Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 20:10:19 +0200 From: mvnwiid@gmail.com Subject: Toramdon Eyes 12 All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are ficticious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. All rights reserved. The moral Right of the author has been asserted. Chapter 12 Another World Ruan and Natasha decided to hit the shops as they had to stock up on a few things; they still had four hours before leaving. "How is Torandia?" Ruan asked. "Is it different? Like pink trees?" "It's pretty much the same as earth, except there are strange creatures, things you're not used to seeing in the flesh and bone." "Couldn't be weirder than the body of that demon you guys showed me." Ruan looked pained remembering that. Natasha gave a laugh as they entered the shop, that was a small one, and that type is quite common. You should see their bosses." Ruan shuddered. "Where are we going to appear in Torandia? I mean I've seen a map of the place, should be interesting." "Honestly no one knows where anybody will appear with the method that we use for teleporting, usually somewhere near or in the Eddar woods. But like Ruan appeared in Somste which is like at the ass end of Torandia. "Oh okay. Interesting... I need to see my son as quickly as possible. I'm don't know what I'd do if I lose him." "I'm sure he's fine, you keep forgetting one crucial bit of information, he is a Toramdon Eye after all, quite capable of looking out for himself... oh, I wonder which power he got..." "Yeah I suppose, still... I'm worried though seeing your child disappear in front of your eyes..." Natasha just smiled at him. They continued their shopping, getting to know each other, they never really spoke a lot before this. "Which weapon do you use?" Ruan asked Natasha. She smiled a wide smile for the first time Ruan ever saw. "I use a whip." She said smugly. "A whip?" "Yeap. It can kick your maces' ass any day." She smiled over her tiny librarian glasses "I'm sure it will... I suck with that mace." Ruan answered unbiased. Natasha just laughed. "You will understand your weapon better once you get back from Torandia. The magic in the air that side is amazing. I'm actually honored Kyle sent me with you. I've only been there once you know, dying to go back." "Clearly." Ruan smiled. When they got back to the house all of the knights were sitting at the round table. They quickly took their goods to their rooms, and went to join the knights. The formality of being reunited to start the moment the meeting is in place. Ruan sat down last, everybody looking at him, Obama was part of them as well, this had to be a big thing. "Everybody in place the formalities are to start." Kyle said loudly in the room. Ruan had been through this twice, this is a custom that the knights follow to keep order. "I President of the United States of America, leader of the Knights Templar on earth am present." "I Kyle Greyvenstein of America second in command of the Knights Templar on earth am present." "I Chow Fung Cha'an of China, third ranking in the Knights Templar on Earth am present." "I John Nicholson of the United Kingdom fourth ranking in the Knights Templar on Earth am present." "I Nara Mikaru of Japan, fifth ranking in the Knights Templar on earth am present." "I Rickus Meyer of South-Africa sixth ranking in the Knights Templar on earth am present." "I Ryan Rhodes of Germany, ranking seven in the Knights Templar on Earth am present." "I Jankov Yakoslav of Russia seventh ranking in the Knights Templar on Earth am Present." "I Natasha Silverstone of Switzerland ninth ranking in the Knights Templar on Earth am present." "I Etanėn Kulkuri of Poland ranking tenth in command of the Knights Templar on Earth am present." "I Billy Jones of Australia ranking eleventh of the Knights Templar on Earth is present." "I Ruan Preeves of Canada ranking twelve in the Knights Templar on Earth am present." Now that formalities have been taken care of, let's get to business, Ruan they tell me your son is one of the Toramdon Eyes?" The president asked. "Yes sir, that's what they tell me as well, that is why Natasha and I are leaving for Torandia within a few hours. Apparently I need to go get experience before the veil crumbles, and I want to go look for my son." The president nodded, "He will most likely not be there, they can jump between worlds at will. If he has re-united with the others they will be very busy trying to sort everything out." "I also thought of that, I'm going should he not have found them, to see if he is still alive." The president looked deep in thought for a second, "Billy Jones?" "Yes sir?" "You shall accompany Natasha and Ruan, Kyle is not able to go with, you three will need to stand together. I need you three back in one week time exactly. There is no time to lose, wherever you appear on Torandia, you need to get to Kegh. That is your main objective. Your son will be fine; he is an eye after all. Should they come back to Earth we will monitor and intercept them, we leave for Canada in the morrow. You and Billy need to get to Rughnan. He will help you master your weapons, Billy take your guns with you, if Mordain is there he might be able to help you enchant those monsters of yours to help kill demons, that dirk around your neck doesn't do you justice, the veil is crumbling, all over my nation strange things are happening, disappearances, natural disasters, my weather is affected. After all my research this is going to be the worst shifting of Jets in four millennia, we need all the help we can get." Kyle looked a bit grave, "I also through my research found that, is seems on top of the jets shifting every thousand years, they shift permanently every four thousand. So all the demons will have access to Torandia, and ultimately have access to Earth. We need to be on our guard, this will be war, Kyle looked at Natasha and Ruan, you three will be our point of contact with the Torandia Knights, the twenty four of us will have to gather sometime soon, I will try and reach Rughnan to see which side we will be gathering. "Doesn't the telepathy thing work to Torandia?" Ruan whispered into Natasha's ear. "No... If all of us were on the same plane, then it would have worked. "How do you communicate with Torandia?" Ruan suddenly asked Kyle. "We have a schedule of communication, every two weeks we chose a date, we have two synchronized – type of stones, when someone on that side and someone on this side touches the stones at the same time, it opens a sort of a hologram screen and we can see and talk to each other. That is how we communicate to tell each other the updates, and when someone is planning on crossing jets for their weeks visit." "Ah, okay." Conversation broke out at the table soon after that. Everybody catching up, and discussing the war to come. The president and Kyle soon after excused themselves from the counsel, having to go prepare the things necessary for the other three leaving for Torandia. "Ruan, you best leave my girl alone when you are over there." Mikaru said joking. Natasha slapped him behind his head for that remark. "Are you exited?" Rickus asked Ruan. "Not really, nervous and panicky." Ruan answered. "It's not that much different to earth, just be careful. There are gang dangers there. If you see something called a cypress, just run, Natasha will recognize the beasts when she sees it, she had an encounter with one before." Natasha laughed, "Yeah, it almost killed me. If it wasn't for Kyle..." Jankov in his thick Russian accent made a comment to how beautiful he found the elven race; they were so alien, yet irresistible. "Elves?" Ruan asked and laughed, "I can't get over how fairy tale this place sounds." "Fairy tale, until you get there, then everything becomes real, especially when an ogre has you pinned against a tree wanting to eat you." Chow Fung interrupted. "Don't underestimate the place because you know the creatures as 'fairy tale' stuff, they are very real, and you best watch your back there, if you run in to trouble, some things won't think twice before killing you." "Ah, chow the doomsday prophet has awakened." Mikaru said. "Mikaru, you are too careless, it's going to get you killed someday." Mikaru snorted," And you need to relax and live a little. Business men usually tend to the boring." "I am CEO of..." "Cha'an enterprise, we know!" Mikaru said, "Still a business man. Live a little!" "Sorry we can't all be as carefree as you. We have respect for life." Chow said immediately regretting it. Mikaru gave a hearty laugh, "You don't know what respect for life is. You don't see people dying in front of you everyday, you forget I am the head of surgery at my hospital. Little boys, no more than twelve years old, bleeding to death on a table, you trying to save his life. No Chow, YOU have no respect for life. Your life can be stripped away any second, whether you live carefully or not, some things are just outside control, best enjoy what you have." The atmosphere at the table grew somber after that. No body knew exactly what to say after that statement. Mikaru looked at Natasha, "I'm deep aren't I?" He said batting his lids, puckering his lips. The tension broke immediately and everybody laughed. Natasha just shook her head and slapped him behind his head. The truth couldn't be ignored. The table disbanded as the people went to settle down in their rooms. Though the house was small, there was a vast underground chamber with enough rooms to house everyone. Ruan grabbed his backpack that he brought with and packed it with the new clothes he had to buy cause he didn't bring any, he packed some mosquito repellent, not knowing if there even were mozzies, when he was done packing he went to the living room. Ruan sat down and looked at the clock, it was quarter to five, in fifteen minutes he would be in a different world, he never thought he'd be telling himself that also never thought he'd be discussing elves and fairies at a table as real beings. This was so weird to him, never in his life was he interested in the paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, all was beyond him, he had no creative side, he was a logical thinker, if you can touch, smell and see something, then it's real. Now he is going to be thrown in to a world where nothing makes sense to him. Worst of all, his son was dragged in to the craziness. His son is a PART of the craziness it would seem, no his son is what the craziness revolves around. I hope he is okay... Ruan thought to himself. I don't know where I went wrong with him, he used to be such a nice boy, how did he turn out in to a bully that basically hates life. I never set that example, did I? I'll send him to a psychologist once the dust settles, maybe get his head right again. "That bad huh?" Edd asked softly to Ruan sitting next to him. Edd is what everybody called Etanėn as no body could pronounce that name. He was good looking, he had shy blue eyes, blond hair hanging over those eyes that came to just below his ears. He was no more than 22 years old. He never said much, mostly keeping to himself. A total introvert. Ruan just nodded. "Don't worry, I've been there, it's scary at first, but by day three you'll be used to the weirdness." Edd said shyly peeking from between his hair. Ruan just smiled, but worry was evident on his face, "How did you get caught up in all of this?" "I used to also never believe in the strange, my life was straight forward, no real worries, no complications, just an average life, then one day I was walking my dog, and I saw a huge beast in the park between the trees, it had the head of a lion, six horns, the body of a eagle, the legs of a goat and the feet of a human. It was what I know now is a demon. My dog cowered, and alerted the Demon of my presence it flew down upon me, but got intercepted by the knight before me... My father. They fought and fought, master of the bladed nun-chucks, he killed the demon, but as is fell, its last move it drove it's horns through my dad, his last words to me was "join the knights" before he died. Soon after the knights intercepted me, as I had seen a demon, they wanted to erase my memory, they didn't want to kill me as I had been at the wrong place at the wrong time, and because my father had given his life for the Order. I was scared shitless, you need to understand, I was barely 15, these people just came in to my house without me opening, one was dressed like a medieval wizard, the other two, whom I know now as Kyle and John, had weapons, my dad got killed like two days ago by a freaky being, and I was all alone. Not a happy place to be. Right before Rughnan cast the spell he asked me if I wanted to join them, I asked him who they were, and he simply said, "The knights." Immediately I said yes, remembering my dads last words. They called counsel, all earth knights and Rughnan was there. Apparently my dad, My grandfather, and my great grandfather were all knights. So they thought it fitting that I should be as well. It's been all downhill from there. I still don't feel comfortable with all of this, even after 7 years, my dad raised me not believing in magic, although he himself was part of the Knights Templar. My mom knows the truth, and now she knows I am a part of this, she is proud. So I am happy. "Your mom knows? Why don't they kill her?" Ruan asked. Edd laughed, "That is a story for another time I think. It's five, they will want you to be ready." With that Edd stood up and left. "Good luck Ruan, everything will work out." Ruan got up, let's try the telepathy thing. "-Is everything ready?-" Ruan concentrated on Kyle. "-Yes, please come down to the round room.-" Kyle answered in his head. "-I'll be down soon too.-" Natasha said in his head. Ruan heard John and a few others laughing, seems he screamed it out again. Ruan grabbed his backpack and three headed mace and made his way down to the round room. Ruan saw Natasha with only a small business suitcase, and a small backpack. Billy had since also entered the room with a backpack much larger. Only the President and Kyle was in the room with them. "Please make yourselves comfortable whilst the President and I have a word with Billy. Billy if you would be so kind as to leave all your guns and belongings here." Kyle said. Billy hesitated, but put everything down and followed the President and Kyle into the adjacent room. Ruan knew what happens in that room, the final testing, and to give him the telepathy thing. He would need it traveling with us to Torandia. "Hope he passes. We will need that brute." Natasha said. Ruan just snorted. "Whats with the suitcase? Going to do business there?" Natasha laughed, no I'm a lawyer, so no body even looks twice when I carry this around, my whip, it's specially made, it even fits my work papers, so I can always carry it around. "Oh, nice. My thing is so bulky, and very sore on the eye, I can never have it with me." Ruan said swinging the mace around. "That's for sure." Natasha answered. Ruan got lost in his thought when he heard "-Hello! Hello! Hello, this isn't working-!" screaming loudly in his head, his eyes almost started tearing from the noise. "-Jesus! Billy, shut the fuck up!-" Mikaru screamed back." "-Sorry!-" Right after that the door flung open. "This is some weird shit." Billy said. "People talking in my head. You guys are freaks." "Glad to see you passed." Natasha said. "Yeah well, you people are just weird. Traditions and magic and shit. Let's get to this place so we can start kicking asses." "Freaking Tyrant" Kyle whispered while pulling out a book. "President if you'd excuse us please, I need to start the ritual." Kyle said. "Good luck guys." and he left the room. "I need you three to take hands please." Billy hesitated, but took Ruan's hand. "Remember, get to Kegh, find Rughnan." Was Kyle's last words to the three. Kyle started talking in a strange language. Words flowing from his mouth, his hand making patterns in the air, the room seemed to get darker. Suddenly Ruan was plunged in to darkness, somehow falling, he held onto Billy and Natasha's hand as if his life depended. Darkness and wind rushed passed his face. There was a loud noise like thunder cracking, and they hit ground, not hard, just as if he tripped and fell. Ruan stood up and observed his surroundings. Thick dense trees surrounded them. Billy also gawked around him. Natasha was looking at a map of Torandia Kyle supplied them with. "I've got no idea where we are." Natasha said. It might be the Eddar, come we need to find a camp site for the evening, it's getting dark. Ruan walked beside Natasha with Billy walking a few steps behind them, monitoring his surroundings. "This is so cool. I'm actually on another world. Pity we have to keep it a secret." Ruan said. "People will think you're bonkers in any case, running around, telling people, "oh I was on another world! That's the stuff loons are made of." "Do you think there are people on earth who have figured things out?" Ruan asked. "I don't know, I don't think so. If there are, they are keeping it a bigger secret than we are, so it's not a problem really." Natasha answered. "Can I ask you something?" Ruan asked. "Yeah, shoot." Natasha answered. "Whats up with Edd? He always seems lost, sort of a mysterious air to him. Also apparently his mom know whats going on as his dad and grandfather was part of the knights." "I don't know the whole story, Natasha answered, but what I've gathered is his grandfather on his mothers side was a knight, he was second in command in his time, and when he went to Torandia, he met a woman they fell in love, and he brought her back with him, they got married and eventually had his mother, when she met his father, the grandpa was old, the knights chose his son-in-law to follow in his footsteps. Which he happily accepted. The old man and lady passed away, and Edd's parents had him. They didn't tell him that he was the son of a Knight, nor did they tell him his mother is half Torandiam half Earthling. That is what I know, his grandfather's pa was also a knight, so when his dad passed away, Rughnan and Kyle saw it fitting to nominate him as the next knight, and we agreed. Quite cool actually. Family business." "That is cool. My son and me are the first interesting things happening in our family." "Mine too" Natasha answered. "I think this spot will do." Billy said. "It's getting dark, I can't aim in the dark." "I agree, we'll camp out here for the night. Tomorrow we figure out where we are." Billy pulled a fold up tent out of his backpack. "Sleeps four." He grinned. "I see we came prepared." Ruan grinned back, "never even thought of that." "Aw, see Billy, you're not that rough and tough all the time, you really do care." Natasha smiled. "I never said I didn't." he mumbled. The tent was set up, and Ruan was busy putting a fire together, "I don't suppose you thought to bring food as well?" "I brought a flatty, didn't think we'd have reached a town yet, we will need to get to a shop tomorrow, and god knows how far from one we are." Natasha said pulling a flat chicken out of her backpack. After the meal, they sat around the small fire that billy had made, and just listened to the sounds of the forest. Ruan heard strange noises, ones unknown to earth. The forest had an ominous, foreboding air to it. Like they weren't supposed to be there. Ruan got chills down his spine every few minutes, Natasha also felt it, but decided not to voice it, Billy was pleasantly unaware. "I think it's time I hit the sack, we have a long day tomorrow." Natasha said. Billy and Ruan agreed. Ruan stared at the tent roof, sleep had been avoiding him the whole night. Billy snored on his left side, and Natasha had also drifted to dreamland a few hours ago. Ruan heard leaves moving outside, and he knew it was not the wind. Somebody was outside their tent. He heard the air changing ever so slightly, like somebody moving very quietly. His heart started to thud in his chest, and he wondered if he should wake the other two. He heard stories about the beasts in this place. Somebody talked outside, very softly, Ruan barely heard anything, he couldn't make out any of the words. Then it all disappeared, the voices, the movement, everything. Ruan decided to investigate. He went outside, mace in hand, and looked around. There was nothing that he could make out in the gloomy light of his torch, not a footprint, not a leaf out of place. "Maybe it was my imagination." Ruan thought to himself. Unaware of the eyes on him, glaring at him through the trees. Ruan crept back inside, and sleep overtook him. Light crept over the tent and Ruan violently shook awake. He had a dream he was falling, he saw the tent was empty, he fell back on to his camping pillow and just lay there. "We need to get going, go and wake him." Ruan heard Natasha say. "I'm up!" Ruan shouted out of the tent. Billy put the tent away, into his back pack. Natasha had found a small stream not far from there and had splashed her face. "This is so savage. Washing my face in a stream. We need to get to a town or city, this is not on." Natasha said appearing through the trees. Ruan laughed, "Where is this stream? I want to freshen up also." Natasha directed him there, and soon after he left. Ruan saw the tiny little stream, "I wonder where this flows to." He thought to himself. Ruan splashed a his face a few times, and when he looked up he saw somebody, or something looking back at him. Standing on the opposite side of the stream. She had black skin, with a blueish tinge to it. Long straight flowing black hair, down to her back. Her eyes were huge and violet, she had big pointed ears, on her back Ruan saw a bow sticking out from her shoulder, a quiver on sticking out from the other shoulder. She wore a black robe, but the hood was not on. She was by far the most beautiful woman that Ruan had ever seen. Ruan stared at the lady, not knowing what to say, not knowing what she was, or if she was dangerous or not. "Mortal, what are you doing in our forest?" She said with a voice that sounded like a choir of angels. "I am simply passing through, I do not know where I am though, can you tell me?" "You are in the Dark woods. Domain of the night elves." "Who are you?" Ruan asked. "I am Dayashnee. And you mortal?" "I am Ruan." "Do you mind if I touch you for a second please?" Dayashnee asked. "Why?" Ruan was shocked at the strange request. "I have a gift, I can see in to a person's mind when making contact. You see I have been sent to investigate the strangers in our sacred grove. In short, I was sent to kill you, and your two other friends. But something is stopping me. Ruan regretted not bringing his mace. Or Billy. "Why corner me? Why not the other two?" Ruan asked "Because you are the weakest, you will tell me what I need to know." Dayashnee said. Ruan was scared. No denying it. He saw a glimpse of madness in her eyes, and knew she wasn't kidding. "Then please let me explain why we are here..." Ruan begged. "That is why I need to touch you, for then I will know all." "Okay, then do it." The dark elf crossed the stream in fluid, almost feline motion. And put her hand on Ruan's forehead, she closed her eyes. Ruan stood there in an awkward position. Not really knowing what to do. The elf opened her eyes and looked at Ruan. "Knight, I apologize, you really didn't know where you were." "Like I told you." Ruan answered. "Ramsor!" The elf suddenly called out. A huge black puma came out of the trees and walked to the side of the elf. She spoke to it in a strange language, Ruan recognized, it must have been her outside their tent last night, speaking to her cat, Ruan thought. Not a cat though, a puma. A huge, black, menacing looking...puma. Ruan shivered. "I shall accompany you whilst you travel through our woods. Sometimes we aren't the worst things lurking around." Dayashnee smiled. "Whats with the Puma..." Ruan asked. "Oh, Ramsor is my familiar. He is going to take word to my leader that you are not here for harm, just passing through, and that you are Knights Templar from earth." Ruan and Dayashnee made their way back to the camp site. "Whats taking him so long?" Ruan heard Natasha through he trees. "Men also have business to take care of." Billy answered. "I'm back." Ruan said clearing the last foliage. Natasha and Billy stared at Ruan and Dayashnee. "My man! Leave you alone for one second and you pick up a woman. In the middle of the woods!" Billy said. An arrow flew passed Billy's head, missing him by inches. "What the fuck was that!" Billy practically screamed. "I am Dayashnee. I met Ruan at the stream, you are trespassing in our sacred grove." Dayashnee said. "But you shot me with a arrow! What's wrong with you!" "Night Elves have very little sense of humor. I don't take snide comments well." "Good shot though." Billy mumbled. "Oh no, it wasn't, I missed." Dayashnee smiled..Billy cringed. "What are you doing here?" Natasha said in a matter of fact voice. "Night elves are in the dark woods. Not the Eddar." "You must be Natasha." Dayashnee said. Ruan got all of his things together. His mind clear, he would have to get used to these weird things if he was going to survive his new life, and not lose his mind. "I am, and what are you doing in the Eddar?" Dayashnee just looked at Natasha, waiting. Billy was quietly sitting, playing with his AK47. "Damn woman think she is.." he mumbled. Natasha waited for a response from the elf when it dawned on her. They were in the dark wood. "Oh. Not good." Natasha suddenly said. "Indeed." Dayashnee smiled. "I will accompany you to the edges of the Dark wood. My leader already has word of you being here, and who you are. Ruan there was very helpful in that regard. I was sent to kill you, but since you are required to be on Torandia and didn't know you would be in the dark woods, we will spare you. Billy mumbled something from where he sat. "Seems his masculinity is still crunched," Natasha said. Billy, Natasha and Ruan grabbed their belongings, and followed the elf into the woods. "Why should we trust you?" Ruan said. "You could be leading us to our deaths." "If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead." Dayashnee answered without skipping a beat. Billy walked a few steps behind the party again. Scouting for danger. Natasha fell behind to Billy. "Don't feel so emasculated. She is only reacting on how they work." "What do you mean?" Billy said. "Well, when I got chosen to be a knight a few years ago, as you know, I am the only woman knight on earth, ever. It was a huge debate on weather I would be able to get the job done or not. It was Kyle whom decided I would be best for the job, now when they chose me, I started doing research, I studied up all of our archives on most of the races on Torandia, I know a lot about most of the beings. Night elves are all feminists. Though they won't know it, it is who they are, how they work. The females are the leaders, the warriors, the protectors. Male night elves are rare. They go through inauguration when they are younger, and few survive. The ones that do, become druids. Night elves are one, literally one, with nature. If you were to harm, let's say, a tree in this forest, all of them will know. They will hunt you down. Us burning dead twigs in the fire last night is what lured them to us. I'm sure of that. They usually don't negotiate, we should be dead, we can be lucky Dayashnee is as courteous as she is. Anyway, when you think of night elves, think of the hierarchy of lions. I do know this though if the males are called out for battle, there is little hope for what stands against them. They are powerful." Billy snorted and loaded his gun. "I don't care about that. She can do what she wants. I was caught off guard." "We're being watched though..." Billy said. "Be ready." Natasha had also felt eyes on them for the last few minutes. She pulled her briefcase closer, just in case. Ruan and Dayashnee walked a bit slower, Natasha and Billy caught up with them. "There are gargoyles following us. Be alert, the will attack soon." Dayashnee said quietly. "How many?" Ruan asked. "A party of them." Dayashnee answered. "What is a gargoyle?" Billy asked loading his two semi automatic guns. "Creatures half made of stone, half made of flesh. Ugly faces, long teeth. Think Batman and spider man. they always sat on top of one on the rooftops. That is a gargoyle." "They will rip your flesh apart, and dance on your limp body." The elf said matter of fact. As her sentence finished, scores of rocky looking things flew out of the trees. In seconds Natasha's briefcase flew open, she pulled out a three meter long whip, every few centimeter the was a large hook or spike coming out of the whip. Ruan wielded his mace, standing with the chains dangling in front of his head. Billy stood with his arms and guns crossed in front of his chest, "Let's do this!" Billy tore loose, bullet's flying all over the place, as it made contact with one of the gargoyles it looked like concrete being drilled by a drilling hammer, then it shattered apart, pieces crashing to the floor. Arrows soon after filled the air as Dayashnee tried to stop the enemy. One gargoyle attacked Natasha and tried to lift her by her hair, her whip made a noise as loud as a thunderbolt when it made contact with the fragile concrete body, shattering it to pieces. Ruan swung his mace, taking two gargoyles out at once. He felt in control of the weapon. It felt like hitting a fly with a fly swatter. The last gargoyle fell to the floor. "That wasn't so bad." Ruan said "I was mistaken. Those were lesser gargoyles, they are nothing but a nuisance no more than flies." Dayashnee said. "Total waste of time." Billy said. "Waste of my precious bullet's." Ruan was ecstatic, "That was fun, I totally nailed them with this mace, I felt so.. in control!" Natasha laughed. "I told you, you'll get to know your weapon while you are here. The magic of the weapons are stronger here." They continued through the woods, Ruan and Dayashnee in conversation, they got along famously. Dayashnee trying to explain things to Ruan as best she can. Natasha and Billy walked together, not quite as social as the couple in front of them. Natasha saw billy glancing over there every now and then, and staring at Dayashnee for a few minutes. "Still not used to the weirdness hey Billy." Natasha said to him. "Not at all. This shit shouldn't exist. Yet, I saw it with my own eyes. Flying, living rocks." Natasha laughed. "It changes you, I used to be a stern, typical lawyer, never laughing, only a right way, and a wrong way in life. Then all this. I'm more laid back now, I realized not to stress the small stuff. Just go with it." "You still look stern though..." Billy looked at her. "Quite scary actually." Natasha laughed. "Yeah I do." "It would be best if I take you to Jolter." Dayashnee said. "It's a human town on the borders of the woods." "Sounds good to me. We need to get to Kegh eventually." Ruan said. "That's a far travel. That town is in our sisters forest. The Eddar. If you start your travels from Jolter tomorrow morning you aught to make it there in a weeks time." "Yeah, I just hate traveling by foot." "You know, I might be able to help you. I shall ask counsel with my Lady, Minerva this evening, maybe arrange a hippogriff or two to help out." "Whats that?" Ruan asked. "You'll see." As night began to descend upon them, Ruan saw huge gates in the distance, "Whats that?" "That is Jolter. This is where I leave you. I shall seek counsel with my lady tonight. If you don't hear anything from me again, then I had failed, if you see me again, is shall be on the back of a hippogriff, and then I shall accompany you to the Eddar. "Okay, sounds good." "Great." Natasha said. Billy snorted. The night elf disappeared in to the night, and the other three continued to the walls of the town. The gate was opened by the guards for the trio. People walking on the street couldn't help but look twice at the strangers passing through, with their strange clothes. Billy was hardly inconspicuous with his huge demeanor. "I think we need new clothes." Natasha said. "Me too. Do we have money, or whatever they use here?" Ruan asked. "Yes they measure currency in gold coins. Kyle gave me enough to buy the whole of Jolter if we wanted to." Natasha answered. "Where do you keep it then?" Billy asked. Natasha pulled out a small bag, big enough to fit a cigarette box only. Ruan stared at the small bag. "What's that?" "It's a money pouch. It keeps enough money in here. Don't you worry about that." "I hate magic. Nothing makes sense." Billy said. It was dusk when they entered a clothing shop. Master sower Morgan's shop. "Can I help you?" Morgan asked his three new rich looking clients. "Yes you can, as you can see, we are from far away, we desperately need something to make us blend in a bit more." "Yes of course." Morgan proceeded to sell some of his most expensive merchandise to the customers from far away, they would indeed blend in now, and he made a couple of coins extra from the deal. His wife would now get the new quilt she had been hinting at. "Where can we find an inn?" Natasha asked Morgan. "There is only one respectable inn, in this town. The parrot's head. Continue down this road, turn left, you'll see the surroundings getting better, if you turn right, you'll go in to the poor quarters. Ask there for the parrot's inn. You can hardly miss it." "Thanks." Natasha answered. On the way Ruan noticed the houses getting better looking, by no standard could you measure it to any town from earth, it was not in the same caliber. The houses had flat roofs, the stores had flat roofs, and on top of the houses, there were other houses. Like simplexes. Only bigger. They came to the intersection, and turned left as earlier advised. Even just looking right Ruan notice beggars, urchins and the like. Natasha stopped a man mid walk, "Excuse me sir, we're looking for the parrot's head?" The man pointed out a slightly larger building, it alone had a arched roof. They entered the Inn, and was immediately stormed by help. The help noticed the expensive clothing on the new customers, and knew this would be a good night. "Three rooms for the pretty lady?" The guy asked Natasha. "Yes please, give us your most comfortable beds." She answered. "Of course, nothing less was expected." Ruan looked down the passage and saw the bar, it had decent men, all had good looking clothes, and looked sophisticated. It wasn't by any means a run down place. They were shown to their rooms, luckily all next to each other. After settling down, they met up in the bar, and got themselves a table. "This seems like a nice place." Ruan said. "Yeah, it's good." Billy "This must be the place where the higher ups in the town gather. The master-specialists and the likes. I heard that even the Duke comes here from time to time." Natasha said. "If Dayashnee doesn't pull through with her offer, then we would have to contact the duke. He is a member of the Torandia knights." ***** No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, not be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than in which it is published (should it be) and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent reader.