Hours prior, just after the Redmont's visit to the palace library...

"With punctuality being one of your strong points, I'm surprised that you're late. Is everything alright?"

"Maxim, I'm touched. I didn't know you cared," she replied as she placed a hand over her heart in dramatic fashion, resorting to the usual sarcasm that seemed to dominate any conversation they had. When he showed her the book, she arched an eyebrow and hesitantly took it from him, before opening it to start flipping through the pages hurriedly. She eventually stopped, finding a few subjects that apparently matched what she had been looking for, and then she nodded before closing it. "It's the right one, but it's not written in the version of the language I expected. Older dialect, you know it'll take some time for me to translate so that I don't make any mistake. It'd be annoying to tear open the rift, only to end up somewhere that's not our destination... or worse yet, nowhere at all." He shrugged, and opened his mouth, but she held up a hand to silence him -- and he decided it was more prudent to hear whatever else she had to say. "I need to be honest with you, here and now. No more half-truths, no more keeping what I'm up to a secret," she reluctantly admitted.

Maxim just sighed, though the exaggeration of it made it obvious he wasn't entirely surprised. "I won't lie and say that this is unexpected -- and this really isn't the best time, but I think you know that. I've made a point of trusting you, when we both know I really shouldn't... so I hope you aren't about to make me regret that decision," he answered, folding muscular limbs back across the Jadean armor he wore, as one of their commanders. She averted her gaze, and no matter how how he tried to read her emotions through various avenues, he still couldn't -- and he partially understood why.

"I've lived with regret ever since my return, and I can't do it anymore. You'd be surprised at how some people really do change, Maxim. I want to atone for what I did, to undo it, and I think there may be a solution in that place, in addition to the other objects of our search," she explained, lowering her head so that she didn't have to look at him. For once, he could appropriately guess what she was feeling: pure, unadulterated guilt. And yet again, he was surprised by just how much she had changed.

But that wasn't what mattered above all else.

He shook his head vehemently, to indicate refusal and that there would be no changing his mind. "You have no right to make that decision, and you know it. We are shaped by what we've done, and who we become is based on what others have done to us in turn. I won't let you change the course of my life just to alleviate your guilt," he paused, as he turned away from her, "but knowing this... you should know by now, that you're forgiven. Otherwise, we wouldn't be standing here." His tone of voice was at first quite harsh, but it softened when she finally forced herself to look at him. She waited a moment, as though she were trying to think of some way to convince him, before realizing it was useless and simply nodding.

"Then take this. Wrath and Ruin can only be secondaries -- I've seen how you fight these days, and you need something with more finesse, and elegance in spite of however vicious it may be. Seeing Jade City and their defenders, I chose the weapon you trained with as a boy... I think it suits who you've become, hunter." Her words were followed by her lifting something from the shadows of the room that they had chosen to rendezvous in, and the shape was unmistakable. The glaive had an elegantly, if not vicious blade at either end, with blackened strips of leather wrapped around the hilt area -- beneath that, it was reinforced with straps of a unique/rare material, providing it with a level or quality suitable for the former slayer. He took it from her, testing the weight as he gripped it, and he found it surprisingly light for its size. "I believe your cousin Richter would approve of such a weapon, were he here."

"...Thank you. It's a beautiful weapon, and I know it'll serve me well." The genuine compliment drew a radiant smile from her, and then she simply nodded before extending her other hand -- and it in, was an ancient Redmont heirloom. Centuries earlier, an ancestor by the name of Naralis Redmont had used it to slay a vampiress in self-defense -- an act that very nearly triggered a war that could've destroyed the Redmonts of that time easily enough. A tri-bladed throwing weapon, drop-forged in solid metal and inscribed with a much older Redmont sigil -- one that Quinn might not be able to identify at first -- it was something only ever held by the nobility.

"I know you've been thinking about giving it to him, though you don't know for sure that he'll accept it. But maybe, he'll start to realize you're on his side, in this whole mess. Who cares about the outcome, so long as you know you did your best to show him that you know he's a Redmont, even if others won't accept it," she stated firmly, watching him as he strapped the glaive across his back. A single moment passed, and then he nodded as he took the artifact. "If we cross paths... I'll make sure he gets it. We should depart now -- I have a meeting with King Alerion regarding Jade City's closed-doors policy," Maxim finished, before simply turning away and moving back into the corridor, out of the room where they had met to discuss their side-agenda.

Currently, in Alerion's office with Wish, and Victor Sage...

He stood several feet to the side of the pair as Alerion stood before the three -- in a gesture befitting a warrior reporting to royalty, he bowed as well with one fist placed over his heart for a moment. "I only helped as much as I could, King Alerion. The others who fought -- they were the true saviors of your kingdom, but I believe you already know that. I've come to informed you that as long as I remain a commander in Jade City's standing forces, they're now promising aid to Grand City and Joi both. They weren't considering that they might've have been spared the flooding and typhoons, but not the winds, if this keeps up," Maxim explained, before glancing over at Victor and Wish -- he knew neither, though he still offered a respectful nod of acknowledgement. He paused then, glancing between the three of them before he began to make his opinion of the situation know. Not necessarily pessimistic, but quite realistic, given past events.

"I only know what I've managed to overhear on my way here, and none of it is particularly informative or useful. Most of the population is blaming it on the Gods -- do any of you know something a bit more useful?" And then, against his better judgment, he decided to voice his own feelings regarding the situation -- this time, out of genuine concern for Aleris. After all, above all else, it was home.

"You aren't going to like this, but I have a feeling that this is most certainly not over yet. In fact, I fear that this may only be the beginning of something much worse. If we don't stand together... I think that this may be our last stand after all," he added, almost as an afterthought. Following that, he went silent and waited to see if anybody else felt the same, or perhaps even wanted to form a plan, just in case Maxim was right -- and for once, he hoped he was very, very wrong.

The day had faded into evening, yet the overwhelming heat and humidity lingered on. Stars decorated the night sky, twinkling diamonds in an endless sea of onyx, and Deanna couldn't help but admire their beauty as she and Quinn sat quietly in the courtyard.

So many worlds, she thought to herself, laying her head upon Quinn's shoulder. What will become of ours? Our people? Our friends and fam-....err, our friends. Deanna cut herself off and amended her thoughts quickly. Family was something she had done without for quite some time, and when she considered how little she needed or regarded them when they were living, well...the entire concept of siblings, parents, etc, seemed so alien to her. An unnecessary burden in her opinion. Rarely, very rarely, did she give a passing thought to having her own family one day, something that didn't particularly appeal to her.

As she mused over parents and children, she considered Verial and Kyrian. The shifter had kept them in her thought and heart, privately praying for their safety after the disastrous events that have recently taken place. Especially the boy. She was, though she hated to admit, fond of the lad, and had even promised to take him to Siren's Corner to experience his first woman. Her lips twisted as she grimaced, for Deanna highly doubted Siren's Corner even existed anymore.

She sighed, lamenting over so much destroyed and lost when she felt that icy chill down her spine once more. Deanna's body temperature normally ran higher than an ordinary human's, and it was only on those infrequent occasions that Deanna felt herself grow cold all over. This was one of those occasions, the goosebumps that rose on the skin of her arms a testimony to this anomaly. The shifter frowned heavily as she rubbed warmth into her skin, wondering what was causing such a strange feeling.

Quinn must have noticed her discomfort and hugged her tighter, a frown gracing his lips as well. Panic suddenly gripped Deanna, a tightness forming in her chest, and she suddenly had an overwhelming desire to pray to her goddess Elysia. That thought alone brought Deanna sharply upright, her body stiffening as she blinked at her own shocking contemplation. Her goddess? Since when did Deanna lay claim to any god or goddess since she had ceased to worship...her. It had been ages since she reminisced about the terrible goddess that she loved more than life, whom she worshiped faithfully as a priestess in her own right, whom she considered a mother.

The same goddess who betrayed her love, trust and loyalty. The goddess whose actions caused her bitter distrust and loathing in all future gods and goddesses that crossed her path. Here she was now, envisioning Elysia, and Deanna felt fear for the deity, yet unable to fathom the reason why.

Deanna was silently trying to make sense of this nonsense when she overheard a small group of nobles talking quietly among themselves as they passed by. They spoke of Victor Sage and how he was seeking the King's council even as they spoke. Deanna pushed all thoughts of Elysia and deities from her mind as she rose swiftly to her feet. If the King was granting Victor audience, then surely Wish was with the mage. Deanna had not seen the two since arriving at the palace, and was determined to make sure that no harm had come to the pair. Well, at least Wish.

"Did you hear that? Victor is with that ass, Alerion. That might mean Wish is with them. Let's go find out." She tugged on Quinn's hand to bring him to his feet, and together, entered the maze that was the castle corridors. Built of stone and lit by torches, the twists and turns were fairly easy to navigate, especially if one had a keenly developed sense of smell, which both Quinn and Deanna had. It was a simple matter of picking up on Wish's scent and following it.

A short while later, they came upon the door to Alerion's private chambers (the main door this time), where a guard was stationed outside welding a spear. The pair stopped short and Deanna put on her best smile when she noted this particular guard was none other than that loudmouthed foolish boy whom she cuffed into submission only hours ago. It appeared he recognized her as well (how could he forget?), and narrowed his gaze at her, a hardened scowl on his face. He wore no helm, and Deanna couldn't help but grin as she saw the purple bruise that decorated the left side of his face.

"You!" The lad thrust his spear out in warning, attempting bravado, but Deanna could smell the sweat that beaded on his forehead, could see the slight wavering of his spear as his hands shook.

"Yes, me. Nothing gets past you, does it boy?" All pleasantries aside, Deanna's grin broadened as she gestured to her handiwork. "If it means anything to you, I believe it is a nice improvement."

Deanna could hear Quinn trying to contain his chuckle, could see his head shaking from the corner of her eye, but knew that even though her mate was highly amused, he would prefer if she remained subdued to avoid any further entanglements with Alerion's guards.

Deanna turned to Quinn and smiled sweetly. When wasn't she on her best behavior?

"You!" The child guard with the highly developed vocabulary spoke up again. "You can't be here! The King is busy with others, and doesn't want you here anyway!"

"Ease up there spearhead, I'm not planning on forcing my way in. I know he's entertaining, and just wish to wait patiently for my friends to leave. That's all. I promise." Another winning smile was offered as she leaned against the opposite wall, her arms crossed over her breasts.

"You can't wait here! You have to go! Go wait somewhere else!"

The shifter blinked. "Why not?" She was honestly puzzled. "You're telling me I can't stand here? Just minding my own business while I wait? Why not?"

"Because!" he spluttered.

Deanna waited for a more suitable response. The boy stared at her with wide panicked eyes and offered nothing else.

She arched a dark brow and prodded him once more for an answer, and when she was met with a blank stare, she sighed. "I'm not leaving. I'm going to wait here until my friends exit that door behind you." She pointed with a forefinger. "So get over it." The young guard was clearly uncomfortable with the two just staring at him in the darkened hallway, and Deanna took advantage of that.

"Tell me boy, did you get demoted or something? Is there a reason why they left you out here all alone like some peon, or was it because your fellow brothers in arms were laughing themselves senseless that you got your ass handed to you by a woman and couldn't focus on the job?" She smiled wickedly at him, her amber orbs glowing in the dusky torch light.

"THAT'S IT! I'M NOT TAKING YOUR ABUSE ANYMORE! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, GET OUT OF HERE NOW OR I SWEAR BY THE GODS I'LL..."

"You'll what?" She snapped at him, cutting off his little tirade as she pushed away from the wall, her eyes narrowed into mere slits. The little boy guard who so bravely raised his pipsqueak voice in what he thought was a threatening manner, suddenly backed up sharply against the wood door that led into Alerion's chambers.

"Is this how the great King Alerion directs his personal guards to behave toward the citizens of Eiler?" She raised her voice deliberately so that all within Alerion's chambers, and whomever happened to pass by, could hear her. "Is this what they are trained to do? Intimidate and threaten the people of Eiler, especially in such a time of need? Are we so little to the King, our lives so meaningless to his royal majesty, that we must suffer such abuse at the hands of his OWN PERSONAL GUARD FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL?"

She glared at the boy guard who turned ashen faced, and could hear Quinn slap his palm against his forehead, muttering something under his breath which Deanna could assume was nothing favorable toward his mate. The shifter's smile was as sweet as sugar, for her intent was to draw attention to Alerion and his guards inside so that they might open the door and allow Quinn and Deanna in. She personally didn't give a damn about seeing the King, for he had nothing in particular to offer her (or the realm in her opinion), but merely the desire to ensure herself that Wish (and Victor) were safe and sound in this piss palace Alerion called his home.

Satisfied, she crossed her arms over her breasts again and waited patiently to be acknowledge as Alerion's 'honored guest'.

They'd been told to run, and who was he to disobey a Goddess? Dravvin and his new apprentice made their way back to the temple and ushered the priests and the refugees out. Only one priest had given the elemental any lip.

"And just who do you think you are? We take orders from Elysia, not..." he man looked Dravvin up and down in disgust, "Some hooded rogue who thinks he knows what she wants."

The Iceman sighed. He hadn't had to do this in a long time and while it wasn't like it was painful or anything, he just couldn't believe that there was always one that needed to be brow beaten into allowing him to save their life. Pushing the hood back off of his head, he looked at the priest, his ice blue eyes staring into the other man's. Rahne had been about to say something but Dravvin reached out to stop her from getting too close to the priest. Then he changed.

Slowly at first, but only because it'd been so long, he felt the familiar coolness start in the pit of his stomach. It grew and expanded until finally, like muscles remembering an exercise, it sped up. He rolled up his sleeves just before the feeling got to his shoulders. By the time the feeling reached his head he knew how he looked. Dravvin Kirk, The Iceman, stood in front of the priest, his body solid ice, shone where his skin was exposed.

The living ice sculpture allowed the priest to stand there shocked for just a moment before continuing, his voice didn't sound any less warm, but there was a distinct chill in the temple now. "I believe I have a bit of a connection with your Mistress, and trust me when I say any perceived knowledge I have of her wishes, come directly from her." he let those last words sink in, "Now, if you'll please help gather the people and lead them to the caverns I told you about."

Finally they all moved on to the caverns and much to his surprise, everyone went in fairly willingly. Everyone except Rahne. She hesitated, okay hesitated wasn't the right word, just down right refused to go in. She was letting others go first, pushing some little kid in front of her so that she didn't have to go next, allowing "ladies first" to go in. It was quite obvious that she didn't want to go in.

What had his apprentice so riled up about this cave? She was willing to go head on against creatures that the Gods themselves where fearful of, but this hole was giving her pause. Surely she wasn't scared of the dark still? No, that didn't seem like something Rahne was be fearful of. Then again how well did he really know this girl? He'd just been given this "opportunity" to train her very recently and they didn't know each other well yet. As the last of the survivors entered the caverns, Rahne and Dravvin stood looking at each other.

She was going to go in. He could tell by her body language and he knew enough about her that she wanted him to think she was brave and strong enough to stand on her own. But before she could go in he stopped her.

"Rahne, I want to give you something before we go in." The confused look on her face made him smile a bit. There was something that he'd been thinking about giving her for a few days now, but he wasn't sure until just now if he was going to do it. There was an item that he'd been given years ago and while it was a nice gesture, he wasn't sure why his brother had given it to him.

Years ago, back in another land, his brother Kilowog had given him a staff. It was a beautiful staff, black wood with runes cut into it and highlighted in gold. At first he'd thought that the staff had been painted or stained black, however upon closer inspection, he realized it was the wood's natural color. He'd never been able to figure out where Kilo had found such a unique staff, but it had been something he'd treasured for years.

Now, with his brother dead and he himself never having used it, the Elemental thought it was a waste not to see the staff go to someone who might actually have use for it, either as a weapon or as a focus item. So, with that in mind, Dravvin closed his eyes and held out his right hand. He focused on the staff, how the ebony wood grain felt in his hand, how the runes would light up with even the faintest bit of magic ability from a person. He thought of every detail of it, and finally kept that image in mind. Then he started chanting something.

Rahne blinked and when she opened her eyes again, Dravvin's outstretched hand wasn't empty any more. In it was the staff he'd been thinking of. Giving it a good twirling around, he finally handed it to Rahne. "This is a family heirloom, Padawan. Please use it well." He chuckled when she looked at him, and asked what he'd just called her. "Padawan." he repeated. "Roughly translated means a learner, beginner, or as in this case, student."

Nodding to the staff, he said, "Those are runes carved into that staff. I'll expect you to learn each of them and be able to use them, before long. Right now just use it to bash in skulls." he smiled, full blown this time, before wiping his forehead. "I think it's getting hotter out here. Let's head inside." He started to go inside before her to show here there was nothing to be scared of, but instead she gently pushed him to the side and strode into the cave as if she owned them. Hell for all Dravvin knew she did.

He'd done several good deeds for the day and was just about done. Truthfully he wasn't sure what to do next, but Elysia had said to protect her children and that was just what he was going to do. Especially Rahne, she was his now, so that made her double special. Or screwed however you wanted to look at it.

At the Moon Barrel Inn, nestled comfortably in the Jade City, business was booming. It's a sad truth that mankind resorts to liquor and gossip in times of great suffering. When their houses got washed away, villagers inevitably found themselves stumbling through the musky inn, joking or fighting, their worries drowned in mead. Either that or they cowered in Auroras' Temple. But men, even cowardly ones, had thirst and a need for drunken banter. The Moon Barrel Inn was ideal.

The gossip was particularly rich lately. So much was happening!

"Say, you hear about those monsters? I heard there's dragons destroying everything in their path." Beady brown eyes peered over the edge of a mug.

"Yeah. They were calling it the Val'nothe over at the Temple." The second man was bald, his face pockmarked with scars and boils.

"I piss on dragons," another man jested, wavering in his seat. "Wring the damn things neck and be done with it."

"Where is the Val'nothe, then?" The first man questioned, his fingers tugging the whiskers of his mustache.

"I heard it was heading for Chaliceton.."

"Oh, lords.." The man hissed, releasing his mustache and pounding his fist on the bar table. "My cousin has a farmstead out there.."

"I hope he has a lot of cows. Dragons are supposed to be hungry bastards!"

There was a round of chuckles, but the laughter was forced. The balding man with his scarred face spoke up next.

"Did you hear about the Aliscowri? Those crazy wild men?" His hazel eyes twinkled.

"The what now?"

"Aliscowri. They're people gone feral, wild like wolves an' all.. My brother told me about it, he was there. They were.. well, they were starving, hundreds of 'em. They were eatin' people.. Even each other."

"Cannibals, huh? Doesn't surprise me much. What about you, Jaster?" The drunk turned his gaze towards his friend, the man with the mustache.

The man looked up from his beer. His eyes were watery with drink. "I've heard of worse. Have you ever talked to Kars mother? The wench makes cannibals sound like pleasantries fit for lords."

"Hey, your wife aint much better!" Kars hollered from across the room.

Wiping sweat from his forehead, the bald man resumed his tale. "Anyways, it gets worse, if you'd shut yer yap. The Aliscowri women.. they.. well.. You know, men have a tendency to release a little love potion in our last moments, hey, but there's some Aliscowri women that take a man into her.. then slit his throat! They take the seed from a dying man.."

Jaster groaned. "It sounds like another one of your tales, Ail."

"Mayhap it is.. but there's more. There's some women that got pregnant from this dying seed, but their child is cursed. Or perhap blessed, because the devils grow a hundred times fast as a man.. they are born in days! They say some have already been born.. The Dead Children.."

A new person spoke up, approaching the bar. This man was dressed in a simple robe, coarse fabric woven from sheep fur, the black dye fading to grey. His arms clinked as he reached out for a beer from the barmaid, for they were decorated up to the elbows with various bands of metals and stones. His presence was solemn and Ail stopped his story to study the newcomer.

"Maestro Carlain," Ail said respectfully, nodding to the man. His brown eyes were shameful. "I hope.. you didn't hear too much.."

The man chuckled, but his eyes were grave as he looked over the men at the bar. "I heard it already, I'm afraid. What Ail says is true, more or less. Aliscowri: men and women gone mad with hunger.. but it's more. They are cannibals, murderers, and driven by some.. revelation. A twisted truth, perhaps.. It would be wise if we prepared for any eventualities, both with these demons in the sky and these monstrous men on earth, for the Old Ones are not pleased."

At this, Jaster spat at the floor disrespectfully. "Old Ones be damned. There aint no old gods, Carlain. There's only four gods, you know that. Always has been, always will be. Just like the earth be flat as this table."

The Maestro lips curled in a tight smile as he took a sip of his drink. "These gods you worship slept and let mortal men drink the health from this land. It was not these gods which saved this world once before. Legend says Alerion did it. But who made Alerion? Who drove his mind, his desires! There are Old Gods, you fool. It takes an idiot to ignore that."

Jaster shrugged. "I can speak to my gods, and they will answer."

"My gods answer me every day. You are too deaf to hear them."

Ail spoke up. "Brothers, calm down.. There's no need for hostility here, among friends! Especially with raving lunatics, evil monsters, and tidal waves making our lives a bitter hell already. Let's find a brothel and relieve this tension more productively. I've a desire to father more bastards. Three's hardly enough.."

The Maestro laughed heartily. "I know you jest, Ail, but how I wish my vows allowed me.. Even if I were not bound to my ways, there is a more pressing issue than the desires of our flesh to attend to. Consider this - if the Val'nothe is real, and the gods cannot stop it, then who is that left to? Should we cower here to wait for it to destroy us? Or these mad men, or another wave? Perhaps a meteor?! You would be wise to pray to the Old Gods as well, for a hundred voices carry much further than one."

Jaster sighed. "I will only believe what I can see. These mad men, these monsters.. they're nothing more than stories, same as your gods. I'm more worried about the damned tidal waves. It barely splashed my home, but the bottom's all rotted out and now I need to rebuild the whole damn thing."

"I'd be more worried about the Gods." Maestro Carlain studied him coldly. The Maestro had a chiseled face, square as a block of granite and equally as unmoving. Wrinkles formed cracks through this solid visage, a testament to his age of fifty-four. Jaster looked away nervously.

Ail made to speak, but the door burst open. A wall of flesh pushed through, people clawing against each other and lunging into the tavern. Cries of alarm and shock spread through the inn as dirty and bloody Aliscowri poured into the inn like ravenous rats. Hooked fingers clawed at flesh, clutching arms and legs and dragging screaming men into the destructive swarm.

The Maestro had the disturbing pleasure of watching the Aliscowri eat the inns patrons alive as they screamed and struggled against the violent mob while they were yanked out of the inn. Maestro Carlain leaped over the bar and lunged upstairs as quick as his short legs would take him, trying to ignore the sounds of agony behind him.

--

It was over in minutes. The Aliscowri never even came upstairs. Men had drawn swords, and the rabid pack was driven back or slaughtered. Maestro Carlain made his way downstairs, wobbly and weak with fright. The common room of the inn was painted red with blood, but there were almost no bodies.

Ail was standing at the bar, holding a sword covered in blood. He looked grimly at Maestro Carlain. The balding man seemed to know what the Maestro was wondering, for he spoke up, his voice filled with shock.

"We were.. hacking them to pieces.. but the other ones.. they still took the bodies.."

Maestro Carlain was happy he wasn't there to witness the horror. The Aliscowri, even in retreat, were so starved to risk their lives to drag their dead comrades out of the inn. For.. food.

"I ... I think they're gone," someone else spoke up, and Maestro Carlain was strangely relieved to see Jaster still in one piece. The heretic was apparently a solid warrior, even inebriated, for his arm was coated in blood and not a drop was his.

"Yeah," Ail replied. "It was a raid. They didn't mean to stay long. I bet the other buildings got hit just as bad.."

A skirmish into Jade? By ravenous, insane people? Maestro Carlain wondered at the audacity of the attack, but his stomach churned every time he glanced around and he made his way for the door.

"Where are you going, Maestro?" Ail asked after him.

"To pray," Maestro Carlain replied, shoving the door of the inn open.

Skipping and singing, the Faery and Wolf duo, laughed and goofed off, frolicking care-free through the woods. Some sappy music should be playing in the background and there should be a meadow of flowers to roll in, and a clear sky, with some fluffy clouds. Birds twittered and chirped..and those were the peaceful sounds. Melvin's rank farts and under-arm odor were sure to make her pass out though! Dear gods, help! He could out reek a skunk!

She had to cling to his back to miss branches slapping her in the head and face. One got tangled in her hair and she squealed and fought it until the wisp of snowy hair was free again. "DAMNIT!" she blurted out. And then blushed because she had cussed. She's heard her family cuss at times, but that's probably one of the -few- times she has done it herself. Melvin surely would gasp and stare at her in shock and sheer awe at hearing his sweet Lil Bug curse. Still, the piggy-back ride was awesome....even if her legs itched insanely from his fur tickling them and the caked on filth made her feel like she was about to break out in hives!

And if she could talk to Rook right now, she'd probably tell her: "OH MY GOD! I wanted to pass out from his horrible pit stench, it was making me gag and knowing he had wiped his hands on himself after he wizzed, I wanted to shave him bald and smack his hands with a rolled up copy of the Chronicle!" More than likely, she would tell her sister about this adventure of hers, if she didn't get into too much trouble, which she naturally feared.

-Yes-, she had called him dear. She might do it again, later. When she heard him say he had smelled water, she was relieved beyond measure. She could be clean and pretty again! She could conjure up more clothes and she could do a thorough cleaning on them both and be rid of their pests and parasites! She felt like a little homeless girl, she's never been so dirty in all her life! Okay...playing in the creek and around the farm got her dirty fairly well, but she's never gone more than a day without a bath. She felt like her sweat, body odor, dust, dirt, and everything was caked on her in a layer so thick she wouldn't be able to fly much longer.

She was itchy, stinky, sticky, her clothes were filthy and it felt like they were perma-stuck to her. The heat had made her sick a few times and she was rather dehydrated. She has had the forethought to keep in touch with her Papa and he was amazed at all she's done so far; though she could tell there was an underlying worry. He's always had that. Good papa's worried for their kids. Even though she appeared to be a child, her mentality was of a young woman, probably that of a teenager or a smidge older. When her body would blossom, even she didn't know, but hopefully she wouldn't appear ten forever!

-----
When they finally reached the stream, she jumped off Melvin's shoulder and soared over to the water. It wasn't flowing to fast, and she drifted down to test how cool it was. It was -perfect-. Without caring, or more likely not thinking, she darted back to the shore and flung off her shoes, her bandana, her top and any of her other clothes. Once she was naked, she ran into the water until it covered her rather flat chest and then dove beneath the water and stayed under until she had to come up. She wound up a few feet away from where she had began, but was still in the shallows.

With some sand in hand, she began furiously scrubbing herself until the sand filtered through her hand and she had to dive for more. By the forth dive, she was looking a little cleaner. "Get in here, furry-butt, the water's perfect! You can't hunt stinky, you'll scare everything away!" she teased. If he was hesitant, she grab his hand and lead him in. Then she realized he was staring at her, lewdly. "Quit gawking 'cause I'm naked and get in here." she insisted. "You won't drown, I won't let you. Come into the water just like walking on land, til its up to your waist. I'll have you swimming circles around these fishes in no time, but a bath first." she declared.

Once he got over any fears, she'd then have him dunk himself below the water and when he popped back up and shook water out of his ears, she laughed. "Goofball..you're gonna have to kneel so I give you a good scrubbing." Yeah, this would leave her embarrassed forever if anyone were to walk up on them. Its not like they had a choice though. With a few minutes of 'wishing', she conjured up several bars of soap and got to scrubbing. There was even a scrubby brush in the the bucket of 'bath stuff' she conjured up. He was going to end up smelling like flowers, because it was vanilla scented! He would smell a bit girly, but he would smell so much better!

The next few hours were spent with her scrubbing, rinsing, scrubbing, dousing, combing, preening, and giving Melvin his Extreme Makeover! He would be tick, flea, louse, mite, and pest free. He would even get a trim too, she knew he had to be roasting in all the fur, so he primped, pampered, manicured, pedicured, and more or less, Melvin was attending his own private Spa Day!

He was gonna be amazed at how handsome he looked when she was through!

Post originally by Character_Thanatos

"Sun is red; moon is cracked
Daddy's never coming back
Nothing's ever yours to keep
Close your eyes, go to sleep
If I die before you wake
Don't you cry, don't you weep

Nothing's ever as it seems
Climb the ladder to you dreams
If I die before you wake
Don't you cry, don't you weep
Nothing's ever yours to keep
Close your eyes; go to sleep"

Mommy's sing song voice echoed in his head. He'd been napping. Napping made him feel feel. He always woke and had more energy. But napping was bad too. Napping meant he missed things. Things happened while you were asleep, and he didn't like missing things. It wasn't fun. He missed his friends, but they were still sleeping too. They needed lots of sleep cause of all the playing they did.

It was time to get up now though. It was too hot to sleep, and too loud. Things were happening out there and he was missing them. He didn't like that. His belly hurt. He needed food. He wasn't sure where mommy was now, but she made sure he was able to get his own food. So he got up and went out to find something. Surely there would be food around somewhere.

Quietly he made his way out the home mommy and daddy had made for him. They told him he had to be careful not to make any noise cause mean people would hear him and take him from them, but he'd never let that happen. No, he'd make them go to sleep like all his friends were. They'd be too tired from playing to try to take him away.

As he made his way down the mountain he looked around. Things were different now. Things had changed. The land smelled different. The air tasted different. The wind sounded different. He didn't like different. That meant that things had happened and he hadn't seen them. He'd never nap again. No! Never Nap Again!

Souls Ferry Cemetery was one of his favorite places to play. He went there hoping to find someone to play with. There were always sad people there, but he was able to play with them and make them happy again. Then they'd fall asleep. He didn't mind them falling asleep. Mommy explained that they weren't as strong as he was. He was proud that his mommy thought he was strong. Where was mommy?

His belly made that noise again. Food. He was hungry. Maybe his new friend would have food. He tiptoed into the cemetery. He didn't like scaring his friends. It was quite tonight. Only one person was there. She was crying and looking at a stone in the ground. Mommy had said that weak people slept under ground sometimes. Sometimes forever. They must have been really weak.

He tiptoed closer to the other person. It was a girl! He liked girls. They were always so nice and soft, and their hair smelled pretty too. He came up behind the girl and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. It scared her at first, but he hugged her tighter and tighter. Mommy said he gave the best hugs. Eventually his new friend grew quiet and just let him hug her. He smiled.

He whispered into her ear, "We're friends now. We can play if you want to." but she didn't answer. She was quiet. Oh No! He'd made her fall asleep already! She must have been really tired from all the crying she'd been doing. She smelled good. She smelled like food. Food that was getting cold. He ate, but he made a mess. That was fine though, his mommy said that it meant he had a busy brain.

Now that he ate he needed to find his mommy. He didn't know where to start though. It was different now. Maybe he should go and ask some other people. Maybe they'd be his friends too. He got excited. He wanted more friends. He wanted friends that didn't fall asleep when he hugged them. That would be nice.

There were sounds coming from the bright place. His mommy had called it the city. Maybe she would be there now. He skipped off into the direction of Grand City. Maybe mommy would be there. And if not that was ok, he'd keep looking for her. He was a good boy like that.

There is a saying, "There are a few things I never could believe: A woman when she weeps, a merchant when he swears, a thief who says he'll pay, a lawyer when he cares, a snake when he is sleeping, and a drunkard when he prays.". For some reason, that I wasn't 100% sure of, that quote came to mind when Wish and I entered the King's room. It wasn't that I didn't like the guy, I just didn't know him well enough yet to decide if he could be trusted.

There are very few times when I find myself unable to get a word in. Okay, maybe that's a lie. There are very few times that when I really want to make myself heard I can't be. This wasn't really one of those times, it was just that the conversation proceeded without me and I had to fight to keep up. Almost every time I was about to speak it seemed either Wish or Alerion had chosen to do so first.

And then Maxim Redmont came into the room. It seemed this was destined to go from bad (Wish enlisting in the army) to worse (the only person in Aleris who had a longer rap sheet than I did, only most things on Maxim's list he'd actually done). I guess I shouldn't be judgmental. Most of the things I'd supposedly done where false, maybe Maxim wasn't the bad guy he'd been painted to be all these years either?

And then I remembered where else I'd heard his name...it was in the other realm. The place I'd been before coming to Aleris. Maxim had been there too. If I remembered correctly Maxim had been the avatar for the goddess of death. I'm pretty sure that they don't ask the boy scout troops of Aleris to join the death cult and possibly work their way up to avatar if they sell enough candy bars.

Maxim's history was pretty dark, but it'd be unfair of me not to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was trying to change. Then again I never said I was fair. My hand tightened on my staff, I didn't have my coat and that bothered me. It was layered with wards and protection spells, that had saved my hide on more than one occasion. At least my trusty stick was with me.

The vampire turned to us, asked if we knew anything and then promptly went on talking. That was interesting. Once he finished I opened my mouth to say something only to find that someone else was talking over me again. This time from outside the room. It seemed that there was a woman out there who was very upset about something. Looking at Wish, I almost asked her something about the lady, when I realized where I'd heard her voice before. I mouthed "Deanna" to her and sighed heavily.

It seemed that I was never going to get away from that woman. You might ask, "Vic, why do you dislike her so?" Well for those just joining our program, she tried to kill me. Actually she nearly did, and if it wasn't for some quick work from Wish, I'd be talking a bit differently right now...through a psychic.

For the first time since the meeting took place I spoke, "King Alerion, not to be pushy or try to tell you what to do, but I think it'd be best if we could finish this up quickly. If the lady making that racket outside is who I think she is, you probably want me to make sure she's either locked away somewhere safe, or far away from the castle as possible. Either way, I think my partner," I motioned to Wish, "and I would be more than happy to do either for you."

Was I honestly ready to put Deanna into a cell and leave her there for a while? Damn straight I was. She took a chunk out of me, and damnit that had hurt. I've never been willing to hit a woman before in my life, but I wasn't sure that De counted. Whatever the King wanted I would do. For now.

Blend groaned. His head was throbbing. It reminded him of those hungover mornings on the ship, his stomach filled with souring mead and his head filled with the cloying darkness of a headache. Only as he opened his eyes, he realized instantly he wasn't anywhere near that ship.

He was in Chaos.

The place was becoming strangely familiar to him. He'd been here three times already. But something was distinctly different this time. He was still alive. He could feel his stomach rumbling, feel the pressure in his head as his blood pounded against his temples, and even the cool hardness of the crystal-strewn ground. His body was still in one piece.

He struggled to get up, only to realize his arms and legs were shackled by chains made of black stone. Pulling against the chains, Blend looked around. He wasn't alone. Circling him were twenty alien figures. They looked identical in shape and size to the Lesser Hounds, the Septorians he'd seen before in the dragons' warren. They had three legs, two at the fore and one at the back. Their tail was thin and ratlike. Their face was wolfish, narrow and long with series of deadly teeth set into a grinning mouth. They only had one eye, a large and glistening globe that was centered in their forehead.

That's where the similarities between Septorians and these new creatures ceased. The Septorians were black and grey - they matched their environment, the somber darkness of the dragon warren. These creatures before him were anything but somber. Their skins were covered in beautiful crystalline scales, and lattices of glowing plasma ran from beneath their eyes and down their sides in streaks. They held every color of the rainbow in the surface of their flesh, and some colors Blend wasn't sure he'd ever seen before. Patches of darkness bloomed from beneath the scales, voids of shadow that hid beneath the exotic surface of their skin. They were perfectly at home in the chaotic environment before him. Circling, they studied him coolly with their bizarre eyes.

Blend sighed. He didn't know what was going on. He decided he'd retrace his steps.

First, he'd been in Alerions' castle. Djarin had tried to pass the revelation into Alerion, sacrificing his lover in the process. Then Djarin got stabbed through the heart by a guard. Blend had urged Deanna and Quinn to escape with him, but when they didn't respond quick enough, he fled the scene without them.

From there, his plan was to get out of the castle as quickly as possible. It wasn't that hard. People were always coming and going, and Blend left the fortress on the premise he was searching for his sister. He got that bright idea from the memory of Aishas' brother - the spirit Djarin had spoke to, who led them into the castle to King Alerion.

Once outside the fort, Blend had found a small boat and set off. It wasn't his brightest idea - the vessel was small enough to fit three people in it, if they were small - but fortune was smiling on him that day. As he paddled into the waters, Blend noticed a familiar sight; the fin of a Kharl'at broke the surface of the water twenty yards from him. A slender head rose from the salty depths, and Ternal the dragon stared at him.

The Kharl'at are a magnificent race of creatures. Flightless, these dragons have evolved to become monsters of the sea. They are ancient, and usually peaceful, for their food is rarely larger than fish. Their skin is black as night, and small red spikes ridge their eyes and their spine, threatening colors that all oceanic creatures respect as a warning.

Ternal was a particularily hardy Kharl'at. His right wing had been nearly decimated by a magical attack from the other Kharl'at. Yet he was still alive, and approached Blend.

Then they went.. into the dragons warren. But something wasn't right. The Order of the warren was being destroyed. Djarin, he had thought. Djarin did this. The black obelisks which represented the spirits of guardian dragons were shattering, crumbling into pebbles around him.

Ternal was frightened. He'd tried to pull them back, into Aleris. But something went wrong..

And now he was here.

One of the alien demons circled him, watching him with an unblinking single eye. It seemed to be grinning.

--

Time flies when you're having fun. If that saying is true, then time was crawling for Blend. The longer he spent chained inside Chaos, the more he was growing to dislike it.

Wisps of smoke were the worst part. Blend first thought these unassuming blots of color that drifted through the air were harmless, until one such wisp brushed against his flesh. Plasma, hot as the sun and much closer, burned through his skin as the smoke cascaded against his body. Screaming, Blend writhed against the chains futilely as agony touched him with a murderous caress. But he didn't die - no, it was worse. The wounds healed as quickly as they were burned into his flesh, and Blend felt a warmth flowing from the chains that gripped him.

This process was washed and repeated, two times, ten, a hundred... Blend was losing track of time, and even worse he could feel his mind bending under the pain. Yet every time he felt on the brink of death, heat flowed from the chains and into his body and his wounds repaired themselves eagerly.

He screamed at one of the three-legged demons. "What do you want with me?!" A purple bolt of lightning lashed out of the sky and slammed into him, and Blend blacked out. The last thing he remembered was the smell of his own charred hair.

--

When he came to, he was still in Chaos and still chained. Blend was hoping this all was some sort of cruel dream, but he knew the texture of reality and he knew he was there. He was blessed, at least - the air seemed relatively clear, and no pain or agony assaulted his flesh. He turned his head.

Before him was the Guardian of Chaos. He'd seen the creature before, as a giant crystalline bear. Later, a wolf. Now, it had changed again. Today, the Guardian of Chaos was in the shape of a man.

It sat cross-legged, towering above the chaotic landscape like a small mountain. Its skin was translucent, and the veins and arteries beneath pulsed vibrantly with plasma and energy. Glass tendrils of hair framed its massive, stern face. A series of glass crystals formed its eyebrow and the lengthy beard that draped down its chest. Its left eye was fixated on Ternal, the Kharl'at, who Blend was surprised to see standing before the Guardian. Its right eye was blind, a black pool.

Djarin? Blend thought, shocked. Surely, the single eye meant something. He glanced at Ternal, remembering the dragon also didn't have his right eye. The dragon was talking to the Guardian, and Blend seemed to be unnoticed, so he tried to eavesdrop. Not much else he could do anyways, with these chains..

The Guardian of Chaos spoke in a series of clicks and whistles, and instantly Blend recognized the ancient tongue of the dragons. It was the one that Ternal used to speak with them before, a fascinating language that is instinctual in all living things - a language that is known, not learned. In a way, it was a universal language. Blend was pleased to know he could listen to this conversation.

"Now that you have accepted, you must act quickly. Horrible monsters have been unleashed in Aleris, known as the Val'nothe. There isn't much time before the realm is torn apart. The gods are at a loss, three sides of nature without the fourth to balance them. Without Tempesturo, it will be our duty to provide Chaos. Remember this, you will see many horrible things resulting from the sacrificed Aspect of Destruction, but you must turn your head. In the end, his goal was the same as yours - to bring balance to all life."

"Before I go.." Ternal stared up at the Guardian. "..What happened to Eliskan?"

"The warren has been reclaimed by Chaos."

"Then.. my sorceries.. are they too reclaimed? How will I draw on power from a place destroyed?"

"Did I say it was destroyed? No, it is simply reclaimed. As you are now Aspected to this realm, you will be able to draw from it."

"And what of Blend? What am I to do with this mortal?"

"We have hardened him to Chaos. The chains around him healed his wounds, so he may survive the destruction here and grow stronger. Now he will return to Aleris. He is not an Aspect. He is only a messenger, a binding glue, which will be used to draw together the others. The gods need help, and the mortals can provide it, each in their own way. But some might need a guiding hand. Thus, you will take him to the Grand City. Then you will seek out the Val'nothe on your own. Destruction will follow you."

Ternal bowed his head. "Very well."

The Guardian of Chaos turned its eye to Blend and spoke in Common. "You were listening. That's good. You may rise now, I have one more thing to say."

The chains around Blends wrists and ankles vanished, and he rose warily, looking up at the Guardian.

"It is about the Aliscowri.."

--

Alerion continued standing behind his desk as Maxim told him the news about Jade City and how finally at long last they were willing to grant some aide to the continent of Eiler. So their doors were now open and the Mayor was going to take a chance, despite the thought of famine, hunger and sickness. That is, as long as Maxim Redmont was part of the Jade City guard, as long as he remained a noticeable presence there.

"This is good news to hear, Maxim," Alerion spoke. "I am not sure what methods of convincing it took to sway the Mayor of Jade City - perhaps his own conscious finally got to him - but either way, I am pleased to see Eiler will finally have the extra help it needs. Unfortunately, I am not sure Grand City can do everything alone and with Jade City out of commission..."

A hand went to Alerion's chin for a moment and he looked up at his ceiling where a mural was painted. The four gods of Aleris were encircling the continents, the seasons swirling and surrounding them like protective auras. The King to studied this painting as Maxim continued speaking.

"Unfortunately, I know about as much as the Gods do, which is barely anything at all," Alerion said and his gaze dropped from the ceiling to face the crimson eyed guard of Jade City again. "The best I can do at this moment is to try to counter defend against any attack that comes. While that has proved to work thus far, I can only imagine as you have guessed as well, that the worst is yet to come."

In the same manner as Victor, Alerion had opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by voices coming from the other side of his study. Alerion sighed, recognizing the voice of the Oak Barrel Tavern's manager and shook his head to Victor's suggestion.

"That won't be necessary, Victor, but thank you for offering. I imagine or hope that she will leave once she remembers I am not seeing visitors," Alerion said. "There is something else I would like you and your..." he paused looking at Wish considering what to deem the fairy, "partner to do. As Maxim had mentioned, the city of Joi is in need of assistance greatly. We need to make sure everyone has evacuated from there and is led to Jade City since they are closest and are now helping. Some people do not know how to fight and defend themselves and as a soldier of Grand City and Eiler, they need you to protect them now more than ever. Maxim, if you would, please go with Victor and Wish. Since you are the voice of Jade City's guard now, it would be helpful to have you along their side. If you would do this favor for me, I suggest all of you leave at the next nightfall as Maxim cannot travel during the day."

Alerion walked with the trio to the door and held a hand on the knob, listening to the voice of Deanna which grew louder and louder with each step he took.

"I thank you all for checking in, but I must bid each of you farewell now," Alerion said. "There are some matters I have to attend to, but please feel free to visit the castle armory for anything you need before departing to Joi."