(theres not much for me to post im in the earth kingdom in a bar.....cant do anything till someone shows up)

((lol I know we all started in different areas so we have to make our characters run into each other))

((Same with me; I can't exactly play the entire group of independents; someone new needs to join as a member or find the group before I really have anything to do.))

(( I can edit my post so instead of landing between the air and earth kingdom I can land down south in no mans land so that way we can find each other Cal ))

((That sounds good, but I have to log off for now, we'll have to do that later ^_^))

(( NOTE - Changed past posts for my character. Her position is in the southern part of No-Man's land. The area between the Fire and Earth Kingdoms. She just landed on the shore and is about a days walk in. ))

((Sorry it took me so long to post. Writer's block.))

A young air elementalist suddenly ran up to Jeremiah.

"Hey, there's someone on the horizon, coming this way!"

Jeremiah looked up. "What kingdom?"

"Not sure, she's wearing neutral clothing."

"Well, perhaps she's here to join our group." He smiles slyly. "You stay here, I'm going to go greet our guest."

Jeremiah packed up the chess set and slung it under his arm, readjusting his glasses, and then head out of the camp. Using the tall grass to hide in, and his earth powers to keep the grass around him thick and opaque, he snuck around to the side of the young woman before stepping out and addressing her.

"Hello there. What are you doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Mena had been walking for quite a while but she had wanted to make some distance from the shore. Even though she had not been spotted she knew it was only a matter of time before her family realized she was gone. With the war going on she wasn't sure if they would send a patrol or not but she preferred to be safe.

She was enjoying the breeze and seeing all the different little flowers. She had also seen some kind of rodent earlier which had made her smile. Things so peaceful here. It almost gave the illusion that there was no war. Everything was going fine till seemingly out of a nowhere a strange man appeared.

Mena let out a gasp and took a step back. She was frightened but tried not to show it. She had never met anyone from another kingdom before. She gave herself a mental talking to since part of the reason she left was to meet new people. She would be brave but careful.

She recited the lie she had made up before she had left, "I was with a trading caravan. I wandered away from camp and got lost." She hoped it was convincing. She had never really lied before.

Jeremiah looked her up and down. "Really now? How tragic. How long ago was this?"

Mena felt uncomfortable under his gaze but tried not to show it. She hoped she sounded confident when she replied, "It has been three days since I've been lost. Since I'm with a trading caravan they never stay put in one kingdom long. We were on our way to the Earth Kingdom." Most of what she said was true about the caravans and it was a good reason for her to be wearing neutral clothing as well. The caravan traders were not really a part of any one said kingdom and had always been drifters. The only real hard part was passing herself off as one.

"Interesting" Jeremiah said, leaning forward and look at her eyes over his glasses "Since the only trading caravan that comes this far south passed through nearly a week ago." He smiled, his voice harsh and cold but not unkind.

Mena took another small step back as the man leaned forward. Her eyes went wide for a moment when she realized she'd been found out. She tried to regain her composure and try to keep at the lie. She knew she was grasping at straws but she didn't know what else to do.

She stammered out, "W. .w. .well that's what happened and I don't care if you believe me or not. I'll just be on my own way and find them by myself." She turned and started walking away at a rather hurried pace. Maybe he would let her go?

"Hold it." He wasn't shouting and he didn't sound angry, but somehow he still spoke with enough force to stop her in her tracks.

Mena winced as he spoke to her. She looked back at him and said, "What? I . . I don't want to bother you or anybody. . I. . I. . I'm just looking for my family." She was scared and not doing a good job of hiding it anymore.

Jeremiah smiled at her. He seemed to be always smiling, but she couldn't really tell if it was friendly or not. Suddenly he whips out the wooden box he had been holding under his arm and opens it, revealing it to be a chess set.

"I'll make you a deal. We'll play one game; if you win, I let you go, no questions asked, no harm done. But if I win, you come with me without a fuss. Fair?"

Mena saw him smile but it didn't make her feel comfortable. She flinched a bit when he pulled out the box half expecting it to be some kind of weapon. She was more than a little surprised to find that it was a chess set. At first she just looked at him like he was crazy. . he wanted to play chess.

She stood there a moment thinking about it. Well she doubted he would be bad at the game since he just happened to have it on him. Really what kind of person walks around with a chess set? This guy apparently. She and her brother had played for years but she had never been able to beat him. She did not think she would be able to beat this guy.

Mena finally said, "I don't know. I mean you must be really good right? Besides I'm not harming you or anything I could just leave, no harm done." She really hoped a game of chess was not her only way out.

By the time Mena had finished talking, Jeremiah had already set up the board on the ground. He sat down on the Black side, and glanced up at her. "How about this, I'll play without my queen" he took his queen of the board "and with only one knight" he took the left knight off the board. "Does that sound better?"

Mena glanced down at the board. The moment he was willing take off his own pieces she was pretty sure she would loose. Only really experience, or cocky, players did that. She got the feel from this man that he was more the type to be confident in real ability rather than false ability. She let out a small sigh. If she refused would he hurt her in order to get her to come with him? Well at least this way she had a chance, small, but a chance.

"Okay, " she said and sat down.

Mena made her first move, and the game was under way. It quickly became apparent that her assessment had been correct: this man was a master. It wasn't long before he had her trapped in
"Checkmate." he said, with a move of a rook. "Good game, well played." He smiled, offering his hand for a handshake.

She groaned inwardly as he checkmated her but there wasn't much she could do now. She looked at his hand extended a little unsure but shook it lightly. She looked at him and asked quietly, "Are. . are you going to harm me?" She had agreed to the terms to go with him but now she was a bit frightened. Perhaps she would have to use her water power after all.

Jeremiah began packing up the chess set, seemingly ignoring her question. Once it was back in the box and under his arm, he said simply, "Let's go" and began leading her South through the grass.

He had not even bothered to answer her question and this made her worry. Perhaps he did not want to promise something that might not be. She knew as well that if he was taking her to some sort of leader then it may not even be up to him. She did follow him though not really knowing what else to do. As they walked she said softly, "You really are very good at chess. D. . did you learn as a young child?" She was uncomfortable with the silence having grown up surrounded by family.

((I'm going to presume that you are a mule of Chikuma's?))

(( oh my gosh, Sorry about that, yes that's my mule *hits forhead* sorry ))

((Hey is there somewhere I can join in here))