NationStates Jolt Archive

Leviathan managed to inflict multiple light wounds on both of the gods he was fighting, an impressive feat. Khorne was sutibly impressed,"Why do you not join us?"

Before Leviathan could answer however, Warfare's Law wave hit all the Chaos Pantheon. They scowled, and as one, all attacked him at once. Leviathan tried depserately to save his friend, inflicting a near mortal wound on Slannesh, the youngest of the Chaos gods.

Warfare could fight off two, but not four. he took multiple hits, and went to his knees, was this the end of Warfare?

Leviathan screamed,"NO!"

He teleported Warfare some distance away, and instead put himself in the middle of the Chaos gods, fighting them all at once. It was a nigh hopeless situation

Warfare did the only thing he could do.

"I'm sorry my friend. I am too weak to help you. The needs of the Many, outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. That's what Gene Roddenberry said. Creation must be saved, and you can return after a time. The rest of the council must be warned, Chaos has united." Warfare said with tears in his eyes as his friend fell.

Using his remaing strength, he teleported away, to the safety of the council.

Arianna saw what a frightful condition he was in, and put out a summons for the entire Wizards Council to come to a meeting. She knew where Warfare was, Gypsy had told her. Gypsy was in her tent, crying over Leviathan's Death. She knew what had happened, and the Council must be told.

The last words from Leviathan's mouth were simple,"Run, you fool"

He simply exploded with Black Flame. As Warfare teleported away, he held up his hands, and began to work his magick. Black Flame Ultima... his most powerful attack. The Pantheon stopped,"You fool, you'll kill yourself"

L -- "A sacrifice must be made. I would rather die here to stop you, than allow billions upon billions of innocent lives to be destroyed."

A flash. Silence. Leviathan was truly no more

Warfare collapsed. He would be out for awhile. he knew Leviathan would be allowed to return though. Perhaps after, if, the Chaos Pantheon was stopped.

*Chaos Wastes*
K -- "A brave one... but foolish nevertheless."

T -- "Slannesh will return soon"

N -- "And the time draws ever closer when we can bait the trap"


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

*Chaos Temple, Snake Eater Prime*
Cougar suddenly slumped against the wall, feeling light-headed. He couldn't figure out what was wrong... he just felt weird

Costh seeing Cougar slump asked, "What's wrong?"

"Something... I don't know what... just this voice screaming in my head... but I don't know who"

Rhenna took her husband's arm briefly.

"Something has happened that somehow you can feel. But here and now, we need you focused, James. After we get out, I'm sure you'll find out. Until then...I doubt it will change."

Vedt, meanwhile, had gone over to the wall and started examining the indentation. Rhenna had been on her way to when Cougar had slumped...she'd join him in analysis as soon as his pupil had pulled himself together.

James shook himself slightly,"That was the strangest feeling in the world. But I'm fine"

He stood up once more, and started checking more around the chamber, trying to figure out what had happened to him

Rhenna went over to Vedt, and they began analysing and discussing the odd indentation in the wall.

They would discover that Wolf had been right, all they had to was push it. However, there was something else... something underlying that neither would be able to put their finger on. It didn't feel right

V -- "Well...we can push it..."

Rn -- "But it probably wouldn't be the best of ideas."

W -- "There's got to be another way out of here"

C -- *Calling*"There is, over here"

The Drow look at the area Cougar's indicating, and Vedt goes to take a look at that.

Cougar was looking at a hole in the wall, not dissimilar to an air-vent,"Looks big enough to fit through... unless we turn back the way we came"

V -- "This way has both advantages and disadvantages...while the disadvantages the other way are unknown entirely...as are the advantages."

Cougar nodded,"I'd already considered that... either way, we don't know what we're getting into. We may as well turn back... we don't want to stay in here much longer than we have to"

W -- "Amen to that"

Rn -- "We haven't learned much of anything yet. We wouldn't have much more than suspicion to go on if we turned back now."

C -- "And we don't anything more than suspicion by pressing that indent, or crawling through here"

V -- "On the contrary...we have evidence that at least Khorne and Nurgle are working in this, whatever it is...further investigation may allow us to know whether or not you are right, and the thing you are looking at is Chaos Undivided."

Private thought: I know it's Chaos Undivided... all I need is the final piece of the puzzle

He nodded,"Well, that still leaves us with a choice, do we stay here, or do we leave and try to find the main chamber of this place?"

Rn -- "We should probably find the Main Chamber."

W -- "I agree with Rhenna, the Main Chamber should be our main objective"

C -- "Do you disagree, Vedt?"

V -- "Have you learned nothing of me in all these years, dalhar?"

C -- "Not on this particular issue, no"

Rn -- "Vedt agrees that we should continue, James."

C -- "Thank you for clarifying that. Given that this situation never arose before, it would have been difficult to learn it"

He motioned to Wolf, who nodded and followed him through the door they had orginally came through. Leaving their white lights off, and working with red-lights only, they moved slowly down the corridor, for although it had been cleared once, what was to stop something coming up since. They arrived at the T-junction, and instead took the other path, moving slower this time. Up ahead, shafts of light could be seen pentrating some room. The path turned into steps, and they climbed these, still going slow

Vedt's eyes narrowed behind his mask.
This situation has my human pupil more tense than he would like to believe.

He cast a glance back at Rhenna.

It doesn't seem to have infected her...good. I was wondering whether or not Mith checked that the virus would attack dragons, or the vaccine be accepted by dragon blood. Then again...no. We have the task at hand...no use worrying about anything that hasn't occurred, and is unlikely to occur.

Cougar and Wolf stopped at the final door, checking inside quickly before bursting in, covering the angles of fire. Quick, professional. A textbook example of room clearance. Neither had fired a shot... but something was amiss.

The room was large, incredibly so. It looked as if it were larger than the actual temple... time and space were altered here. It could be felt by all present. As the two team-mates advanced, there was a scream from the near-blackness, followed by a knife blade swishing through the air, taking a small nick out of Cougar's ear. He grimaced, and squeezed the trigger of his rifle, the mana-rounds cutting through whatever was attacking them. However, more screams were heard... the servants of Chaos had awoken

Rhenna and Vedt leapt into the room then, each firing a disk of some lawful type of energy into the mass.

The disks cut through Chaotic flesh and magick, taking out scores on their own. But still, they kept coming.

Cougar, meanwhile, had lit himself up, the Flame roaring around him, taking out anything that came close. He'd even extended it cover Wolf, whilst she blasted away with the Mana rounds he'd given her. On their own, an island in the middle of the hordes, they fought with whatever they had to hand... it was quite impressive, two people, only one of whom had any magick, were holding back huge numbers. Those that came close were killed

Rhenna and Vedt penetrated deeper into the Chaotic hordes, using various spells, and even enchanted weapons. This was part of what it meant to be a mage...and these two took it seriously.

Scores of demons would fall.

And fall they did. Not only to the hands, spells and weapons of the two mages, but also to the firepower from Wolf, and the spells of Cougar, infused with his own little touches. His hair was midway down his back, and his eyes shone in the darkness. The hair actually flew wildy, moving with the eddies and the currents in the magick.

W -- "That's quite scary"

C -- "How do you think I feel?"

Still, the demons kept coming... it felt like there was no end. That was until the portal was spotted by Wolf,"RHENNA! VEDT!"

Rhenna snapped her head toward the area indicated by Wolf, and rose into the air.

L'puul obsul'e d'lil errdegahr sargtlinen,
Usstan raldar dos d' dosst yorn.
Veir, lu' neitar pahntar 'sohna.

A globe of red energy appeared, and spun on its axis toward the portal.

The portal struggled against the orb for a brief moment, then collapsed inwards on itself, drawing all the demons back with it to the Chaos Wastes. Cougar powered down, his face exactly the same as before. He left the nick in his ear for a moment, then healed it right up. It looked no different than before.

In front of them was a stone table... the top was adorned with runes, scrawled in places. However, a select set glowed, as if they were the most important. Neither of the two SHADOW soliders could translate them

Rhenna remained in the air for a moment, her eyes glowing green (dragon eyes), before setting back down.

W -- "Recognize these?"

C -- "No... I don't"

He looked at the runes, then frowned,"And the written translator can't decipher them either"

V -- "I recognise this text. Rhenna..."

She's already over there, running her fingers along the script as she attempts to translate.

"D'anthe, this...was it in that one book, or the other one?"

They converse ambiguously for a few minutes.

"Oh, no wonder. These are numbers. *A few silent moments as she tries to remember and recognise* 548-832, and 253-976. Does that make any sort of sense to anyone?"

W -- "James?"

C -- "I recognise them. These are spatial coordinates... the first set is using the normal X and Y axis theorem, but the second set defines the accurate position using the Z and distance from the nearest Snake system... this position is in the middle of the Eye of Terror"

V -- "Translation, Wanre, for those of us who are not Snake Eaters."

Cougar smiled slightly,"Sorry, I forget sometimes. Alright, the Eye of Terror... it's kind of hard to define, but I suppose the best way you could describe it is as a bridge, between this world and the world of Chaos. From what we can gather, a huge event in galactic history caused the Eye to open... and it's kind of like a gigantic storm, which has only one entry, and one exit. It's largely off-limits, and kept under survillence by a large number of nations, Snake Eaters included."

Rn -- "Oh. L' Sol del Vhid. We've long been aware of it."

He nodded,"I thought you might, but different nations obviously have different names for it. Something that big doesn't normally go unnoticed for long"

V -- "L' Sol del Vhid? Interesting. Your problem just got a whole lot bigger, Cougar."

The mage said this in an offhand manner, as though Cougar's cat had just had kittens, instead of his planet and people being endangered.

Cougar might or might not know him well enough to know that his apparent lack of concern was not genuine...he merely had a different way of looking at the situation. He was still involved, still troubled...just..casual about it.

Cougar smiled thinly, knowing how his teacher reacted to things like this,"I was going to say that... but you beat me to it"

He ran his hand through his hair, then stopped,"And it just got worse"

Vedt raised an eyebrow, and Rhenna turned her head over her shoulder to look at her husband.

Cougar's eyes were looking at a symbol that was inlaid into the table. It wasn't glowing, nor was it majorly conspicious, but it was obivously enough to get him worked up

V -- "Renor was speaking about a glyph that looked like this. Chaos Undivided, no?"

Rn -- "It isn't glowing, though. Wouldn't they have chosen their champion before making such an attack?"

V -- "In all likelihood...the poor soul back on that sacrificial alter came in far sooner than he should have."

"Either that... or they don't need it to glow anymore"

James wasn't exactly pale, but he wasn't exactly his normal self either. As he was talking, the Nurgle part of the glyph began to glow, brighter and brighter,"I think it's time to get out of here.Now"

Vedt nods, and begins to lead the way out. Rhenna waits to take the rear position again.

As they reached the door, something uttered a single word,"Rot"

A dark cloud surrounded the whole group, flies buzzing around them as well. It was if disease itself was surrounding them, trying to stop them going anywhere

The mages' initial reaction was to stop breathing temporarily.

Vedt focused back at Cougar, and red-tinged words would form across his vision.

Burn it away.

Cougar didn't bother replying, but lit himelf up, driving the disease back, as the raw heat of the White Flame burnt up the parasites and the flies. The air cleared quickly, but when Cougar looked around... there was no one there

V -- "Let's go." He started moving again.

Wolf followed Vedt, whilst Cougar was just in front of Rhenna as they moved along. It wasn't too far to the entrance

They were almost there when Rhenna staggered slightly. She bumped into Coguar, and held onto his arm for a few moments, for balance.

She focused, trying to push this feeling away.

He looked at her, concerned,"You alright?"

She straightens up, giving him her best attempt at a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine. I don't know where that came from. Come on...I can see the entrance."

He frowned slightly,"If you're not feeling well, don't try to hide it. You never know in this place"

"There's not much we can do about it here. I'll have Mith check me out when we get back, okay?"

Vedt had turned to look at them, waiting for them to catch up, and Rhenna gently prods her husband toward the entrance/exit.

He smiled, and made his way towards Vedt, the rifle still in his shoulder. Until they got out of here, he was still very tense, despite what he tried to show

They emerged into the sunlight, which was harsh from the lack of foliage above them.

Vedt let Wolf take point again, now that they were out, and looked ahead, toward the area where they'd been left.

Cougar shielded his eyes for a moment, letting them adjust to the light, before applying the safety to his weapon, and slinging it across his back. He put his fingers to his throat, and said softly,"Eagle Eye, this is Snake"

Unheard by the others, bar Wolf, the reply was instant,"Eagle Eye here"

"Ready for pickup"

"Roger that, ETA two minutes"

He took his fingers away, and looked at the others,"Transports coming in"

V -- "Good."

In front of Cougar, Rhenna stopped briefly, then took another step, and started to fall...

Cougar gasped slightly, then moved quickly, much faster than his normal pace. He caught her before she hit the floor, and turned her over so that she was facing up. Crouched on the floor, he laid her out,"Rhenna, what's wrong?"

She curled up, holding to him slightly. "I don't know..."

Vedt snapped, and his AEagle, Avroth, took its bird-form.

"Go to Mith...tell him to send you back as soon as he has an emergency quarantine room set up."

The glider disappeared. It would come back in a few minutes.

He put his palm on her forehead, feeling how clammy her skin was. Her overall temperature was down, that much was obvious. His fingers moved to her jugular, feeling the pulse. It was quickened above it's normal pace, by quite some way. Her body was fighting something, that much was obvious,"Just hold on"

I have a really nasty feeling

She nods.

Avroth reappeared next to Vedt, who went over to Cougar and Rhenna.

"I'll teleport her directly to Mithdelmar. You take Wolf and Costh back to wherever they need to go, and then come back to Kaymiril."

"Thank you. I'll be there as soon as I can"

He let Rhenna go, squeezing her arm just before he did and flashing her a reassuring smile that he didn't believe. As he did so, the helicopter appeared above the canopy, flaring for landing,"C'mon, let's go"

Vedt picked up Rhenna and stood, then teleported.

They reappeared in Mithdelmar, where Mith began tests on both of them.

Wolf literally threw Costh into the back of the chopper, before she and Cougar got in themselves. He was white, scared for his wife and worry etched it's lines on his face. Wolf put her hand on his shoulder, and he smiled an unconvincing smile.

*Three hours later*
The Dauntless landed hard in Mithdelmar, shutting down quickly. Emerging from it's interior came Cougar, dressed in his normal clothes. He had told Costh he was free to go back to the Council if he wished. He hurried inside the temple

Vedt was waiting for him.

The mage's mouth and eyes were all that were visible of his face, as he had on his mask, but his eyes were narrowed, and the corners of his mouth were tightened.

Never a good sign.

Cougar's face was lined, his shoulders sagged as he saw Vedt. It got that way quickly when he was worried.

"Just tell me"

The mage shook his head.

"Mith can explain it better than I can. This way."

He turns, leading Cougar through the city, down into the depths of the building. Cougar had only been there once...when he had been learning the healing aspects of the Black Flame, under Aras's care.

Most thought that this was the deepest level of the temple...the worst problems were here.

But Vedt pushed open a door on the side of the wall, and led Cougar yet deeper.

When they finally got to the room, Mith was there, as were a few other medics.

As they descended deeper and deeper, his feeling of dread increased exponentially. He knew these levels existed... but he'd never been here. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat, and just followed Vedt through the door

Mith turned to Cougar.

Like Renor, all that could be seen of him were his eyes, which never seemed to lose a mixture of concern and compassion.

"Have a seat, Colonel."

He guestured to a chair.

The use of his rank, combined with the look in Mith's eyes, which looked more intense than normal, made Cougar obey without question

"As you know, virus susceptability differs greatly from race to race...that which attacks mammals rarely attacks reptiles, and vice versa. Very few human illnesses affect Drow...and I've never run into one, before now, that would attack a dragon. The inoculation I gave Rhenna against this virus, Nurgle's Rot, was attacked by her immune system...a draconic gene responsible. I don't know what happened in that temple, but somehow, she caught it...and I know of no cure."

A medic called out to Mith as he finished speaking.

"We have sores starting to form...there's one that's forming under healthy scale."

Mith looked from Cougar to the medic, then glanced back at Cougar before turning to address the problem.

"Then we'll have to remove the scale. It has to drain."

"So... essentially, what you are saying is, my wife is going to die, and there is no way to stop it?"

Cougar's tone was brittle, as if his voice was going to snap any moment

"At the present moment...that is the only answer I can honestly give you. Like I told you before I sent you out...this is the perfect virus...impossible to cure. Now, I have a little time...as little as one week ((Kaymirilian week = 10 days)), maybe as much as two. Seven to eighteen days where I might be able to help her before she succumbs...and in that time, I will be attempting the impossible."

Cougar nodded,"All you can do is your best"

He looked past Mith, then looked away again

M -- "I know this is difficult to hear, Cougar. We're done here, for an hour or so. It isn't normal procedure...but I'll let you stay with her."

He nodded mutely, waiting for the others to leave

Within a few minutes, the gray class mages had pulled out of the room, leaving Rhenna and Cougar alone.

He moved over to her, and sat on the air next to her. He couldn't touch due to quarantine... this was as close as he was going to be able to get

She opens her eyes and looks at him, and attempts a smile.

"You look centuries older than you are, James."

"A few hours can do that to a person," he said, attempting to return the smile but failing,"Mith's doing all he can"

"I know. He always does. In the mean time...I'm stuck here."

"Looks that way"

He sighed, and put his hand out. He didn't touch the field, but hovered just above it. It was as close as he could get

She reaches out as well.

"No matter what the outcome of this, James...these past few years have been the best of my entire life."

"And I can say the same... I've never enjoyed my life more. But I'm not willing to give up. Not ever"

"No...not until everything is over. Everyone else is all right, though?"

"Not until everything is said and done. Everyone else is fine... it was your dragon blood that did it"

"Tellryon seems to cause more trouble than he was ever worth."

"Maybe he does... but that doesn't mean we can lay the blame on anything... this was an accident, and I will find a way to reverse it"

There was a conviction in his voice... he really believed what he was saying. It could just have been the fact that he loved her, or that he had another idea, but in any case, he believed it.

Two days pass, and Rhenna starts spending less time even remotely concious.

Sores open...more scales are removed as older sores grow...and Mith, while trying to keep her as healthy as possible and find something to alleviate the symptoms, has mentally been shaving time off of his original estimate at how long she has left.

Although she tries to keep in good spirits in the decreasing amount of time she has/is awake, by the time forty-eight hours have elapsed, breathing on her own is a chore.

Mith, in a little nearby lab, was working. It's invaded her lungs...Tomorrow, or the next day, she won't be able to breathe on her own. Just so long as it doesn't infect the brain or cardio system, I might be able to keep her alive.

Cougar was left alone with Rhenna when the medics weren't actively working with her.

Cougar may have been no medic, doctor, or whatever you wanted to call them, but he was no fool. He knew that her condition was going downhill much faster than Mith's original estimate had predicted. He falsified his high spirit when he was with her, having learned how to close off certain parts of his mind.

Away from her, however, he was a wreck. He barely slept, he didn't eat unless he was forced... and this was only in fourty eight hours. If this kept up, he would die before she did... unless he found out how to cure this before the little time she had left ran out

Renor came in once, for a little. He had checked on his student, then looked at Cougar.

"You do neither of you any good in this manner."

Before Cougar could answer, the Black Class Master was called away, and left him alone with his wife again.

Cougar watched his master leave, and then looked back at Rhenna. She was unconcious, something that was becoming more common as the hours passed. He sighed, and reached out as if to stroke her hair.

"Oh Rhenna... it's been what, seven years? Seven years... god, what a time it's been though. We've seen so much, done so much, since we first met. Do you remember that?*chuckles darkly* If someone looked at us then, and then looked once more now, they'd think they were dreaming. There's been times I've thought the same thing... remember about three years ago? Those ice-moons were beautiful... shame we had to work. The first time Kaymiril and Snake Eaters both sent singles agents to the same location for the same purpose... we didn't figure it out at first though. I can still remember the look on your face though... I'm sure mine was just as funny though. It's things like that which keep this as interesting as it was when it started... theres still so much I don't know about you, or you about me... yet I wouldn't trade them for anything. We've had our share of close calls though, both out working and at home... such as five years ago... I was so scared for you back then, so uncertain of how you were going to be. If it weren't for Mith, neither of us would be here right now... I know I wouldn't, theres been enough of those close calls in the past seven years. Like my mission to Tselinoyarsk last year... if it weren't for you, I'd have died out there. I owe you my life, on more than one occasion... I just wish there was something I could do, but theres nothing to go on... except a series of numbers that sit in the middle of the Eye"

He paused, a revelation hitting him,"Wait a moment. It's the only lead we've got... and I'm willing to risk anything for you. It's a long shot, I know, but maybe, just maybe, theres something there that can help you... it's the only thing I can see"

He stood up, uncrossing his legs from where he had them folded whilst sitting on air, and kissed her through the field using the White Flame,"Don't go dying on me... I'm going to find this cure"

He made towards the door, and turned to look at her as he opened it,"Be strong, Rhenna, like I know you are"

There wasn't a response...then again, he'd known there wouldn't be.

He walked, his former posture coming back... he had a mission on his hands. And he was going to approach it like everything else: Get it done, or die trying

A Gray Class looked up at him as he walked out.

"Cougar, where are you going?"

"To do what I promised her I'd do; find that cure"

A voice spoke from behind him...as it was wont to do, it seemed.

"By doing what? Going alone on a fool's errand that is more likely to get you killed than give you the results you look for?"

He didn't bother turning around,"If she dies, I'm going to die anyway. Mith said it himself, this virus is perfect... and her time is running out faster than expected. I don't doubt his ability, but I DO doubt that he can find a cure in the little time he has left"

"And if you go out there and die today, then you may well shorten what time there is."

"What else do you suggest I do? Just sit around and watch her die, unable to help her? I can't and I won't do that, Vedt"

"Go in there as you are, with no help, and you seal her death. In the state she's in, the shock of your death might be enough to push her over."

"You have a suggestion?"

"Don't get yourself killed."

Cougar said dryly,"Wow, way to go on orginality. If you're so worried about this whole buisness, maybe you should come with me, and stop me getting killed"

"That's a far better idea than your original."

"Then let's go. Every moment we waste arguing puts her more at risk"

Vedt clicked his fingers, and they were sitting inside the shuttle.

"This thing, again..."

"Can you think of a better way"

She was like that.. the first few times

As he was speaking, Cougar turned to the main pilot console, and tapped in the coordinates exactly as they had appeared on the table. He made sure they were correct, and then, without waiting for a response from Vedt, he lifted the craft off the surface of the planet, and soared into the sky gracefully. Once clear of the system, he engaged the warp drive,"It shouldn't take too long to make it to the coordinates"

Vedt did not respond. If he had known of a better way to get there, wouldn't he have teleported them there, instead?

By the time they were off the ground, he had pulled himself into a meditation...a technique for focusing fashka for battle, and ridding oneself of unnecessary types of fashka.

Cougar was also working on his preparation... but he kept half an 'eye' on the flight controls, making sure they didn't drift off course. After a while though, he felt it neccessery to ask a question,"Why are you coming with me? Really?"

Costh had returned to the council hall where he continued with his work that had been interupted, unaware of the situation with Rhenna, Cougar and Vedt.

Cougar was also working on his preparation... but he kept half an 'eye' on the flight controls, making sure they didn't drift off course. After a while though, he felt it neccessery to ask a question,"Why are you coming with me? Really?"
"Do you need my motives, Cougar, or do you need my help?"

"Do you need my motives, Cougar, or do you need my help?"

"Your help"

"Then let me prepare to help, and if, after, you feel an interrogation still necessary, then I will answer your questions."

Cougar fell silent once more, thinking carefully to himself,Great, what did I do to deserve a teacher and companion like him?

Soon enough, the shuttle emerged from the warp, and Cougar looked out. He cursed softly

Vedt emerged from his meditation to look out at whatever it was that had upset Cougar.

Nothing had upset Cougar. For that was what he saw. Nothing

"What in holy hell is going on here?"

"Looks like a void of some sort. Still...let us see what we cannot discover..."

He stretched out with his magicks, probing this 'nothingness.'

He would get back something... it was large, metallic... but that was all he would be able to tell

"We are looking at a very large metal plate. Or a ship or construct of some sort that's been painted black."

"Or..."

Cougar tapped a few keys on the panel in front of them, and then reset the system. After a two second wait, the viewscreens turned back on... and there was a ship. It was painted... it was hard to tell what it had been painted, for the colour was forever shifting and changing. Even as they looked at it, the colour of the hull altered from a deep azure hue to a vivid red, before fading into a subdued green

"... we could be looking at a cloaked ship"

"This is why I don't take interest in space travel. With all the other concerns my class faces, this is too complex. At least...at the moment. For Shan's generation, this will be normal."

"Most likely... it makes your own world seem so small by comparision"

As he was speaking, Cougar was also looking at the latest data from the sensors. He raised an eyebrow,"Well, that's interesting"

Why can a human never speak in complete thoughts?

"And?"

"This ship matches reports that we've had of piracy on the shipping lanes, including vessels emerging from the ITH... it's of old Snake design, the Styx class cruiser... fast, fairly well armed... decomissioned almost thirty years ago... I wonder"

He tapped another few keys, and smiled slightly,"And we can get onboard."

He drew the shuttle level with the ships docking port, and allowed it to clamp onto the primary hull. There was a brief groan from the machinery as it adjusted the pressure and gravity, but otherwise, no sound. Eventually a green light flashed,"Let's go"

He stood, and went to the airlock door, opening it quietly, his mind on edge. He carried no weapons, bar his combat knife, and stepped into the corridor,"Seems clear... and so are the next three decks"

Vedt stepped in, looking around. While he lacked his half-dragon 'sister's' grace, he had a power, and a languid swiftness of motion that allowed his presence to be no less.

"What, exactly, are we looking for?"

"Anything and everything that can either suggest, or, even better, be a cure"

"That's a fairly wide description. Do these things have medical or botanical areas?"

"They did... medical is two decks up, botanics is four decks down. That is of course assuming they kept the orginal layout... wherever they are"

"Right. Now...the age-old question...do we split up, or do we stay together?"

To stay together was to cover the same amount of ground less quickly at less risk.

To split up was to cover the same amount of ground more quickly at more risk.

In all honesty, Vedt didn't like the idea of leaving the human to his own devices. As much for Rhenna's sake as for Cougar's, the human's life had to be preserved.

However, every little second that they didn't have the cure was one less second Mith had to help her.

"Stay together. We don't know enough about this ship, it's crew, or what else is onboard"

He found a ladder,"Looks like it's ladders all the way... no turbolifts on these things"

Without another word, he began to climb

Vedt followed him up the ladder.

"At the risk of sounding from a nation and city where technology has little to no hold...what is a turbolift?"

Cougar continued to climb, thinking,"Imagine a box. Imagine that box can travel up and down, and side to side. It can travel along only set paths, but can be ordered to go to a specific location along that path. You might understand one day... it doesn't matter though"

"Then it's a good thing there are ladders. Would you really rather be stuck in a box on a ship that is possibly and probably controlled by forces you know to be hostile?"

"Very true... ah, here it is"

Cougar pulled himself up the last rung, and got out,"By good fortune, we are right outside the medical bay"

Vedt pulled himself out as well, and went into the medical bay. The climbing was done, therefore the conversation was...now was time to work.

Cougar started searching the bay as well. The tension between him and Vedt was intense... if only because they were both under alot of stress. Their wife and 'sister' respectively was on the verge of death, and they were searching for a way to prevent that. He pulled the drawers out, looking in each one. He found nothing,"Anything?"

"Nothing. It would help if we knew what we were supposed to be looking for. Specifics are always easier to work with."

"We don't even know if this is going to work... wait a moment"

Cougar had spotted a computer terminal. Although lacking the touch panels he was used to, it was still a computer terminal. He quickly bypassed the secuirty protocols, and grinned devilishly,"What would you say to my knowing where the cure is?"

"I would say stop trying to sound impressive and start moving."

The Drow's voice was slightly sharper than normal...again, probably because of the circumstances.

Cougar ignored the tone, having got used to Vedt over the years. He stepped out the medical bay, and clung to the ladder once again,"Up we go"

Vedt grabbed on to the ladder bars and began climbing up.

After a good twenty minutes climbing, Cougar said,"It's times like this, I hate the way Chaos warps things"

"Then levitate. It's faster, and you won't wear out your arms. Or, even more convenient, D'anthe decided to come with you."

Vedt had long since abandoned the rungs for his own glider, but let Cougar take his own way up.

Cougar shook himself,"I didn't even notice he'd come with me"

He let go, and moved upwards at quite a pace. After five minutes, he came to the end of the ladder. He stepped onto the flagstone floor, and looked around,"Right..."

In front of him, was a cathedral. They were somehow inside a cathedral... and yet, it was corrupted. You could feel the Chaos power seeping from the walls, the pillars, even the pews. He looked around. It wasn't pitch black, but nor was it blindingly bright... the ambient light was perfect. Up ahead was the altar, and atop the altar, a blue glow emerged. He raised his arm, and pointed,"There"

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Vedt reached up his hand to pull the cure toward him.

"You're not the only one"

As he was talking, demons began to emerge from the walls,"Ah... that's interesting"

"Second plan...you get the cure, and I destroy these."

Vedt stopped pulling and lashed out at the demons.

"Good plan"

Cougar sped off towards the cure, smiting demons whenever they got in his way. He dodged, ducked, rolled, anything to avoid combat. He eventually reached the cure, and reached out to grab it

It's that close...

Suddenly, a blast of raw Chaos hit him in the side. He went sprawling across the floor. As he coughed up blood, a voice, strangly familar to him, said,"Did you really think it would be that easy?"

Lawful energy and order spells were pouring out of Vedt without pause.

This is too easy...

He risked a break in his concentration to check on Cougar's progress...and saw it wasn't good.

The figure raised it's hand, and the demons ceased their attacks. It towered over Cougar, who was still on the floor,"Little fool... you come here for the cure, and now you will be the one to die... I have waited long for this day"

Cougar put his hand on the floor, and pushed himself upright,"Who the hell are you?!"

?? -- "I'm you... I'm your shadow"

C -- "WHAT!?"

?? -- "Come come, brother, don't tell me you've forgotten me?"

C -- "My brother is dead... he died years ago"

?? -- "Arthur did, yes... but you have other siblings, James"

The figure stepped into the light, and James Cougar gasped. It was himself standing before him... but different. This one was darker, much darker. His hair was jet black, his eyes were the same, black as coals in his pale face,"Do you remember me now?"

There was a flash of light, and James saw that scene once more from Nagodden... that plasma fire, that figure... and he saw the one who was before him standing in the middle of the flames... clapping,"You... You're me"

?? -- "Not quite. I'm your clone... for the most part"

Now that is confusing.

"Leave my pupil be, abomination. Death flies on swift wings to our enemies."

This new Cougar looked at Vedt, and laughed mirthlessly,"So, you're the teacher? Well... I must say I'm impressed. You've managed to go seven years, and taught him nothing."

He cast a spell of silence, overwhelming Chaotic power surrouding Vedt,"Now, be quiet and let the family talk"

Whilst he'd been saying this, James had flared himself up,"What's your name?"

?? -- "Y'know, I never did get round to that... let's say Matthew... you shouldn't have trouble remembering that"

JC -- "What do you want from me?"

MC -- "Everything. I want everything you stole from me... and I also want to do my gods bidding, so I can ascend to demonhood"

JC -- "You're not..."

MC -- "Glad to see you can figure it out, brother. Yes, I am that which you have sought after these past years... the champion of Chaos Undivided!"

With that, he sent another blast of Chaotic energies directly at James' chest. It struck the White Flame, and rebounded off, smashing into a nearby pillar,"Your skills are impressive, I must say... maybe the Drow did teach you something"

JC -- "More than you know"

He launched into an attack all his own, fighting his so-called brother. Back and forth the magickal battle raged, but it was obvious even from the start that Matthew had the upper hand. Cougar fell back, his left arm smoking slightly, his breath coming in short bursts

Vedt sighed.

Why do children think that a silent mage is any less deadly, when he saw that I used very few attacks with vocal components?

He watched the battle, and shook his head.

Hasn't he learned anything? He doesn't need absolute control...he needs absolute power.

He glanced at 'Matthew' and cut off his air supply, then, not satisfied, lifted him by his neck from the floor.

Matthew shook his head, moving Vedt's spells aside,"You may be powerful, mage, but I am more so. Chaos itself runs through my veins... the master of magick itself, Tzeentch, has lent me his favour... your power pales in comparison to my own at it's height... but what fun would that be... not a fitting death at all"

He reversed Vedt's spells, sending them back at the Black Class Chosen

Vedt dismissed the spells with an easy wave of the hand, and then shrugged, dismissing the silencing spell.

"Chaos itself?"

He raised an eyebrow, then took a breath and raised his. He brought them together at the wrist, and held them apart, so that they vaguely resembled a spider.

"Ssussun ulu Olath
Afya ulu Yibinss
Bwael ulu Verin
Quarth ulu Vhid.
Sargtlin d' Vhid,
Xuil Quarth Usstan valbyl dosst Yornen."

It wouldn't matter if another silencing spell was erected. The words, the motions of the lips and tongue as the words were formed, these were merely spell focus....to a very powerful binding spell.

Matthew Cougar raised an eyebrow, obviously familar enough with Drow language to translate what Vedt was saying,"A binding spell, specially for me... I'm touched, really."

"Actually, Renor created it in case Kaelis Ra should have prevailed over Cougar. A long time back. Sorry...you aren't that much of a threat."

Vedt allowed his spell to gather power...then released it.

The voice shifted, and came from behind,"Nor are you. Did you really think I would be so blind as to just let you cast a spell that powerful on me?"

As Matthew Cougar spoke, the spell crashed through the illusion, impacting on the far wall,"I must say, that was some power... but you have served your purpose. You may die now"

A hand rested on the back of Vedt's head, the power in it crackling, on the verge of crushing Vedt's mind and soul to be consumed by Slannesh. However, there was a sudden grunt, and the hand left his head, followed by the sound of a body landing on the floor

JC -- "Not if I have anything to do with it"

"Cougar, during your second year there was a lesson that you found particularly painful. Only rarely does it have practical use...however...I believe this to be one of those times."

MC -- "I must say, I'm impressed... you're still standing for a start"

JC -- "WHy are you doing this?"

MC -- "You. You stole everything before I was even born... I never had a chance... didn't you ever wonder why you were tortured so badly last year... or why*smiles wickedly*your wife was tortured so brutally that it cost you her unborn child?"

James gaped. He was almost speechless,"I don't believe it..."

MC -- "Believe it. Because it's true. I wanted you to suffer, to break you... now I get the chance to do just that, only in physical terms"

With that, the fight began anew, James fighting with renoewed vigour, his mind taking him back to that lesson Vedt had mentioned... more power, for less control. He used it, to great effect, for Matthew was forced back,"You're powerful indeed... you have learnt how to control your power very well indeed... but still, I will finish you"

He struck brutally, three times in a row. The first slashed across James' stomach, the first across his chest, and the third across his face. Blood flew, droplets scattering across the floor. And yet, James refused to yield. His purpose was clear to him: Get the cure, kill this monster

With Cougar and his clone fighting, the cure was left unprotected. Vedt teleported to the alter, grabbed the glowing blue vial, and activated his glider.

"Avroth, take this to Mith. Go."

So saying, Vedt opened a portal directly to Mithdelmar, and the AEagle swept through it, bearing the cure.

Vedt stayed behind. After all...if this got too bad, then Cougar would have to be teleported out.

And you'd be left to face that. A fitting end, should you fail? ...Yes, a fitting end. For family, for Kaymiril, and for the allies of the Queen. However...I will not fail, blest by the dark gods or cursed by all though he may be.

James and Matthew fought back and forth, James fighting past his wounds... he'd had far worse. However, fatigue and pain were getting the better of him. Matthew was landing better blows than James, hurting him more. Suddenly, he had a hold of him by the head, and began to squeeze,"Save him, if you can... I doubt you can."

Red tinged words flew past Cougar's eyes.

Get out of here.

Vedt snapped his fingers, and Cougar would find himself back in the pilot's seat of the Dauntless.

Vedt calmly faced Matthew.

"Now, let us fight, damned man to damned mage."

Matthew brought his brother back, sighing as he did so,"I don't think you quite get it. Leave now, and do not force me to make you witness the death of your student"

As he was talking, James looked at Vedt, and brought a crystal out of his pocket. It was dull as it emerged, then he began to chant

"Spirits of the Eldar, hear my call
Lock me away in this stone
So that I may one day walk this world
And see those I love dearly
Once more, before the Reaper claims me"

As he had been speaking, his words had become more slurred, his movements languid. The crystal had started to glow, and when he had finished speaking, a shimmering haze seemed to leave him, and enter the stone. It glowed brightly, flashing once, then stopped. There was now something inside the stone... and James was hanging limply, as if he were dead. Matthew screached in anger, throwing the now limp body into the wall, where it crashed solidly, causing the hidden plasma conduits to explode outwards and begin to burn the flesh away. Bones had cracked on impact, the body was now limp on the floor. Matthew laughed,"Whats it to be? Save him and the stone? Or kill me, and loose him and thus the one you love so dearly?"

Vedt sighed, then opened a portal directly over Cougar and the stone, placing them safely in Mithdelmar...a place where only the Gray Class had any power to take anything...or anyone out.

"How about...both?"

Energy crackled around Vedt's hands.

"Not going to happen, I'm afriad. For you see, I am not interested in fighting you... it is only him I want. And I will finish him, soon enough"

With that, Matthew Cougar dissapeared from view, as did the ship. Vedt was back on the Dauntless, which was now sitting in front of Mithdelmar.

Costh had finally finished the parchment he was working on and decided to see how the others were.

Vedt seethed.

That's frustrating.

**************************************************************
Mith, meanwhile, had taken the vial with the cure, and set some aside so that more could be produced if necessary.

The rest, he had introduced into Rhenna's system. Hopefully her dragon half wouldn't reject this as well. She hadn't awoken, but she'd become restless. Something was wrong.

As he was stepping out, Cougar was found, and although the bones and other injuries were easy enough for a very young medic to cure, the fact that his ethereal and corporeal components were now separate was a significant problem.

M -- "Well...I don't know quite how this was done...however, for those of you here, this will be an excellent lesson.
"You see, we are all made of four basic components, no more, no less. Body, mind, spirit, and soul. What you see before you is a body. This is the mortal shell granted to all of us, human or Drow, or elf, and you could take the list on forever. The body is our corporeal component.
"However, what you see before you is merely the corporeal component. During some spell, process, or accident, this man has separated his ethereal components from his corporeal component.
"However, we must not assume accident in this instance, as he has appeared to have stored his ethereal components in this stone. There are some spells with the ability to do this. This stone is called an Elghinn Kyorl in our tongue, and prevents death. You see that his vital signs are all perfectly normal.
"His mind, spirit, and soul are in this. The mind is the rational part of you, your personality and method of perception. It is what makes an individual an individual. The spirit is the component that makes us all Drow, and, on a larger scale, sentient. The spirit has certain needs, and often conflicts with other spirits to acheive these needs. It is both strong and weak. It can be broken...often, when depression is not the result of chemical imbalances, it is the result of a breakdown in spirit. The soul, and its state of being, determines life and death. The soul is the single most important component. It is both individual and immortal. When the soul moves -- or is moved, however you choose to perceive it -- from the corporeal, and taken away from the rest of the ethereal components, that is when the body ceases to function...this is known as death."

One of the students, after the Gray Class Master was finished speaking, ventured a question.

"But how is this man to be made whole again, Veldruk?"

M -- "That, I don't know. This isn't a method I've seen before. The Elghinn Kyorl is so different from any we know that anything I try may only result in damage." He looked to the side, and dismissed his students, so that they could attend to different duties.
"Well, Renor...you have an idea?"

R -- "Eldar work...it is a different race of Elf needed to restore my foolhardy student."

M -- "Eldar...Space Elves?"

R -- "The same."

M -- "They don't interact with us."

R -- "On the contrary...I know exactly where to find one."

He teleported to Hoeth, and looked around, for a particular person...

This particular example looked up from the book he was reading,"I take it you know what I am then"

"You were very good...you fooled both Vedt and Rhenmet...although, the only contact you had with the latter, she was more than a little distraught. Are you familiar with how to reunite a spirit with a body? Well...the way our medic put it, soul, spirit, and mind."

"You are indeed wise, Renor."

Eldrad stood up, and finally allowed the illusion to fall away. His ears were, like all elves, pointed, his hair was long, almost white and flowing over his black armour. An Eldar Farseer stood before Renor,"I know of what you speak... I had forseen it"

"You remained in Hoeth, as a human, for six years because you saw that you would be needed now? Your willpower is astounding."

He guestured, and Hoeth fell away, with the gray walls of Mithdelmar replacing them.

"There is more at work here than even you realise, Renor. For all your power, you cannot see past the present. To you, the past is past, the future is future... I see all. It is what I have trained in for centuries."

"I admit that I am not clairvoyant...now, come on...I'm certain he'll want to be up and about before his wife wakes, and he has to explain all of this to her."

Eldrad followed Renor to Cougar, and looked surprised,"Impressive... even I doubted that he would truly manage it"

"Yes...I know that he would not have been taught such techniques as his lessons currently stand. So how did he come to the knowledge of this stone, and this spell?"

"Cougar's missions for his country are not as simple as he first deems them. He was gifted with this soulstone in return for a favour he did the Eldar some years ago... and all Eldar know that spell... they do not need to be taught it"

"Then, he is not fully human? How much of your people's blood runs through his veins?"

"Half, to be precise. His mother was one of us... before she fell prey to that emotion that clouds all others - love. She left us, and was seduced by darker forces through her then husband... and yet, they created a being of such pure character. It is amazing, no?"

"You do, of course, know that he is only separated from himself as the result of an endeavor of love?"

"Of course, for that is the nature of the spell. I cannot begin to explain the long and complicated history of my race at this point in time... it would take the best part of a day"

Eldrad looked over the stone,"He has done this well... he is truly her child. My friend was one of our most powerful... I suppose you could call her a mage..."

"And yet, he has proven resistant to learning any types of magick other than the Flame."

"His mother cast a suppression spell on him at birth... a very strong one, it will take many centuries to dissolve. It is best to leave it as it is... removing it may do him more harm than good"

Renor nodded, then slipped into silence, allowing Eldrad the concentration he needed to rejoin Cougar.

Eldrad laced his fingers over the stone, which he had laid upon Cougar's chest. He breathed in deeply, then began to utter the counter-spell

Gods of the Eldar, hear my call
Return that which is gone
To where it does belong
Let him return, to walk amongst his loved ones
And continue his life, as if nothing was changed

Once more, as he chanted, the stone seemd to loose it's glow. The shimmering mist left the stone, which returned to it's dull form. The mist stopped, and then entered Cougar's body. He breathed deeply, and then returned to sleep. Eldrad took the stone off his breast, and it crumbled in his hand,"It is done. He is returned... he shall awake soon. If you choose to tell him what he is, then good luck to you"

"It might help him, to learn what he really is."

Renor chuckled. "Assuming his marriage is not childless...Eldar, Dragon, Human, Drow...quite a combination, even in small quantities."

Eldrad smiled,"I can assure you of this right now... that is going to be the oddest family ever."

"I have no doubts...while it lasts."

ELdrad frowned,"I may see much, Renor, but I do not see all. That, is something I cannot tell you"

"Within a year after a child is born, it must leave our city...you may have seen enough of us to explain that. Cougar...is not a man that would let his child be completely alone. And Rhenmet...is bound to us, until the Queen tells her to go or until her own death."

"I am aware of some of your customs regarding children, yes. You are right, Cougar will not allow his child to go it alone... he and Rhenmet are too close to allow such a thing... it will be tough, but they are tougher"

"Whatever the matter...we should leave him to sleep for now."

Eldrad left Cougar to sleep,"He'll be fine... last thing he'll remember is uttering that spell"

"It's the last thing he'll have left to remember. However...he will be remembered in this city for a long time, among some students."

"Simply because he has done what none before have ever done... seperated his soul, mind and spirit from his body"

"No...it's been done before. He was just the handiest subject Mith had at hand."

"Interesting... but he didn't in a method Mith has never seen used before... it is purely theoretical, to yourselves at least"

"If we'd discovered that method before the ones we know, we might use it. As it is...we have four spells to that same effect. Another seems somewhat redundant, no?"

"I suppose so... this method prevents our souls being lost, and lets us ask their advice in times of need... they even join us in battle"

"That might be useful for him to learn."

"It is something that only he can choose to do... how is his wife doing?"

"I haven't seen her yet. According to Vedt, the cure was at least delivered...hopefully in time. It will take time for her to heal...but they are prepared to deal with that."

"There is still much to do... you must realise, Cougar will not rest until his clone is destroyed.. too much is at stake"

"Yes...it sounds like him."

"If only you knew what his clone has done to him and Rhenmet... you would understand"

"I know some...after all...my Right Hand was there when he admitted as much."

"Those words are what will drive Cougar to kill that clone... and as you know, they are more powerful when they are together"

"But would he risk exposing her to him again? Would he risk reinfection?"

"The cure, as far as I can see, will prevent her being affected by the virus. No, she is now immune"

Renor shrugs. "It will depend on many things. First, if Mith lets her...then, if Cougar doesn't argue against it. He may know that she is immune...but he came this close to losing her, and he won't have forgotten it so quickly."

"It will take time before they are both ready... give them time together, Renor. That is all the advice I can give you, without breaking the laws of my people"

"You needn't violate your laws. You needn't have even said as much as you have."

"I am a Black Guardian... we break the laws every day, by our very existence. But there are some things we cannot do, this is one of them. I shall return to Hoeth, resume my place as a human, and continue on"

Renor nods, and turns down to check on Rhenna.

Eldrad left, letting Cougar sleep

*12 hours later*
Cougar woke, and tried to sit up, before groaning and collapsing back onto the bed,Man... he must have really done some damage

Rhenna had woken up, but she still felt bad. Recovery was looking like it would be slow. Since she wanted to miss as much of it as she could (while she was on her own, at least), she went back to sleep.

Renor, meanwhile, was sitting by Coguar's bed, waiting for him to wake up.

"Feel better?"




Vedt had temporarily taken over Rendelmar.

"I feel like I've been patched back together... which isn't too far from the truth"

"Closer than you realize, perhaps. And there are many things that you should know."

"I realize exactly what I did, and I know exactly why I did it, before you say anything on the matter... what other things?"

"First, Leviathan was destroyed in an encounter with Chaos while you were at the temple. Second...what you cast is called a racial spell. It means that everyone that belongs to a certain race is able to cast that particular spell, instinctively. You know that it is not a human spell...for humans have none. When I brought Eldrad here to 'patched back together,' he told me as much. You are aware, of course, of the Eldar. Your mother was their equivalent of a mage."

OOC: Gonna let him ask about that. And let him ask other questions.

Cougar struggled with the sudden influx of information. The death of Leviathan was not news to him as such, for he had felt it. The death of his god, combined with the fact that they had fused on a number of occasions, meant that it was most likely stronger in him than in most people.

The second part, however, was much more difficult,"What are you trying to say? That I'm not human?"

"You're halfway correct. Your mother was a breed of elf. Eldar, to be precise. Your father was still human."

"Ah great, as if my mind wasn't screwed up enough already, I am now half-human, half-eldar... brilliant. Absolutley sodding brilliant"

"You might find it helpful to accept this new information, instead of raging against it. It gives you more opportunities than you had previously. And, so you know, you are human in almost every aspect. Your mother suppressed your Eldar side at birth."

"That would explain the lack of pointy ears, for a start"

"For a start, yes."

"Oh well, this puts a downer on the Leviathan clerics, ranting on about 'pure Snake children'... I'm not even one myself, so it's kinda difficult for my children to be, even if, god forbid, i did... wait, what about Rhenna?"

"From what Mith said, she's almost going to feel worse during recovery as she did when the virus could run through her system unchecked. She will, however, recover."

Cougar heaved a sigh of relief,"At least that's all done with"

Renor stands to leave.

"Humanity is over-rated, Cougar. Don't be concerned about your lack of it."

He walks to the door, and stops.

"Although...only a human could be quite as foolhardy as you manage to be."

With that line, he exits.

Cougar waited until he thought Renor was out of earshot, and then said to himself,"Try actually being human, then you might understand"

He couldn't stay still, and went to see how Rhenna was doing

The entrance was set up differently. It was a corridor of little chambers. The first one was high-pressure, so nothing from the outside (microogranism-wise) got in. The next ran a spell over any that stepped inside, to make sure they didn't carry anything in or out. Then was a low-pressure chamber, which opened into the room.

Mith, having taken these other precautions, had taken the Quarantine field from around Rhenna herself.

He walked down the corrider, allowing himself to be subjected at every stage. It was essentially a clean room inside here... needed to be. Once he was through, he saw that she was fast asleep. Smiling slightly, he sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke the back of her hand softly.

She stirs as he strokes the back of her hand, and wakes up after a few minutes. A slight smile crosses her face.

"Welcome back."

He smiled at her,"Told you I'd get you out of it"

"Yes, you did. Thank you." Her smile widens. "For saving me again. Something happened to you, though...what was it?"

"It's very long and complicated... you sure you're up to it right now?"

"I'm fine, James. More or less. Besides...there's not really anything better to do."

He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed,"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you"

He moved slightly further up the bed,"First things first... I'm not exactly human. Turns out my mother was an eldar farseer... I don't have many attributes of the race because she suppressed them when I was born, to avoid alerting my father that he had married an eldar woman"

"That's...interesting."