Lunar: Magic Empire Session 54 Log ============================================================ Cast of Characters: Rune as "GM/Narrator, Par, the bush, Voice/Garreth, Warlock, and ~Tarrant" Seath as "Earendil" GORN as "Rein" Hahn as "Kadan" Aes as "Valina" Mia Ausa as "Geint" SOLaike as "Tarrant" Dyne as "Arzel" Ayeye as "Ayeye" ============================================================ GMRune: --------game on-------- GMRune: The party had just defeated the Medusa when Kadan unexpected fled the scene of the battle and into the surrounding forest. Ayeye runs after Kadan. "Wait!" Kadan is gone. Geint: ......! Oh dear..... what do you suppose this is about.... Arzel looks off in the direction Kadan went. "Humm... someone's off his rocker." Par: Even if he is... we really shouldn't go on without him. Geint: ...Well, no. =\ Par starts jogging after Ayeye and Kadan. Earendil: Dammit, I'll most likely need Kadan's help to save Valina. Why did he have to run away? Arzel: Ack, we better not let the Lumox go off on his own. Earendil follows Par. Arzel goes after Ear. Geint flies after Arzel. =b Kadan is found in a glade of trees not far off, bent over with his gloved hands on his knees, panting heavily. Kadan turns his head with a wild trembling in his eyes as he hears movement. "Don't look at me!" Geint: ..... Ayeye slowly approaches Kadan. "Kadan? What is wrong?" Geint flies over to Arzel... Geint talks to him, but it can't really be heard by anyone but Arzel. =b Geint: I think I know what it is. =\ Arzel: What? Geint: He's upset..... he used magic...... even if it was darkness magic and he was a kitty, it was still magic.... Geint: And he doesn't like magic much. =( Maybe he's upset about that... Kadan: Ayeye, just run away! I don't want to... I don't want to have to explain this to you... Ayeye shakes her head. "No, I don't want to run away. What is wrong?" Rein looks hesitantly on, but decides whatever Kadan's problem is probably wouldn't be helped by his healing spells. Kadan: I must seem... like such a demon to you all. Over the past few years, during my hunts, I've been in situations of danger and always told myself it was... my skills that kept me alive when in fact I begun to suspect that I... Kadan turns his head away, feeling as if the others' gaze is setting him on fire. Kadan: I hid it from everyone, even myself, but when I saw that... horrible thing attack Ayeye over and over again, I had to do *something* to protect her. I never even knew I could... do that to other people. All this time, I've been preaching to you people about the evils of... I'm sorry. I have to go. Earendil steps in Kadan's path. "You are going anywhere. These skills you have are nothing to be ashamed about." Ayeye frowns. "Don't go! You are not a demon! In fact, like you said before, we are much alike..." Ayeye: You have done nothing worse than I, so, if you must go, I shall have to go with you. Kadan falls to one knee, no longer capable of hiding his emotions. "Yes, they are something to be ashamed about. It's no different than... than what killed Kate. I have that filth running through my veins. Why me? What did I ever do?" Arzel: You need not be ashamed about your talents Kadan, there is magic in Earendil: You can't go Kadan. This may seem selfish, but I need your help to rescue Valina. I know I can't do it myself. Geint: ... Kadan: Ever since I first detected the first sensations of this force inside me... I did everything I could to put my attention away from it. I developed my strength, my speed, my skill at arms, my tactical planning, anything to help convince myself that I couldn't perform... that way. How can I live with myself if I travel the world using the same force that cheated Kate out of her life? Arzel: There is magic in everyone, Kadan, you can't control that anymore than you can control the color of your eyes. Earendil: Kadan, would you have sworn off weapons if your sister was killed by a sword, or a spear or an axe? Rein swallows and leans back against a tree, looking down at the leaves underfoot. Ayeye lowers her eyes. Kadan hesitates for a moment, then stands up. Geint stops talking with Arzel for a moment and looks to Kadan in a sad way. Kadan: I suppose not. It's just that, where I grew up, she was the only person I could ever count on. When she was taken from me for such a pointless, ludicrous reason, my first instinct was to avenge her death, but since her murderer was dispatched so quickly, I felt imcomplete. I had to pin my rage on something, and focus my feeling on injustice on some tangible force... Geint: =( Kadan: Perhaps the reason I decided to rid the world of magic was not so much a crusade against spell-casters as it was a way for me to prolong my vengeance for Kate. Since magic is such a powerful force, I could never hope to erase it completely from the world, so therefore I would be on my quest for my whole life. Now I can't help but wonder if Kate would want that... Geint: .......Kadan...... I'm.......sorry. =( Geint: ...If there's anything she'd want, I'm sure it would be for you to be happy. ...If that makes you feel better. I wish I could help more.... but I can't pretend to understand more than that. =\ Earendil: Kadan, I don't think your sister would want you to waste your entire life trying to accomplish something that no one can. Kadan finally musters the courage to turn around face the others. Rein looks up as well. Kadan allows a slight smirk. "You know... it's funny. Kate really didn't have an opinion one way or the other against magic. We had too many other things to worry about. Sometimes we'd go to the mountains around Lentol to camp out and watch the stars before we fell asleep. She pointed out a big constellation and told me it was the 'star halberd', an axe that would be our coat of arms after we bought a castle and built a kingdom together." Kadan holds the bridge of his nose. "Ehh... I don't know what to think anymore. I thought I had the whole world figured out before I met you people!" Geint now smiles at Kadan. Earendil gets a worried look on his face and looks back in the direction of the Pegasus Shrine. Kadan: Look at me, I'm a wreck. I haven't even been able to think straight for a few days. What would you guys want my help for? I think we've already figured out that my mission to destroy the Serpent Staff is an empty crusade now. Par: The crusade to destroy the staff may be gone, but that doesn't mean you are no longer needed. We'd like your help. Geint: Well, we'll try and help you now! You can still have a purpose! I mean, hey...... you're a shadowcat. *Little grin* Now your crusade can be to aid a Dragonmaster! ^_^ Earendil: And to help save Valina. Do you want to leave her in the hands of the Banshee? Kadan: I suppose not... Grr... You think you can just travel with someone and endure their company until it's over and you can have solitude again, but then again you can't help getting somehow attached to the little shrimp either. Par chuckles softly and grins. Rein smirks a little and starts looking around for members that need healing. Geint keeps her little grin, too. Kadan: Ehh... I guess it's our responsibility, right? Tugging on some cell door bars will just make her little muscles even more stringy. Geint: Yaa! I want Valina back!! =D Earendil: Remind me to tell Valina your comments Kadan. Rein: Who needs healing? Geint: Hee hee. ^_^ Geint is now quite happy. =b Kadan hefts his large battle axe out of the soil and hoists it over his shoulders. "Well, I suppose it's settled, then. As long as you people are inviting me, I guess we can start a new adventure. After all, the Empire is a bleak omen on my future whether or not I'm a magic hunter, right? I guess I'm not out of a job yet." Rein: Anyone else? Rein: No? Par pats Kadan on the back. Kadan clips his axe into the slot on the back of his belt, then dusts his hands off, clapping them loudly together. "Alright, then! What's our next move?" GMRune: Rein cast Recovery Litany on Earendil! Earendil gains 126 hp! Geint: I could use healing, too. =b Arzel: Well uhh... I have this map of the pegasus shrine I got from the warlocks. Rein: Okay... I guess I'll just cast a heal aura. Rein does so. GMRune: Everyone gains 114 hp or goes to max. Geint: Where did you get it? Arzel pulls the map out of his pack. Earendil: Is there a cell area marked on it? Arzel: It was on a table in one of the warlock tents. Arzel hands Ear the map. "You look at it. :P" Geint: Oh. ^_^ How conveinient! Rein casts one more heal aura. Earendil: No, I'm not very good with maps. Earendil hands the map to Kadan. GMRune: There do not appear to be any prison areas marked on the map. The sketch roughly depicts several large chambers of a two story building. Kadan oogles at the map as his mind swims with tactical ideas. "Hmm... how convenient." GMRune: Rein casts Heal Aura. Earendil gains 109 hp. Rein gains 97 hp. Geint gains 109 hp. Geint giggles in spite of herself. Arzel: You're welcome. *snicker* Earendil: Thank you, Rein. All right, let's head back. Earendil starts off for the shrine. GMRune: The party returns to the cluster of stone slabs around the split pillar in the center. The archway within the pillar appears to still be open. The enchanted gateway swirls with blue light. Ayeye trudges slowly behind the party. Geint blink-blinks. Earendil: Everybody ready? Rein nods. Kadan sticks close to Ayeye. Earendil walks throught the gateway. Arzel follow Earendil. Par takes an involuntarily deep breath and walks through the gate. Geint eagerly is flying a bit ahead of Arzel. "We're gonna finally get Valina back! ^_^" Rein hops through all at once. GMRune: The party emerges from the gate much like passing through any other archway. A simple step takes you to the other side. Now a brisk breeze brushes past your faces and the temperature has dropped by several degrees. Everywhere around you the "ground" is covered by a soft, spongy, white substance. Kadan walks through the gate. Geint: =\ Earendil: This place is . . . odd. Ayeye cautiously walks through the gate. Geint: I don't like this place. ;b It's cold! GMRune: The clear sky seems a much deeper blue than you've ever seen. It is almost uniform in color, making the horizon seem much lower than usual. Rein hops up and down a little. GMRune: In the distance, the party can make out a marble building with a single entrace of double bronze doors. Ornate columns line the front of the structure and supporting the eaves of the slanted roof. Par lets out a puff of air and looks at the mist forming from his breath. Earendil heads toward the building. Geint shivers a bit. =( Kadan doesn't seem too fazed by the environment. "Where the...?" Arzel glances around wearily. :P GMRune: The spongy white stuff is difficult to walk through, and there are several thin pockets where you fall down waist deep or lower. Once, you could have sworn the stuff beneath your feet would give way and you'd fall a long, long way down. Ayeye holds the bush above the stuff as she queitly follows the party. GMRune: The party finally arrives at the large set of double doors. They stand twelve feet tall with no visible hinges nor handles. The bronze has greened with age around the corners. Arzel: Ack... it's hard to move in this stuff with a robe. The bush looks down at the stuff and pants. Geint flies over to them. She tries pushing the doors. =b GMRune: The door stands solidly shut. Geint: =\ Rein: Push harder, Geint! Geint: I don't think that will work... Earendil: Um Geint, I think this is a job for Kadan and me. Geint: Okay, try... Geint: But I think we'll need more than brute force. Kadan nods. Arzel looks around wearily. "Garreth is here somewhere..." Par: Probably laughing at us too. Geint: ...Could it have to do with this stuff? *Motions a paw to the spongey stuff* Ayeye pats the bush wearily. "Maybe I should return his backpack." The bush shivers and slurps Ayeye's face. It's sticky tongue is warm, if overly moist, to the touch. Arzel: Does it say anything on the map? GMRune: The map doesn't indicate anything other than the doors' locations. Arzel: Hmm... Ayeye smiles weakly and whips the sap off of her face. Arzel looks for buttons around the door. Geint lightly lands on the spongey stuff. Kadan plants himself near the door and waits for Earendil to grab the opposite end. GMRune: Geint bounces slightly on her landing. GMRune: There are no buttons around the door. Geint scratches the stuff once to see how it reacts. Earendil goes over to the other side of the door. Earendil: I'm ready. Kadan: Ready? Pull! Kadan tries to pry the door open. Earendil pulls for all he's worth. GMRune: The white stuff bounces back from Geint's claws like rubber. Geint: ... GMRune: The door does not appear to be capable of moving outward. For one thing, you can't see hinges from this side of the doors. Rein starts to kick the spongey stuff around... trying to find the ground. Geint: ....Maybe they're magic doors. Kadan: How is it sealed, I wonder? Earendil decides to push on the door instead. GMRune: Rein digs himself into a slight hole from kicking the stuff around. GMRune: The door seems jammed, but if more people pushed... Geint pushes again! =D Arzel helps push. Geint flies at it! Arzel could probobly just teleport to the other side, but oh well.. Geint is a buff dragon. ^_^ Rein picks up a glob of the stuff. Rein looks around slyly. Kadan attempts to plow himself into the door to assist the others. Ayeye stands back. GMRune: Rein suddenly sinks deeper into the stuff, up to his shoulders. Arzel: Ack! Arzel: Rein get out of that. Rein tries to pry himself out with his staff. GMRune: Arzel, Kadan, Earendil, and Geint plow into the door. It suddenly flies open from the force of their weight, carrying the group of them with it! A wide pit gapes just beyond the doorway and the four are unable to stop moving before falling in! GMRune: Rein is rather... stuck. His staff digs through the whiteness, spilling more of it on himself. Earendil: Yaaaaahhhhhhh! Ayeye runs forward and tries to grab Kadan. "No!" Rein: Uhh... somebody... Kadan: Umm... like... Eek and stuff. Geint: O_o GMRune: The pit seems to have been hewn right through the floor. Rather than being in a sort of basement, the walls are all composed of the spongy white fluff. Rein: Hey! Rein: This sucks! Geint flaps her wings. "Aah!!" Earendil: . o O(Althena dammit! What did I get myself into now?) Earendil: . o O(And how can I save Valina stuck in this stuff.) GMRune: Above, Ayeye can see a figure moving towards the pit from the shadows deeper into the chamber. Geint bounces off the walls. Ayeye glances over the edge of the pit. Geint huffs and puffs. After lots of bouncing, she comes back up. ;b Geint: This stuff is evil. Rein tries to stay upright so his head doesn't go under. GMRune: Arzel, Earendil, and Kadan are about fifteen feet below Ayeye. The fluff seems to have broken their fall. Ayeye grabs Geint. "Is Kadan alright!" Rein: Guys... this isn't funny... Kadan pats himself over. "I think I'm still in one piece." Geint looks around. Geint sighs. Geint decides to go down there and see if everyone is okay. =b Ayeye lets the startled air bunny go. "Err...sorry..." Geint: I'll check, Ayeye!!!! Geint flies down. Earendil tries not to move so that he doesn't end up deeper in the white fluff. Par looks around. "Umm... Ayeye, I think we're missing someone else besides our friends in the pit..." Geint: ... Rein: *fainter now* Get me out of this junk! Ayeye ignores Par and leans over the edge. "Anyone have any rope?" Geint finally gets down. Geint hears Rein. Geint: Tarrant! Make a plant rope! And Rein.... I'm comingggggg!! *Flies up* Par sighs and goes back outside to look at the hole Rein went down. Geint goes over to where Rein is now and tries tugging him out. =b ~Tarrant creates a vine and hands one end of it to Geint. Geint: Oh! Par's got it covered. Geint takes the rope. Geint goes back down again, every now and then comically bouncing. ;b GMRune: Geint gets the rope to Rein. Geint gets to the bottom. ~Tarrant creats a second vine to hand over to Ayeye. "Here, use this to get the others out." Geint: Hey guys. =b Rein: I got it! Thanks Geint! Geint bounces everywhere, doing what everyone tells her to do. =b Ayeye stretches to reach the vine. Once she has it, she looks for something to attach it to. Rein: This rope is great, but I could use a lift! GMRune: There is a large column near the doorway Ayeye could use. Geint takes the other end and looks for somewhere to tie it to. Ayeye attaches the vine to the pillar. GMRune: There are several columns outside the shrine near Rein's position. Geint ties it to one of them. ^_^ Geint secures it. Geint pulls on it to make sure it's safe. Geint: ......Okay....okay..... Geint: Okay, Rein! C'mon! Geint: Need any help climbing? ~Tarrant: Hey, guys, Ayeye's tied the vine! Can you see it? Climb on up now! Earendil wades throught the fluff to grab onto the vine. Rein stats pulling himself up, but since the line from Rein to the column is not the same as the line to the top of the hole, the rope starts cutting down at an abgle through the spongey stuff. Rein plows through the white stuff, making gurgling sound as he tries to keep his face free. Geint: O_o Ayeye stares deeper into the chamber. Earendil starts pulling himself up. Geint flies down to him! GMRune: Earendil makes it up to the top. Ayeye begins to walk farther into the chamber. Geint tries to aid him by flying and pulling him out. =\ Arzel starts to climb. Rein reaches the surface and collapses, covered with that white crap. Geint: =( Geint pat-pats rein. GMRune: The spongy white stuff slides off of Rein, joining the rest of it. The stuff is not sticky in any way. Geint: Sorry. =\ Ayeye moves off to the side, continuing toward... something... GMRune: Arzel makes it up to the top. Geint flies over to Arzel. Geint: =\ Geint flicks a piece of fluff off of him. She watches as it bounces to the ground. =b Arzel pants. "I should of teleported up." Earendil looks down into the pit. "Kadan, are you coming?" Geint: .... ..... This stuff is evil. Voice: &@$%#! Will you stop following me! Par helps Rein into the Shrine, and carefully around the pit. Arzel: What was that? Earendil turns his head toward the voice. Geint follows him. ^_^ GMRune: A shadowed figure deeper into the chamber points an accusing finger at Ayeye. Kadan: Sure, I'm coming. Arzel: Kadan get up here or I'll teleport you up! Kadan starts to climb. Ayeye keeps moving toward the figure. The voice becomes more recognizable. Garreth: Look, you're here. Now you guys happen to have something I want. And if you want your little bitch back you're going to have to give it to me! Geint: O_o Earendil: How dare you call Valina that! Where is she? Garreth seems to smile from the shadows. "She's safe. And she's being guarded. So don't try anything stupidly heroic." Geint: Uhhmm... and what do you want? All we have is bouncy fluff... Earendil: Like impaling you on my sword and displaying you for all Lunar to see? Geint demonstrates by flicking a piece. It lands in some random spot. Garreth glowers. "You don't have the strength to do that." Ayeye takes out Garreth's backpack. "Is this what you want?" Rein nods appreciatively at Geint's display. Earendil: I certainly can try. Garreth gets a sweat drop. "Noooo.... I want that damn pendant you guys have been carting around for ages past!" Ayeye: Oh... Geint: =b Ayeye throws the backpack at him. "Have it back anyway." Garreth: Though the return of my backpack would be appreciated as well... Throw the pendant in the backpack and give it to me. Earendil: Ayeye, what are you doing? Arzel moves the pouch with the pendant in it to a more secure spot... in one of the inner pockets of his robe Ayeye: You are not getting the pendant back. Garreth catches his backpack. "I need the pendant still..." Garreth: And why not? Ayeye: Remember, you were beaten before, and you will be beaten again. So satisfy yourself with the backpack. Geint: Yea... besides...... I don't think the pendant is your color. =b Garreth: Ha! I'll defeat all of you yet! But... now's not the time. Be good little wanna-be heroes and give up before your friend comes to any harm. Kadan: How are we to be assured that she has not been harmed already? Earendil: . o O(If I try anything Valina could be harmed. If I don't, she can she be harmed.) Ayeye: No, if you hurt her, you don't get the pendent, and we won't be nice, but let her go, and we may be in a better mood. Of course, you still won't get the pendant. Earendil: If you have laid one finger on her, I swear I'll see all the warlocks in House Banshee aflame. Garreth: Heh heh heh... I don't need her to get the pendant off your sorry carcasses, but let's say it serves the Empire better if she lives. If she doesn't, then it is a loss, though more agreeable than if you refuse to surrender. Kadan: Hasn't anyone ever taught you that it's very bad karma to endanger the main character's romantic interest?! Garreth spits. "Heroes. A worthless lot." Geint: Better to be a good hero than a lame villian. ;) Ayeye smirks. "Villians, even more useless." Earendil: Not as worthless as a lackey of Gausuton, like you. Garreth gestures and several warlocks emerge from the darkness behind him. Two of them are forcefully holding Valina up between them. Her feet dangle several inches above the floor. Arzel: The empire will never win Garreth, you should know that... evil will move in upon itself Earendil: Valina! Earendil: Let her go now! Garreth: The Empire is a united force, THAT is why we will succeed. Now, here is the girl. Will you give me the pendant? Valina: .... Ayeye: Now just be a nice little lackey and hand over Valina. Garreth shakes his head. "Do you think I'm that stupid? Gausuton's orders say to either kill her or get the pendant. I'm not about to loose the opportunity to do one or the other." Valina: Let go of me you lackys... I can walk by myself you know... Valina: Gausuton is pure evil! Kadan: Yeah, well I got news for you, buddy. I just recently emerged from a scene of self-discovery and reconcilliation! My newfound inner peace and sense of self will be a force to be reckoned with, believe you me! Garreth turns to Valina. "I thought I told you to shut up!" He hits her with a sharp backhand across the face. Earendil: If I give you the pendant, what assurance do I have that you'll let Valina go? Earendil: No. Valina sticks her tounge out at Garreth, behind his back. :P Ayeye: Earendil! You can't give up the pendent! Earendil: Don't hurt her! Geint: !! You rat! You're nothing but a cheap bastard who swears like a sailor. ;b Earendil: I . . . I can't let Valina be hurt. Ayeye: This, this, petty thug can't be allowed to win! Valina: And what are you going to do Garreth? Kill me! Then you won't get your little pendant that would proably end up killing you anyways Garreth: I'll give you my word as a warlock of the Empire to give you the girl so long as I get the pendant. Ayeye: Do you think he will be a nice guy if you give him what he wants? Don't be a fool Dragonmaster! Arzel: The word of a warlock is worth nothing! Earendil's face is contorted with confusion and anger. Valina: Earendil... Garreth: (to Valina) I am stronger than before, remember that. I've learned from my last battle with your friends. Earendil walks up to Arzel. "Please, give me the pendant." Garreth: The word of a warlock is priceless if it means a chance at a higher station. You forget that, Arzel. Geint: O_o Arzel: A higher station in the empire! *spit* Ayeye looks sadly at Earendil. "Please Earendil, it will do no good..." Arzel looks at Earendil. "I can't let you give him the pendant" Geint: o O (Oh, c'mon geint...... you know you can do something here........ but what?) Earendil: Please, don't force me to take it from you. Valina's life is at stake and nothing is more important to me but her. Garreth pulls out a dagger and points it towards Valina. "I bet this could change your minds if you need a little more convincing." Valina: A higher station is in fact merely a lower evil. Geint: ....... GMRune: One of the warlocks savagely twists Valina's arm, causing spots to appear before her eyes. Valina: Ah! Ayeye: Earendil... think about it? What will happen if he gets the pendent? Will you or Valina have a chance at survival if he gets it? Valina shrieks! Arzel: We'll all be dead if the empire can find out how to work the Serpent Staff... do you really believe that Garreth will let Val go if you give him the pendant? Earendil growls. "Arzel, please!" Rein picks up a glob of stuff and looks thoughtful. Geint: o O (...."Would probobly kill him anyways"..... well, there is a chance of that.... and we can always get the pendant back.... but..... oh Geint! Give it up!) Valina begins to cry... Arzel: Garreth WAS one of my friends. *throws back his hood* Look what he did to me, you can't trust him! Garreth: And you wear that scar so well, dear Arzel... Earendil: Then what do you suggest I do, stand back and watch him kill her? Ayeye: I suggest you resist him, fight him, he cannot be allowed to win! Arzel: He can't kill her... she's one of the pendant bearers... they can't open the tome without her Rein packs the stuff into a nice ball. Garreth seems to be loosing patience. He taps the blade of the dagger lightly against Valina's cheek, drawing small traces of blood. Valina: Ah! Earendil tries to snatch the pouch with the pendant from Arzel. Valina: Kill... Kill me! Try it! Ayeye jumps between Earendil and Arzel. Geint makes a face at Garreth. GMRune: Earendil collides into Ayeye while trying to get at Arzel. Geint hmms.... Earendil: Out of my way, Ayeye! Geint examines Garreth... where he's standing... as much as she can see... Rein starts to walk slowly straight at Garreth. Ayeye: No, I can't let you. Garreth eyes Rein with a bloodthirsty gaze. Rein stares him straight in the eye, and continues walking towards him. Geint hmms... Geint watches Rein. Rein: What are you scared of sir? Arzel takes his eyes off Earendil for a second to glance at Rein. Valina looks at Rein... Ayeye: Earendil, you didn't want me to work for them, for the wrong side, I must return the favor. If you truly believe in your Goddess, don't let her be destroyed... Rein: I just want to take a look at our friend. It looks like she might be hurt. Geint hugs the corners of the wall and watches to make sure Garreth is watching Rein. She is walking on the ground carefully... closer herself... very gradually... Valina: ...Yea. Rein continues to approach the warlock. Garreth: Stay away priest-boy. She doesn't need your help! Earendil: You can't understand Ayeye, you can't possibly understand. Valina: Help... me, Rein.. Rein seems to be surrounded by an almost ridiculously inappropriate calm. Rein: You have nothing to fear from me, sir. I'm but a servant of Althena. Earendil shoves Ayeye out of the way and comes face to face with Arzel again. Garreth spits at Rein. Arzel looks at Earendil again. "I'm sorry, Ear, but I can't let you... help to destroy the world" Ayeye shrugs. "Maybe not, but I do know that for a Dragonmaster, your faith doesn't hold up under pressure." Garreth: Move it! Back off! Geint: o O (Give in Garreth..... freak out...... drop your guard... anything....... c'mon... c'mon...) Ayeye tackles Earendil and trys to stop him from getting the pendent. Rein steps smoothly to the side of the spit. Geint moves closer as well, glad that Rein and Ayeye and such are being so distracting. Garreth glaces to one of his warlocks and jerks his head at Rein. The warlock moves to intercept him. Rein stands loosely about five feet from Garreth. Warlock: You can't pass, priest. Not until the deal is decided. Arzel has moved the pendant to one of the deeper pockets in his robe. Garreth meanwhile backs up with Valina and the other warlocks, getting more space between him and Rein. Rein quickly hurls the ball of stuff in Garreth's face. Geint: *Tip-toe* *Tip-toe* Arzel: o O (hurry up Geint... we don't have all week) The warlock grabs Rein's wrist as he tries throwing the spongey stuff, sending the white blob off target. Earendil: . o O(I can't take it any longer!) Geint: o O (Damn!) The warlock continues to hold on to Rein. Geint continues to advance slowly... in a hidden manner... Garreth: It seems we've gotten another hostage. Care to trade now? Rein moves his face closer to the warlock's. Earendil gets Ayeye off him and walks toward Garreth with his sword drawn with a look of absolute insanity on his face. Arzel glances at Rein and Val an curses lightly. The warlock grips Rein's wrist in one hand and takes hold of his other shoulder, holding him in place and away from his face. Arzel glances down to make sure his claws are strapped on. Ayeye gets up and dusts herself off. She smiles as she notices that the Dragonmaster is going for the enemy instead of Arzel. Rein cranes his neck over to lick the warlocks hand (he's trying to be so generally bizarre that the warlock can't think of anything else). Garreth: What's wrong, Dragonmaster? Don't care as much for your beloved's health? Earendil doesn't seem to hear. Geint continues to go forward. o O (C'mon earendil....make this easy for me......) Ayeye grabs Zara's Spear and runs to Earendil's side. Rein takes a big juicy chomp out of the warlock's hand. Geint: o O (Yes!) GMRune: Rein bites down hard and discovers there's a metal gauntlet underneath the glove he's wearing! Arzel sinks back slowly. Earendil: . o O(Dammit, with Rein there I can't do what I wanted to do.) Geint goes forward... a bit more...... a bit more..... Arzel: o O (hurry Geint! I need your distraction!) Rein starts laughing manically at the warlock. Valina: . o O (Come on Geint!>> Geint skinks around the warlocks' feet in a snake-like way. She continues to hug the corners and use the darkness as her ally. The warlock lets go of Rein's shoulder and cuffs him smartly on the neck! Rein shoves the arm left free into the warlock's hood. Geint slithers behind Valina in an invisible way. The warlock knocks Rein to the floor, unconscious, with a painful swat of his mailed hand. Earendil's form starts to glow a deep red. Garreth: Stay away, Dragonboy.... GMRune: Garreth's dagger cuts deeper into Valina's skin. Valina: ... Garreth: I need that pendant. Valina: Ah... Arzel continues to back away slowly. Ayeye: And we need to keep it away from you... Valina is crying badly trying not to make a sound... Earendil: . o O(Good, Rein is out of the way.) Kadan: What if I told you that emotional manipulation won't work with us, Garreth? You'll end up clutching a cold body and have to report back to your superiors without a pendant. I'm sure they'll be pleased to hear that. Garreth: My orders are to kill her or get the pendant. If I have to kill her so be it! Earendil sheaths his sword. Earendil: . o O(By Althena I hope this works, if it doesn't then Valina and I will die). Ayeye: If I may ask, what exactly do you get for being a lacky? Valina waits... Valina is hurting badly! Earendil rushes toward Garreth and with one hand cast Star Shield on Valina and with the other attempts casts Red Dragon Anger upon the area with the warlocks including himself. Garreth shrugs. "I have my rewards. I won't be a subordinate forever. Once I have enough power I'll be one of Banshee's *lords*." GMRune: Garreth and the warlocks are bombarded in flame! GMRune: Garreth curses and with a quick motion drives the blade of his dagger up to the hilt in Valina's throat... Valina: AAKK.. Garreth: Move it! Our job is done. Get out of here! Valina's head falls back... Valina: Ah... Earendil: Va . . . Valina?! Ayeye runs after Garreth and tries to grab him. Garreth gestures and he and his warlocks vanish. Earendil collapses. Valina's eyes are wide open, they've stopped crying... Ayeye stumbles and falls as she attempts to grab something that isn't there... Arzel collapses. Rein bleeds. Earendil drags himself over to Valina and emits a cry that all Lunar can hear. Ayeye quietly stands up and moves over to Earendil's side. Valina isn't moving. Arzel goes over to Rein and tries to wake him up. Geint cries. "No! This can't have happened! It's all my fault!! If I were faster.... I...I......I......." Geint goes into a crying fit. GMRune: Rein begins to wake. Arzel: Geint... now is NOT the time Rein comes to, groggily. Geint looks up at Arzel. Geint sniffles. Earendil sits up and cradles Valina's head in his lap all the while sobbing like a two year old. Arzel: Rein... we have a... problem here... you know much about revival magic? Geint takes in a few deep breaths. "But...... b..bb.bb.... but...." Valina is covering Earendil with her dark blood. Ayeye says in a small voice. "...I'm sorry..." Kadan's brow fills with sorrow as he looks down on Earendil and Valina. Rein: Ehh.. when someone's swooned in battle, that's one thing... Rein's face clouds as he realizes what's happened. GMRune: The party begins to recover from the shock and to come to grips with what has just happened. Arzel: There is a time for sorrow and a time for action... now is a time for action, if we don't act fast she'll be gone for good. GMRune: --------end session--------