His rough hands gently stroked the cold surface of the gateway. Taking a step back, Hugh sighed as his fists clenched. Lord knew if the Guardians were okay. He knew that all of them had made it out of the Realm of fears as the jewels had been returned to him. But he didn't know if all of them had conquered their fears.

He hoped that all of them had found the relics or were atleast reaching their destination. There was not much time left. His gentle eyes scanned the Land of Arilt that was now a scene of sadness. The usually bright green grass was now loosing its colour. The skies were becoming a dull gray that was slowly spreading shadows across the land. And out of the eight gateways that laid across the grassy hills, two were now black instead of silver. The World of Belluvier was not the only world to have been conquered. Garthox had complete control over Flinx now.

And from the looks of it, the World of Sapiens was next. The gateway to Earth was slowly turning from the sparkling silver into an odd mix of gray that Hugh knew would soon be black.

Time was running out, the final battle was approaching...
.................................................................................................................................................................................

Guardians and their Extra powers and Objects

GUARDIANS:

1. Earth, the land of Sapiens,
Name: Ashanti Loreal by Aslin
Age: 23
Extra Powers: Able to move through time now
Object: Time chains- each one for a Guardian, Ashanthi can now allow her Guardians to move through time with her as long as they wear the chain.


2. Flinx, the land of faries:
Name: Ghislaine Isabeau (nick-named Layna) by ImmortalEcstasy
Age: 24
Extra Powers: Able to fly for as long as she wants and her strength is enhanced. She is able to communicate with animals of the sky.
Object: Twin orbs. 1st orb- allows the Guardian to sense if evil is near. If she attains the 2nd orb, she will be able to combine the two and this will allow her to control weather to a certain extent.


3. Solas, the sea of mermaids:
Name: Victoria Sarene by Ponats
Age: 19 (74 in Human years)
Extra powers: Able to form large quantities of water and freeze larger amounts of water. We also be able to summon his animal; a giant water serpant that awaits its Guardian to summon it. The water serpent is able to move both on land and on water. It is also able to shrink to a tiny size so that the Guardian can carry it around.
Object: The Trident. The Trident will allow the Guardian of Solas to form megaplumes. Megaplumes are a phenomenon. When underwater volcanoes erupt, the lava is encased in the cold water (like a bubble). The lava is carried to the surface in this water bubble. Upon reaching the surface, the bubble bursts at a tremendous power, releasing the burning hot lava all around. With the Trident, the Guardian will be able to form these megaplumes even without water or volcanoes around.

4. Jagantha, the land of elves:
Name: Tarasynora Vaervenshalice (Tara) by TheGoddessReborn
Age: 256 looks 19
Extra Powers: Able to recall all the spells of his ancestors and chant them with ease. He is also able to heal now.
Object: Bow of death. Any arrow shot from this bow, will ensure certain death.

5. Pastecew, the land of sprites:
Name: (STILL AVAILABLE)
Extra Powers: Will be able to communicate with the trees and the animals of land. Able to manipulate plants.
Object: Gado horn. This small horn will allow him to call all the animals of land to aid him when in these times of darkness.

6. Anothadis, land of Caluxes,
Name: (STILL AVAILABLE)
Extra Powers: Ability to call upon any weapon from a portal. If she thinks of the weapon, it will appear.
Object: Eye of the dragon. It is a ring that allows the Guardian to awaken the dragons to aid them in the battle against Garthox. (dragons are thought to be extinct but are actually in hiding)

7. Hisbanl, the land of Karnogs:
Name: Gabriel Whist by Near
Age: 17
Extra Powers: Ability to create creatures using darkness. Will be able to shape shift into anything he comes in contact with.
Object: Sitora armour. With this armour, Gabriel will be able to repel any spells cast. The armour will conform to the shape of any animal he changes into. The armour also allows him to withstand several attacks.


8. Belluvier, the land of the Dreigns:
Name: (STILL AVAILABLE)
Extra Powers: Will now be able to move at the speed of light. Will also recieve all the knowledge of all his/her ancestors. Will be able to read people's minds.
Object: Hador chain. This necklace will allow him/her to control people's minds, ultimately controlling their actions. He/she can control up to 15 beings' minds.

Minions:

1. Earth, the land of Sapiens:
Name: Lugoro the Wrathful by Ottoman
Role: The Revenant

2. Jagantha, the land of elves:
Role: The Prophet by VermillionSky

3. Anothadis, land of Caluxes:
Name: Franco Sylvien II by Kronos
Role: The Warrior

4. Hisbanl, the land of Karnogs: (STILL AVAILABLE)
Role: The Assassin

5. Belluvier, the land of the Dreigns:
Name: Raziel by Big Boss
Role: The Necromancer
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If you would like to to join this roleplay, here's the link to the OOC:

http://www.roleplaygateway.com/the-guardians-the-lost-city-new-t20657.html

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The winds whistled and churned around Gabriel as he slithered across an old hollow log that floated idly atop the murky water below, making his way across the vast swamp, and on his way towards the silver gateway in which lead to the Land of Arlit. A lot of time had past since the Realm of Fears, and in that time, Gabriel had come in possession of a powerful Karnog relic, the Armor of Sitora: An item meant to aid him in the destruction of Garthox.

The armor was magnificent, being able to completely repel magic as well as withstand a mass amount of damage... It could even conform to the shape of any creature Gabriel transformed himself into; it was ideal, however it's demonic appearance was something Gabriel could of done without. Although, the Karnog's would not be known as powerful dark benders without having something to show for it.

Even now he was covered in what looked to be a metallic bone-like structure... but even more eerie, were his eyes. When armored, his pupils were nothing more than black, horizontal slits, with his iris being a few different mixed shades of blue that were constantly shifting; as for the Sclera (White part of the eye), it was a goldish-yellow.

Gabriel could only pray that no one would ever mistake him... a Guardian... a Karnog, to be one of Garthox's minions...

Slithering downward, and dunking his head under the water, the rest of Gabriel's long, 16 inch body soon followed, vanishing under the dirty, unclear liquid... At least until a spiked, armored, scaled back protruded from the waters surface sometime later, followed by two large, bulgy eyes. (1)

It was rather a habit for Gabriel to be constantly transforming into something new, from scales to feathers, and whatever else "tickled his fancy". His powers were just irresistible to use, it being hard not to go from swimming to flying in a matter of seconds. Gabriel liked the thrill, he liked to explore the lands... and doing it through a new perspective was always enjoyable.

His tail slowly kicking back and forth, propelling him through the water, Gabriel made his way towards a nearby willow and instantly vanished under the overhanging greenery... If you looked close enough, you would see an eight-legged arachnid swiftly winding its way up the thick mossy trunk. (2)

Climbing all the way to up the highest branch, Gabriel opened his peacock-like flaps, and jumped into the wide-open space (Sky), putting distance between him and the tree before immediately changing yet again... (3)

Soaring through the trees, and above the water, Gabriel cut a path through the shadows while narrowing his eyes, beginning to sense that the gateway was near...

Ghislaine sat at the old oak table, her cloak tight about her shoulders- hiding the wings revealing her identity. Perched on the chair next to her was Leannan, one wing fanned out to reveal the pale cream coloured feathers on his underside as he cleaned his feathers with his beak, on the chair beside him was her beige satchel that he carried in his beak during travels, merely because he wished to - Layna had never asked him to carry it for her.
Layna stirred the lukewarm, bean and potato stew around in its wooden bowl for a few moments before taking a mouthful, Leannan watches her with his large black eyes, and clicks his beak, folding his wing away and ruffling his tail.
With a small smile that brings a slight dimple to one of her cheeks, she taps the bowl with one finger, moving it towards him by a fraction. He spreads his wings half way out and lands with a clumsy shake of his feathers onto her hand. She moves her hand towards the bowl, holding it steady as he perches onto the side. She watches him with a loving eye as he lowers his head and drinks the slightly salted water, nipping at one of the green lentils hovering near his beak.
Once he’d had his fill she spoons the rest of it into her mouth, grimacing in distaste as she sets the empty bowl down. She lifts her hand down to the table, where he tucks the handle to her satchel around his neck, before she lifts her hand to her shoulder and he manoeuvres over onto her shoulder, rubbing his face against her neck in an affectionate way as she takes out a heavy silver coin from the purple velvet pouch she now wore around her waist. The pouch also contained a mixture of seeds for Leannan as well as her keystone. She takes the coin over to the kindly old woman by the open fire place - the fire was small and flickering wildly as if it could go out any second. the woman nods, taking the coin in her palm and holding it close.
“ye’re leaving so soon?”
“yes ma’am. I have a long journey. Thank ye for the hospitality.” Layna replies. Used to speaking in the old language as she had been brought up with it, the old woman stares at her, worry furrowed in her brow and in her pursed lips, as Layna head towards the door.
already missing the warm glow of the fire, she steps into the frosty night. Pulls her cloak about her as Leannan makes a squawk of protest, she shrugs her shoulder to shush him, the day time was scary enough in the realm she called home, but the nights chilled the bravest into silence. Looking up at the two luminous moons, the first small and the colour of blood- it used to have been a beautiful shade of green, before Garthox came and turned the peaceful living found in Flinx into a ruin, and their moon expressed their fear. the second moon much larger and the bluey purple colour of a bruise.
She pulls the hood up on her cloak and pulls it about her face with one hand. As soon as she’s walked for five or six minutes, out of the dishevelled, broken little village she bids Leannan down onto her hand as she removed her cloak, unsheathing her great wings. She folds the cape up, tucking it into the satchel around Leannans neck. He takes off ahead of her as soon as the clasp is done up tightly. She shoots up into the air after him, her wings aching form being disguised in the cape of illusions for so long. She overtakes him with a light hearted laugh. Laughing louder as he nips the end of her wing, beating his wings faster, his competitive nature overcoming him.

The flow of nightmares, flowering delirium mingling with misery encircled the world of Flinx. He who should not be, the shadow among dreams opened his eyes as the laminations of a world reached his ears. The swirling miasma of hellish winds roared, the hideous chanting of the three elves rose and fell with a morbid rhythm, a wicked smile flashed upon the dark face, Garthox reached out with his considerable powers, augmenting and strengthening the feelings of despair that infused the nightmares entering the sleepers.

A deep growl, as if from the bowels of hell itself seemed to erupt from the chest of he who should not be, a crimson serpentine tongue lashed and tasted the air. "Hmm there is a disturbance, a feeling of hope…a waste that such sweet offerings must be the last vestiges of a dying people." Hissed the great shadow seated upon the black granite throne, the ruined and battered bodies of the countless fairies lay in a great heap around the immense chair.

Laying back the great horned head, the one known as Garthox inhaled deeply then reached out with a clawed hand weaving the nightmare stuff into ghoulish monstrosities, incorporeal phantoms slowly manifested before the lord of despair.

"Find this hope…go and find this light and extinguish it from existence. Leave the body as a warning to those others who dare dream of salvation that there is none…" whispered the ever shifting shadow as the whorls of energy that flowed from the eyes changed to a brilliant red.

The large wolf like animals snarled and gnashed their teeth, their hollow eyes flared and illuminated with the same brilliant red light. Their mournful howls, frightening, diabolical sounds that carried along the hellish winds, to the far edges of the world, the bloodthirsty sound, chilling the blood of those who huddled around fires seeking safety in the flickering lights.

Those who slept, dreamt of cavernous maws engulfing their bodies, consigning their souls to an eternity of torment as the horrendous, otherworldy creatures hunted them in a land of twisted trees and fog-shrouded lands. They dreamt of the last lights in heaven extinguished as he who should not be unleashed the spectral hounds to travel the world to find the power that still illuminated the darkness.

“Leannan! Wait up!!” she shouts, as the eagle shoots ahead of her, he turns his head and caws at her mockingly, but slows up, flying next to her shoulder. She smiles, reaching out to stroke along his back. Before tucking her hands against her chest, it was bitterly cold. She feels the temptation to land and fold her wings around her, as she had done on nights as cold as these, but resists - her will power strong tonight as she is so close to the portal. She can feel it in her blood, even after so long being away from it - the surrounding so unrecognisable, but she knew.
Leannan lets out a cry and circles back, confused she looks up, purpley black clouds - smoke like in consistency are whirling their way towards her, she gasps, folding her wings and diving to the ground far below her, another layer of clouds are beneath her though, and she doesn’t see them until she’s within them, they submerge her wings in their blackness, stiffening them so she cant open them to fly free. She gags, choking on the blackness surrounding her as it spins in her delicate lungs. She screws her eyes shut tight, ready for impact with the ground, wondering how vast the darkness was, only then she realises that there is no wind flying past her, she’s mid-air, not moving… stuck in the weird black clouds that she thought were myths - the stuff of nightmares, quite literally.
She clamps her mouth shut, holding her breath. Pushing at the clouds with her hands - but it just slips through her fingers, like smoke she thinks pathetically. She feels a sharp pain on her knuckle - and realises is Leannan, she opens her eyes long enough to see the smoke isn’t effecting him before the stinging the smoke causes her eyes forces her to shut them again. As he oxygen begins to run low, she contemplates just breathing in, but Leannans constant scratching at her hand gives her the will power to hold on, she feels herself moving - amazingly - being dragged by the golden eagle.
She falls to the floor with a low thud - overgrown bushes and the cushioning of her wings stopping the long fall from severely hurting her, or breaking her wings but scratches from the thorny bushes littering them and snagging in her feathers, she clenches and unclenches her badly pecked hand, breathing heavily. She feels the accustom weight of Leannan on her stomach, he flaps his wings screeching at her worry in his fathomless black eyes.
are you alright? Layna…! Ghislaine!! [I/] his mind calls to her - his voice still low and velvety despite the croakiness of worry.
She coughs, reaching out her bleeding hand to stroke and clam him.
“I… I’m fine.” she gasps, a strange ache in her shoulder, she rolls it carefully - the brambles scratching against it as she does. She realises the pain if from the top of her wing, where they meet her body.
“oh no!” she cries, waiting for Leannan to leave her stomach before struggling painful to her feet, and working her way through the sharp brambles to empty ground, onto what appears to be an overgrown dirt trail.
She tries to move it and the pain shoots across her right wing and her shoulder.
[I] well?
“Lee…! damn it Lee, I think is dislocated…”
better than you being dead… will you be able to fly? he asks as he lands on a tree branch only a few feet above her head.

This world is slowly being swallowed up by his own inner darkness and his hate for everything that is good in the universe. He walked the broken lands his army of the dead follow in his dark footsteps as he slowly prunes Flinx of all hope. The smell of blood and death was thick in the air as body's burned around the whole world the smell of death was forever burned in to the atmosphere of this world. Flinx's people kill them self's in fear of what he will do when he finds them not wanting to be consumed by his blackness like all the others that had opposed him and his master. The man known as The Arbiter of Death walked the lands people feared speaking his very name in fear that they one day they to will lay eyes on the heartless monster Raziel.

The ground trembled under his army's feet as they ravaged another small town killing with out remorse. They did not feel just like there cold master they had no hearts and there eyes void of any kind of emotion. As the fairies where ripped limb from limb by the undead army and used to nourish there unquenchable blood lust. He then set foot on the battle field and all went quiet the undead army stopped feeding and rounded the few survivors in the center of the town. The few fairies looked on in complete terror as the heartless monster walked towards them his black wings blocked out the sun as he stood over them as they quaked in fear. He looked at the fairies that huddle at his feet there where two adult fairies A male and female and three small children it seemed as though he had caught a whole family. He pulled the oldest child away from the group and took a sword from one of his soldiers and handed it to the young girl.

He looked at her his cold eyes piercing right through her as she turned white as if she was looking into the face of Death himself. "Kill your family and I will let you live." He said as he pushed the small girl towards her family she looked at her family then back at Raziel. As fear consumed her mind she charged towards her father tears in her eyes as she plunged the sword deep into his chest. Blood sprayed from the wound and onto the young girls face as her father gave out a final scream of pain as he drifted into the dark embrace of death. She then pulled the sword from her fathers chest cavity and swung it at her mothers head. Slitting her throat and almost decapitating her as her head fell back hanging there by just her spinal cord as blood erupted from her jugular vain. She then turned her sights to her to young brothers and looked back at the dark fiend that was watching her with his cold emotionless eyes as he watched her parents lay dead on the ground. "Forgive me." The young girl whispered as she raised the blade over her head tears flowing down her face as she dropped the blade down twice ending her siblings lives.

She then dropped the blade on the ground and she fell to her knees next to her slaughtered family as she wallowed in there blood crying. "Regret not young child I will ease your pain...." He said as he cut the young girl down with his soul bane and consumed her soul. Her soul would forever burn in side the pit of despair and live this day over and over as she joins the countless souls Raziel has consumed.

Screams could be heard from all around her. The air was filled with horror and pain as the moans and cries of the people mingled with the screeches and shrieks of what was threatening their very existence. Ash pinned herself against the wall of the alleyway, her eyes shut tightly. Her nails dug into the brick wall, leaving blood to trickle down the sides. She was in a tremendous amount of physical pain but that did not even match the emotional hurt she was going through.

Everything around her froze. Ash stopped breathing for a second as confusion seemed to be her friend in the situation. And when she did exhale, the very air around her seemed to vibrate slowly as waves of motion spread away from her. She thought she was seeing things for such things could not be real. She blinked her eyes as though she could wipe away whatever was happening. But nothing changed. She was still there, standing at the doorway of her parents' bedroom where that hideous creature had both her parents held by the neck. Except this time, no one was moving except for her. Ash was too afraid to move as her mind could not comprehend what was going on. The ten year old started to tear. And as that single drop of salty water trickled down her cheek to hang from her chin, Ash whispered, "Mummy."

It was as though that word had caused the severe change in the surroundings. Everything seemed to be pulled away from her as her house was stripped away. Ash could only watch in horror as her house was replaced by a new surrounding, one that she did not recognize. As the last image of her home was gone only to be replaced by grassy hills of a strange land, the ten- year old screamed, "Mummy!"

"No," she whispered, the memories causing more pain to her heart. Ash turned her head as though that simple movement could remove all those memories. "I can't do this." She whimpered and slid down the brick wall, the screams penetrating the strong wall she had built around herself. This was her home. HER HOME! And she could not even defend it! Who was she to help defend seven other worlds! Finally, Ash opened her eyes.

Fire. Fire was what filled the streets. Cars were burning, houses were being eaten away by the orange flames. The ashes of burnt debris floated about, flying amongst the people who were running in confusion. Ash's brown eyes reflected the deadly orange colour. She clutched the pouch that hung at her waist tightly. The eight time chains were safe inside. Pain was etched on her face, "Azrael."

And even in far-away lands, the dark lord's influence spreads...

Jagantha, the elven world. Here lay a veritable gold mine of magickal knowledge, preserved in magnificent stone temples and chapels, libraries and museums where potent artifacts made their home, their secrets guarded fiercely by the finest mages in the land. It was here that knowledge of both the bright and blight of the past was recorded; remembered. And Jaganthans remembered well. They remembered the old days of he who should not be, the terrors his minions unleashed. They remembered battling the armies of the undead, endless hordes of otherworldly beasts, devils the likes of which should never be seen in this or any other world. They remembered prisons of the spirit, where they were bound and tortured to their physical and mental limits. After so many years of pain and torment, Jaganthans learned well; almost nothing frightened them.

And what was Hortensius to do with a people whom he could scarcely terrify, much unlike the worlds of his fellow minions?

Nothing.

The wicked elf may not have a prison of eternal suffering into which he could drag the soul of any poor mortal; he may not have a visage of bone to terrify the masses as he ran amok, slaughtering the innocent with a cackle; but he knew what frightened the Jaganthans more than anything.

Three words: "Garthox has returned."

He who should not be...was. The Prophet would know, they said; he knows all, wicked as he is. Without touching, without looking at, without extending his hand to anyone, he struck incomprehensible fear into the elves. He spread word far and wide, and soon all of Jagantha knew of the dark days ahead. Hortensius's presence was like a plague; it was as if the dark lord hung over him, black wings encasing his slender frame and daring any who opposed Garthox to step forth.

And in more ways than just his ability to terrify, Hortensius showed a subtle strength that, though less destructive than his peers, was far more threatening. Even after declaring open and full-scale war on Jagantha, Hortensius would regularly visit the houses of the various lords and kings of the land, telling them of the omens he received, warning them with the utmost glee of their imminent deaths. He would come unarmed and without escort; he would not attack or torture. Yet no one dared touch him. Why? Simple; even walking alone, the Prophet carried with him an army. At any moment, he could call forth the most ferocious monsters ever seen in the nameless hordes of Garthox's forces.

"What is your pleasure, sir king? Shall I lay waste to your castle with a Shadow Dragon? Or perhaps I shall infest your water supply with plague-carrying rats. It makes no difference to me."

The nobility would glare and growl, but Hortensius could not be harmed. For all his taunting, he was ready and able to follow through. But he did not destroy; not yet. He made progress, capturing armories and storehouses for artifacts, cutting off supply routes and isolating major powers across the land. Jagantha was veritably in his grasp as it was, but it was not yet time to close his fingers and crush them...

Somewhere deep in the mountains, in a dark and twisted castle...

"Sire!"
A small, naked imp scurried into Hortensius's inner chamber. The room was dark, lit only by torches that shimmered with a violet flame, the tile surface of the floor reflecting their glow. Pillars stood in lines, with thick curtains between them isolating small sections of the room. The Prophet knelt in prayer before a blood-stained altar at the far end of the chamber. He did not move as he heard his servant enter.
"Sire! The troops dispatched to the south-eastern settlements have secured the Gaean Planetarium!"
Without turning or opening his eyes, the dark elf grinned.
"Good. And what of the documents within?"
"Copied into your personal library and burned, as per your orders, Sire!"
"Excellent. Well, then..."
Hortensius rose to his feet and began to move for the exit, holding his hand out towards his imp as he went.
"I suppose I have no more use for you."
He curled his fingers as if grabbing the imp by the throat, and lifted his arm. His servant rose into the air, gasping and grunting as it clawed at an invisible force wringing its neck. Hortensius closed his hand into a fist, and with an awful shriek the creature burst into a fine, bloody mist. Its remnants fell to the floor and almost immediately began to evaporate into a cloud of black smoke. The cloud rushed towards Hortensius, as if returning to its rightful place. The Prophet chuckled softly as he strolled through the chamber doors.
"Jagantha is already under my thumb. Its people are powerless against me. I'll just let them writhe in pain until my master comes... then greet him with an offering of souls. Hmhmhmhmhmhm..."

She tries to unfurl her wings and gasps in pain, she shakes her heads as tears well up in her eyes.
Its okay Layna, you’ll just have to walk there… it’ll be fine…
“we’ll be late! There isn’t enough time for us to be late Leannan!!”
he doesn’t reply for a moment, lifting his head up so the bag slips more securely around him.
I’ll go with message for them, if you can manage on your own…
She sighs at the criticism in his voice and then nods. He flaps down onto the shoulder that isn’t smarting in pain. And leans over so she can reach into the bag. After finding a cream sheet of thick paper and a charcoal pencil, she scrawls in her tall elegant font:
“Hugh,
I’m terribly sorry but I shall be late, a encountered some of the evil spread here, my wing has been badly hurt and I shan’t be able to fly, I’m continuing on foot with all haste, I do hope you understand and that I’ll be seeing you soon. Ghislaine - Guardian of Flinx. x
she rolls it up with the pencil inside for him to return a message to her, and then takes her ribbon out of her hair, letting it fall loosely about her face, she uses the ribbon to secure the roll about Leannans outstretched leg.
He takes off after rubbing his beak against her jaw, bending so the bag falls of him with a thud to the dusty floor. she watches him build height;
take care
“you too!” she calls after him, before looking about her surroundings more carefully.
The trees were bear even though it was meant to be late spring, some were black and looked burnt, and she heard no signs of life around her, a whispering fog circled around the shapes on the ground.
She looks back into the sky at the black smoke, dark purples swirling within from the blood moon light. She shivers as the swirls raising form it form canine like shapes, wondering why she hadn’t tried to manipulate the air around her when she’d been within the blackness, her brain had been too busy willing her survival for her to think logically, but it was still stupid, and irresponsible for her to have not tried to come up with a plan to free herself, she was a guardian for the lords sake! The shiver racks her shoulder painfully, pouting she reaches down and picks up her bag, brushing off the dirt with her finger tips. She takes out her cloak and wraps it around her, disguising her wings once more, but not the pain that came with each small movement.
She pulls thorns and debris from her hair as she began to walk through the overgrown but dead looking forest, she strokes one of the burnt looking branches as she passes, leaving a grease like gunge on the ends of her fingers. She wipes it on her trouser leg ruefully. Following a dirt path that looked like it hadn’t been walked along long before the forest began wilting around it. The path was only a soft scar on the landscape, only noticeable as a path because of the more compact appearance of the reddish brown soil.
She pushes her hair behind her ears, feeling a strange urge to have her sgain dubh in her hand, considering her stupidity from earlier - that endangered her survival she decided to follow the instinct and in second the sharp two sided blade was out of its sheath in her boot and in her right hand. She feels the orb burn at the skin of her throat, and mentally kicks herself again.
you can sense evil! You’re meant to be able to control the weather!
She swears to herself, Layna you’re a complete idiot. Do you even deserve to be a guardian if you cant even keep yourself safe? Never mind the rest of the worlds!

Along the edges of the gathering storm dark misshapen figures, vaguely canine leaped and bayed causing tremendous thunder to echo and reverberate across the skies. Their shadowy claws rend the very air itself as they charged across the skies of Flinx, the speed at which they traveled caused those who witnessed the maddening sight to feel a rising fear in their very souls, draining the hope and will to resist as the baneful howls carried and intermingled with the thunder.

The black hounds snarled and gnashed their teeth, lighting raced away from them as the roiling and miasma of clouds gathered over a small village. A believer, a small girl stood in the center of the village her eyes flared as she inhaled deeply, in her small fist a silvered rod her grandmother, a wise woman, had given her long ago. The child was told it was a ward against the night haunts, against the nightmares, against Garthox. Standing alone in the swirling winds and torrential down pour the child held forth her rod and shouted in defiance, "I rebuke you evil of the abyss. I defy you and your powers, I send you back to the place you come from, spirits of the air come to my aid to defeat the evil that is Garthox."

The pack of slavering hounds paused as they listened to the words that rang upward, words that held conviction and belief, a belief in the Guardians. The leader of the pack rose up and snarled; great teeth gleamed in the flashes of lighting. Its howl that of thunder as it echoed and shook the thatched buildings of the village. A malevolent gaze locked on to the small child, wet and shivering from the cold, her silver rod held skyward, defying the might of He Who Should Not Be. As the shoulders hunched up and the shadowy fur roiled as the muscles tensed, the others of the hellish pack paced back and forth in the sky, their eyes never leaving the small child.

With a snap of great jaws the leader leapt downward towards the child, the others in the pack yipped and snarled as they tore after the leader, straight towards the child and the village. Great flashes of lighting rippled across the skies as the pack charged the child, her eyes a glow with faith as she whispered, "I am not afraid to die…."

Hugh paced his humble abode, his face distorted with worry. It had been three moons, according to the time here in Arilt since the Guardians had left for their own worlds in search of the relics. Time was of the essence and it was slipping right through their fingers. Word had gotten out that Flinx was now under complete control. Villages destroyed, kingdoms torn down, spirits broken.

As the protector of the Land of Arilt rubbed his hand over his face, he thought he heard a bird. He stood still for a moment, hope filling his heart. And there it was again, the familiar sound of Leannan. In all haste, Hugh pushed the wooden door open to step onto the grassy planes of Arilt. His eyes searched the land before catching sight of the golden eagle heading straight towards him. Raising his arm, Hugh watched as the magnificent creature landed on his arm. But as Hugh looked back at the gateway to Flinx, he saw no sight of Layna. Worry flooded his old heart once more.

Returning his gaze to the eagle on his arm, Hugh spotted the note that he had not noticed before. Removing it from Leannan's body, Hugh carried the eagle into his home and placed a tray of water for the tired creature. He carefully opened the note and read the words. She was injured. Hugh tilted his head backwards. He was anxious and worried as to how she would get back to Arilt. He could only hope that she would be okay. If any of the Guardins returned before she did, he would have to send them after her. Garthox was spreading his rule and Hugh would not risk the life of one of his Guardians.

Looking at the Eagle, Hugh quickly wrote a reply on the back of the note with a quilt.

"Return as soon as you can for then we can tend to your wounds. Flinx no longer has its freedom. Darkness has engulfed your world. Stay in the shadows and do not let any of Garthox's minions find you."

Upon finishing the note, Hugh attached it to Leannan and brought the eagle out.He watched as the golden eagle took flight, his thoughts on all the Guardians.

Raziel looked down at the body's that littered the town, There body's torn and twisted there faces showed pain of unmeasurable proportion. Those who would lay eyes on this sight would know he was here they would know to tread lightly unless they wished to share the same fate. He then looked back at his undead army men and women stripped of there humanity and there very souls there only reason for walking this world is to feed and destroy. He held there souls inside his body there hope there dreams there memories there pain. Raziel just snapped his fingers and his undead army turned to ash waiting for when he called them once more.

Raziel could feel the darkness around him he was alone once more to walk this dieing world looking for more souls to consume. The world was slowly running out of strong souls for him to consume he could no longer sense anyone worthy of being devoured by him. Raziel mind was that of a sick genius, He could always hear the voices of those he consumed he could even feel there pain. So to stop from feeling anymore he tore out his own heart and hide it away from everyone but that didn't stop there screams. "Scream and cry all you want it is like music to me." He said to himself he then could feel something. It was a strong soul in the distance "She has returned." He whispered to himself. She seemed to be heading right in his direction, He then changed form something that no one knew that he could do. He changed in to the form of the little girl fairy that he had killed and then headed right for the guardian.

He could see her in the distance she seemed to be moving very slow and she seemed to be hurt. Taking her life at this point wouldn't be a problem for him but that's not what he wanted "Help me! Please help!" He shouted running right towards Layna wrapping his arms around her as tears ran down his face. "Don't go that way he is there." He shouted.

Missing the usual weight of her companion on her shoulder she sighs heavily the movement of the rise and fall of her shoulder smarting cruelly. She stumble son though, falling into her lengthy stride, hardly registering the movement other than the comfortingly familiar bass line her steps made.

She sighs, she had been walking for almost an hour she thought, it felt like the portal should be near, but the silver glow she had come to expect was nowhere to be seen, not even a dot in the distant land ahead of her.
Still angry with herself, winding herself up with snide comments about how she wouldn’t be able to look after herself if it wasn’t for Leannan, she opens her bag and takes a sip of water, even the water had gone bad since the evil had spread through Flinx. Even freshly flowing water, even the springs, tasted like they had been held stagnant for a long time.
he drinks briefly, trying to ration the water now, with not silver shine ahead of her she didn’t know how long she’d have to go on foot, and kept checking behind her for those fearsome clouds, and ahead of her for her friend.
The light surrounding her suddenly cut out and she gasps turning her head to the moons - watching in horror as the purple-black smoke covered them from view.
“No…” she whispered into the air, her breath coming out in smoke. She jumps as a twig somewhere cracks, her eyes still adjusting to the darkness she thinks she sees one of the canine shapes from earlier, the eyes were yellow and fierce, as her eyes adjusted she saw a starved looking mongrel, skeletal even in its matted fur and the surrounding blackness.
It crouches to lunge at her, starvation making its desperation over power its common sense. She tenses preparing to use the small knife in her hand.
Just as she stepped back - a warning growl escaping her throat a screech form the pitch black skies alerted her to Leannans return, the animal looks up with weary eyes, shrinking to the floor, then the animal looks ahead of her and flees, puzzled Layna turns;
"Help me! Please help." A fairy girl shouted, running towards her wrapping her arms tightly around Layna, making her wince - she look sta the girl with wide eyes, watching the tears in her eyes with concern.
"Don't go that way he is there." The girl screamed at her, making the sound ring in her ears because of the close proximity. She takes the little girls arms from around her with a wince, kneeling to the ground so they’re at a similar level.
“Who? Who is that way?” she asks gently, trying not to let fear ring in her voice, less she scare the poor as Leannan perches on her wrist, eyeing her drawn sgain dubh and the girl. Layna registers the freshly bound note Lee had with him, but her attention was on the girl, and the sullen throbbing of her wing.
Her knuckles were white from grasping at her sgain dubh too hard, but she hardly noticed as she stared intently at the girl, nor did she notice Leannans agitated flapping, or the hot glow of the orb - evil was near her, very near - up ahead? The ‘he’ the girl talked about, had great evil. The orb was burning so much it was as if the evil was within her, it burned a red shining mark into her skin, she gasps standing up but keeping a hand on the girl.
“Who’s there sweetie?” she asks again, keeping her voice kind and musical, trying to use the same motherly voice that had soothed others in the past.

Maybe stealing this was not a good idea...

"Victoria Sarene, you are here by under arrest..." The drawl sound of the head of command was reading off a piece off coral to her. Vic's head rolled back and she made a light annoyed moan as she listened to the same crud that each kingdom seemed to put on her. They were almost the same. "... surrender in the name of thy King and you will..." Actually the east kingdom was a little different, the voice of the captain gave an odd squeak at the end of each sentence. Like a bird from the human world. "... and if you do not abide to..." Vic gave a small chuckle to herself as she mused to the thought. Unlike the one speaking to her now who was skinny and paled, the squeaker was fat and pompous. Only similarities being the multi-colored coral clothing. A peacock of the mermaid world. "... do you deny these charges?"

Vic shook her head a bit to come back to reality. Her low cut clothing just barely covering any of her privates, even the arctic like cold of the north seemed like nothing. A small scratch to her neck as she leaned on the rock, looking up at the ten plus guards and o' captain who had delivered the speech. "Huh? Oh could you repeat that? I wasn't listening to the cowards above me!"

"You dare speak to the captain of the...!" He blubbered out before being interrupted.

"Look here you simple minded cod, you and your men have been keeping your distance ever since you found me. Could be that your scared of me. Or maybe the ice sculptures of your friends back at the treasure room." She said, waving the stolen trident at them. She took it because it was hers... technically. It was the guardians. And she was the guardian. It was too bad the king of the north had it... and well she knew that he would try to get her on his side, etc etc. She didn't want to deal with the politics. She had not had a sip of vodka in a week and she was getting grumpy.

But in reality she was outnumbered. She only took out the guards in stealth attacks, not up front. One by one, not a small platoon of armed merfolk. In reality she was bluffing. Trying to play her cards.

A small twitch from the captain and a bit of gritted teeth. "Enough of the foolishness, you are outnumbered! Surrender and we will not kill you here and right now!"

She sighed lightly. The bluff failed, but her opponent did have pocket aces. She would just have to up the ante a bit. Scare them, maybe kill one? Or maybe attack all of them at once to show strength? Even then she couldn't hurt them, would take too long to conjure pure water. Not to mention they could move. Under water fights were always at a disadvantage. There was just... too much water!

"Ah, shitza..." She mumbled as some of the guards approached with the wave of the captains hand. Looks like scaring was all she could do. Maybe try to run after this. She focused her energies, beginning to do the normal steps for her supercooling spells.

It was not normal.

In a blink of an eye the men were being frozen over. The swirling pools big that it took most of the moving guards! Only a few seconds and they were all iced! As if she was casting the spell for over ten minutes! Or maybe even a half an hour! Even with this cold environment, it would of taken her a few seconds to see any kind of effect.

Her mouth hung open. The captain was in shock. Guards were not moving... save the ones floating up the the top as frozen fishes.

A crack of a smile. A small chuckle. And then a maniacal laugh.

"...hehehehehehahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"S-she's a witch!" "They were frozen instantly!" "Swim, shut up and swim!"

She didn't even know who said it. She couldn't even here them. What power! What crazy immense power! It was amazing! Amazing! HAHA! Wonderful! But wait...

She looked around. Where did it come from? Who did it? Was this the ability of the guardian... or...? She looked at her hand, holding the trident. It was a different color... like bloody coral. It was this! It had to be! Perfect! Awesome!

Maybe stealing this was a good idea...

Tarasynora Vaervenshalice the Land of Snow

*With a covering on her face and large almost fur robe flapped viciously with in the constant cold winter blasts and walked through the think snow reminding her of the tar pits she played in as a child. She coughed a few times not able to adjust with the cold air slowly filling her lungs. She muttered* "Sor tyr air shyraesysti" *in her native tongue meaning this cold in bothersome, she continued through the large amount of snow with her amber gold staff in hand. She knew changing the weather would take to much magic and leave her temporarily weak if something decided to attack her. Tara had come to a large temple like building quickly she tried desperately to get in the building grabbed the door and entered.*

*with a great sigh of relief Tara sigh the door and ventured into the large building.* "I hope i’m not unwelcome." *she continued to walk forward. She lowered her hood and allowed her long black hair fall from its confines she grabbed her left ear and tried to warm it up. She noticed that her shoes were echoing loudly, she began to walk cautiously yet carefully. Tara looked up taking in the beauty of the castle but her tour was cut short by a powerful looking skull warrior.* "Ian on" (Uh-oh.) *she took aim with her staff to see if it would attack. It began running toward her brandishing its jagged sword. She began to chant a spell building a grey-ish power in her staff.* "Vyrdaes os si tandraer vori, tysi ialael eilyr si mor, ai mestyl si vyrdaes os si paer, kai ol kai eindaer!" *she extended her staff delivering a deafening blow the skeleton shattering it* "HA!"

*she walked forward and over its bone chips. She entered a room with a fire burning a comfortable look chair and food on the wooden table.* "I’m not alone" *she turned her head and saw the skeleton reforming.* "What?!" *she pointed her staff at the door and swinging it to the right slightly.* "Mer si pys os pys eil vyraes si aelali!?" *she shouted at the door which shut and protected the entrance with an odd symbol.* "i'm defiantly not alone."

Raziel looked up at the guardian with a frightened look when she asked him who he was talking about. Little did she know that he was talking about himself "He came from the darkness... He had black wings like a demon and a hole in his chest where his heart should be. He brought with him are dead as they slowly ripped my whole village apart. He then made me.... He made me kill my... My family." Raziel said. Raziel knew that the guardian would figure out who he was talking about. For no other had the appearance of Raziel and only Garthox was as cruel as him. "Don't go that why miss please!" Raziel shouted holding the women tighter. "I can still smell there body's the smell of the bruning flesh is forever brunt into my mind. Please don't make me go back there." Raziel cried.

Raziel had found one of the guardian but one was not enough he wanted to find all of them and destory them all for his master. He knew if he hung around this guardian she would take him to the rest of the guardian's it was all just a matter of time.

The shadow hounds gnashed and growled, their howls carried on the grim winds that blew across the darkened skies. With a loud snap of its teeth, the lead hound darted off towards the village where faeries huddled in the dark recesses of their hovels, hoping and praying they would be over looked, bypassed, and forgotten by he who should not be.

The ravenous pack followed their leader, as they did so a bent and tarnished silver rod fell and lay upon the ground; a solitary girls slipper lay askew near the rod.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Garthox rose from his throne and cast a baleful gaze towards the gateway, the crimson energies that flowed in from his eyes muted and changed slowly to a pale yellow, the long serpentine tongue lashed out as the great horned head tossed back and a foreboding laughter erupted from the shadow that lived. With a yank on the slivered chains the three elves rose silently, their chanting had stopped as they cast sightless eyes towards the abyssal nightmare that held the other end of their chains.

"Come my heralds, come and let us venture to the world of man…let us bring to them the news that Garthox yet lives…" hissed a sinister voice as the great nightmare grasped the massive sword. Casting about he found naught left on this world to hold his attention. Returning the dread gaze upon the blackened gates he allowed his power to flow and swirl freely from him into the gate.

On earth, everything seemed to stop. All communications, radio, television, cell phones, and computer screens all flashed for a full minute the same message. "He is risen." All across the world people stopped and stared at the message. It didn't matter the language it was transmitted and stared back at those who peered at the cryptic message. The news media around the world claimed it to be either religious or eco-terrorist hackers who were trying to spread their message.

Slowly, the world's weather began to change; hellish winds began to swirl in the vast oceans, creating massive storms that would reach landfall in a matter of hours. In the upper exosphere scientist, recorded massive ribbons of lighting that seemed to erupt everywhere at once. Those who had been asleep during the message woke in abject terror, screaming as they had visions of a great malignant shadow that seemed to encompass them, a maddening, unspeakable dread gripped them.

She awoke from her nightmare, beads of perspiration lining her forehead. Her breathing was heavier than usual and it took her a minute to calm down. Her memories of her parents death and her being the cause of it had been replaced by a vision of fire- everywhere. She had not been able to breathe in that second as the smell of burning debris and human flesh had filled her environment. And just as she had muttered the name of the person she missed most now, she had awakened.

Ash looked about her old room, dust covering the wooden floor as well as the cupboards that lined the room's wall. She had returned here upon discovering the chains and needed some rest before she traveled back to Arilt. As she lifted herself of the less than comfortable bed, Ash paused for a minute before moving to open the door. Something was wrong. And for the first time since she awoke, Ash realised there was something odd about the environment. The air seemed oddly...still. It was as though the winds had stopped moving and there was not much noise at all. Her brows pressed together in confusion, Ash flung the door open and took the stairs two at a time. She had to know what was going on before she headed back and god she hoped it had nothing to do with her vision.

As she opened the main door to her old home, Ash was surprised to find that the rest of the people were out of their houses. Some were with their families, huddling together. Some were standing alone while a couple of teenagers were pointing up to the skies, the direction at which everyone was looking at. Ash's back was facing the direction they were all looking at and she took a slow turn before facing the skies. She now knew the reasons why the winds had stopped.

Her eyes widened at the work of Garthox. It could only be him. There was a huge eye of a storm gathering over New York city. Despite the fact it was night, the gray clouds were very visible as they swirled and clashed into one another in an angry image that frightened everyone around her. Ash gripped the hilt of her sword as she looked straight up into the eye of the storm. He would send his creatures soon and she couldn't leave these people alone. Turning to face the people, Ash began to shout to them, "Go back into your homes! Go back inside! This storm is going to get worse! You have to head back in!"

Only a few listened to her, they were mostly families with young children. The rest seemed too interested in the formation of the clouds to even bother listening to her.

“Raziel… He’s here…” she whispered, shuddering at the poor girls description - how horrible was that thing? He made her kill her own flesh and blood, her innocence lost in an already corrupted world. She looked up at the hiding blood moon, to prove her thoughts.
“Its okay, it’s alright…” she mumbled as she hugged the fairy girl close to her, the way the girl spoke made fear trickle down her spine, not what she was saying, but the way she spoke she didn’t know hwy but it reminded her of someone else, she couldn’t quite think who, or why the cold chill that had nothing to do with the temperature trickles along her back. She pulled away from the girl, looking into her eyes. “It’ll be alright.” she repeats, watching Leannan out of the corner of her eye who was still ruffling his wings and rolling his head in an agitated way.
what’s wrong with you? she says silently to him, he screeches and doesn’t reply, Laynas eyebrows furrow, a crease forming in her forehead. She stands up to full height wincing as she did, then looked down at the girl.
“what’s your name…?” she felt uncomfortable not knowing this small detail, she didn’t wait for a reply from the small girl before continuing.
“and I have to, I have to go that way. I’m sorry for what’s happened to you, but I can’t be delayed any longer…” what was she to do? She had already declared herself an unworthy guardian - to herself. Was getting there fast, to save everybody worth leaving this poor little fairy? Arilt was safe, but she couldn’t take the girl there, could she? She fretted to herself in the silence.
“I have to go that way.” she repeats. “and I must go now, while I can hide in shadows…”