Disclaimer: Again, refer to other chapters. I'm too goddamn lazy to keep typing all that schtuff.

Chuzuki:yea...lazy bastard

LNP: hey, at least i'm livin' up to my name. d( '3')b

"Why are you doing this?" He cried, parrying the great sword that attempted to find homage in his ribs. He jumped back from his attacker and readied his spear. He thrust his spear, attempting to pierce his foes abdomen, only to be parried. "I shall make you pay for taking her life!" his attacker shouted as he dug his great sword into his shoulder. He dropped his spear and said, "I…I didn't kill her…I…"He fell to the ground, his scarlet blood pooling around his shoulder.

"Carmen, Who did this to you?" Javain cried, holding the young elvaan girl in his arms.

"Javain… please, tell daevon…"

"Tell him what?" Javain whispered, brushing the hair off Carmen's face.

"Tell him..." She began coughing up blood and it flowed down her mouth.

"No!" Javain exclaimed, holding her tighter. "Hold on, Carmen, I beg you!"

"Tell Daevon that I'm sorry…I'm sorry for leaving him like this…" She said as her face became pale. Javain took her hand and held it tight. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he said, "I'll tell him…I promise."

She smiled weakly and closed her eyes. Her grip loosened and fell to the floor. Javain hugged her one last time, and laid her on the cold gravel.

"Carmen? Carmen!" Someone shouted. It was Daevon. He came around the corner finding Javain standing over Carmen's carcass. His eye's widened and he gritted his teeth. "Javain… how could you…"

"Daevon…!" Javain said surprised. "It's…It's not what you-"

"Silence!" He bellowed, his eyes glowing a fiery red. "You shall repent for your sin!" He drew his great sword and charged toward Javain…

"Wha..?" Javain sat up breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face. He brushed his golden hair out of his eyes and rubbed the sweat off his face. "Damn…it was that dream again…" He laid his hand onto his shoulder, caressing the giant scar across his shoulder. "Damnit…if only I saved her sooner…" he whispered to himself. He then heard his tent flap open. It was Tyoko. She wore her red silk sleeping clothes. Her hair was let down and rested on her shoulders. Her eyes glow a crystal blue and held some warmth beneath them. Javain was blown away by her beauty.

"Heard you screaming, Javain…" she said softly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm…I'm fine. You should go back to your tent and get some sleep. We leave for La Theine in the morning." he said, smiling weakly.

Tyoko sighed and wrapped her arms around Javain. "I'm worried about you, Javain…" she then fell silent. Javain's face quickly turned to a cherry red.

Many minutes passed, and Tyoko still had her arms around Javain.

"Tyo…" He whispered, lightly lifting her arms off his body. "You're married…you can't be acting like this…" He looked at Tyoko and saw that she was sleeping. He slowly laid her onto the ground and left the tent. He saw Rollingthunder standing erect, staring out into the forest.

"Did you sleep, Roll?" Javain asked, stretching his arms.

Rollingthunder shook his head. "I heard footsteps around the camp."

Javain cocked an eyebrow. "What do you suppose it could be?"

"I'm not sure, but we have to be alert. Who knows what may pop up in this forest."

Together they stood, staring into the forest for what seemed to be an eternity. Rollingthunder then broke the silence.

"Javain…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember what happened twelve years ago…?"

Javain stared at Rollingthunder. His face was unmoving. "yes…" he replied bluntly. His past raced through his mind, remembering the battle that caused the death of his first love. " I tend to put the past in the back of my mind."

"I see." Rollingthunder said as he sat onto the grass floor. He staredthrough the trees branches."…The sun is rising, we should get ready to leave soon."

Javain nodded and returned to his tent. Tyoko was still asleep, her arms around his pillow. Silently, Javain grabbed his armor and lance and proceeded to walk outside to change. Before he exited the tent, he looked back at Tyoko and smiled. He continued to put his armor on until he heard rustling around a bush. He bent down to retrieve his lance and motioned for Rollingthunder. "Roll, that thing you heard earlier, I think it's back."

Rollingthunder nodded as he held the sheathe of his great katana tightly. The two stood silently, listening to the forest. Rollingthunder pointed to the tree that stood west of them. "Over there." He whispered. He motioned Javain to scare out whatever it was that hid behind the tree. Javain nodded and silently moved into position and gave a warcry. A figure jumped out and Rollingthunder grabbed it. He held the blade of his great katana to its neck.

"What are you doing snooping around?" he whispered into its ear.

Javain walked up to the grappled figure and examined it up and down. "It appears to be a mithra." He said, rubbing his chin.

The mithra purred as it tried to free itself of Rollingthunder's grasp. He tightened his grasp and said, "Go ahead, keep struggling. It'll be easier to break your neck."

The mithra fell silent and then fell limp. She was unconscious.

"I think you overdid it, Roll." Javain said, examining the mithra again. Rollingthunder sighed and slung the mithra over his shoulder.

Suddenly, Glubit stumbled out of his tent half naked with his sword in hand. "What the hell is with all the commotion?" he shouted, looking around frantically. He saw Javain and a mithra slung over Rollingthunder's shoulder.

"Oh my… I didn't know you were that kind of person, Roll." Glubit chuckled.

Tyoko crawled out of Javain's tent and rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?" she yawned, pulling her silk shirt over her shoulder.

Glubit's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "My god… Javain! Tyoko! Don't tell me you did…"

"Did what?" Tyoko asked as she stretched. Javain just stared blankly at Glubit.

"Oh…Oh god…But Tyo, you're married for Altana's sake!" Glubit exclaimed.

Rollingthunder shook his head and went to lay the mithra on the floor, Javain still was at a lost, and Tyoko stood and slapped the hell out of Glubit.

Raginghurricane sat beside the small fire, poking it to keep it ablaze. Shadowfox popped out of her tent and leaned on the galka's back.

"Mornin' Shadowfox." Raginghurricane said, continuing to poke the fire.

"Mornin' Dagorin." She replied as she jumped onto his shoulders. "So what's for breakfast?"

"Dunno." He shrugged, causing Shadowfox to fall. "I guess I'm off to go hunting then." He stood and grabbed his axe that lay beside him. "Stay here, I'll be back soon."

She smiled and nodded as he left to find their breakfast. Shadowfox sat beside the fire and started thinking to her. 'He's so much like him… can it really be him?' She brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin. 'Even his name is similar to his…' Raginghurricane returned to camp with half a dozen of hares slung over his shoulder. "Wow that was fast!" Shadowfox jumped onto Raginghurricane. "Amazing!"

"Uh, yeah…" Raginghurricane said as he threw a couple of hares over the fire. He watched the hares slowly roast, until Shadowfox said, "So, where are you from?"

He stared at Shadowfox. Her face was happy, unlike the evil and menacing look she had when he met her. "I'm from the same nation you are from, Bastok."

"Wait a minute, hoe did you know where I'm fro-"

"Your accent." Raginghurricane interrupted as he flipped one of the hares. "It's different from the Windurstian or San D' Orian mithra."

"O-oh…" She sighed.

Raginghurricane placed one of the roasted hares into Shadowfox's hands." Eat up; we have a long ways ahead of us." He picked up the other hare and took a large bite out of it. Shadowfox nibbled away at her hare and glanced at Raginghurricane. He was almost done with his.

Shadowfox was full. She laid her half-eaten hare onto the ground and rubbed her stomach and laid onto the ground staring into the canopies. She took a deep breath and turned to Raginghurricane. "Dagorin…Why are you going to the consul for?"

Raginghurricane started to pack the remaining hares and extinguished the fire. "I'm going to go meet an old friend." He turned to meet eye to eye with the mithra and smiled. "and what is your reason being here?"

She smiled. "I'm an adventurer." She bounced to her feet and brushed the dirt off her back. Raginghurricane slung the bag of hares and tents over his shoulder and latched his axe onto his belt.

"Let's go, we should be at South Gate by nightfall."

They started down the trail as Shadowfox poked Raginghurricane playfully.