Bryce's words made Charlotte's pink pearly lips turn up in a huge smile as he reassured her. If that stupid wench Angela thought she was going to get him back so easily after this, she was sorely mistaken. Thoughts of the look on her love rivals face when she saw Charlotte sitting cozily atop his lap at the mall the next day played through her head as she felt the pull on her slender form. The poor girl had never been good with sudden movements, being the type not to be able to read in a moving car, or go on boats smaller then a yacht.

The feeling of vertigo overwhelmed her when they finally materialized in the game. She groaned and leaned into Bryce's fabulous form for an overlong moment before even daring to open eye. Her long eyelashes batted sweetly as she had to adjust to the darkness of the room they found themselves in. Bryce and his friends had been correct in their assumption that the games graphics were quite life like; all the way down to the musty mildew smell that seemed to hover over her. She cringed and pulled away slowly, not wanting to come off as needy as she looked around with a wrinkled nose. Her soon-to-be beau gave some encouraging words that were only partially lost on her ears as she looked around a bit dumb founded.

Hacking...yeah right...I'll just leave that up to the boys. I swear to god if they get anything on my shoes, i'll make them buy me a whole freakin' store as repayment.

With a half hearted gusto, she grabbed an arrow and notched it only to please HER quarterback and gave him a sweet smile of approval.

The watch Michael wore, flashed an alert of an on-going chain reaction out on the hillside. A chain reaction that could culminate with catastrophic results.

Outside the building the watch directed him towards a grouping of round globes lying on the hills side like the eggs of a massive robotic bird. One, in the middle appeared to be the globe causing the alert. It would appear to Mike to be a very primitive version of a Quantum Field Reactor, which could be used to create temporal rifts like the one they had just traveled through it combined with the right other parts. So primitive was the Quantum Field Reactor, that it had none of the normal fail safes that would normally prevent it from reaching this level of reaction, highly unstable and depending on the size of the starting reaction possibly strong enough to blow this hill off the map. Right now the armatures that projected the glass tube looking suspension field was powering down and flashing red to warn of imminent containment breach. They had been disconnected from what ever there power supply was back in the building when this portion got scooped out. Right now it was running on capacitor energy.

Hilbert, from his seat near the top of the hill overlooking all of this, was more interested in the odd shapes coming out of his pipe then he was the red flashing lights of the globe. He did take a quick glance down at the young couple cleaning up the hill, moving towards one of the biggest collections of orbs. He would at some time need to ask them what they were for. Then a flicker of flame caught his eye, high up in the sky. He looked up and got an instant headache. It was just what he had feared as he watched the iron dragon fly backwards towards his hill. It was those scavenging, tinkering gnomes. Which could only mean trouble for the young couple if they didn't have someone knowledgeable in the ways of gnomes to speak for them. He jumped to his feet, grabbed his cane and rushed down the hill to warn them of the impending arrival.

================================================== ===================
Terrence was born ready. As Bryce's main receiver he was used to taking orders from and being the right hand to Bryce. He tucked the trident like it was a foot ball under his arm securely. The priests were about 35 yards away. He could make that in no time. He was about to charge when the priests parted just enough to see what was on the alter. Laying, still, on the alter was a young lady dressed entirely in flowing whist robes. The priest in the middle carried a knife which he readied to us on the victim on the alter.

"Sweet!" whistled Terrence, "Look at that Bro, they even gave us a maiden to rescue."
Paul nodded his approval of the quality of the Maiden. "Well, atleast for some of us. Some of us brought our own maiden with us" Paul said winking back at Bryce.
Bryce turned from returning Charlotte's smile and turned to his posse. "Let's kick some @$$ guys!" he shouted and began his charge.

This finally got the attention of the priests who turned to face the boys. Their faces were streaked with vertical black and red streaks of face paint. The one the the knife wore a more ornate robe and a medallion showing a fist holding a lightning bolt. He sneered at the boys and waved his hands in the air in front of him, chanting something new. Half way between the priests and Charlotte the boys stopped dead in their tracks, unable to move. He then turned his eyes towards Charlotte.
"Bring her to me" he said his voice sounding like gravel, "Dread Chumal Kanh has done us the honor of giving us two sacrifices for him this day" He smiled menacingly at Charlotte.

Charlotte needed to hop on her tippy toes to see over the boys to see what they were gawking at. It looked like a really bad scene out of something like Indiana Jones or what not. She felt a bit squimish as her mind worked out the scenerio about ready to play out and she stuck out her tongue and made a silent retching noise.

She quickly had to regain her composure as she heard Bryce and Terrence talking about girls and barely managed to put a sweet face on when Bryce looked over his shoulder. Butterflies fluttered about in her mind for a moment as she sighed wistfully. Though that too was quickly shattered by Bryce's less then romantic battle cry. Charlotte sighed loudly and slumped her shoulders as she walked at a leisurely pace for a few steps before she realized she'd walked past the boys and was the first person in line to meet the priest.

Her head flitted back and forth as she looked at the frozen statutes of the boys and felt her hands starting to shake. "Okay okay...enough fooling...I know this is only a game but its not funny." Even though it was, the realism was making it very hard for her not to get scared. Charlotte nearly dropped her bow her hands were fidgeting so much as she turned and walked over to Bryce, holding his arm and giving him a good shake. "Come on! I don't wanna play anymore!"

The first thought to go through Bryce's head was "Sh!t, this is totally unfair." They were about to get taken out before they had finished a single adventure. But then he saw that Charl was still moving as she casually walked past him. This sucked cause he had hoped to impress her with his skill and prowess, maybe even rescue her. Then get that whole romantic kiss thing that girls went gaa-gaa for and would hopefully make for an easier time once he had ditched the other guys and moved on to getting 'round the bases with her. But now he was stuck But she wasn't. A couple well placed shots with that bow and hopefully they would free. Then it would be back to game on! He could always make up lost ground with her later. Besides, he could tell she wanted him, she wouldn't be that tough.

But instead of shooting she tuned around and started yanking on his arm, just like a girl would do. "Great" he thought " now what am I supposed to do?" He watched unable to help as one priest advanced on Charl and another moved back towards the alter to retrieve an extra pair of manacles. At that moment he got a better view of the initial victim. The blonde haired angel bound to the alter by her ankles and wrist over her head, really was an Angel! He could now make out the white wings which he had initially thought were part of her robe. She laid there unconscious, her eyes wide open. Possibly in a state like them. Stupid game! Why didn't they give you a chance to avoid the spell or get out of it. This was totally unfair and the owner would hear about it once he got out of here.

His only hope was Charl, looking at him and pleading to end this. He wanted to say to her, damn it girl, just shoot them with your arrows. But he couldn't say anything. The older priest cackled, his eyes glowing like that emperor from that outer space movie. And at that moment the first priest put his arm on Charl's bow arm gripping it like a vice. He looked ugly and smelled just as bad. "We'll you can't fault the realism" he thought. The priest who had a hold of Charl said "It is time for you to become a bride of Chumal Kanh" and he began to pull her away from Bryce and towards the alter.

Bryce wasn't moving....none of them were and it was making her panic even more. She was practically frantic by the time she sensed the priest immediately behind her. Charlotte stopped moving abruptly and slowly turned her head. Her scream was shrill as the stupid game enemy reached out and grabbed her arm. She felt him nearly pull her off her feet as he declared her a 'bride' but she managed to keep her balance.

The heightened senses brought on by fear and adrenline brought flash backs to all those stupid women's self defense classes her mother and father had forced her into. "LET GO OF ME!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she brought her foot up abruptly. "I DON'T KNOW YOU!" Her foot came down sharply, the heel crushing into the priest's foot at the same time she did her best to jam her elbow into his gut.

Falco:
Her father was a Wizard and his middle name was Merlin? Damn that was some kind of creative. ... Or not. He bit back the sarcastic comment that sprung to mind, sat on a few urges to ask after Arthur, Lancelot and Guenevere, partially because he was pretty sure something (or someone) would rap him one, and second because he was more curious about the other parts of what she'd said.
"Wow, that sounds pretty tough. Does that whole 'no man' gig even include your father? That would be a little crazy, not even really knowing what your daughter looked like..." He trailed off when he noticed her eyes were locked with his and unlocked their gaze by briefly glancing sideways, unsure what to make of her reaction. "I guess that's one way to be sure whoever it is that wins out in the end is really interested in you and not your face. Still, I don't think I'd have the patience for it." He paused as he thought, and then added. "Oh! I think I might have an picture in my wallet of one of the bikes...I can check if you want."
--
Nestor:
He woke up with an groan, not entirely from the nasty taste in his mouth, or the roaring headache banging back and forth from eardrum to eardrum, and occasionally using the back of his eyes as jumping points, but because of the new and tender throbbing in his jaw which had nothing to do with a hangover. That, and the awakening aches in his ribs and back indicated it must have been an really epic night.
He cracked open an eye wide enough to wince in pain at the dim filtering of sunlight, which confirmed what his nose was telling him, which was that he was in a barn, though weather it was the barn for the Inn he'd stopped at, or someone Else's was anyone's guess. He really didn't make a point of examining barns. Maybe he should in the future?
He shut his eye again, and rubbed the bridge of his nose gingerly. It didn't feel broken, which was good. He'd already had it broken once. It was still a little bit crooked, which people occasionally informed him gave his face 'character'.
As far as he was aware 'character' was an fancy way of saying 'what the hell happened to HIM'? He didn't think the jaw was broken either, it just hurt a lot. Well, those were good signs... so he supposed he'd better think about what to do now.
Hm. Throwing up repeatedly and then crawling somewhere to find a large mug of tea sounded like a good start. Gods above. Why did he always do this to himself?

The high priest watched all of this with great interest. He wasn't sure how these fools found his new temple but they wouldn't live long enough to tell anyone of their presence. The three fighters were easily dispatched with the use of the power that was is due to his service to Chumal Kanh. Although in hind sight they hardly seemed that dangerous. They wore no armor and there clothes were very strange. As were the clothes of the female with them. But still her heart would make a fine additional offering to Chumal Kanh on top of the celestial they had captured. And she hardly looked a threat. Still before he killed the boys he would find out how they had found him. Just to make sure no one else followed and interrupted their ceremony.

It was at just that moment that his thoughts were drawn back to the present. Dispatcher level 3 Belmut had grabbed at the young woman and seemed ready to drag her to the altar when the young woman fought back. She caught Belmut on top of his sandaled foot with her boot. And as he released his grip on her she landed an elbow into his stomach knocking the air out of him and driving him to the floor at her feet.

As Belmut writhed in pain between his foot and stomach, The High Priest looked upon Charlotte with new interest. The fire in her eyes. The fighting prowess. It brought back old memories. The High Preist knew he had to have this young fire brand. Chumal Kanh would forgive him if this one didn't make it to the sacrificial altar. Besides, he had these boys to take her place. The glanced back at the statue of his god. A stone statue with out a single feature. Then he turned to his other priest.

"Dispatcher level 3 Jaggar, retreiver her for me. She has moved up in the world. Tonight she will become my bride." And as he said that he smiled showing off his yellow jagged teeth.

Jaggar responded immediately and quietly, moving swiftly towards Charolotte. His eyes were white and pupil less and as he got closer Charlotte could see his mouth was sewn shut with leather thongs. He would be on her in only a few moments.

================================================== ===================
Vesta lowered her eyes momentarily. "Yes, that also includes my father. But I hope to some day change that."
Vesta paused for a moment to consider this. Then she looked back in Falco's eyes. "Yes it does assure that the one who wins my heart in the end loves me, for me. But why wouldn't you have the patience? Isn't true love something worth waiting for? True love takes time and doesn't move on a schedule. Some women I know of jump at what ever man that crosses their path just so they don't have to be lonely at night or end their days as a spinster. Truly sad. Trust me friend Falco. True love is worth waiting for no matter how long it takes and what path it takes to arrive at our door step."
With this Vesta's eyes twinkled and quit possibly got a bit misty. But this quickly passed and she spoke again "But I would love to see a portrait of your bike. It most have been a really talented artist to paint something so small it could fit in your wallet. I have a brooch father got for me that came from an incredible craftsman three towns away. The man is rich for his tiny portraits. But I digress, let us see yours." And with that Vesta rose up and moved down the table to sit beside Falco.

================================================== ========================
Picktus awoke from his cat nap hidden away in the upper hay loft. Picktus liked to sleep up here. Hay could be oh so comfortable, no one was likely to find or disturn you and sleeping up in the upper hayloft meant you were less likely to get bitten by a horse or cow by mistake. Unlike the gentleman waking below him. Picktus smiled as he watched the man get sick in a corner. Picktus had watched him come staggering in after some kind of commotion over at the Inn. He had lost his battle with the barely and apparently with someone else from the bruises he sported. He passed out here and had slept through the night. Now Picktus watched as the individual staggered towards the door to the barn. If he had angered the Inn Keeper he would be in luck. The Inn Keeper tended to sleep in with his wife in the morning leaving morning duties to his daughter and a local serving girl. So if he stopped in the Inn he could Break his Fast with out getting anything else broken.

But this was not Picktus' concern as he stretched out his body. He had eaten last night, the pickings here being very good. And if somebody wasn't upstairs sitting on the Elf's chest when he awoke he might try to get up. And he was certainly not ready for that. So Picktus padded off silently to keep the elf in his place.

Falco: "It's just a photograph..." He explained, blinking slightly at the idea of someone painting a tiny picture of the race trace, though he gave her a sympathetic look at the idea she couldn't see her father either. It seemed to bother her, so he wondered if it were cultural or not. It would be kind of weird, since he thought that even Muslims got to take some of their veils off indoors. He wasn't exactly interested enough to be particularly well versed in their habits, however.
"I ...kinda meant more I didn't think I'd have the patience for all the veils and stuff, but then I've never had to try it." He admitted, fishing out his wallet and thumbing around until he could pull out one of the small photographs.
It was him at the race track, right after his first really public race, with his helmet off and tucked under one arm. He was grinning at the camera, which had been held by 'her'. It felt like another lifetime.
--
Nestor:
If he'd been slightly more awake and feeling somewhat less drastically hung over, he might have noticed the presence of someone else in the barn, but just at that particular moment, any such observations were filed off to one side in his brain for future consideration as he picked pieces of straw out of his hair. His hair wasn't that far off in color from the straw, an mix of light gold and dirty light brown, but it didn't exactly make it less obvious that he'd been sleeping in the barn.
Maybe he should see if he had enough coins to go take a bath...
Maybe he should check and make sure he had any money period before he got arrested over a cup of tea...
He paused to pat down his pockets and check for the location of his money, if there was still any left. If there wasn't he'd have to find a free source of water to clean up, then maybe try and earn some more.

Charlotte practically threw herself away from the crumpled remains of the priest she'd laid out on the floor. If she had any idea where she was or where to go, she would've had no qualms about leaving the boys to go find real help. Course this was just a video game and even if they did die, they'd surely be fine in the real world. It only slightly bothered her though that it all just seemed a bit too real for her liking.

She did at least manage to put Terrence in between her and the approaching monk. The milkiness of his eyes and the fact his lips were sewn shut made her shudder with a case of heebie jeebies and she squeeled loudly. Her bow and arrow were laying on the ground near Bryce where she'd dropped them in her panic, though her hands were shaking so violently there was absolutely no way she could shoot straight. Trembling hands searched frantically through her pockets of her hoodie, finding a few odd items she'd transfered from her purse.

Charlotte initially pulled out a tube of lipgloss, pink pearl, and did what came natural. She lobbed it at the blind attacker. Her cellphone was the next thing she found, but thought against throwing it as well. It was the latest model and she'd made sure her daddy had gotten her one with a personal hello-kitty inscription on it. Chewing gum, mase, wallet, keys...wait...mase! Another thing her mother had impressed on her to carry as a woman of higher class. All those lectures about being mugged in alleyways for her platinum card.

She clumsily removed the cap and held it at arms length. It took her a long moment as he approached to realize that she was pointing it actually at herself. Quickly turning it in the right direction, Charlotte threw up her other hand. "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Would mase actually work on someone who was blind? It had to....but regardless she second guessed herself.

Vesta smiled. "I think the Handsome lord would look great in a veil. You should try it sometime. In fact you could borrow one of mine if you want." She teased.

She slid closer. What an odd shaped wallet. You certainly couldn't hold that many coins in it. And what was all that paper he had in it. Small scrolls? They had writing and numbers on it but that was all she could make out. She had a brief idea what it could be but had never heard of them used before. I was another mystery she would have to learn about him.

"So show me this Pho-to-gra....!?!" She started to repeat the word Falco had said mouthing it slowly as not to butcher is and maybe better understand it, when she saw it. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. If she didn't know better she would swear that Falco was trapped upon this paper. The image was flawless. The artist must be a master. Once she could regain herself from the shock she said "The quality of the picture, photograph is amazing. The artist who makes these must be rich. Is it paint?" Then she looked at what was in the picture. "The iron thing with two wheels behind you in the picture. That is a motorcycle." She looked at him even more puzzled.

================================================== ==============================
As Nestor patted himself down he felt the familiar jingle of coins. He still had all the coins he entered the inn with. From the doorway of the barn he could see the side of the Inn. The sun was just barely making it's trek up the sky so not much of the day was lost yet. The carriages and wagons that were still there from last night were still there which meant that whomever he had offended was probably still there too. An attractive young serving girl was making her way towards the back door of the inn with two buckets of water hung from a yoke across her shoulders.

================================================== ==========================
As Charlotte turned she could see through the poorly lit hall that there 5 foot wide columns spaced every 5 yards. And about 300 feet way was the only apparent exit. A large double door one side of which was slightly ajar. The room was lit by two large chandeliers hung equal distance from each other and torches in sconces on each column.

But Charlotte wasn't the only one noticing the layout of the room. Two pairs of eyes and one singular eye watched what was happening between the priests and charlotte with great interest. The one eyed man watched judging everything in the room and how it could be used to his advantage. Leave it to foul clerics to make their poorly lit and full of columns to hide between. All the easier to take them out. But then this group of four appeared...out of no where. Wizardry, but what wizard? He'd learn that later. Not much for fighters, and they quickly proved him right He'd seen stampeding herds of cattle with more subtlety. And then they ruined their advantage by shout at their enemy before rushing in with no plan to attack. They got what they deserved. Except the female. She fascinated him. When the others rushed in, she moved slowly as if measuring her prey. Then when the odds turned against her and it appeared she was nothing more then a Frail, she turned on her attacker, and dropped him with moves that even impressed Lee. Then she went back to what must be an act to draw the next one into her. He was unsure what she held in her hand or what she had thrown at the priest but he would hold his position a moment longer. He wanted to see what she would do next.

The Priest with the sewn lips advanced on Charlotte, ignoring his ally in pain and gasping for air. He drew his lips up into a cruel smile, made all the worse by the leather thongs. Her command amused him but didn't stop him. He made his way around Bryce and closed in on her.

"Make your move soon Lassie" thought the man with one eye in the shadows "Before you lose your advantage"

*Charlotte deftly dodged back and forth around the frozen presence of Terrence, always making sure to duck the opposite direction the lunatic came at her. The high pitch noises she was making seemed to echo in the large assembly hall, even at one point screaming when she caught her hair on one of the sharper edges of Terrence. She quickly pulled away, checked to make sure there wasn't a large bald patch before feeling a surge of anger come over her. Reaching out, she pressed the trigger on her pepper spray.

She let out a curt squeel as she missed the first time by an entire foot but quickly thrust her arm over Terrence's shoulder and did manage to get it close enough to the freaks face this time. God she hoped this would work.*

"No, just a photograph." He blinked, before reminding himself he really shouldn't be quite so surprised at her unfamiliarity with photograph paper, given her reaction to the word 'motorcycle'. It's a funny kind of paper, it was invented years and years ago. It's light sensitive and...I really don't know exactly how it works. Not my area." He gestured to the picture carefully with the tip of a finger. "That's the stadium in the back ground. The little guy with the greasy rag is Larry, he was on my pit crew. They make sure everything is ok because of the high strain on the motorcycle from the speed. That one's Joe. Thats me, obviously...and that's the bike. I mean...the Motorcycle. That was my first race as an pro. I came in fifth, which wasn't too bad since I was up against people who'd been doing it for longer than I had." There was a hint of pride in his voice, and wistfulness. "Track bikes are a little different than the kind people can buy to ride for fun, but they still have to keep to the original body shape. The uniform is to protect you because you lean in so far around the corners your knees almost touch the ground, which at the speeds they travel would be really bad." He trailed off slightly, thinking of the other 'really bad' things that had happened on the track. It was a dangerous sport, why did it get into your blood so much? It was ridiculous.
He forced a slight grin in spite of the sour thought. "Besides, I look bad enough with helmet-hair. Veils would be right out."
======
Nestor chewed his lip thoughtfully, debating the risk of being beaten within an inch of his life while just trying to get a cup of tea. The serving girl didn't ring any clear bells through his haze of hangover, but he wasn't sure that meant much. He remembered vague bits about 'hands off', and thought he remembered singing. (Oh Gods. Had he really been SINGING? Maybe he could try and get a spell to make him hate the taste of alchohol. Then he'd just live with people ragging on him for not drinking. ... Well... someone would probably beat him up for that too.
Nervous, but torn between self preservation and basic needs, he glanced back behind him as though checking to see if there was anyone in the street with a peculiar sympathy for idiot drunks.
"Damn." He sighed, to no one in particular, and then cringingly hunched his shoulders and headed toward the bar.

He wasn't really unatractive, though his straw colored hair could have been argued either as blonde with darker streaks, or brown with streaks washed out by the sun. He mostly just looked unkempt, with his usual stubble and rumpled clothes, usually with some remaining trace of whoever had last grabbed him and flung him through an doorway or into something else. The bruises didn't help that look. What did, he had learned, tend to give him away was his green eyes, which were evidently, from the number of times he'd been identified as 'that drunk with the green eyes', far less common than you'd expect.
Although the bruise on his chin was probably just as much a give away this morning, he figured, shuffling toward the inn and trying to plan an escape route in his head.
I just want some tea! He pleaded with whatever deity might be listening.

Eyes through out the room watched what was happening with great interest. The eyes of the boys, frustrated they could bust heads in this game already and jealous of Charlotte's ability to participate. The high priest's eyes fascinated by this nubile young woman. The eye of the man in the shadows and his friends, watching this young lady who seemed to have a fighters spirit buried deep within her. But most important was the eye of Chumal Kanh which watched all and saw all that happened here. The eye grew anxious for the soul of the celestial on the table. Grew impatient with it's followers inability to deal with this small girl. And curious as to where they had come from. they had appeared from beyond him comprehension and that troubled the god. But now he watched his follower try to apprehend her.

The final follower kept juking back and forth trying to get to the girl but always being a step too slow. Then he saw a chance. He saw her thrust her arm over the boys shoulder with that thing in her hand. This would be his opportunity to grab her arm and disable her. But as he shot his hands forward something shot out of the tube once again. This time straight into his face. He hadn't given it much thought and for a brief instant still didn't as his hands latched around her wrist and make to twist her to the ground. But then the mist started to burn like nothing he had ever felt before. Burnt in his eyes, nose and throat. Burnt so bad he could hardly breath. Burnt so bad he released the young girls wrist and clawed at his face as he crashed to the ground gasping for air.

The one eyed man in the shadows smiled as he watched her bring down her second foe. His respect was growing. But the high priest was another story altogether. He was a dangerous foe quite beyond he extraordinary skills. He signaled his allies to move into position and prepare to strike when the moment was right.

The priest held his ground and smiled his hideous smile at her. He would take a measure of her, see what other skills she had and then strike. But most importantly he had to know.
"what is your name child?" He said in his gravely voice.

================================================== ===============
The talk of light sensitive paper interested her but unfortunately even if she still didn't quite understand it, "Somethings you just have to take on faith" she thought. She smiled and nodded as he introduced his "pit crew". But it was as he discussed the track and driving that she noticed that his mood seemed to sour. Was it at this track that he lost the use of his legs? She was about to ask when she noticed the sun had started to drop below the horizon. What was she to do? She was torn for the first time in a long time between staying longer with a man and having to deal with her father. Would her father understand when he found Falco here? He wasn't a cruel man but would he keep her secret or ruin it all?
"Was it at this track you lost the use of your legs?" She asked softly looking at his once again. "This photograph seems to make you sad."

================================================== =================
Petunia had read the note from the night before about the drunk man. Most of his mess had been cleaned up but her parents felt she should be forewarned. "What a silly precaution" she thought. "I'm a grown woman and certainly not like my step-sister Daisy." She shook her head at the thought of her ne'er-do-well sister before moving out of the kitchen and into the common room of the inn. She stopped long enough to scratch the head of a cat that rubbed against her leg as it made its way through the common room. She examined the room before her. Five people that she could count had camped out in front of the slowly dwindling fire. The Inn was busy last night and these travelers must have taken up the offer to use the common room. Certainly cheaper if less private. Her first job was to stoke and feed the fire. Once that was done she put a pot on to boil and busied herself with getting things ready in the main room for breakfast. All without waking a single, loudly snoring, guest. It was at that moment that a man fitting the description she had been given walked into the Inn. He seemed sober enough, if a bit of a mess. So she made her way over to see what she could do to help. As she got closer she could smell the sickness on him. "Serves you right to drink like that." she thought. She smiled as she neared him.

"May I be of some assistance good sir?" she said with a curtsy. He did have a bit of handsomeness to him. Even if he did smell like the wrong end of a Distillery.

For a woman who didn't seem to know anything at all about motorcycles or photographs, she was still pretty damn smart. Certainly observant enough to have picked up on his behavior, and he felt embarrassed and whiny about it.
"...Yeah." he admitted after a short pause to try and rein in an running Sulk again. "Yeah." he paused for a second, trying to think of what to say. "I lost control of the bike going around a corner, it flipped over." He doubted she really wanted him to go into the detail on the crash, since a broken back had been only one of the injuries he had walked away with, just the most memorable one."
===
Nestor gave the young woman, who didn't look especially familiar, though he wasn't sure that meant much, an apologetic look as pulled an stalk of straw out of his hair. He looked fairly well chagrined at his state, much as he'd looked like a court jester the night before. "....Just some tea, if that's ok.... maybe the name of a good bath house....." He muttered, trying to look small and not at all like...whatever the hell he'd looked like last night.

Vesta looked upon Falco and for the first time felt she was really beginning to understand him. He was a man who suffered from a wound far deeper then the loss of his legs. HIs soul was now wounded and scars had formed over his heart to such a degree that the pain must have driven him to this level of sadness. Did he hate himself? Did he hate what he had become? He needed to accept who he was and grow towards the sun or he would certainly die. If nothing less she would make sure before he left she would make him relize how much he still had to give. He had to realize that.

"And the clerics were unable to do anything to help you?" She said, still curious as to why he was not able to get some help from the clerics of his region. Unless the price was too steep. She took his hand in both of her and locked his eyes. "What is it you miss the most? My father is a powerful wizard. If the clerics couldn't help you I'm sure he could find a way... He could help you. We could help you."

Her heart was breaking for this man. His pain, which needn't be. There had to be something her father could do. And from the position of the sun she could tell he would be here soon.

=============================
Petunia looked at the guest. Her parents had taught her to turn no guest away, within reason. And this man certainly didn't seem to be a threat. "We provide bath's for our paying guests. Otherwise there is a bath house a little down the lane. But if you would take a table I will bring you a cup of tea." she smiled at him and motioned towards the tables.

In a few minutes she returned with a pot of hot tea and a cup and saucer. "Do you take anything with your tea? Honey? Cream?"

Charlotte gagged and wretched as she flicked her wrist in the air. Ew, it had touched her. It had laid its stinky, unbathed, probably covered with god knows what sort of sacrificial BS, on her. She stuck out her tongue in a bad imitation of a purge before shaking her head and taking a step back as her spray made the gimp topple over. A sudden sense of exuberance caused her to come up and give the crippled priest a swift kick in the gut but it unfortunately hurt her toe as she whimpered and hopped around a bit on one foot.

When the head priest spoke, it caused her to stop, reaware of the current situation she was facing. There was still lots more priests and she didn't know how many sprays her little canister in the palm of her hand had in it. For all she knew, she could easily take them all...unless they bumrushed her. She tried to hesitate grabbing at her firm little tush at the thought but realized if they all tried to come after her, there was little she could do.

She decided to stand her ground, though the door behind her looked promising. Holding her canister at arms length and pointed at the head priest, Charlotte stuck out her chest and pushed back her shoulders. "Do you really think I'm stupid enough to tell you that? God...."

The first priest who attacked Charlotte started to make his way to his feet limping and still retching. He clutched at his stomach and thought of all the evil things he would do to her once he laid hands on her again. Assuming Chumal Kanh and his Master would let him.

The second priest writhed in in his own personal hell as his eyes as gift from Chumal Kanh, burned beyond belief.

The High Priest made a gesture that his lesser should stay back. This was between him and the girl. "You're name is Charlotte. It is the only name you are known by." He said this less as a question and more as a statement of fact.

He continued "I don't know how you still live but when we last met I was but a boy, less then these followers I now command, but like them I was in the service of Chumal Kanh during his reign on this world when he had taken human form. I doubt you even remember me. It matters not. I remember you. And I remember when you butchered his followers and shattered his physical form forcing him from this world. But your attempt to purge from this world the glory that is Chumal Kanh failed. For the now featureless god spread his power amongst his remaining followers and now before you I stand."

With that last statement he tore open his robe revealing his wrinkled and withered old body, naked to the world. Across his chest were two horizontal lines of of hair one high near his neck looking like normal chest hair, the second a thin line of hairs that stood straight out.

"I am the Right Eye of Chumal Kanh!" He shouted. And as if on cue a slit formed, splitting in half the lower line of hair. Two halves moved away from each other revealing an eye. The hairs now forming the eye lashes and eyebrow. An eye with an iris reflecting a hellish landscape and a black center that focused on Charlotte.

"Neither one of us felt this day would come but now that it is here Chumal Kahn's revenge will be complete." Both the eye in the chest and the High Priests eyes, now boiling with madness, focused on Charlotte and he began to raise his dagger.


Behind Charlotte, her three admirers nearly cheered when they watched her dispose of the second attacker. But did not for fear of giving away their position. But when the Right Eye revealed it's self they looked in horror. They had heard rumors that it existed but never believed them. But now faced with it they knew the girl would be hard pressed to stop it. On the one eyed man's signal the three men stepped out from behind their pillars but stayed in the shadows so only their forms could be seen. One mountain of a man bow held at the ready stepped out behind Charlotte and the boys to her right, one average sized man with a staff with loop at the top, and another man half the size of his fellow but quite stocky also with bow ready, stepped out to Charlotte's left behind her and the boys.

"Let the Celestial, the lads and the brave lassie go or we will fill ye god's eye's so full of arrows he'll never see again." It was an empty threat as between the lads, the lass, the injured priest and the threat of hurting the celestial they did not dare shoot till the could get a better position. But maybe it would hold his had till they could get closer, or the lass could make a better attack.

"Well we have doctors, not clerics, and it's not that they wouldn't if they could, though it would probably be extremely expensive if they could, but no. There's a limit to what people can do, and fixing severed nerves isn't on the list yet. If ever." He refused to meet her eyes, though he didn't pull his hand away, mouth twisting slightly with the extent of the emotion at such an deep question.
"What don't I miss? Getting out of a chair, getting something off the top shelf. Going for a walk. Remembering what my toes feel like." He answered, each successive addition to the list a little more raw. "But I miss riding the most. It's like being able to fly, like you're going so fast that there's nothing that could possibly touch you, then having something rip your wings off and step on you." His voice threatened to crack slightly, and he rolled over it with another layer of anger at himself and the world. "Like the world said "Well enough of that. Go back to crawling."
Hannah tried not to bring it up, usually, she knew it was too raw, and the most they made was jokes about doing wheelies in the chair, or breaking the speed limit in it, and even that was hedgy and prickly. Somewhere in a tiny corner of his mind, it occurred to him that it was a funny sort of bent for the game to take, but he barely noticed it. "Sorry. Forget I said anything. I wish someone could fix it but they can't."
---
[color=purple]
"Just tea please." It was probably a little bitter, but he figured bitter and hot would wake him up much better. He thought about getting a bath here, but if he was in the inn too long someone would probably figure out he was there and try and drown him. That really just wasn't something he wanted to make plans around, and he sighed thoughtfully. "Thanks." he added, reaching into his pocket for some coins to pay for the tea, just to prove he was good for that at least, more than causing brawls.

Nearly rolling her eyes and inquiring what exactly the priest was smoking, Charlotte groaned loudly. It was hard to remember that this was just a came with the realism but the way the stupid character just yammered on and on and on about nothing...and the fact he knew her name just reminded her that this was merely a program in the end. Obviously someone on the outside had inputed their names into the system and must've given "her" some sort of backstory. Charlotte's thoughts drowned out the Priest's lengthy speel, taking the moment to make sure she hadn't broken a nail. It was only by a chance glance did she realize the third eye that now graced his chest.

She squeeled loudly and took a reactive step back. It was followed by a few more that were spurned on by a sense of disgust and general eww-iness. Having never been the best at realizing her surroundings, she almost bumped into the short man who jumped out of god knows what shadow. The sudden appearance of more then just the priests, herself and the boys caused her to scream loud and shrill and practically jumping out of her own uggboots.

Vesta fought back the tears in her eyes both of the pain that Falco must have gone through and for the fact that time had run out. She wanted more time. Never before had she wanted more time with a man then she had with Falco. But beg, borrow or plead would do nothing. "Please, give me more time. Just a little more time with him." She said under her breath but she knew no more would be coming.
She stood up, "I'm sorry to be rude but my father is here...I have to...go..... Please stay and have some dessert" she said as tears poured down her face. And with that she dashed from the room out the other exit to the dinning room.

Mere moments later a stately looking man in purple gown and squashed purple hat strode in. His face lined with a thin mustache and goatee. He tightly gripped a black wand in his right hand. "You must be Falco, the young man my daughter just spoke of." he said in stern tones like the eternal father figure. "Any idea why she looked like she was crying?" and to put emphasis to his statement he pointed at Falco with his wand.

=======================================
Cara softly padded her way across the balcony that overlooked the common room of the Inn. It had been an interesting night. That charming and rough looking young man had serenaded her from the table top then finally falling into her lap, begging her to marry him or at-least spend the night making like they were wed. It was a thrilling offer and one she might have taken him up on if it weren't for her husband being there. Course, being the hot headed and jealous type he reacted poorly. Smacked the little man around and with the help of the Inn Keeper threw him out. No, she would have enjoyed a night with him but she settled for a night with her ale-soaked husband. Not the worst of choices in the room that night, but also not the best. She had strode out of the room in a silken dressing gown barely covering her see through sleeping gown. She was a woman no man would mistake for anything but voluptious. With heavy curves in the front and the back she quite often attracted the attention. Her long brown hair hung down to her hips and deep brown eyes where the only high point of an otherwise plain face.

But this morning she was in for a surprise. Her serenader was back looking for tea and "a bath". She knew what he really wanted and as she tried to rush and glide down the stairs to him she spoke up, "Serving girl, I too am looking for a bath this morning. May-haps if you will fill your best copped tub we may scrub each other's dirty areas." She smiled at Falco as she settled down in the chair next to his. Yes, he certainly smelled like he needed a bath. she would ease that need and any others he might have.

"So my fair serenader" she said purring as she got closer "How are you this morning?"

===========================
"Watch yourself child! You nearly jabbed yourself on my arrow" grouched the short man. The short man was clad in a mix of chain, leather and plate armor. His face was nearly buried in hair between that on his head, eye brows and beard. All that could be made out was a beady pair of eyes, bulbous nose and from the moving of the beard there must have been a mouth. The beard extended to his knees and he was half as broad as he was tall. He wore a battle axe and shield strapped to his back along with his quiver.

Next to him was a chinese gentle man with out a trace of hair on his head. Almost if his comrade made up for it with him. He wore clothes reminiscent of a Bhuddist monk. He appeared to be in his early twenties. "Calm yourself old man. The young woman has every right to be afraid. Only a fool would have no fear in the presence of the Right Eye."

The mountain of a man looked at the Charlotte. He had a beard and long hair, but less spectacular then his smaller friends. Across one eye he wore a patch. In his hand he held his bow and at his side, a mighty sword. He wore coverings of fur and leather. "Fear not wee lassie, for I am Conan the Barbarian and you are under my clans protection now. Though watching your earlier expertise I'm not sure tis entirely necessary." He smiled a big smile at her and some of his missing teeth became apparent.

"More vermin in my Sanctuary" Shouted the HIgh Priest, "Well maybe it is time for some extermination." And with that the large eye in his chest began to glow red. He laughed and the dagger he held began to flame the same color as the glow of his central eye.

Shocked by her sudden tears, afraid his snarly outburst had been the cause, Falco barely took a beat or two to digest the ridiculous purple robe and the little mustache, and the fact that Vesta had barely had time to really say -anything- about him, before he focused most of his attention on what he was guessing was a Wand. And with the absence of Nerf-anything, he wasn't really sure what it would do. He gripped the arm rests of his chair nervously, leaning back against the padded back of the chair as he blinked in astonishment at Vesta's father. What had she said his name was? Something Merlin Something.
"We were..." he started, which didn't sound right, "I was...She asked..." He stopped to take a deep breath, remembering the 'danger' he had been in from the Stinky Pig...orc...whatever...people and hoped to hell she was just an actor. "She...asked...about how I broke my back....and she asked what I missed about...walking." God if this guy asked about Clerics he might just throw a fork. "I swear I didn't have any idea it was going to upset her that much!"
====
Nestor, memory jolted by the familiar voice, and perhaps also by a very clear view of what was under that sheer, startling negligee. All things considered, she was quite pretty enough, good hair, fine... assets... and tied strongly to the owner of a fist half the size of his head.
All of which probably resulted in the lamentable act of sucking in an scalding hot mouthful of tea, and subsequently trying to either swallow it or eject it through his nose, and choked on it instead, burning his throat and half boiling his sinus as he dropped the teacup. He coughed several more time, jumping up from his seat, almost falling over the one beside it in the fuss. None of which made anything feel any better. When he finally stopped coughing from the tea, (much more awake now! Thanks!), he sputtered an answer, as wide eyed as he could get with the impressive bruise on his face.
"Oh, well enough, Lady, for nearly having the bones beaten out of me." He joked, nervously. "Though I really think that's quite alright, I'll, let you have the bath to yourself lady. I made quite enough a fool of myself last night without offending your honor or your man while I'm sober..."

The thought of having an arrow embedded in her backside caused Charlotte to rub her bottom in reassuring comfort that it was in one piece. Upon another quick inspection, she decided that these characters desperately could've used some basic lessons in personal hygiene and a good trip down 5th Avenue for some better clothes. Fur was in after all....but not the entire beast that came along with it.

"You so have to be kidding me..." She grumbled under her breath after being commented upon by Conan. It came with another obligatory eye roll on her part. However, she had to hand it to him. Not many guys could pull off an eyepatch...course pirate just barely trumped him on the top of her list.

"Seriously...I'm so done...I want to go home Bryce. This is just dumb..." Charlotte stomped her foot, put her hands on her hips and sighed loudly with her lower lip sticking out much further then her top. Bryce didn't move...the priest did though with the big eye glowing like something out of one of those stupid Japanese cartoons...what was that one called. "Dragonballs" or something...Either way it was stupid.

Kevin's face softened and a smile crept across his face. He relaxed his grip on the wand as well letting it point at the floor. "She must really like this young man. Could this be the one to end the curse?" He thought but kept half of it to himself for the moment. Best not to jinx things.
"I am Kevin Gildorf, wizard of no small skill. I shan't bore you with the titles I have amassed. Mostly because I have forgotten most of them." He laughed softly and moved skillfully into a chair next to Falco. " And it appears that we should spend some time getting to know one another, for if you have made her cry over your condition then it means you must be someone very special to her. For my Vesta has not cried over a man in all the years I have known her. Servants, bring coffee and dessert for Falco and myself."

Upon his word the table filled with two cakes, three fruit pies and three plates of cookies and sweet buns. Also an urn of delicious smelling coffee and cups for each of them. Kevin reached forward for the coffee urn and his stomach growled audibly. He poured Falco and then himself cups and then began to serve himself some berry pie.

"Please forgive me if I don't stand on ceremony but it's been a long day and I have had little to eat. My Vesta said you have little time with us. Would you have enough time left to eat with me and talk?" He then put a piece of pie in his mouth and smiled. "Mmmm, blueberry and black raspberry, my favorite."

================================================== ============
"You have done nothing to offend my honor" Cara said pulling a silk kerchief from her bodice to dab at the tea around Nestor's mouth. "And my man is offended when the wind blows in my direction or the sun shines upon me. He is a brutish oaf but the one good thing about him is when he drinks as much as he did last night he always sleeps till after the sun reaches mid sky. And as the sun has only just cracked the horizon we have plenty of time to wash one another as you sing me another song about my beauty."

Cara looked her latest find over. "yes, after a bath he could be a lot of fun" she thought.

========================================
The High Priest started to chant. He knew how dangerous the foe he faced was. He had witnessed her fighting skills and the weapons she had at her disposal. And the fact aht she hadn't aged worried him even more. Was she an immortal? Would he have the power to defeat her here and now? Yes, of course he would. He was the chosen of Chumal Kanh blessed to carry the Right Eye. How could he not be?

At that moment the glow of the Dagger and the glow of the eye simultaneously flickered.

Conan leaned close to Charlotte and said in low voice "This may seem to be a dumb fight but do not underestimate him. He is a foul cleric of no small power. If you and your Bryce are to go home you must work with us to finish this now. Now how close do you need to use that weapon you used to fell that second priest?"

"Really?" Falco gave the wizard an uncertain look at this curious anouncement, not sure if it was good or bad. "...Thats a dubious honor I guess?" He offered nervously, tapping his fingers on the arm rest of the wheelchair. "...I really wasn't intending to upset her that much." He added. "I mean we didn't even meet that long ago, she helped me get my chair out of the mud." He gestured vaguely, trying to figure out where to start. How long had it been anyway? He kind of wished that he'd been paying more attention to that part of things, though he didn't think there had really been much detail on it anyway. "Aw hell."
===
"See I'm actually figuring thats a good amount of time to get a few miles out of his arms reach..." Nestor explained, trying to steer her hand and kercheif elsewhere. Good lord, this woman was really more cut out for a brothel than a marriage bed wasn't she? Unfortunately she was married, and he doubted that the huge man would stay conviniently oblivious for long.
Also, sober, her behavior was considerably less appealing, and if there had been any appeal, it was covered up by the throbbing in his head and bruises.

Charlotte wrinkled her nose and leaned away from "Conan" when he came close enough to speak to her. He smelled as if he hadn't bathed in ages and his breath smelled like fish or rubbish, she couldn't decide. No wonder half the teeth had rotted out of his head. Why weren't there any strappingly cute men in this stupid game? Why in the heck hadn't the made her a princess or something easy where she sat around being waited on? No...she was here, fighting a guy with a eye in his forehead that was glowing red and insinuating that he knew her. There was no way in hell she'd ever hang out with a guy like that...not in a million years.

She looked down at her pepperspray in her hand and raised an eyebrow. It was audacious that she even had it in the first place, much less her cellphone and her lipstick. Charlotte couldn't help but have her attention diverge to the thought that she hoped no one stepped on it. That was a 35 dollar stick of lipstick she'd chucked at the guy and the best on the market.

"I don't know...Right up next to him...maybe a few feet off..." She sneered a bit at the obsurdity of it all.