Rand a wandering centaur came in to the libary becuse he was tired of the city streets. So he decided to make the bst of the quiet he randomly picked out a book and started to read. He finnished the book and went about choosing another when one caught his eye "The Key To The Lock" he picked it out and began to read but after awhile he noticed a buldge in the spine of the book. So he carfully ripped a part of the spine and saw dull brass. He worked the edges of the book and the object fell on the chair he moved so whatever it was would not bang on the floor. He picked it up it was a key, but to what? He picked the book back up and began to place it on the shelf when a man tapped him on the side. The man huddled him over in the corner and said "If you value your life you will give me the key." Rand could not help but stare at the man. Rand was half agian taller than the man why would he try to threatn him. Rand asked "Why do you want the key so bad?" The man had the odasidity to laugh at him he pulled out a knife and said "If you don't give me the key now I will kill you." Rand put the key down on the table and as the man reached for it Rand grabbed his neck and broke it. He made sure no one saw it. He sliped the man in a chair and put a book covering his face."Mabye i can get out of here without anyone noticing."

He started for the door when he was stoped by a woman. "My master wants that key" was all she said. Rand not wanting to kill her simple pushed her aside and went for the door faster. Looking around some shelfs he saw the door but he also saw more men and women dressed as the first two. "How am i to get out of here" he thought to himself. Then he saw it a door just agianst the back wall. Only one problem to get there he to go around all these people and his hooves made a rather large clatter on the stone floor.

He heard footsteps behind him. His heart sank as the words "I've found him filled" the room. More footsteps at least twenty. This was his only chance to get out he ran for the door. He relized he still had the book in hand he was about to throw it at his prosuers when he saw a loose paper in it. He decided to keep the book. Fifty feet to go. Two men where guarding the door. He broke past them. As he broke down the door the street was filled with people staring at him. When he gathered him self up he started to run agian. While running He bumped into a few people. Looking back to shout an apology he saw those people still chasing him. Not only that there was a few other people chasing them, but they looked more like they wanted to help him. but now was not the time to stop and ask. He keept running.

Shelendri wondered through the streets thinking she might go to the library again. There were some really good books there, and not only about magic, but about a lot of things she was interested in. She started towards it, when suddenly a large person plowed into her, she was knocked to the ground, but the person kept going. Shaking her head to clear it, she saw that the person who'd knocked her down was in fact a centaur. There was a shout to her left. Looking in that direction, she saw a number of people chasing the centaur, though they seemed to have lost sight of him in the crowd. She frowned. Well, that just wasn't right.
Standing up, she stood in their path and raised her arms and waved them. "Hey, over here! You're chasing the centaur, right?"
The front man stopped in front of her. "Where'd he go?"
She pointed the wrong way. "That way. He knocked me down, to. What'd he do, steal something?"
The man's face was grim. "Something like that." He then motioned to his fellows and they set off the way she'd pointed them. When they were out of sight, she raced after the centaur. She couldn't quite keep up. "Hey, slow down! They aren't chasing you anymore." She wasn't sure he'd heard her, so she ran faster. Then an absurd thought accured to her. If he suddenly stopped now, she'd likely run into him. Oh well, that'd make them even, wouldn't it?

Hearing someone shout at him he kept running but turned. He noticed the person yelling at him was one of the people he had knocked over so he started to slow down so she could catch up. She was still a distance back but he noticed somthing there was nobody else chasing him. Cautiously he slowly stopped. Who was this person was she trying to help me or put me in a trap. She couldn't be trying to take him alone he out weighd her by a good 2200 pounds. And was three feet taller. But who was she. And why was she calling me.

Shelendri saw the centaur turn and then slowly stop. Skidding to a halt near him, she bent over at the waist, trying to get her breath back. Running so fast had winded her. She looked up at him. "You...are a very...fast...runner." Taking in one huge breath, she straightened. "I'll know better than to chase a centaur next time." Some of her hair had fallen into her face, so she shook it back and offered him a smile. "I don't think you need to run any more. I sent the men who were chasing you off in the wrong direction. You seemed like the less likely to be in the wrong, so it seemed like the thing to do." She shrugged and then frowned slightly. "Why were they chasing you? You idn't offend one of them, or something, did you?" Now that she thought about it, she couldn't help wondering why thy had been chasing this centaur. Just because she didn't think a centaur being chased was a right thing, didn't mean those men hadn't had a reason. It probably wasn't anything good, but there had to be a reason. Whatever the reason, though, she was on the centaur's side.

"Well then i must thank you it is nice to see people helping one another. Next time chase with a horse." he laughed then smiled " i really do thank you. But..." he frowned "those people are after a key i found buy i don't know why or what the key is for. But i have killed one of them after he threatened me but the are relentless im glad they did not have horses." He gave a smile that didn';t touch his eyes. " But seeing as you helped me out i am in debted to you. I have nothing to give you right now but you can help me find out what this key is to then im sure we can think of somthing i can do for you. If that is ok with you." He smiled " And don't worry i won't run. But you are a fast runner to keep up so close. Well will you join me. And perhaps with your help we can find out who these people are."

When Siitomn saw a large group of people exit the library and be mislead by a girl, he decided to go see what objects of value lay inside. In one of the rooms, he saw bits of cloth on the ground. "Hmm...these will help cover the holes in my cloak" he said to himself. He then exited the library to see the same girl talking to a centaur. He didn't want to walk past them, but didn't want to follow the angry group of people chasing them, so decided to risk his chances passing the girl and the centaur. As he did, he hid his face in his cloak.

Rand watched as what appeared to be a man walked by. Could he be one of them no im getting paranoied i have to keep my thoughts striaght. "What was i doing oh yes, would you like to accompany me on, oh wait, i think ive already said that, sorry."

Siitomn couldn't help but laugh at that. "Are we getting paranoid, centaur? You make it obvious that those people were after you." He walked up to the centaur, showing no fear on his face. He could easily dodge the centaur's attack. "Now, who exactly are you? I may be able to help you. And..." He looked at the girl "...who might she be?"

Rand almost killed the man there. then stopped he knew this man "Siitomn is that you i have not seen you in ages. I was just about to kill you next time don't try to sneak by. stop and chat. next time nows not the best." "No, Not agian" The group of people that had been chasing him they would not give up. They shouted at them and ran toward them. Extending his hand to Shelendri he said " wanna ride we don't want you running yourself dead. Becuse now that you mislead them i doubt they'll be happy with you and Siitomn can run fair enough." "well we have to hurry"

"Yeah! finally some action!" Siitomn said as he started running. "Didn't recognize you from afar, Rand. How's life been treating you?" He laughed at his own joke. "Ah, I'll kill myself...seriously, why are they chasing you?" He took out the pieces of cloth he had found in the library. "Does it have something to do with these?"

"No it has to do with this rand held out the key and the book but quickly put them away we have to hurry come on they will be on us in a few secounds. So please if you don't mind i would not like to kill any more people today. So twelve is to much to add." Rand looked back they were alot closer now "We have to go now."

Siitomn took off at an alarming speed. Nearly as fast as a horse. "You coming or not?" He called back to Rand and Shelendri. "Oh, yeah...where exactly is it we are headed, Master Rand? You have all the brains out of the two of us...and the braun..." Siitomn muttered the last part under his breath.

"We will go when we find out if Lady Shelendri will accopany use my lady will you they will most likly kill you if they catch you please climb on my back i may be big but as you've seen i can run. And i would realy dislike the person who mabye just saved my life die so will you ride."

Things were moving very quickly. Shelendri looked over her shoulder at the men who had somehow figured out she had led the astray. Then she turned back to Rand and smiled up at him. "I'd be more than happy to help you figure out the mystery of that key. And don't worry, you won't have to carry. I have a skill I didn't have the presence of mind to use when I chased after you." She cast a glance at the approaching men. "We'd better get going." Then her outline blurred and she set off running, her hooves clattering against the cobblestones. People hastily got out of the way as she galloped past in the form of a bay horse.
She caught up to Rand's friend, then looked over her shoulder at Rand and tossed her head, in lew of yelling 'Get moving'.

"Amazing...a shapeshifter..." Siitomn said to himself. He took off running after her. The men behind them were slowly catching up. Where was Rand? Siitomn couldn't see him by looking back. "Hey! Rand! Where are you?" Siitomn called. He was starting to worry and wondered if his friend had fallen victim to the mob that chased him.

Rand decided to buy them some more time. He picked up a barrel next to him he looked at the writing on the side it said 'Pyre oil' he had an idea. He threw the barrel it broke and lanched the oil all over the ground and buildings ten feet in front of the mob. He then pulled the lit pyre tourch and threw it. It hit to far he had over shot it. He was about to turn to catch up to the others when one of the men accedently kicked the tourch to the oil. Rand laughed and yelled "Thank you i missed when i threw it but you corrected my aim." still laughing he turned and ran after the others. In order to catch up he had to take a few back rodes but he finnaly came upon them "Well" he said "they have fallen even more behind. And if you had told me you were a shape-shifter then i would not have been so worried. Well I caught up no worry there. But now we need to know where we're are going. Hey lets pull into that alley up there so i can figure out what this paper means." they turned into the alley, and he pulled out the book and sliped the paper out of its page. "It says 'the lock is to that which is to not the next will lie where the battle was fought.' Well what do you think it means. i have not the slitest idea about it i wonder what battle it means.

"Oh, I know! That one's easy!" Siitomn piped up. He stood thinking for a moment. "Nevermind. I forgot what I was thinking." Siitomn cursed himself and leaned against a building. "You know, I still don't know her name." He laughed at himself and sat down on the ground, his hood over his eyes.

What you did not hear me earlier her name is Lady Shelendri. And to you my Lady this is Siitomn we've worked together before and he is somewhat trustworthy. Well now we all know eachother can you rememer what you were going to say or do you have an idea what it means. Well, becuse right now i can't think, mabye in a bit ill get it back but best we not wait. So any ideas." He stood there for a while waiting for them to answer. Then he had to sak himself how long those guys would take to find them. " Wait what was the last battle was fought becuse that seems the only likly one if you two don't have a better idea."

Shelendri followed Rand and the man, who Rand introduced as Siitomn, into the alley. She shifted back into her human form and inclined her head to Sittomn when Rand told the man her name. Then she turned to the mouth of the alley. If those men got past whatever obstical Rand had put in their way and found them here, things would get troublesome. At least she could do something. She crossed her forearms in front of her and then spoke the word 'Balla'. It was a word of the ancient language of her home land, and what she used to activate her magic. A wall of wind rose up and covered the alley mouth. Shelendri turned to the other two and smiled slightly, her hair dancing in the wind she had created. "It's the best I can do. They won't be able to get at us now." Then she frowned as she turned the riddle Rand had just read out over in her mind. "The last battle. Well, if we go on the appumption that this key leads to something special, then the last battle that riddle talks about could be the last battle for the key, or the thing it leads to. And the rest of the riddle could mean that this key is actually just one clue of a whole string of clues and that to find the next one, we need to use it."

"Yes, yes that might be. But how are we going to figure it out. It could mean any of those things or mabye somthing completly different."Rand was confused what did not happen often. "Well should we try to check the ideas we already have or are there anymore ideas. Then theres the question who else is after it we know of atleast one with a few hirlings, and i doubt they're the olny ones i bet theres. So of all we need to figure out the riddle find what the key goes to and find out who else is after it. Do we have our work cut out for us. Well where should we start. I preferably would like to know who these guys are and what they know of it."

Rand looked around he had the feeling they were being watched but he did not know from where. The unseen watcher seemed to get closer. Whispering "Hey do you guys hear somthing. I think we are being watc..." A crash. Rand turned around to se a man fall onto a box smashing it. " Who are you?" Rand demanded. The man stood up he was not wearing the same cloths as the others. " I said who are you, answer me!" The man started walking toward them. "If you get any closer i will kill you!" The man paused then countinued on. Rand readied himself to kill the man and protect in case this was a diversion. "I am not with them." the man finnaly said, he sounded like a hyena. "But you will give me the the key or i will kill you." the man was not big but he walked with a tone of pure aroggence. Rand walked toward the man with all intent to kill him. When the man jumped the twenty feet to the top of the alley. This guy isn't human. Look the man was not alone there was seven more all alike. All ready to kill. Rand felt himself start to lose control when he stoped it. With the other two people behind him they could when but if he tried it alone agianst things he has not fought he would die. And from the look of it they were trying to lure him out away from them. He backed up slowly to the others. When he reached them he said "We will have to kill them. Stick together or they will pick us off one by o..." The people leapt from the buildings straight for them. What type of person could command beings like this. But he could not think about that now all he could think about was the fight. "Keep one of them alive" Rand shouted after catching one of the men by the neck and snapping it. "We need to find out who sent them." The battle countinued now there was more than before fifteen instead of seven now eightteen how many where there. All rand could say " Lady of the Light help us we would need a miricle to survive this."

Siitomn cried out with glee as he sliced off the head of one of the people attacking them. "Why ask for a miracle? This is fun!" He said as he stabbed another in the gut. As he fought, one nicked is arm. "Curses...Get over here, scum!" Siitomn ran after him and was blown back by the wall of wind. "How..." He started. He managed to dodge a sword coming at him from behind and sliced the man attacking. The same one who cut him. The slice knocked the man over, so Siitomn took his chance and stabbed him through the chest. Dark blood was seeping through his cloak. Why hadn't it stopped bleeding yet? His demonic skin should have healed, or at least clotted the wound by now. He parried three more blows from two people before he killed again. This time by stabbing through the heart. Someone was coming from behind him, so he wrenched his sword upward, slicing through the dead man's chest and shoulder and making blood fly everywhere, and brought his blade down into the other man's skull. "Another one for the good guys..." he said.

Rand countinued to kill the people attacking them. He had already broken seven necks the bodys lay on the ground near his feet. "This is why!!" was all Rand could shout as the deadmen grabbed at his feet. "They don't seem to want to die." Picking one of them up. " i've killed this one at least five times." He threw it at a group attacking him knocking them all back. "Not even tearing his head off will kill them as he pointed to a headless body wildly flinging about.

Shelendri jumped back as the strange people attacked. Quickly drawing her sword, she decapitated one, then sliced through the belly of another. Three came at her together, backing her into a wall. Seeing their swords decending on her, she quickly stepped back into the wall behind her. Coming out the other side, she darted to a spot twenty feet away and phased back through. Then she caught a sight she'd never thought to see. The man who she'd decapitated was moving! Qucickly spinning, she waved her hand at the wind wall she'd created, disapaiting it. Then she turned to Rand and Siitomn. "We have to get out of here! We can't win against these things!" A few were starting toward her, so she sheathed her sword and shifted into the form of a bear. Raising up on her hind legs, she roared at them and used her claws to rip the throat of one of them out. This battle wasn't like anything she'd ever experienced. She just hoped they'd get out of it alive.

Siitomn kicked out the knees of another. "I'm with Lady Shelendri!" He said as he stabbed through the left eye of one of the other regenerating beings. It screamed in agony as the sword was wrenched upwards through his skull. Siitomn took off after Shelendri, slashing another from the crotch to the eyes, his entrails spilling out onto the ground. Siitomn slipped and fell on some blood. Three of the attackers leapt on him. "I could really use some help right about now..." Siitomn thought as he bit through the jugular of one of his attackers. The blood didn't taste like human blood. He had used this technique on plenty of human attackers before. One of the others he slashed in half with his sword. Blood poured over him. Siitomn's hands slipped as he tried to push the other off of him. (It was gnawing on his arm). Somehow he managed to stand up and throw it into three other persuers. "I am SO getting out of here" he said and fled with Shelendri.

As the other ran The attackers poured at Rand. He had to get out but he was being closed in. "I will not die like this, you can't have me yet" Rand shouted as his eyes turned black, emotion fled all thought lost he was losing himself. He pulled his spear from his back as calmly as ever. Then rearing back on his hind legs brought it down on the apparent leader. He spun trying to hit all of them. The ones he did knock down were quickly replaced by others. He kept the spear spining. Thought returned but emotion was gone. i have to get out of here, he thought. Swinging his spear he opened a path and ran not knowing which way the others had gone. he ran to the end of the alley before he figured out it was the wrong way. Emotion swept back the others are they ok what happend to them. He turned left and started running. He turned several corners both trying to lose his pursures and to find the others.

Shelendri charged down an alley, shifting as she went. For a second she was running as a human, then she was in the shape of a wolf. She continued to run, with Sittomn behind her. She spared a thought for Rand, but kept running. Turning yet another corner, she slowed down and finally stopped. Cocking her head to check if the things were still following, she breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her own form. Somewhere along the way she'd gotten a fw scratches on her arm, along with a cut on her leg. Placing her hand over the scratches, she healed them, and then did what she could for the cut on her leg. Only then did she look over at Sittomn. "What were those things? They...they just wouldn't die." Nausea rolled around in her stomach, but she fought it back. She'd never killed anyone before, but today she'd killed the same man three times. She pushed a trembling hand through her hair, which had come loose. She set about braiding it again, for something to do. "We have to find Rand. There's no telling what those things will do if they catch him."

Pushing threw the streets Rand kept running. He had had a few small brushes with the people from the libary, and the things from the alley since he got away from the alley but he got away. Though from the incuersions he was running on a baddly cut leg, he also had a long slice from a sword stearching almost his entire right side. "I have to find Shelendri and Siitomn i don't know if those things are chasing them or just me. But who ever they're chasing i need to find them. Maby if i can get the key to one of the others then i'll keep these guys chasing me they can get out ok." Rand turned a corner and almost ran into a group of the inhuman things. dodgeing blows he kept running. "I have to find them fast." A group of men charged out of an alley stoping rand where he was. "Give us the key you bloody centaur or we'll rip your throut out." The group charged him. He turned to run but only got a few feet before he stoped the things rounded the corner at the end of the street. Both groups were running at him with all intent to kill him. Rand thought to him self "I'm going to die but they will not get the corpse the way they want it." Pulling his spear from his back he readied him self for the attack. The first person to reach him was caught on the tip of his spear. Spinning he bearly caught the secound blow on the heft of his spear Rand broke the mans arms with one swing. The tip of a arrow pirced his left arm. Screaming Rand ripped it out and shoved it into the eye of another man. Another arrow hit his damaged leg nearly falling over he caught himself on his spear. While trying to strighten a sword pirced his right arm. "Perhaps i will die before i could get them the key but at least i will die knowing that you will not cause anyone anymore harm!" Screaming to the sky Rand kept fighting.



"I will not let any of you survive. You i will deliver to hell personaly!" Rand brought his spear up and drove it through three men. "I will kill you all!" No matter how many he killed there was always more and the creatures just refused to die. More rushed him. He pulled his spear free and swung with all his might as the spear hit them they were broken. He swung it aroung and stabbed a man through the heart. But when he tried to free it it would not move he had stabbed it through the stone wall. He let it go then turned and began fighting agian. But somthing hit him all of these people were dieing quickly the creatures have run off. A small smile graced his lips but not his eyes. Another arrow hit him 'How many was that i lost count' Another arrow in to his leg. He could not stand any longer he fell over crushing two men underneith him. " i guess this really is the end i'm sry my friends i won't be able to help you." Somthing big hit his head and he passed out.

Shelendri head whipped up when she heard Rand's scream. It sounded like he was close. She turned in the direction his voice had come from, and incountered the wall behind her. That was no problem. She looked over at Sittomn. "I'm going to help him." With that, she ran through the wall. Coming out the other side, she heard Rand yelling and followed his voice. That brought her through three walls and down an alley. Then she came on a sight that horrified her. The creatures she and Sittomn had barely escaped from had Rand surrounded. Rand himself was fighting with all his might, but Shelendri could see that he was weakening. Then his spear got stuck in a wall and she knew he wouldn't hold out for long. Searching for a way to get to him, she spied a pile of crates and boxes. Climbing them, she leaped over the heads of the crowd to Rand's side. A split second later she crossed her arms and yelled 'Balla'. Her wind wall surrounded them, keeping the creatures at bay.
Shelendri knelt beside a now unconcious Rand and touched his shoulder. "Oh Rand. I'm sorry I left you."
The creatures had fallen back, and one of them stepped forward. "Give us the key and we'll let you live."
Shelendri glared at him. "You can't get through my wind wall. You can't threaten us. Leave before I use my magic on you." A flicker of fear crossed the creature's face. Shelendri felt some satisfaction at that. So, they were afraid of magic.
The creature nodded slowly. "We will let you be, for now. But believe me, we will come for that Key again, and then, none of you will get out alive." With that all the creatures turned as one and disappeared down the alley and over the walls.
Shelendri looked down at Rand. "I have to get you out of here." She looked around. If Sittomn was here, she could go easily, but without knowing where he was, she couldn't leave the area.

Siitomn jumped down next to Shelendri. "You already got rid of them all? That is no fun..." He limped over to Rand. He had a large cut on his right leg. "Must have caught it on something...what happened here? Did Rand get attacked while he wasn't looking? I didn't think he could suffer quite a beating." He limped over to where Rand's spear stuck out of the wall. Siitomn pulled out his sword and pried the spear out of the wall. It took a lot of effort. "I didn't know he was this strong, either." Siitomn looked up to see one of the inhuman things looking down at him. "Hey Shelendri, can you do something about him?" Siitomn wispered. Suddenly, the inhuman thing fell next to them and a pixie followed it, hovering above the ground. The inhuman started to get up, but Siitomn pinned it to the ground with his sword by stabbing it through the back. "Thank you, Twila. Nevermind, Shelendri. Problem solved."

He jumped down into the alley the stench of garbage filled his nostrils he put his sword on his arm and drew his sword, He approached the three characters they did not seem in a fit state to fight this should be like taking candy from a baby he though, he looked down on them "hand over the key, it seems to be worth some money so I want it" this should be entertaining he thought.

Rand's eyes shot open but he was not awake eyes gleamed black. He got up without any awarness of pain and ripped his spear out of Siitomn's hand. He rose up and threw the spear half a hand to the right of the newcomer going half haft in the solid stone wall. "The key is not yours. Nor will it ever be yours. I will kill you if you come closer." Finnishing Rands solid black eyes took in the surroundings. Looking at the dead bodys he smiled "I still have not reached my fill. Would you care to add to my hunger. I will have you blood if you dare." Rand suddenly laughed. Walking back to where the others stood he regained conciousness. Eyes black suddenly white. He fell over looking up he felt pain so imence he almost passed out. he looked at Siitomn then at Shelendri "Why are you here? I did this so you could get away!" Rand tried to stand up but the pain in is legs was to much he fell back down. He looked over at the new man. "If your here to cause troble don't expect to get out of here alive." Rand looked up at Siitomn and said "Fetch me my spear will you, its over th..." Rand looked at where he stuck his spear in the wall during his fight with the group but it was not there. "Where is my spear?" Rand looked around then his eyes found the spear half buried in the wall. "How did my spear get in that wall?" Pause "Tell me now!" He kept looking around trying to see what was nearby. He stopped trusting his hand in his back pack he found the key and the book but the loose paper was gone. "No that cannot be the paper it's... it's missing." Rand kept searching for it. "Where is it? What happened to it?"

Shelendri watched Rand cautiously. His sudden shift of personality worried her. One moment his eyes had been black and he had been talking about blood, then his eyes turned back to white and he was the Rand she had encountered. She went over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be all right." She looked around and caught sight of the piece of paper. Fetching it, she gave it to him. "Here it is."
Then she turned to the new comer and frowned. She'd met this man before. She considered him. Her wind wall was still up, so he couldn't get them, but it was time to get moving anyway. She turned back to Rand and Sittomn. "I'd say it's time we got out of here. Those things won't stay away for very long." She took a few steps back. For her to shift into something that could carry both of her new comrades she would need a bit of room. She looked over at the stranger and smiled. "You might want to run away now." As an after thought, she dispelled the wind wall. Then she looked at Rand and Sittomn. "I'm going to shape shift, so that we can get out of here quickly. Don't be afraid." With that she closed her eyes and consentrated. For this shape shift, she needed to bend all her mind to it. Her outline blurred and shifted. And then a dragon stood in the alley, her wings tucked into her body. As her element was lightning, that was the type of dragon she had become.
She took a step toward her comrades, bending her long neck down so her head was level with them. "Sittomn, climb onto my back. Rand, I'll carry you in my front claws."

He watched as she transformed, it was a terrifying sight, stepping backwards he hit a wall and noticed the centaurs spear still in it, pulling it from its place, he carefully walked forward, and put it down in front of the centaur before carefully walking back to his position.

He looked around the corner and saw a group of very angry looking people; they were hooded and were marching in his direction, an arrow shot out of the mob. He dived out of the way and it embedded itself in the wall, he hit the floor with a heavy thud and pain went up his arm he stumbled to his feet, he turned and shouted hastily "you better get going these people don't seem that happy" he started running forward quite panicked.

Siitomn was worried about Rand, but his thoughts of that faded as the inhumans came back in greater numbers than before. He climed onto Shelendri's back as fast as he could. "Twila, get out of here!" He yelled. The pixie took off. "Shelendri, do you think you can carry one more?" He asked the dragon.

Shelendri nodded, then snaked her head around to look behind her. Growling, she opened her mouth and breathed lightning bolts at the creatures. The ones that were hit burst into flame and then vanished in a cloud of ash. That surprised her, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. She breathed more lightning to keep the creatures at bay. Now that they had seen what she could do, they didn't seem as keen to head down the alley. Moving her tail, she rapped it around the waist of the strange and then lifted him in the air. Depositing him behind Sittomn on her back, she grabbed Rand and held him as gently as she could in her front claws.
She blew one last blast of lightning over her shoulder and then with a surge of her strong back legs, leaped into the air. Grabbing onto the side of one the buildings, she pushed off again, finally clearing the rooves of the building. She opened her wings and looked over her shoulder at the two men on her back. "Hold on." With a few beats of her wings, she shot into the air. Going into the clouds high over head so that there wouldn't be any chance of something being shot into the air and catching her, she leveled off and glided on the wind. "Does anyone have any suggestions as to where we should go? I can't stay up here forever."

The jolt into the air scared Siitomn. He suddenly realized he was afraid of heights. He hugged Shelendri's neck as tight as he could, but as she was a dragon, she was unharmed. Casting his fear aside, he sat up. He needed to find out who the new guy was. "I'm really not sure as to where to go, Shelendri. Rand would know that. But as for you..." He turned to look at the newcomer. "Who are you and why are you here?"

He was highly surprised when he was picked up he thought he would have been left there to be killed, the male spoke to him "Who are you and why are you here?" "I am Michaleson, I am where there is money to be made, I saw the mob and heard about the key and thought if I could get my hands on it would be worth a bit, but its purpose I don't know," he looked over the edge he could see the town below, he could see the things, but they were out of range " where did this start if we go back to there, there is a possibility that there could be more clues but otherwise I don't know"

During her assent, Shelendri had been aware of Sittomn holding onto her neck, but it didn't worry her. Now she looked down through the clouds, trying to decide where to land. Rand seemed to be unconcious, so she couldn't ask his advice. Anywhere in the area of the library wouldn't be safe, as the creatures would probably still be lurking around there, and the men who had first chased Rand. The only choice was to get as far away from the library as possible while still staying within the city. She had a feeling that leaving the city all together wouldn't be a good idea right now. There was no telling how much information about the mysterious key was inside the city. Until they figured out a better plan, she decided the best place to hide would be the city's outskirts. And as she had already made up her mind to stay in the form a dragon until they were sure they were safe wherever she touched down, the outskirts were the only place with abandoned buildings big enough for her to fit in.
Dipping her right wing, she swang to the side and headed for the outskirts. She was heading the opposite way to the docks, as there would be too many people. Flying over the outskirts, she spotted a likely group of abandoned looking warehouses and circled them. She looked over her shoulder at her two passengers. "Hold on tight. I'm going to go in fast so that there's less chance of being spotted." She beat her wings to gain more height, then tucked them in against her body, but with the tips sheilding Sittomn and Michaleson, and dove downwards. Her eyes narrowed at the rush of wind racing past and she thought breifly at how terrorfying plumetting toward the ground at this speed must be for the two men. Then, barely two body-lengths away from the ground, she flared her wings and landed realitively softly on her hind lengs outside one of the larger warehouses.
Placing Rand gently on the ground, she lay down so that Sittomn and Michaleson could get down off her back. "Here we are. Do you two think you could get Rand inside? If he's too heavy, I can help, but I can't carry him in my front claws. I need all four feet to walk."

Siitomn was frozen in fear to Shelendri's back. "If I can ask a favor, Shelendri, please never do that again" Siitomn said, prying his own fingers from her neck. "Now as for Rand..." He said, smoothing out his long, black hair, "...I think we can take him inside without a problem" He jumped down to the ground and nearly fell because he had grown accustomed to flying. He tried to pick Rand up, but e wouldn't budge. "This is not good. Hey, new guy! A little help please."

All of the sudden they descended rapidly it was at break neck speed, they hit the ground so gracefully it would not have woken a sleeping baby. He slid down off the dragons back, landing on the round with both feet walking over to where the centaur lay; he gazed down and knew it would be no easy task. "I can end you my aid for now" bending down he started to lift the centaur up. I hope he wakes up soon he is very heavy and it would be easier for him to walk than us to carry"