Halimar Wilds

((You guys always post when I am not at my computer! lol))

Ogava moved through the trees, now very aware of how shiny his armour was. Short sword in hand, shield raised he carefully moved through the forest. There was another Drag'konin Knight in the party, but Ogava had not had a chance to speak to him yet. All the movement at the corners of Ogava's helm made him move slowly, as he braced for an attack with each step. He heard yelling to his left, and ran to find out what the others had found.

The ground began to ooze under his boots, he thought it was a swamp... As he moved through the under brush he came upon the scene. He moved through the corpses, swallowing bile as he did so. Ogava used to eat Punyimpa every holiday, only giving them up in the name of his temple... He knew now he would never have that desire again... He heard his shield hit the ground, but he felt numb. He stuck his short sword into the ground, placing his helm on the pommel and his hands on top of the helm. Bowing his head, he knelt. "The last few moments of these creatures lives where chaos, and madness. Guide them to peace and order. Help them awake from the dream free of this taint!" He said softly, as blood poured into his knees through his armour. The blood would take minutes to clean... The memory would last a life time.

He stood, replaced his helm, cleaned and sheathed his sword, then picked up his shield. He went to stand over by the other knight, however, he felt silence appropriate for now.

...Ogava walked over to Tedrin... "I finally get a quest worthy enough to allow me to return home... But I would rather be banished that have had to see that display. Brygaad protect me... I will help you slay this demon Sir, you have my sword."

Ogava would follow Tedrin and he was almost certain that Balthazar and Oleris would as well but Junpei was barking up the wrong tree.
Tedrin stopped, turned and drew his weapon, swinging the tip of the blade toward Junpei's throat. Anya screamed, "Tedrin, stop, you're not thinking!" Tedrin shot a cross eye at Anya and she gasped, wishing she hadn't said anything. "I am thinking! I'm thinking very clearly! I know exactly what the fuck I'm doing and it would take an act of the Gods above to dissuade me from this path. I will tear every last one of you down if I need to!"
Anya screamed, "Tedrin, you'd be no better than the demon you want to defeat..."
Tedrin slammed his sword into the dirt at his feet and he yelled, "Don't you compare me to him, Anya! You wanted to see that I was just the same as you so bad, you wanted to see that I was Val, that I am mortal, that I bleed? Well, I am," Tedrin said and he drew a dagger from along his right hip and slit the palm of his hand. He lifted the wound for all to see and he said, "I bleed just the same as all that have fallen and do you know what that has taught me? Do you..."
No one said anything. Tedrin flicked his wrist, the blade leaving his hand and stabbing into the soft soil. "I have learned hat all of our blood is red. I have learned that there is an enemy out there that is killing all of us with no quarter. So I will show this demon no quarter!"
Anya stepped forward and asked, "But what if he takes us over just the same as he did to the poor people in that valley...?"
Again, the spirit slithered through the trees, past Anya and the woman yelped, looking down at the being as it made its way along the ground, weaving between the groups legs, around them, over them. It reached out for Tedrin but wrapped itself around the tree next to him and it said, "Iiiiiit wiiiiill nooooot taaaaaakeee yooooouu.... It muuuuust reeeeaddy iiiiits maaaaa-giiiic foooor a looooonnnng tiiiiime. If iiiiit iiiiiis noooot dooooonnnnne nooooow, moooooore wiiiiill fallllll. Iiiiiit haaaaas kiiiiillleeeeed thooooousaaaannds. Iiiiiit iiiiiis weeeeaaaaakkkk..."
Tedrin was happy enough with this. He retrieved his weapon, sheathed it and turned from the group. He disappeared into the darkness. The Forest Spirit moved to Anya, slithered around a tree next to her and whispered, "Aaaannd I aaaaaam noooo beeeeing thaaaat woooouuldd alllly myseeeeelf wiiiiiith aaaaa puuuppeeeeeet maaaaasteeeeerrr. Yoooou haaaaaave litttttlle toooo feeaar...." The spirit slipped away into the darkness again.
Anya shook her head. This was getting out of hand.

Junpei turned to face Tedrin as he drew his blade and placed it at his throat. He narrowed his eyes at him as if to dare him to make a move. He was about to speak when Tedrin interrupted throwing his weapon to the ground. He watched as he flailed around in what Junpei would describe as dispair. He turned away as the forest spirit made its announcement of the opening known.He did not speak to the spirit nor did he even face it. He didn't want to return to Feneris for it would mean he had turned tail and ran in the face of an enemy, he would never allow that, but to fight alongside a man who had pointed a blade to him, he cringed. He would simply find and defeat the creature before Tedrin could even draw his blade. He turned back to the others as Tedrin left the group. He tried to muster something to say that would inspire them, he could think of nothing. "No one will think less of those of you if you move on to Feneris. Sometimes the cruelty of battle can weigh on us and cause us to lose faith. So go I will deal with the demon, and Tedrin." He told them as he walked into the forest the way Tedrin had gone.

Sleza picked herself up as she saw Junepei leave. Her eyes were glossed over with a certain confused glimmer. She didn't understand... She probably never would, so she would give up for now, and pray that some day she would find out what it was that made her a monster. As she approached the rest of the group and saw the strange forest beast, she felt a shiver run up her spine. When Junepei spoke, she gave a small agreement, which was nothing but a nod of the head. Without a second thought, Tedrin pulled a sword on Junepei. Fearing that her friend would turn out just like the corpses, she flitted in front of the blade with cold eyes.

"Calm down." Was the only thing she managed to get out before Anya stepped in. For some reason, she had grown darker over just the past few minutes, perhaps she was becoming in touch with whatever it was that was making her so uncaring. That monster. When Tedrin put his blade away, she stayed in place, looking at him with a cold expression. She eventually calmed and turned to Junepei, who began to leave. Her eyes stayed strangely dark as she turned to the rest of the group, who had yet to have shown her kindness. She turned away without a word and flew after the only one she could currently think of as a friend.

"I'm coming." She grumbled as she reached him and sat on his shoulder. She wouldn't take no for an answer...

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Anya didn't know what to do. Her heart was in turmoil. Why had she wanted to go to Feneris? Well, because she was scared. It was the weaker thing to do but she couldn't help it. She really didn't care if it was the softer thing to do, if the others would look at her as a lesser warrior if she turned and ran but she simply didn't care. Her heart was hurting and the man that she wanted was damn near going insane. what was it about the deaths of these people that had stricken Tedrin so hard? He was not the man that she knew. He was driven man, consumed by anger, drawn to the dark side of himself. He was willing to let his training and his career go in order to go after a demon, a being which he didn't even know if it actually existed. Reason and logic weren't as they should have been. She passed Junpei and Sleza and was at Tedrin's side. He would not look at her. "Why, Tedrin, just tell me why...?"
"Because Leogoryth will send more soldiers when he learns that ten thousand have died. And do you know what he will do; he will use the deaths of these men and women to further his cause, to further his conquest and we cannot let that happen. He will tell the people that the El'Dren slaughtered ten thousand and they will rally behind him. More will come, this demon will kill them. We can't let that happen. I don't want to be one of those deplorable people that just stands by and lets the world consume itself. I am going to fight, Anya, because I can. If not only because others can't!"
"Is it worth giving up everything you have?"
"Maybe it is, Anya, but I won't know that until I get there..."
"Where...? Tedrin, you aren't making any sense..."
"To the edge of the world... To that place where no one has gone, Anya, to the precipice... And if need be, when someone needs to hurl himself into the void for the people, I will be the one if need be. Leogoryth is a fool and I will do this the way that I see fit..."
"Tedrin, is this really about Leogoryth? Or is this about you?"
"How can this be about me? I am not doing this for me. I don't care about myself. But there are evils in this world that cannot just be ignored. I will go, I will fight and when i am done, I will go and let the world know of what has happened before the king can twist it and shape it to his will..."
"Why are you so adamant about stopping Leogoryth from hearing about this and sending troops here...?"
"No reason," Tedrin said. His tone was different. His demeanor changed. He was lying. "Tedrin, what do you know?"
"Nothing of consequence..."
Tedrin, you're lying... What do you know?"
Tedrin stopped and watched the darkness. "The Seal..."
"What about the Seal, Tedrin?"
"The forestfolk weren't going to open the Seal. When the scout that was sent to survey the Seal with news that Leogoryth was not happy with, he killed the scout and sent us to war..."
Anya's face contorted with anger and she slapped Tedrin across his face so hard that his cheek flushed with blood. She spat on his chest and yelled, "You weak, twisted, sick son of a bitch! I fucking thought you were strong, I thought you brave and just and now you tell me this.... T-that our king has lied to the people and you canme here to slaughter the El'Dren who'd done nothing wrong!? This is about you, Tedrin! This is about your guilt, you poor fuck! How could you?"
"I did what I thought was right..."
"What was right, Tedrin? You thought following the king's orders blindly was right? You decided that you could come here, and kill the El'Dren for the king's insane conquest and you did what was right? What the fuck, Tedrin?! How was this right!?"
"Shut up, Anya, you don't know..."
"I don't know. I don't need to know. Nothing from you, Tedrin, I don't need anything from you. Some knight you are..."
"You should hold your tongue!"
"Hold it for what? I should hold my tongue so that I don't pour the truth into those blood-clogged ears of yours you sorry piece of shit!? Why did we even go through the pass if you knew the El'Dren would not attack?"
"Because there was a possibility..."
"A possibility of what, Tedrin? A possibility of you and all of those other knights attacking the El'Dren because of the king's senile ambitions...?"
"And what are we to do, Anya, just say no, just disobey the king's orders?"
"I-I can't-"
"Of course you can't! Because you don't know. So yes, we lied, we cheated and we are in the wrong but I am going to fix what I can. And I am going to do it with my own hands," Tedrin said and raised his hands, "These hands... Because right now, Anya, they are all that I have control of... Now let's go..."
Tedrin walked away and Anya realized that she knew nothing of the man that she thought she wanted.

Junpei watched as Anya ran past him and hurried to greet Tedrin. He sighed. "Well my little friend it seems that a girl cannot be turned away from a man she loves even if the man is a fool." He spoke mostly to break the silence, but as he caught up he heard Tedrin and Anya speak. Tedrin's words drove a dagger through his heart. He listened grimly as Tedrin explained everything. He waited for the finish until he stepped up. "You deceiving bastard, you would lead us to fight the enemies of a man who has lost his mind!?" Junpei did not wait for an answer before he belted Tedrin in the face. "You would allow us to come this far knowing that we could be attacked by a demon at any moment? You have the nerve to ask what you could have done!? King or not a man who has no virtue is an enemy of those who stay on the path of the righteous. You cannot justify your actions no matter what you say now. Your dishonesty has earned you a place in hell, I should be the one to send you there!" He said bringing his blade to face Tedrin. "Those who dare to threaten the way of the righteous shall face my blade, king or otherwise! I am Junpei Cresend and no one is free of judgment."

Sleza listened to Junepei with a small smile on her face. She nodded her head as a response and laughed softly. When she heard Tedrin speak, she suddenly felt a tinge of anger herself. How could he do that to his own men? She couldn't exactly do anything about it, as she was nothing but a worthless mercenary who did what those who gave her food said, but she would still never betray a friend. She glared at him and flew up a little as Junepei stepped forward. Her eyes were set on Tedrin as Junepei spoke. She started to ready herself to fight too, but stopped herself. She gave a small grumble and looked to Anya; remembering Junepei's earlier comment. She narrowed her eyes in a glare.

"I'll let you two boys settle things... But let's get something straight, if anyone decides to intervene or add a hand to the fight, I will be stepping in..." She kept her eyes on Anya as she spoke she then looked to Junepei and nodded once again.

Anya was ready to come to Tedrin's aid as he took a step back and drew his own weapon. It must have been hard on him but no one would relent in criticizing him. of all the things that he had done, and after all that he had said, she still wanted to help him. They were taking their anger out on a man who was not all to blame. That was when she realized that Tedrin truly did have a purpose and a goal much different from theirs. She understood that he really was not a friend. He was a soldier. And the others were having a hard time understanding that. She could have stepped in to explain this but few aside from the true knights would listen. Only the Drag'Konins and Oleris would understand. Junpei would still be furious. What he fought for was much different. Even his motives were different. Anya began to speak as Tedrin said, "I swear this, by this blade, Junpei, that if you want this, I will spill your blood amidst this soil...just the same as so much other blood has been. Don't get the wrong idea that i was ever a friend or ever some lovable saint. I am who I am and what you think means little to me. We are all just pawns in a bigger picture and if you ever thought I was some goodie-goodie savior of the free world then you were sadly mistaken."
Anya thought things had gone to far but before she could interject, the earth began to tremble. She raised her bow and drew an arrow back but even as the earth thundered, Tedrin would not turn his back to Junpei. He was not as worried about what was coming from behind. Was he taking Anya for granted? Did he suspect that she would fire on whatever threatened his backside as to allow him to face Junpei with a steadfast blade. But she was going to, wasn't she? She would not waiver in protecting him. She was blinded by a man who'd just said that he was no friend, that he was not the hero that everyone thought that he was.
The earth shivered again and Anya watched the woods...with intent eyes.

Dryttz was lumbering through the forest, slowly as usual, rambling. It seemed as if she was talking directly to the forest as she said, "I don't understand why the little Val must have everything for themselves. Nature is nature and you cannot own nature. If it is already here, then what is wrong with just enjoying it. Why would you feel like you must lay claim to everything. The Val must name everything and own everything and destroy everything instead of just leaving everything the way that it is and enjoying things as they exist." She slowed to turn around a tree but she soon sped up, but not much. "It has been here longer than we have and it will still be here when we are gone-the Val even work much too hard. Why work your entire life to have things, to consume things and to obtain riches if they mean nothing to you when you are dead and gone. I will find a place to set my roots one day... When I do...I will be happy to pass on with nothing. What I fear most...is dying and being used to make a catapult that the Val use to firebomb my own people..."
Nez rolled his eyes, as Dryttz had been incessantly talking to the forest ever since they'd entered nearly a day ago. He was sitting in her crest of branches above her head. He was tired of her rambling on. She talked so slow. Dryttz was a very jaded Drazyll and Nez wasn't convinced that she actually liked him, for she hated the Val. She had allowed him to travel on her crest, she had taken him under her wing just the same as some of the El'Dren had. These things were true, but she was such a callous and angry Drazyll. Nez had listened to her ramble on about her hatred for the Engineers for nearly two hundred miles of painstakingly slow travel. Though slow, she still moved faster than Nez could have on his own. Nez stood to stretch and tried to survey the Wilds but they were dark and the canopy was so thickly woven that there was no way to see. Or perhaps his eyes just hadn't been trained. On the occasion he could hear a rustling in the woods and on rare occasions he could see El'Dren archers leaping from tree to tree as they created a network of treetop archers.
Nez lept down to Dryttz's and said to her, "How much further, Dryttz...?"
"It is only as far as we need to go, youngval..."
Nez had been getting answers like this for far too long now. He was only beginning to understand that the Forestfolk were a very quirky and strange collection of people but he was falling in love with them more and more. He smiled and shook his head as Dryttz said, "One day you will forget about how far things are or about how long things will take and your travels will be much more enlightening. Once you see enough of the world, how far you're going won't matter...especially not once you have arrived where you want to be..."
Nez began to say something but he was caught off guard as an El'Dren archer dropped from a higher tree onto Dryttz's crest. "Dryttz, milady..."
"Yes, Tear?"
"I was asked by Lo'Plar to come and tell you that the Val have been destroyed. Our main forces were going to empty into the valley in full force, in less than ten hours...but they have not sent word. We only speculate that they have fallen as well. We know not of the evils that could have destroyed the Engineer’s army and our own." this woman called Tear said.
Nez watched every word that came out this beautiful woman's mouth. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even in such poor light. She talked deliberately and did not waiver in her task, as if she didn't even know that he was there. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He wouldn't.
"Tell Lo'Plar that I will be at the forest's edge within four hours. We will gather what intelligence we can..."
Tear began to retreat with a nod but she realized that Nez was watching her. They met eyes for the briefest of moments and then, Tear was gone, back into the trees. With the sight of the woman still lingering, Nez found it hard to turn his attention to the matter at hand. He said, “So many…slaughtered…”
“Yes,” Drytzz said, “So many. It is such a said trial for us to face. But there will be no war. We must see what has become of our comrades…”
A few seconds passed before Dryttz said, "Your heart...it is raising youngval..."
"Oh, well...yeah. But, wait, Dryttz, you can feel that?"
"I can feel lots of things youngval...with my body. As you have flesh, I have this bark of mine and it can feel more than you know. I can feel the passing of the wind and with each step the earth tells me what I need to know. The trees whisper to me and I can understand what they mean to say when their words pass over me. Have you ever heard the leaves rustle when there is no wind...?"
Nez shook his head and said, "No..."
"Well, I have and I do. The leaves tell me things that none other can heard except for my kind. The El'Dren can talk to the trees but not as we can. Right now, I can feel your pule through your hands against my branches and I know that your heart is racing..."
"That El'Dren girl..."
"Tear-"
"Yes..."
"Do you find her desirable..."
"She is very beautiful…"
"-and powerful, youngval; she is a very steadfast and powerful warrior... She would be a good.....match for you..."
The idea was a nice one but Nez needed to keep his head in this battle. He was already having a hard time coping with the fact that he was getting ready to battle his own people. Now, he’d learned that many of the men that he was steeling himself to do battle with were dead. What was this treachery?
He'd had minimal time to contemplate. Then, there were harsh, angry voices…

Anya was surprised to see a Val riding upon a Drazyll but her eyes did not deceive her. Tedrin would not turn from Junpei so Anya kept her arrow trained on the val. she could only imagine what was going through the mind of the Drazyll and the val that had intersected such a strange situation. The val leaped from the Drazyll's crest, landed in a crouch and drew his blade. He released wind energy, pushing dust away from himself. Anya could feel it. He was twice as powerful as she was. Maybe much more than that. He was more powerful than Tedrin. But Tedrin was mad. Anya recognized the val. She let out a gasp-like smirk and took a confused step forward. "Nez..." she said, "Captain...Nez Ironside..."
"Don't call me that," the man said, a cross tone striking Anya deep.
"W-what are you doing? You really are a traitor...aren't you?"
Tedrin took a step away from Junpei and said, "We will finish this later..." He warily began to turn, though about it half way and finally turned to face Nez.
"Tedrin..." Nez said with a scowl. "I see you're still rubbing people the wrong way..."
"And I see that you're still a traitor..."
"Did you kill the Punyimpas and the El'Dren in this forest...?"
"Straight to the task at hand, I see, Nez? But what of your task to serve your king?"
"A blind man with dreary ambitions of destruction means little to me. Leogoryth is a twisted man driven insane by power, greed and hatred for a race that he never tried to understand. Our ancestors trusted them for some reason!"
Anya was flustered. How could such a simple meeting have turned into an argument so fast? These men must have had past issues left unsettled.
Anya leveled her arrow of the face of Nez as he said, "Why are you here?"
"I'm going to destroy the demon that killed both forces of this would-be war..." Tedrin said, "Step aside, Ironside, and be about your own business..."
"You're in Halimar now, Tedrin. Your words mean less than the shit on the hoof of a pig out for the slaughter."
"All I want is to pass, ironside... Move..."
Nez pulled back a little but his brow furled-half in anger, half in confusion. "Drytzz, what of this...?"
"The trees....say that Havana has...come to them... It was because of these people..."
"Havana never talks to the Val. She won't even come out in front of me..."
Tedrin smirked and said, "Are you satisfied, Ironside?"
"Drytzz...?" Nez said again and the old Drazyll took a long, deep breath and closed her eyes. Nez took a precautionary step back and stared into Nez's eyes. "What do they say...?"
"They will not talk... This man harbors murderous intent. They are terrified..."
Then, Tedrin said something that blew Anya away. He said, "Anya, shoot him..."
Anya didn't know what to do. Why would Tedrin ask her to do this when Nez hadn't done anything? She didn't do anything. "Shoot me and I kill him..." Nez mumbled.
"Shoot him, Anya, now!"
Junpei yelled, "Don't shoot him, Anya!"
"Shoot him, Anya...." Tedrin yelled.
"You don't have to do this, Anya...." Nez said lightly, calmly.
"I-I can't... No-n-no, I can't do it, Tedrin..."
"Anya, shoot Nez!" Tedrin yelled.
Junpei looked to Anya but but his blade trained on Tedrin, "Anya, baby, calm down. Down fire on this innocent man!"
"Tedrin, I don't know what to-"
"SHOOT NEZ!" Tedrin yelled, cutting Anya off.
Junpei was yelling, Tedrin was yelling, Nez was trying to keep Anya calm but she was starting to cry. She closed her eyes and screamed as she looked away, yanked the bow off to the left and released the arrow into the trees. There was a clash of swords and a sharp yell. Anya kept her eyes closed. She didn't want to look. She kept her eyes closed, tight...tighter than she ever had. She was still crying she she dropped the ow, shivering. Her entire face twitched before she opened her eyes and saw the worst thing that she could have. "T-Tedrin...?" she said as she began to walk toward the man. Her shivering steps caused her to waiver as her vision blurred. Junpei and Nez both withdrew their blades from Tedrin's abdomen and he fell to his knees. Anya went to him, dropped to her knees, rested against him, cradling him. He would say nothing, he was dead. She just cried. She'd done too much crying.

Oleris must have been one of the few that understood Tedrin. His blind faith in his own kind, his allegiance to his king and the passion forged behind that led him to his path with little thought. After seeing the carnage it caused, he became enraged, fueled by anger. What it must have felt like to hold all of that in, even as ten thousand men marched on the Halimar Depths. But there was no way that Tedrin would know that a demon would attach so many strings to a myriad of puppets and draw them into a routine of death. This was true, but his transgressions could not be forgiven. The man named Nez seemed to be a powerful man and Junpei had already turned his blade on Tedrin. This was getting out of hand, fast. As the day grew longer, the situation grew worse. Where would they be when they were so far that there was no way back. He was cold, hungry, angry and the entrance of this Nez and the Drazyll called Dryttz, things were just becoming more cluttered. Tedrin was yelling, Junpei was yelling, Nez was trying to calm Anya down but it just wouldn't gather any success. Then she screamed, loosed her arrow and Junpei and Nez did something that he had not expected: they killed Tedrin. Nez had threatened to do so. Junpei was steadfast in his belief that Tedrin needed to die.
But this was a man that fought for his country. If none had fallen in the valley or in the forest, no one would have been aware of what he and his fellow knighthood had done. When the body fell and Anya went to it, Oleris drew his sword. He was angry with himself that he'd been too confused to do anything before the man was killed. He took a few steps toward the body, got between Anya and Nez; and Junpei and said, "If you take a step toward either of them I will kill you...."

Sleza watched as the whole the came crashing down like comets. Her eyes were wide and she didn't really understand what was happening and why. A Drazyll and another Val had come up, gotten into an argument with Tedrin and then... He was dead. Anya had, of course, taken the largest blow. They had all been yelling at her to do something, but she had ended up cracking under the pressure. Sleza looked at the body of their former commander and shook her head. She still could feel nothing. She looked to the Drazyll and the Val called Nez, then to Junepei. Her eyes went to Oleris as he became upset. She shook her head again and flew to the Drazyll called Dryttz and looked at her. Perhaps, this was the side she was made for. She looked at Oleris, Anya, and lastly Junepei, before sighing softly and taking her place beside Dryttz. So this made her a traitor too, right? But she was nothing but a lowly mercenary... How could anyone call her a traitor? She looked to the group one more time, feeling a small tear fall from her cheek. Finall, she had manged to care, and it had to be right now. She wiped it away and kept her eyes on Junepei.

Ogava had taken it upon himself to scout ahead...Though he realized he just made a big target in the forest... At least when steel started clashing the party would know there was an enemy. He had not gotten far when he heard shouting. He turned back to go help as fast as possible, which was not made easy in plate armour, with vines sticking out every where in the ground. He wished he could fly but the trees were much to close together for any more than a short hop. He was getting closer, but the shouting grew louder, and more urgent. As he rounded a large tree he saw Nez, and Junpei stab Tedrin. Anger swelled up inside Ogava... No one killed his commander, without punishment. Justice would be served, and it would be served now. Oleris stepped in to keep the peace between the three standing there, but Ogava would have none of it. He started running at Nez, then jumped high helped by his powerful wings. Ogava let out a roar loud enough to impress Brygaad himself, as he honed his earth innate, and threw loose dirt at the man to blind him. This was considered dishonourable, but Nez had no honour himself. Folding his wings back Ogava slammed full force into Nez with his shield, then attempted to land a killing blow with his sword.

Balthazar sided with Tedrin from the very minute he'd signed on with the man, so long ago. Balthazar thought he had understood the man; but it'd been proven false. However, that did not mean Tedrin wasn't who Balthazar thought he was. The Knight had kept quiet, he knew his place; but that hadn't lasted for long. Eventually the party was turning on itself, and his mind dwelled on rage for a time before he suddenly realized that this was not they were meant for.
When Tedrin had stormed off into the woods originally, Balthazar only wavered for a moment before trudging off after him. He did not look back at the men behind him. He knew the other Drag'Konin Ogava would be behind him. If anything, the blood flowing through their veins made them understand Tedrin's fury at Death. Being so far disconnected from nature, many would think that Drag'Konin were numb to the world - especially in the way they consumed another race of sentient beings like candy. Perhaps it was the natural order of things... But with what the group had seen today, Nature had abandoned them long ago.
The forest spectre that appeared before Tedrin wasn't nearly as opague as it was to Balthazar, and its voice was but a whisper. Yet from the beginning he could feel darkness from the creature, and yet a darkness far more pure than the evils that had committed the atrocities they'd stumbled upon.

When Tedrin had turned on Anya and began to cut into her so abruptly, Balthazar had been tempted to intervene. If not with diplomacy, his armored form would allow enough of a barrier between the two. But that chance rapidly slipped away, as the situation became more and more out of control...
Balthazar was familiar with Nez; and when the man came into view he had an immediate sense of contempt flood over him. He wanted nothing more than to lift his ax and cleave the man's head at the shoulders, but the Drazyll looked to be formidable - and wise. He stayed his hand, but he rapidly became more and more tense. He knew that soon this would reach it's apex; and he had hoped it would not come to bloodshed.

But before Balthazar could do much more than blink, Tedrin had been slain by Junpei and Nez's blades. At this the Drag'Konin waited no longer, letting out a rage fueled roar that would parallel the creatures he was descended from.
"Pyres of Brygaad fuel my rage!" He roared, stepping up from his position at the sidelines, placing himself with Oleris and lifting his ax and shield. His eyes burned with a fury buried deep in his soul; brought on by the terrible sight that day and the death of a Val he truly believed noble. Balthazar's allegience was to what was noble; and sometimes being noble meant good people had to die. Sometimes nobility wasn't that far from doing what morality considered less tham admirable. And this, Balthazar would stand for; fight for what Tedrin had only been trying to convey. If it mean't a king had to die, so be it. No force in the world would protect Leogoryth from Balthazar's fury. Pounding his ax against his shield, the metals clanged together with power, and the Drag's wings unfolded from his back and a thick icey coating covered his armor and shield as the Heart of Balthazar pounded audibly within his chest. He even managed to smash his legs into the ground, shaking the earth with his anger. And ice formed from the air; freezing the ground around Balthazar solid, and where the forest moisture came close to him it condensed and solidified, turning into snow; snow that looked as if it might be ash as well.
No more would the Drag'Konins stand on the sideline.
"I WILL TEAR THIS WORLD ASUNDER!"
Balthazar roared at anyone who dared stand against him; ready to kill anyone that made a move.

The other Drag'Konin, Ogava, wasted no time in attacking Nez; and at this Balthazar shifted his position to face Junpei, before he folded his wings to his back and shield charging headlong at him, stone ax high above his head, ice forming where his footfalls landed.

The normally level-headed and mannered Drag'Konin Knights were consumed by rage and bloodlust; the two Drag'Konin beings being fueled by each other's rage as Kin with each other, and with Tedrin as well. An icy blue aura danced around Balthazar; and yet the fires of his ancestors that were present in Ogava, although dilluded, seemed to find their way through Balthazar as well.
At that moment Balthazar believed that he would tear open the very fabric of the Aether to destroy his enemies, if only to defend his belief in Tedrin, and would tear the world itself to stand with Ogava against the men who had killed his friend, in the moments he gained speed in his charge toward Junpei.

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Nez took the full force of Ogava's attack, pushing his free hand out in front of himself, creating a wall of wind energy. The killing blow cam quick but he parried the attack and the blade sank deep into his right shoulder. He yelled, releasing a blast of wind that would drive the Drag'Konin back. Anya was on her feet now, as she'd been guarded from Junpei by Oleris and she drew an arrow back. There was no way that she could attack Nez; their elements were the same and he was much too powerful for her to face. Instead, she loosed it over his shoulder, aiming for Dryttz but Nez raised his empty hand, released an eddy of wing energy and not only was the arrow taken from the sky but the eddy slammed into Anya and pushed her back into the Inple.

(Puppeting Junpei)

Junpei was blindsided by Balthazar. He guarded himself the best that he could but he could not avoid the icy strike. His arm was encased in ice as he was thrown to the ground. Nez, Junpei, Dryttz and now, Sleza, were outmatched. Nez raised his sword to attack Ogava but the wispy forest spirit slithered between the two of them. Nez didn't care. He moved to attack the being but it fizzled away and reappeared from behind him, its spectral tail wrapped around his midsection, its gnarly fingers around his throat. "Theeeeerrreee iiiisss mooooree heeeerrreee thaaaan yooooourrr peeeetttyyyy grieeeeee-vaaanncc-eeeesssss..."
Anya drew an arrow back and trained it on Nez, "Move, spirit and I will do away with this one now!"
"I wiiiiiiiill.....nooooot, giiiirrrllll..."
Junpei managed to crack the ice away from his arm and he grabbed the freezing appendage as he got to his feet. He was shivering and angry. The Drag'Konin was ready to smite him down at any moment. Anya looked to Nez with condemning eyes and said, "Forest Spirit...why do you spin is so?"
"I sppiiiiiinnn nooo-oooone, giiiiiirrlll... I doooo...whaaaaat neeeeds to beeee...doooooone..."
Nez asked, "Will you let go of my throat...?"
"Yooooou caaaannn breeeeeaaaathhh, vaaaaaal, aaand theeeereeee is noooothiiiing for youuuuuu....toooo saaaay..."
Anya lowered her arrow and yelled, "Why, Nez?"
The spirit loosened its grip and Nez said, "Because that man was ludicrous. He would have gotten you all killed in his crazed conquest. I know what he came here for! There was no plan for the El'Dren to released the Seal!"
"We were going to destroy the demon that has killed so many! We care little for the seal! He's already told us of Leogoryth treachery. You've killed a man for no reason!"
Nez's face twitched as he lowered his blade. "What...?"
"We know of the lies," Anya said, "we were working through it..."
Nez shook his head, "Why would your own man aid me in killing Tedrin...?"
Junpei, still cradling his arm said, "Because i cannot allow for evil me like him to exist. He is driving this world into hell!"
The spirit looked to Junpei sand said, "Yooooou aaarree misstaaaaakeeennn... A maaaaan thaaaat leeeaarrrnns heee is wrrroooonnngg...and mooooovesss toooo atoooonnnee....iiiiis noooo mooooorrrreee eviiiillll thaaaaan...yooooou....oooor IIIIIII..."
Junpei lowered his head as Anya said, "So...what now? You have killed Tedrin....I would be damned to a place far worse than hell to ever trust Junpei again...."
Nez looked about and said, "We have been deceived then... All of us..."
"Why do you say that...?" Junpei asked.
"Because as Leogoryth told the knighthood that we were opening the Seal....we were led to believe that you were not coming here to stop us from opening it...but that you, yourselves were coming to do so..."

Ogava was pleased with the fresh blood on his sword, the dragon blood in his veins pulsed for more. "You killed my commander!" He said pointing the bloody tip at Nez. "I will kill you or die in the attempt. Stand aside spirit!" The spirit refused. "Nez... we will fight. In the name of Brygaad, I will see justice served." Ogava stepped back from the spirit, as he knew there was nothing he could do for the moment. He stood next to Balthazar, he knew he could trust a fellow follower of Brygaad. He stood with his shield up creating a small shield wall with the other Drag'konin.

Anya was confused but she raised arrow to train on Nez again. "Balthazar, Ogava, Oleris, stand down." she said as she walked forward, her arrow draw tightly back. "What do you mean? How could you have believed that we would come to open the Seal...?"
"Because Leogoryth's mind rots damn near out of his very skull," Nez said. "There is no telling what the crazed man will do... The forestfolk have guarded the Seal ever since its inception and to suggest that they would open it to release the evil that once plagued them is just plain lunacy. No one has questioned the motives of the king and men that knew he'd lied came after the El'Dren regardless. It is the breeding of weakness, Anya, and you know this!"
"The El'Dren hate the Val, just the same," Anya said, "Men would pray for a reason to go to war with their enemies and they were given one. Yes, it can be held against them but all men cannot be held accountable for the actions of a select few. I cannot step froward to take their place, as they are all surely dead. But for one to think that we would remove the Seal is just plain wrong..."
"That is not far from the truth..." Nez said. He was not ready to lower his guard, as their were still plenty of weapons trained on him. His shoulder was screaming at him, it needed treatment or a least a quick lancing to seal the wound. Blood was running down his arm, dripping to the earth. This needed to end. He finally said, "I call a truce...for now. We need to figure things out and I doubt you will take the Punyimpa with you and that man, Junpei...needs to come with us at this point..."
"you're right..." Anya said, "I think we all need to figure out what we're doing. I will take Tedrin's place on this side. You can have Junpei and you and I will discuss the best course of action for both of these impromptu groups. i will hear your side, but I must hear of Ogava, Oleris and Balthazar's wishes and decide for us accordingly. We will still go after the demon that Tedrin so adamantly wanted to find..."
Nez nodded and lowered his blade, finally, and stood erect. He released a long breath and the spirit finally released him. It moved to Anya, swirled around her, as if caressing her. It took was seemed to be a long sniff of her and let out a sigh. "Yoooooouu caaaan dooo itttt...." With that, she was gone and both groups would make to come to a conclusion. Anya would hear the side of her group and Nez would do the same. Anya turned back, trained her arrow on Junpei and whispered, "You should go before I can no longer stop Balthazar and Ogava from killing you. I can't say your body would not fall without one of my arrows in its throat...."

Junpei felt as if he had been watching someone else kill Tedrin, but he came to the realization that it was his blade that he was sliding out of the dead commander. The others had attacked him and turned their blades on him. He did not fight back for it was pointless. He had let his anger consume him and he had slain a man just as misled as he was. He watched as everyone turned their backs on him. Junpei locked eyes with Anya. "Do you honestly think you can fire that arrow in me?" He dared, his eyes burned with a passion for revenge. He would repent by slaying the demon. He turned his back to the group. "I will go then, but I will return with the head of the demon that took so many lives." He balled his left hand into a fist and placed it at his side and threw his right hand up pointing at the sky. "He cannot allow injustice and evil to run rampant in this world, it is his blade that will be there to slay those who strike at the weak and innocent, he takes the fury of those suffering and places it in his attacks. When those who walk the path of darkness hear his name they tremble for they know that he will not falter in his determination. Who the hell do you think I am!?" He gave his speech, he returned to his normal stance and looked back at the others. "Junpei defender of the light. If there's a wall in my way then I smash it! If there is no path then I make one!" He told them as he headed for the bogs waving at them without facing them.

"Wh-What? Wait! I'm coming too! You're going to get yourself killed too!" Sleza yelled as she saw Junepei leaving. She flew after the man with a feeling of depression. Everything had been falling apart, and she knew nothing of how. She didn't understand what the Seal was, she didn't even know there was a king... She had missed so much, but how? How could she miss everything so easily. It was as if she should know, so why didn't she? She had been there after all. She was older than most of the warriors on this team. So why was it that nothing would come to mind about these things? Why was it she knew less than anyone else. She sighed and shook her head before flying over to Junepei's side. She nodded at him a little.

"No..." Anya said, "you're not going alone! If this was Tedrin's mission in his heart then that is the mission that I will take upon myself. You will not go by yourself..."
Nez looked from Dryytz and said, "Junpei, don't be hasty... And you, Anya, if you're taking the Drag'Konins with you then I'll be damned to hell if you go without an escort for Junpei. If I have anything to say about it...those Drag will not touch him..."
"No...we're not doing this, Nez," Anya yelled and said, "I know what you're suggesting! We are not going together! And you, Junpei, stop before you go and get yourself killed! Don't be such an idiot. you don't know what we're facing here. Why go if you don't know your enemy at all? It would be better for a larger force to go to defeat the enemy. if it can turn thousands of men into puppets at once then it must be powerful..."
Nez shook his head and said, "All the more reason for us to go at it together...!"
"Right, Nez, when we all tried to kill each other! It's a wonderful idea! I hope you're keying in on my sarcasm!" Anya barked.
"you don't understand what I'm saying..."
"I understand all too well what you're saying, Nez. I would love to have a battle of wits with you but I don't feel too keen on battling an unarmed Val! We need to separate..."
"We don't!" Nez yelled, "be it as it may that we were halted in our actions by the Forest Spirit but if we stick together we may be able to conquer this foe. If it is important enough for the Forest Spirit to show herself to us then we need to band together. i can't imagine that you would be so unwilling to control yourself that you can't travel with us, Anya!"
Anya reluctantly held her tongue. Nez was right and she was being stubborn. "We were supposed to have time to speak with our suggestive forces, Nez..."
"And Junpei has spoken...the Punyimpa has spoken and I would be led to believe that the Drag'Konins' thirst for battle would lead them to this enemy anyway... If this enemy has killed all of the El'Dren and Punyimpas in this forest then this enemy is mine and Dryttz's just the same as it is yours..."
"Fuck..." Anya said and turned away from Nez. "Fine... we will go," Anya said as she turned back toward Nez. But Junpei goes with you once we are done. We part ways and that is that. I refuse to kill one another after our trial is done..."
Nez nodded. It was decided. Now, the matter at hand was the demon's Champion at the edge of the Wilds...

Junpei smirked as Sleza landed on his shoulder. "Couldn't resist tagging along huh? It's gonna be dangerous." He told her. He knew that would not sway her but still he figured he would tell her. The others had resolved to follow him. He sighed and continued walking. "Who the hell asked you for help anyway. If you don't want to help Anya then run along to Feneris I'm sure that someone there will listen to you whine, I for one have no desire to hear it anymore." He felt like these people wouldn't be reliable in battle because they didn't trust him. "As for the rest of you I would rather have children watch my back than those who want to make an enemy of me. So if you don't like me that's your problem, but if you don't like me and want to fight by my side forget it! I can fight fine by myself I have virtue on my side!" He told them.