Illusion Vale: A Spirit's Cry

[rengadeirishman]

Michael led the band of 31 warriors silently toward the goblin camp. He gave the various bird calls they had established and three dwarves and three fairies split off to take out the guards. The nearest guard was dispatched by a quite ferocious specimen of faery man by the name of Amaranth.

Michael led them into the camp, they moved quickly and low to the ground, Michael in his wolf form. The goblins had tents pitched in groups of 3 or 4 around campfires, and his warriors took care to slaughter those around the fires first, before splitting up into the surrounding tents. In this manner he and his warriors slaughtered some ten times of their own number. It all went very smoothly.

Then it went to hell.

a loud horn sounded, and goblins woke.

"RETREAT!!" Michael roared, quickly skewering a goblin. Goblin voices started being heard all over. Michael quickly slew another before ducking out of the tent.

"RETREAT!!" he roared once again "BACK THROUGH THE GATE!" his warriors started obeying, scrambling to escape. "FLY YOU FOOLS!!" Michael roared to a few of the faeries, who immediately obeyed, their wings carrying them away. Michael cut down a goblin charging him with a spear. "RUN RUN!" Michael slew some more, making his way to the gate. There some of his dwarves did bloody deeds, slaying goblin after goblin. Michael reached them, "Rurik, Gorin, Tordek!" he said as he slew, "We must hold the gate until everyone has escaped!"

"Working on it boss" Rurik said, making two halves of goblin where once there was a whole.
"If we survive, youll get a promotion!" Michael said with a smile as he slew.

more dwarves came through and all the faeries had gotten out.

"Run lads! I'll hold them!" michael said fighting with a big cleaver armed goblin.

"We'll not leave ye alone" Tordek said, slaying with abandon.

Michael saw a flutter of wings, and from nowhere came Amaranth, leading a few stout faery men. They started casting spells into the goblin mass, and engaging them blade to blade.

"I told you to run! Do as i order damnit!"

"Sorry sir, we didnt want you to have all the fun." Amaranth said, quickly gutting a goblin with his curved sword.

Gorin fell, but his slayer was dispatched by Tordek. The last two dwarves came through, bloodied and lagging.

"Help them, I'll hold the goblins, while you make good!" Michael roared.

"But.."

"GO DAMN YOU!" Michael howled the others made their retreat, and Michael was left.

Except for Amaranth and Rurik, who refused to leave him.

The crowd of goblins parted and a massive specimen waked forward, carrying a wicked blade.

"GURZ GURZ GURZ!" the goblins chanted.

"Warlord!" Amaranth shouted.

"I be Gurz. You be warg dwarf yes? Gurz hear of you, fight now!" Gurz said

"Run" michael ordered with a tone that almost magically compelled them to do so.

Amaranth and Rurik left and Michael sized up the impossibly large goblin.

"I am the Wolfknight, and you are dead!" Michael howled and charged the warlord.

Gurz laughed and jeered, charging michael as well.

Their blades met and sparks flew. Michael was able to throw the larger Gurz back a pace and he quickly lunged.

Gurz was too quick, parrying and trying to behead him on the return.

Mike ducked but ony barely, the tip of his right ear was cut away, but Michael riposted with a slash across the brutes thigh.

The combatants backed away, each bleeding.

Gurz charged swinging his sword in a figure eight to block a thrust, and mike dove to the side.

Gurz pivoted and their blades met, a fury of blows, High to low, right to left. The goblin fought with consummate skill, but Michael knew he was better.

Michael felt a sharp, electrical pain through his body, and everything went black.

Amaranth and Rurik watched the fight, impressed by the combatants, It was they who saw the witch doctor cast his spell at michael, and who saw michael fall. They saw him being carried off prisoner.

"BASTARDS!!" amaranth roared starting back toward the camp. Rurik held him tight, "No lad, we must report back, they must know that the wolfknight has been captured, our vengeance will come later." Rurik said, his voice heavy.


Rurik dragged the struggling Amaranth back to their own camp, their morale never so low.

 

[Infalk]

Dorn sighed, "Tha kinda thing is what only ther Spirit can tell yer. She's the one tha's still alive an' been there. But I kin tell yer tha the others were sent off on some sorta secret mission or some such." He shook his head, "Kin't tell yer more an' tha."

"As fer tha Dark Kin, well, they weren't the original yer see. They were just ordinary citizens what rioted and formed a resistance. The original Dark Kin were still locked away what with ther defeat earlier by ther Guardians."

"Peace was what we most wanted an ther Spirit gave us that. So we all elected Her as our 'ruler' an over ther years she gave us a pretty good political system an allowed us to rule over our own lands..." Dorn smiled, "She was a good un."

Then he shrugged, "Any more an tha and I kin't tell yer. Ye'll 'ave ter ask her yerself."

"Oh...I see..." Drake was starting to feel the effects of his day and the soup had certainly helped to make him drowsy. "Where is she, and how long would it take us to get there?" Before Dorn had a chance to answer, Drake had fallen asleep and was now in a deep dream of being the only person on Earth.

 

[Wolfsister]

Drake and Dorn

Dorn only smiled as he saw the massive wolf fall asleep. He began whistling and got to work for the night. "She said ter get yer ther as fast as can be done...." he muttered to the wolf as he rolled the sleeping animal onto a blanket and wrapped it up.

The next morning, Drake would wake to find himself securely snugged onto a type of travois that Dorn had made during the night. In between the two poles was the dwarf himself, dragging the travois behind him. His shirt was off and sweat glistened down his leathery, tanned back as his muscles bunched up to take the weight off the packs he was carrying on the stretcher as well as the added weight of the wolf himself.

"Horses kin't survive up 'ere," he threw over his shoulder, somehow knowing that Drake was awake. "Yer heavier than yer look," he grinned and dropped the poles, the travois under Drake tiliting until it was laid on the ground flat.

Dorn walked up to Drake and pulled the blankets away, unstrapping the wolf, "Git out then," he said companionably and when he did, he tucked all the supplies back onto the stretcher again. "In answer to yer question before," he smiled, "We're a lot closer now than afore,"

 

[Mantra]

Jay

"You've defeated the Stalker, Nightmare. Your part in this is over... let Jay return to where he belongs." Cordron commanded.

The Nightmare hissed again taking another step closer.

**NO!** The voice said defiantly, projecting itself into the elemental's skull. A renewed wave of anger and indignation flowed over the group as they stood waiting. **He will not let me out! Long have I waited to be reincarnated, to rise again from the flames! We should be one! Free to run, free to fly, free to fight!**

The nightmare reared up, flaming hooves pawing through empty air, leaving glowing wakes to disapate in the darkness.

**He hurts, he fears, he worries.... There is anger in him, anger, rejection, humiliation. I can show him how to harness these things and become stronger. I can take care of him, better than you have elemental. Together, we can go anywhere, do anything...we can be great together...but he will not let me out.**

The red eyes locked with Cordron's again. **You... It was you who made him fear me, fear what he has become, fear what he can do....**

A new wave of loathing amd malice flowed outwards, and there was little doubt upon whom it was focused.

**You.**

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Eeth

Eeth watched as the queen’s arm was tied behind her back; he hoped that the knot was secure. Then she attacked with a beam of fire lancing out from her free hand. Eeth sidestepped to his right, to get out of the path of the beam of fire, and brought forth the opaque shield of magic just in case. If the beam followed Eeth, he angled the shield in such a way that the beam of fire was deflected down and away from Eeth.

Once the beam of fire ceased, Eeth did not attack, but kept his distance from the queen, not wishing to get too close, for that would reduce the amount of time he had to react to her magic attacks. A confident smile sat upon his face, in defiance of the odds against him.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Elmhand

Elmhand heard the horse’s rant that was directed at the fiery rock and decided that he had no right to interfere; this was not his fight. It was apparent that the horse and the rock had some issues that they had to sort out between themselves, but until he and/or the others were threatened, he would remain as he was-- a tree.

 

[Wolfsister]

Amaranth/Rurik and Sila

Rurik held Amaranth up at the waist as they struggled into camp. The sentries had let them into the circle some time ago and they were only now just beginning to see the glow of campfires.

Amaranth sagged against the stocky dwarf beside him, having trouble breathing, let alone contemplating that the WolfKnight had been captured. Their leader, their commander had sacrificed himself so that the others could get back safely. Amaranth wondered just how many had made it.

With almost thirteen kills accounted to him tonight, Rurik didn't look like the man he had been when he had left at dusk. His shirt was ruined with blood, his pants torn and shredded from where he had blindly run into the underbrush. Somewhere, somehow, something had gone wrong. And now he had to tell the Council and War Council that the WolfKnight would not be returning with them.

The dwarf lay the much injured fairy down on a bed that they had been ushered to. He looked up and saw the distant bright purple hair that could only have meant one thing. The queen's daughter and lover of the WolfKnight. Sila.

His heart constricted as he squared his shoulders and turned to walk over to the hovering fairy. She cast her eyes around, as if looking for something. Someone, rather. Only he and Amaranth knew so far that she would not find what she sought here, tonight.

"Princess," he sounded rough to his own ears, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... he... isna comin back..." he broke down then, the last images of Michael being beaten by that overgrown monster flashing before his mind's eye over and over again. "I'm sorry...!" He put his big hands over his eyes and tried to stop the tears that way. He felt her small hands touch his as she drew his fingers away from his face. He saw her expression; it was a soft, pained but understanding look.

She led him towards a bed where a medic awaited to treat his wounds. Her words were just as soft as her eyes as she told him to tell her what had happened. He sat down, enduring the ministrations of the doctor while he told his story. While he told her what he and Amaranth had seen.

 

[Wolfsister]

Coudron and Jay/Elmhand

**You... It was you who made him fear me, fear what he has become, fear what he can do....**

To his credit, Coudron did not step back. Neither did he step forwards, after all, he didn't actually want to anger the Nightmare any further. It seemed that he had already done something to anger the beast and Coudron was fast thinking of a way to undo what he had done.

"I did not think he would be scared. I did not think he would reject you. I simply know what you are capable of... and I do not know if Jay can handle what you can just yet. I wanted him to wait... I wanted him to feel out what he can do. To understand it before you overrode him."

Coudron did take a step forwards this time, but only a small one, "You are the best teacher that he could possibly have... but he is my responsibility. We could work together..." he shook his head, his voice gone softer, his glow dimming a little, "We don't have time to argue... not after what we just went through."

He took another tiny step forwards, "Do you really want him to destroy himself that easily? To give up what he is to you? Do you want to fight for this world... or just yourself?" Coudron's fist clenched, he did not like where this was headed. In a straight out battle between the two of them, he wasn't entirely sure he could win. Or even survive. He only hoped that the creature inside Jay had Jay's best interests at heart. If not... then things were going to be even more complicated than they already were.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Pain, unbearable unspeakable pain. The chuckles of the goblin torturers. The laughter of the Warlord Gurz.

The pain was too much, but somehow Michael was able to keep from screaming, growls and grunts the only release he allowed himself.

"Where be your army?"
"Who be leading?"

These questions and more kept being shouted at him, accompanied by magic jolts and cutting blades.

"More pain goblin, you'll get nothing from me." He would say, spitting blood on them.

They seemed to find this amusing and responded gleefully with more pain.

This continued for days, from the time Gurz awoke until finally Gurz grew sleepy, and ordered him to be thrown in a cell until the next day.

Michael was dragged out, having since reverted to his dwarven form.

He was taken to a cell and tossed in, he thudded hard against the stone wall, and was closed in.

His mind swam with pain and disorientation, but through the fog pierced an image of beautiful purple haired lass,

"Sila" he whispered to himself, yearning for her.

Come back to my daughter wolfknight. the voice swam through the sea of pain that was his mind.

I will his own voice that, promising to obey her order.

Michael O'Donnell always obeyed his orders.

He focused on Sila, on how the goblins had beat her, and how she depended on him to protect her.

White hot rage flowed through his veins, a roar built up in his throat. He would return to her, if only to see her once more before his death.

He felt the familiar sensation of his body changing. The goblins, in their sadism, had been fastidious in cauterizing his wounds, so as to keep him from bleeding out before they had their fill of fun.

A howl rang out through the jail, and the fat goblin jailer came running over to see the disturbance. He arrived in front of Michael's cell just in time to have michaels razor claws rip out his throat.

With a mighty jerk, michael pulled the jailers corpse through the cell, and tore into the creatures chest, pulling out its still hot heart and swallowing it whole. He took the keys and opened the cell, running into the corridor. Another goblin guard walked into the cell block and Michael opened his throat with his fangs.

The feeling of fresh flesh and blood envigorated him, stoking his werewolf nature. He burst out the jail and killed as he went, a goblin scimitar in each hand. Thrusting torches onto the buildings and tossing flaming logs as he ran through.

Goblin blood sprayed in fountains around him, gushing from each goblin he saw. He was mad with bloodlust, he saw a witch doctor prepare to cast a spell upon him, and he merely threw a sword that lodged itself in the creatures skull.

Michael retrieved it and stopped a moment to relish the death and destruction, For now the entire goblin camp was burning. Michael let out a howl of joy, and searched for his target.
For he knew that Gurz had taken his beautiul weapons as trophies, and he wanted them back.

Gurz stepped into the circle of destruction and flame around Michael, smiling a broken tooth smile. He carried Michael's own weapons and brandished them

"Again warg-dwarf? Gurz kill you this time!"

Michael said nothing but merely roared and bullrushed the huge goblin.

Gurz had no chance.

Michael's blades were too fast to be followed, blurs of death. Gurz blocked a few blows and tried vainly to hit the berserk werewolf. Michael chopped off his legs at the knee, and before the unfortunate goblin could even hit the ground michael scissored his head from his shoulders. Michael quickly tore into his chest and took out his large plump heart and consumed it, feeling another potent rush of energy and power. He threw down the clumsy goblin weapons and took his magnificent pieces off the headless and heartless corpse before running out of the camp and into the night.

His howl of victorious glee could be heard for miles that night.

 

[Wolfsister]

Eeth/Ilandria

Ilandria scowled as she watched Eeth easily dodge her first attack. Of course, it had just been a tester. After all, she couldn't be too careful, this was, in actual fact, a Guardian. And she knew from personal experience just how powerful Guardians could be. She only hoped that Eeth had not unlocked his true potential just yet.

She waited patiently for a counter attack, but when none came, her scowl was erased with a smile. "Too afraid, Guardian? Or too weak?" she taunted, her voice like a hissing snake. It was unfortunate that spittle didn't come flying from her mouth, it would have completed the Mad Queen's current self portrait.

"Very well, Guardian, we'll see how long you can withstand my magic!"

She snarled and stretched her hand out again, similar to when she had shot out the beam of fire. This time, however, no sound, no colour - nothing came. She abruptly clenched her hand into a fist and a rush of air came hurtling towards Eeth.

If it hit, it would feel solid enough. Like a two tonne truck hitting you type of solid. But it was soundless and unseen.

 

[Wolfsister]

Tula

Tula saw the determined look on her daughter's face as she was led towards the small army gathering at the edge of camp. Of all the dwarves and fairies that had returned, a full third were able enough to form up and march to the rescue of their commander.

Sila was among them, in fact, it seemed that this rescue mission had been instigated by her passionate speeches of vengeance and the possibility of finding her Michael. Tula hesitated at calling her child selfish. Her love for the WolfKnight was strong - and Tula admired the man that could withstand her daughter's passions. But she wondered briefly if Sila were doing this for Micheal, or the fallen bethren of her followers.

The Queen of the Fairies wasn't even sure if the distinction between the two was of any importance at all.

"We will return with our fallen brothers and sisters. Our fathers, mothers, children!" Sila's voice rocked over the gathering forces. "We chose stealth - we took their numbers away from them... and now they have our friends, our families! This time, stealth will not be enough. This time, we will bring the war to their camp and show them what real death is!" Her voice boomed, magically enhanced so that all could hear her passionate cries. A roar echoed her sentiments and the clanging of metal upon metal sounded in approving waves.

Tula gained Sila's side and her daughter turned to her, hatred and pain burning in her wide blue orbs, "You cannot stop me, Mother." Her voice was flat; emotionless, even when her clenched fists shook with anger and the desire for vengeance.

Tula smiled sadly and took one of Sila's fists in her hands. She sent a warm, comforting wave of love - everything she had for her only child. "I know, my daughter. I know - Fly Safely."

Sila nodded, her new iridescent armour glittering in the moonlight. Even her wings had been coated with a light weight material that plated over their delicate membranes. The armor was well oiled, moving in silence, covering most of her as well as maintaining optimum movement. A short sword - a dirk really - hung from a leather sheath at her hip and she clutched a shield in her other hand.

Within short order, the army was gathered and awaiting her orders. The War Council stood behind Sila, their voices silenced by her sheer determination. None of them would have spoken against this March, even if they had wanted to. The army stood, finally silent, waiting for more words from their new leader. But Sila was out of words.

Instead, she silently rose into the air, the moonlight capturing her armor in its glittering glory, her purple hair flying freely under her helm. Then she flew over the heads of the army, turning them in a rippling wave towards the goblin camp until she was finally at its head once again. She alighted and stood for a moment, gathering her strength.

Then she started to march, the army silently following.

Tula watched the massive tail of the army leave her behind. Not all the warriors had gone, most in fact had stayed to protect the camp while the others were away. She looked up at the stars that littered the night sky. Closing her eyes, she whispered into the wind, letting her magic flow through the night. "Come back to my daughter wolfknight."

**************​

Sila had been marching for half an hour when her scouts returned. They reported, in hushed tones, of massive confusion in the goblin camp. The sentries had been doubled and the army was on alert. There had been a disturbance at the prison camp - but they were unable to get close enough to see what it had been.

Sila only nodded and with a gesture, sent them back for more, updated, information.

It was then that she heard it.

A magnificient howl that filled the night. And her heart. She knew that voice. She knew who had howled, she could have recognised that man's voice in the dark, from a mile away - which was very nearly the case.

"Micheal!" she screamed - the others in the front line picked up on her excitement, also hearing the defiant howl. They were a step behind her as she charged into the night, headed towards the sound that so gladdened her heart.

 

[Angelus]

Largos looked at Menos and didn't know whether to laugh, cry or just sit there looking at him. He was sitting there asking him to go out on a suicide mission to fight something they couldn't just because he had what. A sword that was an ancient relic of some sort and the power of a guardian which he had no idea how to tap into. He wanted to stand up, tell them that he would give them all the luck in the world and walk out but knew that there was no way he could do so. He had promised himself that he would do anything to help the people of this world, even if it meant his own death. He leaned forward to look straight into Menos's eyes.

"Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

He watched as Menos let out a silent sigh.

"Thank you-"

"Wait a second. I did not say that I would help you yet. I just wanted to know what you wanted me to do. I am going to be putting my life on the line and I just want to know what I am going to be doing."

He then heard Len's voice in his head but kept looking at Menos who looked both surprised and angry.

"You cannot surely be thinking of abandoning these people. They need you. Without you they will be killed or worse."

Largos looked at him and wanted to ask him what could be worse than death but he knew a lot of things that could be along those lines. He leaned forward to look straight at Menos.

"I will agree to help you but on one condition. That you let me have these last few hours alone with Len. We have a lot to discuss and I want to have good memories of what will most likely be the last few hours I live."

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Eeth

"Too afraid, Guardian? Or too weak?"

Eeth simply continued to smile in defiance of the queen’s taunting, thinking: No, not weak or afraid; I just know something you don’t.

"Very well, Guardian, we'll see how long you can withstand my magic!"

Then the queen raised her hand again, except this time nothing left it. But when she closed her hand into a fist, Eeth had the definite impression that something solid was heading right at him. Eeth couldn’t see whatever it was that was hurtling towards him; at least, he didn’t at first. Something caught his eye that shouldn’t have been there: a rippling distortion of air that, according to Valeros, was caused by magic. It seemed, that with Valeros’ help, Eeth was able to notice the otherwise unnoticeable distortions caused by the magic acting upon air.

Eeth had to think fast, which he did. One moment his hands were bare, the next they were covered with glowing, white opaque gloves. He sidestepped to his left, and just as the distortions were about to pass him, he reached out and somehow grabbed hold of the solidified air. He spun on the ball of his foot, redirecting the momentum of the magical attack into a circle around him. Once, twice, three times Eeth spun, and then he let go. The attack had been released from its circular path; now it was headed right back at its source: the queen.

 

[Infalk]

Drake

Dorn only smiled as he saw the massive wolf fall asleep. He began whistling and got to work for the night. "She said ter get yer ther as fast as can be done...." he muttered to the wolf as he rolled the sleeping animal onto a blanket and wrapped it up.

The next morning, Drake would wake to find himself securely snugged onto a type of travois that Dorn had made during the night. In between the two poles was the dwarf himself, dragging the travois behind him. His shirt was off and sweat glistened down his leathery, tanned back as his muscles bunched up to take the weight off the packs he was carrying on the stretcher as well as the added weight of the wolf himself.

"Horses kin't survive up 'ere," he threw over his shoulder, somehow knowing that Drake was awake. "Yer heavier than yer look," he grinned and dropped the poles, the travois under Drake tiliting until it was laid on the ground flat.

Dorn walked up to Drake and pulled the blankets away, unstrapping the wolf, "Git out then," he said companionably and when he did, he tucked all the supplies back onto the stretcher again. "In answer to yer question before," he smiled, "We're a lot closer now than afore,"

He awoke from dreams of his past or, more accurately, nightmares. He seemed to be wrapped in some kind of blanket, and was being dragged along a long dirt road which looked fairly disused. He was about to start struggling when he heard the booming voice of Dorn saying something about horses. As Dorn came over to unwrap him from the blankets Drake felt a surge of energy bolt up his spine and barely contained his yelp.
When he was released from the warm cocoon of blankets he got up on all fours, as that seemed to be the easiest method, and started to walk around a bit to get the blood flowing again.

"Have you been walking with me all night Dorn?" He asked as he sped up his walk a little, starting to get used to his new body. "If you want, I could give you a break. Let me carry the supplies for a while." As he said this, his stomach started growling and he realised how hungry he was. "Or at least, after some breakfast...?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

Michael heard the approaching army, but kept walking toward it anyway, be they goblins or his own, he cared not.

He heard the army pick up its pace, but still he walked onward. He came over the crest of the hill, silhouetted by the glow of the burning goblin camp. His clothes were tattered, and his sword and knife still dripped gore onto the ground, blood still dripped occasionally from his fangs as he stared down his own army.

There was madness in his eyes, and he kept up a long, low growl.

His appearance bore the ominous threat of swift death, and he wasnt nearly himself.

 

[wolfknight20]

This said silver and varic walk deeper into the city of the centaurs

 

[Kalika84]

Sita sat back against the wall totally taken aback by the restrained hostility on Brod's part. Narrowing her eyes she stood up and stalked quietly up the tunnel until she was as close as she could get without the shaft of sunlight that bathed the front of the tunnel hitting her.

Shielding her eyes from the light as it was fairly painful she spoke up. "Brod, are you there?" Hearing an affirmative grunt in reply she powered on. "Look buddy, I don't know what your problem is but listen up. Whoever screwed you over wasn't me, alright? I dont like being treated like it was and I dont give a rat's ass how you tried to hide it, I can FEEL your emotions buddy, and thats got nothing to do with what I am now. I was a lawyer so I can read people mate, and your screaming revulsion at me. So suck it up mate because the powers that be or this bloody 'Spirit' of yours obviously decided we were a fit."

Leaning back against the wall she took a deep breath. "Now once you feel you can respond to that you can also answer this question. Tell me about this world, this Spirit and what exactly is expected of me."

 

[Wolfsister]

Largos and Len

Menos looked at Largos, startlement clear on his features. He looked at Len then and must have seen something there because he suddenly relaxed and even allowed himself a small smile.
"Very well, you prepare as you would. The Blue Guard and I have other things to attend to until then." Then he scraped back his chair bowing towards Len, and after a slight hesitation, bowing towards Largos before turning on his heel and leaving them alone.

Len stared broodily into space, looking at neither Largos or the still present Malakiel. After a few awkward moments, the latter quietly excused himself, not bothering to bow to either of them.

Len didn't seem to notice either Menos or Malakiel leaving and only acknowledged Largos' presence after ten minutes of silence.

She turned to him then, a strange far away look in her eye, her voice soft with distant memories, "So, Guardian. What would you have us do before the battle?"

 

[Wolfsister]

Eeth and Ilandria

Ilandria scowled and cut the flow of magic, letting the spell dissipate as it hurtled towards her. Such was the strength of the spell that even though it no longer lived, when it reached Ilandria, her wirey hair was puffed backwards to splay behind her for a few seconds.

The Queen of the elves stood there a moment and just looked at him, she neither scowled, smiled or ever blinked.

A breeze sighed through the trees and Ilandria's words whispered into his ears, from directly behind him, the image of her before him wavering insubstantially.

"Die, Guardian."

Then she gathered her fingers into a fist and attempted to ran her hand through the spot in between his shoulder blades.

 

[Wolfsister]

Drake and Dorn

Dorn stood a moment, catching his breath before he replied. "Aye, I 'ave bin walkin all night and somethin ter eat would be welcome indeed." He grinned as he set about making a rough camp.

Gathering up some beef jerky from the night before, Dorn gve some to Drake before continuing to speak, "Donna worry bout carrying things. I donna have ther time ter fix yer a harness." His eyes gleamed with mirth, "'less you kin walk on yer hind legs fer the day," pleased with his joke, Dorn spent a few minutes softly chortling to himself. When he spoke again, it was in a light, friendly tone, "Dwarves be hardy folk. Donna worry, I got some more in me yet." He smiled then and thanked the wolf for his concern.

They ate in companionable silence for a while and then it was time to get moving again. The terrain was much the same. Rocky, crowded and with sparse vegetation, if any. Dorn seemed cheerful enough, however, whistling while he walked, the travois once again on his shoulders.

"So, Wolf, tell me about yerself."

 

[Wolfsister]

Michael and Sila

Sila fluttered to a stop as she saw the outline of her beloved. His constant growling carried low and monotonous, reaching her ears easily. She called a halt to the advancement of the army and after much clatter, the air was finally still and only Michael's growling cold be heard.

The army and the werewolf stared at each other for a long while. Then Sila drifted fowards. The army stayed where they were.

Sila fluttered to a mere foot in front of the Wolf Knight, his heavy breathing harsh in her ears. She didn't care if he attacked her, she just wanted to be close to him.

She took a moment to take stock of the extent of injuries Mike displayed. She took in his bloodied weapons and dripping maw. She stared at him silently for the space of then slow heartbeats.

Then tears escaped her eyes and she sobbed quietly, "Oh Michael, what have they done to you?"

 

[Wolfsister]

Silver and Varic

Varic led Silver to a lodging house he was familiar with. While he hadn't had much cause to travel to Nariel in the past, he had visited it on occasion. He paid for their rooms, this time he didn't make the mistake of renting separate rooms, and once they had deposited their things, Varic dragged a chair to the bed and sat, propping up his feet.

Then he set about the task of instructing Silver more completely about the customs of the Centaurs.

 

[Wolfsister]

Sita and Brod

Brod quivered in the tunnel behind Sita, his meaty fist clenched tight around the shaft of his hammer. He wasn't quivering with fear, rather it was an unhealthy mix of both rage and shame.

It was several silent minutes more before Brod could speak. When he did, his shoulders slumped and he seemed slightly out of breath, "My Lady... please, forgive me..."

With a shuddering effort he crouched down next to the wall opposite Sita. When he started talking again, it was in a soft voice (soft for his kind, anyway), "This land... this land is a land of contrasts. From the Dwarves that dwell in the mountains, to the elves in their forest homes and even to the centaurs on their desert plains and the avians that call the very sky their homes.

There has always been on constant, one thing we could rely on. And that was peace." Brod sighed and reached out a hand to pass through the sunlight. It bounced off his pinkish flesh and warmed his fingers. "Even those of your kind respected the peace. You are what you are, the gods created you as they created every other being. We all tolerated each other. Over the years, there were attacks, or disappearances and even little clan wars but that is simply the nature of people.

Violence, hatred, suffering - it can never truly be undone from this world, no matter how much we try." He sighed again, and this time looked Sita in the eye. "But now, now it is different. Now your kind and those like you become bolder and bolder. Now the evil in the hearts of Dwarves, elves, avians and centaurs fester and boils until it cannot but overflow. People do not smile at each other anymore. Travelors are shunned from food and shelter on a lonely night and children are being taught the virtues of hate and the arts of war."

His face darkened, "Something has broken the peace. Something is very wrong here. The magic that exists is beginning to fade and the good in people even faster. An evil is spreading across the land... and you and the other Guardians are the only ones that can help.

But as to how..." he shrugged, "that I do not know."

He was silent for a few minutes more. And then in an even softer voice he said, "It was my family. It was my entire Clan..." and then he was silent, staring into her eyes.

 

[wolfknight20]

silver listened to varic as he told him the rules of centaur culture till he caught a fimalur scent and he said
uh varic i smell a familur scent i think we might be about to have some company but i don't know

 

[Angelus]

Largos and Len

Largos just sat there looking at Len. He knew what she was thinking was probably the last thing on his mind although when he looked at her he wondered why he had not thought about it before. She was truly the most beautiful in this room; she was truly the most beautiful woman that he had seen in his life. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her but two things were stopping him. One was that he was a guardian, someone who was here to protect the people from whatever was hunting them. The second was that he did not know how Len would react to it. She was there to protect him and he did not know if there could ever be a relationship between the two of them. Plus he did not even know if such a thing was even allowed to happen.

He looked at Len with a smile on his face before he leaned forward on his chair, his face so close to hers that he could feel her breath on his face. He reached forward to run his fingers over the skin of Len's face which was so soft he never watched to take them away. When he did so, with great reluctance he found that he could not take his eyes away from her. He realized that he had every right to think what he was as he looked at her. He wanted to wanted to reach out, touch her, kiss her and do so much more. If was then that he wondered if Len could hear his every thought and when he saw the smile on her face he knew that he had been preactically screaming them at her.

"I am so sorry Len. I know that I should not be thinking things like that about you. You are my partner; the only person who can guide me in these lands. I should not take advantage of your friendship."

His left hand then brushed the pommel of the sword that hung at his hip and he looked down at it before looking at Len once more. As soon as he did his thoughts and feelings about her came flooding back to him which forced him to look away from a second to compose himself once more.

"I do not want to change the subject but I need to know what it is I am facing, what my sword can do and more importantly what powers I have. If I can do something that can help me in the fight against whatever it is I am facing then I would like to know. Anything that can bring me back to the people I care for, " he said, looking into her eyes, "is something that will be of great help."

He reached over the table and without thought took Len's hand in his own and started to run his fingers over it. He got to his feet and kissed Len softly on the lips. It was then he heard a gasp and looked over to see a woman standing in the doorway. He then looked at Len with wide eyes.
"I am so sory Len. I did not mean to do it; I - I do not know what to say."