NationStates Jolt Archive

Heres the OOC and Signup thread:
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11366018#post11366018


Daramus ran across the treacherous terrain. His muscles groaned in protest as he halted to catch his breath. He leaned against a char blasted tree, breathing heavy. I’m to old for this, he thought, but they must be warned. His normally white beard was black with soot. His gray robes were singed from the blasted landscape. No the Izagoth was not a friendly place.

He started to move again when a blood curling howl sounded not too far behind him. “Blast” he said aloud as he started to run. His aged muscles screamed with exertion. More howls sounded behind him as he ran across the blasted landscape. Dodging lava pits, hot traps, and trees, he continued to flee. The sounds of his pursuers pounded in his ear when, he sprung from the forest unto a barren plain. It was as if all life had ended past the forest. Not daring to pause, Daramus ran out onto the plain. Behind him a Wolzar beast, leapt from the forest. Its flaming red eyes spotted him quickly. Daramus could easily see the poison glistening off its fangs as it bared its challenged. It then leapt meaning to strike as the Portal closed around him, leaving the Wolzar to smash into the ground.


ELUMARIA ANARION ROYAL PALACE

Kast walked through the royal court with his father Kalamasa Crowned King of Anarion. Kast hated his finary. His Silk Tunic and loose fitting Pants, with a gold belt and his silver Crown that was worn casually. His finery Crown was in his Chambers. The casual Crown was just a piece of sliver that on his forhead was flat on the bottom but the top crested to a point. His Finerey Crown was much more ornate.

"someday son, when im Dead, this Castle will be yours. And you will rule all that you see."

"i hope to make you proud father."

"Tonight at the Festival of the Blood moon. I shall announce you as my heir to the throne. Though obviously as my son you would take the throne, the King must declare it, that way if the Kings son is an Imbecil, we can always name someone else."

"Wish grandpa had used that rule." Kast said with a smirk.

"i may be an old fool, but i can still take you." His father replyed half laughing. He clapped his son round the shoulder "tonight, your future as king is made certain. However i believe its time you found a bride."

"please father not this again, ive looked and met with the women of the Royal court, all of them are arrogent and dimwitted. None of them take my interest."

"Oneday youll find yourself a bride, and then youll end up like me, wishing you hadnt"

Kast laughed alloud. "Mother doesnt nag that much"

"Your the King of Understatements my son"

Saacon Ralpmet heaved his aging body from his bed. At a not so spry thirty-five his light brown hair was becoming tinged with gray. As he moved about his small, spartan cell within the church, he realized tonight was to be momentus. An event one should look thier best at. He broke out the polishing cloth and went over his armor with it, buffing to mirror-like proportions. Once he finished that he went to the washbasin and proceeded to trim his beard, it wouldn't do to look like a ragpicker after all.

Donning his armor he thought about what would occur and the possible ramifications. The naming of an heir should virtually guarentee attendance of influential people. If he could find a way to gain entrance, he might be able to convinve them to end the internacine warfare in the south. If elves were the rulers of Anarion, and humans paid them tribute, then they should have an obligation to safeguard their charges. If only he could talk to them, he was sure he could convince them to restrain those that owed them fealty. It was only right, after all and part of his charge as a paladin was to do what was good and right wherever he could.

Pulling his surcoat on over his head, he belted his sword over it and paused, tracing the emblazoned wolf with his fingers. The same image was on his shield and banner, as though he were a noble or some such foolery. But the devices were there because he had earned the monicker of 'Wolf'. In some places he was known as the 'Wolf Knight' for his unending tenacity and great endurance. He sighed, sometimes this position had more show that was really necessary.

Clanking out to the stable, Saacon saddled his horse, barding and all, and mounted. leaning slightly to his right, he grabbed up a lance that had his banner attatched near the tip. Planting the butt of the lance in his stirrup and holding the shaft, he trotted out to the northern gate. Leaving the city, he broke into a canter, heading towards the elven forests and he hoped peace for his people.

The night was going perfectly. Kast dressed in elegant finery. His crown was silver, but was cunstructed to look like a twisting vine, and with a large Silver Leaf on each side and front and back. his Brown hair was cropped short compared to everyone else. Traditionally elves let their hair grow down to their waist. But kast kept his cropped up high not daring to let his hair go past his shoulders. The minstrils played in the backround a bright and Merry tune. Kast was currently dancing with Karsia, Princess of Tarsonis. She smiled, " your an elegant dancer my lord."
"only because my partner makes me look good."

A voice with a Deep tarsonian accent cut in. "May I cut in?" Draconis smiled turning to the familiar face. "Sorry Hunter, I'm not dancing with you, however your sister is a very formidable seccond choice."
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Im crushed Kast. Excuse us sister, we have much to catch up on."


Minuits later on a balcony over looking the Sea of Krish'na

"So hows life Kast." Kast moved to the railing and stared out at the stars. "Oh the usual" he said, "learning to be Perfect, so when the day comes that i am king, i know what to do."

"When im King of Tarsonis, all the women in the kingdom will be looking for my attention, heh not that arent now,"

"oh you mean that goat that was following you when you got here?" He dodged a swat from Hunter, and it was then that he noticed a lone figure running up the front steps. "whos that?"

Hunter followed his gaze, "no idea"

As the figure came more into the focus Kast could see his face. "Father above thats Daramus." "the mage?" "yes thats been living in the Izagoth since the Dracalorian Wars" His eyes widened. "If hes here something must be wrong. Stay here, i must go see my father." Kast lept from the balstrade and sprinted down the hallway towards the sound of music and Laughter. Not paying attention he bumped right into the Kight who would be later revealed as Saacon. "Pardon me sir Knight. My affairs call for great haste." With that he sprinted on.

At first Saacon was just thankful that he had managed not to spill anything on his armor. Rubbing his beard thoughtfully, he put his drink down. In his experience, elves were normally reserved and polite. This one had actually collided with him at a run. Realizing something must be wrong, Saacon walked in the direction the elf went. His golden eyes tinged with concern, he wanted to know what was wrong so that he could help.

Standing in a corner, Coravel sipped at a glass of water. His eyes were constantly moving, shifting from place to place seemingly at random. One hand rested easily on the pommel of his sword as he occasionally twitched. Standing in the corner had thus far prevented him from being noticed by the other party-goers, for which he was greatful. He would have been a curiosity just about anywhere with his loose fitting and baggy clothes, the slightly curved sword at his waist, his mismatched eyes and finally the colorful headband that kept his haystack of hair out of his eyes.

He noticed the collision of an elf with a knight in golden armor with a wolf on his surcoat. He didn't know who the elf was but the knight he knew by reputation. While not earth-shattering, it was still respectable. Respectable enough that Coravel would have looked forward to fighting him, at least, he would if the man weren't holy. Coravel was Jen'e'tai, but you didn't fight a man of God lightly. You never knew, God might actually be paying attention and that would be a lot of bad karma for one action.

As the knight moved after the elf, Coravel debated on following them. While he was thinking he noticed something else. Please, no.

Kast ran into the chamber to see that it had gone deathly quiet. The appearance of Daramus, could not be good. "My lord" Daramus said softly " i must speak with you at once in private." Kast dashed up to stand beside his fathers throne. "I have no secrets from my people, what ever news from the Izagoth, will be shared for all to here."

Daramus inhaled deeply. "As you wish my lord. Where to begin. Ever since the Dracalorian wars, the Izagoth has been utter chaos. With out leadership, the species of demons and darkmen have grown into seperate tribes, and thus been waring ever since."

"so what concern is this to us?"

"One day the fighting all but stopped. For a new power has risen in the Izagoth. They call themselves The Red Hand. The leader never comes out in public and uses his subordinate to address the people. They have become one again, The armies of the Izagoth have returned, and they are Mobilizing for War."

The King sat stunned at this revelation. Finally he gained his composure. "Then we shall meet them in battle. Do you know their strength?"

"I do," his voice turned grave, "Seven hundred thousand, against your 50 thousand legionairs."
"AND THE WARRIORS FROM TARSONIS!" Hunter had entered the Room. Upon hearing the news he had already sent word to his father to muster the Armies of Tarsonis. "Many of the other southlanders will surely fight with us as well. We are a sturdy folk and can fight well.."

A voice drew from the back. "And tell me sir knight, Have you ever faced a demon in combat." All the heads in the Room turned to face the voice. Theyre stood a man sipping a glass of wine. His dress was unusual for Anarion. He wore a long black leather coat instead of a cloak. On the back of the coat was a red image of a Dragon Curling to strike. He wore loose fitting pants, and a black leather tunic underneath his coat. Red armguards could be seen patruding from the sleeves of his jacket. His normally waist length blonde hair had been cut short to his shoulders and pulled back in a long braid. His silver eyes sparkled with ammusement. "Have you ever faced a 9 foot tall beast, with no regard for his life, made of pure muscle and can tear you apart with no hesitation?"

Kast spoke up defiantly, "Have you?"

"Aye i have. Fought in the Dracalorian wars I did, and twas no walk in the woods."

Daramus shook his head in agitation, "Draconis,..." at the mention of his name a loud murmor arose through the crowd. "if you have nothing useful to contribute keep your mouth shut." Draconis, the fallen angel. He had fought in the Dracalorian wars, and for helping the mortals, he was bannished from his homeland. Angels care nothing of the trifiling of men.

Daramus turned back to the king. "You must summon all the races Angels and Vampires as well."

Kast taking his eyes of Draconis spoke again. "That would be a waiste of time. Angels care nothing of our affairs. Vampires, banished to the Caves in the West, theyre just as likely to attack us as the Demons. The elves and humans will have to hold, just as they did in the past."

"You will fall."

"BETTER TO DIE TRYING THAN TO SURRENDER NOW! MUSTER WOLF LEGIONAIRS, WE PREPARE FOR WAR!"

Kast shined with an aura that rivaled his father. His father whispered to him,"spoken like a true king."

Saacon's golden eyes were deeply troubled now. If this was true...it seemed the humans would stop killing eachother after all, but they would still have to fight. Deep in thought, he shifted his weight, clanking noisely. If they couold be convinced to put aside their differences, the humans probably would not stand against such a formiddable force. Demons weren't exactly common here, and many might flee at the mere sight of them. So absorbed in thought was he that he failed to notice two things: the noise of his clanking and the figure ghosting up behind him.

Coravel blinked. There was nothing there, so what had he dreaded? Shaking himself, he followed after the knight. He arrived in time to hear the news and sat there mulling it over. As he traced his facial scars he thought, demons. Not something I wanna do again. The knight was being exceedingly loud and not seeming to care, so Coravel drifted up behind him intending to make him stop. When he got close, however, he paused. What's this? Is it even there or am I seeing things again?

Later that night

Daramus sat pouring over the Ancient texts in the Tomb of Truth under Elumaria. All of the ancient histories were recorded and stored here. He poured over them tiresly looking for something that could aide the elves and Humans in their fight. Taking a sip of his wine he moved to the next book. "Weapons of the Ages" Well this wont help. He tossed the book aside where it hit the ground and fell open. Sighing Daramus stretched and in doing so knocked his cup to the ground. "Father above," He bent down to grab his cup when his eyes fell on the page that the book had fallen open too. Curious he read more and his eyes widened. This is it This could save anarion. Daramus grabbed teh book and grabbed his staff and rushed to the stair case. Time was short and he must tell the king.

Saacon was still there, trying to decide if he should leave or not. If what was said was true, then mobilisation would occur soon and his help might be needed back home. On the other hand, if he remained here he would hear any major news relatively quickly. A new feeling for him, he had never before been seized by indecision. Saacon decided to remain at least a little while longer.

Also still there was Coravel, albeit for a different reason. He couldn't leave without having to interact with a large group of people. Fingering his tatoo, he found a convenient corner to put his back to. He could still see the knight from here. and anyone else entering the area as well. And so he stood, twitching occasionally and trying to be one with the wall.

A messenger burst into the hall in which the remaining guests were. "ANY MEN AT ARMS, ARE TO REPORT TO THE KINGS AUDIANCE HALL! DARAMUS WISHES TO ADDRESS ALL LEADERS OF THE ARMY AND ANY RONIN SOLDIER"

Saacon snapped out of his reverie and clanked towards the Hall. He held himself erect despite the weight of his armor. While he didn't exactly tower above the elves, he was taller than most. Saacon knew that marching in there in golden armor with the gray wolf on white surcoat he wore, that he would make an impression. The surcoat was smooth, every facet of armor buffed to perfection. It would be a good impression. Head held high he straightened his swordbelt and entered the Hall.

Well, there was no way out now. One hand on his hilt, Coravel stalked warily into the hall. Seeing nothing immediately threatening, he glided across the floor to a position where he could watch everything. His multicolored stare swept the room as other people entered, pausing for a long moment on first Kast, then Hunter.

Kast was leaning against teh wall next to the door as Saacon entered. He chuckled as the Paladin walked upright. "Didnt anyone tell you vanity is a sin paladin?" He started to say more but Daramus cleared his throat bringing silence to that hall. Kast looked around. Arterious, High General of Anarion, in his full platemail made of Green Mithril. His hair was pulled back in a warriars braid. He also wore an Eye patch with a long scar dissapearing under neath. He had lost his eye defending Anarion, and was one of the best swordsmen in Anarion. Kulamarna, Captain of the Wolf Legion, Anarions elite Cavalry unit. Elves in Anarion, Lived in harmony with the tree wolves of the Forest. In fact they formed bonds with eachother. Upon coming of Age Each Elf Lad and Maiden found a bond mate with the wolves. Bond mates could communicate telepathically, and the two moved as one. When one died, the other was filled with infinate sadness. Kast's wolf Cerifis, didnt like the Castle, and prefered roming the forests. However Cerifis was Kast's best friend. Tree wolves were a bit smaller than Horses. They caried theyre bond mates into battle as a horse would.

Kast was surprised when his Bondmate padded up and sat next to him. What does this old fool want. Kast smiled at his bondmates levity. Apparently he wants to save Anarion from the Izagoth. A wolfish chuckle replied him, I suppose we should listen then.


Daramus cleared his throat speaking to the whole room. "I have found a way to save anarion. He conjured an image of a beautifully ornate sword seemed as if it were carved from the wind itself. Its blade was one sided and slightly curved gold swirls traced down the blade, the hilt ended in teh shape of a dragons head with a silver orb in its mouth. gold and silver formed the grip.
"Be hold, Azaroth, The sword of Anarion.

Saacon ignored the young elf. There was a difference between vanity and pride. He focused instead on the sword. While it was indeed a beautiful weapon, he could not see how that one blade could save Anarion. It would have to have been imbued with a massive assortment of powerful and mighty magics to change the course of events. "Learned sir, what makes you think this single weapon has the power to change our fates?"


Coravel looked at the sword as well. It was shaped similar to his own, except that while it was obviously spacial, his was plain steel. His prismatic stare sought out Kast, who had made a comment at the paladin. That wasn't smart. One did not do such things to a warrior of God. For one thing, his boss just so hppened to be the Creator of the universe.

Kast couldnt bring himself to look away from teh sword. Its shape almost called to him, he reached forth to touch it but the image dissapeard. Daramus spoke up. "The sword of Anarion, was created by the ArchAngel Gabriel. Constructed of holy steel, any evil being cut by this sword would be destroyed. But this is not all. The warrior who holds this sword, can call down a power beyond any that we here have ever seen. There exists another plane, in which the dominant species, is not humans.... It is Dragons." THe last word sent a chill through the Room. "This sword gives teh weilder command over the Dragon Armies. Dragons are pure holy creachers, they would be a devestating force against the Demons."

Kast spoke up. "So right someone goes gets it, and brings it back summons the Dragons, and were all safe."

"Its not that simple im afraid. The sword, was teh cause of the Dracalorian wars. The Izagoth came to find the sword. This sword has been hidden away in the Tomb of the Eldar." This drew a gasp from many people. The edlar were the original 4 who had practiacally created Anarion. One from each tribe. "To unlock the sword, you must first find the 4 Spirit stones. Though what they are i have no idea." Draconis spit out his wine that he was drinking. Whiping his lips he spoke." Collecting the Spirit stones is an impossible task. one is found, 3 are hidden. There are 4. The spirit stone of Light, the spirit stoned of Darkness, the spirit stone of strength, and the spirit stone of life. The sone of Light, lies to the north hidden in teh burried temple, guarded by the angels. the stone of darkness is hidden in the Tomb of Death, in the west, gaurded over by teh Vampires. And the stone of Earth, is hidden in teh Tomb of Justice, in the south Gaurded over by men."

"what of the stone of life."

"you where it round your neck in your family crest."

Kast stared down at his necklace to the green stone in the center. "so small..."

"size doesnt matter. Only the strength. THis is an impossible task you will not succeed."

Kast burned with hope. There was a chance to save Anarion. " I WILL ATLEAST TRY!"
Silence resounded after this.

and then...
"AS WILL I" Hunter stepped forward. "You have my sword aswell."

"Kast looked around, "who else will take up this task?Arterious? Kulumarnia?"

Kulumarnia opened his mouth to agree but Arterious but a hand on his shoulder. "Our place is to lead the Armies of the south and East against this foe. This task is not ours."

Kast looked around the room, "any one?"

Saacon ignored the young elf. There was a difference between vanity and pride. He focused instead on the sword. While it was indeed a beautiful weapon, he could not see how that one blade could save Anarion. It would have to have been imbued with a massive assortment of powerful and mighty magics to change the course of events. "Learned sir, what makes you think this single weapon has the power to change our fates?"


Coravel looked at the sword as well. It was shaped similar to his own, except that while it was obviously spacial, his was plain steel. His prismatic stare sought out Kast, who had made a comment at the paladin. That wasn't smart. One did not do such things to a warrior of God. For one thing, his boss just so hppened to be the Creator of the universe.

OOC: just to tell you, vanity and pride are the same. You should have said, difference between vanity and Dignity

In the corner ther had been a quiet young man, skin pale but eyes like crystal blue, he had heard of the conflict that would engulf all soon and when he heard Kast's question he stood forward

"I will join you..." Replied the young man, clad in silver black and scarlet rimmed armour, "I will join you in your fight"

He looked at the others in the room, other s he knew from stories, others he knew as cowards and heroes...he was aiming to be the latter, a hero of his people... a people who had been long forgotten by many

Kast looked at the young knight. "Thats one, IS there no one else?"

"My name is Alreic Konin of the realm of Kavatch... a province of exiles..and I am no mere youg man" Alreic proclaimed as he took of his helmet to reveal himself..he was a vampire yet the natural light reflected off his skin and did not harm him

"My order of Kavatch pledges allegiance to fighting the Red Hand and shall fight them off if needed..we shall be the first and last line of defence if needs be" Alreic told Kast, Alreic's blue eyes unnervingly settled upon Kast, something about Alreic did not sit right...he was no mere vampire...he was different

Upon the revelation of the Vampire, everyone around him moved away quickley. One man grabbed a decorative spear and moved to attack. "Vile creature, i shall dispose of you." He hurled the spear aiming for his heart. But lightning shot forth and caught the spear in midair, following the beam the source was Kast his arm raised and lighting flowing from his hand. Using the lightning he brought the spear into his hand. "We are all men here." Gaurds came and grabbed the man who threw the spear. "You knew the law, You tried to kill a fellow man, for that, 5 years in teh salt mines. Maybe then youll have more respect for life." A murmer of dissent, spread among the elves. Ever since Kast converted to christianity he had become much more strict in governing with the law. "Do not think me heartless. The Law is a gift from God that keeps us from decending into Chaos. And will not see defilation of that gift go unpunished. Now returning to matters at hand." He placed a hand on the Vampire's shoulder. "while a Vampire he may be, he is a more noble man than all of you. He stands and fights, while you turn and flee. and for that i will stand by him in battle." Kasts father looked proudly on his son. He had become a fine and just man. "yes" he whispered to himself,"a great king he will be"

"Thank you... I do not wish to harm any here, the desire and bloodlust that can consume me is not the same with em as it is my people, the blood I have flows through human, angel and vampire lines,,, I understand your hositility BUT I do not wish to be hostile" Alreic replied, for a brief moment his heart jumped but quickly settled, he had never committed a foul deed in his life and only fed off his own treacherous kind, as to quench the lust and to exact revenge

"My people carry one of these stones you seek..it shall not be easy to retrieve it, I know that you all hee do not trust the bond of a Vampire but If i promise you I shall not fail" Alreic said as he knelt on his knee in front of Kast, "I pledge myself to you and your quest"

Kast smiled at the warriar. "And i accept your pledge. Rise and join us."

Saacon was impressed by the young elf's convictions. Both that he held tham so strongly and that he had any at all. Approaching the elf, Kast, he drew his broadsword and extended it hilt first. Golden eyes wide with sincerity, he kneeled and intoned "I swear by Almighty God and His Name and in free and voluntary desire to come. As an outgrowth of the defense of the Chuch, the direct protection of those unable to defend themselves, and the love I have for Anarion, shall I join you. To be fearless in battle, a dauntlesss companion against any odds. To wage war against the Izagoth, I pledge my sword to you as a champon of right and good against injustice and evil. To relieve the distress of this world and to fulfill my knightly obligations. This Oath I give of my own free and independant will."

OOC: A little windy perhaps, but I managed canabalize both the chivalric code and the oath of the Knights of Malta.

Kast nodded at Saacon, "I accept sir knight rise and join us as well." he looekd around the room again, "Anyone else?"

To the end of his life, Coravel never understood what possesed him to join these people. Perhaps it was to reclaim his slippery grip on reality. Maybe it was the feel of having a purpose again. Possibly, it was another test to prove his life was meaningful. He didn't know. He followed the Path of the Shining Blade, the Path of Truth. Perhaps that was why: to discover the truth. He ran through a quick mantra in his mind: all seven articles of his oath.
I. My blade is as my soul - my Spirit made manifest and honed to perfection.
II. My soul is strong - as I trust its strength, so shall my Spirit be my only shield.
III. From this time forward, I shall move as freely as the wind: let me wear no armor, or ever hide behind base metal or the devices of man.
IV. My blade shall be the Jen'e'tai, the blade of a Master. None other is worthy of my soul.
V. Frenzy and Bloodlust are the ways of the Beast, let me always shun them. Let my blade remain sheathed until I intend to kill, and may it only deal death in dire need.
VI. The Night's Gift, the wisdom of the Stars, is mine to use, and I shall study it as long as I live.
VII. The Night's Gift shall I also give to others, and join with it once I live no more.
Suddenly, he realized he was no longer by the wall. He had stalked out to the edge of the floor like a panther. Continuing, he glided across said floor, every tiny movement precise and perfect. Coravel looked Kast in the eyes, as though searching Kast's soul with his vari-colored stare. His left eye was the color of steel, remniscient of a blade. The right was the brightest green imaginable, like emerald lightening that promised to unleash the pent up energy at a moment's notice. Nodding once, as though to himself, Coravel joined the growing group that would make the journey.

OOC: Alright, it's more than a little pretentious. So sue me!

Kast looked around knowing there were no more. "We set out at dawn. Be ready by then."

He turned on heal and left the room with Cerifis and Hunter right behind him. Hunter ran up to walk beside him. "Uh Kast,.....was that you in there? Where the hell did that come from"

Kast smiled and shook his head, "there are times to be lax and times to be serious. This was a time to be dead serious. Get your things together. We are going to set out on foot. Daramus has told me something else."
"whats that?"
"Minnions of the red hand have already passed through to this world. They will be hunting us."

"So what do we do then, ride as fast as we can?"
"no were going to set out on foot. its te safest way."
"aye. ill be ready"
Hunter then left to his room inorder to prepair.

Alreic looked at his companions for this journey..something about them relaxed him but something instilled fear in him, they hated his kind and no matter his deeds he may feel single dout because of the deeds committed by his ancestors, he could re-unite the vampire clans and finally establish them as nobles again instead of the fell creatures they had become

Alreic had all he needed with him, he had coem prepared to serve Kast whether or not he was accepted

Saacon spent most of the night in holy prayer, readying himself for the rigors of the journey ahead. Coravel, meanwhile, was meditating on why he had joined this circus act.

OOC: Tarsonis and Anarion same person.


Kast spent his time in the Smithy and Armory. Trying out swords. Sometime late at night his father came to him. "Ive come to wish you luck on your journy." "I figured mother would try to get you to convince me not to go."

"she tried, to but i refused. This is your decision. However i want you to take this." His father held out Andarma, their family sword. Kast was stunned. "I-I-I cant take that...." "You are my son. And the power to weild this sword runs in your veins. This sword will keep you safe." Kast tooked the sword and pulled it a bit out of the scabbard to see the rune covered blade. He snapped it shut and bowed his head. "thank you father." He looked up but his father had already gone. Kast placed his sword on his pack. "I will not fail you."

Saacon had just finished praying for the success of the party and for the protection of all those in it. Finally, he prayed for himself: “Most Holy Lord, Almighty Father…Thou who has permitted on earth the use of the sword to repress the malice of the wicked and defend justice… cause Thy servant before Thee, by disposing his heart to goodness, never to use this sword or another, to injure anyone unjustly; but let him use it always to defend the just and right.”

Meanwhile, Coravel was off by himself, readying his mind and body. He was going through different exercises to stretch out his muscles and ready himself for the coming ordeal. Running through different moves and attack chains, he was unintentionally demonstrating an almost supernatural quickness.

Alreic stood outside the meeting place his heart pumping, he was ready to fight those hwo encroached upon his lands and those who had taken his son many years ago

He would fight to see this realm was not over run by the enemy

"When will they be ready, we must make haste as soon as we can" he muttered waiting patiently

Deciding to wander around, Coravel noticed the vampire. Sauntering over, he stared at Alreic as though measuring his worth. He could already tell it would be a balancing act. Vampires were generally seen as a perversion of the natural way of things. Essentially undead, they were like a slap in the face to religious types. Coravel wondered if the paladin had thought about that before joining this circus. Probably not as it was a definate conflict of interests. On one hand, he was charged with eradicating such desecrations to God. On the other hand, part of the oath given to Kast had not stipulated protecting everyone except the vampire, but the entire party. Out of the dim recesses of his mind, Coravel seemed to remember that a knight may not turn his weapon upon his companion for any reason without them violating that bond first.

The facial scars creating odd shadows on his face, his fingers traced over a tatoo as his prismatic stare bored into the vampire. "Well, this is going to more than a little ackward, isn't it?"

Kast leaned against the wall where the group was to meet. He held out Andarma examining it. The long smooth shaft and teh rune encrusted blade. Twas a mighty sword, formed of elemental steel. Cerifs lay asleep next to him, and Hunter was shooting arrows at a make shift target. The sun was to rise in less than an hour. "Where is everyone?"

Saacon came clanking up. "Good morning, my lord." He said cheerfully. "Where shall we be going first?" Resplendant in his freshly polished, golden hued armor, pressed surcoat of the purest white and emblazoned with his gray wolf in the brightest colors, plus his freshly trimmed hair and beard, he looked ready to participate in a parade rather than a quest of great import.

Coravel came gliding over from where he had been talking at the vampire. Lean and ragged-looking, he appeared to be a polar opposite of the paladin's neat appearence. The one concession he had made towards neatness was to be cleanshaven. He was also short and to the point. "When do we leave?"

"Arkward? Thsi is true but I understand if were not for the oath you would gladly take my life and I would not hesiatte to fight myself but not out of hatred, I am not the vampire you or many believe is common, my grandparenst many many millenia ago were human and angel... that is most probably why I am exiled , because..I was granted a soul but my word is my bond and could you acept the word of a Vampire... Coravel... I shall not harm you nor anyone who fights with us" Alreic replied as he noticed Saacon approach himself and Coravel

"You've got it all wrong, boyo. I couldn't care less what you are as long as you don't try to kill me. I'm more concerned with the behavior of certain...shinier friends of ours, if you catch my drift."

"ah..I see... well I wont be killing or attacking anyoen anytime soon..waht si your problem with our.."shiny" friends" Alreic asked, he smirked when he heard the words hsi companion had used

"Oh, nothing really. I was just referring to a certain personage who could be used as a signalling mirror right about now."

"you liek to be cryptic haha just say the name and make evrthing easier, there can be no secrets and if youre referring to the person nearby who has gone let us say a tad overboard on the armour...then i agree haha" Alreic replied chuckling a little

"the sun is rising..we must make haste.." Alreic continued

Anarion Post

Kast turned to the vampire and drifter. "Enough, we must find out where ure going." He pulled out a map as a voice spoke in the shadows.

"youll want to head north first. To get the Stone of Light." Kast spun around drawing Andarma. realizing the Speaker he put Andarma away. "What do you want Draconis." Draconis stepped from the shaddows with a two handed sword strapped to his waist and a pac on his back. Kast looked at him surprised. Draconis stared back and smiled. "What cant let you go on your own, you'll all get killed." He turned on Saacon. "you sir might want to consider not wearing your armor. Its loud clanky and will bring attention to us. There are Minions of the Red Hand already afoot in anarion. And they will be hunting for us. Surely the Paladins of the Holy order have Tactical leather armor."

Saacon blinked in confusion. "Leather armor? No, I can't say as I have that. Leather armor is nowhere near as effective as plate. Why should I worry about noise? It's not as though I'm trying to hide and its not that noisy. Now, shall we leave?" he asked, his arm extended towards the door.

"either stand here and let the red hand coem to us and devour us with wave upon wave of hellish hordes or we find way to stop them, i agree it is best if we not attract attention to ourselves lest we wish to be ripped apart ..." Alreic spoke, he alwast had to be very melodramatic

Draconis smiled at Saacons response. "This mission requires stealth mate. Though its not incredibly noisy, demons can hear it from miles away. I must suggest heavily that you get yourself out fited with Anarion leather armor. Its laced with mithril, so it will be just as effective as your platemale. Though not as flashy, but whats more important, looks or life?"

Coravel shook his head. "Forget it. As long as he doesn't shine it as we travel and oils the joints so they don't squeak, we'll live. There can't be alot of the Red Hand anyway. If there were a lot of them they would have begun attacking population centers by now. And if they were, then there wouldn't be much point in hiding anyway."

Kast shook his head. "Mount up then. Well follow Draconis's advice, and head north. Through the Hollows of the Elven Forest. From there the Planes of Gerathor and up the pass of Iladuhir, to the Angel Citry of Lost Jerusalem. Be weary, the hollows hold some ill beasts. But they have been odly quiet for the last few days, something has scared them"

He climbed onto the Back of Cerifis. Draconis and Hunter mounter their horses.

Coravel ackwardly pulled himself into the saddle of sturdy looking bay. "I suppose this isn't a good time to mention that I've never ridden a horse before."

Saacon laughed as he mounted and planted his lance in his right stirrup. "It isn't that difficult. Just don't saw at the reigns and grip with your knees."

Cerifs resonding to commands from Kast, that werent even mentally spoken, cerifis just seemed to know what to do, padded over to the Horse Coravel was on. Kast then spoke to the Horse in old Elvish. The horse percked its eared and breighed its understanding. "Stalia will take care of you. Just hold on and he'll do the rest."

Draconis eyed Saacons lance. "Are we going to be jousting?" He turned away and muttered. "Paladins, theyre all alike."

"That's nice." Coravel didn't sound convinced but his face was calm. "Shall we leave now?"

Saacon looked mildly offended. "The lance is integral part of mounted combat. Not merely reserved for tourneys it can be a devestating weapon on the battlefield."

Draconis laughed. "Yes, but where not going on a battle field now are we. Were on a swift mission, meaning traveling light and fast. Through the woods too. You lance is gonna snap on a tree. Hence why i emphasized the need for Tactical. other wise wed have an Army with us."

"Thats enough Draconis." Kast had had enough.

"And when did you become in charge of this expedition?"

"since i reached teh age of 1500 and became older than you. And because im Prince of Anarion. Dont like it dont come. Now STOP TESTING THEM. Their not quitting."

Draconis smiled. and when he spoke his voice was no longer sarcastic and meniacle, but warm and friendly. "Theyve proven their Patience,... but not their resolve."

Kast smiled," Well when we get into a situation, then we will see."

"Moving. Now. Please." Coravel was definately not enjoying the whole horse thing. After all, his legs worked, why should he use the legs of something else. He wouldn't have minded a boat. You could control where boats went, a horse had a mind of its own and might decide to do something you didn't want it too. Unfortunately, boats were hard to come by in the middle of a forest. And if you did have one it would be less than useless.

"humans..elves...stll the same old arguments to be held" muttered Alreic as he mounted his horse, a pale white steed , he rode bareback as not to weigh her down

"Lost Jerusalem is where we are headed then... They wont be glad to see me there haha so if you're with me..prepare for some abuse" Alreic said to hsi companions, he looked at them "1500 years old... still a kid, try 6 and a half millena old, then we can talk" he thought, he mounted his horse Pachenda and began to gently trot

"The fell creatures have been wounded many killed by the red hand... they move as we stand here and discuss pointless thinsg like amount of armour"

Draconis nudged his horse over to the path. "Let us make haste then, Im 10 thousand years old, and im not getting any younger." He took off at a gallop. Kast shook his head, "im 3769, whats ure point" he willed Cerifis to follow. Hunter sighed as he galloped after them. "Im 25, i guess im obviously the youngest"

"25..you may be the youngets but most probably the most unfoolish of us all..we ride now!" Alreic said as the fellowship that had coem to be began to ride

Still in a state of near panic, Coravel shook his head. "I'm the youngest at eighteen." He paused and thought about the whole situation. Strange, I've said more in the past twelve hours than I've spoken in the past month. I need to cut back. He rode out with the others while Saacon moved to the front of the column. Saacon, he noticed, looked curious about this Lost Jeruselem.

2 hours later

The companions had been riding for a few hours, and it was as they were walking along a cliff when Cerifis abruptly stopped. Hunter trotted up behind him. "What is it?" "SHH" kast cut him off. His hightened senses picing up sound a far ways off. "Men sounds like five of them...but somethings different,... The way they walk...its strange. but theres a 6th one, but...female.....and she sounds like normal, and here pace is much quicker.....almost as if shes being chased..."

Demons

Kast looked down at Cerifis. What

Demons...Five of them...i can smell them.


and the girl?

Shes human...but also...different.

"Shit and theyre chasing this innocent."

Hunter looked confused "What?"

"Cerifis smells demons... Five of them."

"Wait so you mean,"

"YuP."

He dismounted Cerifis and slung his sword over his back. Hunt dismounted his horse and grabed his bow and his short sword leaving his broad sword with his horse. The two of them had been hunting since Hunt was 11. Kast had taught Hunt everything about Elvish hunting and the art of Stealth. Kast turned to Cerifis.
You know what to do.

Cerifis lept into the woods. Kast turned to the rest of the party. "stay here, unless you think you can keep up. Draconis just rolled his eyes. He stripped off his Jacket handing it to Saacon. "Dont lose this." HIs tunic had two slits in the back. He groaned as he revealed his wings, they grew through the slits until they were folded in on his back. "See you over there. " He strapped his sword to his waiste and Spread his wings, a massive 14 foot wingspan, and took off into the air. Kast shook his head. "angels... Time to go Hunt."
The two lept off the cliff both landing in a tree. They ran off leaping from limb to limb. Time was of the essence.

Kula limped through the forest. Her clothes were tattered rags just barely covering her most private parts. The long knife she carried hung limply in her hand. She cried out in pain as she slipped and fell. Not daring to stop she continued on. The creatures, what ever they were, could not be far behind.

She continued to limp as fast as she could. She came to a clearing and quickley tried move across. She was almost to the otherside when an Arrow pierced the back of her shin. Screaming out in pain she fell and rolled. Closing her eyes, she thought to herself...this is the end.

"I shall join you soon, first I must prepare" Alreic replied as he sat down legs folded and soon was engulfed by dimly light fireflies who then swarmed to him and he vanished into a haze of darkness, Alreic reparred in the forest catching glimpses of the girl running from the demons

"If any of you can hear me... you may wish to hurry...they're gaining up on her" whispered Alreic knowing some of his companions could hear every inch of this forest

Alreic removed the two shortswords he carried with him, almost elven in design and began to leap between tree in swirl of black

Coravel slid gratefully off the horse, alighting on the ground. One hand holding his sheath so it was perpindicular to the forest floor, he sprinted off after Kast and Hunter. Unencumbered by armor or unecessary gear, he was able to easily maintain his sprint, his smooth gait a soft pitter patter through the undergrowth.

Saacon used a completely different strategy. He simply plowed through the brush, his large horse at an easy canter. Readying himself to crash through another large bush, he jerked his head sharply forward to slam his visor shut. While it might be safer to move slower through the obscuring foilage, part of the mounted knight's effectiveness was in the speed of the charge. Peering forward intently, Saacon looked for any sign of these so-called demons as his charger thundered past Coravel.

Kula stared hard at the 5. They walked and were shaped like ordinary men. But their skin was black and red, like a charred body. One of them came forward holding a vicious looking black steel scimatar. It shined with teh promis of death. his voice echoed with poisen and the promise of pain. "So long human whench." Kula closed her eyes waiting for the blow. But it never came. She heard a strange gurgaling noise and opened her eyes. The demon, with a look of horror on its face, fell forward, and layed dead before her, and arrow sticking out the back of its neck. The other 4 had drawn swords and were currently gazing out into the woods.

Out of no where a seccond man appeard in the center of the 4. "looking for me?" Quickly he dispatched one before it had time to turn around. Another one leapt at him, and the two engaged in a dueling match. A second one was looming around to strike the man in the back, but from out of the forest another man leapt out and landed on the demon. Those two followed suit and engaged in the fight themselves, the third with a sick smile on his face moved towards her. Unable to do anything else....she screamed. Suddenly, she was hidden in the cover of white wings.

A mounted Saacon came crashing through the trees. With the sun shining, he was a bright golden blur atop a bigger metallic blur as his warhorse's hooves kicked up clods of dirt and mud. Targetting the closest demon, he thundered towards it. As the ground reverberated with the sound of his charger's hooves he lowered his lance, couching it under his arm. As the moment of impact neared, he stood and leaned forward setting himself for the charge.

Coravel emerged with much less fanfare and drew his blade and looked to see if Kast and Hunter were having any trouble as well as keeping watch for more enemies.

Draconis stood over the girl with his wings curled over her protectively. He was staring the demon down when Saacon could he heard blasting through the forest. The demon heard it too and turned to face him. Not moving as the lance came closer and closer. Then with almost no time left he raised his arm and fired a powerful ball of fire into Saacons Chest plate. The demon turned to face Draconis when he found a sword thrown into his chest. THe demon just laughed......until the wound started to burn. He glanced down at the hilt and then looked up at Draconis wide eyed. The words "excalibur" formed on his lips before he turned to ash and was gone.

Kast was only half heartedly dueling, the Demon was an average sword fighter. Finally getting board he fliped up his opponents sword and spun around bringing his sword of holy steal across its chest. The wound sizzled with smoke and the Demon turned to ash.


Hunter was having a bit more trouble. He was not as skilled. He kicked the demon away and unlocked his short sword. A second sword clicked off it, revealing two short blades. Knocking the Demons blade a side with one blade he proceded to cut its head off with the other.

Coravel sheathed his sword, there weren't any more enemies to be seen. He shrugged and meandered over to Draconis and the girl. Saacon, however, was having trouble controlling his emotions. He was almost shaking with rage. He was clutching a smoldering stick and his armor was blackened and scorched, as was his surcoat. In fact, the only reason he was still in his saddle was probably the fact that he had leaned forward before the ball of fire hit. Finally regaining mastery of himself, he dismounted and walked heavily up to the girl. Stripping off the aformentioned surcoat, he draped it over her frame and said "Be still, child." Invoking the power of God, he prayed and lay his hands upon her shoulders.

OOC: thanks but im gonna have Kast heal her, cause i plan for these two to get som romancy stuff on.

Draconis remolded his wings into his body standing over the girl. Kast however kneeled next to them and placed a hand on Saacons hands and pushed them aside. "you might not wanna be doing that mate." He opened the unconcious girls mouth, and pointed out her fangs. "fangs......shes a vampire..."

No.....

Cerifis padded out of the woods, and came up to the girl and sniffed her.....
Shes vampil. Shes only half vampire and half human.

"well thats unusual"

Hunter again looked confused. "What?"

"Shes vampil."

Draconis cleared his throat. "Irrelevant, she needs medicine, not a philosophy lesson. Kast your the greatest here in the healing arts."

Kast nodded his head "Aye, i will tend to her. but you all could help by constructing a cart of somesort, for as much as this girl needs help, we must keep moving"

Saacon blinked, stunned by what he had almost done. Coravel was thinking much faster. "She doesn't look to bad to ride. Just put her up on my horse. I'd rather remain on foot anyway." Damn. I'm talking too much again.

Kast nodded....."we make camp here tonight......i suggest Hunter go back for the horses." "And My Jacket." Draconis added Glaring at Saacon. Kast shook his head. "Saacon Draconis and I will set up a camp. Coravel go with Hunter.

Saacon shook his head. "It's a good thing you stopped me. With the way my healing works, I would've killed her." He seemed truly shaken by what he had almost done. Even if it was unknowingly, he could have lost his paladinhood. Shaking his head again, he began to make himself useful in setting up the camp.

Coravel walked back to the horses with Hunter easily and smoothly through the underbrush. His left hand was gripping the top of his sheath and was keeping the end clear of any snags. Galncing at Hunter, he simply said three words "Draconis and Saacon." and waited for Hunter's reaction.

Hunter laughed slightly. "Nvr met any of them before any of this, however both being holy they are different. Saacon is proud, and Draconis is humble"

Back at the camp

Draconis knew of the Paladins oath, and actually detested it. Not for what it was, but for the misconceptions it strew. Evil was not as Black and white as the Church said. Forinstance Killing someone is only evil in cold blood, killing to protect someone, was not concidered evil by God. Its not the action, but the purpose behind it God deems evil. He clapped the Paladin on the soldier. "Your intentions were Good and your heart was pure. God would not have put the blame for this girls death on you."

Saacon nodded. "One can only hope that is true. That thing fried my lance, and while I could improvise one the wood here isn't sturdy enough for my purposes." Saacon wen't back to making camp.

Coravel lokked at Hunter in surprise. "Draconis...humble?"


OOC: Post is rather abbreviated. I have to pack everything up and move to a different hotspot.

Hunter laughed "Well hes humbler...."

Much Later with teh Tents all set up. and a fire blazing.

Kast knelt next to the fire gathering more coals into the coal pan. He had givin up his own tent for Kula's use. He had bandaged her, with herbs on the linnens to protect against infection and heal faster. He had also found a spair set of cloths that with a little alteration would fit her. He got up and ducked back into his tent. Slipping the coal pan into the layers of furs in order to help keep her warm He then sat back to watch over her. His eyes traced her farm. She was really quite beautiful. With long brown hair down to her waist. Her eyes were brown, but he had only seen them when checking her eyes for damage. She was still unconcious then.


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

Kula awoke with a start. She gazed around not recognizing her surrondings and panicked when a gentle hand settled on her shoulder. "Easy child..." She turned and looked up into the face of her rescuer. She couldntly believe it. She was staring up into the face of the Prince of Anarion. Quickly she turned here eyes away. "Your highness" But he placed a hand under her chin and lifted it up. "you need not bow to me. Rest... your safe now." Her vision blurred as she recended into sleep again.

"A vampil, i sensed something wasn't right about her... maybe I can speak to her...being hald vampyre also it may hold some leverage" Alreic propsed to his companions, Alereic being of three bloodlines..angle, man and vampire he possessed the strengths and weaknesses that came with being bound to the bloodlines

Kast exited the tent. "For now she rests Alereic. I suggest you get some sleep too. Ill keep watch." Kast laid back next to the fire and gazed up at the stars.

Shucking his armor, Saacon began to pray. Not only for himself and his companions, but for the mysterious girl as well. Coravel merely looked at Kast and nodded his head towards the girl's tent with a questioning look.

Kast smiled at Coravel, "she'll be fine...though she may be weak for a few days." Kast pulled out the set of clothes. Pulling out a knife he cut part of the fabric off and then using thread knitted parts of it together making the shirt a tighter fit. He did similer tactics to the pants. When they stopped int Verish'Na a small trading Town at the head of the river, they would be able to get her some decent clothes.

Coravel nodded and went into his tent. He sat crosslegged and meditated before finally sleeping. If things went this way the entire journey, he would need his rest.

OOC: kk ive gotta go to bed, and ill be on Vaca til the 30th. Ill see you all then. So i put this thread on HOLD!!!!!MWHAHAHAHHHA!!!!

OOC:NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! But seriously, have fun and don't get into too much trouble.

OOC: This is just to put this thread back on the "map." It should show up in the main listing now (easier to find). It contains no IC stuff.

Alreic headed towards his resting place, an opening in between some cherry blossom tress, here he meditated and entered a deep sleep...

He would be ready for travelling soon, he didn't need much sleep being A Vampire but then again hsi human side was known to be lazy

At the edge of the forrest, he waited. It had been some hours now since the demonic hunting party had met something that was even meaner than they were--and he was trying to keep it from noticing him.

He had followed the demons for three days, had watched them hunt the vampiel girl, had nearly intervened to save her, when they came in and obviated his appearance. So much the better.

The irony is that, had he had his way, there would have been no loss of life on any side. He was an exceptional illusionist, and it is the oldest trick in the book to make an image of oneself and allow others to "kill" it. That's what he would have done with the girl--made an illusion of her for the demons to destroy, and let them go home happy. No one--least of all them--would have suspected that their plans had been foiled.

Now, the warriors--they were obviously warriors, though it was not obvious what war they were fighting--had set up camp, and it was too close for comfort. They could obviously detect life forces, including his. If they couldn't discriminate--and most couldn't--between his essence and a truly evil one, they would attack him as if...he preferred not to think about it. So...he had gone stealth. He had shut down every spell he had with him, folded his batlike wings against his back and made himself as unobtrusive as possible. All he had to do was wait them out...and not die of thirst in the process. Since he had a canteen with him, this would have made an interesting betting pool for the bookies back in the underworld...if they had known...

All the warriors had to do was clean up and go away...

----------------------------

OOC: You may fire when ready, Gridley.

"something stirs in this place, something fell" thought Alreic, he walked towards his fellow companions, many of them still wary of him and he sat next to Coravel and whispered into his ear

"there is something there...watching us, choose to believe me or not..but beware and be prepared for the worst"

Thulus! His feet were almost covered in thulus! Ants! The other dominant species! And not just any ants, Thulu ants! They bit and instantly released powerful digestive acids! They could strip a man to the bones in under five minutes! They were one of the few things powerful enough to chew their way through his skin!

With a cry of annoyance and a little fear, Marvel started to run--and, as he thought about it, as quickly as he could, he put on the mask of his human form, so as not to overly disturb the...

...WARRIORS!!!! OH NO!!! The ants were driving him straight into them!

Kast packed his horse. The girl needed someone to hold her up as she rode, for she was still weak. So kast decided to take the job. Cerifis would ride alone. Draconis packing his horse stopped,perked his ears, and dissapeard up into a tree. Kast stood looking bewildred looking bewildered when Draconis pulled a vine, which effectively tripped a large man bouldering through teh forest. Noticing the mans persuers Kast sent a wave of frosty air, which Thulu ants loathed. The ants scurried back into the forest. Cerifis ran up and sniffed the man, and then jumped back. He sent one word to Kast: Demon.

By now, he figured, the more helpless he could make himself appear, the more chance he stood of keeping body and soul--they told him he had one now--togther.

He hit the ground with a loud OOFFF! that wasn't completely feigned.

"Ahh!" the former demon cried from his spot on the ground. "Help! They're after me! MY FEET ARE ON FIRE!!!!!" He reached back and squashed the ants that were burning holes in his shoes--which stopped the immediate problem at the cost of getting acid all over his hands. Thulus were nasty little buggers. "Kind sirs, I beseech you! Water for my feet before the acid burns completely through them!"

It stood about a snowball's chance in a volcano of working, and, even if they did offer aid, he'd have to watch out for knives and nets now that one of them had scented him (could the...being...have been any more obvious?), but it was worth a try. After all, it wasn't like he wanted to go into combat with these people. If he was lucky, he still might be able to use his diplomatic training to negotiate a nonviolent way out of this.

Kast shot water from his hands dousing the acid with ease. Though he rarely used spells, he did know some useful ones. On this being he placed the Spell of Bindment, which would keep him from being able to cast spells. Hunter notched an arrow aimed at the demons heart while the others surrounded the demon. Kast tossed Saacon a spear from Cerifis saddle to replace his Lance.

Draconis held the holy steel blade of Excaliber at the demons throat and glanced down with his silver eyes that marked him as an Angel. "What be your buisness here demon..."

"This... person... is no ordinary demon..he's different, he ha snot been touched or marked by the accursed order we fight...he has a will of his own it seems... never matter, a will can be broken in time...what si your business in these dark woods" Alreic hissed, hsi eeys glowing pale blue before black and back and forth to disorientate the demon

This was going to be a bad day. No, strike that. This was already a bad day. Sometimes, it's amazing how fast things can go from bad to impossible. Still, the situation did have its share of entertainment value. The one's glowing eye trick was mildly amusing, though not quite a gut-buster.

One of them, however, was an angel--and not a fallen one, either, at least not completely. Aside of his natural dislike for them in general, Marvel didn't like this one in particular. He was presumptuous--a form of arrogance. That's not something you find in your standard angel's bag of tricks.

The demon tried to speak and choked. The blade was pressing on his voice box. The others in the party watched as he annoyedly moved the blade so that he could speak. It raised a few eyebrows. Must've been an empowered blade. A demon that was evil would not have been able to do what he had just done.

"If I may be so bold," he said, "I was here with the same objective as you gentlemen. I would have attempted to accomplish it in a slightly different manner, but I was out to save the vampiel from the beasts that were hunting her. My method would have the slight benefit that the hunters would have returned to their master and reported success, and their master, in turn, would not be sending out a stealth party to investigate, as is standard practice, and that party would not be tracking us all this very instant.

"When you came along, I saw that things were in order and sought to avoid you. The thulu ants had other plans, however.

"That said, I think it's only fair that I...express my displeasure at having all those weapons pointed at me...and at being told I'd have my will broken by someone who hadn't yet taken the time to find out what it was that I was willing to do."

The thing about bindment spells is that, unless some god or other intervenes, they're only as good as the mage who casts them. They can be cracked, sneaked around or just plain overwhelmed. A great fighter the guy who had cast the bindment may have been, but, when it came to magic, he was strictly second-team. Marvel blew out the spell so quickly that it might as well not have been there.

It would not come as a surprise, then, that the demon was able to launch a blade of blue light at each of his assailants. It was all just wild magic--perfectly harmless--but it made a big scene, and that, hopefully, would be enough to distract everyone from the real spell that Marvel was casting.

It was the oldest trick in the book, but that just meant that he'd had more time to practice it. The "human" form wavered for a moment as the spell took hold--one could argue that it was an affect of overpowering the bindment. Actually, it was a substitutiary illusion--a combination of the projection of his image onto the spot where he had been and an invisibility spell. With any luck, they would cut the illusion to pieces and think that he had died. They would be happy and he would escape. It seemed somehow ironic that the technique that he had thought he was going to use on a pack of demons would instead be turned upon an angel, but this only served to heighten the demon's potential pleasure should the ruse work.

The demon crept quickly back to his feet and carefully snuck toward the nearest opening in the croud--though they had bound him from casting spells, they had not thought to bind his body. The illusion was strong enough to hold the sword and to give a disgusted-sounding "Drat!" when the "lines of force spell" "failed" to harm its "targets." So far, it was all working very well.

--------------------

OOC:

Needed to develop the character. He's got an arrogant streak, and he's REAL shifty, but he's very non-violent. Wanted those things to come out. Also wanted to establish him as an illusionist of extraordinary power. He can barely cast a fireball, but you don't want to be the person he's looking at if he says, ...well, I'd like him to say it a little later on. For now, let's just say that there are illusions of sight...and illusions of feeling. :) :) :)

OOC: u know Kast has been practicing magic for over a thousand years...and one of the best sorcerers in Anarion.....true hes not As strong with spells as with elemerntal magic but i wouldnt go as far as call him second rate.

Draconis nocked the beam aside with excalibur and quickly flipped out bola witch he flung at the demon. The Bola wrapped its self around the Demons legs hindering him from moving. "That wasnt very nice." Kast shrugged. "Bind his hands, if he claims to be good, he can prove it in Lost Jerusalem."

Hunter shackled the demon in spell cast irons. They couldnt be broken by strenght or by common magic.

"forgive my initial anger, but you claim to be helping the Vampil...why would you risk your own skin to help a halfblood? you are a demon" Repled Alreic who turned his back on the demon and returned to his clearing, he was riled

He needed to regain his composure, he began to meditate and was in deep sleep

He could've left right there and then. They'd bought it completely. THE ILLUSION was now bound and shackled, but he was free! All he had to do was spread his wings and GO--but...oh, not this again. He was having an attack of SCRUPLES!

You IDIOT! he chided himself. Stop this madness and save your skin! No good deed goes unpunished!

But he was not to be consoled. Oh, but he was so arrogant! Presuming that he could reason with these people, presuming that they wouldn't tear him a new one if he stayed long enough for the magic senses of those in the party who had it to recover from the burst of power he had just used. On the other hand, as he thought about it, it struck him that these people might just have morals despite themselves. Maybe they could be convinced not to harm those who trying not to harm them.

Still, he thought he might have some fun--make it convincing.

The illusion winced. "Arghhh. Forgive me. I was stupid. It was an act of compassion. When I realized what she was, I thought that the girl might be enough like me at least to understand some of what I have to live with--it's not every day I come across...even a potential kindred spirit. Besides, I'd heard rumors of a political upheaval in the underworld, and I wanted to see if she knew anything. At the very worst, it was more than a fair bargain: her life for a few simple tidings." All of this was true--and, if any of them had the Truth Sense, they would know it. The illusion then shook its head as if to clear it. Clearly, things were not going well for it.

------------------------

OOC:

Sorry if I wrote something derogatory about any characters. I was merely playing along with a previous post, which said that the one who cast the binding spell didn't use magic very much. To be fair, the bindment would probably have stopped anything that Marvel had tried to cast EXCEPT an illusion. :) :) :)

Coravel was having some trouble with the situation, Probably from his loose grasp of sanity. He would swear that there were two of these 'demons'. One was talking and the other was observing quietly or...enjoying himself, maybe? Whether or not it was his sanity, or maybe because he was Jen'e'tai, but he had a growing certainty that the other demon was at least as real as the one talking. Clenching the hilt of his heron marked blade, he began to purposefully advance on this other one.

OOC:lol i almost got pissed over the whole illusion thing, but only cause i had misread the post that u rped it in.


IC: Kast smiled at the demon. "Theres just one problem mate.." Suddenly he thrust Andarma through the face of the demon. (Andarma= Kast's family's sword) "and that is that your not real." As the illusion fell away, Cerifis lept from the bushes tackling the Real Marvel to the Ground the fur on his back standing up on end with a deep growl daring him to move.. (Cerifis is about the size of a horse, cept that he is a wolf.) Kast walked over to Marvel an Knelt down. "See, the thing about illusion magic, is it only works on the eyes...not the nose."

OOC:

Well I am getting pissed.

1) Having my character tackled to the ground without my consent is godmodding--as was binding him from using magic and binding him physically. Each of these is an example of someone else controlling my character--a clear breach of RP etiquette. I'm getting tired of having to resort to technicalities to circumvent this godmodding. I've been careful not to do this with your characters--in fact, I was careful to get permission before I even included him in this part of the story. I'd appreciate it if others would show me the same courtesy. It is one of the basic rules of a game like this one that one does NOT control someone else's character! You folks have broken that rule REPEATEDLY.

This is one of the reasons why Marvel is an ILLUSIONIST. His magic controls what other characters PERCEIVE, not what they DO. You are free to control your own characters, as I should be free to control mine.

2) Oh, and, BTW, I've already alluded to the fact that Marvel's illusions DON'T just work on the eyes...but, since you seem to want an example of this...

----------------------------

IC:

If he had anyone but himself to blame, this situation would have been annoying. Still, the invisibility spell was holding--for now--and the one called Cerefis was still working on his other senses only. It must have had a good sense of smell indeed to detect him--the illusion had been complete, including masking his scent.

It was time to get a little more serious. He needed a distraction that would get him out of there now and hold off that overgrown mongrel. He wasn't in a mood to get truly violent yet, but he needed to send a message.

"Eyes only, eh? Really, mates?" he replied. "You have cramps."

Diverticulitis is often referred to as "the most painful malady known to man." Actually, broken bones are far more debilitating, but Marvel didn't have time to be picky. All he did was visit that malady on Kast and Cerefis--temporarily. The illusion (an illusion of touch rather than of sight) would wear off in a few minutes--and not present any of the long-term problems that the real thing did. In the meantime, if the two of them weren't somehow proof against the redeemed demon's magic, they would not be able to ignore it, and Marvel could use the momentary distraction to get clear.

"And don't call me 'demon,'" he said, giving the spell time to take hold (or not). "I haven't been one of those in over a century."

A lot happened very quickly then. First, Marvel felt his cramp spell run out of power. It sent a momentary shiver into its intended victims, then failed. As this happened, his body became translucent--his invisibility spell was beginning to fail, too.

When he did a quick search, he found the reason for all of this was only too easy to see: the bindment spell that was placed on the illusion had somehow found its link to him, the illusion's caster, and was starting to drain his power.

So THAT'S why The Pooch can smell me!

Without thinking, Marvel shut down the illusion.

But the bindment spell did not shut down. Instead, it exploded, sending a powerful jolt of magical energy along its link and straight into the hapless former demon's mind.

"Oh, SH--," he began. But the thought was never completed. Instead, the world turned a sickly combination of red and gray before fading away altogether.

----------------------


OOC: Marvel is now unconscious. Bind him as necessary.

As he becomes more integrated into the team, Marvel will stop using such disdainful language to describe its members to himself.

Kast sighed at the unconcious demon. "Fool.... Bind his hands" Hunter picked up the shackles from the ground and placed them on the real demon. Kast then reinstated the bindment spell. "Wake him up, we need to get moving. Ill check on the girl. " Kast then turned on heel and went into his tent. Before he entered he turned to the paladin. "Saacon, your in charge of the demon now." Hunter ran to the nearby streem and filled a small pail with water, on his return he through it on the Demon to wake him up.

Alreic came out of his deep sleep to find the demon now shackled up, he walked over to it and offered him soem of his own personal rations

"Her have some orrico bread, it may taste awful but its good for you" Alreic stared at the demon, his body weakened after recent events "Now tell em a little about yourself and try not to be so damn cryptic liek your illusions"

When the water hit him, he came to with a start. Then, the splitting headache decided to announce its presence by doing a tap dance on his forehead. Then, he tried to put his hand on his head...and found the manicles around his wrists. Now that was starting to get him good and vexed--so vexed that he wasn't sure he completely cared what he was going to say anymore.

"First," he said, "I'm not a demon. I turned, and the angels got me. Told me they were doing me a big favor--even used their magic to alter my anatomy. Only thing they didn't tell me at the time was that they didn't alter the anatomy of any females to go along with it. I'm a species of one. Ain't it great?

"I've been living in Anarion ever since they changed me. I come into places, find work for a while and then leave. Sometimes, I stop a plague before it starts; sometimes, I beat the snot out of a tinpot tyrant or two. Everybody likes me when I leave--as long as I don't drop out of my human form. One time, I had to use my wings to keep a little human brat from freezing, and they caught me. Drove me out of town at the point of a pitchfork just as soon as I gave 'em their brat back.

"Second, I'm not hungry. No thanks." He did not mention that he had made himself a small meal of wild rat shortly before the warriors showed up.

"Third, I hate being bound. Every time I come near any bunch of so-called heroes, they always tie me up. I'm sick of it! Now you're doing it again. You know what? You're no better than any of the other so-called heroes I've run across. What's it going to be this time? Tarring and feathering? Execution? Well, if you're going to kill me, get it over with quick because I'm really tired of always being the one who has to pay. Really tired.

"Stinkin' ants. If they hadn't showed, I would've just left you to be on your way and gone on mine. That way, nobody gets hurt. You guys should try that way of doing things sometime.

"You know that the warlord who sent those demons to hunt that vampiel is going to send more when they don't come back. That's the way they do business over there. And the ones they send the second time will make the first ones look like cute little bunny rabbits."

---------------

OOC:

Hostility expressed is that of the character, not that of the author. It's just role-playing.

OTOH, you guys now have one ticked-off former demon on your hands.

"Very well..we are not going to kill, I give you my word on my house and on my people" Alreic replied as he ate his orrico bread before sitting by the demons side

"So you're no longer a demon, thanks to the angels, I'm part angel but why did they chosoe you above the countless ones to change into what you are now and why could they have not made you human instead of being frced to disguise yourself" Alreic leant closer to the demon

"And belieev me, being a Vampyre is worse...we mingle within their circles, it frightened them"

Draconis drained his cup of ail. "Because Angels are proud Noble Creatures," He said mockingly answering Alreics question. "They think theyre better than anyone here. Better than the simpleton elves and the cold warring humans, and certainly better than the vile backstabing vampires. Becaouse of their Vanity, worse than that of Saacon's over there. I was banished. I fought with the elves and humans to save Anarion the first time. But even then i felt the same way, i only sought to save Lost Jerusalem. Overtime through my travels however, ive....Matured. Ive learned the strength of a vampires frendship, the beuty of elvish wisdom, and the depth of the human heart. Angels are pure vanity,........" he sighed turning back to the fire. "which is why we were banished from heaven..."

Dastardly Stench']When the water hit him, he came to with a start. Then, the splitting headache decided to announce its presence by doing a tap dance on his forehead. Then, he tried to put his hand on his head...and found the manicles around his wrists. Now that was starting to get him good and vexed--so vexed that he wasn't sure he completely cared what he was going to say anymore.

"First," he said, "I'm not a demon. I turned, and the angels got me. Told me they were doing me a big favor--even used their magic to alter my anatomy. Only thing they didn't tell me at the time was that they didn't alter the anatomy of any females to go along with it. I'm a species of one. Ain't it great?

"I've been living in Anarion ever since they changed me. I come into places, find work for a while and then leave. Sometimes, I stop a plague before it starts; sometimes, I beat the snot out of a tinpot tyrant or two. Everybody likes me when I leave--as long as I don't drop out of my human form. One time, I had to use my wings to keep a little human brat from freezing, and they caught me. Drove me out of town at the point of a pitchfork just as soon as I gave 'em their brat back.

"Second, I'm not hungry. No thanks." He did not mention that he had made himself a small meal of wild rat shortly before the warriors showed up.

"Third, I hate being bound. Every time I come near any bunch of so-called heroes, they always tie me up. I'm sick of it! Now you're doing it again. You know what? You're no better than any of the other so-called heroes I've run across. What's it going to be this time? Tarring and feathering? Execution? Well, if you're going to kill me, get it over with quick because I'm really tired of always being the one who has to pay. Really tired.

"Stinkin' ants. If they hadn't showed, I would've just left you to be on your way and gone on mine. That way, nobody gets hurt. You guys should try that way of doing things sometime.

"You know that the warlord who sent those demons to hunt that vampiel is going to send more when they don't come back. That's the way they do business over there. And the ones they send the second time will make the first ones look like cute little bunny rabbits."

---------------

OOC:

Hostility expressed is that of the character, not that of the author. It's just role-playing.

OTOH, you guys now have one ticked-off former demon on your hands.

and ive got a powerful exiled Angel on my hands...doubtful youll be able to take him.....

OOC: regardless of the back story we eventually settle on, I think I can be safe with the following:

IC:

"They didn't turn me into a human because I wouldn't let them," the demon-no-more replied. "Even the oldest of them has one third my life span; even the strongest has half my strength. And I would never, never give up the sky--not for anything. Not even temporarily.

"As to why they chose me, you'll have to ask them that. They're not in the habit of sharing counsel with rifraf like me. Maybe they've got records of it somewhere in this Lost Jerusalem of theirs. I don't know and I don't care."

"Well no matter what you are, if you prove yourself to be noble and trustworthy and cease to as bothersome and full of riddle as you've been then maybe you will become an asset to us..until thne, im sorry but shackles are needed" Replied Alreic

"Saacon... when do we begin to make leave of this place to our destination, the air grows cold yet the day breaks way to the sun..something is wrong, should we not make hastes" Asked Alreic as he looked at his companion, Saacon & Alreic seemed to be in charge of this being and this being gave Alreic a weird sensation, as if something familiar but he couldnt place hsi finger on it

Of course, it didn't seem to bother them that they were talking about things that happened over a hundred years ago and expecting him to just remember them off the top of his head as if they had happened yesterday.

Still, they were right about the omens--and that meant that the new hunting party had been sent much earlier than he anticipated. They'd probably locked onto him as well as his captors by now. If only they'd not used so much violence! Violence always begets more violence.

And this thing about riddles. What riddles did he tell them? He wasn't a true demon any more! Humans frequently tried to bind him just because of the way he looked! He had followed the vampiel because he thought that she might at least be able to comiserate with him, and at most...did he dare hope for friendship? Gads, how foolish he had become. But it was all true--and all very, very simple. The only thing that he could think of was that they were jealous because he had held his own against all of them for far longer than they had thought possible--but even that didn't completely make sense.

-------------

OOC: Yeah, he's still got a bit of an ego problem. :) :) :)
I LIKE characters with flaws.

-------------

IC:

He needed his powers back, and he wasn't going to get them any time soon. Ohh! He hated being bound!

Well...he had once been a diplomat...and his training said that, in times such as these, build common ground. He had to begin to lobby now. The fact that he had the truth on his side for once didn't hurt, either.

"Just remember," he chimed in, "I never tried to cause any of you harm, even when I had the chance. If I'd had my way, I would be gone now and you would be none the worse for it."

"well whether or not you wouldve been gone by now is no longer a question for us to think about, but we must hurry, something disturbs me here and I am not one for being around things that disturb me" Alreic spoke as he lifted the "demon" off the ground

""Saacon take him to the horse, I'll go fecth our belongings, if you would be so kind" He asked Saacon, a vampyre who was polite and not as arrogant and devious as others, something that none of the rremaining companiosn could understand, maybe it wa shis mixed heritage but something about him still made them uneasy

"What is the plan then..do we continue onwards?" asked Alreic

They weren't going to kill him--and they made it sound like they'd let him go if he just lived by their rules. Maybe he'd get out of this after all.

This was such good news that he decided not to immediately use the venomous spine on his prehensile tail, which no one had thought to tie up yet. Maybe, if he didn't use it on Armor Boy, they might not notice that he had it. Maybe they didn't even know. Since they weren't threatening his life, they weren't going to find out from him.

----------------

OOC:

You guys really SHOULD have read the character description in the OOC thread... :) :) :) Hypnotic narcotic, BTW. In small amounts, not deadly--just makes the victim very suggestible and the withdrawal symptoms are bad news. In larger amounts, paralyzes without killing. In larger amounts still... :eek: I'm thinking that you might want one or two Red Gargoyle Demons in the group that is going to be attacking when the company gets to Lost Jerusalem.

---------------

IC:

As Armor Boy unceremoniously dumped him on the nearest ride, he measured the bindment spell that they'd put on him. This one wasn't like the first one. This was a bounded consumption spell. If you tried to break it, you ran the risk of breaking the boundry without breaking the consumption spell--and then, the thing would consume you.

He decided that a short ride on horseback would do him a world of good.

Maybe, if he was lucky, they'd group the prisoners together, and he'd have a chance to find out what the vampiel was running from--and if she understood what it was like to be...a prisoner who hadn't committed any crime.

-------------------

OOC: I thought it might be kinda humorous if one of the amorous types in the group confused his attempts at friendship with romance. Sorta adds to the love triangle thing, no? :) :) :)

P.S. My point with the ticked off demon wasn't that he was going to try to beat up every member of the group. Rather, it was that violence (such as what the group did to him) too easily begets more violence.

2 DAYS LATER
The stars shown bright above, as the moon set behind the looming mountains. Kast rode the back of Stalia, the Horse that Coravel no longer rode. Sitting in the same saddle in front of him leaning back against him, was the small vampil girl, she couldntbe more than 3000 winters. (looking about 17 in human years) She was currently asleep. They didnt have room for her on a horse, and though shed somewhat recovered she was still Week. It was soon discovered that there were Poisin on the blades, and she had been cut once. She was still recovering. Atleast, she couldnt feed on any of them. The beauty of being a Vampil, they dont have the parasitic organs that Vampires use when they feed. She ate food like a normal person. Kast gandered a look back at Marvel. The demon had been prisoner for 2 days now. They had passed the plains of Gerathor. They Mountains of Derathus loomed ahead. The pass of Iladuhir went up through the mountains to the City of Lost Jerusalem. At the base of the trail lay a trading town, called Taluda. The lights could be seen from miles away on this cold night. There they would find a real bed, a comfortable fire, and some clothes that actually would fit the girl.

Alreic had bought some clothes from a local store, he masked his vampire traits by hiding part of his face, he walked over to the Vampil girl and laid beside her bed ash she slept her new clothes

"I hope these fit you when you wake young one, you are so familiar...but then you are not, it is most intriguing..maybe sooner or later we will all know" he whispered as he lay her new clothes down

Alreic then exited her room and headed to Kast, Kast was tired..they all were

"My lord... how are you?" Asked Alreic to Kast, as Alreic took his place beside a roaring log fire

He had endured two days of manacles. He had endured two days without his magic. He had endured two days of their crazy ride to their crazy place, under circumstances so crazy that they wouldn't even talk to him about them.

The memory had come to him eventually. Lost Jerusalem, they called it. The City of the Angels. He was afraid to even try to tell them to watch out. That was one place where the turned demon had never been and never wanted to go to. He'd heard about the place.

They said that, in Lost Jerusalem, any time a hireling couldn't get his boss to pay him, it was always entirely the hireling's fault. Any time you got so much as a nosebleed there, they said, the Angels viewed it as a Sign from God that you were somehow unworthy! When Vamp Boy (Draconis--he had learned their names now) had described them with the phrase pure vanity, he was making a distinct understatement! These guys were so arrogant that it bordered on delusional!

Kula. Her name was Kula. She had told him during the night, when no one was listening. They had been speaking after he told her how to cast a healing spell to counteract the poison. They'd stopped him from casting spells, they hadn't stopped him from showing others how to cast spells. The hunting parties hadn't changed much in the last century or so. They were still using the same old blood thinners on their blades. No one had thought to ask Marvel if he knew anything about it--except Kula. So he had told her. And now she was recovering. If he hadn't saved her life, he'd done a lot to reduce her suffering. And the best part was that nobody seemed to have even noticed that he had manipulated magic right under their upturned little noses! He shuddered to think what they would have done if they'd caught him.

The whole situation was starting to wear on him. It was damn depressing to be on a conveyor belt that led straight into a meat grinder and not be able to do anything to stop it. When he looked around, though, he found that he was not alone.

This was when Angel Boy (Aelric) decided to strike up a conversation with The Big Chief (Kast). With The Pooch (Cerifis) nowhere to be seen--or smelled--and Armor Boy (Saacon) busy snoring away in his tent, Marvel figured that he might just be able to join in on the conversation. Anything to relieve the tedium. Maybe these guys had a thing or two in common with him after all. Maybe he could talk some sense into them someday. Considering that his chain was laid next to Armor Boy's tent, it wasn't very likely that he was going to get much sleep that night. Fortunately, the chain stretched close enough to both fire and wood that he could reach them with his tail.

"Mind if I listen in?" he asked, wrapping up a nearby log. "I can be useful." With a supplicant smile (some would call it a crap-eating grin), he laid the log on the fire.

OOC: confused on how we suddenly were camping again.....

ah wait got it, were there already, in an INN. that works.

IC: Kast turned to Marvel. "You must be thirsty," With that he tossed him a cold bottle of Ail. "Its not good, but its wet. Tonight we get some sleep. well you guys do, ive volunteered to watch over Kula tonight." He gazed over at the Vampil girl lying on the Sofa closest to the fire. She stirred and openned her eyes. "you needent worry" she said annoyed "i can take care of my...ahh" she strained and lay back panting. her body combined with the healing spell was fighting off the poisen, and it could be a little painful. Kast placed a cold damp cloth on her head. "rest child"

OOC @ Marionetonia: Alreic is the vampire not Draconis, jsut thought I'd point that out

"Feel free to listen Marvel if you wish to hear the words of two old "men" then feel free to, it won't be of any interest" Replied Alreic, as a Vampire he was prone to urges but he was different, being of angel and human ancestry he wasn't weakened by daylight and could withstand the thinsg that plagued his kin

But the hunger was his greatest enemy, he began to eat some meat to calm his nerves, it had been three months since he last fed and he didn not wish this curse to plague his companions

"Tell me Marvel, why have I not heard of you before now... I've seen and heard many things and indeed been involved personally with the greatest and the worst of people and not ever heard the name Marvel pop up..I take it that is not your real name?" asked Alreic, he wanted to know to know more of this being

The privacy curtains that Armor Boy had insisted on (his "tent," Marvel had called it) fluttered again as the Holy Knight let out a breath. No doubt, it was merely the preparation for another of the loud, gurlging snores that he had been bubbling up from his throat all evening. He was holy alright. Put him in a room at night, and he'd have everyone else in it going "Oh, GOD!" before morning guaranteed. As the Big Chief turned to Marvel, the implosion hit--with a loud snerkle. Distracted, the species-of-one bobbled the bottle and almost dropped it as it arrived. The chains on his wrists certainly didn't help.

He had just taken a breath to let out a soft cuss--a small cuss for a small annoyance--when Kula had another momentary lapse into consciousness. He shook his head. How could a guy misbehave when he had to look at courage like that?

He took a draught from the bottle. Chief was right about the ale. It was barely strong enough to keep down the bacteria that infested most of the water in these parts, let alone get him good and drunk like he wanted to be. Cheif was also right about it being wet, though.

"Thanks, Ch--uhhh--Kast," he said. "Thanks for keeping your word, too. This is the first time anybody ever tied me up without beating the crap out of me next chance they got."

The elven prince looked back at him.

"I might as well join you in your vigil," he said. "You'll pardon my saying so, but, with my hearing and his snoring, I'm not going to be getting much sleep tonight anyway. Bloody damned irony, isn't it? Having a half-vampire hit up by a poison that destroys the blood?"

The thought was lost as Vamp Boy--Alreic--actually spoke to him.

"If you must know," the Red Gargoyle answered, "I've been lieing low. I was a diplomat in Izagoth. There aren't many of those. SmashMouth, my master, decided I knew too much one day, and tried to kill me. That's why I left--through a magic portal. I've been hoping that SmashMouth wouldn't find me ever since. The portal materialized me right in the middle of some human/demon conflict. Remember that little substitutiary illusion I used on you folks when we met? Well, the first time I used it was to get away from the court mage--an arrogant jerk of a man, he bought it completely--and I've been trying to keep him from figuring out that his kill spell didn't work on me. Then, I wandered around for a while and ended up in Yendor--when the demons attacked the town. I helped fake the eruption of Mount Yendor--in fact, it was my idea in the first place--and then let the court wizard-turned-duke take all the credit for it. That was after SmashMouth found me and sent a small Sanitation Detail--only five thousand troops--to turn Yendor into a little smudge on the map. I was better off with the new duke--he only wanted to study my internal organs during the short, painful time that I would be alive while he did. Of course, I had other plans. So I've been trying to keep away from his detection spells, too.

"If you haven't heard about me, it's a GOOD thing--for both of us."

"Sounds liek you've pretty much been the prey all your life, even with your skills as a predator" Alreic replied, "I've had that thrust upon me, no matter what my lineage is all they see is a Vampire and that makes me the target for thir curses their hate, their malice, little knowing I am more human than a Human would eb and more angelic than these damned angels.." his voice crackled when he saif the word angles, Alreci had not had a good relationship with angels

In the past they were one of the reasons why he had so much hatred for himself being part Angel

"I give them the benefit of the doubt but always I wish I could vent my anger on those who ahve hurt me but I am better than that and better than those who kill and hurt in the name of gods..I have none"

Alreic's mood went from it seemd happy and content to angry and hateful

His eyes turned black, he was in his dark side mood

"Tell me Marvel, have you ever witnessed a vampire feeding, or a vampire in a frenzy as his...victim lies momotionl;ess after a feed?" Alreic asked as he bared his teeth, he looked at Marvel and his bloodlust seemed to be taking control before he suddenly calmed down

These long months without feeding had gotten to him, his last feed were the dead...a great battle had just taken place and all but a few of his soldiers had survived the onslaught against these unknown hordes..later they would be the enmy of all people

"Forgive me..it has been a tiring journey and I am weak right now, I ask for forgiveness"

"Don't worry about it," Marvel replied. "If I was strong, there wouldn't be an idiot warlord sopping up terratory in Izagoth, a mage with an ego the size of a volcano running around...somewhere...and a tyrant ruling Yendor. I think we understand each other." After Alreic's display of self-discipline, it seemed to him that they had something else in common--and it wasn't necessarily a good thing. Both of them, it seemed, were just not the kind to murder out of hand. Ain't life interesting sometimes.

Kast layed back in the sofa. "You must forgive people and their premtiveness. For instance, you Marvel, are a demon, and currently we are at war with demons. So how can we be sure your not a spy. Well we cant so the best thing to do would be to kill you, and yet you may be innocent, and would prefer not to have an innocent life on my conceince, hence why you are still alive. as much as id like to believe your story, i cannont trust you, hence why you are still in shackles. And you alreic, though you have human and Angel origins, you are still a vampire, and vampires have killed before, though the last vampire attack was centuries ago, people are still weary. And though you may hate Angels, dont be too quick to judge, there are some, who are not so arrogant, Draconis is one of them. Though head strong, hes the most loyal companion you can have.

"Draconis he is different but I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt but it's hard when you have my history with them but I must put that aside for the better cause whcih we are on" Replied Alreic, sipping from his flask "But even I am an outcast amongst the vampire world"

The fire roared and he noticed the Vampil rising up form her resting plave

"The girl is awake..but Marvel already knew this haha, what are you... besotted old man" laughed Alreic, his mood had swung back to being happy once more

Alreic stood up and moved towards the window of the Inn, the weather outisde wa growing harsh he noticed the snow falling

"Looks as if even the forces of nature have abandoned us" Alreic chuckled, "What do we plan on doing when we reach Lost Jerusalem Kast?"

"Well simply walk in ask for their rudy jewl and leave."

Draconis laughed from his spot in a corner. He got up and handed a bottle to Marvel, "Elven Ail, youll find it much more potent. If you think you can just waltz into Jerusalem and take the jewel, your sadley mistaken friend. Theyll see you coming from a mile away. And the stone, isnt in their possesion, its under ground, in a place where the names of the foul beasts that live there have dissapeard through history. When we get there, be weary, your lives depend on it.....

"Be weary...I intend to" replied Alreic, as he sat down he sipped from his flask

"What makes you think we will even get into the city let alone underground...and I must point out having Marvel clasped in irons will attarct some attention and as dangerous as he may be..something needs to be doen about that..and of the Vampil?"

Alreic began pondering the situation deeply, he wondered if this could even be attempted

"Is there anyway we can not be seen by the Elves Draconis?"

Draconis turned to look at Alreic, "you mean the Angels. Im afraid not, the only entrance to the Catacombs is gaurded day and night. No one whos ventured in there has come out alive. They also gaurd the only road to their city. No we must rely on our own....."

Shouts from outside cut him off. A person barged into the room, "Theres someone outside the wall. around 20 of them. But they dont look human."

Kast and Draconis both ran to the city walls. A farmhouse out side the walls was aflame. 20 or so demons were milling about prepairing to knock the gait in. Draconis sighed. "A raiding party"

"Well maybe I'll be able to quench this thirst after all..even if its is scum blood!" Raged Alreic, he placed his scarlet cloak on and his bandanna on his head... he picked up his two blades and walked out of the Inn slamming it

as he walked through the storm, the snow settled on him, he saw the flames rising for over the towns walls

"Theyre getting a tad too close to Lost Jerusalem arent they...oh well, I might as well have some fun"

Alreic sprinted across the town and saw Draconis and Kast waiting at the gate

"You mind if I go over the top right now, I think you gusy are capable enough to keep them at bay right here if they get through, oh and I know this may sound stupid but..maybe we could use Marvel here?" Said Alreic as he munted the towns walls and looked down at the demons bashing against the gate

"Clumsy yet this may be a challenge" he thought to himself

He turned back to Kast & Draconis and yelled

"This might be a bit tougher than the ones we faced earlier"

Kast looked over at Draconis, "does this look harder?" Draconis laughed "no one likes a smart ass" A scream sounded behind them.......From the inn. He turned his eyes wide in shock,......."Kula.........." He dashed from the gate post and hit the pavement just as the gait shattered open. He ran forward scarred he would be too late. A howl sounded through the night..... "ill do what i can Cerifis bounded ahead of him.



Kula backed up against the wall. The Red Gargoyle had been sitting at the bar looking like a human but when teh smoke could be smelled it had changed and killed the barkeep and now was moving for Kula. Marvel tried to help but his shackles held him. The demon noting this turned to deal with the girl first. She had screamed not knowing what else to do. The Gargoyle reached a clawed hand for her...when a howl and a growl of rage sounded. Cerifis bounded cross the room and slammed the Gargoyle into the ground but the demon quickly regained its feat. Kast followed not far behind Andarma held out before him. Noting the threat the demon backed far then raised his hand holding a pointed barb out aimed at Kula's heart.....but before he could fire Kast was moving. He slamed his full wait into Kula knocking her to the floor, however he was tad too slow and the barb imbedded itself into his Left Shoulder. Kula Screamed. wincing in pain he shielded Kula with his body. Then noticing marvel, he got an idea. ,"i say this now demon, you shall not live past this night,.....and you shall not touch a hair on her head...." He muttered under his breath and teh Shackles that bound Marvel, were no longer spell cast, and could be broken like normal.

"What the--?" The spells were gone! Not only did he have his full power back, but he could use his full strength. But with the right to use his power, he knew that he had the responsibility to use it well. This was a test, and the best fate that he could hope for in the event of a failure was a quick and relatively painless death.

In a moment, he snapped his bonds. As he did, he summoned every iota of magical power that was his to command. He had been saving it up for quite some time, hoping eventually to break the consumption spell that bound him. Now, he could put it to other uses.

The demon that had attacked him was one of his former species--and, like him, capable of casting illusions. Most Red Gargoyles weren't magic users--they were meant to be intelligent infantry, and, as such, relied more on their fighting skills than the ability to wield magic. That the one he was facing could even alter its own appearance meant that it was no mere infantryman--and that he would not have the luxury of toying with it. Oddly enough, it didn't look particularly threatening. It wore the standard trunks and harness that most of the infantry were made to wear--no special magical jewlry, and certainly no spells that Marvel could detect. Its wingspan wasn't even particularly large. In fact, Marvel's own wing claws were roughly twice the length of his adversary's. But he had noted from the glint in its eyes and the way that it moved that it was cunning and quick. It probably carried concealed weapons. He would have to find a way to neutralize its mobility before engaging it.

He chose to start with a distraction that it couldn't ignore. Looking squarely at it, and vibrating with power, he cast a familiar illusion--one that was almost impossible to evade or corrupt.

"You," he said to the thing, "have cramps."

“Arghhhh!” the beast cried, falling to the ground in pain. “What are you doing?”

“That should be obvious,” Marvel replied.

“Then feel the wrath of the Red Hand,” it retorted. As it did, it tried to fireball him.

“Shaldon!” Marvel countered. A magical shield appeared around his body, warding off the fireball.

“SmashMouth Diplomatic Magic,” the Gargoyle said, a look of recognition coming over its features. “YOU!”

“Bolton!” Marvel commanded. The shield faded, and a bolt of lightning shot out from his fingers, impacting the unturned demon with a loud thunderclap. It writhed but, instead of going down, lept straight at its newfound foe.

And then the two demons were upon each other. A brief clash of claw and hand, wing and tail and sting ensued. They had wrapped each other up. At that point, the intruder tried to cast another fireball. But instead of waiting for the spell to be complete, Marvel jammed his tail stinger into his opposite’s venom gland just before the final syllable was spoken. It gasped in pain, which foiled the spell. Instead of appearing in the creature’s hand, the fireball appeared right in its face—and detonated. It slumped to the ground, dead of its own devices.

Scratched and bleeding—and now poisoned (the thing had Imperial Venom on its hand and wing claws) Marvel turned to Kast and Kula.

“Get me to the bar,” he said, slumping to the floor. “I know an antidote for this stuff. Hurry! We don’t have much time!”

Alreic lept towards the demons and as they turned slowly to see him knlet on the ground shrouded by his crimson and black cape , he looked up to face them, his eeys once again turning black, he let out a smile and showed his fangs noe enlarged, he quickly drew out his elven forged blades and rushed towards the horde cutting at those in his way, slicing at the faces of the beasts just attempting to immoblise them

one was cut off from the ones he was attacking the citadel, Aleic sped towards him and cut at the back of his knees and shoulders effectively crippling it, he lifted him by the scruff of his hair and sunk his teeth into the feel beasts neck, the creature let out a defaning roar before collapsing...

Alreic's mouth stained an almost black shade of red, as he turned to see the others facing him, the horde either were frightened or determined to kill this vampire

"This is fun, could use a little help for a second or two" he muttered as several of the demons stormed towards him

"Draconis..fancy a spot of fun" he yelled out knowing Draconis would possibly be bale to hear him, "I need some cover for a second"

Arrows slammed into the demons surrounding Alreic, but it wasnt Draconis that came to his aid, it was Hunter. He stood on a roof top near the fighting firing off arrow after arrow at near impossible speeds. He had been trained by the Elven Archers, the best in Anarion. Draconis was busy fighting along the wall knocking demons back down.


Kast leapt up and ignoring his own pain. Helped Marvel stumble to the bar. However, the barb in his shoulder was poisined as well, once there he felt weak, and fell to his knees before falling sideways and lay on his back... Kula rushed over and knelt over him. "whats wrong?" "Poisin..." he faded from conciousness.

"Thanks Hunter, I owe you one soon, I promise" Alreic shouted as he begun to dart through the demons, dropping his cape he manouvered quickly between them slicing through their hide with ease but as he turned to take the life of another he was flung into a nearby wall

"I guess I underestimated them a bit" Alreic said as he struggled to stand up being in pain, as he got to his feet the demon who had flung him grabbed him and stared right at him and began laughing at him

"Alreic HAHAHA! So the rumours were true... foolish little Vampire outcast... It seems you're journey ends here" the creature bellowed crudely as he lifted his crude mace

"I think you're mistaken as lreic screamed releasing a small portion of his wings slicing the hand of the demon of and grabbing his blades drove them deep into the face of the demon, the lust had overtaken Alreic for now, he was out to kill as many of these beinsg as he could but first he folded his wings back and looked up to see Hunter firing his way keeping the demons at bay

"Now do you want me to repay you?" shouted Alreic

"Oh no," Marvel said, "HE'S BEEN HIT! QUICK! GET THAT THING OUT OF HIM!"

As Marvel had surmised, the bar had cleared shortly after the demon had killed the barkeep. He, Kast and Kula were the only ones there.

Working against the neurotoxin in his veins, the demon-no-more reached the bar proper as Skeeter pulled the barb from Chief's shoulder. This would be a test not of his strength, but of his calm and self-discipline.

From the bar, he took two glasses and a bottle of the finest whiskey. Hands shaking, he squeezed the venom from his tail into two equal masses of inky, red fluid, one in each glass. Then, he added just enough whiskey to make each one flammable. A quick incantation, and they were set aflame. In a moment, they were burned and boiled to a fine tar.

He found two cleaning cloths. He found two stirring sticks. He found a seat. His legs would no longer carry him.

"Kula!" he called weakly, sliding a glass toward the semi-human. "Put some of this on the wound, then stir in some whiskey and get it down his throat."

Marvel did likewise. The whiskey was good--real good, like a warm, golden fire going down--and no doubt some of the venom's narcotic affect would still linger. There was no way to tell the Chief about it, but he was going to be one happy...inn lodger.

The antidote began to take affect almost immediately, and Marvel's head was almost clear in under five minutes. Kast would recover only slightly more slowly, but not much. The antidote had come in time.

The only thing left to worry about was that that was the last of his venom--and, without a goodly supply of fresh, mammalian blood, it would take him almost a month to secrete even one more dose.

Unfortunately, Marvel did not see himself getting the chance to nutrify. He didn't feel that it was his place to join the combat. With his venom gone, he didn't even have a medium-range weapon, and, right now, the Chief needed him.

Also, there was a perfectly good bottle of whiskey and two people to share it with.

Kast leaned back against the bar and accepted the glass of Whiskey, Marvel offered him. "heres to quick healing" Kula randomly slid over and kissed him square on the lips. Pulling back she whispered. "Thank you". All kast could do was smile.

"Theyre heading towards the Inn...Hunter can you keep them at bay for a bit, there seem to be more than we thought, why so many?!" Alreic pondered as he and Hunter fired arrows at the demon horde

"I'll go to the Inn, I knwo you can hold them off, this is ridicolous, they must have trailed us! Urrgh that means Marvel was right, I am going to hatwe telling him that" Alreic said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he rushed towards the Inn, leaping over walls

The demons had increaed by a handful or so since they started attacking, maybe this wasn't a random attack after all, maybe it was planned

As Alreic reached the Inn he saw Kast & Marvel and Kula there, Kast slumped by the side of the bar

"Well there are quite a few left, I'm going out again to stop them, they should be easy pickings now" he said wit a glint in his eye, he rushed towards his belongings packed on the floor and quickly unfolded something and drew out a sword, it seemed elven in design (a katana)

"Just to make thinsg interesting I suppose" he said to himself as A demon burst through the Inn before Alreic speared it through the back and sunk his fangs into his neck before spitting the blood out

"Tastes cold and disgustiong"

Kula got up, grabbing Andarma from where it lay in Kasts lap. She reached for a shot glass and took a shot of whiskey. Slamming the shotglass down as two more demons burst into the in. "Lets do this" She leaped forward ducking low and bring the sword up in to one demons midriff effectivly cutting him in half and brought the sword around beheading the other. Demon blood splashed onto her. "Damn, my new clothes are ruined." She was out the door, and sliced through another demon trying to rape an native woman.

"Oh, dear," Marve said as a huge, gray lummox of a demon burst in through the door. "Reds and grays together...?"

It was eight feet tall, weighed over six hundred pounds and was covered in an armor of scales that were just this side of impenatrable. Its small, black eyes scanned furtively above a large but slit-like nose and a mouth with hairy lips. Perhaps this wasn't the time to think about things when the no-longer demon could be doing them.

"You!" he said. "You're blind!" And, instantaneously, it was. It growled in disgust, but sniffed the air and moved its ears intently. It was plain that the thing didn't use its eyes to the extent that the others around it did.

As it moved, Marvel decided that he had been without a weapon long enough. He stood up and went behind the bar. It turned toward the sound. He found a hollow rod of metal about three feet long. As he lifted the rod, the gray demon took a step toward him. Quickly, he put an amplification spell on the rod, then found the barkeep's money bag. It took another step and drew a huge sword, a look of bloodlust coming across its primative features. By the time it had taken another step, Marvel had emptied the bag of all its contents save one coin, and put a repulsion spell on the bag. As it raised its sword, he set the bag at the end of the poll with his right hand and closed it around the pole with his left. Then, aiming he poll at the center of the demon's chest, he gently squeezed the bag.

The device kicked, and the shot ended up hitting the huge demon square in the face. It recoiled, then roared in pain. Though small, the coin had been going so fast that it had cut a chunk out of the creature's natural armor. And that was all that Marvel needed.

It would need to be a carefully crafted spell indeed, but it could be managed. As the beast sprang back towards its former fellow, marvel quickly changed the incantation to bring about a fireball. This was no ordinary fireball, though. He couldn't afford to have one of those pop into his hand and then go through the demon's scales--that would take more time than Marvel had. Instead, it would have to be instantiated through the hole, right inside of the demon's skull. This was something that Marvel had never done before.

The beast raised its broadsword again, and, this time, it looked as though only death would stop it from its appointed mission.

Marvel stood back calmly and finished the chant.

Just before it could bring the sword down, Marvel finished the incantation with an audible, "whah!" The fireball materialized and detonated within the creature. With what had served as its brains boiled and scrambled, it fell to the ground, dead.

"Kast," he said to the Elven monarch-to-be, as he lowered the sword that he had brought with himself, "we have a slight problem."

Alreic spotted the beat attempting to defile Kula and quickly cute through its neck severing its head

"Are you ok?" asked Alreic as another demon came towards Kula, "These things wont stop will they, make sure Kast is ok, we need him"

Alreic meant those words "We need him" more than they suggested, Alreic was gifted but his tone suggested something more important than the situation right now

Alreic ordered them to barricade the Inn as best they could as he went off to look for Hunter and fight the demons

Alreic stormed out of the Inn and along a small road inside the towns walls he saw a demon, unlike the others, more human dressed in grey, with a dead townswoman , her body torn asunder

"This is really beginning to grow old!" he said as the demon turned to face him, the two clashed at great speed and began to parry with one another, each sending the other back a few yards when making contact

"You're a tough one..but don't make me angry you scum sucking son of a whore" screeched Alreic as his bloodlust consumed him once more

He and the demon parried continously before lreic gripped him by the longcoat he was wearing and pinned him against a nearby house

"What are you! Why are you here?! I want answers now and dont be cryptic" he raged on, the bloodlust in his eyes ever present

"You have what is ours, we require her back, if you do not..there will be consequences" the demon hissed as Alreic turned his back before impaling the demon on his sword

"You were warned..." the demon cried as Alreic swiftly removed the blade and cut his head off

The body slumped to the floor and the foul stench of its blood rose up into the air

"No one tells me what I have to do...not anmymore" Alreic muttered under bated breathe as he spotted Hunter picking off the demosn nearby

"But you don't understand," Marvel said to Kast as Kula came back into the bar. "The races in Izagoth have been at war...forever! If they're working in concert instead of warring among themselves, there's trouble--and I don't shoefull of thulu ants trouble, I mean armageddon spell trouble. The demons are quite adept at raising armies. They've been doing it for a long time."

The news did not appear to surprise the Elven leader. Perhaps he knew something that made Marvel's statement something less than a revelation.

"Either way, I need my hands completely free. It's time to stop dealing with these things one at a time. If we don't, they'll simply overwhelm us. I need a clearing, and I need to put a fire in it, and I need about an hour. If you can give me those things, I can whip up a selective genocide spell that'll wipe out anything demonic within two miles of this town. Then, the only thing you'll have to worry about is the Red Gargoyles." He sagged on his feet and grinned mirthlessly as he finished the sentence. It was plain that the whole business was distasteful to him.

:gundge:

"Hi, there," the demon-no-longer said, turning to the room's newest occupant. "How goes the battle?"

Kast took Andarma back from Kula, and then gave her his old sword, a long elvish blade, it had served him well and would serve her well to. It had an anti dull enchantment on it.

"Marvel theres much that needs to be explained to you, but for now well buy you some time. Head for the churchyard, well hold them off."

Kula and Kast ran off into the night and hacked anything that had too much hair. Duh duh chsssssh

OOC: just to tell you Kulas pretty capable of handeling herself, shes had weapons training for longer than most of the characters here have been alive. and kula wasnt being raped, she saved another woman from being so


Hunter continued to fire shot after shot. He reached back behind him with an arrow stabbing a demon through the face and then pulled it out and shot the arrow at another demon. With Alreic gone they had massed his possition. A Minautor Demon abnormably large charged his position, it had to be alteast 12 feet tall and wore broad plated armor. Hunter fired an arrow but it bounced off its armor harmlessly. The minautor raised its axe as it charged, and was almost in striking distance when a beam of white light from the air smashed it into the ground. When the beam was over all that was left was a smoking shell of a carcas. The demons looked up and fled in horror, Hunter looked up and was amazed.




Draconis had been up scouting the pass ahead when he had heard the screams from the village. Not waisting he had quickley changed into his 6 winged angel form. His skin had turned snow white. His clothes had been ripped away being replaced by a mithril chainmail shirt and a mithril plaitmail breast plate over. His pants replaced by a strips of dragon hide armor skirt and his boots were replaced by mithril grieves that were beautifully crafted. Two sets of smaller wings had grown lower on his body just beneath his main wings. A white tunic draped over his plate mail down between his legs and tied around his waist with a golden sash. Excalibur had changed. Its blade lengthend doubling its size, its hilt once simple became an ornate craft of beauty with gold and silver whiring down the hilt and over the gaurd. His hair had become blonde and elongated to waist length, with a helm on his head, it was mithril, it came over his eyes, with two crafted wings spreading out one from either side.

Cursing his deep sleep, Saacon chose the fastest route to the battle. He simply leaned forward and charged, bursting through the thin second story wall to fall clattering to the pavement below. Adrenaline surging through his veins, he failed to register any pain, or that his armor was now bent and warped in places. He simply charged the nearest enemy with boadsword raised high and shield extended, a battlecry on his lips. While Saacon's personality might be orderly and refined, his fighting was anything but. His broadsword was essentially a long, thin hammer with an edge, and he used it to great effect lopping off limbs and creating deep cleave marks in his enemies. All in all, he was doing fairly well.

Coravel was another matter. He could only stand to be around others for so long, unused as he was to company. So he had been taking a walk when the demons had entered the city. The first had died silently, its life taken by a dagger. The next had made too much noise, bringing others. Coravel drew his slender, slightly curved blade taking comfort in its heron mark before banishing his emotions. He slid into a ready stance, blade above his head and parallel with the ground. As they closed, he exploded into motion, moving from stance to stance. The first demon lost his head to Embracing the Moon. The next was eviscerated by Black Dragon Whipping Its Tail. The third had its jugular cut by Dusting Into the Wind. He spun clockwise to his left and opened another demon from hip to shoulder with Hooking Up the Curtain. At that point, his luck ran out. He deflected an attack from one demon with his bracer, but his sword caught on something in his last victim leaving him wide open. It ceased to become a stand up fight and instead became a battle for survival. Coravel worked his sword furiously, blurring from stance to stance. I am a blademaster! he raged in his mind, I am Jen'e'tai! I refuse to die! No sooner had that thought crossed his mind, he was bourn to the ground where sword strokes were replaced by knifework. He thought to fight until his friends could help, until he realized his walk had taken him about as far fromthem as you could get and still be in town. His vision was stained red from the spattered blood, his and his foes'. He had managed to hold out for nearly an hour before he finally succumbed to his wounds and slipped into the darkness.

"The churchyard" was actually a small hill with the ruins of a few walls around it. In the center of the structure was a small firepit. The good news was that you could see most of the town from there. The bad news was that it could see you, too.

Marvel had just finished lugging some firewood and a small pot to the pit when he saw something moving in the distance. It took him a while, but he finally figured it out. It was Scarface! Man, he could move, too! As Marvel watched, the human dispatched eight attackers before his fatigue caused his blade to stick in one of them.

This isn't good, he thought to himself. He's not going to make it through that horde. I'm gonna need to do an extraction. Hope there's time. Oh, God, give me time. Only one way I'm going to get there, too. Then, he saw Vamp come in out of nowhere. Scarface fell, but Vamp moved in. Hopefully, it would be good enough to keep the young human alive. Either way, other situations demanded Marvel's attention...such as...

...getting back to the spell.

Oh, the spell. It was going to be about twenty times tougher to cast than he had originally thought. Originally, he'd thought that he would be able to contact the other members of the party. Then, he could tell them to save a piece of every different species they'd killed. This was because the spell needed a piece of a dead one so that it could target the living ones.

It was going to be fun trying to collect more than he already had--and he only had two. Still, it would put a big dent in the demons' plans. This was no mere follow-up party he was dealing with, it was a blood hunt. Blood hunts were just plain crazy. You never knew who was going to go on one. Add to this that he had never worked a selective genocide spell before, and didn't know how to tell if it was working or not, and you have a recipe for a wild time indeed.

Marvel's thoughts continued to race through his head as the fire came to life in front of him, and the pot hung from a small chain that was suspended over the pit on three wooden poles. In no time, he was dropping different things into the pot, mostly things that he had found in the bar...but a few others.

"Something dead and alive," he said, placing a few strands of Skeeter's hair in the pot. "Something neither dead nor alive," he said, dropping in a discarded piece of one of Vamp's fingernails. None of these things were freely given--this was essential for the spell--but, fortunately, it had not been necessary for Marvel to use force to collect them. "Something once alive that is now dead," he said. "Oh dear. I don't have--."

Ruhsing through the mire Alreic hastened upon Coravel fighting and the suddenly a wave washed over Alreic, a wave of despair as he saw Coravel slump to the ground, he had fought well, he had given his own life to fight

"Coravel... Nooo!" Screamed Alreic as he witnessed his ally fall in battle, he rushed to the scene and as a fell demon rushed to finish the job Alreic gripped his blade even tighter and thrust it into the chest of the demon and fro a split second the anger in Alreic's eyes could be felt by those who travelled with him

"You took the old mans life...and for that a thousand of you and more shall fall to me!" Alreic hissed, seeing a comrade fall enrage him, he wasnt the most popular companion but he would die for any, his anger was only matched by his sadness at seeing someone he trusted die

As he pulled the blade form the demons chest he began hacking at its corpse in frustration, he couldnt stop he was just..upset

He turned to face Coravel, dead...cold..lifeless... Alreic just thought it strange that he would be the first to go, he was numb right now

"Wake up old man...wake up! Your time isn't now, this wasnt how I saw it, this wasnt the way at all... get up!" Alreic cried at Coravels body...it did not move nor did he wake up

Alreic lifted the body up and place it onto a nearby stone surface, similar to an altar and let out a cry that deafens many, a sound that was rarely heard, the sound of Vampire mourning... Alreic rose up from where had laid his companion and prayed...when he finished he clasped Coravels sword in his hands and walked away

"Now only one of the others can help him..." he whispered as he saw flames rising up near to where Hunter was

OOC:

@ Bekheara:

Like, uhhh, dude...Scarface is Coravel. The early-on posts mention the facial scars. Marvel sorta extracted him from the problem zone... :) :) :) One of us is going to have to change a post. (I don't mind doing that, but we should work it out.)

@ everyone:

BTW...I'd like the SG spell to fail, if no one minds. It's too complex a spell and Marvel just isn't that good a mage.

Would like to discuss what should happen INSTEAD in the NPC thread, if that's OK with everyone else. I have no idea what should happen when the spell fails, if it's OK with everyone for the spell to fail.

Draconis was a blur of light and steel. Demons fled before his onslaught, they had never seen an angel before, but they had heard stories. Some brave enough to attempt to destroy him were dealt with in a blink of an eye. He slashed through one which burst into holy fire and then was gone. All the demons he killed went in a similar fasion. While he did this, Hunter kept him covered from afar.

OOC: and Coravel isnt an old man, hes only 17

OOC:

Please check NPC/OOC thread and get back to me.

If you want to send TG's, you can TG either Marionetonia or Dastardly Stench. For that matter, if we want to go from the sane to the sublime, you can TG me at my other country, Falsonia, as well. I check 'em all about once a day.

OOC @ Marionetonisa: if you could edit part of yours and ill touch up mine because ill be inactive on here for a day or two :)

Saacon knew time was running out. His initial adrenaline was giving way to fatigue, revealing several things he had been ignoring. The first was that one of the leg joints in his armor wouldn't bend like it was supposed to. It had been damaged in his mad charge through the second story wall and subsequent landing, he also felt like he had wrenched his back when he had hit the ground. His armor was pitted, bent and warped. It would be useless after tonight's business. His shield was dented and had a large rent in it, and most worrying of all to the paladin, his broadsword appeared to be cracking. His armor spattered in blood and gore, he found it increasingly difficult to raise his blade for each subsequent stroke. Seeing himself become surrounded, he knew he would have to something fairly spectacular to gain a respite.

Now, paladins didn't have much in the way of magic or spell-like abilities other than healing, but they did possess some useful battle-magic. Saacon had long been an indifferent student of magic, preferring instead to rely on his martial prowess. Reaching deep into the recesses of his mind, he held his sword and shield upright before him and began to chant. As he chanted, a single column of sunlight inexplicably appeared, stretching from the ground to high in the sky, centered on Saacon's person. As he continued to commune with his God, Saacon seemingly ignored the closing pack of demons and several small stones and other items begin to float upwards. Eyes closed, his chanting reached a crescendo as the column of light flashed a blinding white, an event that must have been seen for miles. When it flashed, an immense amount of holy energy was released with Saacon standing at ground zero, simply evaporating the monsters and kicking up a small dirt cloud. When the air cleared, Saacon was standing in the middle of a small crater. He slowly sank to his knees and propped hiself up on his sword, his chanting done. He was extremely exhausted; he had never been much of a caster and had pulled one of his most powerful spells out of his rather limited repettoire. As he rested, he wondered how the others were faring.

OOC:

Bring
Up
Many
Posts

(My post has been edited for some time.)

Alreic spotted the remaining demons being dispatched by his allies and a great light from where Saacon was fighting, he had just invoked a spell to help him in his fight against the demons

"Thats where I am needed perhaps" he thought as he rushed towards his comrades position, as he reached Saacon many demons were either dead or unconscious lay around him, mostly dead as Saacon had invoked a great spell draining him for the time being

"Are you in need of help Sir Saacon" asked Alreic as he placed his sword into his scabbard on his back, "Where are the others?"

Kast and Kula stood on the walls watching the demons flee back into the wilderness. A portal opened and they fled back into the Izagoth. The appearance of an Angel had indeed caused them to flee. They walked down to where Saacon and Alreic were and waited for Coravel and Marvel. As they waited they head the Beating of wings. Draconis landed behind them, and in his six winged form he was a glorious sight to behold.

Marvel had just decided on a piece of firewood--it was well-dried, so it would be once alive but now dead. He was about to drop it into his makeshift cauldron when he noticed a change in the air.

Someone's using some pretty potent magic, he thought to himself. No, wait a minute. That's not magic! For mercy sake, that's divine intervention! And whatever diety was involved, it packed quite a wallop even though Marvel could feel that it was benevolent. Probably Angel Boy--Draconis--calling on God to get his overstuffed wings out of trouble.

Then again, things had gotten awful quiet all of a sudden. Marvel decided to take a look around. Careful not to disrupt the starting spell, he checked down the hill.

What he saw made him give a double take. It was obviously Angel Boy--Draconis, the demon-no-more corrected himself--but he had transformed. The soft mortal that Marvel had thought he could deal with had turned into something out of a bad opera! Looked real intimidating, though! It was about then that Marvel revised his opinion as to whether he was going to sock the guy in the jaw for his part in tieing everybody's favorite turned one up.

The Incursion Party must've noticed, too. They had turned tail and executed a full-fledged retreat. Only thing was, it was an orderly retreat. One opened a portal, two guarded it and the rest ran through. Somebody had taught these guys a sort of discipline that they had never had--and it was saving their sorry butts! Marvel made a mental note to tell Chief--Kast--about this if the time ever came. Somebody had to tell him, and Marvel was the only one who observed things the way he did.

--------
OOC: Man, do you BELIEVE this guy's EGO? What a puffed-up loser! Good thing he's ficticious!

:) :) :)
--------

IC:

Scarface--Coraval--saw things--his sword training had somehow heightened his senses--but there was something about him that prevented him from actually observing.

Anyway, with the way things were turning out, Marvel figured it would be for the best if he just shut his Grand Spell down before it got away from him and hurt somebody. So...he walked back over to his pot and started doing just that.

"Is everyone here and ok?" asked Alreic as he observed the ruins of the town and the destruction caused by the demons

"Looks like we've got some explaining to do to the townsfolk about their um.."town" or lack of a proper one..those demons were a bit too strong for your regular scouting party and I managed to figure out a possible reason for their being here" Alreic exclaimed as he stared at Kula "The vampil"

"Things seem OK over here," Marvel called back, gliding down now from the hill that had held the churchyard. He landed between Alreic and Kula, then folded his wings back against his shoulders. "What happened to Sc--er--Coravel? Last I saw, you were carrying him away from a battle scene. How is he?"

--------------

OOC: You want Marvel to attempt a healing? You want Marvel to get inside of what passes for Coravel's mind? You want Marvel to get inside what passes for Coravel's mind even if someone else (Draconis and Saacon seem particularly suited for this) resurrects him?

"Coravel...he is not far from here... I have laid him down upon an altar, his body remains there, I am afraid it could eb too late and if resurrected I do not think it would be the Coravel we set out with.." ASlreic replied as he stared into the direction of Coravels body

"I shall show you if you wish, his wounds are deep and fatally binding, I fear he has already goen too far"

Kast crosses his arms. he was pondering Alreics statement. "Kula,... why were those demons after you?" Kula backed into a corner,"I....I....cant tell you that." Kast turn on her. "Villagers and coravel are now dead, youre hiding something and you owe us that" Kula looked from one face to the next, looking for an ally, however she found none. Sighing defeatedly she reached into her shirt and pulled out a silver necklace on it a stone darker than night. "they wanted this." Kast stared in awe at the Spirit Stone of Darkness, the Spirit stone of the Vampires.

Alreic glared at the stone and it was if euphoria and sheer evil had combined to strike him down, he clutched his head and felt weak before regaining his composure

"Where did you get that Kula... how did you get it from the vault serpentine?! Only the vampire high council, of what remains has access to those vaults and then thats just the beginning" Alreic said to Kula out loud so hiscompanions could hear

Alreic was confused, to see the stone removed from the altar at where it was placed worried him much so but something was manifesting in him unbeknownst to his companions, something dark when the stone was close to him

"Hand the stone over to me Kula, it is safer for I to have it"

Draconis had changed back into his human form. His shinning armor replaced by his simple riding clothes and black leather trench coat. "your wrong Alreic, The vaults of serpentine were destroyed many century ago. The stone was placed into the Tomb of Truth, to await its rightful owner. She is the decendant of Marishka the Vampire Eldar. That stone is her Birthright. Just like Kast, is the last decendent of Elisha, The Elven Eldar, Hunter is the last decendant of Gideon, the Human Eldar, and I am the last Decendant of Emanuel, the Angel Eldar."

Kast turned to Draconis, "how do you know this?" Draconis smiled, "I was there when Anarion was made. I've kept watch on the Eldar's family ever since. However this is not coinincadence (however its spelled) that she has it." Kast looked confused "what do you mean?" "Prophecy" She who is of two bloods yet belongs to neither, will come and she alone will be able to carry the weight of darkness.

"The Spirit Stone of Darkness, affects all vampires." He placed a hand on Alreic making him step back. "their blood lust becomes tenfold, Kula has none of the Parasitic organs that Vampire has, thus, she has no blood lust. Alreic on the other hand, to give the stone to him would be his death."


OOC: look at the first post of the OOC thread for who the Eldar were.

"All descendants of those who created this world.. and I..a vampire whose bloodlines mingled of angel and man, but as you have said I am a vampire but ursed with gifts of angels and men but also their weaknesses...I digress... the stone must be placed somewhere safe...now" Alreic spoke as he calmed his nerves and then turned back to Draconis

"Destroyed... no Draconis, you cannot destory the serpentine...when the Vampire kingdom was defeated the clans seperated and fought amongst one another and the Serpentine was destroyed to an extent and the stone taken away..but something lurked there... have you not noticed why the clans have been united again and why the Vampire world has basically sided with the Red Hand..unofficially"

Alreic continued to speak, his vocie at time getting more aggressive as he spoke about his people, he clearly was not a fan of Vampires as much as his companions

"Kula... I do not wish to take the stone from you but I beg you, keep it hidden from Vampyre kin...It is oen thing I ask you"

"All descendants of those who created this world.. and I..a vampire whose bloodlines mingled of angel and man, but as you have said I am a vampire but ursed with gifts of angels and men but also their weaknesses...I digress... the stone must be placed somewhere safe...now" Alreic spoke as he calmed his nerves and then turned back to Draconis

"Destroyed... no Draconis, you cannot destory the serpentine...when the Vampire kingdom was defeated the clans seperated and fought amongst one another and the Serpentine was destroyed to an extent and the stone taken away..but something lurked there... have you not noticed why the clans have been united again and why the Vampire world has basically sided with the Red Hand..unofficially"

Alreic continued to speak, his vocie at time getting more aggressive as he spoke about his people, he clearly was not a fan of Vampires as much as his companions

"Kula... I do not wish to take the stone from you but I beg you, keep it hidden from Vampyre kin...It is oen thing I ask you"



Kula turned to him "The vampires have not sided with the red hand. They pleaded with me to take the stone and run with it, so that they wouldnt get their hands on it. Alot has changed since you were there Alreic, there is no council anymore, My father united the tribes into one clan, we now stand together. However we are weak, but plan to stand against the red hand with the elves. We learned early of what they wanted, Oramus came to my village, and told us his tale. I was the only one able to take the stone, and i did. It is safe with me."

Draconis spoke up again. "the stone stays with kula Its decided. The 4 decendants of the Eldar have joined together to save the world their forfathers created.

OOC: "Coincidence." It is also traditional to begin a new paragraph when a new speaker starts to speak (new paragraph should have begun with "Draconis smiled."). :) :) :)

----------------------------------------

IC:

Marvel's eyes were wider than a pair of saucers. This was more important than bringing back Coravel--and Marvel liked Coravel the most of any member of this group except Kula (at least until about 30 seconds ago). "You can't be serious," he said. "You're after...the stones! Heck, you've already got TWO of 'em! Holy Father, what have I gotten myself into now?!?!? What kind of lunatics are you people--REALLY!?!? What are you trying to do to our WORLD?!?!!" As he spoke, he vanished, turning completely invisible (and uninhalible). "And why are you so hot on that stupid little cult, the Red Hand?"

-----------------

OOC: Please explain things to the poor, stuck up demon-no-more's satisfaction. He's actually showing his good, altruistic side here. He won't try to get violent unless he thinks that there's an imminent threat to everyone's way of life--he knows that you need four stones, and the group only has two--so everyone should be safe.

Are there any specific plans for Coravel?

OOC: "Coincidence." It is also traditional to begin a new paragraph when a new speaker starts to speak (new paragraph should have begun with "Draconis smiled."). :) :) :)

----------------------------------------

IC:

Marvel's eyes were wider than a pair of saucers. This was more important than bringing back Coravel--and Marvel liked Coravel the most of any member of this group except Kula (at least until about 30 seconds ago). "You can't be serious," he said. "You're after...the stones! Heck, you've already got TWO of 'em! Holy Father, what have I gotten myself into now?!?!? What kind of lunatics are you people--REALLY!?!? What are you trying to do to our WORLD?!?!!" As he spoke, he vanished, turning completely invisible (and uninhalible). "And why are you so hot on that stupid little cult, the Red Hand?"

-----------------

OOC: Please explain things to the poor, stuck up demon-no-more's satisfaction. He's actually showing his good, altruistic side here. He won't try to get violent unless he thinks that there's an imminent threat to everyone's way of life--he knows that you need four stones, and the group only has two--so everyone should be safe.

Are there any specific plans for Coravel?




OOC: plans for Coravel are up to Arcadios.

Kast shook his head at the demon. "Because Marvel, the Red hand is the new ruling party of the Izagoth. Its leader, who has yet to reveal himself, Has decided to take his shiny new army and Invade the Anarion. And we need the Stones to stop him. The Angels Spirit stone is the only one we dont have now. The third one Is the Spirit ston of the Earth, which Hunter holds a replica has been seeled in the Tomb of Justice to trap those who would want to steal it. It is his birthright. The Holy Spirit stone is Draconis birthright just like The Spirit stone of Light is my birth right. However i also have another birthright, Azaroth, the Sword of Anarion. You will have heard of this?"

"United...you really know nothing of our people do you, how long has it been since the ones chosen to walk amongst the day shared their gift with the lesser vampire kind? They are vampire, you and I are vampires no matter what we profess and yyou know deep down that we will never be united until another Serpentine assumes control..and that is what I fought centuries ago to see never happen" Hissed Alreic, he grew angry and was tired

"The red hand is no mere cult Marvel, it has its claws everywhere, fear makes good bargaining chip even amongst the most noble of people..that is why although we have the stone we must go to the Vampire realm... I am not asking you but telling you this is needed, there are matters there which frighten me and Kula... your father grows weak each day... he is not well" Alreci replied as if he could see every detail happening before his eyes

"I understand he gave you the stone but there are many in his court, some I know full too well that seek it back, Vampires seek power and in someone other than your own family they have found a new leader, a "Serpentine" if you will and I can't let him become what whe once swore not to be"

Alreic looked at the companions, they all stared at him as if he had goen made with bloodlust but his eyes showed something different, something or someone there had made Alreic determined to go to his birthplace to stop a possible war

"I am tired of talking... I am going to pray for Coravel and it is up to you whether you bring him back and to continue on with this quest because as of this moment I am annoyed, angry and mournful... and you will never hera a more honest word form anyone here than what I have just proclaimed"

And with that Alreic slinke doff into the darkness towards Coravel

Kula looked pleadingly to Draconis "Is he telling the truth? does my father weaken, is there a new 'Serpentine'?"

Draconis shook his head. "i do not know, i have not been in the West for a long time. either way, Time is of the essence, we must move quickely to reach Lost Jerusalem. Then we must move to reclaim the sword before the Red hand Gains too much momentum."


OOC: Bakhaera u just gave me some cool plans for the Vampire people in Part III of the thread. Check it out in the OOC thread.

OOC: Glad to have helped, ive written downa few ideas in the OOC thread about possible twists if you wann use them as well

IC:

Alreic was now walkinga roudn the town, the townsfolk brave enough to head outside beggan to look for loved ones and started work on fixing parts of the town removing the dead and damged buildings

Many gave Alreic looks of disgut, not just because hhe was vampire but he had unwittingly caused this as had all their companions

"Fools..weve done more damage than good and they think they know all as they are the descendants of the Eldar... if only theyd listen to the words I speak, sometimes I wish i was never cursed" Alreic grumbled to himself as he walked over to Coravel's body which was surrounde by townsfolk

"Move unless you wish to join him, move dogs!" Alreic hissed as he saw several villagers try to remove his armour and take hsi sword but even in death his grip was firm "Pack of wild animals you all are, if I we're less a creature I'd slay you all now...be gone before I regret something"

The crowds dispersed and Alreic puicked up Coravel's body and began his walk back to his companions

OOC: im jumping ahead. decided to spead up the romance part.





Kula sat in her room. There was so much to think about, her father and her people. The villagers had suspected that they had brought the demons here, but none could prove it, and they had repayed them for saving their village. The armory had replaced the armor and weapons that had been lost. Though they hadnt had anything in Saacon size, luckily The Heros had brought the leather armor Saacon refuse to wear before. Maybe now he would have to. On the bed before kula was a set of black clothes. Loose fitting pants and a leather jerkin. Also, which she particularly liked, a was a leather battle corset, with mithril sewn in to add protection. along with a silken shift to wear under.

She sighed and got up and stipped out of her clothes and stood bareskinned. As grabbed the silken shift and just got it over her head when the door burst open and Kast walked in, he stopped dead in the door way noticing her lack of clothing immediatly. Though stunend he couldnt help but trace her appearance with his eyes, she was really quite beautiful. He turned to leave but she grabbed a knife and threw it into the door, her strength causing the door to shut before he could leave.

Kast turned and looked back at her questioningly and they stood that way in silence. Kula moved first and Kast was quick to respond as they reached for eachother, drawing eachother into the embrace.

The demon reappeared....directly behind Draconis. It was obvious that he regarded the Angel as the worst threat that the group had to offer and would have tried to deal with him first. His eyes still had a slight blue glow to them--it was obvious that he had used a divination spell--a simple one, actually--to determine that every word that he had heard was the truth.

"You're absolutely serious, aren't you," he said, incredulity leaving his features as his mind came to grips with the situation. "Those stupid little simps have turned into a world-class army. This really is like an armageddon spell--only, instead of a spell, it's a demon army. The whole world--several worlds--is turned upside-down now."

In a moment, his demonic form faded, replaced by his human appearance.

"Well," he said, turning toward Alreic, "I know where I'm going. Coravel is coming back or I'm going to damn near kill myself trying to bring him back. THEN, I'm going to Lost Jerusalem to pick up that last stone. THEN, I'm going to pay a visit to a new leader and see if he can use a hand that isn't red." Grinning wryly at his bad pun, he trudged off. "You guys can come along if you want," he said with a sarcastic grin.

"Well first of all who is going to attempt to bring him back?!" Asked Alreic about Coravel..we need him, he has a roel to play further I suspect, it is too cloudy to tell and yes I am deadly serious Marvel...I would not have said so id I didnt mean my words, the Red Hand grows stronger with each moment...Lost Jerusalem is our destination is it not..then let su head there once certain peopel quit frolicking"

The others looked around thinking he was on about them but they'd noticed Kast & Kula had dissapeared

"It's simple" Alreci told them, "Peopel give into their lust so easily these days, it makes even us Vampires look prudent, funny really if you think about it" Alreic's warm interior revealing itself for a moment or two as he sensed that Kast & Kula had given into temptation

"Well I was once in their situation but I won't bore you with that story ahah, ah of angels and vampires eh haha..right if no one is going to revive him looks as if I'll try to..and to b honest gentlemen..I have no clue what i'm doing"

"Well, first of all, who is going to attempt to bring him back?!" asked Alreic about Coravel. "We need him--he has a role to play. Further, I suspect, it is too cloudy to tell--and, yes, I am deadly serious, Marvel. I would not have said so if I didn't mean my words. The Red Hand grows stronger with each moment. Lost Jerusalem is our destination, is it not? Then let us head there once certain people quit frolicking."

The others looked around, thinking he was on about them, but then they noticed Kast and Kula had dissapeared.

"It's simple," Alreci told them. "People give in to their lust so easily these days, it makes even us Vampires look prudent--funny, really, if you think about it." Alreic's warm interior revealed itself for a moment as he sensed that Kast and Kula had given in to temptation.

"Well, I was once in their situation, but I won't bore you with that story, ahah. Ah, of angels and vampires, eh haha. Right. If no one is going to revive him, looks as if I'll try to--and, to be honest, gentlemen, I have no clue what i'm doing."

"You don't really think that either of us can do this alone, do you?" A slight flare of the demon-no-more's nostrils showed that his temper was once again getting the better of him. "This is a two-part process, Vamp Boy. You--or maybe Draconis, I heard that angels were supposed to be good at this--revive the body, and I take a little junket to the the Astral Plane and try to find his soul--and bring it back. Or maybe it should be me reviving the body and Angel Boy getting the soul. I don't really care which right now. Either way, it would help IMMENSELY if someone would watch over my body and make sure that I'm the only one who comes back into it during the process, but what should I expect from a bunch of pampered rich folks, anyway? It's not like any of them are out pursuing, oh, carnal pleasures while I'm risking eternal damnation to save their friend's sorry butt with still more magic that I've never tried before, is it?

"When we get done with this, we have to talk about relocating the people in this town. If you think the demons won't be back here--and make short work of the townsfolk when they are--or that they don't matter because they're not also rich, then you're sadly mistaken.

"Now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I have a resurrection to help with, and it ain't getting any easier while I stand around talking!" With those words, the Modified Red Gargoyle turned back and continued his trudge toward Alreic and Corevel's body.

"Put him down, please," he said presently. "Here's as good a place as any."

"Marvel...you'd best be as skilled as you claim and try to be..if he doesn't come back then we are weakened" Alreic stated as he then laid Coravel's body down

"Forget about the townsfolk for now, I am off to make Kula & Kast coem here now, now is no time for acting like sexually charged young adults... while they frolic these people begin to turn at us, we saved them yes but at what cost, it is too much to relocate them now, where would they go..the angels...no..the vampires...never"Alreic asked his fellow companions "The nearest human settlement is days away and days we cannot waste, they will rebuild..it is their way, we cannot help them much more"

Alreic trudged off towards Kast & Kula but could not help think that the two had made a huge mistake in giving into temptation but then remembred his own past

"How old is he though..he's old enough to be her... haha never mind" he thought to himself as he chuckled before entering the inn, he walked up to the door of the room the two were in

"If you've had enough in there both of you there'll be plenty of tiem for that if we manage to stop the Red Hand, or had you to forgotten whilst you two helped each other disrobe"

OOC: Your characters are such JACKASSES! lol, no one said they were Getting it on, they were just kissing......jeez. plus they have no feminine side, a little love in the face of such great darkness, ::shakes his head:: and its up to Arcadeos if were gonna Revive him or not.


Kast opened the door and he was PISSED! "Im sure i would have, had i actually disrobed." Behind him Kula was giving Alreic the look of death. She quickly pulled her clothes on over the silken shift she was wearing and reached for her corset. Kast sighed. "Next time Alreic, when you get little sensations about the group, If its nothing life threatening, Ignore them." With that he shut the door and went to help Kula put her corset on.

OOC: jackasses perhaps but we need this thread to move on quickly form this part were languishing lol and im writing thsi stuff down about coravel waiting for arcadeos to give a response tbh

IC:

Alreic laughed to himself

"give me the look of death will she, not the first woman to do so and sure as hell in my "lifetime" she wont be the last"

Alreic sat down outside their room, he didnt really care what the hell had gone on just the fact they needed to be gone soon form this place

OOC: Jackass, you write?

YOU MEAN IT TOOK YOU THIS LONG TO FIGURE THAT OUT?!?!?!?!?

:) :) :)

-----------

IC:

"I don't claim to be skilled," Marvel replied, "just desparate. If nobody does anything, Coravel is GONE. Now, are you guys going to help me, or are we just going to sit back and let our friend die?"

In time, he hoped, he would tell them about a little plan he was hatching: to equip the townsfolk with variants of the weapon he had improvised in the bar. With only slight improvements, it could be the difference. The way he figured it, he had about a 50-50 chance of surviving his next ordeal, though, and, if he didn't survive, he wasn't going to care what happened to the town.

Saacon looked over at Marvel, "I shall watch over thou as makest thou this spectral quest, friend Marvel. I vouchsafe upon mine life that none shall disturb thy helpless body." Saacon's manner of talking had changed and his eyes were glazed, though if it was from his channeling of that much divine energy or plowing through a wall or the subsequent plummet and impact was anyone's guess. He struggled to his feet, "Alas, methinks mine armor has been damaged beyond repair. What dost thinkest thou the odds be an armorer of skill doth reside in this hamlet?"

Bakhaera stop stealing the story and read others posts. I already have Armor for Saacon. if you had read my earlier post.

OOC: just read back and noticed, but stealing the story or bothering to actually move the story on from its current position

Saacon looked over at Marvel, "I shall watch over thou as makest thou this spectral quest, friend Marvel. I vouchsafe upon mine life that none shall disturb thy helpless body." Saacon's manner of talking had changed and his eyes were glazed, though if it was from his channeling of that much divine energy or plowing through a wall or the subsequent plummet and impact was anyone's guess. He struggled to his feet, "Alas, methinks mine armor has been damaged beyond repair. What dost thinkest thou the odds be an armorer of skill doth reside in this hamlet?"

----------

OOC: @ everyone: going to implement the plan of having to piece Coravel's mind back together, as per OOC thread. Since "the pally" could be Marvel and the "doomy death-beam" could be the Selective Genocide spell (it was supposed to be more of a Hurricane than a death beam, if it's what the plan referred to), I'm not going to actually start the healing. After we're all on the same page, we can determine who will do what.

@ sonny: Now that I think about it, I actually played the same thing that you did. You wrote "give in to temptation," and I wrote "pursue carnal pleasure." Both phrases are equally ambiguous.

Marvel is STILL a jackass--he's a demon, and suffers from the arrogance, temper and short attention span that many a demon do--but he didn't do what you accused him of, any more than you did.

SO THERE! :) :) :)

----------

...and then, Marvel bent over Coravel's body.

"You know," he said, "all of this would be just great, 'cept for one little, tiny thing:

"HE AIN'T COMPLETELY DEAD YET!" He looked up. "I'm surprised at you, Vamp Boy. I woulda thunk you'd be able to tell the living from the dead just by their smell. I sure can.

"Heck. This is going to be easier than I thought. All we're going to need now is the grandaddy of all healing spells! We might even survive that! Of course, we'd better get started before Vamp Boy's statement turns into a prophesy."

Alreic stared at Marvel... " a prophecy.... not like I've ever said one of them before...do your best..for his sake"

"OK," Marvel replied. "I have no idea who had put me in charge of this, and it's pretty comical, if you don't mind my saying so, that I'm giving orders to a group of people who had kept him in chains less than a day before, but...I like Coravel, and want to bring the young man back. So...

"First, Saacon, take a break. You've done a lot of hard work today, and, since you are willing to protect me--and for that I sincerely thank you, and promise that I'll never call you 'Armor Boy' again--I think that I should also protect you. You've done things today that I bet you've never done before. You're tired. Tiredness and magic don't mix.

"Second, we need to seal Coravel's wounds before we can do anything else. It won't do us any good to make other repairs until we can stop him from bleeding his life away. Vamp B--Alreic, if you're not an expert on bleeding, something's wrong. Draconis, if you don't know how to heal battle wounds after--what is it, a thousand years of battle?--something's even more wrong. Stop the bleeding now, guys! Do it without draining what little life force this poor man has left. I'll help as best I can."

-------

OOC: It's over THREE thousand years of battle, but Marvel doesn't know that.

-------

IC:

"Third, damaging a body this bad is bound to have an affect on the mind within it. We should check on it. Who wants to go in? I'll go if no one else will."

With that, Marvel spread his hand upon Coravel's forehead and began an impath chant, willing some of his own life force into Coravel to help the human to begin his recovery.

"Stop the bleeding... hmm usually a bite does that but I don't wish to risk him changing if bitten on the neck, perhaps if bbitten on his bare arms, the contageon I carry would only manifest itself to heal wounds and other ilnesses and ailments you beings suffer from... this is temporary depending how long the bite takes... longest it could last would be a month but side affects would happen... this is the best option to heal him unless you're a god..and if any existed then they could do this job better i suppose" Alreic stated

he lifted up Coravel's forearm and bit hard into his flesh, the "parasites" that many believed Vampires carried were actually the finest immune system crafted by life itself, they had evolved to combat their weaknesses of sunlight, silver but they did not succumb to the religous icons thrust onto them, lies and wives tales had made people think they were weakened by many things

Their only weakness truelly was the lust but they too loved and hated like men... it had led to many a vampire losing his life, but Alreic now wanted to save a life and it seemed a very small portion of the lust would be used on someone he would think of as a friend

As Alreic finished biting, many of Coravels wounds began to heal up but suddenly Alreic as he rose to hsi feet began to be stumbling

"I... I dont feel all too well..." Before he fell to the floor unconscious, it seemed the healing on Coravel had made him weak and for now he needed to rest.

As Alreic finished biting, many of Coravels wounds began to heal up but suddenly Alreic as he rose to hsi feet began to be stumbling

"I... I dont feel all too well..." Before he fell to the floor unconscious, it seemed the healing on Coravel had made him weak and for now he needed to rest.

"Well," Marvel said, to no one in particular, "the metabolic energy to heal Scarface's wounds had to come from somewhere--it wasn't going to come from Scarface, and I was just keeping up with the energy that he was bleeding out. When Vamp Boy turned his immune system loose, it must have drawn its energy from the only place that it could find--him.

"He should be alright in a few hours--but we'd better get him something to drink, and I don't mean a sasparilla, when he comes to. There are probably a few stragglers left over from the demons' incursion force--they're notorious for leaving their wounded behind. One of them should do just fine."

It never occurred to Marvel that what he had just suggested was cold-blooded murder. Some habits die hard. The turned demon merely continued to monitor the life force of the man who lay now on the ground at his knees.

"Well...he seems like he's going to be able to recover. Vamp Boy was right for a change--at least it feels like he was. I can't feel any difference in Scarface's life energy. It looks like he'll be able to recover--and it looks like he'll still be human when he does.

"That means," the demon-no-more said, stretching out, with one hand on Coravel's and one on the young man's forehead, "that I'd better take a look at his psyche before I get so tired I can't see straight. Angel Boy, could you do me and Vamp Boy a favor? Make sure that the townsfolk don't come through, pat us all on the heads with blunt instruments and tell us what good boys we are?"

---------------------

OOC: someone else will have to RP the inside of Coravel's mind. Damn! I keep forgetting which vowel should go where in that name! My bad. Hope I got it right. :) :) :)

Marvel would find himself standing on a flat, hard surface that was hidden in a low fog. The air seemed to be draped in a light fog, but these were the only 'normal' aspects of the environment. For one thing, there were oddly shaped shadows which floated through the air, hazy and indistinct behind the fog. If Marvel were to look at himself, he would appear to be similarly aspected as in the real world. But there were differences. His limbs, including his wings and tail were brighter than the rest of him as thow faintly glowing. If he had a weapon to draw it would similarly glow, and if he attempted to cast, the action would cause a bright glow. Once Marvel moved, he would notice a visual anomaly. It would seem as if he were moving slow, each movement stretching forever, yet he still crossed distances at the same speed. The most disturbing thing Marvel would notice were the cracks. Not fissures in the ground but in the air as the looking through a broken window. The shadows moved behind these cracks, sometimes just passing by. Others would fail to appear on the otherside of a crack, either simply vanishing or emerging from behind a different crack, sometimes at a changed elevation, pitch, or even direction! Overhead the sky would shift color at random, sometimes pulsing or swirling multiple colors. Despite the lack of any overhead light source, Marvel would be able to see as if it was noon, though his shadow was never stationary and randomly flitted from position to position around him.

OOC: Suitably trippy enough for you? Everything about the glowing and how it looks like he's moving through water is simply cosmetic. The glow has nothing to do with light, and he's still moving at the same speed. Since you're in my mind, you get to play using Coravel's senses/perceptions in addition to your own.

"OHHHHHH YEAH!" Marvel bellowed. "THIS BOY'S GOOD 'N' CRAZY ALRIGHT! AN' I'M THE GENIUS WHO RAN ALL THE WAY IN TA HELP 'IM!"

Marvel didn't know how, but he knew what. This place wasn't real, it was Scarface's mind, and the fissures in the air weren't dimensional warps, they were cracks in the man's personality. And they'd been there long before he had faced down that pack of demons. If it was in this kind of shape, the trauma of what Coravel had been through would have all but shattered such a fragile mind--it would be in pieces now, and it would be up to Marvel and the others to knit them back together as best they could. It was also possible that he had perceptual problems--that he couldn't completely trust his own senses. But if Mavel looked in Coravel's reality the way he did here, then there was something else: the boy was an adept--a powerful mage just waiting for someone to come along and show him how to use the magic that he could see in the world around him. Only problem was that letting a mind like this one use magic without healing it would be the height of folly.

Just to confirm the observation, Marvel tried to ward himself again. Yes, his hand glowed brightly. The young man could percieve magic.

"Oh, boy," he said, turning somber as the enormity of the situation weighed in on him. "What did they do to you to turn you into this?"

Gently, he set his hand on one of the cracks, trying to find the memory that had been fractured away. If he could reknit them, and if Coravel could stand what he had put away, then he would be one step closer to reviving, and one step closer to health.

"Hang in there, Coravel," he said. "Strange as this may sound, I'm comin' to the rescue!"

------------------------

OOC: Psychology 101: according to Freud, insanity comes when one has so many sublimated memories that one's mind doesn't have the energy to sublimate them all any more. Every crack is a sublimated memory--and, since Coravel's Bek's character, Bek gets to write 'em as they come back (heh heh).

Didn't think I was going to let you off the hook that easily, did you?

I can provide a way out if this, like flesh-eating worms, gets to be boring.
:) :) :)

The memory that Marvel pulled out was moderately recent, only a few years old when Coravel was still serving his sentence in the military. He was atop a small rise with a battle raging in the field beyond. He was not alone, there was a grizzled old sergeant named Iorek who had taken Coravel under his wing. He was in many ways the father Coravel had lacked, a strong foundation upon which to build the rest of his life. They were part of the reserves today, and sat observing the struggle. Across the way could be seen the enemy's siege weapons, sitting idle. The army Coravel belonged to had chosen to attack the enemy instead of waiting behind walls a few miles back. Something odd about the machines..."Hey Sarge."

"What is it, lad?" rumbled the veteran.

"Doesn't something seem odd about those seige engines?"

"Aye, you've sharp eyes, my boy." At that moment the engines fired, slinging melon-sized stones into the fray. "Well, I suppose we should get ready to join the chaos down there." Then, the magonels lofted their loads into the air coming down on and around the hillside as soldiers dove for cover. When Coravel levered himself up saw that the command tent was a shredded wreck. Moreover, as he slowly looked around he realized he was the only living sole on that slope. As soldiers ran up the rear slope, he noticed that Iorek's head was caved in.

Coravel wandered into the battle as though in a daze. He stumbled along making no move to defend himself, but he would lash out at enemies, using his preternatural quickness to unleash lightning fast slashes, leaving in his trail short lasting fountains of blood. He sought to make his way to the enemy seige weapons and killed all in his path. He paid for his havoc, though. He was pierced with a few arrows and at least one crossbow quarrel, not to mention the numerous other wounds he had received. He finally made the engines, however, and slaughtered the engineers. As the last one lay twitching on the grass, Coravel leaned against one of the engines and, sliding to a sitting position, began to doze. He was sitting against the very machine that had killed Iorek.


OOC: Um...he's my character, not Bek's. Anyway, how's this for pulling something out of my...you know. I hadn't considered the adept thing before, my original intention with the glowing was how he categorized threats: limbs and weapons, and magic is an obviously larger threat thus glowing brighter.

OOC: Anyway, how's this for pulling something out of my...you know.

OOC:

Imagination? Awesome! :) :) :) And it didn't have the mechanical flaws that Bek and Annie are so doggone hell-bent on putting in their posts, either.

I hadn't considered the adept thing before, my original intention with the glowing was how he categorized threats: limbs and weapons, and magic is an obviously larger threat thus glowing brighter.

OOC:

Ummmm...if he can detect magic, he can use magic. That's what being a mage is all about. :) :) :)

IC:

The level of detail surprised Marvel. The stench of the battlefield reminded him of some of the time he had served in SmashMouth's infantry. Still, the memory did not overwhelm him. Demons were far less caring--both to their prisoners and their own--than the humans whom Coreval was dealing with.

Working carefully, Marvel reattached the memory to Coreval's mind. In a moment, the connection was made.

Marvel noticed three things immediately. First, the fog lifted slightly. Second, as soon as the main memory reknit itself, several smaller fisures nearby began to reknit also. Finally, several of the shadow figures nearby began to coalesc into something slightly more substantial.

"So...the memories go together...in clusters." Marvel said, thinking out loud. "And the shadow figures are Coravel's personality--and they revolve around the memories. Put enough of the memories back together, and, provided that the mind itself doesn't implode, we get our buddy back.

"OK, Coravel. You've had the chance to see that I'm here to help. Now, I need some help from you. I can't finish this alone. I can't tell which memories are important and which ones are minor. You have to show me the ones you need the most. You show 'em, I fix 'em. Deal?"

The next set of memories was more or less interconnected, like a story. After serving out his time in the army, he went mercenary and made a great deal of money by taking absurd risks, be it as a messenger or assassin. Eventually he grew tired of the killing and simply fell off the face of the planet. He took to wandering like a vagabond before finally arriving in a mountainous community. He didn’t know how far or long or which direction he had traveled, but he knew his journey ended here. The village was quite and peaceful, at least at first. He was walking up the middle of the street wearing a shirt of chain, sheathed bastard or hand-and-a-half sword and a round shield strapped to his back when he found his way blocked by two people. Obviously brother and sister, she was the elder and immediately piqued his interest. Tall and athletically built, she had shoulder length red hair and a pair of the greenest eyes he had ever seen. The boy had hair just as red and a temperament to match. He was holding a walking stick taller than he was-which set off warning bells in Coravel’s head-while she was unarmed. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, there is.” she said, her voice practically setting him aquiver. “You and your intentions here.”

Coravel blinked, “What, now? I have done nothing to warrant such questions.”

The boy decided it was his turn to speak, “You’re an outsider with a weapon, you’re here to raid and pillage and plunder! But I’ll stop you; the monks say I’m one of the best warriors they’ve ever seen”

“Well, there are holes in your logic, young man. If I was such a man, then I wouldn’t have come here in broad daylight. Especially with such a formidable force arrayed against me.”

“Don’t talk down to me!” the boy suddenly swung his pole at Coravel’s midsection. It came in amazingly fast and connected with a thwack, drawing a grunt from him. As the boy swung again, Coravel leapt back out of range, drawing his sword and shield.

Then he saw one of these monks: a man wearing voluminous clothes and a shaved head. “Monk!” he yelled, “You’d best stop him, I don’t want to have to hurt him!” The monk ignored him.

“What makes you think you can hurt me?” asked the boy.

“Simple.” responded Coravel, “I’m a professional soldier. If I wanted to end this as quickly as possible, I could have killed you several times over already.” He noticed the monk was no longer so sure of himself and the girl looked decidedly worried. Coravel noticed something else: the boy had fallen into a pattern. Seeing an opening, he darted closer batting the front of the sick down with his shield and turned. He willingly exchanged a strike to his back in exchange for landing a backhanded blow, the flat of his bland thumping against the boys head. He dropped like a sack of potatoes as the monk advanced with a pair of drawn knives. “Look, I didn’t kill the boy and I’d rather not hurt you.”

The monk launched into an attack that Coravel barely avoided by backpedaling. Increasing his distance, he sought to stay back. The monk threw a dagger with a flick of wrist and it sliced deep in Coravel’s shield arm, which then hung uselessly, swinging from the weight of the shield. “How did you do that?” The monk advanced with the other dagger and Coravel decided to take the lunatic seriously. He exploded into action, ripping the monk’s thigh with a pas-four. As the monk tried to counterattack, he slashed the monk’s face with a parry-pas-nine. With his enemy reeling, he cut the off shoulder with a feint followed by another strike. Seeking to end it, Coravel unleashed a series of strikes to the head the monk was forced to defend against. Then he followed the flurry to the head with a traditional body thrust, killing the monk. The girl walked up on his shield side. “Do you have any secret weapons on you too?” he asked.

“No.” she said, drawing a sigh from him. “I’ve never need them.”

“What?” he tried to turn and bring his sword to bear, but he was tiring and she was just plain faster. She unloaded a blow clean on his chin, dropping him into a groaning heap before passing out. When he awoke, he was told he would never have full use of his arm again. The rest of the village was aghast at how he had been treated and sought to make amends, including the monastery, and the girl. The monks were willing to train him in their version of sword fighting, which only required the use of one arm. When asked what kind of religion had warrior monks, they simply smiled and said “We are shaolin.” The girl brought him food. When he asked her why, she replied “Your eyes. They are different from both us and each other.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next train of memories Marvel would see involved his training to master the new weapon. Upon completing the training, he was awarded the title of blade master. As he was awarded the title, the monks asked, “What is your name? “

“Itkovian Otanthalian”

“That name will not do, it is too unbalanced. You are now Coravel. “

“I am Coravel. “ He then took up residence in the village and took to fishing. He started walking with the girl, Jenny, who was taken with his eyes. One thing led to another and might have led to still further things, except he was growing restless. After years of being on the move, either marching in the army or wandering by himself, he had spent almost six years on the move. On the advice of the monks, he journeyed to the sea. He traveled to a small island where he was to meet the Council. The memories immediately following were shielded from Marvel. I’m sorry, Larsol, but this is for your own protection. None outside the Order may know the identities of the Jen’e’tai Council. The words could be clearly heard by Marvel in this dreamland, but there was no source! The memories skipped ahead to the return journey. All that could be pulled from the shielded memories was that when Coravel left, he bore a strange tattoo and one of the council members was no longer breathing.

During a fierce storm on the trip home, the ship was ambushed and boarded by no less than three different pirate ships. Not that they were working together, it quickly degenerated into a four-way free for all. It was during this debacle that Coravel picked up his macabre facial traits. Concerned as they were of the pirates, the crew had neglected to reef the sails and the main mast groaned under the strain. It finally burst near the deck, flinging massive chunks of wood everywhere. Many were killed from being impaled by these fragments. Amazingly, Coravel had been standing next to the thing and it had nearly missed him. A fragment had lanced up and raked him good from just above the jugular to his temple, exposing some bone at his jaw. Lacking the time to think on his luck, he pressed back into the thick of things. At one point, he was fighting in what he believed was the captain’s quarters when a section of ship still attached by ropes to the railing at the back of the poop deck came loose. This debris came around and smashed through the low windows, sending a shower of glass into the room. One piece opened his flesh along the jaw line on one side while his opponent dropped, bleeding profusely from his neck. Coravel ran out on deck and eventually found himself fight for control of a crow’s nest atop the mast of a pirate vessel. This entire battle was quite possibly the most chaotic event of his life, as he fought for supremacy above the rest of the battle, his luck suddenly took a massive turn for the worse. As he attempted an overhand strike, he may have been struck by lightening. Or it might have struck the top of the mast. Either way, the mast was afire and he was falling. His last clear memory was the ship rushing up at him before a wave pushed it to the side and he plummeted into the icy water.

From then on out, everything was different. The next thing was him walking along some random road, halfway across the world from the sea. There was nothing during the intervening time period, just a gap, not even a half-remembered tidbit, just…nothing. But all the following memories were cloaked in mist and shadow, and tended to jump around discordantly. He never made it back to that village; he wasn’t even sure where it was anymore. The trail of memories led him to the elven palace and eventually to where they had met Marvel. Throughout this whole experience Marvel had been able to feel some of Coravel’s emotions. When Iorek had died, he had felt an initial horror, followed by white-hot anger and then sadness. When the redhead, jenny was around there was a sense of wonder, happiness, contentment…and regret. But from when he met the Council and onwards…there was no real feeling, little or no emotion.



OOC: Alright. Admittedly, some parts look cobbled together…okay, a lot of…FINE! Almost all of it looks cobbled together. I tried to end this as quickly as possible and this is the result. Marvel, do your stuff and I’ll wake up and make the obligatory ‘Gee Whiz’ post and we can move on.

"I see it all now," Marvel said. "We have so much in common, you know. We were both taken from the lives we led, both wandered the world and now we're both here. It must have left you drained when the pirates pulled your near-lifeless body from the sea only to sell you into slavery. I can understand how a man would hide away his emotions just so that he didn't feel the blazing hatred for all that was around him. I can only imagine the horrible things that you must have done to the slavors. But you need your feelings, Coreval. Withoug them, you're only half a man. Without my feelings, I would never have overcome the things they tried to do to me in Izgoroth.

"I'm going to reknit as many of your memories as I can. When we awaken, I know of a spell that may be able to reattach the severed tendons on your arm. It won't be painless for either of us, but we've both put up with worse."

Marvel walked over to the main crack that Coreval--Itty?--had shown him. He placed his arm upon it and brought up the healing energy. In a moment, it began to pulse a deep shade of red. The spell was working.

"I'd like your help, too," Marvel said. "If I'm going to go along on your quest, I'll need to improve my fighting skills in order to survive. The others--and you--can all dispense with your enemies five or ten at once, but I can barely handle one. I've heard of the shaolin hand fighting techniques. Maybe you can show me--."

And then, Marvel was enveloped in a light gray. The job was done. The last thing he saw was all the shadows coming together to form the handsome, uninjured face of Itkovian Otanthalian, as it should have been. He was smiling a beaming, peaceful smile.

We'll have to talk, Marvel thought.

Slowly, the awareness of his body returned to him. The rocky ground that bit his back, the sweat beads that had formed on his face, the breeze fromthe wings of the insect that hovered near the barb on his tail--these things all came to him. He opened his eyes.

"There's still one more thing to do," he said. "Coreval's left arm was damaged years ago. When I'm stronger, I'm going to have to fix it."

This was a spell that Marvel had used only once before: an impathy spell. His own arm was basically identical to that of a human. He would use it as the basis to magically recraft Coreval's flesh.

Of course, if the spell failed, it would recraft his flesh instead, and his arm would become every bit as useless as Coreval's--and permanently so, the spell could only be used once. As it was, though, Marvel didn't see this as a particularly great loss. He couldn't handle himself as well as the people around him even with his arm working. If it failed, he'd just have to drop out of the quest. Maybe, if Coreval turned out to be as attuned to magic as he had seemed, none of that would be necessary.

Alreic lay upon the Inn floor, he had passed out from the healing of flesh and wounds on Coravel but as he awoke he awoke with a smile

"He's going to be alright... good"

Alreic rose to his feet, wearing his loose clothing, as he moved towards his armour he noticed several great cracks in it and knew this would not last much longer

"Looks as if I'll be looking for a new tin can to hide myself away in & I doubt these locals can provide me with what I am looking for, hmm I might have to go & get something amde just for the time being" he muttered under hsi breatj
His strength had not yet returned, when you try healing the near dead it takes a toll

Alreic trudged out of the Inn in his armour and headed towards the group, he saw Marvel smiling, a rare sight on hsi face but a welcoem sight for Alreic

"So it did work, good job Marvel..good job Coravel you made it through"

"You're welcome, Alreic," Marvel said. He wasn't sure why he was smiling--perhaps it had something to do with the smile that Coravel had given him on his way back to his red-skinned body. "Couldn't have done it without you."

It had been a long time since the illusionist had been as exhausted as he was now. Somehow, he noted, sitting beside the slowly moving form of Coravel, it didn't seem to matter. He'd stared death in the face and come back to talk about it. And he'd found a friend who had much more in common with him than he would ever have believed--a friend who didn't know just how much they had in common.

And now, the demon-no-more realized, he was going to have to push his body harder than he should. There was still so much that had to be done now--help the townsfolk to defend themselves, get Coreval back on his feet, get back on the road to Lost Jerusalem. Marvel would have to get up, no matter how groggy he felt, and hope he would have time to rest on the road.

--------------------------

THE NEXT MORNING

Mission accomplished! Marvel was surprised at the ease with which he had melded into the town's population. They had actually been glad for the help that he had to offer...and he'd learned something. When they'd brought together an impromptu meeting, as long as "the glowing one with the wings" and "the blood drinkers" weren't there, the town elders had actually been willing to share information. The pipe that he had been using was actually part of a weapon that the people of the town themselves were developing. The spells were simple enough that any town shaman could cast them--that was one of the best points of the thing. As Marvel proved, it was also powerful enough to take a chunk out of a Gray Troll's scales--and that took some doing. Marvel didn't know why, but he was the only one who had run into a Gray directly. By the time the meeting was over, they'd sat down and produced two refined versions of the thing, an example of one of which Marvel now wore in his belt. It held three lead balls, and it could shoot one at a time. All you had to do was flick a spring-held hammer and the magic did the rest. The other variant was a big one that could put a hole in a wall.

And Marvel had used a time compression spell--again, a simple one to cast--so that they now had a six-foot wall around the whole village. The place was no well enough defended to hold off a small army.

In exchange, he'd managed to barter some enchanted leather armor for Saacon and a cow for Alreic to sate himself on. Marvel was looking forward to having some roast beef in his rations. He'd also helped himself to a little of the cow--and his venom sack was fully recharged.

As he bound himself to the horse that he was going to ride out on--one of several members of the party to do so--he smiled again. Maybe he couldn't go toe-to-toe with these guys, but he could do a few things that they couldn't. He could make friends in a hurry. He could negotiate.

But now, he didn't need to do things like that anymore. Now, like Kast and Kula, who were also bound to their steeds, all he needed to do was sleep. That was why he was bound this time.

Funny thing, the way he was always tied up when he went with this bunch. He hoped that it wasn't going to be something that he had to get used to. He hoped that it would be easier for them as the journey wore on. He hoped that...

The world settled into a peaceful, red-orange haze. If there was anything wrong with it now, Marvel did not notice.

"The nerve of those bloody villagers, I save them from a bloody horde and what do I get in return, banished form a meeting to discuss their safety and then get given a cow! Thanks Marvel but I'm ok for a while to be honest, although I do fancy a steak" Alreic said with glee before handing the cow over to a frightened local, half amused and half annoyed at this persons vierew of someone who had helped save them

Alreic mounted his steed, as his last one had been slaughtered by the Red Hand horde, this one was black but bore a red streak on its brow

"I'll name you...Mekare" Alreic smiled as he mounted his steed

A villager rushed over to Alreic

"You cant take that horse, it belongs to the town!"

Alreic turned to face the angry villager

"A horse for a cow..fair trade to me seeing as I helped save your ptiiful life and all you do sis continue to look down on me because why, because I ws born a creature of the night!" Alreic demounted Mekare and moved towards the villager "& this is how I am repaid with hate and foolish ignorance on the part of a stupid human being, you are lucky and unlucky to live in an age where even a vampire takes pity on you and where a vampire could walk amonsgt you in daylight now...take the cow and be happy simple idiot...I wish you well in life but only if you understand others"

And with that Alreic leapt onto Mekare and began to slowly trot away form the villager

His face more pale than Alreic's porcelain skin as a vampire under the midday sun had just sparred with him in a battle of words rode away on a horse that had moments ago belonged to them

Alreic brushed Mekare's black coat and smiled and whispered to her

"That went much better than I thought, overdramatic but rather worth the happiness on my face to see him cower haha well I am amused as cruel as it is haha..off to Lost jerusalem now"

THAT EVENING

"But I can't call him 'skeeter'--male skeeters don't bite!"

There was a round of laughter. After Marvel had reawakened, the whiskey that he had snuck out of the bar before its new owner could take posession had flowed--not freely, but enough to loosen a few tongues and soften a few moods. Even Coreval had smiled from time to time--and Marvel got another grin when he popped another harmless spell in the young man's face.

"Made you look!" he said with a devilish smile (contrary to rumor, he did have other kinds).

The mood was merry for a change. Things didn't seem to be going that badly. They'd come through an incursion, and, though they wouldn't be eating roast beef for a while, there would be an occasional swig of whiskey from time to time. What was not to like about the situation?

In fact, there was only one drawback to the whole thing.

Marvel had spilled the beans. He'd never be able to use his names for these people again--if he did, they might make up a name for him. He made a mental note to point this out sometime as the horses trobbed on through the uneven ground in the evening light.

--------------------------

OOC:

Yeah, there's a german poem where a horse's canter is written using the word(?) "trab" (pronounced "trob" in english). Just thought you'd all like to know. The poet wrote

trab trab trab trab

but I could never abide by it. I always thought that

trob trob trob splatt

would be much more appropriate. :) :) :)

Guess it's time for the next part of the story. Annie said he wanted it to come quickly, so I'm doing my part to oblige.

Coravel wasn't sure what had happened. One moment he was sure he was dying, the next he was lying outside the inn. Whatever had occurred during the intervening time period, had been for the better. His head and mind were clearer than they had been in a long time, and he was actually enjoying himself. He was curious as to why Kast and Kula seemed somewhat embarressed, or why The paladin was speaking in high style; spitting thees and thous everywhere. Coravel was sure if he tried it he would bite his tongue off. But after being reticent for so long, he thought he could wait to ask.

"I haven't heard you asking, Coravel, so I'm going to assume that you remember our little therapy session outside the inn," Marvel said. "Are you still game for a little trade of skills? You show me a little bit about hand-to-hand combat and I show you a little bit about magic?"

It was a couple of days into the ride. Marvel had had time to shrug off the hangover he had acquired on the second day of the journey. He'd stopped moaning and gone back to the wheeler-dealer trade.

"You see this?" he asked, bringing up some power in his left hand. "More than ninety percent of all humans can't. And if you can see it, you can use it. So, ol' buddy, ol' pal, how 'bout a little trade?"

Alreic rode along the road at the rear and was contemplating deep thoughts about his past and how they had driven him to enter onto a journey with an angel, and elf, an ex demon,a vampil and some humans... a motley crew if ever assembled but somehow it was working

The only thought going across Alreic's head right now was concerning the cow

"Marvel nees to know I am not a vampire of that sense, he'd do best to suckle off thst bovine the idiot hmmph but then again I did fancy steak" He muttered to himself in his native tongue

The path up to Lost Jerusalem was long and hard. It was 3 days into the rid. Kast rode the back of Cerifis. Kula sat infront of him in the saddle and leaned back against him. Kast couldnt believe what had transpired. All the emotions in his heart had broken free in an instant. All that he knew now was that he loved her. He gently kissed her shoulder, but the tender moment was cut short, when Draconis who was leading the group stopped suddenly.

He turned and faced the group. "No body move. Take your hands off your weapons, if you plan to see another day." Before anyone could move 25 angels all in their 6 winged battle form decended on the group swords drawn and at the ready. One of them removing his helmet and lowering his sword as the others stood guard.

"Greetings Draconis."

Draconis climbed off his horse and burst into his 6 winged battle form. It was the true form of an Archangel. "Well met Orion." Kast lead cerifis up to him. "You know this one?"

Draconis turned to Kast. "Aye, he is my brother."

Marvel looked up with one eye half open. The ride had been hard, and it hadn't helped matters any that he had started it with an all-nighter. On top of that, the embers of the hangover from the whiskey still smouldered stubbornly in the back of his neck.

Still in his human form, his popper still hanging from his belt but hidden from view (though his hand was not near it) by an invisibility spell, he smiled a clumsy, disoriented smile.

"What?" he said. "An angel? Oh. Glad to see 'em. We go way back. Yeah."

And with that, he collapsed against his mount again and resumed snoring.

Alreic stared up at the angel, he snarled but his teeth and grimace were hidden by his red scarf

"Lost Jerusalem... going back there again..more a curse unto me than a blessing and sanctuary..they will pay with their blood for what they did...Maria..I need forgiveness...they need to pay for their crimes" Alreic muttered to himself

Lost Jerusalem had left Alreic a broken man and his very essence had been ripped clean and replaced by a savagery and carnal instinct and hatred on which the Vampire clans he had helped bring to power thousand years before had consumed him

He had his reasons for hating certain angels, and none more so than one of the ruling hierarchy of Lost Jerusalem for casting him out, a halfbreed Vampire...born of angel & vampire blood

"Shukh Took Khamin Rukhtekt prey Jurest...Revenge..." Alreic snarled to himself as he looked at the Angel, Draconis' brother and recognised him..he wasnt oen of the ones Alreic swore revenge on

Lost Jerusalem would mark Alreic's falling from grace and redemption as he returns, till then he would do his best to hide his emotiosn as best he could form hsi companions

Marvel awoke with a start. Something was wrong. He could just feel it.

He looked up from his horse, and what he saw sent a jolt through his spine. It was an Angel, in full, six-winged battle regalia, hovering right beside him. Without even a thought, he jumped halfway out of his skin--and ended up leaving his mount and falling face first into a pile of mud. Now, he was going to need something that most demons never even thought of: a bath.

There was a soft guffaw in the background. As Marvel rose to his knees, he could see the one who was obviously the leader of the group giving a very cross look to one of his underlings.

"Sorry to have disturbed you," the first Angel said, drifting almost effortlessly over the now rather nervous horse and coming down beside Marvel. "May I help you to your feet?"

Marvel looked up helplessly. The right side of his goatee was completely caked. "Thanks," he said, "but I should be able to--bwahhh!" As he tried to rise, he lost his footing and ended up giving the left side of his face "the treatment." He shook his head and tried again. This time, he succeeded.

"Now that you're up," the Angel said at length, "I'm going to have to ask that you discontinue the use of any illusion spells for the duration of your stay in Lost Jerusalem. Like many of my bretheren, I can feel them on you, and, though there may not necessarily be any harm in it, some could become...uneasy."

Man, Marvel thought, what a prissy old school-marm! Too bad he and his friends could eat me for lunch. Maybe I can get out of this if I play it straight.

"OK," Marvel replied, "I understand." With that, he dropped his human form and made his popper visible on his waist. It, too, had become caked in mud.

"You mean that what you see doesn't surprise you?" Marvel asked presently, when the Angel did not react as he had expected.

"Not at all. We've spoken with the leader of your group, and he has told us both that you appear to be a Red Gargoyle Demon and that you have risked your life to save those of your fellows--including him. The Prince of the Elven is known to us, and we trust his word."

"Well...thank you," Marvel replied. Prince of the Elven? Wow. This guy's even better-connected than I thought!

"May I ask the purpose of that device that you carry on your belt?" the Angel said.

"Certainly," the non-demon replied. "I use it to defend myself."

"Well, I'm going to have to take it for the time being," the Angel said. "You can have it back when you leave the city."

"I'm sorry, but there are certain trade secrets involved in the making of the device that I don't want revealed."

"I understand," the Angel said. "I can give you my word that it will be stored in a vault spell, accessible only by me, and that I will not open it except to return the device to you. Is that sufficient?"

"I...guess it'll have to be," Marvel replied. He handed the popper over to the Angel.

"Thank you," the Angel replied. "I hope that your stay among us will be...uneventful."

This wasn't at all what Marvel had expected. What he'd heard was that the Angels were all a bunch of arrant brats. These guys were courteous and professional. If this was what he could expect in the city, he might just end up greeting tomorrow's sunrise from something other than the cracks in the mortar of a dungeon cell.

Things were definately looking up!

And with that, Marvel took a step back toward his horse and promptly fell in the mud again.

--------------------

OOC:

Better?

OOC: actually it interferes with the story alot, the New ruler of lost jerusalem has changed that, Angels are no longer creatures of pride but once again creatures of Justice and Honor

OOC: Alreics main background story revolves around Lost jerusalem seeing as he is half angel but I wont overtake the major story going on

OOC:

I think I feel a sneeeeze coming on...

aaahhh
ahhhhh

ahh--

BUMP!

OOC: im waiting for others to post in otherwise itll seem like were hijacking the story again ...sacrasm is a terrible thing...but this needs to move along

OOC:

Sarcasm isn't so terrible--in fact, it's yet another complementary service that I provide!

:) :) :)

OOC: lowest form of wit, highest form of intellgence or so they say

Coravel had felt an itch between his shoulders for a while before the angels appeared. His mind-now usable thanks to Marvel-went into overdrive. If they scattered immediately, they would have a chance, albeit a slim and short-lived one. Once they were surrounded though, it was too late. Looking around he thought he might be able to get one or two, maybe three if he was lucky before the others could close on him. He would have surprise on his side, that coupled with a clear head led him to believe he might be able to buy enough time for the others to run. But it proved unneccessary as it whoever was in charge seemed to know Draconis. Then again, he thought, why are they still surrounding us? If they were truly friendly they would move to ally any suspicions or fears. Let's see, Marvel's more or less out of it. Draconis doesn't appear to suspect anything, and Kast will trust his judgement. Kula will stay with Kast and vice versa. The paladin would next to useless as he would'nt see angels as a threat, but a good thing. Alreic, however, is seething. That's not good. While Coravel wanted to be able to act the instant things went bad, it looked like the vampire would move too soon.

Meanwhile, Saacon was basking in the glow of angelic beings, reafirming in his mind the reward granted to the deserving. While he doubted he was deserving enough, he was content to make it possible for others to have the oppurtunity.

Alreic attempted calm himself, his blood was impure according to the angels and tainted according to his vampire kin...

He scratched at his arms and begaqn to bleed, it was hsi burden he carried being an outcast to both worlds and even more so a fallen hero to vampires and atraitor to the angles

"What the hell do you "holier than thou" winged fools want with us!?" Barked Alreic as he held his arm which was now bleeding from his anger and tearing at flesh "Let us pass we have business to take care of and you are in our way!"

Alreic attempted calm himself. His blood was impure according to the angels and tainted according to his vampire kin...

He scratched at his arms and began to bleed, it was his burden he carried, being an outcast to both worlds, and even more so a fallen hero to vampires and atraitor to the angles.

"What the hell do you 'holier than thou' winged fools want with us!?" Barked Alreic as he held his arm, which was now bleeding from his anger and tearing at flesh. "Let us pass. We have business to take care of and you are in our way!"

Having regained his feet, Marvel was almost floored again. He took the reins on his horse to steady himself. He looked at Alreic.

Man, he thought, what's eating him? Oh--wait a minute. He told me that when we were sitting by the fire. That's right. He's a half-breed. There's no love lost between him and them.

Somebody had better calm him down before he goes crazier than Cereval.

"Easy, friend," Marvel said. "They're only trying to protect their home. I'm sure they'll let us pass when we show them that we didn't come here to cause trouble...with them.

"Can I do something to help you with that arm? A little healing spell perhaps?" I hope I don't have to offer him a mint before he gets the hint.

"I am ok Marvel, I can heal myself soon, thank you, I just wish these liars and murderers would let us pass to Lost Jerusalem" Alreic said, when he said the words Lost Jerusalem his heart was heavy after all...it was his birth place & a city he had sworn to raize to the ground over 2 millenia ago when the Vampire clans had acheived near dominance

It was also the site of a tragic event that scarred and has haunted Alreic for 2 millenia and for two millenia he has worn revenge on all those who committed that foul act of murder

He had his chance during the siege but his compassion held him back...soon after his own vampire kin banished him for beinga failure

Soon after he became a myth to many, a wanderer, a vampire with a soul, an angel with a taste for blood... a child who survived something many thought and hoped he would not

Alreic turned to the angels and said to them one more

"Let us past... we have business to attend within the city"

Please let him listen! That poor son of--well, whatever he's a son of--was so badly hurt that he can't keep his anger to himself.

Marvel took a rag out of his horse's pack, wiped some of the mud off of his face and smiled at his angel hosts. "Uhhh...going to need a moment of privacy here," he said. Then he put up a Veil of Darkness, enclosing himself and Alreic. It did not limit the senses of those within it, but prevented others from seeing or hearing what was going on inside. The half-vampire looked at him with some dismay. This only served to make Marvel impatient.

"I'm not going to try to slug it out with you, if that's what you're thinking," he said by way of introduction. "I'm not suicidal yet. I just want to know what's going on. There's something different about these guys. They're not acting like I thought they would. So why are you in such a hurry to get us thrown out on our rear ends before we even get in?"

Alreic paced up and down in this void, he let out deafening roars and screeches before falling to hsi knes

"You wish to know why these so called guardians of honour truth and justice are no more than mere proud fools who take pride in knowing they are higher than so many..."

Alreic rose to his feet and where his vampire wings were he showed Marvel a set of grey feathered wings, they emerged and they span out, it seemed his wings were a sign of his lineage, but as soon as those wings appeared so did a pair of bat like wings, Alreic screamed as his four wings were outstretched for Marvel to see

"The mark of the bastard son of a vampire lord and an angel wife he took... the child who would grow up amongst Angels and fight alongside them making them stronger only for every turn to be shunned while those who did less who treated like "gods" themselves"

Alreic began to tighten his grip as he assumed a power stance before Marvel

"Then amongst these proud beings came another bastard creature, he would threaten their very existence and they chose to rectify this mistake as they saw it, once it had happened but twice. They felt their people were being tainted by the blood of a parasitic race... her name was Maria to me, Annalusia to the angels and she was my wife, her own brother one of the higher caste of angels in Lost Jerusalem killed her before my own eyes and before the eyes of our child Vergil... soon after that happend I would lead the Vampire world aginst the Angels ..victory after victory we attained and slowly the empire I had shed blood for slowly came ours..part of the empire we forged in anger and hatred, lives were not spared...I was a beast & my name brought fear to the angels...Alreic is not my Angel name.. I took this name so none would know my identity...in Lost Jerusalem I am Neshar & to the vampire world Alreic... but I slew all but two of those responsible for her death..her brother and father remain and because of them I lost a son to evil! I lost more than wife..I LOST MY LIFE AND FUTURE! AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME I SHOULD NOT BE ANGRY! THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR PROUD HEARTS TORN FROM THEIR COLD BODIES!"

Alreic screamed out loud, an etheral crimson glow generated around his body, hsi eyes had turned blood red and his face more pale and dark grey veins appeared on his face

"They will pay! those who try to stop me from finding the two who remain will see how far I will go...till then I will make you swear not to tell a soul..not ask I shall make you & if you utter a word of this..I will not think twice about leaving your body torn asunder..this is between me and them...but until then I shall not cause any violence until the tiem comes...this you ahve my word on!"

& with that Alreics form changed back into that of the one they all recognised...he was draine dbut others would mistake this for the journey and or suspect Marvel had placed him under a spell to calm him... Lost Jerusalem would mark a pivotal pint in Alreic's journey

As the veil lifted and Marvel & Alreic returnd to the group he seemed less angry but the look in his eyes was not one of tranquility..more of defiance and hatred barely kept under wraps...for now

OOC: This takes place between the time when Alreic finished his rant and the time when the Veil of Darkness lifted.

IC:

"Woahhhhh," Marvel said. "I'm not asking why you're angry. You told me that back at the campfire. And I know a lot of people who got away with a lot of bad things. Heck--I've done some things that I'm not very proud of myself.

"What I'm asking is why your anger with a select few Angels has to apply to all of them. You're a powerful being, no matter what name you go by. But if there's anything that life has taught me, it's that great power demands great mercy.

"And I'm not asking that you spare the guilty from the punishment that they're due. This may sound funny, I heard of you when I was working in the SmashMouth Diplomatic Corps. If we can find the people who did that to you, I'll help you put 'em away nice an' slow, brother, but, for now, please don't punish a simple patrol without knowing that they're guilty of something. That's all I ask. Save it for the ones who really desearve it."

Alreic seemed almost to deflate as he took within himself the immense rage that he had harbored over the centuries. He looked at the ground for a moment. It was still the same muddy earth that his horse had been standing on when the whole ordeal started. "I'm going to hold you to what you said about helping me," he said.

Marvel could only nod in acquiescence. He had made a concession in this negotiation, but it was one that he could easily live with. He raised his hand and withdrew the spell.

OOC:

The following takes place after the veil lifted.

IC:

As the evening sun spread its rays back on him, the demon-no-more turned back to the Angel guard. "There won't be any trouble," he said. "Sorry about the delay." He went back to his horse and climbed on.

OOC:

Are we there yet? Can we move on now?

OOC: Sorry bout the delay guys, me and my new GF have been out every night this week.



IC:

Draconis was talking with Orion, trying to gain passage into Lost Jerusalem. They spoke in hushed whispers so the others wouldn't hear.

"Well Drake, I never throught to see you parading with the future king of the Elven, the Heiress to the Vampire kingdom, a turned Demon, a flashy knight, a man who has lost his mind, and ....." he stopped as his eyes fell on Alreic. "Is that......"

Draconis followed his gaze. "Yes it is......."

Orion's hand dropped to the pommel of his sword, and he spoke in an even lower whisper. "You brought Neshar here,.... that was a dangerous move Drake."

Draconis cocked an eyebrow, "and what do you know of this?"

"We knew he had taken the name Alreic when he fought against us,... we know he seeks, Garviel and Lucas, but they have been dead for almost 3 centuries."

"Lucas dead? Who the hell is in charge then?"

"Oh boy,....Pelebreus."

Draconis burst out laughing. "Pelebereus? You're kiddin me. Man, i knew he had it in him. It never did sit right with him what happened to Annalusia."

Orion looked skeptical and pointed to the long scar on his face. "As I recal it was you who tried to stop Lucas from killing her. You were locked up for a month for that one."

"Aye, i tried to reason with words, and then with a sword, but i was weak then. Garviel hated me after that, and when i helped in the Dracalorian Wars, it was the perfect excuse for him."

"Well Pelebreus, got revenge on Garviel and Lucas, they were publically drawn and qaurtered." A sick expression crossed his face. "And a statue of Annalusia, holding her son when he was an infant, now graces the Royal Court Yard. And at the base is a candle, thats always lit, and its to signal to the "wayward angel" that it is safe to return."

Draconis smiled "thats touching."

"Yes it is, but I must ask you one thing before you pas, and taht is to state your buisness in Lost Jerusalem."


"We need.....The Holy Spirit Stone."

OOC: i hope this isnt ruining the Alreic story, but uh, there was a major power shift in the city... and Drake was around when Alreic was banished.

OOC: nah it wont ruin the story, it'll allow Alreic to becoem more angry and vampire like and rveal the vampire side to everyone more than it has as he cannot exact his true revenge

IC:

Alreic overheard their hush words clearly, "Pelebreus..in charge..." his own blood kin in charge of the Angels..not many knew Alreic & Pelebreus were related but many knew they were once the closest of friends growing up, ostracized on many occasion hid risen from derision and scorn to rule over the council and choir of angels...stranger things had happened

Alreic had not heard thir words about those whom he sought revenge from..he was focused on just getting to Lost Jerusalem before anything kicked off

Alreic knew Draconis had tried to help Alreic's wife if not for the hlaf bred but for Annalusia, a pureblood with a future , a great future, and agreat gift of foresight but she herself saw her own death and had not told Alreic..she wrote her visions down and they were confiscated by the authorities until Alreic's banishment from Lost Jerusalem when he stole them from the hall of antiquity all but her last diary

"Annalusia..I am still sorry" Alreic muttered to himself as he rode onwards with the group, he remembered back to when he last came to Lost Jerusalem as the warlord Alreic Konin Akhrahtki of the 3rd Vampire empire

As a warlord he tore villages and nations and tribes asunder expanding on the empire..always hoping to one day exact hsi revenge and so that day came

thousand upon thousands of vampire and demon knights swarmed across the land and towards Lost Jerusalem and a great battle ensued...inside the breached city walls Alreic walked about as his former kin came to stop him...he slaughtered many and made them see what he was..the perfect fighter..cold, calculated and with one desire... victory

But soon after the Angels turned the tide on the Vampires after reinforcements

Alreics great victory was lessened and soon they were forced to leave after the news that the Angels were returning to the city en masse ready for war... the intelligent side of Alreic ordered to abandon their prize and in return for sparing the lives of his finest troops he was exiled and seen as a traitor and since then Alreic has not returned to either dominion for centuries until now

"I wonder if theyll still have it... Its a long shot but...something that powerful...theyd no doubt have tried to destroy it... I want it back..." Alreic thought to himself, he turned to Marvel and asked him

"What have you heard of me then?"

OOC: Mind If I RP the EVIL side story..it wont be as frequent as Alreic RP but offers a different view but whiel linked to the group

IC:

a hooded figure clad in grey walked through the Lost Jerusalem courtyard, slowly walking through the crowd, no one glanced at him, no oen stared at him, they had no need to or inlination to do so

To them he was another angel..another citizen but as he came to the statue of Annalusia he began to speak

"Mother...father did not try hard enough...look how innocent I am there haha...stupid really...I'm not going to allow these vile winged creatures another moment to gaze upon your image, they save a few wanted you dead... and now they act liek they wanetd you to live...LIARS!"

A guard walked over to the hooded figure and placed his hand on the figures shoulder which was met with great scorn from the mysterious person

"Remove your hand...lest you end up like a victim of the great Neshar...move along fool"

with that the guard froze..the name Neshar was a vile word to many still, the character walked away & to the floor fell a small trinket, the gurad proceeded to pick it up and was quickly met by the hooded figures eyes ...they burned fircely but were so cold

"This belonsg to me..you have touched something that beonged to Annalusia..my mother..you cannot live!" screeched the figure as he drew a blade and stealthily knifed the angel in the heart and walked away

The angel guards last words weree

"vergil?..."

"We heard that a Half-angel had raised a vampire horde, sacked lost Jerusalem, and then left again when the Angels regrouped. There were two camps: some of the advisors called you a coward, others a brilliant strategist.

"You caused a power vacuum. That was good for our side. Just before I left, we tried to place infiltrators in the chain of command--theirs and yours. We figured that, if we could keep the races divided, it would make us, in our divisions, that much safer. I don't know how it worked out."

Marvel's hearing, too, was better than most. He, too, had overheard the conversation between Draconis and Orion.

Calls 'im 'Drake,' does 'e? I could have some fun with that, now, couldn't I?

Still, the enormity of the sea change wasn't lost on the turned demon. It was by Pelebreus' hand that he had been turned. Pelebreus, it turns out, was a patrol leader, sent on business in Yendor--the fools in the government were probably just trying to get him as far away from them as possible--when, to coin a phrase, all hell broke loose. It was his people who had noticed Marvel trying to live lawfully among the people of Yendor, and who had given him the opportunity to do so. So...the patrol (actually, Marvel wasn't sure what they called it) had made it all the way home.

Well, Pelebreus certainly wasn't Marvel's friend--they, in fact, had never actually met, it was all handled by subordinates--but he was fair and just, two things that had been sorely lacking in Lost Jerusalem before his rise to power, and he knew how to make that attitude infectious.

This was an interesting development.

Marvel stood pensive for a moment. Vampires were known for, among other things, superior hearing, just like demons.

"Did you overhear what I just overheard, Alreic?" Marvel asked. "Methinks I might be off the hook on my offer."

Kast walked the streets of Lost Jerusalem. He had heard rumors of the cities beauty, but they all paled in comparison. The streets were paved with a stone whiter than snow. Each cut perfectly to match the others, each brick lined perfectly and polished to make the streets smooth as glass. Shops lined the streets, each one selling everything from trinkets to weaponry. He wanted to poke around, but they were being brought before Pelebreus himself. Upon hearing Draconis about the Holy Spirit stone, the patrol had brought directly to the city and were taking them Pelebreus. However something was wrong in the city, the faces on people were not normal, each looked at them suspiciously as if they had commited some great evil.


They stopped infront of a palace more eleborate than anything Kast had ever seen. Draconis spoke his words filled with awe..."le Palas de Jesalanus"

The place was beatiful. In fact, it was everything they'd ever said it would be--including full of arrogant little wastes of wings peering down their noses at everybody.

OOC: This is as Marvel sees it. Might not be what's actually going on.

IC:

Since he had given up his illusion spells, he needed something to do withhimself. Looking around, he found just what he would need: some roundish stones. slowly, his tial picked up a three of them, one at a time, as he found them, and brought them to his hands.

OOC: if he gets too bored (or the group needs a distraction), he can always start to juggle them.

The buildings of Lost Jerusalem themselves were ornate works of art, the angels didnt do anything by halves, they tried modeeling the city on what they saw as a heaven on Earth

"Theyre still trying to win a gods favour back... stupid little angels.." muttered Alreic as he demounted his steed, as he approached soem of the open stalls within the city limits he noticed the shopkeeps face

He knew who he was..the look of terror in the mans eeys, he could never forget a look liek that, only Alreic's eyes could you see, the rest hidden but even hsi eyes shoed those who knew him as Neshar were terrified of him

"It's you...its the devil's favourite...why do you haunt us.. why are you not dead!?" asked the shopkeep

Alreic looked at the angel, grabebd a nearby apple and shined it on his cloak before removing his scarf that covered his face

His pale face, his cold blue eyes, his lips, a pale pink colour, as he bit into the apples his white fangs were revealed, for a half vampire hsi fansg were unusually longer when shown and more perfect for the kill

"Old man, I remmber you from my childhood, your father I remember, youre children played with me... and still youre ignorant..shame... youre son was good man, a great fighter"

Alreic took a bite from the apple and walked away, his words and voice could cut through the core of the most cold and shrewd person...

As Alreic walked towards the courtyard he caught a glimpse of something

"Annalusia... so theyve decide to make amends for their crimes..it isnt enough yet" Alreic though as he crushed the apple within his grasp, he noticed a commotion nearby the statue, as he walked towards it Hunter moved him off to rejoin the others at the Palas de Jesalanus

In the corner of his eye atop a building he glanced a figure, not a statue but a man, a sudden cold shiver and a massive chill tore through Alreic's body and heart..the figure was something close to him..he didnt know what but he knew it wanst good

As they walked through the courtyard, Marvel stopped playing with the stones he had picked up. He looked over at the statue. It was grand and intimidating, but, not knowing enough of the back story, the turned demon could not decipher its symbolism. It was something much less subtle that caught his attention.

"Ummm, guys? Can you smell that?" he asked, sniffing the air. "Someone was killed around here, and not long ago."

Oh brother, he thought. The Investigative Services will no doubt be out to find a scapegoat. Here we go again.

okay, been doin some thinking, what if Analussia's necklace is the Holy Spirit stone, that Vergil Carries, and Alreic has to face Vergil to get it. THe fate of ANarion hangs in teh balance. BUM BUM BAAAAAAAAHhhhhhh

ooc: go for it :D i wanted a confontation but make vergil a bastard and let him survive

IC: Alreic entered the place, the halls glisteend with many different hues, in the gallery above the trumpeters bellowed out to announce their guests

A figure walked over to the rag tag group of travellers and announced to them in his thick Jerusalem brogue

"My master bids thee welcome, all are welcomed...nut the one who goes by the name of Alreic Konin... he is forbidden to enter these halls once more!"


"I Neshar... really dont care anymore, its no skin off my back..forbid me..you know im going in there"proclaimed Alreic as he stared at the messenger

"Lucien...stand down, let my friend pass" a great voiced boomed out, a voice which Alreic remembered well, breaking a smile on his pale emotionless face

"Pelebreus! you old dog you...still ugly as a demons mother!" jested Alreic as the two wentto embrace, but before they could, a group of guards surrounded the vampire

"Stand down you idiots... he is my friend and cousin! Stand down lest you suffer the fate of Garveile and Lucas... oh no..Alreic..you dont know do you"

Alreics face turned a sombre expression, had the people he sought been killed already

"Theyre''' theyre dead" his face grew more angry, "They're dead... this was my reveng Pelebreus, my hand they were to die at..you knew this..you swore to help me"

"I did...when they died I was there...I thought if I did it I dont know I'd help you in some way, help avenge Annalusia, my own father... I felt disgusted and shamed to be part of his family..Garviel..a murderer, me his own son the oen who executed him... this was so much more than you"

Alreic backed away and stared up at the works of art strewn across the walls, noticing a picture of Annalusia

"I'll talk to you about this after Pelebreus..until then...not a word"

though i dont mind minor characters i create being Rped by someone else, but ask first, cause i have plans for pelebreus, so just let me Rp him, and ask before you Rp another character i come up with. However Lucien.......all, yours have fun with what ever you want him to be......an evil angel bent on retaking jerusalem MWAHAHAHAH or, a loyal servant to Pelebreus....what ever your mind desires.

OOC: sorry bout that :], didnt men to rain in on your parade, no more Pelebreus RPing from me :] but yer lucien, ahve him as oen of the followers of the angels who kileld Alreics wife...is that ok? if you could carry on the thread so i know where to carry on and write fr the Vergil sidestory as well pleae :)

you came up with lucien so hes yours to rp;)

"Ummm, guys? Smell of death--you know, that thing that isn't supposed to happen around here? Guys? Anybody? I mean, can anybody tell me who it was who got killed?"

"Calm yourself, demon," Lucien said.

"I'm not a demon any more," Marvel replied.

To this, Lucien merely raised his eyebrows and then, a moment later, lowered them, continuing his sentence.

"The one who was killed was a pallace guard, guarding one of our newer statues. Though he died violently, your entire group was with one of our patrols at the time and have been ruled out as suspects."

"OK," Marvel replied, "but did you try a peelback spell to see who it was who did the killing?"

"The investigation is not my concern, not a demon any more," Lucien said, his voice dripping with arrogance and elitism. It was plain that he thought himself too good to take part in such common matters. "Now, if you will excuse me, there are additional affairs to which I must attend."

"Lucien...bastard son of a traitor" Alreic muttered, he was more sure than ever now he wanted revenge in some shape or form and it seemed if Lucien put oen foot wrong with him he'd be the one

"Kast can I speak with you a second, it's quite important... " Asked Alreic, his tone less harsh and more calm and sedate yet still ever haunting

"I felt soemthing as we entered the city, I saw the statue of Annalusia and the crowd around it.. something here worries me, something familiar, I cannot place my finger on it..something so...vengeful , my own hatred is nothing compared to it..I thought I shoudl let you know"

Alreic bowed to kast before walking away

!"Marvel...fancy a trip to the museum of antiquity they have here...should be fun to see some old heirlooms"

"Antiquities...? Hmmmm...sure. Just as long as they don't make us take along an 800-pound escort with three teeth and a sledge hammer."

"Dont worry..there's something there I want to look at..if it's still there... it might interest you" Replied Alreic

As Marvel & Alreic, headed for the museum of antiquity, Alreic looked above him and saw the magnificient works of art painted above them, even the vampire had to admire its beautiful majesty

"I have to admit when they do beauty... they do it so well..I envied them during my exile but I finally get to see what they banned me from seeing for most my life"

Kast nodded to Alreic. "This land is beautiful, but something is out of place, as if its just a pretty face disquising true evil. He placed a hand on Alreics shoulder. Keep your wits about you my friend, be ready for anything."

Kast let Alreic go and followed Draconis into an adjourning chamber. There they would discuss the Holy Spirit Stone with Pelebreus

"Marvel... the hall of antiquity, the greatest collection of artifacts gathered and collected by the angels" Alreic proclaimed as he and Marvel entered the hall, placed upon plinths were items of angelic and foreign origin

Alreic's face lit up, he had found it, it hadn't taken him long

"There she is, Exsaliba... in shards... hmm, such a shame, it was beautiful weapon..I wonder how they came across its pieces, I had hidden them hmm... well they cant ever use it again, they lack the final piece, the gulug key or whatver oen of three ulug keys crafted, each making the sword manifest its power in different ways"

Alreic stared at his pendant he wore.. a spherical gem rimmed with gold, it was an anicent heirloom from his mother, three heirlooms she left when she died

Suddenly Alreic fell to his knees and let out a deafening roar that shook the hall, all eyes suddenlt turned on Alreic & Marvel

"It's him!..he's here!"

His clothes were a mess. He still hadn't had time to clean up after falling in the mud on the way out there. The mud had dried and much of it had flaked off, but he still needed a good cleaning, and he still felt dirty. On top of this, his ears were now ringing like a fire bell in a small town church. Certainly, a Vampire should know enough not to purturb the hearing of a creature with sensative ears! Finally, they'd made him promise not to use his illusion spells--so the unreal but VERY convincing gag that he had thought to impose on his impulsive companion was out of the question.

Marvel hated days like this, and the day wasn't even half over yet.

No. Not this time. When the patrol of Angels had woken him out of a sound sleep, Marvel had controlled himself. When they made him fall face first in the mud, Marvel had controlled himself. When Alreic had tried to pick a fight with that same heavily-armed patrol of Angels, Marvel had controlled himself--and probably saved both of their lives. But this time, it hurt. THIS TIME, HE WAS NOT GOING TO HOLD BACK HIS TEMPER!

Not bothering to look around him, he reached down, grabbed Alreic by the shirt, and hauled him up so that they were face to face. There would be stains on Alreic's tunic now, but, as far as Marvel was concened, he could clean them up himself. Unconsciously, he spread his wings, bringing them to the ready. Through gritted teeth, looking the half-Vampire straight in the eye, he spoke, softly but angrily:

"Will you PLEASE learn to keep that darn voice of yours under control? You DO know that what you just did was painful, don't you? So what's so stinkin' important that you've gotta blast my ears out, anyway?"

As the turned demon spoke, he didn't notice that the shards of the sword near him began to glow a dim, yellowish glow, or that, by the time he was finished, two of them had sealed together. He did, however, notice the robed figure by the door with an Orb of Memory suspended between its hands.

"Wait a minute," he said, "what's THIS?"

When he didn't have to pretend to be human, Marvel could move awfully fast. He dropped Alreic, and, with two flaps of his wings, was upon the figure. It didn't even have time to put the spell away.

"So," he said, "you want to follow us, huh? Well, let's see what kind of--." He pushed the hood back.

What he saw gave new meaning to the term "face of an angel." The top of the face was barely shoulder high on him, but it disarmed him completely. Long, dark hair was parted in the center and woven in small braids around the ears to show off the neck line. Large, brown eyes peered up over a rounded nose and full lips. And there was fear in those eyes. The glow on the sword faded with Marvel's anger.

"Well what did you expect?" she asked. "You don't think we're going to let him walk around unsupervised, do you?"

Marvel couldn't help but laugh...and laugh and laugh. "You people," he said at length. "You know, I came here because I was getting tired of games like this."

"Well nobody's making you stay," the Angel Agent responded.

Marvel laughed again--and this time, he was looking her straight in the eyes when he did.

And that was what did her in. The spell that made her an angel had a flaw in it. When you looked her dead in the eyes, the pupils would glow red just for a split second. Most wouldn't even notice it, and many more would just pass it off as a trick of lighting--but Marvel was an illusionist par excellence, and he was not fooled. Something he had said earlier came back to him.

We tried to place infiltrators in their chain of command...

He laughed again.

"Great wheels of fire," he said (this was a passphrase that he, as a SmashMouth Diplomat, had learned), "you're wrong about that one."

He watched her body slump as he said the words. Now, she was really busted, and she knew it.

"Well, Alreic," he said, "why don't you tell us who's here--so that--what did you say your name was?"

"Tessla."

"Tessla over here can record it and everybody will know?"

------------------

OOC: My turn to set up a story. I TOLD you that the demon-no-more was looking for the future Mrs. Marvel. Well...we now have a candidate for the job. :) :) :P

OOC:

BUMP

(If there's something wrong with my post, let me know and I'll edit it.)

"Vergil...my son...si here! That is why I screamed out so damn loud, you have no idea what he can do... he must've been the one who killed that guard" Replied Alreic

He stared at the shards, the pieces were coming together now, he noticed that his gift from his wife Annalusia was bringing the shards togther but before he could reach for the fragments a loud booming voice came from the entrance of the hall

"Vampire...get away from that unholy relic, you are not permitted to be here, nor is your "reformed" partner in crime, leave now ofr face punishment and this goes to all others in the hall, the hall fo antiquity is closed, leave at once!"

It was Lucien, something about that sword and the fact Alreic knew it still existed worried him greatly, he quickly ordered more guards to usher out all of the citizens and ordered the hall be heavily guarded

"Well let's get out of here before I start doing something really stupid," Marvel said. "That diplomat guy really rubs me the wrong way, and I don't need any temptation to have some fun with these guys.

"I know! We can take Tessla with us, and you can tell us all about your long lost son. That way, nobody's going to have any excuse--and they sure won't be able to blame it on us!--when the deep, dark rumblies start to rumble."

Still somewhat downcast, the Angel joined them in their jaunt from the hall. As they walked by one of the guards, Marvel whispered the words, "crepitus ventus," and a loud, flatulent noise issued forth.

"Guess I'm too late," the red gargoyle said. "The rumble's already--," there was another noise, "--started."

He would ask what was going on with that sword later, when prying eyes--and ears--weren't in such a mood to pry. That would make TWO private conversations he needed to have. He needed to get Tessla on THEIR side--and that meant that he wouldn't be able to tell the others until she was ready to come out of the closet.

bump

OOC: value judgements made in this post are those of the character, and should not be confused with those of the author. Such a petty, mean-spirited creature, that Marvel. Tisk, tisk. :) :) :)

------------------

Eventually, Marvel decided on a slight change of plan. He, Tesla and Alreic ended up at a nice, private little cafe that was a few floors down from her apartment. Of course, when you have wings, stairs are optional, and this place, with its Angelic Ambience, was too cheaply put-together to bother with them.

They were in a booth in the nosebleed section--how much more private could you get?--and had just settled in when a waitress landed crisply on the floor in front of the booth to take their orders. She was a small-bodied Angel, which made her a natural at flitting between the cramped booths, which somehow reminded Marvel vaguely of bird feeders. When she saw the group, her smile turned quickly first to a look of contempt and then of barely-repressed fear. Maybe that blonde hair was die-cast after all. It certainly didn't go with those dark eyes and eyebrows.

"So," Marvel said, spreading his wings slightly as he made himself comfortable in the corner next to Tesla, "are you going to tell him or am I?"

"Would you please stop doing that?" she replied.

"What?"

"That...thing with your wings. It really makes it hard to concentrate."

Marvel smiled a wicked smile as he tucked his wings back in. In resonse to Alreic's questioning look, he merely replied, "It's a size thing that the ladies appreciate."

In response to his further confusion, Tesla replied, "That's what I'm supposed to tell you. He and I are two of a kind."

"Not quite," Marvel broke in. "I have a standard mamalian reproductive system now. If you're still--."

"Oh. That's right. They fixed you, didn't they?"

"If you call being able to have children without killing somebody getting fixed, then I guess so." Marvel turned to Alreic. "Be careful with her, buddy. She may not look like much, but she can pump so many eggs into your stomach that it'll literally explode if she wants to."

--------------------

OOC: To be continued.

If Alreic wants to talk about his son, this wouldn't be such a bad place for it.

"Eggs...stomach..and still they havent found out what you are? Angels for all their high and mighty " we see all and know all" attitude they sure are blind" Alreic replied as the three of them sat down and discussed things

Alreic took out of his pocket his amulet, jade in colour with black segments within the jade cystal

"This was a gift handed down throughout my fathers family..it was one of three amulets that can make that sword you saw in the museum whole... my son has one, i have one and..annalusia had one, hers i do not know where it is, im just worried that Vergil my son could have it now" Alreic spoke as he flicked away his hair from his face, he started at Marvel & Tesla

"Vegil is my son and heir to the dominion of Vampires...he is alos...blessed with unnatural powers, he surpasses me..and that is why I was feared by the angels and so coveted by the Vampire clans... he is in Lost Jerusalem... and i am sure he is the one who killed the angel guard and if I'm right he is after the sword Exsaliba... Ill use her real name from now on though..Ekhani...if he gets it..I fear..our quest will be stopped..he is vengeaful and blames me for Annalusia's death... he was young and his mind was scarred by her death & what i did whilst I served the Serpentine"

"Eggs...stomach..and still they havent found out what you are? Angels for all their high and mighty " we see all and know all" attitude they sure are blind" Alreic replied as the three of them sat down and discussed things

Tess rolled her eyes. "Men," she muttered. "It's not like I have to jump on every pair of lips that moves in my vacinity."

"Wow," Marvel said. "You mean to say that you've been...celibate...for--."

"What's the big deal?"

"Oh, nothing," Marvel responded, "it just takes a great deal of discipline, that's all. There must be some Angel Dudes around here with the hots for you, then."

"Don't even start on that. Do you know that idiot Lucien doesn't even suspect...that he thinks I'm--."

Marvel chortled. "So he's just sorta taken a number, has he?"

Tess cleared her throat. "I've never heard it quite referred to that way, but...yes."

"Well...now that we've got that cleared up," Marvel said, "what's this you were telling us about your son, Alreic?"

Alreic took out of his pocket his amulet, jade in colour with black segments within the jade cystal

"This was a gift handed down throughout my fathers family..it was one of three amulets that can make that sword you saw in the museum whole... my son has one, i have one and..annalusia had one, hers i do not know where it is, im just worried that Vergil my son could have it now" Alreic spoke as he flicked away his hair from his face, he started at Marvel & Tesla

"Vegil is my son and heir to the dominion of Vampires...he is alos...blessed with unnatural powers, he surpasses me..and that is why I was feared by the angels and so coveted by the Vampire clans... he is in Lost Jerusalem... and i am sure he is the one who killed the angel guard and if I'm right he is after the sword Exsaliba... Ill use her real name from now on though..Ekhani...if he gets it..I fear..our quest will be stopped..he is vengeaful and blames me for Annalusia's death... he was young and his mind was scarred by her death & what i did whilst I served the Serpentine"

"Wow," Marvel said, "that's a lot to say, given that there's no evidence to prove your point. Mind you, I still don't know if anybody ran a peelback spell at the crime scene, but--."

"Yes, they did, but the perp had somekind of magic aura that obscured his features. It was impossible to tell--."

"Magic aura? Well, it certainly fits the description that Alreic gave. Do you know anything about the sword, Tess?"

"Of course I do. I'm Lucien's personal secretary--and don't look at me like that. I record all the council's business."

"And then relay it all back too..."

"Not any more. There hasn't been anyone answering my summons."

"So, what do you do with the memory crystals?"

"I just keep them in an archive. Lucien knows about it and lets me, in fact. He thinks it's a great back-up in case the council's main library is attacked."

"Do you have backup copies of everything?"

"Just about. There's some information that's classified. I don't get that. Other than that, though--."

"OK. First, tell me what you know about that sword. How long has it been in that hall?"

"A long time. It was one of the first things moved in after The Reconstruction."

"So...it's safe to say that security's pretty tight, especially right now."

"I guess."

"In that case, might I be allowed to peruse the library for a while? There are a few volumes in there that I would really like to lay an eye or two on."

"I don't know. If they saw you two going into my living quarters--."

"OK. We'll just have to sneak in. Without any of my illusions. You think you're up to that, buddy?"

-------------------------

OOC: the plan: Marvel gets to be a better mage from studying in the library, Vergil tries to get the sword, Tess tries to stop him, Marvel and Alreic come to the rescue.

OK?

OOC: i fancy ahving Vergil get the sword... which later on makes Alreic even more determined to defeat the Red Hand and save his son from his own damnation

anyoen telegram Trasonis...hes being quiet

OOC: i fancy ahving Vergil get the sword... which later on makes Alreic even more determined to defeat the Red Hand and save his son from his own damnation

OOC:

That's perfectly OK by me. Marvel and Tess should survive; they need not defeat Vergil.

Alreic should answer Marvel's question. I was sorta planning on having a couple of Angels following the group, and having a few slapstick moments as the three of them give the slip to the agents following them. :) :) :)

"I'm up for anything really, within reason...as long as Vergil doesn't get his hands on that sword otherwise wave goodbye to everything were fighting for...and oh yes, there will ge blood, gallonms of the stuff shed from every home in every hamlet, village, town and city...none shall escape the wrath of Vergil... he's that strong..but right now I need to speak with Kast & the others, I feel as if they should know, otherwise we risk alienating them" Alreic replied

"I'm up for anything really, within reason...as long as Vergil doesn't get his hands on that sword otherwise wave goodbye to everything were fighting for...and oh yes, there will ge blood, gallonms of the stuff shed from every home in every hamlet, village, town and city...none shall escape the wrath of Vergil... he's that strong..but right now I need to speak with Kast & the others, I feel as if they should know, otherwise we risk alienating them" Alreic replied

"Sounds reasonable," Marvel said. "Either way, though, we're going to have to do something about the guys with the trenchcoats in the corner. I mean, can you get any cornier than that? And yes, I've been watching. They're following us."

"What do you have in mind?" Tess asked.

"Well...I was thinking that maybe it was time for me to summon a few of my little friends, the Greemblies."

The color drained from Tess' face. "You're not planning what I think you're planning, are you?"

The smile on Marvel's face was absolutely wicked. "Of course I am."

"Well could you tell me, please?" Alreic asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. You use another word for Greemblies, don't you. You call them...Gremlins."

Tess rolled her eyes as the waitress buzzed in, settled on the overhang and delivered some piping hot soup to both her and Marvel, and brought Alreic's order, too. "Men," she said. "Always using broadswords where a butter knife is called for."

Marvel's soup was some sort of onion soup with a crust of Limburger cheese spread over the top. "Mmmmm," he said, looking down at the soup, "and the best part is that I don't have to pretend to be something that I'm not." A long, straw-like appendage issued forth from under his tongue, pierced through the layer of cheese and situated itself in the soup, which Marvel then happily imbibed. In a moment, he was retracting the cheese-covered appendage back into his mouth. "An' I thhuppo--," he gulped the cheese down, "and I suppose that you've got a better plan...?"

"There's one way to find out."

"I guess," Marvel said, taking a few coins from the satchel at his belt and setting them on the table, "but I'm still going to have to take care of one TEENY WEENY LITTLE problem first...but that's OK. I've been meaning to have some fun since before I got here."

With that, he had stood up and walked out onto the overhang. Raising one hand to the skylight and holding the other to his nose in a gesture that mocked a diver, he spread his wings. "GERONIMOOOOOOOOO!" he called out as he let himself fall. In a moment, Tess and Alreic could hear what he had found.

"Hello, monkey boy," he said to the agent in a table on the far side of the lower level. "How's the memory sphere doing?"

"Huh? Wha--? Listen here, boy, you may--."

"Ohhh, that's no way to treat a budding fan, now, is it? After all, how could anyone resist a handsome pile of feathers like you? And that little marble of yours is just so cute! Why, I bet it could record almost anything!"

As he spoke, the straw once again came out of his mouth. Methodialy, it waved three small circles over the memory sphere. Tess recognised that, if it had been a finger doing those things, it would have been a command to reset the sphere, blanking its previoius memories. As she watched, the sphere turned black, indicating that the turned demon's tongue had done exactly what he had wanted.

The sphere turned clear again, but, this time, Marvel was waiting to pounce. With great fanfare, he brought his face right next to the crystal and let loose a mighty, gurgly belch. He shook his head aagain after a moment. "Wow," he said, "that limburger is even better the second time around!"

"Well," he continued, "thanks again! Love ya!" And with that, Marvel smooched the poor Angel right on the cheek.

In a moment, he was gone--and the angel he left behind was quite green in the gills.

Marvel went into a power dive, right between two buildings. Just missing a laundry line, he curved and ducked just under a water trough.

A red gargoyle demon's wings are much lighter than those of an Angel, and they're designed to maneuver in close, dark areas, whereas an Angel's are designed to soar through the open skies. As such, while Marvel couldn't hope to match the endurance of the Angels who were trailing him, he could fly circles around them while they were in the air.

Thus, it was no major surprise when the Angel's wings hit the water trough, causing him to plummet to the ground, about ten feet down, and to empty the trough's contents onto him with a resounding splash. It would be a short time before he would fly again--Marvel's little scheme had worked.

Now came the last one. He was following Tess. As they flew, Marvel turned back to intercept them--but, rather than joining them in the air, he came to rest on a small walkway between two buildings that they were flying around. In a moment, he spied the reason why Tess had led her tail to that building: one of the locals was about to empty her chamberpot out the front window.
She had miscalculated, however, Marvel could tell, and it was going to miss its target.

Marvel reached out his hand. With a mischievous little grin taking hold of his face, he used a little time compression spell to slow the stuff down until the trailing Angle passed directly underneath it...and then, splat!

This caused the Angel to lose his ability to fly. Marvel hadn't counted on that--it was about a fifteen story drop from where he was.

Taking to the air, Marvel caught up with the Angel just in time to spread his wings and land them both softly on the ground.

"And they said that the stuff doesn't stink," he said with something between a smirk and a look of revulsion. Fortunately, there was another water trough nearby, and he was able to clean his hands quickly--and offer the Angel a towel from a nearby line.

"Killing you ain't part of the plan," he explained, still smiling. "I just wanted you off my tail."

"Well, since you're being civilized about it," the Angel said, taking the towel, "I might as well tell you that we've got people stationed all over the city looking for you."

"Yeah--I kinda figured. Well...hope you can get yourself clean--and you should probably write up whoever it was who dumped that stuff out of a window. Sanitation hazard, after all."

In a moment, Marvel was back in the air, snickers trailing in his wake.

The next stop--through a back door--would be Tess' apartment.

-------------------

OOC: since nobody was posting, I thought I'd let Alreic go his merry way and just run this story line to its end. That hasn't happened yet, but...I have it on good authority that my posts wouldn't mind some company anyway.

Marvel sat in a chair in Tessla's kitchen, hunched over a small stone sphere. The floor, the walls, the table--all of it was shiny and white, just as were Tess' robes and wings.

"Doesn't seem to be anything on this one," Marvel commented. "Are you sure--."

There was a small "thuk" as Tess, now in her true Demonic form, struck at Marvel with her tail. The stinger hit just below the ribs. For a moment, his face took on a look of fear, then, as the venom began to take affect, he relaxed slightly.

"I'm sorry, Marve," Tess said, "but you know too much about what I am. You'll compromise my mission. I can't let that happen."

"The others will know," Marvel said matter-of-factly.

"Yes. I'll just have to take care of them in my own time. Right now, however, I have to take care of you. It's a shame, you know, that you can't be trusted."

"But I--."

"Don't contradict me again."

"OK."

"You threatened me with blackmail. You tried to get me to show you state secrets. When I refused, you attacked me. I had to kill you in self defense."

Marvel sighed. This day was still going badly.

"Little girls should know how to play fair" a voice whispered from the darkness of Tesla's room, before it spoke again from another part of the room

"Put the weakling down...and come play with a real man"

& then out of nowhere appeared a tall man, his face pale, his eyes blue..he looked like Alreic but his stance, hsi demeanour was different, Marvel could sense no compassion towards anything within him, this was the one Alreic had spoken of..his son...Vergil

He quickly sliced off Tesla's tail rendering her in excruciating pain, as she dropped to the floor in pain Vergil swooped down and picked her up by her tunic and pinned her aginst the wall...he began to whisper in her ear before disspaearing in front of her eyes

"dont play with fire, youll get burnt..dont play games with me...youll die!" before he impaled tesla against the wall, he did not know what she was and forgot she could heal but he left her within an inch of her life so she and others would learn

he walked over to Marvel whose body was numb and saidto him

"Tell father... i said hello" and with that there was silence..he had gone

Marvel stood up then. It was time for the ruse to end.

"So that's the kid, eh?" he said. "I'm not impressed." He reached over and pulled the stake out of Tessla.

"H--how?" Tess gurgled.

"To read the memory spheres faster," Marvel said, "I put myself under a variable time compression spell. When you tried to strike me with your tail, I simply sped up my personal time. You actually stung a dinner role from the kitchen--I got there and back so quickly that you didn't even see me move--but, once you bought that as having stung me, faking the affects of a sting was easy."

Marvel said a few words, and his hand began to glow with a sublime orange-yellow light. He placed the hand upon Tess, and the wounds healed almost instantly. He replaced the severed tail, and it reattached.

"You'll need to sleep now," he said.

"But...why are you helping me?" she asked.

"I can think of two reasons for you to churn in your mind," he replied. "First, from a strictly pragmatic point of view, you're more valuable to me as a member of that twitty little bureaucrat's entourage than you are as an outted spy. You have more power, which I can take advantage of."

Tess smiled a sardonic little smile. "Good," she said. "You're still a demon at heart. You haven't gone soft."

"In that case, it's the second reason that you may find most interesting." With that, Marvel held Tess close, and, spreading his wings, wrapped them slowly, gently around her. Reaching in, he gently kissed her forehead.

"Ohhhh," Tess protested weakly, "why did you have to go and make things so complicated? Why...so warm?"

"Maybe I'm hard even when I'm soft," he said with a smile.

"Men," Tess replied with a sigh.

"I'm going to put you to bed now," Marvel said. "When you wake up, you'll be completely healed. In the meantime, I've got some reading to do, and, when that's done, I've got an arrogant little dweeb--"

Tess looked at him.

"OK--arrogant BIG dweeb--to find, and have a little talk with. I fooled him even more completely than I fooled you! Weakling--huh!"

And, with that, Marvel unfurled his wings and carried Tess to her chambers to sleep. He would leave it for her to decide whether or not she wished to have the Angels make the same sort of changes to her that they had made to him--but, as he had implied in his unspoken offer, he felt that he and his group had enough pull with the power people that he just might be able to get away with it all...if he could properly manipulate the circumstances.

-------------------

OOC: Originally, I had planned to have Marvel explain the time spell after he had stung HER, but this works just as easily. I had actually hoped to make Tess into something of a hero--that way, there would be some motivation for the Angels to give her--for lack of a better term--a sex change operation. Methinks she still might catch up with Marve and Virge...after a spell. ;) :gundge: ;)

It had taken him almost six days to pour through the archive...after he had cleaned up. He had found a memory spell along the way, and had used it to memorize every spell in every sphere.

It had made for some interesting reading.

Though he wasn't practiced, he had the basic knowledge to be a true mage now. He even had the beginnings of a Magical Field Theory, though it was far from complete.

He now set the last of the spheres in its place. This was a new one. It contained the beginnings of a cross reference of the other spheres in the collection. If all went well, it would serve as the piece that turned an archive into a true library.

Outside, the sun was starting to rise--and now was the time when Marvel would be most vulnerable. He had gone six days without sleep, and now he had to make up for it. Even with the time compresion spell, he was going to be unconscious for quite a while, and, when Tess woke up, he would have to trust that she would take at least part of the deal that he had offered her and not kill him. If she did...well, he wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

So...lieing carefully down on the couch, Marvel descended into what he hoped would be an uneventful, peaceful slumber.

When he awoke, the sun was low in the sky. That would mean that he had slept the equivalent of another two days. He checked the apartment, but found it empty. Tess must have decided to take him up on some part of his offer and, instead of killing him, gone off to work.

All that meant was that he was really hungry and really thirsty--in fact, maybe she wasn't doing him any favors after all.

Still, as he sat down in the same seat in the same restaurant that he had been in a little over a day earlier, to an even dirtier look from the same little waitress who had served him the last time, Marvel had to admit that the new magic was going to have its advantages. He got the dirty look because he had materialized in his seat instead of flying over. Actually, he got the dirty look because, after doing so, he had impatiently called out to ask whether a guy could get any service in that joint. Fortunately, the humor wasn't lost on a few patrons from nearby.

After ordering a humongous meal, Marvel decided that he had just enough time to check out one last spell--astral projection. Closing his eyes for a moment, he channeled his energy and went off in search of Kast.

He wasn't sure how long it took, but he found the Elven Prince. Kast, it seemed, was in Kula's quarters. The two of them were eyeing each other rather suggestively. Unfortunately, those astral projection spells don't last long, so Marvel had to horn in on the conversation, as only a demon can do.

"Hey, love birds! Just thought I'd check in and let you know what's going on. Alreic was right! His son's in town. But I'm not sure he's such a bad dude as they've been telling me. He tried to come to my rescue! Even wanted me to say 'hello' to his dad for him."

"Well...gotta go! Spell's running out on me. Please say 'hi' to Alreic for me and for Little Alreic! I'm going to try to find the tyke and talk things over. I'll let you know what's happening. Later!"

The looks on their faces were to die for as Marvel popped back into his body, back in the restaurant, just as the food arrived.

Prime rib is good--and, as hungry as Marvel was, three of them was even better. After delicately munching them all into oblivion, and paying his bill with a large tip (the waitress somehow seemed to stop giving him dirty looks after that), Marvel left using a swan dive--it was becoming a habit (only thing missing was the judges with the little numbers on the signs).

Actually, he didn't really have to look for ol' Sonney Boy, he knew where the half-breed was going to be: the Hall of Antiquities, looking for--er, at--a certain sword. It was just a matter of when he was going to get there. It did not matter to Marvel that he had been banned from the building's grounds. This matter was important, and Marvel didn't have time for bureaucrats' little dodges.

It was almost sundown by the time Marvel got near the grounds. By then, he was walking. He would be too easy to spot in the air, and they'd have security alerts up the wazoo on him by now. So he walked to the nearest roof, ducked into the nearest shadow, turned to see the tall, lanky man standing there and said, in his friendliest voice,

"Hi, dude. Been looking for you. Wanted to say 'thanks' for the help, even though I didn't need it. Thought I might ask what you were up to in town, maybe even invite you out for a good mug of something nice and toxic..."

sry for my absence College apps are a burden. okay so i cant really think of anything to do with Kast and Kula and Draconis and Hunter right now, so carry on. Since Draconis is by far the most powerful of the group, and carries possibly teh most powerful sword in existence, maybe ill have him face Vergil, and come with in an inch of killing but before he can kill him, Alreic stops draconis, and vergil runs taking the sword. In order to stop him and save anarion Pelebrius, or whatever i named him, will give Kast the stone, and then the real journy begins into the Fires of Morflame Isto, The mountain of Dark Fire.