It has been over a decade since the evil of the horsemen have pasted and many things have changed in the world. after the events that devastated the 3 nations, the countries conmbined into one super nation which they called Garet and the unnamed capital of Grada became Grada in comemoration of what had pasted. the former leaders had faded away mysteriously and a repbulic was formed known only as the council. a groupof five people who ruled over the lands. with the invention of sea travel, new nations had been discovered. in the south-east, the desert nation of Sarubia was founded, a country full of theifs and the last nation to have a monarchy and an imperial guard who managed law and order. a wasteland called the frozen north had also been discovered. a snow covered land which was un-inhabitable. this was the nation that beared the famous "ice caves" which were rumoured to hold an incredible strength. finally, in the west, a rough, rocky land. this was occupied by ninja clans who were constantly at war with each other but back-water to the rest of the world.
as for the company, it had split once more. Nemrith and Wendelhad gone offin search of Wendel's brother but after two years, they gave up and settled in a small,isolated village. thoughNemrith had lost her "powers", she was still being hunted and considered a danger to everyone.
Zardolf, however, had much better luck. due to his increasing fame, Zardolf had been hired by every money spinner and especially by the council, who gave him a load of gold for his troubles.
It was on one of these missions from the council, that the beginning, sparked the end. Zardolf had been sent to torch a village, the village that Wendel and Nemrith had been saying in but he didn't know this. he was to search for a 15 year old boy. he reached the village, with several buddies, who he promised to by drinks for once it was done. he burned the village to the ground with easy. Wendel and Nemrith escaped the village quickly and though Zardolf saw them, he did want to compromise the money. he found the boy and took him to the council headquarters. he was delighted to learn that for extra money, he could torture the kid for imformation on Grada's missing king. Zardolf took pleasure in the task.....

Zardolf smiled wickedly.
"Are you going to tell me about the missing king?"
"I don't know anything! Stop it! Please!"
"Do you know anything?"
"NO! PLEASE STOP!"
"Listen, kid. I don't give a flark what you know or don't know but I'm gonna torture you anyway."

Blades flew off the walls, dipped themselves into the fire and started slicing the boy's flesh to ribbons.

"You know, I'd like to do more but Lord Arkater doesn't want me to dismember you, even though I can regenerate your wounds. But I can slash you to pieces, heal you and then start again. This is really enjoyable, you know." He smiled again...

Zardolf stood in front of the Council of the Three Regions. They started with the interrogation.
"Well, has he told you anything?"
"No, but I'd like to try again tomorrow."
"We accept. Take your time. You can do as much as you want this time. Just regenerate him."
"Thank you, my Lords." Zardolf smiled again.

In the local pub, Zardolf was laughing and drinking. The rest of the bar patrons were silent with fear.
"Tomorrow, I'll cut off all his parts, regenerate them and start again! He made the entire dungeon shake with his screaming! I haven't had this much fun in years!"

A cloaked stranger wandered over to Zardolf. "Bastard!" he cried, before punching Zardolf on the temple.
Zardolf slumped down in his chair. The last thing he saw before he felll into unconciousness was the glint in the stranger's eyes...

'ow' Wendel murmered rubbing his back 'i'm still not used to sleeping on the floor'
'we did it all the time...back then' came a voice from the other side of the camp.
'yea but after 10 years in a nice comfy bed, i ca'nt get used to sleeping on the floor.' he complained.
He got up and looked around the clearing.the camp was in a clearing deep in a wood. the trees here where long dead, but this just made collecting fire wood esier.
'what did they say started the fire back at Demi? bah, i need a change of senery.. have an adventure like the good ol' times... oh,i sound like an old man.'
Nemrith sat up and raised an eyebrow at him.
'come on your only 27... your hardley an adult yet.' she said bluntly, and lay back down again.
'i'm sick of woods and littel villages, i need to get a change.' he grumbeled.
Wendel, i truth, had changed quite a lot. instead of the small boy of past years, Wendel was remarkably tall and had several more scars on his pale small face. he wore the same style elven clothes, but in a wild spur of the moment decision, he chose them in a darker green!
he carried telessa, his elven bow on his back.
'well,' said a voice from inside Nemriths sleeping bag, 'you could go to one of the new contenants... why are they still called 'new' contenents?
we descovered them at least 7 or 8 years ago?' she added to herself.
'hey yea!... which one? Sarubia the desert contenent sounds nice and warm. do you know the way to the nearest port?...' he stopped.
'what do you mean "you could go to..'' ' wendel sounded worried
'you are coming too...right?'

"....I couldn't. You know I'm still being chased. I can't take that with me to other countries hey didn't do anything to deserve it, I don't want any more villages burnt to the ground because of me." Nemrith sighed. "Plus, whie you're half elf, I'm back to being human...you'll age slower than me."
Nemrith lay on her back for a while, looking up at the stars. "In any case, you know I don't like hot climates!" She said, laughing softly. "I just....I just want to continue with what I'm doing....maybe....oh, I don't know!"

'i'm only half elf. we age the same.' Wendel whispered.
'and i do'nt think the village had anything to do with us...'

No matter really, it was late and nobody in their right minds would be out in the open at night. there had been a signifcant increase in dangerous monsters in the past year, especially orcs and goblins. the best idea would be to setup camp and rest for the night and plan some action in the morning.
meanwhile, Zardolf had recovered from his injury and wished to seek revenge on the man who did it. he vowed to burn down every town, every village until he had found the man, tortured him and finally, killed him. no-one did this to him....no one

After a mindscan of the Apelmak villagers and a lengthy house burning, Zardolf travelled across the region in search of his antagonist...

Nemrith rolled over, out of the tange of blankets and sat up rubbing her eyes. A quick glance across the ashes of last night's fire, told her that Wendel was still fast asleep. Yawning, she stood up and gathered some more wood, lighting the fire anew. Wendel stirred, but didn't wake up. Shaking her head, Nemrith began to prepare breakfast, deciding that she would let Wendel sleep until it was cooked.
Shivering slightly, she pulled her cloak around herself, and ran her fingers through her chestnut hair. She ahd been using glamour spells on and off to disguise herself, to protect the people around her from those who were after her. She could not diguise her scent or any other such trail, but she could disguise herself phyiscally, to stop any informers from letting her hunters know. She had just spent the last two months as a black haired, green eyed woman, this month she ahd curly chestnut hair and brown eyes. Wendel did not like it so much, but she only used them when they were in areas away from their villiage, as no one would betray their neighbours in that place...but it was all gone. he first place she had called home for so long had gone....

before Zardolfs search for his nemeis was to begin, he would need to get a rough idea of how much would be worth for his head. he could only assume that he was the same man whom brought hope to all the people. like Robin Hood with low profile. he knew he would not only have to ask the council for information but threaten a few of the locals(oh, this is made for abbs!)

Yes, I'm a nasty bastard.

"Are you going to help me or am I going to cut your other hand off?"
Lots of tortures...

(yeah, yeah...get on with it!)

(well, I'm waiting for 'Wendel' to WAKE UP.....)

Nemrith sighed, breakfast was slowly burning, and she threw a few stones at the lump that was Wendel.

'Aisha!!!' he said waking up.
he got up, and looked across the camp at Nemrith who was hovering over some rather crispy smelling breakfast.
'mornin' ' Wendel murmured as he pored some water from his canister over his head.
'that smells nice' he lied.

Nemrith and Wendel discussed over whether she was going with Wendel to Sarubia or not once again.

"...Look, I'll go. But I'll have to stay in disgiuse....I mean it. And if I get heat sickness, I'll blame you," Nemrith said, smiling wryly. "Don't waste your water either," she said grinnig, throwing the charred remains of breakast away.

'yesssss!' Wendel creid and punched the air. 'when can we leave....wait! oh, no.... you probly would'nt like that...'

"Like what?" Nemrith said, frowning slightly, in the midst of packing. "What wouldn't I like? I said I would go....it is merely the thought of being...followed that holds me back. I will go with you."

'i was gonna say, if you get bothered by hot weather, then you could *mumbel mumbel*' Wendel squeeked.

"I could what? Take my cloak off? Oh, you haven't asked me that for years....." Nemrith grinned wickedly and threw her cloak at Wendel, showing that she also was wearing pretty much the same as Wendel, but more fitted and dark red and black in colour. "We'll go if you really really want to..."

'yay.' he said, blushing at the first comment. 'so wich way is the nearest port to sarubia?'

"I have no idea. I'm suprised you haven't been readig about it in one of your books..." Nemrith grinned and pulled her pack on. "Sooo...were you really going to ask me to take my cloak off?"

'no!!!' he said making exagerated waving motions. 'i was gonna say... you could get a ...wizard to give you a sun protecting spell...' he muttered the end sentance.

Nemrith stopped smiling, stopped walking and clutched her pack nervously.
"I don't think that'd be a very good idea...not really...." Nemrith said in a small, strange voice.

'i.. thought not.' he whispered.
they left the main camp, and then after reterving a map, went back past the camp, and off the other side.

Nemrith was very quiet, barely muttering a word all day. They saw a good number of people on the road to the port all going about their daily lives without a care in the world. She made Wendel stop so she could buy some more glamour spells, visibly shaking when she left the shop, but th spells safely in her bag.

'so. ' he said, trying to get a conversation going. 'have you ever been on another contanent befour?'

"I...don't know. You know I wandered a lot, but I don't really remember where...for all I know, my homelands could actually be part of another continent....I still miss it sometimes. It's so beautiul there, even though it is under ice and snow for half of the year, but it's very green in summer. I'd go riding in the valleys with my sisters and Cor-" Nmeith broke off suddenly, biting down on her lip and frowning, as if remembering something.

Wendel sihed and kept walking.

it took them half a day to reach the newly built port at Sunshine beach. they paid their monmey to get on the ship to the new continent and with the help of fake Id, got onto the ship to Sarubia.

Nemrith sat in the rigging, watching Wendel pityingly as he was very seasick over the side of the ship. Nemrith herself ahd not bee bothered, bt that might have been because they were still in port....

*heave*

After a week of searching, Zardolf was confronted by the man he seeked so long by chance. the man asked, "why do you wish to seek me? revenge....don't make me laugh, traitor of the former company. treachery was a strong point of yours. how long did it go on for?"

the boat docked in Sarubia.
the heat was increadibel, and there was not a cloud in the sky.
wendel might have commented on this, if he was leaning over the side of the boat, still being violently ill.

Nemrith sighed and helped him off the boat. The pair looked around i amazed curiosity at the city they had docked in. It was large, full to bursting with people and it was very, very hot. A strange looking camel let out a hideous noise and spat at Wendel.


(it's a camel by the way....if you read Terry Pratchett, then you'll know what sort of camel...)

Zardolf didn't have time to be playing games with this man, a score needed to be settled. but something about him made him feel slightly vunerable and threatened.
"what makes you think I'm a traitor, what was there to betray?" Zardolf answered wryly. He suddenly charged at the insult that waqs before him but the attack was deflected quickly. they became interlocked in a battle. this battle was certainly confirming one thing....this man had an interesting fighting style.

(what was it called... something like 'evil-minded son of a bitch')

'eek!' Wendel shriked yumping and grabing Nemriths arm.
'look' he whispered 'the people here have black skin!, weird or what?'

their blades interlocked and they stared into each others eyes, as though to syke the other out. Zardolf, even at this range, could not see the mans face because of an enchanment on the cloak that caused the wearers face to becaome covered in shadow.

Nemrith sighed and took hold of Nemrith's arm. "Really...you should start acting your age....half-elves...you live to be about 150, yet you spend 149 of those years being a child...oh, now that is beautiful..." Nemrith traile doff, her eye having been caught by the tattoo's covering a tall, burly man who was leaning outside a shop.
"I think I might get one....." Nemrith said dreamily, and that done...." she said, pointing to the man's pierced naval.
"What do you think Wendel?"

Wendel ran back over to the dock and was loudly ill over the side.

The man backed off from Zardolf, who smirked at his cowardice. "leaving our we...shame, I was just about to kill you." the man replied in a strangely wisdomic way, "it is usless to fight oevr petty matters such as these. neither of us need to die so needlessly" and in a quick flash of blinding light, he disappeared. "interesting.."Zardolf spoke in an under-tone, "we shall meet again, I know that"