Darkness had descended on the airship heading towards the Grand City. Smoke pungent with the fumes of roasting flesh poured out of one particular chamber of the massive vessel, producing thick clouds which strove hungrily for heaven's peace as they climbed the night sky. The lycanthropes avoided the area, and the Gulawrath paced nervously, hissing and staring with eager eyes towards the scent of cooked men that hid behind closed doors.

The Hunger had returned, and the Aliscowri were indulging themselves.

It was because of the children. Already two had been born. The newest Dead Seeds were twins to a woman called Posna, a black-eyed woman who reputably raped four men during their visit in Shimmer Town. They were only the first of a wave of children to be born during this trip. Unnatural forces compelled the embryos to grow rapidly, often at the expense of their mothers. The scent that imbued their smoke and flavored their meat was an Aliscowri who failed in her obligation to deliver. Her stillborn child had been carefully removed and tossed into the coals to burn.

Kotik watched Delorah as she writhed in agony on her bedding, struggling with childbirth. It was not going well. A discordant melody drilled through his skull as an Aliscowri nearby attempted to play a tune on his sitar. The music, the smoke, and the crying of starving children and birthing mothers drove Kotik outside.

A lycanthrope approached him, his body coated in thick red fur. Green eyes studied the Aliscowri curiously.

"Why do you leave your friends?" the lycanthrope asked after a while.

"I have no friends."

"The others .. the Aliscowri. Are you not hungry?"

Kotik's stomach rumbled at the mention of the word. It was coming to him, as well. The Hunger. The need to consume that particular substance that so cursed the Aliscowri with nightmares. "No," he lied.

"I'm hungry too," the lycanthrope admitted.

Kotik shrugged.

The two silent companions stared ravenously at the clouds passing by the eastbound airship.

--

"I'm dizzy," Blend groaned as he walked towards the castle.

Agatha shrugged, her eyes twinkling at him from across the table. "You'll get used to it."

The bundle of twigs stumbled over a knotted root and Blend cursed, smacking the table in the impeccably clean hut. "Shut up! You're distracting me."

The woven stick-man clumsily rose to its feet and glanced around. Thick woods to the south, and to the west a coastline. The severe walls of the Grand City capital lay ahead to the north, jagged edifices still bearing the marks of recent battles with gods and men. It began heading towards the gate again.

"Watch out!" Agatha yelped.

"What?!" Blend cried frantically as his soulsnare looked around.

Agatha smacked him on the arm, enough to bring Blend's attention back to the room in Chaos and the stinging pain on his bicep.

He was in two places at once, and it was enough to make his head spin. This fiddletwig invention Agatha introduced him to was amazing indeed. Even now, he could feel the stick's presence, controlling or ignoring it as he so desired, like an extension of his own mind. The effect was incredibly disorienting.

"What-- why'd you hit me for?"

"Spiders."

Blend glanced down at his arm, saw nothing, shrugged, and focused on the soulsnare again.

--

After some trial and error, the bundle of sticks made its way into the castle. Upon getting familiar with his new 'body', Blend began to realize many advantages. First and foremost - the smaller, the better. Blend had a new approach to the world, and could find cracks and hidden entrances that no properly proportioned man could hope to discover. Secondly - sticks are simply sticks. No one seemed to notice an inanimate bundle of wood, roughly strewn together in the shape of a man, whether it lay in an open street or the privacy of the castle proper. If anything, he was a discarded doll. Last but not least - Chaos flowed through this pile of sticks like water through a broken dam.

He realized this when he struggled to climb a certain rock. It would be nice, he thought, to simply teleport. The thought created action, and Blend found himself on the top of the rock, staring down. The residual stain of Chaos lingered in the air, and moments passed before a landslide began, sending Blend's soulsnare tumbling down the mountainside.

"What just happened?" Blend asked Agatha. He was still seated in the hut within Chaos.

"Did you see where that vile arachnid scampered off to?" Agatha was wandering around the room, eyes wide as she wielded a bundled paper.

Blend frowned and returned his attention to the soulsnare.

--

Teleportation wasn't the only nifty trick his new body had. It could phase, it could levitate, it could do just about anything Blend tried. He quickly realized the ability wasn't without consequence. Like the landslide caused earlier, Chaos immediately sought to restore balance and seemed eager to return Blend to a point well before where he started.

He attempted to use this in reverse. "I want to go up the hill, Chaos says I'll go down. But what if I try to go down the hill? Then Chaos will send me up, right?"

The soulsnare teleported downhill, slipped on some leaves and tumbled further down.

"So much for that idea."

--

Avoiding the use of his new-found abilities, Blend still managed to infiltrate the castle. Valorius was probably shocked by the sudden arrival of a small figure on his shoulder.

"I remember you," Blend's soulsnare said, sitting down on the mans shoulder as if he owned it. Surely a bad idea, but Blend was feeling as confident as a proud oak in the midday sun. Perhaps the acorn was to blame. "You shot me. Ahh well, let's let bygones be bygones. I've some important information for our Lord Reagent, so before you shoot me into oblivion again ... you know ... don't.

"Shut up, I said!!! No, not you. Her. No, not her. Nevermind."

Post originally by Character_Alastair Bluefield

"Ah, yes. Let's see, where are we now? I possess nearly the full wealth of this world... I have the loyalty of my dear family... well, what's left of you, after that idiot Elijah tucked his tail between his legs and fled like the coward I always knew that he was. And the only remaining obstacle in my path to unimaaaaaaaaginable glory... is Deanna? Wait, am I reading this right?" The slant of feline of eyes narrowed, and the cheetah stared in disbelief at the report for a moment longer before looking up at the two Bluefields before him.

"Deanna? As in, Deanna Di'Corvino? My Deanna?" The two brutes exchanged nervous glances, and then nodded slightly in affirmation. In response, Alastair flippantly threw the few sheets of paper onto the desk and leaned back in his chair, eyes wide and jaw still open -- he was practically catatonic, and that was usually something reserved for his lesser half. Seeing the bottle of whiskey upon his desk, he finally poured quite a bit of it into the porcelain cup next to him, mixing it with the still somewhat warm tea that was left, and then proceeded to begin sipping it as he stared blankly at the wall. His careful and meticulous plan by no means included her.

"Are you absolutely sure? Completely and positively certain? Really? It was her?"

Another nod from the minions, which caused Alastair to wave a hand in dismissal. "When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk in Aleris... I guess. Leave me, I need to be alone right now." They summarily exited, and after the door was closed, the Bluefield beast laid his head back and sighed in exaggeration. "Gods -- why do you hate me?" The rhetorical question was left unanswered, and in the empty silence that followed, Alastair realized he had been so shocked by the news of his unlikely heiress' rampage, he had completely skimmed over something else. He snatched the paper back up and flipped through them, until he saw the other name.

"Well, it appears that my prediction was most apt, and now I'll get to say, 'I told you so,' to Verial and that Victoire woman. I can't decide whether or not I'm pleased, but at least now I know they'll have no reluctance to help me achieve that beautiful dream of erasing Elijah from existence. Lovely," he muttered, setting the report back down. The animal wasn't terribly concerned with Elijah, because that particular problem already had a solution. The loyalty of the disheartened troops who had survived the former leader's hilarious (well, Alastair found it amusing) massacre belonged to him now, and while he didn't like his chances alone, his ancestor had no chance against numbers like that in his weakened state. No, it was Deanna that worried him, for once. He was silent for a moment longer, and then he finally rose from his chair.

Less than four days earlier...

"And we should trust ya, after jack-ass jumped ship and left us to fuckin' die out here?" one Bluefield finally spoke up, causing the tall, lanky cheetah to turn swiftly and lock that maddening stare on the speaker. There was silence, and Alastair could already feel eyes upon him. It was time to drop the proverbial hammer, and if there was one thing he knew how to do with style and poise, that was it. "You seem to think that you have a choice. I assure, you do not. Let's all take a step back, wind the clock back several months -- then, you were formidable, a force to be reckoned with and a serious threat. Elijah, ever content to blunder his way through life like a retard, managed to completely ruin that. Your life now? You hide, and cower here in your fortress, hoping that our new 'king' doesn't decide to show up and finish the job he started. I, and I alone, have assured safety for all of you... Verial is even willing to lend assistance, for it is I who borrowed the treasury of Aleris."

There was a bit of mumbling and whispering, and he knew that had gotten their attention. The rumor had spread faster than even he had anticipated, and finally, the original dissident nodded. "Alright, chief. You've got it, we'll stick around and see where you're going with this whole gold thing."

The feral smile of the cheetah was nothing short of savage and menacing, and he nodded. "Wonderful. Now, I know from Miss Feral's publication, that there is indeed a proverbial storm coming, a second world war. If we wish to survive, we may find it better to sit on the fence for a bit and take notes. I want two of you to scout out the situation, and find out exactly what's going on. Two more of you will go to the location that I'll pinpoint for you after this meeting concludes, and set about moving half of that afore-mentioned treasury to another spot, one far safer, so that I may honor the bargain I set with Verial Akilara. Ironic, that our destroyer had become our newest asset," Alastair explained, his amusement already showing by that point.

"And the rest of us?"

"Have patience, my friend. You'll see, soon enough."

Currently...

He had transformed back into his lesser form, and was staring at the report he had just finished reading in utter, stupified shock. Sitting back as though the pieces of paper were a venomous snake coiled upon his desk and hissing at him, Alastair's human side could only think of one way to properly express his feelings.

"What."

"The."

"Fuck?"

"YOU'VE GOTTA BE FUCKING KIDDING ME! DOESN'T ANYBODY STAY FUCKING DEAD AROUND THIS GODDAMN PLACE?!" He reached for the bottle and in four or five gulps, finished it off and then launched the glass container against the door with a high-pitched roar of frustration. The explosive sound of it shattering was satisfactory, and he began looking around for other things to smash and destroy.

After all, it was Elijah's room, not his.

After a few vases and one expensive-looking music box had been broken, Alastair finally stormed out of the room and into the hallway, looking both ways in confusion. Then he remembered what his other half had given him the impulse to do, and he gestured at the two guards. "Hey, jack-asses. Yes, you two morons. Get the fuck out to the wherever-it-is that we keep our shit, and get us some goddamn transportation. We're goin' to see that blond slut from Bariston, and we need to get there like, yesterday," They stared for a moment in disappointment, and then turned reluctantly to go follow orders -- the fact of the matter was, the more eloquent, animalistic side of him hadn't mentioned just how his human half tended to behave... drunk, or not.

And truth be told, Alastair really couldn't blame him.

There was one final matter to attend to, and surprisingly, it was Alastair's human side who realized there was one way to ensure his other half would be... uninterrupted, while negotiating with Deanna. He kept walking until he found another Bluefield, and pointed towards the eastern side of the ruins they had converted into a crude home. "The thing, with all the spikes and shit, you know? Is it still in there?" "Uh... what?" Alastair's eyes narrowed, and he sighed in exasperation. "The thing! With all the spikes! That walking, talking thing!" "Sir, what the fuck are you babbling about?" Alastair grabbed the shirt of the less-powerful lycanthrope, and lifted him from the ground with a sneer on his face. "I don't give a fuck if you're scared of it, that goddamn armor. But you go get it right the fuck now. Not later, not in five minutes, not when you have a chance. Right now. Tell it I have an idea, I think there's somebody it really should meet."

While Miles was reporting the news to Layla of the attack on Shimmer Town and Garis Town, Madrin Kir had returned to Grand City. There was a knock on the door to Verial's audience room by a royal guard announcing Madrin's presence. It had been a while since Verial saw Madrin Kir, almost a month, but he was pleased to see the warrior man had come back to Grand City. Verial told the guard to let Madrin in and after he was ushered inside the room, the door closed leaving the two in privacy.

"Welcome back to Grand City, Madrin," Verial said with a bow. Madrin then explained to Verial that he was ready to accept the position he had been offered by Layla, that of Captain of the Alerian Guard. "Of course, we would be pleased to have you back on our side here. There's a lot going on right now and we need another set of trained eyes watching the soldiers, making sure they're actually learning how to defend their kingdom."

A hint of a smile crossed his features as Madrin dipped to one knee to take oaths to accept his new and high ranking position. Verial unsheathed the sword that was at his hip and used the flat side of the blade to tap one of Madrin's shoulders than the next. With a few words sworn between the two, Madrin was officially dubbed the Captain of the Alerian guard. When the short ceremony was over, Madrin stood and told Verial about his tip to Chaliceton and the darkness that plagued it.

"The cult of Gerthulo?" Verial said lifting a questioning brow in response having never heard of such a group of people. He guessed that was mostly because the cult was coming from beyond Aleris, from a place called Nidor. "That's a very interesting story, Madrin. We'll have to strengthen our defenses even more now. I'm not taking any threats lightly here, especially not in our current state of reconstruction. We've already heard that Shimmer Town and Garis Town have been attacked, that it's likely the work of an army of mages and therianthropes, possibly led by a lycan named Elijah Bluefield."

Despite the seriousness that was evident on both of their faces, Verial could not help but smile when Madrin explained this may be the work of a god of darkness named... Richard. Madrin didn't crack a grin, but Verial had to stop himself from letting out a laugh. He knew appearances could be deceiving and he definitely took Madrin's warnings in stride, but it seemed a humorous name for a god of darkness. Richard. Usually people like this had names that started with X's or Z's and sounded exotic, like Xanthias or something in that area.

"Please forgive me, Madrin," Verial said placing a hand on the man's shoulder for a moment. "I trust everything you say. It's been a long day and it's not yet the afternoon. I was only amusing myself. I'll have orders for you by tomorrow. For now, you can go get your new uniform and situate yourself with the castle grounds and what everyone has been doing as of late. Much has changed since you've been gone."

After finishing their conversation, Madrin and Verial left the audience chambers together, Verial bidding farewell to Madrin. They went in separate directions, Verial heading to his bedroom and Madrin heading to the armory to get his new uniform as well as any weaponry that he wanted. Once there, Verial drew himself a bath and stole some time for himself, however quick it was, to freshen up. Sitting in the tub, Verial was pleasantly surprised that no one had disturbed him and he entertained the idea that maybe the whole castle was currently under attack and here he was taking a bath. Eventually Verial left the warmth of his bath water and dressed. His raven hair was nearly dried when there was finally at long last a knock on his door.

Answering it, he was presented with Layla and a guard. It was not Layla who spoke first however, but the guard. The guard told Verial that there was someone named Ameerah Sultan and Valorius Malku of the Eternal Empire here requesting an audience with him. Verial looked up towards the ceiling wondering where he had heard that name before - the Eternal Empire. Then it came to him; he had been there once, although briefly. He had stumbled upon the realm via some portal and met a woman who lived there named Alidia Ryland.

Verial lowered his head again, his odd colored gaze lingering on Layla for a beat and then returned his attention to the guard who was waiting patiently for an answer. Verial nodded to both of them.

"I shall meet with them," Verial said to which the guard heaved a sigh of relief. Verial then looked towards Layla, gesturing down the end of the hallway. "My Lady, if you would, please accompany me to the library where we will both meet the representatives of the Eternal Empire. There's no need for you to bring them back here."

It was only a short distance to the library from Verial's bed chambers, but it would allow Layla and Verial a few moments to speak together as they walked down the hallway. The guard left them in a run again, his armor making clinking sounds down the hallway, most likely trying to get to the library first to let Ameerah and Valorius know Verial was on his way. Once alone, Verial stole a glance to Layla as they walked, heading towards the eastern part of the castle to the library. Verial knew that Layla wanted very much to speak with him, but was putting aside her own concerns for the visitors at hand. To Verial, whatever Layla had to say was just as important so he figured this was the best way to talk to her at the time even if the conversation ended up being short.

"Miles has no doubt delivered the news of Shimmer and Garis Town to you," Verial started. "I'm fairly certain you came to my door to let me know you're going back to Bariston. Tomorrow at the latest, I'm guessing." He seemed to know how fast Layla acted and what her next course of action would be even before she could tell Verial. "I don't blame you at all. It is your home and you should be there, especially since two cities have fallen already. I would ask that you promise me something though. The state of Aleris as a whole is only falling into further turmoil. When you return to Bariston, promise me that you'll make sure Maxim stays by your side. I trust him to protect you. And if not him, Sahar or Ambrose. Don't act alone."

Verial knew that Layla was smart and normally, she would never be caught alone. However, if the need arose and there was something urgent to attend to, Verial hoped that Layla differed from him in that area. Usually, he was the first to sacrifice himself to protect others should something go wrong and he did this without allowing anyone to stop him first.

A quick brush of his fingers grazed over Layla's hand as the two walked side by side and by no means was it done on accident. How he would have liked to continue talking to Layla, but they had already reached the library. Verial hoped he might see her in private before she left for Elved, but it was a small wish that he knew was not likely to come true in these suddenly rushed hours. Verial held the door open for Layla and once she was inside, he stepped in as well, closing the door behind them. Inside the library, Ameerah and Valorius had made themselves comfortable, waiting by the small wet bar in the corner of the room. Layla and Verial went to meet them, the two bowing in introduction, almost in unison.

"Princess Ameerah Sultan and Prince Valorius Malku, welcome to Grand City," Verial said straightening himself to regard both of them. "I am Protector Regent Verial Akilara and this is Lady Layla Victoire, leader of the continent of Elved. You've come a long way from Eternal Empire. I was there once though it was many years ago and my visit was short. Beautiful lands from what I saw. I assume you are not here to talk about the Empire however, but of Aleris. I'm aware that you both have been purchasing parcels of land on an island just southeast of Heruin, perhaps for a second home in Aleris? In any case, tell me, what brings you to request an audience today? What news do you have from Heruin?"


(This post is to address the next scene in which Madrin speaks to Verial. It is not meant to skip over the discussion going on with Valorius and Ameerah.)

Another knock at the door. As Verial opened the door to his chambers, he was pleased to see that it was Madrin Kir asking him for his orders instead of another guard coming to bring bad news. In fact, Verial was glad Madrin had stayed in the castle and that he was dutifully returning for orders. Verial had something in mind for Madrin that he thought of, some helpful tactic that might give Grand City an edge should Elijah Bluefield and his kin decide to attack.

"Madrin, I want you to see that the bulk of our weapons, arrowheads and bullets are inlaid with silver," Verial said. "I have a feeling Elijah Bluefield and his ilk will come to Grand City. From past experience, I know that these weres absolutely hate silver and that it causes them immense pain. I want to make sure that we're ready - that we have something that will make them think twice while attacking this city. I don't guarantee that it will save everyone, but I definitely believe it will give us that upper hand we need. While you're doing this, also make sure training is going well. The soldiers are improving, but they need to be faster and more efficient in their moves. Therianthropes are typically fast and strong, so our men need to know how to evade their attacks. If there's anyone who can get this task done, I'm sure you can Madrin."

Between accepting his new position and the next day...

Madrin was glad to see Verial had added watchtowers to the castle and fixed the walls. The siege weapons however, had been neglected a little. If the enemy was coming from Bariston airships were a real possibility. He made sure the current overseeing officer of the Alerian army named Gregory, was encouraged to get them in peak condition. The Blackwolves had introduced several of the tribes refined combat techniques to the soldiers. The entire army would have more stamina and a wider range of weapon's training.

He moved on to the training regiments of his royal guards which was on his desk when he returned. Twenty Royal bodyguards and the rest were just regular royal guards. They all had clearly stepped up their training process in the last week from prior records. Madrin decided to set up a practice rotation by groups with each of his royal guards in the morning. That would also give him the opportunity for intense combat preparation to aid him in his own skills. He hadn't practiced hard in almost a month due to being busy with other things.


After receiving new orders from Verial...

Madrin went to work rousing every single weapon crafter in Grand city no matter their skill level. He knew that to inlay silver into arrowheads, bullets and coat the edges of weapons took time and ability. Otherwise, they would reduce the durability of the combat tools. If your weapon suddenly breaks in the middle of battle you're in trouble. His new sword wasn't coated but some of the castle mages told him it was unnecessary since it was an enchanted blade. That was good to know since he never could have guessed without their examination. However, due to the strange nature of how he found it Madrin wasn't surprised. The crafters all started up their forges and began working as fast as humanely possible without harming quality by noon. Several hundred messengers and fast runners were used to transport the finished products back to the armory when completed. Everyone involved was compensated accordingly. Madrin hoped they would be finished before the therianthropes arrived but, he had no idea how much time there was.

Next he needed to show the soldiers of Grand city how fast a therianthrope can move. Unfortunately, the only allies he had met that could show them were either dead or hiding somewhere. He was capable of superhuman speeds due to his adrenal control mixed with his genetic curse. Also, the Blackwolf soldiers knew how to make their adrenaline work for them. There was no way that someone could suddenly learn such a technique in a few weeks so none of his clan had bothered to teach it. Normally true veterans and weapons masters had some idea about the skill. However, most of the army was too young or casual fighters until the undead horde was at the gates. Those that lived could never be considered green when the battle ended in Madrin's opinion. The fact remained that none of them had devoted themselves fully to the combat arts.

"Time for a crash course in speed soldiers prepare yourselves." He addressed the entire courtyard with a commanding voice that carried. "I want the most skilled fighter from each unit to come forward now!" Twelve warriors of various ranks and genders came forward wielding practice long swords. This included Mira Blackwolf who commanded her own unit in the army. Madrin had a practice two-handed sword in his hands. "Take offensive stances and attack me immediately!" The warriors complied with his orders realizing that they can't all reach him at once. Most had thought they would overrun him with numbers laughing quietly at his foolishness. Madrin unleashed his rage from his control and took defensive action.

The best fighters in the army gave him great practice. The twelve warriors held out for ten minutes before he knocked out all of them except Mira. She had the benefit of the same training as him so her speed was almost the same as his. The pair showed the watching crowd a battle on a level none had seen before. Mira went down in another ten minutes with a broken arm and many bruises. Madrin had enough damage to give his skin a slightly purple hew. He let his rage go and spoke calmly to the shocked crowd. "Remember this battle well because, the therianthropes will show no mercy." Several healers that were on standby came forward and tended to the injured soldiers. He refused any help until all the other warriors had been tended.

Madrin was a firm believer in the actions speak louder than words philosophy. He knew that none of the soldiers would forget the lesson. Some seemed a little frightened of him now but, they would respect their new training regiments even more. The Blackwolves took the lead in teaching adrenaline control at his insistence. He regretted breaking Mira's arm during his battle rage. He had gone too far into his wrath by that point. She was good enough that it was the only way to defeat her. Madrin apologized to Mira privately once she was available.

"No worries Madrin I know how you are once the fighting begins. I was enjoying the sparring so much I got careless." She smiled flirtatiously at him and shook his hand. Next she lowered her voice and spoke again. "We should really have some private sessions just the two of us."

He had forgotten how much she enjoyed a great fight. "Maybe later Mira right now we have some work ahead of us." He gave her a leer and smiled with interest. It had been awhile since he had explored extracurricular activities of that nature. He enjoyed a good battle as well after all.

And So They Waited...

Ameerah Had Decided To Stand Near The Bar, It Was A Place That Gave Her Full View Of The Room While Still Being Able To See The Doorway. With An Elbow Resting On The Bartop, Her Eyes Shifted Routinely Between Him And The Entrance. Patience Wasn't A Virtue She Often Had Especially When Waiting For People. So, They Chatted About Matters Only Known To Them, A Laugh Occasionally Coming From One Or The Other. But The Conversation Didn't Last Long As In Mid Sentence His Words Were Cut Short By The Appearance Of A Stick Figure Sitting On His Shoulder.

In That Moment The Differences Between Himself And Ameerah Became Something Tangible. Her Eyes Narrowed Behind The Mask She Wore And Focused Intently On The Doll That Sat On Him. Surprise Didn't Register On Her Visible Face, Just An Intense And Sudden Expression Like One Might Take On When An Enemy Entered The Same Room. He Didn't Need To Be Linked To Her To Know The Instinct That Flared Inside, So Before He Even Looked To His Right Shoulder, He Shook His Head Subtly To Prevent Her From Acting On That Instinct. After That He Turned His Attention To The Doll.

”Clever. Size makes all the difference..doesn't it?" A Slight Grin Came..And Then He Continued. ”Don't worry. I have no intention of hurting the vessel. Besides...it's your first time trying out 'new skin'. It would be unfair to ruin it before you have the chance to master it.” He Knew The Energy Inhabiting The Doll. It Was One Of The Group He'd Felt That Night On The Island. This One Had Been Closer Than The Rest, Separated From Its Flesh. Energy Was Always Energy But It Took Many Different Forms, And Being What He Was – It Was Shown To Him In All Mediums. Which Was How He Saw Blends “Spirit” That Night, And How He Saw The Energy Filling The Doll Now. It Wasn't Uniformed Though, It Was – Wavering, Not Entirely Certain, And Continuously Fluctuating. It Was Obvious The “Connection” Was New.

Fortunately The Doll Had The Sense To Perch On His Right Shoulder, Had It Been The Left There May Have Been A Mishap, The Unique -Sleeve- On His Left Arm Was A Warning Sign To That Fact. Reaching Up His Right Hand He Didn't -Snatch- The Doll, Nor Did He Grasp It At All, He Slipped His Right Hand Under The “Feet” Of It And Just Raised His Hand Until The Doll Was Forced To Stand. Setting The Figure On The Bartop He Was Surprised He Hadn't Felt Its Approach Before It Arrived, But With Such A Slight Core Signature It Was Easy To Miss. A Reminder He Would Need To Be More Aware Of His Surroundings. With The Doll Set Down His Hands Clasped In Front Of Him At The Waist Of His Coat, Reminiscent Of His Father And How He Always Stood. It Wasn't A Conscious Stance, Just Something Adapted Over Time. Then Came A 2nd Shake Of His Head, This Time In Regard To "Blend" Himself.

”But you're wrong. I didn't shoot you. I..tagged you, in a manner of speaking, just as I did the others. Had I 'shot' you..we wouldn't be speaking right now. Sometimes the same message can be sent in a ripple that can be sent in an explosion. Now, all of you know we're here..and that was the whole point.” Ameerah Had Gone Back To Watching The Entrance, Already Disinterested In The Doll And Anything It Had To Say. Neither Of Them Responded To The Doll's Frustrated Dialogue With Itself. But The Explanation That Followed Did Make The Young Man Smile. Not In A Patronizing, Pat On The Head Kind Of Way. More So A 'I already know what you mean' Manner. Which Is Why He Continued To Speak, Not Arrogantly But Certainly. ”No, I understand. There's someone there with you. And judging by the..patterns coming over with you, I imagine you're near..well..we both know what's around you, don't we?” The Doll Was A Soul Vessel. A Medium In Which Blend Could Channel His Life Essence, His Very Consciousness Into. But, One Portal Always Yields Two Sides. Where Blend Could See Through One Side, Both Valorius And Ameerah Could "See" Through The Other. The Residual Negative Energy That Surrounded Blend Wherever He May Be, Clinging To Him As He Inhabited The Doll Like So Much Filth On A Sole. It Stained The Energy That Animated The Stick Figure, Which Made It A Difficult Trail To Miss For Any Who Might Be Sensitive To Such Forces. Maybe More Would Have Been Said On The Subject But It Was Then That Verial And Layla Entered The Room. As The Door Began To Open He Glanced To The Doll.

”You'll have your chance to speak with him. What we've come to say won't take long. I promise.”

Why Regard A Potential Enemy With Civility? Why Speak About Pointless Events When Such Severe Things Were Happening Around The Realm? Because Blend Was Not His Enemy. Not A Single One Of Them Were. This Wasn't About Good Or Bad, It Wasn't About Being Heroic, It Was A Matter Of Ebb And Flow. All Things Were Built In Balance, Balance Above All Else Must Be Maintained. Deanna, The Dead Wolf, The Variant, They Weren't Evil To Him. They Were Uneven. They Were The Sum Of An Unbalanced Equation. It Was His Instinct To Correct That Error. Not Decided By Fate, Destiny, Or The Gods Themselves, But By Origin. It Was Just By Sheer Coincidence That He Enjoyed The Ambiguity Of Objectivity. Turning Away From The Doll He Shifted His Attention In Time To Nod His Head Towards Verial And Layla As The King Greeted Them.

”News. Nothing as of yet. The conflict hasn't reached the continent at this time..at least not in a large enough scale to cause notice. And please..Valorius will be fine. The title..as true as it is..references a connection between myself and the empire. The land we've purchased is the beginning of something..outside the empire, and nothing that we do while in your realm is on behalf of Eternelle Lune.” Ameerah And He Standing Opposite Layla And Verial Was As If Exact Opposites Looking At One Another. There Were Similar Attributes, Hair Color, Perhaps A Vague Comparison Between Other Less Noticeable Features, But On The Whole They Were Opposing Ends Of The Spectrum. He Noticed This In A Glance As He Passed His Eyes Between The King And The Lady. An Arc Of Emerald 'Current' Emerged Then, From His Left Eye Only To Surge Back Into The Right. A Response To The Life Energy Within The King Of Aleris And The Lady Of Bariston, But He Smiled To Dismiss It And Spoke Once More.

”You look a bit like your mother.” He Recalled His Time Working With Sorvynia, Back When He Was Pulled More Strongly In A Single Moral Direction. Still, His Change In Perception Didn't Alter The Woman He Remembered. She Was Resolute, And That Was A Trait He Most Certainly Appreciated. Offering A Slight Shrug Of His Shoulder He Moved On, Leaving The Random Observation Behind. ”Anyway..we have come here to discuss our position in this conflict. With the portals closed to neighboring realms, Eternelle Lune no longer shares any real connection with this world. It falls upon us to decide where we stand and which faction we should assist. Your enemy is..a potent one. Even now their forces are growing, and unlike you they don't seem overly judgmental about who's absorbed into their ranks. Thousands are dead and dying, others turned to soldiers, cities are falling to ash as we speak...” The Words Halted A Moment As He Glanced To Ameerah, Coming To The Reason For Their Visit. ”This...cannot happen. When a world is in disarray and the scales have been tipped, if the Gods do not place things on equal terms..than it's up to those who inhabit that world to fix it. An Equilibrium must be maintained no matter the cost..even if the Gods who spawned that world need to be put down. Since Ameerah and myself now own a piece of this world it would be counter-productive to allow its destruction. We're here to provide the counter-weight to the scale your Gods seem to have forgotten. Your support is why we requested this meeting.”

He Began To Walk Towards The Bar Where Ameerah Stood, Conveying He Had Said His Piece. But Midway There He Paused And Glanced Back To Verial. ”I cannot promise we'll always be on the same side, or that we'll have the same agenda..but for now at least we pursue the same course.” The Words Fell Not With Threat Or Guilt, Only Truth. And Upon Reaching The Bar He Looked To Ameerah Before Standing Beside Her. The Floor Was Hers.

”Clever. Size makes all the difference..doesn't it? Don't worry. I have no intention of hurting the vessel. Besides...it's your first time trying out 'new skin'. It would be unfair to ruin it before you have the chance to master it.”

New skin, indeed! Blend could still feel his old skin, sitting back in the hut of Chaos, while Valorius moved the soul-walking twig figure onto the bar. The careful way Valorius handled the wooden doll was a gesture, one that Blend recognized instantly. Perhaps they weren't friends, but Valorius made it clear they were not enemies.

Not that Blend came here to make enemies. There were plenty of those already waiting for him. It seemed life itself was an eternal adversary, sending one obstacle after the next, enemies often part of the package, a result of the struggle to continue.

"...There's someone there with you. And judging by the..patterns coming over with you, I imagine you're near..well..we both know what's around you, don't we?”

This admission made would have made Blend's eyes narrow - if his soulsnare had eyes. Agatha was the only witness to his skeptical glare. How did Valorius know such things? Could he sense Chaos? The answer, he realized instantly, was yes. Of course Valorius could. Blend himself was tethered to Chaos, his soul reaching out from that bizarre realm, so surely Valorius was seeing the energy which flowed around him. An energy Blend himself was blind to.

What else, Blend wondered, can this man see? He found his gaze lingering on that emerald left arm.

When Verial entered with Layla, Blend listened carefully to what Valorius had to say.

"When a world is in disarray and the scales have been tipped, if the Gods do not place things on equal terms..than it's up to those who inhabit that world to fix it. An Equilibrium must be maintained no matter the cost..even if the Gods who spawned that world need to be put down."

This particular statement threw Blend off balance. The man before them was speaking of heresy! Threatening the very Gods! Tempesturo - his God - might allow the threat to linger unresisted, but Blend couldn't stand for it.

The little bundle of twigs was trembling with eagerness to speak by the time Valorius rested his gaze on Ameerah. Impatience drove Blend to intercede before the woman could respond.

"Equilibrium WILL be maintained!" the stick figure blurted out, standing up on it's meager wooden feet. The acorn head swiveled towards Verial. "Call me Blend. You don't know me, but I know you. You fought alongside my friend, the Kharl'at Ternal, against the Val'nothe. The Kharl'at died that day.. As was he, I am a follower of the great Tempesturo. And I know what Tempesturo wants. Well, I think I know, at least. I mean, I've never talked to the guy - he's shy - and besides he's probably insane - but, I think I know what he thinks he's sure he wants. Maybe."

Blend frowned. This wasn't a good start.

"Anyways, Tempesturo is behind this.. Deanna, she was influenced by Djarin. Oh - right - another guy you probably don't know. He tried to assassinate the king - sort of. Anyways, he showed her the Revelations... I saw her die, just outside this very building, but she was reborn. Like me, with less acorn and more sexy. However, she's now this 'Dread Mistress'... proclaims herself to be a Goddess of her own right.

"I.. think.. that she has been corrupted. By a different deity, not Tempesturo. The Revelations have been altered. With her is the Aliscowri - followers of Chaos, on the path of Destruction - but they are being compelled also by this new deity. And the lycanthropes.. there's an undead one, Elijah. And there's that guy with sharp teeth. He's pretty scary."

Blend shrugged. As far as a warning could go, that was as good as it gets, right?

"Ohh yeah. And after Shimmer Town, they were headed for Bariston for airships. Then I wager they'll be sailing here."

And so they waited..patiently. Well..Valorius waited patiently. She paced the room, prowling like a caged animal (some instincts never leave you) until she finally took up a position near the bar, propped indolently upon a single elbow. Naturally Verial was a busy man all things considered but understanding this logically did little to assuage her impatience. For his part Valorius did his best to keep her mind occupied, keeping her engaged in conversation and trying to steer her mind away from the task at hand. It was in the midst of such a conversation that that the soul possessed stick figure appeared on Valorius' shoulder.

Instantly she tensed, her eyes narrowing on the small figure, it's diminutive size doing nothing to assuage her enmity towards the unknown entity. Leaning back as she was on her right arm her left hand moved surreptitiously to rest next to her hip, her palm turning upwards as a flicker of green energy appeared in her palm, her intentions clear though she spoke not a word. Valorius chose that moment to glance her way as if knowing exactly how she would react (and let's face it, he did) and with an almost imperceptible shake of his head that likely only she would notice he warned her against reacting and reluctantly she let the energy in her palm die out and she forced her body to relax. Green eyes that now glowed more intensely with the after effects of adrenaline watched as Valorius transferred the odd little stick figure onto the bar but her attention waned as they began to converse. She listened with half an ear in the event that the stick figure said anything interesting but truthfully the bulk of her attention had returned to the entrance of the receiving room.

And just in time for moments later Verial entered with Layla Victoire on his arm. Verial greeted them, speaking of having visited the Eternal Empire and it's capital city, Eternelle Lune, and she may have greeted him in turn but Valorius moved forward and spoke before she was given the chance. She listened silently as he spoke to Verial and Layla, her gaze passing over each of them in turn as she sized them up, took their measure. The dark army sweeping across the land was, naturally, the topic of conversation and Valorius explained their position in it all though their motivation was somewhat different. It was in his nature to provide balance, to be the nemesis of whatever was threatening to throw that balance out of whack. She, on the other hand, was usually the one throwing the balance out of whack. Valorius finished speaking and returned to her side which she took as his silent indication that he was done and she could add any thoughts she might feel were pertinent. Her lips had just parted to speak when the little soul doll decided to speak up, cutting her off. Slowly her gaze swept from Verial and Layla to rest upon the little soul doll and it was only through sheer force of will that she refrained from silencing him, permanently.

When finally the doll fell silent a slight roll of her eyes was given, her low voice addressing the erratic dolls comments before speaking to Verial.

”Why is it lesser beings always feel they know the will of their Gods? Tempesturo is a big boy, you little gnat, let him speak for himself.”

It was all the ire she spared for the annoying addition to their audience with Verial and dismissing him she turned her back to the bar and faced Verial and Layla, finally adding her own thoughts to the overall discussion.

”As Valorius said, they haven't reached the shores of Heruin, yet, though it's only a matter of time until they are. There isn't enough life on Heruin right now to make it a worthwhile target as most do not know of our presence there. Valorius is right, they are no doubt heading for Grand City even as we speak and once they have conquered Grand City Heruin is all that will be left to fall. That isn't going to happen.”

There was no posturing to her words or her tone, no threats or promises, merely a simple statement of fact.

”As you've said we have been buying land in Heruin and nearly own the entire island we occupy, we but wait for the paperwork to be processed on the purchases of the final pieces of land. As you are familiar with our home you know who we are and where we hail from but we have chosen Aleris to make a new home for ourselves and I have no intention of allowing that new home to fall to the likes of this pathetic army.”

This time emotion was reflected in her voice, anger threading through the unusual accent that tinted her words. This army's actions obviously angered her though likely it would be Valorius alone who understood why. The forced turning of lycans...making something noble into an abomination. Though the life thread of the wolf no longer lived within her there are some things that can not simply be removed and certain..instincts..remained. As a Djinni she could take whatever animal form she wished, including that of the wolf, but that was information she kept to herself as precious few knew exactly what she was. It was safer that way. Forcing the chaotic nature of her thoughts to focus on the task at hand she continued.

”I do not know who this Deanna is or why she is doing what she is doing but I tell you now, I will not kneel to this bitch. She will not take Heruin.”

She'd developed a certain fondness for Heruin, the desert continent reminding her so much of the desert Empire she originated from. It was why she had chosen Heruin to build their home on in the first place, it felt like home and was the first place they could truly call their own. She wasn't about to let some pathetic Insta-God march her sorry ass across it and claim it as her own. Though she spoke none of this the more aggressive nature of her thoughts would be easily reflected in the growing intensity of her gaze, the way the green of her eyes took on an unholy glow behind the mask that obscured the top half of her features.

”King Verial, Lady Victoire, no doubt you have a plan, forces you intend to marshal in defense of the Grand City and Aleris. Whatever your intentions we are here to offer our assistance.”A half smile touched to her lips as she inclined her head slightly towards the pair.”I assure you, we are allies worth having.”

The ball was now in Verial's court. He'd had a wealth of words thrown at him in the span of a few minutes by all three of them and she again fell silent, providing the Protector Regent and Lady of Bariston the time they may need to process and assess all that was said to them. In the end, though, it would be up to Verial as to whether or not he accepted their help. Whether he accepted their aide for all of Aleris or not when the battle came to their shore she would fight and they would die.

Layla was never one to gawk or behave in any matter other than one befitting a ruling lady in her own right when it came to foreign dignitaries, but the blonde ruling Lady of Bariston had never encountered two who were as transcendent as Ameerah and Valorious. Both were exotic in their own ways, and Layla wasn’t particularly eager to leave Verial’s side to approach either, yet she managed a polite nod and murmured her greetings without appearing like a star struck noble. It was simply difficult not to stare at them, and it wasn’t only due to their uncanny resemblances they bore against Verial and Layla.

Layla remained silent as Valorious spoke, and although she considered herself above average intelligence, Layla had to replay the conversation in her head a few times before she came to the understanding that the peculiar masked blonde woman and the dark haired man with gloved hand (she could swear there was a strange low humming sound emanating from under that long black coat he wore) were beyond human. Beyond godlike, in fact for they had no qualms in pointing out the gods’ failures or even hinting at the possible destruction of the gods for failure to stop the evil that had already brought Shimmer and Garis Towns to their knees. Layla considered Valorious words carefully, and what she finally gathered was that the duo represented was balance, and the reason they sought an audience with Verial and wanted to offer their assistance was because they personally felt ‘balance’ was favoring one side over the other, not to mention their lack of faith in the gods putting order to right. Interesting.

Layla would admit to herself, and perhaps later in private to Verial that she was more than afraid of them. For two beings to be so powerful, beyond god-like status powerful, and having set up their new residence in Aleris, specifically Heruin, made Layla more than a tad nervous. Still, they offered their assistance, and it was not her decision to accept or reject. That honor belonged to Verial.

Layla nearly yelped when she finally noted the odd stick figure that hovered near Valorious spoke…(it spoke! ) mentioning the equilibrium previously notated by Valorious, before the stick figure (call him Blend) finally spoke, addressing Verial. Blend rambled on about Tempesturo, the god’s potential insanity, someone named D’jarin and finally…a name that struck a chord in Layla. While Ameerah was offering scathing remarks to the stick man called Blend, Layla’s mind was whirling. Deanna. She knew the name, but prayed wholeheartedly that the name did not belong to the deceased woman she thought it did.

“Dear Gods,” she whispered, her grey orbs widening at the implication of Blend’s words. Surely the odd stick man couldn’t be correct. Layla had understood that this woman, Deanna DiCorvino if memory served her correct, had fought bravely against the Val’nothe and legions of undead led against the Grand City under the rule of Terra Vale, ultimately falling against the god-killing necromancer. How was it possible that such a warrior woman could resurrect herself only to turn against the same people she had died to protect? Resurrected as a self-proclaimed goddess, no less?

Layla had glanced sideways to gauge Verial’s reaction shortly after she heard his sharp intake of breath. She was all too aware that the Protector Regent had fought beside the woman, his own son and her former mate as well, at Tezzra’s Gorge. She was aware of Verial’s personal feelings toward her own Lord Commander’s brother for the disrespect the lycan had shown Deanna’s body carting her around the castle grounds. She could only imagine how this bit of news would affect him.

She was trying in vain to digest this information, her head swimming when Blend spoke up once more, this time of Bariston. Layla felt her blood run cold in her body and she stiffened beside Verial, one hand subconsciously reaching for his forearm in a deathlike grip. Normally Layla wouldn’t dream of such an undignified display before others, but had she not clutched at her Lord, the blonde woman feared she would disgrace herself by collapsing in a pile at his feet. My people, she thought as she fought the tears that pricked at her eyes. I should never have left them so vulnerable. If something happens to them…Layla couldn’t bring herself to finish her thought and closed her eyes. She needed a moment to compose herself. Bariston meant everything to her, was the most important part of her life, but Layla knew that one city at risk was less important that the fate of the entire realm. She had to focus.

Finally opening those stormy grey eyes, she allowed her gaze to travel toward Verial’s forearm she was still gripping, her knuckles white under the strain. She slowly released her fingers and her hand dropped once more to hang lankly by her side. She felt detached from her own skin, her own emotions. Ameerah was still speaking to Verial, once more reiterating her and Valorious’ offer for assistance, their value as powerful allies. She knew Bariston would fall, if it hadn’t already just as Shimmer and Garis had. This Dark Mistress Deanna or whatever she was calling herself these days, and her army would no doubt find their way to the Grand City as Blend predicted. Layla knew with a certainty she hadn’t quite felt before, that she must return to Bariston.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, the Lady Layla Victoire, ruler of Bariston and its surrounding lands turned her attention to her King, her Protector Regent, and the man she was beginning to feel something deeply for who was ever so patiently waiting for all to be reported to him before uttering a word. She would stand by his side, adhering to whatever decisions he would make…even at the cost of her own people.

Upon Valorius' first words, Verial wondered why they had requested an audience as Prince and Princess when Valorius told him just his name would be enough - that his title as he resided in Aleris was not necessary. Perhaps it was a way for them to get an audience with Verial faster. During Alerion's rule, it seemed the king was rarely seen and that he was always a bit too busy for audiences. This was something that Verial was trying to amend. In any case, Verial nodded and folded his hands in front of him instead of leaving them at his sides.

"Very well, Valorius and Ameerah it is," Verial said, though he looked to Ameerah questioningly to insure it was proper to address her as such. He did not know of or assume anything about the relationship between Ameerah and Valorius and did not believe that Valorius spoke entirely for Ameerah.

Verial regarded Valorius curiously when the man spoke of his mother and their resemblances in appearance. It did not surprise him that Valorius had met Sorvynia at some point. When the Dreamer family resided in Mystra Amor, Verial guessed that Valorius might have met Soryvnia when she was employed as one of Vita's priestesses. Any questions about this would have had to wait however.

"I have been told that before, quite a few times in fact," Verial said.

Valorius explained his and Ameerah's position within Aleris. They had taken notice of the powers growing in the west and were offering a hand should the conflict reach Heruin. Like Valorius mentioned, Verial was in agreement that it would ultimately fall upon the hands of the people, rather than the gods, to put things back into balance. But then again, Verial was an atheist and he didn't rely on the gods to solve the problems of humans - he believed in mankind to do such a thing. Whether mankind solved those problems or made them worse was another matter.

"Yes, we've already received word that Shimmer and Garis Town in Elved have been destroyed and left for dead. The whole take-over was done in a matter of days, far too fast a time frame for your average army to accomplish. We have no doubt, as they are traveling south, that Bariston will be next on the list," Verial said glancing to Layla to judge her reaction. Her face, however, was already marked with deep concentration and her brow furrowed in thought. Verial turned his odd colored gaze back to Valorius. "Of course, your help would be appreciated. After all, I'm only one person and can only see so far."

Verial might have said more, but the twig-like doll that was previously resting on the table suddenly sprung to life. He did not notice it before, but now that Valorius was done speaking, the thing was quite animated. Verial blinked a few times as the little doll spoke furiously. He knew it was not uncommon that bodies could be channeled through puppets so-to-speak, but the doll's sudden coming to life was not expected either.

"Kharl'at Ternal? The sea dragon?" Verial asked finally. As the doll, now introduced as Blend talked on, Verial listened to what it had to say. Blend, although eager to voice his opinion, did not seem entirely sure of his words. Everything was a 'maybe'. Though the smallest out of the group inside the library, Blend was certainly the most vocal. And one of his words, out of all the others, rang the loudest in Verial's ears. "Deanna... is leading this army?"

Verial let his friend's name linger in his mind and his thoughts flickered back to the dream he had the other day. Deanna's grave, no longer residing on her purchased land parcels, was replaced by the ghostly figure of a white tiger - a vicious one at that. Perhaps his dream, as much as he wanted to toss it to the side, did have some merit in this entire situation. If Deanna was alive, if she was leading this army and as Blend put it, proclaiming herself to be a goddess, then the truth was, she would need to be stopped. Something that Verial did not fathom having to do.

"Blend, you said Tempesturo was behind this, but then you said Deanna was corrupted by another deity not of this realm. Which one is it? To be honest, I am not a follower of any of Aleris' deities, but I would like to believe that Tempesturo would not try to cause Chaos and Destruction within a realm that he tries to maintain balance with his other siblings. This would be counter-productive, no?"

Taking note of the rest of Blend's report, Verial kept in mind that eventually Grand City was going to be met with therianthropes - Elijah Bluefield's kin - and a group called the Aliscowri. Verial reminded himself to get Madrin to make sure the army was equipped with weapons and armor that could be inlaid with silver without losing their durability. Blend had also confirmed that the army was indeed heading for Bariston which meant Layla was due to ship out to Elved sooner rather than later. At this, Layla's hand reached for Verial's forearm and she grabbed on tightly as if to steady her herself, something she would rarely have been caught doing. Verial kept sideways glance on her for a while, making sure Layla was able to regain her composure, not minding that she used him for support.

All of the sudden planning going through Verial's head was interrupted as Ameerah finally spoke, who appeared annoyed by Blend's proclamations.

"True, Tempesturo can speak for himself," Verial said, "but Blend's report does hold value."

At Ameerah's next words, stating that if Grand City would fall, all that would be left was Heruin, Verial shook his head softly in disagreement. "That's not entirely true. Should Grand City be taken, there's still Vandual on Elved that would be on the list to be attacked. Then there are the remaining cities on Eiler and Chaliceton on Arthuran. If Grand City is taken over, there will still be people throughout Aleris that need to rise up and protect their realm, Heruin and the other continents included."

Layla's grip had finally loosened from his arm and Verial turned to face her as Ameerah paused in conversation. Verial nodded gently to her and without actually saying the words, looked at Layla knowingly. Should she feel the desire to make a quick exit, to pack her things up and take off in Bariston's best interest, then he wanted her to be able to do so. As much as Verial did enjoy Layla's companionship, he also knew Layla was Elved's heart and soul, its protectorate in a sense. Eventually his gaze was drawn back to Ameerah who continued to talk once more.

"I wouldn't say their army is pathetic as it has already wiped out two towns on Elved," Verial said. He listened to Ameerah's words and heard a change in her tone of voice. Any politeness that she might have had prior was replaced by a passionate anger. When Ameerah dubbed Deanna a "bitch" though, Verial held up his hands that were previously laced before him as if to stop her in her words. "Please, be careful what you say. I completely understand your reason for not wanting to bow to any self-proclaimed deity, but Deanna was once a friend of mine. I will find out if this is actually her or if it's someone acting as her. Until we find out the truth, let's not slander her name with harshness. Deanna saved me and my son once and without her help, I would not be here right now and Aleris would be with one less ruler. Without her, Elijah Bluefield's army would currently be twice the size it is now."

Despite Ameerah's icy tone, the two from Heruin had offered to assist in the upcoming war and Verial was not one to abandon such help. After all, if Grand City was to fall, the rest of Aleris would need to be united through the rest of its remaining cities. Currently, Elved had the eyes of Layla Victoire and Eiler had his own eyes, but Arthuran and Heruin were without leaders. This brought Verial's thoughts to the newly drawn up plan he had unveiled to Captain Ambrose Pennington. Perhaps making a decision on a whim, Verial had an idea how to fill those positions with Ameerah and Valorius which would ultimately make them allies as well.

"I have plans for this entire realm which was to guarantee that it would grow - that all the continents on Aleris would be equally protected. Unfortunately, only Eiler and Elved currently have this. As you've both mentioned, Heruin is only starting to rebuild after the catastrophes that plagued its sandy lands. It would be a shame to let the continent's progress go backwards. You offer me alliances, and while I willingly accept, I would also like to offer you both something as well. With this alliance, there's two positions open called the 'Padishah' - which is similar to Layla's rule over Elved - and the Commander of Heruin's army. The commander would report to the Padishah and the Padishah would report to me, or whoever is the King of Aleris at the time. I feel that either of you are qualified for these positions, so if you would accept them, you can decide Heruin's rule amongst the two of you. With these positions are responsibilities like protecting Heruin and its people, building the army, watching over trade, etc. As Protector Regent, you may occasionally seek out my approval on matters and you may request aid from Aleris' treasury for what you ask, within reason of course. I believe it's important for this army of therianthropes and Aliscowri to understand that Aleris has other voices besides myself and Layla Victoire and that when challenged, those voices will speak up and not be silenced so easily. Please, take some time to think about it. There's a room in the back right corner of the library if you'd like to talk over my proposal."

While Ameerah and Valorius might have gone to discuss Verial's offer, Verial stepped closer towards Blend and looked down at the doll that sat anxiously on the bar. While Verial had in mind what he wished would happen in regards to Ameerah and Valorius, there was still the matter of Blend.

"Now, what to do with you, Blend," Verial said. "I'm not sure if I can call you friend. You see, you know so much about the army and everything that's happened, I have an idea you were working with them before. If that's true, I would have you tell me everything you know about them. To be honest, I am not familiar with the Aliscowri and would like to know their weaknesses, if any at all. If you don't want to help me out, I suppose that's okay. But keep in mind..." here Verial paused and with a single hand he suddenly pinned the little doll to the bar so it couldn't move, "I wouldn't object to tossing you into the fireplace on the other side of this room. I'm not sure what it will do to you, but I don't think you want to be without this body either."