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Elistral frowned, and she and Rore exchanged a glance. She remembered that the merchant who was heading out an hour ago was certainly persistent about her company. She hadn't thought much of then, but now, with Demios here, brought unease down on her.

"Weren't we..." Rore started to ask, but politely stopped when Elistral spoke.

"Not personally, though I did go with the man a couple times from town to town." Elistral nodded to herself. "Sometimes he'd go by himself, but lately he'd been coming to ask me to provide protection."

Rore thought for a moment. "This black powder..." He asked Demios. "Could you describe it to me? I might know what it is."

Gorash took a breath in, held it, then let it out. Reaper had no idea how he was missing them. He rubbed a gloved hand through his black hair and let the crumpled letter fall to the ground. He wouldn't be writing back. With his helmet under one arm, he turned and followed Reaper down the corridor dutifully. His armor made soft clanking noises as his halberd bumped lightly against it, and he kept ignoring the eager voice speaking to him.

"No..." Fenrir complained again, wanting to fall asleep. "You can't make me..." His arm twitched and crashed into the beside table's hard corner, sending a spark of pain through it. He hated it when it made it do that. "Do I have to?"

Crow listened to the squawking bird on his shoulder, speaking back to it in a conversation. "Yes, Zeke." The bird clacked it's beak at him and flapped noisily. "No, I obviously don't know who the one who started the rumors is." He sighed when it hopped around on his shoulder, doing an odd dance. "I'd guess that joining the imposing side would be my intention." He replied, straight faced as the bird dug it's claws into his skin.

((Just 'cuz this world doesn't have alot of technology doesn't mean it doesn't have guns in some parts of it, or electricity. Two of my charries, not in the RP, use guns. =D))

"An uprising? There's been a few of those in the places I've went to." Elistral said, and was glad to see her parents and Jake pop out of nowhere. Jake had grown a little, and Strider and Silvia were looking a bit older. Though she was happy they were here, it bothered her that they wouldn't be able to live somewhere in peace instead of dealing with this minor problem. "Nothing much, just some raids here and there. But the first man you described seems familar, not the second one. I've never heard of someone like that."

Rore soon felt uncomfortable sitting on the bench while the others were standing, so he stood up. He also felt his heart ache at the mention of a man with a halberd. His friend used to use that type of weapon, or a sword, either one. He shook his head, stopping himself from remembering anything. "That sounds alot like gunpowder. It's not too well-known, but I think some miners use it for explosives." He remarked, then turned his attention to Jake. "Hey, you've gotten a little taller now. Did you grow a couple of inches?" He hoped the boy, who still looked young, had come to terms with the loss of his sister he'd spoken about.

Crow let out a sigh, closing his eyes briefly, and Ezekiel cocked it's head at him questioningly. It hadn't been alive when Reaper had taken him to the dungeon. And he recalled that the man hadn't been very polite, either. "I should have known that it was you, or one of you." He said blankly as he looked at the group, noticing someone new. "Looks like you've gotten yourself a lackey, Reaper. Well, what is it you want?"

Gorash clenched his fists stiffly at the sound of being called a lackey, but that was mainly the other him objecting. Sometimes it would talk to him, but most times it would just rearrange his thoughts. Besides, what the man said was true any way you said it. He put his helmet back on despite the nice breeze blowing against his skin. He was grateful that it only showed his blue-gray eyes and nothing else, eyes that he'd noticed looked a little haunted more and more often. Someone noticing who he was would just make him feel more ashamed of himself. He looked off to the side, preferring to look at the calming landscape and distract his mind.

"For all that's good, if you don't let me enjoy this a little longer, I won't do my job right." Fenrir said. Silence. He smiled to himself. Strider's gift had it's advantages at times. He curled back into a small ball and was soon dozing off again.

Elistral was silent. She did remember a little about Reaper. Mostly because he used guns, and now that Rore had mentioned the black powder to be gunpowder, she felt uneasy at the thought of him using that as a weapon. "Well, since he's looking for you anyway, you could stay in one place." She spoke, thinking to herself. "Or, you could ask someone. Like that man years ago, dressed oddly. Unless you don't know who he is either."

"34 now, unless I've lost count." Rore said, smiling. "Just one year younger than you. I was 24, 10 years ago, and I think I'm starting to feel myself aging." He rolled his shoulder a little. He was still as nimble as he was though, but maybe a bit slower now. Practicing for a couple hours each day seemed to help him, and he didn't look too much older than he was when he was younger.

Crow muttered something raspy sounding to Ezekiel, who was fluttering around in protest. Apparently, it'd just finished adjusting his feathers so they were confortable. It gave Reaper a scornful look, croaking angrily as it went back to fixing it's feathers. "I thought it was known that when the world came back to normal again and everyone who'd died are living now." He shrugged and continued. "The Ravagers are following my command now. I was planning to join whoever was starting the rumors anyway. And that's most likely you." He crossed his arms. "I haven't forgotten how politely you treated me, either."

Gorash had blinked when Reaper had shot at the crow, so he missed his movement. It was more the sound than the action though, like when loud noises startled you. He shifted fom foot to foot, getting tired of standing around. Usually he'd either be walking or training with one of his preferred weapons. Those activities kept him occupied on what he was doing.

Fenrir was lost in a nice dream again when his stomach rumbled. He growled, and shook his head. He didn't want to wake up quite yet. Sleeping was one of his favorite things to do, besides eating of course, or bugging someone.

Elistral smiled weakly. She still felt like a little girl sometimes, even around her mother. "Fine." She looked away from Silvia. "I've been...traveling though. I would have visited but, there's been troubles in the road and distant towns..." She bit her lip. She hadn't been going to see Silvia or Strider at all, really. It just kept slipping her mind. "What about you, Mom?"

Rore smiled wider and nodded. "Yeah, plenty of places. but there's only one that's my personal favorite." He glanced up to where his house was, outside of Salim, as if looking for Ellen's eyes watching him. Not that she didn't approve, but she might want to go with him, and then Maria would want to tag along. Satisfied, he turned back to jake and Demios. "It'll be my treat, this way." He placed his empty glass down on the fountain's side, he'd pick it up later, and walked in the opposite direction that Strider had went.

Crow sighed very loudly and shrugged again, his expression now showing defeat. "It doesn't look like I have a choice, do I?" Ezekiel had finished pruning it's feathers and cast a reproachful eye on Reaper, cocking it's head when the sun hit the shiny metal. He continued. "Just allow me a little control of them. They're quite rowdy as of late, thanks to you." He frowned.

Fenrir's dozing was interrupted again when he started to sneeze a couple times. He sat up and heard his stomach growl louder. "Now ,I know I don't have a cold. But I'm already awake." He yawned and got up, stretching a little. "Might as well have a bite to eat. Who knows when I'll have a nice hot meal again." He went out of the room into the kitchen and searched through the fridge for an apple and a sandwich. "She must be outside." He noted to himself, seeing the empty room, and took a large bite out of the apple.

Elistral nodded knowingly. "It's not as everyone says it is. Or stories, for that matter." She looked down at her hands in her lap, continuing. "Multiple things happen at once, even when you're fighting enemies. Allies can be hurt, and death is a possibility. Sometimes you have to choose between saving one or the other." She sighed, remembering times when that occurred. "It's a hard decision, I cannot count how many times I've felt myself a coward for abandoning someone."

"Actually yes." Rore chuckled to himself. "She hates it when I go somewhere to drink by myself, or with others. She'd much rather come with me then staying inside lately." He stopped when he reached a one story tavern, the inside sounds muffled by the wooden door. "Ellen hasn't been well enough to come. Colds seem to find her at this time of year. She'll get better though, she always does." He gestured to the tavern's door. "Well, after you two."

Crow used a hand to gesture at the plains around them.

Gorash glanced around, but he didn't see anything but grass. Were these Ravagers invisible? He looked up at the sky. Or were they in the air?

"Underground of course. Most of them prefer to operate at night, but some like the daytime." Crow said, an amused smile on his lips.

Fenrir took a few more bites out of his apple and chewed thoughtfully before he spoke. "And here I thought I'd have to come to you." He tossed the core out of the open window above the sink and started on his sandwich. "Don't worry, you didn't disturb me doing anything. Just woke up anyway and decided to eat something." He paused for a moment, and his eyes lit up. "Oh, since you're here, I want you to meet someone." He put his sandwich down on the counter and went outside to a garden. A ghost woman was bending down near some whitish colored plants, almost invisible against the pale landscape. "I want you to meet someone, he actually came." She started to stand and he helped her up by the arm, leading her back into the cottage. "This is Strider, the one who let me come here. Strider, this is Selena." The ghost woman, as she'd looked when she had been alive, had black hair and blue eyes. She smiled at Strider kindly. "So you're the one he's been talking about. It's nice to finally meet you, Fen's told me that you retired." She paused and looked at Fenrir, noticing that if his friend was there, then they needed to talk about something. "I'll be back in in a minute, I need to check on the plants." She went back out and Fenrir smiled happily at Strider. "So, what is it you need to know? 'Member, I probably won't be able to tell you too straightforwardly." He crossed his arms and picked up his sandwich, eating again.

It was Elistral's turn to be confused now. "Strider saved you? But.." She bit her lip and cast her mind back a while ago. "Didn't, you find him? When he was passed out?"

"True, true. Being mortal has it's disadvantages." Fenrir nodded and finished eating, wiping his hands on his pants to remove the crumbs. Then he smiled ruefully. "But, even though you are my friend, variety is the spice of life. Plus there's still a few technical restrictions floating around. So, I will tell you some of what I know." He got a drink from the fridge and took a sip, thirsty. "To say it plainly, Reaper wants to bring about what Mal sought to do 10 years ago. Bring the apocalypse. And as for his plans..." He thought for a moment, then rattled out something he'd made up. "In the darkest of the day struck by light, a horde shall sweep across the land. A sulfuric smell shall rise into the air, of man's hands it was made, and blackness will be spread on the ground like seeds. Ol' Grim shall signal the beginning of the end with the striking of a match, the clicking of a metal hammer, and the dust of the world will seek to choke his most mortal foe." He nodded to himself and took a sip of his drink. "I must be part poet, huh?"

Elistral tried to laugh too, but the attempt died in her throat. "It was...before you came back, mother." She admitted. "At Jake's library, before it was a library, I fought with Mal. My uncle, he told me how Strider-" She'd never been able to get used to calling Strider "father". "--met you, and how you...died."

While Demios helped Jake out the door, Rore stayed behind to pay the tab. He gave the weighty amount, mostly gold, to the tavern keeper. "You'd have never of thought that boy would be able to drink that much." He remarked, chuckling a little drunkenly. "I thought I said to water it down after the second mug." The tavern keeper shook his head, smiling, and stuffed the money into a smock pocket. "I did. Considerably. But you all drank so much of it that it didn't matter." Rore nodded and used the counter top to help him on his way to the door. He had tried to restrain himself, but when he saw both Demios and Jake knocking back one after another, he couldn't. He caught up to Demios. "How did you do that? I mean, drink so much and still walk straight?"

Crow turned around and began to walk, heading towards the entrance that led underground. Ezekiel, on his shoulder, cawed and took off from it's perch. He stopped at a stick poking out from the grasses and dirt, taking 10 paces to the right. As soon as he heard a dull thunking sound underfoot, he tapped it with his boot in a pattern. First 3, a pause, then 2 more, another pause, and finally 4 hits. He stepped back and waited for the guard posted to set the ladder against the wall and lift the trapdoor. A green-blue demon popped his alligator-shaped head out, squinting at the afternoon light. "What're ye about..." He started to say sleepily, his eyes focusing on the group around him. "Stick your head back down in the hole, Grollu." Crow instructed the demon. "We have visitors."

Gorash nodded and waited until Reaper, Marie, George, Oni, and Crow had went away before taking his helmet off again. He looked at it thoughtfully, following the lines that the blacksmith had made for the design. Then his gaze went to his mailed glove, shining black in the light. He set the helmet down and reached behind him to take the great sword off his back. He was never as good as fighting with it like his halberd, but it didn't hurt to practice from time to time. He swept the heavy blade up, then down diagonally, starting a slow exercise.

Fenrir waved a hand airily, moving his head from side to side, but not shaking it 'no'. "Eh, more or less. But think bigger, Strider. Besides guns, what else can gunpowder do for someone?" He downed the rest of what he was drinking and placed the glass in the sink for later. The ghost woman came back in, holding some white plants in her arms. She took the glass and put it on the counter again, letting the vegetables fall into the sink to wash. "And on that world, what's more dangerous? Tiny little guns, or a haze of the black powder floating around in the air? In particular, violently explosive?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "There's alot of possibilities, 'most mortal', friend."

Elistral was a little taken aback at Silvia's sudden change. She reached over and put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I know, mother. It was an accident, he didn't mean to. I never held anything against him, like resentment, when I heard what had happened." She stood up abruptly from the wooden bench, touching her leaf brooch fastened to her coat. "I am glad that you're back, too. And I agree that the past should be either forgiven or forgotten."

"I don't need to..." Rore started to protest, before Demios put him to sleep. When he was laid down on the bed, he was already in dreamland. He looked around where he was, a nice flowered riverbank with trees here and there. His horse, a chestnut colored animal, was grazing not too far away. It looked up as he approached, whinnying happily. He saw, rather than felt, himself pet it's neck fondly. Then he felt it stiffen and pound the ground with one hoof. "What's wrong, boy?" He heard himself ask.

Crow gestured at the Ravagers. "There are some more," he explained. "But they are spread out as spies, mainly in other towns, and can bye contacted easily." He gave Reaper a curious look, though, when he heard him ask about explosives. Those were a new thing. "Here and there. Almost every first-rate mercenary or high-class raider has explosives. Why do you ask, Reaper?"

Gorash was glad of the practice exercise, mainly because it forced him to concentrate on something different. A diagonal stroke down, a wide sweep to the side, then a quick reverse grip on the hilt to bring it back the way it came. His slow rhythm began to increase into a faster pace, and the heavy blade felt lighter as he started to move his feet around. Happy memories came back to him, mercifully not the bad times he'd had to use his weapon for. Memories like play-fighting with someone.

Fenrir shrugged unconvincingly. "Now, I didn't say bombs, but yeah, that's the gist of it. Plus, you have to remember that Reaper's originally from Earth, or am I wrong?" He noted the look in his friend's eyes and his expression softened. "You know, you don't have to get involved with this, Strider. It's not really your obligation anymore. You still have your telportation powers. You can take Silvia to some other world, and live out your days there. There are plenty of places without the troubles like that." He said softly.