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Laist turns toward Aidan in response to his question.

"My name is Laist Vakoilem... oh, sorry, that's my cover name," Laist tell him, "My real name is Aritius Jesahi. You can call me that. I'm a spy, but there's no need for a cover name anymore. You all seem like a bunch of trustworthy fighters."

Aritius returns to his feet as the wall of a nearby house comes crumbling down. Screams can be heard from the scene. What was that?! We should investigate and make sure no one is hurt.

The dust and debris cleared from the scene where the wall fell revealing a woman. A man was standing over, about to attack. Aidan suddenly dashed across the way to the soldier slaying him without thought. Henry followed in Aidan's wake, darting out the door to help the woman. Henry had made it halfway across the street when three arrows struck him. Two dug into his left leg and one in his right forearm. Two more arrows found their mark, his right leg and left shoulder. Henry's deathly screams fill the air as he fell to his knees. One last single arrow passes through Henry's skull, the serrated tip poked out through his hair dripping with blood. Henry's lifeless corpse falls limp to the ground.

"Well, better him than us," Aritius says coldly.

He served his purpose to me.

Farihah stared at the body of her slain attacker. He lay on the rocky ground, blood pouring from his gaping mouth. The sight was both revolting and relieving. His death meant her life. So was the way of the world.

"I..." stammered the new man who had appeared, apparently to protect her. She sensed his inner confict, recognized it as her own.

Before she could speak, there was yet another howl of pain - this time from a man running across the road towards them. They all stared on in horror as a rain of arrows pinned him to the ground. Farihah's eyes shot to the old man too see if he would survive it. Either he was incredibly lucky or her magic was stronger than she perceived, for the arrows did not seem to pierce him - though several fell quite near him.

She noticed a fourth individual crouched in the doorway across the road and she wondered what had force had led so many to converge on that one spot at that one time.

Her gaze finally returned to the man that stood before her, his blade still in-hand. Blood spattered his arm and his chest, dripped from the curved steel delicately to the earth.

"Thank you," she managed. "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you...?"

Aidan took a moment of brief respite, steadying himself with a breath, and then slowly slid his shabby sword in to his makeshift scabbard. The effort proved challenging.

"I- Erm, no- This is-," he started to motion to the others, then stopped. "Or rather, we are- or, well, we're going to..."

He sighed. Pointing to each in turn, he did his best to level his voice, "Tyreon, Aritius. Here, come inside, it's not safe out here."

Tyreon stood in the door way of their new make-shift shelter. He stood and watched this young man slay his first victim. He could tell by the man's reaction that it was something he was not accustomed to. Tyreon looked around the streets to see a few other men and women fighting and running about the street.

"Hurry! Everybody, in here" Tyreon yelled out across the street while waving everyone into he house they had commandeered. Tyreon held the door open as more and more arrows pierced through the door. One arrow shot further through the wooden door and pierced Tyreon's arm, the metallic arrow tip striking his flesh. Tyreon pulled his arm from the door with the arrow tip ripping free from his arm. Tyreon the placed his foot at the base of the door to kepp it open.

"Quickly, we can recollect and plan in here, safe from this barrage of arrows."

His energy was waning, he couldn't exert himself as he did last time, another volley deflected in that manner and he would surely die of exhaustion. Diving from shelter to shelter during the calm moments, Mentis was beginning to wonder if he would ever make it to the castle alive, or if this revolution would even succeed with so many of his brethren being cut down around him.

He passed by countless bodies, pincushioned by the endless hail or arrows. Some old, some young, like it even mattered in death. He grinned at this realization, "Why am I paying so much attention to the dead, when I should be focused on keeping myself alive?" His grin was wiped clean when he was nearly hit by a stray arrow, and decided to keep his focus where it was needed.

Hiding behind an overturned cart, he could hear the constant thuds of the projectiles. He scanned the streets when the noise subsided, and chose a house with an already opened door. Timing the pauses in between hails, he dodged to a fence, to a rubble pile, a barrel, and finally to side of the house.

Looking at the ajar door, he noticed one of the arrows fresh with blood, and glancing back out to the street, saw a rather unfortunate individual pierced by multiple arrows. "Guess he won't be needing this house any-." His thoughts grinded to a halt as he darted through the door to be met by the gazes of 4 other people, one of which was dressed in the regalia of the count's men. They seemed to be friendly towards one another, leading to utter dread.

"SPIES, THE COUNT HAS SPIES IN THIS HOUSE, TO ARMS, BROTHERS !!" he yelled to the street, hoping any survivors would come to his aid in dispatching these despicable traitors. He brandished his chain, and rushed the man dressed as the count's guard.

"Easy, easy, don't worry. The man is a spy but a spy on our side. This house is safe for now." Tyreon informed the man having embarrassed himself with the same action.

While holding the door open to usher in the remaining rebels, Tyreon notices and older man. The older man is stumbling through the street obviously hurt and tired. Tyreon grabbed the arrow that pierced his arm and shoved in into the ground at the base of the door, keeping the door ajar for his and others return. Tyreon ran out into the streets dodging the assailant of arrows still raining down upon them and their own kind. Tyreon passed the rubble Farihah had caused and the body of Aidan's first victim. He jumped over the late, great Henry's dead body filled with the same arrows that still threaten his life. He finally made his way to the older man, he lifted him up straight and braced the man's weight over his shoulder. As he stands up Tyreon pulls out one of his rapiers to defend him and the elder from unseen attacks.

"Come on, WE need to get back to that house." Tyreon instructed as he pointed to the house he had emerged from and where the others have found safety. Tyreon took each step pulling the man with him. Arrows aimed right for them, Tyreon swiped his sword through the air deflecting the arrows. They shuffled there way back to the house and as Tyreon makes it through the door, they both collapse onto the floor, exhausted.

Tyreon looked up to see Aidan and Farihah, now safe in the house. Mentis still looking over Aritius, still unsure of his nature. He turned to the old man collapsed on his arm.

"What is your name?" he asked still trying to figure out everyone that has convined in this house.

Tyreon stands up and braces himself against a large wooden table within the house.

"Now is a good of time as any for more formal introductions. My name is Tyreon. I recently left my ward to aid in this rebellion. I can not speak for the rest but my plan was to aid this rebellion to help rewrite all that is wrong in this world."

Tyreon looked around the room at the other mismatch of people who have convened at this same location. Humans and Asrai, fighting together against the evil the Count has brought upon their world.

Mentis slumped against the wall, fatigue gripping his every limb.

"Well, assuming we're all on the same side here, I guess I'll introduce myself as well. My name is Mentis, I've really no other reason to take part in this rebellion other than personal revenge. Not for my family or friends, simply for my own peace of mind." Mentis said, eyeing the man dressed in the counts' uniform.

"Hurry! Everybody, in here" Tyreon yells holding the door open for Aidan's return.

Another volley of arrows rains down on them as Aidan and the woman take cover across the road. Arrowheads pierce the door and one strikes Tyreons arm drawing blood. He pulls it away from the door, proping it open with his foot.

Suddenly, a large robed figures stands in the doorway holding a bladed chain. His eyes meet with Aritius as the man grips his chain tighter, ready for a fight

"SPIES, THE COUNT HAS SPIES IN THIS HOUSE, TO ARMS, BROTHERS !!" the man yells back to the streets.

"Easy, easy, don't worry. The man is a spy but a spy on our side. This house is safe for now." Tyreon tells the man, saving Aritius from a surely gruesome death.

Tyreon returns to the door before quickly running out of the house and down the street. Aritius jumps to the door way to see the meaning of Tyreon's leave. Aidan and the woman run into the house as Aritius watches Tyreon helps a badly wounded man back toward the house. As Tyreon arrives back at the house, he and the wounded man collapse under the amount of effort the rescue took.

"What is your name?" Tyreon asks the wounded man.

"Valos.. Valos Jerra," he says weakly, "Who are you.. Rebels? And a spy I presume?"

"Now is a good of time as any for more formal introductions. My name is Tyreon. I recently left my ward to aid in this rebellion. I can not speak for the rest but my plan was to aid this rebellion to help rewrite all that is wrong in this world," Tyreon says returning to his feet as he leans on a wooden table while the group gets situated about the house.

"Well, assuming we're all on the same side here, I guess I'll introduce myself as well. My name is Mentis, I've really no other reason to take part in this rebellion other than personal revenge. Not for my family or friends, simply for my own peace of mind." Mentis said slumping on a wall, eyeing Aritius.

"I am Aritius Jesahi. I was spying on Count Reithwayr until he found me out to be a spy. I was sentenced to his dungeons to be killed later, but I escaped it and took sides with the rebellion. I wont be needing these anymore either," Aritius tell the group taking off the regalia of the Count exposing a simple leather padding, "That's much better, I felt that I was getting looks anyway," Aritius says giving Mentis a sharp look.

"And I, well..." Aidan wondered what he should tell them. His story was not anything as adventurous or interesting. He found that the desire to divulge even his name was no where near as strong as it had been when he laid eyes on Farihah. "I came from the deep south of Aboron. My name is Aidan."

Farihah felt the eyes of the group come to rest upon her. She did not like it. The situation was unfamiliar, uncomfortable, unsafe. She did not want to tell these strangers who she was or where she came from. The last time she had done that... Still, she felt that it would only be worse if she said nothing.

"Farihah," she spoke quietly. "I come from many places."

Aritius stands up and paces around the room while the other two introduce themselves.

"What should be our next move for an attack?" Aritius asks the group, "OH! I have this map, yes, here."

Aritius moves over to a fine table at the end of the room. He brushes the dust and small debris off of it and removes the map from his knapsack. He unrolls its and sets it down on the table, using pieces of wood to hold the edges down.

"See here, comrades. This map shows us of a cemetary. There," Aritius says pointing to a structure on the map noted with the royal symbol, "That must be a crypt of a sort. It shows a hidden passage that leads to another structure on the inside of the wall," Aritius proclaims moving his finger along the line stopping at the other structure, "That will be our way inside."

Aritius stands upright, proud of his plan. A dumbfounded look comes across Aritius's face before he speaks: "Um, but does anyone know where this cemetary would be?" he tells them, realizing he doesn't know.

"This is all a little fast for me," cut in Farihah. "Comrades? Hidden passageways? Attack plans?"

She looked around.

"I am as eager as any to fight for my freedom and the freedom of this land, but I barely know any of you. I almost died only minutes ago. I... I need a moment."

She had learned to mask her emotions in this way from her human parents. Before she came under their care she had always been encouraged to say what she meant and speak it proudly. Now she understood that this was not always an effective method for dealing with humans. They took things too personally. Got insulted too easily. What she wanted to say was far less polite.

I don't know you. How can I trust you? Any of you?

"Do not take this the wrong way miss but look around you. Now is neither the time nor the place to pause and contemplate the situation and your choices. Waiting around here is surely going to get us killed. I understand your cautions with us but I can assure you that we are all better off fighting together than each of us going at it alone."

Tyreon looked around the room. He sees two humans, one barely a man and the other approching death. A small girl barely able to hold her own. He himself was a healer, able to fight but by no means a warrior. Another person apperaing to be blood driven with little thought to actions. And the last man, an Asrai who had already been caught by the Count.

Outside arrows still rain upon the streets. The faint sounds of soldiers marching can be heard. Death surrounds them from both sides. Tyreon can't help but think of how trivial he himself is in this great revolution and what little he could do on his own.

"We could all stand to benefit from the aid of each other. I for one find saftey in numbers. We did not choose each other but here we are. All with the same goal and all in desperate need of additional help. I for one welcome this group so that we may all see our goal accomplished; the fall of the Count and his wicked reign over this land. All of you may do as you wish but as for me, I will go with anyone else who is willing."

Aidan simply stares at the wrinkled map spread out before them. This is taking a lot more effort than I would have thought.

"How are we supposed to get there if we don't know where it is? And what of protections it would have from intruders? They must have put something to challenge the way."

The whole strategic plan was as foreign to Aidan as it seemed to be to Farihah. He was a farmer's son dressed up with a second-rate sword and scant leather armor placed in a young boy's fantasy. He had no experience. Even his passion to end the rule of Count Reithwayr was steadily waning as the plan became more and more complicated.

No, you must do this. You must be strong.

"Do not take this the wrong way miss but look around you. Now is neither the time nor the place to pause and contemplate the situation and your choices. Waiting around here is surely going to get us killed. I understand your cautions with us but I can assure you that we are all better off fighting together than each of us going at it alone."

Mentis nodded at the speech Tyreon said, and nodded out of respect for the man. "Maybe this rabble isn't as useless as I had thought." He thought to himself, wondering if this rag tag group of revolutionaries could put together a plan worthy of slaying the count.

"How are we supposed to get there if we don't know where it is? And what of protections it would have from intruders? They must have put something to challenge the way."

"And what would you rather do, face the torrent of arrows falling around our feet?"
Mentis said with a snarl, rather perterbed at this man's lack of common sense.

"As it happens I'm quite familiar with the tunnel noted here." He said as he poked the map divulged by the "spy". "I took the tunnel once when... visiting my mother, the tunnel you have noted will exit in the old sanctuary of the fort, inside the back courtyard." Mentis said as he thought back on those countless years trapped in the dungeons.

"And now I try to get back into that pit... wonderful" He thought, grinning at the sheer absurdity of the whole plan, if it could even be called a plan.

"And what are we to do once we get into the castle, rush the count? Do you not know he is protected? Especially at a time such as this, he is not going to leave himself with his wife for protection, he will have guards stationed throughout the entire fort, we will need a much more solid plan if we have any hopes of assaulting the inner chambers, or even making it several steps past that tunnel exit."

"I see..."

Aidan mulled it over. "Perhaps the inner fortress will be empty of soldiers since they are fighting the revolutionaries at the walls. We may just make it."

Aidan looked cautiously at Farihah, awkward and uncomfortable near a distant window. "And then, I'm guessing, we just have to... climb several hundred flights of stairs to the top of the tower, break through the courtroom, and kill Count Reithwayr."

"How is this going to work?"

"Now is not the time for talk, now is the time for actions. We have the first part of our plan set and that is all we need. We can decide further actions when we come to them. This place is not safe. Arrows and guards come closer and closer as we speak. We need to leave immediately."

Tyreon looked around the room at the puzzled and unsure faces that surrounded him. Some faces showed determination while others showed signs of caution.

"I know some of you are worried. I will not lie, some of us may even die but that is the price you pay for your freedom. It is not easy to taken down a kingdom. Danger and risk are to be expected but I say we move now!!."

Tyreon slams his fist against the table the map is on. His head hung low but for a second before rising back up. His head looks directly towards Mentis.

Mentis, can you lead the way to this tunnel?"

Stupid human, Aritius thinks to himself looking at Aidan with digust, Their naive mind will not allow them to understand the sacrifices of war. They will never learn.

"I will have to agree with Tyreon. We need to make our move now, we cannot stand here and do nothing," Aritius tells the group looking around as the sounds of arrows and marching guards come closer, "We must go."

Aritius rolls the map up and puts it back in his knapsack.

"Mentis says he knows the way and I can help guide through the fortress. Our plan was to gain access to the fortress and here it is staring us in the face. Shabby plan it may be, but it is all we have. Now let's move," Aritius says as he walks to a window that leads away from the fortress, smashing it with the handle of his dagger. He crawls out the window and looks back into the house, "Who's with me?"

I cannot believe this. How can these people so carelessly brandish their lives? This rebellion is not what I expected. It's simply a rabble with a cause but without a plan. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps we are not yet ready to overcome this evil...

Farihah stood, still fixed to her position, watching the men climb through the window. She knew soon she would have to make a decision and that decision would likely shape her life.

This is not what I wanted.