[h2]Syrena Sinclair - Encampment On Westroad[/h2]
The journey wasn't altogether unpleasant. There leader had given the youngest of the group, which was Syrena and a shy priest boy she thought was named Tim, leave to ride on the convoy. It was nice to know that the option was available to her but Syrena didn't want to make the horses work harder and besides she liked walking. The weather was calm and the fields they passed where full of wild flowers. There was that scent in the air that said summer was just around the corner.

They stopped earlier then intended because according to there Wyvern riding scout (whose beast still made Syrena uneasy) there was a village not far off that appeared to be occupied, most likely by bandits. There resident tactician went to work figuring out a strategy and Syrena decided that she had some time to herself. Among her belongings on the convoy she had a bag filled will half inch disposable candles that the Arch Mage had given her. It was part of an exercise he'd taught her to hone the precision with which she could use her magic. The exercise went something like this: She would lay three candles out in a row and attempt to light each of the wicks, individually. The goal was that she cause only the wicks to catch fire and everything else to remain unburned. So far all she'd managed to do was melt a substantial number of candles.

Syrena went a good distance from the group. She didn't think any of them would thank her for setting fire to them and in her past experiences with this technique she'd do more damage to the surrounding area than the candles. By the end of the two hours after which Gaius called them all back Syrena had successfully scorched a meter wide section of land, melted twenty five candles beyond recognition and set fire to a tree which she'd mercifully been able to put out before it turned into a blaze. Feeling slightly defeated Syrena packed up the remaining candles and returned to the group.

Syrena had a little trouble following the plan because while not knowing the names of everyone present she certainly didn't know the identifies of the nicknames that the tactician had assigned to everyone. It was only when Nicki started his rant that Syrena got a better grasp on the plan. Syrena, whose nickname was apparently 'Red' despite the fact that she wore green and commanded blue fire, was supposed to rush the axemen and the leaders with Gaius. A sudden image of flesh boiling off bones and scorched skeletons falling to the ground there axes red hot flushed into Syrena's mind. "N-no, I d-don't think t-that w-would work." She wasn't worried so much for herself as she was the enemy. She of course knew that they were bandits but the idea of killing them like that, burning them to ashes seemed almost cruel. If she could help it Syrena wouldn't kill anyone. Syrena smiled slightly as Nicki took her side defending her against the idea of being thrown directly into combat. 

Syrena felt a little better when there leader, Hugh stepped in and revised the plan, swapping teams around. Now it was her job to set fire to one of the outlying buildings and flush out the lancers inside. Another image touched her mind, of a building consumed in blue fire and the screams of people dying within. "Are you sure t-that w-w-would be a g-good idea? My flames c-can be w-wild. I c-can't always k-keep control. The village c-could all b-burn." That wasn't something that Syrena wanted to happen. Her flames where a lot harder to put out by conventional means. Smothering didn't work very well and water was only half as effective. The more flames of hers there were the more difficult it was to use Arma Infernum to silence them.

The tactician appeared to agree with Syrena about the village burning but the way he presented it scared her. Suddenly feeling very anxious Syrena moved away from the group and sat down next to a tree. It wasn't far enough that she still couldn't hear everything being said but anyone who wanted to talk to her would have to walk over. She didn't want to die. She really didn't. It hit her then that they were in very real circumstances where the possibility of one of them not making it back alive was a great one. At that moment all she wanted to to return home and tell her father she loved him.

[h2]Marcus Ambrosias - Encampment On Westroad[/h2]
Marcus spent the walk in silence. The open air felt good on his face after spending to many years in the monastery. Not that he hadn't liked it there but it was only one type of living and Marcus had always wanted more. Every day however he'd told himself that he didn't deserve more, not after what had happened to his friends.

Once there stopped a league from the nearest village there Wyvern Rider reported that the village was occupied by what appeared to be bandits. The tactician settled into thought about how the could liberate the town. Marcus in turn settled into meditation. It was a good means of passing the time and allowed him to be attentive and calm in the most strenuous situations.

When Gaius was finished and presented his plans Marcus considered some glaring problems. The building job could easily be accomplished by one mage instead of three. Sending a Wyvern against archers was suicide and not be to self serving but placing Marcus in the back healing two axemen while the little imp of a priest was placed far to close to the center of combat was a serious concern. Marcus might not be a fighter by nature but he could defend himself if it came down to it. He doubted the same could be said for the boy.

Also worrisome was sending the little girl to the front lines. Marcus wasn't aware of her exact capabilities. The tome she clutched tight to her chest seemed to indicate a mage but he'd never seen a Grimoire quite like that one before. Unless she was much sturdier then she appeared one well placed blow could easily spell her death.

It appeared that Marcus was not the only one to share these concerns however as Gaius began to argue with there leader and the Wyvern Rider. He noticed Syrena slip out of the group. Perhaps nervous about what was to come.

Hugh appeared to use his authority to override the tactician which did not appear to please the young man in the least. It was then that Marcus stepped forward. "My Lord, if I might place my input. I may not be a trained warrior but I am fully capable of defending myself with the skills taught to me by my order. I do not mean to be in any way rude but I do not think the same can be said of young Tim. It may be wiser if I was the priest supporting those in more direct combat while he healed those in the rear. However I leave that decision up to you." Marcus bowed his head and took a step back.