Journey West 19: Infestation

    Hollia, Rhulan, and the others finds themselves this day heading straight south towards a town that according to Viana is sitting above an underground lake.

    “I’ve bin menen ta ask ya,” says Viana to Rhulan, “back in that der town, wit dat vampire, when ya did that fancy spinnin thing, how’d ya’ll cut his nails wit yer cape?”

    “Huh,” says Rhulan, “oh that, well, given your guns I’d say the Earth you and Gold Wolf go to is a fairly technological one so I wont sugar coat it. My cape isn’t magic, is a very advanced science. In fact it’s actually a wormhole generator that I control with my mind. All I have to do is mentally shut down the safety system, a kind of dimensional loop…force field sorta thing on the edges and they become just like the event horizon of a wormhole.”

    “Soo,” says Viana, “slice.”

    “Yes,” says Rhulan.

    Hollia walking beside Rhulan goes, “hmm,” and mouths “wow” as her eyebrows betray her interest.

    Any further discussion is stopped as they come into sight of the town, however something is wrong. No sounds of people, no sounds of animals, and even from a distance they can see that the water tower has been destroyed and the tops of the larger buildings are smashed in. As they walk into the town its clear there has been battle here. Weapons are strewn across the ground, sand is collecting against the doors on the wooden side walks indicating that it’s been at least a few days since what ever happened here. Doors are smashed, tops of buildings are in shambles, windows broken. Everyone gets ready for a fight, weapons at the ready as they walk further; the road they are on goes right down the middle of the town, no going around it with out either testing their luck through the soft sand or going back over one hundred miles.

   A rustling and a clicking sound draws their attention as Giant Scorpions emerge from the top of a nearby building.

    “Goddess Wind!” yells Hollia as one tries to jump down on top of them, her spell sending it soaring away.

   “Wind Sphere!” yells Rhulan, her orb with the symbol of wind in it impacting a second Giant Scorpion leaping at them and slicing
it to pieces before sending those pieces soaring in all sorts of directions.

   “Yeah,” says Viana, “yer little wind ball aint as friendly as ole Hollia’s is it?”

   “No time to chat!” yells Gold Wolf as he blasts a another Giant Scorpion as he smashes out from under a wooden sidewalk. The building *rumbles* and collapse.

   *Screee!* A Giant Centipede emerges from the rubble.

   “Wind Slicer!” yells Cata, her arc however deflects off the top of its head.

   *Ti, ti, Zap, Fwoosh* Viana’s guns and Betty’s guns are just as in effective.

   Hollia unsummons her staff, her ears vanish as her cat ears appear, as do her cat eyes, and her fingernails turn long.

   “What da hell?” says Viana; As Hollia yells, “Final Strike!” while slicing the air with her claws. The blade of air slices between the Giant Centipede’s segments. The Giant Centipede collapses in heaps, its yellow-green blood spewing over the boards.

    *SCREE!*, *Pwoosh!* Two sounds heard in chorus as Giant Scorpions, Giant Centipedes, and Giant Tarantulas emerge from every building ahead and behind them.

    “No way in hell.” says Rhulan.

    Lin Lin spins into the air and comes down in front of them in her giant form. She rears her head back preparing for a Devastation Beam; as she unleashes the attack a soft cute girl’s voice escapes from Lin Lin despite the beam blasting forth from her
wide open mouth, “Devastation Beam!”.

   *Frwoooooo!*

   The blast fries most of the giant bugs before them and the shock wave that accompanies the blast knocks over most of the remaining delapitaded buildings.

   “Stop gawking!” commands Rhulan, “Gold Wolf, Cata, take out the one’s behind us!”

   Rhulan, with one hand, “Mystic Destroyer!”

   Cata, “Rai-Ko-Ken!”

   Gold Wolf, “Golden Blast!”

   Their purple, blue, and golden beams make short work of the hoards behind them.

   “Holy shit!” says Viana.

   “Yeah,” says Betty, “they are all pretty heavy hitters.”

   “Well no wonder, they could take turns playin wit does vampires.” says Viana.

   As the smoke clears, and an avalanche behind them blocks most of the road that was going between canyon walls they turn back to the road going through the town.

   As Hollia holds the now shrunk Lin Lin she looks at her familiar and says, “Lin Lin, did you just talk?”

   Lin Lin in a very soft and cute voice says, “mama.”

   “oohhh,” says Hollia hugging her, “your first word.”

   Viana and most of the others however are thinking pretty much something else, “wasn’t her first word Devastation?”

   “You think there are anymore?” asks Cata.

   Viana shrugs, “I never heard oh these things grouping up like dis before.”

   “Me neither,” says Rhulan, “these three species should be natural enemies; there is no way they’d attack a town in mass, it’s not natural.”

    “Maybe Lin Lin scared anymore off.” suggests Hollia as she taps Lin Lin on the nose and baby talks with her.

    Rhulan smiles at them, a twinkle in her eyes, she shakes her head, “no, these things are pure instinct. They would run off. But given there unusual behavior right now, a retreat might explain another way not coming out of the hills or from further into town. I suggest we tread lightly.”

    The party doesn’t dawdle in the town, they go through carefully, there is some movement behind a few windows but they would rather not provoke another attack. Most of the group marvels at how far Lin Lin’s blast went; even beyond the street they were on they see devastated structures from the beam, its heat, and the shockwave. They only take a moment to test the town well and refill their water pouches which are quickly hidden in Rhulan’s cape and the mystic pouches of the others; much the same way Hollia stores away her staff.

    The party is able to get through to the other side of the town with out incident, however just outside it.

    *cra-pwroo!*

    A Sand Worm smashes straight up through the road, its head cracked and bleeding from smashing through the thick solid stones beneath the surface. As the creature thrashes about, unable really to maneuver from the spot it rose from the groups jumps back. Betty and Viana open fire on it, their blasts deflecting off its armored head. However Betty’s electric blasts make the creature twitch when they strike it below the below.

   Cata attempts to rush it with her blades, remembering how her Wind Slicer deflected off the head of the giant centipede.

   *smack*

   Cata is thrown by the Sand worm’s head swiping her. She is quick to her feet again and *growls* at the beast.

   “Goddess Wind!” shouts Hollia, her blast however doesn’t even phase the beast; and Lin Lin’s “Devastation Beam” deflects off its head and hits the ground.

   “its gone mad,” says Gold Wolf, “I made that last one retreat just by hitting it a few times; didn’t even really hurt it.”

   Rhulan summons her sword, “It that case, we have no choice but to put this stuck animal out of its misery.”

   A violet aura surrounds her blade, and with a mighty swing and shout of, “Mystic Arc!” the violet to purple colored arc of energy slices through the Sand Worm’s neck just below its armored jaws. The head, as it is, falls to the ground with a loud *thud* and kicking up dust. The body falls limp, gushing out blood, dying the sand red.

   Rhulan aims her hand at the body and says, “Combustion!”

   The body and severed (head) both burst into intensly hot flames and are reduced to ash.

   “In the off chance,” says Rhulan, “its madness was caused by disease.”

   “In that case,” says Hollia, “shouldn’t we also burn the town?”

   “True,” says Rhulan, “but we’re still too close to it for an effective spell to not also endanger us. When we clear the canyon I’ll fly up and burn the town away.”

   Viana does a double take at her and whispers to Gold Wolf, “So, ya’ll recruiting this one or what? ‘Cus I can tell ya, the Heroes might want her.”

   Gold Wolf practically glares at Viana surprising her.

   “She’s not…a hero.” he says under his breath as he turns away from her her, which Viana’s large rabbit ears pick up on…Cata’s ears twitch in his direction as well.

   A *rumbling* catches their attention from behind. Large boulders are being thrown down from the tops of the canyon blocking off the road to the town. The source of the boulders however is a startling sight. Giant Scorpions are rolling large boulders off the edges of the cliff.

   “Above us!” shouts Cata as a large swarm of Giant Tarantulas leap down from above them on both sides of the canyon.

   The ensuing battle is chaos, everyone having to fight quickly. Viana does an upside down drill kick, spinning a spider mid-air and then kicking it into the canyon wall like a soccer ball; if a soccer ball exploded out its guts upon impact. Viana kicks and shoots the spiders in the head and gut as they come here way. Cata slices two or three apart as the come down. She does flips, spins, barrel rolls in the air, all the while slicing apart numerous spiders.

   “Golden Blast!, Golden Blast!, Golden Blast!” shouts Gold Wolf over and over again as he blasts one spider after another to ashes coming down right above his head.

   “Goddess Wind!” shouts Hollia sending a spider into the canyon wall, however it immediately gets back up again.

    “Ice Spears!” she shouts with a swing of her staff sending three ice spears hurling through the air, one connects with the firsts spider, the other two accidentally slash others coming in around her. *smash!* Lin Lin turns giant and smashes her tail down upon a spider going after Hollia from behind. Hollia continues to use her “Ice Spears!” as they impale the spiders with one hit while Lin Lin guards her back with tail smashes and spirit fire breath attacks that instantly incinerate the spiders but with out the destructive force of the devastation beam would have caused.

   Betty has lost her hat, and it seems also her temper, or her mind. Her costume turns white, her hair and ears reveal themselves, as she slams spiders with her wings against the ground and the canyon wall, she flies up and comes down with a golden aura smashes a spider beneath her feet. She is screaming like a mad woman as she fights.

   Rhulan too seems to have forgone any attempt at fighting with a sword as she smashes her fist into the head of a spider, flies and grabs another by its leg, spins and tosses it into the wall. As four leap down around her, her cape goes black as she spins; slicing them apart with it extra-dimensional edge. Another spider comes for her, she grabs its fangs and pulls them from its face to the sides; and then stabs it in the head with its own fangs in one fluid motion. She commences to use the fangs as weapons for a few more, slicing them down the underbelly, across the eyes, before discarding them; in that instant she grabs and twists the leg from another spider which she then kicks into the a few others before tossing a “Fire Sphere!” at them.

    When the battle is over, Hollia leans on her cane feeling drained from doing so many spells in such fast succession. Betty *huffs* and *puffs* as her wings shrink and her costume/disguise returns to normal, “I hate spiders,” she says as she puts her hat back on.

    “Woweee!” says Viana, “this is just plumb crazy!”

    “Any who,” says Rhulan as she wipes some spider blood off her hand with a rag she pulled from her cape, “that cinches it. Someone or something is defiantly controlling these creatures”

    “Totally,” says Viana, “I..I mean, boy howdy, er…yesser-ree. I never seen dem bugs act all organized and like.”

   After a brief moment Betty flies up to make sure there aren’t anymore around. She doesn’t see any Giant Tarantulas, or even the Giant Scorpions that had blocked the road.

    “and now,” says Rhulan as they clear the canyon, “to destroy that town.”

    As she turns around Gold Wolf asks, “why? Didn’t you just say it wasn’t a disease?”

    “That town,” says Rhulan with a very stern tone, “was used as a proving ground for what ever weapon was used to control those bugs. Every man, woman, and child that didn’t manage to escape was killed and eaten by giant arthropods; torn apart in their jaws. Now that town is a trap for any travelers; and you want I shouldn’t burn it to the ground?”

      Rhulan flies into the air. Hollia and Lin Lin fly up behind her, Hollia is a still a little un-easy and a little wobbly flying so high up; but she readies her self as she is distracted from focusing too much on flying to what Rhulan is doing.

    Rhulan holds her hands out towards the town and concentrates saying, “I call the clouds to gather.”

    Hollia mouths a “wow” as the few clouds in the sky are drawn down and what little moisture there is in the air as well is drawn just above the town, forming a cloud.

    Rhulan brings her arms together as though hugging the air to her body and clasps her hands together as though in some kind of prayer as she chants.

    “By the Manazit who craft reality I call the cloud to change
     By Pyris and Infernus goddesses of all fire and heat I call the cloud
     to be infused
     with thy essence
     and by thy power I call forth Hell from Above!”

   The cloud that gathered above the ruined town turns red, as though engorged with blood. Fire falls from the cloud onto the town like rain scorching everything. The flames reach high and burn bright, meeting the cloud. After a brief moment one can not tell cloud and flames apart, meeting together like some monstrous mushroom of fire. The fire does not last long as the cloud vanishes. There are still a few fires on the ground amongst the black ash piles that were once a town.

   As Rhulan, Hollia, and Lin Lin come down to the ground any questions Viana may have as she approaches Rhulan are cut off by a loud *screee!*. Several Giant Centipedes, Giant Scorpions, and Giant Tarantulas have emerged before them, forming a half circle blocking them towards the canyon with little room on either side for any potential escape.

   “Allow me to assist you!” comes a woman’s voice from above them. A group of strangers to them, but known to others as Stratos, Gun-Man, Vondroncha, and Tiana fly down from above, leaving a ripple in the air above them to indicate where their teleportation portal was.

   “Gun-Man,” shouts Viana running from behind the others and hugging him, “where have you been man? I bin waiten for-ever!”

   The source of the woman’s voice from before was the small blue elf known as Vondroncha to this group, steps forward, her dragon tail loops above her head, a feature that brings raised eyebrows from the party. As the tail glows purple and gold she holds her hands out in a commanding manner as one would do to address their followers and concentrates. In a moment her head begins to bob and a concerned look overcomes her. She falls back, Tiana catches her before she can hit the ground.

   “She’s unconscious,” says Tiana.

   “A psionic feedback,” says Rhulan, “likely who ever is controlling these creatures is either stronger than your friend there or put a psionic killer signal in their control method.”

   Rhulan aims her hand at the swarm, “In either case I am getting sick of this!”

   “Salamandra
    By thy might and by thy form
    I call the fire to slither and fly
    To Destroy that which stands before me
    Serpent Flame!”

   A fire travels across the ground, moving as a snake might move, increasing its length from the base of her feet across the ground towards the oddly slowly encroaching swarm. The head of the fire, the part truly moving as it leaves a serpent shaped trail of fire behind moves to the center. Just as it reaches under the feet of the swarm Rhulan yells out, “Explosion!”. A massive pillar of fire emerges from the ground, consuming the bugs, reducing them to ash.

   “Holy shit!” says Viana, “er I mean…no I mean holy shit lady!”

   “The Serpent Flame Explosion.” says Stratos calmly, “you are truly an impressive sorceress to perform that spell and still be standing after words.”

    Rhulan just smiles, her eyes telling him she recognizes him, but he doesn’t know her.

    “Gold Wolf?” says Gun-Man drawing everyone’s attention to him.

    “Yes,” says Gold Wolf with his arms crossed, “and you must be the Hero known as Gun-Man, a regular super-hero convention going on.”

    Gun-Man turns to Viana, “I thought you told me your mission was to track Gold Wolf and see what he was doing on American soil un-announced; not join up with him?”

    “This is much more fun,” says Viana with a broad smile, “besides I did follow ‘em and find out what he was up to. He came ‘ere to meet up wit his niece and ‘elp her.”

    “Gold Wolf?” says Stratos.

   “Long time, Stratos,” says Gold Wolf.

   “Hold on,” says Gun-Man confused, “Stratos…you know Gold Wolf? But you’ve never been to our Earth.”

    Vondroncha is coming too much to Tiana’s delight and watches the men talk.

    “I don’t know him from there,” says Stratos, “I know him from here. He’s the brother of the woman that married my grandson.”

    “I…see,” says Vondroncha as Tiana helps her to her feet, “Sir Gold Wolf, you are royalty too then…by marriage or…”

    “Hold on a minute,” says Stratos, “did Viana just say…his niece?”

   Stratos surveys the group and spots Hollia amongst them, “Holly?” he says, “Is…is that you?”

   Hollia steps forward, “Yes…that…is my name. Sir, although I do prefer to be called Hollia if you please.”

   “Don’t recognize me do you?”

   “She was very small when we were both at Stratalia.” says Gold Wolf.

   “Wait,” says Hollia, “Sir…you said Uncle Gold Wolf is the brother of the woman that married your grandson…do you mean my mother Jasma? So then you are…”

   “Yes,” chimes in Rhulan, “This man is Stratos the Sky Warrior, husband of Hyatha-Aria, father to Jinron-Lia grandfather to Tyros-Lia, great-grand-father of Byron-Lia and Holly-Lia; better known to us as Hollia.”

     “Any who,” continues Rhulan, “if this odd bit of serendipity is out of the way I am more curious about this cyborg Aesperian and the two elf girls Stratos has dragged along. Not to mention our bug problem. Or are we going to stand around here and roast marshmallow over the burning corpses?”

    “Now see here,” says Vondroncha, “I have a name, I am Vondroncha, princess of Ecliar!”

   “So much for incognito,” says Gun-Man.

   “Never heard of it.” says Rhulan, something that genuinely surprises the others in her party; more so that they have found something that she has never heard of.

    *Flash*

    Corinth appears before them saying, “but I have.”

    “The priestess of the Light Elves of Ecliar?” asks Vondroncha excited. Her tail comes over top her head and glows, “My apologies,” she continues in a more regal tone, “It is just that you surprised me. Do you bring word from Ecliar?”

   “I see,” thinks Rhulan, “personality focusing psionic self control. An interesting physiology indeed these creatures must have.”

   “Hold on,” says Betty, “I thought you said you was from someplace called Ataross?”

   “Ataross,” says Corinth, “is in the same solar system as Ecliar. It’s the most common planet for outsiders to land on so the entire system is also often refered to by outsiders as Ataross.”

    “That is something we of Ecliar are trying to remedy.” says Vondroncha.

   Rhulan says, “hmm, truth be told I have been to Ataross, it was nearly two thousand years ago however. A primitive human world with very odd mystical happenings.”

   “It is still a primitive world,” says Vondroncha, “comprised of simple agrarian civilizations. We of Ecliar are far more advanced, we have even made contact with the Dimension Police…although it would seem your world has as well. In either case Ataross is dependent upon the magic items that appear there; we of Ecliar have chosen to advance ourselves with out needing to rely on chance finds.”

    “Two Thousand years?” asks Gun-Man.

   “Its not important right now.” says Rhulan, “we are standing here in the open next to a town I just torched full of bugs being controlled by someone, they tried to ambush us in the canyon, and then again out here. We really should go and find the source of this with out anymore dawdling.”

    “Excuse me Miss Rhulan,” says Hollia, “perhaps we should introduce ourselves, it is the proper thing to do as their group did try to help us.”

    “Of course,” says Rhulan, “my apologies, between these bugs acting weird and that town back there I am a bit on edge.”

    Rhulan takes a breath and smiles, “well then being the home team perhaps we should go first, starting with our group’s leader…Hollia.”

    “what me?” asks Hollia looking at the group of four, including the man she has just learned is her great-grandfather, “Well,” she bows, “I am Holly-Lia, but you may call me Hollia. I am…from Stratalia, I suppose you could call me the princess from there; although I do not think of myself as such.”

    “again,” thinks Stratos, “royal terms used,”

    “and this,” says Hollia indicating Lin Lin who licks her cheek, “is Lin Lin.”

   Gold Wolf smirks, “I’m Gold Wolf, but you already know that. I’d prefer you called me the Golden Demon warrior, but this lot is bound to correct me and tell you I’m a Light Elf.”

   “I am Captain Cata,” says Cata, “A Kuhrai warrior; and that’s all the introductions you need from me.”

    “I am Captain Betty,” says Betty with a smile, “The great and noble space pirate.”

    “Betty?” says Gun-Man looking at Stratos, “Hold on! As in Betty the Baroness! As in a wanted criminal by the Dimension Police!”

    “Hey!” says Betty, “I have asylum here, I have Miss Rhulan’s permission; and if you don’t like it you can ask Baron Bon Lon about it!”

   “Woah there,” says Stratos, “okay, I take it then this…attractive young woman is Rhulan?”

   Rhulan walks right up to him and says with a smile and somewhat creepy tone, “I watched you when you were born with great curiosity over what the offspring of a Kuhrai and an Aesperian would be like. I watched you grow up with out a mother and father, I was there when you left Stratalia. I was there when you had a family of your own, and have watched each generation since. I was buried in the rubble beneath Stratalia. Yes, I am that Rhulan, and your great-grand-daughter awoke me from by imprisonment in stone.”

   Stratos is silent, pale, and looks at Hollia. Who blushes and nods. A weird reaction to him.

   “You,” he stammers, “are…the Empress Rhulan?”

   “Yes,” she says as though she were answering any old question requiring a *yes* response and not that she is confirming she is a figure as legendary to him as King Arthur or Morgan Le fey would be the people of the Earth Gun-Man has made his home.

   “I’m the hunter Tiana,” says Tiana interrupting Strato’s train of thought.

   “A pleasure to meet you all,” says Vondroncha, “I officially announce myself as Vondroncha, I was supposed to be incognito over being a princess. However given the nobility around me it would hardly seem necessary.”

   “The name’s Gun-Man, yes I’m an Aesperian, and no miss mythical figure Rhulan I can’t answer your questions as to how I became a cyborg. Although I am a bit curious how you could tell.”

   “I can follow the paths of energy.” says Rhulan with a shrug, “simple enough to tell what’s biological and what’s mechanical like that.”

   “Well then” says Stratos backing up a little, “seems some major things have been happening since I’ve been away. Well I’m Stratos, I’m…well rather happy to see my great-grand-daughter all grown up…a little concerned honestly to see a…well…legendary figure walking about in her party.”

    “Afraid of me?” says Rhulan with a wicked smile and a glow in her eyes.

   Stratos almost trips taking a step back.

   Rhulan *laughs* and turns to Hollia, “your great-grand-father was terrified of the pictures he saw of me in the books of the private library; and his awareness was just good enough…when he was little…to catch glimpses of me in the corner of his eye in reflections. I gave the poor kid nightmares.”

   Hollia tries not to laugh.

   “Great,” thinks Stratos, “she is telling the truth, hadn’t thought of that stuff in years. One of the reasons I left Stratalia I thought I was being watched…I was…”

   He looks at her laughing with Hollia and thinks, “Damn…seriously…what the hell is going on here?”

   “My turn,” says Viana.

   “We already know who you are.” says Gun-Man.

   “They don’t” says Viana as she grabs Vondroncha’s and Tiana’s hands, “I’m Viana the Gun Slinger, pleasure ta meet ya both! I’m Gun-Man’s side kick.”

   “Partner,” says Gun-Man, “you’re supposed to say partner not side-kick anymore.”

    “So,” says Vondroncha, “your party consists of a princess, an empress.”

   “Ex-empress,” says Rhulan, “I haven’t been an empress for one thousand years; been more a ghost and decorum until not long ago.”

    “My apologies,” says Vondroncha, “a Kuhrai, dressed very unlike any Kuhrai I’ve ever met, a dragon, and two light elves.”

   “Actually,” corrects Betty, “I’m not a light elf…”

   She takes her hat off, revealing her pointed ears and long hair, “Although I am kind of curious how you could tell I was an elf. Any way, I’m a different kind of elf.”

   She spreads her wings out, making these newcomers take a step back, “I’m an angel…to be honest about it.”

   Stratos looks at Gun-Man who just shrugs and says, “it was in her bio, Royal Angel pirate, stole a ship and been robbing people across various dimensions.”

   He taps his head, “then again I do have a facial recognition database built into my brain; as you know.”

    “Sorry,” says Vondroncha her dragon tail dropping down to normal, “Never heard of angels before.”

   “She’s also royalty,” says Gun-Man, her bio in the corner of his eye (not that anyone else could see that), “her bio says she’s a baroness.”

   “truly amazing,” says Vondroncha, “a royal hero party of adventurers in this magical land of mystic beasts.”

    “Any who,” says Rhulan, “with that out of the way I’m pretty sure we’re being watched somehow. Those bugs aren’t smart enough even with orders to attack or restrain anyone to plan ambushes or block off paths. So…Gun-Man was it, I can sense you’re the one with the teleporter. Just how far can it take us.”

    “Well,” he says, “it’s about drained; I’d have to use its emergency back up. But that can only take us to three places. Back to my Earth, back to Ecliar, or back to Dimension Police Headquarters’ ER facility.”

     “eee…arr?” asks Hollia.

    “Bad translation,” says Rhulan, “letters don’t translate well, it means an emergency medical facility.”

    “Oh,” says Hollia.

    “My plan,” says Gun-Man, “was to meet up with Viana, get her status report about watching Gold Wolf. Besides we have our own mission and its not about helping your lot.”

   “Gun-Man,” says Stratos.

   “No, Stratos,” says Gun-Man, “our job is to protect the princess right? Well following a rival super-hero and his friends, regardless if one is your great-grand-daughter to go after some local super-villain controlling giant bugs would just put her in danger. I may look like an outlaw, but I go by the books.”

   “and being your partner in the Dimension Police I’ve heard that many times before.” says Stratos.

   “uh, excuse me!” says Vondroncha, “but I was knocked out by what ever is controlling the giant bugs you know. In a place we can’t leave except to go back home or too your home turfs which is outside of the contract you signed for this job. Besides I could feel it was my own powers, my powers by royal blood, that were turned against me when I tried to control those mystic beasts; and I want to know what caused that. So either you can go with me, or cancel our contract, but either way I am following these adventurers to go after this villain or what ever!”

    “and besides Corinth…,” continues Vondroncha pointing to where Corinth was, “uh…where’d she go.”

    “Corinth comes and goes,” says Rhulan, “she thinks it makes her more mysterious.”

    “I guess,” says Vondroncha, “your sister is really weird.”

    “She’s not my sister,” says Rhulan sternly, “I don’t have a sister…a brother yes…but no…sister.”

    Rhulan looks at the sky with a concerned expression as though expecting something to happen.

    “Sorry,” says Vondroncha, “but with how much you two looked alike.”

   “Are you two related?” asks Rhulan with a weird smile indicating Tiana and Vondroncha.

   “I see your point,” says Vondroncha.

    “Weird happenstance,” thinks Gun-Man, “two sets of nearly identical people and neither set are related…eh.”

   Hollia approaches Stratos and bows, “Great-grand-father, we would be deeply honored if your team joined us on our quest to find and thwart what ever heinous power has infested this land with its evil, turning the beasts to its will and destroying the lives of the innocent.”

   Stratos puts his fist to his heart, “By my honor as a Stratalian adventurer I am duty bound to seek out such evils and accept your offer my great-grand-daughter.”

   “Well shit,” thinks Gun-Man.

   Hollia turns to her party, Gold Wolf just shrugs, Betty is smiling, Cata doesn’t seem to give a crap, and Rhulan is smiling at Hollia and just shrugs.

   “Its official then,” says Stratos, “our team will aid yours up until we find and defeat the specific source of this current calamity. We would then be duty bound to continue our own quest.”

    The others in his group, except for perhaps Gun-Man are happy about; although it does stand to some debate which side Viana’s vote of confidence is counting towards.

   *The party of Stratos The Sky Warrior, Gun-Man, Vondroncha, and Tiana has decided to provide temporary assistant to the party*