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"When the World was yet still young, four blind gods ruled, their eyes taken so that they would not know of evil.
but the Gods grew curious and soon created a sleeper, the first of her kind the sleeper would dream frozen forever in the Eternal Moon above the world, and what she dreamed became real, using her the Gods would enter dreams and be able to see what was previously taken from them. It was soon that the sleeper had fallen in love with a dream, though the gods forbid her to wake and descend from the Eternal Moon. she watched silently for ages as the one she loved grew from a boy to a man, and then to an old man, and she watched his children grow and die for many years, till finally she could not watch anymore and forced her eyes to open, the lights hurt her eyes, as she floated from the Eternal Moon down to the world she had dreamed, when she landed she ran straight away to the one she loved only to find him gone, remembering her power she attempted to bring him back to her, only it did not work, it was then that the Blind gods came to her and the eldest spoke simply. "You oh foolish flesh who have disobeyed your makers shall never see the ones you love, nor shall you awake ever again." And with a wave of his she was asleep forever the gods placed her back in the Eternal Moon, but the torment of her prison disturbed her dreams and so she dreamed of war and of hate and of death.

It is now that we come to our story, for what she has dreamed is a war between the nations of the gods and the gods themselves Tyrian so named from the Blind god of Life Tyrmon now uses its power against the the kingdom of Kalmon.
the Kingdom of Ulgoth has decided to attack in the moment of weakness of Tyrian and Kalmon, wile the kingdom of the sleepers dreams Fal lies in ruins, being the kingdom of dreams it was the first to fall, the only thing that moves within its gates is that of those left from the war that yet rages on, This is the tale of those who attempt to survive such a terrible world.
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The soft light of morning drifted into the ruins of the once grand kingdom, the sky was clear on this morning, as the people still slept many who had gone to join the Sleeping woman in the dreams of the world, though the silence was broken by a loud fall of rubble, as an elderly man emerged from the church, his clothes were that of a clergy man though they were tattered, his bald head showed some now healing cuts and bruises, as he emerged he looked back to the church, 'May the gods have mercy upon those who lost their lives.' walking a short way he came to a small well, hearing footsteps behind him he turned to look at the one who was approaching him.

She was delicate in her own right, with a sheet of hair in the shading of the moon falling to her knees. She wore a gray robe, stirred by even the smallest breeze. The clergyman held no interest for her, but her liquid eyes, which always seemed on the verge of tears, slowed and then stopped, while her feet brought her ever closer to him.

The clergyman stepped to her holding out his arms for her support. "Come Child, you look tired." he slowly climbed down the rubble and " Mercy be, are you alright child?" as he spoke a cold wind gained speed through the rubble.

The cold wind swirled rampant with her energy as she flew around the silent kingdom of ruined Fal, her form silhouetted against the bright, burning sun in the sky. It was quite by accident that she'd drifted in here, the last she had remembered, the remaining of her race were fighting a vicious battle at Tyrian. A sudden huge burst of bright,red, malcious light was all she remembered seeing before being knocked back, and the next thing she knew, she was drifting in the air around this forlorn kingdom. She scanned the kingdom with her blood red eyes, her long, black hair billowing around her, her tattered cloak spread behind her like wings.

She had to find her way back out, her people could not afford to lose any more, each and every day, their numbers dwindled in the world. Hers was a race long forgotten, unheard of by some races, shunned by others, and at times, hailed by the unknowing. Hers was the lost tribe of the Ashura, a race well known for their expert fighters, and their mystic control of fire. She continued to drift for a while, no sign of life, human or not, seemed aparent down below.

A single man walked slowly across the field below, his plate armor broken, his sword lost on the battle field he carried a quiver with no arrows and a bow with no string, his long black hair flowed with the wind, his face a tale of scars, his eyes tired, slowly he willed himself to take each step as he entered the ruins of Fal, many fires still burned as the spirits of the flames danced, the lone warrior fell to his knees, many whom he had known were gone, for all he knew he was alone, he could not see into the sky where the woman floated he could only see what was before him like all humans, he was bound to this life.

Clouds quickly gathered a soft rain floated to the ruins dowsing the fires, as if a God was weeping they came down softly but soon the ground was turned to mud, the man who was kneeling stood up, and spoke a prayer before he soon marched the edge of the village and began to dig a hole, when he finished the first thing he did was take the body of a fallen woman gently and placed her in the ground, he soon took the body of a small child and placed it with the womans arms and then placed a wild flower in her hair, speaking a quick prayer tears flowed from his eyes as he gently placed the dirt on top of them, he soon began this process for the others, soon looking to the sky as he wiped his brow, his eyes only catching a glimpse of the floating woman.

She looked down and watched as the tiny speck that was the fallen warrior wander wearily around the streets, burying the dead. 'Strange. A warrior with compassion...can one afford to have compassion for others in a forlorn world such as ours?' She pondered as she continued to glide around, circling above, watching. She soon spotted the ruins of a cathedral near where the man was burying the dead.

She landed lightly on one of the beams, and sat down quietly, observing the man work. 'He's the only one here who's alive...I wonder if he knows the way out of here? There has always seemed to be a veil around this kingdom which does not allow for those who enter to leave....at any rate, I must get back to my people soon.' She thought as she watched him work.

"You...you're not a native here,are you?" She asked him, her voice melodious like that of sweetly tinkling bells. It was something the females of her race all possessed, a tinkling voice that seemed surreal, leaving most mortals they spoke to confused of whether they were real, or an illusion. 'Let's just hope he desn't think I"m an illusion...' She thought offhandedly as she waited for a reply.

The man turned quickly to her, his eyes seeming to flash with his new alert state, he eyed the woman carefully, his hand reaching for a sword not there..
He was silent for quite some time his thoughts racing, 'Is she real? how can she be?' he took small steps toward her, his eyes soft and the color of the sea, they shown too much compassion for some one meant for war, but yet they stared at the woman ready for anything.

His voice soon broke the silence it was that of a young mans perhaps on 20 winters, "No I am not from here, I hail from Malthese a village east of Kalmon, who are you strange one?" The mans eyes quickly darted around, though he shown compassion his scars and alertness told another story, one of someone who had seen much battle.

Noticing the look of confusion on the warrior, she snorted bitterly. "You don't believe I'm real, eh?"She asked, her voice still a tinkling of bells as she floated down to him. Before anyone could react, she placed her palm on the top of his head, her flesh warm on his forehead. "Hmm....compassion.....you've seen a lot of carnage, haven't you? Yet you still carry much passion within your soul. Quite rare in humans nowadays." She analyzed, reading the warrior's mind and psyche through her palm.

She removed her palm from his head, and loked at him. 'A villager from Malthese...his people must be fighting alongside mine's, then...although we generally don't get close to humans, the enemy of my enemy is an ally...' She thought as she observed the man's face. Bewilderment and confusion knitted his brows. "As for who I am? Hahaha....what a question...I have no kingdom or village to hail from, nor a name given to call me by. I am simply a part of my race, and simply named as such. We've been forgotten since long, cast from our rightful place upon this earth when greed and gluttony corrupted the lands, and defiled the minds of our neighbours, who drove us out for greed of more land, and riches. Now we live nowhere upon this earth, but in the reflection of the grandest castle. We, who have been worngfully exiled from our paradise...we have been called many by your race. The harbingers of destruction, Gods of death, or of War, the Divine Just, the Ruby-Eyed....though we call ourselves the Ashura."

She watched for the reaction of the one in front of her. "You have yet to tell me your name,man." She smirked a bit devilishly, seeing the man blush in embarassment.

((OOC: Is this an open thread?))

The man backed away from the Ashura his eyes wide, he had only heard of her kind in legends when he was but a babe, he soon regained his composer and stood silent for some time letting the wind cool him as he thought it over, he knew of tales where demons had stolen the names of humans and made them their slaves, but in the tales he heard the Ashura were not demons, and many believe that the desert people of Malthese were descendent's of the Ashura, finaly after much thought he spoke gently almost soft enough that the wind dared to steal his words. "I am Balthe Mehin."

Balthe looked around again, being of the desert people the cold winds of the northern kingdom of Fal cut through him, his plate armor only weighing down on him at this point, showing his fatiuge, Balthe breathed in deeply his eyes always darting to the Ashura woman, the thoughts of warrior flooded his head, 'if anything should happen I'm helpless...' But these thought always left just as quickly as the flooded.. "Ashura whay have you come here? I would hardly think the cold north is some where you would want to be."

Just for a moment, she glimpsed the small hint of fatigue in Balthe, but it was quickly hidden. "Ashura, why have you come here? I would hardly think the cold north is some where you would want to be." 'Quite sharp of a mind...' Ashura thought as she pondered his question. "You are correct...I do not. Funny as it should sound, it seems I have been knocked into Fal from the battlefield. I know not how, the last I remember, I was in battle at Tyrian, when a malicious, red light hit me. The next I knew, I was drifting around this cold town." She replied.

"Do you wish to leave this town, also? It is enchanted, a veil covers this fallen land, to bewitch those who enter, so that they may never leave. Though your race is descended from one of mine, I do believe the Ashura blood has long since been too diluted to give you any of our magic. Though you and your people should have been granted insurpassable strength. If you wish to leave, take to the skies with me, and we may search together." She told him as she hovered before him, her hand offered to him, pulsing with mystical energy.

((OOC: I dunno, this is codemonkey's thread))

Balthe thought for a moment the old tales circling in his head. "This is the kingdom the Sleeper dreamed of, or at least it was, the greed of the blind gods, left this place in ruin, but of the task of destruction was done why seal the kingdom." he thought for a long moment before he came to the only answer he could have. "Something is hidden here, now I know the kingdom of Fal spreads over four moons but yet since the days of the elders there has been a fog here." he then took her hand, "if we are to leave I know in my heart that we must first break the spell of this fog, I wish to leave this place but something is wrong here, can you not feel it Ashura?"

a cold wind came through again, as the fog thickened a bit, ghostly voices call out within the wind..

((we all probably know this but four moons is four nights with rest included.))

"Ah, indeed. Is that why you were hesitant to find your way out? Becuase something here ails you? Indeed, you are correct. There is, perhaps you may have more Ashura magic in you than the rest of your tribe. In my haste I have overlooked it. Keen senses you have. You are blessed among mortals. Though it is also my failure not to notice, this cold wind that swirls...it is much like mine, though now that you have mentioned it, it is indeed slightly harsher than my own rampant energy."

"So what is it that you propose we do, now?" She asked as she sat down on some rubble.

"Ah, indeed. Is that why you were hesitant to find your way out? Becuase something here ails you? Indeed, you are correct. There is, perhaps you may have more Ashura magic in you than the rest of your tribe. In my haste I have overlooked it. Keen senses you have. You are blessed among mortals. Though it is also my failure not to notice, this cold wind that swirls...it is much like mine, though now that you have mentioned it, it is indeed slightly harsher than my own rampant energy."

"So what is it that you propose we do, now?" She asked as she sat down on some rubble.

She stopped, next to the cleric she looked like the angel of death caught off guard.
"Balthe..." the named screamed in her mind. Quickly she was leaping over rubble and body alike, not caring who saw her, for usually she was very careful. The daughter of the third moon must remain hidden after all. She flared her nostrils, catching the scent of his armor, and also of...something...The only thing she could bring to mind was heat beyond belief. And eyes of red gemstones...But there were no Ashura here, and she knew no Balthe. What compelled her to run to his voice was something different altogether...but unknown to her.

ooc: Btw, codemonkey's gone for a while, dunno when be back.

The holy man watched her run off, and continued through the ruins.
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Balthe closed his eyes for a moment in thought, "Well as it seems the only thing we can do, is continue down the road, perhaps if we continue through the fog we might find our way out." Balthe showed signs of doubting his own plan, as he soon looked at the something or rather someone heading to them in the distance, but closing fast, "its seems someone is coming to us."

"A haphazard plan....we have no idea what lies ahead, and my strength is not at its fullest. However, you have shown to be full of surprises, and it is indeed the only thing we can do for now..." Ashura sighed as she hovered. "Hmm.....someone has been called to us. An energetic source...does not seem to bear ill will. We should wait before we start our wandering, what do you think?" She asked the armoured man.

Balthe continued in watching, "Perhaps, But I would like to get moving soon as possible, I do not trust this land.."
as Balthe spoke this a figure seemed to watch in the shadows of a ruined building. its face covered by a cloak, which the wind seemed to forget in its rage.

"Alright, then.....let's go, shall we?" Her voice rang out and echoed around the forsaken land. "I do suppose we should try and find the center of this kingdom. Most sources of magic are strongest within its center." Ashura said to Balthe's back as the man walked off, while she floated behind.