[h3]Back in the armory[/h3]

Maria had scrambled downstairs after everyone, glancing around quickly at the various weapons and armor on display. Her eyes settled on a large tower shield, lying on a rack next to a bin that said "EXPLOSIVE: DO NOT TOUCH, EXCEPT IN EMERGENCIES." [i]Well, this certainly counts as an emergency, I would say.[/i] Maria thought. She opened the box and grabbed a double handful of the small, colorful balls it contained, then put them - [i]carefully[/i] - into one of her jacket pockets, making sure to nest them among candy wrappers and various other soft bits and bobs. As an afterthought, she also grabbed the tower shield next to the grenades, noting that it was a good bit lighter than she thought it would have been. She was admiring the intricate design on the shield (a maze-like design etched into the front, spiraling outwards into a design that looked similar to a stylized set of bull's horns), when the lights suddenly went out. She looked up indignantly, and got out "Hey, who turned-" before catching sight of something that made her heart stop.

Dozens of eyes, belonging to almost that number of Grit. All looking directly at [i]her.[/i]