Days of Althanas not yet passed. (Closed)

[Mutant_Lorenor]

(Moderator Note: This is a direct sequel to Legend of the Dark Hero (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=8257) thank you very much)

C.P. 1850
Thursday, July 3rd
9:30 A.M.

It was a strange place. The visitor walked across a marble white floor. Boots crunched against the surface of the substance echoing out into the wind. Gnarled trees were visible along the side of the crafted road as he walked across time and space. The road seemed to hover, suspended across a void of space. Erected in various intervals were cauldrons filled with fire. Smoke flowed up into the air. Various nebulous clouds were visible in the night sky as the visitor moved forward. A mysterious guest, the visitor was garbed completely in black threads. His cloak flapped in the wind lashing out like angry serpents. As he moved, a temple became visible. Fashioned out of white marble and made in architectural styles native to ALL the lands of Althanas, the structure was an amalgam. It seemed to be the product of several thousands of masons over the ages, all of legendary skill level. The structure was a mammoth structure that rose several hundred feet. A great archway that was built in a bizarre combination of Raiaeran styles, and Kachuk Mountain styles adorned the front gate.

Before the front gate sate a mammoth monument. It was a statue of sorts that was dedicated to the. The statue was manufactured in the style of Haidian architecture with its dark motifs and alien appearance. Representing some deity that the visitor did not recognize, he paused to admire the beauty of the statue. It's head seemed to lean down and arch towards the visitor. He'd seen the statue a million times since he first learned how to travel to that location, but its beauty always captivated the visitor. Its face was twisted in an angry emotion, mixed with the effects of insanity. Wide, it had a double set of eyes with a skull that was formed perfectly to match those eyes. An intricate set of horns jutted out of either side of the skull, originating from the temporalis region. The horns were curved at their center and looked very sharp indeed. The statue had a pair of intricate wings. A black halo, the only dark part of the statue, burned like a crown.

Exquisitely muscular, every single muscle group of the beast was well defined. Various markings of Haidian origin were etched upon the creature in red adding color to the white statue. It had a bull like face, its maw opened wide to reveal several rows of sharp teeth. A long tongue seemed to lash out into the wind. Its hands had three fingers a piece, and there were four arms all together. He had a tail as well, and his erection was pointed to the sky. The visitor looked upon the statue, admiring it. After a few moments of silent meditation, the visitor suddenly realized that the eyes were glowing with power and the chest of the beast was moving up and down. Staring dead ahead, the visitor stole a glance past the statue. The gate that he was walking towards was a mere few yards away. He could reach out and touch it if he wanted to, but the statue held his attention. So he studied the statue's glowing eyes as the place was filled with a presence from within it. A furnace of glowing energy erupted from the monument as a being seemed to manifest.

Leaning closer down to the visitor, the statue seemed to be staring at the smaller individual with a mixture of emotions. The statue's maw began to move and speech flowed from the thing's mouth. "You are the one they call Lorenor are you not?" And a name was revealed. Lorneor looked up at the statue as he heard the voice booming out from it. "I am he. What art thou?" Lorenor asked, addressing the being as an equal. Lorenor expected a response from the creature. The statue continued to talk. "I am called Praeter. I come to you with tidings. I come to you with a warning. Before you lies the Gate of Sensibility. It is a gate, one of many, in the land of Phantaria. You are about to tread upon a road, across many infinite roads, and are about to take a path that must not be. You should are about to gain the power to travel from your world to the land of Phantaria. Before you now is the Gate of Sensibility. You must make a pact with me Lorenor. For I am telling you that should you cross the Gate of Sensibility, a great cataclysm will befall upon your world."

"Ye want me to promise something to ye on the grounds of honor? Art thou a daft sort of fool?"

"I am Praeter! I am the bearer of tidings. 'Tis my duty to bring tidings upon those who would affect the threads of fate. Promise me that you will never cross the Gate of Sensibility! All other gates will be yours to cross, but do not ever cross THAT gate!"

"I make no such promise. I owe ye nothing Praeter."

"You are a fool Lorenor! And you will bring a curse upon Althanas."

"There is no curse greater than mine existence! Thou canst not frighten me with these false pretenses!"

"That saddens me Lorenor. But heed this. If you ever attempt to cross the Gate of Sensibility, you will be stopped. You will not be welcomed as a guest here."

"So noted. Be gone from mine sight, beast!"

Lorenor called to Praeter. The visitor was not sure if Praeter was a hallucination or not. He couldn't be certain of anything anymore with all the voices in his head. So, he opted to ignore the warning. He started to walk towards the Gate of Sensibility. Suddenly, a looming shadow covered the small man's person. Then, everything went black. Darkness, a void filled his mind. For a long time he swam across time and space, until finally, he felt something. A pull calling him from the depths of the void. He was dragged towards the conscious world kicking and screaming unsure of how much time had actually passed. That's when he heard it. Voices. "Is he waking up now?" Called one voice. "That was quite something. He must've flown several feet." A third voice chimed in. "Yeah remind me never to try that one." And Lorenor felt his body once more, his eyes slowly opened and he was capable of normal sight once again. "Hey he's waking up!" Someone was shaking the man and he could feel it. "Say do you remember your name?" Someone asked, concern in her voice.

"Mine name? Mine name is Lorenor."

"Good he remembers who he is!"

"Now get your ass up!"

Lorenor's focus set in and he could sense the world of Althanas proper. He sighed as the images and Praeter's warnings faded from his conscious short-term memory. Sitting up he took in his surroundings. It was the prayer chamber that held the N'Jal Protocol within it. A single fountain like structure made out of the same material of the asteroid jutted out of the ground at the center of the chamber. It emmitted a green glow from some sort of liquid within. Several censers filled with strong incense were erected around the room, along with several elegant candles. They were lit with a blue flame. Statues built in the traditional spider-queen image of N'Jal were made out of bronze and positioned across the chamber. The chamber was very large and had a high ceiling several hundred feet high. Many people at once could fit in the chamber and pray in reverence of the secret within the Eye of Fate. That was the name of the well. Once the prison of the dark lady, N'Jal, now the chamber served a baptism location for the members of the Order of N'Jal.

Lorenor sat up and allowed several people to assist him into standing. His blood rushed across his body and he prepared to fall quickly, but that never happened. Many hands held the small man up. Lorenor stood at a height of five feet all together, but was well built weighing in at two hundred pounds. He had a stocky, muscular build. His physique showed through the clothing he wore. A single cloak had a cowled hood attached to it. It was worn atop his head. His cloak was wrapped firmly about his person, he was in full priest attire. His clothing was meant to be ceremonial in nature thus the reason it was constructed out of fine Spider Magi silk, and Vlince. The material was enchanted and tailored to be stronger than normal and be much more durable than normal as they were priest attires. He wore several pieces of jewelry, and his right hand, was a steel bracer. It was attached to his arm in a permanent grafting. Lorenor's face was currently hidden underneath his hood. He turned to look at his companions.

There were around three hundred individuals all wearing ceremonial attire of various makes and qualities. Only several of the individuals wore the priest attire, or guard robes. "How long was I under?"

"Five hours." Answered one of the individuals.

"I need to feed."

"What does the dark lady command?"

"We must make our move soon. But for the time being, I must retire to mine chambers."

And Lorenor walked off to his personal quarters located several long yards away from the central prayer chamber built within that asteroid...

[sweet_oblivion]

"Damn necromancers." Dino sighed, checking over his shoulder. It had seemed he had lost his pursuers for the time being, but it was likely they would find him much sooner rather than later. "Such hostility for such a minor affair. Then again, having followers as devoted as these....N'Jal, that was how to properly pronounce it." Glad that he had finally gotten the name of their god memorized within his vocabulary, he still doubted it would help him in this current predicament. The worst part of this was it was possibly nothing more than a waste of time. He had heard many rumors regarding the Forsaken, but it seemed that they were nothing more than a breed of undead minions. If he had been a builder or craftsmen, maybe an artisan of some sort he might have found some interest in the design of these buildings. As his talent in any of these crafts was non-existant, so was his interest.

Dino pressed his body against the wall and began to slowly move in an alert crouch. The side of this particular building was indented in many place with different patterns and shapes, this particular path he was on, seemed to be moving high up the side of the building. Talking to just anyone was nothing less than a good chance of death as Dino was sure is taunting had more than agitated the Forsaken guardsmen. Worst case scenario, they had gathered more in search of him. Things seemed to just pile up as he was already exhausted from the previous skirmish, having to pull out his whip. It was a miracle he had not harmed himself with his own weapon this time around, though he doubted such luck would stick with him. His need for sustenance was starting to nag at him too as what only he (and possibly other savage hunters of the animal kingdom) considered a 'small' rumble emitted from his gut.

Dino was left with three options.

The first option: Dino could spend his time attempting to search for food, trying his best not to get caught, while looking and while eating than with his body fueled for a few hours or so try and escape this hell hole.

Option two: Dino could call in Genbu to bail him out of this nasty dilemma as the tortoise was on standby in case something like this was to happen. Honestly, Dino could not recall a time when something like this did not happen. He was only glad his companion had not yet tried to cash in on the last couple of times he had to save Dino; else he would have starved years ago.

The final option was the one Dino decided to take as the outcomes of the first two failed in comparison within his mind. If this were to be his course of action, he would have to move quickly or risk being killed. Finding a decent surface of which to lean against, Dino sat as best he could upon the side of the building and closed his eyes. It would be unfortunate if one who could easily sense spirits and aura were near him for those who were would instantly feel the force of his soul extending itself from his body and to the world around it. This was the power of Hypo Essenza. Though taxing if he were to attune his soul to an object, he was simply suspended between the moment of bodily exit and object entrance.

The purpose for this use of the technique was for searching. While Dino could feel any relatively strong spiritual aura in the area from his current position, from this distance he would not be able to locate the familiar aura that he had only recently begun to pick up. The distance was still a factor, but it was a slight fluctuation in this individuals flow that had queue him to searching for it, something that happens quite often in everyday life, such as while entering battle, or awaking from slumber. Whatever the case, it had taken him only seconds to find his target, and half that time to return his soul to his body.

"Good thing am not one to take alignments. A truly righteous person would shriek at the flow of evil that blankets this town." He whispered, wondering if this message would ride the wave of spirit current to the ears of Lorenor. He had created the proper ripples in this sea of spiritual residue left by his out stretching soul. Only chance would allow the old acquaintance to notice or recognize the waves, if they reached him at all.

Finding Lorenor was not the only thing Dino had accomplished however. Not too far off he could hear the people of this town yelling in anger as the familiar sound of something wooden, being broken to splinters echoed out every few moments. "TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH, EH?!" Dino shouted, bringing attention to himself in his hiding spot as he jumped from the building. This was what was left of what little energy he had managed to keep while contacting Genbu and finding Lorenor. He was caught by the tortoise, landing on its neck and then rolling onto its shell as he continued to trample anything in its way.

"Head toward the temple, there is where we need to go." Dino said with a sickly sigh, fighting off horrible stomach pains. "You are such a mooch. That is no complaint by the way." Genbu laughed, though it would seem as somewhat or a roar to the ears of others. "I would never assume it as such." Dino replied with a chuckle of his own though it was cut short the growing pain.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

And so, Lorenor found himself basking in the darkness of his personal chambers. There was much to do, and little time to do it in. Warning of the Necromancer Xem'Zund's advances, the small warrior was very busy these days. He'd begun operations as head of a small guild calling itself the Order of N'Jal. Initially, it was called the Cult of N'Jal. Due to cultural differences in Corone and Raiaera, the Guild was recently modified greatly. Formed as a stronghold for the Spider Magi of the Red Forest. Lorenor's offspring, known as the Forsaken, took up refuge in the blasted region of Narenhad. Once the Elven stronghold of Valinatal. One of Xem'Zund's Death Lords stormed the stronghold and called a deadly meteor spell to lay waste to everything within a certain radius. Lorenor knew this because N'Jal knew this. And N'Jal was the goddess that was trapped within the meteor that fell to Althanas. The N'Jal Protocol currently lurked within the mutant's vessel making him an exceedingly more dangerous individual.

As the nights passed, Lorenor's psychosis grew tremendously. Instead of healing the broken dendrites in his brain, the nano-virus served to erode them further. Lorenor fell deeper into the darkness as his hunger for power grew. Thanks to the Necronomicon, the three books worked together as a chaos engine and fueled Lorenor's dark design. Working to please the will of N'Jal now, the mutant thought of nothing else. His design was her design, and all of Althanas would be laid to waste. But there were stepping stones that needed to be taken apart. Stepping stones that needed to be surpassed before his conquest could see fruition. These stepping stones including the Necromancer Xem'Zund who waged his campaign to lay waste to Raiaera and soon spread his chaos to other regions of Althanas. The mutant thought about that as he found himself pacing back and forth. Earlier, the meditation rite had placed him in a dangerous situation of being vulnerable. Still new to the mutant, many of the teachings within the works of the Necronomicon were quite experimental.

Each new rite was meticulously described across the ancient pages of the book plainly visible to the mutants furnace like eyes. We don't need eyes to see. That was part of the code of the Spider Magi. And it was part of the code of the Forsaken. A branch off species of undead, they fought and freed themselves from the Scourge. The wrath of Xem'Zund's army. Now capable of controlling his power to some degree, the mutant learned how to pass the plague from his host body to other potential hosts. Called the Catastrophe by the Forsaken, Lorenor's nano-virus was a deadly plague. The transformation effect from the living to one of the Forsaken was a violent process and a final one. There was no cure short of Thaynehood intervention. Lorenor paused in his room to inspect the surroundings of his office. Once, a chamber used by some Mayor elected by the people of Valinatal, Lorenor transformed the remains of that structure to the current cathedral. N'Jal could be worshiped in the prayer chamber, or could be worshiped in the cathedral indirectly.

Many Forsaken were fused with the N'Jal Protocol and were capable of reading from the Necronomicon's pages. Though Lorenor trusted no one with his works, he guarded it zealously even from other Priests in the newly rising religion. It took him a long time to get the position he was currently in, serving as both Paladin of N'Jal and her Priest. To become a Priest required complete dedication to the dark lady. To the Forsaken, the N'Jal Protocol as appeared as the spider-queen. In reality, it was a culture of metallic creatures that behaved as parasitical organisms. It seemed that this culture of the Thaynes needed host bodies in order to spread its influence. Existence of N'Jal proved the fact that the Thayne were real in the eyes of the beholder. And so, the religion spread in the back country like wildfire. Soon, a tonwship was erected where Valinatal once stood and this township became a stronghold for the Forsaken. Growing overnight, the city's population became exponential.

Several hundred Forsaken of various races native to Raiaera took refuge within the settlement. And so, Lorenor had an army in his command. An army powerful enough to challenge the very command of Xem'Zund himself. Divided evenly across various professions, there were Guards that functioned as part of the military strong arm, Priests, and citizens. Normal Citizens worked in the various tasks of the moment day and night. Artisans, masons, architects, hunters, gatherers and other skilled craftsmen went about the daily routine. The newly christened township offered work to the populace and safe haven from Xem'Zund's forces. And so the population spread daily. Lorenor found himself as the acting leader of the settlement and decreed its laws based upon the teaching so N'Jal. That was approximately ten years ago. Time flew and Lorenor had not returned, but kept in constant contact with his cohorts in the Red Hand, and his fiefdom in Salvar. The mutant was prepared for a siege against Xem'Zund.

As he thought of the various matters in his head, he suddenly picked up the semi-familiar signal. Long ago, Lorenor came across an individual sellsword calling himself Aeos. A researcher of sorts, the boy had helped him recover many of the documents currently in his possession. He'd fought a Necromancer named Argus Lightfeather. Afterwards they'd looted the laboratory of its important items and returned back to Knife's Edge. That event seemed like a lifetime ago now. During that event, the lad revealed a mysterious power that sent strange ripples in the air. Lorenor could see these ripples faintly approaching his room from the outside world. There were no windows in his office, Lorenor had removed them completely. The only way in or out was one specific door that was well guarded by several of his most trusted warriors. Lorenor heard a commotion outside thanks to the advanced distance of his sensory sphere, and was taken out of his meditative reverie. He took one last look around his room. Furniture was intact, books were in their proper order, and no light was ever allowed in his room.

He stepped out into the hallway with a look of concern on his face. His eyes flickered from soldier to soldier as they were busily handing out orders to one another. Recon was coming in from the field. Lorenor recognized several scouts as he looked down the hallway. The feeling of the familiar ripple still fresh in his head. Staring at the scene before him, the mutant voiced his disapproval. "What is the meaning of this racket!?" He demanded as several nearby guards snapped to attention. "Mi'lord. We have an intruder but are unable to locate him until just a few moments ago. It seems that the boy is on a giant turtle rampaging through town." Genbu. Lorenor thought to himself with a crooked smile on his face. He turned to look at his warrior elites. "Call off thine men. Allow the boy safe passage. He is someone I know from mine past. That is an order, I am going to greet him myself as a guest of this township." A few moments later, Lorenor found several armed Forsaken warriors preparing to meet the boy and his tortoise dead on. He walked up towards them and raised his fist to stop them from doing something they were going to regret. "Lay thy swords down! This boy is not a threat." Lorenor commanded, and with several looks of dismay from his men, the soldiers relaxed their positions and allowed Dino to pass in their general direction. Lorenor was standing direction in front of the incoming boy's path. Lorenor grinned widely now, a twisted thing as it seemed to warp his face with emotion.

"Aeos. 'Tis been ages old friend." Lorenor said once the boy was close enough. He waited for Genbu to stop before the mutant addressed Aeos again.

[sweet_oblivion]

Dino once again cursed the existence of all necromancers. He truly hated the undead, in any form; these Forsaken being not different. Dino loved science, he understood a great amount in biology and to a lesser degree botany, physiology, a basic understanding of taxonomy, and an ever growing knowledge in ecology, but he was no mortician, magical or otherwise. The undead went against the fundamental belief of nature; survival of the fittest. If things died and just sprung back to life nothing would survive. Though these were the thoughts running through Dino's mind, this hate of the undead was usually only a slight dislike when under different circumstances. The circumstances at this point obviously called for hatred.

Dino could not be entirely sure: between Genbu running at full speed, trying to hold on to the tortoise shell as it continuously rammed itself into one thing or another, the bizarre building structures, his own agonizing hunger pains and the shouting of a number of Forsaken warriors, it seemed that they had only managed to go in circles. For the past three minutes the temple in which he had sensed Lorenor's presence had gotten farther than it he remembered it and returned to the same distance a number of times, but rarely got any closer if at all. The Forsaken were to blame for this, of course. Armed and angry they had shown up at almost every turn blocking the path. Genbu could have easily crashed through them, but trampling the citizens under the rule of an old acquaintance was usually frowned upon.

Dino's first action would be to pull out the Ceruleo Orchestra, and swing the whip around despite his lack of skill, but a desperate need of nourishment made this impossible. Dino was effectively ineffective and Genbu was too damn big to move around without being seen. It seemed that they would be stuck running around for days before they got anywhere. "When in doubt, improvise. Genbu, remember how I told you to not run through buildings cause it draws too much attention?" Dino said in a language few outside the animal kingdom would understand. "Forget it?" the reptile shouted as an unseen warrior jumped from nowhere swinging a short sword that glanced off of Genbu's tough shell and high running speed. "Whatever...gets us there...."

It would not take knowledge of the animal kingdom tongue to understand that Genbu was wearing quite a maniacal grin, though unless you were paying undivided attention it would be hard to read. The tortoise continued it stride, making a left turn and instantly bursting into full speed. It would have agitated Dino to a great degree that this was the one turn toward the temple they had made without running into any road block, but the Forsaken soon poured out from the side streets. At the current speed, a frail and sickly looking Dino trying his hardest to hang on to Genbu's shell would not notice any of this or else the city would have been bombarded by various curses and foul language reserved for only the harshest of sea faring men, at least as the stereotype went.

The tortoise long neck retreated into its shell as it found its target. A small building currently under construction sat just ahead of them, in between the two and their target. Those builders were going to be pissed. Whatever material had been erected was reduced to rubble as two hundred and forty pounds of green and shell devastated the area. Speed did not decrease in the slightest, though Dino had almost slid off of Genbu's back, the large mounds upon his shell being the difference between continuing toward the temple and being buried by debris.

They covered the remaining distance to the temple with little to no interception via Forsaken and only saw a group off the things when they reached the temple. Thankfully Lorenor was one of the more spiritually aware. He had told his men to stand down and greeted Dino, by the old alias Aeos. He had not used it since the last time he encountered the ghoul, exactly how long it had been for Lorenor he was unsure but it was only a few months back for himself.

The question now was if he should reprise his role or introduce himself truthfully.

“That it has Lorenor. Last time we met I…..do not remember hearing of you having your own city……..but I guess…time…has its ways.” Where he had obtained the energy he was unsure but in the short time before Genbu moved up to Lorenor and stopped Dino had not only changed his appearance but altered his voice as well. Where he had once sounded as one would expect of a person of Althanas, Dino, or rather Aeos voice was a lot more distant. Whereas Lorenor had a raspy and deep voice, Aeos words would come out airy and almost melodic.

“I do not wish to be a bother but…..would it be too much for an old friend to inquire where to receive a decent meal?” he ran his hands through his now white and purple tinted short and shaggy hair. Releasing the bulbs was one of the easiest things Dino was able to do with his body, though growing new hair was a problem as this required keratin. The fastest way to obtain this with his depleted body was to return the lost keratin into his system; this meant eating his old hair. He had eaten things that tasted a lot worse and he was starting to wonder why he was going through all of this just to keep his identity a secret.

Dino had not thought about it until Lorenor had referred to him as Aeos but a second persona could workout to his advantage. It was obvious Lorenor had resources, and the life of a traveling scientist was not exactly the fast track to neither making money nor keeping it. Dino would continue to explore the world in his thirst for knowledge, but Aeos see exactly what there was to gain from a partnership with this old ghoul.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

A burst of wind and dust rushed forward. Lorenor covered his eyes as the dust landed upon his person. The smell of a large beast filled his sensory grid, the texture of a hard shell. Reptilian quality textured of a powerful shell radiated potent life energy. The creature was a powerful animal. Lorenor could see the life blood of the beast flowing out like a tree. Billions of tendrils rippled out into the air causing tiny flare ups. Picturing himself feasting upon the tortoises' hidden flesh, the mutant's eyes went far away for a brief moment. He soon snapped back to reality as he heard the youth's questions. Lorenor allowed his sadistic thoughts to pass from his mind for the time being. There were bigger fish to fry at the moment. He clenched his fists for a moment and allowed the questions to hang in the air briefly. He's asking for resources. What is he doing out here all by himself? It's been a long time. But he's a friend and he needs help. Lorenor found himself remembering his manners. Of course! It's possible he was wandering about the Red Forest for many days without nourishment. Of course, he'd be hungry and thirsty.

Looking strangely at Genbu one more time, the mutant then turned his gaze towards Aeos. The researcher seemed as interesting as ever. He studied the texture of the man's clothing, and looked upon the features of the man's face. At this time period, Aeos was no longer a boy but by now, he had become a man by Althanas standards. The mutant carefully thought about what needed to be done. Much time had passed since the last confrontation between Aeos and the small warrior. Lorenor. Lorenor looked up at the youth for a long moment and decided to take some action. Several Forsaken warriors of various native carrier strands were already surrounding the duo. Lorenor kept his hand raised in a balled fist. "Ye heard the boy. Prepare him a guest quarters, ready some supplies, and ready a meal. We have a guest now!" Most of the Forsaken followed their orders directly but several stayed behind, weapons in shaky hands. One of them, a warrior that looked like a man in dragon-scales looked at the mutant harshly. "Lord Lorenor, master MetalDrago ordered us to secure the defenses of this city. All intruders are to be dealt with harshly."

Lorenor looked at the man calmly. Ightusia Hinilia, was a warrior that was spawned from the MetalDrago parent virus. Ightusia had golen brown scales all over his flesh, and stood at an impressive eight feet in height. He had the build and brawn to match his impressive height. Wings were folded along his back side extending out from the scapula bones. The man had a weapon made out of refined titanium, with the blade pointed towards Aeos' person. "Several of our citizens were injured when that mauled through town. You might have past relationships with this individual, but he is an intruder nonetheless. Security measures outweigh the religious order." The man proceeded to walk towards Aeos. Several of the nearby Forsaken stopped what they were doing to observe the situation. Lorenor suddenly moved with tremendous agility. He found himself directly in front of Ightusia. "I am a Priest of the Order of N'Jal. And a High Priest at that. Mine word is the word of N'Jal, and N'Jal's word is final! Am I understood by ye!?" Lorenor's words were as acid.

"Lower thine sword!"

The man hesitated when Lorenor handed the order down. High Priests' orders were absolute. The words of the High Priest were the words of N'Jal directly spoken on Althanas. The man clenched his weapon's hilt tightly and begrudgingly sheathed it. "You are going to regret this High Priest." The man said coldly. He turned towards Aeos. "Guest or not, we have rules around here. And you better obey them. Step out of line even once kid, and we're gonna be all over you." Ightusia looked at Lorenor with hate in his eyes. "Keep an eye on your baggage." Then, the man left with an angry stomp on his feet to go send a field report to his superior commander. Once Ightusia stood down, the other Forsaken relaxed their guard and began to go back to various duties of their own. Lorenor sighed, several nearby Forsaken remained at his side at all times. The High Priest needed protection constantly from the enemies of the Forsaken. Lorenor looked over to Genbu and Aeos, his eyes flowing with visible frustration.

"Forgive the good Commander." Lorenor said casually. He walked over towards Aeos calmly. "All this is possible because of ye. I found one of the works of the Necronomicon thanks to ye." Lorenor had a satchel at his side made of strong stuff. "I have the entire work now, I've been studying it here in seclusion. This, came as a result of the dark lady's arrival. When thou art ready, I shalt take ye to see her." The mutant paused, remembering that Aeos didn't like to speak of religion that much. "Let's get in doors shalt we? They should have good food ready for thee by now." The mutant looked at Genbu. "Bring Genbu to." The High Priest requested, his voice filled with a confidence that was lacking in their previous meeting. Clearly, the mutant had gone through tremendous changes both physically and psychologically speaking. A nearby building was fully constructed in the architectural design of the Forsaken. It was built off tee and the entire structure looked crooked. There were no windows, it was literally a huge six floor box.

Several layers were built underground. Rooms were spread in a strange system of organization that was mathematically calculated. Each hallway was evenly dispersed across the structure to separate rooms in accordance to their purpose. There were several rooms, numbering around ten-twenty per floor. There was a series of winding staircases that stretched upwards across the expanse of the building. Each floor was connected to one of these staircases, and there were usually three staircases to a floor. Bathrooms were located one to a floor using aqueducts that were not built in the traditional Raiaeran design. These aqueducts were constructed as primitive sewer systems using Golem design. They were extremely advanced in nature. The buildings were brown in color meant to blend into the background to avoid bombardment from aerial divisions of Xem'Zund's armies. Lorenor walked past as sign that had the words "Residential District" labeled in red. It smelled like blood and not paint.

Lorenor walked over to a crooked door that had a crooked archway. The door was part of a complex double-door mechanism. A steel, masterwork, lion's head was located at the center of the dual doors. Tials on the floor were colored purple and black. Many paintings that depicted orgies and scenes of sadomasochism were visible all over the walls. Several columns built in the Golem design were visible as well. As Lorenor walked into the building, the lobby became visible. A fountain was visible in the rest room that was working. Several Forsaken were lazily taking baths in the public fountain, relaxing. Lorenor looked towards them and nodded with respect. Three big creatures suddenly approached the mutant. The leader, had silver metallic skin, a streamlined sort of body, and glowing purple eyes. The creatures were Golems. Sentient machines with native Artificial Intelligence built into their heads. They had large upper bodies, and large glove-like hands. Boots were connected to the intricate knee system. The Golems looked at Aeos and Genbu then back to Lorenor. "Construction is complete Father." The leader of the Golems said.

"Thank thee my son." Lorenor replied calmly. He turned towards Aeos. "Mine friend. These are the Golems. This is mine son, Number 5,325. We shalt strive to make thy stay here as comfortable as possible." He turned towards the Golems. "Show me." And Lorenor followed the living machines towards the upper floors of the building...he assumed that Aeos was going to follow him.

[sweet_oblivion]

In all honesty Dino had missed the majority of what had taken place. But to be technically correct, it was not Dino who lay upon Genbu's back wavering in and out of consciousness. For the time being, within this city and to these people, this man was Aeos. He realized he had been threatened and did his best to memorize the man who had done so but his appearance was lost among the many things that ran through the mind. Lorenor had brought up N'Jal and spoke about the text Aeos had helped him gain during their last meeting together. It seemed that he had gotten his hands on the other parts of the series and his reward for doing so was what surrounded them.

At some point they had begun to move. Genbu may not have been able to grasp the many languages spoken in Althanas but he understood body movement very well and knew the meaning of at least a few words. Unlike Dino, who could naturally speak with any animal he happened to come across though he had yet to really use that ability aside from speaking with the tortoise. Despite a slight fight-or-flight instinct that arose within Genbu upon meeting reaching the ghoul, he followed Lorenor though somewhat untrusting.

The ride was a long one, or so it seemed. Drifting in and out of sleep from time to time, Dino found it hard to pay attention to anything other than the thoughts that were currently on his mind. Earlier, he had thought of appealing to Lorenor's wants and needs to help further his research. These plans were still fresh in his mind, but Dino had begun to think of using the ghoul and the current situation to its fullest. It had been a while since Dino had performed a field experiment.

Eventually Dino realized they had stopped and Lorenor had begun to speak again. He held his consciousness long enough to follow the words of both Lorenor and his son. 5,325 was apparently a golem and exactly how this being was related to Lorenor Dino was having trouble understanding though he doubted he could process much more at this point. Sooner then he would have liked, they began moving once again, and once again Dino's mind faded from his surroundings. His single conscious thought at this point consisted of one word. "FOOD."

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Walking into the building the depths of the building, the mutant didn't get very far. A single thought traveled across the air within his sensory grid. Lorenor hadn't taken into account just how hungry his guest might've been. He turned towards the youth. With a sympathetic look on his face, Lorenor studied him casually for a moment and then paused. The wayward thought made the mutant realize that he hadn't eaten in sometime either. He was constantly busy with sermons in the cathedral or in the Eye of Fate. His dual-training as both a Priest of N'Jal and Paladin of N'Jal took up much of his day. Lorenor saw that a dining chamber was prepared for meals already. It was considerably close by too. The aroma of delicious cooked monster recipes was flowing from the chamber. It made him hungrier as well, perhaps it was a sympathetic reaction to Aeos' current condition. Forsaken primarily fed off monsters' flesh first and humanoids' flesh second. Too many Forsaken came from humanoid roots all together to abandon their heritages so suddenly and so dramatically.

A single Forsaken walked over to the group. He was a short, but stout lad clearly from Lorenor's Ambrosia Strain. Several strains of Forsaken were already documented by the census within the township, Lorenor saw fit to keep and maintain such records. Though Lorenor wasn't the Mayor-Elect of the township, he'd obtained considerable influence due to the fact that he and his partner, MetalDrago, co-founded the township. He'd left the running of the town in more capable hands than he. Only Salvar's politics interested Lorenor in the slightest. He turned towards the newcomer and recognized the youth as a fellow named Pankas Stalkingwolf. Pankas wore short braids on his head, and was dressed in commoner's attires. His attire resembled those of a chef. He wore a black apron made of heavy leather and boasting a large pocket. His skin was brown and his eyes were a lighter shade of purple. His build was very frail, but they bellied the true strength of a single Forsaken.

Judging by the physical appearance of the man, he had his origins as a human from Raiaera. He had several cooking implements on his person, wore gloves that were colored black, and had well formed boots covering his feet. He did not wear any armor in his civilian attire. It was quite possible that the youth wore an Endless. Lorenor mentally cataloged every single Forsaken that was turned under the Ambrosia Strain. They were like extended family and the mutant took that very seriously. Xem'Zund's forces could strike at any moment. Everybody needed preparation. Lorenor's face turned from both Pankas and Aeos. Lorenor was trying to make sure that he was reading the emotions on Aeos' face correctly. Once he was certain that the boy was indeed hungry, he turned back towards Pankas. "Pankas Stalkingwolf. One of the finest Chefs in all of Raiaera and in Mosil-Z'sarug." The township was recently christened Mosil-Z'sarug. "We need to feed. Prepare the dining room."

With that, Lorenor walked towards the dining area and took a seat. Several individuals were already in the dining hall eating meals of various types. These men were on their break from whatever duties they attended. Lorenor assumed that Aeos would follow and take a seat. He motioned to the youth to situate Genbu wherever was comfortable for the giant tortoise and for the youth to sit down in front of him. The Golems went to attend to their business at hand, construction projects were always going on. A waitress dressed in a skimpy outfit walked over to Lorenor and then towards Aeos. She gave them both a menu. Several individuals were already eating various meals at the large array of tables. The dining chamber functioned as a restaurant. Boredom showing on his face, the mutant quickly scanned the menu and told the waitress what he would like. He looked at the youth named Aeos. "Only the finest, most succulent meats are used for our foods. I hath been very adamant about that. So take your pick. Food is on my pocket today my friend. Be adventurous as they say." Whenever he addressed Aeos, the mutant had a broad smile on his face.

"I just want ye to know. Without thy help, I could never have gotten this far. I got one of the tomes of N'Jal because of thy intervention. I am eternally grateful to ye. Thou shalt always have a place amongst the Forsaken if thou so chooses."

[sweet_oblivion]

Dino pointed to something on the menu, not bothering to read it over, just going off of the first thing to catch his eye. He played off dismounting Genbu and walking to his seat, though each step was more of a lunge than anything else. He took his seat, drawing little attention to himself and did his best to keep himself up while he listened to Lorenor's words and thought about what had already come to pass.

So far, he had managed to make enemies with a commander of Lorenor's Mosil-Z'sarug, was invited to meet someone who had been referred to as the 'dark lady', met the ghouls son whose name sounded more like a numerical identification than anything else, as well as a chef named Pankas, and was just recently invited to stay within this town.

Questions ran through Dino's mind, the majority being how exactly Lorenor's supposed son looked so much different than the five foot creature, and if this 'dark lady' he spoke of was this N'Jal he worshipped or possibly the mother of the creature they had recently parted with. Dino could only imagine what form of creature was required to cross with Lorenor’s genes to create a golem such as he had seen. These thoughts littered his conscious mind but there was one that held importance above all others. How would Aeos react to this?

"Your words are kind old friend, kinder than I have known in many years." A slight separation in age between his true self and persona seemed reasonable. Dino was seventeen years of age, but there were plenty in this world hundreds of years old that looked to be in their mid-twenties so there was no reason for Lorenor to believe that Aeos was quite young in appearance. Maybe twenty-four was a good age to settle upon if asked. "To know that I have a place amongst friends is warming to say the least, but I am afraid I might have to take you up on that offer." Finding a way to politely say what Dino was attempting to bribe Lorenor out of proved quite difficult. Dino began to wonder if they had been born different people, if he would ever understand Aeos though process.

"As you might recall, I have been performing much research over the years....yet as of late I have found that-" His words were cut short as a bowl was brought to him. He found it a chore to try and distinguish the dead items from those that continued to squirm and gave up trying to do so as he picked up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth. Something nibbled lightly at his tongue though it felt more as if whatever it was simply eating the smaller bits of food that swirled around his mouth. Dino's teeth easily shredded this creature, which replied in a shrill squeal before sliding down his throat with the other contents of the soup. He could already feel the nutrients entering his system, in much higher levels than most things Dino had ever consumed. The taste was enjoyable as well if one were not bothered by the cries of whatever swam through the dark liquid. Dino was far from bothered.

"Excuse me. As I was saying, my research has been less fruitful than your following of N'Jal, though I am sure that is very apparent." He gave a slight chuckle letting another two spoonfuls slide down his throat as he looked around. Dino had made little leaps in his understanding of unified biology, while Lorenor now continued three books, was apparently a High Priest, and held much authority within this community. "The tales of Lorenor and the tale of Aeos are two very different stories to say the least. I doubt my travels could bring neither sleep nor fear of it to the smallest of children, though I am sure the case is much different for someone in your position o' great High Priest of N'Jal!" He matched Lorenor's smile, finishing the bowl and asking for one more before taking a sip from a cup placed in front of him at some point in time. It tasted more of blood than anything else though it was spiced.

Dino believed he was playing the part of Aeos quite well, but he had strayed too far from his point. If he were to be a different person, he needed to act as someone who was not himself. “Alas, I see no such fancy titles in my future but I wish to be of some aid to a friend if he so wish to show such generosity as to feed and shelter an old acquaintance such as Aeos, for there be places where mere mention of that name might earn the noblest of men enemies. Alas yet again, that as my research is far from finished or fruitful in the least, I feel that a laboratory not unlike a fellow by name of Argus Lightfeather once held in his possession, is needed for one such as eye to prove beneficial to one such as ye.” He put on an unsettling face as his second bowl was place ahead of him. “I do not wish to be a burden old friend, but with Xem’Zund on the war path these are hard times. I do not see my efforts able to tip the scales of battle but I at least wish to be capable of protecting what I hold dear….though even those seem clouded in times such as these. I do not wish to ask such things, but I find that I must, and as such I gladly offer my allegiance in whatever form possible to the cause of your ‘dark lady’ in what little ways I can. I am not one handy with a blade, but-”

He stopped, taking bowl in hand and slurping the entire thing as the warm broth trickled down the corners of his lips slightly. Aeos, as he believed he had earned the right to call himself this now, sighed looking down at what remained in the bowl, a small eye that seemed to shift and blink back at him floating in a puddle of the remaining liquid as he wiped his face with free hand. “But, I will find a way to show my thanks friend. Believe this.”

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Prepared, food was brought to their table and sat in front of them. The Golems didn't eat food in the normal sense of the word so they went off to get more work done. Words were exchanged between the various guests in the make-shift cafeteria. Situated in a room that was roughly sixty feet by sixty feet, the ceiling was roughly fifteen feet high. It was also arched. There were several rows of tables along with benches connected to each of the tables made of oak. Very solidly constructed, the tables and bench combinations were derived from the Golem technological knowledge. Mosil-Z'sarug's work-force was largely educated by the Golems. Especially dangerous tasks were handled by the Golems due to the nature of their bodies. They were capable of making self-repairs that normal human beings could not make. Forsaken who doubled as waiters and waitresses served food from the nearby kitchen chamber. It was located towards the Western side of the large room and a single arched doorway lead into that room. Busy chefs and butchers killed livestock of various monster breeds that served as the primary food-stuffs eaten in Mosil-Z'sarug.

Monster meats had higher amounts of protein and other natural nutrients that could be harvested. Also, certain monster meats could be salvaged for beneficial purposes. Buff's were a commonly salvaged benefit of the many types of monster species native to the Red Forest, and to the Black Desert.
Highly skilled chefs could recognize and augment the natural properties stored within monster DNA. Different types of platters were offered in various degrees of meals. From simple one-star recipes to complicated five star course meals were offered. Chefs specialized in many cooking skills that reflected their individual education process. Several Master Chefs were on hand that were native to Raiaera's lands. These were salvaged from the stream of refugees that made their way to former-Valinatal from various parts of Raiaera. Xem'Zund's rise had completely devastated the countryside of Raiaera. Seeing a potential boon from the stream of refugees, Mosil-Z'sarug prospered where all other cities in Raiaera failed miserably. Unable to withstand the might of Xem'Zund's darkness fueled army.

Lorenor and his companions sat within that chamber. He positioned himself directly across from Aeos. The other boy began to speak as he ate a soup he had ordered. The mutant was surprised that Aeos would pick such an interesting choice of food. Lorenor had ordered a combination of Black Bear Sirloin Steak, well done. Well mannered, the mutant munched on his food using various utensils at his disposal. Lorenor kept his eyes closed, that is, the normal glowing purple energy from within his eye sockets did not shine during that period. Taking the meats into his mouth and chewing casually, he listened to everything Aeos said. Well trained, his senses were picking up any fluctuations that could be construed as lies. Not picking anything up, Lorenor assumed that Aeos was being honest. He took a sip of Ripe Blue Apple Cider. The strong drink went down his throat and warmed his stomach despite his undead physiology. Feeling that warmth flowing through his whole body, Lorenor sighed with pleasure. Forsaken were carnivores and few of them could handle vegetarian dishes.

Most of them were eating meats of varying types. A strong smell of various beef, poultry, and even some seafood filled the room. The room was very hot because of the nearby cooking oven. A ventilation system was set up to attempt to keep the room cooler that utilized ice magic and science. He had to marvel at it all. In its entirety, Mosil-Z'sarug took approximately ten years to construct. It's current incarnation was an on going work of art in progress. Lorenor's very hands were blessed with N'Jal's touch and he had become a success story where the rest of Raiaera was under the direct fires of war. Requests were made by Aeos, requests that sounded more like demands. The mutant listened to the researcher with an amused expression on his face. Lorenor never once interrupted his friend. He simply let the other lad speak his mind. Some of the boy's requests were not foreign to him due to his experiences with the Golems of Dressed Fish Town. Lorenor took another drink of the cider, sat back for a moment and looked calmly in Aeos' general direction.

"Rest easy friend." Lorenor began. "You are my guest in this place." He took another pull of his cider, finishing the contents in his goblet. Slowly, the mutant refilled the goblet with a nearby pitcher. "I have authority to grant clearance for some of your requests. But for the other requests you would have to earn clearance from the Mayor of this township. There are laws here. Even though on the surface this might seem like a lawless place." Lorenor took a large chunk out of the bear meat he was eating. He never removed his eyes from Aeos. "We're currently preparing for a potential invasion at the hands of Xem'Zund's forces. Eluriand recently fell. I am not certain you are aware of this." The mutant said in a matter of fact sort of way. A suddenly serious look manifested across the mutant's horrible face. The glowing purple lights that were his eyes returned. "Xem'Zund MUST fall." Lorenor said. It sounded like a promise and not a threat. "If you can provide assistance in this matter you are welcome to stay here for all eternity." The mutant had a sly grin on his face. "Your place of research can be sought for when we are done eating here. First thing's first. No use scheming on an empty stomach. Have your fill of food my friend." Lorenor got up and poured a drink of the cider in a nearby empty goblet. He handed the goblet towards Aeos' general direction. "Try this cider. It is very healthy for you."

[sweet_oblivion]

Aeos took the goblet in hand, bringing in the smell of the blue drink as he ran his fingers across the cup. This would be the point of no return. He had hidden his true name from Lorenor till this point, originally so as to protect himself during a sudden trip to the past but now he was unsure of what these actions might befall. He had plans, great plans for his research and Lorenor had been the kind of friend who put trust in those he believed in. Dino had no intentions of betraying Lorenor, nor did he wish he ever would, but it would be a mission in itself to hide his true identity if he intended to stay here and aid in this vessel of N'Jal's fight against Xem'Zund. For his plans to work, Dino needed not exist to the knowledge of all Mosil-Z'sarug. After this meal, he would need sometime alone.

These thoughts were accompanied by his own taking in of the goblet. Like everything in this town, it was branded in such a way that none who saw it could mistake its origins from anywhere else but Mosil-Z'sarug. Its design was of little interest to Dino, but if he were to be Aeos, then he might as well pick up on a few trades if he could. After a long moment, the boy finally downed the drink. It was harsh, stronger than most beverages the boy had sampled before but the ghoul had not lied, it was very healthy for the body. Aeos ordered another bowl of the soup, finding it to be quite a tasteful dish despite what he late learned the name meant, translating roughly to 'Homicide Kiss Stew" in one of the popular languages and "Lullaby Broth" in another, though he easily forgot which.

"Many thanks my friend, but I only ask for the chance to get these things. I do not wish to pull you away from your work as fighting against Xem'Zund is no trivial matter." He had received his second helping of soup as he spoke these words and finished it with a single slurp before continuing. "But, the word of NaCl is at command, and if she places her trust in you to such a degree than I see no reason why I shall not do the same. My research shall be at your every beck and call." Aeos poured another glass of the blue drink for both him and Lorenor and raised it high.

"A toast my friend, to the fall of Xem'Zund, to the wishes of N'Jal, to the greatness of Lord Lorenor! All hail." He smirked as only those beasts of the animal kingdom eager for the hunt do on the night of the full moon as he brought his cup against his companions, and emptied it down his throat.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Boisterous was their claims. Lorenor knew that to be true, however, they were amongst friends. Several nearby patrons of the dining area raised their glasses after hearing Aeos' words. The mutant found himself in the spotlight for a moment, and shifted slightly uncomfortably in his seat. Though he was a High Priest of N'Jal, the mutant wasn't used to having so many eyes turn on his person all at once unless he was leading a congregation. Feeling a nervousness in his stomach, the would-be leader of the township was at a loss for words. He took a glance at his goblet and then decided it best to raise his own cup in unison with his fellows. Lorenor had accomplished a lot in a short period of time. He was simply happy to be amongst his fellows. Each new member of the Forsaken, or each new follower of N'Jal, was part of his extended family. A family that would build an army strong enough to rival the undead machine of Xem'Zund's Scourge. Thinking on these matters he heard a mighty "Here here!", from the gathered group of people in the large room. He raised his own cup after their mighty call and for a moment allowed himself a tiny bit of hope.

Xem'Zund had laid waste to former Raiaera and the entire continent was now becoming a land fit for only the strong. The mutant had found a place to call home where those bastards, the Knights of Dawn had no jurisdiction. In the modern common-tongue, the mutant spoke. "To the fall of Xem'Zund." And took a long pull of his goblet. He placed his goblet on the table after a moment, looking at his companions. "We've got a lot of work to do. I shall speak with the Mayor of this township to see if we can get something going for you. In the meantime, Aeos, I would like you to accompany me. I can arrange for you to have adequate stay here and comfort for your research." Lorenor knew that he could provide at least the next step for the young researcher. He would have to figure out what to do next. Obviously, he needed to talk to the Mayor. Sanctioning a space for Aeos shouldn't be a problem for the mutant. He had a lot of influence in the township due to his daily achievements. They were preparing for a big move against their hated enemy. Xem'Zund.

Once he had his fill of food and drink, the mutant felt the monsters' energy coursing through his vessel. Monsters were the primary diet in the township by Lorenor's own recommendations. Looking at Aeos calmly, Lorenor nodded for a moment. "We need to get things in order Aeos. There is a lot of work to do. Our enemies are everywhere and we cannot afford to waste a single moment." With the meal in his stomach, and his energy at peak levels, the mutant felt like there was an actual chance he might actually have a victory against the enemy. Lorenor allowed himself a brief moment to hope against hope. After all, Xem'Zund had all but raised the entirety of Raiaera leaving it a perpetual ghost land. What hope could a small group of renegade undead stand against such a threat? Without realizing it, Lorenor and his band of followers had become Althanas' last best hope against an ancient enemy. The mutant thought about that without realizing what he was doing. And somehow, he'd become placed in an inexorable path forward. A path that would forever alter the lives of millions.

And so, Lorenor began to walk out of the dining hall hoping that Aeos would follow. He walked past Aeos and paused for a moment looking at him without having to stare directly at him. He was physically looking straight ahead. "Aeos. Come with me." Lorenor said calmly. He nodded towards a group of the Forsaken that were eating on a nearby table. Walking up to them, he asked a simple question. "Do you know where the Mayor is?" Lorenor asked carefully. They responded. "He's in the Town Hall." Nodding, Lorenor continued on to exit the dining hall and return to the town proper. He waited for Aeos at the exit turning around to face the boy waiting for him to make the next move. The next phase of the project would be to speak with the Mayor and get Aeos situated in a proper laboratory setting. Lorenor was certain he could get the permission he needed for such a project. There were alchemists and magi in the township already, so the mutant could outfit a team of researchers with Aeos in charged of the group. Researching new weapons to defeat Xem'Zund would be a crucial matter in the coming war.

The enemy of all shall fall. Lorenor thought grimly to himself as he waited for the boy to arrive. Once the two were situated, Lorenor would go ahead and make the trip to the Town Hall.