Back in the camp site, they now know the woman is called FlameSinger which Da'Rune says is a Good Mage name. She was surprised when FlameSinger complimented her name.

Da'Rune, "What do you like about my name ?"

"Da in my language means Father, Rune is an old magical alphabet or a symbol from that alphabet So your name in my language translate a Sign of the Father, as the King of the Elven Gods is also the God of Magic, Music, Arts, Crafts, Poetry, and Warfare, then it comes across that your dedicated to the Magic of the Father. So in elven its a good name."

Da'Rune sighs, "ok in elven I can see it. I got it by accident, All the names I could think of were taken I jokingly asked about Da'Rune and thus that became my name."

She shrugs, "I could not come up with a good one either, so we made 2 wheels with all the words that would sound cool and spun them, they landed on Flame and Singer. Thus I got my name."

She giggles, "Oh so mine was a joke and yours is random chance, we are a pair aren't we."

FlameSinger nods, "I think the universe gave me the name as a joke cause of my Psion abilities and I can sing."

Aysun suddenly ask "Why do you wear that poor looking cloak ?"

FlameSinger, "Its enchanted, Reisit Fire, water and its a cloak of many things."

Da'Rune about starts to drool, "Oh those are nice. Look terrible but each patch can summon something."

FlameSinger nods, "One of my Psion gifts allows me to know what each patch does. It's where the iron door came from. The problem is there is a limited number and the spell to create more patches takes 1 to 4 days to work. So I use the cloak sparingly. Even though I have counted just over 200 patches on it. The advantage of the cloak over the robe, more usuable space."

Da'Rune nods, "Yeah being able to know what they do is important cause otherwise its very random. Try for a horse, get an Tankard or something."

FlameSinger nods, "Try for food, get a battering ram."

Da'Rune chuckles and nods.

Mel raises a hand, "You can summon Horses with that ?"

"War dogs, horses, both war and riding, a chicken, a goat, 50 50 chance they will be male or female. Um an attack badger. Its a small animal with large claws and a bad attitude, I think its only good for one attack, toss it in an enemies face and watch the carnage."

Hel smiles, "We know what a badger is and yes I can see that."

Mel makes the claw signs and 'rarrarrar" then laughs.

Thinking of it FlameSinger goes over to the door, and pulls forth a thick wooden door which attaches itself and a push bar lock slides closed. She test it to make sure the lock slides easily then nods. "I got one more good wood door, two thin wood doors and one more iron door. Also have windows with and without glass. Don't have any walls however. I always thought Walls would make sense as it has doors and windows."

Aysun ask, "Do you have any healing potions ?"

Squats down and digs through a blue bag, pulls out 3 potions, "Um Speed," sets down, "Longevity" sets down, "Ah Extra Healing, 3 draughts, here you go." hands it over. Picks up the Longevity, "Any one want to be up to 12 years younger ?" No one takes it, so she puts it back in the bag.

Brani comments, "That is an odd assortment of potions to be carrying."

Shrugs, "Found them in a bolt hole along with a bag with 11 gold in it and 1 gem." digs the pouch out and shows it to them. Brani looks the gem over, "ok this is a nice find. I guestimate it's worth 70 to 100 gold. " she hands it back, "You lucked out a little there. Last one we found had a few pieces of electrum. With what you got, you could stay in a nice inn for a couple days. With food, more if you find some place to sell the gem."

Leaning back, "I sense a feeling of wistfulness there."

Mel sighs, "We get paid crap because we are an all woman group. So nice things like an Inn with out bugs and nice sheets is something we dream of."

FlameSinger thinks it over then pulls a patch and hands it to Mel, "Here, on me."

Mel opens the pouch that appeared from the patch, its full of silver. Large silver coins. They count them, 2000 silver coins. "We can't take this ?" Mel states. FlameSinger waves her down, "I got another one in here. The coin type is random but it always comes out to 100 gold. Besides with out you all I would be totally lost here. So consider it a finding me fee or a reward for not killing me." she ends on a rough chuckle.

Hel takes the purse and adds it to the 'party treasure' bag, "Thank you. We greatfully accept this."

Brani Hugs FlameSinger, "Thank YOU we can stay in a nice Inn and have some good food for a change, YES!" kiss on the cheek to.

FlameSinger pats her arm, "The patch your pulling at will summon attack dogs, think carefully about that." the fingers gently release the patch and she sits back, "Your good."

FlameSinger holds up her dagger, "You need to learn to pay more attention." Brani looks at her belt, "HOW, your arms are inside your cloak, there is no way .." Hel is laughing. "your a thief to,"

"No, I am Ninja."

Aysun who was watching dinner cook drops the pan, then yelps as she lost her rag and crabbed the hot handle. Da'Rune wraps her hand in part of her robe and grabs the pan, saving dinner from the fire.

Da'Rune, "What was that for girl ?"

FlameSinger is smiling, "Ninja are Asian Boogy Men. Ghost and shadows and mist. If something happens that can't be readily explained then a Ninja did it. I used to read about a clan of Ninja called the Kyotian. Totally fiction mind you but fun to read about."

Aysun nods, "That is correct, when she said she was Ninja I jumped, but then as she is an elf she cannot be Ninja. So she was joking. " high pitched voice, "right ?"

FlameSinger shrugs, "I was a scamp as a child, always getting in to trouble, learned to pick pockets to get my stuff back from my teachers who did not want me to have fun things. I got to be very good at it."

Brani nods, "I'll say."

"Like I said earlier I got a bunch of skills, not all connected to anything useful."

Hel pulls into herself, wondering about that. Aysun is a bit of a mystery, never really talks about herself or where she comes from. A few things have been picked up here and there. But over all she is quiet about it. This is the first real feeling they have gotten from her since they met her all those years ago. Like this one, rescued from a bad place. In Aysuns case a mage wanted an exotic sex toy, instead of just buying one, he summoned her from across the world. By the time they got there he was dead, his neck broke, She was chained to a wall naked, the only way she could have done it was to use her feet. But she won't talk about it. They know she is really smart, took her just over 3 months to learn their language and 6 to learn to read and write. Though sometimes she will write backwards.

Now they got another one, more chatty but most of it seems to be aimed at distracting from something she does not want to talk about. She is good at deflecting from it. Has a good heart and some dangerous skills. She will have to wait and see.

The next morning everyone but FlameSinger heads down to the Temple. FlameSinger has Mels weapon and was setting up a careful Enchanting circle, some symbols that Da'Rune did not know, but she said she could feel power from them. So they left her to it.

The temple is in remarkable repair considering the town is deserted.

With in they Smell it before they find it. A large silver-grey carraige like device with a crushed body under the front of it, it's head caved in and the sacrifical dagger under one of the large black wheels. Looks more like a gnomish device than a magic carraige, though it's possible it was both. The seats with in are fine leather, with carpetted floors. The place where the driver would sit is crushed inward and there is blood everywhere.

The front left corner crushed in and strange fluids are pooled under it. The smell is oil mixed with something nasty. Brani starts to hold her lantern closer when a voice Speaks "Please don't do that. I rather not have my temple full of smoke and fire." Aysun catches the lantern before it can drop from the startled theif. There floating over the alter is the Goddess Angharradh. She is watching them carefully, "The fluids from that vehicle are oil based, fire would be very bad."

Mel mutters her mantra "The gods are fake"

The Goddess comments, "No Shrek Na is fake. Not a real god, just a minor immortal who has tricked a bunch of people in to thinking he is a war god. Cause he likes to see people fight to death in his name. Pathetic creature."

Mel actually yells, "I WAS RIGHT!" then considers, "well about him anyway. The reason he does not grant spells is because he can't."

The Goddess nods, "He can use magic and does spells that boost people before battle but that is pretty much it."

Hel is looking at the corpse, its been stewing in those strange liquids for days. "Who is FlameSinger really ?"

"She is a powerful Elven Psion. Her teachers feared her power so tried to teach her frivolous things or skills to keep her mind occupied on things that they hoped would stunt her mental growth. Unfortunetly for them she is a genius and she learned far more than they ever intended her to. When this emergency came she was summoned to deal with it. But the portal was damaged on her way through it and she can not return home. I admit to be at fault, She was badly injured in the crash but I managed to get her put back together, but as she came close to dieing here she does not want to return here."

"As you have rescued her could you take these to her. They are copies of her home spell books."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

(picture of fancy spell books*)

Da'Rune picks them up, almost drooling on them. She can Feel the power coming from these books. The seals are top notch to. She bows to the Goddess.

Brani is looking around checking corners and such, the Goddess grins "FlameSinger already removed all the treasure the raiders missed."

Brani shrugs, "never hurts to double check"

Aysun, shaking ask, "Is she really a Ninja ?"

The goddess kind of sways back and forth, "Kind of. Self taught from the stories she liked to read. Very skilled in martial arts, crossed with her psion abilities and skills she taught herself she can fake it very well. Not sure how she would do compaired to a real Ninja though. "

Hel ask, "What is a Ninja, neither of them will give me a straight answer."

The Goddess grins, "Spy, thief, shadow warrior, hero, villain, assassin, all that and more. There are many different types of Ninja really. Depends on what they specialized in. But they are real and they tend to work for the ruling powers of Asia. And yes there are Elven Ninja. Almost tempted now to see how she would do against them. Almost, she gets in a corner and her more dangerous abilities come out, that gives her a greater advantage."

Mel ask, "Can she really enchant stuff ?"

The Goddess nods, "Yes but she uses Psionics not magic. So the item will not show a magical aura. Which can give you an advantage to start. People looking for magical items will not sense your flail. Though a Psion may feel something from it but unless they hold it they will not know what it does."

Melisanda does a fist pump "YES"

"Teach her well Melisdanda, she can be a true friend if you treat her well. " and the goddess fades away.

They leave the temple, "So what you going to teach her Mel."

Mel, "How to ride and care for a horse. Its a very useful skill you know."

Hel nods, "True and that means you get her to summon us some horses to." Mel nods, "That to."

They get back to find her and the flails floating in the air, the air is Freezing and small lightnings are playing over the flail. As such they decide to stay outside, where it is warm.

Hel sighs, "Self taught thief and fighter and dream versions of something dangerous."

She is about to say more when all the cold air is blown out of the building via the windows and the door. When the look in, FlameSinger is swinging the flail in a gental circle, watching something only she can see. Looking up she smiles brillaintly at them, "I think I got it. Want to try it out Mel ?"

She comes over and hands the flail to Mel. Mel feels a tingle go through her palm and chest, sort of a shiver, but she is not cold, "Ooo tingly."

FlameSinger nods, "I added a couple other enchantments cause those take them so well. One is just what I call special effects, does not do anything but look cool." Points to the tiny lightnings jumping between the balls and the spikes, "Just a cantrip really, but it does make it look more dangerous." Mel and the others agree. "The other one, I put a healing charm in to the hilt. It should speed up your healing but I am not totally sure how it will work. Never tried it before."

Hel grins, "Anything that makes us have to do less in putting her back together after a fight is good."

"Have to have it in your hand, just touching the hilt will do it. I Think its regeneration, that is what I was trying for, but I am not sure."

Mel takes it out and then hits a dead tree with it, As normal it sticks a little, but frost forms over the place struck to.

(Author note: The weapon does 1D4+1 cold per ball plus heals her 8hp/10 minutes - not affected by magic negation or dispell magic effects, or magic dead or nullified regions.)

Each hit it does makes more frost cover the target.

Coming back to the group, "This is Nice. Frost formed over the tree every time I hit it. Thank you. I decided on what I will teach you. Important skill for any traveler or adventurer. Horse riding, and care. I know you got some of the basic .. you were a child riding a very tame horse right." FlameSinger nods, "Well that is Very basic but I think I can teach you right."

FlameSinger looks at Hel, "This is cause I admitted to haveing horse summons in the cloak isn't it ?"

Hel nods, "Yes yes it is. Do you have enough for us all ?"

Sighs, feels around the cloak, "4 medium warhorses and 2 riding horses. Differnt barding on the war type."

"When ?" she ask after her search, "Now" Mel says, "Need some training before we head home."

Long sigh. very put apon.

(pictures of horses - leather barding, chain barding, riding*)

She gets them all out, they all come over and nuzzle her, "ok ok, people please. You all are here because we needed the ride, and I need to learn to ride properly as I have not done it since I was a small child. Ok" the horses all Nod and paw the ground. "My instructor will likely take one of you armor clad types. She being a warrior and all." Nodding to Mel who looks them over carefully, none try to bite or stamp on her feet, they do watch her carefully.

Much to everyones surprise she picks one with leather barding. She shrugs, "I like his eyes." is all she says about her choice.

Lessons start with going over the equipment and saddles. The do's and don'ts about checking things and how to do things so the horse is comfortable as the rider. Turns out Mel is a very good teacher and knows a lot about taking care of horses and their gear. By the end of the day though FlameSinger declares she would rather have her car back. Failing that a stretcher. owowow.

Da'Rune approaches the 'dying' elf, "Got somthing for you. The Goddess said they were copies of your home spell books."

Laying on her stomach as her bum is to sore. "Oh wow, they got me the covers I always wanted. Teachers did not like me having nice things much. Very strict about things."

She opens one book and reads over the title and index, "Ah, Corellon put a note in it for me, that is so sweet."

Mel leans over to Hel, "A god puts in a note for her and she calls it sweet. That is not a normal reaction I don't care who you are." Hel just nods.

She carefully goes over the books, seeing how they are set up then picking out spells to memorize.

She falls asleep not 3 spells in to the first book. Da'Rune looks at the books, see's Elven script and closes them. She does not read elven also she got the feeling if she tried Poppa Corellon would not be pleased. She has no Idea why she thought 'poppa' there but tries not to think on it to much.

Chapter 3: Of Dreams and the Dreamer

In her dream she is trying to find a certain spell, but the books are being difficult and trying to go to a totally different spell.

A hansome elven man comes in and sits across from her, "What are you looking for Little Flame ?"

She looks up at him, "Spell for a cushion to make my saddle less ouchy Poppa Corellon. But the book keeps trying to give me the horse summoning spells."

In the dream she is a young elf girl and while Poppa Corellon is not her Father he is the nice man who comes and talks to her and shows her nice things.

Corellon sits back and the 'real' soul comes forth, a heavy set and careful man, "More of my created history taking form I see." Corellon nods, "We decided to help you with that. Admitting to being reincarnated is not healthy these days. I think your right about the nature of our advisary to by the way. Your memories fit with what is happening. They have tried it before but different tactics. We refused to withdraw from the world like we did the last few times as that always went badly. So they are taking a more agressive stance and we underestimated them. Don't let Vag talk you in to being a priest, he means well but is to withdrawn from the world for this kind of thing."

"I agree. I like the old one, but he is a bit of a pacifist, rather stand back and watch than participate. We can't do that if we want this world to survive. I am rather attached to it already. Bit of a dream come true you know. Thank you for that."

"Not at all, I am just happy your so willing to help us. And we will do our best to help you where we can. Though right now it may not be much."

"Helping with my fictional back story is enough for now. But thank you for those books. A mage with out a spell book is not much use. Even with the Psion gifts your machine unlocked for me."

"Well you earned them as far as I am concerned." the god smiles at the image of the child.

"You like the girl I have become don't you ?"

He nods, "Yes. The skills and such were random and yet it's like a mini form of me, Makes me feel a little more protective of her. Like she was my real child."

"Uncle Corellon maybe" the spirit says with humor. "I would be honored either way. Though I admit you and I have some philsophical differences in the long run."

Corellon nods, "True. But your young yet and have time to learn, which is true of myself as well."

Spirit sighs watching the child fight the book, "Still have not been able to take enough control of my dreams to keep things form jumping around. At least I learned to read the pages before they change."

Smiling, "You are a talented man Rob. I have people working on your story. Incorperating things you have said with the theme in mind. Its a good story to because though I am sad to say it, we do have people like that. Those that fear the unknown and a child born with your skills would scare them."

"Just leave them in an alternate or far away realm is all I ask."

Corellon grins, "Yes that would be best. Beware though the enemy may try to use your story against you."

"Expecting it really. It is one of their favorite tactics you know."

"Take care of Little Flame here Rob. She has such promise."

"I will do my best sir."