Ashborn swooped low, folding his wings close he spun downward through two large chunks of rocks.



His foe dived, but instead of following, went to the right swiftly coming around one of the rocks. He came at his opponent from there side.

Ashborn twisted up wards flapping his wings hard to get height, heading strait up he dodged, as his opponent niped at his tail that was there a second before. Curving upwards his opponent followed.

Ashborn continued to gain height, hoping to lose the foe in the thick clouds. Ashborn curved backward almost like doing a back-flip, plummeting downwards.

His opponent must have guessed the move, as Ashborn moved into the clouds, his opponent had moved off behind a small rock. As Ashborn passed he dived after him. Ashborn realizing the creature wasn't where he expected it to be, saw the opponent on his tail.

Ashborn quickly spread his wings wide and curved to the left, again diving as his opponent flew past.

The two mighty creatures where side by side, racing downwards towards a large island. Both spreading there wings they landed on the surface with grace. There two riders barely feeling the bump that signaled there ride was over.

Vincent slide off his mount. "I think they are becoming friends." He let just a hint of a smile pass on his face.


Cayle on the other hand, wasn't affraid to show her beeming smile. "I'd say so! That was great!" She laughed at her own enthusiasm and carefully adjusted her windblown hair. Giving up after a moment she reached for her leather strap, and twisted and tied it into submission. "I haven't had that much fun since I was a kid." She added. A smile touched her lips, but it had somehow seemed odd to say, and a brief silence fell.


Vincent slide his hand down Ashborn's neck and with a slight push the wyvrn was flying off to hunt. They had landed near a river that fell off the edge of the island, a cascading waterfall flowing off into nothing."It's nearly night, we should rest here. We've had a long journey, and have not been able to rest since leaving Kantle. We can set up camp next to the river and the edge of the island to afford us some protection against the wildlife."


Cayle nodded, suddenly wearing a serious face to better match his. "Right. So..." She threw a glance around and reached to scratch Tarek's ears. "What sort of wildlife do you think we'll be dealing with?" Maybe it was a silly question, and Cayle had traveled much in the past two years, but she'd avoided the wild areas as much as possible. So frankly...she had but a vauge idea.


Vincent stood thinking for a moment. "Well this is one of the three Larger islands in this area that would have anything but flying creatures on it. The only thing we would have to worry about is the Hid'eshie, im sure you know of them."
(OOC: A Hi-Dea-Shie is a Panther like creature with six legs and, while on all six legs stands at 7' Feet tall)
"But with Tarek and Ashborn around we shouldn't have any trouble."




After finding a place to set up their camp, Cayle set out the last of her supplies and then glanced over as Vincent finished setting up the wood and started a fire for the night. She heard a distant stir in the woods, and hoped that it was just Tarek chassing rabbits perhaps. Yet still her hand moved to grip the long handle of her sword, and a calm assurance found her. Vincent had given her a protection from harm, altho... I've never really used one have I? Cayle could recall learning a few basics from her father in his spare time, and he'd said she had natural ability, but she had never much used that ability. This being the only sword she'd owned. "Um, Vincent...I have a question, about the sword..?" She asked, wondering if asking a favor of him would be too much.

"Of course Mylady. What is it you wish to know? Have you found it unsuitable?" Vincent said.

A smirk found her as he addressed her so formally. But she reminded herself that this man had been brought up in the service of the castle, he probably thought nothing of it. "Oh no! Of course not." Cayle replied, thinking that she would correct him later. "It's just, I've never really used the sword, aside from a bit of training from my father..." She tugged at the chain around her wrist subconsciously. "So I was wondering if there was anything you could teach me..?"

Vincent looked around, walking over to a long white oak limb, he quickly tore the branches off. It formed a sturdy, decent looking staff. Turning toward her, staff in hand. "You must always be ready to kill your opponent, mercy is a weakness on the battlefield. Draw your sword Mylady!"

The suddeness with which he spoke startled her, and Cayle for a moment wondered what he planned on doing with the oak branch. Then she realized it was his weapon. She opened her mouth to dispute but his words ran back through her mind before any of her own found her. Draw your sword! With that Cayle spread her feet a bit and in an even stride she drew the blade in front of her, taking a defensive posture.

Moving forward Vincent closed the gap with his target, twirling the staff around his body he kept it moving at a fast speed. He stuck out, swinging his staff horizontally toward her chest. Slightly slowing the staff as it approached her encase she did not block.

Seeing him move towards her Cayle pulled her wrist up, allowing the tip of the blade to angle downwards as she blocked his first blow. Her sword was shoved back towards her chest and her arm wrenched a bit. Quickly grabbing the handle with both hands, Cayle realized she'd already made her first mistake. But still she waited for his next move.

"Center your weight, or your enemy will throw you off balance." Vincent was already moving, circling around her making her adjust her stance. "Keep your eye's on me, your sword up facing toward me. Do not block my blows but parry them. You hurt your arm, let the power of there attack slide off and away from you."
Vincent twirled around, swirling the pole over his head as it slid through his hand. Grabbing down on the end he knelt and let the full weight and force of the pole to come at Cayle, chest height.

Turning to keep her eyes fixed upon her opponent, Cayle was careful to both listen to and apply his council, while staying guarded for his next attack. Then, it came. Her eyes carefully watched the end of the oak staff comming towards her, and she knew in that moment she would have to take this seriously, or his training would mean nothing. "Let the power of their attack slide off and away from you." Cayle waited another teeth-grinding moment. When his weapon came close she angled her body toward the staff, leaning back and angling her sword away from the staff. As the staff connected with her sword she pushed her sword upwards while angling it downwards. The staff slid off and kept going. Her sword already almost horizontal and close to her body she struck out at his abdomen, Cayle's hands suddenly flinched as she realized she made contact.

Vincent looked into Cayle's eyes. She stood there sword in hand, eyes wide open in terror. "Good, you where ready to kill your opponent." Vincent smiled and looked down as her eyes followed. There Vincent had grabbed hold of his katana with his left hand, pushing upwards on the hilt guard. Her sword had struck... the two inches of blade that was out of his sheath.

Cayle let out a heave, a sigh of relief and lowered her sword. She clenched the handle tighter though, so as not to let him see the slight tremble in her hands. "I'm sorry." She said, having hardly noticed his approval.

Sheathing his katana, he held the staff in his right hand. "I do not know why you would apologize Mylady. With all due respect, I was never in any danger." He let out a smile for her comfort. "We should eat and rest, we have a long flight tomorrow." As if on que, Ashborn landed near the camp and settled down for the night.

With a quiet laugh Cayle nodded in agreement. Though there was still a distant sadness in her eyes. Maybe it wasn't that she felt she could have actually landed the strike, perhaps it was having seen this man--who's skill would seem unmatched--bloodied and wounded and half dead that night. It was a bit scary to think that they could end up facing the one's who'd brought such harm to him. Or perhaps even worse in the future. But it was a haunting thought she would have to live with. So she watched quietly as Ashborn settled for the night and decided it was a good idea indeed. She called back over her shoulder as she turned to her bedroll. "Goodnight."

Pulling his katana from his belt he sat down and put his back against a nearby rock. Katana leaning against his shoulder he rested and waited for morning. Sleep would not come for this man, for he would not let his guard down. So he rested his weary eyes, waited and listened for a attack that may or may not come.

Annabelle stood near the top of a very tall tree, full of satisfaction. It took many hours and she had suffered some minor injuries but she had done it. Her wondering about brought her to the edge of the island, where a river fell down into the abyss of nothingness. Near this river she could see a camp fire. Knowing that scouts would not dare set camp this far from Kantle and that no adventurer was so foolish as to search this deep into the forest for riches, Annabelle had no doubt in her mind that this could possibly be the resting place of her prey. Soon to be final resting place.

She examined the area more thoroughly and saw that the wyvern was present. The mighty beast seemed to be asleep. If this was true, she could kill Vincent without waking it. It was an oppertunity for her to finish her assignment and return to her home and maybe rest but it was also a gamble. The slightest noise, the faintest little sound could awaken the beast or even Vincent himself. Annabelle, in her current state could not fight a trained Elite Guard knight and his pet Wyvern but she had to risk it. For Kantle she must risk it.


Annabelle dropped down and quietly walked towards the camp. As she did she became aware of another option. She could attempt sneaking up on wyvern and cutting up the beast's wings. With a couple big enough cuts or holes in the wings, take off would be impossible and Vincet could not escape to another island. Off course this option cane with a bigger risk but it would increase her chances of killing him later on. Then again a pissed off Wyvern, injured or not, could prove to be too much. She could see, what she thought was, Vincent asleep near the fire and she decided it would better to kill him and go.

She moved in closer, making herself visible. Her spear tightly gripped in her hands . She ready to kill. Annabelle did not know that this person who she believed to be Vincent, was actually the girl that found him and saved him. Annabelle had failed to notice that her real target was resting on a nearby rock and awake.

Ashborn! Wake up we have a visitor.

Vincent was watching the girl, she hovered over Cayle, spear in the air ready to strike. Faster than the blink of an eye, Vincent was up, running toward her. He drew his sword from his sheath, as he slashed the spear away from Cayle. Ashborn was up now, Vincent pressed forward. The assassin backed up away from Vincent and the Wyrvn, that was now hovering over Cayle. Ashborn let out a loud roar at the woman.

Tarek was beside her in a sudden moment, and Cayle had awoken to the tip of a spear being slashed away from her eyes. She felt confused and groggy as she awoke, but only her mind was slow for her body had already taken action. Cayle was out of her bedroll with the sword that had laid beside her, now gripped tightly in her hands. She knelt on one knee behind Tarek, who growled with teath beared and wings held high.
Her eyes cast upwards slightly at the sound of Ashborn, as he had let out a feirce roar. He stood just behind her and the wolf, his great neck craining around her, offering his protection.The girl carefully took in the situation, wondering as she did who this woman could be. She seemed rather serious, whoever it was.



(OOC - Post was co-written as per the usual ^.^ )

 It became clear the second that her spear was forced away that Annabelle had made a mistake. Instead of a knight, she attacked a girl. As Annabelle backed away she saw her real target, the traitor Vincent Delvaren, wielding his katana and his pet wyvern wide awake. The girl picked up a blade of her own and there was even a winged wolf among them. Annabelle's eyes remained fixed on Vincent despite the other dangers in front of her. She continued backing away, the serious expression on her face never leaving.

 Annabelle now wondered if she ran, could she make it to safety? Her eyes left Vincent and fell on the Wyvern and the winged wolf. Can they out run me? Out maneuver me? If I do make it to the woods could they continue to chase me? Annabelle did not know and it only made her feel like fool. 

She had backed away to the very edges of the light that the fire emitted. The shadows seemed eager to embrace her once more but Annabelle did not leap into their arms. It was here that she would make her stand. Success even in death, she reminded herself.

 "Vincent come quietly and your friends shall be spared.". She said. It was a very bold move, given the circumstances, but Annabelle did not let them know that. She seemed confident and there wasn't an ounce of fear or uncertainty in her voice or body language. She doubted a Elite Guard Knight would fall for such a bluff but there weren't many better options. 

 Annabelle pulled her hood over her face. The hood casting a thick shadow over her face that only allowed her mouth to be seen. She then planted the blunt side of her spear into the ground and extended out her left arm, motioning him to come to her. A devious grin worked it's way up to her face while she did this. Her right hand remained on her spear ready for action should Vincent or any of the four attack her. 

"Assassin, you serve a fool. Your ways are of stealth and surprise, you will not be able to defeat a royal guard in combat." Vincent readied his sword. If the assassin did not leave he would kill her and be done with it. "Leave us! It is four against one. Run back to your master, you little whipped dog. Leave now, if I ever see you again, I will slit your throat!"

Niara rummaged through her pack trying to find the piece of dried meat she had just had for Lythia. "Ah here we go!" She said cheerfully. Huh? Where did she go? She stood up puzzled and looked around the cave. "Lythia? Lythia! Where are you!" her voice echoed in the cave. Ryou blew a light film of ice, refracting the light and sending a wall of rainbows toward the back of the cave in attempt to help Niara see. "Thanks Ryou but she's not back here. She shivered with the sudden decrease in temperature. "So if she's not in here that means she must be" she turned her head "out there..." Niara shuffled over to the edge of the cave. "Lythia!" She called out. A bit below she saw her stumbling to get back. She offered a hand to help pull her back in. Once she was safely back in the cave she shot a sharp glare at Lythia. "What the hell is wrong with you? One minute I'm offering you breakfast the next you're off trying to kill yourself! Even if the fall didn't kill you, who knows what kind of wild life is out here that would be more than glad to pick you off for its breakfast!"

" Like you said Knight, My ways are of stealth and surprise. I'm certain you won't see me again.".

Annabelle lifted her spear and took several steps back. The second she stepped into the darkness, she was out of site. Her steps were not audible and she could be anywhere. As far as they knew she could still be right there, waiting for them to drop their guard so she could strike.

In all actualility, Annabelle had ran away. Far away. She was given the chance to live and she was not stupid. She was ashamed but every second she spent alive was another second she could redeem herself. Annabelle did not know she was going to explain this to Prince Ryon or King Raust, failure was tolerated only when it resulted in death. Surely the Kysars would understand the for her to 'scout' out her enemy before she strikes. Yeah they would understand. She was certain of it.

Annabelle sighed and jumped up and took hold of a branch. The Kysars might understand but her Uncle wasn't going to stand for it. He may be the jolliest of the Valdirrs but he was also the strictest.

Lythia brushed herself off from the climb and threw her troublesome pack to the wall of the cave. Then turned her attention to the distressed princess. "Don't be so panicked I was only gone for a couple minutes." She then remembered the water bottle in her pack and went to get it so she could share with Niara.

"You could have died! That's what I do when people could die, I panic!" Niara took a deep breath."I'm just glad you're ok." She handed Lythia the dried meat she had packed and took a sip of her water. "So where should we go now. I mean its probably not a good idea if we stay here for too much longer."

Lythia sat and noticed the note that Sylvester had left for her in the night. After reading, she looked back up at Niara. 'Kantle. There are somethings that need to be taken care of there. Are you alright with that?"

Niara was taken aback. "Kantle?" Exclamation could be heard in her voice. "Why would you need to go there?" She was beginning to question whether she had made the right decision to leave Rose, nonetheless with a crazy person.

With a chuckle and rising to her feet again to take the water for a sip and then handing it back, Lythia looked at the princess almost kindly. "I'm afraid that is my secret to keep. I won't force you to go, though." Watching the small case of worry cross through Niara's face made Lythia question her own sanity even. But she had already made a promise to someone one thing. She couldn't really promise Niara safety when she herself was going in the opposite direction of it.

Niara thought hard for a second. What could be so bad it would have to remain a secret? She quickly dismissed the idea deciding she would rather not know. Kantle.... Its always been my families arch rival. I suppose that would be the last place anyone from rose would look for me. Her fingers twisted her hair into a knot before she decided it was in the way and needed to go up. While pulling her hair in a ponytail she finally made her decision. "Well I suppose I don't really have anywhere else to go. Two of us are more likely to survive in Kantle rather than one of us in Kantle and one of us... who knows where."

Even though pity could be taken as an insult, it was not quite that as Lythia watched Niara's hands force themselves apart to put her hair back. "I'm sure your right." She was sure she would be fine alone too. But Niara wasn't used to being alone. Yes, she would have Ryou with her no matter what. But that wouldn't really be enough if Ryou didn't know about Kantle. Throwing Ryou a piece of the meet that she couldn't finish -for the reason he had not eaten anything out of her pack or made a mess- she stood and shrugged. "The company would be much appreciated as well." I haven't had it in a while.

The word confusion sipped through Lythia's mind. "I know the general direction." She forced herself not to shuffle her feet at her foolishness. Took to brushing off imaginary lint to hide her blush. Then looked back.

Niara chuckled. "We could go basically any direction and get there eventually."

"Yeah...." but I'm kinda on a mental clock here, lady. "Well do you have an idea on how we could get there? What way to take?" Lythia second guessed the meat she couldn't finish and took a small piece again.

Ryou looked longingly at the meat Lythia was debating on eating. He slithered around and brought his head up beside Lythia. Niara's head hurt. She paused. "There may be a map in the castle library. However if you know the general direction. I have spent enough time looking at the stars I could probably tell you which direction that is. Especially at night."

Lythia looked at Ryou, "What?" She said to him and parted the piece of meat in half and gave him the larger. Chewing on the other she looked like a really young girl, with messy hair, leaves still stuck in it and chewing on the meat like a piece of candy. Her gray eyes focused on Niara as the petted Ryou. "I would rather that than to go back to the castle. Less dangerous."

"Thats what I thought too. Its probably safer if we leave under nights cover." She suddenly wished Ryou was a darker color. She looked through her pack rationing out the rest of the food she had there into enough meals for three days. "Ryou stop begging! You can catch your own food and I expect you to!. I don't want to make a fire cause it will give away our position so we have to be the ones to eat the dried food cause we very well can't make any more."

Lythia laughed at the dragon being scolded who was very well used to it and knew better. "So we set out tonight then?" She walked over to the edge of the cave careful not too fall and then stared at the trees that were upside down. If she looked far enough she could see the ground, but from where she was it seemed the were on the side of the island. She sighed, if this is what freedom was, the world being upside down and not knowing how you'll get to the next step, she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

"Tonight it is. For now..." She pulled up her per pack and made it into something soft to lean on. "Get comfortable."

[OOC: Once again the string of co-writing has been struck again between Driananium and myself, Crowriter. A.k.a. This was co-written.]

Fixed upon his new friends shoulder, Joktar continued to happily nibble at the small nut Davrin had cracked open for him. Davrin stood up slowly, his body battered from his duel. Peices of his once elegant black Kantilian armor had been ripped off and crushed. His hand woven cape was now frayed and torn. His nose as well as his knees and elbows were bleeding. His sword's blade was superheated from the blood of the slain dragon laying on the ground a few feet away. He took a step toward the dragon corpse and winced. his left calf had suffered a significant gash from being tossed around like a rag doll. He ripped some cloth from his cape and wrapped it around the wound.

He began to walk towards the dragon and swallow the pain when he heard a rumble that appeared to come from the dragon itself. Everything seemed to stop around him. Even Joktar's gaze had shifted from the food in his hands to the odd noise that just occurred. Then there came another rumble, and then a sizzle... Davrin watched as the blood from the dragon's brain boiled down into the dragons unstable organs. The wheels in his head began to turn.

Heat mixed with cold makes steam. Steam expands. Steam mixed with unstable elements...... Oh crap...

Davrin took off running so suddenly Joktar nearly fell off of his perch on his shoulder. As the small primate hung on for dear life, Davrin leapt off of the giant stump onto one of the treetops in the forest below. As their fall was cushioned by the smifer trees large, bulbous and cushy leaves, they were rocked from an enormous explosion from the top of the giant stump. Davrin pulled the side of the leaf over them and prayed the searing dragon blood that was about to about to rain over the island would fly over them and spare them a painful death.

A sigh escaped Cayle's lungs, and she fell back against Tarek as he moved back behind her. Her gaze quickly turned to Vincent, in a bit of concern and greatfullness. She wanted to smile, but it somehow didn't seem right this time. For now, she thanked him with no more then a meaningfull gaze. It had been a bit frightening to see him so serious, and yet she knew it was that seriousness that had saved her. Words finally found Cayle after she had drawn and released a few more breaths of air. "Who the hell was that..?"

Vincent's sword was still in hand when she asked him a question. He glanced toward her. "A assassin from Kantle. I should not have been near you." *Sigh* "It's to late now though. We must pack up the camp and leave." Without putting away his sword, he started packing up the few things Cayle had out. Ashborn assuming a less threating stance, continued to stay nearby Cayle.

"I'm sorry, but I feel much in the opposite way..." Cayle spoke slowly, wondering if her words would catch his attention. The man still seemed pretty wound up. She turned her back a moment to scratch her wolf's head. Then she turned back and caught Vincent's eyes. Now was when a slight smile settled on her face. "I think I'd have been worse off had you not been near. Considering this would have been a path I was soon to venture on my own any way." Then, she carefully began collecting up anything he had not already packed.

As they finished, Vincent sheathed his sword. "Of course Mylady, as you wish." He climbed onto Ashborn, leading him over to Cayle and Tarek. "We should be going Mylady, the assassin may still be nearby. I know it is still night but we can not risk staying here, I'm sorry."

Cayle's eyes fell a bit, but a hint of the smile stayed. "Its ok, I won't be able to sleep now any way." She said simply. The girl gazed up towards the Wyvern and the man sitting upon him, and though it seemed for a moment as if a sigh would escape her, she contained it. After all it would seem to be a sign of exasperation at having to move, and that wasn't the case. "You know..." Cayle wrapped an arm around Tarek's broad neck, and hesitated another moment. "You don't have to call me that all the time. I'd much rather you use my name if you'd like." She hoped he wouldn't take it as a 'command' it didn't really bother her, she just wasn't used to being treated as...well as higher than anyone else. And as it felt now, it wouldn't ever become something she would wish for either.

Vincent watched as she got onto Tarek, when it looked like she was ready they moved over to the edge of the island. "Of course..Mylady" He let a smirk come across his face, just as Ashborn leapt from the edge of the island and took flight, coasting on the wind current as the stars gazed down upon them. Blessing their journey with its light.

"There it is!" Vincent had to yell above the roar of the wind. It was late morning and they had finally arrived, Eve was on the horizon. Lucky for them it was a cloudy morning and that would hide their approach to the island. Flying closer, Ashborn sailed right next to Tarek. "We should land on the the east side of the island, the forest is thicker there."


Leaning down closer to the wolf's neck, Cayle replied with a nodd, and angled Tarek back and behind Ashborn a bit. So that they could follow without getting in the way. As they came down nearer the Island, Cayle well knew he wasn't exaggerating when he said that the forests on the east side were thicker. They were so dense they remained unihabited. But she knew that there was still much need for caution...the people of Eve were all too familiar with nature, and living among it. Even if there was no residency in the forests here, there could still be hunters or others wandering around. But Vincent would be taking all of this into account, she knew, had he not already done so.


Vincent leaned close to Ashborn as they skimmed the tree tops. Finding a nice spot they landed in a small clearing near the forest edge. Sliding down from Ashborn he stroked the wyrvns neck, these two should go deeper into the forest. A giant rat and wolf would be a dead give away that we don't belong." Vincent looked toward the forest edge. "If we need them I will be able to call for Ashborn, he will be able to find me." Turning back toward Cayle Vincent awaited her opinion.


The girl nodded again. "Yeah I'd have to agree. Hopefully we won't need him though." She said, afterwhich Cayle turned to Tarek and raised her brows. "You stay with Ashborn," Her hand moved to point toward the wyvern. "and don't get into any trouble." With what almost looked like a nod from the wolf, Cayle smiled at him a moment and then turned towards Vincent again. Her expression turned serious again, though she tried to hide the anxiety within her. Gripping the handle of her sword securly, she spoke up again. "Let's go."


Nearing the edge of the woods Vincent looked at Cayle's clothes, he then looked at his own. Stopping just before the trees and brush ended Vincent spoke up. "I don't think I will be able to follow till I get a change of clothes...black is not exactly fitting in" He let another smirk come across his face before asking. "Do you still have the left over gold from buying the supplies, Myla...Cayle?"


A smile too cracked her lips at the quick supplement of his usual phrase for her name. "Um, yeah." She reached into her tunic to relinquish the small leather pouch from where it had been tucked safley between her own black tunic and the cream colored shirt she wore beneath. For a moment Cayle gazed down at her own garb, and with a shrug returned to him the gold. "I can't say that mine is any more appropriate but hey, at least I won't be taken for a knight." She mused, wondering if she had carried anything better with her.


Vincent looked at the bag she held toward him. "You should keep it, you will need it." He walked over to some vines growing down a tree, he cut a good length of them off. Twirling them around each other he began to make something. "Take your tunic off and put this on." He handed her the quickly made head ornament, some vines and leaves wrapped into a circle to wear on her head. "You will need to go get us some more... unnoticeable clothes. Make sure to get me a brown cloak, my...scars will give me away...and face."


The surprised expression was one she couldn't hide, but after a moment Cayle complied without arguement. Remembering that, if she was to have no one else by her side, she could at least have her sword. Dropping the gold and weapon to the ground, Cayle pulled the belt from around her waist, offed the tunic and threw it towards Vincent with a grin. She then replaced the sword by her side, and tied the belt around the long lighter shirt she wore over her grey trousers. Using her small leather tie to wrap around part of her hair in a collected strand, she let the peice fall over her shoulder and the rest lay however it placed itself. "Thanks." Cayle muttered, taking the vine ornament and observing it carefully a moment before settling it attop her head. With a last look towards Vincent she turned, to venture out alone once again. It seemed like a bitter memory.


"Be careful Cayle" Vincent called to her as she left the clearing.If I where to venture out there the way I am, we would both be killed. Not able to do anymore, he took advantage of the time she would be gone. Having not slept for several days now Vincent was exhausted, he sat down with his back to the closest tree and fell asleep.

Reaching to touch the vines still resting on her head, Cayle watched the goings on of the quiet streets on the edges of the providence. After standing in a quiet unnoticeable shadow behind one booth, she waited for her opportunity, and then stepped out into the small crowds, trying her best to mingle.
There were different booths and tents on either side of the street, some selling animal skins and precious leather items, others selling random jewelers pieces or wood crafts. An odd glance or two was passed her way, but no one seemed to take particular notice of her, and more importantly no one stopped her. Still though, she saw no vendors selling clothes of any sort. So, with a rather reluctant stride, she turned to wander farther into the city, closer to the castle and the larger population...basically the last place she wanted to be. But she'd been here before, why did it feel so much more dangerous this time around..?

Because this time you know... A silent voiced seemed to tell her.

After shaking off her doubts and deciding to focus on one goal at a time, Cayle finally found a vendor selling clothes. She stepped inside the tent and looked around a bit...it was a surprisingly short trip.
"How much for the cloak?!" As it turned out...anything the sly looking owner had, cost more than what she carried with her.

As she traveled up the roads, crowds grew denser and people took less notice of her. Maybe this won't be so bad after all... Of course, as things never seem to fail in having perfectly coincidental timing, as soon as the thought had slipped through Cayle's mind, her eyes found two guardians of the Castle Eve...specifically trained to weed out intruders, so that they may be justly punished. In other words, swiftly executed.
She ducked her head a bit but tried not to look too suspicious. They hadn't looked her way yet, maybe she could slip by. Cayle didn't even notice she'd been holding her breath ever since her eyes landed on the guards. If she could just be quiet, blend in...
Then, on of the two gave a swooping gaze over the crowds, his eyes landing right on her, before they ducked into an oddly quiet tent on the street. Unsure if she could let herself release the breath she'd been holding quite yet, Cayle moved on, and didn't stop to see if they had followed her. But the tingle on her spine had slowly faded.

Stepping to the next booth she found, Cayle greeted the old woman who managed it, and then turned her gaze down towards the clothing, neatly folded and stacked around the booth. After searching through a short while she found a small tunic of the same green color the trees here wore, and rimmed with thick, brown stitching. It was perfect, not only would it enable her to blend with the natives, it would also impart her a degree of camouflage in the forests. With a few more moments of search, Cayle found a cloak as Vincent had asked for, then she paid her dues, thanked the woman, and began to step away from the crowds.

As she neared the outskirts of town she found a quiet place to slip on her tunic, and after replacing her belt and sword, she decided to wear the cloak as well, so that she wouldn't have to carry it all the way back. As she pulled it on, footsteps caught her ears. Turning her gaze behind her, Cayle's eyes met those of someone she'd let herself forget about... the guard, from before. The cloak was too big on her, and had she pulled the hood over her blue hair, Cayle knew she would have had no problem disappearing into the crowds now. But the fact was, she was no longer in the crowds, and her quiet spot had just turned out to be the perfect way to get cornered.
Still, she pulled the cloak's hood over her head, and waving to someone on an adjaccent street, Cayle moved away, pretending not to have noticed the guard slowly coming towards her. Whoever she had waved at was apparently a jolly fellow, and she silently thanked him for that, as he'd returned her a wave and smile. It made her appear to belong.
Cayle's gaze quickly cut to the opposing side of the street she now walked towards--heading behind the booths and busier street to get there--where she saw a few sturdy huntsman horses tied and waiting.

Perfect.

Walking calmly towards the first horse, she kept her voice low but cooed and stroked his nose a moment, hoping his master wasn't near. Then with a casual glance back towards the way she came, Cayle confirmed that the guard was still slowly working his way towards her. He let himself appear to be distracted searching the crowds, but it was obvious his gaze kept falling her way. With a smile aimed to the horse, Cayle murmured to him again, before carefully untying his reins, and climbing into the saddle. The steed was hardly taken aback by the kind girl who now sat in his saddle, and obediently followed her direction, first turning away from the town's heart, and then moving into a lope towards the trees beyond.

I look like any other huntsman... Cayle told herself, but as they picked up speed and she felt the hood pull away from her head, she risked a glance back. The guard had given up stealth. Sure that something wasn't right, he now followed behind her upon his own mount, a horse of even larger stature, with muscles that were easy to see even from a distance. It would only be so long before he caught up.

"What do you mean,'You allowed him to leave!'." Prince Ryon shouted. The future king of Kantle paced back and forth with, like he always did when he about to explode. His father sat on the throne which was the immediate center of attention. His face was buried in his palm, he too was furious but his Majesty was not like his soon. The King of Kantle was a very wise man, for a villain. He had more patience in a foot then his son had in a whole body and with his age came experience. "Calm down child! Anna I too would have preferred it if this man was killed the instant you lied eyes on him your failure is very irritating...".

"I apologized your majesty. I underestimated my foe but be assured I won't make the same mistake twice.". Annabelle stated, her voice barely audible. "You bet you won't! Slit her throat and send her fat uncle after that foolish knight. He could use the exercise.". Ryon grinned and pulled out from the sleeve of his a threatening twelve inch dagger. He proceeded to placing the blade uncomfortably close to her neck. "I'll be more then glad to do it myself father...".

"Ryon if you even cut a hair on her head_!".

"But she must be punished!".

"Death shall not be her punishment! A dead man cannot pay his debts!".

"You are too merciful, too soft! If you were more violent that incident with the knight wouldn't have happened!...What is to be her sentence?".

King Raust hesitated and then he spoke loud and clear so that all present in the room could hear. "Annabelle Vaddir, servant of the Kysars. Since you have failed to complete your mission or to live up to your family's motto: Success even in death, you will be exiled for life!... Or until you can kill Sir Vincent Delvaren and his companions. You have two days to leave Kantle or the guard will be authorized to kill you.".

Prince Ryon did not seem so pleased with her father's decision. The knife however remained in his hands and his eyes fixed on Annabelle.

The cold steel of the blade tickled Annabelle in a funny way. A bad way. It sent chills down her spine and made the hairs on her head stand upright. It was shocking that Prince Ryon would toss her away with such haste, it was a relief to know he would not be permitted to kill her. Something told her that he wasn't planning on making it a quick or painless execution. Annabelle bowed and hurried to leave the throne room, Prince Ryon Kysar following close behind her, dagger in hand.

"When I asked him where the writings were...right before he went back to talking normal he said that it was the tomb of 'the great one' and that he had summoned protectors so no one could find the writings. Something like that." Vincent was stirred out of his dreams by the sound of thundering hooves. He was up quickly, ready for anything. Could it be a patrol? No...it's to fast...frantic...Cayle! He saw her, coming toward him on a horse with another following her. Starting to unsheathe his katana, Vincent decided against it. Instead he ducked low behind a bush, right by the path of Cayle. Pulling out his sheathed sword Vincent readied himself.
Cayle passed by!
Cayle's pursuer was on her tail, rushing forward Vincent slammed the end of his sword into the gut of her pursuer. The horse startled by this kicked back slamming it's hooves into his rider who was already knocked backwards off the horse. Leaving the horse for Cayle to handle, Vincent quickly approached the guardian and broke his neck.

After grabbing the other horses reigns, Cayle trotted up. She tried not to look at the guard that lay on the ground in a gruesome position. Why... didn't you just kill him with your sword? She asked looking Vincent in the eye's to avoid the other's.

"I know it was a rather barbaric way of killing this man...but we can use the uniform. Tears and blood on it, would just not work." Vincent closed the mans eyes with a hand. "I am sorry you ran into trouble, was this the only one following you?"

Getting down from her horse she looped both horses reigns around a nearby branch. "No he was the only one to follow me, thank you. I uh..got you the cloak you wanted." Cayle said with a slight grin, the brown cloak still draped over her own shoulders. She carefully pulled off the cloak and offered it to him.

Stripping down the guard, Vincent accepted the cloak from Cayle. He took off his katana and wakizashi, and set the cloak beside him. Then he took off his own clothes and began to adorn the clothing from the guard that would fit him. Having the guards pants, shirt, and leather armor he put his swords back on and threw the cloak around him. "Good job getting all this, and the horses. They will be of use."

Cayle nodded and begun pulling her hair back into a braid. "I didn't really intend on it but I guess they were of no cost to us." She shrugged and looked over his new garb. It didn't seem to suit him as well, but he would certainly blend far better with the local inhabitants. "So what's the plan now?"

Looking over at her Vincent spoke. "The tomb is are target on this island. It is located inside the castle grounds, in the royal grave site. We should walk around and see what we are dealing with. Then tonight we sneak in."

The wind rushed past Niara's ears, blowing her hair back in the wind.This is so much better than being in that stuffy 'ole cave. Niara and Lythia had decided to spend some time away from each other. Due to her secretiveness she figured Lythia had something to do that she didn't want Niara involved in. Besides, Niara wanted to do a little exploring, safely, from the dragon's back. Well I guess this isn't exactly safe. Rose guards are probably scouring above my head looking for me. I wonder if they even know this is down here.

She worked her thumbs in a circular motion along Ryou's neck. He responded by making an elegant loop through the trees. She held fast onto one of his spines, and ducked as a branch nearly severed her head Close one! Her thumbs slid down the left side of his neck and forward. With that he dropped altitude and went into a downward left spiral We're going to crash! Immediately she moved her right thumb toward her leg. With the same urgency he pulled up and leveled out. "Alright Ryou. Lesson is over. I'm just along for the ride now. Have fun."

A sly smile seemed to come across his face. Before Niara finished her sentence Ryou was in a dive bomb, clear of all the trees, headed for the ground below. Way below. A pool of water grew closer and closer to them. "Ryou! Stop!" She slid her thumbs down his neck in an attempt to get him to stop but to no avail. Ryou's body took a majority of the blow. Nevertheless Niara's whole body felt like thousands of needles had been stabbed into it. Cold, shaky, disoriented, and in pain, Niara drug herself out of the lake. "D-damn it R-ryou! Th-that wasn't funn-nny" she said through chattering teeth.

Ryou Pranced out of the lake carrying a huge chicken-like swinging from his jaws. "Damn it Ryou!" she cursed again "All that for lunch! Something that clumsy looking couldn't escape if you gave it a day head start, never mind a five thousand yard ambush!" Niara rolled her eyes. Cold and dripping wet she climbed back on the dragon's back. "Just take me back to the cave." Still carying his catch Ryou obediently took off. A few minutes later they landed back in the cave. A loud thud was heard as Ryou plopped down in the cave exhausted and munched on his catch. "It takes alot more energy to get back up then to get down there huh?" she scorned. She rummaged through her pack to find a dry change of clothes. I wonder where Lythia is. Its odd that she isn't back yet.

"Here, kitty kitty..." The gray eyed girl clung to the trunk of an upside down tree watching a not so little kitty, but a beast with paws bigger than her face, claws that were as long as her hands perhaps, and wings that stretched out widely and strongly as to convey that it could lift the mass and length of a young seven foot long Liger which probably weighed close to around 850 pounds. Thick fur camouflaged the tensed muscles of the animals thighs and front legs, shoulders and jaws. White with black stripes as the wings were similar to a birds. Black with a hint of gray lining the ends. His eyes were that of gold his teeth white even as there was some dried blood smudged on his jaw from whatever lunch he had caught for himself earlier that day. He was watching Lythia with a challenge in his eyes. It made her question the stupidity she was showing in trying to capture him.

No, "kitty" did not fit the terms when it came to this one. Perched on a branch Lythia said different names to herself until one of them made enough sense. "Taimuraz, don't feel too threatened by me now." She was only really talking to herself, the beast would never take her word like this. Her barging in on his home. Being honest with herself she knew her intentions were that pleasant, but she would need something like Taimuraz that would be powerful and perhaps even loyal.

Looking off at the sky/horizon the day was turning into evening and that meant there would not be much time left before Lythia had to make it back to the cave. As she made a step closer, Taimuraz growled warningly to her. If she had a death wish, this was certainly a way to get what she sought.

The realization hit when she noticed Tai's eyes focus on something behind her, her breath quieted as her arms strengthened their hold on the trees trunk. Leaning her head against it too, her eyes closed, then she heard a grunt and the smell of something ghastly hovered around her face. At the slight sharp tug on her pack that had little force her eyes opened. "Ryou?"

She turned to look back. It wasn't Ryou behind her though. A strange reptile, maybe a different breed of dragon growled at her, a strange grin spreading its mouth, like it had been waiting for pray for a long time. But as she looked at its full frame, she noticed a branded symbol on its back thigh. Her throat closed and she had to force a lump of fear down. Don't panic. As the thought went through her mind she heard Tai roar and when she looked his mouth was open in that way smaller cats use their own to hiss. The dragon made a reptile like sound that was almost damaging to her ears as Lythia was so close to it. Don't panic... the voice in her head said again on the brink of just doing so.

The dragons mouth was only a little bigger than the large Liger that she had been watching, but its teeth were probably sharper as it tugged on her pack once more, with more force this time. But still it made no real sharp movements, sniffing her outer robes and hair as she kept her eyes closed again, hoping it would lose interest.

Instead, its teeth gripping around her pack, it yanked her off the tree with one restrained movement, her head almost smacking into one of the other branches as the dragon backed away from the Ligers cave.

When her head slowly settled back into place from the jolt, Lythia only caught a glimpse as the Liger from the cave proceeded to leep onto a thick branch and grab her by the leather of her boots around her left leg. "AHHH!" She yelled as the tiger bit into her leg, not crushing bone though as the dragon began to tug more and more pulling her away from Tai. Then it finally hit her.

Her body was that of an object that was being used for a game of tug of war. One of them had to let go, at least one of them had to let go, but the dragon continued to pull harder and harder away from the tiger, but they were near the same size, and it was a struggle, Lythia screamed piercingly as she drew her legs inward against Tai's grip and her back forward at the first chance she got. At that moment, when the dragon almost lost its grip he let go only for a second to reestablish a better hold, when the Liger tugged her, so fast, swinging back into the cave, and Lythia with him.

She never hit the wall, but the force of the throw made her back and shoulder scrape against the rock for a brief second because she looked back to see the dragon viciously clawing into the cave, loud grunts and growls coming from its mouth as Taimuraz behind her roared in conflict.With what she could, Lythia rolled to the side trying to get out of the way, but when she was on her back again the dragon grabbed her leg and proceeded to try and drag her out.

With her other leg that was still good, she kicked the animals jaw which made it yelp. She yanked her foot out of its mouth, her face contorted in pain as she did so, and then as the dragon screamed at her, its head about to snatch her away, she drew the dull sword and swung it for the beasts neck. She cringed, but kept her eyes open, even as she watched its blood drip onto her, she could not afford to be off guard. As the sword was dull and only went a quarter through the dragons neck, she heard its cry of pain and then a yelp of surprise as Taimuraz jumped to the side of it, his claws on one of his paws dragging jaggedly through the reptiles flesh, another howl, the young dragon backed away, Lythia's sword fell to the floor of the cave, as she watched in awe as the dragons neck continued to bleed and the Liger force the thing out, half dragging half challenging as the dragon accepted defeat slowly, and eventually fell out of the cave. Whether it flew off or simply kept falling, Lythia didn't know as her eyes fell shut, but she forced herself to stand, her left leg wasn't able to support her weight, and she was in burning pain from her back to her left leg, she leaned against the cold rock wall.

Taimuraz was watching her now, but not in fear or from the feeling of being threatened. He almost looked as if such a weak being as Lythia was nothing to be afraid of, nor worth killing. When he walked over to her, not that much shorter than she, he sniffed her clothes and hands. When she lifted one of them, he drew back a little sniffing it again before he let her touch the top of his head.

She opened her eyes and sat down again and looking back at the winged liger she sensed a trusting between them. After all, he had managed not to crush the bones in her leg through all of that.

Her pack.. it had been thrown off when she had been tugged into the cave. After retrieving it, she mounted up and sat on the strong animals back, grabbed the thick fur and flesh at the back of his neck and set off towards where Niara would be. She let herself lean forward and rest her head on the cats shoulders only for a second.

When they arrived, Niara wasn't facing the entrance, Lythia secured Tai on a low branch below and stepped up into the cave, leaning against the wall.

She looked horrible. "I'm back."



[OOC: the tiger has black wings fyi.]

Prince Ryon grabbed Annabelle's long hair and pulled her back with one hand and with the other he wrapped it around her and placed his hand on her mouth so not a sound would escape her. A muffled shout came out of Annabelle's mouth. She struggled to break free but Ryon's grip was like that of a boa constrictor and the more she struggled the tighter he would pull on her hair. "Quit moving so much... I just might 'accidently' gut you with this dagger.".

He released the grip on her hair and moved the fiendish dagger to her neck once more. Annabelle could see the dark steel from the bottom of her eyes, that same chilling, tickling sensation. She froze and recalled the numerous times that she was in this very situation except she was the one wielding the dagger. She didn't feel whatever it was she was feeling at that time. She didn't feel anything actually. It was just a job to her, a way of life. Now that the tables were turned sickened knowing that some people in this world enjoyed killing. "One day my father will be gone. I shall be king and I will not tolerate your incompetence. My father gave you two days but If you don't leave by the end of this day, my men will find you, bring you to me, and I shall be waiting with my pretty little knife... Do we understand eachother?".

Annabelle nodded and the prince released her, more like pushed her away from her. "Get out of my sight peasant!". He barked and pushed a castle servant out of his way. Annabelle watched the man leave, thinking.
He's the man who shall rule Kantle...He's the man I must serve to my dying breathe...

Night had fallen upon them as they neared the castle. Leaving the horses behind in the edge of the woods, Cayle followed Vincent up through the shadows in the dark. She leaned in closer and kept her voice low as they came close enough to see a few figures up ahead. "What about the guards..?" She asked softly, wondering if he was bold enough to strike them here in the quiet of the night.


"Stay here." Vincent stood, limping as he approached the three men who where guarding the servants door. This was the second entrance they found leading inside the wall surrounding the castle. The 'door' was a foot thick of solid oak wood, reinforced by metal braces. Being almost seven feet tall and 5 feet in width, was always guarded and the walls above patrolled. Vincent, dressed like the killed guardian, approached the guards. "Assassin's from rose ambushed me, help I..." Getting close enough he quickly drew his sword and sliced the mens throats so they could not yell. Obtaining the key from the head guard he unlocked the door, grunting as he pushed it open. He then motioned for Cayle to approach.


Watching quietly from the shadows, Cayle saw Vincent's blade slice across the men's throats, taking with it a stream of their scarlet blood. Soon enough he would... there. He gestured for her to follow and without hesitation Cayle rushed after. Stepping inside the door behind him, she then slowly drew her own weapon, waiting for the next danger to find them.


Moving along the wall Vincent and Cayle stayed in the dark, away from the torches light. Having made it almost to the grave yard, a distant cry sounded. "They must have found the bodies, go Cayle. Find the crypt, I will follow." Above, guards grabbed torches and ran about. In the distance more men could be seen, some running towards the main gate, others spreading out around the grounds.


Her eyes quickly turned up at his words, but he didn't look to her. Instead Vincent's gaze seemed almost distant as he carefully judged the situation. With a nod she stepped around him and continued against the wall, her stride progressively increasing as she saw several tombs up ahead...all of them positioned on either side of what looked to be a great stone door, engraved upon the surface with writings she could not yet read.


Following Cayle as he kept a eye behind them Vincent followed. We will have a little time if no one see's us. The guards will check here last. Cayle approached a large stone crypt and stopped. Vincent looked up and read the Eve writings. "It says, Here lay the final resting place of Raistlen Majere. The great one who held the power of the gods! Protector of Eve and her goddess. The goddess of earth and nature, Melandru.

Melandru


Nearly missing it, under those words near the bottom of the Crypt was a inscription..which looked to almost be shaded in black. "These words...they are ancient Kantle... what would these be doing here on this tomb! The blood of hundreds shout to the one that will read this. A messenger of Grenth, herald of scarlet and darkness. Sooth this one's thirst with thy soul, to taste the victims in Grenth's hands. As Vincent read the words his body shook, sweat began to show upon his forehead. His eye's glazed over as he finished.


Cayle felt her stomach suddenly turn to knots, and a cold chill rushed down her spine. Words of aincent Kantle...engraved upon a tomb in Eve. What could this mean? Her attention quickly shifted from the inscreption, towards Vincent as he read those words aloud. The blood of hundreds shout to the one that will read this... He had begun to tremble, and she watched as a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Something isn't right... Cayle slowly reached to grip his arm...His eyes were glazed over. "Vincent, what's wrong..?" She whispered, squeezing his arm a bit harder as she threw a glance behind them. The guards would be comming soon.


Suddenly striking out, his hand grabbed hold of her sword. He slid his hand upwards along the blade, a large gash in the palm of his right hand was bleeding furiously. He then set it upon the Crypt door, as the blood slid downwards onto the inscription, the words began to intensify. The words became a dark void, light and blood being captured within. The words spread, the door was suddenly becoming dark...darker than any night...it was consuming all shreds of light around. Vincent moved forward, eyes still glazed over, into the void.


Grenth



Cayle's palms were damp with prespiration and her heart was fumbling a anxious, rappid beat. The shining blade of her sword was now stained with Vincent's scarlet blood. As he stepped towards the dark void created at the mouth of the tomb, she reached again to catch hold of him, but her hand fell short. "Vincent...Vinceeent!" She called after, but her words didn't seem to find him. A tremble fell through her body, and with a sudden desperation, Cayle looked back again. The guards were now stirred, and at last aware of their position. She couldn't turn back, but a dark fear kept her from stepping forward. Her brows were low and her eyes anxious. There was nothing more to do. As Vincent's silhuette slowly vanished into the tomb, she heard the words of the inscription play in the back of her mind. Grenth... Swallowing her fears, Cayle lowered her sword and stepped into the void, after him.


Vincents eye's where no longer glazed, though sweat still dripped from his forehead and blood pooled onto the floor from his hand. It had felt like a eternity, but aware it had been only a few moments. He looked behind him, Cayle was there! The blood drained from his face, his heart pounded, and a fresh wave of blood drained from his hand. "No.....no....you should not be here...." A solid stone wall stood behind Cayle, there was only one direction to go. "Why did you follow! You fool....Raistlin was no protector of Eve...he couldn't have been. This tomb... tomb of 'the great one' and that he had summoned protectors so no one could find the writings. Cayle's words rushed into his mind, beating against it's walls. "This...is the work of a necromancer..."

Drowning In Memories

Annabelle made it to what she called her home and she closed her eyes to sleep but sleep did not come to her. She recalled that odd sensation when Ryon held that dagger to her throat and suddenly her memories swarmed her. Annabelle saw her past but it was different this time. Normally it would about her child hood or of some one she saw or a conversation. The past that haunted her was odd. Annabelle relived the things she did. Each contract was different but...repetitive and bloody. Different faces, different places, same thing happening again and again and again. She would see herself creeping up on them, using the shadows as her cover. In her dreams she did not use her spear for that weapon was not given to her until recently. A dagger, wrist blade, the bow or crossbow, throwing knives, poisonous snakes, her bare hands, her arsenal was endless.

She witnessed her own sins... How she placed her hands around their neck and squeezed, feeling her victim's life slowly fade away. She saw every time she placed a dagger at the neck of a random person she was commanded to assassinate without reason and slit their throat, with that uncaring cold expression, and gazed at the seemingly endless river of blood. Without guilt or remorse, shoot down the son of so and so, or put a poisonous forest snake in the bed of who knows what, and or killed whats his face while he slept in his bed next to his wife. She almost died herself in some of these contracts.

Annabelle awoke at her home, the abandoned, broken Kantle Clock Tower. She was sitting on the edge, staring at the moon that was accompanied by a blanket of darkness and diamonds that expanded as far and beyond the eye could see. Her attire was different. Since she was exiled her hood had been confiscated by her uncle along with the rest of her worn out uniform, and replaced by a similar, white, which in Kantle meant lost soul, assassin uniform. Annabelle pondered on what she had just experienced but quickly removed it out of her mind and stood up, recalling Prince Ryon's words. On her way down the empty, cold clock tower she picked up her spear and practically ran down the spiral stair case.

The only other place that you could get to from the Island of Kantle. The Cursed Floating Mountains.

[OOC: As is the norm, to some extent anyways, this post was cowritten by myself and crowriter]

"And so it is believed that the gems have some special powers to them when combined. No one knows though what that power unlocks. It is believed that all were once together but have since been separated. During the first wars, generations upon generations ago, all the ancient writings were destroyed so no one knows what powers it unlocks."

"I'm back!" Niara's sleep was interrupted by Lythia entering the cave. She looked her over. "Oh God. What the hell happened to you." There was pity in her voice rather than hostility. "Come here. I brought a first aid kit."

Ryou sniffed the air and hunched over what was now only bones left from his lunch time kill. A small snarl left his lips.

On the ride back Lythia had been thinking about symbol that she had noticed on the reptiles hip before. The thought went away though mostly as she knew she must look like she'd been part of a mass murder. "Niara, I think they sent some sort of dragon to track us, we have to leave tonight." she said as she walked over to the princess and slowly settled on the rock floor. "And I'm going to need some help in training." As she said so she looked over and saw Ryou and Taimuraz sniffing each others noses. The two seemed at first indifferent to each other. Taking her hair out of the tanagled bun she had put it up in on the ride, Lythia looked at Niara, When do you think you'll be ready?"

Niara's jaw dropped as she saw the tiger enter the cave. She barely heard what Lythia said. Ryou arched his neck and spread his wings making himself look bigger trying to protect the two girls. She stuttered over her words. "Big....Kitty...."

Lythia looked behind her and made a worried sound of surprise. "Tai, I told you to wait outside! And don't you threaten Ryou." Taimuraz looked over at Lythia and almost rolled is eyes as he walked up a few feet next to her and sat to groom himself. "Yes big kitty. Without him I would've been chopped for stew." She reached to give him a scratch behind his hears. Still before she touched him, he sniffed her hand again.

Ryou relaxed his posture to match Niara's. "I'm sorry I was caught off guard. You said something about a dragon assassin. If that's the case it probably has your scent. We need to get you cleaned up to be less traceable." She began cleaning the wounds on the young girl's legs, arm, and back. She looked at the girl with a somewhat affectionate glance she didn't know if Lythia saw. I wonder if this is what having a little sister is like. A clumsy accident prone little sister. "The sooner we leave the better. I suppose we wont be able to wait until the stars come out."

The back of her shirt was pushed up to her neck so that Niara could see the scrapes, as the feel of the cleaning, Lythia cringed at the burning and stinging. Her head was still trhobbing from the throw, but she could't lay down now or it would get worse and she'd slow them down from leaving. "Is there any water left?" She asked tiredly then sobered to what Niara had said. "I don't know if I killed it or not, my sword was too dull to finish the job."

Niara handed Lythia the rest of the water. She looked the wounds over. It had been a bad fight. "Sorry." she knew the antiseptic stung but it was the only way. "I didn't know you carried a sword." She said with a conversational tone. She was trying desperately to distract her from the stinging sensation. "Maybe when we get to Kantle I can show you a few things and then, after I'm sure you aren't going to accidentally kill me with it, find someone to sharpen it." She chuckled at her own joke.

Lythia smiled a little. "It would be greatly appreciated, Even with Taimuraz now, I'm not sure how long before he may decide to leave. He doesn't trust me much right now he may not ever. Even so,- auuuuuuuuuch." She felt the the stinging of Niara rubbing the goo on with a rag. "it would be good for me to learn some tricks." She finished.

"We're almost done. Its ok." She tried to be more gentle with her application. "I'd be happy to. Not that I'm a professional but I have had lessons. I could teach you the basics." She carefully placed the gauze which willingly adhered to the goo. "I dunno about him leaving. If I'm right on what exactly he is, I read that they choose lifelong human companions. It starts with a challenge issued by them and if they see you as deserving, a bond is created. At least thats what the science books said." She put the last piece of gauze over the wound. "All done. Did you want a change of clothes in case the dragon can smell the blood on yours?"

"Do you have any pants?" She asked, there was a cooling on the scrapes on her back due to the goop that was put on her back, she let her shirt fall and rearanged the skirt. Her gaze went over to Tai for a moment, thinking about the bond. He had calmed down around her actually, maybe Niara was right. Returning her attention to the other, she waited to see if there was any hope for ditching the clothing mess.

"Technically it is sleeping clothes because people would have scoffed at me if they saw me wearing anything other than a dress. I planned on wearing them for the convenience however so I won't think badly of you if you do." She held up a shirt in the air to judge Lythia's frame. "Yea I'd say we wear about the same size. Try these on for size." She threw her the shirt and a pair of pants. "Sorry I don't have any real clothes with pants. Its all part of the burden."

The other girl slipped the pants on under her dress which fit like warm sleeping wear, and the shirt was long even to reach almsot to her thighs, she figured with her outer robe and her boots t would be hard to notice what she was really wearing. "Thank you, you're very kind." She tossed the dress away. Then took out a pair of shoes that would be easier for Niara seeing as they were more capable of handling a rough cround than the ones she had. "They might be tight or a little loose, but these will keep your feet from getting scratched and blisters."

"Thanks!" She slid on the shoes. "They're a little loose but better than these things." She threw the shoes she was wearing over the ledge of the cave and laughed. Surely this has to be what having a little sister is like. Being the youngest and with her siblings who never really payed much attention to her she really didn't know. "Well I think its safe to say its dark. Do you want to get riding?"

"Yes I think we should," she sheethed the sword after cleaning the new blood off. "If we leave now we might have a chance." She mounted up onto the Ligers back and manuevered him towards the caves entrance. His wings streatched a little, as he prepared for the flight. Lythia looked at Niara who was readying Ryou.

Niara fixed herself firmly on Ryou's back. Ryou grabbed one of the bones from his earlier meal hoping to take it. "You've got to leave that here Ryou. I don't know how long we're going to be flying and you don't need anything else weighing you down." She turned her attention to Lythia. "So which way?"

"You the one that reads the stars, but I'm guessing towards the sun set to the darker part of the planet."

"Then I'll race you to the nearest ledge in that direction!" Niara said with a playfulness to her voice. With that both girls and their mounts took off.

Cayle felt a twinge of guilt at Vincent's words. "...you should not be here..." "I'm sorry..." She started, but she was here now, it could not be helped. She observed him carefully a moment, his words were clear, but didn't seem to address her, and he seemed somewhat disoriented still. As Cayle watched him still, she saw that his hand was still bleeding profusely. Vincent hadn't even stopped to notice, but it was quiet, and for now they were safe. Scarlet blood pooled on the toe of his boot, dripping from his fingertips and falling to the floor. "Come here..." She grabbed Vincent's wrist, pulling him towards her. "What the hell was that all about any way? You scared me." She said, still gripping his wrist, to keep him from turning away. Fishing out a short bandage from the small pack she'd managed to keep slung over her shoulder, Cayle slowly began to wrap the cloth around his wounded palm.


Vincent barely noticed her wrapping his hand. Thoughts ran in and out of Vincents mind, so many he could not take note of them all. "I am the herald to the reaper...I am the one to sooth his thirst...My crimes reach out to me, seeking my soul..." When Cayle was done he turned not noticing her. He drew his wakizashi and proceeded down the stairs. Inside the crypt was a dull blueish-white light that seamed to come from no where...it was just there.


Slowly she felt the knots returning to her stomach. Cayle knew something wasn't right. For a moment, she'd thought he'd returned to himself, but no, surly this wasn't the man she knew as Vincent. He turned away with out any sort of aknowladgement, or recognition that she was there. She hadn't even been able to catch his eyes. It wasn't right...she was scared, and wanted to scream at him until he came back. But she didn't let herself. Cayle stood there a moment, watching him walk away again...trying to peice together his broken words. Wondering what would happen next. Steadying herself, the girl slowly moved after Vincent...cautiously drawing her sword as she did.

As he proceeded down the stairs he came to a large room, a cavern of sorts. The room was lit just like the stair case, the roof being supported by pillars. The vague look upon Vincents face was still there. In his head ancient prophesy's and inscriptions still were being thrown threw his head with blinding speed. Vincents thoughts were there, like a fading echo. Nearing what seemed to be the center of the room he stopped. Voids began to form around the floor, from them rose...Raistlen Majere's protectors. Cruesome looking skeletal warriors!



Vincent blocked a mace swinging downwards toward his head, the monster continued to press down, aiming to crush his opponent. Another protector swung toward Vincent, his sword slicing into the sheath he now held in his left hand. Vincent pushed hard against the sword, having a small moment of respite he slammed the sheath into the mace wielding opponent. His foe stumbled backwards. A quick horizontal slash served to sever the skeletal head from body. Quickly blocking three slashes from his other opponent, he was pushed toward two more of the summoned terrors. Vincents mind continued to pound as he fought to stave off the attacks of these three gruesome warriors. Two other skeletal fiends went unnoticed by Vincent as they approached the young girl.


Cayle stopped behind Vincent as the undead warriors began to creep from the shadows into the strange and pale blue light. With a sigh she watched him remove the head of an opponent, and two began to head her way. Cayle took her stance, raising her blade in front of herself, and watched them come. As the skeletons neared she carefully positioned herself so that her nearest opponent stood between herself and the other corpse. Raising her sword a bit more she came at him, iron meeting hard against iron as her blade crashed into his. She let her sword push the skeleton's weapon away from her and slide off the tip in one smooth motion, already stepping around him as she did. Quickly angling her wrists, Cayle sliced the skeleton's head from his shoulders from the back of his neck. Turning herself to face the other before the sound of a skeleton's helmet hitting the ground had found her ears, Cayle raised her sword just quickly enough to catch the rusty blade of the second skeleton's battle axe. This could prove more difficult...


Vincent battled against the three opponents, continually loosing ground as he struggled to block the incoming blows. A thrust from one was blocked by his sheath, striking out he severed the skeletons arm, though his foe seemed to not notice it. He was pressed further back, he quickly back stepped and ran around a pillar. He then struck out at the fiend in back, slicing off it's head. Quickly blocking another attack from his one armed opponent he slammed his body into the horror. His other opponent sliced a small cut into his thigh, as Vincent himself cut off the one armed skeletons head. Swiftly turning he parried another blow from the remaining enemy. Herald of scarlet and darkness!...Quench thy's thirst!...Come to me Vincent! Thoughts still slammed into his mind, he moved and counter moved fighting his enemy's. Pure instinct had taken over, a echo of a thought begged to be heard...She is in trouble...who...Cay...help her...[i] More thoughts burst into his mind. [i]I am the guardian of Eve, I am the destruction of her! Slicing off the head of the skeletal fiend, two voids opened up near him, and there rose two large gruesome beast wielding broadswords.

Vincent charged, stabbing one with his sword, it became caught in it's ribcage as the foe slammed a decomposed hand into Vincent. Landing partway across the room Vincent drew his katana. One of these enemies slammed it's sword into his raised katana, the force slid Vincent backwards across the floor. Vincent used the slow attacks of the broadsword to his advantage, rushing forward he sliced into the fiends stomach, slicing upwards he cut part of the creatures jaw off. His foe's sword swung for Vincent as he rolled backwards. Coming out of his roll Vincent raised his sword to parry the other skeletons attack, though it sliced into his right arm. Unaware of any pain Vincent struck out severing the head of the large menace.

A attack came from behind! Vincent grabbed his sheath, the creatures weapon slammed into his wooden sheath. It's sword tore threw it, cutting into Vincents arm as he was pushed backwards. Due to the slowing affect of the wood only a shallow wound of a inch was carved out of his left arm. Pushing forward Vincents blade sliced along the creatures, as his sword struck the hilt of his enemy, his foe struck out with a hand. Vincent dropped his sword as he ducked downwards, rolling behind the large creature. Grabbing a throwing dagger from his belt he jumped onto the skeletons back, quickly slicing it's head from body.


Her eyes caught in the ominous gaze of the skelleton's a moment, Cayle seemed caught. But she was far from having given up. Taking a breath she grinned slightly and shoved her sword firmly against the skeleton's axe, then she jumped back a few feet, angling her sword in front of her in case he swung sooner than she anticipated. In the slight moment that the creature took to regain his composure and come towards her, Cayle caught a glympse of Vincent battling a small army of foe. She had to get over there and help him, whether it was still the Vincent she knew or not...she wouldn't stand here and watch him die. With a new sense of urgency Cayle sliced her sword across the oncomming attack...the clumsy swing of a battle axe wasn't hard to predict. She angled the blow away from herself to the right and pulled her sword back down and to the left, slicing through the skeleton's leg and swiftly removing it from his decaying body. The walking corpse stumbled but managed not to fall for a moment, swinging his axe angrily in another attempt to strike her. Raising her sword to block the swing, Cayle's blade caught the axe just beneath it's head locking it in the small corner where the handle and axe head met. With a swift kick she sent the skeleton backwards, and pulled the axe away with the jerk of her sword. Sending the weapon to the ground with a loud metallic thud, the skeleton then fell to his back, and in a moment, she was standing above him, sword angled carefully. The monster gripped her ankle with sharp, boney fingers, but before he could make an attempt to pull her off balance, Cayle drew an even slice, severing his head from neck, and the body fell limp. Her eyes then quickly turned upwards, in an attempt to find Vincent.

She found him, having just struck down what was hopefully the last of the creatures. Cayle began to walk over, noticing as she did where one of Vincent's swords had been left lodged in the ribcage of one of the skeletons. She returned her own sword to her side, and pulled the blade from the corpse. Stopping in front of Vincent she looked over him carefully, then offering him his sword, she spoke up. "Are you okay..?" Wondering from what sort of person, she would receive a response. If she received one at all...


A shadow...no...something else stands in front of me...a girl?... Vincents thoughts fought to be heard above the roar of prophecy's and screams. Vincent moved forward, towards a passage that seamed to not be there before. Blood flowed from the many wounds he had sustained...yet unnoticed by the man. "The blood of hundreds shout to the one that will read this. A messenger of Grenth, herald of scarlet and darkness. Sooth this one's thirst with thy soul, to taste the victims in Grenth's hands." he mumbled as he entered the corridor. This hallway slopped downwards, blackness swallowing the end.


His words were dark, and yet Cayle could still not seem to grasp the exact meaning. She followed him to the corridor, her brows low in frustration and anxiety. She stopped, and stared towards the end, swallowed up in darkness. Her hands trembled as Vincent continued forward. "Stop..." She said, her voice cracking slightly. "Stop...Stop, Vincent damn it!!" A tremble engulfed her a moment and Cayle dropped to her knees. What's happening?! Tears found her eyes. It was hopeless...there was nothing she could do, no way out, and... She looked up at Vincent. And I'm alone again. She could sit here, helpless, watching him walk away...or she could stand up again, and fight her way out of whatever perils lie ahead. Suddenly a memory found her, and her father's words returned to her mind, as clear as the day she'd heard them. "You never give up...alway fight to the end my darling." Wearily Cayle stood, and yet again drew her sword then, she followed hurriedly after Vincent. "Never give up." She whispered the words, though now near enough they could reach him...if only he would hear her.


Vincents sword was drug along the stone floor as he yet again entered another chamber...this one was the size of a large room. A large slab lay in the middle, the figure upon it rose. Vincent stood several feet in from the entrance...standing in a trance. "Who am I?" The figure stated, why young one, I am Raistlin Majere.



"You my dear boy...you are the one who will quench my thirst. You boy! You have the blood of hundreds upon you, you are the herald to Grenth my lord!" Laughter erupted from this man...this man who was of flesh and blood. This necromancer who had laid here for hundreds of years, the man who looked like he had been alive yesterday.

Raistlin shifted his gaze from Vincent to the young girl who was standing in the door way. "Who is this!" The necromancer lifted his hands. "You can not be here! LEAVE! You will never destroy me!" A darkness welled in the mans hands, leaping from him it struck out toward Cayle!


She is in trouble... The voices in his head had died down...Vincents own thoughts where surfacing from he roaring sea. Who?....She...The shadow, the girl...MOVE!... Vincent heard a voice yelling form a far distance...it seemed mad. A dark shadow shot forth. The girl will be dead!...Cayle!...Her? Who? The shadow, Cayle! Vincent mind raced sorting his thoughts from the others! A sudden realization hit him like a hammer, Cayle was in trouble!
Vincent moved faster than ever before. He moved in front of the girl, the shadow pounding into him! Vincent's body glowed black, scarlet showed forth, like tiny rivers.


Cayle had stepped into the room after Vincent, her eyes suddenly struck with the immage of a truly sinister looking man...one who could be none other than... "Raistlin Majere" Though in his own tomb, this man was very much alive, or so it seemed. His words spat towards vincent like the hiss of a haughty serpant, about to strike, and then a wicked sort of laughter fell through her ears. Chills could not be kept from Cayle's spine. A sudden new wave of terror struck her as the necromancer turned his sinister gaze toward her, and what had at first seemed like evil pleasure within his eyes, quickly turned to a bitter hatered as he saw her there. His voice boomed towards her... "You can not be here! LEAVE! You will never destroy me!" With that the man brough a darkness between his hands, raising them with a suddeness as the force struck out towards her. Before Cayle had time to react, even as her mind was telling her to raise her sword and yet her hands had not yet reacted...the shadow reached her. It was but a moment before it struck that Vincent threw himself in front of her, the dark energy hitting him, and her eyes filled with horror.


Vincent fell to the floor, his body was burned from head to toe. His clothes where stripped apart, blood bubbled forth from the thousands of 'cracks' in his skin. Burning skin was the oder that rose up from the man who lay upon the floor in a pool of blood. No other color could be seen in his eyes but dark gray...the gray you could see from the storm clouds.

The man upon the slab of onyx stone was on his knees, a look of terror on his face. "No! My visions will not come to pass! I will take Vincent as my own and walk the surface again!" Blackness swelled around the man.

Cayle turned her gaze towards the necromancer with rage in her eyes. She bolted towards him... Never give up She raised her sword high into the air... Fight to the end Cayle stopped there in front of the kneeling man with her sword raised high. Fight...to the end...Kill...this man

Raistlin struck out at the woman standing in front of him. But it was to late, her sword struck into him slicing head and chest. Cayle's hands held the sword steadily, staring coldly into his gaze, as he was slowly swallowed up by the shadows. His attack vanished and as the necromancers body faded, a glow could be seen coming from Vincent’s body. His wounds stopped bleeding and a beat of life slowly could be heard from within his body. A last echo of Raistlin's thoughts echoed out. "Open my resting place and you will gain the answers you seek."


A deep sigh slipped between Cayle’s lips, she let her grip loosen, and her sword fell to the ground beside her. It was over…
Turning towards Vincent, another bit of worry found her for a moment, but as she approached him she could see that he was still alive. Kneeling aside him a moment she lay a hand on his shoulder, and let him rest. “You saved me.” She whispered, a gentle smile touching her lips. Suddenly her ears seemed to tingle and the necromancer’s instruction played back in her mind. “Open my resting place…” Her eyes turned toward the large slab where she had slain Raistlin. The tomb

Cayle grunted as she pushed the lid off the Onyx tomb, there beneath a skeleton lay, wearing the same garments of the man she just defeated, a scroll lay in his bony fingers. It read:

Race in flight to touch the sun in early morn, till thy and sun are tied and one.

When shadow gives away to light, then downwards shall take your flight. When the dragons eyes gaze upon thy, there shall fly toward springs red bloom.

Toward springs red bloom you will head, till stars shine bright and light ones path.




(OOC) This was Co-writen by SolemnStories and Myself.

With a thoughtful sigh, Cayle's mind spun, but there was nothing urgent about the poem. She turned back to look over her shoulder. Much more important at the moment was Vincent's recovery.

Tucking the scroll into her pack, Cayle then turned to the man, still wounded and laying still, though his chest rose and fell in the consistent breaths of a person unconscious, but still alive. He was alive still yes, but his body scarred and burnt. A knot welled in her throat as she re-lived that horrifying moment... The necromancer's eyes had turned on her, and she'd suddenly become the point of attack. But Vincent had snapped back, somehow, in that moment. He'd dove in front of her, ready to sacrifice himself... Just like that.
Perhaps he was a man who didn't value his own life. But it seemed to mean so much more than that.

Whatever the case was, though the death of the necromancer had seemed to heal his wounds to some extent, Vincent was still in need of aid before he would be well. She dropped her pack to the ground beside him, and then kneeled to carefully observe his wounds. Cayle slowly pulled back his burnt and ruined tunic... or rather, what of it remained. Her breath escaped her, and after staring at the gruesome scars and burns upon his torn flesh a moment, she brought a hand to cover her mouth and her eyes welled with sadness. Never would she be able to see him the same... Never would she be able to forget this day... Never would she forget what he had done, to save her.

After digging in the pack a moment, Cayle was only able to find the wraps--though washed and clean--still bloodstained and tattered from his previous injury. With them was a jar of medicated gauze, but she would need stronger medicine for him soon, which would mean finding some way out of this damned crypt, before it became the resting place for two more lost souls.

Knowing that the only thing she could do now would be to treat him with what she had, Cayle set to work, carefully removing Vincent's burned garments. With the gauze and bandages, she tended his wounds, wrapping his body with the tattered bandages...for the necromancer's strike had been one to kill, and no mercy had he spared. Thus, Vincent's body would be scared and burned, until it faded to dust, and returned to the ground.

Annabelle stood at the most eastern edge of the island. The land cane to a sudden end as if the gods sliced this end with a blade. In front of her were the feared mountains and no path leading to it. If she had wings she could take to the skies but she did not have wings or even a winged pet she could fly on. 

 Below her, stopping her from making progress, was the great abyss. The empty void was her only obstacle but it was a formidable one. Yet Annabelle was not moved. She had been here before,  she knew the secret that the void hid. She knew of an alternative route.

 Without thinking, without fear, she jumped. The air rushed at her face and juggled any loose clothing on her, threatening to rip it off. It looked as if Annabelle had ended her life and the deeper she ventured into the void the more it seemed certain. Suddenly her fall ended. 

Annabelle landed on solid ground. Such a fall might have ended broken bones or even death but Annabelle knew what she doing. She landed a certain way that even distributed the fall's impact throughout her body. Her entire body ached but it was better then being dead or helpless. She slowly stood, observing her surroundings.  She had landed on a very small floating island and up ahead were more tiny floating islands that led to the Cursed Mountains.

This place brought back memories. Annabelle could hear her voice, calling her...

"Annabelle! Annabelle! Are you okay!".
Madalina's voice was distant and faint but Annabelle could hear it well enough to make out what she was saying.
"Yeah!, I'm okay!... Where are we going?". She shouted back and jumped back up to her feet while smacking the dirt off herself. "Enough questions, just follow!". Was the response, she got. The voice was fainter now and young Annabelle did not wish to be left alone. She jumped from rock to rock, hurriedly and carefully. "Your going too fast!".

"Your moving too slow!".

 Annabelle re awoke from this memory in mid air, jumping from one rock to another. Fear attacked her quickly and made her blotch the landing. She fell on her knees and placed her hands forward, stopping herself from falling off. "Dammit.". She cursed. She needed to focus. Her past must not intervene with her future. It could be the death of her.

The night was coming and stars were beginning to show. It was nice to be on the right side of things again in time to see the sun go down. Watching one of the moons appear, Lythia sighed as she popped her back from the long days ride. Her bottom was sore and her legs were stiff. Knowing that Niara would be setting things up not too far away, she looked off at the small islands edge where they had just come from. No they were not in Kantle yet, but it was a good place to be. Removing her gaze from the moons, she turned to lead Taimuraz over to a small water hole nearby where Niara was. "Lovely night. Do you think it would be safe to light a fire?"

Niara dipped her feet in the cool water. It was refreshing to feel some circulation flowing back through her legs. Ryou stretched his wings and shook. He was glad to have some of the weight off his back. Not that she was much but nearly twenty-four hours of flying was a long time. He was happy for the break. Niara let out a sigh, feeling the first bit of relaxation since she had left the castle. Well I suppose we should set up a fire. She pulled her feet out of the water and slipped the shoes Lythia had given her back on. As she stood up Lythia approached.

"The night is beautiful." I hadn't even thought if it would be safe. I figured we were on an uninhabited island. I didn't think about it possibly giving away our position. But still if I know one thing about wild animals its that fire is usually a huge hindrance. "Well we have to make a decision. Do we want people not to find us or animals not to find us? Personally I vote for the animals not to find us since supposedly these islands are all uninhabited by people."

Running her fingers through Tai's thick fur Lythia took off her own shoes and stepped into the water. The wild cats head was bent to drink the water, and Lythia had a slight worry he might bite her leg off. Shook it off and pushed some hair out of her face. "I guess your right, this island was pretty out of the way. I'll help get the wood.

After a long time of trying to light the wood after collecting it, Lythia was glad to see it finally start, it wouldn't be too long before it was hot. Somewhere in the darkness she heard a twig snap but ignored it.

Alone in the shadows a small squirrel like creature sniffed around trying to find its way home. No....Niara thought to herself It's just a helpless little animal. We don't need food that bad we still have some. She quietly opened her pack to pull out only a few pieces of dried meat left. Well we don't have to eat meat we can find some berries or something. Maybe some that aren't poisonous. She really had no idea what was poisonous and what wasn't. She sighed. She knew it had to be done she just didn't want to do it.

As quiet as she could she drew her sword from its sheath. In the process her foot caught a stick that broke. The squirrel perked up its head and looked around. Its glare caught Niara's. She gasped. The cute little animal she was trying not to kill turned to her with a crazed look in its eyes. The spot it was sniffing before turned out to be a smaller dead animal who's blood was now dripping from this one's face. Niara took a few steps backwards. Surely this animal knows I'm a predator and isn't attacking me. With a snap of its surprisingly pointy teeth she knew it was no time to fool around. She took her sword and mercilessly stabbed into the animal. She cut a slit in its neck and held it by its feet to let the blood drain as she walked back.

When she got to the campsite she laid the animal by the fire. "I umm got some dinner." She looked as Lythia looked as if she were in disbelief that Niara killed such a small, barely worth the food, defenseless animal. "It uhh tried to attack me believe it or not."

With widened eyes, Lythia looked from the dead animal to Niara. "It tried to attack you." She said dryly. "Okay..." As Niara proceeded to deal with the bag of bones, she heard more movement behind her. "I'll be right back." She told Niara as she stood and walked into the brush not far away. Looking around in the thickening dark, her eyes tried to adjust but it grew more difficult. Perhaps there was nothing really there. Heading back to the camp, Lythia looked at Niara who suddenly looked up but not really at Lythia herself but behind the girl.

"I swear it did... I didn't think you would believe me. I know I wouldn't." As she was messing with the dead animal, pulling out bones and organs and cutting the meat into strips she thought about how happy she was that she could say basically whatever she wanted without feeling like she was being watched. Like I feel now...

Niara looked over toward Lythia and something caught her eye. An old man stood behind her. He wore an old dark colored worn cloak and his hair, what she could see of it, was a greasy mess. Niara drew her sword and stood up beside Lythia. "Who are you?" She demanded.

The man looked over with his dry, reddened eyes, all he'd really wanted was the heat of the fire. "My name is Bacodai. I am a man of peace." He said to Niara holding up old knotted shaky hands. "I saw the fire and couldn't help myself." He looked around and noticed the two large animals by the water hole watching intently. "Of course I can move on."

Niara looked to Lythia. Looks like we should have chose to face the predators. She looked down at the savage squirrel. Well maybe not. She wasn't quite sure she could trust him. For all she knew he could be an assassin sent out after her. She did find it hard to believe that an assassin would try to take on two people a dragon and a huge tiger without some sort of surprise. Lythia's eyes met hers "If its okay with my friend here I suppose you can stay."

Lythia shrugged Sure invite some stinky old man to stay with us.... might just drive every other danger away. Nodding, she glanced at the mans arms, he was holding a book. Some curiosity welled up but she let it keep down as she nodded. "If you're fine with it." It was more of a sarcastic remark said nicely.

She wasn't quite fine with it but it was in her nature to try to help people, and while he didn't exactly look terribly helpless, she couldn't just leave an old man out in the dark. She smiled in response to Lythia. She poked a long stick into the fire. As the old man sat down Niara noticed his book. "What's that you're reading?" She asked trying to strike up a conversation to break the awkward silence.

"Oh this?" Bacodai smiled as he sat closer to the fire, warming his hands to the heat. "It is a rare treasure of mine. A book of history and the future." He glanced over as Taimuraz walked over and laid closer Lythia as if guarding, as Ryou kept a sharp eye but seemed to relax a little. "It is somewhat, a great story book." The man smiled trying not to think of the large claws on either animals paws.

A flashback of Niara's dreams came to the forefront of her mind. Genuine intrigue spread across her face. "You don't mean like a history from before the great wars do you?"

The old man smiled at the change of tides in this autmosphere around the campfire. "Yes I actually do, in fact. That is a major part of it. You seem like you have something on your mind, I would be happy to hear of it." As he said this, Lythia went to the stream and sniffed some water she had collected in her hand, thinking it save she filled a jug and brought back over and filled a cup for the old man. She had also just sharpened the pocket knife she carried but thinking that he was simply an interested with the world traveler, she dug out her notebook and began looking through it as Niara chatted with this Bacodai person.

Niara looked at Lythia looking through her notebook, secretly hoping she might be taking notes. "Well I've always been interested in the world. Why it is divided like this. What holds it floating in the nothingness below. Why all the kingdoms seem to covet each others gems. I remember being in school and my teacher telling the class that it is believed they have a power when united but no one knows what it is because all the documentation from before the great wars was lost."

"Its actually quite simple," Bacodai said. he looked at Lythia then back to Niara. "You see it was divided by one king to his four sons after he died. Makes enough sense. Though why the islands have separated is quite interesting." He took the book and opening it to a picture of a vast land that did not look like the land people lived on now but similar. The words were in some language that was not current. "It was united some time ago. Before the wars had begun. But once the four sons were given their share greed grew between them as well as hostility." Bacodai glanced at Niara. "You have heard the story, no?"

Niara was fascinated. "No I haven't actually. Continue please." She was beginning to take back what she said about wishing the animals on them instead.

Lythia stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in her eyes as she listened to the story of the kingdoms. Somehow it all sounded so familiar. As the man continued, she petted Taimuraz's head and neck as he let it lay on her lap.

Turning a page in the book, it showed another picture, drawn with ink like the one before. It was of a circle but it glowed. "Many things have happened to this world. Not many want to know about it all either. But that is a shame, because in the beginning it was one kingdom with one heart to it. But one day the heart was broken and as the heart was broken so was the world of which people lived." He turned a few pages over again. Objects that appeared to be jewels and four islands, one jewel about each was shown. "When the brothers divided, so did the kingdom into separate small worlds. What remained there on the planets floor was never bothered with as its ruler was gone. But each piece of the heart was put in its own place." He looked up at Niara from the book. "The four brothers were drawn apart by their own evil forces. And so were the Islands of the world. What holds them up are the good forces that each owned as well. As well as using the power of the jewels." He waited for Niara to say something then, feeling like an old gossip.

Niara's eyes beamed. What she was taking in was a wealth of knowledge lost to the outside world. She tried to memorize everything Bocodai said. It all seemed to make so much sense. "So the hate between them drove them apart. But that would put some sort of symbiotic relationship between the residents and the island. Our own hate for each other is keeping us apart." That stark realization hit her like a brick. "I never had any idea that we could affect the land like that." I wonder if that's why so many tremors have been happening in Rose. The royal family divided against itself and its people unsettled with the king.

Lythia looked over at Bacodai, her brow a little furrowed, and curiosity and confusion both showed. "Then why was the forth kingdom lost?" In answering, Bacodai looked at the girl. "That is another story. But it is getting late, and some mysteries are better off with the lost or dead." he said, leaning back onto his pack after having closed the book and tucked it under his "pillow". Lythia looked over at Niara who was marveling at the information that had been spewed, tapping Tai's head to wake him from his light nap so she could turn on her side and lay down, her quiet voice sounded. "I guess story time is over."




[OOC: Cowriten between Driananium and myself.]

Cayle slid a spare cloth down the blade of Vincent's katana. After swallowing her fears and telling herself that everything in this tomb was dead now...the girl had managed to muster up enough courage to leave him resting, and collect any of his weapons left behind. She carefully replaced the sword into its battered sheath, before laying it beside the other short sword and dagger carefully placed at Vincent's side.

As a sigh passed through her lips, Cayle slowly pulled out her own sword to clean it's blade. She remembered, as she did, the day Vincent had bought it for her. He hadn't shown much expression when she'd thanked him. It had seemed more of a necessary item for him to bring, the same as the food and supplies she had purchased that same day. In fact, as she thought back, she realized that Vincent had never shown much emotion of any kind, aside from the casual smirk he wore from time to time. Perhaps it was just his life, growing up in Kantle... Or simply the life of a warrior, no matter the nation one serves. Maybe his emotions had become hardened, and suppressed as hers were, not so long ago. Or maybe...

A frown fell upon Cayle's lips. I wonder why...he's stayed so long.

She replaced her sword beside her, and turned towards him a moment. She should start looking around for another exit soon, but she feared that upon leaving, he may wake up alone, and possibly disoriented. His mind hadn't seemed clear at all before he'd jumped in front of the necromancer's blow, and thus fallen unconscious.

Her eyes fell upon the man. His entire body was bandaged and wrapped from the wounds. Cayle found herself wondering if, whenever he did wake up, he'd be able to move at all. As the thought passed through her mind, he seemed to stir a bit. Perhaps it wont be so long until I find out.


Vincent again woke to bandages wrapping his entire body. Moving his head to it's side he saw Cayle sitting a few feet away. "Let's not make this a habit." He said jokingly, coughing up some blood.


Her brows lowered a bit and she moved closer to offer him a clean cloth. "I fear you won't last long if we do." Another sigh fell from her chest. "How are you feeling..?" She asked quietly, glancing, for no apparent reason, over her shoulder. Maybe she was still a bit on edge.


"Nonsense, with you around to keep bandaging me up I have a good two or three times left." He said with a smirk as he accepted the cloth. Coughing again he spat blood on the ground. He slowly sat up, thousands of nerves and muscles screamed in pain, but he endured in silence. He looked over himself, his entire body was covered in bandage's, he could feel and still smell the burnt flesh underneath. His head was covered, strands of hair poking through in some areas. His nose and mouth where covered except for slits to breath, and one eye was covered over. "I'm sorry Mylady" He managed to grunt out, the extra effort it took to speak screamed in protest. "I'm apologize for the way I look, you should not have to bare this."


At a time like this, she could hardly find the words to reply. She could only imagine waking up in such a way. "Cayle...remember?" She kindly corrected, reaching out to touch his arm comfortingly. Her hand fell short before her fingertips had yet reached the wraps that covered his arms. You don't know what kind of pain he is in... "And don't fret, I don't mind it, you saved my life after all." Cayle returned her hand to rest upon her knees. "You should rest some more, it isn't good for you to even be talking now, but if there's anything you need, do not hesitate to ask."


Noticing she was not able to touch him, he grew serious. "So, we are still here, I suppose we should leave soon. Neither of us wish to dwell here I'm sure." He noticed the 3 weapons laying by his side, the sheath to his katana was completely destroyed due to the attack by the undead minions, but Cayle had still salvaged what she could from it. His Wakizashi lay there along with a dagger as well. "Were you able to find a way out?" He coughed, more blood spewed out. I am the shadow that waits in the darkness. I am her destruction. The whisper flowed from the back of his mind.


"You ought not talk Vincent." Cayle said as more blood was coughed up by the man. "I haven't found any way out as of yet, but I haven't searched far either. I just went far enough to collect your swords." She rubbed her brow in thought. "Now that you've waken though, I can search while you get some more rest. I was worried you'd wake up while I was away." She said, reaching as she did, for her pack.


"May I ask why this would worry you?" Picking up the wakishashi he slowly and painfully turned and leaned against a wall, setting the sword beside him. "The original entrance is sealed, where we encountered the undead...there may be another passage that was shrouded in shadow due to the...the...What happened to him?...The last thing I remembe...I wait to walk the surface, you are my herald." Another whisper streaming from the far reaches of his mind interrupted his thoughts. A new fit of coughs erupted from him. "Where is Raistlin!" He managed to gasp out.


Cayle stepped forward with a gasp. "Vincent! Calm down he's..." How could she put it? "He's gone. I finished it and...and found this." She said, relinquishing the scroll from her pack. As she offered the poem to him, she inquired a bit further. "What exactly do you remember..?" Cayle asked him quietly


He rejected the scroll. "If it is the answer we came for, it is yours to keep." Vincent said as he tried to calm down. If he is dead...why...why do I here another's thoughts? He lay'd his head on the wall and said. "It was like a dream, and I was watching it all while drowning in a river of another's thoughts. I...was unable to control my body, and yet it was me fighting." He sighed and coughed. The stress and pain upon his body became to much in his weakend state, he slumped a little, passing out.


She was a bit relieved that he'd fallen back into sleep. Though the suddenness of it was a bit discomforting. It wasn't good for him to strain himself now though, and it would give her a chance to search for a way out. Carefully Cayle laid the Wakizashi's hilt near to his grasp, and turned to search through the darkness of the crypt. I must find a way out... She reminded herself. ...He won't last long like this.

In the darkness she walked, her fingertips feeling raw as she ran a hand along the wall. Cayle had been walking down the narrow hall for how long, she didn't know. It seemed as though they would be trapped in this well of darkness forever. I wonder...what it was that happened to him. She found her mind toiling, unable to leave thoughts and questions of Vincent behind. He was acting so strange...and those words, he kept reciting...again and again...what did they mean? Cayle suddenly stopped. Had the wobble in the bricks been no more than a rift in her imagination? She stepped back, and tapped two bricks along the bit of wall she'd just passed. There...one of them surely moved. Her thin fingers, rough with wear and dirt, carefully burried themselves around the brick, and after a moment or two, pulled it free of the wall.

With one brick out of place, more came easily, and after pulling enough to create a gap nearly a foot wide, Cayle reached her hand through. Just on the other side of the bricks lay a dense piece of wood. She knocked upon it, clearly was the hollow sound that returned, and echoed through the stale air of the hall. A door..? It must be. With a renewed hope she pulled her sword free, carefully wedging her blade bween the wall of bricks, and the wood behind them. In but a few moments, she had enough pulled free, to clearly see the top and bottom of the door. Now...go wake Vincent! We must leave. Cayle said to herself, knowing she should return with him, before venturing farther.


Waking up to the sound of footsteps Vincent looked up to see Cayle running up to him. She looked better than she had, the look of fright and sadness was gone. Though she was breathing hard to catch her breath. "What is it?" He asked the girl.

A smile at last fell upon her lips. "I've found our escape!" Cayle said with releif. She quickly gathered up her pack. "Are you well enough to stand?" She asked, dropping to a knee beside him.

Grunting he slowly stood, holding onto his sword. "Yes I am fine, leave the katana and dagger here, I will not be able to use them."



Approaching the door, another whisper flowed into his thoughts. I will walk again, you are my legs. Touch thy hand upon the door and it will open. Vincent limped along, he set his hand upon the door and it swung open. Leaning on his sword he coughed up more blood, and then turned to Cayle. "I think you were right."

It seemed to go on forever, they had walked for hours, the tunnel slowly rose at a incline and Vincent hade to take several breaks. But at last, a faint light could be seen in the distance, when they got to the opening Cayle cut aside the vines that grew around the opening. The light was harsh against her eyes, but fresh air surrounded them, and the tunnel had brought them to freedom outside of the castle. Now... "Where are we?" She mused softly.