The nausea slowly wore off as Xander lay on the ground in pain, he could still feel the electricity arcing across him as his body twitched in the dirt.
His vision was blurred and a slight ringing in his ears was more then enough to warn him he was in worse trouble then he wanted to be even as a red blob advanced on him.
The small demon like creature moved close enough for him to see and Xander tried to force himself up, tried to force himself to fight. As the creature drew a short sword from its sheath Xander realized he was going to die.
With a scream of rage Xander forced himself up and gripped the now squealing thing around the neck and twisted violently until a cracking sound ended the gibbering of the thing.
Even as Xander collapsed he faintly heard the approach of a wheeled vehicle from behind him, as he felt himself being lifted he glanced at the figure of a weather worn, though smiling, man before the world slowly faded away.
Xander's hearing came back first as he listened to the murmur of voices fade in and out along with the crackling of a fire nearby.
"Half dead… neck with his bare hands," one voice was saying when a slightly more irate voice cut in.
"I don't care if he walked on water and rebuilt the… in a day," he heard as he strained to hear more.
"Gently now," a soft voice said as he heard the speaker kneel down beside him. "The child, he was injured and we helped him, there is no threat in him," the voice said with a tone that spoke of ages spent teaching those who would not learn.
With a gasp he opened his eyes to an elderly woman in a black dress, a blue shawl wrapped around her to help keep off the chill as she looked down at him.
"Rest easy child, there is little threat here," she said and slowly reached out and laid her hand on his forehead, with a sigh Xander slipped back to sleep.
His eyes flashed open at the first screech from nearby; with a start he forced himself up and grimaced against the pain as dozens of the red creatures, similar to the one he had killed, swarmed over the wooden palisade walls, even as the men and women of the camp rushed to stop them.
When he tried to move he felt the pain rush through his side and he collapsed against a nearby wagon. His thoughts of the fight gone as he tried desperately to draw a breath.
A scream of pain brought Xander back as he saw through the fire a young woman in armor, barely his age fall to the ground, a wicked axe buried in her side.
At that point, Xander lost all pain, his focus entirely on the red thing about to put an end to the life of an ally.
With a roar of rage Xander leapt across the crackling fire pit and flew into the creature. As they tumbled to the ground the smaller creature snarled and spit as it jabbered away in a strange tongue. Remembering his last encounter with these things Xander forced it back with a kick as his hand closed around a blood slick rock, as the creature picked itself up and rushed him again Xander brought the rock across and connected with the creatures head and splattered more blood across the small camp.
Looking around Xander noticed the fight was over and several of the warriors stood near with weapons but seemed 'reluctant' to move closer.
He never saw the armored woman move up behind him, though he did feel the strike to the back of the head before he blacked out completely. The last thing he heard was the elderly voice speaking to the one who hit him.
"Now Kashya calm yourself, he assisted us tonight and rescued one of your rogues. Let him rest and we will speak with him tomorrow."
Xander woke to a pounding headache and the taste of stale vomit. Sitting up Xander took in his surroundings; several armed figures stood close at hand while others seemed to avoid him with nothing more than a scared glance.
As he forced himself to his feet Xander saw the armored figures tense and drop their spear tips in his direction.
"Hey, okay… no standing," he said as he scooted back from the spear tips and focused on a red-headed woman stride towards him with a sneer.
"Well outlander, you're either very brave to walk the Blood Moor alone, or very foolish. Either way, as soon as you're fit you must leave." She nearly spat out as Xander tried to remain standing.
"Blood Moor? Where the hell is that?" Xander mumbled as he tried to work up enough saliva to spit some of the taste out of his mouth.
The woman was about to respond when she was interrupted by the older woman from before.
"The Blood Moor is just beyond the walls, many dark creatures roam it and they have kept us under siege for many months now," she said as she held a small bowl of water out to him.
"Drink and spit to rid yourself of the taste child, most of my less bitter potions were lost in the monastery when we fled the forces of darkness," she said as Xander complied with her orders and sat back down before he looked at her again.
The woman from last night… Will she…" he left the dreaded question hanging as he looked into her eyes.
"Ashira will live thanks to you," she said as Xander leaned back and sighed.
"What was that thing last night? I've seen demons before but that one was new to me," he said as he thought back to them. "They seem rather… I don't know, simple," he said and flinched at the glare from the redhead.
The elderly woman saw the glare as well and looked at her pointedly. "Calm yourself Kashya. He has twice killed them unarmed so his question is valid," she said before she turned back to Xander. "Forgive her, she has seen too many of her sisters fall to them in the past months and it pains her that you are able to deal with them so… easily," she said as Xander turned back to her.
"Sorry for her loss, just after three years of fighting vampires and demons that are 'at least' four times my speed and strength the thought of fighting something as strong or weaker than myself makes it a bit easier," he said before he got concerned from the looks the older woman and Kashya were giving him. "What? What did I say?" He asked as the older woman moved closer.
"Child look at me," she said and waited as Xander focused on her again. "I am Akara, High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye and First Seer of the Darkness of Diablo… Tell me in truth that you have fought Leechs for three years of your life," she said softly as Xander became fully focused on her.
He doubted he could lie if he wanted to as he stared into her eyes. "Yes, for three years I've fought beside the Slayer in the Hunting of Vampires," he whispered before he was released from her gaze as she turned back to Kashya.
"Kashya you may remove your guards from him, if he could defeat the Leechs for three years at his age… perhaps he may be the one to succeed where others have failed," she said as she smiled back at the now sleeping Xander.
It had been a week since his abrupt arrival at camp
Ignoring the glares of the guards Xander ducked into the tent with a smile.
"Hey Ash, feeling better?" he said as he kneeled near the healing Rogue
"Only when I breathe Sander" Ashira said as Xander winched at the nickname
"It's Xander, say it with me here. zzzzz-ander" he as she just smiled
"And my name is not Ash, it is Ashira, and Kashya is not K-woman" she said with a smirk as Xander scowled.
"Ooh really? In that case its time for your medicine, if you skip it Akara has threatened to feed me Windigo oil for a week and since I have no idea what one of those are I've decided to ere on the side of caution" he said as he pulled out a thick brown potion.
With a grimace Ashira swallowed the heavy concoction and tried to work the taste out of her mouth "This is definitely a good reason to avoid being hurt Sander"
Xander grinned as he set the food down beside her "Akara says she's considering keeping the bitter stuff when she goes back to the citadel because so few rogues want to stay in her care now" he said Ashira laughed for a moment before gasping in pain.
"Ooh that hurts" she said before chuckling again. "But it feels good to laugh again, thank you zzzzz-ander"
With a nod Xander walked out of the tent. And nodded to Akara "She's eating and she seems to be in better health today" he said as the elder seer nodded.
"Thank you Xander, and May the blessing Azul Shine on you for your compassion" she said as Xander just nodded.
"Akara, I hate to be a bother but" he trailed of as he saw a smile in Akara's Eyes.
"But you would like to ask how long before you can find a way back home" she asked and smiled as Xander blushed.
"Am I really that easy to read?" he asked as the elder woman just nodded.
"Yes Xander, you are… to one who sees of course" she whispered the last part to him before handing him a small red potion.
"This is all that I am able to spare from my less bitter stores, if you could find the Athales plant while you are outside I shall be able to make more" she said as Xander grinned.
"Cool… what's the Adams lasts plant look like?" he said as Akara shook her head.
"The Athalas plant is a small herb with tiny white flowers, it grows wherever blood has been spilled" she said sadly "I believe this will be one of the greatest seasons for it in recent memory" she said before putting a smile on her face.
"Perhaps you should speak to Charsi or the rogues to see if any of them have some spare weapons"
Xander nodded at the idea but refused to let her change the subject "Akara it's not your fault, the mayor" he paused as he tried to find a close approximation of the Mayors rank "The leader of our tribe had a dark pact with the forces of hell for over a hundred years, just because something is evil does not mean it's easy to see"
With a sigh he thought about Faith "And just because you see it does not mean your immune to its touch" he said sadly
Touching his arm Akara looked into his eyes "So much Wisdom from one so young" she said before she smile "Enough of this weather talk, off to Charsi with you. And then you can show these forces of darkness your own touch"
With a grin Xander rushed off to the black smith
Xander consider sneaking up on Charsi until he remembered her hitting a fallen across the face with a red hot blade she had jerked from the forge //On second thought//
"HEY CHARSI!" he yelled as she turned around and smiled
"Hi Xander, what can I do for you today?" she asked in a chipper mood that was completely off from the huge mallet she carried with ease.
"Akara sent me to see if you have any spare weapons I can use when I head out?"
Charsi nodded and turned to answer when she was interrupted.
"NO" Kashya shouted as she stormed over "Those weapons are for my rogues in the fight against this evil" She growled as she glared at Xander "Not for some 'Outlander' who is probably a spy for the Darkness"
Xander was about to respond when he was shoved out of the way by an enraged Charsi
"WRONG!" she screamed as the Rogue captain stepped away "the metal for these weapons where bought by ME, these weapons were forged and created by ME" she shouted before taking a step foreword again "And I don't know what your problem with Xander is but these weapons are for ME to SELL, GIVE OR USE ON ANYONE I WANT" she finished as she toward over the smaller rogue.
Kashya just glared back for several seconds before storming off into the camp.
Xander sat on the ground for several seconds after the confrontation before he looked up at the Blacksmith "Well… is that a no on the gear?"
Charsi glared at him for several seconds before the next mood swing seemed to hit.
"No Xander, But it does mean I will have to be careful to only give you the basics" she said before leaning in "Until you pay for better that is, I'd hate to kit you out in full platemail only to find out you died when you tripped over the bridge outside and drowned"
Xander glared for a second before sighing "Charsi, it was a small mistake and it only happened once" he practically whined as they walked over to the weapons area.
Charsi laughed as she thought back to Xanders first day about camp "Xander you where swaying around like a drunken Paladin and you 'tripped' over Gheed" She said as Xander glared at her again.
"Hey I didn't really break anything and I did prove he was cheating" he mumbled as he remembered the glares the 'Used Cart Salesmen' had cast at him as the entire camp were demanding there money back.
Charsi was finally able to stop laughing as she picked up a few items for him "That's only because you crashed into the armor section, if you had been two feet over I think you would be resting next to Ashira for multiple stab wounds when that swords display fell over"
Xander looked at the assorted gear she had shown him and smiled "So how much of this stuff do I get?"
His face fell when She pointed at a stack of assorted weapons "One from there" she said before she pointed at the shield "And one from there, or else you can have two weapons or one double weapon"
As Xander looked over the weapons he considered his options //Sword, Axe, Mace, Short spear// Picking up a Pair of wrist claws he considered it for a moment before shaking his head and looking some more.
It was several minutes later he finally decided on a wooden shield and Axe he had seen in Viking movies.
Charsi looked at his selection and smiled "That is a good Axe Xander, please don't loose it"
Xander turned with a shocked look "Why Charsi, you make me out to be some sort of clutz" he said as he fought a smile down.
Charsi looked at him for a second before smiling "Xander, I saw you jump through the camp fire and kill a Fallen with your bare hands" She said as Xander smiled before she continued "The day before you went stumbling about camp and fell into an armor display." She said as Xanders face fell.
"Your never going to let me live that down are you" he grumbled as she laughed again.
"No Xander, I will not. Now go and see Akara, I hear she wanted to speak to you about something when you had your weapons"