Forever on the run }{ ~OPEN~

[Kilaray]

It took every ounce of willpower to keep Jarrah from taking off after the last mercenary. He didn't like letting any of them get away when he got in a scuffle with them. But he supposed in the long run it wouldn't matter. If he was smart he wouldn't go back to Alaron to tell him what happened. His brother was the type to decapitate anyone who returned empty-handed, and without a second thought.

And even if the mercenary did go back, it would take Alaron some time to get another group going. It would be a couple of weeks, maybe, before they were on his trail again. That should give him plenty of time to wrap things up with the other two he encountered tonight and continue on his way.

He wandered over to his bag for a cloth to clean his daggers as Talwyn sat down and spoke. Of course Jarrah wasn't going to hold this against him. If there was one thing Alaron's underlings were good at, it was deceiving others into doing what they wanted of them.

Grabbing his bag, he headed over to join the other two, his usual smile back in place to reassure Talwyn. "Relax. It's not that big a deal, really. This isn't the first time they've pulled something like that." For now he said nothing more on the matter, knowing the barrage of questions would probably come soon enough.

He noticed Talwyn had several injuries, so Jarrah knelt in front of him and held up both his hands. "Hold still." His eyes drifted shut as he muttered a single word in Elvish. Within a few seconds a small light appeared in his hands and Talwyn's wounds were healed in short order.

With that out of the way, Jarrah turned his attention to the girl. On the surface she looked okay but it was clear she was worn out. "You holding up all right, Miss Echo?"

[laraine]

"I'm Fine.." She said stubbornly, but in reality she was going to pass out any second now. Using all her powers in such a short of time was a really bad idea.

As the world began to spin around her, she swayed a bit before she finally gave in.

"Okay.....maybe..not..." With that, for the second time in front of Jarrah she passed out.

Dang... if I am this weak in front of these guys how am I supposed to destroy....those demons?

(Sorry for the short post, but poor Echo had to pass out and I myself feel similar I hate being !!! Dang cold!)

[Talwyn]

"You know Elvish?" Tal sounded surprised and interested. His eyes widened as his wounds started to heal. "Thanks." He also finally seemed to relax. At the very least, the man did not seem to hold anything against him. When Jarrah turned his attention to Echo, Tal chuckled at her stubbornes. "Stubborn girl, isn't she?" He said jokingly while looking at her.

"No wonder she passed out though. If I used magic of that magnitude I would have fainted much sooner." Facing Jarrah again he hesitated as he wasn't sure if the man would like to discuss what Tal wanted to ask. Which he could appreciate as he himself did not like discussing his strange appearance. Actually, he was amazed Jarrah hadn't asked him about it yet. "So, what where those men after if you don't mind me asking? They seemed quite intent on catching you...

((Thats okay Laraine, it happens. Anyways, not entirely happy with the post. The words just aren't flowing the way I want to, but I don't wanna keep postponing it.)

[Kilaray]

To be honest, at first Jarrah was a little thrown at the question of knowing Elvish. Sometimes he forgot most didn't easily recognize him as being half elf. He lacked the pointed ears that would have given that away, after all.

Brushing the thought aside he just offered a small nod to the question. "Yeah. Believe it or not, I'm half elf, myself." And he had to laugh a little at the remark of Echo being stubborn. In retrospect, though, he supposed anyone who had to manage for themselves at such a young age had to be.

He pulled a few things out of his bag before sliding it under her head again and making sure she was covered with her cloak. It wasn't quite sunrise yet, and the night air was a touch nippy.

Then he heard Talwyn asking what the mercenaries were after. He paused for a second as he tried to decide how far into detail he actually wanted to go. Normally he preferred to not speak of it, but he supposed he did owe these two an explanation after all this. And he did plan to go off by himself again before long, so... Wouldn't really matter how much he told them, he supposed...

Pressing a cloth against the cut on his neck, he sat down and stared ahead of him, not realizing his smile had basically disappeared by now. "That's because the man they work for wants me dead. He botched his first attempt and is determined to finish what he started."

Remembering the mention of the Scrolls of Ushtor, he tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. He'd made up his mind that he would tell these two what they wanted to know as a way to make up for involving them in the situation. But he thought it might be better to wait to get too far into detail until Echo was awake. Whether she would admit to it or not, he was sure she was at least curious about what just happened.

"Oh, by the way. About those scrolls. I don't have them, but I know where they're kept, if you're still interested."

He realized afterwards that he should have kept his mouth shut on the matter. Not because it was a problem that Talwyn wanted to find the scrolls, but because they were kept under such close watch. In order to even enter the temple where they were kept, Talwyn would need a registered mage with him. Jarrah happened to be one and his conscience wouldn't allow him to just give Talwyn directions and send him along, only to find he wouldn't be able to get near the scrolls.

Now that he had opened his big mouth - if Talwyn chose to continue pursuing the scrolls, and Jarrah had a hunch he would - the medic would almost have to go with him. That wasn't something he wanted to do.

[laraine]

Somewhere in the back of Echo's mind, she could hear their conversation. The problem was, Echo's body still was recovering after using up so much magic. But still, only after a few minutes, Echo willed herself awake, opening her eyes and looking up at the two. She smirked.

"Yes I'm stubborn. I gotta be for the people I'm planning on killing." She sat up and nodded to Jarrah. "Thanks again Jarrah. Unfortunately I have these spells all too often. I sometimes pass out while eating...anyway I heard some of what you were saying. Why does this guy want you dead so badly? You're not a bad guy, In fact you are really nice. From the little I know about you I'd say you're one of the nicest people I've met." She nodded.

"As for these scrolls, why did you want them again Talwyn right?" She turned to both boys, arms crossed in front of her chest, demanding answers.

Despite how she looked she was quite stubborn, fiery and bold. She took the disguise as a male for a reason after all.

though in the back of her mind she wondered if it was a good idea to be getting involved with these two. After all, she had her own job to finish...and besides that, she couldn't make friends, or comrades. It would hurt too much. Still, she needed to see if she could help them in any way. She pushed away what her lord said and focused on the two before her, while again trying not to pass out.

[Talwyn]

As Jarrah gave him the short version of why those men wanted to catch, Tal merely nodded. Obviously, Jarrah preferred not to talk about it, which became more evident as the man tried to steer the conversation in another direction by mentioning the scrolls. That was just fine with Talwyn though. He knew better then anyone else what it was like to be asked questions you did not like answering. That, and if this half elf was telling the truth, he might finally be getting closer to his goal.

Before he could ask though, Echo woke up again and wondered why someone wanted Jarrah dead. He was amazed at how resolute she sounded when she mentioned there were people she planned to kill and he wondered what had happened to her. A girl her age should not be consumed by such a desire he thought.

"As for these scrolls, why did you want them again Talwyn right?" She asked pulling Talwyn's mind away from his thoughts and back to the situation at hand. Her arms crossed in front of her chest she obviously wanted a real answer. Looking straight her, he finally sighed and turned away. "It's not that I want them... it's more like at this moment they are my only hope..." He softly confessed.

Gesturing to his face, he drew attention to the rock like skin, something he obviously did not like. "While it was not a curse that caused this, I see it as one. I... wished for power and a crazy wizard granted my wish. But I never asked to be turned into... into this!" He slammed his fist into the ground as he said it, showing just how much he detested what he had become.

[Kilaray]

Jarrah hadn't expected Echo to wake up so soon, but he had to bite back a chuckle when she did. If there was any lingering doubt to the girl's stubbornness, it was long gone now.

Her remark, though, about him being one of the nicest people she'd met threw him for a bit of a loop. It shouldn't have, since he was never anything but friendly to anyone not affiliated with his brother. But this was actually the first time he could remember since going on the run that a complete stranger had told him so right to his face. It was a pleasant surprise, and it brought his smile back.

He gave her a quick nod to let her know he appreciated the kind words before she asked Talwyn about his reasons for wanting the scrolls. Truth be told, he'd been wondering the same thing at first. But when he'd gotten closer to heal Talwyn, he caught a clearer glimpse of that odd rock-like skin off his.

Maybe it was just the darkness, but Jarrah had had a fleeting thought of how it didn't look natural. He'd been curious whether maybe it was caused by magic, and the mention of a crazy wizard pretty much answered that question.

Now that he knew for sure, he pretty much had to accept the fact he wouldn't be heading off on his own as quickly as he would have liked. After seeing Talwyn's reaction to this "curse," he didn't have it in him to conveniently forget the other would need a mage with him to even get near the scrolls.

With a bit of a sigh, he pulled the cloth away from his neck to find the bleeding had stopped. Bringing out his canteen, he wet the end of it a bit and set about cleaning off a gash he'd acquired on his arm during the battle. Without looking at the other he said, "In that case, Tal, I can take you to where they're kept, if you like. You'll need a mage with you to enter the temple, anyway."

He hadn't forgotten the question Echo posed to him, about why Alaron wanted him dead so badly. But to be honest, Jarrah didn't really have an answer for her. He didn't know for certain himself, other than he had simply lost his mind.

[laraine]

Echo felt a little bad for the strange man. She had seen his skin, but merely took it as him being born with it. She had no idea this man had something like that placed upon him. But she still refused to look sympathetic towards him, after all she was still pissed at him. But when Jarrah offered his assistance, she thought about offering her own.

Still her lords whispered within her mind.

You cannot make friends or companions...

She rubbed the back of her head, unsure of what to say.

She also noted that Jarrah didn't answer her question. But she knew better than to pry further into his life. After all, she had her own secrets and hid them for a reason.

I have to keep my distance. But I do want to help him...What to do?

"I could help as well, after all of you might need my powers or help in some way."

She offered. If they turned her down, she would leave. But if they accepted she would follow them for now.

Besides I have no idea where they are, if I head towards a town I might find them....

But inside she knew she just wanted company..

[Talwyn]

It wasn't like he was purposefully ignoring Echo, but he just couldn't help himself when Jarrah told him he could lead Talwyn to the Srolls of Ushtor. He practically leapt at the other man's offer. "You really know where the scrolls are kept?" Obviously, Tal was so intent on getting those scrolls, he would never question anyone offering to help him get them.

Also obvious was the fact that if it had been up to him, they'd be moving right now. One look at Echo made him hold back though. Despite her stubbornness, it was obvious too Talwyn she needed more rest. He was a little moved by her apparent concern however. Not many people showed any at all once they found out he looked the way he did.

And thus, he smiled at her offer. "I would be... honored. Forgive me for feeling unsure of how to handle such kindness. Most people would rather chase me away after seeing the way I look..." Taking off his cloak he rolled it up to use as a pillow and lied down. "Well... might as well try and get some sleep. As much as I wanna get a move on, even I must admit that we can all use it..."

[Kilaray]

Right now the more sensible part of his mind was scolding him for willingly staying involved with these two. But he had to grin a little at Tal's enthusiasm and Echo's offer to help. Now that he thought about it, when was the last time he'd traveled with someone else? Way too long, apparently - he couldn't remember.

In the back of his mind, though, he still wondered whether or not this was a good idea. Sure, both Echo and Talwyn were clearly able to handle themselves should they encounter Alaron's mercenaries again. But he was still concerned about what he knew could happen. He'd been on the run at least ten years. How much longer would his brother's patience hold out until he decided to come himself? Good heavens, if that happened...

He realized he'd spaced out after hearing Tal mention getting some sleep. Doing his best to brush it off, he stretched a bit before tending to the fire. "Yes, we should get some rest. It's gonna be long walk."

[laraine]

Echo nodded to both boys, truth be told, she was still very tired from using up all her powers in one go. She lied back down, closing her eyes gently and wishing that she did not have any bad dreams.

"Good Night Boys." She said as she fell into a deep sleep. The nightmares she used to have every night seemed to disappear for this one night. It was a good feeling to sleep through the entire night without awakening in the middle.

In fact, Echo did not dream of anything, it seemed as if her mind was a complete blank.

A few hours later, she awoke feeling refreshed, and found her power had returned to her for another day. She stretched and sat up. "Good Morning." She said to the boys who may or may not have already been awake.

[Talwyn]

Tal never even heard his new companions agreeing with him. He fell asleep almost the moment his head hit his makeshift pillow. He slept peacefully, though he did twist and turn a lot during his sleep. After waking up, he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Stretching lazily he yawned and got up slowly.

Putting his cloak back on, he wandered off in search of food. He found several roots and even a bush full of ripe bramble fruits, which he quickly picked and placed into a pouch, before stumbling upon a little mountain creek full of fish. Grabbing his canteen, he sprayed water all around and started stomping on the ground before digging through it, looking for worms.

With a nearby branch, some wire and an old fishing hook he always had with him, he quickly made a makeshift fishing pole. Putting one of the worms on the hook, he casually tossed the hook into the water and waited patiently as he ate some of the bramble fruits.

When the camp came back into view, he noticed Echo had woken and raised his hand in greeting, while holding up the three trouts he caught with the other. "Morning." Was all he said as he put down the fish, roots and fruits before wandering off once more, this time to get more firewood and some sticks to roast the fish on.

After he getting the needed firewood and sticks, he quickly got the fire going again and placed the fish on the sticks near the fire. Nibbling on one of the roots, he held out the pouch in which he had collected his spoils to Echo. "Feel free to eat some if you're ."

[Kilaray]

For the first time in a while, Jarrah managed to get a decent night's sleep in. Ironically enough, it was always after these encounters with Alaron's mercenaries that this happened - mostly because he knew he had a few days before they would be on his tail again. And it helped that there were other people nearby. He didn't have to be so alert for trouble.

By the time he woke up, he was surprised to see Echo and Talwyn already having been up at least a short while. That was weird. He didn't typically sleep in like that.

Stretching, he sat up enough to let his coat slip away and managed a small smile. Maybe he'd slept a little too hard. His mind didn't want to clear as quickly as it usually did in the morning. "Hey, guys. Hope I haven't been holding you up."

[laraine]

Echo laughed a little and took the bag. She knew she had to pace herself. There was one thing these two didn't know.

Well, they didn't know anything about her for that matter.

Especially that she ate a lot to get the energy to use her power.

She chomped away at the roots and berries as Jarrah awoke. She turned to him, her mouth filled with food.

"Mnornin!" she said with mouth full, then swallowed.

"Don't worry about it, we were just eating, c'mon and join us." She quickly gave back the bag before she hate the entire thing.

She was still extremely . When they stopped for lunch later she would have to eat more.

"So, which way are we headed?" She asked, trying to figure out which direction roughly they would be going in.

[Talwyn]

Tal merely nodded at the fish. They were coming along well, but obviously needed some more time before they were done. "As you can see, there was something else we were waiting on as well." His tone was gruff and serious, but the slight curl at the edge of his lips gave away that he was just joking.

Taking the pouch back, he looked inside and then at Echo, eyebrows raised in surprise. He remained silent but he obviously wasn't expecting her to eat this much. He grabbed some more of the fruits which he stuffed in his mouth before handing the pouch over to Jarrah.

"So, which way are we headed?" Echo suddenly asked as he was checking the fish. He once again remained silent, though he did seem to pay more attention now as he eyed Jarrah from the corner of his eye.