Welcome to Gaia! ::

[Maker, this is a perfect moment for what we talked about earlier... cool ]

Moneko and Ashra move separate ways, on moving towards the kitchen as the other moved towardsthe training room. A goal must be met within each area of light and darkness, the results of which are still up in the air.

Lina moved away as the doctors tried to aid Quinn's body, sending healing spells into him while putting salve and other herbal remedies, but all they were doing was slowing the process. The magic was too powerful for even their skills. Seh breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the familiar presence of Moneko appear within the Lotus walls and knew that her skills would be able save Quinn... But when it was Lord Ashra stepping into the training room and not Lady Moneko, surprise filled the area.

With a wave of his hands , the doctors moved away and watched as the child Leader knelt beside Quinn's still form and began to speak, but what he said was not any ordinary language, it was the language of life's flow, the murmurs of the energy cords he had shown Quinn. It talked to the soul and not the physical body.

Quinn Siddel of the Rith-Kiran, you have a choice. Allow yourself to pass your inner test or fail...the choice is yours to make here and now...

The hair on the back of everyone's neck within that room rose, as Ashra lifted his small hand and grasped the air as if holding onto the magic itself, but of course Quinn would know what this gesture for what it was.

Live or die. Balance or fall. It is time to choose...

Othello's head turned to look at where the ruckus was coming from and his eyes narrowed as he recognized Ashra's presence within the mansion. Take back your damned energy... He now leaned on his energy sword's sheath much like a cane, his newly exacerbated edginess starting to get the better of him as his free hand began to clench again.

Getting up, Othello ambled over to the connecting center room that had halls branching out into the entrance hall, training area, and other areas of the mansion. There he waited, his eyes fixed peircingly upon the training room's door.

[Signet City now has a Clock Tower. ninja ]

From inside Signet City's Clock Tower, the great God of Time heaved a sigh. He had been watching the recent events of one of his most trusted worshipers from that exact location for quite some time, and now it seemed that at such a young age the boy's time was going to be up. But no... Now was not the time for Quinn Siddel of the Rith-Kiran to rejoin the stream of magic running through the earth. Now was not that time. Yule himself would have to interfere.

So Yule reached out into the world and grabbed on to the one thing that he could easily use as a Gateway, the Silver Pocket Watch that Quinn had looked at right before the battle began. He channeled his magic through it, affecting Quinn's body in the most peculiar of ways. The burns that were affecting the Rith-Kiran's body spread even more violently than before, but rather than acting like burns they acted like a cocoon. Within what would have covered the span of seconds, Quinn was entirely cocooned inside a great sphere.

A voice sang inside Ashra's head at that time. It was soft, constant, and powerful, saying, I apologize, Ashra, for interfering in the affairs of your world. But, Quinn Siddel is the last true Sage of Time that walks the world today. I cannot simply let him slip by. His body is now protected, but I cannot give him the power he needs to pass the test that he now faces. He must do that himself. I beseech you to stay with him; you alone should stay with him. But do not move him. May we speak in person one day, Balancer. You have always been a favorite of mine, ever since your clock stopped.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Inside Quinn's body and mind was like a battleground. Every fiber of his physical being was now fighting his magical half, a fight that very well could destroy him on both sides if it was not decided quickly. It was a fight that his physical side was losing. The burns were evidence of this. But what exactly was being done to his body not even the God of Time fully understood. Other gods were at work there. All Yule could really do was stand back and watch.

It was up to Quinn to decide his own fate. And Yule was so set on things that he had taken his eyes off all the clocks, both those just beginning and those running out of power. He didn't notice just how strange Quinn's clock was reacting to everything. It was going backwards. For the first time since Yule built his first clock for the world, one was going backwards. And he was missing it.

What affect would that have on Quinn?

[Excellent post...by the way, I'm stealing your picture... cool ]

The small hand that rested in the air tightened slightly around invisible cords before lowering to the child Leader's side, his. It was a rare sight indeed for a look of surprise on Ashra's face, but therere it was, stamped upon his face along with another indescribable expression. It was neither pleasure nor anger as he heard Yule speak and it wasn't submission either either...so what was it? Alas the look faded far too quickly for Lina to read and was replaced with a quiet knowing commonly used within stories of gods.

Very well Watcher, he returned, allowing a bit of amusement to enter his 'voice' at the title, I'll let Life continue to flow through him, but only if he does pass. The Balance must be maintained, not manipulated even our thoughts going against it. He didn't explain himself for there was no need. Yule was a god and doubtless knew what was going on. Or did he?

Ashra could see the threads keepin ghim alive contorting on their own and the strange way they were rearranging themselves, some even disappearing entirely...just what did the God of Time do?

"Everyone leave," he said simply as he watched Quinn, "Now."

Lina slowly began to move at Ashra's command, her worry for Quinn although still there, was lowering gradually. Ashra may not be Moneko, but if the child Leader would take such care for him, then Quinn would be alright.

It was then that she noticed Remus's prescence nearby and sighed. She had a feeling he would come, but almost hoped he wouldn't. She already knew that it was a foolish move to fight period now that she was pregnant and she had done it anyway and the consequences of it would be sure to come...

Meanwhile Moneko entered the kitchen, her white eyes upon the panther nearby. She moved infront of the feline and merely watched it carefully, the gaze calm and polite. This is His Heart.. The thought railed away as she lifted her hand and touched the panther's forehead with her finger. Her skin brightened in reaction to the darkness and Moneko's lips twitch in a failed attempt at smiling.

"It is time to Awaken Vincent Merlin," she said as her hand lowered, "Are you prepared?"

Lina moved after him soon enough, her light-filled blades fading into the nearby lights and brightening them consideraly as she did so. She closed the door quiet and moved to the nearby desk, sitting upon it lightly as she waited for the inevitable...

"At the time I believe it was to help Quinn," Lina said calmly, "But now I fear it may have been just to help myself. I needed to see if my powers were still up to a high ranked magicuser's power and Quinn gave me and excellent excuse to find that out."

Her eyes narrowed as she watched him, but she kerpt her voice at a strained yet calm tone, "I fully understand that it was a foolish move on my part, but at the time my miind wasn't on that topic. It is hard for anyone, let alone a warrior to stop herself from accepting a challenge. My instincts called for it, but I should not have listened. Yell all you want, it won't make a difference now that it has already happened." she stood up as well, "What else is there for me to say?"

Lina closed her eyes and looked away, her fists tightening at the sight. She was selfish...so selfish... "I promise Remus." she said quietly as she moved towards him, "I'm sorry..."