Sine Nomine: Getting into the Deep

[Call me J]

Jame arrived in Kachuk with one goal in mind. He had become Sine Nomine’s defacto emissary to Alerar, and as emissary, there were things he needed to do. He had heard that quite a few of the dwarves in the area had suffered from a great deal of discrimination from their dark elven masters. It wouldn’t take too much on his part to liberate a few of them. However, from what Jame knew of the mysterious group, he needed to keep their profile low for as long as possible. After some time, Jame figured he would be able to build their trust, but for now, he was going to start low in his ambitions. Instead of going after the dwarves themselves, he would just try to get some of their mythril for free.

“That will be a great test,” he thought approvingly. “I’ll tell the dwarves I come with other liberators, and that we’re building up our strengths. If they can trust me, then I’ll know because they bring me mythril. Until then, I’m not going to bother recruiting any of them. Whether they’re talented craftsmen or not, I won’t know if they can be trusted.”

There were a group of dwarves having their break near the mouth of the cave that lead to the mineshafts. A large group of dwarves were having their lunch breaks. Their faces were covered with dirt and their sprits were low. Instead of talking with each other, they all sat eating their food, with their eyes focused on their metal bins. Jame thought it was sad, they had been worked to the point where their minds were too tired to think up a few jokes that would have made their days better.

Jame covered his face with a handkerchief, as was standard practice, for members of Sin Nomine. He made his way over to the mouth of the cave and began to speak. “Well it is good to see you all,” he began, trying to figure out the kinds of words that The Light would have used. “I know how you must feel, the same routine day after day. You wake up in the morning after not enough hours of sleep and then you’re tired all day in the minds. Your eyes want to shut, but they can’t, because it means you’re that much closer to a mistake. So you trudge on, and somehow between the boredom and the sleep you manage to make it through the day too tired to laugh or cry. Your family that you’ve sacrificed everything for can barely remember you...”

The half dragon looked to see if he had made an impact on the dwarves. He had. Every last one of them had looked up from their lunchboxes and had turned their attention towards him. Jame could see the fire in their eyes, a fire that had probably never been ignited before.

“And that’s the way they want to keep you, isn’t it?” Jame asked. “The dark elves that are making the money off these mines. They don’t want you to think, they don’t want you to ask questions. They just want you to go about your lives so miserable that you do just enough to raise the next class of workers. Now I want you to think. Is this the way you want to live your lives. I can help you if you help yourselves. This is the first time you will hear this name, but it is one that you shouldn’t forget: Sine Nomine. It is the beginning of a new and brighter world...”

Jame thought that if the dwarves had not been so tired, they would have gotten up and applauded him. “Now, I’ve taken the risk of speaking to you, and so the next risk is yours. I need the mythril haul from the day. Not all of it, just a token with which Sin Nomine can build its forests. When I have this gift, I will return, and we will talk of greater things...”

A few of the dwarves applauded, and they had begun to talk amongst each other. Jame was surprised about the way that their entire lunch break had changed. Somehow, through his words, he had brought life to a place where there had been none before. With a smile, he resolved to steal away.

“Tonight, underneath the cyper tree just on the first hill to the north, at the moon’s highest point I’ll wait for your token,” Jame concluded. He began to walk away. “Until then...”

(closed to Nekoprincess)

[Nekoprincess]

“Mommy? Mommy?!” Mylie’s shouts went un answered as she was pacing in front of the entrance to a mythril mine. Her mother had said she’d just be a minute, she was only talking to the Drow Matron about bargaining for some of the lesser minerals. However, the elderly Blue haired elf had led her mother into the mines, saying that she wanted to show the half cat just what went on down there.

Concern begin to fill the little kitten’s heart as she went off to search for someone, anyone to help.

Meanwhile deep within one of the mine shafts, the elder Drow matron was droning on and on about the benefits of mythril. Its strength, the shine that came from the mineral once t he dwarves had unearthed it, the price that the mineral got for its value. A sigh was the matron’s only response as Rain’s eyes were on the dwarves who were hacking at soft bright red earth to unearth the mineral the matron seemed to prize so greatly.

“Listen miss…you said you wanted to buy some raw minerals from us? What for…it seems..” The Drow’s dark gray eyes drifted to the laborers as she stated blandly “That your more concerned with the Dwarves who work here.”

Rainee’s silver eyes blinked before she turned to meet the gray ones as she answered “Well it seems like their overworked…if..”

The Drow threw up her hands upon hearing the cat-woman’s compassion, in a snide voice she blurts out “If you care about them so much! Then just stay with them! Your inquiry about minerals miss….I would say its null now! Good day!” The matron them stormed towards Rain, her gray eyes like angry storm clouds. Without warning she pushed the half cat girl into a mine cart and then shoved the cart down the tracks.


Of all the… Still in shock, Rainee’s mind couldn’t quite finish her thoughts. The matron had promised to lead her out of here. But now…she was stuck. Moving over the dimly lit shaft, she moved towards and elderly looking dwarf, whose beard was as white as his hair. Tapping him politely on the shoulder, Rain asks “How far in are we? Can you tell me how to get out?”

“How’d you get down this far lass?” The old dwarf asked, his weary looking green eyes filled with shock.

Rain looked upset, as she wrung her hands together muttering “That stupid matron! She pushed me down here…” Looking around, she could see oil lit lanterns that were the only source of light. Looking back at the dwarf she murmurs “I don’t even know how far down I am now! I…” Looking extremely nervous she blurts out “left my daughter at the entrance…told her I wouldn’t be long….She must be frantic by now!”

The dwarf sighed compassion showing in his weary eyes as he murmurs “That must be hard lassy….your very far down…..I don’t even know the way back up…here..” The dwarf motioned to an outcropping of rocks as he mutters “Sit….I’ll try to help you find your way out once I’m finished. The drow..” His green eyes changed, hardened a bit as he said in a raspy voice “Wouldn’t be happy with me if I stopped working now to lead you out.”

Rainee hissed audibly as she wanted to say she needed to go now. However, she held her tongue as she moved to the outcroppings of rock. Sitting on the gritty surface, she snarls as she hisses” Damn it! Those stupid Drow…when I get my hands on that matron…I’ll!” She didn’t finish her words as the Dwarf held a finger to his lips.

He then went back to work, as a Drow appeared, it seemed he was an overseer as he paid the cat-woman no mind as his voice said strictly “Back to work Brow! I won’t have you chit chatting here!”

The Dwarf let out a grunt as his pick axe clanged against the wall, Rain meanwhile frowned as she murmurs” Aren’t you going to help me?’

The Drow simply shook his head as he spat out rudely “Find your own way out kitten!”

Rainee hissed as she thought Doesn’t anyone here care that I’m lost?

Meanwhile back at the surface, someone was showing that they cared about the blue haired woman’s welfare. Mylie was growing frantic as she had asked person after person to help find her mother. Finally at a loss she came to some Dwarves eating lunch. Maybe they could help her? So far from ever approach the Dwarves had been helpful, at least pointing her towards where they thought they saw the Matron take her mom.

Meowing in panic, Mylie pumped her little legs towards the table. However, as she arrived a much more welcome sight came to her eyes. His face was covered, but the voice was familiar. Hope came into the young kitten’s green eyes as she bounded towards the masked man. In her soft voice she squeaks “Excuse me? !” recognition flashed more as she heard him talking to the dwarves. That must be Jame....his voice I recognize it!

Tugging on his arm, but not wanting to make a scene she asks in a panicked voice "Can you help me sir? I'm sorry if I"m interupting your conversation but...my mom...she is missing! Can you help me find her?" Mylie then let out a weak smile, and hoped that if this man really was Jame that he would help her find her mom.

[Call me J]

“Yes, yes, help her!” the dwarves shouted. It was surprising how much they cared for the fate of the little kitten, especially given how tragic their own lives were. “If your Sine Nomine is anything, then you’ll help her!”

However, Jame had no reaction when he saw who the little girl was who had come to him. It was none other than Mylie, Rainee’s daughter. “Wow!” he thought, unable to manage any real reaction. His breath had been taken away by the startling coincidence.

Since she got no immediate reaction from Jame, Mylie began to get impatient. She began to jump up and down excitedly and fidget with her delicate little paws. “PLEASE!” she mewed desperately. “Come on...” she begged. “Come on, please...”

Mylie’s desperation snapped Jame out of his shock. He put a finger to the little girl’s lips and tried to hush her. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a warm embrace like the one he had given her at her father’s house a long time ago. “Shh...” he whispered. “It’s Jame, and I’ll help you. Just no matter what, you can’t say my name. Can you do that for me? Don’t say my name and I’ll rescue your mother, alright?” Jame moved his body away from her just a bit so that he could see her reaction. He still kept his touch with her, his hands were still clutching the young girl's shoulders.

Though she was sniffling and her eyes were bathing in tears, Mylie managed to nod in agreement. Jame could tell that the little girl was confused about his request, but she was obedient to obey. He gave her another tight hug. “Thank you,” he said. Mylie stuck her thumb in her mouth and soon scampered off after Jame released her from his embrace.

“I’ll save the girl’s mother,” Jame declared. His bravado was now directed at the dwarves and not at Mylie. “Don’t worry, this is my only duty now.”

Though he hated to think of it in these terms, he realized that the brush with Mylie had been a good bit of fortune for him. If he returned with Rainee, then he would have been rewarded for his efforts. However, there was a huge lump that had appeared in his throat the moment he thought of Rainee being in danger in the mines. The half dragon’s feelings were quite conflicted when it came to the girl. They had slept together in a moment of extreme weakness, and unlike every other woman that he had slept with, he had felt a real connection with her.

Regardless of his relationship with Rainee, she still needed saving. However, there were a number of mine shafts just in the first few feet of the caves, and Jame had no way of knowing which one Rianee had gone down. He shook his head and put his hands on his sides. “Which one of these holes...” he muttered. He knew he couldn’t think for too long. He had promised action to the dwarves and he couldn’t have them get too disillusioned. At the same time, Jame knew he couldn’t just take a random guess. That would hurt his chances of ever rescuing Rainee.

However, he soon saw a few brown hairs and white fur near one of the shafts, and he realized the solution. “Mylie’s hair!” he thought. The hotter temperature in Alerar had likely caused the felines to shed hair at a faster rate than normal, and there were traces of cat hair near all the ones that Mylie had looked in to.

All Jame would need to do was find one that had Rainee’s hair as well. Soon enough, he found a hole that had electric blue hair. The half dragon smiled. “Alright then,” he muttered. “Into the darkness.” He began to make his way down the ladder and gave one last wave towards Mylie before he disappeared.

[Nekoprincess]

“Good luck!” Mylie called out as she watched Jame disappear into the darkness. Worry was in her heart though, she wasn’t sure where her mother was, or how far down. But, the little kitten trusted that the half dragon would save her. Once Jame had disappeared from the little cat’s sight, she moved to sit on one of the oak wood benches near the minds. She would stay put and pray that when Jame reappeared again, it would be with her mother at his side.

Rainee meanwhile was starting to get fed up. She had been down here for what seemed like hours now. The old Dwarf who had offered to help her was still working. His pick axe making little ‘DING’ sounds ever time it dug into the soft earth. She understood why he couldn’t help her…but still it wasn’t making things any easier on the poor half cat.

As she rested her hands on her knees, her mind begin to wander Omarion…the last time I saw you..you risked everything to save Jame and then you became an angel.. I wonder, if.. A sigh came from Rain’s soft lips as she continues her thoughts your watching over me now. I wonder if maybe you could help me; guide me out of here, like you guided me in hell…

As if her thoughts had a voice, Rainee could have sworn that she felt a soft cool wind brush against her shoulder, but as her silver orbs looked from left to right, she could see nothing but metal rails and darkness. Whimpering a bit, Rainee had hoped that she was being given a sign that her brother was near. When she saw nothing, she felt her hopes drown under a weight of fear. She still wasn’t sure what was going on above the surface. She hoped that her little girl was smart enough to try and find someone to help look for her, but she wasn’t sure.

Getting up, Rainee winced a bit as little pebbles tumbled onto the soft orange- red ground, moving back to Brow, she taps him on the shoulder murmuring “I’m sorry to bother you again…but can you lead me out now? Its kind of..”

Brow’s deep old voice was agitated as he replied “Sorry lassie…I told you I’d lead you out when I’ve finished…but I won’t be finished until nightfall. So please just sit there on the rocks until I’m done! I don’t want you getting me into trouble!”

Rainee let out a hiss as she murmurs “Can’t you just let your fear of those dark elves go? They won’t hurt you if you try to lead me out! You showed me compassion! Wouldn’t it be only fair if they showed some to your kind!?”

Brow’s green eyes rounded as he said in a hoarse whisper “Lass please! You’ll get me into far worse trouble if you speak in such tongues! Now then here!” He handed Rainee a well worn book, its pages yellowed from time. In an even quieter whisper he murmurs “Read that lass…you’ll find the reason why I can’t get no time to lead you out.”

Rainee’s brows knit together as she opened the first page. For a few moments there was only the sound of Brow’s pick axe once more banging against the soft earth and her quiet breathes as she read. Her eyes widened as she read of the Drow’s cruelty to the Dwarves. Meowing at this she hisses” What gall! Brow you shouldn’t have to work like this! Its unfair! Slavery is what it is!”

Brow’s pick axe stopped for a moment as he sighed and said “I see you understand lass.”

Rainee’s voice was soft but strong as she said “I sure do! Come on! I’m getting you out of here!”

Brow shook his head as he murmurs “I don’t’ want to trouble you lass…my job is to work…I offered to help you because news of your little one touched my heart. But if I follow you or leave my post…I’ll be in far worse trouble then you are right now!”

Rain sighs as she looks around and mutters “But its so unfair…” She then groans as she murmurs” Alright how about this Brow? I go look for help…for anything to try and set you free and in exchange…you lead me out of here?”

Brow sighs as he looks over his shoulder and murmurs “Your very far into the earth lassie….I wouldn’t recommend going any further. If help is looking for you, it’d be best to stay here! You don’t want to get yourself anymore lost!”

Rainee sighs as she tries to adjust to the dim light, looking around, Rainee tried to recall just what path the Matron had taken to get her here. She could try pushing the cart that she had been in up and maybe then she’d find her way out? A sigh escapes her as she moves to inspect the steel gray cart. It had bee n her ride down here, but the half cat had been to scared to notice her surroundings. Sighing as she moved to take her seat once more on the rock outcroppings, she begin to formulate a plan. She’d have to try and remember which paths the cart had taken, if she had any hopes of getting out of this dim and dank mine shaft.

[Call me J]

When Jame had first descended into the mine, the dwarves were initially hostile to him. However, the half dragon had managed to appease them, thanks to promising them that he meant no harm. Many of the dwarves were so tired and caught up in their work that they couldn’t have cared less if there was an adventurer running through their mine.

“Juss’ don’ let da missus catch ya lad,” one dwarf warned. “She’s the only one who ever’d give a crap ‘bout you bein’ round ‘ere...”

Jame had taken that advice. He had made sure to keep his eyes peeled for the drow. Still, it was difficult to see a drow women if she was anywhere in the mine. The sounds of dwarven pickaxes drowned out every other sound, and the light from the dwarves’ torches was too dim for Jame to see very far.

“If the drow comes around a corner, she’s going to see me before I see her...” Jame realized. He looked at his steel sword The Namesake. It’s blade glowed when he was in mortal danger, and as for now, it didn’t glow at all. With no other signal to use for the arrival of a drow, Jame figured that would have to suffice. He only hoped that its glow wouldn’t be too bright, because that would give his position away should the dark elven matron appear.

As Jame moved deeper and deeper into the mine, the sounds of the pickaxes dimmed. Few dwarves worked too far from the mine of the mouth, for this shaft seemed to have been hollowed out recently. The ground was all but untapped save for the initial dynamite blasts that had created the area. As he moved forwards, Jame feared what would happen should the shaft take two divergent paths. He didn’t know how he’d be able to track Rainee if that were to happen.

Since it was dark, Jame removed the handkerchief from his face. He figured he wouldn’t need it any more, now that even if someone else showed up, they wouldn’t be able to recognize him. As he continued forwards, he realized that he could hear once again. There were a few patters that he could hear coming from above him, but the sounds of the working dwarves had been reduced to just that. Jame wondered why they hadn’t had a lunch break, and whether or not the rest of the dwarves would have shared his message of revolution with them.

For a moment, he chastised himself for talking about Sine Nomine when Rainee was in danger, but he realized that it was better he think about his clan than worry about the cat girl. There were too many conflicted emotions he had towards her that he was unprepared to deal with. It had been these emotions that had stopped him from visiting Rainee’s house in Radasanth, despite her earnestness when she insisted that he visit.

Jame’s thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of someone’s feet shuffling through the mineshaft. Immediately, Jame turned towards his blade, and noticed it was glowing. The half dragon ducked into the first hole he could find and then covered his sword with his jacket. He hoped between his scabbard and the jacket the light from his blade would be blocked.

Soon, someone passed by. From the sound of her voice as she mumbled to herself, Jame could tell she was a woman. The half dragon thought it best not to look up and examine the situation. He waited a good ten minutes for the woman to pass through. Only then did he continue down the shaft. As he continued to move, he felt as though a glowing light was beginning to appear before his eyes. He looked at his sword, but that wasn’t its source. He rubbed his eyes just to make sure that he wasn’t seeing illusions, but the glow didn’t go away.

“Maybe its just something about being this deep in the cave...” Jame thought. He didn’t know what to think about it, but the longer the light glowed in front of him, the more it seemed reassuring. He continued walking down the shaft, hoping it wouldn’t be too much longer until he met with Rainee. His heart was beating too hard with a mix of fear and anticipation for him to be patient any more.

[Nekoprincess]

Impatience was starting to become a worm in Rainee’s heart. She just couldn’t get it to go away. The more and more she tried to come up with a plan, the more her impatience seemed to halt any reasonable solutions she might have come up with. Throwing up her hands, Rain’s silver eyes moved once more to Brow’s bulky figure. Looking at him, her impatience seemed to push her to her next course of action.

“Brow listen…I know that you said you can’t leave your post. That you want to help me…but; what if I paid you?”

Brow’s pick axe stopped clanging into the soft earth, as he turned on his burly little legs to stare at the cat-girl. His green eyes were narrowed as he rasped in his old voice “How much kitten? It appears to me like you don’t have much on you right now…”

Rainee coughed as she said softly “That’s rude to say you know Brow.”

Brow waved a big old hand as he said strictly” Don’t’ try to stall lassie. You said you’d pay me to lead you out of here! How much are you willing to waste in order for me to risk trouble?”

Rainee didn’t quite understand Brow’s new tone. He had been so kind to her before, like an old gentile grandfather. But now, his green eyes it appeared were bright with greed. This confused the sweet cat-woman as she moved to take her leather satchel off her shoulder. Rummaging through it, she kept her eyes on the old dwarf as she murmurs “Why are you acting this way Brow? I thought you were touched by my little girl troubles? That you wanted to risk everything to help me out of here so that I could be with her!”

Brow’s green eyes knit together, his mouth moved for a minute but no words came out. For a moment, the only sound was that of the torches shimmering from a slight gust that blew through the mine shaft. As the wind died down, Brow answered Rain’s question in a very soft and old sounding voice “Children always pine for their mothers. Anyway, how much?” His green eyes were looking impatient as he asked this, his big hands folded over one another as he continued loudly “How much will you give me? I don’t have all day to help out a mother whose also pining for her child!”

Finally Rainee found all the gold she was carrying, taking out the little coin purse, her eyes were on the old dwarf as she said evenly “I’ll give you 800 gold pieces…please help me find my way out of here.” Rainee then held out the cute little pink coin purse, her eyes on the green ones of the dwarf as she waited for his response.


“Only 800?” Brow said dully, his bulky figure then turned away as he unkindly responded “Not good enough!”

“What but?” Rainee sighed as she shoved the coin purse back into her satchel. Pivoting on her feet she screeches “Fine! I’ll just find my own way out then!”

“You do that lass.” Brow said as he moved to start chipping away at the earth, however he stated “Don’t’ blame me though if you get lost!”

Rainee simply ignored the greedy dwarf as she moved to begin to follow the tracks. Her silver eyes studied the steel pieces of metal as she tried to figure out where they led. Alright…the tracks seem to go up this steep hill…I remember, when I was flying down here in the cart…that I passed something that looked like a stone dragon..if I can just find that… Still absorbed in her thoughts of which way she should go, she did not hear the pick axe’s sounds stop. Nor did she hear the sound of footsteps steadily approaching her, as Rainee was about to come to a conclusion on where she could go, she finally heard a whistling through the air.

Meowing she was about to turn around to find out what it was, but her answer came quick. Pain begin to surge slightly from her right shoulder. With large eyes Rainee turned to see Brow pulling his pick axe from her shoulder. Moving to the left as she saw the dwarf aim at her again, she meows in panic and surprise as she shouts out “Why?’

“Why lass?” Brow said as he swung the pick axe for her left shoulder “Because! I was hoping you’d be able to pay me more! Perhaps finally end my torment here! But no, your nothing but a broke kitten! I don’t appreciate you giving me hope! The Drow at least let me keep a small portion of the mythril I unearth for them! That is worth a lot more then me helping you! I won’t risk trouble for you if you can pay so little!”

Rain meowed as she dodged out of the way, however, the shaft was so narrow that she found herself colliding with the earthen wall. Rubbing her head as she turned to keep her eyes on the dwarf, she says in a pained voice “But I didn’t give you any reason to attack me!”

“I don’t need one!” Brow yelled heavily as he moved closer to her. Eyeing her with his unforgiving green eyes he murmurs “You disrupted my work! You made one of the overseers yell at me for me trying to show compassion!


Rainee still felt some compassion for the old Dwarf, even with his green eyes seething with anger, she could see the tiredness in them. Sighing as she rolled this time to the right and watched the pick axe throw some of the orange red dirt around she thought It seems he overworked…using me as a pinpoint of his anger. Perhaps…if no…he won’t listen to reason now…. Moving to dodge again Rainee shouts “Brow come now! Calm your anger! If you’d just let me take you out of here! You wouldn’t have a reason to swing your pick axe in anger!”

Brow’s eyes were dark green now, his sanity broken beyond reason as he moved to advance on the cat-girl again, in a crazed voice he murmurs “Maybe if I kill you…I’ll get paid even more..yes! Maybe just maybe they’ll give me a bigger allowance! After all you did enter the mines and you broke a deal! Maybe the matron will reward me!”

Rainee meowed loudly as she moved and dodged more of Brow’s attacks, shaking her head she thinks Poor guy…he’s so crazed to be released that it looks like he’ll do anything. Even kill me….when all he has to do is take me out of here…then I’ll see that he’s freed.She sighs as she tries to hold up her hands in a non threatening manner, she wanted to tell Brow that if he’d listen to her, she’d free him. But right now she was too fearful for her life to get these words out to him.

[Call me J]

(bunny approved)

As Jame continued down the mineshaft, the glow in front of his eyes had become brighter and brighter. It allowed Jame to see all around him. He could see the walls of the shaft and the dusty floor. Now, Jame had realized how dangerous the shaft was. There were jagged pieces of mythril ore that jutted out from the walls and floor. Jame gulped, glad that he hadn’t stepped on the ore before.

He looked back to see if there were dangers he had been too dumb to have noticed, but saw that none existed. “This came at just the right time,” he thought appreciatively. He continued down the mine shaft, walking forwards down the diagonal tunnel until the flash before his light was suddenly blinding. It exploded suddenly, practically knocking Jame back in surprise.

When the half dragon had recovered, he noticed that it had clustered towards a hole to his left. Jame looked at the cluster of light, a bit more skeptically than he had before.

“Do you want me to go down there?” Jame asked.

The light blinked rapidly as if to say yes.

Jame still hesitated. He looked down the tunnel, and it seemed that he couldn’t have to travel too much farther before he reached the end. He was bound to find Rainee that way. Every last earthly smell had already departed him, and the only thing that tied him to the ground above now was his memory. Even with dynamite, there was only so far that a shaft could go.

It was then that the cluster of light spoke. “Save my sister,” it pleaded. “Save her.”

“Omarion!” Jame realized. This had been the same plea that Omarion had uttered in the Fire Palace shortly after he had taken a lightning bolt for Jame. The half dragon remembered that Omarion had become an angel as a result of that sacrifice, and now realized that the light that had been guiding him all along had been Rainee’s brother.

“Alright,” Jame said. He climbed up into the hole and slid down, like it was a chute. He landed with a thud in a dusty area, and the screaming of a dwarf rang immediately in his ears.

Immediately, Jame unsheathed his sword. It was glowing. He realized that if Omarion had sent him here, Rainee must be near. Without another moment’s hesistation, he rushed forward, only to find the cat girl he had been sent to find involved in battle with a dwarf.

Jame took advantage of his surprise arrival and ran his steel sword through the back of the dwarf before the crazed assailant even knew that he was there. Jame didn’t have time to even think about the rules of war before his blade had jutted forward and into the back of the dwarf, he had been so worried about protecting Rainee. Now, as he pulled his weapon out from his victim, the half dragon shuddered. Even after losing nearly a thousand men in Carnelost, he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of death when it came from one of his weapons.

Still, his eyes were practically brimming with tears of joy when he saw Rainee safe and sound. He hadn’t even bothered to clean his weapon, a behavior his father had often insisted upon, before he dropped his sword and ran to her.

“You’re hurt!” Jame exclaimed as he looked at her right shoulder. “I don’t have bandages with me, but I’m going to get you out of here okay!” Once he had blurted out this shock, he just wrapped his arms around the cat girl’s torso and brought her close to his chest.

“I was so scared when I heard you were down here!” he said.

[Nekoprincess]

Please Brow come to your senses! Rainee wanted to say, but she just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Fear was lodged to deeply in her heart, she knew this Dwarf wasn’t Kedx but still the pain in her shoulder was all that she needed to feel to remind herself that not every one was full of compassion. Sometimes compassion was false meant to hide a want for deeper things. A sigh escaped her lips as she cursed herself for being too naïve, for being a fool to trust that this old dwarf would lead her out of this dark and creepy mine shaft.

{I] Damn it! Why haven’t I learned not to trust everyone? I would think that after learning what my ex-husband truly was…I would be more cautious! Curse me! Curse me for being such a fool![/I] Tears shimmered like soft blue beacons in the cat-woman’s eyes as she prepared for the next blow. She knew that Brow was beyond sanity and that her only route to fully escape him was blocked. A sorrowful meow escaped her lisp as Rainee could see the slow fall of the pick axe as once more it aimed for her left shoulder.

It seemed like minutes, like hours passed as Rain watched the slow descent of the steel pick axe, however as it hovered just above her shoulder, it stopped. Confusion filled Rainee’s silver eyes as she could have sworn she saw a sword sticking through Brow’s middle. Rubbing her eyes she thought Am I dreaming? Or did someone just save me?

Before she could think anymore, she was wrapped up in a tight, warm hug and familiar voice was exclaiming about how happy he was that she was safe. A shudder passed through her slim figure briefly as she tried to adjust to Jame hug. Meowing a bit, her tail twitched behind her as she smiled briefly pulling back her tears of fear.

A smile begin to form on Rainee’s lips as she moved to return Jame hug. She didn’t know how fate had brought them together again like this. But he was once again her knight in shining armor. He had saved her once more from a slow and painful death, moving to look into his soft red eyes she murmurs “You saved me again Jame! Oh I was so scared…so lonely! But you came, you’re here… I don’t’ know how I can repay you! You…You just keep popping up right when I need a rescuer!” Her smile didn’t falter as she continues “Thank you! Thank you! Mylie must’ve have found you huh?”

Without waiting for a reply she tugs strongly on his hands murmuring “You must know the way out too! Please! Show me the way! I’ve been stuck down here for so long, that I don’t remember which way is out! Brow…”

She briefly looked at the old Dwarf’s body and sighed as she saw his once bright green eyes dulling. Moving over to press them closed she murmurs on a sigh “said that he’d help me get out of here. But it seems he let greed rule him..I” Looking up at Jame she sighs as she could feel a warmth in her heart, putting that aside for now she murmurs “Need to stop seeing everyone as good, as kind. It seems my generous nature gets me into trouble. I trusted this Dwarf and it nearly killed me…”

Moving to squeeze the half dragon’s hand again for comfort Rain says softly “ I need to learn not to be so naïve…to see when someone’s intentions aren’t pure. Maybe…maybe you can help me with that? I know that when we first meant I taught you the strength to survive…maybe now, you could show me the signs of when someone isn’t who they say they are…” She then gave him a slight half smile, hoping that he’d agree to help her learn this. After all he was a warrior…like her brother and she was sure that his battle in Carnelost had taught him many things.

[Call me J]

As Rainee thanked him for rescuing her, he thought about leaning in to kiss her. He declined, but only after great deliberation. There was something about them locking lips in this dark, untended shaft that seemed disturbing. Plus, Jame didn’t want to think that he and Rainee could only show tenderness in the midst of a corpse.

“Let me clean my blade, and then we’ll be off,” he said. He wondered how to answer the rest of Rainee’s question. He had learned a great deal from her example, her courage in the face of a tragic history was something that had initially astounded him. However, he didn’t know if he could teach the cat girl how to be more discerning amongst her friends. Jame had loved the way that she was so trusting, in a world as cynical as the one he had grown up in, Rainee’s belief in the inherent goodness of others made her a frsh breath of air.

Still, even if Jame had wanted to help Rainee become more cynical, he wasn’t sure how he could do it. His own cynicism was rooted in a lifetime of disappointment. Every expectation he had had turned sour. People had betrayed him, and many of them were not what they had seemed. “Maybe I won’t be able to help her, but Sine Nomine will,” he wondered. The Light, a small crippled boy who was ever so slight, had provided him with direction that until that point, Jame had thought that he lacked.

However, the thought of recruiting Rainee into Sine Nomine made him a bit uneasy. The organization was a secret one, and he had been given a very high ranking position within it. He wondered if he could let her know of his identity within the group, all of the leaders except for The Light and Virtue were supposed to keep their identities secret. Even more, Jame wondered if Rainee’s gentleness would be respected within the group. From what Jame had met of Virtue, he could tell that the older man didn’t seem to care much for people, at least in terms of letting them get in the way of his plans. Undoubtedly, Sin Nomine was going to need the kindness of people like Rainee, but he didn’t know if Rainee could stand the less kind behavior of others.

Still unsure of what he should do, Jame decided to change the subject. He hoped that Rainee wouldn’t ask the question again, and if she did, then he would worry about the answer then. Now he needed to figure out how to get Rainee back to her daughter. “Your brother, Omarion, was the one who lead me here,” Jame said. “As an angel, it still seems he’s looking out for you.” The half dragon approached the hole he had slid down to reach Rainee. It was steep and smooth, but he still supposed that he could climb up through it. After that, the path back up to the surface wasn’t too difficult to follow, the mine shaft was mostly straight.

“Come on,” he said. He climbed up into the hole and then offered his hands to help pull up Rainee. “Mylie’s going to be waiting for you...”

Though it was probably too dark for Rainee to see the expression on his face, Jame was smiling warmly at the cat girl. He wondered how she had ended up trapped down here when all she had been doing was buying minerals, but decided not to ask. The answer would probably lead back to the issue of trust.

[Nekoprincess]

(Bunny approved!)

“Alright.” Rain said a bit sadly as she realized Jame wasn’t going to answer the rest of her questions. She had wanted to know because after her events in hell, and the events here, she wanted to be sure that she’d be able to care for herself better. The half cat didn’t want to end up with yet another injury. Sighing as she paused to consider her shoulder, she studied it. The wound was not very deep, just a small triangular cut. It could be treated easily when she and Jame reached the surface.

Pausing for only a minute, Rainee hurried to the outcroppings of rocks. When Brow had attacked her she had dropped her leather satchel in a small corner near the rocks. Picking up, she dusted the dust off the soft material before she sighs and murmurs “Just a minute Jame…I…need to do this.” She then approached Brow’s body and murmurs “I’m sorry Brow…if you had only listened to my pleas I would have helped you.” Looking at his still slowly paling body, she sighs and continues with her monologue “I would have freed you from this tyranny; but; you let greed rule you. I can’t help you with that but I will pray that you rest in peace….” The blue haired half cat then said a silent pray, crossing her fingers over her heart, she hoped that the old dwarf would find peace.

She then rose from her little silent pray session. Brushing small bright orange particles of dirt from her dark jeans, she smiles at Jame as she approaches him. Grabbing his hands she plants her feet at the opening to the hole. Using Jame for support, she pushes forward her small soft hands digging into his as she pulls herself up through the hole.

However, do to Rain putting all her weight on Jame, the two tumbled onto the soft landing that was located in the upper levels. The half cat blushed as she found herself sitting in Jame lap. With her face beet red she stutters” Oooo Jame! Sorry…I guess I was putting too much weight on you…..I caused you to lose your balance!” Her pretty peach color was slowly growing more red, as she moved to remove herself from Jame lap. She could still feel his soft presence against her skin, turning to hide her flush she stutters “I…I…” Unable to come up with any thing more to say, Rain quickly switches topics to hide that she was moved by having Jame hold her intimately again.

“Um…I’m sure Mylie will be really happy you found me…”Staring at a silver embossed torch holder, her eyes watched the luminous orange flames dance in front of her eyes. Unable to keep some of her feelings hidden she murmurs “I’m happy you found me too. I fear that I would have been trapped down there forever…maybe..” a sigh escapes from the cat-woman’s lips as she mouths the last part “even dead.”

Closing her eyes for a minute, she let the warmth inside her body soothe her, she knew now that she was feeling even more closely connected to the half dragon. His simple touch had made her feel loved, made her feel good about herself. It was like every time she was around Jame, the scars that Kedx had left on her heart were healing. She still wasn’t 100% sure what her true feelings for this kind man were, but she was pretty sure she liked him as a very close friend.

Turning around she smiles at Jame hoping that the flush had left her cheeks, in a soft voice she murmurs “Lets go….Mylie will probably be more frantic if we don’t appear soon. I’m sure she’s been worried sick about me…..”

[Call me J]

The moment that Rainee suggested that she had wanted to free the dwarf of his misery, Jame realized that she belonged in Sine Nomine. He had always known that she had a big heart, but he knew that a heart that big belonged with others that wanted to create a better world. He knew that there might be troubles with the group, but he knew of no other alternative. The Light’s idealism might have reached the point of idiocy, but Jame had found the crippled boy a more useful idiot than most others.

However, he figured he would have to wait for a more opportune time to say something to Rainee. He had held his breath as they had moved up the tunnel, and just laughed a bit uncomfortably as she had landed in his lap. Hot blood began to stir in his body, and Jame was surprised that he could think in those terms in the depths of a mine.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jame said. His had turned red. He needed every last bit of restraint to keep himself from touching Rainee’s blue hair, or running the palm of his hand gently down Rainee’s heart shaped face. Still he stopped. He had already taken advantage of Rainee’s nervousness once, now he felt that he would have to treat her better. He was too young, too headstrong and too selfish to have a committed lover. Until he knew he could be confident enough to do that, he couldn’t sleep with Rainee again.

The mention of Mylie made Jame that much more nervous. He didn’t want to be a father, at least not yet. The little cat girl seemed to like him, but even then, Jame didn’t want to be her parent. He had too many desires that were left unfulfilled, too much comfort that he desired. He hated to think that way, given how wonderful of a child Mylie was, but Jame thought of a child as a burden keeping him from doing the things he desired.

Jame picked himself up and then took the handkerchief he had used to cover his face back out of his pocket. He tied it back to cover his face. “Rainee, I know this is going to seem strange, but you have to keep a secret for me,” he said. “Since we have last met, I joined a secret organization, an organization known as Sine Nomine. We are committed to making a better world, and I had come here to Kachuk in order to help the dwarves. I know this might seem sudden, but I’m going to want you to join me. Just remember, from now on, you can’t say my name. If you need to call me something, call me Rafe. That will be the name that I’m using with the dwarves. Because the drow mine owners won’t want to help the dwarves here, they will hunt me down if I know the truth. I know this sounds weird, but you should join me. We can talk more about it later, and you don’t need to decide right now.”

Jame did not wait for a response. He continued up through the mineshaft. The sounds of the dwarves digging their lives away were becoming much louder. Jame wondered if it pained Rainee to hear the sounds of their struggles.

As they continued forward, Jame’s sword began to glow. The half dragon cringed. It must have been the drow matron. There was a turn in the tunnel up ahead, and Jame figured it meant that she was just around the corner. He could hear the sounds of shuffling feet and a bit of a discussion. There was at least one woman touching and a group of dwarves.
“I can’t risk that the cat girl gets out of the mines...” the drow said. “I shouldn’t have shoved her down there, I should have killed her where she stood. She was here to buy minerals, and if she had gone back to her people and told them about our working conditions, I would shudder to think what the Radasanthian Reader’s editorial would have said about it. You all know better, she doesn't. I couldn’t afford that to happen, especially not if all I have to do to stop it is kill a flea ridden cat girl.”

The drow’s voice stopped just long enough to get the reaction of another, before she concluded. “So when we find her, show no mercy. Kill her, and if Brow objects, then kill him too.”

Jame looked around. There was nowhere to hide where they were. Even though the mining had not begun in earnest in this area of the shaft, there were no big rocks or holes in which he and Rainee could hide. They were going to have to fight.

Part of Jame was glad that they would be getting into battle. Hiding had been fine before, but now that he could hear just how heartless the mine owner was, he felt he would be doing all the dwarves a favor if he killed her. He didn’t doubt that Rainee would also want her revenge.

[Nekoprincess]

Hearing Jame’s reassure her, she nodded though her blush was still there. She could see that the half dragon also was blushing, but she merely let it go. Rain already knew that there were feelings between she and Jame, it just those feelings were being put on hold for now. They both needed to discover what there true feelings were, and unlike before Rainee wasn’t up for rushing headlong into a committed relationship.

Sticking her hands in her pockets, Rain was silent for a moment as the two made their way along the torch lit shaft. There was silence between the two for only a moment before Jame begin to speak. Pausing the half cat’s kitty ears twitched as she listened to him explain about a secret organization he belonged to. As he spoke of their goals and asked her to join, she felt her heart flutter a bit. In a soft voice she asks “I would want to join but….if its secret then wouldn’t I need someone to watch Mylie?” Smiling a bit jokingly she says “I don’t think they’d want an avid ,curious kitten wandering around at their meetings…”

Rain then frowned as she repeated her words “I’d like to join Rafe..” She said as she paused remembering not to call him by his true name “but..what about?” Her words were halted as she heard the sound of a familiar voice bickering to the dwarves. Her ears flattened as anger came into her eyes. Reaching for Sparks Petals, her eyes were hot as she hisses” Never mind about my questions. I’ll help you. I’ll join the place you asked me to Rafe, for now though…lets take care of this Drow matron! What she has done to these poor dwarves is unforgivable!”

Unsheathing her sword, Rain shouts “If you wanted to kill me grandma Then I’m right here!”

The Drow Matron’s big blue eyes widened as she said snidely “Ah if it isn’t the little lost kitten! Buying minerals are we? The matron said unkindly mimicking Rain’s voice. “I’m sorry to say they aren’t for sale! But, getting rid of you is on the menu! I can’t have you letting officials know of my treatment to the dwarves!” Her hands then briskly snapped some of the Dwarves to attention.

The looks in the Dwarves eyes were a mix between fear and sorrow, grudgingly though they obeyed their mistresses command as they gathered around her. Looking at the two, they readied their pick axes and hand axes as they all asked dully “You want us to fight them ma’am?”

The Drow matron nodded and said strictly “Make sure neither leaves alive!”

Rain’s teeth grinded together as she looked at the dwarves, sorrow filled her heart as she said softly “You don’t’ have to fight us….we can free you!”

The dwarves didn’t bother to answer the half cat’s heart felt plea, instead they charged at the two moving to swing their various weapons at any part of the two warrior’s body.

Sighing as she moved to block the first axe that headed her way she shouts over to Jame “Rafe…we need to free them! I would say disarm them…but don’t harm them…that would be the best approach…”

Rain then begins to try to move her way through the horde of Dwarves, moving to block a hand axe that was headed for her head, she closes her eyes as metal clangs against metal. Trying to slide her way through the heavy swarm, Rain prays silently as she thinks If I can only reach the Drow matron…then this would all be over. The Dwarves would have nothing to fear! We can free them! Her heart was beating rapidly as the battle continued, she felt that Jame was right. Sin Nomine was the right choice, she had similar goals and the same view points as they did. If they were aiming to cleanse and purify the world, then she should join them!

With her answer finally in stone, Rain moved to disarm an elderly looking dwarf, murmuring a quick sorry, she aimed a kick at his burly legs hoping to trip him as she was slowly getting closer to the Drow Matron. Looking at the woman she shouts “You’ll pay! I won’t let you enslave these dwarves anymore!”

The Drow Matron licked her lips as she said snidely taking out a cross bow “I don’t think you’ll be alive to achieve that goal!”

Rain let out a meow of anger as she murmurs “We’ll see about that!”

[Call me J]

Jame didn’t respond to Rainee, even though he listened to her. Instead, he examined the relationship between the dwarves as they charged into battle against him.

The strategy for the battle was clear. Jame’s earlier appeal to the dwarves would come to his aid. He could tell that they recognized him. Even in the darkness there was enough light for him to notice that they were shocked to see him there. He saw the two of them look to each other and mouth something to each other that they didn’t want the drow matron to hear. They didn’t yet take up arms against her, and so Jame knew that they were too scared to turn on her just yet.

Jame knew that they wouldn’t attack him any more wholeheartedly than they had to. He decided that he would raise the stakes. “You are a vile woman,” he said. Once again, Jame thought of the public addresses that he had heard The Light make in Radasanth. He was practically quoting them verbatim at this point, but he doubted that these dwarves would know the difference. “You will kill people for more gold, for a little more comfort. Now, you act like these dwarves who dig for you should fight for you too. I will not spill their blood, just yours...”

With his short sword already drawn, Jame prepared to launch his first attack on the drow matron. He leapt to the side of the dwarf’s first attack. The angle on the pick axe blow was quite awkward, given his tall height the dwarf could barely reach much higher than Jame’s chest. The first attack was level with the dwarf’s waist and was aimed towards Jame’s knees. The half dragon moved quickly to slice the head of the pick axe off from the rest of the weapon and smiled as the remaining stub passed harmlessly by his knees.

“Stay here,” Jame commanded. The dwarf, surprisingly nodded. The half dragon left Rainee to occupy the other dwarf, and with a brief push off his former assailant’s shoulder, Jame rushed off towards the drow matron. She had been targeting Rainee with her crossbow, and had barely realized he was upon her until it was almost too late. A final reflex saved her, a strike of Jame’s that would have decapitated her was blocked by putting the crossbow between her neck and Jame’s sword. The bolt shot up into the air and ricocheted harmlessly.

“Thav... get here!” the matron shouted. Her hands began to glow with fire energy, and she shot a ball of flame towards Jame’s feet. Jame noticed it at just the last moment, but his momentum had been limited. It wasn’t too difficult to avoid by a simple jump back.

The dwarf who Jame had initially disarmed came running back towards his mistress. Jame could understand the fear, this Thav wanted to be on the winning side no matter what. Jame didn’t want to waste too much time.

A large flame sword appeared in the drow matron’s hands, and she swung her magically fashioned weapon at Jame. Her blow was poor, it didn’t take too much for Jame to avoid it even though half of his attention was focused on Thav. Still, the weapon burned lightly as it passed, and a few specks of ash collected on the kerchief that Jame wore over his face. His eyes watered lightly as a result.

[Nekoprincess]

The old dwarf had fallen, his gray-blue eyes widening as he let out a little grunt of pain. Moving to get up as he rubbed his hip, he winced as the Drow Matron shouted trying desperately to attack Jame with her flame sword “Thayne get over here! Help your mistress! I can’t defeat this bloke with out your help!” The old dwarf seemed to hesitant as he paused for a moment before taking a step forward. He could see that Thav had already obeyed their mistress’s command and that the younger dwarf had helped the Drow matron create a flaming sword.

Hurrying towards his mistress he conjured an icy blade, and he was about to hand it to her when a soft voice rang through the air. “Don’t! You’ll only regret it! Please!” Thayne looked back at the half cat, he saw that her eyes were soft, compassionate and in his hesitation the icy sword disappeared.

Relief flooded through Rainee’s heart as she saw Thayne step back from his mistress. She was glad that the old Dwarf had come to his senses. If he had handed the Drow Matron that icy blade then she might have had a slight advantage over Jame. But without the Drow Matron seemed to be struggling.

“Damn it Thayne! I told you to help me! Not listen to the pleas of some dirty flea ridden cat-girl!”

Thayne’s old silver-blue eyes were sad as he murmurs “That may be true mistress…but the cat has a point. All you use us for is to get minerals. You don’t’ treat us like we mean anything. We…we just simply seem to be tools to you!”

The old matron seemed to let out a scream of fury as her dark blue eyes seemed to become a molten blue from her hate. Moving to try to push the fiery sword against Jame weapon she hisses “Damn you! May hell’s fury been brought onto you both!” She said as she moved to throw a large fireball at the vulgar half cat who had started all her troubles.

Rainee let out a sigh as she seemed to smile thinly, swiftly sheathing Sparks Petals, she begin to form a blue lightening bolt in her hands. Grinning icily she murmurs “Sorry, but we’ve already had our time with hell’s fury. I don’t think we’re up for another helping!” She then begin to concentrate her lightening magic, slowly a bluish bolt begin to form in her hands, once it was complete she hurled it at the Drow matron hissing “But I hope you enjoy this shocking treat I’ve got for you!”

The Drow Matron’s eyes widened as she moved to try and side step Jame short sword. Her eyes were on the glowing bolt of electric magic as it headed her way. In a scream of fury, she moved to grab Thav to take the hit shouting “Urgh curse you! Curse you to the very depths of hell!” She then thrust the dwarf at Rainee’s magic shouting “Do what your good for! Defend me you stupid useless thing!”

The Dwarf’s eyes were round and scared as he tried to dig his legs into the soft earth, however it was useless the ground was too smooth. In a frightened voice he shouts “Help me lass please! I don’t want to die! Save me!”

Rain’s mouth formed an O of surprise. The Drow matron’s tactics were dirty. Anger filled her heart as she sprinted forward. Moving to slide onto the smooth ground, she used its friction to beat out the speed of her lightening magic. Sliding just beneath the blue bolt, she could feel its static frizzle her hair. Feeling bits of it sticking out of her head, she soon came upon the poor dwarf who was uselessly trying to avoid her attack.

Moving to grab the cloth of his cotton pants, she tugs pulling him down just as the blue lightening would have hit him.

The dwarf let out a “Ahhhh!” Just as he was pulled to the smooth ground, he could feel the friction of the lightening magic puffing up the hair on his beard as he said gratefully “Thank you lass! Oh thank you! You saved me!”

Rain simply smiled as she murmurs “Your welcome…I’m sorry she used you as a human shield.”

Thav simply smiled as he said sagely “She’ll get what’s coming to her lass, don’t’ you worry. That man of yours there, it looks like he won’t let her get away with the evil sins she has committed!”

Rain laughed lightly at the dwarf’s sage words of wisdom as she softly replied “Your right, he won’t, he’ll make her pay for her crimes!” She then smiled as she gave Jame a wink murmuring “Rafe finish this why don’t you? We don’t have all day!”

[Call me J]

“Easier done than said,” Jame replied. He had recovered from the drow matron’s attack so that he could focus better. Everything had unraveled for the drow matron now. The effects of her years of abuse had begun to take their toll.

Jame smiled. Thav now had dropped what had remained of his pick axe and instead knelt before Jame. “Long live Rafe!” he shouted. “May the Gods bless Sine Nomine.”

The drow matron could tell that she was outnumbered now. She had been completely overwhelmed by the cat girl she had thrown into the mines and her friends. It had been a humbling twist of fate for her. She now had no choice but to beg Jame for forgiveness. “Please...” she said. “Please, I don’t want to die down here...”

For a moment, Jame considered giving the drow matron mercy. She may have been an evil woman in her day, but now, she had been stripped of her powers. Jame had killed before, but this would be a death in cold blood. He didn’t know if he could kill someone who had offered her surrender.

“Kneel then!” Jame said. He held his sword above his head, but he couldn’t bring it down to kill her. He saw how the drow was sniveling, and Jame felt as though she had suffered enough. In as much as he was a fighter, he was a knight, not a judge.

“Get up and remember this!” he said. “ The next time you want to whip one of your men, or make them stay far past the time that their children have gone to bed, remember two words, Sine Nomine. Sine Nomine is always willing to put you in your place!”

The drow matron got up gratefully. She looked at Jame with eyes that were brimming with tears of both shame and fear. While Jame had forgiven her, she didn’t know if he spoke for Rainee and the dwarves as well. Though Jame had forgiven her, it was clear she didn’t know if she could trust that pardon, let alone the feelings of the other three in the room.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Her eyes turned to Rainee. It was clear her words were hollow, made only because of her concern about death. “I’m sorry I wanted you to die in the mines.

Seconds later, Thav pulled a knife from his shoe and drove it straight into the drow matron’s back. Her eyes had been focused on the cat girl, and she never saw it coming. Her entire body shook and her hands clutched at the air violently. Within seconds, she was dead, her soulless eyes looking up at the top of the tunnel, never again to see the sky.

“I- I’m sorry,” Thav said. “Sorry sir, but-but she wouldn’t have really changed. She just said that for you. Sine Nomine may have mercy, but I can not just yet.”

Jame nodded. “I understand,” he said grimly. He realized why Thav had to do what he did.

Thav now knelt. “I would sacrifice my life for Sine Nomine,” he said. “If I have sinned, strike me down.”

Jame shook his head and smiled. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Sine Nomine cares about you and forgives.” He didn’t know if half the things he was saying about Sine Nomine were true, but he felt that they should have been. If the group truly cared about creating a better world, it would have mercy. At least that was what Jame believed.

[Nekoprincess]

Rainee slowly let go of Thayne’s pant leg as she saw the Drow matron give up her quest for petty vengeance. Upon hearing the dark Elvin woman beg Jame for forgiveness, her heart lightened a little. She was sure now that everything would be ok. At least for the time being. But, before the elderly blue haired Drow had whimpered her last pleas for forgiveness, she was stabbed in the back by one of the very dwarves she had used as one of her tools.

A sigh escaped her lips as she heard Thav’s reasoning for his actions. He then knelt before Jame beginning for his forgiveness and for Sin Nomine’s forgiveness. A smile crept onto Rain’s face as she murmurs gently “Its alright Thav. Don’t worry about it, her actions towards you were unjust, she deserved it. Don’t worry no harm will come to you because of what you did.”

Thav seemed to be soothed by the words that both Jame and Rainee were saying to him. Smiling up at them both he murmurs “Thank you. Thank you for everything! We thank Sin Nomine for sending us such heavenly beings of light! If there is anything we can do to repay the kindness you have showed us! Anything at all! Just ask!”

Rainee pursed her lips as she heard of the dwarves generous offer. Looking at Jame she murmurs “What about mythril? We could collect some and you could bring it back to Sin Nomine. I think that would be a fine payment!”

Thav and Thayne both nodded as their deep voices boomed “If its mythril you want! Then its mythril you shall get! Sin Nomine deserves the greatest rewards for freeing us!”

As the two dwarves disappeared into the dark mouth of one of the caves that led to a mine shaft. Rainee took the time to look at Jame. Her eyes were shining with tears of gratitude. As she saw Mylie running towards her, her eyes brimmed even more as she says gratefully “Thank you for everything. I shall join Sin Nomine…your group has shown me that there is a way to make the world a safer place.”

“Mommy! Came Mylie’s joyful response as she leapt into her mother’s open arms. Her innocent green eyes were brimming with tears as she said respectfully “Thank you Rafe! You saved my mom! Thank you! Thank you!

Rainee grinned as she murmurs “Sorry I took so long darling…there” Looking behind her at the Drow matron’s motionless body, she turned so her daughter would not see it, continuing she murmurs “a bit of a delay…but with Rafe’s help…I was able to return safely to you.”

Mylie simply just hiccupped and sobbed as her mother stroked her hair. Rainee meanwhile smiled warmly at Jame as a breeze ruffled her frizzed up blue hair, in a warm voice she murmurs “Just point me in the right direction and I’ll be at Sin Nomine’s meeting place. I thank you for everything and lets pray that Sin Nomine will lead the world into a brighter and safer place! Especially for little ones like my Mylie here!” She said this and then ruffled her daughter’s hair whispering “Do you want to go somewhere and get out of this stuffy air?”

Mylie nods as she says in a weepy voice “Yes mom! Lets go somewhere nice! Like the beach or Radasanth or something! I wouldn’t mind doing a little shopping!”

Rain laughs at her daughter vibrant words, a smile lights in her face as she murmurs “We’ll see, for now I just need to finish up with Rafe here ok sweetie?”

Mylie nods as turns to smile innocently at Rafe murmuring “Sure I can wait mommy!”

[Call me J]

(Dialogue by Rainee written by Nekoprincess. Also, all bunnies approved)

Jame had been talking to the dwarves as they left the mine shaft. They had continued to ask him questions about Sine Nomine, some of which were questions that he did not want to answer. However, the dwarves seemed satisfied by his response. Jame had not only made promises that had appealed to their instincts, but he had also saved a cat girl from the mines. As a result, Jame had shown the dwarves of Kachuk the love of Sine Nomine.

He watched with a few tears in his eyes as Mylie and Rainee were reunited. Jame had never been happier to see the two cat girls together. “That made it all worth it right there...” he thought. He had been touched by the bond between mother and daughter, so much so that he practically forgot about the impact that he had made for Sine Nomine that day. Not only was he be promised mythril for their future adventures, but he had also managed to recruit Rainee.

The older cat girl had come over him to exchange a few last words. Jame wasn’t sure how he was going to respond. He feared that Rainee was going to ask him to come home with her to Radasanth, but he knew that wouldn’t be possible. Between his continued fights with the Patriarch and the work he did for Sine Nomine on the side, there would be no time for him to take on a girlfriend, even if it was Rainee. Plus, he just wasn’t ready to settle down, especially in Alerar, where the dark elven women in the cities were both sexy and urbane.

Before Rainee could say a word to him, he pressed her hands together. “Look,” he said. “What happened in the past needs to stay in the past for now. I’d rather just be friends, I still have way too many responsibilities. If you return to Radasanth, a man called Virtue will find you. He will lead you in Sine Nomine, not me. I’m not one of the leaders.”

The last part was a lie, but Jame wanted to keep his leadership role within the organization a secret. The Light had suggested that he should do that, and Jame thought it was best. He had enough responsibilities as it was without having to worry about the internal politics of a secret organization.

Rainee replied quite quickly. Her eyes went wide, as she turned with her daughter in her arms. “But Rafe...I thought..." She pursed her lips and covered her daughter's ears with her tail, in an even quieter voice she murmurs "Thought that there was more between us. But.." closing her eyes for a moment Rainee continues "I guess your right. We'll have to put off a relationship between us for now. When I return to Radasanth I'll await this man called Virtue. Though...."She looked at her daughter murmuring "I'm going to need a nanny to look after Mylie when I'm away on missions."

Jame worried his voice would waver as he spoke, but he was fortunate to have it remain true. He smiled at the cat girl, though it was covered by the handkerchief he wore as a mask. “I know what you thought,” he said solemnly. He realized that he was going to have to lie now. He may have had feelings for Rainee, but he couldn’t let her know them. Had it not been for her daughter and the direction that his life was heading, he may have thought differently, but as for now, he was too tired to settle down.

“There can be nothing between us...” he continued. “I- I- I’ve moved on since then. I’ve had to, between Carnelost and all the other wars. You’ve heard about what happened to Eluriand. Don’t worry though, when Virtue finds you, they’ll find a nanny for Mylie when they send you on missions. No one there could let anything happen to her.”

With the sensitive subject over, Rainee took her paws off Mylie's ears. Jame reached out and massaged Mylie's chin in his palm. “Everyone loves you too much to let anything bad happen, don’t they?”

Mylie smiled. “Do you love me?” she asked. She spoke before Rainee could have said anything.

“We’re friends,” he replied. Jame was glad that the dwarves had gone off to their friends to celebrate with each other. He didn’t know what they would think of Sine Nomine given the exchange they were having. He hadn’t expected for this day to be this emotionally complicated. With a sigh, he now looked into Rainee’s almond shaped eyes with both hope and despair.

The air between Jame and Rainee was practically thickening as it tried to pull the two of them closer to each other. Jame could feel it, but he chose to ignore it. He wasn’t dumb enough to think that Rainee didn’t feel it too. Still, he knew he was doing what was best.

“I have to go now,” Jame said. His voice was solemn and apologetic. He gave Mylie a polite little peck on the forehead. “Farewell.”

[Nekoprincess]

Rainee’s eyes quivered a bit, she could feel the tears forming inside them from Jame’s soft but sure words. Closing her eyes, the half cat sucked her emotions back inside her. The tears continued to shiver there for a second more, then they disappeared without being shed. She had to be strong, she knew for now that Jame and her could not have a relationship. However, that did not mean that in the future there was a chance that they might end up together.

Believing in this Rain gave Jame a watery smile as she murmurs “I wish you a safe journey.” She then moved and despite herself she gave Jame a kiss on the cheek. Blushing as she moved away she murmurs “Hopefully we’ll see each other again.” She then put Mylie down as she smiles bravely at him.

Mylie meanwhile looked slightly sad, her little paw was touching her forehead in the area where Jame’s lips had touched. Looking at him with sad bright green eyes she exclaims “I’LL MISS YOU! I DO HOPE THAT WE’LL SEE YOU AGAIN! PLEASE!” She was then scolded by her mother for her loud voice. Meowing as her little ears flattened she continued in a quieter voice “visit us at home! I’d love to see you again…big brother!” She then moved to hug Jame leg.

The half cat mother then moved to gather her daughter as she finished up “I guess if all else fails we may end up working together on some missions for Sin Nomine; but for now farewell…”

Jame decided not to say very much. Instead, he gave one last generic reply. "I'll meet you in the Grace Manor this time, I promise..."With that, he began to walk away

Mylie sniffled as she murmurs “Why does he always walk away mommy? I thought…I thought he liked you!”

Rainee let the smells and scents of the mine wash over here as she watched Jame departing. In a firm voice she murmurs “Honey…sometimes people are just better off as friends. But” Moving to press her nose against her daughter’s nose she murmurs “You never know, sometimes friends turn into something more!”

Mylie let out a little meow as she murmurs “Your tickling me mommy! But..” Her little green eyes shifted to her mother’s shoulder as she murmurs “Your still hurt! I smell blood!”

Rain’s eyes drifted to the shoulder, it still hurt a little but she knew it would heal. In a reassuring voice she murmurs “Mylie its nothing! Don’t worry about it!”

The little kitten looked at her mommy worriedly but murmured “Ok….

With that done, Rainee turned to leave the mines. Mylie was holding her hand. However before she did she turned to look back. Yet again, this place had been a sort of battle. Omarion had appeared and had led Jame to her. Perhaps now Omarion truly was her guardian angel. A smile crept onto her face as she turned her back once more on the dark mines. Moving to leave she whispers “Thank you brother…for everything…” She then left the mines with Mylie in tow, her heart light and filled with hopes. She was sure that Sin Nomine would be able to help her, and that she would find peace with them and with their views to make the world a more peaceful and safer place.

(Spoils: I am relinquishing all spoils that Rain would recieve in this quest. Instead the only spoil i'm requesting is that Sin Nomine be given Mythril in exchange for saving them from the Drow Matron's tyranny.)

[Call me J]

After Jame had left Rainee, he made sure to leave the mines as quickly as possibly. He didn’t want any other dark elves to notice him. “I’ll have to get back to the tavern,” he thought. That would be the nearest place that he could begin to bend in with the crowd. Until that, he was still a bit vulnerable.

For a bit, Jame thought he might just want to turn into a dragon and fly away. However, he decided against it. His heart was too heavy for him to want to fly that moment. Jame felt bad about what had happened to the drow matron in the mine shaft, but much more than that, he wished that he could have said something more comforting to Rainee. He felt as though his words had broken her heart.

“She just gets so frustrated,” Jame regretted. “I just don’t get it.” Rainee seemed to be quite a paradox. Despite having the strength to survive having her parents killed by bandits and a ghoul for an ex-husband, she seemed to be hurt too easily by him. Jame hated the thought of that. When they had made love, Jame had imagined it wouldn’t have been any less transitory than the other women he had met in bars. However, both his and Rainee’s hearts had told him that was wrong.

“You need to go after her,” a voice called out to Jame. It sounded familiar, but the half dragon did not place it immediately.

The half dragon looked up to his left. He saw the bright light that had guided him in the cave. “Omarion,” Jame realized. He sighed. He didn’t doubt what Rainee’s brother would want from him.

“I can’t...” Jame replied. “It just won’t work for now. There needs to be something more to it than danger and the same hopeless reactions to a very cruel world.”

“Make sure you don’t regret it,” the flash said, pulsing one more time before it disappeared. A slight shudder escaped Jame’s shoulders, but he continued on towards the taverns. The sun was beginning to set, and he didn’t want to be out after dark any more than he had to. That was when the dark elves had the comparative advantage.

-x-

That night, when the moon was at its highest point, Jame was at the cyper tree on the north hill. The half dragon realized that he was taking a substantial risk, even after the day’s events. While killing the drow matron was probably going to endear him to the dwarves, it might have meant that other regulators in the mines were paying more attention to any people who were neither dwarves nor dark elves.

The half dragon had remained hidden by a bush for a good half hour before he decided to venture out. His sword was drawn, and even though its blade was not glowing, Jame still remained cautious. He wondered how long he would have to remain around Kachuk before the dwarves rewarded him with the first sign of their trust. He had expected that perhaps Thav and Thayne would have been a bit appreciative, but he didn’t know how that would translate into the general population.

He realized that if there was no mythril out there that night, he would have to keep coming back. Jame wondered how long he could stay around Kachuk without beign caught. His ability to transform into a dragon could keep him safe for the most part, and he had been fortunate enough that no living drow had ever seen him, even with the handkerchief covering his face. There were enough foreign prospectors that he could pretend to be one of them as long as he didn’t stay too long. However, the concern was the longer he stayed, the more transparent his lies would seem.

As Jame reached the tree, all the worries faded from his face. There was not just one sack of mythril, but many. He opened the first one and found that the dwarves had gone to some meaningful lengths. The hadn’t just provided him with ore, but with pure, cleaned mythril, the kind that could have been sold as it was in Radasanth.

Despite all the bittersweet moments of the day, Jame smiled brightly. He gathered the bags and then transformed into a dragon. A few flaps of his wings later and he was up into the sky.

(Spoils for Sine Nomine- We would like 30 lbs of Mythril. Since an average medieval sword was between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds when they were made of medieval metal, I am assuming this is roughly enough metal for 15 swords, should this context be necessary for the approvals mod. Please note that both Nekoprincess and I have agreed not to have any other rewards outside of EXP so that Sine Nomine can get greater rewards)

[Mathias]

Sine Nomine: Getting into the Deep

First of all, I apologize for this being so late.

To move to the actual commentary, however, your main problems in this thread were weak characters, forced dialogue, poorly coordinated and paced action, and, on Rainee's part, a poor concept of tenses (which plagued pretty much every single one of your posts - a few times is forgiveable, but this was a consistent problem that I've noted in my judging.)

STORY 15
Continuity ~ 5/10
I never have any true comments for continuity, because I feel it's a category that doesn't quite warrant any. Your characters are characters and they're doing what they're doing. However, this category hurt because I didn't have a sense of WHY they were particularly there. I mean, yeah, Jame was trying to spread the faith. Rainee was trying to get some mythril. But why? What was the point of going out here? I got nothing on their previous relationship, nor the background that surrounded them.

Setting ~ 5/10
Jame:
I've got nothing to really comment on here, other than there just wasn't a lot of description. Which can be a good thing, at times. I mean, I got the idea; it was a mine. Not a whole hell of a lot to describe, really.

Rainee:
In your first post, you didn't describe the ride down to the bottom of the mines. Then, in post #6, you just mentioned a stone dragon. That's one of the first things I noted that really hurt you here. Then, that said dragon wasn't mentioned again, and it just disappeared from memory. There wasn't any ascent back up the path she'd come back down, and you guys just suddenly went from the bottom to the top in about half a post.

Pacing ~ 5/10
I have no real comments here, as the thread didn't feel like it was moving too fast or too slow, but it wasn't moving at that just right pace that would've netted you a higher score. This may be due in part to the ratio of the length of your posts to the action progression of the story; there was a lot of nothing happening, especially in the beginning, where Jame was running around and Rainee was doing nothing. Some of those posts were just there, and they didn't really count for progress.

CHARACTER 12
Dialogue ~ 4/10
Jame:
I don't know if you were trying to come across as a salesman of religion, Jame, but in your first post when you approached the dwarves, it sounded just like that. I felt you could've played out a bit of banter with them, rather than just open up with his whole spiel and not be interrupted or even oddly looked at. In post five, the dwarves Jame encountered suddenly had accents - which had not been present in any of the posts beforee - yours or Rainee's.

Rainee:
A lot of your dialogue felt forced and uncharacteristic. Especially the brief monologue Rainee had at the end of the post where she was rescued. "Thanks for saving me - oh! And I'm going to have a heartfelt moment." Although I pegged you alot on Persona, it now hurts you here because you over-characterized and made it a forceful push, rather than a flowing, natural change.

Action ~ 4/10
Jame:
I thought it was pretty neat, playing on the actual physique of nekos in order to track Rainee. That was a pretty cool idea, I've got to say. Yet, it didn't persist as Jame delved further into the mine, and there was no explanation for the loss of that advantage. Also, in post five, Jame took off his bandana - that you never mentioned he was wearing. You didn't describe, prior, the absolute need for secrecy, other than to keep a low profile because Sine Nomine said so. A detail such as that stitches together the cohesion of my envisioning of the story; it deserves mention and development, no matter how minute it is.

Rainee:
When Brow attacked her in post #6, you said "pain begin to surge slightly from her right shoulder." Grammar aside, I read the next sentence in somewhat disbelief. Brow retracted his pickaxe from her shoulder, meaning, it had to be in atleast SOME capacity wedged in there. I've never been stabbed in the shoulder with a pick axe, but I'm pretty sure that the pain wouldn't be slight in ANY way. I'm pretty certain that would really, really hurt.

Then, in post #12, you described two dwarves attacking Rainee. Then, a few sentences later, she was literally wading through a "horde," of them. All the while, she was swatting away their attacks like they were merely flies - despite being hand axes, now, rather than pick-axes, and despite the fact that a dwarven miner would probably have much more muscle than Rainee. If she had such a prowess at evading blows, why did she freeze in terror at Brow's attack? These inconsistencies, as well as the lack of description behind the action itself, really, really hurt you.

Then, in #16, you hit on a problem Jame suffered in Dialogue. Suddenly, she said one thing that made all the sense in the world to the Dwarves ; something they'd thought about for ages, and never, ever, not ONCE, dared to enact. It's unfathomable to think that one person could become the catalyst for a revolution that wasn't even in the works beforehand.

Persona ~ 4/10
Jame:
Playing off the first comment in dialogue, I thought about it for a moment; Jame, pretty much, just stated the obvious, and that sparked a fire of bravery in them. NPCs are just as important as your central character - it damages the immersion when their characterization is weak. And then, in post three, the dwarves, cheering Jame on... I felt it was misplaced. I was honestly disappointed here, because he feels more gung-ho hero now, than what I remember from the last time I read about him.

Rainee:
I was bugged consistently by several things throughout the story. If Rainee just up and decided, after something like an hour, to just leave, why didn't she do it in the FIRST place? I mean, honestly. Also, I must reiterate what I said with Jame. NPCs are characters. As such, they need to be as believable as yours. I want to be able to, in my mind, see them as living breathing things, rather than mere constructs to move a story along. Your portrayal of Brow was absolutely unbelievable. Aside from the confusing depictions of the dwarves, which I found flopping between slavery and servitude, Brow himself didn't make any sense. Why would he care? And if he did, why was he so lackluster about it? And then, all of the sudden, because she can't pay an exorbant amount of money (even though he agreed to do it for free), he suddenly attacked her. This train of logic of his makes no sense, and it wasn't in a way that showed the madness that was implied to have overtaken him. There wasn't any consistent characterization on his part, and that made his ultimate depravity all the more incoherent.

And even when he attacked her, Rainee pitied him. She wasn't fearing for her life. No maternal instincts overtook her - her and her child's life wasn't flashing before her eyes. Speaking of which, I felt that Rainee's child wasn't a card that was played a terrible amount. She seems like a plot device - a MacGuffin, rather than a person in her own right. She should be able to evoke MUCH more emotion in Rainee - I felt very little of the maternal instinct in her, and absolutely nothing in the department of absolute fear from being seperated from her kid.

WRITING STYLE 15
Technique ~ 5/10
Jame:
There wasn't a whole lot to note here. I'd suggest simply describing your actions more - putting more thought into them and more meaning in some, as well as nixing some others that don't make sense. You could've explored some of the deeper connotations of Jame's inability to commit to Rainee, but you didn't, and you left it up to a few awkward situations to leave it up to me to decide.

Rainee:
There wasn't a lot of finesse or powerful articulation in your writing. Along with the problems in Mechanics, there was a great amount of unpoetic repetition and a lack of any other literary devices. Most of your problems have been noted in Mechanics.

Mechanics ~ 4/10
Jame:
In post one, in the third paragraph, was probably the quintessential example of repetition in the world. "There were a group of dwarves having their break near the mouth of the cave that lead to the mineshafts. A large group of dwarves were having their lunch breaks." It's an honest mistake, but I still have to say - look it over. Proofread it, make sure it's good. Edit it later, if you end up going through again. Maybe people aren't as neurotic as me (I know when I've got nothing, nothing, nothing to do, I'll reread a post or two of a quest I'm working on, and add in/change some stuff I don't like.) but you don't quite have to be to polish your work.

Rainee:
I saw that you had a tendency to commonly use "your," when you should've been using "you're." Take a little extra care to hit those contractions properly. I also noticed you had a tendency to switch between tenses, sometimes within a single sentence. Make sure you're not dropping present-tense s's on words when it should be a past-tense "ed." In post #4, this is where it started to really become apparent to me. As well, I noticed in the last paragraph, Rainee sighed three times. And once in a paragraph before that. Try to visualize yourself in place of your character, and doing the actions. It may lead to less repetition and much more "real," actions - fleshed out and meaningful gestures that become a part of the character, rather than simply occupying sentence space and words.

In post #6, I had to do a double take at your description of Brow's sudden change in attitude. You described him as "an old, gentile grandfather." It was one letter away, but it totally changed the meaning. I'm certain you meant gentle, as I'm also certain you didn't want to describe him as non-Jewish, and he's certainly not an aristocratic figure.

Allow me, once more, to note your tendency to switch tenses. I must stress that you correct this problem, because it is one that has hurt you an immense amount. Because this is a consistent problem in almost every post, it brought you down from what may have been a 6. I suggest proofreading and even going back to edit your posts, and to really make a habit out of it.

Clarity ~ 6/10
I have no real or particularly meaty criticisms here.

MISCELLANEOUS 3
Wild Card ~ 3/10

TOTAL ~ 45/100

I felt that this thread could've used a lot more and much better planning and mapping out. Had it had better organization and cohesion, it would've been a much more solid read.

EXP Rewards
Call me J receives 1050 Experience.
Nekoprincess receives 1300 Experience.

GP Rewards
Call me J receives 135 Gold.
Nekoprincess receives 120 Gold.

Other Rewards
Sine Nomine receives 30 pounds of Mythril.

Jame receives a little cloth doll of himself that Mylie made for him.

Rainee receives a silver ring with dwarven runes inscribed on it. It says, "Sister to the Dwarves."

[Karuka]

EXP/GP added! Call me J levels up!