Seri watched Kitain, then sighed. "I wish I could have stayed home," she muttered, then realized how immature she sounded. She sighed again, then stood and walked around the hut, finding a room in the back. There was a window covered by a thick straw woven curtain. The wind flapped it against the wall and Seri lifted it to look outside. The storm was so thick, she could barely see through the sleet and hail. She could barely make out the figures approaching. They maybe the two men they nearly conflicted with. She went back out into the first where the others were, "There are some people coming towards the hut," she said.

Kitain stirred. "I'll see. I'm no stranger to evil weather." He shuffled to the door, opened it, and slipped outside. In the nearly impenetrable gloom, his long learned skills took over, as he moved from bush to tree, he became barely more solid than a shadow, just a silent, as deadly. He closed in on the figures and saw...

Seri stood at the doorway, watching Kitain as he left and the forms outside. The sense of evil assailed her again and she shuddered, slumping down against the doorframe and drawing her knees close to her. She sensed no life out there besides the human. Maybe it was the weather or what she had been through, maybe some of her perception was clouded. But still...she should sense something... The forms moved stiffly, ignoring the weather. And a wild, frightening idea came to Seri. Undead...she almost laughed at the thought until one came into view. Seri screamed a curse in elven and jumped to her feet, she raised her hand in front of her and called out to sylph instinctively. The creature was blown back several yards, but rose to it feet again and advanced. "DEEDLIT! PARN! GET YOUR SWORDS!"

Kitain heard, and snarled. Marmo forces were not as evil as most undead. However, the hero of Lodoss would recognizes his sword as Marmo manufacture, mind you, they had to SEE it. Undead were slow, but why should they have to raise their blades. He was far enough away, his ordinary sword skill wouldn't be enough. He concentrated on the speed of evil, darkness and corruption, Shadows. He disappeared, not slowed by an Elven body. The undead that hadn't advanced, didn't sense him until it fell in three pieces. Leaves blew around as he passed down the trail, bushes swayed. In the space of Seri's cry for weapons and a heartbeat, he arrived behind the other undead and swept past it to the left, he rose, twisting Night's Caress around cleaving it in two from hip to shoulder. He twisted quickly, part of the shadows, landing and vanished back into the forest. He resumed his normal shuffled, stooped stance, and progressed down the path, breathing hard.

Seri came out to meet Kitain, "What happened out there?" she asked. She had seen the undead being near her cut in half, but that was all she saw. Parn and Deedlit came out of the hut with their swords drawn and ready to fight, but nothing was there. "What was it?" Parn asked. Seri shuddered slightly, "Undead..."

Deedlit looked shocked and confused, "Undead? How? Wha..." she seemed to regain her composure and sheathed her sword. "Is it all right now?" she asked.

"For now," Seri replied. "I think we should get to the protection of the Holy City as soon as possible. Is there a place we could find horses?"

Parn was partially familiar with the land, having fought with the Free Army. "I believe so, hopefully nothing to terrible has happened there," he replied.

Deedlit made a small "humph" and slapped Parn's arm. "Why didn't you bring horses in the first place?" she chastised. Parn just shrugged.

Kitain bowed his assent. "I will follow your lead adventurers, an extra blade may be a valued companion at the current time. i suggest we begin moving. A moving targets harder to hit."

Seri nodded and stepped out of the hut with Deedlit and Parn. Parn took the lead and brought them to a small town at about midnight. Houses were sealed and broken undead bodies littered the ground. There were signs of people heading out of town in a hurry. Parn brought them to a stable, and found three horses available. He paid the owner for them and turned to his group. "Should we stay the night here or keep going?" he asked.

"Personally I would like a warm bed," Deedlit said. "But I don’t know if we would be safe or not."

Seri spoke up, "Like our companion said, it's harder to hit a moving target, but we're also surrounded by people who will fight to defend their homes," she looked to Kitain, "What do you think?"

Kitain looked around the shattered town. He personally wouldn't spend an hour in this place. The stench of death would soon attract scavengers and disease, but if they were tired... He began to patrol up the street. Cautiously eyeing everything in sight. He paused. His eyes not deceiving him even in the dim light. Carved onto the doorpost of an intact pub was the Shadow Troupe rune. "If you want to sleep," he called to the others, "We'll be safe in this pub."

Parn eyed it suspiciously, "I'm not sure." He glanced back at Deedlit who obviously didn't care, she just yawned.

Seri had been standing behind them, now she walked up through the group to the door, "I trust him, we have no reason not to," Seri pushed through the door and Deedlit followed, trusting her companion. Parn reluctantly followed as well.

Kitain stepped in last. The place was barely intact, tables and chairs were smashed and broken. There were no bottles or casks behind the bar. Kitain stepped right in the middle of the room, and turning his back on Parn and Deedlit drew his short sword, and raised it to a neck block. The ringing blow was too sharp in the silence. "Hello Mercurial. Is this how you greet guests?"

The serrated battle axe, barely moved. "Custom ain't so great at the moment. But I sees that you're in...company." The man who spoke was tall and powerful, a great mane of black hair flowed down his spine. The arms that held the axe were corded with muscles, and the dark eyes flickered with intensity.

"We can pay Mercurial. A room for the night."

The man's eyes narrowed. "TWO elves. That's gonna cost ya friend."

"I believe I can afford it."

"So ye say, come up here to the bar wi' me." Kitain moved with the tall man. He turned his head back.

"Don't do anything." He stopped at the bar, and the man moved round to the other side. Kitain opened his purse, and the sound of falling coins was overly ominous. The man picked them up, bit some of them, and stopped a gold piece half out of his mouth. He gestured at Kitain, Kitain drew his cloak back slightly, revealing to the man his steel mask, hung on his hip. The man moved without a word, came back from around the bar, and wrapped Kitain in a bear hug.

"Alicia, come and see who's dropped by. Put the fire up, break open the Elvish Hotwine, cook up the vegetables that can be." He turned back to the Parn Deedlit and Seri. "Find yersels summat ta sit on, we'll have to make your beds in the cellar, Last blast that came through took the roof off." Kitain was slowly turning purple.

Seri and Deedlit watched curiously while Parn stood in the background, muttering to himself about Marmo. Deedlit looked back at the knight with a glare that silenced him. The group all pulled up chairs at a table near the bar. Seri looked up at Kitain and smiled thankfully.

Kitain joined them a moment later. "We should be safe as we can be here. We’re old friends, he and I. We go ways back, his wife too, is trustworthy, and dangerous." He turned to watch Mercurial over the bar. "We’re still headed to Roid?"

Parn nodded. "We should, I need to speak with Etoh about all this," he said, then looked to Kitain. "Would you mind telling us who you are?"

Kitain nodded again. "As you wish. I owe you that much. My name is Kitain, I'm a retired mercenary sell sword. I travel around a lot because fighting is all I know how to do. Settling down isn't easy."

Mercurial plonked several platters of food down on the table. "Hah, you wish...I could tell..." He stopped, and fell silent.

"Suffice to say that we have more than enough reason to be grateful to Kitain." A thin, very willowy woman with long curly white hair, that played down her spine, stood at te door to the kitchen, her eyes were a piercing green.

"Hello Alicia...long time no see."

Alicia put down the elvish hot wine she was carrying. "Here, Winters Fire. It always was your favourite. Do you remember...The last time you drank that?"

"The last day before we split up and went our own ways. i understand we are travelling to roid, what are the roads like."

Mercurial huffed. "Thick as thieves from here in, my recommendation is go cross country and through the eastern gate. Are beds ready?"

"Yes."

"Leave tomorrow then." Mercurial rose and left them. "I want to see those plates clean though." He shouted, as he entered the kitchen with Alicia.

Seri and Deedlit gratefully ate what was given to them. After Seri finished, she turned to Kitain, "Thank you for your help today Kitain," she said softly. "I should have asked for your name earlier," she smiled and then whispered so Parn and Deedlit wouldn't hear, "But I know there is much you wont tell, I wasn't sure if your name was part of that."

Deedlit yawned again and leaned back against Parn. She was exhausted from all the walking they had done. "You should have brought a horse," she muttered. She was curious about Kitain, but knew he was no threat to them in the current situation, she just hoped Parn realized the same thing instead of allowing his prejudice for Marmo to take over.

"Didn’t think we'd need a house Deed, Sorry." Parn mumbled as he kept a close eye on Kitain. 'I know he's up to something, I just can't put my finger on it. I'll be on guard just the same' Parn said through his thoughts.

"Horse," she corrected and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "I'm gonna go to bed, Seri are you coming?" she asked her elven companion. Seri shook her head and Deedlit went down to the basement to sleep. Seri looked at Parn as he glared at Kitain. She sighed. "Humans," she muttered. At the moment, she trusted the heroic Free Knight of Lodoss much less than the man next to her.

Kitain paid no attention to Parn's glares, it was possible that he'd seen the short sword, but that didn't worry him overmuch. A lot of people carry Marmo swords. Kitain closed his eyes, then remembered the Winter's Fire. "Here, Seri. Deedlit. May as well take a sip of this before you retire. I'd offer to Parn but he doesn't trust me." He took a sip from the Elvish Hot Wine before passing it on. Then he rose, and walked behind the bar to the kitchen, where there was the sound of a trapdoor being raised. Alicia approached the table where the others sat. "Beds are downstairs I'm afraid, shall you finally sleep?"

Seri took it from Kitain and took a sip and passed it to Deedlit. "Go on down Deed," Seri nudged Deedlit. She gave the bottle back to Kitain and went downstairs followed by Seri. Seri stopped and glanced back at Parn. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute or two." Parn said. That way he could clear his head to think more clearly.

Outside in the kitchen, Kitain closed his eyes and waited, remembering the previous times. Not easier, or happier, you had to go all the way back to Marmo for that. His life had been quite simple; they were killers. He couldn't hear Parn in the next room.

Time for a rest, Parn thought to himself. Getting up from his seat, he went down stairs and sat on a nearby stool. Leaning against the wall and rested.

* * *

Kitain felt something pull at his heartstrings, he screamed aloud as he awoke, his battle cry, a sound he hadn't uttered in several years. It was chilling, rattling the entire pub. "FAAAAAEEEEEE VICTUUUUS!!!" Both Alicia and Mercurial crashed into the main room where Kitain had fallen asleep, battle axes and rapier held drawn and ready, still clad in bedrobes. "Sol...Kitain, what happened? You haven't yelled that in years. That was a fighting cry." Kitain shook himself. "I'm sorry. A dream, someone, or something very dear to us is in grave peril. I saw a man I do not know, he was fighting undead. I shouted with him. He cried out 'Peace...or Marmo'" The last words he said in a whisper. Mercurial sat back, stunned. "You know, if you ever require it. Call." He looked outside. "It's morning, I'll wake the others, if you didn't. Alicia, see to their supplies."

Alicia nodded, and drew out several packs full of food. She paused. "Here, Sol...Kitain. Two flasks of Winter's Fire. To remember." She blinked away a tear, and turned back to the kitchen, as there was the sound of stirring.

Seri and Deedlit had been awoke by Kitain's cry. Seri came up to see him, watching curiously, but decided not to ask. She just watched her companion quietly.

Kitain shook himself, and as he did so, spotted Seri in the doorway. "Good morning my lady, well rested, I hope. We have a journey ahead of us. We are still heading to Roid?"

Seri smiled slightly, "I slept as well as could be expected. They spirits are still in pain though," a furrow appeared in her brow as she focused on the earth spirits for a moment. "Yes, we're still going to Roid, Parn said he wanted to speak to King Etoh and it's probably protected by the Holy Priests." She leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor. It was so much stress for her. "This is everywhere it seems. In all my life, nothing even close to this horrible has ever happened," she started to feel tears building behind her eyes from all the stress inside. "Gods, I'm scared Kitain," she whispered. "I remember the Fall of Kastuul, I was there when some of the most deadly battles in your history have claimed the lives of thousands. I remember things from human history which no humans know of. And I've never been scared, this is...is..." she choked on the lump of fear that was building in her throat. She couldn't hold back anymore and she just broke down sobbing.

Yawning, Deedlit curled up, leaning on a wall. "Ooh…It's chilly down here again?" Flinching lightly, she sighed.

Kitain was stunned, here was an elf, one of the oldest beings on Lodoss, crying like a frightened child. His two friends slipped away, like ghosts. Kitain was confused, he didn't know what to do, but he had to do something. First, he passed her a cloth to dry her eyes. Then, he took a huge risk. He crossed his legs and sat down in front of Seri. He raised her tear stained face, and locked his eyes with hers. He brought to the fore some of the terrible things he had done, willing her to look right into the heart of them, willing her to see them.

* * *

All around, the village was burning, hot flames sweeping to the supply carts. the tang of smoke, blood and slowly roasting flesh was in his nostrils. Here and there were still pockets of resistance, but his 'family' ensured they would not last long. Already, black forms, flitting in and out of existence, appeared within the last of the defenders, and the screams ended. He strode away, gathering together, and as one, they vanished from sight, speeding over the ground, long before relief could arrive. There was a single tear on his cheek.

* * *

His mind reeled.

* * *

A different place. Goblins, Ogres, dark elves and orcs, Marmo renegades now fighting for the corrupt Duke Raster... He and his brethren struck hard and fast, and opponents began to die. A dark elf he did not recognize leapt at him, hair wild and teeth in a snarl. The blow was too slow and between one breath and the next she had fallen. A child’s thin scream filled the air. "Mommmyyyyyyy!!!!" A hand signal, they faded away, and as they faded, there was another deep scar on his heart.

* * *

Kitain leant back, he wasn't about to remember everything, but hopefully, it was enough to show he understood.

Seri looked at him curiously as he touched her and felt his thoughts reaching out, so she opened her mind to him, allowing the memories to seep into her mind. At first she felt disgust at the things he had done, but then she knew how it had hurt him. After he leaned back, Seri looked down to the ground. She sat silently, running it through her mind again, trying to decide how to react. A long moment passed and she looked up at him with her face impassive, but she looked into his eyes and sent the concept of acceptance to him through her thoughts. Sometimes words weren't enough.

Kitain, having very little feeling for 'life' didn't pick up the thought, but he registered the look in her eyes, not forgiveness, but something. He shivered. "Good. You stopped crying. I think we'd better move soon. The light of day has been stolen by something." he looked out at the black that had previously been the haze of dawn.

Seri regained her composure and stood, it felt like after she got the breakdown out of her way, she was stronger. She strode out of the room, prepared for whatever lie ahead of them. "The clouds are still out there, they wont be gone until this evil is destroyed. It's like the darkness which had cursed Marmo."

"Very well. Then we MUST destroy it. Horses, and then to Roid." Kitain came to stand behind her, for the first time since he had met them rising to his full height.

* * *

Deedlit couldn't sleep, something was pounding in her head as "danger". Pulling herself up from the corner, donning only her tunic and boots, the rest lying next to her. Using a air spirit, she lifted herself up to see out the window. "Damn! can't see!" Whining slightly like a child, she lowered back to the ground, walking back over to her corner, plopping back onto the cement ground.

Seri glanced back at him and smiled slightly, then went to gather the few belongings she carried. She looked down into the basement at Deedlit and Parn. "Deedlit, Parn, are you ready to go?"

"ACK! Don't scare me like that!" Deed whirled around facing Seri. "Sure we are!" She cracked up, Dragging Parn up the stairs.

Kitain looked out at the dark clouds, his eyes slowly becoming as terrible as the evil he looked out on. He quashed the feeling. "To Roid then. Mercurial, we'll need horses!" "Midnight, Soul's Speed, Cloud's Grace, and you...Whisper.., are in the stables. I'll get them."

Deedlit yawned, twitching her nose, she stepped outside, hopping up a tree, looking out. In the horizon she saw redding, gray patches. "Oh my god..."

"Milady Deedlit, what's wrong?" Kitain looked up, concerned

Seri climbed up next to Deed and looked to the horizon. "Gods no...it isn't..." she whispered, then whispered into the wind. "Sylph, bring me the name of place which burns to the west," she waited a moment then her emerald eyes flew wide. "Roid," she said softly, unable to get her voice any louder than a whisper.

"It's....Slowly diminishing....We have to hurry." Deedlit whispered, her voice quavering.

Seri nodded grimly, then jumped down from her perch and ran to get their horses from the stable. She quickly returned, riding her horse and leading the other two, one for Kitain and one for Deedlit and Parn.

Jumping from the tree, Deedlit landed with a heavy 'thunk'. "Ow…Geez...Used to do that with no problem when I was younger..." Striding over to the horse, she climbed on it, sitting just behind the saddle, whistling to get the fear out of her mind.

Seri laughed to lighten the mood as she waited. "When you were younger eh? You've spent to much time around humans Deed." The smile faded from her face and her horse paced anxiously. She stroked it's neck and whispered words in elven to calm it.

Deedlit realized she was being watched, sucking in her cheeks, she then leaned her head on Parn's back, deep in thought.

Seri looked ahead with an impassive face. This was a major point in human history, she realized. This event was in league with such points in history as the Fall of Kastuul. Though other such events, she was distant, an observer of the rapidly changing human history. But here, she was in the center of it. This couldn’t be considered merely human history though, she had sensed powerful spirits behind summoned across Lodoss. Phoenix on Marmo. This involved everything. She glanced over at her party. Kitain looked impassive, not just in the way he rode, but in the aura he exuded. She know knew of what he was capable and felt secure. On the other side of him was Parn and Deedlit. Parn controlled himself nearly as well as Kitain, but Deedlit was still worried.

Deedlit's ears flickered at the sound of crackling twigs, opening an eyelid, she raised her head, stifling back a yawn, her eyes widening. "Well, I'm in fear now, might as well go on, and see what happens then.."

Deedlit nodded. "We should, I don't want to get my head taken off you know..."