Home free! Untill...

"Now what?"

Sagus considered their next course of action. He didn't want to hurt the townsfolk, but he couldn't let them hurt his friends either. "Sophie, we need a distraction."

"I know, but i don't have enough chemicals to make a big enough smokescreen. What we need, and have, is a disguise."

"They don't know what we look like, do they? They just know we're mages."

"Right, Marianne. So, all we need to do is..."

The villagers looked down alleyways and under every stone, with no luck.

"Check the rooftops! Find those miserable vermin and make them suffer!" The large man who said this raised his pitchfork and gave this command in a way that suggested he had some leadership experience. "You there! HALT!" He approached a young man and a pregnant woman, who turned to him with worried faces. Seeing this couple, so obviously in love, calmed him down.

"What's happening here? We heard father Aktheus has been assassinated!" she gasped. The woman's face was very cute, and framed beautifully by her long black hair.

"It is true, ma'am. Have you seen four mages come through here?"

"Mages?"

"Yes, ma'am! A man and three women dressed in cloaks of different colors. Black, blue, grey and green."

"I haven't. Have you, dear?"

The man shook his head. "No, but i'm pretty decent with a sword. If I find them, I will slay as many as I can!"

"Thank you, but you mustn't. Your woman will need you greatly when she gives birth. But tell someone where you find them, and we will take their heads!"

"Yes sir!"

"You should move along, it may get dangerous here soon."

"We will, sir. Come on, honey." The couple left town. The man continued searching until he came to two young women. "You there, young ladies!"

They froze. He approached them. He started off angry, but seeing them relaxed him. Pretty women do that to a man, and these were very pretty women. One of them had blond hair to her shoulders and icy blue eyes. The other, he could tell was pretty from the way her face was shaped and her brown hair draped down the sides of it. Their bodies were nothing short of stunning.

"Have you seen any mages come by here?" They looked at each other than at the man. Nervously, the one with the blindfold said "I cannot see them, nor have I heard anything about them."

"I see, uh, i mean, I understand. And you?"

"No, sir, I have not. I have been occupied with caring for this blind woman, and did not see anyone other than her for some time. I'm sorry, but i must take care of my family."

"Don't worry. You are kind to care for your mother." The blind woman furrowed her brow, but her caretaker smiled sweetly.

"She is my sister. Some say we're twins."

"My apologies! Be on your way, my ladies. Go with Utoness."

"Thank you!" They too left town. The hunt continued on, without success.

"That was close! I thought we were caught for sure!"

"I knew we'd be fine. You just need to have faith in yourself."

"I had faith in myself. But when he said you were my mother, I thought you'd blow our cover." The blind woman mumbled about not looking that old and removed the blindfold. "Your's, I believe?" The pregnant woman's husband took it and tied it around his eyes.

"Much better. It's good to see the world as it is, instead of having to remind myself what I see are lies. You were great, Marianne."

"Yeah, I totally believed you were Sagus' wife! You two looked so happy together."

"Do...do you think so? I...I tried to do what I would do if I were really his wife....It was nice to hold his hand like that....I MEAN IT...MADE IT MORE REALISTIC!!" Her face turned to bright crimson. Sophie smiled, hopefully hiding that she knew about Marianne's joy at being Sagus' pretend-wife.

"It really did! For a minute, I wondered if you two didn't elope while Rebecca and I weren't looking. You looked so right together." Marianne smiled.

"Oh, stop telling her lies like that. We didn't even see them, we went out a few minutes apart." Sophie shot Rebecca a dagger-y glance, then smiled at Marianne. "I think it's safe for you to...'give birth' now."

Marianne reached under her blouse and pulled the lump from under it, which was their cloaks, and not a baby (of course). They put them on, and continued their journey. Since they were no longer in town, they decided to leave the hoods down. The cool air felt good on their bare faces.

"Marianne, you can let go of Sagus' hand now."

"OH! Right, sorry."

They traveled a few miles before coming to a mountain. They knew they couldn't possibly cross it now, so they set up camp at it's base. In checking her supplies, Sophie discovered a tent was missing, meaning one of the girls would have to bunk with Sagus. After some debate, Sagus decided it would be Marianne.

Sagus fell asleep quickly, but Marianne couldn't. She could only watch as Sagus snored quietly. She watched him react physically to a dream he had, which was apparently about fighting. For about an hour she watched, content simply to do so. But after that hour, she could no longer just gaze at him. She swallowed hard, crawled slightly over him and swallowed again. If he woke up while she was doing what she had planned, what would he do? What could she say to explain herself? What if he made her leave the group?

On the other hand, what if he wanted it too? Maybe he would hold her close and they would do for real what she'd imagined them doing so many times as she lay beside Rebecca or Sophie. Maybe he would even confess his love for her, and she for him. Maybe this could lead to what they had only pretended to be before. She had to risk it. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth slightly.

'This is it,' she thought. 'My first kiss....' She lowered her head. Her lips were so close to his, she could feel his breath. Almost....

The ground shook violently following a loud sound that could only have been impact. Sagus awoke and sat up quick, throwing Marianne off with the motion. He grabbed his sword and crawled outside. Marianne sighed at her missed chance and joined him. They gasped as the great shadow approached. Sophie and Rebecca came out a bit later, since they had to prepare cloak or crossbow. Their eyes all gazed upward at the approaching form behind the mountain, yet still taller than it. The form, a humanoid colossus, pushed the mountain aside, crumbling it down, and stepped in front of the campsite. It's skin looked to be made of boulders, and it's voice boomed like thunder echoing through a valley.

"I am Santonus, **** of the demon king of Tyren, Arakarin. I have been sent to crush you all!"