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~Azrielle made no comment as Issildia fell back to aid her comrades. He slowly drew his blade and readied himself for battle. Glancing over at Sylph, he could see the fear that now plauged her mind. The first of the Crimson shadows began its charge, its arm extending to a great length acting as a spear. The dark prince only spun to the left, and dropped the blade ontop the spear like arm of the shadow, severring it from its place. This however did not stop this creature. Hoping to catch him off guard, it continued his charge, its shrieks echoing throught the area. They were soon brought to a halt as its body was impaled by Azrielle's blade. The shadow suddenly disbursed and the others now stomped their way towards Azrielle. Deciding to take the offensive, Azrielle's image faded from sight, as he begun his attack. The closest of the Shadows had become his victim as he attacked with a series of sword slashes. As the others approached his position, he ended his assault by ripping his attack out of the creature's torso. The shadow suddenly began to shift in color, pulsating with an indigo light as Azrielle sheathed his blade. A sinister smirk came to his face as his image faded once again, this time reappearing next to Sylph.

When he reached for her, she began to scream in horror. Ignoring her screams, he grabbed her wrists, and lifted her up off of the ground. Placing two fingers in between her eyebrows, her body fell limp as she drifted into slumber. The blue feathers of his wings appearing once again, Azrielle took to the skies, carrying Sylph with him. The crimson shadows, Azrielle now out of his reach, they turned their attention back towards Issildia. before they could move however, the Crimson Shadow that had been attacked by Azrielle suddenly exloded leaving a malestrom of black lightning in its wake. The other crimson shadows that were struck followed the same pattern, each of them releasing their own wave of black lightning. Soon there were none left, only the dailon beasts remained. It was then that he spoke, using the shadows as a medium so that all would hear his voice.~

Issildia, I will be taking Miss Zitara with me. We sahll meet you in Ala'ana seven days from the next moon. Tell Remos that Azrielle Tatsumaru sends his regards.

~With that, Azrielle sped off into the air, parting the dark clouds as he left. The dialon beasts seemed to grow more violent after he departed, and were now looking to not only end their lives, but infect them with their parasites, which would be the same fate that Azrielle now sufferred.~

((Keep in mind, Issildia had never seen Azrielle's wings until this point. And YES, this is a part of my plot. CRIMSON SHADOWS = n/a; DAILON BEASTS = 5))

Sin's hands were a blur as he finally finished. His hands clasped together and his eyes were closed as the area around him, Issilida and Archer light up like a tornado of fire and suddenly the fire was pushed down into the ground until it was snuffed out. The surrounding ring of fire left a burnt circle of blackened, charred grass and dirt. Opening his eyes he pulled apart his hands, slamming them into the ground, from his hands shot out dozens of lines of red. Each line flew over the ground until it reached the charred circle. Once it made it there each formed a small circular rune which burned brightly as Sin kept his hands grasping the ground.

"HANG ON!!!"

He shouted to everyone as sparks flew over the lines and made their way to the runes. Once they hit there was a massive rumbling as the runes flared up bright and with a suddenly lurch the ground the party was standing on uprooted slightly. Opening his eyes Sin looked around and brought his hands together again and this time slammed them into the ground with a massive amount of force.

A massive explosion followed and the ground underneath them exploded sending them, and the ground they were standing on, flying up into the sky and through the air. Digging his fingers into the ground Sin held on while the runes glowed slightly less as the dirt mound and it's riders flew through the air. Continuing it's steady rising into the air the monsters and ground below them slowly grew smaller and dissipated behind them as they flew in the air. Looking up over the edge Sin scanned the horizon until he saw a small glowing red spark off in the distance. With a concentrated burst of flame from one side of the piece of ground they were flying on.

Sin Gulped as their course changed and they began their downwards descent towards the earth.

"HANG ONE FOR REAL THIS TIME"

He shouted as the runes glowed bright again and they burst out with fire, slowing them down as they fell towards the earth. As Sin concentrated trying to slow them down even more.

"TOO FAST!!! TOO FAST!!! TOO FAST!!! BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!"

As the ground suddenly came up on them with great speed. Sin grunted as the runes gave one last flare and burst jets of fire right before their impact. The ground they were traveling on suddenly hit the ground still attached to the earth and they skipped like a stone over water and after the first bounce the dirt suddenly broke apart sending them all flying forwards onto the ground attached to the earth.

After rolling to a stop Sin groaned and looked up from where he lay.

"everyone ok?" he asked weakly


((Sin's way of getting out of a battle twisted ))

Sin lay on the ground stareing at the sky panting lightly as Issilida told them the danger they were still in. Trying to lift up his arm he winced and let it rest on the ground. Sin lifted up his head and looked at his body sighing.

"Issilida.... ummm I can't move.... that last little bit of finesse took a bit too much out of me..."

Sighing he lay his head back down and looked back at the clouds.

"of course if you really don't want me following you then this is as good a time to ditch me... I probly won't be able to defend myself when those things come after us... you know it probly be better for you as well seeing as they'd probly slow down to eat me or something...."

Sin angled his head so he could look at her.

"well whats it going to be?"

~Nicholas Remos stood on the eastern parapet of the war weary walls that surrounded Faltora. Had had not anticipated that the city would survive this long, though the larovian forces that awaited them outside the walls had not been all that avid on laying siege to the city, obviously they were waiting on something...or someone. But little did this matter to Nicholas, the survival of his people was paramount in his mind, not the current workings of the larovian army...

"Nicholas."

"Lady Matier," he said, turning to face the former ruler of Anier who now stood behind him. "You should not be here, I thought you were attending to the survivors." he said, prefering to keep her ignorant of the state that the city was in.

"I have seen my share of war Nicholas, even more so than you." she replied, catching his meaning. "But I did not come here to quarrel of such things...Has there been any news?" she inquired curtly.

"Have you not sensed it then?...or are you losing your touch to age, my lady."
"Do not take me for a fool Remos, I have walked this earth for far longer than you, I know well who now aids Nevar, and who also seeks to betray him."
Nicholas frowned as he turned back to the east, "I fear you are right, he would not ally himself with the likes of Nevar unless of course Reinsen was simply a means to an end..."
"Indeed" Lizzera replied darkly.

For some time the two stood on the eastern parapet of the wall in silence. The reality of their situation truly facing them as they both watched the larovian camp from afar. "What of the alliances forged in the beginning, Between your father Eska, the azerian leader Aderis, and the Ryera, can any of them be called upon to aid us?" Lizzera asked after some time of standing in silence.

"It is doubtful that Kyrion; Aderis's son, would risk leaving Ule'Dieus to lend us aid. Even after a century as their ruler...the people do not trust him. He strays from tradition and his people's beliefs. Perhaps if the azerians of Dathelien forest were not se set in their ways Kyrion would lead them out...but it is doubtful. And the Ryera...well I am most certain you know well that they would never aid us again...Luin is not his father and Damien is no better, they can not see past their own goals to aid others."

"Pity." muttered Lizzera as she turned to leave. "Though do not so readily condemn potential allies Nicholas, this war is not yet over."~


~~"Do not make such assumptions about me Sin. Make no mistake I never wanted you to accompany us." Issildia stated harshly.
"But no one will be left behind..."

She extended her gloved left hand to him to help him stand. "Try and stand, or are you to weak to even walk?" she asked with disdain.~~

"If you ever come to know anything about me, be it that you understand that it is not my way to retreat from battle...but I will not stand by and allow others to die because of I refuse to disobey the rules of engagement." she stated in a flat almost calm tone.

"And who are you to judge me Sin...you who commits to such an undertaking without reason or goal. Do not think me blind or ignorant of such things...You who now walks the path I once did...yet who is foolish enough to think I do not suspect treachery...I owe you nothing." After concluding her statement Issildia silently handed him the branch to use as a crutch.

"Let's get moving." she said lowly as she looked to Archer for a brief moment before setting off at a moderate pace towards the west as to not leave Sin behind.

Issildia then stopped walking, her face masked in shadow as the sun began to descend towards the horizon.
"You asked me once to tell you of Anier, and of it's people..." Issildia said in something that could be described as a solemn tone. "If you curiosity still holds true then allow me to enlighten you on the matter."

Issildia lowered her gaze as she began to speak.

"For decades Anier had fought off Reinsen Nevar and the larovian forces, and for years we prevailed...but no less than a matter of months ago Reinsen Nevar laid a final seige on the city...Myself, and two other soldiers of Anier; Demitri Zarian and Azrielle Tatsumaru had recently returned from Eradon. Less than a day after arriving the larovians revealed themselves and prepared to attack the city. Demitri, Azrielle and myself were given orders to escort the ruler of Anier, Lizzera Matier out of the city and to the safety of Keirdon."
Issildia paused for a moment before continuing.

"We barely made it a few miles outside the city before we were attacked by a group of larovian scouts. We managed to send the queen on to the south with the remaining guards, but during the fight Azrielle was wounded and Demitri returned to the city to aid in the battle...I soon followed after him."
She crossed her arms as she took a shallow breath as she continued to tell the story.
"When I finally found Demitri...he was battling Reinsen...I tried to stop my father but... it was all in vain."

Finally she looked at Sin, her face pale and her eyes dark. "Anier fell and was burned to the ground, and Demitri was slain... and until now I did not even know if Azrielle was even alive...So call me what you want Sin...judge me as you will, for I have already had my chance at living."

Sin slowly wobbled where he was still glaring at Issilida. He took several cautious steps forwards and slowly made his way up after her until he was just a little behind her.

"So your just going to keep moving on until you or Reinsen finally die? is that it? I don't even begin to imagine how much pain that man has caused you... but are you really so tortured that you yourself would twist the knife he already put in you? I never once said that killing him was wrong... but seriously what good will it do? Sure his armies might fall, the world might go back to being a peaceful place once again... and you might even life after the encounter... but so what? Time will move on, people will grow old and die, and both you and Reinsen will eventually be forgotten.... you only get one chance to live and the only time you lose that chance is when you die.... so tell me, are you going to start rotting if we leave you out in the sun or start having an appetite for brains anytime soon? I very much doubt it..."

He made his way to the side of her and looked at her from the corner of his eye as he passed her.

"You live... and then you die... life is too short to be so sad... I'm sure Demitri and Azrielle wouldn't want you wasting what time you have..."

Spinning around suddenly, and nearly falling over, he smiled at Issilida with his massive grin and leaned on his stick for support.

"So I've made a decision! I'm going to keep following you Issilida and make sure that when you do kill Nevar you not going to ******** screw up what’s left of that life of yours! GOT IT!"

with that Sin jabbed a finger at Issilida and the suddenly movement caused him to lean forwards and fall flat on his face in the dirt. From where his face was you could hear a single muffled word.

"dang..."