The group picked themselves up off the sandy ground, wiping their eyes as tears of hilarity stung them. Chad continued to stare blankly.

TGC: What?
Warteen: Never mind. But I must thank you for the humor injected into our small drama.
Q.Laine: What were we doing before Raine showed up?
Warteen: Hang on, let me go back a few chapters...er...allow me to remember. Chad had just shown up. We were looking for Erronius, who we've found. (noticing Bob the Ninja) Who are you?
BtN: Bob.
Warteen: Right. Bob. And we were trying to figure out where next to go.
Q.Laine: I want to go east.

The group collectively turned to her, staring as though she'd grown an extra nostril.

Warteen: Are you insane? Not only did Raine tell us not to go there -
Q.Laine: Because she's so trust-worthy.
Warteen: - but that's where the Valley of Death is.
Q.Laine: Where else would the master be?
TGC: What, we're going to go to him now? Let's all hop on the bandwagon of death.
Q.Laine: Look. I don't know what Raine was talking about with harnessing my powers. But I do know that there's a pull coming from that direction. And if you won't go with me, I'll go by myself.
Erronius: If I may interject - I feel nothing from that direction.

Q.Laine turned towards the old man, a flash of anger in her eyes.

Q.Laine: (pausing; then, with a sigh) That's where Raine is.
TGC: Raine? Raine's there? Well, maybe the east isn't such a terrible idea...

Q.Laine stopped him with a withering look.

Q.Laine: She's involved. As much as I don't want to believe that my own sister is part of this, I know that she is. I will not spend the rest of my life running from her and everything that she represents.
Warteen: Let's go east.

Q.Laine paused, surprised.

Q.Laine: What? I thought I was insane.
Warteen: Well, you probably are. But I'm in. Chad? Erronius? Bob? Unless anyone has any objections besides being a big wimp, (he glanced at Chad) I think we should go. This master isn't going to stop until we're all dead. The logical thing to do is to go to him.
Erronius: (nodding) Alright.
BtN: Where Erronius goes, I go.
TGC: Whatever. Are you sure Raine's there?

They set off, Erronius, Warteen and Bob in the lead with Q.Laine, TGC and Monkey trailing behind.

Q.Laine: Dude, Chad, you're not supposed to have a thing for the evil one...
Warteen: (to Erronius) So, what does a gaggle of lions look like anyway?

Erronius pulled an ancient scroll from his robes, unrolling it and handing it to the young warrior.

Erronius: Like this.
Warteen: Huh. I never would have thought of that. Interesting. Very interesting.

TGC stuck his head in between the two, catching the last of the exchange.

TGC: Can I see?
Warteen: No.