Immortals

[Lestaki]

This is a time when gods walk the earth. And they’ve come for only one reason, my children. They’ve come to kill us.

Since time immemorial, the gods have ruled this world of ours. They call it Estreni. It was called Galia. They named it the Spirit-tide. It was called magic. They were called mages, and now they are the clerics. More were called humans, but now they are mere servants. The few are called heretics, traitors, demons, murderers. But they are still the Immortals. The pinnacle of human power, these mighty beings have passed the ultimate secrets of arcana down the generations. They are living nexal points in the tides of energy that make up this world. They do not die, but they are killed. They remember a time before the gods, the secrets of this world passed down the generations. They are the last beacons of resistance against the gods that wish to enslave all mankind, and all the minions of those gods. They have fought a long and bloody war for a thousand years, but the tide has finally turned against them. This time, the Gods themselves came to earth. After ten years, the Immortals were pushed back to the Igilvan Tower. In that battle, all but two were destroyed. Those two barely managed to escape with their lives…

And that’s where you come in. You are the next generation of Immortals. To have all of you emerging at once- we’d call it divine providence, but we don’t believe in that. Believe me, you are the ultimate archmages, the heirs of the great schools. It’s just a pity you’re all a bunch of kids with your powers barely emergent. It’s even worse that the gods have seen their chance and are going all out to kill you all. You’re involved whether you like it or not. If you learn fast, you might just live. Then again, death is the far more likely option.

- Aedar, the Zauren Wind, as he projected to the new generation in their dreams

The BW Bit
Everyone has two characters, their mage and that mage’s familiar. More on the latter later, but we’ll start with mages. Each of you has emerged into nascent magical powers of your school, which can be invented or chosen from some of my pre-existing archetypes apon request, if anyone’s imagination really borks. Eventually, they’ll be legendary mages of insane, nigh-godlike power- but in the meantime you’re still learning the very basics, regardless of your prior education. Your characters are likely to be young (say between 16 and 20), though older (or younger) characters will be permissible if they have a reason or an interesting backstory. Aside from that, they can pretty much be anything you like- though they do have to be a mage and Immortal. ;) You’re unlikely to be a brilliant fighter unless your school is heavily specialised in that area, and even then you’re likely to have to learn those skills just like your magic. I’m mostly looking for normal people who wake up to find themselves demigods- potential demigods, anyway. No race other than humans for the mages, unless you really, /really/ beg. :D

Name:
Age:
Sex:
Initial Equipment: (likely to be fairly limited, no legendary swords of doom yet)
Personality:
Backstory: (For the sake of convenience assume we're all within a few days travel of each other, around the city of Threiani)

Your familiar is your second character, and an indispensable helper to your mage. They are beings of pure magic, subconsciously created by your mage in his or her’s uncomfortable dreams in the late days of emergence as an Immortal. They can take the form of either a human, humanoid (the only place for elves, dwarves and so on) or an animal, and generally have a great knowledge of the supernatural and complete ignorance of the real world. In abilities and quite possibly personality as well, they are often foils for the mage- a caster mage is likely to have a warrior or aggressive familiar, whereas a swordmage may have a far more balanced familiar with some magical aptitude. Familiars are never as magically powerful or as dangerous as their mage masters are. However, as beings of pure magic formed by their mage they cannot truly be destroyed until their master is, and if they are “killed” they will be recreated by the Immortal. In our current stage of development, we can only achieve this after a night’s sleep, though the old Immortals could consciously recreate their familiar several times a battle. I hope to see familiars die multiple times, both tactically and as a simple result of battle- but it causes no long-term harm.

Name:
Sex:
Species:
Initial Equipment: (Substantial, but unnamed- no legendary swords of doom here either)
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Personality:


Finally, each mage belongs to a school or brand of magic, comprising certain abilities and rules of development. Your mage will grow in these abilities and these alone as he or she progresses, and for ideally I would like everyone to be part of different schools- though doubling up will be allowed if it is made interesting or proves necessary. Further, magic is not a passive power; you will have the ability to apply and misapply your powers, regardless of school, but it is likely to affect you as well- though no one can easily tell you it’s intentions. Your school of magic can be created using the form below, though if you are really stuck for ideas PM me and I’ll furnish you with archetypes:

Name:
Description:
Equipment:
Effect on Mage: (if any)
Method of Learning: (this can vary from the simple practise to being zapped by enemy spells to stacking up corpses like firewood for the sake of it, depending on your school)
Ultimate Abilities: (I will be using this to balance the different schools- you won't be using these for quie a while, but I want us to be balanced when we get there- either a general description or specifics is good)
Combat Aptitudes: (a summary of your general skills- e.g. an elementalist excels at mass destruction, but is of limited use against powerful foes and is very weak defensively)

Bear in mind you’ll have to be able to stretch your learning to a BW, so be sure to give yourself some room to manoeuvre. On the other hand, don’t make your abilities so diverse that you can do everything- this is a team BW.

For an example, my character:

Name: Yethi Kojin
Age: 16
Sex: Female
Initial Equipment: Cloak, floppy hat
Personality: Yethi essentially tries to be a normal girl of her village, though she has always been something of an outcast. She is somewhat self-concious and tries to do what she sees as the right thing. She has a generally melancholy disposition. However, she is becoming increasingly conflicted as her powers emerge- normal frustrations with the people around her are being exaggerated and she dreams and daydreams about using inexplicable powers to destroy. She finds this worrying and has tried to supress it.
Backstory: Yethi was a village girl only remarkable for her slight eccentricity. Never quite fitting in with the people around her, even her parents, she withdrew herself from normal social life to a great degree. Never is this and also her sometimes odd tendancies more shown than her hat, which she brought from somewhere and hides much of her face when she wears it. Her past is no more remarkable than the usual mockery an oddball must endure. Her future is different...

Name: Irenolae
Sex: Female
Species: Supposedly human
Initial Equipment: Midnight-blue Dragoon Armour, lance and helmet-mask
Strengths: High agility and a near super-human ability to jump, great skill fighting with a spear. Excels at engaging lone targets and powerful enemies with jumping attacks or blistering duels.
Weaknesses: Vulnerable to attack, no magical ability, can be encircled and destroyed by too many foes.
Personality: Irenolae was forged by Yethi in the latter's painful emergence dreams, and represents her mistress' efforts to reject her own transformation, and the most undesirable parts of her own twisted dreams. As a result of this, Irenolae cares nothing for mortal life aside from Yethi, and will frequently advise that her mistress kill everything in proximity to gain power. She is tough, determined and fanatically loyal to her mage, but like all familiars her lack of knowledge about the world can embaress Yethi from time to time.

Name: Elementalism
Description: The use of the four elemants and other magical forces in destructive attacks- and ultimately blending the elemants to create increasingly powerful synergestic bolts.
Equipment: Staff is useful but not a requirement- floppy hat a bonus. Sacrifice of souls also handy.
Effect on Mage: Elementalism is not nesecarrily an evil school of magic- it can be used for good or evil. However, it has a particular desire to be used, and so provokes a rising tendancy in a mage powerful in it to want to blow any given thing up. If these urges can be resisted, then it can be used for good- but they will always be present, as part of the school itself.
Method of Learning: Killing, friend, foe or innocent, with knife, magic, familiar or any other method. As magic is the usual modus operandi this also serves as practise, but the act of destruction itself is what heightens awareness of the elemental powers.

Ultimate Abilities: Hareds Grae- Soulfire At the highest level, an elementalist can use any power at his or her disposal, or most likely a blend of many, to release a powerful bolt of magical energy. In itself likely to kill hundreds of lesser mortals, the bolt can draw further power from the very souls of those it kills, setting off a chain reaction that can be extremely damaging to large forces. While still potent, the Hareds Grae techniques are far less useful against more powerful individuals, and can be blocked by a healer mage of equivalent power.

Combat Aptitudes: The Elementalist is a master of mass destruction, excelling at engaging forces that outnumber them many times over. However, their powers are far reduced when used against more powerful individuals. On the defence, an Elementalist is vulnerable and with very few means of magical protection at their disposal. Nor are they likely to have any ability as swordsmen, as the very school itself is the antithesis of this, though they may use daggers from time to time.

[Akranadas]

Been there, done that. Lestaki, We need orginality.

Even though its sounds good, I won't be in it. I'm tierd of the same settings.

[Lestaki]

Then I'll put it to you to make an original, sucsessful BW. :p

[The Shadow]

Edit: Look below for my new char.

[crawford'n'co]

Count me in!

Name: Erethi Jimun
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Cloak; Small knife.
Personality / backstory: Once the "popular kid" in town, Erethi slowly became withdrawn from his friends and family. His dreams became increasingly worrying, with events such as giant monsoons destroying whole cities. The more often his dreams happen, the more he begins to withdraw from the town.


Name: Ethren
Sex: Male
Species: Lightning Elemental /
Initial Equipment: Well, technically none, but, his powers.
Strengths: Almost immune to normal weapons. Good against single opponents, and small groups.
Weaknesses: Magic / enchanted weapons. Large groups of enemies.
Personality: Ethren isn't particularly fond of others being near Erethi, and may move to "protect" him, even if it isn't necesary. Somewhat playful when no one but Erethi is around. Does not like mortals seeing him, and hides his form most of the time.


Name: Tempestas
Description: Use of the sky and its elements for destruction.
Equipment: The familiar of the mage. Hands. Bad weather eases the use of some spells.
Effect on Mage: There is about a 35% chance that most spells will backfire and injure the mage. Prolonged use of spells destroys the familiar. With power comes arogance.
Method of Learning: Practice, practice, and some more practice. Ocasional duels with familiar.

Ultimate Abilities: Montensem - Monsoon
The Tempestas channels immense amounts of energy into a single point in the sky, eventually creating a massive storm of immense proportions capable of leveling cities over time. Unatural amounts of lightning strike during the course of the storm, but no rain falls.

Combat Aptitudes: Excels at fighting tightly packed enemies and single enemies at range. Close combat is a last resort, and is only used when there are no other options.

[Kaito]

Name: Jael
Age: 15
Sex: female
Initial Equipment: just clothes
Personality: Jael is a shy girl who hates that she's shy. She tries to get attention but doesn't want to put herself in front of others too much, just so much that people know she's there is fine to her.
Backstory: Jael was born in a little village as the daughter of a primitive farmer family. When she turned 5 she accidently used magic the first time, when she stopped a cup falling down on the floor midway. When her powers began to improve rapidly she enjoyed being in the center of everyone's attention, but that changed as people began to fear her as she became older. She then trained to use her powers as a kind of entertainment. To use her power to that extend was really difficult, and so she trained very hard and much, and together with her boosted talent she became a good mage very fast.


Name: Telekinesis
Description: The art of Telekinesis means to move objects simply with the power of your mind. An apprentice Telekinetic can move something like a cup around the air. Telekinetic powers divide in the mass that you want to move and how fast you accelerate it. Also, moving several objects at once divides your power once again, as well as taking a massive amount of multitasking.
A skilled Telekinetic can easily take on fights with skilled swordsmen, stopping their blades mid air, throwing them to the ground and similar. Telekinetics is also often used to accelerate a little object, like a stone, to such high velocitys that, on impact, they do severe damage to agressors.
Equipment:
Effect on Mage: exhaustion
Method of Learning: Practice practice practice
Ultimate Abilities: instant kill by crushing the enemy's heart
Combat Aptitudes:
-Can hold enemys
-Can throw things at high speed
-Can inflict direct damage to enemies by using opposing forces on them. (e.g. pushing or pulling at two sides)



Name: Gabriel
Sex: male
Species: Human
Initial Equipment: blue suit, wielding a rapier
Strengths: Speech and bodily agility
Weaknesses: one could say his "fairplay" is a weakness
Personality: Gabriel is a gentleman from the books, born as Jael dreamed of finding her perfect boy, he has just everything Jael hasn't; charisma and attention. He's kind and just, and generally wants to avoid conflic, which he often does just because of his skill to talk.

[Sevorak]

Mage

Name: Therion Athrelas.
Age: 18.
Sex: Male.
Initial Equipment: Longsword, rugged cloak.
Personality: Therion is tempered, reserved and nigh-eternally calm and centered - with shoulder-length white hair and the same colour eyes, he projects a visage of utter determination and statuesque fearlessness.
Backstory: Therion was born to uncertain parents on an uncertain day; as a child, he was raised by the clerics and monks at a divine-worshipping chapel; as he grew older, his knowledge of the gods and their doctrines grew with him - and more and more, he began to question the righteousness of these ideals. Then his latent powers began to emerge, and those who had sheltered him were forced to make an agonizing choice. They chose to preserve Therion's life - and were executed for heresy. Therion fled into the wilds, where he barely managed to survive for five years... to some, he did not survive.He became a lycanthrope; a werewolf. He was bitten in the wilds, though due to his rather unique nature... he was able to exert a control no others could. Though he was still a creature of the moon and stars; and an abomination before the civilized world. But he was an immortal... and so being two forms of abomination mattered little. The gods despised and feared one, and possessed only distaste for the other. Therion embraced the disdain of the gods, and lived to spite them.

Familiar

Name: Naphar.
Sex: Male.
Species: Frost Wolf.
Initial Equipment: Fang and claw!
Strengths: Horrifically strong, with innate magic resistance and with an icy hide strong enough to turn aside blade and arrow in equal measure.
Weaknesses: A creature of instinct; also has a vulnerability to fire and is generally unable to focus through the haze of bloodlust he experiences in battle.
Personality: Tempramental, fiercely loyal and often lethargic outside battle. Naphar is essentially good-natured and kind, though his fearsome visage often conceals that.

Magic School

Name: Vitalification.
Description: Control over one's own body, its processes - and the ability to freely manipulate them, in addition to defensive magics related to altering the body, or shielding around the immediate area; items or people in physical contact. Healing and regeneration are also possible. Vitalification also concerns itself with the manipulation of arcane items.
Equipment: The mage's physical form, and any artefacts of items imbued with the mage's power.
Effect on Mage: Vitalification is, at its heart, a constructive magic - its fundamental desire is to be used to create and gather power. Thus, its modus operandi essentially revolves around protecting, preserving and augmenting the mage that wields it.
Method of Learning: Vitalification is perfected by its utilization; whether it be in healing another, healing one's self, or simply using it in battle to master and augment the body.
Ultimate Abilities: Ascension - The mage exercises total muscle and nerve control, in addition to bringing seething currents of vitalifying energies through the body, essentially catapulting the vitalifier's body beyond all of the normal physical constraints.

Combat Aptitudes: Fighting in intense close combat, in the thick of things, and dealing with specific foes - Vitalification is not a task that lends itself to mass destruction... however, it makes the practitioner a nigh-unstoppable force in personal combat.

[Andkat]

Character :

Name : Ardus Tael

Age : 17

Race : Human

Sex : Male

Initial Equipment : Tattered and bloody peasant garb.

Personality : See Below….

Backstory :

Born to a struggling peasant-family on the fringes of civilized territory, the tale of Ardus Tael is not a pleasant one. His mother, Meidith, was an unstable hag and an addict of the illicit narcotic known by most as Schema. In her highs, she was exuberant and half-dazed, dosing her children (which included Ardus’s younger brothers) with the narcotic itself and revelling in her excesses. She would often neglect to feed her poor children in her ecstasy, and would often enter fits of hyper sexuality, to the extent that she would engage in intercourse with her own progeny. In her lows, however, she was far, far worse. She would rant and scream at her children for the slightest irritation and offence, beating them so as to busy herself and distract her from her melancholy until her next fix arrived. She would enter into fits of hysteria, wherein she would be rendered enraged and perturbed, assaulting her environment until her husband arrived, wherein he would beat her to a pulp.

As can already be inferred, Meidith’s husband and Ardus’s father, Brekering Tael, was little better. He was a veteran of the Arshuing War, and as a member of the invading Kentalian force had claimed quite a sizable amount of land.

Unfortunately, post-war politicking, character assassination (primarily regarding certain bloody “pacification actions” undertaken throughout the war and the official military occupation period) and the resentment of the local population had caused him to lose his wealth, health, and land. He was a rampant alcoholic, despised by the locals for his Kentalian status and disdained by his own people for his previous actions. He was a man in penury, stealing from his few neighbours and investing the vast majority of his meagre profits in the consumption of alcohol. His family could go for days without sustenance and months without modifying their apparel for all he cared. And indeed they did during his constant absences, often ranging from days to weeks as he boozed, whored, and gambled away his funds, most of them earned from stealing the produce and profits of others. The tax collectors regarded him as too pathetic and unreliable a wretch to bother with, especially since he technically no longer owned most of his land or his residence. His only friends had been his narcotic-smuggling comrades from the war, but they where all dead now; slain by his own hand after they had burned down his farms for skimming profits from the cartel, long broken by now. He would take out his misery frequently on his wife and children, lashing them or pummelling them when they failed to accomplish a certain task or comprehend a certain phrase with proper promptness. Whilst Brekering Tael may have lost his rank and his respect, he did not loose the discipline of a Kental overseer-sergeant. He would lash his boys for shows of impudence or incompetence, or would brand them with irons generally reserved for their emaciated livestock.

So it will be thoroughly unsurprising to most of you that with such a childhood, Ardus Tael did not mature to become an amicable or benign adolescent. Indeed, he became the antithesis of such ideals and concepts, enacting and emulating the belligerence and malice of his progenitors upon others. He started first with animals, catching and crushing insects in his wee years. He would often trap rodents and other small mammals in deliberately cruel and rather illegal traps, letting them struggle for hours before revealing himself and eviscerating the wretched things with rusted blades purloined from his home and hearth. But such was his twisted psyche that he was never content with lowly torments. It was felt by him that others had caused his suffering, and that others must in turn feel it. He befriended local village-children, most of them far more youthful than he. Gullible and easily manipulated, such “friends” where easily persuaded to follow him into the hills or forests so he could show them “a mysterious animal” or a “wondrous faery-grove”. And ultimately, when his sadism or his desire peaked, he would murder them. But these were no simple deaths; no, they where far, far worse than that. Shocked farmers and foresters would discover their bodies days later; often mutilated beyond recognition or bearing the traces of forced intercourse. As his sanity festered, so too did Ardus’s behaviour. He killed more and more to relieve himself of the pain of his family, going so far as to gouge and cut himself when no other release presented itself. His tortures of animals grew more and more sadistic, and his hatred of others more and more keen and acute.

Soon, suspicions began to further muddy the well-tarnished Tael family reputation. Some of the more judicious and intuitive minds of the community had begun to perceive the dark changes within Ardus, and soon much of the village was aligned against his woeful family. Village boys began to beat the afflicted Ardus, and assorted offal and decayed sustenance was often directed against his father. This continued for days until one, fateful day. A day when Ardus again boiled over.

Bursting into the residences and haunts of his tormentors, Ardus personally stabbed each and every one of them to death. And their siblings. And their parents. And their friends. The residences in much of the region tended to be situated fairly sparsely, but as the victims where identified, the source of these most heinous of crimes became evident: the Tael family, and it’s troubled scion Ardus.

With half of the regions township screaming for blood on his heels, Ardus retreated to his residence as swiftly as his appendages could carry him. But even as he hurriedly bolted the door to his residence, Ardus could detect something was wrong.

For behind him stood his father, a murderous glint in his eye and his cudgel lash poised to deliver yet another beating, this one lethal. For he had at last comprehended the truth about his son’s whereabouts and the catalyst for the contempt and aggression recently directed against him. And he was here to end it, once and for all.

Before the enraged father could even uncoil his chosen implement of discipline, Ardus lashed out with his bloodied knife, plunging it into the hated man’s groin. And then again. And again. And again, until his former sire’s internal organs where nothing but a bloodied pulp. Even as he withdrew his soiled blade, he heard his mother, in a fit of hysteria, descend the stairs, ranting, shouting, and cursing at his father and himself.

But when she saw the bloodied form of her husband, she knew true distress. Before she could even utter her characteristic high-pitched scream, Ardus had leapt upon her. With a grunt of satisfaction he slashed her jugular upon, and drove his blade into her eye. He then proceeded up the stairs, careful not to rouse his downtrodden brothers before their time was nigh. And as he strode into their rooms, nigh it was. Even as they roused, startled by his early appearance, he came to their side and slit their throats. With the tyranny of his parents and the suffering of his siblings ended, Ardus sank to the floor in exhaustion, only to hear the door of his house crashing down in a hail of oaths and splinters. The village had come. And he was to depart.

Even as his pursuers began to spill through the door, he was past the stairwell, reinvigorated with the energy of a man pursued. And with the enraged mob again at his back, he descended into the dark, dank, and almost totally unused cellar of his place of living. And in the depths he attempted to manoeuvre beyond his foes, for he knew this place well as the site of many a session of torment for both himself and his victims.

At least he found what he came for; the cellar hatch that led unto the blighted farms of his father. Without a look back he broke through this final obstacle, and fled into the dying rays of the sun and his old life…

But as the light faded, so too did his strength. Ardus collapsed whimpering and weeping in a dirty cave just outside of town. Fittingly and ironically enough, it was the one that he had most frequented during his brutal endeavours. And with is collapse did his emotional barriers follow. And from him flowed his own self-loathing, his inner comprehension of his actions. Enraged at his own weakness and his odious nature, Ardus gouged holes and scratches in his skin with his own nails, never faltering until his dreams overtook him….

Magic :

Name : Dementation/Mentalism

Description: : Ardus has manifested powers of the mind and for the mind in his transformation. If his will can meet the test, he may enter the psyches and consciousnesses of others. And to such a twisted and wretched creature as Ardus Tael, such powers are easily abused….

Effect on Mage : With his ascension, Ardus has become even more skewed and dark. He unleashes his pain and his compunction no longer with the blade, but with the mind. Those who are unfortunate enough to be favoured or disfavoured in his presence will suffer mental agony the likes of which none have experienced previously. He torments and defiles those that his mind touches, and not always intentionally. For his shattered and feral mind cannot always be reigned in….

In effect, the art of Dementation amplifies and channels his insanity.

Learning : Ardus’s power grows and fluctuates with his insanity and malevolence; the potency of his power and the uses to which they are put vary extensively with his mood. Overall, however, his erraticism and perturbed state gradually but constantly fester, resulting also in the amplification of his abilities.

Ultimate : His theoretical maximum would involve him unleashing all of his restrained (or unrestrained) emotional energy in a wave of hatred of other and self that wracks the minds of all near him, “friend” or foe. He has little control over such an act, and it would be invariably devastating to the psyches of all near this most severe of mental outbursts.

Focus : Torture and mental annihilation of individuals, though he is capable of influencing multiple minds if he can overcome their cumulative will.

Familiar :

Name : N/A

Gender : N/A

Species : None

Initial Equipment : Razor-Sharp Claws, Teeth, Appendages

Strengths : Communicates in a demented and peculiar form of telepathy with its master; it’s appearance is highly disturbing and it’s method of assault serendipitous and erratic.

Weaknesses : Is also fairly insane and epitomizes the conditions of his master. Lacks finesse and cannot communicate with others.

Description : Ardus’s abomination of a Familiar has a rat-like appearance, but is several times the weight and height of a normal rodent. It’s surface is a patchwork of torn grey fur and scarred skin, and it’s three eyes burn with an inner and insane dark fire. It has multiple appendages, some at completely random angles (off of the back and such), others at leg joints and the like. All of these appendages end invariably end in extremely keen blades that are almost as warped and twisted as the thing’s mind. It’s only method of physical vocalization is a tormented screeching that disconcerts all around and drives Ardus into a rage.

Personality : Most familiars are formed from the aspects of the Immortal that the Immortal despises or rejects most, and this abomination is no exception. For whilst Ardus may be insane and murderous, deep in his soul these are the aspects of himself he most loathes and regrets. He hates himself for propagating suffering, but does so out of his own insanity and inexplicable motives. The direct behaviour of this creature will often reflect Ardus’s mood, and hence it will fluctuate from gnawing on it’s own bones and rending it’s own flesh to entering fits of homicidal rage and assaulting all those in proximity to it, including Ardus himself.

[Gorb]

Name: Taelos Ircanim
Age: 22
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Quarterstaff, backpack with map, food, etc.
Personality: Confident, into furthering his own power at expense of others.
Backstory: (For the sake of convenience assume we're all within a few days travel of each other, around the city of Threiani)

More to come later. *tired now*

EDIT @ below: Hey, I want necro. I had much fun raising dead when I used to do DnD.

[Xan]

Awww, someone took Telekinesis... :(
I'll think further about my character once I know if I am allowed to also take this school. As much as I like the idea of the BW, I can't imagine having fun with any other school (necromancy might be an expection ;)).

[Lestaki]

Ah, come on, there's more fun to be had than just telekenisis... let's see:

Necromancy- as you state

Time Magic/ better name variant- Speed up yourself and your allies, slow down your foes- possibly connected to heavens magic and summoning killer rocks of doom.

Blue Magic/better name variant- have an encyclopediatic knowledge of... anything by a quick magical study of a foe, to discover it's weak points. If the enemy can do it, you can copy and learn that magic. Potentially very powerful simply because of the huge diversity of spells you could learn.

Healer/BNV- protect the group with shields, beneficent status, heal and cast holy offensive magic. Not exiting, I know, but powerful... anyone wanna take a hit for the team on this one? ;)

Red Mage/BNV- a mixture of elementalism, healing AND reasonable swordplay, a very balanced school. Of course, everyone knows what they say about the jacks of all trades...

And THAT's just ripping off final fantasy... a quick original work:

Invoker- Invokers commune with the spirits of the dead, using them to gain guidence and wisdom. Can channel the souls of ancient heroes through their bodies to gain that individual's abilities, making them diverse and powerful- but this drains them rapidly.

Can't you think of any other school? Necromancy would be good, we always need someone to raise the dead...

[Andkat]

I think Sevorak has partially taken Healer already :p.

You could have shamanistic magic, magic involving killing people's souls, "biomancy", utility magic (think "alteration" from TES), errr.., magic involving enhancing and enchanting armour and weapons if that isn't already taken, illusion-magic, though I'm sure that's already gone. You could also have magic involving physical torture or even esctasy (Slaaneshi Sorcerors?), magic pertaining to the domination of animals, water-magic, shadow-magic, general evil magic, etc.

[Dooks Dizzo]

Mage

Name: Tanarak Damianus
Age: 19
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Heavy bear fur cloak, warm clothing, a twisted hunk of metal
Personality: Tanarak is a caring person but fears to get close to people. (see Effects on Mage)
Backstory: Simple wanderlust and need for adventure caused Tanarak to leave his people and head out for a life of adventure.


Familiar

Name: Twisted Hunk of Metal (currently shaped like a sword)
Sex: N/A
Species: Cold Steel
Initial Equipment: N/A
Strengths: Hard as Steel
Weaknesses: Extreme heat or stress
Personality: N/A

Mage School

Name: Matter Manipulation

Description: Tanarak has developed the ability to manipulate the make up of any object that he is intimately familiar with.

Equipment: To use his power at it's best he must have an object or person that he has spent a great deal of time in physical contact with

Effect on Mage: Tanarak fears his power as much as he enjoys it. The danger for him lies in the fact that he can manipulate people as well as the inanimate. If he gets too close to a person his powers will extend to them too. It is Tanarak's darkest fear that one day he will harm someone he loves with his power.

Method of Learning: Unknown.


Ultimate Abilities: The exact extent of his power is unknown as yet. One day he might be able to infuse a manipulated object with his own will, causing it to greatly increase in power and strength. He might also be able to effect his own body, allowing him to become a shape changer.

Combat Aptitudes: Physical combat is what Tanarak is all about. He comes from a tribe of reavers and was exiled from his people because of the danger of his power. He excells at close combat, both in offense and defense. Tanarak also has a very sharp mind and can react to situations quickly and efficiently, turning his familiar into dozens of differing forms to gain advantage.

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 270lbs
Hair: Black, short
Eyes: mud brown

Edit: I know my guy doesn't fit the standard mould very well (especially in the familiar department) and I am willing to make changes to fit him in with the story as needed.

Also I am wholly unfamiliar with the land that we're in. Is it medival earth or a constrcut of Lestaki's imagination?

[The Shadow]

... I'm thinking of making a new char. A monk of some sorts, 'cos I like healing. So???

[Andkat]

I thought our powers where supposed to be manifested spontaneously with an enigmatic vision?

[Lestaki]

Yes, we were all supposed to emerge at once near the start of the BW to painful dreams and portents, with our familiars being created. Any Immortal who emerged sooner would likely have been found by the others before now... but never mind. It can easily be said that they were too busy running for their lives to go on recruitment drives. In any case, regardless of whether your char attended the Colernius Acadmay For Immortal Mages or whether they're a peasent who just discovered their powers on the very eve of the BW, we'll finish our development at the same time- so if you must, the more established characters can be more gifted in the beginning- but the magically younger ones will develop far faster to catch up. Regardless, the BW will begin with us all being assailed by a certain Immortal's messages in our sleep, calling us together.

Edit @ Shadow: That sounds fine, but just bear in mind that "monk", "cleric" and the like have religous connotations that would be associated with our godly enemies more likely than us. ;)

[NotPersonal18]

Yay necromancy!

Name: Carmon? Is that how you spell it?
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Initial Equipment: Clothing. She likes clothing (mostly revealing black leather).
Personality: She enjoys toying with other people, putting everyone into a grand scheme including herself. For this, she seems to have little emotion and disregard for life.
Backstory: She had four normal years of life, and then her abilities began to flare. When those around become her minions or died, and once the people learned she was the undead... well most hummies don't like lingerying undead, and so she left them to kill small prey and slowly grow.

Familiar: She's a necromancer, she has lots.

School: Necromancy
Abilities: Has slight combat abilites, such as magical red spines and whips. Can leech life and energy.
Learning: Finding Corpses and accidently killing people. She was the undertakers daugter, which severed her trade well.
Equipment: None
Ultimate Power: Turning the dead or mindless into servants. The greatest of necromancers can consume souls and memories to make the target mindless.
Combat: Not the best, but is great at acrobatics and can combine this with her weaker combat magic.

Is this okay?

[ShatteredFaith]

Name: Niran Maligos
Age: 61
Sex: Male
Height: 6'1(Standing Straight, usually hunched slightly and leaning on his staff)
Initial Equipment: Immortal Mark. (Enables him to communicate with the two elder immortals) Old and battered (but not ripped) robes, with the symbols for Eternity and Time etched into the fabric with silver material. If you look closely at the symbols they are constantly changing, little things strung together to effect the over all picture.
Staff Of Ra- The staff of a powerful lich Niran defeated (thanks to some timely help, unfortunately deceased). It enables him limited necromancy, but in general he simply uses it to aid himself in walking. It is also alot stronger than your average staff, and is made of pale white material.
Personality: Friendly, but starting to switch between moods with no obvious downtime or cause.
Backstory: Niran has traveled the world many times over, helping the immortals where a little extra power can go a long way, and even when it cannot. He is an old man now, but with much knowledge, experience, and power at his dispoal. (In the long run the young Immortals will out strip him, but for now he is more powerful)

Name: Sessner
Sex: Male
Species: Time Dragon
Size: A bit bigger than a large cat
Initial Equipment: Scales, claws, teeth. Bites age the effected area (varies from bite to bite and person to person)
Strengths: Small, hard to hit, has the ability to manipulate time in much the same way Niran can.
Weaknesses: Small, not able to take many hits.
Personality: Cheery helpful to near anyone who talks to him.
Sessner is not a familiar in the traditional sense, he is an actual Time Dragon which Niran befrended on one of his many journeys, which sometimes took him away from this realm and to others.



Name: Time Magic (Cant think of anything better for the name)
Description: Manipulate Time. (Age things, slow things down, speed things up, etc)
Effect on Mage: Nothing physical, but a mental drive to master his magic to the extent where he can reverse his aging. No man wants to die without fighting it every step of the way.
Method of Learning: Starts with little things. Aging an old peice of wood, making it younger. Gradually moves up to larger.
Ultimate Abilities: Able to age Sessner several hundred years to where the Time Dragon is waist height (To Niran) this also gives Sessner stronger abilities.
Combat Aptitudes: Mass hinderance of large bodies of people, making them all collectively slower. On small groups it is more pronounced. Ex. He could make 100 people move a quarter slower, while he could make 10 people crawl at a snails pace.

[Dooks Dizzo]

I have edited my guy. He is not an exile, he simple left his people and is travelling in the hopes of becoming a sellsword.

[Xan]

Argh. Just when I was supposed to make a necromancer, someone else took it. I shall have to think further.

[Weavern]

Will be joining this.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Due to popular demand, which is to say my friends bugging me on MSN, the BW will commence. We have a couple of posts to intro our characters before they gather at the behest of the remaining two old Immortals. New people can still join in this time (and indeed whenver) and can meet with the rest of us when we rendezvous. Ignore the summons if you like, but don't expect to last very long alone in a hostile world... ;)

IC: Greetings, my children. I am Sereia the Sanctified, healer of the old Immortals. She ran a hand through her brown hair, before closing her eyes and concentrating again. Do not be distressed. Needs must we speak to you in sleep, as there are many powers in this world, most of them hostile to your intrinsic nature. In dreams, you are safe- though they can cause you pain. For many years we have used dreams as a medium to communicate when we are far apart. You must come to us; you will know where to find us. There, together, you will find your destinies, and as much safety as there is to be had for our kind in this time.

I am to teach you of the city of Threiani, and the surrounding lands. One hundred and seventeen years ago, the land was invaded by the forced of the great sate of Gerina. The Threianians prayed feverently to their false gods, but there was no reply- outnumbered and surrounded, they had no chance of survival. In further mockery of their faith, many lesser Seraph creatures from the Gods themselves marched with their enemy- a clear sign that the divine ones had sided with the greater, agressive power.

We Immortals came to them in their extremity, and they accepted our aid. The battle was truely great, but with our potent magics to tip the balance, the Gerinan forced were routed. I myself accounted for ten Seraphs that day and saved lives beyond count, and all of us likewise fought with power and nobility. Some of us stayed in Threiani for a time, and built up a bond of trust with this people- and since then we have come to them when they need us. Now, we need them; while we are not fully secure here, this land is somewhat friendly to us. You will be as safe here as you can be, but all know our kind are weak now, and their sense of preservation will eventually overrule even ancient debt. Such is the way of mortals.

Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.
***
No! Don't go! Please! I'm... It was no use. Yethi shivered. I'm all alone.

The fire burned brighly, but it was fading slowly, running out of material to burn, quenched by a rising, miserable rain. Instinctively, Yethi pulled her cloak tighter about herself. Not that that was much use in a dream... though this felt very real in a dream. You didn't normally feel damp, and cold. You didn't normally hear the screams, smell the charnal stink of flesh as it was slowly roasted by the rising inferno. You didn't hear the crash as a house collapsed, finally burying any last hope of life.

I did this. I burned them. They all burned.

I'm all alone. She stood amidst the ruins of her burning village, and felt hot tears slide down her cheeks.

A motion, in the corner of her eye. She span in an instant, her hand flicking upwards to release another tide of fire...

Nothing. Nothing but shadows. And the shadows were everywhere, and thickening... she trembled with an indescribable fear.

Then she awoke.
***
Her whole body burned. Her limbs were shaking as if utterly exausted after some insane race, and there was an indescribable furnace heat that was gripping her chest. She was sweating furiously, her hair stuck in thick locks to her skull. And she was utterly gripped by an indescribable, primival fear. She took deep, shuddering breaths, staring at the darkness around her. Desperately, she fumbled for matches... where were they, where were they! Oh, how she hated this dark! She bit her lip, nearly sobbing with fear and frustration-

A spark leapt from one of her outstretched fingers, slashing neatly into the candle's wick. She screamed in an utterly irrational horror.

"What the hell is the bloody noise about?" The voice was her brother, Redin, coming impatiently through the wall.

"Nothing!" Yethi said, far too loudly. "Nothing," she reapeated. "Just a bad dream."

"You're sixteen, by matyr's blood," he said. "A bad dream made you scream? You really are hopeless, aren't you?"

She didn't reply. Tears of fear and sadness ran down her cheeks. And but she choked on rage as well, anger and frusrtation and a rising, gripping hatred. Live my life! Be the freak, you little bastard! Try it for one moment! Could you stand this! Could you live like this, an abhorrition against creation! You know nothing, nothing! I hate you! I hate you! I'll-

That wasn''t her speaking. The anger snapped in an instant, and she collapsed sobbing onto her pillow.

"Go back to sleep," he instructed tiredly, in ignorance.

She knew she'd never manage it. She still felt too hot, and she knew it would take at least an hour for her body to still. And she couldn't bare sleep again. She didn't want the nightmares again. And even more so, she was afriad of the darkness.

I don't want this. I don't want this life. Why can't I be the normal one! Just for once? Why is it always me...

[Dooks Dizzo]

IC: Greetings, my children. I am Sereia the Sanctified, healer of the old Immortals. She ran a hand through her brown hair, before closing her eyes and concentrating again. Do not be distressed. Needs must we speak to you in sleep, as there are many powers in this world, most of them hostile to your intrinsic nature. In dreams, you are safe- though they can cause you pain. For many years we have used dreams as a medium to communicate when we are far apart. You must come to us; you will know where to find us. There, together, you will find your destinies, and as much safety as there is to be had for our kind in this time.

I am to teach you of the city of Threiani, and the surrounding lands. One hundred and seventeen years ago, the land was invaded by the forced of the great sate of Gerina. The Threianians prayed feverently to their false gods, but there was no reply- outnumbered and surrounded, they had no chance of surrounded. In further mockery of their faith, many lesser Seraph creatures from the Gods themselves marched with their enemy- a clear sign that the divine ones had sided with the greater, agressive power.

We Immortals came to them in their extremity, and they accepted our aid. The battle was truely great, but with our potent magics to tip the balance, the Gerinan forced were routed. I myself accounted for ten Seraphs that day and saved lives beyond count, and all of us likewise fought with power and nobility. Some of us stayed in Threiani for a time, and built up a bond of trust with this people- and since then we have come to them when they need us. Now, we need them; while we are not fully secure here, this land is somewhat friendly to us. You will be as safe here as you can be, but all know our kind are weak now, and their sense of preservation will eventually overrule even ancient debt. Such is the way of mortals.

Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.

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

Tanarak awoke choking...his breath coming in ragged gasps as his lungs fulity attempted to drag air into his chest.

I'm being crushed to death...

His eyes were wide open but he couldn't see, pitch darkness surrounded him, and the aweful pressure. That evil dream was going to kill him!

Wildly he Tanarak thrashed about, his arms striking mightily against the wall of the inn where he had taken refuge for the night. Wood splintered.

Stop! Stay calm, his mind demanded.

Slowly he brought himself under control...wood splintered? He had heard it but not felt it, how could that be? Cautiously he tapped his chest, a sound like a hammer lightly tapping an avil rang out.

It felt like, like he was wearing armor! As he calmed he realized he could breath, slowly. The air was stale and hot. What the in the hells is going on here?

Raising his hands to his head slowly he felt around the circumferance of his skull. It was indeed incased in metal, like a helmet without a view slit or holes for ventilation.

If only I could find a way to take it off, and suddenly he could take it off. The steel came away from his face easily and fresh air came in. For several moments he lay there, nearly drunk with the taste of fresh air.

Eventually he looked down at his body. His entire torso and arms were covered in an absolutly seemless covering of steel.

Silently, he willed it off of himself, as he had with the helmet. Running like quick silver is slid down to the floor and formed into a large chunk of steel. It looked absolutly ordinary.

Tanarak just stared at it in mild shock. He had been able to do things before, but they had been so little. Causing the blade of a sword to lengthen by a fingers span or make his water pouch just a bit bigger had been the extent of it.

The dream had scared him badly, never before had he heard voices in his head, he had been taught that daemons and spirits spoke in a man's head. His fear had caused him to react, to try to protect himself...and almost killed him!

Looking out his window into the night Tanarak vowed to find this Sereia and get some answers.

OOC: is this the sort of thing you were thinking about Lest?

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran hiked tiredly along the old wagon trail. His well used boots kicking up. He pulled his battered hood lower across his face, the relentless sun beating down upon his tired old bones. A sarcastic voice spoke up from the depths of his robe "Lets go to Nessiak, you said, it wont be as hot there, you said" Niran irritadly slapped at the voice, electing a muffled "ow" from the creature. "Be silent you slimy reptile, were allmost there and I wont have you scaring the townsfolk"
----------

The old traveler lowered himself into one of the inns chairs, the innkeep hovering about him, with many questions obvious upon his features but none being voiced. "Say there, young man" Niran said softly, to the "young man" who was about 30 or so. The innkeep took it good naturedly "Yes?" the traveler smiled "Would you happen to have slitherberry wine?" the innkeep paused. They did, but they didnt advertise it at all, indeed, they usually denied they had it, only bringing it out for celebrations. "Come now, I'm an old man on his last legs, who can pay well, for a treat such as slitherberry" the innkeep sighed and descended into the inns basement to get the wine, while Niran waited above, with a spark of amusement in his eyes, and muted chuckling coming from his robes.

[Sevorak]

Greetings, my children. I am Sereia the Sanctified, healer of the old Immortals. She ran a hand through her brown hair, before closing her eyes and concentrating again. Do not be distressed. Needs must we speak to you in sleep, as there are many powers in this world, most of them hostile to your intrinsic nature. In dreams, you are safe- though they can cause you pain. For many years we have used dreams as a medium to communicate when we are far apart. You must come to us; you will know where to find us. There, together, you will find your destinies, and as much safety as there is to be had for our kind in this time.

I am to teach you of the city of Threiani, and the surrounding lands. One hundred and seventeen years ago, the land was invaded by the forced of the great sate of Gerina. The Threianians prayed feverently to their false gods, but there was no reply- outnumbered and surrounded, they had no chance of surrounded. In further mockery of their faith, many lesser Seraph creatures from the Gods themselves marched with their enemy- a clear sign that the divine ones had sided with the greater, agressive power.

We Immortals came to them in their extremity, and they accepted our aid. The battle was truely great, but with our potent magics to tip the balance, the Gerinan forced were routed. I myself accounted for ten Seraphs that day and saved lives beyond count, and all of us likewise fought with power and nobility. Some of us stayed in Threiani for a time, and built up a bond of trust with this people- and since then we have come to them when they need us. Now, we need them; while we are not fully secure here, this land is somewhat friendly to us. You will be as safe here as you can be, but all know our kind are weak now, and their sense of preservation will eventually overrule even ancient debt. Such is the way of mortals.

Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.

"Child?" Therion asked softly, his voice quiet as he uncoiled the tense skeins of his mind's thoughts and brought himself to the meditative position he had been in before he fell asleep. His pale fingers brushed against a black rose; one of hundreds that lay within the sanctuary of the Garden. "Strange child that lingers here, alone and with the blood of fallen clerics his only memory of family,"

The black roses were symbolic of death; of whose death, and for what they had died, he did not know - but when more melancholy and distant memories filled his thoughts, he wondered if some of those falling petals were for the bravery of Brother Mevar, Sephet or Sister Allara - who had died rather than renounce their loyalty to him. As they would have done for each of them, had they been marked for annihilation at the hands of the gods. In the end, that had been what had mattered. They'd abandoned their faith and given their lives for the brother they'd taken in when they found him by the riverside.

There weren't many more painful wounds to bear than knowing the only family you had ever known had died for you. Therion's finger brushed against one of the rose thorns; a pinprick from its tip drew blood, and it fell down his pale finger to the sanctified earth. A faint smile crossed his lips as he remembered old times with them; innocent times... dinners as the only 'family' they'd ever known... then a thorn cracks, and the threat of violence breaks the silence once more. Rising up from the midst of the black roses, a pale, ethereal man stood - towering over most men, lean and muscular, strands of pale white hair falling before his eyes.

He wore nothing but a pair of black, tattered trousers - his upper half was naked, and he simply turned, watching them as a flash of blue flickered across his eyes as he looked at the two assassins - garbed in a purified white, supposedly to mark their pure, untarnished devotion to the gods. Therion looked at them; they were trained, ready - wielding a pair of bloodied daggers; trails of crimson dripped down their hands as they snarled at him. Then Therion spoke, with a voice that was not his own.

"Kathregar..." a malicious smile etched its way onto his lips, primal instincts rising to the fore as he bared a pair of wolflike fangs to them. "... Come to me..."

Then he lunged, bones cracking and his body brutally and agonically reshaping and twisting itself into his new form. He crushed the first would-be assassin beneath his werewolf mass, his white fur tarnished with the blood of the fallen one. Then he turned to the other; fear registered in that one's eyes as Kathregar - Therion's name for the wolf within - turned to regard her. He growled, looking to the heavens and letting out a bestial, furious roar. Crystalline teeth bared, he struck out, his claws raking bloody furrows across the assassin's skin and felling her with his inhuman strength.

Then Kathregar was gone, recoiled to the nascent depths of Therion's mind... and he was left with the blood on his hands. He slumped to his knees, the pain from his rapid transformations screaming in his mind. He didn't feel guilty - guilt was a luxury he didn't have the chance to experience particularly often. It was a necessity to blank it out if you didn't want to get killed while you were thinking about it. He stood again, taking one last regretful glance over the roses - and then started to walk away from it all, away from the peace, into the darkness of the forest...

[Andkat]

Ardus screamed, a piercing, insane thing that would jarr the mind and chill the bones. He screamed again, the oblivion of repose no protection from his insanity.

Get out! he screamed silently I will not be tormented, I will not! I have forged my own path, I am Ardus Tael! he screamed again in his dreams, as if attempting to feebly mimick the thunder outside. I hate you! I'll..I'll, I'll do you in like the oth-NO!, not again! No more! he whimpered, though whether it was in reality or in his soul he could not be sure, for as the first dream faded, another, darker one took it's place.
He was in a field, the field of his father. A boy was running to him, his friend, former friend he corrected himself mentally, Roel. A year younger than him, he had been one of the first to be murdered by his hand. He was skipping towards him now, and Ardus was possessed by a sheer terror. He attempted to scramble away, but found that the stalks of grain bound him in place.

The gait of Roel became darker and slower now as he approached. As he neared, Ardus ceased his struggling. As Roel came to him, Ardus looked into his eyes.

And he saw death. Roel's face was not his own anymore; it was a mass of greyed and decayed flesh, worms and maggots wriggling within it's depths. His eyes where purest dark, the sockets bared to the world. He reached out his hand, a decayed husk, and placed it on his forehead. Death it whispered. You brought it to us, and now you will recieve yours in due turn the being rasped.

I killed them, didn't I he muttered in his dream, tears of blood streaking down his cheeks. I KILLED THEM! My family, my friends. They are no more..because of me. he dug his fingers into his calves and clamped his teeth down on his tounge, barely concious now of his dark dreams. Why did I, why did I-[ he sobbed.
Then the face of Roel exploded into darkness, and as Ardus gazed on in horror, the world reformed into a single, dark figure.
Then the memories flooded back. Of the beatings, of the tauntings, of the ridicule. A darker voice now to him, grim and resolute. You did it because it was their fate. They ruined you. They made you. It was there fault. By their very attempts at provocation did they seal their fate! Their lack of foresight makes them unworthy of life! . The voice spoke soothingly, rationally. It knew him. It understood him. Of course it was right. They where to blame for his actions. It was they who chose their fate. It was-

Suddenly, the figure stepped foreward, unsheathing a knife from the shadows. Before Ardus could call out, it plunged it into his leg.

And he awoke. Awoke to find a gigantic.. thing upon him, gnawing on his leg.

He didn't know what is was, but he could see into the miserable thing. It was like him, almost like it was him.

He loathed it.

Cursing in disgust, Ardus leapt up and grappled the thing, smashing it's skull in with the weight of his form. However neglected he had been, he was still strong. As the abomination breathed it's last, it stared into him with it's three eyes, seeming almost to rejoice in death even as it squealed and complained at the injustices he was committing against it.

Then it was over. Letting the thing fall to the ground, lifeless, Ardus limped out of the cave. It was morning. The first rays of dawn now illuminated his soiled rags and his bloody countenance. Weeping tears of blood, Ardus strode away into the forest, guided by the hand of fate.

In his instrospective haste, he did not even notice the thing that he had killed dissolve away into nothingness...

[Captain Elson]

Me like this idea

Name: Tonai Orion
Age:16
Sex:Male
Equpiment: Book of Spells, mostly fire based, some earthen can only cast the first page, it's like 2000000 pages. may never be able to cast all the spells. Cloak and straw hat. Food and water, along with a pair of glasses.
Personality: Very explosive, easily enraged and blows the lid a lot. HAs a deep rooted set of Values. usually friendly apart form the hot temper. Considered bright by many, he does stupid things now and then.
BAckground story: Grew up fiercly independent and many times refused demands made upon him form his elders. Accordinalgy, he was punished, a lot. HAs spent 2 out of his 16 years in correctional facilities, obviously they didn't get the point.

Mage powers:

Due to his ability to control fire, he had been known to puch it at people and kick it at them, along with usign a stick or pole to conduct this enraging force through.

He can also make small fire ballse,a dn small fire bombs, has burned down 3 forests.

He is inexperianced position makes him very vuneralbe.

FAmiliar.

Name: Karna
Sex: Female
Species: Human
Strengths: She is a great bowsmen and has been tested to be able to hit the wings of a fly from a mile away without killing the fly.
Personality: She is more reserved and calm compared to Tonai and easily quells his anger with just a pristine look form her saphire eyes. She deplores death and has kept Tonai from killing multiple times and herself has never had to fell anyone. Compared to Tonai she is much smaller, he is over 5 feet 10 inches while she barely scrathec 5 feet 1 inch. She holds much sway over Tonai and has kept him in line from grave errors since she was creted by him, of course he does not realize this and niether does she yet.
Weakness: She herself is tricked by some more elaborate spells, and is not very spelly and is more intuned for nature and great against other beigns whom are loud and are not wary, but she is not really a great fighter after you get out of her firng arc.


School: Physical magic
Description: this school is what Tonai uses mostly, while learning at his normal school he got ni many fights and used a combination of phsyicla attacks and flame attacks to ruin the lives of the people who dared mock him, it is a powerful force that allows the user to fight and spread magic semalessly allowign for great 1 on 1 battlein g techniguws but lower in the mass killings.
Ultimate abilities.

Firestorm of the volcano:
Simple a massive volcano grows and fire comes down on a general area, very basic, crude but deadly

Fire beam: Msot powerful fire based attack, the vfire generated causes so much energy thastit transforms into an energy beam that travels almost as fast as light, a true expert can not bee seen soing this technique as he moves too fast.

Bodily inferno: The body fo the user turns into a red hot flame that can be used as wahtever the user wants.

Also great mages can use theri fire to fly.

"Tonai where are you going?" said Karna exhasperated, "You are supposed to be in school!"
Toanai moved his hands towards his stick beggining to cause it to heat up to a red hot. His blarring orange eyes showed he was nervous about something and that someone must be following them.

"KArna, Tehre is no way i'm going back to that school, i don't care if it is ten times better than my old school, there is something wrong with the people there, it seems like they want to kill me." Tonai was beginng to fear it was actually their intent.

"Don't be silly why would they want to kill you?"

"If i didn't fear for my life, i'd go and ask them."

Tonai felt a tg in his mind and a voice spoke to him without him hearing it, he wasgreatly disturbed


Greetings, my children. I am Sereia the Sanctified, healer of the old Immortals. She ran a hand through her brown hair, before closing her eyes and concentrating again. Do not be distressed. Needs must we speak to you in sleep, as there are many powers in this world, most of them hostile to your intrinsic nature. In dreams, you are safe- though they can cause you pain. For many years we have used dreams as a medium to communicate when we are far apart. You must come to us; you will know where to find us. There, together, you will find your destinies, and as much safety as there is to be had for our kind in this time.

I am to teach you of the city of Threiani, and the surrounding lands. One hundred and seventeen years ago, the land was invaded by the forced of the great sate of Gerina. The Threianians prayed feverently to their false gods, but there was no reply- outnumbered and surrounded, they had no chance of surrounded. In further mockery of their faith, many lesser Seraph creatures from the Gods themselves marched with their enemy- a clear sign that the divine ones had sided with the greater, agressive power.

We Immortals came to them in their extremity, and they accepted our aid. The battle was truely great, but with our potent magics to tip the balance, the Gerinan forced were routed. I myself accounted for ten Seraphs that day and saved lives beyond count, and all of us likewise fought with power and nobility. Some of us stayed in Threiani for a time, and built up a bond of trust with this people- and since then we have come to them when they need us. Now, we need them; while we are not fully secure here, this land is somewhat friendly to us. You will be as safe here as you can be, but all know our kind are weak now, and their sense of preservation will eventually overrule even ancient debt. Such is the way of mortals.

Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.

"Karna, we are changing directions, we are going to find the voice i just heard."

"But Tonai,"

Tonai burst his stick into flamme and said quite calmly as compared to usual," This is for me, i need to do this, if you wish to stay you can but i need to go find this person."

"Dont' worry Toani, I am still going to be with you," Karna was taken aback by Tonai's unusual calm demeaer, and then realized he was venting his anger through his stick.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Perfect, Dooks. Normally I wouldn't post this fast, but I have a lot to fit in, notably creating my familiar. Nothing much to see here.

Elson, your character has some issues. Firstly, I specified quite directly that if you went to a mage school (which I didn't suggest) you wouldn't actually have any benefit over other less schooled characters. Your familiar's feat with the bow is also... stupidly powerful, and burning down three forests seems somewhat further along development than you're supposed to be. More catching up for my char to do.. ;)

IC: Yethi sighed, wrapping her cloak about her. Why am I doing this? Because I'm a hopeless optimist, I suppose. Even with that, why was she going to wear the hat?

The hat. It was some kind of wretched metaphor for her existance, she was sure of it. It was dark purple, and floppy, and massive, and when she wore it, most of her features were hidden. She remembered once, when she was fifteen, they'd gone to the big market in Threiani. Everyone was allowed one thing, out of everything, all the beautiful goods and wares and trinkets on display. She could have got a doll, far more beautiful than any she'd ever had before. She tried to like dolls, but she really couldn't. She could have got a pretty dress, like none she'd ever seen before. But she wasn't big on dresses either. Still, she'd more choices open to her than ever before, so many amazing things that she was practically dizzy. Then she'd seen the hat.

She'd fallen in love with it. She didn't really know why. Her family had hated it. But... it represented some kind of ideal to her. Maybe she could be something more than a stupid farmer's daughter. Maybe one day she'd be able to wear something as spectacularly vulgar as that hat and be able to carry it off. So she'd brought it anyway. And, predictably, everyone in the village had hated it as well, and said as much. But she'd stuck at it, and eventually it had become part of her identity. It was conspicuously inconsicuous- people saw the hat, not the person under it, and it drew attention while deflecting it onto an item of apparel rather than her. It also hid her face, which was handy for when she was blushing. Now she just wore it, and it was part of who she was. It symbolised, to the end of all symbols, who she was; a misfit uncomfortable with who she was, wanting attention and fearing it, alone.

It was not something you wore when trying to impress anyone. Especially someone male and your age, with dark hair. For some reason beyond her comprehension, she stuck it on her head anyway, tilting it to what she hoped was a rakish angle and knew looked like a strong wind had pushed her hat off balance. She hated her hat, and herself sometimes. But it was her hat. She sighed and walked away. "I'm going to the inn."

"Don't be long," her mother said vaugely, barely listening.

"Good luck," Redin said with a crooked grin. "You'll need it."

"Shut up," she said, with as much hauter as she could manage. She stalked out the door with a somewhat regal stride, spoiling the effect when she had to pull the hem of her robe up to avoid it getting splattered with mud. She politely replied to the usual wry greetings, then stopped for a moment as she reached the inn door. She smoothed her dress down, took a breath, then walked in.

Her heart jumped as he glanced at her. "Yethi," he said, as sublime as ever. Darrel... he didn't smile. To anyone, as far as she could see. It wasn't fair.

"Hi," she said breathlessly.

"You look a bit pale under there," he said critically, looking at the gap between her cloak and the saggy brim of her hat.

She blushed, and hoped he couldn't see that. "I didn't get much sleep," she blurted.

"You should," he said. "Makes you look peaky."

She shrugged, trying to think of something to say to that.

"Someone in here you'd like," Darrel remarked. He subtly indicated someone over her shoulder. "Looks like one of your types."

My types? She glanced across the room and caught a glimpse of an old man in a tattered robe, marked with some kind of symbols.

"You should talk to him," Darrel said. "No one else has gone near the guy."

"Maybe I will," she said, trying to sound brave and not merely wierd.

"Tell me if he talks about fireballs or something," he said casually wlaking back towards the bar. "Can I get you anything?"

"Just water please," she said, positively collapsing into a chair. So help me, but you are useless, Yethi.

But her eyes were drawn to the old man again.

[The Shadow]

Okay I'll make a new char.

Name: Cato Harmunga
Age: 31
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Druids wrappings, staff and potions.
Description: Small yellow and green beard, greenish hair and different clolored wrappings. He looks very weird and funny.
Personality: Cato is very friendly and always helping everyone. Will hate everyone who cuts down trees or burns forests.
Backstory: Cato has lived almost all of his life in a in woods meditating and learing the power of nature. He knows something about how to manipulate nature and also how to heal with it's power. Now his growing magical power has helped him much.

Name: Pikel
Sex: Male
Species: Human
Description: Like Cato, but looks even more weird and funnier. He has a long beard tucked behind his ears and painted to yellow and greenish colours.
Initial Equipment: Druid's staff and druids wrappings.
Strengths: Pikel knows more about manipulating nature than healing with it. He can make roots grow from your legs or find exploisve berries.
Weaknesses: Both of them are weak at close combat, but can hold their own if need be.
Personality: Pikel is also friendly like Cato, but doesn't trust strangers at all.

Name: Druids lore or nature magic
Description: Manipulating nature and learning all about it.
Equipment: Preferably a staff and ingerients found from the nature.
Effect on Mage: Nature magic makes all druids pretty eccentrik so they usually live by themsleves on the woods.
Method of Learning: Meditating, listening to woods and animals, practicing and getting to know the nature.

Ultimate Abilities:
Wrath of the Nature
All trees and animals nearby will answer the call and strat to fight for the druid. This is very hard nature magic and will require exterme knowledge.

Blessings of the Nature
Effects will wary from druid to druid and from lace to place. It can cause all nearby wounds healed, healing touch for the druid or maybe raising or morale or even Nature shields and barriers.

Combat Aptitudes: Druid can heal or manipulate nature well. Usually everyone is only good in one part (There are exceptions).
-healing
-roots from ground
-trees attacking
-mixtures of berries and roots with all kinds of effects
-knowledge
-creating nature shields

**********

Cato awoked from his sleep, sweating. Immortals call, I must ansrew he thought and got up.

ooc: Cna't think anymore just now.

Edit: ooc: Oh, and my mouse blew up so I have to use this crappy one where a while so I'll be much slower in reading these. This mouse is killing me!

Edit2: Edited the druids lore abit.

[ShatteredFaith]

The old man turned his head slightly to behold a walking hat. He blinked, wondering if his eyesight was finialy going. He roughly poked the lump in his robe. "Hey, you, peek out of my robe, tell me if thats a walking hat" a bad tempered insult flared up from the robe quite loudly. The old wizard coughed and grinned sheepishly at everyone in the tavern "Wine didnt agree with me" he said loudly, rubbing his stomach, hard. After a muted squeal a reptillian snout poked its way out of the bottom of the robe, followed by golden scales and sand colored eyes, which also blinked. "Yep, its a walking hat" the Time Dragon said to the wizard, after moving safley back into his robes. "I thought so" Niran replied. He turned a bit more, noticing the girl underneath the hat. "Hey, you, Purple Hat, why are you wearing that young girl?" he asked, bemused.

[Lestaki]

Darrel chuckled, making Yethi blush furiously. "I might ask what you're doing here..." with a small dragon poking out of the front of your robes- if she said that, she'd be laughed out of the inn. "with your robes and your graces. We don't like mages around here." Cliche, but to the point.

"And that's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black," one of the other boys said smartly.

"Knock it off," Darrel said with authority. "Making cracks at one of us, however eccentric they may be, isn't the way to make friends around here," he said, eyeing the old man. Of course, that wasn't true, but it sounded impressive when he said it. "On the other hand, we don't lynch people either. Let's just take it easy."

Yethi's cheeks burned. However eccentric they may be... She looked directly through the two inch gap between her hat and her cloak, and gave the old man a stare more normally reserved for a lynch mob from the eyes of a burning matyr. Substantial and instinctive hatred was heavily involved.

[The Shadow]

Cato walked with Pikel in the woods. "Where do we go?" He said. "Oioi!" Pikel ansrewed and pointed at a bird. He whistled and the bird came to him, he muttered something to hit and the bird tsirped. "Oioi!" Pikel said and pointed at a direction and laughed a little of his own strange laugh. "I hope your right." Cato said and grinned.

They had walked for a few hours then they came to a roead leading to the city. They we're very amusing and steange ssso everyone stared them very long. "What's this? You've never seen a druid?" Cato asked. Everyone fell silent and shaked their heads. Seems that people is forgetting, Cato thought and continued his journey.

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran blinked, and said something into his robes, which was heard by some of the room "It talks!" this was followed by an annoyed "Its a girl wearing an enormous hat" and several seconds of furious banter, leaving most of the room confused. Finialy the old wizard eyed the girl again "Ah, i see it now, and I mean no disrespect...I thought my eyesight was failing me, it'll happen any day now, im sure of it"

ooc: cant think of nething. ;o

[Captain Elson]

"Can we at least stop here Tonai?"

"Fine Karna, if you have to use the little huntresses room go right ahead, i'll just sit down at one of thes tables."

Tonai looked over and saw an odd sight, what apeared to be a huge had on a small girl talking to an old man talking to his cloak. Tonai didn't know what to think about it but it gave him an idea.

"Okay I'm Ready, do you want to go now?" Asked Karna who sensed something coming from the old man's cloak. "He's not crazy Tonai, he's just talking to an animal in his robes."

"It would be a shame if something were to hit that Thing in the robes...."

"Tonai! I am not going to injur some poor creature in an old man's cloak for you PERVERSE pleaseure of pain in others!" Karna shrieked.

"Thank you for bringing to light the situation Karna."

"You tricked me!" KArna was infumed and pointed her bow at Tonai jumping out of her seat. "I ought to make you a pincushion Tonai!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Now they began to draw attention, and Tonai didn't like it, although he had done it on purpose. His hand glowing red with a flame, Tonai yells at them
"What the deuce are you staring at!?"

[Lestaki]

"Then again," Darrel murmurred. "Ekar, Nethi, get in here! You've disturbed the peace, you two," he said, looking at the newcomers. "I'm afriad I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Yethi knew that his hand was very close to the sword he was suprisingly apt with. He was infinitaely more dashing than his cudgel-wielding father.

"Yethi, go home," he instructed crisply.

"But-"

"Just in case," he said.

She sighed and walked out, eyeing the two wearily. If one of them was a mage, and it looked like it, then this might get really ugly. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. She also wished she was some use in a fight.

You are. You just have to let it out.

I am not a mage! I hate mages!

[Andkat]

Ardus groaned, slumping to the ground. In addition to the pain of his dreams, there was the pain within his digestive tract. He hadn't eaten in two days, and with the adrenaline of the chase and the oblivion of slumber receding, he realised that he needed something to eat. Anything really, with the possible exception of that thing in the cave. He still shuddered at the thought of that reprehensible creature. That reprehensible reflection.

So deep where his thoughts of hunger and of shock that he almost failed to register the whistling. But, to the ultimate lament of the tarnished shards of his innocence, he did not.

His head perked up immediately at the alien sound. Few had been jubilant or relaxed enough around him for such wasteful tunes. But there it was. A man, striding down the path, the forest path that he had been inadvertently following. He cursed, attempting to duck into the forest, but to no avail.

The man came into site, and stopped his whistling in concern at the sight of the bloody starving youth. He, dressed in a brilliant emerald cotton tunic, grey trousers, and a suprisingly clean woolen shirt, was clearly a man of decent standing. Judging by the nature of his merry gait and concerned gaze, he was more than likely the carefree son of a Threiani merchant-family. But all of that would be irrelevant soon.

"By the gods lad, what's happened here!" he gasped in surprise and concern at the sight of him. "You're a bloody mess, here, let me help you up" he continue, extending his arm to the cowering form of the youth.

The man is a fool, he will be worse than the rest when he learns the truth of my condition. He will denounce me, assault him, possibly even kill me. I will not let that happen. Not again.

Ardus didn't think twice. Leaping past the startled man's arm, he closed his arms; strong and corded with many years of hard labour and exertion, about the stranger's pale neck, bringing him down to the ground with him.

But, contrary to Ardus's initial assumption, the stranger was no weakling. They struggled with eachother, rolling down a hill in eachother's arms, each trying to gain an advantage over the other in a battle of equals.

Indeed, I was correct! Such a man of evident physical health and power would have attempted to slay me on the spot! But now I have an edge on him. He will tire. He will die.

Ardus's thoughts raged inside his mind, as the struggle continued unabated for several more minutes.

Why will not this one die! Why doesn't he understand my pain, my necessity! Why does not he see my suffering? Why cannot he comprehend that this must be so, that this was inevitible! Why won't he-

Ardus's thoughts cut off as the man went limp before him. He felt the fallen stranger's neck. No pulse, but nothing was broken. Nothing was even damaged.

He had killed him, but how?

It was of no matter now. Ardus hastily dragged the corpse behind a thick growth of bushes, now wary of detection after the intensity of murder.

Searching through the mans pockets and pack, he began dragging out what he would need. A flask of water, a couple of cloth napkins, a carving knife, and a dagger. Peeling off the man's clothes like the skin from a bannana, he plunged the dagger into the traveler's flesh. Using the carving knife as a lever, he tore a dripping chunk out.

And began to feed.

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran eyed the two people arguging and sighed "You two, sit down, your disturbing an old mans rest and you've scared the girl with a fondness for hats out of the inn. Dont make me find your mothers and drag you back to them" he waved his staff in their direction, attempting to appear threatening.

[Captain Elson]

"What do you mean mother!!!!!!!" Tonai burst into a rage and shot a fire ball out of his hand at the strangers cloak, I have no mother!"

"Tonai stop it!" Cried Karna. she decided it was no use and pulled a sleep arrow from her quiver and hit Tonai over the head with it, he fell asleep and She dragged him out of the inn.

[Andkat]

OOC:
Captain Elson:
On behalf of several (and anonymous) boardwarriors from within this thread (and because Lestaki is far too "tired" to bother with it currently, as usual :p) I need to ask you to tone down some of the apparently less agreeable aspects of your postings.

1. Please obey the conventions of grammar. There's no need to have several dozen exclamation marks for on sentence.

2. Some occurences in your posts are fairly inane. Namely, your familiar incapacitating your character by hitting him on the head with a sleeping arrow. Not only would an attempt to bludgeon or stab with an arrow cause said arrow to splinter and collapse, such an act would also prevent the "sleeping poison" on said arrow from being instilled within the target's body. Also note that our powers are still fairly weak right now, so I doubt you would be able to ignite three forests or toss fireballs like a professional. Not to mentiont that such an evident act of aggression would result in an equal response from those dedicated to the defense or improvement of the facility or settlement within which it occured.

However, we are overall imploring you to tune down or tune out the inherently awkward or implausible/illogical aspects of your posts and the nature of the conversations present within.

[Dooks Dizzo]

OOC: Andkat, unless I am missing something I have no idea how your character intends to interact with the rest of the group. I know my character would attempt to kill yours out of hand in his current state...if for no other reason than simple survival instinct, your guy is crazy.

As for some of the others...I am hoping that we mature beyond the stage of petulant children soon. Or am I out of line?

Edit: Andkat beat me to the punch.

IC:
Tanarak looked whistfully at the sleeping girl in his bed. Sighing quietly he left a couple of coins next to the bed and silently left his room.

The road from here on out would be long and hard, there were few inns between here and his destination. In a way it made him happy, he could continue to practice forming the metal to his desires with less people around.

Pulling his huge cloak tighter about his shoulders, Tanarak went forth to meet his fate.

[crawford'n'co]

Erethi awoke with a yelp. That voice... Somehow it seemed familiar. At first glance, he didn't notice the light coming from under the wardrobe door. It grew in intesity until he realised that it was something unatural, and he should investigate. He slid out of bed, not daring to make a noise, and slowly crept to the wardrobe. He opened the door to see a being made purely of lightning. It had two arms, only they were thicker than a humans, and had no joints, and a face and head, but no neck or legs. It's simply floated there smiling at Erethi, its body flowing around. "What..... who...... what are you?" He asked. "I am your familiar. I am known as Ethren." Ethren smiled. "You may be confused, but the Immortals can explain. I advise you go to them." Erethi cocked his head. So thats what tthat dream was about. Without any other word, he nodded and began gathering his stuff. A shirt, cloak, pants, his dagger. Ethren simply looked on in amusement. Such trivial items. The dagger especially. Erethi nodded at his new friend, signalling it was time to leave. Unnoticed they snuck out of town into the wilderness.

[Dooks Dizzo]

IC:
Grunt...Thunk!...Grunt...

The sounds of exertion and a heavy metal object striking wood echoed through the forest.

Tanarak had been at it since he woke at dawn. Here, in the solitude of the wilderness he found himself nearly over come with a need to try out his power.

He had formed his solid mass of metal into the shape of an axe the day before. The effort had nearly caused him to pass out. It had taken him hours to get it to form, the entire time concentrating with a supreme effort of will.

This was a test of the mind, not the body. His body was strong enough as it was.

Tanarak Daminanus was almost freakishly large, even among his people who were well known for their size. Not even at his full mans growth he towered over his father and all the other men his age, only nineteen summers.

His strength had grown in proportion to his size.

But this was something else entirely! Tanarak could chop wood for hours on end, hardly raising a sweat. Now, with every swing he willed the head of the axe to become heavier, more dense.

It had taken him many swings to gain the feel of such a manuever and he still didn't have the balance right. However, more than the physical effort of swinging his axe was the strain on his will every time he attempted to force the metal to do his bidding.

It felt like the time when he was fifteen and tried to lift a stuck wagon out of the mud by himself. Only this was in his head, not his arms.

Streaming sweat and ready to drop from effort, Tanarak let his axe fall to the ground. He needed rest and food, and it was growing dark...

[Captain Elson]

OOC: Sorry I will not do it again.

I apologize for any persons I have:


A. Offended
B. Made read my awful grammer.
C. Overwhelmed with stupid stuff that should be scrapped and truned into a paper house.

In otherwords i'm sorry for screwing up, it will not happen again.

[Dooks Dizzo]

OOC: Captain. Apology accepted! I think the goal is to have a fun mature BW here. I would be happy to help you out with your idea's. If you'd like you can PM me with anything you might feel needs a look over beofre you post it.

I am sure others will be happy to help you as well.

[Kaito]

Jael stood with a group of people in the center of a village. She stood next to the townsmen who talked together. Jael didn't talk. And noone talked with her. She played with two stones, letting them rotate around each other in the air, while listening. Just when a familiar looking boy joined the crowd she let her stones fall to the ground aprubtly and stared at him. She didn't knew his name, nor where he came from. But he stood there, all of the people gathering around him as he told another of his tales he told every time he came here. But she couldn't hear him. She intensified her view on him and tried to hear his words. But all there was was the motion of his lips. Beautiful lips. On a beautiful face. Jael stared at him, a tear flowing down from her eye because she can't hear him. The boy she doesn't know. The boy she fell in love with. She started moving, moving towards him. Started running. Though the boy was only some meters away, it seemed like she ran for minutes. She ran as fast as she could, giving her all. When she finally arrived, the boy turned to face her. His eyes stared in hers. Her heart raged. And the boy finally spoke to her, her face flooded in happiness as she heard his voice.
"We hate Mages. We hate you."
Jael's heart froze, her body gave in and fell to the floor, tears flowing endlessly. She could only watch the feet of the villagers and the boy turn and go away. Until they disappeared. And there she lay on the ground, left by everyone, crying.


"Don't cry, Lady."
A voice called out to her from somewhere else. She opened her eyes and saw the ceiling of her room. Felt the warmth of her bed. Felt the tears on her skin.
"I'll be with you."
She didn't recognize the voice, though it felt like she knew it deep within. Still shuddering she turned to see a man sit next to her bed, smiling calmly at her. He was dressed in a formal blue suit, and hat short, blond hair. Just from looking at him she stopped crying finally. After a minute of exchanged looks Jael broke the silence.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" she asked.
"I am here because you called me, my Lady."
"I... called you?"
"Yes. I am your guardian. Call me Gabriel."
"Ga..briel?"
"Yes, I will always come when you call me. I am here only for you."
Jael didn't know what was happening, but she felt utterly content. She knew that man, her so called guardian, Gabriel, but she didn't know why or where from. In fact she never before saw him. Then, as her senses came back to her, she sat up in her bed aprubtly as she began to realise...
"Wait! No! I called you?!"
"Yes you did, my Lady."
"Did my father hire you?!"
"No Lady, I am here only because of your own will, noone but you is responsible, and I will stay with you for as long as you will."
"That means.. I.. Where did you come from?!"
"Eternal darkness. I don't know how long I was there. Then you cried out to me and I followed your cry. And now I'm here to protect you, my Lady."
"Gabriel.. I.. .. the dream.. .. I turned into an immortal!?" she yelled, and let herself fall backwards on her cushion, crying her frustration in it as she realised that everyone was gonna hate her, or even try to kill her. They both left the town the same night. A single message left for her parents and everyone. "Please don't hate me."

[Psymon]

Ok, I am going to join this, as soon as I've slept and thought of a magic school other than Tempus (what I was going to call time) as thats taken. Maybe I'll be a shaman...

[AMARDA]

I'll join this one as well. I just need to write a history up.

[Gialus]

Character

Name: Silsa
Age: 19
Sex: Female
Initial Equipment: Dress and blue silk belt..
Personality: Silsa has a survival instinct that overcomes any and all moral issues.
Backstory: Heh like hell I am going to tell everyone my history out of character. Just wait and read my posts.



Familiar
Name: Viy
Sex: None
Species: Air
Initial Equipment: None.

Strengths: It is air, how can one destroy air. It can control the wind.
Weaknesses: It is more a councilor and conscience than a fighter.
Personality: One word, annoying.

Magic

Name: Vortex
Description: A form of magic involving the transference of items, ideas, thoughts, voices and abilities from one location to another, the use of wind and the essence of air.
Effect on Mage: A side effect of using this ability is that only certain materials and the mage herself is transportable. Silk is once such material.
Method of Learning: Trial and error.

Ultimate Abilities: Possibly the transportation of an entire galaxy??

Combat Aptitudes: A user of Vortex concentrates more on the speed and agility of an individual fighter, often becoming a very martially focused fighter.


Silsa got out of bed late, she often did after a night like last night. Yet in some patient hope she let a velvet skinned arm slide to the opposite side of the bed. her hands met cold hard metal and her heart sank. The dissapointment only lasted a few seconds as she counted out the amount of coin her patron had left. A fair price.

Slowly she rose and dressed, sliding the coin into a silken purse and sliding it into her belt. As she did she vaguelly remembered the dream she had during the night, she had been exhausted and couldn't remember much. So pushing it out of the way and refreshing herself she left the inn and started on the road once again. . .

[Psymon]

Ok, since sleeping has failed I will try and write a profile.

Name: Baore Cynndl
Age: 18
Sex: male
Appearence: Brown hair, grey-green eyes, very tall, easily 6'6".
Initial Equipment: A cloak and a shod staff (very long staff, about 6 feet, of heavy wood with blunt iron casings over the ends)
Personality: Withdrawn, world-weary, intellectual, often cynical or sarcastic, keeps a firm lock on his emotions for the most part.
Backstory: Baore was never especially popular with other children and often got teased for his interests in studying rather than fighting. While easily big enough to beat them in a fight, he did not want to fight, he had almost killed someone once when he let them get to him, so he kept his emotions, particularly anger, locked up. Of course this didn't help with the bullying, he just learned to ignore it. He spent a lot of time alone in the woods looking animals and plants, nature is still his main interest. It was in these woods that he first met his familiar.

Familiar

Name: Emmy
Species: Shapeshifting nature spirit. She favours 2 shapes, a black cat with striking green eyes (hence the name Emmy, short for Emerald) and her 'Combat form'. This is very different from the cat. She is about shoulder high to Baore, bipedal, blue-furred (with darker stripes and shapes almost like tattoos, mostly along her limbs and back) and long blue hair on her head, wide thorn-shaped spikes run down her back, (purely decorative, not very sharp) each about the size of a fist. Her face somewhat resembles a beagle's, but with a shorter muzzle and a pink nose. From below her eyes to her chin her face is white. While in combat form she can speak, when a cat she speaks to Baore telepathically.
Equipment: Whatever shape she is currently in. When in her combat form she uses a sirrusa. This is fairly long chain with a ring on the end. Attached to the ring are five blades about 6 inches long. These are fairly thick and heavy to give the weapon some heft. She also wears a red skirt and white sleeveless top, these look fairly ripped and bedraggled and she usually has a few leaves/twigs/etc sticking out of her hair and clothes.
Personality: Normally warm and caring, though get her mad and you will regret it.
Backstory: Was initially captured by Baore, he was wondering what this strange animal was. When the trap was sprung there was a flash of multicoloured light and he was astounded to find a black cat staring up at him. He took her back to his camp and that night she spoke to him, in his head. Once she convinced him he hadn't gone mad, she explained what she was and he found that she was an outcast too, the other spirits didn't really approve of her methods of dealing with humans. The two formed a lasting friendship and have stuck together ever since, Emmy riding in the hood of Baore's cloak when they are around people.

School: Nature Shaman
Abilities: Mostly involves changing how nature works, making plants grow incredibly fast so that they ensnare people, some influence over weather and the ability to talk to animals and get them to help. More powerful abilities are almost entirely based on 'spirit-walking' and asking spirits to do things.
Affect on Mage: His power is strongly linked with the amount of life in his vicinity. As such he hates to leave forests and other lush areas, and a desert or volcanic wasteland would be something akin to hell. He feels, and in terms of magic is, a lot weaker when away from forests or other concentrations of life, particularly plants.
Learning: Mostly learnt from Emmy, she showed him how to call other nature spirits and beseech them to help. However, if he ever went too far, asked too much, particularly if what he asked was for his own gain, not necessity or the good of others, then the spirits will do it, but then they will never answer his call again.
Ultimate Power: Eventually will be able to merge his body with Emmy's, combining their energy into an extremely powerful being. However this cannot be done unless he knows Emmy's real name, and she's not letting on.
Combat: Very good with his shod staff, which is easily capable of shattering bones or squashing skulls. He can grab one end and sweep it round to clear a space in a crowded fight, and even trip a charging horse with it (though its just as likely the horse will then fall onto him) or knock out, or kill, most large animals with a blow to the head. However he is not very agile and a bit clumsy when trying to make smaller, more delicate movements. He is a fairly formidable fighter, but his reluctance to hurt anything means that his heart isn't in it. He will never use lethal force, unless absolutely necessary.

IC: Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.

Baore woke up under a tree with a start, into a world of blinding pain.
"Ooooooh, Gods above! I have got to lay off the mead!" Emmy awoke from where she had been sleeping, curled up in Baore's cloak. "You say that every time you wake up with a hang over, but do you ever stick to it? No."
"I think some of that cheese was bad too, I just had the weirdest dream, something about the Immortals and going somewhere starting with Th-"
"Threiani" Emmy supplied.
"How could you know?"
"I had the same dream Baore. If you hadn't mentioned it I would have thought I'd caught a sick mouse or something, but since it happened to both of us... I think we should go to Threiani."
"Em, thats miles away, it'll take us days. And anyway the Immortals are just an old myth aren't they?"
"You'd be surprised how many of those old stories are rooted in fact, trust me the Immortals are anything but fictitious."
"How do you know?" said Baore. He didn't really want to leave this place, it was dry, the people were fairly friendly, and the innkeeper made excellent mead. He was thinking of stopping his wandering and getting a job, his purse had been getting a bit light lately.
"If you must know, I was summoned by one, several times, before the others kicked me out for getting too chummy with the 'lesser races'." she retorted.
"What?! Ok, I'm thirsty, hung over, and hungry. I'm going to go freshen up, buy some food and then we can talk this on the way to Threi-thingummy"
"You're going along with this? Just like that?" she asked incredulously.
"And risk getting into another argument with you? I know how those work Em, you always win. Its easier to just go along with it from the start and avoid claw marks later on."

[Thousand_Guns]

I really like where this boardwar is going, but I'm going to have a very busy schedule as school starts :(

Anyways, I thought I'd make a character and see where time takes me...

Mage:
Name: Barus Manosi
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Fashionable silken clothes and enormous cap with a feather in it. Ornately adorned long sword.

Personality: Barus has, in a way, the personality of a brick. He is never subtle, always saying what he means and meaning what he says. He can be bossy and overbearing, tactlessly criticizing everything he believes is wrong or inadequate, not caring about whose feelings he hurts. In fact, some people who have had the displeasure of interacting with Barus don't believe he even acknowledges that others have feelings.

Backstory: Barus comes from the illustrious Manosi family, a noble family famed for its ancestors who have been wise advisors and mighty generals to ruler who, in return, lavishly rewarded the family, awarding it an enormous manor on a beautiful estate. It should come as no surprise, then, that Barus would be a complete disappointment to the Manosi family, as his latent powers trigger his withdrawal from society. Barus has become somewhat elusive in the Manosi manor, hiding away in his room all the time, which worked perfectly for the eminent Manosi family, who would rather hide him away. Barus doesn't seem to want to leave his room (luxurious as it is), until one day, he has a disturbing dream...


Familiar:
Name: Ikon

Sex: Male

Species: Gargoyle (Appears as a two-foot-tall statue of an old, wizened man in robes, wearing thick spectacles)

Equipment: Stone tablet about eight inches by eleven and two inches thick, on which Ikon chisels words with a stylus. With one swipe from his hand, Ikon can clear the tablet and write again.

Strengths: Very perceptive and especially good at interacting with people. Also easily commanded.

Weaknesses: Surprisingly brittle for a man-thing made of stone. Cowardly. Cannot talk.

Personality: Ikon is a self-proclaimed scholar and scribe, but also a very social creature. For a statue, Ikon is a great joker and storyteller and a generous friend. Surprisingly, Ikon is also perhaps the only sentient being that communicates well with Barus, being part statue himself. Ikon's greatest value to Barus is the fact that he bridges the gap between the animate and the inanimate, acting sometimes, as a translator for Barus (which, in effect, means he comforts people after Barus makes them cry or soothes them after Barus makes them angry).

(OOC: A potential problem, which I'll put to you to judge, Lestaki :up: , is that Barus and Ikon essentially turn their mage-familiar relationship upside down. Ikon is supposed to have a lot of worldly knowledge while Barus is closer to the supernatural. Is this okay?)


Magic:
Name: Command Magic

Description: Command magic is the ability to literally give commands to objects in nature (like a rock, or a pool of water) that somehow force the object to obey. With his current ability, Barus can only give simple commands in the form of a single or phrase to objects. The object will not "think" to complete the objective.

For example, if Barus told a rock to "explode," it would blow up, probably hurting whoever who was standing next to it. Barus cannot, however, tell the rock to "kill him," because the rock would have to figure out *how* to kill the guy, which it cannot do.

The other condition (right now) is Barus cannot magically change the essence (think "molecular structure") of objects yet. He can, however, tell most objects to "compact" or to "disintegrate."

Equipment: A working mouth and throat is definitely needed. :D

Effect on Mage: As Barus commands mundane objects more and more, his personality gradually becomes more and more disconnected from living things (humans and animals). He forgets how to interact with other people, expecting them to act like the objects that unerringly obey his will.

Method of Learning: As Barus disconnects more and more with human beings, he connects more and more with inanimate objects, being able to command them with more precision and potency.

Ultimate Abilities: The most powerful form of Command magic allows Barus to change the essence of things he commands, like turning lead into gold. He would also be able to take matter in or out of the universe (possibly by commanding objects to "grow" or "replicate")

Combat Aptitude: It all depends on Barus's imagination (which... really, isn't that great). In certain environments, Barus has a lot of ammunition for treacherously creative ways to kill, but in others, like an open plain or desert, Barus will not have many ways to kill people.

IC:

Barus wandered around the Manosis' manor, something he had not done for many years. He didn't remember the manor being so cold, and so quiet, and he went through corridor after corridor, never meeting anyone, not even a servant or maid.

Barus then made his way into the family's dining hall, a place he hasn't eaten at in years, to find... statues? Barus fond his whole family frozen at the dinner table, all sitting up straight in the same say, faces blank and hands at their sides.

"Mother? Father? Sister?"

None of the statues acknowledged Barus. He rapped the statue of his sister with his knuckles, "SISTER! Can you hear me?"

Still no reaction.

Barus left the dining hall, heading towards the servants' quarters, looking for someone to interact with. He wondered whether the servants had been turned, somehow, into statues when he opened the door to their room...

There were small wall sections standing next to each servant's cot, perhaps the length and width of a human being pounded into squares. Somehow, Barus, knew each of them was the actual servant, just... not shaped like a human. Barus turned around to exit the servants' quarters...

and then he woke up.

(more to come later. It is the dead of night right now :))

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC:

Name: Tsu Shi
Age: 16
Sex: Female
Initial Equipment: Shurikens (yay!), very dark purple cloth body robe, scrolls.
Personality: Quiet, hard-working, shy, surprising.
Backstory: Shi, a farmer girl from the eastern hills, was handed over to the school of magic after only a few years of working age. Her father couldn't deny the great offer the teachers had made, it would set him and his family for years to come. Shi just went, she knew it was her job to make her family more money. The school she had heard whispers of, and on a dark night seen glowing in the mountains, what awful things happened there she did not attempt to imagine. But it was a peaceful place of reflection, and devotion to the reading of magic scrolls. She had been picked because the rumour of her reading ability had spread from village to village to the school. Every student at the school could read before they could speak, it was magic in their tongues.

Now she is one of their most learned subjects, dutiful in her reading and listening to her masters. She has specialised in the art of manipulation, training her body to be like materials, fit into places and know their every strength and weakness. The day she became an immortal her powers took on a whole new level. Now her masters have sent her on a pilgrimage, away from the school, for her safety and their, she is to find others like, safety in numbers, to the largest city she an find; Threiani.

She is a polyglot, when amongst users of new languages and the availability of new text she will study them and gain understanding of new langauges.

Name: Swift
Sex: Female
Species: A Falcon
Initial Equipment: None
Strengths: Flight, speed, hawk...eye vision.
Weaknesses: Small, weak.
Personality: Swift represents Shi's hasty side, her bashful side, her less than subtle side, her loud side, everything she isn't yet wants to be. She barely understands this yet, but she will do, and she will learn that a reflectful person like her can change these things more easily than others.

Name: Material manipulation, (funny that sounds familiar!)
Description: Taking on the properties of a touched material for the duration of contact.
Equipment: Usually some pieces of amtierial, as a focus.
Effect on Mage: Turns their skin into metal, cloth, leather, wood, whatever they can find.
Method of Learning: Reading sacred scrolls, and studying objects, the final blend of written arts, material properties and the immortals own skill produce the result.
Ultimate Abilities: To be able to forgo any bodily organ and replace their entire body with touched material, also to be able to modify the amterial in cotnact, making it molten, colder, splinter, grow. Also gives a much greater grasp of their original bodies, regeneration, growth, youth. And who knows what would happen if she were to touch another person or a magical object.
Combat Aptitudes: Great potential in melee, but the material can often be her weakness, metal slows her, wood burns and splinters with movement, as does cloth. Also great potential as a spy or messenger. Her reading enables the learning of other art forms, but not necessarily the gaining of powers, just understanding.

IC: Shi had approached a town by darkness, her body was light, her clothing had melded to her skin as usual becoming the same, it was not weird she had lived with it for a while now, and she had been preppared by her learning. Swift soared above her crowing and screaming, a diversion or a giveaway she wasn't sure, but Swift was often best to ignore.

Shi had woken up from toublesome dreams some weeks ago, blood daubed across her room in strange languages, runes, too, They were fading fom view as she inspected them, her feeble body barely able to stand. That was when she happened across a strange egg on her sill, it was carved beautifully, an cracked slightly, it cracked more to hatch, revealing a small majestic falcon, strong, viviful, unlike her. It became her focus in the coming days, as the teachers prepared her for her journey. She would become stronger each day like it did. until it soared abover her and she kept pace.

The town had provided a challenge for her, entry was easy enough, but upon seeing its inhabitants she was surprised, they were all so different, so many from so many wlaks of life, so many languages accents, dialects, she had learned the common tongue in her first few days, just by lying on the rooftops over the market place.

By evening darkness she would set off again, not far to the city now.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Looks fine, Thousand Guns.

IC: I hate my life. I really do.

You do not hate your life. You hate the people around you...

Oh, gods no... Yethi knew where this was leading. She'd have some kind of freaky conversation with herself, and she'd end up with a horrible sense of frustration and an intent to destroy the village. She could not face that stuff right now, and she felt tired anyway. She went to have a lie down.
***
It was dark, and the rain beat down. Yethi gripped her hat tightly. Oh, no. This is a dream, right? Damnit! I didn't fall asleep!

Voices whispered in her ear, the contempts that had piled up over the years. She remembered all of them. One by one they were repeated, the memories vivid, each recollection cutting her like a knife. As before, she tried to reach for the good memories- everyone had some. But just like before, they wouldn't come, and the darkness swept in. It was a pain and anger that built inside her, sweeping up through her until she couldn't contain it any longer.

In a sudden, violent gesture, she raised one hand and threw it towards her house. This time, a bolt of lightning arced from it, lashing into the building and smashing the front section away. She felt a sudden flare of satisfaction as she struck with a second, a third, bringing the roof down and starting the screaming. The small part of her that wasn't fully in the grip of the fury knew this was only the beginning. Faster now, she rained down a flurry of blasts, starting fires, demolishing houses, cutting down any who tried to escape. Blood mixed with the running tide of rainwater. She savoured every sensation of the havok she was wreaking, the screams, the fear, and the death.

It will end soon. It has to end soon.

But it didn't. The anger was still there, and it had only just begun-

Soneone dropkicked her in the back of the head. She fell hopelessly forwards, hitting the muddy ground and rolling to bring her powers to bear.

She looked into dark eyes-
***
and woke. To find the very same dark eyes looking at her face, perhaps a foot away. The rest of this person's face was hidden by a blue-metal mask, and they wore spiked blue armour and carried a huge lance slung casually round their back. Yethi took this in an instant, then began to scream.

A gantleted hand clamped over her mouth. "Forgive me, my lady, but we must leave quickly."

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"My name is Irenolae. You created me. I am your familiar."

"What?"

"Forgive me, my lady," Irenolae repeated. "But we must leave quickly. I am sorry I had to wake you, but your dream has already manifested on the real world to a degree, and that would have intensified."

"What?"

"A house was struck by lightning and collapsed," Irenolae said. "Several people were killed."

"WHAT?"

"We must go," Irenolae said, grabbing one of her hands and pulling her up. "Now. You will quickly be suspected, we must leave before then."

Yethi just gaped as she was dragged towards the wall of her bedroom.

"Use magic," Irenolae said.

"I am not a mage!"

"You are an Immortal, the most powerful kind of mage there can be," Irenolae said. "Denial of that fact is pointless. You know this is so."

"I don't want to-"

"So?"

Yethi experimentally raised a hand, pointing it at the wall. She felt stupid. How did it go again? Just... try. She tried. A small fireball leapt from her outstretched hands and blew the wall to smithereens.

That's it. It's over. I'm a mage.

Irenolae had already dragged her through the new exit. "Run!"

Yethi caught a fragment of sanity in a rapidly changing world. "We head for Threiani."

[AMARDA]

Name: Rezzer Mythos
Age: 18
Sex: Male
Initial Equipment: Katana, Cloak, Knife

Personality: Rezzer’s personality is like the seasons. Except that they change in an instant, sometimes docile, sometimes psycho, his pattern of behavior is unfixed. But all this is hidden behind an aura of calmness, and is the one thing that allows him to stay his blade. In truth, what one might see on the surface, is very different to what lies beneath.
Backstory:

He came toward us, dressed in ragged clothing, blade in hand, and covered in blood. He collapsed and we ran forward to help him up. He was bleeding from a long slash running from his right shoulder to his hand. We took him in and laid him down upon a bunk. Most of the blood wasn’t his, or so we concluded.

The next day he awoke. He looked dazed and confused, asking us where he was, who he was, who we were. It was really sad to see such a young child asking us about his own name. Shortly before midday, my scouts reported finding where this boy had come from. On a little used road they had discovered a grisly scene. A group of civilians had been attacked by raiders; no one had survived. But something was strange. They had told me that all the raiders had been killed, and no others had participated in the attack. What else was strange was the fact that only one person had a weapon; every one bar that kid. But enough of that, he seem to have settled for now, hopefully he will be right in the morning.

Commander Syene’s journal, Southern county garrison, dated some 16 years previously, assumed to have been written shortly before the entire garrisons mysterious death.

After leaving the garrison Rezzer moved north, until he was captured by some slave traders.

We caught this kid right, he looks like fine stock. He had a blade, but didn’t seem to know how to use it. We chucked him in with the others, only after giving him some decent food; we don’t want him getting sick now? We’ll be entering the area of Saierious soon. Hopefully the stock will earn us a good price.

Slave trader Gadderio, written shortly before his capture by law enforcement.

Rezzer was then sent to an orphanage, after taking back his Katana. He was eventually taken in by a family of farmers. With them he was happy, and no mysterious events happened. Now at eighteen, Ezeria has become too powerful to suppress.



Name: Ezeria
Sex: Male
Species: Drake
Initial Equipment: Claws, Teeth, Tail.
Strengths: Strong, fast
Weaknesses: His power fluctuates depending on his masters feelings.
Personality: Ezeria is the only outlet for Rezzer’s emotions, and represents what he fears. Losing control. Ezeria came into existence about 16 years ago, when his master was being attacked and once more only a few days after when his master was once again attacked by the garrison. Shortly after that he was suppressed.



Name: Empathy
Description: The reading of others emotions, and to greater extent, controlling them
Equipment: None needed really.
Effect on Mage: Feelings of rage, sudden concentration and so forth allow Rezzer to know when the enemy is going to attack, or if the person is lying. The possibilities are far greater when it comes to changing others emotions however.
Method of Learning: Being around people.
Ultimate Abilities: Total control of others emotions.
Combat Aptitudes: The user can sense when the enemies will attack, whether it be fury or sudden calm. There is no surprise for empaths.



IC: Rezzer awoke, covered in a cold sweat. That dream had shaken him, but that was nothing. He remembered, he remembered the garrison, the creature that killed them. Then he saw 'it'. 'It' turned towards him, its wings extending. "What are you!? Why are you here!? Why did you kill all those people!?" He yeeled. The creature made no reply. It was strange, he could feel no emotions eminating from the creature. But that did not matter, he would kill it. "Such a harsh thing to do to a part of your self." said the creature talking for the first time. "What?" Rezzer replied. "I'm a part of you, a manifisetation of your inner fears if you will. Of course, I am yours too command." said the being. "Well if thats true, I order you to leave!" Rezzer said. "Nope, I can't do that. Your scared, and as long as you are scared I will be here. At least thats how I think it works." said the thing. "Well then if I'm stuck with you, do you have a name?" asked Rezzer. "Yeah, its Ezeria."

[Gorb]

I am now *NOT TIRED*.
. . . . . Honest. *yawn*.

Anyway, developing on character:

Backstory: Loner, orphan. Hung around Threiani since his parents were killed in a boating accident. Decided to devote his life to finding his parents' spirits, but this has turned into a more *devout* interest in contacting other planes.

Familiar:
Name: Arcanos
Sex: -
Species: Appears to be a pale skinned elf with black eyes.
Initial Equipment: Power band, charms, amulets and focusing rod.
Strengths: Excels at gathering knowledge and protecting it's master. Has a large range of protective wards and spells that can help Taelos.
Weaknesses: Not good at defending large groups of people or attacking things.
Personality: Always unhappy with the world at large, but is loyal to Taelos and any other person(s) Taelos deems as good enough to join him.

Still thinking on the mage school. Has necro been taken yet?

EDIT: Okay then. Summoning!

Name: Summoning
Description: Calling of creature(s) from other planes of existance and perhaps other dimensions, to gain powers of said creature. Usually against the summoned creature's will.
Equipment: Quartstaff, familar helps with powerful entities.
Effect on Mage: Creates a hunger for power and knowledge as the mage summons more and more powerful creatures to gain some of their abilities.
Method of Learning: Researching names and descriptions of entities and learning about planes beyond the one the mage exists on. Basically, reading.
Ultimate Abilities: One with the Planes: At a high level the summoner can, when visiting other planes, can adjust to the different enviroments and/or ecosystems, and his acquired powers are more powerful than the creatures he took them off.
Meldanos Mere: Melds with a summoned creature for as long as he wants. The longer the creature stays in him, the more control he gets over it as the summoned creature's mind is subsumed into the mages. Can meld with more than one creature over time.
Combat Aptitudes: Thanks to familiar, very good at defending himself. Quite good at fighting as he trains to cow the summoned creatures into submission.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Necromancy has indeed been taken.

IC: "Who are you? Really?" Yethi asked.

"I told you," Irenolae said. "I am your familiar, created by you. I was made in the form of a human female and of the dragoon combat school."

"What's a dragoon?"

"A small, magically assisted templar order of the Gerinan state. They are horseless knights, so called. You gave me their equipment and an instinctive knowledge of their combat style."

"I didn't even know they existed," Yethi said, still trying to get a hold on all this.

"No doubt they have qualities you are interested in, whether you know it or not," Irenolae said.

Yethi glanced at her. This all made precisely no sense. But for some reason, she trusted this woman, for all the mysterious appearence, spiked armour and large lance.

"I'm impressed by the hat," Irenolae said, glancing at it.

"You are?"

"I like it. It suits you."

"That settles it. No one not connected to me could like the hat," Yethi murmurred. But she looked glad.

[Gorb]

OOC: Damn. It. To. Hell.

Okay, summoning (of beings not native to this plane) is mine. Mine. Any questions?

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC: Call it Roden.

IC: Shi took off towards her destined city, her teachers had deciphered it from prophecies and words that had appeared all across the school that night she became.

She could already hear it for a long distance, clearly picking up on voices on the wind.

She knew it would be where she would meet her new family, and where her skills would begin thier own journey to an unprecedented height.

And so by night she made for the city.

OOC: I am a tad hasty, as Mario would say; "Let'sa gooo!"

[Captain Elson]

After the inn incident, Karna kept close on what Tonai was planning, making sure he didn't cause any trouble. As usual Tonai used his stick ot vent out the anger boiling inside of him so he did not flip out on his friend who just wouldn't leave him a lone.

"Tonai you know you need to be more careful."

"What do you mean Karna?" Tonai was confused to this statement.

"You need to keep a low profile until we reach Threiani or else you probably will get inot a fight you cannot win."

"And why would that be Karna?"

"Don't you get it? People don't like mages around here."

"In other words, they would either attack me or spit at me right?"

"That would be the idea, jsut keep the magic to a minimum before we reach Threiani, please?"

"Why is it that I cannot fight you, why can I not be angered by you, why do you have such control over me, no one has ever had so much influence on me."

Tonai and Karna walked quietly down the road and finally Tonai broke the silence,"Fine." Tonai relaly had menat it, it was the same reason he'd left his home. He fears his own mortality.

OOC:
Current distance 4.5 miles from Threiani

[Kaito]

Jael opened her eyes. After she and her Familiar left the village, she had bad dreams every night. And they were getting worse. Once, even her parents detested her, and she killed them in her dream. But this night was different; there was no bad dream. Just a.. weird one. Gabriel sat next to Jael and watched her rise.
"It seems that you did not dream bad this night, my Lady."
"Yes, really. But on the other hand, the dream didn't make much sense either. Something about Immortals and Threiani."
"Sit here, I'll comb your hair. So, what did it say?"
Jael sat down in front of Gabriel.
"Well, something along the lines that all Immortals resident there, and learn their powers."
"If that is so, why don't we go there? It's only 3 days away from here, and we have no other destination anyways. If you just imagined it we could at least stock up at the market and get rest at a tavern."
"I guess so. It's settled then, huh?"
"Alright my Lady, let's pack and leave then."

[Andkat]

OOC: I demand a cookie for being perhaps the only player to follow the initial directions to the letter! :D

IC:

Another Dream. Another Nightmare. Another Step Closer to Oblivion.

He was walking. Walking on a dark plain, the chilling evening breeze gusting about him in the cool night air. He trod across the sodden ground without pause or sound. He knew what was to come.

It was raining. It was raining blood. Blood in torrents, enveloping everything. His face, his arms, his body, everything covered in blood.

Soon, the wind began whispering Blood, Blood, Blood, Blood...

The intensity of the downpour. Everything was obscured by the maroon fluids of life. The world was being drowned in blood.

Blood, blood, blood! the wind whispered again, chilling his very soul. You have spilt it, and you will spill it. It is your eternal companion on your path to damnation .

"No"! Ardus screamed, falling to his knees. "No, I will not do it again! It is too much!"

The wind continued it's dark chant. The world has tormented us, the world rejects us. What is their blood in the bend, when all things come to their end?

"No, no, no" Ardus whispered weakly. "It is not my place. It is not my fault!"

Not your fault? the voice whispered mockingly, now distinct from the pattering of the morbid rain and the howling of the wind. You chose your blasted path. You chose your doom. Now you will live it out in blood. There is no more. There is nothing .

"No, damn you, no! It was you! It was you!" he mumbled, his voice lost to the wind.

Me? it cackled in mock shock. Why of course it was, fool! Do you not realise that that we are one? It was my fault, it was your fault, there is no difference in the end! Now realise the truth! All that has happened has been wrought by your hand! It is you who is the murderer, you who is the traitor. You will embrace your dark destiny and your blackened path, whether you wish to or not!

And with that, the dream shattered.

[Lestaki]

"I can't believe this," Yethi said. "I ran away from home with you, some woman with spiked armour-"

"Your familiar," Irenolae said for the thousanth time. "Things will make more sense later. In the meantime, please turn your attention to mastering your abilities."

"How do I do that?" Yethi asked.

"Practise helps somewhat," the dragoon said. "More importantly, killing strengthens your ties to the destructive spheres. Your magic is that of death, and it's infliction, on many targets. You can use it for good, but it will always have an intimate association with destruction."

"I can't just kill people," Yethi said.

"If the God's minions hunt for us, you may have to. They have many followers, and many of those followers are mages, while others are dangerous soldiers, witch hunters and other individuals. We will have to be careful."

"I hope it won't come to that," Yethi said, still feeling lost. "I'm hungry."

Irenolae stopped and drew her lance, hefting it on both hands. "One moment." She ran forwards, braced the point against the ground then pushed off, magic flaring from her armour as it assisted her leap.

Yethi just gaped as she landed and impaled a rather inoffensive cow that had been chewing grass a few meters away. "What are you doing?"

"Providing you with sustenance," Irenolae said. "I am fuelled by magic, but I know you need to eat, for now anyway."

"We're in so much trouble," the girl murmurred. "Go and get firewood."

"Why?" The familiar asked, plainly puzzled.

"To cook the meat, of course," she said impatiently. "So that it's actually edible?"

"I will gather wood," Irenolae said eventually, sticking to what she knew. She drew a short broadsword and strode towards the fence enclosing the other cows.

Yethi guessed her intentions too late, sighing hugely to the sound of splintering wood. This life is going to take some getting used to.

[Andkat]

Ardus ran. Ran faster than he ever had in his life.

It was here again. He had discovered it once again crawling by him when he roused. But this time, he had not the heart or the clarity of throught to slay it.

This time, he just fled in horror. Horror at the embodiment of his nightmares. The embodiment of his life.

But it pursued him. Still it pursued him. It was always coming, no matter how many traps he laid or how many twists he took. That appalling thing always knew where he was.

And it was coming after him.

Ardus grunted in pain as he twisted his foot on the extruding root of a great hardwood tree, and tumbled head over heels down a small rise into a hedgegrow.

Despite the fact that he had been running for almosy an hour he paused not, and ignoring the searing pain in his ankle, pressed onward.

Past the hedgegrows, He stumbled down into a rolling pasture, wherein an odd armoured women appeared to be taking out her aggression upon a couple of perfectly innocent fences whilst talking to an oversized hat.

Pausing and gazing away in bemusement, Ardus completely failed to detect the rat-thing behind him until it collided with his legs and sent him careening down the knoll.

[Psymon]

Baore walked along the road with Emmy the cat in his hood. It had been raining hard for the past day and he was soaked through, Emmy wasn't, she had cast a spell to keep herself warm and dry. (OOC: Emmy takes on characteristics of the animal she is currently in the shape of. eg. When a cat she dislikes water, spends a lot of time grooming herself and thinks fish is the best food). The rain had also turned the road to mud, making the going harder and slower.

"We've got to go faster, at this rate we won't get to Threiani in time" Emmy said.
"Emmy, it'll take days in this weather, if not longer. And get there in time for what?"
"The meeting with the others" she said. Baore looked at her questioningly "What others?" he asked.
"You'll see," Emmy replied, this was turning out just as she had watched it happen last time. "Anyway, there is a way to speed up this journey, think about the spirits"
"You mean I could get one to give us a lift? Could you?"
"Not really my area of expertise dear, most of my powers were stripped away when I was thrown out, though another spirit certainly, if you can find the right one. Look for a wind or air spirit, there's bound to be one in this storm, or a nature spirit like me, except they'd have to like birds more than I do. Also, you'll still have a fair amount of walking to do, a few miles at least. If I know anything about those old farts its that they wouldn't leave their wild places for a mountain of silver. They wouldn't go near cities if the Gods themselves commanded it."

Baore walked to the edge of the road and braced himself against a tree, the last thing he wanted was for his body to collapse while he spirit-walked, the positions it got into were often very painful when he got back. He didn't really need to spirit-walk, in a pinch he could summon spirits while still in his body, but this made it much easier. He took a silver coin out of his pocket and held it before him, took a deep breath and stepped out of his body. The colours receded, the world appeared to be a wash of greenish grey and the trees and natural formations looked ghostly and intangible. He looked behind him and saw himself standing there, covered in a thin crusting of frost from the rainwater that had frozen on his skin as he left. No matter how many times he saw it looking at his own body slumped against a tree never failed to unsettle him. He looked down at the silver coin in his spectral hand, it was one of only a few substances that existed in the spirit realm as well as his own, and was the only thing that the spirits really valued. Drawing in a breath of the bitingly cold air he called out.
"I beseech the spirits, for I have need." he said, almost choking because of the air temperature. A spirit appeared before him, a storm elemental. It was vaguely humanoid, but completely black, it had no facial features except its glowing yellow eyes, which were the focus of the lines of crackling yellow power that ran all across its form. It spoke in a voice like thunder that seemed to come from all sides at once "Why do you seek us, and what do you bring as payment?"
"I seek a wind or air spirit to take me as close to Threiani as possible" the spirit shuddered at the mention of the city and lightning crackled along its limbs "I bring silver as payment" Baore said, holding up the coin. The spirit seemed to consider this for a while, then said,
"Very well, return to your realm and wait there. I will find one who will carry you." There was a flash and the spirit was gone. Baore closed his eyes and concentrated, he reopened them in his own body. As always he felt slightly disorientated and his limbs were like lead, after spending any amount of time as a spirit being enclosed in a body always felt strange. He shook of the rime of frost that had developed on his skin and then sat down against the tree to wait.
"So, have we got a ride?" asked Emmy.
"Yes, they should be here soon" said Baore and fell asleep.

[avantgarde]

OOC: my original character post seems to have disappeared...

Nuts to it my character post was to damn long and I don't remember most of it so I'll drop out.

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC: Yeah what does your character do, the metal thing seemed alot like mine.

[Andkat]

OOC: It also appears a bit overpowered for a mere fledgling Immortal. We aren't Demi-god-ish uber beings yet, and having your familiar easily stop a spear that normally have impaled you and then being completely unphased and unharmed by it seems like a bit much to me.

[crawford'n'co]

Erethi jumped at the sound of his familiar's voice. Neither had talked for the past day. All they had done was run. Ran from the peasants folowing them. They knew there intents, and their only choice was to run. "Stop! We cannot go on like this. Even I am losing strength. We must face them. They are gaining ground and will soon catch us." Erethi could hear the voices in the backround: "Kill the mage. Kill the mage. Kill the mage!" He knew his familiar was right. He could hardly stand at the moment. "Alright. In these last moments, what can you tell me about my powers." It was the most obvious of questions. "All I know is that I am a channel for your powers, and you can draw from me to amplify them. I advise against this at the moment, though. Thank whatever god you worship for this weather." As he finished rain began to fall. "You need to concentrate on what you want to happen. Your hands are the medium of deliverence. When a level of concentration is reached, the spell will manifest itself. Now prepare yourself, for they arive." The 15 or so peasants ran into the clearing, stopping at the sight of the mage. It was the deciding move of the battle, for they were tightly packed. Ethren launched a ball of lightning at them. It hit one and exploded, killing him and catching a few others on fire. Erethi looked up, his eyes and hands glowing. A small bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and into his hands, before shooting out again and slamming into a peasant. He looked down to see a hole in his abdomen. Ethren channeled a chain lightning into the peasants, killing the remaining. "More will come. We must move now while we have the advantage!"

[ShatteredFaith]

The old wizard gazed sadly at the burning home, and the people tending to the burn victims and the injured. His steps carried him along the route taken by Yethi, following the tracks left by the pair with his aged eyes. Now that they were out of the town his companion was perched comftorably on his shoulder.

"She killed people, you know" came the quiet remark.

Niran shook his head "She did not mean to, and I must catch up to her to prevent this from happening again"

The golden dragon eyed his friend curiously "Why the sudden interest? She's just some young girl with a purple hat"

"She's an immortal, I felt the familiar take form"

There was a thud as Sessner fell off of the old wizards shoulder, who kept walking, chuckling quietly to himself, as the small dragon hurried to catch up.

-------------------
"Fiftyseven. Fiftyeight. Fiftynine. Sixty."

The wizard stopped and half turned to face the annoying creature on his shoulder "What are you doing?"

"Im counting cows"

"I should have left you wherever it was that you came from"

"Probably" came the amused remark.

The wizard threw up his arms in frustration and kept walking, the girl could run quick, it seemed. He stopped the last hill and noticed an enormous purple blotch...roasting an entire cow.

"Thats a new one" came the remark from atop his shoulder

[Lestaki]

OOC: Yeah, remember our powers are very modest at this time. Elite Zealot's exertions would probably leave him quite drained, they're a good example of what we can realistically do right now.

IC: "There," Irenolae said, throwing down another twisted fence post. "Lots of wood."

Yethi sighed. "If the farmer comes, we are so bloody dead."

"He will pose a threat? Should I move to kill any strangers?"

"No! Not without my permission, anyway," Yethi said, prodding the pile of wood. "Cut some steaks out of the cow."

"Steaks?"

"You're hopeless. Chunks of meat that are small enough to cook and eat."

"Very well," Irenolae said, moving off with her bloodied sword.

Yethi considered how to start a fire, then remembered she was a mage now, supposedly. She concetrated, remembering the feeling of heat in her chest when she dreamed. She managed to recall the sensation, then somehow sent it flowing down the length of her arm to leap onto the pile of wood. The fire took instantly, warming her pleasently. "Hurry up, we can't stay here too long. On the other hand, I do need to eat."

Irenolae returned to her, then stared as the boy crashed towards them. "Where are you running from your familiar," she asked, brow wrinkling.

Yethi whirled and stood, raising two hands defensively.

"He's one of us, I think," Irenolae advised. "Albeit a strange one." She stared at the rat with distaste.

Yethi sighed. "Right now, nothing could suprise me. I think my mind's shut down from the strangeness of it all. We're roasting some meat, if you want some. Don't ask where we got it from."

"And there's another mage behind us," Irenolae noted.

"It's that old man from the village, isn't it? He's after me! We should leave..."

Irenolae lay a steadying hand on her arm. "We should wait for now. Be patient. He may be here to help."

[Dooks Dizzo]

OOC: I am a bit lost as to what is going on...please let me know when I should have my character do something. At the moment he is going to just continue heading towards the source of the voice in his dreams, attempting to get a grasp of his power on the way.

[Psymon]

OOC: Dooks, I think we're meant to be meeting up in Threiani.
Hope I'm not making my guy out to be too powerful, his powers are almost entirely based around asking favours of the spirits, and only if they listen and accept payment.

[Andkat]

OOC: I never mentioned you Psymon. None of us did, IIRC. You seem fine as long as you don't start omgwtfpwning everything in sight with your spirit powers.

Ardus rushed past the talking hat, directly towards the fire. Despite the searing heat, he thrust his hand into the flames and withdrew a blazing shard of wood.

Without pausing to reasses the situation or take note of the fairly bemused expressions on the countenances of the two odd strangers by the fireside, Ardus leapt at the hated visage of his own reflection, hollering as he did so.

"Why. Won't. You. Die!" he screamed as he swiped the makeshift torch at the beast, unheedful of his scalded flesh or the squeals of his opponent.

He grunted with satisfaction as he felt the torch connect, igniting fur and flesh on his miserable opponent.

The beast rolled onto it's belly, attempting to suffocate the flames even as Ardus move for the killing blow.

"Damn you, you miserable animal! Damn you you daemon of my mind! Burn! Burn into ash and nothingness" Ardus screamed as he hefted his impromptu armament.

As if comprehending the oaths and curses of it's tormentor, the beast let out an imploring, whining screech. A pathetic, abominable sound that rattled Ardus's bones and pierced his thoughts. Even as Ardus gave pause to his murderous actions, it let out another pitiful wail. And then another.

Whimpering, it prostrated itself before his attacker.

Whimpering in turn, Ardus collapsed to the ground, sobbing, begging for someone to kill the infernal beast that plagued him so.


And then the glorious oblivion of unconciousness took him...

[Thousand_Guns]

Barus had left the Manosis' manor as commanded by the voice of Sereia the Sanctified, seeking the city of Threiani, with only his clothes, a coat, a sword, and Ikon, the gargoyle.

It wasn't until the next morning of their travels when Ikon finally raised the question...

"What will you do for sustenance, master? Fruits? Meats? Vegetables?... Certain types of fungi?" (which Ikon wrote on his slate)

Barus shrugged and said, "It will come. We are on a piece of farm land, and I will get food from the farmer."

Ikon started scribbling furiously as Barus and he walked towards the farm house, and showed him the slate right before he started to knock on the door; it read, "Let me do the talking/writing, okay?" to which Barus replied, "No."

A peasant man with the drowsy look of one who had been taking a nap opened the door to see the young aristocrat with a sword with a statue of a man carrying a board. "Give me food," said the aristocrat.

The farmer stared blankly and sleepily at Barus's face, wondering whether the boy was a thief or a robber. Then he looked at the statue again, which was holding out a tablet that said, "How are you doing today, kind sir?"

The farmer muttered about crazy dreams and closed the door in the pair's face, drifting sleepily again back to his bed.

"Come on, let's help ourselves," Barus said, and turned away to look for food, when he saw, on the other side of a pasture, a girl and a woman sitting next to a fire and a dead cow. "We'll ask them for food," Barus decided, and started to make his way across the pasture.

[Lestaki]

OOC: I like to make my own things to do in these affairs. ;) You can always be intercepted by pious individuals or a peasent mob, or make up something else. But in any case, I'll refence the two remaining old Immortals again, so the fast people can gather round while laggards like me slog towards them. If anyone likes, just walk up to them.

IC: They sat on the hill, looking down at the city below them. "Some are getting closer," Aedar noted, cradling his staff on his knees. "Some are bloody slow. What do you think?"

"Worse than I'd like and better than I could practically hope," Sereia said. "Some are lost children. Some are overconfident in their experiences. Some are unstable. We will have to hope they will be enough."

"None of my shcool?" Aedar asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Sereia said. "But nor is one of your school needed. You are alive."

"For now," Aedar said cynically, looking over the horizon. "We will have to teach them a lot, fast. Everything we can teach them anyway, magic they will have to learn themselves."

"It is always so," Sereia said.

"Always," he agreed. "But this time, we are running out of time. Call them again."

"In daytime?"

"We have no other choice. And you have a more amenable personality."

"As you wish."
***
Irenolae stared. "You do know you're attacking a manifestation of your own personality and emotion?" But he was unconcious. "And he'll keep coming back whenever he's killed." Still unconcious.

"Now THAT was creepy," Yethi said. "I'm not going to end up like him, am I?"

"No," Irenolae said. "You will be far more stable than that, and I hope you won't ever be given reason to attack me. I'm half inclined to put him out of his misery, but the familiar would fight."

"You can't just kill him!"

"Anyone who hates his familiar enough to attack it must hate himself," Irenolae said. "Besides, the projection of his psche is not comforting."

Yethi glanced at the three eyes rat, and conceeded the point. "Maybe it'll go away if we ignore it. Pass the roasted cow." It was horribly burnt, but tasted wonderful. Anything did if you were hungry enough...

Then more people arrived. "This is getting crowded," Yethi noted. "If you aren't about to attack each other or us, then sit down and eat some cow, if you like. Right now my life is so wierd two more people can't make much difference."

[Thousand_Guns]

OOC: Food, it's what brings us together :D

[ShatteredFaith]

The old wizard descended the hill, pausing to eye the unconcious child. He shook his head and sat down on the other side of the fire from the girl with the purple hat.

"You caused a lot of trouble in your village, you know. Several people were killed and pretty much everyone in the village wants you killed now as well"

Sessner nodded sagely atop the wizards shoulder.

"By some peoples standards, I should probably kill you now and save the world trouble. However, when a young swordsman accidentally cuts his friends arm off in training, nobody lynches him, so I see no reason to lynch any of you" he glanced breifly to the psychopath on the ground and added mentally to himself, and to Sessner just yet.

His mood aruptly shifted, and he clapped his hands in glee "Now, pass the roasted bovine, chasing you children down was tiring work on these old bones"

[Andkat]

He was standing in a room, his old bedroom, he percieved.

But it was barren. Barren except for the peeling walls. ANd himself. Or more aptly, a reflection of himself. For there, across from him, stood his precise image. His precise equivalent.

It stepped towards him, groaning. "Do you not see, we are one and the same. My insanity has been forged by yours. Do you not see that I am your child? Your responsibility? Please, recognize that you created me".

It took another step, and reached out it's hand to smother Ardus's face.

"Please, see the truth. See that this abomination is nothing more than yourself," it implored.

Ardus tried to scream, but found that he could utter not a sound. He couldn't even move.
___________________

Ardus awoke with a start, his cranium almost colliding with the visage of the creature that had haunted him in his dream. It did not take the same form, but he knew that it was him . It mewled again as it hovered over him. But he did not scream this time. In a fitting irony, he pressed his hand into the face of thing, forcing it to roll off of him as he rose from the ground.

[Lestaki]

"I know," Yethi said quietly. "I didn't mean to do anything, I wasn't even awake at the time. I couldn't help it, I never wanted anyone to get hurt..." Well, part of me did. But that part isn't really me. "I just wanted to be a normal person. But I never was and now this happened, and.... I don't have a life any more. If you killed me, it wouldn't really matter, because I'm already lost to my friends and my family. That's punishment enough, I think. I don't know what I'm doing any more."

"You have yourself," Irenolae said. "And you have me. Things could have been far worse."

"What do you want, anyway?" Yethi asked, staring into the fire. "A right fool you made of me in front of Darrel. Rather moot now, when I come to think about it..." They all want me dead. That isn't your life now. "But why are you here? And what do you want?"

Ire watched the newcomers and the strange one alike. "He's part of you," she said eventually. "You've worked that out now. I wouldn't want that to be part of me either... but as long as you live, he'll keep coming back. Better get used to him now."

[Andkat]

Narrowing his eyes, Ardus bored his gaze into the unknown familiar.

"You do not understand. You have not seen what I have seen. You have not suffered what I have suffered. You have not abandoned what I have abandoned." he spat. "You in your contempt, your arrogance, your pettiness. You presume to know me, but to truly know one such as I is to invite your own collapse".

[Lestaki]

"For that, I am thankful," Irenolae observed. "I would rather drive my spear through my mistresses' chest then cut my own head off than be you. In any case, if you have nothing to offer us but insults, I suggest you go on your way."

Yethi, uncomfortably aware of the rising tension, subtly braced herself for what might be a crisis. She didn't like jumping to conclusions, but sometimes you could take a few safe guesses. For a start, she'd be slow to trust anyone followed by an ugly three-eyed mutant rat, even slower to trust someone who attacked said rat while screaming and falling unconcious, and even slower to someone who apprently projected an aspect of their personality via the rat. She idly wondered what aspect of her personality Irenolae represented- considering how she obtained food, probably the socially clueless part. In any case, he was fairly wild-eyed and horrifying to look apon, and less pleasent to hear. She really did hope that he'd go away, or else that they could go without him.

[Andkat]

Ardus's thoughts swirled and raged within his mind, seeking rebuttals and retaliations.

What insolence! They also wish to hurt us, hurt me! he seethed.

A darker voice piped in Will them dead! Will them to fall! You have the power. You know you have it! Spill their blood!

Another strand came to him. And put you a step further on the road to your own damnation?

And another thought. That girl...she has the same haunted eyes. If we have all been visited by such nightmares...what then? Perhaps it is our fate to trod the bloodsoaked path with others, to seek our ends with our equals in distant places.

This is no turn of fate! This is foolishness! I chose my black future, I!

Was it not fate that birthed you into such agony? Was it not fate that led you into damnation? Was it not fate that reflected you, and was it not that damned reflection that pursued you here?

Ardus replied "My Blood-soaked path has led me here, to this convergence of the accursed." He paced towards them "I will be damned if I ignore an opportunity to see through to the conclusion my woeful destiny, however darkly it may end. Were it not so, we surely we not be having such a conversation", he proclaimed, his last utterance bearing a dark emphasis.

[Kaito]

Jael had been walking for two days already, only stopping to eat or sleep. She had to help on the fields of her father every day, so she was used to hard work, but this was completely different. If Gabriel hadn't taken much of her equipment she wouldn't last until an afternoon.
"Do you ever get tired?" she asked him.
"Of couse I do, though my power depends on you."
"On me?"
"Yes, you are the source for me to manifest in this world. Only because of you I am here. You could say I am the manifestion of your power."
"My power? I can throw things around, do you mean that?"
"Your powers are just awakening, my Lady. I am here to guard you from anyone and also from yourself, the powers you will manifest will be dangerous even to you."
"How do you know all that?"
"I know it deep within. The only reason for me to be here is to be at your side. It is my raison d'être."
"I see..."

***

The night was soon to come as the sun dropped to the horizon. Jael and Gabriel decided to set up camp near the road. It'd be the last night in the wilderness. At the end of the next day they'd reach the city and get a comfortable rest once again. Just when they dropped their bags they saw a lone man standing some distance to them, staring at them. He wore nothing but a pair of trousers, and his hands were muddy. He seemed as shocked to see them as they did to see him. Gabriel slowly grabbed his rapier's hilt. Jael watched him shocked and jumped at him, holding his arm tightly. "Wait a minute there, he may be okay." she said to him. Gabriel slowly nodded as he let lose of his blade, but his eyes didn't leave the man for a second. Jael looked to the man and waved him over. "Why do you want him here?" Gabriel asked her. "If he wants to harm us, better see it coming than have him coming at us sometime at night." she replied. The stranger came closer. "What does a single man clothed like that do here a day from the next town?" Jael asked the man, who came closer, until he stood near enough to be able to touch them. Jael unwillingly did a little step back and hid behind Gabriel's arm. Though her face kept a strong look at him, her legs shuddered. Immortal or not, she was just a kid after all.

[Lestaki]

"You know best," Irenolae said, with a tone that suggested even she was freaked out by this guy. "In any case, we had better get moving. We are heading to the city of Threiani. You may keep what is left of the cow, if anyone wants it."

"Hang on a sec," Yethi said sheepishly. "This may sound mad, but has anyone else heard voices? In their head?" She blushed. "What I mean is, not voices in the burn them all, you hate them for everything they have done to you, feel your anger and project it onto them sense," which she sometimes had as well... "but something more like a human voice, but in your head while you dream." She laughed nervously. "Maybe I'm mad... but there were two voices. The first one was gruff and male and talked about how the gods were going to kill me. The other was some snooty female who was very patronising, and told me about Threiani. But in both cases I kinda had a sense I had to go there and meet them. I don't have anything else to do now." She hesitated. "I mean, if we count the rat we're three pairs, and three mages and three not. I'm just wondering if this is destiny or something, and whether we're meant to go together or whatever."

"I hope not," Irenolae muttered.

[Sevorak]

Therion smiled, and uttered a line he simply knew was cliched; yet fairly true, all the same.
"Just surviving," he said, "... just surviving,"

The bloodstained mud on his hands was a testament to the difficulty of such survival. Therion towered over the girl, and her familiar - it was easy enough to figure it. The way they were standing - the familiar's stance, dutifully protecting the girl; it was exactly how Naphar himself defended Therion when the time came. He looked down at the girl and sighed. She didn't look like much of a warrior - she looked like a farmer's girl - maybe she'd had her life turned upside down by her 'gifts', just as he had.

But for him, it'd been a long time ago - and the pain had long since dimmed. He glanced off into the frosty woods; the bitter cold didn't even bite at his skin. He was used to it... and werewolves always could stand cold. "Naphar!" he roared out, his voice reverberating through the trees. The wilderness itself seemed to move at his voice; then the wolf came. Naphar, stained with blood and naturally far larger than a wolf had any right to be, came out from the shadows in utter, refined silence. He bared his fangs and regarded the two newcomers warily; blood dripped from his open mouth.

"Master..." the frost wolf began, the voice coming from deep within his throat like a dull roar, "... the second assassin pair are dead." Therion nodded; he hadn't even known of the existence of a second pair. But Naphar had; he always did. His constant vigil throughout the woods never abated... or at least, never seemed to. Then Therion returned his gaze to the girl; his almost ethereal face - he was handsome by most standards, though there was something undeniably feral about his eyes - looking down at her.

"So... answering the call yourself, or just here for the scenery?"

[Gialus]

Two days previous until the present.

Silsa had bartered a ride to Vogasrat with a young man who ‘desired’ company. She had done it many times already, and this was no different. Ever since that day seven years ago she had been on the run and fighting for her life. She had learned a great deal about protecting oneself without weapons. She had to, most men were far superior to her in strength, and when a man wanted something from a young woman traveling alone he generally just took it.

Still time had passed since those horrible days, the attentions were no longer resisted, instead she used them for a bargaining chip. And when that failed she used the coin she earned from applying the trade. It was survival, pure and simple.

She had made it to Vogasrat, paid her ‘fee’ and situated herself in a smallish inn on the northern side of the town. For once in a very long time she would spend this night alone, in the relative comfort of her room, sitting in front of a roaring fire. To her it was paradise, or at least as close as she could get.

She leaned back in the soft chair and sighed, the hot cup of tea warming her heart and hands, while the crackle of the fire soothed her troubled soul. Seven years from that day, seven years since her family sold her to them, seven years and still the gods chased her. Seven years and she had yet to find a way to live without their attentions.

Pure relaxation was a hard thing to come by when you were on the run, and Silsa had finally found some small part of it. She fell into a deep sleep like few she had had in the last seven years.

The dream came well into the depths of the night, some distant voice muttering stuff about immortals on the edge of hearing, all the while they laughed at her, jeered at her and spit upon her bare flesh. She knew the place, the harem of the gods, her old home. She was beaten and taken, then beaten again. All the hatred and fear that had begun her journey, was all being relived within the span of that dream. But how little it mattered now, things of the past were of the past.

Still the dream shifted through her life, various calamities that had befallen her. Then everything vanished, her parents house in Demais overtook the entire image, she could see her parents sitting at the kitchen table, but they were older than she remembered, they were praying to their god. Hate welled up inside her for the briefest of moments. But the image was replaced with a Cliffside and the hate vanished. Silsa could feel the wind rushing through her hair and over her skin, her mother stood at the edge of the cliff with a small bundle in her arms. A baby cried out as the mother held it over the cliff.

Silsa cried out and ran towards the woman and child, as if in defiance the woman tossed her child over the edge. Silsa screamed and the woman turned. But instead of her mother she saw her own face, a cruel smile swept across the woman’s face. The smile held even as Silsa was thrown over the edge of the cliff.

Suddenly she awoke, but instead of the pleasant room, fur robe and comfortable fire, Silsa found herself falling through the air in naught but her skin with the cold wind rushing up at her.

“Will yourself to be somewhere else!” said a voice that seemed to come from the wind itself. Silsa merely shook her head and screamed. “I said will yourself to be somewhere else or your life will end in five seconds.”

“Silsa was indeed attempting to will herself somewhere else, but instead the fear of falling was too great, she imagined that she was falling forever, the threat of the rocks far away. . .

Just as soon as she had thought it she was high in the sky, still falling, still naked, but the ground was much further away. She was confused now.

“Well I suppose this helps, at least you have prolonged your life, but you might try imagining yourself over there by that campfire on the ground.” Said the voice.

“Who are you?” Silsa asked the air around her.

“I am Viy, a friend and your new companion.” There was a pause and a portion of cloud seemed to form into something resembling a face, but then Silsa fell through the cloud and saw the ground getting ever closer. “I suggest you either put us on the ground or back up higher in the air.”

“How did this happen?”

“Well let me think, I believe you jumped off a cliff, I tried to warn you not to, but you did it anyway.”

“That was a dream.”

“Was it? Really I would love to discuss the intricacies of magic with you till we are both old and grey, but if you do not get us out of here then you will never get any older.”

“Alright.” Silsa thought hard of something, anything, but all she could think of was that little point of light growing ever closer, a fire, on a hill surrounded by other people.

Instantly the roar of the wind was gone, the solid ground stretched out beneath her feet and the land around her was filled with trees. Just a short distance ahead a campfire burned with a large cow roasting slowly on it. Silsa was grateful she was on solid ground again.

A sudden rush of air passed across her skin and she shivered instantly reminded of her nudity. “Sorry about the clothes.” said the voice of Viy, “Only certain materials can be transported like that.”

“Great so I am supposed to walk up to these complete strangers while in the buff and hope they are kind enough to have some clothes to spare?”

“That is a good idea. Why don’t you do that.” remarked Viy.

“Why are you here again?”

“Because you are an Immortal and I am your familiar. You will understand soon.”

“Right.” Silsa crept up to the edge of the camp and blushed slightly, but upon seeing the warm fire and roasting food she walked forward and knelt on the ground. “Could you help me?”

[Andkat]

Ardus glared at the newcomer. "It seems that vaunted fate does truly guide our damned course" he grinned. "Even if that course be trod only by fools, outcasts, and traitors..."

[Lestaki]

"Okay, this is getting more and more freaky," Yethi said. "I'll presume you got here by magic, breeze right past that and say that I don't have anything but the clothes I'm standing in. Can I make clothes by magic, Ire?"

The dragoon shook her head. "Set clothes on fire, yes. Drench them in water, yes. Dry them out with air, yes. Hit them with lighting, yes. Make clothes, no. I'm afriad that isn't our area."

"More's my misfortune," Yethi said. "Being some kind of great healer would be better." She frowned thoughtfully. "Ah, I have a hat... but that isn't much help. Incidentally, I'm pretty sure this is fate right here, that's another magic pair. We could try to make clothes out of this cow's skin, but that's impractical given our likely timescale."

"I suggest you go search the farmer's cottae nearby," Irenolae suggested. "They should have some spares, and if they ask too many questions I'm sure we can convince them that it would be in their best interests to be quiet."

"Irenolae!"

The dragoon shrugged. "Your will commands me, mistress, but we are in danger. We should move on as soon as possible."

[Kaito]

Jael held her breath when she saw the wolf approach them. If that guy hadn't introduced the wolf, she would have thrown everything there was in vicinity at it.

".. Assassin pair? Master? ... CALL? Wait- You're an Immortal? Just like me? And that call... so I didn't imagine it after all?"
"So it seems." said Gabriel. "This is Jael, and I am her Familiar, Gabriel."
He turned to see Jael and whispered. "There is no reason to assume them harmful, at least to us."
"Do you really think so?" she asked him.
"Yes. I think it will be saver staying with them as he seems more.. experienced already."
She nodded and he turned to see Therion again.
"It seems that we have the same goal. Do you mind joining us for the rest of the journey?"
Therion agreed, they prepared a fire and let themselves rest.

[Psymon]

Baore woke up as a spirit began to materialise in front of him. It looked similar to the storm daemon he had spoken to, but it was far less thick-limbed and slightly shorter. The lines of power on its body and its eyes were electric blue with white at its heart. "Hello," it said eagerly, "I'm here to take you to the city."
"Thank you," said Baore, "I'll give you the silver when we get there."
"Your world is fascinating," said the spirit, "So many colours and textures... I wish I could spend more time here." It let out something that approached a sigh.
"I'd be careful what you say about that sort of thing" said Baore "Or you might end up in the same situation as Emmy here." The cat hissed, she had wanted to stay hidden.
"Incredible, I'd thought I detected a depleted aura. Amazing, I've actually met one of the Exiles." It looked around muttering about how fascinating this was.
Emmy speared the spirit with a look and growled with her mind, a subtle undertone of danger in her thoughts, "Just take us to where we need to go! My powers may have been weakened when I was exiled, but I still have enough to banish you, permanently"
"Oh my," said the spirit, obviously terrified, "Erm, well, we'd best get going then." Emmy hopped into Baore's hood and the spirit reluctantly put its hands under Baore's armpits, trying not to touch the cat, and lifted them into the air. Soon they were blasting along at treetop level, the spirit yelled over the howling wind,
"I'm afraid I'll have to drop you before we reach the city, I've been instructed not to go more than a league from the forest."
"Its ok," Baore yelled back, "I think you'd cause a bit of a stir landing in the town centre."

After about half an hour of flying the trees suddenly disappeared from under them and they were over open farmland. The spirit began to slow and drop down. He put them down on the ground and said "This is as far as I can go. I will take my payment and leave if thats alright with you."
"Of course," said Baore, flicking a silver coin into the demon's hand, "You've been very helpful." The spirit twirled round a few times and winked out of the material plane. Thats when they heard the screaming. They looked up the road to see a man in peasant's clothes running away screaming something about demons and sorcery.
"No! Wait!" Baore cried as the man reached a nearby hamlet and started yelling and pointing even more, but it was no use. A mob was already forming, the men of the village picking up pitchfork, picks and blacksmith's hammers before rushing towards them.
"Ooooh, this isn't going to end well," said Baore, taking his shod staff off his back and twirling it experimentally, "Emmy don't change into your combat form unless I tell you to, we might still be able to talk our way out of this."

[Thousand_Guns]

OOC: to recap, who's currently at the fire? Lestaki, ShatteredFaith, Andkat, and Gialus?

Barus and Ikon made his way to the fire, where it appears as if a bunch of boys, girls, an elderly man, and all manner of fantastical creatures were gathered.

Ikon waddled in front of Barus as they approached the group, holding up the slate on the which is written, "Hail and well met, friends. May we join in your gathering, and may my master have a share of meat?"

As Ikon stood there at a respectable distance, not too far as to seem cold and not too close as to seem too foward, holding up his sign, Barus went towards the fire, shoving someone out of the way.

Barus, feeling friendly today, decided to try and remember these... people... at the fire. He went about this by naming each of them, saying to himself (but loudly enough for everyone to hear), "... Old man. Lunatic. Big-hat girl. Nude.... and rat. Armored woman.... -who was he again... yes, Lunatic.-..."

[Lestaki]

OOC: That sounds about right, offhand. Hmm, if you can't move the mages to the legendary mages, move the legendary mages to the mages...

IC: "Hmm. Do you believe in destiny, Sereia? Or just bloody randomness?"

"The latter," the healer said firmly.

"Quite," Aedar said. "You stay here for the ones on task. I'll go find the rest." He strode forwards, flipping his staff in a circle in front of him, harking back to an interesting time when a time mage had tried to teleport him into a wall...

There was a flash of light, and he vanished.
***
"I can't stop anyone," Yethi said. "And you're welcome to the meat. It's more or less public property now, though you're all pretty much accessories in the crime of killing a random cow for food. I'd leave some money, but I don't have any money. I don't suppose I could-"

"You can't make money," Irenolae said. "You can't do anything with your powers other than destroy things."

"Useless things," she sulked.
***
Aedar grunted as he teleported within sight of the congregation. "What a bunch," he muttered.

Zathiquista, his familiar, shrugged. "We will have to make of them what we can." The shapeshifter had currently taken the form of a human swordsman, but he looked like he'd change that on a whim.

The blue mage sighed, gripping his staff in one idle hand. "At least the time mage is with them. A useful fellow." He set off towards them.

Yethi glanced up to see a middle-aged man wearing a large blue coat, with dark red body armour under it that was fesooned with all manner of tools and instruments. He carried some kind of stave or staff easily in one hand and was followed by a very strange-looking man. She sighed. "Do you want some cow as well?"

"I am Aedar, the Zauren Wind," he said, ignoring her. "Immortal scholar of blue magic. I called out to you in your dreams, though you've taken your sweet time in getting anywhere near me. And now that I'm here, I suggest we get a move on. You're being hunted and I'd rather not advertise myself by using my powers to defend you- or you using your powers to defend yourselves, come to that."

[Sword_Monkey]

Swift soared above the forest, Shi was far below amongst the branches cradled and sleeping. It was at this kind of time that Swift hunted, not for herself but for Shi.She would collect; mice, rabbits, fruit, all sorts. But now she was seeing odd things, things she recognised, and that was why they were odd. There were many familiars about, and therefore other immortals, she hurried back to Shi, this news could not wait.

Within minutes Shi was bounding through the branches and dropping down to ground level, rushing toward any form of safety. Atop a hill a man with a wolf stood, beside a girl with a smaller wolf (right?). Swift came down to settle on her shoulder as she stopped running and began to walk at a more calm pace.

The completly covered girl that she was spoke, in fluent common.

"You are immortals like me? You must be, tell me why have I been travelling to meet you, and why have I become what I am?" She queried to the Elder, by habit.

[Sevorak]

Therion looked up from the fire, into the dimming light of the sky; then at the newcomer, a smile flickering briefly across his face.
"Our paths converge, it seems," he remarked idly to Naphar. The wolf merely looked up, fire reflected in his eyes, and then lowered his large head to rest on his paws, either disinterested or merely tired. He was a large wolf, after all - he was more around the proportions of a fairly large tiger already, and still growing - and he hadn't eaten properly in over a day. Therion patted his head and looked back to the newcomer.

"You've become what you are because that is what you were born to be; there was never any choice in it, for any of us. As for the travelling... I would assume that you recieved a call from one of the older mages... just as we did. Maybe it's destiny that we met here; perhaps not. For what it be worth, I don't believe any of us are here because we were fated to be; we've made our choices, no? Either way, what's important is that we are here. And you might want to get some rest before we go in any closer to the city..." he gestured to the fire, where Jael was resting peacefully with her familiar maintaining her vigil.

"Past experience has taught that immortals like us tend to be rather... unwelcome in places such as these. In places that aren't like these, we tend to be met by clerics and screaming fanatics at the gate, though, so perhaps we should be grateful... but since the gods scorn and hate us, I'm not quite sure who we should be grateful to... perhaps that random, uncaring fate some invoke so often,"

Then Therion stood, looking down at the other two from his fairly formidable height. He certainly looked an imposing sight, at any rate. "I'll take the first watch,"

Naphar almost seemed to roll his eyes. It was Therion's tendency when with companions to claim to take the first watch... then spectacularly fail to wake the others when it was their turn to take watch, and simply stay awake all night; typically in total, reflective silence. Therion smiled at Naphar, sighing, cast a last glance over at the farmer girl; she seemed so fragile and innocent... both things that were likely to be destroyed by the coming storm. He himself was a lycan. There wasn't any fragility or innocence left in him to destroy.

Pale hair flickering in the waning wind, Therion stalked off into the dusk...

[Kaito]

OOC: sword monkey: Jael's Familiar, Gabriel, is a gentleman, not a wolf. lol.

IC:
Jael awoke in the midst of the night. She opened an eye lazily. The fire burnt low. She wondered whether Familiars needed any sleep. Looking at Gabriel, who sat next to her with closed eyes, she assumed they did. The big wolf seemed to sleep, too. She inspected it with her eyes, the more she looked at it, the less she feared it. Sleeping there it seemed kind of peaceful. Suddenly the wolf opened its eyes and raised its head. Jael aprubtly held her breath and closed her eyes to mimick sleeping. The wolf did some grunting sounds and lay down again. She slowly opened one eye again, seeing that the wolf hadn't noticed her, she let out her breath and turned to lie on her back, seeing the stars between the leaf of the trees. She sighed and closed her eyes again, falling into a dreamless sleep.

[Captain Elson]

Toani and KArna kept walking and walking. Tonai was beginning to get tired, but Karna was not even showing the slightest sign of weakness, walking continuously and never missing a beat. Tonai was amazed that this girl that he had met only a few days prior had more endurance then him, and had a complete and total control over his thinking never seen himself before as a good person, but after ha had met Karna, he couldn't bring himself to cause chaos and destruction as he normally wreak upon his fellow students.

Amazed at this, he kept walking, wearing himself out even more, he was relieved to see a sign that said that they were one mile from their destination. It was at this moment that Karna looke over at Tonai and realised that he was aobut to keel over and die from exhaustion.

"Tonai you really should stop for a while and get some rest." she said in a soothing tone.

"we need to go that voice is waiting for us."Responded Tonai, who was propping himself up with his stick. KArna noticed that he'd stopped venting his anger through the stick and now he was really about to collapse.

"Look at you!" she huffed "some Newly created immortal you are, you can't even realize your own limits, are you as so proud that you don't even want your familiar to pass your endurance?"

"Huh? FAmiliar, Imoortal, you mean I'm a new imortal, and you are a familiar? But where did you come from, why are you like you are, how come this is.." Tonai collapsed from exhaustion and fell to the ground, while Karna caught him and set him gently down. She thought of how naieve he was even though he was supposedly some very powerful mage, when in fact he was just a crazy evil adolescant. Now he was unconscious because he was too stupid to think.

[The Shadow]

"Oioi! Oiooi!" Pikel shouted and pointed his finger in one direction. "What? You sensed a Immortal?" Cato said. Pikel nodded and pointed at a tree. "Yes. We should use the tree."
Pikel walked at the tree and said something to it. He took some roots from his pocket and throwed them throught the air and bowed at the tree.
Cato walked inside the tree. He felt how he and the tree became the same and how he moved in the roots. Shortly after he stepped out of another tree, near a fireplace. Pikel came out just after him.
"So a immortal gathering over here?" Cato said. He noticed all the weird people around there. But by all means he and Pikel would be the weirdest. "Cato the druid and Pikel, at your service."
Cato said and bowed to the elder immortal (Aedar).

[Andkat]

Ardus recoiled at the voice of the "swordsmen. "You!" he screamed. "You are that blasted voice from my nightmare! You are another damned apparition that stalks my dreams. Damn y-y-you!" he cursed, dropping to his knees and shieldings his face.

As if to mimic the mental pains of it's master, the rat-familiar mewled and dug it's claws into it's skin, leaking blood and pus onto the sodden ground.

"You are to blame for this!" he shouted again, indicating the familiar. "You are to blame for the voices, the screams, the echos! Damn you, why won't you leave! Why won't you fade! Why won't you die!" he screamed.

[Lestaki]

"That would be the mental mage," Aedar observed, prodding him with the toe of his boot. "They always were a little disturbed. But this fellow makes old Meriko the Mad look like a stable and well-balanced individual. Boy, the ugly rat thing is you. If it is to blame for your disturbed psyche, then you are by default saying it is your own fault. Which is probably true, actually. And the hat... you can only be the Elementalist. Eloni had absolutely no fashion sense either."

He sighed nostalgically. "I'm amazed to say, down to the naked one to the mad one to the one with the hat and all your eccentric familiars, it's good to see you all. I knew your predecessors and stood by them for two hundred years. You aren't them, but you do represent the future, and hope, to a degree. I'm pretty finished for this war, I think my part's ending too... but you people might just be able to live for long enough..." he lapsed into silence. "But you aren't here to hear me prattle on. If the mental mage can stop cowering, we had better make a start."

"What am I? Why am I here?" Yethi asked shortly.

"A good question," Aedar said, starting to walk towards the city. "You are all Immortals, as indicated by your familiars. Your familiars are projections of you, sometimes what you hate about yourself, sometimes what you want to be. You have the potential to be exceptional powerful mages in your given schools, which are inherited and unchangable. The Elementalist will be able to manipulate destructive energies and that alone, the druid more benign powers and so on. That area of aptitude you are born with will not change. Your magic will also affect you, so..." he glanced at Ardus, "keep an open mind. Different schools mark and alter their mages in different ways. You'll all have to work together, ultimately, and as cheesy as it sounds."

"That's the next thing. From birth, you are hated by the Gods. They desire to destroy us simply because we do not bow to them. You are all in grave danger and will have to master your gifts very quickly if you want to survive. I and my friend can offer some limited help in that, but you are in more danger than our order has been in for a thousand years. Understand that whatever your previous lives were, there is no turning back. Your life will be a battle to survive, as part of a larger war that has been fought for a thousand years. But there are some good things. You will not die of old age, and when you fulfil your potential you will be demigods. However, you are a very far cry from that as of now, and our foes are Gods."

Yethi tried to think of something to say, and gave up. This was too much to take in. She'd stay with this guy because he sounded like he knew what he was doing. She certainly didn't.

"So we're going to meet up, initially, with my friend and those who haven't immedietely found their way here. Curious that you should come here of all places..." he glanced at them. "Who was the first?"

"Err... me, I think," Yethi said quietly.

He shrugged. "Interesting. Now, let's move. I cannot be certain, but I believe we are being hunted by some lesser beings of the Gods. I don't suppose anyone here could scout out with scrying or similar? Look for massive, ferocious angel-birds the size of small carts, scouting out the land."

[Andkat]

Ardus cringed in rage and fear. The voice. The piercing voice of the stranger. It pained him! It was too much!

This time, all the voices where unanimous: Kill! Kill! Kill! , they whispered to him, urging him on in his dark deeds.

Barely registering what the immortal was preaching, Ardus gripped the blade in his shirt, prepared to spring at his tormentor. He licked his lips, tasting the end already.

To his shock and disappointment, it was already too late. His "familiar", as the others had purported it, squealed and screamed as it lept upon the being that had disconcerted and damaged his master so. Before the party of mages could react, it had sunk it's chipped and twisted teeth into the Immortal's arm, tasting the exquisite vitae of the ancient being.

[Lestaki]

Aedar cursed as the creature bit him, then muttered something. He forcibly pulled it free, then tossed a small but concentrated fireball that burned green when it hit the creature, consuming it instantly. Then he span and leapt for Ardus, wrapped in a massive magical barrier. Another fluttered series of syllables, and he punched out with one hand wrapped in a halo of energy. The young one's knife skittered uselessly off his shield- and the youth was knocked unconcious by the magically assisted punch.

Aedar grunted, making another gesture and swiftly sealing up the bite. "That's what any of you will get if you try to take me on. Right now, you're not even close. Leave him, I imagine he'll be fine and I'm not going to carry him. He's got this far by himself, I'm afriad he'll probably live." He shrugged and walked on. Yethi and Irenolae didn't hesitate in following.

[Andkat]

He was floating.

Floating on a river of blood. A river of blood stretching out as far as he could percieve, the tide carrying him inexolerably towards some unknown hell. The current was strong. Too strong. He was being pulled under, drowned in the tides of blood.

Coughing and sputtering, he fought the maroon waterway, seeking the blackened shores of the tainted waters. But he could not fight it. He could not combat the current!

Then, unexpectedly, the river reached a bend, and the current seemed to falter. Barely of his own accord, he drifted towards the shore.

He reached out, desperately trying to level himself out of the water.

He hand contacted the blackened soil. He had made it, he had-

The ground crumbled into blood, joining the eternal tide of the river of damnation.

He reached out again, expending the last vestiges of his energy to cling to the shore. But everything he touched collapsed into the tide of vitae that would carry him along forevermore.

He was silent as he was pulled back into the current. Silent until he saw the darkness, the impenetrable, horrific darkness that obscured the final turn of the river.

Ardus screamed as he was dragged into the shadows.

[Psymon]

OOC: Ok, just to check, we are headed to Threiani right? It looks like it might be easier for me to find this hill on the way. :help: Anyway, grab your popcorn and sit back for the fight scene. :popcorn: I hope I can write it well enough.

IC: The mob raced towards Baore, pulling up about 40 feet away. There looked to be around thirty people, most waving pitchfork and scythes, a few had torches because of the fading light. One of the farmers stepped forward, obviously the ringleader, he was muscular, but not nearly as tall as Baore.
"What are you doing here sorceror?" he demanded menacingly.
"I'm not a sorceror" Baore replied, causing cries of disbelief and things like "Liar!" and "Burn him!" to issue from the crowd. "I'm just passing through."
"Well then, explain how you came out of the sky in the arms of a demon!" While Baore fumbled for an answer, Emmy chose a bad time to look up out of his hood. A cry came from a young man at the front of the group "He has a familiar! Get him!"
Great timing Em! thought Baore. A mob is only as smart as its stupidest member Baore, remember that. she thought back. He started twirling his shod staff faster and faster until the air hummed with its passage, backing off all the time. When it became obvious that intimidation wouldn't work, he stopped twirling and held it across his body in a fighting stance. As the mob rushed them he yelled aloud "Em! Now!" and then thought, Try not to kill any unless its absolutely necessary. Emmy leapt out of his hood and while in midair she was surrounded in swirls of light and a tearing sound. When she landed she was in her combat form, which would have looked quite cute if not for the bladed sirrusa she was twirling with her right hand. Very well, she thought, wearily. Next thing they knew they were in the thick of it. Emmy, pocketed the sirrusa and started fighting with her bare hands and feet, at least they would have been bare, if not for the claws. A peasent rushed Baore and he sidestepped, bringing the staff up to meet the man, who ran straight into it and fell to the ground stunned. He twirled the staff and hit someone wearing an antique helmet, leaving a large dent and another unconcious peasent. Emmy was faring slightly better on account of her superhuman speed. She jumped and twirled like a dervish, lashing out at anything that came near. While not as strong as a human she was much faster. One man fell to the ground screaming and clutching his face, which now had deep clawmarks across it. Emmy kicked out and hamstung another combatant, resulting in more screams. After a few more had fallen to her claws and kicks to the head the peasent tried to avoid her, but could not turn their backs for fear of being attacked.
Baore smashed someone's legs from under him and whacked his temple with the staff. He brought it back up in time to fend of a pitchfork, the spikes went either side of the staff and he twisted it, pulling the pitchfork out of its owners hand. The man looked at him for a second, then ran away. He watched him run and this lapse in concentration let a man with a makeshift spear get close. The man stabbed and Baore cried out as the blade pierced the upper thigh of his left leg. He collapsed to the ground, snapping the blade off the spear, and lashed out at the man's shins with the staff, he heard an audible crack and the man fell, his face a rictus of pain. Baore rolled onto his back, he had to stand up, the staff was too long to use lying down. He tried to get up, but someone kicked him and he fell back and bashed his head in a stone. He looked up, dazed, and saw the mob's ringleader standing over him, drawing a dagger from his belt.
"This is how we deal with sorcerors" he said and crouched down to deliver the deathblow.
Emmy looked over and saw the man crouching down with dagger in hand. "NO!" she howled. She put her head down and bulled the man she fighting out of the way, she ran towards Baore, getting out the sirrusa and screaming his name as she leapt at the peasent's leader. He turned around startled and saw her leaping towards him, silhouetted against the setting sun. He got up with a snarl and faced her, the rest of the mob backing off to give them room. She landed on him, knocking the man off balance. This gave her a chance to grip the sirrusa by the ring, she put the chain around his neck and pulled on the ends. The man flailed frantically, his face turning red as tendons popped and muscles stood out on his thick neck. Emmy cried out as she got slashed by the dagger, but the man's struggles were weakening as he gasped for air and soon it was all he could do to stand up. As he breathed his last, his throat crushed beyond repair, he made one last flailing stab, driving the dagger into Emmy's side, below where the ribs would be on a human. He tottered for a second, then fell on his face. Emmy, stood up slightly unsteadily and said to the peasents in the strongest voice she could muster, "Your leader is dead. Go home." The remaining villagers looked at the body of their leader, and the others, lying stunned or bleeding on the floor and then ran back to their village.

Emmy, helped Baore up, "Here, lean on your staff." she said. She got Baore's pack and quickly bound his wound, it would stop the bloodflow, but he'd have to find a healer soon, she could feel her own strength fading. She gasped in pain as she drew out the dagger, dropping it to the floor, instead of blood, some sort of white glowing liquid flowed out of the wound. Baore had not noticed the wound until then, he had been semi-concious throughout the fight.
"You're hurt!" he cried.
"Certainly seems that way," she said, almost dreamily. Then fell to the floor. Baore crouched over her as best he could, tears blurring his vision, "Emmy! You can't die! Stay here please. Y-you're all I've got."
"Everyone goes, sometime, little one," she smiled "Go west, there's a hill just out of sight with a fire on top if it. I think I sensed other spirits and people who would help you there. Get your leg seen to... Its been... been good... these past couple of years. Baore, goodb-" she collapsed back and let out one final breath. Light began to seep out of her eyes and the wound in her side. It intensified, coming from all over her, until she was glowing in a pyre of light. She faded, the light died and she was gone.

Sobbing bitterly, Baore stood up, leaning on his staff, and set off west, towards the setting sun.

OOC: Lestaki, how long would it take for a familiar to reincarnate? Just a rough timeframe, an hour, a day?

[Andkat]

OOC: It reincarnates when you sleep, until you become more powerful and can reincarnate it on numerous occasions at welll, IIRC from our MSN convos.

[Kaito]

The group of the 3 Immortals and their Familiars went on in the direction of the town. A Half day had already passed, and they'd soon be in vicinity to it. Jael had a hard time keeping up with the two men, but didn't let them see it. She'd at least show them that she is able to put through her will.

Suddenly she spotted something lying at the road in front of them. She tried hard to figure what that thing could be, until she realised it was indeed a human.
"There's someone lying there!" she shouted, and started running towards the corpse. Gabriel, as his duty told him, rushed off, too. Slowly, Jael could see details of the body, which turned out to be a boy not much older than herself. He wore fine garmament, probably a merchant's son, but it was covered in gore. Jael suspected that he had been robbed and maybe murdered. She finally arrived near the boy and let herself fall to her knees in front of him. She turned him on his back and put her head on his chest.
"He's alive!" she said to Gabriel then turned to see the boy in the face, which she held up in one hand.
"Can you hear me? Hey! You're save now, don't worry." she said to him.
They boy didn't seem to react though. She searched for any wounds, but he didn't seem to be harmed in any way. The blood splattered on the road and on his clothes was being strange, though.
"Let's bring him to the town, okay? They'll help him until he wakes." she said to the others who just now catched up. She stood up and lifted the boy in the air with her magic. Either the boy was simply light as a feather, or she had indeed gotten a lot stronger mentally during the past three days. Anyways, she didn't whether she could carry him like that until town, maybe he'd wake before, she hoped.

[Sevorak]

Therion sighed, rolling his eyes vaguely. Naphar growled.
"Am I the only one who perhaps thinks that picking up a bloodied and mangled person from the side of the road might not be the most advisable course of action here? Remember something; we're immortals. Not merely mages, but the most hated mages in a world that has a predilection towards stringing up our kind by our entrails and/or burning us at the stake. If we walk into the town carrying such an individual, what kind of impression does that give of us?"

He glanced distastefully at the one below him. Something didn't seem right. Just... it didn't add up.
"At best, they'll growl menacingly at us and ruthlessly tear chunks out of this man for being affiliated with us. At worst, they'll decide that we're trying to use him in an insane and demented ritualistic sacrifice, and try to kill us. And frankly, there's six of us - seven, if he can fight; which I doubt - against a town. I don't think I have to point out just how dead we would all be."

"If you're insistent on helping him, then rouse him and leave him some food - I can heal him up somewhat. But if we take him into this town - no matter our intentions - he isn't likely to last a day. Believe me; I've seen mages with the best of intentions carved apart on the pitchforks of screaming mobs before. If you want to kill him, then by all means - bring him to the town."

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran eyed the incident with the insane youth with the slightest bit of distaste on his weathered face, but declined to comment, Sessner was even quiet for once. With a sigh the old man set off with the group.
-----

Later along the road, inbetween one of the Immortals lectures on the gods and their minions, the old man moved up to the fore, beside said Immortal, and spoke in a quiet voice that may have carried over to children.

"Myself and Sess were wondering if you have found anything to keep up with the...terms we agreed on" he said it respectfully but none the less, with a bit of force. He had thus far been bitterly dissapointed whenever he had asked this question.

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi was uncomfortable, these people were all strange, foreign to her. Then again she ahd been brought up very stangely, and knew the world would be different if she ever had to visit it, but not this strange. Each one was surprisingly unlike her, each unto their own you could say. Accents from all around, but none she recognised. She grew weary of following them so closely, and she knew she wasn't going to make it into the town in her current garments.

"I am afraid I must make my own way to this Town, as you can see I am dressed for more subtle approaches, where should I meet you in this place?" She spoke, a hint of nervousness on her voice, she didn't want to have to reclothe, and the consequences of making contact with another person or object by her own skin could be dangerous for her and for the safety of the group.

"You see, my powers...they are strange, I shall show you all."

She grabbed the top of her hooded visor and lifted it off, unwrapping the rest of her mantle with her other hand. As she did the layers of cloth revealed her skin, a perfect match to the cloth she wore, as it was peeled away her skin returned to normal, the air brushing against it giving her an ethereal quality. She quickly tied it all up again covering her face, that was, actually, quite pretty.

"I would be a danger to you all if I were to walk in, I have not the control necessary to keep me from turning into anything and everything that may touch me in that town." She spoke quietly avoiding eye contact.

[Lestaki]

"I have made some enquiries," Aedar said quietly. "You must bear in mind that this is not an easy task to attempt. Mortality is a classic barrier that is not easy to breach. The Gods achieve it through their natures as beings of magic intrinsically. You, obviously, can't do that. Dragons, the Immortals and so on by having such an unconcious mastery of magic that we can repair the effects of aging on our body. That is the effect I am trying to replicate, and I have a few tentative ideas. However, I will need to do further research and experiments, as must Sereia. Even once we have a rough idea of what to do, the artifice nesecarry will be truely prodigious, and finding those skills will be difficult. Finally, we agreed my first priority must go to my fellow Immortals and my war. When I can, I will do everything I can, and I am doing so. But you must be patient."

"So, you're my familiar? Isn't that like a talking animal or something?" Yethi asked in puzzlement.

Irenolae frowned. "I will take that with a philosophical frame, in which humans are nothing more but talking animals."

"Good point," Yethi said, adjusting her hat to stop the sun from getting in her eyes. "So, do you have a past? Did I just conjure you out of your Dragoon temple or whatever?"

Irenolae shook her head. "You formed me over the course of your dreams in the last few weeks. I was completed today. I have no past, but I was born with some of your subconcious knowledge of the arcane, and of the dragoons."

"Why the dragoons? I mean, familiars seem to be all kinds."

"I was created of a paradox. Some of the things you reject in yourself- I am more calculating than you, and I sincerely cannot feel for other life, aspects of you that have emerged from your magic but not your personality, which you deny. And some of the things you wish you were- I am more confident. This I know instinctively. Also, you are clumsy and occasionally awkward, and wish you were graceful. This was projected onto my creation, and so I was formed to reflect it- a dragoon, one of the most graceful and elegant warrior schools there are."

Yethi's ears burned. "If that's true, it's so embarassing."

"There is no shame in it," Irenolae said. "Consider me an exersize in psycology- I can help you understand yourself. And merely by existing I bring some of your fears and insecurities to your side and aid, as well as your dreams. This is a potenital most do not have. I will help you explore that. I will also protect you, care for you and enact your will, regardless of anything else."

"That's kinda beautiful, and kinda depressing at the same time," Yethi mused.

Aedar turned and nodded as Shi spoke. "We have not had one of your kind for at least six hundred years. I am glad that school has reemerged. You know what you must do, and it is good you can think practically of it. We will meet with you later."

[Sevorak]

Therion looked down at the mangled body on the floor; he could heal him. But it'd take a lot out of him - after all, he was no true healer - and the process forged an intimate contact between the two of them, if only a temporary one. And he had no intention of being intimately connected with anyone who could literally be anything. Simply because he appeared to be a mugged trader did not necessarily mean he was a mugged trader. He placed his sword directly against the 'trader's' throat. At the slightest provocation, he could ram the sword downwards and kill him.

Suffice to say, there was something about him that wasn't even vaguely endearing. And even though Jael - a relative innocent - clearly disapproved, shown through her silence, Therion wasn't about to give the man a helping hand and lift him to his feet without an adequate explanation that went some way to clarifying why he was at the side of the road. Then shrugging, he nudged the battered form with his foot, rousing him from his slumber. Naphar was nearby, eyes focused directly on the figure on the road.

"So... who are you, and what are you doing here?"

[Sword_Monkey]

"Swift shall keep her ears open for you, thank you...friends." She said and tore off off from the group in a very strange form of running, she looked as if she was going to fall over, but it was fast, damn fast.

Swift flew on ahead, screeching information as they went. The Falcon familiar could se the Town, and inside, it was large, and quite picturesque.

At last civilisation! Writing, words, something to calm me. But I must hone my skills, everyday it gets better, everyday the cloth deepens into me, I can feel it cell by cell. Magic replacing bodily function, improving certain things, I am lighter, swifter, but softer weaker. And now each day I can control the cloth I wear even more, reknit each frayed strand, shake off dust, wrap tighter. I wonder; what else can I do?

Shi was all prepared to become part of the story being woven here, and she would record every word of it, from names to places, to aspirations of the forming group, to destiny.

As she ran the cloth changed, something she knew she could do already. It flickered to a muddy dark green, and then began to shift colour with her surroundings. Camoflauge.

[Andkat]

Ardus smiled contentedly as his newest nightmare faded into oblivion. He was growing used to his damned visions, even if their truth was even more horrific than their circumstances.

Running his hand over the edge of his interrogator's blade, he grinned "I am cursed with the same affliction as you, traveller. And, as it appears, the same fate." Grinning, he raised his hand, now cut and bleeding. "What happens now matters little".

[Sevorak]

Therion narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That isn't an answer," he began, "though it might perhaps go some way to explaining what you're doing here. But I'd like to hear it from your own mouth, first - and believe me when I tell you that being an immortal doesn't make you any closer to me than you were five minutes ago. I've met servants of the gods who wish us dead who were greater people than perhaps some of our kind will ever be."

"But who knows? Maybe some of us'll turn out to be monsters in our own rights... and maybe some of us are already halfway there to being aberrations," a smile flickered over his face; and his left fang - not huge, but distinct enough - was bared to the fallen one for a second. Then he shrugged. "Nothing is ever irrelevant; if fate exists, it neither loves us nor cares about us. The world seems to hate us; what kind of fate brings you to that point? No fate, perhaps - nothing but what we make for ourselves. Either way; there's still questions to be answered. How did you get here?"

The sword rose a few centimetres; but it didn't move itself from easy striking range.

[Thousand_Guns]

Barus and Ikon sat and watched the drama go on, seeing Lunatic's failed assault on the... the... Aedar?... Aegis... Barus tried to concentrate on his name, but to no avail. Aemos will remain, "the Man."

Ikon tugged at Barus's sleeve and then showed him the slate, which said, "Heavy info, isn't it? Come on, we should follow Aedar ==>". Barus grunted and rose to follow the group.

Barus noticed dirt on his clothes, as he got up from the campfire. "Fall," he commanded, and it obeyed.

[Andkat]

"Trust me, I'm more of a monster than you will ever be, wolf-man" Ardus smiled, his teeth still ensheathed in dried vitae. "I am here because I sought to challenge my blood-sodden fate, and was cast down by my superiors. And if you truly know what I am, then you should know perfectly well who I allude to".

Ardus coughed violently, retching blood onto the blade.

"My name is Ardus Tael. There is little else you need know of me" he concluded, raising his hands to indicate a lack of aggression on his part.

[Sevorak]

Therion looked down on the retching figure; his gaze was utterly impassive at that, though only seconds before, a flicker of irritance crossed his eyes at the mention of a 'superior'.
"So easily willing are you to accept the mantle of inferior?" He asked, though didn't bother to wait for an answer. "Merely because I have my blade at your throat and could kill you in a heartbeat... does that make me your superior? I don't think so. Though if you're willing to think that anyone who can best you in a straight fight is superior... then I won't stop you."

Therion flicked the blade away, wiping away the other immortal's blood from it on a tree, before returning his icy gaze to Ardus. "Perhaps you're simply not approaching the situation from the right angle... if truly you are a monster, then you should possess certain - more monstrous - abilities that would cast down this so-called 'superior' to the ground..."

Maybe it was a flicker of surprise that crossed Tael's face at that - maybe it was simply malice. Therion simply looked at him with an expression that could be interpreted similarly; as damn near anything Ardus envisaged it to be. "Either way, self-styled monster, do as you will."

Then he turned to Jael, a warmer look on his face there.
"Come on; there's not far to go to the town."

[Andkat]

"Ah, fellow abomination. There are yet beings that supercede us in ability, despite the foolish overconfidence of some " Ardus laughed as he pulled himself to full height. "And despite your conceits, you will find that am just as cursed and abhorrent in my own right" winked, a maddened fire twinkling in his eyes.

"But this is of no concern now; we must seek out the ends of our fates no matter how damned we truly are" he proclaimed as he strode to join the forlorn band.

[Psymon]

Baore stumbled up to the remains of the fire that had been on the hill, leaning heavily on his staff. "They've already left." he said, disbelief in his voice. The bandage on his leg was working itself free and blood ran down to his foot. "I can't keep going like this." There were tracks leading towards the town, obviously a large group, including some animals. He could follow them later, the blood loss had made him light headed and he slumped down against a rock. He had tried to sleep out in the fields last night, but every time he closed his eyes he saw Emmy, heard her voice. Now however, the blood loss and fatigue from fighting off a mob and walking all through the night were taking their toll. He lay his head back, saw Emmy smiling at him, bringing fresh tears to his eyes, then slipped into merciful, black oblivion.
Baore began to dream, he was in a place he'd never been before, something like the spirit realm, but somehow, not. The colours were more vibrant, the trees and other objects less ethereal, the air was warmer, but this was far from the human plane. "Where am I?" he muttered.
"The Middle Ground" said a familiar voice. Baore spun round to see Emmy looking at him, she smiled slyly before continuing. "Its where those of us who have been bound to your plane come when we are too badly wounded. Oh, thats something I just found out, I knew I was stuck to you, but what the Elders said never really made sense before now. I was to be bound to a human for all eternity, which I got confused about since humans live about 75 years tops, but now that you're an Immortal, it fits together, 'cos you're immortal." Baore had been sputtering all through this, how could his dreams be so cruel? To show him Emmy so soon after he'd lost her.
"I'm really you idiot!" she said, reading his expression, "And that leg of yours needs seeing to, but I can't help until you wake up and I can get back to your plane." She snapped her fingers at him, "Wake up, Baore." Nothing happened. She walked forward, out her hand on his arm and then drove one of her claws into it.

Baore awoke with a cry, clutching at his arm. There was nothing there. "Just a dream I guess," he said sullenly and pulled his cloak tighter. As he began trying to get back to sleep the air before him seemed to bend and twist, as though a spirit was coming through. He grunted questioningly and sat up. With a triumphant yell, Emmy leapt through the portal in her combat form and landed in a crouch next to him. There was a slight irregularity in how her fur grew where the dagger had gone in. "Emmy!" Baore cried and put his arms around her, crushing her to his chest.
"Ow. Ow! Get off you big lug!" she said and slipped away, "I've missed you too."
"But you died! I saw you."
She groaned, "I thought I explained this. I am bound to you as a familiar as punishment from the Elder Spirits for getting too chummy with humans. When spirits like me die, we can't go back to our native plane because of our exile, so we go to The Middle Ground. To be honest I didn't know myself until last night, meeting an exile is very rare and its not something that gets talked about. Ah well, better see to that leg of yours, take off your trousers."
"Wha-? But, I- err..." Baore's ears had gone bright red. Emmy sighed.
"Oh please, I've been living with you for the past two years and I've been inside your head for most of that, there's nothing I haven't seen before." Baore, slipped his trousers off, still blushing. Emmy removed his bandage and looked at the wound. "Hmm, there's still a lot of blood, this wound would take a long time to heal by itself, even with help from poltices and such, but I have a quicker way." She placed her hands over the wound and concentrated. White light began to gather under her palms, when it was about the size of a snooker ball, she pushed it into the wound. "There, that should heal it, with just enough extra energy to wake you up a bit." It was true, Baore felt invigorated. He looked at his leg, the wound was gone, replaced by shiny, new scar tissue. He ran his fingers along it and pressed down, wincing at the slight pain.
"Its good to have you back Em." he said, picking up his shod staff, "But we've got to catch these people up, hop on." A tearing sound and twirling beams of light accompanied her change into her cat-shape and she climbed Baore's cloak up into hood. Baore set off after the tracks at a jog, stumbling occasionally if he strained his leg the wrong way.

[Kaito]

Jael kept watching the boy from behind Gabriel's shadow.
"I sure hope there won't be any more Immortals as creepy." she whispered to him.
"There will be more strange occurances I guess. You'd do well preparing for.. anything, my Lady."
She unwillingly gulped and turned her attention back to the boy, who, to her discomfort, watched her now.

[Andkat]

Ardus smirked in amusement as his ears, well-attuned to the sounds of stalking footsteps or whispers of horror from his years as murderer, caught the concerns of the young Immortal. But it was not without a hint of melancholy, for he truly did pity the naive virginity of the girl.

So pristine, so seemingly untouched by the strife that appears to plague us all. he mused contentedly. Where has my innocence gone? And when will hers be plundered by the ravages of our path?

He added darkly And when will I be forced to kill her?

[Captain Elson]

Tonai awoke and looked around at his surroundings, it was dark outside so hepresumed he had been out for a few hors, it was near dusk when he'd fainted anyway. He was not in the road but in the woods so he presumed that Karna had found the strength to drag him into the woods after he'd fallen unconcious. He then saw Karn still looking at him from the distance keeping a sharp lookout for danger.

"And i presume that i wished i had a longer endurance, correct?"

"ACtually yes that is more acurate, and you also wished you were more attractive, sincere, and polite."

"Pff why would i want to be more polite?"

"You ask me? You were the one who created me, you should know.

Their conversation was brought to a close as a band of travellers walked by near the road.

"Those are the other immortals."

"You mean that many of them?"

"Yes, i can tell because they all have their familiaras as well."

"I guesss we should join up with them then eh Karna?"

"It would probably be safest , but you know that old man you insulted at the inn, he's there, and i know you hate to confront your own mistakes.."

"Why do you have to know me so well!" Tonai yelled and charged at a brisk walk toward the other group with Karna in trail.

"Hi everybody, i guess i was out longer than i expected." Tonai greeted the group of travellers.

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi stormed from a small wooded are to the walls of the City, casting her arm out a line of cloth unravelled from her waist and flew up at the wall, it caugh and hooked over, possessed by some force. She crouched jumped and began to twist through the night air, the cloth spinning back around her. Once over the wall she quickly jumped to the rooftops, eyeing tired guards peering up at a very loud bird in the sky.

And so she disappeared into the city, an ungloved hand trawling across walls, lamposts, the ground all sorts of surfaces, picking up new information, improving her skills. Then she touched a tree and withdrew her hand sharply with a scream. Life, she could feel it, life against her life, unwilling life. Lights began to appear in the buildings, flickering light, approaching her. She ran off through the alleyways to the safety of the darkness.

[Sevorak]

Therion wordlessly walked away from the other two; being back amongst 'fellows' was disconcerting, especially after such a long time spent either in solitude or stalked unquestioningly, unceasingly, through a bleak wilderness in which only the mad or the desperate found aegis or sanctuary. And neither mad nor desperate people found any kindred spirit within him... enough people had tried to kill him for him to know that what people appeared to be was not necessarily what they were.

What did it matter if someone appeared to be something utterly innocuous if they turned out to be anything but? Ardus was proof that even the most innocently adorned individuals could turn out to be psychopaths... and while he had no way of knowing whether Ardus' sanity truly had left him... it was at least obvious that he was not entirely sane. Though psychopath perhaps was a little extreme to describe Ardus... only time would tell, he supposed. But he'd never been one to wait for time and fate to extricate from their wretched souls their arcane designs, and unleash them upon the world.

Better simply to leave, and find his own path - at least there, he wouldn't have to worry nearly as much about being potentially stabbed in the back. A paranoid reaction? Perhaps - but when the gods you'd been brought up to revere had betrayed you utterly and had the only family you'd ever known burnt and left as nothing more than charred corpses while they screamed through wretched agony for you to run away... perhaps expecting treachery at every turn was better than leaving yourself open to betrayal. Though if he was betrayed... it wouldn't matter to anyone but himself. One of the less apparent side-benefits of living alone, trusting no one and being trusted by no one in return: no one would care if you were dead.

After all... he reached the top of a small, cliff-like protrusion that overlooked the village; he stood at its peak, like a singular etch on a towering arrowhead. The wind brushed against his face; there, perhaps, he seemed just as insubstantial as he truly was. He was only one being... and all beings were as nothing more than dust in the wind of eternity. Some are remembered; but all are inevitably forgotten sooner or later. For most, it was sooner rather than later. For himself, he suspected, it would also be sooner. Did he want to be remembered? Most did; many sought to immortalize themselves and be the bit of dust perpetually caught in eternity's sway, never ceasing; lasting unto infinity. But what inherent worth did being remembered have?

For himself, being remembered had no worth in and of itself - what use was there in having people remember you if the only cause they had for doing so mattered little in a generation's time? The gods themselves... even if these immortals failed, would not another succeed, generations from now? Or even in a thousand years... to exist forever was something of an impossible dream, was it not? But those who wished to exist forever... eventually, their wishes would fade into irrelevance, and they would die. Nothing's meant to exist for infinity; some might claim that providence had ordained those with the potential for eternity to exist for it - but it was simply impossible for one to live with one's desires forever; in time, even they faded to dust as one by one, they were either attained or forgotten; and crushed to obsolescence under the sweeping wings of eternal change.

But was there worth in their conflict? Of course, to his eyes - everything had some worth to someone, he supposed; even the most minute and obscure details that served little but to bring a fleeting impression of happiness or joy to one small and relatively insignificant individual. Against eternity, everything was merely dust - dust in the wind, all too readily forgotten and never mattering. Against one soul, one heart, though? Everything mattered. Destroying the gods there and then meant everything and nothing, though perhaps not in equal measure. His death meant nothing; he was truly insignificant; if he fell in their struggle, no one would mourn him or care. But if he lived and fought... perhaps something could be accomplished. Perhaps not.

But there was no harm in trying. Not when the consequences of doing nothing were to fade into nonexistence slowly, retchingly and ungracefully... and never accomplish anything. Sighing, he turned away; he could climb down, of course, minimizing the risk and making it an exceptionally easy feat with alterations to his biological makeup... but he supposed that leaving Jael alone with Ardus might not be the wisest of things to do. Someone more... normal... might decide to interpret the other immortal's smirks, derisive expressions and penchant for feasting on flesh and blood as perfectly innocent. However, cannibalism didn't seem like a particularly normal endeavour for a sane and rational individual; nor did some of his reactions, and the things he said - not to Therion, at least.

He started to head back, keen senses watching the woods - and Naphar, off in the distance, maintained his constant, unwavering vigil.

[Lestaki]

"We're close to the city," Yethi said, stating the obvious. "It's so big."

Aedar gave her an amused glance. "It's pretty damn small compared to some cities I could show you. You'll see far more than that in your time, I hope. In any case, I don't intend to enter the city, and you shouldn't either unless you have good reasons to do so."

"What are we here for, then?" Yethi asked, puzzled.

"To meet with one of my old friends," the blue mage said. He nodded at a hill with a ruined tower on it, then whistled piercingly. There was a heartbeat's pause, then a woman emerged from the ruins, clad in flowing white robes and with long brown hair. She carried a silver staff and was followed by a black-clad elf armed with a cresent blade.

Another Immortal Yethi guessed.

"Well met, Sereia," Aedar called. "I managed to drag these ones together, though they mostly converged on their own."

She bowed to them. "It is good to meet you all at last."

"That isn't all of them," Aedar warned. "The mental mage was... disturbed, and his familiar attacked me. I banished that and knocked him out."

Sereia frowned. "Do you really think that will help, Aedar?"

"That school's not worth the pain they are," the blue mage said defensively.

"Maybe if they were ever treated with any kindness..."

"He looked too gone for kindess," Aedar said. "Try if you like, and if you meet him, but don't be suprised when he stabs you in the back."

She just sighed and shook her head. "They've been looking for us, you know," she said, walking back towards the tower ruins.

"I know," Aedar said. "We can't stay here long. We'll give the laggards a few more hours, but tommorow or the day after we're probably going to be forced to cut and run like hell."

That was when an almighty shriek went up.

"Then again," he clarified, "we may just have to run now. Everyone, get into the ruins! It's a defensible location, and it's situation on a confluence of magic as well. We wreaked havok from here during that battle..."

Irenolae didn't hesitate, picking up Yethi and sprinting headlong for the ruins, before depositing her in cover. "Be ready to fight," she said. "Remember your dreams, and that power." She drew her lance and hefted it two-handed.

"I'll... try." Yethi looked up, to see a massive white bird, several times the size of an eagle, with angelic wings, sharp eyes and claws that looked metalic.

Aedar hefted his staff, unleashing a whiplash of fire that tore the creature from the air. But it's cry had already gone up, and flying far faster than should be possible a whole pack of them were converging on all sides, rapidly encircling the tower. "We call them Reavers," the blue mage said. "They're organic, with ferocious claws and a huge wingspan. Pretty weak as Seraphs go, but they can throw bolts of light at you, or else just try and divebomb and tear your head off." He nodded as Sereia. "We'll sit out on this one. You guys show us what you can do."

Now completely gathered, the creatures bagn their attack. Thirty? Fourty? Yethi wasn't sure. The first ones began to swoop down, conjuring bolts from nowhere and slashing them into the ruined tower. Rubble scattered past her. She felt her heart beat faster, assailed by their screams and the terrifying sight of them. She clung to that thought, then she raised an arm and conjured a fistful of lightning, flinging it towards one of the creatures. To her suprise and delight, that Reaver fell from the sky, plainly dead. Unfortunately, she felt a little weariness begin to tug at her. And she'd only just begun... cursing, she reached for another attack.

[ShatteredFaith]

The old wizard was muttering some foul obscenity to the world at general, "Making an old man jog for some loose rubble of cover. Undignified." was his muttered remarks, which drew a chuckle from his companion. He looked up to examine the closing bird creatures, looking for the brawniest one and selecting him from the pack with eyesight that was, in reality, far from going and close to perfect. A thin strand of golden energy, barely visible and nearly translucent, snaked out from the tip of his staff towards the bird. Moments later it wrapped itself around said birds throat and the creatures wings froze up in mid flap. It plummeted sideways and broke one of them, and began to writher on the ground in agony. Its mass began to receede into tendons and bones, perhaps to the horror of the youngsters, and was leeched into the golden tendril, which became slightly more visible. Within 40 or so seconds there was nothing but a crumbled skeleton, the tendril was retreived back into the staff, and the old wizard looked perhaps half a year younger.

Sessner eyed his friend from a nearby rock. "Thats not like you" he spoke softly, the youngsters were too busy fighting to notice, but perhaps the immortals did.

Niran sat down, back against one of the walls, and cast a glance at the bones "I will do anything, Sessner, anything, to accomplish what I need to be done, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks of me" was the equally soft response.

[Sevorak]

Therion looked down at the battle unfolding below; a swarm of rabid angelic carrion birds crowding the skies and seething like a living current of death and decay around a band who could only be the other immortals.
"Anyone other than me want to lead a glorious and likely foolhardy charge into the midst of our foes? No? Alright, then,"

He closed his eyes, standing deathly still; he swayed slightly in the wind. Then he suddenly jolted as his body writhed and contorted unnaturally; he was brought down to hands and knees as his body rapidly reformed its entire biological makeup, white, icy fur sprouting from his body as he grew, fangs and claws emerging; his eyes flared blue, and he loosed a bestial snarl. He stood up on his hind legs; with all the poise and ease with which he could do so as a human, glanced downwards with his hulking, nine-foot form, and roared; a savage, terrible sound that gave even the birds overhead pause... then they simply continued their swarm of death, like a pack of locusts.

Then he simply charged.

[Andkat]

Ardus stumbled as he came into sight of the supernatural engagement. His eyes widened and he slumped to his knees at the visages of the fell creatures before him.

For where for others swooped pristine soft-feathered avians, gorgeous despite their purpose, he percieved only blackened birds of carrion. Emaciated, disgusting things, with greying skin and peeling feathers, their phlegmatic cries jarring every aspect of his mind. And in their blackened orbs he percieved neither the predatory intelligence of the animal nor the calculated malice of the sentient; he saw only the countenances of the masters of these mishappen creatures.

Daemons, gods, it made no difference. For as he stared into them, they stared into him.

As the sky turned to fire and the ground to ash, he knew no longer if this was a lucid realm or that of his inner eye; he knew only that it was a scene of damnation.

But that mattered no longer. Whether they where the tormentors of fate or the apparitions of insanity mattered no longer. All that mattered was this beings, and the damnation they bore for him.

With a scream of desperate hatred he willed them begone, his contempt and loathing tearing into the minds of one abomination, sending it spiralling into a twisted column of stone in it's newfound pain and insanity.

He lashed out again, and again. His mind was afire and his orbs wept crimson tears, but that mattered little to him. All that was of consequence was the banishment of such infernal beings.

OOC: Note that this is my own private hell. I'm the only one who should be percieving the battle from this perspective.

[Captain Elson]

Toani was shocked at their number, they were outnumbered over 5 to one, he hoped that he could make a differnce in this fight, and let go of his restraint and let his anger overtake him, he punched at one of the creatures and a ball of fire came out of his fist, but the creature merely took it and continued to come at him, Karna steped in and shot the creature down in one well aimed shot. He became dazed as the creature came in towards him and almost killed him when it crashed. His anger rose at these monsters and Tonai took his stick and used it to concentrate his magic and jumped up into the ari to deliver a blow to one of the less inteligent ones that cut it in 2 but not before it had hit him as well and had scarred his face with a burnt patch that paralyzed the left side of his face.

"Gotch," he smirked as he felt the pain of the blow hit him.

The others fought on as well, the older man he had offended earlier took one down ad tehn the older immortal took another one down and another. Tonai was impressed by their strength and knowledge of magic.

[The Shadow]

Lighting lashed out again almost hitting Cato. "Somebody get their attention! I will protect you as best as I can!" He shouted. Pikel took some berries from his pocket and threw them to the nearest Reaver. Pikel said something and the berries exploded, burning the reaver badly. Pikel putted some roots in to the ground and started to conjure. Slowly some roots began to rise from the ground, they engulfed the ruins creating more protective cover. "Oi!" He shouted and proceeded to continue his spell.
Cato readied his shielding spells for the volunteer.

ooc: You do the killing, I will try to protect you from getting killed.

[Lestaki]

"It is the duty of the familiars to provide distractions," Irenolae said. "I will fulfil this task." She dug her spear into the ground and pushed off, flying through the air and landing on a higher level of the tower. Spinning her lance, she raised it in preparation for the enemy asssault- just in time. The first lashed down- she bent aside to avoid the bolt of light and stabbed it through, felling the snarling creature. A quick downstab finished it off and she raised her weapon to meet the next attack. "Protection would be helpful, I am somewhat exposed."

Yethi drew on instincts she didn't know she had, releasing the tide of magic within her and practically letting it direct itself. It knew what to do. She span, forming a dozen deadly icicles, then threw her arms up and sending them flying towards the tormenting horde of Reavers. Two had their hearts pierced by the strikes, falling gracelessly and dying. Following up, she blasted at them with a cloud of fireballs, smashing three more to pieces. To more lunged at her as she tried to reach for more magic; desperately, she threw herself into cover, beams of light scattering at her feet. Shaking with fear and anger, she screamed and attacked with a crackling lightning whip, shredding her attackers. But her breath was coming fast and there were still pleanty left...

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC: Shadow, are you referencing your abilites from a list of low-level DnD druid spells? I am enjoying spotting them all, when are you going to wild shape.

IC: Shi could see the light show from the city, but had no clue what was happening, it still amde her wonder if everyone was alright.

OOC: Too short for you? Like I care.

[Andkat]

He was screaming now. Each entrance, each twist of emotion and aggression in the beings sent lances of pain into his mind and his soul. Every precious moment invested in the infernal conciousnesses of the beings was agony; every withdrawal burning his soul. But with the came pleasure. The pleasure of inflicting his deranged emotions upon others; the pleasure of drowning his voices and visions in his own pain.


He danced into the field of battle, eagerly searching out a new mind to perish.

Ardus roared in gleeful estcasy as he sent another being plummetting, It's perceptions damaged beyong repair and it's pain amplified a thousandfold. His form writhed in elation as it's dying screech reached his ears.

He sank against a wall, his anguish overriding his senses.

His smiled in jubilation as he entered the minds of another wretched thing, revelling at the prospects of what he was about to do even as it seared his psyche. His mortal form trembled as he sent a pulse of his hate into the mind of the creature, driving it to novel depths of ferocity and belligerence. He licked his lips in satisfaction as it dragged another of it's kind to the ground, it's unprecedented aggression overriding it's kinship with it's compatriots.

Ardus chortled in exultation, unaware of the blackened pits that now bored into his figure. Even as he sought out more nightmares to banish, a screeching horror swooped in, it's path intended directly for this most appalling tormentor of it;s kin. Ardus was still cackling his inane cackle as the monstrous talons of his foe connected, sending his gashed and bloodied form careening into the base of the central tower, his battered body colliding with the distinctive crack of bone.

[Kaito]

Jael watched besides as all her companions and their Familiars rushed into the fight. She never used her magic to fight, not once. But she figured she'd have to, now that she turned Immortal, the gods would chase her together with the others.
"These birds also belong to the gods. It has already started?"
"It seems that the other Immortals can handle these beings easily, as they seem to be only scouts. But assuming harder fights will follow, you should excercise your magic and get a hang of your new power. A battle against these lower creatures would seem perfect for that cause, my Lady."
Jael watched the Immortals fighting. "So you're saying I should join them?"
Gabriel nodded. "Indeed."
Jael sighed and lifted a rock the size of her fist in the air.
"Too light."
She dropped it and instead lifted one the size of her head.
"This seems okay."
She watched as it rose to the sky and accelerated in the direction of the birds. When the rock reached the swarm, she swirled it around in every direction, but these damn birds kept avoiding it. Growing angry she lifted it over them and accelerated it downwards as fast as she could and hit one bird, which dropped to the ground next to the stone crippled. "Yay!" Suddenly one bird changed directions and raced towards her. She was panicking from the sight of it coming closer to her so fast. Just when it was to impact Jael lifted her arms to protect herself and screamed. A shockwave departed from her hands, hitting the bird so hard it was thrown back in a high arc.
Jael put her arms down, breathing, she wondered how she did that blast just now. But there was no time to waste as another one already approached her.

[Captain Elson]

Toani managed to slay another beast, but noticed that Karna was surrounded by a large amount of the monsters, shetook one down, but the others lunged at her undeterred and one took off her head.

"No.." Tonai whispered. "NO!" He screamed at the loss of his friend ( OOC: he doesn't know of the regeneration thing yet) Tonai took his stick now emblazened in a 10 foot flame and slashed it at the creature that had emotionessly decapitated Karna and the flame released a blade of fire that incinerated the monster. He jumped into the air and realeased a stroke of burning ire at the remaining beasts that had killed his friend, obliterating them all in a matter of seconds. With this great effort, he used up most of his energy,Tonai collapsed, and became unconscious as the battle continued to rage.

[Psymon]

Baore strode up towards the ruined tower. It hadn't taken too many enquiries in the city to get directions, they had been a large group, and Emmy had provided pretty good descriptions. Gods alone knew how she knew what they looked like, but it had worked. He looked up, past the glare of the sun and saw a strange group of combatants embattled with a large amount of huge birds. Nothing that big should be able to fly, he thought. Emmy poked her head out of his hood and mewled in shock. Seraphs! she told Baore, Your questions can wait, get up there and help them!

"Well could you..." he began breaking into a run, a difficult task because of his leg.
"Way ahead of you" she said as she leapt down, transformed and ran up the hill, far faster than Baore could. She threw her sirrusa, hanging onto the chain and snagged a wingtip, bringing down a bird, were she quickly despatched it. Baore swung his shod staff at one and missed. As another swept low he extended his arm and said a word. Vines leapt from the ground an entangled the beast and he smashed its skull with the staff. He swung round to fend off another attack and yelled to the group in general,
"You lot dont half take some finding!"

[The Shadow]

ooc: Sword_Monkey: wow I didn't even know that myself... Just using things I've read from books and games and some I just make up myself :) . (Animal form... Maybe next.)

Cato casted the spell to Irenolae. A shining field came out of nowhere all around her. "That should give you moderate protection against lighting and this," Cato casted another spell, "Against their claws!" Pikel continued to conjure the roots, soon they would engulf all of the ruins and even come alive lashing at the reavers.

ooc: I will help Ardus, when I get back from school.

[Sevorak]

Therion didn't have fireballs, mastery over nature, or much of the typical mage standbys. Instead, he had his nature, a sword, and nigh-infernal strength to guide it with. Though as a werewolf, the sword was eschewed for fang and claw... while the Seraphs were out of easy striking range, the numerous buildings around helped in that regard... he leapt atop them, massive paws crumpling the framework of the roof and its tiles, running up the side and finally getting up on hind legs and launching himself up into a cloud of the beasts.

Even in the air, over a ton of flailing, angry werewolf smashing into you wasn't particularly pleasant. In his initial 'attack run', he succeeded in scattering the group, bringing one down under his sheer mass, gutting one in the air with his claws, and grasping onto two more, one with his front paws and the other with his back. He came plummeting back down to the ground; the impact jarred him and shook his senses, causing him to abruptly release his 'captives', though they couldn't move fast enough to escape his vengeful rage; one was decapitated by a sweep of his right paw, and he simply stood on the other one and crushed it, its angelic blood staining the earth.

He swept to one side, pouncing on one that had made a beeline for one of the other immortals, wrenching out its guts with his teeth and spattering them across the ground. He spat them out and howled at the skies; two of the Seraphs took his challenge, swirling around him, clawing and biting. Such a tactic might have worked against the other immortals, whose magics were better suited to fighting things that weren't hovering deftly around them and stabbing at them with shortswords. Therion simply unsheathed his claws and raked bloody furrows across the first one for daring to come close, leaving it twitching and convulsing in agonic contortions; the second one was wrenched from its attack by Therion's fangs, sinking into its neck.

He himself was marked by dozens of cuts and injuries that would likely cause him some vague sense of harm when he was back to his original form. Or a lot of harm. Didn't matter then, blinded by rage and driven to infernal heights of savagery and anger by the teasing, decrepit angels around him. He growled and resumed immersing himself in the bloody carnage, acting as something of a melee shield for the immortals who couldn't easily fend off the enemy attackers once they got close.

[The Shadow]

Cato saw Ardus flying through the air. He ran to Ardus and said: "What have you done?" Cato grabbed Arduses head between his hands. He started to mutter a spell. Arduses body twisted and struggle under the spell, still Cato didn't let go. Slowly his wounds started to close and his bones heal. Cato fell backwards. He had used a considerable amount of his healing power at Ardus.
Cato lied there in the midst of the battle for awhile, he rose up and said to Ardus: "Just stay here, don't try to move. You are not fully healed, for now you survive."
After that Cato moved to Pikel. "Anyone else need healing?" He shouted.
The roots we're now all over the ruins, some of them outside trying to catch the birds. Pikel stopped conjuring and sitted down leaning at one of the stones. He quickly rose up again and strated another spell.

[Andkat]

He was bleeding, of that he was certain. Whether it was his world or his blood he had no idea

He was lyinh in the centre of some bloodsoaked field of war, corpses and armaments littering the ground as far as his orbs could pierce this peculair realm. The heavens where enshrouded in a deathly fog, the sun a dim red casting frail rays upon this place of slaughter.

But he was bleeding . He could feel it, seeping from his mind, trickling across his lobes and down his spine. He could feel it in his stomach, around his heart, everywhere / But still the flow of neural vitae refused to quench.

He could feel the blood welling up inside him. He could feel it drip from his posterior, tear from his eyes, trickle from his finger. He could feel it trying to breach his skin, he could sense it flooding up his throat.

And as if the floodgates of his form had been unbarred, it was released. It gushes in torrents from his mouth, it burst beyond his eyes, waterfalls of it emerged from his loins. His nails cracked and collapsed as the blood sought to escape his form.

Blood that was not his...

Ardus smiled as he raised his bloodstained head to the choking smog of the lands above, revelling in the sensation as the life's blood of others seeped through his skin.

Then he at last he bared his bloodstained orbs to the world.
_______________________________

And saw only death.

The blood still flowed , but now it was his life that was voraciously consumed by the soil. He was immersed in the realms physical once more.

He moaned, leaning against the cold and callous walls of the ruins, futilely seeking to quench the blood spurting from his shoulders with his now crimson arms. His mind felt as though it had been branded with molten steal, and every iota of his form ached with agony unspeakable.

He percieved his awakener, a servant of the earth clearly, stride away into the fray of the conflict.

For but an instant, he percieved the countenance of that malicious being who had delivered him to his new pain.

And he vowed that he would stain his hands with the blood of that callous creature.

[Lestaki]

Yethi was completely lost now, not wielding her magic so much as it wielded her, drowning in its whispers as she span and unleashed an endless torrent of destruction. It commanded, and she was merely the vassal to exert its glorious will apon the universe. The creatures lived, and those creatures she hated- so she destroyed them. With lightning, fire, stabbing ice, air shaped into blades, the wrath of the earth, she battered and assailed their ranks, forcing them to swerve, pull away, casting a handful down to the ground and death.

She felt their spirits break free, torn and scattered by the natural currents of the world, flowing and dissipating into the magic of all things... and she wielded that force, that tide, as weapons. She felt them flow through her, sensing the souls as her gateway to tides she never knew existed, but now she saw them to be beautiful, primeval, and there to be used. This power flowed within her as it flowed out there, and from her own heart and her own soul she drew on this- that was her gift. That was her mark. It was intrinsic to her, and so right. The voices that assailed her were nothing more than the clarion call of her own native soul. Reject them or welcome them, they would always be.

She would have to decide later, but right now the coherent part of her recognised that she wasn't coherent enough to make important life deicisions. That driving instinct unleashed a crackling trail of fire, tearing another Reaver apart, but the one remaining did not die in time- it unleashed a bolt of light that hit her in the stomach. She collapsed, but not before a last vengeful strike punched into the creature, destroying it instantly and scattering it's ethereal soul to the winds. This was not an ending, but a beginning.

Irenolae felt her mistress' pain, but had no time to dwell on it. She would be safe, should be safe, and now protection would have to come from different means. She leapt clear as another Reaver fired a bolt, landing heavily. The creatures swerved upwards as she raised her lance, finally learning to avoid the weapon- but the intelligence that worked out that did not seem to be sufficent to conveince the scattered remnants of the flock to retreat. They were down to less than ten, to be dispatched at leisure, but some of the Immortals had been inconvenienced in the struggle as well.

Irenolae cursed and ran forwards, concentrating and using the native magics of her armour and her own body. The jump flung her into the midst of the creatures- she smashed one's skull open with a punch from her spiked gauntlet and pierced another with her lance, falling gracefully towards the ground. Unfortunately, two bold ones raced after her and smashed bodily into her, dragging her down and finally piercing the powerful shield protecting her. She landed heavily and was bowled over. Throwing her spear down, she ignored their rasping claws and drew her shortsword, stabbing one through and forcibly catching hold of the other, before leaping off the level and landing heavily below. It was crushed between her armour and unyeilding stone. Dripping blood from several massive claw wounds, she staggered towards cover.

[Psymon]

The air whirred as Baore span his shod staff, his blood singing with adrenaline ecstasy. He tried to protect the members of the group who were not good at close fighting. He avoided the enormous werewolf as best he could, he didn't want to get in the way of that kind of frenzy, particularly from a being so physically strong. The bird-monsters, seraphs Emmy had called them, came at him almost constantly. He whirled the staff with the practice of years and the speed of instinct, crushing a skull here, a wing there. The creatures were strange to his spirit-sense, which was hard enough to put into words anyway. They were not the blue or green of earthly creatures, it was almost as if someone had taken the pure, golden-white glow of a spirits essence and smothered it, binding and covering it in a construct of black strands shaped like a bird. The light still came through dimly and he saw the bursts of light as the strands unravelled with the deathblows, freeing whatever spirit was inside. These soon winked out, whether to the spirit realm or some other place he did not know.

Emmy did felt the need to avoid the werewolf through her link to Baore, but felt no compunction to obey it, that great brute was too slow to touch her, let alone cause harm. Anyway he needed someone to watch his back or the Seraphs would rip his spine out. As she twirled the sirrusah, gouging deep gorges across the chest of the nearest Seraph she recalled when she had fought these fallen spirits before with an older generation of Immortals. Of course she had been in the form of a young swordswoman then, wearing armour that, on reflection, was probably far too spartan to have been much use, but that had been the way of those times. That adventure had led her to find the race that her current form was based on, at least she had seen a picture of them as a result of that adventure. It was strange, after all these years the Seraphs still attacked in exactly the same way, still used the same tactics. But then that was the way of spirits, good or evil, ageless and changeless. The fact that she thought it strange showed just how long she had spent with humans. The lapse in concentration this thought caused let them get close and she was hard pressed to protect herself, kicking and biting as she used what weight she had to bear the monstrocities to the ground. Wolfie would have to look after himself. She ran along the ground towards one of the plants the druid had magically grown, it looked strong and springy. A Seraph followed her a few feet off the ground. She leapt towards the plant, arms outstretched. she wrapped her hands around the smooth bark of the plant and swung around, coming back at the Seraph feet first. Her feet connected with its head, poleaxing it and she stabbed the thing with the dagger she kept in her belt. Seraph faces were't very good at forming emotions, assuming they had any, but she could have sworn it looked surprised. She leapt back into the fray.

Baore knocked his opponent out of the air and spun to face the other that would have sneaked around his back. If it had been there. He looked around, shivering with the after-effects of the adrenaline and jarred muscles. "Is that it? Are they gone?"

[Lestaki]

"That's it," Aedar called. "All dead. Stupid birds, they don't retreat, no matter the cost."

Sereia moved from Immortal to Immortal, checking them for founds and muttering soft words. Each time a flash of light enulphed the target, healing them instantly and without apparent effort on her part. The process was quick and painless. "That's all of them," she said to Aedar."

"That's amazing," Yethi said, regaining a semblence of her normal self. Irenolae helped her up and supported her with one arm. "Could I learn to do that?"

"No," the dragoon said tiredly. "We kill things, Yethi. That's it, okay?"

"If you kill the right things, you can do quite as much good," Aedar said. "Some would say more. But we can't stay here. Now that we've been sighted, we must move on rapidly. I know where to go, but we have to get there. That begets a ship, for preference. So that begets the city. We're going to have to go in, and try our luck with the occasional zealot. If I'm forced to sue the altelnative method to a boat, then I'll be quite drained and we'll have blown any semblence of cover we had. So we'll try boat first. And lodgings, and food. I'd forgotten how much stuff we'll need. I don't suppose we have an alchemist?"

Yethi worked out the significance of that question. "You don't have any money?"

"This is hardly a paid position," Aedar said defensively. "Is there anyone who can fake money? Failing that, is there anything anyone can do that could earn us money? Or we could steal..."

Sereia glared at him.

"But that's a last resort," he amended. "Let's get through those gates, and I'm welcome for any suggestions."

"I can make money as a healer," Sereia said. "No doubt the druid can help me."

Yethi considered. "Err... I don't suppose anyone will want any houses demolished?"

"Probably not," Irenolae muttered.

[Andkat]

Ardus screamed as the blinding, rejuvenating luminescence engulfed him, writhing in terror as his senes where momentarily dulled into oblivion, as if time itself had ceased for a moment.

Then everything returned. Without pain of mind or body, without preoccupation of rage or glee, his past deeds where elucidated and illuminated to him in all of their appalling detail. Screaming countenances and locations of burial haunted the fringes of his perceptions. He could still hear the distinctive sound of his blade cutting flesh, of the tortures and the stranglings. He whimpered in agony and self-loathing, knowing that there was only one method of ending this lucid nightmare.

Reaching into his shirt, he drew his blade...

...And plunged it into his thigh, sighing in relief as the icy physical pain washed over him, drowning the memories of distant transgressions and rendering his damned feats of hatred hazy and indistinct in the immediacy of his self-imposed agonies.

Content with himself once more, Ardus grinned as he sheathed his dagger and rose to join his reviled equals...

[Psymon]

"Well, I've got a bit of herblore, but I'd probably be better at some sort of heavy lifting." said Baore, "Emmy can heal, she did it to me once. I could get a spirit to teach us about alchemisting, but that sort of knowledge costs a lot of silver, so we probably wouldn't make much afterwards. I've also got some savings, not much, certainly not enough for a boat trip." He upended a purse into his hand, revealing a small amount of copper and bronze and one silver coin. "If you don't mind I'll keep the silver one, spirits always want payment. I don't know how people would react to Emmy though, they probably wouldn't like being healed by a black cat or a blue dog-person thing."

"Oh please, Baore, I can do other shapes." said Emmy, her words accompanied by the characteristic tearing noise and twirling lights of transformation. When the light faded Emmy was a tall woman with dazzling emerald eyes and auburn hair. She wore an old fashioned tunic that left her shoulders bare and was held in at her waist by a leather belt. "So. Where do we start?"

[Captain Elson]

Toanai was amazed of the healing pwoers of the other Elder Immortal. Not only had he been revived, but Karna was beside himself as if she had never been hurt.

"But how, I thought, You were," Tonai stammered.

"It's okay Tonai, being your familiar, I can be reconjurred up again and again, as long as oyu don't die, I don't die." Karna smiled as she winked at him so that he'd know to be more careful next time.

"Phew, I thought you were a goner."

"Well I am not, so that's a good thing."

The male elder was saying something about money, Tonai was thinking about it and said, "If someone could find the metals we need to craft the coins, I'm fairly certain I can use my Fire to mold the Metal into coins that we can use." "I'm not guarenteeing any results, but I'm throwing it out as a possibility." "Or Karna and I could go hunting, for some food..."

Karna shot a glare at Tonai, and Tonai restated, "Well I could go hunt for some food."

[Sevorak]

OOC: Therion? Slow? I think not. :P

IC: Therion stood deathly still, his wounds flickering away at the Elder Immortal's healing touch. Though instead of sighing, slumping, or doing anything vaguely connected with relief, he simply snarled, cast a distant look at the healer, swept his gaze across the others, then looked at the ground, found a seat next to Naphar, and became utterly and irreconcilably introspective for rest of the hour.

Is this my fate, then? To be tossed about like gnats in a firestorm at the behest of these so-called 'Elders' with the rest of my kind?

He stood after a while, scarcely interested in the proceedings. It seemed distinctly... odd, to see mages quibbling over minor details such as money, food and the like. For him, it had always been simple survival, hunting for food and living day by day.
"I suppose I could always pretend to be a werewolf hunter and repeatedly fake by own death by indulging in a set of foolishly inadvisable stunts that most werewolves could survive rather easily... but of course, they wouldn't know that," Therion remarked idly, not for once expecting anyone to take him seriously; or even glance in his vague direction, for that matter.

Glancing wearily at his sword, he slumped back down to the ground. His limbs ached from the persistent transformations; and the beast within was... restless, wary. It didn't have nearly the amount of hold over him as it would have done a normal human; indeed, he could have restful nights the majority of the time, and trouble himself little with the curse that had marked his flesh and body. But when full moon came... there was little that could be done for him. The beast twitched at that thought.

[Gorb]

OOC: Hurrah! My character is here *huff huff* finally.

IC: A field, outside of town. Pentacles and runes of salt adorn the barren ground. A figure in dark, tattered robes kneels in the centre of the largest pentacle, chanting in a strange tongue. Nearby, outside the pentacle, stands a sad-faced elfin creature, holding a glowing rod in both hands . . .

"DEPART!" The creature vanished from his mind in an instant, its thoughts and manners slowly departing from the recesses of his brain.
"Master, are you well?"
"I am fine, psy-beings are slightly harder to control, that's all. I will rest now, and we will try again tomorrow." The mage gestures towards the pentacle, and all of the markings in the ground disappeared. Sounds emerged from down the road. Sounds of lots of people shouting for the "accursed black mage" to leave. Loud sounds.
"Maybe master, we should find somewhere else to practise?"
"Er, agreed. Lets move." And with that command, both mage and elf shimmered and vanished into the evening air.

[The Shadow]

"Could I learn that power?" Cato asked from Aedar when he(?) healed him. Pikel was also in his fully strength now. He studied the roots he had grown and looked for mistakes and ways to improve it. Pikel saw a very small flower in next to the tower. He gently dropped some water around it and said few words, the flower burst in it's fully glory. Pikel smiled and walked away.

[Lestaki]

"Halt. Who goes there?"

"Immortal of Elementalism Yethi and her familiar Irenolae," the dragoon said promptly.

Yethi and the guards alike gaped at this. "You don't tell them that!" Yethi said.

"You don't? But they asked." Irenolae looked confused again.

"You aren't very good at this, are you? Look," she said to the guard. "All we want is to get some sleep and some food. Can you please let us in?"

"It's forbidden to shelter Immortals," the guard said suspiciously. "And we don't like-"

"Mages around here. Right, right. But can you just look the other way?"

"What's in it for us?"

Yethi's patience snapped. "I won't turn you into a burnmark on the road! That's what's in it for you! Did you see what we did to those birds? That could well be you."

The guard considered it. She was young and looked more foolish than threatening. Then again, who knew with mages? He decided not to risk it, and stood aside.

They walked into the city. "Let me do the talking from now on," Yethi hissed.

The last time she'd been here, no one had paid her any attention at all. She'd been just another peasent girl going to the market. This time, she was recieving substantial attention, all of it unfavourable. "Is it that obvious I'm a mage?"

"It shouldn't be," Irenolae said.

Yethi looked around. "Actually, it looks like they're staring at you first. Hang on... didn't you say the dragoons were a templar order of Gerina?"

"That is correct," Irenolae said.

"And Sereia said this city was attacked by Gerinans a long time ago," Yethi mused. "That makes sense. If they were rivals since, then... no doubt everyone is wondering why a dragoon is walking through the city streets. Listen, you aren't a familiar and I'm not a mage, okay? You were a dragoon, but you deserted and now work as a bodyguard for hire. And I'm a... young aristocrat whose parents died while I was young," she said, her fancy getting the better of her, "and the family fortunes were stolen by an evil uncle... who killed my parents... and so I had to flee for my life. I took but a bag of gold... all of which I spent hiring you after you saved my life from bandits. Which is why I'm in poverty. If anyone asks who we are, that's the story, okay?"

Irenolae nodded. "I think I understand. But you don't look much like an aristocrat."

Yethi scowled.
***
Sereia smiled at Cato. "In good time, you will learn that gift. However, it is as much a matter of your own powers emerging as it is me teaching you. I can give you the basics of the gift, but you will only master it to the degree I have in your own good time. If you wish to learn, I suggest you accompny me. Healers can always make money curing the ill and healing ailiments, and I can give you lessons at the same time."

Aedar grunted and set off, wincing as her eyes whipped towards him.

"And don't waste your time in the libraries!" she said. "Earn some money of your own, too. I'm always the one supporting the group."

"I have to research our time mage's immortality," Aedar said innocently. "If I don't make the effort, he'll leave."

"Later," she instructed clearly, walking towards the gates. "Some actual work will be good for you."

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran glanced at the healers back as she strode off, fingers twitching with the vauge thought of a spell, before snarling and following her. Money be damned, the librarys were public, and if they werent, they were open to him.

Sessner remained rooted in his spot, worriedly eyeing his friend. When he had joined the mage he had been cheerful and friendly to pretty much everyone, even throwing out witty banter to his enemies. Now he seemed to be drawing in on himself in his quest for life. With a sad headshake the small dragon decided that Niran needed him now more than ever, and hurried to follow.

OOC: just woke up with 4 hours of sleep, nurgh, off to work

[Psymon]

OOC: Sorry Sevorak, Emmy is pretty arrogant, particularly when fighting and she is incredibly fast.

IC: "You can do other shapes?" Baore asked as they walked.
"Of course, why would you think otherwise?" Emmy replied.
"Well, its just you always used the cat and the blue dog thing."
"I like them, and anyway there are limits to it. Anything bigger than a human will be mostly illusory. Also, flying doesn't usually work for some reason." He left her there and walked faster to catch up with the Immortal had heard referred to as Aedar. He seemed to know a lot more about what was going on than most.
"Excuse me," he said, "but, what were those things? Emmy called them Seraphs, but thats all I know. They were like nothing I'd ever sensed, they were..." he made an exasperated sound, "Spirit-sense is hard to explain, there're no words for it. Its like trying to explain seeing to the blind. The closest I can figure out is that spirits have a sort of glow, and they seemed to be spirits, but the glow was shrouded by hundreds of strands of darkness that broke apart when they died." He hoped this man had the answers.

[Lestaki]

"They are called Reavers," Aedar said, gratified for the show of interest. "A lesser type of Seraph. Seraphs are the servants of the gods, cast by them from magic into forms that fulfil tasks they need done. I have made a study of all magical creatures, and none more so than the Seraphs. When they die, the magic intrinsic to their being flows back into the tides of the world, and will gradually reform; after a sufficent amount of time has passed, they will collect and live again."

"I am not a soul-seer, but the glow may well be their inner soul and the darkness their forms, which are cast of pure magic as well, dissipating with their bodies. They or us might have rended their soul and used it to restore our own magical supplies- the Elementalist would most likely do this instinctively, whereas I and perhaps others can do so conciously. Perhats that effect was the scattering strands of darkness you observed. Even then, when their souls are projected as magical force- they will eventually return. Seraphs always return."
***
"What is that?" Yethi stared at the large building, then realised she might as well have been talking to herself. Irenolae wouldn't know. "It's very large, and very crowded, and has a lot of guards."

"Are you a dragoon?" They spun to see a richly-dressed man approach, looking at Irenolae with interest. He was accomnied by two armed bodyguards, and bore himself with pride and an easy confidence.

Yethi nodded. "A deserter one, mind. She's my bodyguard."

"You're Genrian, then?"

She shook her head hastily. "Of course not. Threiani born."

"You have the accent," he agreed. "You say something," he intstructed Irenolae.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm. Doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard. Can you fight?"

A determined nod answered that question.

"As a Dragoon? Show me."

"We're sorry, but we really must-" Yethi began.

"I'll make it worth your time, if she's a real dragoon."

Yethi nodded shortly to Irenolae's questionning glance.

"I'll need some space," the familiar said. "And this had better be worth my time, I'm a warrior, not a performer." She drew her lance proficently, then span it at an increasing pace, orbiting her hands and her body almost impossibly. Then she suddenly leapt forwards, spinning the lance in mid air and driving it into the ground, before jumping upwards. She landed easily, driving her spear into the ground. "There's a lot more. But I have no room, and no inclination."

"The armour and weapon is genuine," he said. "As is the technique. Very well. My name is Velial Melahi, and I am the owner of this colusseum." He nodded towards the large building they were in the shadow of. "We stage duels and arena events there."

"To the death?" Yethi asked, horrified.

"Only in exceptionally rare circumstances," Velial said. "And we have excellent healers. But to look at you, you're down on your luck. If your bodyguard is willing to fight a few battles, you will be richely rewarded."

"How much?" Yethi asked, trying to sound intelligent.

"Twenty-five gold for the first round. If you make a hit, I'll raise it to thirty for the next rounds."

That was a lot of gold. More than enough for food and a bed to sleep in. Yethi opened her mouth...

and someone else borrowed it. "Even the greenest of gladiators get fifty gold."

"Gladiators," Velial said, looking suprised. "Not guest fighters."

"Fifty gold. Our time is valuable."

"I'm not paying that much for a curiousity."

"The chance for the finest fighters in Thereia to bring down one of Genria's legendary dragoon templars? More than a curiousity, my friend."

"You're a clever one. Thirty."

"Fourty five."

"Thirty five. Don't try further than that."

"Rising to fourty."

"Done."

Apologies. It is I, Aedar. You must be careful with these people. Sereia disapproves of duelling... but what she doesn't know can't hurt her.

Hey, wait! You didn't give me a chance to refuse!

"A dragoon in a Thereian arena," Velial said. "It's brilliant. This way, if you please."

I wonder what, exactly, have we gotten ourselves into this time... Yethi mused.

OOC: Feel free to join in the arena battles if you haven't got any other stuff to do, they always need more cannon fodder. ;) If I get a few people, we could even make a tourny style minigame out of it. No Immortals can use magic in the arena though- but if familiars use magic, they can use it provided it is argumentative rather than a fireball or suchlike. Immortals can play if they pass for normal and use weapons without blatent magic. Otherwise, just wander around and do what you think best- you have a city and your imaginations at your disposal.

[Captain Elson]

Toani wandered over towards the Arena, and smirked at the fact that the other contestants are as good as done for, he had a pretty good feeling that the dragoon was going to mop the floor with the other contestants.

"Hey Karna did you ever think that ya know, you could enter the arena?" Tonai enquired foolishly.

"You would think you would know by now that I Deplore fighting unless it is nescessary." KArna responded Coldly.

"Alright, okay." Tonai thought for a moment and talked to Velial. "Hey, do you think I could fight in this event?"

Velial stood there and smirked, "You don't look that strong, i doubt you'll make it through the first fight."

"Watch me All i need is my body and my stick." Replied Tonai with a sense of laughter in his voice. He thought to himself of how he oculd make the other contestants sweat and not reveal his mage abilities. "Nothing else, That's all i'll need," he said smuggly.

"Well if you are going to fight I am not giving you the same as that dragoonthat registered." countered Velial quickly.

The dirty little cheapskate. "Fine, but I want at least 20 gold pieces."

"10"

"19" Said Tonai griting his teeth and not a gold piece less.

"15" That is all i will go"

"Fine then I only expected 8 anyway, It's a deal." Tonai was laughing to himself so much he couldn't believe it, 15 gold coins, that was more money than he'd ever held in his entire life.

"Tonai I swear you are going to get yourself killed for your reckless behavior." Karna scolded him.

"Ha!, We need the money and I need to hone my skills, without my magic, so I can
become even more powerful while using it."

"You could just set another forest on fire, it would do the same thing." Karna mocked.

"That was only one time, I am not going to have to explain to another village that i am sorry for burnig their village." Tonai burst.

"It happened 5 times Tonai."

"Oh"

Velial had gotten bored and began to bug some other people for entrance into the arena.

[Kaito]

Jael overheard some other Immortals joining the arena fights.
"What the. I wouldn't fight if I didn't need to. These guys are like teeth flashing animals... Let's see what we can find in this city."
Just as she wanted to depart from the arena entrance, she spotted a little sign. Thoughtfully she observed it, then mumbled to herself. "Seems like I can make a little money off the fights anyway. Gabriel, you like betting?" She grinned and walked towards a shelter. The guy in it looked up as the two approached.
"Hello, sir. You met a good day coming to the arena today. We have some guest fighters announced, amongst them a Genrian dragoon."
the man stared at Gabriel, waiting for an answer. Instead, the little girl winked at him. He looked down at her, her head hardly raising over the desk. She pulled some coins out of her pocket and put them on the desk. "7 silver coins on the dragoon." The man raised an eyebrow. "Bidding dad's money today, eh? Alright, then. Here's your ticket. Return to the one of the shelters when your fighter won to get your prize. Good luck, lady." With that he handed the ticket to Jael kindly. She took it and went to get a seat in the arena. "So I'm your daughter, then?" Gabriel shrugged. "I'd have no problem with that, and it'd make for the best disguise, my Lady." Jael sighed. "Then so be it. Take a seat, there's already someone fighting." Gabriel sat down next to Jael. "It's not crowded yet, the main event will probably take some time." he assumed.

[Psymon]

"Hey you!" Baore heard as he passed the arena, "Hey! Big guy with the staff! Wanna earn some gold?" He turned and walked over to the man, "What would I have to do?"
"I'll bet you're good with that staff," Baore nodded, "How about you fight in the arena?"
"Sorry, I only fight when its necessary, and I never try to kill unless I have to" Before the seedy man could reply he turned on his heel and walked away.

There has to be to be some way I can make some money in this town thought Baore, he'd spent the past hour asking around and getting no opportunities. Well, he got one, but sewer cleaning was something he'd decided not to do unless there was absolutely nothing else. He wandered into a market square and saw something that gave him an idea. Around the edges and the gaps between the stalls entertainers performed for the amusement of others, and got paid for it. He immediately went to the centre of the square, near a large ornamental pond, took his staff off his back and started twirling it.
The staff went up and over, under, up in the air and back down to the ground, the light glinting off the worn edges of the iron-shod ends. He soon attracted a crowd and even some scant applause as the staff moved like a living thing. He decided to try something a bit risky, he caught the staff and swung it at one of his audience's head. The man's eyes widened and the crowd gasped, as the staff stopped barely an inch from the man's face. Baore then tapped him on the side of the head, knocking the man off balance and illiciting a laugh and some coins.
"Give me something to break, anything, and I will." he announced. He spent the next few hours breaking anything that was put before him, including an iron bar and a paving slab. One of the hardest was a bale of hay, since he couldn't rely on it to snap. He had amassed a full purse by the time the sun began to dim, and been given a fair amount of mead. He staggered off to find the other Immortals, he figured that some might still be at the arena.

[Andkat]

Ardus sighed as he slumped against the filthy alley wall. It had been a long hunt and a longer day.
____________
He had come to this place a troubled man.

He had been having...urges. Black desires of death and excruciation. He had gone too long without true killing, without smothering his agonies in the screams of others.The Reavers had not satiated him; their infernal psyches served merely as painful playthings for him; nothing more. Restless and disconcerted had he entered the city, and Ardus sought the only resolution he knew to his state.

And so entered the slums of Thrienia, in the pursuit of murder.

He had searched and assessed the masses for hours, ever in search of a suitable mind for his newly acquired manipulations. He had discarded the elderly, the enfeebled, and the dying. They already knew pain, horror, torment, and debilitation, or cared little of it. No. He desired those most susceptible to his tortures, those who would be most poignantly affected it by it.

Two hours after entering the impoverished district, he found those minds.

A pair of lovers, one barely a man, empathetic and benign, and the other a girl enraptured by the throes of love, and the epitome of youthful innocence and ignorance, he could ask for no better a target.

He had stalked them for hours, assessing every nuance and angle of their relationship, subtly probing their personalities with the reserved callousness of a true murderer, and in more ways than one.

At last they reached their destination; a residence, which, by the looks of it they had purchased with their own presumably meager funds. But to such a blissful and naive couple, matters of means and sustenance are secondary to passion. And passion is what they came to this place to indulge. Whilst they had naturally barred their portal behind them, for in such a place as this even the most brazen of individuals learn to secure their possessions properly if they wish to rouse in the morning with anything left on their backsides, Ardus had little difficulty making entry into their dwelling. He had garnered and developed such abilities in his countless escapes from his father and, later, his departures from the locations of his perpetrations.

He had entered with trembling trepidation, fearing that his exuberance would expose him even as he prepared to perform his twisted feats. But, lamentably, it did not.

Gazing through a crack in their chamber door, he perceived that the couple was locked in the flames of their desire, apathetic and uncaring of the world around them as they rendered their love physical. Ardus's eyes gleamed with murderous glee as he sent the tendrils of his mind into the consciousness of the man. He giggled inwardly as he uncoiled the bonds of affection. His thoughts danced in the mind of his prey, channeling aggression and birthing hatred in the conflagration of passion with every touch and flourish.

Soon cries of ecstasy turned to screams of horror and gasps of pleading as the male lover strangled the last vestiges of the life from his partner even as Ardus did similarly to his restraint.

Ardus grinned in delight as the death throes of the female lover subsided, for now the true intent of his blackened deed was to come to fruition.

With a thought Ardus leveled the barriers restraining the compassion and the warmth of the surviving partner, writhing in exultation as the icy comprehension of his horrific act collided with the lover-turned-murderer. Ardus felt waves of elation caress his mind as the man screamed aloud at the sought before him, tearing at his eyes in shock and disbelief. With a smile had Ardus departed from the quarters of the weeping man, secure in the knowledge that the individual
s life and love where in incorrigible ruin.

In his glee, Ardus almost ignored one crucial detail; the sister.

It wasn't a particularly infrequent instance in such places that the eldest sibling would provide for his or her lessers, for it is often that the span of life for a human in these straits to be far briefer than what is expedient.

She had borne witness to the entire act; had noted the intruder's pleasure at the sight of the repugnant act.

She had seen too much.

Ardus felt her more than he perceived her, his mind peripherally registering the turbulent of emotions of the girl, whom he had discovered to be whimpering in the pantry.

But, despite her melancholy and her shock, she was still a girl of the slums, and had not survived it's dangers by being slow of reflex or response.

Before Ardus could summon another murderous thought or grasp his blade, the girl, barely an adolescent he registered, dashed past him, fleeing for the door.

But despite the inherent lethality of her environment, the girl
s stamina and strength where no equal to that of a belligerent and determined killer such as Ardus.

Even as he pursued her through reeking alleys and over makeshift barriers, he knew that the outcome of this hunt was predetermined.

With each stride he closed his pulse leapt, as if in anticipation of her blood and her screams.

Finally, sobbing, the little girl made the final turn and the final mistake of her existence; she fell into a sealed and isolated alley, isolated from aid and flight alike.

Ardus rounded the corner, whetting his lips in anticipation of what he was about to commit....

..only to stumble upon the broken, mutilated form of his victim, lying in a pool of her own vitae at the closure of the alley. And upon her battered form rested a an all too familiar shape...

Ardus screamed in rage and denial, as he perceived what had occurred. He spat oaths and obscenities at the abomination that stalked him so, cursing it's miserable existence and vowing that he would one day decipher a method to rid himself of his tormentor.

And then, his rage and his elation mutually exhausted, Ardus crumpled against the wall, whimpering in exhaustion and self-contempt.

[Sevorak]

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome to the Arena!" The amplified voice blared out across the stadium; hushed, tension-filled silence followed as the crowd's apprehension built, looking down upon the sandy pit of the arena floor. Therion stood behind the bars that separated him from the arena; and on the other side, the set of bars that separated the other combatant from him. He allowed no flicker of impatience to show; not even the barest whisper of emotion to seep through his carefully-constructed facade of indifference to the proceedings.

The other combatant was pacing; with a spear in hand and shield in the other, he was evidently looking forward to the kill. Though Therion had little doubt his utter lack of movement and blank stare were unnerving. Though he wasn't the 'target', Therion had little doubt that he was likely a very bad man. Hence his insistence on a deathmatch, rather than the typical bloodmatches, in which actual killing was forbidden... though lapses occurred. The arena's administrator concluded his introduction speech; and after effectively stating that Therion was doomed, permitted the bars to be brought down.

Therion took three paces forwards into the glaring sunlight, felt the searing heat, and stood utterly still as the other man ran at him. The spear left the running man's hand halfway across the arena; Therion augmented his reflexes with an utterly unnoticable touch of vitalification, snapped his hand out to the side while sidestepping... and smashed the spear in its middle and sent the two fragments scattering and spinning away through the air. His opponent didn't stop coming; the shortsword in his hands flared out, glinting in the light as he lunged. Therion simply augmented his strength and lashed out, smashing the shortsword out of harm's way, and smashed a fist into the man's oncoming face.

He went down. Hard. And didn't get up. Therion looked up at the spectators, who roared with applause. He waved once to them, then turned around and walked out of the arena to collect his dues.

[Lestaki]

"Remember, act like a dragoon! You're not a familiar!" Yethi said.

"I understand," Irenolae said.

"Don't die out there," the mage said.

"Even if I do, I will be born anew the next night," Irneolae said. "I do not fear death for as long as you are alive." Then she strode out into the arena, and was gone. Yethi sighed and hurried to her alloted place in the stands, close to the ground. She thought she saw one of the Immortals exiting. Someone whose power has subtly, not just strength, no doubt.

"And now, all the way from Genreia, for one night only, a genuine Dragoon Templar of the Midnight Order! These legendary warriors are said (so so they say) to be amongst the finest knights in the world. And this guest fighter today is no exception to this. Today she will be tested against the finest of Theriani's warriors. Let us see how she fares. Ladies and gentleman, Irani Bluethorn!"

She was booed as she strode calmly onto the field. Not suprising, under the circumstances.

"Madam knight? Do you have anything to say?"

"I am here to test myself against the finest warriors you have," she said loudly. "But I doubt I'll meet my match here. Try nonetheless!"

The crowd roared. Yethi leaned forwards. Where did she learn to play her part like that?

"Her first challenge! A veteran gladiator and master of the famous Threianian Longsword! You all know him, we all know him, and he's seen off over twenty challengers in his nascent and distinguished career. Perian Lalieran!" He came on casually to roars of approval.

"This will be for the past!" he shouted, to further heightened screaming. Then he drew his longsword, easily settling into a combat stance.

Irenolae span her lance in her hands, quickly weighing up her target. He was no cannon fodder, with a confident and experienced air to him that come from long training. And he definately had experience on her. Literally, anyway, but she had a metaphysical schooling in the dragoon school that was probably just as recondite and thorough. "Is this Theriani's finest? Absurd." She circled him, meeting his fierce eyes unblinking.

He made the first move, charging swiftly towards her. She flicked out with her spear, forcing him to dodge aside and parry with his long blade, then leapt back. She planted her spear firmly and leapt over him, rolling and flipping in mid-air to slash her weapon towards him. He leapt aside, spinning as she landed and charging her again. Her feet slid into a braced stance, then she lashed out twice with her lance, blocking his attack and lashing towards his flank. He bent aside and drove forwards, forcing her to switch to the quaterstaff position, spinning her weapon and blocking his rapid, professional cuts. She performed a series of dazzling manuvers, weapon dancing and flipping in her hands as she turned aside his every attack and struck in a dozen places, but he fought on, stalemating each of her strikes in turn and driving her steadily back. The crowd roared it's approval as she neared the arena wall, running out of space to run.

She looked into his eyes. Know I did that because it was to my advantage. She leapt back the last few feet before he could react, feeling the wall hit the back of her armour. In an instant, she brought her lance up to guard, then she jumped and kicked off the wall faster than the eye could see. Perian parried, but was driven off balance by the powerful blow. He took two quick steps back, then she came on apace, striking high and low before piercing his guard and tearing painfully into his sword arm. A flick of her spear disarmed him, then she rested the tip against his throat. "I win."

The crowd exploded, torn between admiration and hatred. Just perfect for a nemesis Yethi reflected. They had to win a few battles before they lost to someone good. Whether Irenolae knew it or not, Perian was the least of the foes she'd fight tonight.

[Sevorak]

Therion sifted through the audience, the spectators readily shifting to make way for the gladiator who had so easily dispatched their veteran; some flashed him sneaking looks as he passed, his towering form dwarfing most of them. Including the one he was looking for; the contact. He sat down, his pale visage more or less opposite to the appearance of the man who sat next him; he was garbed in dark black, half his face covered - masquerading as one of the walkers of the desert, Therion would have guessed - and sat, coiled, like a panther waiting to strike.

"Vekora?" Therion asked as he leaned back, casting a look over at anyone near him who looked curious. They backed away.
"He's here, of course," the contact began, his voice professional and low. "But he's got his guards with him; not to mention that any overt moves against him are going to... raise some eyebrows, shall we say? Though he's arranged to fight later tonight - a midnight deathmatch; he'll pick from the applicants and decide who he feels like fighting. Suffice to say, we're not willing to take chances with this - we'll arrange for you to be the one selected."

Therion nodded.
"It works."
The contact nodded.
"Just don't let him kill you. He's... not the usual fare,"
"What do you mean?"
"The age-old foe of your own..."
"I see."
"This changes nothing, I take it?"
"Of course not."
"Good. I'll see you once it's done. Good luck out there..."

The werewolf stood and moved forward in the crowd, creeping up behind the other immortal, who was watching her familiar in the arena. He placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling as she whirled around, bewildered.
"Feel like some company?"

[Psymon]

Baore walked towards the arena, slightly unsteadily, but it took a lot more mead than he'd had to put him out. He'd already whacked someone with his staff who thought his purse would be an easy target. He got in and looked around the crowd for anything familiar. He saw a purple hat a short distance from him and managed to push through the crowd until he could see the young woman with the werewolf. He stayed where he could see them and watched the dragoon familiar fight through the blissful fuzzy gaze of the lightly inebriated. Some small un-alcoholed part of his brain was apalled at the barbaric customs of this 'civilised' place, but was largely ignored by the rest. There was something strangely hypnotic about the way the combatants moved, the thrust and parry, the clash of steel, the glint of armour, all combined with the alcohol to be extremely interesting.

Emmy had spent the day treating minor ailments and injuries, pretty boring and in some cases, rather disgusting, but the people had paid her so the boat would probably be within their price range, assuming the other healers found work. She had changed back into a cat and padded over the rooftops with the coins in a pouch round her neck. She followed Baore's trail until she got to the arena, then climbed up and over the walls, dropping to the floor and walking between people's ankles until she found Baore's cloak and climbed up it. She let him take the purse and thought You'll regret this in the morning.
Oh come on Em, I'm not plastered, just... nicely drunk. He replied, remembering to think it not say it at the last second.
Define 'nicely drunk'!
Oh please, I am not pished!

OOC: Ooh! Ooh! I bet Wolfie's ancient foe is a vampire.

Bit of a Red Dwarf homage there, if there's any fans in here.

[Kaito]

OOC: it's a giant wooden peg! :O

[Andkat]

He was lying....Lying in a pool of darkness, his environment obscured by an omnipresent shadow. He gazed into the blackness, futilely questing to plumb it's depths in his bemusement.

He knew it was a dream, but what form of dream? It felt...different.

And even as these curious thoughts drifted through his mind, Ardus's world resolved around him.

He was lying on a raised dias, the room within which he was encased obscured by dark, humanoid figures. He could not distinguish their features nor their attire, but in the depths of his soul he was enlightened as to their legitimate identities.

And he quaked in fear.

As one, the mass of shadows stepped towards him.

Prespiration broke on his forehead.

As one they, raised their blackened arms, trailing and guttering deepest darkness like a black fire.

Ardus screamed silently.

And then, as one, they spoke. Traitor, Murderer, Abomination they chanted. Traitor, Murderer, Abomination! .

Ardus moaned. He tried to clamp his ears shut, but found that he could not lift a muscle.

Traitor, Murderer, Abomination! the chorus intensified. TRAITOR, MURDERER, ABOMINATION! the voices screamed, their unearthly cries of disdain and denouncement chilling Ardus to the bone and rending his soul.

And as soon as they appeared, the figures where gone.

Replacing them was a trio of scarred and clearly upset and unpleasant gangers.

[Lestaki]

His eyes snapped open. And Sadar smiled. He stood, shaking out his long silver hair, and flexed his wings idly. Then he leapt into the sky. "Erar, Methi, Cordi, Login, Erad, Meklo, Petra, Dethis, Keren, Sebor, Orid, Iorl. I call you. I call you, my Serapheim. We hunt." He leapt into the air, flapping his wings and flying up into the clouds.
***
Yethi almost fell out of her chair. "Not particularly," she managed. "I've got Ire to worry about right now, so I'm mostly concentrating on that. This was a bad idea... but you and her both don't seem to be doing that badly. I really should worry more about you. If you die, you stay dead."

The crowd was exited, apparently baying for vengeance, such that it wasn't long before Irenolae strode into the arena again, with a new foe to square off against. This one was armed with a spear and a large shield, strong but slow. She barely listened to the bravua announcements, stepping forwards and burying her spear in the earth. She walked away from it, drawing her shortsword and raising her other hair to a defensive position. "Show me what strength you can muster."

She charged forwards, then tensed and leapt, clearing his reaching spear as her armour flared and threw her through the air, before rolling and landing gracefully. Even before he'd fully turned, she lunged, smashing his spear aside and cutting towards him. He blocked with the shield, barging her with his superior weight as he tried to gain much-needed room. She cut down at the spear, slashing her sword into its haft and sending up splinters of wood. "Surely the shield is cheating?"

He backed off, growling, then japped his spear at her again. She dodged the strikes, hand sliding out deftly and catching the wood of the spear in one hand. He shook it heavily, trying to dislodge her, then her hand flipped and pushed the weapon into the ground. He moved to pull it free, but before he could she gripped her blade two handed and slashed it through his weapon. He snarled and threw the now-useless length of wood down, forcibly charging her with his shield. She dodged him easily, flipping round him and smacking him on the back of the head with the flat of her blade. "You would be dead."

He tried to turn, and she kicked him in the head, knocking him out. "So much for that," she mused, pulling her lance out of the ground and walking with it towards the edge of the arena.

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran hobbled along the side roads, looking for a tavern to spend the night in. Sessner was curled up on his shoulder, somewhat like a cat, and drew stares until the novelty wore off.

"I thought you didnt want attention?" the dragon in question asked

Niran rolled his eyes "I doubt we'll get burned at the stake, after all, you are a...fearsome dragon"

"Why, yes, thank you, I am" Sessner preened proudly, he was extreamly suspectable to flattery.

"Anyway, I dont much care how much attention i draw, it will be nothing compared to thoes fools entering themselves in gladiator matches, of all things, iv a mind to g-" he was interrupted with a young dandy, perfume trailing him in a fog, came crashing through a recently repaired window. The dandy in question had a slim dagger drawn, which was probably the reason for his ejection from the facility, but he did not look in any shape to use it. Niran glanced up to see an old battered and familiar face lean out of the window, what was left of his iron gray hair pulled back in a long ponytail, and his one good eye glinting madly.

"And dont you go touching Lucy like that you young rip, else ill belt you next time!" the dandy scrambled to his feet (more or less) and scampered off.

Niran blinked "Vol?" he said in astonishment. The old man whipped around "Eh?" he squinted in Nirans direction, and brightened.
"Ah, my old friend! What brings you here!"
Niran gaped up at him "But...lich...spell..." he paused to compose himself, attempting to ignore sessner, who was practically dying in mirth at seeing the wizard so flustered.

"Last i saw you, you were on the receiving end of a Lich's fireball!"

Vol grinned and turned, revealing old scars running across the other side of his face "Aye, and a mighty fearsome one it was, as i recall, your little charm didnt quite protect all of my hansome self, but I lived, though you took me for dead, you should know have known better than to assume some uppity Lich could do away with ol' Vol!" he laughed uproariously and grinned "Come on in, I can get you a room"

Niran shook his head in disbelief and entered the tavern

[The Shadow]

Cato walked in the city. He saw a young girl near a trash can, she seemed sick. Cato kneeled in front of the girl and said: "Can I help you?" The girl looked scared and tried to get farther away form Cato. He saw the scabs and scars. "Wait! I can help you! Don't run. I won't hurt you." Cato said. He gently touched the girl and healed her wounds. "Look, do you feel better now?" The girl nodded slightly and ran away. Cato watched her go.
He turned his head when someone shouted: "Look, did you see that?! He can heal us! Come everybody! I've found us a healer!" The crowd sarted to move towards Cato, many of them had similiar scabs. They first looked at him suspiciously because of his looks, but slowly strated to become more and more desperate for help.
Guess I'll have to help them, Cato thought.
Cato helped the sick almost all day, there we're many of them. Some paid him, some gave him food and other things. Almost all of the people we're poor, young and old. Some rich people looked at him, but walked away and said: "Not worth our time."

After helping the people he walked towards the higher class area. There he saw a big mansion, with a great garden. Pikel joined him in front of it. "Well what we're you doing?" Cato asked. Pikel pointed at the garden and laughed. Now Cato noticed that the graden was in very good shape, all the flowers we're flourishing and the trees all green. He nitced that there we're lots of berry bushes and apple trees full of fruits.
"Wow, how did you do that?" Pikel laughed and showed Cato all the coins in his pocket. "So they did hire you. Well good that at least one of us made some money." Cato said and grinned.
Evening was coming quickly.

[Andkat]

Ardus groaned. He had awakened to find himself strapped to a table in the center of an abandoned produce storage warehouse. Judging from the blood on the table and the pungent odor of decayed meat and animals permeating the premises, it had clearly been utilized to process and store livestock.


Pain throbbed vibrantly through Ardus’s shoulder and chest, and as he gazed upon his own form Ardus found himself unparalleled; his skin coated in blood, sweat, and bruises.

The source of said wounds, a hideously scarred slum-ganger, loomed above him. The man's scarred and haggard visage maliciously grinned as he observed the consciousness of his target.

"Thought ya could get away from raping and spilling our women, didn't ya, ya hunk of sewer-scum" the man spat, his countenance leering mere inches away from Ardus's own. "Well I guess me an' the boys showed you what's what" he smiled as he grabbed a crude and bloody cudgel from the table.

The man raised the cudgel...

Ardus sobbed in pain as his father's discipline staff connected with his backside, cracking bone and pulverizing muscle. He had been late with the mead again, and his sire, as usual, had been displeased with him. He grunted as another blow impacted upon his frail form, now of little more than seven years. Why was he doing this? Why wouldn't he leave him alone? Why wouldn't he stop!?

...and it fell to the floor as it's wielder did likewise, the man's mind shredded from Ardus's unconscious mental barbs.

Cries of alarm rang through the building, and a pair of gangers with blades unsheathed charged at Ardus, bellowing curses at their leader's assailant.

The first one, a pale teen little older than Ardus himself, collapsed into a mass of decayed crates as he was bombarded with visions of death and madness from his rebelling captive.

The other, a gruff man of beyond twenty years, fled Ardus at the sight of his perished compatriot, screaming of daemons and sorcery. He did not get far; the man’s great bulk toppling as a mass of gray fur gutted him from the shadows.

It had returned, and it now loped towards Ardus's helpless form. Ardus spat at the creature in disgust as it leapt upon the table. Ardus watched with unbridled malice as the familiar chewed through his bonds, grimacing as the abomination drew blood from his exposed skin with it's filthy fangs.
______
Ardus sighed as he strode from the dilapidated warehouse, clad in the coarse attire and supplied with the meagre funds of his erstwhile captors. The sun sank low in the horizon, and he knew that the time for bloodletting had passed; if he was to see out his cursed path, then he best be departing for his companions.

[Captain Elson]

"In this corner we ahve a newcomer, armed wiht what apears to abe a big stick, he has been pitted against, Krakor the Mreciless." The Anouncer said.

(Hmpf) Tonai thought. )A guy in heavy armor, a really big sword, ohh and a full face plate, this is going to be too easy. ) Tonai fed his magic through his stick, encasing it in a melting heat, but kept the sights down to a minimum.

"The challengers stick has turned red!, what will become of this?" Said the big mouthed voice.

Krakor lept into the air, much higher than Tonai imagined, and Tonai defended himself by rolling out of the way and smashing his stick into the faceplate of the Opponent, Krakor saw that his mask was bending and quickly got out of the way. He attacked again and Tonai stopped the blade by throwing Krakor off balance wihta wellaimed blast of heat. He then grabbed the sword, heated it up and bent it. Krakor now threw the sword at Tonai, who managed to dodge it barely. Tonai grabbed the man's helmet and heated it until he could bend it until his opponent cried mercy, but Krako kicked Tonai in the Genitals; a hindsight to Tonai's plan.
Unfortunately for Tonai, the only feelings he could feel were pain and rage. Being an angry person. Tonai blew up and blasted Krakor with a full blast fire ball, that melted Krakors armor onto his arm. The scalding hot steel, Put Krakor into the same position as Tonai, but he was better equipped to deal with it. He withstood the pain and atempted to end the fight right away. Tonai had managed to get up, bruised and all and fire 2 fireballs at the Warriors feet, melting them to the floor.

"Boo!" jeered the crowd, "Get that ##$@!! mage out of here", Let's lynch him because he is different!" Tonai managed to escape out, and take his coins from the recruiter, he had done his part, and now could afford that nice red cloak in the market, adn the cloves he wanted.

[Gorb]

Greetings, my children. I am Sereia the Sanctified, healer of the old Immortals. She ran a hand through her brown hair, before closing her eyes and concentrating again. Do not be distressed. Needs must we speak to you in sleep, as there are many powers in this world, most of them hostile to your intrinsic nature. In dreams, you are safe- though they can cause you pain. For many years we have used dreams as a medium to communicate when we are far apart. You must come to us; you will know where to find us. There, together, you will find your destinies, and as much safety as there is to be had for our kind in this time.

I am to teach you of the city of Threiani, and the surrounding lands. One hundred and seventeen years ago, the land was invaded by the forced of the great sate of Gerina. The Threianians prayed feverently to their false gods, but there was no reply- outnumbered and surrounded, they had no chance of survival. In further mockery of their faith, many lesser Seraph creatures from the Gods themselves marched with their enemy- a clear sign that the divine ones had sided with the greater, agressive power.

We Immortals came to them in their extremity, and they accepted our aid. The battle was truely great, but with our potent magics to tip the balance, the Gerinan forced were routed. I myself accounted for ten Seraphs that day and saved lives beyond count, and all of us likewise fought with power and nobility. Some of us stayed in Threiani for a time, and built up a bond of trust with this people- and since then we have come to them when they need us. Now, we need them; while we are not fully secure here, this land is somewhat friendly to us. You will be as safe here as you can be, but all know our kind are weak now, and their sense of preservation will eventually overrule even ancient debt. Such is the way of mortals.

Come to us, children. We will protect you, and teach you what you need to know and what you need to be.

*Argh, I know! I know! My power has awoken. I am learning of its use as I speak!* His cries deafened him in their intensity and volume.
*Where are we?* His thoughts were loud in the silence of space.
*Somewhere beyond the fabric of reality* His familiar replied.
*Great. I run from a bloodthirsty mob and get lost outside of space and time. This super-mage business is hard work. Although, there may be creatures here of use to me.*
*No, master, nothing. We technically no longer exist.*
*Dammit! Relocating to Threiani. Now.*

*********

*********

The mage and his elfin familiar returned to reality with a faint buzzing in their ears.
"Good, now I can hopefully practise in peace." The sounds of fighting echoed in his ears. Taelos paused, and sighed.
"Back to normal, eh, Arcanos?"
"Yes, master. Shall we stay and fight?"
"Hmm. It appears they don't like mages in this town. Yes, let's stay and introduce ourselves. There must be some information to be gleaned from this hatred. Any information is good information."
Mage and familiar walked down the middle of the street to the town center, ignoring those around them.

[Lestaki]

Sereia sighed and stretched. "I'm very sorry, but I must rest. Tommorow, perhaps- my powers are quite exausted." Regretfully, she chased off the people around her, reflecting sadly that there wouldn't be a tommorow. Tommorow, she'd be well away from here. As it was, she'd seen to so many patients, sometimes for money, sometimes for free, that she could barely stand. And even if she wasn't tied to the young Immortals, she'd only be chased out by the temples. Perhaps the healer temple would take her on- but no. She would be a free healer. She had to stand for some things.

Sereia?

Aedar.

We should leave. I've a bad feeling. Meet up at the dockyards.

You're always paranoid.

That's why we're still alive. Tell all the kids, we don't have time to phsyically round them up.

Sereia sighed, marshalled some of her remaining magical strength, and reached out to all their minds.
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, for tonight's third match, our challenger faces one of the greatest warriors in Threiani. A Paladin from the Ersakin state, a Templar Warrior- the perfect foil for the Dragoon! Lonia Silverstar!"

Irenolae blinked when she heard that. A female. And of a Templar Order. Sadly, she knew nothing about the Paladins, so called. "Mark my words! Do not underestimate the dragoons!"

"You can stop the pantomime," Silverstar said quietly. She was clad in bulky golden armour, with matching hair. Over one shoulder she casually held a horsekiller blade. "You're no dragoon. You're a creature of magic."

Irenolae blinked. "You are correct. But I was born to the techniques of the dragoon school. And I will fight you with all my skill."

"Then show me your best, familiar!" Silverstar took a stance, holding her massive blade in one casual hand. "Match yourself against the raw power of light!" She leapt forwards, cutting down with a blow that could tear Irenolae's lance in half.

The dragoon dodged lithely aside, landing comfortably and charging at her foe. Her lance reached out, but Lonia knocked it aside with one gauntleted hand and raised her blade, slashing again. Irenolae blocked this weaker strike and span away, leaping into the air and bringing her spear down. Lonia raised her blade two handed, whirling it above her head and knocking Irenolae aside. "Azaka! I'm old in fighting dragoons, familiar!"

She charged after the dragoon, raising her blade for a two handed strike. Irenolae landed, raising her spear and blocking the attack, then lashing out and kicking the paladin back. "Destar! My school knows yours, as well."

The two broke off, circling each other for a moment, then Irenolae took flight again, jumping at her target. Silverstar fended off three passes, smashing Irenolae away with the last sweep of her golen sword. Irenolae flipped in mid air, drawing on her power and ripping a contrail of magic from her foe. Silverstar winced then leapt back, raising a hand in turn and conjuring an orb of light that she tossed at the dragoon. Irenolae jinked to try and avoid the fast moving projectile, then cursed as it smashed into her, burning into her armour and smashing her brutally into the ground. The crowd exploded, cheering and whooping. Cursing, she tried to force herself up...

Yethi was standing, hands at her mouth as the paladin leapt at her battered familiar. The golden sword crashed down, once, twice, three times, then Irenolae was thrown backwards, landing heavily and unable to rise in time. Her mistress reacted instead, by pure instinct and extremely unwisely. She threw a fireball at the Paladin, striking her in the back of her armour and almost knocking her over. It was at that point that Yethi realised her mistake. "Shit!" She leapt out of the stands before the guards could close on her, running towards the fighter's entrance.

Irenolae, battered but unbowed, ran for her, followed by Silverstar. "Time to leave," the dragoon said.

"I'm coming with you," Lonia said.

"What? Why?" Yethi demanded, incensed.

"She's a familiar," Irenolae said. "Work out what that means later. For now, we have money to collect. Then we get to the docks, fast."

[Andkat]

Ardus groaned, slamming into the moldy brick wall of a burnt-out bakery as the voice, that infernal voice that had coincided with his insanity's ascendance, came to him again.

He clutched his head, moaning as the whispers penetrated his being. The visions of his unknown agitator pained him; their very presence more of an agony than their half-heard content.


He railed against this spawner of nightmares that haunted him so. He screamed and cursed as its whispers breached his mind, and laid bare to him their purpose.

Then it came to him.


He was lounging on a quay in a bustling city harbor, his feet dangling over the filthy, contaminated liquids below. The chilling ocean breeze stung his shoddily attired form, whipping through his clothes as if they where nothing but loose parchments. But he cared not, for other matters occupied his thoughts.

The docks housed an incredible and multifarious multitude of vessels, ranging from miniscule fisher-boats to massive naval warships, their bulk and grandeur attracting every eye in the harbor.

But such things were of little interest to Ardus. For eyed only one vessel, a ship of seeming insignificance that he knew would soon bear the chosen of fate, as it's true cargo.

It was a small thing compared to the massive galleys and merchantmen bobbing in the harbor, a short, swift schooner, and one that had clearly seen better times. In the shadows of it's patched sails did it's men work, an as sorted and motley bunch nevertheless devoted to it's task of loading sloshing barrels and sturdy crates into their weather-beaten vessel. Upon the the deck of the nimble merchant-vessel stood a haggard man, clearly well into his 50's, bellowing orders and curses to the crew below.

Despite the seeming mundanity of the scene, Ardus knew that this was to be a day of consequence for all present, whether they where aware of it or not.

Now Ardus directed his eyes to the horizon, to the ineffable shores of their destiny and destination.

Even as Ardus scanned the heavens was he brought to the knowledge that something was...wrong.

As if to emphasize this realization, the wind began to pick up, becoming a storm-gale that would drive all but the sturdiest of ships to port. Where once there had been promising skies and a beating sun now formed a storm, one of epic proportions. Thunder struck and the seas churned as the wind howled and twisted around the monstrosity forming off the coast.

And then Ardus saw it, the final damnation that would seal this nightmare. Cackling and cavorting as they swept about the storm, blackened forms did Ardus perceive in the heavens. Twisted, burnt skeletons with decaying wings and twisted blades, the angels of death did revel within the tempest. And beneath their terrible forms, the seas bled and the world darkened into oblivion....

[Kaito]

Jael, after winning quite a bunch after the first battle, bid on other fights, too. Overall she collected a nice award of 11 gold and 13 silver coins.
"Should've come here earlier some time, best way to make some money."
Just when she dawdled out of the arena she heard the voice of the elder Immortal in her head again.
"We've got to go to the docs, now." she said to Gabriel.
"Are they already moving?"
"She said it. It's urgent, she said."
"We should hurry, then, my Lady."
Jael nodded and had a last peek at the glorious town around her. When she was younger, it was a big event going to the city. All the big buildings, the people, the market and everything was so huge.
"I'd liked to stay for a little longer, but I believe it'll be dangerous to stay any longer. Why had I to turn out like this, geez. This way I won't need to marry some jerk from town, at least."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "So what do you plan instead?"
"For the time being, to... survive."
They entered the docks.

[Psymon]

Well this party had ended fast. "Hang on!" Baore said to Emmy and began bulling his way through the crowd after the mage and her familiar. He could feel Emmy's claws through the material of his cloak. As the group exited the arena with their pay some none-too-pleased guards came running down the corridor. Baore slammed the doors shut and barred them with a nearby plank.
"That'll hold them for a bit. If they catch up with us I'll hold them off." He took his staff of his back and before they could object, he looked at each in turn, "Want reasons? You're bashed up, you can't fight and yo..." He did a double take when he saw Silverstar, "What is she doing here?!?"

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi stalked through the city, she had seen a few of the other Immortal's fights, but she cared not. Her previous training prepared her mind for any fights to the death she needed no practice, so instead she practised what she had never trained for, her powers. When she recieved the message from Sereia, she moved off, to these dockyards. Upon finding out the docks were a place where boats came and that the immortals must be intending to set sail Shi came across a problem, she couldn't swim, and nor did she want to get wet the result could be fatal for her. She then had a suden change of mind, perhaps the things she feared could kill her may only make her stronger, this water phenomemon posed a great test. A quick trip to the sewers, and a change out of all her clothes and she was ready for the most nerve-wracking training lesson of her life.

With a timid shake she stepped toward the pungent waters, just in fron of her they flowed into the sea, near to the docks. she poked the surface of the water with her foot and felt as her skin turned to water, she ahd to concentrate just in case in turned into one of the many things in the water, like dirt and well...dirtier things.

The water began to flow up across her leg, in fact it was her leg turning to water, layer by layer, soon she was plunging her self into the water and watching as the magical forces she controlled transformed her skin into water. the result wasn't very prety but she would persevere and soon bone, muscle, and organ would follow suit, making her one with the water. The next lesson would be swimming.

[Lestaki]

"You are Immortals, are you not?" Silverstar asked. "It has been... so long..."

"She's a familiar, like me," Irenolae explained. "Much like me, in form and art, but infinately more experienced."

"I was born to an Immortal... but he is gone. Alive, but gone. I forget much..."

"No time," Irenolae completed. "Just trust to my instincts. A living familiar means a living Immortal. That is a good thing, and we must try and reunite them. And now run. I would hold them off myself, but we weakened ourselves fighting each other."

"I should have recalled why such vanities are bad ideas," Silverstar said.

"No time!" Yethi repeated urgently. "I'm really, really sorry. Now let's run for it!" She ran for the docks, Irenolae and Lonia hard on her heels.

The streets were a mess. Rumours flew through the streets, of a demon that had killed an innocent couple and gangers alike without touching them, magical foulplay from a sourcerer in the arena and the eventual cheating when a mage's prize servant looked fit to lose, the magical battle outside the city fought earlier. People were on edge, confused, and that made them angry. And the clergy, ever sensitive to such things, extorted them to increasing levels of violence, even twisting the acts of the healers to crimes. Anyone which even looked like a mage was a target. And who betide them if they didn't have the magic to defend themselves.

"This is going to be bad," Yethi murmurred, watching as the first zealots began to move towards them, raising improvised weapons. "Don't kill them unless you really have to."
***
Aedar cursed. "Wouldn't it be nice, just once, to have a quiet exit?"

"Something always turns up," Sereia agreed sadly.

"Then we'd better prepare our ride out of here," Aedar said, choosing a small but fast merchantman and bounding up the ramp to it. "I want to speak to the captain!"

He was confronted by a man in his fifties, with short grey hair and a stern expression. "What do you want?" he demanded brusquely.

"Passage to Zezak for me and my companions," Aedar said smoothly.

"We're not going anywhere near Zezak," the cpatain said.

"Really?" Sereia stepped forwards, offering several bags of her substantial earnings. "Are you sure?"

The cpatain took one of the sacks and split it open with a knife, grabbing one of the coins and testing it. He rolled it in his fingers, scowling. "If this is magical, I'll hang you all."

"Real money," Sereia said impatiently. "Earned tending the sick, and to be wasted here."

"Don't underestimate the benefits of having a mage party on your ship," Aedar said. "We can destroy pirate vessels and guarentee fine winds. When you consider the benefits, not having mage passangers could almost be considered dangerous."

The captain grunted. "Heldar Iroma. For that kind of money, I'd sail you up the Styx."

"Excellent," Aedar said, shaking hands. "Now we just have to wait for my friends." May they not bring a mob on their heels.

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran ducked a clumsy drunken swing and cracked the man stoutly ontop of the head with his staff, dropping him like a poleaxed ox. Vol grinned, likewise disposing of another drunkard who was assaulting his old friend.

"'pears you got the city all in a fuss, my friend" the old warrior said to his friend, standing beside him and facing the increasingly hostile tavern.

"Ah, well, just like old times, eh?" the wizard mumbled a word and a soft golden glow spread between them and the enemy, who stopped and scrambled backwards. The wizard whispered to his friend "Its harmless, but they dont know that, Id say we should depart"

The warrior grinned "Aye. Well, atleast the fuss isnt about the dead lich you paraded around the streets" at Nirans shocked look, Vol grinned "Yeah, I heard about that" the wizard shrugged sheepishly and made for the door.
----------------

Several fights, brawls, and skirmishes later the pair, and Sessner, were in sight of the ship. Behind them, some clergy or another was proclaiming in a shrill voice to destroy the interlopers and hang their corpses from the walls. Niran was panting madly, nearly out of breath and energy from the run. Vol was gamely supporting the wizard with one arm, doing most of the running, still in remarkable shape for a man of his years. As they neared the ship Niran called out between panting gasps "I beleive we have attracted some minor bit of attention!"

[Andkat]

He was at the quay again, his feet swaying over the waves of the port. The captain was once again bellowing to his crew as they loaded the merchant vessel, and the ship itself was still weatherbeaten and ancient.

But this time, it was real.

Already Ardus percieved the disrepancies. He could see his equals congegrating around the vessel, he could hear the oaths and screams of vengeful mobs and fanatics throughout the city echoing through the streets. The sense of hate and desperation was palpable to his attuned mind. Every pang of rage and every cry for mercy was as a soothing melody to his psyche.

But all pleasures must come to an end in time, and he would shortly have to ride the currents of fate once more.

Casting an anxious glance at the placid horizon and a regretful one back at the city, Ardus leapt to his feet, striding towards the vessel that would deliver them unto the tempest...

[Kaito]

Jael spotted the boy they had found before the city earlier the day. She remembered that he was an Immortal, too. "Heeeyyy! You there!" she shouted, waving to him, and ran towards him.
"I'm glad to see you alive after all. Do you know which ship is ours?" she asked Ardus.
Gabriel inspected the boy's scratches and bleedings, but said nothing. Making silly assumptions wouldn't help anyone, he thought.

[Andkat]

Ardus smiled at the girl's naivete as he approached the pair. If only she knew of what I have done to others so akin to her in mind and body he grinned inwardly Then perhaps she would not regard me in such a warm light .

Pondering the adolescent's query for but a moment, Ardus responded "Whatever unfortunate vessel fate deigns to bear us away upon. Whatever transport will tolerate our damned forms so that at last we may attain our appalling destinies" he whispered, gazing at the captain's countenance. "Whatever existence will permit us".

[Captain Elson]

"I know you want to try out your new bow Karna, but we haven't got the time." Tonai called to his familiar who was looking and marveling at how much sturdier her new bow was.

"Thank you again for getting me this bow Tonai." She smiled a big grin as she knew what would come next.

"Like i had a choice," tonai snorted, "You were giving me the eyes a little kid would if that said kid didn't get an ice cream cone. You are just lucky it only cost me 5 coins."

"Wait a minute, you said it was only 2 because you spent 10 on your cloak and 2 on your gloves. Where did you get that money?"

"People were throwing it at us to slow us down." Tonai replied.

"That's odd I only seem to remember rocks, tomatos, bannanas, anchors, and daggers."

"Daggers can fetch a nice price once they get stuck in your weapon."

"Tonai where did you really get the money?"

"I had to sell my old cloak for 1.5 coins and i sold my other gloves for half a gold coin. I then sold some of the daggers in my stick, and then sold your old bow for a quarter of a coin."

"You sold my old bow!" KArna yelled at Tonai.

"You have a new one, besides, i don't want to be the last ones to the boat and get chastised, so let's move it!"

When they got to the boatmost of the other immortals had made it, but a few still were getting there. Aedars gave Tonai a stern look of why are you so late and Sereia looked tired, after all she probably had been doing something productive while the others and himself induldged in stupid affairs.

Then came a shout eminating from the city.

[Kaito]

Jael looked in the boys eyes, slightly confused. "So, you think that one, there?" she asked, pointing a finger at the ship Ardus had looked at. She shrugged, forgetting about the nonsense he talked about all the time. Actually she found that part of him rather cute. She took his hand and started pulling him towards the ship gently. "Let's go, then?" she asked, grinning.
Gabriel just followed the two silently. He noticed the crowd of people at the other side of the docks, shouting and rioting. Then he spotted some individuals running from the crowd.
"Oh my..."

[Lestaki]

"Is it normal for people to do this I'll hold them off stuff?" Yethi panted as they sprinted through the streets. "I mean, I'm not one to judge considering the mess I made back in the arena, but surely it should be familiars who make the last stands?"

"An Immortal's last stand is rarely last," Irenolae said. "It would probably take more than normal humans to kill one." She shouldered past some more of the mob, clearing the way for a headlong dash towards the docks. It would take a very brave man to tussle with someone in spiked armour.

Yethi tossed a warning fireball up into the air, then ran on again, charging headlong towards the ships ahead. She was extremely concious that they were being followed by what was basically an anrgy mob. The thought was very discouraging. She remembered when she was a normal person who threw stones at mages like everyone else. She might be afriad, but so were they. They were more afraid. And people who were afraid tended to be more agressive to prove they weren't afraid. That was dangerous.

"Come on!" Sereia urged, watching them anxiously.

"Stand back!" Aedar shouted, voice booming over the scream of the mob. "Don't come near! I am Aedar the Zauren Wind! If you lay hands on my brethren, you will surely pay the price! The powers of magic and the wrath of dragonfire are at my disposal!" He raised his hand with a flourish and muttered something, conjuring a large red disc of light, etched with runes, it's surface facing to the side, away from the mob. "Drakenfury!" A torrent of intense flame lashed from the disc, a magnificant display of magical power. Aedar grinned, closing his eyes.

"You idiot!" Sereia hit him round the head with her staff.

"What?" He opened his eyes and looked sideways, and noticed he'd set several ships on fire. "Oh, sh- shoot. Well, the mob looks suitably cowed."

"Idiot!" Sereia repeated, shaking her head.

"I know!" Yethi said enthusiastically, running up the gangplank. "I can put the fire out with my elemental magic! I just have to-"

"No, don't!"

An overexited hand gesture later, and a gyser of water blasted upwards, smashing several vessels outright.

"Destructive uses only!" Irenolae shouted.

"Oops," Yethi said, eying Sereia nervously. "I seem to have made a small mistake."

"If you come on," Aedar said, trying to salvage the situation, "we'll smash the rest of your boats! We don't want to hurt you! We just want to get on with our lives! Leave us be, and I promise we won't destroy any more of your property!"

The mob looked horrified, but evidently they didn't fancy their chances either. However, they didn't disperse- they simply milled around, as if trying to gather courage for a charge. Aedar knew that mood. And it wouldn't last too long before they did try for a charge, and then they'd be forced to kill. "Get ready to make off, but wait on the rest of us for as long as you can!"

The captain looked sceptical.

"Just remember how much we paid you! If you have any doubts, think of the money!" He grinned suddenly. "Besides, if we bail on you, then you'll be ripped apart for dealing with us. WE're all in this together. Isn't that nice?

[Psymon]

The guards burst through the door and right into Baore's staff. He poleaxed two as they came through the door and within half a minute the others were unconcious or groaning. "Em! Change, take the money to the boat and try to stop them leaving without me!"
Sensing this probably wasn't the time to argue Emmy did as she was told. Baore broke into a run towards the docks, he wasn't particularly fast, but if Em could stop them leaving he'd make it. As he turned a corner he collided with a small man, sending him flying. He kept moving as the man hurled abuse at his back. After about five minutes he skidded to a halt at the docks. He could see the other Immortals on a boat and Emmy waving at him from the mast.

Unfortunately a very large mob was between him and the quayside. "Just once, just once, I'd like to be able to get away without a fight. There seems to be some connection between being Immortal and being in constant trouble." A man in the crowd turned round and looked at Baore, "Its a mage! I saw him helping the others!" he yelled pointing. So much for getting out quietly thought Baore and broke into a run again, holding his staff out. The crowd surged towards him and he started breaking heads. He could see the other Immortals throwing magic around and hoped they wouldn't kill anyone. He tripped people up and knocked them out when he could, but he could sense a few souls breaking free, they wouldn't be getting up again. It saddened him that such violence was necessary, but there'd be time for that later, he was about 15 feet from the boat. "Wait!" he yelled and the crew looked questioningly at the captain. He nodded and they stopped working, thpugh te boat was moving slowly now. As the ship began to pull away Baore knocked down the last few people and started running. He ran alongside the boat and realised he was rapidly running out of pier, and that the mob was catching up. As he got to the end he threw his staff onboard and jumped. He missed by about a foot and plunged down towards the cold, black water. Or he would have if something hadn't got caught his foot. He dangled and looked back up to see Emmy, struggling with the chain of her sirrusa that was caught around Baore's ankle. Others helped her pull him up and he ruffled her hair as he was pulled aboard. "Where would I be without you eh?"
"Wet and cold." she said matter-of-factly, trying to smooth her hair back down.
"Well, did we miss anybody?" he asked, then his head jerked forward slightly as it was hit by half a brick hurled by someone in the crowd. He felt the back of his head, his fingers came back sticky. "Ow." he said in a puzzled voice and fell forward, unconcious.

[Sevorak]

The arena's sublevel was utterly silent; bereft of noise save for an ever-present 'drip, drip, drip' of blood falling from the ceiling. Falling like the once-glorious arena's foundations. The mob had spared none in their incandescent, indiscriminating fury; the arena had involved fights between mages. To many, it had been the source of the corruption that had swept the city. And so it had been burned; its organizers strung from the ceilings in makeshift hangings. Now, their rotting carcasses occupied the floor, ceilings, walls - haunted remnants of the bloody 'glory' that once was.

Therion waded through the ashen filth; he felt sick physically, but he was scarcely even brushed emotionally; to elicit an emotional reaction from one such as him, it'd take more than mere death. The death had to mean something... and there wasn't any death anymore that could mean anything to Therion. There was no one left to care for. A pair of hollow, lifeless eyes looked up at him from the inch-thick carpet of blood. Therion met them with revulsion welling up inside him; then he crushed the feeling, and pressed on. To the place that would lead him to the centre of the arena; the gladitorial pit where the combatants indulged in their bloodlusty game.

Therion knew that there wouldn't be anyone waiting up there; it would be just as ghostly and hollow as the pit below... it felt eerie as he moved through, moving up the slope and traversing along the tunnel in the darkness. The chilling night air rushed into his face, brushing through his pale hair and making even him shiver. There was something decidedly unnatural about it. As he emerged and looked up into the starless sky, the feeling became even more pronounced.

Then he saw it; a shadowy figure, black as night, standing on a single, obsidian pillar at the centre of the Arena Pit. Motionless; holding a crescent blade high to the sky as four wings were flared at diagonals. An angular face turned to look down at Therion; twin, red slits glared into Therion's nigh-ethereal face and chilled his heart to ice. Then the head shifted slightly, the lips shrouded in shadow forming a slitted, mirthless smile.

"I am the Angel of Death. And I come here to claim you, Immortal." It spoke, its voice ashen, utterly emotionless - or perhaps it was simply imbued with such pure malice that it was impossible to discern.

"Ah, death..." but it wasn't Therion who answered. By contrast, that voice was positively brimming with mockery and derision. "When last I looked, that was one facet of our existence that your false gods did not yet hold custody of... and I do not think such a situation has been rectified. By my very existence, I defy you pitiful fools,"

Another figure emerged from the place where the other combatant would have been coming from; for a scant, fleeting moment, Therion thought it was the murderer vampire he had been tasked to kill. But it was something... different. Something altogether far more ancient and terrible. But the impression of it was unmistakable. It was of the vampire-kin... though the mysticism and sheer, vitae-imbued power permeating the air around that one was something Therion had never felt before. Not even in Aedar, the Zauren Wind... though perhaps it was merely taint, where the Zauren emphasised some form of purity in his immortality. Either way, it didn't matter. The vampire-ancient was advancing steadily across the arena, upon the death-filled angel, who whirled and lowered the crescent blade and assumed a deceptively graceful and elegant combat posture.

Then the two were upon each other; the angel of death screeched a challenge, exalting the gods for their power and 'righteous' fury to incarnate in him and lift him to peaks of power incandescent, so that he might smite the pretender demigod... the ancient vampire merely unsheathed his blade and met the angel's challenge wordlessly; they'd reversed roles. The angel of death's assault seemed to be flawless; the crescent blade whirled in a flurry of blows that would have torn apart any of Therion's fellows had they been facing it... and yet, the vampire did not fall. He fought back, icy ferocity meeting the angel's blazing, sanguine fury - neither had the upper hand. Though the angel seemed to be getting evermore desperate; driving the crescent down with greater and greater force as the vampire's parries and guards squarely met those of his winged adversary.

"He belongs to the gods!" The Seraph screamed, desperation flickering into his voice as he beseeched the skies, seemingly, for aid - the vampire, however, merely smiled; a hauntingly malicious expression.
"As do we all,"

The angel halted an inch off the ground, his attack failing to land - and the vampire lunged forward with inhuman speed and speared him on the end of his longsword.

Instantly, coruscating arcs of holy fire wreathed the blade, and the vampire flared his cape and leapt back; but the sword remained in the Seraph's body as it screamed, face contorting in unimaginable agonies. The vampire turned to look at Therion, its face worn and incredibly tired in appearance.
"As the angel of death... it is only fitting that he dies by the hand of one who is already one with his aspect..." the vampire snarled at the contorting, writhing angel and the burning sword, spitting, before turning back to Therion. "He'll be back, of course... they always are, provided their gods are still alive. And they always are."

"Why did you save me?" Therion asked; feeling almost stupid to be asking such an obvious question. It was almost cliched. But such things inevitably became cliched because they were simply the most expedient and rational things to say at the time... and thus, were overused. The vampire summoned his sword and advanced on Therion.
"I didn't..." his voice seethed and crackled with sanguine hunger. Therion backed away; he knew he didn't have a chance, at fighting... or attempting flight. But all the same... there was fear in him at that moment. Naphar, in the distance, howled for fear of his master's life. He wouldn't arrive soon enough.
"I won't save you, little werewolf... I shall break you."

Therion went down in under ten seconds; he acquitted himself reasonably well against a foe that had lasted the millennia and witnessed the passing of ages. But he fell nonetheless; and he could never have come - by any stretch of the imagination - close to winning. He fell, slumped - at the vampire's mercy. Who then concluded his statement of intentions.

"I shall break you... and then I shall remake you; you shall be something less and more in equal halves; and then you shall take the war to the gods as your fellows will do in their own way, but make no mistake, you are mine now... until such time arrives until I set you free..."

[The Shadow]

Cato heard the voice of the elder immortal. He ran towards the nearest water with Pikel. "Pikel we must hurry! You must make us travel by water." "Pikel nodedd and readeied the spell. Luckily they had evaded most of the crazy mob when they arrived at the sea.
"Ready?" Cato asked. Pikel nodded again. Cato jumped in the water Pikel following him closely. Pikel casted his speel and they rose above the water. A big wave took them travelling fast towards the docks. They saw the fire show from the distance.
"Hey! Throw us a rope will ya!" Cato shouted when they arrived to the ship. Captain looked very confused, but threw the rope. Cato and Pikel climbed up at the deck. Cato said: "I'm sorry if we are late. But we are here anyway."

[Lestaki]

"We lost someone," Aedar said regretfully. "But it can't be helped. We just have to stay alive, that's all we can do. And I trust they have the power to survive." He raised a hand, closing his eyes and muttering an incantation that strengthened the wind, sending them cruising rapidly forwards.

"We're being followed!" Sereia warned, pointing to several large ships that were leaving dock. "Bigger, faster, and some of them look like warships."

"If I do what has to be done, can I first have a promise from you that you won't wack me round the head with your staff for it?"

She nodded tightly.

Aedar sighed, and walked to the rear of the ship. He quickly etched the same circle of light they'd seen before. "Drakenfury!" A pillar of burning flame leapt from the circle, lashing just above the surface of the water and smashing into the first ship, tearing a great hole on it and setting it on fire. He swiftly retargetted, repeating the spell, and ripping another apart. Yethi, figuring she had some ground to recover, smashed a third apart with another gyser. The remaining vessels rapidly halted their persuit, unwilling to risk further casualties and hurrying to pick up the crew of the srtiken vessels. "Problem solved," Aedar said. "But now I'm tired." He yawned hugely. "That takes it out of you."

"I've been healing people all day," Sereia said. "And now I have to deal with this poor boy." She indicated Baore. "Get over here." She grabbed him by the neck, siphoning magical energy from the blue mage and using it to deal the wound. "There."

"For now, I suggest you all get some sleep. And I hope you don't get too seasick," Aedar said, brushing off his coat in an effort to reinstate his wounded dignity.

Yethi was lead away by Irenolae. "I'm so... tired..." she murmurred. She didn't get very far before the ship rocked and she simply fell over. The dragoon knelt and picked her up bodily, heading towards the lower decks.

"And I have someone to talk to," Aedar murmurred, looking at Silverstar. "You're a familiar, aren't you? But I don't recognise you."

"I am a familiar," Silverstar said. "But I've been away from my master for... a very long time. I forget. He's in pain, and I can't help him. I don't even know where he is..."

"You're alive, so he's alive," Aedar said firmly. "Remain hopeful. Your very existance is excellent news, when it means that another of us lives. Now, can you remember your master's name?"

She shook her head. "I get confused... it was so long ago, and I'm so far from him now. I forget much..."

"His school?"

The Paladin considered for a moment. "Yes... I remember. Invokation. He channelled many spirits through me, great heroes... in better times." She closed her eyes.

"Old Deterran was the Invoker," Aedar murmurred. "But you're not his familiar, and I was there when he died. Do you remember other Immortals? In better times?"

She nodded. "There were many others, and other familiars, just like me."

"Can you remember your birth?"

She shook her head. "I wasn't, then I was in his mind, and then I was. No more than that."

"Your first battle then," Aedar said, clicking his fingers. "No one forgets that. Your first proper battle."

She nodded. "There were many soldiers, two armies... archers, swordsmen, cavalry... one side had Seraphs, birds and great giants and all manner of divine creatures. We were on the other side. We had Paladins, the Templar Order I was based on. They had another order... Dark Knights."

"A battle where Immortals, Seraphs, Paladins and Dark Knights were all present," Aedar said. "That would have been writ large in history! I can't think of it offhand, but I'll search through my texts. It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"I remember its name," Silverstar said quietly.

"Really? Wonderful!"

"It was called the Battle of the Tennor Flats."

Aedar blinked. "Are you sure?"

She looked at him. "Yes. It was my first battle. I remember. In complete detail. We fought on the Tennor Flats, to protect the city of Mosali."

"But that was... over five hundred years ago," Aedar breathed.

[Captain Elson]

Tonai looked out at the water as they saield across the vast expanses of the ocean. Nothing in particular was on his mind only the regret of leaving a few of the others behind. He had hoped that they'd make it, but apparently they couldn't. Hey looked over at Karna who was still studying the details of her bow, and wondered had he'd been ripped off by it. He looked over at Barore and began to think of if that had been him. He also remembered that the kid in the large ahd was the same one that he'd had run out of the tavern only a few days prior.

"It's a pity that such power has been instilled on a sould so corrupted," he mused to himself, thinking of all the pain he had cause to others, but then rememberd the good of when he'd went to the slums and had used his powers to keep the poor people warm for that winter evening. Maybe he wasn't such a lost cause after all.

[Andkat]

Ignoring the commotion of the pursuit and the ensuing destruction, Ardus paced at the fore of the vessel, gazing surreally into the looming horizon.

He had been standing and staring for at least an hour, ignoring the nauseating rocking and bobbing of the vessel and the frigid spray of the sea. His mind, soul, and body where mutually focused one thing, and one thing alone: the divide between the heavens and the seas; the source of his nightmare.

He could feel a palpable tension in the air; a feeling of apprehension and anticipation burgeoning within him. He knew that something was to come to the, something from his dreams. What that something as, he was not confident. But he knew of it's presence all the same.

Then the wind picked up.

[Lestaki]

OOC: I've been playing the find the picture game again, courtesy of the shiny devient art images. Pity all the good blue mages were female...

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5832/yethius0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4738/irenolaeky7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/465/silverstarfi7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5921/aedartb4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/2570/sereiawz5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

IC: Irenolae sat, lance across her knees, watching the girl opposite her sleep fitfully. She felt Yethi's uneasy dreams, dreams of battles and soliders and them striding together, striking down their foes, a God of War and her faithful servant. She felt the fear that accompnied that, and a subtle but growing determination- that she wouldn't be that. Of course, it was that determination, amongst other things, that would make her that.

"Seraphs!"

Three hours sleep before the shout of warning. That was practically a mercy. She shook her mistress awake. "We're under attack. We must go."

Yethi cursed, looking sleepy, and staggered after her familiar, running up to the deck, just in time to see an angel fly low and wield a massive longsword two-handed, cutting clean through one of the masts.

Then a savage flash of light tore into the creature, forcing it to pull up. Sereia lowered her hands, scowling. "Serapheim!"

"Get ready!" Aedar shouted. "They're very dangerous foes!"

The thirteen archangels orbited the ship, laughing. Sadar grinned. "Listen to old man Zauren. Remember Irek, Zauren?"

"I've killed you ten times over!" Aedar shouted. "I can do it again!"

"That's nice," Sadar said. "But we don't have to fight you. Serapheim!" The angels were bathed in a sudden light that faded, leaving only a flickering aura.

"They Invoke the spirits of the dead," Aedar muttered. "And channel them to gain power. Typically, they channel dead Immortals- which is damn peverse. Don't underestimate them!"

"Zauren! Any messages for your old friend, Mesita the Summoner?" Sadar grinned.

Aedar traced a circle, throwing two dozen razor spines at the Serapheim.

Laughing, he dodged them easily, then raised a hand, gesturing to his fellows. They scattered in all directions, working a tide of magic. The wind picked up to dangerous speeds, the clouds thickened and darkened, waves began to crash around them and lightning forked down. "You see, we don't have to fight you. We just have to sink you. And to complete the trap- Hydra!" He span and threw a blue orb of light into the water. Aedar and Sereia assailed him but he dodged their attacks, still smug as an ominous rumbling was raised and a massive, many-headed creature broke the surface, directly in the way of the ship. "We'll be watching!"

"Bring us about to pass it," Aedar shouted, working rapid magic to try and protect the ship from the raging elements. "Sereia, shield us if you please. I'll try and stop us from sinking. We're going to have to kill it to stand any hope of surviving. And I know from experience, it takes a lot of killing. It spits acid for kicks and could wreck us in moments- so blast it before it does that! Go!"

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi had enjoyed the swim up til now.

As one with the water she poured aside the ship, a distorted view of what was happening above her, but when the light got dark and the waves became violent she knew it was time to join the fight, and this time she wasn't scared of making contact.

A great plume of water cascaded upwards from the sea, like a podium, atop it stood the watery form of Shi, Swift burst out beside her, both of them composed entirely of water. She gathered all of ehr focus and blasted herself at the Hydra, tonnes of water bludgeoning t, she made her form bounce around the creature, its tentacles flailing wildly, Swift too joined in, but her attacks were somewhat faaster and smaller.

Knowing she was doing hardly anything she retreated, in time for the other immortals to hopefully blast the foul creature from the waters. She leapt up to the ship, landing on the deck, crouched majestically in the strange but enchanting water form.

"I've been practising."

[Kaito]

Jael joined the Immortals on the deck sleepily. Just when she was about to ask what was going on, a blob of acid accelerated towards the ship. Jael just realised the situation and blasted it away from the ship.
"Close call there." she could hardly finish her sentence before another one was about to penetrate the ship. This time she focused her power in her mind and conciously dragged it away. That way she could protect the ship for longer. But it wouldn't last long she felt.

[Captain Elson]

Tonai jumped up and cast one of his spells from his book he'd been working on, fire constriciton, this spell uses fire as a lasso that is supposed to strangle an opponent with heat and burn, of course this will probably have little effect on a ahdra in the water, but it is all he could do.

"Fire constricor," Tonai called as the lasso of fire apeared in his hands, after spinning it around for a few seconds, he threw it, but the hydra moved and he missed. He tried 4 more times, each one closer, but each time he threw it, the hydra looked at him more menacingly. On the 6th time he managed to hook one of the heads with it and closed the lasso, and the head popped off, however, 2 heads grew back in its place.
"Now why the heck didn't i see that comng?"

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC: Fire searing the stump of a beheaded hydra head usually is enough to stop two more growing...

IC: Shi saw the fiery lasso and gathered her strength, this would be a true test. SHe grabbed Tonai's hand for a second and plunged her other into the lasso, her entire body became wreathed in flame, she wanted to scream but before she could the flame was in her core, and it felt magnificent. She ran to the ship's side before she burt th ship too much and leapt back to the Hydra. Her form trailblazed across the gap, burning brightly, if a hydra ever looked terrified this was the time.

The hydra tried to wrap Shi in its tentacles but only burned itself, so SHi exloded free and continued her assualt on its heads.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Yeah, you basically did exactly the right thing, down to cauterizing the head so a new one won't grow. :)

IC: Yethi stood her ground. "Hydras... fire, right?"

"Fire's the thing!" Aedar said. "I'd get the bastard myself, except this ship is about to fall apart!"

She raised both hands and summoned a lashwhip of fire, slashing it into the rearing heads. The creature snarled, screaming in pain and anger, then reared up and blasted the deck with a storm of acid.

Irenolae leapt forwards, sweeping Yethi off her feet and jumping her clear of the attack. "Hold on to me. We're going to fly."

"You're armour's spiked," Yethi complained, closing her eyes. She wrapped both her arms tightly round her familiar's neck and braced herself.

Irenolae ran forwards, steady even as the Hydra smashed into the ship, shaking it, then drew her lance. She pointed it downwards, drove it into the deck, and leapt, armour flaring as it launched. She rammed her spear into the mass of the Hydra's body, wounding it, then let Yethi down. "I'll cut the heads off, you seal them. Stay very close to me and keep sharp- if it makes to submerge, grab on and I'll jump us out of here." She rammed her lance into the first head, shaking it from side to side, then drew her shortsword and hacked repeatedly at it.

"Let me try something," Yethi murmurred. She gestured, concentrating, and Irenolae's blade was surrounded by a sudden blaze of fire. "That takes control... it's harder than a fireball."

Irenolae struck again, smiling as the creature screamed in pain. "Keep it up."

Silverstar summoned another sphere of light and flung it into a head, just in time to divert an acid blast. But this wans't her forte. She quickly ran across the deck, finding Jael. "Can you levitate me to it's back?" she asked, shouldering her sword. "I can cut through those heads without difficulty, if only I can get there."

[Psymon]

Baore woke to the sounds of battle. Some hideous beast was roaring outside and the other Immortals were fighting it. He stood up and grabbed his staff, almost losing his footing as another impact rocked the ship. He dashed out onto the deck and saw the hydra. "Oh, thats not good." He ran to the side as a bizarre snake-like head rose over the railing. Acting on instinct he hit it in between its eyes, to no effect. The head snapped at him, he barely dodged the razor sharp fangs, which dripped a clear green liquid that burned and blackened the deck where it fell. He kept whacking and dodging, but the Hydra's scales were tougher than steel armour. He knew that soon he'd have start to tire and make mistakes. Those mistakes would be the last ones he made.

One desperate idea presented itself, as the head drew back for another strike he stood his ground. The head lunged, Baore grabbed the end of his staff and plunged it into the thing's mouth. The blunt iron-shod ends punched through the soft tissue at the back of its mouth and Baore felt it grate against the inside of the scales on the back of its neck. His forearms were in the Hydra's mouth and the green liquid dripped on them in a few places, burning small, extremely painful holes in his skin. He managed to pull his hands, and his staff, out just in time. The head screamed and thrashed about in its death throes, spraying a thin mist of acid over the bit of deck Baore was standing on. He could feel it starting to work as it touched his skin and clothes. He closed his eyes and tried no to breathe in as he felt his way out of the cloud, this stuff would probably melt his insides. After what seemed like an eternity of blind fumbling, his lungs screaming for air he felt fresh air on his face. He opened his eyes, stumbled a few more feet and took several deep breathes to clear his head.

He looked down at himself, any areas of exposed skin, his arms and shins, were red raw, the venom had eaten away at his skin. It looked like he had fallen asleep in the sun. About a quarter of the length of his staff was now black and still smoking. He could feel the fabric of his clothes deteriorating, and the venom in them was soaking through to burn his skin underneath. He hastily whipped off his clothes, they lay in a smoking heap on the deck, grabbed a nearby empty sack and tied it round himself for modesty's sake before running towards the others to see if he could help. All in all, he probably looked quite comical, bright red and wearing an old sack.

OOC: Feel free to break down laughing or make disparaging comments when the fight's over.

[Captain Elson]

OOC: The lasso wasn't a permament thing, it was just a tool used to constrict an opponent, when the heads popped off, Tonai stupidly let the spell end. Also, dont' hydras have one imortal head?

IC: Heeding Shi's expample, Tonai began to cast anotehr fire spell, this one a powerful stream of fire, that is continual, but uses a lot of energy.

"Fireriver" Tonai said, using his hands as two conducters to blast the fire at aonther 2 heads of the hydra, Karna also caught on to the idea, and used her spiritual energy, to enflame her arrows so that they would do more damage to the beast.

"thanks for the idea Shi, Tonai called out hoping that it didn't distract her.

Karna looked over her shoulder to see Baore red as a cooked lobster with a burlap sack tied around him, when she shot her next arrow, the sight made her miss because she could barely keep her composure.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Right, important note. To whit, I am going away tommorow, and I won't have internet access for a few days. I'll be leaving the BW in the capable hands of Sevorak. As such, he'll have command of Aedar, Sereia and Silverstar. Presume Yethi and Irenolae are just tagging along and doing what they always do.

A quick sketch of the quest agenda as I planned it: 1) Beat the hydra, duh. Shouldn't take long. Serapheim fly off to lick wounds.

From here, you'll be landing in Zezak. A few scrubby villages at the edge of a large mountain network, with monsters and the occasional dragon. The main quest here would be to climb up the mountain and track down the dragon Redspine, who Aedar knows, and try and get help from him. Serapheim may turn up to be a bother during this time. After that, and the details of all that, I leave to Sevorak and your initiative.

Good luck all. If this is dead when I'm back, I'll be a very sad panda. :sadpanda:

;)

IC: "Damn," Irenolae said, bucking on the hydra's back. "This is taking too long."

Then a Paladin flew through the air at speeds women in plate armour were not meant to reach, landing heavily and raising her greatsword. "Never send a dragoon to do a paladin's job." She swung her blade two-handed, cutting one of the head's clean off. Yethi darted forwards, raising her hand and cauterizing the stump with a flash of fire. Silverstar rampaged across the beast, cutting off heads almost faster than Irenolae and Yethi could blast them. "Now we're getting it," the Paladin said happily.

Then the creature sank downwards, quickly beginning to submerge. "Damn." Irenolae grabbed Yethi, grunting as the girl gripped her neck tightly, then gestured to Silverstar. "Never send a paladin to do a dragoon's job. Grab on!" She cursed and almost fell over as Silverstar slung her sword and grabbed onto her back. "Yethi," the dragoon grunted, almost falling over. "Put everything you have into my armour. Everything." The girl nodded tightly. "Here goes nothing," The dragoon, standing on the last raised area, buired her lance in the creature's back and made what was possibly the most hoeless standing jump in history.

Then Yethi's furiously channeled magic kicked in. What had started as a controlled if truncated leap became headlong flight as they were thrown ballistically forwards. They almost overshot, Irenolae's armour burning from overheating as they crashed violently into the deck and sprawled across it, muttering variations on "ow."

"Next time, I'll leave you," Irenolae said, lapsing into unconciousness. Yethi sat up, massively drained, watching as Silverstar stood more steadily and drew her sword again.

"It's coming again," The Paladin murmurred.

"It's weak!" Aedar shouted as it surfaced on the other side, more distant this time. "Finish it off!"

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi and Swift darted into the water and under the ship to the other side. Bursting forht in steamy glory the two fiery abberations scored a deep wound across the Hydra, then blasted back down to continue the assault, wounded heads began to sinder at their furious attacks, combing fire with the great swathes of flesh cut out by the others.

But Shi was already feeling drained, the adrenaline high from being composed of fire was wearing off, and the day's learning curve had been steep. Diving into the sea to reform as water she carefully hopped back on to the ship, trusting the other immortals to finsih the hydra, as her memory of cloth formed around her cold wet body she collapsed onto the deck, swift fluttered down beside her, to guard her quickly unconsious form.

[Sevorak]

Therion gritted his teeth as the pain once more seethed through his battered body; crimson red lines trailed over his skin as dried blood was streaked across him. Barbed hooks tore at his skin and made him feel as if his body was tearing itself apart with every twitch he made. The hooks were twisted, and they were pulling out globs of his skin. His eyes were dimmed, a faint haze of blood before them as he growled to drown out the pain with the weight of the bestial sound. He would have laid down and died.

But there was something there that made him keep fighting. Keep driving the currents of his own magic, parallel to the pain and patching up his wearied body as yet more agonic lances slashed and bucked in his frame, rupturing arteries, veins, everything - his vitae stained the ground and his own body. He felt pitifully weak; he hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, and hadn't been spared from agony since he'd arrived in that place. Vitalification, it seemed, could just barely keep him alive and sustain him where mortal men would have perished. As he hung from the hooks, the chains, and the spikes dug into him, he looked nowhere but forward, searching for some kind of solace in the blunt, cold surface of ashen stone that encircled him.

Then the iron door opened, and Therion for the first time beheld his captor. The ancient vampire looked at him, and with a flicker of his wrist, uncurled the hooks and released Therion from his chains. The werewolf slumped painfully to the ground, his face a mask of intense concentration as he re-knit the bonds of his mortal shell as best he was able. Then he looked up through bloodstained eyes at the vampire, who regarded him dispassionately.

"Perhaps you're wondering why I'm torturing you in this cell,"
Therion didn't answer.
"Perhaps you'd like to tear my body apart with those little werewolf claws you have, yes? Or perhaps you'd like to listen, and hear what I have to tell you..."

Again, Therion said nothing. Though the vampire at least seemed vaguely pleased by his lack of open hostility. The vampire started pacing, walking around Therion in a circle; the Immortal didn't bother to try and turn to watch him move.

"I've brought you here so I can awaken you from your delusion."
"Delusion?" Frought with pain; spoken through bloodied teeth.
"Of all the Immortals, you are perhaps the only one sufficiently cursed with an affliction so as to blind you to what you truly are. Oh, your friend Ardus is undeniably damned in his own way... but he, I think, has no delusions about what he is... or more specificially, the school of magic he wields as a weapon."

Therion said nothing; but the vampire sensed emotion, surface thought, desire - he'd piqued the werewolf's interest, or at least got his attention, through the haze of pain. "What you call vitalification is but a facet of the whole; true, it grants you strength, but... the path you walk is not merely based upon physical affinity. Such should be evident to you, based upon your ability to heal others and forge spiritual connections. Simply put, you are weaker than the others because you do not see the entirety of your ability,"

"Think of it - magic intrinsically is not equal, but you and the other Immortals are at least roughtly equivalent in terms of overall potential. One of the girls you travel with, Yethi; the elementalist - she can rend a blazing ship asunder through a torrent of water. It would take you comparatively more, seeing as you may use nought but a blade - though an augmented one. You will never be as destructive as many of them, of course... but this is due to your magic being focused within yourself rather than be projected outwards. Your weakness, at any rate, is perhaps because you lack a certain, shall we say, understanding, of your powers. You know enough, I think, but there is some small part of it that you do not understand - the aspect that completes you, and demonstrates where you stand with the others. You are weaker now simply because you do not embrace the whole,"

"Embrace the whole, and you will be where you are meant to be - where you are destined to be!"

"What whole?" Bitterness incarnate, it seemed.

The vampire smirked and looked down on Therion.
"It is not my place to illuminate the path and lead you down it like a spoiled toddler. Find your own light; carve your own path, and make your own way out of the damnation of this place. My kin may be condemned to walk the night eternal, but this place is safe, even from the gods who hunt you. For now, at least... I merely tell you, hurry - even this hidden sanctuary is not eternal as you or I. Soon, we must move on - and you shall either escape or be left behind in the darkness."

"I leave it to you, Immortal. Find your way out."

[Kaito]

Jael was feeling really tired. After holding off dozens of attacks on the ship, she even had to throw the Paladin overboard at great speed.

Gabriel was busy treating the Immortals and the ship's crew. He helped the wounded under deck and carried the unconscious.

As she didn't see where her powers could be any help on the ship, Jael channeled everything she had left, a big blow. "More, come on. Everything tight together." she said to herself, concentrating the force at one point. As to strengthen the blast she punched her fist in the direction of the hydra. The impact could be heard and felt alike as a massive shockwave spread from it. Both the hydra and Jael were thrown back, the hydra still standing, but with a massive headache, and Jael flying across half of the deck. She bounced on the wooden platform and rolled another quarter of it, stopping with her head in turned upwards. She didn't dare try to stand up as her head seemed to explode and her vision went gray. "Oouuch. Needs more practice." she said dazzled. When her vision came back she turned her head to see Ardus sitting at the back of the deck, watching her slightly amused. He's gonna get a slap, she noted mentally and turned her head to see the outcome of the battle.

[Psymon]

Emmy leapt to the deck and looked at Baore. "What the hell happened?" she asked, her voice shooting up an octave.
"It sprayed spit at me, normally I wouldn't mind, but this stuff burns!"
"You can get help later, we've got to kill this thing. You can't really fight, you're covered in burns and your staff and magic aren't much good. Help get the wounded below."

She leapt off as Baore went to pick up an unconcious girl who was lying on the deck. He almost got his fingers bitten by the falcon standing on her, but managed to impress on it that he was a friend. He carried her belowdecks. Emmy was now riding one of the hydra's heads, she had the sirrusa chain wrapped under its jaw so she could stay on and was furiously stabbing with her weapon's blades, scoring deep tracks across its scales.

OOC: I was looking on Deviantart and found the pic I had based Emmy on:
http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs8/i/2005/351/3/b/September_Ninja_Zafara_by_frostcrystal.jpg

[Gorb]

OOC: I've been left behind! No Net means I need to hitch a ride! This BW better not die!

IC: Taelos cocked his head.
"We appear to be late." They were standing at the dock. In the far distance, a ship could be seen making its way unto the horizon. A rather burned mob wandered around the docks aimlessly.
"Time to catch a ride."
"Shall we choose the hydra, or the meer-whale, master?"
"Go for the meer-whale. We don't want to be taken for an enemy, do we? Maybe once we meet up with the other 'Immortals' then we will learn what is happening to me."

***

"It is done." The creature floated in the docks, 13 metres of sleek, polished skin complete with 6 foot wings on either side of it. Quite a ride.
"Time to be going," said Taelos, "as we need to make some speed. Har-le!" The 'ride' disappeared into the sunset, after the long-gone ship.

[ShatteredFaith]

Niran looked up at the hydra and frowned, releasing his polished staff, which stood up without aid, despite the rocking deck. A swirling ball of golden sand appeared between his hands, his eyes tinted gold and glowing with power. He flung his hands out, towards the hydra.

The coruscating vortex of time fluctuated in the air as it was finally released, instantly touching the air and reducing it to stifling, withered corruption as the touch of centuries brushed against it. The hydra itself paused as the vortex flared and flew straight for it; it blinked once, and in that second, centuries passed - the wounds decayed and festered, bones splintered and broke, muscles atrophied and wilted to nothing, and the hydra decayed without sustenance or healing, fading into nothingness. A brush of dust washed into the sea, scattered by the tides.

Vol whistled appreciativley, and slapped Niran on the back, sending the old man sprawling forward, catching himself on the staff at the last moment, with a glare for his friend, who merely grinned back.

[Psymon]

Emmy saw the time vortex coming and leapt off the Hydra as the ball hit, leaving the monster to its fate. She landed on the deck and said "Well, that was closer than I like. I think some of my toes are considerably older than the rest of me."

Baore was standing on the deck, still bright red and wearing a sack, "Erm, I don't suppose anyone's got any spare clothes?" He saw the looks on most of the Immortals' faces and his face went even deeper crimson, "Don't laugh!"

[Sevorak]

Therion sagged against the ground, healing magics stretched to the breaking point as he contemplated through the weals of agony; he tried to touch the beyond - the outer aspect and spiritual star that constituted the rest of his powers. But the pain, like an ever-present vice-grip, caught his outstretched hand and brought it down into the searing flame of existence's torment.

Then something in the distance screamed. Therion froze; the pain reversed from a searing, infernal fire to chilling, invasive vines of ice. He was reminded of the cold of the cell, and the uncomfortable proximity of the metal chains that weren't currently in use, still freezing and brushing against his body periodically. Then he stretched out, his body protesting, screaming at him to stop his useless and likely futile endeavour against his appointed fate. Every muscle shook and wailed in protest as he drew his powers away from the task of constantly healing them; instantly, blood started to erupt from his form. His mind clouded and his eyes were blinded by the torrents of red. Panic flooded through him as realization clouded his mind: he was going to die there.

It was in the black that came seconds before death, when everything faded to dust and your life's dreams were arrayed and shattered before you, that Therion finally found his answer. In the darkness, the last frail whispers of his link to his power blinked before him, clear as day - he grasped the skeins and used the decaying fragments of his mind's willpower to drag them to himself and make them his own. His eyes flashed back open, blinded still by shards of splintering light. My awakening. His blood shone with a radiant gold hue as he looked at his bonds; crude matter in the blinding light of existence.

Away from me, he willed, and the bonds shattered, their rusted forms scattering across the room and fading to dust. The door to his cell opened; bloodhounds sent by the gods to claim him bared their mangled, crooked - yet brutally sharp - teeth and roared at him before lunging. Therion glanced at them and they seemed to slow to inexorable nothingness; but it wasn't them. It was his own perceptions quickened to the point where storms became whispers, and seconds became eternities. He spun and carved the twin hounds apart with the claws that flared from his fingers. The blood curse of the werewolves twisted deep within him, writhing and mutating into something... else. Something... higher, and yet all too disturbingly familiar.

In the distance, as time returned to its normal state and Therion's blood dimmed, returning to its natural crimson, the sounds of battle reverberated in the hallowed halls of the vampires. The gods had come for them as much as they had come for him... for they were yet more dissident voices in a world that seemed altogether more hostile. The gods despised them all, it seemed - Therion stopped thinking and simply started moving through the coven's halls, looking at the fallen vampires with Seraphs of varying size and appearances strewn at their feet. They'd died fighting, at least.

As for Therion himself... it was time to find a way out. Eyes blazing and wounds gradually healing themselves according to his will, the Immortal started to wade through the blood.

[Captain Elson]

"Bahaha!" Tonai croaked as the last hting he saw before becoming unconcious was Baore in a barrel. Karna kept her composure this time, and brough some spare clothes to Baore so he wouldn't have to degrade himself any more.

Tonai has actually matured a little at least, though Karna of her immortal friend, he had at least stopped abusing people, of course the circumstances dictate it, could it be that he will actually be a decent mage?

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi awoke below deck, utterly drained of energy. Even Swift was looking worse for wear.

"Come on Swift, I'm sure there are things to be done, the mast was cut off it seems, thats a job for us if I ever saw one." She managed a small smile and clambered from the hammock, supporting her path upstairs on the cabin walls.

"Jael?" Shi said a she reached the deck, looking for the telekinetic mage. "Hey Jael, I know you must be pretty tired, but we need that mast back." Pointed Shi to a floating clump of wood and cloth in the sea behind them.

"Think you can manage it, once it's back I think I can splinter it back on, and heal it up good as new." Said Shi, collapsing to sit opposite Jael, with her back against the mast's stump.

[Psymon]

"Thanks" Baore said as he took the clothes from Karna. He turned around and went to his cabin to get changed. The redness of his skin didn't feel much worse than sunburn, it would probably be gone in about a week. He pulled the clothes on, they were quite small on him, the trousers ended a few inches above his ankles and the shirt felt very tight across his shoulders. He got the feeling that he wouldn't be able to move too far too fast or half the seams would give way. Still, it was better than going around in a sack, he got the feeling Em would never let him live that one down. He walked out onto the deck and sat down, crossing his legs under himself carefully. The ship needed repairs and a favourable wind wouldn't go amiss. He closed his eyes and entered the spirit realm.

Some of the crew and a couple of Immortals looked at him questioningly as frost began to form where the spray hit his skin and the air around him took on a distinct chill. Emmy felt she should explain. "He's gone to find spirits, probably to help fix the ship or move us along. He could be gone for ten minutes or an hour, time moves slowly in the Other Place."

[Kaito]

Jael looked down at the other Immortal girl. She could hardly stand and her eyes were falling close too easily, she forced herself up all the while by willpower only.

And now she was supposed to get that mast back. How the hell should she do that, she drained all her energy for the last blast on the creature. But Shi wouldn't know. And she wouldn't need to know, Jael decided. "I guess we're out cold if we don't fix it, have no choice then." she said, a slight smile cheering her exhausted face.

First, she pulled the mast near the ship while it floated around. That proved rather easy. The hard part was lifting the mast up. She tried to pull it up the ship two times and failed both, it was just too heavy for her alone. Just when she was about to give up some crewmen threw ropes to help her hieving it up. Gabriel had to hold her while they pulled up the mast so she wouldn't drop to the ground from exhaustion. "Now just lift it up, huh." she bit her teeth.

Everyone on the ship helped putting the mast back in it's vertical position. One half pulled with ropes and the other half pushed it up. Jael roared to get the last remains of her power, and the mast slowly rose to it's position. Shi did her Job instantly and began connecting the wood. Holding it wasn't as easy as it seemed, too, as the storm wasn't fully over yet, too.

Jael's face was dripping sweat and she breathed heavily like she had run from a monster for hours. Gabriel's arms still around her waist she collapsed, leaving the crew and everyone alone to hold it for as long as Shi would need to finish the repairs.

[Gorb]

Flying through a storm on the back of a whale. Taelos spotted a hydra and a ship not too far away (in relative terms). He made for the ship, and watched in amazement as the hydra disintergrated under the combined powers of the other Immortals. It seems he had a while to go to catch up in terms of power, as they seemed way above his current level. He landed on the deck, Arcanos behind him. The ship was a mess, and the other Immortals were frantically repairing the damage done to it.

"Could anybody do with a hand?" he asked. It looked like they needed it.

[Captain Elson]

Tonai awoke to the sound of a giant piece of ood being attached to another big piece of wood, he loked up and the first thing he saw was Karna looking straight down at him, naturally as one may suspect, he jumped out of being starteld and hit his head against Karna who fell over.

"I am never going to get used to that, sorry Karna." Said Tonai sheepishly, wondering what all the splintering going on was, then noticed Jael collapsed in her familiar's arms.

"You had better, i don't think i'll stand for being hit in the head every time you wake up form an unconcious state." Karna groaned.

"What happened to her, Karna?" Asked Tonai,

"Same as you, collapsed form exhaution"

"These gods just won't quit, at least now we have that other guy back, what was his name again Karna?"

"I think it was Taelos or Taloes." responded Karna.

Tonai turned to Taelos and said, "Hey buddy, ya made it, that's great, we need the extra help for what is yet to come."

[Sword_Monkey]

The mast stood magnificently in place, th join was lighter than the rest of the wood, which worried some, and there was a sapling growing out of one side, but it seemed strong. After the rigging was fixed back on in the best way possible the ship looked ready to go.

"Ugh I don't know about the rest of you but I need rest." Shi said wandering about the ship's deck hurriedly. She was trying to get a view of the front of the ship.

"You've no figurehead, and that's bad luck, looks like I can fill in though." SHi smiled and clambered over the Prow to afix herself to the ship, her skin and internal systems melding into the wood to become a delicate living figurehead.

[Sevorak]

The ship sailed on with remarkable serenity after the 'incident'; or at least, with as much serenity as a ship that had been virtually smashed to pieces and half-rebuilt in the course of a few hours could... her captain looked at the curious party of mages with an expression that suggested he was about to cry at what had happened to his ship, or hug the mages for ensuring he still had his life.

Though naturally, he'd later blame the entire incident itself on the mages, and since it was their fault, he would be rather justified in doing so. But they were paying well... and he had to admit, the whole 'living figurehead' thing seemed to be working out well. From where he was standing, at any rate... magic wasn't his forte, and he'd spent many an hour thanking the gods of that fact. Eh, maybe the ol' bastards aren't that bad after all...

He sighed, leaned back against the side of the ship, and looked around at the mages; he knew it'd likely be a decade before he saw any others even vaguely resembling them... and doubted he'd ever truly see their like again. They were... something else, to put it lightly. Some were little more than children, just emerging into the world... and judging by what he'd just seen, their world was a far harsher deal than his own world. He sighed; he'd have felt immeasurably sorry for them had they not proved that they were somewhat more capable than the average child - no, person - their age. Still, he found it impossible to repress a flicker of pity for all of them but three; the two older ones, who were standing together at the bow of the ship, and one other, who was likely slinking about the lower decks somewhere.

He was no mage, but he'd at least credit himself where he was due; and he was at least a reasonable judge of character. He didn't envy the mages, that was for sure...

Not even the hauntingly beautiful 'white mage' who was slightly leaning over the side of the ship, her hair fluttering briefly in the wind. He certainly didn't envy the things she'd surely seen over the years...

It was calm, serene silence there, on the edge of the ship - it was like being on the edge of reality, the ocean the harmonious, everlasting flow of the arcane... and the ship was the world on which they all lived, an island of stability and order against a backdrop of eternal chaos. But there were things that Sereia could feel, deep within her, that told her that the rest of the world was far from restful. The dissident voices were growing louder; in one corner of the world they already bred screams, the feral war-cries of the vampires were going up in stark, ferocious defiance to the wrathbringers of the Seraphs.

"You feel it?" Aedar asked from behind her; she didn't turn to face him. She already knew how he'd be standing; hands behind his back, in the classic 'at ease' position. But his thoughts, like hers, were anything but at ease.
"Yes," she sighed. "I'm surprised their kind is still alive and twitching,"

Aedar chuckled.
"Not quite decayed yet, I don't think. They always were stubbornly resilient to staying inert, like the dead are supposed to. Though I suppose in these times, we should be grateful they're still proving an annoyance,"
Sereia made a sound reminiscent of 'hmph'. Understandably, the undead - by virtue of their being dead and still walking around - weren't one of her favoured collectives. Especially the vampires specifically... they were just about tolerable, if only because they were fighting against the gods and spiting them through their existence.

There were quite a few sub-sects and even entire species who were spiting the gods simply by refusing to keel over and die as divinity ordained them to do. Most notably the dragons...
"You think this dragon friend of yours will help us?" Sereia asked doubtfully as the thought crossed her mind.
"Uh..." Aedar scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. Sereia glowered at him.
"What?"
"Well, he's not exactly a 'friend'. He was rather argumentative the last time I saw him, you see, and..."
"And you were making things up when you said 'oh, I'm sure it won't be an issue'?"
"Ah... that's about it, yes,"

The serene, beautiful white mage drew a staff as her face turned a light shade of red and her eyes narrowed. Then she picked up her staff and gave the rather nervous-looking Aedar a solid thwack about the head for his troubles. The deck echoed with the blue mage's minute, pitiful yelps of pain.
"Ow."

[Kaito]

Jael felt like a stream of water flowing easily and steadily, and eventually joining the sea, spreading to what felt eternity. It felt like she had left her body, floating in a sea of relaxness and harmony. She saw pictures of the past, flickering past her, giving her back some memories of her childhood before switching to the next pictures. She saw the dream of the night Gabriel appeared to her, met again with the other Immortals. The pictures lasted only short, but they felt more intense than the real happenings, giving her a ride of emotions from suffer and exhaustion to joy and a feeling of luck.

In the distance, a new picture appeared. She couldn't see anything in it but a steady darkness. She dove to see more of the picture, and approaching it she finally noticed some things moving inside the darkness. Slowly she comprehended the surroundings. There was a dungeon of some sorts, without lights or windows. The doors stood open. Several beings rushed through the corridors and rooms of the complex. She saw one being, unlike it's chasers definitely humanoid. It ran through the corridors. Jael could feel it's frantic, it's fear. It opened a door, and jumped back against the walls of the corridor. Inside, Jael could see several corpses scattered across the room, their limbs broken or torn apart, their bodies disemboweled. The walls, decorated with banners and fine carpets, were garnished with blood. Then she saw some things on the floor beginning to move, crawling for the opened door. The human, shocked from the sight, fled back to another corridor, only to be jumped at by a creature the size of a human. It tore the body apart with it's teeth, and threw the corpse around, painting the walls and the floor in a dark red. Jael cried at the sight of the massacre.

Then another creature approached and slaughtered it. But instead of tormenting it like the murderer before, it just went on hurriedly. Jael took a closer look at it, it was clearly of humanoid form, but it ran confusingly fast. Jael tried to get a better look, it was definitely a human. As it approached a light, Jael found him to be covered in blood and golden shards covered scattered across his body. Then she recognized his face. It was the Immortal she first met, Therion.

He ran through the corridors swiftly, killing some strange creature that crossed his path every once in a while. He searched for a way out, Jael guessed. She floated across the entirety of the dungeon, searching for a possible escape route for Therion. And she found some huge wrecked wooden doors, dead guard's bodies decorated the exit. Jael instinctively wanted to show Therion the way out, but did not find a way to. Therion kept running through endless corridors and rooms. Finally Therion seemed to find the way out as he approached the shattered wood that once was a door. He could already see the light from the outside when suddenly out of the void a huge creature appeared in front of him. It's wings added to it's humanoid form, which was double the size of Therion, told it's angelic gender. It wielded a large broadsword about the length and width of Jael one handedly, and swung it down on Therion. He could barely dodge the sword, which ripped the floor apart where he had just been, rocks being crushed and thrown away. The Angel looked at Therion amusedly and rose an arm, pointing his unclosed hand at him. Therion wasn't prepared for the sudden magic attack which threw him against the wall behind him and kept pressing against it, cracking the stone from the sheer force that acted against it.

The Angel drew his sword back out of the floor and walked towards Therion, a spiteful grin announcing his next act. Jael wanted to shout, "No!", "Noo!", but her words were not heard. Even if, they wouldn't change anything. The Angel hauled off for the final attack, accelerating the sword to trench the Immortal's body. "Stop!!!" Jael screamed from her heart. Everyone on the ship looked surprised at the unconscious Immortal girl as her scream descended into her body and out of her lungs. Baore approached her and observed her thoughtfully. "That definitely felt strange there, dear."

OOC: Just though Baore would notice when a soul left it's owner and does something somewhere else... ;)
(you could also call it an interactive vision, but the way i described it was kinda strange^^' )

[Sevorak]

Therion felt himself halted there, at the edge - close to death. But he'd been there before, not so long ago, and the angel had no power over him now. The sword descended... then it halted in midair, constrained by invisible strands of magical force. But not ethereal; Therion could feel them, through the gates that were closed before, but now were ashen and shattered. Through the currents of arcana, he sensed the magic - and through that, the Immortal that served as that magic's guiding light, force and will.

"Jael..." he whispered, in equal parts awe and wonder. Then he turned his attention to the blade, and the angel's rapidly growing anger. He looked down at the glimmering shards that were a part of him; but they were merely a byproduct of what had happened to him. He felt it, inside - he was no longer truly a werewolf, but something else entirely.

The glimmering shards burst at Therion's will; they flared brightly as if in a supernova, then erupted - blasting the Seraph apart in a cataclysm of arcane incandescence. Its white, angelic wings broke in a shatterstorm of fire, crumbling to black, charred fragments of what they were before - then to dust, as the angel's skin was torn from its body in a spatter and eruption of fiery blood; like magma, it scattered and melted the walls as the very essence of the angel escaped and burned. The broadsword broke; it blew apart in hundreds of golden shards that mirrored Therion's; and from its position where it had halted, the fusion of the two magics forged inimicable crystals that clattered to the ground around Therion, scintillating facets reflecting light around the fallen Immortal.

And then, there was only silence. Therion slumped, blood falling and vitae seeping onto the ground as he bled from the nova of his own dreams. The innate magics that bore him worked their own magic and shimmered through his body. It wouldn't be long until he arose anew from the flames.

[Psymon]

OOC: Cool idea, Kaito, if anyone else feels like an out of body experience Baore's services are available for the guided tour.

IC: Baore had sensed something on his way back from the spirits. The boat had been repaired so it wasn't necessary to do that, but they should have a prevailing wind and at least some warning of bad weather for the rest of their journey. Someone else had manged to break free of their body, he eventually recognised the soul of Jael. She was obviously in some distress he touched her mind lightly, she wouldn't notice, but he'd be able to see what she did. If he'd had a mouth he would have gasped Farsight he thought. He didn't have this ability, he could commune with the spirits, but had very few magical abilities of his own. He saw Therion embattled, confronted by Seraphs, striking down the dark constructs like paper men. Whatever happened, he's got a lot more powerful. He would have liked to watch for longer, but being out of body held innumerable dangers for the inexperienced, he could already sense the predatory phantoms closing in. He guided Jael back to her body and then returned to his. The customary dullness of his senses returned, it always felt terrible after seeing the world with such clarity. He stood up and stretched cracking the rime of frost that had developed on his skin. Three spirits materialised behind the boat and called up a brisk wind to push it along. He walked over to Jael, who was still recovering.

"That definitely felt strange there, dear." He looked at the other Immortals and began to explain. "She managed to seperate her soul and her body, I'm not sure how. As far as I know most people manage it by instinct first, I did. It was probably a way of escaping the fatigue of the battle and lifting the mast, Em made me run for miles before I managed it when she first taught me about this stuff." He looked pensive, "We have two options, with Emmy's help and Jael's consent I could bind her so this sort of thing doesn't happen again, or I can train her. She has Farsight, which could prove very useful and possibly other abilities, though I doubt she could find the spirits, their realm is hard to reach unless you do it instinctively first time. It would take a while, she has to learn to mask and protect herself from the dangers of the Other Place. Of course, its her decision." He looked down at the unconcious girl, wondering if this power would be an asset or a danger.

[Gorb]

Taelos was thinking. If everone else was just getting started with this whole Immortal thing, yet they seemed to be much more powerful than he. He barely noticed the people beside him talking to him.

"Oh, yes, thanks. It seems I got here a little too late to help directly, but I shall do what I can. My name is Taelos, yes, and I specialise in summoning and possession."

***

"It seems, Arcanos, that my training needs to be more thorough. We shall practise more often."
"Yes, master. Shall we also talk to these others, to glean some tips, perhaps?"
"Yes, we shall. Let's start with that blue-robed mage over there."

[ShatteredFaith]

The old wizard stood on the prow of the ship, slightly to the right of the male immortal, gazing sadly out into the sea. When Sereia had left the prow, Niran turned his tired gaze to Aedar.

"That was just another town, in a long series of towns, where you either failed to look or had-and at this point, his voice was dripping sarcasm-more important things to do" his hands were curled angrily around his staff, feeling their age, feeling the time he had left slipping like sand through his old battered fingers. His companion, Sessner, looked on worriedly from Vol's shoulder, the two had taken up a liking with eachother.

Vol eyed the little dragon "Since when has he become obsessed with living forever?"

The dragon sighed "About fifteen years ago, when he started to realise that his spells...." the dragon trailed off and shook his head "I can tell you, he would be furious"

Vol grinned "Thats okay, I think I have an idea anyway"

At the prow, Niran controlled himself enough to continue "I am through with being side tracked because you want to raise, for the most part, idealistic children to save the world. I am departing at the next town to find my own cure for this curse"

[Sevorak]

Aedar turned to regard the time mage irritably.
"And you think that looking in what are, for all intents and purposes, random and scattered places is going to achieve your goal faster than traveling with us? The dragon we're looking for likely has a fair few answers that would benefit you in your search - but he won't willingly give them up, I think. And you'll be more likely to be able to acquire those answers from him if we're with you."

Then Aedar turned and returned his gaze to the small, coastal town that was just coming into faint view. He waved a hand in its general direction. "Though if you're insistent on going your own way, then go. We could use your presence, and you could certainly use ours. But I'm not going to try and keep you here if we're keeping you back from achieving your heart's desire. Though there won't be much of a world left for you to live forever in if we fail now."

Then Aedar removed his attention from the time mage entirely and directed it towards the other immortals. Alright, he began, to get their attention, I fear time is already against us, so if there is anything you need in the town, or wish to do, I suggest you do it quickly - we'll start to move up the mountain within a few hours of making port. Anyone who would rather stay here may do so; but we'll be leaving soon.

He cast a glance over at Sereia, who was standing above Jael, a worried expression across her face. Hopefully, the girl would be alright. They'd lost one Immortal already, and Aedar didn't have any intention of losing another.

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi, not quite yet wanting to leave her lucky positon called out to Aedar on the prows deck.

"What can we get in the port town, I mean magically speaking, I'd much like to find some magical materials, to expand my repetoire that is." She asked.

[Lestaki]

OOC: Back all. Glad to see this is still alive. You may all have cookies. :)

IC: "We should have just killed you," Irenolae said, yawning hugely. "It's not like you couldn't have come back."

"If I came back, I'd have come back by my mage," Silverstar said. "I think that would have been bad for me. Very bad. In any case, you're healed. No harm done."

"You endangered my mistress's life," Irenolae said. "That's a crime in itself. And we came too close to death. But I'll forgive you this once. Never again."

"If you really cared that much," Yethi said, tipping her hat over her eyes and leaning back, "you wouldn't have saved her in the first place. So stop complaining already, you're giving me a headache."

"My apologies, lady," Irenolae said stiffly.

"We're coming into port," Silverstar said.

"Already? But I'm tired," Yethi complained, yawning hugely. "I feel better than I was, but... no more hydras. That'd summarize my current mood. I just want to kick back and rest."

"That'll have to wait on survival," Ire said.

"I know," Yethi said. "But I'm allowed to complain inconcequentially about things."

"You got the hang of that one fast," the dragoon said wryly.

"I want to buy some decent food, if at all possible," Yethi said, standing and stretching. "We have some money left over from the arena thing."

[Captain Elson]

(OOC dream time)

Tonai looked over towards the port they were coming into, something about it seemed familiar about it, as if he'd been there before. He shrugged it off as if nothing happened, he knew he had never really been in a port before he was an immortal, so it must just be his imagination, yet still something tugged him.

"hmm i think there is something waiting for us there, something hot." Tonai announced.
"Aedar, i think soemthing up ahead is going to be dangerously hot Aedar, I dont' know what, but i can feel it, it feels like a burning inferno."

"That can't be" Aedar said "You must be fooling yourself, a mage at your level can't be able to feel their own power form other places."

So Tonai shrugged it off as if nothing had happened

They all went into the city and began to do their business. Then it happened. The ground speewd open and dozens of hellish fire things came out and burned everyhthing in sight. they kidnapped Tonai and they tapped into his power, destroying the city and burning his friends one at a time.

"No. No!" Tonai gasped as he woke up from his dream and noticed that Karna wasn't looking at him and wondered where she went. He went on top of the ship and looked out at the ocean, and at the port .

"I have a bad feeling about this. Tonai gulped"

OOC: Nope not going to actually bring fire demons form hell, that would be to self promoting.

[Gorb]

OOC: Cookies!

IC: "Excuse me, your name is Aenar, is it not? Mine is Taelos, and I seem to be slightly behind on the times. I was wondering if you could give me a slight background on what we're doing? And what different schools of magic do we have on this ship? I'm heavily into research you see, it's a fount of power for me, and I was wondering if you could help me?"

OOC: Edit: There are 220 other posts in this thread, and this is my 220th post. Coincidence, huh?

[Psymon]

Baore was leaning on the railing as the port came into view. Emmy was in her cat-form in the hood of his cloak, the only bit of his original clothing he hadn't had on when the Hydra sprayed him and as such the only thing he was wearing that still fitted him. He'd already split a few seams in the shirt. I'll be glad to get back on dry land he thought. The sea's alright, but I need to be near living plants and animals not some barren expanse of water.

He hadn't felt right since he got on the boat, his power and the ease of his exit to the Other Realm were very dependant on having adequate life around him. Still, the sea was alive in its own peculiar way, not like the barren wastes of sand to the south he'd heard other travellers speak of. The 'dessart' they'd called it. He couldn't imagine what a landscape made entirely of sand would look like, apparently it was like giant frozen waves of sand. It sounded a terrible place to him, scorching hot, no water and no life.

Of course Emmy thought, Another advantage of getting ashore is you can get some fitting clothes. And have a bath.

Why are you always insisting I have baths Em? I mean I can understand the occasional swim but it doesn't feel right to keep scrubbing yourself.

Its good for you dear, and I refuse to travel with a mobile dungheap. Who knows after a while you might even learn to like it.

Baore grunted grundgingly, Well, the sooner we can get off this ship the better. He looked towards the shoreline and went back to his private thoughts.

[The Shadow]

ooc: I have been kinda inactive, but I'm trying to get back in to this. (So we are soon in the port?)

[Lestaki]

"Aedar," the Blue mage corrected. "We are Immortals, mages of sufficent strength to subconciously project our minds apon the world in the form of our familiars and to forestall the aging process to obtain... immortality, as the name suggests. Those are common traits that bind us all together. In a grand sense we are fighting a war of self-defence against the Gods, who have written our destruction into the very purpose of their existance and have hunted us relentlessly for a thousand years. In an immediete sense, we are fleeing to this land, which is relatively safe- at least from faithful humans- and looking for an ally in an aquaintance of mine. A dragon, some six hundred years old. His kind too are hunted by the gods and in a greater sense all humans."

"As for the schools... I could talk for days. I am a Blue Mage, by trait inquisitive and by magic adaptive, capable of imitating the manipulation of arcana as seen in ours foes, should I draw the shaped magic into my body itself. I have many abilities but do not master any one area. Good Sereia is a healer, by trait compassionate and humane. Her arts revolve round harnessing magic through kindness, studying and repairing damage to a body through a combination of strength and subtlty, turning attack and harnessing what is called the anger of compassion... in remembrance of those injured by a thing, calling forth her own emotions to destroy that thing and prevent future harm."

"That is but us... Elementalism, of destruction through brute force, Mental magic through the pain and emotion of body and mind, materialism and shapeshifting... there are many schools even with us, which I can describe to you if you are interested. But now may not be an apt time- we seem to draw into port, and discussing the qualities and names of the mage schools would draw unfavourable attention- even more than our apparnet natures."

"And your verbose mannerisms," Sereia said. "They don't actually make you sound intelligent, just up yourself."

"Compassion does not extend to a dutiful and loyal comrade, sadly," Aedar said. "Please be brief in your explorations of this town, we must move quicly now that the hunt is on."

[Kaito]

"Jael!..." Jael could hear a calm female voice which seemed far away.
"Heee-eey!..."
It seemed approached her, taking her back. She felt someone clapping her cheeks softly.
"It's okay, okay, I'm awake." she mumbled.
Her body felt like a big bag of rice, and moving it turned out to be quite difficult. She opened her eyes dazzedly while raising to a sitting position.
"Nnnngh... What is it?"
"We docked. We have to leave the ship now." A young girl with an overly sized hat told her.
"Yethi, right? We've already docked?" Jael looked around, inspecting the buildings and the people around the dock. Then she turned to Yethi again, her face speaking of utter confusion.
"Err.. wasn't the trip supposed to take four days?" she asked her.
"It took four days. You were snoozing like a bear. Well, sometime you just screamed out of a sudden, we were quite worried about you, there. How do you feel?"
"I'm fi-" Jael was interrupted by a loud rumble from her stomach.
"hungry..." she said giggling.
A hand offered her help to get on her feet, and she happily accepted it.
"Let's go find a tavern, then, my Lady." Gabriel suggested.
"Yay!"

[Sevorak]

Therion breathed the mountain air as if it was the essence of life itself. He didn't care if it was thin, freezing and was likely to kill most normal people. It was the sweetest air he'd ever breathed. The glimmering golden shards were gathered up in the tattered remains of his old clothing; as were the crystalline fragments of the magical union - the coalescence of twin magical schools. So, with nothing on his top half, he walked calmly out into the freezing air that would kill pretty much everyone else but him. The other Immortals would, of course, be fine. Life was always much safer when you were powerful.

He strode out, calling with his mind to the distant Naphar. The other Immortals would no doubt note the wolf bounding off into the shadows, and might interpret it as a sign of him being alive. Skirting the distance of his consciousness, however, was something... else. Something immeasurably older and more powerful than himself. Not malevolent... but not entirely benign, either. Fiery depths and searing heat. Therion smiled and started walking in the direction of the dragon.

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi hopped of off the prow much to the confusion of the docksmen, and ravelled cloth around her form ina fashionable way, like the young women in Threiani and strode into the town seeking antique shops and artefact shops with a sense of confidence and control she had never had since her abilities came to her.

A little searching and she came across a small coutyard in amongst the back alleys full of trinket shops. Picking one at random she entered, reassure by the old woman at the counter, there would have to be magic in this shop.

Opening her mind to the matter around her she felt out and sensed for magic.

"Looking for something dear?" The old woman said.

"Oh yes, very much, er how can I say, lucky charms? Potions, anything like that."

The woman looked around nervously, nobody else was in the shop.

"When did ya get into town luvvy?"

"Just a second ago by boat why?"

"Good, good, nobody recognise yer, nobody seen you come here, now then follow me, flick the sign on the door whilst your close too."

Shi switched the sign to closed and shut the door, the old woman hobbled off through the shop to its far back, down some stairs and into a candlelit basement. Unlocking a heavily bolted door as she went. Shi noticed the new room had several other locked doors too. But more importantly the entire room was lined with trinkets and charms and liquids and strabge moving devices.

"Now before you ask, I have no memory of where this lot came from, who made the, nor what they are. Understand?"

"Y-yes..."

"Then what you wanting?"

"Er..oh erm lets see, quiksilver..." She held out her hand and began to count fingers. "Cold iron, adamantium, sentient wood, mithril, firewood, frostfire, and erm angel's feather."

"Blimey you are specific aren't ya, materials, an you don't mind what the artefact does, just what its made of? Well quiksilver, and I would be rich, cold iron I have, adamantium you must be joking, mithril pendant somewhere, firewood staff, very nice it is too, no frost fire, and that last item is locked away, fee for just looking."

"Oh great, more than I dreamed of, can I see those that are here?"

"O course deary, let me just find them all."

The old woman shuffled aroun the tables and vabinets and crevices, picking up item after item. She then cleared a section of table in front of a chair and layed them out.

Shi sat down and placed her hands above the three items before her. The Cold iron was just a shard, and the mithril pendant was a fake, who would have use for a pendant of the stuff anyway. Nervoucly she picked up the cold iron, and it was cold, intrinsically cold to her, but it was amazing, the magics of her body and the shard meeting explosively and combining, the things she could do with this. Next was the staff, she grasped it and fire inflamed across its surface and around her hand.

"Never seen it do that before, always figured it was meant to keep your hand warm whilst walkin, or summat, not actually set a' fire or anythin. I guess your a mage then eh?"

Shi was just sitting there awed by the firewood.

"Eh?"

"Oh sorry a mage, I guess must be always had a knack for this stuff, God has gifted me." She lied "Those liquids what are they?" She said standing up, all of the items on the table once more.

"Them, well theres Skyfell at the top, floats doesn't it, and pure water, vampire blood, bat's urine-"

"How fascinating, and behind that door at the far end" She said pointing over the woman's shoulder, forcing her to turn. A quick light hop and he hand was at the ceiling touching a blob of escaped Skyfell. Neat little trick if she didn't then get stuck. The woman turned back round.

"Thats dark stuff, not for a goo- What the bleedin 'eck are you doin up there? You make me nervous foreigner."

"Sorry sorry, just got too curious she said dropping to the floor. You said dark stuff, what do you mean?"

"Hmm, come here and listen at the door."

The two of them advanced on the balck wooden door.

"Wasn't black once neither, now just listen, put your ear against the door."

Shi placed her hands to the door and listened, she suddenly jolted back, some primal thing had made her flinch, and scared. A dark desire then overcame her, she looked at the room then at the woman. She smiled slyly. Her arm turned to fire and she slammed the poor old woman across the room, her limp body cracked against the staircase her life essence fading. Shi gave a short chuckle and walked to the dead body to retrieve the keys.

She opened each of the five doors in the room, each one only had a small compartment behind it, the first revealed an urn, filled with sparkling water. Closer inspection showed nothing special so Shi plunged her hand in, the room exploded with water, drenching everything. She flamed and dried herself out, learning one new trick.

The second door revealed a beautiful necklace, that Shi just had to try on, next thing she knew she was on the floor, blue faced, a quick change to cold iron and it snapped spreading its parts across the floor. Nothing gained there.

The third door revealed a largish stone, mottled grey and black, Shi picked it up and immediatley it fell to the floor with her hand, so she released it only for it to disappear and reappear on her person, in between a layer of cloth.

"Fuck."

Shi looked around, there had to be something for this, her body sagging with the strain, it angered her immensely. She tried turning into this loadstone's material, only for nothing to happe, at all. She calmed down with it in her hands, thinking more clearly, a pang of guilt shot across her as she saw the dead woman again, yet something inside her told her the woman was insignificant, which was true she figured. Then an idea was realised, she smashed the rock still holding it, it cleaved perfectly in two. Then carefully laying it in its compartment she let one piece fall onto the other, they fused and stayed there. She let out a sigh of relief.

The fourth door was predictable, inside lay a single glowing feather, floating just above the shelf. Shi turned her hadnd into the loadtsone material and picked it up, sliding the feather into a fold of cloth. That little gem would have to wait.

Finally she returned to the dark door. She paused and considered it, the old woman had survived well with ti here, so it couldn't have been that bad. Carefully she palce her hand on the handle, and opened the door, a flood of darkness escaped and then nothing. When fully opened Shi saw the contents, a twisted human skull. She grasped it greedily, dark thoughts overwhelming her, waves of pain overwhelmed her but the she sent them back meeting the magical energy trying to hurt her, the skull twisted even more and then cracked the shards lying around Shi and then into her face to encase her head, darkness swarmed about ehr bodya nd she was lifted from the ground, her body warped in strange ways before cracking bones and rending internal blood vessels apart. She tried to scream but her face was locked from eyes to mouth. Soon it was over and she rose from the ground, herself again no sign of skull or darkness just an evil flicker in her eyes. She danced out of the room stepping ont he dead old woman, picking up various wands and suchlike as she left, piling them into her cloth clothes.

It had been a very profitable day. Shi wandered around the town looking for any of her companions, she had so much to show them!

EDIT, Wow, kinda got carried away there, long post!

[Psymon]

Baore stepped off the boat, feeling strength flow into him from the earth beneath his feet. His senses felt so much sharper, he hadn't realised how the time spent at sea had affected him. He saw Jael walking towards a tavern with her familiar, he needed to talk to her at some point, if she left her body accidentally again, and he wasn't there to help, she might not come back. He'd deal with it later, right now he needed to find some clothes that actually fitted him. He walked into town with Emmy the cat curled up in his hood.

Within half an hour he had new clothes, and a spare shirt and trousers he'd keep in his pack from now on, though he was sure the merchant had swindled him. Ok, now to fix my staff, he looked at how the golden brown wood had been blackened by the hydra's venom. He took out a knife and scraped it along the blackened end experimentally. The wood itself isn't damaged, and neither is the iron on the end, so at least I don't have to replace that. I just need to scrape off the black stuff and replace the varnish that has been burned away. This is a job for a carpenter not me. He asked a passing man,
"Scuse me, do you know where I could find a decent carpenter who isn't too expensive?"
"Not many of those around," replied the man, "I suppose you could try Mosrael, he's fairly cheap, though a little bit eccentric in his old age. Second street on the left."

Baore thanked the man and followed his directions. He came to the workshop of the carpenter and went inside. It was very cluttered, bits of wood and odd contraptions were lying around everywhere. He could hear sawing from somewhere in the debris. Trying not to step on anything he called out
"Hello? Is Mosrael in here?" The sawing stopped and a high voice said
"Yes, what is it I can do for you, hmm?" A short man with long, white, unkempt hair and beard and eyeglasses that made his eyes look enormous appeared from under a pile of planks, made an attempt to brush some of the sawdust and shavings off his clothes and walked over to shake Baore's hand.
"I need you to repair this" Baore said, holding out the staff. Mosrael took it, feeling the weight and said,
"Very interesting," he said looking along the staff and examining the iron-shod tips. "I suppose you're from Urmyc then, hmm?"
"Originally, yes, but I haven't been there in years. How did you know?" Baore asked, puzzled.
"A hint of the accent, dark hair, green eyes and tall build characteristic of the area. And of course, the place of origin of the shod staff." Baore was surprised, the man had obviously travelled widely in his youth or read a lot of books. "The wood doesn't look damaged," Mosrael continued, "I'll just have to scrape off this residue and revarnish it, come back at dusk, it should be done by then. Um, I don't suppose you'd fancy testing my new ornithopter?" he indicated a large cloth-winged wooden machine behind him. "If my calculations are correct it should fly if you run off the cliffs and pedal fast enough. I'm almost certain I know what was wrong with it last time."

"Thanks, but no thanks." said Baore, "I'll be back at dusk for the staff." The old man carried his staff back into the shop, muttering about the difficulties of being an inventor in a superstitious world. Baore noticed his stomach growling and wandered off to find something to eat. What do you fancy Em? he asked.
Fish, naturally.
You always say fish, and I've been on a boat for the past four days, I've eaten enough fish to last me weeks. The argument continued as they looked for somewhere to eat.

[Captain Elson]

Tonai looked at the town and scoffed, hoping that nothing indeed would happen, but he knew in his heart that something bad always happened when they were in populated areas, it was almost as if the Gods were trying to make the people of the world angry at the immortals by forcing hem to fight in the cities. Finally, he decided to go find Karna who was somewhere in the town, no doubt showing off here bow and trying to get some gold so she could buy an even better one. It was then he realized that he probably need a metal stick, because even with his powers his stick was beginning to fall apart under strain of heat. He shivered at the cold and blew a hot sream of steam out of his mouth warming his insides. Tonai then runs ito Shi who had all her clothes seemingly packed with hidden objects.
" Hey shi, what's up?" Tonai greeted.

[Sword_Monkey]

OOC: You're frickin subtle aren't you.

IC: Shi looked Tonai up and down, he had fought with skill earlier, and for this Shi was...in debt.

"Tonai! Alot is up, I have learned so much so fast just now, and I have a gift for you, and old shop in the town had a good sale, and the shop owner didn't know much about what she sold, this Tonai is firewood, and to think the woman used it to keep her hands warm!"

Shi put forward the small staff, it wasn't a full pole, but neither a rod, it was kind of in between. It looked sturdy, not too gnarled and had a slight red hue. It erupted into fire.

"You see." She quickly let the fire die down too alay suspicion. "And that what I can do with it, just wonder what you can do. Here." She held it horizontally out to him.

[Gorb]

OOC: Oh dear, innocent blood on Sword's hands. Ah, well, means to an end.

IC: "Er, well, that was an explanation and a half." spoke Taelos as Aenar left. "However I have more pressing problems."
"Such as, master?"
"Remember, I may be super powerful, yada yada yada, but I am still mortal."
"What do you require, master? More tools, or perhaps some pre-prepared wards."
Taelos sighed. Familiars may be in tune with magic and so on, but they sometimes fail to grasp human concepts.
"I require food."
"Oh."

***

"Well, it was food."
"True master."
"And it was, nice, I suppose."
"True master."
"And we are never eating in a 'pub' again."
"Yes, master."

Taelos, wrapped in a long cloak and leaning on his quarterstaff, wandered around, looking for useful venues that could provide information, magical or not. He spied a small shop at the end of the street. He entered.
"Is anybody, er, here?" He called into the dark room. His eyes followed a burn mark across the floor to where a woman lay dead on the floor.
"Okay, time to go. Back to the ship. We never saw this. I have a feeling this place isn't used to mages, as this woman was probably attacked for the minor magical items she had in her possession."
"Understood. Let's hope no-one accosts us on our way back."
"Well, don't say that, I could do with the exercise."

[Psymon]

"Brilliant! A pub!" said Baore, and was soon tucking into a large yorkshire pudding with a sausage, vegetables and gravy in it. He'd bought Emmy a fish and she was snoozing contentedly on the table with the skeleton next to her. The ale here was surprisingly good, though mead would have been a bonus. Once he'd finished he payed the barman, lifted Emmy carefully into his hood, so as not to wake her and walked out, after a few more beers...

It'd be getting dark soon and he needed to see a man about his staff.

[Captain Elson]

Thanks Shi, but may I ask where you got this from, it certanly looks great."

[Sword_Monkey]

"Oh well this old lady had a sale, she seemed quite worried about something, kept trying to push items at me. But I only purchased gifts, and touched the items I needed to imitate. Guess you could call it stealiong, but hey." Shi siad, smiling sweetly, "You like it?"

[Captain Elson]

"It looks great, thanks a bunch!" Tonai Was estacitc at the gift from his fellow comrade. "If you would excuse me, i need to find something to test this on..."

[Gorb]

Taelos spotted two other mages in conversation. One appeared to be giving things to the other.
"Ah, knowledge," said Taelos excitedly, "we should talk to them and perhaps gain some new things that could be applicable in our studies. Names of creatures perhaps, or items that could assist us."
Taelos walked up to Shi and said "Greetings, my name is Taelos. I was wondering if you had any other items you are willing to part with. I have looked around, but have only found one small shop that was run by an old woman that was, erm, of no use to me."

[Kaito]

The tavern was as usual; dirty, filled with a drunken mob and the food was good enough to call it untoxic. At one desk sat a girl and an older guy with a blue suit. If they weren't a strange site already, the piling up of plates around the girl were.
"I think I'm gonna explode." Jael said while laying her forehead on the table with a bang.
"I think you won't, my Lady. Still, this amount of food would have lasted us for at least a week, I suppose it's not healthy eating as much at once." Gabriel concluded.
"Oh really? Gnaah, going to the restroom." Jael mumbled and raised herself with a loud sigh. While she left the table, a drunken man approached Gabriel.
"Eh? You looked like sum' mage scum back there. But we duzn think magez eat like bears, wher'z you from?"
"We have travelled a long way overseas to visit our relatives. They live in a little settlement in the mountain." Gabriel lied.
"The mountan? Eh? I never knew there were some folks up dere. You ain't lying on me are ya?" The man leaned over the table and looked Gabriel in the eyes.
"To be honest, we don't know exactly either. We just heared a rumor, but it was enough for her to start the journey and find them, and I'm protecting her." Gabriel continued. The man looked a little confused, then hit Gabriel on the back and laughed.
"Good luck to yas, come back to tell us, will ya! haha, crazy people." He said while leaving the table.

"Feeling any better, my Lady?" Gabriel asked Jael, who just came back.
"Yeah, a bit, at least. Let's pay and then search the others." She picked some coins out of the pocket, more than the food had cost, and put them on the table. They then both left the tavern. "Good luck finding them! hahaa-" They heard from within.

[Sword_Monkey]

Shi turned to Taelos,

"I wouldn't know, I don't think many items are made for your kind, hang on." SHi searched through the items she had stolen and then had an idea. She transferred some of her bursting water form into a metal ball made of Iron, again made from her skills.

"Here, the water inside is from the elemental plane of water, it is quite violent. I am sure it would help as a focus for you Taelos, when you summon from that plane that is."

Shi placed it in his hands, trying to read if he was suspicious, but sensed nothing. Her crime was hidden for now, not that she cared who knew.

[Gorb]

"Hmm. Thankyou. Seen a library around? I need some texts to read, especially about the Elemental Planes. Haven't quite mastered them yet." Taelos grinned. Good luck for him, as he needed some elemental power to, enhance his abilities. The day was getting better.

[Sword_Monkey]

"You'll probably be hard pressed finding such reading material in this little fishing town. You should try the first city we go to, I'm sure they will have all sorts, though human writing on the elemental planes is very rarely of use,a nd if it is it can only be found in the possession of planeswalkers." Shi said, accessing the vast amount of knowledge and facts she had gained from the many thousands of tomes in her old school.

[Captain Elson]

Tonai seeks out something he can uses his new stick on, and stumbles upon a a cow field with cows in it. As he is looking at the cows wondering what to do, he feels something sneaking up on him. He turns around for a second and sees a pale creature with big fangs and pointed ears look back at him.
"Excuse me for jsut a moment," Tonai said, as he grabs a post from the fence and impales it into a small calf. He then sets the cow on fire and smacks the vampire in the chest with it.

"How do you like that Wood in steak?" Tonai calls after the vampire who gets back up and flings the burning cow into the air.

"Oh, maybe it was wooden stake...."


OOC: Forgive me brian clevenger

[Gorb]

"Bother. I'll have to wait a while." Taelos trailed off down the street, until he was out of earshot of Shi and the others. He turned to Arcanos.
"However, we could gain substantial information by 'reading' this orb and it's contents. It would offer Elemental power if I could tap into it's source."
"I will prepare the focal instruments you need, master."
"Thank you. We will begin at once."

[Psymon]

Baore walked into Mosrael's workshop, to find the old man tinkering away with some gizmo of his. "Hello," Mosrael said absently, "the staff's over there, near my machine for heating water quickly." Trying not to touch a bizarre contraption of wrought iron that warmed the air around it Baore felt under a pile of paper sheets and pulled out his staff.
"Wow." he said, astonished. The black residue had been completely scraped away, and the wood revarnished, the join between the old and new varnish was almost invisible. The grain of the dark brown wood stood out, glinting a shade of honey where the light caught it. The od man had even worked some of the dents out of the shod tips.
"I hope its satisfactory." said Mosrael looking slightly smug at Baore's obvious pleasure.
"Satisfactory? This is masterful. I don't think its looked this good since... ever. It feels a bit different too."
"Ah, yes, I evened up the weights of each end so it would balance better and then used a varnish I've been working on along its entire length. It should improve the grip and make the wood more weather-proof."
"How much do I owe you?" asked Baore, still admiring the staff and how perfectly balanced it felt.
"10 silver."
"This work is worth far more than that!" said Baore, "I've got money and its not like I-" Mosrael cut him off.
"Believe me young'un, the chance to work on a genuine Urmyc shod staff, was worth more to me than any amount of silver or brass. I won't accept more than ten." He took the money and said "Farewell, young man of Urmyc, and good luck with whatever journey you're on. I get the feeling it'd make one hell of a story." With that, he turned back to his contraptions and Baore left the shop.
A bit strange, he thought, but a nice old duffer all the same.
Emmy purred contentedly in agreement. Lets find a place to stay and get some sleep.
I've got to get out of this town, I prefer my wilderness and forests. Baore thought and walked out of town into the fields nearby. He slept under the stars, dreaming about flying cows.

[Gorb]

OOC: A familiar called Emmy? Purring? Might have missed something, but did you get your inspiration from "The Redemption of Anthalus"?

EDIT: "Emmy riding in the hood of Baore's cloak when they are around people."

Pretty sure it's from the Redemption of Anthalus.

[Psymon]

OOC: Ok, yeah I'm a big Eddings fan, and Althalus was one of my favourites. Though Emmy won't turn out to be God's sister, she's just a spirit. I was wondering how long it'd take someone to figure it out.

[The Shadow]

ooc:Wow, I just noticed it myself.
I have lost inspiration in BWs so I'll be away for while or longer, trying to get back when inspi arrives again :) .

Edit: I didin't notice 'cos Emmy is called Smaragdi or Smarre in thye Finnish version. (smaragdi=emerald)

[Gorb]

OOC: Yeah, just been reading through the posts and it kind of hit me. I read a lot, and Eddings' books are better than a lot of rubbish that's around nowadays.

Of course Stephen King still rocks.