NationStates Jolt Archive

Inzikai growled. "I order you to get over here this instant!"

OOC-I'm alreadu over there Blastit

"Wasting?" Cadeyrn mused. "Hardly, I am doing what I love for damn good money. As for my boss, she is right above us enjoying the show. Speaking of which..."

The mercenary's massive blade slid across the ground and raised in time to gut open one of the cyclopses appraoching. The large creature's entrails spilled all over Cadeyrn as he didn't even flinch; he compeletly accept the flood of gore staring The Patriarch in the face.

OOC: He means where Inzikai is at the moment, not hacking up Minotaur. He doesnt want the Minotaur to avoid the barrier and swarm over Tlaxkrox

The Patriarch smiled slightly. "Ah. The ever present lover. Nice girl, yet somewhat spoiled. Back to the matter at hand...I suggest you fight alongside us, for the benefit of all of us, along with the benefit of your 'boss'..." he said, lowering his sword in a seemingly defenseless position.

Cadeyrn approached the Patriarch flinging hunks of intestines off his shoulder dragging his massive metal blade behind him.

"Sorry for any confusion, but I saw someone throw something at my boss. Can't exactly watch that with my thumb up my ass." He said over the scraping sound of dragging his gargantuan weapon through the sand.

The mercenary couldn't attack easily in this position for he was dragging a seventy pound weapon with one hand.

Sangradeen simply stood up unarmed. He told the mercanary, "It was I who proffesed the truth to your whore."

"You should watch your words for all my boss has to do is give me the order and you're going to be looking at your lower half from twenty feet away." The mercenary arrogantly boasted as the muscels in the arm holding the blade bulged and the weapon inched off the ground.

"I wouldn't be so confident as well," said Sangradeen, who stayed in his position without moving a muscle (that's how you spell it!).

Cadeyrn relaxed his muscle (:p) and smiled at the wounded dissenter. He turned his eyes towards his boss looking for a decision.

Rastilia finally gathered the nerve to tell Rothargot her plight, "We have a minor problem. I don't possess a spell that can speed up my new minions while we journey. I need some time to invoke Minax to as her for a boon."

The undead stayed under the cloud trying to avoid the hostile heat and light of the sun. The sun was the very bane of their existence on this world and the undead tried to avoid it if at all possible.

Ar'mai began to wonder how long this would be allowed to go on or whether they would simply have to defeat every monster and beast in the entire arena... perhaps even the fans too - she smiled at the thought.

As the immolation arrows appeared in a bundle by her feet, Ar'mai remembered an important book that she needed had once seen but never seriously read. Perhaps in that library we are heading for... she thought as she picked up the arrows and began firing them, much to her delight. When the arrows reached their marks, they exploded and the excellent aim mixed with the explosive proved to be a disastrous combination for the enemy hordes…

"How much time?" Rothargot hissed. Rothargot wanted to waste as little time as possible.

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Rimoru smiled. She nodded, confirming she wanted Cade to do the killing blow. I will show him that I am not to be messed with...

The Patriarch shook his head at the Empress.

"Darn it, Patriarch. I am never allowed to have fun..." she pursed her lips in annoyance. The Patriarch and her were friends, yet they were never lovers. Rimoru wanted the Patriarch to be her lover, just like Inzikai was...

Rimoru sighed and shook her head at Cadeyrn. She walked brought another pear to her mouth and sulkily ate it.

Rastilia replied quietly, "I need a few minutes to invoke her power. I just hope she was appeased with the last sacrifice."

Rothargot growled. "For all our sakes, you better hope your goddess was apeased by the last sacrifice..."

He felt Valtrox's gaze follow Rothargot several days ago. He felt his anger at the lack of progress...he expected his god to punish him soon...

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

The Minotaurs smashed into the bone wall, embedding themselves in the long poles of bone. Yet it didn't have quite the effect Inzikai wanted. Some of the bone poles broke as it came into contact with the hard armor or sheilds of the minotaurs.

Luckily, the wall of stone provided some extra protection for the minotaurs.

"The wall won't kill them," he growled as he walked up to the wall. "But I will fix that..."

"Ogre...don't do anything brash," Inzikai barked as he noticed Kalzog placing his hands shoulder length apart on the wall. The Chaos symbol on his back was glowing brightly.

Suddenly the wall began to crack, orange light glowing in the cracks. With a bloodthirsty roar, the wall blew outwards, deadly shrapnel ripping the closest minotaur to shreds. Yet there were still many more behind them.

"I love the chaos!" roared the Ogre as he picked up a body and swung it into the charging line.

"You idiot! Place all the bodies evenly spaced, in a row in front of us...I have another idea..."

Kalzog laughed as he put the the corpses hastily in a row, spread out about 5 feet. In fact, he was able to make several rows, 5 feet away from adjacent ones.

"Stand back, chunky," Inzikai muttered as he set one foot on a rock and flourished his sword again. "I love to make a scene for the audience..." he chuckled.

Rastilia shuttered but not from Rothargot's threat but from that of her goddess. Minax was a very domineering deity. She had a tendency of harming those that proved to have too much of a dependency on her power.

Rastilia quickly and hurriedly spoke her plea to her deity, "Minax, Queen of Death and Lady of Destruction, I Rastilia your humble servant ask for your power to allow my minions to be given haste to their slow speed. I pray that you do not take offense to my asking of your help. I will exchange this favor later with a larger sacrifice next time."


A dark power started to build around the area as Minax started to rejuvenate the undead and grant them an unholy ability to move faster…

Rastilia looked at the dark energy that had formed almost out of nowhere and said, "The Goddess is in a generous mood today. I better find more victims soon to appease her next time."

"See," replied Sangradeen to Rimoru's decision, "the Whore is weak. She is no goddess. She knows that the only defense she has is sex and sex-driven politics."

"Don't push you luck," the Patriarch replied, glancing at the hunchback. "I cannot keep her away from you all the time..."

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

"Let us continue then," Rothargot hastily replied, spreading his wings out and flapping them slowly.

Lorathin watched Inzikai and Kalzog pound the beasties and decided to use the short interlude, as they picked up the slack so to speak, to nap.

Rastilia took out her staff and once again invoked the staff's dark powers to unleash a Nightmare. The creature once on the mortal plane of existence looked at her summoner and stared right into Rastilia's eyes as the two of them battled for mental domination..

Rothargot snorted as he noticed the beast that dared to attack him earlier...This time he'll watch the Nightmare carefully.

Again, thoughts of what the Nightmare would do to the elf entered his mind. He stepped closer to the priestess, yet not quite in view, so as not to distract her. If the Nightmare won this battle, Rothargot would quickly dispatch the beast, while restraining the Princess.

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

Inzikai watched with glee as the Minotaurs were mere inches away from the first row of corpses. With a swift, cinematic downward motion of his sword, the first row of corpses exploded, toxic acidic juices flying into the charging wave, killing many of the Minotaurs. As they kept running, each row of corpses would explode, killing many more of the Minotaurs.

Kalzog laughed as he observed the killing. Each minute fighting alongside Inzikai increased his respect for him. If only he could do more killing himself...

Inzikai turned away, slightly exhausted and noticed the sleeping human. "Worthless scum!" he shouted at the unmoving Lorathin. "You should toss him in the minotaur herd...He may be more useful that way..."

Kalzog laughed. "I would, If I knew what he was planning. That mage has been useful, so I will leave him be..."

Inzikai merely shook his head.

As Inzikai yelled insults at him sleeping, the simulacrum, which had fufilled its primary goal of making sure that Ar'mai was away from Inzikai, snuck up behind him and kicked Inzikai in the butt.

Cadeyrn frowned after his boss shook her head.

"Damn, well looks like I'll have to have my fun elsewhere." He mused before charging what was left of the minotaurs. His blade showered blood and bone across the arena in a brutal and vicious display of power.

The Nightmare saw it's opening and struck. Rastilia had failed to defeat the Nightmare in mental combat. This creature was much stronger than the last one. The evidence of that was obvious as a huge amount of negative energy streamed forth from it's body upon achieving victory. Rastilia still had possession of her mind but the Nightmare had decided to launch a new mental assault of her own. The two of them locked minds again this time Rastilia would be controlled if she failed….

"Infernal..." Inzikai cursed, thrusting his sword behind him in a quick menuever, into apparantly nothing...

"What was that?" he growled as he examined the air around him.

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

The last few squads of Imperium Soldiers were still alive, retreating and regrouping after minor skirmishes with the prisoner group.

Kalzog smiled wickedly as he began to run at full speed at the group. With a massive jump, he landed right in the middle of the group, crushing several men under his large bulk. With another jump, he carried himself a few feet behind the squads.

As he landed, he spun around, opening his fist, sending a gust of wind at the soldiers who had begun to turn, sending them stumbling and giving the ogre time. Time he needed.

Kalzog noticed his massive club hanging along the wall where the Imperium Regiment had first entered. The whole match, he had been wishing it was rather close, as a bow for Ar'mai was...

In a full sprint, as silly as it may have looked, Kalzog finally reached his weapon. He pulled it off it's hook and swung it around. "Ahh...I feel at home again..." he muttered. He turned his torso around, letting his bright red eyes gaze upon the now trembling soldiers. He finally turned his whole body around, and smiled wickedly.

With a roar that reverberated along the Arena walls, Kalzog swung his massive club into the ranks of soldiers, sending several flying into the Arena walls.

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

Rimoru smiled as her champion cut a bloody path through the Minotaur ranks. She cheered loudly, bouncing up and down as she watched him go.

"So handsome..." she laughed.
**********************************************************

Rothargot remained silent throughout the whole contest, but watched carefully.

Soon the bundle of immolation arrows that had been provided to Ar'mai had run out. She dropped the bow to the ground and decided instead to put her priestly power to use.

Deciding to stay slightly back from the immediate battle, Ar'mai only moved up slightly until she was twenty feet back from Inzikai. "Algra'dai, ach'nu ilasha shiana..."

Above each of her known allies heads, a small and yet strangely transparent cloud appeared. As it formed, it began sprinkling down little bits of colored dust... a boost to each of the combatants energy levels.

Inzikai sneezed slightly as he noticed a white dust sprinkling on him. He felt stangely revitalized. He glanced at Ar'mai and smiled brightly. "Thank you, Ar'mai," he called out, letting his eyes scan her beautiful form.

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

The Patriarch glanced up and chuckled as he held out his palm, collecting some of the dust. "Fancy that..." he mused as he examined the dust. It gave him a sense of greater energy, as he battled against the few remaining scorpionmen.

"Sir Sarik, you have made a wise choice in your friends. Ar'mai has helped us greatly," The Patriarch said with a smile.

"Yes, master. They all have," Sarik replied, smiling back, as he aided his leader against the scorpions.

Rastilia sank in utter defeat, The Nightmare had won the mental contest against the Dark elf. The Nightmare had what seemed to be a kind of sneer on it's face as it began to control its new servant. Rastilia was raised from the ground and was given a mental order turn on her allies…

Inzikai sneezed slightly as he noticed a white dust sprinkling on him. He felt stangely revitalized. He glanced at Ar'mai and smiled brightly. "Thank you, Ar'mai," he called out, letting his eyes scan her beautiful form.

"Back to fighting now..." Ar'mai said with a wave of her hand as she noticed Inzikai lingering a little too long.

As the Patriarch looked at the dust in his hand it continued to sparkle before fading out of existence...

"So be it," growled the demi-god. He sprung into action, vaulting over Rastilia with great speed and putting his arms around the Nightmare's head. He began to turn it, ready to snap it's neck.

"Free the priestess, before I send you to my master's realm. Then you will find a torture far worse than death..." he growled, unsure if the beast could understand him.

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

Inzikai bowed. "Of course," he replied still grinning. He scanned the field for any trouble spots, but seemed to have found none.

Each army was being taken care of. Rimoru's warrior had taken on the leftover Minotaurs, Kalzog had mopped up the Imperium Soldiers, Minos, Shara, and Harlin had battled the Cyclopes vigorously, leaving few left, while Sarik and the Patriarch had dealt with the Scorpion men.

Inzikai decided to aide Harlin and the others in their battles with the few cyclopes that remained. He dissolved one, before spring into action, dodging and weaving underneath their feet, doing as he had seen Harlin doing earlier; slicing their achilles tendon.

Cadeyrn slaughtered the last of minotaurs with a bloody overhead smash. He then smiled, slinging the gore stained blade over his shoulder. Blood dripped from every edge on his armor and body.

His eyes circled the arena looking for any other poor bastard left.

"Come on, I'm not even trying." he muttered arrogantly raising his blade into the air.

"Thank's." Lorathin said

The simulacrum had kicked Inzikai then stepped away so the swing went wild. It was at present serving as Lorathin's eyes whilst he napped.

Rastilia eyes were glowing red the same color as the Nightmare's eyes. She raised her whip ready to unleash it upon her comrade due to the shadowy creature's control. Rastilia's mind continued to resist against this humiliation.

The Nightmare sent a mental message to Rothargot, "I have won the game. Her soul and her body are now mine!"


The Nightmare's body was starting become light and less tangible soon it would be completely protected in the Ethereal plane...

"Yet you will not win mine!" roared Rothargot as he twisted the Nightmare's neck, listening for the crack. I wish I knew more about these Nightmares... he thought.

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

"Wow! What a show, folks! It seems the criminals had won against all odds! Repeat, they have won against all odds! It appears none were hurt, yet one appears to be sleeping on the field!" cried the announcer.

The audience roared in excitement at the living heroes. This would be a day they'll all remember...
**********************************************************

Rimoru cheered again in her booth. She enjoyed the battle very much...

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

They had downed the last creature on the battlefield. The ground was littered with bodies of the fallen. Kalzog roared in victory, waving his club high in the air, his dagger-like teeth, bloody from the several times he'd bite off something's head, arm, or some other body part.

Inzikai smiled as he waved to the audience. They all cheered his name, many being from the same land. All that would make this better...is if Ar'mai came to me and professed her love to the greatest hero who ever lived...

You are not done yet, Valtrox's voice rang in the back of his head...

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

The Judge of Fate had listened to enough of the squabbles from his partners. Instead, he felt it was time to invoke justice on someone who had been letting the beasts loose on the field...

Instead, he was met by the corpse of what used to be a guard. Disgusted, the Judge pulled out his sword and sliced off the undead minion's head. But not in time...

A lever was pulled as the body slumped to the ground...a lever that kept one of the mightiest beasts inside it's cage...

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

Sarik and The Patriarch were waving to the crowd as well, striking heroic poses to please the audience, all while having fun at it. Suddenly, loud clanking could be heard, as if giant gears had begun to spin after an eternity of sitting idle. Something roared underneath the ground. The crowd silenced. Even the announcer didn't know what was coming...

Inzikai looked around the arena, unsure of what was to come next. He looked at the Patriarch, who shrugged.

Kalzog had stopped roaring and noticed the sand underneath him beginning to slide towards the middle of the arena...

Lorathin began sliding with the sand before waking up. "Now what the heck is going on. Is this your doing Inzikai?" He asked with a scowl at being disturbed at his nap. The nap had been beneficial though since with Ar'mai's booster, he'd recovered energy.

Sangradeen and Heerall rushed to Damien as soon as they realized that the most of the enemies had been slain. Heerall pulled a vial of what seemed as normal clay. He removed some of it and slapped it onto the golem. The clay immediately expanded and covered Damien's form. Damien rose from the ground almost completely restored. Sangradeen noticed that something was rising up from the arena. He remembered the needles and ran toward where they had last been. Remarkably, the circle was still there and he dug up the needles. He threw them to Heerall, who stuffed them inside of himself. Sangradeen ran back and took two large pieces of clay from Damien and applied them to his hands. He hoped that a promising experiment of his would live up to his expectations.
Damien didn't mind. He never did.

"If it kills you, I would wish I had," Inzikai responded to Lorathin's accusation. He braced himself as to what was going to happen...
**********************************************************

The middle of the Arena pit opened up, a massive hole taking up nearly the entire pit.

Kalzog was looking for a way to join his comrades on the opposite side of the hole, pacing back and forth from the giant rectangular opening. Suddenly, the sand underneath his feet gave out, and Kalzog fell onto his back, letting out a startled gasp.

He was englufed into the hole...

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

A roar engulfed the whole Arena, shaking the very foundations.

The Patriarch and Inzikai both understood what this was...this was a being far more ancient than any of them. Before Rimoru...An age when Lustria was young...

Chains snapping apart could be heard within the newly formed hole. Another clanking sound and a terrible whining sound resounded through the whole arena.

As the machine's whined, a head began to peak over the sandy Arena floor. An immense dragon head was revealed, larger than any dragon still alive to date...

"One of the ageless dragons...Very few live today, and rarely show themselves..." the Patriarch informed the others. "Beware, their power surpasses all of ours combined..."

The massive dragon set one clawed foot on the arena floor, shaking the whole ground. It snorted sand out from its nostrals as it examined it's foes.

It was a bright golden color, it's eyes a brilliant shade of turqoise. Along it's spine and above it's head was a line of deadly spikes. It tail resulted in a ball of thorns.

"How are we supposed to kill it?" asked Sarik, his head craned as far back as it could go so he could see the top of the magnificent dragon.

"You dont...you run!" Inzikai growled, as he began to walk backwards.
**********************************************************

Rimoru marveled at the beasts beauty. It was a grand creature, yet was a creature she would rather not attract the attention of...

Her booth slowly made it's way back to her starting place...

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

The Judges all stared at each other, unsure of what to do. It had taken thousands of powerful mages just to chain it up and set it inside the Arena. Hopefully the Arena's ancient enchantments would hold up...

"That cannot be good..." Ar'mai remarked as she stared at the incomprehensible being that was the mighty and ancient dragon. What the hell are we supposed to do against that...

Lorathin caught himself before the ground caved in with a cheap wind-walk spell that managed to get him to the side of the hole, but he couldn't get one off that could deal with anyone else. He was pretty sure Kalzog at least would be fine.

Looking at the magnificant beast, he wondered if he might have to do something he knew he'd very much regret.

ooc: TG blast

The Patriarch looked up at the beast, walking backwards slowly. He noticed the Ogre making his way up the great beast's back, using the spikes as steps.

The great dragon began to speak, in a strange tongue that sounded slightly like that of Skizzarish, yet few words were understood by any of the Skizzarish lizardmen.

The dragon looked curiously at the prisoners on the field. He crawled out of the hole he was locked up in, and each thundering step brought him closer to where the others stood. Leaning his head real close to them he sniffed and inspected each one. At Ar'mai he spoke again, in an ancient elvish tongue.

"Where am I?" he rumbled at the elf.

OOC: tg Theao

When the dragon came down to sniff him, he examined it. He'd never seen a dragon properly at close range and this one was a rather impressive dragon to say the least.

ooc: Gotcha

The language that the great dragon spoke to Ar'mai was quite familiar despite its ancient usage. It was a high elven language that was used to communicate by the heroes, leaders, and Gods of millennia past. A language that few knew, though as a high priestess of Elune, it was one of the few that she had learned from the ancient tomes she had studied.

"Greetings. You are in the realm of the Imperium in Lustria - home to the Skizzarish lizardmen. Though I am not sure what it was called when you graced these planes..."

Cadeyrn saw the massive beast drawing close to inspect him as he did the others. The mercenary readied his blade resting on his shoulder and couldn't help but tremble a little.

He had never seen such a large creature let alone faught against one. There were behemoths and Sand Wurms he had slain but never a dragon and most certainly not under such circumstances.

Like a dog backed into a corner everyone of his hairs seemed to stand on end. He revealed his grinding teeth almost snarling.

Then the monster spoke in a strange tongue and the fighter dropped his guard for a moment.

What the hell is going on? Cadeyrn thought looking towards Rimoru.

Maverion and Teralynn had left the group before the ruckus started in order to get their horses. They would guide the mounts by the rein behind them as they traveled on the carpet, the decreased weight sure to help with the horses' stamina. As they came back to where Rothargot and Rastilia were, they saw the commotion and were immediately on the alert.

Mave drew his sword out and jumped off the carpet, watching as Rothargot was twisting the creature's head and neck, while he searched for any sign from Rothargot to join the fray.

Tera scanned the nightmare's mind, but the creature's brain was nothing like a normal person's, and she had some difficulty with it.

The Nightmare’s body phased out of material existence slightly before its neck could snap. The Nightmare was angry and wanted revenge. It forced Rastilia to unleash her whip against Rothargot. The Dark Elf High Priestess hesitated for a few seconds but then the Nightmare increased pressure. Rastilia unleashed her enchanted whip against Rothargot. The three headed whip struck him again and again while being reinforced with negative energy. The Nightmare could not yet control Rastilia enough to control her undead warriors but the ghostly creature was working on it…

Rothargot roared again as the whip smacked into him. Although he recieved little damage from the deadly whip, he was angered by the way the Nightmare treated him, a demi-god general of Valtrox...

He walked up to Rastilia and picked her up by her wrists, so she could not whip him any longer.

"Fight his control, Rastilia. Remember your duty, your honor. You are stronger than this beast," he growled at her, his firey orb-like eyes looking deep into her red ones.

Rothargot turned back to Maverion and Teralynn. "If any of you have a rope, we may need to use it to tie up the Priestess. I would also suggest that you ready yourselves in case the undead turn on us as well."
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Rimoru looked at Cadeyrn urgently, and motioned away from the dragon. "Get away from it!" she screamed inside her booth. She was not sure if he could hear her or not...

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

Inzikai...you run and hide from this beast? He is nothing compared to me. He is an enemy. You will kill it or face my wrath...

Inzikai stopped walking backwards and looked towards the magnificent dragon. It looked as though it was speaking with Ar'mai.

He began to walk back towards the beast, contemplating his attack...

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

The Ageless Dragon brought his head high into the air.

"Lustria...How I've missed your fresh air...you're blue skies...your cool grass... he spoke in ancient elven. He searched the stadium for signs of recognition. All we saw were confused faces. He brought his face close to Ar'mai's again.

He growled in anger at the lack of understanding.

"Mighty Ageless One, we ask that you forgive us. Most of us have not spoken elvish for quite a while..." called the Patriarch.

"So you speak the common language?" the dragon asked, eyeing the audience. "It hurts me to speak such...lowly language."

"My name is Relthor, a name feared long before most of you have been born. By the lack of fear in this crowd...I assume that no one would have known...Therefore, I shall make an example for the world. Relthor has returned!"

With that, the mighty dragon roared again, shaking the Arena. All dragons and drakes nearby joined in with their own roars. The audience shrieked in fear, yet were confident in the protection the Imperium provided them...

This clearly aggitated Relthor and he stretched out his massive wings, an audible crack resounding as the dragon relieved his stiff joints. He stepped towards the others again, smoke appearing from his nostrals...

Harlin, Shara and Minos were all standing together in a relatively close bunch. Harlin looked at his two friends, "Perhaps we should seperate ourselves slightly."

"Why would you suggest that?" Shara asked.

"So that if he gets angry, he can't kill us all in one blow."

"Wise thinking..." Minos said before stepping back.

Lorathin looked at the Dragon, and decided to see about calming it down. Casting another wind-walk, he began walking in circles up so that he would be level with it's muzzle as he scratched his shoulder.

The dragon growled as it noticed Lorathin floating in the sky. "If humanity was made to fly, they would have been created with wings!"

He opened his mouth wide, as his throat began to glow. Sure enough, fire burst out of his mouth into the air.

The fire burned through the air no-where near the floating Lorathin, even though Relthor kept his turqoise eye on the human.

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

Inzikai continued to walk quietly towards the dragon. He noticed Shara backing up nearby. Valtrox's words echoed through his head. You are not allowed to love...why should they?

Inzikai silently pulled his sword out of his sheath and continued walking behind Shara...

With narry a whisper of swishing cloth, Harlin vanished, and reappeared behind Inzikai with one of his many blades pressed into the lizard's neck.

Cool anger chilled his voice as he warned Inzikai, "Don't even begin to think of harming a hair on her body, or I shall kill you before you even know that I had intent."

Minos meanwhile spoke to the dragon in the elvish tongue that he had learned in his recent studies. "Good Day, Master Relthor, never before have I met such a large specimen of your kind. How old, in fact, are you?"

"Perhaps you should rethink your options, human..." Inzikai muttered faintly. "Valtrox does not like his servants to be harmed..."

Inzikai raised his sword, being sure to keep his neck as steady as possible. He pointed his weapon at the dragon. "That is my target...you humans sicken me with your foolish assumptions..."

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

The massive dragon backed up, as Minos began to speak to him.

"Speaking in the elvish tongue does not improve my image of the population. The only true speak is that of the Dragon..." The dragon picked up his claw, preparing to stomp on the wizard. The audience gasped.

Relthor hesitated. He brought his clawed hand closer, before hesitating again. What sounded like a sigh escaped from his mouth.

"I do not remember my age, wizard," he finally responded, as he began to look even more frustrated.

"Perhaps, but your body language expressed different sentiments," Harlin said, releasing him, "Either way, watch your step." He gave this final warning before again vanishing and reappearing near Shara and Minos.

Lorathin was at about eye level with the dragon, who'd spit out flames that came near, but didn't actually singe him. Opening his mouth, he asked, "Do you speak the Lingua Franca Draconis?" He hoped he would as talking Draconis was murder on the tounge, at least at present.

"Perhaps it is you who should watch his step..." Inzikai glared at Harlin. Mental note...eliminate all three of them...

Mental note...eliminate all of them... chuckled Valtrox's voice.

Inzikai looked for some sort of imperfect scale on the perfect body of the dragon.

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

"No," Relthor growled, before sighing again.
"Yes...yes I do..." he sighed in Lorathin's requested tongue.

The dragon opened his mouth wide and snapped at Lorathin, however, he didn't truly snap. He merely opened his mouth around the floating human and brought it away several seconds later...

"Your breath is somewhat smelly." He replied in the same tounge, "Now would you please stop taking out your annoyance at the peoples lack of respect on us, and take it out on the ones responsible for your encagement?"

Relthor looked stunned. His tongue slipped in and out of his mouth, like a lizard would do. "I do what I want," he replied quietly.

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

Inzikai watched the beast hesitate constantly in it's attempts to kill...

Weak...If I knew these dragons were so weak... Inzikai thought.

Relthor is not weak. I respect his powers. Yet his kindness to mortals leaves him an easy kill...

It appears my task will be completed by the Ogre..." Inzikai thought with a smile, as he watched the Ogre appear on the dragon's head.

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

All too easy, Kalzog thought, sneering as he brought his glowing hand on the dragon's head.

Minos hadn't flinched when Relthor had threatened to squash him. He was very sure that he could have buried himself inside a pod of earth before the dragon's foot even impacted the ground. Instead, he rose up on a pillar of sand that he created from the floor of the Arena. When he was at eye level with the dragon, he stopped.

"I regret that I do not speak the most ancient and revered language of the dragons. It has fallen silent in the last several millenia. Still, I wonder if you are offended by us. If you are, I'm sure we could change things so as not to offend you." Minos' voice spoke directly from the air inside the dragon's ear.

"Yes you can, but should you?" He asked

The dragon looked sadly at Lorathin and Minos.

"I...don't know..."he replied, looking at the ground, speaking in the common tongue so both Minos and Lorathin could hear him. "My brethren were all fearsome..."

"Disgrace of a dragon!" shouted Kalzog from on top of the dragons head. Suddenly, a bright white light flashed on Relthor's head, followed by a very audible boom.

Although, it didn't harm Relthor, the deadly spell was extremely effective against most creatures. The giant dragon suddenly lost all his senses, and began thrashing about wildly, in surprise.

He roared again, as he backed up, not truly wanting to kill the creatures he had just met. "Get away!" he roared.

Kalzog put his massive arms around a nearby spike and held on, laughing the whole time. "Yeehaw!" he screamed as the dragon thrashed it's head about.

"Perhaps all those whence you walked last, not all anymore." He replied as he muttered a harmless, but for Kalzog, annoying spell that levitated the ogre off Relthor's head. "Many dragons have delved into the duplicity through honesty route rather than the terrorize and kill route."

"Your breath is somewhat smelly." He replied in the same tounge.

Ar'mai was clearly annoyed by the way the party was treating this mighty and ancient dragon. Relthor was a rarity of any standards and not one to be taken lightly. "How dare you speak to him that way..." Ar'mai rebuked Lorathin. "He deserves your respect..."

"I do respect him, but you weren't in his mouth." Lorathin replied, "I was."

"I do respect him, but you weren't in his mouth." Lorathin replied, "I was."

"I do believe it was you who went up towards his mouth, and not the other way around," Ar'mai replied from a distance. "And it is your words and actions that determine the respect you show, not your internal thoughts..."

"Infernal Human!" Kalzog roared as he floated above the dragon. "Set me down so I can finish the job!"

Relthor continued thrashing around, trying to get his senses back. He belched fire every few minutes.

As the spell wore off, Relthor stood still, panting heavily. His form had a sense of regal composure, even in his disheveled state. His eyes teared up, yet he tried to keep the what dignity he had left.

Someone in the crowd booed at the seemingly cowardly dragon, who merely lowered his head sadly.

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

Inzikai stood relatively close to the dragon. As the sad dragon lowered it's head, Inzikai smiled cruelly, bringing up a vicious looking dagger, aiming carefully. "Good riddance..."

Excellent...put it out of it's misery...

Lorathin chuckled and lowered Kalzog so he was about eight meters above ground then released him so he'd fall on Inzikai.

"Why not just break out of the arena?" He asked the dragon, "Then you can go ravage Inzikai's part of the country."

Rastilia listened to Rothargot's voice to fight against the monster that was dominating her. Rastilia's efforts were doubled thanks to her inability to follow the Nightmare's commands mainly in part, to her arms being pined by Rothargot. The Nightmare was starting to lose control and that was something it did not want to due.

The Nightmare fired a blast of negative energy out of its mouth. The dark energy being fired from the ethereal plane had a fifty-fifty chance of effecting its target Rothargot. The intense energy would hurt but would do no more damage than if Rastilia had continued to whip Rothargot.

As Maverion split his attention between the nightmare and Rastilia's undead minions, Teralynn jumped off of the carpet and went over to the horses. Digging into one of the packs, she pulled out a slender cord of rope. It was not the toughest of ropes, but it would serve sufficiently to tie the dark elf up. She started toward Rothargot and Rastilia, but jerked back as the blast of negative energy came shooting in that direction.

Neither Mave nor Tera have had much experience with such ethereal creatures before, and dealing with it was not something they knew how to do.

Rothargot took the blast head on, with his back. His wings, along with his back temporarily convulsed, as if the image was smeared by a reckless hand.

"Continue to fight it, Rastilia. Show your fury..." growled Rothargot.

"Maverion, Teralynn, stay back. The rope can wait," Rothargot responded as Teralynn jumped away from the negative blast of energy.
**********************************************************

Suddenly, the giant ogre fell on Inzikai, crushing him with incredible weight.

"Get off me, you oaf!" shouted a muffled voice.

Kalzog got up, slightly annoyed, as Inzikai stood up.

Inzikai glared at the Ogre, who shrugged and stared at the massive dragon. Revenge will be so sweet...

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

Food began to fling into the arena, as the audience began to feel cheated out of a good fight...

Relthor brought his wings over his face, as best he could to sheild himself from the harmless projectiles. "Break...out?"

The great dragon looked around, food splattering on his face, staining his golden scales. His gaze settled on a large gate located many feet in front of him. "I would request you clear your friends out of the way," he replied.

"Please back up." Lorathin called to the others, as he wondered if the dragon was simply going to smash out or employ some other means of exit.

The massive dragon roared, silencing the audience instantly. He backed up as far as he could, before charging at full speed towards the gate. Some sort of magical field shimmered around him as he smashed into the wall, debris flying in all directions.

"Freedom!" Kalzog laughed, as the audience was screaming and running towards the exits, away from the dragon.

Relthor turned back to the group, smiling slightly. "We should leave...now!" he said, as Imperium troops began to show up. Relthor trotted back to the group and lowered his head. "Get on!"

The Patriarch looked at a moment at the great dragon. "I'm afraid I cannot. I must speak with the judges and set things straight. Sarik, continue the quest. Friends of Sarik, good luck! May Zavers or whatever god you worship protect you!" the Patriarch bowed low.

"Praise Elune for delivering you to us..." Ar'mai whispered to the great dragon as she leapt deftly onto his head, before taking a seat near the front.

The dragon smiled at the comment. "Elune helps us on our paths through life...as do all the gods," he replied to Ar'mai, in the ancient elven tongue.

Inzikai climbed up, and sat behind Ar'mai. "Greetings, again," he said, a mischievious smile on his face.

"Quit your annoying elf talk," growled Kalzog to both Ar'mai and Relthor, as he climbed up the dragon. On his shoulders, he carried the unconcious Bael'ther. He examined the damage he caused with his spell. Not much, barely a mark on the shimmering scales. He grunted as he chose to sit several spots behind Inzikai...a good spot to watch the others, while not being closely watched himself... He set Bael'ther in front of him, realizing that the mute elf would be perfect for not interrupting the thoughts of the Ogre.

Sarik ushered the others on the dragon before climbing up as well, taking a seat behind Inzikai.

"Is everyone ready?" Relthor called out. The Imperium soldiers were marching in formation just outside the arena. The Judge of Fate stood at the head of one of these columns.

Sangradeen, followed by Heerall, stepped onto the dragon's head. Damien, however, hesitated to get onto the dragon. He knew that he was very large and heavy and did not want to burden the beast. With a confused look on his face, Damien decided to climb onto the beast, following Sangradeen's example.

The dragon smiled at the comment. "Elune helps us on our paths through life...as do all the gods," he replied to Ar'mai, in the ancient elven tongue.

So he obviously knows of the Great Goddess, Ar'mai thought as she noticed Inzikai scoot awkwardly close to her.


ooc: Ha, I was wondering if someone was going to remember Bael'ther - though I did have a plan for him if he wasn't taken.

"Thank you Relthor, for more than you know." Lorathin said as he joined the others on the dragon's back, though he was primarily keeping an eye on Inzikai.

OOC: LoL want me to edit so Bael'ther doesn't come aboard the dragon express? :p


"Do not worry, golem. I am large enough to support a large amount of weight on my back," The dragon said to the golem as he noticed it's hesitant decision.

Inzikai looked curiously at Ar'mai. "So how old are you, if you can speak in ancient tongues?" he asked finally.

"It doesn't require being ancient to speak the way of the ancients," Ar'mai replied to Inzikai as she watched the Dragon get ready to go to work.

Cadeyrn watched the empresses signals for distress and growled in anger. Having a heavy resistance to fire he just might be able to take the ancient beast.

"What kind of pathetic dragon runs from and serves humans?" He muttered below his breath lowering the blade into its seath.

Amongst the chaos, Rimoru decided to give her bodyguard some new plans. The great Empress menuevered her booth towards Cadeyrn, before jumping out and floating to the ground, her dress swaying in the wind. She ran up to Cadeyrn and put her arms around him.

"You were excellent in the fight," she said, looking up into his eyes, a large grin on her face. "I was rooting for you the whole time."

She brought her lips close to Cadeyrn's ear, standing on the tips of her toes. "I need you to follow them, my sweet. One of them threw some very insulting needle at me, and I would like you to follow him and his every move..."

She stood flat again as she rested her head against his chest. "If you ever need to contact me, of If I need to contact you, use this," she said as a small crystal necklace materialzed in her hand. "Just say your name as you rub it. Then say mine, and we shall speak be able to speak with each other."

She smiled as she waited for her bodyguard to take the crystal.

"One other thing...A secondary objective if you will. Try to persuade the dragon to work for me. I'm sure Inzikai will attempt the same to bend the dragon to his will, as well as Sarik. You must attempt the same for me," she said, once again looking into his eyes with a pleading look.

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

Inzikai chuckled. "I'm sorry, Ar'mai, I didn't mean to call you ancient. What I meant was, well...How old are you?" he finally asked, after trying to figure out the best way rephrase his previous question.

Tlaxkrox finally decided he had killed enough, at least for now. He walked over to Inzikai. "Inzikai, I believe I have proven myself as a competent fighter. What do you say? Hire me."

"So be it, Tlaxkrox. Come with us, before we leave!" shouted Inzikai to the gladiator.

"What a novelty, riding on the back of a dragon," Shara said with glee in her voice.

"Indeed, thank you for helping us escape!" Harlin shouted so that his voice might reach the dragon's ear.

Minos meanwhile had let the power fade from his body back into his staff, and sat with his legs crossed and a smile on his face. His beard flowed in the wind as the dragon power them through the air.

"Where are you taking us Relthor?" He asked in his normal human voice.

Rastilia fought harder than ever. Her eyes were starting to turn from their natural color to red and back again. It was evident that she was fighting, Her undead minions were preparing to attack yet at the last second they held their position before they finished their deadly charged at Maverion.

Rastilia was now very angry and the Nightmare could feel it. The ethereal monster fired another blast of negative energy this time aiming at Teralynn.

"Teralynn! Get out of the way!" shouted Rothargot as he noticed the beam of negative energy surge towards the officer.

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

"I will take you to the place I was captured from. It was my favorite home...total tranquility," Relthor replied, backing up to make as much room as possible between the Imperium Soldiers and himself.

Maverion was about to send the group of undead flying in all directions with a wave of his hand, but then the creatures came to a stop, and he held back his own attack. He took a few steps backwards, giving himself some more distance should the undead charge again, but the next time they did, he was not going to hold back.

Teralynn was watching the nightmare carefully, and at the first sign of trouble, Tera deftly leapt out of the way and rolled along the sand before quickly getting back to her feet to dodge another blast should it be coming. She quickly glanced up at the cloud covering their immediate vicinity, then at the undead, then back to the nightmare. "Will the sunlight affect the creature?" she asked.

"I do not know, It has traveled to the Ethereal plane, and I am not sure how it would react to sunlight," replied Rothargot. "Rastilia, keep fighting, you are winning."

Rastilia could not respond her mind was locked in mortal combat to see who would be the ruling personality of her body. The Nightmare was losing ground in this fight and his powers were starting to weaken while firing his negative energy blasts and concentrating of Rastilia at the same time...

The undead held their ground, The part of them connected to Rastilia was still under her own control thus the reason why they had not interfered. The undead however were naturally predatory and they were looking hungrily at Maverion.

"Thank you boss, it'll take more than a few minotaurs to put up a fight against me." He boasted arrogantly again.

He heard his new orders and smiled as she handed him the strange crystal. "I'll become his shadow my master and that dragon will become your servant." He finished stepping away from her.

Convince a dragon? Oi, this'll be fun; I'm a killer not a negotiator. I thought it was tough becoming a bodyguard, but this...

Maverion gripped his sword tighter, concentrating mostly on the undead monsters in front of him while keeping his periphery on the others.

Teralynn was heading toward the edge of the area shadowed by the cloud, and even when there was no response from Rastilia, she whipped out her two metal fans and slid them open. One side of each fan was dull and unreflective, but the other side was polished and shinned. Turning them so that the two reflective sides would face the nightmare, Tera tried to aim the strong rays of the sun on the ethereal beast.

The reflective rays of the sun hit the Nightmare and it burned the vile creature. The ethereal plane was right next to the mortal plane, thus using the local sunlight would have the same effect as being hit with sunlight anywhere. The Nightmare disengaged contact with Rastilia as its body morphed into burning shadows that dissipated instantly into oblivion.

Rastilia once again had her mind and body under her own control. The High Priestess was happy but her pride had taken a tragic blow…

Teralynn took was breathing somewhat heavily from her sprint as she lowered her fans and closed them. Still gripping the fans in her hands, she stepped back into the shadow of the cloud and felt instant relief from the heat of the desert sun.

"Well done, Tera," Mave told her. He was still at the ready with the undead, though, just in case Rastilia did not have full control of them yet.

Rothargot continued to hold Rastilia up. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

He turned to Teralynn and Maverion. "You mortals are clever. I will make sure Valtrox learns of this," he said with a smile.

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

Rimoru waved at Cadeyrn as he went aboard the massive dragon. She walked back to the Patriarch, who stood smiling. "Hello, Patriarch," she said seductively, leaning up against him.

"Empress Rimoru, Forgive me, but I haven't time for a partner," he replied, smiling at her.

"Oh, but you must have time for me?" she asked, rubbing the Patriarch's head.

The Patriarch smiled, and gently put his hand over her hand. He could feel Rimoru's pulse quicken at his touch. He gently brought her hand in front of them and let go. "Of course, Empress, but perhaps not in the same sense."

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

As Cadeyrn got on, Relthor ran full speed through the exit he created earlier. Right before he got to the Soldiers, who began to fear for their lives, Relthor jumped high in to the air. He landed far behind the Imperium infantry and spread his wings. "Hold on!" he roared as he took off speedily, rising into the sky.

Relthor roared happily. "I have not flown in so long..."

Damien looked down from the gargantuan beast. He saw the landscape and was marveling at what he saw as beauty. He clapped his hands together and seemed to smile and laugh as the wind blew against him.

Heerall turned around and saw Cadeyrn on the dragon. "It looks as if the Whore has sent her bodyguard to watch US," commented Heerall. "How ironic." Sangradeen did not bother looking around. "It is best to ignore him," he said, "unless, of course, he does something to threaten anyone." Sangradeen looked at Damien with pride. "What an amazing and interesting creature."

Cadeyrn saw his target catch sight of him and raised his head a little. His short brown hair danced helplessly in the wind and the pace of flight brought forth a chill wind that racked the mercenary to the bone. He grabbed what was left of his cape and wrapped it around himself for warmth.

The landscape passed furiously below in a bright melange of various forrestry and landscapes. One particular section was the remnants of a battlefield he had fought on, in which he remembered someone he had lost. Like all the friends of his life, the battlefield too, passed away in a matter of moments.

Maybe I'll retire after this job. Yeah get a nice big house, find a wife, and raise some kids. I'll give them the life that was denied to me. They won't eve3r have to fight a single day in their life. Snap out of it! You're on duty!

He shook his head, breaking his peaceful reverie, and looked back to the target.

Relthor roared happily. "I have not flown in so long..."

Though separated by millennia, Ar'mai continued to find more in common with Relthor. "Nothing like it... is there..." Ar'mai commented as she too basked in her newly found freedom.

As they rose into the sky, she began to fill a cool breeze whip past her and decided to once again use the Internal Warmth blessing.

The great dragon soared through the sky, passing by Imperium territory speedily, and arriving in Iskan.

As they flew on, Relthor began to show signs of confusion and discontent as he circled around the same spot of desert sand. "This cannot be right..." he rumbled.

"Stupid dragon lost it's place?" Kalzog growled suddenly, breaking the silence he kept the whole way.

"My forest was right here..." Relthor simply replied, as he landed on a hill of sand. He nudged his muzzle in the sand, desperately searching for signs of his ancient home...

The warm desert air filled Cadeyrn with incredible vigor. He watched with empathy as the mighty dragon search through the remnants of what was once apparently his home.

"This place seems vaguely familiar." He said to no one looking around the desolate landscape.

Everyplace seemed familiar to Cadeyrn as he has travelled the earth with his blade. Seemed like everywhere he went he had fought there before. It was strangely welcoming and tragic all at the same time.

"Something missing?" He asked the dragon from his perch as he watched the beast circle.

Tlaxkrox smiled. He now had a job worthy of his skills. He would gain much from this venture. He followed after Inzikai and the others.

"Something missing?" He asked the dragon from his perch as he watched the beast circle.

"Obviously!" Ar'mai said. "His forest is...!"

"Everything here has been turned to sand," she commented as she looked around at the vast desert.

Rothargot continued to hold Rastilia up. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

He turned to Teralynn and Maverion. "You mortals are clever. I will make sure Valtrox learns of this," he said with a smile.

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


Rastilia quickly regained her composure and said, "Yes, I am just a little embarrassed that a Nightmare beat me in a mental challenge. That creature seemed to have an almost unstoppable mind."

Rastilia noticed her undead were poised to charge Maverion, The High Priestess waved her right hand and the undead moved away towards Rastilia ignoring the other's in the group.

Rastilia turned to Rothargot and said in a low voice, "I apologize for that distraction."

Rothargot continued to smile at Rastilia. "Priestess, we are all safe. You fought hard, and the Nightmare managed one surprising move. But it didn't matter, the battle was won..."

He set Rastilia down gently, and walked backwards slightly. " Let us not waste any more time," he said.

"Perhaps I should just give you a ride myself?" he whispered to Rastilia.

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

Inzikai got off the dragon, as the mammoth Ogre jumped off, landing with a loud thump on the ground. "Nice home...warm..." he said as he resisted the temptation of taking off his hot cloak, so he wouldn't end up revealing his new form.

Sarik jumped off after Inzikai, carefully watching the rival leader. "Inzikai, I'm surprised you didn't stay behind with the others. Surely you had something else to do?"

"Nothing that concerns you, paladin," Inzikai said quietly, as he scanned the surroundings.

There was nothing left, everything was sand and dust.

Relthor stopped nudging the ground with his nose, with the knowledge that finding any sign of his once beautiful home was still around. He sighed sadly.

"My home is...gone..." he said quietly, his turqoise eyes glittering in the sun.

"Too bad. Life is rough, get over it," Kalzog replied as he inspected the sand.

Rothargot continued to smile at Rastilia. "Priestess, we are all safe. You fought hard, and the Nightmare managed one surprising move. But it didn't matter, the battle was won..."

He set Rastilia down gently, and walked backwards slightly. " Let us not waste any more time," he said.

"Perhaps I should just give you a ride myself?" he whispered to Rastilia.




Rastilia replied in a whispering voice, " I would normally insist on trying to use a different spell but, I think we can not afford to waste time. The Goddess is going to get angry soon, If I don't pay off my debt of a larger sacrifice."

Rastilia put her whip back on to her belt and picked up her staff. She then gave the mental command for her undead servants to get ready to go..

"It may be, but that means you have a chance to find a new home." Lorathin replied, "Or you could remain and spend the next millenia working on returning this into a forest."

"What was it like before?" Ar'mai asked the ancient dragon, wondering if it was anything like her home.

"It was a place full of life. The trees were giant, as large as castle towers, some even larger. Water cascaded down rocks in beautiful waterfalls, looking every last bit like precious stones. All forms of life coexisted, anything from the tiniest slug, to the noble elves, to us dragons. The elves called it Bountiful, and it was called such ever since..."

He turned his eyes at Lorathin. "I do not know of a place such as Bountiful..."

"I do not think Illuminata is quite like your home, but if you wish, you may remain with us. I'm sure the Order would enjoy your company..."

Inzikai shot Sarik a glance. "If you wish to remain near the Lustrian Sea, Zlatlan is always open to you, noble dragon," Inzikai countered.

"If you just wish to end life, I will oblige, giving you little pain in the process," Kalzog chuckled quietly, as he dug a hole into the sand.

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

"Then let us be off," he replied, as he turned his back to Rastilia. "Princess, hold onto my neck and ride in between my wings. That would probably be most comfortable."

He turned his eyes at Theao.
:p

ooc: hehe whoops! I knew someday I wouldn't be able to catch that mistake before I submit...

Rastilia followed Rothargot's instructions and held onto his neck while staying between his wings. She used her staff's magic to shrink it down to the smaller size. This gave her the ability to place it on her belt next to her whip. She wondered if her armor and her own personal weight would slow Rothargot down while he tried to fly.

She then gave the command for the cloud and her own minions to follow Rothargot and shadow him…

Rothargot flapped his wings, testing the added weight. Barely any difference. He smiled as he looked back at Rastilia. "Hold on tight. Last creature to ride on me had an uneventful trip."

He surged into the air with incredible speed, doing a barrel roll to even out his angle. "Are you comfortable?" he asked Rastilia, slowing down slightly to make sure Rastilia won't lose her grip. "If you are too cold, or too hot, I can change the heat my body produces," he said smugly.

He soared closer to the others. "Tera and Mave, there is a city close by. About a day's flying distance west of here. Meet us there at the closest inn to the entrance. You'll know when you see it," he said with a smile.

"That is why you either find a new land, or make this land into that which you remembered." Lorathin replied

Relthor sighed at Lorathin's comment. "I suppose it would not hurt to start again. But I will also be thinking of other lands," he replied with a smile, looking at Sarik and Inzikai.

Relthor dug his claw into the ground and lazily scratched a strange symbol in the ground. He quietly muttered ancient words, making the symbol glow. Relthor pulled his claw out, and crossed his front hands, laying his massive head on top of them.

"So where have you guys come from?" he asked suddenly, his gaze lifting from his fading symbol to the others.

"I'm from here and there." Lorathin commented

"Oh?" Relthor asked, bringing his enormous head near Lorathin.

"A wanderer? Why do you not settle down?" he asked curiously.

"No reason, or wish to." He replied as he looked into the large eye.

"You do not wish to start a family? Continue your family's name?" Relthor asked sadly. "Us 'Ageless Dragons', as they call us, always try to continue our blood, our dwindling families..."

"Starting a family is kind of difficult without a wife, or a female interested in that position." He replied with a chuckle.

"Surely you joke?" Relthor replied, smiling slightly. "I'm sure there's a female out there waiting for you. Mokra, the goddess of love, has made sure to ensure a significant other to each mortal."

Hmm...perhaps I should ask Mokra for a boon in her powers? Inzikai thought. He looked at Ar'mai and chuckled.

"Key words are 'out there'. It's kind of hard to find someone if you don't know where to look." He replied

"So is that why your wandering?" Relthor chuckled. "Perhaps I will help you find one. It is the least I could do for you, after all, you all saved me from the Imperium. Something must definitely be given in return..."

Inzikai smile widened. This opens up possibilities...

"Nope, searching for love is not the reason I wander." He replied

"Oh, but do you look when you're wandering?" Relthor asked, taking obvious interest in Lorathin's life.

"He does, but when he makes eye contact with a lady, the lady runs away in fear," chuckled Kalzog, as he slid into the hole he made in the sand.

"Go stick your head in a cesspool." Lorathin replied, "And no, not really." He added to the dragon's question.

The ogre chuckled from inside his hole.

"Ah. There you go. If you don't look, you won't find any," Relthor responded as he checked his faded symbol.

"But looking, when not knowing where to look is a waste of time." He replied

"Rest assured, someday, you'll find each other..." Relthor replied mysteriously. "I found my mate long ago...before I was captured. I do not know what became of her..." He began to dig into the sand with his claws again.

"Perhaps you will find your wife again, as for me, what makes you so sure?" He asked

"Love will always find its way," Relthor replied, looking into the horizon. The sun was setting and the temperature began to drop dramatically.

"I can only hope my I can find my mate...after so long..."

Sarik walked closer to the dragon, realizing that Relthor gave off enough heat to keep him warm, but not quite too hot...

"Maybe, but why don't you describe you love, so we can tell her where you are if we see her, of have seen her." He suggested

"My mate...where to start?" he chuckled nervously.

"She had golden scales, like I do. Her eyes were a bright green, such as that of a precious emerald. Although you would probably not be able to feel it, her scales are much softer than mine. She has no spines on her back, and she has two large horns jutting from the back of her head, both a bright white color," he said, slightly dreamily.

"She is barely smaller than I, and her wingspand is slightly larger..."

"I think I've heard of a couple dragons that meet that discription, but not sure as to gender of any of them." He commented as he tried to pull up greater detail on them.

"The females of my race are quite larger than the dragon's I have seen elves, skizzarish, humans, and most other races that keep dragons. The females tend to have white underbellies..."

"Please, do tell me if you have seen her," he pleaded with Lorathin.

"I honestly couldn't say. I know I've heard of at least two different dragons that meet the description you've given, and I think I've seen a third..." He replied

"A third?" asked Relthor. "Please, tell me where I may find them. If you see them again, would you tell them to meet me here?"

"I couldn't say for sure where I saw the one, as it was a number of years ago, and I happened to be in transit so I'm not sure where I was when I saw it, and I will," He agreed

"Many thanks, young human. Now what about you? What would be your ideal lady?" he asked, stretching his massive wings, eclipsing what little sunlight they had.

"No idea." He replied with a shrug.

"Surely you do, human!" chuckled Relthor, returning his wings to his side. He brushed a large pile of sand nearby Lorathin. "Let us begin with the shape, shall we? It is, of course, the structure of the body..."

"A frog! He wants to live with a frog cause they are just as ugly as him!" echoed Kalzog's voice in his hole, followed by laughter.

The dragon smiled mischieviously and blew air towards Kalzog's hole, sending a somewhat large pile of sand into it.

Kalzog's laughter turned into sputtering and cursing.

Relthor turned his attention back at Lorathin, and brought his hand onto his pile of sand.

"I'm guessing you would like a woman with lucious curves, right? That is what I remember most males wanted of their female mates," he chuckled. He raised his hand, as sand seemed to spin upwards to his hand, as if by wind, the curvy figure of a woman in the twisting sand.

Inzikai and Sarik watched with obvious interest.

"Actually I don't. I've been attracted to those with the bodies of a board, and those who make your figure appear flat by comparison, and everything in between." He replied

"Oh?" replied Relthor, slightly surprised by the reply. "A board?"

The sand woman immediately formed into the shape of a rectangle.

"You ruined it..." muttered Inzikai.

"Board as in...a wood plank?" Relthor asked. He was quite unsure of Lorathin's answer.

"As in no, or next to no curves rather than the volumptousness of your image." He replied

"Good show old chap!" Minos said to Azreal. "I'm suprised that you have an indiscriminate eye when it comes to women. You seem so picky about everything else"

Harlin, meanwhile, lay on the sand next to Shara and looked up to watch the sole cloud crossing the sky. "I, for one, know what kind of woman I like. The archetypal version of her is lying next to me."

Shara looked at him and smiled, squinting slightly as the sun was in her eyes. "I'm glad you like me."

Harlin smiled back before returning his gaze to that lonely cloud.

ooc: LoL Regenius, I love that phrase "Good Show, old chap!". I use it everyday hehe :p
"Ah, truly my fault," Relthor replied. The shape reverted back to a humanoid form, with no curves whatsoever.

"Male or female?" he asked, a sly grin on the dragon's face.

Tlaxkrox looked at the dragon. "Interesting" he said to himself. "This beast looks so powerful, yet it has complex emotions and thoughts. It would be a powerful ally, or a worthy foe. Either or." Tlaxkrox thought of what a battle that would be.

"I prefere the fairer sex over my own." He commented without a trace of embarressement.

"Female it is, then," smiled Relthor. He was clearly enjoying this. The sand-being formed into a womanly figure, yet still within Lorathin's requested attributes. "What race would you like her to be? And what color of her hair, eyes...skin?" he chuckled.

Kalzog climbed out of his hole and was slightly caught off guard at the dragon creating the sand creature. "Amazing..." he muttered.


Inzikai looked at his mercenary. "Tlaxkrox, we must try to get this dragon on our side. He would be an incredible asset to the Cult..." He whispered.

"As I said, it varies by person, rather than a single template against which all others are judged." He commented

"I agree, Inzikai. But this beast will be hard to tame. Perhaps I might be able to. I am quite skilled with animals, even ones like this dragon. If not, perhaps your magical abilities might do the trick."

Sangradeen watched as the sand danced around in a humanoid form. He recognized it as an ancient form of preparing to make a golem. But surely, the dragon wasn't going to animate one here. Was he?
Damien's face grew happier and happier as the grains of sand formed different shapes.

"Or perhaps...a meeting with Valtrox himself..." smiled Inzikai, resting his chin on his fist.

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

"You are so complicated," chuckled Relthor. "But I understand. What would you like your mate to be like, then?"

"One that is both supplementry and complementry." He replied

Ar'mai watched with disconnected interest as the men seemed to enjoy ogling and talking about women.

Meanwhile, Bael'ther was inspecting one of the golems... Sangradeen he heard it was called.

"You are so complicated," Relthor repeated. He noticed Ar'mai's disinterest, and the sands flowing between his hand and the pile of sand fell to the floor. "I'm sorry, human, but my feeble powers are nothing like those of Mokra. Perhaps you should ask her for assistance in finding your one true love. When you wish to, of course."

"Please forgive me, noble elf. I merely live to help others. Do you have a family?" asked Relthor, turning his attention on Ar'mai.

"Who?" He asked as he'd never heard of the Mokra Relthor mentioned.

"Mokra, the goddess of love. I remember when a young girl named...hmm...I don't remember her name. Whoever this girl was, she worshipped Mokra with all her heart. Soon enough, she was given her gift. She found an ideal mate, and love ensued," Relthor replied, a warm smile on his face.

"Then that might be the problem, I dislike the gods in general." He replied

"But Mokra loves all mortals, despite their allegiance," replied Relthor. "But, if you don't mind me asking, why do you dislike the gods?"

"'Cause even they think he's ugly!" laughed Kalzog.

"Quiet, you," Relthor replied, flicking sand his way.

Damien's hapiness faded as quickly as the sand fell onto the floor once again. Meanwhile, Heerall kept a close eye one Cadeyrn so he doesn't do anything to harm Sangradeen. Sangradeen turned to see the giant elf looking at the golems.

"Because they're wierd, and annoying." He replied even thought he was quite odd in appearence himself.

"Please forgive me, noble elf. I merely live to help others. Do you have a family?" asked Relthor, turning his attention on Ar'mai.

"Yes..." was all she replied.

Bael'ther continued to inspect the golem despite their notice.

"Oh, but we're all wierd and annoying in our own ways," laughed Relthor. "I was known as many to be annoying, for being so joyous. We are all just...misunderstood."

"Is your elven friend over there related to you?" he asked, pointing his muzzle towards Bael'ther.

Sangradeen began to walk over to the giant elf when Heerall said, "And if he is hostile?"
"He did not wish to harm us," replied Sangradeen, "And the rest seemed to know who he is. He shouldn't be hostile."
"What if he thinks that mastery of golems borderlines necromantic values?" Sangradeen ingnored Heerall's comment and continued to walk over to the elf. He tried to display himself as prestigous as possible to the elf, difficult for a hunchback such as Sangradeen. "May I help you, sir?"

"Oh, but we're all wierd and annoying in our own ways," laughed Relthor. "I was known as many to be annoying, for being so joyous. We are all just...misunderstood."

"Is your elven friend over there related to you?" he asked, pointing his muzzle towards Bael'ther.

"I don't think misunderstood is the right word. I think we are all understood and yet we find certain traits annoying," Ar'mai commented. "And no, he is not related. At least not by blood."

Lorathin noticed that the golem dude was talking to Bael'ther and walked over, "The good elf is unfortunately a mute."

"Oh. A husband?" Relthor questioned.

"You seem to have taken great interest in us, dragon. Why?" Inzikai called out to Relthor.

"Because...Well, I have been imprisoned for such a long time. I am curious as to how mortals are today," Relthor replied, slightly nervous about the question.

Relthor is not telling us something... thought Inzikai.

"He is a mute?", sympathized Sangradeen. "Always a shame to lose your main contact with the world. I wonder why he is eying my golems, though."

"I'd guess he finds them interesting." He commented

Lorathin noticed that the golem dude was talking to Bael'ther and walked over, "The good elf is unfortunately a mute."

ooc: Golem 'dude'... *chuckles*

ooc2: It appears I have mixed up the names of the golem master and the golems. Sangradeen is the golem master? Heerall is a golem and who else?

ooc3: Heerall meets Speaknone *chuckles again*

"Oh. A husband?" Relthor questioned.

"No..." Ar'mai replied. Speaking of her elven clansmen from home was not something she often did.

Bael'ther continued to examine the golems, not having seen any before - or at least none he knew of.

"A meeting with Valtrox, hmmm? Interesting. You have that ability, Inzikai? That is quite a feat."

ooc2: It appears I have mixed up the names of the golem master and the golems. Sangradeen is the golem master? Heerall is a golem and who else?

ooc:Sangradeen is the golem master. Heerall is a golem made of armor and clothes. Damien is a huge golem made of very sticky clay.

And Golem"dude" is funny...

"Ahh. Do you have a husband, then? And children?" asked Relthor.

Inzikai was about to answer for Ar'mai, but decided that if she was lieing to Inzikai earlier, she would probably not lie to the great dragon.

"I can't call meetings with Valtrox often. He usually speaks to me. And if he learns of this plan, he may request to speak with this beast..."

"Ahh. Do you have a husband, then? And children?" asked Relthor.

ooc: I thought Relthor just asked her this, and she replied "No..."

ooc: I thought Relthor just asked her this, and she replied "No..."

Ancient dragon has alzheimers... :D

ooc: LoL he was referring to Bael'ther being her husband. I should have phrased it better...lol alzheimers...

Ancient dragon has alzheimers... :D

ooc: okay...

"Still no..."

ooc: LoL @ quote...


"Ah. Have you been looking, or are you like your human friend, wandering but not quite looking for one?" he asked, messing with the pile of sand yet again.

"I certainly could find one. But I do not wander to find one nor do I wander because I do not have a home or people that love me," Ar'mai commented, simultaneously taking a slight cheap shot at Lorathin whether it was true or not.

"Oh? Do you mind me asking who your ideal mate look like?" Relthor chuckled, picking up sand and letting it flow back onto the ground.

"I do..."

All this talk of mates and love bored Tlaxkrox. "Dragon. What other powes do you have? Forgive me, I missed your name..."

"Please forgive me, elf..." Relthor replied, bowing his head. He remained silent as he laid his head on a hill of sand, playing with his tiny pile.

He picked up the sand and let it spin in between his hand and the mound, as he had when trying to make Lorathin's ideal mate. It formed into small dragon form, eyes glowing green, the sand creating a golden sheen...

Relthor blew on the sand-creature, and it fluttered around his head, until it disintegrated, sand dropping on the great dragon's neck, and sliding in two separate mounds next to him.

"I am Relthor, young Skizzarish. As for powers, I have many. What power are you thinking of exactly?"

Relthor let his gaze wander to the hunchback and his golems.

"Are your creations...sentient?" he asked quietly, his head still on the ground.

Ar'mai waved her hand slightly. "There is nothing to forgive."

"Thank you, kind elf. Why and how did you all get imprisoned by the Imperium anyways?" he asked all of them.

"Sentient...", Sangradeen started. "Yes. Both of them are capable of thinking on their own and have somewhat of a conscious. Heerall is a much more complex thinker than Damien. Damien was only made to marvel the beauty that is nature, be polite, and to fight and defend himself. Heerall's thinking matches that of an intelligent human being, but he understands who created him. As for the reason I was at the arena, I volunteered in a way."

"I commend you on your creations, kind sir," replied Relthor, as he studied the golems. "It takes hard effort to make inanimate objects animate, and much harder to make them think on their own..."

"What kind of killing or hurting spells can you do?" Kalzog asked, suddenly. This was the question both Inzikai and Sarik wanted to ask, yet neither had wanted to ask so bluntly...

Relthor clawed at the sand, looking at the marks he made. "Many...none that I am proud of..." he replied after several moments of silence. "But I can do many other things!" he added on a cheery note, trying to get away from the idea of killing.

"Kalzog threatened someone, and they accused me of weather tampering." Lorathin replied

"I didn't threaten someone...I killed him! And it felt good..." laughed Kalzog, flexing his hand.

Relthor looked sadly at Kalzog. "Killing has never solved anything in my life..."

"Then you must have not killed the right things," replied Kalzog, his wicked grin on his face.

"You also threatened the guards with bodily harm, and killing doesn't always solve all the problems." He commented

"It did for me," replied Kalzog as he walked back to his hole and slid down.

"You also threatened the guards with bodily harm, and killing doesn't always solve all the problems." He commented

"No, but unfortunately, it sometimes does..." Ar'mai admitted regretfully.

"That's true enought." He agreed

"Silence!" growled Relthor. "Let us not talk about death or killing. Let us instead talk of something...nicer..."

"Like what, good dragon?" Inzikai asked, as he sprawled out on the sandy floor.

"I don't know...ask me a question," Relthor replied, checking on the symbol he etched in the ground. Grass had begun to sprout out in the area.

"Did you have any wee ones?" Lorathin asked as he began pacing.

"Ah...I did not when I was captured...but my wife was ready to lay her eggs...I do hope she escaped with the eggs. Us dragons have such a hard time keeping our young alive and well," replied Relthor, scratching more symbols into the sand.

"Hopefully they did well." He replied

"Are all other dragons like you. Intellegent, pacifistic and magical? Also, what other things can you create from the sands?" Tlaxkrox was interested in this beast, even though it abhorred violence. Violence and battle was all he knew...

"We can only hope...," Relthor sighed in reply to Lorathin's response.

"No, I am one of a kind," Relthor chuckled. " All of us ageless ones are very magical, and quite intelligent, but we are rarely pacifists. My blood brothers are quite the warmongers. Always trying to ruin others, and always trying to get me to join them. Even my mate enjoyed having a few stomping grounds..."

"Other things I can create from sand? Request something, and I can try to create it," smiled Relthor.

The desert reminded Harlin of his home in Fandar. Still, it was beginning to have its effect on him. Through his parched throat he croaked, "Some water would be nice."

Relthor laughed. "I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten the basic necessities!"

He used his massive hands to dig a large pile of sand near Minos. His hand flashed and suddenly, cool water flowed from his hand, into the hole he made.

"Anything else?"

"So you could make me a mount then? A fauthful one that obeys me? What is the limit to your powers of animation? How big could it be?"

"A mount? Dear me," chuckled the dragon. "What kind of mount? I am no god, so I cannot truly give your creature life. My creations are souless, and are basically...loyal servants until death."

"Hmm... Intrersting. Give me some time Relthor. I will have a suggestion soon." After thinking for a while, he tried something. "This is just a suggestion, not something I want. I just want to see it. A reptillian mount. Bipedal. Red Scales. Short forearms. Large head. Large teeth. Long tail Twenty feet long.Think you can show me this?" Tlaxkrox waited to see if he could.

"I've met a dragon similar to what you've just described..." chuckled Relthor quietly, as he set to work, the sand twisting and spinning into place.

Sure enough, a creature similar to the one described was formed within the whirling sand. "I should also tell you, that my larger creations do not last long..." he muttered as he set the final details in the beast.

"Incredible. The sand model does not have to last. Do you know where I can find one of these beings? Are they sentient beings like you?" Tlaxkrox could see himself riding into glorious battle with one of these beasts. It would be amazing.

Cadeyrn sat on a dune overlooking the vast wastes. The banter behind him was openly annoying him.

Let's play 'kiss the dragons' ass and what kind of dragon doesn't want to kill or talk about killing. What a weak beast. He thought playing with the crystal Rimoru had given him.

"Killing solves many things." He grunted below his breath.

Drinking deeply from the water, Harlin swallowed what was in his mouth and said, "Thank you greatly Relthor." He then returned his head to the water.

Meanwhile, Minos played with several globules of water. Floating them around in front of him to form a small bird. Which flew off and exploded in a shower of water when it hit the back of Lorathin's head. Minos laughed gently at his now drenched companion.

Shara on the other hand was practicing her healing prayers on the few wounds that she had received in her battle in the Arena. Her small cuts knit themselves back together as though gentle hands were mending a broken seam. Shara could feel Westera's presence as her wounds vanished.

Harlin had had his fill of water and asked no one in particular, "Where to next, and when?"

"Oh, these being's are rare. Probably moreso than us Ageless ones. The particular dragon I saw was roaming around the deserts and forests of Lustria. They are sentient for the most part, but as much as I hate to admit it, they could probably be tamed...such as dragons are today," Relthor replied.

"We must continue our quest. We are now much closer to Rimoru's library, thanks to you, noble dragon," replied Sarik to Harlin. "I think we should leave in the morning, and get our rest now..."

"Ah...Rimoru," Relthor smiled. "Such a darling little girl, when I first knew her. I witnessed her birth, you know?"

"Why do you know my boss, Rimoru, Dragon?" Cadeyrn asked out of curiousity.

Tlaxkrox walked over to Inzikai. "Inzikai, did you see the beast the drgon made? He says they are found in Lustria. Do you know how to find one? If you can, bring me to it or it to me. That can be my first payment, rather than gold."

"I have never seen such a creature, Tlaxkrox...He said they were quite rare..." replied Inzikai, as he had started to feel tired.

"I was given to Rimoru as a gift. Her noble family had done many things for us Ageless ones. However, the dragons and mortals coexistance began to decline...I was banned from seeing her, as she was forbidden to keep me. We continued our existance as if we never knew each other. Every day, however I remembered the angel that she was...that I was to protect..."

"I'm guessing you are now, or were, her protector?" asked Relthor.

"That is alright, Inzikai. I will see if the dragon will help me." Tlaxkrox approached the dragon again. "Relthor, do you know if you can help me find one of these beasts? Also, what are they called? I wish to learn much from these creature's knowledge. Also, are they aggresive?"

"Yes, I am her guardian now; sworn to defend her to my last breath under a contract of blood." He spoke strongly in front of the friendly dragon. "I can hardly believe that she was an angel once." Cadeyrn added chuckling.

You're joking with a d-r-a-g-o-n Cadey...

"My name is Caeyrn Bran the Berserker, it's a pleasure to meet my bosses' former guardian."

Relthor laughed. "Little skizzarish, I myself have only seen it once before. I barely had enough time to talk to it, so I would not know it's name or the name of the race. I will, however search for it when I am flying. Just let it be known they are very aggressive..."

Relthor smiled and bowed his large head at Cadeyrn. "Pleasure to meet you, Caderyn. Rimoru is no longer an angel? Does not surprise me. She always had that rebellous streak in her, much to the disgust of her parents." He chuckled slightly.

"Tell me, how is she these days? How does she look? I have been imprisoned for so long..."

"Rimoru is still very beautiful and uses that to her advantage as much as possible." He said with a devious little smirk.

"It appears there is some trouble in her empire though. Excuse the lack of details for I'm not one to keep attention in the news." He finished tapping on the hilt of his blade.

"How long?" Ar'mai asked. But she then realized he probably wouldn't know the exact time. "When you were imprisoned, what was going on in the world?" she asked, hoping that one of the companions from around here could match the period he described to a date.

Whilst the others talked, Lorathin decided on a nap, and fell asleep where he was sitting.

"Wow...What happened back then," Relthor asked himself, looking upwards, deep in thought. "Rimoru was to be married, The Patriarch had been given his title and much celebration around his coronation...Morgrathiens ended a bloody civil war...The Imperium...well...The Imperium seemed pretty neutral..."

"Sound familiar to any of you from this area?" Ar'mai asked, looking to Inzikai or Sarik in particular.

wow blasit empire your fingers must be tired

"Yes," Inzikai replied. "I was the one Rimoru was going to marry..."

"Oh? How joyous!" Smiled Relthor. "You did marry her?"

"No. I could not..." replied Inzikai, pulling his hood farther over his head. He didn't feel like explaining...

Relthor frowned. "Why not?"

"I just...couldn't. Let's leave it at that," growled Inzikai, crossing his arms.

Sarik just shrugged his shoulders. "I wasn't alive back that, I'm afraid," he replied, smiling weakly.

"So that's why she has such a strong toward the Patriarch." He responded in deep thought. "Agh all I need to know is what is necessary to protect her."

Caedyrn fell onto his butt and crossed his arms.

"I've missed out on so much my whole life." He said remoursefully rubbing the scar across the bridge of his nose. "Oh well, I can't say I didn't have fun."

i salute you

ooc: Vogonsphere, please refrain from posting in this thread. In fact, it would be nice if you deleted your previous two posts in this thread as well.


IC:
"Oh? I'm guessing you've been fighting or traveling all your life?" Relthor asked Cadeyrn. "Do you think you'll settle down, when you're done protecting the Empress?"

As the sun began to sink in the west, Harlin stood and turned to the others. "Desert nights are the opposite of the days. They are incredibly cold, and it would be best for us to build some sort of shelter."

Minos looked up at him from his chosen spot on the sand. Raising his hands, the sand around him began to 'grow', and was soon a very large mound. Minos' eyes had taken on the same gray/white color as before and his face was taught with concentration. Suddenly, a small gout of super hot flames shot out of a hole that had formed in the front, as well as from a smaller hole in the top. Minos' eyes turned back to normal and he said to Harlin, "There we go."

Harlin walked into the dome through the hole in the front, and was assailed by the still blistering heat. When it had cooled enough for him to open his eyes without them hurting, he saw that the inside of the dome was a sizable room with an assortment of glass furniture, and all glass walls.

Stepping back out, he said to Minos, "That's incredible, how'd you make that?"

"Well," Minos replied, "I made all of the forms out of sand, and then use fire to transform them into glass so that they could remain after I stopped concentrating on them."

Shara looked at Minos, and laughed, "I can imagine how much concentration that takes."

Minos smiled in response, and chuckled, "It's the little details that are the hardest."

Harlin looked back to Relthor, "Master Relthor, perhaps you could provide us with some food, as our stores were confiscated by the Imperium."

"Oh? What would you request?" Relthor asked, as he examined the dome building Minos created. "You are quite gifted, human!"

Tlaxkrox grew bored. "Does anyone want to do a qucik sparring match? Just to get some exercise, no bloodshed or death."

"I would, but I would rather be rested for our journey tomorrow morning..." replied Sarik.

"Same with me," Inzikai added, as began thinking up ways to get a shelter or somehow keep him warm...

"If no one will spar against you, perhaps you would enjoy fighting a sand-creature?" Relthor asked.

Once again the dragon surprised him. "Yes, I will spar a sand creature. Make a worthy opponent for me, please."

"Worthy...let's try this one, then," Relthor smiled, as the sand began to coalesce between his hand and the ground once more. A strange blob formed and rolled out from under Relthor's hand. He smiled as he watched the coming skirmish.

The sand blob rolled towards Tlaxkrox, preparing some strange form of attack.

"My whole life has revolved around my skill with a blade; never knew my parents or where I was even born." He said to the dragon sadly. "Everyday I dream about raising a family in a quite farm. I see two kids, both boys, a dog, and a beautiful wife sitting on a porch waiting for me to come home."

He took a deep breath staring into the vast desert.

"As soon as this job is over I'm going to settle down. I imagine that you know such a feeling quite well." He guessed trying to understand his bosses' former guardian.

"That I do..." replied Relthor as he watched his sand-blob roll around. "Well...kind of. I was forbidden to see the young Rimoru, so I never really finished my guardianship. When I left, I was alone, a large gap in my life. I met my mate because of this, and we did live happily, enjoying life to its fullest. Until I was captured..."

Relthor's hand drifted back to a pile of sand. "Mind if I ask you how your ideal mate would look like?" he asked with a sly smile on his face.

"She would be slender and graceful. Whenever I dream of her I just see a delicate shadow that moves majestically; this shadow is completely opposite of myself." He said lost in a heaven like reverie.

"What was your mate like?" Cadeyrn asked curiously.

"A sand blob, ehh?Well. here it goes!" Tlaxkrox grabbed his mace and rushed foward, slamming his mace into the blob, waiting to see what it would do.

The blob convulsed around Tlaxkrox's mace, sucking it into the blob. Tentacles sprung out from it's sides, attempting to grab hold of the Skizzarish warrior.

"Slender?" Relthor asked as he kept an eye out for Tlaxkrox while creating the femine figure. "My mate...fiery, passionate. Beautiful. She enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed hers. She always jested at the right times, and comforted me when times were rough. She did, however, seemed to be addicted to treasures, as many dragons have been known to do. Oh, how I miss her..."

The slender figure within the sands had formed, slight curves on her form. "What race? What hair color, eye color? I find elves to be graceful and slender, however humans have done so as well," he said, quietly, not meaning to embarrass or anger Ar'mai or Shara.

Tlaxkrox lept back, dodging tentacles as he did. His mace was in the blob. He grabbed his throwing spears and began hurling them at the beast.

Each spear made a sick suction noise as it hit the blob. Soon, they too began to be absorbed. The blob began to creep closer, it's tentacles feeling the area around it, like a blind man would with his cane.

Cadeyrn gasped as he marvelled at the dragon's animation skills.

He chuckled before slashing through the sand creature with his massive blade and gently announcing: "I do not wish to set what she will look like; when I meet her I will know. Her personality though..." He paused thinking. "I would like her to be very shy and calm. I would like the total opposite of me to fill the hole in my life."

"I am sorry that you lost your love. I was never given nothing to lose so I'll never know that kind of feeling." He apologized sympathetically. "Please tell me more about Rimoru."

Regular weapons would do nothing against this thing. To bad he had no magic. He serched for a way to win. Thats when he got an idea. He grabbed one of the tentacles and ripped it off. Hoping to get the blob's attention, Tlaxkrox lept into the body of water Relthor made. "Let's see you get in the water, sand blob."

ooc: LoL Breitanburg, you read my mind!!!

"I hope you'll never get that feeling, Cadeyrn, it is one of desperation and sadness..." replied Relthor sadly, letting the sands dissolve back into their pile.

"Rimoru...was unlike any creature I have ever met. She loved life, and enjoyed taking it to it's fullest...like my wife. She loved me as well, always wishing to ride on me. She loved the sense of freedom, despite her parent's harsh penalties for disobeying her."

Relthor chuckled. "They even penalized me for pushing her to these extremes...I watched as she grew into a lovely woman, always attracting the attention of men, no matter the race. I even fell for her for a time..." he continued dreamily.

"With our, the Ageless Ones, blessings she too became Ageless. She would remain forever young, forever wise. Her parents did much for us dragons, and we requested that be the least we could do for her..."

"As she came of age, I became less of a guardian, and more of a tutor. I taught her many skills, art, poetry, literature, law, magic. I told her to love all things, and she'll recieve love in return. Perhaps she took it to the extreme, but you cannot blame her for that..."

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

The blob continued to follow the skizzarish, across the water. The blob rolled into the water, and floated towards Tlaxkrox, sand falling off it's body every second.

Tlaxkrox laughed. The blob had fallen for his plan. He waded away, allowing for more of the blob to disappate. Finally, his mace was visable. He grabbed it, and beat the blob into the water. Because it could not hold it's form, it couldn't suck the mace in. Tlaxkrox emerged from the water victourious. "For a pacifistic dragon, your creations are quite cunning and strong."

OOC- Yeah, I've been known to read minds. Sometimes.:D

Relthor laughed weakly. "I wasn't always a pacifist..."

"Really? Tell me about this. You must understand, I come from the Blood Pyramid. Everything there is about battle. That is where my interest comes from. Perhaps you can help me leave the path I am on." Tlaxkrox had no intention of changing his views, but he wanted to try to reach the dragon, if only to learn it's secrets.

"Oh? What would you request?" Relthor asked, as he examined the dome building Minos created. "You are quite gifted, human!"

Minos turned his head towards the dragon, "Gifted, not particularly. I trained long and hard for that kind of control over the elements."

"I would prefer not to, skizzarish. They were dark times that I dare not forgive myself of. I still hesitate to think of such..." replied Relthor. "However, just think of what you can do to create life instead of death!"

Relthor pointed to the sand. "Instead of creating warriors, I create meals, shelters, water."

He pointed to the symbol he etched out long ago, trees now growing out. "Instead of weapons of war, I create weapons of life..."

"Anything can be turned to good..." he finally said with a smile.

Yah...I wonder what he'd say to my disintegration spell, thought Inzikai as he tried to get some sleep.

"Oh, but surely your mastery of the elements has been reached by few?" Relthor asked, as a strange pig-like creature formed out of the sand. Out of it's back sprouted fruits and vegetables, while meat was plentiful on it's belly. "I'm afraid I am not sure what you all would like to eat. I know many elves who would not eat meat, but I know many humans who enjoy it greatly."

The obese pig creature waddled it's way towards Minos' shelter.

"Rimoru definately has that affect on men." He recalled to her flirtacious attitudes and behavior.

"Some say it is better to have loved and lost, but I think that is a load of ogre shit." He said brashly.

Cadeyrn began doing fighting styles with his gargatuan blade. The sand whirled around caught in the wind of each attack. He seemed to be shadowing his every movement with a coutner sytle.

Ar'mai walked over to the food and began eating some fruits.



Congrats on 1000th post, Blastit.

"Hey! What did you say about Ogres!" growled the previously (and surprisingly) silent Kalzog from inside his hole.

"You are quite the fighter, Cadeyrn. Care to spar against a sand creature?" he asked absent-mindedly.

ooc: Wow! I never even noticed that! Im a pimp! Ha ha!:p

Harlin walked over to the food-pig and grabbed an apple off its back. "I'm sure this will be more than enough, Relthor. Thank you for your consideration of our needs." He wiped the apple on his robe before taking a bite with a loud crunch as juices dripped from the corners of his mouth. This is the best apple I've ever had! he thought.

Minos thought for a second, "True, I have never met anyone as skilled as myself, but that doesn't mean such a person doesn't exist. Truthfully, I have not met many elementalists in my time, save my master at the Guild's Academy. He was far more powerful than myself, but he was also much older. Thus, I strive to attain that level of skill."

"I only compared a frequent saying to your excrimates big guy." He said to the beast crawling out of his hole.

"Wouldn't mind a quick little sparring match." He replied with a wicked grin.

"Not much different from all your race's poop," chuckled Kalzog.

"Hmmm...let's change things up," smiled Relthor, as an exact copy of Cadeyrn formed from the sand, complete with the giant sword.

The Cadeyrn copy rubbed it's nose and sneered at the real Cadeyrn.

"How old are you, human?" Relthor asked of Minos, keeping an eye on the Cadeyrns.

Cadeyrn drew his blade at waist height keeping it back for a quick parry. Without even having time to completely size up his opponent a sand dart flew right as face and he quickly batted it away.

Swing after swing his sand form matched his every strike.

Damn, I'm better than I thought.

"Relthor, if it is not to much to ask, could you make me a new opponent to sparr? The last one was good, so I exspect another good one."