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[Langois]

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Snow fell slowly from the endless sky on the outskirts of the valley of Stonegate. Snow was not the only thing that could chill a man to the bone, the wind was also a factor. Wind blowing constantly, nipping at ones cheeks and seeping through even the thickest of wool. Wind and snow mattered not, it was never enough to slow down the blonde headed young man's swings.

*CHUNK* *CHUNK* *CHUNK*

It was constant, like fluid motion, man and axe splitting wood in two and when there was a large enough pile it was loaded on an aged ash cart. Gathering in this manner made perfect sense, wood was always needed. In fact there was always going to be a need for wood, too many to be mentioned. As the wind whistled by again it brought with it smells, it was only natural that it would. However, what this breeze brought with it was the scent of something wrong.

*CHUnk* *chUnk* *chunk*

The chopping stopped altogether as soon as a large plume of smoke made itself no more than a mile of where the young blonde man was gathering wood. It was not just the stench of wood burning that was in the air, but an odor of something more. "That smells like plaster." The man said quietly to himself, and soon he was drawn to the direction of the fire.

Malas was not known for great forests, however there was enough brush to create an obstacle to slow down forward motion. Eventually though, through the brambles and foliage and heat, the blonde headed man trudged on out into a clearing. Smoke like a wall billowed from the blazing structure before him, and a scream could be heard from inside the inferno. Without a second thought he rushed up to the large burning house, and dove into an opening in the outside wall.

*CRASH*

He tumbled, rolling forward and quickly got low to the ground. The smoke will kill you quicker than the fire will... The man thought. "PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME!!!" A feminine voice echoed through the house. As he crawled forward, flaming debris falling from above, pelted the young man. "Stay calm, I am here to get you out!" Bellowed the young man as he plodded forward on his elbows and knees.

As he continued on he seen a pile of rubble with what looked liked two hands holding each other, with a set of wedding bands them. The smell of burning flesh and soot was heavy, as he passed he muttered an oath and pressed on. When he got to the back corner room of the house he seen something, and there she was like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, there was still hope. A girl who looked to be no older than twenty years old, her face covered in soot and tears, lay limply near the middle of the room. If I do not do something now, we both will not make it out of here... Raced into the young man's mind.

In a last ditch effort he lunged forward and scooped up the lass, he positioned her onto his shoulder and bounded back the way he had just crawled. The rubble that the hands once peeked out from underneath had grown substantially, almost creating an impassable blockade. With all his might he leaped and soon found himself on the other side with a clear shot for a doorway. Soon with the young girl in arms he found himself back outside in the clearing. Outside there was a well close to the edge of the forest from whence he came. Like a clap of thunder, from behind him there was a mighty crash. The remnants of the structure that was once there was now just a large heaping pile of burning rubble.

The pulleys creaked loudly as he drew water from the well. Once bucket was in hand he drenched the woman. Soon she was rolling on the ground, sputtering and coughing. "Just relax a moment..." Slipped from his lips, as he gazed down at the young woman. Exhaling deeply he plopped on the ground beside her and rested his back against the well.

Soon sobs and tears poured from the girl as she stood shakily and attempted to run back for the house, falling short a few steps from the well. The young man scurried to lass and pinned her to the ground. "Stay put damnit, there is nothing in there anymore!" The young blonde man growled to the female.

"My parents! My parents are still in there!" She pleaded with the young man. "I assure you... They are not any longer..." He said with a sigh.

Soon the young woman was crying again, weeping openly and coughing in between tears. The young man stood for a minute and brushed himself off and sat down on the edge of the well. Time passed, and he let her have her moment of tears, "You need to breathe, you will suffocate if you do not calm down and breathe." He said to her, and she did, as well as she could anyways.

A shadow crept across the young lady as the young man stood above her and offered her a hand. It took her a minute but she finally accepted his hand and was upright and breathing steadily. "I am sorry for your loss... But... You no longer have a home and I have plenty of room, you are more than welcome to stay with me until you are on your feet again..." A little compassion tinged the young man's voice and a sympathetic smile crossed his face. "Really?" She stared at the ground, as the words left her lips. "Really." He replied.

"And what may I call the man who saved my life?" The young woman asked the stout, blonde headed young man. "Langois..." He replied and paused a minute.

"And who are you?" Langois asked the young lady.

She paused for a moment, wiping away some tears, staring down at the ground she said, "Shekinah... Shekinah Leigh..."