Talen smiled at Naclia. "Well I try not to be like other knights, they have lost their respect for people over this amount of time. Well I’m glad you decided to take this quest with me, it was quite lonesome travelling alone." he said smiling over at her. She smiled over at him and they continued out of Roid. After they were alone on the road, Naclia sighed. "Ahh...it's good to be out of there," she said as she studied the plant life along the side of the road. The ocean wasn't to far from view and they could hear the waves crashing on the shore. Talen smiled over at her as she studied the plant life along the road. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her for a slight moment. "Yes it does feel good to be out of there, I’m too used to the fields and the grasslands than a castle." he said. Kiran had walked for a few hours now. He kept the hood of his cloak over his head to hide his ears. Invisibility spirits had been very useful during his walk, if a human spotted him it would definitely be the start of a fight. There were many dark elves who had been left behind in Kanon after the war, and he had heard rumors of them pillaging human settlements. He didn't want to be seen as one of them. Ahead of him on the road he saw two people walking towards him. Nearly out of habit now he whispered, "Spirits of invisibility, let thy form become my form." He disappeared now and relaxed. He watched the knight and woman approaching and soon realized the woman was an elf. She maybe able to sense him. Kiran tensed, but continued walking, being certain not to make a sound. He held his breath subconsciously when he was about 10 feet in front of them and thought a prayer that she wouldn't sense him. "Well, of course I'm used to the forest," Naclia said to Talen. She opened her mouth to say something, but the thought of what she wanted to say was banished by a sensation of a concentration of spirits. She stopped in her tracks and listened to their surroundings. She sniffed the air and looked around. Invisibility spirits...she realized. A dark elf was nearby. As a ranger, she had been trained to determine what the spirits she sensed were. Usually only dark elves used invisibility spirits. She looked over at Talen, "Someone is here," she said softly. "Yes I would figure that you were used to the forest seeing as how you’re an elf and all," he said. He stopped by her and looked at her. He kept his hand on the hilt of his sword to be safe in case of an attacker. "If its somebody dangerous I’ll protect you Naclia." he said slowly drawing his sword Kiran cursed silently, he just *had* to met another elf out here. He hurried past the woman and hoped she wouldn't have the chance to reveal him... Naclia's ear twitched as she barely heard someone pass her. She gestured with her hand and called the incantation to release the spirits. A dark elven man appeared behind her and she drew her sword. "Who are you!" she demanded. "Damn!" Kiran cursed and swung around to see the elf's sword pointed at him. He quickly drew his sword and got into a defensive position. "That's not for you to know!" he yelled back at the woman. If he ran, they would certainly pursue, so he stood his ground and prepared to defend himself. Talen stepped in front of Naclia. "Stand back Naclia I’ll handle him." he said unsheathing his sword and getting into his battle position. He stood ready to defend Naclia at all costs even if it meant his own life. Kiran cocked his head looking at the knight, he was quite certain the woman could take care of herself and couldn't help saying the sarcastic remark, "How noble of you," he said. Talen stared at the dark elf "I will protect her from people like you, I will not allow her to be hurt in any way!" He held his blade up and charged at the dark elven man. Naclia rolled her eyes as Talen jumped in front of her. She partially agreed with the dark elf. At least now she had the chance to load her bow. Dropping her bow off her back, she with drew an arrow and her draw. She slipped the draw onto her fingers as the two men fought and positioned her arrow.... Kiran blocked the human with his scimitar and jumped back. He leapt forward again and swung at the knight, aiming for the exposed area on his right arm. Talen tried to guard but wasn’t quick enough and the dark elven mans blade cut across his arm. He growled for a slight moment seeing the blood flowing down his arm and he swung his sword at the dark elven man aiming for his chest. She drew back on the arrow and aimed for the elf's leg with her face clear of emotion. The elf sliced Talen's arm and Talen went in for a chest shot. Naclia released her arrow and.... The arrow hit its mark, imbedding itself in Kiran's thigh as he blocked the knight's forceful swing. Kiran locked his sword against the knight's as his leg buckled and he fell to the ground. Talen locked his blade against the dark elven mans and saw him fall to the ground and he knocked the man's sword out of his hand. "Do you give up?" he said holding his arm slightly. He looked back at Naclia Kiran glared up at him, "Yes," he muttered under his breath. He could have easily disappeared if it weren't for that damn elf woman. Of course, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be in this situation. He glared at her malevolently. Naclia smiled at Talen when he looked back at her. She took her draw off her fingers and replaces her bow to the sling across her back she carried it in. She glared back at the elf, "What's your name?" she asked forcefully. Talen still had his blade still out at the dark elven mans throat still being on guard in case he tried anything. After a long silence, he replied, "Kiran. I'm just passing through here. As you can see, I'm alone and truly pose no threat," he said, trying to calm them down. Talen lowered his blade slightly. "A dark elf that proves no threat, every dark elf I’ve met has been a threat and has attacked countless people so why should I think of you any differently." he said holding his blade back up Kiran glowered up at the knight. "You can't judge everyone by their race," he replied. "I've known plenty of dark elves who would never dare harm another. Would you like to know what some dark elves think of humans?" he growled at the knight. "I came here to find someone, an ELF for your information, I have no interest in human affairs." Talen glared down at the dark elf. "Well every dark elf I’ve ran into has attacked me, every damn one has drawn their sword and attacked me." he said still holding his sword to the dark elven mans throat. He slowly pulled his blade away. "Well what do dark elves think of humans." he asked. Naclia spoke up from behind Talen, "The same most elves think of humans," she said. "It's best you don't ask," she looked down at Kiran and kneeled beside him. She took a piece of rope and tied his hands behind his back. Taking a hold of the arrow, she tugged violently, being certain to cause him pain. She then cast a slight enchantment on him to cloud his mind and make him easier to control. Talen sheathed his sword and walked up next to Naclia as she cast the enchantment on him. "So what should we do with him?" he asked looking over at Naclia. "Should we let him go or arrest him?" Kiran felt the spell take him over, he tried to fight it, but it was too powerful. Everything cleared from his mind and he felt content with no thoughts of resistance. He was now under the light elf's complete control. "I don't trust any dark elf around here," she replied. "I think we should take him back to Roid." "That’s a good idea, I know the feeling of not trusting any dark elf around this area." he said. "Well then lets take him back to Roid." Talen sheathed his sword but kept his hand on the hilt in case the dark elf actually tried anything. He walked up by Naclia looking over at her he asked. "What do you think they’ll do with him?" Naclia took one arm of their captive and lifted him to his feet. Then began to lead him back to Roid. "I don't know. I've never really seen much of human discipline. Perhaps just ship him off to Marmo," she replied as they walked, leading the dark elf by his arms. Naclia had taken off his scabbard and had his sword swung over her shoulder with her bow on the other. Talen nodded. "Yes that’s mainly what they would do, just ship him off to Marmo." he said as they walked. "I don’t think he’s too dangerous now, but ill keep on guard just in case, I’ve seen what many dark elves can do to people." he said as he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword. Mia walked close to Fou-Lu on the road to Kanon. She had thrown her hood off as they passed the human settlements. There were burnt down houses in places along the road and signs of fights a year old or more recent. Mia had finally seen her friend Zira again, but she had left with Aldarite whom she had taken to Roid castle. * * * Kiran started to feel the spirit's control wear off, and the pain in his leg return. He kept his down and continued to stumble along as the elven woman led him, certain he was under her spell. He glanced over at the human knight. Luckily, Kiran's long hair fell over his eyes and kept his captors from seeing he was aware. He would have to escape soon; he heard them talking about Roid through his stupor, but wasn't able to comprehend what was said until now. And surely, the woman would soon realize her spell was wearing off and cast it again. Kiran tried to keep his muscles from tensing as she held tightly onto his arm. If he tried to escape, certainly the human would attack him. With his injured leg and no weapon, he wouldn't get far. But maybe if he could reach the woman's rapier.... The earth trembled beneath them and Naclia stumbled, pulling the dark elf down with her. "What the hell was that!" She said as she looked up. On the horizon over Marmo, dark clouds were forming. There had been a storm over the island that day Naclia had been watching, but these clouds were like those that had perpetually covered the island years before. She looked over at Talen, with a look of shock. Talen barely kept his balance when the earth trembled beneath them. "I have no idea what it could be," he said, anxious to check it out. He looked over to Naclia. "But I'll most likely have to find out," he said. Kiran fell to the ground with Naclia and tried to stand after the shaking subsided, but he stopped when he looked out at Marmo. "It seems like I left at the right time," he said as he sat looking at the dark island on the horizon. Then in a distant part of his mind, he registered the spirits pain from the quake. * * * Up the road, Mia was clinging to Fou-Lu when the ground began to shake. "Something isn't right," she said and looked up at him with a sorrowful expression. She could sense the earth spirits' pain when the ground shook. During a regular earthquake, there wouldn't be much communication between the spirits. There was something evil doing this, that she could tell. Fou-Lu put an arm around Mia’s waist to keep her balanced. "I know, something isn’t right," he said with a serious look on his face. His eyes locked on Marmo. "What could be going on that is this serious?!" he thought "I don't know, I'm just glad I'm not there. What ever it is I don’t want to go back," she said sincerely. They continued down the road.