Cephalus swung his sword high above his head and brought it down with a powerful blow to one of the bandit's own sword, forcing him to his knees. Cephalus quickly kicked him in the gut and knocked the silver pommel on the man's head, sending him unconscious.

Meanwhile Marcy was taking Chandra's advice and tried to keep herself out of the way and ducking when anyone tried to strike her down. It was not easy but she started to get the hang of it after a while. She found that Chandra's frying pan made an excellent weapon and there was something satisfying about the solid 'bong' of the cast iron making contact with someone's thick scull. Marcy had never been in a fight before and watched closely as the others battled their opponents.

Adrastea looked almost like a bird in the flight the way she spun about, her knifes gliding through chainmail like scissors through paper. Her opponent was much bigger than her but it proved to be more efficient, slowing his movements down just enough for Adrastea to step in and shove a small dagger in his stomach. Marcy flinched at the sight but knew it was for self defense and she really had no other choice.

Dagon and Diomedes practically mirrored each other as they brought their swords in a sideways arc, slicing through the animal skins of their enemy with precision and accuracy like nothing Marcy had every seen before. Almost instantly the twins had leapt on to two bandits' backs and knocked solidly on their sculls with their sword pommels. As the men fell to the ground Dagon and Diomedes gracefully summersaulted off and landed on one knee. Marcy almost wanted to clap but had no time to do such a thing before her frying pan smacked right upside the head of a big man fighting Adrianna.

"Thanks," she gasped, getting up and running towards another bandit who was sneaking up behind Chandra.

Suddenly Marcy flew through the air and crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust, barely managing to steer clear of the fire. She rolled over immediately trying to focus her blurry vision quickly rolling over once more and watching as a wicked curved blade buried into the ground not an inch from her head. Marcy, only stunned momentarily, swung her frying pan as hard as possible into the man's shin and was surprised to hear him scream out in pain, dropping his sword. Marcy leaped for it immediately and jumped to her feet, holding it to the man's throat.

The man did not say anything. He only stared at Marcy from across the blade wondering what she would do. Marcy stared back at him and realized she could not kill him. She didn't have it in her. So, with a definite decision, she slowly bend and picked up the frying pan, never taking her gaze off the man.

"Sorry!" Marcy squeaked before smashing the pan right up against the man's temple.

He was out cold.

"MARCY LOOK OUT!" Angelica called.

Marcy dropped to the ground as a club cut through the air right where her head had been. This was big man, probably 6.9, and she nearly fainted when she saw him. Suddenly there was a leap and yell as Angelica came crashing into the man with all the force of her entire body pounding against him. The man quickly lost his balance and crashed to the ground, bringing Angelica with him. The elf rolled over the man fast as lightning and tried to stab him with an arrow but he was also quick and grabbed hold of her wrist, sending Angelica on a flight across the fire place and she crashed against a log.

"HEY!" Fennel yelled from out of nowhere.

"YOU LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!"

She leaped on his back and pulled her bowstring across his neck. The man staggered backwards trying desperately to get Fennel off his back but she was not having it. Pulling even harder she dug her heels into his ribs and he screamed out with a hoarse voice. Just then Angelica leaped to her feet and catapulted into his stomach. Fennel barely managed to call out, "ANGELICA! WAIT, NO!" before she went crashing down with the man. Marcy took the opportunity and grabbed the ever present frying pan, knocking the man out with two blows on either side of the head. Fennel was trying desperately to get out from under the giant heap but it was not working out so well.

"Angelica," she huffed.

"Next time think your plan through."

Angelica shrugged her apology and with Marcy's help they dragged the unconscious man off of Fennel.

"EVERYONE DUCK!" Agnar roared.

He grabbed hold of two men and sent them flying across the clearing like missiles, both of them crashing into trees and falling to the ground in dusty heaps. Weland barely missed being hit and swerved out of the way as his opponent jutted a spear at him. The man was skilled and kept thrusting the blade of his weapon at Weland with swift fluent movements. Weland barely managed to stay out of the way but had lost his sword in the process. Ducking his grabbed hold of the wooden post of the spear, willing himself not to let go. The man tried to pull it free but to no avail. Without a moments hesitation Weland slammed his fist into the man's jaw and pulled the spear free of his hand. For a moment Weland thought of using it, but he had no talent with a spear and would be better off fist fighting. After all, that was how he was taught. 

The bandit seemed very confident in his size and muscle, standing tall and hunching his shoulders. Weland stood relaxed and looked at his nails feigning casualty and like a bolt of lighting he rushed towards the man, shoving his shoulder into his stomach and knocking him to the ground. The bandit rolled over on top of Weland and tried to land a punch to the jaw but Weland beat him to the mark, swiftly bringing his free right hand up to crash against the man's chin. Taking the opportunity Weland landed another punch in the bandit's stomach and rolled over on top of him, quickly grabbing his arm and bringing it over his knee and slowly pushing down.

"NO!" the man gasped.

"Why are you here?" Weland demanded, slowly pushing the man's arm further backwards.

Not much longer and it would break.

"I'll never tell-" the bandit began, but he was interrupted by his own scream as Weland added more pressure.

"What was that?" Weland hissed.

"We were sent to find the Prince!" the man gasped.

"What Prince? There's no Prince here."

Weland mentally sifted through all the faces of the group and not one was a Prince. Cephalus had given them all their backgrounds.

"Hah, that's what you think! AH!"

Weland pushed harder and lowered his head till it was inches away from the bandit's.

"What Prince?" he whispered threateningly.

"I don't know his name!"

"How did you intend on finding him?"

The man blinked several times against the pain and his breathing came is ragged gasps. Weland watched as the man slowly stopped struggling.

"H-he has a-a..." the bandit began, but he never finished, slipping into unconsciousness from the pain.

Weland sighed and slowly released him.

"Guess I butchered that one," he muttered, dropping the man's arm and stepping over him.

All around them bodies were scattered like dandelions in a field, but not one of them was in the company.

Marcy shook her head several times trying to clear it, but she could not. Twenty or thirty men had come rushing at them yet not one of their own was damaged. Adrastea, Weland, Dagon and Diomedes, Chandra, Cephalus, Agnar, Adrianna, Angelica and Fennel; they were fine.

"Now that takes skill," Marcy whispered to herself in awe.

She thought they were ordinary people - well sort of - with ordinary skills. Chandra herself said all she was good for was planting and harvesting.

"Alright," Cephalus grumbled, putting his sword back in its sheath.

"Lets get these men all tied up."

As the others slowly dragged the bodies to a large tree Weland walked over to Cephalus, his expression puzzled.

"Is something wrong?" Cephalus asked.

"I tried getting some information out of one of those men before he conked out. He said they were looking for a, a prince. Do you know what he meant?"

Cephalus looked at the group slowly tying the bandits up and shook his head.

"No. No I don't."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite."

"Than what did he mean? Its not like the word 'prince' can be used for a bunch of random things. prince is pretty clear on its meaning," Weland ranted, confused and frustrated.

"Maybe its a code name."

"Humph, maybe. Well I guess we'll find out eventually. One way or another. The truth sort of has a way of reveling itself."

Cephalus grumbled a little but did not answer, watching closely as Dagon tied the last man to the tree.

"What do we do with them?" Weland asked.

"That's what I was trying to figure out...We could leave them."

"But they'd get away eventually."

"We can't likely take them with us. 30 men are not very inconspicuous...We could send a message to my men. I would take care of them - you know - but I hate to do that when they're unarmed."

"What good would bringing your men here do?" Weland asked, peering around at the others who had begun to pack their gear.

"They could watch them until our trip is over. Maybe take them to the cabin. At least until we're out of the immediate area."

"But who would you send? Aileen is already off with a different message."

Cephalus did not answer immediately but eyed each group member carefully, trying to figure out who he would actually send. None of them could fly so he would have to send two together for safety reasons. But who? Suddenly an idea dawned on him.

This little secret would come out eventually and Adrastea certainly was not getting along very well with any of the others, which was not surprising, so sooner or later Cephalus would have to change that if he wanted his plan to work.

"Dagon, Adrastea," he called.

"Come here!"

A bit startled the two stopped what they were doing and came over to the tall man, looking at him expectantly.

"I want you two to take a message to my men," Cephalus told them, his tone flat and blunt.

"Both of us?" Adrastea asked, startled.

"Yes. Its too dangerous to have one of you go alone. That's why I had Aileen. Without wings you're vulnerable and its best to have two of you."

"But why us? Wouldn't it be better if my brother and I went, or maybe Fennel and Angelica?" Dagon suggested desperately.

It was maybe two days ride to Rubin Soth unless they ran most of the way, which they just could not do. With several horses maybe but each of them only had one and it was not a good idea to push them past their limits.

"No. I want you two to go," Cephalus said sternly.

"Why?" Adrastea asked, her voice layered with suspicion.

"Come over here and I'll tell you."

Leaving Dagon a bit bewildered with Weland, Cephalus and Adrastea moved toward the tree line, stopping once they were out of earshot.

"What are you meddling with now?" Adrastea hissed in a lowered voice.

"You have been avoiding everyone in the group like they were snakes, especially Dagon."

"That's because I don't like him."

"You don't like anyone! That's your problem!...Look, in order for my plan to work you all have to trust each other and if you don't it will sabotage the whole thing. You will go with Dagon and take a message to my men. Otherwise I will have to spill the beans and I don't think you would want that," Cephalus muttered.

Adrastea glared at him, her eyes like daggers, but he was not changing his decision and Adrastea knew full well he was not afraid to tell on her.

"Fine! But this is the last time I take a message with some twerp!" she gave in.

"He's older than you."

"Do I look like I care? Older or not he's still a twerp," Adrastea argued, stomping off to continue her packing.

"Well?" Dagon asked Cephalus fearfully.

"You're going. The both of you."

"What?"

Cephalus did not feel like arguing his point further and walked back to the now dead fireplace. 

Weland put one hand on Dagon's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry. I truly am." 

-New chapter! Along with new twist. I'm actually really excited about this one but I get excited over a lot of things. Anyway, what did you think of the chapter? What character could you most relate to? Comments and votes are definitely appreciated and as always, thanks for reading :D - Anna