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 Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:48 pm
"Oh crap..."
She didn't swear often, but when she did, it usually meant that Naoko had done
something wrong.
And once again, she did.
How many times do I have to tell you to NOT use the Void for transportation? Daemon sighed.
How am I supposed to know? Besides, YOU did that yourself, Naoko mentally replied back, frowning. She sifted through the debris of twigs and branches from the trees, looking around for the campsite.
I control the Void, not use it, child.
"Ha ha ha, very funny," she mumbled to herself, shifting her eyes to the Void to see more clearly. Far off from her position, she could see the dim light of the fire from their camp and began treading toward its direction.
~~~~
He could hear more talking from the others, but decided to ignore it, more amused by his bearer's small antics by the day. He never knew that she could be so much...
Like how I am? Kaen's voice suggested in the Void.
"So, she does get that from you..."
Yes, after loosening up a bit. Melbane's disaster has hit hard on her for the past 16 years...
"So it has..."
*Gwyn laid down in his bedroll and shook his head*
"That girl.... she's so innocent.... yet so ditzy. It just might be that she could be more of a danger than Tiamat..... ha! Well, certainly a different type of danger.... I sense that she means well, and she's very dedicated to her friends. But who can tell the future? Even as Master of the Mind, I'm clueless. That's none to reassuring..."
"You know she is much stronger than she seems, don't you?"
"Well yes of course, Kain. You've taught me enough for me to know their hidden strengths... but I don't know to what depths."
"Courage, Wisdom, and Power. These three balancing forces give a person their strength."
"Yeah Yeah... I know all about that. But some of these people appear to be no more than average, ordinary people. How is it they can hold this much power?"
"You shall find that most things aren't as they appear, charlitan"
"WHAT?! You.... YOU INSOLENT ETHEREAL WISEASS!"
"Hmmm... clever. You know, you'll never master your power with an ego like that."
"Tch... just hush so I can get to sleep."
"Rockabye, baby, on a tree-top.."
"Oh gawd..."
Back in the outer-reality of the Guardians, Xachta bristled (literally; spikes of indignation and vindictiveness flared brightly) at the abuse from its comrades. Always underappreciated, always misunderstood, always blamed. Idiots, they are, yes, it screeched into the others' psychic faces. Morons! They don't understand the purpose, do they? No, no, they have no objectivity; they have no concept of what Xachta does. It swirled, paced, slashed the ether with raw colors to punctuate its anger. You think I'm doing this for fun and games?! You're all so attached to your ideas of "sanctity" and "right" and "quest" that you've let those ideas blind you to the path you must take to achieve them! If they close their eyes to imagine the end of the forest path, their noses will break upon the trees, they will!
Xachta felt the rumblings of rebuttal approaching, but it launched in with more volume, cutting its colleagues short. They forget that the fleshies are avatars, that we are their masters. Did you think that came about by accident? We have to use the tools that we are given, to their utmost extent, to accomplish our goal. If they break, so be it. We will receive other tools. There was never any hard and fast rule that these are the only ones we get.
Withdrawing into its stone and tuning the others out, Xachta offered a parting shot: If they wants to stick by their "ideals" even unto the innermost depths of failure, so be it. If it must, Xachta will succeed alone.
-----
During all this, Xachta's "tool" was busy preparing a side dish for the evening meal. Even if she hadn't been chosen to cook tonight, she still felt obligated to help out. Not hearing, feeling, or (as had happened as she first began chopping carrots) tasting her amulet's presence made the process positively enjoyable. Perhaps the guardian spirit's link to the amulet was absolute; maybe she had even given it a concussion or something.
She was a bit worried about the new guy. After everyone had returned to camp,
he had sat down to eat with them at their (somewhat intense) invitation. Casual conversation had revealed nothing except his general taciturn nature... and a preference for Daewyn, to whom he granted his most loquacious speech of the evening, probably all of seventeen syllables.
Nida had watched surreptitiously as Naoko walked to her bedroll after taking
Bryce aside for a more one-on-one questioning; the other girl's face had held a brooding expression, and Nida guessed that her curiosity was far from satisfied.
Sleep would be uneasy this night as well; her amulet promised that much. The brief, nanosecond-duration images it flashed across her occipital lobes were just hints of the torment it would put her through later. Nida almost prayed for someone to hit her very, very hard, knocking her into a dreamless unconsciousness. She lay in her bedroll and kept her eyes focused on the stars long after she was certain that most of the others were asleep.
While the others continued to converse, Daemon stood watch in the Void and
closed his eyes, meditating. Unlike the others, he was the only one with an actual form...a bit demonic in a sense, but he was still in a physical body.
Idiots, they are, yes, Xachta screeched, Morons! They don't understand the purpose, do they? No, no, they have no objectivity; they have no concept of what Xachta does.
He opened one red eye, eavesdropping into the poison amulet's ranting.
They forget that the fleshies are avatars, that we are their masters. Did you think that came about by accident? We have to use the tools that we are given, to their utmost extent, to accomplish our goal. If they break, so be it. We will receive other tools. There was never any hard and fast rule that these are the only ones we get.
He forgets that these avatars are not tools but our sources to our awakening... he thought to himself. If they die, we die along with them..
That Xachta....he's a bit odd, isn't he? Kaen's voice asked.
"A bit odd is an understatement," he replied.
Kaen chuckled.
~~~
Naoko rolled over in her sleep, snapping her eyes awake upon hearing the voices in her head. Doubts still lingered in her head about the new arrival to their group, not that Rubicant's disappearance wasn't enough. And now....this?
Would you two...stop talking? she quietly asked her guardians.
Oh, come, Naoko, we were just discussing about old times... her mother's teasing voice joked.
She rolled again in her sleep, heaving a great sigh, and covered her head with the bedsheet. The temple was just ahead and it was going to be a long night.
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:08 pm
They forget that the fleshies are avatars, that we are their masters. Did you think that came about by accident? We have to use the tools that we are given, to their utmost extent, to accomplish our goal. If they break, so be it. We will receive other tools. There was never any hard and fast rule that these are the only ones we get.
*Gwyn had fallen asleep a while ago, but Kain was listening to Xachta's speech with some interest, but mainly loathing. After Xachta was done, Kain decided it was his turn to rant a bit.*
"So, you think that these mortals are just expendable tools?! Even if they are, most of them are mere teenagers! Could you wish death upon such young things? I know your goals are right, but think about it, do the ends truly justify the means in this circumstance? I think not. You treat that girl Nida as your pawn, your lackey. Can't you see that more could be accomplished if you treated her as a partner? Or if you would even teach her something about the usage of her amulet? You're blind Xachta.... I think all that foul poison has destroyed your sense of reason, 'friend'"
*As Kain said this, he just calmed himself down and tried to ignore Xachta's presence to no avail.*
It seems like nobody here trusts me. I can tell by the looks I'm getting. No matter. I'm not used to having people in my company anyway. There's just something about that girl...
*gets up and goes over to Daewyn*
"I just thought I'd let you know that I was going to walk around a bit. I'm used to sleeping during the day, so I'm not sleepy."
*Daewyn nods, head still buried in pillow*
"What's wrong, anyway? I hope I didn't cause any trouble...if I did, I can leave. I didn't want to be here anyway, but you actually remind me of my mother. That's why I decided to stay with you. I haven't seen her in sixteen years...I can't even remember where I'm from. It doesn't matter though. Why don't you just go to sleep? You'll feel better in the morning."
*Bryce slowly walks away, then leans against a tree situated where he can still see Daewyn*
I don't know why, but I just feel this strange desire to make sure nothing will happen to that girl. I wonder why...
Mirrors of the past plagued Naoko's dreams, and they eventually turned into nightmares of old. She twisted and turned in her sleep, clenching and unclenching her fists as the dreams continued to haunt her.
~
Fire....it was everywhere....
And they were all dying....
Her mother ran to her and her brother, pushing them along with the flow of the crowd as the army continued to invade and kill.
"C'mon, you two, we have to get out of here," she said.
"But, mother, what's going on? Why are these people attacking us?" a younger Dante asked.
She wouldn't say anything. And all that Naoko could do was cling onto her brother's pantleg in fear, eyes squeezed shut as if to block out the screams of her kin.
Kaen shoved her children into one of the temple's hidden passageways as other people ran past them. She took off her necklace, placing it around Naoko's neck. Her children looked at her with fear and confusion.
"...Stay here, and don't come out," she whispered to them.
"But mother---"
The door closed shut, leaving the siblings in the darkness.
But that didn't block out the screams of the dying.
*Bryce continues sitting at the tree, watching Daewyn*
You wonder why she's so interesting to you, don't you?
"Yes, Narya. I do. But why is that?"
The time has not yet come to know. But until then I feel that it would be to your best interest to stick with these travellers. I know that you passed your test and have come into using my power, but you still need to work out those side-effects.
"Do you not think I know that? Why else would I be staying away from everyone? I don't want it to happen again!"
I know that. Until the time comes, try to be sociable with them, at least. If you so desire, why don't you go and ask Daewyn what she knows of your past...when she wakes up.
"If you wish, Narya. I can try to be friendly...though I haven't had a peaceful conversation with someone in many years..."
*As the sun broke over the treetops, It hit Gwyn's eyes. He mumbled a bit then slowly got up. He shook the sleep out of his head, then grabbed his clothes and put them on, leaving his armor till later, however he did strap his sword to his side. He never felt safe without the Masamune at his side....*
Gwyn: I wonder if anyone else is up???
*Gwyn walked over to where the fire had died out the night before. He just shook his head and ran off into the woods looking for loose pieces of dry wood. It was slow going, but he finally got a nice-size armfull of wood, and headed back towards the camp. The hair on the back of his neck bristled up with fright as he looked forward. Blocking his path was an enormous(sp?) stone golem. His mouth dropped as it moved towards him with its hand outstretched. He then scowled and contacted his amulet.*
"KAIN! Theres an 8-foot golem in front of me! What do I do?!"
"Well, golems generally have a weak spot on the back of their necks."
"Got it.... Here I go!"
*Gwyn unsheathed his Masamune and knelt down. As the golem neared him he leaped high into the air, at least 50 feet. He then put his sword point down and fell right down on the golem. He stuck his sword down and stuck the golem right in the back of the neck. The golem let out a shriek and swung at Gwyn, who was on his back trying to get the Masamune out of the rocky neck of the golem.*
"He... He's not dead?!"
*Gwyn was his in full force by the fist of the golem and flew into a tree. Blood flowed from his mouth, and he couldn't move his left arm.*
"Just... one chance...."
*Gwyn pointed the Masamune, which had gotten unstuck when the golem bashed Gwyn, right at the golem. The sword started to glow, and two swirling beams, one blue and the other red, shot out of it and hit the golem right in the head. The beams then doubled back and flowed into Gwyn's body. Gwyn experimentally moved his left arm, and realized the pain had gone down considerably. Gwyn then looked up and realized the golem was on the ground, dead.*
"Ha..... I beat him...."
*Gwyn then picked up as much wood as he could find and limped back into camp, where he dropped the wood and promptly fell down.*
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:15 pm
*Bryce looked up as he heard a crash*
There's fighting going on. I wonder who it is?
*Bryce got up and headed towards Daewyn*
Well, she's okay, so I guess I'll look around for the trouble.
*As he headed toward the sound, he saw a stone golem crash to the ground.*
Oh well, a water spell would have taken him out nicely...darn.
*Bryce turns to head back to his old space when he sees Gwyn fall over near the camp fire*
Hmmm...my knowledge of healing spells is not good. I guess I'll go get Naoko after I start this fire.
*Bryce quickly walks over to the camp fire pit, puts the wood on, lowers his left hand toward it and closes his eyes. A fire sparks up quickly.*
"Nothing like a good old mage to start a fire...now where's Naoko?"
Daewyn woke to the sound of a crackling fire. She sat up to see Bryce sitting by the fire and Gwyn lying face-down on the ground. She jumped up, grabbing her bag quickly, and hurried to where he was lying. She knelt beside him and dug through her bag until she found what she was searching for. She pulled out the small crystal carafe, ignoring the astonished look she was getting from Bryce, and poured some of the green liquid down his throat. After awhile Gwyn's eyes opened and he looked up at her. She smiled back.
"You'd better be more careful, ok? I'm sorry about the aftertaste. I never did find a potion that didn't leave an awful aftertaste."
She strode back to her bedroll and wrapped her things up, then stuffed them into her small bag where they disappeared without a trace. She then walked back to the fire and smiled warmly at Bryce, but there was just a trace of reservation behind her eyes that hadn't been there before. She sat down near him and started to pull food stuffs to cook with and soon had a large meal cooking on the fire.
*You see a tree start rustling*
...
*more rustling , then a second later distinct CRACK of a tree branch*
"s**t!"
*more rustling and cracking sounds. the tree is shaking violently at this point. You see a dark figure gripping a tree with one arm, and holding a rifle in another. He puts his rifle's harnass around hid arm, up on his shoulder, then starts to climb down*
"Damned tree branch!"
Baikasu, while picking twigs and bark out of his hair, notices The mangled body of a rock golem near the edge of the forest, then notices Gwyn laying down near the campfire. "Good morning! Hmmm.. smells good. Anyway, what the hell happened here?" He says, glancing at the dead golem, then at Gwyn.
*glances quickly at Baikasu*
"Gwyn seems to have had a run-in with a stone golem. The poor chap put out all he had to destroy the golem. Pity...with so many others that could have helped him..."
*goes back to the food*
"This is wonderful Daewyn. Where'd you learn to cook like this? Oh. That reminds me...where are you from anyways?"
**Daewyn cocked her head to the side and looked at Bryce with a confused look.**
"Where am I from? I really don't know. I've lived alone as long as I can remember. Why do you ask?"
*Gwyn scowled at Bryce's last comment*
"Hey, I handled it just fine on my own! The only reason I was hurt so badly is because I didn't have my armor on, alright? And I still beat him, didn't I?"
*Gwyn just shook his anger away, then smiled. Gwyn's amulet began to glow, and out of nowhere a giant dragon appeared right beside Bryce and let out a terrible roar. It then flew up and morphed into a griffin, which sqwauked(sp?) loudly and vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. The whole time this was going on Gwyn had a faint smile on his lips.*
Gwyn: What do you think of that?
"Geez. I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that it was pointless to expend so much energy at one time when there are many others who could have helped you...but I guess that's just in your nature. You are a dragoon, anyway..."
*glances at the dragon/griffin thing*
"I've seen worse."
"If you want to travel with us, you really need to be more open with us than you have been. We don't opperate well without trust. And we generally don't trust those we know nothing about. They didn't trust me until I helped them defeat a shadow behemoth, so please don't feel ailenated." He pauses for a few econds, then says, "Well, I'm gona go wake the others for breakfast. I wanna gert to that temple." With that, he got up, walked over to a distressed-looking Nida, then knelt down and said, "Time to get up."
Xachta ignored the others, ignored their requests for it to leave its charge alone, ignored the various flares of their emotional auras. It knew how to do this; it knew how to ensure that at least one of the guardians would be able to accomplish the mission. Xachta, always Xachta. The unseen insurance policy. It was their last hope, always, always their last and final hope.
It reached its tendrils into the girl's brain, seeping between synapses, inhibiting a reuptake process here and enhancing transition there, pulling out the warp and woof of her dreams and weaving them anew. A creative process, a very involved one, and thus immensely satisfying to Xachta. Especially given the importance of the goal. This was one step on the way to certain victory, even if the others' artificial codes of conduct prohibited them from even considering it.
When the stakes are so high, the only solution is total war, Xachta thought to itself, pangs of worry running across its being. Is making the fleshlings comfortable so important that it's worth losing in the end?
-----
"Time to get up."
And indeed it was. Nida's eyes burst open the instant Baikasu's voice registered on her brain. They were wide, the irises contracting, distending, torquing in nigh unnatural ways...
... then she coughed, violently, and shoved herself up so fast she nearly ripped her bedroll. She twisted around to the side (away from Baikasu, by sheer luck) and vomited. As soon as she could take a ragged breath, she heaved again. And again, and again, until the fifth time was dry, sounding like fallen leaves being scrubbed against a washboard. <******** you, Xachta, ******** you ******** you die, she murmured mentally. Her sobs sounded hoarse as she started to cry. She recognized that her amulet's name had somehow been osmosed to her in her dreams, but she felt she had been better off not knowing. Pounding the dewy earth in anger and fear and helplessness, she cried inconsolably for long minutes, not settling down until someone-- she didn't see who-- finally got the tea boiling and handed her a cup. She drank, not tasting it, not feeling the slight burn of the hot water on her tongue, and withdrew.
Naoko had left early in the morning to inspect the temple's site. As what the old man had shown her, it was a temple floating over water, the vines suffocating the pillars that once stood proud.
Be prepared for Melbane was not the bearers' only test... his words rang back in her mind.
When she was coming back, a large crash brought her attention. What in the...?
She quickly sped back into the direction of the camp only to find the remains of a stone golem and Daewyn tending to Gwyn's wounds. The teenager's head bounced up upon her arrival with a large smile on her face.
"Oh hi, Naoko! Gwyn here got a bit hurt from that big thing over there, and it woke us all up to go and see what was up," she explained to her. "By the way...where were you?"
Naoko took a few seconds in to absorb in the news before she hopped down from the remain's of the golem's massive chest.
"Um...just checking out things here and there," she murmured.
"What do you think of that?!?" Gwyn exclaimed as his dragon appeared before them.
"...I've seen worse," Bryce replied nonchalantly.
Apparently, they didn't notice that she was there. This isn't going to go too well...
Their guardians are very simliar to one another, Daemon explained. Not ones who got along very well...
Oh, so this is a grudge thing?
You might say that...
Naoko sighed and then approached Gwyn who had finally noticed her. She knelt down beside him one hand outstreched.
"...Daewyn's potions might have worked, but just to make sure..."
A Cure spell wrapped around his body before eventually disappearing in a few seconds span.
"There.."
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:19 pm
*As Naoko cast Cure on Gwyn any pain that he had completely vanished. After draining the life of a golem away, drinking one of Daewyn's potions, and having Cure cast on him, he was feeling back in peak condition. This being the case, he decided to have a little bit of fun. He smiled at Naoko.*
Gwyn: Why thank you Naoko!
*Gwyn's amulet shined and a perfect replica of Gwyn appeared behind Naoko.*
Illusion: Yes thank you Naoko, we're feeling much better!
*Gwyn's amulet flared again, and a new form appeared right next to Gwyn. He was a platinum-haired warrior, obviously one who had seen his share of battles. He was outfitted in the armor of a first-class dragoon, and had a magnificent spear in hand. He stared with exasperation at Gwyn with his grey eyes.*
Illusion 2: Gwyn, stop goofing off with me... my power is meant for actually being useful, not for playing pranks on your friends.
Gwyn: Aww, Kain you're no fun.
*Gwyn sighed and his Illusion vanished, at which Kain's Illusion nodded.*
Kain Illusion: Good. Now go eat breakfast. The temple won't exactly be a cakewalk. You weren't in the last one, but from what I've heard from the other guardians, it wasn't exactly easy.
*After saying this Kain vanished and Gwyn's amulet remained calm.*
Gwyn: He never lets me pull pranks...
*Gwyn looks over at Naoko.*
Gwyn: Well, I suppose we had better get to breakfast if we want any.
*The Young confused girl follows the hero makeing sure that she is never seen hiding in the shadows*
These people seem to hold mighty power i'll have to be sure to stay outta there way....... but being alone all the time is no fun.
wow one of them just turned his hair platuim i wonder what he is planning to do maybe they since me here.
*To Baikasu*
"Thanks...I'll remember that. At least I didn't expect to be trusted anyway."
*To Daewyn*
"Oh, I was just curious. You reminded me of my mother, so I wanted to know if you were from my hometown. I don't remember anything about it, except for its name. It was called Aneidan. After I was sent away to study magic, I didn't hear from my parents much. Once I was banished, I didn't hear anything. Rumor is that my town was destroyed, but I can't be comfortable until I know for sure. That's part of the reason that I'm travelling with you. I believe it might bring me to Aneidan."
*Looks up from his conversation*
"Ah, Naoko. You're back. So which temple do you think is next?"
**A strange look crossed Daewyn's eyes when Bryce mentioned the name of his hometown, but it faded quickly.**
"I don't know...like I said, I don't have a home. My parents died a very long time ago..."
**After saying this Daewyn fell uncharacteristically silent. She cleaned up the remains of breakfast then followed Phey and Naoko silently as they all made their way to this next temple**
Baikasu's head suddenly shot up as son as he heard that Bryuce's hometown was destroyed. "When was Aneidan destroyed?"
good there headed to the next temple. i most hurry and get there before they do.
*As vikki makes her way to the temple , things seem to have gone quite*
Hmm y have all the birds stop chirping!?.... strange all the animals have stop makeing noise. whats going on here.
*as she continues to run she feels the ground shaking. as vikki quickly turns back to see what was behind her she is slap clean arcoss the hard ground*
ahhhhhhhhhh!!! what is that thing.
*as she gets up she is face to face with a giant ogre*
"I don't know when it was destroyed Baikasu...I left when I was six, and now I'm twenty-two. It's been sixteen years since I've been there. I was banished around ten years ago, so it must have been destroyed between then and now."
"The reason I asked was because I accually lost two hometowns. I was 16 when I was--
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The group hears the blood-curdling scream."You hear that? Let's go!" With that, Baikasu gets up, takes his rifle in both hands, turns the saftey off, then starts to run towards the scream.
*As Gwyn heard the scream his eyes grew big.*
"You hear that? Let's go!"
*Baikasu didn't have to tell him twice. Gwyn let out a loud whistle and Caran?appeared seemingly out of nowhere and Gwyn expertly hopped up on top of his back. He raced towards the direction of the scream and he soon saw the origin. An ogre was right in front of a young girl, or so she appeared so from Gwyn's perspective.*
"Man... I can't take that ogre alone... I'll have to distract it while the others get here. Why do I always rush forward?? Ah well... I'll have to play on his stupidity."
"Kain, I'm going to need your help with this one... please."
"I'll do what I can."
*Gwyn concentrated and his amulet flared brightly. Right behind the ogre another large ogre appeared, but there was something different about this one... it was female. The male ogre turned around and upon seeing her he growled pleasantly. Gwyn snickered high up on his dragon. He looked over to see that the others were not far off at all now.... just had to distract him a little longer. The female illusion gave a seductive bellow and bounced up and down. The male just couldn't take it anymore. He ran straight at her..... and went right through her. The illusion dissapeared and Gwyn let out a gasp. Keeping that up for that long hadn't been easy. Gwyn nodded to Caran?and jumped off of his back, sword drawn. With the ogre still confused about the dissapearance of the horrendous beauty, he never saw the sword coming right down on his back. He let out a yell of pain, and swung towards his back, but Gwyn had learned his lesson from the golem and had already jumped back off of him. With the ogre temporarily stunned, Gwyn turned his attention to the girl and his comrades who were now there.*
Gwyn: Hey Daewyn, get her somewhere safe!
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:22 pm
::a man in green watches the battle from on top of a hill::
**Daewyn stared at Gwyn and the ogre in slight shock before she regained her senses and briefly nodded her head.**
"Right, you be careful."
**She walked over to the strange girl (Vikki) and took her by the hand.**
"Hold on tight! It might help if you just close your eyes. Don't worry, you'll be ok!"
Terra, I need your help...I can't do this on my own.
As you wish child, I will speak to the earth for you to ensure your safe passage. Remember this, however, you are stronger than you know. Trust in yourself.
**Daewyn nodded at Terra's last comment and then grabbed the girl's hands and dropped down into the earth with her, only to emerge a few moments later and a fewe hundred yards back. She released the girl and took a deep breath.**
"Whew! I've never taken anyone with me before. Are you ok?"
"Ah, Naoko. You're back. So, which temple do you think is next?"
Before she could answer Bryce's question, a scream echoed in the woods.
"You hear that? Let's go!" Gwyn shouted and dashed off in the direction of the scream.
Naoko watched the others go before closing her eyes, clutching her amulet.
Okay..THIS time it's for an emergency..
I know that child, call the Void forth.
The Void surrounded their campsite and her guardian appeared, guiding the way to the ogre's cliff. She could see Gwyn swing at the ogre, temporarily stunning it before giving time for Daewyn to reach for safety with the newcomer.
They'll be fine, you must worry about that ogre first, Daemon ordered her before she let the Void disappeared and landed softly on the ground.
The ogre was starting to regain its vision, shaking its head momentarily before letting out a trembling roar. Naoko let her eyes shift towards the Void and drew her katana.
*Gwyn dodged the ogre's fist, but barely. The ogre was really ticked off now. It had lost its victim, and the most grotesque (sp?) she-ogre he had ever seen just dissapeared. Gwyn decided to go in for an attack. He dashed in and hit the ogre square in the wrist with his sword, and after putting such force behind the blow, sliced it off. The ogre screamed in rage and pain. Before Gwyn knew what was going on the ogre wrapped it's remaining burly fist around Gwyn's throat. Gwyn feebly tried to stab the ogre, but all his strength was being sapped. Gwyn looked over at Naoko with bulging eyes and a red face which was quickly turning purple and managed to squeeze out one word...*
"help..."
Finally-- a situation, something to keep Nida's mind separate from Xachta. Grabbing up her spear, she dashed after the others, still unsteady and woozy.
... And then she dashed back, having forgotten to put on any clothes. Battling in your underwear is not recommended by the Association of Martial Dance Academies.
...Back to the front-- things had progressed quickly. A big ogre trying to lift itself off the ground. Mr. Show-Off-Dragoon prancing around with his big pointy thing. Most of the others primed for action, assessing the situation; Naoko and Daewyn were conspicuously absent, so either they hadn't gotten here or they were doing something out of her view.
You're like a little combination lock, did you know that, gar-ul? Just takes a little time and a hammer to find the proper sequence, it does, it does.
This is important, Xachta. Leave me alone. Please. Not right now.
The amulet responded with an image: the ogre's small hunting group, perhaps five other ogres and a handful of orcs, rushing through underground paths. An echo of the ogre's bellows of pain rumbled through the caverns. They had to be close by-- this was probably their prime hunting territory.
She can't handle them alone, can she? No, and neither can her little playmates, not without its siblings using too much power. Let the siblings rest. Xachta will take care of everything, it will.
As she puzzled over that last broadcast-- which was, indeed, a broadcast, intended more for the other guardian spirits than for Nida-- her gut wrenched with pain. She didn't get a chance to double over, though; Xachta had spent all night experimenting, and it had achieved a good rapport with her body. By the time she realized Xachta was doing something to her, it had insinuated itself into her brain, its essence oozing in to fill up all the empty synaptical spaces. Her head throbbed; she felt as though her eardrums would burst from pressure. Slick, green, oily tears welled in her eyes.
But as she blinked, and the film of her tears spread across her eyes, she could see the haze of Void, as opposed to that back-burner sense of not-seeing; she could discern Naoko's presence within through some psychic radar. The others' positions were mapped out clearly in her head, including Daewyn, off several meters away with some girl. And she could pinpoint not only the ogres' locations, but their egress point: a small sinkhole that had naturally denigrated into an entrance to their artificial tunnels.
"I'm glad I puked so hard this morning, or I'd be retching it all up now," Nida spat in disgust as she pounded toward the sinkhole. "Baikasu, Shuichi, anyone else who can attack at a distance, focus on my location. More coming. Let's make quick work of it."
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:26 pm
Naoko's eyes widened.
"Gwyn!"
Gritting her teeth, she let her sword take control of its own and it flew around the ogre and Gwyn, confusing the creature. She took this time to call upon her element, calling upon a dark shadow that loomed beneath the ogre's monsterous form to emerge.
The shadow mimicked the ogre's actions and grabbed its throat tightly, letting the creature release Gwyn. The ogre struggled in its copy's grasp, flailing what was left of its arms. Her katana, anticipating the mood, striked straight through the middle, leaving a huge gash in its chest and head. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud, and she called back her weapon.
Gwyn gasped for air with every breath he took as she approached him.
"..T-thanks," he managed to say.
A small smile curled upon her lips, but victory was short lived as she sensed more creatures stirring about.
"...Looks like that wasn't all..." she murmured.
A thundering roar echoed in the distance, and a large shadow loomed over them. Naoko's eyes narrowed. She knew what these creatures were now....
"Get ready," she said to him as she fell into a defensive stance. "The temple's guardians are here..."
Baikasu, hearing Nida summon him, ran towrds a tree for cover, then readied a flashbang. "Everyone, fall back! I've got an idea! When I say "cover", shield your eyes! They won't to be able to see us for about 30 seconds!" As soon as he could see the ogre's eyes, he yeeled "COVER!" and threw the flashbang at the beast. Everyone hears a small "whoopbang" sound, and then Baikasu yells, "OK! Time to kick a**!" With that, he grabbed his rifle, aimed at another ogre's head, and fired."RRAAAOOORRRRR!" sounds came from within their group. "Yeah! got one!"
"This really bites. We were all peaceful, but now this..."
*Bryce quickly strode forward towards the ogres*
"You know, Narya, I could easily get rid of them..."
But at what cost? Would you endanger the lives of all those you just met? Even Daewyn?
"I guess you're right. It is not yet time."
*With the nearest ogre a couple yards ahead, Bryce raised his left hand and closed his eyes*
"Hmph. This should teach you."
*All of a sudden, the ogre burst into flames as a Flare spell was put on him*
"Now take this!*
*With that, Bryce lept into the air, spear in hand, and lunged at the flaming ogre.*
"Mine, you are, little fleshlings!" Nida cackled, launching herself spread-eagled at the second ogre to emerge from the sinkhole. Baikasu's shot had been a clean one, and the new guy had the overeager ogre in back occupied. As much as she herself felt repulsed by the broiling she felt in her guts, and definitely the ooze in her eyes, and most assuredly the presence of Xachta in her brain-- not like when it thought at her, where it was just a "presence", but the feel of the thing itself pressing against the inside of her skull-- as much as she hated it, the rush was overwhelming, carrying her along in its adrenalin-soaked riptide. Her eyes were peeled impossibly wide, her lips yanked back to the point of cracking, the tendons in her hands standing out like living things struggling to break free of her skin. It was exhilerating.
The ogre swung its oak-trunk arm, intending to bat the girl aside, but she anticipated its move and grabbed hold, her arms jerking dangerously close to dislocation. Xachta spurred her, flooded her blood with fire, and she flipped herself up to the creature's shoulder and jabbed her spear into its ear in one quick motion. It didn't go deep; she hadn't killed it, but the spear's own powers took hold, sending the monster crashing to the ground in a slumbering heap. A second stab, this one in the eye, finished it off.
The battle-enraged girl whirled about to search for her next opponent, only to find that the remaining few ogres and orcs were fleeing back down the hole. She spat in disgust at their cowardice; her green expectorant hit the dead orc's chest and lazily sizzled its way down to the bone.
"Wait, girlie, we see it now, don't we?" she muttered, grinning, turning to face the shadow Naoko had noticed moments before. "Yeah, there we go... something that big must mean we're close to the temple. We're one step closer to the goal, yes, yes." Absently, she blinked against the slightly viscous tears covering her eyes and looked down at her traveling robe, stained brown by the ogre's blood. "Ah, dammit, I hope that doesn't stain. Xachta, I'll never forgive you! Get the ******** away from me! I don't want your help!
Somehow, in the midst of all things, she was separated from the rest again. A deathly mist breezed through the forest now as the ogre fell, but Naoko kept on her guard. She could tell that there was obviously something wrong with Nida, the strange tone in the other woman's voice seemed too familiar somehow...
Seems that Xachta has taken over Nida's body.. Daemon told her.
What?
The poison bearer's guardian. The fool doesn't realize that he's actually inflicting damage onto her body.
Naoko didn't know what Daemon meant, but she could see a flash of light coming from somewhere and assumed it was the rest of the group, running in its direction. Her sensitive hearing could hear the sounds of battle and more....a sound that deemed too low for it to be heard.
What is that?
...Dragons, possibly...
A sound that low?
Amber eyes glowed brightly in the mist just behind her. Good...it seems that everything is falling into place...
**After Daewyn had caught her breath she looked over at the girl who was staring back at her, presumably in shock as she didn't reply to Daewyn's first query. Daewyn didn't blame her, it hadn't been easy her first trip through the earth and she had had Terra there to explain things for her. Daewyn smiled at her and reasurringly placed a hand on her shoulder.**
Daewyn: "Are you ok? You aren't hurt are you?"
The girl shook her head. "I...I'm fine."
Daewyn: "That's good. Sorry for not giving you any warning about what I was doing but there wasn't time. I'm going to go see if I can help my friends now, I'll be back in a little while."
**Daewyn dropped into the earth again and emerged on the outskirts of the fight just as it ended. She walked up to Gwyn**
"Is it over? Are you ok? I didn't want to leave that girl alone but she said she was fine and I was worried about you guys. If the fight's over I guess we should all go together and see who she is, right? Where's Naoko?"
**Daewyn looked around but didn't see her crimson-eyed friend.**
*Gwyn took out a cloth from his pouch and wiped the blade of his sword clean. He had had more than his share of pain today, and it was still morning. These 'adventures' weren't all July rides... Then Daewyn popped up out of the ground and launched a barrage of questions at him.*
"Is it over? Are you ok? I didn't want to leave that girl alone but she said she was fine and I was worried about you guys. If the fight's over I guess we should all go together and see who she is, right? Where's Naoko?"
"Whoa whoa whoa, one question at a time for the love of sweet Bahamut. Alright... I'm fine, other than almost being choked to death by an ogre and having a little headache. Ya, I'm pretty sure it's over, at least for now. Ya, finding out who she is should be pretty high up on the 'priorities list'. And last I saw of Naoko she was saving my sorry a** from an ogre... "
*Gwyn's amulet flared and he looked over at Nida. There was something odd about her mind.... Gwyn walked over to Nida. He was very curious, and its always best to ask when you want answers after all. Either that or Momma is a friggin liar.*
"Nida.... are you feeling alright? You seem to be... jumbled up in your head. Almost like... theres not enough room up there, or something."
____________________
*Kain was disgusted. Xachta's abuse of his bearer was just absurd. But the fool wouldn't listen to reason, that was apparent. Talking to him was just about as productive as having a conversation with a rock. Maybe if he talked to the girl... no, not yet. Time would have to play its course for now.*
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:06 pm
*A lone figure walks up after the fight*
Well, that was a bit of chaos. I assume from the fireworks that you're the people who have been going around smashing villages. Correct?
"Why don't you shift for yourself, Kain," Nida hissed at Gwyn as he approached. "We've got bigger fish to fry, and I, for one, intend to be ready."
You heard the lady, Xachta snorted. Leave us be for now, yes; your scruples can wait. It sulked in Nida's skull, not understanding the others' sheer density, the impossibility of making them understand anything important.
Why do they hate it so? Why can't they see that Xachta is the one most dedicated to victory, the one who strives the hardest? It's the spirit and heart of their little motley team, yes it is, and they hate it for that.
...Is that you, Xachta? Nida's thought tentatively ventured. Xachta gave a mental jerk of surprise; it hadn't thought that its vessel would be able to understand it if it thought in its usual candor, without the benefit of language. Apparently there was something to this "possession" after all.
Look, freaky thing, I'll help you this once. But the moment this particular battle is over, you and I are gonna have a serious talk about your methodology.
No talks, gar-ul. You're in way over your head; it'll go easier on you if you just try to comprehend as we go along.
No dice, Oozy. Either you work with me, or I ensure that your little gumdrop finds its way between two very heavy, unyielding objects moving together at high velocity... say, a pair of boulders, or perhaps I'll let Gwyn's dragon stomp on it.
Xachta hissed in her mind, then sent a few images of varying degrees of vulgarity, but it knew it had to concede something. It couldn't control the girl this way forever, and it had no doubt she would make good on her promise.
It was saved from responding by a renewed wash of epinephrine; the neurotransmitter whipped their slowly separating consciousnesses back into the crude amalgam of moments before.
"Yes, we'll make a deal, but now is not the time," Nida hissed.
Baikasu aims his gun at this newcomer."First of all, we haven't been the one's doing that. Some other force has been. And, for some reason, only as soon as we ENTER a town. Anyway, Who are you?!" He tightens his grip on his rifle.
*The figure rolls it's eyes at you, laughing in a biter, low voice*
So what? Are you saying that they would have died if you hadn't come to town? Does that lie salve your minds so you can sleep at night? You shoot them, you entice monsters to attack them... Either way they die, and either way they wouldn't have if you hadn't done what you did. Since you're pointing your gun at me I'd have to say it's more likely you ARE the psychotic butcher of countless innocent lives. Tell me, do you keep thier children's fingers as trophies? Or are you more of a toe fan?
"Grrrrr..." Baikasu, with a face that looks as though he's about to go homicidal, yells, "SHUT THE ******** UP!" And with that, he whips out his sword and summons all the energy his amulet will allow him. The blade glows white, and sparks and small bolts start emiting from it."WHO THE ******** ARE YOU?!"
I would advize not taking any action right now, Baikasu. I know that she's really getting to you, but you must not attack! Wait until you know hwer story!
I'll only attack if she tries anything... I'm just prepping!
...suit yourself.
*Laughs*
What? You think a sword would help you kill innocent children faster than a gun? Or do you just enjoy the spurt of gore you get when you cleave open thier ribcage? If there's one thing people hate more than anything, it is the cold truth to cold events.
Come on, don't waste my time babykiller. Attack or drop your weapon.
Pissed, he puts his sword away, thinking that it wouln't be a good idea to attack hewr, mainly because she's expecting it."You wanna be a b***h, that's your call. Ask them anything you want."He throws down a flshbang and a smoke grenade, then, while he runs off, he yells, "Just leave me the ******** alone!"
"Interesting. Another cold one...but this one's a bit more angry."
We do have an interesting group...don't we. It's just turning into a little party of people with problems.
"Yeah, yeah, Narya. I know. That's okay"
*walks over to Daewyn*
"Are you okay? That was a nice save you made with that girl, by the way."
*Bryce hears something softly in the distance*
Is that what I think it is?
Yes. We must be prepared.
*The figure calls out after Baikasu*
SO DO YOU ENJOY IT? YOU KNOW, HOW ALL THE TWO-YEAR-OLDS HIPS CRACK WHEN YOU ******** THEM?
Baikasu summons up energy in his hand and sends it in the direction of the newcomer, but misses and makes a tree fall down about 5 feet from her. He then continues running
*Kicks the flashbang after the retreating nutcase*
*the flashbage and thesmoke grenade then go off, blinding everyone for abouot 30 seconds, then enveloping them in smoke.*
*Daewyn blushes at Bryce's compliment, not used to such things*
"Thanks, I just did what I was told. I had a lot of h...."
*She trails off as she hears the shouting of Baikasu and the newcomer. Tears well up in her eyes.*
"What's going on? Why are people fighting?"
*She looks up at Bryce with big eyes and a confused expression*
2 minutes later, Baikasu shows up and climbs up his ******** b***h. If she only knew."
*Picks up the smoke grenade, chuckling lightly as it puffs out a harmless grey mist*
"I don't understand either."
*Steps towards Baikasu and the newcomer*
"Chill out you too. You can talk it out nicely. There's no need for bloodshed. You should save all your energy for the upcoming battle."
I'll stop them if I have to.
I know. But don't. Not yet, anyways.
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:13 pm
*Stands there, listening to the gentle hiss of the smoke grenade*
What battle? Are you planning on letting that nutjob lead you into another mutilation spree?
"We never destroyed a town, b***h! Or do you justy enjoy bitching at others and never acually listen to their defense?!"
"No. This battle is no doing of Baikasu. And he's not a nutjob...all the time. You seem to bring out the worst in him. By the way, what is your name?"
There's not much time, Narya.
You must prepare them.
(to Tanasha?) "Yes, who the ******** do you think you are?!"
*To Baikasu*
"Get a grip. There's no need to rip her head off yet. Just sit down and breathe."
*Wings the smoke grenade at the loon in the tree, managing to get a perfect throw off at his head*
I don't play well with people who insist on pointing guns at anything that moves.
"Will you just tell us who you are. I don't have much more patience."
*Shrugs*
I'm looking for a bunch of psychos I heard about with absurd universe-bending powers and... *Holding up an amulet on a chain* things like these.
He attempt's to dodge, but the SG nade still clips him on the side of his ear, almost makIng him fall out of the tree he's in."Oh, s**t. Not you, too? Damnit, okay, what do you control?"
*Gives the nutcase a glare*
You're an insult enough to yourself. Go crawl off to a corner somewhere and rape your pet infant corpse again... Maybe this time your c**k'll be too big to ******** thier eyesocket.
"Oh. So you have an amulet too. Wonderful. Good thing you didn't blow her up Baikasu. That could have been disasterous."
*To the stranger*
"Even if you do have an amulet, we still need to know your name. What is it?"
"And while your at it, you could tell us what your amulet does and what the hell your donig out here in the middle of nowhere."
*Gives him an even stare*
I don't tell my name to hostiles, and you haven't convinced me on that count.
*Turns back to nutty*
I said I was looking for you people. And I can show you what this thing does.
*She takes a firm grip on it, and an odd bubbly voiec can be heard from it*
Puppies. Puppies and... milk, those are good. I like puppies, and I like milk. Puppies in milk probably doesn't taste good... Not like cream... Cream comes from milk... Cookies and cream is tasty... Not how puppies and tastes...
*She pulls back the amulet and the talking fades away*
How about you?
"Hmph. Well, the only ones here that are being hostile are you and Baikasu. And don't worry. If I'd wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have used this spear. If it'll make you feel better, I'll give it to Daewyn."
*hands spear to Daewyn*
"Why don't you go and check on that girl, Daewyn?"
*back to stranger*
"Well, my name's Bryce. I have no intention of harming you unless you show one of harming one of my friends."
"Well. Your amulet seems even more nutty than most of ours."
Hey hey! I take offense to that.
Narya, you, least of all are nutty. In fact, you keep me sane.
That's what I thought.
More roars, more bickering, more fighting. Just what in the world is going on?
Something is literally awakening the temple guardians, Daemon explains to her. And it seems that another bearer has arrived.
Naoko continued looking into the mist, wary. Another bearer?
Fate...
Wings flapped around in different directions, causing Naoko to jerk her head up and frantically look around. She knew that the temple guardians of this temple over water were supposed to be the most powerful, but there was something odd in the air. Something....dark....
Halconic Dragons...
Naoko clutched her amulet, a habit that she usually did whenever preparing for a journey. Daemon...can you warn the others?
It has been done, child.
Four of them...possibly more...
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:21 pm
*Stands there, waiting for somebody to move*
He just HAD to go out of the Void...and he hated his bearer for it. He understood her intentions but mingling with the other amulet guardians were more of a pain in the a** than anything else.
Unlike how one would usually warn a person of danger, Daemon just stepped out of his realm, wings spread out and eyes glowing.
Only then did the other guardians stop bickering amongst one another and turned to look at him. They all knew it was unusual for the Void to step out of their own element.
"I suggest that you prepare your bearers for the fight to come," he addressed them, his voice rumbling and deep. "The Halconian temple's guardians have awakened."
And with that, he faded back into his realm, leaving the rest to decide for themselves.
Baikasu, I've Daemon has just contacted me.
Daemon? Who's that?
Naoko's gaurdian. Apparently there's four halconic dragons coming this way.
Oh, ********. My day just can't get any better, can it?
"He climbs down the tree, then says to everyone, "You guys get the messege? Get ready. Noww, to think of a plan... oh! I know! Run into the cave entrance. That way, they can't use their wings on us, and we don't need to cover as many directions. But then, I'm just some sanity-challenged baby-raping freak, aren't I?" He looks over at Tanasha."I can assure you that none of us did anything to any town, except for rescuing people from a weird sand storm. If you want answers about anything, then just help us out."
Xachta skipped the "I have been informed" bit and jumped straight to the imagery. Nida's vision filled with stock pictures of the dragons, so detailed that they had a superreal quality about them, as though time had been frozen and she was examining them like impossibly perfect models of the real thing.
See, gar-ul, they are waters, yes? The waters is bad for the others, oh yes, for some very bad, but Xachta doesn't mind the waters, oh no, it doesn't. Well-- Macnore can damage them more than I can, I reckon, though we're both a bit protected from the damage. Not that I recommend you go leaping at them, though, no, not at all! They're still deadly.
Wait-- you're giving me advice; does that mean you'll leave me alone? Nida tried to sound vindicated, but a twinge of fear snuck in from her hypothalamus.
Why should it not fulfill a simple request, hm? Xachta sleazed in response. ssxxrahh, luck-skill, gar-ul, xcht you-will-die... It withdrew itself, coiling back up into its little amulet hidey-hole, feeling rather pleased with itself. Nida's distress was palpable. How was she going to deal with these things without the enhanced senses Xachta provided? She would most certainly die. Or so she thought; the poison guardian would never let that happen, but if letting her think she was abandoned would bring her closer to it in the long run, it was more than capable of pushing her to the edge in that regard.
*The still unidentified figure stands listening to the gibberish*
Sugar... Sugar slows bleeding and prevents infections... Potato startch dust is better... Water dragons hurt... They fly through the sky and unburn things with thier breath... Wet puppies smell bad... Even with sugar because sugar doesn't smell...
*The figure raises an eyebrow; usually it's a tad more coherant than that, and sudden topic jumps mean it's got prompting from somewhere... The problem is figuring out if it saw a frog, or if it means that some of the local flora or fauna is drowning, or etc. Useless to her.*
"Um, hello? You there? I said move your a** if you wanna live. There's four halconic dragons coming, and I don't thin you want to be on the receiving end of their wrath."
*Rolls her eyes and casually walks in the direction of the cave*
"I think I'm gonna need your help on this," Naoko murmured, her eyes scanning the four large Halconic dragons from a distance. One began to approach her.
Used too much of your magic? Hmph.. Daemon muttered before whispering a spell of possession.
Naoko's body involuntarily convulsed at the effect, gritting her teeth in pain as she dropped her katana. Her dark hair melded with her skin, turning her entire body black. Nails lengthened, wings sprouted out from her back. She grew taller, more muscular, more unhuman. Before she could scream out, Daemon had taken control of her body and opened his eyes which were in its purest red. He stretched out his wings and levitated in the air.
It had been a long time since he had done this.
A Halconian dragon screeched for attack, flapping its wings and making a head dive towards Daemon. He just merely smiled.
*Sighs, pulling out and loading her sniper rifle, starting to take pot shots at the dragons.*
*Daewyn watched mutely as Bryce joined in the fight with the stranger. As she listened to the new person yell horrid things her young mind did not comprehend on a level higher than the overall catagory of "bad" she saw her pull out an amulet that began audibly rattling off gibberish stranger than the prattle Daewyn herself normally indulged in. When Daewyn saw that this mean person had an amulet as well something clicked in her head.*
I think understand now Terra...not everyone who has an amulet is nice, are they?
No child, they aren't. Be wary, the earth trembles. Something is coming this way.
Yes Terra, I will.
*No sooner had this internal dialogue finished than Bryce handed his spear to Daewyn.*
....I'll give it to Daewyn. Why don't you go check on that girl, Daewyn?
*Daewyn nodded and made her way to where she had last left the girl. No sooner had she reached her than Terra's voice shouted an alarm in her head so loud Daewyn thought it might explode.*
Flee Daewyn! Halconian dragons are coming this way! Hurry!
"Dragons?! We've gotta go!"
*No sooner had Daewyn uttered these words than she had grabbed the girl's hand and begun her descent into the earth.*
< Vikki >"Wait! Wha..."
*Vikki started to protest, but they were well on their way through the earth before she could finish. Terra attempted to calm Daewyn's mind a bit.*
Relax child. Make for the tunnels over there. Panicking won't help anything. Feel the earth around you.
*Daewyn calmed a bit from the familiar voice in her head. She began to reach out to the rock and dirt around her like she had in the temple and discovered she could feel where the tunnels were through a sensory organ she didn't even know she had. Soon Daewyn and Vikki had emerged into a series of tunnels. Just ahead they could hear gunshots. Daewyn turned to the girl with her.*
I'm going to go help fight these things. You just stay here where you're safe.
*Daewyn ran along the tunnels towards the firing, Bryce's spear still in her hand.*
Terra, I need that armor.
*The amulet didn't audibly reply but instead flashed a bright green, shooting strong vines out of the stone hanging around Daewyn's neck and sending them wrapping protectivly around her body and limbs. Trailers hung ready at her wrists to be used offensively when the time called for it. Daewyn soon reached Baikasu who was the one originating the gunblasts. Next to him Bryce stood casting spells at the beasts. When he looked her way she tossed him the spear, then quickly flipped out the knives strapped to her wrists. Since Baikasu and Bryce stood blocking the entrace Daewyn plunged through the earthen walls and soon emerged on the surface. What she saw then made her jaw drop open. Charging at the beasts was a figure was a black, winged figure who's red eyes glowed fiercer than Daewyn had ever seen Naoko's. Something inside her told her that this indeed was Naoko she saw, but at the same time it wasn't.*
That is Daemon, child, Naoko's guardian. He has fused with her body, giving a physical outlet to his power. I have not seen another guardian do this for a long time. Careful now, it's the dragons you need to be focusing on. These are water elementals, so their magic shouldn't effect you as much; the armor will absorb most of it, but they do have powerful jaws and claws, as do all dragons.
*Daewyn nodded at the advice and tried to remember what she could of her last fight with dragons. Those were just illusions though, however real they may have seemed at the time. These were the genuine artical. Daewyn wondered how much of a difference that would make in this fight. She took a defensive stance and waited for an opportunity to attack the winged menaces.*
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:27 pm
[Perception is more pleasing than the truth....
As lucavi looked into the crystal blue waters of the lake his whole figure radiated in a heavenly white light, his wings were more magnificent what than any features any other creature had, anyone that has seen him belives that he is a messenger from god, though in fact it is nothing like that. Fallen from heaven from sins of vanity, he is now merely a demon disguised as an angel. He quests for a way to get back to heaven and a way to remove his past sins.]
"I will find a way and when I do , I shall recieve my rightful place in the skies..."
*lucavi falls to his knees grasping his head*
[Angels who have fallen slowly lose control of themselves as they become more and more a Demon.]
A five minute lapse has taken place in Baikasu's entry:
Macnor, I've got a question. If I can summon up lightning into my weapons, can't I also summon those same powers like a spell?
Yes, acually. Though I'm amazed that you never thought of that sooner. But the problem is, it may be more powerful than your average spell, but it will take a lot out of you. I suggest you use that ability wisely.
Perfect. Now all I gotta do is at least ground one. Care to help?
What makes you think I wouldn't? Now, focus, and aim your hand at the one you want to atack.
Baikasu focuses, then aims at the closest one, which he was shooting at before. As he starts focusing, a ball of lightning starts to grow near his palm. "Whoa!"
Now, release it.
You got it! He then thinks, Go, and then, suddenly, the ball of lightning turns into a cylindrical beam with bolts protruding from the sides. The beam hits the dragon, causing the dradon to suddenly fall out of the sky in a roar of pain. It then recovers from the shock with burn marks all over, lands, and then starts toards Baikasu in a fit of rage."DAM! That hurt! I wonder why,. Oh, well. Anyway.." He then takes his rifle, aims it at the dragon's head, and fires 6 bullets. The first 3 hit, but he missed with 2 and hit it in the wing with the last one. The bullets only caused the dragon to slightly bleed."Damnit! My rounds aren't good enough! It can't get through that skull!... Wait! That's right! Their underbelly! Someone distract it while I get underneath it. Bryuce, you cast maic, right? Know any darkness-inflicting spell?!" As he said this, he was taking out his katana.
The one chasing after him was more than a toy. He easily dodged its poisonous claws, flying out into the water. Furious, the dragon lashed out its tail, but again Daemon easily avoided it.
You know...you could have made possession a little bit easier on me... came Naoko's voice.
It's been a long time since I casted that spell.
..And?
He ducked underneath the dragon's arm and summoned Naoko's katana, letting the weapon stab through its arm. The dragon growled at the pain.
Why don't you kill me, Master of Void? the dragon asked him.
Daemon smiled. "If I did, then there would be no entrance to the temple. Tell your friends to stop this battle -- we aren't going to do any harm to the stone."
Yet you destroyed Melbane.
The demon's eyes flared in anger and he twisted the katana in his grasp, causing the dragon to cry out in pain.
"Melbane is not dead. It is in my bearer's possession," Daemon hissed. "Now release the barrier and call back the others. There will be no need for bloodshed."
Growling softly, the dragon let out a roar, causing all the other dragons to look up and fall back.
It then fell back into its human form as Daemon released the katana from its arm. The Void guardian then disappeared into the Void, letting the element circle around Naoko's body until her clothes reappeared. She slowly opened her eyes, exhausted from the spell.
The dragon guardian looked back at her, still clutching its arm from the wound until it healed itself. Silver hair gracefully drifted down his shoulders, his eyes dark amber, and wearing armor of gold.
"The others should be here soon," he said to her. "When they arrive, I will open the gate."
Baikasu, still hurting from his technique, looked up as the dragon suddenly let out a roar and retreat. "What the hell's gonig on?!" He then sees it meet two other dragons,then all go in one direction." Something's gonig on. They weren't that organized when they attacked, and they wouldn't have given up so easily is that weren't the case. I'm going after them! Hell, I'm bored anyway!" With that, he started to run in the direction the dragons were going.
*vikki remained silent, the attack from the orge was qiute a shock for her all she did when othes talk to her was nod*
*Packs up and follows the people following the dragons.*
[It was early spring and the rain still had the lingering chill of winter. A soft silvery drizzle sifted down the night sky around the blocky watchtowers of Igros, hissing in the torches on each side of the broad gate and making the stones of the road leading to the gate shiny and black. A lone rider approached approached the city. He was wrapped in a heavy travellers cloak. As the gates opened the traveler showed his true twisted intentions, He pushed back the hood of his cloak revealing crimson eyes of a mad man. In a moment screams could be heard around the town, cries of pain as lucavi slaughtered the helpless civilians. Their suffering giving him a feeling of extacy feuling his urge to slaughter. *** The town lay in ruins structures now a heap of wood and stones, blood covered the streets. Out of the chaos a hero appeares through of the blazes a paladin with dazzling mythril armor. He screams and rushes toward lucavi, but his attemps fail as he becomes just another lifeless corpse in the streets of the burning town. lucavi reaches down and catches sight of a seemingly familiar amulet in the possesion of the fallen knight. He picks it up knowingly that the previous owner wouldnt need it anymore. He looks at the amulet but doesnt remember what it is for. Nevertheless he feels it is important to keep it. Satisfied with his actions he leaves town.]
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:31 pm
By the time Nida had worked up the nerve to step out from the underbrush and start one of her dances, the dragons had begun a retreat. Sighing in relief upon seeing Naoko in point position, she ran over to the front line, keeping her spear ready just in case.
-----
Void is wrong to do this!! railed Xachta in the communal well of the guardians' minds. Exhibit your power, oh yes, let them all know that Daemon is willing to insert himself! Oh, don't let your little fleshlings get hurt, Daemon; they might cry and not love you anymore! Tendrils of rage lashed about, indiscriminately striking the "walls" of the well-- the collective perception of the guardians.
You!! it screamed, this time indicating everone in general. You call it bad, you tell it that it's wrong to join its vessel! You follow the hypocrite, then! See if Xachta works with you! Soon you'll all be shoving your little bearers' souls off into the nether-nether, taking their bodies for yourselves, yes, and "oh, it was necessary, there was a bug, it might have stung her"! At least I joined with my bearer; I didn't possess her!
Whirling into its amulet, it hissed, Don't try to justify yourself to me, Daemon. None of you speak to me. Xachta remembers why it took its vow of silence. You hate what you don't understand, but you never tried to understand me, you pack of self-righteous assholes. I hope you fail. I hope you die.
Wouldn't be the first time Xachta pitched a fit and ran off to sulk.
*Gwyn looked with wide-eyes at the transformation that took place, changing Naoko to her amulet guardian. But he didn't have time to be surprised at this. There were four dragons already here.*
Dragon: Protect the temple!!!
Gwyn: Wait! We don't have to fight....
*Gwyn saw the dragon rush up to him, narrowingly missing with its claws.*
Dragon: Hmmm.. so you understand the draconic tongue? No matter. The temple must be protected at all costs.
Gwyn: But we're not here to destroy the temple or anything....
Dragon: Die infidel!!!
*Here the dragon swung down with his claws, but Gwyn countered it by raising his hand up and blasting the dragon with mental energy. The dragon stumbled back a bit, not expecting this sudden attack.*
Dragon: Feeble attack. You think that will save you?
Lead Dragon: Fall back. They will be allowed to proceed.
Gwyn: Wait! I...
*But they had already lifted off and were flying away.*
Gwyn: damn.
*Daewyn saw a dragon flying directly at her. She braced herself, ready to search out it's weaknesses when it got closer, when suddenly the thing stopped its descent as if by some inaudible command. She looked around to see that all the dragons were retreating. In the center of the field of battle Naoko stood facing a silver-haired man that hadn't been there before. She rushed up beside Naoko, keeping her distance from the armored man, and looked up at her questioningly.*
What's going on? What do we do now?
"Where were you, Naoko? You okay? Haven't seen you since that first ogre attacked." He looks over at the man standing a little ways away."You. Who are you?"
... Were you talking to the other guardians just then, Xachta?
None of her business.
If you're going to drag me into this little wargame you guys are playing, then it damned well is my business.
She pushes, she whines, she begs, she threatens. It seemed to remember her not wanting its interference.
Grow up already. I heard the whole thing; I know what's going on. Are you going to fill in the details for me or not?
... You weren't supposed to hear that.
I figured. Looks like somebody wasn't controlling its link to its bearer, hm?
No response, just a few half-hearted images of Nida in various states of decomposition.
When you're ready to play ball with me, then maybe we can talk about me playing ball with you.
Die, failure gar-ul.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:28 pm
[Waking under a tree he doesnt remember what had happened the night before, a dark void in his idle mind. He remembers his quest and starts of on foot. Not before long he hears dragons in the distance and tries to follow the sounds of the feirce creatures.
Surveying the ongoing battle he noticed that one of its participants senses his presence. The person seems to be shouting,"You. Who are you?"]
I am lucavi of the Divine Knights and...
I am lost
I am unfamiliar with this land. where am I?
After the sudden outburst of Xachta, Daemon just shrugged, ignoring him. The other guardians knew well that the Void guardian was literally blood-related to Naoko after many generations worth of Masters and Mistresses of the Void, so he had a definitive tie towards his bearers. Void was harmless to the right people, and dangerous when threatened.
Not only that, it was his bearer who made the decision.
Naoko winced upon the thoughts and outcries from the other realm; apparently, her limited time in that area of the Void had caused her to listen into Xachta's tirade.
Are they all like that? she wondered to herself.
Daemon laughed No, not all. Don't worry about him.
"Where were you, Naoko? You okay? Haven't seen you since that first ogre attacked," Baikasu asked, causing her to stir out of her thoughts. "You. Who are you?"
The temple guardian looked back at Baikasu with a stoic expression on his face as the other dragons came back and began changing to their human forms.
"You've got quite a curious bunch, Mistress," he addressed to Naoko.
She just arched an eyebrow at the comment.
*As questions were asked, vikki just sat and watched Naoko and the others she was not yet ready to talk to the rest of them just Naoko for vikki felt more comfortable qith her for some reason*
........................................................
*Gwyn walked up to the dragons with wonder.*
"Wow, I've only seen a dragon in human form once before.... amazing!"
*Gwyn said this last statement in the draconic tongue*
"I dunno where any of us are, acually. I was busy fighting thigs getting here. I'm sure Naoko knows, though."
"Well, that was interesting. I haven't cast that much magic in a long time...felt good though."
*Walks over toward the others and the dragon/man*
"This should be interesting."
Any thoughts Narya?
Be patient. All seems well, so far. It's good that you didn't have to use the full extent of my powers yet. It is not the right time.
The dragon guardian blinked repeatedly, the only expression of emotion that he portrayed.
Then he gave the young man the slightest hint of a smile.
"(It seems that Caranar has taught you our tongue)," the dragon replied, hearing the chuckling from the other guardians behind him.
He turned around and walked to a wall. Its ivy branches seemed to cling to the structure as if it was its only life support. He touched the wall and it created ripples upon his touch, like water.
"The path to Halconia is here," he replied. "But you must all stick together and not stray off from the path. If you do, you'll fall into eternal darkness."
"..Halconia?" Daewyn asked.
"Halconia is the temple of earth, child," another dragon explained. "Though it floats upon water, the actual city lies underneath. It is one of the few of the ancient cities left unscathed."
Naoko silently nodded, for she understood too much.
The viscous fluid that had pumped from Nida's tear ducts only minutes earlier was dried and crusted, caking her eyelids and lashes. She rubbed it off as the party began filing through the illusionary wall. (Illusion or portal? Nida wondered, finally deciding it didn't really matter either way.) The stuff tingled against the skin of her hands, but aside from a teensy bit of redness, there wasn't any other observable effect.
Okay, so we've gotten three new people in the space of a twelve-hour period; less, actually... and I've only been with these people for about, lessee, thirty-six hours... will things continue to move this quickly, Xachta?
Why doesn't she ask Naoko, hmm? Daemon knows all; Daemon is the leader, de facto status notwithstanding. Daemon this, Daemon that. An impression of a sudden burst of brown at the back of her occipital lobe. Nida interpreted it as a snort. They all play-act at caring, but aside from perhaps Terra, they're just deceiving themselves. They can't care. Not yet, anyway.
Care about their bearers? Or care about the mission?
Yes, yes... you fleshlings are our tools, our steeds; never let yourselves forget that in the end, we are the ones that matter, we are the driving force and the only salvation. Without us, you are all doomed. That is why you are a failure. ...And as regards the mission...
Nida waited.
It won't get into that right now. Suffice it to say that Xachta cares about the mission, and that is all she needs to know.
They don't like you at all, do they?
Shut up, gar-ul. You will die; you cannot comprehend us.
Her turn to enter the wall had arisen. Steeling herself, and noting the complete lack of consternation on Baikasu's face as he stepped from her side and through the wall, she shrugged and plunged in.
lucavi *in his head*
These people they all have amulets... what are they for .. what draws me to them
[sinks back to a state of unconciousness]
Do you find it harder and harder to control your more baser urges.
what are you talking about, who are you? where are you?
I am Vormav the spirit of the amulet that you have in your posession. I have come to inform you of your current Status as the new
Keeper of the light.
What are you talking about
I can read your mind but there are still many things i cannot
unlock from your mind. You are a mysterious one but as my new master
I will grant you the powers of the amulet
What powers?
The powers of Holy Elemental.
What use is it to me I already have powers of my own. I am a messenger
of God.
You are a fallen one.
forgot about that
wait I remember something now I had 12 voices in my head what happened to the other 11.
What are you talking about
I remember distinctly that I had 12 voices in my head, what the hell
happened
You eat them???
your one messed up kid
But I remember ... wait . . . Oh it was another amulet, It is in possesion of a friend Gotta find it
are you serious its crowded enough in your head, Are you sure you can handle 12 more? You cant even think straight...
Are you insulting me
I was merely commenting on your lack of ability to rationalize
Well I geuss thats ok now that you explained it
!!!
[Head blacks out]
*Gwyn was pleased. He was actually talking to other dragons. His draconic had come along nicely.*
"(Yah, my partner taught me the language, along with my father and mother. I come from a long and respected line of Dragoons. But how did you know his name???)"
*Gwyn then turned his attention to his comrades who were currently going into the pathway to Halconia.*
"So Daewyn, I guess this is your temple, right? Heh, well good luck."
*Gwyn decided that he might as well go on into the pathway.*
"(A thousand thanks, my esteemed draconic friends.)"
*He then tried to remember the common dragon's farewell....*
"(May..... May Bahamut's blessing follow you for eternity!)"
*With this he bowed and walked through the stone.*
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:35 pm
**Daewyn stepped through the barrier. The feeling was similar to the one she felt when travelling through the ground, only thinner, more...liquid. She followed the others closely, pondering what the dragon had just said.**
The earth temple....I will be tested again, won't I Terra?
Yes child, the time of your testing has come. Do not fear, you have been progressing rapidly. I do believe that you are truely ready for this. Remember what I told you about reaching out to the earth?
Yes...
That is the most important thing to remember. When the time of your testing comes I won't be allowed to help you, so I am saying this now. Reach out to the earth and it will respond. It will help you if you ask. Remember that. I too will be tested here once again, so I am going to rest and save up my strength for what is to come.
**With that Terra drew her essence tightly into the dark green stone of the amulet around Daewyn's neck and began to meditate, storing her strength. Daewyn turned her eyes back to the path before her, following it closely. The last thing she wanted was to be lost in darkness forever because she wasn't paying attention to where she was going.**
*Bryce stepped through the portal with the others*
So, this is Daewyn's temple, eh?
Yes it is. It should be interesting for us, though.
Why do you say that Narya?
Because Earth and Wind don't exactly go along together, Bryce. I'm just saying that this temple will not give us any advantages.
Wonderful. Well, hopefully nothing bad will come out of it. I trust Daewyn's abilities. We should be fine.
*looks ahead*
Wow. So this is Halconia...
As soon as Baikasu enters the invisable wal, Macnor starts a conversation with him in his head.
Baikasu. Remember, this is the Earth Temple. Your powers are useless here, so try to avoid combat. They'll only absorb your energy.
Thanks, Macnor, but I WAS paying attention. I'm not as dumb as I act, as you most likely know.
I was just reminding you. And, personally, I'm quite thankful that your temple is still in the distant future.
And why is that?
Need I remind you that you STILL feel pain from your element? You need more training.
Allright, allright. Tell you what: When we leave, I'll go take down some ogres with only lightning.
That may work. I still think it's odd that you hurt every time.
Changing thesubject: What are the guardians talking about?
Oh, just trying to get Xachta to stop sending it's bearer to the brink of insanity. I think it's futile, though. Heh heh heh.
Heh. It's STILL at it? Good gods...
They walked through the portal in silence, following the dragons' lead. Sometimes Naoko could feel a little jolt in her mind, meaning that the others were talking to their guardians. It never bothered her much, being mildly telepathic as it was, but for some odd reason she felt jealous now. The others seemed to have a rather close relationship with their guardians in such a short amount of time, while she just had a rather mutual relationship with Daemon.
Don't be silly, Naoko, her mother's voice whispered to her. You and Daemon seem to get along fairly well.
Then how come I didn't know who he was until I returned to Melbane?Naoko asked.
It is because he understands your nature. You've been suffering for so long since the attack on the town....he was waiting for the right time.
...But....why didn't he save you?
Silence lingered for a moment. Naoko could feel that her mother was carefully placing the words.
...Fate makes it that way, Naoko, Kaen murmured sadly. I knew my fate before Melbane was attacked, and I had to accept it. Just like you now.
...You mean Dante....he BECAME what he is now because he doesn't accept his role?
Your brother has much to learn, yet he does not want to open his eyes to see the truth.
"We have arrived," the head dragon announced as the group stepped out of the portal.
"Wow...so this is Halconia..." came Bryce's observation.
Ancient ruins scattered about the city. Unlike Melbane, Halconia was very occupied and busy with life. City dwellers wandered about everywhere, speaking with everyone -- things that were usually seen in other cities.
However, upon their arrival, the townspeople stopped moving and stared at the small group of newcomers. Their eyes were just like Naoko's when she was in her element of Void: they were all the purest of green, a trait of a Halconian. A small group gathered in front of them.
"(Who are these people?)" an elderly man asked, someone who was brave enough to step out of the crowd. His language was one that nobody except for the dragons and Naoko could understand.
"(They are the amulet bearers)" one of the dragons answered, her own silver hair flowing just below her waist. "(The young one is to seek her test at the temple.)"
"(You mean...)"
"(Yes. The prophecy is beginning.)"
Nida certainly hadn't expected such a well-populated and tightly-run city. She had envisioned crumbled buildings, long grown-over by underbrush and creeping vines, surrounded by thick stands of conifer and hardwood. How could a city like this stay hidden from general knowledge, and why would it have dragons guarding it? Of course, the second question went a ways toward answering the first, and the reason for the dragons' presence was obviously the temple.
She must either learn to think faster, or perhaps forego thinking altogether, Xachta hissed in the back of her mind. Stung, Nida ducked her head a little and tried not to puzzle anything through, taking it all in without any sort of judgement instead.
Whatever the dragon-girl-thing said seemed to rile up the crowd; first whispers, then murmers rippled across the small lake of people. Nida caught a few people staring at her for several seconds at a time; only when she noticed that everyone here had eyes which matched hers in color did she discern the reason. Maybe she even had a distant cousin in this crowd somewhere.
-----
Tera, careful she will be, yes? Xachta's concern, its first communication to its brethren since its tantrum earlier, was tinged with an unusual vulnerability. She has been preparing, it knows... it will pray for her.
It didn't expect a response, except perhaps an admonition for it to be quiet, but it felt a need to say something. Tera's apprehension was amplified by Daewyn's, making it all the easier to detect.
*vikki felt utterly uncomfortable she was not use to all these people around her, as the continued on to the temple more and more people stared at her, vikki held on tightly to her dagger ready for anything the stress was getting to her she broke out from the group and run into an ally*
all these people it's just to much i..have to... take a breather.
*vikki looked around only to see a lil girl staring at her*
Girl: Um......... hello there
Vikki: um hi *wait the towns people dont speak our language*
Girl: ru lost?
Vikki: no not really.
Girl: my names Miharu whats your's?
Vikki: Vikki.. my Names Vikki
Miharu: Wow what a pretty name.
Miharu: Hey cool amulet thingy whats it for?
Vikki: to tell u the true i dont really know myself, but the people the i travel with also have one.
Miharu:Then u guys must be the amulet holders.
Vikki: yeah we are called the from time to time, hey may i ask u where ur parents are, u know u shouldn't really be in a dark ally such as this.
Miharu: My parents well.............um... there working yeah that's it working.
Vikki: do they know u play in dark ally's like this
Miharu: well not really.......... well i have to go now good luck in the temple
Vikki: um wait... i wanted to ask u somthing.......* but the girl had already ran off*
Vikki: i thought these people didnt Speak our language. wierd i better catch up to the others.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:42 pm
*Daewyn walked along with the others through the city, not saying much. The sight of a city underground had astounded her to say the least, but she simply walked along, looking at everything but if she had an opinion on the things she saw it went unvoiced.
The city was beautiful. The buildings were carved and decorated with stones and jewels rarely seen on the surface. Soon the temple gates stood before them. Grand columns had been carved out of the rock and stretched from ceiling to floor. Just beyond the columns was the steps of the temple, tiled in marble of a variety of earthen tones that lead up to a massive door carved of a single slab of jade. It fairly glowed, giving off a light reminiscent of the eyes of the people who inhabited this strange city. There was, however, no handle to the door. When they approached the door everyone looked to the head dragon to see what he would do.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Terra was startled by Xachta's words. For eons she and Xachta had feuded, and now that the time of prophecy had come here he was, offering prayers on her behalf. Despite both their knowledge of the gravity of what faced them, she was still astounded that he would care.**
Thank you, Xachta. I will need all the prayers I can get. Yes I will be careful.
*There was a pause, then Terra added one more thing*
Xachta, I just wanted to say that I understand the why of your actions, even if I don't approve of them, and I also understand that you are just as vital to this mission as I am. Please, take care of your bearer. You know that you need her, just as much as I need Daewyn, if you are to succeed. I look forward to talking to you again, but right now I must meditate. The time of trial is close at hand.
While on their path to the temple, Naoko kept her eyes downcast, trying to ignore the whispers of the other townspeople. Unlike the others, she understood their language: Halconians, like the Melbane, existed long ago during the final battle and so they shared the same foreign tongue. It was only because the excavators who had discovered her town did she know how to speak in the common tongue of the era.
The head dragon had paused upon opening the entrance to the temple as if he was contemplating on what to do. His comrades watched him closely, also curious.
"(Naoko!)" a voice shouted from afar, causing the Mistress of Void to look up and turn her head.
A young girl just around Daewyn's age ran up the long temple steps to greet the newcomers. Unlike the elders, she was not afraid of strangers.
She also looked very much like Nida except her strawberry blonde hair was long, just reaching around her waist. She wore the robes of a priestess and behind her followed many of the temples other, older priestesses.
"(Layla, come back here!)" one shouted, carefully pulling up the hems of her robes as she too climbed up the stairs.
However, Layla had already reached the group, embracing the Mistress of Void.
"(Sister Naoko, it's so good to see you again!)" Layla exclaimed.
Naoko gave the slightest hint of a smile. "(It's the same as you. How's your brother?)"
Layla's eyes began to brim with tears. "(Oh, you wouldn't believe what happened to him! Kato had gotten outside of the seal and ---)"
"(Layla, I think it is wise that you must go back to your studies,)" the head dragon interrupted, his hand still on the tablet to open the gates.
Layla looked up at the head dragon with a touch of sadness on her face. "(But...Master Rahxe...)"
The only female dragon of the guardians walked to the young priestess, kneeling down to her height. The other priestess following Layla had finally reached the steps.
"(They are to go on a quest, child,)" she soothingly said to her. "(Maybe when they get out, you can talk to the Mistress of Void some more.)"
Hesitating for a second, Layla reluctantly nodded and let her elder priestess guide her back down to the temple steps. Naoko watched her go, still a bit disturbed about the news of Layla's brother that was never finished.
He had gotten out of the seal?
"We apologize for that delay," Rahxe told the others. "Please be careful, now and have faith in your guardians."
The tablet underneath his hand glowed once before the massive gates began to open itself. Naoko took a deep breath. She sure hoped that the old man's words were not to be true...
"Man, now its come down to it. My first temple... I hope everything goes well.... I really don't feel much like dying..."
"Calm yourself, Gwyn. You shall be fine. Do not worry, all you need to concentrate on is protecting yourself and the others. This is not the time for your great test..."
"Right... thanks Kain."
*Gwyn then gulped and bowed to the head dragon*
"(Bahamut's blessings...)"
*Just then the Amulet of Mind flared, and the same illusion of the platinum haired warrior appeared in front of Rahxe.*
"Greetings, Rahxe. You surely have grown in standing since we last met... Well, we must be off. Gwyn, proceed."
*Gwyn just nodded and the illusion dissapeared, and Gwyn proceeded into the temple with the others.*
_______________________________
*After Kain had finished talking to Rahxe and Gwyn, he redirected his attention to the Guardians.*
"This is Terra and Daewyn's trying moment... I'm sure all of our prayers go out to them.... Even Xachta."
*Kain indeed had a new admiration for Xachta. He was actually cooperating with his bearer to a certain extent. Of course, that Nida girl was very strong willed, and tough to boot. Kain laughed.*
"My, Xachta, if I didn't know better I'd think you might actually be growing to like your little mortal... hahahahaha"
Whoa-- she looks familiar, came Nida's shocked thought as the young girl ran to hug Naoko. She searched her mind for a bit, but finally decided that the sense of familiarity was a fluke; the girl probably reminded Nida of herself when she was younger. As the girl spoke, Nida was finally treated to a clear sample of the language; her first impression had been from Naoko and the dragon-lady, which she hadn't heard clearly due to her position behind them, and the murmurs of the crowd had washed over her in a babbling wave. The girl's clarion voice, strong at first, then softening as she grew upset, rolled over the vowels, undulating across the rare gutturals and surrounding the semiaural "humming" consonants like an airstream flowing around an arrow. The girl's voice was enrapturing, and Nida felt a sudden, sharp pang of sorrow when the dragoness ended the conversation.
She closed the experience away in her mind for later evaluation as the gates began their agonizing opening. She hoped the party wouldn't leave immediately once this temple thing was through; she wanted to study this place for at least a day. Especially those priestesses' outfits, which reminded her in a vague, wispy, eerie sense of her mother's own formal dance robes...
-----
Lost in thought, Xachta didn't even feel Kain's jibe-- another missed opportunity, something with which Xachta was far too acquainted.Tera was more conciliatory than I had expected, Xachta thought to itself. I had hoped she would recognize the gesture when I chose one of her own kind for my bearer. ...Well, I guess I shouldn't say "chose", but I did have some say in the matter...
Tera's response to it had given it a sense of something it should do, out of obligation to its sister guardian if nothing else. But it didn't like the idea. The concept went counter to its methods; the whole thing could elf up the tactics it had been using thus far. But... an obligation is an obligation, and if Xachta could choose only one guardian to understand it, it would choose Tera.
Gar-ul.
The gates were finally open, and the group was listening to some last-minute conversation between the dragoness and Naoko, like everyone could understand the language. Hell, maybe they could understand it, and Nida was the odd girl out. She focused her mind inward, trying not to recoil at a sudden perverse image of green sludge oozing down the back of her skull, squishing in her cerebrospinal fluid. Xachta's way of saying "hello".
What do you want? She doesn't have time to bother with it, no she ******** doesn't, she grunted inwardly. I don't need any of your deprecation right now.
She will listen to it! it hissed. She will listen if she desires to understand why Xachta is with her.
... I suppose you have a captive audience. You might as well start yapping.
She... Xachta paused. Now that it had started, what should it say? Stumbling over one's words did nothing to portray the image of the All-Powerful Elemental Guardian.
... Xachta was once a gar-ul, once like the bearer. But not of the bearer's kind. Xachta was darker-skinned; Xachta had beautiful green hair and brown eyes. Xachta had smaller boobs, but Xachta didn't have to lop hers off to shoot arrows like her mother, no she didn't. Xachta's sister used to make fun of Xachta, but then she was chosen to be a huntress and had to have her right one taken off, and she didn't tease any more, no she didn't. A pause, a brief flash of dark, oily blue; the equivalent of it clearing its throat. Xachta was of the shamanic line; Xachta could command animals, Xachta's guardian spirit was the vine viper.
Nida grinned despite herself as Xachta defended its former body's lack of mammary development. But it stunned her to realize that the guardians were human, or at least mortal, before their current incarnations as rocks. Was that why Xachta was so scary? Had it gone insane over the years?
It's not insane, stupid gar-ul. It was highly offended. Merely pragmatic. Being without a body and all the bullshit hormones and desires and blood and mood swings and the myriad other torments of mortal existence opens up new avenues of pure thought. I realize that part of the body's purpose is to provide a check for all that pure thought, and hence I do my best to compensate. She would do well to just shut up and listen.
By this time the group had begun entering the gate; Nida hurried to keep her place in the back third, not wanting to play rearguard in such an unfamiliar area. As they walked, Xachta continued its speech.
The legends of a battle between the realms of good and evil have a grain of truth to them. When the time came for the head shaman of Xachta's people to embark on his journey to the Melbane temple, Xachta went as part of his retinue. Along the way, they were ambushed several times, and only two days from Melbane, the enemy succeeded in killing over seventy-five percent of the caravan, including the shaman. There was no time left to return for a more experienced replacement. Xachta had to fill in.
Its transmission grew hooded; tinges of black and dark purple, colors Nida had yet to associate with the guardian, fogged the edges of its words. Xachta was terrified. Xachta knew that she had the capability to perform the necessary duties, but she was always a failure, she could never do anything exactly right. She was not the right choice. A long pause; Nida wondered if that was all the spirit would reveal.
To this day, Xachta wonders if her inexperience, or her hesitation, or her doubt, or her lack of understanding, or all of these factors were the cause for the imperfect seal. ... And perhaps that is what the others think, too. Perhaps it really is Xachta's fault, and that is why they hate it. ... Whatever the past, Xachta spent years and years ridding itself of itself. The girl Xachta once was is no more. She was cast away, hindrance that she was, and good riddance to her. The others have not taken that step because they have not seen the need for it. They succeeded where Xachta failed; they were capable beings, not lacking in confidence or skill. Therefore they do not realize that their confidence is an illusion and their ideals of nurturing the bearers are a fallacy in the end.
... That's an arrogant viewpoint, Xachta. You're telling me that you're the only worthwile rock in the bunch?
What I'm telling you, obstinate gar-ul, is that you are like them: replete with self. Nida is not going to win this battle. Neither will Xachta. No one will win. You and your mortal buddies will become forgotten dust, and Xachta and its siblings will become silent pieces of an eternal shield, doomed to a hell of isolation. The only thing that matters is that the end result is what we desire it to be. That is not a winning scenario. That is merely fulfillment of prophecy, and it will solve nothing in the world that is currently problematic, save perhaps for the preponderance of monsters. Our only goal is to prevent the true battle from ever arising.
Xachta does not care about you, Nida. Xachta cares for no one. If Nida wishes for anyone she loves-- perhaps her mother, if she is alive-- to be able to die without regret for a wasted life of torture at the hands of demonic hatred, then perhaps Nida had better stop caring about everything but the mission as well. Perhaps less than a wholehearted effort can succeed, but Xachta will brook no chances.
Heh... first time you've ever used my name, Xachta.
Maybe she'd better watch where she's walking before she rams into a wall like the dumb b***h she is.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:51 pm
The other dragon guardians bowed reverently to Gwyn. "(Bahamut's blessings upon you all.)"
And thus, they followed Rahxe into the temple. Unlike Melbane, Halconia was lighted brightly in all the hallways and the walls were kept plain and simple in earth tones.
"(How long has it been since you have returned to Halconia, Mistress of Void?)" Rahxe spoke in her tongue.
Naoko looked up at his back before looking down at her boots again. "(...A long time, Master Rahxe. Almost five years now.)"
"(And you were never aware of Kato's disappearance? He is a Master of an element like yourself.)"
"(I did feel a ripple in the Void then, but didn't think too much of it....)"
Maybe she should have.
Rahxe gave a glance back towards the others behind Naoko. "(They seem to be getting used to you and this heavy pressure of the prophecies.)"
"(Maybe so...maybe not.)"
The earth rumbled, causing the others to go on guard. Rahxe turned around and just shook his head.
"It is all right. The temple does this all the time."
~~~
Daemon continued to watch his bearer from his usual post in the Void, avoiding all other conversation that the other guardians were involved in. The girl's thoughts were too troubling to him, and he, too, had heard Layla spoke of her brother's disappearance. It was impossible to escape the seal without the elders' permission, and to do so was death.
At least that was how it was in the good old days.
Kato was a very close friend of Naoko's after Melbane was destroyed, Kaen softly explained to him, an image of her appearing beside him.
"I see..."
Kaen's image smiled. You seem to be very interested in protecting my daughter. Does she remind you of someone?
Daemon gave a sidelong glance to the former Mistress. "No. But her troubles seem to follow the path of how I was when I was human."
Back in the battle at Nekleska?
His eyes narrowed, but he still continued to watch Naoko. "....."
*Bryce looked up with wonder at Halconia*
Wow. This place is awesome! I've never been anyhere this good-looking.
Well, you were banished.
Do you have to bring that up all the time?
Kinda hard not to.
Shut up Narya.
*catches up to Daewyn*
"So, are you ready for your temple? Of course you are. Just remember you have friends like us here to help...even though me and Baikasu are at a disadvantage because of our elements...at least we have other skills. Stop looking at me like that! You look really saddened and afraid! Don't be. You'll do fine. Just have faith."
*looks up*
"Is that the temple?"
*Daewyn looked up and smiled*
"Thanks Bryce, I know I'll be fine. It's just a little frightening when I think about the last "test" I went through."
*Daewyn shuddered slightly at the memory once again, but this time the shuddering was accompanied by another rumble from the ground.*
Daewyn.
Yes Terra?
Remember what I told you about reaching out to the earth? Try it now. Why does the ground rumble like that?
*Daewyn closed her eyes and focused her perception downwards. She could see (with that extra sensory organ that she discovered only earlier today) cracks and rifts under the earth, grinding against each other.*
The rocks are grinding against each other...
That is the how of the event. Reach out your feelings. WHY does the earth do that?
*Daewyn continued her concentration, feeling the earth shifting around her feet as they slowly began to sink into the earth. She continued to reach out, opening herself up to the earth. Her apprehensions about the test to come came out when she did so, and another rumble, this one stronger than the other two, rippled through the ground. As she released her feelings into the earth, what the earth was feeling seeped into her*
The earth is nervous too. It hopes I am strong enough to pass the test, because it longs for the prophecy to come true. But there is also something else...it won't make this easy on me because it knows the hope of the future rests upon it doing its job.
Very good Daewyn, you are ready. Calm yourself, the time of testing is at hand.
I never thought about it before...*she mused aloud.* So much rests on this mission, the very earth is hoping that we succeed.
*A stern look came into her eyes.* I won't let it down. I can do this...
*Daewyn looked up to see that they had arrived in a vast cavern. The walls were encrusted with more gemstones than Daewyn had ever seen in her whole life. The old Daewyn would probably have been thinking of how to pilfer a few of the stones without being noticed, but now that voice was silent. All she thought about now was her mission. She began to fall behind, admiring the beauty of the room as it gave off a glittering light, when she suddenly sunk into the earth.
She was trapped again like before. When she tried to move like she had the last time she was hindered. The earth was not simply allowing her to pass through.*
Terra? What's going on? Why isn't this working like it's supposed to?!
*The guardian was silent, and that's when it really hit her. This was her test.*
Naoko stopped the others from catching Daewyn once they felt that somewhat sharp ring in their ears.
"It's her test, you guys..." she reminded them. "..This won't be so easy."
"Not easy, indeed," Rahxe agreed. He stepped away from the group, a strange aura glowing around him. "My time of guidance is over. It is up to you to see what lies before you."
And with one blink of an eye, he disappeared. The rumbling of the temple began to increase, causing wariness upon the group. Naoko's eyes narrowed.
This is not going to be easy, for sure...
Nida's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of Daewyn's head falling-- she was behind approximately seventy-two or so party members, so she didn't have a clear view-- and was initially too shocked to feel Xachta seeping its way into her head.
Move over, gar-ul; it needs room, the guardian grunted absently. Nida suddenly lost hearing in her left ear, and the vision in her left eye blurred.
What the hell are you doing?! Get out!
Things will be happening fast and furious now, it thinks. The others may well need our eyeses. Stay focused.
"Stay focused?!" Nida hissed behind everyone. "I'll stay focused on keeping your sorry a** out of my skull, how's about-- aww, s**t, too late." Oh, well... at least it wasn't pumping nasties out of any orifices yet. "It will keep an eye out for now, yes."
*Gwyn was startled at Daewyn's sudden dissapearence, and even more startled at Naoko's confirmation of this being her test. He tried to reach out to her mind, but to no avail.*
"Naoko... I can't sense her at all. It's like she's cut off from all existance... These temples are disturbing."
*Gwyn stepped carefully after Naoko, who was in the lead. If he was to survive in this temple, he would have to be cautious.*
"Kain... Is Daewyn alright? Can you tell?"
"No, I can't tell. She has to do this by herself, or else it wouldn't be much of a test would it?"
"I'm glad this isn't the Mind Temple... I'm pretty sure I'd die..."
"What is it with your generation? You should believe in your abilities. Before I was contained in this stone, when I had a body, I had faith in myself, and I still do. You should believe in yourself. Remember Courage? Courage is just as important and necessary as Power and Wisdom. Never forget that."
"Thank you Kain... for everything."
*Bryce watched in horror as Daewyn slipped into the earth right next to him*
"NO!"
*Naoko held him back*
"I know it's her test, but she went so soon."
It's okay. You know she'll be okay.
I know.
You should focus more on what's ahead. All of you are not safe yet.
Right. Wait a sec...is that what I think it is? I hear something just ahead.
"Naoko. Do you hear that?"
*Follows cautiously into the temple, having played rearguard through the town. A few feet in the door, a imp swings down from the ceiling and slams into her, knocking her into a room. The imp rushes after her as a stone decends to close them in.*
(Inside the room)
*Tanasha jumps to her feet, tosing her pack to the side and taking in her surroundings. The cramped room looked like a makeshift dwelling, with a firepit, table and chunks of log as makeshift chairs. The walls were decorated with heads of people and animals, with posters below them with thier pictures, seeming to indicate that those were at one time much sought-after. The crimson-stained leather armor and steel weapons seal that this place is the home of a bounty hunter or merc of some kind.*
*The imp starts advancing on her, knife drawn* They say I need face-off with you. So I take off you face. *Gives Tanasha a warning swipe, Tanasha doesn't even flinch*
*Tanasha stares the imp in the eyes* Are you a gambler? 'Cause I'm sure as hell betting that they didn't say you needed to fight me.
*The imp mulls this over for a minute as she hasn't cowered or drawn a weapon* This is true...
*Tanasha gives him a grin* How about dice? One roll, highest wins.
*The imp shrugs* Meh, paid in advance, never said I had ta win. Highest wins.
*Tanasha pulls a d6 from her pocket as the imp does the same. They exchange dice and sit down, staring at each other for a moment before tossing the dice on the table*
3, and 3... Reroll.
*They roll again*
3... *Tanasha grins* ... And 4. I win. Good game
*The imp nods as the door opens* Good game. See you around.
*Tanasha smiles at him, giving him a wink as she walks out the door* Bye, maybe next time we'll be under the same contract.
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