Dark Age Legends

[Coriko]

Coriko followed Marshall into the base. Firstman refered to Coriko as a mage. That was a step up. Wilham was brought up.

"C'mon guys," Coriko jumped in to the conversation trying to liven it up "We can take take them right, besides what do you want us to do with this mission? And Wilham, I don't know but I have a feeling he may be helpful to us. At least for right now."

---

Jayce entered the room taking half the door frame with him. He looked pissed off beyond belief. Druid was leaning against the wall. He was playing with a ball of shadow energy. It pulsed in his hand as he opened and closed it. Druid had a sinister looking grin on his face.

"So, why did you have me join again?" Druid said as Jayce passed in front of him. "I mean besides saving your ships from that rock creature, i did very little for that invasion. I want earn my keepand i am more than capable of it. I have powers that can be invaluble to you.  Send me and some of my shadow warriors out, and we'll take a town,city or country for you. Because sitting around here is not working for me, I'd rather be out there killing some people who are preventing me from getting back to my own dimension."

[Burton Pro]

Nick stopped for a moment. He sensed something. Something that was gone for a short while. Was it Kronos. He would have to find out. He sent an telepathic message, Kronos are you there? He would wait for a response before moving from his posistion.

---

Drew pounded his fist on the table. There was nothing but silence. " So back to what i was saying." He played it out casualy. " If we're going to get out of this never ending war we must join a side. The only question is what side?"

The crowd pondered.

" The Dark Empire?"

" Hm."

" Err.."

" If we do not come to a conclusion by sometime this week we may not be here by the end of this thing." Drew said confidently.

//hm? Didn't know we started.

[Jenia]

Fernis twitched.

"No"!? I didn't ask you, idiot.

She hurried over and grabbed him by his arm.
"Look, Iduran is a person. Saying you own him is a disgrace!" She insisted "If you won't hand him over, then come with me. I'm not telling you not to fight for Tjed with him. It's for your and, especialy Iduran's, good."

-----

Kerig had at last reached and entered a large ruin.
The entrance was unguarded, and the structures didn't seem to be manned at all.
Well, it WAS only a ruin, after all. It barely had any cielings left.
Here and there, Kering noticed what seemed to be a lone person either walking or sleeping in the distance. Kerig wondered why would someone be sleeping on the floor, but the Weloss enlightened him about those being corpses.

Eventually, after passing about half the length of the ruins, Kerig came upon what seemed to be the countryard.
He looked around. There were tents, people walking around and more corpses here and there. When the fact was pointed out by Weloss, Kerig noticed some people were living on energy tubes coming from one place. Kerig hastened his glide in that direction, and soon he noticed a dark figure.
"That must be him!" he exclaimed happily and hurried over. He passed what seemed to be an old man lying on the floor, but he didn't care much. Probably was another one of those creatures Weloss called 'corpses'.

He approached the dark figure from behind and paused.
"Well?" Weloss started inquiring "Say something!"
"Hi! I, err..." Kerig was embaressed, as he wasn't sure how to speak to a lich (or a necromancer, for that matter).
"Hello! Are you, umm, mister Crow-Nose?"

[Drannic_Lord01]

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

"Hey, Dori, do you remember what I was supposed to say?" Justin looked back behind himself at Dori, infront of a large door that the man in the black cloak took them to.

"Hmm... Somethin' somethin'... blood somethin'... Crimson... yeah, I have no idea. Just make something up! It'll be fine. If it doesn't work, I'll just bash the door in for you." Justin rolled his eyes and sighed. At this point, Dori was of no help at all. He stepped back a bit, ready to say something he'd just made up.

"Uhh, if blood isn't blood... then what is it? Yeah, you might as well just bash the door open, Dori. I really should have wrote that down instead of compleatly ignoring Thand." After Justin spoke, Dori readied her claw, but it was of no use. The door was opened by someone else. In the doorway stood an angel-like figure and two Velken females.

"That won't be nessecary, I can assure you. My name's Bjendell Mjord, but just call me Ben. I might as well ask you for your help. I need to get out of here, but the only way out is if I go with someone who's trying to get in."

"No, I don't think so pal," Dori rudely shoved Justin out of the way, "We came here to buy passage into the Dark Camp, and we're not leaving until we get what we want! No, if you'd be so kind as to get the hell out of my way!" Justin got back to his feet and yanked Dori's shoulders to pull her back.

"Sorry about that," Justin began, "Dori's got a real temper."

"Justin, you'd better shut-"
"Yeah, she can get like that a few times. There was this one time where she got me so ticked, I stabbed her in the kidney."

"Justin, I'm not playing around. STOP IT RIGHT-"
"But most of the time, she's a sweet girl. I'm sure she'll come around to that side more often."

"SSHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTT UUUUPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Everyone was silent for almost a whol ten minutes until Ben spoke again. "Anyways," he continued, "I heard you mentioned Thand. I asked him to send you to me, actually. He's a friend of mine. Used to work with him on healing arts back at the monistary. He's a great medic now, I heard."

"Well in that case, lets just go. I forgot what we were supposed to be doing here anyways." They continued back down the dark tunnel to the 'under-water cargo freight that the man in the black cloak used to sail down. He was waiting for Justin and Dori to return, but not the others.

"More slaves, is it? Ya got Velken twins now, did ye? A fine catch if I'm able to say so to ye, sir. Heading back up, are ye? You know the drill. Stay below deck until I tell ye.

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

"I don't think he can hear me..." Jacobie said aloud, "Hey! One of you get the general's attention! I'm sure he's headed this way anyhow... The orb!" Jacobie pulled out his orb which was in his armor. He spoke into it and turned it green.

"General. Are you there? Is this thing working? I haven't tested it for a while. In any case, get down here. I need some help as to what's going on. Jacobie greens, out. Remember, say your name, then say Blues... Hah! Blues! That's funny... sorry, I'm still a bit out of it in the head right now... Oh yeah, right, uhh, Jacobie greens out."

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

[Xorlak]

One could hear the chanting of monks in the air, though it was likely just the wind...

The room was black, except for an eerie pale blue that emanated from the cracks in the walls...   No illumination was provided from the four large steepled windows, one upon each wall.  Only black clouds were visible in the night sky, rotating around that room as if it were the center of the universe.

The black throne near the northern window rotated silently, as if were floating upon air.  In it sat the Dark Emperor Retan, uninterestedly leaned back, his left gloved hand fingering the top of the golden dragon scull that formed the arm rest.

The short lizard Grav paced back and forth in front of him, nails clicking upon the hard metal floor.  In his claws were an unfurled scroll and a quill.

"We've made contact with a new nation in the south, your Lordship... Hragvien.  They wish to form an alliance."

"Kill them."

Grav nodded and scribbled some on the parchment.

"... They've also have a neighboring collection of city states... Ghestern."

"Kill them."

"Uh huh..."

Grav wrote some more.

"Oh, hmm... The kingdom of Prek has sent us a message.  They are dissatisfied with the way we've been sinking their ships, and have declared war on us."

"Prek?  Why do they still exist?"  The Dark Emperor's burning eyes narrowed.

The reptilian eyes of the short Prime Minister widened, and he began to nervously fumble thorough the papers.

"Apologies, my Lord.  They were eradicated the other day.  Their letter simply took that long to arrive.... heh..."

"Do not bring outdated trifles to my attention, lest I become irritated..."

"Y-yes m-my Lord..."

Grav fumbled through the papers some more.

"Finally, we've received a message from the Kandarinain Sovereignty.  They inquire about the status of our alliance..."

"They are still around?  I take it their ruler has returned before our fake has had a chance to position himself."

"It would appear so, your Masterfulness."

Retan drummed his fingers on the golden dragon skull for a moment.

"Their hold has slipped much.  Inform them that the alliance remains in tact."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Then immediately issue an edict.  All their claims within the Dark Continent now belong to me."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Should they disagree, gently remind them of my unbounded generosity in allowing them to exist in my lands in the first place.  And in my unbounded generosity, I shall allow their current overlords to remain in control of their lands, though they will now be under my flag and pay me tributaries.  I do not feel like issuing new Lords at this time."

"You are certainly most generous, my Lord.  And if they should resist?"

"Inform High General Gorus that he may raze any and all Kandarinian outposts at his leisure."

"Yes, my Lord."

Grav finished writing and the bowed lowly before leaving the room.  The Dark Emperor's chair turned to face the window as he steepled his hands.  Grav returned a few moments later and bowed on the floor again and waited their silently for five minutes before Retain acknowledged his presence, though the chair did not turn.

"Speak, Grav."

"The High General of the Sky has returned."

"Send him in."

----

Renard's ears shot straight up.  Did she just say Duilin?

What is this?  Some sort of inquisition?  No, he hadn't done anything wrong.  That human saved him after all.  And then Virmir himself thanked him.

Then Renard recognized the man standing next to the jester-like woman.  The mage!  That guy who attacked him in the inn!  But those guys were just street scum.  What in blazes was one of them doing here?

Renard took a step back, his tail pressing against the door to his room as he tried to keep it from tucking between his legs.

"Y-yeah. So?"


Helix stood perplexed at his friend's behavior.  What was he so freaked out about?   The woman was kinda hot, but nothing to get all jittery about.  Helix folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

----

Jayce turned suddenly, seeing Druid standing there for the first time.  He stormed over to the man, placing his left hand on the wall and leaning over him.  His breath stunk of something like fish.

"Yes, you didn't do very much at all did you?  I suggest you head out as far ahead of me as possible and destroy as much as you can before I arrive.  You wouldn't want me thinking you useless..."

Jayce flipped around, storming out of the room.

----

The gates in front of the menacing sea bound ship, The Jagahn, opened widely.  Hundreds of boats spilled out, one after another, each filled with snarling Lizard Men.  Some even did not take to the boats, but instead swam deftly like fish.  A similar scene errupted at each of the other two warships, all surging through the dark waters, heading for the beaches of Tjed...

----

"Relax, I'm here," Ven said as he walked into the room like opening in the cave where Jacobie was recovering.

"You seem to be doing better," he said as he leaned over the injured lizard.  "But stop with the 'general' stuff.  'Sir' will do if you insist, as I'm just a knight.  Or you can just call me Ven."

"Sir Ven!"

Another knight ran into the room, a young kid with yellow locks.  It was starting to get crowded.  He was out of breath and took a moment to compose himself.

"We-- we saw.  In the ocean...  Hundreds of boats, coming this way..."

Ven clutched his fists.

"Oh, blast it!  Are we ready?  It's not going to take them long to figure out we're in here."

Ven clenched his teeth.  They would likely destroy the evacuated city of Kesnar first.  Blast it.  A huge shame, and a terrible loss, but with the walls in such bad shape it was no longer defendable.  At the very least the distraction would buy them some time..."

[D. Ein]

"The Dark Empire messenger has returned with some rather unsettling news.

-"All my current fortifications in the Dark Continent, eh... Mmmkay, not like I had anything there in the first place. I'll let my messengers know to modify the message they are carrying. Everyone is to leave the premises at once and meet us at the southeasternmost corner of the Continent. We'll figure out what to do from there."

I noticed the humanoid creature calling my name.

-"Yes, what?"

[Drannic_Lord01]

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

"Well then, I guess this orb is useless then. I can get up and help with the preparations for defense, uhh... sir Ven, was it? Right then, help me up, one of you." The first medical knight helped Jacobie up to his feet, which now seemed to be in perfect condition and fully reattached. He pocketed the orb that was now letting go of its green glimmer.

"I'll follow your lead, sir Ven. I must warn you though, I felt some strange, godly presence comming this way as I was knocked unconcious. It wasn't Retan, although I felt he was comming here anyways. No, this is something far beyond his power, nay, far beyond even his hopes of more power. It's a group of six people, and they're traveling by sea..."

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

"Oi! You can come up now! I've reached the surface." The mand in the black cloak turned the ship's sails, spinning it to the direction of the south. Around one third of a mile out was the dock and another secondary dock with airships.

"Hmm... I think we may have to steal an airship. Well, it is night, and it should be simple enough. Jelka, you'll fly it up to the mountains where the group is. Another friend of mine is there... well, more of an enemy I suppose... so watch out for him. He seems to be tailing his brother, though, so we should be in the clear."

Everyone boarded the airship and Jelka started to take it off. After a good twenty feet-or-so in the air, shouts could be heard to bring the ship back down. Nothing was going to stop them though. Jelka turned on the booster engine and the airship zoomed off into the distance.

"At this rate, we'll be there in an hour. I hope you're all in good stride for the battle yet to come..."

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

[Dude Man]

Rink caught up with Duilin. "See, that's what I was telling you. Just go with her."

"Sheesh..." Duilin rubbed his forehead head and looked at Fernis. "Fine, sorry. Lead the way."

--- ---

"I want to know where he is. My friend Rufokanno said you were traveling with him for a short wile." Ophelia answered. She then shifted her eyes and gave a quick glance at Helix leaning on the wall and then looked back at Renard. "I don't care why you were with him. I just want to know if you have any clue where he could be heading. Did he say anything about where he wanted to go? Where you even think he might be going?"

Rufokanno didn't even look at the two Velkens or at Ophelia, he simply just scanned his eyes around the building.

--- ---

"Helpfull or not. He hasn't given us much information about himself." Marshall said pointing at Coriko. "I learned from the past actions not to trust people I just met." It was true; when he just traveled off with Zeros' and his crew he got banished from the Blue Minotaur. He didn't want something like that to ever happen again.

Wilham and Kropotkin entered the room. Kropotkin seemed rather pleased with what he was told by Wilham.

"Thank you very much Grand General Wolfe." Kropotkin said. "Marshall, you don't need to worry yourself. He can be trusted." The two men then joined the others. "In fact Wilham has a very interesting story, which I'm certain you will want to hear..."

--- ---

Count Vandrin really needed a way to cool off after being held hostage by Duilin. He found just going for hikes and explorations to be quite a good way to cool off. He had a group of his mutants with him, for protection.

Vandrin had found this strange ancient underground temple made with strange bricks of stone. It appeared to have scraps of a thin reflective material left on, which much have been chipped away over the years. He walked down the staircase into the darkness. "Flaze, light up a torch." He said to one of his mage mutants.

The thin mutant grabbed an unlit torch which was hanging by the stairway and snapped his fingers over it, lighting it up with a small flame.

"Flaze, come with me. The rest of you stay outside."

Vandrin continued his way down until he made it to the bottom of the stairs which led to a room. "It's still to dark, light up the torches on the wall." The mutant scaled along the walls, lighting each torch in a similar motion as he did last time. As the torches began to light, a small altar with a stone tablet on it was revealed.

"My, my. What do we have here?" Vandrin said to himself as he stepped towards the altar. "An ancient tablet written in old Terianian." Vandrin was quite an educated person; he found much interest in ancient history and studied a few old languages. Vandrin then scanned his finger across the ancient text as he read. "White Chimera...people broke off to several different groups...only few of original remain..." He then stopped reading. "This looks more like a diary entry rather than a religious tablet." He picked up the tablet. "Who writes a diary on a stone tablet?"

--- ---

"High General Goruss!" General Ssobra (small Mage lizard) said entering a room with Gorus on a large bed, with several female Lizard Men.

"Make it quick. Ssobra. I'm busy!" Gorus grumbled.

"The mountain basse is almosst fully repaired."

"Almost isn't done. Now get out of here!"

"Wait, that'ss not the main reasson I'm here!"

Gorus sat up began to growl.

"Umm, well that half demon that came here. Jaysse's legion ssays they have had a few troubless with demonss aiding Tjed. He has reassonss to belive that one of them might be the one that attack uss earlier."

"Really?" Gorus sat back down and rubbed his lower jaw. "Leave me."

The female lizard man then got up. "No, not you, Ssobra."

Ssobra rolled his eyes. "But ssir, we can't just let him get away."

"Ssobra, I actually already knew he was going to Tjed. I sensed his aura going towards their. In fact I already have one of my ships going to Tjed to help in battle."

"Don't you want to go there yoursself?" Ssobra asked.

"No not really. Lately we've been having trouble with the Vandrin County. Apparently that egotist Vandrin thinks he has more power than Empire. He's not even as big as Kandarin for Gaia's sake. Anyways, leave Ssobra."

Ssbra then turned to leave the room.

"Oh wait, actually one last thing, Ssobra. Make sure Retan hears the news that there have been a few sightings of Aspye Revolutionary flags, with the black, grey and the red and all that..."

"Yess ssir..."

[Coriko]

Druid stood up and straightened his cloak.

"You heard the man boys."

As Druid said this three shadow warriors flowed off of the wall and took on their form as his warriors. They had the shape of very skilled and fit warriors. Their black bodies terrifyingly dark. The type of darkness that destroys souls. The red pulse was very dark and slow. When they got excited, angry or had a blood lust it speed up and became very erratic. It also changed in colour to look more like blood. These creatures were born and bred to kill. Druid knew denying them this was cruel, and he was more than happy to allow them to run free causing hell on earth. Druid picked up his staff and balanced it in his out stretched hand. he then pulled the gem out of the staff and rested it in his other hand. He then snapped the staff in half.

Back in his own dimension we never used a staff. But when he was attacked by Silas and the other traitors he put some of his energy into the staff. In case Silas stole his powers he could reclaim some of it, or if he was transported somewhere (like he was) he would probably be safer if he didn't have all his powers, in case he blew up where ever he landed. You know somehting like that.

Druid tossed the broken staff on the ground and focused his attention on the gem. This is where his powers were and he wanted them back. The gem started to glow and then it spread to the rest of his body. The gem then was absorbed into his hand and he was re-united with the rest of his powers. Druid took a few deep breaths and then turned to his warriors. They stood ready for any order their leader gave.

"He wants destruction, lets give him some!"

Druid then turned and walked after Jayce, his warriors following closely.

---

"Alright Wilham, lets hear it" Coriko said to the two new arrivals.

[Jenia]

With Duillin following closely behind, Fernis hurried to the place in the cave used a supply storage room. She dug a tiny hole in the center of the room and placed the sheath on it, allowing it to stand.
She carefully backed away from the sheath and took a deep breath.

Alright...
But I guess I should give him a little more information first.
He must be confused out of his wits.

She turned to Duillin, and suddenly remembered she had not introduced herself to him yet.
"I am... Indher, the runemaster. Call me Lerfina, if you like." she began what seemed to be a lecture with a most serious tone.
"I will spare you the smaller details, but I believe you should know...
I am the one responsible for Iduran's appearance here. I attempted his complete resurrection, but there were many things I did not expect. For one, I did not expect his very being to shatter within a day and be absorbed into the nearest foreign object. Second, I did not expect him to drag me all the way to Tjed. In other words, I'm helping the soldiers of Tjed because it's Iduran's will, not mine. Which brings me to what I have brought you and him, mostly him, here for..."

She turned to the sheath, standing stiff on the ground like an altar.
"My business with Iduran is not finished, and so I've made this. In theory, it should allow him to communicate with us if you place him into it..."

Fernis shrugged. The runes didn't exactly let Iduran speak as he pleases. She didn't know any other way, so she made a series of runes that lock onto a consciousness and translate it's thoughts into sound. Of course, having been a soul for a while, Iduran should have mastered thought-control, but there was still a risk of invoking an Iduran who is simply unable to shut up...

-----

Kerig was somewhat startled.
The response seemed too... Simple.
"Umm, hello..." he said in response "We have been looking for, uh, you, for about a week now..."
"That was aYEAR you boot-brain" Weloss reminded him.
"I-I mean year! Right!" Kerig corrected himself and continued.
"You see, my little friend here..."
Weloss pointed out to Kerig that he was huge, but Kerig decided to ignore that one mistake.
"...Claims that you, uh, mister Crow-Nose, have the power to get a certain thingy..."
Weloss angrily told Kerig to call it 'Etherium', as 'thingy' sounds stupid.
"...A thingy he calls 'ethnenyum' or something like that, from souls, and uh, if you get it..."
Weloss urged Kerig to use the word 'power', even though he was hesitant.
"...If you get it for us, we, uh, will let you use our new power as you please..."
Kerig paused to sigh.
"He just wants to use the power, he doesn't really care how, and frankly, I think accesing the physical realm when you are indestructable is pretty rude..."
This was another one of those times Weloss would have sighed, had he been able to.
"That was the most pathetic speech I've heared during my eternal and boring existence." He told Kerig with a tone of disappointment.

-----

After several houres of travel, Iskatyl reached a fork in the road. Looking in the distance, one road seemed to lead to shore, while the other seemed to lead towards a mountain.
After a minute of standing and thinking, Iskatyl decided to head towards the mountain, since there are bound to be more people inland, and hence, there was a greater chance to run into Eranor...

Iskatyl began to quitly and clamly walk towards the mountain, not knowing about the attack of the lizards and that which awaits him...

-----

Having easily ended the story of another family of farmers, this time without burning anything, Zakon enjoyed the calming sound of his own, steady steps on the damp grass.
He walked and walked, staring at the moon as he slowly licked the blood off his knife.

Which direction was he walking now? He didn't notice, nor did he care.
However, something seemed to be getting on his nerves, even though the night was peaceful.

Yes, while the night was peaceful on the outside, deep within Zakon, an argument was taking place...
Someone claimed that cheese is irrelevant to pitfalls, someone else laughed at him, and another claimed that one by the name of "third person" was lying and should be hanged as soon as he recieves his neck for his eighteenth birthday.

These arguments, though not uncommon, greatly annoyed Zakon. He repeatedly told them to shut up, and they did...
For about ten seconds.
The voices then continued to chat about roses, violins, cooked rice, bubbles, clouds, frogs...
And various other irrelevant subjects.
Zakon was especially annoyed when one of the voices suggested him to be renamed "Moza'ovolkillaz", and almost attempted to stab the voice, but then he was reminded that he would have to split his own head open to do that.
The voice that suggested the name apoligized, and suggested the name "Mastah  OVCHEEZ", and upon not recieving any response what-so-ever, it finally decided to shut up.

BANG! Zakon's concentration on shutting up the foolish voices in his head has led him to running face-first into a boulder.
Annoyed even more at this turn of events, Zakon split the boulder open, and sat down on one of the formed halves.
It was time for a rest.

[akuradavis]

//2nd post. Hope it's not too bad... heh.\

Floating. He could only feel a strange floating sensation. Then, a tingling feeling started creeping up his arms. In a matter of seconds, it was over….

Jareth opened his eyes, and found himself sitting on the cave floor. How did I end up here? He thought, looking around. The torch on the wall was lit.

“You…. *cough* did well. *cough* At least…. You still knew your… *cough* limits and sheathed the sword, boy… *cough*” Came a rough voice.

Jareth looked in the direction the sound came from. There, propped up against the cave wall, was Tysid. But something was wrong. He looked… different. Then he spotted it. There was a large gash across Tysid’s chest, and his left arm was disconnected, lying on the ground in front of him. Blood covered Tysid, and the floor around him. Light danced off of the crimson puddles, and the blood glowed faintly. I knew he wasn’t human. Jareth tried to stand and felt a sharp stab of pain in his left leg. Looking closer, he noticed he had a small cut across his leg. It must have been an intense battle.

“What happened, old man?” Jareth asked, using the cave wall behind him to help him stand.

“The power over whelmed you… *cough* this power… you must *cough* you must use it… under stand it… *cough* and you will find your past… and more. Leave me. You have passed my final test.” Tysid said, in a calm voice.

Suddenly there was a loud scraping sound. Cave dwellers. Grotesque things that are attracted to blood. The have small bodies, and skin made as tough as rock. Most are naked, and they all have very good sight in the dark. They eat anything that’s meat, alive or dead.

Jareth could tell Tysid was struggling with the pain. “I just can’t leave you here, to die! The cave dwellers will eat you!”

“GO!” Tysid’s voice boomed. Tysid reached out, chanting something like an incantation. The light flickered out. Jareth felt a pull, as was suddenly ripped backwards, in to the depths of the cave.

[Zeros']

Zeros' shifted himself, Allen walking along with him. He stared over at the old man, sighing and glancing around. They were in the middle of Tjed now, which was realtiviely undamage, althought shaken by the assault.

"Allen?" Zeros' inquired, worried about the old alchemist. Allen blinked and turned his head towards Zeros'.

"Hrm? What's is it?" he asked, wiping his forehead and rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Are you *sure* you're ok?" he asked, worried about the other mans health. Zeros' glanced around, the streets deserted, thanks to the attacks. All the windows were boarded up, closed tight and it didn't look like they'd be open anytime soon.

Allen nodded. "I'm sure. Don't worry about me," he said quietly and breathed in and out, abit heavily. Zeros' sighed and nodded, continuing his walk forwards, the old man accompanying him. He knew about the tunnels that Ven and Duilin were in, but he didn't think it'd be best for Allen to talk that way.

"If you say so..."

[Burton Pro]

//I'm assuming Kronos was talking to me...

"M'Lord, Is there anything I can assist you with? Or do you want me to return to you?" Nick sent another telepathic message.

---

"Well Drew, What is your say in this matter?"

"I was thinking of going towards the stronger of the Empires." Drew folded his arms. It made the insigna on his shoulder more out there. "I say we should set up a meeting with one of them soon..."

The crowd made a clammor...

[Dude Man]

"Lerfina, alright." Duilin replied upon her greeting. "So I'd finally be able to talk to him again eh?" Duilin thought for a bit. That would be interesting, it would almost be like having Iduran with the group again.

"So it a sheath for the sword as well? I assume it'd be fine if I used it. I've got another weapon that's even bigger which I've actually enjoyed using." Duilin stated. He almost felt like a weapon hog, I mean he had two majestic weapons, then again Zeros' had that Demonic/Angelic sword, which was comparable to this one, and it could change so maybe it would count as two weapons. Also Xenai and Zion had those metal beasts that transformed from those crazy-big swords.

"So yeah, anyways. Sure, let's try it out." Duilin said holding out The Iduran. "Oh, uh, by the way. Sorry about what I said earlier...I've just, um, been kind of stressed ever since I transformed into that big demon form. I've never had that happen before, so it was kind of mind scrambling..."

Duilin took the sheath, and strapped it around him. He then slid the majestic blade into the sheath...

---

"With Zeros' and Duilin here I'm sure they won't let anything happen. They're amazing fighters." Rink assured Ven. "But perhaps it would be wise to better the defences here. Is their anyway we can quickly increase the fortification of this place?"

--- ---

Wilham sat down and clasped his hands. "Well, I'm going to share with you some lost ancient history. You see about 1,000 years ago, before the years were even recorded, most of Terian was populated with a vast and flourished republic. A group of summoners, known as the White Chimera were guardians of this republic, and keepers of global peace. They constructed several small temples across the continent, where they stored tablets recording our history, and teachings of our code and magic. The White Chimera had many people with them and admiring us."

"However like all groups, they had their problems. They had corruption, people didn't agree with their leaders so...they broke off, into the Black Dragon, who eventually went corrupt into an assassination group. They in fact were the ones who began to break the White Chimera down, and kill off their leaders. They forced them to then split apart. A few people suggested an interesting and creative way to do this. Since the group of traitors chose to name themselves the 'Black Dragon', the White Chimera chose to make it look like this happened again but several times. They based their new groups off of what happens when you split the color of white light. The groups were..."

"The Red Cyclops, the Orange Wasp, the Yellow Albatrash, the Green Serpent, the Blue Minotaur and the Purple Nymph..."

Marshall gave a wide look of interest. "Yes...that must explain the close similarity between Blue Minotaur and the Red Cyclops. But why did some of the new groups go corrupt?"

"It's just how time goes. Nations can change a lot over a thousand year period." Wilham replied. "But as you may have already guess as I was telling the story. I am part of the remnant of the White Chimera. You see some of us stood with the main group and build a secret hideout on a remote south-western island, which has by now been flooded over with water."

"How could you have survived so long indoors, without proper resources?" Firstman asked.

"Not only did the White Chimera practice summoning magic, but many of us practiced other arts, such as alchemy. We have plenty of stone and sand, which our most skilled alchemists can transform into the resources we need."

"Amazing." Marshall commented, just amazing. "But, one question remains. How did you get from their to here, teleportation, magical underwater-breathing?"

"No, actually. Teleportation can be dangerous if you don't know what the land is like, and nobody has enough mana to maintain breathing, protect against the extreme temperatures, and defend themselves against the sea creatures. We got here by building submersible ships."

"You mean boats that can go under-water?" Firstman asked. "How is that possible?"

"Well, people have made boats that can go in the air. So why not?"

Wilham grinned. "Anyways. Now that I have explained this to you, I want to explain why I am here. You see we have been studying the surface for the past few years, to learn about the current events and learn your new language. We have noticed these empires have enslaved Gaian. We dislike this, and we believe that it is time for us to rise and help overthrow them. We've been watching your liberty revolution, the Aspyes and we like your style. We want to help you. But first we need you to help us."

"With what?" Marshall asked.

"A couple people in this Kandarinian Sovereignty may have discovered us. We need to make sure we aren't found out, else we will defiantly be overthrown."

"How, you're underwater." Firstman replied.

"If we can travel in great distances underwater, than so can today’s nations. What we need to do is travel across Terian and remove tablets from our old temples. As we went to retreat some planning on our movement to the new location may have been left over. So, will you help me do this?"

[Xorlak]

Virmir silently strode into the dimly lit room, surrounded by the blue iridescent hue, and bowed lowly in the central circle, holding the cloth wrapped cylinder to his left side.  Though his ears were laid back, the Velken refused to show a hint of fear, his icy eyes focused upon the ground.

Retan remained seated with his back turned to the silver furred fox.

"Virmir."

"Yes, my Lord."

"I have selected your race because of its impeccable speed and precision."

Virmir did not move.  Retan continued.

"Yet, I am displeased with the amount of time it has taken you to perform your task..."

Virmir twitched slightly.

"My apologies, my Lord.  One of my men was wounded, and we were diverted for a short while."

The chair began to spin around slowly.

"Need I remind you that if not for my intervention, not a single one of your kind would be alive?  That it is by my grace and generosity that you and every single one of your men breathes?  That your very home world still exists?"

"... No, my Lord.  This we all know and are eternally grateful for..."

Retan's burning eyes narrowed.

"The life of one of your men is insignificant.  Your priority remains the mission.  Always.  Should your men die, more will be fetched from your homeland and they will be replaced.  It is that simple.  Is that clear?"

Virmir shut his eyes tightly as he listened to the Dark Emperor's words.  They seemed to hang in the air, the echo pounding in his ears for a moment after they were spoken.  Finally Virmir responded.

"... Yes, my Lord..."

Retan rose to his feet, his black cape flowing behind him.

"Excellent.  Return to me what is mine."

On both knees, Virmir took the cloth-wrapped cylinder in his claws and held it above his head, as if making an offering to a god.  Suddenly the object floated into the air and towards the Dark Emperor.  As it did the cloth fell off, revealing a brilliant long spear...

... with a fiercely glowing blue gem just under the blade...

A dark aura seemed to flow around the weapon and stab at Retan's gauntlet as he plucked it out of the air.  Retan snapped the fingers of his other hand, and immediately the aura shattered like a pane of glass, the gem growing dim.

"Excellent..."

Retan released the spear and allowed it to float in the air, rotating around him.  Along with the other weapon.  The sword with the red gem in the hilt...

----

Renard narrowed his eyes slightly.  Why are so many people after Duilin?  What could the winged human have done?  She obviously wanted to kill him, as she was with that mercenary.  It made his fur bristle just thinking about it.

"Sorry.  I don't have any idea where he is,"  he said as he shrugged slightly.

In truth, he really didn't have any clue.  The two had parted ways with few words, and Renard suspected the man was upset with him, since the fox had not mentioned the fact that he was a specialist mage in the Dark Empire...

----

The outer cabin doors atop the Jagahn flew open.  Jayce stormed onto the deck, an entourage of lizards following.  He'd had enough.  If you want something done right...

With a mighty leap he bounded straight off of the ship, flying high into the night sky as a black aura engulfed him.  He soured over the hundreds of tiny boats filled with Lizard Men below, parting the waves as he flew.  He gritted his teeth as Kesnar came into view just past the sandy beach, a blackness concentrating among both his clenched fists...

And the winds began to pick up...

----

Ven chuckled slightly at the lizard Jacobie's premonition.  He must still be woozy, under the effects of the medication, he thought.

But that did not change the fact that there still was something very bad headed their way.  Very bad indeed.   Ven broke into a light jog, his metallic boots clanking upon the cavernous floors as he headed back to the main stretch of tunnel.

"Look alive, folks!  They're coming!"

At this, the knights began to scamper around, climbing up into little nooks and crannies amongst the walls so that they might get a jump upon their adversaries.  Traps were set up. Wooden thresholds that would spill rocks from the ceiling with the pull of a rope.  It wasn't much, but they needed every little bit they could grab...