[center][i][b]Part I: The Village[/b][/i]

“[i]I know a thing or two about tracking.[/i]”  Thuran said as he allowed a second to pass.  “[i]But that is inside a city, out here I am most useless.[/i]”  Pausing as he turned towards the scantly dressed woman.  “[i]What do you wish to be tracked, if I may ask.[/i]”

Almost immediately as he finished his sentence did a pair of Lavas guards start to make some crude jokes at the expense of those within the scouting party.  They first targeted the Mûl  courtesan with talks about certain activities they could partake in when she got back.  Then they targeted a young looking Andrann  woman holding a staff, and offered for her to join in.  Thuran was then the next target, with the pair of guards suggesting that there was a horse who was willing to put up with a Lithleeth  man.  

Thuran brought his body square with the guards and allowed a smile to break his face once more.  “[i]My friends, [b]Lan hanna vor Thuran kan lan diman[/b]![/i]”  His words were in his own language, and if anyone in attendance could speak it than they would know he was going to kill them if he ever found them alone.  Thuran then pointed towards the muscular guard with his right hand, before dragging it over the frail looking one next to him, before he used the same hand to wave goodbye to both in turn.  “[i]To our next meeting, my friends.[/i]”  He finished the sentence as he turned around to face front.  The smile quickly fell from his face and he silently spoke “Hanna zoul.”

A bright flash in the distance accompanying darker clouds revealed the strength of the storm was only going to get stronger, and a strong roof over his head sounded that more appealing.

“[i]Alright everyone, follow me.[/i]”  Thuran said as he motioned for the others to follow.  “[i]No point in letting guards throw childish jokes at us.[/i]”  

Thuran was not a leader by nature but here in the East he often found that role thrust upon him by default.  Whether it was the many misleading stories the bards sing of his people or the fact that an Eastern General has never won a battle in the Rolling Dunes that led to this predisposition, Thuran had no clue.  This led to a few awkward situations early on where the role of leadership was heavily implied in the course of work yet Thuran never truly leading.  Though with time, and much practice, he has enough skills to lead a motley crew of soldiers on a simple scouting mission to mixed results.  

“[i]A[/i][i]lright, let us form three lines behind me.  If you have shields please go to the outside, if you are not skilled in combat go to the middle.[/i]”  Pausing as he turned his head and flashed a sarcastic smile.  “[i]Simple.[/i]”  The smile quickly fell from his face as he looked at a few, frail looking soldiers in the midst of the group.  “[i]Don't be stupid, don't wander off alone.[/i]”  

His head turned back towards the village that seemed to grow in size with every step he took.  Suddenly, and inexplicably, a strong feeling of unease fell upon his mind, forcing a slight slide in his feet as he quickly slowed down.  A feeling in his gut told him that there were eyes looking out at him from the village in front, and it was not a villager.  His assassin training as well as his thievery on the streets when he was young had drilled into him that his gut was right.  His eyes quickly darted to the far right, resting for just a moment before it darted farther to the left.  Every window could hold an enemy, and every building could be the source of this feeling.  He could not drop the feeling no matter where he looked.

“[i]Scan the buildings for movement.[/i]”  He said before the area became light as lighting struck a far away tree and a loud thunder clap echoed through the area.  “I do not think we are alone.”  His upper body quickly turned towards the middle of the group once again and located the Elemental Archer who had introduced herself earlier.  “[b][i]Merilwyn of Estelle.[/i][/b]”  His accent butchered her name, both the first and the last, but it did not phase him.  “[i]Quick, come.[/i]”  He said as he motioned for her to come to his side.  

“[i]You said that you can explode shot.[/i]”  His accent was becoming more pronounced as the feeling of unease lingered.  

“[i]Keep an arrow ready, I might need your skills.[/i]”  He said as his grip on his sword tightened as he entered the village.

The small group slowly crept from building to building, with both eyes and spears raised towards each window, door, and alleyway in between the houses.  Each drop of rain and gust of wind brought quick eyes to the gutters and rafters, everyone ready for whatever tried to jump out.

The group continued along the straight and narrow road that ran from the East where they entered and exited towards the West.  Slowly but surely the group made their way towards the middle of the village when a soldier shouted out “[i]I saw something move.[/i]”  

He was near the middle of the group facing North, and Thuran quickly called for the scouting party to hold.  “[i]What did you see?[/i]”  He asked.

“[i]A figure looked out from the window, sir![/i]”  The Firen soldier shouted as his voice crackled.  His armor was of poor quality and it was plain to everyone that this soldier was either incredibly poor, and was pressed into service agianst his own accord or he was simply one of those farmers turned warriors he thought of earlier.  His sword hand shook with fear as his eyes darted to Thuran.  

“[i]Anyone else see it[/i]?”  Thuran responded.  Initially skeptical of the man's claim, feeling that fear had taken hold of him, he waited for confirmation.

“[i]Aye.[/i]”  The Glamhoth soldier standing to the right of the Firen responded.  This man was tall, standing somewhere near six foot four and had arms adorned with both the biggest muscles Thuran had ever seen as well as the most cheerfuller body art his eyes had witnessed.  The man commanded respect, from his piercing gaze, to his loud and booming voice.  “[i]I saw someone move.[/i]”

Thuran thought for a second on what to do.  Initially he was hesitant about sending soldiers in to investigate the figure.  He knew not what that would bring.  Yet this was a scouting mission, and he needed to clear a safe path for the soldiers behind him.  So he pointed out the Glamhoth giant and a pair of Firen soldiers, both the one who had spoke up and a stronger looking one right next to him.  

“[i]You examine the inside of building, find whatever it is.[/i]”  

The trio slowly made their way towards the building.  The two Firen had shields raised up to chest level, their swords poked out over top with arms cocked and ready to strike behind.  The Glamhoth approached with his massive ax sitting idly out to his right, resting a constant foot from the right of his head.    His head was on a slow yet constant swivel, swinging from the left his eyes darted between the building next to the one in-front while stopping on the window that he saw the figure.  None in this trio were all that comfortable with checking the building.  As the strong looking Firen soldier began to slowly open the door another soldier shouted out, this time from the south side of the group.

“[i]I saw something move.[/i]”  The Mul swordsman shouted.
“[i]Me two.[/i]”  Shouted a Firen soldier in the rear.
“[i]I as well![/i]”  The  Andrann mage in the middle shouted.

More and more soldiers kept shouting about the figures in the dark that they saw.   Yet Thuran kept his eyes frozen on an open doorway near the end of the village, locked onto what his stomach felt was the source of his unease.  Slowly but surely a black mist began to rise from the shadowed entrance-way, forming the figure of a monster that everyone in the group had only heard stories of.  The black mist gave way to the vibrant white face mask and piercing white eyes of the creature.

Thuran mumbled in his language at first, too soft for anyone else to notice.  But a quick second later he spoke.  “[i]Wraith's.[/i]” 

Pausing as he backed into the soldiers behind him.  His head spun around as his hand pulled Merilwyn back from her spot in front of the group.  “[b][i]Wraith's![/i][/b]”  He shouted as he readied his weapon.  “[i]Circle formation now![/i]”  He shout echoed off the nearby buildings.  His head jolted back towards the north, and his eyes rested on the trio of soldiers about to step into the building.  

“[i][b]Get away fro-[/b][/i]”  Thuran tried to shout but his voice was cut short by the squeal of pain from the lead Firen soldier as he attempted to enter the building.  The man's back began to pour out blood from a now formed sword wound, slowing dripping from the edge of an unseen weapon.  Black mist began to pour out of the wound, and slowly it began to take the shape the shape of the knife that was plunged into his gut.  

The loud cry of the Glamhoth soldier echoed in response to the squeal as his ax cut in front of the Firen soldier.  A shriek from the creature echoed in response, as the disembodied arm of the Wraith quickly formed on the ground in-front of the wounded Firen soldier.  The Wraith fizzled into existence soon after, his only hand grasped around the wounded arm.   It was met with no mercy by the Glamhoth, whose massive hands quickly grabbed hold of the creatures head.  The Glamhoth soldier roared as he easily lifted the creature off it's feet and into the air.  The creature grasped at the arm of the giant as the Glamhoth strongly gripped the skull before a sicking popping noise filled the air for a brief second, and all flaying of the beast stopped.  The Glamhoth soldier quickly let go of the monster, and his free hand grabbed the wounded Firen soldier who had started to fall backwards.  He quickly began to pull the soldier back towards the friendly formation as his head looked towards the second, not wounded, Firen soldier.  “[i]Come, Firen[/i].”  The Glamhoth spoke to the frail soldier still standing near the door.  “[i]Don't be stupid, [b]come[/b]![/i]”  He commanded.  

The Firen shuffled back a few paces before he turned his body and tried to run.  His frame was quickly pulled to the ground, with his sword flying forward to the feet of the Glamhoth who looked on in horror.  A look of fear fell upon the face of the Firen shoulders as his mouth opened.  A loud, high pitched, voice bellowed out from the soldiers lungs as he was quickly, and without stop, pulled from behind and into the building.  The door quickly slammed shut behind him and the screams continued for a second before silence fell once more on the area.

The Glamhoth soldier brought the Firen soldier into the middle of the group, and motioned for the Siren healer to come assist as he returned to his spot on the line.  As he returned, another weak bodied Firen soldier tried to push his way past the line.

“[i]Ruthord?[/i]”  The man asked.  “[i][b]Ruthord[/b] are you in there?[/i]”  

As he tried to get out of the defensive circle, the Glamhoth soldier grabbed onto his shoulder and threw him back into the middle of the group.  “[i]Don't be a [b]bloody idiot[/b], your friend is dead.[/i]”  

The Firen shot up to his feet and retorted “[i]How do [b]you[/b] know?[/i]”

The Glamhoth turned his head and responded.  “[i]Tis' the [b]truth[/b].  Our foe is without mercy.[/i]”  He looked back towards the building as an eerie silence fell upon the group

The Firen was about to move again but stopped as the stone cold gaze of a Wraith looked out once more from the building.  From the shadows surrounding the group more and more white masks formed into existence, eyes locked on individual members of the group.  Their forms were revealed for just a moment, as light once again filled the area from a lightning strike.  The figures slowly faded away as thunder broke and soon the group were staring at the shadows where the figures once stood.

Thuran's eyes remained fixed on the building for a few seconds after the soldier was abruptly dragged inside.  His head quickly turned towards Merilwyn and he spoke.

“Fire exploding arrow into the sky.  We need the Lavas soldier's help.” [/center]