Fleeing Etherian February 14, 2010

There they sat hand and hand for many moments before returning to the party where Graven and Gaia celebrated their union, making it official in the eyes of all present.

Several months passed without incident. Nearly every day since Gaia and Graven had been in a honeymoon state. They now slept together openly without hiding or embarassment. Soon their marriage became an afterthought of the commune and all looked forward to the day where she would give birth to the newest member of their community.

They awoke one morning to a series of explosions. Dashing out of their cots the five ran out of the house and into the clearing before ascertaining the direction of the noise, Gaia lagging behind in the 7th month of her pregnancy. The noise was coming from the west, back toward the way most of them had initially entered the forest. All of them remembered their panicked state upon entering and the reason for it, Iboga.

Several hundred feet from the clearing a woman was running for her life. Four rune bombs, seemingly much more sophisticated then the one's from years before, chased her relentlessly.
They heard the intensity of the bomb's humming and the whistling as they gained upon her.
Graven got in range of one of the bombs very quickly.

"Axis what do I do, these are different then the one's before?" Asked Graven quietly beneath his breath.
"They still carry the same signature, examine the runes, activate the shut down sequence."

Examining the bomb as it got closer Graven deciphered the rune pattern the best he could at range before beginning to gesture and call. The explosive immediately shuts down and self-destructs nearly blasting Graven in the process. Three bombs remaining.

The girl, obviously wounded severely, limps past the group without stopping screaming the entire time. "Run! RUN!"

Syrka was the next to confront a bomb. Standing there in intent focus he etches a rune in his mind, he then speaks the strokes one by one. The nearest bomb begings to vibrate and spin before ultimately shattering into a million pieces covering Syrka in dust. Two remaining.

With what he knew about runic patterns Adahn quickly surmised the self-destruct function as a rune centered to the spherical bomb. Taking a long stick he charges a bomb ramming the stick into it. He stabs the bomb several times before it catches. Taking cover as quickly as possible. Another dust cloud ensues. One left.
Veyn finding no way to stop the bomb determines to throw himself upon it to protect his friends and the new refugee. He places himself in the path of the bomb. The bomb begins to hum then buzz as it nears him, intent to anger and explode. Moments before it incinerates Veyn Gaia summons a body of vines which grab the bomb and pull it underground. The resulting tremor knocking Veyn off his feet and into a nearby tree knocking him unconscious.

As they all catch their breaths they gather Veyn and the unknown girl and take them to the clearing.
The girl's wounds are beyond serious and Adahn determines she has but a few days to live, her internal injuries too great. They place Veyn in the house on a cot and bring the woman in as well. She appears to be less then twenty years old.

"Are you in pain young lady," Adahn was the first to speak.

"It's not so bad as...as it looks, I can hardly feel any p..pain," she managed to say while stammering and struggling.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Sin...sin...agosa."

"If you can manage Sinagosa please tell us, what were those things after you and what were you doing here?"

"As to the first question I believe I have an answer already Adahn, as to the second..." said Graven while turning to look at the new arrival. Adahn scrutinized Graven curiously.

"I was...exiled by Iboga. He has taken control over the entire town. His machines are...are everywhere. I accepted my exile like a good citizen, though I scarcely understood the reason. Something about runes...I ..I don't understand."

"Adahn is lying...I don't know why," said Axis in Graven's thoughts.

"The answer to the first question Adahn was rune bombs. You recognized the power source at work as much as I did. Why you would choose to deny that fact I do not know. As to the second question it seems Iboga has broadened his definition of what rune-sight manifests." For the first time since they met Graven felt a genuine suspicion toward Adahn. Something didn't feel right.
Graven left the building in anger.


"Graven, Graven! Stop! You have to know I had no part in this. I had no idea the power source would be used this way."

Axis voiced his suspicions once again, "He's lying Graven, don't believe him."

"It does not matter. This investigation will have to wait. Gaia is giving birth soon and I have priorities. After the child is born we will decide your fate."

"There is no rush Graven, I am certain I can restore the evidence at any time."