Chapter One: New Life, New Roads

Up the road to the ruined elven town come 5 beautiful and dangerous women, one of who is in a very bitchy mood, "I don't see why we have to check out these stupid Temples. Elven ones at that. It's not like they have been picked clean already." the short blond with the massive shield says to the others.

A tall slender blond in white robes sighs, "Because the Guild told us to and we are being Paid to do so as you know. Look we all know you trust the gods as far as you can through a mountain, you have made that clear. But something bad is going on. These raiders Only hit towns with temples in them and they focus on destroying those temples and ignore most of the rest of the towns, except to kill off any guards they find or wandering priest. The guild is furious for one and fears some outsider types are trying to weaken the hold on this world to make invasion easier." She explains for the 10th time this trip.

Tall busty warrior grins, "Hey I am good as long as we are actually paid for once. I am tired of getting shit pay cause we are an all-woman team. Besides did we or did we not find that bolt hole in the last one with the pouch of Electrum in it. Granted it's not much, but a few more like that and we could at least stay in a better inn and get some descent food next time."

Slender and lethal looking and very out of place Asian woman nods, "True. Also finding someone who knows something would be helpful. Heck I would be happy to find a priest with healing skills to drag around with us."

Short blond snarls, "I Told you why I quit doing that, so stop harping on it."

Asian, "I said Someone, I did not mention you at all. Heck I would settle for someone with a bunch of healing potions at this point. We are down to our last 2 and those things are expensive and hard to come by."

The ever silent red haired one speaks, "I smell smoke. Better I see a curl of it coming from the town up ahead. Looks like they did not run everyone off."

The mage looks up and nods, "I hope it's not like the last time. Old codger just would not leave his place. Stubborn and mean. Times I wish I had some transformative magics, he would have made a good mule." a few snickers and nods from the rest of her team, save for the red head, "He had every right to be there. It was his home after all."

A couple of the others give her a surprised look, "What ? " she says, "I am not a totally heartless monster, only a well-paid monster. Well till I hooked up with you lot." she amends.

They go quiet and spread out as the approach the remains of the town wall. A short search shows only one outbuilding has any sign of habitation.

The 'monster' sniffs, "Sausage, beef, cheese, melting, hmm no bread though. Someone is having breakfast it seems."

The building has only one door, all the windows are on the 2cd floor, but they know from experience that this place likely is only one floor. The waiting room for people to see the priest for various reasons. It would have an underground exit, likely blocked from the inside by both mundane and magical means. Not likely anything of value with in either. But the roof and chimney are sound as are the walls, so it's a good place to camp in if you’re a traveler.

They have moved back to the tree line, where they have a clear view of the place when they see a hooded figure in a bad fitting coat run out the door, around the corner, only to squat in some bushes.

The slender blond silently says to the Busty one 'pee break'.

While the figure is in the bushes, two of the team move in to the room and the other 3, more stealthy ones, move around to capture the person.

The Smell of of urine hits them hard and the Tall red head sneezes. In that moment the others rush the place only to find it empty, just a shallow wet hole to show the person was even there.

The blond swears and looks around and up. Up proved a good thing as something moves in the leaves, something large and fast and very agile as it leaps from one tree to the next, wearing a dark blue top and long slender legs peak out to stylish Blue boots with red piping. The figure leaps from the trees and on top of the roof in what had to been a magically enhanced jump.

"Possible mage" The mage says, pointing to the roof.

The busty brunet looks at her normally professional companion, "Really ?"

The professional shrugs, "The smell hit me before I could stop it. Happens to the best of us. But whoever they are, they are fast and good though I don't know where they can go from the roof."

Mage, moving toward the door, "Depends on if that jump was a spell or those boots. If those are boots of leaping, they can go a long ways. If it's a spell, it depends on what other tricks they know."

Once in the door, they make out a figure in the window and several bags, some odd clothing and a few bits of food flying around while the other two try to intercept things. The mage points at the figure and recites a spell. It squarely hits the figure which drops out of site, even as the flying things fall, "Quick out back, I think I got her with that hold spell." the blond mage tells the others. The Asian jogs behind her, "Her ?" Mage, "no man has legs like that one does." she explains.

They get around to the back and find the figure, neck at a bad angle, laying beside the building. The Professional monster (as she calls herself) moves over and sets the figure on its back, pulls back the hood and turns the head around so they can see her face." The mage winces, "Damn but she was a pretty one. Too bad she had to be evil."

The short blond nearly slaps her, "Hey you don't know she was evil. From what we saw in there before you charged in, looks like a wanderer, maybe an adventurer. You can't just call someone evil cause you accidently killed them to make yourself feel better."

The Asian nods, "Melisanda has a point. We attacked her. She was just reacting the way any of us would who was alone and unarmed. She tried to escape. That is not evil, that is self-preservation."

The mage slowly nods, "Fine fine, well lets search the body and see what we can find out about her then." They turn back to the body, only to find it gone. Melisanda makes a little whistling tune and starts to look carefully around while unhooking her twin balled flail, "Got foot prints here. Looks like she shook off your spell while we were arguing and " she slumps, "She went back for her stuff." They make it around the corner in time to see the girl running full tilt down the road, carring two bags, her head is still at an odd angle, but she is obviously not dead. Melisanda watches her go, "That has got to hurt, running like that."

The professional is hot on her trail but not gaining by much. She pulls out a lasso and tries to use that to shorten the distance, only to have it miss as the girl suddenly leaps over something in the road. The short blond "GET HER HEL" and takes off at a jog trying to keep them in sight.

Hel is a good distance runner, but chasing someone who is scared out of their mind is never easy. Fear gives feet wings as they say. There is a loud pop and a yelp and the girls neck resest its self properly.

This causes her to jerk to the left and stumble enough to allow the Professional to get close enough to hear the woman mumbling in a mix of common and probably her native togue, something about 'why is not *** working'. So some item the girl is carrying is misfiring, that may explain the jump earlier. Still even loaded as she is she is fast.

The white robed one catches up to the Professional, "Reversed my slow spell, sorry it took so long" she says before catching up to the girl, Manages to grab away a bag which causes the girl to spin and Kick the mage hard enough to send her flying. The girl holds out her now free hand and 'Pushes' an invisible force slams the Professional backwards hard. The girl gets her bag back and takes off running again. Makes it around a corner in the road. The Professional and the mage slowly get to their feet, "ok that was unexpected" gasp the mage. The Professional nods. They are walking back to their companions when the woman passes them going the other way, chanting 'shit shit shit'.

They look behind them and see a large group of black armored foes running their way, who in turn are being chased by a pissed off land dragon of good size, at least a 50 footer. Running becomes the meaning of their lives at that moment. They all make it to the town, down a road that ends in the old castle. The walls were breached as is the front door, but if they can make it inside they may be able to barricade it some how.

They got a good lead on the Black Armors and just make it in to the castle foyer as the strange woman pulls out something and throws it at the empty doorway. There is a Loud Clang and the sound of a lock bar dropping in to place. The room goes almost pitch dark at that point.

Voice in the dark, "What the hell is that noise."

Unknown, out of breath voice, "Iron Door."

Everyone is quiet as they hear the Armored ones hit the door screaming to be let in then scream more as the dragon flambea's them.

The unknown voice comes from somewhere above, "oh that is just wrong, ouch that had to hurt, man these guys really don't know how to fight, pure mob tactics, Ooo nice fire breath attack, white hot to. That is one pissed off critter. Oops their went their priest, head going going gone. Tail shot, good distance. Ok I have heard of that but never thought it was possible. Oh that had to hurt, and that one is being nailed in to the ground. Don't blame the big guy for that, idiot shoved his spear up the citters butt."

The Professional speaks, "That critter is a ground dragon, big strong, easily annoyed. Can't talk or use magic, to be using a breath weapon means its an old one."

Voice sighs, "And ... oo see's their mage, set fire to same, mage now running around and setting fire to those around him, own people stab mage to death. And Fireblast to that group." Then Loudly, "Look OUT BEHIND YOU DRAGON" loud roar and sound of something getting chomped, "Down one anti-paladin, good dragon."

Mage, "She is cheering on the dragon, who does that ?"

Voice, "Those are the people going around desicrating temples. Killed one earlier by accident, he was trying to desicrate the temple here. I think this group was his back up. The Goddess would not be happy had they made it to the temple."

Angry one, "How do you accidently kill someone ?"

"Misfiring protal, My carrage came through at speed and ran him over." says the voice.

The others nod, general verbal agreements of 'that would do it'.

Professional, "Why are you still here then ?"

Sad voice, "No where else to go. These are not my lands and I can't go home the way I came. So I am stuck here. Why did you attack me ?"

"Your in an abandoned town, did not know if you were a squatter, looter, or one of them. So capture and interogate. But your crafty and fast. How did you get up with a broken neck ?"

"Item, Regenerate like a troll. I don't have many spells left but I got some nice items."

Professional, "Push spell, good attack."

Mysterious voice, "Need a hand free to use it, so when your little mage grabbed my bag I took a chance and blasted you. What I am carrying is litterally everything I own. So I am not likely to leave any behind."

"Ok is it normal for dragons to eat people ?"

Professional, "They are a practicle bunch, they kill it, they eat it."

M Voice, "So you think there is a back way out cause tall bright and flaming is eatting the remains out there."

There is a smack and thud, "Trying to sneak up on me is not going to work oh busty one, I can see you all Just fine."

Busty one, "Ow and How ?"

"Elf"

Professional, "Well that makes since, this is an elven city. But your awfully tall for an elf." no answer.

Busty throws a rock , then "She is gone, slipped around me. Someone make a light."

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Mage "not a good idea with that dragon out there."

The Door creaks open just then, Just wide enough for someone 'stupid' to slip out.

"Well she is dead." states Melisanda.

Busty found the crack she was watching from, Pulls out some debree and light comes through, not much but enough to make out the womans face, "I don't see her, oops the dragon does .. Oh I get it, she is trying to sneak past it invisible, does not know much about dragons."

Then they Hear it, *Hold there tiny one, I can Smell you and all that lovely magic your carring. Make you a deal you leave the magic I don't eat you*

The girl becomes visible and puts down her bags, pulls off her hood and looks at him, "Look I am having a bad week, and some tiny ass dragon is not going to rob me. I am about at my last straw."

The Dragon laughs *You think I am Tiny ?* hohoho.

"Old mentor of mine, Prism type, 250 feet long not counting his tail, compared to him, your tiny."

The Dragon nods its head side to side, *Ok but he is not here I am, you die now* Opens his mouth and lunges.

She sighs and brings out the hand that was hidden under her cloak and Throws something down its throat the Dragon who makes a gurgling sound and steps back, tries to cough then slowly turns white. The woman picks up an empty helmet, counts to 20 then throws it at the dragon, it's head shatters. She nods, picks up her bags and walks off, stopping to pick up some shiny things she see's.

Busty reports in an awed tone, "She killed it, threw something down its throat and then it froze over, she hit it with a helmet and the head shattered.

They slowly get the door open and come outside, where they find her happily stripping anything of interest off the bodies. "Waste Not Want Not" she states happily.

Busty takes that attitude and hits the other side, avoiding the dragon corpse.

The mage, looks at the dragon, "How did you do that ?"

Looking up from where she is trying to remove a ring from an hand (nothing attached to said hand), "Primal Ice spell. Freezes near anything solid in under 30 seconds. Then its just a matter of breaking off something important".

The Mage in White nods, "Yes that certainly does it. It has no vocal component then ?"

"My way no, just component and somamtic. Took a long time to work out how to do it that way. If I still had access to my spell books I could have shown you, but they are in another dimension at this time."

White Mage nods, "ouch. Cause of that portal ?"

Nods, picks up something makes a face, tosses it away. "Cursed item. Soul Possession if you put that on." indicating the item she tossed away. "Got to be careful of that, these guys love that kind of trap, great way to make friends, Soul gets sucked out Demon gets put in. Insta Friend now with More evil. DO Not put on any jewelry from these guys." Looking at Busty, Professional smacks her hand, taking the item from her, "Were you listening? Some of this stuff is cursed. Don't put it on till after it's been checked out."

Mystery Woman, "Or put it on and I can kill you just in case you get possessed."

Either way she stopped trying to put on any nice looking items. She does scoff, "You don't have a weapon."

Professional, "She has her pick of any one the ground. Stop triing to be Mel Brani."

Mel Snorts.

Mystery woman points at the short blond, "I take it your Mel ?"

She nods, "Got a problem with that ?"

"No just learning names. The busty one lacking common sense is Brani, your Mel the angry one."

Mel, "The gods are fake."

MW, "I imagine some are, others are just losers pretending to be gods. Elder Vampires like to do that, trick a bunch of mortals in to thinking they are gods. Usually pretend to be war gods since they can't grant healing spells and such. Their 'Priest' are usually taught some old forms of shamanic magic that can duplicate priest spells but use a different source."

Blonde Mage, "Well you know allot."

MW, "I study allot, read allot and talk to lots of interesting people."

Busty and Brain dead picks up the Anti-Paladins sword frowns at it then stabs it through the corpse even as both Mel and the Woman Scream "DON'T!" to late, there is a crackling of energy and the body slowly pulls itself up. Mel looks at Brani "Why did you do that ?"

The MW is chanting something while the fresh Undead is pulling itself back together, "Your prayer is useless against me." it laughs, The woman says something in her own language and points, the Undeads arms get ripped off.

Its smile fades and it looks at them, "Ok maybe not so pointless." Lurches to one side then the other like its trying to will its arms back, "What did you do bitch ?"

"Faith attack, Bless with a slashing attack so your arms are now Holy. I am a trained exorcist brain dead."

The undead looks at her and sighs, "This is so not my week. First we lose half our army to a gnome raid, Gnomes, gods. Then the dragon gets upset cause my idiot mage got its gender wrong, say what happened to the dragon ?"

The party all point at the woman. The 'stupid' one states, "1 spell, then its head fell to pieces."

Undead looks at her, "Your just not human are you ?"

She shrugs, "Half God."

He nods, "so not my week."

She shrugs again, "Could have been worse, you might have had to dig your head out of the dragons gullet."

He nods, "Point. You think I am helpless don't you."

"No, just building power up, that sword in your chest will make an Excellent conductor for my spell."

He sighs, "Holy Power"

"Primal Ice."

She lets it go, straight through the greater zombie, then walks up and smashes the sword with another helmet, then round house kicks the zombie in to ice particles. The spirit sighs as it is pulled to hell, "just not fair."

She then points to the door, "You go sit before you do something else that is increadibly stupid."

She stands straight, "Your not the Boss of Me ?"

Ice Ball, "Go or Die, your choice." she runs behind the tall red head, "Hel She threatened me!"

Hel nods, "I am about to agree with her, that was Really stupid. You can't tell magic from non magic and yet you keep picking things over. Now sit down and let Mel, Da'Rune and the lady do it."

Mel nods, "I may be an ex priest but I still know what to look for. Say miss how many of those ice projectiles can you do ?'

She shrugs, "Its a Psion ability, till I get tired I guess."

Da'Rune, "Why did you not use that earlier."

"I had just woke up a few minutes before, was taking a pee and you all jumped me, I panicked. Can't work this stuff if I can't focus, now I am focused. Calmed down while in the castle. Was able to focus. Did not think the dragon would be smart enough to sense me. It was a Lot smarter than you all said."

Hel Nods, "Must have been an old one, the young ones are stupid, but they get smarter as they get older."

"Unless something is terminally stupid, everything gets smarter as it gets older."

The Asian snorts, "She has a point there."

Hel looking at her, "you have very little real world experience don't you." The elf sighs and nods.

"Lots of training on self control and how Not to use my powers and magic training some combat training but nothing to tell me how to use anything in the real world. Was on my way somewhere for more training when the portal went sideways. Ended up here. No idea where Here is other that the temple to Angharradh. She manifested in there and told me about these guys. They are trying to weaken to forces of Goods power so their Demonic Masters can physically invade. I got a lot of skills, but I am not a priest. Mage mostly some combat training, hand to hand stuff, and the Psionics. But looking back on it, other than camp cooking I really don't have much of any skills good for surviving on my own. I can build a fire, I can cook, I can Kind of ride a horse, if its tame and does not run much. I know how to swim, that's it for outside skills. Lost my spell books, I mentioned that I know but its really annoying. I got cantrips left. And my psion abilites but looking at all the practicle things I don't know, I feel screwed over and wonder what they were training me for really."

Hel nods, "So what other skills do you have ?"

"Armor, weapon, black smithing, armor and weapon appraising, leather working, Drive a magic carrage, read write and speak my native language, common elven and the trade language, Singing, playing mandolyn and guitar, Art, drawing and painting, acting, costuming, I taught myself to read lips as well as to read upside down and backwards, so I could read my teachers reports when I had to stand before them. I know how to care for cats and some game stuff, like cards and chess. Lots of Trivia stuff to, magic items, mythology, mostly human for some reason, mysticism, fantasy books, vampires and shifters, though I don't know how much is real and how much is fantasy there."

Hel nods, lots of useless stuff mixed with useful but in limited fashion."What about weapons ?"

Picks up a sword, swings it, throws it at dragons butt where it sticks, "Staff, general pole arm, dagger, including thrown type, sword. I can use a bow but only for target shooting, not good enough at it for more than that. One thing that gets me they taught me how to build a fire and even do camp like cooking but never how to actually do any camping activities like set up a tent, or clear a camp site or anything. All I know about that I read in adventure stories."

Hel nods, fairly broad range of weapons staff is a basic one just about anyone can learn, dagger and sword take more practice same with pole arms, possibly the pole arm was to improve her skill with a staff, have heard about some people trained that way. Useful if using some of the more fancy mage staves.

She picks up two swords, goes through a complex twin fighting style, looks at them and throws them at the dragons butt, they stick to. Girl has some serious combat training. two handed fighting style is a difficult one to master.

Asian woman, "Why do you keep doing that ?" pointing at the swords.

She shrugs, "They are crap swords, really low quality."

Hel looks at the Asian, they look at the swords, they are of average quality not great but not 'crap', not by their standards.

Asian Woman, "These swords are average quality really."

Mystery woman, "Orc make ? cause by the standard I was taught, these are only good for scrap."

Da'Rune, "Guys she is an Elf, Elves tend to be perfectionist. If a sword is not of Very Good quality it's not worth much to them. Seen it before in school. They get really picky about stuff like that."

The woman picks up a sword, sets it at an angle while watching them, then brings her boot down on it, it snaps in half, "Crap" toss it to the side.

Mel is laughing, she does not do that often. "Well that is one way to make your point."

Mel brings her flails, "Here, tell me what you think, and yeah they are well used."

Carefully turns them over, checks the handle and chain, carefully looks at the distance between each spike, checks the weight and nods, "Very nice. Enchantable quality actually."

Mels jaw about dropped. She knew they were good but she did not realize they were that good. The woman hands them back. Mel ask, "You think these could hold an enchantment ?"

"I could enchant them if you want, Limit is fire or ice, no attack bonuses though, don't know how to do those. Best not to put both types of elements on it though, could cancle each other out."

Mel thinks about it, "How much ?"

The woman thinks, "How about you teach me a useful skill, something to help me survive in the real world."

Mel smiles and holds out her hand, "Deal."

The Woman smiles and shakes, she has a good grip with hands caloused as you would expect from a smith.

"I can start tomarrow if that is alright, Thats if you all stay here a couple days. "

Hel nods, "We have to check the temple so that is ok. Say, if you had that Iron door, why did you not use it in your shelter ?"

And Face Palm.