Morning comes like it has done so many times before. The voices
of children laughing and playing echo in the castles courtyard. Some
singing from the church can also be heard as the clerics get ready for
Holy Week. The skys have the puffy clouds hanging in it like cotton
balls on a still lake. The air is cool and the smells of breakfast can
be potently smelt all about. This is a great day for all.
       Fox wakes up and looks to see that the sun does shine in here and
he sits up. He wakes up just in time to see a guard finishing up is duty
on the female across the way. Fox shakes his head in disbelief that
stuff like this happends. The guard pulls up his breeches and kisses her
on the cheek. "Thanks doll... I needed that."
       He closes the door and locks and then turns towards Fox. "You
know if you were female I'd try you too. Not many fuzzies have fur as
soft as yours. I was a little disapointed that you were male. I would
have tried ya anyway but I heard what ya did to the Captian." The guard
says as he leaves Fox's view.
       "That guy is extremely sick. I guess its a damn good thing I was
sleeping lightly last night." Fox says to himself.
       A crack of the door can be heard along with chains. Fox knew what
this meant. It must be time to go see the king and plead my case. Fox
had ideas about a trial and knew that most who eneter a trial usually
recieve the sentence they were put there to recieve. -Well atleast I'll
die during the morning.- Fox thinks.
       "Morning sunshine." a guard says to Fox as he opens Fox's cell.
"I came bearing gifts. I hope you won't react like the last person we
stuck this on."
       "I have seen these on people who were about to die. I know there
is no use struggling."
       "Good. Then please stand." A neck collar is put around his neck.
shackels attached to his wrists and ankels were next. Finally a chain
the went through each shackle and the collar tied him up and restricted
movement and put his hands behind his back.
       "You know with someone who brutally murdered a captian of the
guard you sure are easy to tie up."
       Fox gives a halfhearted chuckle. "Brutally. Wonder who told you
that story."
       The guard picks up Fox, "Damn you are light." He puts Fox back on
the ground when they stop going up stairs. There is one more door that
leads outside.
       "Must I be paraded through the courtyard?"
       "Aye. Gots to shows them kiddies what happens to the evils of de
lands." The guard replies.
       "Cruel society."
       The guard opens the door and people fall silent and look in the
direction of Fox. People recognizing Fox seemed to be amazed that he was
on such a violent trial. Stories have already flung through the area on
the herocy of Fox or the evilness that his kind brings to Lakesdale.
       Fox is lead to a huge hall which is filled to the brim of all
races. Most of the people are cheering Fox but some throw cabbage and
lettuce at him. Fox looks at the crowd and sees other 'morphs in the
crowd. He know if he is to be destroyed his kind will not be welcomed
any longer in this city.
       "Shakith o-zure!" (translated, Good luck my son) A female wolf shouts
to Fox.
      Fox looks in her directions and sees the purple feath atop of her
hat. -The Purple Rise.- Fox thinks. Fox does not respond by voice but
nods at her.
       The crowd quiets as the king enters the room and looks at a
parchment. Then he looks up to see whom is on trial and Fox is pushed
forward. The king looks in shock to see it is his young adventurer.
       "Fox? This can't be." The king says
       "I am truely sorry it ended up like this my liege. It was an
unfortunate accident." Fox says.
       "Shut up fuzzy." A guard yells to fox and smacks him on the face.
       "You know that this court will not favour you even though our
paths are strong. This trial is up to the people."
       Fox seemed to feel relieved that this court is most different
from the rest of the courts he has been to. He looks at the crowd who is
now silent. Then he looks up at the ceiling then back to the king who is
charging Fox with murder in the highest degree.
       ".... Fox McKloud how do you plea?"
       "Innocent in cold blood killing but guilty in self defence."
       The crowd mummbles at the reponce. A tapping of a gavel on a
wooden block tries to silents the crowd. "Order." The king looks at Fox
who stands tied up with a guard at his side. "Interesting plea."
       "Kill that bastard! He killed my husband!!" a voice cat-calls.
       Fox looks at the ground and does not look up. His eyes glance at
a woman who is almost right next to him who shouted the remark.

++++++The trial goes on until late morning / early after noon. a recess
was given and upon the kings return a decision will be given by him and
the crowd. Fox looks a little worse for wear after having to tell his
side of the story along with the cleric who had told his story and a few
other witnesses. Each witness report would be told without the other
witnesses present so their storys couldn't be 'fixed'.++++++
       The snow white dove saw the woman and the cat like creature leave
the room.  From somewhere else in the tower, she felt a surge of magic.
- That feels like it was cast by the person who killed the dragon.  But
it would take forever to find the source of it.  I'd rather find out
what the woman and the cat creature are doing. -  Thinking this, the
unicorn flew into the room, and landed on the floor.  - At least they
left the door open. -  Changing into a small little cat, that was white,
with a sparkle of gold on her whiskers and forehead, she followed them.
       She wasn't sure if they were aware of her, as they went into
another room, by a secret door in a wall, and went through the things in
the room.  Hiding with the dust bunnies under the bed, the unicorn used
the kitten nose to sniff the smells in the room.
       - Who ever is staying in here, smells very earthy.  Yet human.
It's like they are of the children of the earth, but have been living by
the humans their whole life, or most of it.  How interesting.  I wonder
who it is. -  The unicorn thought.  Looking up, she saw that the lady
and her friend were still looking at the things in the room.  She
wondered if they would notice her.  - If that cat like creature has the
smelling abilities of a cat's, then it should pick up my scent, but
among all of this dust, it'd be possible not to.  Maybe it's too wrapped
up with what it's mistress is doing.  How odd.  Just what are they doing
anyways? -  The small kitten gave a small human like sigh, and then gave
a tiny sneeze.  - This castle needs a great many more people cleaning
it. - She thought, and sneezed again.
                              *****
   Illysa awoke with a start. She could have sworn that there had been a
sound. SNAP! Illysa turned in time to see two men rush at her from the
edge of her camp. The men had drawn swords and had a look of murderous
rage on their faces. As they neared she made some quick movements with
her hands and vanished.
   The men stopped dead in there tracks. "Where'd she go?" one asked.
   Before the other man could awnser a gout of flame struck him from
where Illysa had been sitting. As it did she reappeared. The other man
could only stare in horror as it appeared that the flame was errupting
from her hands. The second man screamed and began to roll on the ground
in an attempt to extinguish the flames but they would not go out.
   See his friend turned into a crispy critter was enough for the first
man and he took off running.
   "Think your getting away that easy do you verim!" Illysa shouted.
With another couple of gesters 5 glowing arrows materialized next to
her. When she pointed at the man running the took off flying after him
like a bat out of hell. A second later there was several sickening thuds
and a short gurgling scream as the man fell to the forest floor dead.
   Illysa smiled a wicked smile. "That's only half of what I have
planned for you dear father." she said evilly. With that she gathered
her belongings and headed in the direction of her father.
   Without knowing she was still nearly two weeks walk from Lakesdale.
                              *****
   Coris left the people behind with a laugh.
   "Poor fools probly had no idea that there city had been attacked by
such a rare creature." he thought to himself.
   As he walked Coris saw several inns that looked very average. Then as
he rounded a corner he saw a inn that was stationed on the road to the
castle. It was a large in several stories tall and crafted very well.
With a smile Coris walked inthe front doors.
  The inn was well lit and smelled of ancient leather and wood. The
moment he walked in the inn keeper looked up from his desk. His first
expression was one of disgust at how dirty this man was. Then he looked
down and saw that the vaggrant was tracking soot onto his carpet. He
picked up a bell and rang it. Instantly a rather large man walked out
from a back room. With a look from the inn keeper the man begam to walk
towards Coris with the intent of throwing him out.
   Coris watched as the man approached. A quick smile came across his
face as he thought of how much trouble this big oaf was getting himself
into.  With a flick of his wrist Coris brought out his dagger. The man
seeing the glint of silver froze in his tracks.
   "I want the best room, NOW!"he shouted with anger.
   "I'm sorry sir but it is obvious that a man in your...Monetary
condition could not afford even a small room here, I suugest you go and
sleep off what ever you have drunk beforemy friend here removes you."
the inn keeped said smuggley.
   Coris reached into his belt and threw several dozen gold coins at the
inn keeper who started to collect them quickly. Then Coris spoke, "I
believe that will be enough to get me the BEST room and a bath as well
as a meal right?"
   The inn keeper stampered, "Yyyyyes sir it will." With that he quickly
waved the other man away and handed Coris a key to the largest room
in the inn. "Shall I have a bath readied for you or would you rather
dine first MiLord?" the inn keeper asked.
   "I would like a bath and then your best meal brought to my room."
Coris replied. With that Coris headed off to his room to bathe and eat.
                              *****
   The DracoLich continued on its way to its masters castle. It was
expending several of its spells to get it there faster. When its last
traveling spell was used it found a place to await for its spells to
return. As it waited it could only think of two things. First of that
man who had sent IT, a mighty DracoLich, running home with its tail
stuck between its legs and of its master, Malcolm.
   He would have to see what Malcolm had to say before he decided
whether or not to kill him.   With that the Lich waited.

   As evening fell the DracoLich arose with all of its spells reknewed.
It was now only two days travel by spell and flight from Malcolm's
castle. It planned to get near the castle and then let its spells reknew
themselves and then pay a visit to its master. With that the DracoLich
started towards home again...
                              *****
       Fox wakes up the following morning and looks at the burned out
armour shoppe that sheltered him over the night. He gets up and streches
only to firget the lingering pain in his leg and collapses on the the
ground. Upon his fall he knocks over some metal objects and they fall on
top of him.
       "Ouch! Dammit!" Fox pulls himself off the floor and moves the
metal objects away from him. "Hmmmm... Elven Chain Mail." Fox looks
closely at the chain mail armour that landed on him.
       The mail is a bit dusty but is one of the lightest pieces of
armour one can find and still give protection like regular chain mail.
The craftsmanship on the piece is excellent and Fox dusts off the mail
hoping for a insignia. He turns it around so he can see the front. On
the front there is a symbol of a tree and mountain behind it on the
upper right hand corner.
       "Wonder if it fits." Fox climbs up on a stone table and sits and
tries to put the armour on. "Damn elves could never make a 'morph proper
armour even though we are slender." He chuckles and slides into it.
"I'll be damned. Perfect fit."
       Fox looks at his leg to see that it is covered in dried blood and
dirt. "That's not gonna do, infected no doubt." Fox runs his hand over
the clumped fur. "Blechhh." He wrinkles his nose and grabs a descent
sized stick to use as a walking stick or crutch. "Ahh waterfall." Fox
exits the building and looks outside and cocks his head and hears a
waterfall in the distance. "Bath time."
       Fox heads towards the waterfall sound which is also conviently
located the same direction he has to go to return to Lakesdale. "Well
one thing good about this side of Avalon is the abumdance of clean
water." Fox heads towards the water for his morning bath and to clean
the blood off.
                              *****
Dangling in Moonfox's hair still, one of the Centaur elders noticed
somethng strange in her hair. Asking for Moonfox to stand still a
moment, he plucked it out.
Jeannie dangling now in mid-air, quickly stopped her mirth, and
exclaimed "WHOOPS!" and quickly poofed into smoke and escaped.

She landed a half a moment later in some hairs of someone else!

She also noticed that she was carrying more than just her lamp now. She
had with her a very pretty large diamond ring on her finger, a small bag
of seeds and a bunch of arrows.

*****************************************************************************

The Centaur elder still looking confused didn't notice that his quiver
was empty... and Moonfox hadn't yet noticed that her pouch of seeds were
GONE!
                              *****
 Azrael was sitting in her room, she didn't have much to do today, and
it was Mistrel's day off from the kitchen.  She looked down at her small
friend, -Well Wervil, Q is gone, and we don't know when he will be back,
that fox, Fox, is also gone so I can't follow him.  We've explored all
the tunnels the map of the West Tower showed me, and we can find any of
them in our sleep.
 -I don't know P.a, I'm just tired.  My paw still hurts, and I can't
believe you threw me on that dragon...
 -I'm sorry Werv, but well, I had no other idea of what to do.  You know
I cantdo magic, just parlor tricks like things up my sleeves, and
seeming to disappear but still be in the room...
 -Yea, well I sure wish you could heal my leg.  The Wervil stared up at
his big friend.  He could remember the first time she had found him.  He
had been straving and near death...and only a few weeks old.  Standing
up he crawled slowly to her.
 Azrael looked up as her friend neared her, reaching out she picked him
up and put him next to her on the bed, running her fingers through his
fur.  She looked at him, his head usually reached a little above her
mid-calf, with small pointed ears that seemed to catch everything. His
nose, pushed forward a little, and always twitching.  His deep black
eyes, it seemed he had no pupils, they were all black; barely glistened
in teh dark.
  His body, looking round and fat, but actually composed of muscle, his
legs looking a little funny on him because of their thinness next to his
round body.  The speed he could get up to was amazing, Azrael couldn't
quite figure out how he did that.  His black and white spots, blending
and at times, in some light, he looked almost brown.  It kind of
reminded her of her own hair and how at one minute it seemed blond and
the next dark brown.
  His long slinky tail, looking fuller than it was because of the thick
fur covering his body.  Azrael passed her hands down his legs and lifted
one of his paws,  lightly pushing on the pads, his claws shot out.  It
amazed her on how he could hang on and never hurt her, when he was
riding her.  Usually perfering to walk between her feet, hiding under
her cloak.  She never understood how he got himself to fit there either,
but they had, had several years to practice, she had found him about 8
years ago...and it seemed like yesterday.....
                              *****
       - Her nightmares are getting worse.  Every night, the same
dreams, and she always wakes up shaking and unable to sleep.  If it
weren't for my sleeping spell, she would never be able to get any rest.
I think it will do her good to go on a trip with me, though..  Make her
forget the blackness, and just enjoy being Kat. -
       The ogre's musings were interrupted by a bundle of fur lightly
leaping up to the table.  It stopped and looked at him, with a look of,
"See?  I can too control this!" on its face.  As he watched, the cat sat
on the table, and began to quickly shift into the woman that had
occupied his thoughts.
       "Well, Kat, you are indeed doing much better at your
shape-shifting.  It is a skill that can stand you in very good stead..
Few enemies think to look for small animals, when they have been
fighting a humanoid.  If you keep practicing, you may find that you can
change just parts of you, say your hands into paws, even though the rest
of you stays 'human'."
       "Thank you.  I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.  And I
like it."  Kat said with one of the few smiles she had smiled in the
past several weeks.
       "I'm glad that you aren't bitter.  And you did learn that anti-
magic spell very well.  You almost cast it faster than I do!"  the ogre
said with a grin that made ordinary humans faint or die of seizure.
"However, I think it is time that you and I go on a trip.  I must go and
purchase some vials for that potion I am brewing, and I also need some
Ninphys Root.  I'm almost out.  I will be leaving for the town of
Lakesdale tomorrow."
       "Tomorrow?!  But I'm not ready to see other people yet!"  Panic
is barely checked in the young woman's voice.
       "Yes you are.  And i have something for you, as well."  Reaching
into one of the many small pouches that the ogre has arrayed about his
chest and waist, he removed a small golden circle.
       "A ring?" asked the cat woman, puzzled.
                              *****
       "No, not a ring.  This is an amulet, of sorts."  As the ogre
spoke, he also pulled gently at the sides of the ring of gold.  The
sides steadily expanded, making a larger, yet not thinner, ring of gold.
Soon, it was large enough to slip around Kat's head.
       "A necklace?  But what is it for?"  Kat had no idea.
       "This necklace is magical.  It will stay on you until you remove
it.  No one else can.  It will also change size, as you change from cat
to human and back.  Here, put it on."  Kat was undecided for a minute,
but the kindly look in the ogre's old eyes was what decided her.  Taking
the proferred necklace, she slipped it over her head and let it fall
gently to her shoulders.  It slowly contracted to a comfortable band
around her neck.
       "Now, if you look in the mirror, you will notice a pattern of
small stones on the band, in the front."  Kat climbed off the table and
went to look.  Sure enough, there were two small garnets next to each
other at the top, two small slightly pink crescent-shaped gems that were
set one to each side, curved outward, and there was a small ruby in the
center, just beneath the garnets.  A sliver of glittering diamond was
set horizontally at the bottom.
       "It almost looks like a face.  That's cute!" Kat said, amused at
the silly design.
       "It is?  I never noticed." The ogre's voice issued from the small
face, just as quietly as a cat walks when hunting.  Nevertheless, it
made Kat jump half a span straight up.
       "You talked through it!"  Cat stared at the little face in the
mirror, watching to see if it changed at all when he spoke.  "How did
you do that?!"
       "Easily, my dear," came the normal rumbling of the ogre's voice
from behind her.  "Now come back to the table, and please sit. We have
much to discuss before we leave for the town."
                              *****
       "Achoo!"  The little white kitten, burried in dust bunnies
sneezed.  The dust surrounding her flew in all directions, but the woman
and the cat creature were oblivious to the cloud of dust that blew out
from under the bed.
       They didn't notice the few sneezes the kitten gave, either, as
the woman took the creature and set it on the bed, just above the
unicorn's head.  The unicorn sat their, on her throne of dust, trying to
hear what they were saying.  Silence filled the air, and surrounded her
like walls, until she sneezed again, shattering the fortress of nothing.
- What are they doing?  They seem to be communicating, but they're not
speaking.  Maybe they can speak mind to mind.. but the only ones who can
do that.. are.. well.. a few unicorns have that gift, some of the
sprites and pixies.. but out of humans... wizards.. mages.. witches..
but only with their familiars.. that's it!  This woman must be a witch,
and that creature her familiar.  But what are they doing here, and why
hasn't she noticed me yet? -  The unicorn sighed, and her exhale created
a small dust storm, but not as big as the first few.  - I wonder what
they would do if they saw me... -  The unicorn's thoughts mixed with
those of any ordinary kitten's, and couldn't help but stick her head
out, and take a look at them.  Crawling forward, she put her head out of
the protection of the bed, and looked up ever so slowly to see...
                              *****
 Wervil glanced down as he noticed a small cloud of dust come up from
under the bed, his nose started twitching even faster, his ears
switching from side to side, -Umm, there's something under the bed.
 -Hmm?  Azrael focused back on her small friend.
 -I said there is something under the bed, smells like a cat, but not a
cat.
 -Yes, well there are cats all over this place.  What would a cat be
doing in our room anyways?  They all have and know your scent.
 -Oh, like I know why this one decided to hang around.  But it,  He gave
a sniff of the air,  smells fresh somehow.
 Azrael looked down at the warbel, -Fresh?  How in the world does a cat
smell anything but like a cat?  And how would it smell fresh??
 The warbel gave a small sigh and jumped down on the floor, just as he's
feet hit the floor a small white head peeked out from under the bed.
 -Umm, p.a I don't recognize this cat, and it's a baby.
 Azrael lowered her head and looked down, spotting the small white
kitten she slowly reached down and lifted it up.  It started to scoot
back but then stopped and allowed Azrael to lift it into her arms.
 "Well kitten, what are you doing in here, Hmmm?"  Smiling at the small
cat she continued, "Well welcome to my room, my name is Azrael, and this
is my friend Wervil.  You must not be scared of him, he is a warbel, and
as much as he likes meat, i think you may be to thin for him."
 Azrael grew quiet after introducing them to the cat, glancing at
Wervil, -Well what should we do with it?? I suppose I could take it to
the kitchen or barn??
                              *****
       -This is so beautiful! The trees, the grass, the sun. It all
looks familiar, as if I have been here before.- Cat wanders behind her
master, the ogre mage.

       Suddenly something catches her eyes. She hears him saying
something, but all she can think of is, -Butterfly! I'll get you!-
Quickly shifting to a more cat-like state, she runs after it jumping
occasionally to try and bring it down. -Got to get it. It can't get
away.-

       The trees whiz by and soon she is hopelessly lost in the forest
or at least she would be if she stopped. Then the butterfly gets away
and Cat stops. She finds herself in a small clearing right next to a
small lake. She shifts to a more human shape and starts drinking up the
water.

       A finger touches her on her shoulder. She reflexively jumps as
high an as far away as she can. On her way down she enters a tree and
grabs a branch. She scrambles to gain her balance and then looks
down. She is high in the tree.
                              *****
       Cat looks around from her perch. She can see the lake but not her
attacker. She quickly says the one spell she knows, hopeing that it will
save her. She looks down and fear runs down her spine. -Yikes! I'm high
up!- She tries to get to the nearest lower branch, but it just to far
away for her fear-filled limbs.

       Then a familiar face appears below her. Her master! "I'm sorry,
master, I thought you were attacking me."

       His gentle laugh vibrates the tree. Cat's claws emerge and grab
the tree all the tighter. "Come down, Cat."

       "I can't! I'm afraid!" She looks at herself, for that is where he
is looking. She sees nothing unusual, just her night-like flesh and black
fur.
                              *****
       Morgian enters her room with her treasure. It is a rock about 5-6
inches long and about 3 inches tall and an inch thick. -If it was that
easy to get, why hasn't someone gotten it already?- She thinks about her
quest to get the stone.

       First, she found "The hidden cave" without any trouble. It was
sitting there in plain sight with a invisibility spell on it. But that
was easily bypassed.

       Then there was the projectiles. A simple shield and levitate
spells rendered them harmless and the pit as well. The falling rocks and
the pool of acid, she just flew through. The other obstacles were just
as useless.

       She came to the altar and almost didn't find the stone. But then
she got it and got out. No problem. She went back to the castle, and
here she is.

       Then Malcolm voice reaches her, "Morgian, are you there?" She
replies an affirmative. He continues, "What did you do with the virgin's
body?"
                              *****
       After sending off the messenger, Mordoc went back into the room
with Malcolm. After a few days of studying with very few new
possibilities, Malcolm looks up at Mordoc with fire in his eyes.

       "Mordoc, what did you do with the virgin?"

       "After the spell?"

       "Yeah."

       "Nothing, why?"

       "Hmmmm," he says to himself and then outloud to a nearby door,
"Morgain, are you there?"

       "Yes."

       "What did you do with the virgin's body?" Morgian comes in
looking concerned.

       "Nothing, why do you ask?"

       "Because if I didn't do anything with it, and niether of you two
did, then we have a real stinking body out there. Who's going to clean
it up?"
                              *****
       All three rush out to the balcony where the spell was attempted.
Looking at the tilted table, they find that the woman's body is gone,
and has been for a while.

       "Malcolm, where's the body?"

       "I'm not sure, you two don't know?"

       "Nope." Morgian and Mordoc answer in unison.

       "Hmmmm, I wonder what happened," then inspiration hits him, "I
bet it's that stupid ogre! I bet he did it to spite me. I'm going to get
him for that!"

       "But he beat you last time you messed with him."

       "And he's stronger than you."

       "I'll think of something. Maybe the element of surprise may aid
me here." The three go back inside.
                              *****
       - Uh oh.  Hide, hide, hide, hide! - The unicorn/kitten tried to
scoot back underneath the bed, but the woman grabed her and picked her
up.
       "Well kitten, what are you doing in here, hmmmmm?"  The woman
asked, and smiled at her.  "Welcome to my room, my name is Azrael, and
this is my friend Wervil.  You must not be scared of him, he is a
warbel, and as much as he likes meat, I think you may be too thin for
him."  Azrael fell silent, and the unicorn figured she was wondering
what she should do with her.
       - Should I reveil myself, or stay as a kitten? - The unicorn
wondered.  - Do I trust her?  I don't even know her... - but something
inside of the unicorn, a little voice pointed out - You can take care of
yourself, and your quest won't get any farther along if you don't take a
risk here and there.. go for it. -
       Taking a deep breath, she spoke.  "Hello, Azrael."  She greeted.
       Azrael didn't scream, but her eyes widened, and her grip loosened
on the unicorn.  "You.. can speak?"  She gasped.
       "Yes, I can."  Squirming out of Azrael's grasp, the unicorn
landed on the floor lightly.  Concentraiting, she changed into herself,
a unicorn as white as snow, with a gold horn that glittered as if it
were the shadow of the sun.  Hearing Azrael's quick intake of air, she
looked at her, from her own shape.
       "You're.. you're.. a.. "
       "Unicorn."  The unicorn finished for her.
       "But.. umm.. " Azrael took another breath of air, and then sat
down on the bed.  "What do they call you?"
       The unicorn sighed.  - I guess I should tell her.. -  Opening her
mouth, she explained to Azrael about her quest for her name, and about
all that had happened up to the present.  Studing Azrael's face after
she was finished, the unicorn could see that she was absorbing all of
the things that she had just told her.
       "So, you can look like a human then?"  Azrael asked.  Satisfied,
when the unicorn changed into her previous human shape.  "If you wish to
go around the castle, you should have a name that one could call you."
Looking out of her window, she saw the night starting to creep in.  The
day had passed quickly.  "Well, it is almost evening, I should show you
a room where you can stay to sleep.  We can talk more in the morning."
       "Evening?"  Said the unicorn, trying out that word.  It flowed
over her human tounge.  "That's a word for night, isn't it?"  When
Azrael nodded, the unicorn said the word again.  "Evening.  I like that
word."
       After the unicorn said that, Azrael had an idea.
                              *****
       "Since you like that name so much, how about if we call you
'Eve' ?"  Azrael suggested.
       Thinking about it, the unicorn desided she liked that.  "I
wouldn't want it for my name, but it would do for now."
       "Well then, Eve, shall I show you a room?"  Azrael asked.
       Eve nodded, and followed Azrael.
***
       Once Eve had found her room, and knew the way to Azrael's room,
they talked a bit.
       "Tomorrow, we can talk a bit more, and I can show you a bit of
the castle, maybe.. are you hungry?"  Eve shook her head, and Azrael
continued on.  "Okay.. well, I guess I should let you rest, you've had
quite a day."  Azrael got up, ready to leave, and was almost out of the
door, when Eve's voice stopped her.
       "Azrael.. my name is short for Evening, but what does your name
mean?  Azrael."  Eve said the name again, just to listen to the sound of
it.  To her surprise, Azrael smiled, as if lost in memory, and opened
her mouth to explain.
                              *****
       moonfox started to follow Aoramon out the door, when jonia stoped
her..
       "wait... you have somthing in your hair....." moonfox looked at
him.. and let him pull itout... whatever it was... she caught a glimps
of somthing humanlike... but very tiny.. before she heard a tiny voice
say "whoops" and then it was gone....
       "did you see it? what was it?" moonfox looked at jonia he just
shrugged his shoulders.
       "there are many strange unknown creatures in this world... I
suppose it can be considered one of them." and he turned and walked off.
       moonfox looked at Aoramon and Bushy and saw that they didn't even
slow down... so she rushed to catch up to them, shrugging off the
incedent.
       As moonfox and Bushy followed aoramon through the town... they
got a lot of looks.... I princess and a walking, talking, breathing,
thinking bush in the shape of a centaur... moonfox wondered what on
earth people would thing of her small little group if they just happened
upon them out in the middle of nowhere.
       "princess?" Aoramon was standing in front of her looking down...
       "are you alright?"
moonfox just nodded and looked around. she found herself standing in a
huge building.
       "yea, yes... I'm fine" moonfox said... realizing that she had
alowed herself to daydream again... when she does that she just
compleatly forgets the real world, but somhow still functions there...
       "this is where you may stay while you are visiting us." and he
opened a door into a huge library in the corner was a small room... she
walked over and opened it, and there was a small bed and bath.
       This is perfict! and she went to throw her belonings on the bed,
starting to get in a panic she started patting her whole body down..
       "where are they!?! where did they go?!?!" and she started looking
around the room on the floor... she pushed her way past them and started
retracing the steps that they took.
       "what are you looking for?" aoramon asked concerned.
       "my seeds. my little bag of seeds I had them before I went in the
arena, now they are gone!"
        she started looking all over the place, she was bound and
determined to find them before nightfall... she was just glad that she
had a small emergency supply stashed away, but the bag that she seemed
to have lost had all of the good seeds in it.
       so bushy looked, and so did aoramon.... but to her great
dissapaointment, they found nothing....
                              *****
 Azrael stood in front of the door, ready to leave when Eve's voice
stopped her, "Azrael, my name is short of Evening; but what does your
name mean?  Azrael."
 A smile crossed her face as she recalled the day she had first seen the
name.  She had been researching something else for her Masters and her
many tasks, it had proven to be one of her best abilities, finding what
somebody is looking for -whether written word or object.  She had come
across a story about an angel.
 At first the story hadn't stood out from any other story about angels
she had read, but this angel was the angel of death, and in one religion
it traditionaly took the soul from the body.  It never explained what
the angel did with the souls, but the name had stuck.
  She had brought it up with Master Grolic, and he hadn't said much of
anything, he hardly seemed to hear her.  However, the day of her
nameing, he had seemed taken aback at her choice, considering her main
area of expertise was research and finding.
  Azrael looked up at the young lady standing in front of her, "Well my
name is the name of the Angel of Death in a religion I know of.  It
traditionally takes the soul from the body at the moment of death."
 Eve just looked at the young lady standing in front of her, "Does that
mean you kill people?"
 Azrael looked at Eve, "Of course, but I do not have the power to take
their soul, but I do take their life; when and if necessary.
Goodnight."  Azrael closed the door behind her and headed back to her
room.  -Well I wonder when that fox is getting back??  And I wonder how
Q is doing??
                              *****
       Fox eventually limps to the area where he can see the waterfall
and a river flowing. He gets to the edge of the water and sits down
dangling his legs in the cool water. Then slowly he takes off his tunic
and sticks it in his backpack. Then very carefully takes off the rest of
his clothes, with the leg still hurting. He slides into the water and
feels his injured leg almost stiffen up totally from the cold water.
Reaching up to his pack he produces a small vial of thick liquid and
drinks it.
       After about an hour or so Fox decides that it is time to go so he
gets out of the water and shakes excees water from his body, kind of
like a dog does. Then he produces another vial from his pack greenish
white pastelike and puts it on his injury. Hissing almost to scream Fox
flinches as if the ointment is extremely painful. Then he puts his tunic
on and produces a new set of breeches and puts those on. He folds the
other pair and shoves it in the pack.
       He looks down the river and begins the long journey back to
Lakesdale. Watching the canopy's shadow move as the day grows long he
decides that this pace would take him forever to get back so he
shapeshifts and bolts to the city as fast as he could. By nightfall he
can see the torches and lights in the widows of homes of Lakesdale. He
shapeshifts back to normal and decides that this would be better.
       On the same path he was before he ever enetered Lakesdale it
feels to him like deja vu but only at night. It takes him until midnight
to reach the city gates. Diferent guards are there and Fox is in no mood
to chat at this time. He walks on through showing the key to a guard and
heads into towne unstopped.
       "well, well, well... look what the cat drug in." A voice from
behind Fox says.
       Fox spins around, "I am not in the Dartanian."
       "Do I look like I am concered about your pitiful needs fuzzy?"
       Fox rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
       "I owe you a little something."
       Before Fox could even think about reacting in his condition a
sharp pain in his injured legs starts. A metal pole met his leg and that
cause him to collapse to the ground. Fox trying to scuttle up but the
excruciating pain lingered in his leg like touching a bone to a hot
iron. A crowd forms.
       "What's the matter fuzzy? Does it hurt?"
       Fox now hurting as bad as he could imagine focuses on Dartainian
and leaps at him shoving his right hand in the humans throat and pulls
out his voice box. "No human fox has your tongue." Fox shows a gleem of
evil in his eyes as Dartainian throws him off and reaches at his throat,
gasping for air, then finally dies.
                              *****
       A hush falls about the crowd that formed and an elven cleric
approaches Fox. He looks at him in disbelief for he saw Fox's first
confrontaion with Dartanian and couldn't believe that this was the
outcome of a second. Seeing that Fox is in extreme pain the cleric puts
his hands on Fox's leg and mummbles an incantation.
       "The pain will subside." The cleric says.
       "Thank you friend." Fox looks at the dead body of Dartanian.
       "What you did was wrong even though some would call it
justified."
       "What do you mean?"
       Helping Fox up the cleric continues, "He would take from the
church to pay for his tabs. Rape the virgins on a Holy Day."
       "Ya well when the city guards ever get here I doubt they will
care."
       Just as Fox says that the guards look at their dead Captian and
demand to know who did this and fingers point at Fox. The two guards
take Fox and put him in custody by roping his hands behing his back and
sticking him on a horse. The crowd boos at the guards for doing this.
       "ENOUGH! Go back to your things, he has commited a crime and we
will see him put through." A guard shouts at the crowd.
       The two guards and Fox head towards the castle on horseback.
Halfway there Fox decides that with his arms behind him is uncomfortable
so he frees himself. The guard behind him watches Fox intensly on how he
got out of the ropes. "Good job Marcus." The guard mumbles. "It's a good
thing he seems to be coming quietly."
       They arrive in the castles court and Fox slides off the horse and
follows the guard down a corridor. A long set of steps go down and Fox
just stares at them then looks at his leg. Slowly Fox makes his way down
then quickly realizes that the pain is gone and his leg feels fine.
       The sound of dripping water echoes here. The guard opens a heavy
oak door and there is a musky damp smell the eminates from the room. Fox
crunges his nose for the smell to him is potent. He is lead through the
dungeon and is stopped infront of a cell.
       "This is yours until morning. After the king goes through his
daily public hearing you will be brought up on charges of murder or if
the king says it was self defence. Have a pleasant night." The guard
says as he locks up Fox and laughs his way out.
       Fox looks at the cell and sits on the wooden plank bed/table and
stares out the cell to the one across him. He can see a female figure in
there but he sees that she is shacked standing up. He stands and gets
closer to the door to get a better look. The woman is naked and bleeds
out of the mouth. -Wonder how many times the guards here had their way
with that human.- Fox ponders to himself and goes back to the bed and
lays down. He can hear some of the things happening outside the cell and
he soon falls asleep.
       The snow white dove saw the woman and the cat like creature leave
the room.  From somewhere else in the tower, she felt a surge of magic.
- That feels like it was cast by the person who killed the dragon.  But
it would take forever to find the source of it.  I'd rather find out
what the woman and the cat creature are doing. -  Thinking this, the
unicorn flew into the room, and landed on the floor.  - At least they
left the door open. -  Changing into a small little cat, that was white,
with a sparkle of gold on her whiskers and forehead, she followed them.
       She wasn't sure if they were aware of her, as they went into
another room, by a secret door in a wall, and went through the things in
the room.  Hiding with the dust bunnies under the bed, the unicorn used
the kitten nose to sniff the smells in the room.
       - Who ever is staying in here, smells very earthy.  Yet human.
It's like they are of the children of the earth, but have been living by
the humans their whole life, or most of it.  How interesting.  I wonder
who it is. -  The unicorn thought.  Looking up, she saw that the lady
and her friend were still looking at the things in the room.  She
wondered if they would notice her.  - If that cat like creature has the
smelling abilities of a cat's, then it should pick up my scent, but
among all of this dust, it'd be possible not to.  Maybe it's too wrapped
up with what it's mistress is doing.  How odd.  Just what are they doing
anyways? -  The small kitten gave a small human like sigh, and then gave
a tiny sneeze.  - This castle needs a great many more people cleaning
it. - She thought, and sneezed again.
                              *****
   Illysa awoke with a start. She could have sworn that there had been a
sound. SNAP! Illysa turned in time to see two men rush at her from the
edge of her camp. The men had drawn swords and had a look of murderous
rage on their faces. As they neared she made some quick movements with
her hands and vanished.
   The men stopped dead in there tracks. "Where'd she go?" one asked.
   Before the other man could awnser a gout of flame struck him from
where Illysa had been sitting. As it did she reappeared. The other man
could only stare in horror as it appeared that the flame was errupting
from her hands. The second man screamed and began to roll on the ground
in an attempt to extinguish the flames but they would not go out.
   See his friend turned into a crispy critter was enough for the first
man and he took off running.
   "Think your getting away that easy do you verim!" Illysa shouted.
With another couple of gesters 5 glowing arrows materialized next to
her. When she pointed at the man running the took off flying after him
like a bat out of hell. A second later there was several sickening thuds
and a short gurgling scream as the man fell to the forest floor dead.
   Illysa smiled a wicked smile. "That's only half of what I have
planned for you dear father." she said evilly. With that she gathered
her belongings and headed in the direction of her father.
   Without knowing she was still nearly two weeks walk from Lakesdale.
                              *****
   Coris left the people behind with a laugh.
   "Poor fools probly had no idea that there city had been attacked by
such a rare creature." he thought to himself.
   As he walked Coris saw several inns that looked very average. Then as
he rounded a corner he saw a inn that was stationed on the road to the
castle. It was a large in several stories tall and crafted very well.
With a smile Coris walked inthe front doors.
  The inn was well lit and smelled of ancient leather and wood. The
moment he walked in the inn keeper looked up from his desk. His first
expression was one of disgust at how dirty this man was. Then he looked
down and saw that the vaggrant was tracking soot onto his carpet. He
picked up a bell and rang it. Instantly a rather large man walked out
from a back room. With a look from the inn keeper the man begam to walk
towards Coris with the intent of throwing him out.
   Coris watched as the man approached. A quick smile came across his
face as he thought of how much trouble this big oaf was getting himself
into.  With a flick of his wrist Coris brought out his dagger. The man
seeing the glint of silver froze in his tracks.
   "I want the best room, NOW!"he shouted with anger.
   "I'm sorry sir but it is obvious that a man in your...Monetary
condition could not afford even a small room here, I suugest you go and
sleep off what ever you have drunk beforemy friend here removes you."
the inn keeped said smuggley.
   Coris reached into his belt and threw several dozen gold coins at the
inn keeper who started to collect them quickly. Then Coris spoke, "I
believe that will be enough to get me the BEST room and a bath as well
as a meal right?"
   The inn keeper stampered, "Yyyyyes sir it will." With that he quickly
waved the other man away and handed Coris a key to the largest room
in the inn. "Shall I have a bath readied for you or would you rather
dine first MiLord?" the inn keeper asked.
   "I would like a bath and then your best meal brought to my room."
Coris replied. With that Coris headed off to his room to bathe and eat.
                              *****
   The DracoLich continued on its way to its masters castle. It was
expending several of its spells to get it there faster. When its last
traveling spell was used it found a place to await for its spells to
return. As it waited it could only think of two things. First of that
man who had sent IT, a mighty DracoLich, running home with its tail
stuck between its legs and of its master, Malcolm.
   He would have to see what Malcolm had to say before he decided
whether or not to kill him.   With that the Lich waited.

   As evening fell the DracoLich arose with all of its spells reknewed.
It was now only two days travel by spell and flight from Malcolm's
castle. It planned to get near the castle and then let its spells reknew
themselves and then pay a visit to its master. With that the DracoLich
started towards home again...
                              *****
       Fox wakes up the following morning and looks at the burned out
armour shoppe that sheltered him over the night. He gets up and streches
only to firget the lingering pain in his leg and collapses on the the
ground. Upon his fall he knocks over some metal objects and they fall on
top of him.
       "Ouch! Dammit!" Fox pulls himself off the floor and moves the
metal objects away from him. "Hmmmm... Elven Chain Mail." Fox looks
closely at the chain mail armour that landed on him.
       The mail is a bit dusty but is one of the lightest pieces of
armour one can find and still give protection like regular chain mail.
The craftsmanship on the piece is excellent and Fox dusts off the mail
hoping for a insignia. He turns it around so he can see the front. On
the front there is a symbol of a tree and mountain behind it on the
upper right hand corner.
       "Wonder if it fits." Fox climbs up on a stone table and sits and
tries to put the armour on. "Damn elves could never make a 'morph proper
armour even though we are slender." He chuckles and slides into it.
"I'll be damned. Perfect fit."
       Fox looks at his leg to see that it is covered in dried blood and
dirt. "That's not gonna do, infected no doubt." Fox runs his hand over
the clumped fur. "Blechhh." He wrinkles his nose and grabs a descent
sized stick to use as a walking stick or crutch. "Ahh waterfall." Fox
exits the building and looks outside and cocks his head and hears a
waterfall in the distance. "Bath time."
       Fox heads towards the waterfall sound which is also conviently
located the same direction he has to go to return to Lakesdale. "Well
one thing good about this side of Avalon is the abumdance of clean
water." Fox heads towards the water for his morning bath and to clean
the blood off.
                              *****
Dangling in Moonfox's hair still, one of the Centaur elders noticed
somethng strange in her hair. Asking for Moonfox to stand still a
moment, he plucked it out.
Jeannie dangling now in mid-air, quickly stopped her mirth, and
exclaimed "WHOOPS!" and quickly poofed into smoke and escaped.

She landed a half a moment later in some hairs of someone else!

She also noticed that she was carrying more than just her lamp now. She
had with her a very pretty large diamond ring on her finger, a small bag
of seeds and a bunch of arrows.

*****************************************************************************

The Centaur elder still looking confused didn't notice that his quiver
was empty... and Moonfox hadn't yet noticed that her pouch of seeds were
GONE!
                              *****
 Azrael was sitting in her room, she didn't have much to do today, and
it was Mistrel's day off from the kitchen.  She looked down at her small
friend, -Well Wervil, Q is gone, and we don't know when he will be back,
that fox, Fox, is also gone so I can't follow him.  We've explored all
the tunnels the map of the West Tower showed me, and we can find any of
them in our sleep.
 -I don't know P.a, I'm just tired.  My paw still hurts, and I can't
believe you threw me on that dragon...
 -I'm sorry Werv, but well, I had no other idea of what to do.  You know
I cantdo magic, just parlor tricks like things up my sleeves, and
seeming to disappear but still be in the room...
 -Yea, well I sure wish you could heal my leg.  The Wervil stared up at
his big friend.  He could remember the first time she had found him.  He
had been straving and near death...and only a few weeks old.  Standing
up he crawled slowly to her.
 Azrael looked up as her friend neared her, reaching out she picked him
up and put him next to her on the bed, running her fingers through his
fur.  She looked at him, his head usually reached a little above her
mid-calf, with small pointed ears that seemed to catch everything. His
nose, pushed forward a little, and always twitching.  His deep black
eyes, it seemed he had no pupils, they were all black; barely glistened
in teh dark.
  His body, looking round and fat, but actually composed of muscle, his
legs looking a little funny on him because of their thinness next to his
round body.  The speed he could get up to was amazing, Azrael couldn't
quite figure out how he did that.  His black and white spots, blending
and at times, in some light, he looked almost brown.  It kind of
reminded her of her own hair and how at one minute it seemed blond and
the next dark brown.
  His long slinky tail, looking fuller than it was because of the thick
fur covering his body.  Azrael passed her hands down his legs and lifted
one of his paws,  lightly pushing on the pads, his claws shot out.  It
amazed her on how he could hang on and never hurt her, when he was
riding her.  Usually perfering to walk between her feet, hiding under
her cloak.  She never understood how he got himself to fit there either,
but they had, had several years to practice, she had found him about 8
years ago...and it seemed like yesterday.....
                              *****
       - Her nightmares are getting worse.  Every night, the same
dreams, and she always wakes up shaking and unable to sleep.  If it
weren't for my sleeping spell, she would never be able to get any rest.
I think it will do her good to go on a trip with me, though..  Make her
forget the blackness, and just enjoy being Kat. -
       The ogre's musings were interrupted by a bundle of fur lightly
leaping up to the table.  It stopped and looked at him, with a look of,
"See?  I can too control this!" on its face.  As he watched, the cat sat
on the table, and began to quickly shift into the woman that had
occupied his thoughts.
       "Well, Kat, you are indeed doing much better at your
shape-shifting.  It is a skill that can stand you in very good stead..
Few enemies think to look for small animals, when they have been
fighting a humanoid.  If you keep practicing, you may find that you can
change just parts of you, say your hands into paws, even though the rest
of you stays 'human'."
       "Thank you.  I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.  And I
like it."  Kat said with one of the few smiles she had smiled in the
past several weeks.
       "I'm glad that you aren't bitter.  And you did learn that anti-
magic spell very well.  You almost cast it faster than I do!"  the ogre
said with a grin that made ordinary humans faint or die of seizure.
"However, I think it is time that you and I go on a trip.  I must go and
purchase some vials for that potion I am brewing, and I also need some
Ninphys Root.  I'm almost out.  I will be leaving for the town of
Lakesdale tomorrow."
       "Tomorrow?!  But I'm not ready to see other people yet!"  Panic
is barely checked in the young woman's voice.
       "Yes you are.  And i have something for you, as well."  Reaching
into one of the many small pouches that the ogre has arrayed about his
chest and waist, he removed a small golden circle.
       "A ring?" asked the cat woman, puzzled.
                              *****
       "No, not a ring.  This is an amulet, of sorts."  As the ogre
spoke, he also pulled gently at the sides of the ring of gold.  The
sides steadily expanded, making a larger, yet not thinner, ring of gold.
Soon, it was large enough to slip around Kat's head.
       "A necklace?  But what is it for?"  Kat had no idea.
       "This necklace is magical.  It will stay on you until you remove
it.  No one else can.  It will also change size, as you change from cat
to human and back.  Here, put it on."  Kat was undecided for a minute,
but the kindly look in the ogre's old eyes was what decided her.  Taking
the proferred necklace, she slipped it over her head and let it fall
gently to her shoulders.  It slowly contracted to a comfortable band
around her neck.
       "Now, if you look in the mirror, you will notice a pattern of
small stones on the band, in the front."  Kat climbed off the table and
went to look.  Sure enough, there were two small garnets next to each
other at the top, two small slightly pink crescent-shaped gems that were
set one to each side, curved outward, and there was a small ruby in the
center, just beneath the garnets.  A sliver of glittering diamond was
set horizontally at the bottom.
       "It almost looks like a face.  That's cute!" Kat said, amused at
the silly design.
       "It is?  I never noticed." The ogre's voice issued from the small
face, just as quietly as a cat walks when hunting.  Nevertheless, it
made Kat jump half a span straight up.
       "You talked through it!"  Cat stared at the little face in the
mirror, watching to see if it changed at all when he spoke.  "How did
you do that?!"
       "Easily, my dear," came the normal rumbling of the ogre's voice
from behind her.  "Now come back to the table, and please sit. We have
much to discuss before we leave for the town."
                              *****
       "Achoo!"  The little white kitten, burried in dust bunnies
sneezed.  The dust surrounding her flew in all directions, but the woman
and the cat creature were oblivious to the cloud of dust that blew out
from under the bed.
       They didn't notice the few sneezes the kitten gave, either, as
the woman took the creature and set it on the bed, just above the
unicorn's head.  The unicorn sat their, on her throne of dust, trying to
hear what they were saying.  Silence filled the air, and surrounded her
like walls, until she sneezed again, shattering the fortress of nothing.
- What are they doing?  They seem to be communicating, but they're not
speaking.  Maybe they can speak mind to mind.. but the only ones who can
do that.. are.. well.. a few unicorns have that gift, some of the
sprites and pixies.. but out of humans... wizards.. mages.. witches..
but only with their familiars.. that's it!  This woman must be a witch,
and that creature her familiar.  But what are they doing here, and why
hasn't she noticed me yet? -  The unicorn sighed, and her exhale created
a small dust storm, but not as big as the first few.  - I wonder what
they would do if they saw me... -  The unicorn's thoughts mixed with
those of any ordinary kitten's, and couldn't help but stick her head
out, and take a look at them.  Crawling forward, she put her head out of
the protection of the bed, and looked up ever so slowly to see...
                              *****
 Wervil glanced down as he noticed a small cloud of dust come up from
under the bed, his nose started twitching even faster, his ears
switching from side to side, -Umm, there's something under the bed.
 -Hmm?  Azrael focused back on her small friend.
 -I said there is something under the bed, smells like a cat, but not a
cat.
 -Yes, well there are cats all over this place.  What would a cat be
doing in our room anyways?  They all have and know your scent.
 -Oh, like I know why this one decided to hang around.  But it,  He gave
a sniff of the air,  smells fresh somehow.
 Azrael looked down at the warbel, -Fresh?  How in the world does a cat
smell anything but like a cat?  And how would it smell fresh??
 The warbel gave a small sigh and jumped down on the floor, just as he's
feet hit the floor a small white head peeked out from under the bed.
 -Umm, p.a I don't recognize this cat, and it's a baby.
 Azrael lowered her head and looked down, spotting the small white
kitten she slowly reached down and lifted it up.  It started to scoot
back but then stopped and allowed Azrael to lift it into her arms.
 "Well kitten, what are you doing in here, Hmmm?"  Smiling at the small
cat she continued, "Well welcome to my room, my name is Azrael, and this
is my friend Wervil.  You must not be scared of him, he is a warbel, and
as much as he likes meat, i think you may be to thin for him."
 Azrael grew quiet after introducing them to the cat, glancing at
Wervil, -Well what should we do with it?? I suppose I could take it to
the kitchen or barn??
                              *****
       -This is so beautiful! The trees, the grass, the sun. It all
looks familiar, as if I have been here before.- Cat wanders behind her
master, the ogre mage.

       Suddenly something catches her eyes. She hears him saying
something, but all she can think of is, -Butterfly! I'll get you!-
Quickly shifting to a more cat-like state, she runs after it jumping
occasionally to try and bring it down. -Got to get it. It can't get
away.-

       The trees whiz by and soon she is hopelessly lost in the forest
or at least she would be if she stopped. Then the butterfly gets away
and Cat stops. She finds herself in a small clearing right next to a
small lake. She shifts to a more human shape and starts drinking up the
water.

       A finger touches her on her shoulder. She reflexively jumps as
high an as far away as she can. On her way down she enters a tree and
grabs a branch. She scrambles to gain her balance and then looks
down. She is high in the tree.
                              *****
       Cat looks around from her perch. She can see the lake but not her
attacker. She quickly says the one spell she knows, hopeing that it will
save her. She looks down and fear runs down her spine. -Yikes! I'm high
up!- She tries to get to the nearest lower branch, but it just to far
away for her fear-filled limbs.

       Then a familiar face appears below her. Her master! "I'm sorry,
master, I thought you were attacking me."

       His gentle laugh vibrates the tree. Cat's claws emerge and grab
the tree all the tighter. "Come down, Cat."

       "I can't! I'm afraid!" She looks at herself, for that is where he
is looking. She sees nothing unusual, just her night-like flesh and black
fur.
                              *****
       Morgian enters her room with her treasure. It is a rock about 5-6
inches long and about 3 inches tall and an inch thick. -If it was that
easy to get, why hasn't someone gotten it already?- She thinks about her
quest to get the stone.

       First, she found "The hidden cave" without any trouble. It was
sitting there in plain sight with a invisibility spell on it. But that
was easily bypassed.

       Then there was the projectiles. A simple shield and levitate
spells rendered them harmless and the pit as well. The falling rocks and
the pool of acid, she just flew through. The other obstacles were just
as useless.

       She came to the altar and almost didn't find the stone. But then
she got it and got out. No problem. She went back to the castle, and
here she is.

       Then Malcolm voice reaches her, "Morgian, are you there?" She
replies an affirmative. He continues, "What did you do with the virgin's
body?"
                              *****
       After sending off the messenger, Mordoc went back into the room
with Malcolm. After a few days of studying with very few new
possibilities, Malcolm looks up at Mordoc with fire in his eyes.

       "Mordoc, what did you do with the virgin?"

       "After the spell?"

       "Yeah."

       "Nothing, why?"

       "Hmmmm," he says to himself and then outloud to a nearby door,
"Morgain, are you there?"

       "Yes."

       "What did you do with the virgin's body?" Morgian comes in
looking concerned.

       "Nothing, why do you ask?"

       "Because if I didn't do anything with it, and niether of you two
did, then we have a real stinking body out there. Who's going to clean
it up?"
                              *****
       All three rush out to the balcony where the spell was attempted.
Looking at the tilted table, they find that the woman's body is gone,
and has been for a while.

       "Malcolm, where's the body?"

       "I'm not sure, you two don't know?"

       "Nope." Morgian and Mordoc answer in unison.

       "Hmmmm, I wonder what happened," then inspiration hits him, "I
bet it's that stupid ogre! I bet he did it to spite me. I'm going to get
him for that!"

       "But he beat you last time you messed with him."

       "And he's stronger than you."

       "I'll think of something. Maybe the element of surprise may aid
me here." The three go back inside.
                              *****
       - Uh oh.  Hide, hide, hide, hide! - The unicorn/kitten tried to
scoot back underneath the bed, but the woman grabed her and picked her
up.
       "Well kitten, what are you doing in here, hmmmmm?"  The woman
asked, and smiled at her.  "Welcome to my room, my name is Azrael, and
this is my friend Wervil.  You must not be scared of him, he is a
warbel, and as much as he likes meat, I think you may be too thin for
him."  Azrael fell silent, and the unicorn figured she was wondering
what she should do with her.
       - Should I reveil myself, or stay as a kitten? - The unicorn
wondered.  - Do I trust her?  I don't even know her... - but something
inside of the unicorn, a little voice pointed out - You can take care of
yourself, and your quest won't get any farther along if you don't take a
risk here and there.. go for it. -
       Taking a deep breath, she spoke.  "Hello, Azrael."  She greeted.
       Azrael didn't scream, but her eyes widened, and her grip loosened
on the unicorn.  "You.. can speak?"  She gasped.
       "Yes, I can."  Squirming out of Azrael's grasp, the unicorn
landed on the floor lightly.  Concentraiting, she changed into herself,
a unicorn as white as snow, with a gold horn that glittered as if it
were the shadow of the sun.  Hearing Azrael's quick intake of air, she
looked at her, from her own shape.
       "You're.. you're.. a.. "
       "Unicorn."  The unicorn finished for her.
       "But.. umm.. " Azrael took another breath of air, and then sat
down on the bed.  "What do they call you?"
       The unicorn sighed.  - I guess I should tell her.. -  Opening her
mouth, she explained to Azrael about her quest for her name, and about
all that had happened up to the present.  Studing Azrael's face after
she was finished, the unicorn could see that she was absorbing all of
the things that she had just told her.
       "So, you can look like a human then?"  Azrael asked.  Satisfied,
when the unicorn changed into her previous human shape.  "If you wish to
go around the castle, you should have a name that one could call you."
Looking out of her window, she saw the night starting to creep in.  The
day had passed quickly.  "Well, it is almost evening, I should show you
a room where you can stay to sleep.  We can talk more in the morning."
       "Evening?"  Said the unicorn, trying out that word.  It flowed
over her human tounge.  "That's a word for night, isn't it?"  When
Azrael nodded, the unicorn said the word again.  "Evening.  I like that
word."
       After the unicorn said that, Azrael had an idea.
                              *****
       "Since you like that name so much, how about if we call you
'Eve' ?"  Azrael suggested.
       Thinking about it, the unicorn desided she liked that.  "I
wouldn't want it for my name, but it would do for now."
       "Well then, Eve, shall I show you a room?"  Azrael asked.
       Eve nodded, and followed Azrael.
***
       Once Eve had found her room, and knew the way to Azrael's room,
they talked a bit.
       "Tomorrow, we can talk a bit more, and I can show you a bit of
the castle, maybe.. are you hungry?"  Eve shook her head, and Azrael
continued on.  "Okay.. well, I guess I should let you rest, you've had
quite a day."  Azrael got up, ready to leave, and was almost out of the
door, when Eve's voice stopped her.
       "Azrael.. my name is short for Evening, but what does your name
mean?  Azrael."  Eve said the name again, just to listen to the sound of
it.  To her surprise, Azrael smiled, as if lost in memory, and opened
her mouth to explain.
                              *****
       moonfox started to follow Aoramon out the door, when jonia stoped
her..
       "wait... you have somthing in your hair....." moonfox looked at
him.. and let him pull itout... whatever it was... she caught a glimps
of somthing humanlike... but very tiny.. before she heard a tiny voice
say "whoops" and then it was gone....
       "did you see it? what was it?" moonfox looked at jonia he just
shrugged his shoulders.
       "there are many strange unknown creatures in this world... I
suppose it can be considered one of them." and he turned and walked off.
       moonfox looked at Aoramon and Bushy and saw that they didn't even
slow down... so she rushed to catch up to them, shrugging off the
incedent.
       As moonfox and Bushy followed aoramon through the town... they
got a lot of looks.... I princess and a walking, talking, breathing,
thinking bush in the shape of a centaur... moonfox wondered what on
earth people would thing of her small little group if they just happened
upon them out in the middle of nowhere.
       "princess?" Aoramon was standing in front of her looking down...
       "are you alright?"
moonfox just nodded and looked around. she found herself standing in a
huge building.
       "yea, yes... I'm fine" moonfox said... realizing that she had
alowed herself to daydream again... when she does that she just
compleatly forgets the real world, but somhow still functions there...
       "this is where you may stay while you are visiting us." and he
opened a door into a huge library in the corner was a small room... she
walked over and opened it, and there was a small bed and bath.
       This is perfict! and she went to throw her belonings on the bed,
starting to get in a panic she started patting her whole body down..
       "where are they!?! where did they go?!?!" and she started looking
around the room on the floor... she pushed her way past them and started
retracing the steps that they took.
       "what are you looking for?" aoramon asked concerned.
       "my seeds. my little bag of seeds I had them before I went in the
arena, now they are gone!"
        she started looking all over the place, she was bound and
determined to find them before nightfall... she was just glad that she
had a small emergency supply stashed away, but the bag that she seemed
to have lost had all of the good seeds in it.
       so bushy looked, and so did aoramon.... but to her great
dissapaointment, they found nothing....
                              *****
 Azrael stood in front of the door, ready to leave when Eve's voice
stopped her, "Azrael, my name is short of Evening; but what does your
name mean?  Azrael."
 A smile crossed her face as she recalled the day she had first seen the
name.  She had been researching something else for her Masters and her
many tasks, it had proven to be one of her best abilities, finding what
somebody is looking for -whether written word or object.  She had come
across a story about an angel.
 At first the story hadn't stood out from any other story about angels
she had read, but this angel was the angel of death, and in one religion
it traditionaly took the soul from the body.  It never explained what
the angel did with the souls, but the name had stuck.
  She had brought it up with Master Grolic, and he hadn't said much of
anything, he hardly seemed to hear her.  However, the day of her
nameing, he had seemed taken aback at her choice, considering her main
area of expertise was research and finding.
  Azrael looked up at the young lady standing in front of her, "Well my
name is the name of the Angel of Death in a religion I know of.  It
traditionally takes the soul from the body at the moment of death."
 Eve just looked at the young lady standing in front of her, "Does that
mean you kill people?"
 Azrael looked at Eve, "Of course, but I do not have the power to take
their soul, but I do take their life; when and if necessary.
Goodnight."  Azrael closed the door behind her and headed back to her
room.  -Well I wonder when that fox is getting back??  And I wonder how
Q is doing??
                              *****
       Fox eventually limps to the area where he can see the waterfall
and a river flowing. He gets to the edge of the water and sits down
dangling his legs in the cool water. Then slowly he takes off his tunic
and sticks it in his backpack. Then very carefully takes off the rest of
his clothes, with the leg still hurting. He slides into the water and
feels his injured leg almost stiffen up totally from the cold water.
Reaching up to his pack he produces a small vial of thick liquid and
drinks it.
       After about an hour or so Fox decides that it is time to go so he
gets out of the water and shakes excees water from his body, kind of
like a dog does. Then he produces another vial from his pack greenish
white pastelike and puts it on his injury. Hissing almost to scream Fox
flinches as if the ointment is extremely painful. Then he puts his tunic
on and produces a new set of breeches and puts those on. He folds the
other pair and shoves it in the pack.
       He looks down the river and begins the long journey back to
Lakesdale. Watching the canopy's shadow move as the day grows long he
decides that this pace would take him forever to get back so he
shapeshifts and bolts to the city as fast as he could. By nightfall he
can see the torches and lights in the widows of homes of Lakesdale. He
shapeshifts back to normal and decides that this would be better.
       On the same path he was before he ever enetered Lakesdale it
feels to him like deja vu but only at night. It takes him until midnight
to reach the city gates. Diferent guards are there and Fox is in no mood
to chat at this time. He walks on through showing the key to a guard and
heads into towne unstopped.
       "well, well, well... look what the cat drug in." A voice from
behind Fox says.
       Fox spins around, "I am not in the Dartanian."
       "Do I look like I am concered about your pitiful needs fuzzy?"
       Fox rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
       "I owe you a little something."
       Before Fox could even think about reacting in his condition a
sharp pain in his injured legs starts. A metal pole met his leg and that
cause him to collapse to the ground. Fox trying to scuttle up but the
excruciating pain lingered in his leg like touching a bone to a hot
iron. A crowd forms.
       "What's the matter fuzzy? Does it hurt?"
       Fox now hurting as bad as he could imagine focuses on Dartainian
and leaps at him shoving his right hand in the humans throat and pulls
out his voice box. "No human fox has your tongue." Fox shows a gleem of
evil in his eyes as Dartainian throws him off and reaches at his throat,
gasping for air, then finally dies.
                              *****
       A hush falls about the crowd that formed and an elven cleric
approaches Fox. He looks at him in disbelief for he saw Fox's first
confrontaion with Dartanian and couldn't believe that this was the
outcome of a second. Seeing that Fox is in extreme pain the cleric puts
his hands on Fox's leg and mummbles an incantation.
       "The pain will subside." The cleric says.
       "Thank you friend." Fox looks at the dead body of Dartanian.
       "What you did was wrong even though some would call it
justified."
       "What do you mean?"
       Helping Fox up the cleric continues, "He would take from the
church to pay for his tabs. Rape the virgins on a Holy Day."
       "Ya well when the city guards ever get here I doubt they will
care."
       Just as Fox says that the guards look at their dead Captian and
demand to know who did this and fingers point at Fox. The two guards
take Fox and put him in custody by roping his hands behing his back and
sticking him on a horse. The crowd boos at the guards for doing this.
       "ENOUGH! Go back to your things, he has commited a crime and we
will see him put through." A guard shouts at the crowd.
       The two guards and Fox head towards the castle on horseback.
Halfway there Fox decides that with his arms behind him is uncomfortable
so he frees himself. The guard behind him watches Fox intensly on how he
got out of the ropes. "Good job Marcus." The guard mumbles. "It's a good
thing he seems to be coming quietly."
       They arrive in the castles court and Fox slides off the horse and
follows the guard down a corridor. A long set of steps go down and Fox
just stares at them then looks at his leg. Slowly Fox makes his way down
then quickly realizes that the pain is gone and his leg feels fine.
       The sound of dripping water echoes here. The guard opens a heavy
oak door and there is a musky damp smell the eminates from the room. Fox
crunges his nose for the smell to him is potent. He is lead through the
dungeon and is stopped infront of a cell.
       "This is yours until morning. After the king goes through his
daily public hearing you will be brought up on charges of murder or if
the king says it was self defence. Have a pleasant night." The guard
says as he locks up Fox and laughs his way out.
       Fox looks at the cell and sits on the wooden plank bed/table and
stares out the cell to the one across him. He can see a female figure in
there but he sees that she is shacked standing up. He stands and gets
closer to the door to get a better look. The woman is naked and bleeds
out of the mouth. -Wonder how many times the guards here had their way
with that human.- Fox ponders to himself and goes back to the bed and
lays down. He can hear some of the things happening outside the cell and
he soon falls asleep.
                            *****
   Coris steped out of the inn and looked around. The night was cool but
comfortable. As he stood there he stretched then began to walk around.
As he rounded a corner he saw something he had never seen before, a
upright walking humanoid Fox. He stopped and watched the beast as it
continued. Suddenly the creature began to have a confrontation with a
guard that he apparently knew.
   Before anyone could react the creature, moving with lightning fast
reflexes ripped the guards throat out and watched the man die. Coris
smiled knowing that had some fool treated him the same way he would have
done the same thing, however he would not allow to happen to him what
the foxwas allowing now. As he watched a couple of guards took the fox
into custudy and halled him off to prison. Coris shook his head and
continued to explore the city.
                            *****
   Coris bribed a guard and got close enough so that he could see
everything. The fox looked like he had not slept well but who could
tell. As the king entered the hall the crowd fell silent. The charges
were read and the fox pleaded guilty only to self defense. When the king
mentioned that the crowd and himself would judge the fox Coris
immediately thought that he would get off because the crowd for the most
part seemed to favor the creature. When ever the fox looked around and
in Coris' direction he would mouth the words "I'll get you out of here
if you wish." Coris would then smile a small sinister smile knowing
exactly how he would do it. The only thing was he was not sure if the
fox had seen him. Well only time would tell. And with the fox and the
crowd Coris waited for the verdict.
                            *****
       The king stands up and every spectator is on their feet. The
trial became more of a show than anything else. The wife of Dartanian
approaches the shackeld fox and stands next to him. Fox does not look in
her direction for she has done nothing but cat-call stuff throughout the
trial.
       "I hope that you die slowly and feel every agonizing minute. Then
I hope they keep you just barely alive and not feed you. I will have
your pelt!" She yells at Fox.
       Fox still does not look at her or the crowd. He just keeps his
attention focused on the High Chair where the king and his advisiors
sit.
       "LOOK AT ME YOU BASTARD!" With that she smacks Fox closed fist it
the face.
       Fox takes the hit without a yipe or any other pain-sounding
remark. He knew that that ticked her off and he found it amuzing to
watch her do her worse to him and not get any type of feedback from him.
       "YOU UNFEELING FORCE OF NATURE!" she yells and the some of the
crowd gets uneasy.
       Fox looks at the other 'morphs who take what she said personally.
Fox knows they mean well but he also knows that their outbreak might
have repructions on his sentence.
       "Shakar dost menoes! Dracon human shethar " (Control your anger
against her! Stupid human that wants you angery[A Fox shouted to his
comrads and the uprisal stopped. His attention turns towards a man who
is standing along the first row of seats who seems to be mouthing
something to him but Fox turns away as the king beats the gavel on the
wooden bar.
       "There will order! Or you will all be removed from this hall. Fox
McKloud of the Purple Rise this is your final time to plea guilty in
full or innocent in full. The choice is yours. What have you?" The king
says.
       "Lord Oberon. I plea innocent. However I feel no remorse for what
I have done for his wife is no better than he fallen husband." Fox says.
       The crowd rises in uproar. The king beats his gavel. Dartanians
wife jumps on Fox and starts pounding on the defenceless fox. "You son
of a b!tch!!!" She pounds on him several times and Fox bleeds quite well
she notices and she is almost ripped off Fox's unprotected body. "I will
kill you you bastard! I hope you're kind all goes to hell!" She screams.
       The croud once again rises. The king pounds harder with the gavel
trying to gain control of the situation that has now crossed the line
into racism. The guard who was standing next to Fox helps him up and an
elven maid rushes towards Fox will a damp towel and begins to wife his
face.
       Fox shoes the elf away. Fox looks at the crowd that has almost
become a mob. Guards rush in to seize control of the situation. Fox
mumbles something to the guard. The guard nods and unties Fox. He takes
the towel from the elf and whipes his face. Then he approaches the
crowd.
                            *****
       "People. Please listen to me.-" the crowd grows extremely quiet.
"-Thank you. What you hear is two different cases. I was there I know
what happened. Dartanians widow has no idea what transpired that night.
She can moan and groan all she wants but those of you who saw what
happened now I am not lieing. I am sorry if my actions seemed extreme
but my intent was not to kill him however it seems most of you feel that
my action was justified. How would those of you who think I am guilty
feel like getting smacked with an iron bar snapping your leg react?
Would you just laugh and shrugged it off? I met this man once before and
he gave me grief then and I poliety let him hurt himself. Now I ask all
of you as a group. Do I deserve to die because that man had a fuse that
ws shorter than a snakes tongue?"
       Yells of innocents begin to fill the room. Fox looks over at
Dartanians widow. If looks could kill this whole room would be dead. The
king smiled as the crowd yells to let Fox go. Fox looks over at the king
and awaits his decision. Fox knows that there can still be doubt and
that doubt can still send him to meet his god.
       They crowd quiets and the king stands to make the verdict. His
face straightens from good intentions to that of an executioner's poker
face.
                            *****
  Azrael watched from the corner of the room.  The trial was actually
rather strange, at least for once it was more interesting then her
normal spying routine.  The Fox had plead only to self defense, and from
what she had heard that was true; and now he plead innocent.  His speech
to the crowd was, to say the least, moving.
 Everybody had cheered and was yelling for him to get off.  She hoped he
did, she had a feeling he still had many things to do.  SHe turned to
her small friend, -Hmm, do you think you could...get nearer and perhaps
hear what I'm missing from the people near him?
 -Sure    The warbel headed off, slowly approaching the front of the
crowd, edging his way closer and closer to the standing fox.
                            *****
       "What do you plan to do, Malcolm? You can't kill him because he
is more powerful than you."

       "I'm not sure, Morgian. But I must do something to keep him from
casting any spells at me. If I can do that then I can kill him."

       "The only way to do that would be to knock him unconscious."

       "Yeah, and while you're at it you might want to make it so he
can't move either."

       "Say, Mordoc, that reminds me of something." Malcolm goes into
thought, "Yeah, that might work." A noise is heard outside from the
balcony they just came from. A kind of something falling on the stones
on the balcony.

       "What was that?"

       "Nothing. Probably something we didn't put away falling off a
table or something."
                            *****
       "Hey, Malcolm, why do you have to kill the ogre?"

       "Well, Mordoc, in my studies of many books, it refers to the
magic of dead wizards going into a stock pile of sorts and is then
distributed in varying amounts to new born children. The spell we just
tried to cast that failed was to open that stock pile and have it give
all of it's power to us."

       "So, we need the unicorn's horn and a virgin and the
miscellaneous ingredients for the cauldron, right?"

       "Right."

       Suddenly a figure darts into the doorway. He has a terrified look
on his face. He stares at the trio for a moment and then grabs the
nearby unicorn horn. He runs away from the doorway the opposite way he
came while still on the balcony. The trio realize what just happened and
run toward the balcony.

       "Don't let him get away! He has the unicorn horn!" They reach the
balcony and the young fellow is gone. And so is the unicorns horn. On
one side, where he must have come in, they find something that wasn't
there before.
                            *****
       "By the powers of this court and those of the spectators and
prosectuors I have decided that Fox N McKloud of the Fellowship of the
Klan Purple Rise to be innocent on all accounts of murder.-" The king
starts.
       A small cheer comes from the crowd. Fox continues to look up at
the king still showing no emotion for he knew there was going to be
more. The sound of Dartanians wife crying could be heard echoing through
the chamber.
       "-as to the account of murder in cold blood I find Fox N. McKloud
innocent-"
       Fox continues to stare with the world closed around him.
       "-Finally the charge of the death of Dartanian Syris Warpal does
not constitue the death of Fox as a reprocusion. This court is
adjourned! Fox I will need to see you in my chambers as soon as you go
through the recordings." King Oberon stands up with his collegues and
they all leave the courtroom.
       Fox continues to stare at the now vacant seat where Oberon sat.
Dartanians wife is lead out by another guard. Then a small crowd of
people approach Fox to congradulate him and thank him for the removal of
the growing tyrant Dartanian. Fox then begins to head out of the room
and walks outside where more people are there thanking him for getting
rid of Dartanian.
       "Why are you all glad to see a man die? I mean sure he was a jerk
but I have not seen so much hatred for someone. Also why then was he
still in power?" Fox asks the group.
       "Fox, please come down to the Red Cloake and we will be more than
happy to tell you." A morph skunk tells him.
       With that Fox follows the group down to the city.
                            *****
 Azrael stood and listened the King read his verdict, "by the powers of
this court and those of the spectators and prosecturos I have decided
that Fox N McKloud of the Fellowship of the Klan Purple Rise to be
innocent on all accounts of murder.  As to the accuont of murder in cold
blood I find Fox N. McKloud innocent.  Finally the charge of the death
of Dartanian Syris Warpal ***side note -hmm looks like somebody has a
Warbel stuck in their head (sorry)*** does not constitue the death of
Fox as a reprocusion.  This court is adjourned!"  Azrael smiled as she
realized that Fox would be ok, she started to head back out when she
heard the rest of the King's speech, "Fox, I will need to see you in my
chambers as soon as you go through the recordings."
  Well, she certainly couldn't get to the chambers...not without being
seen anyways, without giving it a second thought she kept walking
towards her room.   -Werv, dear...
 -What?  The warbel didn't slow as he tried to stay near Fox's circle of
admirers.
 -Umm, do you think you could keep following him??  Just to make sure
he's alright, and so I can have a first hand account of what he's up to.
 Don't make a competly udder fool of yourself though...
 -ME?? A fool of myself...
 -Yes, you.  Just follow him, and don't stop and eat somewhere, I'll
feed you when you get back.
 The warbel followed after Fox, mumbling under his breath the whole
time. -Follow him here, follow him there....but don't eat....
                            *****
       Fox enters the kings chambers. A smile upon his face and he wears
his cloak over his head to cover most of his face. By now night has
fallen and Fox heard many stories from the villiagers but this is what
he was waiting for, payment.
       "Ahh.. Fox. Leave us." Oberon dismisses the guards out of the
room.
       "Oberon." Fox walks a few steps closer.
       "Good job on Dartanian. He was a leader of an alliance that is
forming to the West." Oberon says as he stands and walks to a small bag.
       "Twas easier than you said. The people think me a hero and that
wasn't part of the plan but was easy enough. What's next M'liege?" Fox
says as he pulls the hood from his head. Fox's features look darker than
they had at the trial, a frolique of evil is abound him.
       "80 gold as agreed." Oberon hucks the bag to Fox who waits until
the last moment to catch it. Oberon heads towards a door near him.
"Come, I will show you your next target. This time make it quick and
don't be seen. My daughter might get upset when she hears who must be
eliminated."
       Fox follows Oberon through the door which leads to a terrace. Fox
shifts his head to the side and knows that something has been following
him almost all day long is still with him. He immediatly shuts the door
behind him to make sure whatever it is doesn't follow.
       "It has been nice not having to hide, I am glad your men have
been helpful." Fox says.
       "There has been a teaming up recently . Some I trust some that
have been bought of by that bastard Malcolm. He will not just sneak in
my kingdom and try to uproot it."
       "Ahhh... Malcolm. I'd like to see his face when he finds out I am
alive." Fox taps his cheek. "But now isn't the time. I still have one to
find that is going to help me uproot his plans." Fox laughs meniacly and
Oberon chuckles in agreement.
       Oberon turns towards Fox and point out his next hit. "The woman
in the white. She has been eye-caught taking bribes from Dartanian. She
knows my plans to well."
       "Who is she?"
       "Moonfox's lady-in-waiting."
       "Consider it done. Right now I have to go to the courtyard to
make plans."
       "Be off then."
       Fox bows and walks out the door.
                            *****
       "Good morning Amber Rose!  Did you sleep we--"  Eve broke off as
she looked around the room that she was in.  Her face fell as she
realized she wasn't near home, and she couldn't go back until she found
out what was going on.  With the dragons, and that skeleton that came
back to life..
       Sighing she got up and went into Azrael's room.  Surprised not to
find her there, she wandered back until she was once again in the
confines of the room she had awoken in.  "I wonder what she is doing.
She said she would show me around, but she's not there.  I guess I
shouldn't go wandering around.. I might get into trouble or something..
but I don't want to just sit here."  Eve sighed.  Looking out the
window, she saw a bit of the forest, and a nearby town.  - Lakesdale, I
bet. - Eve thought.  - Maybe I should take a quick visit there. -
       Focusing, she felt her body shrink until she was no more than a
dove.  Hopping out of the window, she felt the air rushing through her
feathers, and the open sky her own space.  She flew over the town, and
saw something that looked like a croud.  - I wonder what that is. - she
thought.  - What are the people yelling?  They want to let someone go? -
Eve gave something like a mental shrug as flew on.  What she didn't
understand, she didn't really care about.  Seeing something that looked
like a group of shops, that had many different things in it, she wished
she could see what all of the things were.
       - Why can't I?  I don't have much else to do. -  Diving towards
the ground she fluttered into a dark ally.  Changing into her human
shape, she wandered into shops, not noticing the shop keeper's startled
glances as they saw, not their own reflection, and not even one color in
the woman's eyes, but a collage of lights and colors, and sometimes
different things all together.  Eve also didn't seem to notice the signs
they made as she exited their shops, the sign that was meant to ward off
magic.  Evil magic.  "Witch.. " one of the shop keepers gasped, as Eve
exited his shop.
       - Uh oh.  It's almost night.  I hope that Azrael didn't miss me..
but I do wonder what she was doing. -  The flight back to her room
didn't seem to be as amazing as the flight from it.  - I wonder if the
ones who live here ever feel trapped. -  Landing on her bed, she found
the door to her room ajar.  - I could've sworn I closed it before I
left!  Someone must of been in here.. but who? -  Eve quickly changed
back, and closed the door, hoping it had been friend, and no one else.
- Maybe I should go see if Azrael is back. -  She thought, and stood up,
walking out of her room and not stopping until she got there.  Opening
the door she started to speak.
       "Hello, Azrael, I hope you didn't miss me, I was--"  Eve stopped
in mid-sentence as the door opened wide.
                            *****
   As soon as the trial was over Coris quickly made his way out of the
hall not wanting the fox to see him yet. When he was outside he watched
the crowd surround  the fox and hail him as a hero. Coris laughed to
himself, "If they only knew what he really was," Coris thought to
himself. As day turned to night the mob around the fox slowly dwinddled
away and the fox just melded in with the crowd and dissapeared to all
but Coris that is. He had seen his kind for many years and knew several
of their tricks. Coris kept a good distance down wind so as not to be
seen or smelt.
   The fox entered the castle around early evening. Before he entered he
had dawned a hooded cloak and he made one last look to see if he was
being followed. It was then that Coris got his best look at the
creature. Sure enough it was exactly who he had thought it was, Fox. It
had been years, maybe thirty, since he had seen him. The last time had
been when Fox was training in his current "employment" and he had been
young then.
   Coris stood in the shadows of the court yard and watched as after a
few minutes he and the areas king stepped out onto a balchony. After
another moment the King pointed to a young woman dressed in white, no
doubt his next target by his look. Coris watched as the two reentered
the room they had came out of and positioned himself near the exit that
led to the courtyard. After a few minutes of waiting Coris was not
surprised to see Fox exiting the doorway and heading right towards the
courtyard and right past Coris.
   Fox walked by Coris giving him a once over. The moment Fox passed
Coris lowered his hood and spoke, "Greetings young one it has been a
long time since we last met." Coris was curious if Fox would recognize
him, after all it had been so long ago and Fox had only known Coris as a
master tactican and not as the war-mage he was.
   Before Fox could reply to his first question Coris spoke again, "I
see yer still trying to become an Assassin FOX!" with that Coris
snickered evilly and awaited  Fox's reply.
                            *****
       The messenger exhasted from flying so far, so fast enters the
castle through a window. He searches for the target to give the message
to. Finally he finds the one.

       Getting the persons attention, he tells them, "Master Mordoc says
to become like him and kill Azreal. Do you know who she is?" The person
nods their agreement, so the pixie continues, "Then kill your masters
and hers and then return to your post after you report to me." THe pixie
flies off.

       The person changes shape and soon become the exact image of
Malcolm. The new-Malcolm disappears behind a tapestry.
                            *****
       The new Malcolm goes through the secret passageways. He exits
from a room near Azreal's. He walks through the door and keeps going
leaving the door ajar. Shortly, he finds himself in Azreals room, but
she is no where to be seen.

       A small gasp is heard. He turns around and sees a young woman in
the doorway. -Azreal is not here. I will kill her later. But this woman
is not one of my targets, I shall not kill her. Mordoc must have a
reason for only killing those people.-

       He walks toward her and she steps back. He pushes her backward.
She hits the wall and slumps to the floor. He continues on his quest
throughout the castle and surronding area.

       In short order, the teachers are all dead. He returns to his
original position. THe pixie flys up. "Is it finished?"

       "No," answers the new malcolm, "Azreal is not dead."

       "Do not worry about her. Return to your post. I will have more
instructions soon." With that the pixie flies off.
                            *****
       Fox stops his movemnet forward. He cocks a brow and spins to
recognize the man from the trial. "What type of acusation is that
human?" Fox questions the man.
       "Come now, I know your race lives along time. Surely you can
recall your childhood Nightwind." The man replies.
       Fox looks around to make sure no one heard that. "How do you know
my name? Only two people know that and one of them has fallen, and the
other would be old and grey especially for a human."
       "Maybe here is not the best place to chat." The human says.
       "Follow me." Fox leads the man through a few corridors and they
reach Fox's quarters. Making sure the room is secure before a discussion
occurs he locks the door for no interruption. He also puts a dagger in a
crack for he knows that the secret door opens outward. "Now human
speak."
       "Nightwind, it has been thirty long years since our last
encounter and I had thought you dead."
       Nightwind stands almost at attention for the human scent is
familiar but he can't place it. "Who are you?"
       The man stands, "It's me Coris."
                            *****
  Just as Q seemed to be endlessly traveling in the void through the
portal of his teleportation spell, he gets spitted out like burgers out
of a cow's mouth. With a thud, Q lands head first into a stone floor.

  "Crap, this ain't home, unless mom did a little redecorating.." Q
thought.

  He rubbed the gigantic bump on his head from the hard crash he took.

  "I can't take much more of this..." Q said to himself, "sure, uh huh,
use the teleportation spell, she says; it might be be safer and faster,
she says; sheesh...last time I listen to encouragement/pity talk."

  Q gently got up and dusted himself off. He started to walk around the
place. It was a big dark castle. He was almost expecting to see ghosts
pop in and out and chains rattling.

  "Hmmmm, the decor lacks, maybe a bit of color here, ah[Asome flowers
would liven it up." Q thought.

  Q casts a spell and the walls begin to get covered thick foliage and
flowers. The spell begins to grow out of control as the flowers continue
to appear. Minutes later, the hallway began a dense jungle.

  "Oops...I hope the owner isn't home."

  Seeing that he can't go through the jungle, Q walks down thru the
other end of the hall. As he approaches an open door, he hears chatter
of several people.

  "Oh crap, hope they don't see the mess I've made."

  Q sneaks to the door and peaks into the room. He hears one of them
begin to talk about killing someone. This is not good. Q begins to think
twice about introducing himself to them.

  "Hey, Malcolm, why do you have to kill the ogre?" said one of them.

  "Malcolm? I have heard of that name somewhere...let's see...no, it
can't be. Not Malcolm the Malignant Mad Man of Mischief! He was the one
who stabbed his wife and friend 63 times in cold blood and got off scot
free cuz of all the containimated evidence the royal guards brought
in...or was that someone else?" thought Q, recapping the trial of the
century, "and those must be his siblings...who are as crooked as his
nose."
                            *****
       Eve didn't know who the man that was in Azrael's room was, but
she knew that he shouldn't be in there.  She opened her mouth and let
out a gasp, and froze as the man looked up and saw her.
       Walking towards her, she didn't have anytime to do anything, as
he pushed her backwards.
       Eve felt her head smash against the stone wall behind her, and
thought "Well, that wasn't very nice.. " before darkness wrapped around
her.  She felt herself hit the ground, as the cloak of blackness took
her completely.
                            *****
  "Well, Mordoc, in my studies of many books, it refers to the magic of
dead wizards going into a stock pile of sorts and is then distributed in
varying amounts to new born children. The spell we just tried to cast
that failed was to open that stock pile and have it give all of it's
power to us." said Malcolm.

  "Ah...so that's his plan..." thought Q, "I have to think of someway to
prevent this from happening. He must be stopped."

  "So, we need the unicorn's horn and a virgin and the miscellaneous
ingredients for the cauldron, right?" said Mordoc.

  "Did someone say virgin????" said Q to himself, now in full attention,
"I could save the virgin! Yeah! And, and, and, she will repay
me....wait, I'm too young to think about that..."

  Seeing that the passage down the hall is blocked off by his
"decorations", Q saw the only way to stop him was to take the horn on
the table. Waiting for the right time, Q quickly ran through the doorway
into the room and snatched the horn.

  "I gotta tell Az about this." he thought.

  While running to the balcony, he saw the startled and confused looks
on the figures' faces. He quickly erected a portal and lept off the
balcony. Moments later, he was spitted out of the portal once again.
This time he fell into mud, face first.

  "At least this time I had a soft landing." thought Q.

  He got up and wiped the mud off of his face. He began to hop on one
foot trying to get the mud out of his pants. He couldn't see real well
because of fog. Suddenly, he sees a tall figure emerge from the fog.
Clutching the horn tightly, he stared at the muscular man carrying a
hammer. It was like he was in a Friday the 13th sequel.
                            *****
       "Who did this?"

       "And so quickly?"

       "And so powerfully?"

       Morgian gets a gleam in her eye, "I may know. Stay right here."
Morgian runs to her room, grabs the stone and runs back.

       "What's that?"

       "Oh, this is my latest toy. It's called the Answering Stone. It
will answer all my questions."

       "Well, ask it who did this?"

       "Ok. Stone, Is there any reason I should not trust you?"

       "NO." appears on the rock.

       "All right, it'll tell us the truth!"

       "Not necesarily, it could be lying."
                            *****
       "Stone, What is my name?"

       "MORGIAN." appears.

       "Ok, now we know it will tell the truth. Stone, which mage did
this?"

       "NONE." Confused looks spread. THen Morgian gets an idea.

       "Maybe it was just a magician who knows one spell. Stone, who did
this?"

       "Q-BERT."

       "Someone must have trained him. Stone, who trained him?"

       "MASTER BAYOR."

       "Let's go! He might be there and if so, we'll have a bigger
stockpile of magic for us!" THe three teleport off the balcony and go to
Bayor's Castle. In a moment, they realize Q-bert's not here. In a second
moment, Bayor is dead.
                            *****
       "Stone, does he have family?"

       "YES."

       "Where?" Morgian asks. THe stone is silent.

       "Maybe you need to address it each time."

       "Stone, where?"

       "YOU ARE AT THE FORMER MASTER BAYOR'S CASTLE."

       "Stone, where is Q-bert's family?"

       "IN THE TOWN OF EUCLIDIA."

       "I know where that is," says Morgian.

       "Good, then you two go. I'll return to the castle." Malcolm
returns by one teleport and the others continue in another.
                            *****
       Mordoc and Morgian appear outside of the town. With a quick
gesture, both are covered in illusion. Mordoc wearing a cloak, and
Morgian as a small child. They enter the city, and soon locate Q-bert's
parents.

       "May I help you?" Asks Q-bert's father.

       "Yes, I was wondering if your son is around."

       "No, we haven't seen him since a guy named Domin Bayor took him."

       "That is unfortunate for you." Mordoc throws back the illusion
hood and the cape disappears. He draws his sword and attacks Q-bert's
parents.

       Q-bert's parents and the town put up a fight, but are easily
defeated by Mordoc's sword and Morgain's magic. Fires spring up
everywhere scaring the people into total chaos.

       Soon, all that remains are ashes and bodies. Just for fun, Mordoc
writes in blood, "This is what happens to all those who oppose Malcolm."
                            *****
       "Stone, does Q-bert have any other family?"

       "NO."

       "I can't think of anymore questions to ask the stone, can you?"

       "Nope."

       "Wait, I have one. Stone, Where is Q-bert?"

       The stone is silent. "Well that was my last one. What do we do?
We haven't killed him."

       "Let's go back to the castle."

       "Ok." THe teleport opens up and shortly the two are next to
Malcolm.

       "Give me that, Morgian. I have a plan. Now I need to know where
that ogre mage is." Morgian gives the stone to Malcolm.
                            *****
 Azrael approached her Master's wing, and noticed that the doors were
open. -Well, this is strange, they always leave them closed, unless...
 Azrael remembered the many tests they gave her, and how often they had
left doors open, and closed, just to test her abilities.  She couldn't
remember having another test soon because she was no longer, really
their student.  Pushing open the first door, all she noticed was the
body of Master Gravliv,  "OH MY LORD!!!"  Azrael stood in the door and
looked at the remains of her Herbs teacher.  She quickly ran down the
hallway pushing open all the doors, all of them, dead.  Nothing
remaining of them but their teachings.
 Azrael went through each room carefully, removing papers, and several
weapons, and herbs that she could find.  She would not leave anything
for the King's people to go through and possible steal or use against
them or others.  She quickly made her way back to her room.  She would
have to send the guards up there soon.
 As she approached her room, she noticed that her door was slightly
open.  Carefully approaching she waited, but could detect no
sound...-Wait, I can hear breathing.  Taking out her dagger, she slowly
pushed her door open more, and noticed the body of the young lady
lying on the floor.  Approaching her, she started to slightlly shake
her, "Eve, Eve, wake up."  The young lady started to come around.  "What
happened Eve??"


WERVIL---
Wervil stopped as the door closed almost on his nose,  -Well I didn't
think I would be able to go, but I sure was hoping...  Giving what could
only be described as a shrug he crept over to a nearby shadow and
curled up, he would wait.
 It wasn't very long before the young fox came back out and headed off,
rising to his feet, he took off after him.  -I hate it when she makes me
do things like this.  I just want to go eat and go back to sleep.  She
should do her own following...besides he won't let me find out anything.
 It was then that the Wervil noticed the Fox entering his room with
another man..well I can't get in there...he settled down in another
nearby shadow.
                            *****
   "It's me Coris," Coris says, "Coris DeKaos."
   Nightwind almost turns white (If it was possible) for this human
should long since be dead. After all when he knew him he was just a
tactician for the guild. Coris sees the look of disbief and surpresses a
smile.
   After letting Nightwind absorb the new information he speaks.
   "I don't have long old friend I suspect we are being watched and
listened too." Coris says in a hushed voice. "I saw you on trial and was
curious, when you did not repsond at the trial I fiqured you had not
seen me. I was glad to see that atleast oe of my old allies still
lives.
   "I can not stay long, but I do have a couple of questions, first when
I arrived here a dragons reamins were blown all over the city then only
to be reanimated, do you knowwho the mage was?"
   Coris stands there and waits for his old friend to awnser.
                            *****
       "No I have not been able to see what twisted mage did that."
Nightwind moves to the corner. "I still don't see how you could possibly
still be alive. You humans usually don't live this long and you have
aged a tad but not all that much."
       Nightwind moves over to a table and sits on it. Coris doesn't
respond to his accusation. Instead Coris gets up and approaches
Nightwind. Not moving but cautiously watches Coris moves towards him and
Coris puts his hand behind Nightwinds head and applies pressure.
       Nightwind hunches over and slips off the table onto the floor
kneeling. Coris's grip does not release instead more pressure is given.
Nightwind makes no shout as the pain gets deeper and he can feel it all
the way down to the tip of his tail. Nightwind closes his eyes, grits
his teeth and shoots upwards knocking Coris onto the floor. With
lightning speed Nightwind produces a dagger and shoots towards Coris
knocking him up against the door and sticks the sharp blade through
Coris's hood and pins it to the door. The knife's blade goes all the way
through the door and can be seen on the otherside.
       "Good. I remember when you used to.... cry... when I do that to
you. Seems like the guild has toughen you up a bit and... your... <ahem>
reflexes have formed quite well." Coris says slowly gasping for air and
the pressure of Nightwinds body squeezes him up against the door.
       Nightwind steps away from Coris and yanks the dagger out of the
door. He watches Coris for any sudden movements as Coris prys himself
from the door. "Ya and I remember hating you for doing that to me."
       "It taught you to get out of unusal situations as well my young
friend." Coris darts back with a quick grin.
       "As to this mage thing. I have been watching a woman called
Mistral and she was entertaining a guest. Name was Q-Bert or something.
Real joker but he dabbled in magic. He was put on trial for a spell gone
bad which ended up catching the Seri Fields aflame a few nights back."
       "Go on." Coris resits in a chair.
       "Well it turns out that this Mistral has been a duo-person. She
also is known as Azreal."
       Outside Fox's door Werbil hears the connection between Mistral
and Azreal. But he wonders who this Nightwind is. He only recalls two
entering.
       "Very interesting indeed." Coris puts a finger to his chin.
       "She should be in the west tower. That's where she sleeps."
       "Thanks Nightwind. You have been agreeable to see again, but I
must find this Q-Bert. Oh and don't use Fox's name anymore, he is still
alive you know and he might get ticked."
       Nightwind grins showing his sharp teeth. "You know the command if
you need me."
       "Yes. Good day old friend."
       "Good Day Master Coris."
       Coris leaves Nightwinds room.
                            *****
       Huddled over the small camp fire, Undertaker rubbed his hands
together.  THe chilly night air easily pentrated his thin cloak.

       "Damn creature.  If it hadn't been for that flying monster, I
would've had that bear's hide for a coat.  Then I wouldn't be freezing
my a..."

       A sudden splash of mud stopped Undertaker's thought.  Jumping up,
he grabbed his hammer.  He quickly scanned the woods, and heard a slight
mumbling.  He headed off in the direction of the noise.

       A few steps west, he saw a small lad rising to his feet, covered
in mud.  In his right hand, he held a small horn.  Thinking it might be
a weapon, he lunged foward and grabbed the horn for the lad's hand.

       "Who are you?  And what are you doing here?"  Undertaker boomed.
Then he raised the large hammer over his head with his right hand, while
holding the lad in his left.
                            *****
  The tall brawny man looked at Q carefully. Q stood there hoping that
he was a nice mine worker or something...he was wrong. The man suddenly
lunged forward and grabbed the horn from Q. Grabbing Q with his left
hand, he raised him up and brought the hammer over his head into
striking position. This didn't look good fer Q.

  "Who are you?  And what are you doing here?" boomed the freaky guy.

  "Uhhh...hey, you don't think you could give me my horn back, because I
see that you are busy, so I'll just toddle off with my belongings and
not bother you anymore sir." said Q in a squirrly voice.

  The man continued to stare, fer he did not look amused.

  "Uh, want some nice potroast?" asked the terrified Q.

  Q began to wiggle his fingers and a small burning potroast fell from
the sky and hit the tall figure in the head. The man gave a deep
irritated grunt.

  "Uh, oops...want money? I got lots of gold here...take it...please? I
insist.." Q babbled..

  The man gave a deeper grunt and raised his hammer even higher. Q began
to shout and scream and tried to wiggle his way out.

  "Mommmmmmy!" yell Q.

  The man dropped his hammer and got some vines. Tying Q's hands and
legs together, The buff man dropped next to the campfire, sat down,and
began to examine the horn. Q continued to babble insanly.

  "Please let me go...please? I'll be yer friend..."

  The man gave a cold stare...

  "Hey, how about a joke? A cleric, a mage , and a monk walk into a
tavern..."

  The man got up and got some more vine.

  "Have ya heard that one?"

  Q saw the vine and began to quiver.

  "Listen, you don't need me to get in yer-"

  The man quickly gagged Q.

  "Ah, peace and quiet." the man said with a smile...
                            *****
   After leaving the room Coris began to search for information on this
Q-bert person. He learned very little but knew that the long man had a
friend here in the castle. From what his friend had told him he knew
that the next likely place to look would be with this person named
Azreal. Coris began the walk towards the part of the castle where she
was suppose to inhabit. He hoped he could find her and that she would
have the information he required, he also hoped it wouldn't cost much.
                            *****
       Undertaker got tired of the young lads constant blabbering.  His
grabbed some more vine and jammed into the lads mouth.  PLeased with the
silence, he sat back down next to the fire.

       "Well, now that I have some silence, maybe I can think."

       Undertaker pondered over a scroll.  He turned it sideways and
upside down, then gave a look towards the lad who was watching him
closely.

       "Do you know how to read?" Undertaker asked him.  The young lad
nodded slowly.

       Undertaker moved closer to the lad, who cringed down when
Undertaker got close.  Undertaker looked deep into the eyes of the lad
and then turned his attention to the scroll.  He turned it
towards the young boy.  The young boy looked over the scroll.


                       Battle of Las Ralsom
                       Warriors Welcome.  Come one
               Come ALL!  To the annual contest of strength,
       skill, and bravery.  Match your skills against other combatants
and claim the prize for victory of the highest honor of grand champion!!



                        500 gold pieces!!!!!!!



       "I asked a man how to make some money.  He told me to go to this
place four days from now, but I don't know where this is or what it is.
Can you read it?"  Undertaker asked the boy.

       The young lad looked up at Undertaker, rather confused, but
nodded.

       "OKay then, tell me what it says.  And mind your tongue, or I
will gag you again...this time, I'll use mud!"

       Again, the lad nodded, but a bit more nervously this time.
Slowly, Undertaker removed the lad's gag.
                            *****
 Mistral finished washing the huge pot and hung it back up on it's rack,
letting the water drip down to the stone floor.  "Cook Helgret, may I
leave now?"
 Cook Helgret looked at the young woman standing ready to leave, she was
s good worker, quiet and always ready to lend a hand. "Sure, go ahead,
you've earned it."
 Mistral turned and walked out of the kitchen, walking towards her
quarters in the servants wing, she didn't spend many nights as Mistral
there, and most of the other serving girls thought she was sleeping with
one of the guards.  She quickly grabbed a fresh dress and changed.  It
was time for her weekly visit to town.
 Grabbing her brown cloak, she took off for town...there were some
things she needed....
                            *****
  It wasn't very long before MIstral was standing in front of the herbs
shop, she had run out of Gharl and still needed to replace her supply.
AFter running a few other errands she started back towards the castle,
she needed to look over those papers she found in Master Grolic's room.
Several of the papers just didn't make sense, and she hoped she could
discover the key to revealing what they told.
  As Mistral reached closer to Azrael's room in the West Tower she
stopped.  She had a strong feeling of danger.


Wervil---

Wervil's head shot up as he saw the end of a dagger come shooting
through the door.  It was just the tip, but what in the world was going
on in there?  He then heard somebody speaking about somebody named
Nightwind.  He then hears one of the people mention Azrael and her
kitchen identiy of Mistral.  He needed to let her know, but he couldn't
leave the room either, Fox might get away.
 Wervil started sending danger signals to P.a, as he saw the guest of
Fox's leave he started concentrating even harder on the sense of danger.

Azrael---

 It didn't take long for P.a to decide that if danger was coming it had
best be Azrael who handled it.  It didn't take long for her to put on
her long cloak and she sat to wait, for what she wasn't sure, but she
knew it would be there soon...
                            *****
       Malcolm takes the stone and disappears into a teleport. Mordoc
who is now losing his adrenaline rush, begins to grow tired. He lays on
the floor and is soon asleep. Morgian standing nearby waits for him to
start breathing heavy before she practices her illusions again.

       Mordoc becomes a volumptuous blond again. -He'll enjoy that one
again.- She thinks to herself. She goes out onto the balcony and sees a
dragon skeleton flying toward the castle. -Uh oh. This isn't good.
Things must not have gone as planned in Lakesdale.-

       She covers herself in the illusion of sky and levitates away from
the castle. The dragon stops and speaks to the castle. "Malcom! Come out
and speak to me!" Morgian hoped that Mordoc would sleep through this.

       Morgian changes her illusion into that of the dragon. She then in
turn flew at the dragon-lich from behind. "What brings you here?" She
asks it, "How knowest you of this location?"

       "I followed you here after you left us last time. And I wish to
speak to Malcolm. Are you he?"
                            *****
       "No, I am not. I am just a dragon sent to do his bidding as you
were."

       "Then go get him. I must speak to him." Morgian flew into the
window, changed Mordoc back, woke him up and explained what was
happening and his role in finding out what the dragon wanted.

       A teleport portal opens outside the castle and Mordoc drops out
of it. "What do you want, Dragon?"

       "Is our blood debt repaid?"

       "No, I have another thing for you to do for me. I need you to go
get the Fire-Berries from inside the Circle of Eternal Flame."

       "Fire? You want fire? I'll give you fire!" With that the
dragon-lich breathes a mighty blast of flame at Mordoc.
                            *****
       From her dragon illusion in the sky behind the dragon-lich,
Morgian attacks the beast. Also she lights Mordoc's sword with magic
flame. The flames die down and Mordoc stands unharmed.

       THe Dragon fires Mordoc even worse this time. The real Mordoc who
is in a nearby tree invisible stikes the monster. It tries to get rid of
him, but the sword is too deep into the bone. Morgian continues to
attack. Slowly cracking then splintering then breaking the bones while
Mordoc holds onto the sword for dear life.

       The illusion of Mordoc disappears as Morgian focuses her
attention on destroying the un-dead thing. A pile of stones is all tha's
left on the stone pillar that was stnding there before. Realizing that
it has been had, and now is being attacked, the dragon-lich moves around
trying to get rid of his attackers.

       Although the beast tries it's best, over time Morgian and Mordoc
gain the upper hand and slowly destroy it. Soon there is nothing left of
it.

       When the battle is over, Mordoc turns to Morgian and says, "I
guess you'd better tell the dragons our new mission."
                            *****
   Coris walked into the hall that housed Azreal. He got the immediate
feeling that somrthing was wrong. He instinctively stroked the amulet
and smiled. Walking up to the door that led to her room he noticed it
was already ajar. Cautiously Coris pushed the door opened and peered
into the room. Sitting as if waiting for him was a hooded fiqure.
Gueesing that he was expected Coris walked in.
   "Greetings, I am Coris, I assume you are Azreal?" Coris asked. The
figure did not move and Coris guessed he was being sized up. "I will
make this simple, I have been told you may know where the mage is that
destroyed the dragon is. I have come to find him. You see I am a mage
mmyself and I have been seeking a young person with skills like his. Do
you know where I can find him? Coris asked.
                            *****
   Illysa continued to walk towards the direction she had been point in
by the crystal. Since the night she had been attacked she had stopped
only when she needed to. By what she could guess she was drawing nearer
to her father. She smiled and began to think of all the things she'd
like to do to her father if and when she caught up to him.
                            *****
 Azrael stared from under her cloak at standing in front of her.  She
just sat and listened as he told her why he was there, "You see I am a
mage myself and I have been seekign a young person with skills like his.
 Do you know where I can find him?"
 Well she had no idea who this man was, he looked, nice enough.  But she
had learned from her Masters to not pay any attention to that.  With the
feeling of danger she had gotten with Wervil, she had a feeling she
shouldn't let him know where Q was, at least not until she knew more
about him.
  "What do you want with him?  Why would he interest you for destroying
a dragon?"  Azrael watched carefully as the man stood in front of her.
                            *****
   "Well you see I am looking to train an apprentice and he immediately
caught my attenion with the sudden power I felt from his spell." Coris
said. Coris had a feeling this person did not trust him, after all he
had been around so long he could judge people easy enough. "You see I
felt the power behind his spell and could tell that if was an
uncontrolled burst. I thought 'what if he was able to harness that
power' and then decided to look for him, thats all I want him for."
   Coris smiled and spread his hands to show that there was no need to
fear him. He stood and waited for the cloaked fiqure to speak.
                            *****
 Azrael stared at the man in front of her, she didn't believe a word out
of his mouth.  She had no idea when Q would be returning or if he had
even made it home.  Well he wasn't going to get anything, Master Grolic
had made sure that she never betrayed a friendship trust even if meaning
death.  Well....there was only one way to handle this, she turned to the
figure..
 "I am sorry, I can not help you.  All I know is that Q left in a hurry,
and could not inform me of his destintaion.  I have no idea when he will
return or if he even will."  Azrael slowly rose and walked to the door,
"You may leave now, and I do hope you find him."  The figure stood and
stared at her, she wasn't going anywhere and the darkness of the hood
stared back.
 -Well, I hope I can find somebody to get a message to Q, I think he
better be warned somehow....
                            *****
   Coris stared at the figure. He did not believe she was serious, she
knew exactly where he was but was not going to tell him. Coris could not
allow her to tell this Q-bert about him or else she would ruin his
planes to teach him. As he stood there Coris mubbled three word...
"Shegoit, ridfolph, mazcaw" Immediately Azreal began to feel dizzy and
faint before she could react she slid off the bed and onto the floor.
When she looked up she had no idea of what she had been doing for the
last several minutes and why she was on the floor. With a shrug she rose
and waited for Wervil to return.
   Coris left the room quickly knowing that she would only be
disoriented for a moment. He headed out of the castle and straight to
his room in the inn.
                            *****
       Nightwind leaves his room only after the nights moon disappeared
from the sky. He knew that this way he could use his nightvision to aid
him. He opens a drawer in the closet and pulls out a black cloak and
black leather body armour. Looking at the candle that sits on a table by
the window he sits and looks out the window. The shadow he casts dances
an evil dance of death, the Reaper will visit this night.
       He reaches under the table and pulls out a dagger black in colour
from handle to blade tip. Incrested in the hilt is a diamond shapped
onyx crystal. He stands, blows the candle out and then slowly heads out
of his room.
       Ear against the door Nightwind listen for any foot traffic.
Sensing that here is none he slowly opens his door and looks down the
dimly lit corridor. Closing his eyes and then reopening them he can see
almost as if it were day but with a yellow-green tint. He walks out and
locks the door behind him and heads towards the courtyard.
       Shadow hopping from one point to another Nightwind eventually
gets to the Servant Tower. From here he has to close his eyes to return
to normal vision for these halls are well lit.
       "Damn. This is no good." He says to himself.
       He shifts into his fox form and starts creeping down the hallway
hiding everywhere he can. His keen senses detect voices from a room
across his current position and he tries to get by the door unnoticed.
       Just as he is about to make it across the door his tail gets
caught in the heel of empty armour. -Oh great- he thinks. Doing the best
he can with his paws he tries to free himself from the snag.
       CCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! KLINK! CRASH!
BANG! He yanked his tail to hard and the whole set of armour falls to
the ground and Nightwind bolts all the way down the hall and dives into
a dark room. In the dark room he slides under a bed. -Dammit you stupid
idiot! Just think if Coris was here he'd laugh his a$$ off.- He thinks
and the room becomes lit as a few people are woken up by the sound.
                            *****
  The tall figure began to slowly remove the bad tasting vine from Q's
mouth. With a gag and a cough, Q sent a huge lugie flying out of his
mouth, narrowly missing the man's boots. The man still didn't look
amused. Carefully, Q read the scroll to the man, he was surprised the
man couldn't read.

  "Wow, I didn't think there was anyone alive that still couldn't
read, it's the IN thing ya know." said Q.

  The man gave another glare at Q. Q began to think it's best to keep
his mouth shut before this man permanently shuts it for him. The man
spoke.

  "Now where was this again?" he asked sternly.

  "At Las Ralsom, it's pretty close to Euclidia, where my home is.
Listen I'll gladly take ya there since I need ta travel that way
anyway...just release me please..." said Q.

  The man went into a deep thought about the offer, Q could hear the
hamster wheel grinding as the man obviously didn't trust the kid.

  "Take yer time ta think about it...it's not like I have a choice, with
me being all tied up like this for no reason whatsoev-"

  The man gagged Q again as he continued to evaluate his choices...
                            *****
 Wervil---

  Wervil's head snapped up when he heard the Fox's door close, he
couldn't see very well, but could tell that Fox was now nearby.
Carefully twitching his ears, he listened as he heard him take off down
the hallway.  Wervil figured out at once that they were heading for the
Servents Tower,  -Well I hope that P.a has decided to stay in Azrael's
room tonight, can't have Fox finding her in there, not yet.
   Wervil was quite a distance behind Fox when he heard a loud
CCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH! KLINK! CRASH! BANG!  Wervil
dove for a nearby corner and waited until nobody else came by his hiding
place,  -Well this seems like a good time to go see Azrael.
   Wervil quickly made his way back to Azrael's bedroom.  Finding the
door open he switched his ears aback and forth and his nose started
twitching even faster.  Well P.a was here, and she was alone, right now,
but she hadn't been.  Entering the room he looked at his tall friend,
-So who have you been entertaining while I was gone??
-What??  I have been alone since I got back from the kitchen.
-No you haven't, I can smell the same person that was with that Fox
person not an hour ago.
-What person?? What are you talking about?
-There was some guy who came to see Fox, they talked in his room, they
know that you are Mistral and Azrael.  The guy left and headed this way.
 I can smell him in here.   Wervil stopped and sat in the same place the
man had stood.  -Right here.
  Azrael looked at her friend, his smelling was extrordinary so she knew
he must not be lying, but she could remember nothing of the man.  -Well
Wervil, why do you think he came to speak to me??  What did you hear??
 -I heard them mention someone named Nightwind, and they were talkinga
bout Q.
 -Q?? Why would they want to know of Q??  Azrael looked at her friend,
  -I think we need to try to get a message to him, or we better pray he
gets back soon, and we are the first ones to see him.
                            *****
       Damn smart ass kid, Undertaker thought.  'It's not my fault that
I can't read' he thought.  Undertaker was getting tired of this lad's
poor sense of humor, but he was, after all, a companion.  Undertaker
then looked at the lad very carefully.

       "Listen, kid.  I don't care for your choice of words, so if I
were you, I'd carfeully think of what I am going to say.  Now, seeing as
how I am in need of someone who can read, and you are in need of living,
I will not kill you.  I think that your idea of guiding me to this place
is grand."

       The young boy just looked at Undertaker, half expecting the
hammer to crush him.  At least, that's what Undertaker thought.  THen it
occurred to him why.  The entire conversation, Undertaker had the large
hammer in his hand.  He chuckled softly, and tossed the hammer to the
ground.

       "There", Undertaker said , "Now there is no worry of that hammer.
 So, now I am going to untie you.  I want you to tell me where we are
going.  You will guide me there and help me enter the contest."

       THe lad kept staring at Undertaker.  When the last knot was
untied, Undertaker quickly grabbed a dagger and put it to Q's thoat.

       "But, if you do something I don't like, I will kill you."
                            *****
  The man quickly held a dagger to Q's throat.

  "But, if you do something I don't like, I will kill you." the man said
in a harsh tone.

  Q knew now that his mouth was trouble, but it also helped him survive.
He was gonna have to watch every word he says. The man slowly took the
dagger away from his throat and Q let out a sigh of relief. He had felt
better when the guy was holding the hammer, at least that didn't make
him look like a serial killer. The two guys sat at the campfire and Q
was looking around the place.

  "If ya don't mind me asking, where are we?" Q said carefully, hoping
it wasn't gonna tick him off.

  The man didn't seem like he liked casual conversation. Maybe the crack
Q made about reading really ticked him off. Q sat staring at the
campfire wondering what his parents are doing. Suddenly, he notices his
warbel pendant began to glow, and all of a sudden he felt dizzy and
passed out. About two minutes later, the man had waked him up.

  "Hey kid, you alright? Yer not one of them druggies running around are
ya?" the man said sarcastically.

  Q just gave a dark stare at the man.

  "No, it was nothing...must have been from all the lack of sleep.
Listen, I need to know our location so I can take us there, and also,
knowing yer name wouldn't help either." said Q in a word of reason.
                            *****
       Eve was sitting on her bed, rubbing her head.  Ever since she had
found herself lying on the floor in Azrael's room, having no idea how
she got there, or why she had a huge bump on her head, she had desided
to take it easy.
       "I wonder what could have happened."  Eve told the wind that flew
by her window in a soft whisper.  Her hair gently fluttered in the air
behind her, and Eve looked out at the sky, and then at the surrounding
forest.  "I would like to be home right now.  But I can't.. I must know
what is going on here.  Maybe I should go talk to Azrael, she seems
trustworthy."
       Getting up, she walked over to Azrael's room, and found Azrael
looking down at the Wervil, which, in turn, was looking back up at her.
- I wonder what they are doing.  Maybe it's some form of communication,
but I have no idea.  Oh well. -  Eve lightly knocked on the door, and as
Azrael looked up, Eve smiled.  "Hi."  She said, and put her hand to her
throat and cleared it, when the hi came out, sounding like a croak.
       "Oh, hello Eve.  How is your head?"  Azrael looked at Eve, as she
dropped her hands, and walked into the room.  Just as Eve was about to
answer, Azrael opened her mouth, and asked, "What is that necklace that
you're wearing?  I think I've seen it before, but it never connected to
ask about it."
       Eve looked dumb-founded at the necklace that wrapped around her
throat.  - Where did I get that? -  Rubbing her head, she got immages of
Amber Rose, Durand, and everyone she had left behind.  Suddenly, it all
came clear.  "It's a gift that I was given by my family.  I was told
that it can show me almost what ever I wish.  I must have forgotten that
I had it, because I haven't tried it out yet."
       As she finished, Azrael got a crafty grin on her face.  "Oh,
really??"  She asked, and the grin turned into a smile.