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Aelianus Kahstar

"Heh, I don't think that's what was supposed to happen..."

0 · 1,105 views · located in Lastra

a character in “Jewel Princess”, as played by Centi85

Description

Name: Aelianus Kahstar

Age: 24

Appearance: Aelianus has short, shagging brown hair that usually remains messy and uncombed. His eyes are a youthful and hyperactive green, always bursting with excitement and interest. His face is young and well shaven, and he has a normal build, standing at 5"8. He wears a fine fabric short-sleeve shirt that drops to above his knees and is overlapped by a belt. He has simple brown pants that fall down over his leather boots, the toes of which are ironclad. A large scarf wraps around his neck several times before trailing down behind his left shoulder and coming to a stop just above his waistline, on his arms he wears metal guards.

Jewel: Demonic

Jewel Power: The jewel allows him to harness the power of fire.

Abilities: Aelianus is an exceptional swordsman, proficient in most combat styles and a worthy adversary. He normally carries a single straight sword and several daggers, but can also be seen utilizing a long chain that he keeps wrapped over his right shoulder, across his chest, and to the opposite side. The jewel is positioned in the center of the crosspiece of his sword. While his skills are indeed spectacular, they are not without their flaws, himself still a bit clumsy with the chain, and slow when it comes to combat with a knife.

Personality: Aelianus is a happy go-lucky person, extremely bubbly and energetic. He can often be seen gawking at any sight that strikes him as mildly interesting, as well as most shiny objects to which it seems he has a strange addiction. A gentle, caring person by nature, he will always have a smile on his face and can always be found making an attempt to cheer someone up. Never being the bearer of bad news, he doesn't prefer awkward or tense situations, usually having to disrupt them with an odd joke or simply drifting off into his own 'happy world.' Many times he looks at a situation optimistically, never finding a reason to become sad or annoyed in any way.

History: Oddly enough, this man has set his affiliation to the Shades. He began adventuring at about 16, wanting simply to see all the world has to offer. In his travels he encountered many a strange being, and after about eight years, ran into a man by the name of Talazar. Immediately the man intrigued him, his curiosity peaking at his murderous, apathetic ways. Strangely enough he failed to find himself slaughtered, though did meet the wrong end of the man's scythe upon inquiry of his origins. Aelianus is now partnered to Talazar in search for angelic jewels, anyone who encounters them finding it to be an odd combination, many wondering how Aelianus managed to survive.

Other: It should be noted that beneath Aelianus' shirt, a large scar across his chest is hidden from a wrong encounter with Talazar.

So begins...

Aelianus Kahstar's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Siryn
Nira Ku

Her lips dragged upwards as she watched Talazar's strong form move passed her and Drogoth. He growled out some words that she didn't hear, but knew they weren't meant for her. She watched him advance on the battle below and make his presence known via his flame jewel. The fire spread outwards a ways but the bulk of the attack was in the heat wave that pulsed from the weapon.

Nira raised her hand out over the ground and the teleportation circle expanded out from her feet. A rush of air enveloped her little cone of magic and tossed her hair around her face. The elf grinned evilly as the magic took her from where she was standing, to where Talazar was down at the bottom of the hill. As she materialized out of the air next to him, her ears caught the last part of the man's words as he had turned and was now facing Aelianus. The young boy looked utterly enraged, a look that Nira had never seen before.

Raising an eyebrow she watched for a moment as Aelianus spat at the man and raised his sword in preparation for a fight. Nira turned her gaze towards Talazar then and offered him a smile before her sight caught Raiyn and the Jewel Princess in the midst of battle. Her eyes glittered as she spotted the swordmaster. Putting one hand on her hip, she leaned her weight off to the side and tilted her head.

"I found your toy, Talazar. I'll bring him to you," she cooed and disappeared once more.

Raiyn Illander

The staff moved heavily in his grip, too bulky and heavy to wield properly. He was irritated that he'd lost his sword at some point. Raiyn made a mental note to himself that when they reached a town again he was going to buy two swords instead of one. It always seemed that he was getting caught at the worst times... weaponless. Spinning around he caught another man across the temple, letting the staff carry him as he went. A second man went down as he came full circle and faced back the way he was going.

However, his intended target had his attention taken by someone else that had arrived. Through the mass of fighting, Raiyn caught a glimpse of who had shown up and his heart seized up in his chest. The tall Shade that had nearly killed him not but a day ago was standing at the edge of the fighting. What was worse was the weapon he was holding. The scythe looked as if it had evolved. Now it sported two long curved blades rather than just one. He slowed in his fighting, a bit of fear crawling back into his chest as he gazed in the direction of the Shade whom he'd lost eye contact with because of the throng of people.

His dread increased as he felt an evil presence erupt behind him. Turning he just barely got the staff up and in the way of the elven Shade's weapon. He knocked her sword to the side, but that didn't stop the jolt of magic that she'd already prepared for him. The dark magic curled around him, lifting him up off the ground. The staff fell from numb fingers whilst his voice followed right behind with a cry that rose up over the sharp screams of steel against steel.

Nira dropped him soon after, allowing his scream to resonate in the air for a moment. Then she stepped over him and raised her hand, a wicked grin across her pale features. Her dark magic circle opened up beneath him and he felt his body being transported from that spot to somewhere else. Even as he was taken, his own deep power surged forward and when he reappeared right in front of Talazar he unleashed the pent up magic, jewel or not. It was a strange magic, one that he was going to have to learn to control, but at that moment it didn't matter, so long as it did what he wanted, which was destroy just about everything in front of him that was evil.

The earth trembled and rumbled, pitched and shook as he lay on the ground, glaring up at the two Shades. Vines erupted from the earth and shot forwards to encase both Talazar and Nira.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by ebon15
Drogoth

"How utterly impressive," Drogoth was saying sarcastically as soon as Talzazar made his presence known. Drogoth wasn't afraid to state this, even to Talazar, and even if he was, it was okay because the reaper could no longer hear him.

No sooner than he had stated this and thought about it's orientation did Nira disappear due to her magic, leaving Drogoth to figure out what to do next. He couldn't do his plan now as it required more than one person to execute properly. Sure, there were other shades, but they would just die soon after being sent into the fight.

He had already advanced onto the actual battlefield when he saw Talazar and then Aelianus talking to someone. It was clear from the latter's expression that he was not happy at whatever the other man had said. Then Aelianus raised a sword to the man and Drogoth knew the combined forces of a seriously maddened Talazar and really anyone would be more than a match for the man.

Potentially problematic, he thought as he turned around and saw Raiyn attacking with a staff at anyone that was within reach. He didn't look at all like a staff master, and was probably a lot better with a sword, but he was doing alright for himself. Drogoth had only heard of this man, and hadn't actually seen him before this instance, and he could already feel hatred building inside of him. This was the man that had injured his master so much; the one he had vowed to get revenge on.

His thoughts on the problem went away as Nira appeared next to him and he trusted the shade to deal out whatever punishment she deemed necessary.

Turning away quickly, he rapidly assessed the battle and decided there were too many members of this other group before him in need of silencing.

Drawing his water scimitar and his dagger that had the recent improvement of his lightning jewel, he summoned water before him. It came, gushing through the ground and covered the combatant's shoes, boots, and other footwear. There was no need to directly summon it; not when this way used less energy.

Quickly, he focused in on a group of about six enemies, all fighting and doing rather well as a team. They needed to die. Drogoth knew that if he were to take down a select few of this pathetic group of fifty or so, the others would crumble under the might of the shades led by Talazar. The problem was these others. They were apparently the elites of the group, and they would be a different story when it comes to attacking.

Deciding it was best to destroy the regular enemies first, he quickly engulfed the group of six's feet and legs with a mass of water that ran almost halfway up their entire leg lengths; almost to each of their respective knees. They all reacted violently, trying to force their way out of the water, but Drogoth had made it so that it wouldn't budge in even the slightest way.

Continuing to hold the group members, Drogoth brought his lightning dagger up, and then proceeded to make a small line of water run from himself to where the enemies were being detained. He smiled at a few of them, who had already figured out what he was about to do. He knew this from their shocked faces, and he pitied the others who were too slow to pick this up right away. He activated the jewel, bringing the water to it and making the electricity course through it. In a matter of seconds, amidst the screams, all six of them were lying very still on the ground.

He was still on the outside of the fighting, but that move had drawn attention to him in the form of two more enemies just like the previous ones. They came at him with simple charges, which he swiftly countered. Quickly creating a water blade, he sliced cleanly through the first of the two cutting deep into his abdomen, and threw his lightning dagger at the other, who had the misfortune of impaling his stomach with it. While the man doubled over in pain, Drogoth activated the jewel, effectively killing the man. He retrieved the glowing object, slightly tired, and went on to the next enemy.

He was just about to attack more foes when he saw a rather large mass of vines erupting from the ground towards Talazar and Nira. Wonderful, he thought sarcastically, just what we needed. He also saw Raiyn, who was obviously controlling the vines, more or less. Baffled by the fact that the man didn't even have a jewel, Drogoth didn't even have time to think about what that might imply. Looking through the mass of enemies, he spotted his target, slicing her way through the crowd.

Torn between going after the Princess or helping Talazar and Nira, he made up his mind in a split second. Replacing his dagger with his other sword, he called upon it's power and send dozens of ice shards at the vines. He knew it would only weaken them, but then at least Talazar and Nira's job to escape would be easier.

Turning to face the princess, still decimating the enemy, he was about to unleash the same attack on her, but stopped when he saw the same archer from before. Rage boiled up inside him and he charged forward, slicing through the few still unlucky to be in his path.

He was about to unleash a flurry of ice and water when he stopped, confused. The man no longer had a hood on, and Drogoth could see his face. He also saw the larger man with the axe, who had recently emerged, but his attention was almost exclusively on the small archer.

"Impossible," he whispered. It seemed as though time stopped, and he was looking through a dark corridor with just the two of them in it. All noise ceased, the fighting seemed to simply stop. He knew this man, simply from the way he wielded a bow. He had thought he would never see that again, and as he watched, tears welled up in his eyes and he lowered his scimitars, almost sinking to his knees but managing to stay upright.

Drogoth needed to think, so he bolted from the fight, not killing or even engaging anyone on his way as he ran back to the hill he had been on previously. He dropped his scimitars, suddenly quite exhausted. He was sure the man had also seen him. The fact that he didnā€™t fire at Drogoth only hastened the confirmation of his suspicions.

Cold fury boiled up inside him; hatred for the shades and the Princess and everyone still living. His vision turning green, he knew he wouldnā€™t be able to hold it back this time as he met the face of his inner god. But Ma'Kune wasnā€™t grinning, his usual face replaced by a frown that left Drogoth wondering what it could mean.

ā€œThink back,ā€ the giant face said. ā€œDid they really die, or did you just block out all thought of them?ā€ Now Drogoth was confused. Obviously they were dead, or else the shades wouldnā€™t have burned the house. Still, a sliver of doubt crept into his mind and he no longer knew what to think.

ā€œIt doesnā€™t matter! I have chosen my path and will not stray from it!ā€ Drogoth was yelling, but it had the same effect as yelling at himself, as Maā€™Kune did not respond, nor even further acknowledged the tiny figure before him. The huge face seemed to ponder Drogothā€™s words after a minute, then asked simply, ā€œAre you trying to convince me, or yourself?ā€

In truth, Drogoth didnā€™t have a response for that, and came rushing back to reality instead of his imaginary world. His imaginary god of emotion now seemed more like a secluded part of himself, rather than a god. Drogoth had no idea about what to think now, and looked out at the battle and was surprised to see that almost nothing had changed. His trip to the inner part of his mind had only taken a few seconds. He would continue to watch and observe the fight, but would only come back if he was needed, taking this time to sort out what he had seen and what his inner mind had excavated for him to examine.

Entalo

Entalo was firing arrows into the crowd and it was having a devastating effect on the attackers. Loosing another arrow, then grinned when it exploded in a man's face, also taking the one next to him and sending them both to a premature grave. He also took into account the shades coming forth, as the archer rarely missed anything on the battlefield.

Anton had finally come out, weapon in hand, and was now protecting him as he continues to fire his deadly projectiles. The large man's axe rose and fell several times, taking down anyone who came near Entalo.

He saw the man and woman he knew to be Talazar and Nira being encased in vines and took this moment to attack them. He aimed slightly higher than the plants, so as not to weaken them, and almost fired, but then stopped suddenly. He saw the man attacking the vines with ice, and shifted his gaze to him, also firing at the enemies around the Princess in an effort to help her, though it might have been unnecessary, as she was doing just fine on her own.

Turning back to the ice wielder, Entalo wasn't very surprised to see him charging towards Anton and himself. Entalo raised the bow once more, almost loosing the arrow but then stopped, confused.

"Of all the places to run into him..." Entalo looked down for a minute, saddened, but then returned back to Talazar and Nira as the man previously charging them fled. Anton also saw the man and knew immediately who he was, but said nothing, only watched Entalo and continued hacking down anyone who came near.

They both hadn't really been paying attention to him in their last fight, as their attention had been riveted on Talazar.

He would worry about that later, however, and looked forward, to where Talazar and Nira where and selected a rather deadly explosive arrow. Taking in a breath and holding it, something he hadn't had to do for several years, he fired the arrow, watching it speed towards it's target. He would worry about his past after they were done fighting.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Centi85
Talazar

Talazar dismissed Nira's words without even acknowledging them. Currently his attention was set undivided on the poor excuse for a human being that stood before him. Aelianus was to one side, and the man could see each and every scratch on him, the bruises and cuts having been mended somehow, meaning they weren't from this battle, but from something prior. Raising an eyebrow at the boy's words, obviously rage had overcome any true sense, and adrenaline was overseeing bodily functions. Nevertheless, Talazar knew what he was capable of if necessary, and so he simply waited for the man's response.

"Aelianus... Welcome my boy, how've you been? Hmm?" Alterair's smile widened, the few men around him in a rough formation and ready to attack on order. "I should've expected as much. You escape my men and go running to Talazar, home to mommy?. Pathetic. Especially when he can't even be trusted with the simplest of tasks, like protecting Ki---"

"Shutup," Talazar interjected, spitting acid. "Just.. shut up, or I swear I'll sever your tongue from your mouth." He remained in one position, unmoving, though inside he was mustering every last ounce of self control to not charge forward. It wouldn't be helpful at all. Alterair was stronger than he looked, and Talazar hated to admit that.

"Oh, Talazar." Alterair mocked, almost sighing as if it was pointless to argue with him. "Always playing the big, bad tough guy... Tsk Tsk. We all know what you are, we know you have feelings, why else would you be here?"

Talazar spat on the ground, his grip on the scythe causing his knuckles to run bare as he grit his teeth. He had no response.

"Speaking of feelings" he continued cruelly, "Aelianus, how do you feel about the man who got your sister killed? What does your mother feel? What would they think now, hmm? Of th--"

Both men stopped, the Reaper and Alterair. What Aelianus had done sent a chill up even Talazar's spine, as had seen the movement, had already calculated it's trajectory, but yet didn't think it was possible.

Alterair landed hard on the ground, on his back, his limbs sprawled out to either side of his body, shock painted across his face. When he'd gone to turn towards the boy, what had entered his line of sight was simply a single shining piece of blood-soaked metal. Whether Aelianus aimed for the man's torso purposefully or not, neither of the men knew. Looking down, Talazar admired sword, the way it seemed to belong protruding from the Alterair's stomach. He wasn't dead, no, but the message was clear, and he wouldn't be moving any time soon. And it was just then when Nira returned with Raiyn.


Talazar, who was consumed entirely by this conversation, by the man before him had just a brief moment to react as suddenly the boy send a swarm of vines at himself and Nira. The revelation and realization that he didn't even possess a jewel was something else all together, but right now the man couldn't worry about those small details.

Without even thinking, the man moved instinctively, his reflexes perfected to a point where he didn't even realize he was spinning his scythe up, once more unleashing the fan-like motion he so enjoyed as a defense. What resulted was a blazing inferno that suddenly surrounded himself and the elven woman, and lasted for a mere second. That done, he then brought the scythe back around and slammed the shaft into the ground, a massive gust of wind amplifying the intensity of the flames and then sending them hurling forward. This attack was a duplication of the one seen previously, though this time, it was intended to kill, catching anyone within it and cooking them on the spot.



Aelianus

He wasn't sure why he did it, he wasn't at all in control of his body. One minute he was lying in bed, sweat forming an almost second coat around his being as he tried to regain himself from the nightmare, and the next he was hearing combat outside. The sight of Titus' men shocked the boy, and from where he stood in the doorway, he could almost create an overlapping mental image of now and then, as the scene was almost a perfect replica.

First it was fear that swelled within him, his knees were shaking and he couldn't speak. He could feel his heart in his chest, pounding like a drum, and then an overwhelming sense of hatred began to boil forth. The others that had appeared, he didn't know them, but they seemed to be on his side. The fact that his wounds were mostly healed, probably by one of these newcomers, helped too, but he was still aching and tired beyond belief. That was where the adrenaline gave aid, because suddenly, when Alterair came into view, Aelianus was left only to watch from above as his body did whatever it seemed it wanted to.


It was almost frightening how the boy picked up the sword, dove into the combat and cut a swath straight towards the man. Talazar was there, and Aelianus was lost as to how he felt about the man's presence at this moment. Either way, what ensued seemed almost like some sort of lucid dream. Nothing felt right, nothing looked or sounded right, in fact to Aelianus, everything was happening below him. The noises, the words that passed between himself and the other two, it was all so distant.

Screaming.. cursing.. Aelianus opened his eyes, blinked as suddenly he was himself. The sound of combat all around was overwhelming, as if it was happening only because it was all fighting to break through the boy's eardrums. In front of him lay Alterair, sword impaling his abdomen, the man yelling out every last profanity he could think of. Talazar was just beyond, a look of pure bewilderment on his face, and it was then that realization dawned on the boy.

Looking around, the adrenaline was wearing, and the boy felt a new sense of dizziness and sickness. As Alterair's men suddenly began to advance on him, Aelianus simply gave in. Clasping his hands over his ears and shutting his eyes as tight as he could, he tried desperately to make it all go away, to recall the sweet serenity of his dream just prior. It didn't work. It was collapsing inside his mind, and he could see the image, shattering, replaced by a wall of fire.

Fire. The boy opened his eyes, opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Anything that did was overtaken by the blazing and roaring of the flames as they came barreling forward. The shock wave that herded them towards him sent the boy soaring backwards several feet, the heat scorching and even set ablaze pieces of his clothing. It didn't matter now though, Aelianus simply surrendered and lay where he landed. What happened afterwards didn't matter. He wasn't dead, he knew that from the fact that he could feel his skin tingling, burning, but oh how he wished he could be. Life which was so beautiful had turned so rotten, and the boy simply wished that it would all just end.

"Mother, Kianha," he whispered, his gaze locked on the sky overhead. "Sorry."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Siryn
Raiyn Illander

What happened after he launched his attack against Talazar seemed to be a blur. Everything went so quickly that he could hardly comprehend what had transpired. Ice went cutting straight through his vines, nearly demolishing them in the process. Aelianus was going into an utter rage over something that Raiyn didn't quite understand and then there was Talazar who was even more deadly the last time he saw him. The man twirled his scythe and from it fire erupted, pushed by air as well. A deadly combo to say the least. Raiyn hardly had time to defend himself, barely getting up a minor defense against the explosion of power.

His felt his body picked up and tossed backwards, deep into the fighting. His skin was scorched, his clothes smelling burnt and every inch of his form in pure agony as he flew. He wasn't sure how he escaped with his life, but he knew that he'd hit someone on his way down. They collapsed under him and he hardly had the strength to push himself off of whoever it was. He lay there stunned, hardly breathing. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up into deep blue eyes and long blonde hair. Her face seemed familiar but at that moment he couldn't place her name. She, on the other hand, looked every bit concerned and fearful as she gazed down at him.

Another face appeared, this one bubbly looking with bright blue hair and eyes. Though she looked as if she should be smiling constantly, her lips were in a fearful frown as she looked between Raiyn and the woman who held him. He couldn't hear anything as his vision wavered in and out of consciousness. The blue haired girl was speaking quickly, that much he knew from the way her lips moved. Other than that he didn't understand anything that was happening. Slowly he felt his conscious slipping away and soon the last thing he saw was the blonde haired woman leaning down into his face, her lips shouting something that couldn't reach his ears.

Kirrah Shay

Flipping backwards, she avoided to blades that swung at her. In response she swiped her blade upwards and the power in the jewel exploded into the two enemies. They were tossed away from her and she watched with slight satisfaction as they crashed into their own. As an after thought, she hoped that they'd impaled themselves somehow as well. Turning on her heel, she lifted the blade and blocked another attack. Turning the sword in a full circle, she disengaged and lunged forward, her wind pushing her. The blade went deep into the man's chest, further than a regular attack. A sharp kick to his middle regained her weapon and she spun around the other way to face the next man.

She'd lost herself in the fighting and hadn't been paying attention. That was when everything went to hell. She'd noted the vines erupting a little off to her right and knew that it was Raiyn who had summoned them. Yet again she wondered how he'd done that because he had no jewel to speak of. His power came from something else. A strange new power that was perplexing and quite exhilarating to watch. Tossing aside her awe, she turned her body to see exactly where he was and sucked in a sharp breath as she realized that it was Talazar and Nira that he lay before. Her fear escalated as magic erupted all around the air. First ice went off towards the vines, than Talazar spun his weapon.

Fire erupted and washed through the entire battle. Kirrah's heart wrenched as she watched Raiyn being lifted off the ground and tossed backwards. With him, Aelianus went flying as well, though the boy hadn't been nearly as close as Raiyn had. Without thinking, Kirrah summoned as much power as she could and thrust her sword upwards at Raiyn's back. The wind wrapped around him and put out the worst of the flames, but for the rest of his wounds she could do nothing else. Even so, he was flying right towards her and his downwards fall forced her to drop her blade as he crashed into her.

Hitting the ground hard, she winced and coughed as the air was taken from her lungs. It took her a moment, but she finally sat up with Raiyn in her lap. Her own pain forgotten she got a better look at his condition. His blonde hair was tousled, his clothes burnt to a crisp and his skin red and bleeding from blisters. She reached down but didn't touch him, knowing that any touch at that moment would cause him even more pain. Even so, he didn't seem to be all there either as his eyes wandered easily and he hadn't made a single sound since crashing on her.

"Raiyn?" she called to him, but he didn't answer her. He was probably too far gone in pain and delirium to realize that she was talking to him. Someone dropped down next to her and she startled at the newcomer. The blue haired woman looked up at her with fear.

"We have to go, we can't stay here any longer. That man with the scythe is too powerful right now. He's utterly out of control! He's going to decimate this entire place. I don't want to be here when that happens. We have to regroup and start over. No one's going to be in a fighting condition right now," the girl spouted quickly. Kirrah could only nod in agreement.

"You're right. Are you alright to travel?"

"I'm fine," the girl boasted quickly, almost too quickly, but Kirrah didn't say anything. The girls face was smudged with both blood and dirt. Her clothes had taken a hit from the fire as well and there were still parts of her cloth that smoked from put out flames.

"Your friends? The two that you came with?"

"Fine, as far as I know. You lead, we'll follow alright? Don't worry, we'll get your other friend too," the girl said and then took off. Kirrah watched her go then looked down to Raiyn who's eyes were closing. Her heart leapt to her throat and she shook him.

"Raiyn! Raiyn!" He didn't reply and she cursed their luck. For now she was going to have to figure out where they should go. Kirrah got herself out from under Raiyn and pointed her sword at him. Air swirled around the blade and then slithered underneath him and lifted him up off the ground. She silently thanked her luck for taking out the men that were around her before hand. She'd been fighting at the edges and working her way in before Talazar let loose his fire and wind combo. She started for the tree line up the path and took one look behind to see if the girl with blue hair was following before continuing.

Rue Janair

Rue had encircled herself with her water in an attempt to block the fire that came rushing right at her. For the most part it had worked, and she only had her Fae side to thank for the power to save her own ass. Still, the fire burnt her clothes and singed her hair. The heat alone scorched the exposed portions of her skin and she'd been thrown much like everyone else by the force of the explosion. Landing near the boy who'd also been tossed some feat, she heard his last whispered words before he lost consciousness.

"Mother, Kianha, sorry."

Slowly, Rue rolled to her stomach and got up, putting her fingers to the boys next to see if he was still alive or not. Satisfied that he was she started looking around quickly to see if she could see her earlier companions. Her usual bubbly demeanor long gone, she spotted the woman who'd come out wielding a powerful wind jewel. On top of her was the man named Raiyn. Rue made her way quickly to that woman and informed her that their best choice of action at that moment was to flee and let the Shades deal with the rag tag group of men.

It wasn't a fight that they could win anyway, not with the scythe wielder in the state of mind he was in. Something had set him off and she was sure that he wouldn't settle every last man standing that wasn't his ally was dead. After that, she shot off and went in search of her two companions, Anton and Entalo. She found the pair still fighting and protecting one another not to far away. Rue barreled into the fight and let off her own magic. The water wrapped around two of the evil men, suffocating them in her bubble of water. Turning she called to them as she fended off yet another attacker.

"We have to leave!! Can you help me with the boy?" She asked, jerking her head in the direction of the young blonde haired on who was still on the ground. "We'll follow that woman who's got Raiyn. If we stay we're all dead!"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Centi85
With himself and the Elven woman saved, and once his retaliation had died down and the threat had been neutralized, Talazar took just enough time to survey the damage he'd dealt. Those closest to the man received the worst, obviously, especially the ones directly in front of him; the fire at that point being enough to cook a man on the spot. Luckily though, for those that were his enemies, not many were within such a radius, but instead just past it to the point where the worst they received, though still bad, were exterior burns that left their skin a brilliant pink and blistered, singed hair, and fire engulfed clothes. Beyond the point of about twenty feet was where safety lay, the flames there lacking the of the wielder's jewel to allow them to maintain their integrity, having simply dissipated and been left to be blown away on the dying shock wave that had carried them out with such tremendous force until then.

Talazar's gaze drifting over those before him. No one was within the immediate vicinity of the man anymore, the massive burst of air having made certain that everything around him and the woman be sent hurdling away like a ragdoll. Aelianus himself was one of those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast, but at this point, he was simply collateral, lying sprawled out on his back, unconscious and having reached a point where the man questioned his life. Raiyn was in much the same state, though he had the Princess to accompany him as he lay in her lap. As for the others within Alterair's group, they hadn't even seen the attack, and so death overtook them with a silent fiery wrath. Or so the man assumed.

To the side, a sudden laugh drew the man's attention from the Princess and her friends. Though she was the target originally, Talazar had just acquired a new one that took priority over all else, and he wouldn't cease until the man who'd survived was dead once and for all.

Inquisitively, Talazar's gaze shifted from where the man stood now, to his previous position on the ground. He still bore the wound in his stomach, but already it looked healed. With one look, the reaper knew exactly what had happened.

"You really don't care much for the lives of your men, do you, Alterair?" Talazar questioned, his voice low and ominous. Where the man once stood were five of his soldiers, statues that embodied the people they once were, turned into bubbling red masses of dehydrated flesh over bones, stained a crisp black in some spots, their grips still clinging tightly to the massive round shields they carried. Placed into the center of each were jewels of wind and water. Obviously the combination was something that had allowed for their leader to be sparred, but not the men themselves. The shields looked like they were bronze, but Talazar couldn't tell.

"What, and you do?" The man mocked back. "Please, you'd of done the same. I'm surprised actually that that woman there is alive... Sheltering behind you, we know how that turned out for Ki--"

"Shut up!" Talazar spat. The man had turned, his grip on the shaft of his weapon tightening to the point where he could probably bend it. Stepping just to the side, the reaper better faced the man while at the same time obscuring Nira from his view. Best to not give him more ammunition for his silver tongue.

"Oh, struck a nerve have I?" Alterair questioned sarcastically. "You're pathetic. A new love affair, hmm?" At that the man was laughing, seemingly as if no damage had been taken from Aelianus' sword. "Please... Woman, you could do better."

"Alterair," Talazar interrupted.

"No, I've had enough of you." Alterair retorted quickly. "Oh how I'd wished for that boy to have massacred you, but alas it seems I must do it myself. It's a real pity these days, when you can't rely on anyone to do what they're supposed to. But I'm sure you're well aware of that." He then paused, waiting, a cruel grin masking his face. When no response came, he continued, drawing the sword that rested at his side. "Very well. I'd only wished to capture the Princess so that the shades would deliver you to me, but seeing as they've run away and you're left standing before me, having brought yourself, I suppose for now the first phase is complete." As he spoke, his men were forming up around him. There weren't many left, maybe ten, but even so they were all gruesome in their own ways, most, if not all, looking like they'd tear a horse in half.

"Are you suggesting you wish to combat me?" Talazar questioned, his voice suddenly dropping the hatred and acid it once harbored. It was now deathly quiet, just above a whisper. Nothing but a sick malicious content was present, his tone weighing heavy around him as his face was completely obscured in his hood, the shadows overtaking his features. A sinister grin crept up onto the outer most of the man's lips, curling them up to reveal teeth that were too perfectly white. "You? ... Alterair?" With that, the man was shaking, not with fear, but laughter. No sound came out as he simply stood there, his head down, chuckling silently to himself.

Alterair frowned, his brows coming together, a scowl forming on his face. At first he was hoping that perhaps the man was afraid, but now it seemed he was mocking him and his skill, testing him. With a growl, the man screamed towards the cloaked figure. "And would you be insinuating that perhaps I'm not good enough?!"

Talazar's head shot up, now finally letting his laughter erupt all around him. Half of his hood was fallen over one side of his face as suddenly his scythe fell backwards, both blades hitting the earth and impaling it. The outburst didn't laugh for long, as soon the man settled, but he still failed to be able to remain still, finding that waves of his elation still rattled him. Alterair was simply glaring at him, the man taking his turn to become infuriated with the others mocking demeanor.

"Very well... Very well," the reaper said finally, his one visible eye blinking towards the man. "Here I come."

With that Talazar suddenly shot forward, propelled by a gust of wind that erupted from his weapon, sending him hurling towards Alterair and his group, the man lifting off the ground just slightly as he flipped through the air, rotating the scythe completely around his person until it was coming down like a massive hammer. The group made fast to vacant his landing zone, no one even daring to cross paths with the blades on their downward descend. Upon impacting the earth, another massive shock wave erupted out, though this time it came from within the ground, a crater forming around the reaper, his cloak flapping up all around him before falling to a rest, wrapping around his body.

Immediately several men had moved forward, but they were quickly fallen as the man stood, not even taking a moment to give them a chance to defend as he swept his scythe far out to one side, dragging the blades through the entirety of their bodies, truncating them and sending their upper halves toppling to the ground.

"Back fools!" Alterair ordered, waving his hands at his men. "He's mine!"

At that, Talazar stood and brought back his scythe, turning to face the man as his tongue dragging across the blood-stained metal of the blades came up to meet his lips. With a quick flick of the wrist, the entire weapon had then rotated around again, the action throwing whatever residue that was on the nonadhesive metals off to the side. "Come!" he taunted.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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Entalo

Entalo had seen the devastation caused by the reaper and cursed mentally. He knew they couldn't win this, not with two separate forces to fight off. Different escape routes went over in the archer's head as he fired into more enemies, dropping another four of them within seconds.

When the two companions heard the woman's yell, they immediately turned to see exactly what the task was. Seeing the boy, they both moved towards Rue, Anton still guarding his friend. Entalo fired into the heart of an attacker about to engage the woman, who already had someone to fend off.

When they got near Rue, Anton immediately went to work defending the woman and Entalo, spearheading a path to the boy on the ground.

An enemy came to attack Entalo from behind, but was immediately frozen in place by arcs of electricity coursing into his body, followed by a bladed bow that left him bleeding out on the ground.

Anton reached the boy, bending down and hauling him up onto his back, arms draped over him. Entalo went in front of the man as he turned back, starting to run away from the fight. Entalo fired arrows into the faces of two enemies who saw them leaving, the arrowheads exploding on contact and releasing clouds of poisonous gas that sent the two to their knees, gasping for air and getting nothing but death and the vapor gathered in their lungs.

Entalo looked to Rue for guidance, motioning for her to take the lead, although the two companions were, at this point, the followers and Rue was the commander. They had, after all, followed her away from the previous fight and into the woods.

Entalo smiled. It was nice not to be in charge for once, nice not to have to always tell someone what to do. He wouldn't mind that continuing, but he pulled his attention back to the matter at hand.

The regular arrows in his quiver were running out, so the archer switched to a more direct approach, cutting down another enemy with his blades and glowing ring.

He cursed silently again as he saw more and more enemies noticing their efforts to withdraw.

He went into his cloak, reaching behind his back, and pulled out an arrow with an entirely black pouch, gases swirling inside of it.

The archer looked at their slow progress, frowning slightly. They hadn't moved that far from where they started, due to Anton being weighed down.


"Hold your breath!" He shouted to Anton and Rue, the former of which needed no explanation. Entalo didn't wait to see if Rue did as asked, as more enemies engaged him, one severing his bowstring. Quickly, he punched the man in the neck, electricity shooting through his body, and looked at his bowstring.

"Oh, wonderful..." He didn't wait to see if Anton was still holding his breath, knowing the larger man would continue until something happened. He didn't bother to look to Rue, trusting in the woman to find her way out of this.

Taking a deep breath himself, and as several more enemies encircled the group, he brought the arrow up, then dropped one knee as he slammed it to the ground.

Impenetrable blackness swallowed them up, and Entalo got to his feet and ran in the direction of where Anton last was, taking this moment to escape.

"Rue! Where are you?!" He looked around, but it was useless as no one could possibly hope to see in the cloud. He covered his mouth, the shout drawing some of the smoke in, but he forced himself not to cough, knowing more gas would enter. His eyes started to water with the effort, his lungs wanting desperately to be rid of the vapor.

Seeing a small sliver of light, he jumped in that direction, clearing the extent of the cloud. He looked back, coughing, to see that no one had followed them. He smiled, but resumed coughing, blackness coming forth as he slowly got to his feet and started moving in the same direction, now slower and his abdomen convulsing.

"Cannot believe I had to use that", he managed to wheeze out as he walked slowly away. "Try to follow us in that, fools..." He coughed again, but nevertheless smiled as he saw no further movement emerging from the cloud and turned back, following Anton's slow movement.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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Nira Ku

Her heart was racing with adrenaline as she watched Talazar unleash his wave of hell fire. The magic threw many people away from him, including the young boy. She hoped that the boy would burn slowly, a most painful death to say the least. It would make up for the last fight with all the damage that he'd done to Talazar then. Her eyes shifted and she spotted the Jewel Princess fighting through the masses, with her was the rest of their rag tag group.

Were they retreating? It seemed so. Nira's lips pulled into a grin as she prepared her magic. Just as the symbols of her teleportation started to expand under her feet, black smoke rose up in the area and stretched outwards, blocking her sight. With a growl of frustration she glared at the mass of darkness that prohibited her from shifting to where she wanted to go originally. Turning, she ducked as one of the men thrust their sword at her in an attempt to take her head from her shoulders. With her magic needing a place to go, she thrust herself right up against the enemy and pushed her hand against his torso.

The power exploded across him, quite literally going through him as well. What was left was nothing more than a hole through his entire mid section and he dropped to the ground without a sound. Nira turned to look back at the smoke, her lips frowned but she decided giving chase to them could be put on hold for the moment. Returning her attention to the fighting, she watched from the corner of her eye as Talazar took down several of the enemy, his weapon spinning around and cutting through the fighters as if they were nothing but foliage being cut down. From the midst of the fighting, she spotted the one who'd gotten Talazar's attention to begin with. She didn't know his name, nor did she care. All that she cared about was that this man wanted Talazar dead for some reason, and vice versa.

Nira unsheathed her sword and flicked her arm to throw aside an oncoming weapon. She hardly even spared the man a glance as she ran him through, her blade crackling with the black jewel embedded in it. The scream of pain erupted into the air and twisted her frown into a smile. Removing her weapon she lunged forward and attacked another man. Grabbing his shoulder she ran her weapon through his back as he'd been fighting one of her Shades. Nira ran her tongue across her lips as the man fell before her.

Her eyes lifted, gleaming with a wicked light as she looked for her next opponent. They came to her, fortunately (or unfortunately for them). Bending backwards, she dodged their strike through the air, the blade slicing right over her face and nose in the process. As she came up from her acrobatics, her blade sliced upwards as well, cutting through the man's hip up to his shoulder. He coughed heavily and turned to try to attack her, but Nira had already whirled around. A horizontal slash in the air cut open his neck and he lurched forward, sputtering on his own blood.

Twisting around Nira raised her weapon and caught another attack that had come from behind. Pushing her blade upwards with his, she moved his sword arm high above his head. Reaching out with her free hand she grabbed a fist full of his hair and dragged his head downwards. Her knee collided with his nose, breaking it and then another sharp kick from her powerful leg sent him to the ground. She shoved her weapon through his chest as he lay on the ground trying to get his breath back. As she turned for another fight, her gaze caught sight of the man wielding the trident running Talazar through.

Her heart nearly stopped as she watched the terrible act. Nira was on auto pilot as she stood there, eyes wide and chest tight so that air felt as if it couldn't get into her lungs. She didn't even realize her own actions as she started cutting through those who stood in her way to get to Talazar. For a moment she felt pure elation as Talazar ran his dagger through the back of the man's neck. However, that didn't last long as his gaze caught hers after falling to his hands and knees then finally collapsing on his side.

"Talazar!" Her voice screamed out in the middle of the fighting. Her body trembled as she finally made it to his side. Dropping down to her knees, she gently took his shoulder and examined the life threatening wounds in his stomach. Her eyes shot to the trident lying on the ground next to him. She picked it up and looked at it carefully, her sharp eyes catching sight of the hollowed points and realizing quickly what they hollowed out for. A growl of pure rage filled her throat and her magic picked up. The fighting was still pressing on, her Shades fighting desperately as she sat there.

Nira unleashed her rage in a mass of innate power. The ground lit up with red swirling symbols in the old elven language. The circle extended from underneath her to encompass nearly half of the fighting area. Her eyes shifted upwards to look at those that were fighting, their glowing unsettling to any who looked directly at her. Her power flushed out of her body, shook the earth and the air rippled upwards. The heat of the air was enough to burn those inside the circle of her power, but that wasn't the main event of her magic.

Seconds later, the power exploded loudly, almost like thunder cracking. Her black electricity rushed up from the ground across the charged air and incinerated anything within her deadly power. All around her the enemy burned to black dust, literally disintegrated from her pure magic. With her hair whipping wildly about her face she could hardly see exactly how much damage she'd done, but she didn't really care at that moment. It was several minutes before her power settled and she glared at anyone that remained standing.

Getting to her feet slowly she raised her hand out over Talazar, her eyes swept the field for her remaining Shades, "Return to base," she growled in fury. Nira would have destroyed everything there but her magic was getting low and she only had enough to get herself and Talazar back to the head quarters via her teleportation magic. The symbols expanded beneath her and Talazar and both Shade's disappeared in the bright light seconds later.

Rue Janair

She'd heard the call to hold her breath but she hadn't been expecting the darkness to envelop her so quickly. She didn't even know what it was. The poor Fae took a lung full of it before she managed to actually figure out what was going on. Coughing hard she didn't have time to hold her breath at all, and she found herself falling behind in the retreat. Her lungs burned painfully but she couldn't stop coughing, or taking more of the black air into her body. Rue stopped running in order to cast her magic around her body.

Her eyes stung and her body burned from whatever it was that Entalo had done. Her magic shimmered around her and she felt the air a bit cleaner but couldn't stop coughing at all. Trying to ignore the painful wrenching through her lungs and chest, she pushed onwards, trying to find the way out of the darkness. Rue didn't want to wash away the cloud because she knew that Entalo had produced it to keep the enemy from finding them. However, for a few terrifying moments, she wondered how exactly was she going to get out of it.

"Rue! Where are you?!" The shout was from Entalo and she found herself to be heading in the wrong direction. Whirling around she started running towards the sound of his voice. It was heaven to hear him shouting for her, otherwise the poor little Princess would have been stumbling around in the thick cloud for however long it took for it to fade away. As she burst out of the black cloud, she released her magic, feeling a drain on her body immediately. Rue coughed hard as she doubled over, hands on her knees. Black smoke puffed out of her mouth as she choked.

Her eyes burned, tears falling down her face as she looked up at Entalo with a wry grin, "You... do... care," she joked half heartily. She would have teased him more, but she wasn't particularly feeling up to it. She watched him also cough out some of the darkness as he turned to see if anyone followed them. She grinned at his statement and followed after him in the direction of the others. As they walked, her lungs slowly cleared themselves of the putrid gas and she felt a bit cleaner, though no less tired.

"Where are we going exactly?" Rue asked after the woman up at front. The blonde lady turned her head and looked directly at Rue before answering.

"There should be a town nearby, we'll head there and get an inn. Once we get there, we have to find someone to heal Raiyn," the woman's eyes dropped to the young man she held next to her in a blanket of power. The wind magic buffeted the young man's unconscious body as the girl walked quickly.

"I can do that for you," Rue said with a bright smile, "I'll tell you now, there's no town close in the direction we're heading. We should take to the forest instead."

"The forest? Why?"

"Well..." Rue stopped herself from saying too much and thought about it before speaking again, "The more nature I have around me, the better I can heal. I can't do so well in a town, besides, too many people and it's too stuffy," she said wrinkling her nose in disdain. Of course, what she said was only half true. She could heal just as well in a town, and she did enjoy the crowds because it was so different from her world, but with more trees and vegetation around her, the Fae's magic came quicker and easier to her.

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow and seemed to think about it for some time before giving an answer, "Alright," abruptly the girl changed direction and veered right off the road to the left into the trees. It wasn't quite forest where she'd headed, but go far enough and the thicket of forest land began. Not to mention that Rue's home happened to be deep in that forest. Of course, she figured they weren't going to go that far so she wasn't worried at all at being discovered to be the Princess of the Fae community.

They walked for some time before the girl deemed it far enough and stopped. The forest had started about an hour before, so they weren't very far into the trees, but it was far enough it seemed. Rue moved quickly towards the girl and dropped down next to Raiyn as he was laid out on the dirt. Already Rue could feel her power coming back to her quicker than before and she raised her hands over the man. Magic filled the air and she worked quickly to heal all of his burns and ailments. Once she finished she smiled at the woman and offered her hand, "I'm Rue, nice to meet you."

The woman looked at her oddly for some time before taking her fingers gently, "Kirrah Shay."

"That's a pretty name. These two handsome men I met a little while ago, this one in Entalo and the other is Anton," she said with a wink to them as she introduced them, "If you'll excuse me, I'll go help the other hot one as well," she bounced away from Kirrah and dropped down next to Aelianus where Anton had set him down. Once again she worked her magic, steadily healing the boy from his wounds.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by ebon15
Entalo

Entalo was glad to see that Rue had made it out of the shadow cloud, and after coughing a few more times to clear his lungs, was surprised at her words. Of course he cared. The archer cared about everyone, including shades, no matter how evil they may be. Nevertheless, he said nothing and calmly listened to the exchange.

He was glad that they eventually decided to go to the forest, but once they got to the apparent destination, he glanced at Anton, unnerved. He could tell the larger man felt the same way, and when he turned towards his smaller friend, Entalo's suspicions were confirmed. There was worry on the axe wielder's face; worry that was shared by the archer.

"He is still out there," Entalo whispered to his friend. "He might still be here, and I don't wish to fight him at this moment."

Anton looked at his friend, sorrow overcoming his features as he simply stated, "Then I will." The axe wielder turned to go back the way they came, leaving Entalo standing there in shock.

With the shock clearing, Entalo quickly drew his bow and fired an arrow at the tree immediately to his friend's right, stopping him. The man turned back to look at Entalo, a look of amazement filling his face.

"You better be prepared to actually shoot me, Entalo." The man turned back, continuing on his path and once again leaving Entalo shocked.

Looking at the others, sadness forming on his features, Entalo knew his friend would not be persuaded. He knew there were only two options open to him: stay or go.

"Stubborn fool," the man whispered under his breath, another idea already in motion. "You won't like this, but I can't have you going off and dying." The archer activated his lightning jewel, and, hand closed in a fist pointing at the departing figure, proceeded to shoot lightning down the path, taking the larger man completely by surprise, visibly forcing his muscles to seize up and incapacitating him in an instant without anything save a small cry of surprise.

He looked at the others again, not really meeting any faces or knowing if any were paying attention, but nevertheless mumbled an apology for the scene and started slowly walking down the path. He also restrung his bow in this time, finishing when he was standing over the less than conscious Anton.

Starting to haul the large man back, he realized it would take more time than he wanted, even with his muscles honed from years of drawing the powerful bow. Taking out his jewel from the weapon, he swirled the air underneath Anton and brought him back over to where the others were, dropping him and himself collapsing as well out of sorrow and the massive amount of questions that were shooting through his mind. He had acted like he knew it all, but in reality knew very little, which he would explain to his friend when he awakens.

Drogoth

Drogoth saw the world through a green haze. He was surprised he still had control of himself, and his vision started to clear, seemingly being fed and influenced by his rage as he surveyed the battlefield. The scimitar wielder had seen the massive explosion, but his attention was all on the archer and his friend, and only looked back when the black cloud had appeared.

He turned his attention towards Talazar and Nira, and almost went to help them, but stopped when Talazar engaged the apparently hated enemy. Drogoth remained, for the most part, fixed on that one spot throughout the rest of the battle, merely watching the fight erupting between Talazar and his foe.

His jaw dropped in surprise as Talazar collapsed, and as he acknowledged the defeat of the reaper's enemy, rage built up inside him. Lightning, water, and ice swirled around him, it's movements matching his fury as it whipped around in the air, and Drogoth was about to unleash his full power, but stopped. He saw Nira right where he was aiming, and even though he was absolutely furious, realized he didn't want the powerful woman coming after him.

His energy dropped through an enormous power of will, something he had thought was gone when he went into this mode, but suddenly the water and ice dropped to his feet, the lightning dissipating in the air.

Watching Nira, Drogoth could feel the power being summoned, and summoned an ice plate beneath his feet to raise himself above the ground to better survey the area and also as a safety precaution. He continued watching, fascinated as the black electricity erupted through most of the fighting area, leaving very few in one piece, let alone alive.

Drogoth shook his head in amazement, and forced his energy away, the sudden drain causing him to fall the few feet back to the ground. Rubbing his head, he got up and started heading down towards the Shades, but stopped. He could get to the group before they disappeared, of course, but was still confused at the archer's appearance. If Nira or Talazar asked later, he would simply say he was trying to fulfill his task of finding and capturing the princess.

Turning to go towards the cloud, which he could now see through, he barely glimpsed a movement heading into the trees. Gradually he made his way there, and, standing before the trees, he waited, mentally counting.

Satisfied with the number reached, he silently sped down the trail. He could barely hear his footsteps as he ran, and several times stopped out of paranoia to see if his targets had heard him.

Drogoth was excellent at tracking, and had no trouble at all following them, and once he rounded a corner, he could see one of the figures, the large man with the axe. Startled, he stopped moving, hoping the larger man wouldn't notice him as he was still slightly behind a tree and started to slowly cover himself entirely so that he could barely see the man coming down the trail.

Drawing his lightning dagger, he stopped suddenly as lightning came at the man, dropping him. Further down, the archer came down, and picked up the man with air and took him back to where the others were. There was no doubt whatsoever in Drogoth's mind now. Whatever hope he had had that his theory was incorrect vanished as swiftly as a lightning bolt.

He crept out of any hearing range and started to run out of the forest, back to the Shade's headquarters. The scimitar wielder hoped Talazar and Nira would understand, but almost immediately shook the preposterous thought off. There would be no explaining his true motives, and going through his options, realized his plan of telling them he was simply fulfilling their wishes was probably his best course of action.

He looked back, watching for any movement. Although he had been almost soundless, the presence of his jewels may have alerted the Princess, and he had no wish to fight the woman and her entire group at this time. Drogoth kept running, also hoping his leader was alright. He wished he had a better reason for leaving the gravely injured reaper, but in reality, he didn't. The man just kept running, his past starting to once again flash through his mind.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Rue Janair
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#, as written by Centi85
Talazar

No, it wasn't working. No matter how tightly he wrapped his cloak around her waist, no matter how much pressure he tried to put on it the blood wouldn't cease. The wound was deep, and spread from her mid stomach to along her side. The fact that her chest still swelled up and fell again was a miracle that he could barely comprehend through bloodshot, watery eyes. Touching her face, he let his head drop onto her chest, prying for a response that wasn't coming, hoping for the impossible though he knew it was too late. A cough shook the body, and a voice, hoarse and barely audible called to him. The man looked up at the blurry image of the single person he cared for, her brilliant red eyes expressing every ounce of pain she felt, yet also the calm serenity.

Quickly the man scrambled closer, bringing his own face to hers as one hand came forward to caress her cheek, to feel the warmth of her skin, her touch. She replied in kind, slender fingers reaching up to gently brush aside his messied hair, blood layering it and sticking it out in odd manners. Her own hair was worse than his, thrown about in a tangled mess, the ponytail ripped out, and yet she never looked more beautiful. Her head rested on a soft, silky blanket of brown, inlaid with a red that, under any other circumstances, would've complimented the color, and only made her eyes stand out more. The man wiped a smudge of the sick crimson from her cheek, though his own blood-stained hands did little more than smear it, but she didn't mind. His touch was something she yearned for now as she simply looked into his dark hazel eyes, his own gaze unwavering, both speaking a thousand words with the single connection.

The man's face was contorted into a pained frown as he fought for control over himself, but he was losing. Moving closer, he pressed his forehead against hers, one hand still gently brushing against her cheek while the other simply supported him. He couldn't stop the tears that came as freely as the blood which had started them. As he knelt over her, he could feel the warm pool on his knees, taunting him.

"I'm s-so... I'm sor-ry..." he managed, shaking now as his tears fell down onto her face. His words were barely a whisper. "I'm..sorry..."

Strangely, she smiled at him, but he couldn't see it for his eyes were shut tight. One arm wrapped over his shoulder, around his neck, embracing him in a strained hug. Her other hand still ran through his hair as she held his sobbing form.

"Talazar..." she spoke. The man pulled back and opened his eyes to see her clearly, wanting to tell her not to speak, to conserve her energy, but still longing to hear her sweet voice. He couldn't reply, but simply stared at her, waiting as her hand fell down onto his cheek. The man fell forward again, fell into her, brushing her cheek as his lips met hers. They were warm, inviting, and the feeling of joy and content that filled him, the satisfaction in knowing that she was and would forever be his was enough to block out the hell he'd fallen into it. The kiss deepened as the two embraced, basking in each other's company, enjoying the touch of the other and feelings of safety that came with the other, though finally she broke first, needing to speak.

"Talazar," she said again, "Please.." she paused, coughing, blood covering her lower lip, "watch over him... for me.."

The man kept his face on hers, kept her close to him as she spoke, but nodded, speechless through the sorrow he felt. He could feel her heart with himself pressed against her, he could feel her breathing.

"I will," he managed finally, doing is best to not break out into the uncontrollable fit of tears that he knew were building. She smiled with his words, satisfied that the two most important people in the world to her would care for one another. She knew how others perceived the man, and she knew how she did. He was caring in his own way, and once you breached the outer shell, he held a vast expanse of love, compassion and honesty, and she knew he would keep his word. Again she dragged him into the kiss which would mark her departure, a kiss whose corners curled into a warm smile of fulfillment.


The Reaper woke suddenly, his arm reaching up and taking hold of the neck of the man who was so naively leaning over him. He knew who he was, but doctor or not he refused to let the man touch him. His stomach burned with pain and his head swam, but he'd be damned if he allow this sick, unworthy fool come close to him with his tools. Flexing, Talazar dragged the startled man down to meet his face.

"Do not... touch me," he hissed. With that, the man had crushed his windpipe and allowed the body to fall. That action alone sent him spiraling again as the poison continued through his bloodstream, but he didn't care now.


Aelianus

The boy was awake as the blue-haired girl approached him. He'd been awake for a while, but he never said anything. He simply wished to be left alone, to wallow in his own grief, but it seemed that wasn't going to happen. And besides, he was only just ignoring the burning sensation which enveloped his whole body, ignoring the pain he felt. Treatment was necessary, no matter how much he tried to dispute the fact.

Facing the girl, Aelianus' gaze was far off, as if deep in thought. His voice was neutral, as if simply stating hollow facts that would somehow mean something to the woman he didn't even know.

"Her name was Kianha.."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Siryn
Rue Janair

Her head tilted off to the side as the boys words rang out to her softly. She wasn't sure why he'd spoken to her, let alone given her a name of a woman she had no knowledge of. The Princess watched him carefully, her lips in a small 'o' of curiosity as well as surprise. Rue hadn't been expecting him to be awake considering the beating he'd taken earlier. After a moment she reached out and allowed her power to wash over him, healing everything she could in the process.

Her fine lips pulled into a smile as she leaned back once she was finished and put her hands on her thighs, "All done," she chirped at him. Then she reached out and brushed away loose strands of his messy hair. She was feeling a bit sympathetic towards him, and the name he'd just given her was most curious.

"Kianha? Who was she? Was she important to you?" Rue asked gently, trying not to pry too much in business that wasn't her own. The Fae Princess cocked her head off to the side, her blue hair slipping over her thin shoulders and waving gently in the forest breeze.

A bit of commotion took her attention from him for a mere moment. Turning she witnessed Drogoth and Entalo having a bit of a fight and she frowned at them. The archer took out his friend, knocking him unconscious with a single blow from his weapon's power. Rue shook her head, unsure of what exactly had happened, but her attention was needed elsewhere so she returned her gaze back to the blonde haired boy before her who looked utterly exhausted and... in anguish.

Another motion caught her attention as she conversed with the boy named Aelianus, the Jewel Princess shifted suddenly and stood up. Her body was rigged as she got up from her spot next to Raiyn. Obviously something had gotten her attention and it wasn't good. Rue got to her feet as well and turned to face the way that Kirrah had turned. Her dark eyes had narrowed and the Princess had drawn her sword ready to power the weapon.

Rue looked between Kirrah and the forest, not sensing anything. It wasn't until Kirrah had slowly settled down that Rue felt the power that had spiked not to far from them, but that power was fading away quickly, telling her that whoever it was, was running away then.

"Well, looks like we're too much of a match for whoever wanted to come into our camp," Rue stated with a bright smile, her hand on her hip.

"Or perhaps they realized that they're too close to the realm of the Fae. Isn't that right, Princess?" Kirrah said, her voice a little different than it was before. Obviously it wasn't Kirrah whom Rue was talking to but rather the Jewel Princess inside her that had taken over.

Well... damn. Should have seen that one coming, Rue pulled her lower lip into her mouth and bit the tender skin. Then she smiled brightly, her eyes closing as she grinned at the Jewel Princess widely, "And when did you figure that out?"

"The moment I saw you."

Rue laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head, "Well then... Since the cat's outta the bag. Yeah, you're right. We're near the realm of the Fae."

"That's why you suggested going into the forest. It would replenish your magic faster, especially so close to home, correct?"

"Nothing gets by you, Jewel Princess... Or would you prefer Liliya?"

The woman's lips pulled into a smile as she sheathed her sword slowly, the power growing less and less and the Jewel Princess let go of her magic, "This woman's body is named Kirrah. I think that should do."

Rue frowned, "Liliya... But aren't you supposed to meld with her? I mean, she is your reincarnation right?"

"But she is still her own person. My melding with her is almost completed. She'll grow stronger as time goes. If she doesn't..."

"It's all over," Rue whispered to herself.

Liliya smiled at the Fae Princess, "And you know far more than you let on, Rue of the Fae."

"I enjoy the comforts of life more so than that. Besides, I'm having way more fun running around out here than being stuck in the confines of the Fae realm. The men here..." her eyes swept to the men around her, a mischievous grin pulling at her lips, "They're just... so much more attractive than the Fae!" She laughed loudly.

The Jewel Princess shook her head slowly and settled back down next to Raiyn's sleeping form, "The same as always. I can't stay much longer, but we'll talk again, Rue. This body needs rest. I have one last request though."

"Yes, Liliya?"

"Take us to the Fae. I have need of the information stored in your libraries. I have a feeling things are going to get a lot more complicated from here out."

Rue pressed her fingers together tightly as she gazed at Liliya, "I'll... try, but no promises. You know how my kind are when it comes to letting outsiders inside the realm."

"I know, but I trust you to get us inside without harm."

"No promises."

"Deal," Liliya said, looking up to Rue for a moment before leaning her head back and closing her eyes. The Jewel Princess was soon fast asleep. Rue looked at the others around her and gave a sheepish smile.

"Uh... I'll go get some water for everyone!" She offered loudly and rushed from their little campsite in search of water and something to eat.

Nira Ku

"Do not... touch me," the heavy voice, pain filled but no less intimidating and holding authority filled the room behind her as she worked quickly to produce an antidote from the trident she'd taken from the battle field. Her magic was working as quickly as possible, but she was losing her energy quickly and more than once had the world around her faded out to black.

Snapping to, Nira turned sharply on her heel and entered the room in anger. Talazar had lifted himself up and took hold of the man who had been dressing his wounds. With a single powerful crush of his hand, the Shade was devoid of all life and fell to the floor with a hard thud. Nira moved into the room and issued a harsh sound between her teeth as she stepped over the dead man's body.

The Shade didn't care that Talazar had killed the man, it was his own damn fault for trying to heal the reaper without thinking about the consequences. Leaning over his body she pushed her hands against the side of his face, feeling his heated and sweaty skin. The poison was a strong one, and left untreated, Talazar would die a slow death. Her lips frowned as she looked at him, not sure if he was stable enough to even recognize her.

"If you let this take you down, I'll never forgive you, Talazar," she hissed at him. Though it was only to mask her true feelings for the man. Should she show him any kind of weakness such as that, she wouldn't blame him for killing her as well. She pushed her magic into his body. It wouldn't heal him, but it would stabilize him at least until she'd finished the antidote. However, if Nira wasn't careful, she might just lose her own life in trying to save his. She frowned as a single thought protruded from that line of thinking.

She would gladly give her life for his. Should she die in place for him to live... Well, so be it. She removed her hands from his face and turned away quickly. The elf's lips were clenched tightly, frowning as she left the room to continue her work as quickly as possible. If she had it calculated right, in another few hours she would have the antidote. The only problem, she would have no magic left.

Pushing that aside, she set back to work, her power expanding over the table, the symbols of the circle slowly moving in a clockwise direction as she worked.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by ebon15
Drogoth

Drogoth had hoped Talazar would refrain from calling the elven woman, but now that he had, it left Drogoth with few options. He chuckled at some, realizing their futility, and decided to hope for the best.

Even as he thought of this, the woman came through the doorway, looking rather annoyed, but also tired. That last fact brought a smirk to the manā€™s face. Maybe I can still do this, he thought as Nira started talking to him, anger evident in her voice.

He had been just about to respond to the woman when she made the realization that he was not the same person as before. He sighed, wishing she wouldn't have noticed, but now that she had, it couldn't be helped.

The scimitar wielder took into account the fact that she was obviously drained of magic, and grinned, an idea already formed. It all depended on the speed of the execution of his plan, so there was no room for error, and he felt nervousness creeping into his body. He quickly forced it away, thinking more confidently, his inner self matching his facial expression.

The grin stopped and quickly reversed direction as he saw that she still had some energy left, and Drogoth knew he had to move quickly. As the symbols started spiraling around, he grabbed the scythe and used the jewels to blast a hole in the wall leading to the next room. He also, at the same time the fire and wind jewels were used, activated the ice jewel, creating a large block above Talazar, with weak supports, so that without intervention from an outside force, it would fall and crush the reaper within seconds. Turning his attention back to escaping, he jumped through the hole just as the area where he once was exploded.

Looking back, the blast nearly missing him, he saw the only support still in view through the hole start to wobble, and he sent water gushing into the room, hoping the distraction would fool Nira into believing he was attacking her and Talazar. All thoughts of finishing his self-given task vanished, the unknown variable of Talazar being the deciding factor. If he were to join the fight, even with both him and Nira weakened, Drogoth couldn't hold off both of them.

With that, he turned, running through the rest of the building, he slowed as he reached the door and calmly walked out, holding the scythe halfway up the handle and leaning it casually against his right shoulder. He walked out, closing the door behind him, and strolled out into the street, calling loudly.

"All of you get over here!" The former Shade grinned as almost all of the nearby Shades came running towards him. He nonchalantly pulled his cloak up further, to fully cover his weapons, hoping none of them would notice. "Talazar somewhat incapacitated in his recovery, and Nira is busy helping him, so you're all coming with me." Directing his attention to a Shade heading over to where Drogoth and the others were gathering, the man rolled his eyes at the sight. The Shade was moving rather slowly. In fact, he was almost walking. Drogoth sighed and quickly sent a large ice shard hurtling at the man's chest and didn't bother watching the Shade fall, turning back to the others. "Now as I was saying, you will follow me or I will drink from your still-bleeding skull and draw a bath from the blood that exits via your jugular. The choice is yours" He stated this last part calmly, almost happily as he heard the sound of a body falling to the ground. Drogoth started getting annoyed that he couldn't command as Talazar could. It was true...he was becoming less like a Shade every minute. Adjusting to something Talazar would be more likely to say, he delved deeper inside himself, clearing himself of all emotion and stated simply and with piercing eyes, "Follow... Or you can taste my blades. You won't enjoy them, but when you get to hell to face the butcher shops of the devil, I can assure you that it'll be fast... because I won't leave them much to cut up..."


With that, he turned away, and Drogoth sincerely hoped he still had some time left. Anxiety was rising in him, making him start to pace and clench then unclench his hands repeatedly. He thought about what Nira had said. He didn't think of himself as a traitor...actually he didn't know what to think of himself. It was as if a blindfold had been lifted from his mind, and he felt he was truly where he belonged now. Not a lackey of some Shade, but a free man who wishes no evil to come to others. At the same time, however, he senses darkness lurking further down, and he had just demonstrated that darkness. It was rapidly disappearing, and Drogoth was thankful for that, but he was, at the same time, frightened. He didn't know what to do now, where to go, and even though he had included this part in his plans, he didn't know if it would still work. He sighed and pushed such thoughts from his mind and turned his full attention to the task at hand.

By now, most of the other Shades had quickly come towards him, and he took off running, heading to the nearest exit and motioning them all to follow him. He glanced back, making sure they were all obeying, and looked back in front on him. There was no time left, the only thing he could do was run, and hope Nira still had her hands full with Talazar, but doubted that fact as soon as the thought entered his mind.

Anton

What was he doing? He just stood there with a shocked expression, crimson liquid bursting forth from the man and onto the boy's hand. It just kept bleeding, the man groaning in pain then falling silent as the boy tried to pull the dagger out. It was harder than expected so he just let go, the dull blade protruding from the Shade as he fell backwards to the ground, quite dead.

The boy stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually came back to the ruined house after clearing his senses, looking around, blood dripping from his right hand, and the other motionless, the Shade having broken it along with several ribs. Anton winced at the pain, but had more pressing matters.

"Where are you? It's okay, you can come out..." The boy called out, searching as he did, but eventually giving up after several minutes. The other boy was nowhere to be found, and there was no use in continuing the search.

Walking away with a long sigh and a slight limp in his right leg, he could feel the adrenaline clearing from his system and revealing the pain from a deep slash running from his knee to lower calf.

Anton walked past a tree, stopping at a slight noise. He immediately walked over, the pain spreading to other areas of his body, becoming more annoying than anything else in most parts. He bent down, clearing a pile of leaves near the base of the tree with his bloody hand.

"There you are! I was afraid you had run while he was distracted." Anton said this as soothingly as possible with the pain in his chest, the other boy before him crying quietly, leaves spread throughout his hair.

Picking the boy up and muttering some calming words, Anton set him down to his left as gently as possible, the pain almost not allowing that simple movement. Anton motioned for the younger boy to follow him, and the two started walking down a small path, the boy continually glancing back at the house, still smoking slowly, knuckles white from his clenched fists.

The sobs were coming at an increasingly slower rate as Anton continued to watch his new companion, their agreement being struck only minutes before the attacker appeared. The boy had only nodded at the offer made by Anton, and tears were still in his eyes, but Anton knew the boy had understood him and had wholeheartedly agreed. What had his name been? Oh, yesā€¦Entalo. He looked down at the boy, four years younger than him, barely ten, but already having gone through so much. He didnā€™t envy Entalo. He had no wish to talk further, as it would only make the smaller boy more upset, although, as he continued to watch the expression of pain and anger, he didnā€™t see how that was possible.

Without warning, Entalo simply looked up at Anton and said matter-of-factly and with an ounce of coldness, ā€œYou donā€™t know what youā€™re getting into. It was a mistake for you to volunteer to help meā€¦it will get you killed.ā€ With that the boy looked down, staring at the passing ground as he walked. Anton merely shrugged. He needed a purpose, and after seeing something happen that was so similar to what had happened to him, he was only too eager to offer his help in whatever way he could.


Anton woke slowly at first, a small groan escaping him. As he became aware of where he was, he shot up, looking around quickly. He took note of the absence of Rue, and the others still in the encampment, but mostly focused on the smaller man in front of him.

Anger rose inside of him, and he hurled a fist at Entalo, who was sitting in front of him with a blank expression.

Moving with amazing speed, Entalo quickly stepped forward and placed his left hand on Antonā€™s right shoulder, where the arm meets the chest and simply held it there, almost all of the power being taken out of the punch.

Anton swore loudly, and pulled his arm back, rubbing his head with the other hand, the migraine in his skull now apparent to him.

Nodding slightly at Entalo, realizing his futility, he settled himself against a tree next to the archer. He picked up his axe, only a short distance away, barely within reach of his armā€™s extent, he set it next to him and waited, Entalo doing the same.

No words needed to pass between the two of them, as each knew what the other was thinking. As tired as they both were, no sleep would come to them. Not yet, at least, when they both had to prepare a plan. Anton would not be going alone, that much was apparent, so he would settle for what the two had done for more than twelve years.

The axe wielder smiled slightly, and squinted at the pain still in his head, but that hardly mattered. He looked over at Entalo, who was already looking back at him, and nodded. They both knew exactly what to do, as they had come up with a plan all those years ago. It had been crude, as they had been mere children, but it would workā€¦probably. If it didnā€™t, each would have nothing to worry about, as they would both be feeding worms and the other various creatures that lurked within the earth.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Centi85
Talazar

Talazar's grip was tight around the hilt of the doctor's scalpel, the one whom he'd killed earlier. He watched with grit teeth and slightly distorted vision as Drogoth made his escape, his anger at the sight of his scythe leaving him in the possession of such a treacherous rat nearly overcoming his realization to the sudden use of the man's jewels. Propped slightly on one elbow, the man looked above him to where a massive sheet of ice had formed once again, this thought time it was sitting precariously on several support beams instead of simply floating overhead. The reaper cursed out loud as Nira's magic impacted the vacant spot that once held Drogoth, the same spot that was moments later full of water as the man attacked through the hole from which he'd made his escape, the sudden flood pouring into the room and easily taking down the legs which held up the ice.

Had Talazar been just a little more lucid and in control of himself and his thoughts, perhaps he could've used the momentum of the rushing water to push him out of the way of the now falling object. Unfortunately for him, with a mind that was free-falling back into the hell he'd just exited, things had begun to not make sense anymore, and what he saw coming at him rather than water was instead a massive shark, its open maw inviting him in with rows of sharp, serrated teeth, each glistening even more ominously than his scythe ever had. The man without thinking clamped down to the floor, petrified at the sight of the beast as he shut his eyes, his scream obscured only by of the rushing miniature tsunami which easily overtook him.

Unconsciousness was a state in which Talazar seemed to enjoy residing within. The darkness was soothing, calming, and yet suffocating. He'd just been eaten by a shark, a nasty, cartilaginous monstrosity. He must've been in league with the swordfish, the stupid animals. A shark isn't even a fish! The reaper mulled this over in his head, simply giving in and allowing himself to be further swallowed by the warmth that was death. A shark shouldn't be in league with a real fish, a shark should be combating those real fish, the ones who cheated them out of even being fish. No bones, that must be a real pain... Of course, flexibility wise that meant they were pretty agile... Was a shark better? Of course they were, top of the food chain despite their lacking of a skeletal system! Hmmph. He should be at the top, and yet where was he? He lacked weapons granted to him through some sort of divine birthright or adaptation, and yet he had once been on the top! One of the most feared men who roamed this world, the Reaper and yet... He was dying. But why?

... Why was he dying? What was death? He spent so long passing this judgment onto others, even watched the one whom he loved leave him for it, and yet he didn't know what it was. He preached of a better place beyond, he even told of a hell, and yet he didn't even know for sure. Was he dead now? The man looked at himself, but he couldn't. The darkness was too thick, and he wasn't even sure if he was in any kind of a physical form. So, was he a spirit? Was he to face what he'd done to so many others? Talazar couldn't even count all those that he'd killed, and yet he never imagined he'd be here with them. Yes, that's it, he was here with them. He could see them... Each and every person, warriors, soldiers, civilian men, women and children, all of them were standing in front of him, their faces devoid of any emotion, a crowd whose expanse was more than he could fathom, simply staring at him.

Talazar moved forward carefully, slowly, as if at any moment everyone he'd done wrong would attack him, overwhelm him. But if he was already dead, could that happen? Maybe he'd simply be stuck to suffer for eternity while each one got their vengeance.. Maybe he'd simply live the rest of his existence in this darkness, roaming the sea of familiar faces, some of whom were too young to even realize what was happening, left cowering in a corner, crying for their mothers who couldn't come to their aid.

Was he feeling sympathetic? Sadness? He couldn't tell. Looking into the eyes of those who were murdered, those who died without cause... A chill ran up the reaper's spine and stayed there. Slowly he continued onward, everyone lined up in neat rows, unmoving except for their eyes which followed him, their eyes which told him everything they had experienced and felt up to their bitter end. The man kept walking, passing a shade, a young woman, a girl, a soldier of some type. He remembered them all, remembered the enjoyment he got from running his blade through them, hearing their screams and pleas of mercy... And he had silenced it all.

Talazar shut his eyes, turned away from everyone. He couldn't take it. He couldn't see the people, and yet he felt their gazes penetrating into his head, reading every last one of his thoughts, tearing away at him and prying for the same answer he kept asking himself. Why?

---

Had he imagined it? No, he hadn't. A voice had just spoken to him, called to him, answered back, the first sound he'd heard for as long as he'd been here, however long it was. The man looked up, looked through the darkness towards the sound of the single person he longed for. He couldn't see her, but he heard it. That same voice... Whose was it? He needed a face to match, but it wouldn't show up... No image... Just darkness.


Aelianus

Aelianus simply lay quiet as the blue-haired woman worked. Her magic rushing through him was exhilarating, a welcomed feeling that dispelled the burning which engulfed him, and the pain that accompanied the many bruises, cuts and broken bones he harbored. He knew he'd probably need more looking after later, but for now what she had done would suffice, so he stayed silent, looking up at her curiously. Where she and other two had come from, he didn't know. Who were they were and why exactly there were even present, he didn't know. Yet he was glad.

Listening intently to the conversation which followed, between the blue-haired woman and Jewel Princess, Aelianus' earlier statements seemed to have been disregarded, but he didn't mind. He'd rather not talk about it now anyway. He needed time, even if it were just another five minutes.

"Uh... I'll go get some water for everyone!"

Aelianus woke suddenly, his eyes snapping awake at the woman's proclamation. He hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep and had completely lost track of time. Looking around quickly, he noted Kirrah, or rather Liliya? .. asleep along with Raiyn. Did he dream up the conversation he'd overheard, or did that actually happen? It seemed so real in his mind's eye, the two women speaking softly amongst each other, nature harmonizing around them... No, it couldn't be real. Must've been just a dream... That woman couldn't be a Fae Princess, could she? But then again, she certainly had the charm... Maybe when she returned he'd ask her... Yes, that would do.

Looking to the side, the boy's gaze fell onto the other two men whom he'd yet to be properly introduced to. They seemed to be having a quiet debate between one another, bonded to the point where eye contact was the only thing necessary to pass along a conversation. Aelianus couldn't help but smile as he thought back to Talazar lying on his back in the garden. Kianha would always sit on top of him, their gazes locked, speaking a million words in a single glance. The man had seemed so happy, and it had all turned to hell after that day.

Sighing, Aelianus stood. His chains, all his weapons were gone and his clothes were tattered and burnt, but it didn't matter right now. As quietly as he could, the boy began off into the forest. He had no destination in mind, had no intention of leaving or doing anything really, but simply wanted to walk. He needed a moment alone with his thoughts, he needed to see the purity of nature and serenity of life once more.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz
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#, as written by Siryn
Nira Ku

The blast shook the room just as an ice block formed over Talazar's prone body. He seemed conscious still, but the attack put fear through her body. A second later the ceiling began leaking water and in the chaos, Nira lost her target. Water gushed into the room, filling the bottom with it's cold presence. Her heart slammed in her chest with both rage and fear. Rage at the man named Drogoth who had just betrayed her, and fear of Talazar's slowly weakening body. What was she going to do? She was torn between turning her attention solely on Talazar or going after Drogoth and ripping him apart slowly.

Unfortunately, she didn't have that luxury and without Talazar... without him... there was nothing for her. Nira dropped down next to his body and shook him, calling his name, trying to get him to wake up and help her to get him from the room. He didn't respond and her heart slammed into her chest, rising to her throat to cut off all oxygen. Using what strength she had left, and the rising water to help, she lifted Talazar close to her body as best she could and half dragged, half carried him to the next room. She needed the antidote, of all things precious to her, that was the most important aside from Talazar.

"Don't you dare leave me here in this hell, Talazar," she hissed in rage. Her trembling fingers grasped the bottle that she'd been working on. Only a little more magic left to complete it and then it was ready to give to him. She was soaking wet as she knelt with him. However... did she dare use the last of her magic there and heal him? Or was it more pertinent to get them out of harms way from the magic that had been dispelled in the room beyond? Water was still flowing and Nira wondered exactly how much power Drogoth had expelled into that single spell. She hissed under her breath in anger.

Swirls of magic expanded below both her and Talazar. The symbols outstretching across the floor with her and the Shade as its epicenter. The power flooded the room as she glared out into the darkness passed the window just to her left. In a matter of seconds the magic enveloped them and they were taken far from the destroyed headquarters that she'd called her own. Dizziness swarmed her as the spell faded.

They were up on a hill top overlooking the town that she'd condoned. Her body swayed over Talazar. Pale eyes glanced down to the bottle that she still held in her hand. Even without the magic to finish it, she was sure it would be enough to pull him back. The elf would worry about healing him completely afterwards, right then, there was no time left. Pulling the stopper off the top with trembling fingers that felt as if no strength was left in them, she pressed the bottle to his lips and dumped the contents into his mouth.

She could only hope that he drank it all as she felt the bottle slip from her fingers and her body fall to the side from exhaustion. Nira heard soft footsteps behind her either. Whoever it was, she couldn't do anything about it. Perhaps it was Kreon, come to finish what she'd started. A bitter laugh escaped her before she dropped to the ground.

Raiyn Illander

His eyes opened slowly and he found himself propped against a tree with Kirrah leaning against his shoulder. His eyes looked outwards first and caught sight of Aelianus leaning against a tree as well. The boy looked as if he'd been healed from all past injuries, though his eyes were distant and told Raiyn that the young man was deep in past thoughts. Turning his head slowly he witnessed the two men who had joined them right before the fight broke out at Aelianus' house.

He gave a soft groan as his head hurt considerably and pulled himself upwards into a more comfortable position. As he moved, however, Kirrah slipped off his shoulder and fell. It was pure reaction that his hands reached out and caught her just before she hit his lap. Her head lolled to the side and he released his startled breath. Slowly he placed her gently across his lap and leaned his head back.

"Water?" The sweet voice startled him and his eyes snapped open to look into bright blue eyes and a face framed with blue hair.

"Oh, Rue. Sure," he muttered the last part finding it hard to get his usual stone cold demeanor back. The little girl lifted a wooden bowl to his lips and he took a deep drink. He wasn't particularly fond of being fed, but seeing as his hands were currently stuck under Kirrah's weight, he didn't have a choice lest he risk waking her.

"Where are we?" He asked her after finishing his drink.

"In the woods," she answered with her usual peppiness. Then her gaze looked over her shoulder to the others and she sighed, "Well, to be more exact we're near my home. I'm the Princess of the Fae."

"Your home? Fae? Wait... the Princess of the Fae!? How did you manage to leave your home and go running around in our world?"

"That's a story for another time," she replied a bit too quickly and sharply. Rue stood up and smiled at him warmly. Leaning over she picked up the bucket that was next to her and walked over to the other three men. She offered them water as well. Raiyn watched her for a while before letting out a sigh of frustration. So much for getting answers. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he knew then where he was. That was better than not knowing at least.

Turning slightly, he looked down at Kirrah once more. She seemed utterly exhausted and he wondered how much of the Jewel Princess' power was used during that fight. In any case, he still had his mission he needed to finish. That meant going after the Shades, and soon. Perhaps, maybe not that soon, he thought to himself as he looked at the company he found himself in. Soon enough though. Also, it seemed he was most likely going to have to share what it was he needed exactly if things were going to work out.

Not right then, though. Maybe later.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Talazar D'Tvala Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Nira Ku
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#, as written by Centi85
Talazar

The voice spoke in a tone that Talazar knew well, in fact, it mirrored too perfectly the way he often addressed his prey. Rough and belonging to someone probably just a bit older, inlaid was a certain amount of cruel satisfaction, malicious intent. Though soft, it was harsh, meant to impose fear and intimidate, followed closely by a low grumbling chuckle. Opening his eyes, Talazar found himself lying in soft grass, obviously outside, with a cloaked figure looming over him like a phantom, blocking out the sun. The man took a moment to allow his eyes to adjust as he tried to peer past the shadow over the shade's face, though who he was hardly mattered. Though he couldn't see all the physical features, it was obvious that whoever this was, he wore a smile, and was enjoying what he saw.

"Good morning," spoke the silhouette, still in the same manner as previously. "Looks like the almighty Reaper of the Shades has finally bitten off more than he could chew..." Another chuckle escaped the man's lips, but he didn't move.

Talazar only smiled.

"Wipe that grin off your face," chimed a second voice, this time coming from the left. It held none of the cynical playfulness of the first man's, but instead the words were short-tempered and layered with in pure hatred. Spat out more than they were spoken, it was as if the action of having to talk was entirely repulsive, and the words that the man spoke would poison him if left lingering on his lips for more than a second.

"Now, now," the first man interrupted, seemingly trying to calm the other, taking on a gentle, understanding tone before adjusting once more to a darker sense of humor. "Let the man smile if he so desires... It'll be the last time he can." There was an indignant snort of exasperation from the second, but he obliged, falling silent. "You've caused Kreon much trouble," the Shade continued, looking down to the Reaper, "And yet karma serves its purpose once more, no? You break allegiance, divide the Shades and look where it's gotten you. Pathetic."

Talazar remained silent for a moment, not only because he was honoring the man with the last words he'd ever speak, but also to allow much of the poison to leave his system. There was a sour taste left in his mouth, but already he could feel a clearing in his head. One by one he ensured that he still had control of his fingers, silently plucking at the strands of grass beneath him with one hand, while the other clenched tighter around the simple yet painfully deadly metal tool he'd retrieved from the doctor's corpse.

The silence dragged on, and next to him Talazar could feel Nira's presence. Her breath was easy, normal, so at least she was alright. Well aware of the power she'd expended for his sake, or at least able to guess it now that he had full control of his mental facilities, the man was grateful. Preserving her was definitely a smarter choice, he had known this from when he'd first met her, and yet he only ever just used her because of what she could do for him; that and of course she was married to the slimy rat Kreon. Possessing a raw, ruthless power, the man acknowledged her own strength which surpassed his own, and the loyalty with which she followed him, though had only ever looked on it as her fulfilling her duty--to ensure that he may continue passing judgment.

Perhaps it was all still lingering effects of the poison, but for some reason the man felt sentimental towards the elf. She, who had saved his life on several occasions, the single person he could stand in this world and the one who remained by his side. He'd always silently protected her and cared in his own way, but the excuse that it was to preserve her powers was always his answer. Talazar considered this, then pushed aside the thoughts abruptly. He refused to fully enjoy another person, become attached for any more reason that necessary. The consequences of doing so were...

"Now then," the first man interrupted suddenly, drawing the Reaper's attention once more. "Since you refuse to speak, I suppose we may as well get on to business. I'll tell you, enjoy your last glimpse of the outside world, of freedom, because you'll never see it again." The man stood now, his cloak rustling as a breeze came drifting through. Stepping away, the Shade drew his sword. "As always, there's the easy way, and the hard way... I'd expect nothing more from the esteemed Reaper, but considering recent events... Well." The man smiled again, allowing his sentence to hang.

There was the sounds of several others now revealed, somehow having remained silent and out of the radar of the man. But then again, he never actually looked around to fully take in his surroundings and everyone present. Another body entered into his view, just over his head as strong hands took hold of him and hoisted him up to his feet. The first man had already turned away, his back now facing the Reaper as he stood, admiring his sword. Next to him, several others had retrieved Nira, and for some reason, to see her exhausted form mindlessly thrown over the large brute's shoulder had merited a certain amount of hatred for these people. More so than he already felt.

"Any last words?" questioned the first man, still engrossed in his weapon.

Lowering his head, Talazar smiled. "Always."

It was in one swift motion that Talazar threw his head back, a satisfying crack emanating from the Shade behind him as his skull impacted with the man's nose. Taking advantage of the usual response, Talazar spun as the man recoiled away, relinquishing his grip on the Reaper. Scalpel in hand, the small instrument swung faster than anyone could trace, drawing a thin line through the captor's neck, the blade drawing with it a sudden spurting of blood as it glided through the soft flesh. The Shade dropped, his cries cut short by the blood which had flooded his mouth as he clung to his neck, the thick crimson seeping through the wound and layering his hand despite the pressure he tried to apply.

Turning fully, Talazar knew that he could by no means combat everyone present, not with what he had, and it was obvious that the full effects of the poison were not totally gone. The abrupt movements caused a sudden spinning as his head worked to comprehend what he saw, which only served to create a pressure on his temples, and a tightness in his gut. Taking a few staggering steps to regain his footing, the man felt dizzy already, but he still accepted the challenge of those who would dare move forward to confront him.

--

Talazar woke with a painfully foggy head. He was shackled to a solid body of unrelenting cold, and he could taste blood along his face. The man sighed, blinking several times as he took in where he was. Large stone bricks with iron bars, dimly lit, wet and reeking of death and despair, the Reaper knew well the place of torture he'd brought so many of his own victims. Within the sanctuary that was once his own hideout, as well as the other Shades', the prison cells seemed much less fun on this side. To his left was a body, old and rotting, the skin having lost color and molded over, clinging tight to the bones and covered only by a set of ragged, bloody robes. To his right, Nira.

Shaking his head, the man immediately wished he'd done otherwise. Once more he could feel the effects of the poison, as if they still lingered, trying to take control once more and spread. Already his mind was going blank, his eyes not wanting to stay open. The man's head slumped forward as he drifted off again. Talazar didn't even hear the large metal door swing open, nor the footsteps of those who approached.


Aelianus

The young man paced silently back into the little campsite, looking around for a moment. He'd come back with a decision, there was no other way. Seeking out Raiyn first, he took a deep breath as he began striding towards him. At first he was afraid, but now he'd come to terms with what he'd experienced, and he knew it was entirely necessary. Talazar could no longer be trusted to ensure his safety, and had failed twice already. Well, Aelianus wouldn't fail. He would not see more of the world's atrocities be unleashed, he would not see more death to the innocent. The beauty of nature, of life, was at stake, for in anything and everything there was something to be admired... Or at least, so he once thought.

Death was the ultimate taint that he'd only just tolerated when with Talazar, but now he didn't have to.

Approaching Raiyn, Aelianus spoke with a new found confidence and purpose. "I want you to show me how to wield a sword."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Aelianus Kahstar Character Portrait: Raiyn Illander Character Portrait: Kirrah Shay Character Portrait: Entalo Raiz Character Portrait: Anton Hierot Character Portrait: Drogoth Baener
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#, as written by ebon15
Drogoth

The man fell to the ground without so much as a yelp. The only sound made was the impact of a limp corpse falling on the various types of leaves on the forest floor. Drogoth smiled and quickly disappeared once more, leaving the ground to be stained red and hiding in a hollow tree, the man squeezing in without too much difficulty.

It had been all too easy to lure the Shades into the forest. A few soothing words promising a shortcut to the destination and they were off, eager to follow the scimitar wielder. They had left the town from whence they came quickly, and hadn't stopped at all until they had come to the dense woods. There was no way out for them, as Drogoth knew that very few of them would have even the slightest idea where they were. They were simply too deep in Drogoth's trap. They were like flies stuck in his web, and now, like a spider playing blissfully with its food, he hunted them and it was quite unlikely for any to escape his grasp.

Drogoth was all too eager to head into the woods, as it made his job significantly easier. He was still coming to terms with what he was, and he could use the options that came with the forest. Now he could ambush with ease instead of fight them all at once on the open road.

The former Shade thought about the way he was able to eliminate the ones previously following him. From the reactions he had felt earlier with a simple insect, he was glad he still was able to kill. It was, of course, due to the fact that the Shades are evil. There was simply no other explanation that made the least bit of sense.

A sudden cry to his right broke the man away from his thoughts and he knew his snare had worked to perfection. He quickly ran over to where the call originated and hid in a bush looking out at the unfortunate Shade squirming and hanging upside down. He knew the manā€™s cries would soon draw more victims towards this location, and Drogoth waited patiently for the moment to come.

The manā€™s cries were answered by two more Shades, one being a man and the other a woman. Drogoth grinned as they both went to work immediately by hacking through the simple trap, a vine being the makeshift rope.

Right on time, he thought. He rolled forward out of the bush silently as the previously tied Shade hit the ground with a groan. He drew himself up to his full height and stood behind the group patiently, water slowly forming at their feet.

The one who was hanging was now looking down, brushing the leaves and dirt from himself and trying to salvage at least some of his dignity. Therefore the woman was the first to turn around, and with a cry of surprise met her end with a scimitar rupturing her heart. At the sudden noise, the other two looked up just in time to see a pair of liquid daggers inches from their heads. Drogoth was already walking away, and with a small hand movement, the daggers punched through any and all resistance on their path from one side of each of the Shadeā€™s necks to the other.

Drogoth was almost done, and when he was, he knew exactly where to go and what to do, no matter the consequences. He was tired, hungry, and had absolutely no idea how to convince the group, but he had to try.

"The things we do for family," the former Shade mumbled. And with that, he disappeared once more into the forest, searching for the last few stragglers that have managed to evade him thus far.

Entalo

Entalo shook himself as Anton spoke to him, inquiring quietly as to whether or not Rue really was the Princess of the Fae. Entalo gave a little nod to him and almost immediately after, Rue walked by and offered the two of them water. He had been thinking about his past, and was grateful for the opportunity to think about something else, no matter if that something was as small as the taste of water.

I need to find something else to dwell on, he thought. The past is much too annoying. He accepted the water and thanked Rue, taking a sip from the bucket. He realized how dry his mouth was as soon as he did so and he coughed as he swallowed, taking another small sip after the coughing subsided then passing the bucket to his friend. Anton, despite being somewhat at awe at the recent discovery which of course Entalo had heard while his friend was unconscious, took the bucket eagerly.

The larger man took a more direct approach, gulping the water several times and depleting about a quarter of it in a few seconds. Entalo cleared his throat, hoping to draw his attention, but to no avail. Entalo sighed then took the bucket from Anton's grasp, handing it back to Rue. The axe wielder looked at Entalo strangely, then seemed to catch on that Aelianus had yet to drink any of the water. He said a quick apology then grabbed his axe, testing it's sharp edge in an attempt to escape the awkwardness he was obviously feeling. Entalo smiled at his friend. He sometimes overlooked things, but at least he always tried to make it better with an apology.

He really is a nice man, thought Entalo as he had many times before. At least when he isn't fighting, that is. Focusing now on whatever else was happening in the small encampment, the most interesting besides a chirping bird being Aelianus's request to Raiyn. Entalo watched closely, eager to see what kind of response the man would give. More than one of us could learn something from him, he thought with a slight smile.