A/N: See, I haven't died. Yet. Ver, here's the next chapter, even though I didn't get my brownies. :cries:

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Jack trotted after the green-cloaked ranger. "Where are we going?"

"Tantras." The reply was placid.

Jack was silent for a minute, listening to Mandier and the paladin bickering behind them. "Where's that?"

"A city," came the uninformative answer. Jen didn't even seem to notice the glare Jack was directing at his back.

"Rasien's planning on foisting you off on the church of Torm there, and hand over whatever that thing Mandier's packing around to the priests along with those tidbits he grabbed," Edbrien supplied from beside Jack.

Jen glanced back over his shoulder. "He's planning on giving them all the 'tidbits' you picked up, too," he pointed out laconically.

"Heh. He'll have to find them first, now won't he?"

"The implications of that are unappealing, Brien."

"Bite me, wolf boy."

Jack cut in before the conversation could degenerate any farther. "Who's Torm?"

"He's a god."

"Jen, do you have a vendetta against informative answers, or is it a religious thing? Torm's the God of Duty. His main church is in Tantras, so that's where we're going."

Adjusting the shoulder pack, Jack frowned. "What you don't got a god of Strange People From Other Planets?"

Brien chortled. "Several, actually. We get some rather strange visitors on occasion. You, lad, are utterly normal by comparison."

"Which actually make our new companion the strangest by far, if you think about it," commented Jen without turning around.

Behind them, the bickering volume rose. "Look, I don't see why we have to scurry off in such a hurry to destroy it! Just because it was made with less then good intentions doesn't make it evil! Your sword was meant to kill, but we're not running off to melt it down, now are we?"

"My sword isn't evil, Mandier. That … thing is."

"Posh! It's just a tool! Nothing more. Besides, there's a poetic justice using the tools of evil against evil," the mage insisted.

Brien sighed. "They'll be at this for hours."

"It's evil, Mandier. It exists to create more evil. You'd be destroying one evil and replacing it with another!"

"Oh, come on! I think I'm more competent then that!"

"It's not a question of competence, my friend. 'Those who stare into the Abyss beware lest the Abyss stare back into them.'"

"Stop quoting at me! All I've heard from you is those damn quotes and nonsense."

"Nonsense or not, we're going to Tantras, and we'll be rid of that thing," Rasien snapped, effectively ending the conversation. The mage subsided into sulky silence.

Jack leaned toward Brien. "If it's such a big deal, why doesn't he just take it from Mandier?"

"He can't. Can't even touch it. It's an evil artifact, and he's a paladin; they don't mix to well."

"Should of seen it when he tried picking it up," commented Jen over his shoulder. "Landed himself some nasty burns."

"Is someone going to explain what the hell a paladin is anytime soon?"

"Which one?" asked Jen distractedly.

"Which what?"

"Which hell?"

"There's more then one?" Jack sounded confused.

"Nine, actually," Rasien answered from behind them. "And the Abyss, of course."

Brien chuckled at Jack's expression. "Paladins are holy warriors. Champions of good and right, and all that annoying crap."

"I'll remember that comment next time you get yourself stabbed."

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"Jack."

"What?"

Jen took the arm load of wood from Jack. "You stink. River. Now."

Edbrien shaded his eyes, watching Jack slink off toward the river as Jen stacked firewood nearby. "So, you want to distract the fearless leader while I 'find' our friend some less conspicuous clothes?"

The ranger shot a sideways glance toward the paladin. "Between grooming his horse and ignoring Mandier's sulking, he's pretty occupied." Building up the fire, he continued, "If you time it right, they'll be back to the bickering stage when you get back."

"Hmph. Drop something in mage-boy's robes if I show up at the wrong time. Him shrieking'll keep Sir Righteous Ass from noticing any additional supplies that might wander into camp, eh?"

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"For the last time, Mandier, shut up!" Rasien's patience finally snapped.

Mandier glared at the paladin's back. His jaw worked, but no sound came out. Fists clenched, the mage whirled and stalked across the camp and nearly ran into the thief.

"Oi, Mandier, take these to the lad." Edbrien shoved a bundle of cloth into the snarling mage's arms and flitted off before Mandier could retort. Wadding up the cloth, Mandier stormed towards the river.

"Boy! Decent clothes! Hurry up and put them Arg! What in the nine bloody hells!"

"Pervert! Some goddamn warning next time!"

"Arg! Mandier burst back into the camp. "That…that.."

Brien pointed the stick he'd been poking the fire with. "What's wrong with you?"

"The 'lad' my ass! That bloody wench hit me in the bloody head with a bleeding rock! Oh, no… you laugh, you bloody bastard, and I'll be giving you a close-range view of a fireball!"