[Traveler]

Traveler sat there drinking his ale while Carriac made Mara's knife and listened to the conversation. He watched Mara carefully as her expression changed from quivering slave girl to confidant warrior and back. He gave no hint of the change as he glanced at Carriac to see his reactions. He too, had noticed the change in the girl. A warm chill ran down Traveler back as his sword registered immediate danger near. Knowing no harm could happen in the Inn he knew that trouble must be waiting outside somewhere.

~Which one of us has caused someone to hunt?~

"Well _friends_ I suggest we head out and find some clothes for our friend and greet the coming evening with gladness. Make ready the way for the coming storm." With that said he rose from the table and headed towards the door, once again not waiting for the others to follow. He left the Inn wanting to separate from the others just in case the trouble he felt was for him.

~No need to involve someone else needlessly. ~

Not once did he question his ability to sense the coming danger.

As he walked down the street he adjusted his sword slightly on his back. He noticed the group hiding in the alley. When he passed them and they didn't move to follow he realized they weren't after him. He went in on of the stores past the alley and, much to the protest of the store owner proceeded out the back door. He came back up the alley and watched the waiting group from a dark alley way behind them.

[Carriac]

Carriac watched open-mouthed as Traveler left the Inn without waiting for him - again.

"I hope this doesn't become a habit," he said to himself as he pushed both his and Mara's chairs back under the table, "I already warned him that I don't hurry."

He offered the young lady his arm and then escorted her out of the inn, not trying too hard to catch up with Traveler. The sun was shining brightly, with only a small scattering of clouds to mar the clarity of the beautiful blue sky. One of the larger clouds passed briefly before the brilliant orb causing a shadow to sweep across the street. As it touched them, Carriac felt Mara shiver and tense. He patted her hand.

"It's all right, dearie," he said with a warm grin, "We'll get you a nice heavy cloak and the chill will pass."

He tugged her off into the direction of the shopping district.

"Now WHERE has Traveler gone off to?"

[Mara]

Mara wanted to call out, to warn Traveler of the danger she was feeling, but before her hand came out to stop him, she felt a sudden urge to drop her hand and smile.

"Let him go! That way if he runs into trouble, he can't blame me for it, and I'm in no hurry to leave the peace of this inn."

Taking Carriac's arm, she placed her arm under his, her hand resting on top of his hand as they stepped outside.

"Is that one of them," one of the men in the alley whispered as he stepped deeper into the shadows.

"Yea, that's the one without any memory. I overheard the other guy call him Travis, Traveler, or something like that. Anyway were not here for him. But if he sticks his nose into our business, he just might lose it."

"Hush up you two, before you give us away. Now you watch that guy and see where he goes. You! You watch the Inn, and tell me when you see the other two stepping out. I'm going to have a look around."

"Where ya going boss? Ya ain't leaving us are ya?"

"No I ain't leaving you, you stupid twit. I'm going to make sure that they didn't sneak out the back. Now shut up and watch the inn."

Everyone hushed when the larger man faded into the shadows. The one watching Traveler elbowed his friend and pointed. "He went into that shop. He ain't going to be any problem. Bet he's looking for his marbles he lost."

"Let's hope he doesn't find yours instead. Now shut up. The girl and her friend has just left the inn, and they are headed this way."

Mara glanced around as they walked down the cobblestone road, her eyes darting wherever there was a shadow. When the sun dropped behind a large dark cloud, she shivered at the stillness that she felt around her. Hugging Carriac's arm, she looked up, her eyes showing caution as her smile faded.

"I sense danger..." before everything went black around her. She felt herself being pulled backwards as two strong arms pinned her arms to her side, keeping them away from her dagger.

"I got her! Take care of him!"

Mara could feel the course blanket over her face, scratching against her soft skin as she kicked and tried to fight her way out. But her arms were by her side and she felt herself being lifted and thrown over something that was running away fast.

She could hear voices cursing and the sound of steel clashing, as she bounced along. Before long she was dropped and she felt the blanket being pulled over her tighter, her arms pressing against her sides as rope was being tied around her.

"Just hold still girlie, and no one will harm you. And if you're real good, I might let you sleep with me first tonight, before my other friends take their turns with you."

Mara could hear laughter and felt a pair of hands touching her through the thick blanket.

"You got a nice figure. We just might keep you for a few days, before we give you up. Would you like that girlie," the man asked as his hands ran up and down her blanketed body.

"Don't! Stop that! I'm warning you, you better let me go. My friends will have your heart for dinner if you don't let me go." The man that held her laughed as his hand came up to her mouth, stuffing the blanket in, before tying a strand of rope around her face.

"That'll shut you up for the time being. And your so-called friends have their hands full at the moment. I suspect to see my friends coming back here soon to reap their reward for finding you. The Master will be pleased that we found you." Mara could still hear the battle that was raging on down the alleyway, and fear struck her heart. She tried to call out, but the man that was holding her place a boot in her side, causing her to lose her breath. Her breathing became labored as she tried breathing through her nose. The thick blanket was making it hard for her to catch her breath, and she was starting to sweat as she tried to kick herself free. She could hear the man laughing but he didn't notice that the blanket he had wrapped around Mara was starting to smoke.

Not until it was too late�

[Carriac]

It all happened so suddenly that Carriac hadn't had time to blink before Mara was being torn from him and whisked away. He tried to follow the abductor with his eyes, but his attention was drawn back to the man's companion who was advancing on the elf with sword drawn.

To say that Carriac wasn't a fighter was being generous. In reality, Carriac had about as much martial prowess as a stuffed mule. He was, however, as stubborn as that mule and he was not about to let these men get away with kidnapping his new ward. If only such resolve would make this man with the sword disappear!

The man lunged at Carriac, intent on skewering the fat elf with the first blow. Carriac was too bulky to sidestep the attack - he simply couldn't move fast enough. So he let gravity do the job for him.

Carriac hit the ground with an audible thump. His attacker's sword passed harmlessly over his head, though he did lose a few hairs. Carriac immediately slapped his hands on the ground and sent his will through the stone of the sidewalk. The paving stones under his attacker's feet melted like butter and then re-solidified about the man's ankles. He over balanced as he tried to recover from his thrust and landed on his rump not two feet from the elf. Carriac rolled to the right, out of range of the now helpless attacker, and looked about.

Where had they taken Mara?

Carriac glanced back at the man who was struggling to stand.

His eyes hardened in a way that turned his usual jovial expression into one of grim foreboding.

"You will tell me where your partner has taken my friend or you will find that the stone will swallow more than your feet."

[Traveler]

Traveler watched from his hiding spot as the bandits move from their sight. Obviously they were not after him. He waited for a moment before he began to follow. That's when he noticed Carriac and Mara moving down the street unaware of being followed. Traveler was about to yell when one of the attackers threw a blanket around Mara and with the help of another took off down a blind alleyway.

~They're going to regret that!~

About that time several things happened at once. One of the men swung his sword at Carriac and seemed to stumble mid strike. Traveler saw two men coming from the other side of the street with weapons drawn....

With out even thinking Traveler unsheathed his sword stood between the oblivious Carriac and the other two assailants. He cared his sword with ease in his right hand, the tip nearly touching the ground. Their laughter died in the air.

Looking at them for a moment Traveler noticed their armor and weapons were cheaply made. His sword felt warm and gleamed in his hands. "You can make your choice to live or die right now. Fight and you die."

The one to his right grinned a ragged grin and came towards traveler saying, "Me thinks you don't remember how to fight. Me heard you lost your memory." With that he made a lunge for Traveler's heart. What it hit was nothing before it clamored to the ground. Traveler had move to the side of the thrust and with one clean movement deflected the sword away from himself and cut the man's sword hand off. Following through he allowed his sword to come across the man's mid section. Traveler's sword cut through the man's armor like butter. Surprise registered in the man's eyes as he tried to keep his inside from spilling out with his good hand.

When Traveler had quit moving he was facing the other assailant. There was a mixture of rage and fear on the man's face. He looked like he was about to flee when he attacked. His movements were more practiced. He moved with a little more finesse than his friend had. He slowly circled to Traveler's right. Several times he lunged and retreated, not fully committing himself to an attack. Traveler just watched him not moving. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, calming himself, waiting for the moment of the real attack.

People were beginning to gather, soon the guards would be here. The remaining assailant realized he would have to put an end before he was caught by the guard. He began to close the distance between him and the man in black. Traveler just kept steady. The man came in with a feint to Traveler's left and intended to come back across Traveler's neck. He never made it past the feint. Traveler stepped inside the thrust and grabbed the man's left wrist as he thrust his blade into the man's stomach in a downward stroke. Traveler continued to pull the man to the left and then quickly changed directs and whipped the man the other direction as he pulled his sword free. The man fell to the ground and his sword fell in the street.

Turning to Carriac he said, "Well is he of any use? Where did they take her?"

[Carriac]

There was a darkness that swirled around the back of the shaper's mind as he looked at his victim in rage.

Wait, victim? Prisoner! He was sure he had thought prisoner!

Carriac shook his head slightly, his eyes drawn to the fluid fighting just yards from his position. Traveler moved like a man born to the art and made short work of the other two assailants. The warrior's question found Carriac forgetting his momentary confusion.

"Uh, he hasn't answered yet."

The portly elf turned back to the man whose feet were encased in stone.

"But if he doesn't start talking in the next few seconds I'll let you take care of him. You seemed to do a pretty good job on his friends there."

The thug took one look at the blood dripping from Traveler's sword and swallowed hard. He tried to back away�and promptly landed on his backside. Beads of perspiration dotted the man's forehead.

"I guess he wants to taste your blade, Traveler," Carriac said, his eyes lighting up with malicious glee, "But do it more slowly than with the others. I had a hard time watching when you went so fast. And don't worry if you should slip. I'll just heal him up and you can do it again�and again�and again."

The smell of urine filled the air and the front of the man's trousers darkened noticeably.

"We're supposed to meet back at this place a few streets over," the thug croaked out, and he gave them the address.

Carriac turned his back on the man and started down the street.

The man called out, "Look, I - I didn't mean anything by it. It was just a job�I was just doing my j-job."

Carriac stopped and turned back. "You better hope she's alive and unharmed or we'll have to come back and do ours. Let's go."

He moved off, leaving the man trapped in the street, blubbering in a puddle of his own filth.

[Mara]

Mara heard the man that was holding her curse, as the sound of the battle progressed down the street. The sound of steel striking steal and the mournful cries of the dead and dying made her struggle even more.

"Just hold still girlie! It shouldn't be much longer, and you'll have new friends to play with real soon."

Mara skin started to warm up more, and her eyes shifted from their forest green, to that of fire red, and she could smell the smoke that was starting to drift under the thick blanket. In her mind she thought the man that was holding her captive had light up a pipe, but the more she struggled, the more smoke rose up, until the blanket suddenly exploded all around her.

"What in the name of the unholy gods," the man called out as the blast of fire and smoke sent him flying backwards. Rising up and shaking his head clear, he noticed that bits of the blanket had landed on him, catching his clothes on fire. "Damn it all to hell," he muttered as he went about slapping at his clothes. What he didn't see was Mara, standing and turning towards him. Slapping out the last flame, that threatened to burn through to his pants, the man looked up when he heard the sound of fire crackling all around him.

"You...You're a...a demon!"

Mara was standing a few feet away from the man, completely engulfed in red and yellow flames that seemed to flick along her dark tanned skin, outlining her shapely form. Her long black hair had turned into a flame of red, standing up over her head and danced there, as her feet caused the stones under her to crack and explode, sending shards of stone everywhere. The man had to duck and roll as the bits of stone shot by and over him, until one struck his shoulder, knocking him back to the ground.

"I don't know what you are, but I'm going to kill you slowly," and the man started to rise up, holding back the blood that was poring from his shoulder. "Damn that hurts," he was heard muttering as he stood up, blade in hand.

With red eyes, she took a step forward and smiled, before reaching her hand forward, as if to reach out for him. A hot blast of fire and heat emitted from her hand like a blowtorch and the man didn't even have the chance to catch his breath to scream, before he engulfed in a ball of fire, turning him into ash in a matter of seconds. Even the man's blade melted, before flowing into the cracks of the cobblestones.

Yet, the stone and bits of grass under the man's feet were unharmed.

"I told you that you shouldn't have hurt me," Mara whispered, before collapsing to the stone road, and passed out. The fire that made up her form slowly died as well, her hair slowly dropped back over her face and shoulders, before turning back to their original color as the last hint of flames faded away.

That's how she was found when Traveler and Carriac came looking for her, lying there with an outstretched arm, her clothes still smoldering, and a soft breeze was just starting to blow the ashes around, leaving little trace of the man, and the blanket that was once her prisoner.

She heard footstep and shook her head before looking up, as a smile crept over her face.

"What kept you..." she asked with a rough, scratchy voice. Then she dropped her head to the stone and coughed.

"I'm still hungry! Can we stop by someplace and get a bite to eat?"

(to be continued...)