Shifting Terrors

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

Post what went on while I was gone, 'cause I'm probably going to take a while in writing the rest fo this.

Anyways. POST AWAY! I don't mind...BUT I haven't read it yet, I'll do my best later, right now its too beautiful outside to be on here! BYE!

 

-Ryuu :dragon4:

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

It occurred to me then that I might need some practice when it came to my lying skills. I couldn’t pass off that my arm didn’t hurt to save my life. Simple movements capable of flexing the muscle were quite enough to send pains all throughout the lower half of my forearm, extending down to my hand.

 

Save the occasional relaxed position in my arm’s stride, my face was almost at a constant wince. Given the light pulsing from the tip of the staff, it wasn’t too easy to conceal either. I tipped my head whenever applicable though, and kept away from any audible complaints.

 

I didn’t care for the silence, either. I didn’t know about the Knight, but I for one preferred conversation in dangerous situations. It helps to keep your mind off the fact that you could quite possibly die, you know?

 

I suppose it was MY fault though, having told her about my lack of magic abilities without specifically stating why. I figured I would keep that to myself until it became applicable. In the meantime, I would keep my own leather bound copy of the bible tucked behind my cape to myself where it belonged.

 

Of course through all of my thought blabbing, we had only walked maybe ten feet into the passageway. We were slowly pacing, obviously—but it still made for little time to think. Again, with the silence of our unfound voices, all there really was to pay attention to was the sound of our boots clanking against the rocky floor of the cave, my own occasionally lapsing and stubbing my toes when the pain in my arm *boy, I sure do like to complain* took over my balance. This too was impossible to conceal.

 

“Are you sure you don’t need to take care of that?” She asked, once again gesturing to my arm.

 

“I would if I could,” I said, nodding patronizingly. “But like I said, I am rather unable to.”

 

“Well, there ARE other ways to dress a wound than magic,” She responded, and reached down to her side, where a small pack rested attached to her belt. It was metal, obviously designed to match the rest of her armor.

 

“You have gauze?” I asked.

 

“Yes,” She responded, flipping the lid off of the pack and reaching in for an item or two. Several pieces of random surgical tools fell to the ground—they were ignored.

 

“Convenient,” I responded, and turned to set my staff down against the sorry excuse for a wall. Afterward, I too leaned up against the wall and began to pull back my sleeve to actually assess how much damage had been done. Before I had even finished doing so I could see the severity of it. Red had already soaked through both layers of fabric, the outermost storing a ring with the diameter of a drinking glass.

“Here ya go,” She said, and handed me a wad of cotton and some wrapping tape. It wasn’t much, but it would at least help stop the bleeding.

 

“Thanks,” I responded, and held the items between my pinky and ring finger just long enough so that I could finish peeling back my sleeve. Even I didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was. I assumed at one point a Syrakk had either bitten or clawed into me. It was most likely a bite, given the fact that there were noticeable chunks taken out here and there. I myself got a disgusted look at my own wound, and turned away from it for a moment. Blood that had collected in my sleeve drained out along the cave, splashing to form a small puddle or two.

 

“That’s nice,” Jareena said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at me.

 

“Hey,” I said, looking back up at her. “Even I didn’t know it was this bad…” I once again regarded my wound, and started placing the cotton fibers along the wound. They became red almost instantly, but not much could stop that.

 

“You’re going to have to tape that quite tight,” She said. “The…”

 

“Yes, I know,” I responded, using my free hand and teeth to gain a hold over the role of tape. “If I tighten the tape just above the wound it should slow the bleeding; I know all of that stuff.” I shrugged and continued to work. I was not unaware of the bitterness in my tone of voice, however.

 

Jareena fell silent, and I stopped paying attention to her. However, out of my peripheral vision I noticed her eyes wandering, eventually falling behind me, following the trail we had used to end up in our current position.

 

“Hey, how smart is Ryuu?” She asked.

 

“Huh?” I stumbled, looking back up at her as I bit off the tape from it’s roll to finish my wrappings. “What do you mean?”

 

“If she’s smart she can use that large trail of blood you left behind you to easily gain an idea of where we are.” Jareena explained.

 

“Makes sense,” I said, glancing back to check what I had left. The trail was almost as massive as the puddle that had collected when I had cuffed my sleeve. “Makes a lot of sense,” I added.

 

When I had finished with the supplies, I handed the unused back over to Jareena, who nodded and placed them back in her pack. I reached back over for my staff, and placed it in my good arm.

 

We turned and started forward on our journey, now a little less quiet than we had been before. I was quite certain at this point that the Knight considered me nothing more than a fraud, not even talented at what I claimed to be.

 

“So what is it with you and robes?” She asked.

 

“What do you mean?” I responded.

 

“You can’t seem to keep them stainless for any longer than you have them on.” She said, hinting at a smile.

 

“Oh,” I said. “Well—“

 

I was cut off before I could finish (lucky for me, I really didn’t know how I was going to wit fully end that sentence). We both spotted the Syrakk scurry across the path, disappearing into the shadows on the opposite side it had come in on.

 

Jareena’s blade was sticking outward just as fast as I readied my staff.

 

“Stay Sharp,” I said. “I suppose we should have expected this when walking into a bug infested cave.”

 

“True.” She said, and glanced around. “But I agree, be prepared. Rarely do these things roam about alone.”

 

And true that was. Not a minute had passed before we heard the familiar sound of scattering behind us as well. I turned to face it, seeing only Syrakk scurry back and forth along the walls, moving in and out of the shadows. The movements appeared to be random, less organized then their usual attacks.

 

“What are they doing?” Jareena asked.

 

I furrowed my eyebrows and thought. The tell tale sign that they weren’t going to attack us was when a lone Syrakk crawled along the side of the wall passed my head, then turned around and went the other direction.

 

“They’re not trying to attack us,” I said. “They’re not going to try and kill us.”

 

“So what ARE they doing?” Jareena asked again.

 

Another random syrakk scurried up to my feet, standing at about waist height to me. I hesitated to attack it, as it only perked its head up and let out a quiet hissing sound.

 

“How am I supposed to know?” I asked, and started to back up. My hind met the head of another Syrakk, who squealed and pushed me forward. I turned to face him, seeing that he was standing in the same quiet position as the one in front of me.

 

“Oh,” I said, realizing what was going on as more and more Syrakk invaded us. “Clever strategy.”

 

“Strategy?” Jareena asked, Syrakk now surrounding her as well.

 

“They’re capturing us,” I responded. “Obviously your theory about a higher intelligence behind all of this was correct.”

 

“Wait,” She said. “I don’t intend on being prey to these bugs any longer than I intend to let my people die.” She raised her blade higher into the air, as if ready to strike.

 

“No! Don’t!” I said. “Put it down. They’ll rip you apart faster than you can kill two of them, especially when they’re this close.”

 

I too lowered my staff as I stood, now completely surrounded by a ring of Syrakk that extended outward to what appeared to be an ever growing river of them in the passageway.

 

Jareena lowered her sword as well, accepting what fate had befallen us. We could only assume that Ryuu hadn’t ended up in the same situation. The Syrakk kept us positioned in that same manner for a length of time in which I lost count.

 

Afterward, they began to move in unison, almost resembling a river save the very small patches where we stood. As they moved forward, we too had to move. Were we to slow down or move too far to one side of our designated areas, the Syrakk closest to us would snap at us, as if to threaten.

 

And for the rest of that interesting segment, I turn it over to my comrades, who most likely were more aware of what was going on than I was.

 

For now though, I was simply to “Go with the flow.”

 

Hah…get it? Go with the flow? Like the FLOW of the BUGS? Hahahah! So cool…

[Jareena Faye]

Ry-uuu come baaaack....

 

 

I hate walking in secluded areas. My aunt always told me my stride was much too broad, making my footsteps heavy even though I wasn't. The syrakk crowding around my feet made that impossible. I was forever skipping and stumbling, trying to avoid the hissing, snapping pinschers at my ankles. It was more annoying than anything else.

 

After staring at the screen for a long time wondering if I should start another conversation with Distarius, my author finally decided to skip ahead. Very suddenly we were at the end of a third tunnel, herded into a wide cavern. There was an opening at the far end, although we couldn't feel the air. Through that opening we could see the Hold of Bakurus far below, now partially lighted in approaching sunrise. The sky was becoming a light blue, soon to be yellow.

 

I looked down suddenly when I felt the syrakk retreat. In reality, they hadn't moved at all--- their bodies simply seemed to be dissolving into nothing. Through my helmet, I looked to Distarius. "What's happening?"

 

"Ryuu told me about this," he said, watching the bugs disappear. "They're very powerful shifters. Shifting into air."

 

I returned my gaze to the syrakk, until the last of them was gone. Or appeared to be gone. I felt as if I was surrounded by demons, unseen yet always watching. Nevertheless, if they were air, there was nothing to say I couldn't walk right through them. I did so, slowly at first, then confidently as I paced toward the edge of the cavern to gaze upon Bakurus.

 

There was a sudden, painful jolt, and I was thrown to my back. Something invisible had knocked me to the floor. I was aware of a field of rippling yellow above me, while Distarius asked, "Are you alright?"

 

"Yes... fine." I was pushing myself up on my elbows. "What on earth...?"

 

Distarius stood beside me, watching the rippling energy until it became invisible again. "It looks like a prison spell."

 

"You mean, we're prisoners?" I asked as I struggled to stand.

 

He gave me a disdainful look. "That's the general idea, yes." Pacing the cavern carefully, he held his staff outstretched. Whenever it struck wall, the field would ripple like water, holding a sparkling yellow glow for a moment afterward. When he was finished, we had a general idea of the cell's size--- about fifteen feet in diameter. The mage then shrugged and sat down to wait. Although I suppose I can't call him a mage anymore. But, rather than think him a fraud, I think I admired him more that way. He could have been any number of worse things.

 

"What are you waiting for?" I asked, feeling rather incompetent since he seemed to have all the answers.

 

"I'm waiting for the bad guy behind all this," Distarius replied. "It's always the same. We're captured, then he shows up and explains his evil plan. He finds some reason to spare us, we find a way out, and then we beat him."

 

I took off my helmet, so that he could see my disdainful look. "And you're positive it will be the same in this case?"

 

"Pretty sure. I give it a seventy percent chance."

 

Shaking my head, I sighed. "In life and death, Distarius, I wouldn't take that chance."

 

"Do you know what's going to happen?"

 

"I'm only saying to be ready for surprises."

 

Distarius leaned to one side, looking over my shoulder. "Here comes Surprise #1."

 

I turned around to face the cave opening. Something appeared to be flying from the hold... which confused me. It was black, at least from this distance. The wings looked strange. As the creature grew near, I saw it had four of them, all flapping at different intervals. Clawed feet hung in the air, as well as something more. Four heads. A fifth head portruded from the monster's back, indicating a rider. It became evident that the creature was approaching our cell with great speed.

 

I stood and backed away from the opening, though I knew there was an invisible barrier. It turned out to be a wise move, for the four-headed syrakk passed right through in a glimmering glow, soared over our heads, and passed out of the cell again, landing on the other side of the wall. A man in a brown robe climbed off, his back to us.

 

As Distarius and I watched him dismount the monster, my mind was filled with confusion, rather than disbelief. Distarius seemed to comprehend what was going on better than I... Easy for him. He hadn't known the man.

 

"Father Berak?" I asked, still confused.

 

He did not seem surprised to see me. "Elinthar told me your father's mercenaries were on their way, long before they reached the Hold. He also told me you were planning on leaving with them."

 

"Forgive me, Father. I should have told you. But who is Elinthar?"

 

Father Berak smiled sadly. "You might say he's a demon."

 

"A demon?"

 

Distarius seemed to be merely waiting for something to occur to me.

 

"I have been speaking with him for several years now, Jareena." Father Berak studied me a moment. "You still don't understand, do you? Or perhaps you don't want to. Long ago, I grew tired of waiting upon One who did not seem to hear or answer. With one, simple prayer, I turned to serve the god of this age."

 

"But... but that's..."

 

"Satan."

 

I stared at him in disbelief. My head pounded with each heartbeat. What he was saying made sense, and yet... it was the exact opposite of sense. "You are a man of God, Father Berak. Belonging to Christ! Bought by His blood!"

 

"The price was cheap," the monk spat, with animosity I had never seen in him before. Had it been hidden from me so long? "I am a mortal man, with no time to waste."

 

"Waste?"

 

"Have I brainwashed you so well?" he demanded. "We will all die, Jareena! If I must live my life away, I will live it on the side that rules this world. It was given to him in the beginning, you know. Haven't you read Genesis?"

 

"Looks like some one hasn't read Revelation," Distarius muttered, unheard by the monk. He turned away with a shake of his head.

 

Father Berak serves the god of this age? This fleeting shadow of the things to come? The argument was clear in my mind, but my mind was not clear on my tongue. I was barely aware of my mouth hanging open, trembling slightly. Father Berak was patting the four-headed syrakk, as if it was a pet he despised, before he walked away from us.

 

"Do you control the syrakk?" Distarius called after him.

 

"You may think that, if you wish." Berak disappeared into darkness.

 

I finally sank to my knees, still in shock. How could he, of all people, betray us? More importantly, the God I had thought he so loved? Closing my eyes tightly, I found myself praying as a child cried to his mother. My heart felt as if it had been wrung dry, and left hanging twisted in my chest. My body was tense and trembling. And I was very, very confused.

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

It came to my attention that the blood trail became thicker puddles as it went. I sped up. There was a drop in front of me, and to increase me speed I changed into a Peregrine falcon. Diving at about two hundred miles per hour, I tucked in my wings and pierced the silence with a screech.

 

Something was ahead; I swirled and swooped out of the way. Millions of Syrrak were gathered in the hallway! What in the world… Did we find their nest, or something? No time to find answers! I had to change quickly into a bat and hung myself high on the ceiling. Sending out tiny screeches and waiting for the echo to bounce back and show me where the syrrak were, my flap-ears were able to locate the millions of the bug creatures that weren’t visible. There were billions! It reminded me of the black specks in the smoke…

 

My heartbeat quickened when my sensitive ears caught the sounds of familiar voices. Jareena and Distarius! They were being pushes along by more Syrrak than they could possibly have seen! This wasn’t good. What am I gonna do? Oh nice time to panic Ryuu!

 

I stopped talking to myself, a bad habit I fell into while working alone… I drooped into the mass of syrrak, they left me be, I suppose it was because they had other orders. Dodging and twirling I swept past Distarius’ ear, but he didn’t notice for at that same moment a syrrak made a grab at his ankle. I doubled back but stopped when I sensed a radiation of energy ahead of me. Again clinging to the wall ceiling, I stopped to observe.

 

Jareena and Distarius were pushed unwittingly into a magical force field. Lovely. It’d take some work to get them out of there… I was contemplating how I was going to pull this off when something else decided to fly into the room.

 

A four-winged demon-beast? Had to be a syrrak… Someone was riding it… RIDING! Yes, someone was definitely behind the shifting bugs. But wait… We know this man! At least I’ve seen him before. He hopped down from the monstrous thing and crossed to exchange a confusing dialogue with Jareena. I was too amazed to see such a man in a cave like this! My head was spinning—all of this was happening too fast for me.

 

Father Berak left about as abruptly as he had come. Distarius sat down to wait; for me perhaps. Jareena was praying furiously. I changed my shaper again to the Gyrfalcon and swooped down, screeching. Both heads shot up. Distarius’ face cracked in a smile while Jareena stared at me unseeing. Apparently, such a shock had not yet registered to her.

 

I sidled over, careful of the yellow rippling magic. That had to be from the yellow robe in the laboratory. I swayed back and fourth, wondering what to do. Distarius got up, I noticed his arm was still bleeding for the scent of blood was still heavy in the air. I clicked and rocked back from leg to leg, raptor eyes focusing on the arm. He shrugged and came to the edge of the field.

 

“Where have you been?” He asked, his staff leading his approach. I changed into an elf so that I could speak with him normally. I glanced wearily about me; cloak still clutched around my shoulders. Good.

 

“I haven’t a clue, Distarius. The question is, what did you do to yourself?” I pointed to his arm and gave him a querying look. He shrugged.

 

“It’s not important. We are stuck here. Can you get us out?”

 

“I can try, I suppose.” I encased my hand in black fire—my magic. I reached forward to try to penetrate the field and pull them out. When my hand touched the yellow, it rippled and hardened so tightly around me hand I screamed and tried to pull back. When I had finished my struggle and my hand was set free, I fell back to my knees, cradling my left hand.

 

It was blacked and charred, as if lighting ran along it. I felt a jolt in my bones that I did not enjoy. I rocked slightly back and fourth, trying to blink swift tears from my eyes.

“Are you all right?’ Distarius asked, alarmed. Even Jareena had come out of her trance and stepped over to see what had transpired.

 

 

“I think I’m fine……” I uncurled my body to look at the blackened hand, which I could barely move. Cringing, I made a fist and then splayed my fingers, gingerly. They moved stiffly and the pain shooting up to my elbow was still not welcome. Ignoring my own problem, I turned back to the captured mage and knight. I slid my hand between my cloak and back—no one had seen it yet and rather than worry about me, I thought we might worry about them.

 

“You can’t get out I don’t suppose. Well, I can’t get in. This magic is way too strong.” Jareena opened her mouth to probably comment that it wasn’t magic but Distarius started to talk first.

 

“It doesn’t matter, what is that?” The notes had spilled from my belt and fluttered in a pile on the floor. I knelt to get them.

 

“Oh these? Funniest thing…” I launched into all I had seen in the mages laboratory. They listened intently and by the time I came to the notes we were all seated—the tow of them on the inside and me sitting Indian style on the outside.

 

“So, I think this mage guy is behind this. However, I can’t explain the dragon… I’ve never seen a platinum dragon before. It was totally new.” I couldn’t keep the excitement from my voice and Distarius fixed me with a glare. Jareena cocked her brows. “What?” I asked innocently.

 

“Why don’t we read the notes and find out what’s going on,” suggested the lady knight.

 

“Fine, fine.” I straightened out the papers as best I could, hoping I had them in order.

 

“Well, hurry up!” The knight snapped. I glared at her intensely and my withering look made her stop talking. I flattened the notes.

 

“They are in draconian….. Very clever. At least this guy has some sense.” I read over the notes and began to read aloud.

 

“ On this day, the first of the month, I was contacted by a voice I had never heard before. It filled me with a terrible feeling—a thundering voice. Skraelan it called itself. He said to me that I was chosen. Me, Inrah Warrensra—chosen. It was then that I began to see my visions. The Platinum Dragon that’s what he was. He visited me and bestowed upon my weak mortal body immortality. Through me, alone he gave the light. I have the power to such magicks that no one has ever seen. Divinity runs in my veins, I am no longer a man, but a God. I have been granted the ultimate gift.

 

With my arcane magicks, I created what I call the Skraeling. The adept shifting creatures were made of my blood and magic. The are advanced darkings—creatures made of ones very self to hear, see and touch things out of the magician’s reach. But these Skraeling are different. The light of the God shines in them. Skraelan has changed them into something more—something I alone can control. I set them upon my enemy, those fools in Crystlin. They shunned me for practicing magic. They exiled me from my own birth city because I wanted to be something more. The Skraeling will show them.”

 

That was the end of the first, small parchment sheet. They looked to have been ripped from a book. I turned to the next page. I turned it to the two captives. The second sheet was a diagram of the bug Skraeling. There was an intake of breath in the force field. Apparently, they both understood what I did now. The Skraeling were the Syrrak…. Then next few pages were the same. Diagrams, models, drawings, and descriptions—all we had summarized from seeing the beasts.

 

“Skraelan… that name is so familiar…” I muttered breathlessly.

 

“Well now we know who was in the laboratory—this Inrah Warrensra. I’ll have to show him a thing or two…” I clenched the fist attached to the uninjured arm and furrowed his brow. Jareena was thinking by the look on her face and the way she scanned the ground as if reading something that was not there.

 

“Yes, but I cannot get in there and you cannot get out. How are we to defeat him when even my magic cannot defeat his…? He is divine…”

 

“He is not. God would not shed light on such a being. He is mad.” Jareena had a slate edge to her voice.

 

“Right… The point is you’re stuck…Unless…” I reached to my throat were the garnet drop still held the cloak together. Flipping a piece of metal, the garnet fell into my open hand and a chain tumbled after to pool in my hand like water. The cloak fell a bit but still held by the metal casing of the brooch.

 

I changed into a youngling of my species, a baby dragon and trilled in a very high-pitched manner. My companions clutched at their ears. The garnet burst into blood-red light and kept the steady glow as I shifted back.

 

“Garnet—a protective gemstone.” I placed the chain about my neck and walked through the yellow radiation with my black fire dancing brilliantly around me. This time I was able to get through the field, as if it were jelly and I had to struggle through the thickness of it. Once on the other side, my brow was wet with sweat and I was weak in the knees. I beckoned to Jareena first.

 

“Put this on. I will channel the magic, but you have to be brave enough to withstand the hurt.” I gave her the necklace and the sunburst cut beamed with light. She placed it around her neck and nodded. She stood in front of the field and stared at it a moment while she finished a silent prayer. Then, holding her gloved hands out in front of her, she squeezed through.

 

Channeling the black flame to another was hard than when I used it myself. Jareena popped out and turned around to hand the garnet through. We met halfway and I pushed back her hand before taking the garnet fully so that she was not stung. I next did this to Distarius and practically fell to my knees in weakness.

 

I stumbled into the field myself. The black flame flickered and danced slowly around my form. I stumbled out, but not before blue lighting crackled and danced along my skin. My body shuddered and convulsed. Now more than ever I wished there was room enough for me to shift into my dragon form. I landed with a thump outside of the field and shuddered more.

 

“I don’t think I can walk just yet, I’m spent…” I shifter back into a Gyrfalcon and sidled over to the mage. He lowered his good arm so that I could climb up to his shoulder. Once I was settled, my two companions began to run down the corridor they were marched down.

 

“Make it back to the main chamber of the cave and I can show where to find the laboratory…” I screeched in a rough bird. They changed their course. I swayed a bit and opened my wings to balance myself. I smacked Distarius in the head on purpose because he was making this hard.

 

Skraelan. That kept running through my head. Skraelan, the Platinum Dragon… The only platinum dragon I knew was Draco and he was in the servitude of the Life god… We turned into the cave and I lost my balance and thudded on the ground.

 

 

 

-Ryuu :dragon4:

 

OOC: I'm very sorry that took so long. I've been very very very busy with school and lacrosse and stuff. Anyhow, here it is, for your enjoyment so... Enjoy!

[Jareena Faye]

FATHER BERAK

Inrah Warrensra certainly was mad, there was no question of that. His motive, that of revenge, was hardly original and certainly wouldn't prove fulfulling when all was said and done; but I could not deny his power. It was neither invisible nor mysterious, a refreshing sight. Perhaps I had been weak to lose my faith in God the Father, and perhaps we would be defeated in the end. I could only hope to gain as much as possible now, in the lifetime, and deal as many blows to God as possible. I knew what hurt him most--- the annhilation of His children before they came to know Him. And I knew what angered him most--- the death of His saints.

 

Yes Jesus, Your blood was most certainly in vain.

 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that--- considering the fact that God wrote the Bible ---there was really nothing to say Satan couldn't end up winning, once he had chosen a vessel and seized full control of the earth. And when that happened, even more of God's people would be killed. So why not join him?

 

Inrah was in a trance when I entered his chamber. Skraelan had grown considerably, coiled completely around the room. I waited, not wanting to disturb them. However, Skraelan soon opened his eyes, raised his head, and said, "Welcome, Father Berak."

 

Inrah immediately fell from his trance, hitting the floor. He pushed himself up weakly, beginning to curse, before he found himself face to face with Skraelan. Inrah fell silent, letting the insult go. Skraelan turned back to me. "The Prince of Crystlin is hungry. If you're finished with your monestary, we will be starting."

 

I began to speak. Skraelan cut me off, as well. "The cathedral windows--- I know. We are everywhere." He turned to Inrah. "You may begin."

 

Inrah crossed his legs once more, held up his hands as a secret sign, and began to mutter an incantation, incessantly.

 

Skraelan looked at me, his dragon face full of calm derision. "By the way. Your friend and the mage have escaped, thanks to the shifter who was in here some minutes ago. If you wish to put your newly acquired skills to the test, I suggest you change the cave's shape in order to separate them."

 

"Easily," I said, looking a bit more confident than I felt. "I'm sure I can figure out how to turn the shifter's power against her. Jareena is most likely still soft toward me. And the mage should fall prey even faster."

 

"Do not be so sure," Skraelan snorted. Puffs of sulfur wafted from his nostrils. "He no longer channels our magic. Another Spirit occupies that place now. Your best bet would be his staff."

 

I nodded and turned to leave. Still, the Platinum had more to say. "Berak! Distarius is not the only one filled with a Spirit! Make sure neither of them provoke the name, and do not allow Jareena to use her sword."

 

"A simple freezing spell---"

 

"Her spiritual sword, dimwit!" the dragon huffed. I nodded shakily and rushed out as Skraelan turned his glare back to Inrah. "Hurry up!" I heard him shouting. "The people down there are almost lost to the enemy!"

 

~*~

Outside, the syrakk stirred restlessly, as if awakening from a dream. They looked at one another, wiggling their mandibles hungrily. Something deep within, the controlling spirits that were not their own, were pointing down the ridge at the building they had been staring at all night. There was a click and a screech--- one grew wings to spread thick and black against the pale sky. Others were doing the same. Like a cloud of deformed, demonic bats, they plunged into the sky, pouring at an arc toward the Hold of Bakurus.

[Jareena Faye]

~*~

COLIN AP WARREN

 

It was barely dawn when General Garth--- lord, I wonder if that man ever sleeps ---roused the fighting men of the hold to do carpentry work. That's right, I said carpentry. There I was, without even having eaten breakfast, nailing large pieces of wood over our stained glass windows. Hmph. Apparently the general decided windows looking like walls weren't safe, either.

 

I really shouldn't complain. I'm just protecting my home. Doing my duty. I only wish duty didn't always come so early in the morning.

 

"Hand me another nail," I said, gripping the ladder to lean down at my assistant.

 

Korrin quickly bent down to reach for one, holding it up eagerly. "Say, Colin?" (Here we go.) "Aren't you best friends with the lord mayor's sister's husband the general's daughter?"

 

"Ah... the lord mayor's daughter, who is the general's niece... yes."

 

"Yes well she left with that dragon and the wizard last night so they could go up to the ridge without you. I bet you're mad she didn't ask you to come. But anyway, don't you think it's unfair that they get to go off having adventures while we're quarantined in here? There's nothing to do. And why haven't they fed us?"

 

"Because we're quarantined," I answered. "W---"

 

"What's quarantined, anyway? Doesn't that sound like a type of rock to you? Maybe I'm thinking of quartz. But why does quarantined mean you can't eat your own food? How long do we have to stay in here? Are quarantines supposed to last this long?"

 

"We're TRAPPED in here, Korrin," I said, rather disappointed that the banging of my hammer didn't drown out his voice. "That means we eventually run out of food. And it will last as long as the syrakk are outside."

 

"You mean we could starve in here?"

 

"Hand me another board. And be quiet."

 

Korrin picked up another broad sheet of wood, once the bench of a merchant's wagon. "Why are people always asking me to be quiet? I can say whatever I want!"

 

I gestured with my hammer across the sanctuary. "Boarding up the windows is loud enough. And you see those people by the altar? They're frightened. They're trying to pray. They may die very soon, Korrin, so they want to make sure they have reservations in Heaven."

 

Korrin wrinkled his nose at the people, and several monks who were trying to assure and counsel them. The small trickle of yesterday had now become a flood. There was no room for them all in our once-spacious sanctuary. It was a rather fearful sight, and at the same time uplifting to see so many finding peace of mind. Korrin didn't seem to share my views. He talked louder than ever.

 

It's funny how your subconscious remembers things so vividly, right before disaster strikes. I remember hearing one quavering voice say, "Amen." Then the air exploded into screaming, tinkling crash. Human screams and syrakk screams intertwined as a huge black body burst through a stained-glass cross, sacrificing itself as it tumbled and died in a pew. Other syrakk flew in behind it.

 

People were running. More windows were breaking. Some had already been boarded up. The syrakk, not knowing this, broke through merely to break their necks against the wooden barriers, which cracked and splintered. I was watching the people milling about beneath me when my own window, only partially-boarded, broke. The syrakk was caught between the wood and the sill, but it managed to tilt my ladder. I fell into another pew.

 

Weight struck the ladder on top of me. Another syrakk had landed on it, forming reptilian jaws with which to gape at me. I punched its lower jaw and used the ladder as leverage, throwing it off. I then stood and tossed the ladder into another syrakk like a spear. I whirled around, searching for Korrin. His back was partially turned to me, and he held my sword.

 

"KORRIN! TOSS IT!"

 

He looked at me and hesitated, then did so with a hateful look. I had no time to wonder about it, discarding the sheath to meet a monster in battle. I wondered where my helmet had gotten to.

 

Several people had already fallen prey to the syrakk, and it seemed like more and more were pouring in all the time. The people were running across the sanctuary for a pair of tall, oaken doors at the end. "No!" I shouted over the noise, but my voice did no good. "Keep the doors closed!"

 

Other knights had already blocked their path. We knew that even if we died in here, we couldn't allow the bugs to get into the rest of the building.

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

NOBODY POST! I've got RPG duty tonight

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

General Garth:

 

“Stand Together!” I yelled to the small group of my soldiers I had my back to. We shrunk closer together, our swords extended to fend off the hoards of bugs entering through the windows and collapsing support boards.

 

“Stand Together!” I yelled again, this time looking back to my team. Through the fight, several of us on the ground floor had collapsed inward, forming a small huddle but turned outward so that we could all fight on our own. The goal, for those of us fully armed, was to use our shields to protect not only ourselves, but those around us as well.

 

Another insect leg swiped through gray hair, grazing my scalp. Without a helmet, I disregarded it and continued with my defense. My blade met said Syrakk before it had escaped my sight. It let out a screech and collided with some of its brethren, bringing them with it to the already littered ground.

 

My peripheral vision caught the demise of Lekk, one of my older soldiers and a long time friend. I won’t go into the gory details of it, but it was quick none the less. Shrugging it off with ease, I looked down to his helmet which was now free from the rest of his armor. Fending off another Syrakk, I crouched and lifted it off the ground. Ignoring the blood along the rim, I placed it on my own head, joining the others who had managed to find supplies from other fallen knights.

 

Another crashing sound went off --- this one standing out from the rest. It stood out among the dull and continuous thuds of the Syrakk invading the sanctuary, booming with a extremity that was unmistakable. I looked back to see the crowd of innocents and worriers pull back after slamming a pew into the Oak doors along the end of the sanctuary, snapping several of the planks that formed it.

 

The knights attempting to keep the door shut had either fallen from Syrakk or were giving up in their struggles to hold the innocent back without resorting to the violence of their swords.

 

“Stop Them!” I shouted, catching the ear of a soldier or two close to the doors, and they acknowledged. One of them held up his sword and shrugged, stating in his own way that he wasn’t really allowed to stop them.

 

I grimaced, and killed another Syrakk, this one falling to the ground in more than one piece, and raining fluid down on to my soldiers and myself.

 

“Stop them anyway!” I shouted out of the side of my mouth, and followed it by turning my head to once again face the doors. My soldier nodded and sheathed his sword, and turned back to face the innocents. His back being watched by his brothers, the--- Yulon, I had forgotten his name for a while --- made his way to the innocents, and chose one in particular to start on. He went to the man carrying the tail end of the pew / battering ram. He looked back at me once again.

 

I nodded to him.

 

He cocked his head and once again faced the man in the backmost of the pew. He struck him in the face, and the man instantly lost his grip on the pew. Afterward, Yulon pushed him to the floor, where the man coughed and was lost in a state of semi consciousness. Before Yulon had made his way to the next person on the Pew, another of my soldiers beckoned my call. He was fatigued already; sweat causing his hair to cling to his forehead in small groupings. A slice on his left cheek left a smudged amount of blood along his youthful face.

 

“General.” Colin asked me, gaining my attention and almost yelling as he stood two yards away, slicing away at whatever Syrakk got in his way.

 

“What is it, Colin?” I asked, in my own loud tone. I plunged my blade into a syrakk crawling along the ground just to my right. It died silently.

 

“Those doors won’t hold much longer,” Colin said.

 

“I know,” I said, bringing my blade back up to arms’ level. “But we have to protect the hold at all costs.”

 

“But what if…” Colin started. He was cut off by the attack of a Syrakk, which had made it past his blade and plunged its left front leg into the boy, piercing his armor with minimal effort. He let out a brief yell, but recovered and swung his blade, tearing the limb clear from the insect and leaving a large portion of it in Colin’s shoulder where it had landed.

 

“Colin!” I shouted, even louder than I had been before, and used my own blade to finish the Syrakk off. Colin sighed as he looked at his wound, trying to keep himself under control.

 

“Colin, stay sharp.” I said. “You’re going to be fine. You just need to pull that out before you lose much blood.”

 

Colin nodded, and dropped his sword. It crashed on the floor with a thwap. I watched Colin out of the corner of my eye, seeing himself regard his wound as if it were fatal. I couldn’t blame him, as first wounds are always the worst to face, even if they’re not as severe as later ones. I stood by him, and thwarted off any Syrakk that came in our direction.

 

We were doing surprisingly well, I thought. This room appeared to be containing them---and I had the quiet feeling that they were slowing down, not sending as many in. The rate in which my men were dropping, however, stayed the same.

 

Colin exhaled once again after he dislodged the pointed him from his shoulder, and pulled it out through his armor. Of course it was stained red, but Colin didn’t really seem to notice. He threw it to the side, and checked his wound with his opposite hand.

 

Relieved that my soldier would live, I turned away from him and surveyed the battleground. A small place, it hadn’t taken long for the entirety of it to become coated in the carcasses of the dead Syrakk, mixed occasionally with the corpses of man.

 

As I surveyed, my eyes fell upon my very young soldier, Korrin. He didn’t seem to care much for the battle I saw, swatting at a Syrakk here or there, ducking at most of them to avoid any kind of a conflict.

 

I gave it no worry at first, blaming it on inexperience. But when he sheathed his sword and began to pace toward the door, I took interest.

 

“Korrin!” I shouted. “What are you doing?”

 

Whether or not he heard me or not I do not know, but he kept right on going. I simply shrugged it off and went back to the battle, which was starting to look better for us. The broken windows were now allowing small patches of light to get in---a sign that the hoard of Syrakk was slowing down in its march.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

OCC: Peace Out, ya'll. I would have written more---but I'm tired. Just wanted to keep my promise. See ya all tomorrow.

[Jareena Faye]

Hmm... I suppose I could write something. Or I could be lazy and make you wait 'til Monday. Lazy lazy lazy.

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

OOC:Considering I'm not home right now and I am LAZIER than J'f... I'm not going to post... BUT~~ I am going to set the Characters of Skraelan and Inrah next! OK??

 

 

 

OH! And I made a topic for out of charcater discussion in the Greenroom. Talk there if we need something.

 

 

-Ryuu :dragon4:

[Jareena Faye]

OKAY! That is... if I'm guessing correctly at your definition of "set." (?)

 

More lazyness in third person!

 

 

Weariness may have set in on the fighters in the sanctuary, or it may not have. Most every bloodstream surged with adrenaline, which they used either to try to escape, to fight those trying to escape, or to fight the syrakk; but as mentioned before, the sanctuary's main doors were weakening. It seemed that the bugs wanted to get out of the sanctuary, as well, and open more windows and doors for their brethren.

 

Syrakk and soldier alike froze when a loud groaning and snapping resonated across the stone room. The way was clear at last, opening to a hallway that led to any other place in the hold. Clicks and shrieks buzzed in all ears as the creatures left their adversaries and prey to swarm through the open doorway.

 

They were met by an angry crowd of men and women, armed with backboards, lances, swords, carving knives, dogs, and chair legs. They had heard the commotion in the sanctuary, and now they were ready. With a cry, they flooded forward in unison, swinging and hacking at anything non-human.

 

One syrakk flapped its wings and flew to the back of the sanctuary, turning at the high crucifix to tuck its wings and dive back the way it had come, barreling through other bugs, barreling under the threshold of the doorway, barreling through the rag-tag army. A path was cleared momentarily, and the other syrakk took advantage of it. They poured into every opening in the ranks, biting and gnashing, but looking more preoccupied with getting through the hallways. Each stopped at a doorway or window, trying to rip it open. The hum of a thousand wings could be heard outside, waiting.

 

Like madmen, the serfs and knights charged after them. They would keep as many windows closed as possible, and take care of the syrakk one at a time if they could. That hope was lost, however, and soon became only a desperate fight for survival, when several courtyard doors were sprung open.

 

It was insanity, chaos. Blurred images of flailing limbs and swords. Barely noticed pain. The occasional burst of fire from a shifting bug. Weapons and claws clashing.

 

"FORM A LINE!" General Garth roared, his hoarse voice somehow rising above the din. Knights and Crystlin soldiers came to stand shoulder to shoulder. Raising their swords and lances, they became a human wall blocking the corridor. The syrakk moved together as well, sharpening newborn talons to reciprocate.

 

Colin stood as a reserve behind the first line. He heard a voice screaming incessantly, in anger rather than fear, and turned back against his better judgment. His eyes fell upon a calm, unarmed few, kneeling on the floor and holding hands with heads bowed. Korrin stood over them, roaring in their ears. "YOU SHOULD BE FIGHTING!"

 

Running, Colin approached them.

 

"RALLIS! You were a killer and a thief! That was all you knew! We need that knowledge now!" Korrin shouted to one man. He whirled. "Isha! You take your fate into your own hands, remember? This is all in vain! Rise up and attack!" None of them seemed to take notice, closing their eyes to the battle around them and praying aloud. "Stop it!" screamed Korrin, spitting with the effort. "You'll die! Do you hear me? You'll DIE!"

 

Colin finally reached the boy and grabbed his arm. "Stop it, boy, and join the fight! They are adding to our strength in a more powerful way!"

 

Yanking his arm free, Korrin gave the older knight a look of pure hatred, one Colin had never seen on the sweet boy's face before. Korrin lowered his head and charged Colin with incredible strength. Colin fell onto his back, winded. He saw a sword spinning in the air before arcing straight toward him.

 

Colin tried to roll. He felt the sword fall just to the right of his heart. It should have bounced from his breastplate, but it stuck, quivering. He stared at it in wonder, feeling warmth trickle down his chest beneath the armor, and looked up to Korrin again, as if to inquire if he saw. The boy was smirking, and ran off.

 

Hands grabbed for Colin, dragging him across the battle-thrashed floor. The sounds of war grew fainter as he was pulled into a small side room, where other people were hiding. He recognized the dark-haired woman bending over him, though her face was distorted with horror and grief.

 

"Colin!" Anaya said. "Colin--- Oh, God!"

 

"That's right," he said calmly. "Pray."

 

"You're in shock. You don't--- Grison, look away! Would some one take him---" Anaya was looking around frantically, at her son now shielded in an old woman's arms, at the sword piercing Colin's armor, at the room as if it might contain something she needed. "I have--- I don't know wh--- Oh, where---"

 

"Dearie me, calm down," Colin scoffed. Anaya buried her face in her hands. "Now, I'm sure if we can pry this sword out, I can give the syrakk some good licks before I fall. It will get in the way, you see, if it's sticking out like this."

 

"You fool, don't you understand?" Anaya wailed. "You're going to die!"

 

"As opposed to what?" he asked dryly. He sat up on his elbows, confused by his own calmness in the present situation. Round, white eyes were fixated on him with horror. Colin wondered what to say. His mind was void and empty. Peering through the old woman's arms, Grison looked calmer than anyone there. They exchanged quiet smiles.

 

"He who dwells in the shelter of the most high," Colin said slowly, "...will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my rock and fortress, my God in whom I trust.' "

 

All eyes still watched him, some now showing hints of confusion and sorrow. He continued, "Surely, he will save you from the fowler's snare, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His fathers, and under His wings you will find refuge."

 

"I'm not ready to die," some one whispered, and began crying.

 

"You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand my fall at your side--- ten thousand at your right hand. But it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

 

Anaya swallowed her sobs and asked, more-or-less composed, "But why would He do that for me? I don't know your God, nor have I served him."

 

"He saves us for His son's sake," Colin said, "who loved us. Jesus made a great sacrifice for us, the sacrifice of His life. His Father will not forget it. If we are in Him, we will never be forsaken. Even if we do die, death has been defeated." Colin smiled. He felt no pain, so he didn't see why they should.

 

One of the cowering few spoke up. "I believe it. I have to."

 

"What is the work required to obtain this?" Anaya asked.

 

Colin jerked the sword free, ignoring the glare of red at the tip of the blade. "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent."

 

"It can't be that easy," some one muttered, as Colin stood.

 

"That's what I said at first," he shrugged. "You just watch. He won't let us down!" With that, he opened the splintering door to return to the battle. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that the rest of the deserters were behind him, hopeful, afraid, and smiling.

 

 

~*~

[How do I manage to make such little scenes so long?]

"FALL BACK!" General Garth roared, now completely unsure of where his voice's strength came from. The man retreated with him in an orderly fashion, entering the deserted dining hall. Other men where there, with their assorted weapons. The dwindling crowd moved to the opposite side of the room, luring the flood of syrakk in after them. When the flood stopped, six men slammed the doors shut, trapping the monsters inside. The knights came together again, forming disciplined lines. The order was given. They charged again.

 

General Garth found himself barely a foot from his foe again, swinging his heavy sword with vigor. So many lives depended on him. It nearly sapped his strength to emerge from berserker mode and even consider it. "I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name," the man muttered breathlessly, and was surprised to see the syrakk stumble for some unknown reason. He killed it and moved to another.

 

The next syrakk was taller, standing on the hind legs of some mammilian beast and waving all six bug legs in a frenzy. The general watched for a weak point and attacked it. Somehow, yet another leg he had not seen struck him onto his black. Mantis-like claws were raised to strike. "Lord, help me!"

 

The syrakk bent low and hissed in his face. He cut off its head. Garth rolled to his feet and jumped over a recently crushed table to fight another foe.

 

Something immensely strong struck his side, knocking him over. They tumbled across the stone floor, landing near a body that had ceased to live in the process of shifting to another form completely. Garth struggled against the arms which pinned him down at ease. He moved his head within the loose helmet, trying to position it correctly once more. His eyes moved behind the visor once again, and he looked upon his attacker.

 

The thin, red-headed teenager grinned as if he could see Garth's shock. "Hello, solider!"

 

Garth's arm swung, sword gleaming, to remove the young traitor without question. Korrin's hand caught it in midair, bent it back, wrenched it free, and tossed it across the room.

 

"Syrakk," Garth breathed.

 

Korrin laughed as though it were a joke, then jumped back, picking up the general as if he were a rag doll. Garth found himself slammed onto the broken table, breaking it further. The laugh was obviously too intelligent for him to be a bug, his aching head calculated, but he was much too strong to be a boy.

 

"I've wanted to kill you since before you were born," Korrin sneered.

 

"How could you have been around?" the general asked, unable to move in the boy's strong grip.

 

"I saw the earth before its foundations were laid!" Korrin boomed. His young voice held chilling resonance. "And it was MINE, before it was given to the likes of you! I saw Eden created. I saw it flooded! I saw it become a desert."

 

He struck the Garth so hard that his helmet was knocked away. It too clattered across the room, bent out of shape. "I am the Prince of Crystlin! Unseen, I ruled over your home city before it could even be considered a village! I am your master!"

 

"No," Garth rasped, blood flowing from his mouth. "You are not my master. My master is---"

 

Korrin's hands curled around Garth's neck tightly, choking off the last word. He threw the man to the floor, where he stayed, too injured to defend himself.

 

"Show me who you are, if not a simple boy named Korrin," Garth said in a whisper. The room was filled to the brim with screams and shrieks, but he could see understanding in his attacker's hateful eyes. "In Jesus' name, show me who you are!"

 

"With pleaure." Korrin reached for the sword at his side. As he drew it, a brilliant flash surged through the air. The sword was held high like a flaming tongue of steel blue. Garth saw that in the flash, Korrin's outward appearance had changed as well. His hair was a streak of gold, his skin silver, eyes white, like the dwarven towers of Crystlin. Wings stretched across the room. His black robes billowed over his feet, dispersing and flickering like fire. Garth's heart stopped beating as he stared at the higher, more powerful being. "I am Elinthar," it boomed. "Prince of Crystlin!"

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

AHHH!!!!!!!!! You Killed everyone! WHAT IN THE HECK ARE WE GONNA DO NOW!?!!??!?!

 

Everyone is going to die....

[Jareena Faye]

Elinthar didn't kill anyone! Bust them prayer warriors in there to exorcise him or something! No one's dead yet!

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

DON'T post, anybody---I'm writing mine right now

[Jareena Faye]

Good thing I was too lazy to post this morning.

Can either of you leave an opening for me to tell a quick story before we're separated? *toothy smile*

[Distarius_WhiteRobes]

*Another bit of third person…just because it’s so cool*

 

Elinthar’s eyes narrowed and he turned his head to the barely protected entrance to the dining hall. Distracted from his General enemy on the ground, he sneered at the pounding just outside it. Aggravated, he yelled and turned back to Garth.

 

“You people and your persistence,” He said. “Don’t you know when you’re beaten?”

 

Garth would have responded were he not shocked to the point of death.

 

“No matter,” Elinthar said after a moment. “At least you know when you’re beaten.” His wings rose to an arched position, and slammed back down as hard as Elinthar could get them to. He didn’t leave the ground, but it was enough to set the silent Garth further into death.

 

“As soon as they manage to slam through that door they’re all going to die,” Elinthar continued. “The Syrakk will take care of that, and I’ll get away as always.”

 

“M---My…” Garth started.

 

“Your men are as dead as you are,” Elinthar continued, the chaos in the hall quieting as the Syrakk began to finish off the soldiers in the hall. “Back in the sanctuary one just lost his head, and three seconds ago another was all but quartered in the corridors.”

 

“You’re going to…luh…”

 

“Oh, I will not lose,” Elinthar countered, a little irritated. “There is absolutely nothing that could come through THAT door *gesturing to the dining hall entryway* that could possibly stand a chance against me…”

 

A collection of splints and wood burst from the doors, landing more than five feet away. Elinthar once again turned his head, this time totally losing sight of Garth, even in his peripheral. Garth exhaled deeply in relief and his heart went back to work with a thud that rocked his entire chest.

 

Elinthar increased stature stormed toward the dining hall doors, walking along the broken line of tables in the center of the room. He cursed under his breath as he did, the chains on robes shaking and letting out sounds that suggested his own importance. The Syrakk that were unlucky enough to stand in his way barely had time to get out a screech before his presence over powered them and they shattered, collapsing inward into a pile of exoskeleton—the rest of their corpses evaporating instantly into the air.

 

Garth submerged into a tired half conscious state now that he was out of the walking terror’s grasp. As he did, he watched as the towering figure made his way. When he reached the door, he paid little attention to the small pieces of wood flying from the door as the people just outside continued to force it down.

 

Elinthar was no more than two yards away when he made his move. The organized powerful thuds that had been doing well to break the lock on the door were now scattered and thus less powerful, the idea being to simply get the rest of the door down as soon as possible.

 

“An unwise decision from your people Garth,” Elinthar said, without looking back at the weakened soldier. By this point, the few soldiers that had actually entered the dining hall with Garth were now all either dead or subdued, most likely to be used as food later. Elinthar’s head dropped down, as if he were thinking to himself.

 

“Human life is so short, General. Why would you toss it away on such a false hope?” He asked, and then raised a single arm that protruded from his black robes.

 

“Don’t…” Garth started. “Don’t kill…”

 

“Oh, General I would never kill anyone,” Elinthar laughed, still keeping his hand forward and his back to Garth. “Except for this….”

 

A burst of bright red and yellow energy left Evil’s hand, and flew towards the door in front of him. The door shattered, sending large chunks of wood into the bodies of the people outside closest to the door. Even more were knocked back by the wave of energy that followed, pushing them up against the corridor wall. Groans and yells could be heard, and very soon after several people lay dead. Those left standing ran towards those who were injured. In terms of ratio, the injured only accounted for about one quarter of the people there.

 

“And maybe a few other times,” Elinthar stated before he made his way through the entryway. “Too bad for them who stand in my way.”

 

As the superior power made his way under the doorway *through which he had to duck slightly given his increased height* People backed away in awe. Several instantly fainted, several simply starred in wonder. A choice few were unfazed, but still remained with the crowd to see what it was they were looking at. Those who were previously attending to the wounded now disregarded them, too concerned with Elinthar.

 

“So…” Elinthar started, looking down on the crowd of people and soldiers that had formed a circle around him, the only weakness being in the doorway through which Elinthar had entered the corridor. “This is the rag tag group of people that were set on ridding this place of danger.”

 

Elinthar received no more response than the blank responses of those around him. It would have been very easy to kill them, of course—a simple thought if necessary. But for now, he was quite content in simply having their attention.

 

“Well if that’s the case then you certainly haven’t done your work then, have you?” Elinthar continued, pleased with himself and adding just a bit of optimism in his tone. Elinthar looked back into the Dining hall for a moment, surveying the abundance of Syrakk and the wounded Garth who was being ignored by them, just as he wanted.

 

“An entire legion of my minions sits in that room,” Elinthar continued. “But they only represent the smallest fraction of what I could unleash on you.” He once again surveyed the confusion in the crowd, growing the smallest smirk on his face.

 

“Demon…” Someone in the back muttered, and Elinthar quickly turned to him, stifling his own “might” so that he could possibly have a conversation with the speaker.

 

“Demon?” Elinthar asked. “Is that the limit of your view, mortal?”

 

“It’s what you are…an embodiment of evil,” the speaker *a young man, probably still in his early teens with longer dark hair and civilian clothing* continued.

 

Elinthar frowned at him, and then perked up once again. “As valid a point as any,” He said. “Unfortunately, it’s a boring one.” Elinthar focused his eyes lower now, looking at the random sharpened leg of furniture the boy carried. He was clenching it as tightly as a toddler does a blanket.

 

“You know what makes evil all the more fun, Jacob?” Elinthar asked the boy, “The means to exact it.”

 

Jacob noticed the loss of control in his hands. His grip on the wooden spike he carried grew even stronger than he knew he could grip it. He looked down on his hands, which were beginning to bleed from the pressure, and then looked desperately back up at the towering menace, his eyes watering. Elinthar continued to stare straight at him.

 

“You see, Jacob. In the end, there’s nothing you can do to prevent your own death. And as your soul tells me, you never really found time to pick a spiritual alliance did you?” Elinthar teased. “Too bad for you…”

 

Jacob looked around the crowd, searching for assistance. He received only the same blank stares from the crowd that they had given Elinthar. Not that they didn’t want to save the boy, but a combination of fright and shock prevented them from doing so. Elinthar made sure of that. His tears were now stronger, flowing down his face.

 

“Jacob…” Elinthar started, and the boy’s eyes once again met the demons. “I’ll see you around.”

 

With a quick thought, Elinthar forced the teen’s hands to turn the spike inward and thrust it into his unprotected chest. He let out a cough which spouted blood onto his chin and clothes.

 

“Such wasted potential,” Elinthar continued, and released his invisible grip on the boy. Jacob’s hands flew from the spike as soon as possible, and he fell against the wall, still coughing and watching his own life end. He was quickly ignored by the others in the crowd.

 

“As for the rest of you,” Elinthar said, raising his already powerful voice. “If you don’t wish to end up like our youthful friend here, I suggest you do as I ask. I know you all want to get back to your short, pointless lives. And that can of course be done, as soon as you do something for---“

 

“No,” Another one in the crowd started. “I don’t live for you.”

 

“Oh, so you think you live for Him, do you?” Elinthar asked. “Well if that’s the case, why isn’t he saving you? Why isn’t he protecting you from your own would be execution. Why isn’t…”

 

“Those that believe in Him are shielded from your evil, for all eternity. Nothing you can do could change that.” Another random voice started. Elinthar peered at them as well. He didn’t really have anything to say to counter that statement. It was the best he could do to invisibly strangle the woman who said it, cutting off her life as he willed it.

 

“Shall we continue with this debate or shall you start listen…” Elinthar started.

 

“You can’t hurt us,” another voice said, causing Elinthar to become a little worried that they may soon try to rid him from his vessel.

 

“That’s enough,” Elinthar started. “You aren’t worth my time.” Elinthar once again peered at just about everyone in the corridor, and smiled before he turned his back on them, the people beginning to follow them. Before they could, a wall of flames strode up behind Elinthar, trapping him in the dining hall.

 

Angered and bewildered, the mob simply stared quietly at what they could through the flame. A few seconds later, one of the people in the crowd dropped to the ground as his clothes and body ignited. The flames were wild, and people backed away from it as soon as they noticed. His screams were loud, and almost unbearable. Almost as instantly as he had burst into flame, another hapless mob member did. She twirled around in circles, yelling terrible curses and asking for help. A third ignited, and the unstoppable pattern continued in the pattern that Elinthar had looked at the people in the crowd just before he turned his back on them.

 

Inside the dining hall, Elinthar once again spoke to Garth, this time not trying to kill him. The man was injured enough to where he wouldn’t move anyway.

 

“That’s a bad break for them. Burning is one of the worst ways to go,” Elinthar started, tightening the gloves that covered his hands. “Although, it is a little encouraging; it’s not everyday you get to send thirty three people into flame without giving it a second thought.”

 

“Demon!” Garth shouted, to hurt to say what he really wanted.

 

“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” Elinthar said, turning toward the crowds of Syrakk. “But unlike most demons…” he started, wiping some dust off of his robes. “I have a body.”

 

The Syrakk vanished in one giant shift, disappearing into the air. Elinthar gave a crooked smile before stretching his wings and disappearing as well.

 

The wall of fire blocking the entrance to the Dining Hall fell, and the now thirty two burning corpses in the corridor disappeared. As to wear they were transported, Garth didn’t know. What he did know, however, was that he heard the clashing of metal boots running through the corridor now…he was relieved to know that not all of his men were dead.

 

OOC: Okay, I hope that little exhibition of evil was enough for now. I would have posted some of us in the cave, but SOMEONE wanted to tell a story first. Man…it is really going to bite when we have to go up against that guy…

[Jareena Faye]

JAREENA FAYE

My armor clanked loudly as the three of us moved down the tunnel--- Distarius and I walking, Ryuu riding and flapping her wings irritably. Every now and then she informed us about a crevice caught in the stafflight that she couldn't see, and told us to follow it; but for the most part, she remained silent. I don't think she was particularly interested in anything else.

 

I noticed that Ryuu sat on the shoulder farthest from me, where she was hidden by Distarius's head. She seemed to be patiently tolerating me, as I did her. Still, it was disappointing. I owed her an apology, too... but it would have to wait until later. When we were alone.

 

"You think you've heard the name Skraelan before," I said slowly.

 

"Yes," Ryuu replied. "I only wish I could remember where..."

 

"Any vague intuitions?" I asked. "Thoughts, feelings..."

 

Distarius picked up on my idea. "She means whether you associate the name with something similar to a mercenary, or another god, et cetera."

 

The bird ruffled her feathers. "I don't know. I wish I did."

 

"It had better not be another 'god'," I grumbled, looking ahead and pacing faster.

 

Distarius gave me a look. "Weren't you going to try to be more agreeable?"

 

"Trying," I sighed. "I'm sorry, there's no excuse for the way I've been lately. I only... I've heard of how difficult these things can be. I know I can't face these people alone."

 

"You aren't alone," Ryuu said.

 

I looked at them sadly, but said nothing. I think they were insulted by that, but how could I say I wasn't doing spiritual warfare alone, when I was the only one who had truly chosen a side? It was harsh, but nevertheless true.

 

"What have you heard... exactly?" Distarius asked. "If I want to know, that is."

 

"I love to tell the stories," I smirked. "Stop me if they frighten you." :yuiwink:

 

"How many stories?" Ryuu wondered aloud.

 

"For your benefit, I'll only tell one. It takes place before the creation of the earth."

 

"A pre-Genesis?"

 

I smiled and nodded. "Yes.

 

"In the ages before the ages, when the earth was only an unformed mass, there was only God and the angels who praised Him in the Heavens. Of these legions, he created three archangels to command one third each--- Michael, the warrior; Gabriel, the messenger; and Lucifer, the most beautiful angel of them all. God had given each angel autonomy, though He knew that Lucifer was vain. Eventually, the archangel's pride was fully conceived, annd it gave birth to rebellion. He thought that he should be God. One third of the angels followed him in his rebellion, and God cast them out of Heaven, onto the unformed earth.

 

"Lucifer's name was changed to Satan. He fancied that he ruled the 'earth'. When God made it into a place of life and beauty and gave it to Adam and Eve, he was filled with hatred, and set out to win the earth back from them. Man fell from his lies, and the curse of sin came upon them and all other creatures. Satan ruled it once again. But before casting His creations out of Paradise, the Lord promised to send a deliverer.

 

"That deliverer was God Himself, incarnate. Satan thought he had won when his followers killed Jesus Christ--- but when Jesus rose, He had not only paid the price of all sin, but He had defeated death. Satan had lost, and when God came to take the earth back, the angel would burn in eternal fire. He has lost. The Devil can only hope to drag as many of us down as possible before the final battle."

 

"What does that have to do with this?" Ryuu asked.

 

"I know I've been exceedingly narrow-minded already," I replied, "but there's only one god. Every city has a demon 'prince' who rules it, just like human rank. If humans decide to make their own gods of wood or stone or nature, their prayers end up going to a demon, who adopts that name."

 

"Then why are you worried?" Distarius asked. "One demon prince shouldn't be that hard to defeat, if you have enough Biblical weaponry."

 

I grimaced and shook my head. "Think again."

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

AHHHHHHH! NO TIME TO READ! I AM BEHIND LIKE 3 POSTS!!!! AHHH!!! I'm so sorry! This is very annoying, but I really don't have time! SOOORRRRRYYYY!!!!!!!!!!~~~

[Jareena Faye]

Well, we're still waiting. It's all okay, really, but I hope you can find/make/get time soon.

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

OK, I'm caught up in reading---Yes, Ryuu is back! Now I just nbeed time to write a post. J'f, I believ you have to answer my e-mails first.

 

 

-Ryuu :dragon4:

[Jareena Faye]

Everybody together now!! To the tune of "The Old Rugged Cross." Ready?

 

On a board, far away

Is an old RPG

But nobody posts there at all

For twas on that RP

That the first R of me

Was lost in a bad cave's dark walls!

 

So I'll cherish that old RPG

'Til my character at last I lay down

I will cling to that old RPG

'Til I pawn it someday for a pound!

 

Yeah okay, sorry, I've been wanting to do that for a while. :yuiwink:

Edited April 9, 2003 by Jareena Faye

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

I'm going to post next week when I have nothing to do...... I have spring break then and I sant have much to do, but type.

 

 

-Ryuu

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

OOC: So sorry this took so very long to write and post, but one must understand that I’ve been very busy and not in any mood to be writing. Thanks for waiting—I know some of you were afraid that I’d let this one die as the JL ones did…. Nope, NOT ME!

 

 

I hopped from the mages shoulder. Glancing back at the two humans, I rolled my now squirrel eyes and flitted over to the cavern walls to find the entrance. I pawed my way up the walls as far as I could stand, but I found nothing. The whole cave was solid again and it felt as if I’d circled it at least twelve times and found no inkling to where I might tumble through! The two humans were deep in conversation and I found myself not listening to anything they said, whether it was aimed to me or not. I wanted to be alone, away from the world troubles. Someone asked if I’d found anything.

 

“Does it look like I’ve found anything?” I retorted angrily, twitching my tail with indignation. I don’t know who asked, I wasn’t looking and I didn’t particularly care. They backed off. I sniffed another wall. This one was covered in the scent of syrakk blood and sent me reeling backwards. Shifting into a hyena for a better scent-sifting nose, I stood on my hind legs and sniffed as high as I could. There’s my blood, and the syrakk’s; it must have been here.

 

I growled to gain the mortal’s attention and proceeding to probe the wall with my snout. I fell against it once here; I must have been cringing from the syrakk screeches. And here I—a familiar falling feeling accompanied a yell from my two companions. I’d tumbled back into the little hallway leading to the laboratory. I stood and shook myself and whined as my companions stumbled through as well. I wasted no time in trotting through the dimly lit passageway to where the mage worked his magic. A groan—One of them must have hit their head just as I had. I snickered and sniffed the door. My mouse scent was still on it. I pawed at it and noticed the other two came crouching over, weapons readied. I nipped at the door and I heard a moaning from inside. That was probably Inrah. I growled and launched myself at the door—well no one else was, so why not? Hackles raised, bone-crunching teeth bared, head lowered, I burst into the room. Everything was as it had been before. The only thing missing was Skraelan.

 

Distarius and Jareena burst in after me, weaponry leading. I leapt over to Inrah to see if my impressive body would jolt him out of his concentration. He didn’t even flinch. His whole thought and will were so bent on controlling his syrakk that any bodily harm would go unnoticed. The black sparkles in the smoke must have been his creations… They surged this way and that, some glittering and massing into some other dotted form. They were on the attack! We had to put a stop to this!

 

I Bit with all my might into his leg, but what I found there was like steal, it was as if the mad was made of some unbreakable alloy and I’d just tried to clip away at it with some cheap bone pick! My jaws were jolted off with a shock of lighting that made my body convulse and my fur stand on end. Electricity danced along my body and made me twitch after being flung into a wall. Fool… I should have known he’d shield himself… What kind of dragon am I? I lie there a moment, eye fixed and staring only long enough to behold a change in the man…. Then darkness assailed me…

 

 

I actually DO have more coming like right after this....so....if you would please just wait a while longer...

[Jareena Faye]

Hey Ryuu! Well, I'm actually really lazy, so forget it, I'll write more later... but in other news, I did make an avatar for you, if you want.

 

 

You kinda have to watch a while before it moves. Tell me whatcha think.

[Kokuryuu Flameshifter]

I'd tell ya... but its not showing up.

 

 

-:dragon4: