July 30-August 30

[Amber Eyes]

Your character finds out someone close to them isn’t who they seem.

I look forward to reading your entries! Good luck and have fun!

[TheOnlyGhost]

~ * * * * * ~ Prologue: ~ * * * * *

A seabird calls.
The unknowing one stands at the rail.
Peace. The circle closed.
The last word written.

.... Althanas, Londo Ruins, 3200 years ago ....

....................

A seabird squawks in the distance as the Captain of the elite Althanas soldiers stood watch over his grunts, his name unknown to Althanas' history books. "Damn birds!" The Captain yelled at the seagulls that circled their construction site of the new city of Londo Ruins. "Put your backs into it!" he yelled, snickering under his breath as he simply watched with amusement drinking his ale while his underlings built the site of the city.

Henry was the leader of the construction project that had the highest rank of the soldiers, underneath the Captain, quickly noticed how lazy and selfish the Captain was. Taking his cast and crew through back breaking labor and not lifting even a finger to help unless it was to point at someone giving them a task to do. He put down his construction tools when the Captain fell asleep from the overabundance of alcohol as he faced his fellow comrades. "Gather up in a circle lads. Jack, Graham, Heather, and Thomas come here I wish to discuss something with you." Jack was the first to comment "What is it Henry? The Captain could wake at any moment, god only knows how long the liquor will effect his gut." The loud snoring in the distance gave away how long the Captain was truly under the spell of the booze. Both Graham and Thomas started to snicker from the loud noises as they both said at the same time "I don't think we have to worry to much!" they continued laughing. "Enough you guys! Listen to Henry, I think he might be on to something!" said Heather. "Thank you Heather. Now, I thought of a plan we could execute pretty easily if you all help me with it. The plan is to kill the Captain and this is how we are going to do it." He took out a scratch of worn paper from his pocket that had written:

Carmine damnatorum:

Quinque amici opus. Circumdato instaurata sunt.

Quinque congregabo circa et consilium ultionem aliquis sciunt, somene speraverunt, aliquis quod opus ad puniri usque in finem.

Maledicere infelix anima in aeternis tenebris maledicere. Expandit quod maledictionem ad omnes quod damnare quod pauperes anima pro immolantes solutio cum tactus maledictus ensis.

"What does that translate to Henry?" He replied, "It translates into "The spell of the damned: Five friends are needed. Gather in a circle and repeat the following. Five gather around and plan revenge of someone they know, someone they trusted, someone that needed to be punished until the end of time. Curse that wretched soul, curse them into eternal darkness. Spread that curse to all that condemn that poor soul for our sacrificing payment with a touch of a cursed blade."" Heather had a concerned look in her eyes when she heard the words "sacrificing payment" ... "What kind of payment would we have to pay?" Jack and Graham replied, not taking it seriously "Maybe you will have to give us a big wet kiss Heather!" they continued to laugh. "I don't think it would be anything to bad, now come on! Grow some backbones and repeat after me!"

The five workers began to chant the sacred words on the paper, after doing so the paper lit up into flames and disappeared so no one else could caste the same spell. That is when they realized that the lasts word written was about a cursed blade. They regretted their decision, but it was to late as they watched in horror as thousands of tiny misty orbs that had the sense of evil began to gather and head towards the Captain. The evil spirits fused themselves into his soul and strange things started to happen.

The Captain, awakened to the spell, started to scream in horror as his flesh started to melt off and turn into bone. A faint mist started to surround his body and create an entombing cocoon of dark magic. When the magic subsided the Captain reappeared, back into his human like form, yet something was deathly different about him. He had the faint evil spirit aura surrounding his body, which let the soldiers beneath his reign know the truth, the truth that the Captain was now a ghost. In addition to the curse that was put upon him was a cursed blade that the spell had given him. Without warning, he stabbed each of the soldiers with his new cursed blade as the soldiers fell to the ground dead, reawakening in horror as they all stood by their fallen bodies in ghost forms themselves, each carrying a cursed blade in their hands.

From that moment on, Londo Ruins was home to the cursed ghosts of the soldiers and their Captain, forever trapped in the once beautiful city they built, to continue spreading the curse to anyone that dared enter. This was their sacrifice, this was their payment for casting that spell.

~ * * * * * ~ Chapter 1: ~ * * * * * ~

A burrowing worm blinks in the sunlight
and pulls his eyes down over his eyes.
Earth's mouth steams. Deep voices grumble.
Time draws a jagged line upon the sand
in which the woman waits

.... Althanas, 1225 years ago, a small town near Londo Ruins ....

....................

The crying of a baby filled the hospital room as the doctor looked at both of his patients and replied "Congratulations! It's a girl!" The parents shut both of their eyes trying to shield the fact that they were crying with joy, for they could not hide it. They both reopened them uncontrollably as they rejoiced until they faced each other with one simple fact, they haven't named her yet. "What should we name her? Should we name her after your grandmother honey?" the new father asked his wife "It shall be done! I could also think of no better name. Her latin name was Prolicio Prolixi, but we shall call her Alicia, a name that would be better understood and pronounced than the Latin version. She can lure forth, for that is what it means, the goodness of our hearts that we shall teach her. For we both hope and agree that she shall not fall to the evil hands of the dark magic that constantly surrounds us." The father nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes indeed! Alicia it is then, we shall teach her well!"

The parents of the newborn bought a house not to far away from Londo ruins, a place that hasn't been visited for over 1500 years. They heard of it's great legend of treasure and mysticism and it's infinite untouched beauty. The house they purchased was located near one of the volcanoes of Althanas, but it was indefinitely dormant, for it only could have the occasional hot steam from the Earth and the low grumbles of miniscule earthquakes that could barely be felt.

Time progressed faster than it seemed for now Alicia was a young woman where she awaited her journey, a journey that lead to her unfortunate demise from someone unexpected.

~ * * * * * ~ Chapter 2: ~ * * * * * ~

Inner and outer meet in a face of a page.
Deep lines and ancient eyes. Mirrored.
The door is open. The stranger comes.
Black flies the cloud behind the newcomer.

.... Althanas, 1219 years ago, the neighboring city to Londo Ruins ....

....................

"Come, come Alicia! You do not want to be late to dinner!" ... "Yes mother." Alicia sighed in discuss as she put her journal back underneath her bed with the face of her latest page entry was revealed so she could continue where she left off easier. As she came to dinner she could see the deep lines underneath her parents eyes as they started to look more ancient, they were growing older and their hair started turning light gray from the dreaded natural "curse" of growing older. It would mirror her fate in no time, sooner than she would expect for you can not escape the grasps of death. Sooner or later it will consume you. Alicia scarfed down her food, anxious to get outside "I want to play outside! I want to play with my friends!" "Very well, but finish your vegetables first my daughter" said her father with a smile as he watched his young one leap out of the dining chair with a giant smile on her face. "They grow up so fast don't they?" ... "Yes, yes for indeed they do." the parents agreed.

Alicia skipped down the path that led to town searching for other kids she could play with, preferably other 5 1/2 year olds she could bond with better. "The door is wide open for me to find some new friends!" she laughed as she continued to skip down the trail to the nearest play field, the many guards and other adults rolling their eyes at the nature of an excited child. Some of them laughed in amusement, others just glared in disgust that she wasn't in the company of her parents at such a young age. Alicia was so happy, that she hadn't paid attention to where she was going as she bumped into a 6 year old boy knocking them both unto the ground. "Watch where you are going you sissy girl!" said the boy. "Hey! That wasn't very nice!" ... "Sorry, it's just that you need to pay attention to where you are going." the young boy said as he was instantly attracted to Alicias' beauty. "My name is Henry. I was named after the main builder of the legendary tale of Londo Ruins. Did you know no one has visited there for over 1500 years?" ... "Yes I know Henry, I have heard about it from the many stories my parents tell me everyday before I go to sleep at night. My name is Alicia, it is very nice to meet you!"

The stranger, now known as Henry, seemed nice enough for such a young boy. In reality, however, a dark cloud circled his heart surrounded by black clouds. Henry will turn on her in the future, but for now, they simply play as good friends constantly visiting each others houses to grow in their relationship as young children.

~ * * * * * ~ Chapter 3: ~ * * * * * ~

Torn pages curl and brown.
The flames fly up.
in the flickering light a cry.
Who will lift the fallen stones?
Who will link the broken chain?

.... Althanas, 1200 years ago, the neighboring city to Londo Ruins ....

Alicia, now getting close to 25, developed her relationship with Henry even further over the years ... faster and faster as each year passed by. They always bought each other gifts for birthdays and holidays as well as experienced their first kisses. They were boyfriend and girlfriend now, and very much in love with each other.

Alicia and Henry rushed to her bedroom after her parents left to go grab a meal with their friends many miles away, they also planned to watch the gladiators duel in the Althanas Coliseum after too which gave them plenty of time. "Henry, I love you so much! I want to be with you for the rest of my life!" "Me too Alicia!" They started to make out on the bed as they gradually took each others clothes off. "I want to you experience you as a whole my love" as they continued to make love Henry eventually fell off the bed in the middle of it next to Alicias' journal that lay there wide open and full of dust. He never saw it before, and never knew it existed. He HAD to know what was inside, and he had to know quick. "Are you okay Henry?" "Yes, yes I'm fine thank you." as he started putting his clothes back on quickly. "What's wrong?" "Nothing Alicia my love, nothing ... I just, I just need to go." Alicia had a confused look in her eye as she started putting her clothes back on. When she had her back towards Henry, he quickly snatched her journal and ran out the door back to his house.

He obsessively opened the journal and started to read it as quickly as he could. "She plans to visit Londo Ruins?" he kept reading ... "A soul that can grant anything huh?" he continued reading "Good will grant good, evil will grant evil." interesting ... as he kept turning the pages "The legend of the soldiers that rest there? I wonder what that means." he continued ... "One of them was named Henry? That must be the one I am named after!" ... he closed the journal and threw it on the floor near his fireplace when he made a sly smile across his face. "I could use her to get the treasure for me! I could lie and say it is my wedding gift to her! Although she knows me so well and is in love with me, I can use that against her for the reward of the soul. With it's power, I can get her to love me again anyway, so what do I have to lose?" Henry laughed as he threw the journal into the fire since he didn't need it anymore. The pages tore and burst into flame as the fire consumed it's pages with haste.

.....three days later.....

Alicia was crying, for she could not find her journal. She searched and searched yet to no avail, for she ran out of luck. Crying, she eventually gave up and told Henry of it's disappearance. Henry faked his concern, yet laughed inside as he continued to lie to her of it's existence, making up lies of how the journal could have been lost. "Do not think of such things my love, for I can wipe away those tears if not add to them." Alicia was confused yet continued to listen to Henry .. "I have a gift for you." He lowered himself to one knee as he started to put a ring on her finger. "I wish to marry you! I also want to take you to Londo Ruins for I have heard they have a treasure there. Perhaps we could find it together?" Alicia smiled in excitement ... "Yes! I will marry you!" They embraced each other as Henry made a few evil smirks knowing of his true intentions, his lust for power and greed corrupted his soul and mind.

They packed lightly as they headed towards Londo Ruins blocked by many stones guarding it's entrance. "I think someone has blocked off the entrance for a reason Henry." "That's nonsense Alicia, whoever put these stones here probably wanted the treasure for themselves for their own personal gain and laid these stones here to turn people away from it's finding."

A few hours later, they both managed to finally remove all the stones as two giant towering doors was all that was between them and the treasure that lay inside Londo Ruins. There was a magic infused chain that barred the doors shut securely, but after many centuries the magic had faded and the chain had started to gradually break. With ease Henry broke the chain into 100's of pieces with a hammer as he threw it to the ground. "Come on my love, we will go into Londo Ruins together."

~ * * * * * ~ Chapter 4: ~ * * * * * ~

Discordant time. The smallest of
enemies un-mans them all.
Hidden within the hidden.
A breath and then darkness.

The creak of cart wheels
in the silent dark.
Men fall between worlds.
A time of great sorrowing.

.... Althanas, 1200 years ago, Londo Ruins ....

Time seemed to go past forever as the massive doors slowly opened in which it revealed Londo Ruins stunning beauty:



For when they entered, at the bottom of their feet was a path leading to the ruins that was made out of rare and priceless black diamonds that sparkled at each blink of an eye in multiple and varying locations. It definitely was a mystical place with the unusual magical fungal growth that was around them. Some of the mushrooms towered many stories tall, as others were smaller than a finger, some of them even floated in the air like clouds. Each of the mushrooms had a beautiful long string like moss that fell off of their fungal heads almost like a beautiful dress on a young woman. The ruins and small cliffs in the distance were covered with the beautiful blue moss that gathered on it for many centuries, it was the primary life-form in the ruins, more-so than the mushrooms.

As they continued to walk, a gorgeous bright blue lake surrounded them which gave the fungi and moss their food supply. Both put their hands into it as it glimmered like a precious jewel when the light hit it. It was so crisp and clear you could see right to the bottom, words could not describe the pure beauty that Londo Ruins had.

"Why would they hide and bar off something so beautiful like this? The treasure must be even better!" Henry rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Don't speak to soon my love, for we do not know what possible danger might lurk in this place." Alicia replied. If it comes to that, I rather sacrifice you and obtain the treasure myself than save you. I can get you back anyway with it's power! thought Henry.

When they entered the legendary archway at the end of the path, pushing the blue moss curtain aside they could see the heart of the ruins that was hidden behind the hidden door pass the stones and magic chain:



Beautiful black stone work gradually crumbling into ash into the water from age and erosion, a very sad sight to see for some of it seem unfinished. Henry climbed down the stairs leading to the heart of the ruins helping Alicia down like a gentlemen. "I don't know about this Henry, something in my head is screaming at us to turn back." "Nonsense my love, you are just being paranoid. It's part of the fun, come on! You don't want to miss out on the wedding present do you?" "I suppose not, you're right. Let's go!" Henry smirked again as he grabbed her arm and led her deeper into Londo Ruins eventually running into a giant door that was encased with magical fog. An inscription within the foggy structure of the door opening read:

Those who enter will obtain great treasure, but be wary of the Londo Ruins curse.

Henry poked his head into the fog and could see a large spiral staircase that seemed to lead into a dark abyss. "Come on Alicia, seems simple enough" Without waiting for her response he brought her into the magical fog as they walked down the spiral staircase. After about half and hour, they finally reached the bottom of the spiral staircase but all there was to look at was pitch black darkness below with an inscription on the wall near the seemingly bottomless dark pit.

Jump to obtain the treasure, yet face the dreaded curse and pray you live.

"Henry, I don't know about this. This is crazy, these warnings HAVE to mean something!" "You are just being paranoid!" ... Henry laid down on the stairs and peered as far as he could into the pit seeming a dim light that lay at the center. He got back up with excitement "I found it! I found the treasure my love, it is the wedding gift I promised you, look for yourself!" Henry was full of joy as Alicia started to look for herself. He then put his plan into action betraying his love and smirked ... "Alicia." ... "Yes my love?" ... "Although I do love you, I must have you do something for me. I want you to get the treasure for me!" As he said this Alicias' eyes widened and turned black with shock as Henry pushed her into the Abyss. He had betrayed her! Henry couldn't stop laughing maniacally as he watched her fall into darkness. "I will get you for this you traitor! I will get you somehow!"

Alica could hear Henry grow fainter and fainter as she fell into darkness, but the light in the middle started getting bigger. Magical energy surrounded her body as it gently put her onto the solid ground that was hidden at the bottom feet away from the treasure of the soul of the great warrior that could grant its' bearer anything and everything it could imagine. She headed towards it, arm lengths away when it burrowed into the ground as it began to shake. "The curse? Perhaps I need to break it in order to obtain the treasure?" Six ghostly figures appeared each carrying a cursed blade. They stood an unnatural 12 - 15 feet tall. Five of them looked like:



While the sixth and final one looked like:



....

Each of the five identical ghosts had soldier name tags, for they read "Heather, Jack, Graham, Thomas, and ..... Henry!" Henry? The one he was named after? Oh no!

The sixth one was full of skulls in which had a captains star on the ghostly being. "You ... You must be the Captain that was cursed!" cried out Alicia. "You are correct young one, you came a long way to join us!" Without warning, the Captain dug his cursed blade into her body and threw her out of Londo Ruins into an open grassy field that was miles away from both her home and Londo Ruins as dark magic safely broke her fall simply so she could experience the symptoms of the curse.

Her body started to bleed red at first (like normal) and then black as she gasped for air ... one last breath, and then darkness ... eventually going unconscious. Hours went by, for now she was standing over her corpse and screamed in terror when she realized ... she was now a ghost herself! She could hear footsteps in the distance as she phased into a tree with her new ghost powers and watched.

It was her parents that was on their daily walk as they stumbled over her lifeless corpse. They jumped back in horror and started screaming and crying at the same time. Alicia wanted to let them know she was still "okay" but didn't want to possibly make matters worse than they already are.

Over the period of the next few weeks she witnessed her own funeral as the funeral cart creaky wheels traversed into the darkness of the cemetery where her grave was dug. The pastor gathered all of her loved ones and friends around her casket saying the following words:

"For Alicias' loved ones. We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Prolicio Prolixi, Alicia as she is known better. She was a young woman taken from us, her stunning beauty amazed us all ... but do not cry, for all men fall between worlds of the living to the state of being deceased. This is truly a time of great sorrowing. May she rest in peace and may God have mercy on her soul. Amen!" "Amen!"

Her casket was lowered gradually into the dirt as they covered her with more dirt and flowers while her family and friends cried and told their own personal stories about how great she was. Henry was the last one to visit her as he simply smiled in amusement, much to Alicias' surprise, and said: "At least I know what I was getting myself into. Shame I had to use you as a guinea pig my love, but it is for the greater good, for now I know what obstacles I need to overcome to get what I crave most. Power!"

~ * * * * * ~ Epilogue: ~ * * * * * ~

It is he who is responsible for the tragedy.
His footprints lay near the ruins.

.... Althanas, New Londo Ruins --- near the outskirts of Londo Ruins, present day ....

Henry, the one responsible for this tragedy, eventually went back to Londo Ruins leaving his footprints in the sand as he went up the mountain to try to obtain the treasure. The door closed behind him by powerful mages that read his mind after Alicias' death knowing what he did to her. They put an even stronger spell on the ruins and locked him inside where he suffered the fate of dehydration and also starved to death being afraid to enter the heart of the ruins knowing what it did to his "love".

In response to the event, the mages wanted to restore Londo Ruins to it's former glory but not the same place. They had to build another, one that was evil free and could be visited by many. They wanted to keep the name, for it was a name that was put into legends and it was a name that everyone knew well, all to well after the tragedy.

They called it New Londo Ruins and Alicia visited it many times and was proud they made something good about it.

She now wonders the landscape searching for a way to obtain the soul in Londo Ruins and return her to her former self and to forever break the evil curse. If only she could get revenge on Henry, but she was still glad he got his demise the way he did. She is in search of allies to guide her into the future journey she plans on overcoming.

Who will join her?

Ghost images borrowed from Dark Souls for PS3. I thought it fit well with the story. I also got the name Londo Ruins from it, thought it sounded cool so I stuck with it. Added my own twist of the true site though, my version is a LOT better if you ever played the game.

Hope you enjoyed the story!

Let me know what you think via pm, I'd greatly appreciate it.

^.^

Thank you <3

[SirArtemis]

The sun was setting for the day. The skies had filled with clouds that looked to have been dipped in shades of blue and purple, and the patches between were lined with pinks, oranges and yellows left from the dipping orb out in the west. Artemis sat inside of a small tavern know as The Drunk Duck. He had pulled up a seat by the window and found himself staring at the water, remembering sitting in this very spot nearly a year ago. That was before the Corone War had ended and before he had played his own part in the war on Se'Lutia.

'Where does the time go,' Artemis mumbled with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. He had come so far in the last half decade. From the moment he had run from home to where he sat today, he had seen wars, founded towns, fought in tournaments, played hero, and equipped himself with a collection of items that he knew would one day go down in history.

"Would you like a refill?" a woman asked, approaching the young man. She was a typical wench, wearing a corset to improve her bust and her tips, and wearing a dress that flowed freely as she twisted and turned between tables. Her face was still youthful, as though she hadn't been in the business long, but you could tell she had seen plenty in her life. After all, the war was still recent in peoples' minds.

"I'm all set miss, but thank you," Artemis said with a smile. His cup of tea had gotten cold but he didn't mind. Hot tea became iced tea with enough time, and the taste remained. His finger traced the brim of the cup in circles, going clockwise as though turning the clock forward and seeing how the night would go. Come morning, he'd need to return back to Salvar, but tonight, he just wanted to relax; and with his ring, he only needed two hours of sleep anyway, so he had plenty of time to think.

After many trips to Underwood, and with the war settled, he had time to wander around and explore the town finally. His father liked to go for walks at times and Artemis joined, and at one point he stumbled across a library run by a man named Regis Daili. The structure was unremarkable from the outside, but within was likely the largest collection of knowledge Artemis would ever know. He would take time to read the stories, and with the help of the friendly librarian himself, Artemis had learned the names of many heroes of Althanas in the past couple of decades - some of which he had even met.

Sei Orlouge, the Avatar of Alerar, Savior of Radasanth. Ruben "Letho" Ravenheart, once a knight and future king, only to lose it all and become a lawman of Corone. Godhand Striker - not a hero by most definitions, but he left his mark. Jensen Ambrose was a name he had heard before having to read it as well; the Ixian Knight and Senior Knight of the Apocalypse had made a name for himself in a short time - probably because of his loud mouth, but he had the ability to back it up too. Then there was Joshua Breaker - a man who had seen the white light more than once, and actually came back to rejoin the world of the living; there were some who considered him an ascended human.

But Artemis was not on that list. That's not to say it bothered him much - he never wanted fame, or fortune, glory, or legacy. He simply wanted to leave his mark. He didn't care if people knew it was him. All that mattered was that he knew. And so far in life, he had been doing well enough. But part of him couldn't help but wonder if one day he would find fame, even though he never sought it.

He lifted the white porcelain cup to his mouth, his tongue finding a small chip as he sipped the slightly bitter amber liquid. 'I really should ask them to let me brew my own tea...'

Something seemed out of place though to the young man. After years of honing his intuition, and especially after being put into a few situations where instinct ruled, he knew when to trust his gut. The table in front of him sat a hooded man who seemed to be hiding something. Artemis didn't know quite what it was the man hid. He could have been a criminal - from petty theft to high-end larceny. He could be a murderer, a spy, a pedophile, a rapist, a wife-beater, or maybe just a depressed drunk. Whatever it was, it didn't sit well with the blue-eyed warrior, and so he kept enough of his focus on the man to be safe.

Hours passed and Artemis watched as countless people retired to their homes or to their rooms. It was the middle of the week and most had work the next day, so indulging excessively wasn't an option for most. After all, there was much to be done - the post-war rebuilding wasn't yet done. Much of the consequences of the war, from infrastructural to psychological damage, needed to be repaired, and the people of Corone proved their resilience.

Yet this man sat, quietly, sipping on mugs of beers at a casual pace and at one point ordering his dinner. At one point, the bright moon managed to finally show itself behind the cloudy skies and the white light shone in through the window by which Artemis sat. As it did, the hooded man slammed a fist upon his table, and Artemis' hand immediately fell to his blade. He looked around, and apparently everyone's gaze had sought the sound.

The hooded man stood up, beginning to grunt as though in excruciating pain and slammed the table again, in a rush, he ran out the front door and out onto the docks of the port. Artemis quickly followed, worried that the man might do something to hurt another and wanted to be sure that he was close enough to intervene. However, just a few steps out, the man roared and hunched over, grimacing in pain.

The clothes he wore began to rip and tear while his body began to crack and pop, shifting its form and growing in size. Artemis watched and recognized what was happening - this was lycanthropy.

He looked up at the moon and noticed that it was full, understanding the situation and the man's discomfort. He had read enough about the creatures and the disease to know that after being afflicted, people who contracted the disease would involuntarily transform come the first full moon that followed their infection. Those who had the disease for longer periods of time were able to control the transformation and urges more easily, and it was clear this man was recently infected.

With a shake of his head, Artemis lifted his left arm into the air with his palm open. The white bracer on his arm changed shape into that of a bow, and as he pulled back on the string, a black mist began to pull together into the shape of an arrow. 'We have to make sure the effect sticks, Judicis,' Artemis thought, sending the message toward the sentient spirit within the bow. The projectile solidified, and just as the transformation of the man finished, the black mist struck the creature in the back and sent him falling to the ground. Artemis had been sure to concentrate on the strike, knowing that the magical energy of the incapacitating projectile would need to be potent to knock the beast to sleep for the night.

"Now to get him some help..." Artemis mumbled, trying to remember where the nearest temple was where he could find some clerics. The cures for lycanthropy were difficult to come by and typically expensive - most felt the best cure was death. However, Artemis didn't feel that was the best option. If this man could tame and control the ability, he could do more good than bad. Whether he was able to control it and use it for good was not yet something Artemis could know. For now, he would guard the body and wait for help.

With a sigh, he couldn't help but shake his head as he sat upon the moist and old wooden planks that lined the port of Radasanth. His intuition had been right again, and this man sitting so close to him for hours and hours, wasn't quite who he seemed at first.

[Itera]

"Well, that's different."

Captain Itera of the Black Army of Tenger Jerhal sank deeper in the hot water, re-wetting her chin in an effort to get her brain to work again through the alcohol- and comfort-induced stupor. Next to her, Irenyr, her lieutenant and adjutant, laid down the spyglass and picked up the half-empty bottle of rum to pour herself a bowl. She also had the flushed look of someone who's spent a long time in the hot springs while working at getting smashed out of her gourd.

"Think they'llerr win?"

From her floating gap two hundred feet up in the air, Itera had an excellent view of the three armies about to engage each other in the clearing a mile away. There were nearly a thousand fairies in this little battle, not counting the company sitting quietly in the forest directly beneath Itera. The Monarch had decreed it to be War Month after her sudden fancy of playing chess had escalated past playing chess with live pieces. The White Army and the Black Army had formed, the former under Marshal Izayiri and the latter under Marshal Ichronisi. Very nearly all of the fairies of the world were attending; after all, who could resist some fun and the chance to beat people up?

The big battle was scheduled and the armies were given a week to train. Training was mostly consisted of recognizing uniforms (a sash or scarf of a particular color, trying to convince a fairy to change their entire wardrobe was impossible) and recognizing banners to follow around. The first step went pretty well but the second step saw a lot of fairies going over to their friends under other banners or deciding that they liked a certain group better. Then big enough internal feuds and struggles occured to cause the armies to start splitting into wholly separate armies. There were at least eleven different armies by the time of the morning of the big battle: White, Black, Blue, Red, Potato, Sunflower, Green, Yellow-Green, Bucket, Strongest, and Big Hats.

Just now, Itera had watched the Potato and Blue armies square off against each other on the field and saw a third army bearing a great big banner of a foot march up the hill and attack Potato from the side, so there were now at least twelve armies. March wasn't be the right word, the Footsies flew and ran up the hill in a frenzied mass under bombardment from a lot of potatoes.

Itera rubbed her chest in shallow thought. Here she was, holding the Fifth Company of the Black Army as an ambush in the forest against anyone who'd challenge this flank. If she knew a little more about military tactics, she'd realize that the whole idea was absurd. The rest of the Black Army didn't form a line, square, rectangle, circle, or any other recognizable shape with a flank; it had become an amorphous mass shortly after setting off because nobody could see or keep track of the banners in the forest. Now, there was a battle going on nearby and already black-sashed fairies were hovering up to curiously peek over the canopy.

"Not if we let them!" Itera declared, reviewed her declaration, and re-declared, "Not if we don't let them!"

It had been a brilliant stroke when Itera decided that parking herself way up in the air would let her see more of the war and figure out what to do with her command. It was even more brilliant when she decided that, since it was so chilly up here most of the time, she can keep warm by setting the other end of the gap in a hot springs. Then all the other things associated with relaxing in a hot springs came up. That is the reason why the entire officer corps of the Fifth Company was starting the battle naked, drunk, wet, and quite comfortable. Now, though, someone had to leave the water.

"'ey, Irthins." Itera called. There was no response.

"Irthis!" She turned around and looked at her two sub-lieutenants. They were leaning against each other fast asleep, their last bottle of mead upended and drained into the water. That was just terrible behavior on the battlefield, wasting alcohol. Itera's eyes narrowed.

A few pinches of sensitive bits and two surprised yelps later, "Get d'n there and... uh..." The thought eluded Itera for a few seconds, "Tell our girls to not go... tha'a'way." She pointed at the distant three-way, which had by now disintegrated into very well-mixed brawl, half of which was airborne.

"I'rra..." Irthis moaned, holding her forehead, "Is c'ld out..."

"Then put your clozze on first! Shouldn't... shouldn't ... in battle naked. Go!"

"'nothrr cup first." The sub-lieutenants opened another bottle of rum and started pouring, while absently putting on the first few scraps of fabric. Itera shared a toast with them, a toast to being drunk.

After the two fairies swapped mistakenly-taken blouses and flapped away down to the forest below, Itera shifted into Irenyr's lap and rested her head. That poor head had been responsible for one of the most brilliant plans of all, conceived in a flash of insight while snuggling under the covers with Irenyr. The objective of the whole battle was to have the biggest army at the end of the Month. Armies got bigger by capturing members of other armies. The first step to winning, therefore, is not to get your army captured. This means not fighting right at the start and then ambush people as they come by, which is quite difficult to impress upon the suicidally overconfident and bloodthirsty fairies.

So Itera had supplied enough bottles to get everyone rather drunk.

"Itera." Irenyr asked, gently stroking Itera's head. The two had been together for an astonishing three months now and knew just how the other liked it.

"Mmm?"

"We're still on for the party at the falls next week, okay?"

"Mmm." The foggy suspicion crossed Itera's mind and then was entirely blanked out in pain as one of Irenyr's tiny thunderclouds formed over the pool and struck the water with a bolt of lightning. Itera's entire body convulsed with the electric shock. When it passed, she laid limp and twitching against Irenyr, who gently undid the black ribbon in Itera's hair, then did the same to her own.

"For Marshal Izayiri, I capture you and your company for the White Army."

[Skie and Avery]

Avery sat quietly in Concordia. His back against the trunk of a great oak tree, he stared ahead toward the dangling end of a higher branch. The twigs that sprouted from its end were thickly laden with ruffled leaves and bundles of shining acorns. The evening forest was washed in the pale light of a sun that had already sank mostly under the horizon. A chill wind rustled the branches around the incubi, and without thinking he pressed his body back into the embrace of his own leathery wings. As he weighed the merits of returning to the hidden city, a dark figure darted underneath, weaving their way through the trees.

The wind picked back up, lifting the hood off of the figure as they slipped away. Immediately, Avery recognized the hair. Allerial was on the hunting party for the city, a strong woman with deceptively soft curves to hide her ferocious nature and legs that seemed impossibly long. Her hair, the trademark that gave her away, was short cropped in the back with longer choppy layers to the front. It was split in color perfectly. The left tresses were a pale blonde, bone white in the moonlight, while the right was a raven black. The unusual look suited her, and the Moontae king had to admit that he had thought of pulling her into his bed more than once since Elena had fled. Grinning, he slipped to the ground, using flight and shadows to follow her unseen.

His plan was to sneak up on her in some dark glade and appear in his glory. He was in sore need of amusement, the loneliness and bitterness had taken hold of him for far too long. Allerial was just the plaything to soothe his sore heart, and he felt they’d been close lately. As he followed her trail through the brush, her muffled footsteps ahead guiding him on, he wondered what she would taste like.

Finally, he heard her stop, the underbrush that she thrashed through going quiet. Her voice lifted in a greeting, and it was met by that of a man Avery did not recognize. At once, disappointment weighed heavily on his mood. She seemed to be meeting some secret lover here, so deep into the forest. After a moment he decided to push forward. He was curious who she would be seeing in secret, as their culture had no taboo on multiple lovers. Eventually he came close enough that he could spy her form from a dense copse of trees. He moved into their shadow, just enough so that between two trunks he had a framed view of Allerial and her companion.

The man was almost as tall as she, only seeming to stand an inch or so shorter. He wore an impeccably tailored suit, with black jacket and pants. His white shirt was buttoned to his throat, a dark cravat spilling down into the lee of a silver vest. The moon was full tonight, dusting everything with a blue silver glow that made the vest seem almost as pale as the first dusting of snow. In fact, it was almost as pale as the man’s gaunt and wraithlike face. The finery and beauty of his clothes were in sore contrast to the hungry monster that peered over the collar of his shirt and jacked.

His eyes were as pale as death, lips thin and peeling. A thin, hooked nose flared as he drank in the scent of the woman in front of him. In Avery’s mind, knowledge bubbled forth like a spring emerging for the first time from the side of a stony cliff. This was a vampire talking so calmly to Allerial. The vampires of Concordia had been mortal enemies with the Moontae for century, as years of bloodshed between demon and undead had played out. Avery bared his teeth, the sharp canines almost as long and vicious as the unknown monster before him. Was Allerial under his thrall?

But then, as they finished talking, the Moontae woman drew up her hood. The vampire passed something, a fluttering piece of paper that she took and hid within a pocket inside her cloak. She turned, a smile on her angelic face, her two toned hair whipping at her forehead before the vampire reached out. He grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. Avery tensed to come to her rescue when she leaned over and the two exchanged a gentle kiss before with a giggle, she turned to head back to the city. The vampire also left, moving like a whisper in the opposite direction.

Avery’s throat had turned to stone. Past his anger, he struggled to breathe , to swallow the disgust he felt. As Allerial came closer, the Moontae king readied his claws. He took a deep breath, his chest flaring as he began to walk from the cluster of trees that had hidden him during the rendezvous. The woman looked up, at first confusion and then fear filling her hazel eyes. Her jaw dropped as her hands came up to protect her, but it was too late. Avery had sprung forward, betrayal in his heart and rage boiling in his blood.

[Amber Eyes]

“What do you mean?” Kyla looked to each of the Orlouge clan, her eyes wide in shock.

~~~


Only moments ago, the girl had been having a nice dinner with her family. The Orlouge matriarch, Armonia, had prepared a feast in preparation for ‘some big news’ as she phrased it. The tightly sealed lips on the two Orlouge parents caused rumors to circulate among the brothers and their children.

So far, she had heard that Armonia was pregnant (from Razak, the live-in son), that the heads of the family were declaring war against humanity (Ciato favored that tale), even that Armonia had been a mole during the Corone war, and was the whole reason the Rangers even agreed to meld their forces into the Ixian Knights. The last one was Kyla’s favorite, spread about by her cousin Amy, daughter of Ciato.

Needless to say, when Tinerad, the Orlouge family patriarch, stood up from the head of the long table to speak to the twenty plus Orlouge children and grand-children, everyone leaned in close for a listen. Tinerad cleared his throat as Armonia joined his side. The two eldest mystics looked to one another before shifting their gaze back to their younglings.

“As you all know,” Tinerad spoke in a way that was unfamiliar to Kyla. She was used to the mirthful, happy tones of Tinerad’s words, not this solemn, serious and brooding voice. “We have arranged this dinner to share some news with all of you,” Tinerad and Armonia’s eyes scanned the table, before falling squarely on Kyla herself.

“A few years after Sei was born, we were blessed with another child,” Tinerad began to explain, as if the words were directed directly at Kyla, “We were used to children by now. We had had three healthy young boys, and we were pretty confident in how to raise them. However, when the time passed and Armonia did give birth, it was to a girl…”

Fists slammed upon the dinner table, and the piercing blue eyes of Niche Orlouge, Kyla’s own father, shot directly towards Tinerad. “Dad,” the word was barely audible, and sounded more like a growl than anything else. In fact, he sounded genuinely pissed at his own father, “Don’t!”

“It’s time she knows, son,” Armonia stepped in front of her husband, defending his actions.

“We had absolutely no idea how to handle a girl,” Tinerad continued, “we had gotten so used to boys, we had no idea what raising a daughter of our own would be like. Armonia was so overwhelmed with preparing Sei for the light trials, and I was tied up in trying to stop the rebellion against our people. What sort of life would a young girl have had, with her mother always stretched too thin, and her father never home? We decided to give her to a new family, but not just any family. It had to be someone we could trust, someone who would remain close to the Orlouges through thick and thin.

“Stop!” Niche said, slamming his fists so hard into the table that it splintered beneath his mighty fists, “You have no right to tell this story! Not anymore!”

“What’s going on?” Kyla leaned toward her side, whispering to her pink afro uncle, Steppenwolf. The large mystic seemed more interested in the family drama at hand, but did have enough courtesy to give Kyla a smile before pressing his finger to his lips to quiet her.

“Niche….” Tinerad spoke, his tone growing even sadder, “she deserves to kn---“

“Oh for Thaynes sake, Kyla, you’re our sister!” Razak finally announced, causing a wide gasp of unison from around the table. The heavyweight brother, who had just blabbed the secret however, took the shock as an invitation to begin the meal, quickly scooping several helpings of whatever he could find onto his plate.

Kyla’s hand began to form a black blade of shadows, “What. Do. You. Mean?” But her words were met only with the loud chewing of the third oldest Orlouge brother. She looked over to Niche, the man she had thought was her biological father for all of these years, and the way he hung his head was more than enough to prove the obese mystic’s words were true.

Disgusted the young woman pushed her own plate back on the table and stood, her eyes locking with each of her uncles for just a moment before she turned and left the room.

Before she could make it down the dim hallway and to the front door Steppenwolf’s large hand gripped her shoulder. “Kyla, can I talk to you?” His voice was much quieter than normal, almost defeated sounding. Normally that tone from the gentle giant would stop Kyla in her tracks, but she couldn’t calm herself, not this time.

“No! You can’t talk to me! You could have talked to me five years ago when I first found you! I trusted all of you, but more than anything I trusted you and Sei, and I will never forgive you for not trusting me with this!”

The mystic pulled herself from his grasp and forced her way through the door, allowing it to slam loudly behind her. She walked straight through the town of Cheateau Orlouge, with no intention of stopping, she could walk forever and it would not ever be far enough.

[Amber Eyes]

Only Ghost recieves 200 exp, 200 GP

Skie and Avery recieves 720 exp, 175 GP

Itera recieves 100 exp

Artemis recieves 400 exp

Amber Eyes recieves 450 exp.