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((OOC: yeah happy birthday.))

Issildia had moved some distance into the forest, though Streak's sleeping form was still in sight. For a time she searched for Demitri, but knew if the Anierian warrior did not want to be found then she would not have any chance in finding him.

After some time Issildia then abandoned the search, Demitri was more disturbed by what had happened in Eradon than she had anticipated. So many times had the two of them stared down the greatest of dangers and they had always been there to guard each other, to keep the other safe. And when he had not been there for her, when her father had threatened to kill her, Demitri had taken it to heart, he was punishing himself for things that were beyond his control.

Issildia leaned against the trunk of an ageing willow tree, she felt drained, both mentally and physically . In a matter of days they had traveled much and faced great darkness...and now even though they had survived this they had all been wounded, one had been separated from those that he knew best, his own unit... another had abandoned her own personal vendetta's to take up those of the city that she abandoned...and the other...the other had lost faith in himself...

As Issildia set with her back to the willow tree and lost herself to these thoughts she sensed as a figure approached. Then Demitri seemed to appear out of thin air as he to slid down to rest at the base of the willow... little distance separated the two.
There was a silence between the two for sometime before Demitri spoke, "Forgive me, I was foolish in taking the actions that I did." he said quietly. His eyes downcast....

"There is nothing to forgive" said Issildia, as she then slowly stood and took his hand and brought him to his feet. "In all the time that we have known each other I would think you would have realized that by now." Demitri looked as though he was going to counter this statement but like so many times before Issildia silenced him with a solemn look..."There is nothing to forgive Demitri......now come, the sun will soon rise and Anier must know what has transpired these last few days. "

The Anierian nodded and his normal stoic demeanor seemed to return to him.

"Honoris Causa" Demitri said stoically as he stepped past her to return to the edge of the forest.
"Honoris Causa" returned Issildia with a slight nod as he passed, it was the edict of the Anierian military, For the Sake of Honor...

[ Message temporarily off-line ]

"Tula sinome" said Issildia to Demitri, who immediately helped Streak to stand, "Take him to Anier," commanded Issildia " whatever or whoever is doing this will not be able to affect him once we are inside of the walls."
Demitri nodded and the air around him began to crackle with electricity, "What about you?" he asked as Issildia had kneeled down and placed her blade Sumar across her lap, it's blade gleaming darkly. "I want to know who is doing this, for someone to project such power with such traits they must tread within the Realm of the Dead, I will not be long, take him to Anier."

"The dangers of entering the realm of the dead are great Issildia..." his words faded to silence for he knew all to well that she had made her choice.

Instead of arguing with her, Demitri simply nodded, "Tira ten' rashwe asca..."

Issildia's eyes then seemed to cloud as a cold mist suddenly began to for around her kneeled form. "Uuma dela" she said..."Tenna' ento lye omenta Demitri"

Her last words seemed to come from far away as though they were an echo of some sort. Then as frost spread over Issildia' blade Sumar, Issildia's spirit entered the realm of the Dead. To walk within this realm, one could not bring one's body only the spirit.

Issildia now stood within the first of the seven precincts in Death. The silver gate shrouded in mist that led into the second precinct could be seen in the far distance, but Issildia did not intend to cross into the Second Precinct at this time, for already she had found what she was looking for.
"So Issildia Nevar...we meet again..." said an dark voice to Issildia's left.
Slowly Issildia turned, "Damien..." Issildia said icily as she turned to face the Ryera.

~As soon as Issildia had passed into the realm of the dead there was a crash of thunder and a hiss of electricity nearby, when the sound of the thunder had faded to silence the place where Demitri and Streak had been standing was empty.

At the edge of Lake Veldan a bolt of lightening struck it's banks, sending up a fine cloud of sand and dust. When the this had cleared Demitri and the weakened Streak stood there.

There in the center of the lake rose Anier, in all it's glory. Shining White towers rose like mountains from within the pearly white walls that guarded Anier. The western wall though had long since lost it's luminescence due to the punishment it had taken from the ongoing battles between Anier and Larovia. "Come" said Demitri as he strode away towards the shallows of the lake, where hundreds of reeds and other aquatic plant life grew. For a moment the warrior disappeared into the forest of reeds but he appeared only moments later and gestured for streak to follow him. For within this hiding place was one of the many slender boats that the Anierians used when traveling to and from the city without Larovia's forces knowing. Quickly Demitri slipped into the slender craft and waited for Streak to follow. "We must hurry, Larovia will begin it's attack one again when the sun has left the bounds of the horizon."

Demitri nodded and held the slender boat steady while streak stepped in. As soon as the passengers were seated the boat suddenly began to slip through the reeds until they were out in the dim light of the rising sun. It was odd how this craft seemed to move on it's own without any aid. Demitri turned to Streak, "Anierians gifted with the power over water have enchanted this Lake with currents that carry our people from the city to the shore. There are also currents that make it near impossible for any craft larger than this one here to cross. One of the many protections aganist our enemies..."

"Little under a mile off shore." said Demitri, "though their archers remain within bow shot of the lake. This is why we must reach the city before dawn, for when the sun rises, Larovia's archers will sight any crossing the lake." It was then that the slender boat changed direction slightly to pull alongside what seemed to be a flat stone island that was a few hundred feet from Anier itself. As the vessel that Demitri and Streak were in came to a halt, mist suddenly swarmed around the small flat island . Demitri stood but did not leave the craft, for a few moment there was nothing but silence, but suddenly a voice cut through the cloaking mist, a voice that spoke in the same tongue that Demitri and Issildia used. "Ya naa tanya?"

Demirti turned to face where the voice had come from, "Tel'Sindavathar" he answered. Suddenly the mist withdrew, instantly slipping back onto the surface of the lake as if moved by an unseen wind. Obviously there was some sort of password that one had to know to enter the city, thankfully Demitri seemed to know this...

There standing only a few feet from Demitri, stood another Anierian warrior, dressed in a pale blue cloak with a long bladed scimitar at his hip. "Nae saian luume Alastor " said Demitri with a smile as he reached forward to clasp hands with the stranger. Demitri then withdrew his hand and the cloaked Anierian threw back the hood of his cloak, revealing a warrior no older than Demitri with dark grey eyes and ebony hair that fell just short of his chin. "Mae govannen Demitri" returned the warrior.

Demitri then turned to Streak and gestured for him to leave the boat.
"Streak, this is Alastor Verra,a soldier from my unit"
The Anierian that Demitri had named Alastor nodded to Streak then returned a stance of alertness, "Come my friends, the sun has risen."

It was then that Alastor kneeled down and placed his hand on the stone ground where there was a faint rune engraved. "Panta tangwa" Alastor whispered. Suddenly the rune seemed to brighten a moment then where the lines of the rune were the stone began to split, and pull back from the center of the rune. Within moments there was a circular hole that sank down into the earth, a slender stairway led down from this hole into the darkness below. Suddenly a whistling sound began to fill the air. The Larovian archers had begun their work. Alastor then motioned at the lake and the direction of the shore, suddenly a thick fog lifted from the surface of the lake cloaking them for a time. It was apparent now as to what element this warrior held domain over. "Come, he said as he gestured to the stairwell.

As Alastor led them through the ever descending stairway Demitri glanced at Streak, "She went into the Realm of the Dead to discover who or what has been trying to kill you...If all goes well she join us soon enough." Demitri paused, as a look of worry crossed his face, "I can only hope that no harm comes to her"

It was then that the stairwell finally ceased it's decent and leveled off into a tall arched corridor made of a pure white marble. Delicate lanterns hung from the walls casting a warm glow through out the hall.
The three quickly crosses this hall only to arrive at a great slivered gateway, inlaid with crystals. Without hesitating Alastor set his hand against the jeweled gate resulting with a number of sparks flying off the silvered metal when his hand touched it. After this simple ritual or test ended the gate slid open on it's own opening up into the very heart of Anier. White towers rose high above them as the three stepped out into the light of the rising sun. "Home," murmured Demitri, as he took in the view of the city.