Alin looked at the countryside around her. It didn't seem like such a
pleasant place to spend the night in, especially after that attack on her
life. Then she heard the sound of voices on the hill below her.

She saw a man being confronted by Magitek armor. She didn't care how she
knew what it was called. When she drifted out of her thoughts she noticed
several bandits (or so they seemed and probably were) rolling on the
ground laughing, and the man she had seen earlier was looking ashamed and
a bit upset as the obviously cruel men made fun of him. Then the rough
thieves tied their victim up with a harsh rope; she noticed the sun going
down and decided that they were going to sleep. Only a fool would rest
without a sentry, she thought. As all the men but one unrolled sleeping
blankets and lay on them, she realized that, uneducated as these...
these... these incredibly mean people might be, they were not unfamiliar
with sleeping in the open. Although it seemed ridiculous for one girl to
be able to defeat a well-armed man, she knew that there were powers that
wouuld bend to her will if need be. What's more, she thought, I know how
to use my whip WELL. The thought was encouraging, but barely. This would
be only her third attack on a humanoid. But this time she had the element
of suprise.

The sun had gone completely down before she made her attack. Her heart
thumped uncontrollably in her chest, and even though she knew better she
was worried that the sentry would hear her. She peered through the misty
darkness, hoping for both her and the prisoner's sakes that she would be
successful. Holding the tip of her whip, she applied a poison to the
edge. So what if it might be considered cheating, but she had never
called herself a fair fighter. And even if the poison was meant for
swords, it had worked well for her and her whip.

The attack was over so fast she barely knew she had done it. Simply a
single slash and her opponent lay on the ground, staring with eyes that
would never see again. Oh great, she thought, it's just my luck that he
dies with his eyes open so they know it was an attack and not poison in a
drink or anything. She hurriedly ran over to the captive. He was still
asleep. Rummaging through her supplies, she found a knife and a small
flask of water. Quickly she began to work at the ropes. It was only a
matter of time until the next sentry woke up and caught her. The rope
fell to one side and vanished. Where had these bandits stolen a magic
rope? Pouring a bit of water on his face, she hoped that he would be
silent when he woke up.

The stranger sat up. "Wha-"

She silenced him with a harsh whisper. "No time for that now. Hurry."
Pulling his arm, she dragged him out of the makeshift camp. Still
mumbling about lost supplies and messages and things he had been dreaming
of, she guided the half-awake man beyond a few hills in the direction,
she hoped, of the Opera House. When they finally stopped, panting from
their excursion, she looked at her companion. There was not enough light
for her to see him well, and she did not risk a fire.

"What's your name? I'm Alin. I happened to see those bandits capture you.
You're lucky they let you live for so long."

The man seemed to wake up a bit more. "I'm Seb, message-carrier. Right
now I have an important message for the Impresario."

She smiled, although he could not see it in the dim light of the
now-rising sun. "Great, that's where I'm heading too. Why don't we go
there together? Maybe it would be safer."

"Sure. But first I need some rest."

He lay down on the grass and rocks right there, without any sort of
blanket. She bent down a few paces away, ready to take a nap, but she
tripped on something cold and sharp. Picking it up, she realized it was a
knife. THE knife. That strange knife that always triggered memories, that
always made her wonder why she recognised it...

"Drat these darned knives. Why are they always bothering me? I hate
knives." She barely realized that she had spoken aloud.

"Hm?" muttered her new companion.

"Oh, just go back to sleep." She lay down on the hard ground. She was
exhausted, but too much filled her mind...

NIGHTMARE.