Aelianus Kahstar's Story

As far as the man before him, no answers came in response to Aelianus. He expected nothing more, no doubt he'd be withholding information simply because he didn't trust him yet. No matter though, in time it'll come, perhaps.

Suddenly Aelianus froze, he knew better than to move at all as his captor stepped forward, knife in hand. The cold steel pressed against his neck, and the boy felt just the slightest release of pressure as the skin broke, a warm wet trickle escaping from the miniscule cut. Blinking twice, Aelianus' eyes were locked on the one before him. Still he couldn't take the man seriously. No matter how much he tried, the straight face and attempt at looking menacing just didn't work. He was in no way any comparison to Talazar or Nira whose very presence brought with them a deathly aura of power and control. No, the one before him seemed too caring. Aelianus could see it in his eyes.

"Ok lets try this again, tell me why you came back or I'm going to cut your throat."

Taking a step back, the boy put two fingers to the laceration along his neck, simply to wipe clear the blood. Smiling, he nodded in response to the request. Glancing over the man's shoulder, he could see the jewel collector ready to act, as well as the girl in red who stood still further behind both with the Jewel Princess. Aelianus' attention turned back to his captor who still held the knife. "I already told you," he said simply, "I simply felt like it." Aelianus was a good liar. The pure fact that he was always happy and smiling no matter what made it easy for him to mask whatever he was truly feeling. Most of the boy's words were light and cheery instead of wavering or reluctant, which was indeed useful at times such as this.

Glancing between the three again he kept the same warm, genuine smile as before. "May I ask though," he began, "What your names are and why you are here?" He nodded to each of the people, an inquisitive raising of his eyebrows occurring as he spoke. Rubbing his neck again, he glanced at his palm, a smeared line of crimson drawn across it. He detested the sight so much, and frankly he felt as if he'd puke with the sight of his own blood, let alone knowing that his neck, though not fatally, was bleeding. Aelianus managed to maintain his composure and not pass out, but if anyone had been looking hard enough, they may just pick out the slight tensing of his stomach and quiver in his knees. He smiled again as he looked up, still waiting for their responses as he rubbed his hand along his shirt, not wanting to see his blood anymore.

Kiriko could not believe this guy, he seemed like a chicken but had the nerve to lie to his face. "I simply felt like it." did he really think that was going to work, this shade was lucky Kiriko is a patient man or he would be dead by now. Unfortunately for the boy it seemed like he wouldn't be for long though, Raiyn and Krisiana were ready to fight at a moments notice. Then even with three people ready to kill he tried to get information again asking "What your names are and why you are here?". This was the final straw it was time for Kiriko to get serious with this guy.

"You don't need to know that, all you need to know is that we are going to kill you if you don't start giving us some answers."

Threats against his life didn't seem to work but it was obvious this man was lying, Kiriko saw how bad his knees were shaking and it was small but there was just a slight change in his voice when he lied. There had to be someway to make this man speak and Kiriko had just thought of a way to do it. Keeping eye contact with this young man, Kiriko reached into his pouch and took out a random vial. Taking it out very carefully treating it like it was death it self in the container so this young man could see how dangerous it was. Once he had it out, he began to put it on his blade being visibly careful with it and this seemed to catch the shades attention. Kiriko had no idea what was on his blade, but it didn't matter.

"I assume you don't know what this is, well I'll tell you." Kiriko held the bottle up so it could be seen by the young man. "This is Acalypha it is from a plant not in this area. If your wondering what it does, it is taken form a plant that doesn't kill lucky for you right. Wrong. This stuff right here won't kill, but it will make you experience the most intense pain, more pain then you could ever imagine. I have used this before to, I have seen other shade I used it on beg me for death, they were on the ground in the fetal position crying. Now do you want to tell me why you came back or am i going to have to use this on you to."

Raiyn Illander

"What your names are and why you are here?" The Shade asked. Raiyn's eyebrow lifted as he watched the young boy. He was trying to get information out of them and to that extent, the sword master wasn't going to let that happen. However, Kiriko beat him to it and replied in a harsh tone that the boy didn't need to know that. Though, as the young man pulled out something from his pouch and poured it on his blades, Raiyn tensed. Upon hearing the description of what it was that Kiriko had put on his weapons, the sword master frowned and immediately shot out his hand and griped Kiriko's wrist.

"That's enough," he said coldly. He didn't remove his hand from Kiriko as he looked to the Shade, "And your questions are getting tiresome. We're not staying here for long. I know of another town we can head to, you can either follow, or stay behind."

Raiyn released Kiriko then and turned his gaze back to the young man, "He's of no threat to us. Let him do as he wants."

He started back to the wall where Krisiana had taken Kirrah. Once he was there, he knelt down next to the woman and brushed her hair off to the side to feel her head. The moment he touched her, she stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes to look up at him. She groaned slightly and tried to push herself up, but he put his hands on her shoulders and kept her down on the ground.

"Don't move so much, you'll risk making yourself weaker. We're going to the next town, sleep while you can," he ordered and picked her up whether she wanted him to or not. She seemed to struggle against him for a moment, but she fell asleep soon after, too weak to fight him. He winced slightly from her wriggling as it pulled at his wounds, but other than that, lifting her was easy as she was very light for him.

"I'm leaving, you can come with me or stay here," Raiyn called to the others and started on his way out of the destroyed town. It wasn't going to be long before the King caught wind of the incident and sent soldiers to inspect the destruction. The last thing he wanted was to be slowed down by them or worse.

Seeing Raiyn had things mostly under control, Krisiana relaxed her posture just a bit. She still remained cautious of things, though she allowed her grip to be removed from her weapon as she dropped her hand down to her sides now. She kept her gaze on the three, tilting her head as she listened to the conversation. Barely catching what Kiriko had said, she watched as Raiyn gripped the younger males hand, before hearing his cold words.

"That's enough." He told him, before he turned his gaze to the Shade. "And your questions are getting tiresome. We're not staying here for long. I know of another town we can head to, you can either follow or stay behind."

By now Krisiana had moved to lean against the wall that was behind her, watching as Raiyn said something else to Kiriko, before he turned moving back towards where the girl was still resting. Turning her head slightly, Krisiana listened as Raiyn tended to the girl, before hearing her soft groan signaling that she was indeed awake, if only for several moments.

Not paying that much attention, Krisiana didn't catch much of the small conversation Raiyn had with the girl, though she turned to look at him as he scooped the girl into his arms, already begining to make his way from the ruined town. "I'm leaving, you can come with me or stay here." He called to them, not casting a glance back.

Krisiana stayed rooted to her spot for several moments, thoughts of weather or not to follow running through her mind. It'd been quite some time since she actually stayed within a group as she traveled, and she wasn't sure if it was such a good idea. Though, knowing the weak state the girl was in, and knowing of Raiyn's wounds, she worried if they were to be attacked, the worst would happen. Turning, Krisiana made her decision as she jogged slightly to catch up to the blonde. "I think I'll join you, if you don't mind." She told him quietly, easily falling into step beside him. "Even though you're a very skilled fighter, with your wounds and her current state.. You might be able to use the help."

Aelianus eyed the man before him carefully, watching as he produced a vial of some odd liquid and proceeded to apply it to the blade of one of his weapons. He spoke as he did this, explaining the effects of whatever poison he said it was, and this really didn't appeal. Taking a wary step back, the boy shifted his gaze between the two. The other man seemed like he wasn't enjoy the idea either, and Aelianus was relieved when he took hold of the wrist of the other. "That's enough," he had said, his tone stating obviously that he meant business. Sighing, Aelianus nodded to the man his thanks, but it was too late, he was already turning away as he spoke.

"And your questions are getting tiresome. We're not staying here for long. I know of another town we can head to, you can either follow, or stay behind."

Aelianus watched the man stalk away to the house, moving past the girl in red to no doubt check on the Jewel Princess. Aelianus looked at the one who still held the poisoned knife and gave him a smile, shrugging. He wasn't mad at him, and he still had yet to become truly intimidated. The threat was indeed something to worry about, but it had been neutralized, at least for now. Aelianus didn't really know what to do so he simply stood quietly, his eyes wandering around the skies and trees. At least he was still alive, though.

The man returned a moment later carrying the Jewel Princess. Obviously she needed immediate attention and it seemed he was going to ensure her safe passage to whatever town they were headed to. However, Aelianus knew of the damage he'd sustained. No doubt it was from Talazar, especially considering he had his scythe. Now that was truly an amazing feat., to manage to disarm that man, the reaper himself. Aelianus nodded silent approval, the weapon always scared him but he looked to it now where it lay idly in the dirt. Glancing to the man, Aelianus watched him continue on, the girl catching up a moment later. Aelianus sighed and paced silently over to the scythe and picked it up, then retrieved his chains. A few seconds later, he had the metal links back over his shoulder and the large weapon tucked in beneath them against his back. Quickening his pace, the boy ran to catch up to the other man and the girl. He walked just behind them, trailing by five or so feet.

"So," he said finally, "Where's this town?" His words were still cheery as if he didn't have a care in the world, and truly, it sounded more as if he intended to make pleasant conversation, rather than gain information. In a way it was both.

Kiriko had been applying the the substance in the vial to his blade, keeping eye contact with the shade before Raiyn stopped him "That's enough.". That was great he thought, he had hoped that Raiyn would have recognized the substance as the medication he had put on his wounds. Well now his bluff was ruined and he was thinking of what to do now. Before he got the chance Rainy told him "He's of no threat to us. Let him do as he wants.". After that Raiyn walked by him and went into the building with the Jewel Princess was it. When he walked out of the building Raiyn had the Princess in his arms, saying "I'm leaving, you can come with me or stay here,". Soon after the girl in red and the shade started to follow Raiyn out of town.

Now Kiriko had to figure out what to do, follow Raiyn, or stay behind and wait for the shades to come back. He looked around the town and saw all the carnage the battle had caused, they were innocent bystanders and there entire town had been destroyed. Looking at the four walking way he decided to stay behind and help the people in the town first. Walking around the destroyed town Kiriko found a lot of wounded people and gave them what little medical help he could, after he had done what little he could he gave everyone a little money to try and help them get by for a little while. This disgusted him the sight of innocents being killed for no reason, and he was the only one who ever seemed to care.

When what little he could do was over he had to decide what to do now. The shade had not come back and the other four where out of sight to. If he hurried he could catch up with the others by night fall, or he could go looking for the shades. If he went after the shades and found them he would stand a much better chance of fighting, at least this time around he wouldn't have to protect people. However if he caught up to the four that had left he would most likely run into the shades again anyway. He hated traveling in groups but if he wanted to find the shades again he would have to. After asking around he got a feel about were the group was headed. Taking out his blades he used them to propel him self to the top of the nearest tree and began to jump for tree-to-tree headed in the direction of the group.

Nira Ku

She leaned backwards, bending her back and body as she stretched out her muscles. She felt much better now. Running a hand through her long white hair, she ran a finger across her lips, tasting blood on her fingertip. Nira looked down at the corpse that was at her feet. The young man had been quite pleasing to the eye in life, but his dreadful scream had marred his face as he died with his green eyes wide opened and his mouth frozen in a silent scream. Nira sighed then and allowed her magic to release around her. She located the remaining Shades and decided it was time to send them off to track the Jewel Princess.

Teleporting to Talazar she waited until he'd finished and called for his attention, "Talazar. It's time. I hope you've satisfied your anger. We'll send the rest after the Jewel Princess. In the meantime, we must head back to Kreon," she spat her husbands name at the end. Rolling her eyes, she knew how Talazar was going to respond to that. Either way he needed to accompany her and she planned to make the meeting quick like always.

Just like with the note to Aelianus, she created a note that she copied several times and sent them out to the remaining Shades via her transportation spell. Then she watched and waited for Talazar to move closer to her so she could take them back to head quarters. Nira was dreading the meeting with Kreon, but it had been some time since they'd last reported to him, and she didn't wish to delay any longer knowing full well his temper at such trivial things.

Raiyn Illander

Raiyn turned his head to look at the Shade who decided to follow them. He had barely gave a nod to Krisiana at her declaration to follow him as well. However, he frowned at her description of his being half dead and in no shape to fight Shades. Though, she didn't say it in quite so many words, Raiyn knew what she meant. Even if what she said was true, he'd never admit it.

"The town is several hours south from here. It is small and I do not recall the name of it, but we can stay there until she is recovered," he said. There, he planned to get her name and to train her in the proper use of her weapon. Plus, she needed to learn more control over her power, over the Princess to be exact. If she continued the way she was going, it was highly possible the Jewel Princess would kill her host. Raiyn swallowed hard, finding himself disliking that thought more than he probably should.

He glanced down at her in his arms, and a familiar face popped unwilling into his minds eye. His throat clenched and he quickly looked ahead to the road he was following. It was better to keep the old wounds closed up and locked away. Not really for himself, but for those around him. Should he lose himself like he'd once had, no one would be left standing. His rage had been so great it consumed him at the time, and the power that coursed through him...

Raiyn shook his head slightly and stopped thinking about it. He would keep this girl alive, no matter what it took. He needed her, needed her power to bring about the destruction of the Shades as he wanted. Kreon was his target, the head of the organization. That man was going to die the most painful and cruel way that Raiyn could think up. His eyes narrowed as he lost himself in thoughts of revenge while they walked. All the while, the woman in his arms was like the dead weight of those who were precious to him at one time.

Krisiana cast a slight glance back at the young Shade who had decided to follow them. While she didn't feel the least bit threatened by the young man, she wasn't exactly comfortable around him either. Shaking her head just a bit to clear away most of the thoughts bouncing around her mind, Krisiana listened as the Shade asked his questions, then waited silently as Raiyn gave an answer. In truth she'd been curious as to where they were traveling too as well, but chose instead to remain silent.

While they walked, Krisiana chose to remain silent, instead focusing on the sounds that surrounded them, while she kept her gaze on the ground below her. Reaching up she removed the red cloth from around her mouth, tucking it into a small pouch that rested at her side. It had been a couple of hours since the group began their journey and Krisiana decided to now break the silence that fell over then. Turning her head just slightly she directed her question towards the Shade behind them.

"Why did you decide to follow us? And I don't believe I ever caught your name." As usual the girl in reds voice was soft as she spoke, though just barely loud enough to be heard by those around her.

As she waited for the boys answer her gaze shifted to the road before them, searching for any sign of anything ahead of them.

Talazar

Talazar remained silent throughout the trip to meet with Kreon. He so despised the man and knew that if he opened his mouth, it would be for nothing more than to shout some sort of profanity or threat. Nothing but anger and hatred came to mind with the man's name, let alone a sense of pity. How love blinded him so to Nira. He would admit, the woman was worth a look, but if he should ever allow himself to be overtaken with lust and longing like Kreon, it would surely spell disaster. Solitude was the best plan, and frankly, most other people annoyed Talazar anyway. Shrugging off the thoughts, he turned his attention to the large hall he now found himself in.

The man allowed Nira to lead, even though he knew exactly where he was headed as well. His eyes were deadlocked ahead, never wavering and completely devoid of any emotions except for those of content and the obvious craving to cause death. As he strode into the larger room that expanded from the hall, the man's stride never changed. Always he walked with an air of confidence; an aura of power, respect and authority hung over him, all of which he'd earned rightfully on the battlefield, unlike Kreon. Talazar only registered Nira's order to those around them, yelling for them to continue their training. A smile crept on Talazar's face, it was rather entertaining the way everyone could simply stop at his presence. It was all the more entertaining on the battlefield when they'd freeze entirely. Simply stopping wasn't even all they did, but he'd swear their heart would cease even before he was within killing distance. Thinking about it now, entertaining wasn't the word, it was exhilarating.

Kreon's door sat past another set of double doors, his insignia emblazoned onto it. Talazar stopped as he approached it and allowed Nira to knock, then entered with her at the sound of the man's voice, ordering for them to enter. The first words that escaped the man's lips set Talazar's face into a creased frown. His deadly cold eyes bore into the man, though all of his attention was on Nira. She informed him that the Jewel Princess still lived, and the resounding smack that emanated from Kreon's hand across the woman's face was the answer. Talazar had to hold his hands behind his back to keep from attacking. He held at least the elven woman in higher esteem than him, and it wasn't that he cared, not that he'd admit it if he did, but no woman, especially not Nira, should be treated like that. It was simply the fact that it was Kreon to administered the punishment. The man wasn't worthy of such power and authority. He wasn't worth of living. Still however, Talazar remained outwardly apathetic, concealing his rage behind a simple blank stare.

Talazar nodded in simple acknowledgement to Kreon's last order to find the Princess and kill her, then turned with Nira and walked out. He glanced down to her now as she spoke. "One day I will kill him," she said. Talazar had to smile at her words, they pleased him and were his thoughts exactly. "Use my scythe if you'd like," he replied simply as he looked back ahead of him. "Once I get it back from that twerp of a boy, that is..."

Aelianus

Aelianus had been following the boy who carried the Princess, and the red girl for a short time before finally the silence was broken. First she had removed her mask before finally she glanced back at him. Her words were soft and gentle, pleasant to the ear. He had to admit also that she was indeed a pretty sight as well. "Why did you decide to follow us? And I don't believe I ever caught your name," she said.

The boy smiled in return, taking a moment to look at the sky as if to request inspiration to lie. It wasn't his favorite thing to do, but again, he was good at it. Looking back down he saw the girl's gaze had once more returned to the front, so he shrugged, knowing well she couldn't see it before answering. "Seemed like you needed help. I don't really want to say you're incapable of fighting," he had directed this to Raiyn now as he spoke, "but I know the effects of Talazar's scythe... Plus the Princess seems a bit out of sorts. I'm probably not a lot of help but, I don't know. Just in case."

The boy's words were sincere this time, he didn't need to lie. He knew well that with the Princess in such a state, and with Raiyn occupied with the chore of carrying her, both would be useless in combat. Of course if the boy put her down, he could do something, but not too much. Aelianus eyed the woman before him carefully, admiring her weaponry and frankly everything about her. The way she carried herself, the way she walked, the way her hair swayed gently back and forth with each step. The boy was smiling still, which wasn't unusual before finally he realized he was also simply just staring for no reason. He was glad no one had looked back at him again.

"Oh, my name's Aelianus too," he said happily. "I haven't caught yours though, either."

Raiyn Illander

His eyes kept traveling down to the sleeping form of the woman in his arms. She was so small compared to him, yet she carried such a huge weight. He briefly wondered how she'd managed to do it all this time. Raiyn pulled his thoughts back to the present and looked up to keep an eye on where they were going and their surroundings. It would be hell if they were attacked.

"Raiyn," he called back to the boy named Aelianus. He might as well share his name, especially if they were going to be in company for some time. It would be difficult during fights if they didn't know each other by name. He still had yet to learn the Princess', but for now he would probably just call her 'Princess'. At least until she told him otherwise.

"I hope you're better help when we have to fight again, Aelianus. That will happen, and if you can't hold your own I'm not going to protect you," Raiyn called back coldly. He never slowed his pace as he went, never looked back either to see what the boy's reaction was. For all he knew the 'former' Shade was still smiling like a fool. Either way Raiyn didn't care, he wasn't going to babysit the young man when they saw a battle again. He only hoped that they could reach the next town and sleep before that happened.

Of course, hoping was all he could do. Perhaps luck would be on his side this time.

Raiyn Illander

The town wasn't much farther and the sun was beginning to sink down below the tree line. The forest was beginning to thin and the road became harder as it was kept cleaner than through the forest. Raiyn adjusted his hold on the Princess who had slept the entire time and would most likely sleep until the next morning. It had been none-stop fighting for nearly three days for her and each time she'd used her power. Or rather, the power had used her.

They walked through the gates of the town and Raiyn looked immediately for a place to sleep for the night. His sharp gaze spotted an inn near the gates of the town and he went right to it. Ignoring the many looks he was receiving from the patrons as they walked through the door, he moved right up to the bar and got the innkeepers attention.

"Two rooms for the night," he ordered without hesitation. The large man behind the counter lifted his sweaty eyebrow at the sword master before sweeping his dark brown gaze to the others. Raiyn waited, though his patience was growing thin.

"Eighty silver," the man prompted.

Raiyn frowned, "Forty."

"Seventy-five."

"Fifty-five."

The banter stopped there and Raiyn knew he'd won the barter. The innkeeper frowned but gave a short nod. Handing the Princess off to Krisiana, he pulled the coin from his bag and set it on the counter. Taking the blonde woman back he started up the steps with the others in tow. Opening one of the doors he walked in and gently laid the Princess on the bed.

"Stay here with her. I'm going to find a healer in town. Don't let anyone in. You'll know when it's me," he ordered the woman in red. Turning, he looked to Aelianus, an eyebrow arched slightly.

"You... can come with me," he said before brushing passed the young man and exiting the inn. Pulling his tattered cloak around his shoulders, he tightening it across his chest and looked around. After a moment, Raiyn finally set off towards the center of town hoping to find a healer soon for both his wounds and the Princess'.

"Raiyn," the man called back. That was an interesting name, and Aelianus' thoughts wandered to the idea of water droplets from the sky. They were free, soothing and could wash away troubles while at the same time deteriorate the lands and be as brutal as anything. He seemed that way, but it was still too early for Aelianus to really tell. He remained quiet as Raiyn continued to speak. "I hope you're better help when we have to fight again, Aelianus. That will happen, and if you can't hold your own I'm not going to protect you."

Cold... Rain was cold too, and so was this man whom held the same name. It was odd. Aelianus' smile faded as he registered his words, and thought of his abilities. He was a proficient fighter, he just didn't like to fight, especially when he could so easily tell that his opponents held such amazing skills. It was scary to see a blade a mere inches from his self, the metal screaming to cut into him and taste his blood, to kill him. He didn't like these thoughts at all, so he tried his smile again, reassuring the man known as Raiyn with a simple, "Don't worry, I will be." Even though he didn't believe his words, he made sure they would. At least they were nicer than Talazar.

After a long while of walking, they finally arrived at their destination, a small village. Aelianus couldn't help but notice the looks Raiyn got, and he simply nodded in respects to people, waving and smiling as he normally did. He knew he was getting most of the same looks due to Talazar's scythe he still had on his back, the weapon ominous in contrast to his joyful personality, but he didn't mind.

The boy followed Raiyn into the Inn, and after a short exchange, was pleased to see he had won over two rooms for a decent price. Aelianus held with him a lot of money, and almost offered to pay, but thought otherwise. It really wasn't worth it now. Talazar had a habit of killing for no reason, and Aelianus was tasked with taking anything of value from the dead. He had with him in fact enough gold, silver and copper pieces to buy their own task force, but he thought for now he'd remain quiet, though he did slip the innkeeper a few silver coins for his troubles. He smiled kindly at the man before nodding and rushing to catch up to Raiyn.

"Stay here with her. I'm going to find a healer in town. Don't let anyone in. You'll know when it's me," Raiyn said as he set down the Princess in one of the rooms. The order was directed to the girl in red, and Aelianus looked to Raiyn as now he spoke directly to him. "You... can come with me." Aelianus nodded obediently and followed him out to aid in his search for some sort of apothecary or healer. Glancing around, the boy waited a moment as Raiyn adjusted his cloak, then he spoke. "So," he said, "What exactly were you up to before you stumbled into the Princess?"

Kiriko

Kiriko had been able to beat all of the shade, but it had taken him longer then he had wanted and now he would have to travel at night if he wanted to catch up to the group. Searching the group he found a considerable amount of money, and took all of the demonic jewels in there blades. Kiriko remembered something about Raiyn being able to make them go dormant. Once he had everything Kiriko started to try and catch up to the group.

It had been hour and Kiriko finally managed to catch up to the group, but this time he was going to watch and see what they did while he wasn't there. Keeping his distance Kiriko followed the group for quite a while until they stopped in a small town and went into an inn. So far the group hadn't done anything to make him think that they weren't telling him everything, but he decided to watch the group for a little longer. As he waited on a nearby roof top he tried to see inside the building, from what he seen all he knew was that they would have a room there for the night. Shortly after Raiyn followed by the shade came out and started to head deeper into town. It was tempting to follow them, but for now Kiriko stayed to watch the two in the building.

Okashi

Okashi had been at the inn for quite a while sitting by himself and having a few drinks. People came and went, but nothing really caught his eye until a young guy came into the inn carrying a young women and was accompanied by another women and another guy who had a ridiculousness huge scythe on his back. The first guy went up to the owner and after a short talk between the two man he got a room for a decent price. After that the 4 headed up stairs to there room. He heard something about and apothecary then two of the men came down stairs and headed out the door.

It wasn't really any of Okashi's business what they were up to, but with all 4 of them having weapons and then two of them going and looking for an apothecary, Okashi thought they couldn't be up to any good. Okashi had just got done with a job and was trying to relax, but he was always ready to make more money. If he stopped them from robbing somewhere or from fighting and destroying property he would be able to make some money off of it. For now thought he just sat back and ordered a couple more drinks, waiting for them to do something.

Raiyn Illander

"So, what exactly were you up to before you stumbled into the Princess?" Aelianus asked him as they walked down the street. He gave a short huff of irritation as they moved. His cloak swirled all around him as he looked for a healer in the growing darkness. Only the glow of yellow lights from burning torches illuminated the street and shop names. He was going to be hard pressed to find a place that was still opened.

"That's none of your business," Raiyn snapped back, colder than he meant. He didn't like talking about his past. It only made him angry and there was always that lingering fear of falling into what he'd once been after the last incident. A stone cold killer with no thoughts or feelings at all chilled him to the bone. In response to this he pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, trying to ward off the old memories that haunted him.

"And you? What were you doing with the Shades? Anything special make you join them?" Raiyn asked in a half hearted attempt to make the boy think twice about asking him stupid questions. He took a deep breath and tried to settle his thoughts. The young man hadn't really asked a stupid question, it was just that Raiyn didn't want to answer anything about himself to anyone.

Finally after walking for some time, he found a place with a healer. It looked like the shop was still opened as well so he pushed the door open and walked in. An old woman sat at her table, her fingers working a wooden crusher and bowl. Slowly, she looked up to them and smiled warmly. Setting her tools aside, she wiped her hands on her dress and hobbled over to them. Raiyn looked down at her as she looked up to him. Taking his arm in her wrinkled but strong hands, she led him to a chair and sat him down.

"Remove it," she said, her fingers flicking up and down to indicate his cloak and shirt. Raiyn did as he was asked and took of the cloak and began undoing the leather shirt. Once it was off, the elder woman walked around him and inspected the wounds. Her tongue clicked at the top of her mouth as she chided him, much like a mother would scold her son. "Whatever you've been up to, you need to be more careful, young man. Wouldn't want to ruin those good looks of yours."

To this he frowned and didn't answer. Her warm fingers began putting on ointments and salves across his wounds as she muttered to herself. A little while after and she pulled out a brilliant blue stone and held it over his wounds. Raiyn felt cold water slide across his back and he stiffened slightly from the feel. The jewel pushed the water deep into the wound and as it was withdrawn, the wound began to close. It took the old woman a long time to heal the deep wound across his back, the one in his shoulder and the small cuts all along his upper body. When she finally finished, she looked more tired than she had when they first walked in.

"How much?" Raiyn asked.

The healer gave him another smile and waved her hand at him, "Nothing for you my dear. Go back home and try not to get yourself killed."

Raiyn raised an eyebrow at her and left the shop, but not before leaving a gold coin on her counter. They started back to the inn in the dark, many of the lights having been blown out for the night.

"We leave early tomorrow morning. I suggest you get some sleep," Raiyn said as they entered the inn once more and headed up the stairs. He didn't look inside the girls' room as he didn't want to disturb them if they were sleeping. Though he was feeling a deep urge to check on the Princess. He fought back the desire and put on an even colder face to dissuade himself from such frivolity.

Raiyn took up watch at his window and kept his hand on his sword as he sat in the chair. His thoughts deepened on the girl unbiddingly as he sat there staring out into the darkness.

"That's none of your business."

The man's response wasn't what Aelianus had expected. He knew he probably wouldn't have gotten a straight answer, a full one, or an answer at all but it seemed that Raiyn was a bit overly defensive. Something terrible must've happened in his past or in the moments prior to meeting up with the Princess that really wasn't on the agenda of discussion. Either way, Aelianus shrugged and look to him now as he took an a slightly more gentle tone, though his words still seemed as though they lacked in substance other than a deterrent. "And you? What were you doing with the Shades? Anything special make you join them?"

Aelianus saw the sigh of Raiyn and shrugged, smiling now. He remembered the day he first joined, the exchange and meeting with Talazar, everything. Still though, it wasn't worth discussing now, no matter how much he wanted to. He glanced around now, admiring the dim town illuminated by various torches outside the many buildings. They were warm and secure, something Aelianus cherished in contrast to the cold torches that resided within the Shades headquarters, if it could be called that. "I really don't know, I just did I suppose." he said finally, looking to Raiyn now. This was indeed true, to an extend. The only thing left out was how he got in and all he went through to manage it.

Finally after some silence, Raiyn had located the healer he was looking for. Aelianus followed the man in and busied himself with admiring various herbs and jars of whatever other medicine she had. Before he knew it, Raiyn was fixed again and standing, the boy having missed everything whilst engrossed in a bottle of a blue gel like secretion he had knocked over on accident, the scythe on his back becoming an issue. The woman had smiled to him and said no charge before stating simply not to get killed. That was a bit odd, but Aelianus ignored the comment, though it was directed to Raiyn anyway. Nodding to the man, Aelianus followed him out and back to the Inn.

"We leave early tomorrow morning. I suggest you get some sleep," he said finally. Aelianus nodded, looking at the man carefully. He seemed like he wanted to check on the girls, yet he didn't. After a moment, the boy finally spoke. "I'm sure they're fine.. You should sleep too." He waited a moment, but nothing seemed to change, so finally he shrugged, allowing Raiyn his moment of silence where he sat in the window. Yawning and stretching, Aelianus set down the massive scythe in a corner, leaning it carefully in place so it wouldn't fall before collapsing face down into the bed. That is where he'd stay for the rest of the night unless Raiyn wanted him to take a lookout shift, though it seemed trivial to do so.

Kirrah Shay

She stirred, slowly shifting from one side to the other and her eyes clenching tightly as she woke from her deep slumber. A dull headache plagued her, but otherwise she felt alright. Mostly it was just weariness that was the problem. Her lips parted and a groan escaped her as she rolled to her side finally. After a moment, she cracked open her eyes and observed the darkness around her. Kirrah concluded that she was in a room, and that it was well into the night. How late and what day it was, though, she didn't know.

Slowly, she sat up and put a hand to her forehead as she groaned again. Taking a deep breath she sat there trying to figure out where exactly she was at and how she'd gotten there. Then she spotted a woman in the room with her. Her heart jumped and she reached for her sword, but only brushed thin air. Her weapon was missing. Her heart escalated then and she nearly lunged at the girl sitting in the room with her. Then she noticed the red tint of her clothing as the moonlight came out from the clouds. Kirrah remembered seeing the girl, however, how she remembered was a huge shock to her.

They had been fighting, something had happened and she had gone back to the town. Somewhere between leaving and going back she'd fallen prey to her power and lost her memories. The only thing she remembered was a scream of pain and her heart lurching in response. The images flooded her mind's eye as she recalled what happened. She could see the blonde haired man tensed up as he was under the crushing power of the Shade woman. He crumpled to the ground and Kirrah rushed to him as the elf pressed her blade to his throat.

Kirrah had barely made it in time to get the elf's attention and save him from being killed. After that, she didn't remember much, only bits a pieces of the fight with the elven Shade. During that fight, she remembered seeing the flash of red cloth that belonged to the woman sitting before her. She had been there, during the fight. Before that even, but Kirrah couldn't really recall.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted the swordsman under brutal attack from the larger Shade wielding a scythe. Again, her racing heart leapt to her throat and her memories were sharper. Kirrah had watched as the young man was thrown, crashing into the burned buildings and as the Shade approached, he came flying out of the dust with is cloak leading. She'd taken that opportunity to attack the Shade with her wind jewel propelling her right at him. Somehow, the Shade had managed to get out of the way of her attack just in time. This, she remembered, had enraged her and the last thing she remembered was thrusting her sword in the dirt and unleashing a terrible power on the entire group.

After that, there was nothing but darkness in her memories. Kirrah shook her head and gave a soft sigh. It was almost all too much, though her heart hammered fairly hard as she realized that the swordsman's pain was what triggered her to remember. Why, she wasn't entirely sure. At the moment, all that mattered was she remembered the fight and the power.

Looking up to the woman in red, Kirrah was sure that the woman had noticed her being up, "Where are we?"

Raiyn Illander

His eyes were locked on the street below them, the fire light from the tavern door illuminating the area below him. Nothing had moved in the darkness, but he still kept watch. The Shades were unpredictable. Behind him, the boy Aelianus had settled on the bed. Whether or not he was asleep, Raiyn didn't know, but he didn't really care either. As he sat there, his thoughts were on the Princess in the other room. How was he going to get her to remember the fights? Even more importantly, how was he going to teach her how to fight properly without the use of the Jewel Princess? Control was highly important and that she lacked because she was afraid.

Raiyn was going to have to get her over that fear somehow. He gave a frustrated sigh and tapped the hilt of his blade that he held between his legs. Leaning forward, his eyes caught the movement of three people down below the inn. His eyes narrowed and he watched them carefully as they approached the flickering firelight right outside of the double doors. Once their forms were within the light, Raiyn stood up quickly but quietly. Each of the people down below were clad in black cloaks, clearly marking them as Shades. He didn't know if they had Demon Jewels, though he was sure if they did, the Jewel Princess would have gone haywire by now.

Walking to Aelianus he shook the young man's shoulder, "Get up. We have company," he said. This was going to be the boys test. If he really wanted to help them, the ex-Shade was going to have to fight his own kind and kill them as well. Raiyn opened the door and went down the hall to the girls' room. He knocked three times, waited then knocked again, a single sharp crack against the wood.

"Protect her," he growled at the door, hoping that Krisiana could hear him. Down in the tavern, he could hear the sounds of steel ringing as the three Shades entered the inn and created a ruckus. Raiyn frowned and set his jaw tightly, they sure knew how to draw attention to themselves. Raiyn drew his weapon as he heard the first of several steps come racing up the stairs to the rooms above. His emerald jewel glowed as he prepared for a fight.

Nira Ku

Her eyes were bright as she looked down at the town that she'd sent the three Shades into. With her arms crossed over her chest, she rested her weight on one leg. The hill was just high enough to look over the valley below. The town was about a two hour walk from where her and Talazar where. Tossing her head, she got her hair over her shoulder to look up at the Shade next to her.

"They'll separate the group, the main goal is to get the boy away from the Princess. You can do with him what you want, I hope you kill him slowly," Nira grinned at him, flashing a set of perfectly white teeth, "They aren't to kill the Princess. Aelianus still has yet to get more information and report back to us."

Her eyes turned back to the dark town as she counted down in her head the time till the attack. Once she hit zero, her fingers snapped and her teleportation took her and Talazar down to the valley to the area where the Shades were to push the swordsman.

Okashi

Okashi had been in the bar and was joined by a few others who were drunk out of there wits. All of them offered to by him a drink buy he had stopped drinking quiet a while ago, instead he bought a round of drinks for everyone. For a while nothing happened the young man had left and them come back, but he didn't hear any signs that he had don anything wrong. Okashi was starting to get disappointed with nothing happening, he was just about to by a drink and join in the party when a group of 3 men all in black cloaks came in the bar. The moment he laid eyes on them he new they were shades and they never came with good intentions, but they almost always had a bounty on there headds. As they walked in everyone got quiet and stopped to look at the group.

Now everything made sense with the other he had seen earlier they had been running from these men. The group walked up to the inn owner and asked if anyone had come in with wounded recently. When the man refused to answer the shade in the middle went to go punch him but Okashi grabbed his wrist and said, "I suggest you leave, NOW!" Okashi would have ended up fighting these men eventually for the bounty on there heads, so why not look like a hero while I'm doing it he thought. The man told the other two, "You guys go get the girl I'll take him." As he went to go grab his sword Okashi broke his arm like a twig and smashed his face off the bar knocking him out. Right after the others drew there weapons and went to attack him, but he just blocked there attacks with the armor on his forearms. Spinning with the attack the closest to the door was now by the stairs and vise verse with the other. The one that was now closest to the door he used the momentum from his spin to sent him flying with a kick straight out the front door. When he turned to the other man that faced him he looked ready to fight, but when he took a step the man bolted for the stairs. Fortunately they weren't that far apart and Okashi barely caught up to the man just as he started up the steps. Reaching his massive arm Okashi caught the man by the back of his cloak and threw him back down the steps. Okashi cracked his knuckles while walking toward the man and said in a menacing voice "You should have listened to me."

Kiriko

Kiriko had been on the roof top watching the group for some time wondering if anything interesting would happen. Before long he was relativity comfortable and fell asleep. After a little while he woke up and looked around, Raiyn still at the window keeping guard. Then Kiriko noticed his eyes they were alert and were starring. Looking where Raiyn was he knew right away why Raiyn was alert, there was a group of 3 shade headed for the inn. Kiriko got his weapons ready and was about to attack when he thought for a moment, lets see how this plays out. The shade went into the inn and were about to attack the inn keeper when an imposingly large man stopped them. After that the shade attacked and he was amazed at how quickly he had taken out the man. Knocking out one, sending one out the front door, and threw the last one down the stairs as he tried to get away.

Kiriko looked in the window really quick and seen Raiyn was not there any more, probably going to join in the fight. Kiriko looked at the man on the ground who was still disoriented from the kick. Not wanting the man to get attacked from behind he jumped from the roof top drew his blades and landed on the man chest, his blade in the mans neck. Kiriko cover the mans mouth with his hand before he could scream and said, "Shhh, don't fight it." After the man stopped moving Kiriko stood up and looked in the inn seeing what would happen next.

Aelianus

It was a beautiful day, the leaves were rustling gently as the branches swayed in the wind. The sun was high in the sky now, reaching it's zenith, spilling down its glorious rays onto those below who graciously accepted the generous gift of life and the warmth it brought. A young man made his way down a large dirt road, his boots crunching along the gravel with each step. He was dressed in a simple tunic style shirt that draped down to his knees, with a wild, spontaneous look in his eyes; his hair matched perfectly the personality and aura he seemed to give off, as it was free and wind-blown. Glancing around, Aelianus took in the many sights and smells of the world and knew there was still more to be discovered. He'd been traveling for quite some time and intended to go until he had managed to see it all, or until old age overtook him.

The boy's eyes swiveled around, catching sight of a gorgeous blue and red painted bird, it's feathers a sleek glossy color that made it sparkle as it moved. It took flight now as he approached, as most animals did, fleeing to safer distances from the unknown creature that continued on down the path. He smiled as he watched it go, then looked now to a squirrel, curled up along a branch, its attention fully on the pine cone it held in it's tiny grasp. A snake slithered by, a miniature brown one with a single green stripe down its scaly back, the creature drawing a thin line in the dirt that marked its progression.

Nature, it was all so interesting. The creatures, living together harmoniously in a delicate cycle, the colors and sights, blended together in a manner that made everything compliment all else in ways no person could possibly replicate on canvas. Truly this was wondrous, Aelianus thought to himself.

Suddenly though, up ahead something caught his attention. Something that didn't belong; a figure, slouched down beneath a tree, a sickly red smeared across the bark that showed clearly the body's descent. A sword lay idly by, the steel stained like the tree that held up the cloaked person. The boy ignored the weapon for now as he came up onto whoever it was he'd found. Being closer now, he could just make out the gentle rise and fall, ragged though it was, of the man's breath. He wore his hood up, but Aelianus could just make out the lower portion of his face, bruised and bloodied with a thin trail of the crimson liquid dropping down onto his chest. A mustache lined the upper lip, but that was all he could tell of his facial features as he knelt down and placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

He wasn't expecting it. The suddenness of it all, the sharp pain that came with the blade lodged in his chest. The man's head slowly moved up now, and though it had sustained damage, it still bore a cold, heartless intent to kill. He could see now the white hair, combed neatly back and the eyes that seemed to be a blade of themselves, stabbing into whoever they fell upon and injecting fear straight to a person's core. Aelianus coughed once as he collapsed sideways, holding his chest as the blade unsheathed itself from his being. It was as he hit the ground now and was able to see past the tree that he finally saw what had caused all of this. Obscured by the dense forest and large tree, down the curve in the path, his gaze fell upon the remnants of the battle.

Three men lay strewn around, their weapons still clenched tight in their grips even in death, the jewels in their weapons still glowing bright. Of all three, one caught Aelianus's attention right off the bat. He was a large man a mere two meters from where the boy lay, collapsed face down with his fingers wrapped around the shaft of a massive scythe. Looking back to the man against the tree, Aelianus was surprised to find his eyes shut. He wasn't dead, that much he could tell, but he was close to it.

Aelianus shot up in bed now as a disturbance pulled him from his dreams. Raiyn was shaking him, urging him to wake and he glanced around suddenly, forgetting for a moment where he was before calming and listening as the boy told him they would have company. Company... What Company? Suddenly he realization dawned on him that the shades must've become impatient and sent their first wave of attackers. His eyes grew wide for a moment as he looked to the scythe leaning against the wall in the corner, a perfect replica of the one he had seen in his dreams. His dream. That shook him still, it haunted him, that day, but he had to forget it now.

Spinning off the bed he quickly gathered his equipment and followed Raiyn out the door, waiting just a moment as he tapped on the door to the girl's room before stating simply, "Protect her." Aelianus continued after Raiyn as he made his way to the steps and waited for the first of their opponents. Fighting the shades wouldn't be easy, and he really didn't like the idea, but he knew he had to.

Talazar

Talazar's smile widened at Nira's words. Oh how he'd enjoy tearing apart that boy, especially once he had his scythe back. "Oh don't worry," he said cruelly, "When I'm done with that boy, he'll be unrecognizable, even to the almighty lord." His smile grew on his face as he licked his lips, then found himself standing in the little valley. This was where the boy was to be brought, this is where the boy was to die. Talazar would make sure, one way or another, he'd pay.

The man's grip tightened on the large shaft of the warhammer he held, the jewel glowing an ominous black like the night. Sweet dreams he'd wish to the boy, then his skull would crack.

Raiyn Illander

His jewel was bright, the power vibrating as he readied his weapon for the attack. The Shade made the landing and glared at him before hunching down and preparing to attack. Raiyn, let his body turn slightly, the tip of his blade relaxed as it pointed down towards the ground. Before the man could rush him, his dark eyes widened in surprise and Raiyn watched as the Shade fell backwards, back down the stairs. Taking a step forward, the sword master lifted an eyebrow in confusion. Then he went to the edge of the landing and looked down to see a large man slowly walking down the stairs to the Shade who lay on the floor in a daze.

Turning, Raiyn flicked his blade towards the door to the girls room, "Get them," he ordered Aelianus, "Tell them we're leaving the town now." Without waiting for an answer, Raiyn rushed down the stairs and passed the large man who was more than capable of taking care of the Shade on the floor. His eyes scanned the area looking for the other two whom he'd seen enter the inn. One he caught sight of one man unconscious on the floor, the blood on his face more than enough to tell Raiyn what happened to him.

Moving towards the door of the inn, the young man readied his sword once more. Pushing the door opened, he looked out into the darkness and saw the third man lying face down in the dirt. He raised an eyebrow and turned to look down the street. He'd only seen three of them, but he was ready for more. It would be something the Shades would do. In fact, it was so similar to what he'd witnessed several years ago that it was hard for him to keep his composure. Always on edge ever since the incident, he never trusted anyone, especially the Shades and always expected the worst to happen.

Out of the shadows, a hunched over figure came hobbling towards him. Raiyn tensed, his fingers curling tighter around the hilt of his weapon as he turned to face the figure. Once in the light, they lifted their head and smiled at him. It was the woman who had healed him. Reaching out she took hold of his arm and Raiyn watched her warily.

"I heard the commotion and wanted to see what was going on," she told him in her aged voice. Her warm hands tightened on his arm then, and the inn and town around him blurred. The sight gave him a sickening headache and he felt as if he was going to be sick. Then everything settled back into place, except that he was no longer in town. With a couple of trees around him, he realized he was on the other side of the village, at least an hours walk from the back entrance to the town. Wrenching his arm free of the old woman's grasp he looked back to the town, his heart lurching to his throat unbidingly as his thoughts went right to the Princess.

The old woman's voice laughed, turning his attention. As he turned back around something hit him right in the center of his chest and he stumbled, losing the air in his lungs. The sound of crackling magic filled the air and Raiyn tried to bring his weapon up to block the attack, but having been hit already he wasn't fast enough. He knew the touch of the elven Shade's magic and knew it was her the moment it hit him. He screamed as her power enveloped him for a few moments. When it faded, he dropped to his knees, panting.

The elder woman was now a very beautiful young lady. She tossed away the cloak that had been wrapped around her shorter figure and donned the cloak of the Shades. Raiyn narrowed his eyes passed the pain wracking his body. He should have known.

"Reminds me of old times, Raiyn," the elven Shade called as she stepped into his line of sight. Her fingers snapped together and he felt her power hit him again, this time he clenched his teeth in preparation, enduring her natural magic. "That woman's name, Lilly, I think it was. She was beautiful, the way she screamed for you right before I killed her. I wish I could see the same thing again between you and the Princess, but I have plans for her," the Shade said as she knelt down in front of him, her fingers brushing under his chin to make eye contact. Her pale eyes glimmered in the moonlight with malicious thoughts.

"I'll slowly kill everyone that's gathered around her and destroy her. I will watch as she goes deeper into sorrow and madness until it drives her to the breaking point. When that's done, the Jewel Princess will have nothing but a shell to control and that's when I'll strike," she said to him, a smile growing on her pale lips with each word. Her eyes flicked across his body as if she were looking for something. Then she frowned.

"It's going to be a long night for you. It would have been better if you had Talazar's scythe with you. Now I think he's just going to be more brutal than originally planned, I'll enjoy hearing all about it. For now, I must go watch the entertainment," as she stood, Raiyn found his strength and shoved his sword at her, the jewel glowing brightly. The elf turned quicker than he thought, and her blade connected with his, knocking it aside. Her eyes blazed with anger, "Don't think that'll work twice with me, boy."

"Stay here with Talazar, Iri," the Shade ordered to the deceptive woman, then walked passed the man with white hair. As she walked she gave him a smile and then she faded away into the darkness, her fingers snapping as she cast another spell.

Raiyn's eyes settled on Talazar, his jaw clenching. Slowly he tried to get himself up to his feet, but the hits he'd taken from the elf had drained him of much of his energy. Once on his feet, he shifted his stance and watched the Shade carefully, trying to plan out how he was going to get out of this mess.

Aelianus

The boy stared in astonishment as the shade that approached them got torn away and flung back down the stairs. What just happened? he thought to himself. It didn't matter now. Some do gooder had saved them, that was fine with him. Suddenly Raiyn turned to him and pointed his sword towards the door of the girl's room. "Get them," he said quickly, "Tell them we're leaving the town now."

Aelianus nodded and turned as Raiyn dashed down the steps. He was sure Raiyn could take care of himself, so no his issue was how to get the girls out in one piece. Banging hard on the door as he approached, he yelled in. "It's me, we've got to go!" He waited a moment before the door opened and stepped quickly inside. Looking around, he waved his hand out the door. "The shades are here, Raiyn's taking care of them I think downstairs. There's got to be a back exit. C'mon!"

He then remembered the Jewel Princess, how she probably couldn't move too easily because of the power she had just recently used up. Her power... Aelianus knew with demonic jewels present she could very well be taken over by her powers again. Time was of the essence. As he looked to her, he was happy to see she was once more awake. "Morning Princess," he said simply. "Can you walk?"


Talazar

Talazar was perched up on a large boulder he'd found, waiting patiently with the hammer resting against the base of the rock. He looked up now as the boy suddenly appeared, accompanied by what appeared to be an old woman, though Talazar knew better. For now he was shrouded in the dark shadows and watched contently as the boy's gaze swung back towards the village that was far in the distance, and could see the panic overtake him. The woman who had brought him here laughed and the boy's attention was instantly back onto her as she shed her previous appearance for that of a new, young woman, dawning the Shade's cloak in the process.

Talazar smiled as realization swept through the boy, widening now only as Nira's magic hit him. He watched happily as the boy attempted to block the attack that already hit him, then fell to his knees. The Elven woman approached now, speaking of old times, how a girl had called helplessly for him before her death. Talazar watched Nira send another burst of magic through the boy before kneeling down in front of him and pulling up his gaze to meet hers. The man listened idly to Nira's words as he looked up into the sky for a moment, then glanced back down as he heard the ringing of steel on steel. He watched the boy's sword get flung uselessly to the side and smiled again. True enough, if only he had came with the scythe, perhaps Talazar wouldn't have been as cruel.

"Stay here with Talazar, Iri," Nira said finally before disappearing. Talazar glanced sideways at the woman as he slid down from where he sat, taking hold of the hammer in the process. It was interesting to him how all of the more beautiful women always chose the side of the shades, but that didn't concern him now. He disregarded her presence as he looked to the boy. His stride was slow as each step counted down the seconds to the boy's demise.

"No scythe?" he said finally," Tsk Tsk...Dispose of it already? Hmm?" He stood ominously above the figure, the hammer now resting on his shoulder as he looked down in pity to the boy. "I hope you're ready for some fun... Before this night is through, you'll be begging for death, and trust me, even in death, I'll still be there. I may even let you lie here when I'm done, broken beyond repair until I get my scythe. The blade of that weapon will be the last thing you ever see. The cold steel will be the last warm presence you'll feel..." Talazar took a step back now, removing the hammer from his shoulder in the process and extending it out to his left. "Now then... This is for taking my scythe in the first place..."

Talazar swung back his arm, his powerful muscles that were used to the scythe wielded the hammer with ease as he then rotated his arm, bringing it up in a massive arc down into the earth. Dropping to one knee in the process, the jewel glowed brightly with power as Talazar caused the ground below the boy to erupt up, launching him back several meters. The attack was a light one, not enough to break bones, but plenty to knock the wind from his lungs. Talazar smiled as he began forward again, vines now ensnaring the figure. "Begin begging whenever you want..."