Destracted by flying projectile , that looked like a marshmellow , Bora Cho fell straight on his face ...

He just hoped no-one had noticed that ... he knew what people thought about his "unique" fighting style . He did not want to be kicked out of the caravan .

Seriously , he was not just a drunken vagabond , no he was almost a Master ... almost .

Bora Cho got up , not even cleaning of the dirt of his shirt , he asked to no-one specifaclly :

" Is this the way you nomads travel , killing each other while walking ?"

Carwyn's ears were good, honed from years of practice, so he could've sworn he'd heard the armored security man say something about "my miserable existence", to which Hoshiko replied with something about "your miserable existence". This all came after the security guard had announced his purpose and intentions. Clearly, he perceived Hoshiko as a threat. Now, he wasn't too keen on the specifics of aeromancy, but he was pretty sure that it had to do with lightning and other such nastiness. And if Hoshiko's increasingly angry tone was any indication, it was clear that she could defend herself if it came to that.

He let out a small sigh, then quickly swallowed it up as a rather large marshmallow impacted the security guard's helmet. Carwyn glanced over in Aya's direction again and saw the merchant woman shaking her bag of marshmallows angrily at the security guard. “And there’s more where that came from!” she called out. “So you just better… better… You’d just better watch it, pal and go ‘securitize’ the trail ahead of us instead of messing around with ‘mancers and rangers and… and the rest of us travellers!”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Carwyn couldn't help but let the full-blown grin that was tugging at the corners of his mouth spread across his face. She's sweet, he thought to himself. Taking note that the pirate-y looking person with axes had entered his lot into the confrontation, Carwyn lowered his bow.

"It's clear that you've got some issues to work out amongst yourselves," he said, addressing Hoshiko and the guard. "Personally I was never very good at that whole mediating business, so I'm just going to leave you to it." He turned to move off in Aya's direction, but not before winking at Hoshiko. "Don't hurt him too much, Hosh. I could probably use some of his fancy armor for arrowheads." His voice was merry.

He trotted past the taciturn swordsman, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "All yours, mate." He then approached Aya. "Oy, don't be throwin' all of those at him! Those'd go in perfectly good s'mores!"

"Indeed," she told the merchant, "you can scarce find a better weapon than a sticky puffball to combat a man in full body armor... nice shot, though."

“Thanks!” Aya replied to the woman. “I pride myself on accuracy with foodstuffs. All I can say is that he’s derned lucky I wasn’t carrying fresh tomatoes!”

She saw Carwyn lower his bow, and grin. It looked like the tense situation was being defused, and Aya took a small amount of self-satisfaction at that. She didn’t like to see anyone get hurt without reason, especially any of her fellow travellers. There was a sort of code among the regulars in the caravan that they helped each other along the way. Once in the city, competition between them resumed, but out on the road…it was best that they stick together.

Carwyn said some words to the swordsmen, and to the mage, and then headed towards her. "Oy, don't be throwin' all of those at him! Those'd go in perfectly good s'mores!"

She grinned at him. “Yeah, well….” She shrugged lightly. “We need to find some chocolate and biscuits first. So…,” she said tentatively, “you want to walk along with me and Bob? I was sort of hoping to get in front of those ‘mancers. They’re sort of… well….” She paused, not really wanting to admit that they scared her. She settled with, “…unpredictable.”

She tossed him the bag of marshmallows. "Here. You'd better hold on to those. I don't trust myself not to throw another one. And the stale ones can be lethal."

"I bet they do," Akira grinned, still laughing on the inside because of her actions, yet, he still held a serious look on Xan. He hid his dagger once again and then looked around him. He saw a woman that had commented on Aya, a pirate, a some sort of drunken vagabond, Carwyn, Xan, the female aeromancer, the male pyromancer and the other swordsman. He held his eye on the swordsman though.

"I trust this can be solved by you guys," He said to them, "Aya, Carwyn, you mind some help?"

"I was sort of hoping to get in front of those ‘mancers. They’re sort of… well ….unpredictable." the talior said and Toa turned around looking angry.

" 'Macers? Unpredictable?" he said in an angry voice. Then he smiled and said "I guess you're right, although Hydros are the most boring and predictable people on the planet. And the most cold hearted too."

Then he turned back around and said "Look, if you don't want to settle it by the fire, then how about if you take it up with Irithoi? Even though you have permission to do all that stuff, this is his caravan and he is the one paying you."

Xan was about to comment on Hoshiko's complyance to ending his life, when something he barely felt hit his helmet.

He reached up and plucked it off, and brought it in front of his face. He brought it close, close for even a guy wearing a helmet. It was a marshmallow...Xan looked up and heard the woman with the pony threatening his intentions.

"Seems like you have everyone on your side Hoshiko," he said saddly, "as usual your deceptions win again."

Xan threw the marshmallow aside and lifted one of his axes, pointing it at the woman, "ma'am, I'll see you in ten minutes at the head of the caravan," he stated.

Then he heard the man with the weird hat threaten him. Xan pointed his axe at him now, "you too smart-alick."

"If either one of you don't show, I'll hunt you down and detain you in a most uncivil fashion," he stated darkly, pointing his axe from one to the other.

"I guess you win, Hoshiko, but I'll keep my eye on you," Xan said to Hoshiko, lifting his axes and putting them away. Xan pushed past Hoshiko with a shove from his shoulder and started walking towards the front of the caravan. He halted and turned his head slightely, "oh, and we'll definately continue our conversation, Hoshiko," he menaced, turning and continuing his journey to the front of the caravan.

Kyo frowned, glaring back at the armored man. He had no patience for idiots.

He turned forward again, forcing himself to relax again as the group broke apart.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It was several hours later by the time they made camp. Dusk was nearly upon them when Irithoi had given the order to pull the wagons up in a circle and form the campsite. Fires were started, those who had brought tents had put them up.

Kyo sat at a relatively deserted campfire he himself had built, munching on a small bit of bread he had pulled from his bag. He ignored the others, already thinking through what he would do when he reached Ryuu-Tokai; what motions he would take to find the woman, what he would say when he did...

As they pulled in to camp, Takara watched the armored man for a moment, thoughtfully replaying one of his statements from much earlier in her head. Seems you have everyone on your side, Hoshiko. Takara cocked her head. Was that sadness in his voice? She nodded to herself. Yes, of course it was. After all, he'd only been trying to do his job.

"We're pulling in for a camping, and I missed a fight?" Katsuro's words jarred his mother from her thoughts.

"Yes, you did," she agreed, "quite toward the beginning of our trip. I'm very glad of it." She smiled faintly. "Though I think you would have enjoyed the part where the merchant woman," she gestured to Aya, "attacked the armored guard," gesturing to Xan, "with a marshmallow!"

Katsuro laughed. "Ho, well!" he said cheerfully. Then, more seriously, he said, "Did you know there's nobody my age around?"

Takara smiled. "Since when is that any different?"

Katsuro grinned. "No different, just commenting," he said. As he ran off to hunt for more stones for his slingshot, Takara pulled her bag from her shoulders and dropped it to the ground. From it, she pulled a black cloak. This, she drew over her shoulders and fastened about her neck. When this was done, she moved to the edge of the encampment and stared out into the distance.

Aya stood by her fire and then stared critically at her tent. It was definitely not as taut as it could be, sagging badly in the middle. But it wasn’t a bad effort for only having three tent stakes instead of four. She searched her tent bag again, but just couldn't find the other stake.

She was about to go and look for a suitably solid stick as a substitute when she noticed the young mother and little boy some yards away. And as the boy ran off to play with his slingshot, she had to grin. He reminded her of her little brother, Rui. But when she saw the young mother wrapping herself up in her cloak, her grin faded. It wasn’t right that they didn’t have a tent to sleep in.

She looked at her tent again. It wasn’t large, but there was room enough to share it with the mother and her boy. Even sagging in the middle as it was, it was better than sleeping outside.

“Hey,” she called out to the young mother. “You need a place to sleep tonight? I’ve got room in my tent to share. It’d be a lot warmer than roughing it outside. Plus, if my friends come through with some chocolate and graham crackers, or suitable substitutes, we'll be making s'mores. If not," she shrugged, "just toasted marshmallows. But either way, something sweet to eat."

As soon as Aya finished her sentance, Toa came along carrying an armful of dried wood followed by 2 of his tall fire soldiers carrying already burning wood and an army of tiny fire soldiers dragging lightly singed branches. They all dumped it into Aya's fire and it flared up a few feet for a few seconds before going down again. Then the fire soldiers went to get more wood and branches while Toa sat down in front of the fire.

"I imagine that we'll need quite a bit more wood before we can make Volcano S'mores. Also some large stones." he said to himself as he stared into the fire, another fire seeming to form in his own.

Carwyn came back to the campsite carrying a stack of firewood he'd gathered. He spotted Aya talking to the young mother and child who had joined the caravan late, motioning to her tent. Probably offering them her tent to stay the night, he surmised. He couldn't help but smile again, something he'd been doing most of the day conversing with Aya. The rest of the trip after that initial confrontation was pretty uneventful, and he and Aya had spent most of it talking and swapping stories, interrupted by only the cranky security guard giving Aya a stern talking-to.

He approached the campfire just as the pyromancer sat down. "I think this should be more than enough," he told Toa.

Carwyn sat down on the coat he'd spread out on the ground for himself earlier. He spotted the bag of marshmallows, picked one out and popped it into his mouth. Pulling off his right boot, he massaged his sore right foot as he chewed thoughtfully.

Xan stood outside the circle of wagons watching everyone, he had little rest with his job. He had to patrol the outside of the wagons, and when everyone went to sleep, he had to patrol the surrounding areas to make sure everything was clear.

He looked at the merchant lady's tent, it was sagging, missing a pole. He let out a snort and reached into the wagon he was standing near, the one he kept his gear in. He searched around with his hand until he found what he was looking for.

He looked at the proper sized tent pole, he had been on many battle campaigns, he knew to carry two or three extra at all times. "Here," he said, though he said it with no effort for her to hear him, whether she did or not he didn't care. At that he tossed the pole, it landed squarely infront of the womans tent.

He didn't wait for any gratitude or contempt, and started patroling around the wagons. He saw nothing, only darkness, and the still figures of trees. He sighed as he heard laughter and talking from the camp, he was alienated, hated, and alone...as always.

Akira said, bringing in a large sack, filled with chocolate and another with the graham crackers, "You wouldn't know the debts i had to take advantage for the chocolate and the crackers. But well, i guess it's better to have food than undebted debts," He smiled.

Akira let the sack rest besides Aya's tent and then sat down. He took out his long cape and put it on his previously set tent. He took out his bow and his arrow's and looked at them. The arrow's point's where made of pure steel. The arrow itself and the feathers where black. His bow's string was made of a very strong yet comfortable nylon. The bow, as well as the arrow's, was black. It started off like a normal bow but then made a curve, which was followed by the bow's handle which was followed by the same pattern, yet reversed: the curve first and then the bow ended.

Akira then rest for a while, warming himself up.

Kyo saw the armored guard walking around the back of the wagons nearby. He sighed, calling out to him as if reading his mind.

"You know," he said without turning around from his fire, "If you don't swing your weapons around in a crowd of people, people might like you better."

"We need some some large stones for the molten rock and a few other matierials. Otherwise it won't be a Volcano S'more," Toa said smiling and then continued saying "But the soldiers are getting getting those. And then I can provide the proper heat. It would be nice if someone could provide alcohol to put in the flame, but it's not requiered."

He didn't really may much attention to the fire, he clothing kept him warm enough to get by. Instead of joining the group he just stood around and stared out at the sky. He only really joined the group when he heard someone say "And we'll also need chocolate and graham crackers."

Jonas turned and said "Well I don't know about cracker but I have chocolate in my bag."

"You know," said the young man with the sword, "If you don't swing your weapons around in a crowd of people, people might like you better."

Xan just shook his helmeted head and continued his job walking away from the kid and his fire to another side of the circle of wagons, even though it had no sides technically.

Kyo's eyes followed the man as he moved around to the other side of the circle of wagons, shaking his head slightly.

"Don't bother," Akira said to the swordsman, "He's one of those stubborn persons that are just like that. As long as we can count on him for protection or something, we're alright. Say, what's your name?"

Akira was very curious to know him better, since he was a fellow Swordsman.

He glanced over at the new man who was speaking to him. "Kyo." he answered.

Aya was pleasantly surprised at the stack of firewood brought back by Carwyn. And she was taken aback when Toa’s little fire soldiers had marched past her and built up her fire to a roaring blaze. And she was speechless when Akira deposited the large sack filled with chocolate and graham crackers by her tent. But she was utterly floored when Xan tossed her the tent stake.

She stared at it, then stared at him, and for probably the first time that day, she didn’t know what to say, except, “Thanks.” Maybe she had misjudged the grumpy guard. After all, it did appear that he was looking after everyone.

She hoped the young mother would join her later, but as it looked like she was intent on waiting for her son to come back from playing, she went to sit near Carwyn.

He was pensively munching on a marshmallow while he massaged his foot. “You know, if I was my mother, I’d tell you save the marshmallows for the s’mores.” She reached into the bag and picked one out for herself. “But, I’m not my mother.” She popped it into her mouth, enjoying the soft, sugary treat.

Aya hugged her knees in close to her chest and looked at sky while she chewed. The sun had just set and the sky was glowing with reds and gold as bright and warm as her fire. It would be a good day tomorrow. She swallowed.

“Red in the morning, shepherd’s warning. Red at night shepherd’s delight.” She looked at Carwyn. “You know, Bob really didn’t mean to step on your foot,” she said apologetically. “He’s just a little… overprotective of me sometimes.”

"Well, nice to meet you Kyo. I'm Akira, nice to meet you. I take it that you're a swordsman as well," He said relaxed. It was truly a moment to sit back and enjoy.

Kyo nodded. "I am, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Akira."

"You know, Bob really didn’t mean to step on your foot,” Aya said to Carwyn apologetically. “He’s just a little… overprotective of me sometimes.”

"My old girlfriend's pet, I don't know what it was but it was a large cat of some sort, used to do things like that, only with his teeth." Toa said laughing.

Xan halted and sighed, he looked around, no one there. He slipped his helmet off and rubbed some sweat from his forehead, then took a good look around, and breathed deep, the fresh air smelled good.

He slipped his helmet back on and started his patrol again, after some time he heard some rustling in the vegitation outside the circle of wagons. He halted, as if hit by an arrow, drawing his great sword. Xan cautiously moved away from the wagons towards the sound.

He heard it again, he lifted his enormous blade, ready to strike. He stepped up on a curious sight, and something he didn't expect. A boy, he probably belonged to the lady who had been talking to Irithoi earlier. He seemed to be gathering stones.

Xan lowered his blade, "oi, kid, don't you know not to be outside the wagon circle after dark, it's more dangerous than you think out here," he said sternly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I mean, you where the first one to sign up for this "journey" to Ryuu-Tokai. Any special reasons?"

"You do your job," Katsuro said indignantly, looking up at the armored man. "Let me worry about me!"

-------------------------------------

Takara turned and walked over to the merchant's tent, smiling slightly. "Thank you," she said softly. "Your hospitality is greatly appreciated."

At that moment, Katsuro came running back, his stone pouch now full. He stopped at his mother's sack and stared at it for a moment before looking up and around.

"Katsuro!" his mother called. "Bring my bag, will you?"

Catching up his mother's bag, the boy ran over to the tent. Takara turned back to Aya.

"My name is Takara. This is my son, Katsuro."

"Oh, it's all right," Carwyn said. "I was just walking a little too close to him, that's all." He cracked the bones in his foot a few times, then slipped his boot back on. "After all, it's not like that's the first time I've been stepped on by a horse." He spotted Aya's pony looking at them from behind Aya's tent. "No hard feelings, Bob!" Carwyn called out.

He turned his attention back to Aya. "Besides, it's a good thing that you've got him to look out for you. I'd not mind having a friend like him watching out for me." He stared at the crackling fire. "There aren't enough horses like that in this world nowadays." Carwyn's voice got a bit quieter. "There aren't enough people either, for that matter."

Hoshiko was walking near the edge of the camp, back to the place where she had left her gear, intending to get a good night's sleep and try to forget about Xan for a while. Why was he so angry anyway? There were people in this world that didn't deserve to live, no matter how many people they paid off, no matter how well they hid themselves, no matter if she was the only person willing to do something about it. Oh well. She had done what she thought to be right, and so had Xan. She couldn't fault him for that. But it was going to be rather annoying being in the same caravan with him.

As she passed one of the fires, she heard Toa mention something about alcohol... to put in a fire? This I've got to see, she thought, crouching down and reaching into one of her saddlebags. Looking to the side, she noticed Xan outside the wagon circle talking to the boy.

"Oi, kid, don't you know not to be outside the wagon circle after dark, it's more dangerous than you think out here," his stern voice came to her on the night breeze. She smiled a little. He had a good heart, but he was so tense all the time. Maybe that was why people tended to find him annoying at first. Shrugging, she stood back up and walked back towards Toa's fire, holding a bottle towards him.

"Alcohol," she said with a smile. "Just try not to use it all, it's a good... disinfectant." And if any other enemies showed up on the trip, she was likely to need it.

"No, there aren't," Aya agreed solemnly with Carwyn. Her thoughts drifted to her recently deceased father. "My father bought Bob from a rag and bone man a few years back." She thought a moment, and her brow wrinkled. "Quite a few years back, actually. We weren't exactly looking for a pony, (we had one already,) but the rag and bone man wasn't being nice to Bob. Guess my father felt sorry for him, and so he bought him." She gave Carwyn a tight lipped grin. "And we've been together ever since." Her expression saddened a bit. "My father was a good man."

At that moment, the young mother approached, thanking Aya for her invitation for lodging.

"My name is Takara. This is my son, Katsuro."

Aya smiled at them. "And welcome to you both," she greeted. "Come and sit down with us. I think our 'mancer friend, Toa, is about to make some special Volcanic S'mores. That is, if he gets the right kind of stones for them."

Aya looked at Carwyn askance. "You're from the West, right? Do you know what kind of stones he needs? Or what he intends to do with them? 'Cause I'd be quite happy with just regular s'mores," she added.

"Stones?" Katsuro's ears perked up. "I've just been collecting some." He opened his pouch and pulled out a small handful, holding them out. "Just exactly what are Volcanic S'mores, anyway?"

Takara smiled slightly. "Always the curious one," she said softly, kneeling slowly at the merchant's tent. As she did so, her heavy cloak came open a little, as she was using her left hand to steady her sword. On the other side of her belt, her long knife was barely visible, the tip of its sheath almost touching the ground. Only that slight glance was given before Takara drew her cloak shut again and rocked back to sit on her feet.

"Are you sure I can't use the whole thing? I'll pay for another bottle if anyone sells them around here. But once my soldiers come back with the stones, it's going to be time for Volcano S'mores. We'll have to dig a small moat around the fire first, but then it'll be time. And a full bottle is best for it." Toa said to Hoshiko taking the bottle and smiling. Then he said to the child "They aren't big enough for what I need, but they'll help. You can just throw them into the fire."

"Ah, whatever," Hoshiko said. "Go ahead." She was too curious to insist otherwise, and it wasn't like she couldn't get alcohol anywhere. "So how big do the stones need to be?" she asked.

"Well, they have to be oval shaped, and about four feet in length. I also need about eight of them. That would be easier in the mountains, but I think you can find them here." Toa said delighted as battalion of tiny fire soldiers came carrying a plate like that, looking like ants carrying away a picnic.

"Eh, kids, even they disrespect me," he said as the kid ran off back to camp. Xan sheathed his sword and was about to head back to the outside region of the wagons when he felt something ping off his helmet.

He turned to find bandits all behind him, obviously they had wanted to get the kid, but ended up going after him instead. There were at least five, and that's less than what was needed to subdue him. But he could tell by the rustling in the vegitation in the distance that more were coming...quite a bit more.

"Well...howdy," he said as he drew one of his throwing axes and threw it with blinding speed, it embedded in one of the bandits foreheads, he fell to the ground limp.

The bandits rushed him, he drew his war hammer and started swinging left and right, men screamed, their heads smashed in, or pierced by the spike on one of the hammer's sides.
----------
After a long absence Xan returned to the camp, alot of his armor covered in blood. He checked his weapons, yep, they were all there. If you went back to where the fight occured, you would find almost twelve dead men in the area.

Xan paused as he saw everyone conversing nonchalantly, as if nothing happened, not realizeing he prevented the bandits from getting to the wagons. He sighed and continued his patrol, watching the others make their s'mores.

"Always the curious one," Takara said softly, kneeling slowly at the merchant's tent.

"Yeah, curiosity is not always good to have," Aya commented. She had noticed Takara's sword and knife, even though the woman had quickly concealed them again with her cloak. "Gets you into all sorts of trouble."

She doesn't look dangerous..., Aya thought. But the lady's wearing all black, she armed, she's trying to conceal it, and I've just invited her and her son to share my tent. Why do I feel like I'm getting into a situation that I don't want to be in?

She shifted her position slightly, moving slightly closer to Carwyn but making sure that she was facing more square to Takara, just to avoid any 'surprises.'

Peering in the marshmallow bag for a moment, Carwyn closed it up and put it to the side. "I haven't a clue what they are, to be honest, so we'd better save these in case he needs more." He picked up a stray bit of wood on the ground near the fire. Producing a knife from his back pocket, he whittled at it absentmindedly as he watched various caravan members help with the fire preparations. "And yes, I'm from the West, but my mother was a ranger like me and my father was a monk," he continued. "So all this 'mancer stuff is past me. All I know is that I'd rather not be on the receiving end on some of those spells." He made his voice cheerier. "Thankfully, Hoshiko and Toa are on our side." He waved at the white-haired aeromancer as she offered alcohol for Toa's fire.

He noticed Aya shift a bit closer to him. She was looking at the young mother, an unreadable expression on her face. Carwyn arched an eyebrow. "It's nice of you to offer that woman a place for the night, Aya."

Takara noticed Aya's movement and glanced down for a moment. When she looked up again, she smiled. "Katsuro knows all about that," she said. "In town before we started, for example..."

"I'm never gonna outlive that, am I?" Katsuro sighed, tossing his stones in the fire. His mother chuckled.

"Not if I keep talking about it," she agreed. To Aya, she explained the story of the stones back in town. Katsuro chimed in with his usual objection.

"And that's not the only time he's discovered his curiosity can be a troublemaker," Takara continued. Katsuro grimaced.

"Enough with the stories about me!" he complained. "What about the Volcanic S'mores... whatever they are??"

Toa smiled at the child and said "You'll have to wait and see. As a kid, my familiy and I would camp out in our yard and make them, as my father was a Pyromacer. Then when it was dark and getting colder, we would leave our dad alone out there while he was asleep and go inside." He laughed and used a stick to poke the fire as some more soldiers brought stone plates.

"Oh, I noticed a stone like that when the camp was being set up," Hoshiko remarked. She slipped from the wagon circle and started looking around. Things were always harder to find in the dark... As she wandered further, she came across a dead man. Tilting her head to the side, she knelt and examined him. Interesting. Beyond that, there were even more. They had been bandits, by the look of things. And Xan must have killed them. And he hadn't even bothered to call for help, or even tell anyone what he had done. Well, if he wanted to keep it quiet, she wouldn't start spreading the news. He probably just didn't want to start a panic. Turning back towards the wagons, she found the stone and turned it on its edge, rolling it alongside her as she returned.

"It's nice of you to offer that woman a place for the night, Aya," Carwyn said.

Aya gave Carwyn quick grin. "Well, I couldn't just let her and the boy sleep rough," she replied to him quietly. "It's just not right."

She let out a tiny, but somewhat apprehensive sounding sigh. It didn't bother Aya that Takara was armed. But the fact that she had tried to conceal her weapons made Aya slightly nervous. Still, Aya thought, Takara might have a good reason for doing what she did, and so Aya wouldn't mention the incident.

"I've got a brother about Katsuro's age," she told Carwyn. "Rui." She grinned at the thought of him. "He's ten. I'd just die if he had to sleep out in the cold."

She looked at her tent, and then the tent pole that Xan had given her laying in front of the entrance. "Although, if I don't get that tent fixed up a bit tighter, it's not going to be much use to any of us."

"Thank you." Toa said to Hoshiko as he rolled the stone for her to the pile of five stones so far. "Need three more stones before the Volcano S'mores can get started." He announced to the group. Then the battalion came with another stone, this time rolling it like Hoshiko had. "Make that two."

Xan wondered around the wagons, keeping in the shadows so as not to attract attention with his bloodied armor. He was getting tired, especially after his fight, so to keep himself awake he started humming. He was moving around a wagon when he stopped, there infront of him was another horde of bandits. They had been staring into the camp, but kept to the shadows, they cocked their heads in unison as he came upon them.

'Oh, great!' He thought to himself as he moved to draw one of his throwing axes, only to be stopped short by an extremely hard blow to the head. His helmet took it, and sounded like a quiet bell, from the inside of his helmet, it was like a symphony of bells. He stood there, dazed, then another blow, and another, then a fourth.

He finally fell, still semi-concious, he was swarmed, and quickly bound.

"We've got one, now let's get outta here," one of the bandits whispered. "He looks like a rich one, look at that armor...and those weapons!" Another said.

"He'll fetch a fine ransom," said a third.

Xan was out of it, slipping in and out of conciousness, but before he was dragged away, he let out a cry, "hey..." tong, the symphony sounded again, and he was out cold.

The bandits drug him laboriously, his armor and size weighing them down.

Even was liking Toa more and more by the minute. Because of him, tehy were finally ghoing to get some grub, and probably darned good grub too! He'd have to watch his back to Toa more. "I am I correct in assuming," he asked Toa, "that volcanic S'mores are cooked over molten rock?"

As Aya rose to go and get the tent pole, she heard a strange sound. Like a bell ringing. She frowned, and looked around. Outside of the campsite, it was black as pitch. They weren't near any type of city or town. Why would there be a bell ringing?

She turned to the others. "Is it my imagination, or did I hear a bell ring?" She looked around again. "And where's our grumpy security guard?" she asked, thinking that if there was anything remotely odd happening in the camp, he was sure to pounce on it quicker than a fox on a hare.

"That'd be right. There a bit more too it though than the molten rock itself though, as I have a bit of ingrediants, along with the alcohol, that'll- well, lets just say that you wont be cold when you go to sleep tonight. And the mosquitos wont bother you either." Toa said.

"Okay then," Hoshiko said, leaving to look for another stone. As she wandered about, she noticed a clanging noise in the distance, then a thump and the sound of low voices.

"We've got one, now let's get outta here." "He looks like a rich one, look at that armor...and those weapons!"

She took off running softly through the grass until she could see the cause of the commotion, a small group of bandits who had a hold of Xan and were dragging him off.

"Hey," Xan called, before one of them slammed him over the head and apparently knocked him unconscious.

Oh no you don't, Hoshiko thought. She had no great love for Xan, but he was a good man, and those bandits were as evil as they came. Drawing her sword, she slipped silently through the shadows, slashing them apart as fast as she could before they noticed her. By the time they reacted, it was already too late for half their number.

"What the... I wouldn't have interfered if I were you, pretty girl," said one of the bandits. He and the rest of them started moving to encircle her slowly. Hoshiko concentrated, a half-smile starting to form at the corners of her mouth.

"But you're not me," she whispered, looking him straight in the eye. As the lightning struck around her, she leaped back into action, slicing any of the bandits who managed to escape it. Dropping the point of her her sword, she frowned. Messy. She walked over to Xan and drew the edge of the blade across his bonds, slicing them through, then removed them and tossed them away.

"You alright?" she asked. Stupid question. He was probably still unconscious. As she cupped her hands to her mouth to call someone to help her move him, a sudden pain stabbed through her right side. She bent over and grabbed her side with a groan. One of them must have hit her during the battle, and she didn't notice because of the adrenaline. Victory always had its price. She cleared her throat and called out, pitching her voice so it would carry to the rest of the caravan.

"Hey, can someone help me drag this lunkhead back to camp?"

Toa heard Hoshiko and said to them "I'll be right back." He got up and went over to where she had called from and saw the battle scene. He laughed and said "I don't even want to know." Then when he saw her hurt and Xan unconsious his face grew a bit more serious and he helped drag Xan back to camp.

Carwyn thought he heard the clanging of metal, then Hoshiko called out, "Hey, can someone help me drag this lunkhead back to camp?" Grabbing his bow, he followed Toa as they made their way towards Hoshiko's voice. Carwyn's eyes grew wide as he saw bodies strewn across the bloodstained grass. Hoshiko was holding her side as she was trying to drag the unconscious body of Xan back to camp.

"Cripes, what happened here?" Carwyn said as he shouldered his bow. Moving quickly, he took Hoshiko's left arm and threw it over his right shoulder, supporting her as he grabbed Xan's bloody pauldron with his left hand and helped Toa drag the guard back to camp.

((OOC: Pardon the language, but MA, what the hell do you think you're doing?? I'll be posting more in the OOC thread in a moment <.<))

Imbiciel. Kyo thought to himself as he caught sight of the aeromacer dragging Xan back to camp. Perhaps if he could swallow his pride long enough, he wouldn't be in such a state.