The tower of Ahckmed Alhazred (closes)

[Valanthe]

Valanthe squinted in the bright light of the mid-afternoon sun. The buildings of the Outlander's Quarters almost reflected the sun with a mirror like quality, or so it felt. The sand seemed to be radiating heat, like a baker's oven. It made the heat for one not used to it unbearable. She was a druidess, sure, but she wasn't a desert druidess, she was a forest druidess, and so was used to a forest environment.

Don't worry, I'll be there for you, the desert will bend to your will as easily as the forest.
Valanthe recalled the words of the Omni again, and again, they failed to exactly deliver cooling comfort in the great heat. They had come after a command.
In the ruins where Suravani destroyed the nation of greed stands a tower owned by a man named Ahckmed Alhazred. Ahckmed is a survivor of the original nation that once stood there, and a ferverent worshipper of Mitra, the sun god of Fallien. I am sending you to his tower because this man violates the natural order of things. He has recieved from The Brotherhood two items, a book of spells, and a Jinn's Lamp. Using these items he recieves power from both Mitra and Suravani. Niether can remove this thorn in their sides, for even as one reaches to take him out, he uses spells and Jinn power to use the other against his oppressor directly. This isn't supposed to happen. Mortals are supposed to be weaker than gods, not the other way around. Remove from him his Lamp and book of spells, and thus, his defence against Suravani and Mitra. I advise you leave his tower soon after you accomplish this task, for Mitra and Suravani both watch you, and as soon as they sense that Alhazred holds no power over them, they will destroy his tower and anything in it. You do have however, fifteen minutes after you take away his two most precious possessions to escape.

Valanthe recalled her orders as she poked around the outlander's quarters trying to figure out how to get to Alhazred's tower. She spied a type of falcon sitting ontop of a building. But as well, there were plenty of scorpions about as too.

"Why me? Why not someone more powerful?" Valanthe asked. She had been praying in concordia forest when she recived her orders a few weeks ago. After losing a match to the Grandmaster of the pagoda, at the citadel, she prayed for guidance to get better, and recived orders instead. She didn't feel too bad about the loss however, after all, it was Teric Bloodrose who beat her. Better people than her tried and failed to beat the grandmaster. She had nothing to feel bad about. Instead, her loss inspired her to get better.

In this matter, quick and direct is neccessary. Though you are not powerful, you are powerful enough. But if you wish, then I shall influence, either directly or indirectly, another to join you. Make sure you grab the Jinn's lamp.
"Fine." She had responded at the time.

Now however, she wandered into a tavern to try and figure something out, and in so doing, knocked someone over unwittingly.
"So sorry!" Valanthe apologiesed as she bent over to help the person up.

[Arcanafang]

Coro laughed as he stared into the pool of water. His gray eyes lit up as he saw the news of his “old friend” play out in the scrying pool. A smirk opened to let out his joyous news. “Ha that fool has caught the ill wind of the gods.” The old wizard stood up and let the image of a well-dressed gentleman of Fallien working his magic.

“How do you know that the gods hate him?” A girl’s voice asked as accompanied with the worried thud of her tail. Wren was looking at her master with apprehension. Coro’s glee was out of Malice and seeing an enemy coming to a deserved end. Her golden eyes were wide as saucers and her tail puffed up.

“Wren, don’t be frightened. I don’t mean you or him any harm. But I know that he has used forbidden sorcery with a Jinn and has stolen energy from the sun itself. He’s brought retribution on himself. Though I might add, he did deserve it.”

Wren shook her head for a moment then realized that she was clutching some scrolls in her hand. “Oh, I almost forgot, I brought these for you.”

“Perfect. Just what I need. I’m sending you to Fallien to retrieve a book from our ‘friend’. I don’t want to have such a treasure destroyed.”

Wren’s heart raced as she fidgeted the scrolls. “Yes master . . . ” She answered with her voice flat.


***

The Sorcerer’s Den was quite the Tavern. It was a place that Shined like gold and the lights were floating will-o-wisps that danced about and the girls that served the place were dressed in clothes that revealed much with diaphanous silk. Even the Tavern keep look like a mage lord ready to be entertained than to serve drinks.

It was too much for Wren as she became disoriented by the noise of people talking over music played by phantom bards. Her tail was puffed up as she walked though the place trying to figure out what to do. She had no idea where to find Alhazred or how to infiltrate his tower and steal the Book of Sun’s Eye.

But as the wolfess paced about, she didn’t look where she was going and walked head first into an elf girl. The impact had sent Wren to fall on her butt with a bump under her hair. “Oww.” The elementalist looked to see the elf girl that she had run into. “I’m really sorry. I’ve been so Worried that I lost track of where I was going.”

Wren was blushing and her mind started to cry. ‘There’s no way I can do this! I’m sorry Coro but I don’t even know where to start.’

[Valanthe]

Valanthe backpeddeled as she bumped into what felt like a wolf. She almost growled in wolfish, but realised the young lady could understand common. She had a grey and black tail, and wolf ears. Valanthe could tell this girl had wolf blood in her, maybe she was were? Valanthe didn't know, but the young lady obviously felt distressed over something. Valanthe felt a nudge within her towards this girl.
Could you be a little more obvious?
I could have a chorus of angels trumpeting fanfairs and singing praises while surrounding her with halos of light even as I make you kneel at her feet.
No thank you Lord Omni, I'd rather take the more subtle hint.

"Calm down, sometimes it's not worth becoming distressed, for example I have to find a tower owned by a man named Ahckmed Alhazred and retrieve a Jinn's lamp and make sure a spellbook is lost from his possession. Appearently higher powers are peeved at his actions. I could freak out and worry about taking on a potent sorcerer on my own, but it's not worth it. All I have to really worry about is getting out of the outlander's Quarters and into the rest of Fallien, so I can find his tower amid some ruins." Valanthe said, helping the young wolf girl to her feet.

"You wouldn't happen to know how I can get out of here and into the desert do you?" Valanthe asked.

Nearby a group of old sorcerers smiled and hobbled into their huts. Some superstitious peasants that lived in the area darted inside and closed their doors out of fear. Ahckmed had a real reputation. The entire Alhazred family did. His brother Abdul Alhazred was abducted by desert spirits and made to inscribe a book for the Dark Gods.
Ahckmed was distrusted by everyone. Pitting both sides against each other had earned him enemies everywhere, and it was only because he had powerful artifacts from The Brotherhood of Darkness that he was able to stave off retribution. The local sorcerers, though of opposing sides, were united in their glee at having a mutual enemy taken down. They could cope with Suravani and Mitra's clash, but Alhazred's situation was something new they did not know how to handle. Infact it was feared that Suravani or Mitra might destroy fallien for again just to be rid of him.

Valanthe meanwhile secretly hoped this young girl would quickly warm up to her and realise this was something better off cooperated on.

[Arcanafang]

Wren’s legs shuddered as she was help to her feet. The girl’s mind was racing when she realized that the elf that was helping her up was after the same thing and blurted out the plan. The wolf girl had to force herself to keep eye contact and not just looking at her feet.

The Tavern quieted down as people heard the name: Alhazred. Even the wizards that were enjoying enchanted brew felt that they better leave the place and only a handful of brave souls were left with the Staff of the Sorcerer’s Den.

“I, I don’t think you should have said it openly.” Wren said with her tail twitching. “There might have been spies for him. I need to find him too; my master wants me to find a book.” It took a lot of courage for Wren to speak and she then fought for the courage to speak again. “I’m Wren Luen, an apprentice to the great Coro. ”

It didn’t seem wise to stay there so Wren led the way outside. “Well, I think the best way out of the city is that way.” The elementalist pointed southeast to the wall. “There should be a gate there.” Wren wasn’t sure of herself but she took a good guess.

The city was rather quiet and it was nice to get out of the bar and its many scents. That place made Wren’s nose itch more than Coro’s Alchemy lab. It was also sunset, a good time to travel in the Fallien Desert. “Well, umm . . . Would you mind if I come along, since we’re both after the same guy?”

Wren hoped that the elf would take her. She seriously doubted that she could do it on her own.

[Valanthe]

"Coro? Never heard of him, I'm a Druidess, I spend my time in the wild among the wild things. They aren't that talkative about particular people. Unless their particular druids of note, then they can be very talkative." Valanthe said.

She waited a few seconds, letting the girl sweat it out over whether or not Valanthe took her along.
"Anyways, two are better than one. As long as we both complete our main objective, that is, I get the lamp, and you get the book, I suppose no one will complain too much about us cooperating. I've been told by my boss that after we get said items, we will have fifteen minutes to make tracks before Mitra and Suravani, well, before the natural order is restored. Don't want to be caught in that mess now do we? Bad enough we have to be the ones to get them from him." Valanthe said.

As they made their way to the main gates, they discovered the guards blocking their way.
"Pass?" One guard inquired.
"Pass?" Valanthe asked, confused.
"No pass, no entry, no exceptions." the guard rumbled.
An old sorcerer who had some pull with the government darted over and whispered something in the captain's ears, who happened to be sitting near by. The captain, a man who looked to be stronger than most oxen stood at a towering eight feet. He lumbered over and casually shoved the other guard aside who hadn't seen his captain coming.
"I hear your out to take out a madman. I'm not particularly religious, but I'm not stupid either. To have gods under one's control is unnatural, and unacceptable. I can think of no way in which this has happened. Your certain to die if you do face Alhazred. Therefore, I will let you both through. My men will follow, but at a distance, and if it seems like your not bound for his tower, then you will be killed without hesitation. If you do defeat him, then you both will be given a lifetime pass, and granted status as honorary citizens to come and go as you please. Otherwise, turn around, and get out." the captain said.

Valanthe stood there silently for several seconds. She didn't really want to go face a sorcerer who could control gods, but couldn't let the Brotherhood's actions stand. She wondered why Alhazred would want to control them in the first place, instead of simply becoming one.
"Fine, we'll accept your offer. Come wren, let us be off." Valanthe said, and she took off accross the bridge.

However, Alhazred's tower was on the opposite side of the river, so they would have to go around, via the small town of Kithdir. Valanthe walked on in silence, consierving her energy for when it was needed. Omni was right, the desert would bend to her power, for the sand that was normally so hard to walk in for most, wasn't hard at all, almost solid beneath her feet. That is, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either. So with the pace at which she walked, she would invariably be infront of wren, all things considered. But she wouldn't leave the poor girl behind.

If it wasn't for the yell of a raider though, she might've walked ff completly and not noticed the two creeping up on Wren. Valanthe turned and ran back to wren's side.
"Your money or your life!" the leader shouted.
"Bite my Asp!" Valanthe said venomously, shooting him with her lightning and stunning him. While both were stunned, one simply by seeing her do magic, she turned into an Asp, which is a poisonous kind of snake closely related to the Cobra. She was a medium sized Asp, and lunged at the stunned leader, biting him in the neck, and filling him with her venom. She let go only after he had turned blue, at which point Wren had sense taken care of the other.

Turning back to normal, Valanthe spit and made a sour face.
"Unwashed ass. He tasted bad." She said. She took off walking again, but stopped.
"Better stick closer together, just in case." She said.

However, for the rest of the day, nothing of much interest occurred. When they reached a narrow part of the river, barely big enough for ships to sail through, they crossed, Valanthe turning into a fish and swimming across. Afterward, they made their way to Kithdir to pass the night, where they got room and board for the night at a small inn called "The Screaming Genie" Valanthe thought the room she had small, but acceptable. In the morning, she decided they would need some supplies, in case there were no lodgings the next few nights.

[Valanthe]

OOC: Permission was granted over IM to bunny Wren and Coro as neccessary.
Arcana Fang is now known as Kuko.
__________________________________

IC:

That night a fierce and terrible sandstorm blew screaming into the town. It was so bad that once or twice Valanthe thought she heard real screams. She fell asleep, dreaming of a great droning buzz filling her ears, and had a nightmare involving The Dark Man chasing her across the dunes endlessly, only it somehow wasn't the dunes, it was a forest. She dreamed she saw Wren being carried off by The Brotherhood of Darkness.

She turned into a bird and followed them accross the sands, and there she saw a great towering city, hidden in the desert across the burning sands where no living soul can venture, she realised she had to be dreaming, for the whole city was just, wrong. Pathways that seemed to zig, zagged. Wide open spaces were narrow, and narrow spaces were wider than the gulf of space. She knew precious little of angles and architecture in general, but she knew enough to recognize that the entire city should collapse upon itself. Acute angles were acting obtuse, Equilaterals were acting like Isosceles. There was not one stone in it's proper natural order. The entire city was an aversion against nature. It is a known fact that without magic, it is impossible to simply fly off the ground, or walk up walls. Yet streets ran up the sides of buildings and accross airy arches that connected to nothing. She spied a door, and could not grasp what kind of a door it was, for it seemed to lay upon the ground, whilst still being angled up ever so slightly, and standing perfectly vertically.
The Nameless City

Valanthe awoke with that thought running through her mind. The first thing she discovered upon waking was a small pile of bird fathers in her bed.
Heh, dream must have felt real.
Then she discovered her window open, and became slightly concerned.

She hurriedly dressed, and ran over to Wren's room, where she discovered everything in complete disarray. She turned to find the innkeeper and five of his bravest friends standing there holding swords all leveled at her.
"What happened?" Valanthe demanded, not even registering the fact that there were swords pointed at her.
"You know very well what. Last night a Sandstorm blew in, and you let in those frightening monks in the black robes and glowing eyes, and you let Alhazred in through your room. You followed them to that young woman's room and then back out your room. What did you do to her?" The Innkeeper demanded, clearly frightened.
"I, I did nothing, I was asleep. I, no, it couldn't of been a dream then. Has anyone who has ever gone to The Nameless City accross the burning sands ever returned?" Valanthe asked.

The innkeeper and his cronies paled, dropped their swords and peformed several minor superstitous acts involving the praise of suravani, and then they ran away from Valanthe.

Valanthe decided it was a good time to get out of town, so she ran into her room, crouched on the window ledge, turned into a small Berbery Falcon, and took flight, fleeing the city, and flying over the sands, climbing as high as she could. She spotted Alhazred's tower amidst the ruins of an old city. She began descending, and landed just on the outskirts of the city, turning back to normal.

"I'll avenge you Wren, I'll find out what this monster sorcerer has done to you, and I'll avenge you." Valanthe whispered.

[Kuko]

Izumi wish she had thought things through before going to Fallien to rescue her friend. Alhazred had taken an Ice spirit that Izumi would play with and share stories. Iceflower was her name and she young for a spirit, in fact her physical form was of a little girl with white hair. She was spirited away while playing with Izumi. With her gone, Izumi sought out an oracle and found out that she was prisoner to a great wizard.

Izumi braved the hot desert for her friend. The horrible desert that robbed her strength and threatened to kill her. It was foolish to rush forward like this. Izumi knew she was not made to survive the desert but she was going to try. The kitsune could only travel at night and this night was the worst. The wind howled like a typhoon and threw the sand up in anger. The sand was the worst part for the Kuko, wind she could handle, but the sand bit through her fur and threatened to choke her.

Izumi struggled slowly while holding cloth to her muzzle to keep the sand out of her mouth and nose. Her body felt weak in the stinging sand and every step hurt. Izumi could do much more before she fell to her knees. Thankfully there was an outcropping of rock that gave some shelter from wind and sand.

It was a little better but the kitsune could handle no more and the world went black. She was so tired that she could was sleep. It was blank sleep with no dreams, a calmness against the storm.

But she was not going to die that night, she would live. She had to save her friend.

[Valanthe]

Valanthe walked along the ruins, trying to figure out how to get to Alhazred's tower, when she ran accross a fox, now, it was a young woman, no, it was both. Valanthe admired the young creature's silvery fur for a moment, before she realised the poor thing was in dire need of some cold water, and had possibly suffered Heat Stroke. She created a one gallon sphere of water and cooled it to just above freezing. It was still really really cold though. Valanthe held it in her right hand, not wanting to shock the poor thing with the sharp contrast between the hot and cold.

She shook the young fox by the shoulder.

"Hey, HEY! you alright? You look like you could use a cold drink of water, I got a sphere here if you need a drink. It's dangerous to be out here without water." Valanthe said, concern apparent in her voice.

She held the sphere of water closer to the girl's face so she could drink, and if she did, Valanthe would loosen her grip on the thing's shape, and let it spill toward's the girl for easier drinking.

[Kuko]

Izumi awoke to the feeling of a cold spell. It was a pleasant feeling compared to the sting sand and burning heat. Once her eyes were open, they went wide with surprise. Right in front of her was a ball of water. “Don't play games with me, spirit.” The fox girl moaned as she twitched her ears.

Many spirits would play such tricks to a girl who was desperate for water. If she reached for it, then it would only disappear. But the water moved closer. Izumi wasn't sure anymore and then the water spilled out slightly to drip on her chin. The fox gave up and moved her face forward to slurp at the water making it drain as much into the fur on her chest as down her throat.

Once the water was gone, Izumi saw a strange girl. She must have been the one that gave her the water. “Thank you kind spirit.” The fox girl got up to bow. Her body was slower than normal but other still moved fine.

The fox girl felt the sun's heat again. It was oppressive and kept her moving slow. She wasn't going to be very effective much longer. “It's a good thing you came along. I ran out of water and the onikaze drowned out the desert.”

The vixen felt some Vigor return to her body and she managed a smile. “I'm Izumi: Martial artist.” the fox girl bowed again as she looked to see she was in a ruin and in the center was a great shining spike of gold.

“I made it, that's the wizards castle!” Izumi said mostly to herself than the stranger, her tail wagging with hope.

[Valanthe]

"My name is Valanthe, and I'm not a spirit, but I am a druidess. As it so happens I need to go to the wizard's tower too, shall we travel together?" Valanthe asked.

Meanwhile, in Alhazred's tower...

Alhazred was stalking the top floor of his tower. The top floor was where he kept his two most prized posessions, The Lamp of The Silver Jinn, and The Codex of The Brotherhood. The Codex was a book of magic, but Alhazred only read the first page, it was all he needed. It's what enabled him to have unlimited wishes with the Jinn.

His floor was covered in valuable rugs from the farthest corners of the world. His Walls had Tapestries on them, and he was surrounded by elegance as befitted what he thought was his status, that of a God. He went to one Tapestry, that had a picture of a door on it. He reached into the tapestry and opened the door.

"Come my friends, I spy two little rats in the desert for you to feast on." Alhazred said with a note of amusement.

"I wonder if either was serious about coming to my tower. Jinn, come forth, I demand your council." Alhazred shouted at the lamp.

A silvery mist appeared, and a Jinn made of living silver appeared. He was one of the more powerful Jinns in the world, yet through the Alhazred's tricks gleaned from The Brotherhood of Darkness, forced into servitude.

"Yes, oh wise and glorious master?" The Jinn asked.
"Tell me, for you know all such things, were those two coming to my tower by chance or purpose?" Alhazred asked.

The Jinn, who indeed knew all things as they happened, chose his words carefully, for he was always looking for a way to escape Alhazred.
"They were coming to your tower on purpose, for in their heart lies both knowledge of your great and legendary power, and their humble weakness." The Jinn said.
"My great and Legendary power ehh? Well it makes sense that they would want to come to me then, perhaps they wish to be my students, or servants. Yes, yes, you've done well, back to your lamp." Alhazred said.
The Jinn smiled as he disappeared, serving Alhazred was not why they were coming.

Meanwhile, back with Valanthe and Izumi...

Valanthe had been peering at the ruins rying to discern how best to get to Alhazred's tower. Then she caught her breath as she saw two somethings running towards them, two small creatures that looked to be dogs, cats, Sand Elementals, and worms all in one.

"Prepare yourself, we have company! The Wizard must surely see us." Valanthe warned.