Worlds Apart

[silverwolf]

Sorian

As i await jasmine i just feel this need to keep going."The others cant catch up with us.It will only endanger them"i thought as i wait there for jasmine.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Jack

Jack looked around the large cavern. He couldn't see a damn thing.

"Well, I guess we should get across the room." Jack said. He stepped forward and lights semmed to flicker on, illuminating the room. The floor was a giant chess board. Large stone figures stood like usual chess pieces.

"Ssssso, you likessssss gamessssss?" They heard a familiar raspy voice.

"Gorleb!" Loki yelled. "Where are you?"

"Ssssstupid innocentsssss. You will not passssss thisssss room." The voice cackled and then was gone. Jack looked to Loki wearily.

"Forget this stupid game." Loki said and tried to walk around the chess board. An electrical shock hit him, sending him sprawling back. "Whoa!"

"I think we're going to have to play Gorleb's game." Jack sighed. "I just wish I knew more about chess."

"I've won my fair share of chess games." Loki said. "This should be a piece of cake." The two walked over and saw two empty spaces on the board, a knight and a rook. Jack to the position of knight and Loki took the rook.

No sooner had Jack stepped on the space, then his feet locked into the ground. He looked over and saw loki had a similar problem. They tried to move until a loud horn blew. There was a sudden rumbling and the stone shed away from other piees. Their allies became other humans, looking just like the knights and warriors of old. The opposing side became creatures resembling goblins and orcs.

"Uh-oh." Loki said."I don't think this'll be normal chess." The Orc King gave a yell and the minions moved forward.

"Go forward!" The human king yelled. Jack found himself able to move, but only in an L formation. He saw Loki could only move in straight lines. This was twisted.

He was suddenly aware of a goblin pawn attacking him from a diagonal angle. Jack held his sword out and moved forward two and one to the left. It cut the goblin in half. Mysteriously, there was no blood; the goblin just screeched and crumbled into a pile of dust. He tried to see Loki, but he couldn't find him in the jumble of fighting. He concentrated on the Orc bishop headed at him.

 

[Emotionless]

OOC:

Hiya Folks,


Im Gonna be gone for a week. Feel free to use my char as a NPC

 

[kamalw1]

Loki smirked to himself as the chaotic game of chess started. He was actually enjoying himself, his adrenaline pumping as the sounds of battle filled the air. His only regrt was that as a rook, he could only move in a straight line. His hammer smashed into enemy pieces, crumbling them to dust. He looked around and saw Jack dispatch an enemy bishop that had confronted him. Remembering the rules of chess, Loki yelled out, "Jack, as a knight, you probably have a better chance of getting the queen out of the way than other pieces. Once that's done, we should be able to reach the king with no problem." Loki then moved to his left a bit and swung his hammer hitting a knight that was coming for his queen. The piece exploded in a shower of dust and rocks. Loki looked around and moved on to attack another Orc, relishing the feel of battle.

 

[cremebrulee]

Jasamine

I'd had a pretty hard time shaking the meditative state I was in. Sorian was waiting for me and I could sense he was getting impatient. He had placed a chrystal in his staff and seemed to be standing once again taller and there was a pure bluish white glow about him.

The demoness was speaking and once he brought me to I heard her.
"You cannot win, you have not the knowledge or the strength." she spoke. Sorian understood. Either she wanted us to both to understand or the new closeness Sorian and I had discovered was beneficial in sharing our strengths, including my ability to understand the ancient language.

Then I heard an awful screeching like giant nails amplified while scratching against a chalkboard.

I looked up and saw what I thought were giant birdlike winged lizards. Before we knew it both Sorian and I were snatched up- each by one of these creatures- and carried away. I had a suspicion I knew exactly where we were going...


(The language, BTW, is Aramaic)

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Jack

Jack moved away quickly as he watched an Orc rook take down one of their bishops. He heard Loki tell him to take the queen. He looked for the queen and found she had been waiting in the back near the king. Oddly, enough, she was the one piece on the Orc side that was human. He head hung down like she was asleep. Jack cut an offending goblin and moved toward the queen.

As Jack got near the queen, she slowly raised her head. Her eyes glew red and he face had a cold smile on it.

Hello Phoenix.

Jack stopped short. His eyes widened. He had never seen her face before, but there was no doubt in his mind that the queen's face was that of the sorceress's.

She wasted no time and dashed toward him. He feet never touched the ground; she floated the entire way. She took the long rod she was holding and jab it at Jack. He quickly retreated and came around in a circle. Grasping his sword, he drove it down toward her back. Like a flash of light, she dashed off in a diagonal fashion, she moved up one, then came back at him. Jack moved around and as she came by, he went behind her and struck out. He felt his sword clash against her rod.

"You can block?" Jack yelled at her. The queen laughed and pushed harder. Jack felt himself begin to give. The fever was coming back and she was stronger than he was. "Loki!" Jack called.

Loki smashed a goblin pawn and looked to Jack. Seeing his friend's plight, Loki moved past an Orc knight and up to the king.

"Checkmate." Loki smirked and brought his hammer around, smashing the king's midsection. There was a bright flash of light and suddenly, all the pieces turned back to stone. Jack noticed he was fighting with a statue, and slowly put his sword away. He found himself able to move freely. He walked shakily over to Loki.

"I told you I rocked at chess." Loki smiled, but he frowned when he saw Jack's face. "You're pale, Jack. Are you feeling ok? You look like you've sen a ghost."

"I'm okay...It's....It's the fever, that's all." Jack said. "I'm feeling fine." Jack regained his compsure and the duo walked to the exit of the room. As they entered the pathway, Loki let out a low whistle.

"Will you look at all this?" Loki pointed to the walls. "Everything here is made of crystal!"

Jack nodded, hand on his sword. They were getting close now. No turning back.

 

[intriguess]

Mic

The trail stopped and I found Kelly waiting for us. I felt a flash of fear and she told us what she had seen. I took in a deep breath and held up my hand. I focused on the others and when I came out of the meditative state I was wobbly on my feet as I whispered, "We have several choices. We can see where this path goes and hope we find Sorian and Jasmine, or we can hunt for Jack and Loki who are somewhere off that way," I point down and in the opposit direction of our current path, "and hope they have found something of use, or lastly I think we could move towards where I sense Jasmine and Sorian until I get a clearer fix on them. Unless you have another idea in mind, because right now I feel pulled between the two options." I suddenly realize that we could split up again but I wasn't sure I wanted that unless it was I who travelled alone.

 

[SecretDesires]

Kelly looked at Mic and then at Dan. Shaking her head she said,"We have to find Jasmine and Sorien. They are the keys and we can't unlock this mystery and how to get back to our own world if we lose them. Besides, I think it is going to take us all as a team to beat her. Look how hard she has tried to break us up. She doesn't strike me as the type to do anything without a purpose and I think the only way she can truly win is if we are scattered and unorganized."

 

[silverwolf]

sorian

floating above the grnd in the birds grasp i relaxed.I felt at ease for some unknown reason.Instead of thrusting my broadsword up into the beast belly i sheathed it.letting out a sound that sounded between a chirp and a roar, which i couldnt figure out where i got it from, the creature turned its head and echoed a similar sound. somehow i knew that it told me it was taking us to its master.Looking over to jasmine,"are you ok?" i asked.

 

[cremebrulee]

Jasamine

"Yeah, for some reason I feel like I am OK," I replied back to Sorian as we flew at incredible speeds held securely by the giant creatures. It was an effortless flight, and it made me even more sure the demoness wanted us there safely.
The pouch around my neck weas heating up more than ever now. I wished I knew if I was going to know WHEN to open it. THere was no way to be sure, but I was growing more and more certain that somewhere along this journey was going to be the right time.
I looked over at Sorian relaxed and floating. He almost looked as though he was enjoying this. That was a relief to me and I lay back and tried to relax myself. I watched him growing more confident through this trip and was honored to be the one with him now. I felt an extreme connection with him, like family but deeper. He had replaced his sword into the sheath and was holding the staff across his chest. It was part of him now.
I then glaced up and down the staff. Whatever wood this was made of was ancient.The grain was polished yet not shining and the gnarled bits seemed deliberately placed. Then I saw the crystal he had paced in the tip of it. It was brilliant bluish white, but it was like the glow from it came partially from Sorian. It had been placed in one of two small openings there, but the staff had since molded around it to secure it. There was a connectedness from deep in my chest, moreover my soul, to that crystal. Maybe it was the color, maybe .....

"Ee'n! He at-tha, hoo kadh ith-tha lwathan!"

Her voice shrieked with glee, closer now than ever.



)Translated: "YES! The woman herself and he himself came to us!")

 

[silverwolf]

Sorian

I heard the screech, And for some reason i felt like laughing.It burst from me, not a laugh of something being funny but laughter to show that i feared nothing now.That anything that sorceress had to offer wasnt enought to finish me.I looked down at my staff i noticed yet another notch in it and this one was empty.I had no clue what was to go there but somehow i knew it would be filled.

 

[intriguess]

Mic

I glanced at Dan and I opened my palm revealing the ball of light I had been using to light our way. I watched it split into three and two of them zoom off in opposite directions and I take a deep breath watching the one that remained and waited until it moved to where the one had zoomed up high as if waiting for us to follow it.

"I think I just created a easier way to do this, and I think the other one went to Loki and Jack, it should lead them to Jasmine and Sorian. At least I hope so, if it can find them." I steady myself leaning against the wall feeling a little light headed and dizzy as if I were looking down the cliff again.

I pull myself together and watch the small ball of light dancing around as if jittery to be reunited with the other two parts.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Jack

Jack sidled along the edge of the crystal wall, glancing in many different directions. He wasn't going to trust anything anywhere. He motioned to Loki to follow him down the corridor. At the far end, they noticed the hall opened up into a gigantic crystal room. There was a small crsytal catwalk going along the edge of the room about halfway up. The corridor opened up onto the catwalk and there were large crystal pillars on the edges. Jack made a motion and he and Loki ran behind one of the pillars silently.

Jack peered around the corner and down into the bottom of the large room. He saw a woman who looked both young and old. She was wearing a long green gown and she held a crystalline rod in her hands. Jack could barely make her face out, but he recognized it immediatly.

"Loki!" He hissed. "It's her! The sorceress!"

"She sure knows how to decorate..." Loki said, looking around the room. He suddenly pointed to some crystal shards on the ground. "Look Jack! Jasamine!"

Sure enough, the crystal shards showed Jasamine and Sorian being carried by these winged lizards. He heard the sorceress laughing and realized the lizards were bringing them to her.

"Jack! We have to stop her!" Loki said.

"Exactly." Jack said and without another word, he drew his sword and dove over the edge of the catwalk.

"Jack!" Loki yelled after him. The sorceress turned toward them, but there was no sign of suprise. She waved her hand and Jack stopped in mid-air. His eyes widened in suprise.

No No No...bad boy. The sorceress's voice echoed in his mind.

She waved her hands some more and Jack felt his arms and legs begin to be pulled in seperate directions. Jack screamed. it felt like his arms and legs were being ripped from their sockets.

That is a delightful scream, Phoenix. Perhaps Jasamine would like to hear it. The sorceress smiled and made Jack scream again.

 

[silverwolf]

sorian

I heard jack scream not knowing from wear i just knew he and loki had found the sorceress.Then i knew i had to speed things up i knew i had to get there.And for some reason i knew i wouldnt get out of this alive.Talking again in the birds language i told it to move faster. i felt my lower body drift back as we moved faster.

 

[intriguess]

Mic

I felt as if I were being yanked downward and I head to the tunnel and my feet are sliding and I free fall for a few feet and I come out with a few scrapes and wonder why the hell I did that. I then noticed all three sparks were swhirling around each other in the dark and I blink as the globe pulls together and zooms back to my hand. My lips parted and no words came out as I was unable to speak as I watched events unfold.

 

[kamalw1]

Loki was in awe of the vast amount of crystals that were in the room. He was taking in his surroundings when Jack pounted out the sorceress sitting below them. Loki watched as they saw Jasamine and Sorian being brought to the sorceress by the flying lizards. He could feel the anxiety rising from Jack as he pulled his sword out and rushed towards the woman. Loki was socked when Jack stopped in midair, apparently caught in a suspension spell. Loki raised his hammer and ran to help Jack when he hit something hard.

He got up and extended his hand, feeling an invisible wall between the two of them. Loki pounded on the wall with his hammer continuously, his frustration growing as the sorceres sat below them, laughing at their futile efforts to stop the plan that she had set in motion.

 

[SecretDesires]

Kelly ran behind Mic, her eyes darting around looking for traps and not seeing any. She wondered for a moment why she hadn't since they were so prevailant when she had first been following Jasmine and Sorien. She came to a screetching halt when Mic did and looked around.

They had found her. Found the Sorceress. She seemed to be busy. High overhead her minions had Jasmine and Sorien. She had Jack in a painful situation in mid air and Loki was hammering on an invisible wall.

She looked at Mic who seemed worn out from all the effort she had made healing and using magic to follow everyone. Every effort she made with magic seemed to drain her. She wondered if they would ever make it with their party so divided and drained....and then it hit her.

"Of course!" She almost yelled. Dan and Mic looked at her in puzzlement.

"Don't you see?" She said in excitement, a glimmer of hope infusing her. "You and Jasmine and Sorien. Even Loki. Whenever you use your magic it drains you. Well, the Sorceress can't be much different even if she is more powerful. Right now she is doing three things at once. If we can get her to try and defend against us three as well...all in a different direction...she will begin to drain her powers and we can defeat her."

Three knives appeared in her hand as she spoke and she put actions to words. She aimed carefully. Not to the Sorceress herself but to her crystal staff. The first knife glanced off the staff but got the woman's attention. The second flew past it as the Sorceress moved it away and went through the woman's robe and the third hit it's mark and scratched it.

With a cry of anger, the Sorceress pointed the staff at Kelly who dodged and ran away from Mic and Dan. She would leave it to them to use their own means to distract her.

A crackling sound filled the air and Kelly felt the hair on the back of her neck and on her arms stand up with the static electricity from the bolt that narrowly missed her.

"Great plan," She muttered to herself as she ducked and pushed off the wall just before it was smashed by another bolt, rocks and pebbles pelting her,"As long as we survive it."

 

[intriguess]

Mic

I took in a deep breath and wrapped the cloak around me and closed my eyes and found myself able to move, albeit slowly through the somewhat heavy atmosphere. I flung out my cape and sparks flew scraping and shattering crystals as they went. I realized that the crystals were focusing or feeding the evil energy. I kept a small reserve of energy on watching the others and then I stopped my hands reaching up to my face as I had not been able to deflect a blinding spell from the Sorceress and I was effectively out of it for a moment before I was able to pull on an inner reserve and feel the scorching pain of the ring, it heightened my senses and I began indiscriminately firing out small violet globes of light to shatter crystals. I could hear them shattering and hoped that the shards were being avoided by the rest of the group.

 

[kamalw1]

As Loki pounded away at the wall, he saw in the distance Mic, Dan and Kelly entering the huge cave from another direction. They stood there surveying the scene until Kelly seemed to bediscussing something with them. He then saw Kelly reach into her cloak and throw the daggers at the sorceress. When the sorceress tuned her attenion briefly to fend off kelly's attack, Loki could see a faint ripple appear in the invisible wall when he hit it with his hammer.

The understanding of what they were doing became apparent when he saw Mic focusing her powers at the crystals that laced the cave. The sorceress was visibly angry at this development, and Loki decided to take part in it. Forgetting about the wall for the moment, Loki moved around, smashing as many crystals with his hammer as he could. With the sorceress focused on so many things at once, he hoped that Jack would be released from the spell soon and that they could all take her down.

 

[cremebrulee]

Jasamine

I was amazed at the way Sorian could communicate with the giant birdlike creatures. His confidence ( and I assumed his strength and magical powers) was growing and the beasts responded by speeding up their flight.
I could hear sounds of pounding and then heard Jack screaming in agony and frustration. My first instinct was worry and fear for him, but then I tapped into my inner strength and made every attempt at stepping forward to him as I had to Mic earlier. In my mind I could see him being literally pulled in every direction, but just as I was almost to him I turned and saw the others ~ Loki with his hammer beating away at the chrystal walls and Kelly flinging knives at the sorceress, Dan near her, and Mic sending sparks out of herself somehow shattering many of the crystals in the wall. I pulled myself back and saw that we ourselves were coming close to the demoness .
She was just as I had seen her in my dreams, hideous and beautiful beyond words. This time she looked a little less arrogant, more torn. Seems as though the plan of our group was to distract her in every way possible. Good idea, but why?
Yeah...deplete her power. That's a hell of a task, but maybe...
I had to figure something else out though. She had wanted Sorian and I alone first.
Think, Jasamine!
I surveyed my surroundings as the creatures carried us in , ready to land.
Think, think, think!!!
"Sorian!" I said quickly "Can you command these things to do what you wish while she's distracted?"
"I dont know, but it's worth a shot"
"Take us over by Loki for now, she's distracted enough in the other direction."
Oh, man, THINK FAST!
The crystals... the glow from them diminished while she was distracted. Almost as if she weren't pulling the light OUT of them anymore.
"Your staff, Sorian ~ she can't get close to it. Don't let her near it"
The pouch around my neck was nearly burning my skin now.
The other's noticed we were getting what was going on with them and they could see us taking our part. They immediately built up the distraction and spread her attention in as many directions as they could.
Luckily our bird friends weren't too dedicated or just weren't too smart, either way they took what Sorian said and went for it.
We were heading right at Jack to Loki.
"We have to try to save Jack on our way Sorian."I said, but I had no idea how we would do it...

 

[silverwolf]

sORIAN

Jack was suspended in the air as i told the birds to go twoard him.The others had gotten the sorcereses attention in so many different places that he had started to sink to the ground.Talking to the birds i had the let me go streight into him and put jasmine down next to me.I stood up.And i walked to jasmine.I help her up with my staff hand that held my staff.Her bag seemed to glow and i felt a suge of energy go thru me and seemed thru her but as soon as i pulled my staff away it was gone.Thats when i noticed it.The sorceress no longer was torn between the others.She idealy deflected knives hurled at her and Walked streight twoard me.Drwawing my broadsword she laughed.I insted of wielding it i slammed it into the grond.Half ity blade goiong throu the hard dirt.I no longer feared death.I knew that my family before me had done this very thing before and died to save there friends.This time me and my friends will finish it for good.

 

[silverwolf]

Sorian

I looked over to mic as to say a goodbye.Smiling at her when i got her attention i had no idea if she heard my thought or not but..'You have been the only lady i have ever liked.I bid you farewell' i thought this as i was flung back by the sorceress's majick.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Jack

Jack felt himself hit the floor hard. Pain surged through his body. Blood leaked from the cuts all over his body. The sorceress sure could pack a punch. He staggered to his feet in time to watch the bitch use her most powerful majick on Sorian. The man was flung across the room like a rag doll. The man didn't move after he hit the ground. As if dead.

Congratulations, Jack. His subconsious told him. You were responsible for another life and you failed again. Another death on your shoulders. Good job, murderer.

Jack stared at Sorian's body. His head sunk down. Tears welled up in his eyes. Fuck. Jack's eyes faded to a blood red. He gripped his sword until his knuckles went white.

Rage. Rage. Rage.


Kill.

Jack lifted his head, pain and anger in his red eyes. His sword had suddenly become bright silver with the words "Metamune" inscribed in it. He raised it up and light seemed to gleam off of it.

"You BITCH!" Jack screamed. "DIE!!!"

The sorceress turned to see Jack running at her. She simply shot a bolt of green lightning from her fingertips. Jack, anger still flowing through him, slashed at the majick bolt. The sword absorbed it and shot it back out at her. In suprise, the sorceress blocked the green bolt. It careened into the crystal walls, shattering a wide area. Crystal shards fell around them. The sorceress forgot everything else and stared at Jack. Blood dripped down from his forehead and his breathing was raggid. His eyes narrowed as he pointed the blade at the woman.


Anger. Rage. Pain. Hate. KILL.

"YOU WILL MEET DEATH!" Jack screamed.

 

[Emotionless]

OOC: I've managed to swindle the use of a computer for a day or two. So I can post today, and maybe tomorrow, then im gone till the weekend. Aren't holiday's grand?


IC:

Dan stood basicly still during the whole ordeal. He had nothing to throw, and he sure as hell wasn't about to smash his sword against hard crystal!

He ducked away as the green lighting Jack blocked shattered the wall beside him. Crystal shards exploded around him cutting him in several places, though he was basicly uninjured.

Getting back to his feet, Dan noticed a huge crystal in the center of what had been the wall untill recently. "Hmm.." he wondered. "Loki," he pointed at the pillar "Give it a bash!"

A war hammer came hurtleing across the cavern to smash violently into the piller, sending deep cracks spiderwebbing up it's length. It stayed aloft however.

"Well, for crissakes!" Dan shouted in frustration at the pillars strenght. "Well, here goes nothing."

The soldier took off at a dead sprint across the cavern and threw a mighty sholder block into the splintering crystal.

Every muscle in Dan's body was bulging and straining as he pushed on the pillar. He was getting exausted from his efforts when finnally the pillar, after several minutes, let out a mighty groan and made its way, almost as if it were in slow motion, to the cavern floor.

It crashed into the far wall, oblitorating it instantly, and sending shards of crystal in every direction with a deafening crash. The reaction sent Dan sailing through the air to crash into the wall behind him. His last hope before consiousness left him was that the others were far enough away that they were unharrmed.

 

[cremebrulee]

Jasamine

OOC: Didn't realize that Emotionless was online typing as I was going off on this mad tarade. Perhaps IM me an let me know how to edit if need be...




There was suddenly so much going on that I nearly lost track.
Sorian was thrown back and Jack had drawn the Metamune agin, although I didn't see from where.
Something inside of him...rage...anger...hatred.
He was running at the demoness and the flying creatures were having a hard time getting to him.
Think, Jasamine
Somehow the scattered thing was working out for a while, but only for so long. I knew it wouldn't be the final solution. We had discovered a while ago that we needed to form a bond.


"Love that has no beginning or end, it shall light the way. Two shall become one together in light , and the circle around them has no beginning nor end...therein lies you answer, Jasamine."

It was a woman's voice almost ancient, but so familiar I felt as if it were a part of me. What could it mean? It sounded almost like a wedding song, but not quite...

Circle...one together... light.
I turned to see Sorian, broken and suffering on the ground behind me. I could hear the battle between Jack and the demoness on the ground below. Loki was silent at the sight of Sorian and the women were coming quietly towards us, whispering things to one another as they came.

"Sorian, my friend..." my words trailed as I could not bring to words what I was feeling.
"Shhhhh, Jasamine. It was meant to be, sister, from the beginning of all..." he coughed a bit and stopped to reach for his staff.

No, Sorian, not me... I can't...
"Ee'n, Jasamine. Ha min shat-ta q:adhmayta...tartayn...*cough*... lib-ba s:apya eethayke'n...*cough*...
Shhh, quiet, Sorian...

His words burned into my soul as he reached out his staff to me.
By then Mic had run to us, the others keeping watch on the battle ensuing below us as well as Sorian.
From above and behind me I heard a great crash and shards of crystals were flying everywhere.
"He needs you Mic. WE need you," I managed to shout over the noise.

Then Itouched for the first time the staff that was being offered to me.
I immediately felt myself being lifted in the irridescent glow I had travelled in earlier. Swirling round me it was a great comfort.

YES! NOW THE POUCH JASAMINE!!
They were now what I recognised as my own Mothers words, her voice the ancient familiar one I had heard not minutes before.
Make the circle...bind it tight...go to her, victory will be ours for good.
I looked down to the others... Mic, Loki, Kelly, Sorian.

"FORM THE CIRCLE OF LIGHT" the words came from my lips in the voice of my mother, but the movements of the others were deliberate, not scattered or panicky.
I watched as they joined together, not only hands, but their individual powers and talents.
I was in awe by what I observed.

Then I reached for my pouch...