Louret was slowly waking up, from what it felt like a thousand-year slumber, yet she wished she were dead. She felt the world and the world made sure she felt it. Like a failed cure attempt on hangover with cheap wine while being seasick. This was the closest she could get to describe what she really felt.

Tall trees passed one after another as she gazed at the darkening sky between the greenery. She lied still, motionless surrounded by hay. Stepping of a horse, the rocking of a cart could be heard as it was dragged on the forest path while a small group talked.

“And ye said, it wouldn’t wort our time, it been already looted.” A low male voice laughter filled the forest “Even a blind could tell, whoever were there first their group was missing a key party member.”

“Really and who?” Asked a silked voice one.

“A decent dwarf, with a nose for treasure, what else?”

“How foolish of me. I thought you were going to say a decent sized rouge.”

“Oh, ye numb-nut, one more word and I gonna send you into tomorrow.”

“It won’t be necessary if you continue to breathe in my general direction.”

“That’s it! You asked…” He couldn’t finish it.

“Shut up back there! You not even helping me pull the cart but now you even jumping around on it. Sit down or get off.” Said the centaur on the front.

A few moments of awkward silence, a few moments of heaven for the seasick Louret.

“Still, I have to acknowledge, it was a decent find from a low-level dwarf.” Said the elf.

“I know, right. And not even a bland one, it’s a Gem-gargoyle. Its wort could be higher than a smaller treasure golem.” Like the anger never existed, excitement took its place. “But how we gonna sell it?” Louret mood couldn’t get worse, or so she thought. “One piece. As. We. Should. or risk it and grind it down for gems?”

“If you asked me. Breaking it down would be the clever thing to do. Human law enforcement weak on the roads and we are far from any city. It certainly not safe to travel with something valued this high.”

“I’m with Lienc on this one and I wouldn’t mind the ease our load.” Louret mood got worse.

“How dere ye even thinking about destroying something this remarkable?!” Raised his voice the dwarf, which was awarded two heavy gazes from the rest of the party. “Sigh… Fine. For the party.”

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A few minutes passed and the cart stopped. The sun waved its last ray for the day. The party’s camp was ready before the night greeted them. Lienc took the first watch, it was rare that they were this close to nature and he just couldn’t get enough of it, so he said.

The forest was quite only the cracking of campfire broke it time to time. As two fell asleep, one saw the chance. One not exactly well suited for stealth towering grey statue to be precise.

Louret carefully sat up in the hay and slowly tried to climb over the edge of the cart. The moment she shifted her weight over the edge, the cart’s axle gave in and snapped with a loud crack, she and the rest of the cargo rolled out to the ground. The elf did not have to alert the party, Louret heard as they were getting up as the elf jumped down from the tree.

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Louret could not see in the dark, not without a potion or spell. She had to come up with something and fast. Fighting was not an option not without any equipment. She had to do what a gargoyle did best… … … She froze in place on the ground covered with the supplies of the party.

The high on alert low-level party got around the broken cart and took a glare at the scene. Broken kegs and spilt out bags and a grey gargoyle covered with their content. The air was filled with the smell of the cheap alcohol.

“And you said it could bear it. Now I’m sure height is not the only thing you are missing.” As he turned around went back to sleep.

“Even if it's early it seems you have to take the rest of the night since you have some repairing to do.” said Lienc leaving the dwarf alone.

“And how I’m suppoz to do it alone? Do you really think I can lift the cart and replace the axle?”

“Oh, I’m sure you are more than capable to do so, since as you say. ‘Your might is fitting for legends.’”

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The forest was quiet, once. Now it was filled with what it sounded like a team of woodworkers and woodcutters running up and down drowned in work, with a pinch of dwarf swearing which made the sense for the whole picture of ‘How can so much noise come from a small camp?’.

Louret was placed in the shade where she would not be in the path of the fire filled dwarf. And thus, round two on want to be at large and not in grinder came. She was patient, waited for the perfect moment, lying on the grass motionless. The only thing was out of the picture for her was that it was rather comfortable being still and not a problem. She wasn’t even sure at this point if she had to watch out for the rising of her chest each time she took a breath or even she had to take a breath.

The dwarf was in the trance of work fuelled by his rage and the need of sleep. Louret took her chance and began to move toward the dwarf’s weapons which lied next to a tree. A mace, not her preferred choice of weapon, but she had to work with what she had. She took the mace; the dwarf sat facing toward the campfire repairing the wheel. The mace was surprisingly light and as she stood she found the sitting dwarf small even for a dwarf.

One swing in style of a golfer and the once working hands slipped down on the wheel, as he became motionless. The momentum of the mace didn’t stop and painted a good part of the camp with blood and brain, even the fire flickered as the dwarf's head exploded from the impact.

The sound was unnatural and ill-fitted for finishing work. Lienc woke up and rolled to his other side to peek at the fire. He wished he didn’t. His friend body felt back headless as the naked statue of an amazon bathed in the raining blood. Crimson, with one word the scene could be summarized. Lienc shouted and jumped up with a wand ready in his hand. And attacked the Gargoyle.

“[Ice arrow]!” The good manners, composure become meaningless, rage formed from its corpse. He pointed toward the monster and a moment later the spell formed and lunch toward its target.

Louret was still stunned by the sheer force her arm displayed with one swing. Her thought just raced to understand what just happened. Her meditation came short. As the projectile forced her to reclaim her balance and took a step back. She didn’t felt anything, she turned toward the elf while the centaur reached toward his longsword.

“[Ice arrow]!” Clear hit, Louret look down only to find the marks of the spell on her skin as a frozen chunk of blood fallen down. A grin started forming on her face and charged toward the spellcaster.

“[Ice arrow]. [Ice arrow]. [Ice arrow].” his rage and confidence shifted toward fear after each spell, as the monster charged toward him.

The mace swung toward the elf from above and stopped as the centaur stepped between them with a longsword in hands. Lienc fallen to his knees, he felt the greetings of Mourteen.

“Don’t just sit there, do something!” Snapped at him as he used his backside to gain the upper hand and push away his foe.

Louret felt back, the centaur legs were stronger than her. As she stood up the sword hit her left side cracking the skin and taking a smaller chunk out of her torso. She kept her balance, constricted the sword's blade to her side with her arm and swung the mace towards the centaur’s horseback.

Like the sound of the cracking wood on the campfire, it was similar. The centaur dropped his weapon and felt over onto the elf. The cry out wan unbearable. Louret swung the mace two more times and the forest could welcome her old friend, silence.