NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Okay... who exactly is telepathic here and why? How is it that Azara suddenly became telepathic? Or is it yet another extension of his magic abilities? No offense, but maybe you should try and limit your powers... just a bit... Moderation is the key...

Furthermore, lets try and eventually take a bit of a break from battle... I mean so far its been pages upon pages of battle... We need to rest eventually... and I think we might need to wrap this battle up and have some time of peace... Maybe meet some people who don't try to kill us...

But I mean I suppose it makes sense, but I want a town setting! Maybe there'll be a town when we get to the foot of the mountain range.... Some little town maybe? Please?

Oh yes and please don't be offended if what I said offends you because no offense was meant in my OOC statement... Just a statement, riddled with suggestions. Thank you.

Signed,

The Great and Glorious Amerigo

PS I'll post here later. <<<<soon>>>>

OOC: Amerigo is right. I would like to be in a town setting too. Please, Can someone find an intelligent and very good way to return Symbel to her normal state?, so the fight could end?....

OOC: Amerigo is right. I would like to be in a town setting too. Please, Can someone find an intelligent and very good way to return Symbel to her normal state?, so the fight could end?....

OOC: Amerigo is right. I would like to be in a town setting too. Please, Can someone find an intelligent and very good way to return Symbel to her normal state?, so the fight could end?....

OOC: lol ... you turned her into a hellbeast, you figure it out Aelosia ... lol ... just kidding. In any case, the town idea was what I had planned for our first 'days' rest ... a nice secluded town with villagepeople totally oblivious to the hell thats opening up all around them. You know, classic ignorant people. :wink: You people sure get your tighty whities in a bunch easy, don't ya? Well, we'll go back for Atheril, Symbel, and Azara, then at dawn we'll take refuge at a nice little town in the middle of the forest but still two days flight from Pandora mountain. Sound good? Then get posting and quit asking me to solve all your character dilemnas! lol ... I'm not the backbone of this story, I'm the narrator. Need some help? This is all I'm giving you.

1. Someone shoot down the dragon (Enigma would be preferable, since he has arrows), she'll prolly turn back to herself if she's in enough pain and/or unconscious and/or expended all her strength. That's my thoughts on the problem, feel free to try something else if anyone can think of something clever to do instead. :wink:

2. The rest of the group will start towards Azara's fancy distress beacon. Once reaching him we'll probably have problems of our own to deal with.

Now, before I can post any of this happening ... tell me where your characters are and what you want them to do ... attack the dragon or recover Azara ... those are your only options unless you are Traigous and Azara, in which case prep and/or further your plot so we know where you're going with it and how we're supposed to assist.

Again, I'd like to re-iterate ... I am the narrator, not the cornerstone of this story. That's why I made my characters the weakest of all of you people. You have your own characters and ideas, so use them. Just don't step on other characters' toes/side quests to do so.
I'm gonna be gone 2-3 weeks starting Monday, and if this story is going to go on during my absence (nobody has voiced otherwise), you'll have to move it along without always turning to me for the answers. If you DO go on during my vacation, which I'd like to know tomorrow night before bed please, I'll write out a synopsis of whats going to happen so you guys and girls can have things to do that are directly related to how I want this story to go. Thank you and goodnight.

PS I won't be posting tonight because I have to wait for answers to my questions. Email them to me, if you would be so kind, so the messageboard doesn't get cluttered with OOC comments. My email is: Aystha@yahoo.com. I'll talk to you all later.

OCC:Here, ill have Enigma bring down Evil Symbel.

IC:Enigma watched from his dragon as Symbel trembled on the ground, convulding wildly. He was distracted from the noise of an explosion in teh forest, then looked back at Symbel. Enigma was startled to see a great Black Dragon in her place, speeding for the golden dragons. He withdrew his bow, hesitated for a fraction of a second, then shot an arrow. The head broke on the dragons obsidion skin and the shaft splintered without causing any damage whatsoever. Enigma guessed that he needed something more powerful.

He withdrew a pure white arrow from his quiver. The arrow's head was revolving and clicking. He notched it and shot it, aiming between the Dragon's eyes. The arrow left behind an arc of power as it left the bow. It struck true, going through the draon's forhead. For a moment, it had no visable effect. Then, the arrow exploded. Blue crackles of electricity danced over the dragon's body, weakening it. It soon became too exausted to fly any longer, and landed on the ground with a dull thud. Enigma winced as he heard Symbel hit the ground, but was glad to that it was Symbel who had hit the ground. His arrow had done the trick, and Symbel was slowley transforming back into herself.

He turned his dragon and directed it for James."We should go see what that was in the forest. It could mean trouble!"

Traigous awoke, feeling a blistering heat at the soles of his feet. His arms hurt, but he was feeling much better, overall. He was sweating profusely, and upon opening his eyes, he found that he was hanging over a pit of fire, chained, by manacles at his arms, to some bar above him. He realized taht they had healed most of his serious wounds, but that was it.

He was still naked and bleeding at some yet unhealed wounds... but the pain had left his body. He knew that they would not kill him, by dropping him into this pit... He expected days upon days of torture.... Perhaps they'd never kill him and keep him there forever each day torturing him, then healing again. For the first time in his life since his first death, he had felt fear for his own life.

He wondered what would become of him... and hoped that all was well with the rest of the group.

***
The handmaiden stood overlooking the well. She looked down and smiled to see his wretched figure dangling below, above the lake of fire.

"Lower him," she commanded. She would enjoy this...
***

The gears slowly began to creak and turn above him, and he felt a slow change in altitude. Yes, he was being lowered, slowly down into the pit. The heat of the flames began to scorch his feet and he could almost feel the upcoming pain. The gears creaked and groaned as he slid down into the horrid lake of vermillion.

He was too exhausted to move, to scream, to do anything, but look down in horror as the molten rock appraoched him. Futily he raised his feet, bending them at the knees, straining against the exhaustion with all his might. Gathering his muscles so that he may hold the postion. It was useless, that much was true, but when one is in such a dire situation... Logic detriotes to panic... quickly.

His knees finally buckled and he felt the fire begin to sear the soles of his feet. He could not gather anymore energy... so he retired himself to the upcoming pain.

His feet plunged into the molten rock and he screamed as he felt his flesh stripped of by the flames... his bones... turned to ash it seemed... The pain consumed in him in an overpowering wave. He could not fight it. He could do nothing, but react--with the instinctual scream of agony. He heard a sadistic laugh up above. A horrible piercing laugh. The pain faltered.... The anger overflowed his body... his body was numb. His face twisted into a monstrous smirk.

Then he was no longer in his body... He was a ghost, a phantom, a spirit ascending up the well in a flurry of wind. The drow, was still laughing, he saw he face... and he continued his flight... forward into her mouth... Up... Up... Into her brain... Deep into her mind. In a moment... she was dead.

She fell forward into the well, her body bouncing upon walls lifeless and bleeding from the collisions and with a splash she submerged in the lake of fire. A horrible grey smoke rising from where she struck its surface.

***

"Damn you!" a Handmaiden screamed at an Illithiad who shrunk backward, still on the leash at the hands of an orc.

"Another handmaiden dead! I told you to control his mind... immobilize him... USELESS!"

With that she took out a dagger and with one graceful stroke cut the creature's stomach open.

***
The dwarf clung to the dragon in fear as the massive creatures battled with the blackened dragon. He knew this would happen... HE'd plummet to his doom from an extraoridnary high, height... It plagued his nightmares... every dwarf's nightmares. Thats why he didn't want to fly, in the first place. Now he was sure he'd meet his doom, on this winged treasure chest. Well at the very least the last thing he'd feel before the ground would be gold. He clung yet tighter, as if to breath in its essnese.

OOC: Three Golden Dragons versus one Obsidian Dragon... Are you crazy? The Obsidian Dragon will be torn apart.

IC:

The Golden Dragon, Yun Ti, hovered above the Obsidian Dragon and swooped down attacking with his claws, fangs, and fire. The Golden Dragon carrying the dwarf spun in the air and stopped his mouth open revealing his fangs. Roaring, the Dragon bit down on the Obsidian Dragon's neck. But not without cost. The Golden Dragon was hurt in the neck.

As Yun Ti neared the Obsidian Dragon, the Shaolin Monk dived off of Yun Ti's back heading towards the black one. His staff extended, the monk attacked...

OOC: Maybe, maybe not FCN, the bad guys always have sometinh up in their sleeve. And thank you, Enigma, That's perfect.

IC:

Atheril ran to the fallen Symbel, extracting the arrow from her neck. Now she was hurt, but still alive, and cured from the possession of the evil being, who left her body like a dark mist.

As the Golden Dragon approached with the monk extending his staff ready to hit the fallen Symbel, Atheril grabbed the pole and pulled down the monk to the ground, quickly casting a sphere of protection over Symbel and him. "Stop that, she already recovered her senses", he said to the fallen monk and the roaring dragon, putting his hand over the hilt of his sword.

OOC: Can someone steers to the town Elendilrim mentioned, because I can't really do anything, since one of my charecters is far away and the dwarf can't really, do anything until he's back on the ground...

OOC: We can't steer to the town yet, Azara has not yet been recovered from the forest clearing, but the Symbel problem has been finished.

OOC: Oh, vampires have MIND GIFT ----able to see through people's minds. Much less telepathic. (based on Anne Rice's novels)

IC: The elf-vampire was tired from all the fighting and he was getting weary that his magics was almost gone. He followed (in bat form) James and the others to find Azara. He sends Eripthe and Nyssa down, for it would be faster for smaller birds/ mammals to swoop down in the forest clearing.

The two servants came down first, transforming and looking at the wounded Azara. Eripthe comforted him with her healing magics that slowly healed Azara's wounds. Nyssa, on the other hand, held her dagger being careful on more attackers.

"We have to be going, now." Nyssa ordered as she waited for James' gryffin to carry Azara out of the clearing.

OOC: We can't steer to the town yet, Azara has not yet been recovered from the forest clearing, but the Symbel problem has been finished.

OOC: Oh, vampires have MIND GIFT ----able to see through people's minds. Much less telepathic. (based on Anne Rice's novels)

IC: The elf-vampire was tired from all the fighting and he was getting weary that his magics was almost gone. He followed (in bat form) James and the others to find Azara. He sends Eripthe and Nyssa down, for it would be faster for smaller birds/ mammals to swoop down in the forest clearing.

The two servants came down first, transforming and looking at the wounded Azara. Eripthe comforted him with her healing magics that slowly healed Azara's wounds. Nyssa, on the other hand, held her dagger being careful on more attackers.

"We have to be going, now." Nyssa ordered as she waited for James' gryffin to carry Azara out of the clearing.
OOC: Well recover him then! I can't post anything useful at the moment... Until we get to town... There you'll meet new people...

And how do you mean able to see through people's minds? You mean like mind reading?

Besides may thats a little overdoing it... with the whole mind thing... I mean hell you're making that charecter as powerful as can be... Maybe you should exploit his flaws a little, otherwise... well its not as interesting... Get like some undead hunter to pursue him or something... I mean immortal or no... have some fun with him rather than just walk around killing people, without fear nor pity...

Just a suggestion... and please we really need to get to town so I could post IC...

OOC: Undead hunter no...and he doesn't have any telepathic thingeys anyway, just sensitive senses.... okay! Anyway, he doesn't have a dragon hunter on him, but a powerful witch yes, where their powers are much less equal, so being god-like is not in my list. Anyway, I don't make my character into something godmodded. I mean his magic can be easily spent and he more or less needs Eripthe for his recovery.

IC: The vampire placed Azara on the gryffin as they flew out of the clearing. The elf-vampire shot his thought towards the others to return back to the main caravan to get to a town not far from here. They flew on for a few hours when they saw a small village in the footholds of the mountain. "We take our rest here. I suggest that we get an inn, gather some supplies, have a drink here and there and move on the next evening." The vampire suggested.

OOC: Undead hunter no...and he doesn't have any telepathic thingeys anyway, just sensitive senses.... okay! Anyway, he doesn't have a dragon hunter on him, but a powerful witch yes, where their powers are much less equal, so being god-like is not in my list. Anyway, I don't make my character into something godmodded. I mean his magic can be easily spent and he more or less needs Eripthe for his recovery.

IC: The vampire placed Azara on the gryffin as they flew out of the clearing. The elf-vampire shot his thought towards the others to return back to the main caravan to get to a town not far from here. They flew on for a few hours when they saw a small village in the footholds of the mountain. "We take our rest here. I suggest that we get an inn, gather some supplies, have a drink here and there and move on the next evening." The vampire suggested.

OOC: ANd I am not accusing you of godmodding either. I meant no offence by comment. You're just making your charecter powerful... but most people are... Hell I made the half-drow because the dwarf was weak... Fully understandable... But why not an undead hunter paladin, eh? Come on I'll make one, who'll meet the party for a while... Come on up for the challange eh? It'd be fun to watch your elf-vampire's ego kept at bay by a highly powerful adversary... At least for a little bit... So what do you say you up for it? :wink:

OOC: Can we quit it with the fighting sometime? That's the reason we're entering this town, right? to REST. Amerigo, ease up a little ... you're too anxious. Quit bugging Holy Erat and focus on what you're gonna do with Traigous. We're at the town like you wanted, so do what you said you'd do. Holy Erat already has a foe lined up that will come into play later in the story, so back off a little. Azara's recovered, we're all safely at the town, let's enjoy a short reprive from disaster, shall we?
Pantocratoria hasn't posted yet, I wonder if he's quitting from the story.

IC: James landed the griffin just outside the wooden fence which surrounded the town, protecting it from wild animals. He lowered Kimli from the griffin first, holding fast to her arm until she set her feet upon the ground. He then jumped to the earth below and brushed himself off. He was still stained with large splatters of orc blood, and felt it was about time to get cleaned up.

"Alright, you've got a good idea ... we'll stay here for the day and move on tonight. Let's use this time to rest our weary bodies and mend our wounds. The journey will not get easier from here on, but it may very well become harder. Let us prepare." he replied to the elf-vampire, addressing the entire group as their dragons and griffins landed. He knew they were a good two days flight from the side of the mountain they needed to explore, but time was still on their side. They had at least a week until the goblet disappeared again. They shouldn't have any trouble finding it and obtaining it before then.

Kimli, meanwhile, walked into the gate of the town and began searching for the town inn, finding it located just two houses in from the gate itself. She looked it over, looking through it as more important thoughts took over her conscious mind. Thoughts about what could be happening to Traigous and why she was gifted with the knowledge of such acts and yet not the rest of the group. It perplexed her, and depressed her to a degree she had never felt before.

The townspeople looked on in wonder, most of them being human, at the half-elf beauty and the strange creatures landing just outside their gate. They had never seen so many strangers before who looked so different from them, especially the dwarf and elf/dragon maiden. It frightened them slightly, but they spoke amongst themselves and decided that if the newcomers didnt cause trouble, they would uphold their laws of hospitality, no matter how strange they looked or acted. The village matriarch was the greatest influence in this decision. She was old and gray, with long hair and kind eyes. She had empathy, which means she can tell what others' emotions are and get emotional impressions of people just by looking at them. A similar ability to telepathy except that telepathy entails reading minds, wheras she only read emotions. And being strong in this area, she saw that the visitors meant no real harm to them. At least, most of them didn't. The elf-vampire left her ill-at-ease, but she felt he was the minority, and that the group shouldn't be hindered for one bad apple. She watched silently, sitting on her stoop, as the visitors entered her town.

OOC: Right, right, sorry. It was not my intention to come off heavy handed in my suggestion. I meant not offence.

IC: The dwarf proceeded straight to the tavern, without so muc has a glance or a word. He was still visibly shaken from the flight, and seemed drunk already when he entered the tavern.

He was the only dwarf in this room and all the commotion inside stopped as he enetered. They all stared at him, suspciously, eying him and whispering amongst themselves. The dwarf paid no attention to the gawking humans and instead proceeded to the bar and in a deep throaty growl said,

"A barrel of yer strongest ale."

He glared at the barkeep with such a threatening intensity that the bartender stumbled backwards, and went down to the cellar. The barkeep had indeed heard of the dwarves but never thought he'd see one. The most prominenet rumor about dwarves was that they were something of legends when it came to drinking.

The musty atmosphere of the tavern was still for only a few moments and then finally the rest of the villagers went back to their drinks and conversations. They had seen all they cared to.

An apprentice rolled a barrel out from the back room. The dwarf threw a pouch of gold on the table, and took hold of the barrel then rolled it out of the tavern. He was not seen by anyone after this all night. Where he went remained a mystery, but what was more of a mystery is that, the tavern keeper found, in the morning, 5 more barrels drained to the very last drop, and five more pouches of gold in the corner.

***
Traigous had underwent many tortures by now, but after killing the second drow handmaiden, he felt no physical pain. He had retreated into his mind, and no Illithiad could penetrate or retrieve him. The hours, passed in long arduous falshes of consiousness. Sometimes, he saw the puzzled drow standing over him with all sorts of bloodied instruments. The horrible things that they have done to his body, were blurs without any pain, without any fear. It angered and frustrated the drow, who had tried everything from flaying his skin to gutting him and filling the bloodied hole with flesh eating insects. They healed him, whenver he reached close to death, because they wanted him to suffer. But he didn't, it seemed. They could no longer penetrate the barriers into his mind. It was as if his brain just voluntarily but its own spinal cord and was living by itself in the now scarred and mangled body.

The faces had come and went. So many faces, with so many different expressions. They said something every once in a while but their words were a garbled gibberish. It was as if he was in some feverish dream, and could not wake from it. There were no real thought processes in his mind, the illithiad had made sure of it. All he could do is just sit there, watching as his own body was torn apart by their brutal tortures.

***
"He's not responding. He feels no pain, misstress," said a male drow.

"Damn, we keep him alive... I think its time to send another message... This one more direct...."

***
Kimli would recieve another message from an illithiad. A thought that showed the current state of Traigous, which was significantly more gruesome than before--a mangled form, but this time, each wound calculated.

The words streamed through her head,

"Follow our orders and he will live.... You will give us the goblet and we will let him live. Be forewarned do exactly as we say, or else he will die. His fate is in your hands!"

Enigma looked aroumd as he entered the town. It seemed a cheery place, or at least more cheery than outside. The group drew many curious stares and looks as they walked through the streets. The villagers had never seen such a mis-matched caravan enter their settlement. Enigma decided to explore town. he turned to James and said, "Im going to find the market and see what supplies we can gather." With that, he set off through town.

He reached the Market several streets away and entered it. He saw that the market had excellent produce and knew that he could get what he needed. He bought some meat, cheese, fruit, and a variety of other foods, including waybread. The bread could fill a persons stomach with only a few bites, and he bought enough for the entire group for a week.

After visiting the market, he headed for the Blacksmith's. He figured that he might need some expendable weapons to get to the Blood Goblet. The Smithy of the town, who was a large, round fellow, showed Enigma thier goods. The store was filled with finely made weapons. After a few minutes of browsing, he selected a few javilins, a pair of hatchets, and a large War-Scyth capable of parting a creatures head from its body in a single stroke. He was happy with his new weapons and his food. He paid the Smithy and exited the building, then set out to find the caravan again.

OOC: Unfortunately, it is rather obvious that I've bowed out of the thread. Please feel free to kill Andronicus off in gruesome fashion. I'm extremely busy over the Christmas season, and I just don't think I can stay on top of this thread. :(

OOC: Weee...two scythe people! (Ravea).
OOC: It's just fine...the witch is strong like hell and I think it would take all of us to stop her and her goons, so the paladin will have to wait...like next story.

IC: "Greeting, great matriarch". The elf-vampire replied in a sly tone while his servants bowed. "I suggest we get our bags and stay at the inn, then. I still have to feed and the blood is getting spoilt, while Eripthe has to get some supplies." He paused. "I shall be off then, at the inn."

Azara was laid onto a bed inside one of the inns in the village. Delaz sat by his side and began to check his pulse and his chi. Delaz quietly brought out some herbs and soaking them in a bowl of warm water, Delaz began to bathe Azara's brow...

Outside, the trio of Golden Dragons quietly departed from the village, bound back to their home in the Timeless Realms to watch over the imprisoned Demon Hezekial...

As Enigma was wandering back to the rest of the party, an ambling gnome ran into him clumsily. The gnome were wizard's robes and had a derby hat on along with spectacles, he leaned heavily on a walking stick, as he gathered himself, fidgeting with his free hand nervously. Looking up at the person into who he bumped into he said in a somewhat high yet aged voice,

"Oh! I'm dreadfully sorry, sir..." Then looking Enigma over once, he then said, "You are not from here, are you? A traveler of sorts, yes? Then perhaps you saw another gnome on your journeys... One who was not quite normal..." Then lowering his voice said, "...in the head if you know what I mean..."

OOC: Last post before I leave. It'll be short because I'm very tired and ... well ... I'm just very tired. So tired. Mmmhmm ... sure am.

Kimli would recieve another message from an illithiad. A thought that showed the current state of Traigous, which was significantly more gruesome than before--a mangled form, but this time, each wound calculated.

The words streamed through her head,

"Follow our orders and he will live.... You will give us the goblet and we will let him live. Be forewarned do exactly as we say, or else he will die. His fate is in your hands!"Kimli covered her mouth with her hand as she saw the visions, near physically sick with a combination of worry and fear. She quickly sat on the porch of the tavern to collect her thoughts. What would she do? They wanted the goblet and were planning on killing Traigous if Kimli didn't deliver it to them. But how could she hand over such a powerful artifact to such evil? Was protecting the power of the goblet important enough to let Traigous die a horrible death? No. The goblet isn't worth a life. Not anyone's life. It was supposed to help people achieve their dreams, not bring death and power to the unholy who seeked it. At least that's what Kimli thought.

But then what would she do? Keep the goblet and lose Traigous? Or lose the cup to save him, though he may very well be dead already being as Drows were not known for their honesty. She didn't know what to do, but she would have to make this decision herself. If she told anyone, Traigous would be dead. She wouldn't be able to bear it if she was the direct cause of someone's death. Especially Traigous.

James soon walked up to the inn porch she was sitting on and looked down upon her, pretty sure something was the matter but not quite concerned with the reason. He simply placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly, "Let's go inside ... I'll get us a room and you can rest for awhile ... you look terribly tired. Come."

Kimli followed, a mere doll at the moment, looking out on the world but seeing nothing as a moral and emotional battle raged within. James talked to the bartender, rented a room, and put Kimli to sleep. He then pulled the chair from the desk over next to the bed and watched her in her restless sleep. "What could possibly be bothering you so, my dearest Kimli?" he said almost inaudibly. "What images ravage you from within while on the outside you remain as cold as I taught you to be?" he added, sighing heavily. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair as he thought about what had happened so far and how it could be affecting her. Then he cursed himself for even bringing her out here. It was much to exhausting and damaging for such a sheltered little girl. He wished he'd taught her the ways of war long before now, but had never the heart to tell her of the horrors. Now he regretted leaving her so naive and vulnerable.

The vampire's group rented a small suite in the village inn, a shaby kind of place yet it did not smell like fungus or ale, but the sweet smell of the mountains and forests. A huge barrel which was seeping with a red substance was easily carried by Nyssa. "Here's the blood, master. Shall we feed?" The servant questioned. "Give me a goblet. I'm feeling thirsty and some veal perhaps from the inn's kitchen.

"As you wish?" Nyssa left leaving the barrel behind and a large goblet filled with blood was left on a coffee table.

The master vampire spoke as he looked out the window."It has been a long time, Eripthe, since I have fought this hard. It seems that your master is getting too old for this war work. Yet, a sense trouble is coming, for I forsee the witch vastly acquiring power from the Blood Moon Crystal that she stole from an ancient. The Blood Moon Crystal feeds on blood, once the power is full, she will be unstoppable, even for me and the dragons."

"Not to worry, master, all else will follow according to the will of the light. The oracle has forseen it." The cleric paused. "Shall we tell about us, sir?" Eripthe questioned giving an emphasis on the 'us'.

"They will soon find out anyway. It would be difficult to tell them now, when all else is in shambles. I need to find the goblet as soon as can be, before we break all our secrets, especially to the dwarf and elf."

Symbel and Atheril found a nice room in the inn, despite the strange stares that the villagers gave them, specially to Symbel. Atheril just locked himself inside the room with Symbel, trying to find what happened in the encampment hours ago.

"Oh! I'm dreadfully sorry, sir..." Then looking Enigma over once, he then said, "You are not from here, are you? A traveler of sorts, yes? Then perhaps you saw another gnome on your journeys... One who was not quite normal..." Then lowering his voice said, "...in the head if you know what I mean..."

Enigma arched his eyebrows at the strange gnome and asnwered, "Yes, we did see another gnome. Called himself the Great Kahn, and waved a stick around. Quite an odd fellow. Unfortunentley, he dissapeared during a battle with Orcs, so if your looking for him im afraid your out of luck."

Nyssa came back with the inn's servant holding a steaming hot plate of veal cooked rare, fresh blackberries and roasted tomatoes from the inn's backyard garden. "Thank you, you can place it there." The cleric pointed at the coffee table near the red goblet.

"At last a nice hot meal. I've been getting tired eating preserved jerky and traveler's biscuits when we last left James' village." The elf vampire sliced off a piece of meat. "Delicious. Is the bath ready, Eripthe?"

"It is almost hot enough, master." The cleric replied.
"Very well, ready my robe next to the bath." The vampire smiled.
"I have also ordered additional supplies for the trip, such as extra arrows, food, and nourishment." The cleric added.

It has already been two days since the winged demons from the north were ordered to attack the caravan. The creatures wait in a nearby cave, waiting for the caravan to come searching for the goblet.

In a northern village, the witch was in a massacre spree, killing women and children in sight, burning houses to ground. The blood moon crystal which she holds glows stronger with an eerie red light. "It seems they have stayed at some village, very well my creatures wait for them in the mountains and I still search faster than they for the goblet. The drows have things in place." She made a vortex like mirror, contacting the drows' imprisoning Traigous. "Is everything in place?"

"Oh! I'm dreadfully sorry, sir..." Then looking Enigma over once, he then said, "You are not from here, are you? A traveler of sorts, yes? Then perhaps you saw another gnome on your journeys... One who was not quite normal..." Then lowering his voice said, "...in the head if you know what I mean..."

Enigma arched his eyebrows at the strange gnome and asnwered, "Yes, we did see another gnome. Called himself the Great Kahn, and waved a stick around. Quite an odd fellow. Unfortunentley, he dissapeared during a battle with Orcs, so if your looking for him im afraid your out of luck."
The gnome gasped, at such words, and nervously stroked his neatly trimmed black beard with one hand, while with another ajusted his hat. He looked very frightened and uncomfortable to say the least.

"Oh no... Had you an elf with you when you met him? Wait, I remember you... you're the one who came in with that party, yes. You must forgive me but I am very absent minded... Yes, I saw an elf with you. Oh no! Oh my, oh my, that is indeed bad... grave news. Your elvish companion is in grave danger... You see my brother, the one... Perhaps, if you have a moment, I should start at the very beginning..."

The gnome fidgeted nervously and looked in all directions about him, in a paranoid fashion... He pointed to a stump, closer toward the woods not but a few yards to the right of them.

"Perhaps, you'll have a seat... It's quite a long story... You see, Khan is my brother... Oh my, I didn't introduce myself, yet... I am Nahk the Gnome Illusionist of Guinth of Dintlewook... But back to the point... My brother was not all ways so... deranged. My brother from the very beginning was much a pessimist about everything and I an optimist. We both studied magic in our youth, and our paths divereged--me liking the happy illusions of the magical arts and my brother prefering the bitter truth of divination. He quested for the truth... The truth about everything. The meaning of life. While I traveled about the world practicing my illusionist ways. Well, the problem was my brother, grew in power immensely... and... well he found the meaning of life all right, but then right after doing so... Snapped just like that," the gnome snapped his fingers and paused.

"In just one instant he forgot decades of learning and experience... He knew magic no more! Well, that was not the worst of it... Unfortunately, he was in the ethereal plane at the time and although he himself 'forgot' all his magics... they were still in his brain, it's just he could not access them... The problem was that he was in a weakend state in the most bizarre and among the most dangerous planes of all. Some parasite just leaped into him and possessed him if you will. It just started feeding of his decades of acumen and lore. Then it made him leave the ethereal plane and back into this plane.... Well, he traveled the world after that in his disturbed state, challeging all 'evils'... How is he not yet dead, you probably ask? Well the parasite won't let him die... Whenver somebody tries to hurt him or for that matter even angers him... The parasite leaps out for a quarter of a second and devours the threat... Just mauls it. No matter what it is... You see this parasite is extremely powerful and invulnerable to magics, and weapons alike... It's not meant to be in this plane ya know. WHy nothing ever survived the parasites appearance! Nothing! What's more this thing feeds off elves souls as well... See I followed it around and observed it... Very strange... the more powerful the elf the more attracted it is to its soul. From the looks of your companion it'll make Khan come to you... eventually... Now theres no way possible to destroy this parasite... Because although, my brother sleeps it doesn't. The only way I figure, it can be vanquished is by dispelling it back to tis own plane... How I have not yet figured out... But you see your elf friend is in grave danger... and so are most people who anger Khan..."

He then paused and waited for the stranger to soak in this shocking and bizarre information. He hoped that, this time, this one would believe him... Most haven't before... and... have met their untimely dooms.

Nyssa came back with the inn's servant holding a steaming hot plate of veal cooked rare, fresh blackberries and roasted tomatoes from the inn's backyard garden. "Thank you, you can place it there." The cleric pointed at the coffee table near the red goblet.

"At last a nice hot meal. I've been getting tired eating preserved jerky and traveler's biscuits when we last left James' village." The elf vampire sliced off a piece of meat. "Delicious. Is the bath ready, Eripthe?"

"It is almost hot enough, master." The cleric replied.
"Very well, ready my robe next to the bath." The vampire smiled.
"I have also ordered additional supplies for the trip, such as extra arrows, food, and nourishment." The cleric added.

It has already been two days since the winged demons from the north were ordered to attack the caravan. The creatures wait in a nearby cave, waiting for the caravan to come searching for the goblet.

In a northern village, the witch was in a massacre spree, killing women and children in sight, burning houses to ground. The blood moon crystal which she holds glows stronger with an eerie red light. "It seems they have stayed at some village, very well my creatures wait for them in the mountains and I still search faster than they for the goblet. The drows have things in place." She made a vortex like mirror, contacting the drows' imprisoning Traigous. "Is everything in place?"
The drow High Handmaiden scowled at this so called "pathetic u'bal'ish",

"Yes, indeed, it is, and you... do you have all in place in the ready? Be forewarned, u'bal'ish, should you fail or betray us, you would have the wrath of the Drow on you. You are powerful, yes, but it is no match for the might of the Drow. Do not fail us. Do not try any treachorous actions, either, for you shall not succeed. Remember the bargain."

How she hated dealing with "pathetic u'bal'ish", but it seemed it was necessary... The Drow armies were now occupied with the invasion into the Illithiad city. She'd have to settle for the aid of surfacers.

The witch paused at the drow high handmaiden's response. She bellowed an evil high pitched laughed. "It is not me that is in need of my army, drow. Do not scared of me betraying you, drow. I am better afraid of you betraying me. Beware, you can threathen me all you want, but once the crystal is full, you will all beg mercy." She paused. "My creatures have set forth into the city preparing for your signal to attack. My men have also set their place, I just love barbarians, strong in spirit yet weak in mind. Just like little playthings." She laughed again. "I do hope that you try to let your prisoner suffer and get things from him that I can do with just a simple brain probe, you know torture. Well, I'll be off to another village, you know people kill, houses to burn, and blood to feed." But before the vortex closed. "Oh, please don't call me 'u'bal'ish', you can me that again and I'll be there in an instant to slit your throat and dissolve you. Well, tata."

Enigma was slightly put off by the news of the Gnome. He wasnt sure that he believed him, but he couldnt take chances. "So there is no way to kill this parisite? Hmmmmmm.....Come with me. We had better warn the others of this....." He walked back in the direction of the caravan, hoping that the Gnome was not telling the truth.....For Athriel's and Symbel's sake.

The witch paused at the drow high handmaiden's response. She bellowed an evil high pitched laughed. "It is not me that is in need of my army, drow. Do not scared of me betraying you, drow. I am better afraid of you betraying me. Beware, you can threathen me all you want, but once the crystal is full, you will all beg mercy." She paused. "My creatures have set forth into the city preparing for your signal to attack. My men have also set their place, I just love barbarians, strong in spirit yet weak in mind. Just like little playthings." She laughed again. "I do hope that you try to let your prisoner suffer and get things from him that I can do with just a simple brain probe, you know torture. Well, I'll be off to another village, you know people kill, houses to burn, and blood to feed." But before the vortex closed. "Oh, please don't call me 'u'bal'ish', you can me that again and I'll be there in an instant to slit your throat and dissolve you. Well, tata."

Insults and threats from the surfacers were often heard, and the Drow High Handmaiden only smiled, amused by the hollow threats. The Drow had dealings with similar surfacers before... They all bragged about their power, paraded their magicks and ego around... but they all died. They all failed the Drow, and were killed off by other surfacers. Had this foolish u'bal'ish lived in the Underdark she's have already been dead with the Illithiad and the Beholders about. But at least she was not a pathetic male... that was something. Dealing with the weak males of the surface was a much greater torture...


The crystal, was of no worry to the Drow, surafcers tend to be hostile toward things with power... Hence their shaky balances of power. Besides, all surfacers magick had no effect in the Underdark, unfortunately this was partially true for Drow magick. Because on the surface all Drow were highly weakened and the magicks they could summon were limited. But, not that the Drow fully wanted to conquer the surface anyways... The surfacers were not worth the intention. Besides, every Drow knew full well the prophesy which no surfacer heard of... or if they did believed, because of their bloated egos. The prophesy that said in some arbitrary year of the future (she no longer remembered the year), all surfacers would kill each other and there'd be nothing left. Life will continue to flourish in the Underdark however. That's just how it goes.

Enigma was slightly put off by the news of the Gnome. He wasnt sure that he believed him, but he couldnt take chances. "So there is no way to kill this parisite? Hmmmmmm.....Come with me. We had better warn the others of this....." He walked back in the direction of the caravan, hoping that the Gnome was not telling the truth.....For Athriel's and Symbel's sake.
"Yes, yes! No way to kill it, but we must figure out a way to expell it from this plane... Grave news, indeed."

The gnome nervously twitchted and followed Engima, mumbling absent-mindedly, trying to remember a spell that he had forgotten.

Enigma strode into the inn and vaulted up the stairs, the Gnome stumbling behind him. He found Atheril's room and knocked on the door.

"Atheril? you in there? I need to tell you something important!"

"Yes I am here, What do you want?", said the elf from the other side of the door. He opened the door of the room, watching at Enigma but don't letting him in. His face was red, as if the elf was in a strong argument before Enigma knock the door.

"Sorry, Enigma. I'm not in the mood right now, but tell me, what do you need to tell me?", he said, looking at the knight.

"Yes I am here, What do you want?", said the elf from the other side of the door. He opened the door of the room, watching at Enigma but don't letting him in. His face was red, as if the elf was in a strong argument before Enigma knock the door.

"Sorry, Enigma. I'm not in the mood right now, but tell me, what do you need to tell me?", he said, looking at the knight.

Upon seeing the elf, the gnome almost jumped then his mumbling increased as he let himself into the room.

"Oh no, oh my, oh no! Oh dear! I can almost feel your power, oh no! He'll certainly want to eat your soul! Oh my, oh my! If only he'd have been a weak elf.... Oh no! Oh dear! Oh my!"

With that the gnome sat down on the floor and rummaged through his scroll case... Very nervously, it must be noted.

"Hold still, maybe I can help... Now where is it? Ah!"

He triumphantly held up a aged tattered scroll and then turned back to the elf.

"Now hold still. I'll need to turn you into a gnome."

He triumphantly held up a aged tattered scroll and then turned back to the elf.

"Now hold still. I'll need to turn you into a gnome."

"Woa, Hold on there, Stumpy. I dont think you need to do that." Enigma snatched the scroll out of the gnome's hands as he started an incantation, then turned to Atheril.

"Well, remember that Gnome we saw after the battle with the orcs? The crazy one with the stick? According to him," He jerked his thumb back at the Gnome, who was currentley trying to get his scroll out of Enigma's hands, "The Gnome was....possessed......by a parisite." Enigma told Atheril the gnome's entire story. "And he supposedly likes to devour the souls of powerful elves. Now, im not sure if i belive him myself, but," Enigma lowered his voice, "I dont think we should take chances, do you?

While Eripthe, the elven cleric, was slowly going down the stairs carrying the empty plate of veal and fruits. Yet, in a nearby room she heared a racket. She forgot that she had the plate, she walked carefully towards the room and there stood a gnome, Enigma, Atheril and Symbel in the room screaming their lungs out. "What is going on in here? Another gnome problem, perhaps?" She let out an innocent snicker.

As the gnome entered the room he saw the silouette of Symbel, naked and lying in the bed, who covered herself quickly with the blanket as she let out a little scream of embarassment. Atheril turned to see and hear the gnome mumbling, with the vein of the elf's forehead quickly growing in size.

He was raising his hand as to punish the gnome for his lack of manners when Enigma spoke, he stood there until the knight finished his story. "Turning me into a gnome?. Sorry, but I'll have to deny that possibility. If that stupid parasite approaches me, I'll send it and his bearer to the abyss. And the next time please show some manners will you?", he said to the gnome enraged.

"Anyway, that parasite possessed your brother, and your brother was a gnome. I suppose being a gnome won't give me much safety after hearing your story. You're a little absentminded, don't you?, you didn't pay attention to that detail", said Atheril, relaxing and smiling to the gnome.

Then Eriphte overlooked the room, making Symbel cover herself even more with her blanket. "Oh, for Corellon, Can I have some privacy?", she whispered, rolling her eyes.

Enigma bowed to Symbel and said, "Yes, you may, my lady." He was glad that he had at least gotten the message across. "Atheril," he said, turning to the elf, "be on your gaurd." With that he turned and walked out of the room, putting a hand on the gnome and dragging him out with him. You can come with me. And no turning people into Gnomes!"

He was raising his hand as to punish the gnome for his lack of manners when Enigma spoke, he stood there until the knight finished his story. "Turning me into a gnome?. Sorry, but I'll have to deny that possibility. If that stupid parasite approaches me, I'll send it and his bearer to the abyss. And the next time please show some manners will you?", he said to the gnome enraged.


"Approaches you?" the gnome queried, still very nervous, "If it approaches you, it would already be over... And your little sword and magic will do nothing to either the bearer or the parasite itself! Do you realize the danger you are in?"

Anyway, that parasite possessed your brother, and your brother was a gnome. I suppose being a gnome won't give me much safety after hearing your story. You're a little absentminded, don't you?, you didn't pay attention to that detail", said Atheril, relaxing and smiling to the gnome.

"It's not looking for gnomes to possess its looking to suck your soul out! Besides if it could swap to antoher body, I don't see why it wouldn't have done so years ago..."

Enigma bowed to Symbel and said, "Yes, you may, my lady." He was glad that he had at least gotten the message across. "Atheril," he said, turning to the elf, "be on your gaurd." With that he turned and walked out of the room, putting a hand on the gnome and dragging him out with him. You can come with me. And no turning people into Gnomes!"

The gnome sighed,
"Well it looks like your elf doesn't believe the story. It is indeed sad. Nobody did before... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised... Oh dear, it'd be a shame to see him dead..."

The gnome was clearly saddened and seemed to be in a state of pre-emptive mourning. His shoulders slumped and he was staring deeply into the floor. He kept mumbling something, but it was difficult to what exactly he was mumbling in the first place. He turned back to Engima,

"I'm going to go buy a casket for your friend here.... It's the least I can do."

"I do believe you, but if I'm turned into an gnome my soul link with Symbel will be broken. I can't risk to lose such thing", said the elf, seeing the gnome with a face of true concern. "If that parasite kills me, it will be ok in comparison to the lost of my beloved, thank you for the information anyway".

"I do believe you, but if I'm turned into an gnome my soul link with Symbel will be broken. I can't risk to lose such thing", said the elf, seeing the gnome with a face of true concern. "If that parasite kills me, it will be ok in comparison to the lost of my beloved, thank you for the information anyway".
"Nay! Nay nay nay! I won't turn you into a gnome technically... I am an illusionist not a transmuter... You will still be an elf, although, you'll look like a gnome to everybody who sees you..."

OOC: Can somebody tell me what is going on?

OOC: Oh, it's a visit from a illusionist gnome, the brother of Great Khan, which is currently being invaded by a parasite that will soon kill Atheril, who is an elf.

IC: "I say so this so-called parasite will kill, Atheril." She paused. "I suggest will kill it, then, we must follow what this gnome has to say. Once he finished with you Atheril, he will attack me, and my master, and that I cannot forsee of happening. Once that gnome attacks my master and does invade him, we would be in a bigger mess, than the witch."

"Well, Are you sure your illusion can deceive the parasite?. Maybe I can surround myself with an antimagic aura so the parasite can't feel the trick, let me ask Symbel what she thinks and I'll bring you an answer", said Atheril to the gnome smiling...

OOC: Yay! Home again, home again, what a lovely place to be :D don't you think? Seems you guys didn't get very far witthout me anywho ... lol ... I was expecting pages upon pages of posts to go through ... aw well ^^ I'll post after I digest all the information from my other emails and things, probably just a little later tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest. See you all soon.

Edit: Now to post! Mwahahaha! ^^

IC: Kimli slept comfortably in the bed now, James having fallen asleep in the chair where he had watched her. They both awoke at about sunset when James felt the first pains of hunger and Kimli readied a bath for herself and some fresh clothing. She was still haunted by the projected thoughts which had invaded her mind and her dreams, thoughts of Traigous being tortured and killed only to be returned to life once more to go through a new form of pain and death. It had driven her to the point where she almost didn't seem to care about living anymore. She undressed and submurged in the hot water of her bath, holding her breath for what seemed like forever before coming up for much-needed air. She gasped and came to her senses, washing up and dressing before even feeling hungry at all.

"Kimli?" James said, knocking on the bathroom door. "I'm going to get something to drink if you know what I mean ... I shouldn't be long. If you feel hungry, I've left money on the bed for you." he added, then left in search for his meal. Kimli, on the other hand, just sat on the bed staring at the wall, wondering what she would do.

The matriarch of the town looked and felt the dragons of the witch nearby, aiming to ambush the group once they left the village, and felt it was her duty to warn them of the danger. She called a few villagers and sent them to tell the individuals of the group of her findings. She worried about her town as well, perhaps the creatures would become impatient soon and attack the village to find their prey, she couldn't tell. But it was definitely possible, especially because they seemed an evil sort. She sighed heavily as she rocked back and forth, sewing clothing with elaborate beadwork together for the children of the village who now played unknowing of the danger in the village courtyard, around the fountain there. Knowing the danger herself, the matriarch still smiled and waved as the children came by.

Azara after a deep night's sleep awoke with a start, finding Delaz sleeping in a chair nearby. As he rose, Azara winced at the tightness of his limbs and the pain of the wounds. Azara quietly put on his tunic and his boots and limped out of the tavern.

Moments later, Delaz woke up screaming the name of his master. With a start, he realized that Azara was gone...

Enigma's frown Deepened. Then he thought of something the Gnome had said before.

"Wait a minute, Didnt you mention before that we had to blast the parisite back to its original plane to remove it's threat? Well, why dont we? We can simply lure him to us and spring some kind of trap, cant we?"

OOC: Well the creatures of the witch are not dragons...they are behemoths...anyway don't change it anymore. Possibly some fortunetelling gone whack!

IC:
Eripthe chapter---

"Is that so, well, it's a good idea. I mean we all have great wizards in our group. We could easily manage a small wizard gnome and his parasite." Eripthe gloatly remarked leaving the room as she was mislead by the conversation.

--------Nyssa and elf-vampire chapter
"The witch knows we are here, Nyssa. I can sense it." The vampire paused. "What should we do then, master?" Nyssa questioned.

"We have to leave the village, as soon as possible. It would be a disaster for this lovely village to burn to the ground. I say, as far as possible." He paused. "I must talk to James. He will set the caravan ready." The elf-vampire bolted out the door and headed for the lord's chambers.

------Azura chapter---

A small village with few green pastures and the silence of the houses was soon visited by the witch. "At last a village. It has been a day since I haven't found people." She paused. "Well, well, here we are now." She then glanced at a tall and lean man who was dressed in dark ember robes. He was young, probably in his twenties, yet one cannot assume anything who travels with the witch. "What do you suggest after this endeavor, Micheal Spenser?" The man grinned. "Well, it seems my brother has not yet found that I am alive and helping you. He seems to be getting older. He was always the mage and I the strategist in the family." He paused. "I suggest we finish off this village, how ever you may like, and move on to meet the second blind prophet who may tell us location of the blood goblet. We have to finish this, as soon as possible, it would be hard for us to travel in daylight, for I, as you know is vunerable during that period. The crystal is almost full, and this village would suffice giving us full power."

"As you wish, Micheal. You were always feared in India, as the Erebus of Delhi." The witch gave the vampire a peck on the cheek and continued with her task. "Power of the blood crystal awaken, your master presents you with new blood for your task." The witch enchanted and suddenly the crystal illuminated with a blood red glow. It floated beside the witch as she sent her magics toward the village consuming it in fire.

OOC: I meant to say Behemoth ... lol ... ^^ ...

IC: Just as the elf-vampire opened the door to James and Kimli's room, she spoke while continuing to stare at the opposite wall. "He's not here ... he went for his meal ... I don't know where exactly ... he shouldn't be long ..." She sighed as she looked down at the plate of food she'd bought for herself. It was untouched. She was too upset to eat.

Meanwhile, James had went to the griffins for the skin of blood he'd brought. He didn't want to get on this town's bad side by taking his thirst out on one of the citizens. It was rude. He found it easily enough and took a long drink. Then he heard a strange sound and looked around.

"Must be nothing ... probably the wind." he stated quietly, reassuring himself. He then replaced the skin and walked back towards the inn, his thirst satiated for now.

----Elf-vamp. chapter

"I see, well just tell your master that we must leave soon. My rival is fast approaching and fighting in this village would harm everyone." The elf-vampire left as went back to his room, waiting.

----Witch chapter

"At last after these years the crystal is now full to do my bidding." The witch held the glowing crystal as it shot forth bands of red light. "Well, as long as your happy." The sage vampire remarked. "Well, well now, Micheal, don't be jealous remember this is your crystal. Or would you prefer to die instead."

"My pretty little witch, I would not dare conform to acts of jealousy against you. Considering you have the crystal in your hands, I would be left defenseless." He paused. "We must go, to the southern region near the ilse, there we will find the second prophet." They both disappeared in a dark mist that rose to the heavens leaving the massacre behind.

Eripthe chapter---

"Is that so, well, it's a good idea. I mean we all have great wizards in our group. We could easily manage a small wizard gnome and his parasite." Eripthe gloatly remarked leaving the room as she was mislead by the conversation.

Enigma looked on as Eripthe left. He wasn't quite sure she took the threat seriouly. Putting Eripthe out of his mind, he turned back to the Gnome and Atheril.

"So, do either of you have any ideas on how to deal with the parisite? Perhaps we could use a Banishing spell or something of that sort."

Eripthe chapter---

"Is that so, well, it's a good idea. I mean we all have great wizards in our group. We could easily manage a small wizard gnome and his parasite." Eripthe gloatly remarked leaving the room as she was mislead by the conversation.

Enigma looked on as Eripthe left. He wasn't quite sure she took the threat seriouly. Putting Eripthe out of his mind, he turned back to the Gnome and Atheril.

"So, do either of you have any ideas on how to deal with the parisite? Perhaps we could use a Banishing spell or something of that sort."
The gnome looked about somewhat nervously. The said,

"Well... Any standard spell for exorcizing creatures... is useless as far as I've seen... I've followed him for some while and some Warlord Wizard boasting great power would always try one or another... but to no effect... Everytime it ended with the thing leaping out of my brother's body and devouring everything in half a blink of an eye... But... I have been looking through the ancient tomes... and well... There is a ritual that may work..."

He cleared his throat nervously and once more glanced around him in a paranoid manner. Then he lowered his voice slightly,

"Well... This ritual is not actually ahem... direct... It is also very complex... And... long... Very long... For you see... erm... There's rumored to be a way to summon..."

He paused again and lowered his voice yet more,

"One of the Demon Princes... And well... They can surely remove any parasite from the Ethereal plane... But well... I doubt they'd be willing to do as we want them... So... The only way we can... maybe... persuade... such a creature to do as we want... Well... we'll need to make an offering... a sacrafice... Something of great value to the Demon Princes. Now... see this... er... well... um... the problem is... they are more powerful than any creature that has ever lived on this soil... And if anything goes wrong... well... Let's just say no army of the most powerful warriors and wizards would be able to stop one of them..."

He swallowed, and his pupils danced around in a frightened fashion. He looked afraid of merely mentioning such subjects.

OOC: Are you guys thirsty for some combat or do we hang chill another day.

"Summoning a demon?. No way I'll do that. I prefer to sacrifice my life and my soul to that parasite than to freeing one of those beings in the material plane. If the parasite comes, I'll try to banish him, and if the spell fails I'll let the parasite devour me for the greater good of our races. But don't say nothing to Symbel if I dissapear...And, Enigma, I need to talk with you...alone", said Atheril, a shade of sorrow all over his face.

OOC: Are you guys in a room?

OOC: Are you guys in a room?
OCC:Yea, we're in (or outside of?) Atheril's apartment.

IC:"A Demon Prince? Now lets just imagine if we set loose a demon prince. He will kill everything in sight! Too dangerous." Enigma turned as Atheril requested to talk to him in privite. "Of course." Enigma said. "Wait here, and dont wander off." he said to the Gnome. He stepped inside Atheril's room and faced him. "What is it, Atheril?"

Atheril retreated to the hallway with Enigma, whispering his words so the rest couldn't hear them. "Enigma, if something happens to me, Would you take care of Symbel?. I know she's big, powerful and everything, but she needs a protector. I know I'm maybe asking too much from you, but you're the only one I can trust here, you seem to be an honoured knight, that's why I'm saying this to you", said the elf, visibly worried. "I'm afraid this...parasite would be too much for me to bear, and I'm not going to release a demon and put the world in danger just to save my life. If my hour finally comes, please take care of her, would you?, she's the only important thing in this world to me, and you can keep my sword if you want to, its blade is made with Symbel's scales, and enchanted by all the wizards of the tower of Hoeth".

Enigma paused, thinking about the responsibility. He hesitated, then put a hand on Atheril's shoulder. "Of course i will." He said. "Lets just try to keep you alive for now." He was troubled that Athreil had called him an "Honoured knight." Obviously the elves were more trusting than his own family. Atheril didnt know the half of it. Still, he was glad he had gained the trust of the Elf.

"Thank you. Now let's wait until that parasite appears. Please don't tell anything to James or the others, I don't want to hinder their mission", said Atheril, "And if Symbel asks, just tell her that we found the perfect solution and that we're out of danger".

"Thank you. Now let's wait until that parasite appears. Please don't tell anything to James or the others, I don't want to hinder their mission", said Atheril, "And if Symbel asks, just tell her that we found the perfect solution and that we're out of danger".

The gnome stood where he was, and it seemed his fear seemed to be escalating... but there was something else in the expression of the gnome's aged face--sorrow. He called to the two talking figures,

"I'll leave the gnome illusion transformation scroll here... I am sure you have able enough mages to cast it... Just recite the words... It will hide you from his eyes. And have your friends cast that anti-magic ward... and hope for the best. I... I must be off... I must warn others..."

The gnome lay the aged parchment down where he was standing and scampered out of sight.

He half-jogged half-walked and then thought determinedly,

'I will not let the thing devour my brother...'

He had a tear in his eyes and he brushed it away and continued on his way...

'Those... are too law-abiding and cautious... They are afraid yes... but I know its the only way... I know... I've seen those in the party who may listen... Who may take the risk... Who may help my brother... I will not let it devour him! No!'

The gnome was, of course, seeking none other than the elf-vampire now with a proposition...

The elf-vampire waited in his room, drinking a goblet of blood and shining his saber with a velvet rag. Nyssa sat patiently with her master, also drinking her share of blood. Eripthe was not back yet, from her usual chores, it didn't bother either of them.

"I guess it was luck on the witch's side that made your brother die. I mean he was smart, and getting killed by witch is not in his list. Actually if we look at it in a logical perspective, the crystal would not have been in the hands of the witch." Nyssa suggested in a monotone voice.

"What are you suggesting, my dear, that my brother gave the crystal willingly?" The elf-vampire remarked.

"I'm saying, master, that it might be possible that your brother double crossed the council and us."

"That's absurd, he wouldn't dare give his crystal to the witch, we would all go to hell." He paused. "Remember the stories, my mother, the goddess, had the dark moon crystal, in which it was divided between us brothers, Micheal had the Blood moon crystal having the power of knowledge and the arts, while I have the Steely moon crystal having the power of dark magic and the seal of the great demon. We both know the consequences giving either of our crystals to the witch."

"Wait, I hear someone coming from the door. It's not Eripthe, someone smaller."

As the gnome walked/jogged to the room of the elven vampire, his haste caused him to run into Delaz as he ran from his room. Delaz rose and helped the gnome.

"Amidha Buddha, I am sorry for this... Please accept my apologies."

Not waiting for the gnome to acknowledge him, Delaz ran on and stopped in front of Enigma and Atheril.

"I've just discovered that Azara is gone... I don't know where..."

OOC: This town is surrounded by forest right? If not, ignore the following post...

IC:

Azara limped unsurely into the dark forest surrounded the town. With a sigh, Azara entered the darkness and slowly gazed upon the beauty of the fogtrees growing in the darkness. Grimacing at the pain, Azara limped on...

Enigma groaned at the grim news. "Do we have a chance of finding him? Do we know what direction he went in?" Enigma knew that this could be nothing but trouble.

Enigma groaned at the grim news. "Do we have a chance of finding him? Do we know what direction he went in?" Enigma knew that this could be nothing but trouble.

"I fell asleep. I woke up a few minutes ago from a nightmare and found him missing, so I have no idea where he could have gone..."

Meanwhile, within Azara, a battle was taking place between his demonic magic and his dragonic magic, fighting to take over his body...

OOC: Something bad is going to happen... Azara will turn evil like Symbel did for a while...

OOC: Don't we have too much trouble as it is?

IC: "It seems our little guest will be arriving soon, and the archmage is missing. Well, well, this is a turn of events." The vampire grinned. "Well, come on in, little one, I am waiting and my patience is but little."

OOC: Don't we have too much trouble as it is?

IC: "It seems our little guest will be arriving soon, and the archmage is missing. Well, well, this is a turn of events." The vampire grinned. "Well, come on in, little one, I am waiting and my patience is but little."

The gnome heard the elf-vampire and knew full well that his vampiric senses have already heard his appraoch. So he did not bother knocking and went inside.

The door slowly creaked open and the gnome nervously entered. He quickly and awkwardly bowed to the elf-vampire.

"My lord... I believe one of your servants had heard of the... the... tale... about my brother. Yes? I am not sure... There were many people there and I do not remember faces well..."

The gnome did not stop to listen to an answer he just went on nervously choking out his words,

"I... well... I have... a rememdy... against this ethereal parasite... the only thing that can banish it... back to its own plane... This plan however... is dangerous but so is... the parasite..."

The gnome paused and squinted slightly at the elf-vampire.

"You have elvish blood in you... Yes? Yes... I see it... Well that means the parasite may seek you out as well... especially if... it saw you... through my brother... This parasite can not be destroyed... but only exiled back to its own plane... No normal spell... can do this... I have see powerful wizards try... and fail... But... I am certain that... a..."

He paused once more and swallowed then nervously began running hisfingers through his short beard, almost shivering. Then he continued,

"Demon Prince can... dispell it... and I... I... know of... a ritual... that can... summon one forth... It'd be very dangerous as the power of these creatures... is unparalleled... and... we'd need an offering... I can not do it on my own... you see... and most of those who I ask are hesitant to do so..."

He paused there and waited for the elf-vampire's response.

The elf-vampire listened intently with the problem regarding the gnome's brother and his parasite pet.

"I see, so you are the brother of gnome we met a few days ago." The vampire paused. "Yes he did look at me. He was, as you might describe, insane." He grinned. "Nyssa, call Eripthe, I want her here."

The lady vampire left the room with the gnome and the lord vampire to themselves.

"No worries, little one, I will help you. If this parasite you may call it is as powerful as you say. It will hinder our mission, and that I cannot allow. I need magic practice anyway. I will also need some help, not only from Eripthe and Nyssa, but from all of us." He sipped from his goblet.

"Let us talk about this demon prince you ask to be summoned. I have heard of some wizards and necromancers summoning him from the hellish plain, but alas only a handful of them remain to tell the tale." He paused and slightly smiled. "You are asking for a very dangerous approach to this parasite of yours. Once the demon prince is loose and out of control, he will consume the caster and anyone with him. Yet, I think my Steely Moon Crystal and my magics can contain such a demon. For it is him that is my mother's brother."

The elf-vampire stood up. "Well what are you waiting for, gnome, let us begin with the ritual, before other problems arise."

The elf-vampire listened intently with the problem regarding the gnome's brother and his parasite pet.

"I see, so you are the brother of gnome we met a few days ago." The vampire paused. "Yes he did look at me. He was, as you might describe, insane." He grinned. "Nyssa, call Eripthe, I want her here."

The lady vampire left the room with the gnome and the lord vampire to themselves.

"No worries, little one, I will help you. If this parasite you may call it is as powerful as you say. It will hinder our mission, and that I cannot allow. I need magic practice anyway. I will also need some help, not only from Eripthe and Nyssa, but from all of us." He sipped from his goblet.

"Let us talk about this demon prince you ask to be summoned. I have heard of some wizards and necromancers summoning him from the hellish plain, but alas only a handful of them remain to tell the tale." He paused and slightly smiled. "You are asking for a very dangerous approach to this parasite of yours. Once the demon prince is loose and out of control, he will consume the caster and anyone with him. Yet, I think my Steely Moon Crystal and my magics can contain such a demon. For it is him that is my mother's brother."

The elf-vampire stood up. "Well what are you waiting for, gnome, let us begin with the ritual, before other problems arise."

OOC: Demon Prince!?! So that's what causing Azara to go crazy...

Kimli ate her food, but sparingly. She then laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come and her worries would be drowned out by the sweet dreams she hoped to have.

Meanwhile, James came back into the inn and heard some of the hub-bub coming from the elf-vampire's room as he passed. He stopped, turned, and knocked on the door. He then entered the elf-vampire's room.
"So are we now going to bring hell to our doorstep? How can we be sure this gnome still follows us? Kimli spoke with it kindly and it left. If the parasite was truly after an elf, why did it not attack her while it had the chance? Perhaps the gnome will not return at all, off to some other land where the elves are ignorant enough to mock the gnome's condition." he said while tying his shoulder-length brown hair back with the regular black ribbon. He stood there in the doorway as well, not wishing to be rude and take a seat without permission. And since he didn't go back to his own room first, he doesn't know that the elf-vampire wished to speak with him in the first place.

"Well, James my boy, come in please. I have to talk to you as well." The elf-vampire smiled. "You may be right, but we have our insurance. If this gnome doesn't appear, then we just kill his brother for wasting our time, eh." The elf-vampire paused. "And no, we are not doing it here, silly, probably outside the village. I suggest we find Azara, I need him to perform the ritual. Then, we finish off his problem, just by placing bait." Pointing at the gnome. "Then, we go on our merry way out of here for other curses that might arise."

A peculiar army had thousands of miles away led by a strange warrior. He was around the age of fifty, but despite this was a large burly warrior, with a two handed sword in hand--always. The grim expression on his face was haunting as his dim grey eyes seemed to see beyond the normal vision of man. His name was Sarevok--Teliaxpozian Darque's half brother and a spawn of Bhaal. Struck down by Teliaxpozian, he had been raised from the grave to aid his ex-foe... his brother. The stench of death was always about him and an aura of intimidation struck most mortals to their knees.

This man had 5000 strong in his army. The news had reached many kingdoms about where his army had camped--all rulers were vigilant and fearful. Fortunately came the news that the mages had opened portals into which the entire army had disappeared.

The march onto the a certain Drow city was unexpected and fierce. All patrols and guards of the Drow were killed and impaled onto posts for all to view. The army was a great scourge devouring all in its path. It had killed plenty ofdenizens of the Underdark besides the Drow--both friend and foe. Anything that moved had fallen under the strike of the Hammer. Sarevok, seemed unstoppable.

The Drow of that city were not in any panic, they were sure they would be able to repel any surfacer attaks. However, the bulk of their armies were occupied in an invasion of an Illithiad city. The arrogant Drow did nothing to call them back. They were just too sure of an easy victory.

Such a victory did not come. The city walls crumbled, and the army penetrated into the soil that no surfacer has tread upon for 3000 years.

****
"Highest handmaiden, we will need every Drow to fend off the enemy they," begged one male Dark Elf, in the doorway, "We need the guards of the prisons and torture chamber out there."

"Foolish male!" she screeched, "The prisoner we keep is very powerful... We''ll need to..."

Just then the Drow male fell forward, his back riddled with arrows. With a loud thud he crumbled and choked on his last few breath--quite clearly dead."

The Handmaiden dressed crystalline robes and the Drow chain mail, gracfully wove her fingers about the magical auras present about her. With quick mastery she had all the power she needed at her fingertips, singing her flesh slightly with its frightening intensity. Human warriors in shining platemail with shields and swords stormed in.

With tongues of flame and shards of ice they perished under the intense magical wrath of the Drow Handmaiden. More poured forth, their lives forfeit as they crossed over into her chambers.

They stopped. She waited--calm, patient, ready.

A figure appeared in the doorway, finally. She unleshed her magicks. She gasped. Instead of the figure falling charred and battered as those before him, he stood there motionless, seemingly unaffected. The shadows danced across his face as he stepped into her room--into the dim luster of the Orblights. It was none other but Sarevok. His face scarred from previous battles, he was wholly unaffected by her spells. Not even a drop of blood. He walked forward with his dark black armour huge and overpowering, filled with engravings of monstrous creatures and portruding razor sharp throns. He walked forward determinedly.

"Drow," he said and unsheathed his huge sword. She was too stunned too move. Her most powerufl magicks failed her and now she would die at the hands of surfacer.

He swung his massive blade and the handmaiden's head fell to the floor.
A human messenger boy burst into the room from where Sarevok entered. He ran up to Sarevok and fell to his knees in front of him,

"My Lord we have found a prisoner..."

"Kill him," Sarevok replied, then with a flash of anger added, "Their orders were to kill everyone and everything... Why do they ask such foolish questions?"

The messenger boy then nervously replied, "Well... they... we... tried..."

***

Traigous was lying on the prison floor. He had recently been healed of his gruelling tortures... He was numb. His entire body was numb... he could feel nothing. His senses were dulled and his thoughts were nonexistant. He lay there naked and scarred... unable to see... hear... or feel.

Suddenly, the pressure from his mind lifted and then more and more... Very rapidly he became aware of his surroundings. His thoughts returned and he allowed his mind to re-enter the entity of his body. There were sounds of fighting. His eyes slowly grew accustommed to the dark. He saw a dim light from stone stairs opposite his cell. Then it intensified. Men in armor with torches and swords loudly descended the stairs.

Some with bows drew their arrows and fired at him. But now he was free... from the oppression of the powerful Illithiad and he easily dodged the arrows in graceful calculated motions. Then with great ease he extended his hand toward them.... and their skulls shattered.

It was pleasing to be able to be in control again. Bodies fell and hedious shrieks echoed throughout the dungeon. He smiled to himself... almost laughing at their deaths. HE imagined them to be his captors feuding about themseves, even though he saw plainly they were not Drow. He didn't care he was overcome with freedom and vengence.

No more descended. He lowered his arm and waited.

Sarevok descended down the stairs.

Triagous staired through the dim light at this new figure... He recognized him... Yes...

"Sarevok!" Traigous shouted with joy. Sarevok stopped, where he stood, confused. He knew this prisoner... Why of course this was none other than the son of his half-brother. He had seen him once long ago... when he was still a child, but there was no mistaking that this was indeed, the son of Teliaxpozian Darque and the Drow Viconia. It was true he made his peace with Teliaxpozian after he swore that oath long ago... But... he knew he could kill him right then and there. It was almost tempting. However, he decided not too. The wrath of his half brother might again damn him to hell.

"Traigous? What are you doing here?"

"I got careless... They captured me."

"You have a lot more to tell me than just that..."

Just then, the messenger ran in again and informed Sarevok of yet another problem. Sarevok sighed and added,

"Give me a moment..."

"Sure." Traigous smiled and walked toward the bears of the iron bars of his prison cell. The metal melted away at his approach and he walked out of his cell. The soldier of Sarevok's army looked at him fearfully, as Traigous looked for some clothing. HE glanced at them and commanded,

"Leave me be."

He didn't feel like facing those faces... the awful fact that he killed their comrades suddenly becoming very clear in his mind. They gladly ascended up the stairs and back into battle in an another hall.

As he searched for clothing his mind darted suddenly to Kimli. He concentrated himself then and there and became aware of her emotions...
She was still in a state of sadness... but now descending into a sleep filled with grisly dreams... He would visit her there.


**
He had transported his image as he used to be... His old cloak and robes... the cloth about his face... The same way he had appeared when he first entered the manor of James.

She (or at least her subconsiousness) stood next to him facing that painting they had faced when they first had talked. He looked at her and whispered,

"Do not worry over me... Do not cloud your heart with sadness..."

He had transported his image as he used to be... His old cloak and robes... the cloth about his face... The same way he had appeared when he first entered the manor of James.

She (or at least her subconsiousness) stood next to him facing that painting they had faced when they first had talked. He looked at her and whispered,

"Do not worry over me... Do not cloud your heart with sadness..."
"Traigous, I miss your company ..." Kimli responded, still looking at the painting which seemed to change to reflect her state of mind. It morphed till it revealed a watercolor Traigous touching the chin of a blurry representation of Kimli.

"Why do people hurt each other like they do ..." she asked, the painting shifting to a representation of the torture the Drow Maiden had shown Kimli. Suddenly Kimli's eyes narrowed as she fought back tears. The painting shifted to show the moment in which Traigous had thrown himself onto her to protect her from the orc's arrows.

"I must worry over you, Traigous ... I don't care if you're alive or a corpse brought back to the land of the living ... I ..." she stopped suddenly, the mural changing to a new scene, one that had not happened yet, one of her being kissed by Traigous. Immediately the dream was ended and Kimli sat up in her bed, having forgotten the dream upon waking. She yawned and stretched. Feeling strangely better than before she went to sleep, Kimli ate what remained of her food and drank down her ale. She even smiled, something she hadn't done since Traigous disappeared.

Meanwhile, James entered fully into the elf-vampire's chambers and took a seat. "I see what you mean. You're right, we should go and find Azara before trying to summon such a demon. Does anyone know where he went?" he asked, crossing one knee over the other.

OOC: Azara, you can turn evil and help postpone the ritual until the little gnome reappears and causes some trouble =P ... tis all for now, I shall write again when another couple replies come in. ^^

"Well James, we have large acres of forests to cover, so better we begin looking. I suggest we bring dogs with us, to get his scent. They should help us than looking for him all night."

Azara continued to stumble through the forest, his body consumed by the terrible battle between the dragonic and demonic magics within. In terrible pain, Azara screamed in agony and fell onto the ground, unconscious.

When he awoke, two hours later, Azara propped himself up and staggered to a nearby pool of water, looked in, and found a terrible surprise. As he had slept, the demonic magic had gained the upper hand and had banned the power of the dragon into the abyss of Azara's soul. Now, the demon within Azara had taken over and he was slowly changing. Seeing this, Azara sat down and began to weep at this change. For several years, Azara had fought the urge to utilize his demonic magic, but due to the terrible wounds he had suffered, the demon within had resurfaced and had defeated the dragon. As he lamented his change, Azara realized something. As long as he was still alive, the chances for the banished demon, Hezekiel, to return from the Timeless Realms. Azara shuddered at the thought. Quietly, he stood and in anger, released a power blast that levelled 27% of the surrounding forest and caused smoke to envelop the rest.

I have fallen into the abyss. This is inexcusable...

Traigous was certainly startled if anything by what he saw as his mind slowly drifted back into his own skull. His mind was blank then and he stood there frozen for a second. The icy damp ambience of the dungeon had enveloped his skin and he felt his body shiver. Realizing he still wore nothing, he turned his attention toward the multitudes of corpses and finding a mage clad in dark bloodied robes stripped the clothing off the corpse and hastily dressed himself. He shuddered as he realized there was a bloody piece of brain splattered on the robes shoulders. His own handiwork... He brushed it off with a look of disgust and then began reanalyzing the situation he was currently in. He moved Kimli and what he saw in her dream to the back of his head. He needed to concentrate, the last time he got lost in hius thoughts he was shot and captured by the Drow, so he assured himself that he would not make the smae mistake again.

Sarevok was head of this army and Traigous remembered the only time he met the man many years past. It was a clear memory that stood out in his mind from his childhood. He was only seven... when he met him--how Sarevok recognized him, he could not comprehend.

Although the surroundings were blurry in his memory, the conversation his father had had with Sarevok was remarkable... and he never forgot a word of it.

"Ah so this is your son I wager," he had said in a gruff threatening tone. Traigous saw then his father's hand clasp Traigous's own arm and pull him back behind him in a strange defensive gesture.

"Do not dare..." his father began but was quickly interupted by Sarevok,

"I have taken The Oath... remember my brother?"

"Half-Brother," Teliaxpozian corrected him and added, "and I know full well that you have no business being here... I know full well..."

"What do you know?" Sarevok questioned, raising his voice, "Why do you think I'm here?"

"It doesn't matter," Teliaxpozian replied his eyes narrowing in a tacit indignancy, "You have come to disrupt the life I..."

"A life of weakness!"

"A normal life. I have searched my entire life for this peace..."

"Isn't ironic... that all you ever wanted is this boring, average life and I... the power... Yet the power was trusted to you... To you... And you threw it away!"

Sarevok was on the verge of some horrible rage. Traigous's father noticed this and in a low voice full of hate and venom said,

"Leave this place... Do not doubt that I still have more power than you. Do not doubt that. Leave this place and never return."

With that Sarevok had turned slowly and reluctantly--his demeanor never changing--and walked away. Traigous had never figured out the whole meaning and significance behind this conversation, but he had never forgotten it.

Traigous had every reason to worry this relative of his and decided that he should rather slip away rather than confront this Sarevok.

Double Post

Enigma was about to think up a plan with Delaz and Atheril to find Azara when a truly massive explosian rocked the town. He ran down the stars and out the inn to catch sight of flames spiriling up to the sky. He dashed out of the town and ran to the forest.

When he reached the forest edge, he knew that he could not pass through the raging fires. He yelled to Delaz and Atheril, "I cant get through! Do you have any water spells or something that could clear a path?"

Atheril looked at the flames falling from the sky. The odor of brimstone was powerful, and he realized that something fiendish was producing the fire. "No water spell is enough to extinguish those flames, Enigma, but I have a solution. I'll get Symbel, her breath of ice is just what we need. Meanwhile, just try to stop the flames so they couldn't reach the town!", said the elf, running fast to the room of the inn, searching for the dragon maiden.

Twin Attack!

The great explosion shook the inn and everyone in it. "Well, it seems we don't have to do any finding at all, our little mage did it for us." The vampire grinned. "Shall we get our horses, James, and find Azara and finish this ceremony?"

The group went to get their horses from the stables and raced towards the fire clearing. They already saw the others working their way and extinguishing the fire. "Where's the elf and his wench?" He asked Enigma and paused. "Never mind. It seems I'm getting my practice after all." He rubbed his chin. "How does this work again? Ah, yes." He raised his arms enchanting again. "Forces of mother nature, I command thee and your humble servant beseech thee. To sent forth your tears as to wipe away our eternal flames." The clouds grew thick around the clearing. First, drizzles appeared then the downpour. Rain clouds approached the fire clearing, yet the fire was not yet still put out.

The great explosion shook the inn and everyone in it. "Well, it seems we don't have to do any finding at all, our little mage did it for us." The vampire grinned. "Shall we get our horses, James, and find Azara and finish this ceremony?"

The group went to get their horses from the stables and raced towards the fire clearing. They already saw the others working their way and extinguishing the fire. "Where's the elf and his wench?" He asked Enigma and paused. "Never mind. It seems I'm getting my practice after all." He rubbed his chin. "How does this work again? Ah, yes." He raised his arms enchanting again. "Forces of mother nature, I command thee and your humble servant beseech thee. To sent forth your tears as to wipe away our eternal flames." The clouds grew thick around the clearing. First, drizzles appeared then the downpour. Rain clouds approached the fire clearing, yet the fire was not yet still put out.

Atheril rushed to the stairs of the inn, running upstairs to look for Symbel. Finally he arrived to the door and he opened without knocking, making the dragon maiden to get up from the bed. "Symbel....We need your help. We need to extinguish this fire unless we want this town destroyed. Your breath can do it. I humbly ask for your help, Lady of the Annuli Mountains".

The woman sitrred on the bed like a cat, then looked at Atheril's eyes as she spoke. "But i'm tired, I shouldn't change my form in this state. I'll be exahusted by months. If I transform into my true form now, I won't be able to change again in weeks, maybe months".

"I know, but we can't let the fire destroy this people's homes, this people's lifes. Please Symbel, help me to help them", said the elf, grabbing her hand.

After a little moment of silence the maiden nodded. "I'll do it, but from now on I'll be a burden for you. Your companion won't be a powerful dragon, but a fragile elven maiden. I want you to understood that, my curse is not fulfilled and the day hasn't come. I'm not free yet. Wait for me at the entrance of the town. I'll help you this time, Proud Fencer of the Hoeth Tower, but I won't be able to help you further. Yu'll need to recover the chalice all by yourself".

"Thank you, my lady", were the only words of Atheril as he left the room to wait for the dragon to appear...

Atheril rushed to the stairs of the inn, running upstairs to look for Symbel. Finally he arrived to the door and he opened without knocking, making the dragon maiden to get up from the bed. "Symbel....We need your help. We need to extinguish this fire unless we want this town destroyed. Your breath can do it. I humbly ask for your help, Lady of the Annuli Mountains".

The woman sitrred on the bed like a cat, then looked at Atheril's eyes as she spoke. "But i'm tired, I shouldn't change my form in this state. I'll be exahusted by months. If I transform into my true form now, I won't be able to change again in weeks, maybe months".

"I know, but we can't let the fire destroy this people's homes, this people's lifes. Please Symbel, help me to help them", said the elf, grabbing her hand.

After a little moment of silence the maiden nodded. "I'll do it, but from now on I'll be a burden for you. Your companion won't be a powerful dragon, but a fragile elven maiden. I want you to understood that, my curse is not fulfilled and the day hasn't come. I'm not free yet. Wait for me at the entrance of the town. I'll help you this time, Proud Fencer of the Hoeth Tower, but I won't be able to help you further. Yu'll need to recover the chalice all by yourself".

"Thank you, my lady", were the only words of Atheril as he left the room to wait for the dragon to appear...

Atheril rushed to the stairs of the inn, running upstairs to look for Symbel. Finally he arrived to the door and he opened without knocking, making the dragon maiden to get up from the bed. "Symbel....We need your help. We need to extinguish this fire unless we want this town destroyed. Your breath can do it. I humbly ask for your help, Lady of the Annuli Mountains".

The woman sitrred on the bed like a cat, then looked at Atheril's eyes as she spoke. "But i'm tired, I shouldn't change my form in this state. I'll be exahusted by months. If I transform into my true form now, I won't be able to change again in weeks, maybe months".

"I know, but we can't let the fire destroy this people's homes, this people's lifes. Please Symbel, help me to help them", said the elf, grabbing her hand.

After a little moment of silence the maiden nodded. "I'll do it, but from now on I'll be a burden for you. Your companion won't be a powerful dragon, but a fragile elven maiden. I want you to understood that, my curse is not fulfilled and the day hasn't come. I'm not free yet. Wait for me at the entrance of the town. I'll help you this time, Proud Fencer of the Hoeth Tower, but I won't be able to help you further. Yu'll need to recover the chalice all by yourself".

"Thank you, my lady", were the only words of Atheril as he left the room Atheril rushed to the stairs of the inn, running upstairs to look for Symbel. Finally he arrived to the door and he opened without knocking, making the dragon maiden to get up from the bed. "Symbel....We need your help. We need to extinguish this fire unless we want this town destroyed. Your breath can do it. I humbly ask for your help, Lady of the Annuli Mountains".

The woman sitrred on the bed like a cat, then looked at Atheril's eyes as she spoke. "But i'm tired, I shouldn't change my form in this state. I'll be exahusted by months. If I transform into my true form now, I won't be able to change again in weeks, maybe months".

"I know, but we can't let the fire destroy this people's homes, this people's lifes. Please Symbel, help me to help them", said the elf, grabbing her hand.to wait for the dragon to appear...

The gnome meanwhile had disappeared during the commotion. His whereabouts were undetected by anyone... It seemed some highly potent invisibility spell must have been in effect conjured up by this illusionist--one so potent even those blessed with the most acute of sense of both magic and nature would not be able to detect him. Where he went no one could really even guess at, but it seemed obvious that he would return, eventually... soon.

Enigma fought the fires with desperation. He didnt have much skill with water magic, preferring to use Plains magic instead. Still, he had some sucsess. He happened to possess an artifact designed for fighting fires. He pulled a rod from his cloak. Power stones generated a water matrix, blasting a torrent of water from a hole in the rod. He achived mild results, and he knew that he couldnt put out much of the fire with it. He decided to travel to the source of the problem.

Enigma prodded the rod with an extra bit of magic, sending an even greater amount of water forth. He charged through the brief opening he had made and started to run through the inferno. He hadnt gone long before he heard a deep rumbling. Enigma put a hand on the hilt of his sword.

A black shadow emerged from the burning treeline. It seemed massive, with tendrils of fire spitting out of it from all angles. Enigma knew it was Azara, but it was not the Azara he knew. This was Azara's true Demon form.

Enigma let go of his sword handle and, for the second time in his life, ran.

"What's that!" The elf-vampire shouted at the clearing seeing Enigma running away...from something. "I sense powerful magical auras coming from that part of the clearing. And I predict that it isn't our welcome wagon." He paused thinking of what that maybe. "It can't be the behemoths, they have no auras anyway. The witch is too powerful to be having such an aura. So, I guess it would be that damn Azara who can't control his demonic form."

"I want us to finish disposing of the fire in this area. That would give us ample working space. We all have to gather at this spot, fighting a demon in seperate areas would be the folly of us all."

----Meanwhile----

The Vampire Council. The Northern Towers of Ishtar. Realm of those who lay silent.

Two visitors approach the council of vampire elders accompanied by temple guards, wearing light mythril armor and swords at their hilts. Both visitors were hooded as to disguise themselves from the others. The tall one first removed his hood as the council sparked in whispers.

"What is the meaning of this? We all thought you were dead, as your brother said, murdered by the witch, Azura." An elf-vampire elder questioned Micheal Spenser, brother of the Hierophant of the Steely Moon.

"Your grace, what my brother has told was a lie. He has plagued this council with lies and deceit and that goes with his assistants." Micheal responded.

"And what may you say that we would disprove your brother. He has been a respected elder for more than how many millenia." Another elder questioned.

"Here I have proof. A letter from my brother to the witch, Azura. Telling her that he would get the goblet for himself and her. He has told a lie to disprove me and then go after this vampire known as James to hunt for the goblet and later destroy the council."

The council again shook in whispers. The leader of the elders responded. "I see. It is disappointing to see an elder betray his coven. We have no choice then." He paused. His eyes saddened by such a loss. "We would send a small army of our best vampire assassins accompanied by two of our council's elders, Mistress Eleana Moonflow and Lord Zhenzhi Chu. They will accompany you and your companion.

"A vampire James, you say. Well, I'll be. I would give my pupil a one and a two before I slay him for helping that treacherous snake." The vampire known as Zhenzhi Chu replied.

"Yes, it is what the seer told us before she was slayed by the witch."

The elders looked at the Micheal's hooded companion.

"Oh, she is a drow that accompanied me here for it she that has found the letter." Micheal quickly replied.

"Very well, please rest at the south quarters. We will ready the army.

After the meeting the two inside their rooms silently discussed the matter. "A job well done." The hooded companion praised.
"It was nothing, my dear Azura, this would not only increase our odds of victory, but also settle internal disputes." The vampire strategist grinned.
"We shall wait for our army, then we march off to the mountains.

With a roar, Azara, yet not Azara, stepped through the forest and into the open. What was once a handsome, ageless man, was now a massive demon...

Tremble mortals, I am the Demon, Hezekiel the Oblivion! I have once more returned from banishment in the Timeless Realms! Your puny magicks are useless against my power! Muwahahaha!!!

Delaz stood transfixed in front of the great demon and muttered slightly to himself...

Amidha Buddha... Azara, what have done, you have unleashed once more the greatest evil this world has ever known!!! Azara, take control and banish Hezekiel back to whence he came!

For a split second, the evil laughing face of Hezekiel changed and became gentle.

Flee friends for your chances of survival are very slim if you choose to fight him... Flee!!!

But before Azara could continue pleding for the others to run, Hezekiel regained control.

Silence, mortal! Begone, I have gained control of you and you cannot do anything about it!

Turning his head to the others, Hezekiel chuckled.

I see you choose to fight me... Well, it is time to die!!!

As he finished, Hezekiel lunged and attacked. With his right hand, he blasted Delaz in the chest with a powerful surge of dark lightning, sending Delaz flying. Delaz hit one of the buildings in the village and crumpled to the floor.

"Delza!" Enigma saw the monk fly through the air and slam into the wall of a house. He ran to Delza and examined him. Delza was injured badly. He had been burned and many bones had been broken. Enigma threw Delza over his shoulder, intent on getting him some medical help. Instead, he had to drop the Monk and leap aside as a spurt of flame from Hezekiel came at him. He narrowley avoided it as he dove behid a Paliside wall.

"Its a shame Traigous isnt with us," thought Enigma."Surely he could help us." He ducked again as Hezekiel shot more flames. "And where the hell is Athriel and Symbel?"

Deciding that he couldnt wait any longer, Enigma withdrew his water matrix and turned it into a weapon against the Fire Demon. The water got Hezekiel's attention in a flash and Enigma barely avoided a flaming claw coming down on him.

"Come and get me!" Shouted Enigma, running in the opposite direction of the town. He was not trying to hurt the Demon-He knew he couldnt-Instead he was trying to divirt Hezekiel's attention from the town onto him. Enigma knew he would probably get the same fate Delza had recived in a few moments, but he wanted to give the other's time to either run or concive some plan to trap the Demon. This thought made him run all the more harder.

OCC:By the way, Whatever happned to that dwarf, Grundbrin?

As a lightning bolt the figure of a mighty dragon came down over the demon, the huge reptile with a rider on her back, her scales gleaming like the purest silver. The Dragon roared, and the rider showed a glowing blue blade in his hand. The airborne dragon landed before the demon, icy stalagmites hanging from her chin as she doused the fire with her breath of ice.

The rider spoke, in the ancient draconic language, "Are you the one who stole Azara's body?. I hope you miss your homeland, demon, because you're going to return to the stinking abyss from which you came", said the elf, raising his sword.

"Stop it, Atheril. Harming that demon is harming the man it possesed. If you banish him, you'll kill Azara, and you can't do that, because we need him to retrieve the goblet", said the female dragon in a soft voice. "We'll fight the demon, but only to weaken it so the draconic spirit of Azara could return to recover his body. Don't harm him, please. I'm sure the Lord of Dragonkin will make the miracle".

She started to sing a prayer to the High Lord of Dragonkin, summoning the draconic soul of Azara to return to his body as Atheril mumbled a containing spell.

"What took you so long, Lord elf." The elf-vampire shouted at the elf's punctuality. "Eripthe go and heal Delaz. We should take care of Azara's demon here." Eripthe went to Enigma who was carrying Delaz on his back. "Please place him down, go now, and fight. I will do what I can to make him recover." The elven beuaty placed her gentle hands over Delaz's burnt skin, as it slowly healed due to the cleric's magic.

Meanwhile, the demon was still on the rampage. Shooting fire and lightning magic to the group. The elf-vampire's magic barrier could only hold a limited strike. "Nyssa, attack his rear, making you the diversion. Me and the elf have to work together." The elf-vampire suggested.

"As you wish, master." Nyssa raced to the demon's back as she threw five poisonous daggers at the demon's back. The elf-vampire upon hearing chant, joined in with his contribution. "This is such a nuisance. I'm doing this two times in a row." The elf-vampire raised his arms in incantation.
Now you demons of darkness, here thee. I, the bearer of the Steely Moon, will return thee to thy grave to wence thy came." A huge cresent shaped moon appeared above the vampire. The air circled around him like currents, the vampire was transforming.

"You, demon, of the timeless realms. I command you return your mortal master or suffer pain, as many have suffered." A large ball of electricity was forming in the vampire demon's palm. It shot out as it created a static field immobilizing the demon. "Atheril, Symbel, hurry with your spells. The demon of the Steely moon shot out more static balls to contain Azara's demon.

---Meanwhile----

The Towers of the Vampiric Council. Southern Chambers.

A messenger guard told Micheal and Azura that preparations were complete and the horses were ready. "I see. I will meet then at the gates. Shall we my dear." Micheal held Azura hand as they walked at the dim hallways of the tower. At last they met with the army of Eleana Moonflow and Zhenzhi Chu. "Mistress Moonflow, you grace us with your bow and your beauty." Micheal smiled. "You are too kind, dear one." Eleana returned with a smile. "We will ride off to the mountains. There we will wait for the caravan of the vampire James, but I have surprises for them to increase our chances of victory. Remember, these are experienced warriors and wizards we are fighting, caution is always in order."

OOC: I missed a lot ... damn computer wouldn't let me get on the site at all yesterday ... at least now it's behaving ... step back! here comes the calvary! lol ... not really.

IC: Kimli was shook with the tavern at the explosions and fires engulfing the beautiful forest. She fell to the floor with the force and was barely sitting up when the windows shattered at the might being unleashed. She quickly ducked and covered her head with her hands, screaming as anyone would given the circumstances.

"AH-EEE!"

Meanwhile, James followed the elf-vampire outside and stopped short of following him into the forest, shocked by the flames and smoke pouring from where he knew Azara stood. He then hurried back up to his room, where he found Kimli laying on the floor, covered in glass but unharmed.

"Are you alright?"
"Yes, my Lord ... what evil surrounds this place?"
"It's Azara ... he's transformed to weild yet again his demonic power."
"Azara? Oh, you must not kill him, James! Please don't kill him!"
"Don't worry, I'm not sure I could if I tried ... here."

James helped her up and brushed away the dangerous shards. He then went to a trunk he had brought over from the griffins which now lay at the foot of his bed. He kneeled and opened it, rummaging around until he found what was buried there. He then stood and ran out towards where the battle was raging. Kimli looked in the chest after he was gone to realize he'd taken the poison.

"Oh my god."

James hurriedly ran towards where the others were fighting, gripping the glass container tightly within his fist. He knew the poison was unable to kill dragons, but hoped it would immobilize Azara until the demon within him was banished. He quickly realized the fight was well from over, although Symbel was doing a very good job with the fires because of her ice breath. He wondered how changing from dragon to human could be so easy for her. He also noticed that Azara was at the moment being distracted by her, so he threw the bottle from where he stood, hoping it'd hit its mark and alleviate the major problem. Putting out the fires was a big enough job, they didn't need a demon causing even more damage. He just hoped the poison, if successful, didn't kill Azara. There was no antidote.

OOC: *rolls up a newspaper and smacks NS on the nose* no! ... noooo ...

OCC:Does anyone mind if i add a character sometime in the near future?

IC:Enigma continued to dodge lightning and fire from Hezekiel. The demon was surrounded by spell casters and warriors, and Symbel was doing an exallant job of weakening the evil monster. For his part, Enigma continued blasting with his Water Matrix, circling around and hoping to add to the confusion. He noticed that Hezekiel was slowing down, and saw the Demon stumble under the power of so many spells. Even James joined the fight, throwing a bottle of liquid at Hezekiel's feet. Enigma didnt know what noticible effect this had, but knowing James, something good was bound to happen.

OOC: Be my guest, Ravea. Heck, I think I already placed teh following characters:

A. The elf-vampire, hierophant of the steely moon - my main charrie and lead vampire
B. Nyssa and Eripthe - vampire assasin and elf cleric.
C. Azura the Witch - mortal enemy of the elf-vampire
D. Micheal Spenser, hierophant of the bloody moon - brother of the elf-vampire, and the best vampire strategist
E. Eleana Moonflow - elder lady vampire sent by the council to kill James' caravan group
F. Zhenzhi Chu - master of James and sent by the council also to slay the elf-vampire

---It's an epic, right? And epics have that never ending number of characters.

OOC: JUst a question, if this is finished. Would there be another RP like this, Elendilrim? Cause I still have lots of characters working in my head for any sequel that might occur.

Hezekiel laughed at the pitiful attempts to defeat him. With a roar, he rose into the air, and began laughing.

Pathetic mortals. You power is no match for Hezekiel. My roar forced the annilihation of the walls of Jericho, my power caused the kamikazes that destroyed the Mongol invaders of Japan, and my anger have been felt in all earthquakes and volcanoes! Bow before my power and I may yet be merciful...

As he spoke the glass container hit Hezekiel in the back...

OOC: Somebody tell me what's in the glass container...

Atheril nodded to the Elf-Vampire, knowing that his powers could help them to restrain the demon that possesed Azara. Symbel take off, pursuing the demon so he couldn't escape, when a flask hitted his back, and she smelt some kind of poison. For sure is to debililtate the demon, please, draconic soul of Azara, return to your body, your master needs you, she prayed, hoping that the soul of the wizard could return on time. The containing spell that Atheril finished attempted to contain the demon in an arcane energy bubble, taking the advantage of the distraction created by the elf-vampire...

OOC: In the glass container thrown by James was a poison that is strong enough to kill anything but those of draconic blood, so as to immobilize the demon within Azara (and hopefully not kill him).

As for Holy Erat's question, I was planning on ending the story after the Blood Goblet is found and used. But I was also planning on starting a new storyline, to replace the one we finished, with new characters and goal and such. We can either do that, or just keep going after the goblet is found and make up something along the way.

I can't post at the moment because I have nothing to say and would only be recounting what I've already done. I'll post when I can add more to the story.

Traigous stood amidst the corpses thinking for a split second. He knew he had to leave this place as quickly as possible and hopefully avoid a confrontation with Sarevok--whose intentions for this rampage into the Drow city were unclear to Traigous.

He lowered the hood of the robes over his eyes and bowed his head in an attempt to blend amongst the warriors. He slowly ascended the staircase looking about carefully for any enemies--there were fortunately none. This chamber was nothing but a guard room razed and pillaged by Sarevok's army... bodies of still chained Illithiad and Drow alike, lay in piles. The smell of charred flesh seared his nostrils and the smoke from the dying embers left over from powerful spells of magick emanated dim grey smoke that filled the room and blurred Traigou's vision. He managed to stumble through under the still flickering torches mounted on the walls.

There was a door on the other side of the chamber, which he hastily opened and found several soldiers rummaging through chests and bodies. They looked up from their tasks at the creak of the door's opening.

Before they could respond, Traigous had glared at all of them in one slow turn of his head. They fell down, all at once, unconsiouss--weak minds, but intelligent enough to be so easily overpowered.

He marched in such a fashion through countless rooms and countless doors. The building he was held in was a gigantic maze of antechambers guardroom, barraks, and torture chambers. The sheer number of them was staggering and Traigous slowly began to worry over how he would find his exit. The rooms finally gave way to curving halls of darkened stone that twisted and turned rose and fell, like snakes. Soon it became apparent the halls he had passed through were empty of bodies and empty of life.

This was troubling... for many of the previously passed halls and chambers there were a t least trails of blood and hacked off limbs to guide him--here there was only a dark and heavy nothing.

He continued, though, as going back at this moment would have been pointless. There were many forks in the halls now--too many. It became quite apparent that he was indeed trapped in Labyrinth--possibly designed as a form of torture.

He wondered how many days he spent in the torture chambers of the Drow and whether his companions of the surface had already reached the goblet... But then it hit him, a simple truth, that he had learned long ago. For each day of the surface there passed a week in the Underdark--it was indeed a bizarre concept, although it explained how the Drow had such a long lifespan.

His stomach rumbled, then--he had not eaten anything in too long. His throat was dry and scratch, he realized, as the unberable thirst forced its way into Traigous's mind. He would have to leave the Underdark as quickly as possible or die there...

To his surprise and joy he finally came upon a door. He swung it open.

A shadow dragon lay sleeping on the other side. Tragious cursed to himself and stepped forwarrd as silently as he could, but then he felt the pressure of a tripwire at his heel--he had stepped on this tripwire and an alarm sounded. A great horrible screech was the alarm, in whatever way it was engineered it obviously worked as the dragon stirred. ITs great scaled eyelids opened and stared directly at the intruder.

Traigous stood where he was and casually glancing over his shoulder realized his only exit was sealed. Before the dragon could act in the physical sense, Traigous lept into his mind and forged a battlefield there--both were paralyzed physically as they were now connected by one mental battlefield.

To describe what occured there would be maddening and bizarre and beyond bellief of all and any. The sheer events of hte battle were inexplicably complex in their own right and maddening to the listener. No one without studying the higher echelons of psionics has ever been told of what goes on in a mental battle of such magnitude. Suffice it to say, the dragon was dead--it looked as it was when it awoke--it's eyes lifeless and its breath expired.

Traigous went about the dragon and realized that there was a door on the other side. He opened it, without any difficulty and found a room filled with gear and levers--strange gadgets of gnomish design. There was a red painted circle in the middle of the tiled floor. It seemed quite obvious to Traigous what he now encountered. This gnomish contraption was probably considered dangerous and powerful--howwever unable to actually use it they just guarded it--to keep it away from the hands of others.

Traigous wondered what this machine could possibly do, and feeling experimental enough pulled a brown lever. The machine whirred and the gears all about him turned, but nothing happened. So he decided that his trek through the labyrinth and passed the dragon had all been for nothing and that he had merely wasted his time. Sighing he crossed the room back toward the door. Or so he thought. As soon as stepped on to the colored circle he was in that room no more--he was outside in a forest somewhere.

He gasped. It was a of course and interplanar travelling device. Since the Underdark is itself a plane and the surface is another plane above it, he realized he managed to, with great luck, teleport up to the surface. He hoped this was indeed the surface world he knew and lived in and not some other plane, from which he'd be unable to return from. He opened his mind and scanned the minds of the creatures about him. Yes. He was home. He was home. His excitement mounted as he heard the soft murmur of a spring.... yes a spring he ran toward it with all his strength and drank from it until his thirst was finally gone.

He wasted no more time and ran through the forest his mind probing the very boundries of his limits. Finally, he sensed a human... and a horse. Yes, a horse. He sprinted toward their location and without second thought slayed the rider, with a mere flick of his wrist. The rider was a messenger galloping through the woods. Traigous lept onto the horse and knocked the now dead rider--still in the saddle--off to his side. He had a long way to ride... a long way to ride... back to his comrades... back to Kimli...

Kimli... he was suddenly shocked at the abrupt realization: he had pierced planes to sense her dream... and be in it...

That was... impossible.

Then he rode. He rode like hell was at his heels--he had a great deal of ground to cover before sunrise.

OCC:By the way, Whatever happned to that dwarf, Grundbrin?

OOC: Last seen drinking... he's... around...

Hezekiel felt the sting of the poison. Rallying his magic, Hezekiel tried to isolate the poison and prevent it from spreading. But as he was continuously attacked, Hezekiel was distracted and unable to do so. Writhing in pain, Hezekiel smashed into the ground, howling...

"The demon is weakening. There is only the last alternative to fight against this demon, and that is to seal it." The demon form elf-vampire raised his arms and encanted. "Power of the crystal I command you, seal this unholy demon and return it to thy master's form." Lightning hit the ground then the blazing light circled the demon, Hezekiel. The light had magical inscription, some were elven yet also demonic. These were the inscription that protected the crystal and therefore its caster. Hezekiel, with the help of others and the magical seal, slowly transformed the demon back to his master's form, Azara.

---Meanwhile---

The small army of vampires led by Micheal Spenser, Azura the Witch of Orbos, Zhenzhi Chu and Eleana Moonflow flew across the desert plains and headed for the mountains. "I sense great magics over that side over the mountain, possibly the seal of Taibogu, your brother keenly likes on doing." The witch stated. "My brother, likes to show off his skills to others. His arrogance is as tasteless as a donkey's ass. Well, when we reach there we would let him swallow his pride, great one." The flying bat form of Micheal replied. "Yes, we shall."

But halfway through the transformation, it began to reverse. Obviously in pain, Hezekiel levered himself up.

Pitiful mortals, do you think you can seal Hezekiel the Oblivion!?! Now you will receive the death you mortals so dearly deserve!!!

With a roar, Hezekiel smashed his massive fist into the ground causing it to crack.

Awaken demons of the Earth and destroy these mortals. Make them pay!!!

OCC:Heck, i might as well get that new charecter in!

IC:Enigma was dismayed as he saw a mass of demons emerge from the gaping hole Hezekiel had opened. He prepared himself for another battle and definitly got more than he asked for. He was instantly set upon by 4 unholy creatures with a variety of swords and pikes. Enigma drew his own sword, trying despretly to block the demons' blows. Something cast a shadow over him, and he prepared to block an airborn attack.

The black-clad figure nearly flying over him was not a demon, however. Something was hurled from the figure while he was still in the air. Enigma turned around to see one of the demons with a Cross-Bow bolt stuck in it. The demon fell, writhing, and disappered. Enigma turned back to the black figure, and saw him weilding a Toten-Vec, a legendary Chain and Blade weapon used sometimes in the far east. The warrior swung the Toten-Vec as he landed, propelling it forward with incredible momentum. The blade eisily passed through another demon.

Enigma saw that the Warrior was armed with a variety of weapons. Two small sheilds tipped with blades hung from his arms; a pair of huge triangular Assassian knives were sheathed in his belt. The warrior withdrew these, dropped the Toten-Vec and started trading blows with a particurly large Demon. The black figure eisily outmatched it with a blow to the head as Enigma looked on with admiratioin. The Warrior displaced the fourth demon with a nasty combonation of stabs and slices.

The man picked up his discarded weapons with a disregarding coolness, then tore off his hood. It revealed not the face of a man, but of a women, with flowing red hair. She turned to Enigma and said, "Hello, Brother."

Enigma was stunned to see that his sister, of all people, was here. "Hello, Sister." he greeted her gladly. "I see that our Father was not able to kill you after all."

"Yes," the women said softly. "He didnt realize how many hours i had practiced bladework with you. He Exiled me like he did you, and ive been searching for you since then. What are you doing here, anyways?" Enigma hesitated to answer. "Its okay, tell me later." The women surveyed the battle field and examined its participints. "Elves, Demons, and....Vampires!"

"They are on our side," siad Enigma quickly.

"I thought you hated vampires," said the women. "Oh well. Shall we take care of that big one over there?" shs asked, pointing to Hezekiel/Azara.

"Dont kill him! He is a member of our caravan! hes just.....having a bad day, shall we say? Lets get through these first." Enigma pointed to the smaller demons surrounding Hezekiel.

"Lets get started!" The women Grinned and loaded her Cross-Bow. The sibilings crossed the battlefield, dispatching all that were unlucky enough to get in thier way.

Nyssa was busy hacking down the demons with her scythe. She has been killing demons, angels, elves, and the like all her life. This, for her, was a measly assignment. Demonic heads were being chopped off like a buffet line. She saw the new comer, a warrior with red hair. "Greetings, who might you be?" As Nyssa came closer to Enigma's sister fighting the demons. She admired a woman warrior, for as you might know there was only her and Eripthe.

Eripthe, on the other hand, was tired of hammering demons with her staff. Her attack was not that strong and hammering enemies with it was getting to be tiresome. She enchanted an elven spell as great shards of light emanated from her magical staff and quickly dissolved any part of the demonic creatures' body.

"Hezekiel, you very well know that we will not kill your mortal master, Azara. But as I said earlier I will kill anyone who slows me down, and I, the great wizard vampire is not afraid to kill a companion. As you might know, I am not mortal, now return to original form or I will slay you." The demonic vampire shouted. He then paused.

"You think I'm gloating or bluffling at what I can really do? Give up, untimely demon, and forsake your evil quest." The demon vampire shot balls of magic that consumed the demonical acolytes near him.

Hezekiel laughed to himself at the foolishness of those trying to attack him. With the appearance of many demonic minions, Hezekiel had all the time in the world. Slowly he began to weave a powerful spell that would envelope the entire region.

As Hezekiel's magic crackled, ominous clouds began to gather and soon blocked out the sun.

About fifty-three miles away, a man stood quietly surveying the darkness growing in the distance. Armed with the powerful Tian Long Jian (OOC: Chinese for Sky Dragon Sword), the man was a disciple of the famous Mt. Tian Long in central China. Elevating himself into the air, the man surveyed the powerful demon in the distance. Pertrubed, the man flew towards the demon...

"I did warn you, Hezekiel. How dare you afford to laugh, there is no turning back, let us pray to your gods that you can still be revived by the cleric." "Optimimal Zenith" The vampire waved his hand as the clouds divided, shattering the very fabric of the magical spell by Hezekiel. "Arise my demonic minions and destroy him." The dead demons of Hezekiel, decapitated or not walked towards their master and ready for their attack. "Shadow ghouls, appear." The vampire waved again as shadow forms of demons also appeared headed for Hezekiel. "Now for my near finale, demon. I cast a magical reflect shield on them." He raised his arms and a soft wind breezed as the demons were now enchanted by some magical field. "Spirits of the universe, come to thee your master." Great clouds of light circled the elf-vampire as he threw giant balls of magical energy at Hezekiel. In the end, Hezekiel was surrounded by magical undead demons, shadow warriors, and magical energy balls the size of boulders.

OOC: Just a note, Holy Erat, your kinda godmodding when you can so easily break my demon's magic...

IC:

Pitiful... Extremely pitiful...

With that uttered, Hezekiel rose into the air...

Meanwhile, the mysterious stranger appeared on the scene like a thunderbolt, his powerful sword arching through the air as he attacked Hezekiel.

Hezekiel was caught by surprise by the sudden onslaught. With horror, he identified the sword skill the stranger was using...

What!?! Tian Long Jian Fa!?! You are a disciple of Tian Long Pai!?!

The stranger stopped and pointed his sword at the demon.

I am Lance Crusade, my master has spoken to me about you. I see that you have not learned from your previous defeat. Well then, I will teach you a lesson, so painful, you will regret ever stepping into the human plane...

With that spoken, Lance struck.

Tian Long Wan Jian!!!

As Lance spoke, his sword began to emit a weird glow as it unleashed the power of both its user and the sword. Hezekiel was struck into the chest by the power and plummeted to the earth...

Enigma and his sister watched, awstruck, as a new arrival came streaking through the air with a sword. He struck Hezekiel with only a single blow, yet the powerful demon was knocked to the ground. There were not many demons left to fight, and those who were still alive were being picked off eisily.

"My name is Linn Elna Noerr," Said Enigma's sister as an afterthought to Nyssa while destroying another demon. She fired another Cross-Bow bolt into its body, and it vaporized. She looked up at Hezekiel, not sure if he would be able to rise once more. The demon was sure to be defeated soon with so many attacks against it.

Hezekiel although hurt did not lose his head. Painfully, he recovered from the attack and stood striking back by blasting at Lance with his magic. The magic engulfed Lance tearing away the heavy black cloak covering him but reflected by the pure white tunic underneath.

Lance did not even flinch...

OOC: Holy Erat ... FCN ... are you both quite finished drowning us in your testasterone? I for one am tired of hearing about your characters' invincibility and might. ((Also, it's nighttime not daytime, FCN, because we have three vampires out here at the moment it negates the possibility of it being daytime))

FCN, I don't think it's fair that you were attacked by every member of the caravan and only go down after you're attacked by yourself. That's very much like godmodding. I can understand if you wanted to add another character, but this is NOT the way you should do it. It's very rude, and makes the rest of us feel very insignificant to the story. Example, if we can't control one of our own caravan, how the heck are we going to be able to win against our other foes? Get the idea? Cut it out.

Holy Erat, being able to counteract everything and anything FCN or anyone else for that matter does is also a form of godmodding. I understand that the elf-vampire gets tired after using his magic, but not fast enough. You give him more and more amazing abilities every day and that is simply inexcusable. Let him be vexed or useless once in awhile, okay? Let his spells fail every now and again. Cut it out.

IC: James couldn't understand what was going on. He stayed near the treeline, out of sight of those in the air, and pondered how the poison could have failed. It was the strongest poison he had ever encountered, one droplet causing convulsions and delayed death, much less the whole bottle. He was truly vexed, and hoped it was only a delayed response. Even though the new guy was taking care of Hezekiel at the moment, James felt that if he failed the poison would still do its thing and stop the demon.

Meanwhile, Kimli stepped outside the tavern, looking towards the battlefield that was once a forest, wondering what could be happening over there. She sat on the porch there and watched smoke and sparks line the sky as magical spells were fired and backfired, crackling over the air and disappearing into the night sky. It was both beautiful and ominous. "I feel so useless sitting here ..." she said quietly to herself.

The matriarch of the village, sitting on the porch across from the tavern, smiled to Kimli as she hummed and croucheted a garment meant for one of the children. "They will need you soon enough, my child ... and soon you will not be useless at all." she said, continuing to humm afterwards as she rocked back and forth with her work.

OOC: Sorry Elendrium... None of my characters are invincible... Delaz is somewhere unconscious.

IC: Hezekiel fell badly wounded to the ground. The multitude of attacks were taking there toll. As he tried to use his magic to deflect incoming attacks, Hezekiel realized that he had almost depleted his mana. As he realized this, Lance struck once more, his sword like a thunderbolt. Hezekiel collapsed onto the ground, nearly exhausted. He tried in vain to raise himself up, he gasped at the sudden pain...

What poison is this!?! (OOC: Referring to the glass container, James threw)

Shocked, Hezekiel collapsed once more...

Lance sheathed his sword and looked on satisfied.

Hezekiel, your time on this plane is forever finished. You will be forever banished to the Timeless Realms and shall never return...

Turning his head he gestured to the others.

One of you must know a good containment spell that should work on Hezekiel, even though he is a Great Demon, because of his wounds. Alas, although I am a great swordsmen and am well versed in sword magic, I lack any formal training in real magic, so one of you must accomplish this task. First, contain him and then banish him back intot he Timeless Realms. That way, the body of the one he has possessed will be returned to normal and the soul of the body will return.

With that Lance bowed politely and walked towards the village, intent upon speaking with the matriarch. As he walked, he pulled out of a small satchel a deep black cloak and draped over himself in one fluid motion.

OOC: Delaz may be somewhere unconscious, but your Hezekiel rebuked and laughed off every attack that those of the caravan made. You would acknowledge the attack, and yet it wouldn't affect your fighting later on. You didn't mention the poison for some time, and most likely only now because I pointed it out. Look back at a few of your posts and perhaps you'll see what I'm talking about. Talking trash is okay, espeically since Hezekiel is a demon ... but talking trash and actually sounding like you mean it, not having any injuries from previous attacks or whatnot, is not nice at all. Don't worry though, you aren't the only one giving grief in the area of supreme power. As soon as Holy Erat makes his case, I'll chew him out as well ... ^_^ ... and watch out! *points aimlessly into the group* ... for you may be next! lol.

and watch out! *points aimlessly into the group* ... for you may be next! lol.

Oh no!!!

OCC: But i agree. Hezekiel, , is a little to strong, even if he a powerful demon. And the the elf-vampire regains his magiks a little too quickly.

IC:Enigma watched the white-clad warrior walk in the direction on the village. He was glad that Azara was going to be all right-assuming the poisin didnt kill him.

"We need Eripthe up here, and anyone who has any skill at healing." Enigma called out to the group.

"Healing, you say?" Said Liin. "I might be able to help out in that area."

"You dont have any healing spells last time i heard." said Enigma quizzicly.

"Well, that was almost a decade ago, wasnt it?" Liin walked cautiously a few yards away from Hezekiel, who haad begun to shrink into a more huminiod form. "What you havnt heard of is all the wars i have been in since you escaped from father. Did you know he actually tried to invade China? Ha! I was one of the only ones who came back from that march. I also got some new toys while i was over there." She motioned at her Cross-Bow and Knives. "Anywho, i was wounded, and a cleric healed me and taught me a few tricks. Im sure that i can aid that elf-healer whene this one-Azara, did you say his name was?-comes around."

Enigma watched his sister with admeration as she circled around the demon. She had come a long way in 9 years, and was not the child that he once knew.

oops, double post. I mean.....There was NO double post! I REAPEAT: THERE WAS NO DOUBLE POST!

OOC: ACK! Something told me that I was doing excessive godmodding, my ears were starting to get itchy. Heck, I didn't even know that it was daytime. Well, possibly the forest clearing help with that part but the other forms of sunlight...poof. *POUNDS HEAD ON WALL* Well in reality FCN's coming of his warrior kryptonite seemed to surprise me. I didn't know that Hezekiel had a weakness. And you know what happens when you want to finish something, but it keeps on popping out. Well, I'm sorry if I did make any god mode problems. So let's solve this

Sunlight: The forest had heavy clearing
Wiping out the spells: The vampire dissolved the spell, but momentarily lost half of his undead warriors, due to exhaustion

IC: The vampire knew that it was over, he knew Hezekiel was defeated. He didn't know the warrior or who he was, yet the sword, it reminded him of an old friend. He knew that he was bluffing that he could kill Azara/ Hezekiel. He knew that he will not stoop down as to kill a needed ally, yet what made him? His power was soon disappating, as he slowly transformed back to his original form as he collapsed to the ground. His last magics was consumned beyond his thinking. His mind was floating in space, unconscious and daunting.

Nyssa and Eripthe saw their master collapse from the forest ruins, he was on the lying on ground like a puppet. Eripthe raced towards her master as she tried to heal him. But to no avail, the elf-vampire was to weak for her healing capabilities to work. Out of dispair, Eripthe cried. "Father! Wake up, father!" Nyssa knelt down and whispered something in Eripthe's ears. "Father is weak now, let's get him to the inn. He is spent, okay little sister. Now, Azara needs you, sister. Go and leave father with me. Becareful sweetie." Nyssa carried her frail father as they watched the last remaining scenes of the demon Hezekiel.

OOC: I'll think about posting again in this RP, this is going too far, although it began very interesting. Too many people playing just with themselves and a lot of godmodding around, I'll wait a little because Elendilrim deserves very good players in her RP, because she has put talent and effort into this.

IC:

Atheril and Symbel just waited for the demon to dissapear, mumbling for tenth time the same spells of banishing. Bored, they just crossed their arms and waited...

OCC:I agree. Enough with the Almighy demons and seemingly Invincible characters. Lets stick to battles that Mortals can still fight in and kick ass-Yet lets still get to our goal, witch we still arnt very close to getting at. I think i might cook up some trouble in the future, but lets put some restrictions on in, shall we?

OOC: I have more surprises cooked up for you MORTALS that can kick arse with, alright! SOrry if my charries sound too powerful, and I'm playing with myself (I don't know who you directed this) but it's part of the storyline I made up before. So you can say I planned my charries even the battle of the witch Azura. There would be twists involved and the "I'm your father" spectacle between the 3 is not yet over. Now, if my charries are getting out of hand, please tell me. I'll be glad to edit my post thrice. And if it looks like I'm ruining Elendilrim's RP then I'm sorry. As you might say learn from your past and adapt to your present.

OOC: I'm sorry if I'm godmodding. But Elendrium, if you look careful on page 18, it actually says that Hezekiel in pain and reeling from the poison...

OOC: Sure he says he's writhing in pain with the poison in one post, but in your next post it's as if the poison is having no effect anymore. NEway, let's not get on anyone's case okay people? Nobody's ruining my story, we're just taking the fighting a little too seriously a little too often. How about we all get back to the village and have a good nights sleep before the Behemoth's get itchy trigger fingers. lol.

IC: James leaned against a tree, sighing as Azara changed back to normal. He was glad the fighting was over. He even heard Eripthe call the elf-vampire her father. This interested him, but he walked over to Enigma and his newly found sister instead. "Will you introduce us?" he said with a bow, laughing lightly. "You are truly a grand fighter, miss." he added. James was so relieved that the battle was finished he had forgotten to go back and check on Kimli, who still sat in the village.

Kimli now had moved to sit next to the Matriarch, learning carefully how to knit and quill beads. She looked up every now and again towards the dissipating smoke and fire, but focused on her work so she wouldn't worry herself to death. She couldn't wait for James to get back, and had a strange feeling someone else would be coming back sometime soon as well. She still coouldn't remember the dream she had with him in it, but she had a seed of hope that grew by the minute. A sliver of doubt at his death that shattered all her previous fears, even after all those Drow women said.

he walked over to Enigma and his newly found sister instead. "Will you introduce us?" he said with a bow, laughing lightly. "You are truly a grand fighter, miss." he added.

"Thanks," Said Linn. "My name is Linn Elna Noerr," she said. "Ive been chasing by brother here for about....lets see....." She counted on her fingers. "Six......no, seven months now since my father exiled me? I picked up his trail outside your mansion, and followed you here."

"Oh yea, i almost forgot. What the heck are we all doing here? I mean, what have you gone searching for? Something dangerous, no doubt."

"Something very dangerous, Linn, the Blood Goblet itself." James stated, nodding his head at hearing her story. "Your brother wasn't even on my list of invitations ... he simply appeared from the forest and agreed to help us in our task if we gave him food. So of course I agreed." James said with a smile, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Oh yes ... and I heard you and your brother quibbling earlier because I and the dark elf over there are vampires ... no worries, we've been fed and hurting a member of the caravan might come back to haunt us once we make it to Pandora mountain. I doubt we'll be able to defeat all of our foes and find the goblet if one of us died. And having you here increases our odds of surviving this quest." he said almost jokingly, although he meant every word of it. "That is ... if you will be joining us for the long haul ..."

OOC: Well the behemoths are planned. And I would stray any longer this mission. It has battled over a hundred orcs, dragons, demons alike...adding right now would really be tiring.

IC: Eripthe was still sobbing, unable to revive her fallen father. Nyssa could help overhearing about the new warrior of the caravan. She approached James and Linn. "You must join, Linn. I saw you in battle and your moves were superb, even better than your brother, I think." Nyssa whispered at Linn's ears.

"Do excuse me my lord, but it seems my foolish father has spent the last of his magics fighting the orcs and Hezekiel. He will recover soon, but now he is out. I suggest that when we leave by gryffins, that he might accompany James and Kimli caravan, for he will not be able to fly much or less do anything." She paused and smiled. "It seems that my father is out for the moment and Eripthe is in shambles. I, on my father's behalf, would be in charge on anything that my father would do and might accomplish in this mission. Now if you might excuse me, we will me you all at the inn. Reviving my father is urgent."

"Something very dangerous, Linn, the Blood Goblet itself." James stated, nodding his head at hearing her story. "Your brother wasn't even on my list of invitations ... he simply appeared from the forest and agreed to help us in our task if we gave him food. So of course I agreed." James said with a smile, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Oh yes ... and I heard you and your brother quibbling earlier because I and the dark elf over there are vampires ... no worries, we've been fed and hurting a member of the caravan might come back to haunt us once we make it to Pandora mountain. I doubt we'll be able to defeat all of our foes and find the goblet if one of us died. And having you here increases our odds of surviving this quest." he said almost jokingly, although he meant every word of it. "That is ... if you will be joining us for the long haul ..."

"Hm. The blood goblet. Ive heard rumors of such a thing, but i didnt know it actually existed! Alright. Ill come with you to find this artifact." Siad Linn.

IC: Eripthe was still sobbing, unable to revive her fallen father. Nyssa could help overhearing about the new warrior of the caravan. She approached James and Linn. "You must join, Linn. I saw you in battle and your moves were superb, even better than your brother, I think." Nyssa whispered at Linn's ears.

"Why thank you!" Linn looked over Nyssa's shoulder at the fallen vampire, then to Azara. "We had better get to healing these two." She said to Nyssa.

The gnome lay dead charred among the fallen ashes and blackened trees, on the edge of the forest. A look of horrible anguish was pasted on his pallid face. His arms were wound about firmly around a large tome.

Just a bloody wreak charred among the falllen timbers. Hardly noticeable, because of his stature.

Three hours would pass until some villagers trying to clean up the battlefield, would eventually spot him.

****
After the battle, three hours later
***

A rider could be seen surging forward with great speed on the horizon. His dark grey robes flapping back and forth in the wind. An alarmed villager had spotted him, and called for the puny "militia" (consisting of three young men who volunteered themselves to defend the village), scared out of their minds by the battle that had ensued in the nearby in the forest. They assmebled their pitchforks and hatchtes and stood ready at the outskirts of the village.

The rider had approached in barely any time at all. Soon they could see make out the rider with more detail. He was collapsed on his horse, barely consiouss. The horse itself was visibly exhausted and when it was within several yards of the group of "militia", the horse collapsed under the rider and fell down, breathing heavily onto its side. The rider fell onto the ground, face-forward. Managing to gather some strenght he lifted himself up to one knee, his bowed head still hid his face from the youths.
He gasped,

"Please... some... food... please..."

The "militia" looked about each other visibly startled. The bowed figure looked up, and they froze, completely.

His face bore so much intensity, in its expression, in its natural demanor--if anything it was an unnatural demeanor housed within the scarred features of his face. Even in a state when he was thusly begging, his expression was ferocious and determined. His eyes seemed to burn with a fire blazing within him. His long dark hair was stained with blood... as were his garments. One youth rushed to a house and brought him some bread and a bowl of water. The figure stared into the bowl for a second. He saw his reflection, as if he saw it for the first time.

It was indeed Traigous Darque. But then again it wasn't. No one saw his face before, so it would have been impossible for any human to recognize him. That was not all though. Every identifiable feature (including his VOICE) that man or beast identified with him before, was so horribly skewed that no man nor beast could recognize him. Everything changed--distorted. Horribly wretched. Even he, himself could not fully comprehend such a horrid drastic change.

OOC: okay ... let's see what i can think up this time ...

IC: Kimli looked up from her needlepoint as sirens wailed and a very small militia was called to the gate to intercept a quickly approaching man on horseback. She stood and walked towards the gates of the town as the shuffling about and preperations for possible battle with the man continued up until the man slumped forward upon his weary horse and they both fell to the ground exhausted. Kimli was at the gate now, and watched as a man brought bread and water to the traveller. He seemed to be in a very bad way beyond the obvious blood staining his clothing.

Kimli looked around and noticed the men still very fearful of this man, even though he was completely harmless to them. She looked upon him and realized it must be his appearance. But because Kimli was raised in a house filled with many strange-looking people and creatures, she was unfrightened by him. She ran back to the Matriarch who divulged where the infirmary was, and went within to retrieve bandages and ointments. Kimli went to the man outside the gates and kneeled next to him, laying out the bandages as he ate.

"I'm going to help you, alright? Don't be afraid. After I bandage up your worst injuries, would yoou follow me to the infirmary? Or perhaps you need a stretcher brought out? I can arrange it ..." she said just before pouring a painful disinfectant solution upon one of Traigous' wounds.

As Lance Crusade walked through the village seeking the Matriarch, he spotted Delaz's broken body was propped up against a small house.

"Damn't," Lance said simply. Then turning his head, he yelled towards the others, "Hey guys, we have a downed monk here!"

Shaking his head, Lance continued on. Stopping in front of the Matriarch's house, Lance yelled.

"Matriarch, I bring a message from my master!"

"I'm going to help you, alright? Don't be afraid. After I bandage up your worst injuries, would yoou follow me to the infirmary? Or perhaps you need a stretcher brought out? I can arrange it ..."

Never looking up at her, Traigous replied in a raspy exhausted voice,

"The wounds... are nothing... I have not eaten... in many days..."

He then proceeded to stuff down the food down his throat greedily and with slightly more energy. His hands were visibly shaking as he tore at the loaf of month old bread.

just before pouring a painful disinfectant solution upon one of Traigous' wounds.

Unflinching, Traigous suddenly looked to the forest, where the destruction of the previous battle was very much eye-catching. Finishing the food presented to him, he looked up at the bewildered militiamen, his eyes asking for more--no, not asking... demanding. One young youth scrambled back into the village.

He looked at the delicate hands bandaging his wounds--his eyes never met hers. Clearing his throat silently as he drank the remaining water in the bowl, he said,

"Really... it is not... neccessary."

His mind was completely blank and he wondered at this strange reunion... just wondered at it... unable to comprehend himself, his change, what he saw in her dream, and her. He could not bring himself to tackle such thoughts of such a grand scale... not here... not now.

"I'm going to help you, alright? Don't be afraid. After I bandage up your worst injuries, would yoou follow me to the infirmary? Or perhaps you need a stretcher brought out? I can arrange it ..."

Never looking up at her, Traigous replied in a raspy exhausted voice,

"The wounds... are nothing... I have not eaten... in many days..."

He then proceeded to stuff down the food down his throat greedily and with slightly more energy. His hands were visibly shaking as he tore at the loaf of month old bread.

just before pouring a painful disinfectant solution upon one of Traigous' wounds.

Unflinching, Traigous suddenly looked to the forest, where the destruction of the previous battle was very much eye-catching. Finishing the food presented to him, he looked up at the bewildered militiamen, his eyes asking for more--no, not asking... demanding. One young youth scrambled back into the village.

He looked at the delicate hands bandaging his wounds--his eyes never met hers. Clearing his throat silently as he drank the remaining water in the bowl, he said,

"Really... it is not... neccessary."

His mind was completely blank and he wondered at this strange reunion... just wondered at it... unable to comprehend himself, his change, what he saw in her dream, and her. He could not bring himself to tackle such thoughts of such a grand scale... not here... not now.

The three were back at the inn, also noticing the arrival of Traigous, the drow. The elf-vampire was being carried by Nyssa and Eripthe was following her, like a child who has lost her doll. Nyssa laid her bedridden father and talked to Eripthe. "Sister, this is no time for weeping, go help the others, they will need you." Nyssa kissed Eripthe's cheek and went out of their room.

The monk and the archmage were in another room being healed by several clerics, so it was only a nuisance if she stayed there. She went downstairs were Traigous was staying. "Welcome back, master Drow." Eripthe smiled with humorless expression and bowed showing off her beautiful golden hair. "I have to assist your wounds, great one. Please stay still." Her cold hand gently swayed over Traigous body was slowly being healed with some kind of euphoric feeling, like morphine would.

"The wounds... are nothing... I have not eaten... in many days..."Kimli smirked at him while finishing her duty. "I can tell that as well. I can't believe the low-grade food they're giving you ... I could just ... grr" she said, exasperated at the stale bread they were feeding him. She tightened a bandage right as she growled, then bit her lip, looking up to be sure she hadn't hurt him.

He looked at the delicate hands bandaging his wounds--his eyes never met hers. Clearing his throat silently as he drank the remaining water in the bowl, he said,

"Really... it is not... neccessary."Kimli laughed a little at his unselfishness. "No ... it is necessary, and don't worry ... I am more than happy to help you." she said, looking over her workmanship before whispering to him behind a cupped hand, "And I promise when you get inside I'll get you some real food to quench your hunger and thirst." Kimli nodded, assured of herself, then stood up, brushing off her dress.

********************************

Shaking his head, Lance continued on. Stopping in front of the Matriarch's house, Lance yelled.

"Matriarch, I bring a message from my master!"

The matriarch snickered. "I'm sitting right here on the porch, young one. What is it your master has sent you to inform me of? I don't even recoignize you, who is it your master is?" she asked, placing her beadwork down beside her. She looked like any other villager, just old.

The three were back at the inn, also noticing the arrival of Traigous, the drow. The elf-vampire was being carried by Nyssa and Eripthe was following her, like a child who has lost her doll. Nyssa laid her bedridden father and talked to Eripthe. "Sister, this is no time for weeping, go help the others, they will need you." Nyssa kissed Eripthe's cheek and went out of their room.

The monk and the archmage were in another room being healed by several clerics, so it was only a nuisance if she stayed there. She went downstairs were Traigous was staying. "Welcome back, master Drow." Eripthe smiled with humorless expression and bowed showing off her beautiful golden hair. "I have to assist your wounds, great one. Please stay still." Her cold hand gently swayed over Traigous body was slowly being healed with some kind of euphoric feeling, like morphine would.

OOC: Ahem... no one can recognize him... no one every identifiable tell tale sign has changed... and by no extra-sensory means can one identify the half drow to be Traigous at this minute...

"Excuse me for my interruption, Matriarch. You do not know who I and my master are. My master is the leader of Mt. Mirror..."

Lance bowed politely.

"His message is that the fate of this world and the equilibrium between good and evil rests upon the fate of two people. One of them is a young elven woman, who my master believes you have met. The identity of the other, I do not know...

Slowly running his hand through his thin beard, Lance continued, "I have been sent by my master to protect this woman and find the identity of the other person... So much hedges on this that I shudder to think of the consequences of failure..."

Enigma and Linn noticed the guy in white yelling something about the fate of the world resting on something or others shoulders and went to see what all the commotion was about.

"Thanks for the help with Hezekiel. Who exactley are you, anyways?" Asked Enigma.

Liin yawned and went to the infirmiry to see how the casulties of the battle were doing. She stopped when she saw the shape Delza was in.

"Make a space here!" She said, wedgeing in between a trio of Clerics. Her hands hovered over the monk for a moment, and then green mana started to leak from her fingertips. The healing power of the forest was slowly repairing Delza's body, along with the help from other clerics.

"This is the least i can do for anyone at the moment" Though Liin.

OCC:Damn double posts!

"Excuse me for my interruption, Matriarch. You do not know who I and my master are. My master is the leader of Mt. Mirror..."

Lance bowed politely.

"His message is that the fate of this world and the equilibrium between good and evil rests upon the fate of two people. One of them is a young elven woman, who my master believes you have met. The identity of the other, I do not know...

Slowly running his hand through his thin beard, Lance continued, "I have been sent by my master to protect this woman and find the identity of the other person... So much hedges on this that I shudder to think of the consequences of failure...""I see ..." the matriarch cooed, picking up her beading project once more before folding it on her lap and looking up to the man. "I know too who fate lays her heavy burden upon. I would prefer it if you led on to no others of this mission, and followed through secretively, as I was told in a dream I had fifteen years ago that the fated two must come of their own free will and innocence to the fact. If one or both were to know their fate, it would be irrepairably changed and the end of races may arise no matter if they find what they seek or not." She quickly quieted down before Enigma and Linn came by, being sure that only Lance and herself knew of this. It was very important to her, Lance could easily see. She quickly returned to her beadery, humming an old tune as she did her duty.

OOC: I'm soo lost...I'll join again when the group moves on to the search of the goblet...let's say Atheril and Symbel are.....resting.

"Excuse me for my interruption, Matriarch. You do not know who I and my master are. My master is the leader of Mt. Mirror..."

Lance bowed politely.

"His message is that the fate of this world and the equilibrium between good and evil rests upon the fate of two people. One of them is a young elven woman, who my master believes you have met. The identity of the other, I do not know...

Slowly running his hand through his thin beard, Lance continued, "I have been sent by my master to protect this woman and find the identity of the other person... So much hedges on this that I shudder to think of the consequences of failure...""I see ..." the matriarch cooed, picking up her beading project once more before folding it on her lap and looking up to the man. "I know too who fate lays her heavy burden upon. I would prefer it if you led on to no others of this mission, and followed through secretively, as I was told in a dream I had fifteen years ago that the fated two must come of their own free will and innocence to the fact. If one or both were to know their fate, it would be irrepairably changed and the end of races may arise no matter if they find what they seek or not." She quickly quieted down before Enigma and Linn came by, being sure that only Lance and herself knew of this. It was very important to her, Lance could easily see. She quickly returned to her beadery, humming an old tune as she did her duty.

"As you wish, Matriarch."

Lance paused and whirled around when he heard the approach of Enigma and Linn. Bowing politely, Lance answered their questions.

"My name is Lance Crusade, a disciple of Master Zheng Bei of Mt. Mirror, who has sent me to track down the demon Hezekiel..."

OOC: OH, sorry Amerigo, I didn't know. Well you people can cancel my post with anything related to Traigous and Eripthe

Aelosia: well, we are back at the inn, and finished slaying Hezekiel. Traigous is back but only Kimli knows about it. Delaz, Azara and the elf-vampire are down. There are two new characters: Lance the knight of Mt. Mirror and Linn the brother of Enigma.

OOC: OH, sorry Amerigo, I didn't know. Well you people can cancel my post with anything related to Traigous and Eripthe

Aelosia: well, we are back at the inn, and finished slaying Hezekiel. Traigous is back but only Kimli knows about it. Delaz, Azara and the elf-vampire are down. There are two new characters: Lance the knight of Mt. Mirror and Linn the brother of Enigma.OOC: Sister, actually.

OOC: OK, I'll post later...

OOC: OH, sorry Amerigo, I didn't know. Well you people can cancel my post with anything related to Traigous and Eripthe

Aelosia: well, we are back at the inn, and finished slaying Hezekiel. Traigous is back but only Kimli knows about it. Delaz, Azara and the elf-vampire are down. There are two new characters: Lance the knight of Mt. Mirror and Linn the brother of Enigma.
OOc: Oh I think you might have read Elendilrim's post before she modified it... No one knows that thats Traigous...

Kimli laughed a little at his unselfishness. "No ... it is necessary, and don't worry ... I am more than happy to help you." she said, looking over her workmanship before whispering to him behind a cupped hand, "And I promise when you get inside I'll get you some real food to quench your hunger and thirst." Kimli nodded, assured of herself, then stood up, brushing off her dress.


Traigous, stumbled onto his feet, his strength returning slowly. He wavered and almost fell back down, but then rebalanced himself, always looking back down to the ground. Then he simply said,

"No need... All I need is to... rest... a bit. It's just... I have no gold to pay for any lodging..."

The sun was slowinly rising behind them. The town glowed in a crimson shade as the rays of light began to penetrate the darkness that had consumed the town. No villager could sleep after the nightmarish battle in the forest. All were nervously looking forward to the coming dawn, to wash away the horros of the previous night. Traigous noticed the strange bustle of the town at such an early time. Then, he paused and looked at the horse, still breathing heavily lying on the ground,

"I suppose... I can sell the horse." He then made several clumsy steps forward, then wavered and collapsed back to his kness. Then vomitted blood, the ground blurred in his eyes. His minor wounds seemed aflame. He slowly touched a wound on his shoulder... the blood seemed to be festering and turning a disgusting greenish color. He decided then that the drow somehow poisoned him. Nothing to worry about... If it hadn't killed him on the rider over there... The pain intensified, but it was nothing, nothing compared to what he felt during their tortures.

OOC: Before anyone says anything, it WAS nighttime during the battle between Hezekiel and the group. Why? Because we have three vampires and they are not likely to go trapsing around the forests and clearings during broad daylight. To correct any earlier mistakes in posts, let's just say that the power and fire and all that made it seem like daytime, which is why the whole town was awakened and bustling about during the battle and the aftermath. It is now the dawn of the fourth day into our travels, we have three days to get to Pandora mountain and another day or so to find the blood goblet before it disappears for another 15 years.

IC: Kimli spotted Traigous as he stumbled about, then gasped as he fell to his knees coughing blood and bleeding green. "My God! Hurry! Bring a stretcher!" Kimli screamed, two men from the infirmary coming quickly with what she asked. Traigous was brought into a private room of the infirmary where he could recover quietly and privately. Kimli crushed herbs and berries, bandaging his wounds and cleaning his clothing while the clerics of the town did their part dispelling the poison within him. She thought it could be days before the man could move around on his own, but that was only an assessment.

IC: Kimli spotted Traigous as he stumbled about, then gasped as he fell to his knees coughing blood and bleeding green. "My God! Hurry! Bring a stretcher!" Kimli screamed, two men from the infirmary coming quickly with what she asked. Traigous was brought into a private room of the infirmary where he could recover quietly and privately. Kimli crushed herbs and berries, bandaging his wounds and cleaning his clothing while the clerics of the town did their part dispelling the poison within him. She thought it could be days before the man could move around on his own, but that was only an assessment.

Inside the hut, Traigous seemed to grow better with every passing moment, quite strangely. The bleeding stopped, and the blood itself no longer had a diseased tint to it. He slept soundly, frozen in the position he lay. The scars beneath the open wounds were deep and numerous. The cause behind it was truly a perplexity, there was little on this earth that could have left such marks upon a body.

OOC: Elendilrim: can I clarify where in the world is James.

OOC: I'll post where he is right now ... thanks for reminding me ... ^_^

IC: James, after having returned from the battlefield, had entered the tavern/inn and sat amongst the other customers. He claimed an empty table with a candle lighting it from the center, and sat back in his wooden chair, crossing his feet at the ankles while his chair was tilted back and his feet now lay on the table. He pulled the dagger the elf-vampire had given him as a gift from the vampire's high council from its sheath and studied it in the dim candlelight. He wanting nothing but to relax a little before going to his room for his daily sleep. He could feel the sun coming up along the horizon, and just now began feeling the fatigue that would eventually keep him asleep all day long. He wondered how everyone else was doing after the battle, but for some reason didn't want to bother them if they were busy healing or patching themselves up.

OOC: NO prob. I needed to know anyway, since Nyssa has something to discuss with James.

IC:Nyssa left the room as well, placing Eripthe in charge of taking care of her father. She went to find where James was, she had some issues to settle, before they went on to the mountains. She saw James at the tavern/inn, surmising the dagger that her father gave him. "Is anyone seated here, my lord?" She signaled the barkeep. "A tankard of your finest ale." She sat down forgetting that she asked permission.

"It seems that my sister is a little bit of a blabber mouth, my lord. Our secret is out in the open, and neither me nor my father can ever erase." She paused thinking about their formal introductions. "We haven't been formally introduced, you know, my father doing all the talking." She smiled as she sipped her ale. "My name is Nyssa Telrúúnya, daughter of the Hierophant of the Steely Moon and the Moon goddess, the mother of all vampires. I am the assassin feared by name of the "Blood Maiden". My sister upstairs is Eripthe Telrúúnya, daughter of the Hierophant of the Steely Moon and an elf named Mistress Eleana Moonflow, the first apprentice of my father. She is known to be The High Priestess of Anolith. She sipped. "Yes, that is why we needed to protect our identity, to save me and my sister from the clutches of the council. Eripthe's mother should never know that we are what we are." She surmised James' dagger. "We are unfortunate not to have told you of our predicament, but my father has always been a proud vampire."

"Is anyone seated here, my lord?" She signaled the barkeep. "A tankard of your finest ale." She sat down forgetting that she asked permission."No, no ... " James spoke absentmindedly, placing the dagger on the table after shifting weight and removing his feet from the table. He looked to the keeper after Nyssa to be sure he wasn't going to dawdle with her request. He then looked to her and listened to every word she spoke. He didn't say a word, and seemed to be deep in thought about the whole thing. But what he was really doing was wondering what had become of Kimli now. Lately she'd been disappearing and becoming very antisocial. This wasn't like her at all.
"Yes, that is why we needed to protect our identity, to save me and my sister from the clutches of the council. Eripthe's mother should never know that we are what we are." She surmised James' dagger. "We are unfortunate not to have told you of our predicament, but my father has always been a proud vampire."James nodded to Nyssa, "Yes. I've never known an elder vampire to be much less than proud. He reminds me a lot of myself ..." he paused and blinked, never thinking those words would pass through his lips, but continued, "... I mean about his first apprentice ... Kimli is my first, and I've grown very close to her while raising her. You do know she speaks perfect elven AND ancient vampyric, right? It's amazing ... she's just barely fifteen." James rambled off somewhere, his eyes glazed over in thought. He soon snapped back to reality, however, and leaned back into his seat, picking up his dagger from the table and re-coupling the sheath to his belt. "I'm sorry. Back to what you were saying ... I can understand why you would be secretive, it's a very personal thing that nobody has a right to know unless you deem them worthy. I doubt this turn of events will cause any tension among the group, so no harm done. We'll be practically family when this whole thing is over anyhow. You know what they say about danger making quick, unbreakable friendships."

James yawned, "And if the council comes knocking, I'm sure we can convince the group to deny any relationship between you three ... so as to protect you from whatever it is you fear the council may do upon discovering this knowledge." He looked at the inn clock just as it began chiming six a.m. "Well ... it seems that dawn is finally upon us. Shall we retire, Nyssa Telrúúnya? I'm fairly sure everything here will remain calm until sunset." With another yawn, James stood, and wouldn't you know it that's when the bartender arrived with the ale. It only served to give James a good reason to laugh. He patted the man on the shoulder while shaking his head, and headed upstairs in a stately mood.

Lance staggered into the bar, sheathing his sword into its sheath on his back. Shaking his head and sighing, Lance walked over to the bar and sat down.

"A tankard of Aeliris Ale, please. And next round of drinks are on me..."

A second later, the bartender came back with the ale.

"Thank you."

Nodding at James and Nyssa, Lance began to sip his ale.

Traigous suddenly sat up rigid, in the bed, where he had slept. His face was covered in sweat and his eys were wide in horror. He sat, where he was, not making a sound, trying to gather himself, and remember where he was. Slowly, everything that had transpired, dawned on him, and looked about the room. There was an old cleric, sitting on a chair, emanating a soft snore, in the corner. There was no one else. Kmli was not inside at the moment.

He became aware of the strange garments he wore. A strange pale robe--that was faded from much use. The bed he lay in was composed of a matress stuffed with straw. He had slept for only a half hour or so, but nonetheless, he felt some of his energy had returned. He stood up and went outside, past the sleeping cleric. He had not seen the sun in too long a time.

Examining the small village, Traigous, noticed, the hunched figure of Kimli at a small rivelet, cleaning some clothing. The few people of the village had nervously moved to and fro, in a hurry to finish some trivial errand. They had all avoided him, and kept their distance. The rays of the sun had already embraced the small gathering of huts and houses.

He dallied in the sunlight, feeling its unimaginable warmth. He felt himself stripped of everything, then. The feeling tha flowed over him was a sense of liberation--he was free, then and there--free of all problems, of all issues of all thoughts. The rays of the sun drained him of all his problems, of everything.

For the first time in many years, he really felt alive. Truly alive. It was a feeling beyond comprehension. It is comparable to one reaching enlightenment. It was something that had transcended his senses and buried itself in the depth of his heart.

But then, he felt weakened, faint, and short of breath. He retreated back to the porch of the hut he had been in--and sat in hte shade, catching his breath.

OOC: Aelosia, I have a surprise package for you in this post.(refer to Azura chapter). This should thicken the thick plot.

---Nyssa chapter---

"I'm sorry. Back to what you were saying ... I can understand why you would be secretive, it's a very personal thing that nobody has a right to know unless you deem them worthy. I doubt this turn of events will cause any tension among the group, so no harm done. We'll be practically family when this whole thing is over anyhow. You know what they say about danger making quick, unbreakable friendships."

James yawned, "And if the council comes knocking, I'm sure we can convince the group to deny any relationship between you three ... so as to protect you from whatever it is you fear the council may do upon discovering this knowledge."

"I thank you my Lord. It seems that your words now soothe my tormented soul. The council cannot be as forgiving as you might now, my lord. They are comprised of ruthless men that are too proud to be mistaken. It is written in the vampire law, that only two can be born from our goddess, no more, no less. But it seems my Uncle Micheal has been murdered by the witch. I hope this ceases any acts of the council to find out." She also heard the morning chime. "Yes, it is time that we must relax our weary eyes. I bid you fair slumber, my lord." She respectfully kissed James on his cheek as they rose.

Nyssa bowed solemly at the knight. "My lord night. I bid you farewell and may your blessed journey with your tankard fill you well."

As she stepped back into their room, Eripthe was innocently sleeping on the elf-vampire's chest. "My dear sister, you are too tired." She carried her sister to her bed, as closed off the curtains, for her morning nap.

---Azura, Micheal, Zhenzhi, and Eleana chapter---

Vampire Mountain Encampment. The Cave of The Barbarians. Dawn.

Eleana barged in Micheal Spenser's temporary quarters. There she saw Azura, still disguised as the drow maiden, consulting with the vampire strategist. "I have to talk to you, Micheal. Without her." Pointing at the witch. Micheal slightly grinned with disgust for her rude interruption. "Very well, can you leave us momentarily, my dear. I have to discuss something with an old friend." Azura silently walked out of the quarters looking intently at Eleana Moonflow, apprentice of the elf-vampire and highest woman vampire elder.

"What is it you want, Eleana?" Micheal questioned sitting down and surmising the cave's map.
"I was informed by the council, when I came from a skirmish, that I would be fighting my master." Eleana shouted.
"So?" Micheal cooly replied.
"I have the magic of foresight, Micheal, don't you think I don't know. I sent my spies to the village where my master is currently staying. They have reported that he has temporarily been drained and has fallen in a deep sleep. His assistants are with him. But there is one point that concerns me, about the elf and the dragon maiden."
"What about them Eleana? Do you miss your heritage?" The strategist smiled.
"This concerns me Micheal. I would be challenging my master, the Hierophant of the Steely Moon. But not only that I would be fighting, the people who I love the most. Atheril and Symbel."

Kimli turned and looked up to where Traigous stood, shielding her eyes slightly from the sun with a hand. She gasped at the hastiness of his recovery and opened her mouth to greet him, to wish him a good morning. He stumbled back into the infirmary before she could utter the words, however, so she went back to cleaning his clothing. She knew he would be needing his rest still, and was still a bit worried for his health. When she had finished, she pinned them on the clothesline.

Kimli entered the infirmary and looked to her patient as she wiped her hands on the apron she'd been provided with. She smiled to him, nodded her head in his direction, and then woke the cleric, advising sleep to cure the tiredness he felt.

After the cleric left, Kimli took the chair over to where her guest sat and sat across from him. "Are you alright? You should have stayed in bed instead of greeting the morning. It was quite foolish. Would you like some breakfast? I'm sure you must still be hungry, as your journey seems to have been a long and tiring one." she said, running a hand through her hair and then braiding the knee-length locks as she spoke.

"Tell me. While on your travels did you run across some Drow Maidens and a half-drow male? He was being tortured horribly by the women. I know this because they sent me visions of his pain which tore me apart inside." she said, having to pause as her voice became emotional.

After calming down, she continued, "I don't know where you are from, but I noticed the clothes you were wearing looked like they may be Drow. I'm not sure, though." The hope in her voice that her guest knew something of Traigous was tremendous. He could see in her eyes how much she wanted to know that he, Traigous, was well. "I haven't received any visions lately ... and I'm afraid for him now more than ever." she said quietly, laying her finished hair on her lap as she looked down, trying not to cry.

****

James, meanwhile, went up to his room and closed the curtains, laying on the bed Kimli had slept in the day before. He stared at the ceiling for a few brief minutes before drifting into unconsciousness. Vampires aren't known for dreaming, so he simply ceased to be from that point. He would return to life once the sun went down over the horizon, no sooner. Nothing could wake him.

Atheril woke up at dawn, and after covering Symbel's body with a blanket he walked outside without making any noise, grabbing his slim two-handed sword...

The sun was rising when he left the inn and walked to a glade nearby. He pulled out the sword from the delicate sheath and began to practice with it, making smooth movements as his mind was lost in the memories, the lost and painful memories of Symbel's eggs, of his own family, of the death of Finduilas...

Lance Crusade sat quietly on a treelimb nearby, watching Atheril practicing. Instinctively, Lance touched his sword, the Sword of Cala, a magical hereditary weapon nearly 2000 years old. Watching Atheril practice, brought back many memories of Lance's painful childhood.

Lance was born the son of the Heaven's Prop Swordmaster, Ray Crusade, renowned throughout the lands as a master swordsmen. When he was only four, Lance's home was attacked by an army of 10,000 fighters bent upon the death of Ray Crusade. Ray fought bravely, holding the enemy long enough for his family to escape and killing approximately 3,142 men. But at the end, he died, pierced by hundreds of swords, arrows, and spears. Lance, borne by his mother, the daughter of the Master of Mt. Mirror, escaped south, travelling until they arrived at the Mt. Mirror. From there, Lance was raised to be a powerful swordsman. Brought up imbued with a sense of honor and loyalty, Lance was ferociously loyal to his friends and family and vowed to avenge thedeath of his father...

The Vampire Encampment. Caves of the Barbarians. Morning.

"Are you saying that you cannot kill them, Lady Eleana?" Micheal questioned after Eleana's surprising response.
She paused.
"The council high elder gave me strict orders to destroy the caravan of the vampire James, and that is what I intend to do." She said with such disappointment.
"Very well, don't betray me, Eleana. I am not as merciful as my brother when it comes to treachery. You will burn will the others if you do."

Eleana went out of Micheal's quarters as she met the witch side-by-side. "What are you looking at, drow?! She glared at the drow. She walked further and into her own tent.

As the witch entered Micheal's tent once again. "What in the world was that, my love?" The witch questioned her strategist.
"Oh, some morality problems by Lady Eleana. As you might know she is an elf-vampire. They say that my brother turned her into a blood hunter during the battle between Atheril's village and his vampire army that got out of hand. Eleana was some friend or something in relation to that elf and his dragon maiden. Where were we?" He quickly changed topic.

"We were planning what method to strike best?" The witch responded.

"I suggest that we ambush them here and then set up magical dividers for our fighting purposes since the magical aura of Mysthra will keep those pesky magics of his at bay." Micheal pointed at the mountain trail map as he said his strategy.

OCC:Ive missed alot.....

IC:Linn was finished healing Delza, and hoped that he would wake soon. In the meantime, she walked up to the inn and entered her room, where she found her brother.

"Why are you herer, Enigma? Whats the real reson?" Asked Linn. She was curious as to where her brother had been for the past decade.

"You know perfectly well why," Replied her Brother. "Although it was chance i came upon James's invatation, i knew what i was going on this quest to do as soon as i arrived at his manor. You and i both know what the Blood Goblet could do for us. With it we could pull the kingdom out of Father's grasp."

"Do you really think you could defeat him?" Wondered Linn.

"I indend too," He said Defiently. "I mean to face him, even if i dont have the Goblet, and defeat him. Of course, i am only going to seize the Goblet if the oppertunity presents itself. The others are looking towards it as well, and it wll be a desperate race at the end. It is not essential, but the blood goblet would make our lives a whole lot easier."

"How much time do we have until the goblet dissaperes again? Asked Linn.

"Not sure. Ill ask james tomorrow. We had better get some sleep."

OOC: :roll: Aelosia, do you read my posts? It's MORNING. :x He couldn't possibly have woken at midnight, it's barely dawn in the last post! :? Here's how the journey goes, nights we move and fight, days we rest and sleep. That's the way it goes. Please edit your post. :)

After the cleric left, Kimli took the chair over to where her guest sat and sat across from him. "Are you alright? You should have stayed in bed instead of greeting the morning. It was quite foolish. Would you like some breakfast? I'm sure you must still be hungry, as your journey seems to have been a long and tiring one." she said, running a hand through her hair and then braiding the knee-length locks as she spoke.

He looked at her blankly, and although his eyes were focused at her face, he avoided staring into her eyes. The dulled flame still burned in his eyes, and it was almost frightening to guess at what could have ignited such a pyre. Traigous's eyes before were dulled, lifeless, and withdrawn. They were artificial orbs that stared beyond the Earth. After the torture chambers of the Drow, his eyes glowed with the fire of life. He was reawkaned in a cruel fury. He made no response, but grumbled something under his nose to aknowledge that he heard her speak.


"Tell me. While on your travels did you run across some Drow Maidens and a half-drow male? He was being tortured horribly by the women. I know this because they sent me visions of his pain which tore me apart inside." she said, having to pause as her voice became emotional.

After calming down, she continued, "I don't know where you are from, but I noticed the clothes you were wearing looked like they may be Drow. I'm not sure, though." The hope in her voice that her guest knew something of Traigous was tremendous. He could see in her eyes how much she wanted to know that he, Traigous, was well. "I haven't received any visions lately ... and I'm afraid for him now more than ever." she said quietly, laying her finished hair on her lap as she looked down, trying not to cry.

He listened intently until she was finished, his heart wrenching in all directions as he watched her grief, manifest itself in such a vivid fashion. He paused unable to fabricate any words that he could say. There was nothing. Nothing that could explain everything, nothing that would clarify the muddled situation. There was nothing. But then the words, surfaced, and they scared him. They truly scared him. His lips moved and the tone, in which he spoke was maddening--who was this man who had taken control of his tongue?

"We take.... we take much for granted in every passing moment of our life. Each moment escapes us and we are not aware of it. Torture. Torture makes us aware. Torture confirms life. We feel every second... Every moment. It sears our senses in ways that we could not comprehend. The Drow excel at torture. They made every moment count. After, it is over, if we survive, we truly live. We truly live. It changes the survivor."

He paused as he stared inwardly at himself in horror. What was this? His lips trembled as he spoke the next three brief words.

"Traigous is dead."

After the cleric left, Kimli took the chair over to where her guest sat and sat across from him. "Are you alright? You should have stayed in bed instead of greeting the morning. It was quite foolish. Would you like some breakfast? I'm sure you must still be hungry, as your journey seems to have been a long and tiring one." she said, running a hand through her hair and then braiding the knee-length locks as she spoke.

He looked at her blankly, and although his eyes were focused at her face, he avoided staring into her eyes. The dulled flame still burned in his eyes, and it was almost frightening to guess at what could have ignited such a pyre. Traigous's eyes before were dulled, lifeless, and withdrawn. They were artificial orbs that stared beyond the Earth. After the torture chambers of the Drow, his eyes glowed with the fire of life. He was reawkaned in a cruel fury. He made no response, but grumbled something under his nose to aknowledge that he heard her speak.


"Tell me. While on your travels did you run across some Drow Maidens and a half-drow male? He was being tortured horribly by the women. I know this because they sent me visions of his pain which tore me apart inside." she said, having to pause as her voice became emotional.

After calming down, she continued, "I don't know where you are from, but I noticed the clothes you were wearing looked like they may be Drow. I'm not sure, though." The hope in her voice that her guest knew something of Traigous was tremendous. He could see in her eyes how much she wanted to know that he, Traigous, was well. "I haven't received any visions lately ... and I'm afraid for him now more than ever." she said quietly, laying her finished hair on her lap as she looked down, trying not to cry.

He listened intently until she was finished, his heart wrenching in all directions as he watched her grief, manifest itself in such a vivid fashion. He paused unable to fabricate any words that he could say. There was nothing. Nothing that could explain everything, nothing that would clarify the muddled situation. There was nothing. But then the words, surfaced, and they scared him. They truly scared him. His lips moved and the tone, in which he spoke was maddening--who was this man who had taken control of his tongue?

"We take.... we take much for granted in every passing moment of our life. Each moment escapes us and we are not aware of it. Torture. Torture makes us aware. Torture confirms life. We feel every second... Every moment. It sears our senses in ways that we could not comprehend. The Drow excel at torture. They made every moment count. After, it is over, if we survive, we truly live. We truly live. It changes the survivor."

He paused as he stared inwardly at himself in horror. What was this? His lips trembled as he spoke the next three brief words.

"Traigous is dead."

OOC: uh oh ... now you've gone and got Kimli angry ... :twisted:

IC: Kimli listened intently as the traveler spoke what he knew. She nodded at his mentioning of how people takee things for granted and how torture relieves them of this inhibition because the Drow know to make every second count. She even nodded in understanding as he spoke of the tortured becoming a completely different person because of the ordeal. But his last words both frightened and enraged her. After he spoke them her hands clentched her borrowed apron mercilessly, her eyes widened and filled with tears, her lips went slack, and she uttered a horrible gasp which mirrored every minute sensation she felt in that small instant. It was as if someone had punched her in the stomach, and now was proceeding to rip her insides from her.

"Traigous is dead."Kimli's breaths became more rapid as she seemed to gasp for air, her eyes reddening as a trembling hand covered her mouth in an effort to help her keep from sobbing aloud. She slowly stood and turned from him, just in time for a random number of tears to stain her cheeks as she blinked the rest back.

But before he could have said anything, Kimli turned on him and with gritted teeth ripped her apron off and tossed it on the ground. "YOU LIE! IT WAS ANOTHER!" she screamed at him, her heart and soul protesting with every beat and breath this truth she wouldn't and couldn't accept. Suddenly ashamed of her anger, however, Kimli ran from the infirmary and out into the deep forest far from everyone. She wouldn't stop running until she reached a deep river she soon noticed was used by the village to gather water by a bucket on a dipping pole she caught sight of nearby.

Kimli sat with her back against an oak tree just five feet from said river, crying openly now since she was finally alone to do so. But the anger which burned within her at what the traveler had said caused no relief to come to her with the tears. She looked to the river to calm herself, and, still gasping for air and sobbing, suddenly experienced chest pains to go along with it. She gripped her chest and yelped at the pain, but was unable to scream. When she looked to the river once more, she saw it suddenly begin to boil even as it swiftly flowed past her sanctuary. The water continued to boil as Kimli remained in pain, but soon the pain faded away and the water calmed. It was as if all the pain and anger she felt had been given to the river, because now she rested against the oak quietly, sleeping off the fatigue of using an innate power unknown to her.

"What monstrosity have I become?" he asked himself aloud, as Kimli stormed outside. He grasped for a bowl of water not far by, and stared at his reflection--but it was not his own face, but a face of madness. A horrible effigy stared back at him, the eyes burning with an inexplicable power. He threw the bowl down to the ground and it shattered before him. The reflection gone.

"No!" he screamed and ran out the hut following her tracks. As the warm rays of the sun once again embraced him, the same creeping sickness fell over him, and his brisk sprint slowed to a stagger. He persisted despite the upsurge of pain. He had to explain. He had to explain. Every word that transversed the air, had echoed its hollowed vibrations in erroneous ways. That is not what he had meant to say. What had he meant to say? What was he now? He was unsure, but he was sure that he had to make ammends for the jagged words that had escaped his lips.

A state of chaotic confusion was all he felt. He was unsure where he was going, and the faint footprints of Kimli burned with a searing intensity. He could barely keep to his feet as his vision began blurring. He bit his lips, with persistance, and the intensity with which his teeth descended upon his lips, pierced flesh and blood slowly oozed forth. He stumbled onward like a drunkard, the pain slowly dulling, drowned upon by a worse pain. A pain that emanated from inside a pain that drove him forward. He could barely see, he could barely think, and yet he trudged on passed the startled villages, into the forest following the burning red tracks.

A river took shape before his eyes. The figure of Kimli stood out from the blurred world about him. He stopped and stood where he was, as the sun shed its bright rays upon him. In a strained barely audible voice, he whispered,

"Kimli..."

He shut his eyes, but never dared move from where he stood. He did not stumble nor fall. He stood rigid, where he was, still--so unnaturally still.

The pain was nothing. Nothing. He opened his eyes again, and saw Kimli lying, resting, sleeping, leaning against a large oak. He saw nothing else. And dared not move, lest he'd lost his focus. The rays beat down mercilessly upon his shoulders. He spread his arms, then and let the pain consume him. A single thought consumed his mind,

"Let the pain fester and last. I have caused enough pain to the girl, and now I must accept what I deserve."

His eyes never left her, leaning against the large oak tree.

OOC: uh oh ... now you've gone and got Kimli angry ... :twisted:

IC: Kimli listened intently as the traveler spoke what he knew. She nodded at his mentioning of how people takee things for granted and how torture relieves them of this inhibition because the Drow know to make every second count. She even nodded in understanding as he spoke of the tortured becoming a completely different person because of the ordeal. But his last words both frightened and enraged her. After he spoke them her hands clentched her borrowed apron mercilessly, her eyes widened and filled with tears, her lips went slack, and she uttered a horrible gasp which mirrored every minute sensation she felt in that small instant. It was as if someone had punched her in the stomach, and now was proceeding to rip her insides from her.

"Traigous is dead."Kimli's breaths became more rapid as she seemed to gasp for air, her eyes reddening as a trembling hand covered her mouth in an effort to help her keep from sobbing aloud. She slowly stood and turned from him, just in time for a random number of tears to stain her cheeks as she blinked the rest back.

But before he could have said anything, Kimli turned on him and with gritted teeth ripped her apron off and tossed it on the ground. "YOU LIE! IT WAS ANOTHER!" she screamed at him, her heart and soul protesting with every beat and breath this truth she wouldn't and couldn't accept. Suddenly ashamed of her anger, however, Kimli ran from the infirmary and out into the deep forest far from everyone. She wouldn't stop running until she reached a deep river she soon noticed was used by the village to gather water by a bucket on a dipping pole she caught sight of nearby.

Kimli sat with her back against an oak tree just five feet from said river, crying openly now since she was finally alone to do so. But the anger which burned within her at what the traveler had said caused no relief to come to her with the tears. She looked to the river to calm herself, and, still gasping for air and sobbing, suddenly experienced chest pains to go along with it. She gripped her chest and yelped at the pain, but was unable to scream. When she looked to the river once more, she saw it suddenly begin to boil even as it swiftly flowed past her sanctuary. The water continued to boil as Kimli remained in pain, but soon the pain faded away and the water calmed. It was as if all the pain and anger she felt had been given to the river, because now she rested against the oak quietly, sleeping off the fatigue of using an innate power unknown to her.

Lance observed Kimli's usage of her innate power hidden in the branches of one of the trees across the river. Intrigued, Lance dropped down to the ground and easily jumped over the river. Walking slowly towards Kimli, Lance looked over her and noted the presence of some strange residue in her hands. Surprised by the residue, Lance kneeled down and began to gather some of the residue. Wanting to take the residue with him to analyze, Lance knew that Kimli's power would grow nearly infinitely...

Linn awoke from her slumber as she heard a shout. She groggily pulled open the window and witnessed Kimli running in to the woods at a breakneck pace, followed a few minutes later by a man in a cloak, whom Linn had not seen before.

"Hello, Whats this?" Liin muttured under her breath as the cloaked man travled in the same direction as Kimli. Silent as a jaguar, she leapt out of the window and tracked the man's footprints. She noticed that they didnt quite look human. "Kimli......" Linn worried that somthing was amiss. She followed the mans prints and saw him standing by a river. She noticed Kimli nearby, on the ground.

"Uh oh, This dosent look good." Linn decided to wait diligintly in the shadows until she understood what was going on.

Lance observed Kimli's usage of her innate power hidden in the branches of one of the trees across the river. Intrigued, Lance dropped down to the ground and easily jumped over the river. Walking slowly towards Kimli, Lance looked over her and noted the presence of some strange residue in her hands. Surprised by the residue, Lance kneeled down and began to gather some of the residue. Wanting to take the residue with him to analyze, Lance knew that Kimli's power would grow nearly infinitely...
Kimli shifted in position slightly as Lance came near. Then, as he collected the colored film from her hands, she awoke with a start. Her eyes were blurry, so she screamed, scooting back only to smack her head against the thick bark of her shady tree. After rubbing her eyes and taking a second look, she noticed who it was. "I'm sorry ..." she said quietly, looking off to the side, her arms crossed over her chest for what seemed like support. She was still very tired from her expenditure, and her hands shook very slightly as if she was cold.

He shut his eyes, but never dared move from where he stood. He did not stumble nor fall. He stood rigid, where he was, still--so unnaturally still.

The pain was nothing. Nothing. He opened his eyes again, and saw Kimli lying, resting, sleeping, leaning against a large oak. He saw nothing else. And dared not move, lest he'd lost his focus. The rays beat down mercilessly upon his shoulders. He spread his arms, then and let the pain consume him. A single thought consumed his mind,

"Let the pain fester and last. I have caused enough pain to the girl, and now I must accept what I deserve."

His eyes never left her, leaning against the large oak tree.
Kimli looked around, then quickly stood, looking down the path where she had come. That's when she saw the traveler. She scratched her head, wrung her hands together a bit, then slowly moved towards him. She was unsteady, and pressed a hand to each tree she passed for support, but was intent on apologizing for her behavior.

Once she got close enough, she saw he was in great pain. "You shouldn't be out here. You're in pain." she said, just loud enough to be heard by him. "Come on ... let's go back to the infirmary ... I think I'm going to rest for awhile as well." she added, moving slowly past the traveler and towards her final destination. The town.

"Hello, Whats this?" Linn muttured under her breath as the cloaked man travled in the same direction as Kimli. Silent as a jaguar, she leapt out of the window and tracked the man's footprints. She noticed that they didnt quite look human. "Kimli......" Linn worried that somthing was amiss. She followed the mans prints and saw him standing by a river. She noticed Kimli nearby, on the ground.

"Uh oh, This dosent look good." Linn decided to wait diligintly in the shadows until she understood what was going on.
Kimli grew more tired every step she took and soon needed to rest, leaning against another nearby tree. She looked back to the traveler to be sure he was coming as well, and gave verbal support for this action. "Come on. Now. I'll not have you dying out here because of my hasty words and deeds. Let's go." After those words, Kimli fainted.

Kimli looked around, then quickly stood, looking down the path where she had come. That's when she saw the traveler. She scratched her head, wrung her hands together a bit, then slowly moved towards him. She was unsteady, and pressed a hand to each tree she passed for support, but was intent on apologizing for her behavior.

Once she got close enough, she saw he was in great pain. "You shouldn't be out here. You're in pain." she said, just loud enough to be heard by him. "Come on ... let's go back to the infirmary ... I think I'm going to rest for awhile as well." she added, moving slowly past the traveler and towards her final destination. The town.

Waken from his bizarre daze, he looked intently at Kimli. His mouth opened to speak the words that needed to be spoken. But all the explanations swarmed forward too fast and nothing could get through. Not one word, could he utter, with the multitudes of explanations, apologies, pleas, choking him. He stood where he was speechless.




Kimli grew more tired every step she took and soon needed to rest, leaning against another nearby tree. She looked back to the traveler to be sure he was coming as well, and gave verbal support for this action. "Come on. Now. I'll not have you dying out here because of my hasty words and deeds. Let's go." After those words, Kimli fainted.

He watched as her delicate figure crumbled and collapsed onto the ground. Alarmed he ran to her. He no longer felt the pain rush through his body, but instead he felt it surge through his heart. He knelt down beside her and looked down at her. His face was pale. What ill could have overtaken her? Was it the doing of his words? His words? But... Why... Why did those three words carry such power--such wretched power. Carefully he picked her up in his arms and carried her slowly back to the town.

Lance appeared behind the cloaked figure. Drawing his ghost-titanium sword, the Sword of Cala, Lance moved to five feet behind the figure.

"Stop! Unhand her now!!!"

With surprising agility, Lance jumped over the figure and blocked his way. With his piercing gaze, Lance glared at the figure.

"What are you!?!" Lance questioned the figure, "Who are you!?!"

As Lance questioned the figure, a strange telekinetic mote touched his head. With surprising clarity, Lance began to understand things.

"You were once something different weren't you?" Lance said cocking his head, "Aren't you?"

Satisfied that the figure meant no harm, Lance sheathed the Sword of Cala.

Moving closer, Lance said, "Put her down and let me check her."

(OOC: Changed to take into account that Amerigo does not want Traigous to be known to reappear)

OOC: FCN ... I must ask you to change your post slighty. Amerigo made it painfully clear that he didn't want anyone to know he was back, so you cannot simply use telepathy and undo all his work at keeping everyone in the dark about this. Also, his thoughts of late have been quite jumbled up. Even HE has been wondering who he was, so it is very unlikely anyone, even a psionic, could shovel through all those confused thoughts to see the truth. So please change your post to delete the portion where you realized who he was. Thank you.

EDIT: FCN ... could you please change that again ... perhaps this time avoiding even saying he was a part of the party? Perhaps you could write that your psionic powers told you that he was no harm, not who he was or what relation he had to the group. Okay? It's kind of the same thing saying "part of the party" as "Traigous" ... he's the only one missing from the party. Please change, sorry for the inconvenience ... thankies. ^_^

OOC: FCN ... I must ask you to change your post slighty. Amerigo made it painfully clear that he didn't want anyone to know he was back, so you cannot simply use telepathy and undo all his work at keeping everyone in the dark about this. Also, his thoughts of late have been quite jumbled up. Even HE has been wondering who he was, so it is very unlikely anyone, even a psionic, could shovel through all those confused thoughts to see the truth. So please change your post to delete the portion where you realized who he was. Thank you.

(OOC: Post has been edited...)

(OOC: Post has been edited...)

OOC: check again, you'll have to edit it once more, it's still wrong. see my other reprimand post for details.

(OOC: *sighs...* edited once more...)

OOC: I'll just post when it is night time again.

Linn frowned. The cloaked figure did not want to harm Kiml, it seems. He picked the Half Elf up carefully in his arms and headed in the direction of town. Suddenly, Lance was blocking the way. He demanded for Kimli to be put down.

A sudden surge in Linn's heart made her step out of the cover of the trees and reveal herself.

"Let them go," She said to Lance quitely. "Dont hinder them. I dont think he means any harm to her."

Traigous trudged on around Lance, as if he was nothing but another tree. HE made no aknowledgement of what he said, or of anything he had done. It was as if there was no one there at all. There was a strange brooding aura about him, as there once was not so long ago. He retraced his own steps back to the town, back to the infirmary. He walked in, oblivious to everything about him, oblivious to all the people, to all the faces.

Very slowly and delicately he laid her down on the bed where he had slept.
He looked at her, for a brief split second. Then his eyes slowly turned away, his ears listening to her soft breathing. Enthralled in the gentle rhythm, he stood where he was for several minutes, the physical pain slowly fading. He felt relieved of all his burdens and all his pains, standing there, looking at the floor, daring not to look at the sleeping beauty before him.

For a moment there, time slowed for him, and he truly felt happy. He glanced at her face once more, and with a sudden worry dawning upon him, he left the hut in search for a cleric or healer. It was strange that she should suddenly faint in such a fashion and the more he thought about it the more troubled he grew.

Lance followed the stranger back to the village and watched as he went into an inn and put Kimli gently down onto a bed. He watched as the stranger left the inn bound for parts unknown.

Sighing, Lance sat down beside Kimli and checked her pulse through her wrist. Satisfied that nothing was wrong with Kimli, Lance stood up, moved the bloody and dirty blanket used by the stranger, walked over to the dresser in the room, and pulled out a warm blanket, which he covered Kimli with.

Lance then walked out of the room and the inn. Watching his surroundings closely, he saw the stranger rushing around. Believing that the stranger was thinking about finding a cleric or healer, Lance ran after him.

"She's going to be fine... She just dropped from exhaustion. The last couple of days must have taken their toll on her..." Lance said, while placing a reassuring hand on the stranger's shoulder and not revealing the truth about Kimli's condition.

In reality, Kimli's usage of her innate and latent telekinetic powers had forced a minute transformation of the neural paths of her brain, unlocking a previous hidden part, unlocking unlimited access to her physic powers... But the changes to the neural paths took a heavy toll on her already frayed nerves and energy...

"She's going to be fine... She just dropped from exhaustion. The last couple of days must have taken their toll on her..." Lance said, while placing a reassuring hand on the stranger's shoulder and not revealing the truth about Kimli's condition.


Traigous stared blankly at him, for a brief moment and then anger flashed through his eyes. The fire burned inside, more brightly than ever before.

"Who do you think you are?!" he snapped with a sudden outburst of power, violently swiping Lance's hand of his shoulder. Staring directly into his eyes, Traigous continued,

"I have not seen you before in my life. You brandish your sword against me. You pretend like you know... know... You know nothing... Fool! Stay away. Do not cross me. Do not dare cross me. Spare me your lies. Spare me your pathetic speeches! Do not pretend you have seen The Abyss and step backwards into the world! Do not pretend that you've seen you're own entrails strung about your neck! I have seen... I have seen. I do not need your help!"

He paused for a second and with a barb of hatred entrenched in his words hissed, "She does not need your help. Leave. Leave, while you still possess your soul."

With that he turned away and walked back to the infirmary, where Kimli lay sleeping. He walked enraged, violently swiping away anyone who dallied too long in his path astonished by the flame and blood in his eyes.

He entered the chamber and sat down onto the ground facing the door. His mind entrenched in thoughts beyond the understandings of mortals, and thus beyond the understanding of his own mind.

Lance laughed at the obnoxious comments of the stranger...

You know nothing yourself... I witnessed the armies of the Enemy gathering... I saw them massacre millions... I saw things that you cannot hope to imagine. I have been killed and reborn many a time... I have seen my own body torn apart. And yet you believe that I know nothing? You are a fool, whoever you are. You have been used by the Enemy all this time... I should kill you, but yet I pity you... You believe you can change anything, yet your pathetic powers can do nothing...

Brushing the stranger aside, Lance began to walk away. Taking two steps, Lance turned around.

Your presence will in the end harm the ones you care most about... Consider what I have said and choose your path...

OOC: Oh my ... this is getting mighty interesting mighty fast ... lol ... nothing like a *imitates hissing sounds and makes clawing actions with her hands* between men. Quite refreshing. :wink:

IC: Kimli slept comfortably for the most part, at some small intervals mumbling nonsense words that were barely audible and much less logical. At some points it was as if she was having a conversation with someone when in fact no one was there speaking with her.

Suddenly, Kimli sat up in the bed with a look of terror in her wide, gray eyes. They flashed once, dimmed, then returned to normal all without blinking. She paused where she was as if time had stopped, then blinked a few times and looked at her surroundings. "What ... what am I doing in your bed?" she asked, noticing the traveller sitting there on the floor. She got up and out of it as if nothing had happened and then turned and made the bed. "Are you hungry yet? I'm sure am famished ... I feel as if I haven't eaten in weeks!" she said, laughing lightly as she walked outside to see if his clothes were dry yet.

Turning to come back inside, it would become apparant she didn't remember what had happened earlier. She looked over the traveller's wounds and checked his progress as if he'd never said anything to her in the first place. "Come now ... tell me what you'd like to eat. Don't make me choose! I'll bring you something nutritous and tasteless if you do!" she said with a laugh, shaking a chiding forefinger. She felt re-energized and all-around good, stronger than before. But she wouldn't know why. Not yet.

"Is it halfway to noon already? Where have I been all morning?"

Lance walked up the creaky steps of the stairs of the tavern carrying a plate of food. Walking to the room where Kimli and the stranger were staying, Lance knocked on the door.

"Hello, I've brought some food here..."

Traigous looked back at her, and got up from the floor, blinked several times returning to reality. It took a while before the words she had uttered made sense. But then came a knock at the door, with a look of irritation he opened the door. Traigous appeared calm , this time, when he faced the stranger.

"Ah! So it's the fool, who is bursting with egoism! What now? You are a servant? Briging forth a plate of food? Is this not above your mighty powers."

He thought, "Let the fool think what he wishes. He knows nothing. Perhaps it is for the best. Knowledge is dangerous."

He took the tray of food from him, with a mocking smirk on his face. In his meditations his mood had changed, changed very much so. He knew what needed to be done now. He shut the door dissmissively right in fron of Lance and turned back toawrd Kimli. His mind was in a state of the upmost clarity once again.

His cheerful expression turned serious, in a matter of moments, as he stared forward into her eyes.

"Kimli," he said softly, "What I have said... it needs further explaining."

He paused, for a second, and just by looking into her eyes, he grew slightly nervous by each passing moment.

"Change. Change is death and death is change. The body, which Traigous occupied, I occupy. But I am Traigous no more. I have become something else. I have changed passed this. Traigous is dead. I... am someone else. I suppose, Traigous is still a part of me. Although, now I am a nameless other."

He paused,

"I'm sorry."

OOC: Oh dear ... I feel the animosity thickening ...

IC: Kimli blinked in surprise as the traveller was so purely rude to Lance. She arched a brow curiously, and her jaw dropped as he slammed the door in Lance's face. "What was that all about?" Kimli asked, astonished at such pure dislike between two people.

"Kimli," he said softly, "What I have said... it needs further explaining."

He paused, for a second, and just by looking into her eyes, he grew slightly nervous by each passing moment.

"Change. Change is death and death is change. The body, which Traigous occupied, I occupy. But I am Traigous no more. I have become something else. I have changed passed this. Traigous is dead. I... am someone else. I suppose, Traigous is still a part of me. Although, now I am a nameless other."

He paused,

"I'm sorry."
Kimli looked at him like he was crazy. "W-w-what?" she studdered, furrowing her brows in failed understanding. "Are you insane?" she asked skeptically, grabbing the plate from his hands and turning around place it on a table. Her back still to him, she said one more thing before letting go of the plate. "Traigous ... you are completely different from Traigous ... you can't be him ... he wouldn't have kept his identity from me ... not from me ..." she whispered those last words, a hand clasping the middle of her chest lightly. She lowered her head a little, realizing how stupid that sounded, being as she barely knew the guy. Being in an orc battle with him really made her seem close to him, though, especially since he had thrown himself over her while she lay unconscious so she wouldn't be harmed by the falling arrows.

"I better leave you to eat and get dressed ... I'll come back in a couple hours, okay?" she said quietly.

Kimli looked at him like he was crazy. "W-w-what?" she studdered, furrowing her brows in failed understanding. "Are you insane?" she asked skeptically, grabbing the plate from his hands and turning around place it on a table. Her back still to him, she said one more thing before letting go of the plate. "Traigous ... you are completely different from Traigous ... you can't be him ... he wouldn't have kept his identity from me ... not from me ..." she whispered those last words, a hand clasping the middle of her chest lightly. She lowered her head a little, realizing how stupid that sounded, being as she barely knew the guy. Being in an orc battle with him really made her seem close to him, though, especially since he had thrown himself over her while she lay unconscious so she wouldn't be harmed by the falling arrows.

"I better leave you to eat and get dressed ... I'll come back in a couple hours, okay?" she said quietly.

Traigous didn't move. He stood silently, looking at her, his face blank and emotionless--or at least almost. There were traces of some hidden emotion dawning on him. Into the scarred features of his face.

"Please wait," his said his tone sounded almost pleading, but not quite. It was quite obvious he did his best to mask the emotion in his tone.

"I am not hungry, but I... I need to explain everything. Everything... before... While I still can put it all in words. You have noticed the change, have you not? I am not Traigous anymore. I am a nameless spirit, washed in the blood of Traigous, with the soul of Traigous."

He took several steps toward her, nervously and continued,

"I... have... greatly...miss..." he stopped himself then and then hung his head down with a new gloom overtaking his previous mood. He looked at her again and in a soft half-whisper said,

"I am sorry... I... You are much too kind to stand my wretched presense. I have changed and I... perhaps now more than ever, wish that it had never occured. This new creature that stands before you, is not worthy to be in your graceful presense. You no doubt seek to politely leave, and I... merely... I am once again, sorry. For all the woe I had caused you in this new disgusting state of being. I will spare you the awkwardness of this... this... I hope I can behold the sweet tenor of your voice later this day, even from afar. I am most undeserving of... your grace. I will leave now, but... I will return later today."

He turned around to hide the look of pain splattered all over his face and slowly moved toward the door. His heart was beating slowly firmly lodged in his throat. He did his best to maintain his composure, but the darkness once more had enveloped him.

Lance took a step back and although silently fuming, controlled his temper.

"Wow... Well that was interesting..."

Although angry at the stranger, Lance wheeled around and walked out of the inn, walked out of the town, and towards the forest. Gazing out into the blasted lands that once was a beautiful verdant forest, Lance sat down onto the ground and pondered the situation.

"Now, who is this guy supposed to be? What an idiot... Hm..."

As he thought, Lance idly unsheathed the Sword of Cala and a piece of cloth and began to clean the sword.

Hm... The guy must be jealous... Oh well, he just made a fool of himself in front of his "girlfriend..."

As he thought, Lance instinctively began to practice his sword. As his swordplay progressed, Lance's angry began to cool...

(OOC: Amerigo, Traigous is really lucky that Lance's can control his temper or our two characters would be fighting each other right now, the result of which would be your character being used to mop the floor...)

(OOC: Amerigo, Traigous is really lucky that Lance's can control his temper or our two characters would be fighting each other right now, the result of which would be your character being used to mop the floor...)

OOC: Well of course all of your charecters have powers much greater than gods... ahem... Please do not unleash you wide array of powers against such a weak charecter as mine. I suppose your charecter can stop time as well and can fly and don't tell me let me guess he's probably half super-dragon with a mix of angel demon devil drow and wolf, eh? And of course he'll have to destroy armies and forests alike (27% of them)! So much power! He probably has to be very careful not destroy the Earth, eh? Because I bet, if he stomps his foot too hard it'll just spin out of orbit!

(OOC: Amerigo, Traigous is really lucky that Lance's can control his temper or our two characters would be fighting each other right now, the result of which would be your character being used to mop the floor...)

OOC: Well of course all of your charecters have powers much greater than gods... ahem... Please do not unleash you wide array of powers against such a weak charecter as mine. I suppose your charecter can stop time as well and can fly and don't tell me let me guess he's probably half super-dragon with a mix of angel demon devil drow and wolf, eh? And of course he'll have to destroy armies and forests alike (27% of them)! So much power! He probably has to be very careful not destroy the Earth, eh? Because I bet, if he stomps his foot too hard it'll just spin out of orbit!

(OOC: He doesn't have any special powers, except for being a very strong swordsmen... Your character is not weak, your character killed a freaking massive giant and wasn't worse for wear, except for some blood on your clothes... My other characters are all down... Delaz has been knocked out and Azara is drained from transforming into the demon...)

OOC: Boys! Settle down! Let's take a step back before each of each chops each heads off. Now we really wouldn't like that if I have thought of so many nice things for your charries? Now, behave!

(OOC: Amerigo, Traigous is really lucky that Lance's can control his temper or our two characters would be fighting each other right now, the result of which would be your character being used to mop the floor...)

OOC: Well of course all of your charecters have powers much greater than gods... ahem... Please do not unleash you wide array of powers against such a weak charecter as mine. I suppose your charecter can stop time as well and can fly and don't tell me let me guess he's probably half super-dragon with a mix of angel demon devil drow and wolf, eh? And of course he'll have to destroy armies and forests alike (27% of them)! So much power! He probably has to be very careful not destroy the Earth, eh? Because I bet, if he stomps his foot too hard it'll just spin out of orbit!

(OOC: He doesn't have any special powers, except for being a very strong swordsmen... Your character is not weak, your character killed a freaking massive giant and wasn't worse for wear, except for some blood on your clothes... My other characters are all down... Delaz has been knocked out and Azara is drained from transforming into the demon...)

OOC: Okay, sorry it's just I got a bit pissed off and got into my sarcastic angry mood when I wrote that. No offense really, but I have found it really frustrating the fact that you strive to create charecters of power levels far above everyone else. Just as a simple request, you could have charecters with egos as far as possible, but just please refrain from making OOC comments of such a caliber as the one that triggered me. The ones that go along the line of, "my charecter can beat your charecter type."

Sorry once again, that I had to be so rude in that, but it was finally the OOC comment that triggered my wrath of sarcasm. Just please, maybe you could add some evident charecter flaws to your charecters?

OOC: Boys! Settle down! Let's take a step back before each of each chops each heads off. Now we really wouldn't like that if I have thought of so many nice things for your charries? Now, behave!
OOC: What's the matter afraid I'll snap at you next? Not too worry, as far asI can see you have been toning down you charries' power levels! Let's hope it'll last! :wink:

OOC: Well, I did promise right? So, toning down it is.

"Please wait," his said his tone sounded almost pleading, but not quite. It was quite obvious he did his best to mask the emotion in his tone.
Kimli turned to face him. It was true he looked different, acted different, and even sounded different, but his words reminded her of Traigous. That was all that mattered to her. That Traigous was still alive, somewhere inside that new body and mind of his. She watched him as he spoke, trying to understand something outside her comprehension. It was difficult, but wanting so hard to believe him helped.

"I am not hungry, but I... I need to explain everything. Everything... before... While I still can put it all in words. You have noticed the change, have you not? I am not Traigous anymore. I am a nameless spirit, washed in the blood of Traigous, with the soul of Traigous."

He took several steps toward her, nervously and continued,

"I... have... greatly...miss..." he stopped himself then and then hung his head down with a new gloom overtaking his previous mood. He looked at her again and in a soft half-whisper said,

"I am sorry... I... You are much too kind to stand my wretched presense. I have changed and I... perhaps now more than ever, wish that it had never occured. This new creature that stands before you, is not worthy to be in your graceful presense. You no doubt seek to politely leave, and I... merely... I am once again, sorry. For all the woe I had caused you in this new disgusting state of being. I will spare you the awkwardness of this... this... I hope I can behold the sweet tenor of your voice later this day, even from afar. I am most undeserving of... your grace. I will leave now, but... I will return later today."

He turned around to hide the look of pain splattered all over his face and slowly moved toward the door. His heart was beating slowly firmly lodged in his throat. He did his best to maintain his composure, but the darkness once more had enveloped him.
Kimli, without even thinking, walked over to him and hugged him from behind, her arms under his and wrapped over his chest. "You aren't wretched at all, don't you ever think that." she said quietly. "You are who you say you are, I believe you now. As long as Traigous lives within you I cannot hate your presence or feel anguish at losing him. He's still here." she added, moving one hand over his heart as she spoke that last sentence.

"He's alive and well, and that's all I could ask for in this world." Kimli stated confidently, letting the embrace end and clasping her hands before her loosely. "Now, don't you think you should tell me your name?" she said with a smile, retrieving the plate of food and waving it temptuously in front of him.

Kimli, without even thinking, walked over to him and hugged him from behind, her arms under his and wrapped over his chest. "You aren't wretched at all, don't you ever think that." she said quietly. "You are who you say you are, I believe you now. As long as Traigous lives within you I cannot hate your presence or feel anguish at losing him. He's still here." she added, moving one hand over his heart as she spoke that last sentence.
Shocked at this development, Traigous froze, completely, his heart thundered under her palm. A flurry of emotions then assailed and he could barely breathe. He had never anticipated this, consiously at least, then remembering his visit into her dreams. Just then and there, and he was at a loss of words. He merely nodded his head, in response to some tacit question.[/quote]


"He's alive and well, and that's all I could ask for in this world." Kimli stated confidently, letting the embrace end and clasping her hands before her loosely. "Now, don't you think you should tell me your name?" she said with a smile, retrieving the plate of food and waving it temptuously in front of him.

There was still a tumutluous unease thriving in his heart. He was not after all Traigous, and he knew he would never be Traigous. He someone else. Someone foreign to her, but she, she was not foreign to him. From the moment he had set eyes on her, there was a bizarre connection, something that lured him toward her. But... what was he now. His face once again hid his emotions, as he turned around to face her,

"I am..." he paused for a brief second thinking, "From henceforth my name is... Salvaneous. Yes, that is a fitting name. I have used that alias in many days past, as I have travelled the world. It shall be my name."

This was indeed a peculiar choice, as the name had a definate meaning in Ancient Drow, a language that was known only to the Drow (no outsider, has ever learned it and it is widely believed that only Drow have the ability to manipulate their vocal cords in such a fashion to produce the distinct sound of the language). Traigous knew very little of the tongue, and only isolated words could he remember from his mother's teachings.
The name Salvaneous, was Ancient Drow for "traitor". He had originally went by the name to mock the Drow who sought to kill him. They all believed that he was a traitor from birth and so he went by that name. However, now he mused, it also signified how he betrayed himself, in his metamorphisis in the torture chambers of the Drow.

He bowed slightly, as the polite mannerism of Traigous were suddenly very evident.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he intoned. Then looking at the plate of food she held, obviously intended for him he said,

"Why don't you eat that yourself... I shall go hunting in the woods. I will return in a couple of hours."

After a five-hour practice of sword practice, Lance stopped and glanced up at the sky. Noticing that the sky was overcast and the chances of bad weather was high, Lance sheathed his sword and pulled on his cloak. Pulling his hood over his head, Lance trudged back to town, a lot more comfortable and calmed then before.

Stopping at the outskirts of the town, Lance glanced back at the badly scarred forest and thought about his past and his future. Two years earlier, it had been prophesied that Lance would die on a mission in the continent known as Europe. Originally Lance did not believe that it was possible, but with the recent proofs of the prophesies, Lance knew that he was going to die, soon...

Continuing on his way, Lance walked into the tavern and ordered some Telisask Wine. Sitting calmly in a chair, Lance silently sipped his wine. Lance was incredibly uneasy about his fate. He knew that he did not want to die, but one could not change fate with drastically altering the future...

Traigous or Salvanaous as he know called himself, did not wait long enough for a full response and exited the hut. He walked through town in a confident, and brisk pace. The strange thing was, that he seemed to be looking for something.

He was looking about, this way and that, by houses, around areas that housed a chaotic mess of miscelleneous objects. In a pile in an alley way, he found a piece of rope, which he picked up and slung over his shoulder.

Directly afterwards, he proceedded to the butcher shop where he asked to borrow a knife, in a tone that was not so much polite as it was intimidating. The butcher cooperated and a knife was procured.

Next, he headed directly out of the tone and among the boredering cottages he found a stump in which a small hatchet was lodged. That was all the equipment he needed. He was feeling weaker already, but when he got to the shady forest, some relief and strength reentered his scarred and battered body again.

He sharpened his psionic senses and before long he had located his prey. He felt its jagged claws, its sharpened teeth, it's massive strenght, all in his mind. The adrenaline began pumping. He stalked through the woods in a half run, keeping to the cool shade. The trees swarmed passed him as he advanced, he felt his prey close. His heart beat faster as he progressed, his eyes half crazed in a flaming bestial fury. The cave! He barely noticed it as the time blurred for him and he was in the cave before he even realized it. He saw the hulking giant bear sleeping. Sleeping. Sleeping. The knife was in one hand the hatchet in the other.

He roared in a ferocious might that was unlike any sound a human throat could make. The bear woke from its slumber, alramed or perhaps only startled by the strange call. It looked about sleepily, and seeing the intruder rose to its four feet and roared its own roar.

The intruder stood where he was a primal madness ever present in the flaming orbs that were his eyes. This thing was full of fury, full of rage and had dared to tresspass in its den! The bear stood on its own two feet his hulking size evident. He was near 13 feet in height, a huge hulking beast of the wilderness, unchallenged by all those who occupied. Not even hunters dared to fight it. Now this tresspasser sought to affirm its superiority? Impossible! The bear roared in the ferocious bass.

The blood pumped through his veins quicker, but there was no fear. There was only the primal bloodlust. The instinctual thirst for violence. Traigous then pounced. There is no other way but that t odescribe this quick and fluid motion. He leapt at the bear's throat and slashed at it with his knife, the blade barely piercing the thick and heavy fur.

The bear enraged swung its massive paw around and caught the intruder in the rib cage slashing his garments. How could this puny human, try to so foolish attak him? It was laughable! The tresspasser would pay!

Traigousfelt the blow but managed to jump backwards out of reach from the next atacking, bleeding heavily from his ribs, he only roared in return. An inhuman sound that chilled even the bear in its expression of the raw rage of something so primal and instinctual that was akin to some lion or tiger of some sort. He lept at the bear in the same determined fury as before. This time his motions were twice as fast and both his arms swung out at the bears throat. The hatchet, then the knife. The hatchet, then the knife. The hatchet.

The bear had naturally slammed its massive paws against Traigous's body as the blows of the bladed weapons slashed at the thing's throat. The crimson swarms of liquid splattered from Traigous in horrible swarms, but it was the bear that fell. Its neck bared of flesh and fur alike. The half broken bone was porturding amongst the bloody mess.

The scarlet stains upon Traigous' clothing stained straight through. With startling determination Traigous walked over without so much as a limp and delivered the death blow. With the bear clearly dead. Traigous sat down and tapped the psionic energies of his soul. He was still bleeding heavily, but he did not feel the pain. He readied himself for the work at hand and started hacking the bears fur down the middle from the bleeding hole of the throat. He then hacked off the head, completely, revealing the severed esophagus and spinal cord.Then he proceeded as he planned. Slowly cutting the fur, spraying blood everywhere. The internal organs were still slowly and visibly moving as the dark red fluid poured to all sides and sprayed at him, into his face, into his eyes.

He had to stop several times to wipe the blood from his eyes. The heart still beat slowly as the chest part of the fur was well off. He had to stifle a vomiting reaction, when he saw it, and then promptly looked away and concentrated very specifically on what excatly was to be cut next.

After several hours the bloody task was completed and Traigous's own wounds had slowed in pouring forth his own blood. The fur was off, and what was left on the bear was a monstrostiy indeed.

Then he turned around and began cutting and inserting the rope in holes he cut. The garment was soon finished. If it indeed was a garment. A fierce and bloody bear skin tied in certain places, to make it a primitive robe instead of just plain bloody bearskin. He stripped of the tunic and pants and fitted the newly made garments on his own body. He shuddered at the feel of the sticky warm blood of the bear, bugt he stifled that reaction as well. Then taking his already blood-stained and torn tunic he dipped into a puddle of bear blood and wrapped around his head... his face as he had done before the torture chambers.

After Traigous, mentally reminds herself, Salvaneous left, Kimli nibbled on the food with a sigh. Remembering then how hungry she was, she ate every piece of food that was on the plate. She even walked over to the tavern and sat at the bar, ordering meal after meal in her bottomless stomach phase. She ate daintily as any woman should, but she continually ordered seconds and thirds and fourths. She had the men of the town worried/scared.

"I could eat a horse!" Kimli exclaimed after receiving another plate heaping with fruits, vegetables, meats, and bread. Another cup of wine to go with the meal, Kimli ate for an hour this way. When she decided she'd had enough, and the hunger pains had ceased, she stood, paid for her meal, and went outside to take a walk.

"Such a beautiful day!" Kimli exclaimed, the sunlight showering her body and seemingly pouring right through her, warming her very being. She felt energized and more alive than she'd ever felt before, but she didn't know nor care why. She simply toured the town, visiting villagers hard and work, handling chores in return for merchandise or a little money or just a heartfelt thank you was enough. She explored every inch of the town, but as the sun edged past noontime and towards afternoon, Kimli's energy buzz shrunk to a minimum and she sat to rest.

Yawning as the sun hit mid-afternoon, Kimli laid on the porch of the tavern, in full rays of sunlight, and napped. She still felt more aware and alive than ever before in her life, but now she also felt a mental fatigue she had never known before that sunk her unconsciousness into a deep sleep she thought might never end. Her breathing slowed to almost nothing, her form paled slightly, and she looked almost dead as the sun touched the horizon. Almost being the key word, as she was very much alive. Simply sleeping. Although her hair did turn a few shades darker as she rested. A strange occurance.

OOC: Nobody freak out. She's fine ... lol. Don't hurriedly come over, it isn't an emergency, just do what you're normally going to do and notice her like it wasn't very obvious at all. Okay? Thankies ... lol.

The brooding forest had always offered many mysteries to the most courageous of children who wished to demonstrate their mettle by venturing into its outskirts. Now the forests had more of a profound effect on one's psyche. The demolished parts of the forest were truly frightening as traces from the battle that raged on still littered the cold dark soil.

Only a true brave little adventurerer could muster enough courage to enter the ruins and mayhaps glimpse a fallen boy amidst the wreckage.

A group of young boys no older than ten played around the outskirts of the village, but cautiously several yards away from the forest at all times. The conversation had soon progressed to a series of dares that which undoubtedly resulted to talk of braving the wooded wreckage.

They ventured onward, toward the recently charred and bloodsplattered ruins. With every yard some little boy turned away, in fright, making some incredulous excuse. Only one was left as the rest peered at him from a distance. He continued onward past the broken branches, twigs and charred dried grass. Forward until he caught a glimpse of a strange sight. A small stumpy man, a gnome, lay dead in his own vermillion blood.

A strange curiosity had captured the young stripling in its tantalizing snare. He could not stop his feet from venturing on. Forward. The gnome came, soon into full view. The sight of the dead little creature revolted the fledgling human, and he almost turned away, except he realized that the gnome grasped very tightly in his hands a strange archaic book of some sort, that looked so very fancy in its enscriptions. Mesmerized by its alluring sight he quickly grabbed it from the gnome's stiff dead hands and ran, ran as if he felt the gnome might get up and chase him for the tome.

There was indeed a strange aura about the book, that spellbound him to it. AS he returned to his group of friends he bragged and exaggerated about his exploits into a dangerous land of sorcery and adventure. Some wild tale of him slaying dragons and giants to retrieve this ancient treasure wasa spun.

Then came the moment of truth, he opened up the book and looked through its strange inscriptions in a state of awe. The other boys, too stared with the same expressions over his shoulders. However, play time was soon over, as mothers of certain boys called them back home as the sun began to appraoch the horizon.

The group of companions split in all directions, the boy walked home with the strange tome, looking through its pages. He was walking through the town square, where overlooking slept Kimli, where a fur-clad Traigous was returning from his hunt, where there was much pre-dusk activity.

The boy stopped for he had found a passage of the book trannslated into common. He slowly intoned it, in a state of great excitement hoping to cast some great magical spell.

He did. A spinning vortex opened in front of him as he finished the encantation and a portal was open.

OOC: Okay before anyone posts let Elendilrim post an OOC post explaining how this will go... It's yet another plot complication. And Aelosia if you're still there now would be a good time to tell everyone that you're at the town square too... or at least close by.

*** OOC ***

Okay, here's how we're going to do this:

Stay - Elf vampire, Nyssa, James, Azara, Lance.
Go - Kimli, Salvaneous, Atheril, Symbel.
Choice - Enigma, Linn, Delaz, Eripthe.

It goes this way for a very important reason, so please go along with it, alright? If anyone has any major qualms about where I've put your characters, TG me and I'll explain or change what I have written here. If I've forgotten any characters, just consider them in the choice catagory.

*** IC ***

The boy stopped for he had found a passage of the book trannslated into common. He slowly intoned it, in a state of great excitement hoping to cast some great magical spell.

He did. A spinning vortex opened in front of him as he finished the encantation and a portal was open.
Kimli's form shifted weight as the magic was called forth, and she sat straight up when the portal appeares, wide-eyed. "Oh my God!" she whispered, shaking off the death-like sleep she had been experiencing. She hadn't even noticed the boy standing before the portal until she stood, he was just staring at what he had created in complete awe.

"Get away from the portal!" she shrieked, frightening the boy. He stared at her, then pouted, clasping the tome closely to his chest. "It's my portal! I called it, not you!" he retorted, running through. Kimli shrieked again and followed the boy, intent on saving him though not having any idea where they were going. The portal stayed open even after they were gone.

Traigous had returned to the town, his garments still stained in gore. The bloodstained mask about his face insured a wide area of personal space as he marched through the village. All avoided the site of this crimson stranger. All shrunk away in fear at his appraoch. But no one said or did anything. It was just their way... their way of life.

He strode into the town center and saw a strange scene. A small boy standing in front of an open portal. Kimli calling out to him from a distance. The boy running in, and Kimli plunging in afterwards.

Consternated by such a bizarre event he stood frozen, but in but a second he then mobilized his body to an incredible speed. The portal may close anytime. He knew that well. So he lept through it after Kimli.

Lance sat quietly in the tavern drinking, when he heard the shouts outside. Not worried, Lance strapped on his sword and unsheathed it, bringing its glowing diamond-obsidian blade into the light. As he walked out of the tavern, Lance observed some sort of weird portal formed in the town square. Although, he normally would have gone over to investigate, Lance felt for the first time, fear, fear at what was behind the portal. Sitting quietly down at the tavern porch, Lance clutched his head as he tried to shake out the fear coursing through his veins.

Shaking and muttering incoherently, Lance collapsed into a fetal position, moaning...

In a bed in the tavern, Azara slept soundly unaware of the things occuring in the town, still healing his horrendous wounds...

Meanwhile, Delaz sat up in his bed in the tavern to incessant screaming coming from the town square. Fully healed and completely unaware of what had transpired, Delaz felt the massive bump on the back of his head and hurriedly pulled on a fresh tunic and pants. Grasping his jeweled staff, Delaz opened the window of the room and jumped out into the street. Sparing a minute glance at a man moaning on the tavern porch, Delaz ran towards the portal, his staff trailing in the ground. As he got closer, he saw Kimli chasing a little boy run into the portal, followed by a stranger covered in blood a few moments later. Delaz hurriedly plunged into the portal and into the abyss...

Linn was very confused. She decided to rest and think about everthing that had occured later. Before she could have a lie-down, however, she passed a rather strange occurance. A portal of sorts had opned up in the town center. As linn stared at it, several people leapt through it, including Kimli, Delza, and Blood-Stained stranger. As she cautiosly crept towards it to take a closer look, her brother came vaulting out of the Inn. Without a backwards glance at his sister, he leapt into the portal, and dissapeared. Fearing for her brother, Linn followed, not knowing where she was going to.

BUMP...

*sighs* ... well ... I suppose y'all aren't interested in me story anymore ... that's alright ... ^_^ ... I'll take what I've learned and heard so far and go from there if I ever turn this into a story. And, of course, I'll remember all your names.

*waves* *sniff* *wave*

goodnight, sweet prince ...

(OOC: 5CN's puppet... Well, I couldn't really post, considering nobody replied... Plus, I didn't know what was on the other side...)

Wait!!! Im still in.....assuming everyone else is. (I love this story) But i cant really post anything at the moment.

I'm still in, it's just that I'm lost right now...

still in, and since all of them are asleep. I really couldn't post anything.