Welcome to Gaia! ::

Both Algren and the Tonarch watched what Bane had made transpire with dumbshook amazment. Confoundment burned in the Tonarch's eyes as twin torches,, while Algren scratched his head is puzzlement and wonder and turned up to Bane with both a look of appreciation and wonder. Gefton, however, did not look confused or surprised, only concerned. His wrinkled mouth pressed into a scowl and his weary eyes fixed Bane with a look of intense suspision.

Gefton felt unease creeping over him as he watched Bane. Bane was too confident about all this. Yet Gefton remebered the look of concern that had crossed Bane's face at the word of exile. Gefton's head jerked upright. That was it! Bane wanted Algren on the throne!
The Tonarch raised an eyebrow and then, very slowly, spoke.

"Well then, what is the vote for Algren's claim to the throne?"

The Tonarch looked from the raised hands, to the face of Bane, to the still figure of Algren, and flet his hopes sink. The Tonarch nodded and groaned silently to himself.

"It would appear so. By the power given unto me, and by the will of the emperor I herby name Algren successor to Emperor..."

"I claim Inov Folin." Cried a loud voice. Every head, turned, some with relife, others in surprise. The heads turned to rest upon Gefton, who look stern eyed at Bane, an odd look on his face.

"Gefton?" Stammered Algren, dumbfounded. "You too would try to keep me from the throne?"

"Not at all my my lord. But the law of Inov Folin has not been obeyed! At these words, the Tonarch smiled wickedly, realizing truth behind these words.

"Indeed, the law has not! As you know, the law says that whenever a mmeber of the Imperial family dies, there must be a week long celebration in his honor. We can't have a new emperor on the throne without honoring the old one!"

"Indeed!" Cried several other voices. "Celebrate first, vote later!"

"Nay, we are here and lets us vote first, but I will not take the throne until the week is done." Algren spoke calmly, looking around, up down, anywhere but at Gefton. Gefton's words had cut deep and Algren felt deeply betrayed.

The Tonarch nodded and raised his hand.

"Upon my power, begin preperations for the Inov Folin. And after that, we must prepare the for Algren's corenation. This council is dismissed. At these words, most of the council began to disperse. however, Algren stood there for a long time. it was done, the throne was his. Peace would come. But no matter how hard he tried to enjoy this moment. It felt hollow. He remembered the words of the woman in his dream and he felt his hackles rise at their memory.
---

Asmudius looked down at the hill he stood upon, his feet planet firmly upon the earth. Beside him stood Von.

"so this is it,eh?" Chattered Asmudius, levelhead as ever. Von nodded. Asmduius spread his hands apart and flexed his fingures. The blue eyes closed and Melecus stood still, his lips forming dark and ville words. Von felt his unease grow and suddenly the hill ripped apart from under them and then Von was rising, up. Asmudius still chanted and Von looked down and saw what he knew he would, though he dreaded it. Both Asmudius and Von were resting upon the head of a gaint serpentine creature, made of rock and sand. Massive stones form long horns that dotted the spine and head of this beast. Black diamonds were the eyes and the teeth were made of rubies. The sand hardened and softened beneath Von and he looked down tow see himself fifty feet from the ground and that the serpentine body of this creature extended into the ground.

The Halex roared and Von saw trees cracking and breaking as the beast shrieked both sound and sand. Then the beast began to shake and writh as Melecus chanted louder and louder and after a moment, the beast was still. Melecus opened the dark eyes and looked at his servant.

"Shes has been tamed!"

Algren raised a curious eyebrow and watched as the last of the council left. How odd that the Emepror's children no longer protested, mused Algren. Algren leveled eyes with Bane and allowed himself to smile.

"I'm sure I do. Thank you for your words. i can move troops, but moving the council is one skill I must work upon." Algren's face became more amused as he spoke. "i'm sure i did look wretched, some of those scribes are ready to call my Emperor Madman. It's odd though. For so long I've yearned for this day." A look of deep consideration came over Algren and he studied the floor. "but now that I've finally gotten here, it feels so unreal and well I just don't know. But its not what I expected." Algren spun, his cape twirling around like a spinning bat as the young man looked at Gefton.

"If you mistrust me, i understand." The elderly man bowed his head low, the bald spot glinting in the dim light of the fading torches.

"Don't be a fool." Mused Algren. "You have always done things i have thought odd at the time, but time itself has proven you to be a wise teacher. You said what you said for a reason I'm sure, old friend." Algren bowed to Gefton for a moment before spinning around once more and slowly limping off towards his chambers.

"Bane, would you please send a messenger ahead to the bathing springs. I, as you so blantently stated, am in need of well," Algren snorted in both amusement and relief "To look more like the ruler of an Empire.

"Of course, Viede, please alert any of the ervants who happened to be listening outside the door to the proper arrangements." Bane said, speaking directly to his bodyguard, "Of course, sir."

"You really know how to make an impression, don't you?" Bane laughed, clapping his hand against Algren's back carefully, "As far as impressions go, I think you've made the best I've seen in ages."

After Viede sent a messege ahead, he returned to the others in the council room.

"Shall we escort you back to your room, I've recieved word of the whereabout of our enemies."

----

"Yes... of course." Azmaria said, brushing some of Rosette's hair away fro the spot where Blaise had smacked her, "She seems to be alright, I don't think you-!"

While they could only do so much to Rosette and the others when they were awake, they could do so much more to them in their sleep. Contorted and twisted faces of pain, blood, spurting from severed limbs and pooling on the dark floor. Every agonized face of every man, woman, and child appeared to her screaming in such sharp relieaf that it felt as if she was there, dying a thousand times over through each of them.

Azmaria's touch gave her momentary relief, enough time to escape. Rosette bolted upright, and screamed as loudly as she possibly could.

Azmaria jumped back like a frightened cat, landing flat on her back. The small girl was already on edge as it was, and having her friend screech at her like that was just too much.

Chrono was racing back towards the group in a heartbeat, his feet barely making a sound as they skidded across the floor. He slid on his knees as he came to her and caght her in a tight embrace. Rosette yells were muffled as she buried her face in Chrono's shoulder and she was squeezing him as tightly as she could.

"What happened?!"Chrono demanded loudly.

"Blaise! Get back over here! It won't do any good if you keep getting away from Azmaria or me!" Chrono told her forcefully. He was right, the farther she got form them, the more voilent her reaction was going to be.

"Ugh... you all are so loud. Vhat is zhe big problem...?"

"Satella!"

Azmaria hugged the tall woman as she sat up, rubbing her head.

"...Ah... Vhat zhe hell is ging on? Vhere are ve?"

"The Black Order. Things are a little... unsettling here... Poor Rosette is having a bag reaction, and so is Blaise."

"I see..." Satella said, watching Rosette shake in Chrono's arms, "Vell, maybe I should go look around for now... You all are a mess vithout me."

"But you just woke up, you can't be back to your prime jut yet." Chrono informed her.

"Zhat is not zhe point. I zhink I am zhe only one ready enough at the moment to go look around. Do not vorry, if I need your help I vill call."Satella said, poking his forhead, "You're so vorried about me... I'm flattered."

"I'm just Chrono, "He replied, "And please, if you can do anything to help them, I beg you to."

"I'll be back shortly." Satella said, picking a broken lamp of the ground. Somehow she was able to light it with her jewel, and began to slowly walk off.

"I think I might be able to find some water, most of the building seems intact."

It was odd for Satella to be back here again. AFter all, this is one of the houses of her family she had lived in after... after her parents died. She could feel the pull of the daed her tugging at the edges of her mind, but she was curious as to why they were still here. She doubted their own feeling could keep them here, something else was doing this. Somehting else ket them angry and bound to this place.