Catching Up with the World

[Isalidi]

*I think, now that we're at page three, we have sufficient players, and it's just about too late to introduce any more PCs. Yup, it's closed. Really, the story's complicated enough as it is, and I don't think new characters will do it any justice. If you REALLY want to get in, for some reason, drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do.*

I looked around the village. It seemed pretty clear that if there were any leads here, they would be relatively easy to find... But it seemed pretty clear that there were no clues in Scara Brae. Either way, ever since I'd joined the military, I'd been pretty cut off from the real world. So, now that I've left, I do need to cut myself off from the dream for a few days.

Scara Brae... the term sounded familiar. The island... I'd been there, but I couldn't exactly remember when. A discomfort on the edge of mind, which I shoved to the back, to deal with later. It was annoying...

Difficulty. A cool breeze was blowing. I started to move... hoping that I'd find someone to talk too. Almost as if there was a shortage on people... I just didn't like starting conversations. I was bad at it. It would be best if someone would talk to me. I sighed... perhaps it would be better to just go and drink. Alcohalism... it's helped ruin my life, but that's not too much of it. I try to avoid drinking, but it'd been a rough day. I knew it wouldn't help, but it could dull the pain and help me get to sleep.

No. That won't work. I had to find someone. I sat down at one of the many tables on the street, and just waited for something to happen.

[Ryudo]

Suddenly a commotion could be heard down the street, the sound of hurried foot steps. A figure appeared at the end of the street running as fast as he could, ever so often as he ran he glanced behind himself. The man proceed to run down the street, panting heavily. After reaching the end of the street, he made a sharp right turn and then disappeared from sight.

Just as the man disappeared, another figured appeared from where the first came from. This figure was nimble, and lean, unlike the first figure. Upon reaching this new street, the figure stopped and looked around.

Ryudo sense were on high alert, his eyes searched every inch of the new street. How could he have possibly lost him? He played the previous events in his mind. The contract was simple, find Serick Bass, and bring him to justice. Ryudo had intended to capture Serick and turn him into the authorities. Unfortunately Serick had other intentions, and after seeing Ryudo he immediately began running away. For a man of Serick’s size, he was incredibly quick, quick enough to have eluded the half-elf. Ryudo gave chase to the confict, however he had lost sight of him around the corner, and he now stood in a empty street, devoid of life except for one man.

Ryudo approached him, and though he was a little embarrassed and out of breath, he asked,

“Excuse me sir, my name is Ryudo, I’m on a job, and I was wondering if you saw a man run by here?”

[Isalidi]

Sitting, I tried to keep my mind clear of unsettling thoughts, but I kept bringing myself back to the scroll of Taloleta, which was what I was looking for, and the fact that I felt I'd been on the island in the past.
Suddenly, someone walked up to me, introduced himself, and asked if I'd seen anybody run by. I noticed that he was a half elf. A little taken aback, I said, "And what if I have? Tell me what this job is, and maybe I'll answer your question."

Ever since that day, so long ago, when the Dark Elves destroyed my village, I've been distrusting of anyone with elf blood. A bunch of lying, thieving murderers they are...

[Yukina]

Yuki could see a large crowd of people, and to avoid any problems, i.e. being recognized as an angel, she started going the other way.

She saw some people sitting around a table. She went up and was about to say something to them, but what came out was, "You three seem to be of high caliber and un-affected by the commotion, do you know what particularly is going on?" She stopped and grabbed her mouth The hell?

She lost her balance for a second and said, "I mean, well, um... Hi! I just came to this wor--- I mean, I'm a... um--- traveller! Yeah.... that sounds good! and I'm kind of new to this area so I was wondering um, do you know anything--- or... no!" She looked a little confused for a second and looked at them. "I need to find a place, a place with books, special books, TRANSLATION BOOKS, and...well... eh, library?"

[Isalidi]

OOC: May I advise editing that post, Yukina? We're down a player.

IC: I stared blankly at the newnewcomer.

The hell...?

"Commotio-... nevermind. Library. Right. Well, I have yet to see any libraries in the area, let alone one with such rare books... What language do you need translated? Err... what's your name?"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo was a little pertubed, he was loosing the man every second he wasted.

"Sorry, but can you hold that thought for one second ma'am?"

Ryudo refocused on the man infront of him,

"If you must know what my profession is, I am a mercenary, hired to hunt down a man who stole from a museum close by."

Ryudo then turned to the lady who had just approached them,

"The man I was hunting down had stolen some important artifacts. Perhaps what he has stolen relates to you ma'am, the things he stole sounded quite important. My employer was quite implicit on the importance of the return of these items."

[Isalidi]

The scum turned back to me and proclaimed himself a mercenary.

Why am I not surprised...

"I don't feel myself at a bounds to bother myself with you, part-elf. I refuse to assist elven scum like yourself in doing corrupt deeds such as murder, and then looting the body at that. In your whole species, and every elf there is, there's not an ounce of goodness. Why should I help evil?"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo couldn't believe what he was hearing,

"Where do you get off assuming that just because I am of elven heritage means that I am just like the rest of them. Simply because they are part of me does not mean that I am them. I am a half elf, an outcast, to think that I am one of those pretentious, pompous, ingrates is more insulting then anyone can imagine."

Ryudo took a deep breath, the fire inside him burned, the man in front of him was so ignorant, but Ryudo forced himself to calm down. He was loosing precious amounts of time, time that could be spent catching his mark and receiving his reward.

"Sir, I believe that you misunderstood me when I said that I would bring him to justice, what I meant was that I would capture him, and turn him into the city guard. After that I would return the goods that he had stolen to my employer and then receive my reward. So I ask again, did you see a man run by here?"

[Isalidi]

With a hateful look in my eye, I responded to the filth, "Yeah. Maybe I did. Back on that last street I was on. He went down here, but was gone to the other side by the time I got here. Here's the thing, though: he holding anything, he didn't have any kind of sack, and his pockets were clearly empty. It seems to me that the man that ran down this road was a town crier or something."

[Yukina]

She looked between them, one after the other, and all she could hear in her mind was HOSTILITY HOSTILITY HOSTILITY!!!! She closed her eyes for a second and yelled "STOP IT!" She was out of breath from the internal state of temporary insanity and said, "I need to translate a language like you've never seen before, the book is probably extremely rare and valuable... But i don't know where to find it... My name is Yuki... Now if you'd both stop fighting, we might be able to help each other out..." She turned to the sun for a moment and stared. "The sun will go down not long from now... It---We..---- I'm not safe in the dark... I-I, uh, don't like it.... But where, where can i find rare books around here?"

[Warklaw]

The hustle and hubbub around towns where always on a high around sundown. People rushing to shops to buy what they needed before the shops closed and the peddlers packed up their goods and moved on. Everyone on this market street was running, all but one.

He walked with a controlled and threatening stride. He stood out among the people around him, standing at a hair beneath seven feet, wearing nothing but a wolf fur kilt and cloak, fur gauntlets on his massive forearms, and fur coating his heavy iron boots which cracked the dry mud on the ground and sinking slightly. A massive, six foot claymore slung over his back, axes on his hips, he looked like a raider or a villain from an ancient story. His ice blue eyes darted to anyone who made eye contact with him, diverting their gaze instantly.

Ayerwulf stopped his stride in the middle of the quickly emptying street, and looked up at the darkening sky, he smiled, baring his extraordinary canine teeth along with his sharpened other ones. Ah, the eve if the Rahu, I have missed it so. Ayerwulf thought. The Rahu, the night of the Full Moon, the time for Ayerwulf to set himself free, the time to hunt at night. The one time he could become what he was born to be, a Lycan. As much as Ayerwulf wanted to let Destroyer Wolf loose, there where none here that he knew partook in the 30 Day Hunt, the human Inquisition of his kind, the crucifying, burning, and execution of his tribe and almost all other Lycans.

Not far from him, Ayerwulf could hear bickering. Like that of wolf pups fighting over a mother's teat. His nose twitched as he took in the scents of the three that still occupied the street. The two men had a stench of anger and hostility, the woman smelled of anxiety and nervousness. The last Lycan could make out the scents of the men's kind. One was human, the other was human, but had a tint of elven in his blood. He was a halfbreed. The woman's scent perplexed the massive Lycan.; she did not really have a scent, she smelled near foul of magic, she was some kind of Magus. Her race was nothing he had ever experience before, he turned his head so he could look upon the gathering of people, trying to pick apart the situation piece by piece, just like Ayerwulf does his enemies. The only thing he could pick up from the conversation was racism.

"Bloody human supremacist." Ayerwulf growled. He began to walk over to the gathering, racism made Ayerwulf's blood boil, it was racism that made him what he is, the last of a once proud tribe and species. He balled his massive hands into stone-like fists, veing popping in his hands and arms, looking like snakes beneath his skin. Ayerwulf was ready to give someone a thrashing, perhaps it was the coming of the Rahu, perhaps it was the Warklaw tribe ale, the strongest in the northern half of the world, but he was ready to rearrange someone in the most crude and ancient of ways.

[Isalidi]

The girl suddenly screamed for us to stop, and introduced herself as Yuki. She also said that I wouldn't've heard of the language, and that she was afraid of the dark.

This girl is a total freak.

"I wouldn't of heard of it? Heh. Try me."

Suddenly, I became conscious of someone else nearby. It was something... something not human. Something not elven. Something not even gnomish, dravish or draconic. It could be a shade or a werewolf, but not even those could properly describe the intense emotion coming from this creature. It was closer to werewolf, but somehow more human than the average. I decided to stop using intuition and turn around.

It was a creature of the sort I'd never seen before. Wolvish, yet somehow human. It's blood was clearly boiling. I wanted to ask his issue, but I decided to wait it out.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo saw the situation change immediately, the poor girl had yelled for him and the other man to stop fighting. Ryudo felt a twang of embaressement, how could he have been so disrespectful.

"My apologies ma'am, I did not mean to offend you."

As the words left Ryudo's mouth, he sensed something else, the elven senses had picked it up. Ryudo's heart began to beat fast, he sensed something appraoching quickly, though he could barely discern what it was. It was human, at least part human, large, that much was easy. However, Ryudo sensed underneath the human a fire, an intense fire. Ryudo figured that this man was part supernatural, of what he could only guess, perhaps wolf or some other creature.

Ryudo glanced at the others, he knew that the robber he had been hunting was long gone. If it was as the man had said, and the fugitive wasn't carrying the stolen items, the thief must have stashed them somewhere. Ryudo felt a sense of growing unease, he didn't like working with people, it involved him getting to know others, unfortunately it seemed that everyone was interested in what was stolen. Now that the cat was out of the bag, Ryudo realized that the only way that he would be able to accomplish his goal, and find the stolen goods quickly was teamwork, and he hated the idea.

The sensation of misfortune grew as he turned around to see the huge man approaching the group.

[Isalidi]

I felt a sense of growing unease watching the large man, but something else was bothering me. The mercenary animal next to me. He'd just noticed the giant wolf-man in front of us, but if what he said about the man I saw was right and not lying, that could be an even bigger issue.

The contents of the theft... the goodless thief...

I was scared by the approaching man, and from body language I could tell he was too, but I asked, "You, half-elf, what was stolen?"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo could not tear his eyes from the large man, but he heard the other man speak to him. Ryudo didn't want to reveal any information, this was his job after all. Ryudo tried to make sense of the thoughts that were flooding through his head. If I reveal more information, I may gain an ally, but I risk giving someone a chance to complete the job without me. Ryudo took a deep breath, he couldn't shake the sense of dread as the huge man approached the three people, he had to make a decision. He decided to take a risk, perhaps help was what he needed.

"The man stole from an archealogical museum, the contents of the loot was a few aged coins, some random ancient letters, and one rare scroll. I am not completly sure what the scroll was about, but I heard that it was ancient, magical, and worth quite a lot of money. Perhaps you would be interested in assisting me? You seem quite interested in what was stolen."

Ryudo couldn't believe what he was saying, he trusted no one, why was he asking for help? Ryudo tore his eyes away from enormous figure that was bearing down on the group to look at the man.

[Isalidi]

Scroll...? Interesting. And from an archaeological museum, no less. I doubt this is it, but it couldn't hurt to look. This elf's corruption has actually helped me... revealing what he shouldn't've.

I nodded and said, "Yeah. I'm interested."


My attempt to escape the dream was backfiring. I was working with the worst form of scum, planning on betraying him on the last second and stealing the already stolen scroll... and there was this giant man... And again, I was fealing the deja vu.

[Warklaw]

((FYI - Ayerwuld is in his human form. Yes he looks wolfish, but he isnot a Garou yet))

Ayerwulf stopped just short of the group of three, the two males continued to squabble like coyotes over a scrap of flesh. Ayerwulf looked from one person to the other, his icy gaze cutting deep into their souls. He even smelt fear on the human.

"Which one of you knows the content of those letters?" Ayerwulf slowly opened his right hand, just in case he needed Fenrir's Fang to speak its potent language of death.

[Isalidi]

He asked which of us knew the contents of "those letters". He also opened his hand, but I couldn't see hat was in it."

I, somewhat boldly, said "W-what... letters?"

[Yggdrasil]

((yeah, i know joining a little late here ... But Isalidi said yes, soooooo))

Serick Bass was home free, he wasn’t sure how, as a quick look back had initially told him that there was a nimble looking character quite hot on his tail, and looked as if he was gaining on him a good few times. But that was then, and now his pace slowed into a panting jog, a half laugh and eyes full of mirth as he kept his sight on what was behind him, half expecting the half elf twit to come racing around a corner.

It was forgiven that 100 meters from loosing the half elf, he completely missed the axe, his attention turned around, not in time to feel the long pole of said weapon crashing against his chest, flinging his breathless body into the nearest wooden wall, the axe lodging itself firmly keeping him trapped for now.

Serick barely looked to the owner of the pole axe who had taken a step back, there was a look of emotionless focus upon her tanned face, the odd markings, tattoos, failed to attract his attention away from golden slitted eyes, not even the long wavy snow white hair. “What?”

His cry was startled as a glow in the woman’s hand was now drawing his attention, it looked like a spell, a pure white glowing sphere surrounding her fist, and without allowing the man any chance to recover the blow came to his gut, with a force that took what remained of his breath away followed by a secondary force which forced him to hit the back of his head against the wooden wall.

“Serick Bass, wanted for larceny, fraud, rape and suspected witness to a murder scene, wanted alive for questioning reward is 300 Gold Pieces” The speaker was not the woman, but a young 14 year old boy, who had watched the entire entanglement with a sense of sympathy. He sighed and folded the wanted poster to examine the unconscious man for a bit before slowly noting something off.

“Eh, hey didn’t he” his voice trailed off when the woman carried it on for him “ Yes, he is currently lacking his current spoils ” The boy sighed, scratching the back of his head in an annoyed fashion.

“Damn, when we saw the man clear off from that museum, I thought for sure there would be a return reward for it, It wasn’t easy you know, second guessing where this guy was going” he spoke more to himself yet Yggdrasil listened, the boy was quite knowledgeable of Scara Brae, having grown up in the city he knew it like the back of his hand.

They had been a few of many too witness to the man escaping the museum, a few hapless guards, mercenaries and bounty hunters had gave chase rather quickly. It had taken Serick quite a while to ditch his pursuers, but he had pulled it off nicely, save for the kid second guessing his escape route along side a woman with a pole axe.

“And quite an admirable job you did too” Yggdrasil told the boy, which was true, the boy had been dancing around people, scrambling up and under gates and fences using obscure routes that looked like a maze, but he had quite effectively gotten them far ahead of there target. “ While you go and hand our Bounty in, I will procure the lost items of value ”

She held out a hand to the pole axe, its form glowed before shrinking down to the size of a small ball, which also seemed to glow before fading away, and there was a thud as Serick lost what was keeping him pinned to the wall and quickly met dirt, Aiesear did not look happy, but said nothing as he quickly tried to work out a way to drag the limp body to one of he city guard or something.

“Hey, don’t get lost ok” He shouted after the leaving woman, who turned back and nodded gently “ that would be hard to accomplish when your acting as my anchor ” and turned around to trace the route the man had taken to escape.

[Yukina]

"I... um..." she looked at the other guy who had just joined recently.

Strange.

She opened a book with a blue ribbon hanging out of it and white lacing and white cover and back. She opened it to reveal strange somewhat other-wordly characters. She said "It's a language from somewhere far away, my friend said that there're only five literary works that can translate it.... One of them is a scroll which has a primary purpose that i cant wrap my head around...."

[Warklaw]

When the mystery woman spoke, Ayerwulf shot his gaze to her, his eyes turning slowly from a ice blue to a feral yellow as his anger began to bubble up to the brim.

"I don't give a bloody damn about the bloody scroll! Those letters that the man stole from the museum are what concern me! What was their content?!" Ayerwulf was near roaring his words. The sun was setting and the moon rising, which meant he was more prone to Change based on his emotions. He grabbed both of the men by their collars and twisted his fists, so their tunics closed around their throats whilst driving Ayerwulf's massive knuckles into their throats. His eyes where now a fiery amber color, the pupils where now vertical slits and his teeth where elongating, making blood from his gums start to bribble out of the side of the lycan's mouth.

"The first person to tell me will be able to go to their mother, and be recognized by her. Understood?"

[Yukina]

Yuki stopped for a moment and stared into the distance, her eyes going a blank white. No.... No! She saw the moon about to rise and could already feel darkness around her. "No!" Her wings emerged from her back and she charged as fast as she could pushing the man who was so rude to her and looked like he was going to kill someone, when her attempt to push him simply ended in her falling, she knew if she didn't act, the two other men would suffocate. "I'm sorry! PEARL!" A small orb of light appeared at her finger tip and shot at the angry guy.

She was out of breath and her wings quickly hid back away. "I-I... Feel....Darkness... Eee---ahh..." And she fainted.

[Isalidi]

Yuki ran. And grew wings. I stared blankly.

Dammit. I never go the chance to-... wings. Good god... This girl is an angel...

I ran up to her unconscious body. It's the bloody dark that's doing this! I need to get her out of here...!

She was lighter than a human, but I still wouldn't be able to drag her on my own.

"Part elf! Over here, help me get this angel out of here... stay away from the letter man!"

[Yukina]

Yuki wasn't awake, but she could feel herself almost waking up in a dream.
Oh, Where... Where am I? This place... It's---- Nowhere? She was standing on a small white platform but surrounded by nothing. She looked in every direction possible, but nothing was anywhere to be seen. Suddenly, she heard a kind and calm, but powerful and firm voice in her head, or she thought it was in her head, right now she couldn't be sure. It spoke, Do you want to know the truth? and Yuki knew, from the silent, but subtle order, that the voice meant her locket. She held the necklace in her hands, and it felt warm. "I want to know." The voice spoke again, You are not alone. She looked into the distance for a moment. "I am not... Alone?" The voice spoke a final time, Find your allies. And all of a sudden a flash of light enveloped her.
I think I hear voices, but... What?...

[Warklaw]

The small orb of light that struck him knocked Ayerwulf on his back, that is when a noise like shattering glass erupted in his head, followed by a voice that sounded like that of Daemons,

'Ayerwulf. . . It is time. Time to embrace your Gift, your Entity, your Burden. It is time to become The Hunter, The Destroyer Wolf, hunt this feeble prey; FEED US!!!' Ayerwulf began to spasm, his eyes became the color of wildfire. He began to convulse as the Change began. Suddenly, he went rigid. With a massive howl of pain, the first step began. All of Ayerwulf's bones shattered and reknit themselves, his once human face morphed into a lupine muzzle with a sickening crunch. Writhing on the ground, the second step took place, all of his muscles and organs and veins did the same as his bones. He barely looked like his skin could contain his inner workings. Having kicked off his cloths in his tremors, he looked like someone who had angered a god and had become deformed. Finally his teeth and claws, along with his tailbone, expanded.

"Get. . . rrrrr. . . Grrr. . . Get Arrr - Arway. . . frrrrromm. . . m-me!!!" That was all he was able to howl in common before his mind lost all ties to humanity and civilization, all there was now was the need to feed. A sickening ripping noise filled the air as the skin on Ayerwulf split, midnight black fur coming out of the tears. The Hunter ripped at the useless skin, shedding it with is claws; and there it stood. An image directly from the darkest nightmares of civilization; twelve feet tall, biceps the size of small children, abs the size of a full grown man's fist. Eyes like fire, ivory teeth that glistened with thick saliva, jaws that could crush plate armor. There The Hunter stood, with all of his horrible and dreadful glory.

"HAHWOOOOOOOO" It howled. Not like any lycan any of the people here had seen. His howl vibrated the very fabric of sanity, the howl carrying with it, the cries of the hundreds of souls that had been claimed by the Beast. The Hunter growled deep in it's throat, the growl sounded like two slabs of hell's greatest brimstone grinding together.

The Hunter needed only one thing now: BLOOD!

[Isalidi]

Many things happened to the strange man in quick succession. He told us to get away from him, and turned into a wolf, howling a horrible howl.

"DAMMIT ELF, GET THE HELL OVER HERE!"

[Yggdrasil]

((Holy ... this thread moves fast!))

The wind and the air around Yggdrasil, turned questionably cold, not that the spiritual avatar noticed, but the following, bestial howl that followed was noted by her and quite possibly several other people who quickly decided to flight was better than to fight. Without Fear, or anxiety the Pole Axe was back in it’s now outstretched hand.

It approached the scene of said bestial howl and found, in the middle of a non-descript street, everything had been dropped and abandoned post haste, all that remained of the place were the people of ground zero. A werewolf, well one currently shredding its human form in favour of the beast within, idly Yggdrasil turned its attention up to the sky above and saw a happy little full moon looking back down.

Standing around the werewolf, was a human, a half elf and, an unconscious Angel, that was odd, as far as celestial beings were concerned, Yggdrasil could only count on both hands how many it had met. It turned its attention back to the werewolf, and snorted openly with contempt, the idiot, surely the man knew he was a werewolf, what, he didn’t think the town guard didn’t carry silver weapons for such a crisis.

“ Kill the Human and be done with you bloodlust. The City of Scara Brae will show you no quarter should you indulge yourself in this hunt ”

Out of all thing Yggdrasil could have done, talking to a Werewolf at the peak of there bloodlust wasn’t exactly a smart thing to do, if you were flesh and blood that it, Yggdrasil, wasn’t flesh and blood, but a body completely made up of pure energy, manipulated to look human.

Then again Yggdrasil was probably the only thing, besides another wolf that could actually communicate, not to say it could understand the wolfs words, unless it was it’s Hjor, but it’s words, Yggdrasil knew were simply thoughts and emotions, feelings all conveniently translated to the receiver.

“Or perhaps the half elf is more to your palette, either way I ask you to spare the winged one, I have questions for her”

[Isalidi]

Today was a real record for this thread.

A strange person, who somehow didn't seem very human, walked up and told the wolf to eat me, or perhaps the halfelf.
"Not a chance!" I shouted to the newcomer, "I'm not letting that wolf eat either of us... and I have my own questions for the angel!"

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil cast a look over to the human, who had declared there would be no chance of him being eaten, Yggdrasil thought otherwise; the man did not possess any kind of silver weapon, which meant that truly harming this beast was not present. Heck Yggdrasil even considered fighting it, but found that venture to both be wasteful and pointless.

“ Indeed ” it asked the Human, clearly amused

“ At this moment, you are nothing more than game, to a beast that is both stronger and faster than you are, simply put, your just prey ” Yggdrasil stopped as if to consider something, taking a look back at the hulking beast, not to say Yggdrasil didn’t keep it’s distance, oh a good 15 meters was close enough.

“ As it is, you and the Elf are the only pray I will allow, and even then the Angel is only a minor Curiosity, I should not even factor into its potential Prey, I lack what it wants ” Yggdrasil then let go of the Poleaxe, deeming there no need to even wield the weapon, it floated, or levitated in front of Yggdrasil, with the blade facing up to the sky.

“ If you wish, I estimate a call for help will summon the city guard in no longer than 2 to 5 minutes ” that said, Yggdrasil held a hand out forming and gentle pulsing orb of manna, held in such a way that it would be awkward to use in a battle, but then again it had no intention of joining the fight anyway.

[Isalidi]

"It's not like I haven't done my homework, you know. I have silver with me*. Who do you think you are, saying that you'll allow us two to die?!


Elf, I ain't waitin' no more!"

I attempted to grab the angel and carry her, but once she was over my shoulder, I instantly went crashing down. Incapable of standing up, I shouted, "Elf... err... Ryudo... I'm waiting!"


Disclaimer to mods: I ain't cheatin' my account here. He doesn't really have silver. Just... stuff that looks like it.

[Yukina]

Yuki groaned and tried to open her eyes. Something inside her wouldn't give though. Wake up...Dammit! Wake up! She shook her hand for a moment. "There are..." Her left leg made a sort of twitch. "Innocents need you!" Just then she opened her eyes and noticed where she was. She wriggled and hopped her way off a shoulder. "Um... Is that werewolf..." She looked at the looming beast. "That's probably my fault..." She didnt know what to do, but didn't want to jump to hostilities, she didn't sheath a weapon or charge a spell, no it would be taken as hostile to even summon a barrier. She just waited and looked at everyone, noticing the what seemed to be a magical entity before her.

[Isalidi]

I immediately jumped up and addressed the angel. "Yuki, get inside before you collapse again. It's the dark, right?! Just make sure that girl over there doesn't get to you! There may not be time to discuss until later! I don't trust her, just stay away."

I took a little stone out of my pocket, flicked my hand with it in it, and said "Ljrf ljhj rfcd gklj*!"

Damned if that goblin isn't nearby!


______
*As my sig suggests, I'm actually building a goblin language. This is literally "You enemy here fight", it's part of a gutteral animal language, with my trying to base it on how goblins may speak if they really existed. It, especially sofar, has few words, no punctuation that I don't borrow from English, and only one law of sentence structure, that it goes "subject-object(-object)-verb.
It's basically a call to help fight the wolf. I'd give pronunciation, but it's very guttural and would be hard to explain.

[Yukina]

Yuki was confused and dazed, there was a lot happening and everything was going so fast. She muttered "What do I do?..." She looked around and attempted to go inside somewhere, but nowhere looked very safe, she just hid behind the man who had just spoke some other language. She whispered in his ear. "I hope I don't have to fight..." She removed the steel handle from the latch on her belt at once, but didn't give it power, a weapon may show sign of fighting. "What do you want?! I... I don't want to die!" I think... I think something bad is going to happen... The locket... Necklace... Open the locket. Who?... I don't know how! She looked at the strange creature holding the magical orb. She then stared at the werewolf. "Does this mean, we have to fight?..."

[Isalidi]

Flashback

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

The rain came down fast and hard, but the fire only spread faster. As the dark elf put a sword through one of my best friends and grinned wide, head splitting smile, I knew that there could be only way for me to live my life: In search of vengeance for my village of Blanota. I also then knew that there was no good in any elf.

Drip. Drop. Tick. Tock.

The clock was seeming to go incredibly slow. Whenever I saw a loved one die, it seemed to happen in slow motion. I knew it was only a matter of time before they found me... And sure enough, it was none but the leader himself, on a giant horse with a forehead actually encrusted with a priceless gem, who pulled out his sword of Elven Diamond, one of the strongest weapons in Althanas, but then, my father through a rock at the elf and he went to kill him.

I did not love the horrible man, but I was still so young... it hurt horribly to hear his dying scream, killed in an effort to save my life. I started running, almost blindly, but stopped when I saw my best friend in the world, Tariam Kinuchi, on the other side of a burning house.

"Shika!" she shouted.

"Tariam!" I yelled.

"Shika, run... And promise me one thing!"

"Yes! Anything!"

"Shika, promise me this: That you will never die! Not in a million billion years! Never end!"

"Yes~! I promise Tariam, I promise..." As I said this, I realized I was sobbing. Then there was a searing pain in the back of my head... and everything went black.

Present

I smiled slightly as I looked at the beast rearing before me, and Yuki, oblivious to my yelling at her moments before.
"Yuki! I told you, get somewhere light." I was no longer in full control of myself. I was practically putting myself on autopilot. I drew my sword, and stood, ready to be attacked, and to defend myself.

Hurry up, Anghjukin, my friend. You won't want to miss this.

With a gleam in my eye and a smile on my face, I stared at the wolf... and waited.

[Warklaw]

The Change was finished completely now, Ayerwulf Warklaw no longer existed this night, only The Hunter. The Hunter gazed from person to person, he could smell the foul Winds of Magic around many of the people. The Hunter growled his hellish growl, the realm of sanity and reason around him trembling like a babe.

He could hear the patter of chain mail boots hitting the ground, the city guard. The human, the half-breed, the angel, and the magus, along with the city guard where now against him. The Hunter had no mind for numbers, chances or reason. All it knew was that he could only smell silver on two of them, the rest where nothing but meat.

The twelve foot tall lycan shifted it's merciless gaze from person to person, his talons ready to cut anything that could breathe into ribbons; his massive jaws ready to sever bone and flesh like a cleaver. The Hunter felt a light contact on his back, he looked to the source, a city guard had struck him with an iron longsword, that was the last thing he ever did but scream. The Hunter picked him up and pulled him apart, his legs and torso only connected by ropes of intestines. The Hunter slammed the dead man onto the ground as more guards approached.

The Hunter howled, causing some to flee. The others where not so fortunate. One had his head squashed like a melon by the lycan's iron jaws, another decapitated from a swipe of it's claws. The Hunter picked up one by the throat and jammed one taloned hand into the man's midsection, pulling out a meaty rope that spurted bile and blood, the last guard died via strangulation by his comrades intestines.

Yes! Chaos! The smell of blood is so. . . SWEET! YES! FEED US! GIVE US THEIR WIKED HEARTS!, The Hunter screamed within it's mind.

[Isalidi]

Damn... I haven't seen carnage like this since... since...

I felt my muscles start twitching and my body clam up. I didn't want to move... but I had to end the violence. Many of those guards probably had a wife and children... and nobody knew better than myself what it was like to lose loved ones. I quickly jumped up and forward and sliced down at the wolf's location with my sword.

[Warklaw]

The Hunter heard the increased heartbeat of the human among the three, then the sound of a blade slicing through air, The Hunter turned and threw the top half of a guard at his assailant. The Hunter growled with bling fury and rage, red bubbles foamed at his blood soaked maw, he roared in protest of the attacker. He leapt, swinging his claws, sharp enough to clean cut a man into pieces.

[Isalidi]

He blocked but was hurt by my steel sword.

Hmm... it seems this thing's not a werewolf, definitely.

He threw out a series of claw attacks that put a deep gash in my right arm, blood spurting everywhere. It was painful, but I knew I couldn't take the pressure off. Since I'd figured out I could hurt the creature, I jumped back and took five needles out of bottle fastened to a belt. I tossed them straight towards the wolf's neck.

[Warklaw]

((umm... in the other thread i was in, It's a Raid, guardsmen steel wouldn't hurt me, just cut the skin and be a pain in the ass.))

The lycan saw the small needles heading towards him, he had no time to bring a n arm to block them from his neck, so he tilted his head. The Hunter howled briefly as it felt five pinpricks pierce his skin and knock against his skull. Blood flowed down the lycan's face. It roared at charged at the human agian, picking up a mangled body and hurling it along the way.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo froze, in an instant life had gone from bad to worse. Ryudo looked to the angel,

"Get away Yuki, find somewhere safe," Ryudo gaze transferred from the angel to the man standing next to him, " we can handle this!"

Ryudo tensed his body, and prepared for the huge wolf's attack, he knew that it would be bone shattering. Ryudo saw the attack but could not read it in time. In an instant the human standing next to him was spurting blood. Ryudo felt bad for the man, he saw the blood, but Ryudo realized that now was his chance to strike. Silverfang tensed in its sheath, it was excited, soon its thirst would be satiated.

Ryudo quickly used the distraction from the man to roll under the lycan, as he charged. Ryudo doged the body that the wolf had hurled gracefully gliding underneath its legs. Standing at twelve feet tall, rolling under his legs was not a difficult task. As soon as Ryudo righted himself he ran towards the wall of the nearest house. He then jumped onto it, using it as a jumping platform, pushing off the wall towards the huge wolf. While in mid air Ryudo drew Silverfang and plunged straight down.

[Warklaw]

Now the half-breed was attacking, these people where more annoying than a swarm of fleas. The half-breed rolled under The Hunters legs and followed up with a flurry of acrobatics that he just watched, unimpressed. When the elf drew his silver weapon, the werewolf was snapped back into fury, he caught the half-breed mid-dive, gripping the man's brittle torso with an iron vice grip, and squeezed. The Hunter snarled at the half-elf. The damning eyes of the hunter bore into the graceful eyes of the half-breed. The elf stabbed at the massive arm that held him, slicing through the skin and muscle, but The Hunter did not waver, it knew at this rate, the half-breed would stop being a bother in a matter of seconds.

[Isalidi]

Well, everyone has a limit. If it can be a pain in the ass, it can, over time, do real damage. For instance, all that precious blood Ayer's losing... Also, don't put actions into someone else's character. It's the golden rule of internet RPing.

Next, the monster through a body at me. I leaped out of the way, but it still landed on my feat behind me, and caused a severe amount of pain. I had a significant amount of trouble standing up, and I realized that my left ankle was broken. Ryudo was doing some fancy swordplay, but my attention was quickly focused onto a little bush with a strange creature in it. It wasn't tall. It was about four heads of lettuce up from the ground, also described as about up to my knees.

It's head and body were logically proportional in size, yet it was clearly not human. It's face was relatively flat, and also a little jumbled. It's hands weren't proportional to the arm size, in fact, they were almost four times bigger. It wore rags around it's waist for clothing. However, despite all this, it's one defining feature was a birthmark in the shape of an x on the upper left bit of his face. It had a light shade of gray skin. This was a Common Goblin, the goblin species most often found in the wild, and in zoos. However, it wasn't just any goblin, it was my close friend, Anghjukin.

Anghjukin pointed at the wolf and said "Ljhj cdlhguikhu*?"

"Cdrf.**" I replied.

He, armed with a copper dagger (by human standards. More like a kind of shortsword to him) and fingernails made out of diamond, leaped up at the monster, as I shot 20 more, and used my remaining reservoir of Black Magick to multiply this by 5x, turning 20 into a hundred. I only had 5 left, however. I knew I'd have to be careful if these needles didn't make the cut.

I directed them all towards the neck, brain, arms, legs and heart, 20 to all of these locations. I figured that it would probably do sufficient damage to save Ryudo. In the flying, I somehow managed to miss Anghjukin and was careful not to hurt the elf.

____________________
* "Enemy animal?"
Meaning, "Is the enemy that animal?"

** "Yes."
Meaning, "Yes."

[Warklaw]

((don't put actions into other characters? What then, where you doing to say that The Hunter slashed up your arm? I said slashed at it. Besides, it is anyone's nature to stab at something if it is crushing you and you have a pointy object))

PAIN! Hundreds of tiny twangs of pain surged through The Hunter's body as a hundred needles punctured his fur and got caught in his steel-kin muscle sinews. The Hunter, in a blind rage, slammed Ryudo into the ground, causing chunks of earth to fly into the air.

The Hunter went on all fours and shook his entire body, like a dog getting the water from it's fur, sending the needles stuck in him clinking to the pavement. Suddenly, a rabbling green figure landed on The Hunter's back, beating at him with a copper short sword, doing little more than dulling and bending the soft metal and pissing the lycan off further.

A more potent pain ran across The Hunter's back as the greenskin's diamond claws began to dig shallow troughs into The Hunter's flesh. He tried in vain to grab the creature, but it was using The Hunter's gargantuan size and musculature against it. The Hunter was beginning to see everything through a film of red; The Red Tide. The Red Tide, able to push a lycan to Change in broad daylight, very dangerous, but it become a weapon of carnage and wrath on a lycan on a night of the Rahu.

The Hunter let out a bestial and otherworldly howl, the wretch on his back screeched with pain, being so close to the source. It was stunned by the howl, now The Hunter would strike. The lycanthrope threw all his weight backwards, planning to land on his back, crushing the little creature on his back under three-fourths a ton of muscle.

[Isalidi]

I posted how what you already did effected me. I didn't say that you went stabbing out everywhere, you said that. It was Ryudo's job to say that his instincts came in and he started stabbing. Also, I wasn't specific enough in my post. I picture the common goblin as have a light-grayish sort of skin tone. *Edits to prevent future confusion*

"ANGHJUKIN!" I shouted in distress.

He'll be alright... he always is.
But what if he's not?! That wolf is over 12 feet tall!
Goblins are tough creatures, particularly the ones that grew up in the wild. He may need medical assistance afterwards, but he'll be fine.
Y... yeah... he'll... be fine... I hope...

Using what little of my energy I had left, I lifted up all 100 of the needles and shot them again, this time running to slash ferociously with my sword.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo had begun to lose conciousness, the enormous pressure on his chest causing him to draw breaths in ragged shallow gasps. Ryudo saw the color leave from his vision, and the world before get narrower and narrower he stabbed wildly, in an effort to defend himself in the simplest of natures. Suddenly the color flooded back into his brain, along with an immense amount of pain as Ryudo was slammed into the ground.

Ryudo heard a sickening crack as he landed hard on his back, he knew that he was hurt, but he couldn't give up, not yet. Ryudo braced himself with one arm and felt his side, he could feel that the armor had dented into his ribcage, he hoped that the full extent of the wound would be a few broken ribs.

As Ryudo started to get up, slowly and painfully, he saw a small creature jump onto the monsters back. It fought hard, gwaning, ripping, and bitting whatever it could. Ryudo used this precious time to reach his feet and steady himself. He knew that the lycan would be mounting an attack soon. As the goblin fought, Ryudo saw the Lycan begin to rear up. Ryudo new that the little creature was in trouble. The creature had saved Ryudo's life, it was time to return the favor.

The pain in Ryudo's side was immense, he knew that his next action would be incredibly taxing, but as the beast reared up, Ryudo braced himself. The muscles in his legs thankfully were still functioning, and with all his energy Ryudo lunged foreward. It was as if blades had been stuck into his side, the pain from the ribs was great, yet he took command of his body. Pushing the pain away Ryudo dove and grabbed the goblin as the beast was coming down. Ryudo crashed heavily into the ground a few feet ahead. He saw that in his hand's lay the little goblin, which he released.

Ryudo gave a small smiled as the little creature stood up and went back to his master. Ryudo then staggered to his feet, his crash landing had left him a little staggered.

[Isalidi]

Suddenly, I stopped, and faced Ryudo. I tried to say something, anything, but couldn't. Maybe... "Thank you" is what I wanted to say, but I just didn't have the energy. Once Anghjukin was free, I immediately realized how overdrained I was from that last bit of magick.

I fell to my knees, and lost consciousness on the spot.

[Warklaw]

Dust and debris was kicked up into a thick cloud as The Hunter slammed into the ground. As he did, the same hundred needles pierced his flesh once more. He noticed the wet crimson bed beneath him, it was his. He had lost more blood than he had realized. He began to change back, The Hunter did this to keep Ayerwulf alive, a simple act of self preservation. One last howl escaped The Hunter before becoming the slightly less aggressive Ayerwulf Warklaw.

Ayerwulf walked out of the thick dust cloud, he was completely nude, but he didn't really care. He nonchalantly pulled the needles from his body, luckily, none had hit him where it counted. A wound to the heart or head he could deal with, anything below the belt-line was unregenerable.

With a simple kick of his foot, Ayerwulf brought an iron longsword from a mangled and now-stinking corpse of a guard. Ayerwulf was not entirely himself yet, his eyes where still the feral amber color and his muscles where still overdeveloped. He was changing back, but slowly. The Hunter had retreated from the body, but still held a majority of the mind in it's claws.

Ayerwulf twitched as the wounds from non-silver weapons he had endured knitted back together, leaving not even a scar, except for the goblin's claw marks, thick left jagged brown lines across his back.
Ayerwulf stopped his stride at were the human lay, he looked down, his face still held some lupine resemblance.

"I. . . t-tollld. . . grrrr . . . y-yooouu. . .toooo. . . grrret. . . Awwrrrray." Ayerwulf struggled to say, raising the longsword up high, ready to hack the human with the iron blade until not even his gods would recognize him

[Yggdrasil]

((Edit: changed for the greater good, i won't attempt to post in college ever again))

The Human had never got a chance to agree to Yggdrasil’s offer to call for aid, Chaos broke out when the werewolf attacked, or rather was pitifully poked with a sword by one of the town guards. The Resulting Bloodshed that brought caused Yggdrasil to rethink its initial opinion of the beast, it was little more than a rabid beast, fallen into its own sense of reality.

Human and werewolf clashed, then the Elf stepped in and was seized, the following battle was then followed by throwing Needles and a small goblin of sorts. Yggdrasil snorted with contempt at the scene, and cast a glance at the Angel, too frozen in shock and, fear? Maybe that she watched the fight, like a colossal train wreck that one didn’t want to watch, but they were unable to turn away.

The werewolf gave one final howl before it reverted back into a now naked human, he growl, and seemed to regenerate what was wounded save for a few certain inflicted wounds. It was clear that he wasn’t going to charge Yggdrasil anytime soon, too bad, placing the poleaxe before it, had actually been the makings of a rather devious trap.

“it is already over? ” Yggdrasil asked no one, but turned it’s attention back to the Wolf-turning-human too see that he wasn’t quite back to normal just yet, he had retrieved the iron sword from the fallen Guard and seemed ready to use it on the exhausted Human.

“Hmm, I think not” The hovering Poleaxe that had been levitating before the White haired woman, took off spinning haphazardly until the axe blade bit into earth, rather close to the humans arm, but more importantly the pole of said weapon was now arced above the fallen body as though it could somehow protect him.

In Yggdrasil’s hand, the white manna sphere returned. It was pulsing angrily but steadily, it grew rapidly in size until attaining a form little bigger than a football. Her body arcing ready to launch it at a moment’s notice, even her feet lifted above the ground, body suspended inches above the ground.

“ He is now under my protection, and I would be displeased if you attempt to even harm both him and the elf ” Too some it would seem Yggdrasil had suddenly switched alignment faster than a tennis ball, it wasn’t close to the case, It was already plotting what two servants through life debts would be like.

[Yukina]

Yuki walked up to the two men laying on the ground. "Why!!!!!!!!!!" She screeched as loud as she could. "Why! Why! Why! Why do we have to fight! Why can't we...all just..." She collapsed to the ground and crawled over to the two men laying down, she attempted to use her healing on both of them, closing some wounds, stopping the bleeding of others, she just lie there... waiting for them now.

(( This thread moves fast and most people post when i have class or SLEEP D: So i cant keep up well D: ))

[Isalidi]

Yup, it does seem faster than a tennis ball, all right. And Yukina, make sure you post hen you get back. Oh well. I myself have a job to keep, and bills to pay. As much as I'd like to, I can't just do this all the time. I'll be back...

I felt the great inner blackness engulf me. Not strong enough to even dream, I simply lay there, unconscious of the actions and fate of the others, be they the wolf, be they Ryudo, who now I am in indebted too, by they the mysterious lady, be they Yuki. I thought I heard a scream a knew that if I was strong enough to dream, I'd be reliving that day... over and over again...

This has been such a horrible time. It's brought up so many bad memories... I just want it to end...

[Warklaw]

The Endless being launched a missile of puer magik and energy crackling towards him. He turned on his heel and tried to block th ebolt with his sword. The sword merely shattered as the bolt his home and sent Ayerwulf crashing through a wall, surely he must be overexausted and unconcious now. . .

No, Ayerwulf rose. Slowly, favoring his midsection, but he rose. The skin on his broad chest sizzled and smoked from the blast. Small shards of the shattered sword lay embedded in his flesh. Ayerwulf fell to a knee and raised his hands high. He spoke these words to those around him, he knew all of their kind had been involved in the extinction of his kind.

"Once, I was Forsaken. Once, I was dead. Once, I was at peace. How do you all sleep at night? Knowing that your race's conquest for purity and faith destroyed my kind. Will you kill me?" Ayerwulf gaze was colder than the most frigid of ice, yet his eyes were the same burning, feral amber-yellow.

"Strike me down, DO IT! Send me to my family, if you can! Let us see if you can willingly cause the doom of an entire race. Kill me, you kill us all, you kill the Lycans, you kill your guardians against the Blinding Frost. Seal my Fate and seal the Fate of my species, seal the Fate of Man! DO IT!!!!" Ayerwulf was howling these words, his body visibly writhing beneath his skin, changing slightly, ready for his last stand, ready to die afloat in an ocean of blood.

[Yggdrasil]

((inflicted with monologue syndrome: Yggdrasil ^_^))

Yggdrasil was quiet, watching, listening, but quiet as it regarded the man, the werewolf. In all honesty Yggdrasil considered it to be the stupidest thing anyone could ask of it, the true Yggdrasil, wasn’t that of an exotic looking woman floating one inch off the ground. Actually the true Sentience came from the poleaxe itself, nothing but a weapon.

And a weapon was made to kill

So it was forgiven if Yggdrasil was sorely tempted to End the man’s life right then and there, to destroy him completely, it’d be tricky, considering the man’s regenerative ability, but possible.

“ Pathetic ” Yggdrasil was more disgusted than actually bloodthirsty.

“ Hypocrite as well ” The telekinetic message was all but snarling in disgust, yet the avatar floated with only a minor frown. “ You blame others for hunting your species into extinction. Where before you was all but happy to indulge in your bloodlust and render humanity limb from limb given half the chance you had. ” That was Karma at work, Yggdrasil knew those of his kind was easily lured into mindless rage, bloodlust and carnage all too easily.

Left unsaid was its opinion that Humanity was ultimately a superior Predator, finding ways and methods to overcome there own handicap against those of a naturally superior race, given time, Man may be able to kill a god.

“ Even now your slipping, your grasp on reality hangs by a thread, you have nothing to Gain by attempting to kill me, but then, I have nothing to Gain by killing you either. But this turn of events was what you wrought, a man, clearly knowing he was marked by the wolf, ventured into the thick of Scara Brae ”

Yggdrasil paused itself, an odd thought crossing it’s mind about the man, if the event which it had just spoke about was true in anyway, then, perhaps there was only one explanation, well two actually, but being of limited mind was not it’s first thought.

With a calm, curious tone “ You actually came here to die, didn’t you? ”

[Yukina]

Yuki couldn't listen anymore, she just rose to her feet and walked forward a few steps, leaving Ryudo and Isaldi on the ground, waiting for them to wake. She walked behind the man who was just a bloodthirsty demonic beast.

"Those who try to kill those who have done nothing wrong." She removed the steel handle from her belt and stood behind the monster. "They are the true monsters." She charged her weapon and it became a long blade of pure glowing light. She held it next to Ayerwulf's head and turned to Yggdrasil. "If I killed him, if I claimed his life in the name of the innocent, would that satisfy you?"
Her eyes went pure white. She completely discharged her blade and replaced it on her belt. "You aren't worth my time..." She gained a look of sadness in her eyes. She looked at the strange being. "What do you want?"

Yuki averted her gaze over to Ryudo and Isaldi, she looked down at them and felt pity.


I'm Sorry...

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil turned to the angel, and for the first time took in her appearance of its whole, she had features that were typically assigned to an angel, Blue eyes, Blonde hair and fair of face. Yggdrasil took note of the weapon she was about to use on the werewolf, thankfully she had not, or Yggdrasil would have stepped in once more.

Then again that was almost a little dark natured for an angel

“You act as if I care for the lives of these men” that statement conflicted with her actions, she was going out of her way to keep them alive, but in the end she did not care if they lived, or died.

The poleaxe that had been sent to guard the unconscious Human dug itself from the ground and flew back towards the Battle avatars current location, she took it by the pole and both returned to terra-firma. “ What I want, Angel, is something someone like you would never comprehend ”

Sweeping the Axe around as if in greeting of some kind, the woman smiled the smallest of amused grins, but her eyes, seemed to become even thinner slits than before.

“ I am Yggdrasil and what I want from you ” and just to be more dramatic the tip of the poleaxe was pointed towards the angel, not threatening, but in another gesture to show that Yggdrasil demanded the girls attention. “ The gateway to your home little one ”

[Yukina]

Just then she felt her heartbeat fasten, and her eyes went blurry. She stumbled and faced the long pole-arm. Yuki turned to the rising sun in the eastern sky and bubbled something in the angelic language. She turned to Yggdrasil. "What makes you think...?" She looked down. "I can never go back, and what is left is no more then..." Yuki looked up. "The gate no longer exists, from what I know as of now..." Yuki felt the air around her fall into a deep cool breeze and she shot her eyes towards the current threat. "Why...?"

All weapons have a purpose... Right?

Open Me.

If only I knew how...

[Warklaw]

The Last Lycan turned cold, the smooth words of the avatar angered him greatly, how they simply questioned his purpose and existence, it was insulting.

"Eye for an Eye, that is what my father said to me before he was crucified and burned. You know not how I suffer, do not mock me, lest you wish to know the true meaning of anguish." Ayerwulf opened his hands wide and chanted in his native tongue,

"Frangstifr oi Fenrisir, reiktruin meinharin!" Fenrir's Fang, reaturn to my hand. The massive claymore, six feet in length, rose from the ground and flew into Ayerwulf's waiting grasp. He stood, he felt the cool tropical breeze kissing at his bare body, evaporating sweat bullets and cooling inflamed wounds. The wind carressed the reddened blast mark on his chest feeling cold to the touch. He strode foreward with a heavy limp, still favoring his chest.

"Use whatever majik you will against this blade, but it will not dull, bend or break. This Blade is the symbol of my people; we are strong, we are unwavering, we are cold and deadly." Ayerwulf looked over his fabled sword with pride, he was chosen to bare the burden of being a Wolf Guard, the protectorate of his people.

"Do you take pride in your weapon? Do you take pride in it's legacy? This Blade I wield is older than your puritanical minds can fathom. This Blade, the Spirit within, and those who wield it, have been protecting the infantile elves, humans, dwarves, and all other earthly races. Now, it will spill thine blood, for thou have angered Father Wolf, and thou will suffer for murdering his children, until only the last Damned one remain."

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil was, to put it in mild terms, disappointed, the angel would be of no aid to it, it was a pity, but it wasn’t that much of a problem. The poleaxe soon found the avatars shoulder once again, and she stood peacefully once again.

“ How vexing, not a fallen angel, but a banished one? ”

Yggdrasil was about to say something else but the behemoth of a man, still naked mind you, began to speak of equal exchange, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. It was a concept Yggdrasil had never followed, never had to follow, that was a Human trait.

He challenged Yggdrasil to his blade which he had magically recalled and golden eyes cast along its surface, of-cause it was damn familiar to Yggdrasil, ancient blades have a tendency to turn up once or twice to an ageless being. More so when it proclaimed to be carved from a fang of Fenrir himself, Yggdrasil agreed, the blade would not bend or brake under her manna abilities, it was an old blade, but not that old.

“My weapon?” it asked amused, in a way it was proud of it’s weapon, the current form it had taken was of a preference Yggdrasil enjoyed, intricate, elegant, almost weightless due to the almost constant levitation ability, but still highly functional.

The man wanted a fight, despite being wounded, he was still ready to jump right back into a battle, but the fool kept on saying that this was going to be his last fight, how very far from it.

“Your blade is old, very old, such a story it must carry, all the battles it has seen, the blood shed and the lives taken, protected. But your wrong, it will never spill my blood, quite simply because I lack the substance ” it spoke with a mirth filled emotion, letting the pole axe off her shoulder and held out with a palm facing up, where it retracted into a beautiful glowing sphere of crystal and water.

“But I carry the same story, you say I have slain your kin, most likely, I have slain everyone’s kin, even angel’s kin over there” The woman nodded over to Yuki, “But that is because I am a blade, wielded by thousands, no countless, Good and evil, those in between and some who knew nothing else”

Yggdrasil then seemed to snort in amusement, as if to a joke only she herself was privy too “If, however you feel like continuing this so called life, then fine, kill and hunt to you can kill and hunt no more. You say you are a Guardian, good I am in need of one”

[Yukina]

Yuki's eyes filled with tears, but she simply looked down and refused to show it. "It's all gone!"

Flashback.
"Mom?..." Yuki looked at the kind woman and whimpered. "Sweetie, i'll see you later today, just go to the library and work on your studies." Yuki looked down and walked away out the marble door.
Present.

"If only... It were still there...."

Yuki watched as the two people talk, the pictures of her home burning, and the thousands of wails emanating from it flashing through her mind.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf heard what the angel had said, killing those who are not guilty makes one a monster. Ayerwulf snarled viciously, baring his still lupine teeth.

"Do not judge me, angel. If you be so wise, you must know this saying: To kill a Monster, thou must become a Monster thyself." Ayerwulf looked from being to being. Staring them in the eye with his feral gaze, the tip of Fenrir's Fang pointing to each individual, "are you willing to do that? Will any of you willingly become something LESS PERFECT than yourselves? I was born a monster. I had no choice, yet you PEOPLE an your KINDS made us no more than a nightmare." Ayerwulf then turned his attention to the avatar, his lips curled back into a wolfish snarl,

"And YOU, I will not serve a bloody piece of possessed metal," Ayerwulf hawked and spat a large glob of blood from his mouth. Part of a guard's skull was in it. "I will continue this life, there is only one hope of my people, split into Twelve. That is why i need those bloody letters! No one, not even Fenrir, has attempted to use the majik and mystery withing the Twelve, but I is written in stone, that the Twelve will bring the lycans back from the ashes of death." He looked to each person again, his eyes boring into their very souls,

"Try and kill me if you must, but I have nothing, yet everything to lose. You fight with ideals and principles or practice; I fight with passion, pride, and faith. You may attempt to slay me, but you will not succeed."

[Yukina]

This grabbed her attention, she averted her deep ocean blue orbs of eyes to the wolf-man holding the claymore. "I don't judge anyone!" Yuki's eyes started tearing then sending full-blown tears right down her cheeks. She dropped her weapon. "I don't judge anybody! I don't believe in that! I believe... Everyone is a good person... until they give a reason not to be!" She kicked the metal handle across the ground. "That isn't right! I'm not going to waste my time fighting anymore!" Yuki was sick, she was tired. But she was also a little bored, bored of being 'An Angel' a holy entity creature. I just... I just want to be... Me...

Yuki pointed at the man with blood now all around him. "I try to help people!" Yuki released her wings. She didn't care if anybody knew anymore, she was exhausted. "I believe everyone should get a second chance.... and I believe... That when you try to kill people, and go out and massacre living people, just out of RAGE... It's not right!" She was furious, you could feel the anger in her voice. "I can't do much... there are those that should die constantly... for their sins..." Yuki sat on the ground, on her knees, and closed her eyes. "I'm... tired...." And she sat there. Praying.

I don't want to go on like this... There must be an answer.

It was dawn, sunrise to be specific, and Yuki stood up and leant against a wall. Most of the buildings had either blood or char marks, cuts, the works on them by now. But she just leant there and looked to the sun.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo was starting to feel the fatigue of the past few hours, he had been chasing a fugitive and then fighting for an entire night. Yet he couldn't give up, he had too much at stake. Looking back Ryudo couldn't believe that he was starting to feel for the people around him. Not that he disliked them, but because he had a natural distrust of people. Yet here was, risking his life for the people he had just met.

Ryudo looked first to the man on the floor, then to the now apparent angel. He saw that she was crying and he rushed to her, he went to console her when he saw that the monster had changed back to a more human form. Not only that but the huge man had gotten a sword, apparently an ancient and magical sword. The man wielded the blade, and began to give a speech, Ryudo was tired, but he listened. As he listened, Ryudo watched the two beings stare each other down, the weapon and the beast. He knew that another battle was brewing.

Ryudo knew that his new friend that had passed out was in danger, Ryudo decided that before he could check on Yukina, his friend needed to be brought to safety. Ryudo went to the man, and though he was large, picked him up. Ryudo brought him towards Yukina.

As Ryudo approached Yuki, he kept an eye on the two as they talked, making sure that he was ready for anything. Once he reached the wall where Yukina was leaning , Ryudo set the man down. Then Ryudo looked to Yuki.

"Miss Yukina, are you alright?"

[Isalidi]

There are two things I want to say to Yuki. First of all, Shika never introduced himself, particularly not as Isaldi... second, I wish that even if Isalidi is my username, you NEVER use the term Isaldi in reference to me. I have some less-than-good memories that I associate than name with. Don't ask me about them. Please, these are just my point-outs and requests. Thanks...

I slowly regained my strength laying there... I was unbothered. Before too much more time had passed, I began to see images from various points in my life. My childhood, the tragedy, my studying... and images of an older time. My trip to Scara Brae.

My unresolved battle... this was what subconsciously caused me to return to the island. I thought that it was a moderately spontaneous choice... simply a nice retreat. Memories of so long ago...

There was this bear. There was savage battle between my father and itself. It almost killed him... I was only 5...

Of course, I consciously remembered that he got hurt, but not the circumstances...
I sighed and snapped back to consciousness.

I understand it, now...

I stood up. I felt refreshed, rejuvinated... but my memory of the night's events had been slipped me, perhaps because all my wounds were healed. Then, I saw Anghjukin limping around in a circle aways distant, and it all came back. Almost sobbing I ran to Ryudo and Yuki

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf rested Fenrir's Fang, the Fang of the Gods, on his shoulder. The rising sun cast shadows over the many scars on his body and the curves of his muscle, making him look like a statue of the ancient races. He looked about him, he gazed at the pain he had caused. He felt guilt an pity, but overall, he felt a sense of justice, now they know a fraction of the pain I went through as a child. He walked over to his shed cloths and strapped on his kilt, he didn't like the fact of being completely bare of covering when the early morning peddlers came out. He looked to the half-breed, then to the angel, then to the human, he felt that he should do something, but why. Eventually, the little good he had preserved came to bare,

"Oi, half-lad." He yelled over his shoulder to the half-elf, "You said you needed to catch some bloke, am I right?" He finished strapping on his cloths, but did not sheath his sword, "My nose is better than any bloodhound, i can track that thief for you, on one condition. . . I get to keep those letters." He then addressed the crying angel on the floor, he knelt down, still taller than her, he said,

"Listen lassie, the sooner you accept this the better. We are all sinners in our own right, we are all wicked. Waste not your tears on those not deserving of them, save your tears for a funeral or something else. You need to learn that those whom you feel connections with are the only ones worth mercy, that is why I am going through this and more every day to save my kind. That is also why i have not killed all of you yet. Though it may not seem like it, I was still here," Ayerwulf tapped his temple, "when my Wolf Spirit came to the flesh. I kept him from killing you all, for he was in the first of three of his transformations."

[Yggdrasil]

‘ Serve, or serve not, I asked and you declined ’

Yggdrasil became quiet when the angel burst into hysteria, believing that everyone was good until proven that they weren’t. Idealistic nonsense, Yggdrasil could have gone on to prove a point to the angel, but didn’t, clearly seeing that the Angel was tired, with fatigue or something else.

The half Elf, and the human eventually awoke from there own fatigue and quickly ran to offer comfort to the angel, the action was rather typical, the sorrowful angel, one always attracted attention, given the chance it calculated that with half the chance, the entire Village would probably smother her with comfort.

Even the Lycan knelt and gave his own words of encouragement to the tired angel; it was all Yggdrasil could do to stop itself from laughing at the scene, even more so when the Lycan offered the half elf his aid in catching a thief. The same thief that Yggdrasil had already apprehended, but the connection wasn’t made by Yggdrasil, as the town was filled with many thieves.

“ Pick your side more Wisely Lycan, The Angel had been the closest mentally, to actually taking your life ” Yggdrasil spoke out, remembering the moment not long ago, when the Angel stood over the kneeling Lycan, glowing sword in hand, only to decide that the man wasn’t worth killing.

The avatar then raised it’s hand and pointed to the Human specifically “ And you owe me your life and allegiance, were it not for I, the Lycan would have shredded your fallen form across this street ” Yggdrasil was here to collect what was owed to her, Money and other materialistic things were pointless, a life however would prove infinitely more useful.

[Isalidi]

At this remark by the strange woman, I stopped abruptly. I turned around and faced her. "Thank you." I said, "But, as you should know, I already have a mission here. I must help the part-elf that saved my goblin. Plus, there's a slim chance that what he's looking for has something that I'm looking for."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf snarled and growled fiercely at the avatar, anger boiling up once more,

"Who the hell are you to say who owes you what? You are nothing; nothing but an emotionless entity. I knew the angel would not strike me down, her scent gave that away. You should keep such thoughts to yourself in the future, or so help me, I will disenchant and reforge you!"

[Yggdrasil]

((Wow, Ygg is a bastard))

“ And yet, nothing I have said has been a lie Lycan, and while it would entertain me to no end to watch you attempt to end my existence, I am going to have to decline. Human I will call upon your services for a later time ”

Yggdrasil then chuckled, a rather odd sound considering it was voiceless, the man had declared Yggdrasil emotionless, while that would have made things far more simple, it was prone to emotion, but no matter what this Lycan, no matter what words were spoken would seem to misunderstand Yggdrasil’s point.

Yggdrasil, in its early days had been a lovable bouncing dagger of joy, cynicism came with age, and here Yggdrasil tried to stay polite if somewhat blunt about it’s words. “ Hmm, I wonder” Yggdrasil turned it’s eyes towards the remains of the City guard, the only one who had turned up in response to the cry of a werewolf within the city.

“ Where was your restraint when it came to him, I wonder what his soul thinks, does he weep for his death, and does he cry for his loved ones that you denied him one last time to see? ” Yggdrasil then looked back towards the Lycan and tilted its head as if thinking of something else “ or perhaps, it currently cries for vengeance. My Point Lycan is that before you mentioned an Eye for an Eye, but how many people have you ripped apart with your claws, how many more times until someone comes to claim there justice ”

Yggdrasil Shrugged it’s shoulders before passing the subject all together, saying what it would have would probably Vex the Lycan enough to actually have him attack, but there was no fun in that, mental warfare was far more fun than physical. “ Regardless, I have spent too long toying with Mortals, you see a museum had recently been robbed, and while I Apprehended the thief, he did not possess the stolen items ”

Little Did Yggdrasil know that this was exactly what this small group had been planning to track down, each of them for there own agenda.

“This confrontation has been amusing, but I must part ways from this comedy act”

[Warklaw]

The avatars words had pushed Ayerwulf, but his last synical remark made something is the Lycan's mind twitch. He spun on his heel and hunched over, muscles and veins bulging. The lycan roared furiously, his teeth sharpening again and his face contorting to look more lupine. The roar was destructive on a whole different plane, those not hardened would simply lose their minds. The roar vibrated the fabric of matter, space and reason. All things that made sense froze, buildings crumbled yet the debris froze in mid air. Ayerwulf howled his response with a fury that matched The Hunter,

"Mercy is NOT Truth! Your sins are next to mine!" He looked to everyone around him, but his gaze and his voice were directed solely at the weapon, "Mercy is Not Truth' for all your Sins are next to mine! Once I am Forsaken, but forgotten I am not!" For the next verse of the ancient tome of his people, The Tome of Endless Conquest, he brought Fenrir's Fang to bare.

"I WILL WIN THIS WAR! But NEVER THE PEACE! I AM MY OWN FREE SPIRIT, HENCE I WILL NOT REST!" The avatar had brought this upon himslef,

"I will end my days of retribution once those responsible for the death of my kin burn in hell! That means these soldiers and those who are akin to them! You know not my loss! Do not try and fathom my emotions, I have suffered more than you could ever imagine! You may not bleed, you may not tire, but you will die... It is up to you to choose whether it be today, in this moment, or later, in some distant land. CHOOSE!"

[Warklaw]

The avatars words had pushed Ayerwulf, but his last synical remark made something is the Lycan's mind twitch. He spun on his heel and hunched over, muscles and veins bulging. The lycan roared furiously, his teeth sharpening again and his face contorting to look more lupine. The roar was destructive on a whole different plane, those not hardened would simply lose their minds. The roar vibrated the fabric of matter, space and reason. All things that made sense froze, buildings crumbled yet the debris froze in mid air. Ayerwulf howled his response with a fury that matched The Hunter,

"Mercy is NOT Truth! Your sins are next to mine!" He looked to everyone around him, but his gaze and his voice were directed solely at the weapon, "Mercy is Not Truth' for all your Sins are next to mine! Once I am Forsaken, but forgotten I am not!" For the next verse of the ancient tome of his people, The Tome of Endless Conquest, he brought Fenrir's Fang to bare.

"I WILL WIN THIS WAR! But NEVER THE PEACE! I AM MY OWN FREE SPIRIT, HENCE I WILL NOT REST!" The avatar had brought this upon himslef,

"I will end my days of retribution once those responsible for the death of my kin burn in hell! That means these soldiers and those who are akin to them! You know not my loss! Do not try and fathom my emotions, I have suffered more than you could ever imagine! You may not bleed, you may not tire, but you will die... It is up to you to choose whether it be today, in this moment, or later, in some distant land. CHOOSE!"

[Yggdrasil]

((i gotta admit, this is a lot more fun the a good-guy character))

“ That Topic of Discussion is closed Lycan ” if there was mirth in Yggdrasil it was gone now, after a roar like that, especially a roar like that. The Poleaxe was back in its grip faster than it registered the moral shattering Roar, Yggdrasil wasn’t cowed by fear but awed and impressed, but ever so more cautious now.

The Lycan was being pushed into being a nice little obstacle, granted Yggdrasil had done a LOT of the pushing and prodding, but if the man could not take its points of opinion, then that was his problem “ Roar, shout, scream and bark at the top of your lungs Lycan, you harp about some war and sin you expect everyone to know. This is Scara Brae, your story is just another among the minority, even tales I could tell have never reached this island ”

The Air around Yggdrasil started to shimmer, and all of its ability to top into its near infinite well of manna and its ability to control it started to come into play, the only hitch in the supply it could produce was the total output, which was still something left to be desired.

And Just to prove a point, and a show of power Yggdrasil levitated the spiritual mass above the ground, clothes and hair billowing with the warm upstream of magic, glowing like fireflies without a focus point to collect at

“ Righteous Anger is a powerful focus, Your Mistake is that you have it misdirected, I had offered to show you an alternate, but as of now, you will never get your battle ” The power faded all at once, but Yggdrasil never Returned to the ground nor did the weapon fade, and doubtfully it didn’t think it would.

“Tell me what this so called suffering of yours is first, Tell me why you’re the last, and I may consider if your worth my time. Better yet, Tell me my story and I will gladly fight you here and now”

[Yukina]

Yuki looked up from her slump, she opened one eye in response to the sun, and then looked at the avatar and the wolf-beast. She turned her head to the side and rested it at an angle on her arms. She brushed away some dust on her shoes, and stared at the avatar. "You might want to find somewhere better to fight, the villagers will be out soon." Yuki climbed onto a brick fence, then jumped, with a little push from her wings, onto a rooftop. She sat down and hung her legs over the edge. She cast a few healing spells on herself and just looked around. "Ryudo, You, Avatar, Wolf-thing, what would you do if you were an ordinary towns-person and saw a living weapon, a beastly blood drenched man, an angel, a half elf, and a human all fighting in the streets... Not the smartest thing, Hmm?"

Yuki paced the rooftop and looked around. "I still never found it..."

Well...

Yuki turned back to them, "Now what?"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf considered the angel's words, they had some truth to them. After a while, Ayerwulf answered,

"GOOD!! It is time that they knew what they had brought upon themselves. I care not of what happens. But if you wish for secrecy, tell this stupid hunk of steel to stop calling me out. If townspeople come out and behold a battle of supernaturals, it is the bloody avatar that brought it upon you, not I." Ayerwulf rested his massive claymore-broadsword on his cannonball shoulders. He turned his back to the living weapon, not before telling him what he asked for,

"40 years ago, I was but a lad then. One moment I was enjoying the company of my family, my clan-kin, of our noble guests, the beast elves. Then, the once happy music of my kin was drowned out by the war drums of a united race front. Elves, Dwarves, Men, Ghouls, even Orcs. . . all because of the traitorous ways of a Blood Spiller and a Blood Drinker. So, over a month, we fought and died, that was the most lucky of us. The rest got shipped to a now destroyed concentration camp in the Black Steppe. I saw my mother raped repeatedly, over and over again, by at least three men from each race that partook. She was then burned at the stake for fighting back. My father and brother and sister were crucified, left for the vultures and ravens. I was the most fortunate, yet the most tortured, for every death of a lycan, is forever held within the spirit of the survivors. I feel the pain of all my kind! They are all dead, every day is wracked with pain. When I see all you people, all I can see is what your kind did to my poor mother, my noble father, my little sister. . . treated like my mother, but she was just five years old! I hear the screams of our women and children eternally! I feel the fire that burned us from history constantly in my heart. You wanted to know, now you DO!"

[Isalidi]

Even after the weapon had gone (after claiming he would later call on me), the man kept talking. He spoke of something called a Lycan, which evidently was a wolf-species that he was a part of. I felt his sorrow...

"Well... wolf... ('Lycan', is it...?)..." I said, struggling to find words, "I feel bad for you. I myself have had my share of troubles, and know what it's like to everyone ripped away..."

Then, I responded to the Angel, Yuki's question:

"I suppose we find the stolen goods... they must be somewhere in that direction." I said, pointing the way I came.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo watched the armor, leave, and he listened to the lycan's story. Then he listened to the man as he spoke, Ryudo agreed with him, he wanted the loot as well,

"I agree with you, It seems that everyone of us has expirenced an immense amount of hardship, persecution, and banishment. However, I believe that we are here for a reason. Though I don't believe in such thing as fate, I do believe in a higher power. Perhaps, we can work together, we suffered enough as it is, we each could do with a few friends. And if it is not friendship you desire, it has become apparent that each of us wants a piece of the loot that was stolen. If it is as the weapon said, and the thief is dead, then treasures he stole are just waiting to be discovered. Whether or not we stick together after is irrelevant, working together now will accomplish one thing. Will find that treasure, and each could gain some new friends. I appologize, I do not favor words, and I hope that you do not think that I am pushing this idea on you. Rather, I feel that after last night, this is the best course for us to follow. So, what do you think, can we call each other a team, if for only a short while?"

[Isalidi]

"For the third or perhaps fourth time, yes." I said, determinedly nodding.

[Yukina]

Yuki's attention was completely caught by this. She had listened to the Lycan's story, and listened to it halfway, most of it going in one ear and out the other. Once he stopped speaking and Ryudo was done. She looked over in his general direction. She sat by the edge of the roof and hung her legs over before hopping down. She walked over to Ryudo, and pulled along the other man, until they were standing in a three way circle. Yuki said, "I'm only looking for a rare book, i'm sure said thief would think it'd sell for a high price, I bet even the cover would sell for thousands of gold... I guess this means we're sticking together!"

Yuki put her hand in the middle of all of them and smiled. She glanced over at the Lycan and smiled, gesturing him with a sort of telepathic invitation. She held her hand out and said, "So we're a 'Team'?" She chuckled.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo was glad, for the first time in a very long time, he had people that he could trust, and people that he could work with. He liked the idea that these people were now a team, and though strange, Ryudo felt a little attached. He looked around at the group and smiled, and then he looked at the lycan. Ryudo understood the pain that he had went through, and so he nodded at the Lycan, as if to say, "you can join the team."

[Isalidi]

I spoke, in a rather cold way. "Elf, just know this: I am no fan of you or of your species. I now may recognize the potentiality for good deeds, but not for good. However, you saved Anghjukin, and for this, I owe you my service. Anyway, I'm partially in this for me... I want to see this... scroll."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf stood in a proud, strong, and broad stance. The tip of Fenrir's Fang bit the earth as Ayerwulf still gripped the hilt. He listened intently, his lupine ears picking up every detail of the ordeal, he didn't say anything to the others, but he showed his willingness to go along with them by joining in their circle. The human wanted this 'scroll', what the contents of it were, Ayerwulf didn't know, and frankly, he didn't want to; any majik that was not of his shaman's teachings he did not trust even with his sweat.

"You lot can have the spoils. Any gold or other precious metals he possesses can go to you all. I need only the letters, it is said there to be a kind of 'map' in the letters. It leads to my true objectives." Ayerwulf piped in. His voice deeper than the rest, gravely too, he was exhausted now that his adrenaline levels had dropped, but he knew how to fix this, his Ale Horn. Still listening, Ayerwulf pulled a large ivory horn from a sling on his belt, popped the cork, and took a deep swig. Near instantly, the Lycan Ale rejuvenated him. He was hoping that no one had taken note of him befor and after the ale, it is said that humans or elves had been killed by lycan ale; more so of the Warklaw tribe 'Morkai's Blood' Lauger, which Ayerwulf had just taken three heavy swigs of.

[Ryudo]

The man's words brought Ryudo back to reality. He looked at the man,

"I understand what you mean, and I am glad that we can at least work together."

Then Ryudo saw the large man approach him, and Ryudo listened to what he said. After hearing his request, Ryudo thought about the letters that the large man spoke of. To Ryudo, the letters seemed of little value, and Ryudo understood that the relinquishment of the letters would intice the Lycan, and add another member to the newly formed team.

"Very well, you may join our team. Now I propose that we begin our search, before someone beats us to the loot. I suggest we go the way the weapon came from. He claimed that he killed the man we are hunting. If this is true, and we can find the body of the thief, then we might be able to find a clue as to where he hid the loot. What do you think team?"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf looked to the elf and simple inclined his head. Finding the body; he was in deep thought until the solution hit him like a sledgehammer,

"Elf, do you have anything that the thief possessed on his person? Like I had said before, my nose is superior to any bloodhound. Give me something that has the thief's scent, and we will reach him for sure."

[Isalidi]

Am I missing something? How does everyone know that the woman avatar was actually a weapon?

Ignoring Ayerwulf for the time, I said "I'd suggest that instead of near where he died, he dumped his stuff somewhere in the direction that I first saw him without his stolen goods; the exact opposite of the way the woman (whom I'm assuming is meant by the weapon) went and came from."

[Ryudo]

Ryudo looked at the group, and heard each persons story. After listening, he gave his opinion,

"I happen to think that the second option is the best, for the simple reason that we know for sure where he was running from. Perhaps if we encounter any articles that could belong to him on the way, Ayerwulf can use his senses to track him down. Does that sound like a good plan?"

[Yggdrasil]

((When Wark asked Ygg if it’s weapon was something to be proud of))

Of all the things Yggdrasil wanted to do in the endless amount of time of its existence, it wanted to do nothing more than to slap its own head into her palm. Yggdrasil didn’t perform such an action because that was un-becoming of protocol.

Why: Because the Human, Half elf and the Lycan had listened to the angel who had pulled them all together to make a team, past bloodshed all but forgotten, not the best way a team was formed, but Yggdrasil was hard pressed to say it was the worst way it had ever seen.

“ This thief you seem to think I have slain, would he happen to be Serick Bass? ”

Although they didn’t have to say, call it an imaginary gut feeling, but Yggdrasil took note of the half elf, and recalled the one who had initially gave chase, that would mean that the goods, the hidden treasure they were looking for, was the same thing it had initially went out to search for, before of cause running across a werewolf.

“Eh, Yggdrasil, what are you doing here?”

The avatars eyes went wide and it asked itself, why of all times, why here and now with such potential to harm and hurt him, he had to show himself here and now!

“Dragging that bloody thief to a town guard wasn’t fun you know, but once I did he woke up screaming something about evil eyes chasing him, and blabbed where he dropped his loot” The young boy, of 15 stopped and tilted his head in thought for a moment, puzzling why Yggdrasil, or rather the avatar looked like he had just grown a second head.

“Turns out there are a chain of thieves, who pass it on like pass the parcel, that way if one gets caught there is a chance that they won’t get caught with the stolen goods. Kinda clever, not Scara Scourge clever but claver all the same”

Yggdrasil really did want to slap her forehead with its palm now, it truly did, she had not realised how loose Aiesear was with his tongue, but the blue eyed, brown haired boy really didn’t notice, instead he wafted his hand in front of his nose due to a stench in the air.

“But chain or not, I know where they stash there loot” he looked so proud, thinking he was Watson, or possibly Sherlock Holmes about to solve the crime of the century.

“ Aiesear, you must choose to speak of such things after taking note of the situation ” The boy blinked, confused, then looked over to the unlikely group, and back to Yggdrasil “… err ok?” then his eyes decided to track down that awful smell and his eyes turned to the mutilated corpse

“GYAH, what the hell happened” he said looking wide eyed at the corpse, his eyes taking in every detail, morbid curiosity was the only thing that held him there, looking closely at the details, he was almost thankful when Yggdrasil floated across his vision.

“I believe what happened would be, competition”

[Yukina]

Yuki listened to the conversation, frowning, and answered. "No, that would be too easy... To find the thief's corpse?..." she rested her chin on the tip of her finger and thought for a moment. She then opened her eyes and snapped. "Yeah, What if... He gave the valuables to someone else to carry along to a fence?... Or a collector or somesorts... Then again, he may have been carrying letters from or to his adversaries...."

Yuki nodded. "Well, which way?"

[Isalidi]

"Yeah, elf. This is your mission. Which way are we going? As far as I'm concerned, you're really the only one with the right to choose, here."

My face seemed to sink inward and I got a bad taste in my mouth from the disdain I was feeling for Ryudo. I almost began to wonder why I would let myself work with him to find the scroll... but then I remembered. I didn't what the dangers could be... for all I knew, I could end up fighting something worse than Ayerwulf as we'd fought him...

I shoved the thought out of my head, not wanting to think about it.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf stood there, tapping his massive, now booted, foot on the tortured ground from the night before. He hated having to wait, he hated it because he only had a certain amount of time left to live. He needed those letters, and in turn, One of the Twelve that he needed. Then, he just couldn't wait any longer,

"Bloody hell, I don' want to tie of natural causes waiting around here, alright? Speak up half-lad, you point me in the right direction and I'll start sniffing, but we wait any longer and my nose might expire from old age!"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo new that everyone had a reason to get going, so he thought about it for a minute.

"I figure we got he way he came, he was running pretty fast from me, the way I see it, he might have dropped something along the way. If thats the case, we can use Ayer to track the smell. Also, if we find any fences while were tracking the loot, it wouldn't be a bad idea to see if they have any information."

Ryudo looked around,

"I entered this street from the western side, so I suggest we begin our by backtracking."

And with that Ryudo began to walk in the direction he had come from.

[Isalidi]

I followed Ryudo.

Looking around the street, I began to learn more about my surrounding in the town. It was a clean. Touristy but not too big... It looked like it was a relatively wealthy town, probably from its emphasis on merchandising. It was quite usual.

[Yggdrasil]

((you guys didn’t pick up on the kid, well your loss, meet you guys at the loot ^_^))

Yggdrasil considered it the luck among gods, that’s What Aiesear Consisted of, a well of untapped potential, good instincts and despite being somewhat easy to scare quickly got him self out of tight spots as fast as anyone could blink. It was this same luck that for some god damn reason, either ignorance or they were just ignoring Yggdrasil, which they failed to overhear that the Boy had announced that he knew the location of the stash.

Luck of the gods and then some

“Competition, you mean them, a bunch of tourists?” The kid frowned, he probably would have grinned too but the sight of the mutilated corpse was still lingering within his nose.

“ Regardless, we must proceed with caution ”

Her feet slowly dropped to the ground, although Yggdrasil felt more at home in levitating everywhere, walking was to merely ward off unwanted attention. Yggdrasil walked away from the group, making sure to go in the opposite direction, consequently, back the way she arrived on the scene, Aiesear followed close behind.

“Hey we can’t leave that body like that, did you see what happened, and we can’t let a psycho who did that get away”

Yggdrasil stopped and looked back at the now departing group, snorted with amusement before judging that they were far enough away to not hear it’s telekinetic words, plus she directed them all to Aiesear, just in case.

“The work of a werewolf, who justified his actions of now by the actions of others from the past, the one in the wolf pelts over there” Yggdrasil made it sound like she was talking about the weather, regardless Aiesear, in a moment of fright looked in the groups direction and felt sick to his stomach.

“Monster” he whispered, “He should not be allowed to get away with that, can’t you stop him?” the boy asked turning to Yggdrasil who gave the concept a thought, Dicey didn’t even describe it, while he was of no threat to Yggdrasil, outright killing him would be tricky without silver, then again, it was morning now, so seeing that monstrous wolf form would not be seen for a while.

“ It is within my power ” Yggdrasil answered the boy, who took it at face value “ However they seek the thief’s latest spoil for there own purposes, they seem to think him dead too ” The boy scoffed at the thought, the man was wanted alive, he was no good dead and Yggdrasil had rendered the man out cold for almost the entire night, then he babbled all his secrets to Aiesear and the guard helping him, including the location of where him and his friends store the loot.

“There going the wrong way now, Oh well, we gonna go secure it before the dumb brigade over there actually stumble upon it?”

“ Lead the way ” Yggdrasil nodded as she fell in line with the young boy “hey we should make a stop to the city guard along the way to give them the description of the werewolf” the boy declared and Yggdrasil Shrugged, it could care less “If you wish”

[Warklaw]

((ok, FYI: your character is angering me. And you know that the guard are going to get slaughtered and the boy utterly obliterated... Right? I just don't want that to be a shocker when Ayer eats him alive.))

Ayerwulf turned his keen nose to the air every once and a while, sniffing the many scents from the air. The lycan kept tense, he could smell one thing for sure, trouble.

"Elf, you sure this is the right way?" Ayerswulf was edgey, many people wandered about in the morning. The lycan stood out like a sore thumb, he was at least a head and a half taller than anyone here. That made him a target.
Fenrir guide us through this time of strife. Guide us to our objective; you are the Chooser of Fates, let our wanted prize be ours. Guide thee to salvation. In your name, the lycan's will rise again. Assist us in this here trial, Wolf Father. Jharl, Ayersulf whispered the prayer softly, hoping that the Wolf would hear it. He didn't want to kill anymore who did not have to die. He did not want more blood on his hands other than those who deserved such a death. Though if a guard patrol or some vigulanties try and stop them, Ayerwulf will have no choice.

[Yggdrasil]

((My last post actually complimented you, in a round about way, plus I am trying to be realistic with the boy’s responses, and it’s challenging to portray Ygg’s personality, despite seeming simple it’s rather complex))

“So that group” The boy said thinking heavily to himself so much so that his words seemed almost dazed, “Do you know what there like, you said they are our competition right, are they going to be trouble?”

Yggdrasil inclined its head, being mindful to keep the poleaxe carefully balance upon her shoulder as she did. It considered the question, once, twice, rolling it around in what it called its mind before deciding to chew out an answer.

“ In what way? ” it asked, curious, the boy gave a half shrug “umm well, you said that some of them seemed interested in the thief’s loot because of personal reasons right, but the museum won’t like us if they don’t get everything back right, that means less money” the Boy seemed frantic about that concept, truly Yggdrasil didn’t see the point of the wealth of a gold piece.

To Yggdrasil, worth was measured by its usefulness

“ And that worries you so? ” the boy nodded in response, seeming almost certain “Well we aren’t collecting all this gold so you can go get some other enchantment, that’s for sure, you saw my home right, my mom just about makes ends meat, my dad’s an alcoholic” the boy snorted at that, shook his head “Forget it, so are they gonna be a problem?”

“ The angel, should pose little trouble, she showed reluctance to step into the fight against the werewolf, however I am not sure how adept she may be if prodded, most likely she will fight for what she wants ” Yggdrasil spoke of what it had observed, and briefly recalled the moment where she stood behind the fallen man, sword held up high.

“The half elf, on the other hand showed little fear at leaping towards the werewolf, quick and agile if not overly strong, he however will fight, I am sure, although his reason is the same as ours, I believe the outcome to that would be his trust to the others or the value he puts in material wealth” too unknown, in Yggdrasil’s opinion “tch, you making it sound like your getting ready for a massive confrontation with them”

“ Aren’t we? Our common goal to locate the Thief’s loot, however they seem to be locating it for several unique items, we however wish to return those items back to the museum whole ” Aiesear could not deny that, he was a little scared, thief’s were just that, thief’s.

A random group of would be treasure hunters usually packed a lot more strength than the average human, that’s what allowed them to traverse deep underground cave, locating lost cities, ancient treasure.

“ The human owes me a debt, when the werewolf went to maul his fallen body I stepped in to prevent it, should a confrontation occur, that would be the best situation to invoke that debt, providing he is a man of honour ” and Again Yggdrasil cursed at it’s lack of knowledge, in the fight, the man seemed to have gone down rather quick, in fact he had rendered himself inert for the battle. Still despite that Yggdrasil was still looking at unfavourable odds,

“ The Lycan however, is dangerous, he holds a lot of strength and much anger, he is going to be hard to put down and to keep down. Although I am curious about that blade he carried, a blade of Fenrir’s indeed, I believe it is the genuine deal, a rarity in itself considering Fenrir now spends eternity with his sister ” The boy looked truly puzzled, the Name Fenrir wasn’t exactly a common subject, a wolf of legend. but Yggdrasil actually sounded rather knowledgeable of the wolf, like it knew the beast.

“His sister?” Yggdrasil Nodded, “ Hel, goddess of the Underworld after he was slain by a god ” Aiesear, blinked once, then blinked again, he knew Yggdrasil was old, ok very old, not quite comprehending how old exactly “Not heard that before, how do you know”

“ My predecessor ”

((Your gonna hate what I did with Fenrir, Meh that’s actually true that fact, he was bound by the gods since birth, broke free for Ragnarok, killed Odin, but that’s religion for you, you got it painted one way, some one else comes along and paints it different))

[Yukina]

Open Me.
Yuki followed behind the half elf, merrily trotting along, with a happy perk in her step. "So, this is the way we're going then?" Yuki looked around, becoming aware of all the villagers.
Open me.

Yuki waved to them here and there, any that were in a good mood, she was in a cheery mood. "I really hope you're right about this!"

Open Me.
Shh! I'm trying to hear myself think.... Yuki looked around and tapped the half elf on the shoulder.

[Ryudo]

As the group walked, Ryudo thought hard about his previous encounter with the thief, he tried to remember each turn that he had made during the long chase. As Ryudo thought, the memory of the chase became clearer, and clearer until it was as if he was staring into a calm river. He saw Serrick run from him, and then it hit Ryudo, to escape Serrick had to drop something. Ryudo watched as he saw Serrick Brass running from him, and as he ran Serrick tore off the chest piece of his armor, and threw it at Ryudo. At the time it had seemed insignificant to Ryudo, he merely dogged it and continued his pursuit. However Ryudo now realized that the key to finding the loot rested on that chest piece. He stopped, and though as hard as he could, if he could remember where it was that Serrick threw the armor, then perhaps Ayer could locate the rest of the stuff. Ryudo ran the events over and over in his head, until it struck him. The event had taken place not more than three streets down, immediately Ryudo burst into a run, he knew exactly where the armor piece was.

[Isalidi]

Suddenly along the walk, Ryudo stopped. I followed suite.

Then he suddenly broke into a swift run, a determined expression on his face. I wondered what was going on in his head, but, gritting my teeth, I ran as fast as I possibly could to catch up with him. His amazing speed did little to help my conceptions of elves.

It's obvious that elves can do one thing right: run away.

[Yukina]

Yuki had gone unnoticed and got a little agitated and red in the face. Then when Ryudo stopped she bumped into him and started to tap her foot. When he abruptly started running, she looked around first, while running, then just brought out her wings and followed suit. "Where exactly are we going...?" Yuki constantly looked around, she didn't necessarily want everyone knowing she was some kind of divine being. She sighed and continued to follow around ever twist, corner and turn.

[Isalidi]

I heard the angel ask where we were going after she let out her wings and started running.

She was nearby, so I laughed slightly and said "Search me!"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo reached the spot where he had the armor thrown at him, it was a small street, almost devoid of life. He waited for the rest of his group to catch up, then spoke,

"My apologies for being so rude, but we have reached the potential breakthrough in our search, one that lead us right to the treasure. Perhaps I should explain what happened, and why I ran so quickly. As I thought about what had happened when I chased Serick Bass, the thief whose loot it is that we are after, I remembered that during his flight for his life he threw something to reduce the weight he was carrying. He threw his chest piece at me on this very street, and I am inclined to think that the piece is still here. If that is the case, and we find it, Ayer can use his nose, and we can find the loot.”

Ryudo smiled, he couldn’t help it, the loot seemed so close now,

“So, I suggest we start searching this street.” And that’s just what Ryudo began doing.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf ran swiftly, his massive legs carrying him at the speed of a horse in a full gallop. He leapt past Ryudo and clung onto the walls of the alley with his claws, reaching the ground with a horrid screech of claws against stone. He turned his nose towards the air and took a long, deep breath. Many scents assaulted his keen senses. He growled and pulled two of his throwing axes from his belt, one in each hand.

"Something isn't right here, elf..." Ayerwulf began to stalk down the alleyway, his lupine vision eliminating any deceiving shadows.

[Yggdrasil]

((were off to find the treasure, the wonderful treasure of Brae!))

“ When you announced that you knew the location of that Thief’s favoured place to store his ill gotten wears. I had presumed the location would be a little further than a short walk away ” Truly the work of the human mind was such an enigma, nothing was done for the simple sake of doing it, there were usually methods, hidden meanings.

“Hmm, hiding in plain sight … or would that be right under the City Guards noses?” The young boy by her side commented as he looked it the door before them, it was located around 7 blocks away from the encounter with the werewolf, which despite the boys plans no guard had come boy to pass on the warning since then.

Yggdrasil examined the rather non descript wooden door, looked back to the opening of the small side street before taking another look at the old but not completely desiccate side street that no one would use very often. “ I can only presume this is the right place? ” Aiesear shrugged with a small grin, choosing not to actually answer that question in favour of rapping on the wooden door three times.

‘Serick is that you?’

Came a response from behind the wooden door, Aiesear grinned as he took a few steps back, Yggdrasil mentally snorted in mild amusement, guessing the reason he had stepped away. The door was already flimsy looking, with a high pitched static sounding noise her hand became filled with pure manna which was quickly launched at the door, punched a hole through it and judging by the held and the door almost falling apart, it also hit the man on the other side.

“Smooth, really subtle” Yggdrasil detected the sarcasm in the boys tone but ignored it, despite multiple methods it could have used that one was both quick and straight to the point, the boy reached into the new hole, felt around before finding the lock and opening it.

“ I still fell, despite your claims at wanting to be an adventurer; you tend to strive in ability towards that of a thief ” this time it was the boy who snorted with amusement and started to mumble something about no one would ever find a citizen of Scara without some degree in skill to being a thief, if only to simply prevent it better.

The door opened lazily and Yggdrasil took note the lack of an unconscious man, but did find him down the few flights of stairs that he was blown down.

“Ouch, that can’t be good for anyone’s health” the boy said peering down towards the bottom where the man lay amongst a broken create and crushed apples “ I believe he is still alive, as per your request ” Yggdrasil was a weapon, but it was also very sentient and despite having no true loyalty to anyone but it’s Hjor, it still found itself easily able to agree not to take a single life in Scara Brae.

That had been the reason it had chosen not to step into that fight with the other group

[Ryudo]

(OOC: Yay 101st post! =-) )

Ryudo watched Ayer jump onto the wall, and it struck Ryudo that someone else could be after the loot as well. This train of thinking lead Ryudo to the realizatio that time was of the essence. He looked around the street intently, and saw a pile of trash. To the untrained eye, one would have dismissed it as merely waste, but the half elf saw a small gleam beneath the heap. He raced over to it, and tore of some of the layers, till his eyes caught sight of what he was looking for, a breastplate. Ryudo ripped it from its resting place and held it high. His eyes scanned the armor, taking in every deatail. His mind drifted back to the last time Ryudo had seen this piece of protecive covering, when it was flying at him. Ryudo smile could not have been wiped from his face now, it was from ear to ear.

"Look everyone! I've found it, I've found the chest piece, this is the breakthough I was talking about!"

He showed the piece to the group, Ryudo was extremly proud, he grinned at the others, and then held the armor piece up to Ayer.

[Isalidi]

Ryudo held up the breastplate.

I frowned slightly and said "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you've done us quite a disservice. Now, we're without leads AND running out of time."

[Ryudo]

Ryudo looked at the man, confused, the smile began to fade from his face,

"What do you mean 'done us a disservice'? I just found the breast plate that will lead us to the loot. Ayer can use his nose to track the scent, and well find the goods. So would you mind explaining what you meant, because right now it only looks positive. And I know that time is limited."

Ryudo looked at the man intently, the smile now vacant from his face.

[Isalidi]

Ryudo's smile faded as he asked me what I meant.

"Think about it. Where did you just pick that up from? A pile of trash. It may not noticeably reek, but it doesn't take a genius to realize that no thief's scent will remain recognizable even to a nose ten times more powerful than that of a bloodhound's. Even if a little non-garbage-type smell can be picked up, then it would likely be impossible to recognize the thief's scent untainted anyway.

In other words, this piece of trash is just that: a piece of trash."

[Ryudo]

Ryudo let what the man had said sink in his mind, he heard every syllable, and the words fell in his stomach like a lead weight. Ryudo looked at the armor piece, and he focused his hatred on it. Rage swelled in him, boiled in him, these feelings became aflame in Ryudo. As he focused his anger, the chest piece began to get hotter, and steam rose from it. As the fire the that smoldered in Ryudo became ablaze so to did the breast plate. The armor began to warp, and melt in Ryudo’s hands. He held aloft the plate and it seared red and yellow with fury. Ryudo felt the flame begin to engulf his soul, and as quickly as the fire had started Ryudo let go of it. Ryudo threw the armor to the ground with all his might, it flew to the earth at an powerful rate, and with a huge clamor bounced a few feet away.

Ryudo simply stood there, and felt the fire recede, he had almost slipped into the inferno, he shuddered at the thought.

[Isalidi]

I watched Ryudo's reaction, and barely avoided getting hit by a stray breastplate. His face had gotten contorted, his eyes were full of hate. I could see in his face reflected all the hate and rage of a million universes, a million humanities... Almost as if he just wanted it to just melt in his hands...

I shuttered. Almost a little afraid, I said "So... what do we do n-"



Suddenly, my arm began to burn horribly. I grimmaced. It wasn't just either arm, though... It was the arm with strange birthmark on it, the Genfangen...

I grimmaced.

What does it mean...? WHAT THE HELL DOES THING DO...?!

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf watched the exchange of words and the eventual use of magic fueled with anger. The scent of the elves magical Flame tortured his nostrils, giving him a splitting headache,

'Fire and Ice,' he thought, looking from the elf's flaming hand and then to his own, his skin pale, nearly blue. Ayerwulf clenched his fist in frustration, feeling his claws dig into his palm, making them bleed, but he didn't care. Ayerwulf was almost viewing himself from a different perspective when he noticed himself going over to the half-elf and backhanding him furiously, knocking his comparably frail-looking form to the floor with Ayerwulf's blood smeared on his face. Ayerwulf howled and roared at the elf,

"Stupid, BLOODY STUPID! That's what ye' are, a bloody daft fool! Ye' be goin' and having a bloody temper tantrum isn't goin' to fix anythin'! I could have easily gotten a bloody scent off of that piece o' crap!" Ayerwulf kicked the warped and deformed object that used to be the armor with his powerful legs, "But no! You got your panties in a knot and had to bloody melt the only lead we got, and burning the scent away too! Laddie, you had better keep you head about you before I make sure you can't!" This situation was becoming more and more annoying, Ayerwulf's bodily changes didn't help manage his frustration and rage, but he needed to stay measured, berserk-ing was meant for combat, not tantrum-ing.

[Isalidi]

"Ayer." I spoke, "Stop. That's not true. You couldn't of found a damned thing from the smell on that bloody piece of armor... unless you were searching for a pile of garbage, but I find it unlikely that the thief would hide the priceless treasure in a stack that could well be moved to a dump. Get a damn hold of yourself."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf turned on his heel and held one of his axes at the ready. He snarled and growled at the man,

"Don't be so quick to doubt my skills, human. Remember, I may be weakened, but my pride stands strong and that weapon-thing isn't here to interfere is you get on my nerves..." Ayerwulf's golden-yellow gaze bore into the human,

"You get a hold of yourself, pup. I have plenty left in me to kill the two of you; 'tis in your best interest to not bloody piss me off, agreed?"

[Isalidi]

I made a "Hmph" sound in contempt, and turned away from the wolf. "Whatever."

[Yggdrasil]

((since you guys lost your lead I am gonna toss one at you, and Ayer, be a good pup the boy isn’t for eating or mauling, feel free to make him wet his pants, but I got future plans for the kid))

The thief’s den was a rather homely place, the candle lights reflected warm colours, and the wooden floor was often decorated with animal skin rugs and the walls were almost rich with items, jars, vases or maybe a plant pot with a healthy growing plant. Aiesear was actually having doubts, believing that this wasn’t the wrong place.

That didn’t stop Yggdrasil from taking out any would be thief that spotted them and charged head long only to have a manna bolt planted firmly against there gut or there face, each time effectively knocking them into next week.

“oh what’s this?” the boy asked as the two stepped into a large room, it had to have been at least 15 meters underground, a large open space with no items to note except maybe a few barrels or a crate over in one of the corners, and judging by a crack in one of the wooden frames, it was there food storage.

The only other thing to note was the open iron door, the boy quickly investigated the open room and was greeted to a thief’s hoard, he literally whistled in awe at the collection of gold coins, scattered around, portraits, and blades of high quality work, precious stones and several other items of interest.

“Screw the Reward, there is more here to” – his words died as Yggdrasil’s began “ Being Greedy now? ” it asked amused before taking a glance herself into the would be vault, Sad to say but any normal person would have agreed with the boy, Yggdrasil however saw almost nothing of worth.

“ I thought you were in this for the fame ” Yggdrasil asked curious, the boy gave the treasure a longing look before tearing his eyes away to glare at the woman “I hate it when your right” he snapped and Yggdrasil simply grinned

“ Always right, or simply wise, I would think I am the latter ” there was a small taunting jibe and the boy snorted once with laughter before shaking his head “yeah, yeah, guess you stay here and guard the treasure while I go tell the brae guards that it’s here huh?” the weapon’s avatar nodded and the boy turned and ran the way they came.

How was he supposed to note that the path he would take would cause him to run head long into there would be ‘competition’

[Isalidi]

No, Shika's not bloody effing talking about the scene where the boy appeared after the fight with Ayer.

I was waiting when suddenly, a boy appeared. He was rather familiar looking.

"Hello." I said, "Have we met?"

[Yggdrasil]

((ehh, what scene are yout alking about? you didn't make any sense))

Aiesear had not really been paying attention to the route he was taking, his only goal was to find one of the town guards and inform him where the Hoard of the infamous thief Serick bass was located.

He nearly bowled over into a man as he dashed around a corner, drawing the man’s attention rather quickly, Aiesear’s face paled upon realisation of who exactly he had run into.

“Gyah!” he cried, rather startled that of all people to run into it had to be this group, well wasn’t that just the luck of the bloody gods at work.

He plotted fast

“Hey what’s that over there” he shouted suddenly pointing behind the man who had greeted him. Aiesear didn’t even stop to look around but instead legged it back in the opposite direction.

“Losers!2 he cried victoriously, before falling flat on his face when his legs could not keep pace in his mad dash, he ate dirt, groaned before stumbling back upright to resume his dashing.

Meanwhile Yggdrasil was waiting patiently for Aiesear to return with the city guard, but a random whim to edge away from forever contemplating the meaning of life and one’s purpose in said life, it distracted itself with filling the room with countless upon countless particles of manna, each one glowing and fluttering on a dim breeze.

[Isalidi]

You don't need to know what it is. You just need to know what it isn't. Your little boy can run from answering my question all he bloody well wants too.

Suddenly, the boy pointed behind me and ran. Such a childish trick... Serves him right that he fell down. I dashed over to where his face was slammed in the mud. "Don't make this harder on yourself than it has to be."

At this, I picked up the boy's legs and dragged him back to the group. Turning to my teammates, I said "Does anybody know who this boy is?"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf picked the boy up with ease, his claw-like hands closed roughly around the boys neck and shoulders. The boy dangled several feet above the ground. Ayerwulf growled at the boy,

"Careful lad, would hate for you to run into the wrong people. Now, be a good bitch and rollover and tell me what I bloody want to know before I decide to make you a snack."

[Yggdrasil]

The boy yelped of cause, all the while struggling to get out of the grip the human had on him, deliberately trying to kick the mans hand with his free foot, but without leverage he just could not get free.

Aiesear quickly however soon wished that he had stayed in the grasp of the human, hanging up side down was embarrassing but not life threatening to the almost vice like grip that was now around his throat.

Gripping the mans strong wrists he attempted to hoist himself up to give his neck a little breathing room, no point in hanging vie anyone’s grip now was there.

“Leave me alone!” he shouted with a strangled cry and attempted to kick Ayerwulf with all of his might, his kicks though fell disappointingly short and s he simply flailed in the air.

“I ain’t a snack Bastard!” he settled to answer the taunt, it sounded pathetic with his strangled voice however and was bound to get a chuckle from anyone watching, or a slice of pity or sympathy.

“What the heck do you want to know!!!” he almost screamed after his hands lost there grip and his throat was once again painfully constricted, any sense the boy had was now quickly fading away “lemme go!” he demanded

He tried kicking again, but demanded to be released at the same time, his frustration and fear that he could not get free was all but interacting interestingly with a small almost glowing jewel he kept secure in his pocket.

He had been told it was called a “Tear of life” but that wasn’t crossing his mind right now, what he was thinking about was that he never wanted to be on the ground as badly as he did right now.

[Isalidi]

I again made a "Hmph" type sound in contempt to the wolf.

"Put him down... it's not like he did anything."

Looking at the boy, I said "What do you know about a treasure...? I believe it's also being tracked by a mystical weapon that takes a woman's form. Tell me. Now."

Something about the boy struck me... he wasn't menacing, but he seemed to have friends that were much more dangerous. I could see it reflected in his face. If he knew the weapon, I was aware that it could be a lot of trouble. No matter.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo fell to the ground, the blunt beast had knocked him over, and the monster accused Ryudo of being ignorant. The flame burned inside, Ryudo felt his palms heat up. He was about ready to send out a few fire balls when something peculiar happened, a boy appeared. Within an instant he was whisked away first by the man, then by the beast. Ryudo watched as the poor child kicked and screamed. Ryudo recognized the child, it was faint, but he thought that he had seen him once before.

Ryudo walked up to the group, and tried to remember when he had seen the child before. Perhaps, it had been during the last night, in the midst of the combat? As Ryudo thought about it, he remembered the strange woman, with a little boy.

Ryudo stared unpleasantly at the beast, he heard the man say something as well, "Ayer, cease with the brutish strangling, I think I know who this child is."

Ryudo then looked at the boy, he echoed the mans question,

"You were with that strange woman, were you not?"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf spat his words to the two others like a viper's venom,

"I'll do what I bloody feel is nessicary to get what we ar looking for," Ayerwulf tightened his grip, smiling cruelly. Ayerwulf would never do this normally, something was wrong. He tried to drop the child, but it was like his arm had been welded into that position. With every attempt he made to loosen his vice, it tightened. He caught himself smiling; 'Agnulfr! What are you doing? Release this child at once!' Ayerwulf yelled within his mind. Agnulf, as he was known as in the nightmares of the ancient beings, answered by further squeezing the boy's neck. 'AGNULFR! STOP THIS MADNESS!' Agnulfr, in modern times known as The Hunter, laughed in a haunting whisper. The boy's face was turning blue, his feet had stopped kicking, 'By Fenrir, what am I doing?' Ayerwulf's grin contorted into a mask of agony as his minds and spirits fought to regain control off the massive host. The Ayerwulf that had been before the combat was able to growl a plea to the elf and human,

"Half-Elf, human...grr... G-Give me a silver weapon," They both looked at him as if he were daft, why would anyone in their right mind give an already deadly man a weapon when he has a hostage? Ayerwulf could see this, though his eyes were not his own,

"Trust... T-TRUST MEE!!! Either give m-me... the bloody silver... or this boy will die... CHOOSE! I don't...I don't want to hurt him! Give me the dagge-" His voice and overall aura shifted as the dark took control,

"- NO! Do not! Give him not the- Silver! Give me the silver! Now Gorramnit!" It was up to one of them to give Ayerwulf the silver dagger, they would have to trust him, or the boy would die.

[Isalidi]

There was nothing I could do. I had not silver, and Anghjukin didn't have enough to speak of.

Dammit wolf...

[Yukina]

Pardon the absence it'll take some time to catch up.
"Ay!"

Yuki flew around throwing healing spells at her allies. She didn't know why, she just thought everyone might be hurt for some reason or another, probably all the pain that had just insued in the last ten minutes.

"Ayer! Put him down!"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf felt like his mind and soul was tearing itself apart in a bloody war, and his body was the battlefield, that was exactly what it was. The angel girl tried to tell him to stop, but it wasn't that easy. Only some silver or a heavy dose of wolfsbane could give Ayerwulf the push needed to keep Agnulfr at bay.

"I-It is...sn't that s-simple, girl! I want to, I really do! I don't want any more death on my hands that don't have to. I am already forsaken to Hel and her legion, but i do not want to suffer more than I already must after death. I am damned, but Fenrir help me if the death of a child signs me away to Hel's Cavern of Tortures. If you have any silver weapon, i need it. NOW!!"

[Isalidi]

Suddenly, and idea came to me. Dammit, this'd better work!

I told Anghjukin, who had silver nail inserts, to attack the wolf. If Anghjukin was smart, he'd know how what to do... Unfortunately, he was a common goblin, not the brightest of species.

I gritted my teeth and hoped for the best.

[Yukina]

Yuki paced around briskly, well, in her mind anyways.

"I've got it!"

Yuki looked around the room, for a moment.

"There!" She pulled a silver rock, no I mean PURE silver rock, from the ground, and dragged it along the edge of the wall. "Sharpen..." She flew around the edge until it sharpened to a point.

She turned to the werewolf. "Here!" and she threw the Ersatz Dagger.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf couldn't help but smile at the angel girl, she was truly the only innocent being he had seen since he was a pup. He caught the crudely sharpened rock and took a deep breath. With a howl of pain, he pressed the tip into his flesh, a flow of red which slowly expanded the more Ayerwulf cut open his own arm. His hand opened, dropping the now unconscious boy to the ground hard. Ayerwulf continued to cut deep troughs into his flesh until Agnulfr was completely put back into the depths of his mind. When he was done, Ayerwulf was dizzy and light-headed.

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil stopped looking at the mild distraction it had set for itself and seemed to stare off into an unseen part of the opposite wall instead. Something was, disturbed, no not disturbed, for an instant Yggdrasil could have sworn it had felt some kind of call.

Not unusual of cause, Yggdrasil’s Tears of life when given to Previous Hjor had the ability to call upon Yggdrasil, even to the point of summoning it directly too them. However THAT, was also the problem Yggdrasil had not gave out any of these Tears for a very long time, as the world descended and less worthy people were ever met.

Except one, Aiesear had been given one, and for a brief moment he had been calling for Yggdrasil, then the call became an echo of what it was and faded. Oh yes, something was up, Yggdrasil cast another look to the half open iron door, and the bounty of treasure beyond, before coming to a decision.

Presuming Aiesear was in trouble, and with no call in which to home into, it was going to have to track the boy simply by following its own tear. The treasure meant NOTHING to the Weapon, the boy however, held a lot more value than meaningless bits of metal, bits of paper and anything else that could be considered well decorated.

[Yukina]

Yuki was glad she could have aided in SOME sort of way. But now, she had something bigger to deal with. "Okay, let's see..." Yuki hovered to the ground and sprung into a run towards the beast. She held her hands out and with as much strength as possible shouted "Heal!" Some of his wounds disappeared, others closed, others just refused to bleed anymore. What mattered was she could do something. "Oh!" She turned to the unconscious boy and unsheathed her Light Dagger.

Yuki drew a symbol in the air and took out her grimoire of light. "I summon thee! Come! Luna!" A small girl floating on a luminescent brightly colored half moon appeared. She had a flowing dress that shimmered with pink and silver. Yuki called to her. "Luna! Take care of him, cast as much healing magic on him as possible, as well as anything to remove ailments, until you run out of power, then use your final power to stabilize his heartbeat, we don't want an innocent child going into cardiac arrest..." As Luna did so, Yuki knelt by the werewolf. I hope he'll be okay... And what if... What if that weapon comes back?...

[Isalidi]

"Damn you Ayer...! Attacking a child... WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU...?!"

I drew my sword, ready to defend myself. "Anghjukin!" I then cried out. In Common Goblin language, I then shouted "Back!"

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf was still in somewhat a daze, but the angel-girl's magic had helped him for the most part. Unfortunately, it brought him back enough to hear the human scold him like he was a child, foolish, at best. Ayersulf stood slowly, a low and deep, but still very audible growl vibrated his throat. When did he become the Judge of Fates?

"Human, I am confused by you and your words. If nature serves to be right, sheep do not bray at the wolf in anger or aggression. I suggest," Ayerwulf lunged, gripping the human by the crook of his neck and slamming him to a wall. The Lycan brought up the sharpened rock the angel had given him, his arm bulged, ready to drive the stone into the human's brain,

"... I suggest that you stay your judgments of me along with your tongue, before I rip it from your mouth. Keep in mind, Little Sheep, that I am much bigger and badder than you, and I am a wolf. I am not human," Ayerwulf's scarred face twisted into a wicked grin, "I am better than that. Now, let us say that you keep your tongue in your skull for now, but one last blurt like that, and I will feed your lips to the wolves while Agnulfr enjoys your heart."

[Isalidi]

My eyes full of malice, my every will was telling me to strike.


My intellect staid my hand. The wolf was right... he was much stronger than me. Trying to keep my cool, I asked him "What the HELL is an Angulfr? One of your-" I cut myself off short. I was going to say "gods of blood" but knew it wouldn't be a good idea. I readily stared at the wolf, trying not to lose control.

[Yukina]

Yuki turned very red in the face, not like blushing but like anger and passionate rage. Yuki stomped up, exaggerating and crushing down every last step. She swung around to the other side of Ayer, gave him this look and immediately knew she was impressing into his mind. "Pardon me but you deserve this!" She bonked him on the forhead. "He was just trying to help the little boy! You didn't need to try to kill him!" She yelled. She swayed her weight to the left and lent, she held her hand on her hip. "That was totally unnecessary!"

[Warklaw]

As the angel rapped her hand accrost Ayerwulf's forehead, he didn't flinch, not even blink. A rolled up piece of paper, maybe would have made him flinch. He simply smiled, his pearly white fangs protruding through his smile.

"You are entitled to that thought, miss angel. But it doesn't change truth or fact." The Lycan's gaze fell back to the human, his golden gaze burning into him.

"Agnulfr, The Wolf of Chaos. You have met him before, all of you have. Last night, you feared him in your nightmares as children, you fear him now. No, he is not a god. My kin have one god, Fenrir, the Father Wolf. Agnulfr is a manifestation of Fenrir's wrath and savage fury. That is what lycans are, some more than others. Me more than the rest." Ayerwulf opened his hand and dropped the human, then the rock. He turned his gaze to the angel, then the boy, then back to the human. He thrust his iron boot into the human's gut, perfectly in the solarplex.

"Do not cross me again, any of you. That was the last time I promise to not use claw or steel first."

[Isalidi]

The wolf, after a long discourse on Angulfr, the wolf kicked me.

You better sleep with one eye open...

I turned to the boy. He was unconscious. I sighed.







...










A shiver went down my spine. I tensed. There was something coming. I picked up the child and quickly spoke, "Elf, wolf, Yuki, we should get out of here. There's a feel in the air and I don't like it..." The feel was unpleasant but eerily familiar.

The child... where have I seen him before...?

I sighed again. Another mystery... I should've never left the military...

[Ryudo]

Ryudo listened again as the wolf gave another long speech, this time about Gods, and manifestations of Gods...

As soon as the wolf had finished, and Ryudo was about to say something, the beast kicked the man next to Ryudo in the gut. Ouch! Ryudo went to help the man but he stood up on his own, he seemed alright.

“Here’s an idea wolf, why don’t we stop kicking allies in the stomach, seems like a bad practice to m…” Ryudo stopped, something had changed, he had felt it before, an eerie sense of calm. It was then Ryudo knew that something was right, he focused his mind, and his elven senses bestowed him with a moment of foresight. Though very indistinct, Ryudo saw a figure quickly approaching. Though human in appearance, Ryudo sensed something more sinister.

Suddenly Ryudo broke from his trance, the man had stirred him from his reverie. The man had apparently felt something similar to Ryudo. Upon the mention, by the man, that the feeling was familiar, Ryudo thought that he too had experienced the strange sensation before. Ryudo didn’t know why, but suddenly he was agreeing with the man’s sentiments, this place was no longer safe.

“I agree, something is amiss, perhaps we should leave this place, I believe that if we remain here any longer, we put our own lives at stake.”

[Yukina]

Yuki sat down for a second, with her legs together at the kneecap and the rest down out to the side. She sat like this with her hands under her chin for a few moments. Her eyes shone a deep shade of cerulean and she looked up. Yuki pushed off of her left hand and stood up, she brushed off and went towards what seemed like the nearest exit, "Shall we go?"

As the others began to walk towards her, she made sure to go out last, "Hm, Why don't we formally introduce ourselves to make things a little less awkward? After all, friends shouldn't keep their names hidden from their friends! I'm Yuki Mashimoto! ^-^"

[Isalidi]

"If there wasn't even a possibility that my damned scroll wasn't here," I began, rather irritatedly, "I'd be off this island faster than a bullet... And I know they move fast."

I began walking quickly towards the direction that she pointed. I then responded to her sentiment. "My name is Shikamanota Isalidi. Shika, as those who know me call me."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf simply ignored the elf, all except for a challenging snarl. He began to walk ahead of the rest, keeping to himself. He heard the exchange of names like they were at a leisurely ball, it made the hackles on the back of his neck rise, or did that alone do such a thing. The massive lycan slowed his pace, his lupine ears twitched slightly along with his nose. He sensed what the elf and the human were blabbering about. He slowly raised his muscled right arm above his head. Letting his hand hover on the grip of his blade.

"The lot of you. . . listen, and listen carefully." Ayerwulf spoke, his voice monotone and rumbling, like a massive waterfall. Ayerwulf fully stopped his walk, not turning. Whatever was coming, was coming fast. He had no idea what it was, but none of them would be able to fight it in their current condition, even Ayerwulf himself; but that hasn't stopped him before.

"I can buy you children some time. I'll give you a head start. When I whistle, run as fast as you can to an ally draped in crimson. There will be a child on all fours, young yet grey. She is timid," Ayerwulf went over to the angel and tore a small bit of fabric from her robes and smeared his blood on it, "so give her this, and she will lead you were you wish to go."

[Isalidi]

Ayer gave strange instructions.

...The hell?


"I'm sorry, but would you explain to me who this lady is... what the child thing is. You know, et cetera?"

[Ryudo]

"My name is Ryudo, Ryudo Marith." Ryudo continued walking at a hurried pace, his body was still somewhat tense from the events that had transpired, his palms continued to tingle. He was glad to know the names of the group he was questing with, Ryudo would commit it to memory to never forget these people. As Ryudo walked he continued to feel that strange sensation, something was about to go down, as to what he could only guess.

Suddenly the lupine beast stopped walking and began barking instructions, what a surprise…. His demands made very little sense, all-fours, girl, crimson ally...this message was harder to understand then his previous stories, which was saying something. Ryudo attempted to piece together what the beast was saying when suddenly the beast walked over to Yuki and rudely ripped her clothing.

“Ayer, how dare you touch a lady like that! Please apologize to her!” Ryudo stared down Ayer with sincere anger.

“Besides, I agree with Shika, hopefully it’s alright if I call you that, please explain what you just commanded us to do Ayer.”

[Isalidi]

Still waiting for a response, I inclined my head slightly toward Ryudo in permission.

[Warklaw]

"The Crimson alley in the taylors market. It will be abandoned except for a little child. A child of mine, I guess you could say. Nalva is her name. I cannot dumb it down further for you, these walls have ears." With that, the lycan unsheathed Fenrir's Fang, the blade seeming to howl as it met the air. The icy spirits of old caused ice crystals to form around the beast. He looked back to them once more, tossing them the bloody fabric. He then looked to the elf,

"Ryudo, I would advise you to either take a bath, or stop being so bloody righteous. You reek of it." He turned back around and brought his upper teeth over his lower lip, and blew. A whistle like the screeching of a hawk leapt from Ayerwulf's lips.

"GO! NOW!! GET THE BOY OUT OF HERE WITH THE LOT OF YOU." Ayerwulf breathed, his blood was boiling, Agnulfr was coming back.

"Are you deaf or daft? None of us can fight whatever is coming in our current states. You still have a chance to get what you need if someone can stall this bastard." Only one thing left to do, Ayerwulf thought. He leapt to the angel, held her small hands in his massive claw-like ones,

"Sorry 'bout the dress, lassie." He hoped that Yuina noticed what he had slipped into her hands. He gave her the Rune Fang, the only one Ayerwulf had. He could feel the affects of being parted with it almost instantly, as reason and common sense began to fade in a red haze. If Ayerwulf was to not win this battle, it would be up to Yukina to be the Deliverance for his kin.

'godspeed'
((Read my profile, Nalva and the clues I left will make the 'child' seem clearer))

[Isalidi]

I saw what happened. After he gave her the object, he seemed to become more lupine every second.

"Come on, Ryudo, Yuki, let's get out of here!" I began to run. The wolf... Agnulfr... was coming back.

[Yggdrasil]

((Crap, I get a little lazy and everything starts moving fast again. I kinda lost what was happening with Aiesear, as far as I can tell, Yuki’s little side kick Luna or whatever is currently carrying the kid, correct me if I am wrong))

Yggdrasil followed the natural connection between itself and its tear; it had led the weapon from the thief’s den, through the streets of Scara brae, in the general direction of the docks, but part way through its tracking that direction had changed. Was the boy on the move once again?

Enough was considered enough, Yggdrasil levitated off the ground merely inches and shot off down the still early morning streets as fast as its levitation abilities would allow. Twists and turns lay ahead, down streets, taking a seemingly random left, then a right until …

‘Them …’ it thought once it caught sight of the group, including the Lycan still with them, there hunt for the treasure seemed to have paused in favour of a far different issue. It didn’t matter, not to Yggdrasil, because when it cast its eyes to the unconscious form of Aiesear, the weapon found it becoming a rather strange feeling of royally pissed off.

Odd didn’t describe it, the Lycan had been more correct than wrong in that Yggdrasil was strongly emotionless, not to say it didn’t feel them, just not to the extent it was feeling right now. That in itself raised another interesting question, as Far as caring about others went, when Yggdrasil didn’t have a Hjor, it didn’t care about anyone.

But Aiesear wasn’t just anyone, not to Yggdrasil, there was something there, a potential maybe, but it could not find any god damn valid reason why it was feeling annoyed that this group had come across the boy and had harmed him, if the bruise on his neck was any indication.

The weapon only caught the tale end of the events that had recently transpired, concluding with the Lycan seemingly giving away his humanity and the human declaring that they all leave now!

Unfortunately for them Yggdrasil was in the way, due to the directions it took to find the child.

“ I don’t think so ”

She spoke holding out her arm so as to summon that nasty looking floating poleaxe that would speak volumes of how displeased she was. Her eyes narrowed once more as they went from angel, to human, to half elf to Lycan before settling on the child.

“ An eye for an eye, for your crime, I will brake you”

[Yukina]

Dammit.

The one word to enter her mind.
"Now what?..."

Yuki looked around.

"Does this mean you're going to try to kill us?" She muttered innocently with a flare in her eyes.

Yuki didnt bother trying to run around the weapon, otherwise it mean't certain "Impale-ation" as Yuki would have put it.

She kept a hand steady on her weapon.

[Isalidi]

Yuki, I have the kid and I just burst to a run... all Yggs at this point ignored.



A shiver went down my spine. I tensed. There was something coming. I picked up the child and quickly spoke, "Elf, wolf, Yuki, we should get out of here. There's a feel in the air and I don't like it..." The feel was unpleasant but eerily familiar.


Edit - Thanks. I'll post next to next.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo would have been offended by the beast’s crude remarks, but at the moment he was too readying Silver Fang, as his palm reested on the hilt, the blade spoke to Ryudo, I thirst… Ryudo watched as the strange woman approached, this scene seemed all to familiar. Last night Ryudo was unable to identify the woman, however now Ryudo sense a sort of nuance to her person. Ryudo wondered if she was even a person, she seemed to have an almost ethereal aspect to her. He was not struck by the strange senses emitting from her, rather he was struck by the lack of senses. Ryudo listened impatiently to the monsters commands, it was a novel idea, but Ryudo didn’t want to run. If it was a fight that this woman desired, perhaps Ryudo should be present for it, besides why should the beast get all the credit. Yet the idea of the treasure was calling to Ryudo, like a small voice in his head. No matter how much Ryudo wanted to be honorable and fight for glory, the money still tugged at his heart strings. Perhaps the Lycan could handle himself, to be honest Ryudo didn’t dwell on that point for too long. Either way, live or die, he’ll be an excellent distraction. Just as Ryudo thought this he noticed Shika had burst into a run, with the boy in hand. Maybe I should follow him?

Ryudo’s eyes darted from the strange woman, to the beast, to Shika, money here I come!

With that Ryudo dashed after Shika, perhaps if Shika ran into trouble Ryudo would be able to assist him. That thought eased Ryudo’s mind, Glory and Money

[Yggdrasil]

((Thanks for the heads up Shika))

The Human who was carrying the boy had all but ran away with his tail between his legs, ok that was an unfair description, Yggdrasil had to hand it to the human, he saw the danger and got the hell out of there, better yet, he had the boy quickly getting him out of harms way.

Area effecting abilities suddenly became an option

Property damage would not be an issue, but this had to be very quick if Yggdrasil had any plot to deal out divine punishment, it was morning and unlike last night, there tended to be a large number of people who walk the streets during the day.

The poleaxe flew to her right and started to start a lazy spinning orbit around her, her form still floating as she held out both hands in front of her tapping into her manna supplies and pulling out as much as she could without exceeding the safety limit.

“ There will be No Mercy! ”

The manna sphere was an interesting thing indeed, while its initial appearance was a shimmering glowing light, igniting atoms and other such particles close by to give it a sort of ethereal look. Being of an ancient form of magic, a raw ingredient if you will to spell cast, Manna if not one thing was defiantly plentiful.

It did have an interesting Kinetic blow out, a shockwave if you will that detonates upon impact, while that in itself isn’t lethal, it does have a tendency to throw anyone close to the detonation to loose there balance. That did not even begin to describe what the actual sphere did on its own.

Regardless it was such a Manna Sphere that was now rocketing towards the small group of half elf, Angel and Lycan, the Human already vacating the area along with Aiesear.

One could say that the challenge for battle had just been made.

[Isalidi]

The woman had come up, and Ryudo chased after me.

"Dammit elf-" I began, but then the scene changed. I'd only just escaped with the child when the weapon sent out an attack.

It doesn't want to hurt the child... Or me... Doesn't it think I owe it a favor or the like...?

[Yukina]

Yuki noted all the things happening now.

"Holy Barrier!" The shield surrounded her and she used her wings to catch up to Ryudo and Shika. "Wait up!" Once they were in sight, she slowed to their pace and they continued on their way.

Yuki called, "Pearl!" and the all too familiar silver orb shot from her palm down the other end of the passageway, hoping she'd hit something that would help.

[Warklaw]

There he stood, alone, as he always has. The living weapon had returned, wrathful for what Ayerwulf had done to the boy, though he was lucky he escaped whole. The Lycan began to pace, like a wolf, cornered by trappers. He snarled fiercely, his body slowly churning within him, turning him into a weapon as well, but a weapon of tooth and claw and muscle, rather than magic and steel.

"Looks to me that you are a tad angry, miss poleaxe. What, did me nearly crushig the boys windpipe get your bloody loins in a knot?" Ayerwulf was fading, and quick. He would not speak like this in the norm, Agnulfr was clawing back into the light, turning it to the darkness. Fenrir's Fang sensed this and rejoiced, it's perfect wielder was coming to bear.

"Your bone to pick is with me, bitch." Ayerwulf's body pointed the tip of his massive sword at the weapon, "Leave the others out of this." His eyes lost their whites, they became black and his eyes grew more and more feral. His ears became wolf-like and his muscles grew to the point of risking tearing his skin. The Lycan stood in an unorthadox fighting stance, one not even his mentor had seen. It was one that his kind used, Bestial Blademaster, it was called. He smirked at the woman,

"Come then, m'lady. I am anxious to see how one like you could hope to break me." He knew deep down that it was not going to be that hard, he was weakened, he had silver running through his veins and he was suffering from wounds earlier earned in the day. He knew it would be wisest to flee, but with his Rune Fang in the angel's hands, his judgment became that of a starved wolf, kill for survival, kill for food.

Yukina, I swear, If you lose that bloody Rune... Just keep it safe, if you can hear this, listen.
You now carry one of the Twelve Rune Fangs. There are many magus' who would do anything to have them. I want you to swaer on your wings, that if I die, you will find all Twelve and take them to Skoll's Peak, in the Northjaw mountains. If you do so, my people will forever be in your debt, if you do so, we will open the Gate.

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil mentally took note of the Angels ability to form a barrier of some kind for later, it was an interesting ability, not many could actually form an effective magical barrier. She however turned and fled along with the half elf leaving only Yggdrasil and the Lycan, not before launching her own reply.

The pearl attack wasn’t much to describe, but when it was close enough the Poleaxe that floated by launched itself into a swing demolishing the spell right where it was. Typical the weapon considered as the Lycan looked at the avatar with madness slowly creeping into his features.

It was typical that before Yggdrasil had no reason, nor motive to want to harm anyone within that group, but found amusement from arguing a point of view, and to claim a life debt. This time was different, Aiesear had been harmed, and the Lycan had foolishly claimed that it was him, Yggdrasil was now willing to show the Lycan that his way of living was in it’s opinion a fools way, and it was going to show him HARD.

“ That’s impossible, if you recall I am nothing but an emotionless piece of possessed metal ” Mind games were always a fun sport, to confuse people was one of many Yggdrasil had of passing time, but today it would seem words were all but pointless, this was going to be dealt with something different.

“ Your Race save you, are extinct, I will personally see to it that you kin stays Extinct ”

Yggdrasil, had made its earlier assumption of any possible encounters with this Lycan to be tricky, it had been under the assumption that it would be fighting the Lycan in his werewolf form. While still strong in his own right, and it being early morning, that issue was not going to present itself, now it would be fight a wolf in the body of a man.

The situation was not as dire as its previous scenario

Yggdrasil held out its hand and yet again another Manna sphere took form, while it was in no way different from its last incarnation, its purpose would be. “ because the Human’s attack was so effective, let me see how my version will compare ”

The sphere broke, shattering into countless smaller orbs of manna each one spreading out into a thin needle, each able to pierce and dispel after contact, the level of control needed for a single needed could be done with but a whim, countless needles actually needed Yggdrasil to take its attention from the duel body it possessed, even if only briefly.

They all launched forwards towards the Lycan, spreading out into an area effect, and even if the Lycan defended or evaded, he would also note that a considerable amount of them were aimed for his groins.

[Yukina]

While following Shika and Ryudo down the passageway she heard the same voice as before except more masculine and less sweet.
You now carry one of the Twelve Rune Fangs. There are many magus' who would do anything to have them. I want you to swear on your wings, that if I die, you will find all Twelve and take them to Skoll's Peak, in the Northjaw mountains. If you do so, my people will forever be in your debt, if you do so, we will open the Gate.
Huh...?
She looked around and kept following

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf, or at least his body, laughed. The laugh cackled with madness, insanity, and bestial rage. Agnulfr was taking over more and more, what made Ayerwulf sick was the fact that he liked it.

"You think you face a wolf in human skin. You are making a grave mistake." Ayerwulf saw the several magic needles spread about, ready to pierce his flesh. 'Alright, Agnulfr... I submit to you' Ayerwulf said to the beast within. Ayerwulf fell his hands and knees as the manifestation of chaos and carnage took over his being. Fenrir's Fang shivered with joy as its true wielder came forth. The massive blade's runes danced with a cold light. What used to be Ayerwulf stood, it's face twisted into a grin of feral insanity. The magic needles came closer and closer

"Freistnhiem Ulfgard!" Agnulfr roared, slamming the tip of Fenrir's Famn into the earth, a wall of ice expanding forth. It did not stop all the projectiles from hitting him, but it saved his loins from becoming a pin cussion.

"You have no idea what you face. What you have let loose within me. All that was good has died and is decaying within me. You have woken up the demon, in me!"

[Yukina]

Yuki stopped, for a moment, then FLEW right in front of the two boys and held her hands out to their chests, "Stop!" After they (Expectedly) bumped into her, she tried to make her next words hasty to avoid whatever was about to happen from their probable anger. "What the HELL is the matter with us!? We're an ANGEL a HALF ELF and a HUMAN carrying a child that looks like we ABUSED down a street!!! Is there somewhere we can lay low and also avoid the weapon lady!?" Yuki tried to re-think her words but nothing came. "So... Is there somewhere we can really go...?"
It's not exactly practical..........
Yuki looked down, and I swear, if you squinted really hard, covered one eye, and tilted your head to the side, you'd see a sweat drop go down the side of her head.

[Warklaw]

((remember were Ayerwulf told you to go. The Crimson Alley in the Taylors market. There will be a little wolf pup, Nalva, there. Give her the cloth with mu blood and she will trust you and be your guide to the loot))

Agnulfr pulled the Blade from the ground, causing the wall of ice to dissapate into a flurry of snow. Agnulfr still held it's mad smile, its yellow and black eyes burning with primal hatred.

"Though I may not be as physically powerful in this
hide, it does not mean I am less dangerous," Agnulfr's voice was Ayerwulf's, but it coupled with growls of hate.

"You should cease to pester them, they did nothing to you or the child. Now, I suggest you bloody concentrate." Agnulfr readied himself for a fight he knew he could not win, but he cared not.

"Let us see if you bleed or not, bitch. I have nothing to loose, I doubt you have faced an opponent with that. Those who have nothing to lose tend to do drastic and insane things." Agnulfr smiled wickedly

[Yggdrasil]

“ How Quaint” Was Yggdrasil’s reaction to seeing the wall of ice defend against most of the energy needles, some getting through was simply a consolation prize, one that failed to be useful.

The reaction to the swords powers however was a major surprise, If it was able to create a wall of ice like that, then it’s effects on a living breathing body, much less a form of condensed spiritual and Raw manna were not even worth considering. The end solution wasn’t good in either case.

“ It would appear it is not merely ceremonial in nature, but has a bite as much as the maw that spawned it ” self assessments were important on the battlefield, knowing the enemy and dissecting there weakness were simple rules to follow. Theory and stratagem at it’s finest and Yggdrasil had been a student of war for a long time not to follow those principles.

The Lycan had claimed it would be a mistake if Yggdrasil thought it was a wolf in a mans body, odd considering it hadn’t voiced that, but the assement would be simple to follow it supposed.

But Yggdrasil had already Probed the Lycan’s ranged defence, which although hit, was so minor it didn’t seem to even count, fully powered Manna Bolts were needed, no question, sacrificing the power for diversity wasn’t going to cut it, not ranged at least.

“ It however pails in comparison to me , Come, Instead of barking, why don’t you attack for a change instead of stalling for time, the Child you have harmed is Innocent of any sins his race has caused, I am simply his justice!”

[Warklaw]

Agnulfr howled furiously, he readied Fenrir's Fang to strike down his foe, no matter the cost, before beginning his berserker charge, he howled this:

"There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt! I thought such an out-dated relic as yourself would understand that."

[Yggdrasil]

((i added a twist ^_^, mind games is more fun than actualy fighting))

“ Don’t you dare attempt to bore me with that unfounded point of view again ”

The weapon barked at the Lycan, did the man or wolf that was in control right now truly did not believe in such a simple concept as innocence, Heck even Yggdrasil could easily recall taking the form of a shield to protect the Hjor instead of a sword to strike there foe down.

“ Innocence is rare, true pure Innocence at least, but I have seen it in only so few, and that child bears it, and perhaps it is that reason I have not yet left his side ”

Yggdrasil suddenly felt like it had just found a piece to an unknown puzzle, slotting together so neatly that it made sense, the reason why it was so adamant that it give the Aiesear his Justice, why it had felt a degree of anger.

It was because the boy was pure, an innocent soul who would never use Yggdrasil power for his own, Sure the boy wasn’t a priest in the making, but even the highly regarded of holy men were more corrupt on subtle ways.

Yggdrasil regarded the Lycan once more, suddenly finding the man beyond boring, like any interest about him, even the drive to fight him seemed like such an unimportant thing yet again. That didn’t go and say Yggdrasil had lowered its guard or had become less cautious of the close to feral Lycan.

…

“ …How long, has it been since you was treated with genuine kindness ”

The question was a shot in the dark, but the tone was calm, curious, and almost too god damn sincere for Yggdrasil to have even said it. Boring or not there was still something about the Lycan, his style of living, his current condition and mind set. Usually people were just plain stupid, but the Lycan didn’t seem stupid, more like something else.

For Yggdrasil to ask that question, it had suddenly realised as with Aiesear that his way of thinking and life had been a product from his environment, if he had not adapted he would have been killed. On this mindset and applying it to the Lycan’s current condition, Yggdrasil came to the conclusion that it was the same thing.

Of cause part of that was obvious, he had all but shouted to the world of how he witnessed humanly mortifying events, but that hadn’t added up, not to Yggdrasil at least.

There was something else

“ Or do you not have one once of control over your own body? ”

[Yukina]

Yuki looked around and then snapped her fingers.

"Got it!"

Yuki pointed to the east.

"Remember what Ayerwulf said? The Crimson Alley!! Let's go you guys!"

Yuki stopped for a moment.

"Uh, It is that way right? Scara Brae is a little big..."

[Warklaw]

Agnulfr swung his ancient blade, ready to sever the head from the for before him. Then it spoke, regarding innocence and the boy, then came the part that trembled his foundations. Ayerwulf came forth and stopped his swing, but mere inches from the weapon's neck, sending a frigid breeze around the alley.

"I was birthed into this world by cruelty. I was looked upon as a monster to a family of monsters because of the moon I was born under. I loved my family and my tribe, and you all took them from me. My mentor and foster-mother, Narida, took me in and raised me; now she has been killed by a pirate. My wolfsister, Nalva, is the last of her kind, and she is slowly dying. Do you see?! I have nothing! NOTHING! I have never had the luxury of love or the comfort of friendship! Never has a woman laid her lips on mine in love! I live only for revenge!" Ayerwulf turned his head to the sky, yelling, his eyes burned for reasons he knew not,

"You all amde me this way! All of you! You all have broken me, broken us! I bear the pain of a hate that no mortal should feel!" Ayerwulf's knees felt weak, he fell to his knees, bracing himself with one hand, while the other kept his blade ready. He looked up at the weapon, tears of blood flowing from his eyes and dribbling down his cheeks. His voice was hoarse and gravely,

"You think you can reason with me? Do any of you think you can reason with me? You all should have tried that before the Slaughter! Now, share my sacrifice! My decent is the destroyer of everyman; I am Hatred, Darkness, and Despair! Now share my sacrifice you bastards!" Ayerwulf was furious with passion and wild rage. Though the human of Ayerwulf was back in control, his eyes held a fury that would tear the minds of men, elves, dwarves, or any mortal and possibly etheral asunder.

[Isalidi]

"The wolf's demented. He was possessed, if you'll recall. The one place we DON'T want to go is to this child thing. Any way, as big as Scara Brae is, this is a small town. We should be able to find what we're looking for."

I started again and kept walking while I was speaking, and turned.


Damned if I'd've known that that was the ally the damned wolf had a child on.

[Yggdrasil]

((Scara Brae isn't a small town, i think it has a population of 10,000 or something, oh and there is also a staff that can fix broken maps or something, i wonder if anyone has tried to steal it yet?))

It was almost like before, despite having shaken the Lycan up, with sincere words instead of belittlement, he still called to the heavens about how he was somehow unredeemable. Hmm perhaps unredeemable wasn’t quite the right word for this situation, there were multiple names that could be given to this situation, but hardly any that rolled it all into one.

“ And so you seek to repay those deeds, in your own way of cause ”

Unsaid were Yggdrasil’s opinions that the Lycan was a tad over eccentric, or blowing his own grief out of the water, then again Yggdrasil was both foreign to the concepts of attachments and also intimately familiar to the concept. Hard to explain didn’t even come close, but instead of giving reason to it, it had simply let the concept be.

“ I had originally come to the conclusion that your race was wiped out because of your demonstration, irrational anger, and bloodlust that was deliriously just ” Yggdrasil was still picking apart the Lycan’s Psyche based on pure observation, but even it knew that those words could act as a trigger.

“ But that is simply a result, your on a path to self destruction Lycan, one that will doom your species, and scatter there Legacy. Your Method is based on your emotions and anger, while they serve as a focus, unrestrained, it will ultimately get you killed ”

Probably not what the Lycan needed to hear, but there was a point that Yggdrasil was building up too, the Look in the Lycan’s face was extremely intense, to full with emotion, so much to the point he suddenly gained a case of Stigmata.

Yggdrasil being the partly uncaring Bastard/Bitch that it was, depending on your point of view on what gender it represented, rolled a saving throw against ‘godly pitiful looks’.

“ All mortal beings can not be held responsible for the crime committed against you, most have never even heard of your race Lycan. Know your Enemy Lycan, is it the Living, or the simplicity of Extinction, to have your revenge is more simple than you could imagine ”

Reproduction, if the man cared at all about his race, about what they would hold in his heart, he would follow what little was human was in him and set about recreating it than to follow his rage.

“ I was never your enemy Lycan, I never will be but understand this, I don’t care which path you follow, and free will is far too precious. I will however you an offer once more ”

The poleaxe that was orbiting Yggdrasil avatar stopped and rocketing into the ground before the Lycan, the action itself was confusing but it hoped the representation was clear, instead of offering a hand to aid him, it offered an object to aid him off the ground instead.

“ One day, I will have the means to create a heaven, the Race of Lycan’s would make excellent guardians, no? ”

It asked, the avatar gently floating backwards and away, giving the impression that if the Lycan took too long, the offer would be gone. It wasn’t exactly a hard offer for the Weapon to make, and one day it would indeed be able to fulfil its own goal, that was one part of its purpose after all.

The Lycan was strong, and if given the right motive, the right cause in which to fight, a different goal, then there was a very good reason. And besides, Yggdrasil had already made good on it’s oath to the Child, it had said it would break the man, and if getting him to cry tears of blood then it didn’t know what breaking a man was.

[Yukina]

Hint hint, Yggdrasil? =]

"Well, yeah, but otherwise we don't have any leads. Right now the important thing is to take care of Ayer's task, we can't very well go find the treasure stash at the moment because back that way is a roaring battle..."

Yuki looked around. "Aha!"

She started running off down the street calling back behind her "I know exactly where it is!"

Her locket shaking, glowing, and jingling every step.

[Warklaw]

((Lycans of Warklaw descent cannot simplyly their seed in a fertile womb and move on, they need their mate to have pure lycan blood, Warklaw half-breeds are a blasphemy against the world, Forsaken, they are called; forever part wolf and part man. That is Ayerwulf's burden, the one woman that he could have had as a mate died, he is, for all he knows, alone and doomed to die a very painful death.))

With a hard clang, Fenrir's Fang hit the ground, ice and frost forming around the blade. Its wielder's eyes were glazed over, blood-tears still running from his feral yellow eyes. The eyes suddenly darted up to the woman floating before him, his voice rolling like thunder, bearing a bestial rumble in his words,

"Tell me... Tell me this, have you ever seen mere infants burned, skinned, crucified, all in succession? Have you ever seen a mere blooming maiden raped, had the child she bore cut from her belly, and then burned at the stake? I have experienced all of these things, I have suffered most of these things. At the hands of elves, dwarves, humans, even bloody Rat-Kin. Do you know what is is like to suddenly have all you loved tortured and mutilated beyond recognition before your very eyes, at the age of ten years young?" Ayerwulf knelt there, staring into oblivion, the tormentors of his past circling him. He clutched a ruby medallion that hung over his heart,

"The only person who showed me kindness and love, the only person that I could have loved in return, is now dead. This is all that remains." Ayerwulf heard the woman's offer of a heaven it was going to create,

"You cannot create a heaven, no one but the divines can. Even if you somehow could, there is only me left, what good would one guard be? Surely you know the tale of Arthur and the Black Knight of the Bridge." Nevertheless, Ayerwulf took the end of the poleaxe, and pulled himself up. Speaking aloud to himself in his native toungue,

"Aye fatilur noir, nein baldr Hel lokyn." I am already dead for all anyone cares, I just haven't decided to go to hell yet.

[Isalidi]

You're right, Ygg. Scara isn't a small town. It's an island, with plenty of small towns and a couple of larger cities on it.

"How the hell do you know where it is?!" I asked the angel, grumpily. "As I can see, this is the street we need to be on soon, anyway."

[Yggdrasil]

((eh, trying to wrap this up so i can start hunting the others, and trying not to piss off a lycan in the process, lot more dialog than i thought))

So the Lycan doubted Yggdrasil’s ability to create a heaven, sure enough in its present state it was only marginally better than being a sword wielded by countless people. The avatar that now allowed it a massive degree of freedom was only a recent improvement having only managed to access a larger pool of its power.

“ Countless times Lycan, you forget that I am a weapon, a sword that has been wielded by unsung heroes, and those of evil nature, I have seen that Horror Lycan, I have even been both an instrument of death and life for it. Though I can’t say I was young for those moments.”

Her eyes closed as if contemplating something, but a small smile spread across the avatars features, it was almost mocking if it wasn’t also sincere, it was acting as if it had just been told a secret joke.

“ But for one who claims to have such Knowledge of Fenrir, I am disappointed that you don’t understand the concept of my creation, I will create a Heaven, because that is my purpose. ”

It chuckled lightly again, as far as divinity would go, Yggdrasil was if not divine, was so god damn close, The avatar was in actuality close to how the form of some gods were constructed, a body made up of simple energy with a controlling conscious, Yggdrasil however lacked the simple durability gods could form.

“ You had asked before how I could break you, and I had you down on your knees with tears of blood. In all actuality, I have made good on my oath and needn’t take it any further. Consider this fight finished ”

There was more pressing issues to deal with now, while the Lycan had stalled Yggdrasil for time, there was still the matter that Aiesear was unconscious and in Yggdrasil’s point of view, was actually as good as kidnapped.

“ and I offer you advise: Death … is pointless, such magic that exists in this world, necromancy, or possibly ‘Eitr’, if the one you love is not on this mortal plain then be selfish, surely you are justified are you not, Death is so easy to give, life however is far more of an accomplishment. ”

[Warklaw]

"That magik is a blasphemy against the world Fenrir created, such arts are those of Hel and her legion. I mourn, yes. But I will not damn myself so far as to attempt the Devil-Magik and doom my soul to be devoured by the god I spent fifty years serving." Ayerwulf stood, picking up his ancient Blade with pride and duty, he too had a purpose, though it is awash in a sea of blood that has yet to be shed.

"There is a heaven I believe in, a heaven I fight to be able to enter when the day comes. Whatever my purpose is in this world, I will I have fullfilled it by my life being whisked away by a White Wolf, then I will rest easy, for I will know His will has been done." The lycan sheathed his sword and turned to go to the Crimson Alley, before leaving, though, he growled one last time over his shoulder,

"You fancy yourself a Demigod or a Messiah, do you? You seem to have all the qualities; endless life, boundless knowledge, etheral powers, you are even created of pure energy. There is one thing you lack to be a god, though... You lack Faith. The faith of those you meet and faith in yourself. Without that, you are a mere abnormality in this world, just like me." With that, Ayerwulf walked off, in no hurry to be at The Alley, he trusted the angel, for reasons unknown. Yet he trusted her, nonetheless. He knew she would honor his word and she would keep the Rune Fang safe until Ayerwulf met up with the group again. He could also tell, by the angels almost child-like innocence and nature, she would treat Nalva, the only being that Ayerwulf loved, his wolfsister. A little wolf pup, always smiling and wagging her tail, her eyes like saphires.

"Here I come, sister. Big Brother will be there for you soon."

[Yukina]

Yuki stopped for a second and looked back.
"Shika! Just trust my intuition... I've never been wrong! Come on!"

Yuki kept running down the road and was looking along each wall.

Where is it...

She could feel the Rune Fang glowing in her pocket. You're getting... Warmer!

[Isalidi]

"Damn it girl. So, do you want to want to see this wolf-junior or what?"

[Yukina]

Is Ryudo coming back? :o
Yuki turned her head to the side to call back to Shika.

"You got a better idea?! Now let's go!"
She turned back forward and increased her pace.

[Isalidi]

Sometime. If he's like me he's super busy. If he's in school, he's prob'ly out experiencing life for summer break. Give him time before you proclaim him dead.

"Yeah. Don't follow Yuki's gut into a lake. Hell, you're an angel. We could march directly in to the gates of hell itself...

No thank you." I didn't want to wait, but I didn't want to follow Yuki anymore.

[Warklaw]

Standing in an alleyway covered with drying red-dyed fabrics, was a wolf puppy, no more than a month old, chasing light patterns that danced around on the floor and walls. Her fur was a silvery grey and her eyes a bright baby blue. She wore a smile on her face, her longue lolling out the side of her mouth.

'I wonder when Big Brother will be back, I wanna have some nummy food!' the pup thought to herself. She heard people coming, she had smelt them way earlier, but was under the influence of puppy ADHD. She trotted/ pranced out to the mouth of the alley to see three people bickering. She brought her head to the floor and her rump in the air, a canine body sign that meant "play with me, ya bum!" Her paws were a little dispropoortional to the rest of her, like most puppies are. She barked at the group, though is was rather high pitched and untrained.

"Maybe they have some nummy food or they might wanna play." She thought, barking her puppy-bark a couple more times to get their attention. She knew no matter what happened, she would be safe, she could sense her Big Brother's feral gaze over the whole thing, she wasn't afraid of anything unless those eyes weren't there.

[Yukina]

Yuki was now at the end of a road at the end of the town, but a shady part it seemed. Ryudo and Shika were still within her view, but only somewhat, she shot a pearl right into the sky and waved over to get their attention. She slowly stepped into an alley draped with blood. Her hands held together and up tight against her chest. Step. Step. Click. Click. The sound of each heel hitting the ground. She looked at the end, she saw a small puppy girl and tried to remember what it was that Ayer had told her.

Yuki held her hand out to the little puppy girl. She was a little scared, but not enough to go back, because she owed this to Ayer. She reached into her pocket and grabbed the glowing rune fang and held it out to the child, resting within the bloody cloth that she was given.

She waited.

[Ryudo]

OOC: My most sincere apologies for my recent absence, I have returned, quite alive thankfully =-). I’ve got some catching up to do, which is ironic since the name of the story is “Catching Up With the World.”

Ryudo looked between Shika, and Yuki. He didn’t want to go down the dark, bloody, corridor. Unfortunately, Ryudo didn’t have much of a choice, Yuki had already begun to walk in, and he could never leave a woman in danger. It was a part of Ryudo’s moral code, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.

As he hurried after Yuki, he looked around at the tapestries, and other oddities. Once he reached Yuki, he nodded at her, as if to say that he was ready. As to what he was ready for, Ryudo didn’t really know, none the less he was glad that he was at Yuki’s side. Ryudo looked back at Shika, and made a motion with his arm, signaling for him to come the way Yuki had come.

[Isalidi]

Sorry. I'm officially lost. Tapestries? What the hell?

I kept watching, and eventually Ryudo signalled for me to come.

Well, either they're illusions, demon imitations, or very much okay... Well, I guess I'll go try.

I walked up, and saw a young wolf cub. I sighed slightly. No lake. No death. No hell.

[Warklaw]

((the red wasn't blood... "red-dyed fabrics"... "Taylors Market"... Taylors make and change cloths. I never even hinted at blood. It would be a little over-macabre for a city to not notice a whole alleyway covered in gore... But whatever, what's done is done.))

Nalva sniffed at the angels hand timidly, her ears folded back against her skull. Were her senses betraying her? 'Big Brother would never give the Rune Fang up so easily. Either these people killed him or he trusted them. Judging from their scent, they were sincere and peaceful. Nalva carefully took the Rune Fang from the angel and retreated down the alley, stopping to look back, expecting them to follow.

[Yukina]

Yuki let out a huge exhale when she noticed what was on the walls had been in fact cloth and tarp dyed red and not bloods, she also pondered if she was insane. The little child looked back and Yuki took a couple of steps forward, when this seemed to be an okay action, she continued on.

[Yggdrasil]

‘Faith … I have never doubted my faith, it’s not my nature’ those were Yggdrasil’s thoughts as it watched the Lycan leave; it had to wonder why it had offered the Lycan a chance at its ideal heaven, reassessing the man.

Quite frankly it scoffed to itself and would never allow itself to make such impulsive decisions ever again.

On another more problematic note, was that the small group along with Aiesear were now missing in action, well they had fled the scene and Yggdrasil only had the small tear that the boy held to lead it to them.

Little did Yggdrasil know was that the issue of hunting them down was about to become rather moot.

Aiesear was ever so slowly, opening his eyes, his neck was sore, maybe a pulled muscle, and there was something rather uncomfortable in the way he was currently being held.

Being held?

Oh wait, he was being carried, a quick peek told him it was the human he had run into, with no sign of the monstrous man. Good, without a second through him abruptly spring himself away from his carrier, landed harshly on the ground, and scrambled away a few steps before taking count of where the hell he was.

It was one of the more abstract parts of town, what could be called the bloody street, wasn’t actually made from blood, but rather the scarlet and crimson curtains, that seemed to blow gently in the morning breeze.

“Bloody bastards!” he cursed at the Human, angel and half elf accordingly

“Think you can just take a random kid of the street and interrogate them, Worse you bloody let that monster almost strangle me!” The boy bit his bottom lip, almost in fright from the simple memory alone.

“This time you’re going to get it!” his hand snatched into his pocket and pulled out a small glowing gem, he close his eyes tightly.

Yggdrasil heard the call almost instantly and a grin slid across the avatars face ‘Good boy’ it mentally congratulated before allowing itself in whole to slip through space to where it was being summoned.

The small group was suddenly greeted by the sentient weapon for the third time since meeting in Scara brae, the poleaxe itself again lazily making a slow orbit around the avatar.

Aiesear, blinked rapidly now that Yggdrasil was in front of him, looking almost protective, well it had said that it had served as a shield once or twice.

“ Aiesear, I question the company you keep ” now the boy did blink multiple times, of all the things he was expecting Yggdrasil to say that, it had not even come on his list of possibilities, bloody weapon.

“I think I was kidnapped” the boy deadpanned to the weapon, without takings it’s eyes off the small group it asked the appropriate follow up “is that so?”, ok now it was playing dumb, it had to be

“Yeah! Aren’t you going to full fill that promise and punish these guys?” the boy asked looking between the back of the weapon and to the small group ‘and wolf cob of some kind’ “hmmm… Consider yourselves punished” it announced to them.

[Isalidi]

A lot of things happened in very quick succession. First, the wolf-child Nalva bursted forward and looked back, suggesting that we were to follow.

Next, Yuki began walking towards it, but there was something relieved about her walk, as if she'd realized something comforting.

Then, the child woke up and burst out of my arms, cursing me and holding out a gem to punish us.

Finally, the woman returned and said to consider ourselves punished.


This would've been a lot easier for me to understand if it hadn't happened all in the span of four or so seconds. I blinked several times and looked around, trying to calculate everything that had happened.

In times of multiple stimuli, only the strongest gets through to your brain... and I guess this time they were all pretty strong.

"Ok, you damned weapon, just DAMNED TELL US WHAT YOU F*CKING WANT!" I was not a happy camper.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo was glad that Shika had joined the group again, just as things started to return to normal in the strange corridor filled with crimson cloth, all hell broke loose. Ryudo could only watch as things turned from bad to worse. First the child escaped, and on top of that it began cursing Ryudo and the group out. Then as if things were not already bad enough, the weapon that had caused nothing but trouble had returned, this time promising to punish the group. Inside, Ryudo’s mind was racing, calculating, examining, and interpreting the hell storm that was about to wash over, but outside Ryudo maintained a calm and collected appearance. Unlike Shika, who angrily vented at the strange weapon.

A sly smile appeared on Ryudo's face, “Shika, hold your tongue. Please do not forget that we are in the presence of a lady, and a weapon that likes to dress as one. Try to show better manners, at least for Yuki’s sake.”

This was one way that Ryudo was able calm himself, he maintained his respectful and chivalrous demeanor, while cracking a joke.

[Warklaw]

Down at the end of the alleyway was a guardsman watchtower, meant to have the sharpest eyes and most keen of bows upon it. Now, those sharp eyes were glazed over with death, their hands stiff and cold with rigor mortis. Instead of the eyes of a human over seeing the ordeal, the fiery gold of a beast.

Standing upon an outcrop on the tower, casting a long and dark shadow like death, was Ayerwulf. Bloody blade in hand, slowly dripping and melding with the dyes below. Ayerwulf did not intend to complicate or simplify this confrontation, but if Nalva where to be harmed or captured, the alley would be a bloody one.

"Thank you, Yukina." He said silently, yet somehow, he thought that she would hear him, etheral beings have their ways. The lycan gazed down at the lad he had had in a vice grip earlier, and smiled cruely at him. The higher the sun got in the sky, the more Ayerwulf's deathly shadow stretched, that was all he needed to do at the moment; chill the atmosphere so his allies won't be harmed. Knowing the weapon's style, that is bound to be more mental than physical.

"Let us see, woman. You fancy yourself invulnerable, yet you weasle out of combat with poisoned words... How frail thou must be at your core..." Ayerwulf said to himself in aloud observation.

[Yukina]

Yuki looked at Ayerwulf and saw his bloody shadow, she sighed in ecstasy and smiled for some reason. Then the innocent little boy jumped out of Shika's arms and ran away, cursing something terrible, Yuki couldn't help but be happy that they were all together again, except now they had a problem.

"Well now... We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. We have a dead end to our front, and a revenge seeking weapon to our back, anyone have some ideas?"

Yuki could only help but hear a word resonate in her mind.

Thanks.

[Ryudo]

OOC: Hey guys, I’m sorry but I am going to be out of town till Thursday, I just wanted to let you all know so that you can include me in the story. I will try to get internet access where I am staying, but I just wanted to give you all a heads up in the event that I am unable to post. Thank you very much for your understanding, I will surely write as soon as I get home Thursday night!

***

"Hmm... It would seem m'lady that we have indeed wound up in a peck of trouble. Perhaps, we should use a distraction..."

Ryudo was cut off as the beast yelled down at the weapon from above. Ryudo was about to suggest that they use a distraction to go the way they came, when suddenly, as if from the heavens the distraction that he longed for presented itself.

Ryudo looked up in the sky and saw the beast, and then he looked down at his friends.

"That may be our sign to get out of here, if you ask me Ayer is providing that diversion I was talking about quite nicely.” Ryudo inclined his head past the weapon towards the alley from whence they came.

[Warklaw]

The wolf pup, Nalva, growled lightly in frustration at how the group was being distracted from her. She was a puppy, and a female at that. She trotted over to the seemingly overchivalrous half elf and pawed at his feet. She knew the location, and her Big Brother had a shorter fuse today than usual, meaning he would willingly thrash anyone who made him wait or, Fenrir help them, make him angry.

Hoping that she got the elf's attention she trotted over towards a old, out-dated, and boarded up keep. She was about to try and get help her open the massive cellar door when she heard something; like a banner billowing in the wind or a stone being cast through the air... She heardthe sound of something rushing past air with increasing velocity, then she paniced.

It was Ayerwulf, he jumped.

[Yggdrasil]

((what did Wolf jump at? For all I know he could have jumped to give yuki a glomp, but am gonna guess yggdrasil?))

Oh how this group was amusing, no sooner than Aiesear had summoned her directly to him, were they already assuming that the worst was going to happen yet again. If Yggdrasil wanted a fight, it would have simply speared the lot already.

Mortals, can’t live with them, sure could live without them though

“ You think I am here to fight? ” it asked still amused by the guarded hostility, the Boy that stood behind the weapon had noticed the Lycan once again, giving him the evil eye, or face, god he looked demented like that, still scared the shit out of the boy regardless.

“You mean your aren’t going to fight them?” the boy asked still confused about that, and without missing a single beat Yggdrasil calmly gave him that answer “ No, it would be pointless ”

Of cause then the Lycan spoke his mind, the comment itself wasn’t what shocked the hell out of the ancient weapon, it wasn’t even the snide way he had said it, Yggdrasil was not physically weak, that was all but impossible.

What struck Yggdrasil was that the Lycan had all but proven himself to be the most utterly stupidest being on the planet, so much so that even the wolf pup over there seemed to have more common sense.

Why?

Because not once but twice Yggdrasil and the Lycan have clashed with words, the first creating the hostile air between the two, the second of those encounters was much more hostile but it all came crumbling down when Yggdrasil fulfilled it’s oath to the boy to break him. The conclusion of that had the Lycan weeping tears, and Yggdrasil even went as far as to offer the Lycan Absolution to his life before they parted once more.

But now it seemed as if that conversation had never taken place.

He certainly had a way of stealing Yggdrasil’s attention from the others in the group, but it was only starting to get really annoying, then the Lycan jumped, and Yggdrasil’s tolerance for the Lycan plummeted through the ground. So the Lycan soon found one of Yggdrasil’s trade manna bolts on an interception route straight towards him, the resulting impact and the kinetic wave would plant him back onto the ground, provided it hit of cause.

“Annoying … and here I was about to tell you where the treasure is located” that got Aiesear’s attention rather quick “WHAT? WHY?”

[Isalidi]

I stepped back agapst when it said that it wasn't interested in fighting.

I stepped back agapst once more when it said it would tell us where the treasure was.


"WHAT?! You know of the treasure?! Did you see inside the scroll?! What was in it?!"

[Warklaw]

Like a angel of death, banished from the heavens, Ayerwulf soared from the top of the massive guard tower. The cobblestone street seemed to expand as he soared towards it, the unmoving rock ready to crush Ayerwulf with his own falling weight, not going to happen.

The Lycan heard a crackling noise approaching fast, it stank of pure manna and energy. Ayerwulf growled and spun, facing the scabbard of Fenrir's Fang absorb the energy of the bolt, but not the kick. He was hit into the wall of the tower, acting like a sandbelt against his skin, reducing parts of him to muscle and even bone.

Rolling his weight, he escaped the wall. Facing his feet towards the ground, he bunched up the muscles in his massive, rippling legs. Muscle and vein shown through his skin as he neared the street.

Then, with a sound like the Hammer of Daemons striking the earth, seeming to vibrate the very space about him, Ayerwulf hit the ground. Depris flew skyward with large trails of dust following them, massive crevices eoened up in the ground, snaking up the walls of buildings and down the street. The impact caused a massive shock of sound and force, causing something like a gale to channel down the alleyway whilst the booming, thunderous noise echoed off of the walls. The earth around them trembled, as if in fear, from the impact.

For a long, long moment, nothing happened. Depris fell from their flight, clattering on the earth. The cloud of dust and dirt began to settle, exposing a massive crater which had snaking tendrils of crack and crevices expanding outward. All was quiet, then the sound of iron clad footfalls crunching on the earth below resonated through every ones ears. From the still dissipating dust cloud, a field of frost and ice expanded forth, then those iron clad boots brought him forth, Blade in one massive fist, the other hand in a clawed shape. Ayerwulf smiled in a way that said anything but "I'm friendly" done so by the flesh reknitting itself on his face, along with his rows of sharp teeth and his burning, yet icy gaze.

"I'm baaaaaaack..." Ayerwulf said, standing in front of Nalva like the protecive Brother/father he was. Though they were wolf and wolfman, Ayerwulf protected her like the family he never really had.

"Every time we meet, you contridict yourself. You claim to be so knowledgable of everything, yet you obviously don't even know how the wolf pack works. You see, I have the blood of an Alpha in my veins. The Alpha Wolf leads and provides his pack, but over all of that, he protects his pack..." Ayerwulf strode broadly and confidently, standing directly before Yukina, and ahead of the others,

"... Now, stop threatening my pack-mates, you conniving sack of crap. Leave my pups alone, unless you want yours to fit in an urn without being cremated." Ayerwulf no longer smiled, his teeth were barred with his tongue parting his top and bottom jaws slightly, like how a wolf does when he or his family-pack feel threatened. His abyssal growl vibrated his thick neck, ready to do his job as Alpha, even if it meant death.

"Make your choice carefully, you might be eating all dorogatory remarks you made to me without a bottom jaw if you make your next decision poorly."

[Yggdrasil]

If the Weapon was allowed to show emotion more than it could, it would probably develop vocal cords for the avatar just so it could groan right then and there. The small pup defiantly had more common sense than the large Lycan, it had too, and there was no possible way that the Lycan had any of his own.

“ Such blindness, instead of racing to conclusions, perhaps your should shut up and watch events, thinking does not seem to agree with you apparently ”

From Yggdrasil’s point of view, that was true, it could forgive the Lycan to being partially the way he was due to a traumatic experience, but now he was just being incredibly stupid. Yggdrasil had made no threats, even the boys urging for punishment had been disregarded right then and there.

“ I would certainly hope you would not let this Lycan dictate all the decisions made, otherwise I might not be able to collect that debt ” at said turning a smirking grin to the human and Half elf, the two seemingly smarter people of this group, not saying that the angel was stupid, she defiantly had a higher IQ than the Lycan, the pup too for that matter.

That line of thinking was defiantly best left unsaid, saving this street from turning into a massive world war.

“ Oh hush Lycan, my business with you has far been concluded, and I am sure your ‘pack’ is very well capable of making there own choices ”

Aiesear on the other hand was just looking at the Lycan, and was left rather dumbfounded, despite being tall and scary he was proving to be a little, stubborn, Yggdrasil had swatted him out of the sky, and he was back ready for more punishment.

‘wow, um what was that called again, mass-oh caustic? … Masochistic!’

[Isalidi]

The wolf appeared and taunted the weapon.

Ayer really isn't very smart, is he...?


As I sighed at being ignored upon the weapon's next speach, I suddenly realized it was speaking at all. It seemed to be using a telepathic communication, which was much more common further south...

[Warklaw]

"Call me what you wish, bitch. I know I am no Seer or Shaman. I know I am not the most wise. But think for a moment; you take pride in saying 'you have no blood'. If that is so, that means you are nothing, you have no mind and no heart." Ayerwulf still stood, unwavered by mere words he didn't value. Nalva laid down under Ayerwulf, inbetween his feet. Her ears folded flat and her tail tucked, her baby blue eyes looking from person to person.

"I don't enjoy pain, it just doesn't affect me in the way it would most. Physical pain makes me stronger, the scent of my blood enrages me and makes me more willing to kill. It is far from masochism, it is simply Lycanism." Ayerwulf had grown tired of this weapon and the boy-bitch that used it as a shield.

"Armor and shields are a sign of insecurity and utter weakness. Seeing as hoy you ARE a shield, you must be as brittle as a fall leaf. Your little boy-bitch is very frail, I know... I was gripping him the same way I would a mug of ale. You should use the intelligence and reason you boast so much and be thankful I stopped him from squishing the lad. Use your reason; I never forget a face, I never forget a scent, if that boy means anything more than a paperweight to you, it would be in the best of both your interests to leave my pack alone. Alpha Wolves will go to Ragnarök itself to protect the honor and lives of its pack, so don't push me too far... You and the boy may regret it when you find his body spread out acrosst the continent."

[Isalidi]

Well, do something, Shika! I urged myself, If this damned wolf convinces the weapon to fight, his will be the body spread out across the continent...

Almost wondering if that would be a loss, I suddenly said "Ayer. Behave yourself... the weapon has no intention to fight." I was pretty sure it wouldn't work, but whatever. Nothing really to lose.

[Warklaw]

"Shika, just because I consider you a pack-mate, that doesn't mean I won't give you a thrashing," Ayerwulf said over his shoulder to the human that told him to behave.

"I am a wolf; your Alpha, treat me with respect, not like your bloody lapdog. Be wise like that again... let's leave it there."

[Yukina]

Yuki smiled, drew her bow and spun around, pulling back an arrow and aiming straight up.

"So does this mean we're gonna fight, or what?!"

Oh yeah, I'm good!

[Ryudo]

Ryudo placed a hand on one of his daggers, he didn't want to fight, but he was not going to be caught off guard. He tried to figure a plan out, one that didn't involve a cataclysmic battle; in fact a decision without an all out duel to the death would be a nice change of pace. Ryudo was the one with a level head, if anyone should be able to come up with a plan it would be him. He thought about what the weapon had said, Why would he want to help us? If Ryudo could shed a little more light on the situation, it would be much easier for the group to make a decision.

“Ayer please, lets not immediately forgo an attempt to settle without unnecessary violence. The weapon has offered to help us, let’s hear what he has to say.” Ryudo lokked first at Ayer then, at Yuki and Shika, he hoped that what he was doing was the right thing.

As his gaze fell upon Yuki, he watched her draw her arrows, this caused Ryudo to examine himself. He noticed that his hand was on his dagger as well, Not exactly the image I want to project… Lead by example.

Ryudo removed his hand from his dagger, then looked at Yuki,

“Hopefully it doesn’t mean were going to fight Yuki. Lets see what our ‘friend’ here has to offer.” With those words Ryudo’s eyes fell upon the weapon, Your move.

[Warklaw]

The elf secreted a scent through his pores that made Ayerwulf's hackles stand on end. He is trying to be Alpha? What a laugh, Ayerwulf thought to himself, then he barked his opponion to the elf,

"Your chivilry is appreciated, I am sure, elf; but keep in mind that Yukina is not a helpless high elf maiden as yourself. If you wish to lead this pack, go ahead lead it, but as the wolves do in the wild, you will have to dethrone me first. Yukina is a higher pack status in my eyes anyway..." the lycan smiled. His smile went from mocking to caring as he looked from Ryudo to Yukina, "...in fact, I could see Yuki here being an Alpha along with me." Ayerwulf looked to the angel, her fair and frail looks hid a definate power that Ayerwulf's muscles could not match in a hundred lycan lifetimes. He envied her, not because of her immortality or her divinity; but her carefree nature, being able to believe that everyone had good in them. He smiled at her warmly and nodded to her with support. He felt the duties he had lost so long ago begin to surface. All this time, Fenrir had told him that there is only such a miniscule and benign power in loneliness, in nothing but hatred. Ayerwulf couldn't understand until today: wolves run in packs, a family of blood and brotherhood. One wolf is dangerous, but a pack is a whole different matter, especially when loved ones are at stake. In these past few moments, Ayerwulf felt a greater power in him, like a hole in him that had finally be filled.

"...Like a wolf will with her pups, I fight because I have loved ones to protect." Ayerwulf's mind thought of Nalva, then it went blank; only to go to Yukina, that was unexpected to say the least. Could it be... Ayerwulf shook his head in disbelief and to refocus at the delicate situation at hand.

[Yggdrasil]

((My computer died on me, but it got better ^_^))

An alpha now, the lycan did seem to hold a vision of delusions of grandeur, no agreement, no ritual to adopt them into a pack, just a sudden whim and suddenly he was running with a pack. Yggdrasil could almost see the ego, like an aura that shone above all else. Sad thing was though, was that the angel for all intents and purposes had been absorbed into this grandeur, the human and half elf, and at least seemed to be considering it.

Right then and there the Weapon was tempted to ask the Human to fulfil his life debt and slay the lycan, the irony that would present would be nothing short of delicious karma to watch unfold.

“LITTLE BOY BITCH! I will show you a boy bitch ya damn brainless brute!” Aiesear was fast when he wanted to be, he was already charging headlong towards the lycan intending to deliver a powerful blow to the lycans face.

His size was the first problem

His second was his undeveloped strength

The third was gravity as Yggdrasil’s avatar grabbed the back of his grey tunic and threw him to the ground behind it once again, a lovable friend indeed but there was nothing to gain by watching the boy charge into tantamount to suicide.

“ Behave Aiesear, Let the creature be with his delusions, after all he has nothing left ”

That earned an upset glare from Aiesear, but he looked at the lycan once more, and proceeded to present his most gracious middle finger, again the weapon suppressed a deep human urge to groan, the boy may be truly innocent, but he was rough around the edges … make that bladed.

“ A treasure hoarded by thieves, yes I have seen it, I have even secured its location. I however am still hesitant in sharing this information with you. You see the museum have had many artefacts stolen from them, and as it is each of you seem to be seeking an item from that collection. ”

Aiesear stood up back up and patted his clothes down from the dirt and dust found on the street’s of scara Brae, he snorted with amusement before giving each of there supposed opposition an accusing look.

“Which translates too, in our point of view, that you guys are gonna effectively steal from the museum too” he then shot the avatar another accusing glare for itself “and you still have not explained why your willing to share that information with them”

“Because of the Human”

[Yukina]

Yuki sighed, she didn't know why, but she was sure that if a fight did break out then she would be ready. She replaced the handle of her bow after it was powered down on her belt and sighed.

She then remembered what she thought the avatar was speaking of.

She's the one who... Saved them... back on... that night?...

Yuki stood, shifting her weight to the right, leaning in that direction. She put her right hand on her hip and the other left limp.

"So then, what's next?"

[Ryudo]

Ryudo couldn’t believe his ears, what an utter barbarian! If this was any other time, Ryudo would do something about the beast, but the treasure for Ryudo was so close now. If he could just be holding what it was that he desired, his anger with the beast would subside. Ryudo kept his mind fixed on the prize at hand, and not the wretch who attempted to destroy any semblance of a good plan.

“Ayer, please you are acting down right stupid, there is no need for you to insult any of us. Were all in this together, at least for now, if you want to leave and go on your own way, be my guest. After, we get the treasure. Until we get the treasure lets issue less threats, it will make things a whole lot faster.”

Psycho…

Ryudo then turned his attention to the weapon, and listened. It had not occurred to Ryudo that in not returning the items to the museum, it would be stealing. However, this matter was not a large problem. To satisfy his employer, Ryudo would claim that the man who stole the goods was brought to justice; however the contents that he stole were unable to be found. Simple as it may be the story would work, and Ryudo would be paid half of the original price for the job. This money was little compared to the worth of the items that Ryudo would receive from the loot. As for his superiors, they would not complain since they would be receiving a larger cut then what they would have received if Ryudo would have completed the job as was stipulated. Money aside, there was one thing in this loot that made the whole job worth it. A small scroll that no one had claimed yet, this was what Ryudo was truly after. Though every one else was after ancient tomes, and strange letters, Ryudo’s wants were much simpler. Ryudo merely desired the random gold pieces that he could fence for money, and most importantly, an old manuscript. An ancient piece of parchment that contained two identical passages of writing, transcribed in both Elvish and Ancient Elvish. It would be an immense help in the translation of the Anicient Elvish written on Silver Fang. If Ryudo could translate what was written on the blade, he would be a step closer to wielding the unimaginable power that lay dormant inside.

Ryudo was about to explain his reasoning to the group and to the weapon when suddenly the weapon stated why it would help the group, Shika? Ryudo’s eyes darted from the weapon to Shika quickly, and then finally they stopped, staring straight at the weapon.

“Would you please elaborate as to why you are so willing to help us?”

[Yggdrasil]

Well, the Half elf now saw the situation from an alternate point of view, and despite the minor annoyance in Aiesear deciding to translate what it had said, that avatar still seemed to be amused about something no one else was privy too. Its reasons, while easily could be because it was beyond human reason were actually quite simple.

Until recently this avatar wasn’t even ability, the closest it could come to this avatar was an astral projection that only existed in the wielders mind. It’s ‘upgrade’ since then was a massive boost in its combat capabilities, enough to let it fight on its own, more importantly was the new level of interaction.

Which no doubt may seem a little odd to everyone else.

“The Human?” the boy asked confused at the odd statement

But Yggdrasil had no conversational abilities for groups or anyone not a hjor, so that could be forgiven.

“partly my reason for deciding to aid you, is because the Human, took Aiesear from the area that I was all but prepared to turn to glass ” ok maybe that was a little exaggeration on Yggdrasil’s part, turning a street to glass needed a lot more raw manna than what it could pump out, for the moment at least.

“ But it is how I will it; I am aiding you because I chose to ” unsaid was that in doing so they would owe Yggdrasil favours, not quite as potent as a life debt, or any oath of servitude, but Yggdrasil knew it had a severe lack of contacts, there was no way a young boy, or possibly a decrepit old man could aid it in it’s goal.

And Yggdrasil had many goals, each one a stepping stone to an end, the more people allied with itself or it’s goal the better in the long run.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf had been growing more and more impatient with each passing moment. The talking scrap-metal and the half-breed spent too much time exchanging words, this concerned him. In his past experience, encounters that went like this always ended up in the foe winning, simply beause he was buying his men time to get into position and leave the poor sap trapped by them with no way out.

"Weapon, don't try any of those mind-tricks on me our my pack, now. Just be a gentle... thing, and TELL US WERE THE BLOOFY, F*CKING TREASURE IS!!" At the end of this, during the yell, Ayerwulf's body physically changed some, only able to see if one has very keen eyes, which is mostly everyone present.

"And half-breed..." Ayerwulf didn't finish his sentence, he just spat a large glob of bloody phlegm at the half-elf's feet, missing his fancy boots by a hair; a shame.

"If my intuition serves me right, weapon thing... You're tired. You are tired and have reached your limit, passed it, and now you are merely surviving on the wings of your words; wings I will rip from their sockets if you don't quit your useless blabbering." The lycan was resting the flat of his blade on his cannonball-like shoulder, slowly striding towards the weapon.

"We all have a limit, we all have a point in which we break and then crumble. It matters not if you are made of pure manna or not, you still have your limits, an you are spent. If you weren't, then why did you nit incinerate us? Why did you not impale us were we stand, like you said you could? It is simply because you have nothing left, your arsenal has run dry, your energy spent, and your mind strained." Ayerwuf continued to walk foreword, now easily within the weapon's melee striking range, but he didn't stop. He saw the boy eyeing him timidly, so like any Warklaw lad would do, Ayerwulf held up his clawed hand and clenched it into a fist, causing the knuckles to crack.

"People like you make me sick... they speak and speak and speak, nothing more. You and that half-breed... bloody politicians. I am wondering, though... Did you ever spill blood, or did you just talk your opponents into a state of coma, proceeding to toss them into the ocean?" Ayerwulf was nearly nose to nose with the avatar, so close, that he was almost sure that even the boy hiding behind it could smell the human blood on his breath.

[Yggdrasil]

In all honesty Yggdrasil could regard the Lycan with both eternal amusement and infinite annoyance. The train of logic that he seemed to process could and may have been correct, if he was dealing with anyone but Yggdrasil. Even as he approached, using intimidation techniques that successfully caused Aiesear to0 back away, even with Yggdrasil before him.

Yggdrasil on the other hand, was more akin to a combat AI than an actual sentient sword. Although it had never accumulated any experience to wield weapons in the art of combat, it was however a great study in the art of war and anything else it would find of interest.

The lycans intimidation attempt could not work because Yggdrasil did not, could not feel any sort of fear, not for itself at least, it didn’t have too. It could have felt a mild concern about it’s ward being in danger, truth be told it would never let the lycan come close to even touching the boy.

“ Indeed we all have a limit, Lycan. But you are also incorrect about mine ”

At some point during Warklaws intimidating walk, Yggdrasil had reverted the poleaxe back into the base form of that of a simple orbiting sphere, Yggdrasil’s real form actually, but avatar’s made such scare distractions that no one seemed to have picked up on the that fact.

Either way Yggdrasil had not yet moved, it stood its ground despite to close proximity, if its nose was functional, it probably would have sneered in disgust. And despite levitating did not come close to even reaching the man eye too eye.

It seemed like there was going to be only one way to get the man to shut up or listen, or possibly jade him to ever think Yggdrasil was all talk.

“ I suppose a small demonstration is in order ”

Is was rather Sudden, the Sphere, now between Yggdrasil and Warklaw thanks to it’s lazy orbit began to shape shift into yet another weapon or other. This time a lance, a rather large lance that if weighed would be about 3/4 tons. However due to it’s location and angle, the lycan was bound to find out that being where he stood, would be in a direct path of the weapon taking form.

It would skewer him through the gut hard and fast.

Not that Yggdrasil was planning to kill the lycan with that rather sudden attack, it was banking on the Lycan regenerative ability to be able to pull him off the end and heal it up in no time flat.

But beside the point, pardon the pun, Yggdrasil was very much inclined to deliver the point home, HARD, not less than a second after the lance was suddenly taking form, another ball of manna, glowing softly within the avatars right hand sprang to life, and was thrust forwards towards the Lycans face.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf was tired of this majik crap, no one just plain fought eachother anymore. The two projectiles formed,

"Fenrir's Fang, this task is below you." he said as he stuck the blade into the ground. The spear at the gut came first, Ayerwulf could feel a sting as the point passed through skin and organs. The lycan gripped the haft of the spear so it would not leave his body, not yet. Regarding the pike that headed towards his face, Ayerwulf turned his head down, letting his head his the side of the blade instead of the point, sending the spear off of his head, but not without blood. The others could easily see the lycan's skull as his skin began do do it's job, blood dribbled down the lycan's face, making him look more psychotic that usual.

Ayersulf shook his head and waved a clawed index finger,

"Tssk, tssk, tssk... Shame on you." He began, still holding the spear in his body, "Do not continue to think me a moron, weapon. Have you not heard of skirmish campaigns? You say you are so well learned in the ways of war; war is in my name. You made the fatal flaw of sticking to the same combat template every time, your confidence that I am no more than a mindless animal has lead you to commit a very deadly sin when it comes to combat, Cuberus." Ayerwulf paused to rub his forhead, making sure the skin reattatched to his skull properly, "You let pride and confidence waver your judgement. If you make that mistake again, you and your pet whelp will end up dead."

Ayerwulf pulled the spear from his abdomen, inspecting the blade. Then
without looking, he cast it, catching the collar of the boy's shirt, pinning him to a wall. Picking up his blade a resting itnon his shoulder again, Ayerwulf spoke one last time before turning his back to the weapon,

"You and the boy best learn this and get it to fill those hollow skulls of yours: It was Yukina here that gave me the silver, it was me who saved the boy from a very horrid death. It was Shika who kept him in that state for you, and it was Ryudo who has shown you nothing but kindness. As far as my "stupid nature" lets me see; you owe all of us this. All of us kept that whelp alive as much as he did. So, keep that in mind before thinking me a moron or a beast or both. You do that again, and I promise you that you will be no more than a pewter bowl with what would be left of the whelp as the occupant."

[Yggdrasil]

That had not gone as planned, the point it wanted to make was that it was not reluctant in getting down and dirty to attack. True if it had been anyone but the lycan it would have at best been a warning shot. Impaling the beast, it had thought that severe action would have proved that point more than any warning.

But as it was, Aiesear was hissing with pain clutching a now bleeding shoulder, one that the lance it had formed and was now slightly dripping with. Apologies to the boy could not even begin to express any sort of emotion or feelings it could make, the only thanks it could make was that it was little more than a cut.

Yggdrasil cast it’s attention back to the lycan, eyes more narrowed than ever, there was little that was holding it back, killing the lycan here and now would be oh so satisfying, annoying for any future plans, but still satisfying.

…

Despite the way Yggdrasil thought that eliminating the lycan here and now, would be very beneficial for Scara Brea in a whole.

“I see I was mistaken” Yggdrasil spoke with an chilling sense of calm despite the decision it had came too, the avatar holding out a hand, as if that could summon it’s weapon from the embedded wall. Regardless it pulled itself out and returned to Yggdrasil’s side.

“ I thought I had seen potential, so I offered you my aid, I thought I saw great strength, so I offered you a future haven. ” Yggdrasil grinned briefly before looking over it’s shoulder towards Aiesear, if it was intentional or not, the threat the Lycan had shown to the boy was very misplaced, and his aim had been inches, simply inches off it’s supposed target, scraping the boys slight skin.

“ Aiesear ”

He looked at Yggdrasil in surprise

“Go home, I am a danger to be around” then it turned it’s attention back to the lycan and to the group, satisfied as it heard the boys steps hesitantly step away before breaking into a run. There was keeping the boy around, but in this company, as already demonstrated, would get him killed with simply his presence.

“If what you say is true lycan, then I owe no favours to your pack, despite my own reasoning, I shall go by those terms” then it took it’s eyes off the lycan, the supposed alpha of this pack “ I shall take you to this treasure, no I shall give you this treasure, but I ask something in return” it said turning to the Human, Half-elf and the angel.

“ Denounce the Lycan as the Alpha of your pack; I do not deem him mentally healthy to lead you, and before you speak lycan, this is there decision ”

[Warklaw]

Oh, how this thing knew how to cut Ayerwulf's pacience off at the knees. The words would not have bothered as much is someone else said it, or even if the weapon said it, it usually wouldn't bother him, but it was the way the weapon spoke that made Ayerwulf's blood boil. It took much self restraint from giving the thing the benafiet of it's words and thrashing out at it's neck. Ayerwulf spoke, his voice as cold as ever,

"Very well, choose, lads. Make the choise wisely though. It would be nothing short of tragic if a new leader arose only to be cast into a trap with all of his packmates lives at stake. You can never trust," Ayerwulf turned and spat at the weapon's feet, "people who make such demands so often; they tend to have something more sinister than a card up their sleeve." The lycan walked back to his group and knealt down beside Yukina, planting his sword tip into the ground and resting on it. He gave a loud and sharp whistle and Nalva pranced over to her Big Brother and leapt up on his broad shoulders. Ayerwulf looked to Yuki, he just smiled in a friendly manner.

"Yuki, meet my Wolf-Sister, Nalva. Go ahead and pet her, she'll be your best friend for life if you do." Ayerwulf laughed, he was not worried about this situation in the least. As long as he kept Nalva and Yukina from har, he had little else to worry about. Shika and Ryudo were big boys, they should be able to take care of themselves if danger rises, which it was bound to once the moon rises again.

[Ryudo]

Ryudo had listened to everyone’s demands and implorations for what seemed like an eternity. He had to constantly remind himself that the treasure he sought was so close, and that what it contained would be worth this whole ordeal. It better be! Now he listened to the newest request, to renounce the beast as the leader of his pack. Gladly... However, Ryudo knew it would not be as easy as just saying that Ayer wasn't the leader. Even if it was true, Ryudo didn't want to anger the giant. Though Ryudo was strong, he didn't want to be confrontational. Especially when one considered the fact that Ryudo had been constantly in battle, without sleep, for longer than he cared to remember. No, renouncing Ayer as the leader was not the correct way of going about this problem. Ryudo needed to be delicate; he was dealing with some very temperamental folk.

"Look, here is the way I see it. None of us are the leader, not Ayer, not me, not Shika, not Yuki. We formed this group from necessity, where was the stipulation that one of us was the leader? Last time I checked, this was a team, in which each and every one of us brought an equal amount of help, as well as would leave with an equal amount of wealth. So before we go around renouncing each other and proclaiming the rest, let’s accomplish what we set out to do. We are so close to what we seek, and yet without the others we’ll never reach it. So there you have it, none of us are the leaders.”

Ryudo took a deep breath, hopefully what he had just said got across his point, he didn’t want to anger or offend anyone. It was as he had said, none of them could accomplish their own, respective, goal without each other. Ryudo sincerely hoped that he had not angered Ayer, the reason being that everyone had had enough fighting. If Ayer was angered, then everyone would be in for more violence. If violence was necessary, then it could take place after everyone had received the loot. Until then Ryudo would like to keep as much of a semblance of peace as possible. Is this really worth it?

[Yukina]

Yuki uncomfortably twitched at the sound of that, Ouch, that's probably enough to set off our friendly neighborhood werewolf here. "Even though it's true we all do contribute something and bring a different unique ability to the table here, it's always felt like we've had a leader." Yuki stepped into what felt like the center of their little crowd. "Because without someone to lead, someone to help find the way and assert the rest of us to our goals... Wouldn't everything be a little more... disoriented?"

Yuki's heart was pounding out of pure anxiousness. She really wanted to find this treasure. Now. If her senses were correct, that thief had a sacred scroll of Naralia, with it she could decode the next line of the final summon scroll, and in turn, the next line of the final page of the grimoire...

I could only hope that the weapon will stand aside and we can get to get that treasure... Time may be running out...

[Warklaw]

With each minute that passed, with each moment the day grew older, Ayerwulf could hear Agnulfr; clawing, biting, and tearing at the chains that held him.

'Damn it all, the Beast is getting more powerful... Soon, not even the sun will stop him... Fenrir help us' Ayerwulf thought to himself. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, sounding a barrage of cracks as his knuckles popped to release the pressure on them. He opened his mouth to speak, but only blood came forth. The lycan clamped his hand over his mouth, small strings of blood and saliva oozed in between his fingers.

Ayerwulf's gums felt like his teeth had been ripped out and replaced with burning coals, the pain nearly caused him to keel over. The situation was far more simple than what anyone was thinking, they had to get the treasure and run, or they would all die. Ayerwulf turned to the weapon, standing slowly as blood continued to fall from Ayerwulf's mouth and down his chin.

"I... I shuguesht that.... Grrr... That we get a bloody move on..." Ayerwulf's speech was somewhat impared, like he had gravel in his mouth. It was his teeth, they were changing to become fangs meant for the kill and the kill only.

" You are making thish a muchsh more complicated ishue than it ish, we need to getch to that treashure fasht... I don't have long... Sho getch a bloody move on, or we all die... It'sh that shimple." His teeth were becoming too large and sharp for a human mouth, he would start changing again, a Rahu-form werewolf in broad daylight... Not good.

[Yukina]

Yuki went over and pet Nalva, the little wolf girl, "Aww, she's so cute!" Yuki then slapped herself, "Wait what?" Yuki got scared of Ayer again, as she realised what was to come, it would be like that night so long ago.... it seemed like ages when it was only a day or few ago...

Yuki looked to Ryudo and Shika, "So, are we going to get this treasure or what!?" She smiled and felt a wave of confidence and happiness overcome her. She couldn't explain why, but she felt strong and ready for anything to happen, anything she needed was in her hands... Except, "That DAMN treasure!"

[Yggdrasil]

“ What is the rush? the Reward is quite secure”

The weapon asked, the others seemed to be desperate, almost tripping over there own feet to find this treasure for themselves. The weapon wasn’t sure why, hadn’t it already explained that it had secured the location of the treasure.

True it wasn’t going to stay secure for long, the blows it had dealt with the thief’s within the hideout were powerful but non-lethal, at beast they would be out of it for a few more hours in the least.

Unless one had a steel stomach

“ Apart from the lycans attempts to control his instincts rather than his emotions. Although I have received an answer, I have not obtained the one I seek ” the smirk the avatar gained now was nothing short of haughty and a sense of superiority briefly washed over the weapon.

“ I am tempted to provoke the lycan even more, but for the sake of the well being of this city, I shall desist ”

And with that said Yggdrasil’s feet finally lowered to the floor, spinning on one heel and with light steps began to walk away from the group, ultimately towards the treasure.

‘perhaps I should take a detour to the castle and introduce the Lycan to the Scara Guards?’

I silently mused, regardless of the treasure or not, handing in he lycan to the local authorities for killing the guard before would be highly amusing. Meddling with mortal affairs was so much fun, especially when it knew that the one it was messing with was on the edge of mass homicide, thank god Aiesear was now putting a great deal of space between them at this very second.

[Ryudo]

As Ryudo followed the new "ally", he felt an all too familiar sensation rise up from his toes. It was the sensation of unease. The fact of the matter was that this weapon that had now joined the group was just a few hours ago an immense obstacle in their path. In fact, had it not been for the weapon, the contract Ryudo had been sent out to complete would have been accomplished a whole lot sooner, and it would have been much less complicated.

Never the less, here they were, following head first into what Ryudo could only imagine could be one of two things. The small optimistic side of Ryudo, reasoned that the weapon would stick to its word, and that before one knew it, the treasure would be in Ryudo’s hands. The other side of Ryudo, the often-correct cynical side, laughed at this scenario mirthlessly. If anything the weapon was leading them into a trap, through which none could escape. This trap would invariably end in death, and more importantly, result in no treasure for Ryudo.

It was this cynical side of Ryudo that had kept him alive for so long in such a dangerous job. If any underhandedness or legerdemain took place, Ryudo would be ready to react, and he would not react kindly. Thanks to this thinking, Ryudo walked lightly and carefully observed his surroundings. The weapon would to be a brainless, metaphorically, to even attempt any act of ill will. Ryudo was ready, his senses were locked in, try me.

[Warklaw]

Nothing would please Ayerwulf more right now than ripping that pompous weapon into nothingness, to hear it scream for mercy and fear as he shredded his being to slivers. His hands become more like claws now, massive talons, black as night and sharp as diamond. His heck had thickened dramatically along with his ears looking more lupine than human.

"Go and tempt me again if you dare, weapon. But if you care for anything in this world or the other worlds, I strongly suggest keeping your mouth shut and your tongue behind your teeth. Before you answer in your usual emotionless manner, think of the boy, think of this heaven you cherish... Anger me much further and they will he nothing more than the ashes of burned history." Ayerwulf breath came in deep pants as his body slowly continued it's neigh unbearably painful transformation.

[Isalidi]

I am WAAAAY sorry I haven't been here in a month. You know that place where you're in so much financial trouble you lose phone service, internet AND cable? I was there, but it's all good now. Thanks for not getting too ahead. And most of all, thanks for staying alive. And Ygg, don't forget that pm from a long time ago.

I'd stayed quiet for a while, but I couldn't do it anymore. I began yelling random gibberish, and then fell down. I shook my head slightly, and shouted at the weapon "Save me the trouble and tell me now! WHAT THE DAMNED HELL IS IN THE SCROLL!"

[Yukina]

Yuki looked around and remembered where they were. She sighed and said, "After all this trouble, it kinda sounds like we're gonna have to steal the goods" she said putting her hand on her hip. Yuki turned to the living weapon and said, "Do you wanna tell us where it is and maybe even how to get it?" Her eyes sparkled a bit with silver and she said, "Sorry if we're getting a little impatient but we HAVE gone a bit of the extra mile to get this far, what really is taking so long?" She then turned to Ayer, "And you, control your temper and the beast. Nobody will hesitate to try to put you down, you know?"

Yuki closed her eyes and held her free hand out to the werewolf man and it glowed with a delicate light as she healed Ayer's small wounds and hoped it would somewhat cleanse him. She released the power of light's grip from her bow, turning it back to it's metal handle and put it back in her pack. She held her hands together in front of her and stretched them upward. Yuki frowned and a little sadness filled her eyes as she turned back to the manna being. "Could you please tell us where what we seek lies?"

[Isalidi]

'Ay Yuki, we may be in trouble. I'm thinking Ygg might be, y'know, dead, or at least too-busy-to-post? He still hasn't responded to a PM I sent him week ago, and I see he hasn't logged on since the 26th. Either way, I'll wait 'till the end of the young'un's summer break here in a few months before I completely end this on my own terms.

Edit: Or maybe not... I am running out of patience.

[Ryudo]

((OOC: What should we do in the mean time? I would like to resolve this story, so that I can see what happens =-) This is a truly exciting tale and I am eager to see where it leads. Nevertheless I agree that we should not write out Ygg, since he is an important character; however I have to admit that he has been gone for a long while...))

[Isalidi]

Well, honestly, it would be nothing but convenient for me to give the end right now (only me and Ygg know it), but what kind of dramatic twist would it be then? Either way, I'm pretty much stuck in this RP until Shika himself knows :/

[Isalidi]

Well, Ygg, in case you ever come on and see this, I am REALLY sorry for assumming your character is taking us there, but I can't wait forever, you know. I'd write you out, but no one else is really active either, so I'm just ending it now. I'm REALLY sorry, everyone, but this is the starting point of my character's whole storyline, and if this doesn't end, I can't move on. You're all going to be invited to my next RP :/
I'll give a few days for any further notes by you guys at the end before I submit it. I really do apologize :/ You seriously have know clue how insanely difficult it is for me to post this...

It was a cold day. Night had slipped away quickly, but the temperature hadn't changed a degree. About ten minutes passed still walking after Yuki made her outburst, but still nothing happened, and it would continue that way for the next half hour, at least. Finally, we got somewhere. Into a building... Further into the building... And into a back room. A back room filled to the brim with stolen treasure.

There were rubies, diamonds, paper fragments, anything you could possibly think of. No... not anything. Most anything. Anything with the exception of a scroll. I searched quite thoroughly... there was no scroll... there was an empty scroll case, but no scroll.



Someone had stolen it back before me. I picked up the scroll container and stared at it blankly. I broke into a run out the back door, not dropping the case. Blindly, I ran into the freezing early morning, with no attention to were I was or why I was there, all my focus was focused on distancing myself from that town as far as possible...

I would not stop for two hours, until I reached the shore, at which point I sat and watched the sea for the rest of the day.

That's it for me, but I guess that's obvious.

[Ryudo]

((Kinda sorry it had to the end this way, but I totally understand what you mean Shika. Here is Ryudo's ending to the story! Before I continue, I just want to let everyone who participated in this story know how truly fun and special it was to share this experience with you all. You all are amazing writers and I eagerly look forward to engaging in more adventures with all of you, wherever they may lead! Thanks everyone for a great story!))

As Ryudo watched Shika frantically search through the treasure, he couldn't help but feel bad. It was like watching a sad play, Shika threw about diamonds and emeralds the size of child’s fist, but he was not satisfied. He threw over tables, knocked over shelves, and cast over furniture to no avail. Finally Shika grabbed an empty scroll container, and stormed out with out a word.

Though Ryudo did feel bad, the gloom almost glided away from him as he looked around the room he had been lead too. Gold, silver, diamonds. It was as if Ryudo had walked into a king’s storeroom, the sheer worth of all the treasure was bemusing. Ryudo laughed out loud, he couldn’t contain his excitement. Surely he would have to share some of the loot with the Blades of Dawn, that was inevitable. However, even with the Blades paid, Ryudo realized that he could finally afford a few luxuries.

Ryudo walked around the room, realizing that there was still a task at hand. The translations… Ryudo strode over to a wall, where a scrap of paper had been discarded. He opened it, and saw that written inside was a letter, inscribed in two languages. One was Elvish, and the other, Ryudo could only guess was Ancient Elvish. Ryudo was filled with elation; he had found what he was searching for. This was the key, Ryudo would be able to decipher what was written on Silver Fang. As his eyes darted over the page, a sinking feeling rose in Ryudo. His eyes searched the document, read every word of the Elvish, and it hit Ryudo. The writing was unfinished, it was merely a few lines of writing, and then nothing. Ryudo studied the paper carefully, and realized that it was torn. What was in Ryudo’s hands was not the whole letter, it probably wasn’t even half. The warmth in the room seemed to disappear, the colors melded, and then faded. How could such a lead, end so…fruitlessly! Ryudo couldn’t tear his eyes from the paper, wait…this isn’t entirely worthless, it’s just a…start… Slowly the warmth of the room returned, and so did Ryudo’s classic smile. Exactly, a start! What fun would life be if all the sudden everything one wanted came true, with barely any work?

Ryudo looked around the room once more, if I want to get any contracts in the future, I better finish this one. A black mark on my record as large as this would definitely inhibit my future prospects, leaving me jobless, a fate that I surely do not desire. I’ll return these ‘priceless’ artifacts, and receive my payment. Besides, what use do I have for a Ruby encrusted dinner plate? Again Ryudo laughed to himself, as he did he walked around the room and collected the artifacts that needed to be returned to the museum’s curator. One ornate, crystallized short sword, Check! Two emerald daggers, Double Check! And finally, one diamond studded cauldron, Check!

Ryudo had what he needed, as he walked to the door he grabbed a few handfuls of gold, when life gives you lemons…

“Good bye Miss Yuki! Good Bye Ayer.” Ryudo gave them a cheerful wave as he sauntered off, he looked down at the items he had taken, as well as the paper in his hand. Perhaps it was good that the entire translation hadn’t been found yet, it gave Ryudo another adventure to do, which would mean that he wouldn’t be bored any time soon. Indeed, Ryudo was pleased, a little action, plus a lot of adventure, how could anyone not be pleased? As Ryudo walked of into the night, he couldn’t shake the warm feeling of a job well done, he would return the treasures, get paid, and then take the next contract. Good day…good day.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf simply snarled at the half-elf, his uppity attitude and mislead righteousness was a wast of his time, breath, and life. It was his life to lead, so he could waste how he wants; Ayerwulf simply walked over to the pile of loot and pulled a single paper free, folding it and placing it in a pouch on his belt.

Before leaving, he patted Yuki on the shoulder, giving her a little smile before whistling loudly, Nalva soon at his side. The Last Lycan strode out of the room, walking towards some other place, tracking down the shattered picture that was his kin, putting it together one shard at a time.

[Isalidi]

It's been a week. I guess I'll submit it, now.


Edit: Done. Any last minute additions need to be done soon.

[Ryudo]

Hey Shika you should submit this thread.
Hope all is well!

[Isalidi]

Did that a long time ago. All's well, I've just lost use of a computer, for the most part. I only get a chance on about once a day.

[Taskmienster]

JUDGING!
Catching Up with the World

Characters Involved:
~Isalidi~
~Ryudo~
~Yukina~
~Warklaw~
~Yggdrasil~ (Ygg for sake of ease during the judging)


!!!!!!!!Fenrir did not create anything, he was a giant wolf in Norse mythology that lived under the tree that comprised the world. His purpose was to eat the sun, during the final battle (Armageddon) between the good gods and the bad ones.!!!!!!!



STORY (2/30)

~ Continuity ~ (1/10)

~I didn’t get a back story for anyone, nor why you were there, who you were, where you came from, or what compelled you to continue doing what you were doing.

~Isalidi~ In your opening post you don’t give a background. [1] You mention your destroyed village by the dark elf, but don’t elaborate. [3]

~Yukina~ The locket you mention has what significance to your character? What is it for, why do you have it, what is its background when compared to you? Things like this help the reader understand your background, which is rather important. [24]

~Warklaw~ How do you know about the museum heist, the scroll, or its importance? It is always good to give a little background about why you are after it and how you got word of it… helps explain why you are where you are, and what you are doing there (much less Scara Brae). [21]

“((Lycans of Warklaw descent cannot simplyly their seed in a fertile womb and move on, they need their mate to have pure lycan blood, Warklaw half-breeds are a blasphemy against the world, Forsaken, they are called; forever part wolf and part man. That is Ayerwulf's burden, the one woman that he could have had as a mate died, he is, for all he knows, alone and doomed to die a very painful death.))” So, if you are not a half lycan, and then you made the comment that you can’t mate, that means you are half… and if you are half, how were you created if the Lycans can only mate with other Lycans? That means that you are a creature that, can by your very definition, cannot exist. [164]

~Ygg~ What are you? Where did you come from? Why were you chasing the hit that Ryudo was after, and how’d you get the notice of his bounty? [19]

~ Setting ~ (0/10)

~The setting was ignored, completely ignored. No descriptions, no use of it, just not there…

~Yukina~ A pure silver hunk of ore on the ground, that you can sharpen by dragging across a wall? It’s hard to fathom a chunk of pure silver just lying on the ground. And impossible to sharpen it to a point in only one stroke against a wall [124]

~ Pacing ~ (1/10)

~The completely up in the air post order, compiled with the nonsensical errors made the pacing of this thread practically irrelevant, not to mention the way it ended up just stopping suddenly at the end.

~Isalidi~ When you write try and put more into a post than the most base re-explanation of what the previous poster JUST wrote. 1 to 10 sentences creating up to 3 different paragraphs makes the pacing of the thread slower, without showing obvious signs of advancing the story. Posts of note: [26], [28], [110!!], [120], [140!!], [145] (do NOT post just ooc, it takes away from everything), [169], [214] (all ooc again), [216] (and again…), [220] (again), [222] (again]

When you have a lycanthrope mid-shift, rearing to kill you, I don’t believe the best of times to talk is then… when you write try and pace it so that you are continuing the action, not just recapping and responding. When you are considering pacing try and keep it continual and flowing, this goes along with the short, choppy posts.

~Ryudo~ No OOC posts… [215], [221]



CHARACTER (6/30)

~ Dialogue ~ (3/10)

~Try, your hardest, to make the dialogue fit your character and express character through it. Do not write like you are talking in what could be dialogue for an anime.

~Isalidi~ “... stay away from the letter man!" The letter man? I assume that’s Warklaw, but couldn’t be quite sure. When your character speaks remember to try and keep them in character and use the dialogue as a means to show who you are. [23]

Your goblin speech is interesting, but when you create a language is should be at least a little comprehensible. To be added to that, it says nowhere in your profile that you speak goblin, nothing to get docked for… just that. [32] The dialogue in your flashback “That you will never die! Not in a million billion years! Never end!” is very cliché anime-esque, try to stay away from that. [34]

Who are you talking to in post number 44? Your speaking in italics and bold, which I guess is back and forth thoughts, but to who and why? Also, you should separate the lines so that it’s easier to read. [44]

"I'd be off this island faster than a bullet... And I know they move fast." Bullets are not common things on Althanas, and a gun is even rarer. Since you give no reason to know what a gun is or where it would come from that’s a line that doesn’t fit the character, the scene, or Althanas setting. [136]

~Yukina~ Your dialogue is broken and hard to follow, filled with hyphens and ellipses.

How did you hear a telepathic message from Warklaw, especially at that distance? [152]

~Warklaw~ The dialogue in post 51 was cliché and unoriginal. How would killing you destroy all the lycan’s on Althanas? Little things like that should be avoided. [51]

Your dialogue changed COMPLETELY from previous posts. [107]

How did you send a ‘telepathic’ message to an angel? [150]

“Thou”? You changed your dialogue again. [181]

~ Action~ (1/10)

~What action that was present was destroyed by the overwhelming powergaming, bunnying, and god moding.

~ Persona ~ (2/10)

~I think you all, for the most part, changed what your personality was at least 2-4 times in the thread. Except for Ygg, who never really changed who he was, just what was happening to the kid that was with the weapon.

~Yukina~ Till this point you were acting in a rather cliché, weak angel girl who cries around fighting roll. Then in post 53 you decided to up and fight after being weak and unable to move? It turned your character into something that you didn’t show or express at all till that point.


WRITING STYLE (3/30)

~ Technique ~ (1/10)

~After Warklaw’s first few uses there was nothing else in the thread of note, at all. Try and incorporate the use of simple grammatical tact in your posts, it makes the thread more enjoyable to the reader.

~Isalidi~ You use the ellipse far too much (…).

~Warklaw~ Your use of similes is good, you used them in your first post and post 17 well. Keep that up in future writings, it helps with the appeal of the writing.

“His howl vibrated the very fabric of sanity…” Though you are attempting to use technique to its fullest, be careful not to overdo it. This comment does not make sense, what is the fabric of sanity? [25]

~ Mechanics ~ (1/10)

~Countless mistakes. I’d suggest that you take your posts and at least run them through word, or some form of a spell check. Word will help with grammatically incorrect sentences, run-ons, and fragments, as well as with the actual spelling… That’s the start. Then read over your posts after you write them, not immediately, but give it a little bit of time, and edit them so that they are clearer.

~Isalidi~ Shouldn’t’ve… not a word, don’t use it anymore. [16]

I'd've… not a word, don’t use it anymore, with shouldn’t’ve and wouldn’t’ve. [161]

~Yukina~ “i.e.” is not the best way to write “for example”. [4] “sheath” should be “unsheathe”, to sheath something means that you put it back into the sheath, not take it out. [31]

~Warklaw~ When you write try and remain in the same tense, such as “…which cracked the dry mud on the ground and sinking slightly” should be “which cracked the dry mud on the ground and sunk slightly” or “on the ground, sinking slightly.” And further in that post “it was racism that made him what he is…” should be “it was racism that made him what he was.” [11]

“bling fury and rage…” should be “blind fury and rage.” [37]

“nessicary” should be necessary [119]

~Ygg~ “As it is, you and the Elf are the only pray I will allow, and even then the Angel is only a minor Curiosity, I should not even factor into its potential Prey…” , you capitalized Elf, Angel, Curiosity, and Prey, shouldn’t be capitalized. You also used ‘pray’ instead of ‘prey’.

You tend to capitalize specific words as well, that don’t need to be capitalized, words like End, Gain, Race, Extinct, Manna (sometimes), Come, Instead, Child, Probed, in the middle of a sentence for no reason.

~ Clarity ~ (1/10)

~Basically clarity is a combination of all the different aspects of the parts of the judgment. Since it was almost always muddy and hard to follow the clarity took a hard blow.

~Isalidi~ In writing it is common to write in an informal style, since that is how we talk nowadays, but when you write try and stay away from that unless it is through dialogue. Words like wouldn’t should be ‘would not’ and wouldn’t’ve isn’t a word, it should be ‘would not have’. [12] “He'd just noticed the giant wolf-man in front of us, but if what he said about the man I saw was right and not lying, that could be an even bigger issue.” This sentence made no sense, the man (who I assume is Ryudo) said nothing regarding Warklaw and the way you phrased the sentence makes it difficult to read. [14] “I was scared by the approaching man, and from body language I could tell he was too, but I asked, ‘You, half-elf, what was stolen?’” First, that is all one sentence and shouldn’t be. Second, you used the pronoun ‘he’ in the second clause which alludes back to Warklaw but I think you meant Ryudo, and then you ignored Warklaw in order to ask a question about stolen goods in a discussion that’s long since been done with. [14] When you do use ellipses, which you use too much at times, don’t use them as a substitute for a comma and in the same sentence a substitute for period. [16]

~Yukina~ Try separating the different trains of thought when you write. Your posts seem cluttered and hard to follow. When you write dialogue isn’t normally best not to be italicized thought in the middle. [4].

And when you have different thoughts or start a new stream of speech it’s best to separate those into different paragraphs as well [10].

The darkness you speak of, what is it, how do you feel it, and what does it mean to your character? I’m lost. As well as who the little ball of light was sent towards, since you said ‘the angry guy’ and as far as I can tell that could be either Isalidi OR Warklaw. [22] When you write try and separate the different sentences and paragraphs by making new paragraphs, this includes trains of thought at times. [24]

~Ygg~ The different personalities that you have at command are lost in the way you write. You have a girl that can go separate from you when you are a female in form, but also a 14 year old boy who was separate from the girl? Focus on working harder to explain who and what you are so that it’s more clear. [19]

“Out of all thing Yggdrasil could have done, talking to a Werewolf at the peak of there bloodlust wasn’t exactly a smart thing to do, if you were flesh and blood that it, Yggdrasil, wasn’t flesh and blood, but a body completely made up of pure energy, manipulated to look human.” ‘Thing’ should be ‘things’, ‘there’ should be ‘their’, ‘wasn’t’ should be ‘was not’, ‘it’ should be ‘is’, then you have wasn’t again. All that aside, this one sentence 3 line paragraph is hard to follow. Try and split the 7 different clauses into sentences, which would make it easier to read. [27] “Then again Yggdrasil was probably the only thing, besides another wolf that could actually communicate, not to say it could understand the wolfs words, unless it was it’s Hjor, but it’s words, Yggdrasil knew were simply thoughts and emotions, feelings all conveniently translated to the receiver.” Communicate with what? Warklaw? How, you don’t have anything in your profile regarding speaking other languages, much less communicating with a lycanthrope. And again, this is a 7 clause, one sentence paragraph… [27]


WILD CARD!!! (0/10)

~Isalidi~ Using intuition? That’s considered god moding, since there is nothing in your profile regarding being able to use intuition in order to discern what another character is without looking at them. [12]

“He blocked but was hurt by my steel sword.” No, he didn’t, and he wasn’t hurt… Warklaw never said anything about blocking the sword strike, or being hurt by it, he threw a guard’s upper torso at you. That’s bunnying and possibly powergaming. [38]

Your OOC note is oddly ironic seeing as you put actions against your opponent that did not actually happen only… what? 4 posts ago? Added to that, you summoned the goblin which in your profile says AND I QUOTE: [i] “…he has a goblin friend named Anghjukin that he can call up, and usually arrives to the scene of calling within a few days. which says within a FEW days, not the time that you started the fight to when he appeared. That’s powergaming. Also not noted in your profile is that he has ‘a copper dagger’ or ‘fingernails made out of diamond’. And I don’t care if it was ‘approved’ or not, turning 20 needles into a hundred within the blink of an eye is ridiculous.[42] You shot the 100 needles AGAIN!? While charging forward with your sword? That’s MAJOR powergaming. [44]

When did the goblin’s nails become silver? You said they were diamond… [123]

~Ryudo~ You ignored a complete downward slam from a creature that is 12 feet tall and apparently 1500 pounds, that would crush almost any normal person.

~Warklaw~ Your opening post you use your senses to figure out what the characters are (race and with Yukina magic user) as well as sense the emotions and hostilities. That is not a sensual thing, you can’t smell/taste/touch/hear the difference between races unless your VERY good or it’s actually listed. Also considered god moding. [11]

How do you smell silver? The sense that it would take to discern a specific material from the distance you were at, much less at all, would be MUCH higher than what you are at for a level 0 character. That’s another bit of god moding. Pulling apart a man, much less at his waist which is about the strongest part of a person, would be impossible for someone your level. Plus, killing the guard of a town, even Scara Brae, would not be so easy a task unless they’re not on guard or sleeping. On that note, you preceded to smash one’s head, decapitate another, and punch your fist THROUGH ARMOR to pull out intestine to strangle another guard? The guard would have just cut the intestine with his sword, that’s not a hard thing to cut. That’s MAJOR powergaming. [35] “((umm... in the other thread i was in, It's a Raid, guardsmen steel wouldn't hurt me, just cut the skin and be a pain in the ass.))” Your OOC note is… wrong. You have nothing in your profile stating that a steel sword would not hurt you or cut clean through muscle and bone. That’s powergaming. [39]

You are a 12 foot, 1500 pound werewolf? No, 3/4ths a ton is WAY too much for you to change into, since you neither had that in your profile and you are only level 0. Powergaming. You also ‘slammed Ryudo into the ground’ which is bunnying. [43]

A wall of ice coming from slamming your weapon into the ground? You don’t have that ability at all listed in your profile. Powergaming. [153]

The spear went through you, YOU ARE D-E-D dead, no joke. No life left, spear through you, you pulled it out, and with it all your organs come out. That’s that. But somehow you can still talk? Powergaming. [202]



TOTAL
(11/100)



GAINS/REWARDS!

~Isalidi~ gains 200 experience and 50 gold

~Warklaw~ gains 180 experience and 80 gold

~Ryudo~ gains 130 experience and 50 gold

~Yukina~ gains 145 experience and 50 gold

~Yggdrasil~ gains 135 experience and 100 gold


Best Quotes of the Thread

((ehh, what scene are yout alking about? you didn't make any sense)) ~Ygg

((Sorry. I'm officially lost.)) ~Isalidi



[[If you have any questions, concerns, or disagreements, please feel free to PM me at any time. Sorry for the delay in judgment, we are currently trying to get the backlog gone.]]

[Witchblade]

EXP and GP added!