The Ancient Warlord. Starts! ~Few LSU's accepted~

[NightBlaze]

Lets get this started yes?

The Ancient Warlord

1000's of years ago, darkness reigned across the land. Ancient warlords controlled everything and peace and happiness, was unheard of. Wars would be waged over the smallest of things, such as crops, land, or even bragging rights. The world was in a state of chaos. Of all the Warlords one in particular was feared more then all, his name was Zeal, he was the most mighty Warlord of them all, he was an unstoppable force on his own, and with the help of his army, he was able to conquer most of the world and probably would’ve had it not been for a few brave people. A small group of people, no larger that 16 allied together and began to combat against the Warlord Zeal and his army. After years of fighting it seemed all would be lost, but the group stumbled upon crystals, magical crystals that granted them elemental skills such as fire, water, earth, ECT. The group was able to drive the armies back away from the villages and together they conquered the army. All that was left to do was to slay the warlord Zeal. They charged the castle, Weapons drawn and entered Zeal’s chamber. There they found out, that Zeal too had these strange elemental powers, much similar to there’s, but his, were an evil power. The element of darkness belonged to Zeal. The brave group feared not the evil shadow powers and began to fight Zeal. In the end, after hours of battle and many wounds, Zeal was defeated but the price was indeed high. The battle although won took its toll on the group as they were exhausted, and as the Warlord fell to ground vowing to return, the castle crumbled and the group was lost. The people of the world count not decide whether they were happy… or sad. The group of adventures who so valiantly risked their life’s to save the world were not here to enjoy what they had created but, peace was restored… and that of course was there goal.
1000’s of years later, everything is normal and the groups of adventures were long forgotten. Everything seems normal until one day. The ground begins to shake like never before, cracks begin to form in the earth and a strange black fog arises. Soon an old man stumbles into the village and gathers everyone together. Claiming that Warlord Zeal has return to take the earth once again. Of course this old beggars words mean nothing to most people and they continue with their work. That night in the same village, the alarms sound, off to the north an army of men 1000’s of men large begin to march towards the town… these men are like nothing anyone has seen because, they have already been killed before… and now they are back with the help of Zeal, to take over the world once again, and reign supreme over everyone………
Alright, lots of typing but that looks decent to me, okay, basically we are teenagers that live in this village, the rpg will take place the day the old man comes to the village and warns everyone about the Warlord.

The elements.
As I said earlier, the group of adventures originally stumbled upon elements. We will first acquire these elements a little after the start of the RPG but that doesn’t mean you cannot pick out what you want first. I will allow 2 people to each element.

Fire – Nightblaze
Water- PokemonLuver
Wind- Crystal Tears, Shadow Djinn
Earth- Legendary fisherman1
Lightning- Crimson_flygon, Darkmaster Kagemusha
Nature-Sheila Rae
Light-Samchu
Gravity- Maha_Shadows

Sign Up
Name
Age (I’d say 14 and up please.)
Gender (Male or Female please)
Appearance (Be creative)
Personality (Self-explanatory)
Element (One of the 7 from above and remember, only 2 to each one)
Elemental Attacks: (Your character wont know any at all when the rpg starts but, over time they will learn more and more. So weak ones to start with pllleeaassee)
Weapon(s) (Something medieval, no guns)
History (Not optional)
Relationships (Most of the characters in this RPG will not know each other from the start but, may have seen each other around the village before.)
Other (anything I forgot)

Hmm ok that looks like about it… Oh and if you see something that’s not there please feel free to add it on in and if you have an element that I’m missing I may accept them (No Darkness)

Ok here’s mine =)
Name- Hiro
Age- 17
Gender- Male
Appearance- Hiro stands at about 6’1 with black hair and dark brown eyes he has a medium build. He wears a dark red Gi and black pants. His clothes have very little armor to them but let him move around quickly. He wears a small silver chain around his neck that his father gave him.
Personality- Hiro’s personality can be characterized into a 1 word. Loner. Hiro is not a very social person but he will talk to people if the need arises. Hides his emotions very well from people and it is pretty much impossible to figure out what he his thinking. Hiro will begin to open up as time goes by, but for the mean time he doesn’t trust anyone.
Element- Fire
Elemental- Attack:
Fireball- Launches a ball of fire at the enemy.
Fire Strike– Hiro enchants his weapon with fire for the next strike.
Weapon(s)- A large two handed Katana, (Great Katana) The handle is black with silver and the blade is black with a red vain like detail up the middle
History- Hiro was born and raised with both of his parents and he was not always the silent, doesn’t give a care type, he use to be very friendly towards other people until the day his father was murdered by a close friend of his. Hiro then lost all trust he had with everyone but his mother. His mother is a nice person and is really the only person that Hiro will talk to openly.
Relationships - Although Hiro is anti-social now, he will eventually open up and any relationships will be accepted =)
Other- Sign up Please =)


Allright lets get started


Hiro-Fire
~~
"The Ancient Warlord Zeal is returning!!" An old voice croaked through the town.

Everyone around ran towards him questioning him about what he was talking about. He kept rambling on about how some warlord was rising from the dead.

"What a werido." I said to myself "You can't come back from the dead... it isn't possible.... the time of Warlords is over anyway....."

Althought I believed that this man had gone crazy, I still walked over to where he was. He was obviously the oldest person around, he slacked so bad that his back looked like a perfect half circle, he had a wooden cane that looked almost as old as him, and a gray cloak with many rips in it.

"Hes coming back! Death to us all if he comes here! Get out while you can!" He yelled again

By now most of the people had had enough and were begining to walk away, but the old man stayed there and contiuned rambling on about this Ancient Warlord.

"I don't have time for this.." I said walking away from him...

I walked back to my house and walked in, my mom was busy cleaning like she always was, humming a made up toon her self.

"Well, hello Hiro, have you finshed all of your chores for today" she asked me

"Of course!" I said "wouldn't be back if I hadn't now would I?"

She smiled and then asked what all the shouting had been about, I told her everything about the old man who had said stuff about an Ancient Warlord and how no one had listened. She smiled again,

"Some people, trying to frighten us with rumors... Wash up now its time for dinner."

Dinner went by quick and the sun was setting when an extremly loud horn call sounded, it was the village warning.

"Mom whats going on?" I said running over to the window where she was standing. I had never seen my mom so frightened in her life, she was staring out, all she could do was point.

I looked out and to my horror I saw it, the biggest army I had ever seen.

"Mom... what do we do.." I said softly

"We need too.." my mom was cut off by a flaming arrow shooting through our window and into the wall. The place instantly caught fire and the house was smoking.

"Hiro get out quickly!" she yelled running through the door. I ran into my room and grabbed a few things, my weapon being one of them.

I shot our my door like a bat outta hell. My mom was waiting outside. We turned to the village gate and the small army that the village had was bracing the gate door. Every few seconds the army that was attacking would use the battering ram on the gate and it would shake the entire area, the gate would soon come crashing down.

"Hiro we need to go this way, we need to get out of the city!" she said running away from the gate.

"but... shouldn't we st.." I was cut off.

"NO!" She screamed. "This is not the time to play Hero!" as she finished the gate came crashing down and the men began to rush through practically trampling the guards.

I didn't have time to react I just ran to my mom and we ran to the back of the town where there was a secret gate that was used to evacuate in an emergancy... like this one. As we ran to the gate screams were heard everywhere around, the army had entered the city and were killing everyone, probaly leaving no surviors.

We reached the gate and two men began to pull it open, and as they did 5 menacing faces grinned evily at us. The army had found the only means of escape and cut it off, they quickly killed off the two men that had opened the gate and rushed towards us. I drew my Katana and rushed forward, and jabbed the sword straight through one mans stomache.

"Down you go.." I said pulling my sword out from him. As I did I noticed two things, one there we absoleutly no blood, and two the man was still standing.

"Wrong.." He said looking straight at me grimacing

I didn't know what to do, and as the man raised his sword to slice me, my mom rushed him from the side, knocking him down.

"Hiro, run! Go some place safe!" She yelled as the man pushed her off.

"But.." I started

"Go now!!" she yelled interupting me

I didn't like it, I didn't like it one bit. I had to leave the only person in the world that loved me but, I did... I ran through the gate praying to god that I didn't run into more the of those crazy men, and as soon as I took to a sprint I heard it, the worst sound... my mom screaming in pain. I couldn't turn back now, and I kept running and I felt my eyes tear up. I ran not stopping I got out of the tunnel and onto the grassland, but, I still kept running, away from the town. I turned back after a little bit and saw the entire town ablaze.

"...Mom.." I started "Why... did you do that.." I sat down on the grass.

"A LITTLE FARTHER!" A voice echoed

"Whos there!" I yelled

"GO A LITTLE FARTHER AND YOU SHALL SEE" The voice sounded again

"Go.... Go where?" I said

The voice didn't sound again.... but, I stood up and walked on. After about an hour or so, I came to cave, it was empty and I walked by it, but once again the voice sounded.

"There!" It echoed.. "Wait in there!"

".....Why?" I said puzzled

"Trust me..." it said

I walked into the cave and waited.. "Now what?" I said talking to the cave ceeling...

"You wait..." it sounded

"For...."

"You will see shortly Hiro... you will see"

"Whatever..." I sat down against the wall "This had better not be a joke... Its been a bad enough night already..."

~~

Ok, in case you didn't catch on, I want us all to meet in this cave =)

[Sheila Rae]

*Captain from MXC voice* Get it on!

Name: Jing-mei Mao
Age: 15
Gender: female, thank you
Appearance: Jing-mei is pretty short and petite, standing at just over five feet. Her skin in fairly tanned and her face is very Oriental. Her eyes look like…well, Chinese eyes and they are a very dark black. They seem to be ever-watching and always knowing what you are doing. Her hair is straight and black, going down to her shoulder blades. The hair that comes over her ears (notice Mimiru’s strands of hair over her ears (http://www.child-play.net/hs/mimiru/mimiru01.jpg)) is braided and goes almost to her shoulders. She wears an outfit of dark purple capris and a shirt, made out of batik (a cottony-silky material that looks like it was tye-dyed) that has dark, muted magenta streaks and blends. The same magenta colour is the thick belt tied around her waste to complete the outfit. On her feet, Jing-mei wears tope sandals with bands that tie up her legs to her shins. Sometimes these sandals prohibit her running ability, so she often takes them off and carries them. This has caused her feet, especially the tips of her toes, to become calloused. She has the kind of bracelet that is like a ring on one’s middle finger then goes over the wrist and comes to a point, looking like a triangular net, one on each hand/arm. It has jade and hematite stones in it, and the silver looks old and tarnished.
Personality: Jing-mei barely ever speaks, and when she does, she asks a question that makes you really think about the answer. You could say that something happened in her childhood that silenced her, but it is just her nature. She believes that loud, manmade sounds ruin the tranquility of nature. She doesn’t really get along well with people, and prefers to be alone in nature. Sometimes, she hates herself for being a human. Because of this she is very aloof in a kind of self-exile. She is quite cunning and very resourceful, relying on who/what is around her to solve problems. When things are desperate and there is much pain and bloodshed, her true compassion will show, because deep down she knows that humans are born from nature. When Jing-mei reaches this state, she will stop at nothing to quell what has awakened her inner heart. Regardless, she is down to earth and has superior self-control. Oh yes, she’s also a great cook and has a phobia of rivers. And although she’ll never tell you, she loves to dance, but rarely can.
Element: Nature (I’m assuming that’s plants and stuffs…)
Elemental Attacks: (from weakest to strongest)
~Binding Empathy: Roots can come out of the ground to trip foes or constrict their legs
~Petals of the Unyielding Wish: Sends razor sharp leaves and petals of whichever flower is nearby at the speed of a bullet towards opponent.
~Forest of Illusion: Jing-mei’s full-fledged attack. It takes existing objects (poles, rocks, etc.) and turns them into plants and trees, creating a forest filled with fog, greatly confusing the foe and leaving them defenseless, because they really wouldn’t be able to see Jing-mei. She can also use her two primary attacks after this one, creating a nearly invincible strategy.
Weapons: ~From the braids that go over her ears, she pulls two objects that look like chopsticks, but they are really sheaths for katar-like blades, but only a single blade. She can also use the “chopsticks” to eat. ^_^
~Nasu: She can use her belt to strangle or choke people for close-range attacks. The name “nasu” has no meaning, but it is symbolic to Jing-mei.
History: Jing-mei is an only child who has lived in the village all her life. Her father is a monk that travels from village to village across the country, exercising towns and warding off evil spirits and the like. The only person she loves more than herself is her mother, who also cares for her more than any one else. In some ways, she feels that she has failed her mother, and punishes herself by not being with her. Nothing major has really happened in her life, so to speak of. When she was eight, she found a swallow with an injured wing near a lake, and nursed it back to health. Giving it the name Suyaun, she became Jing-mei’s pet, partner, and mutual friend. She has spent most it away, connecting herself with nature’s perfect harmony in every way. Jing-mei also carries a deep scar on her heart, heavy and burdening her eternally. {That may be TBR in the RPG.}
Relationships: Other than her family and Suyaun, no friends or anything. She’s not in a relationship, but that doesn’t mean she’s necessarily open to one. :P Just gotta wait and see what happens. ;)
Other: Other Abilities: Although they aren’t really attacks, she can make plants grow faster than they normally would, being able to grow her own food and stuff. Her plant growing abilities get better as she becomes more skilled with her element. Also, I didn’t read anyone’s profile before this (I usually remember the character’s better when I read them before the playing posts), so any similarities are purely coincidental, and if you want me to change something because it’s too much like your character, I’ll see what I can do.

§-_Jing-mei Mao.nature_-§

The quiet sounds of the forest surrounded us. Sunbeams penetrated the leafy canopy, bathing certain spots with their light. Suyuan and I, we could feel. We didn't need to move or speak to understand what was around us. We merely needed to listen with out heart. Her rough claws curled around my fingers gently, like rice in pudding. This was our world, our beautiful earth.

From a distance the sounds came to me, as they passed the many-layered barriers. Shouts and noises of chaos reverbirated from the town of which I lived, distorting the peacefulness of my present being. Such commotion was to be expected, yet I hoped today I could sit in silence with Suyuan and become beautiful by the beauty that surrounded me.

Then like an angry wolf, a ear-splitting alarm shattered the earth around us. It travelled through the ground and through the sky, shaking the trees violently. I watched as a few leaves fell from the trees and lighted around me. They settled on the ground, their green lips calling, telling me to run.

I knew the listen to the leaves, so I dashed out of the forest. Limbs whipped near my face, leaving scratches, but I continued. The whistle of the wind in my ears told me to keep going. I could hear Suyuan's small wingbeats not far behind me, reassurance that what the wind told was true.

In the town, an army marched through mercilessly. There were hundreds of men, like a swarm of bees, and our village was the honey they sought. I dodged bodies and fruit stands, reaching my house like a blur. Inside, my mother was slinging a pouch over her shoulder. The sounding of the alarm still perpetually rang in my ears. From our window, I heard and saw a woman running with her son. "Keep running!" she cried in desperation. At the moment, I knew she was right, and I would have to take Mother and Suyuan and run.

Without missing a heartbeat, I clutched my mother's wrist and sprited out the back door. "Ai-ya, Jing-mei! I knew we must depart of here, but I wait for you to return!" she cried. I squeezed her wrist and in my mind, thanked her for awaiting my homecoming. Sometimes I wondered how much she could feel, if she knew what I meant when I could not speak with human words.

In the back alleys behind the houses, there were many less people and soldiers than on the main thouroughfare. We were protected by the seclusion. Dirt from the path kicked up in a cloud around us, serving as a visual sheild. I closed my eyes and mouth, but kept running with Mother at my side and Suyuan on my shoulder.

At the limits of the town, the alley ended and dissappated into an open field. We were confronted with a foreign soldier from this army. Quickly, I pulled two chopsticks from my braids, and ejected the blades. With one in each hand, I forcefully stabbed them both into the man's back. Although the blades had pierced his skin, it was as if they had not. My face showed an expression of surprise, if not disbelief. I yanked them out, perhaps the blades had dulled. I sliced my fingertip with one to see, and indeed the were very sharp. The glistening red blood startled me. Mother tugged at my sleeve.

"Cannot stop to fight them! Keep going!" she whispered loudly. There was truth in her words. I put the clean chopsticks back into my braid and we continued running. The ground changed from soil to grass, and I could feel the resilincy of it beneath my feet. I looked straight ahead of me, never slowing my speed. We crossed the plain and approached the foot of a mountain. We had gone for what I thought was a while, but nature has no perception of "time." I looked behind me, and our village was no longer visible on the horizan. However, black columns of smoke could be seen, rising like evil spirits from a wicked body. Regardless, I knew our distance would certainly suffice.

A few large trees were growing at the base of the mountain. I looked at a sky, and a small portion of the white moon could be seen in the blue sky. It had a message for me: Keep going, but leave your mother here. Against my will, I knew this was not wrong. I stopped my lope for a moment, and dashed over to the trunk of one of the trees, my mother in tow. I sat her down at the base, and she looked at me in question.

I placed my three right fingers on her forehead. "Stay here, you will remain safe. I will be back sometime, that fate does not know. Be strong throughout all," I thought to her. She relaxed, like a small animal drifting into secured sleep. I but my lip as I had to turn my face and leave her. A worry circled inside me like a fish swimming from the eagle in the lake. I hoped that I would have the strength to become the evil.

As I went on, I could hear nothing but my own footsteps beat against the stone of the mountain. The ascention was difficult, and running made it even more so. The wind spoke to me again, telling me to go farther. It caressed my cheek as I ran, a lovely messenger sent by my angel. Without speaking further, it guided me, helping me navagate the foothill until I reached a small grotto in the mountain's side. At the entrance, the wind left me, for it was not my own.

Just then, I began to physically feel the toll of the incessant running. My throat felt brazed, tender and vulnerable as the oxygen stung it when I breathed. Both of my lungs felt like they had been pulled out. I held my breath to ease the pain. Slowly, I came to the wall and fingered my hand along it, assisting my steps while my other arm held my liquid-feeling stomach. Suyuan warbled a few notes and flew along side me.

This cave was where I needed to be, I could feel the breath of the words from the trees. The darkness of the cavern consumed my one side, while light streaked in from the entrance. As my strength escaped, I sunk down onto the floor. My back was rigid against the rock wall to prevent my from fainting. From the corner of my eye, I saw a boy leaning against the opposite wall. He was the same person I saw at the village, running away with his mother. He was of no concern.

In each of my hands I clutched a stone, siphoning my remaining energy into them, harnessing it. They rejected me, pushing my energy back through my fingertips and circling through my veins. It did not belong there. That being, another question asked my mind: Did I belong here?

I didn't proofread that, so please forgive any typos. ^^; Also a notice, Crimson_flygon and I will be going on vacation wednesday and thursday, not that that will affect much, but just in case. ;)

[MaHa_sHaDoWs]

Name: Ven'Gyrh Olos (Goes by Ven for short)
Age: 16
Gender: Male

Appearance: Has short blond hair that is very "shiny", his bangs are cut differently so that they lean to one side of his head. Skin has a strange greyish tint to it, that people seem to notice, despite its small influence. His eyes are a deep, dark, hazel that seem piercing and easily convey his emotions. His irises seem to mysteriously shrink inwards when he is angry, and also grey seems to cloud the whites of his eyes. Ven is about 5'10 slim, and lanky. Despite his seemingly weak appearance, he has quite a bit of lean muscle, and is much tougher than he looks. He has black burn scars on the center of both his palms and on his back. Has a large blue crescent moon tattoed on his chest.

He wears a hooded gray robe with flared sleeves over his black tunic and pants. His left hand bears a silver ring with a sapphire gem, and another on his right with a black diamond. A long silver chain with a large clear crystal filled with grey mists hangs around his neck.

Personality: Has no problem conveying his emotions, or with standing up for himself, though he is quite shy towards strangers and struggles to build relationships, since he has a hard time trusting people. He manages to give his opinions at the wrong moment oftentimes, and may be responsible for getting people into troubling situations. Finds it fun to sometimes take on other guises, and "fake" different emotions, this usually manages to bluff people. This seemingly annoying talent comes in handy in certain situations. Has almost no sense of humor.

Element: Gravity
Elemental Attacks:

Lift - Allows the caster to make objects rise in the air (takes more energy for heavier objects) and then manipulate them. He favors lifting boulders with this ability, and then throwing them at high speeds toward the enemy.

Fluctuate - Allows the caster to either manipulate the gravity in an area to make more or less weight upon objects in said area or cause the gravity in the area to rapidly change.

Implosion: Manipulates gravity to create a blackhole of sorts, sucks all objects in the area of effect into its vortex (can be resisted) and the spits them out, accompanied with a painful shockwave from the blackhole bursting. Is particularly draining on the caster's energy.

Weapon: An Iron Staff w/ a diamond shaped orb atop it, that swirls with grey mists, and a Mahogany wood longbow, with a quiver of arrows that have an aura with the same grey mists.

History: Originally lived with his parents in a coastal town that seemed to always be shrouded in mist and fog. An unusual though accidental fire destroyed his home and killed his parents when he was twelve, and he was forced to move in with a family that would adopt him that lived on a small farm. At 16 he struck out on his own as a wanderer, no longer able to stand his malevolent foster father.

Relationships: None thus far, besides his foster father, which really isn't much of a relationship.
Other: Carries a medium-sized gray cloth bag and after acquiring his gravitational ability is able to create a blackhole inside of his bag that allows objects that are quite large and weighty to be packed inside of it and gives almost limitless space for objects, though to find the objects he must himself step INTO the bag.

~Ven'Gyrh Olos~

The day had been a peaceful one. Serenity and calm across the countryside I had traveled today and a plentiful supply of food and water. These days made me glad I had left that run-down farm and struck out on my own. Enough I didn't want to dwell on it anymore, the very thought made me angry. I began to whistle a tune and trot along happily hoping to push thoughts of my old "home" away. The woods that surrounded the path I walked on seemed alive with life, and I couldn't get any more content than I was in this simple, peaceful place.

An hour later I opened my map and happened to see I was close to a small villiage. Checking my pack, I saw my food wasn't running as high as I thought. Stopping was necessary as the next nearest town was too far, and I didn't want to end up happening into country where food was scarce. At reaching the town I abruptly stopped and gazed up in horror. The nearby animals flitted madly from it, and the town itself was up in flames. Though I warned myself to not go closer, curiousity pushed me on. Suddenly a gigantic army came into my eyes. Pale-Faced angry men, destroying the ranks of villiagers. The sight was terrifying, and I stood rooted to the spot. Suddenly one of the faces stepped out of the line and saw me, grinning devilishly. He dashed towards me, but unexpectly met the pointy end of my staff. I thrust through his stomach, but no blood spurted to cover the orb. The man grinned madly at this, and raised his sword high to come down on my head, but I was too quick for him. I dodged and hastily pulled the staff from his impaled body, twisting it horizontally, and pushed upwards, knocking the man off his feet. I spared no time in retreating from this nightmarish soldier, and fled with all speed.

I gathered what food on my way and stomach grumbling set off to find shelter from the storm that was that demonic army. Unexpectly a haunting voice invaded my conscious, "The cave! There!" I shook my head vigorously as to rid myself of it, and noticed that I had seemed to be on a mountainside, guided by some mysterious force, but then I noticed the cave. The speaker had obviously known what they were talking about.

The cave I happened upon contained two other residents, besides the bats that is. A sullen villiager, sitting against the wall, and another a girl half-fainted on the floor. He was probably a survivor from the burning, she as much. He looked up as he noticed me and then looked back down. It seemed he had his mind elsewhere and I wasn't ample to disturb him. I hastily brought up the remnants of bread in my pack and offered to them, he accepted and nibbled cautiously not sure what to reply. For the girl I gave her my last water and she drank fully from it. Seconds later he mumbled, "Thanks," and she was still quite out of breath to say much. I sat down on the hard rock floor. I was glad for company during these conditions, but still within minutes the cold got to me, and I attempted to rouse some sparks off the stone into a small pile of brush. With effort I got a mediocre fire started and began to feed it with nearby lumber. The both slowly moved a little closer to the fire but still kept largely to themselves, and I wasn't the one to start conversation anyway. The fire kept at a meager pace, and its small but effective warmth allowed me to relax a little and I rested my head against the rock wall. The night outside was closing in and soon the area around are group was shrouded in an eerie silence. The darkness enveloped all around.

[crimson_flygon]

Name: Illusen (does not know her last name, see history)
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Appearance: Illusen is pretty short for her age, 5"4. Her hair is long golden-brown, going down almost to her waist. While her bangs are layered to her chin, they go over a dark red sash she wears as a headband. Her eyes are feirce amber. She wears a loose blouse-like white shirt that is worn more like a jacket, with the lower portion tucked under a tight red sash around her waist. She wears very baggy red dress pants, that can be easily mistaken for a skirt. On her wrist's are gauntlet-like pads. Two more sashs, these black, are tied under her arms and around her elbows, which are what she holsters her naginata in.
Personality: Illusen is very quick to the point, though not always the one to speak, like wise she doesn't really prefer to be around people. She has a very hot temper, and is quick to judge others, and those that get in her way wish they hadn't. Because of her tendacy to go over the edge, she can lose control of herself and make unrash decisions which is probably the weakness in the power she gets from her hot headed-ness. A bad trait to go along with that is the fact that she has a huge ego, and that usually leads her to get herself into huge trouble. But even with all that said, she is an amazingly strong willed person, capable of feirce pride, passion, and courage. And because of those traits she is a strong ally who will always stand up for the people she trtusts.
Element Lightning
Elemental Attacks:
Lightning Bolt- simply put, a orb of lightning shot at any enemy(s)
Chain lightning- best described as a few seconds in which Illusen's body is surrounded by a small electric feild (this is best used in the middle of parries or defense manuevers because of the very short instance when it exsists)
Weapon: Naginata- A japanese polearm weapon simialer to a halberd
History: Illusen grew up parentless at a small hidden dojo in the woods. She never knew her parents, because they had been killed in the forest while being pursued by bandits. The master of the dojo found the infant Illusen hidden by a tree in the area where her dead parents were. The master returned with Illusen and the dead bodies of her parents, burying them in a garden within the dojo in a simple grave only marked by twin stones. From that moment on she was taken under the wing of the master and the members of the dojo, and at a young age the master discovered her great talent for the difficult to weild Naginata while she trained with the members, and even though being a woman she was forbidden of such practices she was allowed to go under training to weild it. And she almost immediatly mastered the art of Naginata Jitsu, and was trained exstensively in it until she became curios of her past which had never been told o her by the master. And after much pleading the master revealed to her the fate of her parent's and showed her the simple graves, now flourishing with flowers around them in the garden. At that moment Illusen swore revenge on the bandits, and against the wishs of her master she left the dojo on one of the dojo's horses, Jhudora, and went to civilization to find any information on them. Her only possesions were few, the greatest being the night black horse from the dojo and her Naginata which she had trained with for most of her life. The truth behind her past left her heart wounded, and scarred untill she became enraged and willing to sacrafice anything to avenge her parents...
Relationships: Nothing really, I prefer relationships to come along with the roleplay as Illusen gets to know others, though making any connection to her would be hard. I say eh, open.
Other: *looks around* what?

±±Illusen±Lightning±±

"What do you think Jhudora? This town may know something of the bandits?" I said stroking the side of the ashen horse's neck. She whinnied and snorted. "I'll take that as a yes."

I tapped her sides with my heels and she began to trot forward and down the small hillside where we had been overlooking the town. Although I was focused on carefully directing her down the treacherous hillside, in my mind beat the intense hope that maybe this town could give me information on the theives that had killed my parents. After closing in on the town, I sat up and released the hold of my thighs around her sides and she slowed down to a trot once more. We entered the village quietly, some of the people looked up at us, quickly diverting their gaze when I caught sight of them.

"Excuse me..."I siad trotting alongside a cart pulled by an oxen. The man controling the cart looked up at me in surprise, "yes, I want to ask if you know anything about any theives that dwell in the forest area...um" But he quickly shook me off and slowed down the oxen like I had never exsisted.

"Okay... I guess he didn't." I said pulling Jhudora to a stop. There were not many people considering the size of the town, perhaps it was the time of day that they spent time in their homes? I could not be sure, life in towns was still a mystery to me as it had only been a few weeks since I had left the dojo and the master. I still felt bad, like I had abandoned him. But I would return, as soon as I had killed every last theive of the band that had killed my parents.

I shifted on the blankets that I used as a makeshift saddle and readjusted my naginata so that I could pull it out easily. "Jhudora, I smell tension in the air, the smell of evil approaches." Jhudora stood stiffer, she sensed it to. She whined and began to trot towards the exit but I turned her away from it "We must stay, remain firm Jhudora." In response she stood still, her ears probed the air while I stared out. Something was coming, I just didn't know what.

But it did not take long for it to become clear what was troubling the horse and myself. Across the plains that we had come from to arrive here, a endless wave of darkness covered the horizon, "What in the world?" I squinted and saw as they came closer, the thousands of shadows of men, soldiers. An army, a army of darkness.

I was about to cry out to the town but suddeny the blaring note of a horn nearly knocked me of Jhudora when she lurched back in shock. "Calm down Jhudora!" I yelled clinging tightly to her broad neck and stroking it. After a few more moments of flinging her forelegs in the air she at last brought them down and shook her head wearily. By this time the townspeople had begun sprinting out of their homes screaming and dashing for a way out. THe hordes of men were closer, moving quick across the rugged landscape.

Jhudora struggled and cried out as the hords of people ran around her in a frenzy of women children and men. "Jhudora calm down!" SHe came again to a standstill point as I directed her towars the back end of the town as the first shockwave of men crashed through the gate of the town, trampleing the few men gaurds that had tried as hard as they could to defend it.

"You know what this means Jhudora? Time to have a little fun." I said grinning. Jhudora snorted as I quickly pulled out a peice of light armor like the gauntlets on my forearms and strapped it on Jhudora's head. She whinnied and jumped forawrd, rushing towards the many men. I came closer to her body as the wind whipped my loose clothes back like a cape. I whipped out my Naginata and held it forward like a lance as we rushed to a group of men terrorizing the town. They turned to us speeding towards them, but it was to late for them, "times up fools," I whispered as the Naginata made contact with them and sent them flying into the air and rolling across the ground. For the moment that we were in the clear I sat up and smiled over the bodies on the ground, a succcesful thrust. But I flinched back when they stood up, not a scratch on them, as if nothing had happened.

"Who are they?" I said staring at them in shock. I wasn't able to react as one rushed forward at me and swung a large sword at me. Luckily for me JHudora did react, she lumped forward and the blade clashed with my left gauntlet, letting out a loud shriek. The gauntlets were from the dojo, and were blessed in a small shrine on the grounds, so it was not a surprise that they had such a strange reaction to the evil blade. But the blades left a large gash in it, and a smal sliver of blood on my wrist that would have definitaley taken my arm off had Jhudora not reacted. She now boubled back and ran out of the town despite my orders for her to turn. I was bent on destroying my enemy, but she was bent on not letting me get hurt. I felt so unaccomplished, like a was empty inside but Jhudora did not stop. She ran up until we were far enough to not be targeted by a volley of spears flying into the fleeing townspeople.

"What is happening..."I whispered looking down at the now burning town. Jhudora cried out so greatly, I went flying off her back as she lurched back. I saw, an arrow now resided on her back as two other arrows whistled past her and stuck into the ground. "Jhudora!" I screamed trying to get up to her as she fell on her side kicking at the air. But I shrieked as I attempted to move, my entire body felt like it was being torn on the insides. I could only watched as more arrows landed in the soil around the frantic horse. "Jhudora no!" I would not let her be hurt, I groaned as I struggled to drag myself to her, she lay limp on the ground, her chest heaving up and down. I brought my head against her chest and felt as it rose and fell, a hearbeat rang out fast, to fast. "Shh, calm down Jhudora, it is okay... I'm here." I managed against the throbbing in my waist. I managed to manuever myself to the arrow and I tugged it out, a shreik emitted from Jhudora as she struggled again, I clutched to ther heaving body trying not to be trampled by her legs. She at last stopped and brought herself to her feet, more arrowas wizzed towards us but none hit.

Jhudora nudged me with her nose, in a gesture of thanks and worry, like she was apologizing "It's okay, just, I can't get up," I cried. She brought her head parralel to my body and I reached up, grabbing it. She lifted me up, I brought my leg around her. An arrow ricocheted off my gauntlet making her flinch but she still remained clam enough and careful. I winced as she began moving, my waist felt as though threatening to rip off my body.

"KEEP GOING" A voice echoed around me, like someone from the other end of the plains we rofde on was shouting.

"WHat?" I yelled, trying to steady myself on her rocking back, another jolt of pain rocketed through my body.

"GO TO THE CAVE DON'T STOP"

I didn't know who it was but I wasn't about to stop there while arrows continued to wizz past me. Jhudora seemed to sense it to, though I couldn't be sure. She ran forward, at a very swift past. I clung tightley to her, the harsh rocking motions on her back sending more pain through me. Soon I saw a cavern jutting out at the end of the plains.

"GO THERE"

I didn't say anything to it, I Wasn't about to argue with some strange voice, and I wouldn't have been able to even if I wanted to. The pain was growing unbearable I winced closer to Jhudora who snorted and ran faster.

WE stood at the mouth of the cave, I slid off Jhudora's back relieved that the pain had ceased somewhat, though standing kept it strong throughout me. I just then noticed that the place the arrow had sturck Jhudora had caused blood to seep down her legs. I felt like it was all my fault, the pain in my pelvis had caused me to not notice it, and she had ran all that way without any cover. But she stared straight in my eyes, as if to say "We're even, don't worry about it" But I took one strip of cloth from the makeshift saddle and tied it around her wound along with some of the contents of a small vial I had hidden in the folds of the sash on my waist. IT would halt the bleeding for now until I had the chance to fully heal it.

I looked into the gaping mouth of the whole, I heard breathing inside. Someone was inside, I had put my Naginata into the straps on my back and I felt to hurt to reach and get them. I could only hope that whoever it was was not an enemy.

I wrapped my arm around the neck of Jhudora and leaned against her as we entered the cave. I saw three people, they were not of the army but IS till did not know if they were any threat to me. I was to exausted however to say anything, the pain in my waist had somewhat paralysed me to only vague commands. So I stood there waiting for their reaction...

[Darkmaster Kagemusha]

Name: Okkyr Morrika
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Appearance: 6'3" tall and fairly muscular, with rather pale skin and short, spiky black hair. He wears a black sleeveless shirt, baggy black pants with a pouch strapped around the right leg around mid-thigh, and black leather boots. He also always has a black cloth mask that covers his nose and mouth, hiding most of his face, and has a black headband tied around his head that tilts to cover his left eye. His right eye is very dark brown, though not many people have seen his left, so it's just assumed that it's the same color as the right one.
Personality: Generally quiet, but will talk occasionally. He is usually rather logical about everything, but always follows his instincts. Doesn't like to be bothered when he's doing something. He usually tries to be gentleman to women.
Element: Lightning
Elemental Attacks:
Levin Bolt: He charges up an orb of yellow lightning in his hand and launches lightning bolts from it.
Conductor: He can give an electrical charge to either himself or something he is touching, but it only lasts for 30 seconds.
Weapon(s): Kunai*, Shurikens, and a Jin-Tachi**
History: When Okkyr was born blind in his left eye, which made him rather unpopular with the other children, so he never had friends. When he was 8, an old man visited the villiage and said he could make it so Okkyr could see in that eye if he promised never to tell a soul how he did it or he would be cursed. Okkyr agreed and the man took him out into the woods and performed an odd ritual that caused Okkyr to fall asleep, and when he awoke, he was alone, and he could see! He ran back home and told his parents what a miracle it was, and thought nothing of it. That night, however, he had a nightmare, in which he saw the old man, who said "You broke your promise, and you shall pay the price." The next morning, Okkyr woke up in a cold sweat and looked around, seeing that he was in his parents bedroom, covered in blood, and they were dead. He panicked and ran from the villiage as fast as he could and hid in the forest nearby. When he saw himself in a stream, he saw that the eye had changed, and seeing it caused him great pain, so he covered it up and eventually became a wandering mercenary after being trained by a retired soldier who took him in when he was 10.
Relationships: Has seen Enjeru Mitsu around
Other: The only people to have ever seen his covered eye are dead, and many believe that the eye has been cursed.

*--Kunai are throwing knives with a kite-shaped blade, a short handle, and a metal ring at the end of the handle.
**--A Jin-Tachi is a large katana-like sword with a handle that curves the opposite way the blade does, giving it extra leverage.

Okkyr Morrika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I leaned against the outside wall of a tavern, hidden in the shadows of an alley as I watched an old, hunched over man yelling about the Ancient Warlord coming back or some such nonsense. I leaned my head to both sides, popping my neck loudly, before returning to to center and closing my eye. Meditation was not something I would have done had I not joined with a priest in my mercenary travelling for a few years. He had taught me how to meditate, and told me of the relaxing powers of doing it, and I now did it frequently. I was suddenly broken out of my trance by screaming and the sounds of battle. I kept my eye shut and determined the direction of the sounds. The gates! My eye shot open and I ran out into the streets, thumbing my Jin-Tachi from it's scabbard and facing the gate. I saw it smash open as gruesome soldiers flooded in, crushing the village's small army.

I stood in the middle of the street, watching them flood into the city until a group of them saw me and charged at me. I spread my feet further apart and took a battle-ready stance. "Iai*," I whispered as one came within my range. I grabbed the handle of my Jin-Tachi and drew it with such speed that it could hardly be seen, slashing the soldier's head off. With the adrenaline, everything seemed to me moving in slow motion and as the head and body separated I noticed the lack of blood. My eye widened and I backflipped away from another soldier, barely missing his blade. As I landed, I came into a stance, with both hands on my sword and I slid a few feet with my blade cutting into the ground, making sparks when it hit stones in the earth. I quickly flipped the blade around and slashed upward at the still attacking soldier, creating a large gash in his armor, but doing little else, and again--no blood. This is very bad. I thought, before turning and running--not something I was used to doing.

I ran until I reached a small alley between two tall buildings. All the exits will be blocked, so I'll have to just go over the wall! I thought as I lept up onto a window sill, then to another on the other building, barely able to grab on, then swung myself to the roof of the building. I ran to the end of the building and jumped the wall. The landing was rough on my ankles, but the adrenaline allowed me to ignore the pain. I ran as fast as I could toward the close-by mountains to find refuge, for the soldiers would be on my heels the whole way.

After a rather difficult running-climb, I heard a voice.

"Go to the cave!" I thought it must have just been a voice in my head, but I was used to following my instincts, and my instincts told me to follow the voice, so I ran into the cave, not too far from my position. As I neared it, I saw a girl with a naginata enter the cave. My eye narrowed and I drew my Jin-Tachi as I entered. She swung around and I barely blocked the attack that could have sliced my head off had I not been prepared.
__________________________________________________ __
__________________________________________________ __

*--Iai is a sword technique of drawing the sword from the sheath and slashing your opponent immediately

[Crystal Tears]

Name: Enjeru Mitsu
Age 18
Gender female
Appearance: About 5'5'' her body seems built for speed, is quite skinny, though not overly, she has rather long black hair, and her skin is very pale, her clothes being very dark greys and black. Her shirt is a leathery type of armour, and her pants as well, she has a patch of armour on her shoulders, that spread to her back, which makes her invunerable to damage when her back it turned. She has white clothe that covers both her eyes, like an X.
Personality Rather secretive, her history has made her selfish, antisocial and cruel to almost everybody, is rather creepy, and not trustworthy. Doesn't seem to have a kind side.
Element: Wind
Elemental Attacks:
Northern Gust: Creates very cold winds that will slow the enemy down. Can also do some but very little damage
WindShield: Creates a temporary tornado around her or someone on her side, lasts for 45 seconds.
Weapon(s) Grip Blades, Blade Whip
History: Was abbandoned by her father when she was 6, during the first weeks, she was attacked by theives, which slashed her eyes, making her blind. As her eyes arn't pretty, she wears a clothe that she somehow found in a church around her eyes. As she grew older, she developed a second sight, allowing her to be more agile, and too somehow see where she was going. She fought many fights, but see stil remembers the one that took her sight.
Relationships seen Okkyr Morrika around.
Other Yes shes blind..

Enjeru Mitsu****
I listen carefully for any sound, as the sense spread through the forest, it collided with trees, bushes, animals, anything was was in my way. The Sense was called then Tone Sense, only someone who is blind could master it. It moved slow, and invisible, as the wind did in a peace morning, but something was strange today, the wind smelt with a small bit of evil, and the wind was slowly picking up, as the leaves blew in it ever more strongly, a storm was coming, but not a natural storm.
My concentration was broken when my sense picked up scream, I turned in that direction, it was a terrified scream, not one of those surprise, happy kinda screams.
Tainted City.. I thought, as I stood up straight. And lightly sniffed the wind. The evil had grown stronger. The City is gone.. I thought deeply, all those children were dead, everyone, was dead. The smell of the dead floated now, and the wind only picked up more, carrying the souls of the city folk to there resting place.
"Go to the Cave.."
I swung around, gripping my two blades in my hands. But as nothing was there to threaten me, I lowered them. "Go to the Cave." I again turned slowly to the direction of the voice, the cave I had passed a while ago. Could that be it.

I swung around and the clang of two swords colliding echoed through the forest, a unnatural smelling soldier stood infront of me. Evil, just like the vile in the wind.

"Evil.." I muttered, before, stabbing him clean through, and pulled my sword back. I smelt no blood. What? He wasn't dead? But thats not possible! I kicked him back into a tree, he fell and was stumbling to back up, I turned and ran, as the wind flew by my face I stopped at the cave, a man, I had seen him before and a girl..

"Okkyr Morrika.." I muttered.

[Samchu]

Sign Up
Name: Mark Evans
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Appearance: He's 6'2" tall with ash blonde hair that is worn in a casual messed-up style. He has a build that suits mainly strength but that's because he spends most of his time working out. Weras generally dark and loose clothing and as little armour as possible.
Personality: He can come off as nosey and as quite arrogant, but the truth is he's just not very social. he creeps around in the shadows and acts generally sneaky but he only does that so he can understand people.
Element: Light
Elemental Attacks:
Bright corruption ~ Attacks the opponent with a ball of energy (ball of energy gets bigger as the attack gets stronger)
Shield of Radience ~ creates a barrier of light to absorb attacks
Weapon: A sword with strange markings engraved into them
History: He woke up one day in an alley after undertaking what he later decieved as a brutal beating. he couldn't remember anything and took to a life in the shadows. Watching others' lives to try and derive understandign and meaning from his own.
Relationships: None (see history) although he sort of knows Enjeru, he follows her around more than anyone else because he finds her 'interesting'.
Other: none

Mark
~~~
"haven't seen that strange girl around..." I muttered as I scaled the rooftops.
I saw a crowd gathering in the main square and went over to investigate. I stuck to the roof, other people didn't like me very much cause I was...what was that word they used? Weird?
Anyways this old guy was going on about this evil army coming or some such nonsence like that. Loads of people were ignoring him so i did too. I laid back on the rooftop and sighed, trying to think about the times I didn't remember. i'd had no luck before and i wasn't having any now. Typical.
I sat up when I heard a woman screaming and saw a large army heading towards the town. They were like locuts, destroying anything and everything that stood in there way.
My senses told me to run and like always, I listened to them. I skipped across the rooftops with my sword drawn, I could easily jump the wall.
I was almost then when this huge...thing in armour jumped in front of me. In a flash I whipped out my sword and sliced it up the gut but, nothing happened. there was no blood and here it was, still standing in front of me.
I put away my sword and flipped over the thing in front of me and sped off at full pelt for the wall. I flipped over the wall and ran through the forest as fast as I could.
By what was either luck or just pure coincidence, i spotted the girl that I had spent so many days following. I 'stalked' her to a cave and climbed up the edge. When I dared, I poked my head down into the entrance. Not only did i see the girl I'd followed but also another guy I'd seen around and a few other people.
I dropped to the floor, flipping in mid air and landing on my hands and feet. Everyone looked at me and i suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"Err...hello." I said and stood up straight. I walked over to the girl (Enjeru) and smiled, "nice to see you again," i said, referring to the one occasion where we had made contact.

[Darkmaster Kagemusha]

Okkyr Morrika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After determining that we were not foes, the girl lowered her naginata and we both entered the cave entirely, where we met a few other people who were also running from the army. Then, I saw a girl at the entrance of the cave. Young in body, but with a wizened mind, the way she carried herself and the cloth covering her eyes identified her.

"Enjeru Mitsu..." I said quietly, and she appeared to mutter my name as well. We had seen each other around on occasion, but were not really friends. I invited her in and within a few moments, a boy almost as tall as me, who seemed like he could be very annoying, dropped in.

"Err...hello..." he said, before walking over to Enjeru. Somehow, I get the feeling she's not going to want to chat with him.... I thought.

[NightBlaze]

Hiro
~~~

The cave, that had been empty only hours ago, now had many people in it. It wasn't like people dropping by to check out what it looked like, it was people who would walk in and stay, as if the same voice that had told me to wait spoke to them too.

The first person to enter was a girl, not too much younger than me, she didn't speak a word and sat down in the corner. The next person was a boy, he had offered us bread and water which I accepted and maganaged to say Thanks. An hour or so later another girl came, she , along with her horse, were injured but it was not as if you were going to drop dead. The next person, another boy came in and just barely missed getting his head sliced clean off. 2 more people arrived, and it seemed as though some of them had had encounters with each other before.

Whatching as most of the people walked in, sat close to the fire and didn't speak I grew tired and stood up. Not saying anything I walked to the exit of the cave, but as I got there the voice said softly.

"Stop."

I looked straight up trying to figure out who was talking and contiuned to walk.

"Stop."

It echoed again this time a little bit louder, but I walked further on.

"STOP!"

It yelled this time echoing throughout the cave, it had alarmed many of the others. I took a few steps back this time.

It was silent once again for a few moments and then, a breeze began to drift through the cavern. Soft and gentle at first, and then fast, the wind began to swirl in the middle of the cave putting the fire out and launching the firewood off in every direction, one of the logs going right over my head. The wind began to materilize into a figure, a very faint figure, but a figure. From what I could make out, it was a person.

Everyone in the cave was on their feet weapons drawn and staring at the figure.

"Enough!" It shouted "Drop your weapons!"

No one, not a signle person, dropped there weapon, and insted held on to them tighter, ready to strike.

"Ok..."It started "Then..." It swooshed its arm around a little and all of the sudden I felt my Katana ripped from my hands thrown straight to the floor, I reached down to grab it, but it was as if it was bound to the floor by some invisible chain. I looked around and everyone elses weapons have been shot to the ground too.

"Now that I have your attention... I shall start by telling you a story...." It began.. "About 1000 years ago, the world was a terrible place, the sun never shined, plants never grew, and peace was unheard of, it was a time of great evil. Of all the evil one thing was feared above all else, it was the Warlord Zeal. He reigned over the world with brutal force, all that opposed him were utterly destroyed. It seemed that the world could never get better untill one day, a young group of adventures took up arms to try and defeat the evil army and the wicked warlord. The battle was a tough one indeed, many were lost, and the adventurers could not harm the evil army. Untill they were pushed back so far that they were forced to retreat. A day after the retreat they stumbled upon an ancient cavern, the cavern was indeed magical and when the adventures entered they found crystals. These crystals held powers beyond recognition and when they were touched, the powers were transfered from the crystals into the user, but only someone with good virtue, a sence of justice, and a pure heart could harness the power, others who touched them were destroyed. The powers of the crystals were so vast, that they were able to turn the tides of the battle and give earths armies the strenght they needed to win the war but, when the brave adventures went to fight Zeal, they ended up having to give there lifes in order to become victorious."

The spirt stopped talking and seemed as if it was looking around to see if people were still paying attention.

"What does this have to do with us?" I said

It turned to look at me. "Silence!" It said loudly and suddenly "Let...Me...Finish.."


"Ahem," he continued "As the warlord was struck down he vowed to return once again to reign supreme over the world and as you may have guess, the army that just attacked the village was the one and only army of Lord Zeal."

Silence once again in the room.

This time it was the boy who had started the fire who spoke up. "We cannot hurt them though, I thrust my sword through one and there was no blood, and no wound."

This time the spirt turned to him.

"Only those who posses the powers of the crystals can harm Zeal's army." It stopped for a moment to glare around the room, then it contiuned. "You 9(I dont think everyone is here yet, but I want to advance the plot) have been chosen to receive the powers of the crystals...... and although I think you all look like little ruffians, it was not I that picked you.... it was fate.."

"How do we get the crystals?" The girl who was standing next to her horse said.

"To the south, about 1 days walk, half a days ride, is a temple. When you reach there, you will be instructed on what to do next."

Everyone was still staring at the spirt trying to figure out if this was some horrible joke, or the real deal.

"You should all rest tonight... you have had a tough time this evening... some of you lost something... others were hurt... but tomorow you must head out, as a group to the temple of trials. Stick together, you might be weak as one but, together you might fare better."

The wind this time began to rush back out of the cave, quickly and abuplty and the spirt disolved and was wisked away by the wind.

"Is it real?" Someone said

"Must be..." Another answered

The nights events were quite strange. It was probably the worst night of my life, I lost my mom, sat in cave for a few hours, and then found out that the old man in the town center was right. I sat down against the cave wall and leaned backwards thinking about it all.....

[crimson_flygon]

±±Illusen±Lightning±±

"1000 years ago...now it is happening again," I whispered. I felt Jhudora's velvety black coat prick up. "You feel it to don't you? You know what is happening."

She snorted a faint reply, she was tired. It was one of the side effects of the medicine which I had apoplied to her wound. Now remebering her wound I brought myself to forget about was happening until I had further treated it. She eased herself down agains one wall of the cave and lay there touching her hind leg were blood shone brightly with her nose. I took my Naginata from the ground and reholstered it on my back. After assuring myself that it was firmly held between the two straps, I began tending to Jhudora.

I was relieved to find that the bleeding had subsided, or at least enough for further treatment. So I carefully removed the blood stained clothes from Jhudora's leg. She grunted lowly and breathed a little heavier. I reached into the folds of my sash and revealed a small bundle of fresh grasses with small white flowers. I quickly began to grind the grasses on a small rounded rock, and then applied the pasty residue to Jhudora's wound. Upon application she flinched, but she was to far into fatigue to kick or act up to badly, which was a relief. Afterwards I rewraped the wound with fresh bandages.

Jhudora seemed to give a breath of relief as I returned my possesion withing the pockets of my sash. I could not help but to bring the side of my mouth up in a slight grin, sometimes the amount of personality an animal could have would surprise people. Not me though, I understood Jhudora and she understood me. When we rode together we were one, we were the wind, we were the earth. I loved that feeling.

But what now? I could not be absolutley sure what was to become of us now. I did recall the spirit that had spoken to us saying for us to go to a temple. But also to stay here for the night. And again that came as a relief, I would not be able to ride Jhudora in my and her current conditions. And we would still be against the conditions master had set out for us back at the dojo but we would have to go on like it.

The dojo! I had nearly forgotten about it! What if the evil armies attacked the dojo and I was not there to protect it! The dojo was strong, but even the master would not be able to combat those forces, the forces that could not be injured. They would be doomed! I had to go! I had to warn them before it was to late!

Jhudora sesed my tentions, she brought herself up and stred deep into my eyes. And it was as though she had read my mind because I somehow felt she knew that I worried about the dojo. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came, for nothing had to be said. I had to save them. But could I save them? The army was fast, but had they been heading in the direction of the dojo? Would they go that deep into the forest? Would the dojo be able to get away?

I just then noticed the stinging sensation in my chest. I felt like I could not breath. The dojo was my only home, it was more then a home to me. It was something sacred, and I hadn't realised that until just now. I had gone against masters wishes to come here, to search for information on bandits that may have left this area years ago, and no one knew about it. All against the master, he knew how much pain I would find after the realisation thet there was no way to avenge my parents. And now I knew how wise he really was.

Tears fell from my eyes down onto the shimmering coat of Jhudora. I felt like the entire world had shifted somewhere, spun away without me. My world felt meaningless, and without point because I lived for nothing now. I lay my head against the warm side of Jhudora, she had always believed in me. She was still here for me, she had stayed behind while the world whizzed away so that she could stay with me. I could never give her enough gratitude to repay her for that. And I could never fully express how sorry I was.

"I'm sorry Jhudora, but now I have failed you, I failed the dojo, I failed myself." Tears flooded my cheeks and swept in rivers down my face and absorbed into the muffled fur that I brought my face into. I didn't want to be here, I wanted to wake up. I wanted to wake up as a little girl who had just had a horrible nightmare that she had lost her parents. And I wanted to be crying in my bed and for mother and father to come in and hug me close to them saying that they would always be with me. That it had just been a dream. I wanted that more then anything, I wanted to wake up, I wanted to wake up from this nightmare...

[Crystal Tears]

Enjeru Mitsu
---

I sat there, watching the girl with the horse, she was crying, thinking it was her fault, none of this was her fault, who could such a brave women blame herself for everything? I walked up to her, slowly, she turned to me. Tears, in such little time, so many have fallen.

"Do not blame yourself, For things you cannot control are not your fault, don't dwell on sorrow, your friend here wouldn't want you too." I said to her quietly, her tears slowed, and a small smile on reisurence appeared, very small, but atleast she had some of her faith back, I patted her on the shoulder before leaving out of the cave ans itting up in a rather old and large birch tree.

To dweel on sorrow and pain, only makes the person weaker, people must learn to use the pain to there advantage. I thought, as I settled down up in the higher branches. those who know this become the greatest of warriors.

[Sheila Rae]

I’m just going to say, most RPGs die after the group “rests for the night.” I thought it would be better to wait for your word before moving on, so this post might be pretty short. I know from experience, so I’m just saying.

§-_Jing-mei Mao.earth_-§

This was real. I knew that I needed to find the crystals. Suyuan fluttered down onto my shoulder and I stroked her wing. I bent down to pick up chopsticks and then replaced them in my braids. Twilight was settling upon the land, the sun a fleeting sphere dropping down to the horizan. I turned my head to look south, the direction where the crystals were. Suyuan and I knew, we could both feel the evil in the wind. Zeal, this warlord, was destroying nature, what lay in our midst. He would be stopped at any cost.

I looked behind me into the cave. The people who were to receive the crystals, along with me, were all there. There was one exception, the girl with the horse, who expressed a great look of worry on her face. She was Illusen. Unlike the rest, I didn't need human speech to share names. I knew all of their names, it was written on the cheeks and readable by the way they carried themselves, for their name was part of them of explained, in a word, who they truly were. Hiro, the one with the chain. Ven, the boy with food and water. Enjeru, the girl marked with blindness. Okkyr, the boy with the agressive nature. And Mark, the boy who was familiar with others.

Not wishing to return to the cave where the humans were, I stepped farther outside. A moon lily detected the darkness and had begun to blossom. Its white flower was tainted by the remaining daylight, not to be fully beheld under the moonbeams. I knelt down and reached out my hand to stroke the velvety petals. When I did, it firmly asked, "Don't you ever desire the affection, attention, of your own kind?" My eyes widened, my heart felt stabbed by these words, and in my surprised reaction I snapped the stem of the flower. No, I didn't mean to kill it...I didn't mean to, really! In shock at what I had done, the lily slipped between my open fingers, and floated down to the ground below. Tears formed in my eyes, and my chest felt heavy as if my heart was trying to fall out. I clutched it, still pained by what the moon lily had asked me.

I looked up to find Suyuan, and saw Enjeru sitting high in a birch tree. She was paying attention at me, she had felt it all, and I wonder if she could understand such feelings that I had. I turned to run away, to the south, but I could follow through with such an irrational action. I thought for a moment. A moon lily would never say something to try my inevitable human nature so, something was surely wrong. The possibility showed that the lily could be a device of the evil Zeal, and I would not succumb to such a thing. I picked it up, in case it was some lead that I might need. In my mind, I called out to Suyuan, and I could feel that she was high in one of the trees. I walked deeper into the forest, though not far from the cave, because they might need me later. I fell asleep against the tree the Suyuan was singing in, a tree in the deep forest where I had lost my heart.

[legendary fisherman1]

Name: Tetsuhiko Kasahara
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Appearance: Meh, I'm too tierd. Clickies. (http://www1.yuyuhakusho.com/characters/v/risho/big2.jpg)
Personality: His true blue personality is a talkative, pleasent person. Weather it be poetry, saying the names of his attacks, or just a normal conversation he loves to talk. Even though he knows when to stop talking. However, he can change his personality to mimic another personality he see's. Very sure of himself usually, and he thinks that depression is the most idiotic thing of all. He thinks that if your not strong enough to fight your problems then you deserve everything that comes your way. He has good morals, and is unapreciative when others question them.
Element: Earth
Elemental Attacks:
Offense Armor - Armor of Spikes: This attack can be used as long as there is earth atleast 5 feet away from him. By using his powers as Master of Earth, Tetsuhiko produces an armor out of the ground around him that offers great offensive abilities such as meteor-like attacks. It offers some protection as well, but the armor is not as strong on his body as it is on the spikes. This is what it looks like. (http://www1.yuyuhakusho.com/characters/v/risho/big1.jpg)
Defense Armor - Armor of Clay: A defensive version of the Offense Armor - Armor of Spikes. As the name sugests, the spikes are shortened, and the actual armor around his body is stronger, and heavier. But one ability that this technique has that the Offense Armor doesn't have, is the ability to get thicker and hevier to become a tank-like defense(Though his speed suffers). This is what it looks like. (http://www.pojo.com/yuyu/attackpics/armorofclay.gif)
Materialization: He can only use this power if he can pic up a rock, some soil, an organic metal, or anything that is earthen. He can make the peice of earth that he pics up smaller, and much more dense to atract more earth to create a weapon of his choosing. However, it will be strong, and sharp depending on how much earth he can pic up, and the size of the item he makes.
Weapon(s): None
History: He had a very good childhood actually. His mother and father loved him, and still love him very much. He grew up with an honor code that killing may be normal for animals, but he as a humans should not kill his own kind. He has a very kind heart and would literally give his life up for his friends and family. He worked outside doing odd jobs like picking the vegetables and fruits, planting and harvesting plants, and tending the soil. He was also trained as a fighter who specialized in breaking an opponents weapon.
Relationships: Nope. His mother and father live in the almost uninhabited part of the village.
Other: Other abilities~He can make soil more fertile.

Sorry again for not posting sooner.

~*~Tetsuhiko~*~

"Hello? Is anyone in there?" I asked into the cave. To think it was all because of a voice in my head, that I was in this situation. No angel, no sacred being, no signs. Just a voice. How did I get myself into this? "Oh yeah, it was in the fields because I wanted to go pick the raddishes today.

"Well if there really is going to be something in this cave I might as well-"CRASH. "What was that?" I asked myself as I almost sneaked into the cave. I would have just entered normally, but with that loud crash I wanted to be more careful. "Now that I have your attention... I shall start by telling you a story...." that was what I slightly heard. But it was too feint for me to hear clearly. I need to get closer.

"About 1000 years ago, the world was a terrible place, the sun never shined, plants never grew, and peace was unheard of, it was a time of great evil. Of all the evil one thing was feared above all else, it was the Warlord Zeal. He reigned over the world with brutal force, all that opposed him were utterly destroyed. It seemed that the world could never get better untill one day, a young group of adventures took up arms to try and defeat the evil army and the wicked warlord." I had to get closer. 'This has to be important'.

"The battle was a tough one indeed, many were lost, and the adventurers could not harm the evil army. Untill they were pushed back so far that they were forced to retreat. A day after the retreat they stumbled upon an ancient cavern, the cavern was indeed magical and when the adventures entered they found crystals. These crystals held powers beyond recognition and when they were touched, the powers were transfered from the crystals into the user, but only someone with good virtue, a sence of justice, and a pure heart could harness the power, others who touched them were destroyed." 'What is this guy talking about' I mused as I got a little closer and stopped. I didn't want to be noticed.

"The powers of the crystals were so vast, that they were able to turn the tides of the battle and give earths armies the strenght they needed to win the war but, when the brave adventures went to fight Zeal, they ended up having to give there lifes in order to become victorious." I heard the voice finnish. 'Nice story, but does it have to do with that army that I saw?'

"What does this have to do with us?" I heard a man ask him. He sounds like a hothead. "Silence!" It said loudly and suddenly "Let...Me...Finish..Ahem, as the warlord was struck down he vowed to return once again to reign supreme over the world and as you may have guess, the army that just attacked the village was the one and only army of Lord Zeal." he stated. 'What, no one has a smart comment? I thought people were supposed to be jerks' I snicked at my own joke. My mom once told me that most kids had bad attitudes about things they didn't understand. "We cannot hurt them though, I thrust my sword through one and there was no blood, and no wound." a boy asked him.

"Only those who posses the powers of the crystals can harm Zeal's army." the...wait a minute, thats the same voice I heard in the field. How could I not notice that? "You 9 have been chosen to receive the powers of the crystals...... and although I think you all look like little ruffians, it was not I that picked you.... it was fate.." Wait did it know I was here? I saw but seven shadows and a light coming from one figure.

"How do we get the crystals?" a girl on some kind of horse asked probobly the voice-figure. "To the south, about 1 days walk, half a days ride, is a temple. When you reach there, you will be instructed on what to do next." More silence. I hate silence. I feel the need to talk but I chose against it. "You should all rest tonight. You have had a tough time this evening. Some of you lost something. Others were hurt. But tomorow you must head out, as a group to the temple of trials. Stick together, you might be weak as one but, together you might fare better." the spirit said, but then a wind came in the cave and the spirit seemingly dissapeared.

'Well that was enlightening. What do I do? Should I stop making myself scarce? Oh...too tired...I guess I'll just sleep and figure It out in the morning...'

[MaHa_sHaDoWs]

~Ven'Gyrh Olos~

After the voice's coming, everyone in the cavern slowly settled down to sleep with a bit of reluctance considering the days events, but all eventually let themselves doze off as exhaustion hit. Yet I couldn't manage to go to sleep, the day's events swirled around my head, and I couldn't help thinking about those darned crystals. The responsibility they would bring would be immense! I mean "saving the world" is all fine and dandy, but the pressure that would be applied onto me. I hesitated at this, and gazed around the small cavern. "Pressure applied to us," I muttered accidentally, and hoped I hadn't woken anyone. Finally I too was hit with the wave of exhaustion and I felt my eyes slowly close, within minutes asleep.

Dawn came at last the next morning, but few rays of sun escaped from the heavy shroud of clouds that covered the sky. The landscape outside was covered in dew, and water droplets fell helter skelter from trees and our cave. The ground outside was sodden with water and squelched as I stepped onto the soil. I checked my bag and irritably it was completely soaked. I hastily pulled out the food and thankfully found most of it still dry. My clothes were also almost squirting out water. Wringing out my clothes and bag I attempted to find the least soaked area around, one part of a rock ledge seemed almost dry and I layed my clothes there. A chill ran coursed through my body from the air. The temperature outside was cold, and water vapor still hovered in the air. What a great day to travel. Some of the others were stirring now and I heard some of them groan as they too discovered how wet they were. The forecast today calls for annoyance and horribly bad moods.

[NightBlaze]

Hiro ~~~~

The night was a long one, I had a feeling that fate had made it so, so that we had time to think over all the pressure that had just been applied to us. I noticed that I was absouletly soaked when I woke up. When I stood up water was dripping off of me. I walked outside of the cave only to find an even gloomyier landscape. I took a few steps outside and a crack of lightning lit up the sky followed by the loud rumbling of thunder. Shortly after the first strike, it began to rain. This wasn't just a little drizzle, it was pooring so hard that it was difficult to see.

I walked back into the cave and saw everyone had run back inside seeking shelter from the rain.

I walked over to where I had put my stuff down and picked up my weapon and walked back out to the exit of the cave.

"Shall we?" I said looking over my shoulder.

Everyone got up and headed towards the door. When we got outside, the rain had not subsided. We stood together trying to figure out which way was south. After a few minutes we figured out which way was south.

We walked for a few hours time. The rain had begun to pick up and it was getting a lot colder out but, no one spoke up about being cold so we walked on.

At about noon we reached a gigantic tree that we used as a shelter to warm up and rest. It was very awkward that no one had even said so more than a sentence. Its true that I didn't like talking to people, but if we were going to try and defeat an ancient army of darkness then we should at least know each others name. I stood up and opened my mouth to speak when the biggest crack of lightning streaked through the sky which was followed by the loudest thunder ever. Everyone quickly covered their ears and the horse that the girl had went back on it hind legs and neighed extremely loud. The girl quickly calmed it down and everything was silent again besides the rain falling all around us.

I decieded now would not be the best time to talk.

About an hour later we got up and marched on. Almost exactly 3 hours later we saw it, it was the temple. It was about three times as big as a house and no more. We got to the door right before we were to enter. I looked around at everyone, some people were shaking from the cold and wetness, others looked excited, and other people, I just couldn't read.

"Is everyone ready for whatever might be in here?" I said

There were nods all around. I walked over to the door and held it open, everyone quickly walked in to get out of the rain, after they were in I walked in and closed the door behind us.

As soon as the door shut, the temple flared up and was extremely bright, most people put their hands to their faces to sheild themselves from the light and once again the strange wind that we had felt in the cave swooped through the small corridor and the same spirt appeared before us.

"Excellent, right on time." It said acting surprised that we had come. "Im impressed that you all came, but lets get down to bussiness. The crystals that bless you with these magical powers cannot just be given to you, you have to PROVE that you deserve them. You must travel these corrdiors and reach the throne room in the very center of of the temple, there you will fight a beast of mythical power. I know what you are thinking... You think this place is tiny and that this will be easy, let me tell you right now, you are dead wrong. This ancient temple leads far below the earth. Countless adventures enter, and only a handful have actully returned. If anyone does not wish to risk their lifes for this cause then please, leave now and waste no more of your time."

I looked around half expecting to see someone walk backwards and out of the temple but, no one did...

"As I expected.." It said "This task may take only minutes, it could take hours, even days, so let me give you some advice. You must always stick together! If you leave the group even once, the chance that you will see each other again is almost 0. Also, not everything is at it seems down here, if you come to a dead end, but your heart tells you this is the right way, look around for something "Strange". And my final word of advice, beware of the Splicers.

"Whats that?" someone from the opposite side of the room spoke up, but before he even finished the spirt had whisked it self away and in its place stood a creature, no taller than 3 feet or so, it had extremly sharp long claws, and red eyes. It stood on all 4 legs (kinda like a minature Tyrannosaurs Rex)

"THAT!" The voice echoed throughout the temple.

The splicer charged forward, it claws engaged ready to tear us apart. Everyone had their weapons drawn and quickly cut the beast down.

After a few seconds of recovery we got together in a group.

"Where now?" Was the most popular question being asked.

[Darkmaster Kagemusha]

Okkyr Morrika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A growled a bit. Not knowing where to go when you actually had a destination to get to was frustrating. Pretty much everyone asked "Where now?" as we walked down the corridor. It wasn't long before we reached a place where the paths split.

"Maybe we should split up, half of us go one way and half goes the other," someone suggested. This suggestion was mulled over by the group, and argued by a few who thought it would be better if we stuck together.

"We should stay together. There's a better chance of survival when you're in a group," I said, simply.

"So which way do we go, oh wise one," said a boy, who I thought was called Mark, said sarcastically. I glanced over at Enjeru.

"We follow our instincts. My guess would be that whichever path is the scariest, the one that reaks of death, is the one we must take," I said, quietly, leaning against the wall of the cave. "As for how we choose which one that is, I have an idea. I'm just assuming this, which I shouldn't do, but since Enjeru can't see, I would guess that of all of us, she has the best sense of smell," I said, grinning a bit. "So which path smells the worst?"

[Crystal Tears]

Enjeru
~~~~
He was right, I did have the best sense of smell, but the smell of the town was horrible, the smell of blood and death was all around, though it smelt stronger to the North West. I turned around suddenly, the smell of Okkyr was behind me. He had a small grin on his face.

Well." He began. I smirked at him. The only person in this group who didn't get on my nerves. I lifted up my arm up and pointed straight into the North West. He looked over into that direction, from here, it looked like nothing was wrong, but the smell of evil was sitting there. "Thank-"

"Hey." He was rudely interupted by makr. Who was walking over to us. I turned away a bit, Okkyr just glared at him. "Sorry, was a interupting something?"

"Yes." I answered, hastily, I hated him, he fallowed me everywhere, I would kill him if I had the chance, ever since he's seen me around he's been fallowing me. When would he just go away? Okkyr jumped up into the tree on the branch next to mine, just as mark was leaving back to the cave. I wish he would go away, or get lost in the trip. "how do you kill a man like him?" I asked Okkyr, he just laughed quietly at me, as I lifted my head to the sky. Wonder what the sky looks like today.. I wish to see it again.

[Shadow Djinn]

Boo ^^; Sorry for not posting...My comp was extremely screwed up so I could only make short posts at the library...there's a 10 min limit. I'll have a post up by Sunday--promise. Or else PM me like crazy till I post.

[NightBlaze]

Crystal Tears: Were not in a town, we are inside of the temple =) Simple mistake, just wanted to let you know.

[Samchu]

Sorry I ain't posted much.

Mark
~~~

"She hates me..." I muttered quietly.
I pulled my sword out of its sheath and fiddled with the handle mindlessly. I didn't want her to hate me, I was just curious, that's all but I just don't know how to say things like 'I like you'. I just want one friend...I can't remember the last time I did. If I did.
I put my sword away and walked back over to her and the guy she was talking to, probably interrupting another conversation as well.
"Look, I'm sorry if I bug you. I just want someone to talk to and you're like the only person who I even come close to knowing. You don't have to like but can we at least talk now and then? It would be pretty lousey to die without ever having a friend of some kind."

[Sheila Rae]

Moving on...gotta keep going...
Also, I'm at an unfamiliar keyboard, so plase forgive any typos~ ^^;

§-_Jing-Mei Mao.earth_-§

I beagn to walk in the direction that Enjeru had pointed out. A feeling like vines wrapping around my hands and arms came upon me. Enjeru may be able to smell blood, but I could feel the crystals. I had no interest in human death, but I knew that she was correct because the energy eminating from the crystals was strong. Suyuan perched on my shoulder as I walked ridigly ahead. I really didn't care if the others were following or not, but given the spirit's emphasis on staying together, I'm sure they would walk in tow.

The stone corridor was like in chambers of a medieval castle. I figured the room holding the crystals must be glorious, adorned with hanging plants and bejewelled with rare gems. There were no torches in the hallway, but instead it was sufficiently lighted from an unseen sourse. As we continued, I noticed that we had no shadows; perhaps this was holy light. The sound of our footsteps echoed softly, creating a melodic rhythm as we went on.

A slight rumbling noise came from above us and the ceiling began to tremble. The stones fell to the ground with a large crash. A cloud of grey dust shrouded whatever had broken the ceiling like midnight fog. I held my breath and stood my ground. My the dust settled, some people were coughing and wiping their eyes.

Before us, a large beast stood. It had ears and a tail like that of a cat, but its four short and stubby were like a lizard's. Its red eyes, shaped like almonds, were slit in half by black pupils. A mixture of tan fur and olive scales covered its body. Large, feline-like claws, each almost the size of the paw itself, were dull and almost clouded, stained by all the victims the monster had killed. This creature was certainly not of natural being.

"Your lives end here," it hissed, in a voice like a disgruntled snake who had eaten in a year. I growled in return at this beast that was in my way. From my braids I pulled my chopsticks and revealed the blades. The light from the corridor reflected off them ten fold, causing them to glow with a strong brightness.

"Hyaaaaah!" I cried as I charged toward it. Suyuan flew off my shoulder and stayed behind with the group. I crossed my arms in a "X" and pushed though the fleshy neck of the monster. After following though in my hard stroke, I looked to see what remained: a perfectly clean beheading. However, no blood spilled forth from the monster.

A few seconds after, crimson energy sparked from the neck of the fiend. It formed the outline of a head where one should be, and a small, light blue orb of life energy hung suspended in the air. Then, two heads materialized onto the neck, and the beast rose to its feet. I jumped back in surprise; that thing I had killed, that I did.

"We can't kill it! It will just grow back more heads!" someone exclaimed. I was too stunned to move...my chopstick blades would never fail me, and what's more I had cleanly sliced the creature's head off! Someone else brushed passed me, probably wanting to take their own stab at the primordial beast.

[NightBlaze]

Hiro
~

I rushed past the girl with the chopstick blades, unsheathed my Katana and leaped into the air, bringing my Katana down with all of my weight. The beast had annticipated the move and jumped backwards then, attacked with its 2nd head. It shot it out at me and gripped its fangs around my right arm and then clenched them.

"Ahhh!" I yelled, gripping my Katana with my left hand and bashing it on the head with the hilt of my sword. It let go after my 3rd hit and retracted its head, grinning it said "Yum"

I stepped backwards as the rest of group charged forward. They fought the beast, but to no avail as it kep regrowing heads. After only 3 minutes it was up to maybe 15 or so, and it would eventully outnumber us too greatly.

I looked up and down the wall for something that could help us. I was of no use at this moment with only 1 hand. At the top of the wall, maybe 6 feet or so was a dragon face statue sticking straight out of the wall. In its mouth it held a blue orb of energy. I rushed to the wall and reached my left arm up as high as it would go and grasped the orb, it sent a low rumble throughout the entire temple and a door 3 feet wide and 6 feet tall appeared as if it had been teleported.

"Over here!" I yelled. Everyone turned around to see me standing next to the door. They reluctently stopped fighting and ran over to the door and went in one by one.

The beast had become angry and as the last person had gotten in it leaped towards me and the door. I looked down on the floor and saw a dead soilder and a pile of bones, next to the bones was a dagger. I quickly dodged the beasts leap and its heads, picked the dagger up and jammed it into its foot, all of the heads on the beast went straight into the air and howled. By the time they turned I had already ran through the door and shut it behind us.

I looked around, holding my arm. We were in a marvolus cavern, the celling was jemmed with all sorts of colors, there was a huge door in the middle of the wall on the far side of the room. We all walked to the door and through it and we saw a dimly lit cavern like room. At the very opposite side of the wall were 9(I think thats how many of us there are) shining crystal like objects. We all knew what they were. As we got closer to them, the spirt from before began to materilize in front of our eyes.

"Impressive, you made it through the Laberinth, past its creator, and to the hall of champions. The crystals on the opposite side of this room, are the magical ones that were once used by the Champions that saved the world from Zeal once before. Now they belong to you, but I warn you, those crystal posses anceint powerful magic, if you do not feel that you can handle the powers, do not touch them."

He waited for a moment as if he was waiting for some of us to step backwards and leave the crystals alone.

"Very well, when you walk to the crystals, pick the one that is calling to you. The different colors indicate the different elements, red is fire, yellow is lighning, green is nature, blue is water, white is light(hehe I rhymed), Orange is earth, silver is wind, and purple is gravity. Once you have selected your crystal, you will experiance proabably the most pain you have and ever will, besides death of course. If your body is strong enough, your heart pure enough, and your head wise enough, you will be able to conquer the power and the element will be yours, if your body is not strong enough, heart is not pure enough, or head not wise enough, you will be utterly destroyed, never to return to this world again. I ask you once more, are you ready for this!?"

No one moved or said a word.

"Than go, follow your destiny."

The spirt evaporated again, like it had the previous times. Everyone began to creep forward towards the crystals.

We all reached them at the same time. I went forward first, reaching out to grab a green one when I felt a shock in the back of my mind. I tried to grab it again and the same shock occured.

"The red one." A dark voice said in the back of my head.

I walked over infront of the red crystal. I reached my hand out and put my hand around it and gripped. It was very warm. I lifted it from the stone altar it had been placed in and instantly I felt like I was on fire. I fell to the ground on my hands and knees. My body was burning, getting hotter and hotter every second, with no sign of stopping I kept thinking "You can do it Hiro, you can do it!"

My body was burning so badly that My hands that were bracing my upwards were starting to burn through the caverns rock hard ground. My arm was still bleeding rapidly, but it was nothing compared to the flame of the fire. With no signs of the burning stopping I could feel and see the sweat dripping from my face as I was being cooked on the spot.

"Why did I do this..." I said to myself, "I cant do it any longer, Im finished." My right arm that had been injured previously was giving way to the rest of my body. I couldnt hold my self up any longer on my hands and knees and I colapsed. Only seconds after the heat stopped.

My body returned to a normal heat. I got up on to my feet with a lot of paientence and time. Everyone around had seen what I had just gone through and I felt rather weak that I had been squirming around the floor. I took small steps but, I walked to the wall of the cavern. I put my back to it and sat down leaning against the wall. I was exahusted and as soon as I sat I fell instantly asleep....
~~~~

w00t long post. Alright everyone be creative with the kinds of ways your characters get attacked by the energy of the crystals. Water, Earth, and Wind might be kinda hard to do but, I have faith in you guys! You can do it ;)

[Darkmaster Kagemusha]

Sorry I haven't posted, I've been down at my grandparents' all weekend. Also, as an idea for Wind--how does a total absense of air sound?

Okkyr Morrika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I narrowed my eye, looking at the different colored crystals before us. I began to reach for the silver one, but got shocked before I even touched it. Well apparently that's not it. I sighed. I looked over them all again, and every time my gaze went over them, it lingered a bit longer on the yellow one. I walked over to it, cautious after seeing what had happened to Hiro, who had picked up the crystal of fire. The Crystal of Lightning has chosen me, has it? Lightning it unstoppable and unpredictable, so what is it going to do when I accept it? I wondered. I reached out and picked it up. At first, I felt a slight tingle and warmth flow throughout my body, but those feelings grew a thousand fold. I clenched my teeth and doubled over as my body felt like it was burning up, and I looked down at my body and saw that it was crawling with electricity, which was even leaping to the ground from my body. I was shaking uncontrollably and it felt hard to breathe. I pulled my mask down so I could breathe easier as I watched the lightning spring from my body into the ground, creating small cones of glass as they melted the sand and stone of the floor. My muscles felt as if they were going to burst, and the incredible stinging pain finally brought me to the floor, and as soon as it started, it stopped. My body fell limp and I felt exhausted. I pulled my mask back up over my mouth and nose and laid there for a few minutes before getting up. I saw the girl with the Naginata reach for a yellow crystal. "You'll like that one, it's quite refreshing really," I said, sarcastically as I leaned against a wall, watching as everyone else picked up their crystals

[Sheila Rae]

I have to get ready for bed now, so I can't post, I just wanted to read the other posts. For "absence of air," how would *you* breathe, though? ;)

[Aeges_Ateri]

~Ven'Gyrh Olos~

The trial to get to the crystals didn't really seem like much of a task. Okay, so I didn't do hardly anything so what? We reached the cavern containing the crystals finally, I was hesitant to touch any of them as I watched the effects they had on the two that had chosen first. One was exhausted as he picked up a red crystal, undoubtably the fire crystal, and was taken by a sudden rising in heat. The lightning that coursed through the other's body made me want to cringe. I finally managed to decide that there was no point in putting it off, and I would have to take one eventually. Creeping slowly up to them I grabbed the closest one to me, which was a deep shade of purple. As I took it in my hand, I felt my feet slowly rising from the ground. I watched as I slowly rose, completely uncontrolling in what was happening. I must have rose at least 20 feet before I felt the force that had lifted me start to wane. But unfortunately, it was sudden. I felt the drop before it even came, and when it came I felt my stomach churn. In less than a second I hit the ground and swore I heard something crack. Groaning from the immense agony it caused me to move, I managed to mumble, "Ouch," in a very weak voice. It being not even worth trying to stand, or even sit up for that matter, I just layed down and stayed in the same rigid position. If I moved at all it hurt, I ached all over it seemed. Why did I have to end up with gravity?

Shortly after deciding I definitely was not getting up, I felt suction on my back. Not inclined to move I just stayed there, and the suction slowly got stronger. I inched slowly away, the ache was now starting to slowly subside but it still pained quite badly. Suddenly I felt my body wrenched into the vortex that had formed under me, struggling with the pain of my fall I attempted to free myself, but the felt the vortex begin closing. The pain hit me like a tsunami, the vortex crunched the half of my body still in it in nothing flat. This time I clearly heard the bones break, right leg, left arm, and several others. Despite the pain it had already caused the vortex just continued pushing. Stuck in this nasty bind I suddenly felt a pang of courage. I wouldn't die here, not now. Pushing with all the might I could muster into my unbroken arm I literally flew from the ghastly portal that had plagued me. The force of the collision back to earth hit me, painfully conscious this entire time, I finally blacked out; the blood from my fractured bones piercing the skin still gushed from my body.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Edited this, didn't look painful enough! :lol:

[crimson_flygon]

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile, I have been really busy with alot of stuff going on. Hopefully now that for the most part it is over I can get back on a regular schedule again.

±±Illusen±Lightning±±

So these were the crystals, they seemed so perfect all lined up in an array of colors. It would almost seemed as though they were only a picture, so still and in order. Like reaching for one, you would end up brushing against nothing but a wall and find that they never exsisted. But after seeing what happened to those who had taken the chance to be the first to go to them, I knew in the back of my mind they were more then real. Being plunged into such a situation so quickly was like waking up suddenly from a dream. You knew you were in reality, but your mind was still just waking up from a long sleep.

I wanted to jump forward and quickly get whatever was coming to me over with, but it had to be handled carefully. With every step I took towards the crystals, I felt as though my entire body was numb with a low vibration. IT seemed to come from not one point in particular, but from my entire poit of view. Stepping closer to them was like the sudden shock of jumping into a lake. It came so suddenly, and flowed all around me. I wanted to scream out for them to stop, for silence and peace. And through my own confusion I felt one line that struck past the rest, guiding me away from the pulse from the others. I walked cautiosley towards it, I stopped directly in front of the yellow crystal. I did not even have to think about wether to reconsider my acts, because inside of my heart I felt that this was the one I would take. Even as my hand began to inch its way forward I could not stop the uneasyness despite the reasurance I felt inside myself.

"You'll like that one, it's quite refreshing really," I heard one of the boys from the "group" say behind me. I already knew he had gone for a crystal, though I haad only been half aware of what was happening then and more intent on my thoughts at that time. I felt more astranged knowing that of the many others I was being watched. But I swallowed my pride and put my thoughts back on the task at hand.

I didn't say anything, only brought my uneasy hand only a breaths way from the crystal. It shone defiantley, as if just waiting for my hand to wrap around it. And I felt almost like I could never bring my hand any closer to it, like a force inside me was holding me back. I realised it was the uneasy feeling that had been gnawing at me the entire time, and now the persuasive reassurance that came from deep inside of me was pushing it aside. With no further though I thrust my hand forward the rest of the was and wrapped my fingers tight around the crystal. Not a moment sooner did I feel something churning within the confines of the crystal. Something that had just been waiting for the one split second it could all release. And before I could even predict that something was about to happen, a burning sensation shot through my body so fast that it felt as though it all happened at once. IT was as if now, every small part of my skin was cut to the bone and set on flame, like the very deepest part of me was burning with the most intense concentration of pain that felt like my entire body would explode. It ran through my body a hundred times in less then a second, each pass more intense then the last. And in the few seconds that lasted an eternity to me, it all evaporated away as suddenly as it had come.

I felt, at that moment, like toppling over, but my entire body felt frozen in one place. Like moving one inch would cause my skin to crack open like a shell. I knew I had to move, even with the weight that threatened to send me to the floor. I tried with the last strand of strength in me to turn around, one small movement sent a shockwave through my body. I edged forward, I wondered if I was even awake or I had fallen onconcious, I felt so flustered and my head was puonding so badly that I couldn't really seperate reality from fantasy at that moment. I really would have tried harder to find out exactley had happened, but I felt so exausted from the ordeal I simply sat on my knees and stared coldly through blurred vison at the ashen floor. I felt like a statue, because moving at all seemed impossible. I simply nodded off in exaustion...

a bit rushed. sorry, but I am finally back on schedule.

[Sheila Rae]

I hate posting after Jen, such a hard act to follow! *odd pondering hand motion*

OOC: The things the are happening to Jing-mei are mostly illusions, and aren't necessarily real. Oh, and I get the absense of air thing. Took me awhile... :embarass:

§-_Jing-mei Mao.earth_-§

The weak humans who suffered by their crystals did not faze me. I knew that it would not be painless, however. I looked at the crystals, as the glittered, so beautiful that is was obvious that they had been intertwined with the power of nature. A small aura of light encircled each one of them, but the green one had the strongest energy of all. It was more glorious than an emerald, the leafy trees of the forest under the summer sun. Like the brightest star in the sky, it made all the other ones seem dull. I had no doubt that this crystal was my own.

I walked up to were it hovered gracefully, my motions as I was drawn to the crystal made as smooth as a calm sea. Both my hands I wrapped around the crystal, feeling is cool and textureless surface of it. I closed my eyes, a relaxed feeling coming over me from the crystal's touch. Then, like breaking glass, I felt a splicing pain vertically through my body. I heard slicking sounds as roots came up, cracking the stone floor. They wrapped around my legs and squeezed them, bringing me to my kness. Vines sprouted from those roots, and they crept along my whole body, binding me tightly. I clentched (sp?) my teeth and began to struggle, but to no avail. The vines levitated me and them slammed me against the wall, as if I was a small boat being played with by a tsunami. I screamed, wanting to clutch my stomach, but I was so helpless. While I was pinned vertically, more vines, this time with poisonous leaves, and they held me to the wall. They swathed my face like the mask of a theif, covering everything except my eyes. Immedeately, I could feel a rash form on my cheeks. It stung as if my very skin was being ripped off, very slowly. I could not stop the stinging sensation, and it hurt like my muscles and bones were showing where my skin was null. The sticky pus from the rash trickled down my face and hung at my chin accompanied by a tear. A rose appeared before me, hovering in the pungent air, and as I twtitched my one finger it was brought into my hand. The thorns cut me, and I could see the dark blood drip from my fingers to the ground in small, perfect orbs.

I wanted this all to end, to be held by my mother before it happened, and for all beauty to be covered up by love. But wait...I was friends with nature, and plants would not do these things to me. This was my test, and I would not fail it. I cried out to my mother, and I could feel a great energy building in my heart, like a large weight waiting to be released. Then the energy poured out with great light, causing the vines and roots to shrink back into the crevices. I gently fell to my knees from my vertical position on the wall, as if the heavy air was delaying my descent. Without even touching my cheat, I could feel my heart beating very fast, like it was making up for all those missed beats during my prolonged agony. I put of fingertips up to my cheek; the rash had disappeared. When I stood up, my legs were so light that I almost fell back down again. I saw a sparkle from the corner of my eye, and then I saw the elemental crystal hanging from a silver chain around my neck. This simple thing caused me to smile a little. Suyuan flew onto my finger and I stroked her downy feathers. The trial may have been difficult, but it was worth it, and maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

That took me so long...I am such a slow poster. XD By the way, when is everyone going to introduce each other? My character knows everyone because of her weird powers, but what about everyone else? XD Just asking.

[NightBlaze]

Alright, looking good everyone, I think we have a few more people that need to get their powers, I will move the story line on after that. And the introduction of all the characters will be happening in very soon, after were out of the temple.

NightBlaZe

[Crystal Tears]

Enjeru
**-**

I felt a light breeze come of one of the stones, it called to me somehow, as it attracted me to its power, I reached for it, taking it quickly into my hands. I smiled at it evilly.

Finally after all the hard work I had done, I had true power, I went to take a another breathe of air, but none came.

Panic rushed through me, they said power came at a price, but for air? I would have this power of a very short time. I wacked myself in the chest, as it soon began to feel I was choking on something.

Collasping onto the ground, dropping the stone along side me, staring into the blank I still had no air, but yet had not blacked out it.

As I reached for the stone again, my ring finger touched it first, a rush of air came into my lungs, as I gasped for it, lyign there for a moment before sitting up.

Ok, that was a little too close.

[legendary fisherman1]

~*~Tetsuhiko~*~

I glanced at the people that had touched their crystals. The boy, Hiro was his name? When he touched the cyrstal of fire, he was immediatly engulfed in flames. And the man who picked up the crystal of lightning, I'm not sure but ot looked like he got volts of electrical shock. And then the one who just came up looked like she couldn't breathe. She probably got air. 'But mine?' I thought as I looked ahead.

The earth crystal. The crystal of what most life stands on. Literaly. But if I hold it up, what will happen? I cant think of what earth might do. 'Untill I can better understand what will happen when I hold the crystal, I had better just think.' I mused as I looked to the ground. 'Lets see, ground...ground, earth. How does earth hurt you? Well, when you fall down you get hurt...no why would the crystal make me fall down? The pain is suppost to be next to unbearable. Well what about rocks? They hurt, and maybe because its a cave, there would be a kind of rock birrage.' I unanimously decided. The earth crystal must have something to do with rocks.

"Well I guess its my turn." I told everyone as they all looked at me when I got to the earth crystal. 'I really hope that I'm right about rocks. If I'm not, then I lose my element of foresight.' I thought as I put my hands above the crystal.

"Here goes!" I shouted as I quickly put my hands on the crystal and picked it up. It started to glow. It was like the moon in my hand. But then it stopped glowing. 'So where are the rocks of pain?' I thought for I while but I had a rude awakening. "AH!" I screamed as I held my sholder in pain. But something is wrong. Wait...'Theres a spike in my sholder?!' I silently yelled as I tried to block the pain in my sholder by tightening it, but...now there was a spike in my hand.

"So this is what happens when you pick up the earth crystal. You get spikes all over your body!" I yelped in pain as more spikes appeared on my legs, my arms, my back, but THANKFULLY not on my head, stomach, or chest. 'Darn! This has to be the most phisically painful thing I have ever gone through!' I yelled in my head as I cringed to block pain, but trieing to hold the GOD FORSAKEN CRYSTAL! "Damnit! HOW DOES ANYONE HANDLE SPIKES COMING OUT OF THEM!" I screamed in agony as blood was starting to come out of the bases of the spikes. But I cant let go of the crystal. Whether its dying here or dying on the battlefield, I'm doing it with dignity.

'Well I guess that sounds easy to say, but I bet it's a lot harder to say that when it really counts.' I muse I get ready to scream in agony! The blood was now all over my where the spikes were like clear red paint. The extreame pain in my muscles was next to deadly. I had to focus on something else. 'Well, I guess hitting rocks wont hurt as much as spikes' I quickly ran to the nearest wall, and started punching it. "Unch! Unch! Unch! Unch!" I shouted/grunted as I kept on hitting the wall of rock hoping not for a cave in. "Ah!" I shouted finally as I dropped to the ground, palms and fingers hoping I dont feint due to loss of blood.

I felt blood come out of my mouth. Great, now I cringed so hard, I had blood come out of my gums. But then the pain stopped...Whah? The spiked dissapared and surprisingly, the wounds were closed up. Of course the blood was still on my ligaments. 'Well, lets see the damage...' I thought to myself as I looked at my arms and legs. There was only blood where the spikes were, but also some blood on the ground. "Well, next victom." I just muttered quietly.

[Samchu]

Sorry this took so long, I've been busy.

Mark
~~~~
I had almost contemplated turning around and running back the way we'd come after seeing what was caused just by touching these crystals. Well, why not try? I'm probably not even supposed to be here, it must just be a mistake. I'll just go and walk past these stupid rocks and - I stopped when I felt a strange pulling sensation emitting from the pale yellow stone.
I didn't want to touch it from fear of the results but...deep down I hungered for the power, for the unknown power hidden inside this thing, power that I had been chosen to recieve. For once there was purpose to my life. I couldn't turn that down now could I?
I reached out slowly and poked it with my finger. Nothing. I tried two fingers. Once again nothing happened. I sighed, i was gonna have to put it in my hand. I took it quickly and stood there waiting for something to happen but nothing did. Then suddenly, there was a blinding flash and all I could see was this white light and it refused to go away.
I shook my head, smacked my head with my hand, stumbled blindly around for a wall and smacked my head against that until someome (I had no idea who because I couldn't see them) asked me what I was doing.
"I want the light to fade so I can see again," I replied.
"It'll go eventually," said someone else.
"And if it doesn't?"
"Maybe Enjeru could help you."
I heard people snickering. Was it so obvious that she didn't like me? I managed to find my way over to where she was, it was weird not being able to see. Now I know how she feels...
"Enjeru I'm sorry about following you around all the time, I just wondered about you and your life, you're so different to other people. But now I know what it's like...I have to say, I'm really sorry."

[Crystal Tears]

Enjeru
~~~~
I stood there, with my arms crossed. His pupils were small, or atleast they had to be. Because of fear, fear of not being able to see again. I sighed at him, I had no sympathy for him, the fool couldn't even seem to stand straight. Having your sight taken away doesn't throw that off.

"Your sadly mistaken if you think I'm going to help you." The light snickering continued, sam only sighed. He knew that answer was coming. He had it coming, I probably would've help him, if he had not fallowed me around for so long. He had become more of a sickness, a sickness that fallows everywhere you go. "If I learned on my own. You certainly can."

I watched him try, unfortnatly, his own sense of poor guiding had caught up with him. Showing him right into a wall, I sighed again, a small bit of guilt came, but I shook it off. I refuse to help a annoying man like him.

[NightBlaze]

Hiro
~~~

I awoke some time after my ordeal with the fire crystal. I looked down at my hand and saw the crystal still clutched in my hand. I held it up to my face to get a closer look at it.

"All that pain from such a tiny object." I said quietly

The last person who had touched the crystals, had gotten the light crystal. He had become blind for a period of time. He had now asked the girl called Enjeru for help but, she would not help him. The boy wandered around the cave, trying to over come the element. He ended up running into a wall. Eventully over time(Samchu, you can post how your character gets over his element, I just need to move the story line along so people don't drop out, sorry for any inconvience) he over came his element. Moments after I noticed that he had been the last person.

I stood up, still a little bit shakey and yet again the Spirt from before appeared before us.

"Excellent, everyone made it!" He said excitedly. "I thought at least 1 of you would die from the elemental magic, but It seems I was wrong. Now whaddya say we get us all out of here!?"

He waved his hand around a few times and then I looked down and saw my body glowing. I looked around and everyone elses was too and then, poof, we all vanished in to thin air.

Minutes later we were underneath the same tree we taken refuge under earlier. The rain was coming down as hard as ever. Going outside of the protection of the tree would result in being drenched down to the bone.

"Alright down to business." The spirt began to talk again, his voice thundering over the plains. "I suggest that tonight, you get to know each other a little more. Talk to each other, you cannot make it thought this journey alone, you will need teamwork."

There were sighs and groans all around, obviously some people were very anit-social here.

"Awww poor babies, a little shy are we!?" He said smiling "Tough luck. Any way tommorow morning you will need to head West for half a day or so. You will reach the town of Thekias. There you will seek an Audience with the king, who by the way knows you are coming. He will teach you about your newly found elements. He will show you how to controll the element, but that is only the first step. After that he will no longer be able to help you, you will have to master the element the rest of the way."

There was silence besides the rain pounding around us.

"Well no argument from anyone huh?" The spirt began "Then rest tonight, get to know each other, and get lots of sleep, you will need it."

The spirt looked around quickly and then vanished into thin air.

"Im not sure when the next time we will meet will be!" He shouted mid-vanish. "So be careful!"

After he left there was silence. No one talked or anything, they were all in their own world, thinking about what had just happened.

"Were getting no where." I said to myself.

I walked forward about 5 steps.

"Um... Hey there. My names Hiro... I guess were kinda journeying with each other for a while huh?"
.....

[Aeges_Ateri]

~Ven Olos~

Slipping into unconsciousness a dream occurred to me and suddenly I was again in that little coastal town, standing next to the charred and weathered shambles of what had once been my home. The shroud of fog slowly seemed to be closing in on me, and I felt its vaprous watery tingle upon my skin. A flashing light appeared to me and suddenly I was in that coastal town still, but things had changed. My parents were there, fully intact, and everything seemed so perfect. I grinned as my mother rushed up to hug me, as if I had just returned from the longest journey. Finally I realized it, I was dead. This seemed to be my version of heaven. In a pool of water on the dirt beneath my feet, I looked down at my lifeless, blood-covered body. My parents suddenly faltered, they were no longer grinning and were now sorrowful in appearance. Abruptly the murmured in a low whisper, "Go back," they were chanting it now. They began to seem to float into the wind wispily as well as their surrounding, the voices continuing to chant. Now again I was standing on thin air, blackness all around me. "Go back!" The voices suddenly outbursted, and I felt myself falling into nothingness, down, and down.

Awakening I smelt the frenzied scentl of blood, I was covered completely but the aching had completely gone. The blood was caked all over me, my face, my hands, everywhere. I tested my arms and legs and found that the bones in my body had all been mended. The blood it seemed was just residue of my horrific encounter. The crystal lay at my feet, and I kicked it furiously. It slid with a dull screech across the flat floor. Reluctantly I got up and walked slowly over to it, suddenly curious, I grabbed it and then abruptly it was gone. I felt a dull throbbing from my chest, and quickly took my shirt off. There, though smaller, lie the crystal embedded into my skin. The throbbing stopped and I was apt to just stare at the crystal and wonder. It seemed different somehow; it was beautiful despite what I had endured. Such fury from such a small object! Unable to clean the blood from my skin, I instead shed my clothes and put on new ones. Blood still lingered upon some parts of my skin but it was largely gone. The trial was over, and I managed a small grin on this point's behalf.

After shambling outside with the others, and meeting with that impolite, condescending spirit, I preceeded to sit down and just stared blank-faced into the sky. I felt the a sudden tide of anger, why was it I that was chosen! The way that spirit talked threw me into rage, why should are fates be inevitable, why can't we choose are own destiny. I felt trapped in the saga that surrounded me, my role already set, would I have to sacrifice myself in the end? Be deprived of the good life I felt I deserved? Why was it that there was no escape from this nightmare? No one seemed to be making any progress in getting to know each other, and I wasn't one to contribute. The boy, Hiro, stepped forward, but I just habitually ignored everything he said. It didn't matter to me, my thoughts to me seemed more important than his babble. What was the point of putting any effort into conversation?

[Aeges_Ateri]

umm... *bump*

[Samchu]

Let's see if we can't keep this moving...

Mark
~~~~

I frowned at Hiro, he was in way over his head. Did he expect us to all turn buddy buddy and get along? Why's he listening to that stupid spirit anyway? We're the ones who have to do all the work!
i shook my head and turned away from them, fiddling with the crystal. Would that happen every time I wanted to use it? Was there a catch? I shook my head, that's stupid.
I decided to try it out for myself. I didn't have a clue what i was doing, I didn't know how to use it. Guess that was my mistake...
I felt my way over to the others and I heard a few people mumble things as i stumbled.
"It happen again?" someone asked.
I nodded. "i tried to use the crystal but i didn't know what i was doing and...well this happened."
I heard a few quiet laughs. i was getting used to that by now.
"Here's an idea. You introduce yourself and maybe we'll convince Enjeru to help you out this time. Just incase it doesn't fade so quickly or you mess up again."
I sighed. "I'm Mark. I...don't know much about past because i woke up in an alley one day and kinda had to fend for myself...so basically, as long as I can remember, I've been a pretty big screw up."

[Darkmaster Kagemusha]

Okkyr Morrika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched the guy named Mark introduce himself. You don't have to be a screw up--all you have to do is try to act as if you have some semblance of intelligence. I thought, watching him with my good eye, knowing he couldn't see me, something inside me wanted to taunt him childishly, but I didn't. I sighed. "It seems that now we must all introduce ourselves," I said, looking around at everyone, getting some sadistic entertainment watching Mark stumble around. "My name is Okkyr Morrika, I have been a wanderer for a long time. When I was a child, a retired soldier took me in and raised me, and I followed him and his band of thieves until I set out on my own. If you want to know any more about me you'll have to ask me privately. I don't feel like sharing my past with everyone," I said, passing a warning glance at everyone.

[crimson_flygon]

±±Illusen±Lightning±±

The periods between which people got up the nerve to introduce themselves seemed twice as long as they actually were, and the discomfort that followed after each made me feel to uneasy to step up. But if we were going to get anywhere in whatever it was we were expected to do, everyone would just have to swallow their pride and get it over with already. I could only guess that whatever we were going to do, we were going to have to do it together and to overcome the challenges it would take at least a small bit of trust holding us together. I had begun to feel a sick feeling of disgust in my throat, I wasn't going to sit waiting for a time I could sneak my name in, or to just act to cool to even same my name to these people whom we all seemed to be connected somehow, whether we liked it or not. I was sitting with my back against the tree and without a moments hesitation I let out one last breath to prepare myself before looking up to the silent faces around me.

"I am Illusen, I grew up in a dojo in the woods when the master found me as a baby when my parents had been killed by theives. I ran away to try and find out where the men who killed my parents are, so I can gain my revenge against them." I said, just realising that I had been running one clenched hand down my naginata. I quickly stopped, knowing I had more to say and this was my time to help the others feel less inclined to stay silent, "If we are ever going to accomplish whatever it is we are supposed to do, we have to clear this tension between us, it doesn't matter whether you want to or not, but as my master always told me, if you are not at peace with your allies, they are just as much endangering you as you enemies... And maybe we can't exactley call eachother allies or a team just yet, but we can't just shut eachother out because you don't want to open yourself to anyone. You can at least try... that has to be your commitment to stop whatever it is we are up against, to at least be willing to trust eachother."

Upon finishing I held my breath looking around at the group, my throat drying. Maybe I should not have been the one to try and convince them all to come to terms with eachother, maybe it should have been someone better with people. But that was exactley the kind of thinking that made people that way, I bit my lip hoping to hear someone's voice to make the uneasiness inside myself dissolve from inside me. Hopefully now someone would feel inclined to reveal their identity, hopefully.

[Aeges_Ateri]

~Ven Olos~

I was inspired by Illusen's words, though slightly ashamed that I had before considered that it was useless to do anything. I mumbled my name, "Ven'Gyrh Olos." It was hard to say but felt good when it rolled off, out into the open. Even I noticed that it had a much happier inflection than before. Despite this though, I didn't feel my past was something I was inclined to share. I waited now for someone else to volunteer their own name.

The silence in between was long, and I dwelled longer on my previous thoughts. I now felt a new courage well up inside, and realized that we needed to do something. There was no way any of us, including me, could watch, uncaring, the world's destruction. We had already gone to far, and received the power that was our fate. There was no turning back. My own thoughts were shut out suddenly though when someone else found it due time to continue our little introductions.

[Sheila Rae]

*is trying very hard to stay in character*

§-_Jing-Mei Mao.earth_-§

I listened closely to Illusen's words. Really the words of a human? Like a rising angel, the silence that followed her expression dazzled us and uplifted our forlorn spirits. I thought for a moment. No, it really wasn't true. I just had to win at my own game. Nonchalantly, Ven muttered his name, but that was not important. I still sat rigid against the tree trunk, part of the background, one with the shadows. A blade of bamboo was be twirled between my fingertips like a glistening sword. Light, though small, resonated form it, somehow it being stronger through my touch. I spoke, without even looking up. "Listen to the human. How do you expect to have enough courage to change the fate of the world if you do not even have enough to face your own allies?" Loved it. Everything was slient as the angel hovered over me. Nothing could be heard save for the whirling of my plant.

After a moment, mumbles began of "she's right" amongst the others of the group. As graceful as a soaring eagle, Suyuan flew from the limb above me and lightly pecked Hiro on the cheek. He winced, unsure of what to do. My cold eyes looking up at him must of pentrated his quietness. "Is this you bird? What's her name?" he asked, sounding out of context. I blinked two times, in rhythm. She chirped a few words, most likely inarticulate to anyone but me. Then she lighted beside me, and the moment passed. I still gazed intently at the stem between my fingers. The music it made filled the air, sounding as soft harmonies from a close distance.

Another one stepped forward for their introduction. I smirked. No one can beat me at my own game.

Jing-Mei actually spoke...wow...