NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: This RP is Closed.

The Land of Lustria, a massive region filled with peaceful forests, lush rainforests, unforgiving wastelands, massive mountains, and beautiful cities. This is the region of the Skizzarish, a race of lizardpeople in constant strife. There are 5 main clans of the lizardpeople, with their own beliefs.

The Skizzarish that inhabit the most of the north is a massive empire. Once a land of beautiful forests, it is now a land of decaying swamps and wastelands, along with the occasional volcano. This is the land of the Cult of Valtrox. A mighty empire of eerily fanatical people who worship Valtrox, the god of greed, fire, dark magic, and brutal war. Valtrox was cast into the underworld by the other gods due to his insatiable hunger for power, a common trait amongst his minions. Valtrox is depicted as a massive dragon made entirely of fire. His trademarks, and the insignia of his followers are his dragon head head with three horns on his head, and firey eyes. They are ruled by one figure, Lord Inzikai, who rules from a massive palace that once glowed with a beautiful light. The palace of Decay, as it is now called, is in the center of the capital, Zlatlan, a massive dark city with ruined buildings and fearful citizens. The people are constantly paranoid that they will be abducted by their fearful leader, for so many citizens disapear every month...

In the East lie the massive mountains of Exe-duun. This land belongs to the mighty Morgrathiens, a barbarian nation full of vicious warriors. These warriors also share their mountainous home with several dwarven clans. The Morgrathiens worship Kraaga, the goddess of agriculture, who resembles a beautiful female Skizzarish. They also worship Valtrox, but are not nearly as fanatical as the Cult. The Morgrathiens are ruled by a council of chiefs, but one stands out. Chief Higsthor seems to rule the whole council and is quite popular with the population as a whole. There is no true capital city for the Morgrathiens, as they are nomadic and go where there is food to feed them.

Bordering the Morgrathiens is the Imperium of Justice. To the north of the Imperium is a massive lake, keeping the Cult far away from them. The land of the Imperium consists of rolling fields and massive cities with government buildings made of gold. The Imperium are people sworn to justice. They believe justice must be done in any shape, way, and/or form. They are ruled by the Judges of Mehion, who determine what is lawful and what is not. They rule from the Court of Miracles in their capital city of Tlalan. They worship the Skizzarish god of Justice, Ozden, who is depicted as a giant griffin creature. Their insignia is the sheild with griffon wings attached to the sides.

At the west of Lustria is the land of Iskan, the Realm of Scholars. This is a mostly neutral land of Skizzarish as they tend to keep to themselves. Being the isolated people they are, not much is known about them, but they are known to be dedicated scholars and wizards, always inventing and creating. Their leader is Empress Rimoru, a shady figure, but known to be incredibly skilled at magic. The Empress rules from her massive tower, next to the college of magics and sciences, dedicated to her. They most likely worship all the gods of magic, including Valtrox, but this is an assumption.

All the way at the bottom of Lustria and the realm of the Skizzarish is Illuminata, home of the Order of the White Serphant, fanatical worshippers of Zavers, the massive white Dragon of Good. Their land is filled with beautiful forests and glowing cities. They are a large nation full of good, nice, and caring Skizzarish. They are ruled by The Patriarch, who people say is a demi-god of Zavers, but has not been proven. The Patriarch rules from the White Cathedral of Illucia with a fatherly love of his people. His personal guard, the Templars of Illucia are the most feared group of fighters in the land of Lustria.

This story is about a middle aged Skizzarish of the Order, about to take part in an event that will shake Lustria and the world for ever...


Sarik searched the temple grounds...he could smell them, sneaky devils they were...
Sarik crept around a corner and cautiously crept towards a tree. Thats where they were. Sarik smiled as he crept closer. He could hear hushed voices and childish giggling as he got closer...

"I found you!" laughed Sarik as he looked behind the tree. Screaming, a group of young Skizzarish ran from their former hiding spot. Sarik ran after them and scooped up a two of them, one in each arm. The children giggled and walked back towards Sarik as he set down the two he picked up.
" I told you guys that you couldnt hide from Sir Sarik the Valient!" smiled Sarik as he put his hands on his hips and stuck out his chest, like a superhero. The children laughed.
"Again, master Sarik!" pleaded the children. As they were begging, Sarik spotted a familiar face dressed in robes standing by a tree.
"Thats it for now children, duty calls. Besides, shouldnt you be studying? If not, the cult will come for you and eat you!" said Sarik as he imitated a monster swooping down on them. The children ran screaming and giggling back to their rooms. When the last child was gone, Sarik walked towards the figure standing in the tree shade.
"Ikara, I'm glad to see you back," smiled Sarik at the familiar face. She was a female Skizzarish, beautiful by Skizzarish terms. "How was your mission?"
" Easy enough...goblins are not hard to kill," said Ikara, giving a flirtatious smile. At one point in time, Sarik and Ikara were dating, hoping to get married. But duty called and being the loyal servants they were, heeded it. Ever since, they waited for the chance to get married. The two gave each other a light kiss.

"This might be the time, Ikara," smiled Sarik, as he embraced her. "You have a month off, and I am currently off duty..."

"I wish. Sir Mez has been looking for you...he says it's urgent that you report to him immediately..." Ikara looked at Sarik with a sad look in her eyes, "Sarik, please promise me as soon as you get back from this mission, we'll marry, settle down, and have children. Just like we always dreamed."

Sarik looked into her eyes and smiled. "I promise, Ikara...I promise." With that, he left the embrace and walked towards the barracks, hoping it was just going to be a conversation.

As he walked over to the barracks, he encountered two of his elven friends at an archery range.

"Greetings Ar'mai and Bael'ther," said Sarik happily. "I trust you two are enjoying your stay?"

"It is not quite like home," replied Ar'mai with a slight smile, as Bael'ther made a slight bow. "But we have no complaints."

Ar'mai, Bael'ther, Sarik, and a few others were involved in a quest to help find a lich a soul. Eventually one was found, and most of the others parted ways. Ar'mai and Bael'ther, always ready for adventure, decided to accompany Sarik on his way home. Not much happened on their way to the Order's land, but Sarik was glad for the company anyways. The people living under the Patriarchs hand are natrually cheery and kind, so upon arriving, Ar'mai and Bael'ther were treated with respect equal to that of a Paladin of the Order and given a small cottage a small ways from Sariks.

"I believe I may be called in for a mission again. Would you guys like to join me if my guess is correct?"

"Adventure is what we live for," said Ar'mai as she shot a bullseye, still with her smile.

"Glad to know you guys will come along," replied Sarik, smiling. "I am going to find out if I am being called to a mission, so I will be back." With that, Sarik continued his treck to the barracks, leaving Ar'mai and Bael'ther at the range.

As he arrived, a shorter, broad shouldered Skizzarish, waited with his arms crossed at his chest. Sir Mez was an old Order Hero. He was Sariks mentor and acted like his father. "About time Sir Sarik...The Patriarch is waiting."

"The Patriarch?!" by those two words, Sarik immediately straightened up. “I am ready, Sir Mez, but I dont know what the Patriarch would want with me."

"You'll find out soon enough..." said Mez as he lead Sarik inside the barracks. Inside, the walls were lined with soldiers all saluting their superiors. Mez and Sarik continued down the corridor until they came to a large room. On each side of the door stood two Templars, all in beautiful gold plate armor and wings on their helms. They did not stand saluting.

Mez looked at Sarik and straightened his tunic. Then he put his hand on Sariks shoulder. "Sarik, The Patriarch has asked to speak to you alone. That is quite an honor. Remember your courtesy. You've made me proud over the years. Now go and continue your growing list of honorable deeds..." with that, Mez Smiled and patted Sarik on the back. He then stepped back as the Templar opened the doors to the patriarch.

Sariks jaw dropped as he finally saw the Patriarch in person. He truly was magnificent. He was bathed in a white light, and his scales were a light blue and his eyes were like blue sapphires. He stared at Sarik as Sarik entered. Sarik finally remembered his manners and knelt down on one knee and bowing his head.

"Forgive me, my master," said Sarik. I blew it already...he thought

“Forgive you? For what?” asked the Patriarch. He tilted his head and blinked, a curious look in his eyes. He walked over to Sarik. “Rise, young one,” Sarik rose but kept his head bowed. “It is I who should ask for forgiveness, Sir Sarik. I keep asking for you on campaigns when you only want to settle down with Ikara. You are one of my most devoted citizens…”

“I do what I can, master…”smiled Sarik as he slowly picked up his head. He realized that The Patriarch was actually a bit taller and broader than Sarik. This surprised him greatly because he thought The Patriarch would look old, wrinkled and bent over, as with any Skizzarish his age. Not only was Sarik surprised by The Patriarchs stature, but also his accurate guess at Sariks hopes.

“I’m afraid I must ask you for another favor. Unfortunately I cannot tell you how long this may take, but when it is completed, I shall grant you your wish of living peacefully with Ikara…”

“You honor me, master. I would gladly perform any act a thousand times over for you,” replied Sarik, once again bowing his head.

“There is grave news I must tell you. The Cult is beginning to stir again. Recently, they have created a pact with the Morgrathiens, giving them access to several spell book libraries in Zlatlan, in exchange for providing warriors for an unknown occasion. As if the Cult didnt already have a large army. Not only that, but my spies have informed me that Lord Inzikai was taking a path towards the colleges of Iskan. This is grave news…Iskan has records of ancient history, spellbooks to powerful spells, and thousands of other items that Inzikai could use for his evil plans. He must be stopped, or at least the Scholars of Iskan must be notified.”

“You wish for me to stop him, master?” asked Sarik. He didn’t like this, for he knew that Inzikai was a powerful spell caster and fighter.

“Yes, whatever he is doing, I do not want it to be happening. Sarik, I must also warn you that my spies reported a massive beast resembling Valtrox following Inzikai…My guess is a demi-god of some sort. This is terrible news indeed, for if Valtrox is sending minions through, it may mean that he is planning to cross into the mortal plane as well…This could very well cause the end of us all. Sarik, I’m trusting you to this mission because you get things done without question. ” The Patriarch looked at Sarik with a sorrowful look in his eyes. "You may bring your friends along. You all seem to get along quite well."

“It shall be done master. I shall pack at once…”said Sarik, but his voice was hollow. Deep down, he wished he wasn’t the loved hero he is. Then he wouldn’t have to go on this suicide mission. Then he wouldn’t have to leave Ikara again.

As if hearing his thoughts, The Patriarch said “Remember, Sarik, This will be your last mission for the Order, unless you request otherwise. May Zavers guide you on your path and may he protect you from harm.” With that, The Patriarch turned around to look out a large window.

Sarik walked out of the barracks and walked towards his cottage. He looked around for Ikara, but realized she was probably in her apartment in the females barracks. He spotted Ar'mai and Bael'ther next to their mount, a beautiful horse with wings like a bird. It's name is Gael'kadar.

"Indeed I was right. I must stop Lord Inzikai, one of the most evil creatures on this world that I know. He is planning something that we probably dont want to be done. I dont know if we may get out of this alive, but I must do my duty. If you two do not wish to come, I will understand," said Sarik quietly.

"Very dangerous mission? It'll take more than that to scare us off, Sarik," chuckled Ar'mai. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as I get packed," laughed Sarik. He was glad he had these two as friends. He then walked his way to his cottage and began to pack.

As he packed, he wondered about the mission, hoping that Zavers blessings are with him. He also couldnt avoid the thoughts of Ikara that would appear in his head.

Finished packing, he walked towards the drake rookery, and asked the guard to get his mount, Andrazlia. As soon as Andrazlia saw Sarik, a strange smile showed on her face, and she nearly galloped to Sarik. Sarik smiled back and patted her on her face as she bent low to sniff him. Andrazlia was a white drake, about the 20 feet long, and 8 feet wide at the waist (where she is widest). As Andrazlia walked out towards the massive gate leading out of the city, Sarik saw a templar walk towards him.

“Sir Sarik, we must inform you that Andrazlia will not be allowed to go anywhere outside the borders of Illuminata due to the fact that the other clans may think we are spying on them. We don’t want to make enemies with anyone, now that the Cult is on the move. We may need as many allies as we can get.”

“Yes sir,” said Sarik grimly. This was turning out to be a bad day. He fumbled in his tunic pocket and pulled out a parchment full of writing. “May you give this to Lady Ikara. I would give it to her myself, but time is of the essence…”

“As you wish, Sir Sarik. May Zavers guide you…”

Sarik met the others by the door and Andrazlia, not liking most outsiders, quickly lost her smile and tried to look as serious as possible, making Sarik and Ar'mai chuckle. With that, they walked out the massive gate of Illucia, anxious for their next adventure.

The sky above Zlatlan was a dark grey, as it usually is.

Zlatlan is a land plagued by evil. It was once a place that included most types of terrain. The populace was once under the rule of a Skizzarish that was in many ways like the Patriarch, except had bright green scales and was more of a scholar than a fighter. For many years, he lived in peace and Zlatlan grew prosperous under his just rule. As this great leader increased his borders with alliances and persuasion, his wife gave birth to a son. The son was raised in the best schools with the best professors in Zlatlan. He was taught how to fight, how to use magic, and about the gods, which particularly interested this young Skizzarish. While Zlatlan worshipped Kriz, the god of life, this young Skizzarish took to sympathizing Valtrox, a god cast to the underworld in a titanic battle of the gods when the world was still new. Although his professors constantly explained to the young one that Valtrox was a god of greed and many evil things, he had a sick attraction to the idea of power that Valtrox was thought to have given his greatest disciples, even though his father had banned the worship of the feared god.

Soon, the young Skizzarish was a grown man and was considered one of the strongest and most powerful Skizzarish in Zlatlan. He didn’t care, for he knew a way to get even more powerful…

He began to go to meetings where a secret “Order” would meet. This “Order” worshipped Valtrox, always hoping to gain his favor, as their cult leader has. The leader was surprisingly a human, but had incredible powers that the others envied.
Soon, after many years worshipping Valtrox, the Skizzarish man believed he could hear a voice in his head. He would pay close attention to whatever it said and do whatever it asked. One day, after many hours of worship, he received a vision. He dreamed he was in the realm of Valtrox, the mighty god looking upon him, telling him it is time to lead the “Order” into its rightful place. The god told him to dispose of the current cult leader and take up the reigns. After that, the Skizzarish man was given great powers and strength.

Like all the other requests, he completed his task from Valtrox efficiently. Soon afterwards, he called upon his fellow members and with his best fighters, and killed his kind father with little hesitation. The days began to turn dark as if the gods themselves were mourning as the once peaceful land of Zlatlan was engulfed in civil war. With their king disposed, however, the fighters of Zlatlan were easily crushed and the land, turned over to the new king. That king became known as Lord Inzikai.

Inzikai banned the worship of most other gods, and made Valtrox the patron god of Zlatlan. With each passing day, the peaceful meadows died out and beautiful forests became dismal swamps. Massive cities decayed from lack of care, but no one dared rebel against their leader, Inzikai, for he was known to make certain people “disappear”.

After many years, the land succumbed to the gloom, yet, the nation itself grew stronger. The borders expanded even more, but in much more violent terms than how Inzikai’s father accomplished it. The people began to like their leader because of his many great conquests and the populations increased worship of Valtrox, making Inzikai’s support grow.

Many years have passed and the Order of Valtrox became known as a cult, which Inzikai believed was a complement and no different from an “Order”. Inzikai has also kept the other nations on guard, as he has been to war with all of them, most of all, The Order of the White Serpent, the cult’s greatest rival, always there to stop his greatest schemes.

Not this time…

Lord Inzikai stood on the balcony of his decaying palace. Architects wished to repair the palace back to its old self, but Inzikai disagreed believing the palace to be a symbol of the “righteous” declining power. He watched as his people busied themselves with their everyday chores. Wagons rolled along the streets, delivering goods. Vendors called out to passerbies to buy the “best” item in town. Inzikai sighed and turned around, to face his latest “gift”.

There stood a creature who had similar features as Inzikai, yet was different in many ways. For one, it had wings. It also had 3 horns, one on each side of its head, right above the ears. The third was right in the middle. All three pointed behind the demon and curved up, like some dragons he once observed.
The horns were not only its strange feature. The entire body seemed almost like it was made from a rock, and fused by fire, for there was a reddish glow where the rock-like scales joined together. Its eyes were like orbs of fire.

“Rothargot, are you sure this will work?” asked Inzikai as he watched the demon creature begin to pace, leaving scorch marks on the floor which disappeared within seconds of his foot leaving the spot. Rothargot was a trusted lieutenant of Valtrox, sent to help Inzikai in his current assignment.
“My master says so…So I believe so,” replied Rothargot in a deep, edgy tone. “You must learn to believe in your master. It would anger him to find out you do not trust him as you once did.”

“I trust him, you dolt…I just don’t trust my own people,” said Inzikai. He was the only one that could Rothargot a name and get away with it. “The Iskanis and Empress Rimoru would hate me forever if they found my men in their libraries…This would complicate our goals too much.”

“Then I shall go…Give me some of your “secret police” to escort me and I shall bring back the books for you to accomplish your task. It should not be too hard. I am a demi-god that I’m sure the scholars and the Empress would know about…,”rumbled Rathargot.

“My secret police? Why?”

“To show her whose side I am on…They will marvel at your ability to “conjure” up demi-gods from the immortal plane…I don’t know how you could not come up with it yourself…”

Lord Inzikai ignored that last comment and thought about it for a while. “Done,” he finally said. He then called a guard into the room.
“Find me several of the best members of the secret police. I have a special assignment for them…”
“Yes, sire,” the guard made a crisp salute and bowed to Rothargot, who stood in the shadows watching the two.
As the soldier walked out the door and down to the streets below, Rothargot disappeared from sight.

“He really bugs me when he does that…,”said Inzikai to no one in particular. As soon as he knew the demon was gone, Inzikai walked to his bedroom.

Inzikai has been awake for nearly 4 days straight, communing with Rothargot and Valtrox, formulating plans. While Rothargot seemed to not require rest, Inzikai did. He felt he has earned it and felt that perhaps a small nap will help his mind recuperate….

"Zlatlan?" the wife of Maverion asked, a touch of concern in her voice. "Why? How long?"

"I don't know, Fala," Mave said as he started to pack some of his belongings. "They didn't give me any details, only that someone very high up wanted Valdore and me to report to Zlatlan immediately for a new assignment."

"Do you think it has anything to do with the rumors we've been hearing about?" asked Fala.

Mave shook his head slightly, "I can't say for sure. It might." He went to grab his sheathed sword standing against the wall as various articles of clothing floated through the air and landed in his pack.

Fala moved over to him and embraced him. "I...I have a bad feeling about it. Something awful is going to happen. I just know it. Don't go."

Maverion tossed his sword next to his pack and embraced her back. Even as a human, Fala had an uncanny ability to sense these things, nearly as well as races that naturally had such abilities. Mave had learned to trust her feelings on these matters, but at the same time, he had his orders. "I have to. It's my job; I've been summoned by my superiors. I have to go."

The two of them grew silent, just standing still and holding on to each other.

"Be careful," Fala finally said.

He simply nodded.

"What should I tell the kids?" she asked as Maverion grabbed his pack and sword.

"Tell them...that I have to go away for a while for work. But I'll be back as soon as I can." He strapped the pack on and attached the sword to his belt. "You know who to go to if problems occur while I'm gone?"

Fala nodded, and the two embraced one last time.

***

Zlatlan, the city of ashen gray. A heavy cloud hung over the vast city, motionless yet seemingly swirling around its center over the palace. Distant towers were partially collapsed, half the rubble still reaching up toward the skies to hint at what once was. With insufficient sunlight, everything but mold and other fungus withered. The trees lining the side of the road leading into the city were dead, their thin and brittle branches reaching out at the travelers like skeletal fingers trying to choke them.

Maverion had never been to Zlatlan before, and it was very different from Karazon, which he spent most of his life in. He was not exactly ecstastic about being here. More anxious, really. Someone high up in the chain of command suddenly summoned you to the capital? It could not possibly be anything small. So many questions raced through his head, but soon they would be answered.

Teralynn, on the other hand, had no other place she would rather be. This was her city, this was home. Not the little backwash of a peasant's hobbled-together shacks that was Karazon. Of course, that was not what the city was, but that was certainly how she viewed it. Zlatlan was, in comparison, infinitely better.

Neither of them spoke much on the way there, as there was little to say. Soon enough, they were being led to the palace for their special assignment.

Inzikai woke up from some much needed rest. The rest gave him the energy he needed to think straight again. The gears of his mind once again turning at maximum efficiency as plans within plans formed in his head.

He remembered the plans he made up with Rothargot before his sleep as soon as a guard informed him of his visitors. He hurridly changed into his ceremonial robe and sat on his throne, the back being in the shape of Valtrox's head. The massive doors that lead to his throne room opened up and severala guards escorted the couple in. He could see Rothargot's eyes light up behind a pillar to the side of the door, but Rothargot had decided that they do not see him until Inzikai gives them the briefing, so as to make sure they do not believe this to be an execution or sacrifice to the patron god.

"Greetings Maverion Andaal and Teralynn Valdore," Inzikai boomed as he stood from his throne. The guards left the room and closed the massive doors. He had watched the two for some time before this meeting, as they were greatly skilled in their art. He knew some adventure would come up that would be perfect for these two. Not only will they provide the Ikanis proof that Rathargot was from the Cult, but they could also keep an eye out for any sort of spying activity on this important quest along with other skills they can provide. "I know you two are some of my best officers, That is why I believe you are right for this job."

"The great god Valtrox has spoken to me for many days now, about something that will make the Cult the dominant and only nation in Lustria in the world."

"Recently I have persuaded the Chiefs of the Morgrathiens to join in alliance with us. As rumors have it, I could care less on what would happen to the Morgrathiens, but my spies have found some ancient structures buried deep in the snow in their territory. Now that we are allied, it was even easier to ask them to help defend these structures while we research and study them." Inzikai actually already knew what the structures were, but did not believe he should tell anyone what they were yet...

"What can help us better understand these ruins are some books Empress Rimoru has in her own library near her castle. She has denied any nation access to the libraries and barely allowed anyone to pass through her nation at all. Luckily, you will have another member in the party. What makes him so special is that the Empress will find him rather interesting. You see, he is no mere creature from this plane. He is a gift from Valtrox himself! Rothargot, show yourself!"

With that, the large 12 foot 5 inch demon stepped out from behind the pillar. "Greetings mortals, I am Rothargot, lieutenant of Valtrox, slayer of Angels. I will accompany you on your trip to the Iskan nation to retrieve the books."

Inzikai waited a minute for the two to get all this information together. Then he said "This mission is incredibly important and must be done as soon as possible. I have several horses outside waiting for the both of you. Rothargot will fly alongside you, unless he prefers to walk or run. Now if you do not mind, I myself have important matters to attend to, and it would be best if you all got a start on your journey."

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

Sarik had flown Andrazlia all the way to a small town about halfway to the border of the Imperium, with Bael'kador carrying Bael'ther and Ar'mai, before they decided to stop for some rest. As they rested, Sarik told them that he was not allowed to bring Andrazlia across any borders. Andrazlia was angry for a short amount of time, but realized that Sarik was only following orders.

Sarik rented a room in a nearby inn for the group and fished out a small gem from within a small pack he had. He would put the gem on Andrazlia before she returned to her rookery. This would enable him to contact Andrazlia anytime during his journey to stop the Cult.

He also polished his armor and sharpened his large broadsword, his mace, and the several smaller knives he keeps hidden within his figure. He believed this was going to be longer than he expected and had that feeling that something bad would happen...

Lorathin or Morti as he'd been going by then, Sarik, Bael'ther, the irritating Ar'mai and the Lich Mavis had narrowly escaped being turned into bbq by the dragon, Drakothil who they'd gone to petition for getting Mavis a new soul. Heading to the forests bordering Drakothil's wasteland they arrived in Aernal Bannirae's lands. After a good deal of work, the elven queen consented to undertake the work to craft a new soul for Mavis. With the quest completed Lorathin said good-bye to his companions and headed back to his wanderings.

After almost a month of wandering, in which he learnt a few new enchantments, mananged to get rid of Ar'mai's 'curse', aided a village and a few other incidentals, he found himself in lands that occupied by Skizzarish. He'd been travelling from the south-west he travelled throught villages and fields, wandering aimlessly. Arriving at a village as his stomach rumbled, he headed for the inn to order food and a bed.

Raul finally stopped to rest in a thicket beside the strange road. Even an Aiel tires after a full day of running. He crouched quietly and drank from his leather water-sac. He stiffened at the sound of feet on the hard, packed
surface.
A strange creature resembling one of the lizards of the desert and wearing bright blue strolled by followed by a winged dragon.
Hoping that he would not be seen, Raul edged backward farther into the brush. Luckily, the creature kept walking strait ahead and didn't look to the side. He seemed to be mumbling angrily to himself.
As the creature moved out of site, Raul cursed his ignorance at not hearing footsteps coming toward him. He had even missed the bright colors the these wetlanders seemed to enjoy. Wearing clothes like that would mean certain death in the deserts.
When he was sure that no one was coming, Raul quickly crossed the large highway. If he rested too long he would not find what he was looking for. He had to find the one that was spoken of in the Prophesies.
The Prophesies must be fullfilled. Agian he ran.

The Jiltakin fortress is a tricky place to locate. It's exact location is known only to members of the guild, and members take the secret to the grave. Most speculate that it is hidden in the Durangar Mountains, but in this case, most would be wrong. The Jiltakin Thieves had secreted their fortress beneath Vanthol's Noodle Shop in Karahd, the capitol of Fandar, an oppulent desert nation whose primary export is slaves. It is by this coincidence that Harlin came to be one of the Jiltak Thieves, the most respected and feared crooks and assassins that the Greater Continent had to offer.

As a boy, Harlin had been abandoned by his family. He was taken into the guild by Centurus Froms, and in time began to regard the guild as his true family. That is why on this day he was kneeling before his guild master to recieve the Jiltak Hand, of a series of powerful amulets imbued with the powers of former Jiltak masters and bestowed only to the most loyal Jiltak members. After the ceremony, Harlin was called into the guild master's hall.

"You have beckoned master?" Harlin said bowing deeply.

"Indeed Harlin," replied Centurus From with a chuckle at the formality the young man displayed. Froms then stood up from his throne and embraced Harlin. "How are you my son?"

"Bored sire, it has been two months since my last assignment, and this idle time has weighed heavily on my mind.

"I know, I know, and that is why I have called you here," stated Centurus. "As you know, the Cult of Valtrox has been marshalling forces to the north, and it is in the interest of the guild to watch their actions. I fear that they may be attemting to seize all of the Skizzarish lands. Thus, I want you to go and be my eyes and ears in Valtrox."

"I, too, have heards rumors of this. It worries me greatly that the Skizzarish might be united under a single banner. We profit greatly from the conflicts amongst their minor lords."

"True Harlin, but this time, I fear we must act for more than wealth, this time we fight for the safety of our order, for if the Cult becomes powerful enough, they may be able to callforth Valtrox onto the mortal plane. We must prevent this at all costs, because if they succeed, it will be the end of us all."

"Of course master," replied Harlin, a new sense of purpose rising in his chest.

"Now go, and do not forget that if at anytime you need assistance, your brothers are always near you," Centurus Froms order and reassured gesturing at the amulet Harlin now wore around his neck.

"Farewell master," Harlin said bowing. He then turned and left the hall to collect his things.


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

As Harlin left through the underground network of tunnels that connected the Jiltakin fortress to many buildings in the cities, he was suprised to see that the sun was already rising in the sky, its oppressive heat already beating against him under his cloak. He put up his hood and mounted the horse that had been tied outside the store, and road north into the Fandar wastes and eventually to Lustria.

Neither Maverion nor Teralynn knew exactly what to do in this situation. It was not a common thing to see a demon, after all. No less a lieutenant of Valtrox. But they did drop to their knees as a sign of respect, keeping their eyes low to the ground.

Mave's heart was pounding so loud he feared that the others could hear it. Or perhaps Rothargot really could hear the beating of one's heart as easily as the pounding of a hammer when one was in a blacksmith shop? Mave hoped the demon could not, for that would not make much of a good impression...unless Rothargot looked highly on those who feared him? Mave had no way of knowing, so he just kept silent and listened.

"Yes, my lord. You will not be disappointed," Maverion managed to force, though his throat and mouth were as dry as the desert. He licked his lips and stood up, followed by Tera. Some of Inzikai's men began leading them out to the stables, and Mave took this opportunity to get a better look at the demon. Truly, Rothargot could take on entire armies alone!

Glancing to his side, he noticed that Teralynn had a faint smile on her lips, and was walking rather assuredly. Something interesting must have been going through her mind, that much was clear.

When they reached the stables, the horses were ready to go, with all their provisions already supplied. The two mounted their horses, and with few words from Rothargot, the demon took off in the lead.

"Ya!" Teralynn whacked the sides of her mount with her legs and the creature bolted off after the demon.

Maverion paused for a second, just taking in the sight in front of him, then of the surrounding stables, before he too brought his horse up to speed with the others toward the land of Iskan.

Rothargot has led the others for several hours, but their mounts seemed to be tiring. He decided now was a good time to rest. He flew upwards, gaining some ground over the others and landed, tail swishing behind him.

"We shall rest here tonight," said Rothargot. "Here" was in the middle of nowhere. Everywhere they could look was dead trees, swampland, and the occasional animal. Rothargot, being a creature recently brought to the mortal world, was curious about nearly all things about the mortal world, and had almost no perception of mortal feelings, such as danger, fear, or even the need to eat, drink, or sleep, which he didnt need.

"You mortals get tired quickly," he rumbled quietly as he stared unblinkingly at the others. "How come?" he added, tilting his head in a curious pose he's seen Inzikai use before.

"We require food and rest to restore our energy, my lord," Maverion answered as he dismounted and led his horse to a nearby tree to tie it up. "Us mortals do not have large stores of energy, I guess. It's part of how our bodies work." After unburdening his horse, he began to collect dead branches to start a campfire with.

Teralynn, too, was tying her mount to a tree. She then took the pack off of the horse and tossed it to the ground. While rummaging through it, she said to Rothargot, "Deprive the enemies of food, water, and sleep, and they'll be in no condition to fight. Keep them running for long periods, and they'll have no strength left to lift their sword. Then they're ripe for the killing." She looked over at the demon. "I'm curious, Lord Rothargot. Do you not tire? Or merely not feel the effects of it until a much longer duration?"

Rothargot kept his expression of curiosity as he pondered the question.
"I have only just been born in this mortal plane of existence. As far as I know, I do not tire, nor do I need food, drink, or shelter. Yet, I am most...curious as to this myself...My lord Valtrox has not told me my limitations here, believing I can only grow stronger if I am thrust upon the mortal realm, rather than be under constant supervision, and given a false sense of security. And I have learned thus far: Mortals are strange, The Mortal Plane is much more different than I expected, and, most importantly, the mortal language is hard to imitate..." After he stated that, Rothargot put on a smug look (which seemed quite strange on the face of a demon) and flapped his wings. "Mortal expressions are also hard to imitate," said Rothargot, showing off several of his other looks, such as sadness, happiness, and anger.

"I thank you for your information."

~~~Velthiar~~~
It is said that the Velthiri play games with the lives of mortals to amuse themselves while the centuries pass, and foremost amongst these players are Fate and Destiny. The games take place throughout the world, but it is here in Velthiar that the moves are made. Here, beyond the peak of Mount Vel-Derid, on a board that is both a simple map and the world itself…

Currently, the board shows a vast and varied realm – the land of Lustria. The Velthiri usually confined their attentions to Dar-Kavryn, but events in this distant land were looking to be quite entertaining. Fate made the first move, placing a black-clad figure near the northern border.

“Must you use that vile creature?” Destiny hissed, with evident disgust.

“Certainly.” Fate calmly replied. “He’s convenient, and you know I prefer to keep each of my moves simpler than you do. He’s also effective, and should provide some interesting possibilities. Besides, you have had reason to be glad of Ker Valerith’s presence yourself, upon occasion. I suppose you’re using that lizard of yours and his friends?”

“Of course. T’zark T’kahndir is destined for great deeds. Besides, with the fire magic my pieces are likely to face, he seems… fitting.”

Destiny added three more figures to the map: a slender, red-scaled reptile, a larger warrior, slung about with weapons, and a young man in a gray robe, carrying a staff.

“Does anyone else wish to place a piece?”

For a moment, there was silence – then a voice rose in the back of the room.

“I think that I shall play this time.”

Pushing through the crowd of spectators, Kaos strode up to the playing board and added his piece. Close examination of it would reveal pointed ears and slit-pupiled eyes.

Fate and Destiny both frowned at him, in a rare moment of agreement, but when nobody else stepped up to join the game and Chaos* showed no sign of withdrawing, Fate sighed.

“Very well, then. Shall we begin?”

With a flick of his hand, he sent the dice spinning across the table…

*((OOC: The inconsistent spelling of Chaos/Kaos is intentional. He likes to keep people guessing.))

~~~An ancient castle next to a small town, not far from northern Lustria~~~
Ker Valerith flinched as he felt the death of his servant. With a snarl of rage, he rushed over to the nearest window – but then paused. There was light closer than there should have been, torches moving along the path between his lair and the convenient village where he fed. The wind carried the sound of many voices to his keen ears.

“Kill the monster!” “Burn him!” “Destroy the vampire!”

Cursing, Valerith slammed his fist down on a nearby table, splintering the wood with the blow. The villagers had finally realized that, if they worked together, they could defeat him. This explained how they had gotten the nerve to kill his servant. Still, the fools had made one serious mistake: they were coming for him at night. Even during his time of greatest strength, he knew he could not defeat that many at once, and their anger burned too brightly within them for their minds to be easily clouded, but they certainly had no chance of capturing him. Stepping out the window, Valerith turned himself into a bat and vanished into the darkness.

A short time later, he emerged from the shadows and slipped into the outskirts of the town. All was still, and even his hearing could barely detect the sound of breathing within the houses. He stalked through the streets, his eyes bright with anger, until he found the pile of fine gray dust where his servant had been killed. This was a severe loss; the man had been clever, effective, and practical enough to embrace the darkness when Valerith changed his existence forever. Still, some hope remained. If Valerith could get fresh blood quickly enough, his servant could be restored. The vampire began examining the buildings around him in greater detail. Heavy shutters blocked all the windows, the doors were sturdily barred, and most openings were hung with garlic. Many of the houses, however, were covered with simple thatched roofs. If Valerith could not get in, perhaps he could force someone out…

Improvising a torch, he lit it from a smashed street-lantern, then set fire to the roof of a small house. As flames crept through the thatch, the vampire stood back to watch with folded arms and a grim smile. A few moments later, a young woman opened one of the windows and lowered a small boy to the ground. She quietly climbed through herself, then ran for the nearest building. She cleverly chose a window on the opposite side of the house from the door, but this wasn’t enough to save her. Valerith heard it open, and swooped up behind her like an enormous bat. Enclosing her arm in a grip of iron, he hissed in her ear, “Come, I have a job for you.”

When she reached for the clove of garlic in her pocket, Valerith broke her neck with a snarl and bounded after the boy. He had no chance of escape, and the vampire caught him a few feet from the door of his destination. Ignoring the child’s terrified wail, Valerith turned and carried him swiftly toward the pile of dust… only to discover the mob, returned from his castle, running into the village.

“Destroy the vampire!” The shout went up again, and one man, crying “Mari!” rushed ahead of the others. Valerith dropped the boy and snatched up a stone from the ground. Flinging it at his attacker with deadly speed, he fled into the night. By dawn, he was hiding in a cave far to the south. Finding a spot the sun would not reach, the vampire settled down to wait out the day.

~~~A small clearing in the woods~~~
Quite suddenly, a cloud of billowing cloud of purple smoke filled the clearing. It dissipated almost as swiftly, leaving three very startled-looking travelers in its wake.

“Where in the name of Drelvar are we?” demanded Boliad, the largest of the three.

“I haven’t got the slightest idea.” Verton Dijaal replied, leaning heavily on his staff.

“Perhaps next time your master sends us on a detour to investigate some ruined temple, you could ask him what the curséd place is going to do to us?”

“I’m sure he’d have warned us if he thought it would be dangerous. Besides, I haven’t seen you making any demands of Kaldor…”

“Perhapss,” T’zark T’kahndir suggested, “it would be besst if we sstopped arguing and let the Ssorccerer know what happened?”

“Aye, I suppose you’re right.” Saying this, Verton produced a small crystal and gazed into it for a moment.
“Strange… I’m not getting any reading.”

“Wonderful.” Boliad said glumly. “I don’t think I like the sound of that. What does it mean?”

“It means that either something is blocking the communication spell, or the enchantment was damaged during the trip here. Either is possible; that kind of magic’s pretty fragile. I think the only thing I can do about it is to try reinforcing the spell, and I don’t know about you two, but I want something to eat before I try it.”

“Yess.” T’zark agreed eagerly, his scales flickering.

“There’s a road over that way.” noted Boliad. “Let’s follow it for a bit, and see if we can find an inn or some such. If we don’t come across anything soon, we’ll set up camp and get out the supplies.”

The three companions hurried off, spurred on by the hope of a good meal and a comfortable bed for the night.

~~~A mysterious tower in the wilderness~~~
Koryl Tarethon emerged from the ancient structure with a smile on his face. This tower, though unguarded and long abandoned, had been more than worth exploring. His belt pouch was full of gold, a nice collection of gems rested in his pack, and best of all, he had found a new magical artifact. The only problem was that he wasn’t sure exactly how to use it. The controls seemed to be verbal, and several words were inscribed on one side of the device, but they were in no language he recognized.

Koryl could see the spells woven into the little spyglass, though, and he knew it would be worth going to the effort of learning how to control it. In a way, the mystery made it even more intriguing. He would just have to find somebody to translate for him. Wasn’t there an area, not too far away, that was known for its scholars? Koryl unrolled a map to refresh his memory. Yes, there – Iskan. Sliding the map back into his pack, the wanderer set off towards civilization.

~~Back in the clearing~~

Raul remained crouched in the bushes.

"What a strange group of people", he whispered quietly to himself. The inhabitants of this land seemed to be doing so many different things.

"Well, their not what I'm looking for", he whispered again. "I guess I'll keep searching.

Again he ran. Faster and faster, until he was surrounded by a blur.

He must find the one of the Prophesies. And quickly.

It had been 2 days since Harlin had had any water. He haad made the fools mistake of underestimating the power of the desert. His parched throat screamed for its terrible thirst to be slaked, while his mind struggled to stay lucid. When a city began to form on the horizon, he wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he urged his horse towards it anyway.

Holicon city is the largest city in Fandar, even larger than Karahd. Holicon rests directly south of the durangar range, where glacial waters feed Lake Tildine, and the farms that surround the city, connected by a system of roads and aqueducts.

As Holicon's horse staggered past the first of these outlying farms, a woman spotted him. Setting down her basket of wheat, she rushed to Harlin.

"Water..." was all Harlin could manage before succumbing to the unconsciousness clawing at his mind.

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

When he awoke, he was inside a small farmhouse. Sitting up, he looked over to see a small fire burning in the fire place, over which was a pot of something that he could smell was delicious. Slowly, he slid his feet over the side of the bed, and stod up, testing his balance. Seeing that he could in fact walk, he moved to the small table in the center of the room. There were a bowl and a spoon at one of the seats. Retrieving the bowl, he served himself some soup from the pot.

A voice behind him said, "What do you think?"

Turning, he saw the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. Wow he thought she must be a goddess!

She asked again, "The soup, how is it?"

Blushing, Harlin said, "Oh, I'm sorry." Tasting the soup, he was overcome by the myriad flavors and smells. And she can cook! "It's delicious, possibly the most divine food I have ever eaten!"

A large smile broke out across her face, "Wonderful, I'm glad you like it."

Over the next half hour, they discussed their individual pasts, Harlin carefully skirting the issue of his occupation.

"It's interesting that you grew up in Karahd, for I too grew up in the capitol city. Albeit over 100 years ago," she added this last note almost casually.

"100 years ago! How is that possible, you're so young and beautiful!" Blurted out Harlin before he caught himself. The dehydration must have gone to his head, because he usually wasn't so free with his tongue.

"Thank you, but yes 100 years ago, my mother was an elf."

That would do it, thought Harlin.

They continued becoming acquainted over the next hour, but then Harlin realized he had spent far too much time with this beautiful woman. "I'm sorry Shara, but I really need to be on my way, the Guild..." it was too late, it had already slipped fromhis lips. He hoped she would not recognize the significance of this misstep. "needs me to make my way to Lustria."

Shara smiled, "So that's what you've been hiding all this time. You're one of the Jiltakin. That explains this amulet I found around your neck." She was holding the Jiltakin Hand. Quick as lightning, Harlin's hand shot out and retrieved theprecious relic from the woman. Replacing it to his neck before Shara even knew it had been taken.

"Indeed, but now I must go."

"I'll go with you, it has been decades since I've had any adventure. The farm life has really started to bore me."

"I really work better alone, and I couldn't be protecting you the whole time."

"Nonsense, I can fend for my self." Saying this, she stood and entered a fighting stance. Swirling around, she went through several difficult stances and attacks, including "Tiger Balanced on Lotus" which Harlin regarded as one of the hardest stances to learn.

"I guess I was too quick to judge," sighing he admitted "I can't force you not to come, but I..." he thought about it, She can fight for herself, she's beautiful, and she can cook...what am I doing? "...I guess you can come."

"Good, let me grab my things." She returned after a brief moment carying several small bags, a suit of leather armor, and a small sword and shield.

Stepping outside, Harlin saw two horses tied up by the house, one was his own black Fandarian, the other was a beautiful amber stallion. He walked over to his own, Maranar, and gentle petted her snout before untying her. Tightening the saddle and checking his bags, he mounted his steed. Looking over, he saw that Shara was doing the same.

"Shall we?" He asked.

"Lead the way." She replied.

With that, Harlin dug his heels into the sides of his horse, and urged him forward and galloped off towards the city to find a guide through the treacherous mountains.

Ar'mai (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/DMG2005/ArmaiCorvianna2.jpg)

Bored due to their long absence from anything adventurous or exciting, Ar'mai and Bael'ther by servitude were elated to hear that their friend Sarik was going to be leaving and taking them on a new adventure. As soon as Sarik left to talk to the Patriarch, Ar'mai quickly skipped around packing up the few belongings they had with them and preparing Gael'kadar, her winged horse, for the journey.

"Aren't you excited!" Ar'mai called to Gael'kadar who was following behind as they made their way to the main gate. Being seven foot four inches and having long strides helped tremendously when trying to keep up with a beast like Gael'kadar, whom Ar'mai was riding (their normal configuration). "We haven't been on an adventure for nearly a month; the one with that lich. What was his name... Makiz... Nathis... Mavis!" She exclaimed.

Bael'ther, she knew, couldn't respond due to his unfortunate encounter with the tail end of a dragon, which had cut his voice box and was left untreated until it became a permanent affliction. Though talking to her companion was basically like talking to herself, especially because she was always ahead of him and thus couldn't see him nor hear him except for his heavy footsteps and the clanging of his armor, she would often become quite angry if she found out he wasn't paying attention.

"Wasn't very pleasant there," she commented from atop her steed. "Very cold and icy. I like this place much better; much more like home." The forests that were commonly found in the lands occupied by the Order of the White Serphant reminded Ar'mai of the lands that her own people, the Akenea'raeheal clan, occupied.

"Hey!" Ar'mai cried as they met up with Sarik. "Ready to go!" she said and without waiting for a response she led her winged horse out of the gate and on the road to adventure...

---

They had been flying for a while now, and much to Bael'ther's dismay, Ar'mai had been barrel rolling and diving quite often for fun. When they finally set down behind Sarik, Bael'ther was quite relieved and even Ar'mai had been growing bored of just flying.

Hopping off Gael'kadar, Ar'mai pet him on the nose gently and then whispered something inaudible into his ear. The next moment the winged horse gave its familiar cry and then darted off into the air. Generally when Ar'mai was sleeping for the night she would let her winged horse do as he pleased and so she rarely ever tied him up.

With Bael'ther in tow, Ar'mai followed Sarik into the inn and subsequently into the room he had rented. She was used to getting her way and so as she entered the room she chose her bed and selected everything that was hers. Though an experienced Elven princess, ranger, and priestess, Ar'mai often acted like the teenager she was; meaning she would often act like a young girl in being naive, a tease or simple minded.

Bael'ther entered the room shortly behind Ar'mai, making sure to duck his head under the doorframe, and quickly found a spot in the corner to slink down in. Pulling out his swords, he laid them across his lap and began grinding them against a small rivet in his armor...

Inzikai plodded along a snow covered trail towards the Exe-duun. The air was frigid and the wind found ways through Inzikai's heavy coat, chilling him within minutes. Following close behind was his personal guard, who were beginning to show signs of discomfort in the cold.

Several more minutes pasted and Inzikai came across several small camps surrounding strange stuctures that had to be atleast a mile high and about half as wide. Around the base of these artifacts stood many of Inzikai's researchers as well as several Morgrathien soldiers and shamans.

"Ahh...When I see these structures of our ancestors, I can not help but feel awed..." said Inzikai as he stared up at them.

"Hail, Lord Inzikai of Zlatlan and the Cult of Valtrox!" someone shouted behind Inzikai's group.

The group all turned in unison and faced a lone warrior. This warrior was much taller than the average skizzarish, about 8 feet tall. He wore silver platemail armor under a cloak of animal furs. On his one side of his belt slung a wicked looking sword, the other side held a smaller matching sword.

"Chief Higsthor...what a pleasant surprise," said Inzikai with a hint of scorn in his voice. "Come to inspect our progress as well? Truly magnificent structures arent they?"

The massive Skizzarish was about 3 feet away from Inzikai when he stopped. "Why have you come here? What are these structures?"

"We agreed that I have permission to come here and study these structures in exchange for -"

Within seconds, Higsthor gripped Inzikai's neck and picked him up to eye level. Inzikai's guards unsheathed their swords and pointed them at Higsthor, ready to strike.

"Sheath your swords," gasped Inzikai, who remained calm, even though he was running out of air. His guards complied, but kept their hands on their hilts."What is it you want, Higsthor? I have given you my answer-"

"Wrong! I disagreed to the pact, the others agreed," snarled Higsthor, lips curled, revealing a row of perfectly lined fangs. "What are these structures and why are you interested in them?"

Inzikai gasped again and pointed to Higsthor's hand clamped around his neck. Higsthor loosened his hand a little bit, but still kept a firm hold.

"These ruins were discovered by several of my traders while on their way to a trade outpost. I decided that it greatly advance our knowledge of our ancestors and our past. And so far, I believe we have made some advances."

"Don't lie to me Inzikai," shouted Higsthor. "What are they really for?"

"Truthfully, I do not know," said Inzikai, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the wind was getting particularly cold. "That is why I am researching it...Now if you would please put me down?"

Higsthor put Inzikai down and backed away. "I still do not agree with the other chiefs, and I still do not like you, but I will respect the pact that was made as long as you do the same. I'll be watching you..." With that, Higsthor walked away and disappeered into a nearby forest.

I will be watching you as well, Higsthor, and believe me, if you are not dead next time we meet, you will be soon afterwards...
**********************************************************
Rothargot was explored his surroundings as the others slept. He watched as a strange gazelle creature drank some of the swamp water nearby. It looked alert as it saw Rothargot and stared at him. Rothargot stared back, unmoving. For several minutes they stood there, motionless, ending in the gazelle returning to drink.

These mortal creatures are fascinating, thought Rothargot as he returned to the others. When master comes back, I must show him...

Rothargot began to walk away then heard a terrible splashing. He looked at where the Gazelle was, but instead found a large crocodile ripping it to shreds. Master would indeed like those…They strike with great fury…

Rothargot made his way back to camp, and stood watching the others, unsure as to when they should wake up. Rothargot cursed the fact that mortals needed sleep, and then took his mind to their first encounter. The male, Maverion, was nervous and did not know how to react, while the female, Teralynn was confident and full of pride. Perhaps because she is working with me, a immortal servant of Valtrox?. Rothargot liked that idea and tested his smile again, but with a more sinister tone. I liked both these mortals reactions…Maverion knows his place and showed great respect to Rothargot, while the bold Teralynn showed her pride in being a member of the cult. Valtrox would like these mortals indeed…
**********************************************************

Sarik finished polishing his weapons and armor, and began to feel thirsty.

“I am going to get a drink, I’m starting to feel parched,” said Sarik as he stood at the doorway of the room. He then walked to the bar and noticed a very familiar figure.

“Morti? Is that really you?” exclaimed Sarik, excitement entering his voice.

Lorathin had just been getting a bowl of stew when he heard his most recent alias get called out. Looking over, he noticed Sarik and waved him over, as he took a seat. "How've you been and call me, oh i dunno, Azreal." He commented once Sarik arrived.

Sarik took a seat next to "Azrael".

"Azrael...going under cover?" asked Sarik with a slight smile on his face. He ordered a mug of water (which the bartender seemed to dislike) and returned to Azrael's questions. "I am...fine, I suppose. I'm doing what any member of the Order would dream of doing...But I feel like I just want to stay home, start a family, and relax. Instead, I'm on a mission that I may very well die on," Sarik took a sip of his water, then asked "How about you? How have you been?"

"Actually I was aliased with Morti as well." Lorathin replied, "The real name's Lorathin. I'm also doing fine. But what's this about a mission, and when'd you say bye to the elves?"

Oh no... I thought I smelled that foul beast Ar'mai thought when she heard Sarik calling out Morti's name; her attitude isntantly changed from that of a innocent young girl to a serious and annoyed elf. Either Sarik is playing one hell of a trick on me and my senses or else I am about to have one big headache.

Bael'ther had also perked up when he heard Morti's name, though his thoughts were not filled with hatred or annoyance by his presence there. Ar'mai looked across at Bael'ther (whose head was even with hers despite her being on a bed and him on the ground) and then jerked her head towards the door, indicating her want for him to go check it out.

Bael'ther, who had finished grinding his blades, stood up and returned the massive, blessed swords to their sheaths. Without any protest he started across the room with his long strides and soon found himself at the doorway. Turning once to look at her, he continued out of the room and towards the bar...

"When'd you say bye to the elves?" he heard Lorathin ask. Just as he finished the question, Bael'ther, who had surprisingly gone unnoticed despite his size, sat down heavily on the bench next to Lorathin.

Lorathin looked at the elf, "I guess that answers my question. Is your cranky lady friend upstairs?" He asked

Lorathin looked at the elf, "I guess that answers my question. Is your cranky lady friend upstairs?" He asked

Bael'ther simply nodded his response to the question.

Upstairs in their room Ar'mai was still lying chest down on the bed with her head at the foot end of the bed and her feet in the air behind her. Her sensitive Elven hearing was picking up the entire conversation that was occuring in the bar.

"Great." Lorathin commented with a roll of his eyes and an exasperated note. "At least that infernal, or rather divine as the case may be, curse is gone, never to return." He was confident in that as when he'd gotten it lifted, he got a sheilding enchantment to prevent that particular spell from befalling him again.

Sarik chuckled as Bael'ther sat next to Lorathin. "We've been with each other since the last mission, and I was more than happy to accept their help for this mission."

"I've been asked to stop a mad emperor from getting his hands on something. We are not quite sure what he wants to learn, but whatever it is, it wont benefit any of us. Perhaps you would like to join us on this quest as well?"

"Sure, why not." Lorathin replied before turning to Bael'ther and asked, "Could you go see if Ar'mai wants to come down please?"

Bael'ther stared and sat motionless for a moment, showing that he had no willingness to be ordered around. Then he stood slowly and crossed the bar in four massive strides, making it to the stairs in no time at all.

A few brief moments later, the hulking form of Bael'ther returned, descending the stairs and reentering the bar. He walked up to Lorathin without saying a word (obviously!) and stood motionless. From behind him appeared the lovely and young figure of Ar'mai. "Back again?"

"Thank you, and it's nice to see you as well my dear." Lorathin replied with a grin.

Maverion bolted upright into a sitting position from his sleep. A thin layer of clouds spread the moon's brightness into a sheet of grayish white all across the night sky, illuminating the ground below. The campfire had died, and Teralynn was asleep on the other side of it. A short distance away sat Rothargot, the hazy moonlight glancing off of parts of his large body while keeping the bulk of his mass in the shadow, who was now looking at Maverion because of the sudden movement.

"Valdore!" Maverion said to the woman in something between a whisper and a hiss as he grabbed for his sword.

Teralynn stirred. "What is it?" she demanded, not at all pleased with being woken up.

"Myrlings," said Mave, pulling his sword out its sheath and getting to his feet.

Upon hearing this, Tera too was quickly up and armed. Looking around the swampy terrain, she was not able to spot anything, but that was often the case with myrlings. "How many and where?"

The man shook his head, "I can't be certain. They have us surrounded, though. I can sense them closing in."

"Myrlings?" the demon asked.

"Swamp creatures, my lord," Maverion answered. "They attack people on the road, usually by sneaking up on them and with superior numbers." He continued searching through the shadows with his eyes, attempting to spot one.

Teralynn was likewise spying into the darkness, in search of their predators. "Tales told to naughty children say that the myrlings were once Skizzarish. Long ago, they were loyal to the old ways, before Lord Inzikai took control. They tried to fight him, but were crushed, and so they fled and went into hiding. As the forests became mires, they merged into the land. For countless years, these fiends have attacked travelers who were not convicted to Lord Valtrox enough to be fully protected by him. Or so the children have been told."

"Can you alter what they see?" Maverion asked of her.

"No," said Tera. "I have only encountered them once before, and did not have enough time to become accustomed to their minds - if you can even call those little things in their heads a mind."

Something splashed out of the water, hurling itself at Mave. The secret police officer quickly backhanded the air in front of him. Several meters away, the myrling jumping through the air at him was knocked hard against a nearby tree, its neck and spine snapping and its body falling limp to the muddy ground.

Two more jumped out of the murky waters. The first one launched itself at Tera, but she easily sidestepped the creature and swirled around to slice it in the ribs and neck with her metal fans. It promptly collapsed, grasping at it wounds before being finished off by the woman. The second myrling rushed up to Maverion, who simply struck his longsword through the creature's chest, pulled it back out, and beheaded it with a fluid motion.

Another four myrlings burst forth from the waters. Maverion closed his eyes, and before the myrlings could do anything else, they found themselves levitating several feet off the ground. They thrashed around wildly, but to no avail. Then, one by one, each of their necks snapped with a loud crack, their heads forcibly twisted unnaturally around. Then all four bodies dropped to the ground with a thud.

Maverion reopened his eyes. "I don't sense any more of them," he said, but kept his sword at the ready should more appear.

Silence gradually returned to the campsite as the two officers stood, quiet and at the ready.

As Maverion and Teralynn finished informing Rothargot about the Myrlings, they began their attack. Both Maverion and Teralynn both acted efficently as Rothargot watched them battle. This was the first time he has seen mortals fight, and they fought quite well.

Rothargot noticed several Myrlings jump at him. He grabbed one in the air and mumbled some words of magic. Immediately, the Myrling bloated up, and Rothargot casually tossed it at the others. As soon as the bloated myrling hit the ground, it blew up in a firey explosion, englufing several trees along with most of the myrlings that were preparing to jump at him. He then casually picked the creatures already climbing up his chest and crushed them in his hands. As the last ones were killed, Rothargot smiled and looked in the direction of the others.

"Does anything larger accompany these suicidal creatures?"

It was at this time that T'zark, Boliad, and Verton reached the inn where Sarik and his friends were staying. While Boliad went to the innkeeper to pay for food and a room, the other two found an empty table and sat down. All three looked quite tired.
~~~~~~
Hungry and frustrated, Ter Valerith stalked through the night. As if losing his home and his servant wasn't bad enough, he now found himself lost in the wilderness, without even a tiny village to hunt in. He could sustain himself for a while by preying on wild beasts, but he needed the blood of intelligent beings to keep up his strength. So, when the vampire heard the sound of fighting in the distance, he grinned and flew swiftly in that direction...

"Thank you, and it's nice to see you as well my dear." Lorathin replied with a grin.

"I am sure it is..." she replied sarcastically.

"So... what is a foul animal like you doing in these lands; I thought we left you weeks ago," she said, taking a seat at the table next to Sarik while Bael'ther continued to stand behind Lorathin.

She signaled the barkeep non chalantly and ordered up a small plate of food and a couple of drinks. Something told her that she would be needing her energy soon...

She turned back to the conversation to listen while she waited for the barkeep to return. Luckily, it was only a few minutes when the barkeep tapped her on the shoulder and put a plate of food and two different drinks in front of her. Slipping him a few coins for the service, she started eating.

"There's no need for that attitude." Lorathin replied, offended a bit by her harsh words. "I was just wandering, doing good works and arrived here at this time."

Sarik watched the 3 newcomers with curiousity. He's never seen a lizardman like the one he saw now.

"That group over there looks a bit tired...Although it's not my business to find out, I do wonder how one would get so tired in this peaceful area..." Sarik whispered to the others, while glancing at them. "I've especially never seen a lizardman quite like that one before."

"Maybe they've had a long journey." Lorathin commented as he looked over at the new arrivals, "And as for lizardmen, you'd know more about that than I would."

"Oooh! Maybe we could get in a fight with them," Ar'mai hoped. "You know... a word here, a bump there, and then BAM a full blown fight."

The last few peaceful weeks had been a nice rest after their long journey, but now Ar'mai was itching for adventure and battle.

"Now how about theres a word or two, maybe a bump, but no fight?" chuckled Sarik as he began to think up what he can say to the newcomers.

"Besides, being the only noticeable Order warrior here, I can give them an official welcome," he said as he straightened out his robes.

"Bah!" Ar'mai dimissed his comment. "You're no fun."

She went back to eating and drinking before turning to Sarik, "Well get to it already. The quicker you get to greeting them, the quicker we can get to fighting... if they are hostile," she said adding the lass bit quickly.

"Why are you so very combative today, have I brought out the worst in you?" Lorathin commented with a grin.

"Never without a one line snide comment, are ya?" Ar'mai said, shooting a look at Lorathin before turning back to Sarik.

"Well... get to introducing yourself," she urged him. "No doubt they have an interesting story to tell, and I could go for curling up by the fire and listening right about now," she said as she finished the last of her food and drink.

"What can I say, you bring out the best in me my dear Ar'mai." Lorathin commented with a grin.

"I'm going, I'm going..." said Sarik as he walked over to the table where the two took a seat.

"Greetings, friends! I am Sir Sarik of the Order of the White Serpent. What brings you to these parts?" grinned Sarik.

"Honored to meet you." Boliad replied, with a slight bow.

"My name is Boliad; these are Verton and T'zark. To be perfectly honest, we'd rather like to know what brought us here, ourselves. Verton's teacher sent us to investigate an old temple of some sort. There was a sudden surge of magic, and the next thing we knew, we were here. We don't even know exactly where this is."

"As I am honored to meet all of you," said Sarik as he bowed to each. You are all now in the southern part of Lustria, more specifically, Illuminata, land of the Order. This surge of magic or temple you speak of...do you know anything more about it? I too, have been sent by my master on a quest involving magic, but we are not quite sure what my target is doing...All we know is that he is trying to gather information from a grand library to the west. Thats where my party is headed. Perhaps you too would like to join us? Once we reach the library, you may find some books on what you are looking for."

Harlin and Shara were standing in a darkened room in a particularly sleazy dive in the slums of Holicon City. The man they were talking to insisted that he remain in shadow and they acquiesced, because despite the location, he was the only guide they could find who was even relatively recommended.

"Name your price...shadow man." Harlin added the last bit after considering what he should call the figure standing in the corner.

"For the both of you? 100 sharuks would suffice," replied the man.

"100 sharuks! For that kind of money, I could hire an army and march it through the mountains."

"Perhaps you could, but would you make it to the other side with your lives? Those mountains are full of warring dwarf clans, wolves, dringos, not to mention dragons and wyverns. Few return to tell the tales of the horrors those mountains hold."

"Still, 50 sharuks is the most I'm willing to pay for your service."

"75 sharuks, or I walk out of this room."

"60..."

"Okay, 60 sharuks it is."

Harlin pulled his gold pouch from his belt, and hefted it with his hand. He then removed 8 pieces and tossed the bag to the man, restoring the change to a pocket.

Suddenly, the man snapped his fingers and fire sprang to all the candles in the room, and the room was bathed in light. The old man standing before Harlin looked quite strong despite his evident age. He also carried a staff which was set with a small crystal in the top. The stone seemed farmiliar to Harlin, but he couldn't place it.

Shara saw the man placing the bag on his own belt, and asked "Aren't you going to count the coins?"

"You needn't worry yourself about that missy, I can tell from the weight of the bag that it's all there."

"Those candles were quite a trick old man, how'd you do it?" Asked Harlin.

The man smiled, and moved his hands together and whispered a few words before a ball of fire began growing in his palm. "I'm an elementalist boy, master of fire, air, earth, and water. That is how I plan to assure our passage through the mountain."

Harlin marveled. He had never seen a true wizard before and this amazing skill was more astonishing than he had ever imagined.

"Impressive, it has been a great many years since I have seen an elementalist of any great skill," said Shara.


"We are a rare breed indeed young miss, but a great many years? You can't be much older than 20."

"In fact , I can, 102 years older to be exact."

"My word, part elf then I presume?"

"Yes, my mother was..." she faded off.

"Well," Harlin interjected. "We really need to be on our way, so we need to leave tomorrow."

"That won't be a problem. I will come for you in the morning," concluded Minos.

"I don't believe so, my lord," Maverion said to Rothargot. "All the reports of Myrling attacks have only mentioned the Myrlings themselves." He looked around at the dead bodies and the burning trees, then began packing their belongings and putting them on the horses. "We should get moving nonetheless."

Teralynn went over to one of the Myrlings and began scraping away at the thick layer of mud stuck to the skin of the creatures.

"Valdore?" Maverion asked.

She lifted the eyelids back and looked intently into the dead Myrling's eyes. "A shame they are dead. I would have liked to study their minds, see what makes them...tick."

"Another time, Valdore," said Mave. "Let's get going."

Tera let go of the Myrling's head, letting it drop with a squishing sound as it hit the ground. "Oh well." She wiped the mud off of her hands and began packing her things up. "It did look a bit like a Skizzarish, I suppose. But then it looked like just about anything else with a tail." She gave a sly, sidelong smile to Rothargot, "Present company excluded, of course."

As Maverion finished packing up and freeing his horse from the tree, he mounted it and asked, "My lord, when do you wish for us to reach the library of Empress Rimoru?"

"As soon as possible...our master has been patient long enough," replied Rothargot with a slight grin. He unfolded his large wings and flapped several times, then waited for the others.

"Perhaps very soon...I thought I heard someone coming towards us in the distance."

The assembled Velthiri watched closely as Destiny made his next move. It was an important moment; this would determine if his pieces remained in the game. Dice rolled across the table...

"Oh, yes! That could be very useful. Thank you." Verton said quickly.

"Could you tell us a bit more about this quest of yours?" Boliad asked.

T'zark leaned forward, listening with obvious curiosity.

~~~~~~

Hearing the sounds of magic, Valerith revised his plans. Demons, mages, and the like usually weren't worth fighting, but they could be valuable allies. Returning to the ground, he continued forward with no attempt at stealth.

Maverion immediately drew his sword out again, the object making a sound as it slid out of its sheath. Teralynn also gripped onto her two fans in a defensive stance, but did not open them, holding them instead as if they were short clubs.

When the vampire made his appearance, both Mave and Tera tried to probe his mind. He was not a Myrling, that much was evident. Whether his intents were hostile or not was another issue.

"Halt! Identify yourself!" Maverion said to the stranger. He prepared himself in case Valerith should try any surprises.

"Although I must keep most of the details secret, I have been ordered to make sure Lord Inzikai, perhaps the most evil creature I have known, from getting whatever he needs from the Library of the Empress, a library that contains all known records of Skizzarish history and much more. Whatever the occasion, we have reports of a large and powerful creature that could be a demi-god on Inzikai's side, which could only mean he is planning something dangerous or incredibly hard for a spellcaster as powerful as he is. If worst comes to worst....well let's not hope it comes to that..." replied Sarik as he thought of a massive fiery dragon torching his home and everyone he loves.

As Ar'mai and Bael'ther waited for Sarik to finish his business with the necomers, they became bored (as Ar'mai could do quite often). They decided to play an ancient elven game that few knew about; it involved three gold coins, a deck of cards, an eight sided die, and a hard surface...

Lorathin watched the two elves playing the game. He was trying to learn the rules by observation.

Lorathin watched the two elves playing the game. He was trying to learn the rules by observation.

The game was nearly impossible to follow for non-elves and even those elves who were from different areas. It required more than just statistics, probability, and luck. It required knowledge of the Elven culture, the Gods, myths that had been told for centuries and above all... an Elven mind.

The two seemed content to play for as long as needed as it was quite an interesting and fun game; though best with larger groups. Ar'mai, as normal, seemed to be winning...

Since he couldn't figure out the game, Lorathin decided to simply watch the two elves play the game.

The next morning, Harlin awoke to Minos smoking a pipe in the chair in his small room. Startled, he thought How is that possible, no one can sneak up on me. Still, he sat up and looked over to where Shara was still sleeping in the opposite bed.

Minos said to Harlin, "Time to go boy, wake your friend."

Harlin moved across the room and tapped Shara gently on the shoulder and whispered, "Shara..." into her ear. Suddenly, SHara lashed out and if it hadn't been for Harlin's quick reflexes, she would have skewwered him with the short sword that she had kept under her pillow.

Looking around Shara said, "My apologies, but I find it hard to sleep without the security of cold steel in close proximity."

"Aye," sighed Harlin, "I noticed."

Meanwhile, Minos sat behind them playing a small game with a floating orb of water. He lifted his head from the game, and the water fell and splashed on the floor. "Can we be off then?"

Shara looked suprised for a moment and then collected herself and said, "Yes, let me gather my things."

Several minutes later, the group was outside saddling up their horses. There was also a loaded down pack mule, but also several empty ones. Harlin asked Minos what they were there for.

"Well, few traders are willing to make the journey through the mountains. Thus, any traders who do se a vast return on their investment. I intend to buy Skizzarish goods, and bring them back over the mountains to sell them here."

Harlin nodded, he understood well the concepts of economics. "Wouldn't it make more sense to either load up these mules with Fandarian goods, and sell them to the Skizzarish, or just buy the mules when you get there?"

Minos thought for a moment, "Of course not, you obviously have no grasp of the modern economic tides in Lustria."

Shamed, Harlin backed down.

Shara turned to the two men and said,"COme on, we can't dawdle here all day, let us be on our way."

Wih that, the three travellers climbed onto their mounts, and rode north into the foothills of the Durangars.

Since he couldn't figure out the game, Lorathin decided to simply watch the two elves play the game.

They played for a while, until suddenly, Ar'mai smiled and cheered (slightly) in victory - something nobody else could have seen coming. Bael'ther didn't seem to show any disappointment or emotion for that matter - most likely because he was used to losing at this point.

"Alright..." Ar'mai said as she strode over to Sarik, "What's the deal? We have wasted enough time..."

Sarik turned away from the group for a moment.

"No worries, Ar'mai, remember, we have come to rest and I have rented a room...If you feel the urge for some action, I bet you someone around this town has a predicament they may need help in...You could probably bring Azrael along if he is bored as well. As for these visitors, they have quite a story. Luckily, they have agreed to come with us to The Library of Rimoru." he said with a small smile.

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


INZIKAI! WHAT TAKES YOU SO LONG? WHY ARE YOU NOT HELPING ROTHARGOT IN RETRIEVING THE BOOK? boomed a voice in Lord Inzikai's mind, startling him as he studied a map of the Exe-duun Mountains.

Master Valtrox! I am not with the party because I have some...bad connections with Empress Rimoru. If she saw me in her land, she would surely try to kill me and the rest of the party. If she sees Rothargot, she will be amazed at meeting a Demi-god in person, no matter its alliance.

I have blessed you with great powers, Inzikai, and you fear a mere mortal?

Master, You have not seen Rimoru in person. She is a woman of extreme power, even with the blessings you have given me. She is short of temper, and dislikes most outsiders, believing them to corrupt her nation. If I didnt know better, I would have expected her to be a demi-god, her power easily beyond my own. Inzikai thought to his god, making sure he noticed his distaste of the Empress.

How did she get like so? Who does she worship?

How she got so powerful is unknown, but it is known she has nearly every book in her library and it is assumed by most Skizzarish that she worshipped you and the other gods of magic

Interesting...I have not recieved her call... the voice was silent for a while and Inzikai didn't know if or how he should respond to this. I have another assignment for Rothargot, yet the other still takes top priority. I want Rothargot to gain Rimoru's trust by nearly any means necesary. He will remain my loyal servant, and not give away any of his gifts, but I have come to the conclusion that a creature of her stature and power would greatly aid our efforts.

Fear suddenly struck Inzikai. Master, surely I have not failed you? I still remain your favored mortal? Was it not I who killed my father and brought this nation and your worship all over Lustria?

A chilling laugh boomed inside Inzikai's mind. Do not worry, my favored Mortal. I have yet to speak with the Empress. Now, I have other important matters to attend to...as do you

With that, Inzikai felt a something escape his mind, as though he had just forgotten what he was thinking about. He still remembered everything that was said however. Inzikai decided he shall inform Rothargot as soon as he finished the what he was doing. He returned to his map and tried to get back to his business, but that horrible thought of being replaced lingered in the back of his mind...

"I do not seek to help people out of their predicaments," Ar'mai replied, "One cannot grow if he lets others gain knowledge instead. It is action and battle that I seek, though my dreams have told me there is plenty to come on the horizon - the horizon is truly unreachable... just as is tomorrow."

"Now if you will excuse me," Ar'mai said as she stood up from the table. "I will be in my room if anyone needs me..." The last part about the newcomers agreeing to accompany them had not been comforting to the Elven princess - more likely she would have welcomed them as enemies.

She strode across the room as the angel she was (figuratively), leaving only her charming scent and imagery behind as she ascended the stairs.

They had been travelling through the mountains for four days now, and had already passed the tree line and mad it to the first pass. Delguline's Pass was only open five months out of the year, and luckily for the travellers, they were smack dab in the middle of that window. Unluckily for them though, the ravine they approached was a perfect place for an ambush. Ordinarily, a small detachment of the Fandarian Royal Guard would be posted in the small building that sat at the opening of the pass, but there were none when the three arrived. Even though it was summer, it was bitterly cold, and Harlin could see his breath in puffs of white mist. It was also deathly quiet in the pass as they entered into the darkness its side created. Harlin was on edge, an was flying through the air before those watching were able to loose their first arrows.

Drawing his daggers, Harlin came down on his first opponent from above, silencing him with a swift pull of his dagger across the throat. Dashing again, he flew through the air and severed the second assailants head. The third was too far away for him to reach and he saw the man release the arrow he had nocked back. Harlin dodged under it and ran at the man, but before he could reach him, the man was swallowed by the very earth upon which he stood. Looking back down into the pass he saw Minos sitting down, exhausted from the effort it had taken to cast the spell.

Harlin jumped and landed gently on the ravine floor 40 feet below. He walked over to the other two.

"Is everyone alright?," he inquired.

Shara was on her knees next to Minos muttering under her breath and as Harlin watched, he saw the vigor return to Minos.

"So, you're a healer as well?," he directed at her.

"Yes, the Sisters of the White Rose taught me some of their art."

"Wow, you really are amazing," Harlin said under his breath. He was becoming incredibly attracted to this woman.

Minos stood up and said, "If we continue at this rate we'll be in Lustria in ten days." And with that, he set off, leaving the dead bandits to freeze in the snow that had just begun to fall lightly. In all likelihood, their dead eyes would never see light again.

Sarik had excused himself from the conversation soon after Ar'mai left to the room. He was tired and wished for a long sleep before the official beginning of his quest. In the next day, they will surely reach Imperium borders, where Sarik will have to go without Andrazlia. This saddened Sarik, as he went nearly everywhere with his trusty mount. He will need to ask the Imperium for another mount, perhaps one of their famous griffons.

Sarik went to the bathroom and changed into his nightware and went to sleep, his weapons within short reach...


"Master paladin! Master elf! Please! We need you help! Something has kidnapped my son and my farm animals! Please help us!" cried the innkeeper, running from Sarik to Ar'mai. "I have asked the others you have talked to, but I dunno what it is that kidnapped them!"

"Calm down, sir," said Sarik, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He had been sleeping for two hours already. "Which way did it go?"

"It went west, into a small hovel, bringing its stolen items with it!"

Sarik got up, and began to put on his armor. "Don't worry, sir, We will try to bring back your goods."

"What did it look like?" Lorathin asked the innkeeper that was requesting aid of Sarik and Ar'mai.

"I could only see a dark outline of it. What I did see...well...It was massive, i can say that. It seemed a little round, near the waist, but it easily carried away several cows and my son away!"

"My drake should've warned us. Do you know what happened to her?" asked Sarik as he buckled his boots.

"Your drake flew off towards the forest soon after you went to your room. It came back a little while ago. Soon after the robbery, maybe because it heard screams? My guess is to find something to eat."

"Good Guess," muttered Sarik as he finished putting on his weapon belts. Sarik opened his window and whistled loudly.

"Darn, that could be any number of things." Lorathin commented, "When you're ready." He said to Ar'mai and Sarik to indicate he was ready to find the sprog and beast.

"I was born ready," Ar'mai replied as she hopped out of the window and onto the waiting figure of Gael'kadar, the winged horse. Bael'ther, not wanting to hurt the horse by landing so heavily on it, quickly made his way out the door and made his way to the stead.

"Do you think it could have been a behemoth?" Ar'mai asked her companion, who of course didn't respond - she didn't expect him to; she was more of thinking out loud than actually asking a question.

Sarik followed Bael'thor out the door and mounted Andrazlia, who awaited eagerly for some action.

Off went Andrazlia and Sarik, soaring through the sky, towards the west, searching for the hovel. Sure enough, about 10 minutes of flight, he saw the dirty shack. Sarik landed Andrazlia next to the hovel and dismounted.

All around him stood heads of many creatures on pikes, from elves, dwarves, goblins, Skizzarish, and human to larger skulls like minotaurs, drakes, and even what looked to be a dragon skull, which sat next to the hutt, growing moss.

Sarik continued walking towards the entrance which was nearly pitch black, and could see large piles of bones near the entrances, and some corpses that looked as though they were recently chewed up.

"I hope we havent gotten here too late," said Sarik as he frowned.

Lorathin took off into the air after the two winged beasts, travelling under his own power.
"Man that's a nasty beasty. Thought I think those are cow bones, not Skizzarish, so we may still have time."

"It would appear that we have," Ar'mai remarked as Gael'kadar landed next to Andrazlia. "At least to save these people..." she said as she looked around at all of the heads and skulls.

"I wonder what it could be..."

Bael'ther had dismounted the winged horse after her and his hands now rested firmly on the hilts of his swords; ready for action.

Sarik cautiously walked towards the dark hole that was the entrance.

"Resident of this home, Return the child at once, or suffer the consequences!" called Sarik. He noticed there was an echo. "This place must be bigger than i thought..."

Sarik signaled the others to follow him as he walked into the room. As soon as he walked in, he nearly fainted from the smell, it was so bad. He muttered an enchantment and his sword glowed a bright blue, lightning up the surroundings, revealing a massive mosiac covering the whole wall. The mosiac was that of a giant orb of arms holding weapons of every type known and unknown, legs trampling thousands, claws ripping unidentifyable figures to shreds, and mouths eating more figures. Right in the middle of the orb were four eyes, red as blood.

"Resident of this home, Return the child at once, or suffer the consequences!" he repeated.

This time he got an answer. A deep throaty laugh that made the scales on the back of Sariks neck stand on end.

"Come then, let me see you before I flay you alive!" came the reply, echoing all the way around the room.

Sarik slowly looked around and pointed his sword down a tunnel. "Down there..." he coughed as he began to walk forward, as he heard the laugh again, then some sickening crunching sound.

Lorathin covered his nose with a hand as he muttered a spell to deal with the stench, and included it to cover the elves and Sarik. Conjuring a small ball of fire in his palm, for light, he followed after the paladin into the tunnel.

"Thanks," Sarik said as Azraels spell did away with most of the stench, but what he already breathed in stuck in his nose.

They continued down the seemingly endless path for about 10 more minutes, stumbling on many bones along the way. The sick crunching sound kept echoing down the hall as they walked towards the source. They finally went through a doorway that lead to a very large, squarish room. There were torches lined up along the wall giving off a dim light. On the floor was a massive mosiac nearly the same as the previous one, except the giant orb seemed to be eating worlds. Sarik walked to the middle of the room and noticed a massive figure sitting in the corner. Just by sitting it had to be around his height. Next to the beast lay a small skizzarish child, seemingly unhurt.

"Give us the child, and you may be forgiven," ordered Sarik at the large figure.

"I need no forgiveness, paladin," chuckled the giant. He stood up and streched, revealing a large armspan and massive meaty hands. He walked closer the the group, and some of the torce light revealed his face. His eyes had a dull red glow, like burned out charcoal, and his smile, if one could call it smiling, revealed long rows of razor sharp, long teeth. "Now, if you want the child...come get him."

"A night giant, eh?" Lorathin thought with a chuckle. Rapidly speaking a twinned incantation, the ball of flame in his hand began glowing to beyond incandesent brightness, completely illuminating the cavern. As the ball glowed, the vision of his three companions and of himself polarized accordingly. It'd still be bright to look at the ball, but for the giant, he'd be completely blind.

OOC:
(Insert several minutes of muffled, untranslatable cursing.)
I had most of a post typed up just now, and my [untranslatable term] computer crashed! I'll be editting it in, as best I can remember. Summary: Valerith introduces himself, T'zark & company arrive in the tunnel.

My deepest apologies for the delay; I've been quite busy with school work recently.

OOC: No problems Dar-Kavryn. I've had that happen to me a lot and it gets incredibly annoying lol.

The giant creature sheilded one his eyes with one hand and began to mutter a spell to protect him from Azrael's spell.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, sorcerer!" he called. "I have killed creatures far more powerful than all of your combined!"

Sarik made sure not to look at Azrael's spell for fear of being blinded as well, but he noticed that all over the great beasts body were long intricate tattoos. Sarik pulled out his broad sword and got his sheild in position and began advancing on the large creature.

Only to jump back as a massive fist slammed into the ground, cracking the mosiac and sending a jolt through the very earth. It seemed the incantation the giant creature muttered was taking effect, for he began to remove his other arm from his eyes.

"I may have been temporarily blinded...But I can still hear you," he said, his eyes growing a brighter red as his smile grew wider. It also seemed as though a strange round tattoo on his upper back, in the shape of the god on the mosiacs, began to glow as he slowly walked towards the others.

Bael'ther, the mighty elven warrior, unsheathed his two colossus blades and stepped forward.

Ar'mai swiftly moved to be dead inline with the monster, but far behind her companions. She pulled her bow off her shoulder and notched on a pair of arrows. She quickly raised it to a firing level and muttered a short spell as she unloosed the arrows. The spell had been a blessed aim one that would guide her arrows with unparalleled skill at their intended targets; his eyes (a spell she had used quite often in the past). Whether they connected or not would be determined by the intelligence and agility of the monster they were blazing at.


OOC: How big is the monster in comparison to Bael'ther?

OOC: lol this is Kalrog, my ogre and he is 12 feet tall and about around 5 feet wide. Also remember, his tattoos protect him from a lot of magic, while his skin is incredibly hard.

IC:

The giant beast stopped his smile as he saw two arrows flying straight for his eyes. With little time to mutter a spell, he just used his patience and his intense, deadly, childhood training to keep him steady until the time was right. And then it came.

As the arrows were about to enter his skull through his eyes, he bowed his head down, letting his bald scalp take the blow.


Sarik expected that would be the end of the beast, yet was surprised when the arrows merely clattered to the floor.

The massive creature raised his head and laughed again. Then he continued his advance on the party, cracking his fists. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this. I went out to get my dinner, yet I didn't expect a banquet. Elves as appetizers, lizardmen for dinner, and humans for desert."

Sarik watched as the giant walked closer to the others, and slowly made his way around the beast. With his trusty sword in hand, he slashed at the beast. Again, Sarik was surprised to see that no blood was showing. Not even a scratch.

The beast turned around and brought his fist into contact with Sariks sheild, sending Sarik flying into a wall near the child. Sarik looked at his sheild. It was dented badly. He then made sure his sheild arm wasnt broken. Luckily it wasnt.

"You truly are an ignorant ogre," Ar'mai replied, not a bit surprised her arrows hadn't found their mark - she hardly expected them to. "Everyone knows elves, especially those of priestly blood are the sweetest and best kept for dessert," she joked with a laugh.

Perhaps we can tame him rather than kill him... Ar'mai telepathed to the others, though she knew her comment hadn't helped.

"Why is such a strong and handsome being like yourself allowing your remarkable talent go to waste?" she asked him with an apparent sincerity to her voice; though it probably helped that she had done some swift charm work and a few silent spells.

The Ogre looked dumbfounded for a few seconds as he paused in midstep. Then smiled his dark smile again.

"Tasty morsel...save your sweet words for desert," chuckled the ogre as he licked his lips, advancing again towards the elves. Now it was the tattoo on his bald head that faintly glowed. "And as strong and handsome as I am, I do come out when I am needed. Those bones you found outside, only a few of my collection. I am Kalrog Eyegouger, Flayer of all things, no matter the power, might, or size. And you, all of you, are my dinner."

With those final words, he reached out for Ar'mai and Bael'ther.

Sarik got up and tried to run towards the ogre, but immediately grew dizzy. If we can tame him, he will definitly be a hard one to tame. I believe these mosiacs have the picture of the Ogre god of Chaos, Ogruk. Be careful of what he may pull, for I think he is more powerful than we think. he thought, hoping Ar'mai could still read his thoughts.

The ogre might have been brutishly strong, but Ar'mai was quick as the wind. Her agility and reflexes allowed her to move away from the ogre. "Wouldn't you rather have a sheep or two for dinner... I've heard that ogres like to prey on flocks of sheep," Ar'mai said, partially serious and partially in jest.

Bael'ther had his colossal diamond-tipped blades up and swinging around as he moved around the ogre's dwelling.

Yes... judging by his recent actions and abilities, I would have to say he is stronger than the average ogre... Ar'mai replied telepathically to Sarik. Any thoughts on what to do? she asked to either of the two (Lorathin and Sarik).

OOC: I doubt it would be easy for the ogre to pick Bael'ther up especially with one hand. Doable, yes - easy, no.

"Sheep...yes tasty, but one can get tired of the livestock of others. Why not eat people. They put on a show before they are eaten," chuckled the Ogre. Apparently he thought he was quite the comedian.

I have an idea, although it may be desperate. Whatever the outcome, try to get the child out of this place. I will attempt to reason with the Ogre. He is not as dumb as most other ogres I have known, and definitely more powerful, so reason may work if done in a certain way. thought Sarik, as the Ogre missed both Bael'ther and Ar'mai. Sarik put his sword away and took out a throwing knife. He threw it with careful precision, and it slapped at the back of the Ogres head. As the ogre turned, Sarik ran as fast as he could in his armor and jumped at the giants head. The Ogre quickly grabbed Sarik from the air with both hands.

"Caught ya, ya little morsel," he whispered loud enough for all to hear. His breath smelled horrible and even Azrael's spell couldnt cover all of it. The beasts eyes were a brighter red than before and his tongue danced around on his lips.

Sarik winced as the smell wafted away from him. "I know what you are, ogre."

"Oh yeah?" asked the ogre as he walked back to his original spot, squeezing his fists closer together as if to pop Sarik.

"You are a Demon Hunter of old. Part of an order of Chaos Shamans that banished many of the gods from the mortal plane, including Valtrox."

The ogre stopped in his tracks and looked at the lizardman, his smile was gone and his eyes dull red again. "Only the past, soldier..." muttered the ogre. He stood motionless, staring at the mosiac on the ground and ignoring everything around him. When he looked up, his smile was back and his eyes were once again a bright red. "As Chaos consumes everything, I consume my dinner," he laughed as he opened his mouth and moved Sarik towards it, who began gagging at the stench that emanated from his mouth.

The passage through the mountains had been long and arduous, but the travellers had finally made it to Lustria. During the journey, Minos had instructed Harlin in the art of creating fire, and now Harlin was capable of producing a fireball of astounding power. Shara and Harlin had also explained the true motives behind their journey to Lustria, and Minos had pledged his support. Things were looking up for the group.

They had been travelling through the Skizzarish lands for several days now, and had just stopped in a tavern for a late meal, and a place to stay the night.

"Tavernkeep! Please, us weay travellers would greatly enjoy some service," shouted Minos as they entered the deserted inn.

There was some noise in the back before a Skizzarish emerged. He turned to the group and said wearily, "I am sorry voyagers, but we are not serving now. I can not cook while my child is in grave danger."

Minos exclaimed, "A child in distress?"

"Yes," the lizardman replied, bursting into tears, "he was carried off to a shack by a dark beast. Several others went to find him, I can only hope they succeeded."

With that, the three were out the door and on their horses to find the action.

Ar'mai nodded her understanding to Sarik's thoughts as she began slipping quitely, wrapped in a spell of secrecy (not perfect), around the abode to find the child.

As she did so she communicated to Bael'ther that he should keep the ogre busy and help Sarik out.

Lorathin decided to see how well the massive oger would like sinking. He muttered a cantrip to cause the stone to liquify, thought not to magmafy. "Why don't you work for money, and use that to buy food, or slaves if that's your bent?"

"I dont need money, nor do I need slaves. I take what I want...besides life wouldnt be so exciting if I followed the law," smiled the ogre as he took Sarik out of his mouth and slackened his grip just a little, as his feet starting sinking in the ground. "My mosiacs should not be ruined," growled the ogre as he took massive strides to try to get out of the liquid stone. With every stride, the ogres eyes grew a brighter red, and the tattoo of his god of chaos began to glow brighter.

Sarik took huge gasps of somewhat fresher air as he watched the ogre sink in. "Ogre, do you know of the Library of Rimoru?" gasped Sarik.

"A library of rubbish..." muttered the giant creature as he walked closer to the child skizzarish.

Lorathin smiled, "Your mosaic isn't being ruined." He commented as he gestured in an arcane form. With a final gesture, the liquid stone rose, becoming the mosaic in three dimensions. The mosaical 'golem' interposed itself between the oger and the child.

The ogre looked back at Azrael. "Don't play with me, human. My patience grows thin." he growled. He faced the golem and began walking towards it.

Sarik was beginning to get lightheaded, but he had one more bit of information that might persuade the ogre to stop fighting them. He just needed the air.

"Obviously your eyesight isn't your strong point." He commented as the golem was immobile to the oger's forward movement. "Also would you mind putting Sarik down before your rancid breath kills him."

"So thats your name?" the ogre asked as he looked at Sarik. "Sounds familiar...but then again many of you lizard creatures have names with a lot of S's and Z's. They all begin to sound alike."

Again the Ogre advanced towards the golem, but this time, he threw Sarik at the golem, which barely did any damage to the golem. The ogre brought his hands together and prayed to his god. Energy crackled around his hands which he brought up and shot the energy at the golem.

"Now your golem belongs to me," he jeered. He walked closer to the boy, nearly out of the liquid stone that was once his floor.

"I don't think so." Lorathin commented, "Stone golems are essentially magick proof, and that includes clerical magicks." Meanwhile the fluid stone area's center had remained on the oger and had moved with it, so that now the child was sinking into the liquid rock.

"So be it," smiled the ogre, his arms cackling with energy. He lunged at the golem, with a blow so powerful, it blasted a huge hole into the golem. With that hole, he brought his hands to either side of the hole and pushed outward. His giant muscles bulged as the golem cracked in the middle, more pieces falling off. With a large grunt, he finally made the upper half of the golem cave in, falling to the ground. "When in doubt, use force," chuckled the ogre, his eyes a bright blood red.

"You wrecked your mosaic. It was a very nice mosaic as well." He commented

"Ogruk would rather have his items destroyed then used by the hands of non-believers. Besides, that mosiac was nothing compared to another I have elseware," smiled the ogre, who was nearly within arms reach of the child. He thought he could vaguely see a shadow-like thing closing in on the child as well.


Sarik groaned as he realized he was sinking into the floor as the ogre walked past him. He was a bit dizzy, and as he tried to get up, he merely fell to the floor again. I must be under an enchantment. he thought as he lay motionless on the floor.

The child was about waist deep into the stone. Lorathin cast a spell to generate a large number of identical illusionary copies of the child. They were indistinguisable from the real one.

"You...will quit meddling with my affairs," growled the ogre as he pointed at Azrael. He produced a more powerful version of his dizziness spell and sent it at Azrael. This spell was very old and very annoying. It would give the target a terrible headache and the world would look upside down, backwards, and wavy, as if drunk from too much alcohol. "All I want to do is eat my dinner..." mumbled the ogre as he began to search for the real kid.

"No, I won't. Not as long as you meddle in other people's buisness." Lorathin commented as he closed his eyes as the 'tattoo' over his eye glowed slightly. The headache wasn't anything worse than the one he'd taken his testing under so he could deal with it.

The vampire stopped at once.

"With pleasure." he replied. "I am Lord Ker Valerith. May I ask who I have the honor of addressing?"

His smile would have been more reassuring without the needle-sharp fangs, and his red eyes glowed faintly in the night, but Valerith could be quite charming when he chose. Right now, he was doing his best to appear both confident and non-threatening. He ignored the mental probes, keeping his thoughts hidden more from habit than to preserve any actual secrets.

~~~At the Inn, last night~~~
After Sarik departed to his room, the three travelers spent a few minutes quietly discussing what they had heard.

“We musst help him, uvv coursse.” T’zark said at once.

Boliad was more skeptical.
“We know nothing about this region, and have only Sir Sarik’s word that this ‘Lord Inzikai’ is evil. I do not like making a decision without hearing both sides of the story, or at least a few points of view.”

“We havve no reasson to disstrusst him.”

“Nor do we have evidence that he is trustworthy. He seems nice enough, but you know full well that even the foulest being can play the part of good convincingly. Besides, he’s being a touch more secretive about the details than I would prefer…”

“Evidencce that he sspeakss the truthth. If what he ssaid wass a lie, what need could there be to concceal detailss?”

“Certainly we should at least go with him to the library.” Verton put in. “This will give us both a great deal more information about the area, and a far better chance to judge the character of our guide. We have no obligation to help him if his cause does not seem just.”

“True enough. Very well, we’ll go. In the meantime, let’s get some sleep.”

~~~Later that night~~~
The innkeeper burst into their room, crying out, “Please, my guests, wake up! I am sorry to disturb you, but I need your help. My son has been kidnapped, and my animals stolen! Please, I beg you-”

“Your sson? Of coursse we will help! Who iss ressponssible for thiss crime?”

“I know not. Some sort of monster! It went off to the west, into a small hovel.”

Boliad, who had come to his feet with a long dagger drawn the moment the door crashed open, sheathed the blade.
“We will leave at once, master Innkeeper. I only hope we can get there in time.”


The three moved as swiftly as they could, but without flying steeds, they couldn’t manage the trip nearly as fast as Sarik and his friends. Still, it was not long before they arrived at the grim hut with its enormous basement. At this point T’zark took the lead, fitting a Shimmersteel dart into his tiny arm-mounted crossbow. The cave-dwelling Crimsonscale was perfectly at home in the dark tunnel, and moved quickly and quietly. Boliad came behind him, long legs and experience helping to make up for less time spent below ground. He somehow managed to hurry without his many weapons clanking and rattling, a feat few others could have matched. Last was Verton, who carried a double-ended metal spear in place of his usual staff. The wizard had summoned a globe of light for Boliad and himself, and was working magic to banish the stench as he ran. Sound carried well in the echoing tunnel, and they heard a great deal of the conversation and fighting on their way in.

As they finally arrived, Verton said “You must admit that he has a point, ogre. If you hadn’t taken the boy, none of us would be here.”

OOC: I forgot to mention their pack animal in my introductory post, a creature called a drezek that resembles a large goat. Can I assume that it was locked up somewhere out of sight, and Kalrog didn’t happen to find it?

Bael'ther lunged at the ogre in an enraged state of combat. His swords spun and slashed like lightning as he ran at the massive ogre.

With so many distractions now holding the attention of the ogre, Ar'mai decided it was time to make her move. Hidden by her magick, she finally made it to the small boy and without revealing herself, she began freeing him.

OOC: lol of course. He didnt steal any of the mounts, only a few cows and a child. Also remember, no one knows Kalrog's name yet ;)

IC:
"My business is my own," mumbled the ogre as he plodded his way around his house at a slow pace, grabbing at the illusion-boys, searching for the one that will feed his hunger. "So unless you all wish to be my dinner as well, then I suggest you all leave me to my food."

Just then, Bael'ther lunged at him. Before the elf reached the ogre, he disappeered, his crazed smile shimmering in the air before it too disappered. Then three different clouds of smoke appeared, each being the same ogre with the same crazed smile.

"Last warning...leave or be destroyed!" said all three ogres at once.

Sarik was muttering small spells that would get rid of his headache and dizziness. He hoped he can get his act together before everyone meets their doom to this maniac.

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


Rothargot looked at the vampire with curiousity, as he had looked at with many different creatures. He has never seen a vampire in the mortal plane before, but he realized they look the same in the underworld as they did here.

"Greetings Ker Valerith," rumbled Rothargot. " I am Rothargot, Lieutenant of the underworld Legions of Valtrox. What brings you to this area?"

Before Harlin saw the shack, he smelled the over powering stench of rot and death. He knew that this was a place of great evil, even before he had seen it. When he entered the shack and discended the stairs, he heard voices and fighting from below. The obscure violent artwork on the walls gave the entire place a feeling of oppression. As they entered the basement, Harlin saw a giant...ogre? He only heard tales ofthe monstrous creatures. The beast was holding an armored lizardman in his enormous hands, as he waded through what appeared to be a pool of stone. Then, he glimpseded the lizard child on the other side of the room. He also saw a poor attempt at magical concealment on the part of whoever was trying to save him right this instant.

He turned to his companions and said, "Shara, Minos, see if you can slow him down, I'm going for the child."

With that, he vanished, or at least appeared to. In reality, he had just cast an incredibly powerful distortion spell that bended light around him to make it possible to see "through" him. He was running around the edge of the room, and quickly overtook the individual freeing the child. Slowing, he whispered, "Pardon me, but picking locks is what I do," and set about undoing the many chains that bound the child.

"If you wish to challenge someone on the magickal plane, leave the mute elf and face me." Lorathin challenged, "Or is the great oger scared of a little human?" He taunted as the scarring blazed and purged the curse from his system, yet his eyes remained closed.

"Come then, human...I have delt with creatures with powers much beyond your feeble magic," said the Ogres at once. They all raised one hand...and snapped once.

Everything was back where it has been, the shattered mosiac back on the ground, the floor solid, one child, and one ogre. The ogres eyes were the brightest red yet, energy was even crackling around in there. The tattoo on the ogres back, however, had stopped glowing. The ogre looked at Azrael and smiled, massive sharp teeth nearly glowing in the dim room. "Now then, I believe that a challenge has been made? I have killed Dragons, giants, Lords of the Planes, armies, and much more...I have the scars and knowledge to prove it..."


Sarik felt his mind clear suddenly. "STOP!!" he yelled, hoping to catch the two's attention before a dreadful battle of magic came about.

"Pah, child's play." Lorathin scoffed when Sarik yelled out "Stop."
He looked at Sarik, "Why, unless he's a total amature it shouldn't get messy."

Minos chuckled, "Fool, he would tear you to shreds before you could even think of a spell powerful enough to slay him, much less weave it. It would be better for you, I think, to allow this...lizardman to deal with the situation. He apparently has things under control."

Lorathin turned to look at the right at the speaker, his eyes remaining closed. "Both you and he are underestimating me. Not surprising as neither of you are truely seeing me."

"Picking locks is child's play..." echoed Ar'mai's voice through Harlin's head. With a simple spell the child was free and Ar'mai's task had been completed (OOC: Blastit, if you don't want this to happen just say so).

Bael'ther had been slightly angered to be called "the mute elf" by Lorathin but realized it was only serving to distract the beast.

(OOC: Harlin was pickin the locks)

(OOC: Harlin was pickin the locks)

(OOC: And Ar'mai saw it as a waste of time... she used a spell. What's your point?)

OOC: It's alright DMG, lol dont worry Regenius, there will be many more places for Harlin to shine lol.

IC:
"Stop? Why?" asked the Ogre, looking at Sarik with one eyebrow cocked. "You can take the kid...just leave me this one to snack on," he finished giving a side glance at Azrael.

"There are reports of a demi-god traveling towards the library. We have no clue what it may do, but there is a possibility it may try to bring its master to the mortal plane. I need all the help I can get to deal with it," said Sarik. Since no one was quite clear if there indeed was a demi-god traveling to the library, he was kind of hoping there was, strange as it seemed. If there wasn't this fight might continue at a later time...


"A demi-god?" The ogre dropped his stance and looked shocked at Sarik. "A Demi-god from Valtrox? This changes things...." The ogre remebered an old prophecy that he read in his masters old book about Valtrox's return to the mortal plane, as he did so long ago...

The ogre looked at Lorathin and added, "Perhaps we will continue this later..." with a slight smile as his ruby eyes faded into their original dull red. "I shall accompany you on this journey, only to destroy the demi-god. Otherwise...you are on your own."

"I am fine with it, as long as you do not hurt anyone in my party along the trip. Not even Azrael," said Sarik. "You three," he continued, talking about Shara, Minos, and Harlin. "You have come to help save the child? Perhaps you may be interested in helping us as well? Return to the inn with us with the boy, and we can talk this over if you want." (OOC: Regenius, I dont remember if Sarik could see Harlin or not, so if he cant, tell me and i'll change this)

"Go to the inn without me. I shall arrive soon. I must...take care of some things..." muttered the ogre. He looked once at Azrael first, then the others, turned, looked at the boy, and walked into another doorway in the back of the room.

"Let's go return the child so we can head for the library fast..." said Sarik as he watched the ogre leave to the back room.

"Well I guess this ordeal is over with now..." Ar'mai remarked as she removed the spell that wrapped herself in the shadows and effectively made her invisible. One moment her voice seemed to becoming from nowhere and then the next she stood in full light, as radiant and beautiful as ever.

She bent over and quickly muttered a spell as she passed her hand over the spots where the child had been tied up by chains. The bruises, cuts, and blood stained marks that had been were instantly gone and his pain dulled slowly. "There... that should feel better," she said as she looked up the child. He rubbed his wrists and then smiled gently and tentatively at her.

"Let's go..." she said as she walked him to the exit of the ogre's abode. Remarkable being that ogre is... she thought to herself.

Bael'ther had sheathed his blades and followed shortly behind, un-phased by anything that occurred.

Lorathin looked at the oger, and commented "Truce, for now at least?"

"Aye...for now," said the Ogre as he disappeered through the dark doorway.

Sarik picked up his demolished sheild and frowned. I hope I can find a blacksmith in town to fix this up. Even though his sheild was enchanted with protection spells, it seemed to ogre's fist had more than enough power to seriously damage it. It was probably the spells that helped make sure Sarik's arm had not broken. He then walked towards the way the group came from, wondering what Andrazlia had occupied herself with doing, while they were down there.

"Do you want to take the child or Bael'ther with you on Andrazlia," Ar'mai commented as Sarik emerged from behind them. "I don't think it would be easy or comfortable to fit all three of us on Gael'kadar... so you are probably going to have to convince Andrazlia to allow one of the two to ride on her back to the inn..."

"I could always carry the child back." Lorathin offered

"Picking locks is child's play..." echoed Ar'mai's voice through Minos' head. With a simple spell the child was free and Ar'mai's task had been completed (OOC: Blastit, if you don't want this to happen just say so).


(OOC No worries mate, just pay a little more attention to the characters)

Harlin allowed the concealment spell to unravel and popped into view. "Indeed, my guild was informed that the Cult was going to upset the balance of power here somehow, they dispatched me here to ensure that it didn't. I think that helping you now is perhaps the best way to accomplish that goal. Thus, I'll join with you, but I can not speak for my companions." He looked over to where Shara and Minos were now standing.

Shara returned his gaze, "I've come this far and I see no point to turning back now."

Harlin nodded, and looked at Minos, "What do you say Minos? Have one more quest left in those old bones of yours?"

Minos chuckled a little, "Of course, I'm not about to let a little thing like age stop me."

Harlin turned back to the Skizzarish and said, "Well Paladin, we shall accompany you and aid you as we can."

He then turned to the stunning elf that had materialized from the pool of shadows before him. He said, "There is no need to belittle my profession, and picking locks is not child's play, if it were would that child still have been in chains? Anyway, I was just trying to help in one of the many ways I can. Oh, by the way, you might want to work on that concealment spell, it wouldn't have held up to any serious observation, andwould be useless in daylight. If you wish, I could teach you some tricks of the art of concealment that require no magic." As he finished, he walked back around the room to Shara and Minos and with them began to ascend the stairs to the surface.

(OOC No worries mate, just pay a little more attention to the characters)

OOC: Oh... now I get what he meant by this comment:
(OOC: Harlin was pickin the locks)

He meant that it was Harlin and not Minos that was picking it. I thought he was telling me to back off because his character was doing it. My bad people.

"Andrazlia would be able to carry up to two more people on her back, and 4 people in her claws," replied Sarik. "She could probably carry either one, although she might like it better to carry a skizzarish than one of a different race than she's used to."

Andrazlia was laying near the entrance of the hovel. She looked incredibly bored as she lazily prodded her claw in the dirt. As she saw the others come out of the hovel, she happily stood up and walked over to the entrance. As soon as Sarik came out, she flapped her wings and made a growling sound.

"You would have loved that fight," Sarik said to Andrazlia, who brought her snout up to Sarik. Sarik began to pat her as he explained the story and began to persuade her to carry more passengers.

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

Kalrog Eyegouger knelt down on an alter deep in the ground, even deeper than where he fought with the members of Sarik's party. All over the walls were pictures, not of Ogruk, his chaos god, but of hundreds of gods, some not even worshipped anymore. Perhaps thousands. In front of the kneeling Ogre was a massive obsidian statue of his god, but unlike all the mosiacs, this one didnt have a weapon. This one held out several of its many palms. From Kalrog's point of view, it looked as if out of Ogruk's palms the other gods sprang out. Except for one. Kalrogg stood up and looked to the ceiling. There was the other god. Valtrox, the outcast god. Seen as too powerful, he was locked up to be never seen again. He was always scheming, always trying to find a way to escape. As he did before...

Kalrog grunted and walked off his altar and stopped at a rack of weapons. These were only a few of his collection. Having traveled to so many different places, he brought along weapons, among other things, to add to his collections. Finding no weapon he thought suitable, he walked away from the rack and went into another dark doorway. The ogre snapped his fingers and the several torches lit on fire. The whole room was filled with weapons. On the ceiling, the walls, on shelves, even in piles scattered around the room. Kalrog eyed a set of armored shoulder plates on a rack along the wall. He walked over to them and put them on. As he put them on, the shoulder plates glowed with the same design as the tattoos they covered. Satisfied, the ogre looked to the left of his armor and he saw his favorite weapon. A massive club, about the 5 and a half feet long, with deadly two foot long spikes coming out of the sides. The massive ogre picked it up and swung it around like a toothpick. Again satisfied, the ogre hung the handle onto the back of his shoulderpads and then picked up a belt holding many pouches, in which he put several parchments of paper, some bags of strange powder, some jars of equally strange liquid, and finally a light pink ball, about the size of a human head, in which he put in a larger pouch on his belt. He walked out of his armory, bowed at his altar, and began to ascend his steps to adventure.

Neither of the two tried too hard to probe the vampire's mind, as such was usually unneeded unless their target gave them reason to.

As Rothargot had no qualms with introducing himself, Maverion followed suit and stated his name. His stance was slightly more relaxed, but not too much as to leave an opening for an attack. The secret police was taught to trust no one; not their own people, not outsiders, and especially not vampires.

To that extent, Teralynn did not even state her name, merely waiting for the vampire to answer the question posed to him.

"Alright then," Ar'mai replied to Sarik. "I guess we will see you back at the inn then." Ar'mai and Bael'ther both climbed up onto the back of the winged horse in their normal configuration. A moment later the horse took a few running steps as its giant wings flapped and it began ascending into the sky, seemingly walking on air as its legs still galopped.

"Anyone else need a ride?" asked Sarik as he took the boys hand. Andrazlia sniffed at the skizzarish boy, who patted her in return.

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

Inzikai sat in a large, luxorious chair with his feet crossed on a table. He casually flipped a beautiful dagger in the air.

"Sir, there are many barbarians who have attacked our workers and soldiers. The chiefs have said they have done all they could to help quell these rebels."

Inzikai kept his calm demeanor and yawned. "I doubt they have..."

"Sir?"

"I know this, because one chief that hates our presence still stands with the council. Chief Higsthor is probably inciting these rebels. He believes we are defiling their land. The other chiefs see us as a step towards unity, power, wealth, and land."

"And what are we going to do about it, my lord?"

"Simple...get rid of Higsthor," Inzikai stood up and pointed with his dagger to a map layed out on the table. "This is where the next meeting of the Chiefs will be. With much talk, I have persuaded the other Chiefs that Higsthor is working against our alliance. He is an anarchist, working to undo what we have gained. They have agreed it's time to oust the bugger. Soon...very soon, this meeting will begin as will the end of Chief Higsthor...."

With those final words, Inzikai slammed the point of the dagger into the map where the meeting would be held.
**********************************************************

The large skizzarish made his way through the mountains, sheilding his face from the blizzard that had just started. He rode his massive yak down a mountain pass and saw many lights from a camp a short distance off. This was where the meeting was taking place.

"There, in that valley. Thats where we'll tell the chiefs what's happening. An old friend of mine has been in the library of Rimoru. He sent me a note on those structures that he's mining," said Higsthor to his small companion.

"Aye, an' then we'll teach those cultists who they're mess'n with!" replied the dwarf. His name was Loraf Loadquarrier. He was Higsthor's right hand man, always by his side.

About an hour later, Chief Higsthor arrived and walked towards the Chieftan's tent, before noticing a large amount of armed guards.

"This ain't look'n good, Higsthor..." muttered the dwarf, placing a hand on the hilt of his warhammer. Just then, a small, older chief came from behind Higsthor.

"Tizon Higsthor!" called the old chief with a smile on his face. He held his arms open and hugged his fellow chief.

"Father! I am so glad to see you've made it." replied Higsthor with a smile on his face. Few things made him smile these dark days, but his family always helped.

As they embraced, the older skizzarish brought his mouth to Higsthor's ear. "Son, leave this place...it's a trap..."

Higsthor immediately pulled away from his father and looked into his eyes. "No...I can't. This can't. I have evidence agaisnt Inzikai and his cult. Even if it is a trap, these facts will surely persuade naysayers against the Cult."

"Son, would I lie to you? Don't be as stubborn as I have been!" snarled the older chief.

Higsthor just looked at his father, and shook his head slowly. "I will still go to this meeting...but I will be on guard. Thank you father."

With that, he walked into the tent, his dwarven companion following. Higsthor walked to one side of the large tent, where he was sure his father wouldnt go. What if this is some trick to make me not present my evidence? Then Inzikai will continue with his plans...And if my father is true to his words, this is a trap in which he will kill me...

"This meeting will come to order," said a chief at the head of the table. The last few chiefs walked in and took a seat, including Higsthor's father, who sat as close as he could to his son. "It has come to our attention that our efforts to quell the rebellions have been in vain. They work agaisnt our very alliance, threatening to send us to ruins. But our chiefs and the Cult's chiefs have found the way to end this once and for all."

Just then, 20 armed guards walked in and surrounded Higsthor, who stood up. "What is this?" he bellowed, gripping the hilts of his swords.

"Chief Higsthor, you are under arrest for high treason agaisnt your fellow Morgrathians, beginning a rebellion, and interfering with our work for a better, united Lustria. Your punishment: Execution immediately." replied Inzikai, who casually walked into the tent. As he finished saying "immediately" the guards brought out their swords and readied their killing blow on the lone chief.

"Chiefs! Hear me out! I have evidence against Inzikai and the ancient structures he's uncovered. He is the real villain here! Not I!!" called Higsthor, hands still on the hilts of his swords.

"Enough of your filthy lies!" called Inzikai. "Kill him!"

Just then, Higsthor's father sliced off a guards head with a broad axe. Loraf, too, sprung into action, smashing into another nearby guard, knocking the guard to the ground, where he pounded the guard with his hammer. Within minutes, the other chiefs stood up, and hurridly backed away from the brawl, unsure of what to do.

Soon, there were only 7 guards left, still attacking the three who were surrounded by a circle of blood and bodies.

"Higsthor, you must ride out of here before more come!" shouted Higsthor's father, covered in blood. Just as he said that, more guards came in, and tried to surround them again. "Hurry son! Listen to me this-"

The old chief stopped in mid-sentence as he looked down. He saw a bloody point portruding from his chest and looked one last time at his son. "Go..."he whispered as he fell to the ground.

Inzikai pulled his sword out of the old chief and advanced towards Higsthor. "I've been waiting for this almost as much as I've been waiting to kill The Patriarch!"

"Run Higsthor! You must gather up the rebels to fight this corruption before they take over completely!" yelled the dwarf as he pounded another guard. "I'll stay here for as long as I can!"

Higsthor looked once at his now dead father, a pool of blood increasing in size underneath him. Then he nodded to Loraf and sliced a hole into the side of the tent. He jumped on a nearby horse and rode as fast as he could towards a nearby village.

30 minutes later...

The dwarf knelt before Inzikai, his shoulder having a large wound, and his face sporting many bruises. He was shackled with chains and several guards held onto the chains to prevent him from attacking their master.

"Dwarf, the other chiefs have persuaded me from killing you...Instead, you will find Justice...where justice lives. The Imperium. There you will die a gladiators death. You will be our gift to them, perhaps the beginning of another alliance..." said Inzikai with a smile on his face. The dwarf only spat bloody spit and a tooth at Inzikai's boots. "Take him away!" ordered Inzikai. That fool Higsthor escaped me ...but at least he is not officially in power anymore...Now I practically have the barbarian army at my disposal.

It seemed nothing can stop Inzikai now...

"I'm good." Lorathin replied, "I'm going to head back and tell the innkeeper that his kid is safe." He added as he sprouted his phantom wings and lept into the sky to fly back to the inn with the news.

"Thank you all for the help you provided," said Sarik cheerfully to everyone who helped. He mounted Andrazlia and decided to wait a little longer, in case someone needed a ride.

Gael'kadar, the winged horse that carried Bael'ther and Ar'mai, landed gracefully beside the inn that they had previously left in such a hurry. The two elves leaped off easily and proceeded into the inn, noticing that they were (expectedly) the first to arrive.

Ar'mai spotted the man that had pleaded with them earlier to help his child and went to sit by him. "Sir, we have found your child... he is fine and is on his way back soon," she explained soothingly as the man looked visibly relaxed at the news.

Harlin directed Sariks attention to the horses that trotted out of the forest at Harlin's whistle. "Don't worry...I'm sorry, but I haven't gotten your name yet...anyway, we have mounts. We'll see you back at the inn." Harlin and his companions mounted their horses and rode back in the direction they had come.

Sarik looked at the boy as the others left and smiled. The boy silently returned the smile.

"You are a very brave boy. You didn't seem so scared when the ogre had you. The Patriarch would be proud," Sarik said as he mounted Andrazlia, who immediately took off once Sarik was seated.

"The ogre acted strange...He threatened to eat me, which scared me at first, but he slowly ate the livestock first. As if...as if he was waiting for something," said the boy, his voice quivering a little.

"Awkward...but lucky for you nonetheless."

They continued the flight home with little talk. The boy merely slept with his head resting on Andrazlia's neck.

Soon enough, they landed and Sarik returned the child to a thrilled innkeeper, praising the group the whole way. He promised each one of them free room and food for as long as they were there. Sarik kindly declined, reciting his mantra of "It is the will of the Patriarch that we serve for the good of the people."
****************************************************

Inzikai was trudging through the snow, happy at his recent victory over Chief Higsthor.

All of a sudden, he stopped in mid step.

"Sire, is everything alright?" asked a nearby guard.

"I had the strangest feeling....As if I hadn't gotten rid of Higsthor yet...as if that whole action was deleted..." replied Inzikai with a puzzled look on his face.

"Don't worry sire, we...have...dealt with Higsthor and his dwarf companion is on his way to the Imperium."

"Yah...I know..it was just...peculiar," was all Inzikai responded with. He shook his head and continued his treak towards the snow-covered stables.

OOC: lol srry...couldn't help myself :p

After the countless number of thank yous from the inn keeper had died down, Ar'mai decided to find out when they would be continuing on with their trek. "Hey, Sarik. What time do you reckon we should leave to continue our journey?" she asked politely.

OOC: lol, I forgot whether it was night or day.

OOC: lol i dont think I specified exactly, but I'd say its about mid morning now.

IC:

"I'm hoping we won't stall much longer. I wish to merely introduce myself to the new party members and perhaps learn a bit from them. Plus I want to see if the blacksmith in town can fix my shield," Sarik pointed to his nearby shield, horribly bent and nearly useless. " After we are acquainted, then we shall move immediately. I want to make sure we arrive before the enemy does...Besides, I doubt the innkeeper would be to happy to see the ogre any time soon. Even if he couldn't see the creature in the light, he probably could still recognize the shape. " Sarik replied. Sarik turned towards a blacksmith shop and walked into it. Luckily the blacksmith agreed to fix it and for free even. Sarik agreed to this, but while the blacksmith wasn't looking, he placed a pouch with several gold pieces near the anvil he will be working on, and left before the blacksmith would give it back.

OOC: lol of course. He didnt steal any of the mounts, only a few cows and a child. Also remember, no one knows Kalrog's name yet ;)
OOC: Oops! I didn't have internet access while I was writing that, and thought he had introduced himself. Fixed.

Rothargot looked at the vampire with curiousity, as he had looked at with many different creatures. He has never seen a vampire in the mortal plane before, but he realized they look the same in the underworld as they did here.

"Greetings Ker Valerith," rumbled Rothargot. " I am Rothargot, Lieutenant of the underworld Legions of Valtrox. What brings you to this area?"
Valerith's eyes flared, and anger was clear in his voice.
"I was driven from my home by weaklings and fools. No five of them together would have had a chance against me, but I cannot fight an entire town singlehanded - not when they're prepared for the battle. I was forced to flee. As for what brought me here, specifically, I suppose it was just chance... or perhaps Fate."

OOC: More coming.

"Perhaps when our task is done...we can help you destroy that town. As for now, we are traveling towards the Library of Rimoru, a massive library with information that my master needs. Perhaps you will join us? You will undoubtedly recieve a reward by our most gracious and powerful master," replied Rothargot to the vampire. He was sure Valtrox would like to know about this newcomer.

Maverion and Teralynn looked at one another, exchanging to each other through just the eyes their surprise at Rothargot's easy acceptance of this stranger, a vampire they knew nothing about. But Mave shrugged his shoulders slightly, indicating that whatever the demon did was his prerogative, as he was the one in charge.

They turned back to the vampire, though neither were about to put down their guard too much despite Rothargot's invitation for the vampire to join their group.

Sarik waited for the newcomers to arrive so he could explain more about him and in turn, learn more about them. This shouldnt take too long... he thought to himself as he watched Ar'mai and Bael'ther start up another round of their strange elven dice game.
**********************************************************

"I Believe we should get going again. Master would not be pleased if we didn't get the information..." rumbled Rothargot, his wings flapping again. "Are you too tired to continue on a journey, Valerith? If so, I can take you myself," Actually, Rothargot wasn't sure the Vampire would take Rothargot's transportation. He gave one of Inzikai's messengers a ride, but lost him along the way to the destination. The messenger's body was later found as a paste on several tree trunks. Not my fault mortals are so frail...

Lorathin decided to get some practice in once he'd arrived. Finding a clear spot in the inn, he began working a number of minor spells, that were rather complex, with the reasoning to increase general casting speed for the 'heavy hitter' spells.

Walking into the inn, Minos looked around at his fellow travellers and then went and sat down with Lorathin. Conversationally, he said, "That was some impressive sorcery back there, and I think there are a few things we could show each other."

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

As Harlin entered the inn, he walked over to the lizard paladin and sat down.

"So friend, perhaps you could enlighten me as to the nature of this mission you are on."

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

Shara walked over to the two elves playing their game. Smiling in recognition she said, "I haven't played since my mother died, could I join you?"

Lorathin replied, "Possibly." As he finished one of the spells he'd been working on, causing a candle to got out in the inn.

"Of course. My title is Sir Sarik, but you may call me Sarik," he replied with a smile. "I will tell you what I've told the other group;I must keep many of the details secret, I have been ordered to make sure Lord Inzikai, perhaps the most evil creature I have known, from getting whatever he needs from the Library of the Empress, a library that contains all known records of Skizzarish history and much more. We have reports of a large and powerful creature that could be a demi-god on Inzikai's side, which could only mean he is planning something dangerous or incredibly hard for a spellcaster as powerful as he is. This is a dangerous mission and theres a relatively high possibility that we won't make it out..." Sarik looked a little saddened at the thought, but quickly disguised the look.
********************************************************

Ar'mai and Bael'ther both looked at each other and smiled as they turned to look at the newcomer. "Of course," Ar'mai said as she made room for Shara.

Shara sat down and watched the progression of the game. When her turn came around, she had learned that Ar'mai had a healthy lead over Bael'ther. Shara cast the dice, and they tumbled to a stop. She frowned, not an ideal roll, but it should do. She said to the others, "My name is Shara Okoln, it's a pleasure to meet you."

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

Minos looked over at the candle, muttered several words under his breath until a flame sprang up in his hand. He then directed it towards the candle, where it licked the wick and set it aflame. "Indeed, have you ever received training in the elemental magics?"

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

Harlin smiled at Sarik's momentary regret. He could trust a man who wasn't fanatical enough to face death without hesitation. "And my name, is Harlin Darfust, and as chance would have it, my guild has a contract on the life of this Lord Inzikai. It appears that our goals are, in fact, similar. Is there anything in this library that you are interested in keeping from the lord, in particular? If there is, I could," he paused, "borrow it..."

"Yes, why?" Lorathin asked. He'd found that those who sought to pry were sources of trouble or annoyance more than anything.

"Oh," replied Minos. He then pulled a knife from inside his robe and sliced across his own stomach disembowelling himself and dying slowly and painfully.

Sarik smiled at the offer. "I think your offer will come in handy. It's good to meet you. And that over there, playing with your friend," he gestured towards the group of elves," is Ar'mai and Bael'ther. Outside is Azrael, and-"

He stopped as he looked out the window. "What is your friend doing?" he asked as he sprang up and ran outside, uncertain as to what to do. He looked at Harlin as he awaited the answer.
**********************************************************

Ar'mai smiled at Shara's roll.

"I'm Ar'mai, and this is Bael'ther. He can't talk due to a battle wound," she simply stated as she took her turn. As she saw Sarik spring from his seat and rush out the door, Bael'ther stood up and placed his hands on the hilts of his swords, ready to defend Ar'mai to the death.

Ar'mai on the other hand, hoped it was another battle approaching...
**********************************************************

Kalzog trudged through the forest, enjoying the scenary. He traveled many times in his long life, even though his figure doesn't suggest it. He took a deep breath and smiled. Fresh air always relaxed him....but not as much as Chaos. He walked up to the top of a small hill overlooking the little town that he previously visited. He decided he will stay by the road, for a few days. And if the party took too long, he'd have to grant them a little visit...

Lorathin blinked, and wondered what the appearently suicidal man was doing. He shrugged and dismissed it. If the man wanted to suicide, that was his buisness.

Harlin rushed outside behind Sarik and knelt beside his friend. He began frantically try to replace the organs that had slipped out through the gash in Minos' stomach. What the hell was he thinking?! He turned and yelled, "Shara, Get out here now!!"

Shara ran out as she heard Harlin's yell. "What's happened here," she asked.

"Minos just tried to commit ritualistic hari kari! Can you help him?" Harlin asked almost pleadingly.

"I don't know, it's pretty bad," she said as she inspected the wounds. "I'll try though." She closed her eyes and placed her hands over the gaping hole in Minos, and began speaking the sacred prayers the Sisters had taught her. As she did, soft white light began to spread over her hands and onto Minos's flesh. As it did, the skin began to knit back together as blood flowed back into the severed veins. It was as though time were turning back in that one place. The hole became gradually smaller and smaller, until it closed and the color began to return to Minos face. Suddenly, he gasped a breath, and Shara stopped her prayers.

Minos opened his eyes, just a slit, and then said, "Oh, damn it all to hell. Why didn't you just leave me dead? I wanted to see what the gates of Heaven look like."

Harlin looked incredulously at the old man. "You're kidding right?"

"No, I'm of no more use to this group, this young man here," he indicated Azrael, "has everthing firmly under control in the area of spellcasting. I'm old, death is the next step. Better to die on the end of a blade, than in the warmth of a bed."

Meanwhile, Shara sat back exhausted from the healing that she had just performed. What a crazy bastard, she thought looking at Minos arguing with Harlin over his resurrection.

"Wizad, we're going to need all the help we can get to defeat the Cult of Valtrox, Inzikai's faction. Please, don't die here, we need you!" pleaded Sarik.

"Your friends, and Sarik, are right. Just because there is one mage, doesn't mean there isn't room for another. It's not an either/or choice you know." He added

"Aye, well... let's be off into the inn then. Shara needs to rest. By the way, thank you my dear, that was quite a feat of restoration," Minos said as he heaved himself up with his staff. "And you Harlin, thank you for your concern."

"Well... I..." Harlin stammered. How does he know about that, he was dead!!

"It's alright my boy. You needn't worry."

Minos offered a hand to Shara and pulled her up when she grasped it. "Why don't you go inside and get some sleep, it has been an eventful night."

"Indeed, I had planned on it," Shara yawned, "Good night everyone," she added before returning to her room and collapsing, still in her armor, on her bed.

Harlin looked around at the others, "I think it's best that we all get some rest. We can leave this afternoon." He turned to Sarik to hear his opinion.

"Agreed," Sarik replied. He was ready for some much needed sleep. He saw Ar'mai and Bael'ther at the doorway, annoyance clearly shown on Ar'mai's face. She angrily walked off to her room again.

Sarik sighed, still a little shaken, and looked out towards the North. Somewhere out there, Inzikai is plotting for something that may shake the world...
**********************************************************

Lord Inzikai was sleeping in his massive bed, back in his home of Zlatlan.

He dreamed of the world, being engulfed by his men and the Cult of Valtrox. No, the Cult of Inzikai. He has become a god, where even Valtrox feared him. Inzikai extended his hand towards the direction of Iluminata, which glowed with a heavenly light. As he stretched his hand towards it, he saw the light dim, and the city underneath begin to decay and melt. The screams of the residents was music to his ears.

He laughed as the fiery dragon that was Valtrox cowered in fear as he faced him. He extended his hand towards Valtrox and watched as his god began to dissolve as well.

Yet something else happened. The ground around him began to form into mounds, then peaks. The tops exploded as ash and smole spewed out. Inzikai coughed as the he was surrounded by smoke so thick, he could cut it with a sword.

Then, Right in front of him, a massive yellow eye opened, and a throaty laugh erupted from within the smoke. The eye began to retreat backwards, the smoke following it, clearing the air. As the smoke retreated, Inzikai began to make out the shape. It looked very much like a dragon. An extremely large one at that. It spread it's wings, blacking out the sky and it roared. Fire ignited within it. The smoke died down as it was replaced with fire.

"I cannot let you dream of such blasphemy," said the dragon. He opened his mouth and the world was engulfed in his flames...
****************

Inzikai woke up in a cold sweat. He looked around, realizing he was just dreaming. He got out of bed and walked out of his room.

Only to walk into a flaming world. He walked a bit and noticed he was on a small pillar, surrounded by an endless pet of fire.

"Inzikai...I have waited long enough. I am tired of inhaling this stench of ash and smoke. I am ready for the mortal plane, whether they like it or not. FREE ME," he shouted, nearly blowing Inzikai over. The pillar he was on began to wobble a bit.

"M-m-m-master...Rothargot and the others are on their way to the Library. They will be back in good time," replied a frightened Inzikai with his head bowed. He has only been somewhat face to face with his god once before, to plan this event, but it never happened in his own home.

Valtrox laughed a cruel laugh and casually smashed Inzikai's room with his massive tail, taking half of the pillar with it. Inzikai stumbled backwards as the pillar listed forward.

"Inzikai, I have learned a trick. I have learned how to invade the dreams of my followers. This helps me contact them more easily. I first expiramented with a certain...person. Someone who knew me long ago...Successful, yet he could escape his dream. Now I have perfected it as best I can, and now you are imprisoned in this conference until I set you free," Valtrox dematerialized into fire and ash, but continued talking. "Did you know I spoke with Empress Rimoru? She is..quite a lovely specimen for a mortal." He rematerialized slowly, in a different position in the cramped area.

"I contacted her through a dream, much like how I contacted you. She feared my presence at first...but she lost her fear soon after. How strange she is. I wish I could lay my eyes on her in person..."

"Master? What happened?" asked Inzikai, his head cocked, wondering what the cause of his gods strange behavior was.

"I told her of my powers, of my strength. She barely seemed interested. What is she? A lost demi-god? A god herself? I will speak with Rothargot soon, about his impending meeting with this godly mortal..." rumbled Valtrox, fluidly circling around the pillar, like a python ready to strangle it's prey.

"Master, why have you contacted me?" asked Inzikai.

"To inform you of my growing impatience. I was patient for longer than you have lived. I grow angry each day. For your sake, Rothargot and the others better be back soon, Or I will torture you in your dreams every day I am in here..."

"But master! You do not understand the concept of traveling those distances on the mortal plane-!" shouted Inzikai, fear in his voice.

Valtrox reared his three horned head and roared loudly enough to shake the whole cavern. Valtrox lunged at the tiny pillar so fast, the fire that constantly surrounded Valtrox was nearly five seconds too late to catch up to him.

Inzikai fell down the bottomless pit, fire surrounding, blinding, and burning him. He felt his skin and muscles dissolve into liquid as if it were nothing. He screamed before his tongue dissolved as well.

All the while Valtrox laughed cruelly.
***********

Inzikai woke up in his bed, still in a cold sweat. He felt his body, to make sure he was not a charred skeleton. He was scared and jumped out of bed. Nervously he opened his door, and let out a sigh of relief. Home sweet home... he thought.

She should have let me deal with the crazy old man... Ar'mai thought, though she used the term 'old' quite loosely as for all she knew, she might have been older than he. She had, after all, trained her whole life in the healing art of magic and was a high priestess and princess in her clan.

However, it was of no concern as her head hit the pillow of her bed. In the morning she would no longer have cared about a missed chance to fight or cure the previous night.

Now she could only dream about what adventures laid ahead.

A caravan of traders had left the small village towards the boarder into the Imperium. The Imperium had many silver deposits, and were the closest trade partners for fish and other sea based goods, along with weapons.

The Order of the White Serpant was rich with farm goods, wood and many different metals, so both sides had much to trade with each other.

Kalzog had nothing to give most traders but pain and death...

The caravan guards charged at the massive ogre, blades drawn.

The ogre backhanded a few of the closest guards, knocking them into the air to land inside the caravan itself. The next few guards took a more defensive approach, standing past his reach, but ready to keep him at bay if he were to advance any farther. Several archers readied their bows and began to fire their arrows.

Kalzog laughed as he dodged one set of arrows, surprising the archers with his speed. He spead his arms and hands out wide and brought them together, making a massive noise that resembled thunder. The arrows that were aimed at him again, fell to the ground, as did the defensive guards. Kalzog grabbed one of them, while stepping on the other, instantly killing him with his weight. He threw the guard in his hand effortlessly into one of the archers, killing them both.

As the last few guards tried to run away, Kalzog spread out his fingers, sending small dervishes into the remaining guards, sending them high into the air and back down with a sickening crunch.

With a smile, Kalzog made sure all the guards were dead. "Why, hello there," he smiled as he saw one guard still alive. One that he smacked earlier.

"Please! Take anything you want! Just leave me-"

"Little skizzarish, My dinner was rudely interrupted last night...Therefore, I still have quite an appetite. You and your horses will do quite fine..." Kalzog grinned a smile that would've seemed friendly to the guard if he wasn't about to eat him.

With a few sickening crunches and a short blood curtling scream, Kalzog finished with his appetizer. "I grow bored of this. My dinner spoilers, I send my card," he said as he licked his lips.

With little effort, he pulled off the wheel to one of the wagons and walked to the highest point of the hill. Kalzog squinted his eyes and aimed at the inn's wall. "Ha ha! Time to awaken, my friends," he chuckled as he tossed the wheel playfully into the air and caught it. Then, with incredible speed, he threw the wheel towards the inn. It zoomed into a window, shattering the window into thousands of tiny pieces. The wheel continued until it hit the wall on the opposite side from when it enetered, where it practically exploded into thousands of pieces of shrapnel.

Kalzog watched his deadly projectile soar towards his target and winced when it smashed into the window. "My eyesight must be leaving me..." he muttered as he looked again at the wall he was aiming for. Barely three feet away...
**********************************************************

Sarik was in a deep sleep, having slept most of the morning, and barely into the afternoon. As he heard the windows shatter, he was startled and nearly stood up, but realized he was quite lucky he didn't, as the wheel sailed over him and smashed into the wall. Luckily, no one was close enough to the walls to get hit by any of the shrapnel.

After checking for any more projectiles, he stood up and hurridly got dressed. "I think it's time we get out of here," he said as he noticed a fire in the distance. Something tells me it's that infernal ogre... he thought as he put on his robe.

When he finished dressing he ran to the other's rooms and told them to get ready. He walked out the door, leaving a bag full of gold for the innkeeper to pay for the damages.
**********************************************************

Kalzog merely smiled while eating one of the horses, as he watched the townspeople swarm out of their homes and workplaces. I guess they got the idea... he thought gleefully.

Bael'ther, the elf that slept with his eyes open, was out of the inn before the wheel even crashed into the window. His swords were out and his blood was rushing as he was nearly a hundred feet away from the inn and hunting down the attack before the wheel collided.

*Crash*

Ar'mai was slumbering soundly in her bed when the wheel crashed and continued to do so after the window shattered. Her keen Elven senses had picked up the wheel cutting through the night before it had arrived, but subconsciously she knew she was in no danger (nor did her crystal necklace sparkle as it would when she was in danger) and so her subconscious decided not to wake her up.

She woke up nearly an hour later when her natural, internal alarm clock decided she was ready. Strangely enough when she woke up she was not surprised to see the shattered window or damage the wheel had caused.

"I guess that means the ogre is ready to go..."

Kalzog smiled as he saw the larger of the elven duo run towards him. Just in time too, as he was nearly finished with the last horse. He stood up and wiped up some of the blood on his mouth.

"I see you've recieved my note?" he called out, grinning.

Seeing that the would be attacker was actually just the ogre being crazy, Bael'ther returned his swords to their sheathes and calmed down his adrenaline increased battle readiness. Even if he could have said something at this moment, he wouldn't have - he already had zero respect for the ogre.

"So wheres the rest of them?" growled the Ogre, growing impatient. He studied Bael'ther. "How did you get so large? I've rarely seen an elf that big. Did you use magic...or are you a cross-breed?"

He scanned the inn again and saw a Drake flap it's wings, slowly lifting itself into the air. "That must be our friend Sarik...I haven't seen a Drake in ages...Dragons, but no Drakes."
**********************************************************

Andrazlia and Sarik flew over the hill where the Ogre stood. Sarik noticed that Bael'ther was also there. He landed a short distance from the caravan.

"Why did you kill all these innocents? Those people rely on these caravans to bring in goods!" yelled Sarik. He was appalled at the carnage done to these innocents.

"You have yourself to blame, lizard. Taking longer than you should to rest. You people of the Order have grown lazy over the years. Maybe that's why your enemy is preparing for war," the Ogre replied smugly.

"Ogre, we are not lazy. We can wake up at any time, but considering a certain creature came in the middle of the night to steal some innocents, our rest is minimal," Sarik said angrily.

"Boredom took it's toll," growled the Ogre. He looked back at the inn. "When are the others coming?"

"Soon I hope. I woke them all up I think. Atleast I shouted to wake up," replied Sarik walking up next to the Ogre and looking towards the inn. His vision was no where near as good as the Ogre's seemed to be, so he walked back to the dead guards and the burning caravan and muttered a funeral prayer.

Bael'ther stood silently, unable to answer the ogre's question. The truth was that most of his clan, or what formerly was his clan before it was nearly destroyed, was big - not quite as big as Bael'ther, but big just the same.

Ar'mai slowly began making her way to the place where the Ogre, Bael'ther and now Sarik stood. She was a glowing maiden atop her white steed as she sat lightly on the back of her winged horse. "Morning boys," she said daintily as she approached them.

"Good morning, Ar'mai," replied Sarik, smiling and making a slight bow.

"I see you took your sweet little time..." growled the Ogre, slowly loosing his temper. "How can you expect to beat the others in this race if you cannot time it right?"

The Ogre glanced at Bael'ther. "Why doesn't your friend talk? His silence irritated me..."he asked Ar'mai. "And where are the others? I am naturally a patient creature, but my patience is wearing thin..." The ogre went to grab another piece of the wagon to toss at the inn.

"I'm here ogre, and my companions are coming." Harlin said as he swung down out of a nearby tree. "I've been watching you since earlier today, and I must tell you that your eating habitsare repulsive. Still, if youare as powerful as I imagine you to be, I won't complain."

The ogre smiled at the man. "Quite sneaky...You surprise me, human. Not many can sneak up on me," he walked towards Harlin and moved his face right next to his, looking straight into his eyes. "My eating habits are just fine..." he said with a devilish grin, making sure Harlin can smell his horrid breath.

"Ogre, I ask that you respect us, so it would be easier to respect you more," growled Sarik. The ogre was getting on his nerves.

"I don't need any respect," replied the ogre, stepping back and turning around to look at Sarik. He still had that grin on his face.

"If we are to fight each other, we must respect each other and follow orders. It would make battle much easier with less casualties."

"War is not supposed to be easy, and casualties are part of war. Unavoidable in both cases. But...I will 'respect' your wishes...for now," replied the Ogre. He began to take interest in Andrazlia, as he looked at her curiously.

Lorathin was looking up at the sky as the wagonwheel spun and smacked into the inn. As the others clustered and began talking with the oger, the scarring over his eye seemed to shimmer and his lips moved almost as if he were talking to himself as he walked over.

The Ogre glanced at Bael'ther. "Why doesn't your friend talk? His silence irritated me..."he asked Ar'mai.

"Because he chooses not to speak with you," Ar'mai lied without a second thought about it.

"Oh...Well I can accept that," the ogre said with a grin, surprising Sarik. "One less person to annoy me with senseless babbling..."

"You get annoyed very easily," said Sarik as he put tightened some supplies on Andrazlia, who kept a watchful eye on the ogre.

"You have a beautiful drake there, Sarik. Last time I saw it, I broke it's mouth when it tried to eat me. It appears drakes can't swallow me whole," grinned the ogre as he walked up to Andrazlia.

Kalzog's attention turned towards the new comer. "Great, one who talks so little," he glanced at Bael'ther. "And one who talks so much, he talks to himself," he said as he watched Azrael make his way towards the group. He looked at Azrael's glowing scar, which reminded him of his own tattoos. "You have fairy dust on your face," he snickered.

He turned to face the rest of the group. "I suggest we begin to move. The others will be able to follow us. I'll leave a trail..."

"And you've stepped in a cow pat." He replied gesturing to Kalzog's left foot, "So what's your point?"

The ogre smiled. "Ah, at least we have a jester with us. How do we all plan to get there...And what exactly is the plan to get there?"

Sarik pulled out a map. "Well, we follow the main road to the borders of the Imperium. I will have to let the guards take Andrazlia back to her stables. There I will find out my other mode of transportation. We will pass through the Imperium, NOT killing anything in their territory other than the occasional food we may need," he glared at the ogre, who merely shrugged. "From there, we will cross the desert, making sure to have stocked up with water in the Imperium. We will talk to the Magus who currently runs the schools and the Library in which he will give us permission to keep the books away from Inzikai's grasp."

"So you will be traveling on your bird? Good then. How about the rest of you?" asked the Ogre.

"I have my own methods of conveyance." Lorathin replied

Ar'mai didn't respond to the Ogre's question with words, but rather she kicked at her winged horse and it took to the skies; climbing ever high as it seemed to be dashing up a set of invisible stairs.

No communication had been visible between Ar'mai or Bael'ther who still stood on the ground, but it was clear that they had made some arrangement. Bael'ther wasn't that keen on flying, especially with Ar'mai who had her spontaneous moments of crazy aerial acrobatics, and it had also been decided that he would stay on the ground to keep a watch on the ogre.

The ogre looked at Bael'ther and laughed. "Looks as though your girlfriend left ya. Well, I suggest we get going."

"Ogre, Bael'ther and Ar'mai are friends, but not intimates," corrected Sarik as he mounted Andrazlia.

"How would you know?" smiled the ogre. He looked at Bael'ther. "I hope you know I'm not walking nor running this trip."

As he said that, the massive ogre smashed his fist into the ground next to Bael'ther. Cracks formed a 5 foot circle around the spot, and red light was showing between the cracks. The ogre muttered a spell and the massive patch of dirt rose up out of the ground. The Ogre jumped on and Balanced himself in the middle. "Get ready for a fast ride," he said.

Cresting the hill, Shara was suprised to see the group departing down the road. Still, Harlin was sitting on the ground, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. I've never understood the whole meditation thing, she thought to herself. Anyway though, she went and sat down quietly next to him. She was beginning to relax when he suddenly said, "Minos is coming, he's got the horses. Let's get ready."

A couple of minutes later, Minos and the horses trotted over the hill. Shara looked at Harlin with disbelief, "How'd you do that?"

"Years of training. Let's go."

He and Shara mounted their horses and they, accompanied by Minos, rode off after the others.

He looked at Bael'ther. "I hope you know I'm not walking nor running this trip."

As he said that, the massive ogre smashed his fist into the ground next to Bael'ther. Cracks formed a 5 foot circle around the spot, and red light was showing between the cracks. The ogre muttered a spell and the massive patch of dirt rose up out of the ground. The Ogre jumped on and Balanced himself in the middle. "Get ready for a fast ride," he said.

He should have known the ogre would be taking a different means of traveling than just walking. But then again, the faster he moved past the different places the less time he would have to dwell and wreak havoc on them. Bael'ther followed along with the Ogre and prepared himself.

Lorathin called up his phantom wings and set off after the others.

The ogre laughed as he saw Azrael take off into the sky. "Looks like the caterpillar got his wings. He looked at Bael'ther. Why did your girlfriend leave you anyways?" after the silence, Kalrog grunted and shrugged.
**********************************************************

About half the day passed before they finally got to the last outpost before the Imperium.

Sarik landed Andrazlia nearby a large town and waited for the others. He looked at his mount and patted her head as he climbed down.

"Do you guys feel ready to continue or would you rather stay a night?"

"I am good to continue on," Ar'mai remarked as she fed Gael'Kadar a small bag of food. "It was quite relaxing up there with the breeze and warm sun that I slept most of the way here. So really, it is up to the rest of you and whether you are tired or not..."

Bael'ther, as usual, had no opinion on the matter - or at least not one he cared to reveal through whatever means he had at his disposal.

Since he didn't mind Kalzog's words, Lorathin settled down. "I'm fine either way, resting here or continuing on till later."

"How will you be travelling from here on out?" Ar'mai asked to Sarik curiously as they waited for the rest of the group to arrive and respond.

"I will continue on a horse the Order will provide me," Sarik replied. He smiled weakly and turned to Andrazlia, whispering something to her, and patting her on the snout. Sarik pulled out a small crystal and placed it on her harness. As he backed away, Andrazlia whined, but slowly took off and flew towards the way they came from.

Kalzog smiled as the drake left. "Horse...You don't need one of those," he smiled wickedly as his platform came within feet of Sarik. "Too slow. I have enough room on this for more."

Kalzog backed up on his platform, revealing enough space for Sarik.

"I wouldn't want to get bumped off..." replied Sarik, imagining the Ogre gently pushing the paladin off the platform and laughing all the way.

Bael'ther was glad that Sarik would be traveling alongside him so that they could both keep an eye on the overaggressive ogre. This way he had someone he could trust and rely on as well as someone who could communicate what his views often were (through the fact that they are often the same as Sarik's).

"Well... the question is whether we go now or wait for the next dawn," Ar'mai commented.

"We go on..." Sarik said as he and his mount trotted up behind the group. "Unless Shara or Minos has a problem with that."

Shara and Minos who were behind him both said, "No problem."

"Then I guess it's settled. We'll go on."

"Excellent then! One big happy family-" began the ogre. Suddenly Kalzog stopped as he felt the sign of Chaos on his back begin to tingle. His smile turned into a frown as he crouched on his rock. He motioned everyone for silence. "Something is wrong here..."

"What do you mean something is wrong here? This is an outpost of the Or-" several arrows flew towards Sarik who held up his shield, taking all the shots. "Ambush!" he shouted as several men clad in black jumped from behind several bushes. "Everyone, stick together!"

Several arrows were shot towards Kalzog, who crossed his arms over his eyes, being one of the only vulnerable spots he had. As the arrows clattered towards the ground, Kalzog spread his arms wide, his chest glowing as small dervishes formed and spun their way towards some of the ambushers.

Sarik ran up to one large ambusher and slashed his sword at him, but was deflected and had to continue his battle on the defense as he blocked blow after blow from the mysterious ambusher.

Up on a nearby sentry tower, stood one of the officers in charge of the outpost. He blew an alarm and several doors opened up on the nearby buildings. Out came soldiers of the Order who ran to help their allies in battle.

Unfortunately, Sarik's party didn't seem to be their allies. The soldiers tried to surround Sarik, but he backed up and hacked at several soldiers, cutting them down. "This is an embarrassment to the Order!" he cried out, as he thrust his sword into the chest of a nearby soldier. He looked up at the tower and noticed the officer aiming his crossbow at one of the members of his group. He let the arrow loose and Sarik saw what the intended target was.

"Ar'mai, watch out!" he shouted as he blocked several blows from his attackers.

As the archers drew back their strings, Harlin sensed their presence. He immediately jumped off of Wind Flitter, his horse, and dove into the cover of the trees. Now for the hunting, he smiled as he thought of the death he was about to unleash on these poor bastards. He saw the the first and noted that he had caught them on their right flank. He drew his twin blades and jumped into the trees, running along the branches. He dove down from above on the first, slicing cleanly through his spinal cord, before he bounded off the ground back into the trees without making a sound. He fell upon the second from behind and dispatched him easily with a blow to the base of his skull. This is taking to long, there's no need for stealth with these amateurs. He wiped his blades on the groove he'd worn in his riveted leather armor. He stood and ran behind the archers and laid them each to rest with slashes to their throats. Finally, the commander of the archer group realized what was happening and turned on Harlin just as he was coming to the end of the line. The cloaked man drew his sword, and raised it to strike Harlin. With inhuman speed, Harlin dodged the swing, and brought his dagger to bear on the mans' exposed under arm, driving it straight into his heart. Harlin slowed from his charge and turned to survey the damage he had done. There lay twenty archers and one squadron leader that he had killed in under two minutes. He frowned, he could have done it faster...

snip

ooc: seeing as Regenius just killed 20 archers, I guess we will have to make the ambushing force quite large.

"Ar'mai, watch out!" Sarik shouted as he saw one of the archers let loose an arrow directly at the back of the elf.

The priestess had been quite busy dispatching the archers that were at a distance with her bow that she had not paid any attention to the 'Soldiers of the Order.'

From the tower the arrow shot and whizzed through the air on line with its target. Ar'mai whirled around as Sarik called out her name only to see the arrow bearing down on her. Had it not been for her quick reaction to Sarik's warning, the arrow would certainly have pierced the back of her neck and ended her life. Instead, however, as she turned and took a step it connected with her body right below her right shoulder.

An intense, searing pain shot through her body as the arrow pierced her skin and drew blood. She had been hit before and certainly in worse and more lethal places, but this time it was different. There was something wrong. As the arrow drove into her flesh she began to feel woozy and 'off.' She began staggering around, not fully in control of her body or knowing what she was doing. Finally, after a minute of senseless and directionless stumbling, Ar'mai collapsed to the ground and blacked out...

Within seconds a trio of ambushers was by her side and pulling at her arms. They quickly began hauling her off towards a pair off horses past the checkpoint. Once there they through her limp body over the back of one and began riding like the wind...


Princess!!! Bael'ther thought and would have screamed if he could have. In the midst of battle, Bael'ther saw his charge being hauled off by the bandits. His blood began to boil as it darted through his veins. His eyes were alight with an intense ire that burned like wildfire. Adrenaline coursed through his body and he 'snapped.'

The bloodthirsty Elven warrior raised his colossal blades in anger and began swinging them like a wild man. Every ambusher would feel his hell-bent fury as he brought his blades down upon them with deadly accuracy. They were going to pay for taking Ar'mai and the first seven archers he came in contact with immediately felt his merciless wrath. Severed body parts began flying left and right as Bael'ther cut a bloody path through the enemy, striking down each one as he went.

In the few unarmored places on his body, he had been cut, stabbed, or hit by an arrow numerous times. But none of that mattered now - he no longer felt pain. Blood streamed out of his wounds, but nothing would stop his vindictive temper. Nothing could stop his feral rage...

Lorathin saw Ar'ami get hit in the shoulder, and subsequent collapse. While he personally viewed her as an overbearing, know-it-all witch(spelt with a B), he did like her and could see that none of the others were nearby. As an arrow streaked at him, he gestured and it separated into multiple pieces to rain upon the ground.

Casting three spells, one to re-inforce the phantom wing spell, a second to remove him from sight, and the third to utilize something Ar'mai had set up herself, a spell that would enable him to track her by following her mystical resonance. As the trio of brigands dragged her off, he took to the sky to follow.

ooc: Just a warning to Theao not to try and rescue her (or if you do, fail miserbly), as we have something tentatively planned.

OOC: lol yah, it is a big one. This ambush involved an inside job ;)

The captain on the tower smiled as he brought down the elf. He wistled once and shot another arrow, aimed at Sarik, who blocked it with his sheild.

A few moments later, a large dark purple drake, much larger than Andrazlia, perched itself on the tower and roared. The captain mounted it and began to take off.

"Someone, kill that drake!" shouted Sarik as he hacked through several more soldiers.
*********************************************************
The Ogre was too busy to deal with others. He normally fought by himself, with no worries about allies. When he heard Sarik's warning, he immediatly turned around. Ar'mai was being dragged away by several ambushers.

"Now I remember why I travel alone..." he muttered as he prepared a spell to damage or kill the three kidnappers. Before he could complete the spell, several ambushers jumped on his back and tried to stab his eyes. Kalzog roared as he grabbed one of them and crushed him between his hands. He spun around and threw the crushed one at several of the other ambushers, while reaching for the other ambusher with his other hand. Upon gripping the last one, he bit off his head and tossed him aside, spitting out the head.

He heard the call to kill the newly arrived drake, who already was taking off. Kalzog jumped off his platform, and gripped the side. Using it as a giant discus, he spun around and let go once he hit his fastest speed. The massive platform moved straight towards the drake, almost at it's target...

When the Drake casually batted the platform away with it's spiked tail. With amazing speed, the Drake followed after the other riders, most likely to pick up their 'prisoner' to bring her to their destination. Kalzog watched in shock as he missed his target and they got away. He had to admit, he kind of liked the short elf, as she seemed quite the rebellious type. He killed several more of the ambushers before meeting up with Harlin. Kalzog noticed the bodies and smiled. "You surprise me human. I always thought of your kind as slow and weak. At least you have shown me your kind are not always slow," he smiled sinisterly as he continued to walk throughout the small battlefield.

Sarik was surrounded by slashed and hacked bodies, except for one, who was missing his arms, and knelt before a bloodstained Sarik.

"Where did you come from? Where are the real members of the Order? Where are you taking Ar'mai?" growled Sarik, his sword point at the neck of the armless soldier.

"I will tell you nothing, Order scum!" he spat at Sarik with bloody spit.

Sarik was about to kill the man, when Kalzog interrupted.

"Let me deal with him," Kalzog said as he towered over the prisoner. Sarik backed away, keeping his sword ready.

"Give us the answers, before I chew you apart, piece by piece," said Kalzog, as he picked up the armless man. After a moment of silence, Kalzog grabbed the mans leg with one hand, and his foot with the other. With a sickening crack, he pulled the foot off and threw it in his mouth. After a moment of screaming, the ogre lifted the man up to his face. "Now, where do you come from, what did you do to the elf, and where are the real members of the Order?"

"I come from Miras, a town near Illucia! Many of us are part of the Order! It's just when the captain spoke of the power we could gain, we followed his every order out of greed! When we recieved the note of your party, we knew Valtrox would grant us great power if we captured or killed your members. The captain is bringing your friend to Zlatlan," the wounded man's confidence began to grow again. "Good luck catching him...His drake is directly from Inzikai's stables. The fastest one Inzikai has..." he smiled and spat at the ogre.

Kalzog looked at Sarik, who shook his head sadly. Kalzog then saw Bael'ther in a berserk state. He smiled as he looked back at the soldier. "I think someone has something to tell you..." he laughed at the joke, since he Bael'ther hasn't said a word to him. He tossed him lightly within Bael'ther's path and watched as he tried to get up with out arms or a foot.

Minos watched in disgust as the ogre tossed the man to Bael'ther. He muttered a few words under his breath, and the oxygen jumped from the man's body, killing him instantly. He shook his head at the wholesale slaughter that had been wrought by the group.

He turned to the north and eyed the slowly disappearing speck of the drake. He marked well the face of the traitorous captain before turning back to the group that had assembled in the clearing of the camp; except Bael'ther that is, who was still chasing down and killing stragglers. The group looked rather the worse for wear as they sat around in various states of disarray. Shara was talking in quiet tones to Harlin who was cleaning and sharpening his blades. Sarik and Kalzog were watching Bael'ther, Kalzog with obvious enjoyment. There was no sign of Azrael, but he suspected the mage was near.

He couldn't resist asking the obvious question, "What do we do now?"

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

Harlin cast his eyes at the man he had come to recognize as his sensei. He shrugged at the question and looked at Sarik.

Shara turned to him, a look of disbelief on her face. "You're kidding right, we have to go save her. She do the same for us."

Harlin laughed, "I'm sure the princess can take care of herself. 'Lock picking is child play', let's see how she fares when she's confronted with the kind of enchanted locks Inzikai is gonna throw at her."

"All the more reason for you to go!"

"I think my skills could be best utilised elsewhere. What do you think Sarik?"

As Kalzog tossed the armless (and now missing one foot) soldier in the giant warrior elf's path, Bael'ther slowly approached him with swords drawn and blood dripping from his armor - some his, but most of it splattered on him by the countless enemies he had slain.

This was the last man Bael'ther had a chance to take out his rage on, and he fully intended to do so with all of his ability and might. And then the man died. Bael'ther spun around and saw the foolish Minos had stolen his mark. He shot him one of the enraged glares that had ever been seen.

In response to Bael'ther's death gaze, Minos only shrugged and said, "I didn't want to have to hear what you were about to do to him."

Sarik was torn between his mission, perhaps the mission that could determine the fate of the world, and the mission of saving Ar'mai, all the way in Zlatlan, where few that go in, ever come out. He looked at the others, not quite sure what to do.

"I suggest we go for the primary mission. Ar'mai took this mission knowing she may never come back. Plus, if what you say about this whole Valtrox business, the world may find it's doom if we stall any longer," said the ogre solemnly.

Sarik knew what the ogre said was right. The fate of the world could depend on his shoulders. He could save one elf, or a whole populace. He sighed. "Our mission stands. Yet any lead to Ar'mai will be taken into consideration and most likely followed, if it is good enough information."

Sarik looked at Bael'ther with a look of apology in his eyes. He couldn't imagine what Ar'mai's guardian could be thinking with the loss of such a friend as she was.

"Well, let's get moving then. If we are to catch a lead, might as well not wait," replied the Ogre, making himself a new platform.
**********************************************************

The large drake landed next to the camp of the few ambushers that were left. This camp was far away from the outpost. The former Captain of the Order jumped down from his mount and walked up to the others.

"Inzikai will reward us greatly with this find..." said the one of the cloaked ambushers, bowing to the captain.

"The reward...yes...that belongs to me," replied the captain.

The ambushers looked at each other, all having a look of confusion. "Wait a minute, we captured her and brought her here," one of them said. The trio pulled out knives and thrust them at the Captain. The captain already had his sword out. He chopped off the hand of the closest ambusher, spun around, chopping the head off another, flipping his sword in his hand and stabbing backwards, into the chest of the remaining rogue. The handless rogue had a dagger in his other hand and made a move to kill the captain, but his large drake snatched the ambusher by the waist and swallowed him whole.

The captain smiled smugly at the carnage and looked at Ar'mai. She was silent at the time being, and wasn't quite sure how long the sleeping poison would last on the elf. He made sure her bindings were tight, and lifted her over his shoulder and put her on the drake, tieing her down so she wouldn't fall off. "Tis a shame you're not Sarik. But being part of his group will certainly give you great fame...and me, great fortune..." He mounted his drake behind her and flew off towards Zlatlan.

"Where did the other human go?" shouted Kalzog impatiently, as Bael'ther finished the last ambusher with a bloody execution. "The mage I battled in my home. Where is he?"

Sarik looked around. Did Lorathin get caught as well? Sarik wondered. That would definitely worsen the situation. "I will search the outpost. Maybe he's looking for something alive."
**********************************************************

Lord Inzikai stood in the decaying balconey as one of his prized Drakes returned to it's roster. Ahh...you're finally mine, Sarik... he thought, grinning. He had known Sarik for quite a while. Being such a famous hero for his arch nemesis, he had to know him. He had led several victories over some of Inzikai's generals in previous wars. If he is captured, it will certainly give Inzikai an edge needed to conquer his enemies.

Inzikai walked to his throne chamber and sat down on his throne, waiting for his prize to come in. He had sent the captain to Illuminata many years ago. The Captain was one of his best soldiers and spies, one of the most loyal as well.

The massive doors to the throne chamber opened and the Captain marched in and bowed regally before his master, only a foot away from the first step to the throne stairway. "Master, I bring a gift..." He scooted away, head still bowed as several guards kicked a small elvish figure down to her knees.

"This...this is not Sarik," he growled, his smile turning into a frown as he saw the elf. "Who is this? What is she doing here?"

"Master, she was with Sarik when the ambush took place. She might be able to provide valuable information regarding Sarik and the Order, that I have not been able to give you. She was a hero along with Sarik when they returned. As for who she is, I'm afraid you will have to ask her. The poison of my arrow has just begun to wear off."

Inzikai stood up from his throne and slowly descended the steps, until he was close enough to touch her. The guards got closer, but Inzikai told them to move back. "I am sorry for all the trouble my guards have given you. Young elf, there seems to have been some confusion as to my orders. Please...accept my apology," he said, putting his hand on her unwounded shoulder, adding a fake reassuring smile. " I am Lord Inzikai, ruler of this land. Who are you, my young lady?"

Inzikai studied the lithe figure. Valtrox would like to hear about you... he thought sinisterly.

The drake had flown at a rather faster speed than he could manage, and thus Lorathin had conjured up a simulacrum to seek and try and track down Ar'mai while he returned to the group. He listened to thier conversation from the concealment of invisiblity, while wondering if one would bump into him, a favorite gag of his noviciate.

Inzikai stood up from his throne and slowly descended the steps, until he was close enough to touch her. The guards got closer, but Inzikai told them to move back. "I am sorry for all the trouble my guards have given you. Young elf, there seems to have been some confusion as to my orders. Please...accept my apology," he said, putting his hand on her unwounded shoulder, adding a fake reassuring smile. " I am Lord Inzikai, ruler of this land. Who are you, my young lady?"

Indeed the poison had worn off by now and Ar'mai was fully conscious. She decided to play the man's little games - acting nice and all - but she would not give too much or any important information. "I am a daughter of Elune..." she responded simply.

Sarik walked about the outpost from building to building, revealing that it seemed soldiers true to the Order tried to fight against the traitors. A fight that lost them their lives.

As Sarik returned to base he was started as he walked into something in front of him. He felt a bit in front of him. "Who's there?" he asked, his remaining hand on the hilt of a dagger.
**********************************************************

"Daughter of Elune? I have read little about Elven culture, so forgive my ignorance. Who is this Elune?" replied Inzikai. Inzikai spoke some of the truth. He knew of many different cultures outside of Lustria, but he knew that if he owned Lustria, he wouldn't need the knowledge of other cultures...Valtrox would wipe everyone out if they didn't worship him anyways.

He dispelled the enchantment sufficiantly for his face to appear and replied with, "Boo."

"Daughter of Elune? I have read little about Elven culture, so forgive my ignorance. Who is this Elune?" replied Inzikai. Inzikai spoke some of the truth. He knew of many different cultures outside of Lustria, but he knew that if he owned Lustria, he wouldn't need the knowledge of other cultures...Valtrox would wipe everyone out if they didn't worship him anyways.

"Elune is the light in the darkness..." she replied simply.

Sarik was startled at the sudden appearance of Lorathin. He then chuckled a bit. "Azrael, good to see you'r back. Where did you go?" he asked as he made his away around the suspected spot where Azrael would be.
**********************************************************

"Light...in darkness?" replied Inzikai as he turned his back to Ar'mai and walked forward slowly. "Is that so...Now what is your name, young elf," he was beginning to grow annoyed at the simple answers she was giving him, but didn't show it.

"Was attempting to track and recover Ar'mai." He replied as he let the spell drop completely. "Needless to say, the drake got away." He decided to leave out the progress of the simulacrum.

"Light...in darkness?" replied Inzikai as he turned his back to Ar'mai and walked forward slowly. "Is that so...Now what is your name, young elf," he was beginning to grow annoyed at the simple answers she was giving him, but didn't show it.

Ar'mai did not move or make any reaction whatsoever. She simply stood there in a defiant silence as he closed in, his patience obviously wearing thin.

"Which direction did Ar'mai and the Drake go?" asked Sarik to Lorathin as they walked towards the others.

As soon as Kalzog saw Lorathin, he grumbled. "About time you showed up...the longer we wait, the more time Inzikai has to grab what he wants or hurt Ar'mai."

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

Inzikai watched her stand defiantly. "What is your name, elf?" he asked again, grabbing her chin in a strong grip and forcing her to look at him.

"My patience is wearing thin, elf, and I only ask for your name. Nothing else...as of yet. Surely you can give me your name?" he whispered, anger creeping into her voice.

"My name is mine to give, but only freely..." she responded, almost cryptically before returning to her silence.

Inzikai stared at her coldly. Finally he smiled a warm smile. "So it is. Are you hungry?" he asked politely, before backing up to his throne.

"I only eat what I or my kin have grown or hunted," she replied, leaving him to make what he would of her reply.

ooc: sorry about the short posts, but it is intentional on Ar'mai's part - she isn't saying or doing much.

OOC: I understand lol ;)
"Then you will starve here. As far as I know, you are the only elf here..." replied Inzikai without even looking at Ar'mai. He sat down in his throne and looked long at the elf, head propped on his hand. The captain shuffled his feat nervously.

"Take her to the dungeon..." he said lightly. "When you are ready to talk...perhaps we can make out a deal for your freedom..."

The guards grabbed the poor elf and lifted her. They brought her to a dark, dank, and foul smelling room at the bottom of the castle. They threw her into a prison cell with a dirty mattress and some dried blood on the floor, along with several bones. They closed the large gate, and locked it with multiple locks as well as several silent magical ones.

One of the guards sneered at Ar'mai. "Enjoy your stay, girly. Maybe Inzikai will let some of us have some fun with you..." he chuckled with several of the other guards, who took posts around the room.
**********************************************************

Inzikai had walked into a nearby tower in his castle, still in his ceremonial robes. He sat crosslegged in front of a massive wall inscribed with strange symbols. He closed his eyes and meditated. My unequaled Valtrox, We have something of importance. An elf of Sarik's party...

And of what news of Sarik himself? boomed the terrible, deep voice within Inzikai's head.

He hasn't been captured, my high lord. But this elf may provide some information useful for us...

Perhaps. Bring her to me. Maybe I can have a talk with her... said the mighty god, with a slightly amused tone.

It will be done, your mightyness... With that, Inzikai left the chamber. He would talk with the elf soon. He'll give her the chance to enjoy her new accomodations...

After Ar'mai brushed herself off and looked around the cell for a minute, she moved towards the immediate center and sat down. Her legs were crossed, lotus style, her eyes were closed, and her ears seemed to be especially noticeable. Her breathing was no longer noticeable as she sat perfectly still with her arms resting lightly on her legs.

She began muttering in an unfamiliar Elven language of great reverence and history - it was a language that was used only by the highest of any order or clan back when it was in use, but now it was nearly dead. "Ek'nu alla... bin'e brim-dari..." As she spoke softly, a faint white glow began to form and grow around her body...

Lorathin gave the direction he'd last seen the drake taking Ar'mai, before adding, "Why Kalzog, I never knew you cared." A smile gracing his face.

"I care for no one, human. No one, but myself. And if Valtrox enters the world, then I myself may be doomed...Unlike you and Sarik, the elf actually wanted to participate in action rather quickly. I miss her for that...nothing else," he replied with a frown. "Shall we get going then?"

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

Several of the guards took note of the glowing elf. The one who spoke harshly to Ar'mai signaled another guard to get Inzikai. As the guard ran to get Inzikai, the leader of this band of guards clanged his sword into the metal bars, making loud noises, as he tried to interrupt Ar'mai.

"Hey you, what are you doing? Stop it," he called angrily.

"Sure you do, sure you do." He replied in a faintly mocking tone.

"Hey you, what are you doing? Stop it," he called angrily.

Ar'mai ignored him as she was deep within meditation and had learned not to be disturbed by anything despite being quite aware of what was around her. She continued repeating the words and the glowing grew until her body seemed to be outlined in a thick white line - it was lighting up the entire dungeon.

ooc: if you want to know what it is OOCly I will tell you - ICly you can ask her (though it probably won't work) or attempt to do something to her.

OOC: yeah, could you tell me what it is in here or the OOC thread?

The Guard leader shielded his eyes. "Hey! Quit it!" he shouted again. He grabbed a nearby bone and threw it at Ar'mai.
**********************************************************

Kalzog growled at the human, but Sarik interrupted the Ogre before he could say anything. "Bael'ther, what will happen to Gael'Kadar? Will you ride her?"

Ar'mai ignored the guard's constant shouts, but something she couldn't as easily ignore was the bone that came flying at her. As she was completely aware of her surroundings, she was able to dodge the bone with her agility and quick reflexes. However, as she dodged it, her concentration was broken slightly and the aura was visibly weakened - not for long though and in a few seconds it had regained its strength.

ooc: It is a holy aura. It protects Ar'mai from anything or person that is 'dark' or 'evil' (especially magic), but it also heals the 'good' within its presence (any that it shines upon) and harms the undead that get within a couple feet of her.

---

Bael'ther was taken a bit off guard by the question as he had not thought about the winged horse since Ar'mai took off on it from the little town - Ar'mai...

He responded by walking over to the house and gently (well... as lightly as he could) climbing on it - this would be the first time that he had actually ridden alone in the air - though he had done so on the ground on a few occasions.

OOC: ahh tnx! Glad you told me
All of a sudden, the door opened wide and a guard stumbled through. He gasped as he was blinded by the light and fell down the stairs. Inzikai took no heed of the guard and merely used him as a step. He approached Ar'mai's bubble of light, and walked into it.

As soon as he walked into it he gasped and his eyes opened wide. He stumbled out of it, nearly tripping over the fallen guard. "Fiendish elf! What-? How do you know such old spells?" he angrily shouted.

Without waiting for an answer, Inzikai muttered his own spell, surrounding him in a faint dark barrier. He walked through the bubble with ease this time. "I wanted to return to you in peace, but it seems you distrust my company..." he said as he walked to the cell door. "Grab her," he ordered the other guards, who complied.

"I have a special treat for you, my elven friend..." he smiled fiendishly as he anticipated the upcoming meeting with Valtrox...
**********************************************************

Kalzog burst out laughing at the awkward scene of Bael'ther mounting the winged horse. "You are strange, elf...all of you are, actually," he said, looking at the party around him. "Let us begin our true journey to wherever fate takes us!"

With that last statement, he jumped on his platform, and floated several inches off the ground. Sarik followed behind, standing in front of the Ogre, still slightly uncomfortable with the idea that he and the ogre shared such a small space...

Ar'mai did not reply, but instead stood and came with the guards - however, the feeling of her skin would begin to feel quite burning for those that were touching it, and in fact their hands would indeed become overbearingly hot.

Lorathin sprouted his phantom wings and prepared to follow.

Meanwhile the simulacrum had finally, after a very tiring flight had caught sight of the citidel.

Harlin stood up from the ground and sighed, "Finally..." He walked over to Wind Flitterand petted his nose. "Time to move on old friend." He swung himself up into the saddle.

Shara and Minos both mounted their steeds as well, before they rode off after Kalzog and Sarik.

OOC: LoL sorry bout the wait...finished up the summaries so hopefully some more people can join in, and Men in Jockstraps can read it and be caught up.

The band of heroes had been traveling for most of the day, and had gotten into the Imperium fairly easily. Unfortunately, a terrible storm has found its way into their path, hindering the groups ability to continue on. Luckily, they were able to get as far as the nearest town...

"I say, we continue and brave out this storm!" shouted Kalzog angrily as he watched it pour outside. Lightning flashed across the sky and thunder erupted.

"No...As brave as our friends steeds are, this is no weather to be traveling in... It will pass soon enough..." replied Sarik. He looked across out the window, wondering what Ar'mai and Inzikai were doing...

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

The guards yelped in surprise as their hands began to burn. "Master! She has cursed her skin! We cannot touch her without burning ourselves!"

Inzikai turned suddenly, anger evident in his face. He grabbed Ar'mai by the arm and pulled her along, the spell seeming to have little affect. "I have been alive for much longer than you think..." he whispered as he hurridly walked to a massive tower.

As they walked in, Inzikai brought Ar'mai next to the far side of the room, in front of a massive wall, with a large upright rectangle carved into it, with thousands of runes covering either side.

Some guards brought in a bowl of foul smelling muck and gave it to Inzikai.

"Young elf, you have been honored for being chosen to be seen by my god, the omnipotent Valtrox. Since you have never seen him before...you must eat this, just one small bite," he indictated the gunk in the bowl," and then you will be rewarded greatly by the infinite knowledge of Valtrox..."

Inzikai brought the bowl to Ar'mai's face. "Eat now, and you will be blessed by Valtrox's presence..."

Bael'ther walked inside of an inn with the rest of the group, slightly wet from the arriving showers. The winged horse, however, took off into the skies and quickly rose above the clouds. Soon it was above the torrent of rain and in the safety of the cloudless heavens (figuratively).

---

Ar'mai refused, evident in her lack of movement or attempt to eat the gunk. Despite any poison in the food that would have been neutralized by her aura, she still wouldn't eat it.

Lorathin had stripped off his cloak as well as shirt, which incidentally revealed the two rare unique birthmarks on his shoulders, and most of his pants, so he was in effect wearing shorts, and with a nod to the group walked out into the rain.

Beside the fact that there was something avatistic about standing in the rain, he had an ulterior motive which he felt was best to keep secret for the time being.

"If you won't eat it...Then I'll make you!" he said angrily. He called a guard over to hold the bowl, since they couldn't touch Ar'mai.

"I wished I wouldn't have had to do this..." he whispered in Ar'mai's ear as he grabbed her head and held it, face up, as he put his fingers in her mouth, holding it open.

The guards poured some of the foul smelling gunk in her mouth, and Inzikai held her mouth shut with the hand as he stroked her neck, so it would go down easier...

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

Sarik watched Lorathin walk out into the rain, almost naked. He noticed the birthmarks across his body and looked at the Ogre, who had tattoos all over his body. A strange resemblence...

"Maybe you should take a shower too, Ogre. You need one more than he does," Sarik chuckled.

"No one fears a clean ogre," Kalzog responded as he gulped down a pint of beer. "At least he's willing to go outside too. I think that means he want's to continue the journey..." Kalzog grabbed another pint and began to chug it.

"I don't think so...He wouldn't have left his clothes..." Sarik looked at Bael'ther. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" he asked the elf.

"Don't buy the beer...The Imperium has the worst alcohol ever..." he grumbled as he downed another pint.

Sarik was slightly amazed at how fast and how much the Ogre was drinking. "Don't get drunk Ogre...we don't want to know what you'd do..."

Kalzog merely responded with a wicked smile as he chugged another pint.

Bael'ther didn't respond, he was still stewing over the loss of Ar'mai and was in no mood for petty banter or foolish drinking.

ooc: Go ahead and post (whenever you want) what happens after Ar'mai eats it... there isn't much I can do with her at the moment.

OOC: lol k

As Ar'mai choked the gunk down, she soon, slumped forward, in a meditative state. Inzikai smiled and settled down next to her, crosslegged and in a much more confortable position. He relaxed and soon entered a medatative state with her...


It all seemed like a dream, Inzikai appeared next to Ar'mai within a dark cave.

"Welcome to the underworld, Elf. The only place the gods could use to contain Valtrox's beneficial powers...They were all jealous of it. Watch your step...you wouldn't want to die in here...you may very well lose you mind," he chuckled sinisterly. "Follow me, young elf."

Inzikai walked out of the cave into narrow bridge, pits on either side, each with lava a short distance down. "Watch your step," was all he said as he walked.

Soon after, the bridge widened a enough for three people to stand side by side. Inzikai knelt down as he waited for Ar'mai.

Sickening... Ar'mai thought as she choked down the gunk that would give her the ability to see or at least communicate with Valtrox.

"Beneficial... right..." Ar'mai echoed sarcastically. "Jealousy should not be confused with concern." She would have no problem 'watching her step' as elves were naturally nimble and quick on their feet - Ar'mai particularly; she wouldn't be falling into any lava pit.

Ar'mai began to wonder if she was really in the underworld or not - or for that matter whether or not she had teleported or if her mind had simply gone to another place while her body was still slumped forward. I wonder if the lava would actually do anything... she wondered, especially if only her mind had been transported. Then again, the mind does control the body and creates the reality it feels... so perhaps even if it is an odd hallucination of some type, maybe it could still do harm. Or maybe I am over analyzing this...

"Don't think me to be so young and naive..."

She followed Inzikai to the narrow bridge and continued to walk shortly behind him. She walked up beside him as he knelt down, probably preparing to receive his deity.

"I suggest you kneel down, elf..." muttered Inzikai, taking a slight glance at the elf.

"The Omnipotent Valtrox, I have brought the elf!" called Inzikai, still bowing.

"So I see..." rumbled a voice that seemed to emit from the cavernous walls themselves. Inzikai cringed at the voice and looked around, trying to find his deity.

"Elf...Why don't you bow?" called the voice.

"Why do you not show yourself," Ar'mai replied simply; one question with another. She was not going to show fear, even if she had any - there was nothing to fear except bowing willingly to one who was not deserved of such.

"Fiesty little elf," chuckled the voice. "Do you treat all gods this way?"

Inzikai shot a look at the girl as if she were crazy. His mouth was slightly open, but he looked to the ground again.

The catwalk they previously walked on crumbled and fell apart, as the part they now stood/ knelt on started swaying. The lava began to swirl around the pillar.

"No, only those who would choose to capture me..." Ar'mai replied indignantly.

"Don't look at me like that," Ar'mai snapped at Inzikai. "Just because you are a pathetic minion of him and scared of his wrath, doesn't mean I am going to bow."

Maybe I will get my chance to find out... she thought as she noticed the swirling lava.

The god chuckled again. "I didn't capture you...he did..."

Inzikai whimpered slightly. He hated cowering like this when his captive stood so defiantly in his gods face. Suddenly, he felt something burning him from the inside.

"Yet you traveled with a certain Skizzarish...Sarik. Tell me, what is he doing?" called the voice. The lava was still swirling around, a little faster than it had a minute ago.

"And he is your minion," Ar'mai replied. "As a powerful man once put it in a sign that sat atop his desk, 'The buck stops here.'"

"Sarik... most likely he is continuing on his quest to stop you," Ar'mai said, knowing she wasn't giving away anything important or that Valtrox didn't know. She wasn't going to give up any useful information, but perhaps she could learn a thing or two while she was here... straight from the horse's mouth.

OOC: Last post, g'night all!
"That he is...And I will give him his reward for being such a loyal minion..." called the disembodied voice. "But I would have liked Sarik to be in your place...We have some...business to do..."

Inzikai yelped in surprise as he rose into the air. The burning sensation grew until flames started coming from Inzikai's mouth. He screamed at the most unbearable pain he has ever encountered. The flames that he coughed out flew to his head into three differnet spots. His forhead started to bleed as Inzikai himself soon burst into flames.

Valtrox laughed as his servant became a living torch. Suddenly, the cavern walls began to move. "Now...I must look at you a bit closer, puny elf...So I may look into your eyes, see what you have seen..."

"I have seen the light and so that is all you will see in my eyes," Ar'mai replied defiantly and unafraid as she ignored the torture that was being done to Inzikai - if she ever got out of here, she would find out whether the damage done here was permanent or just a mental scar.

She wasn't going to take any chances of Valtrox being able to see what she had previously seen through her eyes - suddenly her eyes became clouded with an odd, swirling mist that seemed to cover her corneas.

As he walked, had anyone been following him or watching him, it would have appeared that he was having a conversation, though there was no one for him to be speaking to. Between his words, the flashes of lightning intensified in frequency and intensity somewhat.

ooc: Birthmarks, not tattoos, thought it could be he just made a mistake in interpretation.

ooc: hehe forgot bout that, I'll fix it when im done with this post

The walls continued to move as well as the swirling lava, which seemed to rise and coat the walls themselves.

"Summon whatever you want elf...You are in my domain...for now," the playful chuckled turned into a sinister laugh. "Elf, If I were to show myself, you must tell me what you know, what you do, why you don't bow, and all other questions I ask...or else, this will turn into an unpleasant moment...for both of us..."
**********************************************************

Kalzog watched Lorathin walk out, apparently muttering to himself. "I wonder what made him into a crazy kook," he laughed, as the alcohol seemed to be getting through to the massive ogre. He continued to down several more mugs of the beer.

"Ogre, I think thats enough alcohol..." said Sarik, as he watched the Ogre carefully.

"Hah...That's nothing, lizardman...Back in the town I was born...we had much stronger stuff...better...and I would down the whole lot of it..." slurred the Ogre. He gave a slight hiccup. The barkeeper kept an eye on the ogre as he served a much small serving to a nearby customer, who was covered in robes.

"I have already answered your questions and told you what I know," Ar'mai replied. "And frankly, I don't care if you show yourself or not - nor do I think it would be best for yourself to make this a more unpleasant moment for yourself." Perhaps testing the waters wasn't smart, but she didn't have anything to say...

"No...I insist, you must see me," laughed the god. Inzikai had stopped burning for a while, and had knelt on the ground again, charred and bleeding. His bones were visible in several spots. He wheezed loudly, but otherwise remained silent.

"Best for me, Elf? Since when do you determine what is best for me?" Valtrox began to make Ar'mai feel some pain in her legs. She wouldnt be standing for long..."I determine what is best for me," the god had stopped laughing. In the cavern, the lava suddenly burst upwards, covering what was left of the previously uncovered walls. "You will see me...and you will bow...and you will tell me what I want to know...You know more than you tell me....I want to know everything to the last detail about your mission!" growled the god.

"Do I look like someone that pays attention to details?" Ar'mai said weakly as she slumped forward onto her nears due to the pain in her legs. "I just followed along with Sarik - he said we had a quest and that we needed to stop this cult from gaining too much power... nothing more," she explained - it was at least close to the truth.

The moving walls stopped revolving and suddenly, part of it moved. It had the shape of a dragons head, a massive one at that, with three long pointed horns protruding towards the back of it. It opened it's eye lids, revealing bright orange eyes. It continued to circle around, revealing the fact that what was the cavern walls, was actually Valtrox's immense body.

Black smog came from his nostrals as he brought his head close to Ar'mai. "That's more like it, mortal. Bow to your future master..."

His head remained strangely still, while the rest of his body practically slithered down into the pits of lava, fire coursing up the gods body.

"Who did you travel with?" he asked calmly, as if half dreaming, his eyes looking straight into Ar'mai's.

After a while of this odd conversation, a bolt of lightning struck scant feet from Lorathin. The highly unusual bolt seemed to remain for a number of seconds and if someone had looked close enough they might have seen what looked like a man. Receiving a something, that he had to play 'hot potatoe', with for period, Lorathin watched as the lightning faded and walked back toward the inn.

"You alright, Azrael?" asked Sarik, with concern in his voice. "That thunder looked as though it hit close by..."

The Ogre hiccuped as he downed several more pints. After gulping the last one, he turned around and staggered about. "What were you playin' with back there, human?" he muttered to Lorathin, Kalzog's face right in front of Lorathin's.

The barkeep called out. "Hey ogre! All this didn't come for free..." The man sitting at the stool at the bar, glanced at the ogre under his hood that shadowed most of his face.

"I'm fine, and Kalzog, that's my buisness." He replied as he put his hand into his pocket.

Ar'mai found herself feeling slightly weak and unable to hold back the names - not that she found them particularly important anyway. "Sarik, Kalzog, Bael'ther, Lorathin, Harlin, Minos, and Shara," she replied.

"Not bad...tell me...what exactly are they? What are their professions, attitudes, affiliations? Tell me everything..." Valtrox backed his head away and smiled cruely. He brought his massive hand up to his face and flexed it. He then casually picked up Inzikai with the claws of his hands, each claw about the size of a full grown dragon's wingspan. He casually tossed the former Lord of the Cult into the lava pool.

"Bael'ther is a quiet, reserved, giant, Elven Warrior," Ar'mai said. "Sarik is a knight... I think you know the rest about him. Lorathin is an annoying, mysterious, brat of a mage. Harlin, Shara, and Minos I know very little about... and Kalzog..."

"...Kalzog is a crazy, god-killing ogre."


ooc: Deatharon is back and starting another RP with Mavis: The Lich Mavis Awakens (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=476853)

OOC: Hmm...I might join, I dunno if I should move Sarik in there while he's in this RP...
Valtrox looked at the elf with curiousity. "God-killing Ogre? Surely you joke?" Valtrox chuckled a bit. Actually, this made him nervous. His previous attempt to escape into the mortal plane was hindered by a band of Ogres...

"Nothing can kill a god, mark my words, elf..." he brought his face close to Ar'mai's again, blowing some smog at her from his nostrils. "Nothing..."

"I'll let you in on a little secret of mine, elf. Well, Inzikai knows of it as well...but he is currently occupied...Would you like to hear it?" Valtrox moved his head back, circling around the pillar that Ar'mai knelt on.

"If you say so," Ar'mai replied to the comment about being able to kill a god. Perhaps it wasn't kill in the literal sense, but destroy its power, wreck its domain, and banish it to some infernal dungeon... that was possible.

"Certainly..."

ooc: Unless you plan on having Sarik killed (or letting him be killed), then it shouldn't change much. I use characters in RPs at the same time a lot - just use fluid time to keep the story lines in different periods. And don't make references to what happened in this RP.

OOC: Hmm..not killed, but changed, as will somewhat be revealed in this post. LoL maybe i'll join with Kalzog ;)

"I tried to escape this prison long ago elf. Before you were born, probably before your parents were born..."

"I had several lieutenants leading my armies of war among the plane. Rothargot, Grenzik, and Skrangor were their names. They lead their armies to annhilate whole empires, whole races even...Yet the pitiful mortals who were supposed to guard my gate, the gate in which I was to make my entrance into the world, to gain my beach head in the world of gods, and all my dreams...ended...Because those foolish mortals couldn't hold my gate for a minute longer. Rothargot and Grenzik both returned to me, yet fell through the hole that kept me imprisoned...Skrangor remained in the mortal plane... captured by Ogres and practically torn to pieces..."

"How he ties into Sarik is what interests me. Thousands of years after that war, Sarik had been sent on a quest to retrieve a certain sword. Although he never completed that quest, it is a sword that many believe will bring about the unity and salvation of Lustria...That is the sword of Skrangor...Sszzarvu was it's name...Zavers gave Sarik a glimpse of it in a dream, and a warning, yet Sarik hasn't figured it out."

"Spies of Inzikai had said the priests gave up on the mission of the Sszzarvu because they believed it was a myth...but Sarik is not the quitting type. Especially with a sword of that power. Thats what Sarik craves...he craves power, not the good of his people."

"Next time you see Sarik, whether it be the Afterlife, or whether it be by telepath, you ask yourself. What are his true motives..."

Valtrox reclined in a newly formed throne as he watched for Ar'mai's reaction.

"Perhaps he does..." Ar'mai replied. "But so do you and your new lieutenants. And at the moment, he is a knight and a good hearted person... that is all that matters. You can't judge a man on the future..." Ar'mai said before becoming quiet again.

Telepathy was not a possible means of communication with Ar'mai unless it was between another elf. And even then it was still hard unless the elf was close to Ar'mai or at least of the same blood line. There were two ways she could send a message: one was to send it to Bael'ther, but his ability to communicate that to everyone else was... lacking; the other way would require that she be out of the presence of Inzikai or Valtrox so that she could do it in private - maybe she would try it later.

ooc: Actually, that would be cool - you should do it.

OOC: lol hmmm maybe I will

"I can judge a man I have watched closely, elf...heed my words..." he spoke surprisingly quiet. "I believe my gift is complete..." he smiled devilishly as he pulled out the charred creature that was Inzikai. He set what was left of the overlord down next to Ar'mai and smiled. Soon after, the lava covering Inzikai flowed off him, revealing a perfectly healthy body. Inzikai's scales were shiny, and his muscles more pronounced, yet he had some new features...Three small lumps spaced evenly on the back of his head...

"Go the way you came, bring Inzikai with you. You will awaken unharmed in your own body...Or atleast you would hope so..." Valtrox let out a deep laugh.

"It was an elivening conversation, elf. I hope we do it again..." with that, Valtrox let himself slide downwards into the pit, until he could not be seen.

"Charming..." Ar'mai replied as the god disappeared out of sight.

She grabbed Inzikai with her hands, and summoning all the strength she possessed, she dragged him roughly back to the spot they had first appeared in.

The elf and Inzikai dematerialized and found themselves back to consciousness.

Inzikai stood up somewhat angry at what happened down there. "I have a splitting headache..." he said angrily as he got up. He despised being thrown around by Valtrox, especially while he did nothing to the elf. The guards stared at Inzikai eyes wide.

"Uh...master..." the guard pointed to his head and Inzikai growled at the man.

"What is it? Speak up!" he shouted. He walked up to a nearby mirror and examined himself, letting loose a small gasp. He felt along his forehead, which had the three bumps on his forehead. "I told him...I don't want to be reformed..." Inzikai kicked over an urn, shattering it. "Take her back to the dungeon!" he yelled.

Ar'mai had to stifle a giggle as the men again attempted to grab her and drag her back to the dungeon. However, they would again soon be feeling the burning sensation as they touched her skin. First, though, she had to regain the aura she had lost when she left her body behind...

The guards grabbed her and began to drag her to her cell in the dungeon. Soon after, they yelped in surprise as their hands began to burn. "Lord Inzikai! She is trying to kill us again!"

Inzikai growled at the two and grabbed Ar'mai and pulled her along to her room. "Now what did Valtrox tell you?" he asked. He was sure Valtrox told her something while he was 'recieving his gift'...

"Nothing," Ar'mai responded honestly. "He asked me pointless questions and then told me about his history and what he thought of Sarik." That was basically what had transpired between the two while Inzikai was being tortured.

"You lie, elf...tell me what you told him," he shouted angrily as he opened her cell.

"You lie, elf...tell me what you told him," he shouted angrily as he opened her cell.

Ar'mai shrugged. She couldn’t see what harm it would do besides drive a wedge between Valtrox and his devoted, albeit annoyed, servant Inzikai. She began quoting what he said:

"I tried to escape this prison long ago elf. Before you were born, probably before your parents were born..."

"I had several lieutenants leading my armies of war among the plane. Rothargot, Grenzik, and Skrangor were their names. They lead their armies to annihilate whole empires, whole races even...Yet the pitiful mortals who were supposed to guard my gate, the gate in which I was to make my entrance into the world, to gain my beach head in the world of gods, and all my dreams...ended...Because those foolish mortals couldn't hold my gate for a minute longer. Rothargot and Grenzik both returned to me, yet fell through the hole that kept me imprisoned...Skrangor remained in the mortal plane... captured by Ogres and practically torn to pieces..."

"How he ties into Sarik is what interests me. Thousands of years after that war, Sarik had been sent on a quest to retrieve a certain sword. Although he never completed that quest, it is a sword that many believe will bring about the unity and salvation of Lustria...That is the sword of Skrangor...Sszzarvu was it's name...Zavers gave Sarik a glimpse of it in a dream, and a warning, yet Sarik hasn't figured it out."

"Spies of Inzikai had said the priests gave up on the mission of the Sszzarvu because they believed it was a myth...but Sarik is not the quitting type. Especially with a sword of that power. Thats what Sarik craves...he craves power, not the good of his people."

Inzikai looked shocked at first. "You surprise me elf..." Inzikai closed the cell door and smiled. "I suppose you aren't as wasteful as I expected. I'm surprised Valtrox didn't tear you to shreds either..."

Inzikai was about to leave the room again, but instead turned back around to face the elf. "Do you think Sarik and your friends are searching for you?" he smiled sinisterly as he realized the diversion she caused. "Risking their lifestyles and the lifestyles of the world to save you? Or are they proceeding with their original plan, forgetting you ever existed, leaving you to die?"

"I'd say it's a little of both... a split decision," Ar'mai replied with a grin. "But I am sure they will make the right decisions..."

"You'd better hope they are coming for you, elf...Our fun has just begun..." replied Inzikai. This elf was becoming quite problematic, yet she had her uses...

Hope, she mouthed an echo to nobody in particular. Meditation, prayer, and hope were some of the only things she had left. She decided to do all of them at once as she sat down on the ground in a lotus position and began to meditate. Her prayers were to give her strength and power to aid her in her resistance and her hope... her hope was confused - she did not know whether to hope for a rescue or that they would continue with the mission...

Lorathin's simulacrum had finally recovered it's energy store, a much more important task for it than that of a regular mage as it's existance and ability to interact with the world was tied to it's poswer supply. Still invisible it began focusing on the resonance and headed down to the fortress to see if it could figure a way to get to Ar'mai.

Meanwhile Lorathin had ordered a beer and was studying the robed stranger. He wandered if it was a generic, an agent or one of his personal enemies. He'd have prefered it to be a generic, and seriously doubted it one of his enemies, and thus suspected the man of being a problem.

The Ogre smiled as he slowly turned to the barkeep. The circular tattoo on his body was glowing brightly.

"Ogre, don't cause trouble. We are with friends here..." said Sarik, watching the Ogre carefully.

"I ain't causin' no trouble..." hiccuped the Ogre as he walked surprisingly well towards the barkeeper. "Who's to say I won't pay it?" growled the ogre, shoving his face up to the Barkeep.

"I do," replied the cloacked man. He pulled out his sword and threw off his cloak, revealing silver armor. One of the soldiers of the Imperium. "You are all under arrest for threatening a civilian and causing a storm over Imperium grounds.

The Ogre looked at the soldier. "You forgot one..."

The soldier gave a look of confusion, until Kalzog smashed his fist down onto the soldier, ending his life in a bloody mess. "You forgot murder..." laughed the ogre. He looked at Lorathin, a crazed smile on his face. "He won't be buggin' you any longer!" He laughed wickedly as the Barkeeper backed up against the wall.

Unfortunately, other soldiers were watching them, and piled into the inn. "You will be put to death for that!" one shouted, as they all brought out their swords.

"Confound it, Ogre! I told you not to get in trouble..." cursed Sarik.

"Great...I've been itching for a fight," chuckled the Ogre.
**********************************************************


Inzikai frowned as he prodded the bumps on his head. He constantly had a horrible headache because of it.

"Tell the elf to get up here. We will be getting ready to travel...I must oversee the statues..." growled Inzikai, as he turned around.

"B-b-but Master...She may burn us again..." whimpered the guard.

Inzikai pointed at the guard who dissolved into nothingness. "Open the cell door. She will cannot go anywhere. This is my land. If she tries to escape, knock her out or something..." barked Inzikai to the remaining guards.