed his hand on Hare's shoulder as he walked by, "...We are in this together....We are....partners if nothing else..."

Zephr had never heard such emotion in Ryu's voice, and then without thinking he raised his hand, "I'm in to!! You can't leave me behind!"

Hare began to raise his head and then looked at both of his companions, "Thank you...Both of you...You have no idea what this means to me...."

Ryu began to walk to Bern and returned to his usual demeanor, "...We do...that is why we aren't leaving you..."

Zephr placed his hands on the back of his head and said, "Ryu's right. You know us, and we know you," as if continuing Ryu's statement. He then began to follow Ryu.

After the two had passed him, Hare looked to Bern and his companions. '...I'd like to call them my friends,' he thought, '...But would they feel the same way....' Disregarding the thought, he pulled his book out from his cloak and began to read as he followed his partners, Ryu, the Black Wind, and Zephr, the miss-placed child.

Isilra woke up early the next morning. She didn't want to get out of bed, but yet she had no choice. She needed to find somewhere to work, or she would eventually run out of money and starve to death. She forced herself out of bed and flung open the ragged curtains. There was still snow lining the streets. Picking up her travelling cloak, now dry after a night on the floor, she made her way downstairs, only to realise that she had left her bow and various other belongings in her room. She raced back up the stairs, pciked up her bow and her coin pouch, and then left the inn. Hopefully she would find somewhere to work today. People still hadn't got used to seeing a girl with a bow around Ilia.
Isilra decided to head for the market square, seeing as many of the local people might need help with their business. She really hoped so. If she didn't get a job today or tomorrow, she would have nowhere to stay the night. She would be forced to stay out on the frozen streets, and she really didn't want that. It would be too hard for her.
As she headed towards the market square, Isilra saw a small boy surrounded by a group of very large, brutal looking men. His hair was a shade of deep green, and he only looked young. What was he doing up at this hour? He looked afraid, but there was something else in his eyes. Guilt, perhaps? Maybe not. Isilra sighted a bag in the boy's hands. The men kept saying something about a coin pouch. Isilra knew what brutes like this could do. She had seen them do it. She wished there was something she could do to help, but she was unskilled in hand to hand combat, and if she used her bow she feared she might kill them. Or at least, that was what she told herself. The truth was, if she used her bow in public, people might not want to hire her.
Isilra snapped out of this selfish way of thinking. This boy was young; he had his whole life ahead of him. That selfish little voice whispered in her mind.
"But so are you..." She pushed it away, and put her arrow on the bowstring, resting it onthree of her fingers as she had been taught. She pulled the string back, and aimed for one of the men. She didn't want to kill them, just injure one of them enough so they would leave the little boy alone. Maybe she could even create a distraction; she could fire the arrow so it came close enough to the men that they would look away, giving the boy a chance to escape. Isilra aimed just to the side of one of the men, and let go of her bowstring. The arrow went flying through the air, andjust missed the side of one of the men. They turned away. Isilra stood, and awaited the boy's reaction, urging him to run in her mind.