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((Interesting history lesson...xD))

Marilla kept her eyes locked onto the Shadow Fiend, and soon heard it speak. She winced at its loud, rumbling tone of voice. But, seemed sort of confused to the question the Shadow Fiend asked. She wondered, I suppose we shall let the Princess of Rideron answer this...hm...I wonder if the Shadow Fiend knows I am a citizen of Alteron? And not Rideron? Anyhow, what shall the Princess say? Should she tell the truth? Lie? Say nothing at all? Or perhaps she shall not be the one who answers the question? All these questions buzzed through Marilla's mind, and she looked rather dazed. Staring blankly ahead, not really focusing on the Shadow Fiend. That is, until Sunray jiggled in place. Then, Marilla's eyes shot down at her steed and smiled.

Sunray asked telepathically, Why were you staring like that?!

"Thinking..." Marilla replied out loud.

Felicia stayed in front of the princess, but when Esiri had her blades to the creature's throat she was sorely tempted to join her. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Esiri's feet caught by the shadow's and a low growl came from her throat when the creature spoke. Then she took off, easily clearing the men in front of her in a single leap before she swiftly ran forward to where Esiri and the shadow fiend were. Felicia raised her sword to strike the creature, but when she swung she was no longer beside him. Instead she was on the opposite side of where she had just been and was swinging her light blue blade at the creature from a new angle. Her hopes were to distract the thing long enough for Esiri to break free from the grass's little hook-shaped shadows. Did I even strike it? she wondered as she slid backwards and held her blade up defensively. He was basically made up of shadows, so there really was no guarantee that one could cut someone such as this shadow fiend.

Marilla let out a deep breath as Aurora answered. She thought, Okay, so the Princess of Rideron is pretty smart. I think she did the right thing. Told the truth, but not specifically. Sunray resisted the urge to neigh something offensive at the Shadow Fiend. Sunray felt quesy around it, since she had never seen anything like it in her life.

((For the record, some of the things that I've written about have not been published or documented in human/ elven/ mortal texts. For example, the reason why only one Shadow Fiend has ever been sighted outside of the Shadow Walk. The Twilight Pact is also something no mortal that has not communed with an Elder Shadow Fiend would be aware of. I'll point these things out now and again.

So, if Esiri does not 'warp' through the shadows using the Shadow Walk, then how does she make the transition? In order to use a shadow as a conduit (assuming you aren't using some form of surface to surface magic) you would have to cross into the Shadow Walk. Just like a Necromancer has to force his/ her way into the Spirit Realm to ressurect a corpse. Again, this is assuming you aren't just using site specific teleportation magic.

That, or her ability to shadow jump cannot be explained. I will accept that as an explanation (won't like it, but I will, seeing as this is a fantasy RP wink as well.

Again, on with the RP. Forgive my rambling.))

Despite the roach's (or "Elf's," depending on your prespective) hostile actions, it appeared that things were starting to become diplomatic. Besides the strange addition of a lone warrior sprinting across the field to seek counsel with the Princess, it would appear that his goals had been achieved. He'd stopped the army dead in its tracks. Now, to business--

Or not. Another female decided that it was a brilliant idea to join the already entrapped elf. She lept over a fair number of men in a single bound, and darted towards him with typical zeal.

However, something in her eyes was different. This one had a real plan. The creature narrowed its eyes as its smile grew all the wider. Aurora was quickly losing control of her so called "army." So much for the chain of command.

The woman raised her blade high above her head, and as she barreled within reach of her target, she swung. Then, she was gone. The element of surprise that might be an asset in this form of attack was lost on Nox, because he knew exactly what the woman had planned.

A Shadow Fiend is bound under the Twilight Pact to keep their "eyes" closed during the day, and are taught by their surrogate elders to allow the world's shadows to run their course until the sun has set. However, more often than not, a Shadow Fiend will alter a shadow over the course of the day if it will directly affect a human they have a particular attachment to. This is rather interesting, as often times humans will attribute the finding of a lost article in a dark alleyway or the glimmer of light that guides them from a long and winding cavern to being lucky. Perhaps they are lucky, but in these particular incidents, their "luck" is simply that they have drawn the attention of a more or less benevolent Shadow Fiend.

When the Night arrives, there is a completely different agenda. After the sun sets, a Shadow Fiend is free to move about the Shadow Walk and alter their reality as they see fit. The "monsters" a child sees in their room at night, the rooms that seem darker than usual, the shadows that dart past the corner of your eye are all the workings of mischievous Shadow Fiends. However, while many Fiends do settle for this kind of behavior, many simply take advantage of their sight and observe the Human world at work. Camp fires, tavern revelries, the happenings in a forest and dancing are among the most intriguing events to them. However, for the majority of Shadow Fiends the events that remain the most fascinating are the carnal displays of love and passion that take place during the night. Bereft of romantic companionship, they find these trists and affairs to be most inspiring.

This was not the case with Nox. His eyes were always turned to acts of violence and betrayal. Particularly in the handiwork of assassins. Nox found them utterly enthralling. The way the moved, attacked, and killed were as fluid as water, and brutal as a bear trap. He could never shake this fascination, and his interest grew all the more when an assassin was faced with conflict. Then the real displays of art were carried out.

Assassins never fought their opponents with full force. They won their battles with sleight of hand, acrobatics, and unnatural speed. One technique that was a repeated favorite in this underground community of killers was a variation of a two strike sword feint, in which an assassin would move one direction with great speed and exaggerated movements to convince their opponent that they intended to strike from that position. Then, at the last moment, they would pivot on their heel, or make a swift leap across the ground to attack from a totally different direction.

It would appear that many centuries of spectating these ferocious conflicts had prepared Nox for what was suddenly no longer in front of him. The problem with her technique is that it was really a one trick horse. If your opponent knew the means and the ends of your attack, then you would find yourself in a deeper hole than you had begun in.

Felicia would find herself moving straight into Nox's outstretched arm, his hand flexed and open as it sought out her throat. Of course she would not be expecting it. Any warrior that uses the technique that she had used believes rather firmly that their enemy is unaware of what they are carrying out. In her eyes, it would appear that she was rushing her body right into Nox's waiting grip. Unless she had the ability to stop dead in her tracks, regardless of her speed and momentum that was carrying her so helplessly in his direction, her trachea would be clamped shut in a vice grip.

Nox ignored Aurora's question again. For the moment, anyway. He also ignored the Elf behind him. As quick as she had broken free of her shadowy bonds, she would find them rushing back to her feet, longer and thicker than before. They would lash across her feet and up the length of her ankles, rooting her solidly to the earth.

Truthfully, he found all of this more amusing than he did frustrating. It had been obvious (in his mind, at least) that he had no intention of killing any of the quivering mass in front of him. Yet there always had to be one or two fools in the crowd who would rush forward like hyper-active dogs, slobbering and tripping over themselves to prove that they could be heroes, when in actuality all they were doing was sentencing the rest of their kin to a grisly end.

His eyes continued to stare into Aurora's ever curious as to what her thoughts would be on the two vigilantes that had suddenly separated themselves from her forces. What about the heroines themselves? Would they continue to lash out at him?

Of course they would. It never mattered who struck the first blow to mortals. If they struck first and found themselves outmatched, they would continue fighting as if they were the ones who had been wronged.

The next few moments would tell him for certain. He could wait. Nox was a very patient being.

Marilla continued sitting up upon Sunray, straightening her back as she realized that...the Shadow Fiend seemed somewhat...invincible?

Yes! she thought. He seems invincible...but that Shadow Fiend has got to have a weakness! Though I don't know...

Sunray nickered, as she dropped a few feet. So now, Sunray was hovering right above Aurora - only inches away from the Princess of Rideron's head.

Esiri's eyebrow twitched.

"Enough is enough already!"

Esiri quickly stepped away from the shadows that tried to envelop her feet again. Esiri knew from her studies that Shadow Fiends were old. Almost as old if not a little older than her own race. She just knew that this one thought she was unworthy of his time. It irked her to no end.

"Felicia!" Esiri called out,"Lower your blade. As long as we don't attack him, he won't attack us. Let's hear what he or the Queen has to say."

Esiri ingnored the soldiers who were looking at her like she'd grown another head. She was at least 80 to 90 years older than most of them. Let them think she was the fool. If it saved the lives of mortals, Esiri cared not for her own injury, wether it be to her body or pride.

However, for good reason or not, Shadow Fiend or not, it is never wise to irritate a Shadowdancer. Esiri narrowed her eyes at the Shadow Fiend and sheathed her blades.

"Please, lower your blade Felicia!"


((For the sake of the story, the Shadow Jump itself is mainly powered by the magic of the Spirit World. During the Jump, the magic barrows a little power from the Shadow Walk to create the starting and ending points. The amount is small enough that it's like tossing a small pebble into a lake, not a huge boulder. In Nox's case, he could most definitely sense it, but like I said before, he wouldn't be able to precisely locate Esiri. So he could not, say, block the entrance or exit, effectively trapping Esiri in or out of the Shadows. Esiri learned of the Twilight Pact through her teacher. It sounds lame, but that's what happened. It's not like Esiri was suddenly wacked upside the head with a divine 2x4 and made omnipotent. She had to learn all her abilities from her teacher before he retired. He figured since most of the Shadowdancer's abilities dealt with the shadows, his student ought to know what she was dealing with. Mind you, Esiri doesn't know everything about the Shadow Fiends, but she does know enough to wonder why someone of a race of the dark is doing in broad daylight, at high noon, fighting an army. One more thing. If there're any more issues, dealing with the Shadow Walk, Shadow Jump, Shadow Lemmings, etc., please PM me, okay?))

{{15/16 Shadow Jumps}}

Startled that the majestic deer turned his head and some how got the message to back off. Lowering his spear head, he moved away, only to find a large rock, relatively close to the army and sat on it, keeping his naginata within grabbing reach. As Akumi sat, he decided it was best to watch the events fold, and would only rise when deemed nessisary.

((Sorry for the short post ... in a rush...))

Marilla seemed a bit taken aback when she heard the Princess yell for everyone to stop. She thought, My, my...the Princess truly is brave! Demanding the Shadow Fiend to answer her question... Marilla knew Sunray could hear her thoughts, because Sunray nodded her head approvingly as both Horse and Rider kept their eyes locked on the Fiend. They were both curious as to what he would do...