Curd sat on the floor and took off his gauntlets to remove grass that had lodged itself in the cracks, revealing scared hands.
"Thank you sir and Im sorry for being rude earlier," he said glancing at Toi,"After a fight I dont take well to strangers that show up right after. Most people dont offer me a place to stay".

He pets the little fox on his shoulder. "Dont worry about payment. It is my duty to assist those that fight against the Spirit King. But we can talk more about that at my place. Follow me."

"Sire I have retrieved Gardener as you requested. Though I do not know why you allowed them to live. I could easily kill them myself." The Spirit King spoke. "If I wanted them dead Gardener wouldn't have held back. I want them to grow in strength so they can join me. Those too weak to pass these tests will be weeded out. Do not worry my next test will soon be apon them." As he said this another figure stood near by in attention.

The stranger takes them to his home. A modest modern day dwelling in the suburbs of the city. He motioned to a cabnet. "There are some first aide supplies in there. I will get us some food to hold us over while I prepare dinner. I will be back shortly." He then disappeared into the kitchen.

Toi smiled happily at being petted, and looks at gad gad, "Neat, I wish I had sharp pointies pop off of me. I do need to get a weapon though, maybe some sai, aunt Kiko always used those, and it was so neat with all the twirling."

Frederick shivered as he stood up,"We need to eat and get out of here as fast as we can, soon enough we'll have more to deal with so we can't stay here too long or another beast will be upon us." He then carved a small incantation into the sword, the symbol near it formed into a religious symbol, Frederick then put it away, "You guys, we can't stay here we need to move now." Just then he shuddered and walked away towards the path, "Lets get moving."

"I hate eating on the run, gives me problems", Curd said with a frown if it wasnt already in one,"Ok, where are we going by the way?"
Curd got up off the floor and put on his gauntlets, he walked over to the door and leaned aginst the wall,"Everyone coming?"

GadGad's stomache growled audibly. "No! We ain't leavin' 'til I've had some grub!" he yelled with a stamp of his foot. He turned red, "Um, sorry to yell like that, but I'm really hungry. I'm gonna go check on our host, see if he needs some help with the food." GG left the room and walked into the kitchen.

He comes back and gives them food and drink. "We need to save time so I will tell you what I know. Ok long ago the Warrior King killed Scorn and shortly after sacrificed himself to bring final peace. We thought they were all gone. We were wrong. One was still alive, the Spirit King. He came to this world and began his attack. We know that he uses mainly shamanic arts but is skilled in all areas. We know about Gardener, who you met. We also know about his second Shadow."

"Shadow can use shadows and create gate-ways. He can create his territory where ever there is shadow. He is a tricky warrior. Sadly that is about all we know about his followers. Except that those the Spirit King kills, their sould are his to do with what he wills. Most he uses like fuel until they are gone." he holds his head down.

GadGad was almost in tears. "That's terrible! What would happen to a soul that's been used up? How cruel!" GG's stomache growled again. "Please," he sobbed, "can *sniff* we eat so that *snerk* we can stop this monster"? GadGad grabbed a chunk of bread and blew his nose on it. He turned to the others, offering them a piece, but, seeing no takers, ate it himself.

"I dont like the idea of someone hiding in the shadows at all, looks like Im gonna be carrying a candle everywhere I go", Curd said and grunted at GadGad's offer,"But what does happen to the souls that are drained?"
Curd began siping the drink he recived, noding his appriciation.

He looked down at the food. "From my understnaading they then cease to exist. The souls are lost. A few say they are reborn as demons. Whatever the result it is a horrible fate."

High above this meeting place the Spirit King and Reaper consorted. "So one of her operatives managed to get here. Well time to silence him before he causes too much trouble." He then summoned the elemental spirits of fire, wind, and electricity. "Fire fuse the air, electricity charge the air, wind focus the energy." The swirling mass then converged around his hand into a glowing ball. "Ion blast!" He fired it done into the building, blasting it too pieces. "Reaper finsih off any straglers."

The lovely raven haired beauty then landed. Her spirt, a soul reaper, in her syth. "Battle Si" she then let it fall to the ground. The ground broke as the energy flew to the rubble blasting wide when it hit.