---

---

Lorimar Road: Village of Burg: Laughing Dog Inn

Jym entered through the roof. The main room was filled with the men of the villiage. The Large almost black skinned orc standing over them spoke as if on que when Jym enters the room.

"'Member Wives and childen. If good, they live. If bad, they die."

Jym floated through the ceiling...Right into a room full of women and children. Before they could make a noise he was talking. "Be prepared to run. A group of adventurers and myself are here to rescue you."

The women started conversing amongst themselves in quiet, excited wispers as Jym floated through the wall. Just outside the door to the large room there were two very ugly Orcs.

"Shaman Want you. Say need big tough Orc next majick," said jym to the two startled Orcs. They first looked confused then shruged their sholders and head downstairs.

He watched them go pleased with himself for a job well done, and listened to them start arguing.

"We go Shaman like majick say"

"You go keep women, upstairs"

"But shaman say need..."

With a start Jym remembered why he was doing this and floated back into the room.

"The guards are currently distracted follow me."

He leaded them to the back stairs and tells them to run. He floated down through the floor to the center of the group of men.

"Your women and children are safe for the moment and no longer in the power of these Orcs now is the time to take back your town."

Just as he says this one of the Orcs in the argument notices him. "Majick there. Why not have him tell?"

All five Orcs in the room turn to look at Jym but it is already too late. The men getting up from where they had been sitting move in a rush towards the Orcs. One tries to run for the door but he never even makes it halfway. Five versus fifty was never good odds. The noise caused by the party outside covereved the sounds of the short battle

Hal walks up to Jym, "Thank you freind but how are we going to free the rest of our town."

Quickly telling of Earths plan he sits back to let the Villiagers decide.

Being men of action and not words they come to the correct decision. They moved over to the window and waited for Earth and the rest to attack. They grabbed up any and all weapons they could find.

Waalk looked over Earths shoulder as she drew out her method of attack.  Waalk was about to comment when the words of his mother came floating back to him, If you don't have anything valuable to say, keep quiet.

Wise words indeed, thought Waalk.

Waalk whispered "I will charge them from the left if you want." Waalk hesitated then added "Me and Dracon will take 'em."

Earth took a moment to think carefully then, she nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea.Skopje and I will head West that way we will meet in the center. Hopefully this plan will work." She looked at the hafling and then at Waalk.

"Well, what say you?"

Waalk hesitated, he wasn't sure if he could handle all this adventuring. He cast his mind back to Seven Oaks and shuddered "Sounds like a reasonable plan to me. However, just to be on the safe side I think we should wait for that green cloud. I swear I could hear him mumbling something about reinforcements."

Waalk looked across at Earth. "Maybe if the cloud doesn't return soon we should go and find him. He could be in trouble!!"

Skopje shook his head dismissively, "I don't think there's anything we can do to help him, he is after all naught but a glowing green vapour. And he seems to be able to deal with orcs alright." He waited for Waalk's slow nod.

"Let's go then," he sqealed and turned away from the others to plunge into the bushes.

Waalk looked on with envy as Skopje seemed to vanish into the dark night. He wasn't just jealous of Skopje's ability to become almost invisible but jealous also of his courage.

After a few seconds Waalk patted Dracon on the back and whispered into his ear "Common, lets go."

Skopje crept through the undergrowth, making his way carefully around the village. All the time he peered anxiously through the trees at the capering orcs, hoping to see some sign of the glowing cloud in the village. He realised he was directly opposite an Inn building and
decided to move closer to the village to take a better look.

Skopje stopped suddenly as he noticed a horrible sight in front of him. A long stake had been thrust into the ground and fixed on top of it was a severed skeletal head. Skopje
peered at the gruesome sign with morbid curiosity. It was planted quite close to the nearest building of the village. As he crept closer the hafling realised that it was but one of a line of similar posts that stretched off around the clearing seemingly ringing the village.

Skopje left the cover of the bushes and advanced into the clearing slowly, he was confident that the poor light and his natural hafling stealth would make him very unlikely to be seen.

He approached the head on the stake, trying to discern whether it was orc or human.

Suddenly to Skopje's considerable discomfort, the eyes of the head flicked open. Skopje froze but it was too late. The mouth of the severed head opened wide and a huge unearthly screeching came out. The words were in the orcish language and appeared to be a warning cry. Skopje looked around quickly, he was now closer to the buildings than the cover of the trees. He heard the shouts of orcs answering the alarm shouts across the village.

Skopje pulled his belt knife blade free from its sheath and ran in a low crouch to the shadow of the Inn.

Waalk advanced with great caution towards the town. Despite of this Waalk managed to make enough noise for four people. Waalk turned to Dracon "Can't you be a bit quieter?"

Waalk heard a piercing scream. He thought it was Skopje. All thoughts of cuation and cowardice were thrown to the wind. Waalk loosed his sword from its scabbard and ran yelling towards the town.

Suddenly they heard a shreiking coming from outside the Inn.

"That is the sentry ward going off," said Hal. "Charge," he shouted as he ran out the door waving the butcher knife he had gotten from the kitchen.

Men started pouring out of the Inn. The were brandishing knives, Chair legs, and many other odds and ends as weapons.

Jym floated over to Skopje, "Are you comming?" he said.

The men from the inn charged into the orcs on this side of the town lead by Hal.

"This is for my daughter," says Hal as he cleaves the Shamans head almost in two.

As soon as the shaman dies the Sentry ward on the Skulls release.

The sound grows louder and louder until it is almost a hurricane of screams, men drop where they are and hold their ears, Orcs run screaming in all directions, and then the darkness comes.

The light of the still burning bonfire is snuffed out leaving the ever present heat, and the screams. The almost presence of forms moving in the darkness can be felt.

The darkness clears and nothing remains of the skulls but blackened posts.

In the sudden quiet the burnning of the bonfire is the only sound.

Then the yells of the men and Orcs resume and the battle is finally joined. A mele of bodies in an elaborate dance. Humans stil greatly outnumbered by Orcs. The humans have something the Orcs do not...They are fighting for their homes.

Waalk reached the village, just as the noise died down. Waalk could see in the light from the red hot embers that infront of him were many orcs. Waalk couldn't see the villagers, Skopje or the green cloud. They must be on the other side of the village, Waalk hoped.

The first orc who came within range of Waalks sword was almost split in two. The next orc that Waalk encounterd got it in the guts. More orcs converged on Waalk and he was hard pressed to defend himslef.

He didn't even have the opportunity to see if Dracon had followed him into battle. I could sure use some fire breathing dragon helping me out, thought Waalk as he slowly retreated.

The large scaley dragon came running to Waalk's aid. He opend his large mouth and let out a long hot firerey flame destroying anything in sight.

Earth could feel Waalks fear and internal scream for help. She leaped on her horse and rode off towards him.

...she leaped off her horse and drew her sword. Four orcs cornered her. She wanted to cry for Dracon, but knew he was helping Waalk.

"You want to play unfair, lets play unfair." she said as her eyes lite up.

Her eyes glowed like fire and the Orcs could sense something bad was about to happen. A large beem of green light bolted from her eyes freezing the Orcs in their tracks. She swung her sword bravely in the air and sliced them to pieces.

Hardly standing, she tried to keep her eyes open, but she hadn't used that spell in ages and the power was draining from her body. She fell to her knees and then to the ground, unconcious.

Feeling the massive release of magical energy, Jym was drawn to where Earth lay unconcious. He looked inside her and saw massive reserves of energy, not only that but there was almost a resonance between himself and those energies. Almost a bond.

"What Am I!!!!!" He said in a mental shout that could be heard all over the small villiage.

The Orcs moving toward Earth looked in horror at the glowing cloud and started to run...right into the Uman Villiagers who were finishing off their own group of Orcs. This new group tangled themselves up in a mass at the feet of those fighting, causing many to fall. This fight was starting to get really ugly.

Skopje slipped in and out of the ugly scene. He moved constantly around the vilage and covered the whole area. Few of the combatants saw him, but here and there an orc felt his hamstring sliced from behind as he battled a villager, and more than a few wounded orcs had their throats slit as they struggled to find help.

After Dracon had come to rescue him, Waalk let a wave of fear to course through his body. He was covered with sweat, but still the battle wasn't over. Many orcs had fallen, but many remained. Some clutched at their legs. Waalk thought he saw the halfling, but he couldn't be sure.

Waalk couldn't be sure of many things in this damnable light. Waalk turned to see where Earth had got to. As he turned he saw a green light flash from somewhere near Earth and strike four orcs. Then his view was obscured as Dracon got in the way.

"Quick Dracon. It looks like Earth is in trouble!" Within a half a minute Waalk was at Earths side. She was lying on the ground unconcious. Waalk couldn't see any injuries.

"What happened Jym?"

"What am I?," Screamed Jym again. This time through the pulse you can see a form. Something is happening to Jym. Something is forming out of the glow.

"What am Ieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?," This time the yell reverts to a primal scream. His form seems to coalese, to collect. He is changing into something vagely human, something different.

Waalk was all bemused at what was going on. For an instant he thought that Jym had gone mad and had somehow managed to knock Earth unconcious.

He was about to yell at Jym to stop shouting when more orcs came at them. Waalk met the charge and managed to halt it for a few seconds. More orcs came at him though sensing an easy kill.

Earth's eyes slowly opened. The first gazy and blury vision she saw was Waalk, holding her head up. "What happend?" she said softly as she tried to sit up. She herd Jym's cries and felt a jerk of pain in her ribs. Jym was turning into a human.

"Waalk, what is he doing?" she asked as she grabbed the man's shoulder for support. "Where's Dracon? and..Skopje is he alright?"

Waalk looked at her and smiled and began to tell her her dragon and hafling friends where alright.

Orcs all over the villiage were running in fear. The green glow was getting brighter above Earth. It slowly moved until it was in the center of the villiage.
 

"i am magick"

"I am magick"

"I Am Magick"

"I AM MAGICK"

"I AM MAGICK"
 

A fully formed human male dropped to the ground. His naked form shining faintly green. His green eyes glowing in the growing darkness. His naked form rose to its feet...and imedeately colapsed to the ground.

"Ouch. That hurt. I don't see how you people can walk around like that with the threat of smaking into the ground if you make a mistake."

This final show is all that the remaining Orcs can stand, What few orcs remain run off into the black forest as if their mommies were calling them.

"Could somebody help me up?"

Skopje appeared out of the gloom at Jym's faintly glowing side. His amused grin took in the naked man, Waalk's astonishment and Earth's tired curiosity.

He stuck out a hand to Jym but it was more out of politeness than anything else, Jym realised he would have to pull himself up as Waalk was still tending to Earth.

Grunting, he stood up in front of Skopje. The hafling turned away in embarrassment but Jym appeared not to notice that his crotch was directly at Skopje's eye level. Waalk also looked awkward and made as if to lower Earth back to the ground to spare her the sight.

For a moment the companions stood quietly looking at each other as it dawned on each of them, the nature of the evening's unpleasantness that they had been through and each slowly savoured a mixture of relief and triumph. They began to grin at each other in shared realisation of the feeling.

"Well Jym, it seems your Uman after all. I'll wager there is quite a story to this. Why don't  we head into the village and get a seat at the Inn, get some clothes on you and some hot food inside us and enjoy the gratitude of the village for a while?" Skopje suggested.

"Food actually sounds good, as I seem to be hungry. As for a story, I'm as supprised as you are to find that I am human. One second I am looking into the magickal side of Earth's being, and the next I am feeling agony for the first time in my existence."

At this he starts moving off towards the Inn.

"I finally understand why people coverthemselves. It is kind of drafty without clothing."

He heads toward the Inn and moves to walk right through the wall and before anyone can stop him, he collides with it.

"I knew doors had a purpose."

He walks over to the door and enters the Inn.

"Up we get," said Waalk tenderly, making sure to keep Earths back to the now naked form of Jym.

"Common, lets get somethig to eat and drink."

Skopje led their small group into the Inn, laughing heartily at Jym's discomfort and exaggeratedly demonstrating the opening of the Inn door for him. Jym smiled good naturedly and then stepped aside to let Earth pass through.

The Inn was full of excited villagers, some of them clearly still in a state of high anxiety from the recent fighting. At the sight of the strange group most fell silent. A large man came towards them.

"Our grateful thanks to all of you for your brave help," he smiled and then called for a roast dinner from the kitchen.

Skopje unashamedly sat at the best seat in the Inn, right by the fire and put his short legs up on a stool. He motioned to Jym and patted a similar padded chair next to him, "so much more comfortable than the forset floor, but probably not as comfortable as just floating," he mused.

Jym sat down, "No, nothing is as comfortable as just floating."

Waalk helped Earth to a seat. He wasn't too interested in the party, being rather too tired and a little stunned. Did I really do those things, thought Waalk as he sipped his beer.

Earth held the wet cloth on her forehead tightly for about 10 minutes to relieve her pain. The sound of battle still rung in her ears. She had never known friends before, or fun. Just battle and the way of survival. She felt bad for her companions. Dracon left outside,since the villigers where terrified of him, Waalk confused and in disbielf of what he accomplished, Skopje carring the burdon of killing so many orcs and in a gory way, and poor old Jym, turned human...a bare naked human.

The meal was eaten with great enjoyment and as the evening went on, the crowd at the inn became more lively. As more ale was consumed the villagers became more loud in their celebration of freedom.

Earth put the wet towel down and refused any beer she was given. She was only 16 an age too young for drinking. She sipped her watter slowly and carefully. Many villiagers began to dance in the middle of the Inn. SO much laughter and joy as if these people have never been introduced to true evil. The city so pure and innocent, just like home.

Waalk could see the sad look in Earth's eyes. He just couldn't understand how anyone could be unhappy at a time like this. They were alive. They'd helped  liberated the village. They were still in one piece. He wetted another towel and handed it  to Earth. "why look so sad?"

Earth looked at Waalk sadly and sighed.

"Its actually really qite silly." she said to Waalk.

He waited for her to explain. She took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I dont know how to dance," she said shyly. She was lying to him. A cold hard lie and she could feel the pain of it. She couldn't tell him about her past. He would never talk to her again, or ever think about having a relationship with her.

She didn't want anyone to know her past, the blood, the honor or the deaths.

She had worked so hard to cover it up and go on with her life. Every time she thought it was finally out of her mind, something made her remember it. A past she would never be able to forget.

Somebody finaly decided to give Jym a nice pair of doeskin breeches, a white linnen shirt, and a dark vest, for which he was greatful.

Having drunk much too much ale (For one who has never had it before) and not knowing how to put them on in the first place it took him what seemed like hours, much laughter by those watching him, and many mistakes to finaly get the clothing on.

After all that ale and hard work Jym went upstairs and fell asleep almost immedeatly.

Waalk laughed at the antics of Jym trying to get into his clothing but his heart was aching with sorrow for Earth's shyness. Earth was almost oblivious to everything, lost as she was in her own private sadness. The two sat for a long moment by the fire, Waalk staring hard at the young woman and Earth looking deep into the flames. Just when it seemed that Waalk had finally decided what would be the appropriate thing to say he was bustled by a spinning hafling. Skopje grinned up at him, his face bright red from the combined effects of ale, the heat and his energetic dancing.

"Wooohhh", Skopje sighed in exhaustion, "sorry Waalk, did I spill your ale? Let me get you another one." Waalk protested that he was fine.

"Well if you're sure," Skopje continued, "there is nothing like having your village rescued from orcish sacrifice to put people in the mood for having fun. I can't remember the last time I saw such a good party."

Waalk looked around doubtfully, it was becoming late and most of the original enthusiasm for celebration had been burned off, people were either collapsed or looked about to. The only thing he could say was that people seemed unwilling to head off to their individual homes and were enjoying sharing company. Skopje leaned his head closer to Waalk and Earth.

"I don't know about what you were planning to do next, and I don't even know what I was going to do but I've something I want to show you."

He took out an amulet that he was wearing on a chain around his neck and passed it to Earth. the design of the large silver pendant was complex and delicate. In the centre was a milky green stone. There was something more that Earth could feel as well. An aura that emanated from the amulet, as of a magic spell made long ago.

"Where did you get this?" she asked gently. Skopje looked at the floor and his face reddened even more, "it used to belong to a mage who was visiting my home town, he lost it, just as I left town and when I got to sea, well, I found it in my bag. I thought about giving it back to him, but I was already on my way to Seven Oaks and, well, he was not a nice man. I thought maybe you might know what we could do with it, or, err... someone we could sell it to."

Skopje shifted uncomfortably but he appeared in no hurry to take the amulet back.

As soon as the amulet was pulled out it began to glow faintly.

Upstairs Jym felt something calling him to action. Something was trying to draw him toward some bight green glow, as if the sun suddenly came out from behind the clouds and bekoned him...but he was too tired and fell back asleep, thinking it was only an alcohol dream.

Earth sensed that Skopje was uneasy with her holding the pendant. She gazed into the Green stone as if it were hympnotizing her. Waalk nudged her with his elbow. She returned the amulet to Skopje.

Skopje took the amulet back from Earth. For an instant as he held it in his hand he was suddenly aware of another presence pushing into his mind. A strange alien form unlike anything Skopje had known before, but just as his mind recoiled from the contact, he became aware of a familiarity and knew without doubt that it was the friendly nature of Jym.

"What are you?" he wondered.

"Its very powerful, but I am afraid I need to know everything Skopje, not just what you want to tell me." she told the hafling. He coacked up an eyebrow in disbelief. A long pause of silence filled their conversation.

"When youre ready, I will listen," she said to the hafling. "For now, I will check on Dracon."

With that Earth rose from her seat and advanced towards the doors.

When Earth left him, Waalk was even more confused than he was before he sat down. He stood up, his usual expression of amiable bafflement even more pronounced than normal.

Skopje smiled up at him as Waalk patted his head and quickly slipped the amulet into its leather pouch. He was immediately cut off from his awareness of Jym and felt the loss of his heightened perception keenly.

Sighing, he slipped the covered amulet around his neck and watched Waalk head up the stairs.

"I'm off to bed. catch you in the morning," said walk as he disappeard into the halway

Skopje wondered if things would be better if he adopted Waalk's attitude to life.

As she was about to leave a man stopped Earth from leaving the Inn.

"Mistress, a man left this for you." He said as he handed her a leather sachet. Sam's face grew surprised.

"Where is the man now?" she asked concerndly.The man shook his head.

"I dont know, but he left this for thee." Earth laughed an uneasy laugh. She grabbed the sachet and opend it. A young fairy flew out, and began to yell angrily, attracting attention. Earth grabbed it and shoved it back in the sachet and closed it tightly.

"Thank you," she said as she handed the man a gold coin. Earth mysterious fled outside.

Maybe I should go to bed too, he thought tiredly, then he remembered Earth leaving the Inn and corrected himself ,but then again maybe I should go and see what Earth is doing with that fairy.

As soon a she got outside, she let the fairy out of the sachet.

"What happend?!"she asked curiously. The fairy spoke a language much more difficult then english.The fairy spoke quickly and angrily.

"Calm down,thee speak to fast!" Earth said. The fairy spoke again, slower and with less anger.

"He knows I live!" Earth cried in fear. The fairy nodded. "He doesn't know where I am, we still have that edge over him.Rock, I thought I would never see you again,you have to be more careful next time. You where suppose to be back three days ago!"

The fairy sat beside her and Dracon. Earth  could feel some one watching them. I've got to keep a vigil, I have to stay awake, I must not... and Earth was asleep.

Skopje tripped on the steps leading out of the Inn and fell down.

I've got to get up, he thought to himself, but this ground is so comfortable...

Hal, the Innkeeper was cleaning off the bar when a man came in with a bag of gold.

"Hal, we decided that since you are the mayor you should go tell these adventurers that they are unwanted here. Give them this with our thanks and tell them to leave."

Hal took the bag and was about to say something, but he forgot what he was about to say. In fact the bag captured his entire attention. He sat there looking at the bag and thinking dark thoughts for the rest of the night.