The temperature was a bit higher in the forest, but the chill was easily enough to occupy the three SeeDs' attention. Tycho stopped glaring at Tiana, Jiri stopped everything, and Jay nearly forgot to worry about Kailie. Even Tiana seemed to change, becoming watchful and silent as opposed to the mischievous nature they had seen from her.

Where are we even going? Jiri asked, subdued. Jay glanced up, and shook his head.

I don't know.

Maybe if we find the Raiders — Tycho started.

Tiana said, softly. Jay turned around to give her a tired look.

What is it this time?

Those Raiders you were talking about finding...



I think they already found you.

Jay's hand moved to his sword. What do you mean? he hissed.

We're surrounded, Tiana said, eyes narrowing. Sorry I didn't notice it before, but... they're still a bit away, and closing. I'd say... about three stone's throws.

Jay motioned to the rest of the team, and they drew their weapons. How can you tell?

Look at the tops of those trees, Tiana said, pointing to a grove a fair distance away. Jay had to peer between the branches of several other trees to see them.

There is something odd there, but...

They're waving north to south, Tiana said. The rest are waving in the wind, east to west. Meaning...

...that someone's in those trees, Jay finished. Okay, so the girl's good. Either that or this is just a fluke....

You sure we're surrounded? Tycho asked. Tiana nodded grimly.

You're not going to talk your way out of this one, she said. Best thing we can hope for is to get the first strike.

Well, then, Jiri said, eyes gleaming. Let's smash them!

Not so loud, Jay said. The needle sword sprung from the hilt, and he turned back the way they had been going. Everyone, act normal. Pretend you don't know that they're here.

Tycho said.

Great plan, Tiana mumbled. Jay shot her an angry glance, but she seemed not to notice.

There was a flash of brown to one side, and Jay had to stop himself from looking. Don't let them know we see them.... Instead, he tried to trudge through the snow like any other cold, tired traveler would do.



Jay glanced at Tycho, who was staring around with a fair amount of confusion mixed with anger. Glancing around, Jay saw why: Tiana had disappeared.

he said, wincing. Not now....

There was a noise behind him, and he whirled around. A brown-clad, spear wielding man stood, directly blocking his path.

he snarled. You again.

Who are you? asked Jay in his most surprised voice. Motioning to Tycho and Jiri, he made an almost imperceptible hand signal. Three.

My name's not important, the man snarled. Jay moved his hand again. Two. The only important thing is —

Jiri yelled, swinging her flail.

Not yet! Jay thought, startled into motion. Tycho jumped, swinging his axes at the man. Suddenly, the forest was alive with raiders, each one struggling to get at them.

Jay sliced through the leather armor of one, who fell back, cursing. The man slashed at him with his knife, catching Jay across the wrist and damaging his glove before he could parry. Jiri came in with her flail, crashing it through the man's skull with a powerful strike. Jaysen turned to see Tycho struggling against a huge man almost twice his size, and tried to make his way over to help.

An iron-knuckled fist caught him across the jaw, and he stumbled. Twisting, he caught a glimpse of another man about to drive his fist through his face. Jiri was facing off with a woman wielding a deadly-looking pike, and Tycho was still engaged in his battle. Jay twisted to one side as the man's fist came down, driving through the snow instead of him.

There was a sudden spray of blood, and a throwing knife seemed to burst out of the man's chest. He staggered, a stricken expression on his face.

Jay twisted around as a huge battle axe thudded into the ground next to his face, ramming his needle sword into his opponent's midsection. Three more were coming out of the forest, heading straight for him.

someone yelled, and Jay glanced over to see Tycho's opponent's head appear to simply fall off his body. There was a whirring noise, and something small and black flew past his face. Tiana fell from the trees beside him, wrist blades flashing as she dispatched one of the people coming form the forest. Jay jumped to his feet, impaling another as reinforcements came from the forest.

There's no end to this! Tycho yelled. Tiana grabbed a branch, pulling herself up with acrobatic ease. A black stone flew through the air past one of the raider's necks, suddenly appearing to turn of its own accord and fly several times around the raider's head. The raider made a gurgling noise as she fell to the ground, several angry red lines about her neck.

Strangling cord, Jay thought. As an assassin, she has it pretty much down. Now if she could just be a bit less annoying....

A quick slash-thrust felled two more of the raiders, and Tycho's axe flew into the skull of a third. There was a thunk from one side, and Jay caught a glimpse of Jiri swinging her flail to finish a raider off. One more coming from the trees was dead before he landed — a throwing knife embedded in his throat. Soon enough, the raiders were all lying dead, dismembered or unconscious around the forest floor.

Whew, that was a close one, Tiana said, dropping from the trees again behind Jay. Jay almost jumped out of his uniform.

Stop that! he snapped.

Tiana shrugged. There aren't any more, she said, retrieving her two throwing knives. Nice fighting. Though your style is a bit...risky.



Come on. Tiana said. Three against...lessee...ten? Three-on-one odds? In a fair fight?

We're SeeDs, Jay said.

In hiding, one man or woman could make themselves an army, Tiana said, obviously quoting something. Xu's Principals of Defense and Offense, she said. I think it used to be required reading in most academies, but they decided to take it out because of it's antiquity.' I've done that before, though.

Good for you, Jay said, rolling his eyes as he wiped off his blade. Anyhow, Xu also said that a small team of soldiers, properly trained, could defeat an army by using its own numbers against them. That's why SeeDs operate in teams of three.

Tiana smiled pleasantly.

Can we go now? Tycho asked, motioning to the forest. I don't want to stay in here any longer than I have to.

Tiana offered. I can take you to Icicle. It's my hometown — more or less. Call it my base of operations.

Why do we want to go to Icicle? Tycho asked.

Because I can check with my pals, see if any of them have seen anyone. You realize this isn't normally done, though.

What is this? Tycho asked. The Thieves' Guild?

Something like that, Tiana grinned. Well? Nothing goes on around here without one of them knowing. Up for it?

Jiri said, looking at Jay. One of them's sure to have seen Kailie, right, Jay?

I dunno, Jay said. Then he sighed. Sure, why not. Not like we have any other ideas, he added under his breath.

Tiana said, clapping once. If you'll just follow me, she said, Icicle's just this way....