The house in question has a good sized wall around it made of stone that has been washed in a white stucco type substance. Only one door in, large and heavy wood. It's really not so much a house as a warehouse but it was cheap and outside the city. All the windows are very small and covered with shutters.

Althea looks around and sighs, "How are we supposed to see ?"

She looks back at Kitty, whose eyes are lit from within and sighs, turning to look at Anwen, whose eyes are glowing red. Anwen states, "What do you mean, I can see just fine." Kitten nods, "Me to."

Althea points to Anwen, "She is using magic, her eyes are glowing, though differently than yours Mistress."

Kitten comes around and looks, "Ooo nice trick."

Anwen shrugs, "Innate ability actually, like my teleporting, something I was born with."

Kitten shrugs, "Still nice trick."

Anwen looks at Althea, "So after 500 years you have not learned how to use Night Vision or gleam of the red eye ? What powers have you been learning ?"

She looks blank, "What do you mean ?"

Kitten is suddenly very interested in the door and its locking mechanism. Anwen shakes her head, "You never told her did you. Althea Thralls can gain weaker versions of the powers your immortal has. That is true for All thralls. They also get a little stronger and sometimes faster or hardier over time. Those are the basic gifts, anything else you have to practice to get."

Althea is looking at Kitten, "Is that true ?"

Kitten nods, "there is some natural talent to. You always just seemed to develop the physical stuff, it's why you are so strong and fast now. If you recall I did try to teach you how to make your eyes glow but you just never seemed to get it."

Althea sighs, "Still would have been nice if you told me about potential powers. I would have been focusing on more things."

Anwen quotes, "Divide your focus too much and you gain nothing in the end. Besides I have noticed you have sharper than human senses and that is the starting point for auspex. Seeing Aura's is the next step, that is seeing lights and different colors around people and objects."

She suddenly bounces on her toes, "Really ? Cause I have noticed I get flashes like that. I just thought something was going wrong with my eyes or something. Good to know I am just developing a new ability."

Anwen nods, "Takes lots of practice to use and understand what you see. Later we can practice together. It is one of the ways I know what people are going to do before they do it."

Althea's smile is almost bright enough to count as a light source.

Even so, Anwen pulls a lit shaded lantern from her cloak, "Here, keep the light behind us though or you will blind us."

Althea nods and takes up the rear guard. Kitten ask seriously, "Ok anyone remember to bring the key ?" Anwen says something strange, gestures at the lock and the lock releases and the door opens. She just shrugs, "Unlocking cantrip." and walks in.

Kitten looks at Althea, "Ok you have got to learn that one." Althea nods.

The doors to the warehouse are large enough for a wagon to go through but the lock, like the last one is of dwarven manufacture and easy for Anwen to open, though this time she does it using some odd looking tools. Sighing happily when it pops open. "So nice to be able to put my skills in use. Was afraid I would get lax. Will have to see about getting me a few of these locks just so I can keep in practice."

Kitten nods, "She did tell us she was a trained thief when we first met. " Althea nods and takes a step back, unsheathing the lamp so the light is behind the two figures.

Anwen uses her TK to open the door, where they see several thin figures in apparently the middle of an argument, close to tearing in to each other.

Kitten, "Now Children, none of that. We did not go to so much trouble to find and release you so you could kill each other." They fall back from the suddenly bright light, shading their eyes. A youthful sounding male suddenly cries "MOTHER" and leaps forward, only to find himself floating in midair.

He looks down, kicks his feet and then looks up, "Have I developed a new power ?"

Anwen shakes her head, "No, that is my doing. Your all newly awakened after a long sleep and I am a touch worried about your sanity, so no touchy." Puts him down near some of the others with less 'kill the elder' thoughts. "Try it, I can hear your thoughts, and those thinking to try and kill Kitten will have to go through me."

An angry sounding female, "You are Mortal, that will not be hard."

Anwen opens her hand and a small ball of flame appears in it, "Mortal maybe, mage definitely, and I play with Fire, lots. You may recall all the stuff blowing up during your waking feast, that was me."

Kitten nods, "Children please, I know what you went through was terrible. But Caine is dead as are many of his leaders and childer, thanks to this mage. Her magick penetrated his hiding place and she killed him very dead. Several gods have confirmed this. He is gone, she bathed him and his in Fire, burned his foul presence from the world. That allowed us to find where he hid you so we could release you all. I only wish more of you had survived. Mother Lill is gone, Caine did something with her, moved her outside of our reality. We are still looking for her.

It’s a different world out there now. That's why we moved you all in here. So we can tell you about it, about what the world is like now."

Bitch, "Sure tell us more lies. Father told us we can't Trust you, you will tell any lie to get what you want. I don't believe anything you say."

Kitty, "Anwen show them please."

Anwen shrugs, mutters her spell and a star cruiser rolls out of a star filled night with screaming fighters around it firing on other strange craft. The sound of it pushes all but Anwen to the walls and ground. Kitty yells, "ANWEN!"

Anwen turns and looks at her then shrugs and the image changes to Present day Egypt, "Sorry my memories of home butted in. Battle of Wolf 359, glorious fight, lots of carnage. 3 empires.. right not the place or time."

Althea looks in awe at Anwen, "I know you came from the future, but THAT ?"

Anwen grins, "Space exploration via science not magic. Magic is nice and all but Science can do wonders beyond imagining." looks at a shadow on the wall that has no one to cast it, "Right Thoth ?" The now Ibis looking shadow nods and the soft voice speaks, "You are correct and I really did not believe you, but that memory … oh my."

Anwen shrugs, "It was a history file actually, reenactment of a battle that ended a war between the Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. They joined forces soon after that against a mutual foe called the Romulan Star Empire. Earth is part of the Federation." she can feel Thoth trying to probe her thoughts so she is recalling ever episode and movie for Star Trek to throw him off the real truth. For now it seems to work and he withdraws.

Everyone stays still watching the shadows and looking around for anything else out of place. Finally, "Prick" mutters Anwen, "Always trying to butt in."

The 'bitch' looks awed, "That was a God, an Actual God and you talk about him that way ?"

Kitten shrugs, "They like to pester her. She was pulled here from the future by a badly worded wish. So she is stuck here, with all the knowledge and power of someone from over 3000 years in the future. She knows magics yet undreamed of and she works for Me."

Anwen nods, "I am the one who knew where you were buried. Had I not come here it would have been another 2000 years before you would have been found. Kitten requested my help in freeing you after Caine pissed me off and I turned him to Ash."

One bright fellow, "Does not doing that change the future ?"

Anwen nods, "Sure does, but the future is not all it's cracked up to be. Sure the toys are nicer and the tech is nice, but there are things that really need changing. So no time like now to do it. Besides nothing is written in stone. My just Being here made changes to the time line. It pisses off some gods and amuses others. Go figure."

The images of modern life continue to play out. Life in the city, caravans and ships and other things Anwen has observed while wandering the city and country side since being here. "You were awakened at the end of this last era and the beginning of a new one. The world is changing rapidly. Bronze is giving way to iron working. Old empires are falling and new ones are trying to be born. In my timeline only 3 countries survived this period, Egypt being one of them. The Pharaoh of this time is recognized as one of the greatest ever in all the history of Egypt, even unto my time."

Kitten looks impressed, "ok you never told me that before."

Anwen shrugs, "You never asked." Althea nods, "true" she whispers.

Kitten looks at the others, "We are not going to keep you here. Your free to leave any time you want. But if you choose to stay we can help you get a better grip on this time."

Anwens focus shifts to the brush sucker, "That is not what she means and you know it. Try it and I will end you." It falls back some and hisses at her. "Stay out of my mind Witch!"

"Not a witch, different power source." said with careful disdain.

Kitten sighs, "Orsa, stop it. I really don't need another immortal rabbit to take care of."

Anwen turns suddenly and barks a word, a section near the gate explodes in a massive fire ball and several twisted figures suddenly scream and die in the inferno. Anwen hisses, "Setites" then jumps back some 20ft, landing on some crates, "'Ware the snakes" she adds, Althea drops her lamp and draws her blades, quickly killing 3 asp that had been moving up behind her.

One of the new - old immortals, "Setites ?" Anwen nods, "Caine's childer by the demigod Set, lord of evil here in Egypt. They have poisons that work even on Immortals and physically lack hearts. Some ritual they developed, pull the heart out and put it in a jar, then hide the jar."

Anwen draws her sword, which glows with eldritch fire now that combat is near. The nearer immortals move away from that glowing blade.

The fire in the courtyard dies down and a group of desert nomads comes forward, "I am impressed, I thought for sure your attention would be completely focused on those with in. Your as formidable as they say mage."

She shrugs, "Your snakes talk allot." That makes him look surprised. "We thought you only spoke to cats."

"Naw, I can be understood by all lower life forms, that's why you understand what I am saying now."

One of his minions snarks, "good one" only to get a glare from their leader. "It matters not, you're not leaving here alive. We made sure your magics can't work here. No disappearing from this encounter."

Anwen shrugs, "I got more than one trick snake boy and my other magics work just fine. Otherwise that fireball would have fizzled. So you blocked my teleportation."

He nods, "So no dropping rocks from the sky for you." she shrugs, puts her sword away and pulls out a patch. "Eat shit and die." she states as she throws the ball at him. He laughs at the pathetic attack, right up till it turns in to a pissed off badger that tries to claw off his face as it flies at him. He screams as the badger not only connects but latches on to his head and starts biting clawing and beating him with it's hind feet claws.

The leader falls back his second steps forward with a blow gun and fires a needle, it misses pretty much everyone as Althea picked up her lamp and threw it at him and the others, oil going everywhere and making the courtyard burn some more.

Several more snakes slither forward only to be quickly dispatched by the angry elders. Kitten, steel daggers in hand strikes down a thrall that tried to slip in during the confusion.

Reaching in to her cloak for another patch to throw even as she does a tumbling spin to get away from an asp, she pulls one free and throws it. An old, beat up looking 24ft row boat appears and falls in front of the doors crushing a few snakes and blocking the door for the moment.

Kitten looks at it then her, "Really a row boat ?"

Anwen shrugs, "What I got 200 items in here, and I just sort of grabbed blindly."

Male Immortal leaps forward and flips it over, making it harder to get past, "Blind luck is sometimes a good ally, but how do we get out of here ?"

Althea backs up to next to Anwen, "Got any of those doors ? We could sure use one now."

Anwen nods, "Problem with gleam of the red eye, everything is tinged red. Hard to tell pockets apart. But I have a couple." Anwen climbs to the top of the crates and looks carefully through her cloak while the others block the entrance, She smiles as she pulls out a door and attaches it to the wall, then frowns and sighs, "My luck sucks tonight. Got the straw door. oh well." she pushes it, it swings open, reavealing the yard beyond, which is crawling with snakes of all kinds.

Sighing she pulls out 3 objects which she tosses around. 3 pits suddenly open, 2 of them slightly cross making a strange shaped hole. The snakes fall in to them.

Immortal woman, "Ok that worked, now how do We get across the pits ?" Another immortal, "Got any weapons in that cloak ?"

Searching around she pulls a patch that turns in to a loaded crossbow, with one bolt, he tries to reach for it. "No, we need this to get out." from somewhere about her person she pulls out 20ft of elven silk rope and ties it to the tip of the bolt. The first Immortal suddenly gets the idea. "Why are you carrying rope ?"

"Never know when rope will come in handy so I always carry it with me. I carry lots of useful things with me. Ok anyone good with a crossbow ? I don't really know how to use it."

The one by the boat runs over, "That would be me. I am the warrior in this lot." He looks down at the pits then back at her, "Really, pits full of snakes ?"

Immortal beside her, "was a yard full of snakes, she made the pits. Don't ask me how."

Boy immortal, "I could really use a weapon here." Anwen reaches in and grabs what feels like a sword and tosses it to him. He ends up with an oak practice sword. Looking back at her 'Really ?"

She shrugs, "Makes a good club." Which he proves correct by using the 3ft length of shaped lumber to bash in a thugs head. Then knocks another's weapon away. A young girl looking immortal just roars and using claws and brute force is ripping her foes apart. Anwen searches through her cloak and Finally finds the 4 shot magic sword, which goes to one immortal that looks like a stereotypical librarian. She proves to be very good with it.

A stunning redheaded immortal, naked as can be jumps and lands next to the ones on the crates, "Need more weapons mage, got anything with some length to it ?"

"This would be better if I had some light .. right the Light. Cloak have you regenerated that yet … rats." The fellow with the Crossbow releases the bolt, the heavy steel bolt buries itself deep in to the stone wall, "I thought so, a cloak of the vagabond, useful item." Anwen nods, "Been mine all my life. It likes me." He nods, "Best kind of magic."

There is a scream behind them and without thinking Anwen reaches in and grabs randomly and throws in the direction of the scream. A large black metal rectangle falls on a stake wielding thrall, about to strike the child like immortal, knocks him silly. She picks it up and notes the strap on the back of it. She flips it around and learns very quickly how to do shield bashing. Works very well.

The warrior watches and nods, "Very useful magic."

The female nods and waits for the needed weapon for her, after some searching Anwen pulls out a long patch, points it so not to hit anyone, it turns in to a halberd. The redhead looks at the odd weapon, but smiles and leaps in to the fray, learning very quickly how sharp the blade on the end works.

The warrior shakes his head, "Giving Gwen a weapon like that is a dangerous thing, though she is good with it."

The nervous immortal, "Got anything to cover the snakes ?" Anwen shrugs, finds the 'cold patch' and drops in in the middle pit. It expands in to a 10ft cube of Ice, crushing and freezing the snakes with in that pit. She nods, "That works."

The warrior attaches the line and Anwen goes over first, looking for the runes blocking her psionics. What she finds instead is 3 old bald men chanting some 50ft beyond the wall. She smiles and Levels her staff at them. The fireball explodes around them, only to dissipate and she sees they are unscathed. Globe vs magic, great.

Then she remembers something and an evil smile comes to her. She searches and finds them, the War Dog patches. She pulls one and two matched pair of solid black Massive Mastiffs appear, they are clad in studded leather armor and look to her for instructions, "Hi guys, welcome to the fight. Now" pointing at the old men, "Sic em!" They turn and leap at the old men. As Anwen predicted the dogs, not being magic themselves pass easily through the barrier and before the old men know what hits them one gets his head ripped off while another loses and arm. That pretty much kills the psionic interference. The next one over the wall is the boy with the wood sword, he looks up at her, "You were right, it makes a very good club." The fearful immortal is next shrugging as she moves past, "sorry about that, snakes are my one weakness."

Anwen nods, "Yeah I am not wild about them myself." Two more unarmed immortals come past and over the wall and stick close to the boy. They are followed by the girl with the shield, She stays on the wall, opposite Anwen, "I like this thing." Anwen nods, "Tower shield, used to protect a soldier from arrows mostly." She smiles, showing lots of sharp teeth. Anwen smiles back, showing her own small sharp teeth.

The next three over include Althea, sporting a bite wound, she is being carried by the bitchy one. "She saved me, I don't know how to save her though." she says forlornly.

Anwen searches her cloak and pulls out a small vial, "Here, there is only 1 dose, but it's a universal snake venom antidote. She is still going to be sick, but she won't die." the immortal nods and drops over the wall, where she can use the potion on her savior.

Girl, "I am Melidea, what's your name ?" Helping another over the wall, "Anwen" she nods, "That's a pretty name. Want to know what my name means ?" Anwen looks at her, "It means tree spirit or Dryad, it’s a greek name." the girl frowns, "I did not know it was greek. So what does your name mean ?" Anwen shrugs, "Very Beautiful, it's a welsh name." Melidea thinks, "You got the better name."

Anwen shrugs, "My full name is Anwen Cinaed, so very beautiful born in fire."

The dogs return and bark, "Enemies eliminated Mistress. Romulus and I await further orders. "

Anwen looks down, "Romulus and Remus ?" They nod, "Yes Mistress." She nods, "Ok, good names, latin. I am Anwen, just so you know." they wait patiently, "We are in the middle of a rescue mission, the enemy is using snakes." The Dog go in to guard mode, each to one side of the group, watching for snakes or enemies.

Melidea looks surprised, as do some of the other immortals, "You can talk to animals"

Anwen shrugs, "Can't everyone ?"

Boy, "Not like that."

Anwen shrugs, "I am a wood elf, all wood elves can talk to animals. It’s a racial ability." They nod even as more come over the wall. Gwen and the Evil Librarian are the last. Anwen pulls the crossbow and rope to her with her TK then she and the girl drop to the sand. To Kitten, "So where do we go from here ? " Kitten noting the tk, "You can teleport again."

Anwen nods, "Pulled out a couple war dogs, they took out the ones casting the blocking spells."

Kitten nods, "why have they not come around the sides ?"

Tall warrior ,"Because I sent images of us running north in small groups. They are chasing the images and not us."

Anwen nods, "Nice, chemaistry, very cool."

They all give her a strange look and she sighs, "I use slang ok, I really don't feel like trying to explain it."

Warrior, "It's not the slang, it's you knowing the name of the power."

Kitten, "She knows lots of things about lots of things, us, our powers, more about Caine's kind than ours, but there is some overlap between us and them."

Gwen grins, "I don't care. She is good to have in a fight. I love this weapon to. Good reach and very sharp."

Anwen nods, "It's called a Halberd, pole arm type weapon, used by gate guards and soldiers to stab at opponents on horses from behind people with those tower shields."

Melidea holds up her shield. Gwen nods. Kitten turns to the bitchy one, "How is Althea ?"

The woman looks at Kitty and sighs, "Good thanks to your wizard, she had a cure for the snake bite. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like you Kitten, but your girl, she I can like."

Anwen grins, "She is something of a ditz at times but good to have at your back." Kitten states.

Bitch, "Ditz ? How ?"

Anwen sighs, "It was her wish that yanked me to this time and place. Now I am stuck here till I help them in some quest. After that if I am still alive, I don't know."

Boy, "How long do wood elves live ?"

Kitty, "Between 300 to 400 years. Without thralling. She is not a thrall either. She is a little leery of us."

Melidea, "Really ? Why ?"

Boy, "Cause we eat people silly."

Anwen shakes her head, "That does not bother me. I just have trust issues. Stuff from my past."

Girl, "so it takes you a while to trust people" she whispers.

Anwen nods, "Usually. A few people I have met I take to very quickly, but it's pretty rare."

She nods, "Can I tell you something ?"

Anwen looks at her, "Other than your jealous of my chest ?"

She pouts, "Saw that huh, well can't really blame me, you have a nice set, me I am stuck like this forever."

Anwen waves a hand, "I can fix that. Transformational magics can make you look completely different if you want."

She looks up, eyes going wide, "Really, you have magics that can affect us ?"

Anwen nods, "Yep, Though you need to be careful around anyone using canceling magics. Those could revert you to your true form."

She nods and looks at the boy. "That is something we may have to think about."

Kitten "Some women go their whole lives without developing breast any bigger than yours. Think on that."

Anwen nods, "There is that. But if you want a permanent change you would need a god level wish spell. Mortal magic is weak compared to theirs."

Still looking at Anwen in awe, "good point. can I keep you ?"

Anwen smiles at her, "Why do people keep asking me that ?" she says to kitten.

Kitten shrugs, "Mostly cause they don't know you well enough."

Warrior, "This is interesting and all, but we need to be moving. My illusions will not distract them forever."

Anwen, "Fine" and with that every one of them, dogs and all, vanish.

Deep in the desert, at an abandoned temple they appear. The place is in good order and it looks like someone lives there. A few scrolls line a shelf in the wall. An Iron door leads somewhere else. There are small holes in the ceiling letting in fresh air, but no light. Anwen claps her hands and several spell ball lights come on.

Everyone looks around but Kitty ask, "Where are we ?"

Anwen, "My hidey hole. I been working on it since I found this place. It's from queen Nefertiti's time, well her and her idiot husband, pharaoh brainless. Was one of the temples he built. I renovated a few rooms, been using the cloaks items to decorate as well as stuff I get in the markets around the region. I made this place in case I pissed off Ramsey as a fall back."

Kitten looks at them, "Ramsey is an ally of mine and the God king of these lands." There is some nodding while they explore the few rooms.

Melidea, "How do you get in and out. I have not found a way to do that."

Kitty, "Probably how she brought us here this time. She can do that at will, innate ability."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

This causes some muttering and fearful looks, the Librarian grabs Anwen and shakes her, "I will NOT BE TRAPPED AGAIN!" each word louder than the previous.

Anwen pops out of her grip and to a slightly safer location, "Chill, you are not trapped there is another way out, it's just tricky as the tunnel is partially collapsed. I need things to fix it but well I don't have the skills to do so. Also if any of you have learned shape shifting there are air ducts throughout the place. When Pharaoh bone head died the people rebelled and tore down many of the temples he built to his false god." Only Kitty and Althea know what she is talking about, the rest just give her blank looks.

"Ok this pharaoh, Ramsey's grandfather, possibly great grandfather, not sure, anyway while he was in power he tried to remove worship of all the gods except one he made up or some such. He was trying to force everyone to worship only 1 god. When he died the temples to this so called god were destroyed or converted in to temples to proper gods. This one was only partially built and abandoned. I found it, cleaned it up and been making myself at home here. It still needs a lot of work though."

That seemed, for the moment, to calm them down. The librarian and the warrior slowly start looking around with a new eye.

Librarian "So how much have you explored then ?"

"Explored and dug out only really these 3 rooms. But I know there are other rooms, just, well one is flooded and another very haunted. I been leaving both in peace cause the flooded one is past the haunted one and the ghost are not really interested in talking. More like adding to their numbers."

The Warrior nods, "Angry dead are best left alone. There is often no reasoning with them."

Anwen nods, "They scream allot and called me a liar when I told them the Pharaoh that murdered them all was dead. Apparently he cursed them to never enter the lands of the dead. For some reason they got the idea that when he died his curse would die with him. It didn't."

The Warrior nods, "Likely this place needs to be consecrated to another god before they could be laid to rest. If you do that warn us so we can make ourselves scarce, the gods don't like us for some reason."

Anwen nods, "What is your name ? We keep talking but I don't know who any of you are. I find myself giving you all nick names in my head just to keep you straight."

He smiles, "Ok now I want to know what you nick named me."

The others all nod to this and won't tell her their name till she tells them the name she subscribed them.

Anwen finally sighs, "Fine. I named you simply 'The Warrior' cause your tall, strong and know what you're doing with weapons," points to the tall thin woman, "I called you The Librarian, cause you actually look like a librarian from where I am from, well the stereotypical version." points at Gwen "Amazon, but your name I know cause he called out to you during the fight." points to the angry one, "Bitch, cause well your angry and bitey." a few laugh at that one, " to the one afraid of snakes, "First impression of you, Valkyrie, you remind me of them, strong blond and dangerous. snakes not withstanding " guy hiding in a corner listening, "Noss, it’s a creature from some old stories known for hiding in shadows among other things."

He nods and mutters, "fits actually, I do do that allot."

Anwen smiles at him, the next woman, "Arabian, cause you look Arabian" she says with a shrug, "You two, I don't know, you have not spoken or done anything much that I have noticed so I got nothing yet." The Arabian girl punches him lightly in the arm, and he makes a 'oh I am so wounded' type pantomime.

The Librarian smiles, "Not bad names really. So I look like a scholarly type to you. Hm, interesting. I am called Ulva, Kitten is my maker, I am not really much of a scholar, like swords to much. But still I will take it as a compliment."

Anwen, "Actually where I come from there are a group of adventuring Librarians who collect dangerous items, magical type dangerous, from around the world and keep them in safe places. Sort of a mix of scholar, warriors, and rogues. You would fit in with them well I think."

She nods and accepts that.

The Warrior, "Your name for me is not far off. I am Brawn, a warrior and Scholar, used to be a Mage but the change took from me my connection to magic I am afraid. And by the look in your eye you have some knowledge I may find of interest yes ?"

Anwen nods, "Yes actually. The magic is not gone, just the way you have to access it has changed. I know of a few Immortal mages, they are of the line of Caine, but their magic is quite real, just different from what I use."

He nods, "Hmm that is good to know, I will have to look in to it."

Melidea pushes the boy he shrugs, "You did not name me. Or you just went past me"

Anwen blushes slightly and shrugs, "Boy"

Melidea giggles, he glares at her, "Ok so I am a boy, nothing else really."

Anwen shrugged, "Well yes but it would take some explaining and Boy is good. Your like the cute boy next door, especially with that practice sword in hand."

He nods, looking satisfied with that answer, "Alright I can accept that, Boy next door. Names Ruttag, I am Melidea's boyfriend. Me and her were turned at the same time by Kitten. See we ran away from home."

Kitten sighs, "Ruttag, you can tell her that later, ok." he shrugs and sits next to his girl.

The 'Valkyrie' laughs and lightly punches him in the arm, "He is a romantic, loves to tell their story. I am Astrider, and I am Norse by mortal birth, so being compared to a Valkyrie is a good thing in my scroll."

Noss looks around, "I am called Brandwen and the one you call Bitch we call Orsa, we are blood kin, but I think Bitch fits her better to." She turns around and glares at him but the others all snicker.

The first unnamed man, "I am Sule, I am a scholar and historian, I keep track of our lives mostly. Sadly I have much catching up to do."

The 2cd, "Nast'al, that is all you need to know."

Anwen stares at him for a long moment, "Ah, The assassin, I have actually heard of you. Your name is whispered even in my lands, your something of a ghost story now actually."

He thinks on that then smiles and nods. Nice to be remembered and being thought of as a ghost is good for his reputation. Though he suspects his old followers have much to do about his story still being alive.

The Arabic woman nods, "I am Shule, I was a dancer and forced in to this life by that scum whom would have me call him master, simply because he thought me beautiful. I have made no secret that I loathe him and much prefer Kittens company. She has a good heart and to my knowledge has never forced the change on anyone."

Now that all their names are out Melidea bubbles out, "So what do their names all mean !?" she asked with wide eyed glee.

Kitten, "She loves learning the meaning of people's names, she is as bad as you on that point Anwen."

Anwen shrugs, "I like to read, I read some books on names a few times. I tend to remember most of what I have read."

Brawn nods, "I am curious though what, if any, meaning my name has." a few others nod encouragement to.

"Ok from the top. Brawn, means strength of body, muscle. But can also speak of Endurance, mostly physical but sometimes mental as well. Ruttag means Happy, there is a female form to the name to if you care to know it. " he signs no, she moves on, "Astrider, appropriately is old Norse, has two meanings, Beloved and Goddess of Beauty." Astrider smiles broadly, "Ulva means Wolf among the tribes of the German people. Orsa is Latin, that is the people, I don't know the local name for that land, anyway it means Little She Bear." someone comments they got the animal wrong to some snickering, "Brandwen is Welsh and means White Raven, Ravens are considered to be the eyes of the Gods in that part of the world, so not a bad name. Shule and Sule, interestingly have the same meaning though they are from different parts of the world. Both mean Fire, Shule is of course Arabic, while Sule is Hittite. And lastly, our ghost, Who has an Ironic sort of name to say the least. His name means Resurrection. It comes from a land of the Czechs, north of the Hittite kingdoms I believe. Maybe north east. I truthfully know little of those lands."

He thinks on that, "Sort of fits. I make sure they will move on to their Next life sooner rather than later."

Anwen Sighs mightily, "That's Reincarnation, Resurrection means a dead person coming back to life."

Brawn grins, "Well that fits all of us."

Anwen frowns, "Actually it doesn't. None of you died, you were transformed, the in-between state is often confused for death by the primitive people you once were. You don't want to get me started on this. It’s a peeve of mine, incorrectly applied information. ARG, I wish I had my books. It's all there, 500 years of study on the topic. Mortal and Immortal a like working together to crack how you all came to be. Did not figure that out, but did work out that no one dies, they just change in to something More than they were before. Bio-regeneration increases, aging slows down to a crawl and yes your aging but in a different way than before. Otherwise you would never change, never learn, might as well be dust if you were like that. Mental changes happen, which is why magic becomes harder, other parts of the mind unlock, which is why so many have mind based powers. Your minds become your greatest asset and at the same time your greatest weakness. Your own beliefs actually work for and against you.

This is all very frustrating for me. I KNOW all this stuff but I don't know how to explain it well."

The room is very quiet. The only sounds are Anwen and Althea's breathing.

It's several minutes before anyone speaks, Brawn moves a little and then nods, "I will take you at your word. You have more knowledge and experience in this area than we. And I for one actually find some comfort in this. Not being dead, just Different. Yes I find comfort in that. "

Anwen looks up and grins slightly, "I am out of place and time. Trying to make a difference in a hope the world will turn out better this time with my interference than it did last time without it." pauses, takes a breath in, then, "Ok, when you know where you want to go let me know. I will try to get you there. But for the moment, I need to lay down for a bit. The last few hours have been very draining on this little elf."

She wanders in to the last room, where she has a cot and ancient sort of camp stove she built herself. She sets some water to boil and drops some leaves and herbs in to it to create a calming sort of steam. Then lays down for a little nap.

The others move to a room beyond the central room. Ruttag finds the passage Anwen mentioned. He marvels she was able to crawl through it. That or it's collapsed even more. He does find some sturdy logs buried in the dust. The logs look new, so this may be part of her plan to shore up the ceiling.

Kitten sits between Brawn and Astrider and they form a sort of counsel.

Ulva speaks first, "Kitten how much of her story do you believe ?"

Kitten sighs, "Well she is from the future, The gods confirmed that. Allot of what she says is truth, but it's the truth of the place she comes from. She is not from this worlds future, her world does not have the Elf Moon. In her place the Elf Moon went out in to the night, not in to our world. So there are similarities, but differences to. In her world the elves and all left during this age, leaving the world to men and monsters alone. This I learned listening to the gods talking outside her door. The White Lady is the one who sent her here. Bound her to Althea and I, though she will not say why. Only that she is to help us on a quest, and she did not say much about that either. Of course she never does. I do know that of her own personal power in magic she is not that strong. She has some powerful Gifts however and the White Lady gave her some very potent magical items to help her on this quest. A few are unique and possibly from a future time, just like Anwen's magic. Her spells and such are from a thousand years in the future, meaning they are more stable and less likely to break or not work when needed.

On the girl herself, she has strong passions and hidden strengths, but I have seen her break under the strain of what she was given and some things that were done to her before she came to us. Someone out there is actively interfering with the White Ladies work and making Chaos in her shops and while messing with her normally is ok with me, I am not ok when it hurts the ones around me.

Concerning Anwen herself, she keeps secrets. Talks allot but rarely about herself. I know more about her than most, but still much she hides. She is scared to. Of what I am not completely sure. But I know she does not really want to go back to where she came from. She has had opportunities to do so. Her own worlds wonders she misses, the place itself she does not."

… looking around ...

"Where is Nast'al ?"

Everyone looks around and Sule sighs, "Oh well, either we are down one mage or one brother. Knowing him he has gone to 'interview' her himself." he says using finger quotes.

Shule, looking thoughtful, "How far away can she send someone ?"

Kitten, rubbing the bridge of her nose, "People who scare or startle her tend to find themselves falling to earth, from the level of the clouds. I think even one of us, at full health, would have trouble healing from that."

----

Slipping as quietly as a shadow in to the mages room, the master of stealth and death looms over her prone form. Without even opening an eye she ask, "Something I can do for you Nast'al ?"

He freezes and then looks about, "How did you know ?"

"You smell. All of your kind smell of a peculiar odor of old blood, but there are variants to it to. You also smell of old spices and dry rot which I take to be what is left of your clothing."

He sighs and nods, "Yes, good point. You are not afraid of me, why ?"

"If I wanted to I could put you back in that mountain where we found you. Piss me off far enough and I will just aim for one of the pools of molten rock."

He thinks on that then just sits on the floor with his head in his hands. "I was going to slip in and try and scare information out of you. But you make a good point."

"You could try asking you know."

"very well. I know you are not an Elf, or at least not a full blooded one. I can smell that on you to. I have killed to many elves in my time not to be able to tell. So what are you, really I mean."

She thinks then shrugs, "I was magically created by the White Lady. I used to be something else, found one of her magic wishing cards, activated it by accident and made a wish. I was play acting, improvising stuff at the time, for laughs. Laughs on me when the wish I did not really mean, came true. Well some of it I meant, but not all. But I believe in trying to live with the consequences of my actions, so I don't moan and complain about it. I just keep moving forward and hope I don't screw up to badly in the process."

He slowly nods, "Do you know what she turned you in to ? Beyond an elf I mean."

Opening one glowing red eye and looking at him, "Yes"

He looks at that eye then grins, "That is creepy, I like that."

"Thank you, I can be a touch dramatic at times. She mixed a little Revenant in to my DNA .. sorry future term. My bodies history I guess is closer. Do you know what a Revenant is ?"

He thinks, "No. Probably but not by that name."

She nods, "A Revenant is the child of a thrall or two thralls mating. They come out like an older thrall, meaning some of the lines immortal powers and potentials. In my old life I spent decades trying to unlock the potentials of my psyche. I had some success, astral travel, empathy, occasionally I could even see aura's or Feel somethings energy. Which is all pretty good for someone completely self-taught. I traveled astrally for a time. Learned a few secrets, studied many of the things I know now on your kind and other things. But in the middle of my life I got sick, had a stroke, that is a blood vessel in the brain bursting. That killed allot of my psychic abilities and made it hard for me to hold a job. Dropped me from middle class to poor very quickly. I still made enough to keep a roof over my head and food to eat but just barely. For entertainment I would go to shops and just look around. Well the last shop I went to was an antique store plus a consignment shop. Consignment means other people pay them to sell things for them for a part of the profit.

That is where I found the card, where my life took a sharp turn and I ended up in this life. The White Lady was impressed with my knowledge of things and thought it would be humorous to give those abilities to a wild elf. The story line for those not in the know around here, aka the mortals, is I was driven out of my homeland, I never said why but let them think it's because I am too tall or some questions on who my parents really are or even a political uprising. I like to keep them guessing and never confirm or deny anything.

Thoth though, he scares me. Has threatened to 'send me back' to my own time. So I cloud my mind with conflicting stories and images from all around history and fiction."

Nast'al laughs and nods, misdirection he knows well. "Yes I can see that. You arriving there, but dressed and such as you are here. That would cause no end of problems."

Nodding, "Oh it's worse. See in my time there is a Huge religion, controls over a 3rd of the world. Claim to be of the god of love, creation and hope, but their actions say otherwise. They Kill anyone who works magic, practices a religion not their own, or kill anyone not Human enough for them. Get the reason why going back scares the shit out of me ?"

He nods, "They find you it's a death sentence."

"Most likely by slow torture because their mentality is if there is one like me there must be more and they won't rest till they root them out and remove them from the world."

"Yikes. Fanatics for Evil. I am evil and even I think that is overly evil."

She nods, "Oh I am no saint, bit amoral, but they go too far. Not to say there are not those in their religion that aren't good and do like they are supposed to. It’s the main body of priest that is the problem. The core is rotten through and through. You need to get back, some of them are taking bets on which of us lived through this little meeting. Kitten told them what happened to the last assassin who startled me. I teleported her straight up about a thousand feet. Althea stopped me from letting her go splat on the roof of the Palace."

He smirks and nods, "Oh well, that one would be hard to explain to the guards."

"Naw, I am known for dropping boulders on problem areas, peoples, and such. So why not the other way around."

He nods, stands and returns to the others.

---

He comes out of her room just as Brawn and Sule were coming from the other side. Sule sniffs, "Well I don't smell any fresh blood, that's a good sign right ?"

Brawn glares, Nast'al just smiles, "She is fine. We had a little talk is all. I had some questions I wanted cleared up and she was kind enough to explain what she knew on the topic. Also I am not about to threaten someone who could easily put me back in that mountain. I am ruthless not stupid."

He moves past them to the others, who heard what he said through the open door.

Brawn and Sule share a surprised look then follow. Sometimes they forget he has a brain.

Kitten looks at him with level eyes, "Everything ok ?"

He nods, "She confirmed what you said about the White Lady, as far as she knows it. Learned some new words, though will probably need to wait a few hundred years before I can find out what some of them actually mean."

Kitten grins and nods, "Yes she is bad about that. She gives definitions about the words, but her answers bring up more questions than answers more often than not."

Brawn nods, "True scholar, part information part confuse non scholars."

Nast'al sits, "She is totally unafraid of us. Though with that ability to send anyone anywhere she desires I can see why."

Astrider looks curiously at him, "Is that a tone of respect I hear in your voice oh blood drenched one ?"

He thinks then nods, "Yes I think so. She is a completely amoral person who actually understands loyalty and commitment and responsibility for ones actions. Rare qualities to have together."

Kitten nods, "She has trust issues though, which is probably good in the long run. We all have trust issues, it's helped keep us alive. But then she can read minds to, at least surface thoughts, and see aura's and several other powers as well beyond just her magical abilities. Those alone make her dangerous, but she is a danger I like on our side."

Melidea, "Have you thralled her yet ?"

Kitten shakes her head, "She is magically bonded to Althea, I am not sure thralling would take with that in place."

Nast'al, "Besides with her powers as they stand thralling would likely unlock more potential and make her even more powerful than she already is."

Brawn nods thoughtfully, "Good point. So you going to do it Nast ?"

Nast'al shakes his head, "No. For one she does not like me much, for two I don't relish the idea of a mortal being That much more powerful than myself."

The others nod or laugh quietly about that.

Ulva, looking at the tunnel, "You know I think working together we could clear out and shore up this tunnel. Done properly we may even be able to keep the entrance hidden to. Then we too will have a place to hide while we learn more of this new world."

Ruttag moving next to her, "You like the mortal to don't you."

Ulva shrugs, "She is hard not to like and she puts up with us. All of us, even Little Bear over there."

Kitten grinning, "She told me point blank if any of you threatened me she would set you on fire."

Nast'al nods, "See Loyalty. She is loyal to you, she watches out for you. That is a good thing. I do like her, not sure she would make a good one of us though. The change would take away most of her powers and I think she would kill her sire if that happened."

Kitten nods, "She does not want it anyway. Hell she turned down becoming a god. They offered, Well Bast offered. Bast, she is a cat goddess as well as a goddess of protection, she likes our little mage to. Being a cat, well she is picky about whom she likes." some of the others nod. A few even know who Bast is, from the old days.

Sule looks thoughtful, "So she wants to earn her power, not have it given to her. Interesting."

Nast'al, "Some power was already given to her by the White Lady, I think she feels some obligation for that. Getting any more power from anyone else would mean more obligations which she does not want."

Kitten nods and sighs, "She has made it plain she really does not want to be responsible for anyone but herself and maybe a few pets. Gods have worshippers and priest, we have each other and any childer we create. Maybe in a century or two she will reconsider."

Orsa, "and you will be happy to add her to our number. Provided she stays a good little pet."

No one takes the bait, knowing how she is.

Nast'al, "Careful Orsa, I believe she knows what we are saying about her. She knew those two were coming for me."

Kitten sighs again, "Damn, I keep forgetting she can do that. I am used to her using a device to far see, but she can do it with her mind to."

Brawn nods, "Make sense, she would need something like that to move herself to another location and not inside of something at that location."

Ruttag, "That's right give the crazy mage new ideas for how to kill people. Fire, falling, burning mountains, now Part of the Scenery."

Gwen grins, "One way to make walls bleed. hehehe"

Melidea and Ruttag grin, "Lickable walls" snickering.

Some of the others roll their eyes.