Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Rune Aeterna 20
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Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 08-16-2002 10:29 AM:
Gran Adageros Chapter 20
It's time to start anew again. I know most of the action is in Asheri, but keep things up here too, people.
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"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 08-16-2002 10:31 AM:
Asheri Chapter 20
What will be the ultimate outcome of the bloody battle from the previous chapter? Will darkness finally be purged from a weary land, or will it destroy all?
..In any case, keep writing. ^_^
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"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Damion on 08-17-2002 05:17 PM:
Carrying his sack of stolen goods, Damion headed to the nearest town, hoping to sell his trinkets for a good price. As he walked down the dirt trodden path, he looked up at the sky, and a thought entered his mind.
What's my purpose? The blind sailor, the dark mage, those merchants, everyone has there purpose. What's mine?
He looked on, marching slowly into a small village. He searched for civilians, and found none. Walking on, he hoped to find a store that would buy his items for a good price. He neared a large tentlike structure, with red lining and a white canvas top. It held a large crest on its door. It seemed to be some sort of distorted snake, but he couldn't be sure. Damion knocked on the door, awaiting an answer. When he got none, he knocked again, louder this time. Still no answer. Now he was getting irratated. With all of his strength, Damion punched the door. It flew of its rusty old hinges easily, giving way to Damion's punch. Inside the tent looked to not have been used in a long time. Cobwebs and dust hung on the rafters above, while moss found a home amongst the dirt floor. Insects and rodents scurried along the ground, intent on their buisseness. One small mouse looked up at Damion and gave a shriek of suprise. It had never seen a real human being before. As it scrambled under the far off counter, Damion saw what looked to be a man standing behind the counter.
About time I found someone in this place.
Walking up to the man, Damion hefted up the bag of goods he'd carried and looked at the man. His back was turned to him, but Damikon intended to fix that. He pounded the table for attention, but still the man did not move.
Now what the hell is going on? Damion wondered. He reached out his hand, took hold of the man's shoulder, and spun him around. What Damion saw immediately made him regret turning the man. His eyes were looking into two sockets full of maggots and flies. The man had obviously been dead for a long time, but there hadn't been any wouds visible to Damion. Then Damion looked closer to the man's face, holding his breath against the incredible stench the corpse gave off. The man's flesh was still clinging to his face, and what flesh was visible seemed to be.....drained, as if something had drained his life force. No sooner had Damion thought that than he heard something move behind him, something big....
I don't like the sound of that...
Damion turned to look at what was making such a commotion, and there stood a large, black figure, eyes as red as blood. It turned its head towards him, and a low growl-like sound emanated from it.
This is not going to be pretty...
((OOC- Sorry, but I didnt' get the chance to read any replies to my last post. 
Anyways, this is where my char. is, so if any one would like to hop in, be sure to come fast! I'll be needing all the help I can get!! -OOC))
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There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Sayomara on 08-19-2002 01:09 PM:
OCC: Damn its been a while since I posted oh well i hope this gets things started again and Keigo if would like you can still Kill your character during that defence of the Earthquack Machine.
IC: Sayomara woke up on a bed in the middle of a hospital, with a younger woman staring over him, and he was fairly certain that he had never met her before, but she was smiling, and that was normally a good sign. The woman was very attractive with her purple hair, but Sayomara still couldn’t figure out why she was looking at him. I guess I better ask what she’s doing here,’ Sayomara thought. “May I ask who you are miss, and why you are standing over me?” asked Sayomara, trying to be as nice as he could be.
The girl looked a little angry, but looked like she was trying to hold it in until she opened her mouth. “That’s all you have to say to the person who saved your life and then brought you to this hospital? And then you turned into that crazy crystal thing, which made you about 100 pounds heavier. Do you have any idea what I have done for you?”
Sayomara felt sorry for the girl since she had worked so hard to bring him here, and because it was complete unnecessary since the ice hat would have healed him, but it might not be wise to tell her that right now. “Thank you very much for all your help Miss, but I would still like to know what your name is.”
The girl looked a little happier now, “My name is Tyr, and you’re Sayomara right?”
“That’s right, you could say I’m fairly well known in these parts. Speaking of these parts, where is this hospital?”
“We are in Parvini, a man named Bara has been waiting for you wake up since we moved you here a week ago,” Tyr said.
“How long have I been out?” Sayomara asked, now looking a little concerned.
“Well I found you around four weeks ago after the battle. Since then most of the injured have been moved here and everyone else has been getting ready for you to wake up and help them to destroy Linerin.”
Sayomara lifted himself up off the bed. “Well we should get going then, we don’t want any one to be waiting longer than they have to.” Sayomara said
After exiting the hospital he caught up with Bara. “Bara, I see you made it out of the battle almost unharmed. How are our forces?”
“Straight to business, I see. Well I can understand, I have not enjoyed just sitting on hand for the last few weeks. We lost a lot of good men and women during the battle for Endroth. I would guess almost of third of our force was killed with almost everyone taking some kind of injury. Most were not too major, but they still need time to heal, so that being said I would say we a have a third of our original force that can fight right now.”
“I thought our losses would be great, but now we must move…” At that moment, a strange craft appeared in the sky with a man sitting in it. A large number of people seemed unconcerned since Balanum airships were known to fly over Farai from time to time. Still, many looked up in wonder since this ship was unlike any that had been described before, but Sayomara knew it. He had seen it once before as he was leaving Carlanus Silverfinger’s house so many months ago.
Sayomara quickly ordered everyone one to stay out of the way so that a path could be cleared for the airship to land. Then the craft turned down towards the earth landing in the soft Farai soil.
When the dust cleared the man that came out was no other than Carlanus Silverfinger. “Sayomara!” he yelled as he jumped off the plane. “It wasn’t easy, but we got it done and we’re waiting for you on the shore of Lake Asheri.”
Sayomara’s eyes widened at the news, “YOU MOVED IT ALREADY! I asked you to WAIT until I sent someone.”
“I know, but it had been so long we thought that it would be faster if we just did it ourselves.” Carlanus said.
Sayomara took a moment to calm down. “How long has the machine been sitting by the lake?”
“Not more than a day.” Carlanus asked.
“Yes, this is bad if Linerin notices that machine before we have a chance to get defenders to it, then you will have to start out from square one.” Then Sayomara turned to Bara. “I need everyone we have to get ready to go in a hour, also send word to Volsung and Nascent to get the Ki mages ready to go. Then send word to everyone else that has been fighting with us to follow and tell them to follow as soon as they can. We have to be going very soon. Bara, are the Holy Knights still around?”
“I think so. Why?” Bara asked.
“Bring them up to speed and tell them to meet up with me as soon as they can.” Sayomara paused for a moment to think if he was forgetting anything, but nothing came to mind. “Bara, you best get going, you have a lot to do and not a lot of time. I will be working on things here.” Bara nodded and was off. Sayomara then turned to Carlanus and Tyr who had been standing at his side since they had left the hospital. “Carlanus, I think it would best if we leave that thing (pointing to the plane) here. You can ride with this fine young woman and myself. That is of course if you will come along Tyr?”
Tyr stood and thought for a moment, then said, “Yes, I think I will. I can’t let you go and die now can I?”
“I guess not,” Sayomara said, then lead them to some horses where they quickly mounted up and rode to the west side of Parvini to meet with the Terra mages, and to wait for the Tribes, the Ki mages and the Holy Knights.
Cue: Holy Knights, Bara, Keigo, Elyas, and anyone else that would like to come along.
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I have seen much in my day, but nothing as bad as this.
Posted by Tolfar on 08-20-2002 10:24 AM:
Tolfar weary from his travels innerely hoping for the "kindess of strangers" to come along smack him on the back and say get in.
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beauty dies and fades away, but ugly holds its own
Posted by Michael Sheredor on 08-21-2002 09:26 PM:
Michael had not stayed long in Gania, (as was his custom) but spent several nights in the company of old friends. They had chastized him for not joining them in their excessive merrymaking, but he ignored it. Once he had earned enough to pay his way to Akaros, he boarded a ship bound for Ioty.
The waters were calm and the winds were fare. Each night there would be much dancing on deck and Michael was very popular for knowing so many old sea jingles. Sailors requested their favorite songs and for many hours they danced and sung until they were all ready to turn in for the night or take up the graveyard shift, as the case may be.
Even with such good company as the SeaWolf's crew, Mic' was grateful when they reached dry land and he set foot upon the docks of Ioty. He never had much liked sea travel. He wasn't only to get sea-sick, but neither did he enjoy the constant rolling of the waves and dampness that all his clothing seemed to adopt.
Immediately, the steady income of the city could be seen. The city was well kept, though not extravigant. It was the type of city that any man would dream of making a home in. Most everyone was friendly toward Mic' as he made his way through the city streets, guitar slung across his back. He could tell that his time would be well spent among these people, as their faces were apt to smile.
He made his way immediately to a chapel where the head priest graciously offered him a bed at his own home. Mic accepted and slept the night away comfortably, eager to play for the people of Ioty the next day.
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Music can heal the hardest of hearts. Creator, bless my strings that I may compose so beautiful a rhyme.
Posted by Regit Seye on 08-21-2002 09:54 PM:
((Continued from 19... Just mentioning this because I posted just before the thread was closed... Orocia, when ya gonna get back?))
Regit mustered the strength to stand and slowly made his way over to the myriad flash of colors. He felt his foot go squoosh as he stepped onto one of the black splotches. He jerked his foot back as the ichor bit at his toe and wiped his foot hastily on the grass. After the burn stopped, he made his way around the Shadowspawn corpses and knelt by the flashes. He reached his hands out and felt flesh... chilled, but not cold enough for death. He guessed his hands had hit the stomach and placed the other hand a foot or so up, resting it gently on the person's face. He quickly ascertained it to be female, judging by the more delicate features... then he felt the blood on his knee. He frowned at pawed the ground next to the body, pulling it back covered with a sticky liquid. He cursed loudly and rolled her onto her stomach, making sure to turn her head so as not to smother her on the grass. He felt about her back until he found the wounds, then tore strips from his cloak until he'd made enough to bind her back. He did so quickly, plastering a bit of mud, proven sterile by a tad of Earth Magic, even that tiny bit of whoch sent his skull into cacophanies of pain, onto the wound first. He then fell backwards heavily, then sat closer to the girl's form. He spread what was left of his tattered cloak across her body, then let his head fall onto his chin, his staff laid across his lap. He sighed and fell straight asleep...
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The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Scarlet Rosenblade on 08-22-2002 07:27 PM:
[OOC:] Holy shit!! I haven't posted in FOREVER!!! *struggles frantically to redeem herself*
[IC:]
Scarlet paced the room restlessly. Though she was free to do as she pleased, something about the situation kept her on edge. She had been waiting several days to meet with the Emperor to no avail.
I thought he said he was going to escort me home.
Another flutter of unease tremored in her stomach. Ever since she had been stopped by the Nylian patrol she hadn't a moment's peace. She turned to the wardrobe where her possessions had been stored and retrieved her travel pack.
I don't care who's empire I'm in. I'm not waiting here anymore. If I don't see him by tomorrow I'm leaving.
CUE: ARAMUS!!! I mean it!!!! *rattles your cage*
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/scar.jpg[/img]
"When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion."
Posted by Lynn Kuyama on 08-23-2002 09:10 AM:
Lynn walked softly, her feet daintly dressed in a pair of heavy boots, fit for a man, holding her secretly hidden dagger upon her hip. She also appeared to be in a loose white blouse, with a heavy green vest atop it, a bit of shielding for her upper body. She wore her light green shorts, with the frilly lace on the hem. She pulled her emerald cloak around her, hood resting lightly over her eyes, to keep her well hidden as she walked through the city.
As she walked through the bit of outskirts to the town, she saw a little boy, collecting rocks, and setting them in a pail. His clothes were matted and worn, as if he had worn them for days on end. She walked up to him and knelt down, handing him a few gold coins. The boy looked up into the hood and smiled kindly, his golden eyes now shimmering like the coins set before him. His light brown hair waved about in the wind as he ran home, wide grin on his face, with his pail of rocks and coins towards his home.
Little squirt...
Lynn's lips shown a slight smile through her hood as she watched the boy run home, waving to her for a moment's glance. She then stood back up, brushed herself off, and continued walking towards the first tree to the north.
~~~~~~~~~~
Walking towards the meeting place, she finally found the tree. A young man stood leaning against the tree, his arms crossed in an unorderly fashion. He appeared to be dressed quite rashly, only in light clothes and a light metal breastplate, and a bag had been settled beside him. He stood quite a bit taller then her, she observed from afar, and had dirty blonde spiked hair.
She walked closer, until the man looked up from his glance towards the ground. In his hand, he held a piece of paper, but after looking towards her, he crumpled it in his hands easily and tossed it to the ground, treading on it. “So, who’s the kill?” He asked briefly, Lynn still striding towards him, putting a hand to her sword.
From a few meters away she looked up, “You!” She shouted and unsheathed her sword.
The man had seen her grip her sword lightly, also a katana, so he had readied for a situation like this. Swiftly, he sprung to the ground and made the upwards swing of the katana turn into a miserable waste of energy. Lynn growled in anger at this only to receive a kick to the hand, making her katana sail away through the air. The young man then quickly brought his foot to the ground and spun around, to only lunge another kick but this time towards her head. Lynn ducked down and hopped to the right, to catch off the kick as it came down. Suddenly, she felt a strike in the back. The man had managed to get behind her within a very short time. She felt the tip of her hood slipping off her head, then, with a strong tug, the hood and cloak were no longer on her.
“It would have gotten in the way...” The man said sarcastically, awaiting a reply.
“Yes, surely!” Lynn shouted, and twisted to kick at the man’s legs.
He jumped over them and blocked a following up punch by Lynn. As his feet made contact with the ground again, he hopped to the side in order to evade a straight forward punch. Lynn thought quickly, the man beside her, and her with good chanced to kill him. She twisted her right foot about seventy degrees and jumped, flipping and bringing out her legs to the man’s chest. With ease the man caught her legs and pulled her down towards him. Pulling her made Lynn fall towards him, this enabling him to throw in an attack. A punch swirled towards her stomach. She hit the ground hard, but managed to jump back up within very few seconds. She looked up at his face and awaited his next attack. Suddenly, he jumped forward lunging an easy punch at her. She skilfully dodged it by spinning to the side.
“Now!” She spat venomously.
She threw a punch square in his face. A bit of blood descended from his mouth as he spun around. Lynn’s only mistake was for her to think he was out cold. He lay there, still as death. As she knelt down, his eyes shot open and he grabbed her arm and flipped her over. As soon as she hit the ground, she spun him over next to her, but to her surprise, he jabbed her over. As they rolled over, he shot his hand towards her waist, unsheathing the dagger she held there. They stopped rolling and he twitched her arm across her body in a painstaking way. Him on top of her, their faces only inches apart, he slid the dagger up to her neck. She could feel him breathe in and out and he could feel her breathe in and out. They just lay there, with no movement. He was holding the dagger to her throat, one light twitch of his wrist would end this.
“Stop, you are hurting me!” Lynn whispered venomously.
“You would have done much worse to me,” He answered.
“You surprised me,” She said. “What and who exactly are you!” She demanded.
“I am an assassin,” He said, “like yourself.”
“You are an assassin, but you are nothing like me,” She spat.
“Ah yes. You must be a Guild assassin,” He sighed.
“Yes, and you are intruding upon Guild business, you freelance pig!” Lynn hissed.
“What business? With a pathetic Guild like yours? It can’t even seem to recruit or train capable assassins...” He mocked, and grinned widely.
"Hmph, well then what do you want with it? If it is so worthless, why have you come here?" she kept herself still, knife held tightly at her throat, whispering to him angrily.
He paused for a moment's thought, looking at the girl beneath him. "Well, I would like access to this so called guild of yours, just to see how well it actually is."
"And you are believing I can help, I presume? Without trouble, youmust allow me to then say that I have killed you, while luring another character, secretly you obviously, then into the guild's hideout, where you can see whatever you need to, then be out and about, with no further risk of my life? Does that sound good?" Lynn whispered to the man above her, compromising.
He looked into her teal eyes and smirked. "Eh, you have quite an idea. I think that will work pretty well. But still... it would be mighty fine to slaughter you right now... hmm... but that would also cause me more problems in entering the guild...I suppose I'll make a deal with you then." He spoke agreeably and pulled the dagger from her throat, resting it's blade on her chin hesitantly.
"But what if you betray me? What if when I lift this dagger from your throat, you tackle me over and hold another hidden dagger to my throat, then killing me?" he asked hesitantly.
"I would not, you have held me in a position where I simply cannot win, so I will agree with whatever you say I must do, in order for you to spare my own life." she whispered softly and honestly, with still a look of disgust and anger in her eyes.
He grinned slightly, mumbling. "She put up a decent enough fight though..."
He then lifted the blade from her throat and replaced it into it's sheath rested upon her hip. She nudged him off of her angrily and sat up, pushing herself off the ground, and standing up, brushing herself clean. He stood with no expression on his face and looked himself over. He wiped a bit of the blood from his face from that swift punch Lynn had given him, and began to walk towards town.
Lynn stopped him quickly. "I believe we may need to disguise you before we enter the guild."
Kane looked at her and smirked. "I was thinking the same thing. Do you have any ideas?"
"Well I could retrieve a cloak from my home in the city, and you could wear that. Does that sound like enough protection...? You may also have to speak differently, or not at all." she spoke intelligently.
"Yeah, I guess that's enough protection and you may be right about disguising myself. I'll try my best but if anyone gets on my nerves..." he made a neck-slicing motion with his hand.
She laughed softly. "Yes, I understand. I'll make sure no one bothers you."
They continued walking, Lynn being ahead of Kane for safety reasons of course, until they had gotten to the inn at which she had been staying. They walked into her luxurious room and she snatched a cloak off a chair for him. It was a pure black cloak, with the inside being a deep maroon color. She tossed it at him hastily and he threw it over himself.
"Hmm...pretty nice. This will work very well. Thank you."
"Did he just say thank you?" she laughed a bit surprised at the thought that he actually had some manners to go along with that ruthless attitude of his.
OOC: Kane helped me out a lot on this one ^_^ especially the fighting scene. Thanks muchly!
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"Things aren't always what they seem in this place, so you can't take anything for granted."
"Your eyes can be so cruel... just as I can be so cruel..."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 08-24-2002 02:06 AM:
Sekirah moved steadily southward from the battlefield around and about Endroth. It had been agreed amongst them that he and Cedric would take Tiffarah and Amanda to Xellos and they would all wait there for Zander's return, whether that be alone or with company.
Sekirah had reluctantly complied to the nearly unanymous vote, but it was clear that he would rather be at Zander's side, facing whatever dark perils awaited within the dark tower. It was also clear that Tiffarah, who walked near beside him with heavy shoulders, would rather that he had gone with her husband as well, to protect him as well as he might. She seemed certain that she had said goodbye to him for the first and last time, as surely as if she had sent him into the fires of hell itself.
Cedric attempted to cheer her, to no avail, with words of support on Zander's behaf. He insisted that Holy Knights were made of tougher skin than most foul creatures and certainly of srtonger will than servants of the shadow would easily vanquish. Depressed as she was, she payed his words little heed.
Sekirah felt for her but was at a loss at how to take her mind off of the danger's her husband would face. It was all he could do to keep her walking. Indeed, the farewell at Endroth had been a trearful one and neither of the lovers would let each other go for quite some time. Even then, it was only at the insistance of Alexandros that they must make haste.
Now they made for Sekirah's home in Helilal, though more secretly than when he last visited his home, as he remembered the attack in his kitchen from an unknown assassin. He guessed that his mansion must be watched closely from one of his enemies of old, or perhaps an old friend that had recieved word of his change of heart and wanted him dead before he had a chance to rat the man, (or woman) out. Slowly, Sekirah began to realize that he was not safe anywhere in Asheri and only a few places in Gran Adageros, where he had not done much "business" in his earlier years. It would not even be good for him to tarry long in Xellos, when he reached it, and he might bring to Tiffarah and the others more danger than they had left behind by turning away from the black tower, (if that was possible).
He spoke these thoughts to no one and the four ploded along in silence. They were not taking the road, but they followed the coast and then the hem of the Hollow Craigs on a more direct path to Helilal. It would only be two more days before the city came into sight.
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A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Nuldar Aldanere on 08-27-2002 01:44 AM:
A worn black boot sank inches into the mire in a particularly wet area of the Taren forest. Nuldar knew the place well and remembered a rather disturbing encounter he had with a group of walking dead in the same place, in his early teens. It was that day, so many years ago, that he lost his left ring finger to one of the zombies. That was the first time he learned that the Taren had deeper and darker secrets than trickster faries.
Why the creatures weren't there to meet him this day, he wasn't sure, but he decided not to stick around to find out. Jumping to grasp a low hanging limb, Nuldar swung up into the branches of a tall alder tree that grew so abundantly in the Taren. He had learned early that the faries only teleport you around the forest if you are traveling on the ground. In the trees, he could avoid their magic.
He had learned this important fact when he saw a rabbit scurry off the path and dissappear, then a bird fly from branch to branch without being hindered. He had soon rationalized that faries also never travel on the ground, but spend all their time in the trees while their only predators to speak of, (small woodland felines, closely resembling a bobcat in size and markings, but with a long tail) moved about primarily on the earth.
This day, Nuldar was headed for the city of Filiam and did not want to dally with the forest's mazes, or it's welcoming comittee of wolves and Zombies, (among other things). He was growing bored with the Taren forest. He knew it's dangers and mazes too well and needed something new. He wanted to hear another voice again. More than anything, he wanted news of the outside world.
Just days before, Nuldar had a narrow escape from three dark creatures. He didn't know what they were but had seen many of their kind suddenly creeping into the forest.
The towering chapel in Filiam was a welcome sight when he reached the edge of the forest. He was thankful that the trees of the taren grew so thick and so tall, as he had never set foot on the ground for at least a mile since leaving the muddy zombie nest. The chapel's tall spires could plainly be seen from his perch and he was filled with mixed emotion. On one hand, he looked forward to a voice besides his own, but on the other, he felt anxious about the large crowds and harsh looks that always accompanied the city. He had never been one to enjoy the presence of other people. They were always judging him, and scorning him. He distrusted them all. As much as he longed for the companionship, he shunned it. Nevertheless, he leaped from his perch and made his way toward the city.
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
Posted by Scarlet Rosenblade on 08-27-2002 06:21 PM:
OOC: Co-authored with Aramus VanVehementi. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! 
It was a fine day in New Dargent. Clouds floated peacefully over the bustling cityscape. The serenity of the moment was cut short as a small unit of guardsman halted a young woman as she was about to exit the city gates.
"Halt by imperial decree!" The young woman hesitated for a moment, should she flee or surrender?
Scarlet looked at the guards surrounding her, mentally sizing up the situation. She could easily outmaneuver them, but they would possibly pursue her and she couldn't run away forever.
"What do you want?"
"Remove your hood please."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she did as she was asked.
The highest-ranking guard concentrated upon the delicate features that were Scarlet’s countenance. After a moment’s deliberation he glanced freely among his men, "This is the one we're after."
His glance shifted once more to Scarlet, "Highness, you are not safe away from the Manor, please return with us. The Emperor has returned from an emergency council in Nyliam and sends his regret and apologies for leaving you without word."
Without missing a beat she replied, "If he still wishes to meet then he is welcome to come to Gania. I will wait for him no longer." Pulling the cloak back over her head she strode toward the gate that stood between her and the surrounding countryside. The guard followed and caught up with her.
"Highness, forgive me, but I am under imperial orders to escort you back to the Manor. VanVehementi will have our heads should we return without you. Between you and I young one, I enjoy my head just where it is." The guard attempted a friendly smile to coax her.
"And why should your emperor behead you for so little? Is he really that temperamental?"
"Please understand, he cares direly for your safety. Failing to protect you would be as though we've failed his safety directly, and we're talking about the safety of a man who's made many enemies in a short period of time. Please, accept our escort... I can only say so much." He nodded in agreement with his company of men.
Scarlet considered the choice that lay before her for several minutes. She could return with the escort and stay in New Dargent for only Creator knew how much longer, or she could return to Gania on her own. As much as she longed for the latter, she felt, curiously, the need to remain diplomatic with Nylian. Sighing heavily, she stepped toward the leader of the patrol and nodded.
"Thank you highness, your cooperation is greatly appreciated. I will not detain you a moment longer. My orders directly state we are to escort you to the Imperial Manor to be granted immediate audience with the emperor." As the company moved back into the city, the soldier bringing up the rear signaled to the men on the wall, informing the archers lurking in the shadows to quiver their arrows and stand down.
*********************
Princess Scarlet Rosenblade made her entrance into the assembly chamber within the Imperial Manor.
"Ahhh, it is a divine pleasure to finally make your acquaintance Highness of the Rose Blade. So, our rogue princess does in fact exist," Aramus nodded, dismissing the guards," and what a blessing it is to see you safe within my city's walls!"
Scarlet managed a small curtsy and replied, "You've only missed my company for a few hours, while I've missed yours for a week. I hardly feel I'm the rogue."
"You speak the truth child. I am indeed at fault for keeping you in wait for such duration. I was unfortunately summoned to very sensitive matters back in the capital city of Nyliam. However, now that I have returned I am eager to spend much time with you. Its a long ride to Pontifar, we'll have much to discuss along the way I'm sure."
"Pontifar?" Puzzlement stood out clearly in Scarlet's expression. She had waited so long for the Emperor's audience only to be taken to Pontifar? Her instinct began to cry out and at that moment she regretted not fleeing. She took this time to look into the face of the Emperor of Nylian. He still appeared youthful, but ruling an empire had obviously taken its toll on him at some point. His eyes were deep and commanding, as was his voice. She knew now that she would be unable to protest whatever he had in mind and that knowledge alone frightened her.
"Why so quiet now Highness?"
"I was under the impression that you were to escort me to Gania. Why then are you taking me to Pontifar?"
"Child, my fastest fleet is anchored in Pontifar, awaiting our presence for immediate departure to your homeland. Look not forelorned, your long awaited reunion is at hand. We are originally slated to leave New Dargent tomorrow in the morn, but at your request we can be travelling in an hours time highness. I and my empire are yours to command." Aramus smiled at the Princess. Her youthful vitae and passion for her goals was an admirable trait. One that Aramus found kindred to his own beliefs. He would enjoy getting to know her during their sojourn.
Hiding her initial fear and arching a queenly eyebrow she inquired, "Wouldn't the waygate be much quicker and safer?" Aramus's mind quickly began to think of a counter to her point.
"Though the spawn have been beaten back they still roam the plains. I can ill afford to jeopardize your safety highness. I am not best of friends with your father by any means, however, I know him well enough to know that he would rather see you home safely via the most secure route home."
Scarlet inhaled sharply as images of the spawn came flooding back into her mind. How could she have forgotten about the hordes of the loathsome creatures plaguing the countryside? A small light of hope entered her heart. Maybe the emperor wasn't as horrible as she had made him out to be. Perhaps he truly did wish to see her home safely.
"Forgive me for questioning your kindness. I will accept your escort with the utmost gratitude."
Aramus nodded. "That's the spirit my empire has come to expect from you, Highness. Simply say the word and we will depart. I can have a carriage supplied and ready within the hour.
"Yes please. I wish to return home as soon as possible. I've caused enough worry for my mother and father, and-"
She was suddenly overcome with emotion as her thoughts turned over to Indigo. Tears sprang to her eyes suddenly, stinging them, and she was unable to fight their onslaught. With a noticeable quaver in her voice she continued, "Thank you..." and ran from the presence of the emperor, not wanting him to see her tears.
Aramus watched as the vibrantly beautiful young princess ran from the chamber. He sat silently in contemplation, 'I take it that you wish to leave as soon as possible.' Aramus summoned a guard to fetch his personal carriage. He would be leaving soon and much had to be accomplished.
Her charms had a unique effect upon him. He would never be able to bring himself to kill her or order her death, but he would be damned before he would let her see the shores of Gania.
__________________
[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/scar.jpg[/img]
"When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion."
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 08-28-2002 10:42 AM:
Loneliness night was a sign of comfort, at least that was what Rossia being taught by her mother... but it wasn't the last thing she remembered from her mother... all the memories lies deep into her heart... It was late at night and she was in her room at a motel.
Lying in her bed, she couldn't closed her eyes.... her mind wandered into the darkness. It wasn't her first time... it happened every time she tried to close her tired eyes. Nightmare? No. It wasn't because of it. Noises in her head... gave her terrible headache each night.
Now, everyone else were drinking and laughing wildly at bar below her room. " This room is a hell! No wonder it is so cheap..." she mumbles to herself, as she walked to the chair where she hung her cloth. Dressed up, Rossia walked to the door and down the stairs to the bar for some fresh drinks.
Without the cloak, Rossia looks perfectly as a normal girls were, not even an eye missed her at the bar. Except a thing, she brought her dagger in her back which makes them knew that she wasn't ordinary girl, anyway.
" One plain water, please " Rossia told the waitress as she spotted a table near the window. Frowning to herself, she keeps on looking at the peoples outside the window. Those peoples are drunked, holding few empty mugs in their hand, singing loudly. Irritating.
" It is on the house, lady " a voice woke her up from her wanders. Rossia turned around and saw a man, wore a rugged shirt and a baggy long pants with a pair of dirty boots. He look a little rough, his deep blue eyes showed it. Unshaved, making him looks more like a street rat. In his hand, he hold a mug of wine.
" No thanks. I'll stay with some lighter drinks " Rossia answered quickly as the man settled down to the chair at the table. She keeps on staring at the man, which make the man uneasy.
" Well? What? Is there is something on my face? " the man mocked Rossia as she quickly turned her gaze away.
" Umm... no, sorry " Rossia replied as she took her plain water from the waitress.
" Geezz, oh well... Connor. James Connor. Owner of this little bar " the man introduced himself. " Call me Connor, or James, or whatever ya like, my lady " the man said as he harshly took a gulp of the wine into his mouth.
" Kitty. Just call me Kitty. I'll call you Connor " Rossia said as if she wasn't interested at the small talk.
" So, Kitty.... new people in here? Haven't saw anyone like you in here before... " Connor started to converse, keep on staring at Rossia. Rossia knew where does Connor placed his eyes on but she keeps on ignoring him.
" Yea... my first time. How about you? Long time running this little bar already? " the words popped out from her mouth but her mind still wandered on.
" Just few years before me father run away with his new wife... damn... I'm on this from there... I... " Connor doesn't finished his words before he collapsed into the floor. Rossia quickly got up from her seat to get him. Too late. Connor was a goner. Something wasn't right. The man's lip turned blue, and his face starting to blacked out. Poison! Someone has poisoned him! All the people in the bar stop drinking and laughing. They stood still in their feet, looking at the dead man.
Stood up, Rossia looked around for a few second before a suspicious man in large heavy cloak ran out through the door of the motel. Obviously, this makes Rossia begun her chase upon the man, who is running more faster after turning back few times at Rossia. This wasn't a wild-goose chase. The man won't run if he didn't done anything wrong.... or was it?
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 08-28-2002 03:35 PM:
OOC: Continuing of Rosia's post
The man ran down the street for a while. Then veered down a alley way. Where three of his partners were waiting for him. The man grinned to the three, who nodded each streching there fist. The man spoke , "Alright get ready boys. That girls as good as ours".
Apollo had been walking the street like he had been every night. His white tunic resting on him. It's blue trim flickered under the street lights. Warm ocean blue eyes glanced down an alley to see four men waiting for something. He looked straight ahead to see a girl running his way. She seemed dressed odd to be running. Apollo sighed judging what the men were up to. He had been in the streets a few time, and the city at night was no place for anyone.
Aproaching the four apollo spoke, "Fine night for a walk would you say".
They all laughed a bit at him. Apollo knew what was coming. The strong one with a rugged look through a hook punch. He had strength in his fist with that strike. There was a crack and apollo went tumbling to the ground. Apollo gently held hand over his nose to feel warm drips coming down.He calmly placed his hands on his nose. Focusing on the structure of his nose and the tears and breaks in it. A white light glowed gently. Apollo nodded and stood up turning appearing not to be harmed.
He approached them once more,
"Fists cannot solve your problems good sir".
Apollo had really asked for it this time and a quick healing would not do. They came at him quickly. Apollo did not do so much as through a single punch back. There fist went into his gut , as there feet indented his sides. He could hear the cracks and tears in his body. Apollo had taken pain before so there were no cries or screams. Then Apollo dropped to the ground. Broken and bleeding in the alley.
The leader spat down on him. Then noticed the cloak. "Oh dang it. This is a academy of magic kid. Let's get out of here before his buddies get here. Apollo could hear them leap the fence in the alley and run off. He could hear the girls footsteps get closer. He smiled, he had saved a life. He had done his duty once again.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 08-30-2002 01:55 AM:
The Darkness and the Light fade together
And so it came to pass that the company of Alexandros Fatali, Zander Kohen, Eloise Rane, and Marcus Kohen departed towards the Black Fortress within the center of Asheri. Their travel to the shores of Lake Asheri from the ruined city of Endroth was swift and uneventful, and within the span of few days, their gaze looked out over the waters, glittering like diamonds, towards the dark edifice that was the Tower of Shadow.
It was now that a great feat stood before them, for their intent was to penetrate the island without being noticed for as long as possible. Though their holy auras made it already difficult, the great distance between the shore and the island made it even more so. It was then that Marcus suggested that they attempt to channel their energies together and transport themselves to the island by transforming themselves into streaks of sunlight. The four drew out a great ritual, as to not exhaust themselves, and began to preform the arcane rite.
It was this rite that triggered the original suspicions of The Chosen, and as he sat upon his great dark throne in the highest chamber of the Da'mansul, and he turned his eyes into his great ball of dark glass, scrying out the area in which the companions preformed their magic. Fortunately for them The chosen did not pass across the area they had marked with runes of power until they had just passed into the sky.
In less than a second, the four blazed across the sky as beams of sunlight, streaking towards the obsidian shoreline of Da'mansul, and landing upon the north shore. A great gate stood before them, and they were able to enter through a smaller guardian door with little difficulty. It was here that the Chosen knew of their presence, for they had tripped a silent alarm of the most subtle magic, and he ordered a decisive strike on the companions.
The only two of the Eight that were within the tower led the force of Sha'vanel to intercept the Holy Knights whom were attempting to find their way to the Chosen. As the four entered a great hall, they were taken aback by the stark contrast of beauty and horror within. Dark rock carved into the forms of tortured souls filled the expanse, and they were strangely beautiful, though they were hideous and evil. It was then that the Eighth and the Seventh that led the assault on the companions. Great were the numbers against the four, but they stood valiantly and fought bravely.
After a lengthy battle, Marcus fell to the talons of one of the many greater Sha'vanel. Zander rushed to his aid, but his wounds were too great, and he passed from this world into the lands of Selivenron. Zander launched himself towards The Seventh of the Eight, and met him in single combat as Alexandros and Eloise consumed their enemies by all of the means available to them. The room was filled with light and darkness, bolts of bright energies whipping all about, blasting the dark spawn of Shadow to cinders and assailing the remaining companions with great power. Rublicant, the Eighth, hovered high in the hall, casting his energies towards Alexandros and Eloise, in an attempt to break the pair apart.
The earth was rent, and the pair of master and Apprentice were sent sprawling away from one another. Eloise found herself very near to Zander, and ran to his aid, while Alexandros drew upon the reserves of power vested in his soul by the Archangel Velesei, and in a burst of light and power, he was transformed by his inner fire into the Aeternal Alejihandro. Releasing his powers from within, he rained down white rays of magic from his crystalline wings, smiting the floor of the chamber and destroying many of the lesser Sha'vanel. It was then that the seventh, Mellin, fled the chamber, and Zander persued the creature with Eloise close behind.
Thus the companions splintered apart, for Alejihandro, even with his great power, was falling under massive assult from the remaining Sha'vanel, and he made his retreat high into the chamber, where he drew his massive blue crystalline blade and with it bore through the ceiling to the chamber above. It was another great hall, and he fled through one of the many passages within. Rublicant knew that which the Aeternal saught, and he feared the creature of the ligfht, and he fled Asheri altogether, taking his way to Am'asuvious. It was then that the Chosen knew he must stand against the Aeternal. It would be a great battle, and it was to be father against son.
Alejihandro had sped upward through spirialing staircases for some time, before he came to a great pair of doors emblazoned with arcane symbols. He stood before the doors and he called out in defiance to the Chosen. The Chosen stood behind the doors, his twisted spear in hand, the threads of his arcane armor clearly visible as he waved his hand calmly before him and the doors spread wide with a resounding clang that reverberated the entire tower and its great catacombs. The Aeternal walked forward slowly, facing the Chosen. The pair launched into battle simultaneously, and Linerin bore Alexandros to the ground with his unearthly strength. Piercing towards Alejihandro's heart, his black blade was deflected by an arcane word of power uttered by the Aeternal. Alexandros rose to his feet uneasily, for he had clearly underestimated the power of his oponnent. Linerin spun his yari about swiftly and with his preternatural dexterity, backing away and taking a position to take scope of the Aeternal son.
Spreading his wings wide, Alex concentrated his magic into one burst of the magical art, and released the great beams of energy towards The Chosen, who focused his own energies into a field of darkness that snuffed out all of the light of the Aeternal's magic. The two stood for a moment more before launching again into combat. Alex was forced back towards a staircase near the center of the room, and he began to retreat up the stairs when he was borne down once again, and Linerin pierced his left wings with his withered spear. The dark magics of the yari shattered the feathers of the wings, and Linerin was forced to back away for but a moment as Alexandros stabbed at the Chosen's legs with the Redeemer in the spray of crystal. The blade bit deeply into the Chosen's calf, and the razorwire tore the Reedeemer's blade, sending blue sparks about the chamber. Alexandros retreated up the stair, stepping off of the final step onto the peak of the tower, he found himself surrounded by obsidian battlements and dark minarets, but the dark one was close behind.
Zander and the Apprentice had followed the fleeing Veri into the depths of the tower, falling into rough stone corridors, following him ever deeper into the earth, beneath the sea. They battled many Sha'vanel, and their wounds were growing worse as time passed, but they pressed on with their zeal and fervor, persuing like hounds set loose on a wounded animal. For it was in their minds that destroying this creature was a task that must be done. The air grew ever more stagnant, and the heat was becoming unbearable, but they pressed on.
Alexandros stood upon the highest step of the final staircase within the tower, and his blade was gripped with both hands, held before him like a shard of gleaming ice, it was met by the Chosen's own spear, as it were forged from an impenetrable, yet tangible darkness. Alexandros was borne down yet again, and this time, the Dark spear pierced him through the chest, pinning him to the Red veined stone that made up the stone of the tower. The pain the Aeternal felt in that moment was unbearable, and in a scream that was heard all throughout Da'mansul, The Aeternal rent the spear from his body, and turned it upon the dark Chosen, piercing him as well. Tumbling back, Alexandros fell to the ground, his ruined wings and bloodied chest wracking his body with unbearable pain. But the Chosen was smitten with great pain as well, as the razorwire shredded the spear imbedded in his chest to bloodied ribbons, and he tumbled backwards, and rolled to a halt upon the foot of the stair. There was a great pause as Alexandros felt his life leaving him, he tapped into his powers and rose to his feet one last time, and from the top of the stairs, he cried aloud, calling upon the power of the Creator in his greatest moment of triumph and pain for Her assistance as he cast the Redeemer down into the torn form of the Chosen. The blue crystalline blade gleamed with a flash of bright light as the powers vested in Alexandros were imbued upon yet a new owner, and The Redeemer became the Heavenly blade Tarubeth. With the last of his strength Alexandros watched as the chosen was consumed in white flame, burning for an unending moment, until he was reduced to cinders and bone. Alexandros, entirely mortal once again, collapsed into a heap, unable to do anything as he felt the last of his life leaving him.
Zander and Eloise fiunally reached a great cavernous hall, but their prey had evaded them. Hundreds of black gates, however, stood before them, each labled clearly with a location of a place within the world, and though many of these places were unfamiliar to the pair, many were known as well. Unable to feel the presence of their hunted enemy any longer, they turned to return to the hall where they had parted ways from Alexandros, but just as they approached the hall, they felt a fragment of Alexandros' pain, for at that moment he was pierced by the dark spear. The pair of younger Knights rushed up the tower, and found their journey unimpeded, as most of the Sha'vanel, having been freed from their master's domination had departed to wreak their own terrors, but again, they arrived all too late, for they could see the ashes of the Chosen surrounding the fire blackened bones of his body. The icy blue blade of Tarubeth embedded within the floor of the room, only inches from the skull of the Dark Lord, told much of the tale itself, and Alexandros' broken form atop the staircase told that which was untold by the buried blade.
The pair rushed to Alexandros, whose inner fire was all but spent. Looking towards his Apprentice, he smiled a bit, blood dripping from his lips as he managed a soft laugh. He took both Zander and Eloise in soft, final embraces, and asked that they might bring him his blade for his death. Both of the youngers knew there was little that could be done, for the power of the dark weapon had poisoned his body for far too long, and he was beyond their aid. Alexandros took the blade Tarubeth into his hands, and his eyes fluttered for but a moment as the other Knights felt a great drain on all of the Mana about them.
Alexandros' eyes sprang open once again, and he cried aloud, "My knowledge of the days of Arcanis, and the glorious days of our Order, as well as that of our fall, I shall bind into thee, my Redeemer, Tarubeth, of the Aeternal Flame, for you shall be that which carries our legacy with the Aeternal Fire now borne within,"
And all was silent for a moment, and he was gone. Velesei lovingly took his hand and guided him to Selivenron once again, but this time, he would not return to Aeterna. Zander bowed his head slowly and made the Holy Knight's salute, and Eloise carefully mimicked his motions, mouthing a silent prayer for the guidance of her Master's soul into the heavens. Then, suddenly, Alexandros' body was misty and blue, like a ethereal icy corpse, and it faded slowly from view entirely, for such is the way of the death of Holy Knights. Zander turned to take Tarubeth, for he knew that it was Alexandros' intention in binding his knowledge into it so that it could be carried on for generations. He wrapped it carefully in his own blood stained cloak, and carefully stowed the relic upon his back.
The pair made their way out of the mostly abandoned tower quickly now, in an eerie silence, stopping only to quickly retrieve the corpse of Marcus, and they made their way to one of the many small boats upon the docks of the northern shore of Da'mansul, and from there they made their way across the lake slowly, to the northwestern shore. Their intentions uncertain as they pulled the small boat ashore and looked to the east, they saw a great blaze of light and color eminate from the tower, and immense streaks of many colors radiate from the tower as if some great magical explosion had shaken the foundations of Aeterna itself. But the knights were all but too tired to notice it, as they set up their camp, and made preparations for resting themselves.
They had not only lost a mentor and a father, but two revered warriors whom dedicated their lives, and deaths, to battle against the Sha'van.
Cue: Eloise, Zander, Jack
OOC: Alexandros is dead. Jack, feel free to knock the tower down now. I shall write a detailed description of Tarubeth for the one whom carries it, whomever that shall be. And, I bid you adieu, Alexandros. You have served me, and Aeterna well.
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Keiru Opal on 08-30-2002 03:09 AM:
Helilal appeared to be utterly still from outside the walls as Sekirah approached the city with Tiffarah, Cedric and Amanda. The gates had been closed and the only sign of life was the streams of smoke rising from the few fireplaces burning in the late afternoon.
When they approached the gates, a man called to them from a small guard tower above. "G'day, travelers," He said. "It has been a rare occasion, seeing anyone moving about on the roads with all the spawn haunting the plains."
"We did not come by the road," Sekirah called back. "We have come by way of the Hollow Craigs."
"Then you have made a wise choice; what few people have been traveling the roads between here and Teyre have either been attacked by spawn, or narrowly escaped."
"Then by all means, let us in before it gets dark!" Cedric piped up, not at all fond of the creatures since the battle at Endroth.
"Oh! Of course! I will require your name and manner of business," the gatekeeper answered.
"I am Sekirah Partam. My companions and I are returning to my home within the city from the Battle of Endroth."
"My! Now that is news!" the man said in astonishment. "I had heard rumors of the battle, but tell me, how did it fare in the end, if indeed it has ended?"
"It has ended," Sekirah replied, growing impatient with the overly inquisitive gatekeep. "The battle was bloody, many men and women died, but the dark creatures were eventually driven back. Some still remain in the city, but most have fled."
"This is fair and terrible news all at once. But come, I will delay you no longer," the gatekeep said. "Open the gate at once!" He called down behind the walls. At his command, the large doors of the main gate into Helilal creaked open and the four travelers strode through. The gate was closed behind them and they were able to look at last at the city as Sekirah recognized it.
While the merchants tents and stands that usually lined the streets outside the city walls were not to be seen, inside people bustled and bartered as usual. The only difference that Sekirah noted was a certain shadow that seemed to have fallen over their faces. The words, "spawn" and "vexes" or "vexi" could be heard everywhere in casual conversation.
Unsure of what might await him at home, Sekirah walked slowly through the streets with the others by his side. As much as he tried to delay it, though, they found themselves at the gates of his mansion.
Even from the road he could see that the windows had all been shattered and he drew his dagger, leaving his spear leaning against the gate. He motioned the others toward him. "I want every room in this place searched. No one goes anywhere inside alone. Cedric, you and Tiffarah search the East wing; Amanda and I will take the West. We'll meet on the third floor balcony if all is well. If you run into trouble, get the hell out of there. I don't know who did this, but all of my enemies are dangerous beyond any spawn or vex. Not so much out of hand to hand combat skills, but out of stealth. There may be an assassin waiting for us."
With that, the strode into Sekirah's home, to face what might wait in the shadows.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 08-30-2002 11:11 AM:
OOC- Thanks, Apollo 
Buildings after buildings passed by. Fresh winds blows slowly surrounding Rossia. It was almost dusk. Still, one same thing in her heart; catch the criminal. For ages, she haven't running.... her legs ached as she continued on chasing the man which had already out of her sight.
" Shoot! " mumbles came to her thought. She slowed down to take a few load of fresh air into her lungs. From running to walking, she started to lean on the wall while continued on seaching for the man. Memmories came to her again. She wasn't a good runner at all, at least she tried her best before she decided to leave her homeland. She stopped for a while to wipe her sweat with her sleeve.
Long walk to the an alley where she decided to stop and walk her way back to the motel. That was her thought before Rossia heard a loud noise in an alley nearby. " Noises never happen when nothing happened... " Rossia mumbles again and paced to the alley where she could recall the noises came from.
Calmly, Rossia paced to an alley. In her hands, held both of her dagger, gripped tightly. Cautiously, Rossia sneaked upon the alley but to her surprise, she saw a lad lies on the floor, in half unconscious condition. Quickly, she gets the lad, trying to wake him up by shaking him.
" Oh, damn..... what's going on! " Rossia shouted as she saw the lad suffered few bruises and bleedings. She placed back her weapons and helped the lad to lean on the wall. Few momments passed and the lad showed some respond.
" Are you alright? " Rossia quickly asked as the lad woke up from his unconsciousness.
" Yea... I'm fine... " the lad tried to stand up but blocked by Rossia.
" You're not... don't try to move.... maybe I'll get some help or... something else... " Rossia said as the lad tried again to stand up.
" I'll be fine, trust me. I'm Apollo... by the way... " the lad introduced himself to Rossia as she wiped the blood stain off the lad's nose with her sleeve.
" I'm Kitty... oh.... you are... " Rossia exclaimed as she took a good look at Apollo's cloak. " You are one of those students... you should be able to use your magic... " Rossia started to calm down. Apollo looked at Rossia and grinned. Deep in her heart, Rossia felt happy indeed. At last, things aren't tough..
OOC- To be continue by Apollo
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Kane Tallon on 08-30-2002 12:10 PM:
Kane tossed he cloak over his body and thanked the attractive female assassin. She somewhat looked confused, but laughed at the unexpected thanking. She walked to the door and opened it, Kane looked around the room curiously, "So is this the life of a guild assassin...luxurious room furniture and soft beds...no wonder you're all such wimps!" Kane mocked, awaiting an angry reply. But what he received was not a reply, more a heavy pain in his chin.
Lynn pulled back her hand and spoke angrily, "You call that soft!?"
"Yeah...barely budged..." He grinned with the stinging pain in his chin, "Let us leave..."
She shot him a deadly glance and continued through the door.
"If looks could kill, I'd be long dead!" He laughed and followed silently.
Lynn slowed down and Kane simultaneously bumped into her, “Watch where you’re going!” She shouted angrily, glaring viscously into his eyes.
“You’re the one who stopped walking.” Kane replied smiling sarcastically.
“Freelance p-!”
“Ah!” Kane grabbed her close without her expecting it and reached for her dagger, “I...wouldn’t continue...”
Lynn looked deeply into Kane’s eyes, then pulled away from his grasp gently halting her argument. He patted her on the shoulder and she instantly spun around with an annoyed aura coming from under her hood.
“Madam, your dagger...” Kane said. Lynn put out a hand to grab it, but Kane pulled his own hand back making it an unreachable object for her now. “I don’t trust you, turn around.”
Lynn pulled her hood down and glared into his eyes, “Who do you think you are trying to command me around!?”
“Kane Tallon...” Kane replied, “Now, let me put it this way...it would be easy to kill you...” Kane reached for the Katana strapped on his back and looked viscously at Lynn from under his hooded face. “Take notice, you left your Katana at the inn, and your dagger, I have...”
Lynn then realized the point of his command and turned to the side, pushing her cloak away from the sheath. Kane walked towards her and stuck the dagger in it’s sheath and buckled it. “Okay, that was it.” Kane stated, “I need to go to a weapons shop, do you mind?”
“Certainly not.” Lynn said in a poisonous tone
After entering the weapons store, Kane instantly walked towards the owner, who greeted him friendly and turned his attention to him. “Sir, I’d like to sell these...” Kane thumped his fighting claws on the counter and his short sword with them. The man looked at the for a moment, then picked up each one separately, carefully examining them like a machine.
“Mister, these are fine weapons, why would you want to sell them?”
“Just stop asking questions and buy them!” Lynn shouted at the man from the corner she stood in.
“O, of course miss!” Quickly them man pulled in the weapons and put them in the counter made of thick wood and reached for the money department in it and handed Kane 575gran for the weapons.
Kane then walked to the right wall where the sword hung in holsters clipped to the wall. His eyes wandered in excitement across the shining blades and bows. After reaching the end of the endless seeming row of blades, he extended his reach to a blade that was completely identical to his other. Also a katana. It had a slightly curved blade with a hole in the middle bottom. Actually, it was completely identical. After sheathing it back, he walked to the short sword and dagger section, and picked up a dagger with a waving curve in it’s blade. “Sir, I’ll buy this samurai blade here and this dagger,” Kane said putting the weapons on the table before him, “Also I would like a strong leather sheath and an across back strap for the samurai blade.”
“Finally done I see.” Lynn commented.
“...” Kane looked at her, then turned his head away again and strapped his weapons on. He walked up to Lynn and smiled, “Thanks.”
Lynn sighed and walked out of the door, Kane now beside her. He pulled his hood down and looked into the setting sun. They walked onward down the street towards the edge of the city, near the bridges. Kane stopped walking and pulled his hood over, then pulled his two katana’s. Lynn jumped away to the side and pulled her dagger. Kane stopped, still staring at the sun in front of them. A slight breeze swept over the street causing Kane’s cloak to sway gently in the breeze.
“What are you planning!” Lynn demanded in an angry voice.
“I don’t like this place...”Kane replied coldly, then turned his head toward Lynn, “If I were to attack you, you would already be drowning in your own pool of blood and guts.
“Meh! You wouldn’t stand a chance!” Lynn snorted in disagreement.
“And WE don’t want to find out do we! How about you sheath back your dagger and we keep on walking.” Kane suggested.
~freelance pig~ Lynn thought and sheathed her dagger. “Stay hooded when we near the Guild, which is now.” Lynn commanded, “After all, if your cover blows now, I want to see you defeat more than a hundred men.”
Cue: Lynn Kuyuma
__________________
One single hit.
In a single hit there is so much:
Energy, talent, sweat, history, and philosophy...
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 08-30-2002 12:13 PM:
time for meeting
Apollo nodded as he held his hands over his body. He could feel the energy flow through him. Seeing through skin, within to the torn muscles and broken bones. A white light surrounded him. It was gentle and warm much like him. The bruises faded and the bleeding slowed considerably. He leaned against the wall nodding to Rosia.
"Yes i am a apprentice of body magic at the Royal Magic Academy. Yet there was no point in healing myself as they came. The would have just kept hitting me until i ran out of magic energy. It was much more beneficial to take it and then heal myself. I saw the four waiting for you and i assumed......"
Apollo glanced down at her dagger. His eyes seemed to have a fear in them. He stood up gathering his calm. Dusting of the soot on his cloak.Then he looked at her with his eyes. Warm ocean blue eyes that seemed to pull people into there warmth like the tide. He spoke calmly,
"I assumed you were in trouble and i thought they would leave after beating me up a bit. Judging by your weapon I was wrong. Still violence is the worst way to solve problems. Through healing you can save a life, through a weapon you destroy it. Yet this is just my wisdom and i still have much to learn"
Apollo leaned against the wall a bit more. Then looked around. He cupped his hands to his mouth and gave a quick chirp. Out of a small box came a little black creature. It zipped and weaved through shadows. Crawling up Apollo's back and perching on his shoulder. He petted the little racoon smiling. Then turned to the girl once more, "Do you require lodging?"
OOC:just quick note rosia. Apollo hardly ever grins. He is calm and reserved. Other than that great rp. Hopefully rosia and apollo can be good buddies
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Damion on 08-30-2002 02:30 PM:
Damion's worn body crashed through the wall of the ruin he had come to, being thrown around like a rag doll at the extreme power of the creature he faced. As he started to get back on his feet, the monster delivered a strong uppercut to Damion's un-guarded chin, sending him high into the air. As Damion fell back down to the ground, he drew his sword and swung it with great force, splitting the evil creature's head open. Damion landed on the ground with a thud, stood up, and wore a grin that showed he had won. Unfortunatley, this battle had only begun, as the black monster's head began to regenerate and become as good as new. Damion stared in horror as the creature let out a loud battle-cry and charge at him as if his sword never severed his head. It caught him in the stomach full force, sending Damion crashing back into the ruins from which he had been thrown out of a few moments before. As Damion coughed up blood, he realized that the monster had somehow disarmed him and was holding his sword. It laughed, or something close to laughing, as it menacingly walked closer to Damion, sword pointed to Damion's throat.
((Ok, NOW can someone help me? Make it a bit more interesting, please.))
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 08-30-2002 04:32 PM:
Ivernes Chapter 20
Opened are the doors to imagination,
Find thee way to where thou might go.
Have fun in Ivernes, guys!
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Keiru Opal on 08-31-2002 03:07 AM:
OOC: As Sekirah
IC: The four companions met upon the third floor balcony, finding nothing suspicious, though the whole mansion had been torn apart on the inside, as though a great herd of spawn had decided to take a detour through Sekirah's home. Sekirah turned toward the door back inside. He hadn't planned to stay long there, but he was feeling the need to leave the place immediately and never return.
The four wasted no time and before the sun had sunk completely over the horizon, they had left the city, (against the advice of the gatekeep) each riding a rented steed. They made for Fayre in the south where they would take the way gate to Gania and Wait for Zander and Marcus' return in Xellos; if either of them were to return at all.
To their surprise, in the three days travel to Fayre, they met no opposition from forces of shadow, and passed several travelers. Either the spawn were not such a nusance in the south, or the shadow had been lifted from the land.
When they rode into Fayre and dropped their horses at a stable, they were greeted with a city that was largely repaired, compared to the last time they had been there. Being that it was late evening when they arrived, they decided to stay at an inn for the night and cross to Gania in the morning. If they left early enough and rented horses, they could make Xellos by the end of the next day.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Seth Tsaihati on 08-31-2002 07:57 AM:
After having a good nights sleep in the h'Ritter home, Seth and Terrin gathered their possessions and thanked the h'Ritter that had rescued them from being fried on the surface of the desert.
"I don't know...but I have a bad feeling about this day." Seth said with a weary voice.
"Don't worry, we're underground so nothing can happen to us." Terrin replied with a happy tone as they entered the long tunnel aheady of them. Here, the only vegetation was some slimy moss on the sides of the tunnel. Both set foot after foot as they strode through the long tunnel. The darkness never seemed to end. After walking about a mile, they had reached a large and oval shaped underground chamber. A weird digging noise sounded throughout the chamber with an echo.
"See what I meant." Seth commented at the noise. Both of them scurried towards a big boulder a few feet to te left of them. Seth unstrapped his crossbow and wanted to reach for the arrows, but his hands grasped nothing much but air. "Shit! I left my arrows back with the h'Ritter!" After exclaiming this, a loud explosion sounded from behind them. Instantly, as if practiced, both of them pulled their weapons and stood up behind the boulder. They looked at eachother and nodded. Seth tightened his grip on the sword he held, and Terrin his grip on the bardiche he carried.
"No doubt...that's a sandworm..." Terrin exclaimed in a low voice.
A shriek and a second explosion sounded behind them, "Most likely its big, and out for us then, right?" Seth questioned sarcastically.
"Sadly...the answer is most likely yes." With these words Terrin and Seth jumped out from behind the boulder and what revealed to their eyes was a gigantic sandworm. "Bigger than I though..."
Seth lifted his sword into an attack position and charged at the beast. An instinctal reaction was an amazingly fast sweep with its Tail. Seth managed to duck under its tail as it swooped over him. Terrin now struck the blade of his bardiche into the beast. The blade though merely seemed to scratch its outer layer of skin. Now Seth took a strike at the back of the large sandworm, he managed only make it look his way, its large mouth gaping with hundreds of sharp teeth. It charged its head down towards Seth, who jumped to the side, only to get whacked by the tail sending him flying about 30 meters. He hit the ground hard and rolled against a boulder. Blood descended from his mouth in a little red river down his chin. Terrin shouted and cursed in anger at the beast, and started hacking his bardiche towards its low head. This time the blade cut into part of the mouth and sliced several teeth from its jaw. But at the second attempt to cut into the sandworms head, it quickly raised its head and chraged it down at Terrin, who could do nothing more but try and dodge the attacker that would devour him at an error.
Seth started push himself back up and look around, he could see his brother standing there, alone, against a gigantic sandworm. Seth's last glance at his brother was at that very moment. Terrin failed to dodge the bite of the sandworm, and was chewed up within seconds.
"Nooooo!" Seth ran towards his sword which lay half way between him and the sandworm. He knew he had no chance against a monster like this, but still he boosted his will and made it to the sword and jumped away from the a following tailwhip from the sandworm. "You damn beast!" Seth once again tightened his grip on the sword and charged at the 'thing' that was at least more than 200 times his size.
The story of two becoming heroes has ended so soon, it was most likely not them who were meant to be the ones to cleanse the temple of the desert...
OOC: Not too glorious of a death, but they died in battle, they died with honor...
Posted by Jack Gildern on 08-31-2002 01:03 PM:
It was time.
The preparations were complete.
The Earthquake Machine was ready.
Jack sat back and admired his work, even as sounds of a large battle roared in the distance. Sayomara, although usually a calm man, was quite agitated and was pushing Jack to finish quickly.
"Well, it's done! Damn, that was hard......." Carlanus scanned the device and nodded his approval.
"It should function properly now. Perhaps we should......" The sounds of the battle faded quickly. It seemed a victor had been chosen. Sayomara appeared suddenly behind them.
"We must destroy the tower! Now! While it is weakened!" Jack jumped to his feet and hit the startup switches. The Earthquake Machine hummed to life, it's quiet whisper growing into a resounding roar. The large rounded aurium crystals calibrated themselves and aimed at the Black Tower.
Then all hell broke loose.
The Machine fired it's rumbling wave, the force of it's sound slicing through the waters and quickly approaching the tower. Around then, the earth balked, but they were able to remain on their feet. Shadowspawn began to surface from the tower, a blanket coming to smother the machine, but they were caught up in the wave and torn to pieces. The Black Tower shuddered under it's massive power, but did not give way. Jack slammed his fist on the control panel.
"Dammit! There's not enough power! We need to...." Someone made a noise, barely heard over the roar of the machine.
It was Virgil, and he was singing.
His voice lifted, a crescendo of complex notes accompanied by the sound of his lute. The Earthquake machine stopped humming momentarily, then began again, without radiating as much force. The device bucked slightly, then intensified it's power.
The Black Tower shuddered one last time, then fell.
It's obsidian facade shattered with the sound of a million mirrors breaking, with a sound like the moaning of hundreds of dying souls. A ring of magic, evil and black, exploded from the tower and encompassed Jack and the others. Shadowspawn desentigrated in it's wake, and Jack was knocked off his feet by the pure force. The machine died out, it's roaring quieting down to a whispering sputter. Around them, the earth grew slightly greener, the poison of the Black Tower finally seeping out of their roots.
The Black Tower was no more.
Jack stood again and looked around. Everyone was doing the same. There was a moment of silence, then the whole of the world boomed with a loud rumbling.
It was the world, rejoicing.
Note: This is the end of Jack. He's going to retire.
__________________
"If it's mechanical, it's my field of expertise. And if it flies, you're looking at the best damn pilot you'll ever see."
Posted by Bara Chinder on 08-31-2002 11:05 PM:
Bara had thought better of meddling with the holy knights.
After leaving the Ice master he became aware of how little he had mattered in the battle the day before. Also he had now come to terms with how little the nomads had done for the forces of light.
They had died. Oh yes. Given everything they could give. Children were left fatherless or motherless young men and women would never bare fruits of their families. But for what? Magic had won the battle in the end.
As Bara strolled away from camp he saw one thing clearer than anything. His brethren and countrymen had died and suffered for greater powers. Powers that had little meaning or effect to them. He had leds thousands of proud men and women to their death. And for what? A god that most didnt believe in? To free their lands from somthing that still thrived?
It became so clear and as it did He fell to his knees and brought up the meal he had just eaten. For that one moment he despised himself and all he had done.
Bara returned to camp to fetch his staff and a few bits and peices. After looking around the destroyed city he made north for the bush lands. Alone, as he had been in the beginning. When the tower fell Bara was sitting somewhere just west of the hollow crags, next to a small fire. As he stared into the flames he had little to No idea of what he would do or where he would go next.
Cue: whoever is intrested. Baras pretty lost now. He can be found easily enough. I dont have much Idea what do do with him at the moment but he can be at hand for anything affecting farai.
__________________
Were gonna break ya, its gone on for too long.
Gonna punish you for the things that youve done- Capdown
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 09-01-2002 01:38 PM:
"So... it is done..."
"It appears so, my friend."
"Gaxx, do you ever wonder if it will ever end? We were selected to protect the world from evil from high above it. But are we going to be needed forever? How much longer must the people of Aeterna endure strife?"
"I don't know if it will ever end. But try not to be so negative. A great victory has been won this day. I hear that the Creator may be bringing us a new friend, as well."
"The holy knight has been offered a chance to become an Avatar, then. I wonder how he feels about it."
"Well, Salamander, he's probably a bit hesitant. I don't know how it works for Holy Knights. I know there's another plane of existance outside our influence where he may go now that his spirit has left the body. It would be nice to have some more company, though. Three is nice number of close friends, wouldn't you agree?"
Salamander smiled. "It's true. But I suppose he will make his own decisions. Perhaps we should greet him, regardless of his decision."
"I suppose we should. Let us ride the winds to the Silentium, where souls await their destinies..."
OOC: Alexandros, would you like to represent the Holy Sphere as an Avatar? Salamander and Gaxx could use some more help!
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Volsung on 09-03-2002 12:18 AM:
Goodbye Sayomara
Sayomara sat on the shore of Lake Asheri watching the Dark Tower fall. At that moment Sayomara knew that the time was now upon him, and he went to talk to Volsung.
“Volsung, I’m truly sorry, but this is where we part.” Sayomara turned around and was about the fly towards the ruins of the tower.
“WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” Volsung took a second to get control of himself, then he continued. “The tower has been destroyed, the battle is over, what is left?”
Sayomara shook his head, “You’re young, but when you get as old as I am you know that the evil never really goes away, and that tower is a perfect example. You see in the pits of that tower the Veri and Vexs were reborn, and unless they are plugged those demons will continue to be reborn and infect Asheri.”
“Well if you have a plan why don’t you let me help you?” Volsung asked.
“Sorry this is a job for a water mage,” then he took off his hat and handed it to Volsung. “Maybe this will bring you luck.” Before Volsung could say another word Sayomara took off.
Many Magi who were at Volsung’s side including Veritas and Nascent watched in amazement as Sayomara flew to the middle of the Lake where the tower had stood and started freezing the water. A small part at first for Sayomara to stand on then he started making it larger and deeper all the time sinking deeper into the icy core until he could no longer be seen.
Several of the Ki water mages that were on hand said that the glacier went from the bottom of the lake all the way up to the surface. After a half hour, the glacier was visible from shore and almost everyone that had been on hand to help protect the Earthquake Machine was looking on in awe and wonder.
Volsung paused for a moment to look at what had been done. “Wow, I guess that is why he didn’t need my help and he must plan to maintain it by himself from the inside.”
Then Veritas walked up to Volsung. “I’m going to miss him too.” Then Veritas put the Ice hat on Volsung. “I think its time we went home.”
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/vol.jpg[/img]
"Listen! I've traveled every road in this here land!"
Posted by Nuldar Aldanere on 09-04-2002 02:40 AM:
What Nuldar had felt upon entering the crowded city might be easily compared to claustraphobia. It wasn't that there were many people cramped into a small space, by normal standards, but he wasn't used to having anyone within several miles, and here were many, many people within just a few miles. It seemed as though his loneliness was only magnified by their presence.
Shaking off the uneasy feeling, Nuldar left the street and entered a dark tavern, without any windows and only a few oil lamps buring around the edges of the large dining area. The strong scent of alcohol permiated the air, as well as a thin haze of smoke. It wasn't exactly Nuldar's kind of place, but he reasoned that it would be the best place to get information about the creatures invading the Taren.
It didn't take long... Among the incoherant chatter around him, Nuldar could hear snatches of sentances as he moved toward the bar. "...Damn filthy creatures..." he heard one man say. "...Raided my farm..." he heard from another. Still another said, "Evil personified, they are..."
"How can I help you?" asked a grim faced bartender, as he wiped down the counter with a stained rag.
"Do you, uh, know what's going on around here?" Nuldar asked.
"Sure," Said the man, giving Nuldar a curious stare. "People are gettin' drunk off their asses and pouting about their hardships."
"That's not what I mean," said Nuldar, thinking for a moment. He wasn't much of a conversationalist and he didn't know exactly the best way of putting his question into words. "These... creatures everyone's talking about, what are they?"
"You mean the spawn?" Nuldar cocked an eyebrow and nodded unsurely. "Well why the hell didn't you say so? Most people know about 'em. Not many know exactly what they are or where they're from. Most think they're from that confounded black tower in the middle of the lake, not that it matters; they're murderous evil things either way."
"So you've all had problems with them?" Nuldar asked.
"What, are ya livin' in a hole or something? Everyone's having spawn troubles. Travel is to a near stand still, people are being murdered in their own homes outside of the city and even the thieves are finding it hard to pick a few pockets without being waylaid by a pack of the beasts.
"They attacked Militus in the south a few months back and we've had em hanging around ever since. The damn things multiply real fast like, too. You'd be wise not to go a travelin' now that you're in town. Where ya from, anyway? I don't think I've seen you in here before; least not in quite some time."
"I'm from the Taren forest, though I don't think I'll be going back with those creatures there. I nearly got myself killed by three of them not five days ago."
The bartender gave him a hard look, as if noticing for the first time his rough and road worn look. He practically smelled of the wood and a glint could be seen in the gruff man's eyes.
"You're that woodsman everyone's told tales about, aren't ya? They say you was raised by the faries or somethin' and know how to use their magic."
Nuldar smiled for the first time in many months. "I prefer to be called a ranger, though I don't associate with their order. However, you can believe that you want about the faries and their magic."
With that, Nuldar returned to the streets of Filiam to find that the sun had risen again and he decided to go south for the first time in his life, to Militus. He knew that he would have to practice all the stealth he had learned in order to make it there without being hunted down by spawn or thieves. As usual, he left with only what he could carry on his back. He carried no food, preferring to hunt and gather as he had all his life, and only a few skins full of water. He looked back at the city as he left and felt grateful for the chance to talk with someone, though he had been a total stranger. Still, he lacked the connection that he so desired, that would allow him to pour out is heart to someone. Would he ever find it?
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
Posted by Damion on 09-05-2002 01:51 PM:
Damion grunted as the creature hit him with a powerful punch in the face, sending him reeling back in pain. Their battle had nearly gone on for an entire day, neither showing any signs of giving up. The creature, however, had the upper hand, its strength much greater than Damion's, and it wielded his long sword. Damion, armed with his short sword and staff, wasn't much of an opponent for the black monster. It easily stood twice as tall as him, and its muscles were large enough to crush a tree trunk. Its eyes, though, were its most recognizable trademark. No opponent that Damion had faced so far had ever held such cold cruelty in their eyes like this abomination. Holding his staff in his hands, Damion charged at the creature, staff in a spearlike-charge position. The creature sidestepped the charge and swung its sword at Damion's side, seeking to rip his torso from his legs. At the same time, Damion unsheathed his short sword a bit, able to counter the slash as it struck the metal blade of the short sword.
Dammit....this guy is too much! How in the seven hells am I going to beat him?!
The creature and Damion stared each other down while they caught their breath, seeing who would back down first. As their eyes locked, an arrow flew past Damion's head and hit the monster's right hand, forcing it to abandon Damion's long sword. Turning on the balls of his feet, Damion spun around to see where the arrow had come from. A short, thin man in baggy cloak in hood stood there, already another arrow in place for attack. The hood hid the man's face, but Damion could sense that he was grinning. The monster was not happy. Two-on-one odds were bad for it, and it did not want to die today. Clutching its hand to its chest, it fled the battlefield with great speed, leaving Damion's sword on the ground. After picking it up, Damion walked over to the man who had saved his hide. As he neared, he noticed that the man had a rather large chest.
"Thanks for helping me out there, sir. May I ask your name?"
The man flipped back his hood, and Damion was caught by suprise.
"No problem. However, I'm not a man, and my name is Zera."
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Keiru Opal on 09-06-2002 01:10 PM:
Unlike many of the other taverns in Fayre, the one that Sekirah and his companions came upon to find some rooms for the night was clean and well lit. Men in expensive suits and arrogant smiles turned to stare at them awkwardly.
"What can I do ya for?" asked the clean-cut barkeep.
"We're interested in some rooms upstairs," Cedric said, eager to be away from the prying eyes of the many patrons.
"Don't you think these are a bit over your price range?" asked the man, noting their less than stately, travelworn attire.
"Don't play games with me, Gerald," Sekirah said impatiently. "We'd just like some rooms and a promise that you'll keep your mouth shut while I'm in town."
"Sekirah?" the barkeep asked in a whisper. "I didn't regognize you, traveling with a group like this. I'd be happy to do both. We've got two rooms that would be perfect for you."
"Uh... We need four," Said Tiffarah uneasily.
"I'm sorry, miss; that's all I have," Gerald said in a genuinely apologetic tone.
"Two will do," Sekirah said. "Cedric and I will bunk in one and the ladies in another. But do keep yourselves on guard. I wouldn't reccommend that you both sleep at the same time."
"Sekirah, If I may?" the barkeep questioned and Sekirah turned to him. "If you are on the run... I have aquired a map that shows a course to a new continent."
"Get off it, man," Amanda said. "We're not so easily swindled. Everyone knows how to get to Gran Adageros, and you don't need a ship to do it, any more."
"No, not that Continent," Gerald insisted. An even newer one. People round here are calling it Ivernes."
"And you think I could hide there, if I need to?" Sekirah asked, a bit more trusting of the barkeep than Amanda, since they were old friends.
"Oh, for certain, you can. If you survive the voyage there, that is. Judging by my map, you could fit both Gran Adageros and Asheri inside it easily and have room to spare.
"I could make you a copy of the map and have it ready for you in the morning, before you leave."
"Can I have your word that you won't sell it to anyone that's following me?" Sekirah asked him.
"Well, I can't promise you that much, but I can promise you that I won't tell any of them that you're on your way there. Of course, they might not want the map, if they don't think you're going to Ivernes, but that's a business chance that I'm willing to take for you."
Sekirah chuckled a bit, "Coming from you Gerald, that means alot. I'll take the map. I'll pick it up on my way out thismorning."
With that, Gerald gave them the keys to their rooms and they went up stairs, leaving him with a substancial amount of money for both the map and their rooms. Gerald had a smile on his face, marveling at how much money this map would bring him, when a dark figure came up to the counter from the back of the room.
Gerald's face dropped only slightly at the sight of the man, but he gave him the information he wanted, nonetheless.
"He took the bait. I'll have your copy ready in the morning as well."
The dark figure nodded and returned to his place in the shadows.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Longines Grimwinter on 09-07-2002 12:03 AM:
"Meravios, I will not vote in the empire's favor. Asheri belongs to us, and not them. Get out of my office."
Meravios gave the aristocrat a stern look. "You have nothing to gain by resisting Nyliam, sir. You won't reconsider?"
"I will not. Get thee out of my chambers."
"So be it." Meravios cast a stray glance to the corner of the room. He hesitated only a moment before returning his stony stare to Redonam, a former Fayre noble. "One more chance, Redonam. If you vote for the empire tomorrow, then I need not trouble anyone else tonight. We have five... willing participants."
"Ba! A mockery of democracy. The empire will do what it pleases, regardless of the vote. Begone, and do not trouble me again. We both know it doesn't matter how I vote. Get thee hence."
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Meravios exited the chamber and pulled the door closed behind him.
Redonam leaned back in his chair. "How tedious. A vote for higher taxes. Rediculous. All so Aramus can pad his ass on plush pillows."
Redonam closed his eyes slightly, tired from the long day. He began to doze lightly. After a few moments, he spied a glint of light and jerked upright.
"Who's there?"
A figure cloaked in black stepped from the darkened corner where Meravios had cast his glance, and by doing so, sealed Redonam's fate.
"You... imperial assassin! I'll not hand over my life!" Redonam grasped for his sword near his seat, and found it gone. The figure in the corner pulled the ornate scabbard from behind him, and dropped in on the floor. It clattered loudly against the marble tile. The assassin leapt forward, landing nimbly on Redonam's desk without disturbing any of the papers. He grabbed the sides of the aristocrat's head, leapt up and spun, twisting his neck. With a barely audible pop, he fell to the desk face first, mouth agape, eyes wide open.
The figure removed the shroud from his face. "...Not my best work, but still something to be proud of." He drew his savil dagger and pondered for a moment. The man was already dead... but perhaps something should be done to prevent body mages from healing him. After all, his employer couldn't be disappointed...
When the servants found Redonam lifeless in his office, the quickly hurried his body to the morgue under cover of night. The funeral was closed casket, for it's hard to view a man with no head.
__________________
The glint of light in the shadows is all the warning you'll have...
Posted by Tyr Aulnay on 09-07-2002 10:06 AM:
She had given up the man she had truly loved, left a ship she had truly hated. Seen people truly die and try to save others only for to have them die also. She was over this. Like she had thought before this wasn’t her place in life. On her ship was where she belonged even if it wasn’t the best crew in the world. Her duty now was to return home and become their Captain. Her love for the sea grew stronger with every step she took home. The smell of the salt water became an addiction and her spirits were high from it.
The days and nights she spent walking home were the most peaceful ones her in life. There was no one to aggravate, no one to be depressed over and no one to love. She was free and independent once again. She slept those nights in trees and walked those days with the sunshine. Wither it was cold or not did not matter to her, as long as the sun shone she was fine. When she had finally gotten home she was starved and aching from the trees, but she was starving more for thievery than actual food. Hoping she would find her ship soon she headed for the docks, but something else soon turned her intentions. Looking to her left she notice a few good sailors actually having a conversation. She looked down from them and noticed a barrel of ale left behind from some cargo. She hide behind it listened to the men’s conversation.
“So…. Did ya hear about the new continent yet?” He crossed his arms over his chest as to look serious.
The man beside him raised a brow to the question. “What continent? I just heard about so rich place across the sea…”
Tyr’s eyes began to sparkle. “….Riiicchhh pllaacceee…” She quietly whispered to herself.
The first mans eyes narrowed. “We’ll I think were talking about the same place anyway… Look what I was trying to say was I think I know who has the map.”
Another man walking past the two snickered at them both and stopped to make his comment.
“Yeah I know too and I have a copy.” He pulled out a rolled up map from his coat jacket. “ And I will be the first there, grabbing all the gold ya hear?”
Tyr pissed off at all three for being idiots and not being discreet, and for the last guy getting the map anyways; she pulled out her cutlass and Ryudo’s sword and jumped out behind the barrel. Before anyone could grab a weapon she had already taken out the two by the barrel, and as the third man began to run she dropped her weapons and pulled out the musket shooting the third in the back. She ran too him and quickly pulled out the map from his hand. An evil grin came across her face. She would steal as much treasure as possible from this land. Whatever that land was. She walked back picking up the swords and sheathing them and began to look for her ship.
The sound of the gunfire and the screams from the swords were heard all the way down to John’s ear on the Elizabethan Ruby. His mouth grew wide open from the fact that he hadn’t heard such action in weeks. He moved from one side of the ship to the other trying to spot where the incident was and trying to figure out what happened. His thoughts moved to Tyr who used to do that sort of thing a lot when she was younger. He thought of her beauty and how much he just wanted to…. Well you know… Sam who had heard it also ran to John side hoping he was thinking exactly what he had, that Tyr was here. He wanted to see her really bad as well. Motioning Morgan to him he whispered in his ear and Morgan immediately began to get the crew up from their very long slumber. The crew began to get ready to push off, knowing that Tyr was already in trouble and needed a getaway.
Tyr had soon spotted the ship but had also seen a few guards following her. Speeding up her pace she began to reload her musket. She only looked back a couple of times and as she reached the ramp she shot at the closest guard to her. The ship began to move out and she ran up the rest of the ramp, jumping over the rail and rolled on the deck floor. She stayed down as the many arrows and gunfire soon followed after. When they were well away from the dock Tyr rose and dusted herself off. Pulling the map from her belt she raised it in the air.
“I have… a map!”
__________________
Come friends who plough the sea, truce to navigation take another station, lets vary piracee with a lil birglary!
Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 09-07-2002 12:36 PM:
A messenger pigeon flew into the courtyard of Castle Rosenblade, carrying with it a letter from the wayward princess. It was delivered immediately to Eremon who, after puzzling over the contents, showed it to his wife who also was slightly confused.
Dear Father and Mother,
I apologize for causing you such grief and worry over my disappearance. I do wish to return home, but the Emperor of Nyliam, Sir Aramus VanVehementi, has kindly offered to show me his country and I’ve accepted. Please don’t worry about me. Aramus has sworn to protect me so long as I’m in his care. I shall return by route of the waygate by the end of the week. I look forward to coming home.
~Scarlet
Both monarchs looked at each other, then back at the neatly written message held in Tiamat’s hand.
“What do you make of it my love,” Eremon questioned. Tiamat read the note again and shrugged daintily.
“It would seem that our daughter wishes to see the Nyliam Empire and will be back by the end of the week.” She smiled and gently tugged on her husband’s arm. “You should tell Indigo. He’ll be happy with the news I’m sure.”
Eremon smiled and nodded at his wife, but something tugged insistently at the back of his mind. Something wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t pin-point exactly what it was. Masking his doubt he replied,
“Yes. Then afterwards we have preparations to make for the end of the week.”
******
In another part of the castle, far away from the bustle of human activity, Til’ Sylvanna lay in the darkness of her room. The darkness inside her heart had all but consumed her soul, and her physical body lay near death.
Saeth knew this, and knew that when she next dreamed, she would not return. But he, like his ward, was also near death and held no desire to continue living after she had passed on.
“Til’Sylvanna…” He stroked her hair gently; her once beautiful silver white hair that was now streaked with dust and filth. And yet, Saeth still found her beautiful, even as death began to cast its shadow over the frail form of the White Lady.
“Saeth?” Her voice came surprisingly, even though the bond between the two was as strong as ever. He crossed to where she lay and grasped her hand gently. They no longer needed to speak. There was no need to now. Her eyes opened and in that moment, the taint that had dwelled inside of her began to fade. She was no longer the tormented Dreamwalker that had been her destiny and curse since her birth, and finally, she was able to put the death of her brother behind her as she ascended to meet him. She turned her eyes, full of hesitation, to Saeth, her guardian and her lover, for the last time.
….It’s time, isn’t it?
Yes..
Will you hold me until it’s over?
I’ll never let you go…
It was then that she smiled, truly smiled, as Saeth lay down next to her and held her close, both feeling their lives slip away. It would be impossible to tell which was first or perhaps, like most deeply devoted lovers, they went together, but as night descended over Gania Til’ Sylvanna closed her eyes….
…and dreamt.
************
Later the following day their bodies were discovered by a passing guard. A message was immediately dispatched to Evisis and a few days later both Saeth and Til'Sylvanna were taken back to their final resting place deep in the heart of Evisis.
__________________
"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 09-07-2002 07:56 PM:
OOC: As Elarion
Elarion sat within one of the many small taverns within Noit, his long ears covered by the hood of his cloak. This tavern, the Brass Monkey, had not been here the last time he had passed through Noit, nearly five hundred years ago, but then again, not much of the city was the same as it was then. He sat alone in a dark corner of the tavern, sipping at a glass of what the humans passed off as wine. Elarion longed for the vintages of the Evisis as the bitterness of the merlot bit his tongue and stung his eyes. His call was clear, as if by a writ, though this journey he was undertaking of his own will. Rumour of the lost continent of Dracharist had surfaced in the human world, and had concequently drifted quickly to the Evisis through the many spies within the Esiai'desh'mirain. Elarion had caught wind of these rumours from an Elwain ranger whom scouted the outskirts of the Evisis, and had frequented Elarion's smithies for repair and maintanance of his weapons.
Now, nearly a week later, Elarion sat alone within this stinking human establishment. His room was small and base compared to the rooms within his home, and the whole place seemed to reek of the race of men. It was something he would have to get used to once again, as he had done so long ago. Humans were not inherently evil, by Elarion's own opinion, they just had a tendancy to be rembered for the evil things they had done, and for none of the good. Thinking to himself, he thought of the sundering of the elves, and of how he had carefully decided to remain within the service of the King. What would have happened had he left, he did not know. None that had left had ever returned, wether they had made it to Dracharist, this "Ivernes" as the men were calling it, or the "Asheri", the southern land.
Elarion turned his eyes to one of the bar maids, and raised one of his long fingers, signaling for a drink. When she came to pick it up, he spoke quickly in Elwain, then seeing the stunned look on the maid's face, he shook his head and languished into the common tongue.
"Might I have another glass of the red?" His voice was shaky, and his common a bit rusty, but the language had not changed much in the past few hundred years, and the maid nodded and made her way behind the bar to tap a new cask of merlot.
The glass was delivered to him promptly and he sipped at it slowly, considering his plan of action. Tomorrow, he must find a ship. A ship to carry him to Dracharist. To carry him to the new land, to this Ivernes, so that he might explore this land. The land that was lost to all of the world for the last eight thousand years.
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Keiru Opal on 09-08-2002 03:42 PM:
OOC:As Zander
IC: The reality of their loss hit both Holy Knights like a wall of shadow power, once the immediacy of their escape had died away. They wept and prayed silently for their friend and mentor, who had gone to the heavenly plane for all eternity.
Their wounds were deep and they tended to them after a time, while they suveyed their surroundings. Zander found himself in a place he had never been before, he was lost in more ways than one. He had lost two people very close to him, wasn't sure what to feel any more. Even the grief that he had felt at first was lost to him. All he knew was that he would give anything to be with Tiffarah at that moment.
"Eloise, Do you know where we are?" Zander asked quietly and looked over at her as she wrapped her arm where she had a deep gash.
"I don't know the exact location in which we stand, but I can guess the general area," She replied, seeming troubled by something more than Alexandros' death. "We're somewhere on the western shore, which means that those woods are the edge of the dark wood."
Zander's face fell even more, if that were possible. He had heard tales of the dark wood before and knew that many dark and twisted creatures lived there.
"We have two choices," Eloise continued. "We can either go through the wood and hope to make Militus in no more than 3 days, or we can travel south along the shore and make for Farlarn, but that's a five day journey at least."
"What about north?"
"That would take us to the borders of Balanum, which is occupied by Master Saotome. I don't think it would be wise to risk it."
"South makes the most sense to me," Zander decided. "At least we can avoid some of what may wait for us in the wood."
"I agree, but let's tend our wounds as best we can now. We won't find a healer for many days."
"I have a bit of skill in healing with my holy magic, but we could really use Sekirah about now," Zander said.
With that, the Holy Knights set up what camp they could and slept the day away, deciding it was better to be awake and traveling during the night when near the Dark Wood.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 09-08-2002 04:45 PM:
A Dark Beginning
Reika’s face was devoid of any emotion as she watched the Black Tower fall and the glacier began to cover the remnants. She had escaped the tower when she sensed the arrival of the Holy Knights and fled to the western shore of the lake.
Is there noone left?
Using the dark power that remained with her, she tried to sense any other creature that had also escaped. There was nothing. While she was not surprised, she also began to feel something she hadn’t ever since that fateful night when she surrendered herself to Shadow.
She was alone.
Night fell and still she stood watching the lake wanting desperately for anything to emerge. There was nothing.
I’m the only one…. The-
Her thoughts were interrupted when a growl erupted from the trees to her left and a rogue spawn emerged. It stood twice as high as a man and let out a hideous scream before it began to charge at Reika. She waited until it was roughly five feet away before unleashing a charge of dark energy at the monstrosity. The attack was not fatal, but the spawn now lay squealing in pain on the ground as Reika approached and knelt beside it.
“Awww… How cute. Does it hurt?” The spawn continued to writhe in pain, but it was now silent as she whispered to it. “Are there more of you still wandering around?”
More…. Still more…
Where?
In trees…. Lost without Linerin…. Want eat…
You don’t need that fool anymore. I’m here. Where can I gather your kind?
In trees…. We hear men talk….. new place..
What new place?
New place….. maps to new place..
They have maps to this new place?
Eat men with maps….
Reika stood and contemplated what the spawn had said. She watched in disgust as it inched closer to her feet, trying to grab her leg in its maw. Another burst of dark energy halted any further attempts from the now dead spawn.
“Why did Linerin even use these things?” Despite her contempt for the Shadowspawn, a plan began to form in her mind and she would need the spawn to conduct it. It was time for her to cut ties with the old world and begin anew.
A new place..? I need to learn more about this.
An icy wind began to blow off the lake, carrying with it the voices of others that had also sought shelter on the western shore and attracting Reika’s attention. Had others managed to escape? Once more she used her powers to determine what type of creatures they may be and was horrified to sense Holy power radiating from the area where the voices originated. Not wishing to take any chance of being discovered and killed she fled deep into the Dark Woods where she began to gather the remnant spawn and build her army. The spawn came under her sway easily now that Linerin was destroyed and soon she learned of the new continent in the far east.
Over the course of the following weeks, reports of wandering spawn began to dwindle to occasional sightings, then to rare glimpses and finally to no spawn at all. Many would speculate as to what became of the creatures that had roamed Asheri for so long, but like a bad dream the spawn were soon passed from the minds of the general public and forgotten.
But far across the ocean, the nightmare was just to begin.
__________________
"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 09-08-2002 09:03 PM:
OOC: As Sekirah
IC: As planned, Sekirah had retrieved the map from the Gerald in Fayre that morning, but they had gotten off to a late start and Sekirah knew they would have to make camp somewhere between Gania and Xellos.
They traveled in relative silence and Amanda had again taken up not speaking to the mercenary. Instead, she talked with Tiffarah and Cedric was left to his own meditations.
As night fell and the group pitched their tents and built a fire while Cedric prepared a dinner, Sekirah slipped off into the darkness, molding himself into a black panther as he went. Amanda was the only one that saw him go and she recalled the many times before that he had done that while they were traveling together.
Tonight was different though. Sekirah had chosen to change his color to black tonight for stealth. He was hunting, in a way. Hunting his own hunter.
For several nights in Lunis, after leaving Helilal, he had left the camp at night and backtracked only to find another camp not far behind with a single inhabitant. At the time he just watched the man for a time every night, but he had been too far to see who it might have been. He had thought it might be just another traveler on his way to Fayre, but if he was still behind them tonight, he would get close enough to guess his identity, if necessary, kill him.
As he had feared, the traveler was still behind them, just far enough that his fire wouldn't be seen. Sekirah moved silently through the underbrush, his dagger in his mouth and tail swishing slightly in anticipation. As he neared, his worst fears were realized; he recognized the man as an old colleague. He had done a few bloody jobs with him and he was more than capable as an assassin.
His name was Rathor, though most in his businus dropped the 'th' replacing it with 'pt', calling him Raptor; a bird of prey. Why he was following Sekirah, he could only guess, but it definitely wasn't good.
Sekirah took a moment to change himself back into his human form then took the dagger in his hand. Feeling a bit light headed from his use of body magic, Sekirah waited a few moments, laying on his chest. After a time, he pulled himself up to a kneeling position, just high enough to peer over the undergrowth and see what Rathor was up to. From his vantage point, it seemed that the assassin was examining a map that seemed to have his attention.
Sekirah tried to creep slowly to the other side of the camp on his hands and knees, but soon his knee fell on a dry twig that created a loud crack. He immediately heard Rathor roll up the map and unsheath his scimitar.
"Who goes there?" Rathor's voice called quietly.
"Who do you think, Rap?" Sekirah replied standing up slowly and dodging the throwing dagger that soon followed.
"I should have known you would expect that from me," Rathor said. "I also should have known that it wouldn't take you long to figure out that I was following you. Tell me, how long have you known?"
"Since we left Helilal," Sekirah said, examining Rathor for any indication of what he might do next. "I didn't know that it was you until tonight, though."
Rathor held his scimitar loosely in his left hand; a trait that served to confuse most of his opponents. Sekirah would not be so easily fooled. He rushed Raptor and the two launched into a vigorous fight. Sekirah blocked his scimitar where he could, and dodged it where he couldn't, landing a few, non-lethal blows to Rathors armorless body.
Without warning, Sekirah felt Rathor land a powerful kick to his chest and he few backwards, hitting the ground hard with the wind knocked out of him. Rathor leaped over him and leveled his scimitar at him with a smile.
"Now I can finish what I came to do. You know, if it wasn't for you hanging out with a bunch of Holy Knights and making all of us that used to work with you worry about being ratted out, you wouldn't be in this situation, but..."
Rathor didn't have time to finish his sentance before an arrow appeared in his chest and he fell onto Sekirah, the scimitar dropping harmlessly to the side. As Sekirah lifted the assassin off, he spotted Cedric and the others hurrying toward him.
After assuring them he was alright, the group scavanged Rathor's belongings, finding the map quite quickly.
"It looks like he meant to follow me to this Ivernes, should I go there," Sekirah said. "He might not have had much luck. If this continent is as big as Gerald said, then I could have dissappeared quite easily."
"Is that where you'll go, then?" Asked Cedric.
"No, not yet at least. I will wait for Zander to return home to Xellos, as I promised him, but I hope we don't have any unexpected guests, and I hope no one else knows I was planning on going to Ivernes... Damn Gerald!!"
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Tyr Aulnay on 09-08-2002 10:52 PM:
The map was slammed on the Captains desk. Tyr standing behind it was looking over the map carefully. She needed to make a plan to get to this new country as safe and as fast as she could. She wanted all the money she could handle. Morgan stood in front of her hand crossed over his chest standing, waiting, patiently. Sam was to her right and John to her left looking over her shoulders. She tried to shoo them away a little bit but the men didn’t budge. When she was done making calculations and setting a course, she had finally told them what the map was for.
“Thank you for waiting.” She raised her head a little making eye contact with Morgan. “Alright, Now you three must promise me that you will not speak a word of this place to anyone. If anyone finds this place out they‘ll probably abandon ship thinking they can swim there and get rich. By my calculations they wouldn‘t even make half the voyage needed to get there.”
Morgan raised a brow. “But we don’t even know what that place is Tyr.”
The other two stepped back slightly scratching their heads. “Yeah what place is this exactly?”
Her mouth grew into a wide-open smile. “This is the place that will make us right boys! I call it The land of Gold.”
She softly moved over the new continent and began to trace with her finger where they would be headed.
“Were going to Noit for a pit stop cause we’ll need supplies. Be very aware that it will take us some time to get there, but we will be the first I promise.”
“Alright,” said John “Just as long as we share the fortune.”
“Yes, of course. Anyway, so we wont look so obvious I have an idea.” She pulled out a dress from under the desk. “I will look like a noblewoman and come out as if I am a passenger. I need to get a bite to eat anyway so… Then while I’m gone you guys rob the place and capture as many people as possible.”
Morgan shifted his weight from on side to the other carefully looking at the map as Tyr mentioned her plans. John moved from behind Tyr and to the side of the desk. Sam moved so he could be facing John.
“Why do we need captives exactly?” Morgan asked as he moved his eyes from the map to Tyr’s face.
“A lot of our crew was lost during the last raid a while back, we need to get new workers but we don’t have the time to recruit them.” She slowly began to sit up straight. “John, Sam you know what to do. Morgan you’ll be coming with me as my slave. Until we get there just chill out, Alright?”
The four nodded at once and Morgan, John and Sam walked out going straight to their usual work. Tyr plopped into the Captains chair and moved her hands over the arms of it. She stared at his equipment and then back to the map sighing, knowing this was a job she never wanted. The thought of new money kept her sprits high however and she marked the course she set with the quill pen and ink on the desk. She placed the dress back under the desk and laid her legs on the table leaning back in the chair. She closed her eyes and began to dream of the new adventures she would soon have.
****About a week later****
She had just waked up and was now getting ready to go ashore. She had stayed in the captain’s room throughout most of the trip and was now getting tired of being in the room. She had done her hair up in a French roll with tendrils coming down the sides of her head. She blinked at herself in the mirror never thinking she could really look this way. She bent over and pulled up the dress tying the Captains musket to her thigh with a piece of cloth. It was the most she could have without looking suspicious. Part of her mind was beginning to think this was an odd idea to be doing this, but she wasn’t going to care. It was to keep he from being arrested so easily. She walked to the door and opened it seeing John, Morgan, and Sam standing right in front of her. All three of the mouths slowly began to drop. Tyr soon frowned she didn’t need this sort of reaction right now. Morgan’s mouth soon curled to a smile and he bowed before her. Her eyebrow raised and then but then shrugged and picked up the front of dress.
“Shall we go?”
__________________
Come friends who plough the sea, truce to navigation take another station, lets vary piracee with a lil birglary!
Posted by Trago Hayle on 09-09-2002 01:31 AM:
A new land...
A familiar sound registered in Trago’s mind, shaking him into consciousness. Waves crashing upon the shore mere feet from his head roused him, yet it was the burning pain on the left half of his face that motivated him to move. The bedraggled figure picked himself up off the sandy earth and managed to haul his weak body under the shade of a nearby tree.
“How long have I been there?” Trago muttered aloud. Indeed, he had spent enough time lying on his chest, washed ashore from the terrible sea; enough, in fact, to accrue a rather serious sunburn upon the half of his face that remained above the sand. He looked over his body to make sure any wounds were minor. Only a few pussy scratches on his forearm roused any concern, until he realized there wasn’t much he could do. “The once proud captain, now a mere drifter…” he thought. His mind then traveled back to the previous voyage, and how he had gotten into this mess.
****************************
Riley was good to his word, and they departed two days after the strange meeting in the Neanderthal’s Belly. It was easy sailing for only a few hours before the storms hit. At first, the crew could handle it, but soon the storm became a raging torrent. That is also when the other ship appeared. Somehow it had snuck up on them, getting within a hundred yards before any of the crew noticed. Kid was the first to point it out, and also how eerily similar to the Crimzadwire it was. It followed them for days as they were blown far off course. Many of the crew perished in the storm, and food started to run scarce. Trago was passing into waters unrecognizable to him, and that is what scared him the most. He didn’t let it show, however, and urged the remainder of his men on.
The storm broke without warning, and the crew soon discovered it was morning. The sun peeked through the clouds, and everyone relaxed. Just as things seemed to get better, though, they got worse. The mock Crimzadwire, forgotten for but a moment, began speeding towards them at an incredible rate. It managed to pull aside as pirates tossed ropes over, securing the two ships together. Indeed, to any who saw the two ships side-by-side it would have seemed like looking in a mirror but for the separate crews scurrying to each own’s business. Pirates boarded the Crimzadwire, and a short battle began. The first blow was struck by Riley; however it was into the back of Targuul Brockner. Trago ran towards the seeming traitor, but was overwhelmed by the sickly-looking pirates. Within moments, his crew was decimated and only he remained alive. The remaining bodies were cast over the railing and the mirror-ship set loose. One particularly bloated looking pirate turned towards the bound and gagged Trago, fingering an empty scabbard at his side. The pirate that had claimed Trago’s weapon, the cutlass he had found in the Crimzadwire, immediately handed it to the pale, bulbous figure that now stood before his captive. His bearded face cracked into a smile as he spoke.
“I can see by yer mug that ya haven’t recognized me yet,” the words tumbled out of his grotesquely blubberous lips with a hollow sound, not unlike Riley’s voice. All at once Trago came to the horrid realization of what was happening, and Bhulenpazzen bellowed with joy as the fright passed over Trago’s face. “Aye, I’m as dead as sailor taken ta the briny depths by a sea cow. But the waters gave my life pardon, and spit me back out like what ya see standin’ before ya. I be a sea lich!”
The rest of the encounter seemed like an eternity for Trago. Bhulenpazzen explained about his cursed ship that he had come to reclaim, along with The Downsizer. His zombie crew had been searching the world over for the ship, and Riley had been the setup to get the vessel into Bhulenpazzen’s territory. After a time, Bhulenpazzen became bored with the once captain and tossed him overboard. Luckily, Trago had loosened his bindings enough by then to get free, and attepted to swim to shore. Unluckily, shore was nigh to be found. Then he passed out.
***********************************
Shaking his head, Trago stood and looked around him. Not only was the beach unfamiliar, but the sand was like none he had ever seen before. Pearly white, it stretched far to his left and right. Before him it only went maybe five hundred yards before breaking into grassy hills. He saw smoke on the emerging from the hills, a healthy smoke as if from a town. Beyond that lay towering mountains. Behind him was only the vast plain of the sea. There was but one direction to travel, and Trago began unknowingly treading towards the east, both excited and fearful of this strange new place.
__________________
"Aye, ye want the finest treasures this side of Asheri? Then look no further!! I be holdin' them in me possession, and they's all yours, for a price..."
Posted by Erik Wendell on 09-09-2002 04:00 PM:
Let the games begin......
Erik sat up from his bed, his meditation period before the Game complete.
It is important, Erik, to keep focused.... you must remember that today begins one of the biggest games ever played, and you have been given the honor of participating. Do well, and you may be rewarded as the Guild Hero of the Year......
Erik opened his eyes and stood, carefully studying the tensity in his calf muscles and the shift of weight on the balls of his heels. He was going to need all the edge he could get, so physical awareness would be key. Erik opened his gaming cabinet, it's contents coming into the full light of his view. Padded weapons and various other tools of the trade lay inside.
Now the question was:
Which character would he choose?
He'd already used his wizard, Eridan Sharim, in his last game and had almost been killed. His hand passed over the staff, it's smooth willow grip inviting his fingers to clasp and wield it's imaginary magic. Erik moved on to the dagger/rapier pair and stopped.
Did he really want to re-open that chapter of his past again? He was a power-gamer..... would the subtle and stealthy silence of Airk Lightfoot be enough to win the Game? Memories of the large Ogre attacking him in the cave as he reached for the Silver Shield made him shudder. His near experience with Game Death had been enough to terrify him, and enough to make him swear off using the quite underpowered thief for a while......
Erik mused as he reached for his Spark Rifle. Perhaps bringing the skills of his engineer, Almus Shiro, to bear would be enough to ensure his place as the greatest gamer yet. He already had enough stats in everyone to ensure his survival, but would it be enough to enjoy the game?
No.... maybe next game. Shiro was perhaps one of his more favorite characters, but he eyes fell upon the large sword in the cabinet, the foam padding belaying it's actual weight and versatility. Erik felt his heart beat quickly, then settle. He had decided.
Corde the Barbarian Loremaster.
He would lead his group of friends on one of the largest Games ever concocted this side of Asheri and face danger with them every step of the way. He would fight bravely, solve puzzles, and avoid death, eventually becoming the Gaming Guild Hero of the Year.
He would win the God's Death Game.
Erik suited up with his equipment, passed his sleeping grandmother and left out the frontdoor, his destination the Gamer's Guild Hall........
__________________
"Whatever doesn't get solved through words, do it with the sword."
Posted by Longines Grimwinter on 09-09-2002 04:15 PM:
Longines crept silently along the ground in the forests outside of Filiam. The Emperor had heard a report that one of his noblemen was deceiving him, and was loyal to the anti-imperial sentiment.
His house was near the center of town. This late at night, the gates were closed to travellers, and he was not likely the one to persuade them otherwise. He could just kill them, he reasoned, but what's the fun in the hunt, then?
A low growl came from the bushes next to him. Longines quickly drew his dagger and reflected moonlight at the epicenter of the sound. It subsided.
"Creator damn the wolves. Good hunters, but they can't stand light in their eyes."
All of a sudden, a creature burst from the bushes and landed on two legs in front of Longines.
"Shades!" he hissed. This must be one of the Shadowspawn... This particular one had no eyes to speak of, so Longines stopped trying to reflect the moonlight at it. It was a tactic that served him well on most wild beasts.
The creatures lunged at him, but he was too fast. He sidestepped it and drove his dagger into it's spine. It roared and turned to face him, the muscles of its left arm spasming.
Longines hesitated. That dagger was precious to him. It had given him his most beautiful kills. "I'll not let you keep it!" he whispered towards the beast, and began to circle it. It snapped at him, its maw all teeth and blackness. Longines lunged, but the creature had learned from its first attack, and swiped at his outstretched arm. Longines leapt back and grabbed the low hanging branch of a tree. The spawn ran underneath where he hung and opened its mouth as if waiting for him to drop down into it. The assassin pulled himself up onto the branch and examined his surroundings. Finding a suitable plan in his mind, he flung himself towards another tree with no low branches, planted both feet firmly on the trunk, and propelled himself at the momentarily confused monster. He hit the ground right in front of it, and slammed all of his weight into a punch which cracked the jawbone of the beast and made it go limp in the air. It fell to the dirt, and Longines pulled his dagger free, considering the final blow. The spawn began to attempt to stand, but Longines put his left foot firmly on the back of its neck.
"A simple incision, then," he hissed. Taking the dagger in his right hand, he pushed himself over the creature and spun his heel into its hideous face. With his left leg now free, he planted it further down the monster's back and drove the dagger into the base of its skull, then pushed the blade with his free hand down the length of its spine, cutting tendon and muscle alike.
He pulled the blade free and wiped it off on the ground. He still had a kill to make. He headed for the city walls.
...And in the forest, a woman stepped from the shadows into small circle of moonlight. She looked darkly regal, and was surrounded on both sides by a handful of shadowspawn.
"He can certainly dance well..." she mused.
__________________
The glint of light in the shadows is all the warning you'll have...
Posted by Finrandel on 09-09-2002 09:58 PM:
Catching up
Nelcar’s trail seemed disjointed and difficult to follow, but Finrandel somehow managed to pick up on it whenever he thought all was lost. It traveled for some time before leading to the borders of Evisis. Finrandel fought with himself for a short period before again picking up the trail, his anger and pain still running deep within him. Once inside the forest, however, the trail grew more challenging to track, and Finrandel found he could no longer follow the young elf’s proceedings through their homeland. He wandered for many weeks seeking Nelcar, making sure never to stray too close to any Elwain habitat. After six weeks of tiresome searching, he decided that catching up to the young one was futile. Finrandel knew not of Nelcar’s family or place of residence, and only through encounters with other Elves could he hope to find whom he was seeking. That fact held him from searching anymore.
A brief stop at his father’s grave was Finrandel’s final task in Evisis. He proceeded quickly to Corner, now wishing only to get off Gania. He had walked his island for long enough. His journey was long, though he masked himself as human for most of it. This allowed him to easily pick up rides on passing caravans, and hastened his arrival in Corner.
Finrandel walked through the upper class portion of Corner, taking streets he hadn’t walked in many years. Most of the city seemed the same, and he was easily able to navigate his way through the city and down to the docks. It was approaching dusk, and the light had begun to fade from the day, making sight difficult. Finrandel’s hearing, however, was quite perceptive and he managed to hear the footsteps of the thug behind him just before he was assailed. The brigand, seeing his prey whirl around, was thrown off and fell face first into the road. Two of his four companions picked him up as Finrandel, still appearing human, simply stood motionless before them. Five brigands did not seem to be an easy fight, and fending off attacks without harming the men would prove even more difficult.
The men gathered their courage and charged. Finrandel himself rushed the leader, the one who had originally attempted to strike, but sidestepped, pulling his flowing cloak about the brigand’s head. As he unclasped it, the man fell again, but there was no time for the human-masked elf to admire his work. The four others were quickly upon him, pinning him to the ground. A series of brutal punches ensued before one of the thugs attempted to grasp his sword, Narrofeyl. A flash of light blinded the men momentarily, the ancient weapon rejecting the grasp of a foul-hearted human. It was enough time for Finrandel to break free, draw his blades and stand ready. No longer was the thought of non-violence on his mind. The brigands, after regaining their composure, were taken aback by the now armed and fierce elf standing before them, for Finrandel’s magical cover had been lost, his mental concentration disrupted. Confused, and less willing to attack such a battle ready opponent, the brigands back away, fleeing from their once prey. Finrandel watched their departure, then let his guard down.
“I haven’t seen your face around these parts before, Elwain warrior,” a voice spoke from the shadows. “Are you well?” Finrandel sought the source of the sound, and noticed a figure emerge from the shadows, a man. He was rough in appearance, unshaven black hair stubbling about his scarred face. Obviously a warrior, he wore a markedly well-used cutlass at his side.
“Who are you, and how do you know I am elven?” Finrandel spoke sharply, his patience already tried by the fleeing thugs. The figure chuckled, and Finrandel realized that his abilities had fled and his mask had diminished to nothing.
“My name is Denruss Vulhmaren, and I’m a pirate hunter.”
*************************
So began Finrandel’s voyage upon the high seas, hunting the scum of the sea. He managed to gain a small reputation among the men, well liked for his songs, prowess, and magical abilities. He controlled the winds, fought through pirate crews, and entertained the men, yet his heart ever drew him towards land. Every time they docked, it became harder for him to return to his shipmates. Thus it happened one night that he told Denruss he would not be returning to service. They parted ways in Noit, and after a small get together in the Brass Monkey, the crew departed, leaving Finrandel alone at his table in the common room. He stayed for a while longer, finishing his drink, the strange liquor for which the Brass Monkey was famous, named after the bar itself. Finrandel was about to stand when he noticed another elf, many years his elder, though a human could never tell, looking across the room at him. Their eyes met.
[Cue: Elarion]
__________________
"The path that we have chosen is fraught with peril. Few have the courage or strength of will to follow."
Posted by Indigo Grei on 09-09-2002 10:35 PM:
Indigo shouldered his pack and buttoned his shirt up. He was loaded for a long trip, and after his last few journeys, he was not prepared to make another with insufficient equipment. Adamas had packed as well, and wore his sword in his belt. Salamander had been lost, or misplaced, or stolen. Indigo did not remember where last he had it.
"Scarlet was headed to Asheri. In order to stay within the bounds of imperial law, we're going to be arriving at an imperial port. We'll likely be searched, but we have nothing illegal on us. If we're stopped, let me do the talking, but always listen to everything I say, and how I say it. Diplomacy will serve you well." Adamas had been giving Indigo tips and lessons over the course of the few days they had spent packing.
"I understand. You said that Nyliam Proper is a vast resource of information, but you have to make of it what you will. Is that where we'll be starting our search?"
"Yes. Are you ready?"
Indigo fingered the ring in his pocket. It was the ring he had presented to Scarlet. He nodded towards Adamas.
There came a tapping on the door, and Adamas opened it. A servant held forth a piece of paper, and Indigo took it and glanced at the lines written. A smile came to his face.
"What is it, Indigo?"
"Adamas, it seems we won't have to go anywhere to find Scarlet. She's returning at the end of the week."
"Of course she is. We've spent five days packing." Adamas set down his bedroll.
Indigo dropped his backpack on the bed. Scarlet, its been so long... I've missed you so much, and I've put you through so much... I hope I can make it up to you...
__________________
Tempered in fire, strengthened by hardship, love is forever.
Posted by Myrain on 09-10-2002 12:34 AM:
Sitting...thinking...getting lost
Sitting on a fence that skirted her father's rapidly dwindling property, Myrain watched the clouds pass overhead. The field she faced brought little to no relief to her nagging boredom on this hot, sticky afternoon. It had rained the night before and the moisture hung in the air like droplets of glue.
"MYRAIN!!"
The loud noise otherwise known as her brother's bellow rung through the air and almost hovered there for a moment before tapering off. The birds that were hiding in the tall grass of the hayfield scattered in a rush, like a cloud of grey-white.
"What?" She hollered back as she watched her slightly chubby brother, Dain approach her.
"Father wants you, you bane of my exsistence." Dain scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Myrain sneered back at her brother before following him towards their thatched roof hut that jutted out of the featureless landscape like a tan stone. Her elderly father sat on the porch, his weakening legs barely able to hold him upright anymore. He gave her a weak smile and pointed to the wagon, already hitched with a bored horse standing in front of it.
"Myrain, I need you to go down to Ciwa and get some supplies."
"Why me, father? Why can't my perfectly stupid brothers care for it?"
Dain gave her a distainful look but ignored her otherwise. He ambled into the house where he soon returned with a shovel and a pickaxe.
"Because I'm puting your brothers to work. Now please. There's a list on the seat."
Myrain gave a heavy sigh and walked slowly and deliberatly towards the rickety excuse for a wagon. She hopped on and coaxed the unwilling horse to move.
Upon ariving in the quaint market of Ciwa, Myrain lifted the list to look at it. Knowing what she was to get she drove her little vehicle towards her first destination. She hopped down and looked through a stack of strawbales and several tools. She loaded the two bales into the back of her wagon and winced as it heaved and settled beneath the weight.
Mounting again on the wagon she moved the old mare towards her next place of buisiness.
Stopping at a blacksmithing shop Myrain made her order for metal hooks and latches and such, and hitched her horse and wagon nearby.
Who would steal straw, anyway? she thought to herself as she walked to the bar to get herself a pint.
Passing through the door Myrain was met with an onslaught of rancid odors and tobaco smoke. Coughing she managed to order her pint and pay for it. She drank it slowly, trying to measure her breaths evenly as to save herself from the smell.
Upon finishing her pint she walked outside and to her wagon, which still had its payload in the back. Rather than injure her posterior on the unpadded bench, Myrain led the stubborn and tired horse towards the final stage of shopping.
The general store was cluttered with people and misplaced goods. Myrain did her business and bought the necessities and headed home, stopping by the smithing shop to pick up her previous order.
On the way home, Myrain saw a shadowy figure follow her through the bushes as the sun lowered towards the horizon. Puting her hands on the crossbow held under the seat, Myrain waiting until the figure leapt out of the bushes. She aimed and shot the arrow, which hit him in the heart. Unfortunatly, her attention was only on one man. Behind her she felt the impact of several heavy male bodies on her back, which threw her to the ground.
Myrain struggled to no avail. The men held her flat and held several swords or spears to her many soft areas. Suddenly she felt the impact of a large object with plenty of mass hit her head, causing the world to spin into dark oblivion...
__________________
We do not weave the web of life;
We are merely a strand in it.
Whatever we do to the web,
we do to ourselves.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 09-10-2002 10:33 PM:
Elarion had been examining the other of his kin since he had entered the establishment known as the Brass Monkey. He was of average height, for an Elwain, and of a lean build. Reaching out with Nish'talle A'diron, he also sensed that his brother had an interest in the persuits of the art as well. it was this small touching of the strange Elwain's magical psyche that triggered him to look in his direction. Their eyes met, for but a second, before Elarion raised his hand slowly and beckoned the younger to join him. Finrandel approached the table slowly, curious as to the reasons his kin would be in this establishment.
He bowed when reaching the table, and introduced himself. "Greetings, elder one. I am Finrandel, son of Linoldan and Eswenore."
Looking slowly towards Finrandel, sipping again at his wine, Elarion replied, "I am Eleoáro Eleressëaion, but most call me Elarion. I know of your father, Linoldan, as he was one of my esteemed collegues. I most humbly offer my condolences, for he was let loose into the world in an unjustifiable manner, or so my wisdom tells me. How fares your father, Finrandel?"
The light in Finrandel's eyes diminished as he looked towards the table. "My father..." he paused, unable to speak for a moment. After a deep breath he continued. "My father is no longer with us. He.. he... I'm sorry, I wish not to speak of this." Finrandel's eyes were tearing, and he took a minute to regain his composure.
Elarion nodded slowly, "Sit down, young one, the years are long and time heals all wounds,"
Looking back to Finrandel over his glass, Elarion examined him thouroughly as Finrandel recomposed himself. Shifting a bit in his seat to look the younger in the eyes once again, a small glint of emerald caught his attention, and ignited a conflagration of long past thoughts. It was then that his suspusions were confirmed as he noticed a particular set of runes upon the hilt of his smaller blade.
Leaning forward, his eyes locked on Finrandel's parrying daggar, Elarion's voice carried the weight of his returned memories, "Is that the blade Toloren that you carry?"
Finrandel sat, amazed that this elf knew his blade. "Yes, it is. How did you know?" He pulled the short blade onto the table, allowing Elarion to properly view it.
Picking up the blade and examining it as if he suspected it were not entirely real, Elarion's voice was filled with great pride, "It was crafted nearly eight milennia ago, when I was still older than you are now, I suspect. It took three Elwain smiths over twenty years to create the blade, Toloren, that you now possess. I was one of them, for I was charged with creating the quillons," Elarion's eyes burned with an inner fire, "I had thought it long since lost, after the death of the young prince, Navisil, that once carried it"
"It was given to me by my father," Again, Finrandel refrained from speaking for a moment, "It was given to him as payment for a series of blades that he crafted,"
Talking about his father had made Finrandel extremely uncomfortable, and it was obvious to Elarion. Finrandel stood, taking Toloren back into its resting place, "I apologize, but I need to get some rest. I have had a long night,"
Elarion nodded slowly, not replying, but thinking for several moments. Finally, he looked Finrandel straight in the eyes, and his own passion, burning within him, was apparrent through his own grey orbs, "I would let you rest now, then, but I would have you consider accompanying me on my journey,"
Finrandel replied with a similar fire, it seeming to overwhelm both his weariness and his pain, "You have struck a positive chord in my heart, for it seems I am destined to forever be travelling, something that I do not disagree with. Where are you headed?"
The elder's mouth twisted into a smile for a moment, "I am heading to the land that the men call Ivernes. Newly discovered, or so, to them, it seems. However, I believe it to be the same as the Isle of Dracharist, lost to history after the breaking of Craharist. We had always assumed all other lands had been vanquished, and now, within the last hundred years, the historians amoung our kin have been proven sorely mistaken, not once, but twice, if these rumours are indeed true,"
"Dracharist? I thought it but fable, stories my parents told me. I would be honored to acompany you in discovering this new land for ourselves." Finrandel sat down once again, waving to the barmaid to bring a round.
Elarion nodded again, and laid his hands upon the table, Celmavelice sparkling upon the lengthy middle finger of his right hand, "Indeed, so many of us thought the other lands lost that we simply accepted it as fact after we found Craharist lost to the sea. I would enjoy the company of one of my kin on the journey I am undertaking, and it seems that you have already the same intentions that I have in going to Dracharist,"
"You are a wanderer as well? Interesting," spoke Finrandel. The barmaid set down two glasses of brew, and Finrandel pulled a pair of coins from his pouch. "Thank you, m'lady."
"I have been within the eaves of Evisis and the confines of Helithos for almost the last ten thousand years. I have completed my masterwork, indeed, and I shall never exceed it, for too much of my spirit and passion has passed into its completion," Elarion finished his wine glass and took the brew that had been designated his, "It is time that I once again go out into the world. Though my place is in my smithy, I cannot resist the call of once again exploring lands never seen by my own eyes,"
The two talked long into the evening, discussing the new lands and what they hoped and expected to find. Mugs came and went between the two, the barmaid recieving a generous tip at the end of the night for her prompt service. The two then departed to their seperate rooms, anxious to speak with one another again in the morning and begin their journey.
Cue: Tyr, two Elwain ready for pickup and transport to Ivernes, just don't rough us up too bad in the process, should we be part of your "new crew" you plan to recruit. We're pretty tough in and of ourselves. If you think we might fight you or your crew, please contact me first so I might tell you of both Elarion and Finrandel's fighting styles.
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-11-2002 10:52 PM:
"Racoon! " first word ever came out from Rossia's mouth, smilling at the little creature at her new friends shoulder.
"Cute one, isn't it?" Apollo asked as he found out Rossia keep on staring at his pet. Her eyes never moved from his pet. Weird....
"Oh...oh yes it is... by the way, where are you going?" Rossia asked as she continues on her small walk with Apollo, keeping her eyes glued on the little racoon. She quickly reaches out her hand to hold it when Apollo passed the little creature to her after decided to let her hold his pet for a while. Delight shown in her eyes as she plays with the racoon.
No answer. She stoped her step and stares at Apollo. He seems quiet... and smart from inside... but the weak point is.. he doesn't fight his enemy... "Word won't solve everything" she reminded herself. "No place to go?" she asked him again after passing back his pet.
Apollo didn't answer. He keep himself silenced for a second before continue on his path, slowly. This placed a question mark in Rossia's mind. "What is so hard to answer a question? This is hard..." Rossia mumbles to herself as she quickly ran to Apollo who was going farther away.
"Hey, how about... " Rossia quickly step in the middle of Apollo's path, blocked his way with her hands.
"Yes?" Apollo asked her immediately. His eyes were still aiming at her daggers held on her hands. "She is totally weird. Now what does she want..?" deep in his heart he placed his thought....
"How about you and I going for a drink at umm... the motel that I stationed now? You must be tired from those stuff... you see? You can refresh..." her mouth quickly explained, no stopping point for breathing.
All she wanted was at least a company, or a friend... to speak with and to joke with.. because all the dark days in her life, she was lonely.... She never tried to walk around and speak to others. All she knew was fight, fight and fight. And she also remembered to run from the truth.... all these years she does that. Her mind keep on scrolling her past while Apollo stared at her impatiently.
"Why not?" his impatient tone woke Rossia from her wondering.
"Good.... lets go" Rossia smiled as she grab Apollo's arm and pulling him to the direction where she stayed for few nights before. Daylight started to shine on the town, warming up the whole town from the night's cold.
OOC: PM me if anything went wrong ^-^
Cue: Apollo
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Myrain on 09-12-2002 11:47 AM:
The terrible side affects of being hit on the head...
In the darkness that was her unconciousness, Myrain dazidly thought about her life at home. Blurred images of her family and homestead floated past and formed together into a collage of formless pictures. She thought of her brothers, who she always acted chidish to and thought about the jokes they shared. She saw her father approach her as a young and vibrant man without the use of his cane but carried a shovel instead. He had a lantern in one hand and lifted it to her face. Suddenly, light flooded into her conciousness as she awoke from the false sleep.
Her eyes burned at the sight of such light. Opening her battered, red eyes she squinted to see. Her eyes adjusted to the new luminesence. Sitting up on her elbow Myrain viewed her surroundings. She was sitting on a worn wooden floor and was surrounded by barrels and boxes lashed with chain and rope to metal hooks, bars and knobs that sprung up from the floor in straight lines to form a grid. There were three lanterns hanging on a support beam that seperated her part of the room to the rest. The ground rocked gently beneath her and there was almost the sound of water splashing against the outside. The floor was curved slightly and there were no corners.
A boat...I'm in a boat.. Thought Myrain listlessly. She forced back the tears that seemed to come without warning and scooted over to a box and leaned against it.
Every once in a while she would hear the slurred voice of a man above her and the thump of shoes. She began to try and guess where she was and caome to the conclusion that she was at a dock.
A man walked down a set of stairs to her far left and saw her awake. A toothless grin flashed on his dirty, unshaven face.
"'ello purty lady!" Came his almost mocking greeting. He was carrying a small box with something moving inside. Through a hole in the side came the nose of a pig, probably for eating later. She felt nausous as the thought. She never did enjoy the job of butchering animals.
Time passed slowly as the ship finally went underway. The ship tossed about on the waves as it went towards the mystery destination.
__________________
We do not weave the web of life;
We are merely a strand in it.
Whatever we do to the web,
we do to ourselves.
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-12-2002 11:49 AM:
Time for a drink
OOC: Good job. . She likes the racoon me thinks
Apollo walked along as he brushed back his tunic a bit as she dragged him practically down the street. He was calm and impassive. Giving a quiet smile as they walked into the inn. They sat down and ordered to drinks. Rossia ordered another one of water for the racoon. Apollo just shook his head. Ocean blue eyes calmly scanning the peaceful bar. She seemed to have something inside. Apollo words seemed to linger in air as he spoke,
"Darkness can only control your heart if you let it. You show happiness yet hide your heart. Perhaps sometime you should open up."
Apollo took a sip of his drink as he nodded to the bartender. Rossia was about to pay when apollo shook his head. He gestured toward his robes. Academy mages weren't required to pay for room , or achol at most bar establishments.
The door of the bar slammed open as a mob of people poured in. The first man pointed to rossia with his torch. "There she is . That's the murderer. Kill her"
Apollo stood up as they came forward in front of Rossia. He shook his head as they approached. The mob died down once they noticed he was a academy mage. There were still five die hards there. All with blades ready to kill. One grunted, "Stand aside boy. You know nothing of this matter. The pain in our hearts will quill with her blood".
Apollo's eyes remained calm as he put a hand on the first man's arm. Apollo pulled back the robe to show his entire arm. The arm was burned badly. It was in the process of healing yet it was red and scarred as part of the black seemed to have been done more then once. Obviously a higher mage had healed it more then once but the incident had happened more then once. Apollo's calm and warm flowing voice spoke to them,
""I know all to well of pain. Your swords will solve nothing. Your hunt for blood will not end with her. You are drunk and are making a mistake. You all have families back home. Do you truly want to return telling each others children how there father died in a drunken squabble. I assure you my friend here could do more then one of you to the grave. Now go home and help your families."
The leader frowned and sighed and nodded and turned with the rest as they walked out the door. Apollo noticed rossia's eyes on his arm. Her hands had gone for the daggers as soon as they had entered. Apollo finsihed his drink as if nothing had happened. Then covered his arm with his sleeve. Apollo had alot of his past he didn't really feel like talking about. Apollo ordrered another drink and then smiled at her, "and i think my companion and i could use two rooms for the evening"
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-12-2002 01:05 PM:
"We are out from here!" Rossia's voice filled her new friend room. Apollo, sitting on his bed frown when he realised that Rossia was very disturbed, based on what she is doing now, pacing around roughly.
"And why is that?" a quick question from Apollo sent Rossia's temper beyond the roof. She continued on pacing impatiently around the room, with her head facing down the floor. At the corner of the room, she settled down and sat on the wooden floor.
"Don't you ever think? Peoples like 'em never let go anyone like me! They left for now but they will return later!!!!" Rossia shouted at Apollo, losing all her self control. Then, only she realised what she had done..... she covers her face and broke into tears. Apollo were stunned and don't know what to do. It was the first time he saw someone like her, so tough headed but easily weaken in situation.
Apollo walked over to her and trying to calm her down. He opened his mouth to speak but no words can be found.... dead end? He placed his hand firmly on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. Only then, Rossia responded with a small laugh and quickly stood up and wipe off her tears. "Weird. How can I understand someone like her?" Apollo's mind keep on playing tricks on him.
"There. I'm outta here. Come with me if you want but it is your choise.... " Rossia left the room after leaving these puzzle words to Apollo. He stood still in his place, his mind were blank. "How hard to break this hard head?" words came out from his mind.
Rossia quickly packed her things in her room. She wore back her street clothes and burned the blood stained clothes that she wore earlier. She riffled through her stuff in her bag and pulled out her box of darts, where she usually clipped it on her belt for safety. In her mind, she keeps on remembering what happened earlier.... the guys who claimed her for murdering.... the burned arm... Apollo.... yes Apollo. He wasn't a bad person after all. He speaks truth but he doesn't know how to attack people. This matters curved a smile across Rossia's face. Funny....
"Time to go." She grab her lance and headed to the door. As she opens the door, a familiar face appeared in front of her. It was Apollo, stood perfectly in front of the door.
Things started to play around her mind. "What does he want now? Follow me? Or stop me....?" her mind keep on questioning herself, playing along the sitiuation.
OOC: PM me if anything out of order ^-^
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-12-2002 02:26 PM:
Fires from the heart
Apollo nodded and followed her out of the tavern. He spoke as they walked, "I will follow you. I can always return for training i suppose. I am the head of my class currently. Of course there is always more to learn. Besides i've only seen this town and my ....home. I'd be nice to see the world." Apollo had choked on the word home.
Apollo walked to the streets as he looked up into the night sky. The dark blue seemed to highlight the silver clouds. A full moon was out tonight. It shone down on the peaceful streets that seemed calm. Something seemed wrong. The dust of the streets seemed to roll along with the calm breeze. Apollo and rossia were just about to the gate when they came in front of him. It was the same mob as before. This time they were bring lead by a boy in black and red robes. Similar to apollo's. The boy had bright red hair and eyes that seemed on fire. The leader had left but his lackies had lined up behind the boy.
Apollo's warm blue eyes placed a hand on Rossia. Nodding for her to go. Rossia drew her daggers and shook her head as if not to go. Apollo sighed and walked forward into the moonlight,
""Greetings Dante. It is a nice evening. My friend and I were just about to leave. Please give my regards to the headmaster. I'm sure they can find a suitable head of the class. I am no professor yet any how. Have a nice evening"
The boy laughed. He took two steps forward shaking his head. He held up his right hand and watched as fire engulfed it yet the hand remained untoched. The boy's voice was like a firey chasm,
"Oh of course apollo. I will give the head master your regards. You never change apollo that's your problem. The all caring apollo. The boy who has never lifted so much as a finger in anger at the acadmey. You may be head of your class but you are not a true mage. Now i am going to laugh as you die in the fire. While my friends are gonna take care of your criminal. The fires change apollo. That is why you shall never win. So how's that arm?"
They boy laughed as he put both hands up in the air. Apollo brought his hands together covering him in a white and pure light . As bright as a dove's wings. A fire consummed apollo from the boy. Apollo's light seemed to shield him from it. They seemed to be at duel of wills. The fire trying to get through. The white light trying to hold it. The red fire's leapt and sizzled across the silvery white.
The other five came at rossia. The little racoon leapt on one's face. The other four went at rossia with clubs. The fight had begun.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 09-12-2002 05:04 PM:
As Indigo
"So how's business?" Indigo asked. He was sitting at an outdoor table in a nice cafe that had set up shop near the waygate. The air was crisp and cool, and there were only wispy clouds in the sky.
The waiter looked around, and seeing that no customers needed attending to, sat down at Indigo's table. "It's alright. Nothing spectacular. Usually we get all kinds of people when the weather's nice like this, but a lot of people are still shaken up by the thieves guild war. There haven't been any new reports of violence, but you know how people are."
Indigo nodded. He had seen the aftermath in the streets. He noticed a young woman approaching and nodded. "Looks like you have a customer." The waiter turned and stood up, apologizing, and went back inside with the woman. Indigo stared up into the sky. It's been a long time, Scarlet. I can't wait to see you again.
Indigo sipped on his water. He felt good today. He was wearing a jacket he'd taken a liking to from his closet. It was deep blue with gold trim. Expensive, no doubt, but it made him look good without making him look like a snob. The weather was nice, too. It almost allowed him to forget about the time he'd spent in the desert, with the flames, and the...
He shook his head. It wasn't the time to remember such things. Today, Scarlet would come through that waygate, and Indigo would be there to meet her. Nothing else mattered. He looked up as the waiter approached again.
"I have a message for you, sir. It just arrived via pigeon." The waiter handed him a small, rolled up parchment and went back to tending a sudden spurt of business.
Indigo unrolled the note. A cursory glance revealed it was from the Queen.
Indigo, I apologize on my daughters behalf. Unfortunately, she has been delay in her travels and will not be arriving until sometime later next week.
Indigo folded up the note and stuffed it into his left breast pocket. He sighed. I guess today wasn't the day.
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Myrain on 09-12-2002 07:19 PM:
Ship rats and military men
Floating in and out of conciousness, Myrain could barely carry on a conversation with herself, much less the rats that scurried about the hull, often carrying little things in their mouth to be carried off to a hole someplace. The tossing of the ship caused her already dizzy state become worse and unbearable. She didn't know how she got to such a state of being by just being hit upside the head. She wondered if her captors had done anything to her while she was out.
The activity up on the deck was a clue that there was something amis. Struggling to keep a level head to think straight, Myrain listened to a man with a deep voice bellow out orders to crew. She understood enough of what he said to know that they were being attacked by one form or another. Suddenly she felt the boat collide with something with mass and of at least equal weight. The collision caused Myrain to jerk to the left, which didn't do any good to her battered, sick body.
Suddenly the door flew wide and many frightened men flew down the stairs, one falling by an arrow. His lifeless body rolled down the stairs and hit the floor, the arrow broken by his fall. The four cowardly men huddled behind a large crate and prepared their cutlasses for a possible ensuing battle.
A pair of well-clad military men stepped onto the top step and peered around, talking in hushed voices. They pointed casually like they had done this too many times to get any pleasure out of it. One of the men held a roll of parchment, with a list or map of some kind. The men were dressed in navy blue with many gold and brass buttons glinting in the dim light. They wore a sword on that belt and a pouch that held nameless items. They were well shaven, both with properly short brown hair peeking beneath black hats that puffed up into a dinner roll shape. A fluffy feather was jabbed into a hole by the rim and created a very regal effect.
The men ceased their mild chatter and decended the stairs slowly and deliberatly, looking about, one walked over to the large crate and withdrew his sword. Taking a whiff of the air, he motioned to his partner that he found them. He made a grunt and tapped the blade against the wood and the men leapt out, as if on cue. The battle was fast, leaving the pirates dead and the military men with but a few scratches. They talked again and made look about in the hull, taking inventory on the same roll of parchment.
The first man, who seemed to have been of higher rank, approached the bundle of barrels that hid Myrain and peered around the rims, shocked to see a woman, free of bonds but not fit enough to run laying on the ground. He made a hasty movement that summoned his partner, who also was shocked to see her.
Myrain stared vacantly up at them, incapable of deciphering whether they were of good alignment, or evil. Before her listless mind could make it out she felt a sudden wave of nausea as the ship hit a wave. The world from that point forward was to remain black for quite a while.
__________________
We do not weave the web of life;
We are merely a strand in it.
Whatever we do to the web,
we do to ourselves.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-13-2002 01:07 AM:
"Words won't work on these street rats!" Rossia shouted at Apollo before drawing out her lance. "Four againts one, fair, huh?" complains Rossia as the four villians leaped towards her.
Taking a quick glance at Apollo, Rossia saw her friend was not attacking, but defending from the fire of the bad guy. "Damn... I should had knew this..." Rossia mumbles in her heart before backing a few feet from the enemies.
Four clubs struck Rossia's lance at a time, sending herself off from the ground. Picking herself up, she dodged few more slashes from her enemies and ran to the wall nearby. "More than I could handle, Apollo!" she shouted at her friend before defending herself with her lance again. No reply received from Apollo.
"When could you run, stupid bitch!" one of the man shouted at Rossia before bringing down his club on unprepared Rossia's forehead. True fresh blood flowed from her leaked forehead.
Rossia fell to the floor and pain struck her in her head. She leans her head on the wall, went dizzy and she totally lost her strength. All the sudden, another blow struck her on her head again and pain blinded her eyes. Rossia collapsed to the floor and became motionless. She can't see.... all she sense was laughing sound.... teasing.
"This silly girl is worth our time.... haa haa haa haa!" one of the men laughed as he picks Rossia up on his shoulder and others starting to laugh along with him as they went away. Rossia weakly struggle from her captive but showed not luck to escape. She was too weak to move, not even a sound came out from her mouth to shout for help... helpless...
The man, who carried Rossia on his shoulder shouted at another of his gang and the boy who is attacking Apollo with fire "Keep them busy.. meet us at the motel room after you finished them.. till then, we are going to have some fun..."
Some fun? Fun? Rossia feared the word. She was about to became their 'tool'? She tried to struggle one more time but the result was a powerful slap from the bad guy which definitely knocked her out.
Cue: Apollo (HELP!) or anyone else
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-13-2002 01:53 AM:
Violence if i must
Apollo saw the girl being carried of. Apollo's eyes seemed to flare a bright inner fire. Water leapt from apollo's hands and doused the boy. The boy couldn't handle the magic and feel the the ground. Lifeless and unmagic. The other four were on there way to the motel. Apollo held out his right hand. He had not wanted to do this but it was the only way. He would not let them hurt her.
Apollo's hand glowed a darker white. Almost as if changing with his mood. The four chuckled as they carried her. The first fell to his knees grabbing at his chest. Coughing up blood. Then the other two. Then the one with rossia fell to the ground. They all coughed up a red and dark liquid as they colasped to the ground. The four then lay motionless.
Rossia couldn't see much but could here apollo's footsteps as he ran towards her. Then she could hear his warm voice, "Hang on Kitty. I won't let you be hurt. " She could feel warm hands on her shoulders as the blackness came.
Rossia squinted as she felt something hit her eyes. She opened them and looked around. The room was small and the sun glanced in from the window. She appeared healed. One bandage covered her forehead. There was a smell from the door. It smelled apatising. The door opened and there was apollo. He smiled but said nothing. He sit two plates of food beside her. Apollo walked to the window and looked down.
Tears ran down his eyes. He had stayed up all night healing her but now reality had come. He had been forced to take a life. He had gone against his final vow and . He whispered to the window. "I'm sorry brother. I have failed you." Rossia could hear apollo but he hadn't meant to say it that loud. Apollo wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled at her as he went to the closet. He opened it up to show dresses and some leather outfits for her. "Um i picked these up at store. Women said these were ..well um up for the season. I hope you like them. I'll be in small room if you need me. This is my academy dorm. No one will bother you.". Apollo walked into a small room and she could hear the door lock. Follow by a cascade of tears.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Damion on 09-13-2002 08:35 AM:
"What do you mean the Shadowspawn are disappearing?!" Zera fumed at the Forest Elder, Jornon. "I want to have my revenge on those bastards!!"
"Zera, calm thyself. Thy battles were many, and Shadowspawn have been felled by your arrows many times. The young man even tried to slay one of those nast creatures. Now that they are becoming fewer, we may return to our lives at our village," the old man said, trying his hardest to calm Zera. It was to no avail, as she stormed out of his tent and went to find Damion. As she wandered about the forest, she heard rustling noises nearby. She unstrapped her bow, readied an arrow, and went into the nearby bushes.
As she emerged, she saw Damion training with his two swords, swinging them quickly and accurately in the air, making them blur and whistle. As he brought the two swordds to a stop, Zera stepped out of the bushes, her bow back on her back and clapping.
"Well, you know how to fight, that's for sure. So, you got a name? I never got one when we first met."
Damion looked at her, then began to walk away. Zera stomped after him, yelling, "Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't you talk?! I asked what's your name?!!" She caught up to him and stuck out both arms, blocking his path. Damion tried to go around her, but she wouldn't give up. He let out a long sigh, then reluctantly said, "Damion." Zera nodded, then said, "So, you can talk Well, I-"
In the middle of her sentence, a black creature leaped out at them. It growled, and charged.
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Myrain on 09-13-2002 11:13 AM:
Yay...
As her conconciousnes broke, Myrain found herself on a feather matress with a pillow beneath her head and a thin sheet over her body. She felt bandages that laced her forehead and injures that dotted her body. Her mind was drowsy from either drugs or the lasting effects of nausea from her traveling on the pirate ship. She heard the rythm of the ship beneath her moving over the waves with ease and grace. She struggled to turn her head to view the cabin she was in. The small room's walls were layered with maps, pictures and historical memorabelia. A table was tucked in a northerly nook that overlooked the bow. On the worn mahogony table was a map of Asheria and Gran Adageros, with a newly added line heading eastbound. A compass lay abandoned on top of the map with a pair of glasses next to them.
The door to the cabin was to her right and swung open to reveal a large man, with a deep navy blue uniform layered in medals and other trinkets of honor. He wore a hat with a large ploom of feathers that sweeped at the air. He wore a beard that hugged his chin and a mustache to match. His eyes were a deep grey to match his boots. He smiled and bowed to Myrain and approached her.
"How are you feeling, miss?" He said, his wind-worn face wrinkling by his eyes, which almost disappeared from view. He removed a pocket watch from a pocket and viewed it, nodding quietly.
Myrain felt a wave of nausea rush over her as the boat hit a wake. The captain seemed unphased as he bowed again and walked out the door, shutting the thick slab of wood carefully.
Myrain felt alone but safe as the sun disappeared below the expanse of sea that spread out beyond the vessel.
__________________
We do not weave the web of life;
We are merely a strand in it.
Whatever we do to the web,
we do to ourselves.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-13-2002 01:01 PM:
My journy... it is an end or it is a start?
"Tears? Why tears? Why does I have to come to this situation? Why me?" questions playing around in Rossia's head. She still laying on her bed, unable to moved herself freely. She was shocked after what happened to her friend in front of her very own eyes. She was uncomfortable from inside, her strength left her and she was too weak to get up from the bed by herself to get something to eat to regained her strength..... but she lost her appetite after dizziness overcomes her once again.
Helplessly, she waited on the bed for at least someone to helped her up.... judging on her own situation now, she was not even more than a crippled person, even though she was healed from the outside. And still, her heart was really shattered as she heard a small sound of someone crying and sobbing. No doubt. Apollo. But the main thing in her mind was.... why is that???
The words she heard.... was it's a pledge? The words spoken with tears by Apollo.... clearly in her mind and keep repeating themselves. Rossia let out a loud sigh and turned over to take a rest from her over worked mind. "I'm not smart.... how suppost I can understand this? Everything seems a dead end to me.... I'd taken thousands of shortcuts to ran away..... away from the realities... but now... do I have to do it again?" Rossia keeps on questioning herself.... unable to keep her eyes closed. Everything was still fresh in her little mind.... from the very first time she met Apollo.... until what happened last night, which almost caused her a life.... a life... if that was a simple as words.
All the question ended when she quietly fell aslept.... tired from her life....
OOC: A short one, somehow....
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-13-2002 02:21 PM:
apollo the doctor
OOC:It's still great.
Things carried on the same most days.Apollo would bring her food during food time. He'd even feed her waiting for her strength to come back.She was quite stubborn, but he convinced her to eat. Each night he would retire to his office where hymns in a strange language and tears would go for hours. Then silence.
After many days apollo noticed rossia's strength was coming back. He sat next to her bed when she caught fever . Many nights he sat up with her. The fever calmed and he was happy to see her well. He read her stories each night. Stories of the world, and the events. There was one book he never touched. It was on the top shelf. A grey journal looking book.
One morning apollo came in and handed her a small package. He smiled, "Umm....I wasn't sure when your birthday was but i saw this and thought of you". She opened it up and there was a small statue of a kitty in it. "I made it with some rock magic and purchesed the gems this morn. I thought you could keep it by you to make you feel safe."
He opened up the shades to let the sun pour in. As he poured her some nice healing tea he asked, "So tell me about you Kitty. I've known you for months yet i hardly know you. "
OOC:Time for them to get to know each other
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-13-2002 08:37 PM:
Rossia... hiding truth?
Fears came to her heart. She knew this will happen.... she tried to avoid it but no avail... Truth? Truth was a double edged sword... harm in both ways. Rossia never wanted to face the realities.... even now. She couldn't help herself... that's a truth that she avoided until now. She was a killer... that's also a truth which she ran away from. And far worst, she was in run from her deadly enemies.
Sadly, she tried to think a way to outsmart Apollo out from his question but finally, she admited defeat when the same question came out again, from Apollo. It was too hard for her.... to tell her past... no one likes her when they learned who she was... and what she had done. Does she want to spoiled her friendship with Apollo just because of this? No!
All the sudden, she became aware of the matter and how dangerous it will cause if she told it out. She had to admit, she wasn't a normal girl... she hunts and kills... all for blood sake. And far worst.... maybe she could ended her own life in Apollo's hand...no, that wont be happening...!
"What are you thinking about?" Apollo asked her after hearing loud sighs let out by Rossia without her own knowledge... judging from her look, she was deeply disturbed.
"Well.. I'm just thinking about myself... you know.. my past, my lives..." Rossia let the words out in a low voice... with her hand busy touching the little kitty stone carefully. Her eyes lost their bright and fades away when she came to the questions again...
"Well?" Apollo asked her again, trying to read what she's been thinking from her eyes.
"I'm kinda tired, Apollo... talk to you later.. I.." Rossia still choking from her words when tears flow down to her cheek. She quickly wiped it off and rolled back to her bed... speechless but still sobbing.
This left Apollo a lot of question.... about this mysterious girl.... What does actually bothered her so much that she want to hold it back by herself? That will be a question.... an unanswered question.....
OOC: Kinda short too.....
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-14-2002 01:13 AM:
I suppose
OOC:True but always fun.
She gave the same excuse for days. Now she was good enough to walk around . It was just a matter of her making the choice to go or stay. Apollo hoped if she left she would ask him to come. At one point he had wanted to journey alone. Yet now perhaps some company would be nice. The next morning apollo walked in and had his hands cupped in front of rossia.
His warm ocean blue eyes seemed to bring her in with there warmth. His hands opened to reveal his little racoon which scurried up rossia's arm and rested there. Apollo smiled,
"I found him yesterday after scratching up that one guy. I thought you could use a friend. You are fully healed but you are welcome for as long as you wish. "
Apollo sighed,
""Sadly the head master has wanted to me to teach classes for keeping my room. So each night i have been going of to teach my healing class. Some simpler classes as well. Kitty um...thank you for that night. You could have ran you know. They would have taken my life for the pay easily. You stayed though and for that i thank you."
He sat by the bed and sighed pulling out the brown journal.
"""You know Kitty truth is the only thing that can really bring complemtion to our life. The facts of your past and the realization or your present. Since you will not open up perhaps i will. I havn't in a long time."
He turned the brown journal in the sunlight. The sunlight shining on the brown specks. Blue eyes that seemed to be glossed over in thought. Apollo's eyes started to swell with tears as he spoke . Yet his voice was as warm as ever,
"Kitty when i was a boy things were simple . I was a farmer as was my brother. As we grew older our parents wanted us to leave the farm .To become a better person then them. My brother and i studied two different routes. I for healing and he for combat. One night while gaurding the flock a wolf attacked. I healed my brother best i could but he sucummb to the plague".
Apollo's hands turned over each other in a hot sweat. His voice became ghost like. His eyes turning to meet hers and locking with them. Blue tunic seemed to pause in the wind for the story,
"Have you ever seen someone catch a plague from combat kitty? I pray you never do. It starts with high fever. For months you sit by them as they scream out about the fire on there body. That is the easy part. Then come the coughing of blood. You can put it back in them but still the pain is etched in there face. Then comes the worse part. The peeling. Smell eminates from the body as the skin starts to flake of. They eyes dull to a white color. There body feels on fire and everynight they scream for you to end the torture. I lived with that for one year. In the end my brother barely spoke his final wish. To die as a warrior. So that night i took up his sword and killed him. I killed my own brother. I rested the sword in his hand and set him to the flame. After that i vowed on his grave not to kill again. Not even to save a life. I have broken my vow and therefore shamed him".
Apollo's cheeks were completly wet by this point. Apollo nodded and stood up to go. As he set the book of his writings on those final days by her feet. "I trust you kitty. Perhaps you will trust me someday.Besides there are few worse then me. " Apollo sighed and retired to his chamber to sleep before the late night class. The next morning he would be back.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-14-2002 12:17 PM:
....and her heart melt..... is this is all her fault?
Shocked. First word she knew, shocked. Actually, the only word she had in her mind, shocked. Truth hurts. Rossia sat on her bed, unable to move. Her thought left her all her own body were as cold as ice. She never felt like this before, since the day Silver left her... her sweat flows from her forehead. She was sweating.... her hearts beats so fast as if it was going to jump out from her mouth anytime.... This is terrible....
Slowly, Rossia dropped her knees on the floor before sat down perfectly still on the floor.... her eyes was on the book. Her head seems to small to think.... everything seems to hard on her... One by one, problems came to her... does she have to escape? Does it worth it? Does it worth for Apollo?!
All she knew now that was all her fault.... she should never met Apollo at the first place... she doesn't want this to happen.... She was the curse on Apollo! Rossia quietly sob and tears ran down to her cheek... as she drew out her dagger from her bag nearby. All fit together.... she caused Apollo killed someone even when he does have the vow to his very own brother... but she... she still have the.. the face to talk to him?!
She held the dagger in the air, pointed it straight to herself. If this was the matters that she caused, then, life will be paid with life.... Settlement would only works when sacrifice were done... Rossia breathed in the air slowly and in a low voice, she said.... "Sorry Apollo...."
... before she bought the dagger down to herself.....
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 09-14-2002 12:19 PM:
Chapter 5: World's End
Palin crested the large hill, his gaze falling upon the valley below. The Black Tower sat tall and rigid in the middle of Lake Asheri, it's shadow almost seeming to reach out to grab him. The rest of the group, including the Bardling, joined him and muttered their wonder in hushed breaths.
Below them, a battle raged, with the shadowspawn facing an army of defiant humans, led by a winged man. The battle was loud and, after quite a bit of fighting, the shadowspawn gave way and a few of the humans travelled inside. Outside, the battle continued to rage on, with the human attackers decimating the dark tower's defense. Palin sat down and watched, his urge to run down and join the battle over-powered by his common sense telling him to avoid this particular battle.
Within a half hour, the battle had ended. The remaining shadowspawn were finished off and the people who had gone inside returned, their winged leader dead.
"So. We've traveled this way for very little, it seems." Tygan said, finally speaking after a long period of silence. "The shadowspawn are dead, and it seems that whatever battle went on inside has been victorious. What now?" Palin's eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps we should go inside and search for information. The king sent us here with an important mission, I guess, so....." He never finished his sentence. The ground shuddered and the cliff's overhang gave way. Palin leapt backward, his feet planting on solid ground. Tygan and Riena, however, went over the edge.
NO!!!!!!!!!!!
Palin leapt foward and grabbed Riena's hand. Tygan, who was farther down, jammed his dagger into the rock, stopping his descent. Riena sniffed and whimpered helplessly where she hung, her hand grasping Palin's tightly. Behind him, Palin could her Carla grabbing rope to throw down to Tygan. Palin looked up and gasped, the tension along his arm and chest making it much harder to breathe.
In the distance, the Black Tower was falling, crumbling into ruins. Humans were fleeing for their lives and even from this distance Palin could hear their screams. The Black Tower released one last wave of energy, a ring that spead outward and enveloped everything in it's path. Palin turned his head from the blinding light as it hit him, felt Riena's hand slip from his grasp, the everything went dark.
Cue: Tygan
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-14-2002 02:06 PM:
oh no you don't
OOC:Oh no you don't
Apollo had walked in the door when he saw the dagger. A flick of his hand and the earth came up to block the dagger. Apollo's hand weaved a circle of white around her. It would shield her should she try anything again. He set her up on the bed. Apollo's eyes were in shock but he calmed himself as he spoke,
""Rossia look at the world around you. The hate , the violence. Look at all the pain. There is so much bad here. Yet still as hard as it is we must remeber the good. I have found a companion in you Rossia. Racoon has found a good heart inside of you. We do not pick you cause of your life but because of your heart."
Apollo's wheat blond hair just seemed to hang down as he spoke.Yet his eyes were a river of warmth. Pulling her into them with the current. Showing her that there was a warmth there.
" Did you really think I didn't know? We are the academy. How many nights do you think the guards knock on everyone's door looking for you. You think i do not know how you use the dagger so well. I know what you are but that changes nothing. I care for you. Now you get all rested up and just think on those words."
The little racoon leapt up on rossia's leap and snuggled with her a bit. Apollo smiled. Apollo gave her a warm hug . Then he stood up and before he left said,
"Remeber kitty. We must accept our present. You can alter the future though. You can make it anything you want to.You can make it full of love and joy. Or pain and despair. Only you can decide"
OOC:Tada i saved ya
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Aurora Isaedor on 09-15-2002 12:17 PM:
A gentle breeze blew across the grass, lightly ruffling it and causing the pages of Aurora’s book to flutter as well. Despite the aerial distraction, her eyes remained fixed on the paragraph even as the wind gusted, blowing several blossoms from the tree under which she sat to her seat below them and across the meadow. Completely engrossed in the book, she brushed the petals off the page in a gesture so automatic that had she been asked later about the incident, she wouldn’t recall it at all. Such was her focus and concentration that she hadn't noticed the clouds, which began to build in the distance and swiftly covered the sky, until it began to rain.
She cried out in surprise and slapped the book shut as to avoid getting any water on its pages. Laughter began to ring out from a line of trees to her right, startling her once again.
“W-Who’s there?!” Her voice was hesitant, but loud enough to be heard above the sudden tempest. She saw a figure walk through the trees and her fear immediately turned to joy and relief.
“Grandfather!” Still laughing, the tall Lunelwain joined his granddaughter beneath the shelter of the tree.
“You snuck away to read again didn’t you?” Aurora stared at her feet and shuffled slightly, knowing she had been caught. He continued.
“And noone has any idea of where you might be, do they?” More shuffling.
Smiling now, he patted her head gently. “And noone has to know. If your mother asks, just tell her I’m to blame. After all, I had the same problem with her as she does with you, and my father did with me.” Aurora looked up, curiosity written clearly on her face.
“She used to sneak out too?”
Her grandfather chuckled as he recounted tales of Aurora’s mother to her daughter until the storm had passed and the two had returned to the temple in Rylthi.
__________________
Win dain a lotica
En val turi
Si lo ta
Fin dein a loluca
En dragu a sei lain
Vi fa ru les shutai am
En riga lint
Posted by Damion on 09-17-2002 01:42 PM:
Damion's swords soon found their target as the Shadowspawn screamed in pain. Its scream was short lived, though, as Zera's arrow imbedded itself into the creature's head. As the monster fell, Damion sheathed his swords and Zera placed her bow back to its proper place.
"Damn abominations. Hope ever single one of them falls from the face of Asheri," Zera said to herself. "Isn't that right, Damion?" Damion nodded his head in agreement, then stiffened. He heard rustling sounds, the same as the Shadowspawn's. Astonishing Zera, he spoke up. "I suggest that we retreat for the moment. That monster wasn't alone."
As they ran back to the encampment, Zera turned her head to look back and let out a startled yell. "Damion, they're gaining on us!" Damion looked back as he continued to run. Sure enough, the black creatures were running faster than Zera and him, and were covering lost ground quickly.
As the two of them entered the encampment, the cries and screams of the Shadowspawn died off. " Seems they lost interest....Weird."
As Zera was about to make a comment on him suddenly speaking, she gasped as she saw her home. Dead and decapitated bodies were strewn about the ground, covering the earth with blood. Men, women, and children all lay slain on the grass, and the stench they gave off was enough to make Zera queasy. Damion walked up to one of the dead bodies and lifted the head up. Black claw marks could be seen on the person's neck. Damion muttered one word," Shadowspawn...."
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-17-2002 09:59 PM:
.... if only I was a bird.....
"I wont stay like this forever" heavy storm blew the town and Rossia still keep the word into her heart. Walking slowly, she was drenched from the heavy downpour and she was still speaking to herself in her little own world....
"Few more steps and I'll be gone from Gania..." she choked on her word and quickly continued on her path. Yes, she would be leaving for unknown destination... leaving from this town, step by step, alone.
Once she felt herself in a trap.... now she was freed again. She escaped from the dome, only few are hurt when tried to stop her. That was her true form.... she always wondered why she was too weak to overcome those four bad guys.... resulting the things happened to her.... all this was because of Apollo?
Stopped in her step, she started fell deep into her thought. What if Apollo was the cause? The cause that make her so weak? Friendship? No answer can be found and the storm are heavier than just now.... "Better keep moving of else, they will be coming after me for repayment...."
Where should she go? What will await for her?.... That's all the question played in her little mind now. Nothing else. Not even a memory about what she did earlier.... she's not the same Rossia when she was walking together with her friend, Apollo.
As she reached the main gate, she stopped in her path and turned herself around, to the town... holding on her lance, she softly said, "I'll return, someday, Gania....."
OOC: She escaped from the dome and going away
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Longines Grimwinter on 09-17-2002 10:01 PM:
It had been a dirty mission from the start. Two guards had posed enough of a threat to his success that he had killed them. Longines considered a single unintentional death one too many. And his quarry had been waiting, armed, of course. It wasn't a long battle, Longines had not the time for drawn out fights. He had slit him open to the backbone with a wicked sideways slash, and left the body there. He didn't mark the scene in any particular way. Let them blame who they want. Maybe they'll think it's another, less refined assassin, he reasoned.
The mission had not gone well, and it irritated Longines to no end. It had netted him one thing, though, aside from his asking price: An audience with the Emperor. He had briefly considered taking one of the many bounties posted primarily in jest or anger on the Emperor himself, and decided against it.
The Emperor's room was empty, except for a solitary guard standing post at the door. Longines sat in the dimly lit room, waiting for Aramus to arrive. The door creaked open, and Gregoryn stepped in, apologizing for the delay. Following him was Emperor Aramus VanVehementi, dressed very stately, yet relaxed. Longines stood to greet him. The Emperor's eyes were cold, just as his were.
After dismissing the guard and Gregoryn, he got straight to business.
"I need to know where your allegiances lie."
"I'm loyal to whoever has the most to offer."
"Money? I have plenty of that. But I'd like you to give up your contract work and work exclusively for me."
Longines shook his head. "Not money. I never said that. I said whoever has the most to offer."
Aramus' eyes became narrow. "Specify."
Longines leaned back in his chair. He had declined to remove his unorthodox garb, and even in the dimly lit room, he wore his black scarf and spectacles. "What I do, I do for a challenge. I accept the missions that sound like the best sport, not those who pay the best. I'm a man of refined tastes, not a common mercenary. You ought to understand that. We're both very wicked men, and we don't have problems with our vices."
"That, I can relate to, I suppose. But I need to know whether or not I can trust you with this assignment."
"If it's interesting, you have my word."
"Your word? I see. If there be honor among thieves..."
"I wouldn't know. I'm an assassin. I can give you nothing more. I don't kill for money, although the money I make allows me to live well enough off. I kill for sport, and I prefer the hunt to the deed itself. You have my word that if I refuse this mission, no one will hear of it from my mouth. That I can take the job, I cannot promise. What is it?"
The Emperor sighed inwardly, but outwardly, his facade was steely. "You know of my situation with the Princess of Gania?"
Longines ran through what he knew. Aramus was pretending to take her to a safe port on a private ship, and had stopped at this particular inn to spend the night. She was under the impression that she would be returning home, but Aramus had other plans.
The Emperor was surprised that the assassin had managed to learn as much. It meant that someone was leaking information. He would have to investigate later. But he knew that Longines was perhaps a dangerous man, and he could not lose face in front of him.
"Yes, that much is true. The job I need done is a very... cruel thing to do, but I need it done to further my ambitions. Princess Rosenblade is enamored of a certain young lad. If I'm to make certain advances, I need him out of the picture. And I need proof. This kill needs to be performed in daylight, with people around."
Longines almost smiled. "That sounds like quite the challenge. What's the kid's name?"
"Indigo Grei."
__________________
The glint of light in the shadows is all the warning you'll have...
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-18-2002 12:09 AM:
Time to move on
Apollo awoke the the morning sun. It was warm and felt good on his tired body. He went into the oven and looked outside to see the wet ground dampned by last night's rain. He went into rossia's room with a small on his face. Then a frown. She had left. The window was open. A loud knock eruppted from his front door.
Sighing he put on his academy robes and went to the door opening it, "Yes?"
A man in golden robes stood at the door. He had aged a bit over years. His hair was silver and his voice crackled with age,
"There was a incident the other night with your guest."
Apollo sighed and nodded.
"I shall except the punishment as required."
The mage nodded. "Very well. You may choose who disturbts it."
Apollo looked at the crowd. His students code not. Yet the water mages had pleading eyes . They didn't want to see the kind assitant injured. The earth mages had no looks. There brown robes did not move in the breeze. They stood firm and strong. Apollo smiled at them,
"I choose the earth mages".
The crowd was shocked. There punishments were the hardest. Made for the strongest of will. The elder mage sighed , "Very well so be it".
That was a long night needless to say. Apollo spent the first hours grinding rock with his bare hands. After the scrapping, and cutting of the granite he had to run the rock up a cliff. When he fell the rocks came up to meet him fast. He could use none of his magic to aid him. Then in the end he was buried alive. To hold on for a minute. He did but barely. When they pulled him out they all nodded to him and let him be on his way.
Apollo went through his house scrummging around for things. Grabing his brown walking stick he mumbled to himself. Putting a small white book in his pocket he decided to wear his traveling outfit. It was a plain shirt and pants. Yet the white vest held the emblem of a acadmey mage. Apollo smiled to himself and at the gates of Gania looked back.
"Farewell my once home. You taught me well. I won't let you down"
Apollo had work to do outside of town anyway. Rossia had delayed that work. Yet now he could have reason to head off.He would need to find a guild of builders and then his work could begin. Smiling he strode along the peaceful path.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 09-18-2002 01:28 AM:
.... naughty? Or tricky?
"Blast it!" Rossia shouted as she bought down her lance directly to the land, missing her enemy few feet away. Few drops of sweat dripped down to the soil as she cautiously walked around her enemy. That day was too hot for her to fight..... only if..
"Having fun, lady?" her huge enemy in size jeered at her as he swiftly step away from Rossia's blind attack. He laughed at her as she fell directly into the mud at the roadside.
"Not quite, Elgo.... not quite" Rossia spat out her words at her enemy, who was standing nearby and roar into laughter at her. Carefully, she picked up herself and cleans of the mud stain on her vest and trousers.
"Oh well, Rossia, you seems didn't trained for ages, haa haa haa" Elgo jeered at her again while helping Rossia out from the mud-pool.
Rossia smiled. Elgo was her enemy and friend. They had known each other since they were young... they are playmate in her village long time ago. All of her training came from him... before she left her village. Long forgoten friend... wearing a rugget shirt and baggy trousers. His face didn't change at all.... same for his way of thinking..... slowhead...
"Elgo, you seems well enough to train in ages.... " Rossia laughed back at him as they advanced to Elgo's horse carriage nearby. Both of them laugh as Rossia slapped Elgo's face with a handfull of mud.
"You are full of trick, I'm no match with you, Rossia" Elgo laughed at her again as he wiped off the mud stain.
"You haven't see the last of me, Elgo"
"So what bring you here? Escape again? Ooh... done something illegal again?" asked Elgo as Rossia mounted the horse.
"You bet... is this illegal?" Rossia asked as she pushed Elgo off from the carriage.
"Hey, what-"
Too late. Rossia rode off Elgo's transport with a wave from her hand back to him and shouted, "Thanks for the entertainment!"
Elgo stood there alone in dismay, cursing her and himself for being so stupid AGAIN. "Well, it isn't the first time... good luck to you, Rossia... you need it" Elgo thought to himself before walked away.
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Vellos on 09-20-2002 09:45 AM:
Vellos opened the door of his domicile and stepped out. His boots clucked on the floor as he made his way to the library, in his head thousands of spells shot from one side of his twisted mind to the other. "Curse that formula!" Why will it not work!? "If that incompetent, good for nothing fool, Tekbil would not be drunk so many times during his readings!"
Vellos walked through the middle of a large, circle shaped room with glass floor, but very thick glass. Underneath the floor a lava stream could be seen flowing. His robe pressed against the front side of his body as he strode through the chamber quickly. He now entered a hallway lit with torches that were hanging from the ceiling in groups of three. He stopped at a large door, then walked towards it with hesitant steps. He let out a growl and then decided it would be best not to start a feud with Tekbil Netherbrace. Then, once again, he took up his fast strode and reached the end of the hallway which was closed with a large door out of metal. The doorknob was a demons head with a ring through its nose, much like a bull...just...a little bit of a grotesque expression in its face. Vellos put his hand around the demon head and pushed against it. The knob head pulled itself into the door and with some sort of mechanism cause it to open, but slowly. Before the door was fully open Vellos squeezed in between the two metal plates and rushed to the right of the room. The ceiling was incredibly high compared to the other rooms, and a large symbol of a purple eye was painted on the very light brown ceiling. The room was lit with several torched that were hanging from the edge points of the painted eye.
Vellos pulled a thick book from the shelf and thumped it on the table next to him. Quickly he sped through the pages until he revealed the page he wished to read. His fingers stopped snapping the pages from there to here and his eyes found some lines near the middle of the page. "So that is why he failed..." Vellos crashed a fist onto the table and gritted his teeth, but then broke into an insane cackle, "That foolish idiot, did he not read the text on the Beneleth cast!?" Vellos then started a bellowing laughter, "It says right here that it saps too much energy from its weaver! An impossible spell for his level...he should burn in the heavens for this intolerance of the teachings!" Now grown quiet again, Vellos stuck the book back into the shelf and turned towards the door. A small man in a purple robe with pulled over hood stepped through the door.
"Vellos, what do you seek?" The figure questioned with a eery voice.
"The book of High Towers, or Dark Towers, Leven."
"Oh, they are over there..." Leven pointed to a full shelf then turned away and minded his own buisness.
Vellos strode to the north of room and ran his fingers down a long row of books. Then he stopped and snapped out one of the books with the title "Merth T'kla, High Towers" Vellos seemed satisfied with this book and flipped it under his arm, then walked towards the door and followed a one of the acolyte servants of the shrine...or better said High temple. Vellos passed the acolyte servant bumping him roughly. Once again Vellos crossed the chamber with the glass floor making his way back to his own chamber. A scream tore throughout the halls of the temple and then quieted, most likely for ever. Vellos grinned in satisfaction and continued to his chamber but stopped at response of a call from behind.
"Vellos! Are you up to leave? The lord has sentenced the date and it is today." A low voice questioned.
Vellos turned around and looked at the man dressed in a black robe, as he was, and observed him with a grim face from underneath his large hood.
__________________
"Peace...is but a shadow of death,
Desperate to forget its painful past...
Though they hope for promising years,
After shedding a thousand tears,
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.
And while the moon still shines pail,
By dawn, it will be our tale..."
Posted by Rhea Wildfire on 09-21-2002 10:42 AM:
She span around looking at the six spawn that were closing in. She snapped her whip at one of them only to have another jump on her back. She fell to the ground feeling its teeth chewing at the back of her neck. As the others jumped upon her and began to rip her body apart she began to pray to the creator.
Wonderful spirit above, I pray that when I die I will see my true friend again. That we will be happy together and live in eternal happiness.. I should never have left home I know this now but I wish that my parents forgive me and be happy. I hope that they live after this and that we all will be together one day when we are all dead…
A bright light shined above her and her spirit began to float over what was left of her body. At the end of the light she saw Lloyd holding his arms out to her. Not looking back she ran through the tunnel and jumped into his arms…
OOC: Ima kill myself for writing the smallest one in history ><;; But there really wasn’t anything to write was there? *shrugs* Ha, ha the witch is dead? ^^
__________________
And on the flying trapeze you see...
Posted by Tyr Aulnay on 09-21-2002 11:24 AM:
She walked down Noit’s streets with as little grace as possible for a young woman. She hasn’t tried to be lady like since she was 13 and she had failed at that time also. She searched through her faded memory of the place to figure out where to go to first. Among all of her thoughts The Brass Monkey came in loud and clear enough to be standing in front of it at the same time. She blinked at it for a moment and secretly took off her boots, placing them beside the doorway. She looked behind at Morgan who gave her a reassuring nod to proceed. She stepped inside and began to examine her surrounding costumers. No one seemed suitable enough for her crew or the open sea. She turned back to Morgan and motioned him to take a seat with her.
“Come along Tre, We are still in quite a hurry.”
She took a seat in a table near the back of the inn and crossed her legs. She tried to keep her bare foot covered by pulling the dress down some over it. She sat up and looked in Morgan’s direction.
“So… Tre remember what were supposed to do?” She gave him a slight wink.
“We’ll yeah of course, were going to steal supplies and capture some..”
She kicked him with her bare foot and glared at him. “What are you talking about Tre?” She said with a nervous laugh.
He blinked blankly at her and soon realized what was going on. “Oh sorry m’lady, I guess I’m still reading those books about pirates.”
“Since when did you learn how to read?” She raised a brow at him. “We’ll never mind that now.. Were going to Ivernes and were going to have a grand time there.”
She heard footsteps coming to her table but ignored it, smiling, as she knew a fish had taken the bait.
“Excuse me miss?”
She turned up to face a young man possibly Elwain . “Yes sir?”
“You said you were going to Ivernes is that correct?” He took a seat beside her.
“Yes, why?”
“Me and my comrade would like to know what ship you would be taking.”
“Why the Elizabethan Ruby of course. Its one of the finer ships of Asheri.” She made a slight smile but on the inside she was laughing frantically. “Unfortunately we have to be back in a couple of minuets, so I best be getting back.”
She began to rise off her chair, then Morgan after her and the man next looking as if he was about to say something else.
“Would you mind if we escort you?”
She blinked for a moment and smiled. “Of course.”
****Back at the Elizabethan Ruby****
John and Sam had leaded the way for the rest of the pirates. There at port they snuck around killing people with cargo and quickly rolled it along to their ship. There they rolled it onto the deck and hid it next to the treasure. John led the group that stole and Sam led the group that captured men and forced them on board. They would have on a weapon and would threaten to kill them at any cost. Of course many of these were common folk but some were weak at heart new sailors who didn’t know how to defend themselves. They gathered them in a straight line and forced them aboard. Many of them afraid for their lives cooperated peacefully; others refused and were hurt in the process. They had gotten more than they needed in case a few died along the way. These people were to be taught all that the pirates knew and to be forced to work or thrown out to the sea.
When Tyr came though the pirates became a little nicer, it looked as if they were safely loading passengers onto their ship. Behind her were to two men she had met earlier and beside her was Morgan. She found it very odd that her crew had acted their part out so well, since they were quite stupid after all. The two men looked the ship over and had a confused look on their faces. Tyr began to grow scared that these would figure it all out soon, but she soon smiled and tried to go along with it.
She turned to them. “Welcome to the Elizabethan Ruby.” She held out her arm in a sort of way that showed it off in glory.
The older one scratched his head a little bit and looked back at her. “Are you sure this is the right one miss?”
She raised a brow at him. “We’ll of course. I did get here on this ship after all.” She laughed slightly. “Excuse me, I’m sorry I didn’t even get your names.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and shifted his weight to one foot. “I’m Elarion and my new companions is Finrandel.”
“Alright, I’ll talk to the captain immediately asking if you could join me. Cause I know that’s what you’re here for.” She winked at them and turned away walking up the ramp onto the ship. As she did so her smile soon turned to a frown, and she mumbled at the fact that this would take so long. She headed to the captain’s room to get changed. When she came back she would turn the mission around and hold them captives.
__________________
Come friends who plough the sea, truce to navigation take another station, lets vary piracee with a lil birglary!
Posted by Glithrambor Legyinder on 09-21-2002 03:34 PM:
Setting Out
Glithrambor walked swiftly out of the village of Evi'shallian'dar and into the deep forest. He was keen to travel to Gran Adageros and he was in good spirits. The wind blew through his hair and he could taste the salty spray of the sea in his face even though it was not really there. A long sigh escaped his lungs as the smell of the sea brought back memories of his Grandfather and of the promise he made to become an Esiai’desh’mirain.
"I will not fail this," he said to himself. "I will prove myself worthy,"
His thoughts were broken by the gental chirping of a bird, building its abode high up in the trees. Glithrambor looked up at it and smiled to himself.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Looking into the direction of the sound, Glithrambor pulled out his bow and places an arrow on it.
"Who dares disturb this sacred wood?" Glithrambor shouted to whoever the sword belonged to. "Show yourself!"
A small rustling of a bush caused him to spin round. Without warning, a person leaped out from behind him and let out a horrific, blood curdling scream. Glithrambor turned round and in the blink of an eye, unsheathed the dagger from his cloak and tossed it at the creature. The dagger impaled its skull as it dropped to the floor, Dead. Glithrambor leaped to his left and rolled. He twisted the bow round at the bush and fired an arrow. A sound of impact was heard, followed a soft thump to indicate that his enemy had been struck.
"No more will I be bothered by these creatures," He said softly as he packed up his bow and continued to walk out of the wood.
Posted by Vellos on 09-22-2002 03:52 AM:
"Leave?...My friend, you have understood something wrong. I am to journey..." Vellos gestured.
"Don't play games now!"
"And you? What are you to do?"
"Melfice Tenkehold, you are to train the acolytes-" Melfice answered angrily, "That is what the high priest sentenced me to do...that fool...I am predestined for more!"
"You predestined for more. I am sorry...but you seem to have heard wrong. You are but a worthless bug in comparison to me!" Vellos spoke teasingly.
"You bastard, don't take your mouth too full!" Melfice responded laughing.
"Heh...well, until another day my friend." Vellos added, ending the conversation.
"Yes, until then..." Melfice ended and walked back through a door on the right of the room, whilst Vellos made his way to the door behind himself.
Again, Vellos' boots clucked on the floor as he walked, and the torches on the wall were burning in a purple-reddish flame. When he reached the door to his chamber, he clutched the handle and opened the door, then slammed it shut again after entering. He set the book on a desk and walked to a black cabinet. This he opened and pulled out his bastard sword.
"Ah yes...it has been polished, very well." He said as he grabbed a large sheath and strapped it around his waist, "
Once again Vellos walked to the desk in his room and opened the book he just took out of the temple library. After reading an important page he closed it again and walked to the other side if the large marble desk to open a drawer. He emerged a book the size of a normal page in width and length, but it was rather thick, over two thousand pages easily. He took a thin rope and put it around his waist, the book now hanging from the right side of his waist a little higher than the knee. He observed his chamber once more then left it and locked it, the key he gave to an acolyte servant standing outside of his door who rushed away with the key to a storage room. Although Vellos could care less where he put the key.
-----------------------------------------------
Vellos exited the temple through a massive stone gate. His body was fresh and regenerated from last nights meditative training. He looked outward across the open ocean, he was standing on the north side of the Ralien volcanoes. The shrine was built in to an in-active volcano. Only small lava streams churned through its insides. Vellos took a deep breath of the smoke filled air and laughed.
"I will not miss the dirty oxygen of this mountain!"
He set foot onto a path leading around the back of the mountains to the west. On the way there should be a dark temple on the tip of Mt.Dun (so named by the tiny temple that was built on it).
As he walked along the path, he looked up at the sky. Clouds gathered and it was soon to rain heavily, but shortly. Most likely more thunder than rain though. Still, Vellos continued down the path calmly and steady paced.
__________________
"Peace...is but a shadow of death,
Desperate to forget its painful past...
Though they hope for promising years,
After shedding a thousand tears,
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.
And while the moon still shines pail,
By dawn, it will be our tale..."
Posted by Lynn Kuyama on 09-23-2002 05:48 PM:
“After all, if your cover blows now, I want to see you defeat more than a hundred men.” Lynn gazed at him and smiled innocently as she spoke those words.
Kane chuckled at the comment and replied lightly, pulling his hood over his eyes. "I'm sure you would...I bet it would be nice to see..."
He then hushed to a mumble as they walked slowly down the deserted, disgustingly trashed alley. Kane kicked at a few lingering papers that wandered down the path, but halted once Lynn stopped at a door.
Lynn knocked in an orderly manner and a little slit in the door, approximately her height, opened up to reveal the peeking eyes of the door-man.
"Who goes there?" the man inside grunted, his eyes not able to see underneath the hood of Lynn's dark emerald cloak or beneath the maroon cloak of the other person standing behind her.
"Oh Rusty , it's your lovely lady! You old fool, now let me in!" the elder man grinned as Lynn tugged down her hood for his view, his teeth chipped and worn with a rotten color. He opened the door slowly and peered behind the girl.
"Wait...I do believe my eyes are bad, but is that a fiend behind you?" At the moment he spoke these words Lynn turned around and grinned at Kane and shook her head feverishly, her eyes dancing over her well worn cloak then turning back to Rusty.
"Of course not, this lad was thieving some things from the weapons store and I grabbed him unexpectedly, thinking he may be of some use to us. His name's Kevrek." she blurted out the words, making them sound believable to the old man, who readily shook the hand of the new boy. Kane gave a small smirk as his face lay hidden in the shadows of the cloak.
"May we enter now?" Lynn asked the man kindly, grabbing the hand of Kane's in haste and tugging him inside after the door was opened for them.
She let go of his hand as soon as they entered, to hold back any further questions from the old man and motioned for Kane to follow her. They walked through a wide wooden doorway, the inside holding a group of strong men, lifting weights, and looking themselves over in mirrors, their grins evil and sinister.
In another room, a couple men sat beside some stone spinning wheels, masks covering their revolting faces for protection, sharpening blades to their own liking. She glanced at Kane's expression beneath the cloak's shadow, as he grinned slightly in liking at the sight of all the sharp blades in this room. She nudged him into a larger room, with somewhat of a throne in the middle of it. A well-aged man sat in the throne comfortably, while the familiar Abe ran in circles around him frantically.
"Boss! Boss!! Look who's back! Looks like Lynn's got some guts! She musta whooped him good." Abe grinned at the girl, Lynn shaking her head in disgust.
~I am cursed...~
Lynn stepped forward, allowing Kane a much more interesting view of the room, standing behind her. He glanced around and saw that there were many guild members, but they weren't doing anything. Just standing around lazily. He shook his head within the cover of the cloak and chuckled silently to himself.
"Hey! Who's that?" Abe shouted, pointing to Kane.
~If only they knew...~
Unfortunately, Kane had not been paying much attention to where Lynn had went and therefore received a hard elbow in his side as she pushed him forward.
"You must meet the boss here, Kevrek." she whispered into his ear softly.
Abe glared at Kane with utter jealousy in his eyes, the green monster within him, ready to reach out and slash Kane's face off. The boss glanced down at the man before him, then back towards Lynn with an appearingly slight smirk on his lips.
"You were always the best recruiter here, my lovely Lynn." he nodded as he spoke, climbing out of the throne to step up to the boy, the man being quite a bit taller than Kane. He looked him over with a curious interest.
~Give me a break...~
"So, what is your name, boy? My name is Sven, but you will be calling me boss, no?" the man grinned as he grabbed the boy's shoulders. "So, you going to join or not...? If not, then you best be leaving now."
Kane shook him off, aggravated at his excitement. His eyes roamed around the room, as he spotted something over in the corner. It was in a glass case, and set highly above the other items. Lynn glanced over at Kane, watching him intently. Kane just stared in amazement, and began to blurt out.
"My---!" But Lynn had grabbed his arm, distracting his attention enough so he could not finish his statement. Sven stood before him and glanced over to where Kane had been looking.
"What were you looking at?" Sven said as he tried to figure out what Kane was talking about.
"Oh! He was just looking at the beautiful necklace in your glass case. He seems to like many shiny things, I have noticed. I believe that is why I caught him swiping some swords at the weapon's shop. Although he needs a bit of work on his stealth skills, I'm sure I may be able to teach him, if you will allow me to, my lord." she spoke as if it were all true, and being fully confident in the girl, Sven had no problem believing it and smiled lightly.
"Oh yes, that necklace was stolen by Bato, one of the elite still remaining in the guild quite a few years ago from that boy, Kane Tallon. But I am sure you have disposed of the boy properly, correct my dear?" he glanced to the girl and gave her his charming grin.
"Yes of course, my lord. I had finished the task quite quickly. He fought very well indeed, but soon buried himself in his own strategies." she lied but smiled politely, hoping he would not catch her in the act.
"Bato...so he's the one who took it from me, the bastard..." Kane thought to himself angrily. "I should've killed them all when I had the chance..."
"Hey!" he shouted suddenly out of thought. A sharp elbow had struck him once again and also included a glance of aggravation, because he wasn't paying attention.
"May I find Kevrek a suitable room to reside in, my lord?" Lynn spoke softly to the man before them.
"If you wish, my lady. Though there may be more plans for you by the end of the night." Sven winked towards her as she pulled her cloak hood over her eyes, shadowing the faint blush over her cheeks.
She had truly hated the disturbing flirtation of the guild members toward her. They really weren't at all her type and were all much older then her, though she believed she would never actually get along with a man in that type of way anyways. An assassin's only goal is to kill, she believed, with no room for love at all. So most of the time, she just ignored their rude and obscene comments and bodily actions.
************
Walking out into the cool night, the bright moonlight reflecting off the pair's cloaks, creating glows of deep green and maroon as they trailed through the streets and alleys. Kane had followed Lynn quite closely, watching and observing her as she walked along.
"...Do they always act that way around you? It's quite amusing..." Kane suddenly said out of the blue and smirked, his mind really wondering if it were true.
"Shut up..." she mumbled to the boy angrily, though she did not lift a hand or remove her cloak from it's rested position over her eyes.
"I was just curious...come on."
She paused for a moment, halting her walk, and turned to look at him, lifting the cloak only enough so she could actually see him. It seemed like he really wanted to know. His eyes had a seeming glow of curiosity and wonder. She whispered out to him, "Yes...they do."
"Well, why don't you do something about it then? You obviously did such a well job with me..." He chuckled light-heartedly, remembering her pathetic story of his death.
She just looked away and continued walking a bit faster, mumbling curses to herself and staring at the ground.
"Hey, wait!" Kane called out and sped to catch up with her.
__________________
"Things aren't always what they seem in this place, so you can't take anything for granted."
"Your eyes can be so cruel... just as I can be so cruel..."
Posted by Bara Chinder on 09-24-2002 04:05 PM:
A cold wind still blew across the low hills where Bara now stood. Hillranges like these were here and there jutting out of the Hollow crags. Bara sometimes likened them to offspring of the crags, seemingly growing from the crags like buds from the branch of a tree.
Valid now. Spring was starting. The cold winds of winter had not abaited yet but they had lost their biting edge. Bara looked up to the sky. He could feel rain on the air. His horse whinnied nearby.
Soon he came upon the trap he had set the day before. A rabbit still struggled weakly in the snare. Good food. A little thin after the winter but still Good.
His thoughts drifted Back to the battle a few weeks beforehand.
A black mess. However his actions post battle had now come to haunt him. To leave suddenly was not the choice of a leader.
As if on cue a figure appeared on horseback. The figure paused a while on the crest of a hill. Bara continued to where his little fire struggled to keep itself alive. With a wave the rider resumed his ride towards Bara.
Conchuir did not look pleased when his face came into view.
OOC: Im back. Gonna try to get my story flowing again.
__________________
Were gonna break ya, its gone on for too long.
Gonna punish you for the things that youve done- Capdown
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 09-24-2002 10:06 PM:
The sunlight poured through the window, the only one in the room. It went from the floor nearly to the ceiling, and the frame was ornate steel. It was locked, of course. Longines wasn't so arrogant as to believe he had no enemies.
He grimaced and pulled the covers over his head. Longines was, by virtue of his profession, a night person. He had mastered the art of sleeping in along with blade handling and stealth. A few moments, later, his arm emerged from the drawn covers, and he groped blindly for his spectacles. He slid them on before throwing back the sheets. He sat up on the side of the bed and ran his hands through his long hair groggily. After a couple of seconds, he stood and walked to the mirror over the washbasin. He slid the glasses up onto his unkempt hair and looked himself in the eyes.
"I am a force of nature. I will not be denied what I seek. I seek power, interest, and improvement." He pulled the glasses down, and the recently awoken young man became Longines Grimwinter in nature and mind. He grabbed some plain clothes from the rack next to the sink. Walking about dressed in his assassin's garb was asking for trouble. And Longines preferred to find it himself.
Indigo heeded the King's summons and headed for the throne room. As much as the king of Gania would have liked to give the news to Indigo in person, it was a busy day, and he couldn't take time from his duties. After a short word with the guard at the door, he pushed the gold girded wood portal open. The throne room was, fortunately, empty except for a handful of advisors and the King himself. Indigo Grei knelt before the throne and awaited acknowledgment. In his extended stay, he had learned much of the political etiquette, thanks to the help of Adamas.
"Indigo, you may stand." The king was dressed in very stately attire befitting his office and undoubtedly, his wealth. Indigo looked up and rose from his crouch.
"You requested my presence?"
"Indeed. I know you are anxiously awaiting Scarlet's return, but we have received another letter from her. It appears that last week's delay was because of the Emperor. He had come down with a passing sickness. She apologized for not telling us, but matters of the Emperor's health are, as you know, carefully guarded, and I respect that. However, it seems the sickness has taken to her as well, and she is too ill to travel pleasantly. Aramus has assured us that it is not serious, as is evidenced by his own recovery. He gives us his word that he will see her safely on our shores soon, but that he does not wish to rush her in this state."
"She won't be back for a few days, then?"
"It appears not. I'm sorry Indigo. Let us both pray for Scarlet's quick recovery."
Indigo wanted desperately to be by Scarlet's side. The last time he had seen her, he wanted to tell her so many things, but the time simply wasn't right. Unfortunately, he had made some rash decisions after that, though he wondered if they were completely of his accord. Scarlet, I'm sorry about before. But I need to see you again, as soon as you can manage. I love you... Please take care of yourself.
And he wondered, secretly, if there wasn't more than met the eye to his beloved's delays.
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 09-25-2002 01:41 PM:
Elarion and Finrandel stood paitently waiting upon the deck of the Elizabethan Ruby after Tyr had taken her leave of them. Something was amiss, that much was easily discernable, but what exactly was wrong was harder to tell. Most of the men on deck seemed more than a bit nervous, and most did not carry weapons. As Elarion looked over towards Finrandel, he noticed that he had rested his hand on Toloren, making ready if things made a turn for the worse. Elarion followed suit, not fingering his long, Elwain blade Naroion, but mentally preparing himself for the use of his magic if it would be nessecary, while slowly playing with the position of Celmavelice upon his finger.
The men of the ship, those that were armed, at least, snapped to some form of attention as footsteps could be heard ascending from the under-decks. The woman, and the man that had been with her, appeared from the holds, dressed as sailors. A pistol hung from the belt of the woman, as well as a blade. The man seemed to guard her as if she were almost some form of royalty.
Elarion made a small bow, "Captain, I assume?" Finrandel made no movement, simply fingering his blades calmly.
"Indeed," Tyr spoke with a powerful, commanding tone, "I am Tyr Aulnay, the captain of the Elizabethan Ruby, and you are all my captives. You shall work the ship, or we shall cast you to the judgement of the sea,"
Most of the men about the deck sighed in resignation of their fates, but Elaron and Finrandel were of a more indominable spirit, and they stood firmly before the captain. Finrandel's hands left the hilts of his blades and his arms crossed his chest, and almost at the same moment, the pair drew back their hoods, revealing their elven nature to those upon the deck.
"We desire transport to the new continent," Elarion spoke clearly and sternly, "And I do not mind working for it, though I shall not have my freedom taken from me,"
Finrandel nodded in agreement before he spoke himself,"If we cannot find such transport here, we shall take our leave and find such transport elsewhere,"
Tyr's smile turned to a frown quickly as she shook her head, "You are my captives and shall do as I command. For now, I think that you shoudl relinquish your weapons to my crew,"
"I do not see that as an option," Finrandel spoke as he drew his blades from their scabbards slowly, and dropped into a defensive posture. The crew of the ship, as well as Tyr and Morgan, drew their blades as well, and the shrill sound of metal on metal sounded through the air.
Elarion's head shook slowly, irritated by the stubborness of men, and by the brashness of his companion. Fingering Celmavelice about his finger, his voice rose and called out, "Sheath your weapons. We wish no bloody conflict. We wish only to be gauranteed our freedom when we arrive upon the new land,"
Tyr's blade came very close to his throat, and Elarion stood firm. Her voice was like a soft, seductive whisper, "And if I refuse?"
Elarion made a small twist of his hand, and Finrandel felt him embrace a small amount of the power of Nish'talle A'diron. Tyr's blade cast itself through the air, and nearly over the deck, before halting for a moment and returning to rest in Elarion's hands. "If you refuse, we shall take our leave of you. I do not wish to shed blood, nor do I wish to have my blood shed. I shall ask but one more time, will you gaurantee our freedom," Elarion motioned to all of the captives, "When we reach the new continent?"
Now Tyr faced a difficult decision. This Elf was obviously a sorceror of some sort, and the Elves had always been strong in the ways of the arcane, but she sensed some sort of inner peace from this Elwain, Elarion, and did not wish to harm him. He seemed wisened and old, and indeed he was, but such things were unnoticable to any not of the elder race.
Sighing inwardly, and extending a hand to Elarion, her voice rang true, "I shall allow you and the others to go free should you wish, when we reach the land of Ivernes. However, should you, or any others, wish to stay on as part of our crew, you would be welcome,"
Elarion nodded in agreement and placed her blade back into her hand. Finrandel sheathed his blades and made his way to the prow of the ship, to look out to the east. Tyr studied Elarion for a moment, and then, suddenly began barking orders to her newfound crew, and within a matter of minutes, the ship was sailing eastward, towards the land of Ivernes.
Cue: Tyr or Finrandel
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Damion on 09-25-2002 03:48 PM:
Damion peeked over the small bush he and Zera had hidden behind. Not even 100 meters from their area was a ship: a cargo ship, but a ship none the less. Damion turned back to his new ally and whispered, "Ok. When I say go, dart for the nearest cover you can find that is closer to that ship. Understood?" Zera nodded her head, now being the silent one. Can't blame her. After all, her entire village was destroyed by Shadowspawn, then her encampment was destroyed, and we barely escaped. He shook his head. "Damn monsters. Destroying everyone's lives...I hope someone in Gran Adegaros can help," he mumbled. Zera nodded her head again, her eyes blank and her face void of emotion. It reminded Damion of how he had been before he met this girl. But now....now the two of them trusted each other with their lives. They treated each other like brother and sister.
Damion looked over the bushes again, and saw that the coast was clear for the moment. "Ok. NOW!" Damion and Zera bolted out of the small brush and immediately headed for something to hide them from the sailors. Damion smiled. Reminds me of when I met that sailor and the psychotic wizard. Ah, the good old days... He dove behind a wide assortment of crates. The reek smell of fish and crabs came to his nostrtils. He poked his head warily to the side of the crates to see if he could spot Zera. Sure enough, he could see her...climbing over the ship! Oh...shi...
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Tygan deParte on 09-27-2002 02:42 PM:
Tygan pulled the dagger free from it's sheath and stabbed deep into the rock before him. His body jerked and searing pain jolted through his arm as his full weight swung onto the small weapon. Above him, Palin was holding onto Riena, keeping her from falling from the cliff to the now-fog shrouded ground far below. And somewhere above the edge, Carla was struggling desperately with the bardling to locate Palin's length of rope.
The dagger began to slip free of the rock. Tygan exhaled softly, allowing the black magic to flow down the length of his hands and into the weapon, anchoring it to the cliff-side. He would not fall as long as he held fast, but his strength was failing him.
"Carla! Hurry with the rope! I can't hold on much longer!" Above him, he heard a scuffle and Carla grunt. Erik began to scream at her about tangling the rope and started to insult her. Tygan didn't care. He needed help.
"Dammit! Hurry up! Help her, Erik!" The bardling scoffed, but Tygan heard him cutting at the rope. Palin was still holding onto Riena some distance away, speaking to her in a hushed voice.
Then the rumbling started again.
The earth shook hard, almost dislodging Tygan from his perch. He glanced behind him and saw the Black Tower fall, it's obsidian length crumbling towards the earth. A ring of light exploded from it and engulfed them.
Tygan heard Palin and Riena scream before the dagger fell free of the rock and he tumbled unconscious towards the fog below.
*********************************************
Tygan awoke on his back, his entire body numb. The fog still encased the ground, blurring his vision in all directions. After a few minutes, Tygan finally made the effort to stand and study his surroundings. He did not see the others, who should have fallen with him, but he did find himself encompassed by a thick patch of trees.
"Hello? Is anybody out there? Palin? Riena? Carla?" Tygan searched fruitlessly, then cursed himself for calling helplessly. He had to be somewhere on the outer rim of the Soul Wood and the others should be nearby too. Tygan checked himself one last time for any injuries, thanked the Creator for not allowing him to die after such a long fall, then walked in the direction that he thought led to the main road outside of the wood.
Something's not right here..... and I need to find out what. But first, I need to find the others..... please let them be okay.
Tygan continued walking, ignorant of the fact that the mist was getting thicker and that someone was watching him very closely.
Cue: Palin
__________________
[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/tyg.jpg [/img]
Can't say you'll lose if you never try.
Can't say you've won, if you happen to die.
---------------------------------
Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus.
Let us rejoice then, while we are young.
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To die is to sleep, only you forgot to turn on your alarm.
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 09-29-2002 03:49 PM:
dedication
Sun peaked over the plains as he walked on. There didn't seem to be much of anything this direction. A white mist seemed to hover about. The winds turning and twisting with each aching step. Small clouds hovered across the cyrstaline blue sky. Small bushes swaying to the constant breeze.
A figure moved through the fog. Wearing his white robe of the academy. The fog seemed to thicken as he stumbled. The more he tried to seperate the more it grew thicker. A maze of white and grey as he stumbled through the mist. Apollo rubbed his ocean blue eyes to try and see.
Flashing silver whizzed by him as he heard a voice.
"Your fear is within you. "
Apollo looked around for the voice but the silver came by and hit him this time. In a scream of pain he grabbed his leg yet looking down he saw nothing. Focusing his thoughts he could see the shadow now.
Another voice.
"You fear to take lives but it is the path you must do. You need to find within yourself why you fear it and conquer that fear."
Apollo thought to himself. The reason he wouldn't kill anyone was because of the vow to his brother. Perhaps it was more then that. Perhaps he just didn't want to take a life. It was a fear. The fear he would never be forgiven for his crimes. The silver flashed once more knocking apollo to the ground. Yet his hand felt something cold and hard. A rock in his hand.
Yet perhaps to save a life. To protect those who needed his protection he could take such a life. Picking up the rock he charged the shadow and with a mighty yell plunged the rock into the figure's skull. The shadow vanished and a white light started to surround him.
"You have proven yourself by conquering your fear . Therefore you are worthy to be a healer of life."
A flash as he grew dizzy. Opening his eyes slowly he looked around. He was on a shore but where. He didn't know. Dusting off his pants he tunic he sighed. Standing up he stumbed and cut his hand a bit. He closed his eyes and pictured the wound. The skin weaving around it.
He opened and the hand was healed. His magic had never worked that quickly before. Odd.
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Katatnon on 09-29-2002 07:42 PM:
Moutain trials
The wind swept down the moutains of the land as it blew harder and harder with fury. Hidden by clouds the sun tried to peak from behind them. Tree's swaying there might oak branches in the breeze. Looming above all the mighty moutain stood before the small tribal village.
At the bottom were five warriors. All of the tribe of the bear. Each strong and holding a different weapon. The one known as Katatnon was the chosen lastly for the trial. All sons of the warchief. Katatnon's green eyes watched the moutain as his brown hair blew in the breeze. A younger barbarian spoke from a writing on a tree.
"This is the test of warriors. You will face three trails. Strength, Speed, and Heart. Use all that you know and survive. It is forbidden to help any in the final trial. Good luck to you all. May the bear be in your soul."
The warriors made there way up the hill. Katatnon strapped tighty his throwing axes to his back and followed the line of his brothers.
__________________
United we rise. United we rule.
Posted by Kane Tallon on 09-30-2002 12:53 PM:
"Wait!" Kane caught up with Lynn and turned his head to hers, "Who's your next kill?"
"What do I know! My boss will tell me later, didn't you listen...oh right, you were amused by that necklace..." Lynn laughed at him, thinking-"an assassin like him and a necklace."
"That necklace belonged to..." Kane lowered his head then shot up again with a different excuse, "I found it somewhere!" Lynn simply gazed back but kept on walking.
"Where did you find it?" She questioned.
Kane walked silently along her side for a moment then answered, "Are you a detective, or an assassin?"
Lynn, disappointed at this answer turned her head straight again and continued walking.
***********
After walking about fifteen minutes, the reached the inn where Lynn stayed over night...sometimes. Kane stopped to get his own room, in order not to be back-stabbed by the female assassin and to actually get some rest. Kane was about to do the same as Lynn, walk upstairs to the rooms, but was caught off by a wealthy looking man. The man guided him to a quiet corner of the downstairs room. To Kane's pleasing, the man took a step back for safety.
"You are a certain Kane Fallon, right?" The man questioned in a noble accent, very different from Kane's.
"Tallon..."
"Ah, yes. Sorry sir, I didn't mean to-"
"Who cares, what do you want?" Kane cut the man's words short and rested his back against the wall behind him.
"A man, Neptune Vailstrong lives in one of the noble-man houses in the noble district,"
A nobleman in the noble district, who would have guessed...~ Kane thought silently and let the man continue.
"He recently, so I discovered, hired a group of thieves to steal some of my most valuable possessions...and they succeeded. The thieves descended from a guild in this city, but that is another story."
~Thieves eh? Looks like Lynn's going to have to tell me some names later
"Sorry to interrupt, but how much would one thief be worth to you, dead of course."
"Oh, well...3000 Gran."
"Alright, so you want me to assassinate Neptune Vailstrong, right?"
"Yes, but be alert, I have more to tell." The man added in a low tone, "I want you to bring back one of my possessions, a little brown sack with a gold emblem of a mountain on it."
"Sir, I'm an assassin, not a thief..." Kane mentioned
"Why, it is not thievery, it is taking back." The wealthy man responded.
"That'll cost extra..." Kane stated and signaled the man to continue further.
"Yes, price doesn't not matter to me, I'm willing to pay enough." The man proudly exclaimed, "Back to topic now though. The house of Neptune Vailstrong is heavily guarded. He is having a party tonight, at least one hundred pupils. They will all be in the downstairs dining room or out on the front porch, so the rest of the house is clear. The only people scattered throughout the house will be servants and a few guards, as most of them will be close if not in the midst of the celebration." The man pulled to middle sized pouches out from under his shirt, they were filled up to the rim with money.
"The pre-payment?" Kane looked at the man surprised.
"Why yes, is it not common?"
"No, not these days. People don't dare paying in advance because of all those dirty cut-throats that would run away with the money..." Kane informed the man in a light-hearted tone, "I am one of the few that still has honor luckily."
"I put trust in you." The man exclaimed with joy, "So please, rid me of that scoundrel! Remember, there is more money to come." The man bowed his head then stuttered, "Oh my, I almost forgot. Neptune Vailstrong is a rather...husky man, he clothes his face with a braided black beard. Usually he wears baggy clothing, but I must be off now, good fortune!"
"That man...talked around the whole matter a lot...must be one of his first assassination matters. At least I'm informed now." Kane spoke to himself and walked out of the corner and towards his room.
***************
Kane strapped both his new and his old katana around his waist to give a more stealth like appearance to the shadows. After pulling over a mask, much like that of a ninja, he reached for his dagger and hid it near his heart in-between large folds in the suit he wore. It was completely black, so basically a completely different set from what he usually wore. At the loose parts of the suit, such as the legs, there were little leather strips bound around to tighten the cloth to the skin and therefore not allowing it to sway around as Kane moved. For the “finishing” touch Kane pulled on a pair of tight, black leather gloves. Reassuring that he had everything with him that he needed he made his way to the window of his room. The moon stood high and pale, its light flooded the dark streets, but certainly not enough to kill away the shadows of tall houses, trees or other objects. Kane silently opened the window and looked out. He was on the second floor of the house. After acknowledging that there was no one else but him out on the street he jumped up on the window cell and hopped out. With one arm he grabbed for a large branch of a tree and swung around 180 degrees, then he landed and porched his feet on the branch. With a quick glance to the floor, he shot down and cushioned his landing by giving in and crouching to the size of a dog. Silently he stood up and sprinted off towards the main street leading to the noble district.
OOC: Lynn, now’s the time where you get your kill-we meet up later again.
__________________
One single hit.
In a single hit there is so much:
Energy, talent, sweat, history, and philosophy...
Posted by Keiru Onyx on 10-01-2002 02:11 PM:
It had been a hard long ride to Pontifar. As the glossy black doors of the carriage swung open noiselessly, out of the coach stepped two travel weary figures. Scarlet Rosenblade stretched wearily as she began to recieve sensation in her legs once more while Emperor VanVehementi motioned for Gregorynn to retrieve his cloak from the luggage rack. The weather had been warm and pleasant during their sojourn yet both the evening's chill and the oceans fine, salty mist carried with them a damp and chilled element.
The odd pair walked with tired souls from the carriage which had rolled to a stop just on the threshold to the dockyard. They spoke not a word as they continued on their way for both Aramus and Scarlet were quite tired. They had made idle chatter during the ride but at this time, all words were spent. It took a formal salutation to bring sound to life from the silence.
"Hail Emperor. You have arrived precisely on time. Princess Rosenblade I presume?"
"... Yes," Scarlet stirred to life, "yes, that is I."
"I am Claudia Stromgaurd. I will accompany you to Gania. We are to board the Percephanie. She is the fastest ship in the Nylian fleet. It will serve you, I and the other retainers well on our voyage. Worry not any longer child. You will be home soon!"
Scarlet glanced over at Aramus puzzled. He responded promptly, "Fear not young one, I trust her and her companion with my very life. She," he glanced at Claudia, "has already saved my life once. I would love to personally accompany you but I have domestic matters to which I must attend." Aramus became quiet once more with thoughts of Balanum. He would be devoting a great deal of attention to that province now that his fleet had been built and tested.
After a regal courtsy, Scarlet departed the company of Aramus and joined Claudia and her retainers as they strode the docks to the Percephanie. Once boarded, the ship pulled anchor and lurched cautiously into the black waters of a dark Nylian night. As the vessel had left the dockyard and sped off to the horizon, Aramus boarded his carriage once more and departed for Militus. The Empire had been idle long enough....
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Onyx, the blackest of Aeternal stones, is renown for its omnicient properties...
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 10-01-2002 03:29 PM:
Chapter 6: Symphony of the Silent Evil
Palin awoke screaming for Riena, her glove still clutched in his fist. It took him a moment to orient himself before he stopped screaming, then he stood and observed the scene around him.
Mist covered everything his vision could encompass, which only extended a few feet in any direction. He appeared to be in a grove of trees, but beyond them he could see nothing but white.
The Soul Wood........ I must have landed here after the fall. But am I not dead?
His perception of his surroundings expanded, and Palin realized why. He stepped free of the pool of water at his feet, which he had not been aware of before, dragging tree branches behind his boots.
Trees must have cushioned my fall...... and then I ended up in this pool........ If the trees really caught me after that big a fall, then perhaps the others are alive too!
Palin checked Balderk, which was covered in mud, but still unharmed and hurried off in a random direction, calling for the others.
*********************************************
It had been over an hour since Palin had begun searching and he still had not found anything but more fog and thicker trees. Although he was sure that Soul Wood was not very large, something about the fog seemed to make it larger, and harder to leave. Not even the edge of the forest came within sight. Also, it seemed that Palin's magic had become significantly weaker, almost to the point of non-existence. Palin was sitting down to rest and try a navigation spell again when he heard a soft moan.
"Hello!? Who's there!?" The moaning continued. Palin followed the sound, trying to determine it's origin. He ran in the direction of the sound and was surprised as he entered the clearing ahead of him. Palin inhaled sharply and spoke.
"It's you!"
Cue: Tygan
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Scarlet Rosenblade on 10-02-2002 01:10 PM:
Scarlet tossed and turned upon the spacious bed, unable to sleep from the doubts and fears that had plagued her far into the night. At last she sat up and opened the window next to her bed allowing moonlight accompanied by a chilly breeze to waft into the cabin. She sighed and leaned into the wind letting it play through her hair, which had all but grown back since she left Gania. Wanting to hear anything other than the fickle wind, she voiced her thoughts softly.
“I can’t do anything. I left to find Reika and now I’m going back with nothing to show for it. But what am I going back to? To a life I don’t know how to live… I can’t rule a country. I can’t even take care of myself anymore.”
She was crying now and hugging her knees tightly to her chest.
“I don’t even know if Indigo is alive….” Memories of when she visited the nearly lifeless body of her lover through a dream now joined in the hellish chorus of her inner turmoil. She prayed that the Creator had been merciful and spared his life, but it still did not ease her troubled heart.
Eventually, exhaustion took its toll and she was forced by her weary body to fall into a light but dreamless sleep as the Percephanie sailed speedily northward to familiar shores.
Unbeknownst to Scarlet, there was another aboard the ship who wished to see Indigo. Dead, of course. Longines twirled a knife lazily in-between his fingers and waited for the hunt to begin.
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/scar.jpg[/img]
"When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-02-2002 10:25 PM:
Uneventful was a word that had rarely been used to describe Zander's travels for the last several months, but it certainly had applied to the last week since he and Eloise had arrived at the edge of the Dark Wood. It wasn't that there wasn't any evil present there, but it seemed as though the fall of the Tower had instilled the creatures in the wood with dread, especially with two Holy Knights so near.
The two welcomed the relief and took the chance to recouperate as best they could. They also had time to mourn the loss of Alexandros and decide which way they would go next. They had decided that they would at least travel together until Fayre, but after that wasn't so clear.
"I'm just not sure I want to go to Gania with all that's going on here in Asheri," Eloise had said.
"I understand," Zander replied. "With Balanum's fate in the balance, I wouldn't expect you to stray too far from your home. I have all of my life waiting for me in Gania, perhaps I will return there alone."
Eloise nodded solemnly, "But what about Tarubeth?" she asked, fingering Alex's sword. "Which one of us will carry it when we part?"
"I think you should," Zander said, as though it were obvious. "You were his apprentice and you are nearly as skilled as I already."
"But I still have much to learn," she said, disagreeing with his generous compliment. "You were his friend and you have a clear road to follow. Mine is more difficult to discern and you could cary out Alexandros' wishes for the blade much better than I could."
Zander couldn't deny that. From the moment that Alex had given them the sword, he knew that settling down with Tiffarah wasn't an option. The world of Aeterna needed the old order of Holy Knights desperately and he would be the one to carry on what Alex had set in motion. Reluctantly he agreed to carry Tarubeth and in doing so, allow Alex's memory to remain in Asheri instead of being lost forever.
Another week and the two Holy Knights had made it to Fayre, having rented horses in Dargeant. Eloise had finally decided that she would remain behind and Zander passed through the way gate alone. It saddened him to see her go, but he knew that she had her own journey and that she was in the Creator's hands. With a silent prayer, he arrived in Gania.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Vellos on 10-03-2002 11:51 AM:
With stoic determination, Vellos strode the last few meters towards the small temple ahead. Suddenly everything went silent, then within the interval of a second, a lighting bolt crashed down behind Vellos. He could hear the rough crumbling of the rock.
"Why didn't it hit me?" Vellos wondered in astonishment, "Maybe...I am pre destined to higher than an evil pawn..."
With a satisfied look he set his feet on the wet and weathered stone steps leading to the temple gates. He reached the gates and bowed down, then opened them and took a few steps inside. A sight of bludgeoned acolytes clustered the floor. Vellos pulled his sword and rested its tip on the floor.
"What the hell...?" He muttered while searching the main room, just to find more blood and guts. Then he heard some sort of war cry coming from a different chamber...followed by a death scream. Vellos grinned in hope for a fight and strode towards the direction of the chamber. Suddenly the door a few feet in front of him burst open and a man holding a warhammer dripping with blood. It seemed to be a holy knight by the type of armor he wore.
"Still more of this unholy scum!?" The man lunged his warhammer towards Vellos' body who was momentarily surprised at the holy knight being here.
Vellos struck a hand at the nearing collos of hammer and it repelled back with a dark purple flash. A pearl of sweat...or maybe rain, pearled down Vellos' face as he jumped back to recover.
"Close...but now!" Vellos grinned as he propped his sword into an offensive position, "Die! You waste of flesh and bones!" Vellos snapped off the floor towards the knight who was already lunging another attack.
"A mage!? A warrior!? What are you!" The knight demanded as their weapons clashed and as they drew past eachother into different positions.
"What does it interest you!?" With these words Vellos sent an energy ball of evil power hurl towards the knight.
The Knight sent a quick prayer into the sky and readied for impact. The energy ball collided with the knights armor and sent him skidding a few feet. He even seemed almost unharmed except for a tiny river of blood forming in his right cheek. "The creators praise is upon me you foolish spawn of evil!"
"I'm more than just spawn you idiot!" Vellos ran forward and as he did he dragged the tip of his sword on the ground behind him to pull it up with full force. That he did as he reached a two meter distance from the knight. With quick reaction the knight brought his hammer to Vellos' sword and managed to bring it off its actual line of aim. Now since only the top part of the hammer was facing Vellos, the most the knight did was push this into Vellos' stomach causing him to topple backwards. Before Vellos could regain full consciousness the knight was already charging at him, hammer raised above his head. Vellos tightened the grip around his sword and put it flat on his other palm in order to use it as a shield.
The knights hammer smashed down onto the shielding sword and forced it down slowly. With a scream of mental pain a burst of pure evil power erupted from Vellos' body and the knight was sent flying backwards onto the floor making him drop his hammer in mid air. As Vellos stood up his vision blurred and he used his sword as a cane to rest on, the hilt of course was the end he rested on, while the tip sank into the body of a dead acolyte next to him. Vellos groaned with disappointment, "Why am I so sapped of energy...It must be the presence of this worm!"
Meanwhile the knight was also standing again, he too seemed somewhat weekend from the impact of his bipolar alignment. The both stared at eachother as they readied for another attack, knowing that this would be the final attack for one of them due to their sudden exhausting.
__________________
"Peace...is but a shadow of death,
Desperate to forget its painful past...
Though they hope for promising years,
After shedding a thousand tears,
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.
And while the moon still shines pail,
By dawn, it will be our tale..."
Posted by Erik Wendell on 10-03-2002 03:29 PM:
The Transformation
Erik entered the Guild Hall quietly, his equipment at his back. The other members were waiting expectantly in the crowded main hall, hoping to get their shot at playing the game. However, the Guild Council looked up and smiled at his entrance, and Erik knew that he would be included. Clapping quieted the rabble and Erik found his seat. The council, composed of mages who ran the games, began to speak.
"Greetings, fellow warriors! It comes time again for the Game and this one appears to be the greatest we've ever had the opportunity of running. Backed by a new financer,...." there were rumblings among the crowd. New financers meant that the games produced would be far different from those run before. The Council Head continued.
"....We mean to do it right for his approval. Now we are going to select the teams who will be playing. I believe I have a Loremaster in mind for this one. Would Erik Wendell care to take the floor?" Erik grinned among the disappointed groans. He had expected this, especially since he had saved the last game from utter ruin by improvising a point of the storyline to cover a fault in the story. Fortunately, the game came out clean and the Guild was allowed to continue, sans it's original financeer. Erik stepped up in front of the crowd, his feet falling upon the Guild's Rune. The Council head turned to him expectantly and held out his hand.
"I assume you brought your character's Legalia?" Erik nodded and placed a leather armband inscribed with runes on the Council Head's hand. The man issued forth magic words and the Legalia began to glow bright white. Beneath Erik's feet, the Guild Rune joined in as well, showering the Main Hall in blinding light. Erik felt his body change, his muscles tightening and growing, his body growing taller, his hair changing to raven black............
When the light faded, he stood in front of the hall as Corde the Barbarian Loremaster. The leather band was strapped around his darkly-tanned wrist, it's inscriptions still glowing. He held up his hand to show the crowd.
"This is your Legalia, for all you new guys. In case of an emergency, only you or one of the mages may remove the object and you will change back to your original form. Remember this, as it may be important. Now, to choose my team. And don't worry..... we will be including a new player, as always." Erik grinned, but he was becoming annoyed. Choosing a team was a hard task and he was losing his patience over the constant decisions. But, he would bear the brunt, as he would soon be playing the game.
Now...... who to choose?
__________________
"Whatever doesn't get solved through words, do it with the sword."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-04-2002 09:57 PM:
For the second time in his long journey, Zander returned home to Gania and the welcome he got at the way gate was magnifficent. Many of the merchants there had known his father very well and welcomed him. The only blemish on the moment was the news that Marcus Kohen had fallen in battle. Once he had told them, he wasn't willing to remain any longer. He needed to mourn his Father on his own.
He still packed the body with him, now in a coffin and drawn by a horse. He had vowed that he would bury his father in Xellos and was thankful to find a pair of water mages willing to encase the body in ice that had slowly begun to melt. The rate was such that he could easily replace the melted ice with his own magic.
That night, Zander camped midway between Gania and Xellos. Finally he let it all go and with a flood of tears, Zander mourned his father's death in full. For hours he lay face down in the dirt and grass near his campfire.
'Get up, Zander. You have mourned enough for two lifetimes; both I and your father,' the voice came to him and for a moment he reasoned that he must be dreaming, until he felt the cold bite into him as the fire started to die.
"Alexandros?" Zander asked, confused. He recognized the voice all to well. "Where are you?"
'The sword, Zander, don't you remember?' The voice was in his mind, but before he could reason any further, the moments of Alex's death flashed before his mind's eye. Alex's mortally wounded form, holding the Redeemer and binding himself to it, the mana drain on their surroundings, then Alex's body fading entirely from sight. Was that where his spirit went?
Zander sprung to his feet and retrieved Tarubeth from his belongings. Slowly he unwrapped it from Alex's old bloodstained cloak. He had not had time in the Tower to notice the beauty of the blade. The golden crystal blade was long and eligant as it shimmered in the moonlight. The pure Mythril pommel and quillons seemed to glow with their own light as well.
There were no other words to explain what he experianced as he wrapped his hands about the grip than that he just knew. What all he knew, he wasn't sure of, but he was aware at least that Alex's spirit was in the sword itself.
"I knew before that you had bound your knowledge to the blade, but I had no idea you had bound your spirit as well," Zander said, almost to himself. He was almost startled when he got an answer.
'I would not leave my friends completely when they needed me the most, would I?' For the first time, in weeks, Zander smiled. In his heart, he wished more than anything that he could embrace the man that had been such a close friend. 'Weild the sword, Zander. You cannot embrace me, but you can do me that favor.
Zander obeyed and with what might be called reverance, he raised the crystaline blade to his brow, then launched into a dancelike excersize that he had never performed before. It was the ancient sword art of Ar'Selevi. When Zander had finished the excersize with Tarubeth held high above his head, Alex's voice returned to his mind.
'As long as you carry this blade, I will be with you,' he explained. 'Now hurry home, we have an order of Knights to train and I have many things to teach you.'
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 10-05-2002 03:45 PM:
Elarion stepped up from the hold of the Elizabethan Ruby to the main deck, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun as it soared above the great expanse of sea that had encompased the ship that now seemed so small. The ship had been at sea for almost twenty nine days now, and though there were still enough supplies on board for nearly another week and a half, the crew was becoming somewhat restless. By Tyr's calculations they should have spotted land by now, especially with Finrandel's assistance in manipulating the winds to propel the ship even more efficiently.
Elarion's long flowing cloak rustled across the deck as he made his way to the aft of the ship, where Finrandel was standing alert and aloof, focusing a small portion of his will into the harnessing of the winds. Tyr stood behind her first mate as he manned the wheel of the ship. Elarion came to stand beside Finrandel, and took his perch silently, looking out to the north. Sharpening his vision, Celmavelice sparkled in the firey light of the sun, and The elder Elwain noticed something quite strange. he did not clearly remember why they were signifigant, as it had been long since he had been on such a vessel, but he turned to Finrandel.
"Birds... There are birds to the north," Elarion's voice was soft as he spoke the delicate words of the Elwain tongue to his companion. Tyr looked over the shoulder of her first mate to examine the pair, but she did not grasp the tongue of the fair folk.
"There are birds to the north? Then land is closer than we originally thought" Finandel turned his thoughts away from his wind channeling and turned to look as well. His eyes sharpened as well, squinting to reduce the glare of the water, until he saw the avian creatures as well.
The pair nodded to each other slowly, and turned to face Tyr, Elarion declared slowly, slipping back into the common tongue, "There are birds to the north. I should think that we turn to the north and try to close the distance,"
Tyr shouted orders for the loosening of the rigging and the changing of course quickly, and then stepped foreward towards the pair of Elwain, "It is good that you two have come along. You have assisted our travel well. Though, I wish there were no secrets between us,"
Elarion turned to the young captain. He had grown fond of her firey spirit and her even more furious temper, but she was still young, and had much to learn of the world, "There are no secrets between us that need to be told. In all honesty, I simply use my native language becasue it is much easier for me. I do not wish you any ill will, but it is better that our paths are our own. This land holds an ancient darkness that penetrates all things. I know this, and you will soon find that this is more than true,"
Finrandel and Tyr both looked away from Elarion's piercing eyes as he peered northwards, now over the foredecks of the ship. There was a silence between them for some time, as night began to fall upon the ship that plowed through the waves with unnatural speed thanks to the help of both Finrandel and Elarion now. They plowed through the waves until land came into plain sight, under the pale light of the dusk, and what seemed a great natural harbor opened ahead of the ship. Other ships became quickly visible in the quickly fading light, and a pair of cities, one to the east and one to the west of a large river, appeared on the horizion.
Tyr gave orders to come into port in the eastern city, and within an hour, the Elizabethan Ruby was docked at a small peir that exended far out into the harbor. Several men, looking much like Lunari men, come out to the docks and helped the crew to tie down the ship to the pier.
The crew stood face to face with the new people, and finally, one of them spoke, in a dialect of common that was hard to understand, but decipherable, "Welcome to Redwyr, within Nyren, the Divine Protector of Ivernes. My name is Steven, and you appear to be some of the men from the far west. We are welcoming your kind here, but the dockmaster wishes to see the captain. All others are free to do what they will,"
Elarion, Finrandel and Tyr all looked at each other, and stepped from the ship, onto Ivernian soil, for the first time.
Cue: Tyr or Finrandel
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Eloise Rane on 10-06-2002 01:22 AM:
Eloise was once again on her own. Though she enjoyed being in the presence of friends, she was always content with just herself for company. Quiet solitude and contemplation filled the void another in her situation might have felt.
She had watched Zander go, his silent pain not yet fully alleviated. She considered accompanying him all the way to Xellos, out of unspoken duty as a friend and fellow knight, but he required his personal space to finish grieving and take care of matters back home. For someone who had lost both a brother knight and a father, he had shown tremendous strength. So they said their warm good-byes, and Eloise felt a final wave of sorrow as she watched the body of Marcus Kohen pass through the waygate led by his son. As she rode quietly back into Fayre, she knew the call of duty would reunite them, and she looked forward to the day.
Her immediate plans were not as clear, but she found to her surprise that she was in no hurry. In fact, she almost welcomed the break. She discreetly entered a tavern, and after a drink or two at an isolated corner table she realized that the prospect of returning to Balanum no longer made her uneasy. Seeing her less than admirable parents was not a principal interest; they were probably not hoping to see her again, but the thought of them no longer pained her like it used to, The Creator had taken her under her wing. She had no guarantee if her father was even still alive, being a Balanian official under the control of evil force, but she sensed he was. As she continued pondering the situation back in her native country, she somewhat unawarely decided it was to be her present destination.
It was late afternoon. She payed for a room at the inn for the night, then did something not typical of her. Upstairs in her room she shed her large cloak and warrior-like apparel, and with it the tomboyish image she had maintained since childhood as an athletically oriented young girl. She took a hot shower, then after her dark hair dried, let it fall in long, soft tousled waves down the length of her back. She put on a white button-up sleeveless blouse, and a slim ankle-length skirt and simple sandals. Her years of athletic experience had ensured her an almost flawless figure, and for one of the first times she appeared beautiful and graceful, romantically feminine. With her air magic she was able to manipulate the light waves under her left eye, temporarily making the meshai seem to dissappear.
It was sunset when she stepped out on to the streets of the new Fayre. Her evening was mostly uneventful as she paced the streets peacefully, except for new glances she received due to her new look, results from her subtle experiment that both flattered and annoyed her. When twilight draped the streets she returned to the inn, treated herself to a couple glasses of high-priced wine, and turned in for the night.
__________________
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-06-2002 01:47 AM:
"How long do you think it will take them to return?" Zander's mother, Kara asked the lunari man seated at her table.
"I haven't the slightest idea," Sekirah replied honestly. He, Cedric and Amanda had been staying at a local inn for the last two weeks since they arrived in Xellos. The only one staying at Zander's home was Tiffarah, who stayed in her husband's room.
As the days wore on, Tiffarah had become more and more worried about her husband and made regular visits to the chapel where she was married. She also spent a lot of time with Cedric, praying for Zander and Marcus' safe return, but lately hope was beginning to fade from her heart.
Kara had seen her depression begin to set in and she, too, was worried, almost more for Tiffarah than for her husband and son. She was more dismayed than ever at Sekirah's words. Could she at least expect them back within a month?
Before Kara had the chance to inquire further, there was a banging on the door and Amanda burst through, with Cedric close behind her.
"You don't need to knock, Cedric, our news is too important for that," Amanda called out behind her to the rather discheveled looking priest.
"Just because it's urgent doesn't mean we can't be polite," Cedric noted.
"Ha! This coming from a priest that shot 17 vexes without asking their permission," Amanda teased.
Sekirah gave them both a stern look, "Out with it if it's so important."
"Gladly," Amanda smiled. "Zander's back."
Kara and Sekirah's faces lit up immediately and they both looked toward the door expecting Zander and his father to walk through the door at any moment.
"Cedric, could you go tell Tiffarah?" Sekirah requested and the priest nodded. "She's in Zander's room. Amanda, if he's here, how come he's not with you? Didn't you talk to him?"
"Of course we did," Amanda protested. "We're not totally without manners. He had some business to attend to."
"And what about Marcus?" Kara questioned hopefully, but Amanda's face went grave.
"That's the business he's taking care of," Amanda said apologeticly. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Kohen, he didn't make it."
Kara looked shoked for a few moments, as though she didn't believe what Amanda had said, then she broke down into tears. Sekirah put and arm around her, more to make sure she didn't collapse out of grief than to comfort her.
"How long will it take before he's here?" Sekirah inquired.
"I don't know," Amanda replied, shrugging her shoulders. "No more than a half hour."
The rest of the afternoon was a blur as Zander arrived, having left his father's coffin at the chapel and making arrangements for a funeral the next morning. He wanted it to be small and quiet, while still showing his father the respect he deserved.
Tiffarah embraced her husband for a full five minutes when she saw him, not wanting to let him go again. The life had returned to her and she smiled again only to weep allong with Zander's mother when she heard of Marcus' death.
Comforting his mother, Zander told her of the arrangements he'd made for the next day. Afterward, they all retired to their respective rooms at the inn and Zander joined his wife in bed for the first time in nearly a month.
When morning came, they all dressed for the funeral of Marcus Kohen. Kara brought their marriage sword, which the priest that Zander had hired broke ceremoniously at the middle of the blade. The tip was layed on top of the coffin instead of inside, as was tradition, since Marcus' body was in no condition to be seen. Earth mages then sealed both coffin and blade in stone after it was lowered into the ground. Using their weaves, they burried the stone and crafted a meshai shaped headstone. All present knelt in prayer for several minutes, then left Marcus to rest at last.
The grief was still fresh for Kara, and she would grieve over her husband's death for several weeks, but eventually she was able to return to her life, and she remained a widow for the rest of her days.
That afternoon, Sekirah and Zander spent much time talking about what had happened in the tower and about Alex's spirit remaining in the sword, Tarubeth.
"So, in a way, you didn't loose your friend at all," Sekirah said, as the two men sat out among the great boulders outside the city where Zander and his father once sparred.
"In an odd way, yes," Zander replied. "I can actually speak to him telepathically. What other secrets the blade holds, I'm not certain yet. Only Alexandros knows for sure."
"But isn't his knowledge available to you?" Sekirah asked.
"Yes, it is, but you try sifting through it all at once," Zander pointed out. "I'm sure that as I weild the sword more often, it will become easier, but Alexandros has a vast amount of knowledge."
"Does this mean you won't be settling down?" Sekirah inquired.
"I'm afraid so, but I'm not sure if I want to bring Tiffarah with me, it could be very dangerous. The forces of Shadow will certainly do all that they can to oppose the reformation of the old order of Holy Knights."
"She's not going to be willing to let you leave her again, Zander," the lunari warned him. "It was bad enough while you were gone with Alexandros and Eloise in the Tower. You could be gone for months, or even years."
"I was afraid of that," Zander admitted. "I would gladly bring her with me if it weren't so dangerous. Of course, I can't do much to stop her from coming anyway. I just wish there were some way I could keep her safe and still train a new order of Holy Knights."
"There may be yet," Sekirah said.
"How?"
"I have been planning to sail to a new land; a continent to the far east. There have been men following me and trying to assassinate me. I think I can escape them by hiding in this vast new continent. Perhaps you could train an order of Holy Knights there without so much danger as well."
"Perhaps... When do you plan on leaving?"
"Anytime, really. I only need to find a ship that is willing to take me. Secrecy is essential, of course, which is why I planned on leaving alone, though Amanda will amost certainly insist on coming as well."
"What about Cedric?" Zander asked.
"He's told me already that he wishes to return to Asheri and try to raise up a rebellion against Master Saotome and liberate Balanum."
Zander nodded. "I'll need to see about finding someone to take care of my mother since she is alone now, but I can be ready within two days, if you can be ready by then. I'm sure we can find a ship that is willing in Gania, if we can appeal to their money pouch."
"Don't worry about that, I have a small fortune with me that would pay for the whole Ganian navy to escort us. And don't worry about your mother. When we arrived, she had a young couple over taking care of chores around the house and keeping her company."
"Horace and Daliah," Zander said. "They were close friends of mine. They're farmers, so they rarely get out of Xellos. It's nice to know that they're taking care of her. If that's the case, we could be ready tomorrow, I just have to tell Tiffarah."
Within the next twenty four hours Zander, Sekirah, Tiffarah and Amanda had packed their things and said their goodbies. Cedric had volunteered to stay with Kara for a while before returning to Balanum and wished the others a safe voyage. They would soon be on their way to a new world, little did they know that the danger that they had left behind would pale in comparison to that of what they would face.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-06-2002 02:32 AM:
OOC: As Nuldar
IC: The young ranger had learned little of interest in Militus; only that the dark creatures known as shadowspawn had suddenly dissappeared from the land after some Tower had been destroyed. It had been so long since he ventured out of the Taren that he had forgotten what the rest of the world was like.
Nuldar was half tempted to return to the Taren, but he knew he would never be happy there, and as he spent more time in the presence of others, he became increasingly curious about the world that he had never known. He purchased a map that showed where he was and the major roads as well as the two Islands to the north known as Gran Adageros. He thanked the Creator that he had at least learned to read well enough to understand the map.
What he would do next, he wasn't sure. For the time being, he at least didn't like to be in such a militarily charged city and he didn't want to go back the way he had come. If at all possible, he wanted to leave that life behind him and discover what life had instore for him ahead. So he decided he would continue south.
He could only hope to find something there that would answer his many questions about humanity. Whether civilization was really so awful as he had imagined; whether there was more to life than a constant circle of death; whether companionship was superior to solitude. Maybe he would figure it all out with some time, and some miles behind him.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Acini on 10-06-2002 03:15 PM:
She looked from the balcony unto the ground below. The courtyard looked mysterious in the night. She enjoyed this and was curious about it. She needed to explore it. Beside the balcony against the wall was a long chain of vines she would climb down every night. Something about this night seemed extremely wonderful. Moon was full and the ground was almost covered in fog. She climbed onto the edge of the balcony and clung herself to the vines. Carefully climbing down then, she kept looking at the ground below her, which was almost disappearing from sight. When she was almost close to the ground she jumped down and landed on her feet. She dusted her light blue dress off and began to walk through the fog into town.
****
She walked in the city streets. Looking around at lovers and up at the night sky. She watched a couple walked hand in hand into an inn and on the other side of the street she watched a woman get dragged into another by a drunken fool. Oddly enough she liked watching was as much as the other. She found all of this interesting and loved to watch all things, both good and evil in action. She had never fallen in love before and she was never raped. She leaned against the firsts inns wall and looked up at the sky. She sighed for she realized how she never really had a life. It was too perfect to be a real one.
From behind her the alley was dark and mysterious. A hand crept from the darkness within it and reached out at her arm. It pulled at her and dragged her into the black hole of the alley. Her screams were short for there was only a few seconds needed for the deed to be done.
*****
A small grip of a hand was on her arm and her head raised from the reminder of her past. She turned to her side a looked at Serafina who gave her a reassuring nod to continue with the plan. From on top of the inn the looked at the ongoing costumers entering and exiting. They were waiting for someone particular, someone that would make a small but dramatic change in the hearts of the people. Acini’s eyes soon looked on the top of a middle-aged famous warriors head. Those eyes soon narrowed and wide evil grin spread across her face. She pointed to him at the exact time he walked inside.
“That one..” said Acini in a dark like voice.
Serafina’s head only moved slightly and her eyes moved down to him.
“Yes I believe that’s the one. Make sure you do your job as quickly as possible.”
“With Pleasure.”
From her crouched position she stood up and walked to the edge of the inn and jumped onto an alley floor. She walked from the alley across the street and stood at the inn doorway. From the doorway she looked at the gambling men and whores flirting, and tried to spot the man she had picked out before. Her eyes soon met his for a split second, but that was all the time she needed. Within a matter of minuets the man got up from his seat, and walked her to his table. For an hour and a half they talked and flirted immensely with each other, talking about the warriors travels and his sex life. Once that was over Serafina appeared and walked to the table. Intrigued by both beautiful women he invited them both to his mansion.
“We’ll I don’t know if we should.” Said Acini playfully
Her eyes moved from the man to Serafina sending a message through her face alone.
“Yes, I agree. It seems too dark of night to be traveling.” She looked from the table to the window to confirm it.
“But it’s not very far away. It’s over by a lovely lake. I’m sure you two will enjoy it.”
“Very well then,” Acini replied quickly, “Shall we go?”
__________________
"All things wicked start from innocence." ~EH
Posted by Michael Sheredor on 10-06-2002 03:24 PM:
Michael had thoroughly enjoyed Ioty and had let a full month pass in the pleasant company he had found there. He had been taken in by a small family, the father being a logger as so many of the men in Ioty were.
The children brought Mic' the most joy. They were only 6 and 8, but they loved to hear his songs. The sister would try and sing along while her older brother kept a beat using a pair of spoons on the dining room table. Their mother, of course, welcomed the unpaid babysitter and rewarded him with fine meals and a warm bed.
They were all sad to see him go, but he had earned enough money playing at a local chapel's services to pay for the next leg of his journey and quite a bit more. When he had arrived in Ioty, he thought he might make enough to rent a horse and buy provisions for the road to Akaros, but after staying much longer than he had expected, he found that he had made enough to buy a horse, all his provisions and still have some left over if he should find something that caught his fancy.
Michael thanked the Creator for bringing him such good fortune and said his goodbyes to the family before leaving Ioty. He had bought himself a fine young mare and strapped his goods and gifts from the children upon her back. For the moment, he walked beside her, but as the hours of journeying wore on and he left the scattered forests that surrounded Ioty, he decided to ride the horse he had named Sundrops, for the cream colored speckles covering her light brown hide.
He found an advantage to riding that he had not expected. He could play his guitar and sing to himself as he rode, and sundrops would still follow the road as she should. He took the opportunity to sing praise to the Creator for blessing him with some peace and solitude. But his peace would soon be disrupted.
__________________
Music can heal the hardest of hearts. Creator, bless my strings that I may compose so beautiful a rhyme.
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-06-2002 05:54 PM:
Gania found Sekirah in the dead of night. He and his companions were forced to camp outside the city walls and wait for the gate to open in the morning. They only had two tents, which meant that he and Amanda had to share one since he was sure that Zander and Tiffarah wanted to have their privacy.
Amanda talking to him again and as they lay together in the tent, neither able to sleep, she began to warm up to the prospext of perhaps pursuing something with him again. She didn't know what to say to strike up a conversation though. Lucky for her, Sekirah took the initiative.
"I'm sorry things have been so busy," he said quietly. "We haven't had much chance to talk, just the two of us."
"I didn't know you had wanted to talk to me at all, let along just the two of us," Amanda replied, slipping back into her sarcasm, but catching herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"It's alright, I probably deserve it."
"No, you don't," Amanda said. "I think I'm starting to understand what you meant back in Helilal."
"How so?" Sekirah was intrigued. He knew he had hurt her, and when he had the chance to redeem himself, he couldn't find the words.
"I know how you didn't want to hurt me," Amanda said. "I've been thinking about it ever since, and it didn't take me long to figure it out, but I was too stubborn and angry to admit that I knew the truth... You just didn't want me to be like every other girl you've been with."
Sekirah smiled to himself in the dark. "You're right. It wasn't that I didn't care about you, I just cared about you too much."
"I wouldn't say that it was too much," Amanda said. "I'm not sure if there's such a thing, but it doesn't have to be that way with us. I don't have to be like every other girl, Sekirah." By now she had turned to face him as he stared up at the ceiling of the tent, his long silver hair lying round about his head and revealing his pointed ears.
"I'm not like Zander," he stated, and then more softly, "I'm afraid that I might not be able to control myself around you."
"Then let me do it for you," she said and gently turned his face towards hers with the palm of her hand. Sekirah felt a heat surge through him at her touch that pierced him to his heart. Whether it was her fire magic or his own feelings toward her, he didn't know, but it didn't matter.
Sekirah reached out to her with his own hand and pulled her toward him. For the first time he did something he'd wanted to for so long; he kissed her. Gently, their lips met and he breathed in her scent. What only lasted a few moments seemed to last an eternity, but when their lips parted they both smiled. Sekirah had never before felt anything like what he had just experienced, and he had kissed many a young woman.
"If you can keep me in line, I'll give you my heart," Sekirah whispered.
"I will," she said and they kissed again before falling asleep, holding each other close. Each were in their own bedroll, but Sekirah knew that was best, at least for the time being.
*******
The next morning, the four of them made their way to the docks north of Gania and bribed a young but skilled captain to make the long voyage to the east. He was eager for the new voyage, but not so eager for the cost and even less eager when he learned that it would all be for only four travelers. Only when Sekirah offered to pay all of the expenses did he agree.
By nightfall, the fine ship left Gania and plotted a course to the new continent of Ivernes. All aboard wondered what the new world held for them, if they made it there at all.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Willow Silverwind on 10-06-2002 06:43 PM:
Fall had struck the far western forest. The crisp air seemed to suck the green from the leaves, causing them to wither into a copper spiral. The wind whipped through the labyrinth of tree trunks, causing the lifeless leaves to plumet to the ground, laying the earth in a golden blanket that crunched beneath the foot.
Willow sat in the hollow of a dead tree, the rotting wood giving off a strange warmth. Her pale green skin was a stark contrast to the deadened, dark brown wood that sluffed off at a slightest touch. Insects crawled throughout it but gave Willow a sense of comfort of not being alone.
A gust of wind whistled past the crack in the old husk of the tree that was Willow's door. With a shiver she called a vine to curl up and block the hole. Birds had long but left the forest for the winter and the air was silent besides the wind.
As night carressed the land, Willow felt it appropriate to sleep. Although she had never left the hollow, she had no intention of leaving her cramped quarters. Sleep came easily enough and lifted as the sun rose past the horizon, casting dappled shadows. Crawling freem of the hollow tree, Willow felt the sting of cold as her moccasined feet crunched against the frost-laced leaves.
__________________
A man should never be ashamed to admit that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
~Alexander Pope
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-07-2002 01:49 AM:
"Your timing for travel couldn't be worse," The captain informed Zander as they stood tokether on deck, back to the west at a storm they had luckily weathered well, but for a few tears in the foremast. "It's storm season and we're likely to see one or two more of those big ones. The next one might not be so forgiving."
"I can only pray that the Creator protects us on our journey," Zander responded.
"Well, you go ahead and pray to Her if you like, but I'd much rather rely on the skill of my crew to get us through," the captain said. "She's never done anything for me before, but maybe she listens to the prayers of a Holy Knight more than a scoundrel like me."
"You're sadly mistaken captain," Zander explained. "She always listens, but not always is what we want the same as what is best."
"Then I sure hope what is best doesn't include me and my boys sinking to the bottom of the ocean."
In this way the weeks wore on and more storms came, but the ship toiled on, undeterred. When they were blown off course, they corrected themselves, but it cost them an extra three days. Over a month of sea travel wore hard on the passengers and Tiffarah told Zander that she didn't look forward to another travel by sea for a long time.
All were relieved when land was sighted to the northwest. They found as they sailed in that direction that they were moving into a large harbor. No sooner had they entered the harbor than they spotted many more sea vessels, most of them fishing boats. Among the vessels, two lesser ships could be picked out and they were turning toward the large oceanworn Seachief that had just entered their harbor.
As the smaller ships approached, it could be seen that they were of official origin; probably the local navy. As such, the captain of the Seachief ordered his crew to remain at ease.
"We've no need to prepare for battle, they're not pirates," the captain barked. "They're probably just curious as to why we've come to their harbor uninited." After giving his men orders, he went below deck and found the four passengers. "You all might want to get above decks, we're likely to be boarded, but let me handle it unless things get messy."
When the four had made themself presentable and emerged on deck, they found several uniformed men aboard ship as well as a highly decorated man with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a short black beard. His uniform had more embellishments and medals than the men that stood behind him, but it was similar in style.
The pants were loos and flowing until they were drawn together at the shins and tucked into his boots. He also wore a vest with his many jangling adornaments attached to it and a leather strap the width of a belt hanging from his shoulder to the opposite hip in the fashion of a sash with a sword frog and scabbard attached to it at his hip. There was a symbol sewn onto the strap that Zander guessed indicated his rank. Zander also guessed that the blade held within the scabbard was a scimitar, and a fine one at that. He wore no shirt and his bare chest
"Why do you have no license for sailing in these waters?" the man demanded of the Seachief's captain.
"I've told you, we haven't been here long enough to purchase one. We've never even sailed so far east as we are now."
"East!? You idiot of a captain! You are nearly as far west as you can sail on this here continent!" The gruff official exclaimed.
"I apologize, sir, but we're not from this continent," the captain said as Zander approached behind him.
"Not from this continent!? You must be crazy, saltwater's getting to you or someth..."
"Is there a problem I can help with?" Zander asked and for the first time, the eyes of the bearded man fell upon the Holy Knight and his Meshai marked face. With the scar running through it, Zander proved to be an imposing sight.
"Excuse my rudeness most holy sir!" With his words he dropped to his knee and his men followed suit. He bowed his head for a moment then looked back up toward Zander. "My people are very suspicious of newcomers, but we are also very reverant toward the Creator. We will trouble you no more, forgive us."
"You have been no trouble," Zander assured him and the captain shot him a look that said, 'Like hell he hasn't been any trouble!'
"Allow us to escort you to the dock and show you to city hall. It is a rare occasion that we have a Holy Knight visit our land," he said, still on his knees. "Are you truly from another land? We have heard rumors of travelers from another continent, but we had no reason to believe they were true until now."
"It is true, and I haven't a clue where we are, other than that we are not where I came from," Zander said. "I would like it very much if you would escort us to the dock, if it is alright with our captain, but first, by what name might I know this land?"
At this request, the commander rose to his feet with a look of pride on his face. "You have sailed into waters belonging to the Triune States of Lantrel. We are only one among many countries in this continent of Ivernes, but we are strong."
With that, the captain agreed to the escort and for the first time in over a month, Zander and the others set foot on dry land.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Damion on 10-07-2002 01:48 PM:
((Sry for the delay. Been busy))
Damion lept over the side of the cargo ship, rapidly searching for Zera. That idiot! Hasn't she ever done anything like this? You never go directly to your goal, you fool! He looked around some more, then ducked behind a large crate before he was spotted by two heavily built sailors carrying two long beams. He peeked over the crate, and felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, sword in hand, its blade on the person's neck.
"Uh....sorry?" Zera looked down the blade with nervous eyes, here face streaked with sweat. Damion snorted, and sheathed his sword.
"You IDIOT! Why did you-" He shut his mouth and lowered his head, listening to the nearing footsteps. He guessed that there were three sailors nearby, each one laughing and swearing about women they laid, men they fought, and how much alcohol they could endure. Zera was near to hyperventalating with fear, her breaths growing short and rapid. Damion clasped a hand over her mouth, muffling the quick breathing. He leaned back on the crate, waiting, hoping, for the sailors to pass by. His hope was in vain. He could here one of the sailors come closer to the crate he and Zera had made into a small fortification, heard the sound of cloth being stripped from the body, and then could hear...and smell....the nausiating sound and stench of sour piss. The sailors continued to laugh and chat for about two minutes, then left Zera and Damion alone, attempting to breathe without vomiting.
"That was the nastiest thing I have ever witnessed!" Zera whispered, her hyperventalating slowing considerably. Damion snorted again, regretting it, though, due to the strong smell of urine. He jerked his head towards the ship's cabin, and both of them darted towards the door, hoping not to get caught by any sailors.
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 10-07-2002 08:53 PM:
He could feel her. You're so beautiful... She was here, even as he had so long ago thought her lost. We'll be together forever... He had thought he sensed her from even far out to sea, but now, as he wandered through the streets of this city, Redwyr, her presence was undoubtedly noted by Elarion. I love you, Eleoaro... It burned at his heart and soul. She had left him, left all of her kind, and for what? Some ideal? Some so-called higher purpose? I love you, Vanyesse... Memories came rushing back like a flood...
3,699 Years ago....
Elarion walked from his workshops, making his way back into the portion of his home used for living. Though he had no children, he hoped his wife, Vanyesse, would concieve soon. Carrying hmself in his normal fashion after a long session working, he came into the great hall of their home, and before the fireplace, Vanyesse sat, weeping into her hands.
Elarion approached from behind, placing a well worn hand upon her shoulder. One of her hands came up to meet it, and clasped lightly. Her voice was fearful and filled with sadness, "I am leaving these lands. The High King is not so wise as he thinks,"
Her face twisted unhappily as Elarion knelt before her to look into her glimmering emerald eyes. He could feel the great pain within her, but also a great sense of purpose, and of duty. His head shook slowly, causing his raven black hair to waver gently, "Where will you go? The King would not agree to allowing Elwain to even leave Hethelin until but a few years past. We do not even know if Dracharist or Nuir'amaarist even exist, and even so, The King has forbade the building of ships,"
"We have been building ships for some time now, though we do not know if any of the other lands still are. We have decided to leave Evisis, and find another homeland, where we can help men, rather than leave them to make the same mistakes again," Her voice was filled with sadness, and she rose to her feet.
Elarion scanned the room as he rose, and saw a neatly packed bag of her clothing and belongings. His face contorted into a saddened, furious rage, but he did not speak. She walked to his side, and took his hands, though all he could do was stare at the floor. He had known that she had sided against the High King's decision, as many others had as well, and that she had attended meetings to discuss alternatives to assist mankind, but he never thought she would go so far as this.
Elarion's voice cracked as he even tried to speak, his head rising just a bit so that he stared at the hem of her dress, "Don't leave me, Vanyesse... I cannot bear to see you go..."
"But I must. I love you, Eleoaro, but I must do that which is right," Her face was strong and filled with spirit as she brought a finger under his chin, and raised his eyes to look into hers.
"How do you know that you are right, Vanyesse? Why not trust in the King's judgement?" His voice still wavered a bit, and his eyes burned with an inner fury, though he would not lash out at Vanyesse.
"Even one so wise as the King cannot see all elements. We believe that we are right. The men cannot take care of themselves. They need our help, and I will help them." Her eyes also burned, but with a passion of hope.
She took his rough hands in her slim, petite hands, and held them tightly as she kissed him lightly, and then more furiously and passionately. He returned her passion with his own, and then they parted, and her hands dropped from his.
"I Love you, Eleoaro, take care of yourself, and perhaps I shall see you again..."
"I love you, Vanyesse,"Elarion's voice was strong, but then, under his breath, so that she could not hear him as she shouldered her belongings and made for the door, "Please don't go..."
The door closed, Elarion dropped to his knees, and then, he wept...
Elarion's reverie ended abruptly as Finrandel shook him by the shoulders.
"Elarion! You have just been staring for about five minutes. Are you alright?" Finrandel's young vigor made Elarion smile a bit, and he reached out and clasped his shoulder, even as the great sadness within his reverie began to recede a bit.
"I am not so well as I might wish, but I will be fine. You will understand the recollection of long past memories better when you are older,"
Elarion's voice had wavered a bit, hinting at the still fresh pain of his past. The pair began walking into the city again, though Elarion could still feel her presence, however faint, far to the east. Vanyesse could wait, she had already waited 3,700 years. Elarion had new things to explore before he found his wife once again, and he had a companion that needed his guidance, even if he did not know it.
A smile cracked over his face as they passed out of the dock ward of Redwyr, and into a grand marketplace. What a vast, grand new land this was...
Cue: Finrandel, or Tyr, if you want to say something to us before we get lost in Ivernes
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-08-2002 01:49 AM:
"Welcome to Lantrell, sir Knight, and even more, welcome to the city of Banchor," the mayor said, seated behind an ornately carved desk. They were in the mayor's small but bright office. "I apologize for the accomodation. If I had known earlier of your arrival, I would have arranged for a meeting room."
"Please, call me Zander," the Holy Knight said. "And the accomodations are suitable."
"That is good to hear indeed," the mayor said. Like the commander he met on the ship, the mayor had long hair and a beard as well. It seemed to be a cultural pride in this land. "Would you allow me to ask what brings you to Ivernes from so far across the sea? A pilgrimage to Nyren perhaps? Though I didn't know that word of the Holy Land had traveled so far west. To tell the truth, I wasn't aware there was a far west except through rumors that I wasn't sure I could trust."
"Nyren? I have never heard of such a Holy Land," Zander said. "But, yes, I am here on a pilgrimage of sorts. With the help of my companions, I hope to restore the old order."
"That is quite the task... No Knight has been able to do it before," the mayor said, amazed at Zander's high expectations for himself.
"I'm not just any Knight, and I have the Creator's blessing."
"Be that as it may, it will be difficult. Not many are willing to attempt a dedication that so few pass and those that don't are rewarded with death."
"Indeed, I will need to rally a people that I know nothing about. However, I will do my best to lessen the failure rate. There will be extensive training before the test and only the most elite will be allowed to attempt dedication, " Zander explained.
"Hmmm, in that case, it would be best to travel to Nyren. The young men there would be more willing to follow you and the women might even be eager."
"Thank you for your council, I shall take your advice," Zander said. "The only concern I have is where the test might be attempted. I assume that the Knights here do not travel all the way across the sea."
"Indeed, they do not," the mayor assured him. "There is a chapel at the summit of Mount Tor'Ravidar. It lies within Corendell which is north of Nyren. I can supply you with a map of the continent."
"I appreciate it, very much," Zander said. "Is there anywhere that I might hire a guide that might help us on our way?"
"Of course! The best place to look is the taverns. Rangers usually frequent them and are willing to act as a guide for a reasonable price. I don't think there is anywhere that you could trade your currency for our own, except for through raw materials. For that, you can find our local jeweler further into the city. I will have an officer escort you there. It was good to meet you, Sir Zander Kohen."
"And you," Zander replied. "Thank you again for all your hospitality."
With that, Zander exited city hall, followed by a military officer. He met Sekirah, Tiffarah and Amanda outside and informed them of what he had learned. The officer returned their weapons to them, which had been confiscated for their stay at city hall and escorted them into town.
The Jeweler was kind enough to give them an even trade. As it turned out, when they had exchanged their currency, they came out ahead because of the lighter material used in Ivernarian currency; they wouldn't figure that out until much later though.
The long day had finally worn the group out and they found an inn to rest for the night. The next day, they would find a guide and begin their journey to Nyren.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Vellos on 10-08-2002 02:49 PM:
"Amazing for a foul creature!" The knight exclaimed, both Vellos and the knight surprised at the fact that they had managed to launch several attacks after their sudden exhausting.
"My will, and my will shall rid of you now!" Vellos shouted and charged once more, the holy knight missed Vellos clearly as he blindly brought the hammer down. Due to spinning around Vellos was now able to bring his sword right into the knight's left side. The knight simply let himself fall back first onto the floor and landed in a pool of blood. The slash Vellos lunged hit nothing so of course Vellos twirled around once before jumping back and gaining control again. The knight took those granted seconds to stagger up and position his warhammer into a guarding position.
"I...shall not fall to the blade...of a worthless...creature like you..." The knight panted as sweat streamed down his face.
"Well...isn't it too bad that I have an area advantage?" Vellos mocked, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter, "By the way, when I defeat you and torment your pitiful soul, will my victory be a great one?"
"You ask who I am? Very well, know the name of your ending! Mythos Lamterian Kel the VIII." The knight answered in a tone of wild frenzy...Vellos started recognizing and mocked his opponent once more.
"Ah...you are getting angry...is the shadow taking control of you soul?"
The knight grunted and narrowed his eyes, "It is the wrath of the creator in my eyes, waiting to cleanse your soul!"
"Hmm...pretty angry the creator then, no?" Vellos tormented with a wide grin in his hood-hidden face.
"You dare talk that way of the creator!?" The knight shouted angrily, "Prepare for your last breath!"
"Ok..." Vellos now held his sword tip to the ground...hoping to be able to improvise on the attacker thrust.
With a jolt the knight flew towards him, Vellos stuck out a hand and shot a thin line of shadow magic towards the knight. It hit the knight in the shoulder and spun him around once, but it didn't stop him from charging wildly at Vellos. What followed was an amazing series of attacks and parry's. The last was attack that commenced hit. Vellos rolled backwards and his sword flew into the wall a meter or so behind him. With an angry grunt Vellos reached for his sword and jumped up. He could feel a tiny river of blood descending from his mouth. In disgust he spat onto the floor and watched the knight pace towards him.
"Now!" Vellos shouted and brought up an attack against an attack.
Both weapons clashed against eachother with full force, then, without any warning the knight's eyes shot open wide and he mumbled a name. The name was followed by a loud scream of terror and a tearing noise of guts and other innards. The warhammer the knight had once held crashed into a little shrine behind Vellos and destroyed everything but a little black statue. Then the two halves of the knight could be heard hitting the floor sloppily. Vellos sheathed his sword and stayed silent for a moment, then broke into a completely insane and vile laughter.
"Doesn't it just suck to have feelings!" At these words he spoke he started laughing even more. With his never ending laughter he walked to the upper half of the knight and looked at the head, then started kicking it with full force, swearing and cursing. Just to be followed by more menacing laughter. He kicked into the head until it was no more than a pulpy mass of blood and brains.
~Die another death!~
Right when he stopped a loud banging noise rung through the temple's walls. Followed by an eery green and purple light filling the room. The wall behind Vellos started deforming and a portal opened, Vellos slowly turned around and gazed at the portal and awaited the person coming through it. He stood there completely calm...his bloodlust was stilled for the moment. Not even did he bother to reach for the hilt of his sword...he just stood there with a face of no expression hidden deep under his hood.
CUE: He'll slowly recognize the figure in front of him, since he read about ??? in books. Then he will turn his body fully and kneel in front of the figure and speak something like "High Shadow"or else something that symbolizes respect in the shadow. Unless you have something more catching in mind of course.
OOC: Acini, the person you kill has the name “Biridor Lamterian Kel the III” ok? Sorry, but I kind of wanted to get on with the story.
__________________
"Peace...is but a shadow of death,
Desperate to forget its painful past...
Though they hope for promising years,
After shedding a thousand tears,
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.
And while the moon still shines pail,
By dawn, it will be our tale..."
Posted by Lynn Kuyama on 10-08-2002 07:24 PM:
Lynn glanced out through the window of her comfortable room, yawning softly. That fight with Kane had sure worn her out a bit. She snarled a bit angrily to herself, wondering why he hadn't killed her while he had the chance. She could only think of how dishonorable she was now, even more than she could imagine so since she had lied to Sven about Kane's death. She had never lied to him before, nor kept secrets from her boss.
"Why had I done that anyways?" she mumbled to herself, "I'm sure the whole gang could have caught him off guard if only I had said something to make them aware of his presence. He could have been killed and I wouldn't be standing here, worrying about losing my place in the guild or getting myself killed."
She sighed softly, her mind perplexed and confused. She kept trying to think of why she had not said anything but couldn't find a reason. Maybe it was because he could've killed her at any moment and he did not. So he had given her trust, and in return she had given him some, something she had promised never to give to anyone ever again.
She threw her head down in disappointment and tossed her cloak back over herself. She walked out of the dreary inn and into the cool silent night, hood drawn over her body, casting an identical silhouette behind her as she walked against the moon's bright beams. The shadow seemed to shuffle it's feet heavily, head drooped in sadness and self-pity. She mumbled to herself about nothing in particular, kicking up some sand as she stepped slowly onward.
***************
After walking around the town for about a half hour, she stopped in a small park, growing tired of the same nightly scenes of the streets. The small lamp-posts throughout the park shone upon the brick sidewalk, forming even more shadows amongst the trees. She glanced through them, cautious and alert for trouble. She hand't hated being alone, though she felt more comfortable without Kane hanging about her. Truly, she hadn't meant to bring him into the guild, nor anything else that came about. She had only wished to kill the boy, but that plan had officially failed the moment she saw him. She noticed this problem now, that he was stronger than her then and she knew it at that moment. Growing angry again for thinking of him, she kicked a tree and sat down upon a bench underneath a lamp-post, trying to rid him from her mind. The lamp's soft light formed a pool of glowing brick beneath her feet, and striped beams of light from the shadow of the bench. She gazed at the glow and frowned a bit.
"Oof...! Ouch! Ahhh!" A loud thud followed the group of shouts heavily.
Lynn jumped up and turned around, glancing through the shadows quickly, wondering who could have possibly been out there and what had happened. As she looked through the darkness, she saw a moving figure which seemed to be rubbing it's head and chuckling lightly. A man then walked into the pool of luminous lamp light and grinned childishly, embarrassed and flushed. He was dressed in gentlemen's clothes, though they were very dirty, as if he'd slipped and fallen out of a tree. And sure enough, that was just what happened.
The man bowed curtiously, Lynn looking at him in suspicious doubt. The pale lamplight shone over his body with an eery glow, making him seem a bit transparent due to the darkness of his black cloak with a smooth lining of crimson velvet blending with the evening bleakness. He stood only a few inches taller than her she noticed, which she smiled softly at. She enjoyed the sight of others her own size, not that she was short but incapable of doing many things taller people could do. His deep auburn hair glimmered in the blades of light formed from the lamp, with the help of the moon's beams shining between the patch of trees they quietly stood beneath. His body was very well built and he had the most wonderful complexion, his skin looking to be kissed by the afternoon sun's wonderful rays.
"Damn, he is one fine lad..."
Her eyes gaped over his body in astoundment but he soon began to notice her wandering eyes and wrapped his cloak around himself, chuckling silently. Lynn had noticed that he was laughing at her, becoming flustered with embarrassment, her cheeks blazing with a deep fire. He coughed softly to attract her attention once more and spoke with his tenderly adorable lips.
"Excuse the intrusion on your private gathering. I had not meant to fall out of that tree. I believe the branch could not heed my weight any longer. I'm truly sorry if I disturbed you in anyway." he spoke in a kind and gentle manner.
She shook her head abruptly. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. I must go anyways."
She began to step around him but he followed in suit and stepped in front of her. She grumbled in a soft tone, looking up at him a bit angrily.
"Please move..." she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.
He glanced at her and smiled angelically, as if he did nothing to her and whispered, "But you are so beautiful...a pretty face like you shouldn't walk home alone, especially at this time of night. It might be dangerous. May I walk you home?"
She laughed a bit, her hand slowly moving towards the dagger beneath her cloak but she changed her mind and nodded to the man. "If that is what you wish to do, you may walk me home."
"And to think, I thought you were just a sad, selfish girl who liked to be alone." he gave a wry smile and took her arm in a curtious manner, chuckling under his breath.
She mumbled once more, only to herself this time as he took her arm. "Why must I fall for such trickery, I'm an assassin for Creator's sake! I must be getting soft..."
************
Sooner than she had thought, they arrived at the inn, the man talking merrily to her as she listened intently to his wandering stories. He spoke of beautiful women, appetizing meals, and ravishing drinks from faraway places. He also had said that he wanted a wife that would love to travel along beside him, then, whenever he decided to, would settle down with him and raise a family of their own. Though it did seem quite amusing, Lynn was not interested in becoming any part of his life, she had far too many problems of her own. So after he was finished, she wished the kind lad a safe journey, a wonderful evening, and the sweet dreams of his future wife to appear to him when he slept. As he walked away, the pale moonlight shone over his shoulders in a fumble of confusion and sadness. She had noticed that he had probably been interested in her, therefore giving him reason to explain his future plans to her. But he had no idea who she really was, and she wasn't willing enough to allow him to find out about her.
She scrambled up to her room and looked around it casually. The windowsill had a hint of orange glow upon the entering edge, which meant that morning was soon to be arriving. She gasped loudly, for she had forgotten to return to the guild for her next assignment and would probably be punished. But she could not take anymore of the hassles the day had given her to deal with, her eyes droopy with fatigue and sleepiness. So she nestled into her bed and fell asleep as the sun peeked over the rooftops.
***********
She awoke the next morning to a hard pounding at her door. She sat up abruptly and rubbed her eyes to rid her sleepiness. She got up out of bed and dressed appropriately, then opened the door. Abe stood at the entrance to her room, staring at her with a bit of a smirk.
"Boss would like to speak with you. He hopes you can take the time to come and visit him today, unlike yesterday's planned meeting." he laughed heartily after he finished.
Lynn growled at the man and locked her door, shutting it behind her and storming out of the Inn, towards the hide-out. She slid down the alley with hasty speed and allowed herself in. The doorman was probably eating breakfast and the door had been left open, most likely Abe's doing since albeit he was the last one to exit. She strode into the main room and glanced around for Sven, finally seeing him beside his special case, gazing through the glimmering glass, and staring at his objects of affection. She walked up behind him, and although she believed he hadn't noticed, he turned around suddenly, grabbing her by the hip and grinned effortlessly squeezing her sides, as he gazed at her intently.
"Well, my pretty, where have you been all night? I thought I told you to come back after you had led the boy to his room? You did only do that with him, correct?" he whispered into her ear softly, yet as firm as a fist.
She attempted to pull away but failed in his strong grasp and allowed herself to be held. She shook her head lightly, gazing back at him, and furrowed her brows.
"I have no feelings towards him, my lord. He is merely a boy that I wish to teach, t'is all. Please have mercy on my soul. I would've returned though after we had reached the inn, Kevrek left to find his own room and I wandered around the town. Then this man came up to me and simply talked to me for the rest of the night. It was nothing at all, and by the time I returned to my room, I was far too exhausted to return to you, so I just slept there..." her tone was becoming more and more soft as she spoke and he laughed lightly.
"Oh Lynn, I can hardly be mad at you. You are one of the best assassins in this region of Gran Adageros, and the only woman that can surpass an overaverage man's talent at this art. So for now, I will not punish you."
And that was all that was said as he released her and allowed her to return to her quarters, which she so readily returned to.
OOC: Not quite a kill, but enough to lure me into one. Do whatever for now, ^^
__________________
"Things aren't always what they seem in this place, so you can't take anything for granted."
"Your eyes can be so cruel... just as I can be so cruel..."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-10-2002 03:25 AM:
Zander felt it that morning when he woke up in the bed of a Banchor inn. It disturbed him more than almost anything else had. The only thing that exceeded it was the moment Alex had died.
'A Holy Knight has fallen,' Alex's voice called to him in his head.
'I know,' Zander thought. 'I had hoped to escape danger by coming here, but I have sensed evil in this land as well from the moment we arrived. This only convinces me further that the old order must be restored.'
'Then get up, there's much to be done today,' Alex scolded. For a spirit residing in a sword for the rest of eternity, he was awfully impatient.
"I was planning on it," Zander said alloud, causing Tiffarah to stirr beside him.
"What time is it?" she asked, rolling over to face her husband.
"Time to get up," Zander said gently and leaned down to give her a peck on the lips that became a passionate kiss.
'Don't mind me,' Alex teased so they both could hear him in their minds. It startled Tiffarah and she scrambled to make sure she was adequately covered by the blankets. 'Don't worry about it, just get dressed, both of you,'
"Can he see us all the time?" Tiffarah whispered, knowing that it wouldn't do any good to keep Alex from overhearing, but doing it out of habit anyway.
"I wouldn't doubt it," Zander said. "But we'll have to get used to it, and I don't think he'd be taking any pleasure in it, other than a comment or two when he's impatient."
'At least it keeps you honest,' Alex remarked. 'If it eases your minds at all, I let you have your privacy when I know you would want it, but Zander's right, I'm eager to get going.'
With that, Zander and Tiffarah got dressed and woke Sekirah and Amanda in their separate rooms. They all met in the lobby a few minutes later and took a seat at one of the tables away from everyone else.
"You have a decision to make," Zander said, quite frankly, to Sekirah and Amanda. "Tiffarah and I are going to Nyren, one way or the other, but I would like to know if you will be accompanying us or not. There will be many dangers ahead."
"Zander, we started out as enemies, but in the past months I have grown to consider you a close friend," Sekirah said. "We have traveled together for quite some time now and I won't walk away from you now."
"And what about you, Amanda?" Zander asked.
"I go wherever Sekirah goes," She said.
"Then it is decided," Zander said. "Sekirah, if you are willing, in the months to come, I will need your help. Likely, I will need your help, too," He added looking toward Amanda and Tiffarah.
"You have it whenever you have need of it," Sekirah said, Tiffarah and Amanda nodding their agreement.
With that they checked out of the inn and searched the streets for a tavern where they might hire a guide to take them to Nyren. According to Zander's map, they would have to cross through the country of Zhu'yuan, and Zander would rather know what he was going into before the moment was upon them.
When they found a tavern that looked promising, they walked in the door and stopped in the entrance, surveying the crowd. All eyes in the tavern were on the four travelers and not all of the faces were so inviting.
"We need to hire a guide that will get us to Nyren," Zander announced. "I want someone that knows the terrain and has good relations with the people allong the rout. If you think you can fit the bill, please step forward."
A few laughs erupted from the crowd of drunks, but one ragged looking man stepped forward. "I can take you there," He said in a heavy accent that Zander had found was common in Lantrell and often made their dialect difficult to understand. "If you pay me before hand I can get you there in good time."
Zander had sensed the man was being decietful and smirked. "You lie, now go back to your liquor."
The man looked startled that Zander had read him so well. Either he was drunk enough not to notice the Meshai on his check or the lighting in the tavern prevented it from being easily seen. The surprise only lasted a moment, though, before he reached for a dagger at his waist and drew it on the Holy Knight.
Before he had a chance to do any harm, he shrunk back in agony and curled into a ball on the floor of the tavern, clutching at his crotch. Tiffarah had a grin of satisfaction and Zander filled in the blank.
Through fooling around, he drew a small amount of mana anf focused it into the meshai on his cheek, making it glow brightly with a holy light. The tavern was illuminated now by the pure light and Zander spoke again.
"Is there anyone here capable of carrying out my wishes and willing to do so?"
Two men stepped forward. They looked a bit different from those native to Lantrell, as they were a bit lighter skinned, though still darker than Zander and his companions. They also dressed differently, in scarlet kimonos. Both had their long black hair braided in the back and had dual Katanas strapped to their backs. The only notable difference between the two was that one wore a beard while the other only wore a mustashe.
"We can take you as far as the boarder to Nyren," the bearded one said in an accent distinct from that of the natives to Lantrell. "We come from Zhu'yuan and are on our way back."
Zander sensed that they were telling the truth and he also sensed a spirit of honor in their hearts. "How much would you ask for your skills and expertise?"
"The company of a Holy Knight is enough for us," the other said. "As we said, we are on our way in that direction anyway."
"And by what names may my friends and I call you?" Zander asked.
"I am Ling Shao," the bearded man said. "And this is my Zhava, Chang Wong."
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 10-10-2002 01:50 PM:
OOC: As Reika
IC:
Dark. Like everything around her, the portal was dark as it carried Reika and the remaining spawn far across the ocean and deep into Ivernes. After what seemed an eternity, the darkness began to fade and pale moonlight began to illuminate the foreign terrain around her. Her senses were overwhelmed with the sudden new environment, but one thing stood out clearly. The presence of another of Shadow and the faint traces of a Holy Knight. As the last of her vision cleared she saw a figure kneeling before her and the fallen figure of the Knight behind it. Sensing no ill will, she asked;
“Who are you and why do you kneel?” A man’s voice answered from under the hood of the figure as he raised his eyes to meet hers.
“I simply recognize you as that of a Higher Shadow than myself.” His eyes quickly glanced to the spawn shifting restlessly behind the woman before him. “I am known as Vellos.”
Reika’s mouth twitched up into a smirk as she sensed a slight tremor of unease pass through Vellos. “Do my pets frighten you?”
Standing now, he replied, “No. I can see that they are under your power and will only do what you bade them to do. But I’ve only read of these creatures. I’ve never seen them before.”
Smiling, she snapped her fingers at one of the smaller spawn that crouched by her leg.
“Show some manners and say hello to our new friend Vellos.”
Like a dog, the spawn shuffled forward to Vellos and began rubbing itself against him. Reika laughed as he grimaced and tried to spare his robes from the spawn. After several moments, of trying to discourage the friendly spawn it left to rejoin Reika and the other spawn.
“You’re right. They do as I command. They are known as Shadowspawn. What you see are the last of their kind.”
“And you?”
A melancholy smile lingered on her face for a moment before she answered. “I am the last of my kind as well.” Seeking to join himself with the higher shadow, Vellos offered,
“I know you are not from here and you will need someone to be a guide for you. I offer my services fully to you….” He hesitated, waiting for Reika to give her name. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated as well. Her name was a part of her old life before the shadow and during her time in Asheri. It was the last tie that bound her to her past, and now she would cut it. A small flutter of regret rose in her stomach as the small trace of her humanity mourned the last of its identity.
“Duvessa. Duvessa Darkrose.”
CUE: Vellos. Just show her the ropes, tell her where she is, etc.... Then PM me to figure out the next step. ^_^
Also, how about some feedback from the spawn? *pokes itoshii*
__________________
"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Kayabato Iyoshi on 10-10-2002 02:54 PM:
"Eiji, duck!"
The Shuriken twirled through the air and penetrated the man's skull with immense force. His body dropped to the floor while another man's ankles were slit by a pair of Sai's.
"Damn it Iyoshi! Tell me earlier when you plan on throwing those things! It almost hit me!" A man shouted at another, both of them were completely differently clothed than the left over samurai standing around them.
"Be quiet and fight, Eiji!" At these words another samurai fell, but before he fell he was yelping and trying to push his guts back into his body...all in vain. He now sat there against the wall in a pool of pink guts and crimson blood.
A war cry atoned by the four still standing samurai's. The leader out front. The other three samurai following behind him close. They lunged attacks at the two outsiders, completely in vain, the two kept on rolling, jumping, or sliding out of the way. After one minute the samurai were completely worn out. It was obviously the strategy to wear these men out after a good nights sleep.
One of the outsiders, in a purple kimono, attacked first. He jumped forward and brought down his katana one handed, the man blocked it but wasn't prepared for more at all. The purple kimono'd outsider grabbed for his bamboo stick. He clicked it and a blade popped loose, with a grin in his face he grabbed the hilt of it with his left hand and struck the hidden blade into the man's leg.
"An enemy that is unable to move can pre-determine up to seventy percent of the fight!" The trickster shouted maniacally and slid the Katana of his other hand into the man's heart, "Eiji!" The man shouted as a blade came rushing down towards him. As if on command, the attacker fell with two holes in his head. The man obviously named Eiji grinned and twirled his two Sai's in his hands.
"Hah, useless idiots! There you see what a Daimyo's training is good for!" The one named Eiji tormented to two other samurai's still standing.
"Nothing!" The other outsider added and winked to the other man, who by now readied for another attack.
"It would be best for you to run away now...while you can still move..." The outsider in the lighter clothes mocked with a high voice. The other one just stayed silent and observer the surrounding around him. The diagonal left (behind) of the two left over samurai, there was a large stone wall, otherwise...they were surrounded by bamboo, except for a small trail behind the man named Eiji. To be honest, running into a bamboo 'forest' was suicide, you could just as well commence seppuku*! The broken bamboo would pierce you just like a fork did to a piece of meat.
The two outsiders let out a war cry, followed by one of the other two samurai. The both charged at each other. The one with the purple kimono behind the other outsider. The light clothed one twirled through the two samurai and kept on running on behind them. This confused the two samurai and enabled the other man to hit them both flat in the chest after dropping his sword. The two samurai stumbled backwards but stayed on their feet. In this short moment, the other outsider had ran against the wall and kicked off it, lunging himself through the air. Right as the two samurai turned around, their brains were stabbed by each one Sai. The man led the two heads to the floor with a loud thud, then pulled his Sai's out of the heads and cleaned them on their clothing.
"That's four of them to you and two to me." The one in the kimono stated to the other man.
"Yeah, but not without your sly mind Iyoshi!" The other added happily, "I say we ough'ta go drink a few cups of sake, then leave Kayabatei*"
The one in the purple kimono smiled and turned to leave, the other man by his side talking with him, both laughed in a mocking tone. They left the surrounding as it was, a warm gentle breeze, the scuffed up dirt and sand, the broken bamboo trees around them...except they brought a little more red and cadaver effect to the scene.
*Kayabatei=The name of the house Eiji and Iyoshi live in.
*Seppuku=Suicide, in western literature often written, Harakiri. It is the death cause of taking a knife and cutting a certain shape (sign) into your stomach, often performed in the Edo era of Japan.
__________________
Love accompanied by eternal guilt. If one's guilt is not deleted, his soul will not be forgiven, not even of a good person. Even less the soul of a murder.
Posted by Finrandel on 10-10-2002 09:28 PM:
A merrily we go a wandering...
With the bustle of Redwyr behind them, the elven pair leisurely walked the well-traveled road east. The sun, a bright lantern amidst the blue canvas above, warmed the crisp autumn air, making the journey quite pleasant. Finrandel and Elarion spoke happily of the events each had seen in their lives, with Elarion dominating this conversation, and of events yet to come. The road spanned out ahead of them, rolling over hills and twisting around small groves of trees, until the pair began to, late in the day, spot mountains rising to their south. The road they followed continued onward to the north and east, however, and the pair was so engrossed in their conversations they did not notice how much progress they had made until the sun itself was setting. Finrandel turned to see the sun barely above the horizon, its dying colors painting a rich tapestry across the sky. He smiled, and turned back to Elarion. "This is a beautiful country indeed, my friend. I thank you for allowing me to travel at your side."
Elarion's eyes were piercing, yet soft, as he turned to the younger Elwain, "It is better that we travel together in this land. I am, however, concerned that the men of this land do not find us strange. I have a bad feeling that our enemy kindred are here, and have been here for so long as they have left the eaves of Hethelin,"
"Enemy kindred?" Finrandel's concern was evident in his voice. "Such is another tale I thought but a story told to children. But now that I see this land is real..." His thoughts happened to turn again to the fate of his parents, the evil that befell them, and he dropped his gaze.
A gentle, long-fingered hand clasped Finrandel by the shoulder, "Yes, it is my personal feeling, though I hope it not, that the Lunelwain are here. I have... felt the presence of one that left Evisis so long ago with them, and was branded Lunelwain, prohibited to ever return..."
Finrandel looked up, his thoughts momentarily interrupted. "You are bound to another? I was unaware of this."
"My wife, Finrandel. Her name is Vanyesse. I have not seen her in nearly three thousand seven hundred years." Elarion's voice wavered a bit, and his eyes glazed a bit, but his grasp on Finrandel's shoulder remained soft and comforting.
"You still love her." That much was obvious to Finrandel, and he placed his hand on Elarion's arm for comfort. "We could seek her out, if you wish. You could easily locate her with the link that has been instilled between you."
Elarion shook his head slowly, "We were never bonded, Finrandel. It is simply my attunement with her auras, and mastery of my senses that allow me to feel her. Nish'talle A'diron serves me in many ways, but I have never believed in the bond. One should have the choice of leaving this world, and not be bound to another's fate,"
His head slumped a bit before he spoke again, his eyes seemingly empty, "I do still love her... But I do not know what I would do if I was to see her. If we meet, then the creator meant it to be, if not, I believe we parted for a reason. I shall leave to the Light,"
"I trust in your wisdom, my friend. At times it can be difficult to relive the past." The two walked in silence for a while, their footfalls the only noise to recognize their mutual understanding. After a time, as darkness began to take over the sky, Finrandel stopped. "That tree over there. Do you see it?" He pointed to a solitary tree standing upon a hill, protected on one side by sizeable rocks
Elarion nodded almost imperceptibly, but Finrandel noted the minute movement. His long ears, nearly surpassing the crown of his head, glinted a bit of moonlight as he scanned the area, "Would you suggest we take our rest for the evening under the shelter of that lone tree?"
"Indeed. It shall prove to be a comfortable evening, as long as we have a fire." He looked around once more, his eyes mirroring the deep blue of the sky, reflecting the stars back upon their source. He spoke quietly to himself, "A beautiful night, yes.”
After they had reached the proposed camp, Elarion left Finrandel to seek firewood. There was little to be gathered, in all earnest, but what was to be found would sustain the fire for a few hours. Arriving back to the tree, Elarion stacked the sticks and small logs in a neat pile before unrolling his soft sinneh bedroll and fluffing a nandi pillow stuffed with down. Finrandel propped himself up against the tree, watching Elarion prepare for the night. The elder on interested him greatly, and he was enjoying their time together. "It is those of us like Elarion," he thought to himself, "that prove to me our race is not as self-serving as many that I have seen." He smiled again, an act that was becoming more and more a habit, as he drifted off into a reverie, not even remaining awake long enough to see his counterpart light the fire. Elarion remained awake long into the night, however, running through various blade forms with Naroion, and setting small guards and wards about their campsite. When he was satisfied that all was well, he lay down as well, and drifted into sleep.
(Of course, credit is also due to Elarion for this post, as it was roleplayed... now that's f'ing teamwork!)
__________________
"The path that we have chosen is fraught with peril. Few have the courage or strength of will to follow."
Posted by Avatar Deathscythe on 10-11-2002 02:18 AM:
OOC: As Eremon
IC:
Eremon read over the recently delivered message from the pigeon with an air of skepticism. It was another letter from Scarlet stating that she would arrive at Corner in two day's time. Hoping that this would be the last messenger pigeon he recieved and that there would be no more delays, he set out to inform his wife and Indigo of the new plans.
By the end of the day, a small caravan was sent to Corner to await the arrival of Gania's remaining princess.
CUE: Indigo. Scarlet should be back to Gania proper in about two days.
__________________
"Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife."
Posted by Kayabato Iyoshi on 10-11-2002 07:29 AM:
Iyoshi threw himself into a big cushioned chair. He let out a sigh and pulled the mouth-nose-neck mask down and reached for a cup of sake. He put it to his mouth and gulped down the whole ingredients of the cup, just to grab the flask and pour in some more sake.
"Iyoshi, where's the rest of the sake!?" Eiji called from the shed outside with an angry voice.
"You drank it all last night when you brought the girl..." Iyoshi answered with a slight chuckle at the end. Eiji entered the room and laughed as he grabbed the flask to pour some sake into his own cup.
" 'twas grand..." He grinned as he led the sake cup to his mouth.
Both laughed as they finished the last drip of sake, then they arose from their seats and made their way to their rooms to gather their belongings. A few minutes passed until they had all they needed. Iyoshi sat outside on the large boulder in front of their house and waited for Eiji. As Eiji exited he checked that he had the money and tossed it to Iyoshi who caught it and instantly stuck the sack of money into his right pocket.
"You forgot your 'walking stick'!" Eiji called and tossed the bamboo stick up to Iyoshi who caught it in his right hand and then tied it to its usual place.
"Ah yes, my 'walking stick'..." Iyoshi laughed and jumped down from the boulder. As he landed the grass slightly bent due to the wind, but then stuck itself upright to the sun again. It was a clear and sunny day. Eiji dwindled with his Sai's and started walking down the small path that led to their house. Iyoshi had already started taking up the habit of clicking his hidden blade in and out of its socket. Each time he clicked it out, a small glint commenced as the sun hit it. "So Chong'cho you said?"
"Yeah, we stay at an inn in Chong'cho for a few days, then continue to the south." Eiji explained self assured.
"Ok, but we shouldn't spend too much time in big places or imperial stations, such as palaces or so...after all they just lost six samurai." Iyoshi stated and pulled his mask up again.
"Very true..." With these words the two gained pace and started walking faster down the trails of the outskirts.
*************
"He----ey. I heard six of your men were slaughtered by a whole group of outlaws yesterday! Is it true!?" A drunken voice demanded from a samurai who was on his way through the blacksmith district.
"There were only two men..." The samurai answered, "But what does it interest you!?" He shouted and pulled his blade on the man.
"N, nothing!" The thin, drunken man said and scurried away hastily.
"Useless drunkards...and the Daimyo wonders why more and more bandits choose to take a shot at a carrier like that..." The samurai sighed but continued on his way towards a large blacksmith industry in this area, it was called, "Hall of Blades" for it is rumored to make swords for high ranked officers and even Daimyo's.
***************
Iyoshi made his way down the geisha district together with his companion Eiji.
"Many of the officers and samurai are said to get drunk here...they should be easy prey!" Eiji exclaimed but received a whack to the back of the head by Iyoshi.
"Are you crazy!? If you say things that loud of that matter, you'll draw all of them to us in one gigantic group." Iyoshi whispered angrily and then turned back to the Geisha he was trying to fend off already for three minutes or so. She finally left and Iyoshi caught a glimpse of a samurai entering one of the 'fun-houses'. He tapped Eiji on the shoulder and started walking towards the house, Iyoshi followed behind Eiji though with a wide grin on his face. Quietly they both made their way into the house. But soon realized that being quiet wouldn't bring too much of an advantage anyway. Most of the samurai were already drunk or 'pre-occupied' with someone. Eiji entered the house and shouted a friendly hello to gain some trust...or so he hoped.
Two samurai shot a glance his way, but then turned back to each other laughing. Then someone screamed, it was clear that it was a man.
"Ah! There, he, those two, them!" He screamed in horror.
"Shut up, you're drunk Masasato!" Another shouted angrily.
"Let him finish!" A third interrupted.
"It was them, yesterday, he did it, my ankles!" The terrified one screamed again.
"You! Stop right there now!" One of the still sober samurai shouted and got up, the rest followed to stand up and pull their swords except for the injured one.
"Hey, Iyoshi...did you possibly observe the surroundings better than me?" Eiji whispered to his friend.
"Most likely..." Was the answer Eiji received.
One of the drunken samurai charged and the rest followed, in an instant Eiji and Iyoshi had exited the house and searched the surrounding with their eyes.
"AH! I only see trees...a river and trees and trees and more trees!" Eiji exclaimed with a worried voice.
"There, follow me!" Iyoshi shouted and made his way into another of the houses. The women screamed as the two rushed through the house. Several of the women tried running to the door but were knocked over by the following samurai horde. Sake cups and flasks crashed to the floor, not to mention the lamps. Several small tables were crushed under the feet of the chasing troop.
Eiji opened a door and received a loud name calling reaction to get his hide out of the room instantly. Iyoshi already had discovered the garden in the backyard.
"Eiji, move it!" Were his last words spoken inside of the house. Eiji obeyed and had just made it outside, but the samurai could see him jump from the porch onto the rocks in the pond and over to the wall. With loud cries of swears and anger the samurai followed and repeatedly stumbled over their own feet. Iyoshi just managed to reach the top of the wall and waited for Eiji who now started climbing over too. Iyoshi quickly grabbed Eiji's hand and pulled him over the clear white wall. Of course they were clearly visible with Iyoshi's dark clothing against the white wall and the lamp he had not realized, right behind his back.
Iyoshi quickly jumped down the other side of the wall and looked around hastily in order to find a place to hide. He was ripped out of his concentration by Eiji, who this time managed to find a good hiding spot first. They sprinted across the rubble street and jumped onto a small shed. It was just low enough for them to grab the edge and pull themselves up. Of course they were still visible to the few samurai attempting to climb the wall.
"Over there!" Eiji announced and started hopping from roof to roof, each roof a little bit higher than the other, but all close together. Soon they had reached a large, (Japanese style) slanted roof and hid in a large indent. They had obviously managed to loose the group of samurai for they heard quarreling voices and then the quick shuffling of feet on rubble. They had most likely taken the opposite direction than that of Iyoshi and Eiji. Slowly and silently the two stood up and peeked over the rim of the roof, there was no sign of one single samurai.
"Why didn't we just fight, we would have won!" Eiji loudly exclaimed.
"Why didn't we just fight...you're funny! There was probably the triple amount of those idiots hanging around in those other houses!"
Eiji stayed silent and simply observed the surroundings. They seemed to be on one of the highest buildings of the city. From here they could see three entire districts. They one they were just in, the market place, and...well, now they realized they could only see two districts. Silently the started to creep down the roof again. Iyoshi looked back then because of this stupidity slipped and kicked down several tiles. Eiji managed to grab his hand just barely.
"Pull me up!" Iyoshi shouted as he heard a window opening. Light flooded the dark surrounding and Iyoshi was dangling over the edge with his feet first. He looked up and saw the many stars of the knight sky, he looked at Eiji and saw his frustration as he started slipping on the smooth surface of the roof aswell, he looked straight he could see the white wall of the house, and as he looked down...
__________________
Love accompanied by eternal guilt. If one's guilt is not deleted, his soul will not be forgiven, not even of a good person. Even less the soul of a murder.
Posted by Glithrambor Legyinder on 10-11-2002 02:27 PM:
At The Dock
Glithrambor stood patiently on the dock awaiting a sailing vessel to take him to Gran Adageros. His green eyes watched as the surf crashed onto the stony beach. The spray flew into his face and he seemed to smile a little.
"What're you doing here, boy?," A large, bearded man splurted out. "You ain't supposed to be standin' 'ere unless you be ownin' a boat! I take it ya don't!"
"No," Glithrambor responded. Not moving a single muscle "I am waiting for a ship. I suggest you go about your business and leave me be,"
"Don't speak t'me like that ya little bastard!" The man shouted as he pulled an axe out from his belt. "I'll teach you a less-,"
His voice stopped dead in his throat as he collapsed into a heap on the wooden dock. Glithrambor stood back and sheathed his dagger back into his cloak.
"This ship better get here soon...I don't think I can keep on killing people,"
Posted by Willow Silverwind on 10-11-2002 06:37 PM:
OOC: Just for general knowledge...that last post was rather accidental. lol....anyway....
IC: Willow shivered against the wind that assaulted her. Her cramped muscles eased with use but the reason for traveling out didn't help her any. She turned around and made her way painstakingly back to her hollow tree and crawled back into it, savoring what heat remained.
A squirrel had found ledge in the hollow tree that jutted out from the walls of the rotting tree. The creature squeaked for Willow's intrusion and dropped a rather large acorn on her head. Rubbing the sore spot Willow risked a look up at the squirrel who continued chittering. She smiled and slowly reached out, her hand clenched in a fist.
While she tried to befriend the squirrel there was a massive crunch as a particularly large object with weight and mass on its side collided with Willow's sanctuary, denting the trunk , which caused the tree to topple. With her sanctuary in shambles she leaped up to see a large bear curled up beneath her, several arrows protruding from its thick coat. Searching for its attacker she felt a seering pain rip up her spine. An arrow had pierced her upper back, near her spine, causing her to crumple in the once save haven. The hunter trotted up to her, grinning greedily for the strange catch he scored. He ignored the bear and lifted the green-colored woman.
Willow swam in the darkness that had surrounded her, searching for a way out. Finally the darkness abated, making way for light as she opened her eyes. She was laying on a pile of hay, her upper torsoe wrapped in bandages. Remembrance rushed over her like a wave. Sitting up quickly she shivered from the cold.
There was little light in the dingy room, with stone walls and rotting wood floors. Torches were sparse and fading quickly as though they had been lit for a while.
Voices emitted through a thick oaken door and a key was inserted and twisted in a lock. With a click the door was pushed open, the shadow of a large man with a thinner woman behind her were framed by the door. The man held a lantern that added a bit more light to her prison.
"Ooh! Its alive, Trogan!" Squealed the thin woman, who urged her husband forward. The gruff man moved forward and laughed in a deep baritone.
"I wonder what h'it is? You reckon its what of 'em niph types?"
"You mean Nymph, my unintelligant husband. I've never seen 'em but look! she's green! And her hair!"
Willow back up against the chilly wall as her captors approached her...
__________________
A man should never be ashamed to admit that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
~Alexander Pope
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 10-12-2002 04:48 AM:
Steps to the destiny.....
It was a rainy night, thunder roaring like the chariots of battlefield.... sparking light fell from the sky shone the whole town of Corner...
Few days of travels, finally, Rossia came to the town with hope... one bare hope.... one bare destination, that's revenge. It didn't took her so long to find out.... to find out the place, where the murderer of her family was.... and of course, they are in that town.
Her horse slowly gallops to the town's gate and greeted by two roars of thunders. Finding the path in the rainy night wasn't difficult, based on her trusted eyes, she slowly advanced to her destiny. Near the mouth the gate, a dark figure in a dark hood, with a staff in the hand and slowly walked toward her.... and it appears that a signal flashed to Rossia as the dark figure struct the ground with his staff. Rossia knew who it was... her only hope. She knew, without him... she wont get any imformation about her enemies. And now, they finally stood face to face, in the middle of the rain.
"You are-" small voice came out from Rossia's mouth after a while standing there with the dark figure.
"Come." that's the only reply she got from the dark figure as he turned his back towards her and slowly dissappear into darkness.
Quickly picking up her belongings, Rossia quickly ran behind him, all the way to an inn nearby as the rain drops fell on her head and drenched her clothes.... not to mention her belongings. As they reached the inn, the dark figure still in his hood nooded to the owner of the inn and quickly ran to the stairs, dragging Rossia in her arm all the way. It was a halt in front of a room, where the dark figure pushed the door open and walked Rossia to her new room.
"Stay in here for a night. Clears debt tommorow." few last words from the dark stranger to Rossia before closing the door behind.
"Man of few words..." Rossia mumbles to herself as she unpacked her things and get herself some changes from the drenched clothes. In her mind, she still keep on wandering deep into her thought.... was her planning will goes well tommorow or not.... was herself ready or not.... was...-
A lot of question playing around in her mind as she frowned at herself at the mirror stood at the side of her bed.
"Better get some sleep now......."
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Lyght Smith on 10-13-2002 10:19 PM:
Out of that damn woods
Lyght and Betty slowly walked out of the Eka woods. It had been almost six mouths since he walked in. The world somehow seemed brighter. Lyght couldn’t explain it. But even Betty looked happy to be out despite the fact that she was heavily burdened with gems that Lyght had found in Eka woods.
As the two moved out into the clearing the midday sun shined into Lyght’s eye’s he put his hand up to keep the sun out since all he had seen for the past six mouths was darkness. After talking a moment to enjoy the world witch they weren’t sure they were going to see again. The two started walking back to Ioty to see with they could get a ship back to Gania.
OCC: I told you all I would bring him back.
__________________
I was a farmer until the Wolves killed my family, but now I don't know what I am.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 10-13-2002 10:20 PM:
Chapter 6: Symphony of the Silent Evil
"Hmm. The myst has become more powerful than I had imagined." The cold voice reverberated off the dark stone of the cavern walls. Tiny creatures, abominations of failed alchemical experiments, shrank back in terror, although there was nothing to fear. The creatures spread their malformed wings and flew as best as they could out of the room, child-like laughter following them.
It had been over a century's wait, and now the time had come. The Myst was becoming stronger and the test had already proven that the "guinea pigs" were unable to escape it's boundaries. It seemed that whatever energy source was expelled from the Black Tower's defeat had actually amplified it's power and was now disrupting any magic within it's borders.
"This will have to be used to my advantage. Fonmar!" Another tiny creature entered the room, his long crooked nose shadowing his single, beady eye from view.
"Yes, master?" It said, it's hands held up defensively before it.
"I trust the other test subjects will be entering the Soul Wood soon?"
"Yes, master."
"Good. First we will deal with this pathetic beings, then we will unleash my power upon the world! I will teach Linerin to work his powers against me!" The tiny creature trembled in fear and fought back an urge to tell his master that Linerin had also fallen with the tower. It would have little effect, and his master did not care which form revenge came in. Fonmar nodded slowly, then turned and left the cavern.
"Then let's see how the mice do in my maze......"
Zaelian Remus laughed quietly and flexed his human hand, his mind's eye imagining the world in his palm.
*********************************************
"Hello!? Who's there!?" The moaning continued. Palin followed the sound, trying to determine it's origin. He ran in the direction of the sound and was surprised as he entered the clearing ahead of him. Palin inhaled sharply and spoke.
"It's you!"
The bulky shape on the ground moved slowly to it's feet and grunted with pained effort. There was nothing broken, but there would be a significant limp for a few hours.
"Yeah. What do you want to make of it, dung-lover?" Brand Mashelda stretched and rubbed his sore muscles gently, trying to work out the pain in his joints.
"Brand! What the hell are you doing here?" Palin yelled. Brand looked up and grinned, but anger still burned in his eyes.
"I was following your thieving ass, shitkicker, when this earthquake hit, and out horses charged off with us tied to the cart. The last thing I remembered was being bucked off when the cart stopped suddenly, and that was it. I haven't seen my group since. Now, where the hell is Riena!?"
"I don't know. I could ask you the same question. She was with me when-" Palin felt his chest constrict. He remembered seeing Riena, slipping from his grasp and falling down into the gathering fog below. She had screamed his name......
"Palin! What wrong with you? Ready to piss your pants or something? Where is she? I swear, if you don't hand her over...." Brand drew his sword and held it to Palin's throat. Palin swung up a gloved hand and batted away the blade.
"We don't have time for this, Brand. We're going to have to put off whatever hate we have for each other until we find Riena and the others, then get out of this damn impenetrable fog." Brand screwed up his face in fury and confusion, then relaxed slightly and sheathed his sword.
"Until we find Riena, then. But after that, we're going to duel, you and I, regardless of anything else that's going on. You understand me, pansy-boy?" Palin rolled his eyes at the childish insult, but nodded nonetheless and made a point to watch his back. The two of them shook hands firmly, if not uneasily, then turned to walk further into the fog.
*********************************************
Carla awoke and screamed. Below her, about ten feet down, was the ground and on it was Erik, who was unconscious. Carla flailed about wildly, but was unable to dislodge her skirt from the tree.
"Drat! I'm stuck." She swung idly for a few minutes before Erik awoke.
"Ugh...... what hit me?" He said, rubbing his temples lightly.
"Erik! Erik! Up here!"
"Who's Erik?" He said. Carla huffed.
"You're Erik!" The young man flustered quickly and fidgeted nervously.
"Oh, yeah..... that's right. That's me, Erik!" But Carla did not buy it.
"You're name's not Erik! Who are you?" The young man fidgeted again.
"I'm sorry. I lied to you guys, just like I did with everything else when we met. My named is Adam Lyningshire. I meant to decieve you and leave with the belongings the king gave you, but I was a fool to think about stealing from such a noble group...." Carla rolled her eyes in mock pity.
"Yeah.... that's great. You lied. Wonderful. NOW GET ME DOWN!" Carla heard a snap, then cursed herself. Her skirt ripped and she fell to the ground, her limbs pinwheeling. She landed on Adam, who grunted, and both passed out.
Cue: Tygan
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 10-14-2002 09:36 AM:
No more same way...... not any more!
It was already in the morning. Daylight shine through the small window to the floor as Rossia quickly gathered up all her belongings in her room. As clumsy as she always was, Rossia took so much time until she heard a loud stomp on the door.
With her dagger in her hand, she calmly walked to the door and opened it with a loud crack. Stood there, the stranger who had bought her to this town. He is huge in build, his face hidden from everyone under his hood and his long tough staff held in his hand showed how mighty are his experience in battles. Backing at her, the stranger slowly stepped into the room carefully while Rossia drew back her dagger to herself.
"Well, at least you can knock the door... than just kicking it.." Rossia mumbles to the hooded stranger as she closed the door behind her.
The stranger make no noise but turned around and showed Rossia her breakfast in a plate in his hand. Slightly smile curved in his half hidden face showed as he place down the plate on the table nearby.
"...well, at least you should talk or something-"
"Talk not unless it is important." the stranger quickly cut Rossia's words. Rossia spun around and sat on her bed laughing at him.
"Name? You got any name?" Rossia asked with a low critic sound as she continued on with her work.
"Call me Al and it will be fine."
"Ok, nice to meet you Al. By the way, I'm-"
"Need not to mention it. You should know what's your job and my job. You keep 'it' flowing into my pocket, I keep the information flowing to your ears." again, Rossia's word were cut off from her mouth as Al quickly passed her breakfast to her. "Eat it fast, we doesn't have many time left before the your enemy's celebration start"
"Agreed" Rossia answered with a grin while taking her breakfast quickly as Al keeps on pacing around.
All the sudden, Al stormed out of the room while signaling her to stay down. Rossia nodded and she quickly grab her dagger and lance. It was her nature, she never listen to any command as she quickly stormed out behind Al. Down the stairs she went and saw Al in a fight with few people outside the inn.
"Al!" Rossia shouted as she quickly joined Al in a team between six person surrounding them. All of them are huge in build and weaponless..... their pale face and bloodshoted eyes were eerie enough for Rossia.
"Stay back! Don't let them come to you!" Al shouted as he blocked a blow from the enemies around. "They are sent by your enemy! Run as far as you can, I'll join you later!"
Rossia nodded and backout from the fight as one of the enemies persuiting her from behind and managed to grab her hair from behind. Rossia spun around and slashed the enemy with her lance, scoring a deep wound but no sign of blood dripping out. Fears drowned Rossia down. She never expected to meet anything like those. Thay aren't normal human..... they are zombies! Not even a pause, the enemy stiked Rossia on her head as she fell backward into the stall behind her.... scoring some blood from her head.
Calmly, Rossia picked herself up and in her heart, she knew a thing she suppost to do in the very beginning....I will never give up.... not a chance even in this time and situation... no more running away!
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Erik Wendell on 10-14-2002 03:32 PM:
The Party Assembles......
The group in front of him jittered with excitement, their voices nervously hushed into whispers. Erik glanced haltingly over the audience, and spotted someone he had been looking for.
"We get five people, besides myself, to this game. I've made my first decision. My friend, Anthony, as his Wizard Farzow." Anthony stood, his grin apparent. He stepped up to the circle and placed a thin, golden circlet around his head. When he was sure it would fit snugly and not come off, the mages cast their spell, and Anthony became Farzow, the Feared Wizard of the North Lands. He joined Erik in front of the guild hall, his new, taller body and long white beard glowing a slight blue tinge.
"The next person I choose for my team will need to be agile and intelligent, with a good deal of improvisational and technological skills. For this, I choose Umbri, our resident Thief and Engineer. I hope your stealth and mechanical expertise will come in useful, Dina."
Dina stood proudly and, in her own fashion, gave her alluring walk to the front of the stage. She was a few years older than Erik himself, but he still thought she was incredibly attractive, if not a possible companion in a few years. Dina placed a belt around her waist, which carried assorted lock-picking equipment, and stepped onto the conjuring circle. The mages cast their spell, and Dina was changed, her appearance, like the others, becoming older, her hair changing from light blonde to dark brown, and her clothes shifting into something a bit more form-fitting and less like her original outfit. Umbri stepped forth from the circle and took her spot near Erik's left arm, where she touched his arm lightly in appreciation.
"I'm going to need a bit more help, since our team isn't going to do much in the way of fighting, I think. I choose Moira, as her well-known character Lady Helena, the feared Ranger and Cleric. I hope your combination of healing and speed will be useful to us." Moira stood. The woman was slightly over twenty-five years old and muscular, despite her lean figure. She placed a choker around her neck, the amethyst gem at it's middle settling comfortably against her neck. She entered the circle and closed her eyes as the mages changed her. When the light faded, Moira exited the circle almost the same as she had entered it, except that she was now wearing a white-and-gold war dress, with a green hooded cloak draped around her shoulders and leather breeches and boots beneath the skirt. It was an exotic appearance and Moira seemed quite pleased with it.
"Ah. Now for my strong man. I had hoped to save you for last, but the rules forbid me to pick anybody but the new guy last. So, without further ado, I choose Bart and I choose for him to wear the form of Gunwert, the Fighter!" Bart stood, but it was no different than when he had been sitting down. He was a short, fat boy only a year older than Erik, and both had been friends since childhood. It had been Bart that had introduced Erik to the world of fantasy gaming and ever since they had participated in every adventure together. That would not change now.
Bart waddled up to the front of the guild hall. In his left hand was his Legalia, the brother to Erik's right handed armband. He entered the circle of the Guild rune and changed into Gunwert. His young face had grown a full red beard, his body fat changing to pure muscle, and his voice deepening to resemble that of the native Balanians, the dwarves of Aeterna. He joined Erik at the front, hefting the weight of his axe in his hands.
"And finally, to choose the new guy for this adventure. I have looked at all of you for the past few minutes and searched for that certain look, that feeling I get when I come upon the person I'm going to choose. And that person is..... you." Erik pointed at a young man in the audience. He looked like he was a year younger than Erik and quite eager to begin, although he was quite small and frail looking.
"What's your name?" The man replied after a halting moment.
"My name is Garrett."
"And who is your character?"
"Arc, the Monk."
"Get up here, Arc. It' time for you to join the game."
Garrett stood and approached the Guild Rune. There was an audible groan from those not picked in the audience, but no one moved. Erik could see that Garrett was shaking liberally in his nervousness, but was having no trouble hiding his large grin. The Council Mages stopped him and held up their hands. Garrett repeated the gesture, then clasped them closed. The Council Head waved his palms on both sides of Garret's clasped hands and between the young boy's knuckles a bright light could be seen.
"This is your personal Legalia, crafted from your personality and my magic," The Council Head told him, "So long as you wear it during the game, you will remain in your transformed body. Do not remove it unless it's an emergency, as you will change back and you will be unable to do what you could do as Arc in your original body. Also, for safety issues, you must play through the game as if the entire experience were real. Do you understand?" Garrett nodded and unclasped his hands. Inside, a single, plain platinum ring, undecorated or furnished, gleamed in the torchlight along it's perfectly crafted length. Garrett slipped it onto his finger and closed his eyes. The mages cast the transformation spell and Garrett changed into Arc, his tiny arms growing bulging muscles, his clothes changing to a simple white jerkin and black pants. His hair disappeared, leaving his gleaming dark skin bare as he grew significantly taller and more muscular.
Then Garrett disappeared and Arc was born.
He stepped out of the circle, and stood next to the group. The council mages gave their last few rules and covered a few more basics with everybody as an overview as the crowd within the hall sullenly left.
"From now on, you will all be referred to as your respective characters in name, attitude, and past history ONLY. In fact, we've already cast spells on you to keep the game consistent with the characters, but the attitudes are all on you guys. Only when the game is finished....and I do mean finished, as there will be no more Safe Sleep periods for this game. That's right....you'll have to get sleep when you can and when it's safe, so keep an eye out. We start tonight in the large sanctioned area we have of Balanum, but after that, this game will span outside Balanum to a few other places. Do you understand?" The replied quickly and assented to this rule.
"..... And as always, if you see this sign...." The Council Head waved his hand and the Guild Rune popped into existence, floating above his outlaying palm, "Then you have reached a rest spot. Use it often and wisely; they are hidden, few and far between, so do your business before you decide to face any nasty creatures, okay?" They all nodded.
"Alright, then...... with that in mind. Let's get this game started, shall we?" He led them out into the hallway. As they stepped inside a large, covered transport wagon to prevent them from seeing where they were going, Erik grinned.
God's Hand, here I come.
OOC: I'll write these NPCs into my profile later.
__________________
"Whatever doesn't get solved through words, do it with the sword."
Posted by Keiru Opal on 10-15-2002 12:32 PM:
"What can you tell me about your country?" Sekirah asked Chang as they rode. They had all rented horses, except for the two Zhu, who already had their own steeds.
"It is a proud land, and very beautiful," Chang said in his thick accent. "But the struggle for power is never ending. Honor is always upheld, but so is vengance and greed."
"Should we be worried about thieves then?"
"Not usually, unless they are foreigners like yourselves."
For the last two days they had travelled like this, heading east accross Lantrell. They hoped to reach Lantra within the next three days. The flat lands of northern Lantrell were packed with farmlands. Unlike most countries that Zander had treveled in, the Lantrai lived not in small villages, but spread apart by many miles of farmlands, living with only their families. The only exception seemed to be the city, where all were forced to live relatively close to each other.
Zander had grown to enjoy his two new companions' company very much. They had a wealth of knowledge to share about their country and Ivernes as a whole. He learned quite a lot from Ling Shao, and returned the favor with information about his own country.
"You said that Chang was your Zhava when we met," Zander said to the bearded Zhu. "What exactly does that mean?"
"You would do well to know, Revered Sir," Ling answered. "A Zhava is a battle brother. It means we fight together as one in the ancient art of Zhava-shen. Some Zhava are bound by magic, but it is rare, and only a priest can perform the ceremony. Perhaps a Holy Knight could as well, if he knew what it entailed."
"That is very interesting..." Zander trailed off, thinking about he and Sekirah.
"He could never be your Zhava," Ling said, as though reading Zander's mind.
"Why not?" Zander asked, a little put off that his good friend might not be qualified to be what he really allready was: Zander's battle brother.
"For two reasons," Ling explained. "He has injured you. That scar over your Meshai is his doing, is it not?"
"How did you know what?" Zander asked in wonder.
"Not only Holy Knights have the power to unearth the darkness and secrets of a man's soul," Ling said. As though for the first time, Zander realized why he had trusted this man so soon. He was a Holy Mage, and a powerful one at that. "I have studied the holy arts for many years. When I was younger I used to attend an acadamy in Nyren."
It all made sense to Zander now, "And what is the second reason that Sekirah and I could never be Zhava?"
"You are already bound to someone else," Ling said, plainly.
"Who?"
'Me,' Alex's voice called from inside Zander's mind. 'We are bound in the same way that priests bind two Zhava together. Remember when we danced?'
"I believe you just got your answer," Ling smiled.
__________________
A fire from within can be seen from without.
ni meltye alta vanyanya...
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 10-16-2002 01:41 PM:
Die together?
Swiftly, Rossia's shinny lance stuck the ground.... slicing the enemy into half at the same time... bringing the dead body to the ground and all the inner organs were spilled to the soil of the earth..... Nothing compared to her worst fear at that very spot... she never killed a 'creature' in the same has she done it... with her blood stained lance. Lives makes no exception.... you kill to live, so the other way round.....
The shreak of the enemy were still ringing in her ears... at the very momment her lance took another life... She stares at the ground... where the lifeless body was... her strength left her and her mind wandered away again.... Am I in a right path? Taking lifes that easilly?
"Not the time for regret now!" Rossia shouted to herself from deep inside her as she picked her lance from the ground and walked away. A thought came into her mind about Al.... where is he? Quickly as ever, she ran to the spot where she last saw where Al was. And to her own eyes, nothing left there.... completely empty. "Where did he go?" Rossia mumbles as she turned around to search for the wordless man.
Boom! A loud explosion went off and the air filled with smoke... and also with joyfull shout... That reminded Rossia about her enemy. Her mortal enemy..... celebrating his daughter's birthday. Rossia sped up and ran towards her destiny, a mansion, owned by someone who she only knew.... as her deadly enemy.... the one who took away her joy.... her life.... her dream... her family... All the citizen were there, cheering and shouting.... with the cannons blowing to the sky in a row from the roof of the mansion.
Making her way through the crowds.... Rossia pushed herself into the front line of the mansion, where she spotted few nobles were sitting in front of a stage.... cheering and congratulating a person who planted a hatefull revenge inside... the killer of her family... once a underground people, now a noble... Raudron. The middle aged man were enjoying himself with praise from his fellow nobles, with his youthful daughter standing beside him.... showered with praise and congrats. Her heart filled with nothing but hatred "......this is going to be a worse celebration for you, Raudron.... you will never see it again..."
Stood along with Raudron was a clan of his 'soilder', in their flashy guilds uniform.... makes no different to Rossia. In her heart, she knew "......it's the matter of time.... now or never" Guilds or not, Rossia wont take her own plan down because of the magic users..... Slowly, she stepped forward, her blood stained lance was still in her hand... ignoring the force from the crowd pushing from behind.
All she knew now was revenge.... nothing could came between her in that momment of her destination..... but still, she worried about herself.... what else later? What else can I do later? The end of me? "Sorry, everyone.... sorry Apollo..... sorry... Al...I'm going to take this alone..." Rossia prayed in her heart quietly....
Advancing towards the stage, Rossia drew out her darts and strucked few of Roudron 'soilder' down... her blood stained lance keep some of the nobles head apart from their place as they came to block her way. Nothing can came into her path now! Even bloodshed. She could hear..... her worst enemy shouting for help as she leaps onto the stage and destroyed the gifts on a table with a swing of her lance. The people went into chaos and nothing can be heard except shouts.
Striking few more people who came to the stage to fight, Rossia finally pinned Raudron on the wall with the edge of her lance at the old throat, signaling others to stand back from the stage. Roudron's aged face struck with fear as Rossia stepped closer towards him.
"We meet again, old man" Rossia laughed as she gives Raudron a piercing stares.
"... Indeed... indeed... now have mercy with my life.... please, spare me and become a g-" Raudron begged in fake tear.... that's what seems to Rossia.
"Good people? Well? Does I look like a good people since that very day you took everything from me? Answer me!"
No one dares to stop Rossia as she took her sweet time to slowly destroy her enemy.... together with herself.....
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 10-16-2002 02:35 PM:
Chapter 6: Symphony of the Silent Evil
It had been a hard day's travel, filled completely with silence. The air was stagnant and cold between them, but neither Brand nor Palin were ready to break it's silence until they found the edge of the forest. Brand huffed heavily and ran toward the break in the trees, but as soon as he stepped foot onto the highlands beyond, he ran face-first in Palin. Both men tumbled onto the ground and hopped to their feet in anger.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Brand demanded, his hand falling heavy upon the sword pommel at his waist. "We can get out of here, and you're stopping me? I'll...." Palin stood up slowly and held up his hand to silence Brand. Brand huffed again in anger, but did not speak again. Palin walked to the treeline and stopped before he took a step out onto the highlands. He stretched out a hand and stuck it out past the treeline, reaching past the barrier of the fog. His hand hung there unharmed and unchanged, but when he stepped out of the white mist, he suddenly found himself heading back into the forest. Brand jumped and shook his head in disbelief.
"The hell?"
"What happened, Brand? I was trying to walk out, but suddenly I'm walking back in. What did you see?" Palin asked quickly.
"Nothing. You were walking out, then suddenly you were walking back in. There was no change. You just.......walked out and walked back in. No change." Palin's brow furrowed.
"Wait a second...... I didn't even turn around? I just appeared to walk back in?"
"No. You didn't even disappear. You were going that way.... then you were going this way. It was wierd....."
So we're stuck here...... shit. I wish I'd known this earlier. We've been skirting the forest all day, hoping I would find the others before we came close enough to the edge for Brand to see it. Look's like we'll have to....
"..... head to the center of the forest." He finish the thought out loud. Brand looked up and even through the fog, Palin could see his muscles bulging intimidatingly.
"Why would we want to do that? We can leave here....."
"No, we can't. The Fog won't let us. We have to head to the center of the forest. Hopefully, we'll be able to find my other companions and yours, then we'll be able to find an escape plan." Brand grinned, but tried to hide it and failed. He apparently was thinking about the fight that would come after Riena's return.
"Let's go, then, Jackass. And remember, when we find Riena, all bets are off and I'm going to kill you dead."
"Well, I'd hope that if you kill me, I'm dead, or else you'll prove that you can't do anything right." Brand scoffed, but his grin faded and he fell behind Palin as the started off into the deeper forest.
*******************************************
Adam awoke again after being knocked out for over two hours. Carla was not far off, trying to fix the rips in her clothes. He had a splitting headache, but no visible injuries. Next to him was a small pool of water and a piece of Carla's clothes that she had wiped down his head with. Grateful, he stood and plunged his face into the cold water. Carla turned and greeted him, then threw a peach in his direction.
"I wash it earlier and they're quite tasty!" She smiled warmly, but was apparently still angry with him for lying.
"Thanks. Look......" Carla held up her hand and gave him the most serious expression he'd ever seen her make.
"Save it until later. We have to find the others. We're near the edge of the forest, but we can't leave. Something about all this fog is stopping us. So we need to head into the forest. As soon as you're feeling well enough, we head out." Adam was impressed. Carla was usually reserved and quiet, but she was taking charge and doing a good job.
"I'm good."
"Fine, then. Let's go." Adam stood, impressed with Carla's new attitude, but could not help but feel discouraged when she stood to walk further into the forest and tripped over a bush, falling bottom first into the small pool of water.
"Just keep walking. I'll catch up in a second...." She finished, leaving Adam to walk freely into the deeper grove.
*********************************************
Riena awoke. It was dark and she could not see. Something was wrong and she could feel a change. She moved her hand experimentally and felt no pain. Nothing was broken and she appeared to be unharmed. But something was dulling her senses and she was soon lulled into sleep.
Cue: Tygan
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Kane Tallon on 10-17-2002 09:00 AM:
Kane reached a large wall, it surrounded the mansion he was supposed to find his kill in. He looked around in hope for a ladder, but it was very unlikely that someone would have prepared a ladder for him. He spotted a tree and darted up it. Since it was a rather small tree, he reached for its highest limb and swung up, he took a deep breath and jumped for the even higher wall. He managed to just about grab the edge, his black clothing rubbed against the white color of the wall and the color scraped onto his clothing. With a quick breath Kane pulled himself up onto the horizontal part of the wall. It was extremely dark, but he managed to spot several of the guards the man had told him about.
"Well then..." Kane mumbled and jumped into the massive garden of the mansion. He landed softly and completely silent, all that was heard was a slight rush in the air, but the guard in front of him most likely thought it was a slight breeze and sighed.
Kane silently pulled a dagger and stood up behind the guard ~screw the unnecessary killing~ With a quick jolt Kane had slit the man's throat. He grabbed the man's shirt collar and dragged him to the nearby pond. Quickly but secretly he pushed the man into the water. After getting this guard out of the way he made his way from tree to tree, but suddenly he heard a noise in the bushes, a female stood up and started dancing towards the house happily, seconds later a man stood up and darted towards the exit of the mansion's wall. Kane followed the woman with quiet step. He walked behind the bushed and trees and sometimes even crossed the pebble road but she didn't seem to notice.
As she reached the large door to the house she danced towards two guards, both of them seemed fairly disgusted and turned away to look at the sky and act as if they didn't notice her. This was Kane's chance, he darted past the unknowing guards and in behind the woman. She seemed to be in her own world as she made her way to the noisy part of the house. Kane hid behind a statue near the wall and waited, waited for people to pass so he could silently and secretly check their exterior to find out where his kill might be. He checked all of the by passing people, but none of them seemed to be fat neither did they have a braided black beard. Just as Kane was about to dart out to a better hiding spot, a man walked out of the ball room, past two statues of female warriors. He stopped and seemed to check if all the gold ornaments were still dangling around their wrists and necks. After letting loose a satisfied laugh, the man turned around and revealed a black beard, also, he was fat. Kane grinned as his victim made his way up the stairs. Kane darted out from behind the statue and made his way upstairs too.
The man made several bends and walked up several stairs. Neptune Vailstrong lit a small oil lamp and pulled a book from a book shelf. A secret door creaked open and he walked down the endless seeming, dark hallway. Kane followed only reluctantly for he knew he had only one route of escape...and it would need a lot of luck to escape the many guards that would rush in from the main hall. Vailstrong stopped at a large door and reached into his pocket, he pulled out a large key ring. It jingled and jangled as he twisted the largest key into a rusty lock. After he opened the door, he walked into a large room, Kane followed.
Cue: Lynn Kuyuma (IM me before posting please 
thanks.)
__________________
One single hit.
In a single hit there is so much:
Energy, talent, sweat, history, and philosophy...
Posted by Vellos on 10-17-2002 10:58 AM:
"Sorry mylady Darkrose, if I am a little breathless...but after slaying this waste of meat and bones behind me I am a little exhausted. But still I will do my best to fill you in a little on this land." Vellos added, "And ofcourse your spawn may feed on it!"
"Oh, I'm sure they'll enjoy it..." Duvessa answered with a wicked smile.
As the shadowspawn threw themselves on the remains of the dead, Vellos neared himself to Duvessa by a few steps. "Duvessa, you have reached Ivernes. That is the name of this continent..."
"Continue." She demanded in a sharp but not pushing tone.
"Yes. Right now we are in the region of Ralien, the so called, Ralien Blood pact. We are in the mountain range of Ralien, it also houses several shadow temples, three to be exact. The one I came from, the one we are in now, and one a little higher than this. The temple I came from was inside the volcano, or better said, very close." Vellos took a second to pull his hood deeper over his face and then began speaking again, "Well, now I have told you the basic things about this region, is there anything in specific you want to know about Ralien or Iverenes?”
Duvessa stood silent for a moment, reflecting on the new information he had given her, "Who do you serve?"
„The shadow, lady Darkrose, and you.“ Vellos answered quickly.
She arched a questioning eyebrow and replied, "You serve me? Whatever for?"
„Why, you are a higher shadow, so I sense. I choose to serve you because I want to learn from you, and of course to do the extra work you choose not to do...unless you do not approve this idea!“ Vellos said lowering his head.
Duvessa was slightly taken aback at his willingness to pledge loyalty to her, but did not let it show. Smiling, she gestured to the spawn behind her. "Is there anyplace where they can get some exercise?"
„Why, of course!“ Vellos straightened his position and led Duvessa to the door, „A local village, small, but somewhat important for trade, just at the foot of this here mountain. Shall I accompany you?“
She nodded and daintily took his arm as he led the way to the soon to be decimated village at the foot of the mountain.
Vellos’ foot sank into a fresh patch of grass, he snarled in disgust of life...He turned to Duvessa and then pointed down the small hill, “There, this is the town I told you about...Lady Darkrose, let us enjoy, no?”
Duvessa motioned to the spawn, who needed no further encouragement to attack the village below. As screams began to rise up to their perch above the town, Duvessa turned to Vellos and traced a finger across his face. "Let us enjoy...." She kissed him then as the sounds of mayhem continued to rise. "No..."
"Yes, let the fray begin!“ Vellos pulled his bastard sword in held ist silver blade towards the town, slowly he started walking towards the commencing massacre, Duvessa followed behind, she had also drawn her weapon.
Vellos stopped a few feet ahead of Duvessa and stuck his hand out at a farmer running towards him, the man raised his hayfork and let out a loud scream. „You call that...war cry!?“ Vellos laughed like an insane freak and a purple light erupted from his hand, „DIE!“ With a loud noise much like an explosion, a ball of pure shadow power shot from Vellos‘ hand and flew towards the man at incredible speed. As the ball hit the man’s chest a flame engulfed him and he dropped to the floor, burning. Vellos walked towards the man who was crying for help. His screams of mutilating pain roared through the night, but were supressed by even more screams. Vellos watched the man burn alive before his eyes. The man twisted and churned with unimaginable pain. Vellos plainly broke into laughter once more as he saw more men run towards him and Duvessa. Vellos jolted to the right where more of the useless creatures called humans lingered. With a quick twist Vellos decapitated two helpless citizens of the town.
Duvessa brought her sword down on a man who had tried blocking the strike with a wooden stick. The sword thrashed through the wood and Duvessa split the man in half. With a quick strike to the right Duvessa cut of a man’s leg. He fell to the floor and cried out in pain. She grinned then turned to another opponent, who was now slowly, but surely turning to run away.
After Duvessa ridded herself of the pesky scum she made her way towards Vellos, who followed some shadowspawn into an inn through a hole in the wall. Screams tore out of the inn and rang through Vellos‘ ears as he entered.
"Shut up!“ These simple words could be heard outside, and suddenly several of the screams had been hushed...by force. A small child crawled into a corner and cried as he had to helplessly watch how his father and mother were slaughtered by the shadowspawn. Vellos turned to the child while the shadowspawn where occupied tearing apart ist parents, „Tell me, how does it feel when you’re about to die?“ Vellos questioned with a satisfied voice.
"I want my mommy!“ The child shouted in a scarce voice.
"You want your mommy...you want to visit your mommy?“ Vellos questioned with a wide grin on his face, the child smiled and nodded, „Fine! I’ll bring you to her!“ Vellos shot the tip of his sword through the child. He slowly pulled back his sword and observed the blood run down it. Slowly he started to walk down the stairs, at the bottom he saw Duvessa smiling as she saw him nearing her.
"Was it fun?“ She questioned.
"I am sorry, I should have been near you!“ Vellos said in a low voice as he set foot on the last stair. Right when he stopped walking, Duvessa pushed her lips onto his once again and kissed him.
She backed away and questioned him once more, „Did you enjoy the bloodfeast up there?“
"Why, of course Lady Darkrose! Anything under your command means pleasure.“
Vellos said as if in an army.
"Vellos, don’t be so stiff, loosen up...“ Duvessa mentioned and ran her hand down the side of his hooded face.
"Why, of course, if you say so.“ Vellos pointed outside, „Want to continue?“
Cue: Duvessa
OOC: Sorry for some of the screwed up quotation marks...but blame it on my atm disfunctional Word program...
__________________
"Peace...is but a shadow of death,
Desperate to forget its painful past...
Though they hope for promising years,
After shedding a thousand tears,
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.
And while the moon still shines pail,
By dawn, it will be our tale..."
Posted by Acini on 10-18-2002 01:41 PM:
The two stood outside the man’s doorway whispering to each other about how this was going to be accomplished. It was obvious that the man had wanted to sleep with one of them and that Acini had already a head start. The turned around and looked into the room Acini with small grin on her face and Serafina with a devious look in her eye. The man had sat on his bed and waited for them until they were willing to come in. Acini moved across the room, looking around at his furniture and sat at one end of his bed. Serafina walked straight to the other side, pulling back a few strands of hair but otherwise paying very good attention to the man. What they had know for the past two days was that this mans name was Biridor and that he was a famous warrior in Corendel. The thought of killing someone important or liked was on Acini's mind at this point and she thought she had found the right man for that purpose.
“So….. Ladies have you decided what we are to do next?”
An arching brow arose from above Acini’s eye. “It seems you have already chosen for us sir.. After all we are in your bedroom.” She slowly took off her cape, her eyes making a small glace towards Sera and then back at Biridor.
“So then I guess you all agree?”
“We’ll we didn’t say that..” Interrupted Sera. “ I really think me and my friend here should go.”
Acini quickly stood up. “But we can’t leave. Look at the storm outside.” She pointed out at the window. Immediately a flash of lighting and then the sound of thunder came, as if on cue.
Sera sighed, “I guess your right.” She plopped back on the bed and looked up pleadingly at the man.
“Excuse me sir..”
“For what m’lady?”
“For wanting to go like that.. I feared you would have tried something a little too…”
“Forceful.” Implied Acini as she placed her hand on his shoulder.
She quickly pulled him back and pushed him down on the bed. “But I’m afraid it’s the other way around… at least for tonight it is.”
The man did not seem to be afraid at all. He smiled as if enjoying the display of anger. Serafina grabbed a piece of rope she had laid outside and tied him to the bed. His eyes looked up and down at the tied rope but Acini slapped him to make him look forward at her.
“You must be really enjoying this Biridor. I think you will have fun with the rest as well.” She said in as deep a voice as possible.
Her lips went straight to his kissing him with intensity then parting again. Her tongue went from inside his mouth to the tips of his lips and then not leaving his skin went down to his neck. To take one bite of it.
****
Sera and Acini stood at his grave, a few feet away from his courtyard. Sera stepped forward placing a few deep red roses on his grave. Her eyes cried fake tears for him. Acini began to sing a sad song. Her voice made a melancholy atmosphere around them. The morning birds did not chirp the next morning when they were gone.
__________________
"All things wicked start from innocence." ~EH
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 10-19-2002 04:27 PM:
Am I...... finished?
"I wont let you die easily"
Rossia stood in front of her enemy as she took her lance more and more deeper into Raudron's wound. "I'll let you die in the most painfull way!" her eyes showed everything in her.... hatred... revenge... flames that enough to destroy anything... as she spoke slowly but sharply at Roudron who was kneeling on the floor.
Everyone in the mansion's compound struck with fear and horor as they can't do anything but helplessly watching Roudron in pain and tears, begging for his life at the hand of Rossia. Even the guilds student and soldier dared not to advance to the stage while their 'master' are in danger.
"Please, Rossia.... pardon me... I'm blameless in here and please have a mercy at my life!" Roudron pulls Rossia's cloak as he keep on begging for his old life.
"Don't you even think of escaping from me now. I'll get your head and place them in front of my family's grave!" sense of burning desire in Rossia gave the power to overcome her enemy even with onehanded.
Over the years of pain and suffering... now she met her chance to end up everything... even her own life is at stake, to Rossia, that will be enough if she could do what she had promised her family, in front of their quiet tombless graves.... few years back. Time has come to claim herself once more....
Rossia lifted her lance to the air, preparing to strike Roudron with it and end everything up.... Roudron, with his weak body, quickly hung on Rossia's knee, pretending to wept out loud enough for the whole town to hear....
"Don't take my life, please... I beg you.... don't do that to me! I still have my families to take care of.... I still have my own-" Roudron grabs on both Rossia's leg as he begged again and again....
"Be happy with this..... life!" Rossia shouted as she bought her lance down from the air with all her strength.... but it seems never moved a bit.
Rossia immedietely turned around and saw Al behind her, holding her lance with his hand, stoping her from taking the life of her enemy. Rossia was shocked about it and quickly tried to pull her lance away from Al but failed. Al grinned and the words came out from his mouth, drowned Rossia into her deadlies fear.... "You will not lay a hand on my father!"
"Your... father?" Rossia asked with her blunt and trembling mouth. Her strength had left her and she weakly fell to the floor. Her sweat drip to the floor as Al quickly pulled her up from the ground. Taking up his chance, Roudron quickly ran to his guards for some protection.
"Yes, my father!" Al shouted at Rossia before dragging her by choking her neck with both of his hands to the middle of the crowd. "I lured you out here, Rossia... you wont kill anyone, I'll kill you!"
Weakly, Rossia didn't have any chances when Al pulled out a strong punch into her gut. She weakly collapsed to the floor as the people surrounding them cheered for the unfair fight. Some of the guards were already equipped themself with their sword to take out her life but warned by Al to stay away so that he can have some 'fun' on Rossia before finished her up. Blow by blow, Rossia received without any reaction to counter it.... to Al, she will be his perfect punching bag as he shouted and laughed at her. Non cared for her... all of them shouted for more... even now she suffered from several broken bones and ribs.
"Had she already gave up?" Roudron asked from his chair on the stage, enjoying the bloody fight in the center of the blood lusted crowds. "I want to send her to her family after this!"
"Wait, father, let me send her off!" Al shouted as he continued on giving Rossia his blows even now she was out of cold in her pool of blood. Roudron smiled.... his son was not better or worst than him.
Al continued on sending blows of his punches and kicks at Rossia's limp body... brutally destroying her without any consideration, enjoyed the sound of her broken bones...... Times goes by and as he was satisfied with his works, Al picked Rossia up and walked to the end of the compound, which is nothing but an endless ocean wide. Followed by a huge crowd, he grinned at half dead body of Rossia and lay her down to the rocky ground. He pulled out his dagger and slashed Rossia at her neck to make sure she wont survive after she was thrown into the ocean.... to the bottom of the endless judgement of sea.....
Will it be an end of her.....? Let the Creator decide.....
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Erik Wendell on 10-21-2002 03:25 PM:
Ready..... Set..... GO!!!
OOC: Gonna start referring to the characters as their game avatars, as well as their normal names, so make sure you can keep up. I'll try to keep the normal names up during the expository, while using the game character's names during the heavy action, so keep it in mind.
Erik sat quietly, waiting for the carriage to stop, his grin growing wider.
This is great! We're so close to starting......What's that!?
The carriage jumped hard, slamming the thickly-muscled Corde body into the roof of the carriage, then back down onto the seat. Outside, the horses screamed wildly and picked up speed, slamming Erik around again. Behind him, in the other seats, the others muttered indignant cries of pain and surprise. Erik wrestled against his bonds, but only managed to shift the blindfold so that he could see with one eye. The guild mages that had been sitting in front of him previously were gone, no trace of their former presence anywhere.
"SHIT! Dina, you back there!?" He heard someone shuffle behind him, followed by a harsh "yes". Erik sat foward and placed his hands up onto the back of the seat.
"Cut the ropes with your knife!" Dina shuffled again and positioned herself behind him. It was awkward, but the woman's nimble fingers managed to cut the ropes between his wrists, the cold blade pressing against his skin. Erik leapt to his feet, and turned, ripping off the blindfold. The carriage jumped again and the group flew into the air, falling hard back onto the wooden benches. Erik grabbed Dina's knife and cut the ropes from her hands, then tossed the blade back to her to help the others.
After they had freed the others, (which was hard work, considering that the cabin of the carriage kept bucking) Erik slammed his now-formidable body against the door and barely grabbed the rims of the door before he fell to the moving ground. A quick glance at the front of the covered wagon showed that there was, in fact, no driver. The carriage was at the mercy of terrified horses, who were charging head on into the Balanum Junkyards.
Erik swung free of the doorway and climbed hand-over-hand to the carriage seat. He reached for the reins and felt the pit of his stomach drop as he realized that the reins had fallen down below the crossbridge, among the horse's hooves.
"Dammit!" The massive junk pile ahead of them loomed closer and Erik realized with much dismay that a good portion of the pile was sharp metal. He dropped to his stomach on the crossbridge and reached for the reins. His fingers managed to loop it, but the carriage jumped again and he lost them. He reached one last time and grabbed them, then leapt back into the driver's seat and pulled hard. The corded leather snapped taut in his hands and the horses stopped dead, their hooves skidding on the loose dirt. Erik roared in determination and closed his eyes as they skidded within ten feet of the junk wall. The carriage stopped.
Erik opened a cautious eye, then realizing that they had stopped safely, he jumped down from the seat and checked on the others. They leapt out quickly and moved away from the carriage, almost afraid that it would start it's reckless rampage again. Erik turned to Dina.
"Thank you. You saved our lives..." Dina smiled in return.
"Same to you. You stopped the cart." She bumped shoulders with him appreciatively. "Consider us even." Erik smiled, then started as Garrett yelled.
"What the hell is this!?" The group gathered around him and looked as he exposed his wrist. A throbbing red glow covered a patch above his wrist, just a little over his skin. The red aura pulsed rapidly, it's true purpose known to the other gamers.
"It's a Health Aura. It tells you when you're damaged. A green aura means good. Purple means you're poisoned. Blue means you're cursed or magicked. A red one means damaged, the throbbing indicating a bleeding wound. And black means dead, or as good as dead. See?" Erik ran a finger lightly over the surface of his armband and his body flashed a solid green.
"See?"
"Well, then...... how did it get there?" Garrett asked. Dina poked Erik from behind and he turned to face her.
"Yes?" He asked. Dina held up two knives.
"I cut those ropes with my game knife." She held it up for show, then presented the other. "This is the real one. I was cutting Garrett's ropes with the fake one when the cart jumped. The whole thing was staged...." Erik's eyes widened in surprise. Behind them, the air shimmered. Everyone turned. A woman, dressed in scarlet garments and possessing large white angel wings floated in the air behind them. She spoke in an unearthly tone, her voice echoing sweetly from all around them.
"You cannot be here! You will all be destroyed! Leave now...." Erik looked at his companions, who watched him in turn.
"Guys.... I think this game is going to be very different from anything we've ever done before......"
__________________
"Whatever doesn't get solved through words, do it with the sword."
Posted by Scarlet Rosenblade on 10-23-2002 02:12 AM:
The Percephanie docked in Corner without fanfare or much notice from passersby. But a group of guards had noticed and in fact had been anticipating the ship’s arrival since the previous day. A figure with flaming red hair appeared on the bough and they rushed to meet her.
Scarlet looked to the approaching entourage with a mixed sense of relief and worry. She was relieved that she was finally home again, even though she had failed in what she had set out to do, but her homecoming worried her as well. She had been overjoyed to learn that Indigo was alive and well from pigeons received from her parents, but now the idea of facing him caused a tremor of unease in her. The last time she had seen him was when she declined his offer of marriage. Her heart sank, but she knew sooner or later the time would come when they would meet once more. Would his arms be warm and welcoming or would they push her away, like she had pushed him? The worry must have been evident on her face, for Claudia asked.
“Are you not happy to be home again, Princess?”
Scarlet looked up at her quickly, then back to the guardsmen waiting for her. “No. I had only hoped Indigo would be here,” she lied. Claudia smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. They were busy piercing the weak armor of Scarlet’s façade and peering into her soul. Scarlet turned to hide the brief shudder that passed through her just then. She hadn’t disliked Claudia, but her presence hadn’t put her at ease either. There was just something about the way she would look at her.. almost as if she were studying Scarlet like a page in a book. It unnerved her.
“Thank you for everything, Lady Stromguard. Give my best wishes to the emperor.” With that she turned herself over to the custody of the guards.
After being seated comfortably within the coach the last leg of her journey had begun. As familiar scenery flashed by the window, a feeling of being purged came over her. True, she hadn’t succeeded in even locating Reika, and she had a feeling that she had deliberately intended it as so. Though it pained her deeply, she knew that she would never see her sister again. But with that knowledge, there was also peace. She could move on now.
She sighed and leaned her head against the plush velveteen upholstery. Again she worried about seeing Indigo, assuming he had not left again.
Would his arms be warm, or would they push her away?
CUE: Indigo. Well..?
__________________
[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/scar.jpg[/img]
"When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion."
Posted by Til'Sylvanna Evenstar on 10-23-2002 11:58 AM:
They walked in a soft golden light that came from everywhere. The garden about them was lit softly with the light that seemed to come from the very life force of the plants themselves. No breath of air stirred in this place, nor other strollers passed them by. She had walked this garden a hundred times before, for by her will was it created, but this was the first time she had ever brought him here. He had always been wary of the place her spirit walked when others dreamed. Now, it did not matter.
“It is very beautiful,” said Saeth Shen, her faithful guardian and truest protector.
“Thank you,” replied the soft voice of Til’Sylvanna, the Evenstar, and his Lady.
He stopped and turned to her, here in this place between the worlds, a look of profound peace and love upon his noble face.
“It is time to go,” he said, “for one cannot tarry long in this place when the soul is bound elsewhere.”
“I know. I just wish…” Her silver eyes misted over, and she could not finish.
“That things could have ended differently,” the Guardian finished for her. He knew her mind so well they hardly had need to speak most of the time.
“Yes. I feel like I let them down. I did not have the strength to combat the Shadow, and I left them alone to face it. I did not accomplish what I set out to do, and that saddens me.” A single tear fell. “And I never had the chance to tell Nelcar good-bye.”
“Their Fates were never yours to govern, Til, nor your responsibility to see fulfilled, though you felt it was so. Even now they have ended the darkness you feared so much, for men are stronger than either of us gave them credit for. It is their world now, and they will protect it. You need have no guilt about that. You did what you could; no one could ever have asked more of you.”
Saeth placed his strong arms around his Lady, holding her in an embrace. He stroked her long silver/white hair gently, engraining this moment in his memory for all time. After a moment, he stood back, his hands on her slight shoulders.
“Til’Sylvanna, my Lady, my Love; you showed me love when I could not believe that it existed for me. When all seemed lost, that love give me back my life. This one last thing I can do for you; I can protect you even at the cost of my own, as I always said that I would. You are not done yet, and there is still so much in life that you must experience. I am content to pass on, for I have come to a peace with my life, and all my wrongs are made right in you. Go back Til’Sylvanna, go back and live. Do not let the chains of past sorrow bind you, but rejoice in the gift of each moment.”
He brought a hand to her cheek, caressing it gently as he bent down to kiss her.
His bright eyes held her own, all the world and all his love shining in them.
“I will always be with you, my love, and I shall await the day when we are reunited again, though the ages until that day may be long. Go back to your life, Til’Sylvanna, and live it in peace knowing that I guard you still, and love you always.”
He kissed her once more, long and passionately. Til’Sylvanna could feel him pouring the last of his mortal strength into her body, leaving nothing for himself. She could feel the cords that bound her to the living, waking world become stronger, for thought the humans had thought them dead, they were only very near to it. She felt herself begin to slip downwards, back into her body, back to her life, the gift he had giver her.
He stood there in the golden glow, tall and magnificent in her fading vision. His last words came floating back to her softly as she lost sight of him.
“I will love you always…”
__________________
To see the World in a grian of sand,
And Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
-W. Blake
Posted by Sheara Sol'Arin on 10-24-2002 09:46 PM:
The night’s first stars shone like gems in the fading rose glow of the failing day. A soft breeze blew the sent of late summer flowers across the landscape, and there was a stillness to the world in that quiet hour. Maylyn climbed the low hill in silence, concern in his light brown eyes, and written upon his comely face. He stopped at the top where a tall oak tree stood like a great pavilion, and sitting beside it, with her back to him, was Sheara; his sister.
He had known that this was where he would find her, for had they both not sat by that very same tree so many times, happy? This was where she often went when she wanted to be alone. Today, beyond all other days, she should not have to be alone… but she would allow no one to be with her. She had politely refused the comforting words that her friends and elders had to offer her… and even his. With a soft smile and easy grace she had left them to their preparations while she vanished into the dying day to enshroud herself in the coming night.
“Ara?” He said softly using the nick name he had given her when they had been children, something he had not called her in years. The sun had given up its domain to the stars, and in their pale glow it was difficult to see her. One would think, with the peace she seemed to exude, that it was just an ordinary day, an evening like any other. One could very easily believe that this maid was the embodiment of tranquility and contentment. He wondered how she managed to do that… to build such walls about her emotions that not even he could see beyond them, let alone anyone else. It was times like this that he realized just how different he was from his younger sister.
“It was a very beautiful sunset,” she said quietly, not turning to face him. Her voice was quiet, sweet. It held only kindness and calm. It was the voice of one who could watch the tides of the world change, and all fade into myth, and think nothing of it. It was the voice of patience incarnate. Or was it desolation?
The woman dressed in a light linen gown of unadorned white sighed, and in a moment of overwhelming weakness, hung her head for a moment. Long curls of sun gold hair fell over her lovely face, hiding it from even the stars. She would not let even them see her tears. When she turned to stand and face her brother, there was nothing but stillness and complete composure in that face, nothing of the anguish he knew that she must be feeling.
“Ara, the others have gone now. It’s time.” He watched her closely, worried.
A slight frown turned the corners of his mouth as he saw her face. Still nothing. Ever sense… He had thought to see something in her face to tell him that she was going to be alright, that she would let go of the grief that he knew must be there, but that she had never even hinted at. Not even once had he seen her façade of quiet acceptance and peace crack, neither a single tear, nor cry of pain. Nothing. As he met her compelling golden eyes he was forced to look quickly away. He could not stand the nothingness in them. He alone could read what lay behind those odd eyes of hers, he alone knew of the despair within them. She could not hide that from him, for those golden eyes could not lie. It was the only placed that she allowed herself to mourn, and it was almost more than he could stand.
She sighed once more and smiled a little, a bitter sweet smile that would have fooled anyone but him into believing that all was well in the world.
“I suppose it is, isn’t it? I’ve put this off for as long as I may,’ she said as she gathered up her skirts and stood. “I guess I thought I could try and make believe that it wasn’t real. That I would wake up and it would have all just been some frightful dream.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to wake up, am I?” She asked softly.
Maylyn shook his head, unable to speak. He wanted to give her the words that would lift that sorrow from her, but they would not come. He wanted to hold her in his arms like he had when they had been very little and she had run to him afraid of thunderstorms. He could do nothing, for he had already tried only to have her softly repel all offers of comfort.
Finally he had regained himself enough to speak. “I will still come with you if you wish. It pains me to think of you there alone.”
“No,” she said softly, kindly, and unyieldingly. “I must do this alone. That is my way now, and not even you can change that, beloved brother. I’m sorry.” She took a few steps closer to him, taking his hand in her own, and kissed it gently. His other hand he lightly brushed along her cheek, and kissed her forehead softly.
“I will always be here for you, should you need me.” All his brotherly desire to protect her shone in his light brown eyes, compassionate eyes.
“I know.” She laid a hand on his well muscled forearm and turned to make her way down the hill. In the dark of the new night she was quickly lost from sight. He said a quiet prayer to the Creator, for that was all he could do for her now.
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The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent, everything becomes clear and undisguiset. Make the smallest distinction, however, and Heaven and Earth are set infinitely apart.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 10-24-2002 10:05 PM:
Elarion and Finrandel walked throught the lush plains of eastern Nyren as they made their way inevitably towards the strange pull that Elarion felt inside of his very being. The pair had passed another sizable city along the road, but rather than following the road through it, they stayed a good distance away. Both of the Elwain had sensed something was amiss in the city, and they had decided jointly to leave the place alone. It could very well be that the people of this land were not friendly towards the Elwain, after all, so the risk was too great.
Elarion's asha cloak, Vilisil, rippled a strange green near the hem and blended to a sky blue up his body, the colors changing to meet those that surrounded the fabric itself. Finrandel had complimented Elarion on the enchantment upon the cloak, and how it enhanced the natural abilities of the asha to color blend and shadowmeld. After much thought Elarion offered to make Finrandel a comperable cloak when he had the time and resources to do so, and was met with many thanks for the offer, which was gladly accepted by the younger Elwain.
The pair had been traveling for almost another four days, after passing around the large city along the road, and they had passed through many smaller villages on the same road, but their nature had either gone unnoticed, had been ignored, or was commonplace. It was in the afternoon of the fourth day of travel that they came upon a grassy hill and set down to rest.
Elarion's grey eyes looked out towards the sun as it decended through the sky, the light of the blazing orb reflecting from them and making them sparkle like two gleaming globes of inner fortitude. Finrandel stared eastward as Elarion stared westward, and he noted a pair of travelers upon the road, coming towards them. The travelers had pointed ears, but not like those of the Elwain. They were shorter, like those from the country of men upon Asheri that was called Lunis. Finrandel tapped Elarion on the shoulder and pointed them out, and the pair watched the travelers as they passed by the hill, noting as many things as they could about the travelers. Thinking about this more, Elarion recalled that all of the men of the region possessed the slightly pointed ears, and began to think about the ways of the people in a more historical fashion as they continued their travels after a short rest.
The capitol of Nyren, Rylithi, was no more than a day away when they bedded down for the night is a small grove of trees just a little ways off the road.
Cue: Fin or Aurora...
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I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Volsung on 10-25-2002 03:07 AM:
Heading Home!
After the fall of the tower, Volsung and Veritas went east of Parvini to visit the grave of their Father. They didn’t speak while in the presence of their father or any of the others who had died on that faith filled day so long ago, but if you could see their faces, you would have seen the tears in their eyes. This was the first time in almost 18 years since they had been back to the site of their former town. As the two turned away, they saw Nascent in the distance sitting on a horse. Behind him sat Volsung, Veritas saw horses all saddled up and ready to go. “Hello Friends! I bring news of the Magi. I thought you would like to hear.”
“What news do you bring Friend?” Volsung asked as he and Veritas approached Nascent.
“After you to Left Ryudo Wolfe the tribesman-elf gave me Agrian Wind, thus making me the leader of the Magi. Since that time I have sent messengers to Mount Karovon to inform them of the change in command. I’m sure they will be a bit resistant, but I think I can deal with that when I get back. I have also sent out magi to the Endroth to help with the rebuilding.”
“It sounds like you have been very busy. I am glad to hear that the Magi have a noble leader once again.” Veritas said as she moved in closer.
“As am I. So where are you two off to now?”
“Home. We have been gone for over a year and I have to say I’m starting to miss the old island. We might come back to this place. I mean it is starting to feel like home too. And it was our first home after all, but after spending so much time killing and fighting, I think it time to spend some time with the living.” Volsung said. Then He and Veritas climbed on to their horse.
“So how are you going to get there?” Asked Nascent
Volsung smiled, “You know, I have a little trick I have been meaning to use for quite some time.” Then he pulled out the Sword of Fire, “I would suggest that you step back a little bit, it’s going to get hot.” Then Volsung pointed the sword to a point right in front of his horse and created a circle of fire, after a moment the inside of the circle started to shine like mirror. “Hmm, that worked well.”
Nascent and Veritas stared in disbelief. “What did you just do Brother?” Asked Veritas
“A portal, now let’s get moving. It won’t stay open forever. It will take us right to Fayre.” With that, Volsung rode his horse through the portal. Veritas and Nascent continued to stare at the portal for another moment and then followed Volsung though.
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/vol.jpg[/img]
"Listen! I've traveled every road in this here land!"
Posted by Sheara Sol'Arin on 10-25-2002 10:17 PM:
Sheara began her slow descent down the hill, surveying the landscape before her. Though the moon had not yet risen, the stars offered enough pale light to illuminate the way before her. Long, low rolling hills dominated this area just west of Xellos where the Shrine of the Creator had stood for time uncounted. Some said that it was built ages ago by the elves when they had once lived in the land where the kingdom now stood, so beautiful was the Shrine; others said it was built by the first King of Gania in thanks. Whatever myth was true, the lovely white tower of the Shrine could be seen beyond the eastern rise, beyond her present destination.
The hill ran softly down to meet the rolling grassland between the rises of the hills beyond it. At the foot of the northern most hill, at the edge of the field of soft green grass, stood a mammoth elder tree. It was the only tree besides the great oak for half a mile, and it was beautiful in its greatness and majesty. She could see the torches of the others as they passed over the next hill, leaving the great tree behind.
They had asked to stay with her, but even Maylyn was forbidden by her to do so. And so bidden, her friends and once fellow priestesses had paid their respects, though she was no longer counted among their number, leaving at her request as the sun began to set. It was the third day… since… and it was believed that at the rising of the moon on the third evening the soul would leave to go wherever it was that the souls of that kin went.
She crossed the soft green grass of the field, the field they had traversed so many times… where they had first met, and came to stand at the base of the great elder tree. No torches had been left beside the mound of newly turned earth, as she had requested, and neither did she carry one. In front of the trunk of the great tree stood a smooth hewn stone of azurite, simple but beautiful. Upon it was written, in the tongue of the Elves:
Here within the earth doth lay
One who lived by light of day,
One who wandered by light of moon,
One who was taken all too soon.
Here within this earth resides
One who lived his life with pride,
One who held an ancient grace,
One who forever changed this place.
Here interred lies one truly loved,
Even as he walks the fields above.
Those he touched are forever changed,
And in his loss will never be the same.
Golden son of the Eldest Kin
May you walk the emerald fields again,
May the Creator’s embrace accept you home,
Though we are left behind, alone.
This is the final resting place of Den’Alaurian Tyrian- Golden son of the Elwain. He died for love, and in love shall ever live. May his soul find peace in the loving arms of the Creator, from whom we all come and must one day return.
She sank to her knees, heedless of the dirt which would stain her pure white gown. In her hands she held a ring. Golden was the band, fashioned in the likeness of ivy leaves, and in the center a bright diamond which even now caught and held the light of the pale stars, shining with a fire even they could never possess.
“Not even yet a wife, and so soon a widow,” she said softly. “I have held your troth ring for not even a passage of one moon, and yet I must now live with the knowledge that the promise, if not the love, it vowed can never be fulfilled.” She was silent for a while, lost in the fire of that beautiful ring, lost in sorrow for the knowledge that a companion to it she would never wear.
“The sunset was very lovely tonight, you would have liked it. I…I…I kept thinking that any moment you would come striding up the hill to sit beside me like you always did, but it was Maylyn who came, came to tell me that it was time to say good-bye.” Her voice broke for a moment, and she griped her hands into fists so tight her nails pierced the skin.
“What am I going to do now?” She asked sadly, utterly lost. “I gave up my life in the Shrine the day I fell in love with you, and cast aside forever that path when I accepted your ring. How can I go on every day knowing that you are not there… that I will never again feel the soft touch of your lips upon mine, hear your sweet voice sing to me of the beauty of the world, or see your clear blue eyes look at me so full of life and love? What is there for me in this life if you are not with me?”
There was no answer for her in the complete silence of the night. No call of lark or owl dared to disturb the shroud of stillness the sorrow of the maiden wove. No lone wolf call, or chirping of cricket to break the sound of that silence. She did not stir, she did not speak. She gave herself to the silence, and the night, and the sorrow, and would not be moved.
So lost was she in her sorrow that she did not notice the rising of the moon. Its silver rays crept slowly over the hills and fields until they touched upon the place where her love was laid to rest. Feeling the softness of that silvery glow touch her face, she opened her eyes, eyes that still would not release their tears, and saw a miraculous sight. There, near the marker stone, was a small rose growing. A small rose bush with a single bloom… which had not been there when she had arrived only an hour ago. Golden yellow… her favorite. The name of that rose in the musical speech of the Elwain that he had taught her was Sol’arin, meaning ‘One who is touched by Sunlight.’ That was the name by which he called her, the name love had given her.
That rose was her salvation. It was a sure sign to her that, even now, he was with her still, and he loved her still. No matter what the distance, not even death, it seemed, could conquer his love for her, and even now he delivered unto her a sign that he would always be with her.
All the tears that she had been so unwilling and unable to cry came fourth then, a flood let loose. She cried for the children they would never have, for the years together of which they had been robbed, for him that he would never again see his beloved homeland, and his people who would never know once more the soft sound of his footfalls among them. But mostly she cried for herself. A part of her soul would forever remain with him there in that green earth beneath the great elder tree, but he had freed her with a rose. Maybe one day she would even learn to love again, though never as truly as she loved him. She would live, survive, and go on. Not without him, for even in the next world he was with her still, watching over her like a guardian angel.
“I love you,” she said when she at last found her voice once more. “I will always love you. Please help me… for it is so hard for me still. But I know, now. I understand. And I love you.”
With that, she kissed the ring of gold and set it upon the marker stone. Not because she did not still hold him in her heart, but because he had freed her from that sorrow. She rose and departed the place where her one true love was buried, leaving the ring behind, and made her way back to the Shrine to join her friends in the light of their companionship.
Of the ring little more is know. If anyone where to check, it would be there still as she left it. No one can move it, for it is held there by a love stronger than even the mightiest tempest.
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The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent, everything becomes clear and undisguiset. Make the smallest distinction, however, and Heaven and Earth are set infinitely apart.
Posted by Til'Sylvanna Evenstar on 10-26-2002 03:07 PM:
The soft sound of elven voices filled her ears, and the gentle power of their presence calmed her. Til’Sylvanna lay where she was for a while, simply drinking in the moment, and becoming reacquainted with the waking world. She slowly opened her silver eyes, greeted by the sight of her beloved stars shining there above her.
She was in a clearing in the Evisis forest, and lay upon a bower of soft boughs and nani coverings. There was a figure sitting next to her, hooded and cloaked in dove gray. As she began to stir, the figure turned to her and she saw their face.
She inhaled sharply.
“Til’Sylvanna,” came the awed and amazed voice of Linfell, Prince of the Elwain, her cousin. “Creator be praised, you awaken!” He took her hand in his, all his attention focused upon her.
“Linfell?” She questioned in confusion, for as last she knew he had been missing… lost to his people.
“Indeed.” He smiled at the look of shock on her face. “Phoenix told me that he talked to you… He kept true to his word and found me. Ja’Shar had taken me captive by foul magical means… Phoenix slew him, setting me free. The Fae also told me of your dark plight… and I feared you had succumbed. The humans thought so as well, for they returned you here thinking you dead. We knew, upon taking up your care, that that was not so… though so little of your light was left. But that is unimportant. You live; we had so little hope of you ever awakening.”
His words reminded her of one who would not awaken that star lit evening beneath the emerald eves of the ancient Evisis forest.
“Saeth,” she whispered, looking to her right where he was laid out beside her.
His raven dark hair was brushed and braided about his noble brow, which was free from the lines of sorrow that had lain upon it for so long. His comely face was still and at peace. The weight of years, which had lain so heavily upon him, was lifted and he was beautiful. But no breath stirred in the chest of Saeth Shen, and she could no longer feel the soul deep magical bond that they had shared. He was gone, his spirit residing now in the fields of the afterlife, at peace in the arms of the Mother. He had given the last of his strength, his light, to her that she might live.
She reached down and caressed his pale cheek, tears forming in her eyes. They were not the tears of soul wrenching anguish that she had thought she would cry when this moment came, for there was a look of such profound peace and beauty upon his face that she could not begrudge his loss. There was also within her the last of his light, the strength he had given her to live, the love he had felt. With that light she would never be alone. Bathed in the soft silver light of the stars he was angelic, but he was gone.
Linfell watched his cousin in wonder, for he could sense a profound change in her, and he could see that there was much between her and the Esiai’desh’mirain. He sat there, feeling the intruder in some private secret he could never understand. He watched as Til’Sylvanna bent over and kissed Saeth gently upon his noble brow, then turn to face him.
“He died for me. Though it was my weakness and darkness which caused the failing of my spirit, he died for me. But even greater, he lived for me, and gave me his love. We must honor him, Linfell, for here has passed the greatest of the Salurion. He did not let me fall, nor my spirit fail, and he has paid for the failings of past services. We must honor him.” Her voice was soft, clear, and her eyes shone with the last of her tears, but her face was radiant with unspoken love for the fallen elf.
Linfell bowed his head for a moment. “I never blamed him for my mother’s death, though he never forgave himself.” He looked up and took hold of his cousin’s slender hand. “I called him teacher and councilor, comrade and sword brother. But mostly, I called him friend.” The Prince also looked upon the beautiful visage of Saeth Shen, remembering their long years together, and though not all of them were happy years, the elf was always there when he had been needed. “He is deserving of the highest honors, for not the least reason of returning you safely to us. When you are rested more and ready to depart, the procession shall be made.”
He looked to the stars among which his longtime companion now tarried. “We shall accord the highest honors to the Esiai’desh’mirain Saeth Shen, for he was a great servant to out House, and a friend to all the Elwain.”
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To see the World in a grian of sand,
And Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
-W. Blake
