Ronald I waved him off I raised my hand before he could protest I look at the three looking at each other, there was more distrust there than with me. Usually, I''m the most distrusted dung in the room, and more than not with good reason. I was somewhat surprised Santino was the one to go first. He spat into the fire Khyon lifts one eyebrow  Santos just smiled I suddenly filled in Khyon and Roland looked at me as a ghost adds Roland. I shrug


    There is silence again, but this time it felt different, not distrustful but mournful. Ronald Then he turns to me I gave him a half grin He gave a half shrug I smiled Khyon almost resignedly shakes his head I shrugged  Santino finally catches on and chuckles, while I take a seat on the ground and look at the others  Khyon looks at me mildly frowning I raised a finger Santino shrugged


    He furrowed his nose I gave a half-growl  Khyon snorted  He just raised his hands in surrender and started to pick up burned pieces of burned wood. I moved through the tents until I got to Anne''s and coughed a few times outside  Anne''s voice comes behind the curtain  I turned on my heel and began to retrace my steps. Several seconds later I felt a presence on my left  I sighed  I feel she looks at me  I half smiled as we rounded the last tent  I smelled her curls as she shook her head and bit my lip. Santino might be right, I was getting too sweet on this girl. Girl? Spirit? Goddess? In any case, I should come back to Earth, to me she was about as off-limits as Anne was, just for different reasons. We closed the fire and Santino raised his head  She comes out one tent right of us, I roll my eyes, but we are at least all here. Five minutes later we sit around the fireplace. Anne leans back  We all look at her Surprisingly Santino is the first to push back Surprisingly I felt Helen almost deafening me with her scream. And the illusion vanished, I gave the handle an appreciatively gentle touch I would give much to have an expression on her face at that moment. Because of that mix of surprise and confusion, I never saw on her face, before or after. She paused, obviously trying to see all my angles, but I just smiled  Anne shakes her head chucklingShe sits next to Santino and Elunara next to me. Was this coincidence or forming of new factions...or was I really so damaged Human being that I looked for an ulterior motive behind anything, even the damn fact that there are just so many places around fire and pair sitting together is nothing too strange, especially when now all was in the open...well all that was relevant...hopefully.


    As always Ronald Santinos face sours and he takes off his hat and dusts his knees off from leftover dirt from his “sniper nest”. Noticing the look on my face I mimicked the move, while not on the knee, I was still sitting. The disadvantage for sure but possible, there was still a bit in the scabbard about what would be the fastest way, then it dawned on me. Santino said “Period Appropriate” Whatever, or whoever this Holy Spirit was he''d likely had a shield with a Spear, He would use arts to keep at least a portion where they fought cool enough so his weapons don''t melt, still for him to hold onto the spear and drew the sword, the shield had to go, big mistake. It''s not like they had no protection on their upper legs but due to the shield most went to their lower legs with greaves, upper legs would be minimally protected after all that''s where the shield was. I finished the imaginary move drawing the sword and instead of going up for the heart, neck, or head I stabbed in a push cut and drew back in a pull cut in the same wound. If the sword was shaving sharp and if he used as much might as he had left, it would get to the bone, but more importantly, he''d severed the artery. Still role-playing I grabbed the pretend spear in my chest. The enemy had the benefit of higher ground but he was bleeding, severely, and now I was controlling his longer weapon and had a longer sword. I blocked an imaginary cut, then another, and another...I had no reason to risk. My opponent was already dead if he doesn''t let go of the spear. I imagine he did, standing up and wrenching the spear out of the wound, and in nearly the same move Enemy hurled it at Holy Spirit then lounge with my longer blade aiming for the throat. Santino raises his arm  I raised an eyebrow  Santino glanced in the flames for a good 30 seconds He shook his head, the first time that I saw with complete conviction.


    Red''s musical laughter chimed like a silver bell Santino nodded grimly  Khyon noticing all attention turned to the two of us and raises both eyebrows  Then he glances at me and I grumbled  I look at others  Khyon casually tilts his head. I couldn''t help but smile at the natural-born skinner in him.  He grins   Santino smoothly transitions Khyon gives a half smile I look at Santino  He shrugged  I stood up and look at the crew  Two groups separated and as soon out of earshot I looked at Santino  Santino followed Khyon Khyon took us to the new tent, it smelled of armor oil and odd herbal scents he lit three lamps inside and put out his torch showing booty on the ground. That shut me up for a second, Drow knew how to make pretty things, and despite both Red''s and Anne''s Art, my shoulder was still sore, likely poison. Khyon approached picked something from the ground and threw it to me, the size I expected at least a pound of weight, my of the hand measurement object in my hand couldn''t be heavier than a third of a pound and my eyes did not lie. I held a full-head metal helmet.  he just nodded  He shook his head  I held in my hands mat black plate helmet with slightly odd eyeholesI glanced at the neck hole  how to get it on He pointed on the part of sparse ornamental carving  It did take some power to push the button but once pressed it glided backward smoothly. front portion moved more forward creating an opening through which I was able to squeeze my head in. Once Khyon spoke again to my surprise I heard him perfectly I did and felt the helm closing, for one rather unnerving second I thought it will choke me but it just sealed most of my senses from outside. Only my eyes are in their own small compartment to peak at the world, two more chambers were for breathing and speech, and the last one for hearing I looked at Santos Well if I meant to soothe him that didn''t help It even raised hair on my neck. Khyon tutted  The sentence was perfectly understandable but in an odd pitch-shifted tone that sounded like it came from the other side of the grave, it growled and screeched like nails on the glass suddenly falling in deep chilling bass. Deciding it was enough of talking I looked around I saw the mirror with disbelief I looked at Khyon.  Forgetting my “non-talking” rule almost as I made itKhyon laughed but there was some odd sadness in that laughter I looked at the mirror and figured out what disturbed Santino, the helmet was closed and it did look menacing as hell, especially with all my other duds. I was a leather-clad armored... thing but what was most disturbing from those holes in my helmet there was not even a light of the whites. Just two black holes, not unlike a skull. Khyon chimed in,


    He gave me what seemed like a small wooden gun with some string attached. As I did small thing spring into life, springs, and cogs whirling unwinding a thing in a familiar crossbow shape just smaller. Khyon attached a piece of cardboard with the crudely drawn target. Losing a few I aimed and pressed what passed for a trigger, I accounted for a kick...which wasn''t there, well it was but compared to Helen it might as well not be there, next 2 shots went better but the center eluded me. I was shooting from one side of the tent to another. With Helen, I would be able to put a few bullets through the same holes, I was certain. Khyon snickered  He held the same weapon and then shot into the middle, his second bolt split the first one. I swallowed frustration and thanked whatever God''s staying alive and that I still had a helmet on. I took critique and I did improve, slowly but as Khyon said 15 is a hell of a lot of ammo, and last 4 I found my grove and while not splitting the bolts all four went into the center. Khyon laughed and unattached his magazine and showed me how to do it And I did. The first surprise was that this kick of three bolts fired almost simultaneously was comparable to a revolver. The second was that even though they fired so quickly moving was very noticeable. Only the first one found the center, surprisingly Khyon seemed pleased I wasted three more magazines but the third one all five in black. Khyon laughed, almost giddy, even Santino gave a small approving nod, which for him was equal to doing summersaults from joy. Khyon clapped me on the shoulder  I forgot I even was wearing one. I pressed and the thing opened. Just when I felt fresh air on my forehead I noticed a difference  Khyon surprisingly nods approvingly I thought about it when I felt something from the bunch of loot I approached it until I was digging through and emerged with a fully closed handguard saber, I unsheathed it, no surprise it was midnight black and long, calvary saber long to keep it still light for foot fighting it was about third narrower than calvary sabers of the time, that was not only odd thing. Putting false edges was all the rage, but there was nothing false about the last third of the back of this saber. I, naturally fought with a saber, cutlass, basically anything with an edge but I never choose one willingly, it was more that having a blade is better than not having one. I heard the blade whisper to me then talking to Helen, I placed my hand on her  warmth spread from the revolver. I turned to Khyon, but he just raised his hands I looked at him, considering him this was a VERY generous offer. I felt by this little handling of the saber, it was better forged. Backsword was an excellent weapon, the best I had until now, but I didn''t even pause  Khyon smiled and reached sighing  We left the tent, saber around my waist, Hand Crossbow in its safety on form under it, and helmet hung on the back of the belt just where the enormous Bowie ended. I suddenly remembered why we had done all of this and looked at Santino  He looked at me with his usual amused look before he''s gonna say something he knows I won''t like Khyon and I shared a look and at the same moment answered