Welcome to Gaia! ::

Eida thought for a moment and looked to her jewel. "I'm sure . . . I can help. I can get as many of our kind as you need, I am not the only one who would like to help you, it's just that Cleadies is one of the very few cenataur who feel the same way. We can help you."

----

Kaden grunted slightly as he was swept up in a big hug by the woman he didn't know. What was she talking about? Apostles. That was them . . . the gifted. As they were being tossed around a bit by Shader's bear hugs Kaden took Azmaria's hand and gave her a look of uncertainty.

Kaden frowned as Azmaria's hand was taken from his. He looked after he worriedly as she was pushed into the room. He wondered how she felt about all of this. He sure as heck wasn't happy and felt extremely confused. What was this woman playing at. He wasn't sure if he should glare or appear confused, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. All he did was give her a cold look and watch her as she went up to where she said she'd be waiting.

In the expectation that Azmaria might do as she was told he waited outside the room for a few moments allowing her to dress. After a few tense thoughts he turned to the door and knocked. "Az?"

Kaden touched Azmaria's shoulder lightly, telling her grimly, "It's best not to risk it. Plus, we couldn't attempt anything without some sort of plan. We need to give it a little while, understand what's going on here and why we're so important. Just go with it for now. Try not to be defiant, it would not be good to be on bad terms with a captor. Don't worry, Azmaria, we'll get out of this."

Kaden took the clothes that were meant for him and faced the opposite side of the room so each of them could have their privacy while changing. What have we been thrown into?

((Hey . . I just realized . . . WE'RE ON THE 100TH PAGE!!!))

((ALRIGHT!!!!! xd One hundred pages!!!!! domokun WHHOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! GO US!!!!!!!!! wahmbulance xd sorry, had way to much coffee earlier.))

Von lurked through the world, his eyes darkening as he followed trail after trail his prey close and yet far away. The black wolf leapt high and when a form landed upon a mighty boulder, the human form of Von glared down at the forest below him.

“Something was blocking his tracker! A magic aura. Something was interfering and clouding his scent! The demon ran a hand through his hair and grunted as the dark book his mater had given him shook violently. The demon pressed a hand upon it and felt a pang of fear slowly roll up his spine. Von glared at the wood below. He would find the Messiah soon, he must. Or all his master planned would crumble to dust. Von leapt off the rock, the mountain a straight drop below him. He looked at the green below, far below as he fell. Thousands of feet of nothing but air stood between his free falling body and the forested canopy. But it was the fastest way down. The wind whipped his hair and his eyes filled with water as the cold chilled them. But on he fell, like an angel banished from high. On he fell toward the greenery, his body smashing through branches and leaves. He sailed the last fifty feet in a torrent of dancing vegetation. But when he struck the earth, his body exploded in a swarm of wasps, each one flying around in a daze. For a moment they whirled about and then they came together. Von stood on the forest floor and looked into the dark gloom. He sniffed and smelt the blood.

“Soon little one, all too soon.

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“There was a village here once.” Muttered a red robed figure. The General Sasia pulled her hood back and glared at the stone, the blood of a traveling merchant running down it slowly. The forest that had once held the Foresters was now empty and still, eerily so as Sasia look across the field at the river.

“I know.” Mused Melecus, walking up behind her. I know, this was where the battle was fought and this is where I intend to obtain a little tool that will keep both Algren’s and that traitor Aion’s plans disrupted.” Melecus walked forward, his black cap catching the wind and warping itelf like wings around his body. The white hair danced menacingly as Melecus searched the field over. Melecus felt the stone coming to life. Several hand suddenly burst out of the riverbed and the earth as Therto began to find the corpses of the dead that had been left behind. The bodies began to drag themselves forth, all puppets under Therto’s command. All except on. Out of the river, to thing with rotting faces dragged a limp corpse between them. The corpse was off a woman, young and attractive, a hole from a spear gapping in her chest. The brown hair spilled down and hid her face, but Melecus knew who it was.

The demon lord knelt by the body as the skeletons dropped it upon the ground. A smile crept across Asmduius’ borrowed face. Melecus had only thought of this idea recently, a kind of after though that had suddenly become a valuable possible asset to him. He didn’t want a united Emperor on the throne, but his agent had already told him of that. He didn’t trust Aion, who seemed to want Algren upon the throne. Melecus trusted himself and his servants alone and he would not be destroyed by treachery again. Aion would have new problems to deal with now, as would Algren. Melecus placed a thin hand on the corpse.

“Now my dear,” Came Melecus’ calm hiss as he stared into those chalk dead eyes. “I do believe I have an offer for you, what do you say?” The dead mouth fell open slightly under gravitie’s pull. “Ha-ha, don’t stare at me all gawk eyes my dear one. You’ll enjoy what I’ll be giving back to you!” Melcus motioned to the two dead corpses and the y seized the dead corpse once more. The two followed Melecus over to a circle of candles and stones that had been three days in the making. The black flames that emitted purple smoke danced in the wind as a storm began to gather in the distance. Melecus watched as the husk was placed in the center. The demon lord flexed his fingers and produced a long knife from his side.

“Dead you are but not for long, my dear Lady Blood.”

"Yes..." Azmaria murmured quietly. She was probably thinking of the same thing as him...

Shader was happy to see the two of them as they made their way up the stairs. After what happened before, Azmaria was nearly flat against the wall.

Shader swung her legs out and flipped backwards so that she could land on the flat ground on the platform the stairs lead to. Azmaria took notice of how foggy it seemed around herel odd for a cloudless day. She couldn't even see the base of the structure they'd bee taken to.

'Rosette... it looks like we've been taken somewhere really far away...' Azmaria thought as they looked around. Shader lead the way, jabbering rapidly about different things around them. Azmaria caught bits about different things; including Shader's research.

"...You wouldn't believe it! It goes all over the place, and it typically doesn't have a tangible color and..."

'This woman's told us many things... she doing research on something they call... lifelines. According to her, they're everwhere...'

"Is this an island...?" Azmaria asked, interrupting Shader's long monologue.

"This isn't an island, silly!" Shader told her playfully with a large smile.

"This is the Sinner's Paradise!... or something like that!"

As if on cue, a gust of wind came by, despersing the fog around them.

But it wasn't fog, it was clouds.

Technically, Shader was being truthful when she said this wasn't an island, it was.

It was just an island floating in the sky...

If the view was any indication, the food that was prepared for them was simply... heavenly.

Azmaria had never seen anything like this spread before, even when she dined with someone as well to-do as Satella.

Jacob was already eating, and looked positively blissful as he ate a spoonful of soup.

"Oh, Fiore! Now that you're here the food's just so scrumptious!" Shader said hugging her around the middle. Fiore looked like she'd love nothing more than to leap off the edge of the island right about now.

"Well..." She began after getting away, "Eating things unprepared is very unhealthy for you."

"I'm just too lazy to make anything..." Shader apologized breifly.

"I see the clothes fit well." Fore added, looking past Shader at Azmaria and Kaden, "You are a bit shorter than Master Jacob, so I made the proper adjustments for you."

"...What... What's going to happen to us now?" Azmaria, unusually forward.

"You'll stay here until our work is done." Jacob answered, "But don't worry, Aion said it won't take long. Go ahead and eat."

Shader had been previously shoveling down her own breakfast, but dropped what she was doing to hug Annalise.

"Annie!"Shader yelled, catching the girl in a tight hug, "Don't you look cute! And look, Azmaria's here. You're almost as old as she is, cutie! And isn't Kaden so handsome?"

"I can't..."Azmaria, folding her hands tightly as she stepped back away from the table, "...We can't..."

"You're bad people...You hurt Rosette and Chrono and the others... you hurt all those people!"

Shader stared down at her plate darkly for a moment, a deep frown on her face. She suddenly reached for Azmaria, who jerked back in surprise.

With a soft smile, Shader affectionately rubbed her head.

"You're a good girl, and honest." She told Azmaria truthfully, "I really understand how you feel. Demons trick people. They hurt them... and kill them."

Shader sat back in her hair and arched her back as she stretched a bit.

"I'm not asking you to change your mind about that, or about any of us... But Fiore worked hrd to make all this for you two." She paused, gesturing to the young woman who watched them with sad eyes.

"There's nothing 'Good' or 'Evil' about food, try some."

Shader edged the empty hair out next to her for Azmaria to sit in. The girl slid into it nervously, and picked up a spoon.

"You too Kaden! Come on now!" Shader added, pointing at another chair near Jacob.

Azmaria's hand shook as she reached for her spoon, the utensil fell from her hand, but was aught by Shader before it clattered to the ground.

"It's alright, honestly, this is the best food you'll ever have!"

Hesitantly, Azmaria took a spoonful of a hearty looking broth before her, and brought the spoon to her lips.

Suddenly, Azmaria's lips were wide, a surprised sort of wide. She gulped down the rest of the spoonful and went at some more. She didn't realize how humnger she was, this was amazing food!

Shader smiled approvingly, and held up another spoon to Kaden.

"Join in? You gotta be starving."