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They ran back to the entrance to see for themselves the progress of the plant. On arriving, they found Ulf throwing pitcher after pitcher of water into the air towards the plant-covered entrance. Trinias was then shooting each one with ice magic; Brianna then shot the now frozen block of ice, shattering it into a thousand pieces, each flying toward the plant at tremendous velocity. The resultant 'shotgun blast' of ice spicules punched a neat hole through the vegetation; but they couldn't keep up with the strange plant's rate of growth.

Quickly sizing up the situation, Sasha turned to Ferazel and Alaric. "I know a way out, but we'll have to use it quickly; if the plant grows too far, we'll be cut off." She waited expectantly for their decision.

Russell was no where in sight but the rest of the group were all busy trying hard to combat the giant plant.
There was a brief pause in the plants growth and the groups noise. From outside the landking hall they could hear some one, or something trying hard to get in.
"Who is out there?" Ferazel yelled at the top of his voice, which just carried through the folage.
"Mmduhdhahd" came the muffled reply. Ferazel searched around for a way to make his voice louder when suddenly a large chunk of stone fell from the cieling. Then another then another untill it seemed that the LangKing hall hall was about to collapse.
Some one in the group cried with delight "They are digging a hole!"
And so they were. Who ever was out there had dug a hole right through the roof of the land King hall, just near the door.
A mans head appeared.
It was covered in armour and spikes.
Darken Rahl had returned.
"You guys look like you need a hand down there" Brianna nodded hard. and outstreched her hand for Rahl to pull up. Darken Rahl smiled down at her but did not reach out to grab her hand. He showed Brianna his armoured gauntlet "Maybe you should use this ladder instead, eh?"
Darken Rahl threw a small rope ladder down the hole.

After a few minutes everyone stood on top of the LKH with relief writen upon thier faces.
Trinias approached Rahl. "I have heard from Russell that you trained him"
Darken Rahl nodded, "Forgive my student, he was here only to hold my place in this quest while I was coming. I am not going to be joining this quest for a while, due to pressing matters elsewhere"
Trinias nodded and left to talk to the others.

Brianna looked around as people started climbing up the ladder. She suddenly noticed the three Ronin were missing, and moved around to look for them. She spied them heading into some kind of storeroom, off to one side.

Following stealthily along behind, she was rather surprised when they approached the far wall; she was even more surprised when Ulf smashed a person-sized hole in the wood panelling. The Ronin vanished through the new exit.

Brianna looked back the way she'd come, then forward again at the hole, the while chewing her lip. If she followed, the main band of adventurers might leave without her; but she had a feeling that if she didn't, she might miss an important part of the story. She sighed in frustration, then stepped through the hole.

------------------------

Atop Landking Hall, Ferazel looked around at the group and took a quick head count. He came up four short. "Where are Brianna and the Ronin?"

"The Ronin said something about having an important errand, and taking another route out," Sideline reported. "They also said they'd meet us at Pnyx."

"I saw Brianna follow them," Katze added.

Ferazel frowned. "Oh. Well, as long as they're accounted for, I suppose."

------------------------

Brianna found herself in a cavern. It wasn't hard to follow the Ronin; Sasha's sword and shield, and Trinias' bow, were glowing dimly in the distance, and the three of them were making no effort to keep silent. Ulf held out a yellow, glowing jewel, and waved back in the direction they'd come. The others grinned, shrugged, and said something in reply; she wasn't quite close enough to make out what they said. She moved off after them, before they could get too far ahead.

After travelling for some time, fending off various elements of underground wildlife, the Ronin made their way down a hole between four pillars. Brianna hurried closer, so as not to get left in the dark, then climbed down through the hole herself; the Ronin had continued on, and were already some distance ahead.

They entered a rather large cavern, and were warmly welcomed by a group of people that were somewhat elvish in appearance - except for their distinctly blue skin. This was a race that Brianna had never seen before. The Ronin were conversing with them fluently, in some language that was totally unfamilar to her.

She suddenly realised that the blue man with whom Sasha was talking was looking directly at where she was lurking, in the shadows of the entrance. He said something, making a gesture in her direction. Sasha turned, and made a beckoning motion with her arm.

"Come on over, Brianna, don't be shy!"

Trying very hard to hide her chagrin at being discovered, Brianna emerged from the shadows and approached the small group.

Sasha made the introductions - in Cytheran, Brianna was pleased to note. "This is our new friend, Brianna. We don't know much about her yet, but Ulf assures us her heart is good. Brianna, meet the leader of the Seldane, Sabinate; one of our oldest living friends."

Ferazel, standing atop Land King Hall, noticed that the plant was rapidly shrinking. "Ah, so our magic has at last got through to it's core." he muttered. Soon, the plant was vanished, and Ferazel teleported off to Pnyx. He arrived back a couple minutes later, with a young lady and a middle aged man. "Everyone, meet Sean and Dalia. These are my top two students, and they'll be helping us on our quest."

Katerei stood upon the roof of LKH with the others. The wind was blowing lightly, just enough to keep it from being too warm.

She looked warily at Sean and Dalia, but they seemed friendly enough. At any rate, they didn't use Dark magic, and they -were- Ferazel's students. She would give them her trust...for now.

Katerei turned to Ferazel. "So, are we ready to leave now?"

Ferazel nodded. "Yes, I think so. We'll meet the Ronin later. Right now, we're headed to Pnyx!"

"I can't wait to get there," Katerei said, her eyes sparkling. "I've heard so much about it, and it sounds great." Outside she was happy, but on the inside she was forcing herself to act cheerful. The others couldn't know what was going on. Not even Ferazel knew about the incident between her, Silvre and Ranari. Nobody could know.

After taking a good look at the new additions to their group Katze climbed back down into the hall, where she met Harper. He looked rather lost, as if he didn't know what to do, so she decided to give him something to do. "Harper?"
"Yes?"
"I think we should get ready to depart for Pnyx... do you happen to know who could provide us with food supplies?"
"Why, yes. Her name is Emesa."
"Great." Katze smiled. "Do you think you can talk her into supplying us?"
Harper grinned. Talking people into doing things was something he was familiar with. "Sure."
"Good. Then I'll get the others, and we'll meet back here once you've got what we need, k?"
Harper nodded and turned to go. Now how much would they need? There was him, Katze, Ferazel... who else? ... Katerei, Ferazel's two students, oh, and Sideline and Velcarn... Russell - was Rahl coming?
***
At about one hour past noon everybody was gathered at the front gate. Harper had organized supplies for everyone of their party, supposed to last them until Odemia. They said their farewells to Alaric, and after assuring him - and Emesa - yet again that they'd find Hadrian and bring him back, they set off down the trail towards Odemia.

Ferazel walked up to the front of the group, and annouced that they'd meet the Ronin and get more supplies at Odemia. Out of nowhere, some mist and fog began to drop in to the area. "Everyone, stick together. My Embrightenment spell will serve as a beacon; stick close to it!" Ferazel shouted. The fog didn't streach too far, and soon they had walked out of it.

At Odemia, Ferazel went to see Sacas to get supplies as well as to see if she had seen the Ronin. Crito began to go in to some cellars to gather some food. Sacas said that the Ronin had last been spotted a few hours ago. They had gone back in to the woods. Ferazel teleported off, and soon teleported back, the Ronin at his side. "Okay, the food has been gathered and placed in sacks." Crito said, going back to work at the inn.

Ferazel said that this was enough food and other supplies until they got to Pnyx, and began to lead the group there. Brink dropped back behind the group, where the Ronin were. He asked them what they had been doing, and Trinias replied that it was the Ronin's business only.

About halfway to Pnyx, Ferazel suddenly got a strange feeling in the back of his mind. "Everyone, hold up!" he said. He casted Farsight, and noticed a gagged figure hidden halfway behind a tree. Ferazel and Sideline ran over, untying the person. Hadarin! "Thank you," he said, "That Omen thing dragged me away to here." "Ack, so we know it's Omen." Sideline said. Ferazel teleported himself to Land King Hall, as well as the captain of the guard. Sideline walked back to the group, and leaned against a tree. Ferazel teleported back in, and progress continued towards Pnyx.

Finally, they arrived, and Ferazel set up some arrangements with Lindus to have his party stay in the student's dorms, since they were all out on break. Helen escorted each of them to their rooms, and began to escort Ferazel when he told her that he was to go back to talk with Lindus some more.

Sideline was in his assigned quarters, lying on the bed, pondering a few events of the day that had bothered him. There was a quiet knock at the door, and he got up to answer it.

"Brianna!" he exclaimed, seeing the brunette elf standing in the corridor. "I was wondering why you didn't return with -"

He was abruptly interrupted, as Brianna thrust him violently back into the room and against the wall, kicking the door shut behind her. Sideline found himself with a dagger pressed across his throat before he had time to react.

"Brianna? What are you doing?"

"You know who I am," she replied harshly, "so that's a point in your favour; now, quickly, tell me what happened that first night on the trail out from Cademia!"

Sideline gulped at her tone of voice, but he obediantly began to report the events of that night. "Russell was sneaking around the camp, and Katze jumped him; he froze and unfroze her, and her cry woke me up. You and Trinias were already awake and watching, and Trinias warned me not to interfere."

Brianna sighed, and lowered her dagger. "OK; you're you, thank goodness. We weren't sure who we could trust."

"We?" Sideline queried.

Brianna nodded. "I've got something to show you, but could you bring Katze here first?"

He nodded, and disappeared out through the door.

---------------

Brianna lead Katze and Sideline stealthily through the corridors of Pnyx, carefully avoiding any other sign of life. Eventually she halted at a door, and knocked quietly before entering. Sasha, Trinias and Ulf were waiting inside.

"OK, what's going on?" Katze asked impatiently. "What's so secret that you couldn't tell us on the way from Odemia?"

"That's just it," Sasha replied. "We haven't been with you since Landking Hall."

Katze and Sideline both stared at her in shock.

As Ferazel was walking about in Pnyx, looking for the headmaster (for he was not in his normal place; people said he was walking about Pnyx), he very nearly walked right into a door that was being opened.

And Gwydion stepped out.

Gwydion suddenly began speaking. "Oh, dear, I'm terribly sorry...Ferazel! I didn't expect to see -you- so soon! Here, let me tell you what I'm doing here and what I did after the journey to the Air Castle."

"Well, I must see the headmaster soon," replied Ferazel, "but I suppose I could stop for a minute."

"First, I found of this magnificent place, Pnyx, from a man in Cademia," he began. "This man was the judge in Cademia, though I didn't know that at the time. I was practising some of my more developed fire spells (such as causing flame to shoot from the tip of my finger in a thin but powerful stream) when the startled judge saw me. He immediately asked if I was from Pnyx, and I found out about it from there.

"After traveling to Pnyx and speaking to the headmaster, Lindus, for a while, I found he might be able to make a place for me here. So he put me in temporary quarters (these ones) and decided that I would demonstrate my abilities of magic and teaching -- I'll be demonstrating them today for the last time...in fact, I think I'll be seeing the headmaster directly after you."

"Well, how lucky of you to find the judge of Cademia. It seems you're going to have a good life in Cythera."

"Hmm, what brings you to Pnyx, anyways? I thought you were quite developed in your magical prowess."

Ferazel decided he had to see the headmaster now, so he said, "I really have to go now; I don't have time to tell you it all."

Gwydion didn't hesitate in thinking up what Ferazel could do -- "I have to go speak to him, too, so tell me on the way. Oh, yes, I know where the headmaster is, rather than his usual seat in the main hall."

With that, Ferazel explained to Gwydion what brought him to Pnyx and they both nearly crashed into the headmaster as they and the headmaster went around a corner.

Katerei sat on the bed in her dorm, thinking. People had been acting very strangely recently, and odd things were happening- like Hadrian being kidnapped. The Ronin had gone off somewhere on secret business, Russel never spoke to anybody, and it seemed that some people weren't being as friendly as they could be. There was defnitely something going on, and she wanted to find out what.

Getting up from the bed, she pulled her black cloak from her bag and slipped it on. Then she drew out a pair of long navy-blue gloves. They stretched up to above her elbows, and the fingers were half-length. These gloves were great for doing things silently, such as opening doors, and they prevented getting blisters on your hands during battle.

Silently, she opened the door and stepped outside. The hallway was deserted, but footsteps were echoing off the walls of the corridor at the end of the hall. Katerei waited until they faded away, then she crossed the hall and entered a small room.

By studying a map of Pnyx, she had memorized most of the pathways and different routes around the buildings. Knowing your way around was extremely important- it could save your life.

Katerei thought back to the map. The room she was in had a doorway on the other side- she could see it now- and it led out to a long hallway with passages leading off. She knew that Sideline's room was in one of these hallways, and Katze's room was on the other side. The three Ronin had a dorm on the other side of Pnyx, and Ferazel's room was fairly close.

She drew back into the shadows to think. No point in letting herself be seen before she'd found anything out.

But within seconds, somebody came out of one of the hallways and went into another. It was Brianna, and she was going down the hallway where Sideline's room was.

Katerei waited patiently. A door slammed. She listened intently and heard their voices. Sideline sounded surprised; Brianna sounded angry.

Soon, Sideline came into the main hallway and headed in the direction of Katze's room. Brianna was waiting in the shadows. She hadn't seen Katerei.

Sideline and Katze came back soon, and then the elf led both of them in the opposite direction. Raising an eyebrow in suspicion, Katerei followed.

***

After ten minutes or so of walking, they came to a hallway which Katerei realized was where the Ronin's room was. Brianna knocked on the door, and Sasha opened it. Trinias and Ulf were standing behind her.

Brianna, Katze and Sideline stepped into the room and shut the door. Once again, Katerei listened to their voices, crouching down into the shadows. Her black cloak made her almost invisible.

The first few things, she didn't understand, but then she caught one thing that Sasha was saying: "We haven't been with you since Land King Hall."

Katerei narrowed her eyes. She had been right- there was definitely something odd going on.

Katerei turned away from the door, the sounds inside indicating the meeting was almost over. She hurried along the corrider to her quarters, hoping ferazel was almost done talking to the headmaster. As she rounded a corner, she bumped into another man, holding several scrolls and muttering to himself. The man fell and the scrolls went flying. He turned to look up at her, and she took a quick moment to study him.

He was tall, a match for most of the group, and dressed in armor that caused Katerei to assume he was a guard of something. A big white-gold cross was emblazoned on his breast plate, but the once-shiny and well-cared for armor was dented, smudged, and looked like it had been stored away in a cellar for years. The man's face was handsomely crafted, he had black hair and a defined jawline. Katerei did notice deep circles under his eyes, this human had not slept much recently.

"I'm sorry..." she began.

"Its quite all right." he replied hastily. With a glance at her, and at all the now filled rooms in the hall he asked, "Is there some type of quest going on? That's an awful lot of visitors." He smiled. "Who should I ask?"

"Excuse me, what do you mean?" Katerei was now completely confused.

"Who should I ask? I wish to join your quest, I've been here far too long the mages tell me. Besides, I need to take a break from my research, I haven't found anything useful relating to these prophecies."

Katerei had many questions after she told him briefly about Ferazel, but she decided to ask for his name first.

"I am called...Trundaylan." he replied.

------------------

Harper meanwhile had been wandering around Pnyx, looking at some books. He wondered down into the dining hall and stared at a small game of gambling going on at the center table. He was tempted, but not sure. However, his mind was made up when the student that was winning called out "What are you looking at, baldy? Too scared to take a toss?" Harper kept an impassive face, even though he had wanted an invitation. "50 oboloi per shot kid." "You can back that up?" said the student skeptically. Harper grinned and pulled out a stuffed purse. "Okay old man. Your in." Several rounds proceded. First the kid pulled ahead, winning by 200 oboloi. Then Harper caught up and started winning. Soon they were tied again. The "kid" spoke "Okay old man, your an okay player. One more toss, winner takes all" Harper nodded and he tossed the dice, his mind numb and the dice slowly bonced and flipped and came out a four. The student rolled. A……four! Harper poured all the coins into his purse. A good thing he had won, as he had been gambling with Brinks budget! The student looked shocked that he had lossed. "How did you win?" said the student, awe in his voice. "I had set the dice" the student continued. "Math is my guide and Brink was my trainer" With that, Harper withdrew to his room.

Ferazel, done talking to Lindus, walked back to his dorm. He found Gwydion, and told him to go to his dorm and get some rest. At his dorm, he saw Katerei and Trundaylan standing right outside his door. "Hey Katerei, Trundaylan. Trund, you need a dorm?" Ferazel said, half-sleepily. "No, I have my own room here." Trundaylan said. Katerei wandered back to her room, and Ferazel said, "Okay, it's wise to get some rest, we're leaving early tomorrow." Trundaylan left for his room, and Ferazel went to his room to get some sleep. Later, the Ronin all got back to their rooms, and everyone was asleep.

In the morning, Ferazel woke up first, at about 5 AM. Yawning and streaching, he scratched under Callie's chin. He went to the kitchens, and they were already open. Helen cooked up enough food for everyone, and Ferazel, using yet another of his spells, telepathically sent a message to everyone to get up and come to Study Hall. Groggily, everyone showed up, one by one.

"Good morning, everyone." Ferazel said, "Now that everyone's awake, I have several things to tell you all. First, Lindus has given me a new spell -" "Great, another way to kill himself.." Trinias whispered to Sasha. "- that will help me track the Crolona. It gives off a specific energy signature, and this spell finds out how close those signatures are from the castor. Using this spell, I have found that the first shard -- or the closest -- is located beneath Abydos. We are now going to depart to there."

Katerei looked around the group absently, while Ferazel began his speech. Brianna had officially rejoined them, it seemed, although no-one had commented on her brief absence.

Hearing Trinias' sarcastic remark, she chuckled and looked over at the Ronin. That certainly sounded like something he would say; but were they the real Ronin, or the substitutes? She noted that Brianna, Sideline and Katze had spaced themselves out evenly, with the Ronin positioned in the centre of an imaginary triangle. She surmised they were keeping them under discrete surveillance.

"They must be the imposters, after all," Katerei thought to herself. For now, she concluded, it would be best to keep her own counsel.

------------------

After the meeting, Brianna made her way to the same room the Ronin had been in the previous night. As before, she knocked quietly before entering. Also as before, the Ronin were waiting - but this time, Lindus was with them.

"Heard of a place called 'Abydos'?" she asked. The Ronin nodded. "That's our next stop."

"Very well," Sasha said. "We'll follow at a discrete distance, but close enough to catch up quickly should you need us. It'll be up to you, Katze and Sideline to keep a watch on whatever it is that's replaced us."

"I feel most uncomfortable, not telling Ferazel about any of this," Lindus muttered.

"He was the one that brought the imposters back to the group," Trinias explained, patiently. "We don't even know if that really is Ferazel. It probably is, in which case he's been as fooled as all the rest; but we can't take that chance."

"I suppose not, no," Lindus conceded. "It was fortunate, I suppose, that the four of you arrived here first - and that whoever it is didn't know about Brianna in advance, or they may have duplicated her, too!"

Brianna nodded, grinning. "It's just as well that I'm too new here to be very well known!"

"Not to mention that avid sense of curiosity your 'honoured ancestor' has instilled in you," Sasha added, dryly. "Well, you'd better return to the group; you'll be leaving soon. I promise, we'll never be too far behind." She put a hand on Brianna's shoulder, and gave it a squeeze. "We look after our friends."

------------------

Brianna quickly made her way back to her quarters to pack, replaying Sasha's parting comment over and over in her mind.

Friends.

She liked the sound of that word. She and her grandfather had always moved around a great deal, too much and too often for her to really make any connections with people; in her entire life, no-one had ever called her 'friend' before.

It was a very nice feeling.

------------------
I came, I saw, I wrote the travelguide!

Katze entered her room, hoping to pack up what little she had unpacked so she could get an early start for the morning. She took three steps in the room, closed the door, and came to a dead stop. Something here was wrong, her instincts warned her to run, that this place was unsafe. Katze drew her dagger and turned back to the door, only to be grabbed roughly from behind, and have a dagger placed against her neck.

"Make one noise and I slit your throat." A gruff voice whispered to her. She realized it would be futile to resist, and stopped struggling. "I really am sorry it had to come to this, but its necessary!"

It wasn't until breakfast that Sideline noticed Katze was missing. A quick search of her room revealed all her belongings were gone as well.

Sideline inspected Katze's room carefully, growing rather worried. With everything that was going on, he knew she wouldn't have left willingly, not without telling him or the Ronin. He left the room and made some discreet enquiries; The results were fairly conclusive.

"Hergat," he growled. Since there was no point snatching Katze without also doing something about him, there could only be one reason for it: it was the first move in a campaign to get to Flynn.

There was no chance of trailing Hergat now; all he could do was inform the Ronin.

The Ronin, Sideline, Brianna and Lindus were once again holding a council of war.

"A kidnapping! Here, in Pnyx? Whatever is the world coming too?" Lindus wailed.

"Someone has to go and warn Flynn and the other Ronin," Trinias said.

"I'll go," Sideline put in quickly. "As much as I hate to leave you short handed here, my main concern is Katze. I want to be wherever Flynn is, when Hergat makes his move."

Sasha nodded. "We understand. We'll need someone to take your place - Katze's as well. Now, who can we trust?"

"Katerei," Trinias said after a moment. "We can quiz her on the trip back through time, there's enough that went on there that no-one else knows about."

"Right. Who else?"

"Velcarn," Ulf firmly and unexpectedly stated.

"Velcarn? Are you sure?"

"Yes." He held up the Friendsooth amulet. "Tested on him; still friend."

Sasha sighed. "Well, that's a relief. Brianna, could you bring them both here? We'll get Sideline on his way." Brianna nodded, and swiftly departed.

Sasha sat down and wrote a short note. "Give this to Wolmark; he'll take it from there."

Lindus opened a portal to the tavern, and Sideline stepped through.

-----------------

Kwon looked up as a portal began to form in the tavern. Sideline stepped out, looked around to get his bearings, then approached the Ronin's table.

"There's been some trouble," he said, as he sat down. He handed the note to Wolmark, whose eyes widened as he read.

"There's no time to lose," he stated, standing abruptly. Sideline, Leandra and Kwon folowed suit, and the four of them left the tavern. They made a short stop at the barracks for their gear, then teleported to Landsend Volcano.

-----------------

Sasha explained the situation to Katerei and Velcarn. Katerei just nodded, as if she'd already known; Velcarn took things a little harder.

"When you people go on adventures, you don't do it by halves, do you!" he said, as he lowered himself weakly into a chair. "All right, I'll try to help any way I can."

"We mainly just need you to unobtrusively observe the imposters," Sasha commented. "In a way, you're in the best position of all of us to do that - we've only shared one other adventure, and no-one's likely to associate you with us too much."

"We'll do what we can," Katerei said, "but I think you should let Ferazel know."

Trinias sighed, and once more explained their doubts about whether or not Ferazel was really Ferazel.

Katerei looked sceptical. "I don't believe it for a moment; but I'll abide by your wishes for now."

"Thank you both," Sasha addressed the two new conspirators as they stood up to leave, escorted by Brianna. "I hope this situation doesn't drag out too much longer. Once we know who and what these creatures are, we should know how to act. Until then, be very careful."

Ferazel suddenly teleported in, stopping the conversation very quickly. "Wondering if I'm an imposter or not, eh?" he said, voice and temper rising, "I am myself, and that's not an imposter." Suddenly, he dropeed to his knees, holding his head and struggling with himself. "No....you're an imposter....Omen..." He got up, calm again. "No, you are the imposter. Leave this being!" He fell down, struggling again. "No...Omen....don't do this to...me." He got up again. "If that's truely what you want." A dark form flew out of Ferazel's body, quivering on the floor. The dark form flew up, twirled around, and materialized in to a body. The Undine that was Omen.

Omen faded away with a loud peel of laughter. Everyone stared at Ferazel's prone form in shock.

Trinias finally broke the silence. "Well, that answers that question," he commented, drily.

"I suppose someone should check to see if the other imposters have also gone. I'll do that, if you like," Brianna offered.

Sasha nodded. "Yes, if you would."

Brianna was back in a short while, shaking her head. "They're still there, but I guess we should expect this 'Omen' to warn them that their deception is known. What should we do until then?"

Sasha shook her head, perplexed. "Keep watching, I suppose. What else is there?" She pondered a while, before continuing. "You should probably get the rest of the group together; explain about Sideline and Katze, and let them know that Ferazel will be out of action for a bit. Take a vote - should you continue, or wait for Ferazel to recover? If it's decided to press on for Abydos, we'll keep Ferazel with us; the other imposters could probably tell that Omen's left him, if we let them get too close."

-------------

"So, that's the situation," Brianna reported to the assembled group - Katerei, Velcarn, Gwydion, Harper and the fake Ronin (and any others - I've lost track). "What's the vote? Should we wait, or press on for Abydos?"

Harper spoke up "We should continue on our way. It will do no good to stay here and wait. Look what happened in such a short amount of time! Omen had power again and we are all targets. It will do us and Ferazel no good to stay. We would be sitting ducks!(Er, do they have ducks in Cythera? ) Anyway, that is my say" Harper sat down, amid stares from the rest, as if to see if Omen was possessing him or not. Harper sighed, knowing that they were perfectly right in doing so. Why had he come on this quest anyway? All he had done so far was sleep on rock hard ground( Or was he just sleeping on a rock?) , haggle over the prices for supplies,(That is if you call shouting and yelling "Ye are uncouth!" haggling) wandered around Pnyx,(If you call looking for a bathroom at 12 AM without a torch wandering) gambling with all of Brink profits,(If you call switching the dice with a pair of his own gambling) and losing what ever hair he had left.( He KNEW he should have gotten that toupee)

"I also vote to go on," Brianna added, nodding at Harper. "I think this task is too imortant to delay."

"We think we should continue, too," the pseudo-Sasha put in. Brianna exchanged lightning glances with Katerei and Velcarn; this wasn't entirely unexpected.

"Does anyone else think differently?" she asked aloud, then waited for a response.

Gwydion quickly raised his hand -- he had to go on a quest to become a teacher at Pnyx, anyways.

'If we delay...well...you've all seen how powerful Omen is. Considering that he's gotten to ferazel all ready, as Harper said, we'd be sitting ducks,' he said. 'Also,' he added with a smile, 'I have to go on a quest before I can become a teacher at Pnyx.'

His smile, however, was unwelcome at this time.

Katerei kneeled on the floor and looked at Ferazel. He seemed more or less okay, but she wasn't sure having only minor training in healing. She bit her lip and turned to the rest of the group.

"Well, normally I'd say stay here- I'd expect a place like Pnyx to be fairly safe. But I'm not so sure about that now that Katze has been kidnapped, and you're right. There's nothing else we can do here. Besides, even if I said stay I would be outnumbered."

Katerei stood up again and brushed the dust off her dress. She sighed heavily as if she was exhausted, but her eyes flashed angrily. "All that's happened is very strange and complicated. But that doesn't matter. We're going to get to the bottom of this, and nobody is going to die. Who's with me?"

"Might as well make it unanimous, I guess," Velcarn said, and then fell silent again. The decision made, the small group started making preparations to depart.

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Lindus stood in the gate of Pnyx, watching the small band disappear southward toward the ruins of Abydos. As they vanished from sight, he stepped back inside and made his way to the room occupied by the genuine Ronin.

He examined the litter Trinias had rigged up to carry Ferazel, then looked up at Ulf, appraisingly. The giant should have no trouble pulling it, he concluded.

"They've gone," he reported. "I certainly hope you know what you're doing!"

"So do I," Sasha sighed.

The (rather small) group walked for most of the day in the direction of Abydos. When the sun began to set, they searched for a good place to set up camp. Finally they settled on a small meadow situated next to a forest.

Brianna looked around as everyone began setting up their tents. "It feels kind of odd around here...I don't know why."

Velcarn looked up. "Odd? What sort of odd?"

Brianna shrugged. "Like I said, I don't really know. Kind of like we're being watched, I guess."

"It does feel that way, doesn't it?" Katerei said. "Don't worry about it, though. We'll post lookouts through the night."

"Alright, then," Brianna said, but she couldn't help giving a small shudder.

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