~*~* Chronicles Of The Rift *~*~ Starts {Closed RPG} {Mature}

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Falling In Love ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]With a flushed face and shaky hands, Tony slowly lifted himself up off me and stood up off the bed. “We fell over, honest.” He pleaded as disappointment began to fill my eyes, it seemed that we could be close, closer than friends when no one was around, yet when people filled the room everything changed.

“Sure.” Kalah laughed, her voice finally coming back to her, as Matt remained speechless. Da seemed to shrug at this and went on about her own way while Tony moved toward the doorway. “By accident or by purpose?” She posed the question to Tony as they met in the doorway.

Tony stopped only for a second as his eyes narrowed. “You know how Ryan is, don’t push it okay? We just simply fell over, that is it.” He responded, the same old Tony was back, it seemed like he hadn’t changed at all. He was still as Asexual as ever. My shoulders began to slump as Kalah and Matt went about gathering up their things, both of them awkwardly quiet.

“You should pack too Ryan, we’re heading out to the next seal soon. We’re going to split up into two groups, Tony, you, myself, and Matt will be taking one seal to the west, while the others head toward the east.” Kalah spoke up, breaking the silence after she had gathered her things. She seemed as if a million things were happening to her, she was nervous, tired, and a bit embarrassed. She turned one last time at the doorway to say something as I remained laying on the bed, her mouth opened and then shut, and then opened one last time, but nothing came out. Finally she just left the room to go and prepare her Caligrey.

Matt seemed to move about gathering up his things for a moment and then stopped and glanced over at me as I continued to lie on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “She’s having a rough day, she will be back to the ole Kalah soon okay?” Matt sighed placing the things on his bed and walking over to me. I let out a short sigh and rolled over onto my stomach, my eyes now focused on the pillow and headboard of the bed. Slowly I felt a strong hand come to rest at the small of my back and began to message up and down it gently. “What’s wrong? It isn’t Kalah is it?” He asked softly, his hand felt like butter against my back as it seemed to message away all the aches and stresses.

“Do…you know what love is?” I asked softly, Matt’s hand seemed to stop for a second and then picked back up again as he dipped down to eye level with me. “I know it is a stupid question.” I whispered angrily, my eyes remained focused on the pillow even though out of the corner of my eye I could see him watching me with curiosity.

“I think, well, love could be something you feel in your heart, it’s a warm feeling you get when your with the person you love. Like I get it when ever I spend time with Kalah.” Matt said slowly, his mind trying to choose the right words that could describe the emotion with its full accuracy. “Like last night…” He added with a mumble.

I turned to him, my eyes filled with curiosity at what could have possibly happened after Kalah and I went to bed. “What happened last night?” I asked, as Matt’s face flushed several colors of red.

“So do you feel this way around Tony?” He changed the subject quickly, drawing my eyes away from him and back to the pillow, I didn’t want to answer that question. Of course I felt that way when I was around Tony now, it was like a warm tingly sensation I could feel all over. “Well?”

I began to turn my head slowly back to him, my lips began to twist into a smile as my cheeks warmed. “Yeah..” I said reluctantly, only to find that Matt had disappeared. The sound of a throat clearing from across the room threw my attention in that direction as I spun my head around to meet Tony, standing at the doorway. “Tony, I..” I gasped trying to find a way to rescue myself from the conversation I was having with Matt.

“Yeah what?” He asked stepping into the room and walking over to the bed, with any luck Matt was on the floor on the opposite side of the bed, to which Tony wouldn’t be able to see him. I would be even luckier if Tony, hadn’t heard any bit of the conversation I was having with Matt at the time. “Listen, Ryan, I’m sorry for what I said earlier, I just didn’t want Kalah to get the wrong impression about us.”

“About…us.” I repeated, my head and feelings sunk even lower than the pit of my stomach as any possible chance I had with him was now gone. “I understand..” I said glumly as Tony stood there over me, a slight frown on his face as he tried to think of a way to rectify the situation.

A finger softly touched my chin and drew it up to where I was looking straight at him, he looked at me with a look of concern strung across his face before he slowly wet his lips and moved the finger that was holding my chin up to them. Slowly he pursed his lips as if to kiss, and pressed his fingers against them, and then slowly while looking straight into my eyes, he placed the kissed fingers, against my right cheek, which instantly warmed at the kiss. My mouth hung open in a gasp as Tony smiled softly, his cheeks as red as mine. Slowly moving the fingers away from my cheek, he turned and left the room with out saying another word.

My head tumbled backwards, falling back onto the soft bed, my mind ablaze with emotions that washed over me like waves in the ocean. Matt’s face slowly appeared over my face as he rose from his hiding position and leaned over me. “Did what happen, what I think just happened?” He asked, my only answer being a lengthy sigh in response. His eyes shifted to the window where everyone seemed to be gathering their Caligrey for the journey. “C’mon short cake, everyone will leave us behind if we don’t head on out.” He smiled, ruffling my hair before pulling my hood over my head, as he grasped his belongings off the other bed.

“I’m not short.” I pouted, sitting up on the bed, cross-legged. Of course this seemed completely childish coming from some one that was around half the size of Matt. “I just have some growing to do.” I added with a scream as Matt scooped me up effortlessly with his other arm and placed me on top of his head. My legs going around his neck as I sat on his shoulders.

“Hang on tight.” He grinned, racing and jumping down the stairs, arriving outside in a matter of seconds. I grinned and giggled all the way down. I felt on the top of the world, Tony had kissed me and now I was having fun with my friends. “And here we are.” He announced skidding to a stop in front of his monstrosity that he rode instead of a Caligrey.

Again easily with one hand, Matt lowered me to the ground, placing me softly upon my feet. Kalah and Tony rode up on their Caligrey, while Yi and the others mounted theirs. “The seal of wind should be about a hour’s ride away, from what we know, it’s located on top of a huge tower with holes. Watch out for creatures nearby.” Kalah announced as she slowly trotted over to Yi and the rest.

As she made sure all of them were okay and discussed our next mission at the Earth seal, located inside of a cave in the nearby mountain range, Tony slowly trotted over to me, our eyes made contact for a brief second and then both of our eyes, darted away, embarrassed. “Wanna ride with me Princess?” Kalah asked trotting her Caligrey over to me before Tony could speak up.

“Sure!” I grinned as Kalah lifted me onto her Caligrey. “And don’t call me Princess.” I shot my lip out; annoyed at the nickname I had been dubbed. Kalah laughed gently as we set off, a new adventure and new dangers ahead of us. My eyes slowly glanced over to Tony who I noticed was watching me, we both noticed that we were looking at each other and both of our faces instantly reddened. Maybe I could also find out what love was on this journey.

[Doomy_McDoomdoom]

OOC: I typically like to go and recap a few things from my character’s point of view. However, I’m not one to write erotica, so I’ll just start from after that.

Matt woke up the next morning a little sore… Actually, he was really sore. He was a little blurry about what had happened the night before, but he was used to that with Kalah. Everything about her left him with his head spinning, but this wasn’t because of Kalah, as a matter of fact, he couldn’t even be really sure that the girl he was with last night was Kalah. He decided that it was best to let this lie for now, he would talk to Kalah after this was all over…well, not that late. He wasn’t even sure this would ever be over.

He began collecting his few belongings and grabbed his vest, which didn’t do much in covering him, but it was probably best that he wear it simply for the social respect and what-not. He began packing up his few belongs, he had slept in his pants, so all there was, was his pack and his gauntlets. He threw his pack over one shoulder and began strapping on his gauntlets. These things still didn’t make much sense to him. That shield thing that they had created was beyond Adonis…Matt.

“Wait…what did I just call myself?” He muttered under his breath.

That was the first time he had known to be referred to by that name. First, by the queen lady that sent them on this crazy thing. And then again, just now. <i>Ok, Matt. It was a slip up. Don’t worry about it.</i>

Now he had yet another thing to push the back of his mind, along with last night and his history in RPG’s, which worried him quite a bit. He finished getting all his items of clothing and “armor” on and turned to notice little Ryan lying on the bed simply staring up at the ceiling. He calmly walked over and sat down as softly as he could, which was enough to bend the bed in his direction and make his presence known to anyone who was near, let alone on, the bed.

“What’s goin’ on short stuff?” He didn’t mean it offensively. He called a lot of people short stuff. Because, even in his old form, a lot of people were short next to him. Ryan just looked up at him.

“It isn’t Kalah is it?” Matt rested his hand on Ryan’s tiny back. He had a little trouble not chuckling; his hand was nearly Ryan’s entire back.

But, with that Ryan didn’t say much of anything. He just looked at Matt and caught his cat gaze for a moment, asking, “Do…you know what love is?” Matt smiled.

“I didn’t until a while ago. Now it’s one of the few things I’m sure of. Love is almost impossible to define to someone who doesn’t know what it is personally.” He grinned, exposing his sharp teeth. “But, since ya asked. Love is a completion of yourself. Even if you didn’t know that something was missing. It’s knowing that whenever you’re around that person, that everything is ok. It doesn’t matter what’s happening, you could be arguing or fighting for your life. But, you know that because they’re there nothing can change the fact that you’re happy. It’s that warm feeling you get deep in your chest just knowing that wherever they are, they might be thinking about you too. It’s the exact way I feel about Kalah, and the way that she says she feels about me.”

Matt stood again. “Sorry for the shoddy definition shortcake, but it’s the understanding I’ve gotten.” Matt crouched to get eye level with Ryan.

“So, do you feel that way around Tony?” Matt gave a little wink and a smirk.

Ryan instantly blushed and tried to hide his face. His response was almost inaudible and probably would have been if Matt had had his old ears…but there was a definite “Yes” in his response and that made Matt smile. After he had found something so incredible, he really hoped that everyone in the world could be as happy as him.

“Come on, we’re going to be late. Everyone’s probably already waiting on us.” Matt shuffled up Ryan’s hair and swooped him up. Letting him rest on his shoulders, Matt made a few unnecessary laps around the room, like he did with kids at camp, and then made his way down the stairs to the main room and outside.

Matt found his ride…not that it was hard, his mount was about the size of the inn. And set Ryan down. That’s when he noticed Kalah…

“Listen bud, I’ve gotta run. Kalah and I have to have a chat before he get to finding those seals.”

He turned and as he did, the smile that was on his face vanished. He had never been so worried. What had happened last night was with Kalah…he hoped. But now that he really thought about it, Kalah was never <i>that</i> playful. She looked just like Kalah…it had to have been Kalah. His face was nearly entirely flushed when he finally reached Kalah who was preparing her Caligrey to ride.

“Hey baby doll…listen…I wanted to talk to you about last night. What had gotten into you?” He ran his hand nervously through his platinum hair

“I mean, I’ve never seen you like that. And don’t get me wrong…it was incredible. I can’t even begin to describe it. But, it just didn’t seem very much like you, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little worried.

[Roy Karrde]

Damn you Kalah for giving me such a great idea and dialogue that I couldn’t wait.

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Riding Along ~*~*~*~*~

With the mountains ahead of us, and the town a fading memory, we made our way across the desert landscape that led to the mountain hideaway that held the Earth Seal. My arms clutched Kalah’s waist for security as we rode along, my head continued to turn to look at Tony, and then my eyes would dart away when he would notice that I was looking at him. The memory of him kissing me was still fresh in my memory, now I had to wonder, should I kiss him back? What would happen if I kissed him back? My stomach knotted in worry as I tried to figure out what to do. I was kissing a guy, I mean I am a Guy, how could I kiss another guy? Then again I wasn’t truly a guy anymore, I doubt I would ever be a guy ever again.

I let out a soft sigh and tried to focus on something else, what if Tony and I dated, that meant I could dress up. I wouldn’t have to wear something as bland as a suit, I could wear a dress, and have my hair done up, and even wear make up! “Hey Kalah!” I tapped her shoulder, raising my head up so that I could stick my head over her shoulder. “Hey, do you think I am old enough to wear make-up?” I questioned in giddy excitement of the thought of wearing lipstick and eye shadow.

Kalah slowly raised an eyebrow and shot a look back at me from the corner of my eye. “I don’t think you need to wear make-up.” She said quickly before focusing her gaze back on the trail and guiding her Caligrey.

Disregarding what she said I continued to prod and placed my head up above her shoulder again. “Why not? I mean I just want to dress up! Just if Tony and I were to go some where special.” I explained, dancing around the word date so that she wouldn’t catch on too quick. I mean Tony and I may not even date, then again we might could, we could even live here and get married and all. Maybe even have a baby, I could be a mommy!

Kalah sighed and looked off at Matt before answering, her voice slightly monotonous as if she were in some far away memory or if she were thinking of something else. “Sure, you can dress up and wear whatever you’d like. Just don’t overdo it.” She waved me off, her answer sounding as if it were barely a thought.

My eyes lit up in happiness; as if my mom had given me permission to do something I had always wanted. “Would you help me dress up?” I asked, my voice shaking in excitement that I just couldn’t hold back any longer.

Biting her lip Kalah jerked her head back at me in anger, one hand holding the reigns as the other hand held her pointer finger that jerked at me. “Look…see this?” She asked, her voice filled with annoyance and barely controlled rage, her finger pointing at her eyelids that contained a violet hue with silverfish sparkles. “I just have this, it isn’t make up. Neither is there makeup upon my lips or anything… I just look this way.” Her voice rising and lowering as she spoke.

I began to crouch down in my seat, my lip trembling in fear at the pointer finger that had just been pointed at me. I was so afraid by her tone and actions that she would strike me or scratch me or something. She slowly withdrew a sigh and focused back on the trail again. “So don’t ask me these things, I have no idea.” She whispered through clinched teeth.

The sudden voice of Tony broke through the tense air around Kalah as he rode up on both of us. “Geez! What is all the shouting about, ladies?” Tony asked, his eyes shifting from me with my teary eyes and quivering lip, to Kalah who didn’t even glance at him. “Okay, well we’re almost there, Matt and I are going to go scout ahead.” He told us, he gave one last look at me before slapping the reigns causing the Caligrey to ride off with Matt’s creature.

“Sorry, I-I was just asking because Tony kissed me.” I whispered, finally breaking the silence, my voice was trembling in fear from the whole incident. Kalah was my best friend, why was she acting this way? Why was she so angry?

Kalah jerked her head back to me, her eye twitching in annoyance; I instantly sunk lower in my seat in fear. “Wow Adalia,…a kiss…well you know what I did?” She asked sarcastically, her face twisted in annoyance as she jabbed her pointer finger just inches away from my nose like a teacher lecturing a student. “I went and suck-.” Kalah stopped, as I began to cry as hard as possible, her finger scareing me.

“I’m sorry…Ryan…I’m just not feeling like myself right now.” Kalah apologized slowly, turning around as I cried uncontrollably. I tried to stop, I tried to be a big girl, but my shoulders hurt, everything hurt, and I was so scared of Kalah. After a few minutes she glanced back over at me, a slight look of worry and annoyance on her face. “Here…would you rather ride with someone else?” She asked forgetting that Tony and Matt were already at the seal. I tried to answer, I wanted to answer, but all that would come out was sobs as tears flowed out of my eyes.

“Ryan stop…” She said again, her teeth grating at the sound of me crying. I couldn’t obey her, I wanted to stop crying, but every time I tried to stop, all that would happen was that I would cry harder. “Adalia stop! or I will make you walk the rest of the way!” Kalah wispered, her hands shaking me. I brought my hands away from my eyes, my body shaking uncontrollably in fear.

Kalah’s eyes seemed to unfocus and focus again as she brought a shaky hand up to her mouth, tears began to fill her eyes as she quickly enveloped me into a hug. “No, please don’t hurt me, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I screamed, my body shaking as Kalah hugged me as tightly as possible.

“I’m not going to hurt you, I’m so sorry Ryan.” She whispered, tears streaking down her cheeks. She finally pulled her self away and then leaned forwarded and kissed my reddened cheeks. “So..Tony kissed you?” She asked, a slight smile appearing on her tired cheeks.

I nodded in happiness until I saw the seal, my eyes grew wide in horror from the sight of the battle that took place between Tony and Matt and several large rock golems. Kalah turned around slowly just to see Matt go sailing into the air from a massive hit from one of the golems. “Matt!” She screamed yanking the reigns and sending the Caligrey speeding toward the battle as quickly as possible.

[color=grey] Full Breed
[color=black]~*~*~*~*~ Watching ~*~*~*~*~

Events were unfolding differently this time; the chain was different, forged from unique metal not found on these worlds. The others wouldn’t like this; it would interfere with the plan that we had kept in place for the last five hundred years. I floated through the air, watching a group of three men, and one woman as they headed toward the Wind Seal. I may be nothing more than a mere phantom in this world, yet I would still be able to watch, to study. One of the men, one that could see spirits, had me worried. While he nor his spirit had enough power to break the spell that myself and others were placed upon us, one day he may be able to see through the spell.

My reptilian eyes narrowed in annoyance as I followed the four, all of them merry and joyous as if they did not know the truth of the guardians of the wind seal. One glance at the sky would have foretold their destiny, yet none of them ever ventured to look. As happy as schoolgirls they continued on merrily, while their destiny grew larger and larger with each passing moment.

It wasn’t until they were near the seal, till their destiny swooped down, ten Harpies, disgusting women and creatures in their own right. The foul fowls would howl and scratch as they encircled their prey. This would be the first test of the newly forged chain, if they could not withstand the guardians of the Wind seal, then there was nothing to fret about. If they could, then I would continue to observe, for that was all I could do.

[Vulpix.ck87]

Oh, those lovable boys..

Marxyboy~

It was a terrible shame, and I couldn’t say I wasn’t disappointed:

As I leant over to further pursue the canoodling of my two new favourite man friends, Da burst through the door, rudely interrupting all said seedy going-ons and pleasurable occurrences..

Tane jumped about half a mile, whilst my oily elbow slipped and sent me falling face first into the mattress. I fought with a mouthful of pillow only to clamber back up into a sitting position and hastily cover my shameful areas with the bed sheets - clearly my feeble garments of underwear were not enough to hide… cough.

Da simply shrugged at the sight, and I wondered optimistically at how little she had seen. Ok, she’d seen it all, but how much had she registered? Her being a cunningly-deceptive vacant type creature (with a sharp toothed, pocket-sized alter ego to match), I think she understood the situation pretty well. With a remark of “Guess I nut ‘ave to deal with dis tonight, I ‘ope.”, my stomach sank. How embarrassing. Yet I found myself feeling defiant as she cast us a stern look, and why should I not.. Indulge myself?

Certainly it was quickly out of her mind as with a half jigging nod-shrug she pulled a pack of unusual playing cards from one of her many pockets. Morrigan rose from his position on my bed, a little entranced as she began to flick the cards from one hand to the other, making them flourish back and forth, back and forth..

She swayed/jigged/walked towards our bed, slapping the unusually thick deck down onto the mattress with a great deal of bravado, and Morrigan scuttled hastily backwards as the result of nearly having his nose severed off. The three of us in our man pile stared a little bewildered, and a little intrigued (naturally), as Da continued shuffling, grabbing both halves of the deck, lifting the inner ends and riffling them down to intermix. And then, licking her fingers with an air of grandeur, she selected not one, not two, five nor six, but ten cards. She reviewed them briefly before nodding knowledgeably - a gesture with more than a little nark. Following her gaze I twitched a little - the cards were not the usual, numbered suited cards but instead bore grim pictures and titles, which made sense in this medieval world I supposed.

Da, with a sinister look in her eye (and a malicious glint in her pocket) tapped the first and foremost card of the spread, the one closest to us. The picture on it was of some unfortunate tower, struck by lightning, fire and brimstone.. Her finger quivered ominously and she grinned cruelly at us, before standing up in a haphazard manner and retreating towards the door, yet repeatedly waggling her finger at us. Morrigan, Tane and I exchanged a glance.

“Er, what does that mean then?” Morrigan ventured, “I suppose it means something..” He trailed off at Da’s vindictive smile. Her many layers of clothing rustled for effect.

“Yer sex’al futures look-en the bleak.” She said nastily, and as Tane scoffed she closed the door on us with a sincere slam. While Tane took this news lightly, Morrigan turned to me, a worried look on his face. I patted his shoulder.

“I don’t think." I muttered, closing the distance between his face and my own confidently, “-that that’s a hundred percent certain..” I whispered, and our lips brushed with a tingle. I saw Morrigan’s expression flicker towards the joyous through my lowered lashes, and I moved in for a full on kiss, Tane getting closer too as-

Bang. The door flew open as the white haired boy Zeal entered the room, and the man tangle instantly fell apart. Seemingly without noticing what steaminess he had interrupted he called merrily:

“Wakey wakey guys! Time to move out! I’ll see you all in the common room!” He announced all of this as he opened and shut the door, barely lingering long enough to take a good look at the room’s occupants, who were all blushing some what on the same bed. As the door slammed with a “Dewa mata!” I slid off of the mattress. Tane wonderingly muttered “Was that Japanaese..?”. Morrigan looked glum.

“I always hated percentages and the rest of that mathy type stuff..” He muttered as Tane stood up beside me and stretched luxuriously, looking optimistic for once. He ran a hand through the Morrigan’s messy hair, white tresses furling between his fingers.

“Don’t worry about it, I think this is the start of a long and beautiful relationsh- Threesome.. Thing.” He blinked confusedly, and left the room with a shrug. Morrigan peered out of the window, and a smile flitted across his lips.

“Good weather for travelling in.. Maybe we could take a detour..” He murmured hopefully, and I exchanged a sly smile with him before picking up my clothes and departing for the bathroom. There, I gladly washed the vomit and blood from my hair, the sweat and, most regrettably, the massage oil from my skin. It was strange that my new friends found me attractive even covered in all the days events (spider guts, throw up, etc.) but I wasn’t complaining. They were weird, I grinned to myself. But I liked them. I liked them so much..

As I slipped my heavy armour over my head and fastened it under my arms, the steely plates close fitting and comparatively restrictive, I felt the burdens of this forlorn world settle back onto my shoulders along with my defensive garb. I didn’t sigh, and I didn’t frown. I knew what had to be done - I had volunteered to do it after all. And I did not regret it. But along with the burden came the responsibility, and Marxiach’s character bore down on me increasingly. I wondered who I was now. The girl I used to be was slipping away so quickly. Sure I found Morrigan and Tane attractive, but I would never have been so bold as to- Marxiach’s/My sexuality had nothing to do with the girl I used to know. It was his own, my own, and he wouldn’t deny himself, myself, of his needs.

All the little things and my carefree manner seemed to disintegrate as I left the bathroom, clean, clear minded and clothed. It wasn’t the armour that chained me down, my duty did. And whilst I nursed a soft spot in my heart for the two creatures I both lusted and loved in this world, it was the only tenderness I held. I felt like the rest of me was stone.. I had a moral sense and I would abide by it, I would interact with my companions casually, but I had business to take care of. I found it harder and harder to be relaxed and open, to think about normal things, to tear my mind away from the battle and the mission. I found it harder to smile.

After dealing with matters at the hotel we moved on to mount our Caligrey, and we set out as a team divided but with similar goals in mind.

Let us pretend that the 'e's in Tane are adorned with suitable accents..

[Plantae]

= Too-close Encounters of the Ocular Kind =

She was disinterested. She was tired. She was uninterested and fatigued. But she followed with that lackadaisical and supposed sense of destiny that pressed all of them onward. Or so the cerebellum of one witty would illicit. She intoned briefly at times, but for all of it she was quiet. That eerie silence that forbade not much less than the possibility of elation on the horizon; maybe it stood right for it, for the breathing room ran like gelatin. She did happen to be perceptive enough to note that even the three men along with her, thankfully or unfortunately of a desperately green disposition for fellows, were calm themselves, or at least not lad-on-lad.

Her possibly feeble mind tried to grasp an idea. Or two. Or ten. All of which floated past like whims on a zephyr of destitute inspiration. She whored herself to the muse in search of but a one thing to distract her. But there was no such relief. Eventually she set at it again with spare vittles of a vest, voraciously and with a sacred volition knitting and weaving at a vestige of a cloth-like object of indeterminate origins. With telekinesis the traversing made little consequence to her ability to continue. It was as if, though, that she was making faults on purpose, possibly to her bitter bemusement.

She cursed her own thoughts for the suggestion to split up with only a few targets left, already irritated at her, or in wont of ignoring her at least. Efficiency was unlikely to serve the mind of one so fickle. But then, neither was ineffable failure. She was betwixt the two and she could not grasp around exactly what she wanted. It was no kind of uncommon, these days of wear, to find no solace in even sewing work. A nag was ever-present and ever-prodding her. Maybe she was more easily explainable than the rest were likely to think. She lamented of missing all of their company, or so she would without the possibility to make them victims of her vision or to serve her sadism with their sans sanity. But was it really, or was it possible that there was another more reason, pointedly attempting to gut her self-conscious head? It mulled itself, the aberrant possibility, and then with a mind-force she mindfully miffed the last of a misplaced cap for Marx or maybe Morrigan. With that, any omnipotent observer would be forced to conclude: no. She was instead the same harridan she had always and ne’er not been.

See, she was at a creation terrible. This was the like of which the world have e’er not seen. It was bollocks! It was preposterous! Precocious and haggish- and it being of all requirements for asylum- was the mission that she had taken path to. She was carving an alias, nay! A solemn vow and pact and forging the links of a forlorn company together. She was making these horrors uniform… a uniform of hats.

Brought were all four of them. Hers was the only constructed with some care. The others were half-assed and could be bet to fall to disarray quickly and not even fit the heads of their consumer. But she did not pay attention this adversity and instead brought them forth with vigor. One was beige for always would there be beige. The second seemed a putrid yellow like jaundice. The third showed a dullard’s gray. In union they professed atrocious fervor, her “commitment.” She, in her need, made sure that for it could not these hats be appropriately set off and far-gone each other, or of her own. And that in particular was epitome. Hers was the crown, being on top of her head. She fluffed it, mockingly dignified, and made sure to keep her crimson sash well set: her nascent top covering became, at a head, a turban.

There were stares all around as she stopped them en route. She tallied out the toppers. They tallied out their pseudo-delighted faces. An uncomfortable expression that suggested a soon-sweat was evident upon Tané’s face as he was made to feel guilty. But how could he, in confidence and without insult, not accept her grey creation? The ever-serious Marx twirled his dandelion cap with a criminal and quizzical look before, after prodding from her ferocious eyes, putting it on his head; he always was the obliging fellow, indeed. Morrigan was, for lack of a better turn of phrase, not quite at a loss as Tané was with his grey. Marx gave, bluntly, “It seems a bit shoddy.” She was not offended for she noticed it had but fallen off his head and concluded his comment to be in relation to that. She assisted him and whirled it through the air with an extrasensory limb, placing it again and crookedly on his head. Morrigan coughed obviously. Tane looked increasingly distraught and slowly indifferent. Then, bird a nibble at the thread with its impurity, Morrigan: he placed his on his head, turned to his convoluted compatriot and shrugged. Her eyes bore into the shaman as he waited and soon he found the eyes of all of them on him and, feeling that wearing it would be less uncomfortable than the current situation, threw it on his head in a jiff. He was going to be bereft the moment Baron popped up to say “’Ello” and caught an eyeful of his favorite and only masisi’s headwear. For his head was already drooping and neck a-slouch. She did not notice in the least. In fact, she roiled and leaped and wiggled in utter excitement. The four musketeers walked on, first apricot karakul, beside him the miraculously pointed sunshine conical and next adjacent the stocking cap of grey which itched the poor houngan’s scalp: striding in front of them all was the turban.

It is well known that the sound a harpy makes is a cackle. What is not so lucid is quite how they cackle and how it scares a group of odd headgear travelers when they are more likely to immediately think that someone is valiantly guffawing for their newest accessory. Whether or not that was part of their laugh and subsequent shriek is a portent that will never be tapped, never known. And one does not think of such things when one is encircling like the encircling harpies and babbling in incessant and overlaying tones, turban a-bob. Nor does mouse-in-pocket think of that sort when he is wondering in hell why his mistress be moving so damn much. They were all focused on the scratching- of the claws- except Tané who was both focused on this and the scratching involved with a grey woolen stocking cap.

Then it was muttering and invocations of shaman’s cosmopolitan vows to the Ghéde. It was the violent spirit awakened again and a pike bared like the dickens of mercilessness. There were squawks of raven against squawks and the faintest tinkling of whinnying along with the cold hard stare of a perturbed and Clint Eastwood figure/berserker with black patch-eye and elegant sword prepared to swing- begging of to make his day- and all of them, some decidedly more startled, on the defensive for the vultures above.

The guardians of the wind seal circled with rapidity, closing fast and out of nowhere. The circle of allies grew tighter. She was simply watching with a suddenly amiable rodent sitting on her shoulder. She was popping chocolate marbles in her great maw. She was freakishly without panic and she had only now been galumphing about in the way she did. Her eyes widened as the first swooped straight for the most vulnerable and she was too far from the group for reaching if racking was to be done by her dignitaries here. She was isolated and alone, forlorn like a little old lady in an idiosyncratic scene. The harpy flew low, hovered, and dived. She made not motion but then a demure beast of a silly man-warrior was catapulted into the air. He gritted his teeth almost to malocclusion. Snig was on the warpath.

It all happened quickly. He scampered up the feathers in midair and a deafening siren, a pickling death-cry echoed forth as from irises bled black-red blood. A sideswipe, a pathetic sky-stumble and sky-fall as there was a malignant crunch and a delightful squelch of flesh hitting earth. She reached out her hand, gesturing weakly, and there again was the meekly timid and cute ickle mouse… turning over and guardedly devouring an eyeball.

But that was likely to be her only contribution. The other nine could be divided to the other three.

=====

[Fai D. Flowright]

[color=#3366FF]~.v^=+~ Zeal ~+=^v.~

[color=#C0C0C0]This was the first time that I truly wished I was back at home. Maybe checking the internet or talking anime and games with friends. Anything other than being here, fighting and killing rock monsters, risking my very life. I even wondered what my parents were thinking; was my mom scared for my safety? Did she wonder where I was or that I ran away? It made me wonder... How long had I actually been gone now? I had seen shows and games where people go to alternate dimensions and return to their own to find that either little to no time had passed or that a couple hours in the new world, was several days or weeks in their home world. Knowing that, I was rather unsure how to concern myself about my old life.

All this time, I was using my Callisto to catch Matt, spin him around, and throw him back at the third golem while dodging the fourth’s. He had taken down one and I had made quick work of another one by punching holes in and shattering it. Now, we were down to the last two and Kalah and Ryan could to arrive at any moment. Becoming frustrated with these monotonous failures, I thrust my arms downward, summoning the Callisto to spiral around me. Raising my arms up, the orbs followed and ordered themselves in a line straight up from my head, the lead ball lifting me off the ground from under my feet. I wanted to use it as a drill to bore into the monster, but what happened next was something I never expected. White lightning crackled through each sphere, like a lightning rod, as I lowered it down in front of me, aiming the end toward one of the golem. A sporadic bolt of electricity launched from the tip, ripping into the monster and superheating its surface. While the sudden spell seemed to harm the monster little, did it mean I could cast this, as well as other magic, with these things too?

“What the hell was THAT!?” Matt hollered, taken aback by the flashing lightning about as much as I was. He slammed his fist forward into the heated golem, causing it to burst into smithereens. He seethed through his teeth, flailing his arm in the air. “Youch! That is some solid rock! Hey, think you got anything in that arsenal that’ll weaken these things more?”

“You know, I wonder...” I mumbled, thinking what would take advantage of the stone structure of these monsters. “Only one I know of! And here goes nothing...” Holding my arms out, fully extended to my sides, three of the Callisto orbs flung out to each wrist and gently spiraled about them. Another hovered in front of me and the last one, again, lifted me just off the ground, whirling below my feet and around my ankles. Twisting my arms inward, the orbs rapidly formed with the one in front of me to create a larger sphere; one ball in each cardinal direction with the last in the center. The cavity around the center began to fill with water.

I could feel the energy being drained from my body as the central orb glowed bright blue, but I could also feel where the energy was flowing from. Looking down, I could see a dim, aqua-colored aura coming from my left leg. As the split pant leg fluttered in a gentle breeze, I could see the tattoo on the same leg glowing softly as I charged the attack.

Bringing my attention back to the water bomb gathering in my palm, I spun around easily in the air and lifted the attack above my head. Flicking my fingers up, the orbs arced forward, floating over the final golem, which Matt had been holding back as I prepared the technique. “Run, Matt!” I shouted as he made a rolling maneuver to the side as the Callisto above broke open, dropping a miniature flood of water down on the staggering demon. The cracks in the stone that composed his body began to break open and split its solid shell into a state where a single punch from Matt would easily crumble the golem into rubble.

“Aren’t you just full of tricks.” Matt gasped, slamming his fist through the monster which crumbled as easily as a cookie that’s been soaked in milk too long. I grinned contently while recalling the orbs. “We’re over here!” Matt waved to Kalah and Ryan. The pair rode up and Matt began to recap the story of the battle as I began to study the ruins of the cave. I didn’t want to be around Ryan right now. The ‘kiss’ between her and I was too weird and, at the moment, I wanted to place it far out of my mind.

The ruins, on the other hand, were the perfect place for a distraction. They filled the cave that had been created in the side of the mountain; the passageway through the cave was lined with art that looked almost prehistoric. The sketches depicting the monsters we had just faced. “Can you understand any of it?” A voice piped up from behind me. I turned to find Ryan standing in wait; her face filled with curiosity as she rocked back and forth on her heals. “It just looks like a bunch of weird squiggles to me.” She commented, which caused me to grin at her childish understanding of the images.

“It’s an ancient language, possibly millions of years old.” I mused, my hand slowly running over the side of the wall as we walked deeper into the cave. “These could have even been written by the very first chain.” I wondered out loud as Ryan ran ahead of me, playing hopscotch on the uneven floor.

“Watch out! There could be traps.” I warned to no avail. She was already too far ahead and enjoying herself too much to heed any warnings. With a long sigh, I followed her, Kalah and Matt close behind as we walked into a large chamber. In the middle of it was a hand-carved dome with more ancient writing on it. Below the decorative ceiling was an elaborate, circular altar, painted and etched with many symbols. From the center, a stone spire jutted upwards; seven slots resembling handprints lined the base around it. The perimeter of the entire chamber was guarded with a number of the golems we had just faced, all of them dormant... for now.

“Everyone, watch out for those golems.” Kalah warned as we walked around the base of the altar. The handprints seemed to differ as if they were each made personally for us. “Let’s place our hands on this thing and get out of here.” She added, as everyone seemed to give a slight shiver at the sight of those monstrosities. Everyone seemed to nod in agreement as Ryan ran forward and placed her hand on the smallest one. She seemed a bit overeager to touch just about anything here.

“That’s about all I can get out of these crude ideograms anyway.” I sighed, relentlessly massaging my temples in order to concentrate; it wasn’t working. “Might as well...” I reached out my hand, placing my palm gently against the smooth slate. My fingers fell into the grooves of the print with ease and seemed to fit the marking perfectly. Kalah and Matt did the same, finding the indent that fit their hand the best...

...Nothing happened. “Maybe we need to fill all seven!” Ryan called out, placing her other hand into another carving. As she did, a little fact came to both her and my attention: all of the prints were right-handed! “Uhh...” she stuttered, unsure as to what other solutions there could be.

“It’ll take all of us to break each seal,” I commented aloud, “I suppose...” I could hear Kalah give a frustrated groan as she slid down the side of the spire, her hand massaging and scratching at the scalp above her forehead. “I guess we’ll have to meet up with the others. I’m sure they will have the same problem.”

Carefully rubbing away the dust and debris from more of the stone, I searched for any other sign of direction. The images only wandered through metaphoric pictures and theoretical loops, but my mind stayed on a single question...

”Why only seven?”

[Roy Karrde]

Woot! My 1500th post!

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Curious ~*~*~*~*~

“It will take us hours, maybe even a day to catch up with them.” Kalah sighed from her position at the alter. I frowned and slowly sat down on the ground also. A day of riding didn’t sound like fun, especially with Kalah mad at me, and my feelings all in turmoil over Tony. There had to be another way, some other way to get there faster. I began to take my golden blonde hair onto my finger and wrapped it around my index finger softly as I thought.

Matt slapped his knees harshly as a sign of frustration and rose to his full magnificent height. “Well the longer we sit around here, the more time we waste, lets get going.” He suggested. None of us seemed to object as we all rose and prepared for the long journey ahead. “Hey short stuff, how about you ride with me this time?” Matt offered coming over and placing a protective hand over my back.

I gave him a small nod as we started walking back toward the cave entrance. I yawned lightly and rubbed my eyes as we walked, it was nearing mid day and I hadn’t eaten breakfast or even gone to the bathroom yet. Both needs along with exhaustion from riding were quickly becoming apparent. We reached the entrance and Tony began to pack the Calisto balls into his Caligrey when it struck me, the lightning! Tony’s lightning ability! “Guy’s..I have a idea.” I mumbled, my voice barely audible, the idea was crazy and it may not even work, heck I felt stupid for even bringing it up. Everyone turned to listen, and when I realized I needed no further prompting I continued. “I think I know a way for us all to get to the others in seconds.” I added.

“How?” Kalah asked, curiosity and a small bit of enthusiasm that had been missing from her voice earlier now seemed to overflow from it.

“Well you see, when I healed Marx last night, I used my own power and ever since then I have kind of felt where that power is, kind of like I know where Marx is.” I explained feeling kind of silly at the idea. “So I was thinking if Tony could create a electric flow, and Kalah could keep us squished together in a tight space, I could create a bubble from my magic to follow along the flow and guide it to Marx.” I finished the explanation, giving it a smile and using gesturing hand motions to help further my point.

Tony, Kalah, and Matt each exchanged looks for a second as I kept my hands clasped together in front of me. The silence had to be the scariest part of the event, would they laugh at me? Think I was crazy? Think it would never work? “Well it’s worth a shot.” Matt shrugged, instantly my face lit up with a smile as the three moved around me, Tony unpacked the balls and began to reform the spell ring used to make his lightning.

Kalah stretched out her hands and like an invisible force all three of us moved as close together as possible. I followed through with my part and extended my rod up into the air, in a flash of brilliant green light, a large bubble enveloped the three of us. “Here goes nothing.” Tony sighed, in the blink of an eye a lightning from the Calisto balls crashed down upon us. The bubble shot upwards propelled by the continuous stream of electricity that carried us across the land transverse miles in milliseconds. My rod began to shake in my hand, as the energy seemed to just flow out of my body and into the bubble while I tried my best to guide it to Marx.

As quickly as it started, the trip seemed to end, the earth where I thought Marx and the others would be standing When the spots left their eyes, our bubble remained where the lightning had struck. I would have been excited to see the grassy medow if it wasn’t the rapidly hazing of my vision, while my legs began to buckle under their own weight. “I got you.” Tony soothed, his voice like a soft melody in my ear as his arms wrapped around me before lowering me softly to the ground. “That’s my girl, you did great.” He added stroking a lock of hair out of my face.

“I’m…thirsty.” I whispered my mouth quickly becoming as dry as a mid day desert. Tony nodded and brought the canteen up to my mouth while propping my head up in his arms. The sweet tasting liquid spilled over my mouth and I gulped it down as if it were the last thing on Earth. “Thanks..” I added, too tired to wipe the excess away from my own mouth.

Instead of making some comment about spilling the drink all over myself, all he did was bend down with his sleeve and slowly cleaned my mouth off. I gave him a soft smile as thanks, after a few minutes to make sure I was going to be okay he allowed me to stand up on very shaky legs. All around us were grassy fields and meddows as far as the eye could see, with a large tower that streched up into the heavens off in the distance. "Lets get going." Matt sighed walking off toward the tower, Tony bent down and picked me up, craddling me in both arms. I snuggled up against him and relaxed, almost to the point that I didn't hear the swoosh and hissing as wingged serpents swooped down around us.

Alright I didn’t know if you guys wanted to kill the harpies off by yourselves or have help, anyway you guys can continue to the Wind Seal with all of us please. Climb the tower which has a long round staircase inside and reach the top. The seal is just like the last one except no Golems, and when all seven handprints are touched, a large tornado is released, the challenge is getting out of the room the seal is in with out being sucked up by the tornado!

[Vulpix.ck87]

Too long and too stupid and a million typos i'm sure so now i'm off to watch CSI and Lost ¬_¬;; Don't kill me

Marxiach~

A formation of feathered women swooped down towards us, but they were more than hybrids, they were full blown mythology. I blinked a little dazed as they acrobatically fell out of the sky, one by one, recognising them as harpies. This world is insane.. But my astonishment was quickly bettered by the fearful adrenaline that rushed my body as I realised they were not coming to welcome us, more so the opposite. The Tower of the Wind Seal stood high in front of us, and I could see the entrance so close.. Tane began to summon the Baron and Da shuffled off to meet one of the harpies, and it became apparent that the assumption of our little group was that we would have to go through the feathered mob. As I drew my sword I cast a hand over my eyes so as to see against the still-bright rays of the setting sun. There was a whole array of the creatures, breasts proud and feathers of a thousand hues. Then they separated off from their roundabout flock and began to target us. Ahh..

Morrigan ambled past me with a flutter, all of a sudden he was a flurry of feathers, whether disparate or belonging to a single body I couldn’t tell. Swarms of talons and beady eyes met the trio of harpies that had set upon him, but I had no time to see the outcome - an equal number had chosen me for their target, and I began to swing my sword, cutting through the afternoon air with a solid swish. But at most all it seemed to do was clip a few tail feathers, and I lowered it dejectedly, and they laughed mockingly at my apparent defeat. I spun confused as they opened their wings to wheel above and around me, their laughter steadily growing stronger.

A scarlet harpy, her russet feathers glowing whorishly in the sunset, reached out with talons heavily encrusted with her own filth; mouse guts and mortal entrails; bone dust and her own excrement. I dodged her rakish attack but she pressed in on me, wings beating me back and blocking my vision with a shroud of feathers. Her crooked teeth didn’t laugh now but merely sat clenched in her crooked mouth - a smirk still plagued that face, for all it’s determined capacity, her eyes were merely fixed on mine, bloodshot and desperate - and she swung up her legs to lunge, twist and slash. Duel cruel trios of hooks came at me one after the other, and I barely raised an arm in time - the talons found not a perch on my face but on my hand, brutally tearing the vulnerable skin of my palm and slitting it to shreds. At the same time she hooked the fourth digit’s claw onto the back of my hand, splitting the skin that stretched between the bones, and sinking the claw in twixt the third and fourth metacarpal. The second set of talons tore once at the more tender skin of my underarms causing streams of blood to flow down and drip from my elbow, and she then used her hold on the bones of my hand as leverage to swing herself up to slash at me again.

As another breasted bird swooped in on my left side I fell backwards, hitting my arse hard on the ground and affectively winding myself, but as I fell it jolted the russet harpy from slashing me again - she tilted ungainly, still attached to my hand. I was in sheer amazement that the talon had not yet entirely broken through to poke out of my palm, as the pain was immense, but instead the wicked hook gave her her seat. Unfortunately for her she could not break away from my hand either, and in an instinctual rage I slammed her into the ground with all my might. I heard the brittle crack of her ribs and sternum shattering beneath her breast, and the left side of her face lay flattened against the ground. Broken bones must have pierced a lung because as she lay there - right wing flapping futilely - her twitching, quivering lips frothed a red broth. Grimacing, I unhinged her talon from my hand and rapidly tried to gather my breath.

The second harpy attacked me now with a fury, attempting to slice my face asunder once more. Luckily the banana-yellow hat Da had given me came in handy, and the irridescent-feathered harpy backed off, talons tangled in the wool. The hat fluttered down eventually from the sky, but during the distraction I had reached for my sword - which I had dropped so hastily earlier - so that I could once more defend myself. Groping across the broken dry earth and bladed tufts of grass (even the plant growth here mimicked the cruel razor-edge of the harpies' talons and beaks) I found the cool rock of my blade and my bloodied hand followed the stone to the hilt, where I wrapped my shredded palm for a grip and swung it upwards single armed. The weapon came into my vision, perfectly aligned with my light of sight, and as the harpy sheared away in alarm my eyes caught on something most peculiar..

For along the path of my sword’s blade, all the tiny little rivets where lighting up a bright, blood red.

All at once my head swung, and I fell out of the battle only to crash back in with extra force. The little engravings that had decorated my sword had been mere shadows in the solid stone of the blade, but now blood flowed up these channels, filling them like the tide fills the most forlorn moats of sandcastles, with streams sidling off like the tributaries of great rivers. All at once my sword had it’s own circulatory system - a thousand intricate arteries and arterioles flushed before my eyes, pulsing but infinitely clear and separate. I saw the pommel stone glow redder then before, it was the perfect crimson of my own blood, and I knew this sword had been forged of my own guts and bone and plasma.

A thunderous crash of hooves hit my ears, no longer just in my head, and as I saw the sword pulse faster I felt my own heart quicken to meet it. Blood pounded in my veins, roaring in my ears and eyes and even in my nasal capacity - all I could smell was this chemical scent of iron, and it tingled so strongly on my tongue too. The pressure inside of me was explosive, and I swung the sword wildly at the harpy who still hovered some metres above, who still mocked me. I rolled forward to one knee and with one shin flat in the rasping grass I kept the sword still raised with a strength unnatural to my body. Maintaining the heavy blade’s projection against gravity took it’s toll on me, and as I let it fall to the grass the harpy landed in front of me, seeing that I could not strike from above.

I stared at her face with a vigour, but there was something wrong with my eyes, it was all blurring, becoming immaterial to me. My eyes flickered for a second - the skin and flesh were only the surface, and as I saw her dance in front of me, mockingbird she was, I saw not her feathers, her eyes, her breast. I saw underneath, the faint inner organs, moving with their own rhythm and adjacent life. I was enraptured as my vision filtered everything but red, and I became imperceptibly drawn to the heat she gave off, her limbs glowing in my scarlet vision and the humid scent concentrating in my nostrils. Every hair on my body seemed to stand on end to catch a drift of the heat, and now instead of the hooves in my ears I could hear the solid thump-thump of a heartbeat. It was not my own. I stared at her, at her chest, and my breath caught. Something had clicked and everything came clearer.

I wasn’t just seeing red, I was seeing infra-red. Heat, in the blood and vital organs of the creatures around me, the trails left in the air by warm-blooded movement, the hot scent rising off my own skin.. It was intense, my eyes could see the main blood vessels and the vulnerable innards, it was the perfect view for killing.. Moving up, faster, I darted forwards. Everythng switched to fast forward, or perhaps slow-motion - time seemed seperated into two distinct extremes, and my own speed was akin to lightning. My hand clutched my sword tighter, the press of my bloodied palm to it’s cool stone only seemed to reinforce the instinct that had swept my mind, and I brought it up and forward only to plunge it into that pulsing scarlet abyss. I saw not the blade penetrating her breast - in fact I only felt the subtle resistance of her sternum, hollow-honeycomb bone that swept aside so easily. I suppose I was smiling as I saw it, for I was feeling different in myself. This sight, this vision it had finally come to me, and now I could do what I liked whilst the human Marx sat there in confusion.

The lace of the rivers on my sword met that crimson handful of muscle and tissue, and the heart encompassed my sword, holding it hard, and jolted it once, twice, and a haphazard third time. The last irregular beat was the final, and I savoured it, unaware of my own sickness, smile plastered on my face as she met her end. Afterwards I felt my sword slacken in my grip and the hilt thunked to the floor, the weight bringing her down sharply, the blade still jutting at ninety degrees from her chest. I panted happily, overwhelmed and calmed by the rush that flooded my body and my mind. I felt cleansed in this tide of ecstasy, and so immensely powerful.

In my newfound blood-vision she craned her neck up to look at me, but all I saw was the fading life-force and the push of her blood, almost stuttering to a stop, synchronous with the silence in my head. I saw her eyes, cold and black, staring into my own, and all of a sudden the background noise came back to me at an alarming volume. She was no longer laughing, she was screaming. Her raptor mouth open wider than humanly possible, she screamed the feral screech of a bird of prey, a sound that reverberated in my newly awakened ears, and in response I opened my mouth and screamed my own war cry back at her, my throat feeling hoarse and shredded by the sheer effort I put into it. Happily I crowed as she fell back dead, though growing serious only mere moments later, raising myself to plant my hooves solidly in the dirt. I raised and shook my head, snorting and waiting for the next challenge, daring them to come, a sense of pride and strength filling me. I had killed one, two, no not the first, she was still alive, but I felt satiated by the death and the gore and the bloodshed. I nearly laughed again but tossed my head once more instead, eyes wide, only to stalk heavily forwards. Both my eyes were seeing now, even through the flimsy garment covering my left.

I walked back to the first harpy, and leant down to grab her scaly leg with one hand, and with the other I grasped the talon from her toe. I ripped it from her foot with a crunch and she unleashed a whole new string of curses and insults from her mouth, choking and wheezing and splitting blood, as for all her internal bleeding and broken bones she was not yet dead. And minus one talon, the one she had hooked me with so ruthlessly earlier, she was not yet dead either. But she was not my concern as I had seen more prey in the sky.

A third, she spiralled down and her beady black eyes met mine. The movement I watched like a true predator and swayed from side to side, foot to foot, before following her and breaking into a half wild unrestrained gallop. And she rushed down at me, myself seemingly unprotected. But she was so slow in comparison to me - I saw every flicker of a feather and each turn against the wind - and I failed to be alarmed, quite the opposite, I was prepared. And as she came closer for the attack I swung my fist out, hooked talon held between my first and second finger. The talon I bore caught and snagged the skin, before slicing along it like a knife through butter, and a scarlet line appeared across her breast. My teeth felt sharp and my left fist solid, and I swung it out to meet her, connecting with her feathered lower body. For all her flapping she sunk a few inches lower in the air, and I grabbed her neck with that same fist, bringing the talon up with my other hand to stroke the flat of the curved blade-claw against her soft skin.. I rejoiced inwardly at the fact that I could see her heart fluttering so much like a little sparrow's, rapid and strained - almost like it might give out any second. With explosive waves the blood poured from ventricle to aorta, and out to the main organs. I saw her lungs gasping for oxygen so-

I tightened my fist around her neck and saw her lungs swell and falter, jarred, unable to bring in fresh air. She coughed up spittle which hit my face, and her wings, still working like a whirlwind, hit me repeatedly with sharp cross-winds, each one like a slap to the face. I still saw the blood moving, and one particular life-line caught my eyes as the movement in her wings relented, slumped as she grew fatigued, and without even thinking about what I was doing I pushed my head forwards and sunk sharp, voracious stallion teeth into her gullet. Her scent filled my nose and I bit down on her neck with a lust, immediately meeting a frenzy of frothing plasma. Her crimson blood lashed across my face with a ferocity as her jugular met my teeth, and as her lifeforce poured out she grew so faint in my arms. I had buried my face in her flesh, and twisted round so as to caress her flesh, and now with a reflex snap I jerked my head back, her gullet held safe between my teeth, leaving only her crushed trachea encased in the remnants of her neck. She had bled out so fast, heart as bird-like as it was.. And as I stood there I became very aware that someone else was watching me. Prize still in mouth I stroked the back of her neck tenderly, holding her back in my arms like a mother cradles a child, and I lowered her softly - respectfully - to the ground, before turning around to see the human, Tane, staring at me with a look of horror and revulsion in his eyes. With my altered vision I couldn’t exactly see him but I could certainly smell the fear simmering off his skin. Uncaring I looked around, seeing that Morrigan was off fighting with his ravens and Tane, following my line of sight, soon turned away from me to go help him. The female, Da was loping around salvaging head garments..

Left alone once more I turned to walk across the grass, finding the corpses strewn tastefully across the meadow. Reaching the firstharpy I had felled, I peered down at her faint life force, turning my head quizzically and squinting. Raising my foot, I reflected that I had never been one to leave a job unfinished, and then brought the foot down with a bludgeoning force upon the cusp of her breast. I revelled in the crunch, and finally feeling fully satisfied I passed her mangled carcass, spread eagled, and walked towards the stone building ahead of me. Yet something caught my eye: a body, not of the humans or the remaining harpies, stood on the field - tiny, vindictive, and full of life. I stared down at the minuscule rodent, as it gnawed happily on what I recognised as an optic nerve. I dropped my prize to the side of the tiny mouse which jumped, ever so slightly, before looking up at me, and then scuttling off to sniff the oesophagus of the dead harpy. The mouse inspected it with the utmost interest, giving a sniff here, a nibble there. I merely stood there, scuffing my feet against the dirt, the blood dripping from my arms, and I watched the little glow of concentrated blood and life come back to me. It recognised me as the boy who had been travelling with it’s master, but knew that I was more animal than human now, I had become whole, what I was meant to be.. Placing two paws upon my hoof/foot, it peered up at me self-invitingly, and I reached down to pick up the small form.

It is a common fact that horses are afeared of mice, but that simply did not apply in my case. Perhaps it was the human element of this body. Perhaps it gave me some wrongful confidence and trust. But perhaps, instead, it was the open maliciousness and evil of this small creature that I found myself most willing to trust, because it was so honestly so.

As we stepped in the hallowed stone corridor that was the entrance to the Tower of the Wind Seal, the harpy driven gusts gave way to a cool breeze that sounded notes along the indents of the ancient walls much like voices. I dropped the mouse to the floor and he landed on his squat legs, only to get up and scamper towards the stairs that led to the heavens above. Half way towards the ascending steps I heard a clatter of tangled limbs and a flutter of feathers behind me and I turned to see Morrigan scrambling through the door.

“There you are! Bloody hell, vicious feckers aren’t they?”

I stared at him not coldly, simply with an unrecognisable emotion. He didn’t heed the lack of Marx that was apparent in this hallway though, and simply carried on with his inane human yabbering.

“This one, she nearly flew off with my bleeding ear! But anyway, I’m glad you’re ok, Tane is too, a little shaken, mebe. God, you don’t half look the worse for wear..” He said, eyeing me up, then giving a seductive smile and slinking closer. “But I still think you’re hot, don’t worry about that, so feckin sexy..”

I watched him unblinkingly as he pattered towards me, lifting an arm to stroke my shoulder. His finger tickled my neck so sensually.. And upon a hair trigger I grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the stone wall. Raised off the ground his tiptoes scuffed the dust and soil that had scattered and gathered on this floor over the centuries - he struggled frantically as I held him suspended and helpless. I did not break eye contact, but lowered myself to breath him in. His eyes flickered up and down, back and forth to my eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but choked on his own breathless words, and I raised a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence.

“Chatter, chatter little human, you use your voice too much..” I said in a deep nicker and I felt him shiver. He eyed the blood on my teeth and his eyes opened even wider if possible. He did not understand my words but he seemed to get the point I was trying to illustrate. I moved in closer to his neck and sniffed softly. Feeling him shiver beneath my hold I snorted a laugh, then dropped him to the floor. He clutched his throat and breathed in the cool air, paralyzed by his lack of breath yet looking up at me reproachfully nevertheless. There was also a hurt look in his eyes that meant nothing to my current persona, and I strode to the stairs, turning my back on him once more.

Snig was approaching the top of the stairs, scuttling back and forth along each step until he found a place where he could levy himself up, and then proceeding to leap and scrabble to his goal, only to repeat it. As I neared him I lowered a hand and lifted him to the very top of the stairway, where he scuttled off in front of me once more, leading the way. I followed him onto the wall-less plateau, and took a quick glance around. I was stood on the roof top of the entrance, and behind me the main tower reached up to touch the clouds. In front of me there was an arch, suspended and alone, and impossibly intact whilst clearly ancient. No moss had formed on it, no plant life had grown unlike back in the hall and upon the floor beneath me, where it both openly embraced and sullied the stone surface I trod on. The arch stood graced, unique in it’s splendour, and through it, beyond it, was a single jutting slab of stone, of which Snig stood on the brink.

Through the arch I walked, and to the very end of the overhang, Snig scuttling out from under my feet to stand behind me, paws twitching, plotting. Beneath the stone I stand on there is no pillar or supporting structure - only air surrounds me, the ground thirty feet below. I shuffle to the very edge, teetering back and forth on the balls of my feet, suspended over the plains. The sunset is nearing finality before me, but it appears as only a blaze in my filtered vision, bloody and crimson like all other things, yet the fading light of the sun sparks a flare in my retina. Now I’m alone, and my mind is calmed, I finally feel the stallion step back, along with his recollections of today’s events... The red tint clears from my vision and gradually, as I grow more clear minded and more human, I begin to see the dark blues and fey pinks of the fading horizon. I shiver as my skin grows cooler, less heated, and the pressure in my veins lessens until I barely feel my own heartbeat. Last is the transition of minds, and I pull back into my own time, slow and steady, so much unlike the souped up hype-fest that was my previous train of thought and reflexes. I come down to the earth, dazed and confused, every memory out of time and a whirlwind, sickening to think of.

I shake a little. I realise I’m stood on a rock, and I’m not quite sure how I got here, but it’s awfully high up. I know I fought, and I suppose I hurt people. Where did I leave my sword? I-I.. I stand there for several more minutes, still absentmindedly teetering, and then I feel minuscule paws push at the underside of my foot, knocking me off balance. In alarm I madly cartwheel my arms and send myself sprawling backwards, thankfully landing my arse on solid ground. Sighing in relief I stare at a stone archway that curves high above my head. I pick up the small creature who tried to push me over the brink and stroke him, despite his enraged nips.

“Thwarted again, huh?” I whisper in my daze. He reminds me.. Of a past. I know I’ve barely been here two days, and what was before that..? I shudder, and shiver, and feel a tear roll down my cheek in result of my sheer sense of loss. I hold onto Snig like I would a gerbil, and pet him sadly. So I couldn’t remember much of what I had done, but there was flesh in my teeth, and an equine smirk in my head, and I knew I had just lost another part of myself. What have I done..?

-----

I still wondered, ne'er remembering, and I barely noticed the ethereal presence behind me, yet I felt it tickle the air, and it set the hair of my neck dead on end. I turned to see nothing but thin air where I felt it, and Tane beyond it looking anxious and frozen. I can feel a presence between us, and I can see the fear in his eyes. Then his eyes move from mine to focus on the air between us, and I know the shaman can see something that I can’t. He speaks quietly but insistently, and I get the urgency in his tone through the haze of the aftermath of my personality’s little sojourn.

“Don’t move..” He whispers. “Or you’ll fall.”

[Bulbasaur4]

They were about to head out… but Matt had gently called Kalah over. Walking gracefully over to him, she listened intently with her large Ninetail-like ears. His voice was soothing… but she could detect the worry in his voice.

“Hey baby doll…listen…I wanted to talk to you about last night. What had gotten into you?” Matt seemed a bit shaken… as if he didn’t know what to expect or as if he was worried what she might say.
“I mean, I’ve never seen you like that. And don’t get me wrong…it was incredible. I can’t even begin to describe it. But, it just didn’t seem very much like you, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little worried.”
Ryien frowned slightly, looking at Matt with her intense violet gaze as she tried to find the words to say to him. She wasn’t exactly sure what to say… at least… it was hard to describe. Last night… she knew what was happening last night- she knew what was happening the entire time. However… it was different… it felt different- like she wasn’t in control- like she was a bystander in the scheme of things.
“I’m not sure what happened last night…” Kalah wandered off, giving a slight sigh. “It was strange… I fell asleep with Ryan… and then I just woke up with this strange feeling. I can remember the moonlight vividly… it was as if the moon had gentle fingers and it was tickling me swiftly upon my body…. And then this new sensation came. Then… then it became something like… different. It was as if I was… a bystander, as if something else had taken over my body. Don’t get me wrong… I remember everything from last night… its just… I didn’t feel like I had control… it was like I was pushed aside and had to watch everything unfold. I felt everything, I saw everything, I heard everything… but… it…it wasn’t…” Kalah choked suddenly, feeling a huge wave of confusion and dismay fall upon her. However, before Matt could speak, Ryan and Tony called for them to hurry up.
“I have to go…” Kalah said swiftly and she sharply turned about and ran towards her Caligrey.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Arriving infront of the colossal tower, Ryien gazed upwards lightly and examined the outside for a moment. She looked at Adalia, smiling slightly and she gave her a light pat upon the back.
“Good job Ryan.” The memory of their little fight upon the caligrey was nothing but a mere memory- a distant dream… it had almost been (to Kalah anyways) as if she had never done anything. As if it wasn’t her who spoke such angry words…
“We should probably go inside and see if we can catch up to the group.” Matt said lightly, looking towards the entrance to the tower. Ryien nodded and then looked back to see Zeal holding Adalia in his arms. She was quite weak from their “floating bubble” trick, but she was secretly amazed how Ryan could hold his power for so long. No doubt it had to take a toll upon her…
“Oh great…” Matt suddenly said, and Ryien became aware of a strange flapping noise. Looking about and above, Ryien saw a few looming shapes floating over them. There were about four of them… long, serpent-like snakes that had almost draconic like features upon their heads. Extending from their long, twisting bodies were two pairs of wings- larger ones sprouting near the head while a pair of smaller ones sprouted by the tails. It was most likely to keep their bodies maneuverable in flight. They all were a dark grey in color and their sizes ranged from a small to a large horse. They weren’t that long… but their appearance did seem very threatening- especially with their elongated muzzles armored with sharp pointy teeth.
“Zeal! Stay by Adalia! You can take on one of them… Matt and I will try to take on the other three…” Ryien swiftly barked out, knowing full well that Adalia was too tired to attempt to run away from the creatures- that and there was the fact that she really couldn’t fight. Matt was about to shout some thing, but Ryien was no longer listening. Her wild violet eyes narrowed as she focused upon one of the large snake creatures- the second closest one to Adalia (Zeal was taking care of the first).
“Come to me… snakey boy…”
The snake hissed and suddenly lunged straight at Ryien… and Ryien went to brace herself, but suddenly a cry of pain echoed in the air. Looking upwards, Ryien was confused to see a small… furred black figure latched onto the eyes and face of the Serpent!
“Tako!” Ryien called out in alarm, as the snake started to thrash about in attempt to rid itself of the Gryphon.
“Tako! Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself!”
Tako desperately called out, “But I want to help!”
Ryien shook her head… taking a few running steps towards the snake.
“You’re going to get hurt! The only way you could help is if.. is if… you like, turned into fire or something to burn his-”
But before Ryien could finish, suddenly a huge “whoooosh!” sound seemed to roar into the air. Tako no longer was a small fluffy black Gryphon… but he was much larger full-sized Gryphon… and his entire body had burst into flames. He was literally, a flaming Gryphon. Giving a screech, he easily started attacking the Serpent who was starting to lose the battle.
“Holy crap… I had no idea Tako could do that…” Ryien said softly, watching as the Serpent was ripped and burned to shreds by Tako. As soon as the Serpent was gone… Tako immediately flew to the other serpent and soon that one was finished. By that time, the other two flying snakes had been disposed of and Tako turned back into his normal form.
“I’m… so… tired…” Tako said softly as he fluttered over and collapsed upon Ryien’s shoulders.

[Plantae]

[color=#903]= Torn Membranes and the Membranophone or Listen to the Drum of Daddy =

She intoned, with utter certainty as they climbed the steps of the wind seal tower, and for every mo after, "I am hungry." She said it as they passed the first step. She said it on the tenth. She said it on the three-hundred-twenty-seventh. She moaned, "I am hungry." She continued to groan, and omit sounds of distaste at her not-being-fed. She was behind the rest but they could hear her. They only ignored the silly woman. But she said, still, "I am hungry." She said it at the brink of the stairs and as she looked at the strange stone walls. She said it at the brink of the edge where two, the human Tané and human Marx, spoke together, in whisper. Tané was focused on the air beyond the edge. She did not care, nor did she care for Marx's plight on the rock, rendered incapable of return. She noticed Snig being petted, strange it was, but she still demanded, "I am hungry." As more time passed, the incantation changed, and she grew closer to their private wiles. "I am starving." She gave, this time standing directly next to Tané, having snuck up on him, "I need food."

Tané jumped carelessly and teetered. He would not have fallen, but Da felt some conscious need to close-line him anyway. So she did, and he fell on his ass against the masonry. He stood up, still surprised, and muttered, “Da, be care-“ she kicked at a loose rock. “Da, be cauti-“ she catapulted another off the edge. “Would you-“ thrown pebble. “Could you-“ tossed stone. He gave up, and as he did, she stopped; he shot her an appreciative look, she gave him a dodgy one back, before skipping casually over and pulling on Marx’s shoulder. She started, Snig scampering up her arm and back to the pocket, sick of being petted and to steal her chocolate marbles, to drag him from the ledge; the ledge was too possessive and in its decision to keep him, began to crack. She dragged him faster. Tané clenched his teeth and looked in the air ahead of her as if something was there. But then he halted. Whatever it was it was there no longer. And Da kept pulling. Marx finally tried to stand up but found his arm in a somehow iron-grip. By the time they returned to the stable part of the ledge where Tané stood, he was up again. At that moment the outer overhang gave way and she shook her head with a scowl. Then she whined, with a buzzing irritation, ”I- want- vittles.”

And so they reentered the tower, much to the group’s irritation, and forewent the seal’s opening as they sat to a meal of iron rations; Morrigan was then there too. Da was displeased until she had Snig steal some of Marx’s share. And then Tané’s next, the result being that halfway through the meal she looked like some kind of biscuit overlord, and judging by her tyrannical manner as she had Snig keep them from taking their own bread back, was; she giggled in the corner, satisfied by this amount, before picking herself up and leaving. She left nothing. Not even the crumbs, for Snig took those one at a time and deposed them of the floor for new lodgings in the marble bag. She had a few of those too, to stem her alcoholism, and then strolled away. Rounding the bend and then returning to the still-eating-what-was-left others, she took a last stray piece, and snickered, “Bun tax.” And then she was off again.

It was at that point that they were all made aware by the screech, this time of a gryphon, and the screams and orders shouted amongst the chaos, of the commotion outside. Marx hurried, bloodlust not yet forgotten, back towards the precipice. Tané pursued a bit more warily but went also. Da was the first one out of the building and gawking off the peak at the serpents swirling below and the forlorn group that had separated themselves before. Morrigan stood frightfully looking down, and Fiachra flapped and cawed in disdain, the result being Morrigan trying to quiet the cantankerous bird. Unfortunately, not being fast enough, they attracted the attention of two stray serpents. The other two were far lower and beset with knocking off the rest. But these two were quite attracted by an easy meal, or so were three musketeers and a freak up on a shelf, that being the tower’s crumbling banister of a lookout. Marx was the first ready, though his eyes were not glazed yet over in that red fury. The nearer came the winged-serpent, the faster Morrigan twirled his strange spear-esque wielding. Several white ravens sprouted forth in concert with Fiachra and they went immediately for the eyes of the serpent closest.

Tané himself was being addressed in “houngans” and “masisis” by the tall dark man-thing whose name Da did not know. Had she been paying attention she might have heard, “Not a Ghéde! You nut be summoning no Petro loa. Don think you ready for a petro! And outside the family!? You bein a traitor, you is.” It was perhaps the fact that the Baron-man was very loud that when Tané replied, frustrated about something to do with being tired of being useless, she could not have exactly heard it even if she had been listening. They bickered back in forth, and Baron tossed a few more insults. But eventually he succeeded this debate, and with a flash of his cloak and a setting of his hat, intoned in frustration, “Don you go callin me when you gets in troubles with the Petro!” And he stormed off, or out, or up, or whatever it was in the manner that he did, that is, arrogantly and with that sinister air, but somehow so powerful in presence.

And then Tané was absorbed, then possessed, then channeling energies and calling some name like “Ti-Jean Petro.” Nothing any sensible person knew. Not that Da did either. And then a stench emitted forth like rotting flesh and blood and cackling and it was all war, and gore, and vicious murder. And then burst forth a great form like a belligerent giant eagle, a deeper crimson than blackest demon blood, which swooped down, vociferating genocide and lusting for sweet plasma. The hostility that rolled off the scene was palpable. Tané was mostly lost to the world at this point, and the serpent was already in dire straits with the fanatic killer on its hide, tearing mercilessly.

Da, in the meantime, turned tail and ran. She, by the other three’s conjecture, went all the way into the seal room. And then they saw her coming back. Running full boar.

She yelled, “I am Da the Eighth, I am!” And then, “I can-“ a pause as she went catapulting over the edge and towards the two battling beasts below,”Glide!"

She couldn’t of course. She fell at a very rapid rate. But she did fall on top of the snake-bird and she latched on to its hide with an aberrant fear. She held tight and slowly skirted her way up its length. The other she was not on continued to fight with the eagle and was getting ripped to shreds. By this time she was at the serpent’s head as it turned desperately trying to dislodge her, but somehow, with element of her eviscerating luck, she held on and proceeded to grab hold the creature’s head, and then the feathers there, which plumed about its scalp like ears, and she twisted them. The monstrosity shrieked and turned violently, and she let herself go sliding off as it crashed, dislocating and breaking its own spine and many other bones as it rammed accidentally into the tower wall.

She was tumbling off again, then, and somewhere in the distance she heard the persistent scream of, “Catch her, please! Catch her, oh great Ti-Jean Petro, please, I beg you! Catch her, damn it! I will kill a very big chicken! Really big! Promise? Catch her, please!” It sounded far-off, suddenly, and she turned to see the ground looming towards her, and she opened her mouth to speak… as the bird of prey gave a humungous sweep under her and she grabbed hold of its tattered and well, to her point of view, yucky feathers.

Then finally she touched again on solid footing at the same spot she had been before she bounded off. One of the serpents had perished down below by some means or another, and the other had crashed at its speed through the stone, that is the one she had steered into it.

Tané was prostrated on the ground, begging the eagle, which was eyeing him, the group, and everything with a thirsty rage. “Please, no, no, no! Don’t kill! Don’t!” The avian was not convinced. And then he turned to them, desperately, but Da was not there. He bellowed, “Drums! We need drums!”

Pum… pum pum… pa-da pum… pa-dum… There she was, marching- pum… da-da dum… and beating on a manufactured drum of telekinetically stretched backpack canvas on a wooden alchemical case with the hinges torn off… da-da pum-pa-pum… and the loa was silent. Da remarked, as she continued to play, and calmingly to the great monstrosity, “Tis a tribute beat.” The loa took to gobbling Tané’s offering of dead serpent… dee-da-dum-pum… and was gone. Dum, dum, da, dum… after much whining and begging and appealing to his power… ba… da-bum.

Tané looked exhausted. And then something suspiciously resembling unconscious. And then Da felt it looming towards her, in her head, but then it reconsidered the drum… pa-pum… beat, and maybe her… da-dum… manner. She said: ba-da-bum… “Begone.” Bop-bop ba-da-bum-bum… and it was.

Then it was all said and done after the groundlings took down the other serpents, and them in the tower, and them not giving Da the recognition she demanded, and Tané waking up, and healing, and the seal room…

=====

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Regaining Strength ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]So this was the seal of this world, at least the wind seal. I had some how expected it to be bigger than the earth seal. I lay snuggled in Tony’s arms while my hair flapped in the gale as we stood upon the top of the tower. None of us willing to touch the alter that was present before us. “Okay seven spots, there are eight of us, why is that?” Matt asked examining the alter as I tried to squirm out of Tony’s arms. He sensed my uneasiness and allowed me to stand on very wobbly feet. The whole standing part only lasted a few seconds before he helped pick me up again before I tumbled over like a toddler on new legs.

“Ryan can’t stand so I guess I’ll hold her and everyone else can touch the seal, as can I.” Tony announced while I shot him a deadly glare and stuck out my lower lip in frustration.

“Can too stand.” I mumbled as everyone took his or her place I leaned out of Tony’s arms and placed my hand stubbornly on the a handprint while it seemed as if everyone found a separate hand print. Was their actually eight hand prints instead of seven? At first nothing happened, the air wisped across the stone alter from our high perch as we waited for a sign. We each gave each other glances as if we were prepared for something to happen as we all waited for something to happen.

“That was anticlimactic.” Kalah mumbled as the current of air began to pick up, Da began to make some comment that seemed to imply that we should leave the building as it began to sway back and forth from the turbulent winds. “I think you’re right.” Kalah screamed over the wind as it began to make an all too familiar whistling sound that quickly became a roar of a beast. The tell tale signs of the monstrous vortex began to appear around the alter as it shoved it’s massive funnel down the tower until it has almost enveloped the inside of the structure.

I clutched onto Tony for dear life as we quickly made our way down the stairs. The ear piercing roar of the tornado was right at our side, the winds thrashing us about and always threatening to rip us from the ground we stood upon and thrust us to and frow. “Tony, I’m scared.” I whimpered clutching his side as tight as I could with my nails. He grimaced only for a second before the vortex ripped apart a area of stairs right in front of us. Only sparing a moment’s thought, he tossed me forward into Marx’s waiting arms before leaping across the expanse and onto the welcoming staircase.

The entrance gave us a light of hope as we reached the threshold and into the beautiful light of the setting sun. The thought of making it back to the earth temple for another round of powerful seal opening was quickly laid to rest by the sound of rumbling stomachs and tired Caligreys. With the camp fire set and everyone seeming to relax as the strong men went about skinning and cooking the Harpie meat, we all seemed to almost be like a family or close friends.

“I bet you cant catch me Tako!” I screamed in joy as both he and I rolled around in the grass, playing a game of tag while the food was prepared. “You, cant, get, GAHH!” I let out a yelp as Tako pounced on my back, sending both of us rolling to where he stood victorious on my stomach.

I quickly struggled to try and get Tako off as Kalah walked over and picked him up softly. “Dinner time you two.” She rolled her eyes as both Tako and I let out a childish sigh before giggly and running back to the camp, with Kalah trailing us like a annoyed mother that had too much to deal with.

The dinner came complete with foul tasting liquid and very stringy meat that had to be undercooked; each of us sat cross-legged around the campfire and shared stories about home. “So what does everyone miss the most?” Da asked in her own unusual way, each of us pondered the thought before shouting out what we missed most. Some said their friends or parents, for myself, I said I missed candy the most.

“I would have to say my computer.” Tony announced in an almost sorrowful tone, I shot him a weird look before asking the most obvious question.

“How could you miss that? Kalah and I are here, you have all the friends you talk to on your computer here.” I questioned him. A mischievous grin crossed Tony’s face before he wrapped me with one arm and pulled me close, his other hand curled into a fist that had the soul purpose of giving me a noogie.

“I have other friends than you, like Becki, Kiru, and Yi, runt.” He laughed while rubbing my head even harder before I squirmed away. Of course I had to get revenge, revenge that came in the form of jumping on his back and wrapping my arms around his neck in hopes of a playful choking. Everyone laughed as Tony and I played around back and forth, “Oh and lets not forget, Hitchi.” He let out a almost romantic sigh, lost in thought as if he were remembering the beauty of a past girl. My face quickly flushed with jealousy while I jumped on him again. Later Da began moving around and helping clean up along with Morrgain and the others while I stepped away to the tree line to take care of business.

Lifting up my robe and squatting down on the ground to avoid getting urine all over my leg, I noticed in the pale moonlight that I had a red tint on the upper part of my thigh. Realization soon dawned upon me that I had been scratching at my side for most of the time during dinner and even before in the field with Tako.

Moving behind a tree for more cover, I hiked up the robe up to my chest to inspect and see how the rash had moved up my thigh and across my side and stomach. Even looking at the reddish tent skin made it itch. What had caused this rash? I didn’t have it when I was in the tub last night, how did it appear so suddenly. The snap of a twig and the rustling of leaves under a foot quickly drew my attention away from my predicament. “Ryan? Are you okay?” Tony asked softly, peaking around the tree, as I shoved my robe back down to cover up anything he might have seen.

“Pervert!” I screamed, my face flushed red in embarrassment as Tony made a half hazard attempt to cover his eyes. “What, what are you doing back here? Trying to spy on me?” I asked, back peddling in hopes he didn’t see the rash.

“Calm down, Calm down!” He cried struggling to get my arms before I could slap him, just out of spite for coming back here. “I thought you got hurt or something, now what was that rash that I saw?” He asked, his voice full of worry, while his hand moved to left up my robe to see for himself. I quickly slapped it away before his face flushed in embarrassment at the realization he was just about to lift up a girl’s robe.

“Double Pervert!” I accused him with a threatening finger. He quickly looked away embarrassed and mumbled how he was sorry. My boiling emotions quickly cooled and soften as I slowly lifted the robe up to my stomach so that he could see the scarlet colored skin that snaked it’s way up my body. “It hurts when anything touches it.” I whimpered as he placed his hand onto my thigh and quickly moved it away at the sign of pain it was causing me.

“If it doesn’t go away by tomorrow, I want you to tell me.” He sighed rising to his feet, as I shuffled around on my own feet, trying to figure out what to say. We both stood there in silence as I let the robe flutter back down to my ankles.

“Tony I…” I began, uncertain of where the words would carry me, his gaze traveled down to my face and then away in embarrassment, his face seemed to be full of worry at where my sentence would lead also. I glanced down at my feet and then slowly upwards, my eyes slowly tracing the lines of his face as I reached up with a hand and bent it down towards me. His whole mouth, his whole face seemed to be trembling for a second as we reached eye level with each other. At that moment, I acted purely on instinct; I moved forward and placed my lips on his cheek, closing my eyes to enjoy the moment before finally pulling away.

Tony’s mouth seemed to work in several different speeds of shock before he could finally reach his voice again. “What was that for, Ryan?” He asked, an eyebrow finally raised in curiosity as his fingers touched the spot that I kissed while dropping down to a knee to match eye level with me.

“I..have feelings for you, and I wanted to show them.” I mumbled carefully, My eyes quickly dropping to my feet for comfort, afraid to match his face, as I realized I had just done something terribly wrong.

“I’m not too sure, don’t you think I am a bit too old for you?” He asked, his face completely serious as my face turned from embarrassment, to anger in the flash of a second. I quickly stood up upon my tiptoes to rise over his head, looking down upon his eyes with all the fire and intensity that I could muster.

“I am twenty years old, I’m older than you mister.” I snarled taking my finger and jabbing it in his chest to try and drive home the point that he had been totally off that he was older than I was.

Tony quickly stood up and rose to his full height so that the chest I was poking was right in my face. “I beg to differ.” He looked down upon me as my heart dropped to my toes. I bit my lip and looked up at him, tears threatening my eyes as I tried to figure out something to say. I usually had a million ideas, a million things to say, but now I was drawing a blank.

“I hate you!” I cried out, tears spilling over my eyes as I took off running into the forest, flashing past trees and bushes as I ran. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have kissed him? He hated me, he didn’t have any feelings for me, how could I have ever kissed him and embarrassed myself? I ran and ran, I ran until my lungs felt as if they were going to burst from my chest. My legs grew wobbly and a root lodged under my foot sending me tumbling over and scraping my knee.

My fists pounded the ground in frustration as tears dripped off my face and began to muddy the ground. “I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.” I sobbed my fist pounding the ground over and over again. “I hate him.” I cried as arms quickly scooped me up into a hug.

“What happened hun?” A voice asked soothingly, fingers stroking my hair as I just sobbed from exhaustion in the comforting arms. “Was it Tony?” The voice asked, which from my blurry eyes I began to make out the face of Yi.

“I kissed him, and he, and he.” I sobbed, burying my face in Yi’s chest as she stroked my hair comfortingly before resting her chin upon my head and wrapping her arms around me in a deep hug. “I-I didn’t know, I”

Another voice quickly drew both of our attention to our left to see a old man, with a long nose and weird black clothing hobble out of the bushes. “Excuse me, little miss and sir, but I couldn’t help but over hear you are having some love difficulties.” The man wheezed as he moved over to stroke a tear away from my cheek. “My name is the Erlking, and I believe I can help you with that, I just left some of my stuff back at my abode, would you mind helping a old man home?” He asked before going into a sneezing fit.

Yi and I both exchanged glances before I slowly rose from his feet and took his hand. “Why thank you little miss.” He smiled before leading us through a winding path through the forest. “It’s just over here, don’t mind my friends.” He mumbled, his voice taking on a deeply sinister tone as we were led into a large cave, filled with thousands of holes. The cave emptied out into a large circular room, the ceiling several hundred feet high with a cage suspended over a bubbling pit of soup.

“You two look just fresh enough to eat up.” He grinned as hundreds of old men and women climbed out of their hiding places in the walls and grasped on to both Yi and I, stripping us of our clothes and lowering the cage before tossing us in, and re-suspending it above the vat of boiling soup. “Now don’t go anywhere, dinner will be served soon.” He shouted up to us as I clung to Yi for safety.

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]

[size=1]Ryien
.: Ninetails Half | Female :.

[color=royalblue]

Ryien had liked the resting and relaxing sensation everyone had emitted as they had sat around and shared a few stories and memories of the old world. Of course… then it came to her… it came to be Ryien- no, Kalah’s turn to answer what she missed. Her mind swam about in foggy memories… and she tried to grasp a few, but it seemed whenever she concentrated upon a specific memory… it vanished. There was college- yes, she had attended college… and there was Matt, her family… but… what else… who else…
“Kalah?” Matt’s voice rose into the air, and instantly she realized she hadn’t spoken yet and some time had passed. Swiftly snapping back to attention, she remembered that the person who had gone ahead of her had said their family.
“M-my family…” Kalah said firmly, looking around as everyone nodded and seemed to understand. Kalah felt a sigh of relief emit from her- they had bought it, I mean… it wasn’t hard to make some thing like that up. Why shouldn’t they have believed her? However, Kalah’s gaze shifted to look at Matt’s… and when their eyes met, she suddenly realized that he sensed something and had not been so easily fooled as the others. Feeling slightly uneasy, Ryien rose and gave a weak bow to the others. “I’m going for a walk.”
With that, Ryien swiftly left the area… disappearing into the forest. The forest was incredibly beautiful in its own dark and mysterious way as she traveled gently through it. Her silky white tail swayed back and forth as the night sky was clouded, looming over the forest as if threatening to cast the moon’s rays to the ground. For some odd reason, Ryien was happy the moon was not out tonight. Still… she couldn’t help but feel as if she were fighting some unknown battle- some unknown battle with herself that she was not winning.
“What’s… what’s happening to me?” Kalah said with a frown, closing her eyes tightly as she withdrew a staggering breath. Glancing back up to the sky, she shook her head as her ears flattened against her skull ever so gently. She felt as if there was some thing in her… some thing deep in her that was not herself. She had felt it twice now… and it frightened her severely. What was happening to her? Was she losing a part of herself? Just a while back ago… around that campfire… she couldn’t remember her own memories- not the way she should have.
“Gah… I’m not sure of anything anymore…” Kalah frowned, taking her hands and clutching her head slightly as she withdrew another staggering breath. Tears filled her eyes slightly, but she fought them off although they glistened in her violet eyes. She didn’t want this to happen… she didn’t want to lose herself. But why… why did she feel like slowly – every so slowly- pieces of her were dying and fading away as if they never existed? She continued to walk along the outskirts of the forest, making her ghostly appearance ever so often to the others who had set up camp. For some reason, a few of them seemed to pick up on her vibe and they left her alone… however, after a while suddenly a figure approached her. She half expected it to be Matt, so she whirled around with her liquid-violet eyes, but her eyes widened in surprise to find it was Zeal- Tony.
“Oh.. it’s you…” She said rather harshly, swiftly bringing a delicate hand to her eyes as she managed to wipe a few brimming tears from her eyes. Zeal’s expression changed to worry as he tilted his head to the side.
“Are… you okay?” He asked inquiring, but swiftly Kalah shut him out.
“Yes, yes… I’m quite alright. What is it you needed?” She swiftly changed topic, which seemed to not convince Tony… but it was enough for him to move onwards to a different topic.
“It’s Ryan… she… ran off.” He seemed to look down at the ground softly, as if embarrassed but he continued. “I’ve been looking for her… but I can’t find her either. I came back and the others said that Tane was missing. They’ve been gone for a while… and well, we’re all starting to get worried. We were going to go off and look for them.”
A flash of some new emotion seemed to streak through Ryien’s eyes as her ears seemed to perk up as she gave a nod.
“Alright, let’s get going then.”


They traveled through the forest, occasionally calling out the names of Ryan and Yi-wen and also Adalia and Tane. However, it seemed as if it were to no avail… until suddenly Morrigan spoke up.
“There are some odd caves not too far from here… I suggest we head that way.” Morrigan then pointed to the left and a cawing bird gave the same seemingly resound answer. Because of the tone of his voice, they seemed to nod and head in that direction until slowly the forest gave way to the side of mountain. The darkness of the evening couldn’t even hide the holes of the caverns, as they slowly approached them.
“You don’t think they went in here…” Matt’s voice rose in concern, as everyone continued to quietly approach the caverns. There seemed to be a sense of foreboding as they got closer… and Kalah’s mind was swimming with a mixture of thoughts that were no longer about herself. She was worried about Ryan and Yi-wen. Ryan had been her friend for such a long time… - they were really close and the thought of him being in any type of trouble or danger worried her immensely. Secretly she wondered what had happened that caused him to run off… and she was worried that with his sometimes unbalanced nature that he would do some thing drastic. Of course, there then was Yi-wen… who normally didn’t seem to be the type to stray for too long without telling anyone. The fact that they were both missing was unnerving…
“I hear something.” Tony’s voice said softly as they entered the cavern. At first it seemed as if they would need a light source, until a soft orange glow could be seen farther down the cave along with chanting and many cries.
“ I don’t like this…” one of them said as they continued further into the cavern, until suddenly the orange glow spilled upon all of them as they entered a huge dome-shaped area of the cavern where everything seemed to be revealed.

There were seemingly tens to twenties of grotesque but humanoid women and men working or dancing about a huge black pot. The pot was steaming for it seemed quite obvious that some liquid was boiling inside, and hovering above the giant pot were two figures- Tane and Adalia. Both looked quite frightened as their bodies were trapped and bare and hovering above the large liquid. Nearest to this pot, was a large man… with a crooked neck and dressed in dark garments. He seemed to hold himself in an almost boasting way as he ordered the other men and women around- licking his lips as if waiting for the fun to begin.
“Swiftly! The pot is almost ready and soon we can roast their tender flesh!” He roared lightly, his voice slightly raspy- perhaps from age, as he pointed in several directions.
“That young girl looks especially tender- her young, hot flesh… mmm… to sink my teeth into such a lovely thing. And that boy… equally as tasteful- a perfect mixture of wonderful flesh!”
He laughed almost manically as their group looked at each other as if taken aback.

However, Ryien’s eyes were fixated upon the worried look upon Ryan’s face (and Tane’s). Memories from earlier that day seemed to rush to her. How she had yelled at him… how she had made him almost cry… how she had treated him badly. Of course, then a few faint memories of their moments of friendship… and the pure knowledge that they had been friends for such a long time. And now here he- she was, nearly crying and being alienated by some disgusting creature. Perhaps it was the stress of the entire night… perhaps it was the stress of everything that Ryien had been keeping inside- but she snapped. Rage overtook her.
It seemed as if a button went off in her head- suddenly her eyes narrowed as her ears flattened and pointed backwards. Her tail lashed about angrily as she clenched her fists- her violet eyes almost glowing as she suddenly began to walk slowly towards the disgusting man. A strange, bewitching aura seemed to emit from her body- some thing that perhaps no one could see, but it certainly could be felt. It almost seemed to be as if the area surrounding her body darkened, as her pupils narrowed and took on an almost feral look. Her ears were bristled along with her tail, as the tattoos upon her body almost seemed to give off their own faint ebon glow.
“What’s this? Intruders upon our feast?! I am the Erlking… there will be no interruptions. I have waited for this feast for some ti-“
“Shut UP.” Ryien’s voice pierced the air- however, it wasn’t her normal voice. It was darker, more menacing… almost a growl-like tone that bit the air like a sharp whip. The Erlking seemed to hesitate for a second, before he suddenly narrowed his eyes and pointed at her and the group.
“Get them! Everyone GET THEM!” He roared.
The more he spoke… the more she settled her gaze upon him… the more enraged she felt. The more angry she became and the more she felt a strange darkness overtake her. She wanted to kill him- not just to kill him, but she wanted him to be filled with pain. She wanted all of them to be filled with a despairing pain… to die and to scream.


She faintly heard the calls of her companions- telling her to stop, telling her to come back- that it wasn’t safe… but she ignored them all. She continued to walk straight towards that disgusting man… ignoring the waves of strange humanoid men and women charging straight at her. They came at her like a wave… a large black wave that seemed to be unstoppable. Perhaps to anyone else… well, in fact it WOULD have made anyone else think twice and feel a twinge of fear. However, Kalah was gone… her fear was unimportant and locked away along with her persona. Ryien had taken control, and Ryien was pissed… Ryien didn’t fear anything. She was as dauntless as they came, and nothing that could come at this moment in time could have made her hesitate. A faint cry from Matt rushed over the maddening sounds of the charging men and women, but Ryien ignored such a pointless cry. She knew what she was doing… and her rage took control.
“Take… THIS!” She roared as the mob of men and women suddenly seemed to collide into her. A few of the men and women swept around her- about twenty five of them went around and strove into the main group. However, a huge number of them decided to go directly against Ryien- their master had primarily pointed at her. Her eyes seemed to glow for a moment as they seemed to swarm about her at once.
Then the bloodshed began.

She had no control… Ryien didn’t even have to think to focus her powers. It just came natural… of course, this wasn’t Kalah anymore- this was Ryien… a creature who had a completely different motive and ability. The invisible hand-like powers rose about her with an eager for blood that it seemed as if Ryien were doing nothing. She just continued walking… walking at her own calm pace with her eyes completely focused upon the Erlking. As she did this, many men and woman humanoid creatures called out and charged straight towards her- but it was to no avail. It was as if an unseen bloody force surrounded her and their bodies were torn to shreds. One man jumped at her and before he even could land a blow and unseen force seemed to punch him so hard in the face that his eyeball exploded, black-ooze gushing into the air as he was sent hurling to the ground. Another woman jumped upon her and her arm seemed to be seized by an unseen hand as a red hand print appeared and then suddenly clenched its fingers deep into her flesh. Seizing the muscle, it suddenly tore her muscle from her flesh and then flung her away as well. More came at her- not one at a time, but all at once and it seemed as if blood was sprayed and spattered everywhere. Arms were ripped to shreds, devastating punches sent blood from their lips, eyes and ruptured skin as blood-gurgling screams filled the air. One man managed to thrust a weapon in her direction- slicing into her cheek but she paid no attention to it and shortly after the man’s wrist seemed to be crunched as his wrist was broken, ripped of and then he was thrown aside. A few more of them managed to sneak past her power for a few seconds- cutting her torso deeply, slicing her cheek, her collarbone, her leg- but she didn’t seem to feel it. They were soon ripped or punched away… and she continued to walk towards the now fearing Erlking, her blood trickling to the ground. Soon, she had literally destroyed all the minions who had charged her. Their remains, bleeding and moaning bodies were upon the floor if they hadn’t been already destroyed. Finally she reached the Erlking, who in panic pointed at the two.
“C-come any closer and I’ll let them drop!” He cried, but just as he said that both Ryan and Yi-wen were sent falling into the pot. Ryien’s eyes darted to the side in anger as she felt herself prepare to try to help them, but suddenly Zeal and another saved them from their fate. Feeling a low growl fill her… Ryien turned her gaze directly at the Erlking. He had clawed at her somewhat as she did so, making a clean cut over her eye. Feeling no pain from her adrenaline… Ryien merely glared at him.
“Die.” She said coldly, and just as she said so suddenly a sickening cracking sound entered the air. One of her invisible hands had punched him directly in the chest so hard that his ribs instantly cracked. A sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the air as her fist continued to drive deep into him as she seemed to drive her unseen force straight into his chest. He screamed as the entire group seemed to watch her- they had finished destroying their minions as well. Soon her invisible arm was completely in him, and suddenly Ryien took a huge step back. As she did so, a huge sickening tearing sound seemed to wrack through the air followed by a snap. A heart was ripped from his chest, hovering in the air by some unseen force as blood instantly sprayed all over her and then suddenly drizzled down his chest. Blood seemed to rain upon the air for a second as she released the heart and let it drop to the ground. Instantly life left the Erlking’s eyes as Ryien then turned around- her eyes cold as ever, and she walked away.
She continued to walk… and if the group said anything to her, she didn’t listen. She could feel Ryan’s eyes resting upon her but she ignored them- she was safe now. Her body was covered in blood and she walked through the group.
“Let’s go back to camp.” She said coldly, walking back into the night air.


[ Don’t worry, this was a big scene that will probably never happen again. I was given permission by Ryan to do this, mostly because this is to show the turning point for Kalah’s battle with Ryien’s conscious and to show how her rage basically determines her entire will and power. She’s going to pass out soon. Plus it was so damn cool to write… Lol ]

[Doomy_McDoomdoom]

"KALAH!" Matt shouted as he watched in horror as Kalah made her way towards what appeared to be an army. Sure, Kalah had shown the ability to hit Matt in the chest with a variety of different manners, but he knew that she couldn't possibly push all these enemies away. "Kalah...STOP!!!!" But she didn't listen, she just kept marching. And the first wave was closing in fast. Matt was frozed, he was unable to move. Only his eyes could follow in horror as the began surrounding her, when suddenly they were all thrown from her figure. Many could be seen strewn about of the floor, writhing in pain with their bones and appendages severely mangled.

Matt didn't know how to react to this. It wasn't Kalah out there, he knew she could never do that. It wasn't in her character at all to cause harm to anyone, even if she or her friends were in some type of danger. It just wasn't concievable for Matt and it was even harder for him to watch. Wave after wave of enemies fell, and Kalah continued to tear them all to shreds. Suddenly, the one that could be seen as their leader gave a signal and the line that was keeping the two above the pot up was cut.

Ryan and another person that Matt had yet to make himself familiar with began falling towards their certain doom. He didn't have time to worry about Kalah, she was taken care of herself, and her newfound bloodlust would have to be discussed later. He began charging towards the pot. The army that had once stood between them and their comrades was slowly being slaughtered by his girlfriend, and now there was another life at stake. Zeal was coming up quickly behind Matt and they both dove, each catching one of their falling friends. Zeal clutching Ryan and Matt almost tackling the one he had yet to really introduce himself to. He held them close to his behemoth chest and tumbled past the pot.

When he finally was able to look back, Kalah was standing in the middle of gore and the moaning dehabilitated bodies of her enemies. He looked at him momentarily. And the cold eyes that were not hers pierced Matt. He almost froze in their gaze, when suddenly the icy blue that was Kalah broke through for only a split second and she sighed and collapsed. Matt immediately left his rescue "victim" on the other side of the pot and ran over to Kalah. Grabbing her in his arms and lifting her up his chest and his face.

"Kalah?" He shook her very gently. But her beautiful face was still and her eyes were closed. "We need to get out of here now..." Matt began walking out of the cave, when he realized everyone else was just as shocked as he had been.

"These people are of no concern to us. We have to care for our party, and our friends before people who wished us dead." And without saying anything else, Matt made his way out of the cave and began looking for a spot that he could restore Kalah. Almost immediately outside of the cavern there was a grassy clearing and he laid Kalah down gently on the grass. He was no longer thinking of anyone but Kalah, no one else mattered and he needed to utilize their abilities to save her.

"RYAN! Ryan! Get over here! I need your power!" A young girl emerged with the rest of the party from the mouth of the chasm. They walked out slowly as Matt became more and more hysterical. "Hurry and help her." But none of them moved, they just stood and it began to sink in.

Many of them were frightened by Kalah's actions. And even though many of them had either befriended Kalah, or had known her prior they didn't have the same connection Matt had to her. And they were worried...worried about what might happen if she came back...and they were just as worried as Matt as to what had happened to Kalah. And who was here in her stead.

[Roy Karrde]

I figured I would let Yi do the whole abduction scene, and go on and pick up where Matt left off

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Scared to Death ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]We all stood there, shocked to the core, how could Kalah murder all of those people? They deserved to be murdered don’t get me wrong, but how could she have done such a thing? It was as if she were a totally different person. “HURRY AND HELP HER.” Matt roared his voice growing louder and louder as each second ticked by. “NOW!” He added, jerking me out of my trance.

Shaking my head slightly to clear my brain, I knelt down beside her my hand hovering over her face to notice there was absolutely no breath going in or out. “Sh-she’s not breathing.” My voice trembled; Matt cupped his hands over his mouth in shock as he paced back and forth behind me. I had to get her to breath, some how, some way I had to get her breathing.

“Do something, you have the power, just DO IT!” He screamed his fist pounding against a tree in anger. I winced in shock before looking back down at Kalah, her lips were quickly turning blue as her face became ghostly white. “She’s dieing, she can’t die.” His voice quivered, tears forming at the edges of both of our eyes.

With no other idea, I placed my hands over Kalah’s chest, where I believed her heart would be, and concentrated. The familiar rush and tingly washed through my hands, only this time the energy and rush came much slower than usual. My hands began to glow a pale yellow as they sunk through Kalah’s clothes in skin. My hands and wrists suddenly felt wet and warm, almost a comforting warm, like being held close to your mom. I kept going deeper, past something very hard that took a few seconds to get past, until my hands gripped something large, yet soft. It was her heart, or at least I hoped it was her heart, yet at the same time it wasn’t beating. “Hurry.” Matt called out, my hands began to grow more and more numb by the second.

Closing and opening my hand, I tried to message the heart, using my hand to cause it to beat, in hope that it would begin to start beating again. Three…four…five squeezes, still I couldn’t feel the heart beating on it’s own. Seven…eight…nine, nothing. My hands began to feel more and more numb as if they had been out in the cold for too long. Ten…eleven…twelve, I released the heart from my grasp and it began to beat again on it’s own. Kalah gasped out for air, her eyes still closed yet a stable flow of air going in and out of her lungs.

Gasping for air on my own, I pulled my hands out of Kalah’s chest, both hands covered in the deep red of blood. My nose began to drip with the sick smell of blood as I looked over Kalah’s body; blood was dripping from gashes that seemed far too deep. She needed stitches or something or else the cuts wouldn’t heal well, or worse she could bleed to death. “Okay now heal her cuts, she’s going to bleed to death.” Matt pleaded, his voice calmer yet still panic stricken. Refocusing on the deep cut on her face, I began to close my eyes, yet the tingly sensation never came. Nothing came, I tried to refocus again, and nothing. Blood began to pour from my nose, each time I tried it seemed to come gushing more and more.

“Help her please.” Matt asked, placing his hands gently on my back in hopes that it would help encourage me to reach for that last bit of strength, that last bit of energy to heal her body.

“I-I cant, I cant.” I shook my head in shame; my mouth covered in blood as it seemed to stop pouring out of my nose. Matt’s face sank as so did both of our hearts. I turned back to try again when I felt two strong arms lift me up into the air.

A soothing voice flowed past my ear as I tried to struggle, to get away and heal Kalah. “Ryan, calm down please, you’re going to hurt yourself.” The soothing voice whispered, wrapping me up in his arms. “She will be okay, she will be okay…” The voice added, sounding less than sure.

[Weasel Overlord]

[color=#c2cae7]|| Morrigan Broin Irven Macha || Avatar of the Celtic Goddess Morrigan ||
Won't you join me now
Baby's looking torn and frayed
Join the masquerade

[color=#c2cae7]Commotion awoke me from my slumbers. Not quite comfortable with sleeping with Marxy and Tané in company, I had bedded up near them, but on the opposite side of the fire. The group probably had their suspicions, but I wasn’t ready for any jeering yet. It wouldn’t be long before we could shrug off the teasing, but Da was being terrible as it was.

Every opportunity she popped up with a cryptic but knowing remark. She had seen us that night, and since she was not going to let it slip by her. Even immersed in the most innocuous of tasks I would look up to see her leering down at me; toothy-grinned and top-hatted she would make lewd remarks such as;

“Do tha fowl o’ yourn join in wit’ bugg’ry then?” and “Are ya gonna get nekkid agin tonight?”

Putting it frankly, it bothered me. But Marx, well, he didn’t seem to care about it. In fact, he didn’t seem to care about much lately, which was worrying. After...well, after the fight he’d just gone inside himself, only reacting to food and sleep, or when he was asked a question, but there was always a faraway look in his eye, as if he were deep in thought, or engrossed in some sort of mental exercises.

In a roundabout way, my placement in the sleeping arrangements was probably what kept me from hearing Tané, or from being taken myself, so when the rescuers returned, amid the shouting and the healing and the blood I slinked off to where poor Tané had been dumped, like a sack of garbage.

Slumped on the ground, he looked chilly, which wasn’t surprising as he had no clothes on. Raising an eyebrow as he regarded me, I grinned as I eyed him up; long, lingering stares, taking in his body hungrily, not caring who saw. They were all otherwise preoccupied, and here was Tané, in need of comforting.

Looking around for Marx, I spotted him sitting under a tree quietly, watching the events unfold with a strange look on his face. Starting towards him to invite him into the fun, I paused, a memory lingering at the front of my mind.

Shaking...violent temper... Does he love me? He’s going to kill me!

...fear

Shaking my head, I dislodged them, and turned back to Tané. Whatever had happened to Marxy on that tower can’t have been good, and all I knew was that it frightened me. More than I’d ever been frightened, and the fact that it was Marx taking me by the throat, snarling in my face with such hatred in his eyes scared me more than anything else. He had been a totally different person, almost wild, and it terrified me. I would give him time, but meanwhile...

Turning my gaze back to Tané, I purred softly. No-one would be able to hear my mumblings over all the commotion anyway, and though a slight twinge of guilt for my selfishness in not helping out was soon erased by the thought that I would be helping Tané to recover from his dreadful experience.

Bending down to him, I took off my thick blanket and draped it about his shoulders, tugging it closed at the front after running teasing finger down the exposed chest. He shuddered under my touch, and gazed into my eyes shyly.

“That was....nice...” He trailed off, eyes half-closing dreamily as, in the guise of folding the blanket, I continued to stroke.

“I bet you had a traumatic experience,” I murmured. “But I can make you feel better.” Smiling seductively, I lowered my lashes and leant forward, one hand steadying myself on the floor and the other holding the nape of Tané’s neck. Kissing him softly, I made a pretence of arranging the thick material as my head fell, kissing lightly down the nape of his neck.

“Mmm...” Trailing my hand down the back of his neck, I pulled him closer for another kiss, only to be disturbed by a loud crowing sound. Turning quickly, I spied Da the unswayable pointing dramatically at us, to the total lack of care shown by the others.

“They’re DOIN’ IT!” She yelled, hopping from one foot to another as she crowed, waving her finger wildly and triumphantly. Glancing over, I saw Marx’s head rise, and a half-smile materialise on his face before he drifted back into his own little world, face as mournful as before.

Da’s screeches became louder as she realised that no-one was looking, and she finally resorted to dashing over, a gleeful grin plastered on her face, to once again leer at us, mouse a’peeking out of pocket with an almost matching grin about his yellow snaggle teeth.

Pointing once more, she almost beamed with malicious delight that she had caught us out, and in the open too.

“Filth!” She declared, at the top of her voice. “Lady-men a’buggerin’” Tutting, she shook her head deploringly. “Whas the world comin’ to?” Pulling out a bottle, she took a mighty swig of the clear liquid before staggering away, declaring “Filth!” and “Buggery!” loudly, grinning round at anyone who cared to look. Shaking her fist in our direction, she immediately fell over to titter on the ground before chewing on a couple of the chocolate balls the enjoyed so much.

“Well, that spoiled the mood somewhat.” I shook my head in disappointment. “Maybe we should wait until we’re...alone...” I raised an eyebrow at Tané, who smiled back, obviously looking forward to it. “Meanwhile...” Scooping the blanket further round Tané, I glanced around at the camp, immersed in their own drama they hadn’t noticed the pair of us, nor the shrieking Da. “I think I’ll sleep near you tonight. I’d like to see anyone kidnap you again with me on guard!” Grimacing at the sudden weight on my head, I swatted at Fiachra as he tugged on my fringe. “Pesky bird!” Tané smiled sleepily, and curled himself up in a ball. Lifting up a corner of the blanket, he glanced at me meaningfully. Grabbing the corner, I curled up behind Tané, our bodies melding perfectly into a twining of legs and arms. Smiling to myself, I realised that there was nowhere else I’d rather be.

[Plantae]

= The Perigrinating Puerile-Pond-Wit and the Seven of Somewhat-Subdued-Savoir-faire or So "She" Sees =

She gave it a rest. That is, her volatility towards Tané and Morrigan, though her viewing the sleepers made her chuckle, as it looked so silly; she did take the time to write a few nasty man-on-man oriented words around their makeshift cot with a forlorn twig. But for but that and Snig’s cackling manner as she did it, a-shoulder and gobbling a commandeered chocolate marble, her jeers were only of limited supply, very limited that is, when no one paid her attentions, and when she had but a scant intelligence and no tact to begin with. She was no reservoir of wit. She was more of a puddle, with a death wish, fitting in a thimble, in the middle of a summer desert, under a magnifying glass. She was still infuriatingly frustrated however, knowing not why, and she batted away Snig’s marble cruelly. He found it so too and bit her on the top of the finger where bandages cannot go, the fiendish rodent, but she was not to care. There was clearly something occupying her thoughts, for what it was, uncertain. But she bore eyes to the others, and less casually viewed them than usual. She knew about the girl, who, though one would assume she had not, knew was named Ryien. Power and murder and intentions and she frowned with a keen look that was, well, distinctly uncharacteristic. But that might have been her seeing through ignorance, for once, with eavesdropping. She was then promptly distracted again as she conjectured as to why there was a ”hole in me marble bag!” No one answered, but a scowling Snig. She seethed. Not a one, not a word to shrieks and cries of buggerin’.

So, without knowing why she was, or what for, she stood up and simply strode away. Away and out past the camp and no one plead her not to. No one asked her where she would come back and have been, not a care, not a whim, not a question. No queries reached her ears and so she trod on. She galloped past familiarity and into the wide of the wilderness, wailing trees, wind a-whimpering and whimsical grasses gently, her bangles blowing blusterously. She was not going to the forest those had been, no, not with what the two had been retrieved. She went the opposite way, still off the path, not backwards but sideways. It was a detour into the feral part of the place- no one called- and further. She went past a rock that looked like a face, though she would not use it as a landmark seeing as she could not remember faces- and no one gave her glance- and for fact that she was really quite blind to life. She fumed, raged, ranted, broiled, and sort of half-step trip-strode at the same time. She was never good at multitasking. But she kept a-pace a pit-a-pat over puddles and climes, hills, here and there, pushing through woods and walks and bewailing it all and her non-pursuers, for not a noise came from aback the clearing and the fire and the frivolous non-friend fiends. She kept a-going for what seemed hours, days, years, months, what could have been minutes or thirty seconds, but she went and she kept a-went-ing like there was no yesterday. Then she was, all of a sudden in a vale, alone, and she began to realize, and she was isolated. There was no one to appeal to for her needs, no, not now, never near this place so gone from grasp of familiarity. And then she was kneeling and then she was almost prone to the ground’s might, over a pool of water. And then she... cried… out in glee, and settled, and stared somber with a face not her own, so grave and grim, a mask there like. A countenance, a disguise, hiding lucidity underneath; or so was her true side, that jigging jovial juxtaposition, surely. But no Da is ever certain.

So she weeped not a little, nor screamed, nor danced, nor dallied. She sat silently and breathed deeply, and she drank a little water and mixed herself a cup of calming yet cold chamomile tea, pouring an unknown substance, possibly strong alcohol, into the mixture with.

And then she galumphed back to camp some hour or hours or minutes or thirty seconds later. No one gave her a moment’s beholding. She cared not, surprisingly, possibly so distraught as that.

They looked not when she stumbled out of camp in dead of night and vomited on the ground. She felt better afterwards anyway, but someone might have wanted to pay her some care, surely? An attending in a jiff? Not even more than that? But she was clearly singular, mono and only mono, and devilishly so.

She lapsed, possibly in covers and possibly on bare ground, into comatose dreams. But no one regarded which the fairer, even her, dead to the world, and sleeping like a rock. Or so she sank too, into a far-off never-never-land.

She was in a boat. It was floating down a river, garish and engorged with candy-cane reds and pinks and gaseous purple fumes which floated off and everywhere. She was tapping the side gently, and it was a boat, great in stature, well, it was a tortoise actually, or maybe a crane, but she was riding on it and the water was lapping the sides in gentle ebb as it went onward, further, farther. There were mice dancing on starboard and she counted them… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven… and they dived into the water. She thought they might drown and she tried to scoop them up but they swam, synchronized, to chorus of panpipes, which was actually wind blowing through pasta, or maybe straws in a basket, or reeds. But she knew not and she simply watched them.

She was striding through a forest of mushrooms, towering high and shadowing her in creumungous* canopy and she tiptoed amongst the long purple-pink-maroon-green-brown-blue vegetation that rose on either side and around her, trying little to disturb what was all here. She knew not why she was being so careful, and then she screeched, and she found out as a wibble-wobble beast came running after her, and then it was Snig and he scampered over her and stuffed a piece of parchment into her closed hand. She opened it and dissolved into the ink of the scroll.

She was in a stone room with mirrors of all sizes set up on all sides; they were adjacent or skewn or upside down but it mattered not. There were seven- just seven- and they glared at her. Fiercely they stared at her and she grew anxious, and nervous, and she was spinning and smashing and shattered glass and pieces and mouths and faces and laughing and she screamed. But the mirrors only made more mirrors, which invitingly gazed her way, again and again, furiously.

She was in front of a single mirror and could see though black was all around her. She looked in the mirror and saw herself in plain clothes, fitting and almost skin-tight. A movement of her arm brought no slither of fabric sex. The woman looked so much stronger, taller even though she was as short as she, and her face was bathed in glow. And she reached for the mirror as it fell away and she saw giggling women all around her with rodents of their own, mimicking her and dancing like bobby pins, around and around and she was with them, absorbed by these in their pasty-white-caramel facades with exaggerated features, thicker lips than hers and lazier lazy eyes.

In the fury she caught sight of a single rolling marble. She bent down to pick it up and everything fell around her until it was simply her and the ball. Da and the sphere. A woman and a marble in her hand. And then as she looked at how it shone, she muttered but a word, expressionless, “Power.”

She woke and she took another swig of tea of which she had saved. And then she dropped away into an unconscious state, simpering subtly.

=====

*creumungous - creepily humungous

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]Ryien



“Just let go… let go… there isn’t any need for you anymore.” A calm yet firm voice seemed to rise from the darkness. Kalah felt herself exist in this darkness, although she could not see herself or anything else. Then suddenly… there was a form- a Ninetails, a strange white Ninetails in all its glory- adorning four tails.
“You shouldn’t be fighting me.” Kalah shook her head at the voice- at the Ninetails.
“No, I am Kalah… I am the one who is supposed to be here.”
“Reeeally? How sure of that are you?” Another voice spoke, this one sounding more intoxicating and smooth, washing over Kalah’s senses like an immense wave. A darker version of the four-tailed Ninetails appeared, tilting its head to the side.
“I am sure! This is my body?”
“Or is it?” The white one said.
“You’re not in your world anymore… you’re in ours.” The black one confirmed.
“B-but… I created me…”
”I don’t believe so, do we look like what you wanted?”
Kalah felt herself weakened, as she felt some ominous power take over her body. It was immense and strong- like a titan of power that she just couldn’t fathom beating.
“No! Please… I am supposed to be here…” She pleaded, but she felt a strange tingling sensation wash over her body, making her light and numb. This wasn’t supposed to happen… Kalah knew it wasn’t supposed to happen. Who were these beings and why were they taking over her?
In any case… she wasn’t going to make it- they were too strong. She could feel them fight over the remnants of her mind and body when suddenly…
A white streak.
A streak of white sliced through her vision and she heard a soft calling. A voice… a sweet voice that she recognized, filled with worry and compassion. Feeling a sudden surge of strength, Kalah cried out.
“No! I am here!”

“No! I am here!” Kalah suddenly called out, slowly opening her eyes as she had shouted out those words. Blinking slightly and feeling her heart beat going into overdrive, she saw the semi-familiar figure of Matthew. A few more blinks and he clearly came into focus, holding her in his massive arms as he looked at her with worry.
“Kalah! Kalah can you hear me?” He said softly, gazing in an almost horrified way as she blinked a few times but then slowly nodded.
“Yes… I ca-auuugh!” She gave out a sharp cry, feeling a new sensation of a sharp burn course through her body at various points. Looking at herself, she saw her leg was bandaged and she felt her abdomin was bound as well. Her hand, her arm… all were bandaged crudely with bits and pieces of cloth. Looking up at Matt, she saw that he had ripped pieces from his clothing to bind her wounds. Of course, the bandaged job was helping… but the blood loss in her body was too great for her to even stand. Already the bandage upon her side was beginning to soak up with blood again…
“Are you okay? You got beaten up badly…” Matt said softly, looking down at her with worry in his eyes. She looked at him and weakly nodded, placing her hand upon his face.
“I’m fine… but… what…”
Then the memories came flooding back to her… feeling anger grip her, and then suddenly it was as if she lost control of herself again. It was similar to the time the moon had fell upon her… however, it was a new conscious. Some one more serious and deadly… with a calm yet inner enraged being at the same time. She remembered screaming inside as she felt her body expel energy and she watched as bodies were beaten, bloodied, torn and dispelled away. The horrific memory… the gore… it all was rushing back to her.
“My god…” She weakly gasped, closing her eyes tightly for a moment as she felt a hot rush of tears come to her eyes.
“I killed all of those … those people! I had… I had no control… some thing… some thing kept killing them and I had no control… it was… it was…” Kalah began stammering, but Matthew quickly bent over and hushed her.
“Shhh… it’s over now and you need rest. Don’t think about it and don’t worry about it for now. We can talk about it later… but right now you can’t get too excited or exert yourself too much. You’re still so weak Kalah… you’re hurt…” Matt’s eyes seemed to moisten for a bit before he shook his head and gently cradled her further. Kalah frowned slightly, feeling horrible at the fact that Matt was being hurt in this way. She didn’t want him to be this way…
A strange call seemed to draw the attention to Kalah that it was morning. Looking a ways off, she saw that the group had gathered around a fire and Adalia and Morrigan were cooking. Everyone was getting ready to eat, and Kalah looked back to Matt.
“Have I been asleep that long…?” She trailed off, and Matt nodded. Kalah withdrew a sigh and struggled to rise to her feet, but instantly found that she could not even stand. Swiftly sweeping Kalah up in his arms, Matt stood up.
“Let’s get some food in you… but don’t even think of trying to walk by yourself for now.”

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Hungry ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]Taking in a deep breath through my nose, and letting it out in the form of a deep sigh, I began to stir from my slumber. Images from the horror of the night before filtered into my head. How I had saved Kalah’s life after she rescued me, how we walked back to camp and I had trouble going to sleep, how Tony had laid down beside me and promised to stay with me till I had fallen asleep. Now I had awoken and expected to see Tony far, far away. My eyes began to open slightly to see the morning sun blaze overhead, I could feel the soft grass on my legs, my hip, and then, the rest of my body was on something soft and warm.

“Hey there sleepy head.” Tony’s voice said softly as I felt something tug on my hair. Turning slightly I realized with startling realization that I was laying on Tony’s chest, his hand playing with my hair. Tony smiled slightly, before raising an eyebrow as my face became hot and flushed. “You still look sick, is it your rash?” He asked, his voice dropping to a whisper, as I shook my head no and took in a deep breath of his intoxicating scent.

I closed my eyes again, wanting to let this moment last forever before finally rising and straightening myself. “So hungry..” I grumbled sleepily, rubbing my aching stomach as I walked toward the sweet smell of cooking meat. “My tummy is hungry.” I plopped myself down next to Marx and Morrigan who had set up a fire resistant scarf over the fire to cook a soup mixture.

The two men gave each other funny looks before turning back to cooking the stew. “Want to help out?” Morrigan asked placing a type of herb in the stew before stirring it even more with a stick. I gave a soft nod and moved over to where the herbs sat in a small pile. Picking up the long green stocks one at a time and tossing them in along with a small piece of meat. “Have you ever cooked before?” He asked as I tossed in another piece of an herb.

I shook my head and looked down at my own hands before turning back to her. “I never really liked cooking before, but I kind of want to do all Girl things now just once, just incase this is only temporary.” I told them before finishing with my pile of herbs.

The two boys gave each other looks before glancing over at a stretching Tony. Morrigan was the first to almost fall over laughing; Marx on the other hand tried to keep his composure while at the same time his eyes betrayed the inner struggle he had going on to keep himself from laughing. “You want to DO all girl things?” Morrigan asked between gasps as my face flushed several different shades of red as she implied exactly what she was thinking.

I quickly shook my hands and head quickly, trying to shake away the sick sexual thoughts that they were alluding to. “Tony is only my friend, really.” I tried to object as Morrigan and Marx gave each other knowing looks. Yet both seemed to shut up as the rest of the group gathered around for the morning breakfast. “Everyone eat up!” I smiled placing a small helping of the stew into scarfs and other pieces of clothing people used to hold the food as they each passed one by one.

I sat back down with my own small helping of food and glanced up, everyone seemed to be in various stages of disgust, a few even looked a bit sick. “What’s wrong? Isn’t it good?” I asked, as Da almost fell over and vomited. My eyes quickly turned to Morrigan and Marx who were scrambling over the herbs and meat trying to figure out what was poisoning everyone.

“Ryan you really can’t cook.” Tony joked turning my attention back toward him. My eyes narrowed to a deep glare as I stood up to my full height. I wanted to retort, to say some great comment that would shut him up. Yet I had nothing. Instead I reared back with my arm and tossed the entire scarf forward complete with soup.

In one swift motion Tony duck aside and the food went sailing past her to smack Kalah in the face. Removing the scarf in one hand and grasping the food in another, Kalah stood up, her glare matching my panic stricken face. She reared back with her own food and tossed it forward. Almost instinctively I dodged to the side, narrowing missing the food that went sailing past to hit Tane smack in the face.

“Food Fight!” I screamed rushing over to the home made pot and grabbing globs of the thick white soup and throwing it as everyone else used what food they had to fire back at each other, all in a no holds bar, food fight melee to relieve all the stress of the last few days.

These moments, these precious few moments of laughter and joy seemed to wash away the terror and pain of these last few days. At this moment it didn’t matter what gender we were or what age, we were all friends just having fun. This is what I thought as a glob of soup smacked me square in the chest, I could see Tony grin from behind a wall made by his weapon before he dashed behind for cover.

These were the moments of this journey that I loved.

Alright guys have fun with the food fight and relaxation. Feel free to have your characters bathe off in the stream afterwards and then head to the Earth Seal that should take about a half of day ride to arrive at.

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
Side note: "Kalah standing up and throwing" = Kalah struggling to gain her balance, using Matt as a pillar to maintain her standing and limply tossing the food. Ryan... lol... ^^; Kalah can barely walk let alone have enough energy to throw anything back. But I'll say she found an inner rage to throw the food and used Matthew a shield there after. XD

[Plantae]

Thanks again, Ryan, for putting that up while I was gone.

= Comestible Covered and Consumed in Cleanliness with Conundrum =

She was thoroughly aroused. Her interested was piqued. She was fawning over the exact cause. She teased it, prodded it, as it grew in size until she was entirely unawares, nervous. For this was her first time or one of them in trying to discover exactly what it meant to deduce something. She could not for the life of her understand why she was covered in muck, food, trashy leftovers and thrown projectiles when she had clearly taken no participation in the fight. She was not sure why she had been targeted and she was neither sure as to whom was doing the soiling of her clothes via this sustenance. But she was sure as hell sure that there was surely going to be hell to pay for what was a sure act of belligerence. Or so she took it, being irritated, and joined in the fray with a steady telekinetic hand; she took pride in the fact that the inevitable result, that is, everyone involved and covered in the picnic offerings, was to a large part due to her whirlwind of tosses. Or so she imagined it. In reality she was still too discombobulated to take part in the festivities. So she ignored the ensuing battle and simply waited until the dust cleared, smirking with the satisfaction that if she wanted to participate, she would have been crowned queen of noddy tossing (or so was arrogance).

During the wait she may have made several attempts. The first to quiet the noises of cheerful bites battle, breads and cuisine, all within this admixture of solitude and serenity. The second and similarly fruitless attempt dwelt on her trying to think for once, or so it may have been related to, the dreams from the eventide prior. But she could make no sense of them, likely, and more probable, was entirely senseless. Or with senses but with a sensory deficiency she might call inculpable if she could actually pronounce such a word; the fact is, even if she could shriek this word, it would invariably be lost within the fact that she had no real idea what went on around her, or so her actions seemed to show. Thirdly and finally, thrice and over she mulled, or attempted to realize the fact that her conscience (if she had one, and if it was really telling her so, being possibly as inefficient as she) was claiming that her jests towards the two queer companions off to the left side, not longer so cuddled with culpable cause in the current cacophony. If there was some miraculous epiphany in her head that she was wrong, it was unlikely she would even acknowledge it. So in reality she made no attempts, as she was incapable of even overcoming a little bit of sloth and for once putting a stop to avid hypocrisy. If there was a someday, hers would be the fullest and fattest and most fed with frivolous frills than any other fellow's. In the end that remained adjacent the sharper space, and so it was that she found herself, still covered in vittles, and the others now realizing the need to sanitize themselves.

“We ought to clean up.” The statement was from a someone, of which the one she paid no attention. She was more preoccupied without exactly how she was supposed to get all this gunk out of her sashes. She scrubbed at it bleakly with an open palm and soon found said hand as dirty with it as her clothes were. She frowned, face frustratingly down-turned and watched as a safe-Snig climbed from pocket, scampering about and chewing bits and such. He looked too gleeful at her status and so she lifted telekinetically raised a sash and like a whiplash, slapped him with it. He was only side-ly struck by the blow due to nimbleness, but surprised nonetheless. He responded by nipping at her arm with a lecherous, that is, for flesh, smile; she wiggled her arm carefully and then rapidly and vigorously but he refused to loose hold. He made a stumbling drunk-food-fulfilled gait back to the pocket domain and was out of sight. Had she any measure of malleable manner of compos mentis, she might have ignored it; but as it is, that set her on edge, and she began to stomp on the ground like a wide-eyed tyrant. She screamed bloody murder and howled like a mutt made misery without by traditional euthanasia.

She jigged, accidentally, or so was her etiquette. It was more amusing than threatening but still so due to the fact that she had that quality of forcing her way. She spouted, “Ye rat-face bas’ard bairn bull-‘eaded yuppies! Gat me clothes soaked, ye t’ spawn! Louts, gits, golly-dowly kine! Argh! Ragh!” But they doubtless gave her not much more than apathetic glances and she fumed, but her voice was hoarse and so she collapsed to the ground like a leaden sack and put her face in her garment-ly nourishment-covered hands, to which she had forgotten they were, exhausted and the more by the fact that now here countenance was as covered as the rest. Fatigue was supposedly a dirty word in her vocabulary, but whatever it was, there was a matter tiring her, likely this whole endeavor. Though they might not have suspected, maybe somewhere deep down she did care about the seals and the fate of a populace. Maybe she did indeed. The key word being, of course, maybe.

=

So she found herself, like magic, at some stream somewhere of here of there with scrubbing in the shade of a sycamore and surrounded by similar strangers. Then she remembered swimming and diving like her “old” self and smiled at a cannonball already past. She was in her undergarments and dipping habiliment forth and down and up and a-warshing them while Snig took refuge, frigidly shaking in her shag locks. So it went and on until they were hung up to dry and the group, fire built at the side and most of them in their skivvies, sat about and shiver-me-timbers cold. She had been sure to put her sight-out-of stuff on the highest precipice so that the sun could shine them well.

It was unsatisfactory. Bearing no cares for what the rest were doing she too to a secluded place and made her a show of soaring adornments. Whirl-a-whirl wear: she spun them through the atmosphere and sped up the process, like a cyclone of purple-blue-maroon. A hurricane circus-extravaganza was her act and after she had ceased, all the outers and the inners by simple being were dried now. And though most would have called it wasted magic, the process, she could not be but seventy times pleasant for fact that the frippery, her blessed attire, was clean.

So she guffawed at the hours and the others as they did it their own means when hers was the faster. And she pranced joyously at her state of hygiene where theirs was still falling and failing for the lack of wardrobe. Most had not way to do laundry like she, like that shaman bound to oaths and pacts and not worth asking spirits to do such a deed which would only demean them when he was already the servant the more regardless.

But with time the roads were again upon them and it was time to go onward to the Earth Seal.

“A token. ‘pology.” She gave both the two a cup of tea, and he for good measure, the two M-masisi kind and the T-with-accent. It was likely they looked at her oddly. For it was the weirdest thing she’d done and though they might have known why for it was, wherefore she did it was unknown to them. She’d said she was sorry. For the jeers, maybe, the lock-opener utterance; somehow it was the creepiest conundrum Da could have committed.

=====

[Roy Karrde]

Alright since posting has dropped I figured I would add a few newbies in.

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Playing in the Water~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]Splishing and Splashing I jumped up and down in the water of the stream. The cool water washing up and flowing over me, gushing and rushing down my robe back into the scream. In the distance the screams and yells of the food fight filled the air, along with laughter and joy. I had snuck out just a few minutes earlier to go wash off as everyone seemed to continue in his or her own little slice of heaven. “I wish Sam was here.” I sighed remembering my younger sister who I loved and adored. She would most likely be heading off to France by now. Most likely I was a distant memory in all the rush and emotion of the trip.

Relaxing, I leaned back on the muddy ground of the bank and toyed with my long hair. What would she think if she saw me now? Would she think I was pretty? Would she think I was brave? Maybe none of the above. Rolling on my side I curled up a bit into a ball and wished that Tony would show me the kind of emotion that Matt showed Kalah. How he would care for her no matter all else. That was the kind of emotion I longed for, and the kind of emotion I realized I may never have. “I miss you sis.” I whimpered, Sam would know what to do, she would tell me why Tony had acted that way when I kissed his cheek.

The sound of feet against the muddy Earth brought my attention back to reality, I quickly turned to meet a beautiful woman, with a flowing robe, and the tale tell signs of some one I would never forget. “High Queen Kiiah.” I almost choked, rising to my feet in a slow bow, trying to act as proper as possible in front of Royalty.

“Calm down little one, I am only here as a image.” Her voice and body wavered as if she suddenly grew blurry for a second before coming back into focus. “I just come to bring news to help you upon your journey.” She announced, sitting down upon the riverbank. Slowly I sat back down and leaned next to her side for comfort.

“It truly is beautiful here isn’t it?” She asked, sharing a moment of silence to enjoy the nature of the soft running of the stream, and the soft chirping of birds as wind rustled past the dry leaves on the ground. A few moments past before she arose, motioning me to follow. I did and we walked down the riverbank, following it to where the stream ended and a river had formed. “Please be quiet when I do this.” She whispered, stepping out upon the river, walking on top of the water, every step forming a layer of ice upon the river, which spread out until the whole lake was covered in a sheet of ice.

Her body began to waver again, as she reached the middle of the lake. A round magical circle spread out from her feet as her mouth moved in awkward motions, her arms and feet dancing around until light began to shimmer up from the lake. Light that encircled her and wrapped in a bubble to which she stepped out. The bubble shimmered and sparkled, while High Queen Kiiah looked whiter and more exhausted, until her image looked more like a ghost then a queen. “Please help these new ones, they will help bring you courage and strength in your battle. The other chain is far ahead of you, so you must hurry.” Her voice grew faint as the bubble moved across the lake of ice, until it finally rested close to me.

The bubble began to fade and eventually disappeared, leaving behind three bodies, each of them unique in their own right. Taking in a deep breath, I turned to hear the others already in the river, most likely cleaning off. How would I explain this? “Um hello?” I bent down and nudged the one with wings. “Welcome to Plyos.” I added as they began to stur.

[Hyperness is a Good Thing]

Real Name: Ven Xhin
Gender: Female
Personality: Noisy, occasionally insensitive, bad tempered and impatient to a fault, not someone you would really want to mess with on her bad days. At other times, she may be quite nice, and decent, but her moods swing from one stage to another at very fast rates. Oh yeah, chronically lazy.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
(this is the form that appears in the RPG that your character joins)
Name: Adayn K’chel
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 18
Bodily Appearance: here Adayn is about 5”4 in height, and she is quite slim, but her figure is already fully developed. Her hair is a very light shade of brown, verging on blonde, with hints of gold when the sun hits it just right. With eyes a deep shade of blue that seem almost bottomless, fair creamy white skin, and delicate features, she is often found to be very attractive to the possessors of the XY chromosomes.
Clothing Appearance: Adayn is a dancer, and she normally wears a tight blue silk halter top, with long, flowing sleeves when performing. Her pants are made out of a gauzey navy blue material that almost looks like it will be transparent, but it isn’t, tight waist down, but billows away below her knees. She always wears the star shaped pendant(also shown in the picture) around her neck, and she never takes it off. Her shoes are made out of soft leather with tougher leather for the soles, but they are loose and very comfortable, and can be kicked off easily when she is dancing. When not dancing, she wears a long, hooded brown cloak that swathes her entire body down to her heels, made out of thin fabric, but is amazingly weatherproof, and can keep her warm on a cold night.
Weapon: Two hooked knives that she wears at her waist, with heavily ornamented daggers, which makes them look like a fanciful decoration, but the blades are in tip top condition, and she always makes sure that she keeps them sharp. Having muscle strength, agility and speed from constant building up and toning from all her dancing and practice, she’s fairly lethal with the knives in her hands, as many a tavern loafer who has tried to cross the line has found out.
Magic: Adayn’s magic isn’t something she can fully control, and she can only harness it when she dances. Her magic is of the Wind element, and with it, she can summon winds as strong as hurricanes or tiny little gusts. However, once summoned, she no longer has much control over the winds, unless she continues dancing, and she cannot keep this up for extended periods of time.

~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Adayn is much quieter and has better self control. She also isn’t so temperamental, and she is prone to frequent bouts of daydreaming. She loves one thing more than any other in the whole universe, and that is dancing. It has become her life, and she cannot conceive ever being unable to dance. Sometimes she has difficulty telling the difference between dreams and reality, on account of having dreamt so much. Occasionally, flashes of Ven Xhin do come through, in the form of hyperness and over-eagerness and the tendency to be over-excited, but the longer she remains in Plyos, the less she remembers of Earth and of her former self.
Other: In this form, she feels a strange affinity with the wind, and sometimes, it may even speak to her…


My post will be in my new favourite font, yay. ^_~

[size=11pt]_________________
[font=tw cen mt]
[color=#ffcccc] Ven Xhin
_____________________________
I slumped in front of my computer screen, feeling almost half dead. Exams were coming, I had barely studied, my scholarship depended entirely on my marks, my Chemistry lecturer wanted a Powerpoint presentation by tomorrow, I had lots of work to do, and NO TIME, and here I was, surfing through TPM forums.

“Kinda says a lot about me,” I mused aloud, while clicking through the various topics in the ASB forum before opening up the RPG one. To my surprise, I saw that one of the RPGs that I had been mildly interested in earlier had open spaces.

Delighted, and forgetting utterly about my Chemistry homework, I immediately started creating the character that I would play. There was the short, usual struggle on whether to choose a guy or a girl, but I remembered a character that I had thought up on a whim. As I typed, she seemed to grow amazingly fast under my fingers, and I felt myself feeling more connected to her than I ever had for any of my other characters…

Frowning, I stared at the screen, looking out for mistakes and also trying to think of ways to improve the character…and gave up, like I normally did when my brain was pestered to work too hard.

My phone beeped, and I knew that it was probably a message from my Chem partner, asking me to do work. Sighing, I clicked the “Post reply” button and leant back, waiting for the screen to load – but there was something different today. It went all black and I screamed “NOCOMPUTERDON’TDIEONMEINEEDYO-” and an extra Window popped up, asking me to confirm my enlistment… I was so relieved that my beloved computer was fine that I barely glanced at it before clicking “Ok”; maybe TPM had added a new feature to the forums, or maybe this was the work of the newest and very enthusiastic RPG mod. My train of thought was completely derailed when the computer screen started glowing, and suddenly, the glow intensified to a blinding flash, and I lost all consciousness, my last thought being, “Oh crap, did lightning stri-?” and then there was nothingness.

______________
[color=#ff99cc] Adayn K’chel
_________________________
There were murmurs of a soft, girlish voice and another lower, also childlike voice of a boy verging on puberty. I sat straight up with a big start. “MY COMPUTER!!!!!” I yelled at the top of my voice, or at least I thought I did, but it seemed as if my mouth had glued itself shut – for some reason, I didn’t feel compelled to make as much noise as I normally did, because it wasn’t right, it wasn’t polite, and it just shouldn’t be done in public – “Where the heck is all this coming from? I questioned myself.

I awoke to see two children looking at me – tweens really, they were almost past the “child” stage, the girl was really cute, she would probably grow up to be a beautiful woman, the boy had panther ears, there were dressed in outlandish garb…..My thoughts pulled me to a sudden stop back then, and rewound back to the “boy with panther ears” thing, and I stared.

“Cos-playing?” I asked, trying to think of the best possible explanation.

They both looked at me rather blankly. Then suddenly, like a nice tonne of bricks, it hit me that I wasn't exactly home anymore. “I don’t want to ask the most clichéd question ever, but where am I?”

“Plyos,” the girl answered, her voice high and sweet.

“That rings a bell,” I muttered, trying to remember where had I heard that strange name before – some manga maybe?

There appeared to be a lake nearby, and I moved towards it, feeling a little strange. Was it me, or did the ground seem further away than before, and why did I have the impression that I was fitter than I had ever been in my entire life? I looked down at the water and gave a small start at the sight of the reflection that gazed back at me.

“What the…” I closed my eyes and fell to my knees. This could not be happening. “I’m Adayn.” The character that I had pictured what seemed like an eternity ago in front of my computer for that RPG, was now me? Or was I her? This was a terrible time for philosophical questions like this, and my head was starting to ache. “So, who are you two?” I asked, turning to them, trying to make my trembling voice firmer. It sounded different from what I remembered, now that I had the time to notice.

“I’m Ryan, or you might have known me as Roy,” the girl said, and before the boy could say anything, I interrupted.

“Ryan?” My tone was deeply sceptical. “Now correct me if I’m wrong, but the last time I chatted with Ryan online, he was male, and he even showed me his photo before, he looked nothing like you…” Then it dawned on me. “Oh.”

“Becki. We were in the Kingdom Heartless RPG together,” the boy said, with a very strong British accent.

“Oh. I’m HIAGT, but I look nothing like this in real life,” I told them as an introduction, getting up and raising my hands. “Is this some mass sleep induced hallucination or,” I said, glaring at “Ryan”, “Have you been doing stuff to the RPG forum?” I was feeling decidedly strange at that point in time. It was as if another me, a different me, but still me, was telling me to please keep quiet, and not speak so much and let Ryan explain, and I was getting a splitting headache. With a groan, I remembered that I had created Adayn to be quite different from the original me personality-wise, and I guess that was her/me speaking.

[ChobiChibi]

Real Name: Becki
Gender: Female
Personality: She's a free spirit, some one who is joking and almost never serious. She is very loyal to her friends and is some one that will talk to you and try to cheer you up no matter what. She can seem to be a bit weird to people sometimes, but that just adds to her uniqueness.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Loki Kinoshita
Gender: Male
Race: Half-breed panther
Age: 13
Bodily Appearance: Loki stands at the small height of 5’1’’ and has a rather lanky build which makes him look underfed. Despite this, he is quite fast and agile. His eyes are an olive green colour with a dominant yellow tint to them. His short black hair is left to flop untidily and out of place and often drifts in front of his eyes. Loki’s ears are replaced by black panther ears, which are often quite well hidden by his hair and also has a black tail.
Clothing Appearance: He wears a simple off-white lose fitting shirt with long sleeves which looks too big for him. His navy blue pants have a small hole cut into the back for his tail to hang freely. He has a royal blue wrap that goes around his waist twice and is tied by a double knot at the back, the two ends coming down to the back of his knees with silver embroided patterns on the ends. He uses this wrap as a place to hold his sword when it is not needed. He wears a simple pair of black leather sandals on his feet.
Weapon: A simple, thin sword with a panther head at the end of the hilt. It is in no way, shape or form magical; it is simply a weapon used by the half-breed panther race.
Magic: Unlike other Half-breeds, Loki can fully embrace his animal side and go into a full panther. This power allows him to understand the animals around him and communicate with them, while giving him a deeper understanding of the animals around him and with him. However, due to his age, he looks more like an older cub than a full adult.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Loki tends to be a bit more reserved than Becki and often keeps his thoughts to himself. He is quite shy at times but this is mostly only when confronted with girls. He feels ‘like one of the guys’ for most of the time but dislikes the fact that he is so young. Other than that, he’s just like Becki.
Other: Due to the fact he is a big cat, Loki is colour blind. His voice is breaking and he has a strong British accent.

~Becki- All by herself~

I shifted from one sitting position to another, attempting to find comfort from a chair whose padding had mysteriously disappeared. I had just finished and posted another contribution towards the Kingdom Heartless RPG and I was bored.

Opening AIM, I attempted to contact Tony. It had been three days, three whole days since I had last talked to him. He hadn’t signed off once, left a message when I wasn’t there or put up an away message.

‘Tony… Come on… I don’t want to go study ;_;’

I made fake sobbing noises at the computer despite the fact I knew he couldn’t hear them. It caused a frown from my brother as he walked by and muttered something about how sad I was. I stared at the screen, willing a message to appear.

“Fine. Ignore me. See how I care. It’s not like I’ll ever know you in real life anyway…” I muttered to the computer.

Seeing that Ryan was online too, I tried to talk to him. Seeing that I got no response, I gave up completely. Maybe it was some horrible conspiracy plot against me just because they were scared that I would beat them at Super Smash Bros Melee? Nah… I knew they were probably just both busy with something, but that didn’t stop me missing them.

Going back to TPM, my eyes drifted over a topic called Chronicles of the Rift. Seeing that it had already started and all the places were taken, I decided to read the sign ups so see what kind of characters everybody had created.

“A few more places open?” I said aloud, scanning over the last post by the GM again. “Yay! Something to do!”

I quickly wrote my sign up, choosing to be male for a change. After checking it over, I hit the post reply button.

My screen went black and I lost all control of my mouse. I scowled, trying to decide which swear word I would use as I would have to sit there and reboot several times. I was just about to hit the reset button when a message popped up asking if my character dimensions were correct. I clicked yes without any hesitation.

The text disappeared and the screen began to flicker constantly. I shielded my eyes and attempted to turn the screen off. I missed, knocking the glass with my hand. Darkness surrounded me as I fell unconscious.

~Loki Kinoshita – Rather disorientated~

“Welcome to Plyos.”

I opened my eyes slowly, finding myself lying upon a bed of grass. I lay still for a while, trying to correct my vision. Everything seemed to be in greyscale ranging from the darkest black to the brightest white with many greys in between.

“I’m colour blind?” I whispered as I sat up slowly. I noticed another person lying beside me and another bending over to try and wake one of us up.

The girl was so pretty. Her long robe covered most of her body, but her face was so beautiful, young and flawless. Every single ounce of me wished that I could see what colour her eyes were.

She smiled at me, holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Ryan.”

I stared at her. Her name was Ryan? Since when was Ryan a girl’s name? “But you’re… But you’re…” I noticed that my voice was slightly deeper than normal. “… A girl.” My voice squeaked as I said it.

This wasn’t right… I didn’t feel like myself… The sandals, the pants, the sword… I reached up to my head; ears? I looked behind me and watched as my tail as it swished happily from left to right.

I looked back at Ryan. “You… Are Ryan? The very same Ryan who hasn’t been answering my messages for the past three days?”

She nodded, giving me a strange look. “Do I know you?”

“Well, I appear to be Loki…” I said, glancing at my tail. “But I used to be Becki…”

Before I could register what was happening, I found that Ryan had embraced me with a hug. I felt my cheeks warm as I hugged her back. Why was I so embarrassed? Why did this feel so uncomfortable? The answer would have been so obvious to me if I wasn’t male…

Testosterone.

“Wait until I tell Tony!” She said cheerfully. “He’ll be so happy to see you!”

“Tony?” My voice squeaked again. Ryan giggled, obviously amused that I’d happened to become a character who had just hit puberty. “He’s here too? So this is where he’s been hiding! I thought you’d both abandoned me…”

She giggled again. “Would we really abandon you? Come on, lets go find him!”

She helped me to my feet. I found that I wasn’t much taller than her. She was about to lead me away when I noticed the other guy still lying on the floor.

“Wait! What about the other guy?” I questioned, tugging on her sleeve to get her attention.

[Plantae]

= Fritter Fondly Future Frivolity with Fiery Five-o’-clock Tea =

It was an avid curiosity or so it would appear that caused that gypsy woman to stalk after them as they went towards the lake. She cocked her head, wondering about this wispy image of that previous Queen and possibly simpering silently to herself about that tail of hers. But to no consequence, she kept herself occupied with merely watching and what she saw may have amused her. She was certainly fascinated by what was a powerful display, ice freezing listlessly as queeny's form crossed the lake surface. With each step, even, it was! She was thoroughly fascinated, analyzing those movements with an air of the fantabulous. It was this constant shivering, whimpering weakness of this transparent form of hers, though. She entertained its reason and its method, not that she could comprehend and soon the thought probably left her mind. She was not much of the arcane it would seem. So she dallied along- not making too much effort to hide- but muttering quietly to herself, "Be'er nut see me... prolly wohint, the rude kine-" She continued her observations unhindered by eye or shout, as she had when she had left them herself and gone alone to serenity. There was the question of whether she really preferred it though, being as how much of their attentions she seemed to passionately desire. But such a query was moot in the circumstances, or at least, so one would assume. It could never be reiterated enough that though she was no enigma, exactly how ignorant her thoughts could be at basest level.

She looked like a right dog- with her awkwardly postured head- in the stance she assumed as she discovered some magic circle being made. The ebb of cerulean tide, like blue fire, came from that woman's feet as she moved, almost jig-like and silly, to induce a gigantic and unprecedented example of magical over-exemplary fashioning. But it arose and she stepped from it as it glittered like a star in the sky, so garish and unnecessarily wasting of power or so it might be, not that Da could really hypothesize such an idea. It floated towards that Adalia and there it popped, glowingly and slowly with a sense of dignity that was only pitifully regal. That little girl turned her attention and set to prodding the newcomers in their places. But she watched and slipped and out came a needle which flew by a telekinetic accident, surely, as she had not purposefully thrown it at Queen Kiiah's disapparating image, neh? And so it reached her, and so it went through, luckily and that thrower donned a horrified but relieved expression and the monarch disappeared into thin air. Possibly because her being was only a hallucinatory coming in the first, though the magic certainly pressed through this scry. She stood their, out in space, that is, mindly out in the dark, whereas she was actually standing on a slight incline next to a large fern. But such was unimportant. She reached into one of the many folds of her clothes suddenly and pulled from them something, which, unseen in the blackness, could have been various objects. She turned her posture and called with her mind and hand-ly gesture that which she had "lost." There was the titter of a vial opening and a squiggle, a few whispered words and a pat. Then something hit the ground and she strode supposedly unawares towards those others at the lake's end. She galumphed, quick as a flash, ironically, to these few fleeting souls anewed here. She looked them up and down, took in those descriptions, and proceeded to speak, interrupting the bluer of the too-er and shouting, unnecessarily and sinisterly, "Tis nut a dreame, girly! Ye bairn, silly-scalp."

Their reactions were, well not priceless, and probably valued at considerably less than one might choose to appraise them for. The truth was that one could not truly call such a normal shocked way of responding priceless, as it was a rather usual response. But not entirely usual, that is, as typically one does not immediately begin offering chocolate marbles after that, intoning, "Ye mun be 'ungry, aye?" And then, when they slowly warm up to your aberrant presence as hers was, one does not so typically taunt them with the marbles before snatching them away dramatically and with much histrionics even if they had no actual intentions of taking them. But that was Da. Everything about her was drama. And so she was, standing in front of a younger boy-panther and blue-rival gypsy girl and munching, grinning too with those dirtied, stained teeth (from the chocolate, though the plaque had served to yellow them a bit as is an unfortunate side effect of candy consumption). She concluded, immediately, and spouted, laughingly, at the boy and Adalia, "love triangle." And she laughed a raspy cackle, and she stumbled off with them in her wake.

But she was not to escape their clutches so easily, it seemed. When the female piped, "And what is your name?" And there she was, needle in her hand, furious, and at the girl... well, she was three yards away and brandishing a needle and waving it, and to no effect, but it made not all that much difference. And she screamed, fiercely, "It is Dadrielaneianeneenalefenarwanewenelgelafonesavouen retaliondauelvehliga! Not Da! Not Daddy! Not Dudley! Dadrielaneianeneenalefenarwanewenelgelafonesavouen retaliondauelvehliga! Remember it!" She shrieked, and the girl, though dejected from her reverie, had that glazed look of a daydream to her. The new one, that is. Adalia was too banal to catch the mousey-woman's eye anymore. So she leaned in closer to the blue-garbed one, and she made sure she was heard. "Hear me? Got it? Do ye? Yeh? Yeh? Yeh!?" She annunciated as clearly as she possibly could on each syllable, accentuating it. The girl nodded oddly, and gave Adalia a look to which her immediate response was to shrug indiscriminately.

And so it all started. She strode on and they kept a fair distance behind, either afraid or simply wanting their privacy. But she walked so slowly that eventually they sort of began to pass her, fearfully, and she let them. Though it was awkward as they passed the woman who'd just been yelling at them in anarchy and utter fitfulness. So she ended up behind, finally, but with an inconstant pace that kept repeating the awkward situation as she would catch up... fall back... catch up... like a shark, swimming in for the kill. And that was how it was, too, as she noticed how close the boy subconsciously seemed to stand to Adalia, and she concluded (due to their ages and her sick and grossly misguided sense of self) that this was some love situation though to any sane person it would be evident the male was somewhat shy. So she burst out, in a moderate and monotonous tone, "Is 'e part? Ye gat a loov triangl, do ye?" Unfortunately, the time she chose to release this compliment was as they came upon the others, and within earshot of Zeal, who raised his eyebrows and gazed at the healer questioningly. But Da's mind liked to skip parts, like her life was so malleable.

She found herself, having ignored that whole debacle or whatever it turned out to be, away again and using telekinesis to mix herself a batch of tea while she walked. She gave it a dash of blue vial, some chamomile, drank it good, and wobbled on as always. She patted her belly, and muttered, "Strang stuif..." before stumbling about and carrying by. It was possible her spirit cravings had resumed their usual bear hug.

=====

For those unfamiliar with Da, have it be the disclaimer that it is quite possible that your character said something within that whole escapade that was not documented for the sole fact that she’s too selfish to actually recall it in her “memoirs” as this post is.

[Vulpix.ck87]

*shimmies you all* Noop noop and rise and shine ^^

Marxiach

It had been a full day since the harpy battle, and a fair few hours since Adalia and Tané had been rescued and returned. The sun had shone, and Marx had overcome the creature in his head with the dawn’s coming, and had only just now started to feel strong, and competent, and able to move. It was lucky this was so because only just now, as if on cue by a certain blonde haired fiend-child, a brightly coloured assortment of food was flying through the air.

Upon being hit on the side of the head by something largely resembling a soggy sponge cake, Marx promptly decided this was not his kind of gig, and got up, stretched and left. The very thought of food revolted him now as, after all, he had already eaten.. The harpy had left a foul taste in his mouth, and he longed for some - what was it? A distant memory now: Colgate and floss? Mmm. Marx couldn’t quite remember that which he desired very well, but the hazy thought managed to comfort him anyway.

He had picked the bird-woman’s flesh out of his teeth with a twig, washed the blood from his arms, legs, face.. But it still remained caked under his nails, the wounds on his arms were only just beginning to scab over, and his left eye, blind once more, throbbed in the dark under his eye patch. He couldn’t remember but for flashes, yet his body told the full story of what had happened. A battle - a battle for life, yes, but - with an infinitely gorier outcome than had been necessary.

“I didn’t need to do that, we could have won without him..” Marx muttered to himself so very quietly as he strode from the meadow, leaving the others to waste their needed rations upon targets and missed shots.

I was.. An animal. What other way is there of describing it? Marx wondered pensively. His mind was without intrusion today - the stallion was absent, tired perhaps, and sleeping - and so Marx was free to think. But Marx knew he was still there. And worst of all, he knew how to awaken it/him now, and that was what worried him most of all.

Marxiach undoubtedly looked distrait as he left camp, though he was too wrapped up to notice it, ironically. He had wondered briefly what the others thought of him - he supposed they had seen the massacre. When Marxiach had gone to find Tané and Morrigan after Tané’s kidnap, the two certainly had been busy - wrapped up in their own little bundle - and Marx had left feeling dejected, isolated and with a strong pang of jealousy stirring in his gut. And when Morrigan had met his gaze before it had been filled with apprehension and fear, and quickly torn away, and so Marx knew it was his own fault.

As well as that Marx supposed he had to consider his other team mate, Da’s, behaviour, which was somewhat significant. The endless stream of ‘Man-whore! Man-whore!’ had ended, and the jubilant catcalls of ‘Masisi!’ had faded to waspish whispers of topics revolving around homoeroticism when she now and then ambled into his gloom-radius, though it must be said she had very little enthusiasm. And since she had not addressed him as ‘Homo-laddie’ since the incident, he concluded that yes, she had witnessed the event and was exercising what little restraint she had. Though Marx did not hold himself in such high regard that he thought people really cared about his problems, he knew it must have been a nasty sight to see, and put their evasion down to this.

“I was not myself..” Marx muttered as he met the tree line and strolled off into the forest, brushing cake from his tousled crimson locks and neck. On auto pilot, Marx the Not-Currently-Beserked-Warrior nevertheless managed to trip less than gracefully over six different sets of tree roots, and got fwapped in the face by several branches. Still, caught in his own mind, Marx found a small trickle of a stream, absentmindedly swatted the midges away, and knelt down upon one crooked leg to look at his own reflection. It showed how far he’d come in the past couple of days that his own face did not surprise him now. He did not suspect it as a portrait, or another person staring at him from beneath the waters’ surface - it was a mirror of himself, and it was starting to feel familiar.

He pulled at an eyelid with a finger, ran his fingers up his face drawing white tracks upon his already peach-pale skin, and dug them into his hair in momentary frustration. He stared at his reflection almost aggressively, challenging it, daring the stallion to surface. Then he relaxed, knowing he was being foolish; breathed, and let his hands fall, feeling lacklustre and internally exhausted. He knew he had to get out of his own head - sort out his mistakes instead of dwelling on them. He cast his eyes around himself at the high, thin trees with their thirling of hanging vines; the woods were caught in a half-hue of forest-turquoise - like a traffic light’s green glow, the rays that filtered through the leaves - infused with a warm amber radiance of a mercurial nature - an inconsistent gleam that reflected from the dancing waters of the sun struck stream.

To cross the stream.. Would that be to leave? The breath in Marx’s throat caught, and he felt like he was on the brink again. He knew his duty - to save the world. That seemed like the easy option right now. He knew that he could reach his goal alone.. But he needed the team to achieve it, as they needed him. If he left he could not do right by his ‘Queen’, and though he knew he had not originally belonged to this world, or to her, it seemed he did now. So he must face his seven companions, something which troubled Marx, as that number included Morrigan and Tané. For they had seen what he had done, that most foul thing which even he could not remember, and their opinions, well they actually mattered to him.

“I must turn back to fulfil that what I swore to Queen Kiiah..” Marx whispered to himself, though he knew that this was not about putting out the fires on the burning bridges between him and his companions, it was a matter of the heart.

“Morrigan..” A murmur, and a profound twinge of guilt.

What had he done to him?

Without a second thought, Marx began to race back to the camp, only this time, with intention in mind, he did not trip, or be struck by branches. His tall, lean body was working fluently again, so it seemed like he had got his sync back: his thoughts and motions were one, muscles and mind ran in unison. Perhaps it was, Marx considered, that he once more had aim in mind. Upon approaching the clearing his footsteps softened and he slowed only to survey the mismatched patches of the clearing that were visible through the trees and bushes. He heard Da’s voice somewhere off to the left. He found Morrigan’s face with ease, and watched him strip his food covered tunic off. Oh..

Focusing on only one thing now, Marx made to dash from the trees, but upon emerging slammed straight into another, smaller person. The little one took the impact, and fell back onto his.. Tail? Marx stared wide eyed at the young hybrid, a dark haired boy barely in his teens it seemed, bearing a long tail and kitty-cat ears. The boy regarded him warily with olive green eyes from the shade of his lashes, and Marx offered his hand apologetically, only to receive increasingly reluctant glances directed at his arm - ragged with the long, deep talon wounds from yesterday, Marxiach could not blame him. The panther-hybrid backed into Adalia’s legs, who had rushed over and now stood behind him, and he accepted her hand to stand up. Marx furrowed his brow in inevitable annoyance - did this youth think that he would hurt him?

Attempting to cast it from his mind, Marx quickly looked about the group that had gathered around them - everyone from camp had wandered over to greet and help the newcomer, and amongst their faces there was also a girl (or more so a woman, about Marx’s age) that he did not recognise. Her admirable features were warm and concerned towards the fallen boy, but he stood upon his own two feet, looking nervous but brave. As Adalia began to explain who they were and where they’d come from - and as Da emerged from the forest from behind them, teetering off to make tea it would seem, and offering no-one none of it - Marx glanced around desperately for Morrigan’s face and found it at the back of the crowd, with Tané’s chin resting ever so slightly on his shoulder.

Marxiach’s eyes met Morrigan’s, and he saw fear and reticence mar his features once more.


p.s. Behold my new/old name! Bwahaha. That be-cursed 87 has gone! Yay, i'm Vulps.ck again ^_^

[Hyperness is a Good Thing]

It’s time for Adayn to make friends..or maybe just a friend would be enough. >.> Yeah, I’m bored.


_________________

Adayn K’chel
_________________________

“Tané is…Wen?” Adayn said, her eyes widening after the introductions had been made. She frowned a little, and finally grinned. “Nifty hair by the way.” Tané grinned back at her in a very familiar way, which however made her feel weird having been used to seeing it on Wen’s face instead. She, or rather he now, seemed to be quite busy with the one known as Morrigan, and so Adayn decided that she would wander off and leave them alone.

She walked, trying to figure out the day’s events completely in her mind, still feeling rather disorientated. The others seemed to have adapted well and they looked quite comfortable with their new bodies and forms, and even genders. She would have talked it over with Becki/Loki, but he seemed quite taken with Ryan, no Adalia… Adayn shook her head. It was getting confusing with the double names and the occasional reverse genders.

Reaching a wide open meadow, Adayn was suddenly filled with a sudden urge to…dance. She frowned, two separate voices in her head conflicting as her gaze turned inwards and introspective. One said that she could not dance, had never been able to dance, was she crazy????, and the other..the other just knew that she could.

Mentally telling the voices to shut up, Adayn stepped forward, dreamily pushing off the cloak that had swathed her entire body, receiving a little mental jolt when looking down at her own clothes. She had never worn anything like this before.

Tapping her hands together, she set the beat for herself and raised her arms. Posing for a swift second, she let herself go and started to dance, twirling wildly, her sleeves fluttering madly around. A sort of pure, unadulterated joy filled her heart like nothing ever had before. She felt free and unfettered, and somehow she knew this was what she was born to do. Her feet and arms and body swayed to a beat that only she could hear, and wind started blowing around her wildly. Gusts tugged playfully at her hair, pulling it back and streaming it around as she twirled, brushing her face gently once in a while.

She laughed out loud, almost drunken with the ecstasy that filled her down to the bottom of her spirit. More and more wind was blowing, and sometimes when she leapt, she felt as if she could almost fly, as if the winds could snatch her away and carry her up to the beautiful blue sky above. Leaves and bits of flowers danced with her, carried by the winds, surrounding her body in a colourful flutter.

She wasn’t sure when the clapping started, but there is was, a quick, complex staccato beat that drove her almost mad with its rhythm. She whirled wildly, matching it tap for tap, and as the beat went faster, she accelerated her motions to match it. The tapping got louder and louder until it reached its climax and stopped as abruptly as it had begun. Adayn ended too, falling forward and onto her knees, head bowed down. The winds blew wildly one last time, and died, leaving not even a tiny breath behind.

She was sweating quite profusely, but she was exhilarated. It was the most awesome experience she had ever gone through. Blinking rapidly to clear the sweat from her eyes, she looked up to see the one who had clapped the beat for her, who had in a way, helped her to discover this side of her that she had never known before but loved beyond all understanding already.

~~~~

Er. Tag anyone who’s free enough to post? *is bored and wants more character interaction*

[Weasel Overlord]

[color=#c2cae7]|| Morrigan Broin Irven Macha || Avatar of the Celtic Goddess Morrigan ||
lust, spite and malice
your degrees of sin
cruisin’ for pity
lookin’ pretty as f**k

[color=#c2cae7]Food! Everywhere! Feh! Brushing off the dryer parts, I scurried off to a watering hole to clean myself off. Fiachra was happily pecking at the crumbs in my hair with no concern for my personal pain. Every time his vicious little beak dug in, I had to clench my jaw tightly, just to keep from crying out. I could feel the tiny droplets of blood trickle down my scalp, making their way through strands of hair and tainting its whiteness with deep red.

Snorting in disgust, I held out a portion of my tunic for examination. It was exactly as I had presumed. Food stains everywhere. Tutting exasperatedly, I shook my head and pottered through a clearing, parting some trees. I had left my breastplate laying next to the guttering campfire as I set off to get clean.

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed and sat down next to the trickling stream which gushed from a tiny source hidden at the base of the gentle hill. Fiachra made an indignant squawking noise and fluttered off to sit on a nearby branch in a huff.

Lifting up my hands, I peeled off the nasty, food-covered tunic and sighed as I prepared to wash it in the stream. And didn’t I make a happy little scene of housemaidery, rinsing the cloth in the bubbling waters, and smiling as the stains washed free.

Humming softly to myself, I became suddenly aware of Fiachra hissing from his branch, wings spread in a menacing fashion more often seen in protective mothers, hovering over their nests. I chuckled, then glanced in the direction he was menacing.

Rustling, and a shape darting through the trees.

A very familiar shape, dear to me, but estranged as of late, to my distress. I found, that in my quieter moments, my thoughts slipped back to him inevitably. His reddy hair gently tousled. His gruff, strong way of touching which showed an inner gentleness belied by his outer appearance.

But what I had seen in his eyes had terrified me to no end. I never thought to see that look in the eyes of a loved one, and especially not Marxy.

Standing, I passed my hand through my hair and thrust it under the gushing spring, hoping to dislodge the grub that was, well, lodged there. The bits that Fiachra hasn’t already scoffed, anyway. Rubbing it vigorously, I made sure that all the blood was out before standing and rushing off in the direction that Marxy had run.

I was sick of the silence that lay between us. Sick of not being with him. Him and Tané.

Darting through the trees, I was slightly angry to find a crowd when I had been hoping for quiet and no disturbance. Spotting Tané, I walked over to him, blushing as his eyes crossed my dripping chest, I realised that I had left my tunic at the stream, and that my hair was dripping wet, along with my chest. Tané’s raised brow left me smiling shyly, ashamed of my semi-nakedness in front of so many people, but Tané slipped his arms around my back and rested his chin on my shoulder gently, making me feel entirely at home and free to examine the new arrivals, but as my eyes landed on them, I felt Marxy looking at me, and the fear rose once more in my throat, making me look away quickly, almost ashamed of my feelings, and back to the newcomers, one of which was...

A small boy with adorable ears! I felt a girlish squee building in my throat, which was quickly suppressed as I looked at the matching newcomer. A woman this time, dressed in pretty and floaty garments. She glanced in our direction as Adalia pointed out each member of the team, giving our names with a wry grin as she mentioned first Marxiach, then Tané and finally myself, all bunched together. I had a feeling that she knew almost too much for a small child of her age, and I blushed once more as the woman’s gaze fell knowingly on Tané and me.

She gave a smile, nodding at Tané as if she knew him, which I supposed was understandable. Ryien, Adalia and Zeal all seemed to know each other, so it was perfectly viable that Tané and Adayn would know each other too. Smiling at her, I blushed once more as her gaze fell to my bare chest, and, covering my shame, I scurried over to where Marxy was stood.

He looked apprehensive, not meeting my eyes, and scuffing at the ground with his feet. The rest of the company melted away into the forest, and we were left alone and embarrassed, unwilling to meet the others’ eyes.

The old feelings of fear washed over me once more, but I gulped and quashed them, unwilling to let my own weakness spoil what I hoped would be a making-up session. Opening my mouth, I closed it again, unsure of what to say.

Glancing upwards, I met his eye once, seeing a dreadful pain there, haunting and terrible and tinged with a confusion which instantly made my heart melt for him.

Reaching out my hand, I touched his shoulder gently and came closer to him.

“What...what’s wrong?” He looked up finally, desperation in his eye and a wild look that was only too familiar.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me...” His voice was strangled, hoarse as if he had been screaming a lot, though I knew that he had just sat there, looking inside himself as if he no longer cared for the world around him.

“Um... the other day. I don’t know. It wasn’t me who did that to you... I’d never do anything like that to you... I just don’t know what happened...” He trailed off, lip almost trembling as if he fought with an inner struggle.

My sympathy and love won over my feelings of terror and apprehension, and I embraced him hard, holding him tightly to my wet chest with a rueful grin.

“Hey, your clothes’ll get all wet with me like this...” He shook his head and I felt his chest quake with a little laughter.

“Whatever it is you feel, we’ll help you through it, me and Tané. You know we’d never leave you.” I hugged him tighter, my awareness of the closeness of our bodies heightening as I breathed in his warm scent.

Standing away from me, he broke out of my arms, surveying my nakedness with a raised eyebrow and a shy grin. Looking at the ground once more, he trembled slightly, before glancing back at me and away again, a look of guilt etched on his face.

“I don’t wanna hurt you again...” He clenched his fists, as if having that inner battle again, and I saw an alarming flash of... something in his good eye. But he seemed to compose himself, straightening his shoulders and standing up, straight-backed once more to stare at me deeply. “I’m not sure what’s happening to me... but... I don’t think I want to face it alone. But I don’t wanna hurt you and Tané either... I’m afraid that... that other me will take over again. And I can’t control it...” The confession looked like hell for poor Marxy, and I simply took him in my arms once more and held him close.

“We all have inner demons. We just have to learn to face them down...” I knew those feelings he was going through. I had felt something akin to what he described during the battle, but afterwards, all I remember was feeling very very grumpy, and, well, sort of uncomfortable being in my own body. Which, though it sounds weird, was actually becoming more comfortable than the one I had before. A man’s body was free of so much! Ah, they could never know...

But after that battle, I had a sense of, well, effeminacy once more, inexplicably enough, but it soon faded and I thought no more of it. Until now, that is. But that was my own struggle, and it was Marxy who was in need now.

And I was going to see that he lived through it.

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Having Fun ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]Together the two of us sat on the side of the river, everyone else seemed to go about their business, meeting the new girl or preparing for their journey. For Becki and I, it was just her and I, talking like old friends, who had never met. “So, what’s it like to have a tail?” I asked, leaning forward and grabbing hold of the wildly moving black tail. Becki winced a bit and I released it, allowing it to flick back and forth on its own. “You’re so lucky, you get to have boy parts.” I mused, laying back upon the damp riverbed.

Becki glanced down at his crotch and blushed looking back at me as I sat back up, supported on my elbows. “Well I do miss my boobs a bit.” He replied rubbing his now flat chest. I looked down at mine, hidden under the robe. I sat up and cupped them, feeling the cloth around them. They were fun to have.

Becki could only watch, his eyes fixated on my chest. I moved my hand in front of his face and waved a hand, bringing him back to reality and making his face look even flustered. A hand quickly whacked against my back, sending me falling forward straight onto her. “Ready to go?” Tony asked, grinning as I found myself face first in Becki’s chest. Pulling myself away I shot a glare up to him and rose to my feet. “Uh oh.” Tony laughed, taking off in a run, I quickly got up and scampered after him, slipping and sliding in the mud in the surrounding riverbed.

Everyone just seemed to watch and laugh as I playfully chased after Tony, eventually diving for his feet and tripping him up, sending him face first into the new girl. Tony quickly scampered up and apologized, talking to the new girl as I walked back to Becki with a confident strut. “Tony, is really different.” He smiled weakly as I helped him up. I nodded and began to tell him about our exploits as we walked toward the Caligray’s that had returned during the night, obviously following our scent.

After a quick round of deciding who would ride what, we eventually decided that Becki and I would ride together, while Kalah would get a chance to ride with Matt due to her hurt condition. “Could I drive?” Becki asked, a bit timidly. Shrugging I helped him up first and then was lifted up by Matt and placed upon the Caligray. “Okay I hold on to the reigns like this?” Becki asked, I moved my hands around his waste and held the reigns showing him the correct way to ride it.

“Yeah you’ll do great.” I added with a smile as our team set out for the Earth Seal. Although the first few minutes were rocky, Becki finally got a hold of it. Slowly I began to wrap my arms around him and laid my head against his back, closing my eyes slightly and watched the grass speed by. “Comfy.” I sighed rubbing my head against his back until I found the most comfortable spot to enjoy the trip.

Slowly I could feel something slip around my waste, glancing down I noticed Becki’s tail had slowly wrapped around my waste, drawing me closer like a seatbelt. I drew in a long breath through my nose and smiled, enjoying the same safe feeling that seemed to pour over me like honey, when ever I was near Tony.

It was near dusk when we arrived at the temple, this time with the luxury of not having to battle our way in, we made our way through the slippery cave and into the inner sanctuary where the seal lay. Becki’s tail twitched back and forth, as he glanced around the large room. I reached my hand out and clasped his for reassurance as we walked to the middle of the room. “This place is a lot larger than the wind temple.” Marx spoke out loud allowing it to echo off the walls of the cavern and the huge golem statues that surrounded it. “Lets just get this done and get out of here.” He added rising his weapon in a defensive stance.

Morrigan nodded and stepped forward touching the seal, each of us seemed to step forward taking up the original hand slots of the seal. “That was easy enough.” She spoke slowly, glancing around as the light around the seal faded. A deep rumbling arose deep within the earth as the seal began to drop downward, swallowed within the earth. “Maybe not.” She added, rising her own weapon as we all got closer together.

All at once the statues began to come to life, arising from their position and stepping forward, all ten of them moving toward us in the room. “I’m out of power.” I whispered to Becki, he step forward, holding out his sword and stepping in front of me. All I could do was stand there, to watch helplessly, powerless to help as the ten Golems continued to encroach on us. Their eyes a ghostly black, all of them prepared to murder us.

[Hyperness is a Good Thing]

[size=11pt]_________________
[font=tw cen mt]
[color=#ff99cc] Adayn K’chel
_________________________

She stepped forward a little, feeling the bitter taste of bile in the back of her throat. She was afraid but no one else seemed to be exhibiting what she felt, so she pushed it down, knowing that it was only an encumbrance now.

Her hands went to hilts of the two daggers at her waist, but something stopped her from unsheathing them. These were rock creatures, golems, even her hard steel might not have any effect on them. For the second time, she shrugged off the cloak and danced wildly, summoning and containing the winds in a localised area, trapping two golems. She knew that the others could deal with the remaining, and she was unsure if she could control the winds properly to destroy all ten.

Sweat dripped off her body freely as she swirled quickly, already feeling drained at the effort of destroying just two golems. The winds fought back fiercely, demanding to be set free and allowed to rampage in all their glory, but she knew if she lost concentration for even a second, she might kill everyone else there too.

Slowly, she could see the winds breaking up and tearing apart the two statues who struggled and resisted strongly, making her task all the harder. She could already feel the little aches and pangs of exhaustion, and it seemed that she might collapse before completing the work she had started. Her foot caught onto a stone, she tripped sideways, and in that split second, lost control. The winds raged wildly, but Adayn danced feverishly, ignoring the pain in the ankle that she had probably twisted. She finally managed to shatter one into little pieces of dust, and the other golem was quite badly damaged, but she had reached her limit. Her limbs were trembling with exhaustion, her eyesight was blurring, and her head was spinning rapidly. It was obvious, she had overexerted herself. Being too confident and inexperienced, she had used up too much energy in this first battle, and she was paying for it now. The second golem that had remained undestroyed lunged at her, raising its stone paws, ready to strike. She grabbed her knives desperately and deflected the blow, clenching her teeth as she felt the force strike against the blades. The golem itself seemed unscathed, whereas her precious knives were already slightly dented.

The beast moved forward again, and she avoided it as agilely as she could, but there was no way that she could move as fast as she normally would. Her left ankle, which had been twisted earlier, screamed as she put too much weight onto it, and it gave way below her. Her other knee buckled, and she collapsed to the ground with a small cry of pain. The monster was distracted by one of her other companions, and she sat there, panting swiftly. She tried to get up again, but despite numerous efforts and tries, she found herself unable to move. Giving up, she stayed where she was, eyes gazing warily around, arms poised and ready to stab or slash any of the stone golems that would try to approach her. From what she could see, her new companions seemed to be doing really well without her, and so she could feel a little relieved.

[Dr.McNinja]

Real Name: Bryan Rambert
Gender: Male
Personality: Bryan takes things as they come, and rarely lets anything one thing bother or agitate him too much. Life is to short and too much fun to let the little things take away what time is given to you. He’s loyal to a fault, and cherishes his closest friends. Perpetually cheerful, his energy is seemingly endless.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Dimitri Valefore
Gender: Male
Race: Half-breed Fox
Age: 26
Bodily Appearance: If his considerable amount of clothing were removed to the point where his bodily structure could be revealed, Dimitri would be considered well built though not over-muscled. His body is covered in a luscious layer of golden fur and his face extends into a profile distinctly foxlike, complete with ears. His eyes however are human and are a startling mix of blue and green. His anatomy is that of a normal human male, with his hands somewhat morphed into a foxish state while still maintaining their human dexterity. Although he is as humanish as all half-breeds, his specific appearance is a bit more animalistic.
Clothing Appearance: Dimitri wears a many layered cloak filled with pockets that he keeps his many gambling devices in. Under the cloak he wears a simple violet tunic and trousers though they are seen only in the opening of his cloak. On his head sits a wide brimmed violet hat with a great white feather stuck in it that extends just far enough to begin to drop downwards. The cloak itself is mostly violet with other colors appearing in some of the layers, all dark enough to maintain the somewhat celestial (best word I could think of) coloring pattern of the outfit as a whole.
Weapon: His main weapons is his magic though he is also proficient with the many many throwing daggers he holds on himself, both as projectiles and as martial weapons when held in his fists. He also can manipulate many of his devices to be used as weapons, for example more than one of his decks of cards has been known to have bladed edges.
Magic: Dimitri is a gambler-mage and thus uses chance and daring to use his magic. His main magical abilities are focused around the Tarot whose cards he can use to create myriad effects. Other examples of his magic include summoning knights from face cards, launching fireballs from the pips on dice or vanishing a dagger only to have it re-appear inside an enemy.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: He has assumed a somewhat rakish attitude that suits his gambler lifestyle. Risks no longer scare him as he feels that luck is always on his side, causing him to place himself in situations others would deem as foolhardy. Other than that he is much the same as before.



Dimitri

The golems were closing in, those not destroyed by the attack from the windstorm still stubbornly attacking.

Now would probably be a good time

A flash of light streaked from a nearby stature and struck one of the golems in the chest. From out of nowhere a rope sprung from the point of impact and wrapped itself around the construct nearly a dozen times. The golem struggled against the rope for an instant before it contracted forceably, ripping the thing to pieces which scattered and rolled across the floor. A soft chuckle emerged from a statue of a serene woman that stood against one of the walls. Laying in the statue's outstretched arm was a half-breed fox of a brilliant golden color. In one hand he held a deck of Tarot Cards which he flipped idly. A glimmer of amusement was apparent in his eyes as he spoke, happiness apparent in his voice, "I was wondering when you were going to get here. I'm suprised they managed to get so many of you, specially a lazy poster like you Matt."

Ignoring the looks of beffudlement on the faces of most of the companions, Dimitri vaulted off of the statue and began to approach the melee, his free hand diving into his cloak and a look of amused anticipation appearing on his face.

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

Being a newbie in a group wasn’t easy, but facing such an enemy this early on in a new world was particularly cruel. For one thing, Loki had no idea how he knew how to use a sword; Becki had never touched one in her life. He guessed it would all come down to something that Becki knew how to do well. Improvising.

Taking his sword, Loki charged forward. Being so small and agile, he was barely noticed by the golem he had targeted until his sword came crashing down into its large, bolder-like foot. He was quite surprised at the outcome of his attack. A rather deep crack had appeared but he knew this was too little to have immobilised it at all. In fact, it was a very unwise thing to do as it stomped on the ground by him, sending him flying backwards.

Sitting up quickly, Loki rubbed his back which he could feel bruising. “I’m not going to be much help here…” He muttered, feeling around the rocks for his sword. To him, this place was full of dark greys to blacks which made it rather difficult to differentiate between anything. “Damn it, where’s it gone?”

“Loki! Watch out!”

Loki’s ears perked up at the sound of his name. By the sounds of things, Ryan had been trying to call him for a while. When his brain finally reacted to what she had been calling, he scrambled to his feet, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the angry golem’s foot.

Glancing around for the next best place to run when it attacked again, he spotted his beloved sword. The joy of its discovery was soon dampened as he saw just where it was lodged. He now understood why the golem was so pissed off with him. After all, who wouldn’t be angry if they had a sword stuck in their foot?

Desperate to retrieve his sword, Loki attempted to advance far enough forward to grab it and run. With each attempt, he began to receive more powerful shockwaves as it stamped its unharmed foot and slammed its fists onto the ground, sending him tumbling backwards each time. With each failure he cursed the fact that he was only a small boy and charged back into battle, unarmed and fuelled on adrenaline.

It was only when he landed at Adalia’s feet that he realised it was time for a change in tactics. She helped him to his feet slowly as he recovered his balance.

“I want my sword back!” He growled, preparing himself for another round of trying to outsmart the twenty foot tall golem. As he took a step forward, Adalia took hold of his wrist.

“Use this.” She offered, holding her staff out towards him. “I have no use for it, I’m out of power.”

It was then that the little cogs in Loki’s brain began to work together. Yes, he could use her staff, he was a half-breed, his magic was almost unlimited, but he couldn’t leave Adalia completely defenceless. He needed a distraction so he could get his sword back without being knocked back again.

Turning to face Adalia, he took both her hands in his own. She looked shocked at this sudden gesture and she blushed a little. “This may seem a little weird and I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing… But here we go…” His hands glowed what was a soft grey colour to him. The light moved from his hands to Adalia’s.

She gasped slightly as the light faded. “What did you do?”

“I gave you some of my mana.” Loki smiled, glad to be able to help her. “I need you to distract it whilst I get my sword back.”

“But you’re not fast enough! It’ll squish you.”

“Maybe not like this…” He closed his eyes and disappeared with a little poof of smoke. His clothes flopped to the ground, blocking his vision. He wriggled his head free, peering out from underneath them, he looked up at Adalia.

“Wow… I didn’t realise you were actually a panther.”

Unable to reply, Loki simply shrugged. He didn’t understand it either, but it certainly gave him an advantage. He nudged Adalia’s staff with his nose.

“Oh, yeah, right. Distraction.” She concentrated hard, beginning to cast a spell. Loki nodded; freeing himself from the pile of his clothes, he raced towards the golem and his prized possession.

He didn’t know what she was doing, but whatever it was it seemed to be working. He kept low to the ground, his black fur blending into the darkness. He leapt at his sword, catching the hilt in this mouth and pulled it free, sprinting back to Adalia’s side where he dropped it at her feet like a puppy that had just fetched a stick.

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ In the heat of battle ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]All I could wonder is how the young boy that I had just met, was now a cute little Panther. He had brought back his sword and looked back up at me, pawing on my robe for me to pick it up. Kneeling down with very shaky hands I grasped the lightweight sword, maneuvering it around with unsure hands. “What do I do now?” I asked, Becki gave what had to be the Panther equivalent of a shrug before giving an unsure growl. The Golem was quickly coming back to life, a large hand swatting in my direction.

Both Becki and I tucked and rolled, him going left, I going right before coming up in a crouch. The Golem withdrew his massive hand, preparing to swing around. His left hand formed a fist and came swinging down in my direction. Out of my left I could feel something knock me on my side, sending me sprawling out. I rolled around the edge of the ground and found Becki standing over me, a fist where I had been standing just a second ago. “Tha-thank you.” I smiled, rolling out from underneath him. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that some one had come into the place, some one new, he was talking at Matt for the time being.

Right now though I had my own problems. Becki gave out a low growl to draw my attention back at the Golem who was trying to withdraw its hand from the ground. “What am I supposed to do?” I asked Becki, I smashed together my staff and the sword to help punctuate my point only to be rewarded with sparks flying between the two when they touched. I shot Becki a look and tried again, this time more sparks emerged and the two weapons grew warm and white on contact. I continued to press the weapons together and in a blinding white flash, the weapons became one long spear. The pole of it wooden while the spear looking like a long black tipped sword.

Grasping the lightweight spear, I turned and faced the Golem. Becki or should I say Loki, stepped back, watching as I shifted my weight, taking a step back to sling it forward. With a gasp of breath and a pray I slung the weapon forward. The spear flew effortlessly through the air, slashing straight into the Golem and spinning right through it creating a hole in the rocky body. The Golem looked on in shock and horror as black cracks began to ripple from the hole, running up and down the body until they reached the full length of the body. In the blink of a eye the Golem shattered to the ground, ending up in a heap of dust and rocks.

Both Loki’s mouth and mine dropped in shock, our heads turned and looked at each other as smiles crept along our faces. Loki jumped and leapt toward me, knocking me down with his weight as he pinned me to the ground. I brought my arms up and wrapped them around his furry body as I began to laugh in joy and Loki purred. My hands began to pet him, running my fingers through his fur before finally getting out from underneath him. The sword and staff had returned back to normal as both laid on the ground. I glanced around and noticed the others finishing up their battles. Tony on the other hand had already finished.

Loki glanced up at me, his tail wagging for more of a congratulatory celebration. Instead all I could think about is how Tony would be so happy to see how I did in battle. With a step I ran toward Tony, running up and throwing my arms around his waste. “Did you see me? I beat one all by myself!” I elaborated just a bit; the truth was that Loki had helped out a lot.

Tony smiled and ruffled my hair lightly before lowering me to the ground. By now everyone seemed to have finished their battle and was moving over to talk to the new guy. “Who’s that?” Tony asked, I shrugged and he began to walk over toward the new guy to find out. I turned to see what had happened at Loki to find him coming out of shadows in his human form, trying to get his shirt on.

Even in the dim light of the room I could see that he was a bit distraught, maybe even sad. “Loki?” I asked rushing over to him before picking up my staff and handing him his sword. “Is something wrong?” I asked, Loki flashed a fake smile and walked past me to rejoin the group. Was there more to Loki than I thought? Did I do something wrong?

[Weasel Overlord]

*waves hands* My first battle post! Whee!
*cough* may or may not be plagerised from Shadow of the Colossus... *glares* So what if I've been playing it too much!!
ps: Anyon is what Morrigan, the crazy mofo, calls his sword, blade, thing.

[color=#c2cae7]|| Morrigan Broin Irven Macha || Avatar of the Celtic Goddess Morrigan ||
no escaping gravity
[b]or
for a minute there i lost myself

[color=#c2cae7]I shuddered as the massive stone beings just, sort of sprung into motion ponderously and terrifyingly.
Tapping the ground with my long spear, I felt Fiachra dig his talons into my scalp in a gesture of defiance, and wings spread, he hissed out his challenge.

With a crack, and a slow filling of my vision, the world began to turn red. The only way I could describe it was red. The edges of my sight fuzzed and blurred, and I found myself screaming in rage. A savage warshout that sounded, well, different to my normal voice.

And what I knew to be myself was suddenly and violently torn away, a scrap of self fluttering in a gale, further and further away from my body.

I twirl the blade Anyon with a fierce joy. My avatar is filled with so much power I feel like screaming my exultation to the skies!

The wind rushes through the staff, whistling and calling to the birds, my allies in war and death. And they come, flurries of fierce beaks, talons and harsh cries heralding death for those who oppose me.

This time, it is the golems. And they will pay for awakening me!

I snarl my challenge, leaping into action; feathers fluttering and twirling away as I run, Anyon trailing behind, cutting an edged path in the loose soil.

Swinging the long blade, I jump onto my prey, striking down with the blade a’whistling, claws outstretched; I carve a chunk of rock from its surface.

A roar of pain. So they do feel. Screaming my hatred, I cling onto a craggy ledge, swinging as the beast tries to loose my grip. But I will not be deterred.

“I am Morrigan!” I yelled, revelling in the heat of battle, my ravens shrieking about me, pecking and harrying the great colossus until it batted at the air around it in vain attempts to rid itself of the flying pests with bloodlust in their eyes.

Throwing Anyon up into the air, I caught it just below the crossbar, making it easier to stab the creature I desperately held on to.

Seemingly sensing my intentions, it bucked and roared; efforts doubling as its fear grew, seeing the bloodlust in my eyes, dripping with battle-fever and hatred.

Raising the blade once. Twice. Thrice. I stabbed down, deep into the rocky head of my prey, chips of stone flying every which way. Into my eyes, skin and face they buried themselves, little fragments of pain which only served to quicken the blood rushing through my veins.

Finally, the great beast lurched, then fell, defeated, to the ground. A shudder ran through me as I felt it die beneath my hands, and then, my work done, I felt my Avatar’s consciousness returning…

Smearing my hands down my face, I left a trail of oily, dark, almost blood-like liquid down each cheek, before surrendering myself to the man whose body I stole…

With a rush of air and a jolt of pain, I found myself crouched on the remains of one of the golems, my face sticky and my senses heightened.

Crying out, I touched my face to find chips of stone embedded in my skin, and the back of my hands, and every single area of exposed flesh on my body.

Throwing aside the oily-layered Anyon, I barely registered its loud clatter as it fell to the ground. Eyes widening in shock, I gazed around at the other members of the group, who knelt, crouched or stood near various other golems in various stages of death.

Glancing down at the one I had apparently killed, my hand went to my mouth as I registered that its entire head had been shattered. A single, glowing eye hung from a stony socket, glaring at me balefully.

I shuddered once, and turned away, a weak feeling overcoming me once more. This was what had happened the last time we had fought. The world went red, and then… nothing. Whole blank areas of battling were missing from my memory, and I wasn’t entirely sure that I wanted to recall them.

And what was I left with? A haunting girlishness in my voice and an angry flock of insane ravens, lead by my lodger himself, Fiachra.

Their beaks were stained black-on-black, glinting in the cool light as their reddened eyes regarded me with contempt.

“Go away!” I yelled at them, shocked once more at the feminine lilt I had acquired. I flapped my hands at them uselessly and they just stared back, unblinking and unnerving. I was sure that they were conspiring amongst themselves somehow, and the smug looks that somehow floated around each and every beak were maddening.

They mocked me! Seizing Anyon, I scrambled up, tried to charge at them, and merely succeeded in falling on my arse with an ‘oof’.

And I swore that those birds were laughing.

[Vulpix.ck87]

Hope you don't have plans for that facial disfigurement, Kirst

+ Marxiach +

Whereas he had been unwilling in his actions not long ago, since the talk with Morrigan Marxiach now felt so confident, so able to do whatever he tried. Granted he had felt like that before, but now he was willing to push those risky boundaries, because he knew the goal was worthwhile. Stone on stone? He swung his relatively light sword towards the golem’s waist, and smiled upon seeing a decent sized crack spread from its ‘hip’ to its, er, navel. Marx thought back to his geology lessons in that distantly remembered female’s youth, and the freeze-thaw method of rock erosion. Funny how the mind works when you’re stood before lumbering granite spawn, whose sputtering silicon brain cells are all focused on one thing: the dire need to smush you to a pulp within the next ten seconds.

Marxiach rolled jazzily to the left, ducked swiftly to the right, and found himself ending up exactly where he had been stood before he’d even begun to dodge, which turned out to be a fluke happening of luck as dual fists slammed into the ground on either side of him. A solid smile appeared on his face as he arched his sword around again towards the golem’s left arm - it shattered off with the rumble of a miniature rockslide - before running up its right and delivering a hard slap to the face with the flat of his blade. Hopping away, Marx pushed off of its chest with both feet, landing cat-like on the floor whilst the golem itself recoiled backwards, tripping over its own encumbering feet, as golems are wont to do (having boulders for feet is a major design flaw, afterall). It dropped to one knee, looking rather staggered as its eyes skittered within its reverberating stone skull. Marx composed himself for the finishing blow - straight to the head, clean and quick - but the golem’s tor of a right arm swung out from underneath itself to hit Marxiach with an unsuspected rapidity.

Underestimating your prey is an infinitely foolish mistake, Marx knew, but the revision session certainly hit home - not exactly rolling but flying more so across the ground, Marx's knees were skinned and the scabbed-over harpy wounds were ripped open once more to bleed anew. He stuttered to breathe, his torso feeling inexplicably restricted, more than winded, and he glanced down only to see his ribs bound and crushed beneath his armour, which looked like a hammer dent in a tin can. The large inward curve restricted the movement of his diaphragm, and with a shuddering arm he hastily reached to unhinge it, loosing it gratefully beneath a dirt blasted, once black, tunic. Marxiach picked up his sword once more, hoisted himself to his feet using it as support, and raised his eyes almost sympathetically to meet those of the reeling creature, which barely remained on it’s knees now, feebly attempting to commit to that duty entrusted to itself without choice - to guard this temple. Marx cast aside the thoughts of hesitation to take the utilitarian approach: this must be done for the greater good of the people. One last plunge - mid torso - and a large crack spread from the centre of its chest to the inkling of the fissure that Marx had mere minutes ago made at its side, and the huge chunk simply broke off from the rest of its being, running to the ground as scree, and raising dust hauntingly from the temple floor.

Marxiach stood panting. Trying to draw blood from a stone was as hard as everyone made out, no jest. Nevertheless, the burdensome beast’s black marble eyes smoked from its skull - noxious and choking - signalling its death. Pulling away from the gas that curled upwards through the shafts of dimming sunlight, Marx dragged his sword away to a safe distance. Something was wrong though, he could feel it, and moments later he spotted a chip on his sword. So it was not indestructible, and this was what his cockiness had brought him.. Somewhat peeved, Marx lifted his head from the blade, standing only to spit blood from his bitten tongue (the roll, whilst fancy looking, had been ever so askew), before coming eye to eye with a large scraggy raven, which promptly hissed in his face. Frowning as it fluttered down to peck at the meatless golem corpses (what was the use?) Marx stumbled forwards into a increasingly bold stride as he glanced around, trying to find Tane, or Morrigan, or anyone in need.

Whilst Tane was already leaving, helping the young Loki and Adalia back to their Caligrey, Marx spotted Morrigan shouting not shrilly, just higher than usual, at the flock of birds that surrounded him, like one of those crazies in the park who raves at pigeons. Unnerved, Marx walked over to Morrigan, watching as he lifted his spear and stabbed out at them in fear and hate. Approaching him from behind, and dropping his sword with a clatter to sound his presence, Marx caught Morrigan’s attention and the latter spun round, a confused look in his eye, mouth half open as if still chewing on his words. As Morrigan’s face came into the light, Marx bit down on his already bleeding tongue and covered his shock hastily, wondering if Morrigan had realised the severity of his injuries yet. Marx not wishing to alarm him, he put on a steady smile and took Morrigan’s fingers in his hand.

“The battles over, Morr. Everyone’s ok, but a bit worn, so we’re going to head into the next town.” Marxiach hesitated before continuing carefully. “You.. look like you could use some sleep yourself, yeah?” He whispered, and squeezed the long fingers before twining them with his own. “Let’s go back and get some rest, ok?”

Morrigan glanced back at the ravens, dizzily tugging away from Marx’s grasp. He held steady.

“The birds..” Morrigan whispered, eyes glazed - entranced - but speaking with a snarl. He shook his head groggily before falling back into Marxiach’s arms without reluctance, though remaining tense, twitching every now and then within their embrace. He suddenly seemed exhausted, yet kept his maddened gaze upon the ravens that still lurked within the temple. Marx whispered softly into his ear, and Morrigan lulled somewhat, calming, and they slowly made their way from the temple’s walls. Marx could only assume the new vulpine person was part of the group and would be following them from now onwards, as he certainly did not take time to find out, whisking the spaced out Morrigan away. After a few quick transactions with his companions Marxiach mounted his steed and left the temple’s court, Morrigan following sleepily behind him. Now that it was Morrigan: weak, anaemic and disoriented following battle, it was as if their roles had been reversed. Had he been ok in the other fights so far? Wrapped up in his own confusion, Marx had never once taken the time to ask. He swallowed feelings of guilty remorse, vowing to make up for it.

Marxiach nudged the Caligrey’s sides softly with his feet - though it had warmed little to him over the last couple of days, it had increasingly so since the beast in his head had quieted. Didn’t even remerge during the battle.. Marx thought, whilst lowering the drooping Morrigan from his seat to stand on his feet, before guiding him up to a briskly paid-for room. Drawing a bowl from the cupboard, dipping a clean cloth in the water bucket, and setting the rum he had borrowed from Tane and the needle Da had unwillingly leant him with declarations of ‘You owe me one, Homo-laddie!’ upon the floor, Marx steadied his breath for the work. He knew what he had to do.

First he flipped the lid from the hip flask Tane had transferred some of the Baron’s rum into (no doubt the Ghede would be pissed, so Tane would receive Marx’s heartfelt thanks in the morning) and reached over to pour it upon Morrigan’s face, but Marx hesitated. He pulled the flask away, and instead dabbed Morrigan with a wet cloth, wiping the bloody war stripes off of his face, cleansing his cuts as gently as possible, and cleaning his own hands vigorously. He then touched the flask opening to Morrigan’s lips, wetting them slightly before they moved to receive the liquid, embracing the nozzle as Morrigan gulped the fiery liquid down like a man suffering of prolonged thirst, before he winced and laid back. His eyes fluttered, swimming as the potent drink took it’s toll. Marxiach stroked Morrigan’s clammy hair from his face, and looked at his now clean skin, ghostly pale against the shards of rock that littered it.

Marx poured a small amount of the alcohol upon his hands when Morrigan was done, rubbing them together, and then ran a little of the liquid upon Morrigan's face. Lastly, he smoothed a drop along the needle - sanitizing his operating instrument. Resting Morrigan’s head lightly in his lap, who looked as if he were about to nod off, Marx felt the need to warn him. He placed one hand on his forehead to hold it steady - Morrigan could not move if he tried - and lifted one of Morrigan’s arms to clutch his own left one. With his right hand he readjusted the needle into a comfortable grasp.

“Close your eyes baby, this is going to hurt..” He whispered softly, and Morrigan drunkenly did as he told him. With the rough hand pressing down hard on his forehead, Morrigan responded by clutching Marx’s arm in hazy anticipation, and Marxiach ducked down, and dipped the needle into the wound, feeling his lover twitch involuntarily and seeing his jaw clench. He felt the raven headed boy’s breathing quicken, his torso expanding and contracting faster between his knees. And he fished with the needle, deep under the shard, scraping it as softly as he could, easing it from his skin. With a satisfying but equally repulsive ‘clack’ it fell from his delicate cheek, to the bowl that lay waiting beneath.

The bloodied needle glimmered in the candlelight, and Marx kept his calm, stroking the quivering arm that dug nails so deeply into his own before getting back to the job at hand. In the silence of the room he continued to work, crickets chirping softly outside the bare wooden windows, and ploughed methodically onwards. To Morrigan’s credit, he controlled his facial movements well, but Marxiach saw tears of pain welling up after the third and fourth pieces.

“It’s ok, not much more to go now,” Marxiach lied gently as he set out to remove the fifth piece, the next of the hundreds of shards that littered his lover’s body. The poor child was in for hours of pain.

Poor Morrigan ;_; I'm going to ignore the fact that he has the rock chips in his eyes..

[Plantae]

= Of Mus and Mammoth - Souvenir =

After tea and the necessaries, her sustenance, the group was in the midst of their travels towards the Earth Seal. Da hardly gathered all of this talk and sort of drifted about, humming lazily and lightly swinging this way and that. She was either drunk or simply ensorcelled by some mild contentment. Whichever the case, she stirred not. She made it a point to assure the three fellows with their green carnations that they were still as dandy as ever. But she did not overdo it this day. She was calm, and though not serious, neither energetic; it was a casual indifference, an ignorance: to her it was clearly bliss.

She purposefully offered a chocolate marble to Snig which was, though the gesture went unappreciated, a rare stretch of her selflessness (for which she had next to none). She twirled about her bangles, checking them and looking with a displeased countenance at the couple nicks and scratches now interred there. This business of travel was rough. But she was, if nothing else, skilled at making work seem like play. She could not do the converse for herself, though; she did it for others often. In her un-nice, that is, imprecise mood, she bothered not a soul except that one whose toes she stepped on whilst not paying attention to where she was walking. Unfortunately for these, first the half-tiger and then the half-panther and then Zeal, her footsteps were like an elephant clomping down with all the force implied by such a description. It was basically stubbing your toe… extreme!

One might underestimate her attentions. Actually, they would not. It was per usual that her perception levels were on the low side, or so it seemed at least, and for her silent reverie the worser was this. So it was that she tripped numerous times on her sashes, tumbling down and cursing violently under her breath- drawing intermittently not and a reaction from the onlookers- whilst slipping again on red-blue-purple. She made due note, in a high-pitched note, that "Sum'un is responsible fer t'is tripping here." And then she'd accuse Tané, or Adalia, who would obtusely assure her they hadn't. And she'd say "Oh, but ye 'ave." And the argument would go as such with her often the winner as no one else was quite fit to keep up with the childish "Yeah-hah-nuh-ah" business.

The obvious conclusion then is that she had no real idea that there were "golems." How one misses something such as that is uncertain, but when it came to it, the battle that is, and those hulking creatures rose from their slumber, a pointed scream of, "Da, get out of the way!" was all that kept her from a bitter end. Prior to her jolt into reality, she had been absent-mindedly fiddling with her pocket. Snig was making it difficult for her to withdraw one of her chocolate marbles, biting a gold-plated bracelet with fervor, and she was of course, spitting swears at the little beast. In any case, she did not bother to turn as a boulder of a fist came a-swinging- for suddenly the blow was a couple inches short- and gave a rather gawk-worthy expression, a shrug and a little smile.

Not wanting to get much in the way of the ensuing battle, she made it her objective to avoid it courageously. Or so she made the action seem, dramatically tumbling about (though standing all the while) and making it hand movements to give the impression that retreating was so very difficult and taxing on her resolve. Any sane person could have taken a few large steps and been against the wall and away from the fray. It was clear she had no real intention of helping with the battle that was going on; that is, until one was in danger, or so the rest of them must have been hoping. But Snig was his usual bloodthirsty self. He gave her a scathing look as she scorned him for being so silly. She gave a small ultrasonic squeak, as if to demand why in the world he was so possessed as to think he could defeat solid rock. But she obliged him and he humored her, taking up a needle, and though she attempted to give him a telekinetic push (actually a rather forceful throw) to the back of a certain golem, he refused it. She frowned and let him "Do it himself then." And the cycle continues and Earth stays on its axis, for the mouse fights again better than the human; Snig immediately bared his teeth like all the dickens, a personification of malice in a marketable, bite-size form.

She watched with bemusement and as she ate a chocolate as he grappled with the arm of one lumbering oaf and proceeded to sort of shimmy up it, holding tight to the niches in his foe's carapace. It was like rock-climbing in miniature; he did it well, in all. Then, when things became less vertical, it was all running with rapidity up that beast of burden. The fact was golems were not quick-witted and without any real nerve endings, incapable of detecting so small a threat in their blind spot of vision. Snig reached the peak unmolested. For it would certainly be only a flick that'd send this rodent soaring from heights to a splat-ish demise below, to be stomped into the dirt like common cannon fodder.

The debonair little demon proceeded to wedge his needle deep underneath the glass-like eye of the golem and to whittle it up and down like a seesaw. This makeshift simple machine was serving its purpose as a dislodging threatened. It was but a stylish stomp upon that needle, almost sending the agile and miniscule monster from balance, which caused that first left eye to pop out and shimmer on the ground below as it thudded there as such. They were not really edible, in this case; they were more of a rock candy, if you will. But Snig's intentions were more aligned with entertainment. The same method saw the golem, now heavily impaired, to be entirely blind with its globes-of-irises-of-smoke about on the ground, rolling this way and that. It was a rather humorous sight.

It sauntered away, staggering like a dirty drunk. The rat kin gave a fickle eye to one of those round eyeballs. With deft paws, he rolled it as a dung beetle rolls, well, a ball of feces. He approached the feet of her with it, wheeling it all the way, and looking with expectant eyes at the destination. He could not eat it, no, but she understood half of his wants at least. She picked up the orb and shoved it gracelessly into the slot of his order. The new bulk was unnoticed when what she carried was already as bulbous and unmanageable, yet the mouse was pleased.

The pygmy returned again to his typical residence. She'd not done a thing and her minion had only disabled a golem, not destroyed it. Still, an unseeing stony might as well be a statue, for it would be knocked away or trip over itself within a short duration of time in this melee. He lay next to the marble-like optic with pride and there he waited in the darkness. As he came back though, Da made sure to intone, "That'll do Snig. That'll do."

=====

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
Doomy and I will be withdrawing from this RPG. He for personal reasons, I for lack of interest anymore. For future reference, perhaps include a character even when the poster is absent for a time or two? Would have sorta helped give me some inspiration to post. ^^; But anyways... good luck with this.

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Telling Stories ~*~*~*~*~

[color=pink]Voosh, I swept my hand in across the space in front of me to simulate the sensations of a flying aircraft. All around me kids my age and younger along with Adayn watched in hushed silence. “So Luke began his final run into the tunnel at the Death Star, only minutes remaining before the Rebels were destroyed.” I retold the story in front of a hushed audience.

The only other two that seemed to know the story were the two other newcomers who had sat down to watch me tell the story to the children of the inn we were staying at. Both Adayn and Dimitri who turned out to be Kalah and Matt’s friend Bryan knew the ending. “Suddenly, as Luke begins to near the exhaust pipe, he hears the voice of Obi Wan Kanobi.” I explained, some children gasped, the others watched me with just sheer enjoyment.

Several minutes later the story was finished and I had joined back up with Dimitri and Adayn at a table. Kalah and Matt had walked off upstairs, and Marx was with Morrigan, Da had gone off to the counter somewhere, which just left us here, and Becki alone upstairs. “You sure do have a flair for story telling.” Dimitri grinned, my cheeks instantly reddened as I looked down. I had to admit, Dimitri was kind of cute, like Tony, but just like Tony he had treated me a bit like a younger sister than anything else. He stretched out for a second, allowing his full frame to be revealed before relaxing back into the chair. “It’s nice to be around people you know, after all these months.” He added with a sigh.

I just nodded as Adayn and Dimitri continued to talk amongst themselves about the events and the next temple: The Forest temple. All the while my eyes began to wonder toward the upstairs bedrooms where Loki had been ever since we arrived back. He had been somewhat somber and quiet since the battle, and when we checked in for three rooms he instantly went upstairs. “I think Tony has some competition.” Adayn grinned jerking my attention back to the conversation. “You and the Panther Boy seem to be getting along well.” She winked.

I shot her a glare and rose from my chair. “I’m going to go on and get ready for bed.” I stuck my tongue out about the remark about it being past my bedtime already, and marched upstairs to where I changed into a nightgown in the girl’s bathroom.

Laying there in my bed I couldn’t keep from thinking about Loki, how he hadn’t come down to have anything to eat, how he had cut himself off from the world for some reason, and now was alone in a room with Adayn with out much or any comfort. Rolling to my side I tried to close my eyes, if Loki wanted help or something to eat, he could have just come down and got it.

I kept telling that to myself, trying to find some way to gain comfort from that and fall back to sleep. Yet like many things in life, comfort would not come from a lie. Rising from my bed to get a late night drink, I slowly crept out of the room to not disturb Matt or Kalah, or Tony, and walked downstairs. “Here we go.” I smiled to myself and poured a glass of that sweet drink that Kalah had poured me just two nights before. My mind began to wander back to Loki to which I looked upstairs again.

With a sigh I prepared a small tray of food, and added in a cup of the drink and walked upstairs, knocking slowly on the door that held the threshold of Loki and Adayn’s room. “Bec..Loki can I come in?” I asked, stumbling over Loki’s old and new name.

“Yeah, sure.” A quiet voice returned, I peeked open the door to see Adayn sound asleep on one bed, and Loki laying on his side on the other side of the room. “I just have some allergies.” He lied, his voice breaking a bit as he wiped his face with a hand to swat away tears.

I let a long sigh escape my nose before moving over to the side of the bed that he was laying on. “I brought some food.” I whispered, kneeling at his side and placing the food in front of him. He looked down at it, his face never rising to match my own as he began to nibble on some of the food.

His voice seemed to catch in his throat as he glanced up at me before looking away. “This place is weird.” He said, his voice trembling after finishing his food. My hand found it’s way to his back, running it up and down to be as soothing as possible. “I hate it, I hate all of this.” His eyes threatened to spill over in tears again.

Adayn seemed to turn in the bed near by, obviously starting to wake up from all the noise we were making. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” I soothed, moving him over on the bed an inch to lay down next to him, my hands touching his hair.

I rested my hands on his shoulders, which seemed to only tremble under my touch. “It’s not okay, it’s never okay, none of this is..is..” His voice faded to silence as my finger traced his chin, lifting it to have his tear filled eyes match mine. “It’s…” He whispered, his voice fading as his chin moved closer, mine moving closer too, our eyes slowly closing as our lips met in the middle. A soft kiss that seemed to make my heart leap from my chest, my breath catching as he slowly broke the kiss.

“It’s going to be okay.” He exhailed with a smile, I could only nod and lay my head on his chest, taking in his scent and allowing it to drift me away into dreamland.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri stretched out in the common room of the inn, resting after their encounter with the golems. He had finally found the group, but now what? How was he supposed to upset their great quest with the tact he needed to prevent a disaster? There were things in these worlds that no one in the group understood yet, things that no one would understand until it was probably too late to avert the crisis. Things were going to get interesting soon, and Dimitri wasn't so sure if he was up for what he had to do. As he thought, he made his way upstairs, pausing in the hallway to lean against the hard wooden walls and sigh to himself, "They're going to end up being the source of destruction...and you're can't get the nerve to tell him."

Dimitri closed his eyes and sighed to himself again, not realizing that the walls in the inn were not nearly as soundproof as he needed them to be.

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

Loki couldn’t help but feel rather tense at this moment. There he was with a beautiful young girl resting her head on his chest and all he felt he could do was watch over her. He had never been in such a position before. He knew what it was like to be the one snuggled against someone he liked, but he had never been the one comforting the other. He struggled to remember what they would normally do, cursing Becki’s bad memory.

He winced as he turned slowly onto his side, his bruised back screaming in pain as he put his arm around her, his head resting on the pillow just above Adalia’s and his tail wrapping itself around her waist. He knew she liked it when he felt her snuggle further into his hold. He smiled, breathing in her girlish scent.

“Good night, Adalia…” He whispered, closing his eyes slowly and drifting off into sleep.

~~

Waking up suddenly, Loki wriggled out from underneath his clothes. He sighed, scratching his ear with his back foot. He’d turned into his panther form at some point during the night without noticing. He frowned at the large amount of black hairs that were littering the bed and hopped down onto the floor.

Remembering where he had just been, he panicked. He’d been a panther. What if he had hurt her? He placed his front paws carefully on the edge of the bed to get a better look at her. She was sleeping peacefully, smiling softly. There wasn’t a single scratch on her body which he thanked whatever Gods there were here.

Satisfied, he slipped off the edge of the bed and went towards the window, his paws padding softly on the floor. He jumped silently onto the window sill, sitting with his tail dangling back into the room and gazing out beyond the village. He longed to be on the other side of the mountains. He could hear the mountain creatures stirring and the birds singing to each other.

“Good morning, Betty! Did you sleep well?”

“Oh yes, thank you. Off to find breakfast?”

Loki blinked at the two birds perched in a tree that grew by the Inn. He’d just… No… He couldn’t have… They were talking?

“D-did I just hear you talking?” Loki asked the birds, his voice only sounding in his head and a soft purr escaping into the air.

They turned, their beady eyes staring back at him.

“Why yes!” Answered one, giggling to her friend. “Didn’t you know? All animals can talk.”

“It’s just that humans don’t listen hard enough.” The one named Betty commented. “Why are you in a human home anyway?” She asked, a suspicious look on her birdy face.

“I’m a half-breed.” He replied. “I promise that I will listen more carefully from now on.” He bowed his head slightly.

“Such a polite young one!” The other one giggled again.

“Loki?”

He looked back over his shoulder into the room. Adalia was sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes and yawning loudly.

“Will you do something for me?” He asked the birds, turning back to them. “Will you sing her a song? I know she won’t understand what you’re singing about, but I know she’ll really like it. Please? I promise to tell her what you sang about when I turn back.”

They whispered to each other, obviously unsure what to make of such a request. They nodded in agreement. “Bring her over!”

His little panther face grinned. “Thank you so much!” He jumped back into the room, landing on Adayn’s bed causing her to stir and bat at him before leaping onto his own. He tugged at Adalia’s robe.

“Loki! Stop it! You’ll rip it!” She mumbled, obviously still half asleep.

He jumped back onto the floor, pulling her towards the window gently. Once there, he took his place back on the windowsill and nodded at the birds.

“Loki? What are you doing?”

The birds burst into song, their melody and harmonies floating dreamily in the morning’s fresh air. Adalia leaned her elbows on the windowsill, supporting her head in her hands. It wasn’t just the two in the tree anymore. There were at least fifty birds of all shapes and maybe even colours (Loki couldn’t tell) singing the same song together in a perfect chorus. Loki’s tail swished back and forth, carefully taking note of the lyrics as he appreciated their song. He sighed; it was like they had known him all his life. They had picked the perfect song that described how he felt.

The song ended. Loki thanked the birds again before they took off into the sky. He purred as Adalia scratched his ears.

“Did you ask them to sing for me?” She questioned, her head tilted to one side.

He nodded. He knew that if he were in his human form right now, he would be blushing a very deep shade of red. She picked him up, snuggling him like a little kitten.

“That’s so sweet of you!” She said, smiling. At that moment, he longed to be human again to tell her what they had sung but the feeling of her gentle hand rubbing his stomach prevented him from doing so.

To Adalia, it sounded as though he was purring softly with her affectionate petting. Little did she know, he was singing the bird’s song again to her, singing every word as though he meant it.

[Roy Karrde]

[color=pink] Adalia
[color=pink]~*~*~*~*~ Listening to music ~*~*~*~*~

My head rested on the windowsill, propped up by my hands as I listened to the beautiful harmonious melody that filled the new morning air. Loki stood next to me, paws resting on the windowsill, standing on his hind legs as he watched the birds sing, tail swishing with excitement. My eyes began to close as I let the song take me away, away from the hell that this world existed in, and to some place peaceful. I let out a sigh of happiness, my eyes fully closed as I allowed my ears to take in the song. As it drew to a close, Loki began to nudge my shoulder with a muzzle. He gave one last meow to the birds as they flew away. “Did you ask them to sing for me?” I asked, picking up the soft kitten in my arms, my hands running through his fur.

His eyes began to close in pleasure, only barely able to nod as my hands drifted down to his stomach, my nails digging in ever so slightly as I petted him. “That’s so sweet.” My cheeks warmed, no one had ever done anything like this for me before. Tears began to form near my eyes, but they were quickly blinked away as I exited the room. “Thank you.” I added almost silently before letting him down out of my arms. Inside I started to feel conflicted even more than I did last night. Like a storm was brewing in my stomach, tossing and turning and making me feel even more nauseated.

Loki looked up at me with a look of worry and concern on his face as I placed a hand over my stomach. “It’s okay, how about we go play in a minute before everyone wakes up, I just have to do something.” I suggested, walking off and leaving Loki in the middle of the hallway, his head half cocked as he watched me. Inside the worry only worsened as I made my way to my bedroom door. Cracking it open I snuck in and made my way to Kalah’s bed, nudging her awake. “Kalah? Can I talk to you?” I asked, climbing into the bed and snuggling in the warmth of the sheets.

With a stretch Kalah came to life, her beautiful eyes fluttering open as her tail swished back and forth. “What is it Ryan?” She yawned, turning onto her side, her head propped up on her pillow as she looked at me with exhausted eyes. “Do you know what time it is?” She finally asked, giving a glance out the window to see the rising sun. I gave her a short nod while she rubbed her eyes before settling back down.

“Kalah I need some big sister advice.” I asked, this seemed to catch her attention as she stretched ever so slightly. I waited a few seconds for a reply before continuing. “See I thought I had all these feelings for Tony, and I do, but this new boy, Loki, he is being really nice and..” I decided to stop before telling her about the kiss, not knowing how she would handle it.

Kalah stifled a laugh, holding a hand up to her face to try and hide how funny she found the situation. “You sound like a normal thirteen year old girl.” She finally laughed, trying to keep it low so that she wouldn’t wake up Matt. Finally she regained control of herself and continued. “So you want me to tell you what you should do?” I gave her a soft nod and waited for her to continue.

Kalah rolled her eyes in return and stretched one last time. “If you want my advice, than go with this boy.” She finally said, I opened my mouth to object but found Kalah’s finger raised to stop me. “Tony may be your friend, but Tony is Tony, I doubt he would ever reciprocate the kind of feelings you are willing to give him. Don’t give up Loki because of that.” She answered. I gave a second to ponder what she said before a huge smile crossed my face; with one swift motion I leaned in and gave her a deep embrace.

Minutes later Loki and I were both outside, the morning breeze rushing through my hair and his fur as we played in the market place. With it being so early, none of the stores had even opened yet, and so we found ourselves alone on the street. “Fetch!” I yelled out, raising my arm back and slinging it forward, tossing the stick that I had found into the air. Rearing back, Loki sprung forth, chasing after the stick with incredible speed. Using his hind legs, he made a leap and caught the stick in his mouth; with one turn he bounded back toward me and dropped it at my feet. His tail swishing back and forth in excitement.

Bending down, I grasped the stick again and reared back for another throw when Loki froze. His eyes focused on what seemed like thin air, his body had become ridged and a deep growl came from his throat. “Loki?” I asked, bending down to see what the matter was. His lips began to curl back as he bared his fangs, his claws extended and prepared for combat with what looked like thin air. I began to ask what was wrong when the air shimmered, wavering before forming in the image of a Lion. The Lion stepped forward, his deep black mane swishing in the wind as he stepped toward us. “Who are you?” I asked, taking several steps back as the Lion stepped forward toward Loki.

The Lion’s eyes glanced up, his golden eyes flashing with anger as Loki growled in anger. My body suddenly felt rigid and cold, almost frozen, I was completely unable to move. “Now that, that is taken care of.” The Lion mumbled, Loki turned and looked at me in shock before turning back toward the Lion. Baring his fangs Loki leapt forward, and was swatted down by the Lion almost as if he were a fly. “Don’t be stupid full breed.” The Lion laughed, tossing Loki around like a rag doll before finally approaching him again.

After two or so minutes of watching helplessly Loki was finally thrown to my feet, his body bloodied and torn. The Lion stepped forward, licking the blood from his claws as Loki tried to rise to his feet only to collapse. “Consider my offer.” The Lion finally said, after minutes of the two exchanging growls and roars. The air around the Lion shimmered again and he was gone. Feeling finally returned to my body, and freeing me from the paralysis that had held me there for so long.

Kneeling down I scooped up Loki into my arms, his dark fur was matted in blood, and one eye was completely swollen shut. “Loki.” I whimpered taking him into one of the side alleys, placing him down on a wooden box. I can’t believe I had been so stupid, traveling this far from the hotel with out even my staff. My hands traveled over his body, trying to find the damaged spots. I had no idea how to heal him while he was in this form, or if I could even heal a, what did the Lion call him: Full Breed? “Loki you need to change back.” I pleaded, he rose his head only slightly before settling it back down, the one eye he had open looked at me in pain and exhaustion.

Taking in a deep breath through his small muzzle, a puff of smoke surrounded his body, when it cleared Loki was laying on the box, open wounds all over his body. “We need to go back.” He whispered, I placed a finger against his lips to quiet him as my hands traveled over his body, my hands glowing slightly as I healed the various small wounds and closed the bigger ones to prevent any blood loss. “That was a full breed, they want to kill all of us.” He whimpered, I could only nod as my face warmed in embarrassment, my hands traveling to his butt and then up his tail to fix the two fractures in the broken tail.

Satisfied that I had taken care of most of the wounds and could get him safely back to the hotel, even if he was nude and it was a few streets away, I helped him up off the box, and wrapped a arm around him, allowing him to lean against me to support his weight. We walked in silence down the first few streets, avoiding most of the high traffic areas to keep from people seeing him. “Loki?” I finally spoke up, walking down the final street to reach the hotel. His breathing had become staggered from exhaustion and I started to worry if he was even awake. “Is it okay, if I call you my boyfriend?” I asked, he drew in a short breath, and even through his pain wracked face, I could see a small smile emerge across it.

Okay lets head on to the next temple, it’s the Forest Temple and to get to it, we have to cross through a huge maze of trees and bushes, feel free to get there and start writing about us navigating the maze if you want.