The rocky flesh of Onogoron sealed over the wound, stopping the external blood flow as Darilan put his magical energies to work. The Goron suddenly leapt up and began to shuffle back and forth amongst the adventurers, stepping on several feet.

"I feel so much betterrr now!"

"What's going on back there?!? We're going to tip over!"

Veldam heeded the drivers called and urged the Goron down, grabbing a flailing arm and pleading. "Please, please sit! We don't want to break our wagon!"

Onogoron stopped and stared at the Brigadier for a while. "Yourrr wagon? Oh!"

He sat with a loud thump, and the wagon bounced again. "Wherrre's my wagon? I need to fix the axle! And my horrrses are missing too!"

Valens somehow remained calm throughout the bumpy ride, yet there was an eagerness in his voice as he spoke. "Your axle broke?"

"Yes. I was rrriding along and all of a sudden the frrront axle just snapped. Like this--"He held out his two hands as if there were a pole through them, and then swung them away from each other, possibly beheading an adventurer or two. "SNAP! I had to go to the back of the wagon to get a new one."

The Knights gave each other wary looks. "What happened then?"

"Let me think...I was hungrrry. I hadn't eaten since I started drrriving frrrom Rrruto. I thought I would get something when I rrreached the Knights."

Veldam sighed. "I mean, who attacked you?"

"I was attacked?"

"...yes."

"...Oh! Yes, yes, my neck hurrrt."

"Who did it?"

Onogoron shrugged and lay down. "I'm tirrred. Let me know when we rrreach food. Please?"

Valens stared at the sleeping hulk. "Well, it seems like he didn't see whoever did it. We did learn their mode of operations though. And it's evident that whoever it is is quiet."

Veldam chuckled. "Well, at least we know it's not some gigantic worm that devours everything in sight then."

__________________________

When they reached the Ruto Plateau, Valens and Veldam climbed out. Standing nearby was a covered wagon with a single white horse attached.

"Veldam, you and the Knights take Onogoron to our post in Ruto Town in the wagon. I'll go with these men."

"Sir?"

"It would ease me if I were with them."

"Understood." Veldam turned, climbing back into the wagon.

"Everyone else! Into the back of the covered wagon, and lay low. Goron, get in front. Let's go."

OOC: All these wagon's look the same!

Rosen shuffled past the many warriors that sat between him and the front of the wagon, his weight swaying the body of the caravan with each step he took...the left...the right...and a left...and a right. He'd surely stepped on a few toes as the wagon wasn't nearly as spacious as it should've been to balance the weight of hundreds of pounds of steel and flesh, let alone the portion which attached itself to Rosen. He could see from the corner of his tapered eyes the wincing of faces as he, no doubt, quickly stepped on their feet and with the weight of such a goron as Rosen it might've been less of a burden to just die by the hand of an enemy.

"You know, I'd get through a lot faster if all of you just squeeeeezzzeed in." He said, eying the bard who was, at least in Rosen's opinion, taking up an awful lot of space for such a frail creature to take.

But after a suffering chore of waddling to the front, he finally sat himself at the reigns of the horse who seemed more than content that he was at least carrying the weight of the caravan rather than the weight of the goron on it's lustrious alabaster coat.

"Ready when yooouu aaaarreeegh!" He hollered back to Valen, beckoning a sign to move forward back into the velvet curtains that swept into the tunnel in a veil of darkness.

"Yall better be careful because if I even doze off for a second, YOU'RE ALL GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE TO WORRY ABOUT THAN THAT BARD'S MUSIC!"

Aria knew that they would not understand her, and she probably didn't have time to translate for them, but the ranger still said an ancient Gerudic blessing to Onogoron and his guard of Knights. "Mögen sie eine oase immer finden." May you always find an oasis. A rather silly thing to say to Hylians and Gorons; they could find water just about anywhere. But it was the thought that counted.

The woman made the transition to the next wagon in silence. But once settled in the covered cargo hold, she couldn't help uttering another blessing. "Mai Hathera schützen uns alle." May Hathera protect us all.

The Gerudo gripped her spear tightly for comfort. It was time to face the unknown again. It was never a comforting thought, especially when the unknown had a high possibility of being fatally dangerous.

The silent scholar popped an eye open as the cart came to a halt and a new passenger was hauled on board. Wincing at the bloody mess and the quite clearly deceased Goron, Maverick wondered why he had even been put into the caravan with the rest of them. It dawned on him that this was indeed one of the fallen caravaneers that had been slain by the minions of Ganon in this dark place. As Victor pulled out his harp, the Apostle gave an approving nod and knelt down by the fallen one. He pulled one of his gloves off, exposing his tough human fingers. Feeling the blood, he sighed in relief. It maintained warmth.

As the Elegy for the Departed rang out and echoed in the depths of the North-South Pass, Maverick wondered if this was really the best place for music. However, his sympathies for the innocent Gorons that had been so unfortunate was stronger than his sense of caution. He watched in despair as the song failed, clenching his fists and shaking his head in disappointment. It was such a recent death... it should have worked! he thought to himself, standing up and replacing the glove over his bare hand. As he turned around, he heard that familiar rolled-R sound that lit his soul on fire. Whirling back, he was amazed to see signs of life returning to the Goron. Before he was able to cast Life on the poor, confused (and more importantly, hungry) caravan driver, Darilan had taken the liberty of doing so.

Maverick sat back down and smiled as the exhausted Goron came to begged for sustenance. "I'd be hungry too, if I had just been reborn..." he murmured to himself. As the decoy caravan continued its journey into the depths of the mountains, the mage continued in turn his meditation, listening to the surroundings silence in the caverns. He was prepared for battle, but unprepared for what sort of creatures they might find skulking about in the dark.

OOC: Yaaaaaaaaaaay!

IC: Well that was done. Victor's face was indeed still green as the Goron slowly came to his sense, but by the time he'd been patched up and healed, the Bard felt better as well. Unfortunately he had no cranberries for Onogoron, with whom he now shared a special bond through the intense process of revival. Or so, he liked to imagine. Victor smiled at the thought, and relaxed a bit. Perhaps today would be a good day yet.

OH WHAT WAS THAT.

The Bard's respite was a short one, as the Caravan lurched to a start once more. He'd forgotten already, but soon reentered his fetal position on the floor of the wagon. A few hurgks and gurgles later he was finally getting off... only to get into another wagon.

Forget the part about it being a good day. He responded to Rosen's insults with a few well-placed painful groans, and then tucked his head against his knees for the rest of the ride...

Abel wished Onogoron a peacful life. Then he silently wished that the Goron had told them something about the perpetartor as he silently remebered somthing somebody had once told him "We aare all just chalkstains waiting to get washed away."Abel setteled into the caravan hoping the attacker would show themselves doon.

Simon smiled. At least this Goron was able to provide some information. A broken axle - who would've thought. And, the enemy was stealthy, real stealthy, proving that Veldam was right. It probably wasn't a gigantic worm or any other really bulky enemy. No, it would have to be something a bit smaller, probably of the humanoid variety.

As they arrived at the plateau, Simon hopped out onto the ground, and stretched his legs for a moment, seeing as how they weren't exactly waiting on them (he was one of the first few off the old wagon). He also shifted he's gear for easier access and better positioning. Then, happy with his predicament, he climbed aboard the covered wagon, and muttered something under his breath. "Out of the frying pan..." He took his seat and stayed low, waiting for the action.

~Pyralin's wagon was in a rut. Well, not really. I mean to say that the man was confused, but his literal wagon was in trouble too, I guess. This is all a good bit confusing. Well, the wagon under which Pyre was currently hiding was not going any further. It appeared the adventurers were switching wagons. From what Pyre could tell, a goron was being interrogated about being attacked, and was very hungry. Then everything came to a halt, and a bossy sounding man told everyone to get out. This, of course, was problematic for Pyre, who had to find someway to move himself without being seen. That would all be fine and dandy if he were a thief, but as it was all he could do was track the adventurers to the next wagon, tame any wild beasts he happen to meet, and disarm traps set for those hiding under wagons. None of these skills seemed like they'd actually be useful.

And so, there was only one plan of action. He'd have to just reveal himself. Pyralin rolled out from under the wagon, taking his weapons with him, and tried to look inconspicous as he joined the rest of the adventurers in getting in the second wagon.~

So the goron doesn't know anything.... pity. We could have used that information.All we know is that the enemy waits for its victim to get out of the caravan to kill them. And last time it used a broken axle to lure the goron out-

Suddenly the cart stopped.

What? We're being attacked! Was Leth's first thought. But he was soon appeased when he was told that they were simply going to board another wagon. The one they were going to use to ambush the enemy.

Well, this is it. Leth thought as he climbed into the other wagon. He sat down in the corner and closed his eyes, waiting to start.

OOC: I'm back... glad to see the event hasn't ended without me

IC: Eberron watched in amazement as the previously dead Goron and chuckled merrily to himself at his request for cranberries. Whatever they were. He presumed they were some form of food. His grin restored, Eberron's eyes twinkled as he observed the miraculously living, breathing brother goron go to sleep. A deep sigh of contentment escaping his lungs, he turned to Victor and was about to give him his thanks and demonstrate his admiration for the bards incredible power, when a sudden jolt shook his body and almost flung him forwards. His arms flailing slightly, Eberron glanced around sheepishly hoping nobody had seen him. Picking up his bag and nervously playing with the large hat on his head, Eberron gulped slightly as he stepped off the caravan and into the next. Pressing himself against the floor, he placed his bag and hat to the side. Curling into a ball, Eberron kept himself to himself and waited for what was to come.

Saber stepped across the hard ground gingerly, trying to stay off his Goron-crushed toes as much as possible.

Come to think of it, I'm getting kind of hungry too...Wish I had time to look for something...

At least his stomach was eased a bit by the knowledge that whatever they were up against, they could fight. Whether they could fight it well enough to survive was a different matter, but that could be addressed later.

As he crawled underneath the cover, laying flat on his stomach with his sheathed saber clenched against his side, he tried to play through the situation in his mind. Stealthy enemies...in the tunnel...

"Light." He said, out of nowhere. "The passage is really dark. When the axel breaks, we need to make light or we won't be able to see the enemy. Whether through Fire or a Light burst, I don't know. If we can't see, Rosen's done for."

The wagon started forward with its new payload of adventurers, the cover flapping a little in the wind until it entered the tunnel. Once Rosen guided it into the passage, the sound of the wind died down and was instead replaced with the eerie echoes of the wheels creaking and rolling over little pebbles, and the horses hooves clacking.

Things carried on this way for over half an hour, a lone wagon pulled by a lone horse by what seemed like a lone Goron. Then, suddenly--

THUNK

The front of the wagon dipped. The horse, startled, tugged at the reins, but made no headway with two of the wheels out of order. The snap of the wood reverberated through the stone passageway for several seconds before fading into nothing, leaving only the sound of a snorting, frightened horse to comfort the adventurers.

Simon glanced over at 'Myron' as he entered the wagon (he never actually replied after that post, but I'm going to assume he entered the wagon). Something seemed suspicous about him. Simon was well read too, and noticed the oddity of the name at first. When Valens called him out though, he claimed to be of relation. Still, something was suspicious about him. He just hoped Myron was skilled in combat

Simon, well concealed in the wagon, chuckled as they headed in. It reminded him of the haunted hayrack rides he read so much about. The lack of sound was almost creepy, but the Scribe couldn't help but to like it. Then, the wheel dipped. He muttered on thing under his breath.

"Here we go...."

It was only loud enough that those right next to him or in his general vacinity would have heard it. He didn't care of the enemies had super hearing, and, for some extremely supernatural reason heard him, he couldn't resist muttering it.

OOC:

Stats
STR: 3
DEF (rating): 17
AGI: 2
INT: 5
SPI: 3
SPL: 42
HP: 33

Talents (Most recent update)
Goron Strength L2
Deku Agility L1
Hylian Intelligence L2
Exceptional Health L1
Train: 2H Sword L1
Train: Boomerang L2
Elemental Burst L2
Life L1
Epic Poem L1
Shield L1
The Quill is Mightier than the Sword L1

DMG
Deku Staff: 12
Deku 2H Sword: 17 (-2 chance to hit)
Deku Boomerang: 8 (+1 chance to hit)
Bombs: 9
Magic: 20

CURRENT
HP:33/33
SPL:42/42
Will:9/9

OOC: I don't have internet so it will take awhile for me to post. Sorry.

IC: Kagari noticed the caravan breakdown again. Kagari walked over to talk with onogoron. "Hello, I'm Kagari. nice to meet you," He said. He then waited for a reply as he pondered a thought. There was many allies here and they all are strong and have there own special abilities. He then thought he should get to know them somehow.

Alpha had climbed into the new wagon like all the other adventurers, hiding himself in the shadows of the cart and waiting for the events Onogoron had spoken of to come to pass. Sure enough, after only a few minutes of riding through the darkened chambers there came a loud thunk and the wagon began to wobble - telltale signs of the axle being snapped apart.

"Here we go...."

The Sheikah glanced over to where Simon sat close by, nodding in affirmation to the Scribe's words. He slowly lifted his staff and gripped it with both hands, readying himself for the inevitable dash - the caravan attackers would likely flee the moment the ruse was revealed, and the adventurers needed to be ready to take them out regardless.

He glanced around at the rest of the adventurers, assuring himself that they were all ready to go, and waited for some sort of signal - some sign to announce it was time end this charade and begin the battle.