Welcome to Gaia! ::

Xeg nodded towards the remark of leaving the crossroads. The sooner they left, the sooner he would stop having these damned voices in his head, making him feel like some sort of schizophrenic.

He looked towards the north, the lights of Evergray just twinkling in the distance. The fog was still circling in around them, so Xeg waved his hand and spoke a short phrase in the ancient language. The blue werelight appeared again, and with a flick of his wrist he sent it ten feet above their heads. It's glow was soft enough that they would not be blinded by the blue luminosity, but as such it could still help them find their way about the path, even in this creeping mist.

"Shall we depart, Gentlemen?"

((Lucid, while I'm not opposed to anyone contributing to the plot of Storms of Madness, please PM if you have specific ideas and characters you would like to introduce so I can review it first. I have a specific plan in mind, and would like to be able to maintain that while being able to give everyone some liberty.))

Carsan looked between the trio as he raised his right forearm to the level of his shoulder. Krayth briefly took flight to perch upon it, and began sidling his way along his ranger friend's arm until he was resting on Carsan's shoulder. He moved ahead, gesturing with his boy for the others to fall in behind him before slinging his weapon onto his shoulder. His arms receded back into the folds of his cloak, where they rested on the pommels of his swords.

"Let's move swiftly. There is no telling when the sun sets, and we'd best be clear of this place when that happens."

The trek could not be called uneventful. They traveled for some hours, sometimes in silence, sometimes in quiet conversation, but for most of it Carsan had little to say. He was too busy spurning the deviant notions in his mind to conduct himself in conversation. The fog was growing thicker; EverGray's lights growing harder to distinguish through its dense volume.

Some time after what he felt was their fourth hour of travel, Carsan's pace faltered. His fingers tightened on the pommels of his swords, and his mind hissed at him.

They've found you! They've found you! Your journey ends here, ranger!

He could distinguish shapes ahead, in the gloom of the fog. Many shapes. Carsan unsheathed his blades.

"Draw steel; we are not alone."

Krayth took flight from Carsan's shoulder, compelled by a silent command. There were more sounds from the fog now; hushed talking; the ring of metal clearing a scabbard. Then, without warning, there was bright light ahead. A globe of illumination pierce the veil of fog, and in a sudden rush of wind the gap between both parties was cleared of concealment.

Before Xeg, Carsan, Mugan and Dredge was another group of adventurers. At their front was a towering man in plate mail adorned with elegant engravings and the crest of a holy deity. In his hands were a gleaming morning star, and a tower shield. Directly to his left was, an older man built of harsh lines and sunken features, wrapped in wine colored robes with a staff in one hand; the globe of light in his other. Behind those two were a pair of archers -perhaps rangers like Carsan. Their cloaks concealed much of their appearance, but their bows were in hand with arrows strung. Someone else lurked out of sight... but their presence was veiled by the fog, and it was clear the figure intended to remain unseen.

Something was wrong. The air about them seemed... perverse. The paladin's eyes were fully dilated, and he regarded Carsan and the others with a twisted expression of contempt. His words were filled with misplaced conviction.

"As I suspected. More villains seeking to end our divine quest. Did you really expect to catch us off guard, heathens?"

He took a step forward while the wizard moved back; the archers cautiously moved out to the sides, assessing Xeg and the Necromancer. Implacable in the fog was the quite click of small gears locking in place.

They will kill you, you see? Your life and your search ends here, unless you overpower them. They cannot be dissuaded from their paranoia! The wind whispered hungrily to all of them, goading them into battle.

Carsan took a step back, shutting his eyes and forcefully willing the voice to begone from his mind. It lingered, and the paladin stepped forward again, advancing with menacing intent.

"He recoils! What, fiend, did you expect us to be so formidable? Thought you that we would be made into easy corpses, ripe to defame and loot? I am disappointed, but pleased all the same. Today mighty Luxiar shall witness more infidels brought to Justice."

Carsan stood his ground, struggling to talk down both the disillusioned knight and bloodthirsty urgings in his head.

"We are only travelers. Please, leave us be, we wish no harm on you."

The wizard's eyes turned to the armored man, waiting for his move. There was great anxiety in his eyes, as though he hadn't the will to fight. The paladin sneered at Carsan.

"Oh? No harm to us; no obstacle in our search? Prove this, vagabonds. Quickly, or your deaths shall be long as you repent for your travesties."