[center][@Zool][@Loksfjoer][@Saiyan][@Teyao][@Zapdos][@Jay009][/center]

George was crouched behind a small lion statue, sweat appearing on his forehead as the unidentified person patrolled closer to his position.  He could hear voices further away, men and women both, but he was unable to make out what they were saying.  He couldn't hear the footsteps, but had caught snippets of blue clothing when he dared to peek a little.  It was time to act.

"Die cultist!" George roared as he jumped out with his wand swirling a pattern. Ice-blue energy coalesced around the crown of the wand as the snow-blast spell activated, ready to fire.  "Huh?" George paused, looking at MacKensie with confusion, before slowly lowering his wand, the magic disappearing into thin air.  "You are not a cultist. You have my sincere apologies."

He suddenly grunted in pain, then held his ribs, almost falling to one knee, but he pushed through it.  "Hardul, you can come out.  It's safe."

A dwarf dressed in casual beige and brown threads slowly rose from behind a rock.  He was clearly scared and uncertain.  He had long, braided ginger hair and a healthy beard to match.  No weapon or armour.  A clear difference from George, who wore mage's robes with long gloves and carried a spare wand and dagger on his belt.  George was a tall fellow, with parted black hair and a mustache that curled upwards at both ends.

"I am George of the adventurer party, Hidden Hand," he greeted, limping forward and offering to shake MacKensie's hand.  "We underestimated the numbers of the cult, and their insidious traps set within the Temple.  It proved our undoing.  Most of us are dead but one was taken prisoner.  I managed to get out with this prisoner from a village off to the northwest.  But I'm not leaving without my friend, only the entrance has been sealed shut."  He looked over at the rest of Second Chance.  "I'm surprised the Guild sent another adventurer party so soon.  Good news."