disclaimer: i own nothing you recognize. if you do recognize something just rearrange the letters then i do own it.

'Oh my aching feet,' Tanon thought as he kept up the swift pace set by Coland and the half-orcs. As far as he could tell their names were Gogur and Bogur. Three evenings had passed and the wizard hadn't even looked at him. He seemed prefectly fine acting like Tanon didn't exist at all. "I hope we're stopping for camp soon," Tanon whispered to himself. It wasnt like anyone could hear him the half-orcs were grunting behind him the mage appeared deep in thought and Coland was a good twenty feet infront of him whistling at the moon which had recently risin.

This was his schedule wake up slighty after dawn, walk til after moon rise then go to sleep and repeat. Coland was as he confided in Tanon their second day out of Athkatla was a cleric to Tymora. That had explained why he was here but Tanon asked about his other allies. Coland had told him the half-orcs were working of their time as indentured servants. Coland had paid the two fighters way across the Sea of Fallen Stars. While, he confessed, the passage had been relatively cheap the half-orcs were bound to him for another season or two. When asked about the mage Coland's face had grown dark and he had said to ask the mage.

So here he was the question on the edge of his lips he was going to find out this mans name and maybe even his reason for traveling with the group. Just as Tanon opened his mouth to ask the mage said in a deep tone,"My name is Elensar Difur and you need not be concerned with my past." His manner was slow and confident like he had not a worry in the world. "We will reach the ruins by midmorning tomorrow, be prepared."

After he had said this he left. Tanon slowly shut his mouth, he wondered how the mage had know what he was going to ask. Tanon blinked still amazed but at that moment Coland called for a halt. As Tanon went about setting up camp with the other he kept shooting glances at the wizard.

They had just reached the ruins. All morning Coland had been filling him in on just what was in the ruins. "Undead,"Coland calmly stated," were swarming to this place like flies." In fact they were the reason the ruins had been discovered, all someone did was follow their dead mother to the ruins. It seemed the undead were trying to get here anyway they could, then guarding it with a fierce might. From reports adventureres that were able to push their way into the deeper parts were unable to get back out once their weariness overcame them.

"Then how do we get out," Tanon asked slightly shaken. At this Coland had merely winked and taken the lead. Now slightly nervous Tanon had asked Elensar what he knew of the ruins.

Elensar replied,"The ruins were once inhabitad by dwarfs judging by the small amount of buildings outside, other than that nothing is known."

"Have preists not tried to divine the answer," Tanon asked. He tried to appear confident but on the inside he was shaking. Dwarfs were strong folk and hard headed. Tanon doubted the dwarfs had left their homes willingly, and he was slightly frightened to think of what had run the hardy people off.

"Yes, the clergymen have come but their pathetic efforts have failed," Elensar said with a slightly smug tone. 'Ahhhhhh he doesnt like priests, so why's he with Coland,' Tanon thought. 'Oh well he can have his secrets.'

About an hour or so before noon they started seeing undead. When this happened Coland pulled the group back saying to make ready they were leaving to go into the ruins first thing tomorrow. He then started to set up camp and scout the surrounding lands.

Tanon sat on a fallen tree polishing his lightly enchanted chainmail, his duties were done at the moment so he had taken the extre time to fix up his badly neglected suit of armor. It had sat in his former master's cellar for so long it had a fine layer of dust covering it. Even with these past days use most of the dust was still on it, Tanon intended to rectify that. Just as he finished Elensar had come over.

"I have come to tell you your duties when we enter the ruins," he said with little delay.

"I know guard you and take out anything that gets past them," Tanon said jerking his head in the direction of the half-orcs playing in a large mud puddle.

"That is not all you will also need to play rear guard and kill anything that approches from that direction."

"Fine, is that all?

"No that isn't all I also wanted to ask you about your sword.

Tanon glanced down at the bastard sword hanging from his waist,"What about it," he asked boldly.

The wizard gave him a sour look and said,"I was wondering if you would allow me to look at it a bit more closely.

"Why?"

"I can sense an aura of magic about it and would like to identify that magic," the mage asked eagerly.

" I think not," Tanon said after a moments debate. He wouldn't allow this gift from Cromwell to come into another's hands. For a moment Elensar looked to be holding back rage but he quickly regained control. With a curt nodd he walked away. Tanon looked down at his waist still somewhat unsure of what to make of Elensar. With the sun setting and Coland's return they settled down and picked watches. Tanon was lucky he got first watch. As he sat by the fire wrapped in a blanket he thought about what tomorrow would hold. In his mind he was fighting elementals and dragons and all sorts of beasts when finally Bogur woke up for his watch Tanon was quite tired. With a nod to Bogur he laid down and fell asleep.

Thank you very much my one reviewer. As to the rest of you, if you won't review will you please send some little debbie cakes im almost out and to poor to buy more. Starving authors arent very good things. Sorry bout the short chapters they will get longer maybe.