The Ravenz End Story Line

"The Captain said even he didn't know, which is why there's a General coming over here soon. Another reason to get the hell out of here."

"Ok. Let's see if I understand. Mirari puts the guards on night routine under and we leave them a note to inflict them emotional terror and confuse them, and she comes back to guadalajaka and... I don't get it."

"We leave the note in case I ever need another job in this army. I'll take out the guards, you and I will mess up the cell while Takuso writes the letter. It has to look like it was written in a hurry, and it should look like I put up a fight. I've already finished with reversing the magic, so you could have used that to take my keys. Then Takuso will carry me out while you deal with any more guards. Finally we'll end up in the caves," Mirari said, "Simple."

"Ok. Now I understand. You Knock out the guards on night routine, while messing this cell like there was a riot here, and we go to some caves to hide"

"Escape. You drew a blank when Tacky was talking, genius," she turned to the other prisoner, "Are you ready?"
He nodded.
"Good."

"Ok. I'm ready. Get me a bat, a saw, and a tube. The sun is almost down."

Mirari stood up, "Why would you need those?" she asked, and walked out before Alex could respond.

Mirari waited, and finally night came. She heard the other men in the camp laugh at jokes she couldn't hear as the filed away to bed. She ventured out of her tent, checking to see who was up. She didn't see anyone, and crept over to the first guard.
Then she heard it. a bang came, and she heard the alarm. The alarm that meant that someone had broken out of the prison. She ran toward it as other guards poored from their tents. She grabbed her own bow, and the quiver, along with some extra darts with her crossbow, and her knife. She heard a cry of hault.
She pushed her way through the few guards. Alex was standing, watching as Takuso approached the Captain, his hands raised. With quick deduction, Mirari realized she wouldn't get another chance. She slipped the knife out.
Nodding to Alex, she got a better grip on her crossbow. Alex brought up his hands with a short incantation, pulling the sword he had stolen from its place in the prison weapon storage case. An arrow or two flew toward him, and then Takuso grabbed the sword from the Captains scabbard. Mirari Shot a dart out, striking one of the men, taking the knife and slicing through another. Alex had cast an enchantment on his sword, and was using it to hit a couple guards at a time. His dog was jumping around, biting people.
Mirari shot one dart after another, reloading quickly, while slicing and ducking and sidestepping anyone who tried to cut her down. She glanced at Takuso, and realized what he was doing. She moved toward him. More and more attention was drawn in his direction, and the fighting slowed. Alex stood at the other side of the field.
"Let us leave, and I'll spare his life," cried Takuso, tightening the blade that was pulling the skin on the captains neck back. The 10 or so guards left dropped their weapons. Takuso smiled, and then threw the Captain to the guards. Alex then began to cut through the guards again. By the time Mirari reached him, the Captain had stabbed him with his dagger. Mirari knew the dagger. It was the Captains favorite blade, tipped with a special poison. It was called Ytri.
Alex fell to the ground, Mirari spun the Captain, robbing him of his dagger, and using it to stab him.
"Mirari... Why?" he asked, as he fell to the ground.
"Goodbye Captain," she said, and picked up Alex, "Come on, Takuso, hurry. We need Harlae, it can reverse the poison. It's the only thing, magic can delay it, but not for more than 3 days." They ran as fast as they could to the caves. "There are still some sentries who will report us, Takuso," Mirari told him.
"Shit," replied the man, as he cast a short spell on Alex.
"We need to get moving," said Mirari, "theres a settlement two days from here."

The party scimmed through the mountainous plains, though tired from the journey, they barrelled on, the cold bitting through their thick cloths.
A day had gone by, without any sleep. Mirari and Takuso knew they were close, but they both agreed that it would strain them too hard to stay up much longer, let alone venture through they freezing hillsides. Mirari dug out a part of one of the dunes, and they lay down to rest there.
"How is he?" she asked, glancing over at the apparently lifeless body of Alex.
"We should take it easy on the way there, this next spell wont hold for long while we put this much stress on him and me."
"Got it," replied Mirari. She lay down as Takuso cast his spell. The whisper of snow served her as a lullaby into her sleep.

Takuso watched Mirari drift from the waking world to its neighbor. There was a quiet, subtle wind that blew the snow a bit north. Alex lay quiet, still unaware of his surroundings, the poison had already made it too hard for him to speak, or even moan. The wound was still healing, they couldn't close it completely because they would need to extract it from that point. He closed his eyes, as the spell drew from his own energy. He lay down, and drifted away, following Mirari to a world of slumber.

Takuso had a dream...

In this dream, a creature appeared before his eyes. Takuso stood lifeless, with no feeling or emotion, he turned his head down to see his body below, but it seemed he was only a pair of eyes floating in nothingness. But there was this creature, it was all that existed in the realm of his dream. The creature was large, it wore an armor that bore the stench of human flesh, and its eyes were pricked with tiny red pupils. In Takuso's image, this could only be the painless face of the devil, but this face had a different portrayal, something far away, but somehow so powerfully etched into Takuso's memories. He stood tall and looked down at Takuso's fading consciousness with an evil grin, before raising a large club high above his head and swinging it down. Though there was no feeling in the dimension of which he existed at this time, Takuso could have sworn he felt a spear plunge directly through his heart, and as the image before him faded, he heard the most beautiful voice one could possibly hear, a warming, heartfelt voice that screamed from Takuso's brightest memories. What it told him, he could not make out, but the only thing he felt like doing now was searching for this voice, and subduing its scream to the gentle tone it was meant to be heard as, the tone of anguish did not suit such an innocent voice.

Takuso awoke. his eyes were suddenly overflowed with a piercing white light as the suns rays bounced from the mirror of snow to pierce his pupils with blindness. He squinted his eyes slowly to open. Mirari sat before him.

Mirari: You had the dream again?

Takuso: Yeah... but don't worry about me, we need to get Alex to some help.

Takuso stood.

Takuso: Thats strange, i figured we were still in The Valley of Blizzards, why is it so calm?

Mirari: Thats exactly what i was thinking, the only way such a phenomenon would occur is if there were some powerful magic involved.

Takuso: So we need to stay on the alert i guess. Its almost as if...someone wants us to make it out of here alive.

Mirari: You're probably just overthinking things again Takuso.

Takuso: No, I've had this feelling ever since i left my home village. The feeling as if I'm being watched.

Mirari: Well, whatever it is, right now its a blessing for us, so lets not waste our time.

Takuso: Right.

Takuso and Mirari trudged on through the snow, following the compass of the sun.

A whole day passed by and the cold of night was beginning to creep into the air. Upon stepping over another dune, Takuso and Mirari looked out and both gave a simultaneous sigh of relief as a clean row of tents sat perched behind a bubble like barrier. Takuso felt suddenly light footed as he charged down the hill and passed through the clear magic barrier, and like a pebble traces the surface of a pond, a wave shivered along the whole circle.

The settlement was rather large, it worked as a kind of checkpoint through the blizzards, a sort of red cross that helps those that have fallen. They have daily search parties venture out to find the people who have lost there way. Mirari and Takuso were stopped at the front of the settlement, but when the guards saw Alex over Mirari's shoulder, he permitted them to pass, and gave them directions to the health hut. Mirari and Takuso went into the hut, and they were welcomed with a warm greeting, given a hot drink and sat down in a chair as the nurse applied the necessary treatment to Alex. Two of the workers began talking to each other, and something they said seemed to catch Mirari and Takuso's ears.

Guy 1: It's so strange how the blizzards have stopped, I still can't believe my eyes.

Guy 2: Well, those are the kind of miracles you get when you've got the White Mage in your midst.

Guy 1: I know, didn't he say he was attempting to grant passage to some of his old friends or something?

Guy 2: Yeah. Nobody ever sees the White Mage, we're lucky to have him come here, its a once in a lifetime chance!

Mirari suddenly stood and walked over to the two people talking.

"Excuse me," she said (continuing FROM Ickles post allows me to say that) "You claim to have seen the White Mage"
"Yes," said the first man, "What's it too you?"
"Is a rare sightin' to see him. When wa' it your eyes fell upo' him?"
"Not a day ago, but I recon he's gone now."
"I see," replied Mirari, she turned away, walking to Tackuso.
"Learn anything?"
"They belie'e the White Mage was here," said Mirari, "Bu' the important thing no' is ta make sure the Merc is fine, and then get to the Purple Mage." she nodded her head to a man, "tha' guy rea's of our friend, Mr. Gary."
"How can you tell?"
"Standar' trainin' fo' anyone higher than a Corp'ral to be able to recogni' if you're bein' follow'd. Hence, Sergen.' Come on,' we mus' hurry if we wan' ta be rid of him by sunse' tomorro.'"
Takuso nodded, and stood, the two of them walked to the bed where Alex now lay. "He looks fine to me.
"The' le's go."

Takuso and Mirari make their way toward the door, but Mirari stops dead for an instant. Takuso looks back in puzzlement but the reason is soon clear as Mirari instantly kicks her legs and jumps 5 feet from the door. A line of needles pierce the wooden door frame making several sounds like more ballz bouncing on a hollow surface. Everyone in the room gasped audibly, making it sound as if the hut had a voice box of its own, as every eye fell on the young mercenary now sitting up in his hospital bed, arm bent in a throwing position and staring menacingly at the surprised Mirari standing strong and reflecting his menacing expression.

Alex: The prisoner is my contract now, you lay your damn filthy hands off him.

Mirari: As fa' as I'm concern'd, I reash'd him firs an' it is onlay becau'e of me we ma'e it ou' of there ali'e. Remind me, what were ye doin whi'e your "contrac'" wa' lock'd in a frozen cell?

Alex: I would have succeeded and been back to the purple mage by now if it wasn't for your interfering.

Mirari: No, all you were wa' reckl'ss. You expect'd to snea' into a guard'd facility and brea' ou' an ob'iously valu'ble refugee on your ow' withou' any knowledge of the situatio'? Is a good thin I caugh' you, otherwise you'd be dead!

Mirari was practically yelling now.

Nurse: PLEASE! This is not the place to argue, we have sick patients being attended to here!

Alex, without saying a word, jumped to his feet and made his way to the door.

Nurse: No, your still injured, its suicide to try and leave in your condition, you just woke up after 2 days of a poison induced coma! Your body is weak, its a miracle you can even stand.

Alex: I do things my own way, I don't need any of you peoples help with anything.

Alex continued toward the door, but Takuso stood in front of him.

Takuso: Listen, I am greatfull that you came to rescue me, and though your plan backfired, the truth is that I am free now, and it is a thanks to the both of you that I'm finally out of that prison. I don't know why it is I'm being hunted by so many people, up until now, I had figured that the only one left in the world who even knew my name was myself. I don't know who this "Purple Mage" is and why he sent two peoploe out to rescue me, but if he sent you after he sent Mirari, he obviously wanted you here for something. We don't even know where the Purple Mage is, so please, if you are going back to him, allow us to be your partners on this journey, when we get there, it will be both your rewards you will face. And if you're still angry at Mirari, know that she was the one who carried you for two days on her back through this blizzard!

Alex stood in the doorway ., looking frustrated.

Alex: Humph

And Alex walked past Takuso. Mirari came up to Takuso and they both walked out after Alex.

Takuso: Perhaps it wasn't the best thing for companions of Gary to hear all that.

Mirari: I don' thin they'll touch us while we're here, bu' we may face so'e of his subbordes on te way towards The Purple Mage.

Alex stood at the edge of the town. Mirari and Takuso stopped and looked at him. He glanced at Mirari then quickly looked away, and looked as if he were struggling to cough something out of his throat. He stood for about thirty seconds before finally speaking.

Alex: If you want to follow me, be my guests, just don't get in my way, because I won't ever hesitate for anything, or anyone...

With that, he turned and stepped through the barrier. Mirari and Takuso looked at each other with a grin and quietly followed.

"So," Takuso began, as he and Mirari awoke from a cold, and noisy night, "How did YOU sleep?"
Mirari smiled at him, "Take a guess."
"Good point."
Mirari turned her head, "The Merc is alrea'y gone."
"Oh. Perfect. Now what?" asked Takuso.
"We shoul' try to fin' the Purple Mage. I've hear' tell he is in ______(Because Ickle hasn't told me what the penisula thing is called)"
"You mean you didn't see him?"
"I saw 'im, but 'e was in a tent, away from 'is 'ome."
"Well, in that case, we've got a long way to go."
"That we do."

Following Alex's step Mirari and Takuso make it out of The Valley of Blizzards in one piece. Alex stopped ahead and waited for them to catch up.

Alex: We're only about 2 miles from Tiona. But be warned, Tiona is one of the worst and slimyiest cities in the whole world, its the kind of place where murders are committed in broad daylight and the bodies sit on the street to rot for days before someone finally picks it up because of the stench.

Takuso: Why are we goind there?

Alex: I've got some friends there.

Mirari: Tha's surprising (sarcasm).

Alex: Well, it'll be those friends that will hook us up with a safe route through Stribog, so I expect you'll be on your best behavior.

The three walked on and soon faced the structure of a large wall surrounding the whole city. The wall hardly looked sturdy enough to keep people out, in fact, Takuso was sure that anyone could climb up it with no problem and nobody would ever know. But Alex led them up to the front gate, where two men in ragidy torn up armor stood guard. They seemed to recognize his face, but they eyed Takuso and Mirari suspiciously.

Guard 1: Friends o' yours?

The guard grunted.

Alex: The kid is my slave and the elf is our offer to Lord Gaza.

Mirari looked frustrated, the guard looked at her and she quickly fixed her expression.

Guard 1: She won't run?

Alex: She knows theres nowhere to go.

Alex gave the guard and evil grin and the guard grinned back.

Guard 1: Alright then, let them through.

The second guard raised his hand and the gate was lowered. The team walked across and into the city.

Mirari: Wha te ell was t'at about?

Alex: I probably should have mentioned, they HATE elves here. Lord Gaza is the so called "mayor" of this city. If he wanted to, he could fix the wall and make this city just as prosperous as Gorzo, but the bastard lives the life of a King, and he could care less about the people of the city.

Takuso: Thats aweful.

Alex: Well, it's not my problem, your lucky those guards know me, otherwise they wouldn't have let us in.

Takuso stopped suddenly.

Mirari: W'at is it?

Takuso looked around and slowely started walking again.

Takuso: It's that feeling again, like we're being watched.

Alex: You'll get that alot in this place it's best not to talk like this in the middle of the city, never know who's listening.

Mirari: Thanks for telling us. (sarcasm)

They walked through the city streets, it was like a labyrinth. There were all types of shady people, and the whole place seemed to stink like whiskey. At one point, Takuso had to stop because there was a dirty looking little boy with an eyepatch over his left eye and a can of coins in his hands. The little boy held up the can to Takuso but Takuso had no money, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace, bent down and handed it to the boy. The boy looked at it as if he were going to cry.

Takuso: I'm sure its worth a lot of money.

Takuso smiled, stood up and walked quickly to catch up with Mirari and Alex.

Takuso: This place is even worse than i expected it to be.

Alex: I'm surprised that kid hasn't been robbed yet.

A few strong looking guys stepped in front of Alex, Mirari and Takuso. They stopped.

Guy: Since when does a slave carry such valuable treasures like this?

The guy held up the necklace that Takuso had given the child. Takuso's eyes widened and he leaped forward and extended his hand.

Takuso: Hand that over right now, or you'll regret it.

Takuso said with determination.

Guy: Hah, you poor fool, you've been trick and you don't even know it.

The child from the street stepped out from behind the guy. Takuso looked very angry. Mirari stepped forward but Takuso put his hand up.

Takuso: Leave this to me.

Mirari: Can you fight?

Takuso: I can take care of these guys.

Guy: Hahahaha, you're funny kid. Alright, you have me interested, come on then.

The 3 other men stepped forward. One cracked their knuckles and instantly thrust his hand forward toward Takuso. Takuso ducked, reached up and grabbed the mans extended arm turn on his feet so that his back was up against the mans stomache and pushed forward. The man flew over Takuso's shoulder and slammed headfirst into the ground. The two others faces turned to anger, and they both jumped at Takuso. The first guy swung a club toward his head, Takuso stepped back as the second person, coming from the left, jabbed forward with a sword. Takuso stepped back and quickly kicked his legs to the left, making his body fly along the back side of the sword. With his elbow extended, he plunged it into the sword wielders face, who fell to the ground, as the guy with the club came in and swung down. Takuso stepped back again, but the guy kept swinging. Finally, after dodging and ducking a multiple of times, Takuo stopped and whispered something under his breath, and suddenly, a flame shot from his fingertips and knocked the large man over with a large thud on the hard ground. By now, there were a circle of civilians cheering on a placing bets encasing the whole group. The man with Takuso's necklace smiled.

Guy: Alright kid, you got some skill.

Takuso: I'll take you on too.

Guy: No no my friend. It is I who is calling the shots now. Meet me at Blacklust Tower. If you want this necklace back, and don't want me to kill this little kid, I suggest you come.

Takuso: I'll be there.

Guy: Alright then.

The guy picked up the kid in one arm and disapeared. Takuso stood for a moment before turning back to Mirari and Alex.

Alex: Do you even know what "Blacklust Tower" is?

Takuso: No clue.

Alex: Ugh... well lets just say you might not be the only one to die there today.

Mirari: What do you mean?

Alex: Its not a place where the average person goes. Its a place where the ugliest of evils resides, and not only that, but its supposively a hangout for Gary enthusiests.

Takuso: Whatever is there we have to go, no matter what.

Mirari: When did you ever learn magic anyway?

Takuso: The monks i grew up with taught magic, but not to be used in the way i just used it. We were meant to learn the elements to understand the balance of the world, healing magic was all we ever actually used.

And they followed Alex to their destination.

The tower rested at a unique section of the city in which the land itself dipped down about 40 feet, so that the top of the tower, from a few hundred feet away, was almost level with the ground. The surrounding area almost seemed like a kind of dreary playground for diseased and alienated children. Everything was crooked or falling apart, and it was entirely deserted. Directly behind the tower, a very tall widow tree reached high into the sky and cast a shadow apon the whole of the surrounding area. The tower itself was black, but it hardly looked painted. It almost looked as if a mad artist decided to cover the whole tower in charcoal. In patches all across the grounds, small dieing trees and spiny bushes sprouted from what seemed like poisoness soil, and thick green vines climbed the tower, entering in the scattered windows and suffocated the small traces of life that seemed to glow from the structure.

Alex led Takuso and Mirari down the extended slope and up to the mouth of this unearthly creature. Walking into Blacklust tower was a hassle in itself, as the stench of welcome was as repelling as its deathly appearance. A rancid aroura carried thick into the air like a gaseous bomb made of the flesh of dead animals, as the each lung that was forced to contain this substance felt a heavy weight drop down upon its walls.

The bottom floor of the tower looked like a dark tavern, every manned table had a population greater than that of its capacity, the place was packed with people drinking their kidneys to death and grinding away their life savings to the mounds of dust in their pockets. Alex, Takuso and Mirari spotted their customer in an instant. He was staring at them from across room, with one arm leaned up on the counter of which the bartender stood. On their arrival, the man stood from his stool and made his way to meat his party. They stood in front of each other for a moment before the man finally spoke.

"Welcome, friends, to Black Lust Tower. The only place in the city where every human sin is prefored upon a stage of viewers, and where your pain and turmoil are laughed at."

"Hand over my necklace, or you will be the only one dealing with pain." Takuso said.

"OOh, you really are a fisty one aren't you, well, your kind are the most enjoyable, so consider it an honor that I even challenge you in this way, it'd normally be a quick and...painful transaction. It doesn't matter anyway, you'll soon be sprinting out that door screaming for you life, while i chase you down, slit your throat, and have a toast of your blood back here with my buddies."

"Sorry to dissapoint you, but I'm not leaving here without what I came for."

"Alright kid, lets see what you've got." Said the man. The whole floor must have been listening, because as the man stepped back, the people in the surrounding area all moved their tables and shifted in their chairs to watch the battle.

Takuso waved for Mirari and Alex to stand back. They did so, as Takuso and the challenger stood in a stare for only a moment, before Takuso ran forward.

WIth a leap, Takuso jabbed his right fist towards the mans face, and as he put up his hand to grasp Takuso's thrust, Takuso stomped down, shifting the weight in his body, pulling back his punch and quickly spinning and crouching to slam the back of his right hand into his opponents side. The man's body limped to the left as he stumbled into a nearby table, causing a customer to leap off his chair and out of the way. He coughed a few times before righting his position.

"You surprised me there, nice move, I'll admit, you've got me beat in speed, thats for sure....hehehe"

The man stood up and put both hands out in front of him and held his position for an instant, before a jet of fire shot from his finger tips and raced towards Takuso. Takuso stood still and calm as he quickly put his hands up as if he were swimming and knocked the ball of fire to the floor.

"Pretty good."

"I was taught defensive magic at a young age, you can't beet me with simple moves like that." Takuso stated with a grin.

"Alright then, I think it's time i show you something kid, but be warned, no opponent of mine has ever survived after seeing this."

"I'm pretty lucky to have the opportunity to be the first one."

The man put his hands down at his sides and closed his eyes. He looked as if he were meditating about something. The position stayed for about a minute before he finally fixed his gaze at Takuso's martial art stance. Suddenly, the man ran towards Takuso and thrust few punches in which Takuso easilly dodged and jumped out of range. The mans speed seemed to instantly increase, and Takuso was having trouble keeping up with his motions. He was relentless, Takuso had no time to block any attacks and spent his time backing up and moving around to avoid his attack. Finally, he saw a small opening, and not knowing when he would get another chance, he thrust his hands at the man, and made a strong contact with his bare face. but something went wrong.

Takuso felt his knuckles plow the bones in his enemies cheeks, he flet the man's body flop backwards and he heard his pitiful yelp of pain as Takuso made contact with his skin, but something was wrong, because Takuso was being pulled by the mans body as well. The man fell to the floor, and Takuso fell on top of him, and a sudden pain entered his hand where he had hit the man in the face.

It was apparent what had happened, though Takuso didn't know how. In some way, as Takuso punched this man in the face, his fist had somehow stuck to his bare skin. And not only that, but it seemed as if the mans flesh itself was on fire, and this fire was slowly spreading through Takuso's body.

"What the hell is going on!" Takuso said as he attempted to pull his fist from the mans face.

"Hahaha, I've got you now. You see, I am not a normal human like yourself. I have a certain mutation that makes me unique to most people, that mutation being...hehe. I have the ability to secreat a sticky and painful poison from the flesh on my face, once it touches, you won't be able to pull your hand off, at least without ripping the skin from your fingers along with it. And slowly, a poison is spreading through your body, causing your body temperature to rise drastically. I bet you're probably feeling quite feverish right about now, well, that fever is going to rise and rise until you die a painful death. HAHAHA"

Takuso tried to move, but his body felt incredibally weak. The world around him began to blur, as he felt the symtoms of this flue spreading all along his body. There was nothing he could do. And the last thing he heard before he finally blanked out was Mirari's voice. He wasn't sure what she said, but he hoped that they would escape before their lives were put in danger as well.

"Takuso!" cried Mirari, a glance over to Alex showed clearly mixed feelings, the loss of a pleniful bounty competed versus the failed plight of ignorance against the man, resulting in a small frown playing across his face. Mirari turned back, many of the onlookers were begining to clap as she rushed to him.
"Koau Nirith, Koan Loa," she whispered, her hands covering her mouth. She moved them down to Takuso, as a whisp of white flew from her mouth. Icy waves trickled through the air, washing over Takuso, almost galloping down from her mouth, and across his shuttering body.
Mirari closed her eyes before looking up. There was a fierce glint in her eye that made the man finally find his first glimps of fear since his childhood. When she spoke, her voice threatened insanity in the less strengthened watchers.
"Ye are in league with te Green Mage?" though her voice wasn't quite questioning, so much as an acusation.
"This very building belongs to him, elf," the man replied, regaining his egotistical nature.
"Then I shall raze it ta this earth," Mirari replied, "after I ensure your death is as painful as I can make it." She stood, glaring at the man.
"Only a raider would care so deeply, elf," said the man, "or know that spell. The green mage will thank me for your death."
"Uri Feri," Mirari whispered. The man looked around. "Where have you taken me elf?" he asked.
"You can't take all of us," Mirari replied. Alex tilted his head.
"Wanna bet?" asked the man. He picked up the nearest bystander and threw him into another. Mirari turned back to Taksuo, who had just opened his eyes to witness the man punching another drunked pedestrian.
"Uh, what's he doing?" the waking man asked.
"Loral trick."
"Illusion?"
"Aye," Mirari replied picking up a sword from the table, and handing it to Takuso, after whispering a few words. Upon his confused expression, she said, "'e is your kill."
Taksuo stood, as Mirari whispered a few words. The man stopped punching an already dead man. He looked up and around. "Elfish bitch," he yelled, running at her. Taksuo put the sword in his path, which he ducked, grabbing another sword, and spinning to face Takuso.
There was a moments pause between the two. And then they came to together, a fateful clash sung through the air, recognizing the beginning of a battle where neither party would pull a punch. The swords were not in the same place for more then a half second, no one was even pausing. The man suddenly rushed Takuso, who ducked, spun, rose up, and sunk his sword through the space between his arm and side. A second passed before he whipped it out, and spun, slicing away the mans hand that held his sword. Blood spilled onto the floor. Leaking blood from his shoulder of the other arm, the man turned.
"Whatever your journey is ahead, know that Gristo sends you on with his wishes for you to succeed, you certainly deserve it. Now run before he comes," he turned to Mirari, "You know a good poison," he whispered, before collapsing. Mirari and Takuso ran out of the building. Alex was no where in sight.
They rushed up the hill, halfway, Mirari turned, "Judus Furi Futer Ilnell," she cried, shoving her hand at the tower, hitting it. A moment passed, the fire in Mirari's eyes was not yet gone.
And then, suddenly, the tower cracked, and part began to fall. Mirari smiled, before she saw the mechanism the tower had built into place. It began to melt, quickly. The mass of the tower began to increase as it melted, anything living that touched the black pool just disenitgrated. (SPELLING FTW!) Mirari and Takuso ran as the black liquid rose up to them. Taksuo reached the top first, and he watched as Mirari slipped. He reached out his hand, and she reached up to him. Latching hands, he pulled her just out of Blacklust towers remnence. The liquid hardened over, creating a circle of darkness.
"That was really, really, really, really, really close," said Takuso, panting. There was a pause, "Mirari?"
He turned to see Mirari with a dart in her neck. He pulled it out, before he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He looked down, and saw the tranquilizers needle sticking into him.
"Oh come on!" he said, as he fell to the ground."

[Off Story]
The time system of Osaelsha is like this: a day is called a Ratik, and is 10 Terets long 1 Teret is equal to 3.4 earth hours. 10 Londolans make up a Teret, 10 Polanas make a Londolan. If my math is correct (I would enjoy someone checking) a Polana is about .34 seconds.

Tolak pins are like dominoes. Throughout the rest of the story, we hope to have more expressions like "against the glove." And yes, "set up the tolak pins" means set up the metaphorical dominoes
[/Off Story]

The cellars of Tiona were dark and cold. Some say they were built just for the purpose of striking fear into those held captive in the abyss like lair.
But the city of hell was not the place were our heroes where to be judged.
Neigh, the corruption, as anyone could see, was too great for any true legal things to go on in the crime plagued streets.
So, instead, they were to be taken to the city of Gorzo. Mirari and Takuso knew they would have to stop in the great city eventually, though this was not quite what they had in mind in their visit.
But for now they were trapped here.
For now was a short time.
"Get up!" a guard yelled at the sleeping duo.
Mirari shook her head "Wha?"
"You're moving. Come on. Up."

The pair glanced at each other before allowing themselves to be slipped out of the horrid dungeons. There were small Alichods outside, waiting for them. There was a hooded man on one. He mimicked the clicks and chirps of the animals, and they knelt for passengers.
The last time Takuso had ridden on one of these birds had been 20 years ago, when he was 6. It was an attempt by the monks to get him to be one with the animal he rode. It failed miserably, the beast was uncomfortable, and angry. Had he not left with Suiki, he probably would have been forced to try again. Now, just as it had been then, the animal was uncomfortable.
They landed on a small strip of land about a mile from the city. A hooded man greeted him, the lapel of a Major. Mirari bowed her head as they were led past him. Takuso noticed. "You can see his face?"
"I don't need to," came a quiet reply. The man turned as Takuso glanced back up at him. The guard behind him shoved the young man forward. They were led into a tent, one of the larger, enforced ones. The bars of the cell were magically connected to the tent and ground. The only light came from the sun, dully shining through the canopy.
"So," the Major walked into the room, his hood remained over his eyes, "What have we here?"
"This one," the guard said, "is a traitor to the cause. She would have been a Lieutenant if she had stayed with us by now, just about to get a promotion. The other…" the man trailed off, and handed the Major an envelope, "is whatever this thing tells you."
The Major opened the letter, glanced up at Takuso, and then proceeded to cast a small spell as the paper burned into nothingness. "So, Aera, how goes destroying the commanders plans?"
Mirari looked away from his gaze, "Quite well. At least up until now. I see you managed to recover from your demotion?" her tone was stiff, a bit melancholy.
"Yes, well, you heard what was said about how promising I was last time we met."
Mirari glanced at Takuso for a second, and then said, "It is good to see you. I couldn't come back, and you know I couldn't. You also know I would have if I could have."
"I doubt it," replied the hooded man, before he turned to leave.
"Leoei, wait!" It was too late. He was already out the door.
Takuso moved over to Mirari, "Aera?"
"Can't use a real name if you get caught for vandalism."
"You have a history that is long for your age, Aera." Mirari turned at his words, looking him in the eye. His gaze remained firm. He neglected to mention that, of the little elfish he remembered from the monastery, lost was one of the ones that he remembered more easily.

"General Marzello will be here in three days. Good luck against his glove," the Major looked up from the letter the guard had just given him.
"You picked up on more than one elfish phrase, didn't you, Leoei?" The man in front of her tilted his head and glared at her.
"Yes, well…" he drifted off. Takuso studied the man's features. Leoei shook his head, and looked up at the prisoner, "what are you looking at?"
"Nothing," Takuso lowered his gaze. He knew his place.
"Leoei, please. Help us. You know what he did to your parents, and you still pledge your loyalty to him?" The Major's eyes narrowed. "They betrayed the cause," he spun on his foot, and left quickly.
"So when will he help us?" Takuso asked.
"We'll have a day to plan our escape when he does."

As was expected, Leoei eventually came around. By the time they had everything planned out, the General was expected in less than a Taret. Leoei moved to set up the tolak pins. Mirari watched Takuso as he meditated, preparing to break free of another jail cell.
The sound of the Kala drums and Horns from outside signaled the General had arrived.

Takuso and Mirari sat up inside their damp and abominate residance to the hale of drums and horns vibrating the cold earth beneath them. Apparently death had a rythem to it, and the General was keen on strutting to its appeal. Mirari and Takuso withheld their nervous glances and pinned their eyes at the closed flap of a door that separated freedom from condemnation; waiting anxiously for the large bearded barbarian of image known as their authoritive General to burst through like an speeding arrow pierces and shatters a thin wall of glass.

They heard voices from outside, one of them was easilly distinguishable as the guard that accompanied Leoeoi in escorting the prisoners to their cells, and the other was assumed as some kind of messanger of sorts, as the manner of his tone was sharp and declarative.

Mirari and Takuso moved closer to the door, as far as the bars would allow to catch an audible glimps of the conversation.

"They are being held in the highest of securities readilly available at such short notice." The guard spoke with a quiver, as if almost intimidated by the prescence of this quirky sounding man.

"What spells have been used to secure this hankerchief to this sewer of a land?"

"Only the best sir, we've had a black mage come by and secure it herself, under your orders of course. Don't know why its such a big deal to tell you the truth, they were only being held for a short notice." The guard then gave an awkward laugh but suddenly stopped, most likely a result of a hard and unamused face from his guest.

"Do you question my authority? It just so happens that one of those beasts happens to have escaped from a highly secured facility once before, and the other one is on the very top most wanted list in all of the Priscan army! You'd be a fool to underestimate such monsters." This man's voice seemed no longer restrained by a manner of insecurity, it seems when authoritively speaking, he knew how to contradict his natural tone.

The man with the squeeky voice and the conversation carried off into the distance, as the two of them were leaving behind their stance at the entrance to Takuso and Mirari's prison. They drifted their ears away from the bars and sat looking off in different directions, Takuso finally spoke.

"I just don't understand what the hell they want me for, seriously, I didn't do anything."

"I'm not sure either, my orders to rescue you were from The Purple Mage, he did not speak of his purpose."

"Yeah, another thing, what is your story anyway? You apparently were in and going strong with the whole government facade; you also escaped from a prison and now you're taking orders from the purple mage? Sorry, you just don't strike as the type of person who allows people to pull them along on strings." As Takuso finished, Mirari looked down at her toes, she was curled in fetal position and seemed to be deep in consideration. Takuso was patient. "Mirari, we all have our demons, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but if we're going to get out of here, and if we're going to journey together as a team, well then we have to attempt to be a bit more elucidative with each other. If you know something about me or have any idea what the hell is going on, I would like to know."

Mirari opened her mouth to speak but the timing was luckless as the muddy splashing sounds of massive footsteps neared the tent. Takuso and Mirari fixed their positionings and watched as a short disgruntled looking man strolled into the tent, a sharp breeze filled the stuffy spaces as hoards of men piled into the short walking space between the wall of the tent and the bars. Ths small man stood strongly and smugly in front of them, looking down in a look that could only be judged as absolute disgust.

"So, these are the verman I've been hearing so much about? I can hardly digest this putred taste in the air." The General said with his lower lip curled outward in a smug expression.

"You don't smell so good yourself." Mirari declared waving an equally intesified glare.

"You watch your tongue wench, otherwise you'll find it rather hard to swallo in the coming days under my watch."

"what do you want with us?" takuso interrupted. The general rolled his eyes over to him, looked him up and down and gave a cocky smirk.

"so you're the one I've been hearing so much about, takuso, haha, I'm surprised, I thought you would be a little bigger, you're just a jackrabbit." he closed his eyes and gave long exasperated chuckle, then looked back down at him, he bent down to meet takuso's height and leaned in as close to bars as he could, his expression now turned to seriousness. he then spoke in close to a whisper: "on the run he leaps the planes, left back the heart that still remains. The piece of paradise astrewed, and lost into the world anew."

Takuso was surprised, he was transfixed by the mans eyes which seemed to be glowing red. The world around him was blurring and he was uncertain of where he was...he felt...frightened. Then, the man blinked and pulled away, his eyes turned green and he stood among his men, and continued to speak, now back to his cocky self, like something had clicked. Takuso looked at Mirari but she seemed unaware of what had just happened, as if time had stopped around him and the general.

"so then, be prepared, we will be leaving tomorrow for Gorzo to face your trial." With that he turned and walked out, his men followed. Takuso looked over to Mirari.

"did you...hear what he said to me?"

"what do you mean? When he called you a jackrabbit?"

"...nevermind" takuso decided to forget about it for now. "so this plan of yours, when are we going through with it?"

"shh, takuso, Marzello is here now, you have to be careful what you say out loud, you'll never know when he's listening in..."

"right...sorry"

"don't worry about it, but yes, tonight"

a few hours passed

The brisk cold night rolled in through the floor of the tent, Takuso and Mirari lay awake in silence, waiting for the shot. Their cage was suffocating, short but very wide, Takuso sat on one end while Mirari on the other, their faces had slowly disappeared behind a thick sheet of blackness as the candle light outside their bars went out. A guard stood outside. For the early part of the night he would break out in a tune of whistling, but the still winds had grown completely silent, and the thin air was shrill in the northern ice-lands of Stribog.

Neither Mirari nor Takuso could sleep, their anxiety high for the event to soon transpire. Mirari's thoughts wondered to that of Alex, who was last seen fleeing their company as they were dragged away in confinement. Would he travel back to the purple mage? Even knowing it'd be without his prey? Does he expect to find them and once again follow their lead to get his own piece of the treasure?

Takuso sat in delirium, as in the silence of the air he couldn't help his mind but deviate from his plea for alleviation, the searing hot brand of retrospection began to once again bleed, the infection from his wound attiring the melting flesh of his masked appearance. He heard a cry, the bird falling from the tree, screeching out its mortal song. Each tear had it's own face and name, and Takuso knew each drop of his ocean as it's crushing waves had been etched into the shores of his recollection.

He tried to shake it off, but the dark tapestry of air before him began to fill itself with the sharp stained images of his past, the thoughts tattoo'd to the hole of his pupil. He shut his eyes and tried to shake the image from himself, hoping his brain would slam against the walls of his skull and send the memory flying from recollection forever. But to no luck, his eye's swollen, the world around him fading, he heard an explosion...

Mirari suddenly stood. She stayed in her position for a moment as the blast died down and then whispered "Takuso?"

Takuso fell into a temporary confusion, lost in his thoughts, he closed his eyes and shook again, and he heard Mirari call from across the cell. He stood up, leaving the cold despairing depiction of himself resigned in imprint in the corner of his cage. His mind snapped back into place and his legs jointed to position for action. He made his way to the center of the cell.

"Takuso, you awake?" Mirari called through the black mist again.

"Yeah, I'm here." Takuso replied, finding his way by her voice to her figure. "Is it time yet?"

"Well that explosion was conspicuous enough." Mirari said, she lifter her hand and attempted a spell but nothing happened. "Still nothing, but it should be happening soo-"

Boom!

Just then another blast nearby pierced their ears with hammering force, and the tent around them lit with a red flame, shock waves of wind from the blast pushing the walls of the tent violently, but their cage keeping it's shape in tact.

"Dammit, what do we do now?!" Takuso said in alarm, looking around and seeing the flames quickly spreading.

"Relax Takuso." Mirari lifted her hand again and pointed it at the swinging prison door, a yellow bolt connected between her finger and the door and through a loud sharp crack the door swung open. Mirari walked out and stood at the entrance of the cell looking back at Takuso who was staring in an awed confusion. "They aren't even real flames, they only burn away the magic barriers." She extended her hand into the cell with a smile. Takuso took it.

"Seems like you really know what you're doing." Takuso returned the smile and stepped from their prison.

"Well, like you've heard, this isn't the first time." Mirari said.

"Yeah, but lets hope it's the last." With that they made their way to the flap of a door and stepped out through the flames, a warm breeze came over them as they walked through, but that's about it.

Outside was hellish, there were screams as seemingly every other one in the field of tents was ablaze in a bright red burning flame.

"Don't tell the guards those flames don't hurt you." Mirari said as she watched a few tents down the hill somebody diving out the door flap and rolling on the ground.

"They'll probably figure that out on their own."

"I know, I just want to get out of here before Marzello finds us." And with that they nodded at each other and began running. Mirari began sprinting away from the camp, Takuso, confused as to what was going on, followed her. Takuso did not know the plan, as her and Leoei only spoke in code. Whenever Takuso would ask, Mirari would only say "just follow my lead" and Takuso would accept it. Now he followed her, completely unaware of the plan in motion.

Nobody stopped them, everybody was running around in panic. In the center of the camp was a large tower, upon it sat nine large birds, chained by their necks to rings at the edge of the the tower. They perched there and waited for when the human's needed them. But there was one empty space, one bird missing.

Mirari and Takuso reached the edge of the camp, where another smaller tower stood. This tower was abandoned and falling apart, an old relic that still stood from the early wars of Gorzo when the Subatne and Areora clans were trying to claim the land from Emperor Gorzo. They entered the tower and began to climb the spiral staircase within.

They ran until they reached a hatch at the top with a ladder hanging down. They climbed the ladder and stepped up upon the top of the tower. Mirari was expecting to find the missing bird waiting upon this tower with Leoei's subordinate (Leoei left to decrease suspiscion leaving his trusted man to secretly take care of them). But instead they found...Marzello...sitting at the edge, looking at them playfully.

Mirari and Takuso stopped short. Marzello gave a smug smile and leaped to his feet, walking slowly towards them. He put his hands together and began to clap.

"Very good, quite amusing yes." He stopped clapping but inched forward in fox-like strides. "You really think I had no clue about your whole plan? HAH! Leoei has his duties to me before he does you wench. But I give you credit, your seduction of his poor inferior mind had almost worked, and would have if I hadn't intervened. I know of your past, I know of his, I know that he helped you escape last time; I do my homework Elf." Marzello stopped walking, and stood a few feet from them, with an evil and confident stare.

"You used a truth serum on him didn't you." Mirari said in detest.

"I am very skilled at reading the situation elf, I knew he was hiding something, and all I had to do really was use a little of my stunning charm and way with words and he opened up to me like a starving whore."

"In other words, you threatened him!" Mirari yelled, taking a step forward.

"The methods of my persuasion are my own business I'm afraid." He smiled again. "And I'm afraid the bird you requested is right now flying Leoei's little friend right into a trap for him." He said smiling. "The only thing I am confused with, and that Leoei didn't even seem to know, is who it is that attacked our camp." Marzello looked at them with a bit more of a serious and curious stare. Mirari stared back, Takuso looked from the two of them, saw the tension growing. He stepped forward to speak.

"Listen, I don't care what we have to do, I don't care what you want with us, if we have to go through you to get out of here than so be it." Takuso said. Mirari looked over at him and sighed.

"I'm afraid friend, that it's not that simple." She looked back to Marzello, who smiled again, and turned his chin up in victory.

"All we want is the boy, if you hand him over I can let Leoei go, forget this ever happened, and let you go as well, back to the Purple Mage if you must. Otherwise, I'm afraid you and your trader of a friend will face a horrible fate."

"Our orders don't come from the Purple Mage, oh untrustworthy one." Mirari quickly lied.

"Do not lie to me, I know of whom your evil orders are! Trust me or not, you either lose here against my hand like you know you will, or you get a chance of freedom. Your choice." He finished, and looked at Mirari in an inquisitorial stare.

Takuso looked back and forth between the two in deep observation.

Mirari looked down and slowly spoke through clenched teeth. "I.....choose......"

"Yes?" Marzello said smiling again. Mirari clenched her teeth harder, her hair falling in front of her eyes.

"Your death!" She raised her hand and head as quickly as she could and said a quick enchantment, hitting Marzello directly. Marzello stepped back a few feet then froze in place, still able to move his mouth.

"Hmm...I'm impressed elf...your father taught you more than I thought. The death grip spell. But you must know I'm far too powerful to be killed by such a move."

"Yes, but it'll hold you...while I summon my next spell. Takuso, he is powerful, don't try to attack him while I'm doing this, if you go near him in any way the spell will break and he'll kill you." Mirari put her legs together and met her two hands as if praying, then began whispering a long enchantment. "Du ba ra shi note, so bachu te note, aw mi ku re note chu, sien ko usha note tumembra." She continued, as Takuso only watched in confusion. Marzello seemed to be listening hard to attempt to hear the enchantment she was doing, and now wore a face of pure fear.

"Dammit you wench, what makes you think you can handle such a complex spell?!" He said. Mirari kept going. "You know it would devour you, only a few people in history are able to do it!" Marzello began to struggle greatly, trying to break free from the grip around him.

Time passed, it seemed to have taken minutes, Marzello was getting closer and closer to freedom, Mirari was calm but Takuso watched Marzello's tiny movements get more and more executing, he wanted to take out his sword but he knew from Mirari's words that it wouldn't work. Mirari seemed to be reaching the end, her hands began to glow blue and wind from the glow was pushing her hair up in gusts, she spoke louder now. "Supenda, chotana, kipora, imendua!" She lifted her hands in the air and screamed "Sotarichu!" and a blue light shot out about 5 feet into the air, like a sword attached to her hands. She looked at Marzello and slowly stepped forward, like she was walking against a powerful current of water up to her knees.

Marzello was very close to freedom, he could now take slow steps and was shakingly putting his arm up in front of the, as if to say "stop!" He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth very strongly. "UUURRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH" He fought and fought, Mirari reached him, raised her arms in the air and brought the sword downward in a powerful motion, a flash of light, as Takuso watched, and Marzello stood, with his hand grasping Mirari's wrist.

The sword disappeared, it was right above Marzello's head. Marzello twisted Mirari's wrist and she fell to her knee. Takuso stepped towards him but Marzello pointed his other finger and Takuso was thrust across the floor and landed on his back, slamming his head into the ground. He looked back down at Mirari who stared up at him in abhorring hatred, her hair fallen all over her face, her teeth clenched and seemingly in pain for the spell she was just holding.

"You are weak, you will always be weak, you don't even deserve to breathe the same air as I, you're worthless trash and the world would cry in a breath of relief if I just take this blemish off its face right here and now." He lifted his hand in the air and prepared to strike down, but stopped short. Mirari waited, expecting her life to end within that moment, but Marzello seemed once again paralized, he let go of Mirari and she stepped back.

Marzello bent forward and coughed up a heap of blood, growled and turned around in anger. He stared out into the clear black sky above, and Mirari heard a call. A bird, flying in the air, screaming "CAAAAAAW!" into the night, upon it rode a young mercenary by the name of Alex.

Alex had his hand extended towards Marzello and Marzello screamed and a ball of fire flew towards Alex's head in the distance, to which he easilly avoided.

Mirari knowing what was going on ran over to Takuso who lay motionless on the stone floor and lifted him over her shoulder. Marzello continued to throw spells at the bird quickly approaching, but then as it got close, it headed right for him, and he ducked as it narilly took off his head. The distraction was just enough time for Mirari to shove Takuso's limp body over the side of the tower, before muttering a quick spell upon him, and following, herself, repeating the foreign words. She picked up the body of the young man as she glided down, and place him on a birds back, before mounting it herself, assuming that their light weights together would not be greater than the majority of the sergeants and corporals, who were often joked about to be the strongest, yet stupidest, members of the army. She pulled the bird up, whispering a small spell, which struck the tower, lighting the frail wood on fire.

They looked back and Marzello leaped from the burning mess of wood, jumping high into the air and a breath of energy came from his mouth and headed towards them faster than the birds could travel. It was huge and unavoidable, an orange tint. Mirari sped up but it was too quick as Alex cast from the side to try to blast it away to no avail. Then, just as it was about to strike, Takuso woke from his unconsciousness with golden shining eyes and stood at the back of the bird, some magic unmuttered spell keeping him from falling off, lifted his arms and waved the blast of energy away, it fell down towards the camp below and created a gigantic explosion. Takuso then began to collapse, but Mirari caught him and laid him down, in amazement for what she had just witnessed.

"What the hell was that?!" Alex screamed through the high speed winds of their flight.

"I have no idea." Mirari yelled back.

A few moments passed, when something suddenly hit sparked in Mirari.

"Alex! We have to go back, Leoei is in danger!" Mirari said.

Alex sat at the neck of the bird with the rope in his hands, and didn't speak for a few moments. "Mirari, we don't have any room. We can't go back. I'm sorry you lost your friend." It was the first time Mirari had seen Alex show any compassion for anything but fighting since she first met him. She quickly got over it.

"But dammit, they might kill him! I can't let this happen, it's all my fault for pressuring him..." Mirari bent her head down in anguish, fighting back self loathing tears.

"You know we cannot go back...if he still lives, he'll probably go insane before we can rescue him. You know Marzello, too." Alex finished, Mirari, though usually fighting with Alex, did not protest, and just looked back at the fading city of Gorzo in sadness, a single tear fell from her face before she dried her eyes, and rained down to the earth below.

The horizon in the distance was slightly curved, as Alex steered their vessel more to the left and they flew off as the sun beside them slowly filled their day with a red sky.

The trio continued over the long plains to the west. The flashing plains crossed under the party. The clouds in the sky whisked passed, and the sun rose through the night.
“Hey, Merc,” called Mirari from her Alcane, “How about we set down for the night. We’re still a few hours away from Dalibor.”
Alex looked over at her, and nodded. They swooped their birds down, landing on the outskirts of a small city. Quietly, they approached the inn, Mirari carrying a still unconscious Takuso. “Here,” said Alex, a few steps from the doorway, “Put this on.”
In front of his elfish counterpart, he held a crissen hat. Mirari glanced at it, then at the mercenary, and then took the hat with a cold nod, and placed it upon her head, tucking her ears inside of it. They entered the inn, which had the name “Karindell.” A few heads glanced up, and quickly returned to their activities. The man behind the counter didn’t ask any questions, just gave a stern look at the limp body Mirari was carrying as he took Alex’s money, and handed over a key.
The room they got was a quiet little alcove, without much light or warmth. Then again, even in winter, the battle hardened Mirari and Alex, both, took little notice of the cold. They simply laid down, Alex and Mirari on the stone floor, and Takuso in the bed. The night passed by without much event, the morning, however, was slightly more active.

Takuso awoke to a cold, bitter, room. There was q quick moment of confusion as he recalled the last night, getting hit, hard, and then the closing black. His eyes quickly located Mirari and Alex, both of whom were asleep on the floor. The room was still dark; the sun had not yet broken the horizon. The stone walls were not, however, the first thing to grab his attention. There was a sound outside. He could hear a gruff voice asking for new arrivals a short distance away, outside the room.
“Mirari,” he whispered loudly, “wake up!” He leaped from his bed, shaking the sleeping elf. She rose quickly. “It seems we’re in trouble,” he said. Mirari looked at the sleeping man on the floor, and then nodded to the window. Takuso sighed, and prodded Alex until he, too, was awake. The door banged upon just then, and as Takuso and Alex jumped out the door, Mirari whispered a few words, letting a fiery wall spring up at the doorway. She joined the other two outside the building.
Takuso reached the birds first, though he was guided to them by Mirari and Alex. He hopped on, Mirari behind him, and Alex onto the other. They flew off as some men raced to try and catch them.
“What the hell happened while I was out?”
“Normal escape from Gary’s men stuff.”
“You’ve done this kind of thing before, Mirari?” called Alex.
“Once or twice,” replied Mirari only loudly enough for Alex to hear him.

They reached Dalibor at the off side of noon. Takuso hopped off first, and queried, “So, who was trying so hard to get me out of their?” he asked, looking to the other two.
“You’ll see, replied Mirari, as they left their Alcane at the outskirts of the city. The walk took them half the time remaining ‘til sundown, and when they reached their destination. Alex and Mirari both stopped very suddenly, and then Alex whispered a word, and dissappeared. Mirari took Takuso's hand, and whispered. Suddenly, the man found himself outside a quiet tent. “Inside,” pointed Alex.
Takuso walked in, and was surprised at what he saw. A man who looked about 60 years old by human aging, and a small Tellikin off to the side. This, however, was not the surprising part. The man's eyes immidiatly caught Takuso's interest. A blank stare, as if not seeing anything around him. Could this man be blind? The tent itself seemed like a messy office, papers fluttered everywhere, and a random collection of objects lined the walls. Takuso immediately noticed that Mirari saw none of this, but a bow and quiver resting on a desk directly behind the table behind which the man sat.
"Takuso," the man said. His voice had the tone of a normal man, but also a double voice that was much deeper."
“I assume that you are the Purple Mage,” Takuso said, rather bodly, especially for him.
The man smiled, “That is I, dear Takus, at least in a sense. This is simply a host body, for I am elsewhere. It is good to see you.”
“If I may be so bold, sir,” Takuso asked with the inquisitive sounding amusement of a child, “Why put all this effort into my escape. Why is was it even necessary in the first place?”
“I couldn’t tell you, it is your duty to find that out for yourself. But ay, what is this? Young Mirari doesn’t seem to be able to take her eyes off something behind me. Yes, my good student, you may take it, and Alex, you your prize, too.”
With these words, he pulled a sack up from below the table, one that Takuso expected to be filled with gold coins. Mirari rushed over to the table, picking up the bow. She stroked it gently, a strong smile resting on her face. Alex picked up the sack, and turned to leave.
“You know, dear Alex, there is more money to be made. Mirari, you, as well, have some claim to good in my next assignment for you. Takuso, more than anything, I will need your help with this. You, I know, can do what I need you to do, and perhaps, if you heed my advice, you shall find your purpose to us all much quicker. Join us, Takuso, for her memory.”
There was a quick flash as the image of a young girl shot into Takuso’s mind. He stood their, stunned. He shook his head, and then nodded, “All right, I’ll join your mission, Purple Mage.”
“And what claim do I have to go on this new assignment, sir?” asked Mirari. The purple mage only gave her a look, and she quickly nodded in agreement.
“What mission, and how much will I get paid?” asked Alex.
“In Prisca, there’s a contest going on. A classic 4 piece-1 piece drop. I already have your applications, all of you, free of charge, and your items. When’s the last time you got into a contest without risk of losing anything?”
“We could still lose our weapons.”
“You assume you’ll lose?”
“Well…”
“You can always steal them back.”
“And we don’t steal whatever it is your going for?”
“We play on the side of the law as long as we can.”
“I see. What is the item you want us to recover?”
“An orb. You’ll know it when you see it. It is very important, to a degree of such magnitude that I would only entrust someone I knew would win.”
“I see,” replied Takuso, [saying his catchphrase]
“So, are you up to it, or shall I find someone else?”
“I’m in,” said Takuso, looking over to Mirari. She only nodded. Alex rolled his eyes, “So I have to spend more time with these gati? Fine, so be it.”
So the group prepared, once more, to leave. Only this time, it was as a group, not three separate people.

Takuso, Mirari and Alex began to depart from the Purple Mage, a man stood in outside the tent, and as Mirari walked from it, she looked interestingly at the man, who stood with reptillian eyes.

"It's a Reviour." Alex said when they made a distance. "The Purple Mage has five specialized subordinates, they are incredibly powerful and trained under the Purple Mage himself, some of the only creatures on the planet ever to have seen him. The Purple Mage has certain routing points around the world to which change constantly, there is always one of his Reviour's accompanying his host body, just in case something happens and the memories need to be extracted from them before they are compromised. You don't want to fight one of them, the Purple Mage chose them for reasons, they have extraordinary abilities."

"How do you know so much about him Alex?" Mirari inquired.

"I wouldn't be saying these things to you right now if you two were still my tag alongs, but we're group members now, though I hate to say it, but it's what the Purple Mage wants and this information will be of use to you if we want to do this mission right and get our rewards from him. I know these things because I have...a past with him...let's just say I too have seen the Purple Mage." Alex said.

"First of all, we are not you're "tag alongs," if anything you're the third wheel here, you're not the one that had to get captured and sit in a cage for a week back in Stribog! And you treat us like you're superior and we're like children you have to teach the ways."

"I was coming up with a plan of my own to help you guys escape, and if I didn't show up when I did you'd be dead right now. And lets face it, I have the knowledge here, I know the Purple Mage and the area around here the best."

Mirari didn't retort.

"So where are we going now?" Takuso asked, as he followed the footsteps of the two experienced warriors before him.

"To Riante, the city we passed on the way here, we're going to get some rest." Mirari said.

"Okay, so just to brief, we walk through some magical barrier so that we cannot be tracked back to that tent, then we go to Riante, where we spend the night and use the money the PM gave us to get an Alcane for each of us to fly to Iesha for this tournament. Then we will meet a man in a bar who will exchange with us the four items we will use in the tourney and...well, yeah."

"Well it's a bit more complicated than that in action, but that's the gist of it anyway." Mirari said.

"Alright, yeah, I'm new to this and am trying to stay with you guys here so don't mind me if I seem confused at times."

With that they continued their travels, until they reached the city of Riante within the nation of Dalibor. It was hot and the long walk was weighing on the teams nerves, Takuso looked behind him and was amazed at how the path they had been walking carried no footprints, but yet it seemed as if they had come from the opposite direction. Takuso was not use to manipulative magic, in the mountain village to which he was raised, they only used elemental magics and healing magics, so Takuso found this clever approach to be quite fascinating.

They walked down into the heart of the city, the sun was high in the sky and the market streets were crawling with people, mostly humans, some dirty looking elves and the occasional dwarf. Alex stopped outside an inn, he seemed to know the place.

"In here." He said, Mirari and Takuso followed him through the double swinging doors. Inside was a very social environment, not at all what Mirari and Takuso were expecting. It was like an elegant restaurant. In the corner a tan carpeted staircase curved around the corner of the floor and ascended up to what they suspected were the rooms. Alex led them to a desk where very flamboyant looking man stood with blond hair pushed back and his long pointed ears clearly visible. He wore a large smile upon his baby looking face. They stood in line behind a small old lady with her white hair tied tightly into a bun. She asked the man at the desk for a table, and when he was done seating her walked back and gave Alex a smiley stare.

"Well if'n it ain't be me favrite wittle monkey waiter Alex!" Alex rolled his eyes in embarrassment.

"Listen, just give us a room Donovan, and be gone." He muttered.

"Oooh, scary, well what'cha needin?"

"We only need a single room, that is all."

"A bit touchy today are we? Well here you go, this is the last room, you're lucky you got here in time, the Riante spring festival is coming, the place is gettin' to be very busy." He reached behind him and took a key off the wall. "I trust you remember where to go?" He said, Alex ignored him and led the team to the right and up the stairs into their room.

Their room was the last door down the fancy hallway. The walls a mural and the floor clean and designed with strange shapes and lines.

Alex reached and put the key into the hole, turned it and opened the door. Inside the room was totally different, it was a dump. A single bed with tears in the thin covers, one small window with the only view being the back side of the building behind the inn, a small desk and an uncomfortable looking wooden chair that seemed as if sat in the wrong position would collapse.

"Not all the rooms are like this." Alex said shutting the door behind him. "This one is reserved for people like us only."

"People like us?" Takuso asked.

"People against Gary. It is completely impossible for anybody, no matter the mage, to see into this room in any way, the spell was cast...by the white mage himself." A strange look came over Mirari's face, she looked down again. Takuso also knew who the white mage was, at least by legend. There were monks who believed in him, and monks who didn't, he was a phantom, and Takuso never took a side on the debate.

"But why would the white mage set a spell on a random inn in the middle of knowhere?" Said Takuso.

"This...is not just a random inn, it is elegant, a place for ignorant rich people, a snobby place where you would never think to look for a rebellious army in such a formal environment, they expect us to be hiding underground and in the trees. Everybody that works here is part of the resistance, I once positioned myself here for a week because we were to receive secret information and I was to be its recipient."

"And that isn't dangerous? Don't you think somebody would have found out by now?"

"That's exactly why we are all part of the resistance, and not just lowly soldiers, Donovan down there is not just a pretty face, he's trained in the art of torturing, whenever we capture somebody and need information."

"That guy?!" Takuso said surprised.

"Yes, he's one of the most deceptive people you'll ever meet, don't underestimate him."


The day went on, Mirari was strangely quiet and spacey all day. For a portion they had gone out and checked out the markets but didn't buy anything. The night came and the three of them went to their room and layed down to sleep, Takuso took the floor without question, insisting that he's used to it, and Mirari reluctantly took the bed. Alex stood upright in the corner of the room, and left halfway through the night.

The night was spread.

Takuso's dream tonight was searing. On his back the scar pulsed painfully, as if reliving the nightmare of its creation in a never ending paradox of repetition. He saw the bird fall from its nest once again, and reached out to grab it, stepped forward and leaped into a dive, but as his foot left the earth the ground beneath him crumbled, and such the bird fell to his hands, and they began to fall together. Ready for the rocky landing below, Takuso smiled and looked at the creature in his grasps, only to find...that he had suffocated it. Takuso fell backwards and as the ground met him felt his back smash against the hard floor, but he kept falling, and below the ground turned to pillowing clouds, as he descended through into a white abyss, forever falling without a point B, forever being pierced by the sharp spear of a road beneath him, and endlessly re-experiencing the angels fall from grace.

But something changed, as he looked below he saw a figure, a woman, she was familiar, blonde hair, tall and fit, standing with her arms open to his plummeting body. "No!" he tried to scream, he didn't want to knock her down, he didn't want another person to fall as he. He dropped closer and closer, the face of this woman becoming clearer and clearer ever instant, until she was right there, clear as day, the woman, he knew her. "NOO" he screamed as he felt himself hit, fallen into her, the world then turned black, and he felt a warm hand upon his shoulder. "Aviela?" He said.

"Who is Aviela? Takuso are you alright?" Mirari's voice came from the darkness. Takuso opened his eyes to her concerned expression, he was sweating greatly, and gasping. "You were screaming, is everything alright?" Takuso sat up and put his hand over his face, wiping down the sweat from his forhead.

"It's...nothing, don't worry about it." He said as he looked over into her eyes. Mirari looked down for a moment, which seemed to be the signature of her uncertainty, as Takuso observed, it was a sign of her not sure whether she should say something or not. He ignored it, and collapsed back down, feeling slightly agitated and cranky, closed his eyes and muttered. "Please Mirari, it's nothing, just get some rest."

"You don't have to tell me...if you don't want, but there's things you want to know about me, and things I want to know about you...and...well, perhaps we can work from the value of personal exchange." Mirari said, Takuso paused for a moment, letting those words sink in, she was right, he thought, it was rude of him to be so prying when he is just as concealing.

"Alright, but not now, we have a lot of stuff coming up, but I promise you we'll have a talk...eventually." He said with his eyes closed and his backhand pressed up against his forehead. Mirari didn't speak, she nodded though she knew he couldn't see her do so, and lay back down upon her cot, closing her eyes. As always, the first thing she saw in the darkness were her parent's cold and dead, she winced again as she felt the shock of seeing her father's pale face falling to the floor, a dart embedded within his neck. But Mirari was skilled now at putting these thoughts behind her, and they slowly faded as she drifted into a deep slumber.

Outside, and out of the city, Alex crouched atop of hill that overlooked Riante. His eyes were closed as he muttered to himself.

"But he knows nothing, what am I supposed to do?" He said softly. He went quiet for a moment, as if listening on the other line, then spoke again. "I can't let him get hurt, but he's not much of a fighter." He listened again. "Okay, I understand, I'll do my best." With that, he opened his eyes and stood up, looking down at the dark city below, and began to walk back down to it.


In the morning, Takuso woke up bright and early, after having a nightmareless finale of the night, he felt somehow more rested than he'd been in a long long time.

He stood up, kissed the day for it's warm embrace that shone strongly through the plane of glass that divides the real world from a realm of magicry. Mirari was already up. He looked at her through a large and flexible stretch, twisting his body around and reaching his arm behind him. Mirari seemed confused as she scanned the room in inquiry. Takuso following step did too and instantly found the same puzzlement, that being of the missing body, Alex.

"Where could he have gone?" Mirari asked. Takuso shrugged.

"Maybe...out for a morning stroll?" He suggested.

"I doubt it." She replied as she walked towards the door, she placed her palm down on the handle bar, but jumped away in a screech, pulling her arm toward her. "Shit, how did I not see that one coming." She put her hand down with her palm facing up and studied it, her entire arm turned black.

"What the hell just happened?!" Takuso moved forward and looked at her hand in shock.

"It's a spell." She replied.

"But who cast it? Not Alex?"

"Who else? He's the only one that was able to get in here."

"But how would he be able to put a spell on a room that has so many powerful enchantments blocking him from doing so?"

"Well...he knows this place, he knows how it ticks...but...if the white mage really did put enchant this room...then there's no way he could be powerful enough to do it." Mirari stopped and stood in thought.

"So what do we do."

"Not a clue, I can't take the spell off, I have just been stolen my ability to use magic, temporarily that is."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Then we just wait here to find out why it is we are trapped?"

"That's the plan." Mirari went back and crouched in the corner, Takuso looked on in wonder. "Wake me when the bad guys get here, whoever they may be."

"Ugh, is it just me or do you notice we get captured way too often." Takuso said.

He turned his back to the door and began walking towards Mirari, but just as he was about to sit, an explosion erupted behind him, disintegrating the door and the wall around it, pieces of wood went flying all over the place, Takuso ducked and put his hands over his head. As it settled he turned and looked, Mirari was standing.

In the dust stood a man beneath a black cloak, his face barely visible under the shade of his hood; he had large dark feathered wings coming from his back, his left hand was black with blue veins vibrant like lightning strikes to the tips of his fingers, on his right they were dark red. His face was intense, his scruffy black beard blending with the dark gray of his complexion, and his eyes like a cats in the night, green and glowing.

He stood for a moment, and then stepped forward, his movements seemed to echo , as if he was leaving a trail of darkness behind him, the room itself seemed fading, the picture going out, like a sand castle that has now begun to dissolve and flatten.

Takuso felt woozy in this mans prescence, but stood and began to take steps towards him. He did not know why he was, Mirari put her hand on his shoulder but he stepped out of her reach, moving toward the man. It was like a dream, like he was watching himself move in the third person. The man was walking toward him too, and then, they stopped before each other.

When they stopped moving they seemed locked in a reflection, as Takuso put his right hand out the man lifted his left, and they stopped at each other with their palms an inch apart, as if a wall of glass was between them. Takuso looked at his hand and at the mans, his face as serious. Mirari stood back and watched in confusion.

Then, a sword came down through the dark figure, straight from his head to the floor, the point of it narrowly missing Takuso's nose. The figure turned to smoke and he disappeared, and behind the veil Alex stood, his feet far apart and both hands gripping the sword that pointed to the ground, he was gasping, and Takuso began to fall backwards. Mirari jumped forward and caught him, but his unconsciousness only lasted an instant as he reopened his eyes.

Alex straightened up and walked over, looking down at Takuso who had his head in Mirari's lap and wore a dreary expression. Mirari looked up at Alex for answers to what she had just seen.

"What the hell was that?" She said.

"Don't ask me, ask him." Alex pointed down to Takuso, Mirari looked back at him. Takuso was breathing heavilly.

"His...his name is Xanaorius..." He said quietly.

"How...do you know that?" Mirari said in shock.

"He told me...he said...he said he's waiting for me...in the Raven's End." The room went quiet, Mirari looked at Takuso in amazement and ultimately confusion. Alex closed his eyes.

"The Raven's End is just a myth." Alex suddenly said, sheathing his sword. "But whoever he was, he wasn't the one who cast the spell on this door that kept me out and you guys in. That...was Gary." Alex finished, Mirari gave a silent gasp. Takuso sat up and Mirari helped him to his feet.

"That means...that Xanaorius was helping us escape." Takuso said, wobbling.

"Possibly, but you'd be a fool to trust him Takuso." Alex said. Mirari then interuppted.

"But how did Gary know where we are? And how did he put the spell here? And why?"

"I don't know where Gary gets his information, and I don't know how he broke the spell, but that winged guy saved you so it'd be a good idea to get out of here right away, before whatever Gary was planning takes place." The three nodded and moved out the hole in the wall, down the stairs and into the lobby. When they walked in, they found blood splattered along the walls, and no single body to account for it.

"What happened here?!" Takuso said.

"I don't think this was Gary's doing." Alex said, walking into the room slowly and examining the bodies.

"Could it have been the black figure?" Mirari asked.

"Possibly, but we may be next, we should leave right now." Said Alex.

"What about Donovan and all the others?" Takuso said.

"We have to forget them for now, we're on a mission, if we stop to help every fallen bird then we'll never have the time to find what's shooting them down."

Takuso sadly agreed, and Mirari put her hand on his back. They left the inn, and outside was a ghost town, there were people laying in the streets, the silence of the air was overwhelmingly eerie. It seemed as if the whole city had been slain, every store and every street empty, not even blood as there had been in the inn. They made their way to the edge of the city, where three Alcanes sat waiting. Mounting them they took one last look at the dead empty world of Riante, wondering where everybody had gone, wondering what had taken them, wondering what was after them, and what dangers they would face next as they entered a tournament to obtain something that Gary was so desperate to stop them from getting.

"Hagas ornmatosianz egal, hagas akakos hibitu kin uf Algala," (note: this means Let the dead rest, let their [souls/minds] be at [peace/Nirvana]) Mirari bowed her head, before spinning to her alcane. Alex gave her a look from his bird, before pulling on the bird, and launched into the sky. The shot across the skies, as the sun rose up in front of them. The ground flashed below them, as they flew over the [land description] of [wherever they're flying over: Ickle hasn't made the map for this part yet].
They landed at the border of Prisica, so as to avoid being picked up by the patrolling sky-guards of the Imperialistic State. They were a far inside the border before they once more lifted off. The arena they were going to was not only the fighting area for the Prisican contests, but the center of the town as well. Any business that was at all successful was located inside of its walls. The structure itself was located on the edge of a forest, called Ephestus Forest, or Forbidden Forest. It was rumored to hold strange creatures that had migrated from the Mage Awakening. The trio entered the edge of this forest quietly, attempting to sneak passed another line of border men.
Crack "What was that?" The sound startled Takuso, and he glanced around. Mirari pointed to their left. There was a tall, slender woman there. Takuso could easily tell that she was elvish, though she had a spell upon her ears. He supposed that spending so much time with Mirari let him see the subtle features elves carry.
"I got this bitch," Alex said, his hand on his sword. Takuso stretched his hand out, staying him.
"Why are you here?" Mirari used a slightly less aggressive tone, comparatively to the mercenary.
"Isn't that obvious?"
"If your going to the contest, you might want to touch up a bit," Mirari almost smiled.
The elf touched her face. "Yes, well... I..."
"Alex!"
Mirari turned, watching as Alex seemed to ignore the conversation, and began to walk away. She turned back to the elf. "We must be going, I suppose. See you at the contest."
"Right..."
"Just be ready to lose," Alex's voice carried far enough for elfish ears to hear it, but not those of Takuso. Who didn't understand the look that the elf gave the man walking away. The group hurried up to the gates, where they were quickly allowed entrance. They took their items to the room in which one enters the contest.

The audience had gathered in mass. The items of each member of the contest were laid out in front of them. Three per person. In front of Takuso lay an old sword, its matching shield, and a sheta statuette. He glanced down the row, spotting a silvery orb that they were searching for. He looked up, to see Prisican Armour that looked like it had been made for the last great was Prisica had had. Next to the man was the elf they had encountered earlier.
"Men and Women. I welcome you on behalf of the mayor. He wishes you all the best. Now, for the terms. The game is standard, 1 item reward for winning, no persons or played weapons are to be put in the stack. The last game is played for all items, in addition to the weapon. You must keep all weapons in your stack. Does everyone understand by the will of the sacred Lord?"
"Ay, sir," came the reply from the thirty two warriors standing in front of the speaker.
"Good. Now…," the man smiled, "Leon Mayfield and Lindsey Azshwaz."
A man and a woman both said ‘Ay.’
“You two shall be our first fight. The second,” the man glanced at his list, “Viktor Kazantsev and Marcus Fletcher.”
The elf was in the next group, though it was clear her name was faked, “Addison Macintosh and Noel Garrison. Therese Wood and Aamil Parmar. Alexander Kennedy and Jasmine Harper. Bret Forthshire and Garret West. Takuso Maiya, and Brygida Koza.”
Takuso frowned. He didn’t want to fight Mirari. He wished that she had chosen some other fake name besides that one. It was too late, though. The fight was set. He stole a glance at his ‘opponent.’ Her eyes were closed and her face was set. The final name was called. “Lara Engalychev.
"Ay." The man's voice was deep, strong. Takuso frowned at the thought of fighting him.
The contestants were forced to their rooms. Takuso sat at the edge of his bed, simply worrying. He looked at the dirt floor, hard, unmoved. He wondered what would happen in the arena. This would lessen their chances, to be sure.

Takuso was far too annoyingly keen with the crackling, shrill screech of the penning concrete walls around him; as he lay back, his spine bent uncomfortably, shifting out the way of sharp springs that were bulging menacingly through the thin matting. This is the life of a warrior. He thought; the glamour of childhood fantasies fading with the stench of blood and body odor thickening the air with a crude humidity. Yes, this life, with leaking walls, infested mattresses, the distant melodies of diseased rats squealing and scurrying along the molded floors, and, the worst of all, as Takuso’s cynicism expanded, were the faces of those he’d soon be pitted up against…a blind and mislead hatred, people in whom he’d love to meet, talk with, be friendly with, observe, understand who they are, why they are the way they’ve turned out to be, but no, they were enemies by expectation, no reason, and this bothered Takuso greatly…
For what? But this thought was justified by a quick and heart shattering scream, as memories swarmed his beaten hollow hive of a skull, rumbling it as the stingers of far and deadly recollections penetrated his nerves with poison.
It was broken then as the door to his room slowly crept open, and Mirari’s voice in a hushed whisper said “may I come in?” Takuso sat up, righted himself on the bed, cleared his throat and said “sure.” With that, Mirari slipped in through the door and shut it silently behind her.
She sat beside him, he looked at her as she moved; for a few moments, there was a very awkward silence as Takuso stared curiously at Mirari, who was looking at the floor, then, Mirari spoke.
“Tacky…I don’t think you should fight tomorrow, I think you should resign from the match…let me go on…I can take them…” She said, as she fidgeted with her hands. Takuso hung his mouth open, feeling almost betrayed by her words.
“You…don’t think I can handle it?” He said.
“Well…you have talent, and you can fight, I know that, I’ve seen you…but…you don’t know how these people can be, you don’t know the world like I do, and these…’people’…come from the same parts of the world that I happen to know the best…and…I…well…Tacky…I honestly don’t think you can…” She finished an almost practiced speech.
Takuso felt the hot anger inside him melt away, and he, in a self-observant mode, replied: “I’m kind of scared…I don’t like this…I was brought up on a premise of peace, and was taught magic as a way to become ‘closer and connected to the universe around me,’ and learned advanced martial arts for defensive and meditative purposes only…the hatred in those people’s eyes, they stare around at everyone competing, sizing them up, as if each person is just a mindless challenge for them…we aren’t people, sharing the world, to them…I can’t look at them that way…I can’t look to the face of my opponent and reflect the same blind hatred that they may look at me with…I can’t fight like this…especially not against you, Mirari…”
Mirari looked at him in a comforting expression. “You’re very noble, you’re not a fighter, Tacky, and that makes you who you are…I admire it greatly…but sadly, here, now, with what we’re facing, with the journey we have ahead of us, you can’t be held back by such things, they will turn to be your downfall, they will kill you…leave the preaching and morality for after we’ve won, for after we’ve gotten what we’re in it for, for after we’re set free to make a new world for ourselves…you need to fight, Takuso.” She was obviously serious, for she hardly ever used his name in that way before. It was now Takuso’s turn to stare down at the dirt. His bare feet, once clean and delicate, drowned in a dark scratchy mound of dirt, his hands folded in his lap, too beaten by her logic to move.
This was a revelation he could not face…he suddenly had a warm memory come to him, it was amazing…fields of flowers…red, yellow, orange, reflecting the large warm sun in the sky, which caressed his bare flesh as he lay next to his lover with a smile on his face, staring gently into her eyes, and she, staring back, with a gaze of pure ecstasy…she’s gone…she died… The warm air whispered, as peddles suddenly swarmed around them, clouding every inch of sight. When they all settled back to the earth, Takuso lay alone, staring at an empty patch of sunken flowers…and he started crying…
“I can’t do this Mirari…” He said suddenly, hiding the few tears that managed to get passed his rapidly flapping eyelids.
“Well…you need to learn how to, you have to…I still don’t know you Tacky, I don’t know your past, I don’t know your resolve, maybe these are things that will come to light at some point, but right now, you need to grab a tight hold on that resolve, and let it move you…” Takuso just stared at the ground, and Mirari, sensing that he’d had enough of this lecture, got slowly to her feet, walked steadily towards the door, slilpped out, and through a crack that remained opened, whispered “I’ll see you tomorrow Tacky, but not as your friend, tomorrow, you’re my enemy, and I yours, good night.” And she pulled the door to a slow close.
Takuso sat for a while, his mind blank, not thinking of anything particularly, just staring down at his callous, blistered hands…at long last, he clenched a tight fist, lay back, spikes from the loosening springs protruding, and fell to an instant, dreamless sleep.

Takuso was woken the next day by a loud bang at his door, as a man’s deep voice growled through the thin wood: “The matches begin in 1 hour.”
He walked away, his footsteps pounding the earth beneath him. Takuso opened his eyes, his heart hammering in his chest, as now, the realization of what was about to happen, the consequences if lost, the prospect of being in a deadly match against Mirari…it was all too much…nerves…were getting the best of him…
He rolled slightly and dropped his legs off the bed, and swayed up to his feet, feeling dizzy for a few moments, as a thin layer of light shown through the small dusty window, and straightened his posture as he made for the wooden door before him, not caring to tidy up before the matches began.
He made his way out of his room and down a set of long gloomy corridors, and found himself outside with a large circular platform, surrounded first by a moat of grass, and then, closer to the stands, a long stretch of the same dark dirt that spread this whole filthy area. The stands rose high into the air, must fit near to 100,000 people, Takuso assumed. He was not the first contestant to come out of his room and onto the battlefield, there were three others. One large man covered head to toe in silver armor was slashing his sword through the air a few times, then took out a strangely shaped rock, and ran it sharply on the edge of the sword, before trying a few more swings.
Takuso recognized the woman that they had met outside of the stadium, she was leaning on the high wall that stretched up to the first row of the stands, her eyes closed, and arms crossed; an expression of calm on her face. And the other was Alex, who was also standing with his arms crossed; his eyes were opened and staring towards the heart of the fighting ring, as if studying its make.
Takuso went to stand by Alex, but remembered that they were meant to be strangers, and walked inconspicuously past him, and just circled the ring once before returning to sit cross legged on the ground, assuming a meditative position to clear his mind of all his nerves.
But that was no use.
One by one the contestants poured out of the arched doorway that led to the rooms, Mirari was the last.
As she walked by, Takuso looked at her, still sitting in the dirt, and she gave him a quick glance then moved her eyes away and towards the ring. All around them, the stands were piling and piling with faces, and voices. Species from all corners of the world coming to watch this brutal battle take place. Then, a very large man that looked as if he’d seen quite a few battles himself, came out of the doorway and stepped up to the platform, when he spoke, his voice seemed magically magnified, so that the whole stadium could hear him speak.
“Welcome one and all to the bloodiest, most brutal tournament Usha can possibly provide!” he roared, as cheers thundered and rang all around. “This time around we have a very special show to put on for you, as contestants brave enough to take on the strongest have come here to fight and kill their way to the ultimate prize, that prize, which will be revealed at the conclusion of the tournament, will be presented to the winner, to the strongest, most powerful creature our world has to offer!” Roars were now so loud that Takuso was doubtful that he’d ever be able to hear again, it was IMPOSSIBLE now to meditate, and, he figured, that these matches didn’t have many ‘calm’ people, but, people filled to the brim and leaking through their ears and noses with adrenaline and testosterone.
The announcer pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket, and began to spew rules off, as well as some disclaimers "All members here today have contributed their own pots, with each of the four items worth at least 50 [money amount]. When one player defeats another player, they may choose ONE item from the other player's pot. No more, no less. If any items in the pot are contaminated of negatively spelled, the contaminator will be hunted and put up for public humiliation and possibly death. The personal effects, as well as personal services are NOT part of the pot. Killing is permitted."
Takuso was only half listening, and the stadium seemed to be very bored with this part; very rambunctious and anxious as you could hear the one or two loudest voices screaming things like “NOBODY FUCKING CARES!,” “SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND BRING THE ACTION!”
And then he finished, and called the first two contestants up to the ring. Leon Mayfield and Lindsey Azshwaz stepped up, Leon was the man in the armor, and Lindsey was a relatively short girl, sleek, but she had a very mean face that would intimidate even the most powerful and cocky of men. Takuso was harboring the suspicion that she was an elf...by her physique and the fact that she, like Aera, seemed to be taking measures against the sight of her ears, with a very out of place turban.
The announcer gave a countdown from three, stepped off of the ring onto the grass, and just like that, it began.
Leon lunged forward, his sharp sword at his side and swung at the still Lindsey, who reached out and clamped the sword in her hands, the blade not reaching her palm. It seemed all too easy, as the man attempted to tug the sword away, but finding that it wouldn’t budge an inch, as Lindsey starred menacingly into his shielding head, and then smiled a very creepy smile that made the hairs on Takuso’s neck stand up. Leon took his free hand and made an attempt at the girl’s face, but she merely raised her other hand and grasped it like she was playing a berserk game of catch, and held his hand still as he tried to pull away. The announcer was shouting things like “Oh my! She’s got some strength! I’d hate to meet her in a dark alley!”
Leon was struggling, but he apparently had some tricks up his sleeve too, as he screamed at the top of his lungs and a force of air finally budged the powerful woman, as he stepped back, from her, his hands and sword free.
He seemed to be able to push air at powerful velocities with his voice, as he screamed and booms of air shot at Lindsey, pushing her back as she put her arms up and tried to stand her ground, but the force of the push had her feet slipping on the marble ground. Then Leon’s real tactic came in as he drew more air, and before Lindsey could move, screamed again, and this time through a handful of knives into the jet stream of super-speedy air, and Lindsey had no choice but to jump and leave her feet, she tried to get over and out of the way, but a few of the daggers scraped her side and she was flung across the stage, over the grass, the dirt, and then hit the wall, sending a crack to shoot up and down it, she fell limp onto the ground, out, cold, as the knives deflected off the wall next to her and stuck sharp into the ground. Somewhere flying into the stands was her turban, her protection, and, in clear sight, her long pointy ears flung up from the sides of her head. The crowd, or those that could see her plainly, gasped. Like a coming wave, whispers grew steadily louder, and as Lindsey slowly opened her eyes, her large ears were met by screams of rage and a fury of objects falling from the stands in her direction.
Takuso looked to Mirari who didn't seem nervous at all, she was very good at keeping her cool.
Leon, with a smirk on his face, started towards the fallen elf. He yelled to the crowd as it fell silent to hear the victor's voice "Now look at what we've got here." He stopped at her feet and she stared up at him with the same frightening expression she wore before the match began. As he reached down for her neck she quickly kicked off from the ground and began running towards the entry way, at a very strong speed. The two large men standing at the gate stepped in front of her but she crashed between them sending them off their feet to the hard ground with a crash, and the elf disappeared out of sight while Leon was yelling nonsense about scaring her off and other racist crap.
Takuso was very distressed with his poor ears after that match, through the excited yells of the crowd and the booming voice of Leon, he was surprised he hadn’t already gone deaf.
Leon was declared the victor, and walked to three items brought by Lindsey. He lifted a sword that was claimed to have magical powers (but could not use it during the tournament) and it was added to his own pot.
The crowd seemed slightly disappointed with the short length of the match, but they got their satisfaction as the next match between Viktor Kazantsev, a short but beefy man that held an axe that was larger than himself, and Marcus Flether, a man who was very very speedy but didn’t have much of a punch against the brute of the shorter man, had a match that lasted well over an hour of tense and bloody battle, before Viktor chopped poor Marcus's head clean off, which, according to the rules, was okay as long as the opponent did not give in first.
Then came a most interesting match, between Addison Macintosh and Noel Garrison. Addison, though Takuso had suspected it to be a false name, was the woman that they had met outside of the stadium, and they soon saw her in action, as she easily defeated a very fearful looking elf with the power to send explosive gasps of fire her way. She walked effortlessly through the flames, looking very bored with her opponent, and seemed to only delay the ending so that the crowd could get their money’s worth, before she touched the forehead of her opponent, seemingly with innocence, but watched as they fell to the ground gasping in pain, before raising their hand, giving up, and being taking away, writing in agony, on a stretcher.
Takuso was very frightened by this elf now, she was powerful, he had no clue what she did, but it seemed like if she wanted to, she could have killed her opponent with ease. Takuso looked over to Mirari, whose face was equally astounded, then he looked to Alex, who, to Takuso’s surprised, was smiling.
The next match was boring, but Aamil Kanshe, a man who seemed to be very touch in martial arts, took the prize as his opponent Therese was tripped during a lunge on her face and was knocked out.
Then, next, was Alex…

To Be Continued…




NOTE FROM MIRARI

1. I've changed a few characters names. This is to make the Human names human, the the elfish and dwarfish names alien. Therefore, both Mirari and Raven aren't really suitable for our resident Elves. Mirari will be Aera Mistoka from now on, and Raven will be Engla Cor
2. The rest of the changed names are
Maybaro Aurfo – Leon Mayfield
Linsi Azshwaz – Lindsey Azshwaz
Ungol Bisha – Viktor Kazantsev
Troav Calodora - Marcus Fletcher
Engla Cor – Addison Macintosh
Muladon Duando – Noel Garrison
Nuis Dvert – Therese Wood
Haiv Kansne –Aamil Parmar
Alexander Kennedy
Befreia Lan – Jasmine Harper
Bret Larein – Bret Forthshire
Gumbloa Lvenz –Garret West
Takuso Maiya –Takuso Maiya
Aera Mistok – Brygida Koza
Granz Bein – Hector Jimenez Reyes
Rera Yangal – Lara Engalychev
3. I will be editing this post a bit to keep up with that, as well as some mistaken rules. I will also be going back and correcting older posts.