NationStates Jolt Archive

"No, not hungry." He replied with a faint smile, "I do wonder where he's gone off to thought ..."

He paused and relaxed with Rimoru's head on his shoulder as the ceramony went through.

"One day we'll marry Marlene, but until then I'll just have to protect you."

"Ok Cadey!

---

"Marlene...then I have another idea. You will become my minion, so to say it. Do not worry, you are not...but you will be under my protection."

"That sounds nice, but only if I can stay by Cadey; I feel that it is my turn to save him." "

"You could always be with Cadeyrn, Marlene...but when do you plan on...having your revenge on Inzikai?"

"Inzikai, no, Valtrox now." Marlene muttered before kicking herself away from Momoki whose pointy ear kept jabbing her in the arm while being carried. "Elves instruments of the divine, the divine who let us humans suffer, the divine who took Rothy and Cadey from me!"

The elf turned startled at the rambling girl only glancing towards Nienna.

Everyone has been stolen from me, I just want them back.

The word stolen echoed through her head as suddenly she could feel a thousand hands reaching out touching her. In vain, she kicked and fought the imaginary limbs away only to curl on the ground crying for the hallucinations to stop. The shadows around her ebgan moving and sliding into crooked smiling faces.

"Get away from me!" Marlene screamed on the ground still squirming and kicking what wasn't there.

Nienna raised an eyebrow. "Little girl, we are friends! Do not worry. We will take you to the dragons, where they will protect you. You will be safe!" she said quietly, trying to pull the girl up.

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

Rimoru wiped a steady stream of tears with her hand after the speech and remained quiet, other than a few sniffles.

"I will go to the funural. I want to say goodbye..." she whispered to Lorathin.

"Alright." He replied as he intended to go with her if she had decided to attend. He didn't know the dead but since they'd died for a good cause, they deserved respect at least, especially considering the vast majority would be consigned to the flames or to a shallow grave.

As another hand fell upon her Marlene rolled away and curled into a tight ball whimpering pathetically. Slowly the walls closed around her, no one to protect her, no one to guide her, she was where she feared most, alone.

Dragons.

Images of Caderyn flashed before her eyes as the hands scattered away and reality presented itself again.

"My only wish is to take all the dragons' young and murder them before their parents." She snarled snapping towards Nienna.

Nienna opened her mouth wide in shock and horror and quickly slapped Marlene across the face. "Don't speak of such! The dragons are honorable and mighty. They would care for you like their own."

She turned to Momoki and sighed. "Let's get her to Xenocrates as soon as possible," she said as she brushed her hair back with her hand.

"Alright." He replied as he intended to go with her if she had decided to attend. He didn't know the dead but since they'd died for a good cause, they deserved respect at least, especially considering the vast majority would be consigned to the flames or to a shallow grave.

"You'll come with, right Azzy?" she asked quietly as she let her wide blue eyes look into his. "I think I will feel alone without you..."

No Rothargot to take care of her. She had already planned out a marvelous wedding, who to invite, what to wear, everything.

And now it was ruined. She felt as though she had no one. Sure, she had Maverion back at the palace, and she was with Lorathin right now. But no one like Rothargot...

"Honorable." Marlene spat before bursting into laughter.

The mention of Xenocrates snapped her out of her laughter as a wave of recollections flooded her mind.

"May as well bring me to my executioner while you're at it you dumb elf." The girl hissed moving in front of the two. "The mark on my arm wouldn't give me a good reception amongst your kind eh?"

She rolled up her tattered sleeve revealing a faded tattoo.

"Yes." He replied in a soft voice as he looked into her blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" Lorathin added as he noticed she seemed like she was about to cry again.

"Watch who you're talking to, you infernal brat!" Nienna screamed back. "How can you be so ungrateful after saving your hide?"

Nienna raised both eyebrows this time when Marlene showed her Valtrox's tattoo. No, perhaps one of the ageless, someone like Relthor. But not Dominatistradz...he'd kill her immediately.

"Nonsense...they'll...accept you. They'll teach you knowledge of things you never knew existed..." she said hesitantly. She looked at Momoki for support.

"Yes." He replied in a soft voice as he looked into her blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" Lorathin added as he noticed she seemed like she was about to cry again.

She looked at him again, but slowly turned away. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him how sad she was of Rothargot's demise. How she has Maverion in her palace. How all this time she desired the Patriarch, yet never had the chance to say farewell, or even hug him...

"I miss so much," she whispered, her mind a frenzy of thoughts.

Since he didn't know what the problem was, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to comfort her. He didn't like the fact that she was suffering, but the only way he could find out why she was would be if she shared it. Since Rimoru didn't seem in a sharing mood, he was limited to holding her.

"I never asked to be saved and in fact I would have been content on dieing then adn there." Marlene replied wishing she had the energy to strangle the know it all elf.

"Ignorant monsters with wings." She added mumbling frustratedly drawing something in the dirt. "If it takes a thousand generations, I swear decimation on all my foes."

Momoki only raised her shoulders at her sister as she fought with the stubborn and violent girl.

"They'll teach me how to be a lowly slave, oh I'm sorry, you call them dragoons. I'd fit right under Xenocrates." Marlene commented revealing a sly grin. "Before stabbing him in the heart."

"Valtrox and the Dragons took the ones close to me, I'm going to take back equally." She finished quickly pacing forward revealing what she had been drawing. It was a rough sketch of the ingredients for what drawn beside it looked like an exploding item.

Back at Rimoru’s palace, Maverion ever so gently picked up the strange orb next to him, afraid that handling it roughly would result in the loss of Rothargot forever. He did wonder, however, how Rothargot would respond to Rimoru’s gathering of her army to fight against Valtrox’s forces, and that of Maverion’s own questioning about following Valtrox. It might not be pretty, to say the least.

Regardless, he decided to do what he could to help Rothargot. But then he remembered that the section of the library that would be of most use in this endeavor was destroyed. It would take a long time just to sort out all the scattered books, let alone find something in one of them that would save Rothargot.

First, Mave headed down to the kitchen with the orb still in his hands, starving. Some of the palace staff were familiar enough with him by now to not question his presence. Once there, he grabbed a loaf of bread, something that he could eat on the run, and then went directly to the library to start working.

***

When the drake was low enough to the ground, Teralynn dropped away from it and fell into the thick snow below. She was exhausted after everything that happened, but she knew she had to keep her undetectability up, as she was near the edge of the enemy camps, which the drake was flying directly into.

Looking around, she was not sure where to go. Back to Zlatlan? That could take a long time, but she had few alternatives. To make things worse, she was not paying attention when Rothargot brought her to these frigid regions, and so she knew little of the lands between here and Zlatlan. She did not even know which direction Zlatlan was in, as the mountains blocked her view of landmarks that could point her in the direction of home. And no doubt the fiery dragon head over Zlatlan was gone by now...

Too tired to keep up her illusions to infiltrate the enemy camps, Tera did the only thing she could - head in the opposite direction from the camp.

***

Maverion had been wandering aimlessly in the snowy mountains and valleys ever since leaving the battle. He had no idea where he was, no idea where to go, no true idea even of who he was. He was a little hungry, but strangely not as hungry as he figured he ought to be.

He went back and forth through the land, sometimes in wide circular paths, sometimes in zigzags, sometimes in straight lines. But as he was going along a steep cliff overlooking a valley, a sound caught his attention and he froze.

It sounded like some kind of argument. There were two - no, three people. Talking about...Valtrox and dragons? These people must have been survivors from the battle. The question was, would they try to kill him much as the others did?

Lying low to the ground, he carefully peeked over the edge of the cliff, where he saw in the valley below a cave opening in which three women were emerging from, one of whom was being carried by another. He decided to continue listening to them to try to find any indication of their allegiances, remaining as hidden and unmoving as possible.

Rimoru continued crying softly as she wrapped her hands around Lorathin's, trying to comfort herself.

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

"Well well well, It looks like we have a lost straggler..." came a mocking voice from behind Teralynn.

Habdebza seemed to form out of the snow as he walked out to Teralynn. "Lost, are you? Let Valtrox show you the way," he said cryptically, before he disappeared.

A small line of fire erupted in a squiggling path towards a large wooded section, only visible to the woman known as Teralynn.

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

Nienna grunted in frustration. "You foolish little girl! Did you not see what Inzikai could do? That man can torture you like none other! He may have even sent your soul to Valtrox. Bless Relthor...just like him," she growled.

"Us dragoons are not slaves. We admire the dragons and are proud to be under their care. The dragons will rise against you cultists..." the elf growled. She turned her head slightly as she thought she heard a noise from somewhere close by.

"Us cultists? Oho, you silly elf, they too lay in my warpath." Marlene said turning her head towards the distraction. "I wanted to be with Cadeyrn, that was enough to sell my soul."

"Cadeyrn?" Momoki whispered hearing the familiar name. "You must be Marlene."

"Aye, remember the name, future queen of the heavens and the earth." Marlene claimed proceeding forward with almost no hesitation.

The world fell away showing Marlene the night her, Cadeyrn, and Rothargot where staring at the stars and bantering about meaningless philosophy. The cold night sky made her brush between the two closely for warmth. The berzerker's metal forearm glimmered in the moonlight that would have previously transformed him into a monster beyond compare. But for that night, having killed his demon, he only lay smiling in nirvana. Rothargot stared upwards as the gentle aura of a translucent fire trickled gloriously. The three gazed into the future with the utmost of hopes.

The young girl fell to her knees eyes watering from her tantalizing vision.

Cadeyrn's flesh peeled over with Dragon's Bane before his body incinerated and scattered into the wind. Rothargot fell forward as his body evaporated letting a warbled scream loose. Marlene's parents held each other closely and smiled at their daughter whom never truely knew of them. A large blade wielded by a charred skeleton cut them in both in two parts a piece as four chunks of human fell overboard into the ocean.

Harlin appeared from nowhere and placed a forceful hand on her shoulder squeezing tightly before pulling her away. Valtrox and Xenocrates stood beside another chuckling with one another almost as pals.

"Your anger will bury your pain for as long as you can summon it. No suffering can surmount pure rage."

Her small fist slammed into the rocky earth kicking up settled dust. Her teeth clenched tight as she buried all the pain she endured. Her eyes raised slightly towards the exit as she stood and marched proudly.

Momoki extended a hand in a half gasp before running forwards to catch the girl and jsut as she caught up to young Marlene a jolt caused the cave to splinter and collapse between Nienna and the two.

Lorathin let Rimoru turn his shirt soggy so she could let her grief run its course, to an extent. He hoped it would help.

"Foolish girl...you couldn't even defeat a dragoon recruit, much less a drag-" Nienna began.

In a flurry of movement, the elf noticed her sister trying to catch Marlene, and a sudden quake seperating the group.

"Momoki! Speak to me! Are you alright?" she shouted as she began to dig away rocks.

"Stupid girl...who does she think she is?" she mumbled angrily. "Queen of the heavens and the world? If Valtrox couldn't do it, what makes her think she can?"

"Stupid cultists and ex-cultists."

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

"I'm sorry, Azzy. I am a wreck and I am wrecking your shirt," she sobbed as she pulled away.

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

"Sarik is gone. And so is Kalzog..." the General said angrily. " There's the possibility that he took him in such a weakened state. I knew the ogre shouldn't have been trusted. Probably part of the southern clans trying to push into our territory...As we search for a new leader, I suggest we put a price on his head."

Several templar nodded in approval.
***********************************************************

"Where is it?" The ogre shouted angrily as his rock skimmed across the lava. He picked up a corpse not yet afflicted by the heat and search, practically ripping off a few limbs. "Where is the orb..."

He tossed the body into the lava and continued to search. "Rothargot you will not escape me...I won't lose this time!"

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

Valtrox shouted in anger and pounded on the destroyed gateway. "Infernal fools!"

"I will escape, whether you like it or not!"

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

Within the dungeon of the Underworld, a new figure slowly formed in shackles. Inzikai.

"Well...looks like a fun reunion," he coughed with a chuckle.

"It's just a shirt, it doesn't matter what happens to it." He replied as he held her. "You are suffering from grief, something natural, normal and necessary. I don't know who you lost, but I know you lost someone near and dear to you."

Moving his hand under her chin, he gently lifted Rimoru's head so thier eyes met. "Ask yourself, would the person you lost want you to be like this?"

"No...neither of them would," Rimoru sniffed quietly as she looked into Lorathin's eyes. "But it's just so hard...I had already planned so much. I had anticipated the end of this war and believed I could do more with them."

"Oh Azzy...I don't know what to do anymore," she whispered as she noticed several leaders shuffling out. The funeral would probably be anywhere from an hour to a day or two.

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

Sarik's blade clashed against one who had fought alongside him. A jiltaken warrior who's stance commanded respect.

Centurus Froms stood in his armor with a puzzled expression on his face. "Sarik? What are you doing out here? Why are you attacking me?"

"Get...away from me," Sarik snarled as he slashed again, again being perried easily.

"Calm down, Sarik. We're allies...friends. We don't treat each other like this."

Sarik panted, but one could clearly see he was in pain. His seemed to give off a black aura around the paladin. Three large bumps formed within thirty minutes on his head. "Centurus...go..." he whispered painfully.

Centurus raised an eyebrow and stepped back slightly, snapping another branch.

The paladin roared in almost a demonic way as he charged at the assassin, hacking and slashing at a speed thought impossible with the size and shape of his sword. Not to mention he was performing this once handed.

Centurus, however had not become leader of the jiltaken guild by luck...well, maybe some. But he too was a skilled swordfighter, and although he was caught off guard, he kept with the enraged paladin. "Sarik...what's happening to you?"

Sarik walked painfully back as he fell to his knees, gripping his head. "I...don't know...Centurus...get out of here..." he screamed, three long red horns slowly rising out from the top of Sarik's head. His muscles bulged and flexed as his skin ripped. His back seemed strangely hunched and even seemed to be growing.

Centurus shook his head. "No Sarik. I won't leave a fellow comrade alone and lost."

The jiltaken leader knelt next to Sarik and pulled out some medical equipment from his belt pouch, making sure Sarik's hands remained off his sword. Should he pick it up, Cernturus would have his own sword hacking off Sarik's remaining hand.

It was too late for Centurus to know that the sword was the least of his worries.

Suddenly, Sarik opened his mouth wide and snapped at Centurus' neck, piercing deeply into it and insuring the man's death.

As if realizing what he just did, Sarik reeled away, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"No...Centurus...I didn't mean...it wasn't me," he whispered as his eyes were a dull red. He picked up the jiltaken's bandages and tried to use healing magic on the man, but for some reason he couldn't remember the simplist of spells.

Sarik looked sorrowfully into Centurus' eyes. The man too had a sorrowful look...

"No..." Sarik whispered when he noticed Centurus has finally passed away. "What have I done...what have I become?"

"You can give them the greatest possible gift by living in the present rather than the past. You can neither mourn nor honour someone by living in the past." He replied softly, a pang of loss in his own voice as he spoke from experiance.

"Do not live for revenge live as if those you lost are with you, for they alway will be."

Teralynn swirled around to see where the voice was coming from, and suddenly got a lot colder when she saw the form of Habdebza. She, of course, still remembered the demon's warning, and now Rothargot was nowhere to be found.

This. Was. Not. Good.

But as quickly as Habdebza appeared, he was gone again. Looking at the path of flames leading to the forest, Tera hesitated. Anything having to do with Habdebza was inherently bad for everyone else. She could turn around right now and go in the other direction. But, although the cold weather would not hinder her already burning body, lack of food in these forsaken lands would. Not to mention the fact that Habdebza could easily find her, as he had just shown.

And so she followed the fire, trying to keep aware of her surroundings as much as possible in case Habdebza tried anything.

***

Maverion was puzzled as he continued listening to the three. If the fiery head he saw over the battle was any indication, then should not Valtrox be a dragon itself? Yet these followers of dragons were opposed to Valtrox. And the one that was not an elf seemed to be against everyone.

These people were confusing, and Mave wished he could sort their thoughts out better; cut through the clutter and get straight to the heart of the matter.

Suddenly, he found himself seeing into their minds, in a manner of speaking. The thoughts he heard were not clear and crisp, more like images and feelings. And then, in Marlene’s mind, he sensed a burning hatred for a familiar ogre and a couple more of the people he had seen in the barbarian tent. She wanted revenge on them as much as he did – nay, even more so. Perhaps she would be a useful ally...

When the quake came, he looked around for any loose rocks that could fall on him from the surrounding cliffs, but the only real movement was the cloud of dust bursting out of the cave’s mouth. There, one of the elves, clearly not friendly with the lone human, was trying to grab her, and Mave decided to make his appearance.

He did not know why he did it, for anyone normal would have died by jumping off the cliff edge that was dozens of meters above the ground, but somehow he did know that he was going to be fine. As the ground came flying toward him, he sent out some kind of force that he did not quite understand, and his descent slowed enough for him to land safely with a bend of his knees.

Making the short distance to the cave entrance, he stopped a ways from it to allow for space between him and the other two. Looking at Marlene, he said, “She seems intent on subduing you. May I be of assistance?”

Momoki could hear a faint muffle from the debris, which meant Nienna was alright. Her elvish hands ran along the rubble for any gap that might regather the two, but there was nothing but solid earth.

Her eyes caught glimpse of the new figure but could noly hear a subdued tone from the cave in.

Marlene recognized this person from somewhere, but couldn't make out a name. Familiarity meant he was an enemy, or at least involved in this war to some extent, but his offerance was most welcomed as she had no allies.

"Thank you strangerthis elf and her ,hopefully crushed sister, have been quite a bother. If you could just restrain this one that will be more than enough." The adulescent girl replied smirking at the new figure.

The elf only could vaguely translate over the loud ringing in her ears.

As Sarik weeped, he heard more footsteps and quickly turned around to face this new threat.

A woman appeared, cautious as she stepped. She had three horns on her head, much like he now did, and was quite easy on the eyes.

But he recognized her. She was in the Library...a cultist...but was he now too? He killed his ally, he has 3 horns...why? What's happening?

"Do you know what's happening to me?" he asked quietly as he looked at her with dark red eyes, small tears slowly dripping off his face as he still knelt by the Assassin's corpse.

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

"Sister! Speak to me!" Nienna shouted as she continued to try and pull the rocks away. If only she could remember some spell...unfortunately she couldn't....

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

Rimoru continued to look at Lorathin and smiled weakly. She nodded before slowly pushing herself up and stretching. "Come, Azzy...let's go to the funeral..."

Teralynn did not recognize the Skizzarish now that he looked so different. There was a body nearby of someone else that see was not familiar with. Arching an eyebrow, and still suspecting some kind of trickery, she asked the lizard, “What are you talking about? Who are you?”

***

Restrain? Hmm...

Maverion found himself lifting one of his hands, arm straight and palm outwards, toward the elf. The same sort of energy that he used to slow his descent from the cliff now started to lift the elf up in the air and away from any of the cave surfaces so that she could not move around.

He watched, intrigued at what he could do, as he had never done that before. Or, at least, did not remember ever doing that before.

“How’s that?”

(OOC: Hmm, when did Mave and Marlene meet? The only thing I could think of was when Cadeyrn fought the wolf and got a rod through his throat, in which Mave posed as one of the palace guards trying to help Cade. I don’t remember if Marlene was actually at the scene.)

"I...I don't know..." he said shaking his head. "I was Sarik...but I do not deserve that name anymore..."

He looked at the body again, before looking back at Teralynn. "But I have met you. In Rimoru's Library. We were enemies at the time...but...I don't know anything anymore. What's happened to me...why..."

Lorathin nodded as he helped Rimoru stand. He knew he'd have to work a balancing act, on the one hand he needed to support her to get her on her feet, in more than the literal sense, but he also couldn't let her grow totally dependent on him. Rimoru had made a great deal of progress and he didn't want her to backslide to the self-destructive hedonistical life she'd lived.

Teralynn’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. She then scanned his mind to see if she picked up on the same mental readings from this figure as she did from the other Skizzarish back at the library. The signals were slightly different, but close enough to potentially be the same person.

Well, this was a pickle. Was this a trick? Was he made to appear as a follower of Valtrox to get close to her, and then backstab her? Well, she was not going to give him that opportunity, but she was not going to let on what she was thinking either.

“It appears that Valtrox has chosen you to be one of his followers,” Tera said, although she did not know why Valtrox would want him. “And as for why, I cannot say. That is usually between yourself and the god.”

"Ah, excellent..." a quiet voice sounded from the shadows. Habdebza stepped out, his armor clanking against something beneath his robes.

"Our two new additions...well somewhat," again Habdebza smiled at Teralynn, a smile hidden beneath the ever present shadow that cloaked his face.

"Tera, I remember saying I will kill you...if Rothargot is not around. Just so happens, my luck returned to me when my old rival, and your protector, died. Impossible, I thought, but it happened."

"Unfortunately, my luck ran out when Valtrox ordered me to keep you safe. To protect you...your highness. You are the high priestess, the Empress of the Cult, by decree of Valtrox himself. You must've wooed him with a little hip wiggle," he laughed strangely, as he passed behind her, slapping her in the behind. Before he walked to the lizard once known as Sarik, he paused by Teralynn's ear.

"Be warned, should Valtrox's expectations not be met, I will plant a sword down your throat before you can even finish saying my name..." he whispered before finally gliding towards the kneeling Skizzarish.

"My old friend..." Habdebza said quietly. "Look what they have done to you..."

Sarik looked at Teralynn for help and perhaps some information, but something told him she didn't know either. "Demon...please...be quick about it...I don't even know who I am anymore."

"Be quick about what? Surely you don't think I would kill my own brethren?" Habdebza chuckled as he knelt down to look at the deformed Sarik. "Scrap your name...Sarik...what pitiful name is that. Remember...remember your past. You are Skrangor. Skrangor the Cruel, the Slaughterer. You once put even my ways to shame in your cruelty."

Sarik shook his head. "Impossible...I am no demon..." But in the back of his mind, he could feel memories passing through barriers that were placed. Now he knew why he had terrible anger. Now he knew why he was kept away from battle for long.

And now he was growing angry again.

"Why did they do this to me? Why did they ruin me?" he growled.

Teralynn tensed up when Habdebza threatened her life again and watched the demon carefully, but otherwise remained still, as doing anything else may only quicken her demise. But then his declaration of her new status stunned her. So much so, in fact, that she barely reacted to his insinuation and slap, which would normally have angered her.

Her highness? High priestess? Empress? Now that had a nice ring to it. Empress Teralynn. Empress Teralynn the Beautiful... Yes, that had a nice ring indeed.

When her attention returned to the present, she found herself a little confused. Skrangor? Was she supposed to know that name? If Maverion were here, he could probably have told her... She cleared her head of that thought. Maverion was no one. She was empress now.

Tera went back to watching the other two, remaining alert for any tricks still.

Lorathin nodded as he helped Rimoru stand. He knew he'd have to work a balancing act, on the one hand he needed to support her to get her on her feet, in more than the literal sense, but he also couldn't let her grow totally dependent on him. Rimoru had made a great deal of progress and he didn't want her to backslide to the self-destructive hedonistical life she'd lived.

"Thank you, Azzy," she whispered quietly. As she wiped a few remaining tears away, she waddled out of the tent slowly and plodded next to Lorathin as they walked.

"Azzy, why was it made so being pregnant was such a hassal? I should have had someone else have my baby," she said softly.

Lorathin walked with her as they exited the tent. When she asked pregnancy was a hassel and mentioned about someone else having her baby he had to smiled as it seemed like some of the old Rimoru was coming back.

"It is nature's way of confirming you will care about the child, and if someone else had your baby, then it wouldn't be your baby anymore."

"You were one of the greatest of the demi-gods, Skrangor. Use your mind. Why fight their enemy, when they can have him at their side? They can use his tactics...They used you, and you were only a tool to them."

"No...the Patriarch...no none of them used me! Never," he screamed as he stood up and charged at Habdebza, sword drawn, as he struck at the demi-god, who evaporated at once. Memories of the love he had with Ikara and Andrazlia flooded through him. The loving, fatherly embrace of the Patriarch and his own teacher and fatherly figure, Sir Mez. This could not be happening...but deep down, he couldn't deny it.

Panting angrily, he turned to Teralynn and advanced on her. "You...you've done this to me as well, haven't you? You helped plan all this?"

He pointed his skeletal hand at her and growled at the now useless appendage.

Lorathin walked with her as they exited the tent. When she asked pregnancy was a hassel and mentioned about someone else having her baby he had to smiled as it seemed like some of the old Rimoru was coming back.

"It is nature's way of confirming you will care about the child, and if someone else had your baby, then it wouldn't be your baby anymore."

"Ahh...but that's where you're wrong, Azzy," Rimoru chuckled quietly. "You fail to realize that I am...different in child bearing. I could have a sort of...switch, so to say, with someone."

She eyed Lorathin and bit her lower lip.

Marlene clapped happily as the troublesome elf was held tightly overhead.

"Good work! Anyway who are you and why are you helping me?" She casually said approaching the mysterious man.

ooc: She never actually met Mave, but she saw him and slightly recognizes him to some extent. She doesn't actually remember where she saw him, but she 's getting a sense of deja vu so to speak.

How dare he speak to the Empress like this?

“I barely even know who you are,” Teralynn said, eyebrows knitting together. “And if anything, we are on the same side now. You are a powerful demon, right? Can you not...regrow it or something?”

***

“Why, thank you,” Maverion said as he just as casually looked from the floating elf over to Marlene and took a little bow. He was already starting to like her, and the fact that she was not trying to kill him certainly helped.

“As for who I am, well, I myself don’t know the answer to that question. But I do know that we have a common enemy. A big, ugly, smelly brute that I believe you call...Kalzog? And several others too. I merely thought that we could be of help to one another against our mutual foes.”

"It would no longer be just your child though." He replied with a faint frown. She appeared to be backsliding to her prior me-first thoughts.

"I'm joking, Azzy...I am already almost through this and I don't want to back out at the last moment," she sighed. "But, by all the gods everywhere...why does my child keep sapping the energy out of me? I take several steps and I'm already all sweaty and tired."

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

"I...We...you..." Sarik began, before closing his red eyes.

"My my my...I would almost think Teralynn would be more fitting as a demi-god," Habdebza chuckled as he reappeared behind the new Empress.

"And if you were anyone but Skrangor...I may even ask Valtrox to do so. But there you are, in not even one half of all your glory. You don't even know how to recreate your appendage."

Skrangor frowned, but had to curl his lips over his much larger fangs. He could still feel himself twisting and deforming into a demon. He already felt stronger and taller. His horns jutted out at full length behind him and his eyes already had their permanent red.

He stared at his skeletal hand and tried the technique he used as a paladin, trying to heal it. But nothing happened...

Habdebza continued to pace about, but otherwise offered no advice.

Skrangor growled angrily as he noticed his temper was quite bothersome now. Even the smallest thing would get him started.

With his anger, he felt his skeletal hand warm up. Suddenly, a fire glowed brightly around it until a large three-fingered claw formed. "This isn't my hand..." he growled as he looked at Habdebza.

"Don't look at us...you created it," came the demi-god's reply.

Skrangor tested it out by picking up a large rock effortlessly and crushing it in his new hand. He felt nothing and recieved no damage. He was beginning to enjoy this. "Now...imagine that being a head..." he whispered.

"That's the Demi-god I know," Habdebza said before turning to Teralynn. "Now for Miss High-and-Mighty, here."

The demi-god walked around Teralynn and pulled on her horns, much to his delight. "You are developing quite well, Tera."

"But now, we must return to Zlatlan. You must secure your throne before Inzikai's power-hungry politicians take it. You alone must ascend and prove to the Cult that it is by your hand that it will ascend with you. Are you ready?"

Teralynn winced as Habdebza yanked on her horns. He was rather bothersome, but there was little she could do about it. She did not like to be reminded of her strange, new look. Granted, it did well to instill fear in those she wished it upon. But more often than not, she preferred her former looks, which her special abilities could give her easily enough, except it did not work on the likes of Habdebza.

Thinking over the possibilities of what she could do to “prove herself” to the Cult, she quickly said to the demon, “I am. It ought to be easy enough to have the Cult support me.”

"Oh? Well, if you believe that Skrangor or I will help...you're wrong. Inzikai killed his father and began the cult. You, will have to ascend it, as I've said before."

"And not to mention there will be War veterans, generals, governors, politicians, each one wanting this job. Each one believing they're the chosen one. And...there has been a rather sexist fervor lately..."

"And so what will we do," Skrangor growled as he was trying out whatever powers he could think of, mostly igniting tiny fires.

"Ah, I, will be nearby our dear Tera, to protect her, and to kill her should she not get her spot as Empress. But I will not magically appear and kill everything in her way, as much as I may enjoy that. You must prove that you and you alone deserve that spot."

"As for you, Skrangor...you have a delicious test yourself..."

“I was not asking for it,” Teralynn said with a shrug of one of her shoulders regarding help from the two.

She went over to a tree and sat down, reclining against its trunk and resting up as much as possible while she still could. Looking back and forth between Habdebza and Skrangor, she was curious as to what his test was.

The young girl clenched her fist at the sound of the ogre's name.

"Enemy is not the name for how bad I want him dead." She grolwed as another vision of her, Cadeyrn, and Kalzog returning victorious against Beau flashed quickly. Immediately she shook her head whisking the vision away.

"My name is Marlene and I'm a mission to destroy Valtrox, Kalzog, the Jiltakin, and the Dragons. I've carried the fact that I cannot do this alone, nor in my current condition, but if you're willing to stand beside me then I'll divide with you the profits of the coming wars." She spoke moving closer to her newfound ally.

"Cadeyrn was a friend of mine!" Momoki squeeled trying to squirm from the spell's grasp.

"Silence pig!" Marlene shrieked turning towards the elf. "I have many plans, and all I need are the resources to bring them into fruition. From there we can crush those who oppose us."

"She's growing. It takes a great deal of energy to do so." He replied with a bit of an impish grin. "Let me help." He offered his arm to Rimoru so she could lean on him as he was feeling better now.

" I hope she doesn't grow too big. She's already made me three times as wide as the normal lady," Rimoru chuckled.

"Thank you, Azzy. You seem to know a lot about child bearing," The Empress sighed as she leaned gently on Lorathin. "You'd think that being surrounded by books of all kinds would atleast help me understand it."

She sighed and winced as she felt the child kick. She was about to say something, but closed her mouth instead. "You know, before I took the reins of Empress, I always wanted a child. Rel...Relthor and I were planning on having one," she said as they were getting close to a massive crowd. At the mention of the dragon her eyes began tearing again.

"I'm sorry, Azzy. I hate looking like this," she whispered as she sniffled again.

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

Habdebza turned towards Teralynn and eerily stared at her. Skrangor, confused and angry, looked hesitantly at Tera, and back at Habdebza.

"And my mission?"

That is not for me to say. You, must speak to Valtrox. He would be glad to have one of his children back. came Habdebza's voice inside his head.

Skrangor raised an eyebrow and continued to look at Habdebza. These cultists were strange. As much as he hated them, as much as he wanted to return, he couldn't. He had to be amongst these two. They were his new family. Or old one.

The hunch on his back had grown quite large and felt as though it were pushing out of him, trying to be free. Then, with a painful gasp...it did.

The ex-paladin reeled and doubled over as two long red wings pushed out of his skin, ripping off the green scales that was once Sarik. His muscles, his bones, his whole body, took that time to grow into what Skrangor really is. He grew three feet and his muscles bulged and remained larger than normal. He was no Kalzog, but his muscles were quite large. His remaining hand grew into a vicious claw, not like his other one, however.

All the while Sarik screamed out in pain, and death. Now it was Skrangor in his place. His heavy breathing slowed down and he spit out what seemed like blood.

"I...I hate this," he groaned, his voice had gotten deeper, almost as deep as Rothargot's was.

"I'm sorry, Azzy. I hate looking like this," she whispered as she sniffled again.
He smiled at the fact that Rimoru was, if not happy, on the way to it. Grief was a natural emotion afterall and needed it's expression but not at the expense of life.

"Not from personal experiance, thought I did know someone who went throught it." He commented before blinking in a bit of surprise as he hadn't thought anything of such a nature existed between her and Relthor.

"Grief is natural not to be condemned, nor is one who grieves. It proves your love for without it, grief could not exist." He replied as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

Rimoru leaned on Lorathin and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked towards the funeral. "You should be a confidence builder, Azzy. Maybe a bard if you can sing songs from your words," she chuckled quietly as he dress changed to one of black.

Although it wasn't necessary, considering many of those attending did not have anything fancy to wear, most wore whatever they could clean in the time span allowed.

"Would you care to wear something else, Azzy?" Rimoru whispered as she walked through the solem crowd, closer to a massive coffin, that was well-made despite the fact that they couldn't build a beautiful one in the time they had.

The Patriarch's coffin would be brought back to Illuminata and buried within the tomb of Kings, in a much more elegant coffin, where another ceremony would be done, however this was more to honor those that had passed and say good bye to the dead and the living that allied for a single purpose. Something thought to have been impossible.

"Only for you." He replied with a grin. The job was not one that appealled to him.

"What you deem best." He replied in an answering whisper as his fashion sense was only minimally developed.

Teralynn waited for Habdebza to answer Skrangor, but the answer never came - or, at least, she did not hear it. And soon enough, the wings popped out of the former Skizzarish’s back.

Watching with curiosity, she wondered if the same would happen to her. She did not see anything of the sort appearing on Inzikai, so perhaps not. Wings would certainly be useful, though, as it would get her back to Zlatlan in no time compared to walking or even sailing back. But it also looked extremely painful, which she was not a fan of. The period of time she spent growing into this new body was suffering enough for several lifetimes.

Tera did not say anything to Skrangor’s comment. She did not know what to say, really, and figured that staying silent was the best option at the moment.

***

Maverion looked toward the elf in puzzlement. He had little to no idea who most of these people mentioned were, but he did want to stop the ogre from killing him, by whatever means necessary, and this Marlene seemed to be offering the perfect opportunity.

“I don’t know some of these people you talk about,” he said to Marlene, still keeping the struggling elf floating in mid air. He then decided to do what he had done back at the tent, and placed the elf into a state of deep sleep, before putting her back down.

“But I will help you, provided I get a personal hand to play in Kalzog’s demise.”

As Harlin and Minos filed past the coffin, Minos stopped as his eyes passed over the plain coffin. He shook his head, wiping the tears from his eyes, "Such a coffin does not fit a man such as him."

Lifting his staff, he called upon the elemental powers, and slowly, cool liquid rock began to snake up the platform that the coffin lay upon. Slowly, it covered the coffin, and then expanding outward into a large, Alabaster tomb. Upon it sat a carving of the patriarch in his armor riding his drake as it charged the tiny demons at its feet. On its sides were depictions of the Patriachs kindness, and gentleness to his people.

Minos nodded, and returned his staff to the ground, and leaned on it. "May Zavers bless him and keep him."

"I would be happy for one in my palace," Rimoru laughed in response to his reply of being a bard.

She got so close to Lorathin, that her lips were less than a centimeter away from his ear. "If this wasn't a funeral, I'd have us all in more comfortable clothes," she whispered, giving him a small wink.

As she did so, however, a smooth black vest, seemingly made of silk, formed over Lorathin as his clothes dried and cleaned. His hair seemed to flow back, as if an invisible comb went over it, and his skin cleaned itself.

"Much better," she said quietly as they approached the coffin.

Rimoru gazed down at the still form of the Patriarch. Rumors say that he was stabbed through neck. Also that he rose from the grave to finish his fight with Inzikai.

"Some things I may never know..." she whispered as her smooth hand slid to his face and gently rubbed against it. Tears formed in her eyes and slowly dripped down her cheek, but she never brushed them away. She bent down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek before walking away.

What Minos did for the coffin was greatly appreciated by the Order Templar who surrounded it. They bowed low to Minos and said a blessing from Zavers.

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

"You are free to return to your friends. Free to return to Iluminata, free to marry, have children. Go ahead. Just realize that everywhere you go but Cultist Territories is a place you are not welcome. All thanks to Zavers and the other foolish gods," Habdebza said quietly as he began to pace back and forth.

It is good to see the three of you assembled. boomed a voice of authority. Valtrox appeared in their minds, his dragon form wrapped inside the clearing. Skrangor, my son. I am glad you have come back...

"Why did you do this to me?" he asked as he looked up at Valtrox. Habdebza immediately went to his knees as the god took shape. Teralynn was sitting and he wasn't sure if that counted for submissiveness. Sarik was already kneeling.

I did nothing. Your order made you look for it. Not to mention that it began to call to you. It wanted you back. The Sszzarvu can only be wielded by you, and it felt you were once again ready for it's power. And not a minute too soon. Valtrox's fiery form said as he returned Sarik's stare.

"Not to mention several well placed rumors of the sword. Oh, it is true it will unify Lustria, but it will unify it under Valtrox's rule," Habdebza said pridefully.

Sarik, a special mission for you, that you will perform soon. I will speak of that later. The dragon turned towards Habdebza. And you, Habdebza, will prepare the next gateway. You will protect Teralynn, and you will destroy those that oppose me. Along with your...incomplete assignment.

Habdebza twitced at the last part, but only bowed lower. "It will be done my lord."

Finally, Valtrox turned to Teralynn. My loyal Teralynn. You have been oh so Loyal in the past all the way in the present. You found the book, you kept it safe. You fought and nearly died many a time. You even let your sidekick get killed in order to keep the book safe. For that, I reward you with the position of Empress. You must gain the support of all cultists. Now with Inzikai dead, his lackeys and several key figures have begun attempting to take the throne. Civil War is bound to erupt. You must seize the throne before then. From there, you will take the world into your hands. You have my blessings.


Valtrox smiled widely, showing millions of tiny teeth amongst the enormous ones. "Now go...complete your missions. Do not let this loss bring you down."

"Of course friend, but I want some information out of the ogre before you lay him to sleep forever." Marlene claimed before walking over to the unconcious elf. "First we have to establish a headquarters if we're going to accomplish anything. There's a place in the mountains far away from here where I used to live."

He smiled at her laught as even thought it wasn't usual behavior for a funeral, it seemed to be helping her. He wondered if she was being slightly lewd with the comment about more comfortable clothes and the wink but decided she probably wasn't.

"Thank you." He replied as Rimoru neatened his appearence. Lorathin looked at the coffin and watched her pay her last respects, and also Minos's special tribute.

As the High Templar spoke solemn words about the battle and the loss of great men, Ar'mai and the elves present grew silent. They lowered their heads in memory and prayed for all those affected...

When the Templar left with tears down his cheeks, the tent remained silent. The impact of the war was beginning to weigh in. It might be several days, but eventually everyone would have that moment when they just broke down... a wave of emotion pouring in.

The elves stood slowly and followed the others out of the tent in a precession to the ceremony. They spoke no words as they made their way to the casket that bore the Patriarch. As Ar'mai passed it with the other elves abaft, she remembered how the wise man treated her with kindness at all times...

Ar'mai walked slowly past the casket with her hand drifting over its side. "Tenna' ento lye omenta..." As she reached the end, a wreath of Moonglade flowers appeared in her hand. She paused and placed the elegant silver flowers on the casket, "Namaarie..."

Rimoru continued to walk past the funeral, before she was far enough to get in the way of those shuffling past.

"Azzy," she said as she looked to the floor. "I think this is when we part. I must attend to imperial duties.

"And you...you must continue to annoy elves," she chuckled as she referred to their earlier conversation. She didn't want to leave Azrael, but she didn't want him to know of Maverion. She didn't want him to know of Rothargot. Rimoru had no idea if he would attempt to finish what Kalzog had attempted and she was not going to take the risk.

She looked up with doey eyes, tears once again streaming down her face. "Azy, I still love you. And I promise to keep in touch. This is when we go our seperate ways until fate brings us together again. I'll miss you."

Her lower lip was quivering as she stared into his eyes, before pressing her lips to his in a slow, passionate kiss.

She pulled away slowly, her eyes glittering as she looked at him. A weak smile formed amongst the tears as she held onto his wrists before backing away.

Lorathin nodded with a touch of sadness as he knew that he likely wouldn't get a chance to see Rimoru for a while. "I will." He replied, not knowing he would soon find himself with an elf that would both annoy and be annoyed by him.

"I likewise promise to keep in touch." He replied as his eyes mirrored her's to an extent. As she leaned up to give him a kiss, he clasped her in his arms as he returned the kiss.

As they broke apart he smiled at Rimoru to say in the language of the body, 'Until we meet again, be safe and happy' before turning and heading out of the camp and into the future, his cheeks wet with salted waters.

Harlin and Minos were sitting by a fire in the Jiltakin camp, when Shara walked over to them. She sat down beside Harlin and put her arm around him. In a quiet voice, she said, "They've found Centurus. He's dead." As though it finally sank in, she began to cry.

Harlin looked down at the ground tears welling in his eyes. Centurus had been more of a father to him than his biological father, and Harlin had loved him as one.

Minos only stared into the flames.

Harlin looked up, and across at his friend. "Centurus is dead, will you not mourn him?"

Minos shook his head for a moment, then looked at Harlin. "I'm the senior Jiltakin. I am Guild Master now."

Harlin hadn't realized this yet, and was shocked when his friend said it. Before he could say anything though, Minos added, "We must give Centurus a hero's farewell."

And they did.

The flames of the funeral pyre reached hundreds of feet into the air, increased by Minos' powers. As is the magic of the Jiltakin Artifacts, the Jiltakin Feet that had been Centurus' artifact were teleported back to the Statue that sat far below the ground in Karahd.

After the ceremony, Minos, Harlin and Shara all retired to the command tent.

"What now?" Harlin asked.

Minos looked at him and said, "Tomorrow, we begin the march home."

Harlin and Shara nodded, a somber look in both of their eyes. This the greatest adventure of their lives was coming to a close. They sighed, and then looked each other in the eyes. Leaning closer, Harlin held Shara in a passionate embrace as he kissed her for the first time. Shara kissed him back, relieved that he'd finally had the courage to kiss her. Breaking the kiss, Harlin smiled. A new adventure was about to begin.

Maverion nodded to Marlene before looking out at the majestic mountains surrounding them in their little valley. Everywhere he looked were peaks of blue and white, occasionally broken by more peaks farther away and higher up in the background.

A chill breeze blew through, tossing his hair about and making him squint a little as he looked at the mountains. Taking in a deep breath of the cold air, he wondered just how far away this place she spoke of would be.

“Then we had better get started,” he said, offering a hand toward the girl for their long trek through the snow.

***

Teralynn was quickly on one knee, with her upper body bent forward in a bow, when Valtrox seemingly appeared. His words seemed to rejuvenate her, and she felt as if she could take on almost anyone and anything now.

When Valtrox finished off his speech, she lowered her head even farther to show her acknowledgement. When he disappeared, she stood up, a sly grin gracing the edge of her lips.

Being feared was one way to force loyalty down the throats of others, but being loved was better. Yet, to be loved and feared at the same time was better still, and Tera already had an idea of just how to make that come about.

Zlatlan was all hers.

***

Maverion looked at the destruction that was once Rimoru’s great library. In one of his hands was the orb, and standing on his other side was his carpet, using two of its small corner tassels as if they were feet.

Chunks of splintered beams from the bookcases were strewn about everywhere. Thousands upon thousands of precious documents were fragmented and crumpled beneath stones and mechanical spiders. Rays of sunlight shone in through the holes in the ceiling, spotlighting certain areas of the otherwise darkened battleground, which only served to give the place a more forlorn and forsaken mood.

Lifting the orb so that it was at eye level, Maverion looked into, almost half expecting to see a certain demi-god’s face in it, but there was nothing of the sort to be seen.

“Sit tight, Rothargot,” he said, and then began sifting through the books, one at a time.