Ash pulled one more time and finally her habd came free from the tree. She felt the powers of her ancestors surging through her, slowly taking effect. However, with nothing holding her back, the vicious vines began to pull her. Falling to the floor Ash was dragged along for quite a while as she tried to regain her energy. Strangely, as the powers had been returned to her, she felt herself growing tierd. Mustering enough energy, Ash held up her right hand and a silver mist shot out from her fingertips. The vines stopped moving. Grabbing her sword from her belt, Ash cut away the vines that held her feet.

Jumping to her feet, Ash held her sword before her and looked up at the tree that stood before her. Holding her blade tighter, Ash stepped back closer to the Tree of Wisdom. Her eyes fell upon Azrael and Hugh who were helping them.
................................................................................................................Powers that she held within her for thousands of years slowly drained away to enter the bodies of the Guardians. Her control was diminishing and she could no longer hold of some of the trees. As soon as the last drop of ancient power left her being, the Tree of Wisdom would be transformed back into a seed as her purpose would have been served. The trees near now, she made the link with the remaining Guardians stronger, giving them back what was rightfully theirs.

Jude usually had a thing against killing, preffering to merely knock his oponents unconscious, or put them down with a well aimed shot to the thigh, leaving them hurt, but alive. For these guys he'd make an exception. Drawing his crossbow he swiftly released four bolts, striking a heart, throat, eye, and a thigh, instantly killing the first three, and living the fourth wounded on the floor.

"Who are you?" He hissed in his ear, pulling him up by the collar, "And what are you doing in my city?" Coughing, the warrior said, "I'll never tell you." Angry, Jude pistol whipped the guard with the crossbow, breaking his nose and giving him sever whiplash, as he was still being held by the collar. "I'm not gonna ask you again." Jude warned. "Alright, alright!" The man whimpered. "I work for Garthax, he-" Then mans sentence was cut off by an arrow to his throat. Instantly Jude was flipping through the air, completing a 360 scan and spying his opponent, A black cloaked figure with a large bow, several hundred yards away. Jude swiftyl released three bolts at him, aiming for the right shoulder, left thigh, and right knee. None lethal, all damaging enough to put him down for the count. Yet none of the arrows reached their mark. With equal speed, power, and precision, the mystery man fired three arrows of his own, knocking Jude's bolts off course, than turning and taking off, swiftly disappearing on the horizon.

Jude was left panting on his own, wondering, "Who is Garthax? And what the hell is going on?"

Garthox snarled as he felt the power of the chosen swirl and drift across the world, a slim beacon of hope to those who could read the energies that now collided and meshed together. Malevolent swirls of amber energy flowed from the eye sockets of the lord of nightmares, the great horns reflected the light in a muted from, the great miasma of infernal heated air cascaded and crashed over the gigantic form of Garthox as he peered down at the gateway below him. The great taloned hands flexed and straightened as the thunder echoed across the world, the Sluagh riding forth at the head of the great dark storms galloped and raced across the skies, the multicolored forks of lighting followed their paths.

Looking down at the mewling form of the elves chained and now forever linked to the great lord, “You shall be my heralds, and you shall wail a dire of such haunting malignancy that the worlds shall forever remember the first notes of the age of nightmares.” Yanking the chains Garthox began walking down towards the gate, each step he took warped and mutated the ground, corrupting the flora that lay before him. With a brutal snarl the great master tugged the chains, which caused the three bound elves to cry forth in a soul filled pain that carried on the winds that swirled around the monstrous Garthox, as he moved closer to the gates, the sound was lifted to the great storm riders and carried forth along with the dark clouds of the abyss, this world knew the truth. The dweller in the darkness, the haunter of dreams, and the lord of nightmares was indeed real and he was free.

Slowly the dark clouds that marked the patterns of corruption that permeated the world began to carry the dirge, the song of sorrow, the mournful wail of the death of hope. As the grotesque madness known as the Sluagh carried forth across the world, the power of the Chosen was muted, surrounded and extinguished. The hope that might have been gleaned from the knowledge the Chosen had returned was blunted by the overwhelming strength the lord of nightmares had since he had been free long enough to sow the seeds of atrocity. This world feared already, they experienced the frightful visage of the horror that walks. Even now as the Chosen assumed the mantle of their destiny, the misery and lamentations of the men and women of the world embraced the terrifying truth, the spooky tales of their youth was given life and that shuddersome truth drained any hope from the frail and damaged minds of those who felt the power of the monstrous creature known as Garthox.

Each step closer, the world shook, the world trembled for, he that should not exist was about to leave the battle ground intended to hold him until the Chosen received their powers. As a plan it failed miserably.

As the massive energy from withing the Tree of Wisdom was drawn within the mucus-covered form of Kairen, he experienced a jolt of energy of which he had never even thought possible. The shield covering him and his two Guardian neighbors began cracking under the onslaught of the minions of Garthox, a tiny, spiderweb thin crack beginning at its center. Before the evil limbs could break through, the merman willed the shield to explode, thousands of razor-sharp shards bursting towards the line of evil timber. Each tiny shard penetrated the outer bark of their wooded targets, black sap leaking over the ice as the heat of the tree melted the projectiles.

the newly impowered form pivoted around, his sinewy body twirling quickly to face his foes. Briefly, an aura of blue light radiated from the Solas Guardian before dulling to nothing; left in the energy's wake, was an armor of blue ice crystal formed from the fish-man's mucus membrane. Large, razor-sharp protrusions stuck from the armor, lightly cutting any root or branch that touched it. Sliding forth silently into their combat position from unseen means, the hand blades became a pair of large cresents, ready to cleave anything in Kairen's way. His eyes flashed, the color becoming an icy blue as tendrils of frozen water crept across the grassy earth, condensing into a slick field of chilled moisture, able to slow the assaulting forrest.

As his eyes flashed back to normal and his powers receded, the man stepped onto his chosen battle-field, an arena formed of ground ice. His feet touched the ice, the black claws making a oft "click" as they connected with the ice, leaving tiny holes where they landed. His eyes gazed over the trees as they waved their various wooded parts viciously, tainted by Garthox darkness. The thunderstorm above continued, thunder cracking as the purple lighting lit up the dark purple sky.

the lean, stone-carved face of the newly-empowered Guardian nodded, his left foot sliding forward a few feet into t a battle position. "Let's do this, brothers and sisters". The Guardian half rushed/ half-slided towards his opponents, the razor sharp blades on his fists slicing through the enemies that he sought. An aura of evil permeatted the opened foes, as if an evil taint had spread throughout their heartwood. Black, thickened sap drept from the trees' wounds as the fury of Kairen was unleashed upon their corrupted bodies. A pained cry was heard upon the violent winds; however, the merman did not hear them as the predatory battle lust was upon him; the legacy of his peoples' fighting style filling every fibre of his being as he begun the Shar'an'in Murs'ar, the Blade Dance. His body began to speed up, beginning to defy what most humanoids could achieve, but a being having trained under the pressure of fluid his entire life, Kairen could attain these speeds. He began to combat the wooded antagonists more fiercely, his body leaping into flips, twists, and turns as he brought forth a Dance of Death onto his foes.

Jude flew back home as fast as he could, pushing himself to his limits with strong, fast, and powerful air currents. Dropping gracefully onto a roof at the edge of town, he slid down the roof, and jumped off to the ground, landing nimbly, like a cat. Looking around, he saw no one, the village was empty. "Hello?" he called out. "Where is everyone?" Running through the town he saw no one. He continued straight out of town, up the hill, to his families mansion at the top. The security guards at the gate were lying dead on the floor. Panicing, Jude ran across the front grounds of the Manse, and into the building himself. "Hello!?!?" He bellowed through the house, but no one answered.

Eventually he found his grandfather, mother, two of his three younger brothers, all four of his sisters, and the family butler's corpses littered throughout the house. He could not find his father, his older brother, or his youngest brother, and this gave him hope that they had escaped alive. Escaped what, he did not know, but now more than ever he was detemined to find out. Grabbing any supplies he might need, rope, cable, plenty of extra bolts, a grappling iron, his clan assassin garb, a skinning knife, etc... He packed them all into a bag, which he slung over his shoulder. Closing the eyes of his dead loved ones, and kissing them goodbye on the forehead, he put the family crest on a chain around his neck, a reminder of his roots, and what he had lost to these faceless evil. Walking out of the building he lit it on fire, silently saying goodbye to his former life.

Walking out of the death filled town as it slowly caught fire and burned to the ground behind him, he too burned, with a furious need for revenge. He would find who had done this. And he would make them pay.

Kairen joined the fight, his attacks fast and fierce. Spurred on by her companions, Ash ran forward, her sword raised. The rain still pouring heavily, Ash had to move quickly to avoid the vines and roots of the trees that stretched forward, trying to attack them all. Swinging her sword, she brought it down upon one of the vines that threatened to wrap around her.

She skid to a stop when four trees shot several vines at her. Breathing heavily, Ash summoned the powers within her. Her entire body tensed, Ash made to control the very time that surrounded them. It was a strange sight; only the area she was standing in stilled. Like a small dome, the raindrops stopped in mid air. The trees and their vines were caught within the invisible dome. Her eyes blazing silver, Ash tilted her head, concentrating on what she was now attempting to do. Slowly, the bark of the tree began to wither away. Tiny pieces of wood flew about as the tree aged.

Ash held up her hand higher, her sword now hanging loosely in her hand. The leaves turned brown then gray before crumbling into nothing. The branches thinned visibly and fell off onto the ground. The water droplets trapped within the area slowly vanished as though they were evaporating. Her hand trembling, Ash finally stopped. The rain droplets that had been held back by the dome, fell to the ground.

Her eyes having resumed their normal colour, Ash glanced up slightly startled at what she had been able to do. But now, there were fewer enemies to worry about.

The world warped and shimmered, a singular spot of space seemed to bend inward then expanded out in a flash of violet light. A single leg, massive, muscled and thoroughly horrifying extended through the spot. As the clawed foot gripped the loam, the talons curled and locked into the ground. The tip of a massive blade, extended through, as the rest of the weapon flowed through the shimmering gate, anyone who looked at the sword could see it roil and shift as if it were a live within the defined borders of the blades edges. A massive head, adorned with twisted and coiled horns emerged through the opening, as the first breath of the world was inhaled in to the nightmarish being, the swirling energies that comprised the eyes flared and sparked; the Lord of Nightmares had arrived.

The rest of the massive being flowed and rippled through the gateway until the being known as Garthox stood in a field of standing stones. As the tip of the great sword grazed the ground a hiss filled the air, the grass began to wilt and die, a black spider web of cracked and fetid earth spiraled away from the blade. Inhaling deeply Garthox erupted in laughter as he tugged the elves through the gateway. A whorl of hellish winds roared through the gateway and swirled and crashed into the stones causing strange striations upon the rock. Grinning wickedly, the living nightmare began to extend his influence, as he winds whipped around him, raising debris skyward only to crash it down again with thunderous results.

Raising the massive sword skyward, Garthox roared, as he did so a miasma of darkness flowed and oozed from the blade, reaching upward, tracing across the sky as if a massive storm front were forming above the creature. Slowly the fear that is Garthox flowed across the lands, as the dark clouds grew in their enveloping nature; slowly the sun was eaten away, replaced by a hideous gloom. Peels of demented thunder roared from the clouds, causing even the bravest to cringe, impaling the weak minded with fear. Animals began howling and fleeing, seeking to find shelter that would protect them from the great morbidity that had manifest upon their world.

Slowly the nightmarish creations of Garthox rose from the miasma of abyssal energies that flowed around the lord of nightmares. Great unholy canine headed ape-like creatures began to take shape, their eyes a maddening glow of the deepest crimson, framed by the dusky shadows that comprised their bodies. The howl of the Cynocephali began to carry as they snarled and snapped. Their cry was known to paralyze the weak and frightened, then they devoured them in a savage fury.

With a wave of his hand, the Lord of Nightmares unleashed his creatures, with a chittering they swarmed and spread out, following the great clouds that thundered and arced with multi-forked tiers of lighting. Slowly, as Belluvier lay wracked under the influence of Garthox the invasion of Flinx had begun, and it too would burn and writhe under its new master.

Power surged from the tree of wisdom and flowed into the guardian of Jagantha releasing her innate potential as well as her past, triggering the memories that she had so carelessly forgotten over the century. On that day she met a similar fate as she does this day. Mirium, for her love of nature, refused to move to the offensive hoping to save them some way. In the end, due to her defensive abilities, she survived the terror but lost her comrade. Yet this time it will be different. She had the power of the ancients, she could feel her magical strength increase multiple folds. The ancient power, the same potency that had been collected by the ancients guardians of Jagantha, was now released unto the new heir and coursing through her veins.

But through all this, the barrage of attacks had never paused. Instead, it was Kairen's shield that had held them back.... until now. Webs of demise marked the final moments of Kairen's shield. Yet just as Mirium have received the ancient power, so had the other guardians. The tree of wisdom, after releasing power back to those destined to receive it, had/would returned to a small seed. With his new found strength, Kairen had fended off the wave of attack and even manipulated the field to their own advantage. Mirium, being by blood in tuned with nature, took the seed and also the responsibility to care for it while the tree of wisdom remained in that primitive form.

"Thank you."

The onslaught was considerably slower now. Each guardian fought with bravery and each one was beginning to utilize the power that they had received from the ancient. Looking over, Mirium could see Ash forcing her assaulter to age until they returned to dust. Mirium too began to sing an enchantment. This time it would be different. This time she would protect both the nature she is keened to and the comrades beside her. And if nothing else, this time the stakes were much higher. Defeat of the guardians could mean the end of all the worlds.

"Eitheran Maigoru Teii Amphoria Rico..."

Though they each contributed to the battle Mirium can dodge while she conjured her spell. She trusted the power of the ancients to free the trees of the hideous curse that Garthox had laid on them. For the first time, she had personally felt the consequence of the Nightmare's evil. He is a being that will stop at nothing to achieve his desires, even the earth was naught but tools for his campaign. These trees were definitely not the first sacrifice.

Suddenly, a root changed its method of attack halfway and caught Mirium within its grasp. Yet she endured the pain and continued with the spell.

"... Matheru Ivo Barmethia!"

With the last melody of enchantment sung, a brilliant light was released. Mirium could feel the tree releasing its murderous grip on her and instead, into the same gentleness that the tree of Wisdom had displayed. She was glad. It was over. And this time it was different.

Guardian!

The tree defended Mirium with its own roots and branches.

We thank you for your kindness but It is not over yet.

Listening to those silent words Mirium could not believe her eyes. Only a small radius trees were released from their curse and were now fiercely battling with their cursed kin. Her mind began to waver and she questioned the strength of the ancient. Was this the extent of their legendary power? It was utterly incompetent. Judging by the lack of appearance, Garthox had probably only spent a minimal fragment of his power to corrupt the trees. If she could not even release this cursed army then how is she, they, to face the real terror?

Do not be troubled guardian of Jagantha, when you release the full power of the ancients you will be strong enough to face he who corrupts us. But for now, you must fight. Do not let us carry the burden of murdering the hope of all the worlds. It is better that we die by your hands than to live forever with that sin.

Even while Mirium was lost in her own despair the trees were fighting hard against the curse and against their kin to protect them, the guardians that were the only known hope of the worlds. One by one, the freed trees fell as they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of their cursed kin. Even the silent voice disappeared as it was struck and pierced by multiple branches and roots, captured and broken.

you must fight, guardian of Jag...

Tears poured down her cheek as she understood their plight. There was more pain from understanding her destiny than receiving the collective pain from the entire cursed forest.

guardian, guardian

Though the trees continued their attacks, their hearts called out. Hundreds of roots sped through the air aiming to pierce her and absorb her blood, the one that was supposed to have collected the power of the ancients. Yet Mirium did not move the slightest bit.

guardian, guardian
"I guess I am still too naive aren't I Jarred?"

The roots, upon contact, suddenly incinerated by an armor of ten thousand degree Celsius. Her mind was finally set. Though this was not how she originally intended, she will still save them... by destroying them. The trees pulled back their roots in pain and that moment of freedom was all that Mirium needed. She focused her heat unto the tip of her finger and summoned a magical wind to carry it forth created two invisible blades each at a temperature of a hundred thousand degree celsius. Though the ancient power was not fully released, it sufficed for the desired destruction. With a single slash, she cleaved through the five nearest trees segmenting their top from their bottom. Then she danced her own dance of death clearing through the army as though cutting tofu with light saber.

"Forgive me."

“Nae… I see nothing, unless…” Charna’s gaze was diverted to the direction Mirium looked in. Frowning slightly, she narrowed her eyes at the group.

“Aye… I think that may be them…”

As they continued to travel over the land, hidden within the branches of the Tree, Charna noticed the slowing movements of her. Within her heart, something stabbed and turned as she closed her eyes, a gentle palm resting on the trunk to steady herself. Finally, the Tree of Wisdom stopped, in a way, resting her tired limbs, and lowered them to the ground.

For a moment, Charna was unsteady on her feet, unused to the stillness of the ground beneath her, but after a few seconds had passed, Charna was able to stand, and bow stiffly in greeting. Stepping back, she allowed herself to linger close to the Tree, turning to watch the fast approaching mass of Garthox-controlled tree’s. Her currently piercing blue stare bore into them as the Hisbanl cloaked herself in self silence. So was so involved in watching the approaching danger, that she didn’t notice the murder till the human girl, who she would later discover to be Ash, screamed. Turning her eyes widened in shock, as she stumbled back, falling against the tree, her palm becoming stuck in the progress.

A swarm of foggy blackness enveloped her gaze, closely followed by an expanse of warmth that ran through her body, scorching her skin comfortably despite the persistent rain. A flutter within her caused her to frown involuntarily, as the blood that coursed within her veins seem to acquire something new, and the beating of her heart increased rapidly. Within her the bird sang, the cat growled, the wolf howled, and for a moment, the Hisbanl felt as if nothing was able to quench the power she felt surge through her.

Within her minds eye, she saw what she had only heard of in legends. A crumbling sandstone temple, runes engraved on every block, on every piece of wood, on every surface that built the temple or resided against it. It was a place of serenity. A place of concentration. The Darkness of the Aldar Grove, the Darkness of the wild heart, the Darkness of the Dark.
Charna’d had no idea it had really existed, believed it to be a thing found only in stories. Too soon, her vision went black.[/i]

In mere moments it had returned, only to grace her with the sight and feel of the attacking trees. A scream of suprise escpaed her as her hand dropped from the Tree, and she stumbled forward, only to find herself in the grasp of a vine.
The blood that coursed through her veins now surged with a burning power, and Charna's eyes blazed as she growled low, the sound erupting from the back of her throat. Shadows surged forward, eveloping herself and the vine, before seeping into the darkness only to emerge on the outskirts of Kairens ice. As she surged forward, her body rippled, scarcley hidden by the shadows as she took the massive form. A snow wolf, enlarged excessivley by her abilities, tore at a vine that went for it, the wolfs claws digging into the ice with each step as it began to fight.

The tree of Wisdom turned into a seed as it finished returning all the powers to the chosen ones. Ash watched as Mirium pocketed the seed with great care. All the Guardians were in full strength now, each one fighting off the trees that were attacking. The army of trees were quickly being destroyed as the Guardians fought with all their might. Charna herself had transformed into a giant wolf that ferociously tore at the trees. Looking about, she saw that the situation was almost in control.

Unable to wait any longer, Ash ran towards where Hugh leaned over Farath. Ash kneeled beside Hugh and looked upon the man whom she had loved like a father but now felt that her trust had been betrayed. Placing her small hand in Hugh's large one, Ash knew she could go back in time and stop the killing but for what?

Hugh slowly placed his hand over Ash's and both watched as Farath began to glow lightly. The light that shone from within him was blinding and Ash had to close her eyes. Hugh was not affected and watched as his brother turned into many tiny lights that slowly rose up to the skies. Ash opened her eyes when the intensity decreased and caught a glimpse of what was once Farath vanish into the heavens.

"May he forgive you my brother," Hugh prayed for god to forgive his brother. Rising from the muddy ground, Hugh helped Ash up and looked at the other Guardians. Each were stronger with the powers of their ancestors within them now.

There were only a handful of trees now as the chosen ones defeated them all. There was no way they could help the trees now; the only way they could help was to kill them and ease their pain.

Hugh raised his staff and finished off the last few trees with his light. Pushing his energy forward, he enveloped the remaining trees with the white light. They disintegrated leaving the grass patches empty. The rain still pouring down heavily, Hugh could not sense Garthox anymore. Beckoning for the Guardians to follow him to the gateway, Hugh felt trouble was brewing in the other worlds.

Azrael's chest rises and falls in rapid succession as he takes a cloth and wipes his blade. He looks to the Guardians, also panting at the exertion, and each seems slightly surprised at what they could now accomplish with their powers. Taking stock of each Guardian in the heat of battle, he had decided which he would follow and which he would leave to his consorts in other worlds. He would need to follow the other human, as she had a large advantage over any others he might send after her.

Walking over to where Farath had lain, Azrael knelt once more and bowing his head. He placed the tip of his rapier centered where his chest had been and slowly spirals outward, then draws a line back through the spirals to the center. After a moment more kneeling, Azrael stands and sheathes his rapier, watching the others.

Placing his own stone into the gateway, Hugh stepped through into the Land of Arilt and watched as the other Guardians followed by Azrael entered as well. It was a sudden change in surroundings from the dark, windy and cold world of Belluvier into the warm and bright land of Arilt. The sight of the green grass and healthy trees allowed hope to bloom within Hugh. Looking at each of the Guardians, he knew that each one of them had a great battle ahead of them, a battle that would decide the fate of the eight worlds.

Clutching his wooden staff, Hugh led the way back to the small house and ushered them all in. The Guardians needed to rest for atleast a day before they carried on with their journey. The return of their powers would have made them slightly weak as they needed to get used to so much energy surging within them. He closed the door behind him and instructed them all to rest.