Mirithas: V 2.0

[buzzsaw133]

Welcome to a world of might and magic, a world that knows no bounds. Welcome to Mirithas, a world made up of worlds. A multiverse of unbelievable diversity. You are free to do as you choose, but be forewarned, nothing is as it seems...

Planes/Worlds:
Astar- A world ruled by noble knights, powerful angels and ruled with unrivalled justice. Magic here has evolved powerfully defensive properties, making what little offensive magic on Astar rather pointless. Evil and injustice are persecuted heavily on this plane and the criminal element has become increasingly creative. The citizens of this plane live in relative peace knowing that they are watched over. However, all of this good is not without some corruption, the courts and judges are slaves to someone with enough money. The social caste system is ever-prevalent in Astar, usually preventing the poor underclass from rising through the ranks. Promotion can be achieved through the acquisition of sigils, symbolic items bestowed on a person through deeds.

Denui- A plane where the world is controlled by genius mages, ancient sphinxes and powerful magic. In this plane, only the intelligent prosper. Very few places on this plane remain untouched by the powerful magic that flows through it. After many hundred years of artificers and mages, a new metal has been created. Crucius, the ancient sphinx and possible creator of Denui, created Denuium. This magic metal is non-magnetic and withstands enormous extremes of heat and cold. A powerful ring of control mages emerged long ago and managed to create a powerful method of controlling the population. These mages remain hidden, never showing their faces in public. The dark Undercity of Denui is home to the Scrappers and the dregs of Denui society.

Serrik- A world where only one rule governs; survival of the fittest. This plane is ruled by a group of divine creatures called the Nephilim. These ancient beasts are impervious to magic, ranged and melee attacks. This plane is home to an immensely powerful mana source called the Pool of Souls. All mana in the multiverse, harvested from the dead or from wasted spells, ends up here. This has created an abundance of resources on Serrik. This led to the evolution of the great Gargantuans, enormous beasts of enormous power. The people of this plane live day to day, they are concerned with only one thing; survival. Social status is only held here by the strong. The most powerful men and women usually mate and breed children sharing both of their strengths.

Bala-Ged- A dark realm of death and decay, this plane is scoured by bloodthirsty demons, ravenous zombies and ancient evils that shape the very course of events here. Humans here have become increasingly creative; they scrape and scratch at madness to retain their humanity. This world is permeated with a dark mana called the Aurora. This mana is constantly recycled through the bodies of zombies and the souls of demons. To those unfamiliar with this plane, the mana alone will drive most travelers insane. Most parts of this dark world are shrouded in a soul-tainting mist that slowly sucks your own humanity. When it comes to life, the only truly living things here are fungi that feed off of the corpses of the dead. This leads to savage elementals that embody the darkness and filth of this evil-tainted plane.

Kirar- A realm of fire and rage, this plane is home to incinerating elementals, numerous goblins and ruled by chaotic magic. Nothing on this plane stays the same for very long. The use of magic here provokes a ferocious reprisal from nature, ranging from rock slides to earthquakes. The mana flow he is unpredictable, a simple fireball spell could annihilate a mountain or just make a spark and fade away. Dragons rule this realm with tyrannous force, taking what they please. Humans in this plane are divided into vicious tribes, continually warring with each other. A once great angel, Alos, is the supreme master of this plane; he even controls the dragons with little more than force. He originated in Astar, but he became enraged at the corrupt court and traveled to Kirar.

*****
Name: Brus Ironwood

Appearance: 6’5” w/ long brown dreads, brown eyes, tribal sleeve tattoo down his right and left arms, scar across right ear, numerous scars on back and chest, teeth scars on neck. Usually carries a large double-sided battle axe with a long chain attached to the bottom. The chain is covered in small spikes that assist in gripping. Wears leather shoulder plates, leather shin plates, leather arm bracers and a loincloth.
Plane: Originally from Kirar, he traveled to Bala-Ged, and then finally came to, and took up residence in, Serrik.

Other: Born to one of the most powerful tribes, the Fire-Sight Tribe, he grew up knowing that he was different. He can’t remember much about his life before Bala-Ged, but he does become noticeably more aggressive when around the undead and necromancers. While in Bala-Ged, he learned from a great necromancer how to control death, how to profit from it. With that, he created a new kind of philosophy on which he made a few distinctions: You have two lives, one before death, and one after. He managed to learn some Astar magic while he was passing through, but never fully understood it. The only plane he fears to return to is Denui, the home of his worst enemy, the artificer, Gren Talbok. He currently lives in a small village just four miles away from the main city. He is renowned as an herbalist, blacksmith, dark healer and big game hunter.

He vaguely remembers a prophecy given to him when he was a child.

“Shadows come and shadows fall,
One will come to save us all.
A warrior of peasant birth,
So shall he ever fall.”

[DarkWolf]

Name: Raviel Nosgoth

Appearance: Dark blue robes with silver runes all over with a hood that shadows the face. The chest of the robes is open to reveal a black tunic and silver-chain necklace attached to a coin-sized diamond-shaped flat medallian with runic carvings and blue sapphire center. Although worn loose around neck it has a second chain around the neck which is loose but is always changing slithing to varying sizes to ensure it never slips off not even if upside down and will gain small spikes against anyone else who tries to touch it. Put simply it cannot be stolen or break/fall off. Under the robes his arms have forearm leather guards, shin guards, a good physique, clean shaven with long, shoulder length, black hair. The hair has a slight untidy wave to it and occassionally a few waved strands may fall over his face. His eyes are unusual. The whites (scleras) are dark grey while his irises are a brilliant blue that shine a little and almost seemed to be filled with liquid moving around or cloudy. The shine moves with the light. The irises are also thicker than normal and he has no pupils. He has dark blue patterns on his body, namely the arms, legs, nave, torso, shoulder blades and small of his back, his cheeks, and his forehead. In shadow they give off a small glow. Around his waist is a leather belt with various pouches.

Other: Raviel was born and raised in Denui. He had a natural talent for magic and an incredibly strong soul. He possessed superior learning ability and eidetic memory - he could process information very quickly and even from just a slight glance could remember every detail permanently with total recall with crystal clear clarity. This, and incredible intellect, made him the best student of magics of his peers. None could rival him. As he sought to learn more powerful magics he soon amassed a fortune and acquired a castle. He secluded himself away from the public eye and studied more and more. He secretly made allies in underground circles, and soon gained incredible, secret, influence over the general populace. He became a member of the ring of mages that controlled the realm.

Raviel put himself through the harshest tests and spells and has altered his very being into something ageless. His body could channel magics with ease, and even his soul became a magical powerhouse. His mind, and soul, could not be controlled and he became one of, if not the, most powerful mages in Denui. He is over three thousand years old and has traversed the realms many times. In his travels he has studied the magics of every realm. Although adept at fire magic generally, he dislikes the realm of Kirar due to it causing unpredictable behaviour in spells. Second to Denui he likes the realm of Bala-Ged and even has a second home there. He is a powerful Necromancer and his Bala-Ged castle has underground chambers storing in magic a small army of the Undead. While his Denui castle has similar but filled with living servants whose minds or souls have been taken with his magics. With a dual army of living and dead he is a force few would dare to challenge. He is not an enemy that can be easily confronted directly.

While Raviel, along with the ring of other mages, holds control over Denui and wielding two armies he is otherwise content in political power. He has no aspirations of invasion or conquering and lives rather simply. He keeps himself to himself and ventures out only to acquire new herbs that cannot be obtained by sending a servant to market. He travels alone usually because the rare herbs are hard to get or dangerous and having servants would get in his way. Or perhaps they’d die and that would inconvenience him - undead servants were not as efficient as living ones.

The amulet he wears is a magic item that can do one of two things: effortlessly, instantly, and without needing to use magic himself it can transport him safely to his castle in Denui no matter where he is. Or, with effort and some extra magic from him it can open a safe portal that allows him and anyone with him to travel to his castle in Denui or to his castle in Bala-Ged. In either case, once used, it cannot be used again for 24 hours.

Raviel first seems pleasant, polite, and sometimes helpful. But he is manipulative and serves his own needs above all others. He may take a less violent approach to things but only if he is in a good mood and finds it useful to do so. He has no qualms about killing and is more than happy to destroy anything that irritates him enough. While he knows that despite immortal age he can still be killed and there may be others with stronger magic, he also knows that he is very powerful and few things in the multiverse may face him head on and live let alone succeed.

---

Raviel walked through the jungle of daytime Serrik, searching every bush. There was a rare flower, Traitorous Moon, that bloomed in this area during daytime. It was a flower with lavender petals around a silver bud. It was related to the Luna’s Tear flower, which he had collected the night before, which was similar but with a darker purple hint near the bud on the petals and the bud had a slight blue hue. It was called Traitorous Moon because it had the colour and was related to a night-only blooming flower but bloomed during the day.

He finally found it and consequently plucked it and placed it within one of the pouches on his belt. He now only needed to find someplace safe to rest and he could then prepare them. Preparation involved the magic of the jungle environment, which his home lacked.

“Hmm, where to go?”

[Cahalith]

Name: Haru

Appearance: Haru stands at roughly at 5 feet, she is lightly toned with an athletic build. Her complexion is dark, with a light dusting of freckles across her cheeks. She had long wavy ebony hair which falls to her lower back. Haru's eyes are violet and tent to have odd flecks of gold in them. She dresses modest in mostly black. She will not ware heavy armor when given the choice.
Under her conservative coverings she is covered in scars from intense physical training and punishments for her blunders. On her wrist ankles are deep scars that look like what would happen if one heated mettle shackles just enough to leave a brand.


Other: Haru is from the lowest peasant class of the Astar plane. Her family was large and consisted of 5 other siblings. Marks was the eldest son, Lira the eldest daughter, Sasha the middle daughter, Mari and Max the youngest boys and twins (Max was older by 15 minutes). Her mother was Kara, and was secretly of the Denui plane. She was banished when she showed no magical potential and fought hard to seed disdain for the Denui people. Telling stories of her ‘travels’ and dealings with them. She spread lies of their manipulative cruel nature.

Many from Haru’s village bought into her stories, and began to feel suspicious of the magic possessed by the Denui. Little did Kara know she would give birth to a daughter who would have such potential. Kara upon discovering this made it her goal to remove such desires of magic from her child however it became evident to Ichigo, Haru’s father that Kara was envious of this child. He could not stand for her unjust actions on their youngest daughter. So told Kara that either she would learn to accept their child or he would not allow her to have any more dealings with any of the children. He loved his wife and did not want to lose her, but feared what she could do to their children.

Kara disappeared that night.

The family devastated, managed to do what they always did try and make do with what they had. They worked hard, and Ichigo noticed that Haru the youngest was the hardest worker, he worked her harder, giving her more responsibilities. Haru learned to endure, and push her body to more extreme limits. She had over time gained amazing fortitude.

It wasn’t until she was 10 that she learned she had other skills other then being able to pus herself harder then the rest of her family. When Mari and Max played a prank on some one- though harmless it was still taken hard and they where in danger she, Haru found she was natural at hand to hand combat. Though it was a crude version of the skill she possessed today.

A Knight of Astar had unnoticed to her had been passing though the village when he noticed the small girl coming to the aid of her brothers. She was out numbered and to be honest out sized. But had managed to persevere.
She was in many ways what he had been looking for in a student; someone fearless and passionate about protection those that where unjustly sentenced. The Knights name was Sir Ariel.

He took Haru from her home and brought her to train, however her linage was brought up. She was not a true member of this plane due to her blood and they could see in her eyes the potential to wield the power of the Denui people. The words of Kara has spread like a poison and created a hate and distrust on magic that was not of their lands.

Sir Ariel had fought hard for Haru to be allowed to train, and was granted his request on many stipulations. She would not be allowed to marry or conceive children. They did not want some one of such blood as hers to taint the Astar plane.

Sir Ariel could not bring himself tell Haru why she was not allowed to take a husband or bare children, he only said it was her blood and allowed her to assume her social class as her taint.

Haru was a quick learner and she took better to knife fighting then sward or arrows, she said it was far to impersonal and it lacked honor in her enemies defeat.

He watched her learn to observe her surroundings and find creative ways of solving issues that did not always require bloodshed. That was what he was most proud of.

It was unfortunate timing when haru returned to find Sir Ariel’s body dead, and murderd with her knifes! She was taken in and tortured, beaten and though she never lied and said she was guilty, they found her such.

Haru has now found herself banished from her homeland and has only one goal to set things right.


Abilities: Haru has great endurance (can take a hit), magical potential, Skills in hand to hand combat, using Knifes for close ranged attacks, and observation skills. (this is for those that don't want to read the back story to find what she can do)

-------
Haru lay face down covered in nearly dried blood, it was still every so slightly sticky. She could feel the hot sun causing her blood to crust and her clothing to stick to her. She winced as she came to realizing the pain her body felt.

She was told she would be banished, and would not be welcome on the soil of Astar again. To mark her as a untouchable, punishable by death to any Astar who showed kindness they heated the shackles that bound her wrists and ankles allowing them to singe her flesh and leave her branded a murder.

every thing had gone black after that, She woke up smelling mud and her own blood mingling, She coughed a few times an spit out blood.

Struggling to push herself up to her feet she leaned against a tree and wondered- where am i? Haru had never been to any other place then Astar, She knew no other worlds other then the tails she heard others whisper about.

She touched her sides, she was with out her knifes. "those F**kers." she muttered under her breath. they left her here to die. There was no way that this was not a death sentence.

She looked around and spotted a stick and noticed that this place was crawling with vines and thick undergrowth. She felt extremely tired, and despite the pain she had to fight on. She needed to find some sign of civilized life, no time to sit and nurse her wounds. She began to beat at the undergrowth with the stick until she hit something harder then the stick it shattered and and went flying randomly. She watched the largest chunk fall near a man...She crouched down to cover herself not sure if he was friend or foe, and watched.

[demonic_monkey]

Name: Terrin Rahl

Appearance: Terrin Rahl dresses in black robes, adorned at it's edges with bright red bands, which have arcane symbols embroidered into them in a color akin to dried blood. He is a tall and noble-looking man. He is well-muscled, but still relatively slender. His black hair is parted in the middle and flows to his shoulders gracefully, framing a young-looking face that belies the 986 years he has lived. Though his robes may seem frighteningly dark, his eyes are more frightening. The whites are the opposite of normal, a deep inescapable black. The irises are a bright red that glows in dark places and allow him to see perfectly in darkness. His skin is alabaster, as though the sun had never even touched it. At his waist, on his belt amongst the folds of his robes, he carries an Astari sword. On his right hand are five rings that, when touched by his magic, transport him to any of the five realms, Bala-ged and Astar being the only realms where his arrival is at a fixed location.

Other: Terrin Rahl was born to the upper class of Astar and was raised to by a knight. He learned at the age of ten that he possessed the power of magic and so learned to wield it to protect himself. He became a very gifted knight and was known throughout Astar for a time. However, he brooded on the thought of being more than just a simple knight.

Leaving his palace in Astar, Terrin traveled the multiverse. He first went to Denui and there studied for a short period the magic of the mages there. He learned offensive attacks there, giving him the ability to strike with his gift and not just cower behind it. From Denui, he traveled to Serrik and survived there for a time, pushing his body to it's limits every day for years. Eventually, though, he came upon Bala-Ged. He became immersed in the workings of Necromancy and learned the secrets of using his gift to bring life to the dead. He had a natural talent for the art and so remained in Bala-ged for ages, gaining more understanding of the art and more unique power, such as attacking the souls of his enemies and ripping them away and weaponizing them. The darkness of the realm began to grow evident in his appearance as his skin paled, his blonde hair turned black, and his eyes changed from their original blue to what they are now.

The arts he learned in Bala-ged allowed him eternal agelessness and even enhanced his natural ability for healing and defense, things he had used back at home on Astar. He stays away from Kirar due to the way it effects spells, but he isn't averse to using muscle when he can't use magic. Though he is now at home in Bala-ged, he still visits his palace in Astar and places in Denui and Serrik.

+++++++++++++++++

Terrin stood on a balcony looking out over the grounds of his castle in Bala-ged. He watched the grey sky for a moment, brooding. He felt he needed a vacation from his drab new home. The gray stone and dead grounds held little excitement for him today, though he was always happy to see them when he returned.

He looked down at his hand on the gray stone railing. His rings looked back, their silver bringing a small bit of beauty to the darkness. The simple silver band that sent him to his palace on Astar felt more dull than his current surroundings. The intricately woven band holding a blue stone beside it on his ring finger seemed far better to him, but Denui still seemed to be missing the mark. The silver vine-shaped ring holding an emerald on his ring finger caught his eye. Serrik would be an interesting diversion from his boredom. The jungles always perked him up.

He touched the stone with his finger, sending a bit of mana into the ring. His eyes closed, he felt the sensation of a brief, but strong gust of wind. When he opened his eyes, he was deep in the jungles of Serrik. He heard movement and decided he should follow the sounds, wondering what he would find.

[Cahalith]

Haru felt the wind pick up, she brought her body closer to the ground but still allowed herself enough space that springing up from the undergrowth would not prove to hard.

Haru knew her body would not tolerate much more damage, She needed to heal, and dying her was just not an option. Haru was branded for a crime she did not commit.

She noticed the sounds of movement to her left, her eyes darted between the two unknowns. Was she surrounded? Her heart began to beat faster, and she could hear it pounding in her ears. She was scared...

Unsure of what to do, she began to analyze the two, searching for a weakness.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel heard the rock roll by his feet and looked at it casually. There was somebody hiding nearby. He pondered why they would hide. Were they assessing him and waiting for a more opportune moment or were they simply not wanting to be noticed because they were vulnerable in some way? As he thought on these things he sensed the magics in the air and the dimensional shift. Somebody had entered the realm close by. The magics were powerful, and judging by the speed of the mana it was no doubt accelerated often the result of an external aid much like his amulet. Such creations were difficult which meant this new person was either very fortunate with limited magic to have been given such an item or, more probably, had created the item themselves and were skilled in magic.

“How intriguing,” he said aloud to himself, “this area seems to be somewhat popular for travellers. Have I somehow stumbled onto some tourist spot?”

He stepped once closer to where the pebble came from. “Oh, there’s no need to hide from me. I know you’re there and have no intention of harming you.”

Raviel also wished to meet the other mage so allowed a small spark of mana be cast, invisibly and without effect, into the air for the other mage to sense.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus swung through the thick vines of Serrik, he was a man on a mission. He had been hunting a gargantuan for the last week. He lifted his nose sky and smelled something strange in the air. He knew he was close, but he could never have realized the truth. He looked up into the vines and saw a massive pair of eyes gleaming in the darkness of the trees.

"Oh crap..." He stood for a minute, he couldn't move...

[Cahalith]

Haru watched the man in robes at her right draw closer, he spotted her misjudgment, his words reminded her like honey, thick with sugar. She shifted in the underbrush, unsure if the words where true. She knew from the stories of her missing mother of what Mages' garb looked like. He was a mage, but was he of the treacherous ones?

he was closing in and the hair on the back of her neck stood up- she had not yet learned what this meant so assumed it was her bodies reaction to the life forces here, the life energies where thicker then her home and seemed to give this land a intense yet unseen brightness.

She realized he knew where she was and it would be better to reveal herself then hide she would look more fearful to remain hidden.

She pushed herself up and out of the underbrush her small form coated in dried earth and crusted blood. Her face was young but the exact age hard to decipher.

Haru looked at the man and took a step back to prep for a possible blow. Steadying her left food discreetly against a tree. She was tired and injured she needed to be healed or else some of the injuries could prove to be fatal.

"I wouldn't call this my idea of a vacation." She shrugged and though maintaining a strong form lifted her arms to give the illusion of comfort and ease, like she was in the best health of her life.

[buzzsaw133]

The massive beast lunged at Brus, he barely managed to escape getting eaten, but he suffered a grievous wound on his left shoulder.

"F**k, come and get me, you big baby!" Brus yelled, rushing past trees while trying to keep an eye on the behemoth. The sound of cracking trees and the beasts roar combined to a thunderous trumpet that rang through out the nearby jungle.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin followed the mana beacon that another mage had made to guide him to his direction. He picked up conversation and soon emerged between two curtains of vines.

"It feels like a vacation to me," he said, his voice deep, but not ominously so. His eyes moved to the female. "You're injured. I can heal you, if you'd like."

At that moment, a loud roar tore through the jungle. His attention turned to the direction it came from.

"I know that roar," he said. "It's a gargantuan...and it's coming this way. By the way, I'm Terrin Rahl."

He flashed a brief smile as he turned toward the approaching beast, still unseen behind the overgrowth of the jungle plants.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked between the two men and shrugged her shoulders, painfuly to keep up the illusion of her being of sound body.

She wished he had not mentioned her injuries, the last thing she needed was to seem weak; particularly in a strange new land where she didn't know a soul. She responded "I will manage, It really looks worse then it is."

She never liked magic, even the few charms Sir Ariel said where safe- they just felt wrong. Maybe it was her mother's hatred for magic leaking into her mind.

the sounds of horns piercing the almost silent air. She stiffened and did not know what it was for, other then for some thing called a gargantuan. "a what?" she found herself confused, and took a few steps back. She wobbled a little and felt the pain of the fresh brand on her ankle intensify the healing that had occurred has scabbed and was now cracking. She winced slightly and she knew she couldn't pull it off "or maybe worse then I thought." She winced slightly again as she moved to her sides to find her knifes...

they where still gone "What sort of defense are we working with here?" She knew that if horns where being blown its was a warning, and this was not something to take lightly.

[buzzsaw133]

(The trumpets were a metaphor to the roar and the trees snapping.)

Busting through the underbrush with amazing speed, he turned and headed off to a vast open savanna, the beast followed. It was only once in the open ground, the beasts true looks could be distinguished. It was roughly fifty feet tall, heavily muscled with rows of serrated spines down it's back. The beast's eyes burned with the passion of life and would not be taken down esily. Brus had anticipated this and set a trap.

[Cahalith]

OOC: so then we didn't hear any sign of what is going on? and you are in a completely different area then we are? Since you are in desert and we are in the under growth of the jungle? Just checking because if hat is the case I know what I am and am not responding to?)

[buzzsaw133]

(I tried to relate the sound of the trees and roar with trumpets. You know, to show the similarity between the two...You relate a trumpet blast with a loud sound, yes?)

[Cahalith]

(I tried to relate the sound of the trees and roar with trumpets. You know, to show the similarity between the two...You relate a trumpet blast with a loud sound, yes?)



OOC: you only answered 1 of the 2 questions i had)
1. are you near us (since you said you where in a desert and we are in the the undergrowth of the desert)

and as for the trumpet sounds, yes I understand what you you meant.)

[buzzsaw133]

(Crap, my bad...roughly half a mile away, give or take a few yards.)

"Right this way!" He yelled at the beast from the opposite edge of the clearing. The beast charged across the savanna...

[DarkWolf]

Raviel observed the woman. She was badly wounded but was trying to hide this. Such behaviour told him she was cautious and a warrior. There was something more to her, though, and as she gazed upon her eyes it became clear. She possessed the potential of magic. His curiosity was tickled by this.

In the next moment the other mage appeared. Yes, Raviel could tell instantly he was a strong mage. He listened without alarm to the sounds and the exclamation of a gargantuan. He continued to watch the woman.

“Are you certain you do not require healing?” Raviel asked her. “Your wounds are more evident than your acting ability can hide. This is the jungle realm of Serrik; you should really be at your best to survive it.”

He left her to ponder this and turned to where the noise was coming from. He raised his right arm before his chest and spoke aloud: “Ebony feathers, beady eyes, take to the sky! I call on the crow to share my sight and spy!”

Black wisps of smoke appeared around him, black feathers appearing in the trails. The wisps entwined above his arm and became a crow standing upon it. The eyes glowed for a moment, as did his own, with the same blue shine with swirling clouds. Raviel raised his arm and the bird took flight, flying toward the direction of the roar.

The bird quickly reached the area and cawed while Raviel’s eyes shined bright for less than a moment. The crow found a nearby branch from which to continue observing the scene.

“It is a gargantuan as suspected,” Raviel explained, “about half a mile from here. There is a man goading it. Judging from his attire he is a resident of this plane. He’s luring the creature into a trap. I say we wait until he has trapped the beast and ask him to aid us. I think we could all enjoy a stay in a nearby village and he is very much likely to know where the nearest one may be.”

[Cahalith]

Haru shifted slightly and leaned against the tree "a few days rest and I should be fine." She hoped so at least.


Haru gave an odd look of confusion as the man who had not introduces himself summoned a bird, her mother never spoke of summoning abilities, he must be from another place then the land of Denui.

She didn't know much about any other planes, well other then what she could ease drop on when people where not aware of her presents. Sir Ariel was the only person that treated her like she wasn't vile. She closed her eyes for a moment hiding her pain- He was dead, her mentor, the man that saw her as more then just a peasant.

She opened her eyes and spoke "We should help him, what if he doesn't succeed he could die." She straitened herself up and look to the two men, "I don't care which on of you heals me, I can't stand here and not assist him." She wouldn't leave any one to their deaths, even if it was risking her own safety. It was the right thing to do, and this creature sounded huge!

[demonic_monkey]

"Well, I think that we should probably assist this man in his efforts," Terrin said. "As to healing, I can handle that with ease."

Terrin drew closer to the female and prepared to heal the injuries. She was in pretty bad shape. That much was easy to see. Subjected to the rigors of Serrik in her condition, she wouldn't last more than a day.

"Mage, you may want to go ahead and help the man," Terrin suggested. "This will take a second. And perhaps while we wait, names can be mentioned.

He frowned to himself as he started his work, hurrying the pace of the healing as much as he could without making a mistake.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked between the two men. They both wore silly robes, which no doubt would get in their way during a fight. Just step on the hem and they would have to remove such a garment or else be left pinned.

The one that called himself Terrin drew nearer to her, her heart raced as she saw the disfigurement that magic had caused his body. Why do people corrupt their souls by the use of magic. She was sure she would never understand the desire for it.

"I am Haru." She bowed lightly it hurt but despite that she had to show respect he was helping her, they both where trying to. She hated getting help, but knew healing would not be that easy for her. She was no healer, and never quite got trained yet in first aid for this grave of a wound.

She seemed to try and avoid him touching her. She didn't seem to like to be touched and her face betrayed her.

As she rose from her bow her eyes met his for just a breif moment and the gold flecks seemed to stand out like fine jewls against the satiny violet iris.

She Shifted uncomfortably as he preformed his spells. She did not like magic and it made her body always feel on edge. She shivered slightly unknowingly. "Thank you." She made her self say, though she herself wished she didn't need the help.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel bowed his head slightly as he spoke, "it seems entirely unnecessary to help somebody who already has the upperhand in a conflict and has superior skill and preparation but if it makes you feel better then I'll help. And my name is Raviel."

Raviel sighed rather simply. He didn't understand what was so urgent. Within but a few more paces the beast would be trapped and the man the beast faced had shown preparation, skill, and ability enough to do far worse to the creature if he so pleased. What was it they expected him to do in the limited seconds? Spells from afar require something, usually a chant, to cast but the beast would be trapped before he would finish. He could transport himself to the area but even in those short few seconds, the beast would be trapped.

His mind quickly sped through spells he knew trying to think of a spell that would help from this distance without the need of extra aid such as items or chanting. Usually, these spells were weak in effect but with victory mere inches away regardless of his interference he figured anything was better than nothing.

He decided to help force the creature into the trap. The spell he had in mind normally required sight but he could link his sight to the conjured spy-crow.

His eyes shone brighter and he uttered, simply, "slide" while making a smooth sideways motion with his hand. The ground beneath the beast and up to the trap shimmered and became slick. The beasts lost traction and slid forward, the momentum of it's forward movement now out of its own control. It slid straight into the trap.

"It's done," Raviel shrugged turning to the other two, "the beast is now in the man's trap."

[Cahalith]

Haru moved away from being healed, with out much thought, Despite her discomfort her body seemed receptive to the healing, at least enough that she was more stable and less likely to die.

Ducking under Terrin's hand she moved quickly, she was very nimble some one her size would have to. She looked at Raviel unsure as to how he was able to do that. "we should go now- I want to talk to some one about getting me home." She looked between the two men wondering if traveling with two mages would be wise.

yes they both offered to help her, but what if they changed their mind, what if they where the type of magic user she was warned against. Haru watched them unsure of their reactions, they where not predictable- yet, every one had a pattern you just had to stick around long enough to figure it out.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus couldn't believe his eyes, the garagntuan slid into the middle of the clearing. He had never known a beast of that size to slip, but he didn't mind the turn of events. The sound of snapping branches echoed once more through the forest as the beast fell down into a deep pit fill with sharpened tree trunks about ten feet longer than the beast was tall. The gargantuan's death wail brought a sense of satisfaction to his heart.

[DarkWolf]

"The creature is dead," Raviel stated. It was an obvious statement but he felt like saying it anyway.

He walked towards where the man was. It didn't take him long with a good stride and fast pace.

"Greetings," he called to the man, "I am Raviel, I'd like to ask a service of you. There are two companions behind me, we would like either an escort or directions to the nearest village where we may rest. Will you help us, sir?"

[buzzsaw133]

"Why not?" He knelt on the ground and placed his hand in the soil. Vines crawled out from the surrounding soil and engulfed the massive creature in the pit. "Do you mean village or town?" He asked truthfully.

[Cahalith]

Haru ran behind Raviel, She moved fast through the woods she was still a bit injured and had a limp. She looked back only once to see if Terrin was behind her as well.

She ducked just in time to avoid a low branch that would have caused a nasty bump to her head.

Haru stopped when she Spotted the jungle man and tilted her head the the side, there was no sign of a trap or a large beast they where all so afraid of. She looked to the ground then up, nothing. She took note that there was an odd amount of vines covering the floor in this area. different in some way. Was that the trap.

She said "town. they are bigger and would have more accessible due to the size." She answered for the Mage.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin followed the others at a calm, measured pace. He didn't feel like it was urgent enough to expend the energy running and with his long strides, he was perfectly capable of keeping up. When he, too, reached the man, his eyes passed breifly over the tangle of vines that had hidden the dead gargantuan before coming to rest on the man who had engineered the trap.

"Yes, a town would probably be better than a village," he said.

He remembered Haru talking about finding someone who could help her get home. He had a feeling that he could probably do just that, but decided to keep quiet on the matter for the moment. They would have time to discuss it later.

[buzzsaw133]

"There's a large town just south of here with a rather good inn, if you have the gold to pay for it." Brus picked his hand up and green tendrils attached themselves to his hand and absorbed the life from the gargantuan. "Once of them, now of me." His eyes flashed with green.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at the jungle man and said "I have no need for an Inn." She shifted uncomfortably at the sight of the magic. it made a shiver pass up her spine and she looked at the other two "I don't know about them we aren't together." She started honestly "just by chance ran into each other."

Haru made note of the use of magic, all three of them could use them she hoped that if it came down to it she could convince them not to harm her- She really didn't want to have to fight, not because of injury but because it would delay her venture home.

She hoped that by returning home Sir Ariel's true murder would be found and put to death, and her honor restored. She looked at the three men and said "My name is Haru." though she figured it was not of much importance. She had no last name upon being inducted into the courts it was stripped of her as a reminder that she was not of breeding stock.

Only the untouchables for crimes of extremely poor blood had their names removed. When She was imprisonment they attempted to strip her Ffirst name from her too, also give notice that she had taken a life, however the spell seemed to fail her will was too strong and she remained Haru. It was more painful to fight for ones name then all of the torture she received, and so to avoid that experience she made them believe she didn't have a name.

She looked down glancing at her long sleeves to make sure her brands where not peeking from under her garment, thankfully it looked no worse then the rest of her. It should go unnoticed.

[buzzsaw133]

The gash on Brus' arm began to steam and the blood retracted back into the wound as the skin closed up. Trees began to sprout from the savannah as though they had been waiting for ages.

"Take life from one, give life to many." Brus smiled as the trees twisted and turned until they filled the savannah into a thick tangle of roots and branches.

[Cahalith]

She looked at him in confusion- Who was this guy? He didn't even give his name, or tell them if he would be taking them the town or not.

She looked at the two Mages and then the jungle man what was he doing? She shivered as the trees sprouted "Was this region under a curse?" She was naive about magic but knew how to phrase questions like she knew what she was talking about.

Haru watched and felt the cool shade begin to cover her, the inferno of the sky was being blocked and she grabbed her shirt realizing it was sticking to her and the lint in the mostly healed wound would be most annoying, it would require a bit of soaking clothing on until she could soften the crust of injury and mud.

[buzzsaw133]

"It went dead after a powerful wizard died here." Brus turned to the small girl. "Who are you again?" He really wasn't paying much attention before.

[Cahalith]

She took a deep breath "Haru." She responded quickly and with a slight impatient quality to her voice she did not bother covering. She hated repeating herself, She looked to the two wizards then the jungle man "I am of Astar, and it is crucial that I return home."

She watched how the Jungle man moved he was strong she could see that, but there might be a weakness she could use against him like the Mages, just in case they turned on her.

[buzzsaw133]

"Well, then are you coming or not?" He turned south and followed the game trail. He stopped and looked back. "This way."

[DarkWolf]

"Astar," Raviel said, nodding as though finally placing something in his mind, "that explains a lot. Your eyes and soul betray you, Haru, you have Denui heritage and a potential for magic. While Astar is no stranger to magic they limit themselves to the more basic aspects and favour protection only. They often express dislike for other magics and in some places those of Denui. I would imagine you were not treated kindly for your bloodline. Yet you hold the caution and stance of a warrior so you were a trained Knight. Possibly an underling of an influential mentor; you would not carry a rank and it even surprises me you still maintain a name. Either they were lenient or you had a strong spirit. Would it be a wrong guess that they injured you and sent you here, probably to die?"

Raviel gazed at her, his strange eyes almost seeming to peer into the soul.

"If any of this is accurate do not be concerned, but I have spent a lot of time in Astar. I have spent a lot of time in every realm, in fact, but I am as familiar with Astar almost as much as my own home of Denui. Things may have changed since my last visit; it was some time ago. And if I may be so bold, or at least more so, but I do think you require an inn. You are not fully recovered and you are unarmed. A stay in an inn, a warm bath, and procurement of weapons will no doubt be far better for your journey homeward than lying to yourself and getting killed, wouldn't you say?"

Raviel was aware his tone held a slight hint of being patronising but he was trying to be helpful. Even so, she was young and he could not help but find her feigning somewhat naive. He didn't even wait for a response and began to follow the jungle man.

"So, our jungle friend," he said to the Jungle man as he came closer, "what name do you go by?"

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and she grew hot, How dare he say that she was from Denui! She looked at him and said "I would highly suggest you never-" she stressed the word never, "spread such lies." her tone was sharp and if could conjure pain would feel much like a the crack of a whip against ones cheek.

She wanted to teach him a lesson, but then he mentioned he was frm Danui and she immediately distrusted him, taking a deep breath she forced herself to change her face from the rage that was attempting to claw its way up and out.

She was still trembling ever so slightly from her anger as she pressed on. He was right they left her here to die, but for what he was wrong about. "it is part of my survival training." She lied, it would be better if he didn't know the truth. Specially if he was of Denui. She hated to lie but sometimes it was necessary.

As they pressed forward, she listened to Raviel press on in his own high and mighty way of what she needed. Not like she didn't know that, but she had nothing to pay for such things and was NOT going to ask any one for that sort of help. She knew what living in debt was like and she would avoid it at all cost.

"I don't have a last name because before The kind knight who has mentored me, found me in a small village on the outskirts of Astar. My social class is what deems me surname-less."

She was still peeved about his comment about her heritage being other then Astar, she was irritated that she was in this god awful place, and more so because she was injured in such a place. She had no means of paying for necessary things and worst Sir Ariel was dead.

A look of heart ache and anguish crossed her face for only a brief moment before determination replaced it. She WOULD avenge Sir Ariel and she WOULD clear her name.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin walked alongside Haru as they pressed on through the dense jungle growth.

"Astar, you say?" he said. "I was born and raised on that plane. I trained and became a knight myself, so I know for a fact that being sent here isn't part of the survival training. I can't really speak for the others, but I'm fairly certain that none of us have any intention of harming you. I won't try to harm you. In fact, I'd like to help you. You don't need to lie to us. It's not necessary to lie to us."

He hoped that his words would convince Haru that she was safe with them. He doubted that she would see the truth in his words. She feared magic and mages, so he reasoned that she wouldn't trust either him or his words.

[Cahalith]

Haru was already upset that the man had commented on her bloodline being other then Astar, She was upset that he was right about her need to heal, and more so that she was going to need help.

She looked at the mage Terrin and spoke in such a cold tone one might say she could have been the one to breathed into creation, the tundra. "I would suggest you don't help me." She narrowed her eyes but kept her head forward eyes only darting to make sure the surrounding perimeter was not currently being invaded by anything dangerous.

She didn't say much for quite some time, but then spoke choosing her words careful, not bothering to hide her distrust "Did you know Sir Ariel."

Despite his age Sir Ariel looked young, any where between late 20s and early 30s. He was a vibrant individual and full of such conviction and well known for his valiant acts of righteousness. He was the knight that others strive to be, his ethics where as unshakable as his willingness to always do what is best for others.

She took a deep breath to hide her sorrow, She was only 16, she was just a kid. She missed her family, and her mentor. She wanted to see Astar again and not from the prisons, but as a member of the justice system.

Haru was never like many peasant children, she had a dream and she would achieve that dream after finding the one that killed Sir Ariel...

Haru shook her head then looked at them, she needed to make a choice and it was going to take a major sacrifice on her prides part, but it was something she had to do!

[demonic_monkey]

"I know him," Terrin said. "He's quite a valiant knight. I've spoken with him on occasions when I visited the lord he serves under. He may or may not have mentioned a Lord Rahl to you." He smiled warmly. "Anyway, yes, I know him. Why do you ask?"

Terrin suddenly felt that he wasn't going to like the answer to his question.

[buzzsaw133]

"I've spent some time is Astar myself, not for long, but long enough." He kept walking. He lifted his massive hand to clear a branch from otherhead when he saw something. The branch was not a branch, but a Coatl. A snake-like creature capable of answering three questions truthfully to any person who could catch it. Brus placed his hand on the coatl's mid-section and was immediately met with the buisness end of the snake...

"Gotcha!" He quickly grabbed the snake behind the jaw and held on. The snake's long body coiled around Brus, rippling with muscle. Brus was not a weakling, he flexed all of his muscles and matched the snakes force.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked up at Terrin, he would see despite the calm collected expression her eyes held the pain and suffering of a broken heart "He was murdered." She wanted to cry but wouldn't let herself, it would show weakness.

Her head dropped in shame, she felt responsible for his death because her knives where used on him "He was stabbed in his home with one of my knives." She bit her lip she was trying desperately not to start sobbing.

but her thoughts where interrupted and her mind was allowed to override her heart as she saw the jungle man be wrapped around by a snake. She hated them, they felt creepy and crawly, her mom used to cook snakes in stew when there was nothing else, Haru wouldn't eat that night often. She really didn't like snakes.

Haru took two hops back, it gave her some range and a better angle if need be. Taking in a deep breath, calmly she responded "I spot the head." that had not yet come down to great the jungle man as its coils wrapped around him.

She looked down and grabbed a rock she was intending to through it and in theory possibly knock it unconscious... As much as she disliked range combat due it the lack of honor it held she disliked snakes more.

[buzzsaw133]

The snake wrapped it's lower half around Brus' legs and attempted to drop him. Brus held his ground and had the snake held firmly. "I want my answers!" He growled at the snake.

"Fine, you have earned them." The snake unwrapped it's coil and coiled around Brus' arm. "Asssk you quessstion."

Brus looked at Haru. "Give me a question you want answered."

(OOC: You decide the answer.)

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at the jungle man confused she didn't understand why he was asking her to give a question, her lips parted about to ask him why but stopped herself, the thing might take that literally and answer.

"who killed Sir Ariel of Astar."

The snake came closer to her face Haru hopped back as the snakes tounge touched her she made a strange squeaking noise that was often heard when women where scared of mice.

The snake hisses reminded her of a laughing sound, and she narrowed her eyes at him "I asked the question, tell me the answer!" she demanded regaining herself.

The snake responded:

"Evil that has no face,
of darkness and of grace.
Comes and takes shapes.
It puppets trying to
destroy your fate."

The snake hissed and said "your question has been answered."

Haru looked confused "that is not an answer."

[buzzsaw133]

"Now my question. Where is the direct location of the Pool of Souls?" Brus tightened his grip on the snake.
The snake once again responded with a riddle:

"Ancient sentinel, onyx flame,
holy demon, and forth it came."

"You have one question left." The coatl began to grow impatient.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel stepped toward the snake and said as simply as possible: "What are the solutions to your previous two riddles?"

Even with a long life, great patience, and being accustomed to chants that occasionally must rhyme he never, ever, liked riddles. It always confounded him why people did that. Ancient prophecies obscured by riddling quatrains and secrets buried in silly verse. They were infuriating little things.

He had set his mind that if this creature answered with a riddle he would put everything he had into the destroying the thing. While his posture was calm his eyes showed his intent to the serpent.

[buzzsaw133]

"When the sun and moon collide,
within the sliver pool,
the answers will reside."

The riddle to answer the riddles, the snake reared it's head and brought it's fangs to bear. "I have answered all of your questions, now free me."

[DarkWolf]

Raviel growled. He raised his right hand, palm facing the serpent.

"Yr wyf yn galw am dân. Trowch i'r lludw!"

As he called the words an orange glow surrounded his hand before flames burst forth. The flames snaked out in three trails towards the serpent to ensnare and burn it to ash, leaving all else unharmed.

[Cahalith]

Haru hated snakes, and riddles but she stepped in the way to protect the snake she held her ground "You can't kill something for doing what is in its nature!" she snapped at him protectively expecting a horrible pain of burning flames.

Braising herself she said "it is like some one killing you for being a mage!" she had to think quickly and hopefully give him time to dispel his magic "You can't help that you can do magic." She changed her stance to bring her closer to the nasty snake.

her face showed the dislike for the creature but yet she still defended it. "Riddles are annoying yes, but maybe there are rules to giving answers we don't know! Please don't show me that the stories my mother told me was true!"

[DarkWolf]

Raviel's mood shifted instantly from anger to calm mild irritation. He gave a small half-shrug as he watched the flames strike the woman, spark, and disappear without harm or marking as if they had never been.

"People have tried to kill me for being a mage," he said without emotion to his voice as if he was talking about something of no interest to him. "Things die. It's not because they annoyed somebody, or were a mage, or a knight, or became food for something else. Things die because they are born. From seedlings, eggs or wombs a creature is born to taste life, and die. Death is an end to nothing. Time slips like a stream, one event after the other, but behind this mortal coil time is just a moment. All things that have ever lived still live, and all things that live are already dead and always have been. In the same moment of your birth, you died. Life, death, they are not what you think they are. I do not ask that you agree or even understand my view. Simply know that it differs from yours and I kill and save as I see fit, with or without your consent."

He paused a moment, and tilted his head to the side ever slightly so. "You say to me that I cannot help but do magic. I find this such an odd statement from one with the ability to do magic and keeps it hidden. You mention your mother saying bad things about mages? And so the final piece is in the puzzle and the picture clear. Your mother is from Denui but left with a bad impression, often if they are born to Denui but cannot do magic they are banished. So to those born to the Realm of Mages, and from it's heritage of order and magic, to be unable to use magic must make one vulnerable. To be shunned for same, makes the vulnerability turn to hate.

"She is both right and wrong, Haru. Every mind and every soul, even yours, and Ariel's, and that snake's... They are all good and all evil. Both concepts exist simultaneous and joined. I have done great good deeds and saved a thousand lives. And I have destroyed a thousand lives, too. Good and evil are concepts. When you have lived to see nations come and go and have touched the heights of heaven and depths of hell - good and evil lose meaning. Magic is the blood of existence. What your blood is to you is what magic is to all existence. Mages like me, Terrin, this Jungle man, and even you - for that same connection is in you - can manipulate the flow of that blood in one way or another. So, do you truly believe I am in any way susceptible to a morality lesson?"

He tilted his head the other way, his eyes narrowed but not intimidating. His tone was soft and his posture relaxed. "I mean you no harm, Haru, there is no need to fear me. But you should know that I am not a good guy or a hero. If I had mind to set for death, for any reason or no reason, you standing in the way would not hinder me and I stopped mourning such a silly thing like death more than a millenium ago."

He straightened up. "The snake is safe, may we continue to the town?"

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin stood silently as Raviel lectured Haru. He knew the truth of the words he spoke, knew the truth of the magic Haru tried to hide. It saddened him that one with such abitities would refuse to admit to it, refuse to use it. It was part of her, something she was born with, and she feared it. He wished that she would just accept it and learn to use it. He sighed, watching the Coatl slither away into the bushes.

"Yes, let's be back on our way," he said. "It will be dark before long and I can tell you now, it's dangerous out in these forests at night. Lead on, Jungle-Man."

[Cahalith]

Haru was annoyed by the lecture of the Denui Mage, he thought he knew everything about her, but he didn't. She saved the snakes life because it would be a pointless death. He was killing a snake because it annoyed him. The reason for killing was wrong. No better then a bully.

She knew how death worked, she had remembered back home before Ariel came to take her they lost several children to a strange illness. They grew white and trembled with fevers, vomiting up blood and part of their organs. Her mother had attributed it to a curse by the Denui Mages. They had come to collect their children's souls.

Haru had gotten ill, but did not die, She was was 2 of 10 children to survive the illness.

Haru, just looked at the snake as it slithered away, nasty creatures. But she knew in her heart she did the right thing.

"You say you are powerful." She said after a while of walking to him "You have seen life and death time and time again. Why kill something because it annoyed you? Or presented the information in such a way that you dislike? How does that show power? I think that it shows despite your age childishness." She shrugged he could see in the she carried herself that it was not intending to judge him:

"It reminded me of my brothers, Mari and Max- they are known mischief makers. They are smart and the life we live allows for them too much time to come up with ideas."

She shrugged looking up at him for the first time her brows furrowed with thought, "They played a harmless trick on the wrong person and the punishment for that blunder was harsher then it should have been." Taking a bit breath "I fought for their lives." she shrugged "Astar's laws are there to surve the people, and give them protection from evil acts." She looked down "That snake's action was not evil. I made and oath that day after saving my brothers, that I would not allow people to harm those that do not do evil."

Looking back up at him she said "I don't think what you think is power." She said "Mercy is power, the ability to let go and forgive." She took a deep breath "It takes a stronger will and heart to show mercy then it does to incinerate a minor inconvenience, irritation, or annoyance." She gave him a smile, it made her look younger more like her actual age as she shrugged her shoulders and said "A good heart will out live a bad one."

She heard her own words and thought about her own anger, her own rage, and pain. She knew that she was right, and that mercy was indeed a powerful trait- but when it came to the one that killed Sir Ariel she would show no Mercy this was not about power, it was about revenge.

Looking over at the other mage, Terrin "what weights heavy on your heart?" She had picked up on his sadness unknowing what had caused it.

[buzzsaw133]

"This is all very interesting, but the answers to these riddles are simple, I've lived here for many years and he described landmarks and events that are soon coming." Brus laughed to himself.

"Take my riddle for example, the "Ancient sentinel" refers to the great Temple of Agothi. The "Onyx flame" is a referance to the fire that burns at the heart of the temple, a black flame that turns all who touch it to stone."

[DarkWolf]

Raviel chuckled very lightly and briefly in response to the young woman.

"You really are quite young, aren't you?" The levity of his tone was friendly not spiteful. "As I've told you, with my age and the things I have learned, silly concepts like good and evil lose all meaning. The reason is very simple: there is no universal definition of 'good' or 'evil'. They are subjective, what is evil to one person is not evil to another.

"I have a different view about killing. Morality has no effect on me. I'm not saying you shouldn't believe what you believe. I am not even saying you should never stand in the way again. Feel free, if you so wish. What I am saying is: the next time you do the flames won't disappear. They will devour you. They will kill you. And also know this: I would consider your death a waste and so I will not leave you dead. I would bring you back, undead, as my servant. That is what awaits you if I happen to think the same way should this event ever occur. I just want you to make your decisions with all of the information for the next time you save a creature that we met when it tried to kill our guide for less reason than I tried to kill it."

Raviel paused for a moment and suddenly looked a little perplexed. "Excuse me a moment, but a twingle in my muscles has reminded me I have been on my feet consistently since early yesterday morning."

Raviel walked to behind the group. He closed his eyes and spread his arms to his sides, hanging his head. He chanted:

"Chiedo a terra per ascoltare me, dammi un trono che mi porti a dove voglio andare."

Small green orbs, like bright fireflies, came from the surrounding foliage to dance around him. More orbs, this time dark grey, rose from the ground below him to dance with the green ones. After a few moments Raviel bent down and pressed his palms on the ground. The dancing lights quickly shooting into his hands as he did so. When his palms the touched the ground the lights extended out across the ground before him as two overlaying circular symbols like runes with small, ancient, writing within them, one green and one grey. The surface of these runes began to ripple like water and from them rose up a large stone throne set into very thick vines - almost like it had very large roots. Smaller vines were intertwined and ran across every side, out and in, of the throne. The seat was cushioned with softer vines with large thick leaves which also cushioned where the person's back and head would go. Despite being made of stone and plantation it looked quite comfortable, and it was. When the throne was fully up the designs on the ground faded.

Raviel sat in the throne and his mental command the roots and vines sprang to life raising the throne higher. They moved him forward, keeping the throne perfectly steady, and seemed capable of speeds equalling walking or even very fast running. The movement of vines seemed unnatural, as if they partly merged with the ground as they did so.

The crow from before flew in, carrying a small flower in its beak. The crow landed on the arm of the throne. Raviel took the flower, saw it was another Traitorous Moon flower. He secure the flower in a pouch. "Thank you."

The crow flew up again, to circle them and keep watch over them.

"Shall we continue to the town?"

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin looked over to Haru, surprised by her question. He knew that she had picked up on the sadness that her unwillingness to use her magic had caused, but since he was practiced at keeping his face blank of emotion, that it was her magic allowing her to sense his emotions. He gave her a small smile.

"I will tell you, but I don't want you to rail against me as you have against Raviel," he said. "The truth is, what weighs upon my heart is tied to what he has said. Mages of our age and power can sense the magical abilities in others, even if they are underdeveloped. I can sense the power in you, the same as him. I know you don't want to believe it, but the fact is that you have the ability to use magic. Being able to sense my emotions as you did just now proves it. I have practiced for many decades to keep from showing my emotions in my outward appearance. Only one with magic would be able to see the truth of my feelings.

"I know that you don't want to believe that you have magic, but that won't change the fact that you do. It just saddens me that a person with the abilities you have would refuse to believe that it is there. My magic is part of who I am, just as your magic is a part of you. You may hate magic, or fear it, but that is merely because of lies that have rooted themselves so deep in your psyche that you refuse to see the true good that it can be used for. Sure, it can kill, but it can heal, it can protect. Magic can create just as easily as it destroys.

"I have lived almost a millenium now, using not only my magic, but my physical strength and my ability to reason the fullest of my abilities. I have these strengths, so I put them to work for the greater good. You have magic, as well. It is not a bad thing, but quite the contrary. It is a gift. They say not to judge a book by its cover. Don't judge magic by what those without that ability think of it. People will always fear what they don't understand. You fear magic, yet you possess it. I can help you learn to utilize it and therefore give you the understanding to chase away your fear.

"What is, is. You cannot change it, no matter how hard you deny it and wish it were otherwise. I only hope that you will see the truth in my words and be who you were truly born to be," Terrin concluded as he saw the smoke from cookfires rising into the sky in the distance. "I know how much you don't want to have magic, but it may be a great help in finding the murderer you so desperately want revenge against." He again gave her a smile. "Be who you were born to be, if not for me or yourself, then for Sir Ariel. I know that he would want you to do just that."

[buzzsaw133]

Brus managed to suppress a harsh laugh. "Sure this talk of emotions and magic is cute and all, but you are seriously starting to get on my nerves. If we don't reach the town by nightfall, we are screwed unless one of you has something truly wild up their sleeves." Brus was getting pretty irritated, he had a perfect record on the grounds that he had never become a midnight snack for a gargantuan, yet anyways, but these people were certainly pushing their luck. "Oh yay, she can do magic, but doesn't. Get over it and let's get moving before we end up on the 24/7 menu at the midnight express!" Brus whistled a high tune through the trees. "If you guys want to stay and get eaten, good luck. But as far as I know, me and mage-dude-on-throne are getting out of here."

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Raviel, he didn't understand what she met looking at him she said "look whatever, you want to think go ahead and think. I already explained to you that your abilities are not what make you a powerful person." She shrugged her shoulders and kept walking despite the conversation.

She looked at him and sighed softly "The reason I stepped in between the nasty critter and your magic was because it wasn't trying to kill the jungle man-" he had still not given her his name so she would refer to him as the jungle man what else could she call him? I mean its not like he responded when she asked him his name. "It was because you where trying to kill something that just provided information to us, yes not delivered in a way that was most convenient. But I doubt that thing was going to kill him if he hadn't attacked it first."

The way she recalled it he noticed it grabbed it and then demanded his answers.

She looked to the other gentleman, she was sure she could get along better with him the Raviel was arrogent or at least didn't bother hiding it. She sighed softly "I am not magic!" she didn't know why they kept saying she was "I am by birth untouchable my father is Ichigo and mother Kara." after a short pause she continued "I was found trying to keep my brothers Mari and Max from getting arrested, Sir Ariel took me when I was 10 and I have been training under him since."

She listened more to him "I was banned from having children because I am a peasant, it was hard enough for some one of my social class to be even permitted into the Queens Castle."

She had yet to stop walking, when she looked at that irritating jungle man she said "Look I am so tired of arrogant a**holes! Who think they are the only people who can handle themselves!" her stance was tough, and She was not a person of prey "You are the guide the one making the pace. None of us have stopped walking save maybe Raviel who is still moving at a relatively
quick pace."

The jungleman was irritating to her, she didn't know why but he rubbed her the wrong way and Raviel though didn't she found him slightly pompous and pertinacious.

Narrowing her eyes sharply at him she said "I will find my own way. I have done it most of my life and I am not stopping here. I don't need your help." She knew that traveling with him would ware on her she never was very patient for people who where over stuffed peacocks.

She looked to the two mages and then the jungle man and then the ground she was formulating a place to stay that would more safe then out in the open, she was a dumb person she was young, and stubborn.

Haru would stay up all night if she had to, she was sure she could endure or escape any task set before her- but not the jungle man his attitude was one that made her skin crawl with the things she would like to see done to him. he inspired rage in the girl, and she didn't like it.

She looked to Raviel then Terrin and each gave them a polite bow but only a nod to the jungle man, "I bid you good day."

Turning she began to walk away, she would find her own way out of this mess.

[buzzsaw133]

"You know, Haru, you should release your anger sometimes. You'd be surprised how good it feels." He punched a tree and splintered the bark easily. "Here, chew this, it should help with those wounds." Brus could sense her anger, but he found it entertaining. In all his travels he had always found that the people who are the most repressed are often the most powerful, this girl had the potential to be great, possible a legend.

"The city is just ahead, you won't get in unless I'm with you. They don't take very kindly to strangers." Brus lifted his arm and sent a red flare into the air.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and narrowed her eyes "It does not feel good to do something our of anger." She had always regretted what things she did when she as mad. Like How she hurt her older sister, Sasha.

Her sister Sasha was the prettiest of the children and she knew it. She used her looks to get things she wanted. Many men who lay eyes on her would fill was lust. Sasha was known for indulging in those lustful act. Act that made Sasha impure for marriage if ever discovered.

Haru thought that Sasha was being selfish, and it would better the family if she remained pure.

Sasha made fun of Haru telling her that the only one that would want to marry her would be a man in denial of his love for other men. Haru was only 8 but it effected her. Specially as the teasing got worse, and finally resulted in a fight. She scared her sisters face, telling her that beauty fades.

Sasha never forgave Haru for what she did, and wore often a veil. Her husband had never even seen her face.


despite the trip down memory lane time had not past she looked at the piece of bark that the jungle man handed her "I don't need any more healing. If you relay too much on outside things your body will never get stronger. You body is as adaptable as the mind, if not more." It was why her fortitude was one of her biggest strength her body became used to being put through difficult task time and time again. It was used to being pushed on a daily bases and was never at its top shape which gave her the upper hand, when in complete health she would be a more tough foe.

She was annoyed he was right people where always mistrusting of outside people, but she really didn't want to stay with them.

She sighed and said "fine. but as soon as we get to the village and I get what is needed to get me to Astar I am out of this over grown cabbage patch"

[DarkWolf]

"You keep harking on about what doesn't make me powerful," Raviel responded, casually, resting his arm on the arm of the throne and his head in that same arm's palm. "When did I place my ego in some measurement of power? I have not claimed to be powerful. I have only claimed to have lived a long time and witnessed the secrets beyond death - which is why I have no set morality because what awaits beyond has no judgement of such things. How good you are or how evil you are makes no difference to what you face after death. As for the snake, I have already said I don't care. I don't need a reason to kill or save beyond a simple whim.

"You say they stop you breeding because of social class? Preposterous. Your mother and father are no doubt the same class of peasantry are they not? Yet they bred. There are many instances throughout Astar history of peasants breeding and, though rarer, becoming Knights. Why, then, are you forbidden to have children? Class is class, it has no bearing on blood. A peasant can become a noble, classes are changeable. No, they forbid your breeding because they fear mages and don't want you making more. The gift has a high tendency to be hereditary. Think about it."

Raviel watched her carefully to see if things clicked yet. It always amazed him how oblivious to their own souls some people were. He wondered how deep her ignorant denial would be. It was almost like an experiment in his mind.

Raviel called to the jungle man, "Guide, so we have something better to call you than Jungle Man can you please tell us your name?"

[buzzsaw133]

"If your trying to get home..." Brus tried to restrain his laughter, but failed. "Wrong place...other side of world...never get there." He said between breaths. "Seriously though, a strong body is good, but a wise mind is better." He was suddenly very solemn.

[Cahalith]

Haru had already agreed. She said she would accept the help and Raviel droning on was not helpful to her, She just nodded as a response. She disliked this situation but he was right. The probability of avenging the death of Sir Ariel would be more improved.

She figured this was the best course of action, "Look I am in a bad mood, and I woke up face down in my own blood and dirt. My knives where taken, and I never was very good at meeting knew people." She sighed softly- Maybe trying to just fake pleasantries would serve her better. She didn't like them probably would not ever like or trust them (with maybe the exception of Terrin) but Raviel has a point.

She said "what do you mean wrong side of the world, and how do i get there?"

She was tired of being lectured by all these grumpy old men, and specially one that didn't have the curtsy to answer the question about his name. She didn't care about what he had to say about her mind she knew it was strong.

[buzzsaw133]

"The Temple I spoke of earlier is the location of the Pool of Souls, I have checked it before, but I might have missed something. Anyway, the journey alone will test the very fabric of your being, it's the only place on this plane capable of returning you to your home, but the benefits are immense."

[DarkWolf]

((OOC: just so we're on the same page, is Brus ever going to tell them his name?))

[buzzsaw133]

(Sometime in the near future, we're like 50 yards from the town gates.)

As they neared the gates, they were met by a group of soldiers dressed in a green metal armor. "Who goes there?" They demanded, holding them all at arrow and spear point.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at them and counted she was sure she could take at least 3 of them but the arrows where an issue getting hit by an arrow depending on the individuals skill could prove deadly.

She did not however approve of being held at Spear point and before her mind could correct her body moved.

Haru's leg came up kicking with such force that it shattered the spear. And then did a spinning side kick causing the other spear in her range of threat to splinter. Speaking calmly she said "I am Haru, I see refuge here until I can figure out a way back home."

Her stance was strong, and ready to be on the defensive however that was just an illusion. it was a technique she formed that allowed her a strong defense with out sacrificing offense.


Speaking obviously in the direction of the jungle man "If this is how people greet you, than I am glad to be getting out of this H*ll hole." She was irriated that he, the jungle man had insisted that the only way to let them in was through him and now they where held at spear point.

She hoped the mages could take them out if they where to fire. Arrows where a B*tch to remove, and she really was in no mood for a fight.

[demonic_monkey]

((OOC: Hope you don't mind, but we need to start making just a little more progress here, before it gets too dull.))

Terrin at last moved to the front of the group and touched Haru's shoulder gently, hoping she would take the hint to back away from the town's guardians.

"Forgive my friend," he said. "She is not yet used to this plane. I, however, have been here on several occasions. I am Terrin Rahl and these are my friends, Raviel and the Jungle-man who has of yet not revealed his name to us. We are travelers far from home and we seek sanctuary within your town for the night. We have traveled some distance today and are near the point of utter exhaustion. Will you grant us such sanctuary?"

More spears appeared and leveled at him. At that point, an older man emerged from behind the others, his long graying hair hanging to his shoulders.

"Lower your weapons, men," he said. "Lord Rahl is an old friend of mine. Terrin, it is good to see you again after all these years. I see that Bala-ged has changed you quite a lot since we last met. You, Haru, Raviel, and this 'Jungle-man' as you call him are quite welcome." He looked to his men. "Let them pass in peace."

The spears lowered and Terrin looked to the others, as if to make sure that they were all paying attention to the proceedings, before turning his gaze back to the town's cheiftain.

"It has been some time, my friend," the cheiftain said. "Come. Let us speak of your journey and-"

"Sir," one of the guardians said, "you know the law of this plane; survival of the fittest."

"Alris," the cheiftain said, "this man, I assure you, is capable of rendering you to naught but ashes. He is strong. You woulc be well advised not to press this matter further." The cheiftain then looked to the jungle-man. "Why the long absence, Brus?"

[Cahalith]

Haru felt the hand on her shoulder and shifted uncomfrotably, it wasn't because of him being a magic user but she as unaccustomed to the the touch. Sir Ariel was very distant physically, an most people thought she was dirty and never really touched her.

Though paying attention to how things where ran here, she looked up to Terrin and then let her gaze fall quickly. She felt heat rise in her cheeks and pulled away. She knew that feeling embarrassment.

Looking over to the jungle man named Brus, why had he been so reluctant to tell them his name. Looking over at the Chief now watched how he walked- strong stance. To the left there where a bunch of boys training one's left ankle had to have suffered an injury he favored the right. He needed to learn to hide that.

Then looked back at Terrin she said "Thank you." and bowed slightly. She needed to wash the mud and blood off of her clothing and inspect her wounds. She wanted to make sure that no one saw her for two reasons, Modesty and the brands.

[buzzsaw133]

"Haven't had a reason to be here." Brus welcomed the greeting. It had been so long since he had been to the city. "I am actually looking for a certain item, an item I hear you have in your possession."

Brus was refering to the Compass Stone. The stone had the ability to tell it's user the direction of any location that it's user desires. A couple years ago, Brus borrowed it before, but it proved to be useless at the time.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel sat in his throne, discretely getting a good view of the town from the crow. Through the bird's eyes he spotted a nearby inn. Wanting more information he mentally instructed the bird to observe through every window to see which rooms were occupied and observe the kitchen to see the food. It was a small inn, with a room like a tavern to drink ale in or eat meals and it had a small fireplace for atmosphere and warmth. It seemed a cosy little inn and good for privacy.

"There's an Inn close by, just up and round the corner, they have rooms available. The food seems to be of ok quality and every room has a private bath. Let's try there." Raviel instructed the throne to move without awaiting a response. He wanted to have a hot bath and a good meal. He also craved to be alone. Being a loner it was tiring to spend time with people. He needed a moment of solitude.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Raviel and wondered what she could trade for a room, she needed to be alone to think. She was so used to being alone, Sir Ariel was really the only person she had been around for the past 16 years. Sure she had a large family for the first 10 hours of her life, but she enjoyed the time she got alone.

She sighed and began to dig through her pockets she was hoping she might have something to give in exchange for her stay, maybe she could get them to let her work off the debt. It would stall her quest to revenge Sir Ariel and clear her name and honor.

As they approached the inn she thought of all the things she could do to get herself a room and bath and maybe some food. As she entered the inn She looked to Raviel and said "If you are going to use the bath, could you let me know when you are done-" She closed her eyes "please." She seemed lost in thought.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel set the throne down and stood up. With a simple wave of his hand he dismissed the throne. It left in much the same way it had first appeared but sans the dancing lights. He entered the Inn and Haru had followed. She seemed to fumble in pockets as she spoke.

"Actually, most rooms have their own baths," Raviel said simply. He turned a man behind a desk: the innkeeper. "Two rooms, both with private baths," he placed a several gold coins on the desk - it was clear from the innkeepers eyes that Raviel has great overpaid. "There are two more to follow, please set aside this," Raviel placed a handful more of gold coins, "for their rooms. I am Raviel, this is Haru, there will also be Terrin Rahl and Brus. Please have the kitchen ready for large meals later and secure any remainder monies for drinks. I trust these coins are sufficient?"

"Y-Yes, Sir!" The innkeeper replied with an enthusiastic nod. He hurriedly acquired the keys and gave them to Raviel and Haru, setting other keys aside and told them where the rooms were and what numbers before he excused himself to go talk to the cooks.

Without further word, Raviel made his way upstairs. He didn't know, or care, if Haru was going to thank him or reject from pride or what and he didn't wait to find out. He very much desired solace and was no longer in any mood to talk to people. When the need for quiet arrived it did so with rising urgency. He would sometimes go decades not conversing with people except commands to servants and chants for spells. Although he never forgot manners and always kept himself up to date with society thanks to spies, servants and magics it still made being around people for long periods rather emotionally draining.

He made his way upstairs where the rooms were and found his room, number 14, and entered. He locked the door behind him, leaving the key in the lock partly turned to make lockpicking difficult. He was intending to relax and sleep here - he needed security. He stretched and sat cross legged on the floor. He hands were by his chest with palms facing each other - like a prayer only with a space between the hands. He began to chant a long series of words of an ancient language. White sigils flickered as light between his palms. Runic letterings began to glow bright white in a circle around him and then extended like strings of symbols to cover the whole floor, all walls, and ceiling. White glows encased the door and windows. In a final moment a golden tint outlined every letter and glow before fading.

The room was now secure to bar any visitor except him or those he allowed. The protection wasn't as powerful as those he used for his castles, since those had many centuries of magic embedded, but it was enough for a night. It would take magic stronger than what he used to create it to remove it without alerting him.

He wasn't finished, though. He took a breath.

"Crow of ebony feathers and beady eyes, become a murder: become a flock of spies!"

A flicker of black smoke appeared for a single second around his hands.

The crow that sat on the inn's roof became as black smoke that spread as snaking trails over the full roof before settling into many crows. Some remained on the roof to look down while others flew up some to remain skybound and others to perch on nearby rooftops to watch the Inn from all possible angles.

Raviel stood up, stretched, and walked to the bathtub. Normally one would ask the innkeeper who would get a servant to carry buckets of heated water to come fill the tub. He preferred a faster method. He moved his arms over the tub and as he did so the displaced air became water flowing in the path of his arms. It soon began to trail down and quickly filled the bathtub. Simple water conjuration was easy - air is filled with water vapour so it was only a case of changing its form, something easy to do for water - the element of change, and move into the tub. But, the water was cold. But that was just as easy to fix. He tapped the water's surface as a red ripple ran through the water. The water began steaming - it was hot water at just the right temperature.

Raviel smiled to himself. Getting a hot bath was one of the easiest of magical tasks to perform even for a young apprentice. Yet, simple tasks like these brought more comfort and use than any other. With a wave of his hand his clothes became like shimmering smoke which instantly moved and set, neatly, to the side. He stretched again, feeling the air on his naked body before he stepped into the tub and sank down. Next to the tub was a small wooden desk with an unlit candle, small dish, and soap in the dish. He'd get to the cleaning in a moment, he first sighed and relaxed in the warmth.

His muscles gave in, his eyes closed, and he lay there blissfully. He hadn't realised how tired he actually was. He drifted on the edge of sleep. He didn't want to sleep yet, he was hungry and wanted to have a meal before having to prepare the herbs and flowers he collected. Preparation was to ensure they remained at their best - after a day or two of being cut most high-level spell ingredients tended to lose their magical attributes if not prepared. But even a great mage like him was sometimes a servant to sleep. Before he could stop it, he was in a deep slumber.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus lingered in the tavern for a moment. Turning to the innkeeper, he asked about the former innkeeper. "What happened to the woman who ran this inn before you?" Brus would not accept a simple 'i don't know', he would pry it out of him with all of his strength if he insisted on being difficult. Brus didn't need all of the luxuries of a bath, he had long since used a spell to cover his scent and that kept his body odor undetectable for even the most trained nose. But, he would not deny, they did feel rather good. "While you at it, give me a pint of your best ale." He dropped a rough ruby on the table.

[demonic_monkey]

"A man after my own heart!" Terrin said, dropping a rather large diamond on the bar. "Your strongest drink. And keep 'em coming."

He muttered a smiple spell under his breath to clean off any dirt or muck that he had accumulated on the way to the inn. Satisfied that the dirt was gone, he settled onto a stool and quickly down the first drink. As another was poured for him, he whistled a jaunty tune. Unexpectedly, something hard and heavy hit him in the back of the head. He crashed heavily to the floor.

In a daze, he stared up at his assailant. It was a middle-aged woman he vaguely recognized from his previous visits to this town. Her graying brown hair was pulled into a loose bun and her tired blue eyes were aflame with anger under her furrowed brow.

"Damn you, Terrin Rahl!" she shrieked, loud enough to be heard through the entire town.

"What did I do?" Terrin asked, oviously confused.

"YOU LEFT!!" she shrieked. "Thirty-seven years ago! I fell in love with you and you just disappeared! I was heartbroken and I was only just eighteen-years-old!"

Understanding came to him. "Jerrikka?" Terrin asked.

"Now you remember me?!" she kicked him in the ribs.

If I don't do something, she's going to kill me! Terrin thought.

"Jerrikka!" he shouted to get her attention. "I explained this to you several times! Back when you first developed those feelings for me, I told you that I'm nearly a thoushand years old and that I was not looking for anyone to love, especially one so young and unable to extend her life through magic use. I couldn't bear the thought of losing someone I loved to the short blip of a normal mortal life. I thought you understood that."

It was like a slap in the face to her and he saw it in her expression. He watched her eyes as the realizations flooded through her mind. The time they had spent together had been special to her and to him alike, but he had known that it could never last the span of his long life. He also knew that he had gotten her pregnant and left her a large pile of gold to pay for the expenses of life for two for a few decades. Terrin got back to his feet and slammed his second drink down. He was going to need it.

"How is my child?" he asked.

She gasped. "You knew?!"

"That's why I left the money," he explained.

She smiled then, the rage erased.

"Richard is fine," she said. "He's strong, smart, handsome...just like his father."

"Just like me?" Terrin asked. "I hope at least he has his mother's loving heart."

"He does," she said. "He's one of the kindest men I've ever seen."

"You raised him well," Terrin complimented, smiling.

Jerrikka seemed a little worried, though she was hiding it. Eventually, her wet eyes spilled tears over their edge.

"He's been having terrible headaches lately," she said. "They hurt him so much that he can barely move at times. I think they might be killing him."

"Where is he?" Terrin said, sure of what he must do.

"At home," she said. "You remember the way. Come."

Terrin followed her from the inn. His son was having the headaches. He had not done anything about the magic he possessed, not knowing that he had it, and now it was going to give him a slow agonizing death. This far along only a mage of Terrin's power could help him. He hoped he hadn't come along too late to save his son.

[Cahalith]

Haru had taken her hair down the waves of ebony cascaded down to the small of her back framing her small form. It unlike the rest of her body at the time was not caked in mud or blood. It had been up in a bun and that kept it from getting too dirty.

She had used a water basin to wash her face and arms. The bath she was using to soak her black tunic. Under she had a rather form fitting shirt, it had some ware to it. It was from when she was only a lowly villager not a knight in training. Its sleeves had been removed one summer due to it being abnormally hot.

As she heard the scream from a woman she regretted the sleeves being removed as she bolted from her room. She ran rather fast down the stairs. As she saw the exchange, with out much more being said she knew it was a a broken heart of a woman.

She smiled softly as she saw them getting alone and touched her lips was she smiling? She creep up to Terrin as he left and stuffed her hands in her pockets to hide her brands on her wrist. She didn't say anything "When I had had horrible head aches My mother would brew a weird tea" She was trying to be help full She sifted and said "The herbs are the only thing they didn't take. It might be helpful." She bit her lip, And looked at the woman "my mother was the only one that knew how to treat illnesses in my village. We lost a lot of children to the red death."

The red death was where the child would first suffer horrible head aches then begin to bleed from their nose and eyes, eventually they vomited up blood she looked at Terrin "once you have this illness you have to chew on the a particular tree's bark or else you will get it again. I had it- If he has that he needs the bark."

She was not aware that the red death was the same thing as what happened to magic users when their magic backed up. She shifted slightly. The bark acted as a toxin that magic people's body would use magic reflexively to survive. "Every time I get a head ache I tend to just chew on some and it makes it go away." She gave him a kind smile. She liked Terrin, he reminded her a lot of Sir Ariel. Though in a weird twisted form "Sir Ariel had be go to the market to get some before-" She stopped smiling and just looked down. Shifting slightly "I managed to hide it well enough on my person that it wasn't found."

She looked to the woman and asked "If he had Red death, he will be fine." Haru was a young girl and with the mud blood and dirt that was caked on her was actually relatively pretty. Her flesh was tan like creamy honey, what part of her body that was visible was well toned and though thin and lengthy was obviously powerful.

Her now clean face had a dusting of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She moved quickly and with out any hesitation in any of her actions, yet appeared to be constantly thinking through each step. She was sharp for her age and well trained. It was clear what Sir Ariel saw in her. It was her heart. It was what would in many ways make her a far better knight then any of the others with proper time and training.

She looked at the woman and gave her a gentle smile, there was such compassion in her violet eyes with gold shining like the sun above she looked almost exactly like a young version of her mother.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus enjoyed his ale at the bar for about a hour, just enjoying being back in the city. He was going to need a shower, and maybe some new clothes. He opened his coin bag and looked at the couple of gold coins he had left. He would have to hit up the Undercity a couple time to fill his coin bag back up. He wondered if the Denui mage, his name started with an "R", would mind making some money along side him. Finishing the rest of his ale, he asked the keeper what room he was in.

"14." The innkeeper seemed a little reluctant to give up the room, but did so without intimidation.

"Thanks." Brus walked up to the door and knocked heavily three times. He would probably have to explain the Undercity to whats-his-name, but he could make a decent wage selling bodies on the black market.

(Wakey wakey :)

[demonic_monkey]

((OOC: Hold on to the night. I'm working on getting TheXeeroT to join.))

"Come, Haru," he said, looking over his shoulder. "I'd like you to meet my son."

As he walked, he started to cunjure a small mortar and pestle, using the dirt from Haru's body and the path through the town as material. He compressed it and heated it, until it was diamond hard.

"You're right," he said, pulling a small jar from within his robes and pulling out of it a small dried flower, sans petals and stem. "This would be the herb in the tea. Denuian mountain fever rose. They help your body's magic fight back the headache through involuntary magical reflex. But you must use only one or two. They are toxic in higher quantities. Seven at a time will kill you." He dropped three of the little flowers into the mortar and made the pestle grind them to dust. "In his state, Richard will need three."

The magic seemed almost involuntary as he filled the pestle with water and turned it into a little whirlpool, mixing it well and heating the molecules of the water. The dust of the mountain fever roses dissolved into a sweet smelling tea. His thoughts were entirely focused on what he needed to do. Richard would need to be taught to control his magic or it would certainly kill him. He needed to help him become one with the gift as only a learned mage could.

He smiled as he thought about teaching his son to use his magic. Maybe Haru would be curious to learn it before she ended up in this condition, as well. For now, though, there was only saving his son.

[DarkWolf]

The knocks echoed into his mind rousing him from sleep. Slowly he opened his eyes and took a moment to look around. The water had cooled and the day's light was slightly shifted through the window. He had guessed it had been about an hour or so.

He stood up, stiffly, muttering simple spells under his breath. His skin gained a small moment of glimmer and sheen and he stood there completely dry and clean. With a gesture his clothes returned to his body also clean. With another wave the bath was water-free and dry.

Raviel paused to focus himself. On the one hand he was not pleased at having his sleep disturbed and didn't really want to be around people. On the other hand he had not lost the day so could still prepare his collections later. The latter was more important to him. If he had lost the time in which to prepare the herbs he would have lost the very reason he came to this realm.

Still, he felt unpleasant, he felt dangerous, and he could feel dark magics crawling at the fingertips of his soul.

He composed himself and opened the door. It was the Jungle Man, Brus, why would he come to his door?

"Hello," Raviel said, blinking once, "how may I help you?"

[buzzsaw133]

"I have a rather unique buisness proposition for you." Brus looked Raviel in the eyes, giving a true sense of murderous seriousness. "I noticed you got picked on the way here. Forgive me for beating around the bush like this, but this deal is VERY lucrative." Brus looked around the hallway, searching for any people or listening devices.

"May we discuss this in private?" Brus gave a small smile, an honest buisness gesture, but still had the potential for deceit.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel paused for a moment to think. He could tell him to go away - Raviel was a secret lord over an entire realm and a master of all magical arts. Money was, for him, literally limitless. He could gain gold by numerous means including simply conjuring it out of nothing. So there was no need for him to exert effort in acquiring more.

But the man had a murderous intent about him. It didn't seem to be directed toward Raviel but still the intention to do something violent was there and Raviel was in the mood for violence.

He stepped back opening the door to let the man in.

[buzzsaw133]

'I like this guy' Brus thought to himself as he walked through the door and closed it behind him. "The Undercity here has a thriving market for the dead. I know some poverty stricken places in this town where people won't be noticed if they come up missing. I am in good standing, as much as that is possible, with the body dealers. I can get a fair price for bodies if they're in good condition. You are adept at killing without making to many marks on the body, being a mage and all. I am not, I usually end up hacking them up before they get to the dealers." He continued.

"So, what do you think?" He looked intently into Raviel's eyes. Brus was not kidding.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel smiled at the idea. He had forgotten about the darker side to Serrik's civilisation. He had taken use of it long ago as one od the 'body dealers' - he did use necromancy, after all. This would be his first time being on the other side of the transactions.

"I think it is a good idea," Raviel said as he smiled to himself again thinking of the different ways to kill without marking a body.

Raviel's mind grew darker with the thoughts of the black magics he could use. It had been a while since he had used those darker magics - and he did so miss using them.

For a brief moment he wondered what Haru would think. She would save a snake and gave him speeches on morality. She would no doubt abhor this idea. But why did he care? She interested him but this idea interested him more. After all, it wasn't as if he was going to listen to her. Or to anybody. That was the problem of being a secret black ruler of the entire Denui realm and Lord in Bala-Ged - he didn't have to listen to anybody.

"I accept! Lead the way, friend!"

[buzzsaw133]

"Great." He grabbed Raviel's arm and teleported into a back alley. Brus' teleportation was crude, but effective. Most people he teleported with would get a little sick or throw up afterwards. The air stank of rot and death. The poorest of Serrik congregated here trying to adhere to the philosophy of safety in numbers. It rarely worked unless the enemy was cleanliness, but then again, who was Brus to speak of cleanliness. He spotted a tall old man near the edge of the back of a small building. "How much do you think we could get for him?" He asked Raviel.

[DarkWolf]

The crude teleportation made Raviel's stomach churn. It was so jarring, a quick snap of translocation. He took a moment to right himself and peered at the surroundings. It was dirty, foul smelling, and showed the vermin of society crawling over each other. He loathed them all. He could admire the life of a dungbeetle but not these feebleminded people. They lacked the zest for life, the will to fight for better. They were dead weight and their deaths would seemed only a kindness.

"I do not know," he answered honestly. It had been too long since he traded bodies here so he no longer what prices this market held. "There's one way to find out."

He held his hands by his chest with fingers apart and the fingertips touching those of the other hand, like a cage. He chanted and as he did the air in the finger cage shimmered and filled with darkness writhin like black smoke.

"Benedici questa aria con il tocco della morte. Dategli forma di ombra più scura. Danza e strisciano ai miei preda, morderlo, avvelenarlo, e lasciare che la sua vita dissanguare."

The black smoke became a black snake, still made of shadow, with purple eyes. It slithered from his hands to a nearby wall, it became long and thicker to match a real snake's size became flat on the wall like a shadow. It slithered over the wall quickly and then leapt to the man's back, unfelt and unseen by any except Raviel or Brus. It moved up, the head detaching from the surface of his clothes, it opened to reveal large black fangs, and bit into his neck. It then wisped into black smoke and was gone. The man clutched his neck with one hand, turning around to see what touched him. He saw nothing, scratched the neck, shrugged, and resumed his staring into space.

The bite area turn his skin grey, black veins appeared and spread. For a moment he seemed frozen in silent panic as all of his skin became grey with black veins and then it all went away. He took a breath, began to pant, began to clutch at his neck and chest. Blood began to seep from his tear ducts, nose, mouth and ears. He choked on the blood, began shaking. People rushed to his aid as he fell but it was no use. In moments he lay there unmoving, still, silent... Dead.

Raviel turned to Brus and in a light and non-chalant tone asked, "would you like to do the carrying?"

[buzzsaw133]

"We don't have to." He used some magic to conjure a Root Elemental. "Would you mind carrying these for us?" Brus mockingly questioned the elemental who hoisted the body into the cage-like body. The people watched in terror, Brus had no doubt they knew this day would come, but they remained shocked for a while. "Grab them all, live ones fetch a handsome price." Brus smiled. The elemental extended it's tentacle like arms and scooped up women, men and children alike into the vast cage of knarled and tangled roots.

"Shall we get going?"

[DarkWolf]

"That works," Raviel nodded. "But let's not cause an unnecessary scene."

"From here to where our journey's bound, mute their voices and remove their sound!" The air shimmered briefly and all sounds from the elemental and those within its clutches were silenced completely.

"Weave the air and bend the light, hide them from normal sight." The air shimmered with a white glow and then the elemental and its prisoners became ghostly figures - transparent. It seemed clear this visage was only to the eyes of those with magic, to all others it was invisible.

"No sound or sight to attract unwanted attention," Raviel shrugged. He thought to himself for a moment before asking: "If you keep all the money, may I take a body or two, afterwards?"

Raviel wanted to get back into the swing of necromancy again and fresh corpses were always helpful. He had also made his mind to visit his Bala-Ged castle, where the realm's natural mana would greatly aid such endeavours.

[buzzsaw133]

"No problem." Brus directed the elemental farther down the alley. They reached a dark stariwell carved into the bedrock of the town. The stench of rot and death was almost unbearable, but Brus used a simple air cleansing spell around his nose to eliminate a good amount of the scent. They began their decent, the stench becoming more horrific as they descended.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and nodded, finding it odd that he would want her a near stranger to meet his child, and one that he himself had yet to meet.

She watched the last bit of caked dirt she had missed from her basic wash only moments before, turn into a mortar and pestle. That was actually kind of interesting, it was making a tool that one would otherwise have to carry in order to heal. Astar's have done similar things, but many where careful to preform such in front of Haru.

She recognized the little plant "I still chew on the stems." She told him while watching him make it into the medicine her mother had used on her when she was just a child. "My mother called it Kiss of life." She shruged "She said that the flowers sprung from the earth after the god having-" She paused "bedded his wife."

Tilting her head to the side she kept her hands in her pockets not wanting him to see her marks. Watching him intensely.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin cocked an eyebrow. He had never heard such a story about the mountain fever rose, but he supposed that all sorts of stories were formed by people to explain the things in the world.

"I've heard it called the Kiss of Life and the Kiss of Death, although I admit I have not heard of it springing from the ground where a god engaged in sexual intercourse with his wife," he admitted. "It's an interesting story, to be sure." He paused. "You know, it's quite a natural act. You needn't be embarassed to mention it."

[buzzsaw133]

As Raviel and Brus descended the molding staircase, the only light was the torches glowing on the rock walls. After about thirty feet of stairs, the ground levelled out into a large cavern. Fires were set around the cave. Numerous creatures hunched over the fire, the red flames cackling maniacly in the otherwise dark abyss. At the end of the cavern, a stone balcony jutted from the large opening and revealed a cavern of unbelieveable size, stretching to what seemed to be directly under the very streets of the city to foggy depths that held unimaginable terrors. This place was forasken long ago by civilised man and fell victim to the hordes of undead creatures and dark infections that perforated the enormous cave.

[Cahalith]

Haru turned pink and looked down when he mentioned her embarrassment "I am not embarrassed." She insisted and then said to change the subject "Do you think he is going to be okay?" She was conserned for the the son, she remembered how bad it hurt, She had wanted to take a farm tool to her head- but the pain made it where she couldn't move.

She wondered how her father was doing now, He was now left with his brothers Mari and Max she frowned she missed her family dearly. It was the only thing she regretted when she went with Sir Ariel.

Frowning now she wondered if news got to her family had gotten news of her death, they where peasants and it didn't matter unless it was part of her punishment.

She took a deep breath and sighed she would have to let that go and deal with it when the time came.

[demonic_monkey]

"I am sure he will be once I give him the treatment he needs," Terrin said. "Don't worry. I've had a lot of experience in this area. I can save him."

Jerrikka, leading the way for them, took an unexpected turn to the right, instead of the turn to the left that Terrin remembered.

"Jerrikka?" he asked. "I thought you lived this way?" He pointed off down the path leading toward the center of the town."

"Not anymore," she said. "I moved away from my parents shortly after you vanished. I'm living out in the house you built all those years ago. You weren't using it, so I thought you wouldn't mind."

Terrin shrugged and continued after Jerrikka. The house he had built was at the edge of the forest in a quiet place where people tended not to venture. He had built it there for the privacy offered by the distance. It was a longer walk than he had been prepared for, but it would not be much longer until he was face-to-face with his son. He hoped the boy was not too far from his help.

[Cahalith]

Haru fallowed and looked back the way he, Terrin had expected them to go. She couldn't help but wonder if she was one of those slightly vengeful women that had decided that if she couldn't have him no one could.

She was sure she would find out.

Haru watched as they grew further and further from the town that they had left their guide Brus, and Raviel where. She wondered why Raviel couldn't see that life was precious yes he had lived for a long time but wouldn't that increase ones idea that life is sacred. Brus had an attitude she didn't like and honestly she couldn't wait to be rid of him.

She watched the woman, Jerrikka "miss Jerrikka?" Haru spoke to her politely giving her respect since she was her elder, and had done nothing to annoy her yet- "your son, Has he started to vomit up blood, and or organs?" She knew if it had gotten to the point of the body purging itself of vital organs he would not live.

Haru's mother had given her her treatment after every one else- She told Ichigo her father it was because their daughter was not as sick. That was a lie. She was just as sick and had only survived because she only got to the blood stage. Haru always believed that her mother despite leaving her father was why she was so strong. Her mother always pushed Haru. She didn't realize it was because her mother loathed her, she thought it was tough love.

[demonic_monkey]

"Thankfully, no," she said. "The headaches have been with him for about a week and a half now and only a few days ago got to the point where he couldn't move due to the pain. How much longer does he have?"

Terrin considered it. "It depends upon the strength of the gift within," he said. "If the power is as great as I fear it may be, he could have only a few hours to a day left before it kills him. In any event, I don't want to delay helping him."

He studied Jerrikka for a moment as she continued to lead them to his old cabin near the woods. Though she tried to hide it, he could sense in her movement and bearing that she still had some underlying feelings toward him. He couldn't afford to become ensnared in such things again now. He needed to get her to see that there could be nothing between them...ever. The question was how...

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at her and smiled "A week that is a good sign." She admitted "When I got the head aches it too me about two days to be unable to move." She frowned slightly, it took another two days for her mother to help her when she started to vomit up blood.

"I was vomiting up blood on the fifth day. there was so many other sick kids, it took a while to get to me." She lied. Her mother could have helped her at any time, she just said that the tea was very hard to make- though Haru believed it was her mother wanting to toughen her up, seeing how easily Terrin made his made her wonder if that was true. maybe her mom was trying to harm her like she over heard her father say the night before Kara their mother disappeared.

Lost in her own thoughts for a moment she took a deep breath and expelled the thought- it wasn't useful, and on top of that Kara was a good woman, or else a knight would have come; right?

The idea of her mother intentionally trying to harm her was unsetteling, and even more so since they kept saying she was of the people her mother hated- What if they where right? but that would mean...

She shook her head trying to get rid o the thoughts. No it couldn't be.

She heard a strange noise in the brush and spotted a strange creature it had large eyes a mushroom shaped head and was probably the most adorable creature she had ever seen. Its mouth was so tiny- She couldn't help but smile as she looked at it. She wanted to go near it- It was like it wanted her to walk over to it and hold it.

She had only paused briefly to make the realization that how in all of God would a creature want her to come with it- It made a squeak noise and she looked at it "Charms."

She started to pick up her pace and catch up, clueless to the true nature of the creature. To have fallowed would be certain and painful death.

"I can not wait to get out of here." She said mostly to herself. She hated to complain but she hated this place more.

Looking at the woman and then Terrin she wondered if he felt the same for her that she felt for him. She doubted it- usually people that care stick around.

that thought made her frown again- then why would mother have left? they where coming close to the secluded home of Jerrikka, and Richard.

[buzzsaw133]

As the smell of rot festered at Brus' protective spell. He let his spell down and breathed deep the invigorating smell of death and decay. Black veins started to crawl up his arms, the color getting darker the more dark mana Brus absorbed. Once the veins reached his eyes, they promptly disappeared. The only evidence was a slight green/black glow to his eyes, unoticeable in the darkness. He stretched out his hand other the balcony and the rock fell apart as a tangled mass of large black roots formed a steep, crude staircase down the cliff side. Brus walked a couple steps down and looked back at Raviel.

"Are you coming or what?" Brus asked honestly.

(I have to wait for DW to post.)

[DarkWolf]

Raviel drank the scent deeply. He loved that smell of death. It reminded him of Bala-Ged. The air was tainted by death and the flow of mana had changed by it. The more they journeyed into the dark Undercity the blacker the mana became. It lacked the full charge as Bala-Ged but it was still potent for necromancy.

He remembered this place. How many decades had it been since he was last here? Were the buyers still the same as back then? Would they remember him?

In the darkness he was barely seen, the markings of his skin glowing in the shadow and his eyes luminescent. Their unusual blue glow hiding the dark danger of his intentions. The darkness hid nothing to his abnormal eyes and he saw the change in Brus. This man was was more than some typical Serrikian Jungle Man. This man had history of various mana. Most, even strong Serrik magic users, would die if they took in black mana without adjusting to it. But this man had no doubt been to Bala-Ged before and could wield the magics of that realm too. There was more to him than meets the eye.

"Are you coming or what?" The man asked him. Raviel was surprised by the remark until he realised that in his thinkings he had stopped moving forward. Raviel apologised and continued on. He followed Brus down the root-stairway.

[demonic_monkey]

((OOC: Nevermind. TheXeeroT seems to be having computer trouble.))

Terrin nodded as he neared the cabin. "I agree, Haru," he said. "We need to leave this plane soon...all three of us."

He reached out and turned the door knob, opening the door as though entering his own home, which it was...in a way. He could sense Richard's location in the house and headed straight for the room.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Name: Richard Rahl

Appearance: Richard is tall and muscular, much like his father, though slightly taller. His eyes are gray and his gaze is like that of a bird of prey, seeming to peer into your soul. His brown hair hangs down at mid-shoulder length and is well kept. He dresses simply in brown trousers, a tan tunic, and simple leather boots. He has a six-inch knife at his belt, but not much else.

Other: Born of Terrin Rahl and Jerrikka Avandor, Richard lived his entire life in the realm of Serrik, wandering the forests. He became an experienced woods guide and a great tracker. His thirty-two years of life were relatively happy, though he felt like his father had abandoned him. He wanted to know his father, to be able to find out if he was a good man or not.

He had experienced migraine headaches on several occasions through out his life, but they were never life threatening. He would eventually get better and go about his life like it never happened. Then they got worse, growing more intense over the past few months. He hid the pain from his mother, not wanting her to worry, but soon they became debilitating. He felt like they were going to kill him and she knew no way to help him.

+++++++++++++++++++

Richard lay still in the dark room inside the cabin he called home. The pain of the headache was terrible. He didn't want to move, didn't want to do anything, for fear that the pain would get worse...if that was even possible. The pain was so bad that it seemed to run through every inch of his body. The distant voices he heard coming nearer to the cabin thundered in his ears. He was in total agony. He prayed for death to come and waited for it to claim him.

Light flooded into the room suddenly as the door opened and a man in black robes with demon eyes swept in though it. He walked briskly to Richard's side and held a sparkling glass to his lips.

"Drink this tea, my son," he said. "It will ease the pain."

Richard drank the tea the man offered. The man's words-my son-rang in his head. Is this my father? he wondered.

[Cahalith]

Haru was surprised that Terrin had heard her raising as slender dark eyebrow noting she would have to speak softer if to avoid being overheard when she didn't want to be heard- but how good was his hearing.

She said "your going to want to act fast sound and light are excruciating." she whispered barely audible but to Terrin for she was behind him.

It didn't take Terrin long to be across the the room and at his sons sides she couldn't help but smile, She realized that Terrin was not like others who have lived too long of life, he still had a connection.

her small form silhouetted in the light She now only visible to the woman who would not know what her brands met pulled a hand out of her poket to sweep some annoying hair out of her face she wished she could have had time to dress in something less revleaing of her scared flesh. it was embarrassing not only because of the brands on her wrist but the scars where a constent reminder of her mistakes.

She walked over placing her hand back in her pocket Her purple and golden eyes looked down at the man, from the safe distent she kept from him "T-" She stopped herself and paused wondering if the title of Lord was indeed one he earne, She felt compelled to address him properly but then decided to wait until she was certain. "Terrin, now all we can do is wait." She looked at his son and gave him a quick heads up "this is going to hurt more then the head aches but just for a bit. So you might want to bite on something." She gave him a kind smile and pulled out a strip of leather, handing it to Terrin and then realized her brands suddenly she looked down and walked away ashamed.

But at least his son would have something to bite on. She tok a deep breath and braced herself, for what she didn't know.


((OOC: okay, is he joining?)

[buzzsaw133]

As they reched the middle of the massive root staircase, Brus turned around and waved his hand at the roots behind them. The roots retracted beck into the cliffside, this was accompanied by a series of screams from the creatures that were following them falling to the depths. He continued down, followed by Raviel until they reached the bottom.

Most of this vastly rotten cave was fogged over or covered in some kind of fungus. As they walked, they spotted rot farmers and small time body dealers. Brus continued deeper into the fog, the fog seemed to be made of black mana, stagnant, rotting black mana. Brus lifted his massive axe and slammed it into the ground. This opened up the loose cobblestone road they were on and revealed a finely chiselled stone stairway, free from the pungent scent that had welcomed them.

"If you would, let me do the talking. I have a reputation down here." Brus entered the staircase and motioned for Raviel to follow.

[demonic_monkey]

The chalice empty, Richard sank back down. This really was his father, coming to save him in his hour of need. The girl with him had said the name of his father; Terrin. His father put the leather strip in his teeth and he bit down as he felt fire running through his body. It was the worst agony he had felt in his life, like his entire body was melting. As soon as it started, it was gone and his headache with them.

"Father?" Richard asked, looking to the man with the demon eyes.

"Yes, Richard," Terrin said. "I, Terrin Rahl, am your father. I'm sorry I left you for so long, but there was this war involved and I was needed to help direct the armies. It was an awful affair and I wished I could have stayed and been a father to you. I could always sense you, though. I knew that you were alive. I am sorry, though, for not being there for you when you were growing. Can you forgive me this sin?"

"Father...you just saved my life," Richard said. "Of course I can. You care enough not to leave me to death."

"There is another thing," Terrin said. "These headaches were caused by the magic within you. After not using it for so long it had built up and was trying to kill you. To prevent your death, I need to teach you how to direct that gift."

"Then teach me," Richard said.

Terrin smiled. "I will, my son," he said, "but you will have to come with me. There is other business that needs to be attended to and I can teach you as we go, but we must be leaving Serrik soon to go to Astar. To keep the headaches at bay for more than a few hours, I will need to help you touch your gift and bring it to life immediately."

Richard was sitting up now listening intently. "What do I need to do?" he asked.

"Meditate," Terrin answered.

[Cahalith]

Haru's back was turned away, she looked over towards Richards mom and wondered if she would be okay, she would lose her son and her love (again) in one day.

Looking back at the two men she said "I need to be careful there." She thought for a moment how was she going to keep people from finding out who she was. She also needed to get her knives. "I wonder where they would have put those."

She looked at Terrin "do you you think they would have destroyed my knives?" She took a deep breath bracing herself for the worst- "With out those getting the f*cker will be needlessly brutal ." She rolled her her shoulders back and took a few steps back toward the door.

[demonic_monkey]

"Magic works pretty well to disguise people," Terrin pointed out. "It's also a good way to fight when you don't have weapons. You'll see that rather soon, since I'm sure we'll end up getting attacked eventually. What I need to do is start with training you and Richard in the use of your magic offensively, as a weapon."

The words were lost on Richard as he meditated. His breathing slowed and Terrin stepped up and touched his temple, forming a connection with mana.

"Search inside yourself for the spark of the knowledge within," he said.

Richard did as he was told. He searched his soul, becoming more deeply entangled in his being. Then he felt the warmth of an inner light within. He drew closer.

"Reach into that light and know the power you hold," Terrin guided.

Richard focused on that part of himself and seized it. He understood it now. He could use it. He opened his eyes and saw anything that wasn't nailed down was floating in the air. One by one, he set them back down carefully, so as not to break them.

"Interesting," Terrin said, stroking his chin.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Terrin and gave him a look that he would realized was her not hiding her disdain for what words he spoke. Despite her age she was perceptive and very aware of what she was doing- for the most part.

Magic was a very hard thing for her, she had been taught from birth to hate all magic that was not ruled by the plane of Astar. "I don't-" She felt funny lighter she gave a heavy sigh as she noticed everything around her floating. She willed herself to be unaffected to the 'illusion' that was being cast.

She looked at him and spoke stubbernly finishing her statement "I may not be officially a knight but I refuse to deviate from what it means to be a Keeper of peace and server of Justice." She told him "His murder will suffer as Sir Ariel has suffered, He will know that pain intimately" She was very stubborn but that was how the Astar Knights where- only thing was, she didn't seem to see herself as better, and her revenge despite the words, where more about serving justice, then dominance or torture.

She frowned at herself, she wished dearly and with all her heart that the justice would be quick and as painless as possible.

Looking at the two men "I do not wish to harm or deceive any one with magic. The reason I choose my weapon was because I feel it has more honor."

[DarkWolf]

Raviel smiled a bit at Brus' comment about reputation. He kept quiet on the matter - it was more entertaining to play dumb and let the Jungle Man lead the way. He wondered if the ruse would last. They were almost there and all long-term body dealers would immediately recognise Raviel but if it was somebody relatively new then the ruse would hold. Of course, it would be entertaining when the Jungle Man and his reputation realises that Raviel was actually one of the most well-known and longstanding body-dealers there had ever been in the realm and had travelled from town to town upon the shadows to acquire bodies and deal with the worst elements of the Underworld. Of course, in retrospect, travelling by shadows had not been helpful in getting the lay of the land for travelling to towns by normal means. Still, what did it matter?

He descended the stone stairs quietly.

[demonic_monkey]

"I will not rant on about it," Terrin said, waving it off. "You may fight in whatever way you feel is best, but you may think differently of magic later. Regardless, we must be going soon. Son, you will need to say your good-bye's."

Richard nodded and looked to his mother.

"Mom, I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go," he said. "I need to learn how to control this magic and father can teach me that."

"I know," she said, looking somewhat sad. "I understand what is at stake."

"I will come back to visit someday, but it's time for me to make a life for myself," he said. "I love you, mom, and I shall return as soon as is possible to visit and show that I am well."

"I love you, too, son," she said. "I wish you well on your journey."

Richard looked to his father, who was fiddling with a plain silver band on his little finger. Terrin looked at his son and smiled, then looked to Haru.

"If we are ready, then we can be off immediately," Terrin said.

[buzzsaw133]

They entered a small, well-lit room with tables and chairs arranged to that the clerk could see any movement. As the clerk looked up, he recognized Raviel and though he did not make any outward sign, Brus could tell that Raviel was a man of some standing.

"We are here to talk to Jekka." Brus walked over to the clerk's desk. "He have fresh bodies." He waved his hand and the root elemental came into view, the squirming mass of people trapped in it's cage-like roots.

"Have a seat, he'll be with you in a minute." The clerk buried his head in books and papers.

Brus walked back to a chair and sat down. He pulled out a small bag and dumped 10 stone pegs onto the table with a wooden sphere. "Care to play?"

[DarkWolf]

With the destination reached the spells had lifted from the elemental. It became solid in view and the sounds of the captured could again be heard though they seemed to have given up screaming.

Jekka, a name he hadn't heard in some time. He had not had many dealings with him directly but they had met a few times for trade. It was common to trade bodies for those more desirable. A few violently killed bodies would get you one in pristine condition. Of course this fluctuated depending on the basic rules of supply and demand. Sometimes quantity was more important than quality and other times vice versa. It had been quite a market.

"Care to play?" Brus had asked him but he was not familiar with the displayed items. He came to this realm either for ingredients or bodies and seldom socialised enough to learn customs or games.

"How do you play?" he enquired.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Terrin confused "What do you mean. now?" She looked confused, then suddenly understood teleportation she had done this once Sir Ariel was in a hurry and it was a secrete- but he thought it was something she should experience.

the feeling of Nausea had began to form as she remembered the sensaion. "at the in, I am missing my tunic," She made a face trying to keep her hands still hidden "but i will find a way to replace it." She let go of the tunic- it was just stuff and it only covered her arms and served as an identifier, with out it most would not have known where she was from or that she was a knight in training.

"It would be better to leave it." She felt bad about leaving it for some one to clean up- and about leaving Raviel behind, she did not agree wit his methods but she had a feeling he was not as bad as he wanted people to think he was, she suspected age was a jading factor.

She closed her eyes and tried to brace herself as best she could. "ready." and silently thought strongly ~I am sorry Reviel.~ wishing desperately he would get the message.

[DarkWolf]

Before Brus could explain the game, Raviel turned, seeming to see something far away.

"Our former travelling companions are going to leave without a word of goodbye," Raviel stated in a tone that almost resembled disappointment, "Terrin Rahl is about to transport away with his son, Richard, and Haru. I don't know where they're going."

Raviel thought a moment. He still had interest for Haru. While their views on life differed she had great magical potential. Raviel had once tried to teach an apprentice but it did not end well. Despite Raviel's best attempts the man never learned the basic lesson. While one can be a Master of Magic so too must one become a Servant to it. Magic was the lifeblood of existence. It demanded respect. Magic itself had no morality and had no mind for the rulings most creatures bound themselves to. But it did have its own rules. And it was harsh to those who broke them. His apprentice had learned well to be a Master of Magic but never learned to be its Servant also. Magic had a price. And so that apprentice became drunk on the Magic, relied on it heavily, and soon lost control. His magic became unstable, backfired into his soul, and destroyed him from the inside out. Magic was useful, from tasks small to great, but it must never be a toy.

Haru, however, had the potential to use great magic but the distrust of magic she had would keep her cautious of it. She would not make the mistake many young apprentices made. She could make a brilliant apprentice. Perhaps he would learn from her also. With all this in mind he did not want to lose the opportunity.

He muttered an incantation, drawing sigils in the air which lit with black light and at the final word glowed with black smoke and faded.

--

Unbeknownst to Haru, Terrin, Richard and Jerrikka they had been followed by one of Raviel's crows. It now cawed to get their attention and flew towards Haru. It gently landed upon her shoulder and from its beak came a whisper of Raviel's voice: "Take this, when you arrive where you are going hold it and call my name. A crow will appear. Through this crow I can see and hear you."

The message delivered the bird rose up. The body began to glow black and turn to smoke, shrinking in size, and became an object which landed at her feet.

The object was a black crystal the size, shape and appearance of a feather.

--

"There we are," Raviel nodded returning to Brus, "sorry about that. How is this game played, again?"

[Cahalith]

Haru saw as lovely black crow flew towards her- she looked at it confused as it landed, birds where never this friendly, but suddenly as it moved to whisper in her ear she realized that this simple crow that seemed no more harmless then any other crow was Reviel's eyes and ears.

Did he hear her thoughts? She wondered and felt uneasy about the concept of her mind being raped. However she did not find herself being angry despite the possible violation. It could be of course that it had been fallowing them the entire time and because she thought it was simply a bird did not think to take note. That was a good lesson for her, and she had felt a sense of gratitude.

Raviel's name- and he would be there, why would he want her to call for him once arriving in their home didn't he have things he needed to do here? She remembered the hurried state he was in to escape to his room. He was collecting plants, what if they died before he could use them? why was he willing to take that risk?


Suddenly the bird began to rise and glowing black, smoke escaping it, or becoming it, it turned into a small dark crystal feather at her feet looking at Richard and Terrin she tilted her head "Re-" she stopped herself not knowing if that would activate the crystal, reaching down she picked it up trying her best to use her body to hind her branded wrists. "The other Mage- He said when we Arrive in Astar to call to him and he will keep an eye on us." She distorted the message slightly- most of it was lost in translation to her- it was magic.

She looked at Richard and then at Terrin then snapped her fingers suddenly getting an idea she smiled to herself and stored it for later. She looked at Terrin and said "I can't hide these from you forever." She exposed her arms and spoke "Sir Ariel was killed with my knifes- they where a unmistakeably mine, black unbreakable glass the only of its kind in Astar, a gift from Sir Ariel." She closed her eyes as sorrow overwhelmed her "I was accused for the crime, and was banished. I have not only the need to find the killer of Sir Ariel to serve them justice but also to clear my name and restore my honor." She looked away "I would hate for something like this to effect my family, Even if we aren't close Sometimes punishments trickle down and can be given to those the accused care for most."

Haru was a compassionate person always wanting to fight for what was right and good. For those that knew Sir Ariel would know why he took her in as his first and only apprentice. She was by far for her age an extraordinary individual and in many years be compered to the Fierce Beast, Pixiu (http://www.cozychinese.com/pixiu/).

[buzzsaw133]

Brus sighed. He set up the stone pegs in a pyramid equally spaced apart. "The objective is to hit the ball in the center of the triangle and knock down as many pegs as you can. Here, I'll show you." He bounced the wooden ball once and it knocked down all of the pegs, a bright blue "10" appeared in the air next to Brus and the pegs immediately righted themselves and the ball appeared in the table next to Raviel.

"You turn, try to aim toward the front as close to the tip as you can." He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small charcoal-looking pencil. began to draw in the air with the pencil, the marks floated in the air and he revolved the image to add more lines or curves.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin watched the events unfold without saying a word, understanding very well what Raviel meant by sending his token. He frowned when Haru showed him her branded wrists.

"Well that simply won't do," he said. "You didn't to anything to deserve those brands. They will have to go."

Terrin touched a finger to either wrist and let a small amount of mana trickle through the connection, wiping away the brands as though they were little more that dust.

"Well, since our friends know that we are going and you are ready to leave this place, we can go," Terrin said.

He grabbed Richard's and Haru's wrists and directed a flow of mana to pass through his little finger and into the ring. There was the sensation of a breeze and the sound of fists tapping armored chests in salute. Terrin opened his eyes to see a small group of his men standing before them in the grand hall of his palace in Astar.

"Welcome home, Lord Rahl," one of the men said.

[Cahalith]

Haru winced as he removed the brands- though it was not meant to cause pain the brands where there for a reason and removing such would be a painful endeavor she bit her lip and a bit of blood trickled down- but she did not cry, or whine. She looked up at him and whiped the blood off of her face and said only two words with the most complete sincerity that could be said "thank you."

Terrin had done her a great favor, one that she was not sure if she could ever repay him for. She was eternally grateful.


As they telepoted into the castal of Lord Rahl she felt woozy and a little dizzy seeing the guards with out much thought took a defensive stance - but when they said Lord Rahl she dropped it. These where his men, and they where in his home.

She looked over at Richard and then Lord Rahl, then the gaurds unsure as to what to do or say. hopefully her crimes where not published.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel observed and listened. When Brus had set the pins back up he frowned. His mind was calculating, sizing, looking for the answer to the riddle of the game.

"I'm new to this so forgive my ignorance," Raviel said finally, "but is it necessary to launch the ball directly center? Based on the principles of energy the task would be more easily accomplished if targeting slightly off-center to hit the first ball and one of the side-balls behind it. The momentum would be distributed more favourable to knock down all of them as opposed to dead on, where the initial collision of first ball to those behind would descrease momentum progression. Let me demonstrate."

Raviel aligned the ball and launched it similar to how Brus did before but this time to hit the balls as he explained. All pegs were downed flawlessly. "There you go. I must say those I would find continue playing of this game tedious. The targeting is easy, and challenge therefore relies in co-ordination and aim for repeated task. However, spending as long as I have working with precision for magics and ingredients such things can be performed precisely everytime without effort. This game is too basic in challenge to be of use. I appreciate you showing it to me though. It is nice to learn of such things."

Raviel wondered if Jekka was going to appear soon.

[buzzsaw133]

"Well, it's something my son designed to help me focus." He bagged the pegs and the ball. Jekka walked through the door nearest to Raviel.

"Raviel my old friend, how are things looking for you?" He smiled at Raviel, weary of the results of his words.

[demonic_monkey]

"Thank you, Commander Trimack," Terrin said. "I trust things have been running smoothly."

"As always, Lord Rahl," Trimack answered. "A report came in a few days ago about the death of-"

"Sir Ariel," Terrin said, cutting him off. "Yes, I know. This is not news to me."

"They banished his killer, a peasant girl named Haru, into the realm of Serrik," Trimack continued. "She is likely dead by now."

"Incorrect," Terrin said, placing a hand on Haru's shoulder. "This is Haru and she is very much alive. She was falsely accused of Sir Ariel's murder and branded as a murderer. I have removed those brands and I am helping her to find the real killer and clear her name. You and all of the men are to treat her with the utmost respect and you will not breathe a word to anyone about her being here."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Trimack said, saluting again. "And the other person?"

"Why, this is my son, Richard," Terrin said. "I'm sure you can see the resemblance. In any event, dressed as they are they will not quite blend in so easily. I need you and another of your men to take them somewhere where they can change into something more suitable. They are guests of the Lord Rahl, after all."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Trimack said. "Miss Haru, if you will follow me, I will take you to find a nice dress."

"Do not worry, my friend," Terrin said to Haru. "I trust Trimack with my life. He will keep your secret and protect you just as he protects me. Go with him."

Terrin gave Haru a sincere smile and turned to his son. "I will see you shortly, son," he said. "I have matters to attend to."

[Cahalith]

Haru hearing the news again of Sir Ariel had seemed to open the wound again. Her heart ached, she could not help but feel it sting like a knife being plunged just a little deeper.

She gave Lord Rahl a bow that was customary "yes Lord." it was the first time she had spoken his title in her mind he had earned it, it was really the only way she could show him the gratitude he deserved.

She turned to fallow Trimack, and when mention of a nice dress was spoken of she said "I don't need anything special Lord Rahl has done more then enough to help me." She sounded sincere, and she didn't know what to do in a dress. they where unpractical.

Haru also remembered she needed to allow Raviel his eyes and ears back- she would do that after she was done changing and no one was around- the last thing she wanted was to encourage this Haru can do magic kick people where so crazy on.

[demonic_monkey]

"In all honesty, Miss Haru," Trimack said as he started leading her from the great hall, "I don't think we have anything in your size that isn't a dress."

Terrin smiled to himself as Haru and Richard were led from the room by their escorts. He walked out from the room onto the balcony that overlooked the sprawling palace he called home. Inside the thick stone walls that were the outer fortifications, there was a sprawling stretch of green lawns. Within the inner ring of grass, the palace proper rose with soaring butresses and several towers and spires that seemed to be reaching for the heavens. Pennants and flags flapped lazily in the wind atop those spires, all of them identical; a crimson R on a black field. The stone facade of the palace was impressive to those on the outside who only that, but the endless network of corridors and passageways within were more impressive to Terrin.

He had wandered those passageways as a boy, when his father was the Lord Rahl, working to memorize every nook and cranny within the palace that was his inheritance. He knew that he would have to be a great man to be able to earn his birthrights; this palace and the title of Lord Rahl. He smiled inwardly, knowing that if his father could see him now, he would be very proud of the man his son had become.

+++

Richard was astonished when he was lead into the room where he was to pick his clothing. There seemed to be an endless selection of shirts, tunics, pants, trouser, boots, and shoes. He felt like he would never be able to find any single thing to wear in this labyrinth of fabrics. It was then that things began to catch his eyes.

From the endless variety, he pulled a pair of black leather boots, black trousers, a sleeveless black shirt, a square-egded black tunic trimmed with gold, a pair of leather-padded silver wristbands, and a cape that looked like it was spun of pure gold. Satisfied with his selections, he carried them with him into the next room, where as steaming bath was waiting. He stripped off his clothing to bathe himself before dressing in the clothes his father had given him. He wondered if Haru was having a similar experience and what his father had meant by having business to attend to.

+++

"Lord Rahl," a breathless voice finally called out.

Terrin turned to see the man in white robes sprinting across the expanse of the great hall. His smile evaporated as he hid his emotions behind the blank mask of the Lord Rahl.

"Advisor Atherton," Terrin said. "So nice of you to come." He turned to a soldier nearby. "Warren, please send runners to Commander Trimack and Leiutenant Soren so that they will know to bring Haru and Richard to my private dining hall when they are dressed."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Warren said, saluting before rushing to do as commanded.

"Come," Terrin said to his advisor, "we have important matters to discuss once our guests arrive, but first I need to fill you in on what has passed while I was gone."

[Cahalith]

Haru nodded to the man "I understand." She gave him a smile- she knew she was small, being only 5 feet and 100 lbs if she was lucky.

Any one that had interacted with Haru would find it hard to see her as a murderer, she was mostly friendly, polite, and respectful. Of course mostly due to her age- there was still being the fact that she was a teenager and teens where known for their attitudes. Haru's was mild.

Upon entering her room she gave her escort thanks, and pulled out the feather- she whispered "Raviel" like she had promissed and watched as the feather turned into a crow looking at the bird she pointed to it and said "now I am getting dressed and bathed, and though I doubt you give a damned, I would appreciate it if you turn your little raven head the other way."

She opened the closet and didn't spend much time looking all she needed was something simple plain and functional. She spotted a dark black dress, high collar it didn't look like the traditional Astar garb but she liked it.

It fell about Knee length, and had long sleeves, it was form fitting and flared at the waist, belling out just enough to give a feminine look with out losing the ability to fight.

Haru took the dress and placed it on a chair to wait till she was washed. When she realized her shoes had a hole in the soul. that wasn't surpizing to her- She had these shoes sine her brother Mari out grew them. looking back at the closet she grabed a pair of boots that came about to the knee they looked interesting again not typical for Astar, they had straps and belts and buckles. They where interesting. and she noticed there was a space for a knife. Perfect.

Taking these shoes she set them down and went to wash up. Surprised that the water was warm she couldn't help but smile. A warm bath. She knew it was magic, and though she didn't like the idea of magic the desire for a warm bath overrode her distrust for magic.

As soon as she was clean- and dressed, Haru brushed her long wavy hair and looked at her self in the mirror not sure if that was really her- She touched the mirror a few times then her face. She looked at it quizzically forgetting that Raviel could see this.

Was that girl her? She poked her cheek and then poked the mirror. "Mom, I know you've been gone for a long time, but I really miss you, and I could use some advice." She talked to her mom sometimes "I just don't know what to do. I think its wrong to kill, but they killed Sir Ariel, Wouldn't killing the one that did that make me no better?" She was feeling lost.

What was the right thing to do. Good and right where different, and she was just now realizing it. "I know All of us miss you, Dad really had a hard time when you left, He didn't want us to know but I saw him crying. He asked himself why he couldn't have just accepted you....What happened?"

She shook her head and turned to go, She needed to meet with Lord Rahl. She sighed and then looked at the mirror one more time "put on the brave face Haru- Just like you always do." She forced a smile that faded quickly. She hurt, but she didn't want it to show. She tried so hard to be strong and not let people see how much she missed her family and how devastated she as that her mother had gone missing.

Haru finished french braiding her wavy hair, and then turned to leave. Trying to find her way back to where she was suppose to be.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus clutched his stomach as the space around him began to swirl, distorting the very fabric of reality around his center. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. He calmed himself down and tried to focus on using his mana. Hesolidified the mana around his stomach, but was immediately struck with a painful headache and his vision became distorted.

"Help me-banishing-pain!" He said under muffled breaths as the distortion encompassed him and he passed out...

(don't save me, going to Kirar.)

[demonic_monkey]

When Haru came out of her room, Trimack bore a look of astonishment from the transformation that had taken place. Remembering himself, he cleared his throat.

"M-miss Haru," he stuttered, "I have been asked to guide you to Lord Rahl's private dining hall. Follow me and I will take you there directly."

+++

Richard and Leiutenant Soren reached the immense double doors that lead into Terrin's private dining hall. He turned and saluted Richard with a fist to his heart.

"Lord Rahl awaits you beyond these doors," he said.

Richard thanked the Leiutenant for guiding him through the palace and pushed open the double doors. He entered a lavish dining hall, plush black curtains hung between the pillars that were evenly spaced along the walls of the room, cinched back with black tasseled crimson cords. Foods of all kinds were laid out on the long table in the center of the room. Richard felt his stomach rumble, suddenly realizing how famished he was, having not eaten anything for days. His father waved to his from his place at the table.

"Come, Richard," Terrin said, a smile appearing on his face. "I would like to introduce you to one of my advisors, Nathan Atherton." The other man at the table stood and bowed to Richard. "Haru should be joining us shortly. We will wait for her to arrive before we eat."

Richard walked to the table and took a seat across from his father. He looked longingly at the feast before them, hoping that Haru would arrive soon.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and wondered what she as stammering about, cocking a dark slender eyebrow curiously. She gave him a polite smile and Curtsied "thank you." She was waring a dress so now the custom was to crusty, god how she missed pants.

She fallowed , and asked "do you know if there was any one who disliked Sir Ariel- I myself find it hard to believe, any political enemy's maybe?" she asked wondering if maybe that would be a cause for some one to want him dead "I know this is not the most pleasant of conversations..." She trailed off slightly getting distracted by how well decorated the place was and the smell of food emanating from near by she realized she was hungry and prison had not made that much easier.

[demonic_monkey]

"To be honest," Trimack said, "anyone with unjust motives would have wanted him dead. He was a good man who always worked torward good ends. His enemies would be anyone with greed in their hearts. I wish I could help you more, but I'm afraid I don't get out of the palace much." He rounded a corner and the corridor ahead ended in big double doors, Soren standing before them. "Ah, here we are," Trimack said. "Lord Rahl will be just beyond those doors, Miss Haru."

He continued onward and pushed open the doors for her. When Terrin saw Haru, he stood. Richard and Nathan Atherton followed his example.

"And so we are joined by the beautiful Miss Haru," Terrin said, smiling sincerely. "Come, Haru. Please, have a seat. I am sure that we could all use a good meal and while we eat, we can decide on what our next step will be."

He pulled out a chair beside his own for her to sit in and waited patiently for her to join them at the table.

[Cahalith]

Haru up at Trimack and said "When I was banished a Snake that spoke in riddles mentioned an evil that has no face." As they walked she tried to remember the rest of the words- She would have to rake her mind for it later, when it came to riddles the exact phrase was important.

When they got to the doors she looked at him again "I hope one day to be as good of a person as Sir Ariel."


When the doors where opened Haru felt awkward, She was not used to being treated like she was- well not just some low class citizen.

She felt her face flush, as she was called beautiful "looks are meaningless Lord Rahl." She said calmly covering her embarrassment. She was not used to such flattery


She sat where she was indicated and looked at all at the table she said "thank you Lord Rahl for everything." a slight smile crossed her lips, she was very grateful that she was being helped though her pride was having trouble she knew she needed it.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin waved it off as he, Richard, and Nathan returned to their seats.

"Think nothing of it, my dear," he said. "I enjoy being helpful...and please, call me by my name and not my title. I hear 'Lord Rahl' enough from my men."

He reached out and took up the goblet of wine before him and took a few sips from it. Richard began to fill his plate with food from the various platters arrayed before them. Terrin smiled at his son's appetite.

"So, Lord Rahl," Nathan said after swallowing a mouthful of ham, "what do you think we should do now?"

"I think that we will need to go to the place where Sir Ariel was murdered," Terrin answered. "I will see if I can use my power to detect any traces left by the killer when he was there. Even the smallest thing might be helpful. Of course, I cannot be sure that there will be traces left after all this time, but with any luck I should be able to find something." He looked over to Haru. "What do you think?"

[Cahalith]

Haru nodded, She found it odd for a Lord to rather be called by name and not title but that had earned her respect more from her. Sir Ariel had insisted the same, but Haru had down right refused, and when Haru sent her mind to something there was no changing it- not when it was truly made up.

She thought about it "it was his private home. On the north side of Astar." She explained "I am not quite sure how much time had past." She did not mention how prison could distort ones sense of time. "My trial did not exists, other then the weapon used." She explained "Which leads me to beleive it was some one who..." She suddenly stopped and got a odd look on her face "evil with out a face. Terrin you mentioned Magic and disguises, what if the person disguised themselves as me? Sir Ariel doesn't let any one he doesn't know into his personal home. It is well guarded he has always been- Private about things." She frowned "if they looked into his last memory it would make scenes as well. the last thing he would see was." She looked like she was crushed.

The last thing her mentor would see was her trying to kill him. She had suddenly lost her appetite and had not even managed to take a bite yet.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin place a comforting hand over one of Haru's much smaller hands. "I am afraid that it is indeed possible that the killer might have done that," he said. "I am sorry, Haru, I truly am. I can only imagine the pain you are feeling right now. Just remember that Sir Ariel would want you to be strong and, if you find it too hard, remember that we are all here to help you, to offer you emotional support if it becomes too much for you." He sighed sadly. "We will find the truth, Haru. This murderer will be brought to justice. I promise."

"I may have just met you," Richard said, "but I intend to do everything I can to help, whatever that may be."

Nathan nodded that his agreement.

[Cahalith]

Haru took her hand away, quickly she didn't like to be coddled, or comforted. She had worked to hard her entire life and done so most of it on her own- Even Sir Ariel couldn't at find ways to break down some of those walls.

"I will be fine. Thank you." She responded just as quickly. She looked at her food and forced herself to eat trying to look like everything was fine. She could not appear weak, she had to be strong. She took a few bites of her food and then a few sips of what ever beverage was there not caring too much for what it was.


She looked at Richard oddly, he was right he didn't know her, neither did Terrin, but he was trained as a knight and that was what they where suppose to do. They where the bringers of Righteousness, Doers of Justice, and the keepers of peace. It was his duty. Then suddenly she remembered "what if you are caught Terrin? isn't it punishable by death to he helping me even if Innocent?" She asked a little confused on the laws.

[DarkWolf]

Before Raviel could greet Jekka Brus had become subject to magic. Raviel could only watch as Brus was encompassed in the distortion and was gone. Where had he gone and who did this? Raviel felt for any lingering mana that may have come from the distortion to see where Brus had been sent. There was a very faint taint of red mana. Kirar! He had been sent to Kirar! How unfortunate. Raviel despised that realm. The chaotic flow of natural mana interfered with spells. Raviel had not dedicated his life, body and soul to magic for the results to become so unpredictable. He had done his studies there long ago and had no desire to ever return. He had little interest in Brus and knew he could take care of himself.


He turned quickly to the captured as the elemental withered away. With the master no longer in the realm the conjured creature had lost the anchor it needed - it was a temporary servant. Raviel called forth chains from the air to quickly ensnare the captives before any could escape. They all became bound tightly upon the floor unable to move. Still they did not scream, only whimper, their wills had been broken. They knew what being here meant.

"Jekka," Raviel said with a faked light tone as he turned to the body-dealer, "how great to meet you again. I am busy, though, so let us get straight to business. Barring a few I am here to see you these. One is already dead, killed without any bodily harm, and the rest are alive and fresh. What price will you give?"

Jekka examined the captives carefully before replying with "three hundred each."

"Do you take me for a fool, Jekka?" Raviel's eyes shone with a dangerous look. "I know I have been out of this market for some time but the coin has not decreased so much. Six hundred each, five hundred for the one dead already, and four-fifty for the three who are too malnourished. Excluding the two healthy men and one healthy woman I claim for myself that leaves twenty healthy at six hundred each for twelve thousand, one thousand three hundred and fifty for the mentioned most malnourished and with the dead one of five hundred brings the price of thirteen thousand, eight hundred, and fifty."

"Raviel," Jekka smiled falsely, "the market has changed much si-" he stopped as pressure gripped his throat tightly by unseen hands as Raviel raised his.

"Do not try my patience, Jekka!" Raviel's demanour had instantly changed. Instead of pleasant and placid he had been since meeting the others he now seemed truly dangerous and menacing. The very air around him seemed oppresive and thick with his malicious intent. "Continue to press me and I will claim your body too!" He dropped the hold, Jekka fell to his knees coughing.

"Sorry," Jekka exclaimed as he wheezed, he scrambled away out of the room. Raviel's eyes glowed a moment as he became aware of the new Crow. Haru was safe, and mentally instructed the bird to turn the gaze away as she dressed and follow when she was moved the dining hall. Jekka returned, holding a large pouch and handed it to Raviel very tentatively.

Raviel examined the contents: it was filled with fine diamonds and rare gems. "I'll consider this sufficient." Jekka called servants to his aid, as Raviel released all but his chosen three into Jekka's 'care'.

Raviel raised a hand to an empty wall, muttering an incanctation. A completely black circle appeared, like a hole into darkness, black smoke wisping over the surface. Gold light surrounded the edge with two circles with archaic letter inbetween them. From the inner circle of the edge lines formed to make a runic symbol similar in design to a pentagram. It was a portal. He called the chains to his hand and released the legs of his chosen three. He told them to walk into the portal. They did so, and without a further word to Jekka he followed them.

They reappeared on the other side back in the room Raviel had rented in the inn. The portal disappeared behind him. He released the chains. One of the men tried running to the door and Raviel let him. As the man tried to open the door the door glowed white and with a flash pushed the man's hand away.

"The room is sealed," Raviel explained, "only I or those I allow may pass. It will only leave when either I remove it or leave this plane. Get comfortable, you'll be here for an hour."

He left the room, went to the innkeeper to advise his friends had left and to book another room and to advise they may rent the two rooms again after two hours. The inkeeper looked at him puzzled but made notes and took the coins Raziel offered. The innkeeper smiled enthusiastically at the coins. Raviel had greatly overpaid in the first place and his companions had paid more for drinks when they had no need including a large ruby which was worth more than the inn itself. Not even for a full night's stay, they had become wealthy from it.

Raviel took the key to the second room. He didn't bother to secure it, he just needed a quiet place. He went to a clear space and knelt. With a touch of the floor he created a made another circle of runic symbols appear in silver light that had a blue aura. He procured all of his gathered herbs and flowers and set them upon this circle. With chants and blessings and more he spent an hour to infuse them with magics of different manas. When all was done they did not look different but were indeed prepared - they would never wither or decay and their full magical influence was sealed to never fade. He returned them to his belt's pouches and dismissed the preparation circle. He took the keys of both rooms to the innkeeper and told him he would be gone shortly.

Raviel returned to the room with his acquisitions. They looked at him silently, resolved to their fate - whatever fate that may be. Just like before when he sent a message to a crow for Haru he sent a message. But it was not to Haru. Raviel touched his amulet and fed mana into it. It glowed a great blue before the light escaped and fill the air. The light coelesced into a circular shape and became a large swirling - in both directions - circle. A portal of great magnitude with a black and smokey centre in the distance of the portal's center. He instructed the captives into it and again followed.

Raviel emerged on the other side in a dark castle. All the walls were bare except for lanterns and the stone was white with black lines. There was little decor. A small troupe of guards stood before him. Their skin was pale, too pale, and their eyes fully black. Their armour seemed to be made of dark grey bone. They held the captives. They bowed their heads wordlessly and escorted the captives away. Raviel walked in a different direction. There were many crows. In every room and corridor and hall.

Crow magic was Raviel's speciality. It was the perfect spying spell. He could, at any moment, see and hear through any crow's eyes and ears. Or not see and hear anything unless he needed to - in which case the crow would watch and if anything of interest happened it would relay this to him. Being conjured, created, as they were they had no will or soul. They were just magic spells given fake flesh and fake blood. They did have intelligence and knew what he would or would not be interested in knowing. They could pass on messages for him. And they were immune to physical destruction - if destroyed by physical means they would disapper as smoke and reppear in same fashion as though unharmed. Unless sealed by magic they could pass through any material and teleport short distances. And their talons and beaks were solid - they could attack and distract if needed. Being magic they required no sustenance and never tired. Crows were the icons of messengers and travellers. The boundaries between realms were nothing to them and this allowed him to see and hear, to use them, no matter which plane he was in. They were the perfect spying spell. Any place he owned or planned to stay in would becme watched by them.

He came to a room that was filled with clothes of all kinds. He planned on joining Terrin and Haru but Astar wasn't always friendly to mages. Some places were but most didn't like them - it was the norm to not trust magic if it was not of Astar. It was a realm where the orderly warrior, knights, were prevalent. Weapons were blades not magic spells and they did not like anything that differed from that philosophy. He would need to dress differently.

[DarkWolf]

When he was done, he looked almost completely different. He was dress mostly with white cloth, his pants were white cloth and he wore a white vest. His boots were tan leather, he had black leather straps around the thighs. He had a thick black leather belt with various pockets and pouches at the side and a red jewel for the buckle. He wore black leather forearm guards which merged into black fingerless leather gloves. He wore a white cloak with black hem, which had a hood but did not wear it and the cloak was fastened with a silver brooch with blue sapphire center. Of course, he still had his amulet but instead of blue sapphire it was clear - the magic had been used up creating the portal and would recharge to blue again after twenty-four hours. Most interestingly as departure from his previous garb he had a sword in a sheath at his left side. It was a longsword with black and silver hilt. The sword was finely crafted. He was by no means a sword enthusiast or expert but he was very capable of swordplay. He was, after all, over three thousand years old. With such age and eternal youthful vigor one can become adept at all skills. But a true expert could easily best him - he was a mage, not a warrior.

All set he made his way to a different room contained a large circle structure raised a bit with steps leading up. The structure, base, and steps seemed to be made of ivory but stronger. To the left and before the steps was a pedestal of stone upon which sat a small statue made of silver. It was of a demonic looking head with eyes closed and mouth open wide, set facing upward a bit, as though waiting for a drink. Sure enough there was a set of shelves nearby with many small bottles of a dark blood-red liquid. He took one, uncorked it, and tipped the liquid fully into the statue's mouth. They eyes opened, glowing red, as red and black electricity flowing within the circle structure. It opened into a black, with red aura, portal. Raviel calmly walked up the steps and through it.

The portal took him to just outside Terrin's palace in Astar. He approached the door and knocked. It was answered by a guard.

"I am here to speak with Lord Rahl," Raviel stated in an official voice, "I am Raviel Nosgoth."

[buzzsaw133]

"Oh, my head." Brus stood up and was greeted by a bone spear pointed at his throat. He quickly grabbed the spear and snapped it in half with his bare hands without a second thought. "Don't point your toothpick at me." He turned his head up and smelled the brimstone and and knew he was in Kirar. Tuning his vision, he saw that he was surrounded by goblins.

"Hai ky suty mak wayi." The biggest goblin said. Brus understood that command all to well. The goblins advanced on him. He smiled lightly and replied with a spinning kick to each of their heads. The biggest one began to grow with red mana. He charged Brus and was side-stepped while Brus swung his axe up and cleaved the goblin in half. He concentrated on combining red mana with his green and black mana. He charged a three color orb and created a portal so he could get back home. He was out of mana, so he had to do this quick. He stepped through the portal and immediately felt a rush of wind. He was falling...

[demonic_monkey]

"The laws do state just that," Terrin said, "but I have ways of making sure that I am not caught. As long as the secret of your being here doesn't escape the lips of my men, we won't need to worry."

There came a sudden knock at the door of the dining hall. At Terrin's command, the runner who had knocked on the door came through. He stopped a short distance from the table and saluted.

"Lord Rahl," he said breathlessly. "There is a man here...who wishes to speak with you. He said his name...was Raviel Nosgoth."

"Ah, so our friend has come to join us again," Terrin said. "Let him in."

The runner nodded and was off again.

[Cahalith]

Haru nodded and thought for a moment "It would be best then that we do not call me by name- My name is uncommon for a female." She shrugged slightly.

Then looked up from her food at hearing that Raviel was shook here she wondered what sort of input he would have considering he was more familiar with deception seeing as he was of the land of deceit. She didn't know why she had done what he had asked her or why she was sorry for leaving him but she was. Maybe he was not as bad as the rest, but she doubted it.

She wondered why though she had allowed herself to accept his help.

"I need to come up with an alias. Darn it." She sighed, what would be a good cover? Suddenly she wrinkled her nose ad she came up with one she disliked greatly "I could be Raviel's whatever... he already said i looked like i am from that place." She let the face drop to one of complete neutrality "We could be visiting..."

[buzzsaw133]

Brus felt the wind rush past his face as he watched clouds fly by. He looked around and saw the land was open and clear. He was in Astar, his second least favorite place in the multiverse. He thought about just dying, it would be better than what he would otherwise be acquainted with. He decided to live. He began absorbing mana from Astarian skies. He created a pair of wings, only strong enough to lessen the impact to a non-lethal level. He closed his eyes and prepared for pain.

He struck something solid, he felt that it was a building, but didn't really care to stand up.

[buzzsaw133]

(Check the Mirithas Planar Clash thread and vote and discuss on ideas for the upcoming sequel.)

[DarkWolf]

"Lord Rahl will see you now," the guard said and allowe Raviel entry. There was 'runner' there who asked him to follow. Raviel was lead to the Dining Hall and the runner opened the door.

Raviel stepped into the room and smiled. "Lord Rahl, Haru, and Richard; nice to see you are all well. May I be so bold as to join the dinner, I see you have plenty and have not eaten in four days." He stood to await the decision. He addressed Terrin by his title out of respect - this was his home and land, after all.

He admired the change of clothes on Haru. It was a great transformation. But while he did find her beautiful, he was more interested in her potential. He wished to help her to clear her name and find Sir Ariel's murderer. But as always, it was only because he could possibly gain from it. Helping her would give him the chance to make her aware of her magical gift, perhaps to see that magic was not as simple as shooting fireballs or chants but could actually make her a better warrior. With that truth he might be able to convince her to become his apprentice.

He did wonder why he wanted an apprentice. Was he finally beginning to get lonely? Preposterous! What a silly idea! And yet, there was no other explanation. He did not seek her love, he was certain of that for he had long abandoned such a search, but he knew deep down he did seek company. He hated himself for that but knew it was bound to happen. He had servants, plenty of them, and two armies, with two homes in different realms and was a secret Lord over most of the Denui realm. And he did have concubines in Denui. A small handful of lovers who lived in his castle should he ever need them. He was a man, after all, and like all men he did have desires of lust. There were also some rituals which demanded such acts.

But none of this was really companionship. They were just servants of varying roles. They always agreed, always praised him, worshipped him even although he didn't like that. Haru, even if she became his apprentice, would never hesitate to disagree. She would challenge him, unafraid, and had her own ideals her own opinions. That was what we wanted most of all - A friend.

[Cahalith]

Haru unknown to herself smiled to see him well, She didn't trust the Mage Raviel, but she was very glad to see him well- it was probably because they needed him. He would be the perfect cover. yes, that was right. She lied to herself. Her father's voice crawled into her mind 'Haru never judge a book by its cover.'

She looked at him and said "I was just talking about you." She was honest, and would not lie "It includes your assistance Raviel." She told him "My name is known here, I need to assume a new identity and though I dislike lying because its wrong. It will do me no good or Sir Ariel any good if I get caught. Perhaps will you um." She sighed trying to find the right words "do I honestly look like i am from that...um that place." She didn't look happy about the words she spoke "Astar is known for judging books by their cover, and if that is the case, I will have to use that advantage." She then added in "even though its not true."

[demonic_monkey]

"Of course, my friend," Terrin said in answer to Raviel's question. "You are welcome at this table. As I have already told Haru, you are a friend to me and, as such, there is no need to call me by my title. Please, call me by my name." He paused to listen as Haru spoke, then added, "Yes, we have been working on a plan to allow her to move about in this realm freely and you would be very helpful in such a plan. I am thinking that, once she is disguised by our talents to be unrecognizable to those who may remember her, she could pose as your apprentice. The people of Astar are not fond of the people of Denui, but as guests of a high-ranking Lord of Astar, they will not show such disdain for you publicly. It's really quite an ingenious plan, I must say. What are your thoughts, Raviel?"

[Cahalith]

She looked at Terrin in horror an apprentice? that was not what she had in mind at all. She was thinking more like a niece or maybe a daughter, but an apprentice no. She was not learning magic. the she remembered she wasn't really, it was just a gimmick a way to disguise who she really was because Haru, the real Haru would never learn Denui magic.

She thought for a moment, this was trickery- they where using lies and deceit to clear her name and bring justice this was so weird how could this be right this went against everything that was Astar- Did the ends justify the means. Haru sighed softly her heart was confused.

"How would one disguise me? And how would one such as myself keep up the illusion of being an apprentice? I am pretty sure I would be a bad one." She couldn't help but suddenly laugh "I didn't even listen to Sir Ariel some times." She shrugged "I mean he told me to use a long sword I used knifes, he said keep distance I got in closer." She shrugged "Sometimes he was right and some I was- and usually when He was I paid for it." she laughed. Shaking her head she missed him horribly.

She shook it off last thing she needed was some one trying to comfort her again. "any way- again with the subject at hand how?"

[DarkWolf]

Raviel chuckled in his mind but hid this from any outward expression. Terrin was crafty. He knew enough of Haru that it would not be her idea to be an apprentice and there were other options. But Raviel suspected Terrin had guessed why she had been given the feather crystal, why Raviel would have interest in her.

"I think it is an excellent idea," Raviel exclaimed genuinely, "Your eyes have a trait that cannot come from Astar and I believe it to more widely known than you are aware of. While Astar fears magic of other realms there is magic here. If a priest of an old order came near you he would sense your capacity for magic just as Terrin and I did."

He listened to her emphatic rejection of the idea. In that moment he wondered if he could ever convince her to be his apprentice for real. While most Astar rejected other magics and even had reserve over its own, it was done out of fear. But in her tone and her expression he saw it wasn't fear but hate. She truly hated magic. That greatly saddened him. Had her mother so greatly poisoned her mind?

Raviel remained silent for a moment, looking quite serious and sympathetic as slowly and precisely sat in a chair opposite her. Without his usual garb with hood shadowing his face his expression was more clear and showed more honesty than ever. She looked at her. Although his gazed was fixed and direct it was also somehow soft. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table with hands clasped - the movement, though small, gave way his sincerity and emotion.

"You have been very poisoned," he said, his eyes and tone telling that he meant this metaphorically rather than literally. "It will always be your choice whether you wish to use magic or not. I do not ever want to deny you that. But you have a great misconception on what magic is so I want you to be completely certain you make this decision knowing all truths. Please listen, think clearly with your mind with no preconceived ideas and simply listen openly.

"It is true that by nature a mage can often be manipulative. There is in most instances a hidden agenda, a self-serving agenda, behind their apparent actions. The main school of magic is manipulation. That is what the gift is - the ability to manipulate the mana, the force, of all nature. To be a great mage one must learn to be both the Master and the Servant to Magic. For just as we manipulate magic so too does it manipulate. It manipulates everything. It manipulates life itself. You live, because of Magic, as does everything. Nobody can just 'be' a mage. It is not as simple as study. You must be chosen by Magic to have the gift. Though it favours lineage if a soul is deemed unworthy to it then it will not gift that soul. Yes, mages manipulate magic but only because it allows us to and that is why we are also manipulated by it. Magic is there to be manipulated and to manipulate. It chooses its servants and if we do not obey it harms us. That is why we are harmed, eventually killed, by the gift if we do not learn to use it. The headaches and bleeds, Haru, Terrin had them as did Richard and so did you. My crow followed you remember? I paid attention. You too had the headaches and bleeds. The same ingredients that eased you, helped Richard. You have the gift, Haru. I do not know your mother so I have no place to say who she is or isn't and whether she would knowingly lie to you or not. I hope not. But let us review the basic facts again: if those born with Magic's gift do not learn to use it they are punished with headaches, eventual bleeds, before they bring up organs and perish. You, when a child, had the same. To further evidence it was the same ailment the very ingredients that helped you also helped Richard who not long ago had the same symptoms. He has been made well as you were. There is no other ailment known to this or any plane that would have the symptoms and treatment. Magic deemed you worth and has gifted your soul. You are a Servant of Magic. This is fact. This is evidant by more than any words we could have told you. Add eyes with a trait of lineage not possible by any realm but Denui and it is without any doubt you are a mageborn.

"Typically mages are manipulative, and I have explained why. I am not exception, we both know this. But, in order to signify the importance, I am going to be completely honest with you and explain my motive and agenda; the reason why I gave you the feather and why I came here. In my long life I only ever had one apprentice. I am a loner by nature and secretive also so sharing knowledge is a big task for me. But still, I did once have an apprentice. Despite my best efforts he fell to the mistake many apprentices fall to. He failed to truly grasp what it meant to be both Master and Servant to magic. He delved into it recklessly. Magic has no care about moral intent but it does demand obedience. He abused magic, dabbled with powers he was not ready for. Magic is dangerous. It is not easy. It is more than mere chanting or such, it is directly linked to your spirit. He had no reservation, no caution, and he went too far. Magic refused to tolerate his command any longer and his very soul was torn asunder by it.

"It has been a very long time since. And more so than then I do want an apprentice. Originally, I would have you pretend and try to slowly convince you but I realised this was the wrong approach. I want you to be my real apprentice. Before you reject so vehemently again hear me a little longer. I chose you because you do have great potential for magic, and this is a fact even if the hatred you feel blinds you to it, it is fact regardless. But your distrust of magic actually makes you a great possible student. You will never rush recklessly into magic. This is good. Magic deserves caution.

"I assure you there is more to magic than you could possibly know. Magic is a manipulation of nature, always, but it is not always deceptive. There is magic focused on combat. I do not describe fireballs or just spells in battle I mean there are blessing you may place on blades to have them pierce any armour. There are spells to shield as a metal one would, without the need to carry or be weighted by such. There are spells to improve armour, heal wounds, to summon fog to aid escape or vines to entangle them. You may alter the terrain to your advantage. Deception is very minor compared to what magic can do. It can be good. What if you had blessed your knives to only be used by you? Could you have ever been framed then? What if you had blessed Sir Ariel's armour? Would he have been slain? And what if his home had been enchanted to ward off another's entrance, would the killer - however disguised - been able to enter and murder your mentor? What if you knew how to bring forth great supply of vegetables, fruit, and water? Wouldn't you then be able to give it all to the homeless or orphaned? Let me put it another way: are knives evil? You have said you have them and you use them, so they must be good, but then they also killed Sir Ariel which is no doubt an evil act. Are knives therefore a good thing or a bad thing? They are neither. Are they even weapons? They do nothing on their own after all. Knives are not moral or weapons. They are tools. You, me, people are the weapons we are the ones who commit acts of moral align. Magic, like your knives, is a tool. It can do bad things and it can do good things.

"If you accepted and chose to use magic it would make you evil nor would it make you any more good. You would simply be the same, knife-wielding warrior, who can also do magic. It does not change who you are. How you use magic and what you use it for is entirely up to you. Every mage has their own path and style of magic. Greater spells, are unique. They are not simply learned from a book, we create our own spells - we are only who we are. Who we want to be. I am who and what I am by my own choice and design. My long life was obtained in a different method to Terrin. Mages are unique. Nobody says you must don a robe, drop the knives, and go chant strange words in the woodlands. You can still wear leather, armour, and still use your knives for battle. Magic will not change that unless you want it to.

"Please do not discard magic so readily for reasons that are not justified. Cast no more moral judgement on magic than you would of your knives. They are the same. As you pretend to be my apprentice, if this plan does go ahead, please think on this. If you do decide to be my apprentice for real, and I hope you do, know that you will learn magic for your own use, to be used how you want, and to help you fight for what you believe in. Make your decision with a clear and open mind, not the poison you have been fed by others out of their hate and fear. Make it your decision and not theirs."

He paused to let his speech sink in. He grabbed the leg of some fowl and took a bite, savouring the taste. Once swallowed he added: "Maintaining a glamour, or physical illusion, is easy. It can be easily anchored to a wearable item such as a ring or amulet - while wearing you have the disguise, when not wearing you will not be disguised. It is an easy task. But we should take care to avoid priests - they are the prime Astarian magic users, an Astar version of a mage, and their focus in Astar protection magic will make it easy for even novices to see through the deception. For general walking around you should be fine. With such young age I can claim you to be a new apprentice, one yet to really master a spell, so there won't be any demonstration requested of your abilities. Earliest stage of apprenticeship is assisting not doing." He shrugged and resumed eating with greater fervour. His body had been made to go longer without nourishment but he still felt famished and the leg was little more than bone and gristle in moments before he drank of water and helped himself to more food.

[Cahalith]

Haru at first felt her entire body shaking with anger how could he use those words of trickery those that he had stolen from Sir Ariel he said those same things. then suddenly she stopped and thought about it.

Sir Ariel, he had said those same things, that Magic wasn't evil. That the Denui where not evil- Just books- Her head started to swim and she felt very confused and suddenly anger flooded her system again, her mother Kara was the only one that knew the cure, had the right herbs and 'saved' the people. If she hadn't lied...

She felt her hands ball up so hard that they began to grow warm and wet standing her face emotionless she said "if you will excuse me for a moment I need to think about some things. Reviel, Terrin, Richard. UM Terrins' Um I can't remember your name I am sorry." She turned and left. drops of blood leaving a very small trail behind her.

What was the truth, what was a lie- what was right, what was wrong she couldn't tell. She needed to figure this out, and until then she could not allow herself to act. To move forward rashly would only end in catastrophe, and the head aches they where coming back.

[demonic_monkey]

Richard started to raise from his chair, but Terrin motioned for him to remain seated.

"No, son," he said. "Don't follow her just yet. She needs time to think about what she has been told. Thinking is best done when one is alone. Just give her time."

"Yes, father," Richard said.

Terrin waved a hand and the droplets of Haru's blood that had fallen on the floor rose and converged toward each other. He began to chant an inquiry spell as the orb of blood floated toward him to stop above the table. When he finished speaking the spell, lines of blue light streaked through the air around the orb of blood, mingling with less pronounced lines of white light. When the lines were fully formed, Terrin nodded.

"The blue lines representing the Denui blood in her veins are strong," he said to himself as he continued eating. "The lines of white representing her Astar blood are almost unnoticable next to them. She has great potential for magic." He looked to Raviel. "She could one day be more powerful than the both of us combined. I'm going to leave this here for when she returns. If she has not realized herself, by the time she returns, this will be the irrefutable proof that will show her the truth."

[Cahalith]

Haru was not sure whether to be sad, angry, hurt, disappointed, or just numb. Things in her past made more sense now. The way the other children other then her own siblings treated her, the way parents crossed the street to avoid her- she thought it was because her family was just that low class. It was what her mother said.

But why had her brother siblings escaped such social punishment?

Mari and Max, Where more sociable, friendly and though pranksters people liked them. Sasha wasbeautiful, and was an easy lay- and now married. Lira was very frail and always sick, however when she opened her mouth people listened her voices was the most pleasing sound for miles. Then there was Marks, He was Father's eldest, he was gentle and liked by animals, most people didn't want to get on his bad side because he was the the one that healed most animals aliments.

Even her own mother treated her poorly, but why- what was wrong with her- it wasn't that her mother thought she needed to be strong, her father Ichigo always told Haru, how hard she worked, and that he feared that she would be taken from him do to this.

When the children got sick she waited last to health Haru even though she was the sickest Marks tended to her, and she remembered her family save Sasha, pleading with Kara to help her. She felt her face grow moist she touched it. tears? She had not cried since she was a little girl- tears where what children did. Haru wasn't a child she was never a child even when she was child size she didn't have time to be that- she was working to hard to make sure that her father and siblings didn't have to work so hard, and then when she was taken by Sir Ariel she didn't have time because she Had to be strong had to learn so much to become a knight.

She felt sick- She needed to find the herb, She went to her old clothing and pulled out from the pouch the herb and chewed it, as she sobbed. She hated this- being over emotional! Angry, sad, hurt, betrayed, why couldn't she just be numb?

She hated the taste of this herb it was so sweet she walked over to the mirror and looked at it she looked just like her- that woman, the one that gave birth to her She glared at herself as she was still crying she wanted to break the mirror it started to crack she jumped back and moved away from it afraid of it as it was crackling.

closing her eyes hiding from what happened pressed against the wall wishing it wasn't happen opened it again to find the mirror fine. "just hallucination great i am going insane now too." She told herself, lying she knew what it is, She sighed "Damn it Reviel if I don't want to hurt any one I have to get your help..." She stood and went to wash her face. She didn't want to be caught having been crying. She was a worrier, and worriers don't cry.



((OOC: just to give you an idea this was about 40-60 minutes of time...)

[DarkWolf]

"Terrin," Raviel began with a heartfelt sigh, "the truth she is learning will take more than a light show to ease her. It's not just her nature as a mage she is learning." Raviel sat back, looking at the table with a gaze lost to memory. "We both know Denui law. If one is born without the magic's grace and did have any noble heritage, no high ranking of society by birthright, they were cast away. It was decreed that such people were banished to -" he raised his hands and looked around but still had no focus to his eyes - "here. Astar. Unlike Haru being banished to Serrik to die, the ungifted were sent here where magic had no true bearing on society to live in this ungraced world to live. It seems clear her mother was such a person. It is without doubt that her mother would have been treated unkindly and banishment under these terms would turn to hate. She has passed that hate to all who would listen and most especially to Haru who is, doubtlessly, the only one who bears such a clear sign of her lineage in just a glance of her eyes. Such law was made to ensure jealousy becoming hate never occurred in Denui. I so abhor that law. Alas, I was only a young apprentice myself. I had no influence, no voice, that those who govern would wish to lend an ear to. By the time I had voice of any kind to use in politics the law had already prevailed the test of time and to their view it had served society well. Stubborn and ignorant fools. No matter what voice I gained, even to this day, it is a law I am powerless to change because also within even older law it states those born under graceless heritage may have no voice against the laws that govern the graceless. I am such. Neither of my parents had the gift. Back then the graceless were only banished from towns. There were villages created for the purpose of housing them many miles from any city. If a child was born with the gift it was duty of parents to treat them, and if the symptoms came again it was taken as clear sign and a Mage of the nearest town or city would be called to treat the child and take him away to study magic. It was illegal for mageborn to reside in such villages. So, I do have sympathy and experience in being born different to your parents and treated differently and being taken from them.

"She has finally learned why she was treated such. Finally realising her true heritage. But the truth that harms her now is not knowing she does magic. It is the knowing her mother lied to her, her father kept secrets from her. Her entire life has been a battle, and it was a lie. Her only solace, only refuge, was the only person who didn't lie to her and that was her mentor. A mentor who has been killed with her being blamed. The truth she struggles with is that she isn't sure anymore of who she is. In that truth is the mother's love she convinced herself of being taken from her. Seeing a representation of those lies, of the truth that her mother had indeed hated her, is seriously not going to help. Nothing is going help. It is a test of spirit. The only way to recover is to endure but it is a scar upon her that will always be there from this day on. Magic is a magnificent tool. I have written full tomes of new magics I had created by the score, evidence is the Crow magics for scouting and messaging through the bird perched above us, but this is all beyond even magic. We should simply give her time."

Raviel sat there. He was genuinely sad. It surprised him. Save his family he had never had an emotional attachment to anyone. He had dedicated his very being to the secrets of magic. Even his only previous apprentice he had no attachment for. It was more out of curiosity, an experiment, and his only emotion was frustration at his death because it was inconvenient for him. He valued intelligence and learning over emotion. He destroyed or saved at only a whim and people were pawns.

But here he was, sad for a young woman he had barely met. Wanting companionship, friendship, an apprentice under these reasons and a geniune desire to help even if gained nothing from the endeavour. It confused him. But perhaps it was inevitable. Time had finally sunk its teeth in. His enthusiasm for continued life waned and became weighted from the loneliness bit by bit. He had hidden for so long that he had forgotten what it meant to have connection.

Nothing can be a constant for too long. At some point a change was necessary for survival. Haru, it seemed, was the bringer of this epiphany and was this change's herald.

He ate some more until he hungered no more and drank until his thirst was entirely sated. He sat unmoving as he waited. She was strong. Stronger than she knew and not for the reasons she seemed to think. She would get through this. Of this he was certain.

[Cahalith]

After more time passed, Haru felt her head ache melting away as the herb was swallowed she closed her eyes for a moment and shook off the feelings the emotions- calmed herself by breathing in deeply, she needed to focus she needed to concentrate or all this would have happened in vain, She was still the Haru daughter of Ichigo- The family that does what they always do when faced with adversity they get through it.

Taking in a deep breath of air she was home in Astar, she had aid which made this task a little less impossible. She stood and looked at her hands they had dents in them from her nails, she needed to trim them- they got in the way if one wanted to through a good solid punch. She stood from where she was on the ground and headed back. She walked slowly- she was in no hurry, she had not yet accepted all the truths, she was still in a great deal of heart ache and pain, but she did know that she needed to deal with that later, she had something of greater importance to deal with.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus felt the hard surface of a castle underneath him, the air smelled sweetly clean. He took another deep breath and looked out over the tower. He knew he was in Astar, but he didn't know where.

He played this over in his mind for a while before his foot slipped and he fell off of the roof. He hit the ground with a loud THUD right in front of a pair of large door.

Words couldn't express the pain he felt, but thanks to his affinity for green magic, he healed most of the major wounds and knocked on the door. As he did so, a familiar smell caught his nose, he smelled Raviel, more or less. He smelt the dead bodies from the body dealer. No matter how much magic you use, that smell will still be able to be picked up by someone with his senses.

[Cahalith]

Haru made her way back to the dining hall and opened the door she looked at the men and realized how long she had been gone- she looked at them apologetically "I am sorry i got lost in thought." She looked at Reviel and then Terrin then Richard, then back at Reviel she wanted to cry again but held it in. Worriors did not cry.

then tilted her head at the strange glass thing on the table she was criouse but did not ask- looking back to Reviel she said bowing slightly "Reveil it would be an honor to learn under you- however I doubt I will take to it. Sasha my sister seemed to enjoy the arts of magic more." She sighed "She used it to um." She shifted very uncomfortable with the subject "make herself seductive." She squirmed like she always did when the subject led to content she didn't much care for and would often skip over "Well till I disfigured her for her jeopardizing her honor, and well... no magic could fix what i did." She made a face that was mixed with shame and disgust with herself.

She tilted her head and wondered if this was a good idea, "I am not sure about this though- Magic is wild." She frowned weapons where not wild and did not have a mind of their own. they could not wield themselves. She took in a deep breath and made another face, she was indeed young, it showed very clearly at the moment in her uncertainty then suddenly conviction stuck her as she thought of Sir Ariel and she stood straighter "but it is what needs to be done."

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin let the lines of the spell form collapse and evaporated the floating globule of blood.

"You are right," he said. He heard a thud as something heavy hit the stone of the hallway outside. "I think Brus has just joined us."

Nathan stood and walked to the doors. "I'll be going now, if you don't mind. I will need to see you in the morning, Lord Rahl."

"Very well," Terrin said.

Nathan Atherton bowed and threw open both of the door and left them open as he strolled out past Brus.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked back as the adviser left she wondered if he could actually be trusted. She saw Brus and no smile crossed her face she was sure he could not be trusted, but for different reasons. She turned and looked back at the other men and watched the blood "Why is there a floating orb of blood?" she raised an eyebrow there was something in her tone that said she really didn't want to know the answer and it might just be better to not tell her that it was a collection of her blood.

She walked over to her seat with out even an answer and sat, despite the amount of physical activity and lack of food she had eaten she had still not gained back an appetite. her heart was heavy, learning the truth of how the world was a lie was hurt, and learning further more that one idea of right and wrong and good and evil might be a little off could be a bit overwhelming specially to some one who was just 16...suddenly it hit her, she wasn't 16 any more today was her birthday, she was 17. Today was the last day of the Harvest moon. "its Harvest Season." she told them suddenly "The farmers are preparing the fields all but what they can't get done by sun down. At that time what is left can not be touched." She told them without realizing she was speaking "Tomorrow there is a very large Festival thanking the God and Goddess, well the Farmers do this more then the Nobles- for the Harvest, Its really pretty at night they take these pink flowers and whispers a message to send to the god or goddess, and then we attach a candle in them and a cloth balloon to float them to the heavens." She furrowed her brows trying ot remember what she asked for she was 9 the last festival she was able to attend.

Suddenly she smiled remembering. Suddenly the smile turned into a grin then a laugh, it was something silly but it came true. flowers, She wanted to plant flowers on the farm because of how pretty they where. Daffodils particularly because of how cheerfuller they where.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus limped into the hall and quickly sat down. He used what little white magic he could to try anf relieve the cramps in his back, legs and arms. He groaned, he did not like the mana flow here, that was mainly why he left so long ago and did not return, until now.

"Oh, um, where are my manners." He stood up painfully and bowed to Terrin, this was customary to show respect, especially to someone who you might have damaged there roof.

Even though he was more accustomed to the greenery of Serrik, he did admire the achitecture as he sat back down.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and said "its the harvest Festival the priest don't heal tonight until." She frowned remembering the girl who lost a leg because of this taboo, its to honor the dead in hopes they bring the wishes if the god and goddess so choose to grant them and the wishes. She knew the customs where weird and silly and it always bothered her she looked at them and said "Its dumb, people die every day because of this." She looked at Brus "They think it would offend the god of the underworld and keep the wishes of seeing our lost loved ones from visiting us this night." She shook her head "Dead people stay dead, well they walk- but they aren't really ever the same."

[demonic_monkey]

"I know the festival you speak of," Terrin said. "The preists call for blessings over the lands from the gods and then they weave webs of mana over whatever it is they spoke of to protect or nourish or heal. The tap the energy of the mana to maintain that spell until they die, for they can affect the mana in no way when they are dead. Why do you bring it up?"

[Cahalith]

She looked at him and shook her head "I was just getting my scenes of time back." She explained calmly "I am by birth a farmer and this is one of the most important times of years." She told him "I also remembered the last thing I ever wished for." She explained but no mention of what triggered it- her birthday.

[buzzsaw133]

"Blessing the dead is a waste of time in my opinion, I understand that it gives some confidence to relatives of that particular person, but for other people, nothing..." He rubbed his leg, letting the mana circulate through it, healing the internal damage.

"I know a good friend of mine who is in league with the angels, I met him in Bala-Ged while he was preaching about something or other." Brus stretched his legs. "I think they might be able to help us out if he can convince them."

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Brus like he was the stupids thing in the world she didn't care to hide it- "You eat every day, what your body takes in to sustain your life is death." She looked at him "Do you not clean the meat you eat before you consume it? that is a type of blessing." her words where harsh.

Haru was not stupid by any means she knew because she didn't use magic that even cooking in a way was a type of blessing "Do you not see the world changing, that is a death." She shook her head, she didn't know how to react to this man, he was by far more childish then any one she had ever met in her entire life. sighing she looked at the three other men and looked at Richard maybe he would understand they where both from the jungle maybe it was a cultural thing?

[DarkWolf]

Raviel listened to the explanations of the festival. He did enquire further about it nor did he ask Brus what had happened to him.

Like Haru he found Brus comments very odd. "Haru is right, Brus. Without death there would be no life. Blessing and remembering the dead is important. It is in thanks to the dead that we acknowledge the nourishment it gives. Whether the wisdom imparted during the lifetime, or to be food for creatures and plants. This is the basic cycle of life. For one who has such knowledge of Bala-Ged, the realm of Death, one would think you'd have more respect for death. I am a Necromancer, as is Terrin, and part of being such requires respect of death, an understanding, and blessings are important in such works too.

"But these talks are not important. We are getting a little sidetracked. We do not need help from other agents but thank you for raising the option, Brus. We first need to disguise Haru appropriately. You will also need to change attire, Brus. We can then go into the town where she was with Sir Ariel and discretely gather information. The steps beyond that depend on what we learn. I recommend going in the morn. We've done quite some travelling this day, and I wish to teach Haru a few things to aid the disguise, just in case she is ever challenged. I'm sure Terrin would like to teach Richard also. We can then sleep and set off early tomorrow. Does this sound reasonable?"

[Cahalith]

Haru remembered stories of the neighboring village to the east of hers they buried the dead in their fields- they had the best crops every year till of course the King told them that they where not to eat fruit that sprouts from the flesh of man. Their village's crops quickly withered and the land barren, and then went its people.

She used to ask what the King was afraid of, the bodies where just holding the spirit after the spirit was gone the body should be used to sustain life. She got whipped for that question.

Haru looked at them Necromancers- they where like puppeteers of the dead- Necromancers didn't bother her as much as other mages, as long as they didn't remove the spirit first.

Haru looked at them and said "Death happens to every one, You can't run from it forever- no matter how long you live it will find you, and it will take you." she herself didn't fear dyeing, she knew eventually one day it would happen and that was ready for that day.

She looked at him and nodded "It might be useful to go out during the festival actually, and the disguising will be easier. We paint our faces like the dead- well At least the region that my village resides in does." She told him "And masks are often worn-"suddenly with out warning she yawned she looked surprised that she did. She looked at every one at the table and said "apparently Reveil is right, sleep is a necessity." She made a face at him.

Haru had respect for authority, and traditions but at the same time, she wouldn't do something just because she was told to- she was too smart for that.

She looked to the men and said "I would very much like to go to sleep, I don't think I have done that for a while now." She stood excusing herself. She seemed to he in good spirits but inside she was still a storm, just a very well hidden one.

[demonic_monkey]

"It sounds reasonable to me, I suppose," Terrin said. "Sleep would do us all a great deal of good, since I am sure that none at this table have slept in a good long while. I will be leaving now. The rest of you can stay as long as you want. When you do decide to retire, my men can guide you to your rooms. Richard, if you would come with me?"

Richard bid the group a good night and followed Terrin from the room.

[buzzsaw133]

He understood their point of viewm, but he didn't see the practicality in it.

(sorry for the one-liner)

[Cahalith]

She watched the host and his son go leaving Reviel and Brus, She looked at Brus who had gotten quite- she knew he didn't understand what she was saying or any one else for that matter- he was too stuck in his own self mindedness.

Haru began to walk, slowly to her own room, she remembered the way, wondering what tomorrow would bring her- She wondered what it would be like to use magic and made a face her tongue sticking out at the idea the image of the mirror creeping into her head she changed her expression to that of a composed one- she needed to remember, she was not a child, she was a knight; almost, and could not afford to look or act like a child.

She turned "Reviel your bird isn't watching me is it?" She suddenly remembered that it might have seen her make that face

[buzzsaw133]

Brus picked himself up from the table and walked over to Terrin. "You wouldn't happen to have a suite of heavy armor, preferably plate armor, would you?"

Brus knew one of the most valuable assets to survival, mimicry. He needed to blend in and his body type was very much like a veteran knight. He knew all of the blessings and the hidden passageways in the city, although he wasn't here for long.

"If I'm going to survive here, I'm going to need to blend in." Brus calmly said.

[demonic_monkey]

"Of course," Terrin said. "Trimack, please take Brus here to get some armor and whatever else he needs."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Trimack said, saluting.

Terrin continued on with his son.

"Father," Richard said. "There are some things I don't understand."

"Such as?" Terrin asked.

"Your men," he said. "They seem extremely loyal to you. Such loyalty must be earned. How did you earn it?"

"A good question, my son," Terrin said. "When my father died, he died in battle. There was a war consuming this plane. That was about nine hundred years ago. At that time, I had just become a knight and was fighting as one of my father's soldiers. When he was killed and I became Lord Rahl, there were many men who wanted me out of harm's way, fearing that they would lose another Lord Rahl and would be without a leader.

"I refused and instead rode into battle with my men, at the front of every charge. My father had taught me to use my magic already...to a point. With my ability, I was able to shield many men from harm and kill many of our enemies. We were able to triumph over the opposition and restore order to Astar for a time. Those battle, though, earned the respect and admiration of my men. They followed me without question from then on. They all had families and, in time, their children became knights and came to serve me like their fathers before them. They showed the same loyalty as their fathers...and now the descendants of those knights who fought with me in that war still serve the House of Rahl with fierce loyalty. I suppose some consider me to be a legend. I don't know why."

"Nine hundred years?" Richard asked.

"Through my magic, I found a way to extend my life," Terrin explained. "It is different for everyone, but achievable. I hope that you can unlock the secret of eternal youth, as well. I will teach you all I can to ensure that you have the means to reach that goal."

[DarkWolf]

"If it was it did not relay the information to me," Raviel replied to Haru honestly with a soft smile. He turned to Terrin and said, "I thank you for the meal. If you have a room to spare I would like to retire for the evening. I also ask if it is permissable for me to seal the chambers, of so offered, with my own magics? While I have trust in you I cannot say the same for all you employ. I always seal the place where I intend to rest, it is a habit. I must admit I would be unable to sleep without it. But as this is your abode I require permission beforehand in courtesy."

Raviel awaited the response. He was genuine tired again. The sleep in the bath had done little to rejuvenate him and he had cleaned himself magically when he had changed into these white clothes.Having sated his eppetite he was quite tired.

[buzzsaw133]

He made his way down the long hallway to the armory and was greeted with the smell of clean steel. He had missed that smell everyday since he left.

"Any specific customs or rules I should abide by here?" He asked the man he was following. "I haven't been here for a while."

[Cahalith]

Haru nodded and said "good night- sleep well." She yawned again and began to head to her own chambers, she was tired and welcomed a good nights sleep. It had been some time since she had slept, or slept well.

[demonic_monkey]

"You have my permission," Terrin said. "My men would not dare to harm you, but I understand a need for security. It is allowable. I know the habit myself, though I haven't had a chance to do so since I woke up yesterday." He bade them a good night and he and Richard left the dining hall.

"What will my first lesson be?" Richard asked.

"Defense," Terrin answered, looking over at his son. "It will come in quite handy, trust me. Along with that I will try to teach you healing."

"Will the lesson be hard?"

"I will teach you what you need to know and then test you against a couple conjurations to see if you have learned them. The tests will be repeated from time to time, but with higher difficulty. This will help you master the use of your magic quickly. There will also be lessons about how you are to be a servant to the magic, for these things must be in balance. You must serve the magic if you wish to be its master."

"What more can you tell me about that?" Richard asked. "The Servant/Master part?"

"In time, my boy," Terrin said, smiling. "Soon, though. I have the strangest feeling that you will need to learn many things, very fast..."

[Cahalith]

As Haru went to her borrowed room, she eyed the mirror with suspicion. She looked around and grabbed a sheet it was nearing The Harvest maybe that was a spirit? walking to the closet she grabbed a sheet and put it over the mirror she noticed he had it silver framed, so maybe it wasn't.

She sat down on a chair and took her boots off and set them on the ground she didn't worry about getting undressed the dress was oddly comfortable it was the perfect traveling garment, and she had this strange feeling it was magic. She walked to the door and poked her head out hearing foot steps, the men here where walking about, she needed knifes, but didn't know where to get her knifes- she knew it was silly but those knifes where different then any knifes she had ever seen before, Sir Ariel gave them to her, from a travel of some sort.

Black glass, but unbreakable it would never get dull. She let out a yawn again and her eyes felt heavy and so decided she should go to bed. She walked to her bed forgetting to close her door and fell quickly asleep- the moment her head hit the pillow she had passed out.

for once she looked relaxed, not like she had the to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

[buzzsaw133]

Brus follwed the man into the room and selected a suit of thick plate armor with a seven-branched tree on the right shoulder. He put his axe down and selected a claymore from the wall.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel thanked Terrin before he left and was lead to his room by a servant. He did as when he was in the Inn to secure the room. The crow was positioned to a fixture where it could observe the area outside Raviel's room.

He thought about Haru. He recounted in memory everything involving her, anything he could use to help her. He did have sympathy for her. She had been accused and banished for something she wasn't responsible for, she had been lied to her entire life. He to do something to show her he was, in some way, a friend. A token of trust.

He remembered something. It had been easily forgotten as it was learned through a crow not directly but he remembered it now.

He set to work. He knelt on the floow, blue circles before him like an altar. He expended his energy, his power, and a lot of it. It was a creation spell of a material that was hard to form in magic due to its greater quality, and he lacked components which made spells easier. A high-level creation spell was difficult to accomplish without components for greater materials than what was common and basic. He was already tired for such varied uses of magic through the day. But he achieved his goal.

He had also created simple brown cloth to cover the creation with. Also, a small white card with ink upon it. He took these to Haru's room. He saw her sleeping and smiled. He set the bundle on a table by her bed with the card upon it. He quietly left, carefully closing the door behind him, and returned to his room.

He locked his door, undressed into just new shorts slipping under the sheets of the bed. A second later he was out like a light.

The card in Haru's room simply read:

Please take these black glass, unbreakable, knives. See you in the morning. - Raviel

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin and Richard stopped when they reached Richard's door.

"This is where we part ways for the moment, my son," Terrin said. "Your teaching will begin tomorrow. Sleep well tonight, for you will need the rest."

"Yes, father," Richard said. "Good night."

Richard slipped through the door and closed it behind him. Terrin sighed and continued onward to the next door, which led to his room. He entered the lavish room and tossed his robes aside, collapsing onto the satin sheets and warm wool blankets. He curled up on the bed and was asleep within seconds.

[Cahalith]

Haru under any other circumstances would have awoken- but she was far to tired not even the sounds of a hundred men slaughtered would wake her at this point.

When day came she had slept much later than she was accustom to, it was unusual for her to sleep past the sun rising into the sky- day brake was her alarm but a few hours later she awoke her body well rested she blinked a few times and sat up with a start seeing it was well past dawn. she jumped out of bed and hurriedly put on her shoes and rushed out of the room her hand touched the table, the cloth wasn't there before?

What was it? She read it and was very surprised she looked at the knives and felt like crying it was very... sweet. She touched them and let her fingers touch the blades they where beautiful and so tucked them away hiding them perfectly- she was good at hiding her weapons she needed to find Reviel and thank him.

She began to run looking for him.

[buzzsaw133]

Nrus had spent the night getting re-acquainted with the rules and customs of Astar from a very homely pair of priests. He simply told them that he was from a very unpopulated area of the world and needed to know what do do around here. When he was satisfied with the information he was given, he thanked the two men and began wondering Astar, looking for a job.

He eventually came to a warrior's guild in the heart of Bainu, the main Astarian city. He walked up to the admitter and spoke to him.

"How would I go about joining this guild?" He questioned without seeming to interested.

"Very easily, prove yourself in combat during the initiations in a couple hours." The man was wearing a thin suit of armor was was carrying two thin bladed cris-crossed on his back.

[demonic_monkey]

Just before dawn, Terrin knocked on the door to Richard's room. He was now dressed in simple black leather boots, black trousers, a loose white tunic and a black vest with a crimson letter R on the back. At his left hip, his sword, bearing an ornate letter R woven of silver wire, hung from a tooled-leather baldric. Richard answered the door in similar clothing, which he had found laying out for him when he woke, but was without a sword, just his knife.

"It is time for your training to begin," Terrin said. "Follow me. We will work in the palace courtyards." He looked over to the commander who was standing guard nearby. "Trimack, if anyone asks for me, tell them where to find me."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," he said.

Terrin started walking and Richard fell in behind him.

[buzzsaw133]

"Great." He walked over and joined the crowd of fighters waiting to be let into the arena. He looked around and saw that a good number of these soldiers were seasoned veterans.

He lifted lifted the sword from his back and looked it over for scratches or cracks. He didn't really expect to find any, but he wanted to fit in for now.

The gates opened and the group of warriors walked into the arena as the doors closed.

[demonic_monkey]

Richard and Terrin sat across from each other in meditation. When the sun rose high enough to fall on them, they stood and walked ten yards in the opposite direction and then turned to face each other.

"In this exercise," Terrin said, "you will learn to use magic as a shield. Hold your hands with your palms facing toward me. Tap your gift and call upon the mana to make your shield."

Richard stood silently and did as he was told and soon brought up a transparent glowing white wall before himself.

"Good," Terrin said. "Now, let's see how long you can hold it."

Richard's eyes widened as Terrin produced several fire balls, which immediately started pummeling his shield. It held firmly as the fire balls bombarded it. Eventually, Terrin changed tactics and started pulling up great chunks of earth yo hurl at the wall. Still, it held.

"Now, behind you," Terrin said, his voice somehow coming from behind Richard.

He turned and brought up his shields as Terrin channelled water from a nearby fountain and hurled it toward his son, turning it into spears of ice as it flew. The new shield Richard had cast shattered the ice spears.

"And from above?" Terrin said.

Richard held one hand skyward while staring at his father as the tremendous ammount of earth Terrin had already pulled plummeted down all around him, sliding around the edges of a small, bubble-like shield.

"Very good," Terrin said. "You passed your first level of training. It usually takes longer."

[buzzsaw133]

A loud voice rang through the arena. The stands were filled with people from all over the plane. "You are all trying for a membership in the Warrior's Guild. Last man standing wins...FIGHT!"

The sound of swords and sheilds echoed through the stadium as the fighters around me drew their weapons. They stood looking at each other for a couple minutes before I grew tired. I reached over to one of the more heavily clad men and hurled him ino the group. The battle was on...

[Cahalith]

Haru ran down the halls in search for Raviel her gift tucked away in hiding, It was very kind of him, but she had no idea how he was able to acquire these- unless he made them.

the realization hit her Raviel had gone to the effort to make her these knifes, why she wasn't sure. Even with magic they could not have been easy to make. Sir Ariel said they where a difficult material to work with, to forge unbreakable glass. She bit her lip pausing she had to find some way to thank him!

[buzzsaw133]

The fight went on for a short time, most of these "warriors" were no more than farm boys with a strong will. Brus went on for a while until the rest of the group was beaten too badly to move. He was approached by a man heavily clad in armor.

"You are accepted." The man lifted Brus' hand into the air. Brus lifted his other hand and edged on the crowd.

In his exitement, he unintentionally made the energy around him fluctuate. This was noticed by the man and he led him off by the arm into a room filled with weapons of every kind.

"I know who you are." The man stared Brus intently in the eyes.

[demonic_monkey]

((OOC: I'm sorry, but I have no idea what is going on in this thread anymore. This warrior's guild/gladiator thing seems to go by the law of survival of the fittest, which seems to be more of a Serrik thing than an Astar thing. It just doesn't seem to add up. If you could perhaps explain it logically, I would be greatly pleased. Again, I'm sorry...just very confused.))

[Cahalith]

OOC: I Second that! very confused...

[buzzsaw133]

(It is used to select the strongest fighters and get them trained to fight for justice, kinda like entry for basic combat training.)

[Cahalith]

(It is used to select the strongest fighters and get them trained to fight for justice, kinda like entry for basic combat training.)



1. being a knight isn't about being strong...

2. you're changing what you first described it as "a warrior guild" which means they are a group of people who tend to fight for no other person than to be worriers. Worriers and knights are different.... Maybe you should do some research on knights..

What makes one a knight isn't their ability to fight its their noble hearts, courage, and fallowing a Code of Ethics.

the ethics is the MAIN thing. You can't just make any one a knight because they can fight.

Haru for instance isn't a knight because she could fight.... she had 6 years of training in other fields- Combat was just added as a way to exercise those other fields.

Dude I am big into Knights, its one of my favorite code of ethics...and I know this isn't earth but you really need to work on basing some things in reality... or have a better description of your world.

[DarkWolf]

((OOC: "A knight is sworn to valour. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked." - The Old Code for Knights, Dragonheart

Knights were more than mere warriors. They served the people to protect them, they served the King to enforce laws and battle wars. They were the police and militia. Knighthood was given to those who proved loyalty, honour, and valour. It was not about combat prowess. Even today, although a much cheaper version, Knighthood is given to individuals who have excelled be it business, art, or service to the monarchy. Knights were not just warriors, they served other roles too.

In the olden days a Colliseum for battles was never a test to be Knights. They never had such tests. The Colliseum battles, whether one-against-one or a battle royale, was purely for sport, money, and prestige. A Warrior Guild would be seperate from Knights. That Guild, like most, would be mercernaries only. However, in the interests of public safety and to avoid threat to the king such guilds or factions were either forced out of towns or cities or outright deemed illegal and taken down.

From your setup Astar is about Order, Law, Justice. It was for protection and the mana was defence and healing. Having a survival-style battle royale initiation seems against the setup of Astar.

If you're trying to have Brus become a Knight for the benefit of finding out about Sir Ariel's murder then there's not much point. Nobody would ever trust a trainee and his magic nature would be sensed and likely he'd be rejected for such. If it's not for the Sir Ariel thing then what is your character doing? The point of RPs is group play. Soloing should be kept to a minimum unless necessary.

Sorry, I think we're just confused by what seems to be the Brus Sidestory.

I also apologise for my lack of writing lately and how little story-writing I'm putting here. My head hasn't been in a writing mood. I'm starting to get a bit more creative again though.))

Raviel woke slowly. He didn't know how long he slept but it was quite into morning already. The sleep had done him some good, however, and he felt restored. He got out of the bed and made it up neatly. He dressed the manual way and only used magic to clean himself and his clothing. It was more out of habit than anything for he was already clean as was his clothes but still it was something he did everytime he woke. He dispelled the protection he had set up and even dismissed the crow. He made his way to the Dining Hall because it was the only place he knew where to go and hoped Haru would find him there. He didn't want to wake her if she was still asleep.

He sat in the same chair as before to think. He wanted to begin teaching Haru right away and thought on what basic combat magics he could impart.

[Cahalith]

((OOC: Thank you DarkWolf, I actually have friends (Family friends) who where where Knighted for their purchase of a large chunk of the coast in a Dutch Colony, and then putting it in their will that the Land they bought would be left to the locals. It was their way to protect the locals from the purchases of Hotels on the cost, where most of their food came from. They where knighted for helping a large group of people. there was no combat involved.)

Haru had not been able to find him, of course she didn't know where his room was, in fact she only knew of two locations. Haru stopped running and realized her emotions had gotten the better of her and though embarrassed by this accepted that this ones it was an appropriate moment.

Haru walked into the Dinning room and when she saw Reviel her entire face lit up, her eyes where full of gratefulness, and on her lips she wore a smile. "Reviel, Thank you." was all she could say, but it was out of the most sincerest part of her heart that the words came from.

((OOC: oh and DarkWolf WELCOME BACK ^.^))

[buzzsaw133]

(What I was shooting for was the arena was were the warriors started out before they went under the tutelage of the knights and learned the code of honor. Understand the fact that this universe is different from ours. Knights are selected early as squires and are trained and formed into knights. He wasn't even going to get inducted, he was going to get banished back to Serrik in pretty much the same way Haru did. Do I really have to tell you the whole plot so you don't complain?)

[Cahalith]

(What I was shooting for was the arena was were the warriors started out before they went under the tutelage of the knights and learned the code of honor. Understand the fact that this universe is different from ours. Knights are selected early as squires and are trained and formed into knights. He wasn't even going to get inducted, he was going to get banished back to Serrik in pretty much the same way Haru did. Do I really have to tell you the whole plot so you don't complain?)


And in response: You know Buzzsaw you are kinda being a jerk...

1. your character's actions/happening in Astar doesn't align with what guidelines you have set up for Astar. Your description was more gladiator, and in all honesty that does not align with what YOU set up for the world.

2. I believe your the one complaining... We are simply asking for clarification as to how your characters actions in Astar align with the world setting.

3. if you are going to use words from our world (and not give a description of what it means in YOUR world) expect people to associate them with the real world description.


You never set up how one becomes a knight in Astar so we are going off of how one becomes one in the real world....


4. Stop using the cop out, this isn't the real world- You didn't give an explanation of what something is in the fictional world to go off of so there by default to what is common knowledge is how most people go about lack of knowledge...

[DarkWolf]

((OOC: The reason why we're confused is because this is an RP, a group-game, and your character is off doing his own thing for no addition to the overall plot we have all decided upon.

Mirithas may not be like our reality but unless you state the differences in the Set Up we are going to default on our reality for reference. So, if you want Knights to be different then you should have stated such. We are not mind readers. It is also in conflict to what others have written in about Knights.

For the sake of continuity I'm going to assume Brus is in a completely different place than where Haru was raised and trained and that this place Brus is in has its own private setup about Knights.

We're also confused because we're trying to figure out what the hell you're doing with your character. First he gets suddenly and mysteriously sent to Kirar and now he's going to be banished to Serrik? What's the point? We're trying to wonder how this goes with the current plot. It doesn't fit. You're not giving any clues, like what your character is thinking or intending, and your character seems erratic.

If all you want is to play "Brus' Story" then why not just make a Stories post of it? We're not saying you must spill out everything in an OOC but please look back and what others have written. Do you see how we have developed a plot without actually stating it all in OOC? Do you see why Haru is doing what she's doing, do you understand why Raviel is helping her? If your character is working towards the plot (which we all, including you, have agreed upon) then give us clues through his thoughts, his feelings, his inner voice. Your writing needs to express not just what he's doing but also why he's doing it. What is Brus motivation for joining this Warrior thing? What does he intend to achieve? What are his feelings about the others? Does he aim to help them? If so why?

Consider it a challenge of creativity: your recent warrior/knight thing is breaking away from both set up and continuity. So think of a reason why. Perhaps they simply wanted to change things? Maybe the ruler governing this town no longer has much sense for "honour" and only wants powerful military force, so s/he setup this practice to ensure combat-orientated warriors as opposed to traditional Knights? A small exemption to the setup/continuity is fine as long as a good reason is given for it beyond merely "it is this way because I say so".

I stress again that an RP is a co-operative story and we are not mindreaders. Some explanation, be it narrative or OOC, is essential.))

Raviel broke from his thoughts at the sound of a voice. He turned to see Haru and gave a small smile. "You're welcome," he said to her, "I figured you might want them. You are a fighter, I suspected you may have felt a little vulnerable without them. Just as I would feel vulnerable without my magic."

Raviel stood to face her directly. He was cautious with the approach of his words. "I was wondering if you'd like to try some magic? You don't have a shield so I presume you rely on parrying and evasion. It is possible to create a momentary shield with magic for repelling a basic physical, or weak magic, attack. If you'd like to see it in effect, then attack me directly." He smiled but his tone told he was genuine. Mentally he prepared his defence.

[buzzsaw133]

(Do you see what I am talking about...everytime I say anything you just be a total sphincter.)

THIS THREAD HAS BEEN KILLED---GOODBYE

[DarkWolf]

((OOC:
THIS THREAD HAS BEEN KILLED---GOODBYENot really your call. If the majority of writers wish to continue then the thread continues. Co-op story, remember?

I'm done giving you lessons on RP basics. You seem intent to not understand or care so I'm not wasting my time anymore. Please think back on this next time you make a RP to understand why I, at least, won't be joining.))

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and nodded "yes." She did feel venerable with out her weapon "however i wasn't left completely defenseless." She was still smiled, she had always loved her knifes "they would have had to remove my limbs to render me weaponless." She told him and listened as he spoke- she usually did rely on evasion and of course getting hit, which was always a good distraction.

She could see how a shield would be useful but she didn't ever use one simply because she used two knifes one in each hand there was no room for shield.

the smile faded slowly, she wasn't quite ready, she felt nervous about magic, "I-." She paused not sure how to word it "I don't know, I am not sure if using magic would be fair in combat." Taking in a deep breath she was thinking trying to look at it at a different view but was struggling.

[DarkWolf]

"Combat is never about fairness," Raviel said, a softness to his tone, "it is about exploiting an opponent's weakness and using your advantages. Using two knives means your focus is speed to get close for the attack and then distant for evasion. Is the fight fair if you're faster than them or if your tactic is more efficient or if your tool is better quality? Fairness in battle exists only if both combatants have the same weapons, of same quality, same height and weight, same training, same clothing or armour, and same mind. The only equal battle is if you fight an opponent identical to you in every way.

"However, if you don't feel ready then you are not ready. I will not push you. You should only learn magic when you are ready. Magic is reliant on your soul. If your heart wavers so does the magic. To learn magic, of any kind, you must have a determination to do so. You must feel ready. Magic has many uses. Combat, protection, healing, and even everyday tasks like cleaning. But any magic can be dangerous to one who is not ready. It requires a focused mind, steady heart, and patience.

"If you don't want to learn magic yet shall we work on your disguise?"

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at Reviel, she saw fairness a little differently than he did. "It just seems like its underhanded." She didn't mean the words quite the way they could be interpreted "like you have a trick up your sleeve" Haru often times used trickery but never magic, it had always seemed to be cheep in some way.

Thinking about it she knew that he was right about combat not being fair, "But the person who loses gains new skills and learn, in a way that gives them the upper hand next time. in theory." She paused thinking still more about magic, and when the use of it being as an aid to heal she looked up "healing?" she asked.

[DarkWolf]

"Yes, healing," Raviel half-smiled. It didn't surprise him that it was this aspect which intrigued her most.

Raviel opened his left palm as he pulled out his sword. He ran the sword across the palm to cut it, before sheathing the blade. He didn't seem to be hurt by this, not immunity to the pain but more like he was used to doing this. He held the hand out a little before him with the palm upward as he looked at it.

"Blood," he began to say in a simple but low tone. "Something I must mention before I feed your interest with a demonstration," he continued while still staring at his bleeding hand, "magic gives nothing for free. A spell may just require some of your mana, or energy, and sometimes it may only need basic components like herbs and ingredients. Sometimes it needs your commitment through a ritual or maybe only the words you speak. Or any combination of things. But sometimes its tribute is paid with flesh, blood, or even your life force drunk directly from your soul. I want you to know who you are, and I would find it wonderful to have you as an apprentice. Your use of magic may only be healing, or combat, but it would be bad of me to not stress that magic must not be taken lightly. It demands respect and commitment. It is a path - a journey. But magic is not unkind. The more you respect and favour magic the more it respects and blesses you. The more it rewards you. I can do riskfree what most would find too dangerous. Learn to enjoy your gift and revel in the world it will open for you. But know your limits or magic will ask a price too high and won't let you say no. But I think even you will find it worth it just to do things like this..."

He waved his right hand over the cut and it glowed a solid white with small golden flickers. The wave took but a second if not less but his left palm was revealed completely restored. With a wave of just a finger even the blood that was dropped to the floor vanished like dust in a wind.

He looked at Haru and half-smiled again with amusement in his eye. "Would you like to learn how to heal?"

[demonic_monkey]

Richard, now on his hands and knees, wiped back stray strands of sweat-drenched hair from his face. He looked up at Terrin, who still stood imperiously ten meters away. He hasn't even broken a sweat yet! Richard thought, staring at his father's smirk.

"Why am I so exhausted?" Richard wheezed, out of breath.

"You have not yet learned to control the flow of your mana, my son," Terrin said, glide-stepping closer. "You are putting too much energy into your attacks and, as such, it is wearing you down quicker. You'll have to learn how to use your mana more conservatively. There are certain tricks you can learn that will allow you to cause more damage with less energy. For example, boiling the sap within a tree will produce a rather large explosion with only a small ammount of energy being expended in the process."

Terrin stopped before him and held out his hand. Richard gripped his father's wrist and pulled himself up from the ground.

"You could have explained the concept of controlling my mana flow earlier," he pointed out.

Terrin chuckled. "Perhaps, my son," he said, "but I didn't in order to teach you a more important lesson. In order to be the master of your magic, you must also be its servant. For the energy you call forth, you must sacrifice your own. Power cannot be gained without sacrifice. That is perhaps the most important lesson you can learn."

Richard followed his father back into the palace in silence, until he remembered something Terrin had told him the night before.

"But you were able to shield an entire army," Richard said. "How did you manage that with only your power?"

"I didn't," Terrin said, smiling. "At that time, when I required greater power than I myself possessed, I called upon the dormant energies of that very army, and of the grasses of the field upon which we battled, and of the trees at the edge of that field. I tapped into their untapped potential for aid when my need was greatest, but only then. It is...wrong to do such a thing unless your need is great. Taking that energy from those things can be...costly. That field has since been barren of grass, for in using its energy, I killed the grasses of that plain." He tapped his temple. "My eyes didn't go black like this without good reason. I have done things in the past that I am not proud of, but I intend to make amends for my past evils."

Richard followed him in silence, considering all the things he had learned this morning.

[Cahalith]

Haru watched as he slight his own hand, her eyes where the only thing that showed her concern for the cut on his hand, but her body it gave away nothing. As she listened to the words he spoke she watched his hand bleed, and though she knew little of healing (that part of her training had not been started) she did know that too much blood loss was deadly.

She watched as he healed his wound, it was interesting to watch it was like watching something in reverse. Tilting her head to the side "I don't trust it." She told him "You less than Terrin, don't really look human-- does magic do that?" She didn't like the idea of something consuming her an warping her, Haru liked to be in control of herself, because she understood that that was the only thing in the world one could control. "I just-" She frowned, but he could see her eyes the biggest give away to her thoughts had the curiosity sparked, she was just being stubborn do to her past experiences.

[DarkWolf]

"I can't comment on Terrin," Raviel replied, "but my appearance is my own doing. Over the years I have augmented my body using magics. The highest of such was my achieving immortality. That kind of magic will alter the body. But it must be sought. Healing and throwing bolts or shielding and such as would never alter you. To get to the level of where your body would be changed you would need to offer your life, flesh, and soul to magic in full. This is a state of being to walk beyond death and glimpse the divine. To unravel secrets that no language can express and no ordinary mind may contain. It takes centuries to thousands of years of dedication to achieve these things. I doubt you will have the passion for magic to seek such things so you never need worry about physical changes."

Raviel paused to let her think on his words and remembered his early days. He remembered being young and unchanged by magic. It was such a long time ago. Back when he was naïve and knew so little about magics.

It was a sunny morning in the small village. The village was large, just shy of being a full town, and people bustled about in their day to day lives. From afar there is nothing new. On closer look, however, there were key things to note. The attire was different and housing more basic in structure. The language was also different and is, what today is labelled, ancient. This was a very long time ago.

In one small house there was commotion. Inside one sees upon a bed a small boy, no more than six, lying there in just tan shorts. His face was contorted in agony, his teeth gritted, and his forehead glistening from sweat. His brown, slightly wavy, short hair was wet. He was sick. He was surely dying.

Two men and a woman talked downstairs, two dressed in what is normal for this time and one man dressed in fine blue robes, short black hair, and clear blue eyes. He was a mage.

“It is clear he has the gift of magic,” the mage declared, “it is early but you should have expected this and prepared. Have you not begun the study of magic?”

“We know little magic,” the other man said, looking thin and tired, “this village has little magic. It is a safe haven for those who do not have the gift. If one develops such they are sent to the nearest town of Gelen.”

“I see,” the mage replied, “this is why there are plans to one day make it law to banish the ungifted from the realm! In any case your lack of preparation may have killed this boy. Why had I not been called on sooner?”

“Because,” the woman responded with a voice full of worry and urgency and frustration, “we had no time! His headaches started only two days ago! His headaches have become very serious and he has begun to vomit blood. And we were prepared, we tried the tea and bark but neither has helped! His mana rejects being tampered with on a natural and automatic level. Is there anything you can do?”

The mage was shocked by her words. “I am sorry,” he said gravely, “but for it to progress this fast and to reject outside aid means there is nothing I can do. Spells can be done to force one’s will even for use of magic but such things can be dangerous especially for one so young.”

“No!” The voice startled them all. It came from the boy. Sweating and shaking he descended the last of the steps and staggered towards them, “I won’t let this beat me!”

“Arkan!” The mother called rushing to her boy and helping him to a seat. “Silly child,” she said with a croaking voice as she stifled sobs, “do not exert yourself, so! You must save your strength.”

The boy looked into his mother’s large hazel eyes and forced a smile. “I will be well,” he said with haggered breath, “this mage will take me away to learn magic!”

“There is no time,” the mage responded with a heavy shrug. He looked sorrowfully upon the boy. “Gelen is a few days travel from here and you are at the hearth of death already.”

“I will make it,” the boy stood firmly, brushing away his mother’s hands as she tried to stop him and make him sit. His eyes were intent with determination. “Young I may be but have no doubt, mage, my soul is too strong for this death to take. This power is mine. I will learn to use it.”

The mage was impressed by the boys words. He seemed much wiser than his years. He felt great curiosity about this boy. He had amazing potential. “Very well,” the mage said in an official voice, “if you do survive then you, Arkan Hadash, will be my first apprentice. Helena,” he looked at the boy’s mother, “please be so kind to pack some food and water for the journey. Garen,” he turned to the father, “please procure his things. Boy,” and now his gaze fell again to the child who still stood strong despite the sickness, “dress yourself and say your goodbyes. It will be some time before you see your family again, if ever.”

The boy survived, of course. He spent years as a student at the Gelen Academy of Magic Arts before going away at fourteen with his master to become an apprentice full-time. He had excelled in magic. A true prodigy.

But at the age of twenty-three, still an apprentice, Arkan returned to Gelen to help at the Academy. He had learned the law of banishment had passed, his parents had been sent to Astar, and the village had been destroyed to make way for a trading outpost for Gelen. Arkan was furious, but his protests went unheard. He sought to go to Astar and see his parents but had not the magic and the portals were guarded - he was not allowed without supervision. His master had refused too, agreeing with the law.

Arkan remained and focused on his studies. He learned what his master taught and learned more on his own. It was four years before he was able to go to Astar by creating his own portal. But it was too late. His parents were gone. His father had become sick. Astar medicine was nothing in comparison to Denui’s healing mages. In Denui he would have survived but in Astar he died. His mother had lost to depression, seeking ways to escape the realm and get to her son. She was jailed for this. In jail it was harsh, and her depression became madness - desperate need to see her son. She even managed to break out of prison but in her escape she was chased. She was caught. She fought them so fiercely that they killed her.

Arkan returned home in sadness but his master was not forgiving. He tried to have Arkan’s powers sealed. But the apprentice was far stronger than he had anticipated. The sealing failed and the mage struck down with a fatal blow. The apprentice became his own master and fled. He disappeared from society.

He did return eventually. But he was nothing of his former self. He returned after many decades with a new name. To honour his past he gave himself the new family name of his home village: Nosgoth. For his a future a name from the divine, Raviel. He sought to write the laws. He sought to take control.

He succeeded.

He blinked and cast the memory away. He looked at Haru again waiting for her response.

[Cahalith]

Haru sat there thinking about how horrible it would be to live for ever, to watch as everything familiar became foreign, people you ones knew gone, out lasting even your own children. Suddenly she began to frown "you must know the greatest of hardships Reviel-" She told him looking in in his eyes so filled with compassion overwhelming her own personal sorrow for in her mind he suffered more "Loneliness."


As she looked at him the young girl seemed to on some level understand truly what it meant to be alone, but the kind that happens when you are surrounded by people. This feeling echos off the hollowness of what once was. "i know that in my short life that feeling has left its scars, Its how I learned to do as much as I could alone. I couldn't trust or count on any one..." She trailed off for a moment "till Sir Ariel." She looked down "It must be hard to know that you will-' She stopped herself not wanting to potentially make things worse.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin parted with his son, sending him off to his room to wash away the sweat and grime from the morning's practical training. He left a guard outside Richard's room with orders to lead him to Terrin's private library. After sending another guard off to find Raviel and let him know that he was welcome to use the library at any time, Terrin started walking to the library alone. He kept his eyes on the floor before him as he walked, not really seeing the stones of the passageways he knew so well. His conversation with his son had awakened memories he had buried within himself long ago.

He stood upon the high outer wall of his palace, his fisted hands resting upon the low wall before him. His eyes were red and his face streaked with tears. The blue of his irises had been replaced with a dark reddish coloration. He remembered his father speaking of the curious traits of the Rahl line. How any evils committed by a Rahl would show in his physical features. Already, his eyes had started on their way to reflecting the evil he had done by killing the grasses that once covered what was now being called the Wasteland of Rahl. Even his skin had taken on a more ashen look. He knew that his appearance would soon be altered even more.

The people of the city had betrayed him. Though every man within his palace was whole-heartedly devoted to him, the people outside those walls feared the Lord with the Red Eyes. His affinity for magic had earned him their hatred. That very hatred had driven them to kidnap, rape, and murder his young bride. His fingernails bit into his palms as his fists clenched in anger at the memory of how he had found her body. These people were vermin in need of extermination. He would be the one to deliver just that to all of them.

He had walked out from his palace that day and begun his cleansing of the city. Like a vampire, he used his power to drain the mana from some of the city's people to fuel his magical retribution. Men, women, even children were powerless before him as he swept through the city like a plague. Those who tried to flee were terrified when they found an impassable shield barring them from escape. By the hundreds, he cut them down with his magic, showing no mercy. In his mind, they did not deserve it.

For an entire week, Terrin stalked the streets of the city, burning homes, slaughtering livestock, murdering with both his magic and his use of mana vampirism. He lost track of the time he spent raining destruction on his city, for the smoke of the fires blotted the sun from his view. Blood ran in streams along the edges of the thoroughfares. Screams pierced the air only to be silenced a second later. He was death incarnate.

When at last every life within the city had been snuffed out, Terrin returned to his palace. His men looked on in mute shock as he walked past them, forever changed by the evil he had unleashed. His hair had turned from its original golden hue and was now black as soot. The albumen of his eyes had taken on that same coloration, with his irises standing out as twin circles of crimson amidst the abyss of his dark eyes. His skin had lost all pigmentation and was now an immaculate alabaster white. He no longer looked human to his men.

He left orders with his most trusted men that the city be cleaned of the dead, rebuilt, and repopulated. After that he descended into the deepest depths of the palace. There he forged a ring of silver and set a black stone into the silver band. Using a book from his library, he spelled the ring to be used to transport him to another plane. Once finished, he used the ring to banish himself to the hellish plane of Bala-ged, a self-imposed punishment for his horrendous conduct.

As Terrin reached out to turn the lever on the door to his library, the ring caught his eye. Bala-ged was where he had uncovered the secret to his immortality. It was more home to him now than his own inherited palace. He heaved a forlorn sigh and entered the library.

((OOC: I will leave it up to DW to decide when the guard will arrive to deliver Terrin's message.))

[DarkWolf]

Raviel paused at Haru's words. She was right in a way; Immortality did mean watching those around you grow old and die. It made it difficult to make friends or have a family. Immortality was a unique thing. It couldn't be simply taught to another. It relied heavily on the qualities of the soul and every soul was unique. One could extend life by other means such as youth potions or body augmentation but these only went so far and did not provide a means for eternal life.

He was a loner at heart. It hadn't been too difficult but he was starting to feel lonely. Haru did not have the resolve for the longstanding dedication for magic that was necessary for achieving Immortality. Her high standards of morality was an obstruction too. Magic itself had no morality and if one wanted to truly learn the secrets one would have to do things others considered evil. Haru never would so it was unlikely she would learn those secrets necessary for gaining infinite youth. So, he would watch her grow, age, and die. He knew it would hurt. But for the chance of friendship, companionship even? It was worth it.

It might not even get that far. How would she react if she learned the things he had done in his pursuit of magic and power? What would she think of his undead army and Necromantic experiments? Of those three he had captured yesterday? What would she think to his Denui home, where people lived whose only duty for their luxury life was his physical pleasure whenever he desired? Maybe one day she would learn his real role in Denui - that he was one of the few mages who secretly ruled the entire realm with a web of control?

"We should at least work on your disguise," he said solemnly breaking from his thoughts, "I can even put an illusion on your knives so nobody would recognise them as black glass. Any thoughts on how you want to appear?"

[Cahalith]

Haru sat there and blinked at the question, it was an odd concept to her, to have the ability to change ones appearance. Frowning slightly she knew why people would do this, to hide something when they where ashamed of what they did or didn't want to do the right thing and turn ones self in, or even out of vanity.

Making that same face she did at the mirror when she saw the girl dressed in odd clothing staring back at her she frowned again "Reviel, I don't care." She didn't care what she looked like, "what one looks like isn't really that important to me. I am not Sasha." She didn't mean to say that part out loud, mentioning her sister brought the memory back.

"Haru HOW COULD YOU!" the echos of her older sister voice bounced off of the shed as Haru held a piece of blood stained glass in her hand looking down at the crumpled beauty before her.
"You where shaming not just yourself but our family." her voice was shaking as she saw the blood trickle from her sisters face to the dirt and begin to pool, She was scared, and regretting the action already.

Sasha stood her face and other random places where the piece of glass had missed her face when Sasha had blocked the attempts Haru made that her face was not all there was to her, and to not give in to such desires. The form was beautiful in every way but now the once lovely face was disfigured by horrid chunk Sasha would not be the same.

"Consider this a wedding present to your husband." Haru said as she dropped the glass and started to back away. She could no longer look at her sister, what Haru did was wrong and she knew it, she knew also that her sister was wrong.

"I was never one to be overly vain." She shrugged her shoulders " Taking a deep breath she said still looking very serious "I am grateful for not being the one blessed with looks in the family."

Then focusing she pondered what would be the best idea for a disguise "Perhaps something very plane boring, something that is easy to forget due to a lack of any distinguish characteristics, and depending on where I am 'from' as your 'apprentice' more then likely of that region." She lifted a finger to her lips to think about it then felt her cheeks grow slightly red as she thought about how she liked this dress and these boots "I should change though." She said out loud, realizing she liked the garment, and didn't want to get too attached to anything "if it doesn't fit the location." she explained.

[DarkWolf]

"Ok," Raviel said with a nod. It was at this moment a guard arrived to let them know they could use the library and Terrin would surely be there. Raviel thanked the guard but also asked if the guard could get them something metal and small, preferably a silver ring or any metal of any shape they had spare. The guard later returned with a few silver coins.

"That would be splendid," Raviel smiled as he accepted the coins, "thank you."

Raviel laid the coins in his palm and concentrated with his other palm hovering over them. The coins floated, melted, merged and formed a solid ring. Raviel muttered incantations quietly with his eyes closed. A blue light shimmered around the ring as did a black trail. They seemed to fuse and rush into the ring carving celtic-looking designs into it. The ring settled again onto his palm. He opened his eyes and took a breath.

"It's done," he stated calmly, "the ring is blessed with an illusion. It won't change your size, weight, or hair length. But it will make your face different, plain but similarly shaped, and your skin will have a light complexion. Your hair will become a dark blonde. Your eyes will be a forest green with an outer swirl of blue. Nothing immediately noticeable or fancy but evident, like your real eyes, of Denui heritage. The illusion works only while the ring is worn. I've also layered it with a spell to help mask the magic. Only higher level magic users may detect it and even then they would need to be suspicious of an illusion in the first place. As long as nobody suspects it's a fake image nobody can sense it is such unless they have an astute sense of magics - which we're unlikely to find in Astar. Be careful not to let anyone else wear the ring, for the illusion works on anyone who wears the ring although it uses some of your own features. Nobody could impersonate this fake-you by simply putting the ring on."

He held his palm out for her to take the ring. "One more thing," he continued, "I'll need your glass knives for a moment. I can put a similar illusion on them to make them appear steel instead of black glass. Otherwise, the instant somebody sees black glass blades suspicion would be aroused immediately."

[Cahalith]

Haru watched him work, it was interesting she had to admit, how the energy swirled and merged and from one thing something else was forged. Change with out true destruction. With out realizing it she smiled watching this, it was interesting to her how it worked.

Suddenly she snapped out of it when he was finished and the smile faded she looked at him and took hold of the ring her fingers brushing slightly due to being hesitant to take yet another gift form Reviel, not do to her dislike or distrust of him but she felt a bit odd needing and receiving so much help. She looked up at him and said as she slipped the ring on. "Thank you." She meant those words.

her hand slide quickly and with drew the knives from what seemed to be no where- no magic just simple skill at hiding her weapons and knowing how to handle them. She set them down on the table and slid them to him. Then looked up as the illusion started to from around her.

Hair the color of raven wings shifted into a dark blond, her skin became light in complexion- the complexion of beauty and wealth in Astar, and her eyes a light blue and green. She looked nothing like Haru in many ways but under it all she was still the same girl.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel did with the knives as he had done with the ring except instead of carving onto the items it merely changed them. They retained same size and shape but instead of glass they were now metal. He handed them back to Haru.

"Everythings all set," Raviel said, "let us visit Terrin in the library and see what he says. We can surely then head out to town and try and gather more information."

((OOC: sorry it's so short.))

[Cahalith]

((OOC: its fine, don't stress over it :) )

Haru watched the magic and was unsure as to how well it would work but she found herself trusting Reviel, at least more then she trusted most other people from her home. "alright" she told him as she looked at the knifes quickly tucking them into a good hiding spots.

Haru stood and dusted the dress off, she took her hair from behind her and looked at it- it was a dark blond, the color that Astar found to be pretty due to it being rare amongst peasants and only very 'pure' where said to have it. She couldn't help but chuckle about it to herself. Sir Ariel had blond hair blue eyes and was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen, but it was his heart that had caused Haru to see him as truly beautiful.

a thought drifted into her mind and out her mouth before she could really think about it "Why do people have to conform to the morals of magic? Why can't they choose to do good things with it?" She looked at him and realized she said that out load so decided to add what had inspired the thought "Sir Ariel did know magic, but he used it to help people. He told me his life would end once he was killed and until the time came he would do all he could to do good." She paused wondering if maybe Sir Ariel was older then people thought, or she assumed.

[DarkWolf]

"Magic has no morality," Raviel explained, "what you use it for is up to you. To heal and save or to harm and kill. But there are restraints. There are certain things you may not access due to your moral restraint. For example it is possible to resurrect somebody. However, even a weak soul requires immense energy to restore into life. Then you need more to restore the physical body. It's dangerous. The magic will draw on your soul for the energy. But it takes several times the energies of the soul being resurrected. To resurrect a weak soul you'd need to sacrifice multiple people. This isn't because magic is evil. It's simply because it needs the mana to accomplish the feat and a soul is one of the greatest sources of raw mana. Our souls create a base mana which we modify into something usuable. Using magic is draining because of this. Mana is also in plants which is why we use herbs and it's even in the air, the environment, but draining it has consequences. You cannot create something out of nothing. Conjuration, like creating your blades, or the crows, or anything doesn't come from nothing, it is created using mana. Only mana, being the lifeblood of existence, can create something from nothing and only nature and our souls create mana.

"Understanding these aspects and mannerisms of magic takes years. Many aspects are also unique to the mage. It's more about your predispositions on how to use magic. Perhaps it is easier for you to channel mana through ritual than by a wave of the hand, or maybe you have an affinity for water which will make conjuring, manipulating, and dismissing water easier. By playing to these predispostions and affinities you may have ways of doing one thing others can't do and must find a different way. Taking the water affinity for example you could use water as a medium for remote viewing while others would be better achieving this using a glass orb or mirror. You could even have affinities for a set of magic. Like my crows. I have an affinity for them. I can do much more with them than almost anyone else and it was this affinity that allowed me to create such spells. You will, eventually, reach a point where trying to do a spell from a book is less effective than you simply creating a spell for yourself.

"So magic and its use is really up to you. The more you understand and more creative you are with that knowledge the better you will be at achieving what you want. This is how magic items got invented. Much easier to create an item to open a portal than having to focus on controlling mana. The amulet I had back in Serrik was such an item. It allows me to return home with little or no use of my own mana. For example, if you wanted to resurrect somebody but did not want to sacrifice anyone and were fine with waiting many years you could do as I did: set up obelisks or stones where you could, before turning in for the night, expend all of your remaining energies and store it in the stone. After a long time, many years, you may end up with enough to resurrect somebody. Since it's just a part and not full souls it will take a very long time to get what you need for a safe resurrection but when you do, then there you go a resurrection made possible without sacrificing anyone. Things like this go a long way to achieving what you want and how you want."

[Cahalith]

Haru listened to what reviel said "What about giving up part of yourself." She paused thinking for a moment "Something that is important that you put a lot of energy into, or maybe give up your own self to resurrect some one?"

She had an idea, resurrect Sir Ariel, it was her duty and if that meant giving herself up then she would do it with out second thought. Astar needed Sir Ariel he was what was good, and right, he could take any one and teach them the ways and turn their hearts full of selfishness into one of selflessness.

She looked up at Reviel and took a deep breath "Do you think one life for that of another would be a fair trade? I mean I could give myself up to allow Sir Ariel to return?" her eyes looked to be full of hope "I would do anything to have him come back." She looked down and away, She cared deeply for this man.

Looking back up at him she asked "Have you ever cared about some one so much that every day with out them feels like your heart is breaking?" She shrugged "maybe I am just being silly but I do really love him. Not the way most people think of when they hear the word but I feel like I am dying, he taught me so much and I had nothing before him. He gave me my life."

[DarkWolf]

Raviel looked at Haru with sympathy. He had always wanted to see his family again. He had carried that longing for millenia. He softly shook his head.

"It's not that simple," Raviel said with a heavy hearted sigh, "otherwise resurrection would be common. Achieving that mastery of mana takes a long time. Well more than a thousand years. And it's more costly than just life for life. It takes one or two souls to just control that level of mana, it takes one to two souls to connect to the essence of the deceased for further, direct magic, and it takes a lot of mana to restore the physical body to usuable level, more to an almost-alive level which combined is more than a soul's worth, it takes a soul of equal or greater level for the exhange and one to two souls for the restoring the soul to life in the body. That's a minimum of five up to eight souls, people who must perish, to return one weak soul. Sir Ariel would be a strong soul so you'd need even more. It varies depending on the strength of the soul being returned and those being sacrificed but it remains typically five strong for one weak. Even if you succeed or acquire this over time by storing your own mana in stones, if you just use the basic amount needed there would be a high chance the resurrected person would be 'wrong' - their soul or mind damaged. You could use more energy, more souls, to reduce the risk but you can never remove the risk completely. Even a slight error could cause the soul to die, rot, and decay inside the living body. This would result in them being a pure monster. It's not something to risk for a loved one because if it went wrong you'd be harming them far worse than any death. I spent over three thousands years becoming as powerful in magic as I could be. Yet even now I would never dare to try and bring back my family.

"Resurrection is one of the most difficult forms of magic there exists. Achieving it means manipulating the very nature of existence, to control divinity, to bend the mortal coil, and transcend everything known about life and death. To do this it takes an immense amount of energy, control, experience, dedication, and even if you achieve all this perfectly the soul being returned could still be harmed. That harm would be catastrophic. To perform a resurrection without risk would take nothing less than the power of a true God. This is why, in all of recorded history of any realm resurrection has been successful only a few times. Magic sets such a price because while we can be powerful, incredibly so, we cannot be Gods."

[Cahalith]

Haru sighed she wouldn't want to risk damaging Sir Ariel's soul by doing so the resurrection would have been for nothing and all thought who where traded for his life would have done it in vain, further more Sir Ariel would not have wanted people to suffer because of him.

Haru frowned as she heard the mention of Reviel's family and she wondered if the loss of them had driven him into this much magic. With out much thought Haru reached up and touched Reviel's face her touched was tender and delicate much like the girl she was, but there was something very strong and powerful about that touch her mana was pulsating inside of her and the presents of the touch something in it was very commanding. It made itself known what she was going to do her hand slid from his cheek and she reached out her arms to wrap themselves around him in an hug. Haru was never very affectionate but for some reason she knew Reviel needed to feel connection. He had lost so much, and over time he would lose more. She was bracing herself to be pushed off of him and him to respond negatively to the contact, rather then the intention behind it, to give him warmth and the feeling of not being alone. That intention radiated from her due to her intense desire.

[buzzsaw133]

(It's good to see a work of mine come to fruition.:))

[DarkWolf]

((OOC:

Did he really just say that? Oh hells no...

(It's good to see a work of mine come to fruition.:))
A work of yours? You may have done the setup but this story is NOT your work. Not by a long shot.

The main story - the goal and plot - was by Cahalith, not you. Your contributions to this plot have been:

Guide to the town.

That's it. The Underground with Raviel was a sidestory and it ended up completely fruitless because you, for seemingly no reason, had your character disappear to Kirar. It also took several times the length it should have to just get to Jekka. All that travelling could have just been one post. So much fluff for nothing. It was an interesting sidestory but entirely useless.

You then went to Astar, met with the others but added nothing to conversation or plot beyond your character making stupid comments and then went on another sidestory solo-thing, again, entirely without explanation.

You then threw a tantrum like a spoiled brat and demanded the thread be "killed".

Demonic_monkey, Cahalith, and I have all been developing the plot, searching our characters, revealing their natures and working on the plan to clear Haru's name. It was also me who had to clarify how mana and magic works and what the sequel would be if we had one based on your, rather vague, idea of a planar crash.

WE have done almost all of the work here. WE are the ones who fleshed out your world. WE are the ones who have made this what it is.

YOU are the egotist who wanted to make it your solo-story. YOU are the one who was a baby when he couldn't have his own way. YOU have done very little for this story.

This is our work, not yours. Even the main backbone of this idea wasn't yours either. The "five manas" concept was from the card game Magic: The Gathering.

Please don't insult us by claiming OUR efforts as YOUR work.))

--

Raviel's eyes widened at her sudden touch and when she hugged him he stiffened up but did not stop it. He didn't hug back either. He didn't really know what to do. He was never a touchy or huggy person. He had never been in love or had that close of a friend to be comfortable with that closeness. He had consorts, of course, but like any lord of high status they were basically concubines or prostitutes. He gave them some money and a luxury place to live within his castle and they are there to service his physical needs. But he had never been much of a sexual person either. He spent his life keeping his emotions under control. Whenever his mood shifted it wasn't because of provocation it was usually just a calculated move.

Yet, here he was in the embrace of Haru and he felt something. Like a treasure being found. Dusty, covered in cobwebs, but still valuable. Comfort. It was indeed a rare treasure. He was more lonely than he realised. His eyes began to tear up but none fell. He would let it. His mind went foggy but he refused to cry. He hadn't for a long time and made no plan to start now.

He didn't want the hug to end. He liked it. He wanted to hug back. He wanted to let himself feel the loss of his family, the missed opportunities for friendship, and to shake off the gloom of solitude. But the loner in him won out.

"We should see Terrin," was all he could manage to say.

[Cahalith]

OOC: *blinks a few times* DarkWolf, thank you! I have played magic and saw a lot of similarities myself, but was trying to give Buzzsaw the benefit of the doubt, because I know I tend to reference World of Darkness when Werewolves and Fey are involved, as well as Mage and Vampire. Its just how my brain works I need the mechanics. *shrugs*

But I really was getting tired of it, and the behavior is not just in the Role Play Section but ALSO on other sections.

Buzzsaw really please for goodness sakes realize that you can't take credit for things that you did not do. You may have inspired the creation of this but you where inspired by something else. A little bit of modesty goes a long way.)


IC:

Haru took a deep breath in as she heard Reviel's words, she let her arms drop and took a step back to give him his space. "of course Reviel." She said calmly lifting her chin to look up at him she gave him a smile.

She laughed as she remembered Sir Ariel first attempts to teach her to read she shook her head as she began to walk still with a hint of a smile "I Remembered the first time I saw a book, I knew I was in love." She told him as they walked "the smell, the texture of the pages." She looked up at him and said "Sir Ariel had a hard time teaching me to read from books because I never saw one until I came to stay with him, and I was so afraid of hurting the books. Cracking the spine, Books however are only for those that are privileged. since they are so expensive." she shrugged.

[Cahalith]

(Oh, ho, ho, I beg to differ. I started this thread, which by itself is a pointless fact, I will admit. But being completely "douschebaggish", if you will, drew the other characters closer together. People generally don't like being manipulated and I can't possibly expect you to understand the little cogs of my mind or how it works. I admire people who are willing to take a stand and say enough is enough, I found those people. The whole purpose of this RP was for me to find out if you were those kind of people. Thank you, you have all become great...acquaintances...if you will.)



OOC: I am sitting here trying to figure out where in the world do you come up with this B.S.? What is your problem? Seriously?

IF you are wondering why I in all honesty can't stand you look at your attitude....It takes too much needed energy to try and be nice to some one that can't even be polite. You are lacking a grounding in reality.

[demonic_monkey]

(Oh, ho, ho, I beg to differ. I started this thread, which by itself is a pointless fact, I will admit. But being completely "douschebaggish", if you will, drew the other characters closer together. People generally don't like being manipulated and I can't possibly expect you to understand the little cogs of my mind or how it works. I admire people who are willing to take a stand and say enough is enough, I found those people. The whole purpose of this RP was for me to find out if you were those kind of people. Thank you, you have all become great...acquaintances...if you will.)

((OOC: YOU were manipulating US? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Right. In order to truly manipulate someone, you have to be smarter than them. You've already proven to all of us that you are not...and not just here, but in several other areas of the forum. I think it's safe to say that we three aren't the only ones getting tired of you being an annoyance all over the site. Please, for the love of all that exist, STFU n00b!!))

Terrin was pacing in his library as he heard the door start to open. He looked up from the floor to see Richard moving into the room, his eyes drawn upwards by the very tall shelves holding tomes numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

"Are all of these books on magic?" he asked, looking amazed by the sheer magnitude of the collection before him.

"Hardly," Terrin answered. "All of these volumes are merely tomes that caught the interest of the former Lord Rahl's who have inhabited this palace. Please, have a seat, my son. Our friends will be arriving soom."

[DarkWolf]

((But being completely "douschebaggish", if you will, drew the other characters closer together.No, it didn't. Demonic_monkey and I have written in LARPs together for quite some time. Long before you ever logged onto these forums. Cahalith and I have admired each other's writing styles and have conversed in PM. It's these connections that are reflected in our characters. Plus, we drew the characters together because that's the point to an RP. DM, Cahalith and I are experienced in RPs. We've each done them, in one form or another, for years. We are going to understand that an RP just doesn't work if the characters don't come together. This is a basic core component of an RP and so we'll employ it with or without you and your douchery.

People generally don't like being manipulatedWe like egotistical brats even less.

I can't possibly expect you to understand the little cogs of my mind or how it worksYou're an immature, antogonistic, pothead with an ego problem. Not hard to understand.

I admire people who are willing to take a stand and say enough is enough, I found those people.Because such a thing is so hard to do on the Internet, where everyone can make a stand with ease? Take a look on the site. Most of the active members on here are like us. We weren't that hard to find.

If you remember our interactions began before you made any RP. So, you knew my attitude before. My writing in Mirithas therefore has given you nothing new except that I am also willing to give people benefit of the doubt. I'm not difficult to understand as a person. I don't take crap from people but if you made a good post I'd be happy to praise you. I take what you say when you say it. I don't hold grudges because it's just the Internet. When I click the top-right X, my awareness of your existence disappears. You made an RP from an interesting concept and so I joined. It didn't matter if I completely loathed you I'd still join. It's not complicated. All of this was yours to realise before you even made this RP. So if you still had to make the RP to find this out then it shows you are seriously dumb.

The whole purpose of this RP was for me to find out if you were those kind of people.Then that shows just how lacking in common sense you are. You realise you could have just lurked and read our posts instead? If something catches do a user search to find all our posts. For many our attitudes and natures are quite self-evident in our posts be they in an RP or general forum post.

Thank you, you have all become great...acquaintances...if you will.I get that you are trying to sound smart an' all but it only demonstrates your idiocy. Firstly, the ellipsis "..." is used to denote a trailing sentence. By that I mean a sentence that ends before it seems to finish but not by interruption. Usually only used for speech where somebody begins saying something but doesn't finish because they've gotten lost in thought. By using it improperly you've put 'acquaintances' as a sentence in itself which makes no sense. Secondly, you're adding 'if you will' as though the word acquaintances wasn't fitting. Look up the word, please, because the word acquaintance fits splendidly. An acquaintance is something, not necessarily someone, that you've simply gained some knowledge of. We fit that description. The 'if you will' was a senseless and superfluous addendum to what was a redundant point to begin with.

Were you going for a different word? I'd suspect you're trying to infer us as being your guinea pigs or puppets. If so then you need to seek a doctor to check for mental problems. I'm serious. A child can tell you that having people write co-operatively in a co-operative story is duh-worthy. You didn't pull our strings to make us write co-operatively in a story; we chose to do so because that's the basic point to a co-operative story.

You're what 17-18? That means I've been writing on this site in RPs and more for almost as long as you've been alive. Go back to your school and weed, kid; you're way out of your fucking league.

--

And this concludes the 'Buzzy Gets Pwned' portion of our schedule. We will now resume our normal programming.))

"You'd love Denui," Raviel said his usual half-smile as they walked trying to follow the directions the guard had given them earlier. "Books," he continued, "are numerous and cheap. Mages are, if nothing else, great scholars. The Grand Library houses the greatest collection from the common to the forbidden and is a library the size of a town. It's the biggest single-purpose building, or collection of buildings really, in the realm. Everyone has books. I'll guess you're going to be amazed at the library Terrin has. He's lived a long time and is a mage. His collection is going to be quite vast."

They arrived at the door and Raviel stood before it to let Haru go first. He was curious to see her reaction.

[Cahalith]

OOC: Darkwolf again your way of words amaze me! ^.^ also I learned something knew about grammar. *smiles* I actually didn't fully understand the "..." other than to denotes a pause or a loss of words, or a searching for words- However I know that my knowledge of grammar is indeed lacking. It part of why I am doing forum based RP as well as my normal LARP (Live Action Role Play) and Table Top Games.


IC:

Haru was starting to second guess her mother's teachings about the Denui plane, and more so about magic, particularly with what encounters she had with Reviel and Terrin, however the Jungle man made her wonder if maybe the two where hiding their true nature. She looked back at Reviel and smiled, She didn't didn't thing he was though.

As she watched him pause and let her enter first she wondered why she was allowed to enter first Sir Ariel normally liked to go in first, which went against the code due to her gender- however he wanted to make sure it was safe, and said there was no one else he would rather behind him.

Suddenly Haru's hand went to cover her mouth to attempt to stifle the gasp that had already escaped her as she looked around in complete and total delighted awe. "its incredible!" she whispered in excitement she looked up at Reviel grinning mush like a child who just woke up to find their living room flooded with gifts "This is amazing!" she realized she almost shouted and then quickly put both hands over her mouth and flinched slightly startled by her own excitement.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel smiled at Haru's excitement. He looked around and he was impressed too. It was bigger than both of his own libraries combined. He didn't need big libraries, though, as member of the hidden Council although his political power was largely unknown to society he had access and clearance to everything and direct transport to the Denui Grand Library. He wasn't much of a collector both of his castles weren't fully decorated and he had little need for prized possessions. Some areas in his Denui home were lavish and luxurious but most of it wasn't.

He didn't feel the need to explain Haru's appearance to Terrin. As a high level mage he would, no doubt, sense the illusion immediately.

"We should head to Haru's hometown soon," Raviel said casually as he stepped nearer Terrin and Richard. "Longer we take the higher the difficulty in procuring information from the townsfolk and the longer the real culprit has of covering their tracks. They'll think Haru dead and that will slow them but it has only been less than two full days - there will be traces still but not for much longer."

[Cahalith]

Haru nodded in agreement though she was feeling slightly distracted by the books and her posture seemed to want to linger slightly longer but she looked to him and said "yes, we should go as soon as it is possible" She did not want to allow herself to stay too long and lose time to these books her love for Sir Ariel, and desire to reclaim her honor had out weighed her desire for knowledge and books.

She looked at the Three men and smiled still very pleased with the collection "They are all so well taken care of, I have always pictured a book letting out the most horrible scream ever when people crack the spine or in some way do some sort of damage to them. Much like when Torture is done to a person and their body is being broken." She shivered at the thought.

Haru had attended on event where torture was used as a punishment, it was a lesson that Sir Ariel wanted her to see. Haru understood that lesson: it is never an acceptible form to torment some one- and in Haru's mind even a criminal that is not your place.

Frowning remembering slightly her own torture and then a little more at remembering her desire to harm and torture slightly that thing what ever it may have been that did this to her and her Mentor. he would have been so disappointed. She thought to herself feeling a twinge of disgust at her rash and rather impulsive feelings.

[demonic_monkey]

"You're quite right, Raviel," Terrin said. "It is more important that we begin our search for the truth while there is still a chance to find evidence. I think it would be best if I went out in disguise, as well, for my appearance has always been rather fearsome to the ungifted people of Astar. Richard will be fine as he is, of course, since nobody knows him. Let me see if I can return a semblance of my former self through illusion."

Terrin closed his eyes and began to whisper a chant to disguise himself. He dragged his right hand over his face and, as it moved, his skin darkened slightly to a more human tan. Once his hand left his face, he pulled both of his hands through his hair, which remarkably turned from soot black to golden blond. The illusion cast, he smiled and opened his deep azure eyes.

"I will still be recognized as the Lord Rahl," he said, "but the near-demonic appearance is not welcome in most parts of this plane. Now, shall be off? The books will still be here when we return."

[Cahalith]

Haru watched as magic was used to make the people around Terrin feel more at ease, she never thought that magic could or would be capable of doing such a thing. Of course before meeting both Raviel and Terrin magic was to her a thing of evil and could only be seen as such.

Placing a hand to her head as she felt her would of such strict black and white thinking crumble just a little more, She bit her lip not sure what to do. What would happen if she was to give in accept that maybe that her entire moral code that had been taught to her was not correct what if, all this was just a lie, what if all that she was taught was to keep the have and and have nots where they where.

Frowning she shook her head trying to hold back the feelings, she couldn't waver now, she couldn't believe such a thing as truth? why would knights fight so hard to protect the have nots if only to keep them in their place by those that Had.

and why would both these lords be helping her a have not if any of that was true, Magic wasn't evil, it was fear "fear is the root of all that is evil." She suddenly said and looked at the two of them "Sorry I didn't mean to say that out loud, but I think the best way to figure out things is to find out who feared him. Every one fears something right?" She looked at the two of them and said "the town would be a good place to look for fear. But we need to make sure they don't catch on that that is what we are looking for..."

She smiled remembering the riddle that that snake had said.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel looked to Haru when she suddenly spoke about fear. He wondered what was going through her mind to make her think about fear.

"You have a point," he said as he scratched his cheek that was tickled by a strand of hair, "nobody is going to know who the killer is because everyone thinks it was you. But if we can find out who would fear Sir Ariel strongly enough to think killing him in such a manner was necessary then we can narrow things down. Careful listening and some guided but casual conversations should reveal trends of thinking we can piece together to form a possible motive that would require such a devious execution. When we have that we can try and work out who would have that motive. I doubt it'll be easy though. Firstly, Sir Ariel was a hero as far as I can tell and that means any criminal wanting to plan something big would want him out of the way or it could be from his past wanting revenge. There's a lot of possibilities to narrow down. Secondly, we need to try and get all this information without arousing any suspicion. If the killer notices us asking about Sir Ariel then he or she, or perhaps they, will try things. Bad things. We're a powerful bunch but we still need to be wary. And demonstrate too much power in public will make the people hate us and get the guards. Things would get tricky. We will need to proceed cautiously."

Raviel gave a half-smile with a shrug and added, "and since I'm not familiar with this part of Astar perhaps, Terrin, you could lead the way to the town and, Haru, you can lead us through the town since you're surely going to know your way around better?"

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at him and said "Sir Ariel had a lot of people who hated him, Politicians, other knights who where envious." She took a deep breath and thought wondering if it was him Sir Lyric, the knight who had gotten into an argument weeks prior about something Sir Ariel had done he said he was 'afraid that Sir Ariel was going to regret his mistake.' but Haru had not heard everything and because of that she could not jump to conclusions.

"a man loved by many had to have just equal if not more enemies." She frowned deep in though her eyes searching back and forward thinking "actually I am not, Sir Ariel kept me inside or in court, he said it was best, I rarely ran errands save for that one, it was my first and why i was delayed..." She trailed off "I got-" Sighing slightly "turned around." Not wanting to admit being lost. "he said I was far too-" she air quoted his words "pretty-" and rolled her eyes "to wonder too far, but I think he was just being chivalrous because despite me being a knight I will always be a lady first." She shrugged. "at least in his eyes."

Sir Ariel had always the highest respect for Haru and it was very apparent to any one that she was very much loved by him, not in love but loved, she was his surrogate daughter in many ways, and the bound between them was strong, and equally full of respect.

Suddenly she looked to him and said "Do you think it could have been maybe more then one person!" she looked horrified at the thought, it never occurred to her "what if it was just a bunch of people... He was after all a big activist against the powerful abusing their power...." She bit her lip and looked down then back up and looked at the two of the "You must know this, the big protest going on? The one about the Hangings 3 months ago, He put a stop to it."

[buzzsaw133]

(listen, sorry about being an a**hole before...I really have no excuse for it, would you mind if I jump back in, if I stop being an arrogant prick (That about covers it, right?))

[DarkWolf]

"Anyone of a high position in society gets hatred," Raviel mused remembering why the Council made it their decision to be secret, "but the key is as you said: fear. Hating somebody to a point of murder would mean attempts on his life but they'd be usual. An assassin, a crime of hate. But this murder was planned. They made sure you were not there, they made the effort to take your knives, gain your image, and attack him. They went to the effort of framing you. This was more than just simple hate. But there are so many possibilities. We should try to learn of any specific agendas that would warrant such a calculated attack."

((Sorry it's so short))

[buzzsaw133]

(It's all I got.)

[Cahalith]

She looked at him and said "My being there wouldn't have been able to stop them, they probably didn't want a witness." Haru never thought she was very important, the thought never crossed her mind that they had gone to so much trouble to get rid of her.

She thought for a moment and wondered who feared him so much "I can't think of any one that was that desperate even his enemies loved him" She sighed getting frustrated. Haru was smart but she was still just a kid, and that right there was part of the problem she wasn't like the others she hadn't seen so much or experienced as much. "What was that riddle again. Maybe it was helpful." She wished she had written it down "do you think its even relevant?"

Suddenly she snapped her fingers after a moment of thinking and pointed, "I remember"

"Evil that has no face,
of darkness and of grace.
Comes and takes shapes.
It puppets trying to
destroy your fate."

She paused suddenly it clicked "Whose fate?" She looked at the men in the room confused.

[demonic_monkey]

Terrin rubbed his chin in thought as he paced toward the library's doors.

"It may be possible that it is your fate they are trying to destroy," he said. "Then again, it could be all of our fates. Of equal importance are the other parts of the riddle. 'Evil with no face' could very well refer to a person with the power to disguise their true nature or even appearance in order to achieve their goals. 'Of darkness and of grace' could tell us that this person is known by most as a benevolent entity while also indulging in darker pursuits. The part that worries me most is the part mentioning 'its puppets.' I greatly fear what that could possibly mean. I will need to think on this. In the meantime, we need to start taking the actions we have already planned."

Terrin pushed open the doors of the library and looked back at Raviel, Haru, and his son.

"Time is of the essence," he said.

Richard strode to his father's side and they waited for the others to follow.

[Cahalith]

Haru looked at them and nodded, she didn't think she was important but felt that maybe it was possible that these two elder magic users might be tied into this some how. What if they where the fate that snake was talking about?

An image of Sir Ariel being evil flickered into her head her face went pale then suddenly she chuckled slightly thinking the concept too funny to actually be true. She fallowed Terrin and Richard Shaking her head quietly her laugh was nearly silent.

She looked over at Reviel and smiled softly "We will get who ever did this to Sir Ariel and when maybe then The Great one will see that corruption can be brought to justice and Karma will come back to this world again, so the Knights don't have to do it alone."

She remembered the tale of when the Great One turned his good eye away from Astar due to the corruption and Karma his Justicard was forced to leave this world because the good eye had left leaving no room for Godly influence of justice. That was when the Knights came and began to form justice to keep the balance and order of Astar unfortunately sometimes it was corrupted by false knights with blackens hearts.

[DarkWolf]

Raviel mused on the reference of puppets mentioned by Terrin. More than likely the murderer was a puppet sent by the one who was 'of darkness and of grace'. If a person of high standing wanted to maintain that status they would need others to do their dirty work. Raviel had no respect for such people. It wasn't because they were 'puppeteers', for he himself was one, nor was it the fact they arranged murder, for he himself had before, but typically those pose as benevolent and graceful often did so without ever getting blood on their hands. Those people were cowards. How could a puppeteer really maintain control if he had no understanding of what the puppets did?

Raviel followed Terrin, glancing at Haru as she turned pale before relaxing and shaking her head. What was she thinking of? He figured it was best not to press the issue.

[Cahalith]

Haru fallowed Terrin and Richard out to the edge of the castle door then stopped suddenly she felt very nervous what if some one recognized her? she looked up at Reviel and frowned "It will be okay right?" She took a deep breath and shook her head. She was being a child no need for it.

Ashamed she looked down and stepped out Looking down her boots where different, she was dressed in clothing Haru would never had access to, nor would have been expected to choose. Her trusted knives at her side She looked up at her friends and smiled suddenly her demeter changed and she began to act a role. "I am excited for the tour of your country side." She said looking up at Terrin.

She took a few steps closer to Revil and put a hand on his arm gently barily touching.Looking up at him she wanted to make sure no one would know it was her so she decided to do everything that was not Haru touch was not Haru, not unless she was extremely close to you or very grateful like she had shown to Reviel before. But most would not know this of Haru.