A map of Pan's Palace... Aseren rudely grabbed the parcel and began memorizing the labrynth of hallways, staircases, and room arrangements.

"He has some new aid from each kingdom he has conquered. The Palace will be difficult to get into alone, never mind the complications once we are inside the building." He gave the map to Ben. "Each of you memorize this layout of the Palace. We cannot rely on the map lest it get destroyed or stolen on our way there." He thought for a moment before adding, "Kasoti will lead us to the Pantrizers, but we must hurry." He bowed in respect to Kasoti, then turned and nodded to Hiroki.

Thrin intrest was arroused as the last of his adranialene seeped away. "The map? Of the Palace? How in the world did that get here?" Out loud he said "Good, we can leave. We don't want anyone else stumbling in." When the map was passed around he memorized it thourghly, for the secound time in his life.

((Could you hurry up? Tom and Ditto are planning on raiding your kitchen.[Jobless but ]))

"Agreed, Xel. I will leed you to the Pantrizer's base. Although it might take a while to reach it. Do not be alarmed if you see figures in the darkness, as many of them are Pantrizers spies." said Kasoti. Darkness and Shadow finally got theirselves together and stood next to Kasoti. They saw the others and changed to an offensive possition. "These are our allies, not enemies." said Kasoti to the Weavile pair and started leading the group to the other side of the town.

Tom and Ditto snuck into the kitchen and took a peice of cheese.

((^lol ^))

At the mention of hidden strangers Thrin gripped his sword, now sheathed. "Stay close" he wispered to Shlath as he waited for Xel to take the lead out of the clearing.

((I took a peice of cheese. :/

((I know, for some reason it made me laugh .))

((Sorry that I was gone for so long. Two things. I am not Hawaii Angel. And, I do know what I am thinking, but I think of several things at once, while only focusing on one thing. ))

I noted the person drop in front of us, and Aseren approached. The man didn't wish to fight, but to join us. Or for us to join him. Now there were strangers nearby, and I was with Thrin, who was acting carefully. Hearing him talk to his Gallade, I look out a knife and my small bow. I placed the knife on the bow, for I had made the bow for that purpose, and aimed it into the clearing. I walked by Aseren, and whispered to him. "You are the person we need most. I will take point." I said, and moved in front of him.

Sevear noticed Hiroki take point, and decided to walk up next to her.

"Better two than one, eh?"

I smiled, feeling safer with more than one person. "Yes, it is. Thank you."

Shlath was displease, being naturually chilvlrous the Gallade disliked having a lady in the first line of danger. Thrin felt his displeasure because they had an emotional link, as almost anyone who becomes freinds with a ralts would have. He wispered "don't worry, if she had indeed seen Pan rise to power then she can hadle herself, besides" he smiled slightly "from what I have seen I don't think anyone can stop her. Also," his smile faded "I think that in a new area with shadowy people the back may be more dangours." Thrin rarley spoke calmly or consolenly to anyone besides his Gallade, who was alive that is.

Pan was surrounded, and dawn was breaking. It would be more difficult to hide, but fortunately that wasn't his plan.

"There is a reason I am in full plate mail gentlemen." Suddenly, a large shadow formed over them all. Every soldier received a shadow. Arrows pierced the air as well as the bodies of the living. Pan's army had come through. They were ordered to reign arrows at his location upon breaking through the enemy, but his numbers were considerably smaller than when started. Pan had lost alot of his men doing this.

It was like rain. Cries rang out and shrieks could be heard at every edge of the valley. A massacre was taking place. Pan simply curled up and waited as the arrows fell. Many others were not so lucky. Then the arrows ceased. There were still some men alive in the camp, but not many, and his forces were far from his location still. Some had made it to the armory and used shields to cover themselves while others were lucky enough to not receive a single scratch. They saw there chance at killing the Emperor and took it.

50 men were left in the camp. The first one will strike vertically... then the others will respond with needles and kunai alike. Sure enough, one charged and Pan surprised him. He charged at him as well. The guy had thought Pan would not move and so was taken off guard by a now moving target. As the soldier raised his sword, Pan had finished with his. The kunai came, and Pan used the corpse to take the hits before returning fire with his kunai. At this point 5 men rushed him. Pan's moves were as such:

Dodge, parry, kill, sweep, duck, kill, roll, jump, dodge, kick, kill, parry, parry, dodge, kill, feint, kill... all in about 10 seconds. More began to charge and one got up real close to Pan, before Pan kicked him in the crouch and finished the man off with a stab. He then threw his katana behind him, which landed into a man's head. Pan then gripped the chain around his katana, and flung the corpse at the several men front of him. A the body flew towards them he read how they would dodge and threw kunai in the appropriate locations. His katana was now free of the corpse it had made and Pan brough it flying back into his hands.

At this point the enemy began thinking clearly about using each other as a team to defeat him. Pan was impatient and so broke the stalemate by charging 3 men at once. One man was so clumsy and taken by surprise, when he drew his sword, he injured a fellow soldier. Pan then feinted and jumped over them and drop-kicked a man behind them into the spear rack, where the man became impaled. The other men were horrified at this battling beast before them. He used everything at his disposal. He would have been somewhat a threat to 20 men WITHOUT his ability, let alone with. The one-sided fight went on for several more minutes before General Camcardy found his emperor holding the sword of the Admiral in his hands.

"The man actually made me improvise," said a boasting Pan. "But it is unfortunate that we didn't see eye to eye and so I had to put him out of his misery."

There were bodies everywhere. There was not a single survivor in the camp. "It looks as though we lost an estimated 500 men tonight by the river," said Camcardy. "It looks like I only lost 7 men," answered Pan with a smile. "The battle has been won. Let us return and wait for Hailon's leaders to bow to us. In addition, they have alot of their dead to collect. Leave a mark on them and make sure their dead are too messed up to have an open-coffin funeral." These were the last orders from the Emperor before he left on his War-Rapidash. He then rode off into the sunrise.

Another day, another kingdom.

Ben motioned to his two captains who had the prisoner between them. They stood outside the group as Ben pored over the map taking in as many details as he could then passed off the map.

He and his captains took the rear guard in the troup as they headed towards these hidden pantrizers, Eclipse had disappeared, doing her scouting job faultlessly.

Alone with his thoughts Ben followed his mind's eye back to that day ten years ago when Pan had betrayed them all and left them for dead. Pan had renegged on his promise for Ben and he had ten long years to brood on that. 'Seer or not Pan will feel the bite of my blade' Ben thought.

He came upon his mighty palace gates at around high noon. The guards immediately opened it for him and he strode to his trophy room. It contained the relics and treasures of all the kingdoms he had invaded. He placed the Admiral's sword on a designated rack and observed from afar, his intricate collection. Shields, swords, crests, jewelry, robes, books. Many things were in this room. Each serving as a sentimental value to Pan. To him, it was a room of his achievements. He had a special place aside just for Aseren Sedge.

He then headed for the kitchen. The cooks were attempting to make the Emperor's favorite dish, but apparently they had run out of the proper cheese. I can't eat this... thought Pan. I had a fresh batch of pepperjack before I left. I will kill whoever took that piece of cheese!

But he did eat it. It was his favorite dish after all. The cooks did a good job 'repairing' the meal from almost certain failure. Cheddar now replaced the pepperjack, and Pan had to say, it wasn't too bad of a replacement. He later threw a feast for his kingdom, but really it was mostly for him.

As we walked into the place, nothing happened. About five yards into it, I started to relax. Big mistake. I thought for a second that I had seen a shadow on a rooftop, but when I blinked, it was gone.

Sevear noticed Hiroki relax.

"Stay on your guard," he whispered, "I don't like the shifty type."

EDIT : Grrrr.... double post

I immediately tensed. I thought back to the shadow. "Yes, but if they think that I at least am relaxed, they will attack now and we could beat them now, where we are at an advantage." I whispered back, recalling the shadow and noting the open spot. Kinar and Growlithe moved next to me, not taking any risks.

Thrin was walking in the middle of the group, next to Xel. His only consoling thought about being put in the area with the least danger was that if it came down to it, he would be the last one protecting Xel. As he walked he kept his right hand on his sword's hilt, and his left on a smoke bomb. Xel and anybody near him were the prime target of the entire empire, just the thought of it made him nervous. He looked at Shlath, he was on the other sid of Xel so that the target was in fact surronded. He wispered, "Shlath, get ready to teleport the secound I am either captured or my smoke bomb goes off, be sure to take as many people as you can with you." Thrin was nervous, so he set precautions. He did not entirley distrust the new man but being with the most hunted group in the empire often encouraged parinioa.

"I guess you're right," said Sevear, relaxing his grip on his crossbow.

"Just don't relax completely. You just need to act relaxed." I said.

Sevear sighed, then gripped his crossbow a little tighter.

"Whatever you say."

I mentally smiled. He was oddly obedient, unlike anyone else here.
"I'm just trying to help this mission." I said.

"I know you are," said Sevear.

Duke, come to my side.

His Lucario obeyed.