“Shimi?” He refered to the village she had just come from. He nodded at Harold. “Thank you Harold for lending your services.”

His eyes widened when she showed him the garnet … he had been amazed about the gnomes, they seemed so nice when he was dealing with them.

:This garnet is the first tone, there are two back that way and I've finished reading what Sullivan wrote about the Barghestm he guards one, there is mention that the ruby was hiding in the cave with the Tommy Knockers, Razor Wing has one, a yet has another up in the mountains and another is at the bottom of a lake.

“We'll get each together, save for the Tommy Knocker one, I know how those Rosewll grays creep you out ,,,”

"I wish we'd known about the ruby. Harold and I were just in those caves! And Kevin, you absolutely can't go in there without me." She griped his arm fiercely, the agitation in her voice was evident. "I-I mean... Its true they scare the fuck out of me but we were just there and THEY WERE UP!! I don't want to go back in there and I worrying about you the whole time if you go in there alone!" She didn't want to be separated from him again, fearing she wouldn't be able to find him a second time.

He listened to her, smiled then kissed her. It was a tender kiss on the lips meant to silence her, at least for the momnt. Whe his lips came away from her her he smiled again as he regarded his fianced. His hands seized her own as he regarded her for a moment.

“I wouldn't dream of having you come along for that. The Mezzo are in thosed caves and who hnows what else is down there ...”

Harold sighed. “I know those caves pretty well. I can look for it at least. I still got to make it up to her anyway,” though the last was spotten softly. “Or I can be sent to pick up the other components. I don't understand all this 'wizard stuff' but if I can help so be it. I really want to get back to my kid but can mange collecting one or two stones. If I go back I can get the ruby by the time you head back to Shim seeing that it is close or I can meeet you back here in Tahlar ...”

Not to be forgotten Harold spoke up. He was close to them though not too close.

“I'm pretty sure I can get the garnet from the barghest too.”

Kirsty gave Harold a surprised look. She really hadn't expected him to continue helping her after she found Kevin. "Are you sure, Harold? I mean, you've already helped me so much. You really don't owe me anything." She meant that too. He had rescued her from one of those fates "worse than death" with the gnomes and, despite his prior actions, he didn't take advantage of her when she'd been at her weakest. It improved her estimation of him tenfold and now this. "I'm not saying we wouldn't appreciate the help, especially with the ruby in the caves, but you have a sick son at home. I would completely understand if you wanted to rush home to him."

“Yeah, I'm sure.” Harold responded. She might have considered that he did a lot for her but he still fealt that he still owed her from his earlier actions in the cave … he had never forced anyone before and well … he still wasn't aware of what had possessed him to even attempt such an act with her then.

“I know that cave. It's on the way and if anyone knows how to deal with Tommy Knockers better than I, I have yet to meet them,” he smiled at the last considering what he had shared with her about his dealing with the Tommy Knockers. If she were concerned about them then if he could get the ruby then maybe he would feel as if they had an even slate.

His mind could be lecherous at times but it was not totally rotten either.

“If you are certain about this ...” Kevin began as he looked at Kristy for answers to questions he had yet to ask.

Kirsty shrugged when Kevin looked to her. "Its a very long story, darling, but Harold really is the best man for the job. I would not have made it through those caves without him." Nor would she even have attempted it. She did not add anything about why Harold felt like he owed her. Kevin might be a scientist but he was also a man. He might not be willing to accept Harold's aid if he knew the man had made a pass at her and she really did not like the idea of Kevin going into those caves alone. "Should we start there or with the barghest? They are the closest stones, are they not?"

“Yes, the barghest and the ones at the Tummy Knockers are the two closest. I have to think a little about how to deal with this barghest though. The best approach I have is assisting Marduke. The barghest has been given him trouble for awhile now and he wants to deal with it before long … I have thought to give him the invention of gun powder to the confrontation. I only want the garnet, he can take whatever other treasure there is to be gain. It will take the a little while to make the muskets though and there still is the problem of finding it. I've been working a little with the barghest expert Sullivan though to locate it based on what he knows but I'm quite content to let Marduke get that one too.”

He was curious as to why Harold was helping them out all of a sudden but dismissed it soon enough as he was side treked at getting home. He had done a lot of research since being drawn into this realm.

“Good, three of the five stones are out of the way, Marduke gets the one from the barghest, you froend -”

“Harold.”

“Right. Harold gets the one from the Tommy Knockers. You got one and I have the crown too. So perhaps we should start with the yeti … or the lake, there was another that was rumored to be hidden at the lake ...”

Kirsty considered his words for a while before asking, "What is guarding the one in the lake?" All the other stones had been guarded by something. Perhaps there was a lake monster guarding the last stone. So, the question was which guardian would be tougher a yeti or a lake monster? It was a tough call. A lake monster could drowned them because if it could only survive in the water then they would be able to escape it being heading for land. She frowned inwardly then looked to Kevin, waiting for his answer.

“A creature akin to an eel.” He seemed to know what was on her mind. “The plan for that one was rather simple. I got a hold of a few magical potions that allow for breathing under water. I have two of them thus far and was going to use one to lure the creature from it's lair while someone else sneaks in to the lair and steals the garnet. Raher simple. It can only be at one place at a time. I have not yet given though of how the person was going to get away. I got two other potions that bestow the ability of swimming. Outside of the lake we wouldn't have to worry about the guardian.

“Once I figure out how the decoy is suppose to escape that option becomes viable.”

Kirsty shots her fiance an arched look. "That's your great plan? One of us tries to steal the gem while the other tries to out-swim a lake monster? And which one of us were the thinking of for that task?" She was a strong swimmer but out-swimming a creature born and breed to live in the water would be a feat indeed. "That potion had better be good."

He laughed a little. “Not a great plan by far, rather crude and needs a bit of work. The potions work extremely good and allow you to zip through the water like a penguin. I had been considering an explosive of some sort too, one person lures it away, me in this case, and while the thing follows the other goes and steals the garnet while the first deals with drawing the eel to the area of the explosion. It is better if we spend a little time rigging up something of our world, I can do a crude bomb though to get enough time for a remote would mean tackling something else first, like the yeti in the mountains.

“If we let Marduke deal with the barghest and your friend gets the ruby that leaves the garnets rumored to be at the lake and the one set one a necklace rumored to be with the yeti when a woman went missing on an expedition some time in the past. Their not strong leads mind you, these are leads I have dug up with a little bit of work.

“Alternatively if we catch the eel in it's underwater lair we can use explosives to collapse the entrance, go off to the yeti and come back after it starves to death.

“The yeti … cold dwelling, I have a few flasks that go up like Greek fire and burn with great intensity. I also have so aromas said to attract them as well as some of the magical tonics of the realm that allow for communication with beasts. I have done a bit of research and found that there are two of them out there … I was inclined to use some of the greater potions I managed to procure on them though I'm not sure how they'd function. Your thoughts my dear?”

Kirsty sighs and shakes her head. "I don't know... Neither one sounds like its going to be particularly easy. I suppose I'm leaning more towards doing the eel first." She had more confidence in her swimming abilities than her mountain hiking skills. "How long do you think it would take it too starve if we did manage to trap it in its lair?"

Kevin considers the question. He was no expert on eels of course or how long they could go without food. Spiders and snakes could go sometime without eating. He considers the question though and is about to answer when he is cut off by a scream outside.

Feminine and close by … his attention is distracted as he gazes at the trio here. “Go see what that was!”

Two of the men, the younger two that were guards of some sort scramble off. “What in blazes was that?”

Kevin, momentarily distracted, follows in the wake of the guards to check it out, emboldened by the presence of the two youths considering that going alone he might not have been so confident. It wasn't that he was a coward, not at all, it was just one of those things … like going into a haunted house was easier with a friend rather than alone, this had been one of those cases.

Kirsty jumps at the unexpected noise. "What's going on?!" She looks to Harold and the older man without knowing exactly what to ask them. She frowned and opted to follow Kevin instead. "Is the village under attack?"

“I'm not sure.” Kevin says though as they get out side they are in time to witness four men dressed in black leather armor and armed with short blades. One is picking up an unconscious girl in a pink dress. Her ears are pointed and she is smaller in stature, so sort of fey?

The two guards freeze as Kevin shouts out.

“Hey! Hey! Leave her alone!”

The men whirl about taking everything in about their uninvited guests.