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Masterweaver
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 Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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Tough, dragoness. Tough indeed.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:14 am Post subject: |
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I'm not out to make this easy...these heros can take just about anything I dish out....well just about.
Besides, Xsyle would hate me for the rest of my life if I just coddled her through the whole story.
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"Music makes you braver."
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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Why are you called a dragoness if your avatar is one of a nice-looking elf?
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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It's Rath from Ergos sans red skin and spines. I'll go back to a dragon av when that ends.
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"Music makes you braver."
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shadowofthetiger
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey, I'm lovin this! Keep it up, I'm lookin forward to the next chapter!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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Now I know you've all been waiting to see what exactly the Scroll of Vascaron, or more precisely the power that allowed him to weild it, will do to Inthas but there is someone you need to meet first. Thus this half of the chappy will not have a dp, or include the results from the current dp. That's for the second half. Just hold on and Enjoy...
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Chapter Seventeen pt 1: A Dark Interlude
He stood on the balconey of his tower gazing across the despoiled lands at his feet. Not a year hence he had suffered some blows to his ego, namely the disapperence of all his elemental guardians and the destruction of his precious garden. He blamed Shade for that, shade and all her damned powers. He'd thought it was just her death curse coiling back on him, doing what damage it could since he held talismans against her powers.
He turned back into his chambers, marching across the room with a desperate air, hands clenched tightly behind his back and teeth gritted. On his wall, above the roaring fireplace, hung a pair of glittering swords. Magic practically dripped from them and he could not stand to look directly at them for fear they would charr his vision, both normal and his inner mage vision, forever. Below them on his mantle, encased in an orb of unfreezing ice, were a pair of sightless brilliant green eyes that always seemed to be watching him.
Without warning he hurled a chair across the room, watching it splinter against the orb's icey surface without a scratch. "Why do you mock me! Why!" He whirled, enraged, as delicate footsteps stopped at his threshold, the slender figure of a dark woman waiting for his approval to enter. "What do you want!"
"Raging at her sightless eyes won't help you brother. You've got to ask him, ask our Lord if she survived." Myrrila was right, he knew it, he had to ask his Master if Shade had survived, if she was still out there plotting her revenge. Sensing his anguish, his elder half-sister walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder timidly, hoping he wouldn't punish her for her boldness. "Remember, even if she survived she can't harm you. She's still bound up by all those silly old customs. She can't challenge you, can't raise her hand against you. Where Shade is concerned, you are untouchable Rovan."
He look at Myrrila, realizing the weight of the truth behind her words, and began to laugh mirthlessly. "Oh wouldn't that be rich. She's too powerful to die, to clever to be killed, and yet she'll be trapped in a world where she has failed, is less than nothing, with no escape save to end it all on the edge of a handy dagger with no more honor than a worthless cur." His laughter turned savage as he gathered his power. "Honor, pah. Honestly what would an assassin like her know of honor. Certainly she holds her kin in no high regard. She's fickle enough about her masters. The only things in life that matter to her are herself and those damn blades."
"Which I might add you stole from her. You bested her in death combat brother, you are her better." Silence fell in the room as Rovan's laughter faded. He'd never told Myrrila the truth about that night, about how he had beaten Shade. If she hadn't given him the chance to pick up his weapon he'd never have been able to weave the spell that brought her down, a spell that was dishonorable by the rules of the death match itself. Myrrila looked at him cringingly, fearing that he might strike her or cast some fell spell on her, but he turned his attention inward instead, seeking the Master.
Deep within himself, Rovan found what he was looking for, the black heart of his power hidden in the darkness of his soul. "Master will you hear me?" For a moment Rovan thought that yet again tonight the Master would forsake his lowliest Desciple in favor of the Dreadlord himself. But then he felt the all encompassing blackness that came with communion to his Master.
What do you seek? Groveling inside Rovan reached out to his master like a surf might reach for the hem of the robe of the king.
"Master...I must know. Does the assassin still live?" There was silence for a moment before the Master replied.
She lives for now. But in a matter of moments she will fade from this time. Rovan had, for a moment, felt the icey fingers of fear liquify his guts. But the last words of his master brought him nothing but joy...the assassin was not long for this world! His joy was short lived. As with all good things his Master felt the need to spoil them. Beware my Desciple. She shall return a drakon's year hence more powerful than ever before. Use your time wisely. And suddenly Rovan found himself alone in the silence of his inner soul.
Returning to the world around him he walked back to the balconey, ignoring Myrrila for the moment. "Well? What did the Master tell you?" Rovan's grip upon the railing became a white knuckled one of fury and shame. Fury that he had not defeated her and shame that he had botched the job when she had lain easy prey in his hands. He opened his mouth to reply to his half sister when a wave of power rocked over them, it's sheer volume knocking him to the floor, it's siren song of Taint spinning him in whirls of subliminal pleasure. In the center of this magical malestrom a thread of pure holy power blazed then succombed, vanishing along with the rest of the wave.
Sweat drenching his body, plastering his dark gold hair to his head and weighing down his mage robes, Rovan stared off toward the south from whence the blast had come from. "What was that? Every mage on Pharl must have felt those reprecussions." Rovan had a theory. It came from the Tower of High Magick, the Mages of the South and judging by the response it had given off this was the first casting of a very potent spell.
"Whatever it was it had to have been done by a minion of the Master. Nothing could have Taint so rich, so pure, so...no." His eyes went wide as he recalled the feel, the texture, the taste of that rich tainted power. He glanced toward the orb on his mantle and jerked his eyes away, shivering despite himself. The brilliant green eyes were pulsing with power, pupils expanding and contracting rapidly in a manner much like a heart beat. Behind their heavy sheilds, Shade's swords sung their song of piety and power. "Yes...it was. But what could she be doing?"
Myrrila walked next to him, following his gaze with her own eyes. "You don't think She had anything to do with it?"
"She had everything to do with it." What was it the master had said...she would fade from this time but would return in a Drakon's year with more power than ever. "What is a drakon's year?" He had muttered this to himself, expecting no answer, and was surprised as Myrrila answered him.
"Well it could be a cultural thing, like a name for a year or a year when the drakon constellation will rule the sky. It could be the year you break the drakons. It could be anything brother but you know it deals with drakons and that's a start." Indeed it was.
"Come Myrrila we have work to do." She nodded as he swept past her, her ash blond hair bouncing on her shoulders. Rovan had a hunch that the answer to that mystery was hidden somewhere in his library...and he had all the time he wanted to research...all the time he wanted.
"Whatever you say Dark Desciple. Where you lead I shall follow."
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Well I hope you liked that. The real chappy, the one you voted on, will be along in a day or so. I just wanted to let you know that the powers of darkness havn't been sitting on their hands this whole time. They're involved in this too.
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"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:22 am Post subject: |
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OOOhhh...a back stage look....I like. I enjoyed this chapter Rai as it was very interesting and added a sense of suspense to the whole work. Great work!
I so look forward to your next chapter but until then....
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| Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Right here's the second half of the chappy, including the outcome you voted for and a new DP...Enjoy.
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Chapter Seventeen pt2: The Drakon's Year
For an instant power blazed all around Inthas, his own and the Tainted. Accept me. The voice whispered once more. Yes. Inthas felt as though something exploaded within him sending shards of light and pain into every cell in his body. His back arched and he felt the strange sensation of being ripped clear, though clear of what he couldn't figure out. Those hands though, icey to touch and burning with dark power, never wavered in their iron grip of his hands.
There was a single moment where Inthas felt like he had realized something of great importance. Then the moment was gone and the realization with it, leaving him nearly weeping with frustration. Inside him something seemed to stretch and expand, causing himself to expand before his entire world went black and he knew nothing more.
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Xsyle dropped Inthas's hands from her own, staring down at where the Knight lay curled like a babe on the floor. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest gave any indication he still lived as his heart beat too quietly for even Xsyle to hear. "Why didn't he tell me he was a half blood? He certainly hid it well." Yet now as Xsyle leaned against the marble plinth in the center of the room, her entire body shaking from exertion and the massive drain of her power, she could clearly smell it in him.
"I'm losing it. I knew something about him was strange from the moment I met him but....damn those gods." No doubt they'd messed with her mind to keep her from realizing what Inthas really was, a half breed koshugon. "I've been training him all wrong." Xsyle went to move, to push off from the ruined collumn and explore the crumbling room, and instantly regretted the attempt.
Pain shrilled across her remaning senses causing her to gasp. Almost reflexivly her body reached for it's safety switch, the wellspring of power she had buried long years ago. Stifling her pain she quelled the attempt. "I'll not wake the beast with the boy in the room. I'll not wake the beast again if I had it my way." Slowly sliding to the floor Xsyle cursed herself for being a thrice damned fool. Slowly singing to herself a ballad as old as dust she listened to the way it echoed off the room.
Much had changed since they had begun casting the spell. She'd arrived nearly too late to help the fool boy, bursting past the old mage and into the room where Nordule and Illiriae had both been staring in horror at the young man. Upon seeing her Illiriae had shrieked and ancient elven curse and fired an arrow which Xsyle only now noticed protruding from her left shoulder. Gritting her teeth she reached up and pulled it out, gazing at the ribbons of pink flesh that hung from the barbed arrowhead.
"Never again will I ever allow my powers to dip this low. I hate being only slightly more than mortal." Just then Inthas wimpered. "Ah sleeping beauty wakes." She turned toward him, forcing herself to stand despite nearly blacking out, and felt something utterly foreing to her...pity. "He'll have it rough waking up. He's got puberty to make up for now."
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Inthas woke with a start, feeling for all the world like a man who has just been dragged to the bottom of the ocean and then forced to claw his way back up to air. His body ached in strange ways and his head pounded with every beat of his heart...and something else. He looked up blearily and shut his eyes. The colors, the shapes, the world was too intense...too vivid. Lines of power crisscrossed everything in amazing hues, the natural world painted like a canvass.
Smells assailed his nose, must, age, mold, stone, himself sitting in the putrid sweat of terror, and another...Xsyle. But Xsyle wasn't the first thing that jumped to mind when he caught her scent...female was. Something, some instinct warned him off of her instantly, she wasn't for him at all. Forcing himself to his feet he clapped his hands on his ears, every sound seemed to roar with intense hatred, a crescendo of sound even though it was little more than his ragged breathing and this double beat underlying pulse.
The swift beat that seemed to race along, too high and fast, was his own pulse running a mile a minute. The slow, even rhythem that seemed unconcerned...that was..."Gods I can hear Xsyle's heart beating. I can hear her breathing."
"And I can hear your thoughts." He started back violently, gripping his head and slowly dragging his eyes upward. "Don't look at me fool! You'll blind yourself until you figure out how to shut down your inner sight. Indeed if we don't get you adjusted to your senses soon you risk crossover madness. I hate to think what you'll be like when your beast slipps it's chains." Her voice sounded perfect in his head and he knew that had she even whispered the words aloud they would have nearly deafened him.
"What's happening to me? Xsyle what did you do?
"I did nothing. You were the one who spoke the words on that scroll. You were the one that called for immortality and now it's been granted. No wonder the Gods sent you to find this thing...they knew what you were." A sense of panic was growing in Inthas chest...what manner of creature had that blasted spell turned him into.
"And just what in the hell am I Xsyle?" A cool hand touched his cheek, Taint searing across his over sensitive skin. Inthas jumped a foot in the air. He hadn't known she'd moved! Even with his hightened senses Xsyle was still nothing more than a shadow...yet he could tell she was really with him this time, not just with him in spirit.
"You, Inthas, are a half-blood, a koshu-man. You are the result of one of my people having an affair with a human. You're rare since generall these offspring never survive past the onset of adulthood." Inthas stiffened.
"Why don't they...we...survive?" Xsyle's hands were moving over his features like he'd seen other blind persons do. She was getting a picture of him, a better picture than she could get listening to the way sound bounced off of him. Inthas had the sudden urge to see if he'd changed outwardly. He could feel that he had, his armor now seemed ill-fitting, but he couldn't see the changes.
"Normally half bloods do not survive to adulthood because they are generally driven mad when their koshugon half asserts itself at puberty. They go wild, unable to deal with the sudden rush of information their hightened senses give them, but mostly they are unable to deal with the beast. Inthas wanted desperately to stare at Xsyle but her warning from earlier still rang and he kept his eyes tightly shut, feeling her power beat at him through this meager protection. At this rate he'd get a sunburn just standing in her presence.
"I never knew...why didn't you tell me before this?"
"It was kept from me. I knew, now that I'm allowed to actually realize what you are it comes as no real surprise...feels like I've known for a while actually." There was no hiding the bitterness in her voice. "What really surprises me though his how human you actually were. You managed to skate through puberty as a human, none of your koshugon blood woke then. It took this spell, which is fairly major I assure you, and a good shock of my power to bring it to life. I can't figure out why but I don't think it has anything to do with the Gods."
Xsyle withdrew from him and for a moment Inthas thought she'd left him completely. Then he felt a light touch on the soreal on his chest. A few moments later he was assailed by the smell of magic and parchment, listening as Xsyle unrolled the map. "Inthas have you noticed anything funny about this room?"
"Not a thing. But then I can't really concentrate, all the chunks of ruined stone seem to vie for dominance in my line of sight."
"Was this room ruined when you came in?" It dawned on Inthas that it hadn't been. Nor did it seem magical in any way like it should have. "And, if you havn't noticed, Nordule and Illiriae are both missing, along with Horefrost and Balefire..." Inthas opened his eyes, forgetting his enhanced vision for a moment as he looked around, worry snapping everything into focus and dropping his senses back to a workable level.
Speaking aloud to Xsyle, relieved that there was no discomfort in it now, Inthas's voice shook with worry. "What's happened...where are they?" Xsyle tapped the map which clearly showed four dots marked 'Nordule', 'Illiriae', 'Horefrost', and 'Balefire'.
"As to where they are...looks to be a dungeon or prision if you preferr. As to what happened..." She turned, her cloth bound face fixing on his as if she had eyes. "Inthas I think we're in the future."
"What?"
"I think the spell sent us into the future." Xsyle looked thoughful for a moment, head cocked to the side as if she was listening to something. "Yes we are, one hundred years in the future to be precise." Inthas looked around. Judging by the state of the ruins around him it seemed that the High Tower of Magick had fallen close to one hundred years ago. He could almost still hear the battle hanging in the air. Xsyle, meanwhile, was a flurry of motion as she rerolled the map and picked up Illiriae's arrow.
"Xsyle...we've got to save them." The assassin didn't turn around, instead headed through the ruined archway of a door. Inthas, sighing, followed her out into the sunlight. The ruins of the Tower lay all around them. "I said we've got to save them." Xsyle had taken a seat on a large boulder, chin on fist, a thought frown across her face.
"I know but that's easier said than done. I've only been in that particular dungeon once before Inthas...I lost my eyes there. It's probably the second most dangerous place on Pharl, no doubt even more so than when I last went there since they've had one hundred me free years to work on their evil plans." Inthas tapped his foot.
"My mind is made up. You're either going with me or not. The Gods will aid us." Xsyle smiled nastily at him.
"Oh I'm coming. I've left a few important things there. As for the Gods...why don't you try talking to the Lord Inthas...he should listen to you right?" Puzzled Inthas reached for his connection to his god and found it nonexistant. "They don't know we're here, they still think we're in the past."
"How's that possible? God's are ominpresent, omnipotent." Xsyle smiled and shook her head.
"They're not quite as all seeing and all knowing as you'd like to think Inthas. I've lost them quite a few times althoug I'll admit, this was the most spectacular way I've lost them yet. Still being catipulted one hundred years into the future has it's benifits. I'll be back to full strength in a day or so." Inthas shrugged.
"Okay so."
"You don't get it do you? Inthas you thought I was strong before? I'll let you in on a little secret...that was the second lowest point I've ever been in my life. You're watching my lowest. Right about now I've got just enough power to sink a contenant. In two days I'll have enough to crack the world in half." Inthas stared at Xsyle, mouth hanging open. "Shut your mouth, you'll catch flies. Now you see why the gods put up with me at all."
"How can one creature be mortal and still have so much power?" Xsyle stared at him levely.
"Who said I was mortal? You're not exactly mortal anymore yourself. I'd love to tell you the story behind why I've got so much power but we havn't the time. Our gods might not know where, or when actually, we are but I'm not so sure their's don't. We unleashed a fair amount of power, it's safe to say we were noticed." Inthas nodded, agreeing. "So I say we find some place to hole up for a few days."
"We could always try letting the gods know we're here?" Xsyle grimaced. "Or we could start heading towards Illiriae and Nordule?" Xsyle hopped off the rock.
"It's up to you Inthas. You're the weak point in this partnership so you've got to make decisions based on what you feel best doing. I can take care of myself, it's you that needs watching." Kicking a rock hard and watching in horror as his new strength sent it through the stone pillar it hit, Inthas wondered what was best.
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What now?
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There you are, the much awaited chappy with dp. Hope you liked.
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"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Personally I don't think you should be going anywhere. Especially not Inathas.
Xsyle said it would take two days to regain her full power, I suggest you find a nice hide out until those two days are up.
In the meanwhile, Our Hero boy here should take the time to readjust to his new 'powers' and strenth. It is extermly unwise to go anywhere without first knowing your own strength and how to use that strength. If you don't you might end up hurting something, and probably hurt yourself in the process of saving the world.
Besides it's been a hundred years....what are two days going to hurt?
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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F5.
But those two days hurt a lot more then they know...
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:05 am Post subject: |
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Any more suggestion...poll's going up tomorrow so last call.
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"Music makes you braver."
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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They could always start traveling, albiet slowly, thus accomplishing something while they train.
That's my only other suggest Rai, sorry. 
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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New poll..vote.
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"Music makes you braver."
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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I've been motivated by some 'concerned' parties* to post a synopsis of the action so far for some of our new** readers.
Here you go.
CAUTION: Contains 'Spoilers'
Chapter One- Shame of the Fallen
You meet an assassin calling herself 'Xsyle' who is recently blind. She was sent to kill a Dark Mage, who is often called the Dark Lord or the Dark Desciple. Using her hearing she is able to 'see' the world around her and with the help of a small serpent escapes the watery pit she's been thrown into only to be forced to decide whether she's going to travel through the upper halls or through a garden of evil plant monsters.
Chapter Two- Midnight in the Garden of Evil
After choosing to go through the garden Xsyle finds herself being manuvered through the maze by the plants themselves. Each asks her a question that she answers without telling them anything until she is ushered into the grip of a massive rosebush which demands her life story. After telling the rose everything she is faced with a problem when the rose offers her a runner vine and demands to be taken with her.
Chapter Three- A Rose that is No Rose
She agrees to let the plant come with her on the condition the plant tells her it's own life story. After listening to the sad tale of the rose, she watchs as it destroys the other plants in the Garden by absorbing their energies. Now safely out of the garden she's suddenly wrapped in searing heat...the rose tells her a being of fire entrapped by the Desciple. The rose gives her the option of saving the creature but they risk alerting the mage if they do so.
Chapter Four- Fire and Freedom
Xsyle, having freed the rose and serpent, cannot refuse to save this creature...which turns out to be an anicent Phoenix. Unable to break the binding spell that holds the creature, Xsyle twists it so that the Phoenix is bound to her...but is now only a mere chick. Summoning the wind drake she freed from captivity on her way to fight the Desciple she makes her escape...but where does she head?
Chapter Five- The Ruins of Ascanda
Xsyle chooses to visit the ruins of the koshugon council on the legendary hidden isle of Ascanda. Once there she is in the presence of not only the Council she once served, but the Gods she champions. Xsyle tells them that she is now unable to challenge the Desciple to fight since he tricked her into a Deathmatch...then cheated to win. They tell her that she has sustained grevious wounds and must rest for a century and that they have chosen a mortal to continue the fight. Unwilling to let failure get the best of her Xsyle tries to convince the Gods to let her train the young man. Her only options are to go in her weakened state, go as a spirit, or not go at all...
Chapter Six- The Hero
Inthas is a Knight of the Skyeye Rose who has been in an enchanted sleep for four hundred years before the Gods wake him. Unfortunately he's still in the cave filled with vengful wights that put him to sleep in the first place. Enter the spirit of Xsyle who's neither living nor dead. She manages to get Inthas to freedom only to then drop his first quest upon him. He must get the legendary scroll of Vascaron...problem is it's been missing for years. However he has two places to look where it might be. One is in the hoard of the last Ebon Drakon. The other is the Tower of High Magick.
Chapter Seven- The Quest Begins!
Inthas and Xsyle get off to a very rocky start as they begin the trek toward the Tower, and things don't really improve between the slightly too innocent knight and the waspish assassin. After Inthas faints from heat exhaustion from packing around his armor Xsyle gives him a magical gem, call a soreal, to store a few things in. Thinking things have gotten better Inthas manages to doze of later that night, only to find that Xsyle runs him ragged training him in a dream world where time stretchs impossibly. Waking the next morning Inthas realizes with horror just how long the quest is going to take with him on foot. Xsyle gives him the option of buying a poor horse in a small town, a good horse in a larger town, or try to capture the legendary flying steed called Horefrost...each task has it's own risks.
Chapter Eight- A Bit of Heroics
After a heart to heart argument about Xsyle's treating Inthas with a lack of respect Inthas realizes that he's going to have to work hard to earn the respect of the last living koshugon. Being the Lord's Paladin doesn't quite cut it with the Champion of the Gods. After the God's give him a little more information about the dangerous times he's living in, Inthas tries to tame Horefrost and ends up not only with that stallion, but another magical winged horse named Balefire to boot. Now that he's got mounts he's got his choice of routes off the mountain. One is the great southern trade route...which is probably covered by the Desciples spies. Another is heading east along the danger filled Escarpment. Or going west through Fullheilm Marsh and BlackGate...some of the most unsavory territory there is...
Chapter Nine- Logistics and Plotting
Deciding to take the Escarpment, since it seems like a cakewalk with flying steeds, Inthas has spent the whole night plotting all his needs for the journey and calculating how much time it should take him. Now he only needs to figure out where to supply himself. Allbridge and Watch are both big towns on the mountain where he could get supplies...but both most likely have agents of the Desciple well established there. Another town is Ridgegate, a small outpost of the Mascarellan army with a surrounding village, nestled up against the Escarpment itself. Only problem is a strange marker on the magical map they're using seems to indicate great danger there...
Chapter Ten- No Sure Way
Making his way to Ridgegate Inthas poses as a smiple traveling adventurer named Thatz. He learns from the shopkeep in town that the only man who might have the skill to make tack, since he can't carry all his purchases himself, for his steeds is an old man named Amous. When they meet the man Xsyle warns Inthas that the man has elven blood in him and is not to be taken lightly. She cautions Inthas to pay the man whatever price he demands for his work rather than offend him. Amous asks them to slay a beast called the Grappion which has terrorized the town for years. But when they get there they find out that the beast is a Wirinia that's been tainted. The creature's only weakness is magic and Inthas is no strong spellcaster and Xsyle can't cast without telling the whole world she's still alive. They're left with the choice of using any spell Inthas might know...or summoning the horses to help.
Chapter Eleven- A Loss of Guidance
After summoning the horses Inthas struggles to stay alive while Xsyle distracts the beast since the Wirinia can't touch her. However, when Inthas is on the edge of death, his Paladin's powers awaken bringing both Horefrost and Balefire on the double. The stallions turn the Grappion into so much ash and the day is won...at great cost. Inthas's powers have banished Xsyle, who manages to give him a jewel dropped by the Grappion before she vanishes completely...leaving Inthas on his own. As he rides back to Ridgegate he ponders what his next move will be.
Chapter Twelve pt 1- Unexpected
When Inthas lands in Ridgegate he tries to give the stone to the townsfolk and gets a rather chilly reception. He's saved from being run out of town by Amous who takes him back to his shop to finish the tack for Balefire. While there the old man has a heart to heart talk with Inthas about his past and why he's even making Inthas the armor. Seems the old man was a mercenary in his younger days, a half-elven sniper for a rough outfit. His only friend in the company was a koshugon blade-mage named Duliale, a relative of the dreaded assassin Adara. Duliale saved Amous's life at the cost of his own once, and Amous watched as Adara killed those who had killed him. What's all this got to do with Inthas...seems he looks just like the dead Duliale...
Chapter Twelve pt 2- Happenings
Remember Xsyle? Well our assassin hasn't been having an easy time of it since she was banished by Inthas. Turns out she's been sent to hell...or a place very close to it. She ends up in the coils of the Dark God himself...litterally. Seems that he somehow managed to get a hold of her body. After a terse argument about why Xsyle has left his service for that of the Twin Gods of Light he give Xsyle a new 'Gift'. In return, Xsyle nearly garottes him with the power of the Twin Gods, using a connection to them she has to pull herself to freedom. Inthas on the other hand must decide whether to take up Amous's offer of his neice's services. Turn's out Amous has some very high connections with very powerful Elves...
Chapter Thirteen- A Cry for Help
In Ascanda Xsyle isn't getting along very well with the Gods. The Dark One's latest 'Gift' has Tainted her to the extreme and they don't want it rubbing off on innocent Inthas. However, knowing that Inthas can't do it alone, they agree to let Xsyle return to help him once he reaches the Tower of High Magick. Unwilling to let that decision be final, Xsyle contacts a friend with Inthas in mind. Inthas, meanwhile, has decided to ask for the help of Amous's niece, Illiriae a powerful elven archer mage known as the Sypi Archer. Amous is willing to contact her though a loliedra or speaking stone. The catch is Inthas must explain everything...including his quest and purpose. And that can be dangerous if overheard by others...
Chapter Fourteen- Ride the Wild Wind
With no real choice but to explain Inthas give a breif outline of his quest, his person, and his problems promising to explain more once he gets there. Illiriae agrees to an in person meeting and promises to send the 'Wind'. The wind, as Inthas finds out, is just that, a magical wind that sweeps him to the great elven forest Arelliniania where Illirae resides. Once there she offers him a tour of the city, a chance to rest, a chance to talk in private, or use of the magical library...
Chapter Fifteen- The Elf Gate
After having an in-depth private talk with Illiriae she agrees to help him and sees that he is outfitted with a new set of elven cloathing and custom dwarven plate. She is unable, however, to tell him anything about the Grappion stone. Then she escorts him to the great Elf Gate, a magical gateway that will take them anywhere providing they've been there before. But neither Illiriae nore Inthas have ever been to the tower before. Before they can despair a shadow elf steps forward with offers to help. Nordule, as his name is, isn't exactly a friend of Illiriae who cautions Inthas against his help but he is the only one that knows the way...
Chapter Sixteen- The Scroll of VascaronInthas, finding out that Xsyle sent him to help, let's Nordule take them to the tower, appeasing Illiriae by allowing her to monitor their progress and ensure they're not taken somewhere else. Once at the tower Inthas finally finds the item he's been questing for, the legendary Scroll of Vascaron. But when he goes to use it he finds out he's in deep trouble since he hasn't enough magic to appease the scroll's need. A new source, full of Taint, shows up and saves him but something is whispering to him. It wants him to accept it...at what cost?
Chapter Seventeen pt 1- A Dark Interlude
We take a moment away from our hero his companions to look at the flip side of the story. The Dark Mage, Dark Lord, or Dark Desciple is a half koshugon named Rovan. He and his elder half-sister Myrrila are having a discussion where Rovan is finally convinced to lay his fears to rest and see if Xsyle, an assassin they know as Shade, might still be alive. Finding out from his Master that she is alive but will vanish and return in a 'Drakon's Year' with more power than ever Rovan, who calls himself the Lowest Desciple, takes his sister with him to find out what the 'Drakon's Year' could be.
Chapter Seventeen pt 2- The Drakon's Year
Inthas accepts the power within him and falls unconcious. It turns out the being that provided the power that saved him was none other than Xsyle herself. Now greatly weakened she sits with Inthas and contemplates what's happened to them. When Inthas wakes he's in for a surprise...he's got immortality but it seems he's also something he never dreamed of being...half-koshugon. Now as he tries to deal with his new powers Xsyle tells him they're one hundred years in the future...and Nordule, Illiriae, Horefrost, and Balefire are all being held in the dungeon Xsyle escaped from in chapter one! Xsyle tells Inthas in two days she'll have more power than he's ever dreamed of, and Inthas does have these new powers, but both of them are wondering if their friends can last another few days in that place...
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Right that's it, now you're all caught up.
*Lordy
**And Lordy
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| Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:57 am Post subject: |
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I say wait two days! It causes great character conflict.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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Tie-Breaker anyone?
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:43 am Post subject: |
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Right nvm the tie-breaker, that's what executive decisions are for. Besides, I have bad luck getting timely tie-breakers. Enjoy.
Chapter Eighteen: Training Grounds
"I think I'm going to be sick." Inthas dropped to his knees as his senses bent out of shape again. A few paces away Xsyle was rubbing at the edges of the cloth around her eyes. A stray breeze had caught her hair and tugged it on the wind, a dark blue banner against the brilliant southern sun. As he finished heaving, and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand before replacing his gauntlet, Inthas turned toward her and cried out.
It was like looking at the twin suns when they touched, the intense brilliance that flaired in rings of power of a rainbow hue. Probably the only thing that saved him was the fact her powers were dangerously low and the veil of Taint that hung over them. He looked away quickly blinking at the blurry teared vision and his burning eyes. "Did you do permenant damage?"
When the tears cleared it took him a few stinging moments to look around but the colored lines of power still dappled everything in his enhanced sight. "I don't think so but I think I've got to conceed those two days to you Xsyle. I'm in no shape to go wandering around." Xsyle snorted.
"All well and good for me Inthas but it's going to take you more than two days to get used to this...unless." Xsyle snapped her fingers and grinned evilly behind his back. "Unless we speed things up a bit." Inthas groaned. He had the sudden feeling that he wasn't going to get much rest when he slept that night. "Oh don't whine. That's one problem taken care of."
"Oh well one down, that makes me feel so much better. What's the next problem on the list...oh right. Saving the world. Sounds easy doesn't it." He punched the stone infront of him, feeling futile, and gave a startled yelp that left his ears ringing when the rock crumpled to a pile of dust.
"Sarcasm and fits don't suit you Inthas. Actually I've already taken care of our next problem. Finding a place to hole up. The ruins of Katzbarang are only a day's flight away from here on the back of a wind drake."
"And just where are we going to get a wind drake on short notice Xsyle. Or do you just happen to have one hiding in your soreal?"
"Not quite, but close." Inthas was sent to his ears in pain, roaring at the top of his lungs with his hands clapped over his ears as Xsyle let loose the loudest whistle he'd ever heard. Inthas swore it could have been heard half-way round Pharl, and indeed it nearly was. "Now he should be here in any minute." A few seconds later a dark shadow covered the land and Inthas glanced up, amazed to find that it seemed the descending wind drake looked inches away even though it must have been one-hundred feet in the air.
It gave a defening roar of joy as it recognized the figure of Xsyle below it. "Mistress! You've returned!" It landed with a hurricane swirl of winds and a thud that shook the earth as it dropped down on all four paws, massive snout nearly knocking Xsyle down as it nuzzled her, mewling like a small kitten.
"Z'Shissre you've grown well. You look fit to be the king of the air. Drakon's must run in fear of your shadow by now." The last was, perhaps, the highest praise that could be given a drake of any breed. The massive beast, he had to be at least one hundred and fifty feet from nose to tail, gave a strange noise one might find coming from a fuzzy brass instrument, and thumped it's tale. Suddenly realizing Inthas was there it rounded on him, bearing teeth as long as a man's leg. A growl that was nothing short of epic preportions rumbled from deep in it's chest, along it's massive serpentine neck, and echoed in it's cavernous mouth.
"Who are you? Do you endanger my mistress!" Endanger, at this point Inthas was nothing short of crippled by the sound, vibration, and light but he still managed to glare at the drake for a full five seconds.
"Easy Shiss, Inthas is a friend. He's in a bad way just now and we've got to help him." The drake turned back around to look at her an 'anything for you' expression plastered on his face. Xsyle helped him get in place, securely knotting long strands of Shiss's mane around Inthas's waist and legs, giving him a long coil to hold. "And whatever you do, don't try to yank him around. He doesn't need directions." Inthas had the feeling that, if he needed this much restraint, he'd be holding on for dear life if he was doing anything.
Xsyle slid into the place of honor just behind Shiss's head, wrapping a few long strands around her own waist, before the drake shook a little bit. "The fit's fine. Shall we be off?" Reciving a slight nod from Xsyle the drake gathered himself...and suddenly they were airborne so quickly Inthas didn't hear the boom of air the take off downbeat for a few seconds.
Flying on the back of the drake was, Inthas concluded, a most pleasant sensation once you got used to it. It was a constant rolling motion, like the galloping of a horse and the rolling of a ship in one. They would jump forward and upward in the air with every little beat of his wings, sliding downward a bit each time he lifted them. The wind seemed to sing through the long strands of his silver mane, dappling across his silver skin. Unlike common myth dictated the drakes of Pharl had smooth, silken, yet steel tough hide...it was drakons had the shimmering scales.
Inthas lost himself in the roar of the wind, the motion of the great wings, the beating of the drake's great heart, and the beauty of a southern summer sky. His new vision streatched for miles, allowing him to easily watch the ground below as they flew over it miles above. Occasionally someone would glance up and Inthas would have to stifle the urge to wave, the people seemed that close.
They also seemed unhappy. With his new vision Inthas could see that the land was, wrong. Lines of power were weak and dim, covered with grime and Taint. They crossed wrongly in some places, tearing up the earth around them and twisting the creatures into abominations. Dark shadows covered the surface of the world, leaving only brilliant patches, like emerald gems, where power still sang sweet and pure.
For some reason Xsyle came to mind as one with the land. The land without Taint was a beautiful thing to behold. The land with it was beautiful as well, in places, but it was a dark deadly beauty...like belladonna blossoms. Or it was just not beautiful at all...only wrong and broken. He wanted to reach out, scoop up that battered earth in his hands and heal it. But he knew he didn't have the power or strength needed to do that. "Your time will come Inthas. But nobody can say if you'll be strong enough when that time comes."
Didn't look at Xsyle, concentrated instead on keeping his thoughts to himself. But the assassin had, ironically, never steered him wrong yet. At first that had been the doing of the gods...now. Inthas didn't think Xsyle genuinely liked him, knew she wouldn't weep over him if he died, but he knew that for some strange reason, maybe just her own pride in a job well done, she was still helping him.
------------------------
When the drake landed by the side of a massive mountain of granite Xsyle unwound herself and walked back to free Inthas. Turning back to the drake she nodded to him. "You know what you must do. I'm counting on you Shiss." The drake bobbed it's huge head and nuzzled Xsyle again.
"I won't fail you mistress." With that the drake kicked up a massive wind...and was little more than a silver flash on the horizon when Inthas had cleared the dust from his eyes. He found Xsyle staring at a shrub covered face of rock. Reaching up she ripped out a bush, roots and all.
"Would you care to help me?" Walking up Inthas pulled free another bush and Xsyle yet another. This went on for a few moments before Inthas pulled free a bush...and the dirt began to pour off the slanted face, dumping down on his head. He coughed and choaked and brushed himself off. "Thank you Inthas." He was about to ask for what when he looked and found Xsyle dusting the last of the dirt off a series of beautifully carved runes...Koshugon writing.
"What does it say?" Xsyle smiled.
"We used to try to keep out unworthy folk from places like this by posting riddles on the side doors, the main doors were always guarded. This particular riddle says...
Give me the one that points the way,
Then give me the tallest.
Give me the one that you bind,
Lastly give me the smallest.
When you are done,
Give me the worker,
Turn to the side of power,
And Enter."
Looking closely at the door there were five holes arranged in a slightly circular pattern and the remains of an ornate design that drew a circle around it. For the life of him Inthas couldn't figure it out. "Well I'd be one of those going through the main gate." Xsyle smiled again.
"We koshugon are fond of making simple things very complex. Watch." Slowly she inserted first her pointer finger, then her middle finger, then her ring finger, and lastly her pinky finger in the semi-circular holes. Next she put her thumb into the big hole at the bottom of the 'circle' and took a deep breath. "Let's hope the mechanism still works after all these years." With that she gave it a sharp turn to the right.
For a few moments nothing happened. Then, with a muffled booming sound and much grinding, the door swung open. Rocks from above began to tumble down, threatening to block the doorway as they both darted through. As the door slid closed, and the rocks sealed it forever, all light vanished. Inthas expected to be blind but instead found himself easily able to navigate with the amount of light the magical lay-lines and power nodes gave off. Xsyle he carefully avoided looking at even though she threw off enough light to make the cavern as bright as day.
"Follow me." And he did, through a maze of passageways that would have confused even a map weilding treasure hunter. Inthas found it eerie that while dust had settled, no creatures, not even spiders, had moved into this vast, empty hollow mountain. "This city was the first to fall to the Dark Lord. I know, I remember. Nobody had taken him seriously before he showed up here and slaughtered every one of the ten-thousand koshugon inhabitants."
Inthas wondered if their wights still haunted this place, indeed not much spooked Inthas anymore but wights still did. He would never forget that enchanted sleep. The shops still had items in them, preserved when the mountain had sealed itself. And skeletons, as brown as the rocks, littered many passageways and open areas. Xsyle deftly steered them away from these places, leading him up spiraling tunnels and stone stairways until they stopped infront of a large building.
"Welcome to where we shall be staying for two days Inthas. This was the kudur a place where young koshugon came to learn to be warriors. I thought it fitting that we should base your training out of this building." Opening the massive bronze doors Inthas got the shock of his life.
On a high dias in the center of the first great room, a skeleton lay where a warrior had laid down and died. The thing was, the bones were not human. Giving a soft whistle into the space Xsyle found what Inthas was looking at. Walking forward she ran her hands along the blade still clutched in it's massive hands. "Poor Galdern, he was worried about growning too old to teach his students. Still from the knicks in his bones he must have fought valiantly before he drug himself back here to die."
"Xsyle...were you here for this battle?" She did not answer, merely went past the skeleton and into the chambers beyond. Inthas bowed to the skeleton, giving it his utmost respect incase the wight of the old koshugon lingered, before following. He found Xsyle in a large round room with steel reinforced walls and bars on all the windows and doors.
"This is where you shall be training." Inthas looked around. There were massive marks in every surface that looked like some monster had tried to claw it's way out.
"What is this room?"
"This is where Galdern kept his half-koshugon students. He had the highest sucess rate of any trainer in the land. That's why I brought you here Inthas. The history and power in this place. You won't be alone as you go through your trials but we've got alot of ground to cover and very little time to cover it in."
She shut and bolted the door behind him. "You're staying in the room with me? Is that wise?" Xsyle walked up until she was about an inch away from him.
"You're not the first half-koshugon I've had to deal with Inthas though you're probably the last. It'll take a whole lot more than you've got to do anything to me because I know exactly what I'm dealing with. Now here's the question. Do you want to fall asleep as a man, or as a beast?"
"Is this a trick question?"
"No Inthas it's very real. If you fall asleep as a man and are still a beast when you wake...I might have to deal you some pretty hard blows to wake you up. On the other hand if you're a beast and wake up a beast...I'm going to have to do everything but kill you to bring you down. Now if you're a beast and wake up a man...well you might get stuck like that and we'd have to sort it out the next night. It doesn't matter to me...the choice is all yours."
Inthas stood there for a moment, beyond being dumbstruck at this point he was just going to go along with the program. Fall asleep as a man, or fall asleep as a beast...he had no clue..
--------------------------
There you are folks...hope you liked.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say fall alseep a man. Obviously the question is talking about being half-krushen. Taking a chance of waking a beast after falling asleep as one as well is not a chance I would to take especially if Xysle is the one dealing the hard blows.
Just a few hard knocks won't be as bad. I think.
Enjoyed the new chappie as a whole.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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New poll is up...vote!
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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Go beastal!
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Come all yea voters...this tie must be broken...by someone other than I.
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Yay! I take back anything bad I've said about you in the past four seconds. Chappy will be up tomorrow guys...see if you can't quit drooling until then.
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 6:32 am Post subject: |
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just fin reading this... interesting though i'm late to break the tei. even i need a tei breaker. Well...I would have chosen the first too. 
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:55 am Post subject: |
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As promised...a new chappy for a New Year. Enjoy!
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Chapter Nineteen: Beast Within, Beast Without
"As a man I suppose. I've got more experience being human than I do being anything else." Xsyle nodded, walking over to a corner where preserved blankets still lay in a heap. Shaking them out, and smiling when they didn't disintigrate, she spread out a make-shift bed on the floor.
"Lay down then Inthas...we've got a long night ahead of us." Slowly Inthas crept over to the bedroll and laid down. A few feet away Xsyle sat down, legs folded in a lotus style, arms draped over her knees. "Relax Inthas...I've done this before."
"I'm glad one of us has." Laying there Inthas knew he'd never be able to sleep, no matter how hard he tried. "Uh...Xsyle?" A gentle mist wafted over him, making him feel very drowsy all of a sudden. Xsyle chuckled from her spot on the floor.
"Way ahead of you...way ahead of you..." He wanted to say some witty comeback to her...but he was already sinking into the realms of slumber, drifting this way and that through the worlds behind his eyes.
He'd expected to end up in their usual world, a place of open, grassy meadows and tall stands of trees. Instead he ended up right back in the metal room where Xsyle was leaning against the wall. "You'll have difficulties containing the beast at first and I don't want to spend half the night chasing you down. You need every moment I can give you." Inthas could agree with that, every moment and more.
"So how do I unleash this beast of mine? And, more importantly, what is 'the beast'?"
"The beast is our name for our war-form. It's a massive creature that runs more upon instinct than it does upon our higher minds. In that form we are twelve times stronger, twenty times faster, and nigh on invincible. Our hide has the same strength as diamond armor, our talons and teeth are diamond razors. Yet we forge weapons and armor to make us even stronger Inthas. We cast spells that bounce off our skin and devistate the world around us.
As you've already found out our senses are the strongest of any creature to walk the face of Pharl and we have regenetive rates that can fully regrow a limb in three days. Battle wounds are nothing compared to that. However, our strongest asset is the fact we can acess our higher minds. When you're well trained you can be both the beast and yourself at the same time. During battle you sometimes snap back to it, it's called Coldrage. A fully enraged koshugon is an awesome sight to see Inthas...I know...I've been one."
She pushed off from the wall and walked up to him, her entire body seemed ready for something devistating to happen. "As for awakening it..." She put the tips of her first two fingers on her right hand against the center of his forehead. There was a snap and suddenly there was something inside him that desperately wanted out.
Staggering back from where Xsyle stood, his arms wrapped around his sides, his mouth opened to scream. But no human scream issued forth, instead a bestial cry of pain and rage spilled past his lips. His spine cracked, standing him up and flinging his arms wide, his cloathing fell away in tatters and shreads. His skin darkened, a rippling pattern emerging on it's amber surface.
His knees cracked while his heel turned into a hock, leaving him bent over on four jointed legs. His fingers and toes fuzed together in some places, finger nails and toe nails turning into talons. He was expanding in size, hisses escaping his tightly clenched jaws as his senses expanded ten-fold again, sending him tripping over his own tail. His mouth and nose jutted forward as a long muzzle took it's place.
He turned toward Xsyle and, just before his mind faded away, gave her a last pained look with human eyes. Then came a strange sensation as his intelligence seemed to drain away, leaving savagery and cunning in it's place. His memories seemed dim and fuzzy now and he was slightly disoriented as he tried to get his berings.
--------------------
He figured out he was in a room, his room, his territory. There was another with him, a female! Whirling toward her he snarled in the manner of bestial koshugon. Are you friend or are you foe?
Neither. A growl deepend in his throat. The female smelled of old blood, the blood of many kills, and of rot and wrongness. Unclean. She felt powerful but then why did she remain such a puney thing.
You are not my mate, you do not kill my food, you have no right in my territory. She did not move, she could not see! She was weak and weaklings died under the hand of the strong.
This is not your territory. This is cune territory. Cune was not a word Inthas the man would have understood but to Inthas the beast it was clear as day. This was the territory of spirits. His tail drooped a little and he felt a slight fear. However, not wanting to seem weak infront of this elder female, he puffed out his chest.
I do not fear them. I shall take it from them. She shook her head.
I cannot let you do that. Then she spoke aloud. "Control yourself Inthas. I can't help you if you don't fight the pull of the beast." Inthas shook his head as a buzzing, like that of a small fly, echoed inside it. Other self wanted to break in but He wouldn't let it! The other self had all the time and attention while He was locked away and suppressed.
There were things He wanted to do. He wanted to hunt, to kill, and feel the sweet life-blood of his prey run down His jaws while it's meat slid into His belly. He wanted to claim His territory and set out His markers for other's to test, wanted to fight the fools who thought they could best Him. He wanted to..."No!"
------------------------------
Inthas managed to swim back up to the surface of his mind for a second. Xsyle still stood there looking at him. "Help me Xsyle, I can't control it!" She smiled at him.
"Then work with it. Try to give it what it wants, try to ease it a bit. Let it know that it can have more working with you than it ever could on it's own."
"I..I can't do that. I can't give into it...no." Xsyle shook her head.
"The beast is a base creature Inthas. It's wants are not complicated at all. It's a creature of war so it will want it's territory and will fight anyone for it. I can handle that. It will want fed and, well have you ever dreamed about eating something? We can feed it Inthas." Inthas was having trouble holding on to control. Only sheer mortification kept him going, and fear of what would happen if he failed to keep this in check.
"That's not all it wants..." Xsyle now took a step back.
"I warned you innocent Inthas...I really did warn you." Unable to hold it any longer Inthas lapsed back into the beast.
-------------------
The beast was angery now, angery at Other self. Other self was trying to keep Him from control, trying to keep Him weak. Well if Other self wanted Him to be without food, then He was going to commit slaughter. If Other self wanted Him to be adrift, He would claim the world as His territory. If Other self wanted Him to leave this female alone He was going to claim this female.
He stepped toward her and she stood her ground. He looked her over once and twice, even though He didn't want this female. It seemed 'wrong' to Him, unclean, to be looking at her so. Yet Other self didn't want Him to have her so He was going to take her, want or no. She was strong enough, when He was done He would cast her off, make her guard His den for Him and the new mate He would find.
It was obvious from the way she moved that she did not desire Him, maybe her beast wanted Him and her Other self was trying to spite it, just as He was. You are weak, you do not change, you cannot fight.
You are mad, you cannot control yourself. He roared. Other self could not stop Him. Other self was the one who could do nothing, He was in control. Yet the female did not seem to be worried, was her Other self that strong? His Other self had been until...until this female had let him loose! He heard His Other self calling to Him, telling Him things. His Other self had wanted Him free, had wanted to be One with Him.
Impossible. It could not happen, not when Other self did not listen to him, when every time He went to speak Other self slammed the door of their mind shut. Yet Other self was apologizing...was offering to do things with Him. He wanted proof, He did not trust Other self. "What do you want beast?"
You want to walk around in My body with Me, I want to walk around in Your body without You.
-----------------------------
Inthas had managed to get through to his beast, at last, but the demand the creature was making was rediculous. Yet if Inthas wanted to master being a half-blood he needed the beast's help. Yet, glancing at Xsyle through the beast's eyes, he wondered if there wasn't some way around this particular demand...
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What does he do?
-----------------------------
Sorry if the chappy seems confusing but it's supposed to somewhat...Hope you enjoyed anyway.
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: |
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Agree. It's safer.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:16 am Post subject: |
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Ofcourse we enjoyed it. it makes some sence to me. maybe weaver understands since he talks..well.. *coughcrapcough* *clears trought* what I said nothing.
 *Waiting for next chappy.*
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DukeReg
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:29 am Post subject: |
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*sigh* I keep missing polls.
So if I understand it correctly, the beast wants to wander around in full control of Inthas' normal body? Agree for sure.
This is almost a blessing, because he will be relatively weak and incapable of causing anywhere near the damage of his big ugly form, even if he is going completely loco.
As for the beast trying to use Inthas form to fool or manipulate Xsyle... I'm sure smarter, more charming monsters have tried and failed.
Eventually the beast will calm down a bit and they can try to make more progress.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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Disagree. Try to compimise if you can. Perhaps offer the beast the same thing he offers you, that he can walk in your body, but with you.
Keep talking. Bargin like you have never have before. Just try to keep the deals even, so that Inathas and the beast both get they want, but that Inathas remains in control of his body.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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New poll...voting begins now.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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Rai i hope you'll understand i boted disagree, what i meant was he had to listen to the beast and disagree his thought.
hope you understand, because if he doesn't trust the beast and doesn't let it have what it wants it'll go beserk. and if it asks for more then disagree. thus coming to a conclusion of dins answer.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Asking for a tie-breaker...otherwise I'll have to do it myself.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:21 am Post subject: |
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| Broke the tie. Unleash!
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:14 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Fenny for the tie-breaker...see what I said about me an my tie-breaker luck? Enjoy.
--------------------------
Chapter Twenty: Untouchable
Inthas could do nothing but accept, nothing but give the beast what it wanted. He felt it's smugness as it let him take over, guiding him and instructing him in the ways of his new body, his new powers. Inthas wasn't as stupid as the beast...no wait. The beast wasn't stupid, merely basic. It didn't have the complex needs that required complex thoughts.
That was probably why Inthas could read the suspicion written in Xsyle's face while the beast only noted her words as she made them do any number of little things. They seemed annoying and pointless to the beast, endless repititions of movement. Even if it was combat movement, the beast didn't see how learning these patterns was going to help when the blood was actually flowing. But it was willing to take Inthas's word for it.
Slowly the training session wound to an end, the dream world fading away. Before Xsyle could change him back Inthas allowed the beast to the front. He never really knew how the beast did it but one moment they were in the dream world...the next Inthas was stuck in the back of his own mind as his body woke up. Other self will watch now while He does His work. He will have the small female and Other Self will have nothing!
Inthas wanted to do something, anything, but he was not in control. He'd made the bargain and now, despite all his trying, he couldn't break the beast down. He could only groan, a prisoner in his own mind, and watch what happened when the beast tried to take down Xsyle.
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Xsyle knew something was wrong the moment she woke up...Inthas was staring at her with an intensity she could feel. "Well...last night was rather productive. Another night like that and I might consider you capable of not getting killed in battle. Maimed most likely...but not killed." Her suspicion deepened when Inthas stood in a fluid manner unlike his usual self...it was much more like a big cat getting ready for the stalk.
He did not speak to her, another unusual thing, nor did he move sulkily, which was the biggest tip off yet. "You're still the beast..." With a wide grin Inthas lunged at her with a growl. He hit the metal side of the room with a meaty thud, Xsyle having neatly side-stepped him. You should listen to your Other Self...he knows better than this. She snarled at him.
Other Self is weak! Other self may not be able to take you but He can! Another rush, another neat side-step with a quick foot trip added in to make the beastial Inthas hit the floor again. This time Xsyle had had enough.
I do not want you filthy little half-blood! Come at me again and I shall make you beg. Inthas turned to her, muscles bulging, nostrils flaired, hair swept into feral eyes. His lips drew back in a snarling smile.
You are too weak to change...too weak to take me.
If that is what you think then test your luck. If you win then you have your rights...if you lose you shall work with your Other Self to become One Self. The beast laughed.
He and Other self can never become one. No Other self can ever bond with Us.
If I still had my eyes you would know different. Normally all she would have needed to do was stare Inthas down...but she didn't have that painless option now. Cracking her knuckles she grinned...finally an excuse to legitimately beat the piss out of the boy.
He played right into his part as well although he no longer charged her. Now he circled cautiously, trying to find a weakness in her defense no doubt. She grinned...better had tried and failed. Blind or not she could still take Inthas any time of the day or night. He waited until he had circled three times before trying to strike at her left shoulder from slightly behind her.
She sprang into the air, the swipe blurring past underneith her, spinning around and landing a kick that blew Inthas across the room. Your reflexes are disgraceful runling. He hissed, drawing himself up off the floor with wounded grace. Xsyle wasn't even winded as she cocked her head to the side listening. That was when beastial Inthas must have either picked something up from the Inthas trapped in the back of his mind, or shown some basic cunning.
He took off his shirt and began to toss about with it, slapping in different directions while he growled and padded softly. It would have worked if it had been any other blind person but Xsyle. Xsyle, however, had only been truely blind once...in that garden where everything had been making noise. Here, no matter how hard he tried, he was still just one thing making noise.
She let him think he had her off balance and, sure enough, he took the bait, trying to tackle her from behind. You can imagine his surprise when she slipped past him, digging her fingers into the soft flesh of his throat while another steely arm locked both of his down. Struggle as he might he could not break free, her grip on his windpipe growing tighter all the time. He jerked back with his head, trying for a headbutt to her face. Her head, however, was somewhere by his shoulder.
He tried to sweep her legs, both were obvious tactics both probably offered by Inthas to the beast, but she neatly avoided both times. Give it up runling...I'm above your abilities. Slowly the struggles ceased and she released him before he lost conciousness. He fell to the floor on hands and knees, coughing and gasping for breath.
How can you do that?
I'm Untouchable. You'll learn. She placed her hands on hips, head cocked toward him. You'll learn or you'll die runling. He spat on the ground.
And I suppose you'll kill me Tainted One? You'll spill my blood like you've spilled the blood of thousands of others. You'll embrace your darkness once again to lay me low? A grim smile spread across her features showing dazzling teeth, two of which were slightly pointed.
Only if I have to to save your hide. Now work with the man, not against him. You'll have far better results if you do.
-------------------------------
The beast left him with a whump, retreating to a corner of his mind muttering about 'Ganheathers' whatever those were. Poking the beast he asked but got no reply save more grumbling about being 'treated like a runling' whatever a runling was. Inthas felt he had been well worked over even though it could have been worse. And his abused throat allowed him no speech whatsoever.
For a few moments they just sat there, Xsyle leaning against one wall, Inthas curled up against another. He thought he was imagining it at first when a foggy mist crept into the corner of the room. He certainly couldn't mention it to Xsyle, who seemed oblivious, not with his voice out of serivice. Instead he watched it until it crept back out again.
'Strange', he thought, and wondered. 'What should I do about that?'
--------------------------
Well, what can he do?
----------------------
Sorry bout the wait. Hope you liked.
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DukeReg
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:43 am Post subject: |
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What is strange about the mist exactly? Is it something he has picked up with his new senses, or was he just not expecting it?
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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Wow...Inthas is really...weak.
Anyways, cool chapter Rai, now just let me catch up on the rest....
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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To Reg: What seems strange is that the mist seemed to have a mind of it's own...it acted like a living thing.
To Fenny: Inthas is not weak, as you'll find out when things get going. It's just when you compare him to Xsyle he's a marshmellow in tinfoil wrapping...Mostly he's just naive.
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DukeReg
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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Well if Inthas really can't talk at all, can he at least crawl? If he crawls to a place where it will get to Xsyle before it gets to him, he should be fine.
I'd be surprised if she didn't know something was going on anyway. Not being able to see seems more of a quirk than a handicap for her. Unless the colour of the mist is significant in some way that Inthas recognises and can communicate, I think Xsyle has more chance of doing something about it than Inthas does.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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He can crawl. He's a little brused up, especially on his throat, but he's otherwise okay. He's just a little weak and shouldn't be thinking about fighting.
And you're right...Xsyle has spent years eliminating possible handicaps. She's one of the best assassin's after all...
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DukeReg
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:04 am Post subject: |
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| Kalanna Rai wrote: | | one of the best |
 You mean there's other assassins who are even in her ballpark?
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| So what will they do? |
| Another round of questioning? |
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100% |
[ 3 ] |
| Differences lead to battle royale? |
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| Uneasy alliance? |
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| Total Votes : 3 |
| Who Voted: dragon_fire372, DukeReg |
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