When RP takes control IC thread

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

"I'd have to agree with Athyna. The cat can not be left to fend for itself and I am sure after our helping it it would rather come with us. Having two of them would be better and ease the trip for everyone involved."

She looked to Athyna, "Athyna, do you think he'd be healed enough to at least carry us women?" Truth was Skyler, well Tyler, knew about horses not big cats so would have no idea on the state of it's health.

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

Thalryn closed his eyes as he felt Jasleth tune himself to his energy. He felt a kind of resonance with the monk, and then he was flooded with a euphoric blast of energy that surged through his body. His eyes shot open, gleaming with the added energy.

He grinned and flexed his hands, testing for any soreness from the battle. Finding none, he turned to the monk. “Thank you, my friend. You really must show me how to do that one of these days.”

He listened quietly as Jasleth spoke about leaving the cat behind them, walking right up to the cat as the man spoke of how dangerous it was. He flashed a grin at Athyna as she started to get upset at the monk. He turned his attention back to the wounded cat and extended a hand to run his lithe fingers through the feline’s thick fur. The cat nuzzled into his hand as he scratched the overgrown kitten behind the ears.

He smiled whole heartedly as his eyes met Kryss’s who was doing her part to sooth the animal. He turned back to Athyna and Jasleth, ready to diffuse a potentially bad situation. The monk could not possibly understand the connection a ranger, particularly an elven one, had with all animals. “Jasleth, she is right. We have need of the cat and Athyna is more than capable of controlling it. If you desire, I can have Elistraee connect with the feline much as Dominic did, but I do not feel that is necessary.”

To illustrate his point, Thalryn got down eye level with the big cat, rubbing it behind the ears and touching it nose to nose. The cat yawned, exposing massive fangs, to which Thalryn only smiled. “You see?” He announced, rising from his crouched position. “The cat is already quite tame.”

 

[katalynn]

Athyna thought for a moment realizing she got out of bounds with her response.

"I am sorry, didn't mean to sound harsh. Specially when we just barely met. I'm only simply saying that there is no ridding this cat now. It came to me on its own, we healed it, and it will only simply follow us because it's all he knows."

She bowed to the monk in respect of the apology.
Athyna turned to Thal and smiled back at him as the cat yawned in his face.
"There is no reason to link to it, but if that is your wish then so be it. As I said, I didn't use any spell on him, only soothing words that showed no more threat. And he simply came to me."

Kryss took another look at the leg in response to Skylers question.

"Well the wound it's self is healed, though the scarring will take at least a few days before it'll be sure to not split open. Other than that it is more than capable of carrying us around."

She passed her hand over the wound a few more times, mostly to get a reaction from the cat, red mist around her was detecting if there was anymore pain deep within.

"He doesn't seem to be in anymore pain, I'll keep an eye on it thoughout the trip, though as far as I can see he is ready to go."

 

[Armphid]

Kyle

Kyle's face was impassive as the ranger raged at him. Letting her voice her opinion, waiting until she had quite finished. Before he could speak though, Thalryn made his little display. There was a flash of irritation in the emerald eyes then, a slight tightening at the corners of his mouth. "The cat Dominic is riding is under magical control, and the fact that the beast is injured means that it did attack one of us, who hurt it but did not finish it." "However, I did not intend to offend you, as I clearly did." "I value your judgement, since you know more about animals than any of us." "As such, I will stand by your decision." There was a slight stiffness to his stance as he turned and began to walk back up the slope. "However, don't bite my head off for thinking about my friends safety, which includes you, again."

He knew he shouldn't be as angered by her lashing out as he was, but for whatever reason it stung. Maybe he was being too analytical about it, tactically it seemed...a poor decision. But he did not know animals or thier ways. He did not turn back, as he spoke again. "I'm sorry if any of my statements offended you, but I stand by them." "Let's get moving."

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

The gold elf murmured a minor cantrip of telepathy and aimed it at Jasleth, beaming it tight so only the monk would hear his voice in his head. Fear not, Jas. No ill will come of the cat. You have my word. Elistraee can be very…subtle.

Thalryn winked at the monk, who’d turned back toward the elf. The gold elf’s hands lifted his black ferret off his shoulder and placed her gingerly on the great cat’s back. He smirked at the monk and pathed him as he started to turn away again.

Pride must be saved, but I understand the need for caution as well. Straee will keep a tight leash.

 

[katalynn]

Athyna watched how Kyle turned, started to walk to off with irritation.

"Look, I may know how animals work and what it takes to befriend them. Dominic has the other under a spell yes, spells do not last forever, he will or the iguana will have to keep it going. With this cat, he is under my control out of respect. He didn't do anything that his masters were not doing, and as for us trying to kill him. He understands that it was just out of defense. I can understand that being hard to believe, but only way he will attack one of us now is out of his own defense."

Spoke kindly at this time, trying to make some amends, just as he offended and distrusted my judgment, Athyna has offened his. There was no more she could say though, understanding where he was coming from, sadly he didn't understand where she was. It made no difference though, not now he will see. Charm spells are so unpredictable, the only spell Athyna used was to calm the cat enough to make it understand what she was after.

"Once again I am sorry, if it displeases you that much, the second it turns.. most likely on me.. I will kill it..."

With that said Athyna and Kryss got on the cat, waited to see if Skyler was going to stay with Dom or ride with them as planned.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

She moved towards the cat that Athyna and Kryss had gotten on, knowing it would be easier for it to carry less weight with it's injuries. She looked over to the others as she settled into place behind Kryss.

Then as she was watching, she turned her attention to her left. "I think we should get on up to the top quickly, before we have more company. It seems the few escapees went for help."

She couldn't see clearly in the dark at long distances, but the heat the approaching horde was throwing off, she could see the mass of heat, and as they drew even closer and the cats got restless, she could begin to hear their footfalls.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

I stayed on top of my cat, hoping not to get involved in any of the arguing. The last thing I wanted right now was to get involved in this. Besides, my leg was starting to ache a little from all the fighting. I rolled up my pant leg when everyone was concentarted on the other cat and checked the Blight. It didn't look any better than before, nor did it look any worse. Well, at least that was good.

I looked back at the group once I saw Skyler get on the other cat. "Skyler's right. Let's get going. You know the way, right Jas?" I asked the monk.

 

[Armphid]

Kyle

"Yes, I do." "Hold on a second." Kyle fell back into a ready stance, quickly moving fluidly through several mystic motions, channeling his ki into his legs, enhancing and bolstering his natural agility. "Graceful Crane Stance."

Then he nodded to the others, "Follow me!" He hopped from the rock, coming down a few hundred feet down the trail. He could hear the startled noises from Dominic and the others. With the Graceful Crane Stance...he should be able to move about as fast and with the same agility as those cats. The mood had gotten tense again...maybe he should try and lighten it. "Assuming those raggedy beasts of yours can keep up!"

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

"Raggity beast?" I exclaimed. "We'll see about that. Cats eat cranes for breakfast." I motioned for Thalryn to hold on and I snapped the reins. The cat began to run and chased after Jas.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

She laughed softly as Dominic's cat bounded after Jas, she could tell by the body language that it was not hunting more like play chasing and actually enjoying it.

The cat the women were riding was moving quickly, but carefully after the others. The mass she had heard in the distance faded as the cats steadly put distance between them and the followers.

At this pace, they would make it to the top before sunrise.

 

[Armphid]

(OOC: Sorry, I couldn't find the OCC thread. Just wanted to apologize for being absent the last several days. I had computer issues, and I'm also out of town for the weekend. My apologies. I'll be back Monday, and get back to posting at my normal pace.)

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

We reached the end of the path soon enough. Jas managed to beat me there, but only barely.

As we looked up, I could planely see the entrance to a large cave. It was shining with gems embedded in the rock. "Uh...Jas? Is this where we do the tests?"

 

[Armphid]

Kyle

He didn't answer for a moment or two. His emerald green eyes were fixed staring into the darkness of the cave, as if he could see something stirring in its depths. Unconsciously, he flexed his hands into fists, then uncurled then. Then again, and again.

'Yes...yes, this is the Cave of Trials." He pointed at the entrance way, "Look there." Around the mouth of the cave were 7 larger crystals, each inscribed with a runic symbol for one of the 7 virtues of Sanctuary. "I couldn't forget this...not after last time."

He turned away from the cave and walked back to the party. "Let's get ready." "Once we go inside we'll see two crystal pillars." "As soon as we pass those...we're all on our own." "In these tests, you must win through on your own." "No one can help you." He grasped Kryss's hand, looking up at her as she sat onthe back of her heavily breathing mount. He needed to, to steady himself as much as her. "They cannot kill you, remember that." "If you fail, you just end up back at the pillars, and you can try again." "If you succeed, you will find yourself at a set of crystalline stairs that leads down and opens up intot he Valley Of Sanctuary."

He paused again, looking to each of his party members in turn. "This won't be easy, but I have no doubts you'll all come through." "I believe in each and every one of you." "We'll find answers here, and healing beyond that which exists in the rest of the world."

Kyle helped Kryss down, the two lovers embracing. His voice was very soft as he spoke to her, his words for her alone. "I'm afriad love...I almost didn't make it last time." "But you give me strength, I know I'll make it now." He touched her face, gently caressing the curve of her cheek. "I know you have doubts, but you are strong in many of these virtues." "It's one of the reasons I love you."

Still holding Kryss, he raised his head and spoke louder. "We shouldn't wait long...but only when everyone is ready will we go in."

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

She looked tothe entrance of the cave as she got off the back of the big cat. She was unsure of what she would face once she entered, but she knew it was not going to be easy. She looked to Dominic briefly before turning to Jasleth. "So Jasleth, what were the tests again that you could possibly face?" She wanted to hear them once more before going into the cave with the others.

She moved towards Dominic as he got down from the cat he had ridden up here as well. The sun would be rising soon and she would have rather came up here at the beginning of an evening and not just before sunrise, she was sure the others would be tired, but she was still going on a few days with very little, well almost no sleep.

"Well I am sure we will all make it through this no matter how hard it becomes." She hoped her words did not show her uncertainty.

 

[Armphid]

Kyle

"The tests are based on the virtues the people of Sanctuary hold in highest regard." "There are seven." He released Kryss from his embrace, though one arm was still around her slender shoulders. "Justice...Loyalty...Courage...Courtesy...Wisdom...Humility...Sacrifice." As each word left his lips, the etched rune stone of that virtue let out a different crystalline tone and glowed briefly in dazzling light. "There is no way of knowing what virtue you will be tested on, or how you will be tested." "Some people say that it tests you in what you most need or most lack...I don't know that those rumors are true, but I know it's a true ordeal."

He looked into the cave again, feeling it looking back into him. Through him. "The magics of the cave see into your heart and soul." "You cannot lie to them, you cannot trick them." "They see the truth of each person that enters, all that is good in them and all that is bad." "And it is the only way through...not even the mightiest spells or sneakiest thieves can enter here, but by this cave." "Only by proving your worth can you enter Sanctuary."

Kyle felt the others shift their gazes to the dark, each alone in their own dark, uncertain thoughts. For long moments, the companions stood. Then Kyle gave Kryss a final squeeze, and a faint smile. His arm fell from her form and he walked slowly but surely into the cave. "I am ready to be tried." "I'll see you all on the other side." The others saw him walk in for a few feet, then there was a clear ringing tone and he was gone.

 

[katalynn]

Kryss ~

Wanted to call out to him, to bring him back and safe with me. But the words never came out. Heart was pounding harder than it ever has, harder than one would think possible.

"Well, here goes nothing..."

Took off running inside as if I was running after Kyle, in some way I was, in another way I just wanted to get this over with. To face whatever challenge laid ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~

Athyna wasn't phased by how scary this place looked. She looked helplessly towards Thalryn, not wanting to leave his side in the least knowing that she had to. Whether or not she would make it through with what she felt for Kryss was a different story. But she would do it just to see him on the other side.

Getting off the cat, wishing she could take him with her but wasn't sure of what the trials would do to it, if anything. Plus with whatever happens to her the unknown would happen to the beast. In elvish she spoke softly the cat releasing it and thanking it for the help. Then she stood to walk in the archway, only to be followed by the cat.

At first she stopped to look into his eyes, as if speaking to her in a way she has never felt before. Soon both the cat and Athyna walked in just after she gave one more look towards Thalryn she was gone into the darkness.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

Yeah. This is good. I'm really, y'know, reassured. Slip said.

Shut up. I told him, then turned to Skyler. "This will end up all right." I tried my best to show some optimism. "I'll see you on the other side."

I gave her a quick kiss and moved to the cave before my sudden burst of courage faded. I took a step inside and everything got blurry.

________________________________________________

When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a large room. I squinted at the bright light raining in from the top. Where the hell am I?

Boss? I'm pretty freaked out right now. Slip said, poking his head out. I was about to respond, but I heard a scream. I looked up and saw a door had appeard in front of me. I opened it up and ran into the next room. My eyes widened as I saw what was going on and I stopped in my tracks.

Skyler was there, holding Kryss by her throat. Jas was lying on the floor, clutching his neck. "D-Dom...help..." He managed to say. Skyler turned to me as Jas spoke and smiled darkly. Her eyes were a sickening red color. She tossed Kryss aside and moved toward me.

"Dom!" Jas said. "Watch out...she isn't herself!" I saw that for myself as she grabbed her sword hilt and drew it. She swung at me and I had to jump to one side.

"Skyler!" I cried out.

"It's no use!" Jas said. "You have to kill her!"

"WHAT?" I asked incredulously, dodging another slash. "I can't! I love her!"

"You have to! She already killed Thal... you need to stop her before she kills the rest of us. You're the only one left!"

"But..." I moved out of her range again. My mind searched for other ways of dealing with this, but I knew there wasn't. This...this was just a test...a test...

I dodged another blow, but fell backwards. Skyler laughed at me and went back to Kryss, who was just getting up. Skyler kicked her back down and prepared to run her through with her sword.

"No!" I got up and charged at Skyler. She turned around as I drew my short sword. There was a sickening sound of skin seperating as my blade dug it's way deep into her chest. She dropped her sword and her mouth went agape. Her eyes widened and began to fade back to normal. Her innocent eyes turned up to look at me and I could see they were filled with shock and betrayal. Her look burned it's way into my head as I attempted to realize what I just did. She slowly slid backwards off my sword and landed on the ground in a pool of blood.

I dropped my sword. I couldn't think...there was no way I just...just....

I heard Jas sigh in relief. "Thank you, Dominic. You saved my life and Kryss's." But I barely heard him. I couldn't hear anything except my own shallow breathing. And everything went white.

________________________________________________

Then I was on the crystal stairs Jas had mentioned. I could see that it led down to the gate of the Sanctuary. I was alone. But my vision was still blurry and getting worse.

I finally took a deep breath of air and crumpled to my knees. My eyes began to water and I had trouble breathing. I choked a little bit on the air as visions of my test passed in my mind's eye. I felt like screaming, but I couldn't. I didn't have the strength.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

Following the others into the cave, she heard the tone as she stepped through as the others had. She felt a bit disoriented as the darkness enveloped her. She stood there a moment letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, when suddenly she was blinded as the room flashed into light. She looked about finding herself in a room, that was the size of a small cell, with a door and no windows, alone.

She moved to the door and found it locked, but within moments she heard footsteps and the sound of he lock disengaging. The door swung open to reveal Dirk and several others standing there. "Ok Skyler come with me, it is time for you to repay your debt to me." He stepped back from the door and two of the other men stepped in and grabbed her roughly, dragging her from the room. They followed Dirk out into the night. She could see the sky lightening in the distance, the sun would be up soon. They finally approached a building and she was dragged inside.

The first room was small with no windows. There was a second door, through which she was dragged. The room was a decent size with no windows as well. He room was empty except for her friends bound and gagged in the center of the room, and hay loose and in bales scattered around the room. It was when she looked to her friends that Dirk stepped in front of her.

"Ok you little theiving wench. You owe me for the job you decided you were not going to finish by falling for the creep you were sent to kill. You can pay with their lives or become my wench. If you choose the second they will be set free, if you choose the first they will die and you will be free."

"She stood defiantly, " I will not let you kill them and I will not become your wench. I’d rather die first." The two men holding her tightened their grip on her arms and she winced.

"Well we shall see about that. Say goodbye to your friends." With that she was dragged back to the little room near the entrance. "Now since you don’t want to make this easy and whether you live or die is not important to me, I would rather see you all dead, here is what we are going to do." He looked to the two other men who then stepped into the room and began to light the hay on fire. "That room is going to be very hot here soon and your friends are going to burn. The sun is up now and you can’t safely leave not with out changing. And this…" He reaches up and touches a collar that is around her throat that she hadn’t noticed before, "This will keep you from changing and escaping. You can choose to free your friends so they can escape into the day light, but the fire will get you since you can’t leave, or you can try to escape and quite possibly die anyway."

She looked to him not believing he could do this to so many people. "It’s me you want, let them go." Fear was eating at her insides as she could hear the fire growing and the shifting of her friends as they struggled with their bonds.

"Now wench.. we will leave you to decide what to do.. Leave and let them die or sacrifice yourself by running into the fire to save them and be overcome by the fire." He pushed her to the floor roughly and then he and the others left, closing the door behind them.

She looked to the door, and knew that was not an option for her. She turned for the door to the room where her friends were and took a step forward, she could feel the heat through the closed door and stopped as fear gripped her in it’s cold hands. She stepped for the door that led to the sunlight and possible injury or death for her, instinct told her to flee the fire, but she tried to fight it. The closer she moved to the door where her friends were the stronger the need to flee became. She hesitated knowing what she needed to do, but gripped by panic she turned to the door to outside.

She was about to reach for the door handle when she stopped and turned back, she moved quickly she would not let them down even if it meant her death. She quickly opened the door and rushed in to save her friends. There was a flash of light and she found herself on the crystal staircase, stumbling forward into Dominic.

 

[katalynn]

The second Athyna and the cat entered, Athyna hadn't realized that the darkness instantly took the cat to the stairway. Instead she was lead by some light, it was faint in the distant. Hearing the cats screams followed by some others, a female scream. The cat's agonizing cry is what got Athyna's attention the most as she began to run towards it at full speed. Thinking it was the real cat that came in here with her, unsure as to why this test would hurt him.

Once at the of the tunnel she noticed she was outside again, least it seemed to be outside. Off to one side was the cat, tied to thick heavy chain that didn't give him nearly enough room to move. Bleeding from what seemed like a punishment or training. At first she hadn't realized who was beating the cat, the elf turned to face her with an ear to ear grin. It was Thalryn. Her first instinct was to put Thalryn on the other end of that chain and punish him in the same form. Till she saw Kryss that is.

Kryss was the female scream she had heard, hanging over some pit, bleeding from the whips bite that scarred her body. Only a rope was holding her over the pit and Athyna at first didn't notice that there was a small flame burning through the rope. She relished in the thought of watching her fall, hearing her scream from the depths of the pit. More than anything she wanted to watch this. It delighted Athyna to see Kryss in this position.

Athyna was about the same distance from the cat and Kryss, her heart racing to decide which one to save first. Thalryn was whipping at the cat hard and with so much force, each scream the cat made, made her wince in the same pain. The sight brought tears to her. If she was to run to the cat, she wouldn't have the time to save Kryss, if she ran to Kryss, the cat would bleed to death by the time she got to it. Closing her eyes in frustration seriously not wanting to leave the beast, her heart pounding hard with each tear. Unable to believe that Thalryn would hurt such a creature and with what seemed like relishment and joy he got from it.
The rope on Kryss started to twitch as it was getting closer to breaking, the slightest force would break it fully. Reluctantly she took off at full speed towards Kryss, just when she was about to touch kryss, she found herself at the stairs rolling into a few summersaults. When she stopped, she found herself looking into the eyes of the cat, and she broke down crying hard as she hugged the beast.

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

Kryss found herself back at the courtyard. Seeing Kyle on the verge of death, Avrice speaking in some strange dark tone and words she had never heard before. She thought she had stayed in the shadows, till realizing there were no shadows anymore. It was broad daylight, in the middle of the courtyard. Avrice had been punishing Kyle with many things, daggers that would slice him if he flinched. Whips that bit deeply into his skin.

"Tell him my little wench, tell him how you enjoyed having a real man. I wish to hear how badly you desire to have me fuck you over and over again. Make him hear the words."

Avrice spoke directly to her, though it seemed as if he was speaking to a crowd as well. Suddenly realizing he was. The whispers of the villigers began to rise, still only seeing the three of them though.

"Your friends are dead, see there behind you. They are mine now. Their souls were so easy to play with. That ranger... what was her name......... ahhhh thats right, my sweet little Athyna. She has been jealous of you since that night wonderful night." "That night you tried to use me. Instead became a night of passion."

He was relishing in the humility that was building up in her, she didn't want him to speaking as if she truely liked it. He was making it sound like she wanted that night to happen. As if she seriously enjoyed being with a heartless man like him.

"I didn't enjoy any of it you bastard... "

Kryss snapped, trying to keep her focus. He striked the whip down and hard on Kyle, his scream tore into her soul like nothing she has ever felt before. Didn't want to believe Avrices words about the others, hesitantly she turned. The villiage was there and so were her friends. Athyna was the first one to move up behind her. Grabbing her hair hard and pulling Kryss to where Avrice stood.

"That's a good girl, come stand before your master you l ittle wench..... For you have a choice.. See your little love here. Though I can not understand what you would see in such a scrawny little thing. But very well."

Avrice grabbed Kryss's hair as well, pushing Athyna to the side. Forced a kiss on Kryss, making it look like she was enjoying it in front of everyone. Then he pulled back laughing, still keeping hold of her hair.

"You see, I can free your friends if you wish. Well in a way I can free them. Kyle here, I can set free in what you think is free. The others. My idea of free isn't quite the same as yours."

He smiled down at her, relishing the anger that rose in Kryss. She wanted to kick him to set him on fire again.

"Oh, by the way, see this.. Course you can't see it, so feel it."

He took something that was around her neck and pulled on it. It was a choker chain she hadn't noticed. It took her breath away for a moment as he held it tightly.

"This prevents you from doing any harm to me. Whatever you do to me, this will tighten and the pain with reflect onto poor, sweet Kyle here." "This chain tells me what you are thinking, and I know you want me dead."

The crowd behind her started laughing at his words and how he had her in his control. Thinking rashly, unable to bare anymore of this and despite how the chain was choking her. Kryss reached for her dagger that Kyle gave her;

"What do you think your going to do with that. Do you really wish to hurt him anymore than he already is? You can't hurt me."

He tighten the chain on her neck, making her gasp for air now. Kyle was screaming at her, struggling to get free.

"Though the chain.... allowed... you to ... know what I was thinking..... you heartless bastard..."

Kryss gasped out the words. With nothing else that can be done from this point, her move will most likely kill her.. But she couldn't live being his slave. And with no way of saving her friends or Kyle, she didn't have much choice. She buried the dagger deeply into Avrices heart, she screamed at the pain that pierced her heart. Only thing she heard was his laughing when she found herself at the foot of the stairs with the other three. Though the pain and the feel of the chain around her neck remained strong.

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

Thalryn watched the others go one by one, and his breath quickened as each of his companions disappeared. The chill mountain wind blew hard against the gold elf’s finely chiseled features as he gazed down the mountain from the crystal cave.

No time like the present, Thal the ferret stated, poking her black furred head out of his pack.

“I know, Straee.” He said aloud even as his emerald orbs still searched the slope of the mountain. “I know.”

With that he turned and pulled down his hood as he strode forward toward the cave entrance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thalryn stepped out of a shadow to find Athyna perched in a tree, a long bladed dagger in her teeth as she held onto the branches. Ten feet below her was Kryss, pleasantly asleep at the roots of the great oak. Suddenly, Athyna leapt, spinning into a flip as she pulled the dagger from her mouth only to plunge the blade deep into Kryss’s breast as the wood elf landed lithely on her toes.

“NOOOOOOO!!!” Thalryn cried even as the wood elf landed and turned a seductive smile on him.

Athyna cocked an eyebrow as the gold elf easily closed the distance between where he had witnessed the murder and where Athyna smugly stood over Kryss’s dead body, wiping the crimson stain from her silver blade.

The wood elf’s eyes met Thalryn’s as she spoke. “What is wrong?” She asked innocently, making a gesture at the dead elf at her feet. “She is half breed filth, her lineage tainted by that of the fallen ones. She was unfit to live, and had she sense, would have begged to be set free from her wretched, filthy existence. Surely a noble gold such as you recognizes that she had no place among true elves. Having dark elven blood was bad enough, but then being mixed with wood elven? Thalryn, she was blight upon the purity of the People, and you know it. It is a pity you couldn’t do the deed yourself.”

Thalryn’s emerald eyes raged at his friend. “She was not the takasi the rest of her kind is!”

Athyna glared back. “They are all the same, Thal. You know it is true! It would only have been a matter of time before she stabbed one of us in the back. She had no love for that which represented the purity of the People. You knew this when you first laid eyes on her. She hated you from the moment she saw your bronze complexion and pointed ears.”

“We had our issues, but she was pure of heart.”

“SHE WAS FILTH!” Athyna screamed, causing Thalryn to jump. “She wasn’t fit to look upon a noble gold, let alone share company. You are a disgrace to house Amastacia for calling one such as her ‘friend.’ Her kind is not fit to live, and she was a half breed, a mockery of true elven lineage. The mandates of the People say she had to die.”

A tinge of guilt ran through the gold elf. Athyna was right. By decree of the High Council of the People, Kryss was an abomination. A half-breed mockery. She was, by order of the council, to be executed on sight. And on top of it Kryss had shown him no love in their earliest days together. But later Kryss had proven her worth. She had even saved him from certain death.

Thalryn’s gaze steeled as his hands rested on the pommels of his blades. “Athyna, the penalty for murder is…death.” Thalryn’s blades were out before the wood elf could flinch, and she barely parried his first sword slash when his twin blade pierced flesh and slid easily between her ribs. “May Correlon take you.” He whispered as bright red blood welled up in Athyna’s mouth. He pulled his blade from her and turned away…

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And faced the crystal stair and the four companions who had already passed. Thalryn shook his head to clear the fog from his mind, but a grim expression haunted his face. He felt Athyna’s eyes on him, and he knew that what she had said and done was only in the test, but the gold elf couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes.

 

[Armphid]

Kyle & Jasleth

The forest that took up most of the Valley of Sanctuary was as lovely as he remembered. Kyle and his companions walked along shaded paths, occasionally dappled by sunlight streaming through the canopy overhead. The now black haired monk was feeling pleased. As he had said, the others made it through without trouble. Under his direction, they had made it this far. Surely they'd find what they needed in the village. After all...everything else he had planned had worked out pretty well.

Suddenly he sensed an onrushing presence. He barely had time to leap to the right, yelling, "Incoming!" A blur darted down the path. It reached Thalryn first as the nimble swordsman moved to intercept. The figure ducked under his scything blades, and for a moment as it struck, Kyle saw it. It was man-sized, and likely man-shaped, though it was concealed by a billowing cloak of crimson cloth. The uppercut was perfectly performed, sending Thal crashing back into Athyna, the ranger's nocked arrow firing harmlessly into the sky. Skyler, helpless in ferret form squealed as it bounded toward her and Dominic. Dominic's hand whipped a slender throwing blade at the attacker, but with a seemingly effortless motion, it was batted down. The scarlet-clad attacker spun and delivered a stunning roundhouse that sent the Oracle and his burdens skipping back down the trail. The cloaked figure turned to Kryss and paused. The duse still filled the air, falling almost in slow motion as something passed between the two of them. Without a word, it turned and began leaping away through the trees.

Kyle snarled and raced off in pursuit, "Kryss, take care of the others!"

Kryss reached out to stop him, "Kyle, wait!" "You'll need our help!"

He laughed, "Don't worry, I'm the Prodigious Youth, remember?" "I'm the one who saves you guys!" He cursed the time the statement had cost him. Already the attacker was far ahead. His ki increasing his speed, Kyle too began to blur as he and the mysterious assailant dashed through the forest. As he ran, Kyle saw a short mesa rising up out of the trees. "Somehow...I know that's where he's going."

A ki enhanced leap carried him to the top. He landed heavily, in a half crouch, one hand supporting him as well as his feet. Directly opposite, perhaps twenty feet away, was the warrior. The crimson cloak seemed to have no end, it wrapped around the man's very limbs, obscuring all beneath. No face could be seen in the dark shadows in the hood. "GIVE UP." The voice sounded like an iron slab being dropped on the floor of a tomb. "I HAVE ALREADY BEATEN YOU."

Kyle rose to his feet, falling easily into Tiger Stance. "You have me confused with someone else." "I've never lost to anyone...and I've never seen you before."

"EVERYTIME YOU HAVE LOST, IT HAS BEEN TO ME."

"Shut up!" The preternatural confidence in the thing's voice irritated him. "You bushwhacked the others, but not me!" "Now that you've got a stand-up fight, you're through!" Still as full acceleration, he struck. Racing forward, he expected to feel his fist smashing into the warrior's stomach any second now. There was a rush of movement, and he felt a shock of flesh against flesh as his opponent used the Steel Paw Defense to block it. "What--" Kyle had only a moment for surprise before he had to dodge out of the way of the counter-strike. Instead of springing free, he saw his enemy's fist for a split-second before it pounded into his face, knocking him sprwaling to the ground.

Kyle rose, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. "He read me perfectly...knew exaclty how I would strike and dodge." He got to his feet, "Okay, Sunshine." "I'll give you that one...but how about this?" "Earth Slash!" Kyle knelt down and struck the stone with his right fist. In response, a blazing bolt of ki burst to life, cutting through rock and dirt as it sped toward its target. The cloaked man did not seem concerned. Just as the bolt was about to strike, he performed a quick set of hand gestures and struck at the mass of power. Rather than expolde, the burning red bolt shot back at Kyle, who had just enough time to understand what had happened before it hit. There was a roaring like thunder, drowing out Kyle's agonized scream as searing energy slammed into him.

The explosion sent a cloud of dust up into the air. It hung there for several long moments. Then a wind kicked up and blew it away. A small crater now scarred the pristine surface...with Kyle stirring slowly and painfully in the middle of it. Burns and cuts marred his form as he struggled to rise. Why couldn't he win? Everything he did came back at him. The scarlet warrior knew his every move. How could he? Who was he? Then he knew.

"D-damn...it." He got to his feet, only to sink to his knees. "Of course...everytime I lose...it's because I beat myself."

The cloaked figure grapsed the front of it's swirling mantle and ripped it free. The blood red cloth fell down with a rustle behind the wryly smiling Jasleth. "Bingo, chief." "I'm always your worst enemy."

Kyle looked at his other self, his second identity. "I left the others behind...I didn't even want their help...because I knew I'd win." He thought for a moment. "Lord...I've been like that since they met me...such arrogance."

Jasleth shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's not like it's undeserved..."

Kyle shook his head. "Oh no, you're not getting me that way." "I...only made it this far because of the others, not the other way around." "We all helped each other." "My arrogance made me think otherwise...but I'm no stronger than any of them, nor any better." "If they were here...I'd apologize...and I'd ask for their help." "I...can't do this by myself." The admission was hard to make, even with the clear example of the test before him. Yet...he knew it was true, though his pride still did not wish to admit it.

He blinked, and found himself on the crystalline steps. A stunend gasp escaped him. The burns, the pain, all gone! There was however the lingering sting of the humiliation, and of what it meant. The others were turning to look at him, save for Athyna who was weeping into the neck of her massive cat.

"Guys...I, we all made it." Kyle let out a slow breath. "I don't know about you...but that wasn't easy." "You know...I am sure this will sound odd, but I need to say it." He steeled himself, then continued. "I know I wouldn't have made it here without all of you." "I need and will need you help, and if I've been arrogant, I-I'm sorry." As he spoke, he felt a burden lift, though in his mind, he still felt the sting of his pride.

"We made it though!' "Now...we'll have a well deserved rest." He wrapped Kryss in his arms, giving her a fierce embrace before spinningher about. "Can't you feel the joy in the air?" He turned bright eyes to his companions. "Here, are the wisest and most powerful sages and healers in all the world." "This is the only place in the world where we will be safe." "Even Skyler will be able to enjoy the sun for a change." He grinned at her surprise. "Once you pass the test, nothing in the Valley will harm you, unless you try and break the Peace of Sanctuary." "Not even the sun will burn your skin, my vampiric friend."

"That reminds me though...there is no violence inthis place." "The magic of the Valley will not permit it, don't draw, use magic, or try to hit anyone." "The magic of the Valley will sense it, and it will respond will terrible strength."

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

The gold elf nodded in greeting as Jasleth appeared with the rest of the party.

"That reminds me though...there is no violence in this place. The magic of the Valley will not permit it, don't draw, use magic, or try to hit anyone. The magic of the Valley will sense it, and it will respond will terrible strength."

Thalryn listened intently to the monk’s speech, and realized he had amends of his own to make. He approached Kryss, though she was still in Jasleth’s strong arms. Thalryn pulled back his hood, shaking out his long golden hair.

“Kryss…” he started, and the dark skinned elf glanced at him curiously, a rare smile on her face. “I feel I need to apologize for misjudging you. I had no reason to hate you when first we met, yet despite my efforts at tolerance, I have been hypocritical. The test…” he absently looked at Athyna “made me understand what truly matters. I am…grateful to have you as a friend. I hope you can forgive a proud elf’s ignorance.” He said the last sentence with a hint of a smile on his face.

The atmosphere of the summit did get to you. Thalryn felt lighthearted. Like he’d just spent all night at a High Harvestide revel. The feeling began to wash over the entire party, freeing them slowly from the concerns the test had made them all realize.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

Everyone else was standing, but I was still sitting on the stairs. Skyler offered her hand and I took it, allowing her to help me up. I tried to banish the memories of the test from my mind, but everytime I looked at her, I couldn't help but see the look of pain and betrayal in her eyes when I had stabbed her.

"T-Thanks." I mumbled, running a free hand through my hair. I took a deep breath of air and it helped calm me down. Like the air was a form of intoxocating alcohol. I smiled as it cleraed my mind, if not my heart.

"So...let's go see these oracles. It's been a long trip and I am looking forward to finding out where we can go to try and reverse the control this game has." My words almost shocked me. I had forgotten this was a game. I actually was beginning to think I was Dominic. Maybe I already was.

 

[Armphid]

Kyle watched his companions as they descended the crystal staircase. It seemed as though everyone had been more than a little shaken by the test. Thalryn's words had been pleasing to him...the tension between the elven swordsman and Kryss had lessened since their first meeting but it was still present. Hopefully now, another one of the barriers between the party had been crossed.

He held Kryss's hand as they walked down into the valley. The scent of dozens of wildflowers and other plants was lifted to them on a warm breeze. The natural perfume was comforting, and the wind itself seemed to whisper, "Be at ease." "You have suffered much, but here you are safe." "Do not be troubled, let go of your cares, and be happy."