In a hidden cafe' in the depths of Ellak City, a young man takes a bundle of padded silk from his pack and carefully unwraps it to reveal a statue of a small dog, covered with scars, but wearing a collar of wrapped ribbons, frozen in time with one little paw reaching out bravely.

The old man opposite him picks up the figure and turns it carefully in his hands.

"Not yours from the perfume that lingers," he says finally.

"No," agrees the young man.

"Annoying?"

"Often."

"Ah. Stubborn?"

"Completely." But the answer comes with a slight smile.

The old man chuckles. "Just your style then. No wonder you have come all this way. Let's see what we can do."

The elder has many names in many times. He is Horangi the Great Tiger, or Shaitan, the Blue Dragon, or Kasai, the Fire Phoenix. But the name does not matter. His legend does, and he is still only the Master to the once student sitting across from him.

As he moves his hands over the dog's surface, the form changes little by little until a living pup appears, smaller and younger.

"He had only four months before he was given into dark hands, in a dark place. I have taken him back to when he was new. It is less strain if I do so, although I suspect he will have no speaking voice for a week or so, until he recovers all his elven abilities."

"Thank you, Master."

"Don't thank me yet. I have something to tell you, and it may alter your course ahead."

The young man slowly sips his coffee and regards his mentor with attention.

"Chiasa's alive. I found her."

There is a choking sound, and the cup clatters down on the table.

"Yes, after all these years that we both thought we'd lost her, that He had taken her at last."

"How did she...?"

"That I do not know. I have not contacted her yet, and He has his servants tailing me. He doesn't know where she is, or I would not still be alive if he could manage it. I am not far ahead of them even now, so, if we are to go, we must do so quickly. Will you help?"

"Of course. I could never leave her, and if he finds her first..."

"Yes," the old man says. He has barely time to finish his sentence before the cafe door swings open and seven shadowy figures enter.

"Odds still in our favor, I think," the young man smiles.

The Master nods. "I have opened a portal to Sinhae in the basement. I can send the pup back to Crystania if you wish by making another small opening here, but it will be timed to close after him."

"Yes, send him home to my uncle."

There is no answer after that, only a swirling flash of light, and a command from the young man: "Run, Lappy. Run as fast as you can. Tell them as soon as you can, but run and don't look back."

The pup is pushed through the opening as the master and student prepare to meet the dark forces head on. Sensing the urgency, the little animal runs as fast as he can, but one of the dark forms dissolves into a think grey mist and slides after him.

Still, he is Lappy, no longer the miserably abused dog with bruises and a weak paw, but Lappy the brave, who saved his beloved mistress and her world. Lappy, the third key, now whole and fast as his little puppy body can be. Around his neck is the ribbon collar Lari wove with love. If he can reach Crystania, he can go to see her again.

The mist reaches for him, but love gives his tiny paws wings. As the portal closes, he leaps in a final burst of speed and dashes through the opening just as it snaps shut. There is a shriek of rage from behind, but the golden light from the Gearwork Goose just ahead beckons him in.

Only then, does he turn and look back just once, but all is silent. He has no idea what has happened in the place he left. He runs into the saloon, runs for the familiar figure of Nancy, who he knows and loves, but, when he reaches her, he can only bark and whimper. It is still too soon, and he fears there will be no time to summon them all. Yet, he must try; he must!

(OOC: Yes, this is the intro for WS4, but it is the story thread. Please don't comment here unless it is in character. I'll have the OOC thread up in a minute!)

Atrueheart strums her mandolin and hums softly as the crowd in Squirrely's Off Time Saloon begins to thin out due to the lateness of the hour. Squirrely is finishing up with the bar clean up and winks over at her when he catches her eye. As some of the bar's clientele sweep out the door an ill wind blows in, stirring up dust and causing Atrueheart's fingers to pause and her head to snap up. Squirrelly, always aware of Atrueheart, immediately walks away from the bar and over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. ''What's botherin' ya 'True?'' Atrueheart leans into his shoulder and slowly shakes her head... ''Something is in the air sweetie. I'm not sure what.'' She runs her fingers worriedly through her auburn hair and sighs. ''I need my Fallen Angels! I scent an adventure in the wind and I'm gonna need all their help to get through it!'' Squirrelly motions to one of the barmaids urgently and when she arrives at the table he murmurs ''I need you to send your man out to find the Fallen Angels. Have him tell them that Atrueheart is in need of their help and there's trouble afoot!'' Turning back to Atrueheart he wraps his arms around her. Atrueheart shivers in his arms. ''This is gonna be a bad one Squirrely! I can feel it in my bones!'' she whispers.

Willow along with her dog Ninger arrives at the Inn hurriedly and out of breath. Her glasses immediately fog up when she stops and as she cleans them everything is a big blur..

"Are the here yet? We heard something in the wind, something is happening we may be needed again?"

With one bark from Ninger in greeting to all, Willow takes a table next to True giving her a brief, slightly worried wave before tapping her fingers on the table in a rhythmic pattern that could become quite irritating if done very long.

Jed shuffles in and saunters over to the table where Willow is sitting, tips his hat at her and sits down, sipping his beer.

Meuido Island off the coast of Sinhae--16 years ago

The girl is playing the lute softly. She wishes she was as good as her older brother, but she isn't yet. The little boy watching her doesn't care. He thinks she is the best at everything she does. Her name is Chiasa, meaning 1000 mornings. It is almost as beautiful as she is, and she likes him. He knows she does. He always makes her laugh. He tags after her constantly, but she doesn't mind.

He would tag after Junu, too, but he is older, stronger, and faster. He indulges the boy with rides on his shoulders, but he spends a lot of time practicing with his staff and his bow. The adults are even worse. His father and Chiasa's spend their time in very serious talk, and seem to be very worried about Sinhae and the outlying territories of Crystania. Both mothers go over maps and talk supplies and routes. They are boring, all of them.

It's more fun to play with Chiasa, and maybe ask Junu for a piggy back ride. They make it special--the best trip ever!

Chiasa sings one of the little one's favorite songs. He claps his little hands together and tells her how beautifully she sings. He is only six and she indulges him. He makes her smile, but today is somehow different. It is an ominous day for some reason she can't define. Perhaps they should go back down the rise to the village. She would feel safer by her father.

And then she sees them, small boats landing just in the bend of rocks. Soldiers, but not from the government of Sinhae. They are Kukto, hired mercenaries. Striding ahead of them is a man in heavy armor. Suddenly she is afraid, very afraid. She grabs the little one by the hand and runs up the rise to the warning bell. Fearlessly, she rings it, but there are so many of the boats, and too little time.

The man in front of the mercenaries hears the bell, and sends a dozen men up the hill. Chiasa grabs the little one tightly, and they run farther up. If they can just reach Junu, he will fight for them. The boy is slender and strong even though little, and so they move quickly to the top of the southwest sea cliff.

Junu is waiting, bow and staff ready. He too has heard the bell, and his face is grim. "Take the baby down the side, and break the boats except for one," he orders his sister. "Put him in that one, push it off and swim there yourself."

"What about you?"

"I'll get rid of the hunters and join you, but go quickly! I'm a strong swimmer and a good diver. I can go off the cliff and connect."

He hugs her briefly and ruffles the little one's hair.

"I'm not a baby!" the little boy insists.

"Then show me how well you can climb down. Chiasa, go!!"

On the small stretch, Chiasa makes the holes in the boats, but it is harder than she thinks. The boy helps her by doing one. Above she hears the thrum of her brother's bow, and then the crack of his staff as he fights in closer combat. Setting the last boat afloat, she puts the little boy in, but a storm has risen, and the boat starts out toward the sea.

Desperately, she strips off her confining skirt, and heads into the water in her white underclothes, but men have already descended the steps.

In the boat, the little boy sees Junu on the cliff edge, preparing to dive, but he also sees a sword come down and the splatter of blood that comes from Junu's back as he plummets off the cliff and into the rocky waves below. The little boy howls and reaches for Chiasa, but she is behind him, still on the sand, screaming Junu's name in despair as she is dragged away by two men.

A third man shoots an arrow at the child, but the wind is too strong. Screaming and crying, the boy drifts alone farther away from the island until the storm washes him from sight.

And so his trip ends.

Aria listened to the story in horror while mindlessly petting Dax on the head. She was excited to hear that Lappy had been revived but desperately sad about the two boys lost to the sea and a girl kidnapped. 'We must help them' Aria mind spoke to Dax. Dax nodded and both travelers got up to prepare themselves for a fight.

Oceahna stood quietly at the door listening, horrified at the story being told. "Oh, no!" she thought, touching her most true companion, Misty, (a beautiful white cat who loved to swim), on the head so her words could fill the cat's mind. "We must find the s and hope they want to help these unfortunate beings as much as we do! Look, over there...they're here already!" Oceahna and Misty walked quietly up to the table and sat with their new friends while continuing to listen.