Xion

Kisa followed her nose through some bushes. She blanched at the sight that appeared to her. She scowled and backed away from the sight. There behind the bushes...was a mound of bodies. Men, women, even children, and some animals as well. What was this? Was this to provoke them? She whistled to Ezra and Josh, calling them over to her. "I have no idea what this means. Did darklings do this? Or humans? From the smell, the bodies have been here for a day or so. I'll bury them. It's too gruesome to leave them to such a undignified death.", she said.

She used her powers and literally scooped out a hole into the dirt. Then she lifted the mound of bodies and put them into the hole, then covering the hole with dirt. She finished up and turned to the two guys. "I don't know about you, but that wasn't a good sign. Let's pick up the pace.", she said as she started walking.

Ezra looked over he shoulder and gasped. The sudden inhalation of the stale, rotten air caused him to gag and nearly vomit. "That... that's just horrible!" He watched her bury the bodies, anger rising in him. Not only did they kill, they had killed women and children! This was getting out of hand. His grip on his sword tightened as he came to a quick realization... if this was a warning to them... then there was someone else behind this. The darklings had no sense of strategey... granted the stone could control them as it wanted, but not with so much micro-management... This required a higher being... something that could strategize... A human, or worse, a Xion, was behind this. "Guys... I think we have a much bigger problem than we thought"

Josh glanced back at Erza. He looked suddenly Serious he watched Erza then gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "This is something I Promised i'd never let happen after we find the killer you have to promise me that you'll let me and only me take care of him I refuse to let you..or..ecspecially kisa get hurt" Josh now looked at both of them all hints of playfulness gone his eye's were staring hard at them his face was liek cold stone.

Ezra looked back up at Josh, his eyes burning. "No Josh... I won't get hurt. And this... this is personal now. But there's a problem with your logic... one you don't realize..." he sighed "And one I just found out. Look, darklings did do this... but not under their own direction. This was meant as a warning to us... darklings aren't capable of that strategy and the stone's not capable of that micromanagement. Someone's taken over the strategy of the stone and I think it's a Xion... a human couldn't keep the stone from killing it" He paced back and forth. "Josh, you're strong... but this'll take all of us... no... this'll take more than the powers of the three of us now to defeat" he looks back up at him "We need to get stronger"

Kisa turned to Josh and narrowed her eyes at the taller guy. "Don't try to play hero Josh, it'll get you killed for your chivary. Don't even think Ezra and I will sit idly by twiddling our thumbs while your arse is on the line. I thought you knew better. We're in this together, since the beginning we decided that, and it's not gonna change.", she told him, determination in her silvery gaze.

She turned to Ezra. "Do you know of any other Xions out there? If what you're saying is true, then we'll need a force bigger than the three of us. No one will survive if we're up against an army, but come, talk while we walk, we have to make it to the Edge faster now that someone is expecting us.", she said as she trudged along.

He sighed as they walked. It was true, even if they did bring their powers up, how could they ever match the power of someone who could control the stone. And what other Xions would break off from being Soldiers to join their group... a group of rogue kids trying to fight a war. He thought for a second. "There is one person who might join us... just might" he sighed. "And that's my brother... it's a long shot, but he's stationed in edge right now" he kept walking and thinking to himself, hand on the hilt of his sword.

(jess's turn)

Josh glanced at his friends he watched them his face was stone could hard emotionless stone He opened his mouth to portest and hopefully change their minds but seeing their eye's he new that was impossible. Josh sighed then gently shook his head and turned to keep walking keeping quite now very unusual for him.

Kisa spoke without turning around. "Your brother is our best bet. The other Xions are in the army and they can't spare us kids as second glance. We're in this by ourselves, but one person is better than none.", she spoke as she quickened her pace. The day was still young and they still had a ways to go until they reached the Edge.

After a while Kisa spoke out to Ezra. "So what's keeping your brother from helping us? Is he in the army?", she asked as they walked.

Ezra nodded, watching Josh to make sure he was alright. "Yeah, he's in the army. He's a high-ranking soldier and I'm afraid that might hold him back" He sighed and kept walking. "Still, he's our best bet. If we can get his help, we're set. with his abilities and our resolve, we'll take it out in no time" He looked over at Josh again. "Josh, you alright? You seem... quieter than normal"

Josh nodded when erza asked if he was fine but other than that kept completely silent trying to focus but his mind kept flashing back to the pile of dead bodies and by thinking of the pile he kept thinking of his parents and his colony being attacked Josh stopped and shook his head fear rising in his chest He sighed then quickly began walking away.

"Yeah, he's in the army. He's a high-ranking soldier and I'm afraid that might hold him back" He sighed and kept walking. "Still, he's our best bet. If we can get his help, we're set. with his abilities and our resolve, we'll take it out in no time"

Kisa nodded her head. "Wouldn't his absence be odd? A high ranking officer leaving, going AWOL to help a trio of rebel kids. That would tarnish his reputation. And might I ask, what his his ability?", she asked as she walked next to them.

She turned her grey eyes to Josh. "Josh...what's on your mind?", she called out to him as she watched his back.

He nodded. "It might, but he always said his first calling was family. He never really cared for rank, his purpose was only to protect. He's my role model" He smiled. "As for power, his main is energetic manifestation, though as a soldier, he's honed his other skills as well so he's pretty powerful" He smiled again. "Just what we need" He looked over at Josh concernedly and stopped, stopping Josh as well. "tell me what's on your mind Josh"

Josh listened in halfheartedly as the others spoke and conversed amoug themselves he jumped slightly startled with Ash stopped him and asked him what's wrong. Josh thought to himself then shook Ash off his shoulder. "Nothing. don't worry that pretty little head about it." the corner of his mouth quirked up into his famous half smile and he turned to kira. "Man am I hungry would it be to trouble-some to have a bite of that meat you have there?" Josh grinned completely now. Of course leave it to Josh to be hungry and forget about everything else. leave it to Josh to worry more about food then about his voice echoing through the forest and the danger that could possibly unfold on them.

Kisa stared at Josh, not believing his act. But she kept silent. If he didn't want to share, it wasn't her business to pry. Instead she fished inside her bag and threw him a chicken sandwich.

She turned to Ezra. "You also hungry? Or should we pick up the pace? Also if your brother does join us, we'll be grateful. We'll need his help and strength.", she added as she walked with the two guys.