Dynamite Rave

[Silence Sei]

((Closed to all those people in my Draconus quest. This quest takes place after 'Shadow of the Day'.))

"You are our champion, Sei Orlouge. Do not disappoint us..."

The words of N'Jal echoed in the head of the telepath. Why was he, a simple mystic warrior who had never won anything outstanding in his life, being fit enough to be champion of the Thaynes? What greater force was there at work to allow such a thing to be happening? Anita Orlouge talked an image of her father that the rest of Radasanth, and all of Alerar talked about. Yet, Sei was flesh and bone like any other regular being.

The mute had taken to his studies, trying to find what a Thayne champion actually did. However, none of the literary aides managed to help the mystic in his studies. "Why do we even have so many books if nobody can find anything in them?" Anita had asked her father as he finished yet another text. Glancing his eyes towards the girl, Sei was starting to notice how fair Anita's complexion was in torchlight.

"It's good to have them, Anita. They may help somebody one day." It was rumored that Sei's vast tomb was filled with a massive amount of books. Even walking into the front room of the tomb greeted people with shelves upon shelves of reading materials. Sei had slowly worked his way from room to room in order to try and read every book he had. Retaining all of that knowledge was quite another monster in and of itself.

"Well, we're in Corone, and I'm sure Lorenor is sending someone to help you in your quest. Didn't he say something about lending assistance to the knights?" Sei had just recently finished an adventure with N'Jal's avatar, or rather, -a- N'Jal's avatar. Lorenor had proved quite useful in leading Sei to the giant spider Goddess, and though Sei worshipped the being as a Thayne, Lorenor seemed to be passive to the beast. After the event, Lorenor vowed to help Sei in any way he could in becoming the Thayne Champion.

Sei had already waited several days to hear of word from Lorenor, but had yet to gain any news. "Like I said, Papa, we're in Corone. Corone worships its own Thayne. That means Draconus is here, somewhere. It's just a matter of finding out who could find him" Sei had not been listening to his daughter as she explained the situation. He was too busy with a nose in another book. Anita sighed as she began to leave the cave. The Ixian Knights had an open door policy, anyone could enter, and anyone could leave. While this left the door open for spies, it also gained the trust of the people.

"I don't understand why Papa doesn't respect me," Anita grumbled as she managed to shuffle her way past several random townspeople. As she progressed through the town, Anita was starting to feel a great chill. She turned around and saw nothing at first. Then, Anita squinted her blue eyes and concentrated. Slowly, the form of a man began to appear, though his form was corporeal in nature. Anita smiled a bit as she looked at the ghost.

Anita Orlouge always had a penchant for detecting the undead, and recently, she was starting to see specters even if they did not wish for her too. Neither Anita nor Sei could explain the phenomenon, but they knew that her powers had started increasing since the day they took a tour in the Forsaken City...

"Uh, Hi!" Anita said to the ghostly man, waving her hand towards him. Several patrons of Radasanth looked at her with extreme interest as she began to talk to thin air.

Since Papa's still waiting on Lorenor to move his feet, I might as well get acquainted with whoever this guy is...

[Raithwell]

“Just a day,” Celeste begged, wanting some time to explore Corone’s capitol city of Radasanth on her own. Radasanth was far and away the largest city that either Celeste Raithwell or her father Erik had ever been to, but though there was so much to see and so many things to do, neither Celeste nor her father had yet taken any time during their week long stay to do anything touristy. It wasn’t that the duo weren’t interested in taking in the sights, as was evidenced by Celeste’s request; it was merely that there were other things, Celeste’s safety first and foremost, on Erik Raithwell’s mind. Though Celeste was nearly a full-grown woman, and through no fault of his own, Erik had only just recently come into her life as the father she had never known. Never being more than a moment’s notice from his daughter’s side might have been seen by some as overprotective and smothering, but Celeste was Erik Raithwell’s entire world.

Literally.

The event that had kept Erik from his daughter for all the long years of her life had been Erik’s death at the hands of a stormy and merciless sea. Erik had once been nothing more than a fisherman, son of a fisherman who was the son of a fisherman but all that changed the day his empty fishing boat was found adrift on the open sea. He wasn’t sure why his spirit had failed to move on to its final judgment when the wind and the waves claimed his body but it hadn’t. Now, Erik was little more than a wisp of thought held together in the anti-firmament by strong emotional anchors. There had been four such anchors in the beginning of Erik’s new existence, but after a moment of spite-fueled weakness there were now only two, and Celeste was one of them. Despite this, Erik’s hesitance to let Celeste out of his sight and his over protectiveness wasn’t based on the tie that kept him from dissipating into nothingness. Erik’s hesitance was really and truly based on his desire to do as much right by his daughter as he could.

“Of course,” Erik said, putting his hand on Celeste’s shoulder to establish the physical contact that he needed to make himself heard to the living. He wanted to tell her to watch out for herself, he wanted to tell her to be safe, but at the same time he knew that he couldn’t keep Celeste on a leash and that he could only drive a wedge between their tenuous relationships by doing so. Celeste was more of an adult than her slight frame made her appear and he needed to treat her as such. “Have a good time.”

“Thanks, dad,” Celeste replied and Erik could tell that the title still came awkwardly to her. Still, the spark of warmth that shone in her haunted, broken eyes told him all that he needed to know about her sincerity.

You’re a fool to let her out of your sight, a slick, oily voice whispered over Erik’s shoulder as Celeste disappeared into the crowd. It was a voice that Erik knew all too well, the voice of his shadow. Being a creature comprised of nothing more than thought and emotion had its perks, like being able to thin out his the gauze that made up his ethereal body enough to let him walk through walls, but it also had its downsides. If Erik had to rate those downsides in terms of how bad they were, then the existence of his shadow would rate off the scale. His shadow was the collective grouping of all Erik’s negative, self-defeating emotions, constantly working to destroy everything that Erik held dear and in doing so, destroy Erik himself. But the worst part of having his shadow constantly whispering in his ear was that the words the dark voice spoke were nothing more than Erik’s own thoughts.

You know you could follow her and she would have no idea that you did so, his shadow continued and Erik nodded his agreement. He wanted so very badly to go after Celeste, to follow her through the crowd unseen and unheard, to watch over her and make sure she was safe, but he knew that if he did so he would be breaking the thin line of trust that the two of them had established. And even if Celeste never found out that he had done so, Erik would know and hate himself for breaking that trust, and his shadow would grow that much stronger. {i]No,[/i] Erik whispered, signaling his refusal to follow his shadow’s recommendation. Still, in defiance of his own words, Erik took a single step in the direction Celeste had just disappeared.

It was at that moment, caught between his opposing desires, that Erik realized that he was being watched. A young woman, roughly Celeste’s age, stared directly at him from across the walkway. Erik shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of her azure eyes, which blazed with color despite the fact that everything else in the firmament was muted, seen as it were through the gray veil that separated the anti-firmament from the realm of the living. Still, despite the oddity of the young woman’s eyes, Erik was ready to write her off as just another person who happened to be staring in his direction until the girl waved her hand in greeting.

“You … you can see me?” Erik gaped at her, forgetting that contact was necessary for him to use the power of the Banshee that allowed him to speak across the veil. Then, realizing his error, Erik hastily waved back to the young woman, “Can you hear me too?”

Note that words in silver are spoken using the Banshee power and can only be heard by the person that I'm in contact with and people who can normally hear into the anti-firmament. Words in gray are spoken by my shadow and can only be heard by me.

[Zerith]

((Sorry for the wait. I guess I found it a little difficult to try and shake the dust off.))

“So tell me Z, how does it feel to be a noble now?”

The halberdier was lost in his own train of thought, oblivious of the fact that his best friend was speaking to him. The two were seated on a bench while countless others passed by them going about their day to day business. While Zevernus was watching all of the commotion going on before his eyes, Zerith was staring at his hands. Rather, he was twisting the new ring of white gold on left hand which still felt somewhat awkward to wear.

“Zerith? Are you even paying attention to me? I asked how does it feel to be a noble?” The swordsman repeated.

The halberdier looked at his friend and laughed softly, “I’m sorry Zev, I guess I wasn’t paying attention there for a second. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m a noble now. I’m still the same guy I was before.”

Zevernus nodded, “Yeah, but you’re married now. To a princess might I add. That has to make you some sort of nobility now, Right?”

Maybe it did, and maybe it didn’t. While it was true that he was now officially married to Jasmine, and that she was a princess at one time. He still had trouble understanding what exactly that made him, even after his wife explained it to him at least six or seven times. Though right now, being nobility wasn’t important in Zerith’s life. Instead, was taking a vacation with his family. After all the work with the wedding and the occasional surprise or two, he felt like they deserved to take a little break from life in Moriah. So they decided to travel to Radasanth and just spend some time to relax and not worry about the upcoming changes that would have to be made.

“Still, do you think this way a good idea, Z? Do you really think Eric will be able to take care of Moriah?” Zevernus asked.

Eric was the King of Moriah and now also Zerith’s brother-in-law. While the two didn’t exactly start off on the best of terms, the halberdier felt like they had a deep respect for each other. Yes, Eric was rightfully King, but whenever some sort of trouble arose it was Zerith that would find stepping up and taking control. Maybe it was just a guy thing, maybe Eric just didn’t like feeling like he needed to really on the new member of his family because it in turn made him feel powerless. Though in Zerith’s eyes Eric still had the job of leading a kingdom, and that was something the halberdier thought he would never be able to do.

“Eric is King of Moriah, and has been for awhile. I’m sure he knows how to take care of Moriah. Besides, I have faith that Draconus will protect both Eric and Moriah from any harm. So just relax and enjoy Radasanth,” Zerith answered. Though secretly part of him wished he was doing something. Without a fight or a job to do, the halberdier struggled to feel like he had a purpose in life. Yes, he was a married man now and his wife was rightfully a large part of his life. However Jasmine had an adventurous spirit as well and he was positive she would understand how a small part of him felt empty.

“Looks like you’ll just have to deal with it, Zerith,” he told himself. Forcing a smile on his face, he followed Zevernus’ finger when he pointed out something that caught the swordsman’s interesting. Apparently he saw a young woman not only waving, but begin talking to thin air.

“Can you believe it?” Zevernus asked his friend. “It’s like she thinks she’s talking to a ghost. I bet you she’s crazy or something.”

[MetalDrago]

The sound of voices, of people going about their day to day business filled the air as MetalDrago returned to what had once been his home. Radasanth had not changed one bit since the Dragonian had last been there. For years the man had lived in solitude, switching between the city and his self-made home in the trees of Concordia. He smiled as he remembered all the times he would come into this city to find work to sustain himself, and wondered how he had become what he was today. He was here for work again, but this time it wasn’t for food or shelter. Instead, he’d come as a mission handed down from Lorenor, the High Priest of Mosil Z’sarug, the homestead of the Order of N’Jal. The mutant ghoul had told him of a journey he’d gone on with Sei Orlouge, the Hero of Radasanth, in order to help him gain an item of N’Jal, the patron Thayne of Darkness. He asked the Dragonian to go to Radasanth and help Sei acquire another item, if he could.

He had little choice but to accept. He decided to leave for Corone as soon as he could. He did not much like travelling by water, but with his wings still unable to return to their original form, he really could not do much else. The trip was uneventful, to say the least. He was bored out of his mind the entire time. He filled his time standing at the bow of the ship, looking out over the waves while the crew was busy taking care of the ship. He had no personal experience with ships, and didn’t much want to have any. When he landed in the harbor, he was not happy. He smelled of sea salt and brine, and wanted little more than to clean himself of the stench, preferably with the blood of a fallen enemy. Then again, some hot water would work just as well.

The Paladin looked up and down the streets of Radasanth once more. Bistros and shops of every kind stretched as far as the eye could see, and people of every possible description filled the streets, either buying or selling wears to other people. He smiled to himself as he watched it all, and drew his cape around himself to keep himself from being too blatant in his otherworldliness. He walked through the throngs of people, sometimes eliciting a stare or two from the people around him, but mostly going unnoticed.

After much travel, and with feet sore from walking all day, the Dragonian came across Radasanth Park. He knew what he was looking for, because he’d come and visited this place often before his transformation into the Avatar of the Thayne N’Jal. He walked down a few paths and eventually found the cave where “Silence” Sei Orlouge lived and worked. He checked his pocket for the note Lorenor had given him and walked into the cave’s entrance. As he continued through the dimly lit cavern, he admired the structure. To people unfamiliar with the lore of Radasanth, the cave would look to be merely a cave. However, this was far from the truth. This was the home of the Hero of Radasanth, a man who had unwittingly become famous for various reasons.

MetalDrago finally came upon a closed door. He’d never been inside the cave, though he’d admired it from the outside many times. He wondered what it would look like inside, then he shrugged. He was going to find out fairly soon, so it was best to keep his curiosity under his hat until he had the chance to see for himself. He took a deep breath of air and knocked on the door.

[Silence Sei]

"Yeah, it's something of a talent I've had since I was little. Me and the dead are sort of 'connected'. And yes, I can hear you clear as day as well. Don't worry, when you've had my gift for as long as I have, you come to learn to accept the dead as regular people, the only difference is that they don’t have to eat, sleep, or anything like that." Anita shrugged her shoulders as if it were no big dead to talk with the spirits of the afterlife. Her eyes darting towards a duo across the way staring at her.

"Seems I'm becoming quite the popular lady," the girl said, looking down at her chest to make sure she had not become Maxine Dirkal over night. When she realized her bosom had remained the same size, she looked back at her undead 'friend'. "Anyways, my name is Anita, Anita Orlouge. The name may not have any clout with you, but I'm relatively famous around here. What's your name? How long have you been dead? was it murder?" Anita's last word during her onslaught of questions came with a dramatic tone. Whenever one of the spirits was willing to converse with her, she could go days just talking and talking and talking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Sei opened the door quickly, welcoming MetalDrago with a symphony of loud noises, screaming, and Jensen Ambrose shouting 'IT WAS THE CAT!'. The mute rolled his eyes before his azure orbs met with the form of the dragon-man. A smile crept across his face, even if he felt the same terrifying aura that Lorenor had possessed weeks before. Sei extended one of his hands to his interim helper. "I've been expecting you sir, Sei Orlouge, Hero of Radasanth, pleasure to meet you."

The main room to the Tomb had changed significantly from the way it had looked a couple of months prior. There were now books scattered across the floor rather than on the oak book shelves where they belonged. A smell of lemon freshness swept over the area, an attempt by Rehtul Orlouge and other members of the knights to keep the large cave clean. The chaos that had greeted Drago continued on, filling the ears of everyone near by with arguing and the sounds of things breaking. This was life in the home of Sei Orlouge now; this was the life of an Ixian Knight.

"Can I offer you some tea? Provided Jensen hasn't spilt it all out in an attempt to get to the cookie jar...."

[Raithwell]

A ripple of astonishment worked across Raith’s ethereal body. This girl, Anita, was taking this all so nonchalantly that it threw him for a loop. Sibilant whispers reminded him of Celeste being out in the city on her own but Raith shook off the temptation to chase after her.

“I … uh … well,” Raith sputtered, unable to get a word in against the tide of the girl’s unending stream of questions. Even though he was dead, Raith was still new to so-called life as a spirit. He had never met another creature like him in the few short months that he had been cognizant let alone a person who could see and hear him. It was a bit overwhelming.

“Look,” Raith interrupted, finally breaking the stream of words coming from Anita’s mouth, “My name is Erik Raithwell, though most of the time I just go by Raith. I guess I’ve been dead for nearly twenty years, though I’ve only come back into existence in the last couple of months.”

“It wasn’t murder,” Raith shook his head, “I was knocked off my ship by a freak storm while I was fishing and I drowned.” The exact moments of his death were always hazy, as if viewed through dark, smoky glass. Raith shrugged and waved it off, an utterly human gesture.

“I’m here with my daughter,” Raith nodded to the busy streets behind him, “we’ve never been to Radasanth before.” He chuckled softly. “She was born just after I died and when I met her I promised to show her the ‘big city.’” Another shrug. Some might have thought that the spirit’s forthrightness was odd, but Raith had learned that there was little he could keep secret as a being of pure thought and emotion. Not that secrecy meant much to him now anyways. The only people in the world that he could really talk to were his daughter Celeste and now this young woman. He wasn’t about to keep himself closed off from someone with whom he could actually interact.

“So you’re famous, eh? I’ve never met anyone famous before.” Raith smiled, though it was difficult to convey warmth through the gray haze of the Anti-Firmament.

“What exactly are you famous for?”

[Zerith]

“She’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”

Now there was the Zevernus that the halberdier had come to know. The younger, brown haired, brown eyed swordsman had been part of Zerith’s life for nearly a decade. Since their initial meeting, there were too many times where Zevernus’ attraction to women only caused trouble on the rare occasion he wasn’t shot down by one. His advances, though pathetic at best and often times uncalled for, did seem to work every once in a while. Yet somehow the swordsman never seemed to last long in a relationship. Zevernus really was a good man at heart, it just took a really long time for someone to see it. And as far as Zerith knew, there wasn’t a woman yet that stuck around long enough to see it.

“I don’t think so. Besides, she’s clearly involved in a conversation with something and it’s kind of rude to stare at her, Zevernus.” The halberdier replied politely.

“Oh, right. She’s talking to a magical being who can only be seen or heard by her because some sort of ‘magical’ aura she carries.” The swordsman waved he hands in the air, as if casting a spell at his friend next to him. If the gesture wasn’t enough, the sarcastic tone his voice carried made the warder want to slap him.

Sadly, Zerith knew that his best friend never really understood that things weren’t as concrete as he probably would have preferred. How could he know? Every single experience the halberdier had with something that didn’t really have a logical explanation was without his companion. Zevernus just wasn’t there when Zerith stood in the Antifirmament, nor was he there when Zerith was bound to Jasmine by the Goddess of Magic. So despite the fact that the halberdier even had his wife to vouch for him, saying that those events really did happen, neither one of them could change Zevernus’ opinion. Perhaps there just wasn’t a point in trying to help him see the truth.

Rising from his seat, the swordsman dusted off his pants and brushed his hair back. “Come on, Z.” He said with a smile. “I’m going to try introducing myself to her. Maybe if I’m lucky she’ll give me the address of where she’s staying or something by the end of the night.”

The warder rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. “Can’t you just drop it? Besides, she looks a little young for you anyways.”

“Nonsense, you can’t accurately put an age to her beauty. I bet you she’s actually older than what you think. I’m going to guess twenty-two but I won’t find out until I ask her. Now come on!” Zevernus exclaimed as he grabbed his friend by the arm and pulled him up to his feet. After that, the warder to left to fend for himself as the swordsman continued on his own towards the young girl. Khal’jaren the Sage was probably only being in existence aware of whatever the young man was planning on saying to her. Even then, the god was probably wishing he too was unaware at the rest of Althanas.

Taking a moment to retrieve his halberd from the side of the bench, Zerith reluctantly followed. He could already foresee this not ending will for him or his friend and began to wonder why he didn’t just leave the swordsman behind in Moriah. At least then Zevernus would have been contained on the island.

“Maybe Zevernus won’t get into trouble today.” Zerith hoped. “any day that runs smoothly with a man like him as company is a good day in my book.”

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago fought his impulse to fight the mute’s intrusion into his mind as best as he could. He was merely talking to him, not scanning his thoughts. There was no harm in that. The noise in the background did make for an extremely grating sound. The Dragonian nodded and said, “Tea sounds good. Name’s MetalDrago Scorpio, but I suppose you can call me Drago for short.” He reached out and gripped the man’s hand before him, shaking hands, and then let his own arms fall to his sides. He looked the other man up and down, taking the measure of him. He certainly didn’t seem to be anything remotely resembling a hero, but if anyone knew that surprising things could come from the most unexpected of places, it was the Dragonian Paladin of N’Jal.

When Sei let him in, he took a quick survey of the room. Old maps and books were strewn everywhere in the home, though there did appear to be some underlying order beneath the chaos. The furniture was mostly bare, barring some clothes that he could only guess belonged to the man known as Jensen. That name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. He shrugged and put it aside for the moment, content with what he had. “This is an interesting cave system, I must admit. I’d never have guessed that such an expansive home could be concealed in the middle of the park.”

The Paladin was attempting to make small talk, something he was definitely not very good at. Get him in a discussion about war tactics and he’d definitely get interested, but all he could bring himself to do was sit there, looking at the “Hero of Radasanth,” trying to figure the man out. There was something underneath the man’s demeanor that made him seem familiar, yet alien at the same time. One thing was for certain, the man was certainly no ordinary human.

Then again, the Dragonian himself was no ordinary being either. He had been blessed with enhanced abilities by a Dark Thayne that should never have come back to Althanas in any form, and he loved the Dark Energy that swirled within his veins. He’d figure out what was so familiar about this Sei Orlouge eventually, but first he was going to take him up on his offer for tea, and perhaps request a hot bath to get all the sea gunk out from under his scales.

[Silence Sei]

The question asked by Erik Raithwell caught Anita off guard. The girl blushed a little and began to answer the question when two men who appeared to be some form of warrior approached her. The girl blinked and waved to the two, one of them seeming a lot more reluctant at being in the vicinity than his friend. The more outgoing man spoke, a hint of flirtation hiding behind his brown eyes.

"Hello there, gorgeous," the brown eyed man spoke, "I thought you looked kind of lonely, what with you talking to yourself and everything." Anita shook her head at the comment, looking at Zevernus as if he were stupid. She passed a glance at the other man before turning her head back to Erik.

"I'm not alone, I'm talking to Mr. Raithwell," she said, pointing to the thin air that separated the three. Though it seemed as if she was talking to nobody, surely at this point the two warriors could feel a more chilling air around the girl. The brown eyed man shook his head, seeming to pass the eerie feeling off as a flight of fancy of some sort.

"Well, my names Zevernus, and this talker here is known as Zerith. He's not interested though, he's married. Me on the other hand..." Zevernus began to take a step towards Anita, the girl shifting her backpack to the forefront as a shield of sorts. Zevernus stopped in his tracks, as if the motion were something to be intimidated by.

"If you would just give me another minute with Mr. Raithwell, I'll talk to you in a second," Anita suggested, the words coming off as more of a demand. Zevernus, seeming to like a woman in charge, simply nodded and allowed Anita to finish her conversation. "I'm actually known for being the daughter of Sei Orlouge, Hero of Radasanth. I suppose I got a little presumptions and boisterous with my introduction. I just wanted to try and impress somebody. Papa doesn't seem to think that I can help him locate Draconus in any wa---"

Anita's eyes lit up as she looked Erik Raithwell up and down. The man existed in the anti-firmament, the dimension in which Draconus existed! If Anita could convince the specter to accompany her to the tomb, maybe she would be a help to her father after all. Anita looked to the two other warriors, now engaged in their own conversation. It seemed as though the name 'Draconus' had brought something out in Zerith.

Zerith's eyes met with Anita mid-conversation, prompting him to step out from behind his friend. "Uh, if you want help in finding Draconus, I know where his temple is, if that helps at all." Anita's eyes lit up even wider than they had before, the girl throwing her arms around the married man in a display of over bursting affection. Zevernus appeared to be a bit jealous as Anita embraced his friend, but the feelings quickly passed when Anita began talking to thin air again.

"Mr. Raithwell, if you'll please come with me to my father's tomb, I think I could really use your help with something! It won't take long, and I think if anybody can help you out of your situation, it's Papa. Please please please?" As Anita begged the ghost, her eyes darted to Zevernus and Zerith, as if she were begging the two warriors as well to go with her to meet daddy.

It was time to make Papa proud.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sei had not even asked Drago if he would like a bath, instead just summoning some of the newly acquired house maids to run the reptilian warrior some hot water. Sei imagined the water would have to be extremely hot for the N'Jal paladin to feel comfortable, so he summoned a fire mage or two as well to heat the water. Sei soon returned to Drago with the tea pot and two cups, held together on a sterling silver tray. Sei sat the tray down on the table and poured the tea within the cups.

He offered Drago his cup as he spoke. "Given your features, I could see why Lorenor had suggested you to help me in my hunt for Draconus. I'm assuming your name insinuates you are also a warrior for the dragon Thayne as well?" Sei took a sip of his tea, the warm liquid warming everything from his mouth to his stomach.

Before the dark warrior could answer the question, Sei placed his cup back on the tray, a stern look sweeping across his face. Lorenor was somebody Sei felt he could trust, but he was still unsure of the spider Thayne that had informed the mystic of his destiny. As such, Sei had to ask MetalDrago a far more important question that just some small chit-chat during bath preparations.

"I am a bit concerned about your loyalties to N'Jal. While I will do the Dark Lady's bidding, so long as it's not too extreme, I wonder if you weren't sent for a more sinister purpose. I need your word that if we do actually encounter Draconus, you will not attempt to exact N'Jal's vengeance upon him. If you are fine with that, then I can see this as a good start to a good partnership."

[Raithwell]

Raith was amused to see the shift of embarrassment that stole over the young woman. It was just a slight gesture, but for one as intimately focused on emotional response as Raith, she might as well have been shouting her discomfort at him. A wave of humor rippled across Raith’s form. He had never heard stories of a famous person being caught off guard by someone asking what they were famous for, and despite himself he found his interest in this young girl and her abilities causing his worry for Celeste to subside. After all, he had not been able to hold a normal, regular conversation with anyone since coming back from his death, which had to count for something.

But just as things started to perk up for him, Raith found his conversation blocked by two young warriors. They were proud, strong looking men, and Raith could tell that their interest in his young companion was far different from his own. Well it was for one of them. The other radiated enough of a sense of reluctant annoyance that there was no doubt in the spirit’s mind that the man had been forced to approach Anita by his more zealous friend.

Raith watched the opening moves of the age-old dance with a wistful sigh. He spent so much time alone and ignored by a world that couldn’t see or hear him that it was easy for him to switch his mind off and settle back into a patient, waiting mode. But much to his great surprise, Anita rebuffed the men to continue her conversation with him. The name Sei Orlouge meant little to him, as did the title Hero of Radasanth, but the name Draconus sparked wists of memory in the back of his mind.

”Draconus? The Thayne Draconus? You’re seriously looking for the Thayne Draconus?” Raith shuddered, suddenly feeling like he was a child in the land of giants. He was just a remnant of memory that had refused to fade, and here he had been caught up in a search for a God.

This is too much for you, the oily voice of his shadow crept up from its lair in the depths of his soul, you’re far out of your league here.

Besides, the voice continued, do you really want to get Celeste involved in something like this? It’s bound to be dangerous.

”You’re right,” Raith replied to his shadow, forgetting in the jumble of the moment that Anita could hear what he was saying, though she had switched conversations back to the two men with her. Amazingly, the non-amorous one apparently had a connection of his own with Draconus, and Raith found himself wishing that the stranger’s experience would satisfy Anita.

But then the young woman made her request for assistance.

“I … wow,” Raith breathed, unsure just what to say. His mind reeled with the enormity of what she was asking of him, and he was confused by her references to her father’s tomb. Was her father a spirit too? He hadn’t met another spirit since coming back to Althanas. ”I’m not sure.”

That’s right, his shadow whispered, there’s no need to go out of your way. Besides, you need to be here for Celeste when she returns.

”But,” Raith countered, remembering that though his shadow’s advice played on his own thoughts, they were far from helpful, “she’s not going to be back until tonight. I can go and see what she’s talking about and be back well before then.”

”Alright,” Raith said, turning back to Anita, a sheepish look crossing his features as he remembered that she could hear his internal conversation. ”I’ll, uh, go with you to your father’s tomb to see what he has to say.”

[Zerith]

While Anita and Raithwell began to amongst themselves, a fist slammed into Zerith’s shoulder. Turning his head to see what the source of it was, the halberdier was greeted with an angry glare from Zevernus. “What the hell, Z?” the swordsman spoke sternly. “I try to make my move on her and suddenly you just decide to barge into the conversation? “Uh, If you want help in finding Draconus. I know where his temple is...” Thanks a lot, buddy. You just stole the damn spotlight!”

“Just try to relax, Zev,” the Warder responded reassuringly. “Didn’t you see the way she looked at us? She wants us to go with her, so you’ll have plenty of time to make whatever move you’re planning.”

His friend snorted, “I had better. Otherwise I’m going to tell Jasmine you tried to hit on another woman while we were out.”

“You wouldn’t dare if you knew what was good for you,” Zerith threatened. “Did you hear what she said? She’s the daughter of the legendary Silence Sei Orlouge! I swear to the Wyrm God that if you ever try to say something like that to Jasmine, I’ll tell Sei himself what your real ‘intensions’ are with his daughter. If you thought going against me in a fight was tough, the Avatar of Alerar could probably cut me to ribbons with incredible ease. So just trust me, okay? I have a good feeling where this can go if we play our cards right.”

Frowning, Zevernus couldn’t help but mumble, “Fine, but if I go along and help you, all I ask is that at least try to put a good word in to Sei if we happen to meet you. Y’know, something about much of a wholesome gentleman I am?”

The halberdier laughed as he placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, “You know I would if I could, but I’m afraid that would be called ‘lying’.” Not even bothering to wait for Zevernus’ reaction. The warrior approached Anita instead and smiled warmly, gesturing to his comrade behind him as he began to speak. “My friend and I are more than willing to come along to your father’s tomb. If there is anyone I can help the great Sei Orlouge, I’m more than willing offer all the support I can. My friend there also wants to help, and he apologizes if he came off too strong towards you.”

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago smirked slightly as Sei asked him two very probing questions that the Dragonian was sure the man could easily get the answers to on his own. The simple fact that the man had asked the questions to begin with showed an immense respect for the privacy of the mind, which elevated the man slightly in the Dragonian’s regard. “To answer your first question, I did once serve Draconus, but only for a short while during the earlier years of my life.”

The Paladin leaned back in the chair and rested one armored hand on top of the other. He thought about the second question very seriously, because it didn’t merely ask if N’Jal would have him attack Draconus, but also whether or not he would attack out of a personal spite for the Dragon Thayne. He unclasped his hands and sighed. “As for your second question, if I attacked the Dragon Thayne, what could I possibly gain from such a scenario, aside from my own untimely death? I won’t attack him. Though I have no love for the beast, my Lady’s vengeance will be carried out in her own way. My guess is that she will attend to him personally on her physical return to this world.”

The Dragonian Paladin looked into Sei’s eyes, his gaze one of complete and total sincerity, not a common sight when one considered his allegiance to N’Jal. If the other man wanted to check his truthfulness through using his telepathy, that was his own concern. The Dragonian may have had many things to hide, but when he spoke the truth, he had nothing to fear from the likes of the man before him. He shifted in his seat slightly, trying to get more comfortable.

Things were going to get interesting. Draconus had at one time been a Thayne that the Dragonian felt a very close allegiance to. Though that allegiance had faded, he still felt a connection to his dragon heritage that he could use to help Sei with. He would not denounce his loyalty to N’Jal, but he also would not allow his loyalty to her to get in the way of whatever it was he was supposed to help this man with.

“I only have one question for you. What exactly do you hope to gain by getting close to all of the Thayne?”

[Silence Sei]

The question was straight to the point. Drago wanted to know what Sei's adventures had in store for the telepath. The mute looked to the paladin with a raised eyebrow. MetalDrago had promised the mystic that he would not engage with Draconus, it was the least Sei could do to answer his question involving the Thayne. Looking up into the air, Sei bit his lower lip. Nobody had been told this much about Sei's adventures with the powers that be on Althanas as of yet.

"N'Jal informed me that I was to be the Champion of the Thaynes. I didn't exactly find out what that meant until I met her sister Y'edda. Apparently, I am destined to be the force that guides the spirits of the dead where they need to go in order to pass on. It is up to me to deem one worthy enough of going to one place or the other. Otherwise, they are cursed to remain in the anti-firmament forever, much like Draconus himself."

"My only problem at the moment is that I do not know of a decently sized Draconus temple in Corone. I've been searching but I just can't seem to find any---" It was at that moment Anita had bursted through the door, two men trailing behind her, as well as an otherworldly aura by her side. It was not strange for the daughter of the dragon to bring home spirits, but to bring them home with actual living people was a step up. In a way, ghosts were to Anita as puppies were to a normal eight year old.

"And who are your friends, Anita Orlouge?" Sei asked the girl, an informal way of introducing his daughter to MetalDrago. The girl beamed up and down as she pointed to the thin air beside her, introducing her first friend. "This is Erik Raithwell, he's been protecting his daughter for a bit. I figured if we were looking for Draconus, we could have a man on the inside of the outside, so to speak!" Sei nodded at the cunning of his daughter, his eyes focusing now on Zerith and Zevernus.

"And these two are Zerith and ....uhhh..." Anita paused for a moment, trying to remember the other man's name. She bit the inside of her lip similar to how Sei had just done before the light turned on in her head. "Verzenus! Yeah! Zerith and Verzenus!" Sei looked to the men, one having a look of disappointment in his face. Apparently, Anita had gotten the man's name mixed up...

((Alright guys, if yall want to try and skip ahead a bit after intros, we can. I don't have anything super planned or anything. Just really getting to the temple. I'll delete this ooc after this round o posting.))

[Raithwell]

Raith was surprised. He had never met anyone famous before except, he supposed, the self-proclaimed Anita, so he had expected more of a man with the title ‘Hero of Radasanth’. Instead of a towering legend however, he found himself face to face with an unassuming, flame-haired man.

”I guess you can’t judge heroics by looks,” he muttered, unimpressed, again forgetting that Anita could hear him. What rather did impress him was the rather large and imposing dragon-man standing next to the so-called Hero. He had never encountered a non-human in either life or death and was thoroughly thankful that he existed on a separate plane of existence from the frightful creature. Unfortunately, Raith knew that it would be far easier to conduct his dealings with the assembled group if he were to manifest, which would mean putting himself within reach of the dragonian.

Manifesting was both mentally taxing and yet surprisingly simple. Raith searched around within the emotional flow of thoughts that made up his ethereal gauze, feeling the rush of emotional reserves that was his spiritual life-force, and then expended a fraction of that vigor to step between the fold that separated the Firmament and the Anti-Firmament.

“I’m sorry is I startled you all,” Raith said aloud, using his voice in the real world for the first time since he and Celeste had left Underwood several weeks ago. He turned quickly to Anita, who stood next to him, “and I’m sorry that I didn’t let you know that I could manifest in the Firmament like this. It’s sort of taxing for me to do so, and takes me several hours to fully recover once I finish.”

“I’m pleased to meet you Mr. Orlouge,” Raith said, finally turning back to his host and the business at hand. “My name is Erik Raithwell, but most people call me Raith. I’ve never met a hero before and, though you look like a normal guy to me, I’m sure you’re very important.” Raith paused as he reflected on what he had just said. He hoped Sei didn’t find his bluntness offensive, but as a being of pure thought it was difficult to filter what he said.

“Sorry,” he finally conceded, “While I don’t know much about the Thayne, I do know that Draconus is one of them and though Anita seems to think that I can somehow help you, I have to warn you that there isn’t much that I can do.” Raith shrugged, “But I don’t mind helping any way I can on one condition.”

“I need to know that my daughter, Celeste, is safe and taken care of. She’s little more than a kid, and though she fancies herself a junior adventurer, she doesn’t know much about your way of life. And while the rest of you might be doing this for the excitement or for religious purposes, I’m going to have to ask that Celeste be paid in return for my help.”

“Those are my terms, so let me know if they work for you,” Raith smiled as pleasantly as he could manage before the strain of holding himself in the Firmament became too much and he faded back to the gray, shadowy otherworld.

Vigor: 4, Spite:0

[Zerith]

Zerith couldn’t help but chuckle when Anita messed up his friend’s name. He thought it was extremely amusing, especially considering the fact that this was the girl the swordsman had his eye on at the moment. So for her to forget his name was the equivalent of being punched in the gut, and Zevernus’ expression clearly reflected it. “Actually, the name’s Zevernus, sweetheart,” the swordsman corrected. “Though I’ll let it slide if you would be so kind to give me a tour of the place, especially your bedro-“

The last word was abruptly cut off and replace with a cry of pain as the halberdier quickly slammed the counterweight of Amenzanil down into Zevernus’ right foot. As the swordsman proceeded to hop around on one leg, verbally complaining and demanding to know what the deal was, Zerith smiled apologetically to his host. “My apologies, my companion doesn’t exactly know how to mind his manners.” Bowing slightly to Sei as a gesture of both greeting and respect, the Warder continued. “However, it is an honor to meet you, Sei Orlouge.”

While Zevernus’ world was suddenly shocked by the physical manifestation of Eric, Zerith on the other hand couldn’t help but notice the Draconian standing near the Avatar of Alerar. He couldn’t exactly put his finger on it, but he could not help but feel like they had meet somewhere before. Somehow, the Paladin seemed to emit an aura of uneasiness around his intimidating visage. It was enough to make the halberdier feel like he had to be on his guard for some unknown reason; as if he believed Metaldrago wouldn’t hesitate to stab him in the back when given the opportunity. Zerith tightened the grip on his halberd unintentionally while electricity continued to leap and arc along the surface of the blade. It was as if even the Amenzanil itself felt its master’s discomfort and proceeded to try and defend him in some way.

“What the hell was that, Z!” Zevernus shouted when Eric’s form finally faded away. Obviously, the swordsman had never encountered a spirit before and the experience was rather unsettling. The grown man was practically using his friend as a shield for fear of being attacked by the ghost. “The guy just appeared out of thin air, and then vanished just as quickly! Is this place haunted or something!?”

“Well Anita did say she was talking to someone when you approached her, remember? My guess would be that whoever you saw was that someone,” the warder answered as he rolled his eyes. It was one of those times where Zerith felt embarrassed to be associated with his friend. Where he could swear he felt the same unimpressed gaze people would give Zevernus on his form as well. Yet, desperate to continue to look good in the eyes of Sei Orlouge, the halberdier decided that he may as well show that even the dragon and his daughter would find him a valuable asset.

“I may not know exactly where the center of worship for the Wyrm God is, but I do know where his temple in Radasanth is located.” Zerith blurted out before Anita could get to the part where the halberdier offered to guide her there. “I also know that according to the stories, Draconus hid into the mountains to wait for someone to take up his call. So if you want my personal opinion, I think we would find something up in the Jagged Mountains. It may be a little risky, but I’ll let you decide what you would rather do.”

Flashing them a reassuring smile, Zerith gave his best effort try and help the group. If he could somehow be just the guy needed to help the legendary Sei Orlouge, then there was no telling what else he could do.

[MetalDrago]

The Dragonian looked at the halberdier with a quiet, almost amused, expression. Even though the man might not have recognized the Paladin, the Paladin certainly recognized him. It had been years since the two had last seen each other, but the Dragonian still remembered him. “Zerith Dracosius… It’s been a long time.” While their meeting had only been brief, the halberdier had made an impression on him. The two of them had been working on the same side at the time, because they both had a vested interest in destroying MetalDrago’s older brother, the Draconian Seraius. However, now their positions were somewhat different. While the Dragonian Paladin had no personal issues with the younger man, he was still bound to the Thayne N’Jal. Her will lived within him, and he could not deny her impact upon his life.

Raith wasn’t much of a surprise, however. Spirits wandered the planet for years after they passed, sometimes trapped, sometimes there by choice. He looked at the area in which the ghost had appeared, assuming he was still standing there. “You could prove a valuable asset to us, but as far as payment for your daughter, I think only our esteemed Hero will be able to decide if it is worth it or not.” He spoke with just a hint of sarcasm, holding heroes in no high regard. He looked around the room again, surveying each face carefully, a hint of a smile on his face. This ragtag group was going to find Draconus and ask him for his help. It was almost comical if it wasn’t so ridiculous.

When Zerith gripped his halberd, the Dragonian held up one hand and looked at him steadily with his orchid eyes. “I have given my word not to harm Draconus in any form so long as I am a part of this group. As you seem to have some connection to him, that protection extends to you as well. Besides, I do not revel in meaningless slaughter, unless I’m fighting in the Citadel.”

After pleading his case to ease the man’s mind, his attention turned to Sei. “While I have no great love for any Thayne other than N’Jal, your cause is one that I can support. The spirits of the dead need one to guide them to the other side, regardless of where that path leads. You’ll have my support for as long as you require it.”

He then turned to face all of the people in the room. “However, be warned… My allegiance to N’Jal far eclipses that to any other cause. Should my work for her be threatened in any way by this, I will not continue to provide my support, and if worse comes to worst, I will turn against you. If you can accept that, then let us continue.”

[Silence Sei]

Sei watched as the introductions took place, nodding to each and every person as they made themselves known. Sei's eyes shifted to Drago as he spoke of his allegiance to N'Jal, somewhat rolling his eyes at the speech. The mute had made it clear that all of the Thayne supported him on this quest, or would if Sei proved himself worthy. He had already gained N'Jal's blessing and the spider-Thayne had actually told the mystic to seek out the others. Why was Drago so strung up on betrayal?

"Well, Zerith says he knows where the Radasanth base is, Papa!" Anita exclaimed, pointing to each of her three newly acquired allies. "I say that's where we go, a temple is a temple, right?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Jagged freaking Mountains?! Really?!" Anita was obviously flustered that he father had not taken her advice. The mute was too busy shuffling around the rocky roads that their route had provided, however, to give her the time of day. Zevernus placed a welcoming hand on Anita's shoulder, which made the girl smile a bit before she realized that it was not Taka comforting her. Respectively taking the mans hand off, Anita nodded to Zevernus and followed her father.

"Anita, you can let Mr. Raithwell know that if he wants to scout ahead, he can," the mute spoke to the girl, not sure if the ghostly spirit could understand Sei's telepathy. Anita nodded and relayed the message to the air, Sei's eyes darting across the massive rocks that overshadowed the group. It had been roughly two hours since the group had left on this journey, and several things had been discussed. Sei extended invitations for all warriors to join his knights, Zerith had spoke of his wife, child, and kingdom, and Zevernus had obviously been trying to sneak off with Anita for some alone time.

The latter's attempts amused the mute to no end.

Sei continued to walk, unsure if Erik had heeded the advice and went along with the group. However, something deep in the telepath's gut was telling him to be weary, as there was danger around these enormous rock formations.

[Raithwell]

Raith was conflicted. On one hand he was pleased that his efforts could provide something for Celeste, but on the other is was hard to be apart from her. She had been less than thrilled about his departure and had petulantly demanded to be allowed to accompany Sei Orlouge’s group, citing that she was more of an adventurer than her father was. Minutes of argument over the merits of being living versus being dead resulted, and in the end neither of them had parted on pleasant terms, something his shadow gleefully pointed out.

But Raith stood firm, denying the oily whispers that tried to convince him otherwise. A temple to the Thayne Dragon God was no place for Celeste, even if she did consider herself a junior adventurer of some sort. Still, the pang of distancing himself from one of his emotional anchors had weighed heavily on his mind throughout their short journey.

You see how I’m not even necessary Erik? came the slick voice of his shadow. You’re doing more than enough to sever your ties with the world without any influence from me.

Shut up, Raith spat back, though in truth he knew that the words were only a mirror of what he felt, it was just an argument. Children argue with their parents all the time without emotionally breaking away.

Normal children, maybe, his shadow chuckled. Normal children with normal parents and a normal relationship. But you’re far from normal Erik.

I said shut up! Raith snapped back, whirling to confront the face behind the ominous whispers only to find Anita standing there. ”Oh, I … uh, I’m sorry about that. Does your father need me yet?”

Raith listened to the directions Sei had given to Anita and nodded. I’ll run up ahead and let you know if I see anything. Feeling slightly ashamed of himself, for he was trying very hard no to make a fool of himself, Raith started his run up the hill.

A living human would have tired easily from such a rapid ascent, but though there were many problems with Raith’s condition, fatigue was not one of them. Within minutes he was well out of sight of the rest of the group, alone and unseen. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Raith’s companions. Crouched in a side valley, enjoying the warm afternoon sunlight, sat a group of wolf sized lizards. Raith had never seen a lizard quite as large as these ones, though he supposed that it made sense given their proximity to the Dragon Thayne’s temple.

Raith was well content to let the things alone and report them to Anita, but there was something about the way the lizards lifted and turned their heads, as if trying to gauge the starting point of a distant sound which they had picked up. The scattered piles of gnawed and bleached bone told Raith that these creatures were not something Anita, Sei, and the others would appreciate being ambushed by. Raith wondered briefly if the dragon man would have some power over them, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth the risk to find out.

Wanting to both alert his companions and hinder the searching lizards, Raith quickly formulated a plan. There were plenty of loose rocks along the dusty mountainside, and though he couldn’t exert enough force on the physical world to move most of them without manifesting, he could push as many of the smallest ones that he could find and hope that the cascade would bring down the larger ones.

Now that that’s done, Raith thought as he exerted all of the concentration that he could into flicking pebbles, watching the trickle of loose soil turn into a steady stream, here’s to hoping that it doesn’t end up burying the others.

[Zerith]

When Zerith spoke of the Jagged Mountains, he didn’t really think the mute would decide to take that route to find Draconus. Yet Sei Orlouge must have had a reason for wanting to go down the road less traveled, though whatever his reason was would remain a mystery to the prince. Before he left with the rest of the group, Zerith did politely request that he go back to see his wife in order to inform her what was going on.

At first Jasmine was upset, and rightfully so. She honestly felt like her husband was going to forget about their vacation just so he could go wandering off somewhere in the mountains simply because Sei Orlouge asked him to come. Not to mention when Zerith made the mistake of suggesting she try going to the Citadel, she firmly reminded him of the simple fact that she was pregnant and was already going against doctor’s order by traveling.

It was only when the halberdier mentioned that he would be searching for Draconus that Jasmine began to understand. She had always known that part of her husband believe in the Thayne. So when he brought up what Sei was asking him to be a part of, part of her couldn’t help but feel like she needed to be encouraging to her husband. So although it came with reluctance, Jasmine eventually gave Zerith her blessing to go, but not before he made a promise to her that he would make up for it as soon as he returned. She deserved it afterall, especially after making this sacrifice of letting him gone on ahead without her. Indeed, he would definitely have to make sure she knew just how much he appreciated her when this was over.

The first few hours were rather uneventful. Zevernus continued to hover around Anita, like a child waiting to jump in and start playing jump rope. Meanwhile the others weren’t really social, with the exception of Sei. Yet it took awhile for the warder to grow accustomed to having someone speak into his mind, as there was always that thought of what if the hero of Radasanth was trying to read his mind or something. It was because of this concern that Zerith decided to talk about his life.

It was no surprise that the first thing he found himself talking about was Jasmine. He started from the beginning, explaining to Sei how they met, how they became bonded as warder and mage. He then went into detail of how he discovered he had feelings for her, only to learn that her heart had been taken by Prince Raelyse Salidan while they were both member’s of his Order. Next followed the story he loved to retell, of when he did the impossible and wooed the princess away from the Grander, only to leave the Order together after he had thrown a few punches at Raelyse himself. From there he went on to explain Moriah, the place he called home and finally the recent excitement of parenthood. He must have tested Sei’s patience to and pushed it to the limit. If he hadn’t, then Sei would officially be the most patient man Zerith knew in the world.

The Prince of Moriah was quickly silenced when the sound of a ever increased stream of rocks tumbling down the mountain seized his attention with ease. It started off quiet, but it was growing at an alarming rate. Surely it must have been just his imagination, but a touch of concern couldn’t help but show itself in the way he spoke. “Sei? Do you hear what I’m hearing?” he asked as he pointed further up the mountain.

He couldn’t afford to be buried by rock, not when he needed to get back to Radasanth in one piece and fulfill a promise.

[MetalDrago]

Drago was taking up the rear, and barely heard the rocks before Zerith said something. While small rocks falling down a hill was typically no big deal, if it managed to dislodge a bigger stone, like a boulder, there could be some serious trouble. Whether this was an attempt by the ghostly member of their band to warn them was beside the point, an avalanche could kill them. “Hmm… If this is an attempt by Raith to warn us, it could mean danger. If the rocks were dislodged through more natural means, that’s wonderful, but we should still be careful as we continue.”

It may not have seemed like it from earlier, but he did put some amount of trust in Sei’s little group, in particular Sei and Zerith themselves. He’d worked with Zerith before, and knew him to be a strong warrior with an even stronger sense of justice. Sei, on the other hand, had proven little other than his respect for the privacy of others. As far as Raithwell went, the Dragonian hadn’t been able to spend any time collecting data on him, thus he was a complete unknown. “Sei, I’d suggest we either wait for Raithwell to get back and relay some information, or send one of us to go on after him and find out what’s holding him up.”

Though it wasn’t exactly in his nature to be compassionate, the Captain of the Black Dragon Corps had long ago learned the difference between being a good Captain and a bad Captain was to earn and keep the respect and trust of the men you had working with you. He sighed and craned his neck to see what was ahead. He didn’t see much, and if he tried to see much further than he already did, he ran the risk of losing his balance. He shifted his view back to the people with him.

The stream of rocks was slowly picking up speed. If this continued, the larger rocks could become dislodged and block their path altogether. They didn’t have long to decide on a course of action before they’d end up having to climb over rubble. While he hated having to rely on others to make decisions, he still had to ask, “What do you think we should do?”

[Silence Sei]

Sei was pleased with the conversations he was sharing with Zerith. Though Drago remained ominously quiet most of the trip, and Zevernus spent most of his time hitting on Anita, the mute came to learn a lot about Zerith's land. It even shocked the mute to learn that the halberdier managed to sweep a girl away from Prince Raelyse Salidan.

The Prince had been a friend of Sei's from both of their days in the Facade. In fact, Prince Raelyse would not have existed if not for the headband that Sei's friend Kadarus used to wear around. Raelyse would possess Kade whenever the youth wore the headband, but would gain valuable experience in fighting from the mind transfer. Sei couldn't have imagined someone ever being able to take a woman away from the smooth talking future King. Yet, Zerith was claiming that he had done just that.

Sei, in turn, shared his tragic tale of Ryoki Nishoba with Zerith. Ryoki had been a teenage vampire the Mystic took in, and the girl even became a sidekick to Sei's heroics for a time. However, one night when Ryoki was under the weather, she allowed her more primal rages to take over, and her teeth found a meal in the neck of Sei. While most of the others had a disinterest in the story, Zerith appeared to hang on every word. It seemed the halberdier had come down with a bit of hero worship for the strategist.

The falling rocks did not escape Sei's attention. Sei held an arm out and stopped Zerith and the others from their advance. The sound of the falling rocks could only mean one of two things. The first was an avalanche, something that could easily be remedied with Sei's powers of flight. The second was that Erik was attempting to warn his new friends of impending doom. Drago and Zerith both questioned the mute as for the next move, and Sei's eyes merely darted upwards, trying to determine what rocks would fall in what formation.

"I would just stay back right now," Anita said, knowing what her father was doing from his head jerking in all sorts of directions. the cat like motions would have normally been amusing under normal circumstances, but this was a life or death situation. "Papa knows what he's doing. You just have to trust him."

"It just looks like he's having a stroke to me," Zevernus said crudely, looking over to his friend, "Come on Z, let's go."

Zerith simply shook his head, placing his faith in Sei Orlouge's abilities. The faith was not unwarranted, as within a few seconds, several boulders tumbled into the canyon, falling a few feet ahead of the group. If they had advanced even just a bit further, they would have met their demise at Raithwells possible attempt to warn them.

"Uhhh....nevermind," Zevernus said, Anita grinning a bit at Zerith's friends antics. Once the dust from the boulders began to clear a bit, Sei could see what Raithwell was trying to p[protect them from. Four lizard creatures rose out from underneath the large rocks, green ooze pouring out of sporadic parts of their bodies. They were injured, lucky for the group. Sei was unsure if the rag tag team would be able to handle these four beings as it was now, Thayne help them if the creatures were at full health.

Sei's eyes looked to Drago, and any attempt to ask the lizard man about any kind of control was stopped with the dark paladin shook his head. "Gentlemen," Sei said, reaching behind him and grabbing the hilts to his beloved Gemini Blades, "I think we're getting closer to Draconus.."

As Sei finished speaking, the first lizard beast attacked, leaping at the group.

[Raithwell]

Rock after rock flickered past Raith’s ethereal form, from the size of the tiny pebbles to enormous boulders which dwarfed even the Dragonian who had accompanied them. Even in the muted otherworld of the Anti-Firmament, Raith was stunned at just how loud and intense the avalanche was. It was as if the mountainside had turned to liquid and flowed into the crevasse below. Nothing in its path had been spared the mountain’s wrath. What little brush and shrubbery Raith had seen on his ascent had been swept so completely away by the solid tide that it was as if nothing had ever grown there.

Raith stood still for a long moment, unable to do anything but gape at the aftereffects of the avalanche. He had never imagined that he would be the catalyst for something so raw and primal. The slick, oily voice of his Shadow whispered coercively in his ear, asking him what else he could do with his power. Smeared splotches of gore and crushed pulp were all that remained of several massive lizards, though there was not nearly enough to account for all of the creature’s that Raith had seen.

”I need to warn the others, he gasped, realizing that if some of the lizards remained alive then the rest of the group was still in danger. Raith scrambled down from the safe plateau where he had started the avalanche, dropping into the path of destruction and moving rapidly down the gulch. He knew that he would have to move quickly if he were to be able to warn the others in time. If they were killed because of his laxness, then not only would Celeste not received her payment, but Raith would have a ‘Hero’s’ death on his hands.

That is, of course, assuming that your impressive display of power hasn’t already swept all of them away, his Shadow chuckled.

”Shut up,” Raith spat, shuffling quickly down the newly reformed terrain. Ahead, he could already hear the snapping sounds of combat filtering mutely through the misty, grey haze below him.

”Anita,” Raith yelled, hoping that the girl could hear him from this distance, Anita can you hear me? There are some big, nasty lizards in the rocks! Watch out for the lizards!”

[Zerith]

While Sei reached for his Gemini Blades, the first of the four lizards sprung into the air toward the mute. With its claws poised to strike its jaw wide open, it was obvious what the beast saw Sei Orlouge as at the moment. The other three that were following closely behind the leader hissed at the group, their tongues snaking out from their mouths as if they tried to taste the air. That primal urge to eat was easily seen in their yellow eyes, so sooner or later the lizards would enjoy that coppery taste of blood. However that did depend on if they group would allow it. Although he couldn’t really speak for the others, Zerith wasn’t willing to become something’s meal.

As Sei brought his blades up to defend himself, Zerith’s superior reach allowed him to deal the first blow. Thrusting Amenzanil forward, the sharp point sped toward its target like it was an arrow. It crashed into the beast’s side, penetrating the scales and digging as deep into flesh as it possible could. A quick surge of the power the blade carried delivered a sharp jolt of electricity before the halberd was quickly pulled back. The force of the blow was just enough to push the lizard off the path it wanted to take while in the air, and it easily landed just off to the side while not too far from Sei himself. The attack didn’t inflict much damage to the reptile, but at least it was sufficient enough to stop what it originally intended to do. Leaving the telepath to deal with the leader, Zerith stepped forward and challenged one of the others. The green blood from the first dripped off the sharp titanium becoming a testimony to just the beginning of what the polearm was capable of.

“Zevernus, protect Anita.” Zerith was practically ordering his friend to be some form of bodyguard to the girl. Chances were the swordsman wouldn’t mind having the job if it meant he would get the chance to be close to her.

“Whatever, Z,” the young fighter answered as he drew his sword. Although the halberdier rarely saw his friend use the weapon, he knew that the man was a fearsome combatant. “Just watch, twenty gold says not a single one of these things gets past me.”

A smile crept onto the warder's face, “You’re on.” Once the bet was accepted, Zerith charged the next one and roared a battle cry of us own. The prince wasn’t exactly sure if Draconus was responsible for sending these lizards at the party or not. One thing he did know though was that nothing was going to get in his way from experiencing an encounter with the Wyrm God.

[MetalDrago]

Drago couldn't help but smile when the four creatures came out from under the rocks. They were beaten up, sure, but that didn't mean they had no fight left in them. The Dragonian Paladin could feel his bloodlust calling to him, a siren song of death and destruction. While the others readied their weapons, he took careful stock of their situation. They were fighting on a cliff. It was a bit on the spacious side, but still, a wrong step could kill one of them, barring one member of the group. This would require careful footwork, or at least everyone fighting at different distances. Each warrior would need room to operate in his own way. Zerith in particular would need space, using such a large weapon. Sei seemed to be able to fight from just about any distance, and Zevernus was a sword-wielder like Drago himself.

The Paladin walked by the others, calm as could be, and drew one of his weapons, the Shadow of Light, a masterwork mythril katana of Akashiman make. He steadied himself and continued advancing carefully past the fight between Zerith and his lizard, and then broke out into a full run past two of the lizards and on to the fourth, attacking furiously with his blade. He had chosen the one furthest away from the main group, not because he was madly seeking to kill himself, but because when he drew his cursed weapon, he didn't want anyone else getting near enough for him to attack them.

As his blade dug into the flesh of the lizard creature, the Dragonian pulled his cursed blade, the Nocturne of Madness. As the tip of the blade left its sheath, he was immediately consumed in an stifling aura of madness that made the lizard creature jump back toward the rubble, leaving claw marks in the cliff face. Drago's eyes burned a with a white blue light as a cruel smile crept over his lips. The Nocturne could intensify the strongest insane trait of the wielder to frightening heights. For MetalDrago, this was his bloodlust. While others would be consumed by this madness, the Nocturne's current wielder instead embraced it. By embracing this madness, he could take full control of the sword and use it as he saw fit, instead of being used by it himself.

Consumed in his frightening bloodlust, the Dragonian advanced on the beast before him. His blades sought to feed on the life of the lizard, and feast they would. A low, cruel chuckle escaped his lips as he slowly advanced on the creature. The lizard hissed and growled as he approached, it’s claws ready to rip him to shreds. Little did the creature now that it now faced a monster far more fearsome than itself. This was a monster with a rational mind and no sense of mercy. There was no hope for it now.

[Silence Sei]

Watching the ferocity of the men before him impressed the young Mystic to no end. Watching Drago tear at his opposing creature caused the mute worry if he were ever on the receiving end of one of the Paladin's skewers. Zerith's own halberd attacks seemed to be doing the job quite nicely against his own reptilian enemy. Zevernus had until this point stayed back with Anita, protecting her. Sei smiled at the thought of someone so willing to protect his little girl from all harm.

Finally, Sei's lizard attacked. Obviously the 'alpha' of the group, the cold-blooded creature lashed its tongue towards the telepath, hoping to disorient him enough to drop his weapons. Sei did indeed allow the Gemini Blades to fall, but not to the lizard's liking. The sharp edges of the blade tore into the soft exposed flesh that came at him. Retracting the tongue, the beast let out an evil hiss and stalked around Sei. The others were too busy being distracted by their own foes to pay Sei's any attention.

Sei positioned his swords in an X-formation and stood with his feet about a foot apart, holding his ground. This time, the lizard jumped, but it was not towards Sei. The mute's eyes widened as the green skinned fiend went for Anita. The girl let out a shriek as Zevernus' own blade came down upon the beast. The body dropped instantaneously to the floor.

Nobody could have predicted what happened next.

A ball of fire enveloped the lizard, and the force from the blow knocked Anita on her but. Zevernus let out a scream of pain through clenched teeth as he grabbed half of his face. The flames had only slightly licked him, but the intensity of the magic's fire was enough to cause a decent amount of hurt for the swordsman. Anita's eyes widened as she stood, running over to Zevernus and removing his arms, checking his face for injuries.

Sei's gaze turned to the ground. All around, small mounds of dirt lined the path. The group had been careful enough not to trip any of these mounds before, but now, amidst this battle, causing the small explosions seemed a bit more likely. Draconus obviously does not want visitors... Sei thought to himself, reflecting on the Thayne having a fortress erected in his honor, lizard like guardians defending the roads, and what seemed to be magical land mines lining the path.

"Watch your step!" Sei announced as the fourth lizard’s tail swished over a mound, causing another dynamite rave explosion and making the beast lose its appendage. "The route is booby-trapped!

[Raithwell]

One of the trapped explosions erupted mere inches away from Raith, causing the spirit to jump backwards in surprise. A moment later he was chuckling quietly and chiding himself as the wave of fire and debris swept harmlessly through his ethereal form. It was sometimes hard, he found, to overcome the pressure of one’s instincts when it came to matters of personal danger. He found it somewhat funny how easy it was to forget his own existence and believe himself to be alive, only to be rudely jostled back to his senses by something as silly as a magic explosion.

The rest of the combat was swirling furiously around the spirit, as he glanced helplessly around. Already wounded by the avalanche, the great lizards seemed to be on their last legs when the traps started going off. With the combination of fire and expert swordsmanship from the rest of the party, Raith had no doubt that the creatures would be dead within moments. But once the fighting was over, the group would still have the issue of being in the center of a minefield to deal with.

Glancing around, the spirit began to see more and more of the trapped mounds strewn about, until he was certain that the entire hillside path was covered in them. It wasn’t surprising that he had missed them on his initial scouting foray up the hill, seeing as he had no form or substance with which to set off the traps. Dark laughter from his Shadow reminded him that it was his failure not only with the lizards, but with the mines that had put his companions into such a precarious position. But Raith refused to let his dark side be right and sought some way to rectify the situation.

Wait, he said suddenly, looking from trapped mound to trapped mound. Summoning his inner strength, Raith forced his will into the Firmament and reached out towards the nearest trap. His Geist ability would only allow him to use a pound of force, but that had been enough to cause the avalanche. He wondered if that much force would be enough to set off the magical traps surrounding his companions.

A shower of earth erupted from the spot that Raith touched, a wall of hazy gray which filled the spirit’s world for a fraction of a second. Grinning at the realization that his power was enough to disarm the traps, albeit in a somewhat destructive fashion, Raith began to run from mound to mound, leaving a visible trail of fire and chaos in his wake.

He would make sure that the others had a clear shot up the hill and nothing would stop him.

[Zerith]

“Zev!” the halberdier cried after he heard the explosion and his friend’s screams of pain. He tried to turn around to see what had happened to his oldest companion, but the beast before him lunged first, jaws wide open and teeth ready to rip into flesh and bone. The warder moved, evading the predator by rolling to the side and jumping back up to his feet as soon as he possibly could. His blue eyes stared at the lizard, which only hissed back at the man as the two circled each other.

“I don’t have time for this,” the prince grumbled. He was concerned for Zevernus and wanted to see if the swordsman was alright, but the stupid lizard didn’t seem to want to give him the chance to do such a thing. Since the thing wasn’t exactly negotiable the only solution to the noble’s predicament was obvious, the beast had to die.

One of the many runes on Zerith’s halberd began to glow brightly, and a moment later flames surged outwards from it, engulfing the shaft of the polearm. With a roar of his own, the halberdier charged as he willed his inner strength to rise to the surface, allowing him to push his own capabilities farther than he normally could. It was a skill his father taught him years ago, and one that Zerith found quite useful throughout all the experiences he had in the past. With his friend was injured and probably needing help, the halberdier saw it as a suitable cause to play the cards he held up his sleeve.

“Just hang on, Zev,” he thought. “You’ll be fine.”

The lizard never stood a chance, as there was no way it could have known the warder would react with greater strength then before and a heightened reflexes. The last things it would see would be the man with the halberd running towards it, his feet narrowly avoiding one of the magical traps that lay littered beneath the soil and the electrified blade descending on its head like a hammer upon an anvil. The titanium struck its mark and the beast let out a short inhuman scream at the weapon hit its head and split its skull open. Death immediately followed, and as Sei turned to see what had happened he would only find Zerith having to plant his boot down on the lizard’s head in order to yank his halberd free from its latest victim.

“Take Zevernus and go,” the halberdier spoke as he turned to the beast that had lost its tail. The words were directed to the mute, though the two men never made eye contact. “Or help me finish this one quickly so I can make sure my friend is alright.”

Focused on bringing the battle to an end as quickly as possible, Zerith charged the next beast before the telepath could answer him.

[MetalDrago]

As the explosion went off in the background, MetalDrago felt his blood beginning to boil. My former master evidently does not want to see me... he reflected. The heat from the flames licked at his cape, sending burning pain through his senses. “This could be a problem.” he said to no one in particular. Of all the people nearby, only Zerith would know that the Dragonian used to have wings, and that would only be if the young man could remember who he was. Drago turned his attention back to the beast before him, his eyes glowing with a blue-white light.

“Without the added risk, this fight wouldn't be any fun at all!” Drago nearly screamed as he threw himself at the beast before him, blades seeking blood. The creature lashed at him with razor sharp claws, finding purchase on his armor. The armor absorbed most of the impact, but the quarter-dragon warrior still had the wind knocked out of him. He hit the ground with a thud and set off another explosion. As the crimson, magical flames engulfed him, he wrapped his cape protectively around himself, using his shape-shifting magic to transform his cape into a steel-like substance that could protect most of his body from the blast.

The heat was almost unbearable, but he sustained very few burns. As his cape slowly transmuted back into its normal form, the Dragonian stood up, slowly. The sheer fact that he was mostly unharmed after being trapped within the explosion should have been enough to shock most people, but even those with more open minds would have been shocked at what they would see on the man's face. His cape was smoking from the heat it had been subjected to, but the man didn't even seem to register the pain running through that which used to be his wings.

However, he did feel it. He felt the pain with every fiber of his being, and what's more, he was enjoying the torturous feelings running through his mind. He smiled and looked at the beast that had knocked him back. He flexed his arms and cut through the air with his blades, making sure they had survived the blast.

As the smoke from his back began to dissipate, he laughed and launched himself at the beast, both weapons drawn. His eyes had gone beyond the white-blue of his bloodlust when under the Nocturne's spell. His eyes were completely, violently white. As he approached the beast, the swords in both of his hands seemed to glow with an intense burning energy. As he swiped the swords, the energy burst forth as a pair of arcs appeared, apparently made of energy. The two energy arcs crossed each other in midair, forming an X-shape, and continued forward.

Two beasts engaged in battle, and only one would come out alive. The Shockwave Slash attack released by Drago's blades pierced into the flesh of the beast before him, cutting into its shoulders, torso, and neck. The beast was propelled back by the force of the attack, and slumped upon the ground, blood pouring forth from its emaciated body.

Drago took only a single look at the creature before him before sheathing his swords and turning to face his companions. “That was mildly entertaining.” he said simply. “Anyone need a hand?”

[Silence Sei]

Sei watched the proficiency in which each of the warriors had dispatched their foes. If he had any doubts about the strength of the group, it had quickly become diminished during the altercation. The mute shifted his eyes forward to the sound of another explosion. Sei gripped his weapons and prepared for another confrontation, only to find nothing but the magical mines exploding in a trail of sorts. There was only one person in the party capable of such a feat.

"Mr. Raithwell!" Anita exclaimed while wrapping bandages around Zevernus' body. Indeed, the spectre had come through in his own way yet again, setting off a series of explosions that would harm anybody else but the former fisherman. Sei smiled at the clever use of the ghost's abilities, and began to proceed, keeping in mind where exactly the explosions had taken place. Anita wrapped one of Zevernus' arms around her shoulder and helped him walk, not noticing the swordsman winking at Zerith during the hike. Perhaps his injuries were not as bad as they initially seemed.

The rest of the trip was proving quite uneventful, Sei carrying on conversations with both MetalDrago and Zerith, while Zevernus got closer with Anita. Soon, the group was upon the temple of Draconus. The sheer sight of the towering temple cause both Anita and Sei to drop their jaws in awe of the spectacle. If there was ever a testament to the Dragon Thayne's existence, it was here.

Lining the left side of the mile long road leading to the temple were ivory pillars. The supports seemed to have been kept clean on a daily basis, with not even the slightest hint of grime between the small vertical inserts embedded in the stone. In contrast, the right side of the road had pillars that had seen better days. Moss had managed to cover most of the stones, and the mute could make out several wasps nests within the greenery. Some of the pillars on the right were not even standing, toppled over and left uncared for in what seemed like ages. Surely, this was to represent Draconus' own balance between life and death.

Sei treaded carefully, unsure of whether or not Raithwell was still leading the party. Soon, they had approached the large ivory colored temple, which seemed to mimic the same characteristics as the road leading to it. On the left, a perfect symbolism of tidiness, a single dragon statue standing on the left side of the large yew doors with not a chip on either. On the right, a statue of what one could have only assumed to be a dragon without its head, or its left wing. The right side of the double doors seemed to be ready to fall off the hinges, splinters poking out of the wood and termites crawling all around it. Sei swallowed hard, standing directly in the middle of the doors, before pushing them open.

The left side remained silent, while the right set off a loud creaking sound that would have surely alerted anybody inside.

[Zerith]

It was just like Zevernus to fake an injury in order to get closer to a girl. The man had almost no limit to how far his would lower himself for the attention of what he considered to be a cute girl. Sure, the swordsman had good morals and Zerith knew that for a fact. Yet it didn’t change that fact that as his friend hinted that he was fine while he relished in the closeness with Anita, Zerith chuckled and shook his head. “Quit while you’re ahead, Zevernus,” he thought as he continue onward beside Sei. “She’s not your type.”

The hours spent hiking in the mountains after the encounter were uneventful. For the halberdier, most of his time was spent talking to Sei about strategy and battlefield tactics. Although he never told the mute, the warder really did suffer from a small sort of hero worship toward the mystic. Yet it was only due to the simple fact that the prince had actually studied some of the Avatar of Alerar’s victories. Although he wasn’t a general of any army yet, Zerith was quickly becoming an aspiring tactician. He even had the opportunity to fight a battle against the famous Thoracis years ago, but Zerith didn’t have the experience he carried now and was quickly crushed by the strategist. Of course this was something he didn’t mention to Sei, mostly due to his own sense of pride.

When the trip finally paid off with the sight of the temple, Zerith was not just amazed, but also puzzled. Even as Sei and Anita stood in awe Zerith slowly made his approach, trying to make sense of the scale of balance before his eyes. “I don’t understand. The books say this was supposed to be a old fortress in pristine condition.”

“But it is, Zerith,” Sei spoke as he passed the halberdier and examined one of the ivory pillar. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen any building as unscathed as this half of the temple is.”

“That’s not what I meant. The whole building is supposed to be perfect,” Zerith explained as he followed the mute to the doors. Stopping once, the noble brushed some of the moss off one of degraded pillars and frowned in disgust as he brushed the filth off his palms. “This stuff shouldn’t be here. The stories said there should be no sign of wear at all!”

It was at that very moment that Sei pushed the doors open and everyone froze as the loud creaking that came echoed off the rocks and throughout the fortress. The seconds hung in time, somehow prolonged as everyone waited while the creaking slowly faded into silence and anticipating the sound of something stirring inside an approached them. Zerith himself clutched into his halberd with both hands while Zevernus drew his sword with his free hand while the other was still wrapped around Anita for support. Even Sei apparently thought something would come at them, as when the warder turned to look at the Mystic he noticed the man was already holding his Gemini Blades again. The tension felt like it last an agonizing few minutes, but eventually it was Zevernus who broke with silence. “Heh, I guess nobody’s home.”

“So it would seem,” Sei answered as he took the first steps past the front wall and into the fortress. Anita followed right behind him with Zevernus in tow, who gave his friend a quick thumbs up before he disappeared behind the door. Zerith trailed right behind them, taking a final glance behind them to MetalDrago as he followed and ensured that none of those reptilian things had reappeared. Yet once he the paladin had rejoined the other three inside, they would soon regret not being more careful.

He was just about to say something to Sei when he felt the draft hit him in the back, and he managed to turn around just in time to see the the door slam shut behind the dragonian with a thunderous boom. The halberdier dropped his weapon in a instant and immediately grabbed into the massive handle attached to the gateway, pulling with all the strength he possessed. Yet the door never budged, refusing to give even the slightest bit of ground to the man. It all seemed to happen in a heartbeat, but now all of a sudden Zerith felt like we was trapped in a cage.

“Sei! A little explanation would be really nice right about now!”

[MetalDrago]

The way up the hill to the fortress felt like it had taken months, but they finally saw it, the hidden temple of Draconus. It was just as Drago had envisioned it. Nothing touched by N’Jal’s taint would be able to continuously hold its shape. While immortality had kept Draconus half alive, constantly going through the taint’s ills and recovering, the temple, if indeed this monolithic building could be called that. The air smelled strange, something that Drago could not identify. There was a sense of uneasiness about this place that put him on edge. A part of him screamed out that they shouldn’t approach, but the other half of him prodded him forward, following the group into the place.

Of course, the second they entered the building, the trap was sprung. The door swung closed behind them, in essence preventing them from turning back. Drago smiled as Zerith asked the most obvious question in the world. However, he too, though he would never admit it, wondered why this was happening. Of course, he had his rough guesses. If he had to go by his gut instincts, however, he would say that it was only because Draconus was expecting them and didn’t want his guests to leave without speaking to them first. Either that, or the Dragonian’s presence was not to be tolerated, so they were locked in until he was dead and the taint of N’Jal cleansed from his body and soul.

However, knowing the mind of a Thayne was nearly impossible, so it was all idle speculation on Drago’s part. Connected to N’Jal as he was, he still could not understand some of her plans for the future, no matter how hard he tried to determine what Her actual goals were. The great Spider never once let him see into the true depths of Her treacherous ways, which both frightened and intrigued the old Dragonian.

“Whatever the reason, the Dragon Thayne seems not to want us to leave until we either make it to him or die, for what it’s worth,” Drago said. His eyes surveyed the room. It was immaculate on one side, where the other was just like the outside of the building. “This is most interesting,” he said. He stifled a sneeze, the dust from the side that had fallen into disrepair inching into his nose. “And torturous. I might not be the cleanest person on Althanas, but that’s just ridiculous.”

From the hall before them, Drago suspected he had heard a sound, but it was muffled, and he couldn’t be sure whether or not it was his imagination that caused him to hear such a thing. He sighed, pulling his cape more fully around his body, the light blue “fabric” touching lightly on his encased hands as it hid nearly his entire body from view, save for his head. “Sei, I’ll leave it to you to decide a course of action, though I think our choices are actually rather limited by the fact that we cannot leave this place, even if we try.”

[Silence Sei]

"There's no need, my wayward son,” a voice seemed to fill the empty temple, a voice that sounded as if something were lodged in the speaker's throat. Furthermore, the 's' in the word 'son' seemed to drag out a bit longer than the rest of the word. "I welcome you and your party, Sei Orlouge. I am Draconus, and welcome to my temple." Sei moved his eyes towards the front of the temple, where a robed figure sat on the border of a long case of stairs. One half of the stairs was made of pure ivory, it seemed, so cleanly white that it threatened to send a glare into the warrior's eyes. On the other half of the stairs was rotted wood, worn out by a mixture of termites and rainwater from the dilapidated roof.

The robed figure stood straight up, half of his robe colored a pitch black, mixing in well with the drab setting he bordered on. The other half of the robe was an emerald green, with black lines all across the cloth as if it were made of scales. He began to walk towards the party, the blackened half of this figure making several pops and cracks all throughout that particular half of his body. The green half of the man seemed to be in stride, happy to be waiting on his older counterpart to catch up. It took him a few minutes just to reach the group, where he removed the hood of his robes to reveal his face. The left half of the man's features showcased many wrinkles, his eye threatening to drop out of its socket before them. The smell from that half was absolutely rancid, a byproduct of one’s systems shutting down and leaving other areas underperforming. The right half, however, was coated with a head of blonde hair, a stark contrast to the bald scalp on the left, his flesh was in actuality the same type of scales that he disguised himself in, a yellow eye with a black slit glancing over all five people suspiciously. He half-smiled, his right half actually making the gesture while the left settled for a scowl.

"The Blight," Drago explained, causing the other people in the temple to turn to him, "N'Jal placed a blight upon Draconus. He is in a state of constant pain, having to essentially die, go to the anti-firmament, only to return to life in a reverse aging process. I thought about it when we first entered the temple, but this confirms it. The temple, as well as this human form; they’re reflections of Draconus' lifespan. The dying and the living, the old and the young, the wise and the rash. Draconus walks the line of balance, always." Sei nodded as if he expected some sort of strange explanation from the lizard-man, and turned back to the Thayne before him.

"Astute as ever, young Drago," Draconus spoke once more, his voice carrying both the vibrancy of youth and the wisdom of the elderly. The man motioned for Anita and Zervernus to move along, moving his head slightly to the right, where two perfectly crafter yew chairs seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The girl nodded, carrying the allegedly wounded swordsman over to the chairs where she could care for him. The Dragon God then began speaking once more to his hopeful champion. "Sei Orlouge, I watched your battle against my children earlier. I watched as you calculated several methods trying to prevent their deaths. N'Jal gave you her blessing as a champion; do you not think she means to taint your soul?"

"I think N'Jal thinks to save Althanas," Sei spoke plainly into the mind of the Dragon Lord, "She would not wish to see the world destroyed before she had the chance to do so with her own hands. She never struck me as the type to allow her avatars destroy Althanas without her physically helping." Sei could see the thick, bushy eyebrow of the older Draconus twitch, probably a sign that he was becoming frustrated.

"Ah, but you did not answer my question, young Orlouge. I asked if you thought that N'Jal was going to taint you. She has broken the wills of stronger men than you, Mystic." Draconus' eyes seemed to drift off for a moment, as if reminiscing on a long forgotten memory, before focusing on the mute once more. "MetalDrago, for example, was once a shimmering pillar of the ways of Draconus. Now, he is merely a puppet of the Spider-Wench. Strayed from my path by a few seductive words and promises of grandeur."

"With all due, respect," Sei responded once more to the immensely more powerful Thayne before him, "From what I can see, your words are seemingly grating on the nerves of my companion. Despite what you may think of him, it is thanks to Drago that we are even here right now. There is no reason to be spiteful towards him simply because he chooses to serve another Thayne in your stead." Sei's words spoke true, as he noticed one of Drago's claws twitching almost as erratically as Draconus' eyebrow had done a few seconds earlier. When the mute turned his attention back towards the Dragon Thayne, he was shocked to see that a large claw of magical energies had materialized over the God's form.

"Insolence! I will rip that telepath brain straight from your skull!" The words roared as loud as the lizard that shared part of his name, and the energy claw came slamming down, straight towards Sei....

[Zerith]

Even as the god’s anger threatened to crush the telepath, Sei did not move. Instead, he stood his ground and didn’t even put any effort into defending himself. It was like he suddenly decided to act in defiance or believed himself to be immune to the wrath of a Thayne. Maybe he just thought Draconus was bluffing, that everything the deity had said a done toward him was just a test. Or maybe Sei had something in him that Zerith thought he saw for only a brief second.

Faith. Pure, childlike faith that something would intervene on his behalf.

The claw slammed down with all the force it carried as Draconus cried out in his rage. A loud boom thundered from the point of collision and threatened to knock some off their feet. Some of the adventurers probably shielded their eyes from the dust and dirt that was forced up into the air. The next few seconds were filled with suspense and nervousness as the Thayne’s hostility slowly diminished and Sei’s fate remained uncertain.

Eventually the debris settled, and one by one Zevernus, Anita and the others lowered their arms from their faces to see if the mute survived the onslaught. Sei’s daughter sighed with relief, while Zevernus let out a whoop of celebration when he saw what had happened. Even the Dragon of Drantak smiled when he saw what his saving grace was. Perhaps he was impressed, but nobody really knew what went on his head at the time. The important thing was that Sei Orlouge was still living after one of the Thaynes seemed so keen on ending him.

“You are not Draconus.”

It was the prince that spoke up from where he stood, struggling for breath. His halberd was raised with both arms, its center held right beneath Draconus’ claw. Surprising, the halberdier was so moved by Sei’s actions that he leapt into the fray and came to the hero’s defense. He brought Amenzanil up to bear the brunt of the impact and supported it with everything he could offer. Now however, his energy was spent and he was exhausted. Zerith fell to his knees for a minute before he struggle to climb back to his feet and lean on his weapon for support. As he did he watched Draconus facial express change to from astonishment to something resembling familiarity, like he was looking at an old friend or lost loved one.

“You, I know you.” The Ancient spoke softly as he pointed at warder.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” was the harsh response from Zerith. “You don’t know the first thing about me. I know enough to be sure you’re not Draconus. The stories clearly state his temple is a fortress in perfect condition and he is slow to anger.”

The god waved his had as if he were dismissing everything the warder just said. “Since when did you believe everything you have read, Zerith? I am Draconus, Ancient and Armored. The blight N’jal has stricken me with is always reflected in my appearance and representations. Yet I endure, and I’m the sole reason you’ve survived against all the odds.”

“Impossible, there is no way you can know who I am.”

“Oh, I know plenty about you, Zerith. I’ve heard your prayers.” The Thayne began to explain and he approached the halberdier and rested a hand on his shoulder. “To keep your wife safe and ensure that Moriah remains unharmed? I’ve always kept a great interest in your life, boy, and for good reason. Your family name should be enough to prove that. Zerith Dracosius.” Draconus spoke, putting emphasis on the last name in particular. “I really like the sound of it, actually. There’s an air of authority behind it.”

“I don’t understand,” the prince confessed, still trying to understand what was being told to him.

“You’re mine, Zerith. You and your family have always served me, and in return I stay involved in your lives. Let’s take you, for instance.” The Wyrm God began as he took grabbed his follower’s halberd and helped gave him his shoulder. “I planned for you birth long before it happened. I told your father to leave his home and settle down somewhere else, and then I promised that through him, his family would one day carry royal blood. You’re special, Zerith. I even went through the trouble of calling in a favor from my sister to bless you physically. I made you strong and she made you handsome, so Jasmine can thank her for that.”

“I think I’m beginning to get the point,” Zerith said as he grabbed his weapon from Draconus. “You’re basically saying you’ve set me apart from the others for some reason.”

“Exactly, but we’ll take things one step at a time.” The Thayne finished before finally walked away from the prince and slowly approached the Dragonian. “Now as for you…”

[Silence Sei]

“You, Drago, have disappointed me,” there was a kind of shame in Draconus’ voice, like that of a father having to punish his child; “You were one of my proud warriors. You fought alongside your brothers, and you were rewarded handsomely. Despite all this, you still turned your back to me, and pledged your loyalty to my sister, N’Jal, instead. This is an act of defiance I do not easily forgive.” The Thayne looked to both Sei and Zerith before focusing on the Draconian once more.

“I thank you for bringing me both the Champion and Dracosius,” he spoke as he waved his hand, a magical beam of blue blights swirling around the form of Drago, “Now, if you do not mind…..get out of my temple!” The lights squeezed in around the lizard man, and with a small flash of blue, he was gone. Sei stepped forward for a moment, prepared to draw his weapon upon the elderly Thayne.

“Do not worry, Mute,” A hand was lifted as if to stop Sei from pressing his pre-emptive strike, “I have simply sent him back to Radasanth, away from me. I am aware of your policy to only kill when necessary, and because of my admiration for you, I will abide by it. As for your reward…” The Thayne’s ‘stop’ hand motion was turned to a wave directed at Sei, and the same blue lights that had wrapped around Drago were now wrapping around the telepath’s hands.

The mute’s eyes widened in disbelief as the lights turned to serpents, that then wrapped themselves tightly around Sei’s hands, glowing with a blue light before taking the form of fingerless gloves. On the back of his hands, the black cloth of the gloves held the symbol of a green, decaying dragon. Sei clenched a fist with both of his hands before quickly focusing his attention back to Draconus.

“As you know, I am tainted with the Blight. These gloves will reflect that power in you, Champion of the Thaynes. Your right hand will increase your natural Mystic abilities, allowing for a more durable defensive spell, and even the ability to allow your ring to create more than just a piercer when you will it to do so.” Sei looked back down towards his right hand, where his simple gold ring, aptly named the Rafanas for its swift strikes. He channeled his Mystic Light energies carefully, and watched as a large scimitar formed in his hand, made completely out of white light. He raised his eyebrow now, still watching the newly formed weapon as he talked to Draconus.

“And the left?”

“Just as the right glove gives you strength, the left will create weakness. Any direct blow from your left hand will be able to bypass any barriers, as well as neutralize any magics you block using the glove. The Firmament and the Anti-Firmament; both existing for different reasons, and both being useless without the other. That is my gift to you, and the token of my blessing, Sei Orlouge. May you do with it what you like.”

Sei nodded as he looked at the gloves, the Draconian symbols glowing with a green light. Sei was so busy transfixed with the Hands of Draconus, he did not realize the lights now surrounding himself and the remaining members of his party. When the mute looked up once more, he was greeted by the familiar gray of Ixian Castle’s walls, and the fruit-like smell of his own quarters. Draconus had transferred them home….



“You are sure you have to leave?” Sei’s firm handshake met Zerith’s own as the halberdier nodded. Zerith had stayed within the castle for a few days, until Zevernus was well enough to travel back to Moriah. Now, the bandaged soldier and his Prince were at the docks, prepared to make their leave for their kingdom.

“I’m afraid so, Lord Orlouge,” Zerith smiled politely, his gaze shifting to Zevernus and Anita speaking their own good-byes to one another, “If Zevernus stays here any longer, I am afraid he may seduce your daughter. Besides, I have my own family to return home to. Surely, you understand.”

“I do,” Sei’s own eyes went to his daughter, who snuck a kiss on Zevernus’ cheek as a farewell token to the man who risked his life during their adventure. “I just found it odd that Draconus only rewarded me, and not anybody else. I just….I feel as though you deserve something for your time and effort.”

“I did get something,” Zerith released Sei’s hand and turned around, waving off the mute while practically dragging his partner in crime onto the ship, “I found a friend. Farewell, Lord Orlouge. I have a feeling that we will meet again one day…”

As soon as the passengers boarded, the ship released its anchor and began to sail off into the distance. As Anita joined her father’s side once more, Sei smiled. “Oh trust me, Lord Zerith, I’m counting on it…..”

((OOC Rewards!

Sei gains the Hands of Draconus. With his right hand, the mute is now able to have his Mystic Protection strengthened to the point that it will not shatter unless it is dealt with major damage. He is also now able to cast the spells 5 times a day.

The Left Hand of Draconus now creates an immediate anti-magic field around Sei whenever the mute wills it. This field is only active to spells that touch Sei directly after using the weapons special ability. This means if one were to try and draw all the air out of Sei’s lungs, they would be able to do so. However, one physical punch from Sei’s left hand with this ability activated will cause the victim to become powerless. This includes magical effects created by items, or spells learned. The only abilities immune to this effect are natural talents, such as base speed, strength, etc etc.

The other members of my quest have disappeared, leaving only me able to request spoils. Unless Rev wants to pop in for his ghost-dad and request something, this should be it. Thank you for taking the time to read this little adventure.))

[Zook Murnig]

Dynamite Rave - Judgment
Story - 8/30
Storytelling - 3/10 Overall, the story jumped in and out of relevance, and concepts like the Ixian Knights and the Thayne were never explained. As well, deus ex machina featured heavily in the resolution of conflicts. Even without that, Sei pointed out that he apparently could lift himself and four other adults with the strength of his gossamer wings to avoid the avalanche. Name-dropping, apparently for the sake of dropping names, was rampant in Sei's posts, and in a few of Zerith or MetalDrago's. MetalDrago and Zerith contributed very little to this thread, as well, mostly just responding to things that happened in other people's posts, but never taking any initiative. I understand that this is Sei's quest, and you're along for the ride, but Raithwell at least had the decency to throw a curveball or two into things.
Pacing - 2/10 Sixteen posts to get through introductions. Almost half the thread was introductions. That not only felt slow as sin, but it made the following eighteen posts feel rushed. And very little happened in those posts, either. Not to mention my personal pet peeve, the bane of play-by-post writing, repetition. Oh, look, something happened in A's post! And something happened in B's and C's posts, too! That means that I, D, must go through my responses to A, B, and C before I toss in a one-liner and ask "What's next?" Yeah, that happened several times. Zerith was the worst offender, followed by MetalDrago. And everyone was guilty of that on multiple counts with the avalanche. Not only did most of you make a full paragraph about how avalanches are dangerous but natural and possibly a sign from Raith, but you all ALSO said as much immediately afterward in dialogue. Don't do that! To fix the repitition and listing problem, try to only respond to things that happened in previous posts AS NECESSARY FOR THE STORY. Otherwise, just pick up where the last post left off. If it's really important, but might break flow, talk to your threadmates. See if they can wedge into their post a reaction from your character.
Setting - 3/10 To be honest, there wasn't much. When you interacted with it at all, it was sort of consistent, but it was never really explained how there could be a cave in the middle of a park in the middle of a major city that everyone, and yet no one, knew about. And people just happened to stumble across it. Raithwell was the only one to really make use of the setting, which is weird because he's a ghost. He acknowledged how exhausting the climb would have been if he were alive. He set off the avalanche. He set off the magical bombs. This is pretty much the only reason your score here isn't lower.
Characterization - 11/30
Persona - 3/10 Only Raithwell showed any characterization or development. Everyone else did their best impersonations of the implacable man. Zerith, double penalties for you because you portrayed someone else's character completely unrealistically. I checked with Manda on this, and she said that if I joined the army while she was pregnant, she would probably murder me. And that's decidedly safer than what your character was doing. Honestly, just knowing that you believed in the Thayne does not excuse you going on a dangerous mission that has no direct and obvious impact on yourself. As well, your NPC was basically a cardboard cutout of every horny warrior ever. He had no dimension to him. All that was important to his character was ladies, fighting, and calling his best friend by a single letter. MetalDrago, you said your character "felt" this emotion and that emotion, but I never saw or felt it. This goes for Action as well, but I'll say it here: Show, don't tell. A kindergartener writes "I felt sad." A writer writes "I felt tears welling in my eyes, threatening to burst as my heart split in twain." And Sei had no believable emotions at all. He met everything with basic nonchalance and amusement. Even his telepathic dialogue held no emotion, despite the sort of dangerous things going on around him.
Action - 4/10 I said it in Persona, and I'll say it again here: Show, don't tell. Make the reader feel every hit. Even things as simple as scuffing your feet on gravel or feeling the roughness of a door as you knock on it helps to immerse your reader not only in the Setting (which was needed), but also in your character.
Communication - 4/10 This is a running theme here, but again: Show, don't tell. You were all inconsistent between what your character supposedly felt and what they showed in their dialogue. Work on that, I beg you.
Prose - 11/30
Technique - 3/10 There was little attempt at unusual phrasing. That alone would have given you a higher score. But to add insult to injury, you all partook in weird word choice (patrons of Radasanth instead of citizens), and way, WAY too much passive voice. Passive voice is the difference between "I was swinging at it" and "I swung at it." In the action sequences (of which there was half of one), you got away from passive voice, for which I am grateful, but the rest of the time it's all "Zerith was," "Sei was," etc. As well, use of more interesting and varied aliases would help. Zerith continually referred to himself as the "halberdier," which besides being redundant, is hard to pronounce repeatedly even in my head. As well, there was a lot of extraneous phrasing. When you take a deep breath, you don't need to specify what you're breathing unless it's something other than air, for example.
Mechanics - 4/10 I'm being kind here. Spelling errors that clearly were okay'd by spellcheck were rampant. This led to incorrect words being used, and I'm certain that if you just read through your posts after writing them you'd find and fix them. As well, everyone had problems with run-ons, and Zerith seemed to omit weird words from his sentences, fragmenting them. All of this affected your Clarity as well.
Clarity - 4/10 For the most part, everything was pretty clear, mechanical errors aside. However, Maxine Dirkal threw me for a loop. I have no idea who that is, and I had to check with Google and Manda. All Google showed me was the character getting reincarnated in 2006. It should show you how irrelevant a character or event is now when someone who's been around the site for six years doesn't know what the hell you're talking about.
Wild Card - 3/10 I wanted to give you a higher score here, to make up for the losses elsewhere, but the deus ex machina could not be set aside so easily. It smacks of laziness, and should be abolished.

TOTAL -- 33/100

Silence Sei receives 1067 EXP and 150 GP. I know you're capable of great writing, and it's hard to judge threads like this without thinking of the praise I've heard for your past work. Put in the effort, and it will surely be rewarded.
Zerith receives 538 EXP and 150 GP. Read through your posts for spelling errors and missing words. You did well in most of your mentions of Jasmine, but I would advise against assuming things about the emotional stability of pregnant women.
MetalDrago receives 444 EXP and 150 GP. Try to include more emotion in the actions of your character. Think of how it feels to be enraged, or deeply saddened, and describe the feeling as best you can in terms of your character.
Raithwell receives 299 EXP and 150 GP. This showed promise for one of your first threads with this character. Characterization and development is the hardest part with any new character, and you did very well with this. My only complaint in this was that Celeste read as if she were a girl in her early teens. Otherwise, work on the other categories, and you'll do well.

Silence Sei's spoils request is denied on grounds of insufficient score and overpowered request, as discussed. It is my suggestion that he request again, with a more reasonable Left Glove enchantment, after completing another thread in direct service to Draconus and scoring at least 65.

[Letho]

EXP/GP added.

NOTE: Sei gets no EXP from this thread as he has hit the level cap. As such, no EXP was added from this thread.